Online Booking of Darjeeling Hotels – An Affordable Stay Among the Hills

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Darjeeling is one of the most sought after hill stations in the North Eastern part of India. The city attracts a large number of tourists every year and you should book your hotel rooms in advance to avoid any hassles. Read on to find out more about online booking of Darjeeling hotels and also check out some quality hotels in Darjeeling.

Darjeeling is one of the most popular hill stations in India and is known for its great natural beauty. Originally, Darjeeling was just a cluster of villages that were situated in the nearby hills. It became a city and gained popularity after the British made it a summer retreat. The city is famous for the Himalayan Railway System that is the oldest railways in India and employs a steam locomotive. It is popularly called the Toy Train and is one of the tourist attractions of Darjeeling.

When visiting a popular tourist spot like Darjeeling it is not guaranteed that you will find hotels with rooms available and of your liking. Therefore to avoid such hassles you should try online booking of Darjeeling hotels. Online booking is reserving rooms in your desired hotels in advance through travel portals. Through online booking of Darjeeling hotels you can check out various Darjeeling hotels and compare prices and facilities. You can also check out the customer reviews page which provides you great insight on the hotels service. After making your choice you can book your rooms and it guarantees that you will receive your desired rooms upon your arrival. Hotelpushpak.com offers great discounts on hotel rates and also offers rewards like 1 night free with 10 nights booking and complimentary services like airport pick/drop service. Below are some quality hotels in Darjeeling that you can check out.

Online Booking of Top Rated Hotels in Darjeeling

Hotel Snowlion Homestay is one of the top rated hotels in Darjeeling and is centrally located in the heart of the city. It is one of the popular Darjeeling hotels and enjoys wide recommendation from travelers and tourists. It enjoys a customer recommendation of nearly 83% which means 9 out of 10 people would love to stay in this particular hotel again. It has also received a star rating of 4.5 out of 5 from its customers which proves its popularity. It has also garnered a number of positive reviews from its customers who have praised its facilities and its staff. It offers well furnished and comfortable rooms that are equipped with all major amenities like attached bath with running hot water. It also offers a multi cuisine restaurant that is known for its good food. The rooms are considered to be good value for money and costs Rs.1500.

Hotel Seven Seventeen is one of the finest budget hotels in Darjeeling and is located near the Mall. One of the popular Darjeeling hotels, it enjoys nearly 90% customer recommendation which means 9 out of 10 people would like to visit this hotel again. Previous guests have awarded its 4.5 stars out of 5 and have also praised its service and facilities. It offers well furnished rooms that are equipped with all major amenities like attached bath with running hot water. It also offers a multi cuisine restaurant and internet access. The rooms cost Rs.1600.

Food Standards And Temperature Control

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Frequent food temperature and safety checks are fundamental to the safe operation of food businesses. Some foods will become dangerous if maintained at the wrong temperature. Whether you’re a caterer or retailer, own a five star restaurant, run a mobile hot dog van, sell food privately or publicly, for profit or fund raising, you will need to comply with Food Hygiene Regulations (England 2006), which apply to every type of food business.

If the regulations aren’t met, besides breaking the law, you run the risk of cultivating harmful bacteria or toxins, failing health and safety audits, and seriously jeopardising someone’s health.

What Are These Regulations?

Chilled foods – It’s a legal requirement to ensure fresh produce that’s liable to ‘go off’ is kept at 8°C or below. To ensure this, the air temperature should be between 0°C and 5°C. Food requiring refrigeration can be kept at a higher temperature for no longer than 4 hours. Once this time has elapsed, the food temperature must be lowered to 8°C until sold or discarded. It is recommended that freezers are maintained at -18°C.

Hot Foods – It’s a legal requirement to ensure hot-held foods are kept at 63°c or above. These foods may be held at a lower temperature for up to a maximum of 2 hours. Once this time has elapsed, the food temperature must be raised to 63°C or above until sold or discarded.

