trial is the - gulf times

CommunityYogurt is not necessarily good as it

contains free or added sugars, increasing the risk of obesity.

P4 P16 CommunityPacific Crest Trial is the back-breaking

trek in the US that only few complete because ofits hazards.

Poignant recallCOVERSTORY

Gilda Radner remembered in her own words

in life story documentary Love, Gilda. P2-3

Friday, September 21, 2018Moharram 11, 1439 AH

Doha today 320 - 380

CUISINE BOLLYWOOD

A crispy snack, America’s

favourite Chinese takeout.

Page 6

Neha: Perfect is not real;

embrace imperfections.

5

UNPLUGGED: Gilda Radner, the subject of the documentary Love, Gilda.

Friday, September 21, 20182 GULF TIMES

COMMUNITY COVER STORY

Community EditorKamran Rehmat

e-mail: [email protected]: 44466405

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“Friends show their love

in times of trouble, not in happiness.”

— Euripides

Golden Gilda Many of the contemporary performers inspired by Gilda

Radner, including Amy Poehler, Maya Rudolph, Bill Hader

and Melissa McCarthy, read from her journals in the film

She had the saddest eyes and the happiest smile. You just wanted to make her less sad. I think that’s also what made people want to take care of her

—Janis Hirsch, writer-director

‘’

3Friday, September 21, 2018 GULF TIMES

COMMUNITYCOVER STORY

“I’d never seen anyone immediately draw attention, but she wasn’t asking for it. She had this attractiveness to everyone. Women wanted to have her as her best friend and men wanted to take her out. She was funny and original. She was vulnerable. No-one had met anyone like Gilda”

— Martin Short, actor

By Susan King

With the aid of rare audio recordings, the late Saturday Night Live comic force Gilda Radner

narrates the story of her life in the new documentary Love, Gilda.

But it wasn’t easy initially for director Lisa D’Apolito to acquire these tapes, as well as revealing personal journals and home movies from Michael Radner, Gilda’s big brother and keeper of his sister’s legacy.

“We would email back and forth,” D’Apolito noted in a recent interview. “It was gaining his trust. Everyone is very protective of Gilda.”

Once Radner agreed to participate, Love, Gilda started to come to life. “Interviewing Michael was the real step to helping create the fi lm,” D’Apolito said.

Radner recalled that D’Apolito came to his home in Detroit to talk with him. “I said, ‘I’ve got a bunch of tubs fi lled with Gilda’s stuff ,’ and she took a look. It was a lot of journals and things like that. As Gilda’s brother, I would never be able to go through or would even want to go through them. It was too personal.”

Radner had made the audiotapes while writing her book It’s Always Something, which was released posthumously after her death in 1989 at age 42 of ovarian cancer.

Many of the contemporary performers inspired by Radner, including Amy Poehler, Maya Rudolph, Bill Hader and Melissa McCarthy, read from her journals in the fi lm.

“None of them knew they were going to read from Gilda’s diaries,” said D’Apolito. “I said to Amy, ‘This is Gilda’s diary,’ and she said, “Oh, my God, that’s Gilda’s.’ They all had the same reaction.”

Radner, the fi rst person cast on

NBC’s SNL in 1975, won an Emmy for her indelible work in 1978 for creating such quintessential comic characters as the clueless Emily Litella, the brash Weekend Update consumer reporter Roseanne Roseannadanna, the bespectacled nerd Lisa Loopner, the Patti Smith-esque singer Candy Slice, the excitable little girl Judy Miller and the Barbara Walters-esque newscaster Baba Wawa.

Along with Radner’s recordings, D’Apolito features a plethora of clips of her best scenes from her years on the series from 1975-80. Rounding out the fi lm are excerpts from the fi lms she made with second husband Gene Wilder and interviews with close family, friends and colleagues.

Radner had her demons, including issues with bulimia, self-doubt and often toxic relationships with men, but her incredible talent, sweetness and largesse shine through brightly in the documentary.

Her brother and her friends feel that Radner is still very much a part of their lives.

“I feel it — her spirit is very, very much alive,” said Radner’s good friend, writer Alan Zweibel, who worked with her on SNL from 1977-79 and wrote the book Bunny Bunny:

Gilda Radner, A Sort of Romantic Comedy.

Gilda Radner was born funny.“She loved to perform,” said

Michael Radner. “She performed for (their father) when she was a little girl, and that made him happy and her happy.”

Gilda Radner’s fi rst big break was in the 1972 Toronto production of the Stephen Schwartz musical Godspell, which also starred Martin Short. The two fell in love and lived together during the production.

“I’d never seen anyone immediately draw attention, but she wasn’t asking for it,” Short said in a recent interview. “She had this attractiveness to everyone. Women wanted to have her as her best friend and men wanted to take her out. She was funny and original. She was vulnerable. No-one had met anyone like Gilda.”

Writer-director Janis Hirsch became fast friends with Radner in 1973 when she went to work in New York on the National Lampoon Radio Hour.

Though she describes Radner as “so delightful and so sweet and so funny,” Hirsch noted that her “eyes were always sad. She had the saddest

eyes and the happiest smile. You just wanted to make her less sad. I think that’s also what made people want to take care of her.”

“She reached through the TV screen and drew you in,” noted Alan Zweibel, who worked with Radner to create Emily Litella and Roseanne Roseannadanna.

Radner, he noted, “was very revealing about herself. She displayed her vulnerabilities. She wasn’t just somebody putting on a Roseanne Roseannadanna wig. It wasn’t just somebody being Candy Slice or Emily Litella. It was Gilda. You felt like they knew the person who was doing it. It was an emotional investment for her.”

D’Apolito noted that, “Almost every female comedian that I could come up with was inspired by Gilda. She’s always on the top of the list of the top 10 people of Saturday Night Live in history.”

Radner fell in love with Wilder when they made the 1982 comedy Hanky Panky, and she made it her mission to get Wilder to marry her, according to friends.

“She wanted to have a baby,” said Robin Zweibel, Alan’s wife and a longtime friend of Radner. (The

Zwiebels were executive producers of Love, Gilda.) “I totally got it. Thank God, she had Gene, who was so good at taking care of her and mothering her. In that sense, she never really felt like anybody did that for her. She did that for other people.”

“When she got sick, he was the best caregiver you can imagine,” added Alan Zweibel.

(Shortly after Radner’s death, Wilder co-created Gilda’s Club, a community organizsation with chapters across the US for people with cancer, their families and friends to meet and get emotional support. Wilder, who had Alzheimer’s, died two years ago.)

When Radner was briefl y in remission in 1988, she guest starred as herself on an episode of It’s Garry Shandling’s Show. which Zweibel co-created. She earned an Emmy nomination for her performance.

