For some time now, I owe my friend Tammy a turnip post. The background story is that she made a turnip post herself in which she wrote her thoughts about turnips often being considered “lowly”, and why she loved that humble vegetable, and then shared a wonderful recipe for stuffed turnips.

I totally agree that turnips are wonderful vegetables – they not only taste good, but also give you a boost in vitamins, minerals, and fiber (see here) – but nevertheless, they seem to be rather neglected by most people. Maybe this is due to the fact that turnips are still associated with times of poverty and very little to eat, such as the “turnip winter” of 1916/1917 in Germany, after WW1, when turnips were one of the very few edible things left, and people made everything from them, ranging from soups and stews to “bread” and “coffee”.

Happily, these times have passed by now. But still, turnips have to be freed from the notion of being a rather low vegetable. To help with this, I want to show you one of my favorite turnip recipes which I know from my childhood already. Both my mom and my grandmom used to make this, and my dad loves it very much. This recipe is a very delicious side dish, and in my version, it is also vegan.

TURNIP AND CARROT PUREE

2-3 servings

Ingredients

1 large turnip, peeled and cut into pieces
2 large carrots, peeled and cut into pieces
a little water
125 ml (1/2 cup) almond milk (or other milk)
salt to taste
pepper to taste
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1 pinch of ground cloves
1 handful of fresh parsley, chopped (with some leaves left out for garnishing)

Directions

In a pot, boil the turnip and carrot cubes in a little water, covered, until soft (about 10 minutes). Toss the remaining water after cooking, then add the almond milk and season with salt, pepper, nutmeg, cloves, and parsley. Mash the whole thing with a potato masher or blender. Garnish with fresh parsley, serve, and enjoy.

Which is your favorite turnip recipe? Please share (or make a turnip post yourself) to help with re-establishing this loveable vegetable!

People who are interested in learning all about the history of mathematics should take advantage of this article here, check it right now in order to learn the brief history of this important science, or choose to visit website pages that specialize in mathematics and discover even more details that might pose interest to you. First, it is important to know that there is an entire study area called the history of mathematics, and this study area mainly focuses on debating and revealing the true origins of mathematics and all of its discoveries, as well as the study of all of the important mathematical methods.

Secondly, you should also know that there are many history books that can also be found in their electronic form, and once you can comes across such an example, you should go ahead and quickly download it. You could also try to locate a sample website that talks about modern age mathematics, if you are more interested in this particular field of mathematics. If you feel the need to go even deeper into the matter, you can always join the classes of a professional institute that specializes into mathematics or the history of mathematics.

For now, remember that the oldest texts that relate to mathematics are the ones known as Babylonian mathematics, dating back from 1900 BC, and also referred to as Plimpton 322, along with the Egyptian mathematics called the Rhind Mathematical Papyrus, plus the Moscow Mathematical Papyrus. These three are the most ancient mathematical discoveries that have widely spread all over the world.

The Pythagoreans are the first ones to have started to pay full attention to the study of mathematics as a science on its own in the 6th century BC. They used the terms ‘mathematics’ as a derivate from the Greek word ‘mathema’, which means ‘subject of instruction’. With the help of a large number of Greek mathematicians, the methods and the general subject matter of mathematics were considerably improved. Special emphasis was put on the discovery and use of deductive reasoning and math rigor in proofs, while the Chinese people continued to ass the place value system to the previous discoveries and inventions. The creation of the numeral system as a result of the Hindu-Arabic work and its amazing evolution during the first millennium AD on the Indian land, followed by the passing of this numeral system into the west part of the world with the help of the Islamic mathematicians is also a highly important event that is part of the history of this crucial area of study.

Furthermore, the Islamic world went forward and created and then developed the mathematics that the previous mathematicians had given birth to. The Greek and Arabic texts were then further translated in Latin, and hence the medieval European finally met with science.

That thought used to scare me tremendously. How could the best years of my life be sitting here, in a sweaty Maths room, smelling the sewage and ‘muck’ on everyone elses clothing following a first period P.E class? The only ‘logical’ reason for this lack of hygiene was “the P.E teacher was gay and was trying to sneak a glimpse at your penis.”

Although they were an entertaining few years, I now believe my grandma was wrong.

I did wonder whether she was correct, when sitting in a call center selling insurance/gas/electric/cleaning products, and on one very brief occasion, a pornographic website subscription package. (The only job Ive actually ran away from. Literally, sprinted away from)

Call centers and office jobs often challenge you with difficult screening processes, which make you feel a real sense of achievement when and if you finally pass. You actually feel a real sense of worth when you are accepted for a call center job. Its insane! Are these the jobs I’ve strived so hard to qualify myself for?

