#((and it’s the cafe connected to our accommodation so they are more chill with us. we just can’t order anymore which fair

[alpinelogy]

[pokes my head in] how radioactive is it here now? Okay or should i still commit peace and love and simply not open it here

[sassysweetstories]

Diamond in the Rough // 2

Summary: you’re an androgynous woman who has a rather groggy voice. due to your social anxiety and shy nature, you refuse to let your beautiful, sexy voice free. that is until you do something that might lead you down a dangerous path.

Ship: Shawn Mendes x Fem!Reader

Warnings: angst, swearing, vulgar words, bullying, fluff, hyperventilating, gender bashing, etc.

Notes: none of these gifs are mine, credit to the owners.

Tagged: @bailey-hoover @kiralivelove @thalia-prior-of-ravenclaw @anamcg317 @bellasett @queentiffanyyy @archer-whovian-violinist@beingmadinwonderland @princessisabelle19 @violence-and-velvet @lachicadelamanzana

Your P.O.V

I freeze, blood running cold with distraught and fear. I can hear my heartbeat thumping wildly in my chest, so loud it almost blocks out the the actual voice that tries to speak to me. "Uh, (Y/n). There's an Andrew that's here to see you." Of course I'm overflowing with reluctance but I can't hide. I don't have a choice anymore. "Let him in." I say, dryly. The man the enters the room, looking nothing like I'd expect. Though he wears a sharp suit, he screams dad vibes. The collar around his next has a faint tan line, one meant for sweaters and jeans. Without the monkey suit, he'd look more approachable. I suppose that's why he looks up at me with a shy expression, one that people give children when they meet for the first time. And though I should hate people walking around me if I were to break like glass, the gesture makes me feel more at ease. 

I eye him up and down again, waiting for his approach. "My name is Andrew. I'm a music manager that works with a lot of well-known artists. I loved your performance, was completely blown away and wanted to sign you. I want you to be able to express yourself in more ways than one. What do you say?" I stare at his hand and think for a minute. I can't turn back after the whole worlds seen my face, can't run and change my name or hide away. I don't have a choice in the matter anymore. And due to my quiet nature, I'm much more susceptible to reading people. And Andrew doesn't seem like a bad guy. He looks like the only agent I can trust. So I do the unthinkable. I take his hand in mine. "We take things slow." 

He nodded, a faint smile making its way into his features before he heads back to his seat. My knees break from under me and I pull myself into a chair. Glancing to the right, I realized my phone was blowing up with hundreds upon thousands of notifications. I shouldn't look but I can't stop myself. Twitter is exploding with videos of my performance. A screen to the side of the stage that FJ was supposed to perform on lit up with bright words. This is (Y/n), the REAL person behind the voice. Bullied for years, (Y/n) had to sing in the dark of the night and hide from the world. No more. The words vanish and that's when I start singing. Not caring to watch, I don't even glance at the comment section, don't have the strength for it. Dammit, FP. She really did the unthinkable. Put my name out there for people to find on a whim. My skin crawls at what could possibly happen next. 

Third P.O.V

Of course Shawn had to use the bathroom right before the opening performance, having missed the entirety of the beginning completely. He doesn’t think anyone will mind since almost everyone is excited to see just him up on that stage. That is until he heads back to his seat. There’s a not so faint hum in the room that only progresses as time passes. What the hell did I miss? He thinks to himself, also wondering where his agent, Andrew, ran off to. “Dude! You just missed the most amazing performance I’ve ever seen!” Niall turned to him and exclaimed. There’s a flutter of comments going back and forth, only so many of which he actually picks up. Powerful and chilling performance, something about a person being bullied.

He’s unable to really make any connections but Shawn’s sure he’ll get the whole scoop later on Twitter. Andrew comes back just in time with a massive grin on his face. “Where’d you go?” Shawn asked, genuinely curious. “I just made a deal with that performer.” His smile never fades and the young man watches as he slips into his own little world, setting up meeting after meeting, having already been invited by Ellen and James Corden themselves to their show. Who was this person? Shawn thought to himself, a tinge of jealousy rising in the pit of his stomach. It didn’t help that literally everyone around him during the entirety of the show talked non-stop about said performance, one he completely missed out on. But Shawn vowed to get to the bottom of this. 

Your P.O.V

[One Week Later]

“You promise that there’s a small audience?” I ask Andrew again. He pats my back like a loving father would with a gentle nod. There’s still much I hadn’t told him about my life but I believe he’s slowly beginning to understand just how hurt I’ve been, just how scared I was about this sudden change. “Yes, like I said before and I’ll say it a thousand times. There’s a small audience and it’s just you and her. She’s gonna ask you some personal questions and you should do as we talked about. Just be open and honest and I know they’re going to love you. Dylan won’t be far if you need anything and he’s got a mic if things get too much for you.” He’s more open and accommodating than what I’d ever expect. Since my performance, apparently I’d been getting hundreds of thousands of calls and emails about an interview with the performer that took the world by storm. 

Diamond, they’re calling me. Catchy and a bit ostentatious if I’m being honest but I don’t oppose. And though Andrew wishes for me to see the tweets about myself, I’ve refused, sure that they’ll only be negative. “Hey, you’ve got this, kid.” His dad voice is nothing but comforting. Glancing back at Dylan, he gives me the bouquet of roses I was insistent of buying for the interviewer and another encouraging smile before I’m directed to the entrance. “Now I know most of you have seen the opening performance at the Music Globe, one that really captured our attention because for a long time we thought this one girl was the one who’d been singing when in actuality it was a different girl entirely. Here to speak about it is the girl herself, (Y/n) (Y/L/N), also known as Diamond.” I feel confident in the nice casual suit I’m sporting and walk to the tune blaring from above. The crowd is much smaller and I can’t help but thank Andrew in my head. 

The crowd awes when I hand Ellen the bouquet of roses and she insists on giving me a hug. I just hugged Ellen. Oh my god. We take a seat and the voices start to hoot and whistle. I can’t help but glance at them with a confused expression. “Why are they whistling?” Ellen laughs at my perplexity and it makes me feel more at ease despite the quick thump in my chest. “They think you’re hot, right?” The crowd, though small, roars to life and I even hear a few girls scream. “HELL YEAH!” I blush seven shades, not use to such out there flirting. Ellen shushes them quickly and thanks me for the roses before diving in. “So can you tell us what the whole performance was?” Whoop, there it is. I glance down at my hands, more worried about my finger tips than the beady eyes that seem to pierce my skin. “Well, Ellen. If I’m being honest-” I sigh and pause before doing what Andrew said. Just be honest and real. 

“I’ve always loved performing and singing and, musicals especially, but I’ve never been able to accomplish that dream-” She interrupts to ask, “Why is that?” I gulp again, shifting from side to side, never looking at her or the audience for too long. “Honestly, I’ve been bullied my entire life.” The confession silences everyone, keen on listening. “It started in middle school, continued all through high school and even college. Nobody looked at me and saw a person. They saw this thing that wasn’t feminine enough and wasn’t masculine enough. I was a mix of both and nobody liked that. They didn’t like that I couldn’t be put into a box and when I tried out to sing in my high school, nobody looked past exterior to hear me and the bullying only got worse from there. I ended up transferring schools cause it got so bad and then it only got worse at college. And then that’s where I met FP.” 

Ellen shifts her chair more towards me. “So how do you know her?” I take a deep breath, feeling more comfortable with just her and I talking. I almost forget there’s an audience watching, waiting and listening. “I met her in a cafe I was working at. I closed up one day and sang as I did and she heard me and we put together this plan that I’d sing the vocals and she’d lip sinc. I was perfectly comfortable with doing that because I was one-hundred percent sure that if I attempted to sing in public again, I would be ridiculed. And she was very outgoing and loved the stage, something I had never been entirely comfortable with, let alone something I knew how to do. But that performance, she told me that I wouldn’t be seen so I could actually go on stage but she slipped out and that’s when I got on the stage. I ran off afterwards and had a panic attack. I suppose with nothing but negativity in my life, I was so sure that that’s what would happen again. I haven’t checked any social media since the performance and I’m too afraid.” 

My hands shake at the intimacy and forwardness I was giving but I could tell she really cared deeply, almost understood a time of heartbreak. So much so that tears seem to slip from the corners of her eyes. I just made Ellen cry. Glancing at the audience, I notice they’re weeping, too. Have I moved them so much to the point of tears? “Can I give you a hug?” Ellen herself asks me. I can’t help but chuckle at the surprising quietness in her voice and accept. “Well, you will always be loved and accepted on the Ellen show.” The crowd hums in agreement and for the first time in a long time I feel a warm sensation bubble up in the pit of my stomach. 

The rest of the day goes by with a blur and I’m the only person anyone is talking about. Andrew and Dylan take to me to the local diner for a quick snack before some other plans. “So, (Y/n). I’ve got some pretty big news.” I put down my fries for a moment and prepare myself, for what, I do not know. “I have over one hundred performers in the music industry who want to work with you. They keep emailing me, almost begging on their hands and knees to meet you or perform with you. Ariana Grande, Rihanna, Harry Styles, Niall Horan, Halsey, Camilla Cabello, Demi Lovato, Sia, and so many more want to work with you on upcoming songs. For the love of god, check Twitter.” Thumping with excited adrenaline, I cave in and do as he asks. One after another they tweet to my thumbnail. 

@ c_cabello retweeted video of @ (y/n)_diamond: UGH I LOVE YOUR VOICE! IT’S SO SEXY!

@ niall_h retweeted video of @ (y/n)_diamond: I can’t get over the passion, I’m in love. 

@ h_halsey retweeted video of @ (y/n)_diamond: oh my god we NEED to collaborate! You’re voice is killer! 

There are hundreds of comments below her of artists commenting on how much they love me. There’s so much love I don’t know how to deal with it. Artists I merely dreamed of working with are saying how much they loved my voice and the passion behind it. The mere thought gives me chills. I keep scrolling and the comments never falter. I take a minute to comprehend all of this. This could actually work. I could actually be a performer, sing and work with the artists I’ve only dreamed of meeting. When I look up at Andrew, I feel a wave of confidence soar through me. “So, what’s next?” 

Third P.O.V

Ever since the performance, Shawn notice how distant Andrew had become. Of course he had other artists working with him but usually he was the one Andrew gave his time to. So that morning, Shawn had been begrudgingly waiting for almost thirty-five minutes for his interview. Just the one today which was odd because he was almost always up to the brim with work. Just one interview and song-writing today. Andrew had said to him. Thirty-five minutes too long as he tapped the arm chair, a plagued look of irritation. Where the hell was Andrew? And just as he asked the question, in waltz the man himself. “Where have you been?! I’ve been waiting for almost forty minutes! You told me to come early so that we could work on what questions they were going to ask!” Andrew tilted his head, perplexed by the young mans attitude. 

Yes, he was late but it’s not as if they hadn’t done a millions interviews before. As he’d told him, everything was set up accordingly, the questions skimmed over by Andrew himself. Things with (Y/n) ran a little later than usual which was fine for the older man because he really enjoyed her personality. She’s quick and funny once you get past her wall. “Shawn, this interview is just like the rest of them. It seems they did your hair and makeup which is exactly what I wanted them to do, so in actuality you’ve only been waiting for twenty minutes. I am sorry I’m late. I was with another client and we lost track of time. I won’t be by your side every second of the day, Shawn. This client that I signed needs a lot of coaxing and work. I will organize anything that you need like usual but I will also not be here physically sometimes. I’ve hired another man to be here if you have questions when I’m not. Do you understand?” 

Shawn hadn’t a clue but he nodded his head anyway, not wanting to have another meaningless lecture. He wonders for a second as to who he’s spending so much of his time with but then he goes back to the performance he missed. Sneaking out his phone after the interview, he watches Ellen’s most recent video, now trending as number one. Leaning into his chair, Shawn watches with a perplexed expression. The person who enters is tall, much taller than Ellen, wearing a nice black dress jacket, matching tight jeans and a nice button up. Shawn can’t help but shift in his seat with jealous discomfort as the girls hoot and howl at her. Her voice is low and sultry, like silk. Her eyes are bright but there’s a still a wave of uncertainty. The longer she speaks, the more his heart breaks. Years of bullying, jeez. How could people be so cruel. He thinks of Teddy and how much she might have gone through. 