Identifying Risk – It’s a legal requirement to identify food safety hazards in your business. Potentially risky foods such as red meat; poultry, and food containing egg, should reach a core temperature of 75°C or above. At this temperature harmful bacteria cannot survive and will be destroyed. If you’re working with liquids, some chemicals are prone to react violently at excessive temperature levels.

Bacteria thrive between 8°C and 63°C. This temperature zone is known as the ‘danger zone’ in catering. In most circumstances, keeping food temperatures for appropriate food at 8°C or below, or at 63°C or above will satisfy government regulations.

How Do I Check On Temperature?

It’s industry standard to use thermometers to measure temperature, however, it’s vitally important to choose the right thermometer(s) to suit your intended application(s). In today’s market, more thermometers are used without firstly being checked for traceable accuracy, or suitability of purpose, yet the accuracy and suitability of your thermometer to its intended application could be the difference between meeting, and failing to meet food hygiene regulations.

When you’re choosing a thermometer, it’s important to understand its associated application, temperature measurement range, resolution, accuracy, and the maintenance required to achieve repeatable measurements. In a professional environment, the accuracy of your reading will ultimately affect the safety of your food.

Fixed probe thermometers – These are designed to deliver instant temperature readings of foods, liquids, and semi-solid samples via a fixed probe, which will be suitable for both immersion and penetration. They are ideal for use in the catering trade for hygiene testing, retail outlets, and laboratories. Being very easy to use and highly portable, probes will vary in size, material, and manoeuvrability.

Wired probe thermometers – These are similar to fixed probe thermometers, the difference being that the probe is attached to the thermometer via a wire. This maximises utility without compromising accuracy.

Traditional bi-metal thermometers – These are ideal for monitoring fridge temperatures and have a spirit level indication. When monitoring fridge temperatures, it is suggested you do it first thing in the morning before the fridge is repeatedly opened and closed.

It’s always best practise to use a thermometer which measures to HACCP regulations.

Cleaning Your Thermometer Probes

It’s very important that your thermometer probe is kept clean and disinfected before use with food. It’s advisable to use anti-bacterial probe wipes to clean the probe. The wipes contain an alcohol solution of polymeric biguanide hydrochloride that is an extremely efficient hard surface and probe disinfectant. It reduces surface and probe microbial contamination, and does not create harmful or unwanted side effects such as taint, odour, handling hazard etc. These wipes are suitable for hand use.

If you can choose the thermometer best suited to your intended application, AND provide traceable instrument calibration to an auditor, you can always be assured of your measurement’s creditability. If you’re unsure of a thermometer’s suitability, always consult the help of a professional body.

Visiting the Best Vacation Destinations in Europe

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Have you ever been to Europe? If you have not, then you are pretty much dreaming of having a vacation there someday and for those who have, are probably planning for their next visit. It is not surprising why tourists feel this way. I myself am dreaming of touring Europe one day. In fact, I have my list of the best vacation destinations in Europe just in case I was lucky enough to finally be able to go there.

First on my list of the best vacation destinations in Europe would definitely be Paris, France. They say that “all roads in France lead to Paris”. I would definitely like to confirm if it is really the case. The best way would be getting in top of the Eiffel tower for my eyes to see what the scenery of Paris from the top of the tower. Afterwards, I will tour the Louvre Museum for various collections of antiques and see the painting of Mona Lisa.

The next on my checklist will be Italy because in such a country there are many tourist destinations. In fact, my second, third and fourth favorite sites can be located in this country. My second would be Rome. I like this place because of its architectural designs and historical significance. The buildings like the Coliseum which was used by the Roman Empire to showcase their gladiator’s valiant fight in the arena. The Vatican which is a historical and seat of power for Christian Catholicism is just neighboring Coliseum. The third destination would be Venice, the “City of Water”. I would like to explore Venice by using a Gondola boat as my lover and I cruise through its waterways. It is most definitely a lover’s paradise. If you want to experience the renaissance period then without a doubt you should not leave Italy without going to Florence which is my fourth favorite location.