“When she did the Shandling show, there was a live audience there,” he recalled. “It wasn’t only the crew, there were 300 people in the studio. She had the best time in the world. She fed off (the audience).”

Zweibel and Shandling even started to develop a TV series for her at HBO, “but the disease caught up to her again and obviously, it won out in the end. But she got a taste of TV again. She got a taste of performing in front of people and hearing immediate laughs. That was huge for her.”

Radner also reconnected with many of her friends on SNL during her brief remission.

Robin Zweibel recalled taking Radner to a party at fellow SNL castmate and friend Laraine Newman’s house.

“The minute we walked in the door, everybody was like ‘Gilda, get up here.’ She went up to one of the bedrooms and all the guys (from SNL) were up there and started singing to her, picking her up and throwing her up in the air and carrying her down the steps. It was amazing.” —Los Angeles Times/TNSAFFAIR TO REMEMBER: Gene Wilder, left, and Gilda Radner from Hanky Panky.


COMMUNITY BODY & MIND

HIGH SUGAR LEVEL: Apart from products in the dessert category, organic yogurts were found to have the highest average sugar content roughly 13.1 grams per 100 grams.

Human brains are naturally attracted to laziness

Some people are often called lazy, because of their brains, say researchers who found that our brain is innately attracted to sedentary behaviours.

The fi ndings, led by researchers from the University of British Columbia (UBC) in Canada, suggest that our brains may simply be wired to prefer lying on the couch and that human brains work harder to pick physical activity over relaxation.

“We knew from previous studies that people are faster at avoiding sedentary behaviours and moving towards active behaviours,” said Matthieu Boisgontier,

a postdoctoral researcher at UBC.“The exciting novelty of our study is that it shows

this faster avoidance of physical inactivity comes at a cost and that is an increased involvement of brain resources. These results suggest that our brain is innately attracted to sedentary behaviours,” Boisgontier said.

For the study, published in the journal Neuropsychologia, the team recruited young adults, and made them sit in front of a computer, and gave them control of an on-screen avatar.

They then fl ashed small images, one a time, that depicted either physical activity or physical inactivity. Subjects had to move the avatar as quickly as possible towards the pictures of physical activity and away from the pictures of physical inactivity and then vice versa. Meanwhile, electrodes recorded what was happening in their brains.

Participants were generally faster at moving toward active pictures and away from lazy pictures, but brain-activity readouts called electroencephalograms showed that doing the latter required their brains to work harder.

Boisgontier noted that the failure of public policies to counteract the pandemic of physical inactivity may be due to brain processes that have been developed and reinforced across evolution.

However, the question is whether people’s brains can be re-trained or not.

“Anything that happens automatically is diffi cult to inhibit, even if you want to, because you don’t know that it is happening. But knowing that it is happening is an important fi rst step,” Boisgontier said.– IANS

Often marketed as a healthy dairy product, yogurt is not necessarily good as it contains free or

added sugars and fat, even more than soft drinks and fruit juices, thus increasing the risk of obesity, a study has claimed.

The fi ndings, led by researchers from Britain’s University of Leeds, showed that yogurt products, particularly organic yogurt and

those marketed towards children, contain high sugar levels.

In the study published in the journal BMJ Open, researchers analysed over 900 types of yogurt and yogurt products and found that fewer than one in 10 (9 per cent) qualifi ed as low sugar almost none of which were in the children’s category.

This is ‘concerning’ given the rise in childhood obesity and the prevalence of tooth decay among

young children, the researchers said.

“While yogurt may be less of a concern than soft drinks and fruit juices, the chief sources of free sugars in both children and adults’ diets, what is worrisome is that yogurt, as a perceived ‘healthy food’ may be an unrecognised source of free/added sugars in the diet,” said J Bernadette Moore from the varsity.

Apart from products in the dessert category, organic yogurts

were found to have the highest average sugar content roughly 13.1 grams per 100 grams.

By and large, average fat content was either below or just above the low fat threshold. “Not all yogurts are as healthy as perhaps consumers perceive them, and reformulation for the reduction of free sugars is warranted,” the researchers said.

According to co-author Annabelle Horti from the varsity,

“Changing the public desire for ‘sweeter’ yogurts may be a real challenge when it comes to reducing its sugar content. In general, consumers’ liking for yogurt is often correlated with sweetness.

“Helping people to understand the quantity of sugar that is in their yogurt and its possible ill eff ects on health may go a long way to smoothing the road for when the sugar is reduced,” she noted.– IANS

Yogurt may up obesity risk

Walking just 35 minutes daily might reduce stroke risk

Older adults can prevent their risk of strokes by taking a daily stroll for just 35 minutes a day or four hours a week, say researchers.

Indulging in moderate physical activity, such as swimming, brisk walking, or running two to three hours a week may also reduce the severity of strokes than people who are physically inactive.

“Stroke is a major cause of serious disability, so finding ways to prevent stroke or reduce the disability caused by stroke are important,” said Katharina S Sunnerhagen, from the University of Gothenburg in Sweden.

“While exercise benefits health in many ways, our research suggests that even simply getting in a small amount of physical activity each week may have a big impact later by possibly reducing the severity of a stroke,” she added.

For the study, published in

the journal Neurology, the team identifi ed 925 people with an average age of 73 who had a stroke.

Of the 481 people who were physically inactive, 354 or 73 percent had mild stroke. Of the 384 who engaged in light physical activity, 330 or 85 percent had mild stroke. Of the 59 people who engaged in moderate physical activity, 53 or 89 percent had mild stroke.

People who engaged in light to moderate physical activity before their stroke were twice as likely to have a mild stroke rather than a moderate or severe stroke when compared to people who were physically inactive, the researchers said.

“There is a growing body of evidence that physical activity may have a protective effect on the brain and our research adds to that evidence,” Sunnerhagen said.

The study does not prove that physical activity reduces stroke severity; it only shows an association, she noted.– IANS

WORKING HARDER: Human brains may simply be wired to prefer lying on the couch and work harder to pick any physical activity over relaxation.


COMMUNITYBODY & MIND

MENTAL DISORDER: Thousands of people worldwide live with schizophrenia, a severe mental disorder that aff ects a person’s ability to think, feel and behave clearly.

RELIABLE: Resistance training helps reduce children’s body fat percentage, lowers their body mass index (BMI) as well as boosts metabolism.

BENEFICIAL: Regular consumption of Tulasi is beneficial in relaxing and calming the mind and off ers many psychological benefits that include anti-depressant activity, positive eff ects on memory, and cognitive function.

Add Tulsi to your diet to boost health

Integrating Tulsi (Ocimum tenuiflorum) to your diet may not only help you look good but can also boost your physical and mental health, says an Ayurveda expert.