But the jealousy only grows as he makes his way to Twitter and Instagram. She sits next to Ariana Grande herself. (Y/n) or, Diamond, as she’s being called, wears something similar to what she wore on the Ellen interview. She’s much taller than Ariana, practically towering over her small frame. They would make a great couple. The bad boy and the sweet, innocent girl. At least that’s what it looks like. Shawn won’t admit it but he’s thrown off in more ways than one. A mix of intimidation and attraction, feelings he doesn’t quite understand begin to fester in his chest. He watches intently, almost making competition in his head. She’s already taken Andrew. He thinks to himself. Maybe its a way to cover up how he’s actually feeling. (Y/n) starts the song by strumming along on her Ukulele. Bad Little Boy from Adventure Times. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=86yQIQFgWZk&t=10s 

It’s a short little tune but brings chills anyway. Her voice works breathlessly with Ariana’s, smooth and sexy. Their voices dance around one another with a melody like no other. Just listening to her speak makes Ari practically swoon. She rests her hand under her chin as (Y/n) mutters the last few lines and plays the last cord on her Ukulele. Ariana squeals and launches herself onto (Y/n) who’s blushing and laughing at her excitement. “I cannot wait for you guys to hear Diamond’s voice on my upcoming album because anyone would be an idiot to not snatch you up right away! Thank you so much for jamming with me and I can’t wait to see you again. Bye guys!” Ariana says to the camera but Shawn’s more focused on (Y/n) and her cutely shy nature. Shawn doubts that that’s actually her real voice. It can’t be. And even though he saw it, heard it, he won’t believe. He makes his way over to the comment section that never stops exploding. 

“DIAMOND IS A SNACK OH MY GOD” 

                                                   “mOm AnD dAd?”

“DIAMOND LITERALLY HAS THE SEXIEST FUCKING VOICE I’VE EVER HEARD IN MY LIFE” 

      “(Y/N) IS LITERALLY SO ANDROGYNOUS I’M SO SEXUALLY CONFUSED!” 

                   “my bi heart is so happy about Diamond slowly breaking out of her shell” 

“OHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGOD EVERYTHING ABOUT DIAMOND IS GOALS” 

        “I’m a diamond stan. everyone unfollow me because this is the only thing I will be tweeting about for the next week” 

Your P.O.V

I give Ariana another hug before walking out with Andrew, Dylan and my best friend, Olive. She clutches my arm before squealing. “We just met Ariana mother fucking Grande! That was insane!” My heart thumps wildly in my chest, a new kind of adrenaline that I hadn’t realize existed. I slip my hands into the pockets of my jeans, blushing shyly as all three pat me on the back with pride. I’m afraid for the next steps but I won’t let Andrew see it. I don’t want him to see this vulnerable side. Glancing back at Olive and Dylan, the two most authentic people I’ve ever met, I know in my heart things will be okay. “So, (Y/n). I’ve got some more ideas and stuff I wanna throw by you. If it’s too much, tell me. But after a few interviews, I think we can start spreading out to bigger things. Have you ever thought about writing music?” The mere thought of writing something makes my heart thump. 

I’ve always wanted to do that but I wasn’t sure where to even begin. “I’d love to. I know a few instruments and I have some books with lyrics.” Andrew nods, a hopeful, excited energy that seemed to grow around him. “Perfect. I’ll call Teddy. She’s just the gal for you.” He throws out his phone in a quick movement, so fast Barry Allen would be jealous. “Okay, she’s free now if you want to meet her.” Oh, wow. That was quick. Olive takes my hand in hers. “It’s okay. We’ll be right there with you.” The music studio isn’t far from where we met Ariana and I’m glad cause if we’d driven farther, I might have thrown up with nerves. We follow Andrew and it takes less than five minutes till we find her room. He doesn’t knock and I hesitate to follow. A low hum comes from the heart of the room before the sound fades. A girl with short hair and pointed glasses turns over to us with a wide smile. “You must be (Y/n), or as the world seems to call you, Diamond. I’m Teddy.” 

I shake her hand before noticing another body in the room. “Shawn this is-” Andrew tries to say but is cut off almost immediately. “I know who that is.” He says in accusatory tone. Despite the fact that his eyes are a warm honey and his hair a chocolate brown, he comes off as cold and uncaring. I lift my hand for him to take, being as polite as usual. “It’s really nice to meet you, Mr. Mendes.” He glances at my hand with disgust before leaving the room. “So much for Canada’s sweetheart.” Olive snorts into my ear. Both Teddy and Andrew look perplexed at the rude behavior but turn their focus back onto me. But the entire time, I couldn’t stop thinking about the interaction. Why could he have been so rude to me? We’d never met before to elicit such a negative reaction? Did he hate how I looked? My skin crawls at the mere thought. What could it have been?

(I hope you guys like it! PLEASE FUCKING COMMENT) 

[omishu]

First Semester Classes!

Hey, guys! So the first month of classes has passed, and it's been very interesting so far. I've started making friends and figuring out a homework routine. This semester I'm taking five classes three to six hours a week: Design I, Drawing I (perspective), Figure Drawing I, Film & Narrative, and Writing Studio.

Since I came to art school to learn how to draw people so I can eventually design characters for animation professionally, figure drawing has been my favorite. Even though it's not my highest grade right now, it's still the most fun for me. The teacher is super chill and nice and has great taste in music. I volunteered to be class monitor and already had a situation where I had to cover the class for him for almost an hour only a week after completing my training! All of our models are very friendly and talented, giving us great dynamic and expressive poses to draw. Most of the homework assignments have also been fun as well. After the first week of classes, we had a holiday weekend, so I went down to St. Armand's Circle and sketched a bunch of people I met and saw there. There was a super friendly older gentlemen sitting outside of a spice and tea shop and a sassy, young, and fashionable girl giving out samples at another store. A film crew worked while I sketched to maybe film an ad for the nice shopping district there near Lido Beach. And a painter worked while I drew him and his friends. Everyone I've met through drawing for my figure class has been super nice. There's a girl who works at the cafe in the library with the same name as a Disney princess that was really accommodating for me when I asked if I could get draw her. It's so fun when people ask to take pictures of my drawings of them, even though they're only quick gestural sketches. I've had a lot of feelings regarding our out of class sequential sketches too. For the first week of that, I drew a tennis player since my grandfather was a family tennis couch (in the hall of fame and with a documentary about him) and a ballerina from the nutcracker since I love that story and took five years of ballet when I was younger. Now we're starting to focus more on proportions. I can't wait to see what more I learn in this course, since I can already perceive improvement in my skills.

Drawing I has been a bit difficult for me since I don't have very much experience practing drawing in perspective. But the teacher is very patient and gives great tips in her critiques on how to improve my work. We've practiced sighting and drawing angles in proportion and drawing gridded rooms. Our current assignment is a pretty big project, but she's been very helpful in explaining things and helping me figure out how to solve problems. I'll probably start attending tutoring for this course, even though I haven't been recommended to it, because I could use the extra practice. Even though I got a really disappointing grade on this assignment, I'm really proud of it because I worked really hard on it and I'm pleased with the results. It's probably my best perspective drawing ever, and that's because of my great teacher's instruction.

Writing Studio is very interesting. I like writing since I had some great literature and composition teachers when I was younger. Reading and writing are also some of my hobbies, so I looked forward to having this course. Our instructor seems really cool in my opinion, and we all have very deep, relevant conversation pertaining to a wide variety of important topics. Some of the articles we have to read deal with difficult subjects, like sexual harassment and sexism, but everyone tries to maintain mature, respectful discussion. We got to write our own artist's statements, which I'll probably post in a separate blog. Currently we are working on artist profiles where we get to interview local or connected artists to write about them and their work. Since my mentor just moved to this town shortly before me, I selected her and got approved to meet with her. She and I will get together this weekend to talk and visit around St. Armand's Circle. I'm really enjoying this class so far.

In my Film and Narrative class this semester, we watch a different movie each week and take analytical notes during the showing. Our current focus is on mis en scene, which is just a fancy way of saying the way things are composed within a scene. This applies to style, lighting, staging, camera angles, set design, and more, especially when pertaining to symbic meanings. I've learned about how spirals and staircases can symbolize chaos and disorder and how shadows can express hidden intentions or a darker side to characters. There's so many interesting things to consider when watching films, even without sound or color. After watching Cat People, an old black-and-white film, we discussed motifs and vertical lines, among other things. Sometimes there are extra movies we can watch and analyze for extra credit; I got to see Godfather for the first time and also really enjoyed Wonderstruck. My professor always tells us about these opportunities and does a great job of encouraging discussion and participation in class. My first quiz was last week, and we watched Shutter Island; I got a pretty good grade, so I'm happy with my progress in this class. I'm sure I'll continue learning a lot and having fun watching quality movies during this course.

Lastly, my design class has been really good for going into greater depth on basic principles I had only brushed the surface on learning. We've talked about what makes a composition good or bad and how to arrangement objects within a picture to communicate a focus or emotion. My big project due tomorrow pertains to light and shadow, so we got to make our own view finders to use when making value study drawings with common aspect ratios. Our teacher gives us lots of time to work during class, and the textbook has lots of helpful information and illustrations. One time he even showed us a cute short film and suggested that maybe one of the artists who worked on it could come in and talk with our class. That would be so cool. I'm having fun elarning in this class and can't wait to see what comes next.

So far all of my classes and teachers have been really great. Hopefully I continue to keep on top of my homework and work diligently in class to keep learning a lot. My current scholarship and grant also depend on getting good gradea and producing good work. That means I have a little pressure to perform well in school, but I'm trying to focus more on making good art than getting good grades. Thanks for following along on my journey and reading my blog posts. Let me know if there's anything you'd like me to write about or share with all of you! Also, please keep a lookout for more artwork picture posts coming soon! I plan to post a lot of my assignments to track my progress and share that journey with all of you. If you could take any one of these classes, which would you choose and why?

[pelhamnhdlcp229-blog]

Pelham Nh Parks And Rec: The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly

Connection to vital Accessibility assistive technologyThis icon serves being a website link to down load the necessary Accessibility assistive technological know-how app for people with Actual physical disabilities. It is actually showcased as A part of our dedication to range and inclusion.

Essential DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are involved. We make each exertion to make certain school and district boundary information are up-to-day.

It really is famous that the standard of education and learning furnished by general public schools differs significantly from school district to school district, and from metropolis to metropolis. Even now further more, the caliber of a Kid's schooling can differ considerably from neighborhood to neighborhood inside any town or town.

3rd, World wide web logs: browse logs and backup end result summaries on-line, or within your e mail inbox. But there's a lot more certainly: NH Backup supplies compression, password defense, scheduling plus more. OS: Home windows

And if you’re however looking for more to try and do, Pelham’s central site around the MA border causes it to be near to quite a few Locations that supply fun for Older people, youngsters and family members.

We offer school data and parenting methods that can help millions of yankee households pick the appropriate school, assist Understanding at home, and guideline their children to wonderful futures.

Zillow Group is dedicated to making certain electronic accessibility for people with disabilities. We've been continually working to Increase the accessibility of our Internet practical experience for everybody, and we welcome responses and accommodation requests. If you wish to report a concern or look for an accommodation, please Get in touch with us.

78657 homes for sale and rent78132 homes for sale and rent75156 homes for sale and rent78130 homes for sale and rent79928 homes for sale and rent77356 homes for sale and rent78382 homes for sale and rent78641 homes for sale and rent77845 homes for sale and rent75126 homes for sale and rent77494 homes for sale and rent79938 homes for sale and rent78624 homes for sale and rent78028 homes for sale and rent77433 homes for sale and rent78133 homes for sale and rent78645 homes for sale and rent77459 homes for sale and rent78006 homes for sale and rent78597 homes for sale and rentMore Zip Codes..Far more →

Windham Cafe is housed in the previous 1812 home the moment owned via the Dinsmore family. Witnesses below have found something playing with their hair (In particular blondes), chilly chills, a little something unseen that unclasps their jewellery and moves objects in the house. Prop Xmas packages are moved by a prankish spirit and ...

In certain situations, schools hire lecturers aspect time, and some academics are hired for specialized instruction with really little class sizes. These and also other variables lead to the coed/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio might not consist of Pre-Kindergarten.

"Everyone is variety and looks out for one another like family child friendly and pet helpful. No trash on streets clean up town "

Hide Just about every Xfinity Home program consists of 24/seven Skilled checking with quickly reaction time and a chance to arm, disarm and Regulate your program remotely. Personalize your home by placing regulations to receive real-time alerts when exercise is detected so you can keep watch over what matters most.

It appears you are trying to entry this site working with an out-of-date browser. As a result, elements of the website may well not function correctly for yourself. We recommend updating your browser to its newest Model at your earliest comfort.

The MLS® mark and affiliated logos identify Qualified services rendered by REALTOR® users of CREA to outcome the purchase, sale and lease of real estate as A part of a cooperative offering system.

[jaegerandmikeineurope]

Day Three in Paris

Today we had every intention of having a chill day just walking the streets and eating our way through Paris. Instead we smashed our previous record by doing over 28,100 steps.

After such a big day at the Louvre and a late night at Crazy Horse, we had a bit of a sleep in and took our time getting ready. We were out the door just before 10am and caught the metro up to Notre Dame as this was the furthest landmark we wanted to visit from our accommodation and most of the food places we wanted to visit were located around here. It was going to be a beautiful 27 degree day and the sun was shining in the clear blue sky. 

We got off the metro and immediately went in search of a patisserie for a morning snack. I have been on the hunt for a creme brûlée but have had no luck just yet. We bought a chocolate mousse slice and a lemon meringue pie. We walked with our pastries for a little while past the Notre Dame, which was now mostly covered in scaffolding and surrounded by fencing so we were unable to get too close. We checked out the front of the church from a nearby bridge before moving on.