My fifth itinerary would be to go to London. I would love to hear the Big Ben ring its bells as Clock Tower hit midnight and to watch while the Tower Bridge rises up while there is a ship crossing. To ride on top of London’s Eye, a gigantic Ferris wheel, to view from above the city of London.

The next destination would be Barcelona, Spain. To experience the Spanish culture while walking along La Ramblas, a well renowned place for its café and superb shops that offers good Spanish delicacies and cuisines. They say the Spanish dialect is a language of love. Learning a thing or two of Spanish like, “Me Amore”, would be an added bonus.

Being one of the oldest civilizations that greatly influenced our society today, I think Athens deserves to be on my seventh must see destinations in Europe. It would be nice to look back on where it all started, to explore the remnants of its magnificence. The Greeks vast culture is really something to marvel upon. Their philosophers like Aristotle, Plato and many others help develop our way of thinking through their philosophies. They gave us spectacular stories of their gods and goddesses through their mythology. Until this day we still marvel their great stories.

When touring Europe it is worthwhile to rest a bit in my eight favorite destinations which is Amsterdam. They have very affordable hotels and the sweets and delicacies are marvelous.

The last two places I would like to visit before I end my journey are definitely Stockholm in Sweden and Berlin in Germany. Stockholm have a very rich history and culture and the solstice is something to look forward. The last would be to visit Berlin the capital of Germany.

Business and Culture Complement Each Other – Typical Mutualism!

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Business is an integral part of the society; and it influences other elements of the social system, which in turn affect business. The entire sphere of business activities are influenced by the social structure and culture of a society. The social system is influenced by the way the business functions, innovations, transmission and diffusion of information and new ideas etc. Business activities have greatly influenced social attitudes, values, outlooks, customs and traits. However, it is very difficult and, in some cases, almost impossible to change many elements of the social environment in the short run. Hence, a business may have to anticipate and adapt to these uncontrollable external environments.

Socio-cultural environment refers to the influence exercised by certain social factors, which are “beyond the company’s gate”. This includes attitude of people towards

  • Work
  • Wealth
  • Knowledge
  • Family
  • Marriage
  • Religion
  • Education
  • Ethics and social responsibility of business.

Culture is something that is evolved in a society over a long period and it represents the unified belief system of a large group of people. An organization can be distinguished from another by way of its culture, since organizational culture is unique in its perspective and methodology. When people from different social backgrounds are made to work under the same roof, a corporate organization acquires a distinct culture. Culture conveys a sense of identity for the organization. It facilitates the generation of commitment to do something noble than one’s own self-interest.

As business go international, the need for understanding and appreciating cultural differences across countries is essential. Any move from one country to another will create a certain amount of confusion, disorientation and emotional upheaval. Especially, people form Asian countries that migrate to the west are subjected to what is called a “culture shock”, in terms of attitude, working style, language, way of life, dress codes and negotiating styles. Freshers may adapt to these changes quickly, since they are raw and easy to be trained. The problem arises with individuals who had been working under a totally different cultural setup from that of the new cultural environment; they will have to undergo the process of ‘unlearning’, which is more like swapping old ideas for new ideas. This change process is what both the employees and the management find challenging; but ultimately what needs to be done has to be done.

Multi national and Trans national companies, which have business establishments in different parts of the world, must be prepared to cope with the culture shock. Since huge investments go into their projects, they have to think and analyze about all cultural and social aspects that have a definite impact on the working of organisations. For example, the work attitude of employees in the west might lay emphasis on services and results, oriented towards self-improvement; while that of the Asian counterparts may be patience and sacrifice rooted in emotions and loyalty.

Business can be considered as a large social network serving to satisfy economic and social interests; culture acts as the social glue that helps hold the organization together by providing appropriate standards for the behavior of organization members.