Uk Call center

I certainly hope not.

Still, I am very grateful for the these jobs. The timed toilet breaks, the bosses who will watch your waiting time between calls and lunches. I am grateful for all of it. They have fueled my ambition for better things. Fuel to launch me out of this stagnant pot of gloom.
Wearing a suit just to put on a headset, or owning a car just to feel accomplished, seems such a silly concept to me. Its this rat race that I am clearly expected to come and join, for I’ve often been questioned, “when will you get a real job?”

I was the first in my family to attend university. The first individual to achieve a degree. The first one to realize that it doesn’t really mean much.

Everyone has a motive for everything and mine is to do something different because I want more. I want satisfaction in a way that I know I can’t get living in England.

My inspiration has never come from travel books; I never bought any before I traveled.

It didn’t come from my parents; they hadn’t left the country until last year.

The lack of inspiration I have seen in my peers was perhaps, at first, my inspiration. People I went to school with, people I worked with, and people I’ve talked to. No one seems to ever want to escape. Questions and statements such as “Why do you want to do that? We have everything here” were probably catalysts that took me to the front doors of STA travel screaming “Help.”

I’ve always been curious of the unknown.

My mother had been given a pen pal at a young age. She regularly wrote letters and sent pictures of her life, and a few weeks later would receive similar stories with pictures to match.

The pen pal is still to this day a very close friend of my mothers. She is someone she has, remarkably, never met.

This contact over the years was so exciting for me. I would love to see the letter come through the post box from the mailman before school. I would love to pick it up and look at the stamp from Australia. Listening in the evening to stories of her children at school in Australia.

We were growing up in two different worlds at the very same time.

This exchange has lasted over 30 years and when I turned 18, whilst embarking on my first adventure around the world, I visited and stayed with my mothers pen pal for a few days in Sydney, Australia, over Christmas. The very same family I had seen photos of since the days I can remember. The same pen pal my mother had been given at the age of 15 years old.

This sense of unpredictability is what truly excites me about travel. My mother never knew at the age of fifteen, that one day, she would have a son who would eventually visit her friend on the other side of the world. It was completely unpredictable.

The interesting thing about travel is that there is so much that is unknown.

You don’t know who you will meet or speak to. You don’t know the vibe of the place. You don’t know what the weather will really be like. You don’t know how the local food will taste. You don’t know how much you will drink and who you will drink it with. You dont know the smells you will inhale. You don’t know if you will get sick and where it will happen. You don’t know if you’ll return the same person. You don’t even know if you’ll like it.

Quite simply put, you don’t really know where you are going.

But like my grandma said… you dont know if you dont try it (granted, she was talking about garden peas and to this very day I despise everything about the little green b*stards..)

Summer is upon us in Seoul, South Korea. Usually Summer means BBQs, bikinis, beaches and booze.

In Korea we are blessed with such extremities of weather; blistering heat or torrential rain, that you’ll probably be left with squelching shoes of water either way.

I have decided to take this opportunity to share with you a list of places or activities, in which you may wish to partake, during these unbearable apocalyptic days.

They also come with air conditioning and a roof

1. Visit the Aquarium.

COEX Mall has a large aquarium riddled with various sea creatures from all over the world. Like most things in Seoul, the price is pretty decent.

Pros

Youre dry and cool
Its cheap
Its pretty big and will certainly take you a while to walk around
Theres some pretty mental sea creatures..

Cons
Be prepared to suffer the onslaught of all of Seoul who have, rather originally, thought of the same idea.
Shoving ajumas (old korean ladies) at every single window you come to.
Korean children, who for some reason, are still more majestically mesmerised at the sight of your foreign face than a great white shark gliding past it.

Where : Seoul, Gangnam-gu, 159 Samsung-dong

Website : http://www.coexaqua.co.kr/

Phone number : +82-2-1330 (English, Korean, Japanese, Chinese)

Directions : Exit 5 and 6 of Samseong station (Seoul Subway Line 2) are connected to COEX MALL. At the end of Ocean Walk is the Aquarium.

Cost : Adults 17,500 won, Teens 14,500 won Children \11,000 won

2. Lotte World theme park.

This indoor theme park has enough tricks to keep you entertained for an entire day. Boasting a couple of roller coasters, water rapids, ice-rink and restaurants, this theme park will certainly provide some joy for even the most depressed characters. Lotte World has either been designed by a pyscopath who is more precise than a rolex watch or a complete mentalist who is more insane than Dr. Evil from Austin Powers. I am unsure to be honest. The lack of signs can leave you completely lost and you literally stumble across rides and amenities. This could be however, one of the most ingenious ideas a theme park has ever come up with. Everything is disguised by something here and you never truly know what your doing or where you are going. It feels like that time you took mushrooms and told yourself you will only walk straight regardless of the obstacle, yet mysteriously ended up back at the same point you started. The ridiculousness of it will make you forget about the heavens opening up outside..briefly anyway..