We found a place to sit down and enjoyed our pastries which were both delicious. We ended up sitting near a building called the Palais de Justice de Paris which had these beautiful ornate gates. After our snack we began to walk the beautiful, narrow streets of the Le Marais area which upon reflection would have been a really nice area to stay in. There were shops and little cafes and restaurants everywhere we looked and it was fun walking amongst them.

There were a couple of vintage shops too, and I bought two scarves however didn’t manage to find much else that caught my eye. All the vintage seemed to be about the same average quality as back home.

We continued walking now in search of a lunch spot, we tried a few places that were on my list but they were either closed or too busy, eventually we settled on a place called Benedict which specialised in their many versions of eggs benedict. We sat at the bar and ended up ordering the same dish as it looked like the most delicious one on the menu - eggs benedict with crispy potatoes, onion and turkey bacon with a side of french fries. It was delicious, super rich and very filling. Mike and I really enjoyed relaxing in the restaurant and eating amongst the locals.

After lunch we set off again in the direction of some consignment stores that I had looked up, however the first couple we visited weren’t as impressive as I was hoping for with very average brands or just old clothing - most things seemed to be from the 80s and 90s but not in a good way. Along the way we stopped for ice cream as a bit of a palate cleanser - Mike had chocolate while I had a mango and passion fruit sorbet.

We then went to this famous patisserie that I follow on Instagram - Fauchon. The store was massive and didn’t just include a patisserie but a mini grocery and fine meats section. The pastries were a little pricey and it was around the middle of the afternoon so there wasn’t much selection left so we ended up just buying one caramel eclair to share. The eclair was tasty but not mind blowing as I had hoped. 

So we then continued walking closer into the touristy section of Paris when we began noticing a pretty heavy police presence, with heavily armed police and vans everywhere, some were even blocking off certain streets and not allowing anyone through. We looked up what was happening and read that the police were set up in anticipation for any Yellow Jackets protesters that were apparently trying to stage a protest along the Champs Elysees that day. This was making it difficult for us to go in the direction we were aiming for, plus our feet were starting to ache so we decided to hop on the metro back to our accommodation for a while. 

We arrived back after a little bit of a journey - the station where we were meant to make a connection was closed due to the protests, but we eventually made it back. Here we just lounged about for an hour and shared a couple of shandies. There were a few more consignment stores that were closer to our accommodation that I was hoping to visit as they were going to be closed on Sunday and Monday, so off we went again.

We walked over the bridge and in the direction of the area that I stayed in last time I was in Paris, Passy. We arrived at the first consignment store where everything was still quite expensive and being in the store felt super intimidating due to the lack of ambient music, the shop owner just sitting behind her desk watching us and the fact that we were the only ones in the store. We continued walking to the next store, making our way through busy little streets full of restaurants and little boutique food shops - it was a very nice atmosphere. 

Unfortunately despite what Google had told me, the second store was either not located where it said it was, or it was closed. So we set off for the third and final store. This store was by far the best store we had been to that day with a much larger selection of clothing and bags and accessories, however again most of the pieces themselves were underwhelming and nothing caught my eye as hard as I was trying to look. Everything sort of felt picked over, like people had already come through and bought all the best bits and left all the old stuff behind. 

Finally giving up, we turned around an began our long walk home. It was now close to 7pm and the air was feeling very humid, making us feel even more tired. On our way home we saw a hectic Paris traffic jam where people were just constantly tooting one another, achieving nothing. Everyone kept trying to cut in front of one another in every direction meaning the flow of traffic just wouldn’t move - it was insane to watch and try to understand why people couldn’t just be patient. 

We arrived back home and basically collapsed with our sweaty bodies and aching feet. We cooked up the rest of the food from last night and had cheesy potatoes again before falling fast asleep. 

[taeguboi]

‘The Closet’ -- J Hope x Reader

Requested - I know everything lately is coming in parts but I just wanna stay active with my writing, so this is going to be a 2 part thing, even though it’s technically a one shot type thing

Masterlist // “Godammit Hoseok!” (My other J Hope x Reader one-shot)

The music industry is definitely not always as glamorous or exciting as one might think; four sleep-deprived individuals with a coffee supply to accommodate the entire college stare blankly at a computer screen with the same word on their minds --

Deadline.

“Guys, there are literally no takes I can say I’m pleased with… can we try again?” you question.

“We’ve only been able to book til 7… It’s like 20 to now…” Namjoon states.

“This set of assignments are the most stressful yet, I swear…” Hoseok groans, throwing his head into his hands.

You had been sat in the studio today with Namjoon, Yoongi and Hoseok for most of the day now, since early morning. To the outsider, this was just a course in which all you need to strive for is to achieve a decent final grade, but to you and your hard working friends, this was something so much more. This is a chance to prove your talents, your abilities, create something special that might one day reach out to people.

“Maybe if we just like fall asleep in here, the caretaker will take mercy upon us and leave us here and we can continue throughout the night” Yoongi jokes, stretching his arms out to behind his head and leaning back in his chair.

“Nah, that'd never happen Yoongs; we'd have to like hideout in that cupboard over there…” Namjoon chuckles, pointing over at the unaccounted for closet.

You get up out your chair and walk over to the closet door “What's this even used for anyways?” you enquire with a giggle, trying at the door handle, only to discover it locked.

“I don't know, extra mic stands or something?” Yoongi shrugs.

“Nah, they're kept in the corridor I think… I bet it's something weird like… a shower room!” Hoseok suggests.

“What would a fricking shower be doing in a studio Hobi, huh?” Namjoon asks.

“Yeah Hobes, that would be breaking like so many health and safety rules, man!” you continue, joking.

“Ah, I really don't get how we find the will to live and joke at times like this….” Yoongi states, changing the subject, or so you think. “... And it's probably like washed up students who didn't pass….” Yoongi jokes “oooooh!” he dramatically whoos as though he is successfully scaremongering a child.

“Oh give up guys! What are we gonna do?” Namjoon groans with genuine concern about the project at hand, nodding towards the screen with an incomplete project displayed.

“There's only one thing for it; we come in as and when, even if not all of us. Whenever this place is free, we're get in here and work our asses off.” Yoongi responds expectantly.

Again, to an outsider, the response would be something along the lines of “hell no!” but why turn down the chance to work towards your dreams? Of course, everyone agrees, beginning to pack their bags and the equipment away, ready to get home and crash in their beds to catch up on some much needed sleep.

***

The very next morning, as expected, before any scheduled lesson times, everyone has piled into the studio to continue working, yourself taking plenty of drinks to lubricate your vocal chords and the boys having bought out a whole coffee shop to ensure everyone can stay alert during this unusual schedule.

“Right, one more time y/n to try another take and then me and Joon are gonna have to leave for our lesson” sighs Yoongi, finger ready at the mouse to click that ‘record’ button.

“Okay” you exhale deeply, the nerves trembling through you, forever being victim of red-light syndrome… Honestly, at times, you could practice countlessly and absolutely nail the song, but the minute that red button is pressed, something just ends up feeling… off.

Another take is attempted, and although it's probably your best yet, you can't help but still feel dissatisfied with the outcome.

“Right, you guys get going to class, I'm gonna keep practising, sorry” you apologise.

“Don't worry about it y/n; we all agreed we wanted to make this good” Yoongi reassures you as he and Namjoon make their way to exit. “Hobi can practice lines with you while we're gone.”

“But he's recorded everything” you reply, starting to feel annoyed that you don't possess the confidence that the rapper has when it comes to recording.

You can't help but feel that you're the one hindering the process of completing the track; the song is genius, penned, mixed and all the rest by the boys; the boys are reliable and so talented that you just couldn't wait to start collaborating with them when they requested that you give their song a female vocal… You were now just at the point of getting stressed out at yourself in your mind for your own incompetence.

“I'll stay with you though, so we can work on those nerves” Hoseok kindly tells you as Namjoon and Yoongi exit. His words threw you though; you'd never actually told a single one of the lads about your red light syndrome, so how did he know?

“I...I never said I was nervous” you stutter, evidently trying to tell yourself this more than him.

“Look, I used to get it all the time; recording, it's scary right? Like once that button gets hit, whatever you do has the potential to exist forever. It's natural to worry about messing up or not doing a good enough job.”

Well this feels a bit embarrassing now.

“Ah, n-n-n-n-no” you stutter “it's not that” you nervously chuckle, over exaggerating your gestures. “Yoongi was right; I just need more practice” you lie, not wanting to look like a fool in front of your class mate, though you're pretty sure you've failed to keep up a calm and collected persona now.

“Hmm” he mumbles uncertainly “Okay…”

You're rather sure he can tell just how hard you have been practicing and how you know this piece like the back of your hand; you could sleep sing this; if you woke up tomorrow, remembering only one thing, it'd be this.

And you know he knows.

“At least relax and have a coffee first, yeah?” he suggests.

“Fine” you sigh in defeat. “I swear you lot have an unhealthy obsession.”

“It's what keeps us going!” he defends dramatically, eliciting an awkward giggle from you as you feel slightly more awake from just Hoseok’s bright smile.

“Okay okay, I won't send you off to coffee-holics anonymous just yet…” you jest, grabbing a tepid cup for yourself.

“Hmm” you mumble with the same uncertainty as the boy in front of you previously had. “It's too cold for my vocal chords; I'm gonna have to nip out for a new one”

“Alright. I'll join you actually… in fact….” he continues, scrambling through his jacket pocket “...I'll pay!”

“Oh no! I can't possibly take money from someone who's time I've already wasted plenty of…” you argue.

“Who said anyone has taken or wasted anything?” he smiles. “What's wrong with ordering two lots of coffee for myself and happening to change my mind about the second?” he questions.

“You are daft Hobi.”

*

Entering the coffee shop, you wonder if the blonde haired boy who is strangely eager to order and buy your usual is trying to sweeten you up for some reason. Maybe he thinks you're purposely making bad takes as an excuse to stay away from other problems or something? A long shot,perhaps, but more likely the this stupid little fantasy that crops up in your in for just one naive moment before you tell yourself that you're certain it's the former.

Seating yourself at a quiet booth by the window, you pull out your laptop from your bag and connect to the cafe wifi for assignment work, and for a solid five minutes, you are able to write a couple of paragraphs for some evaluation.

“For you!” Hoseok chirps, carefully placing down both cups of caffeine rush. He observes your current typing urgently and sighs as he takes a seat opposite you.

“Y/n, we're supposed to be taking a breather: now put that laptop away and let's… talk” he smiles genuinely, though you're still uncertain whether your slight crush is making you blind to any sarcasm or insincerity.

You've always tried to brush Hoseok off, trying to just see him like a stain on your shirt - not noticeable always straight away, and when you do notice it, it doesn't completely ruin your day. Which is perhaps why you had subconsciously thought of the latest assignment deadline the moment opportunity knocked to chill out in his company.

“Ugh, I'm sorry Hoseok, I just tend tend to prefer evenings and weekends of freedom…” you excuse.

“Ah, freedom… what is that?” he questions with a sigh, placing his cheeks in his hands, attempting remain with a serious expression. You have to try your best not to break out in a stupid grin at the sight.

“I don't know… maybe it's in the closet” you jest, referring to yesterday's conversation about the mysterious door, and you figure you are now safe to smile a little excessively.

As though Hoseok is sat in daydream, he stares somewhat longingly out of the window, looking onto the busy city passing by. “Man, that'd be neat, to find whatever it is you need all behind one door…”

“Unfortunately, we all have to open several of them just to get even part of something we want nowadays” you bluntly reply, snapping him out of his romanticized thoughts.

*

Back in the studio, something catches your attention the minute you walk in -- well, not something specific, like a coat disappearing, but you can sense a change in the room since you left. Had someone been in here during your short break?

Seating yourself at the chair behind the microphone, you let out a huge sigh of frustration, still feeling unprepared to record a decent take, and you half expect Hoseok to give you some bullshit lecture again about how everything will be okay, but instead, you notice his attention is elsewhere.

Reaching out to the closet, Hoseok catches his fingers through the now existing gap between the door and the frame and the door effortlessly brushes open. The look of dopey excitement on his face is adorable, you mentally note as you get out of your seat to investigate just what Hoseok is up to…

“Well, I guess now, we can find out what’s behind this bloody door” he states, walking into the dark miniature room.

“Hoseok? What are you doing?” you question.

“Woooaahh!” he exclaims, clearly making an overreaction at what is probably a pile of textbooks on a shelf.

“Hobi, get out of there!” you instruct.

“No, y/n, you have to come check it out! It’s amazing!” he cries out, clearly trying to persuade you to go along with some pointless, insignificant clause.

But of course, you comply.

“Fine” you exhale, following behind the boy.

Entering the ‘mysterious’ room, you are slightly disappointed that the room is in fact empty.