Various studies in the past have suggested that there are tangible benefits to physical and mental health after consuming Tulsi, often been called ‘The Queen of Herbs’.

“Tulsi is an excellent all-rounder when it comes to maintaining overall wellness. It prevents a multitude of

ailments and is a great way to stay healthy naturally,” Shruthi Hegde, Ayurveda Expert at The Himalaya Drug Company, said in a statement.

The herb is known as an effective combatant against stress. It is an adaptogen (anti-stress agent) which is known to promote mental wellness. It also regulates cortisol (stress) levels and helps reduce anxiety and emotional stress.

“Regular consumption of Tulsi is beneficial in relaxing and calming the mind and offers many psychological benefits that include anti-depressant activity, positive effects on memory, and cognitive function,” Hegde added.

Tulsi also provides relief from congestion in the lungs, as well as alleviates the symptoms of cold and fever.

“Tulsi is exceptionally effective in preventing respiratory infections. It has antifungal, antiviral and antibacterial properties, which make this herb an excellent choice when it comes to preventing infections,” the expert said.

The herb contains detoxifying properties and antioxidants which rejuvenate the skin. It aids in removing toxins responsible for causing pimples, thus helping in the treatment of acne and leading to a reduction in the occurrence of breakouts.

The herb leaves are effective in the treatment of oral infections. It is found to offer preventive properties to patients with periodontal diseases.

“One of the most effective and easiest ways of consuming this herb is including Tulsi supplement in your diet. By making Tulsi an integral part of your daily routine, you can help your system relax and your body function more effectively,” the expert noted.– IANS

Immune cells in brain play a role in schizophrenia

Researchers have identifi ed that some people with schizophrenia have greater amounts of immune cells in their brains, a fi nding that could open the doors to new

treatments and therapies.Thousands of people worldwide live with

schizophrenia, a severe mental disorder that aff ects a person’s ability to think, feel and behave clearly. No single cause of the condition has been identifi ed yet.

The study, led by Professor Shannon Weickert at the University of New South Wales in Australia, challenged the assumption that immune cells were independent of the brain in psychiatric illness and “identifi ed immune cells as a new player in the brain pathology of schizophrenia”.

Current schizophrenia research focuses on the status of three brain cells, the neurons; the glial cells, which support the neurons; and the endothelial cells, which coat the blood vessels.

However, Weickert and her team employed new molecular techniques and identifi ed the presence of a fourth cell, the macrophage, a type of immune cell in the brain tissue of people with schizophrenia

who show high levels of infl ammation.The discovery, detailed in the journal

Molecular Psychiatry, shows that specifi c immune cells are in the brains of some people with schizophrenia in close enough proximity to the neurons to do damage.

“This opens whole new avenues for therapy, because it suggests that the pathology of schizophrenia could be within the immune cells and the immune cells could be contributing to the symptoms of schizophrenia,” Weickert said.

The study observed that in people with schizophrenia, the glial cells, one of the local residents, become infl amed and produce distress signals which change the status of the endothelial cells.

This may cause the endothelial cells to extend sticky tentacles so when the immune cells travel, some are captured.

“These cells may transmigrate across the blood brain barrier entering the brain in greater amounts in some people with schizophrenia compared to people without the disorder,” Weickert explained.

The study has the potential to transform global schizophrenia research and open new avenues for developing targeted immune cell therapies.– IANS

Squats, push ups can help your kids to stay fi t

Cycling or evening park time is absolutely fi ne to see your children stay fi t but encouraging them to do strength-based exercises such as squats, push ups and lunges can help them shed weight faster, reveals a most extensive review of resistance training’s impact on young people.

Such resistance training, which allows muscles to contract and enables muscles and bones to strengthen, helps reduce children’s body fat percentage, lowers their body mass index (BMI) as well as boosts metabolism, said researchers who examined 18 studies across eight countries including the US, Australia and Japan to reach this conclusion.

The study, published in the journal Sports Medicine, examined the eff ects of resistance training on body weight for the 9-18 age group. “The results showed positive eff ect resistance training can have on maintaining

a healthy weight and reducing body fat for young people,” said Helen Collins, doctoral student at Britain’s University of Edinburgh.

While resistance training decreased body fat, it had no overall eff ect on other measures, including lean muscle mass, body mass index and waist circumference.

“Treatment, and more importantly, prevention, of child obesity is a growing concern,” Collins said. “Our fi ndings highlight the need for more robust research into the role strength-based exercises can play in helping everyone make healthy life choices and be more physically active”.

An increase in muscle mass, gained from strength-based exercises could also help boost children’s metabolism and energy levels, the researchers added.

The eff ects were small but meaningful, prompting calls for further research to investigate how resistance training could treat and prevent the growing issue of child obesity.– IANS


COMMUNITY CUISINE

Chef Tarun Kapoor, Culinary Mastermind,

USA. He may be contacted at [email protected]

You may have had these creamy fi lled wontons like savory pastry at Chinese restaurants and probably didn’t

know exactly what you were eating. Crab rangoons are like wontons and were invented at trader Vic’s, a Polynesian Themed restaurant at San Francisco Bay area. Crab Rangoon was supposedly based on a Burmese recipe but there is no proof of that. Rangoon is also known as Yangon, the former capital of Burma, which is now called Myanmar. Although the name of the dish and the place is same but there is no correlation between the two.

Crab rangoon was served in America in the early 1950’s and since then, it has worked its way onto many Chinese American restaurant menus as an appetiser

item. A classic American creation, these are basically cream cheese wontons with tiny bits of crab meat, deep-fried to golden perfection. My fi rst encounter with this creamy puff pastry was at a popular Chinese restaurant in Los Angeles when I came to United States few years back. To me it was a wonton served without the soup like an onion pakora served without the Punjabi kadhi. The popularity of crab rangoon in America has not waned even after 50 years.

Whenever a traditional dish crosses borders it undergoes a transformation based on the new geographic and demographics of the region. Similarly, during the Chinese food revolution in The United States, the Chinese dishes underwent an American transformation based on the local palettes, spice tolerance and

eating preferences. Some of the dishes became so distinct from their authentic counterparts that they gained their own identity and became more popular than the original one. One such dish is crab rangoon. In other words, crab rangoon is just as American as apple pie.

Crab rangoon is relatively straight-forward, with just three ingredients (cream cheese, crab, and wonton wrapper). Aside from wee variations in the ratio of crab to cheese in the fi lling, the biggest diff erence from restaurant to restaurant is the way the crab rangoon’s wrapper is folded. The part of the wonton that touches the cheese tends to be softer, and the wonton at the edges is crispy. While it might seem like simple food origami, the way that the crispy-crunchy wonton is folded weighs on

the overall taste and texture.The rangoons are shaped in

mainly three shapes namely- four corner shape, clutch purse shape and football fl ag shape.