Pros

Indoor roller coasters..
Too many other rides to remember
Lots of junk food
Dance intervals with incredibly attractive Eastern European/Russian females and males cartwheeling their way across stage waving, creepily smiling, winking and singing.
Its indoors..

Cons

Youve probably already been

Where : Seoul-si Songpa-gu Jamsil-dong 40-1

Directions : Jamsil Station, Subway Line 2 & 8, Exit #4 (Direct access from station)

Opening Hours : Mon Thu : 09:30 22:00
Fri Sun : 9:30 23:00

Website : www.lotteworld.com

Cost :

* Day (09:30 ~ ) Adults 26,000, Youths 23,000/ Children 20,000 won

*Afternoon (16:00 ~ ) Adults 22,000/ Youths 19,000/ Children 16,000 won

*Evening (19:00 ~ )Adults 15,500/ Youths 13,500/ Children 11,500 won

3. Games Arcades.

Koreans love video games. Fact. So do I. If you also share my thrill of using a shotgun to decapitate a zombie in House of the Dead 56 or replaying the exact same level as last time on Time Crisis 21 , spraying your way through an airport full of security guards with rocket launchers, only to be eaten alive by a rogue locust moments later, then this is for you. The brilliant thing about games arcades is that they always have the same games, regardless of where you are in the world. Theres nothing more thrilling than walking into a games arcade and seeing the same brand of games youve publicly grown up with but never publicly completed.

Pros

Loads of games
Multiplayer and singleplayer
1,000 won a game (about $1)

Cons

Cant keep chucking the money in forever..
Might look weird flying solo..

Where : Usually close to CGV movie theaters, techno marts or indoor shopping malls.

Yongsan Station, Sindorim Station, Guro Station, Coex Mall

Directions : Subway/bus/Taxi to the nearest station

Cost : 1-2,000 korean won per play

4. PS3 Room/Nintendo Wii Room.

These are not to be confused with games arcades. For the more dedicated gamer you can head on over to a PS3 or Nintendo Wii bang (room). Choose your video game of choice and be seated on a two-three person sofa in front of a 40 inch HD television. Populated predominately by young korean males epically enthralled in similar battles of Winning/PES, these game stations are exactly what the doctor ordered on a rainy day. Cold beverages of your choice are on offer whilst the over the counter service can provide you with ramen/noodles, snacks or gaming assistance (menu systems in Korean may take a while to figure out)

Pros

They are popping up all over the place
Trendy
Comfortable
Perfectly Set up for gaming with your friends
Incredibly Affordable
Snacks, Drinks

Cons

Convincing your friends to come to the one near you

Where: The best one Ive been to is at Noryangjin station although they are dotted everywhere. Just look out for the PS3 symbol amongst the Neon madness in student areas in particular.

Directions: For Noryangjin. Leave the subway station (Blue Line) and head across the bridge going outside. Walk down to the left and head towards McDonalds. Walk past Mcdonalds (should be on your right) and head across the pedestrian crossing in front of you. Walk towards a fork of neon lights and head down the right of the fork. Keep walking past a Daiso amongst other small shops and turn right at the next small fork. Immediately from here there are two on your left with a PS3 sign outside. Go down the stairs and start gaming.

Cost: about 4,000-5,000 won for playing the games + drinks or extras

5. Cat Cafe/Dog Cafe.

Do it once. A cafe where you spend time with small furry animals. Each cafe has a large number of cats or dogs depending on which you choose. The cafes are riddled with toys for you to shake in front of their furry little faces.

Pros

Can be quite enjoyable
No time limit
Can pretend to be a crazy cat person for a short while
Get there early and the animals are pretty friendly

Cons

Can be annoying
Dogs can be smelly
Get there late and the animals dont care about you
You might feel a bit weird sat in a cafe playing with cats and dogs

Where:

Tom’s Cat Café in Hongdae, Seoul www.tomscat.com
Gio Cat, Seoul www.giocat.com (Seoul-si Mapo-gu Seogyo-dong 358-92 3F) Hongik Univ. Station, Seoul Subway Line 2, Exit #6 >> Follow the street with the Smoothie King in front of the Hongik Univ. entrance
Bali Cat, Seoul
Bauhaus Dog Cafe : Hapjeong Station. (Directions: http://www.eatyourkimchi.com/bau-house-dog-cafe/)

Cost: about 5,000 won

6. PC Room.

The one and only place to hang out for young Korean people. These places are on every corner on every floor. Packed full of Koreans swearing because someone stole their minerals in Starcraft/Fifa Online.