“I don’t get it” you say with confusion. “All the times they moan about not having enough room for storage, yet here’s a perfectly good room just collecting dust and sorting nothing but fusty air…”

“Eh, I don’t know… I kind of like it” replies Hoseok. “It’s concealed from the world; it’s almost… cosy. It makes a pretty good hide out if you’re having some sort of panic attack I reckon.”

“Perhaps… but other than that?” you challenge.

“I have my ideas, but…” he begins, reaching for the handle and slowly pulling the door inwards to close it “...it depends.”

“Depends on what? What are you doing Hobi?” you ask, feeling as though you should be worried right now that some college guy is shutting the two of you in a closet that could potentially lock itself up.

“Depends if you’re claustrophobic for one thing…”

“I’m not.”

“In that case…” he continues, now definitely closing the gap. “Other than that, I could help you with those nerves…”

“Is that not the same thing as hiding out from the rest of the college?”

“Maybe it is, maybe it isn’t” he states, taking a step towards you and closing the space between you.

“Hobi, what are you playing at?” you enquire, quite conscious of how close you are to Hoseok now.

I feel like something is about to escalate super fast you think to yourself, and this thought is only heightened as Hoseok moves his gentle hand up to your dumb founded cheek.

You can’t help but feel drawn into him like a magnet.

Part 2 here

[colormeturnt]

Two Days

Day starts in Kyoto. Nine hours hotel. Wake up in my capsule, and immediately remember that I haven’t taken a selfie in one so we immediately get that out of the way. 

(Forgive my ugly mug. I’d only just woken up and hadn’t really shaved in a week at this point.)

Still pretty early so I go ahead and shower before the others and get my stuff. I had only brought with me a backpacking pack, and as convenient as that sounds, carrying a 25 lb bag on your back, down the station, inside the train is far from the definition of fun. But we soldier on. 

Get to Kyoto station and at this point, a week of lugging the pack around has been annoying to say the least. The original plan was to take the Hikari (in red) to Nagoya, then catch a train to Nagano, then a local train to Yudanaka... but that’s too much. 

Idea. Call the hotel in Tokyo. 

“Sumimasen, Eigo wa hanase masuka?” I ask politely, in as broken Japanese as possible 

“Yes.” and I breathe a sigh of relief. 

I proceed to ask the lovely hotel person (I’m blanking here) if I could stop by and drop my bag, even though my reservation won’t be until the day after. She says no problem. Perfect. This way I can take the Hikari straight to Tokyo and then go to Nagano and the local train. Cuts down on transfers and I’d still arrive at roughly the same time. 

So take the train to Tokyo and run to the hotel. 

Then run back to the station. 

Quick stop (and selfie) at Nagano.

And on to Yudanaka. 

At this point. It’s around 2 pm. And you might be wondering why am I going through all the trouble at this point. Well, months before the trip, I had read that there’s a nice place, just outside Nagano, with a monkey park where you can see monkeys swim in hot springs. Further investigation showed me an accommodation of the ryokan variety, traditional hotels with large baths, sometimes connected to hot springs, that serve local cuisine. This ticks two things at once in my to do list. 

So I get to the inn? (yeah, let’s call it that) at about 3 pm, and I was greeted by this lovely Japanese man. He shows me my room and I quickly unwind. I put on the yukata, cause when in Rome. 

I pop off to one of the outdoor baths, and DEAR LORD, was the water HOT. I beared with it for 5 minutes and immediately thought, “Pretty sure this counts now” and popped back to my room. 

Watched a little telly, Trump being elected was still pretty big news so that was... fun. Made some tea and ate some snacks that were in the room. I had NO plans of getting out of this room. I’d been running around Japan for a week now and I just wanted to relax, and boy was this hitting the spot. I go in my journal and make notes of what I’d done when the lovely proprietor of the inn tells me dinner is ready. And man...

...was it ready. Sashimi, grilled fish, tempura, some primo beef in that little stove and many other accoutrements to the meal that I can’t even tell you what if I wanted to. Alls I know is that all of that was good, nay, AHMAYZING. The tempura vegetables were a nice surprise, and there was some sticky yam thing she grated on to a bowl with stock or something. She gestured to put it in the rice and eat it, so that’s what I did. 

I was more than full, and refreshed, by the bath (although a little hot, I tried it again just to double check) so I tuck myself into the futon on the floor and fall right asleep.

Wake up at 7, take another hot bath. Breakfast (which was just as amazing as dinner the night before). And straight to the monkey park. 

Oh yeah, tourist mode got turned off in my head so I was just chillin like a villain at that inn, completely forgetting to take pictures. 

Now, that inn was 2-3 minutes by foot from the main station that goes back to Nagano, which in turn would take me to Tokyo. The son of the couple that owns the inn asks me if I wanted a ride to the Monkey Park. I take him up on it, and 10 minutes from the CAR RIDE, and we’re still not there. We finally stop at the gift shop, and he says to me that the monkey park is about a 30-40 minute walk from here.

FUCK. 

“Well I’m here now, might as well go along with it” is probably the second best way to describe how I live my life (just behind of, “Well, I haven’t done this, so let’s do this”). SO. In trepidation, I move one foot to the next and see where it takes me. I climb a little mountain road, and after 10 minutes I see the “Monkey Park 30 minutes” sign. I’m paraphrasing here, cause at this point, it was cloudy, dark and raining, I see NO OTHER people around me, and taking photos was the last thing on my mind. 

So I forge on, I abandon the mountain road, and head for the mountain trail. Again, dark, cloudy, rainy, alone. I didn’t even see signs until 15 minutes to the walk. I had no wi-fi signal. Oh yeah, and I was wearing shoes that WERE white. The one saving grace was that I dropped my heavy ass bag in Tokyo and was not lugging it around with me. At this point, I was starting to wonder what I was doing here. But, I am walking a trail so I keep on going. Just hope no one jumps me here.

Then finally, I see signs. No, like, literal signs. Monkey park ahead. Yes. I see it. There’s the entrance. I quickly buy my ticket, and was rewarded with this.

The monkeys made me forget all the annoying things I had to deal with. After an hour looking at and taking pictures of monkeys, I had to go back. See, the guy that dropped me off had said that there was a bus that comes every 4 hours or so that can take me back to the station. And by my calculations, I had an hour before that bus gets there. I’d be pretty fucked if I missed that. So I start making my way back to the entrance. *sigh* 

Oh well, start walking back. And I see some familiar faces. Last picture, the guy with the cap and sweater next to the guy with the olive hoodie jacket. I see them walking back as well. Might as well make friends, so I catch up to them and we have a nice conversation.

Small world. They were travelers from Brazil. And like me, they were making their way back to Tokyo. They did Osaka and Kyoto like I had, so we swap stories and when we got back to the gift shop at the beginning, we immediately ask where the bus is. 

The lady at the gift shop says that the bus is 10 minutes away from the gift shop and would probably arrive in 5 minutes. FUCK. We ask her how far is the station. An hour and a half walk. One of the Brazilian dudes was about to say we can do that, but before he could even say it the other says we’re not walking that. I stifle my laugh, and I ask the lady if there was taxi service there. And there was. Thank GOD. I buy some gifts from the shop and we share some more stories while waiting for the taxi.

Us three decided to split the fare. ¥1800 between 3 people is nothing at this point. We get to the station, and we start making our way back to Tokyo.

I almost forgot to mention this, but the train from Yudanaka to Nagano was chill as fuck. 

Train chugging along, on a grey cloudy day, sipping on a hot cafe latte from the vending machine. What more could you ask for?

We split up at Nagano station, because I still had to buy my ticket, and they rushed off to catch the train leaving for Tokyo in 10 minutes. My rail pass, at this point, had expired so this ticket was out of my pocket this time. It was like $90, what the hell. 

I get to the platform, and luckily there’s a soba stand. I buy a ticket for soba noodles with tempura, perfect on a cold and cloudy day. And I wait for the train to Tokyo.

So I finally get to Tokyo station. Walk 10 minutes to my hotel. Check-in. Grab my bag. And finally catch my breath. It was Friday at this point. I had 8 days to chill in Tokyo. The hectic part of the trip is over. 

I unpack. Clean the muck out of my shoes (good thing I packed an extra pair for the trip). And I chill, on the bed for a bit watching some Japanese TV. 

It was night time by the time I headed out to find food. And I knew where I was going. 

...to a bouchon. You might find it silly that the first thing I ate was French food. But this ain’t your normal French food. This is Lyonnaise food. It’s damn hard to find a bouchon outside of Lyon and leave it to Tokyo to have one. I tuck in to a nice charcuterie plate

boudin noir with the best mashed potatoes of all time, some wine from Cotes du Rhone and for desert, a tarte praline. I was lucky to get that shot, cause I was waaaay too absorbed by the food. The waiter was nice enough to seat me, even though, as I would learn very soon, they were going to be busy. He talks to me about Lyon and I tell him about my travels there. We had a nice conversation, although I kept switching to French at random moments, which I guess is a compliment to the establishment. 

It was night time at this point. 

I had time for one more thing. Get supplies. So I find the nearest Muji (after stumbling upon Shake Shack), grab some snacks, nail clippers and moisturizing cream. And make my way back to the hotel, so I can get sleep for one more amazing week in Japan. 

[charllieeldridge]

11 Unique Gifts Every Traveller Will Love (and Use)

Finding travel gifts for your friends and family who like to hit the road can be a daunting task. Not only do you need to find a gift that they’ll like, but something they’ll actually use. What do you give someone who lives out of a backpack? What can you buy your friend who’s hitting the road for a year? Definitely not a piece of furniture or artwork!

As travellers ourselves who have been on the road for 10 years now, we’ve got the inside scoop on useful and fun items for travel that would make great presents. Whether it’s a birthday, Christmas or a going away gift you’re after, you’ll find some ideas in this article.

In this post, I’ll list 11 unique, fun and practical travel gifts for your special someone.

1. Tinggly

What better gift for someone who loves to travel than giving an experience. When it comes to travel gifts, this unique idea from Tinggly is a good bet. Visit their website and choose a category that’s relevant to the recipient of the gift – “Key to Europe”, “Perfect For Him”, “Perfect For Her”, “Merry Christmas”, “Ultimate Collection”, “Bucketlist”, etc.

  In each category are numerous tours and experiences for your travel loving friend to choose from (in some cases, there are over 700 options). Once they’ve chosen the event that interests them, they have 5 years to redeem it. Experiences and tours are available worldwide, so just ensure that the gift you choose is offered in the country the recipient is going to.

When it comes to travel gifts, you really can’t go wrong with a wine tasting in Tuscany, a helicopter flight over Las Vegas, a day at the spa in Bali or volcano exploration in Hawaii! As travellers ourselves, we can say we definitely prefer memorable moments over possessions.

You can opt to send a physical box to the gift recipient, or send a voucher by email. Click here to learn more about this fun gift idea.

2. JBL Portable Speakers

We’ve tried numerous bluetooth portable speakers over the years, and as far as affordable electronic travel gifts go, these speakers are the best. Everyone has a smartphone these days and connecting to these JBL speakers is easy. Plus, it weighs in at just over 1lb, making it practical for travellers.

Many people like to listen to music while they’re at the beach, chilling out by the pool, or having a relaxing night playing cards with new friends. Bluetooth speakers are a must.

We have the JBL Flip 3 and love the crisp sound this compact speaker gives off, and it’s actually quite loud. However, there’s a new model out now – the JBL Flip 4 and it’s waterproof! Click here to read reviews and compare prices on Amazon.

*Update: December, 2019 – we just purchased the latest model, which is the JBL Flip 5. It’s a little bit bigger, but the sound is great and they are waterproof! Great for taking to the beach or pool.

3. Handpresso Portable Espresso

Not only is this travel gift great for those who love to wander, but it’s an excellent idea for coffee addicts.

If you’ve gone on a long-term trip before, or if you travel on a budget, you’ll know that the coffee available at hostels and guest houses is usually sub-par filter coffee. To get that real latte or americano espresso coffee, you would need to purchase one from a cafe – and to a traveller, that’s an addition on the budget each day that not many want to spend.

Luckily, there’s the Handpresso!

This portable espresso machine can be taken on the go. It’s small, compact and all you need is some hot water (which is found in basically every accommodation), and some espresso grounds (which you can pick up at the grocery store).

You simply add the grounds to a little pod, add some hot water, pump up the machine to build up some pressure, press the release button and voila, a shot of espresso appears. You can then add more hot water to your cup to make it less strong, or, add milk like we do to have a latte.

The only thing is that you do need to be fairly strong in order to pump up the machine (men will have no issue, and women with good upper body strength will be fine!)

We’ve used our Handpresso machine in apartments we’ve rented on Airbnb, while camping, and in various hotels around the world. Click here to see reviews and compare prices on Amazon.

4. Lush Body Care

Whether it’s a man or a woman you’re trying to buy a travel gift for, with products for both sexes, and unisex items, Lush has you covered. During our recent trip to Chicago, we discovered this brand and I’ve been hooked ever since.

Lush products are vegetarian, handmade and nothing is tested on animals. Not only that, but the ingredients are practically all natural (with some safe synthetics), and for the responsible traveller in your life, they’ll be happy to know that many of the items don’t have any packaging.