In the ‘four-corners’ shape, place a small dollop of fi lling in the wonton’s center, then pinch each corner and gather the fi lling in the middle. With this method, you get more crunch and a little less fi lling and soft wonton. Be careful not to over fry the rangoons it can quickly turn the wonton hard and ruin the overall taste

The ‘clutch purse’ shape goes the other way on the crunch/soft scale. With this shape, the wonton gets a larger dollop of cream-cheese filling. The wonton itself is also pinched closed near the edge in a straight line, so that the finished rangoon looks like a lady’s handbag. This way

ensures that the result is plenty of crab, cheesy filling with a softer wonton around it, and a small line of crunchy wonton sealing the filling. There’s less risk of over frying because of the small amount of cheese-free wonton area, but it could be a letdown for the crunch fans.

The football fl ag shape is a balance between the crunch and the crab fi lling. This layout puts a medium-size dollop of rangoon fi lling in the middle of the wonton, then pinches it in the middle and twists, giving the appearance of those weighted yellow hankies that referees toss onto the fi eld during football games. You end up with a nice, even balance between crunchy and creamy rangoon, and because the wonton is narrower than other folding methods, it’s easier to dip into those teeny takeout cups most places serve their dipping sauce in.

Crab Rangoons

IngredientsCrab Meat 2 cupsOil to fry 200 mlCream cheese 120 gmGarlic 2-3 clovesGreen onion, sliced 1 no.Sesame oil 1 ½ tspWorcestershire sauce 1 tspSalt to tasteBlack pepper to tasteWonton wrapper 2 dozen

MethodHeat oil in a heavy bottom high

walled skillet or frying casserole over medium high heat to fry the rangoon

In a large bowl combine crab meat, cream cheese, garlic, green onion, sesame oil, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper

Combine well to prepare the fi lling for the rangoon

To assemble the wontons, place wrappers on work surface

Spoon 1 tsp of the mixture into the center of each wrapper over the fi lling to create a triangle

Pinch the sides to seal the fi lling inside and repeat for the remaining fi lling

Fry the prepared rangoons in the oil over medium heat or until golden brown and crispy

Fry for 1-2 minutes for each batch of rangoons and remove on a paper towel to drain of excess fat. Serve immediately with a dipping sauce or soy sauce

A crispy snack, America’s favourite Chinese takeout

ADAPTED: Whenever a traditional dish crosses a border it undergoes a transformation based on the new geographic and demographics factors and so did Crab Rangoon when it was introduced in US. Photo by the author


COMMUNITY

Danem Group contributes for Kerala relief fundDanem Group employees recently contributed to Kerala Chief Minister’s Distress Relief Fund and handed-over the donation to Indian Community Benevolent Forum (ICBF).

KSQ celebrates Engineers Day

LIS conducts five-day orientation workshopLoyola International School (LIS) recently organised a five-day orientation workshop for its faculty members. While speaking at the inauguration ceremony P K V Prasad, Principal of LIS, said that teachers need to update their knowledge about the latest innovative practices and learn the best practices adapted in teaching to make the atmosphere of the classroom more productive and useful.

The workshops were conducted by Mavuru Durga Sree, CBSE Teacher Trainer and Educational Specialist. The training was to introduce the teachers with eff ective methods of lesson planning with emphasis on the value based approach. Sarat Chandra Koduru, Operational Director of LIS, congratulated the teachers for their eff orts in grasping techniques for eff ective classroom environment.

Karnataka Sangha Qatar (KSQ) recently celebrated Engineers Day to commemorate the 158th birth anniversary of Sir M Visvesvaraya, Indian engineer, scholar, statesman, and the 19th Diwan of Mysore. The event kicked off with an introduction to the background and life history of Visvesvaraya by Rashmi Rao. V S Mannangi, Division Manager at Al Muftah Contracting Company, and Seenu Pillai, Senior Mechanical Engineer at ASTAD, were honoured with annual Abhiyantarashree Award for their contribution and performance in their field of work. Addressing the audience, Mannangi spoke about his experience in Qatar. He said that Indian engineers working in Doha are known for their professional skills. Seenu Pillai also shared his path of growth in ASTAD and thanked his colleagues for the success.Milan Arun, President of ICC, was the chief guest at the event

and Ahmed Jassim al-Jolo, former chairman of Qatar Society of Engineers and President for Federation of Arab Engineers, was the guest of honour. Ahmed expressed the need and desire for such events to keep and imbibe working ethics and culture. KSQ budding engineers also displayed their technical skills with models on display. The models were based on the topics, including Green building (Energy conservation methods), Robotics, Dams and Bridges, Agricultural projects using advanced technologies and Reverse Engineering - creating best out of waste materials.Venkata Rao, President of KSQ, in his welcome address said that only those who contribute to the society, community and work selflessly to build the nation can become icons and legends that leave legacy behind them for centuries. Sandeep Reddy, General Secretary KSQ, proposed a vote of thanks.


COMMUNITY INFOGR

9GULF TIMES

COMMUNITYFriday, September 21, 2018

RAPHIC


COMMUNITY

W Doha brings Dim Sum experience to the Spice Market

MES students visit INS MumbaiTwenty-eight students including scouts, guides, cubs and bulbuls of MES Indian School recently visited INS Mumbai, Indian Naval Ship. INS Mumbai has arrived on a three-day friendship mission at the Hamad Port. Commissioned in 2001, the ship has undertaken various active coastal security exercises, significant search and rescue missions, especially during the recent flood havoc in Kerala. INS Mumbai, which is capable of launching surface to air, surface to surface and surface to water

long-range missiles is on its goodwill mission to Qatar with an objective to boost maritime relations between Qatar and India. The students had an opportunity to interact with the off icials to know about the general functioning of the ship. Captain Amit Shrivastav and the members of the crew welcomed the visitors with refreshments and off ered a guided tour of the ship. The event was co-ordinated by Rajesh, Suchitra Kotian, Rosy Johnson and Saritha Shiral, teachers at MES.

NIS observes World Ozone DayNoble International School (NIS) recently observed World Ozone Day. Students and teachers shared their views and showed their concern to learn about the various ways in which people can preserve the ozone layer. Students presented speeches, tableaus, debates and personal opinions at the event. “Ensure the eff ective use of technology and fuel; insist that your parents don’t purchase products containing CFC,” said Shibu Abdul Rasheed, Principal of NIS. The students were encouraged to learn ways and means to conserve the environment and how they can contribute to the preservation of the ozone layer.

