{"id":4574,"date":"2020-04-11T10:13:05","date_gmt":"2020-04-11T10:13:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.secret-retreats.com\/blog\/?p=4574"},"modified":"2025-03-26T10:47:52","modified_gmt":"2025-03-26T10:47:52","slug":"activities-with-an-asian-flavour-to-do-at-home-while-the-worlds-locked-down","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.secret-retreats.com\/blog\/general-info\/activities-with-an-asian-flavour-to-do-at-home-while-the-worlds-locked-down.html","title":{"rendered":"Activities with an Asian Flavour to do at Home while the World\u2019s Locked Down"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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How to pass the time during the\nself-isolation<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

While the\ncurrent crisis we are facing has caused us fear and stress, the strict lockdown\nrules imposed during the coronavirus outbreak have also led to many families\nacross the world spending and enjoying more time together than usual. As with\nall situations there is always a silver lining to be found, even if sometimes\nthey just take a little more finding. And how many times have you heard\nyourself saying that you just don\u2019t have enough time in the day? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Presently\nit seems that all we have on our hands is time. Perhaps it would be easier if\nwe looked at the lockdowns and isolation as a perfect opportunity for\ncreativity, playing, learning new things, and spending quality time to take\ncare of yourself and connect with your loved ones at home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is however true to say that the enforced lockdown without a clear end in sight is difficult to deal with mentally, and keeping ourselves locked inside for long periods of time is frustrating at the best of times. In this edition of our newsletter, we would like to help you and your family in your battles with isolation frustration. We hope the following tips and ideas from the Secret Retreats community will help you to make the most of this downtime.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Glenburn Tea Estate – Darjeeling, India<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Brewing a perfect cup of tea<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Everyone has\nan opinion on how to make a perfect cup of tea, whether the debate is milk in\nfirst, or after, or the length of time the tea needs to steep, and even the\ntype of teapot in which to brew invites debate. For most of us in the daily\nrush of our busy lives, the ‘art’ of tea-making involves us putting a tea bag\nin a cup, pouring boiling water over it and maybe finishing off with a squeeze\nof the bag with a teaspoon. Now that you have time on your hands, why not take\ntime to perfect your art of making a cup of tea? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Making a perfect cup of tea is all in the details. There isn\u2019t just one correct way to do it, but here are some things to keep in mind to ensure the best results as shared with us by our resident tea experts, the owners of Glenburn Tea Estate<\/a>, a family owned working tea estate in Darjeeling since 1859.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1.  Always use freshly drawn water and discard\npreviously boiled water sitting in the kettle before you prepare to make a\nfresh cup of tea. And never use a microwave to heat your water for tea making! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

2.  When using black tea, boiling water is\nperfect for infusing the leaves. \nHowever, for green tea and more delicate teas, the water should be a\nlittle cooler, ideally at about 80 degrees celsius.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3.  The ideal steeping time varies depending on\nthe type of tea and your personal taste. \nIf you are going for just one cup then you should brew for 3 to 5\nminutes.  More expensive teas like the\nwhite teas and oolong can also be enjoyed over multiple infusions. You can\ninfuse 3 to 5 times for about 1 minute each time allowing for more than just\none cup of tea per brew!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

4. Try\nadding spices from your kitchen into hot tea as well. Cinnamon, lemon grass,\nfresh mint, ginger, cardamom, cloves and even orange and lemon peel will all\nenhance not just the taste and aroma of your cuppa but also contribute to the\nhealth-giving properties tea is famous for. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

5. To brew a\nrich cup of Indian masala chai, add some strong tea to milk, ideally CTC Assam\ntea, and bring to the boil with pieces of ginger, cardamom and sugar to create\na rich, milky infusion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

6. A cold\nbrew tea is also a great option as well. Take your favorite type of tea and\ninfuse it overnight in cold water.  It\u2019s\na completely different experience and tastes great!  Drink cold brewed tea chilled as you would\niced-tea. And to spice it up you could add some lime and sugar or pieces of\nfruit or your favourite spices.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The fun part is to experiment and see what works for you, so spend some time trying different kinds of tea and re-discover tea like never before.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