When you’re thinking about travel gifts, consider the shampoo, conditioner and soap (all of which are solids and have zero packaging). Lush has shampoo and conditioner “bars”, which have no wrapping. They come in a reusable tin can (which you purchase separately) and are perfect for travellers for many reasons.

There’s no plastic waste and since it’s not a liquid, it can be easily brought on board a flight – great for those who fly carry-on. Plus, it takes up less space in luggage than a shampoo or conditioner bottle.

Nick and I both use the “Honey I Washed My Hair” Shampoo Bar and the “Big” Conditioner Bar, and I use the Ultrabland Facial Cleanser as well. I love all 3 products. Click here to learn more about Lush and to purchase items online.

5. Travel Hammock

Travel hammocks are great for those are looking to sleep under the stars, or on remote beaches. It’s also great for campers or for those who like to do some multi-day trekking (provided there are trees around to hang the hammock from!).

A travel hammock is also an excellent travel gift for those who just plan to backpack around. Setting up a hammock on the balcony of your beachfront hut, or bringing it to the beach for a day of chilling out between two palm trees is the ultimate in relaxation.

There are numerous travel hammocks to choose from, just make sure you get one that is lightweight and rolls up into a small package. Travellers like small items! The ENO Eagles Nest Outfitters and Arbor Creek hammocks have great reviews on Amazon. But, you can click here to compare prices and reviews on numerous travel hammocks.

6. Bluffworks Clothing for Men

If you’re looking for travel gifts for men, Bluffworks brand of clothing is a good option. Why? Because they are quick dry and don’t wrinkle, which is a huge issue for travellers. For business travellers, or those who jet-set, having a nice set of clothing in your luggage is essential. Even if the guy you’re buying a gift for plans on budget backpacking around the world, it’s always a good idea to have 1 nice dress shirt and 1 nice pair of pants.

You never know what can happen on the road. We’ve been randomly invited to weddings, found ourselves in the area when a new bar was opening up, and were invited to enjoy a 7 course fine dining meal. Shorts and a t-shirt simply wouldn’t meet the dress code.

Nick has owned the “Original” pants in charcoal for about 6 years now, and he wears them whenever there’s a “fancy” event happening – and they never wrinkle. Click here to learn more about Bluffworks clothes.

Bluffworks pants in action at a wedding!

7. Headphones / Earbuds

Having a set of bluetooth speakers is great, but having your own set of headphones is a must when on the road – they’re incredibly useful. Listening to music and podcasts while bumping along on a bus, chatting to a friend on video calling, or for those flight days when you want to watch a movie, headphones are a must-have and make great travel gifts.

Look for earbuds or headphones that offer noise cancellation and a mic, and also make sure that the earbuds you’re purchasing are compatible with your travel friend’s smartphone or tablet. For example, with the iPhone X, the headphones actually connect via a lightning cord, so regular headphones wouldn’t work.

We have Meze earbuds which give off a unique and incredible sound, and actually, they offer different sized silicone buds, which is great for those with small ears (me), or big ears (Nick). There are numerous option available when it comes to earbuds. Click here to check out Meze and click here to compare other brands and prices.

*Update December, 2019: We now both have Bluetooth Apple AirPods and although we can’t use them when connecting to the TV screens on airplanes, we watch our shows on our smartphones or tablet using them. Plus, when walking and working out, it’s nice to not have cords in the way. Click here to compare the different styles of AirPods. 

8. Carry Case for Earbuds and Cords

There’s nothing worse than getting a new pair of earbuds or a new smartphone charge cord and have it start to fall apart. Sadly, this happens quite often to us and it’s most likely because we just toss our cords into our bags, or into a drawer and don’t really take care of them. Regardless of whether or not you’ve purchased earbuds as a travel gift, consider getting a carry case for charging cords.

I’ve just found out about this product called the “Nest” which is a silicone carry case. This practical item is extremely affordable and incredibly useful! Click here to learn more about the Nest. *Update December, 2019: While most people have AirPods these days, this “nest” is still a great idea for lightening cords which always get tangled in purses and backpacks.

9. prAna Clothes

Another clothing company that is an excellent travel gift. This time, however, it’s for both men and women. The travel, adventure and yoga clothes that prAna makes are practical, stylish and ethical. This brand cares about fair trade and sustainability.

I personally wear the Halle pant on about 95% of our flight days and I’ve always worn them when trekking – they’re stretchy and comfy. I also own a sporty tank top, a cotton t-shirt and a hooded sweater, while Nick has a polo shirt, a dress polo and some loose cotton yoga pants. The clothes have lasted us for 6 years so far and are still going strong!

I wholeheartedly recommend this brand as a gift for the traveller in your life. Click here to see prAna products on Amazon. Or, click here to head to their website. *Pro-tip, prices are cheaper on Amazon.

Stopping for a water break while trekking Torres del Paine in Chile – wearing Halle Pant

*Update December, 2019: I fell off my bike and got a hole in my Halle Pants that I’m wearing in the photo above. So, after around 6 years I finally had to purchase a new pair, this time I went with black but in the same style. And, they are still built just as well as when I purchased my first pair 6 years ago. Also, for those women who are tall like I am (5’10”), these pants come in a “tall” length!

10. Water Purification Products

When it comes to travel gifts, this might not sound like the coolest idea out there, but it can be a lifesaver and is something that travellers need to have in their bags.

When travelling to more offbeat destinations where the drinking water is questionable, it’s imperative that water from the tap is purified before being consumed. Similarly, when you’re camping, cycling or trekking in the wilderness and the water source isn’t safe, it’ll need to be purified. We used a SteriPen when trekking in remote locations in Kyrgyzstan and it worked very well.

Not only do products like SteriPen or Lifestraw remove harmful bacteria and microbes from water, but travellers don’t need to purchase bottled water, which helps to save cash and the environment. There are a few brands out there, but SteriPen and Lifestraw are at the top.

Camping and trekking in remote destinations? Water purification is a must

With SteriPen, you simply fill a (reusable) bottle with 1 liter of water and “stir” the pen around for 89 seconds. As you stir, it gives off UV rays that kill harmful bacteria. Once you see a smiley face on the device, the water is safe to drink. There are different models of SteriPen, some charge via USB, others with batteries.

The Lifestraw is only good for one person as it is a personal straw, which has a filter inside of it. It’s small and lightweight and is a good option for drinking straight from streams or puddles in emergency backcountry situations – it also filters out debris. I think of it as more of a survival tool, which could be a cool travel gift if someone is going on an expedition. Click here to learn more about the SteriPens available and click here to learn more about Lifestraw.

11. Games (fun travel gifts!)

If you’re looking for fun travel gifts, then obviously purchasing a game (or 2) is a good idea! If the person is travelling solo, then games for 1 or more are preferable but consider games that can be played with a group over a few beers.

We always have games in our backpacks and play when we’re waiting for flights, for our meals to show up, or when we’re in our accommodation. Keep in mind that travel games need to be somewhat small and lightweight.

For us, our go-to travel games are Cribbage, a simple deck of cards (to play shit head, rummy, bullshit, twos…and numerous drinking games!), pass the pigs, dice for playing Yahtzee.

Our latest purchase is Bananagrams which is kind of like Scrabble but without the board, and it’s more fun. Other hilarious adult games include Cards Against Humanity (a great way to get to know people – and their sick humour), and The Game Of Nasty Things (travellers would just bring the cards and not the actual box, obviously). We recently purchased Skip Bo and played it a lot together during our trip to Ecuador and Peru.

Bonus #12: Mini Projector Screen

We recently picked up a cool Aaxa mini-projector and we’ve been using it a lot. At 400 lumens, it’s bright enough to display with a little bit of ambient light and with a resolution of 720p it’s surprisingly crisp, even when displayed at 75″ on a wall.

The best part? It literally fits in the palm of your hand! This little thing would be an ideal holiday gift for that person who travels on a budget and loves watching Netflix. It’s affordable, sleek, useful and very portable.

Happy Gift Giving!

There you have it, 12 fun, unique and (more importantly) practical travel gifts. In reality, no matter what you give your travelling friend, I’m sure they will love it. But hopefully this article gave you some good ideas for products that can actually be taken on the road. Every time your friend uses your gift while they’re away, they’ll think of you. Happy gift giving!

Are there some cool travel gifts that I missed? Leave a comment below!

*Note: this post contains some affiliate links to Amazon. If you purchase a product using our link, we receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you for your support!

Like This Article? Pin it!

  The post 11 Unique Gifts Every Traveller Will Love (and Use) appeared first on Goats On The Road.

11 Unique Gifts Every Traveller Will Love (and Use) published first on https://travelaspire.weebly.com/

[accuhunt]

A Guide to Exploring the High Tatras of Slovakia.

On a cool spring day, under the warm blue sky, I set out hiking along jagged peaks, through forests of tall spruce and Scots pine trees. Along gushing rivers I walked, past waterfalls so intense that I couldn’t hear my own jumbled thoughts. A wild fox ran past me on the trail, stopped just a few feet away and turned to face me before darting off; my heart skipped a few beats as I thought: damn, I’m hiking alone in the High Tatras of Slovakia!

I’ve been lucky enough to hike through some incredible landscapes in Europe. The alpine Berchtesgaden National Park of Germany, the Tyrol region of Austria and the stunning Julian Alps of Slovenia. But Slovakia felt different. Think rugged beauty, solitude on the trails with only wild creatures to keep me company, locals who speak not a word of English, the lingering traces of a communist past, the surreal feeling of being somewhere far off the beaten path.

Also read: First Time to Europe? 10 Travel Tips to Get You Started

Why visit the High Tatras of Slovakia?

High Tatras panorama in Nova Lesna, Slovakia.

Dramatic mountain landscapes, wildflower-filled meadows, fields of blooming yellow rapeseed flowers, jagged peaks often clad in mist, pristine rivers and waterfalls, wooded hiking trails – need I say more? I fell in love with the High Tatras – designated the “Tatra National Park” – not just for their surreal beauty, but also because they’re perfect to hike solo and independently.

Truth be told, writing this post makes me feel pretty conflicted. On the one hand, I worry that its pristine beauty might no longer remain if word got around. But on the other, I think the only way to combat overtourism is to spread out, travel in search of our own paradise (for believe me, it exists) and in the quest, realise what we’ve got to lose if we don’t travel responsibly.

Also read: How Croatia Compelled Me to Rethink Travel Blogging

Tatra Mountains hiking: Best short hiking trails in Slovakia

A wild fox on my hiking path!

Although hiking trails in the Tatra Mountains are well-marked, I recommend getting a hiking map in Poprad, the main town, and figuring out which hikes you plan to do. The folks at the tourist information office in the central area of Poprad speak great English and are very helpful!

Hriebienok to Zamkovskeho Chata / Teryho Chata

While Stary Smokovec is probably the most popular tourist settlement in the High Tatras, the real beauty of the mountains begins after Hriebienok – accessible through a one-hour uphill hike on a paved road or by the Tatry Motion Train, which costs 11 Euros for a return journey, runs every half hour, has a glass roof and climbs up the steep track in a few minutes.

The one-hour hiking trail from Hriebienok to Zamkovskeho Chata follows a wooded trail with stunning views, wooden bridges, a crystal clear river and a couple of gushing waterfalls. A wild fox crossed me on this hiking path, and I loved taking a little detour to chill at by the river. Chata is the Slovakian word for hut, and at Zamkovskeho Chata, I was delighted to find warm vegan lentil soup on a chilly afternoon. Two hours further, the trail leads up to the beautiful Teryho Chata with more rugged Tatra scenery on the way.

Hriebienok to Slavkovska vhyliadka

My Airbnb host recommended the longer and steeper trail from Hriebienok to Slavkovska Vhyliadka, which takes about 3 hours, and leads to what he believes is one of the most beautiful parts of the valley.

Strbske Pleso to Pleso Hincovo

While the walk around the glacial lake Strbske Pleso feels more urban than alpine, there are some spectacular hiking trails up to other glacial lakes like the biggest in the Slovakian High Tatras – Pleso Hincovo. This one takes about 3 hours one way and climbs up along beautiful forests and rugged mountain terrain; stop for snacks / drinks at the mountain hut Pri Popradskom Plese.

Slovak Paradise National Park

The gorgeous Slovak Paradise National Park – with alpine forests, waterfalls and rivers – is just half an hour from Poprad Tatry, though poorly connected by public transport. According to the tourist information office in the city centre, only one bus plies there at 10:30 am and back at 4:23 pm, which is how I got there. Taxis cost 12-15€ one way.

Sucha Bela is the most popular hike, but on a rainy day, I didn’t think doing it on my own was a good idea, considering it has a vertical gorge to be climbed with ladders,  sheer drops into rivers / waterfalls and a one-way path so there’s no turning back. I would have loved some company to attempt this adventurous trail. Instead I picked the less adventurous blue trail through a quiet old forest.

