joi, 9 iulie 2009

Benefits of Spas

The concept of SPA has its origin back in the time of the Roman Empire - “Sanus Per Aquam”, which means “health through water”. It is believed that the term appeared when the Roman legionnaires discovered that the thermal water was helping them in recovering faster from wounds they received in battle. They started to build thermal baths and undertake hot water treatments.

During this period, in Belgium the town Spa was founded, a location specially designed for this kind of treatments. With years, Spa became Europe's most representative wellness location.

Nowadays, wellness is considered to be a way of life. Everybody's dream is to feel great, look good and have their mind, body and soul rejuvenated. This is the reason why people turned to spas. It's the best way to get in touch with your sensuality and give your body a much-needed holiday. It is important to know all the benefits that spa and wellness have on both you and your body.

First of all, spa means relaxation. A relaxed mind and a relaxed body make a great team together. The human body is an amazing organism. We work it hard all day, always pushing its limits to the maximum. So, is absolutely normal that it needs some rest. If we don't offer it proper rest and recovery time, it will start to show signs of abuse in form of pains and aches. Then, we all know that is time to take a break and give our body the opportunity to recharge itself. Many physicians and physiotherapists recommend warm spa treatments to their patients as a method of rehabilitative therapy. The warm water is known for its ability to dilate blood vessels and stimulate the body's recovery process.

We are all aware that stress represents a main health problem. Studies claim that 80% of diseases are stress related. Spa helps you relieve the stress by stimulating the release of endorphines, helps you detoxify your body, improves your circulation and reduces cellulite. It also improves your immunity and strengthens joints and muscles. Through spa, skin is maintained beautiful by rubbing off the layer of dead skin cells as well as detoxifying and hydrating the skin to make it feel soft and gentle. With spa, the phrase “forever young” gets a new meaning.

The elements used in different spa therapies range from mud peat and clay to seawater, rocks and minerals. Seawater is especially good for the body because it contains sodium, calcium and magnesium with beneficial effects on respiratory problems (asthma), circulatory problems (hypertension) and muscle atrophy. Also, seawater treatments improve sleep quality.

Facilities of a Great Waterpark

The time to take your family to the waterpark has come. You have been planning this trip for some while and you have figured out all the possibilities. Still, you are not 100% convinced and you would like to know more details about what makes a great waterpark. Could it be its location? Could it be its attractions? Or is it the people that are there to offer you assistance?

Well, a waterpark should be easy accessible. The faster you get there, the better. Next, it should be friendly. Once you are there, it should be easy for you to buy some non-expensive tickets for your entire family. Most certainly you will appreciate it if everything goes smoothly.

At any given time, a great waterpark will give you a sense of security, especially if you are going there with your little kids. It is nice to know that someone is watching your kids while they are having fun.

Probably the most important rule for a waterpark is “not to be boring”. There are a lot of different persons that spend their time there so it is impetuous for the waterpark to provide a wide range of activities and attractions so that everybody is happy. First, there should be lots of water attractions (cold water pools, thermal water pools, whirlpools, slides, lazy rivers, wave pools, tubes). If your kid can't swim, you should take in consideration the option of signing him to some swimming courses. While he is struggling through his first swimming lessons, you could either enjoy a nice, cold tea and a snack at the waterpark's restaurant or you could be making aqua gymnastics or relax in one of the warm whirlpools.

Talking about relaxation, wouldn't it be nice to have the possibility to enjoy a relaxing, oil massage, a body or a facial treatment, or sauna. In order to be successful, there should be a wide diversity of massages, treatments and saunas, so you could try something new every day.

For those who share a passion for sports, the waterpark should offer diverse activities like football, handball, tennis, badminton, squash, wall-climbing, fitness.

Not only the young should be welcome to the waterpark. The elderly should also have their own attractions, their own pools, even their own health center where they could undergo physical therapy and prophylactic courses or attend some interesting health seminars.

Whether you are young or old, the waterpark should offer you some nice restaurants and bars where you could serve breakfast, lunch or dinner, and have a glass of quality wine. Booking a room should also be an alternative for those who want to spend a few more days at the waterpark. Accessible prices and clean, hospitable rooms should be enough to convince that it is a great idea to stay overnight.

There are many things that make the difference between a good waterpark and a great waterpark. In the end, every great vacation needs careful planning and a little bit of luck. Once you have found the waterpark that suits you the best, start packing your bags and start living your dream.