W Doha Hotel and Residences has recently announced to welcome its guests to experience the ‘Dim Sum-Non Stop’ menu at the Spice Market from today till September 30. Prepared by Dim Sum masters, He Jia Peng and Xu Gao Liang, the ‘non-stop’ journey will feature a selection of 16 authentic Cantonese dim sum.According to the press release, the dinner at Spice Market will be a special treat as guests will have the opportunity to watch the dim sum masters cooking live and serving all you can eat dim sum. lunch, served a la carte style. With over 10 years of experience in Cantonese dim sum cooking, Chefs Jia and Xu will prepare a colourful and flavourful set of steamed and deep-fried dumplings for Spice Market diners.“W Doha prides itself by off ering customers a memorable dining experience at all times,” said Wassim Daaje, General Manager of W Doha. He added, “Spice Market is truly representative of

the hotel’s pioneering spirit, and by welcoming the Dim Sum Masters all the way from China we will deliver diners a one of a kind of experience. The Dim Sum menu is conceived and executed by two masters, alongside the Spice Market team, who understands that restaurants are more than just serving a meal.”The non-stop menu provides diners with a selection of dim-sum using the traditional techniques and carefully selected ingredients such as chicken, seafood and vegetarian. The authentic dim sum is made to maximise freshness and aroma, all of which can be experienced live as well. The a la carte lunch menu will be served from 12pm-3:30pm, while the live cooking dinner will run from 6pm to 10:30pm (except Fridays) for QR265 per person. Guests can enjoy a mouth-watering meal at one of Qatar’s favourite Asian street-food restaurants while overlooking the infamous West Bay skyline.

Friday, September 21, 2018 11GULF TIMES

COMMUNITYLEISURE

Colour by choice

Maze Picture crosswordConnect the dots


COMMUNITY CARTOON


COMMUNITYLEISURE

Sudoku is a puzzle based

on a 9x9 grid. The

grid is also divided into

nine (3x3) boxes. You

are given a selection of

values and to complete

the puzzle, you must fill the grid so that

every column, every row and every 3x3

box contains the digits 1 to 9 and none

is repeated.

Sudoku

capitano(kap-uh-TAH-no)

MEANING:

noun: A swaggering, cowardly

person, especially a soldier,

policeman, etc.

ETYMOLOGY:

After Capitano, a stock character

in commedia dell’arte, from Italian

capitano (captain), from Latin caput

(head). Earliest documented use:

1594.

USAGE:

“The capitano strode uphill, cloak

flowing, minions a respectful

distance behind.”

columbine(KOL-uhm-byn)

MEANING:

noun: 1. A servant girl.

2. Any of various plants of the

genus Aquilegia.

adjective: Of or relating to a dove, in

innocence, gentleness, colour, etc.

ETYMOLOGY:

For noun 2: From the resemblance

of an inverted flower to five doves.

Earliest documented use: 1325.

For adjective: From Latin columba

(dove, pigeon). Earliest documented

use: 1656.

USAGE:

“She was suddenly confronted by a

mental image of the Duke dressed

in rags, bowing and dancing with a

queen or a columbine and it made

her smile.”

mizzle(MIZ-uhl)

MEANING:

noun: Fine rain or drizzle.

verb intr: To rain in fine drops.

To leave suddenly.

To confuse.

ETYMOLOGY:

noun, verb 1: From Middle English

misellen (to drizzle). Ultimately

from the Indo-European root

meigh- (to urinate), which also

gave us mist, thrush, mistletoe, and

micturate. Earliest documented use:

1439.

verb 2: Of unknown origin. Earliest

documented use: 1772.

verb 3: Of unknown origin. Earliest


USAGE:

“... cold rain that mizzled down on

the sterile acres ...”

rummy(RUH-mee)

MEANING:

adjective: Odd or unconventional.

noun: Any of various card games

in which the objective is to make

sets or sequences or three or more

cards.

ETYMOLOGY:

adjective: Origin unknown. Earliest


noun: Origin unknown. Earliest


USAGE:

“Fighting jet lag and no sleep in

the last forty-eight hours, Pete felt

rummy.”

— wordsmith.org

Yesterday’s Solutions

WordwatchSuper Cryptic Clues

The Mall Cinema (1): Peter Pan: The Quest Of The Never Book (2D) 2pm; Johnny English Strikes Again (2D) 4pm; Monster Busters (2D) 5:45pm; Animal World (2D) 7:30pm; Wildling (2D) 8:45pm; Animal World (2D) 11:30pm.The Mall Cinema (2): Monster Busters (2D) 2:15pm; The Hows Of Us - Tagalog (2D) 4pm; Batti Gul Meter Chalu (Hindi) 6:15pm; The Hows Of Us - Tagalog (2D) 9:15pm; Johnny English Strikes Again (2D) 11:30pm.The Mall Cinema (3): Padayottam (Malayalam) 2pm; Batti Gul Meter Chalu (Hindi) 4:30pm; Johnny English Strikes Again (2D) 7:30pm; Johnny English Strikes Again (2D) 9:15pm; Batti Gul Meter Chalu (Hindi)

11pm.Landmark Cinema (1): Monster Busters (2D) 2:30pm; Johnny English Strikes Again (2D) 4:15pm; Animal World (2D) 6pm; Animal World (2D) 8:15pm; Batti Gul Meter Chalu (Hindi) 10:30pm.Landmark Cinema (2): Kinavally (Malayalam) 2:30pm; The Hows Of Us (Tagalog) 5pm; The Hows Of Us (Tagalog) 7:15pm; Johnny English Strikes Again (2D) 9:30pm; Johnny English Strikes Again (2D) 11:15pm.Landmark Cinema (3): Batti Gul Meter Chalu (Hindi) 2:15pm; Batti Gul Meter Chalu (Hindi) 5:15pm; Batti Gul Meter Chalu

(Hindi) 8:15pm; Padayottam (Malayalam) 11:15pm.Royal Plaza Cinema Palace (1): Batti Gul Meter Chalu (Hindi) 2:30pm; Batti Gul Meter Chalu (Hindi) 5:30pm; Batti Gul Meter Chalu (Hindi) 8:30pm; Animal World (2D) 11:30pm.Royal Plaza Cinema Palace (2): Padayottam (Malayalam) 2:30pm; The Hows Of Us (Tagalog) 5pm; Animal World (2D) 7:15pm; Johnny English Strikes Again (2D) 9:30pm; Johnny English Strikes Again (2D) 11:30pm.Royal Plaza Cinema Palace (3): Monster Busters (2D) 3pm; Johnny English Strikes Again (2D) 4:45pm; Yellow Birds (2D) 6:30pm; The Hows Of Us (Tagalog) 8:15pm; Elizabeth Harvest (2D) 10:30pm.