Also read: Unusual Solo Travel Destinations to Feed Your Adventurous Spirit

Where to stay in the High Tatras of Slovakia

On the shores of Strbske Pleso.

Given how little is written online about good accommodation in the High Tatras in Slovakia, I had a tough time deciding whether I should stay in Poprad, pick a mountain accommodation in the Tatras, splurge on a High Tatras hotel or find a Tatra mountain hut when I got there. I finally ended up staying at a family-run cabin on the outskirts of Poprad, in a small village with rapeseed fields and a stunning panorama of the High Tatras.

Poprad Tatry

Poprad is a mountain city with a small green centre and stellar views of the High Tatras, but also has modern malls, fashion stores, two vegan-friendly cafes and even a co-working space! Poprad train station offers easy access to the mountain trails, with electric trains departing every hour from morning to night.

Where to stay in Poprad Tatry:

Pension Barborka: This was my first pick in Poprad, but sadly sold out for my last-minute trip. Set in a historical building, this charming pension (the European equivalent of a guesthouse) is built primarily with wood and stone, and offers a traditional Slovakian experience; 30€ per night.

“Lost in view” Airbnb: I ended up staying in this independent rustic cabin, hosted by a friendly Slovakian family, in a little village in the suburbs of Poprad. I had access to a kitchenette, fireplace, radio, old bicycle and stunning mountain vistas. But the bus connectivity was quite awful, Google Maps didn’t work well and the whole experience was quite DIY. I’d recommend it for seasoned travellers who’re happy to be on their own; 50€ per night.

Hotel AquaCity Seasons: The only eco-luxury accommodation I came across in the High Tatras, part of the city’s famous AquaCity complex, powered entirely by geothermal water and solar energy. I met locals who said they travel all the way to Poprad from around Slovenia just to pamper themselves with a stay here, which also allows access to the geothermal pools and other wellness zones; 108€ per night.

Apartment centrum n8: A gorgeous self-catering accommodation; quite a steal at 55€ for the entire apartment.

Hotel 63: A cool, small, hip boutique hotel just off the city centre of Poprad; 40€ per night.

Nova Lesna

Nova Lesna is a small village, just 2 stops from Poprad Tatry on the way to Stary Smokovec – where many of the popular hikes in the High Tatras begin. Unlike Stary Smokovec and other mountain settlements which were specifically set up for tourists, Nova Lesna is a real village with a local population, a village centre, an old church, meadows with wildflowers in spring and majestic views on the High Tatras mountains.

I only spent my last afternoon exploring Nova Lesna, and left feeling like this is the village I’d stay in if I ever came back. It feels well off the beaten path, and although there are few options to stay and eat, it is only a short ride to Poprad and further up into the mountains.

Where to stay in Nova Lesna:

Penzion Tri Klasy: I walked past this charming wood and stone family-run guesthouse and was quite smitten; 56€ per night.

Villa Tatranit: A self-catering accommodation with friendly hosts, a well-equipped kitchnette and bicycles for hire; 100€ per night.

Vila Zvonika: An ultra modern, luxurious, design villa if you’re in the mood to splurge on a mountain hideout; 130€ per night.

Strbske Pleso

The furthest stop (and one of the most popular) on the Tatra Electric Railway line is Strbske Pleso – a glacial lake surrounded by a paved, wooded walking path, with a view of the mountains beyond. This is a good starting point for hikes to further glacial lakes.

Where to stay in Strbske Pleso:

Apartment House Oliver: A beautifully designed and well-equipped self-catering apartment, rented as part of a small family-run setup; 99€ per night.

Grand Hotel Kempinski High Tatras: A hot favorite among locals and visitors, Kempinski at Strbske Pleso is among the most luxurious Tatra Mountains accommodations, set in traditional buildings with stunning views over the glacial lake and High Tatras; 235€ per night.

Not on booking.com yet? Use my sign up link and get 10€ off your first stay.

Other High Tatras accommodations

Bluebell: A cosy, budget homestay located in the stunning village of Mengusovce, with panoramic views of the High Tatras; 27€ per night.

Mountain Hotel Bilikova Chata: If you want to be away from it all yet have creature comfort on a budget in the Slovakian mountains, this High Tatras hotel maybe for you. It’s located near Hriebienok, the starting point for some amazing hikes near Stary Smokovec – accessible only by hiking or the Tatry Motion train; 30€ per night.

Villa Pod Gerlachom: This unique Tatra hut accommodation is a standalone wooden chalet, surrounded by the mountains and forests. Ideal if you’re travelling in a bigger group; 141€ per night.

Not on Airbnb yet? Use my sign up link and get 25€ off your first stay.

Bratislava to the High Tatras by public transport

Wooden bridges on the High Tatras hiking trails in Slovakia.

The High Tatra mountains extend from Slovakia to Poland. From what I’ve heard, the Slovakian side is less developed and relative less visited- and that’s where I spent all my time.

While it’s possible to rent a car and drive, I prefer public transport for its convenience, value for money and eco-friendliness. The small mountain city of Poprad Tatry (casually called Poprad) is the gateway from Bratislava to the Tatra mountains – and it takes about 4 hours to get there by train.

I was quite surprised to notice that the train prices from Bratislava to Poprad in the High Tatras varied significantly on different websites; I found the best price on Slovakrail (14-17€ one way). The bus is slightly cheaper, but takes 9-11 hours for the same distance! The train journey from Bratislava to the High Tatras (Poprad) is quite spectacular, crossing rivers, mountains and meadows along the length of Slovakia.

Also read: The Joy of Slow Travel

Public transport in the High Tatras

Exploring Slovakia’s High Tatras by train.

From Poprad, the mountain settlements and hiking trails are accessible by the Tatra Electric Railways – single track, narrow gauge electric trains that run every hour. Of these settlements, Stary Smokovec and Strbske Pleso are the most popular; the one-way journey upto Stary Smokovec costs 1.5€ and further to Strbske Pleso 2€; an all day pass is available for 4€.

Tickets can be bought at the train stations in Poprad, Stary Smokovec and Strbske Pleso, and must be validated in the machine on the train. No one ever checked mine, but the fine for not having one if there’s a surprise check is 50€!

Also read: How I’m Financially Sustaining My Digital Nomad Lifestyle

Solo travel in the High Tatras of Slovakia: Is it safe?

A small High Tatras village between Poprad and Nova Lesna.

Even though few people speak English, I felt very safe living, hiking, eating and chilling alone in the High Tatras. The hiking trails are well-marked and easy to follow; the locals don’t smile often but do go out of their way to help (hello Balkans!); and I felt no threat cycling and hanging out all by myself, by gurgling streams and yellow fields, with no one around for miles, in the little villages between Poprad and Nova Lesna.

A smartass taxi driver did overcharge me by a couple of Euros in Poprad, when I missed the rare bus, but I learnt my lesson to be more careful with the starting rate on the meter.

A wild fox crossed me a few feet away while hiking, but seemed pretty harmless! This is also wild bear territory, so it’s best to be indoors after dark (which is post 8:30 pm on summer days); consult with local hosts on staying safe in the season you visit.

Also read: How I Conquer My Solo Travel Fears

Vegan food in the High Tatras, Slovakia

A vegan superfood cacao smoothie at Lahodnesti, Poprad.

One of the reasons I decided to stay on the outskirts of Poprad was to have access to atleast some vegan food amid the meat-obsessed Slovaks. In retrospect, this isn’t necessary for two reasons: One, the train connectivity from the mountain settlements in the High Tatras to Poprad is much more frequent than buses to the city’s suburbs. And two, the food in Poprad isn’t too great so I ended up whipping basic quick meals with produce from the supermarket at home anyway.

Vegan food in Poprad

Lahodnesti: A cool space with plenty of vegan options like smoothies, burgers, paninis, couscous etc. The smoothies were yum, but the rest a bit bland; my favorite was the Lahodnesti burger.

VEG: Despite the unappetizing name, the space is quite cosy, with a bunch of vegan options like wraps, curry, kombucha, etc. I tried the quinoa tofu wrap which was decent, though could do with more flavor.

Vegan food in Stary Smokovec

Zamkovskeho Chata: A 2 hours hike / Tatra Motion train + 1 hour hike from Stary Smokovec, this mountain hut offers one vegan option on their limited menu – a lentil soup with potato cubes, perfect after a hike on a chilly day.

Soul: Located in Stary Smokovec close to the train station, I saw this restaurant advertising vegetarian meals, though I didn’t have the chance to check out whether they were vegan or what they entailed.

Also read: How to Travel as a Vegan and Find Delicious Food Anywhere in the World

Other travel tips for the High Tatras

Hiking in the High Tatras of Slovakia.

When to visit the High Tatras of Slovakia?

The shorter hikes in the High Tatras are accessible all year round. The longer trails further up into the mountains open only after the snow melts, typically from July to October. I was there in end May 2019, which felt like spring in Slovakia, with wildflowers in bloom. The weather forecast wasn’t accurate, so I had to stay prepared for both rain and strong sun on all days.

How long should you stay?

I spent five days exploring the Tatra mountains and could have easily stayed longer. I would recommend a minimum of three days.

How to travel responsibly in the High Tatras?

Don’t buy plastic bottles. Carry a refillable bottle, drink tap water (safe to drink across Slovakia) and fill real glacial water from streams along the way.

Use public transport. The electric trains run frequently, are very affordable and make for a unique experience on their own.

Avoid popular hiking trails on weekends if you can. They are far more enjoyable with fewer people.

Stick to the hiking trails. Don’t go crazy trying to get the perfect selfie!

Fight the FOMO (fear of missing out) and slow down; take the time to really experience this incredible part of the world.

Have you explored the High Tatras of Slovakia?

*Note: This post contains affiliate links. If you choose to book your accommodation through this post, I’ll earn a little bit at no extra cost to you – and it’ll enable me to keep creating practical guides to offbeat destinations around the world.

Join my adventures around the world on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.

Order a copy of my bestselling book, The Shooting Star.

PIN to plan your Slovakia trip later!

A Guide to Exploring the High Tatras of Slovakia. published first on https://airriflelab.tumblr.com

[thepapermixtape]

Cafés

By: Lou Baya Ould Rouis

College inevitably includes very short nights and difficult mornings. This is why we include coffee in our daily lives. To wake up, on the way to class. To stay awake, silently studying when it’s way past our bedtime. My mom describes this very “American” gesture of holding a cup of coffee or any kind of drink all day long. She makes fun of this rushed culture where you don’t take the time to enjoy your drink. This take-away culture where you expect things to be easy and fast. This on-the-go attitude where you don’t want to sit still even if you don’t have anything in particular to do. This snack culture where you need to eat or drink something at all times. Indeed, to me, drinking a coffee has so many other overtones.

A huge part of being Parisian is appreciating the essential presence of a café routine. I grew up with the practice of taking regular breaks at several coffee places. At first, I would follow my parents and meet up with their friends, which were sometimes the parents of my friends. I remember perfectly the berry syrup I would have, une grenadine to be exact. Back then, the most regular time to gather around a coffee was on Sunday, at the farmer’s market, five minutes away from my apartment. The kids were sent to buy bread and play around while the parents relaxed and laughed. It was a deeply important part of the neighborhood-life in a very social and diverse area of Paris.

My high school was in a totally different area, a rich and somewhat touristic neighborhood in the center of the city. My friends and I would gather around a coffee during lunch break because it was the cheapest drink, and therefore the only one we could afford. I started meeting up with my old friends in a café to catch up. We would sometimes wave at our parents, two tables away, also talking about life. I also loved to study there when I didn’t have class. It was both stimulating and relaxing. As we became older, we met up later in the day and the coffees became beers, but the tables stayed the same. Now, every time I am in Paris, I spend time in these places with my family and my friends. It has led me to notice a very specific rhythm of the day.

It all starts quite early, around 6am; it needs to be open for people to pass by on their way to work. It is then a succession of regular customers. They enter and greet everyone. The bartenders know them. They use familiar terms and they migrate table to table to talk a little with the people they know. Then they sit somewhere, inside, outside, probably at the bar if they’re alone or plan on leaving soon, they take the daily newspaper and just chill there for a while. Parents join around 8am, after dropping the kids at school. They come with some tea to spill, gossips to share, news to spread. “Ah tu t’es mise là aujourdh’hui ? Comment va Paul ?”  It’s really funny to be here, hearing words of private conversations while talking to my parents’ friends. They eventually leave for work and it becomes quieter. Around 10am, most people are working on their laptops, ordering a coffee once in a while. They are younger, trendier, and mostly own MacBooks. My favorite café plays great music; this is the best time to enjoy it.

In the afternoon, the atmosphere is peaceful and calm. People mainly read, think, write, draw. They take the time to breathe, to listen to the city. The connections between people are palpable. Some use the space as a public office, as their own cocoon or an open space to meet with people. Some groups seem to talk business and projects; they proofread some texts, they brainstorm ideas. Others enjoy this time to catch up with people, advice books, movies, exhibitions, and travels. “Je te jure: ce livre a changé ma vie !” I hear passionate discussions on politics, education, migrants, relationships or ecology. I personally think that a café offers an ideal context to stand for a cause, fight for your beliefs, and allow yourself to be challenged. My café arguments and passionate debates are the best I have ever had.