Stralsund, a Beautiful City

Stralsund is a medieval town situated in Northern Germany, in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, close to the Baltic Sea coast. It is renowned for its shipyards and fishing related industries, as well as for its tourism. Its historical city centre attracts thousands of visitors, eager to see imposing churches and red brick typical houses which remind of the time when Stralsund was a very powerful city.

It is known that Stralsund was once a member of the Hanseatic League, the alliance that was formed between medieval trading cities and their guilds in order to establish a trade monopoly during the Late Middle Ages.

Interestingly enough, Stralsund's “Altstadt” (Old town) is situated on its own island, surrounded by the Baltic Sea and by lakes. In 2002, this Brick Gothic historic centre has become a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The most important part of Stralsund is definitely the “Alter Markt” (Old Market Square) famous for the Gothic Town Hall that dates back from the 13th century. Here you will also find the imposing Nikolaikirche (St. Nicholas' Church), as well as the Gothic Wulflamhaus and the Baroque Commandantenhaus.

The Marienkirche (Saint Mary's Church) is another great example of fine German brick construction and it's the largest Stralsund cathedral. From its 104 meters high tower you have the opportunity to see the entire panorama of Stralsund.

It is impossible to visit Stralsund without paying a visit to the harbour, from where 300 ships cruised the Baltic Sea in the 14th century. What makes the harbour a really great attraction nowadays are the old brick warehouses and the waterside bars and restaurants where you can taste the renowned German cuisine.

While in Stralsund don't forget to also visit the German Oceanographic Museum, one of Germany's largest museum of natural science. There are 45 aquariums that display live sea creatures from both the North Sea and the North Atlantic. As a piece of advice, if you plan to visit the aquarium you should definitely make sure you have plenty of time. There are a lot of things worth seeing there.

Stralsund will satisfy any tourist with its diverse range of touristic attractions. You can be either a culture fan or a sports fan, you will surely find something new and challenging here. A nice thing to say about Stralsund is that its people are warm and friendly. You can best see this when trying to get information from the employees of the touristic office. They will support you, providing help, information and brochures, as well as organizing tours and town guidances. Planning your vacation and creating your holiday has never been so simple.

Some Basic Things about Waterparks

It's almost impossible to plan a friendly family vacation during summer without taking in consideration a destination that offers you the opportunity to just lay in the sun and have a nice, warm bath. Therefore you have a few alternatives: you could choose a quiet mountain with a crystal lake or you could aim for an ocean or a sea. Taking your family to the swimming pool is also an interesting option.

Now, imagine a place where you could go with your family, enjoy the sun and the water, where your kids would be safe and have a lot of fun. The thing that you are envisioning right now is called a waterpark.

A waterpark is basically an amusement park that features water and different types of waterplay areas like water playgrounds, water slides, lazy rivers, splash pads, swimming pools or bathing environments. Waterparks appeared back in the late1940s as an alternative to swimming pools or the seaside. Today, you will find the largest concentration of waterparks in the United States (more than a thousand).

While most of these waterparks are outdoor and, therefore, opened only during summer, you can also find lots of indoor waterparks. These are usually located inside a building and can stay open for the entire year. It is nice to know that even if outside is raining or it's incredibly cold, you can still offer your little kid the opportunity to have a warm bath and some fun.

Another interesting thing about waterparks is the fact that recently a lot of them have been equipped with facilities dedicated to artificial surfing or boarding. So, if you really can't afford to ride an ocean wave, going to a waterpark that offers you a FlowRider is definitely your best bet.

Also, it is known that there is a new trend setting in: waterparks emerging from spas. This way you will have the opportunity to enjoy summertime water rides mixed up with winter sports. Here, you will also find some nice steam rooms, showers, saunas and other relaxation-oriented waterplay areas.

A few words should also be told about safety. While you are at a waterpark and enjoy a nice time swimming, don't “be a hero”. Swim only in safe areas that are usually supervised by a lifeguard. If you see the “No diving” sign it means that the area has a low depth and it's not safe for a head-first entry. Never mix water with alcohol. It is known that alcohol is responsible for half of all male drownings. Also, if you are there with your kids, don't let them out of your sight. If there is anything going wrong with your kid, you should be the first to act properly. Be responsible!

We all know that it's nice to enjoy the sun. Though, you should not exaggerate. Prolonged and unprotected exposure to sun could cause serious skin and eye damage, as well as cancer. The best way to protect yourself means using a sunscreen constantly and a pair of sunglasses that have 100% ultraviolet protection.