ACROSS1. Fancy a little music (8)5. Shares the supplies (6)10. Beautifully matched?

(6,4,5)11. Take out from the

brochure (7)12. Doing desk work at the

police station, which is unusual? (7)

13. Prop up, but secure inadequately (8)

15. Brake the law, so to speak! (5)

18. It’s a good thing there’s a second collection (5)

20. Use, to keep oneself in trim (8)

23. Try, when all-in, to provide food (7)

25. It’s hard to beat (7)26. Over-statements! (7,8)27. He’s the dissenter who

was finally converted (6)28. About her

accomplishments: they’re very light-weight (8)

Yesterday’s Solutions

Across: 1 Just miss; 5 Stable; 9 Milanese; 10 Tandem; 12 Endear; 13 Consents; 15 Metal fatigue; 18 In hot pursuit; 23 Proposal; 24 Averse; 26 Raisin; 27 Pulled up; 28 Tagged; 29 Predator.

Down: 1 Jumper; 2 Salads; 3 Mandate; 4 Sash; 6 Transit; 7 Badinage; 8 Enmeshed; 11 Confuse; 14 Natural; 16 Dispirit; 17 Shooting; 19 Two-time; 20 Invalid; 21 Credit; 22 Keeper; 25 Purr.

DOWN1. He picks up the bad penny (6)2. One is, to start with, open to

suggestions (9)3. Get a new bed before getting the

home (7) 4. Stood up myself and was

introduced to the little creature (5)6. Buying and selling cars, etc.

(7)7. He’s laid up with a really bad cold

(5)8. Girl-friends the little boys spend

their pocket-money on (8)9. Beg the no-good to take the

course, anyhow (8)14. Standing the broken peg with the

others I have inside (8)16. The shot shattered the glass case

immediately (9)17. Liable to be missed, as it’s not

particularly good (8)19. Agrees the whole of men’s wear

must come out (7)21. The garland is a hindrance to the

fellow (7)22. Makes the search while one is

playing (6)24. Something swimming in the dam

(5)25. Get through to the doctor: a man

(5)


COMMUNITY LIFESTYLE/HOROSCOPE

ARIESMarch 21 — April 19

CANCERJune 21 — July 22

LIBRASeptember 23 — October 22

CAPRICORNDecember 22 — January 19

TAURUSApril 20 — May 20

LEOJuly 23 — August 22

SCORPIOOctober 23 — November 21

AQUARIUSJanuary 20 — February 18

GEMINIMay 21 — June 20

VIRGOAugust 23 — September 22

SAGITTARIUSNovember 22 — December 21

PISCESFebruary 19 — March 20

Your home might need some work today, Aries. You and other

members of your household could decide to join forces and get

everything done. This might simply involve a thorough cleaning, or it

could mean major repairs of some sort, perhaps plumbing or electrical.

If the latter, it isn’t a good idea to try to do this yourself. There could be

factors involved that are more complicated than they seem.

Today some information might come your way that inspires you to

come up with some valuable new ideas, Cancer. Your own intuitive

faculties are operating at a very high level, and therefore your insights

could prove valuable. This knowledge could be used to advance your

own career and financial interests, so you may want to spend an hour or

two writing down your thoughts.

Visitors in your home, perhaps invited by others in your household,

could put a crimp in your desire to be alone and hash out your thoughts

today, Libra. Your mind is sharp and ideas should come thick and fast.

Don’t get so irritated with the situation at home that you sabotage your

plans. You might want to go off somewhere by yourself, possibly to

simply sequester yourself in your own room.

A business or love partner could bring opportunities for advancement

your way today, Capricorn. You may decide to draft or execute

legal papers that could be very important to your future. Travel

might somehow be involved. Romance looks promising today. Your

confidence and enthusiasm are showing in your face and could make

you seem more attractive than usual, both to your partner.

Expect a lot of letters and phone calls from lovers, close friends, or

children today, Taurus. You might also want to make a few yourself.

Some positive and interesting information may have come your way

that you’ll want to share with those close to you. You could also want to

try your hand at writing. You’ll want to make sure that you remember

whatever it is you learn today,

Your intuition, physical and intellectual energy, and insight are at an

all-time high today, Leo. You’ll probably want to spend much of the day

alone, reflecting on your ideas and deciding how you want to put them

to work for you. At some point, you may want to put your thoughts in

writing. You could also tune in more strongly than usual to the thoughts

and feelings of others.

You’re very intuitive by nature, Scorpio, and today you should be feeling

especially so. Don’t be surprised if you spontaneously tune in to the

ideas and emotions of those around you, or even if you and someone

else come up with the same words at the same time. Use your insights

to increase your understanding of others. You might also find that they

bring artistic inspiration and even advance your worldly ambitions.

The hard work and good business sense that you’ve put into your job

may finally be paying off , Aquarius. Expect some positive changes to

take place at the workplace this week. Today you’re likely to be feeling

especially energetic and decide to give your house a thorough cleaning.

Don’t try to do this on your own, however. You need to conserve your

energy. Get other members of your household to help!

Studying some paperwork involving your finances could bring a

pleasant surprise. You’re better off than you thought, Gemini! Dividends

or benefits of some kind might be forthcoming. You could decide to

treat yourself, buy some gifts for your family, or perhaps do some work

on your home. Do take care to avoid impulse buying, and don’t go crazy

spending.

You could well be bubbling over with physical energy today, Virgo. You

might want to spend your day visiting with friends. You could pick up

some interesting information from them, which you might be able to

put to work for you. You could lay plans for finally attaining a long-term

goal; perhaps a lucky break made this possible. Expect to spend most of

your day talking and planning!

This should be one of those days when you feel as if you could conquer

the world. You feel strong and determined, Sagittarius, and willing to

do whatever it takes to get wherever you want to be. A goal could be

attained at this time, ambitions realised, or perhaps a lucky break could

come your way. This is an excellent day to seek a new job, ask for a raise,

or make a favourite project a success.

Insights that may come welling up from the past could be put to work

for you in a positive way, Pisces. You could use them as inspiration for

a creative project of some kind, or you could just make them work

for you in your day-to-day dealings with others. You should be feeling

especially romantic and sexy today, and you might want to go shopping

for clothes made of soft, touchable fabrics.

Quirky home decor ideas to brighten up house

Although you have painted the walls of your abode, replaced your old tile fl ooring and given a new

lease of life to your old wooden furniture, there are chances that you may fi nd your space downright unwelcoming and ordinary. So go experimental and show off your unique home decor by turning quirky.