Around 5pm, the happy hours start and people gather in a much noisier atmosphere. They are young, they are old. The kids are gone though. Drinks replace coffees. “Ouais on va vous prendre 4 autres pintes s’il vous plaît !” The music gets louder, accommodating to the sound of people. At night, the real deal is to find the café/bar where the beer is the cheapest and you know that’s where you’ll find all the students. “La Jupiler c’est une bière sans prétention qui tient ses promesses.” At this time, and for the rest of the night, the café represents a cozy space to share a moment. It all slows down around midnight, sometimes later. People start escaping, they have work tomorrow, they feel tired, they think it’s time. The place gets emptier and emptier, the bartenders eventually have to ask you to go. They have to close to reopen the next morning, and you need to leave to come back.

During the summer, I decided to pay attention to the different types of coffee places around Europe. I wanted to see if the café culture was as important as it is in Paris, to see if we could maybe draw a pattern. The World Cup might have impacted my judgment. Soccer, or may I say “real football,” was the heart of the afternoon and evening atmosphere everywhere. Bars were full of supporters, shouting, cheering, laughing, crying sometimes. All emotions were amplified, exaggerated. Sharing a love for football with strangers which end up feeling like family is a unique experience.

Amsterdam seemed to have more bar-type places than actual cafés; alcohol drinks were more present than coffees overall in the city. But it was still very much multigenerational and reflected the different dynamics of the city. I found a place of peace and happiness where I spent hours just looking at people. I looked like a lighthouse in the middle of a park and they had the best screen for the games. I also noticed that most of the bartenders were not from here and it gave a very international charm to the place.

Stockholm was quite the opposite alcohol-wise. The happy hour time is quite dead, every café is heartwarming, beautiful, simple and full of life. People usually eat something with their coffee and the products are often local. There are multiple cafes that have a vegetable garden right next to them. The spaces in themselves are frequently hidden, and you have to be aware of their existence to find them (ex : an apartment, inside a park, a private courtyard) which adds some excitement.

Copenhagen has alter-globalist aspects which are reflected in the interactions between people and in the cafés infrastructures. The general design of the places is beautiful and minimalist. I visited a game café where you can pay to play board game while drinking your coffee (some games are also free). It is a very inclusive format, nice and fun for all. I saw some old people playing with some students, how uncommon is that? I could breathe the conviviality and openness. Another striking example was the kiosk café right in the heart of the city, where people are literally on the public piazza.

Trieste is the city of coffee in Italy, the country of coffee. It has super old cafes that have a unique and simple atmosphere, closer to the Parisian ones than those of the northern countries; a Latin influence. One of them had a bookstore in it, as a bridge between art and culture. Italy in general is a country built around café culture. It appears essential, as it is in my neighborhood, but still feels more exotic. Feeling the soft wind, hearing this beautiful language, observing these old traditional Italians and drinking some delicious expressos.

From the comfortable bench of my favorite café, I am trying to conclude on what I particularly value from this café culture in general. I don’t know if it’s the mix of generations, co-living, co-working, evolving side by side, intellectually feeding one another. It probably has to do with the ease to smile at people you see every day as well as people you’ll never see again. Or maybe it is the absence of a clear social frontier that allows the development of a sense of belonging, a form of harmony, you become a part of the whole and you create your own story. I also consider it to be the perfect spot for daydreaming, letting your mind go while you feel the presence of others and hear the elements of life around you.

PARIS

Café sans nom, Place de la Réunion, 75020 Paris

Les Pères Populaires, 46 Rue de Buzenval, 75020 Paris

Le Nouvel Institut, 1 Boulevard Saint-Germain, 75005 Paris

Josephine, 6 Place du Marché Sainte-Catherine, 75004 Paris

AMSTERDAM

Bars on the canals, to find…

Blauve Theehuis, Vondelpark 5, 1071 AA Amsterdam

COPENHAGEN

Bastard Café, Rådhusstræde 13, 1466 København

Kiosk, Kongens Nytorv, 1050 København

STOCKHOLM

Bellmanmuseet, Långholmsmuren 21, 117 33 Stockholm

Sturekatten, Riddargatan 4, 114 35 Stockholm

Café String, Nytorgsgatan 38, 116 40 Stockholm

Fotografiska museet, Stadsgårdshamnen 22, 116 45 Stockholm

TRIESTE

Caffè San Marco, Via Cesare Battisti, 18, 34125 Trieste

BERGAMO

Caffe’ della funicolare, Piazza Mercato delle Scarpe, 1, 24129 Bergamo

Circolino, Vicolo Sant'Agata, 19, 24129 Bergamo

[chapterxxv]

53-minute catch up

Saturday: my planned Valentine’s day celebration for myself. Was a super success. Sleep-deprived but easy drive to Chicago (satisfying my recent desire to drive fast, blast my music, and feel the wind in my face because of the temporarily-improved weather, though my windows stayed down this morning.) Picked up Oscar for breakfast at a fancy, delicious place (Stax Cafe) and he bought me and Kelly flowers! <3 he insisted on buying breakfast (tried lavender lemon pancakes!--not bad.) And our conversation was just what I needed. (I was already leaning towards not bringing Kelly because last time she kept talking about herself so I didn’t get to connect with Oscar, and this week, she was already very much immersed in her own world--not a great sign. The unfortunate circumstances (working back-to-back and then spending the day after her shift taking care of Ethan at the hospital after he attempted suicide D:) prevented her from joining.) I really needed someone impartial and collected to hear me out on my career-life choices, so Oscar and I discussed this big aspect in my life pretty much the entire time. And when I shared about struggling with not reaching out to Eric, he was the sweetest, offering I message him instead and he will buy me shit haha. He even offered to buy me a flight to CA. It was a shared conversation--hearing about his work/life experiences and choices and reasoning and aspirations. I also really need to get my headspace out of just me, me, me. And it was perfect. To get to just be and share yourself, understanding there is no comparison to be made. Just to care for one another. Oscar, I don’t think you know how much you provide for me. Thank you. After breakfast, I went to DSW since I’ve been wanting a pair of booties (they’re a staple in any place where you can’t just wear flip-flops all year round xD) ever since borrowing Kelly’s suuuper cute pair! Well, I didn’t find exactly what I wanted. But I left with a very comfortable--Dr. Scholl’s--pair for everyday and a sexier, thin-heeled pair for going out! Then I went to pick up Kelly; got to see Ethan in passing. His face showed signs of asphyxiation and when I asked what happened, he said that his friend choked him and it was a long story and he would tell me the whole thing when I got back. Later Kelly explained that Ethan was being bullied at school and had a suicidal ideation and attempted to jump out of his window and his friend caught him in a headlock--hence the asphyxiation. Kelly and I went to my tattoo appointment with Emily at Metamorph. I enjoy her work and my first thought upon meeting her was she’s cute. I know I wasn’t the easiest client but she was fantastic in making suggestions, getting to understand what I was looking for, and ultimately executing it. I love my tat. Then Kelly and I hung out next door at Wormhole Coffee until our nail appointment. Our wait there was tedious but my nail tech was nice--clearly very busy, running the show, one of the better techs, and relatively-conversational. I am also really enjoying how my nails look. It started snowing, so I dropped Kelly off and got to partake in many warm hugs with Serina and Kelly before taking off. They’re just practically family to me and I love them. I am so fortunate. Driving home was rough with the weather, extra-dumb drivers, and the exhaustion hitting hardcore. I made it home and decided against going out to the guys’ birthday bash (I really miss them and it would’ve been super fun), and instead went to bed before 9pm. I needed this. It was excellent. No regrets.

Thursday: sucked ass. Chronologically, things started going downhill fast the night before. V-day was fine, I was happy to be single for once and enjoyed the experience--almost valuing the holiday more than usual. But as evening rolls around, somehow I get this intense impulse to message Eric. Well, I think this when I last posted. So you get the gist. It sucked. I couldn’t fall asleep until midnight because I was emotionally distressed. So Thursday started off with physical and emotional fatigue. Morning was fine but off-routine. I got my oil changed and attended a faculty candidate talk. Sayan messaged me midday to say he couldn’t make our regular meeting Friday, so we agreed to meet around 2ish. He was late. While waiting for him, I was chatting with Beef and Jenifer. Beef invited me to join him and Will for a Udacity ML course. I was down but wanted to make sure it wasn’t something requiring a commitment. His response was terrible. It was harsh, and I confronted him about it. He never owned up nor seemed to really hear me out nor respect/take seriously my feelings and values here. I will attach the conversation later. Sayan showed up at almost 3pm, even though I told him I had something at 3pm. He had a lot to say too. And early on he slipped into “You should stay this summer, I know you’re looking at internships.” I was going to bring this up eventually but we were talking about research, and so I told him about Aerospace. Then it went into a longer discussion. And then back to research, bigger picture type stuff. So it was heavy, stressful, and a lot of pushback involved. I ran out of that around 3:15. To meet with a postdoc at Hammerhead. I felt so bad for being this late to meet with a stranger and thought he gave up on waiting when I got there and he was nowhere to be seen for at least 5 minutes. I thought we’d talk about research ideas. But he kept asking career-related questions that were more personal and never went into any detail about his work. I also felt bad because I had a meeting at 3:45pm for CSLSC (which was only 15 min early per my suggestion because I couldn’t stay for the entire 4pm meeting because I was meeting Meredith at 4:30pm.) Needless to say, I was late for CSLSC. While walking back to CSL with postdoc, he asked to get dinner and hangout and I gave him the benefit of the doubt, saying I’d be open to that but definitely not anytime soon because I’m too busy. And he caught me off guard asking if I had a boyfriend or something. *facepalm* I’m ashamed I choked out a funny yes. But I did follow up saying, I’d be down to hangout but as colleagues. Him: “okay great, yes, as friends” *facepalm* At CSLSC meeting, things quickly escalated between James and I (probably in 5minutes?). He snapped at me, “you don’t need to tell me all the things you’re not going to do.” He shouldn’t have been angry but I acknowledge I was not delivering my no’s well either. I allowed my growing frustration/annoyance with the team to taint my professionalism. I was still right to make clear my needs and my availability--it is unfair to be given work so last minute and unorganized requests and flip-flopping requests frequently, and I am too busy to accommodate all of this. I did a poor job of trying to ask them to collect all the info at once so I could take care of it more efficiently/effectively. But like I said, it escalated quickly. A few minutes later (after he and Tarek just asked me to change something, I did it, only to get the other one saying they wanted it the other way <-- prime example of the BS I have to deal with), in pointing this out, James basically yelled at me (at this point in front of a dozen other people) that yes things are stressful and constantly changing, the conference is NEXT WEEK, we’re all stressed, can you handle this Nicole? Can you do this? Yeah. I wanted to slap him, say fuck you I’m done with your bullshit, and walk out. I took a couple seconds to stay calm, look him dead in the eyes, and say yes. I can. I will get this done. And I will, I will work out this upcoming week. Then I fast-walked to Bene to meet Meredith. Of course she wanted to talk about us taking over GradSWE/weSTEM next year. It was fine. It was the last thing I wanted to think about or commit too. I told her the stance I had already developed. We walked to Galentine’s together. I didn’t really want to go anymore after feeling so shitty. But I did and fortunately it was just us and Steph and she brought soooo many deliciousss goodies. I stuffed my face with 2 plates full of sugar. I was fine with staying because I didn’t have to put up a fake wall. Meredith left for SWE GM, and it was just us and Sam and Megan. Also supes chill. They gently opened up the space to vent--which I desperately needed and was looking for already. I ended up crying when I described the CSLSC meeting. Fucking hell. But sooooo grateful for them listening and then comforting me and then sharing their own views/experiences. And then eventually talking about other people again--thank God. Again I don’t want to focus on me all the fucking time. I went to the gym after that and felt a little better. Spencer was kind enough to offer an ear to listen. I ended up meeting up with him and his friends at Barrelhouse for Hannah’s birthday (saw Steph again there--more cupcakes!) So I didn’t get to bed until nearly midnight again. Emil also texted me that Brian shared I was having a hard day and wanted to make sure I was okay. Thanks friends <3

[curatedglobaltravel]

Last Minute Holiday Getaway Ideas You'll Love For A Fabulous Winter

Do you need to end your year with something spectacular? Or find that guaranteed fabulous start to your new year? Scouring every corner of the globe, our experts have hand picked amazing destinations to escape to this winter! The perfect cure for those January blues! You’ll add a few more pages to your bucket list after reading our top destinations around the world, starting with...

 South America - Brazil, Peru, Ecuador, Columbia

Feel the rhythms shake through your bones at the carnivals in Brazil. Explore the depths of the jungles of Peru, Ecuador, and Columbia. Experience and learn about the world’s biggest rain-forest, the Amazon. Really get people’s eyebrows raising when you tell them you’re going to spend the holidays in South America! Have a completely new winter holiday experience by basking in the sun on soft white sands and mesmerizing blue seas. Not a snowflake in sight! You’ll swap out your thick coats and big boots for light short-sleeve tops and sandals, whilst lapping up the luxuries of this unspoiled nature retreat on the water. Your family will love these adventure-packed destinations!