Pros

Can spend hours on the internet playing games
Cheap
Comfortable

Cons

Only PC games

7. Noraebang (Singing Room).

A room kitted out with stereos, disco balls and microphones. Pick a song. Type it in. Start singing. There is a large English section in every song book.

Pros

Sing any song you want
Get incredibly drunk and forget the time
Always hillarious

Cons

Must have friends..

Where: Every corner

8. Jimjilbang (Korean Spa).

Take your clothes off and sit in a variety of saunas, spa pools and steam rooms. These places are incredible. There are male and female only sections where you are completely naked and there are mixed areas where you are unfortunately clothed and sit in steam and sauna rooms. Clothing is provided on the way in. Shorts and a t-shirt.

Pros

Relax
Variety of rooms
TVs airing the latest shows.
Food courts and refreshment areas
Incredibly cheap
Massages and scrubs are available

Cons

The naked sections may leave you feeling uncomfortable by wandering eyes..
Koreans are rarely kept
If you get a scrub prepare yourself to be battered and torn apart by an old Korean same sex person.

Where: All over seoul but Yongsan station (Dragon Hill Spa) is probably the biggest and nicest in seoul. Leave Yongsan station, go down the escalators and turn right. Cant miss it.
**TIP Dont go to one near your school. You may see your students!
Cost: 10,000 won including refreshments and such.

9. Indoor Shopping.

Im all for sticking it to the man but there comes a time when I relapse and give him all my money. There are two huge malls/shopping centers in Seoul. Both are at opposite sides of the city. They contain all the consumerism you want.

Pros:

Stores you know
Food courts
Can be nice and relaxed
Theres a movie theater inside every shopping mall/center

Cons:

Can be hectic
You might spend all your money

Where:
Lotte Mall Gimpo Aiport (The biggest in Korea) Subway to Gimpo Airport
Coex Mall (The biggest underground mall in Asia) Subway to Samseong
AK plaza Another relatively big shopping center. They are all over.

10. Trick art/eye museum.

This is fun for a couple of hours. You walk about and take photos in 3-D photos which look as though you are part of them. You basically walk about like your in a cattle market. The place is busy and unless you go mental in the photos it can actually be pretty lame.

Pros:

Can take funny photos
Showing the photos to friends can be quite amusing

Cons

Its not a new thing
The actual process isnt fun
Having people watch you pretend to be in a 3-D photo is weird
Its crowded

Where: Seoul-si Mapo-gu Seogyo-dong 357-1 Seogyo Plaza B02-01

Directions : (Line 2, Exit 9). Walk straight then turn left at the first intersection. Walk until you reach Starbucks on the left. Cross the main street on your right and go down the alley next to Holika Holika. Continue walking for a minute and Santorini Seoul will be on your right.

11. Order Mcdonalds delivery

You can get McDonalds delivered to your door. Sorry I didnt tell you earlier.

Pros

You dont have to go anywhere
These good folk will come to your house and feed you!

Cons

None

Where: Your house

Phone: 1600-5252

How : If you can read your address in korean then call the number.

***TIP When in doubt add an errrr sound to the end of your order

For example Big-err Mac-err Set-errr Trust me theyll understand you.

The general order this phone conversation will go is:

-Address

-Food

-Payment (Say Cash-ee or Card-err)

If you cant speak any Korean or dont understand still then the good people at eatyourkimchi.com explain everything here http://www.eatyourkimchi.com/how-to-get-mcdonalds-delivered-to-your-home/

Want Pizza Hut, Dominoes or Papa Johns?

http://www.koreanwikiproject.com/wiki/index.php?title=Ordering_delivery

12. Buy an Xbox/Ps3.

It might be this point right now that you wish youd bought an Xbox/PS3 or Nintendo Wii. If you havent then get on over to the nearest Techno Mart and purchase one. Yongsan has an entire gaming section.

Where: Follow this link. Contains a step by step guide on how to get there

http://www.seoulemio.com/shopping-in-yongsan-electronics-market/

If in doubt just keep saying X-Box to people and youll eventually get there

Cost: Varies..depending what you purchase. Remember that you can haggle prices here! The phrase Kaka ju-say-yo means make it cheaper please. I am yet to hear someone refuse.