Mikita Laad Gupta, Senior Designer, Bonito Designs, and Abraham Santosh, Head Designer, Elegeancia, off er some tips to get the desired look and an interesting home with a heady mix of colourful and quirky elements that can instantly make heads turn:

Choose quirky accessories: Brighten up your abode by choosing some quirky accessories such as fun posters, coff ee

mugs, coasters, paperweights, fl ower vases and rugs. Get on an experimental mode and simply hang an embroidered rug on a plain white wall to enhance the interior of your home.

You can also choose from funky teapots, trash bins, ashtrays and beverage glasses with funny lines and quotes. Posters and letter boards can help in adding a fun element to the home decor. Putting up some funny and quirky messages on those letter boards and changing them according to the occasion can make a huge diff erence and will indeed grab attention.

Overhaul your crockery: While you incorporate little elements all over the house, do not forget to accessorise your tabletop with eccentric crockery made of diff erent shapes, sizes, colours,

funky prints or photographs. You can also fl aunt some of your attractive crockery pieces on the walls. Instead of discarding your old ceramic plates, paint them in bright colours and arrange a decorative plate wall to add an artistic feel to your home.

Try this art to decorate large areas of wall space in your living room, kitchen or bedroom and see how they create a beautiful focal point.

Add vibrant cushions/curtains: An ideal way to brighten up your space would be to decorate your room in vibrant colours and quirky furnishings. Instead of the boring whites and creams, choose the curtains in bold colours like indigo, purple and yellow. Play around with diff erent materials or dye your old curtains in a bold colour. You can arrange attractive

cushions near your bedside or even create a fl oor sitting arrangement with large fl oor cushions. Mix diff erent patterns, hues and sizes and choose cushions with bold prints to make it eye-catching.

Enhance your lighting: From the simple single bulbs to dramatic beaded chandeliers, dress up your space with attractive ceiling lights and ceiling pendants that are funky and unusual. Create a diff erent ambience for your space by choosing lights in many diff erent fi nishes and materials. You may have beautiful furniture and a fabulous layout, but the ambience can look dull if the lighting is not up to the mark.

Proper lighting plays an important role as it can lighten up your walls and furnishings. Not only will they enhance the look of your room but they will also create

a warm and inviting ambience. So get imaginative and invest in the right lighting pieces to illuminate your space and bring a stylish touch of class.

Invest in character furniture: Picking the right pieces of furniture can instantly uplift your abode. Apart from the basic requirements like a dining table, choose accent furniture which refl ects your personality and ensures that they make for a beautiful addition to your home interior.

Low tables with large fl oor cushions or bean bags and ottomans are a perfect way to induce the desired casual look to the room. Take your pick from diff erent colours, shades and patterns that can complement your decor and other arrangements of the space. — IANS

Friday, September 21, 2018 15GULF TIMES

COMMUNITYSHOWBIZ

By Sugandha Rawal

Women should be lifting each other up, not tearing each other down by pointing out

imperfections or shaming someone for being confi dent, says actress Neha Sharma.

The actress, who has featured in projects like Mubarakan, Teri Meri Kahaani, Kyaa Super Kool Hain Hum, Yamla Pagla Deewana 2, Youngistaan and Tum Bin II, feels it is time for people to embrace imperfections.

“With changing times, I feel people want to see actors look more real now. Perfect isn’t real. We all have imperfections and everyone’s body is built diff erently. I personally don’t ever want to give a false image of perfection as I somewhere feel responsible,” Neha said.

“Growing up, I saw photoshopped images of people in magazines and felt inadequate. I don’t want to do the same. Another thing that needs to change: shaming women who are confi dent. Someone that constantly post selfi es or looks in the mirror is often seen as ‘full of themselves’ or ‘big headed’ or ‘self-absorbed’ but

what’s wrong with being confi dent and loving yourself? Absolutely nothing.

“More women should feel this way about themselves and we should have the right to. And as women, we should be lifting each other up, not tearing each other down by pointing out imperfections or shaming someone for being confi dent.

“I feel now it’s the time to embrace the imperfections and accept ourselves as we are and not feel the pressure to be perfect at all times,” added the actress, who has been named the brand ambassador of Garnier Color Naturals.

How do you think the defi nition of beauty standard is changing in the world?

“With the changing times, I think the standard of beauty has changed as well. We have become more tolerant to diversity. As a society, we have become much more aware of the need and value of diversity,” said the actress, who has also worked in Telugu fi lms.

“Aging and coloured skin are being embraced now. The obsession with being skinny is gone. I feel now there is awareness that you can be any size, colour or race and yet be beautiful,” she added.

On her association with Garnier Color Naturals, Neha said: “It’s really been a beautiful journey so far and we still have a long way together and I’m hoping it will be one of my most memorable ones.”

Neha said “haircare is very important”, especially for someone in showbiz.

“Because hair styling is a daily routine for an actor and the hair gets battered everyday with all the blow drying, curling and straightening. So, it’s even more crucial for actors to take good care of their hair and I think a good hair colour is certainly of utmost importance.”

She gives special attention to her crowning glory.

“Each time that my hair is exposed to excessive sunlight, and styling products, I try to get a brand new, lovely brown (colour) as that completely changes the way the hair looks. It gives me a new look and great shine and I feel confi dent to fl aunt my hair.

“The basic haircare regimen that I follow includes regular hair oiling and occasional use of a nice hair mask that can be applied overnight, or sometimes just for 15-20 minutes during the day so that the hair is well-conditioned.” — IANS

Aft er Emmys proposal, couple continue to share their love story on television

Glenn Weiss knows what makes good TV, and his Emmy Awards proposal on Monday defi nitely did just that.

The Oscars telecast director, who unexpectedly popped the question to girlfriend Jan Svendsen that night, stole the show with a tribute to his mom that led to a tear-jerking marriage proposal to his girlfriend.

Since then, the newly affi anced pair have been doing the rounds and keeping TV viewers rapt with their romance.

Weiss’ proposal came during his acceptance speech for best director of a variety special. But his bold move, seen by at least 10 million live TV viewers, also won Emmy night and the approval of many of his peers.

Camera cutaways showed Benedict Cumberbatch, Penelope Cruz, Javier Bardem and Oscars host Jimmy Kimmel applauding and Claire Foy wiping away tears while an awestruck Leslie Jones stood up with her mouth agape. (SNL star Jones later took to Twitter to advise anyone who proposes to her to do so on Emmy night.)

“He did an amazing, crazy thing and here we are, and it’s really nice that love is trending,” Svendsen said on NBC’s Today show.

She said that she expected “a very private proposal if there ever were to be one,” and was blown away by Weiss, who dropped down to one knee after placing his late mother’s ring on her fi nger.