DISCOVER GLENBURN TEA ESTATE<\/a><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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The Beach \/ Maya Beach, Thailand \/ Koh Jum Beach Villas, Thailand<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Crack out the popcorn<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The lockdown is also a perfect time to catch up with movies you\u2019ve been meaning to watch for ages but just not had the time. Watching movies is always a great way to escape reality for a few hours. Nattinee, the Secret Retreats Chief Concierge, has some great movie suggestions for you to enjoy. These 3 movies will satisfy your thirst for travel during the lockdown.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Beach: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Are you longing for beautiful white sand beaches, tropical islands and beautiful azure seas with coral reefs teeming with tropical fish? Then \u2018The Beach\u2019 is just the movie for you. Filmed in Maya Bay in southern Thailand<\/a> in the year 2000 \u2018The Beach\u2019 is a story of a tourist looking for a pristine, uninhabited, tropical island in the Gulf of Thailand with a beautiful hidden beach and lagoon. The scenery is picture perfect and with the lead actor a young Leonardo DiCaprio the movie action is fantastic too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Eat Pray Love \/ Tanah Lot Temple, Bali \/ Tugu Hotel, Bali Indonesia<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Eat, Pray, Love: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Very well known for being a book to change one\u2019s perspective in life, the movie provides you beautiful settings and deep meaningful messages. It tells the story of one woman\u2019s journey to travel and find herself again. Just the stunning views and natural beauty alone already make this movie well worth watching.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The Darjeeling Limited \/ The Rajbari Bawali Hotel ‘s Performance \/ The Rajbari Bawali Hotel<\/em>, India<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Darjeeling Limited:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Travel through vibrant India at the comfort of your home! This 2007 movie started when American businessman speeds through city streets of India in a taxi. He arrives at his train station, only to see the train, The Darjeeling Limited, pulling away. … Then he had summoned his brothers to reconcile and take a spiritual journey through India together. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

DISCOVER THAILAND<\/a> <\/td>DISCOVER INDIA<\/a><\/td>DISCOVER INDONESIA<\/a><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Embark on a meditation journey<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

During the COVID-19 pandemic along with all the changes such as social distancing, anxiety is on the rise for many people. With social distancing, this is a great time to turn inward and practice mindfulness meditation to offset fear and panic. Ordinarily, you might travel to a beautiful retreat by the beach like Neeleshwar Hermitage Resort and nurture your mind and soul on a meditation course at this peaceful sanctuary. But as we are not allowed to travel at the moment, Altaf Chapri the owner of Neeleshwar Hermitage and an expert on meditation would like to share with you some tips for practicing and enjoying meditation at home to help us all cope better with the anxiety and stress caused to many of us by this current crisis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Start by making yourself comfortable in a\nquiet corner. Relax your body and close your eyes. Slowly take a few deep\nbreaths, observe but don\u2019t control each inhalation and each exhalation. Feel\nyour belly rise and fall with each deep breath, inhale through your nose for at\nleast 3 seconds, hold your breath for 2 seconds and then exhale for at least 4\nseconds through your mouth. Begin to chant a mantra slowly as you exhale. There\nare many mantras but perhaps the easiest and also the most important is the\nsingle word \u2018Om\u2019 which represents the sound of the creation of the universe,\nand gives a wonderful vibration perfect for meditation. It is better to\nvocalize the Om as you chant, but with practice mantras can be chanted silently\ntoo. When chanting is done correctly you should feel the vibrations of the\nchanting from your belly and up through the head.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This technique is a very simple, natural\nand effortless way of letting your mind settle down into an extremely calm and\npleasant state of tranquillity. This mental quietness has a physical\ncounterpart, giving your nervous system a uniquely deep rest. It brings\nextraordinarily efficient stress relief. The mental and physical restfulness has\nbeen clinically shown to have a positive impact on your blood pressure, immune\nsystem, eating habits, anxiety levels, promotes a good night\u2019s sleep, etc.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The practice is perfectly suitable for a\nmodern lifestyle. You can meditate anywhere that you can sit comfortably, all\nyou have to do is close your eyes and start!  Whether you are at home in\nyour favourite armchair, travelling in the car, plane, or train, sitting on\nyour hotel bed or a park bench, or waiting for your flight in the airport,\nmeditation is an easy and enjoyable way to re-charge your batteries.  As\nhundreds of testimonials demonstrate, doing meditation regularly will bring you\ncalmness, clarity, energy, creativity and happiness. The best effects come with\nregular practice of two ten-minute (or longer) sessions a day (morning and\nevening).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The benefits of Meditations are:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022            \nIt easy and enjoyable and anyone from the age of ten upwards can do it;<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022            \nNo control of thinking or effort to concentrate the mind is involved;<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022            \nThe positive effects are usually apparent from the first couple of sessions;<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022            \nMeditation seems to affect all parts of the brain, making it function as a\nholistic and integrated whole.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Meditation will open the awareness to the infinite reservoir of energy, creativity, and intelligence that lies deep within everyone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you are interested in learning more about mind Relaxation and Meditation, please follow this link for a full article<\/em> => [CLICK HERE]<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Neeleshwar Hermitage, Kerala – India<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
DISCOVER NEELESHWAR HERMITAGE<\/a><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Massaman Curry, Empty Plates Bangkok – Thailand<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Cooking up that awesome taste of Southeast Asia<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Do you remember the taste of that rich, creamy, flavourful curry you had when last in Thailand? Chef Steven John, of Bangkok\u2019s famed \u2018Empty Plates<\/a>\u2019 restaurant, is pleased to share with you his recipe for Massaman curry<\/a>, a delicious curry full of the flavours of southern Thailand, and a dish that often tops the rankings of the world\u2019s favourite dishes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here\u2019s Chef Steven\u2019s recipe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ingredients:<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n


\n2 tbsp of vegetable or peanut oil
\n4 small lamb shanks
\n450 ml. coconut milk
\n300g. Massaman curry paste
\n1 cup of beef or vegetable stock
\n4 large potatoes (peeled and cut in quarters)
\n12 baby carrots
\n2 red onions (cut in quarters)
\n4-8 cardamom pods
\n1 cinnamon stick
\n\u00bd tbsp of fish sauce (add more to your taste)
\n1 tbsp of lime juice
\n1 tbsp of palm or coconut sugar
\nchopped cashew nuts to serve
\nfresh coriander or Thai basil leaves to garnish
\nBasmati rice<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Method:<\/strong>
\nMarinade the lamb shanks with 4 tbsp. of Massaman paste mixed with some coconut\nmilk overnight. Heat up a pot and add the cinnamon stick, cardamom pods and\ncoriander seeds in to the hot pot for a few minutes until fragrant, but not to\nburn. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Add the oil and lay the marinated lamb\nshanks in the pot. Don\u2019t overcrowd the pot. Give the lamb a good sear on all\nsides until the meat develops a crust on all sides. Remove the shanks and set\naside in a bowl.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fry the red onion in the pot until soft, add\nthe Massaman paste until fragrant. Pour in the coconut milk and stir well. Then\nadd beef or vegetable stock. Return the lamb to the pot. Bring it almost to a boil\nthen lower the heat to very low, cover and cook for 1.5 hours. After an hour of\ncooking add the potatoes together with the baby carrots. Stir in fish sauce,\nlime juice, and palm sugar. Bring it up to a simmer. Let it cook uncovered for\nabout 30-35 minutes or until the potatoes and carrots are tender and cooked\nthrough. Best served the next day after overnighting in the fridge and\nreheating to serve, the flavours will enrichen further. Sprinkle chopped\ncashews and fresh coriander before serving. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This dish is best enjoyed over Basmati rice cooked in chicken stock.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

DISCOVER EMPTY PLATES<\/a><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Lose yourself in good books<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

What can be better to wile away the hours\nthan settling into a comfy chair, with a nice pot of tea and a good book? Stephane\nJunca, the managing director of Secret Retreats, is pleased to share with you\nhis selection of inspiring and uplifting stories aimed to help raise your\nspirits, give you hope and help you through these difficult times.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Book of Tea, by Kakuzo Okakura:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Explore eastern culture through this wonderful book from Kakuzo Okakura. This is an exquisite cultural history of Japan<\/a> centered around the Japanese tea ceremony and a philosophy of “teaism” which includes elements of Zen and Taoism.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kim, by Rudyard Kipling:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2018Kim\u2019 is set in an imperialistic world, a world strikingly masculine, dominated by travel, trade and adventure. Two men – a boy, who grows into early manhood, and an old Tibetan Lama, are at the center of the novel. It is a timeless celebration of friendship in a beautiful but often hostile environment. ‘Kim’ captures the opulence of India’s exotic landscape, overlaid by the uneasy presence of the British Raj. One of those books that should be on everyone\u2019s must read list.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Japan \/ India<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
DISCOVER JAPAN<\/a><\/td>DISCOVER INDIA<\/a><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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