Weiss and Svendsen met in 2001 in New York at the Tony Awards, he told reporters backstage after the Emmys. Svendsen had worked for the Broadway League and had been chief marketing offi cer for the Tonys at the time. Altogether, they have fi ve daughters from previous relationships.

The golden band, though not a diamond ring, was worn by his mother for 67 years until she died August 31. Weiss got choked up on Today describing what his mother and the ring meant to him, prompting his future wife to fi nish his thought.

“The fact that I have been able to wear this ring and get engaged with this ring is so meaningful for both of us,” she said.

The wedding, however, will be “a little more private.” —Los Angeles Times/TNS

Downton Abbey movie sets 2019 release date

Good news for Downton Abbey fans. Focus Features will release the big-screen installment of the British television drama in North America on September 20, 2019, the distributor announced.

Universal Pictures International will debut the fi lm internationally a week earlier on September 13, 2019.

The movie, set in Edwardian England at the turn of the 20th century, began fi lming last week and boasts much of the ITV show’s principal cast, including Hugh Bonneville, Laura Carmichael, Jim Carter, Brendan Coyle, Michelle Dockery, Kevin Doyle, Joanne Froggatt, Matthew Goode, Harry Hadden-Paton, Robert James-Collier, Allen Leech, Phyllis Logan, Elizabeth McGovern, Sophie McShera, Lesley Nicol, Penelope Wilton and Oscar and Emmy winner Maggie Smith.

New additions to the fi lm include Oscar-nominated actress Imelda Staunton, Geraldine James, Simon Jones, David Haig, Tuppence Middleton, Kate Phillips and Stephen Campbell Moore.

Carnival Films, the fi lm’s producer, has said the movie will follow the lives of the aristocratic Crawley family and the servants who work in their Edwardian country estate, which, as fans of the show know, is precisely the most all-encompassing description of the drama series. —Los Angeles Times/TNS

THE MOMENT: Glenn Weiss, right, and Jan Svendsen pose at the Emmys.

Neha: Perfect isnot real; embrace

imperfections

“Growing up, I saw photoshopped images of people in magazines and

felt inadequate. I don’t want to do the same. Another thing that needs

to change: shaming women who are confident”

CHANGING TIMES: “As a society, we have become much more aware of the need and value of diversity,” says Neha Sharma.


COMMUNITY

The back-breaking trek inthe US that few complete

Extreme weather, blisters, forest fires, rattlesnakes, bears, these are just

some of the hazards you might encounter while hiking the Pacific Crest

Trail from one end of the United States to the other. By Ute Wessels

A 4,280-kilometre path, a 20-kilogram rucksack, six months and one daunting goal: to make it to the other side. Every year, some 3,500 people attempt to hike the

Pacifi c Crest Trail (PCT) in the US. Far from all of them make it. The long-distance trail from the Mexican to the Canadian border requires not just time off from work or school, but also mental preparation for a long and painful slog.

In a holiday apartment in Wrightwood, near Los Angeles, 52-year-old Eugen from Munich is carefully applying plasters to his foot. He began his PCT journey four weeks ago from the border area of Campo in the southern US.

The doctor has taken time off from his job for this trek: “After 25 years of working, turning off the mobile phone for six months and completely relaxing” is how he pictured this going.

He had heard about the trail years ago and decided that he wanted to try it some day. “The idea seemed completely crazy, but at the same time it totally gripped me,” he says.

He has been marching about 35 kilometres a day, with a few breaks in between. On large stretches of the trail, hikers will see no houses, no streets, no shower, no stores, often for days - which means carrying and rationing one’s food and water well.

Sources of water are scarce in southern California, and failing to bring enough to drink could put your life in danger. There is also no mobile phone signal for long stretches - but there are forest fi res, rattlesnakes and, farther north, bears. The season starts in April, when it’s not yet too hot in southern California, especially the Mojave Desert, and not too wintery in the High Sierras.

Those who can’t handle the daily mileage won’t make it in time to reach their goal - the hiker has to make it to Canada before the end of September, before there is too much snow cover.

Eugen has just spent two rest days in Wrightwood, picked up his rations at the post offi ce and is about to set off again. Has he thought of giving up?

“Yes, absolutely. Like most people.” At night, trekkers pitch their tents, enjoy some soup and crawl into their sleeping bags. The nights on this part of the trail are cold and uncomfortable. Water condenses in the tents, clothes get damp, the body starts to ache.

And in the morning it starts all over again. Over and over. Ten days later, as Eugen is taking a break in the desert city of Tehachapi, he meets two other Germans. Marieke and Jan are sitting in a bakery, where there is coff ee and cinnamon rolls, all-important calories! It’s nearly impossible for trekkers to eat enough to make up for all the calories their bodies are burning while on the trail.

Marieke learned about the PCT from the fi lm Wild, starring Reese Witherspoon. “After that, I was set on hiking the trail,” says the 22-year-old. She prepared with a friend on a tour through Norway. After getting through the fi rst blisters, the two are now on a roll.

“You have to stay constant and want to or force yourself to want to, trek at least eight hours every day,” says Marieke, a student. The three Germans start the next section together. It goes into the High Sierra. A late winter makes hiking more diffi cult. Fields of snow start to melt as the day goes on, and the hikers sink with every step, sometimes up to the hip. In addition, there are a tonne of rivers and streams that must be crossed.

With wet feet, they straggle on. Several weeks later, Jan decides to give up. The pair are not going fast enough to reach Canada in time. Forced breaks, due to an injury on Marieke’s part and a package containing essential gear going missing, cost them precious time.

He has simply lost his desire to hike. “The feeling of having already seen the most beautiful and interesting part, the High Sierra. On top of that, few comforts, no toilets, always the same food.” Marieke wants to go on alone, as far as she can make it until the autumn weather arrives.

And Eugen? After the High Sierra, ‘an unforgettable experience’, he decided to take a break at Mammoth Lakes. He’s been on the move for 10 weeks now, has lost several kilograms, and his feet and joints ache.

One last time, he gathers himself together and packs. His goal is no longer Canada, but the 1,000-mile mark. He lacks the motivation to sleep in a tent for another three months, eating just granola bars and soup, while the best, and hardest, part is already behind him. He doesn’t see this as a defeat, however, “because ‘only’ 1,600 kilometres by foot through complete no man’s land is also a crazy route.” – DPA

FAST PACE: Hiking the pacific Crest Trail involves walking at least 35 kilometres per day. Those who walk slowly don't reach Canada by winter even. SCENIC: The Peak Wilderness Sanctuary is one of many highlights along the Pacific Crest Trail.

ASSOCIATED RISK: Sources of water are scarce in southern California, and failing to bring enough to drink could put your life in danger.

trial is the - gulf times

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