Quebec City, Canada

Still love wrapping up warm and heading out into the crisp winter days? Quebec City is full of Christmas delights that will fulfill your holiday spirits. Get lost in the popular German Christmas markets and villages, blanketed by the warm scents of honey roasted chestnuts and sweet treats. Learn to ice skate at Place D’Youville for that perfect winter photo. Explore one-of-a-kind UNESCO World Heritage treasures on an exciting carriage tour. To top it all off, stay in the most talked about hotel in the city, Hotel De Glace, an ice hotel that oozes frosty fantasies. Unique to North America (the only one of its kind), choose from 44 themed rooms and suites that have been injected with colorful lights. After a day of sightseeing and Christmas shopping, relax in the hotel’s many hot tubs and saunas. You’ll be totally whisked away into another world this Christmas.

 Sedona, Arizona

Stunning Sedona scenery awaits your itchy traveller feet! Escape the hectic Christmas scenes from home to a land where peace, healing, and wellness are set centre stage. Lose yourself gazing at the vast canyons and mesa’s. Find contentment at the healing spas. Be enlightened in the vibrant arts scene. Once you have found calm, energize yourself with horseback riding, rafting, biking, and other activities! You’ll be surprised how much you can do over this Christmas!

 London, England

London is electric at Christmas! Home to the most flamboyant shopping displays that provide passers by a theatrical show, you’ll be mesmerized by the energized department stores that Harrods, Harvey Nichols, Selfridge’s, and Liberty’s all create. Marvel at the sheer amount of Christmas lights on every street you turn, juxtaposed upon the quintessential old buildings of traditional London. Really take all this energy in by ice skating at Somerset House, joining in by candlelight with the carollers at the Royal Albert Hall, and sinking into a comfy seat watching The Nutcracker at The Royal Opera House. Families will love the many museums with great kids activities too! The V&A Museum is forever a popular choice, with The Science Museum right next door. Love Christmas? Love London!

 Tuscany, Italy

Get the best of Italy this Christmas without all the crowds. Experience a more peaceful Italy this December at the Toscana Resort Castelfalfi. Located in the heart of Tuscany, you’re never far from Italian culinary delights and fine wines, which can be grouped together with tours and tastings. You’ll also have the luxury to choose from unlimited golf and spa packages, to Christmas and New Year’s Eve specials that include live music and exquisite, romantic accommodations.

 Central America - Costa Rica, and Panama & Mexico

Jump on over to a culture rich destination paired with the some of the world’s most beautiful beaches! See the fascinating Chichen Itza in Yucatan, then venture down to Ek Balam for the well-preserved sculptures and carvings on the walls and temples. All that exploring needs the perfect sun, sand and sea treatment, so stretch out along the stunning beaches of Celestun and Progreso. Your family albums will be full of great memories from this trip!

 South Africa

Escape to The Cape! Often overlooked but never to disappoint, South Africa has sunshine, beaches, culture, food, and the world’s best safaris! See enormous elephants, lounging leopards, rumbling rhinos, and lions yawning ferociously in their natural habitats!

 The Caribbean

There are still many stunning islands open to visitors! Turks & Cacaos, the Dominican Republic, Grenada and more have announced that they are welcoming many back to vacation, with lots of spaces left! Dip your toes into the bright, turquoise seas lined with the whitest sands you’ll ever see!  Did you know you can volunteer your vacation time and help the many thousands in need? Just let us know and we can arrange one of the most rewarding excursions of your life! 

 Northern and Eastern Europe

Finland and Sweden, Estonia and Croatia, and many more! These countries are gear up to what they really do best; Christmas markets! Unmatched by their twinkle, shine, hot chocolates and sweet treats, these destinations are sure to dazzle your family! Pick up exclusive, traditional and local gifts for a surprising holiday season.

 India

Fancy escaping more than the country this season? Try flying into a totally different world! India is sure to give you those fascinating stories to tell your close friends and family, as well as incredible photos to stick to your refrigerator door or frame on your desk at work. Begin in the fast-paced, hilariously chaotic, and bustling cities in the north such as Mumbai and New Delhi. Connecting New Delhi is Jaipur and Agra forming the Golden Triangle, creating a stunning and energetic tour of some of India’s best known sights. Take a trip down south where the vibe is a lot more chilled out. Reflect on your vacation by laying down on one of the many picturesque beaches along the coast.    

Israel and Jordan

Spirituality is a powerful and euphoric feeling, matching it with the joyful communities and bustling market streets of Israel and Jordan and you’ll have a vacation you’ll never forget!

Morocco

The deep and colorful scents of magical Morocco will move you down into the narrow market streets, overflowing with vibrant, locally made goods. When the sun dips below the horizon, Morocco shimmers as night lights illuminate plazas, cafes, and restaurants with a warm golden glow. You’ll be speechless at Morocco’s incredible beauty.

 South East Asia and The South Pacific

Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Tahiti, and The Islands of French Polynesia! Big, bustling cities to quiet, calming, towns. South East Asia has a wide variety of destinations catering to both sides of the spectrum. Your family will love trying the vast variety of foods and spices available throughout this region. Scorpion on a stick anyone??

 USA - Southern California, Hawaii, Florida

Fly like a bird this December and migrate south to avoid those harsh winter temperatures. Warm up those feathers on the sunny shores of Florida. Get an island vibe without leaving the USA by heading over to Hawaii. Take back breath-taking photos with you from a tropical paradise Christmas. There’s almost limitless choices for you to enjoy, from snorkeling to taking a cruise around Kealakekua Bay and other scenic wonders , to touring the rain forests of Hana and the eye-opening sea cliffs of Maui via Maverick Helicopters. Outdoor enthusiasts can opt for a whale-watching kayak tour while those seeking a restful spa vacation can find the perfect retreat. Getting a golden tan this season is totally possible! Explore your backyard parts of the USA for a straightforward but relaxing vacation! Leave your heavy coats in the wardrobe this December! 

 BONUS - UNESCO sites?!?!

We’ve Got ‘em! Are you are eager to get your world heritage tour started?. Contact us now for a free travel planning consultation and we can begin to map out your bucket list!

Click here now to book your adventure with Curated Global Travel!

[isabelledanao]

Where to study or review in Quezon City?

Let’s face it! The best place to study is at our own homes which includes the coziest amenities like your bed, unlimited free wifi, the oh so comfortable couch, the television, the refrigerator, shower and all that jazz. But in reality, we don’t exactly get much studying or work done. I am not saying that this applies to all but for me, this often happens and so I tried different methods like the Pomodoro technique, voice recording of lectures, note cards, and goal study plan. These methods actually work for some, and it does for me especially the Pomodoro and the voice recording of lectures that I play on repeat, but I will be talking about this in another blog. So back to the main topic, aside from these techniques I also found out that changing the setting or the environment where I study is particularly important as it enhance my chances of focusing on my studies or work, and so I present to you the places that I found conducive for studying here in Quezon City in no particular order.

1. Starbucks (#24 Matalino St., Quezon City - Behind Quezon City Hall)

Everyone knows Starbucks, but for me I really do appreciate this place. The coffee place itself is spacious with enough parking space and security. And in addition to this, I like the fact that the area’s environment is that of a professional kind or ambiance. Let me expound that–the people who go to this particular Starbucks are lawyers, doctors, government employees, nurses, “studious” college students (usually from UP), law students, medical students, businessmen and clients. Basically, when you enter the place, you don’t see a lot of people who are just chatting away their time. The place is honestly a “library” or “study hall” for students and professionals, that the people who come to this place to just chill is seriously out of their minds (just my opinion). In addition to all this, the best time to go there is around 6:30am till around 11am, but if it gets later than that you’ll probably have a difficult time looking for a perfect spot to do your work.

Along with this, the place has free wifi which is good for two hours, a clean restroom, a smoking area at the back, accommodating staff, the additional condiment area which always have shakers filled with vanilla, nutmeg, chocolate powder and cinnamon (I always add some to my drink - don’t judge!).

TIPS:

My tips in going to this place; bring a hoodie or jacket since the air-conditioning in this area is pretty intense (seriously!), and for the best spot to study is the couch near the door or the one at the far end. Those spots have outlets, and the one near the door is not too cold and not to warm (hahaha!), and also the security guard can always watch closely of my things when I need to pee or something (oops!).

I almost forgot, this place is open from 6:30am - 2:00am. 

See photos here: https://www.zomato.com/photos/pv-res-6307735-u_ODkzMzkwMzU2ND

2. Quezon City Library (Quezon City Hall Compund - Just ask around)

The second place I want to recommend but rarely go to is the public library due to some cons that I experienced along the way, but is still a great place after being renovated. Let’s first start with the location and the time it opens; the place opens at 8am and is free which is a great thing but for me, I prefer to study at an earlier time rather than at a later period. Going back to the topic–as you enter, the guards will ask you to sign-in and leave your belongings at the baggage counter, give you your baggage number, sign-in and give you a sheet of paper to list all the books and gadgets that you will be taking inside, and then they will give you small clear plastic envelope to place your things which is not exactly useful. 

Finally, after the hassle since you can’t bring your bag inside, you will carry your things and look for a place to study. The library itself is not the National Library but you can easily find a spot. The amenities inside are the usual ones you can find in your school library but if you are there for research, I highly doubt that you can find a proper book inside for additional materials. Moving on, since I brought my laptop with me I was not able to use their computers that is for free and know if there is a limited amount of time to use them. 

After all that enchilada and some time, I encountered a problem--I forgot to charge my laptop at home, so I plugged in my laptop to an outlet. That’s when I found out a crucial thing which they failed to inform me. I actually have to pay 20pesos for every hour that I plug in my laptop, and they asked me to pay at the information or concierge thing. Another problem I encountered is that they were actually only operating until 12nn that day for inventory which they did not post on their website, and so I ended up leaving early and going to Starbucks. 

TIPS:

First, I can say that this place can be good if you are only going to study with your notes and books, and plan to save money for food. You can pack your own lunch and put it inside you bag or eat at their cafeteria. Second,  I highly recommend not bringing too much valuables that you can’t carry along with your books since you can’t bring your bag inside. Third, the internet connection is really slow so don’t expect a fast connection for any wifi service. Fourth, better contact the library a day before or around 8am and ask if they will be open the entire day since I experienced an unannounced inventory that day. And lastly, if you really need to plug in your laptop be prepared to pay for 20pesos every hour or just charge it earlier at home.

The library is open from 8am - 5pm (Weekdays) and 8am - 4pm (Saturday).

Tel:(632) 927-98-34 Fax:(632) 922-40-60 Email quezoncitypubliclibrary@yahoo.com 

Website (not updated): http://www.qcpubliclibrary.org/contactus.php

See photos and information: http://news.abs-cbn.com/trending/02/09/17/look-this-isnt-your-ordinary-public-library

3. Diligence Cafe (Elizabeth Hall, Katipunan Avenue, Quezon City)

This is one of the places to go if you are to go all out for studying and thesis. It actually offers the “Filipino College Student Essentials”. So first I will start with the services they offer; the place is particularly conducive for serious students who are in it for studying and not just a place to chill. They have free Fiber wifi, unlimited coffee & juice, tons of power outlets, napping services. It is also the best choice for overnight thesis work or exam review, but of course you have to pay for it. The rates start at 70pesos per hour and 350pesos per day. They open at 12nn - 7am, which is one of the cons I found since I prefer to study early in the morning but all in all, I like the place. The cafe is a unique concept which is highly recommended for college students and so I hope they open more branches soon. 

In addition to the inclusive services, they also offer shower services with shower kit (100pesos), locker services (40/day, 200/week & 700/month), meeting room (400/hr for 8pax), printing services (b/w starts at 3pesos & colored starts at 8pesos), and most importantly, FOOD which starts at 130pesos for a filling meal.

TIPS:

If you liked the place for the first visit and ultimately fell inlove with the place, you can just opt to apply for a monthly membership worth 2,500pesos per month (subject to change - check their Facebook page). Also, the best thing in this place is that if ever you tend to doze off too much, you can ask the staff for a wake-up call. 

By the way if you are going to bring any food there is a corkage fee and for any questions you can contact them easily through Facebook messenger (they reply immediately). Lastly, the best time to go there is not during your finals week of exam week since there will be a splurge of people. But do come at 12nn when they open.

Contact:

Cellphone (Globe): 0927-944-9980

Facebook: Search for Diligence Cafe

Instagram : @diligencecafe

4. Figaro (Scout Lozano Corner Tomas Morato, Sacred Heart, Quezon City)

This is one of my favorite places since I get to eat breakfast menus any time of the day. The place is particularly small and not many people often come. I also love the homey purple couch they have, and if ever you need to meet up with my friends or anything, the place is already in one of the food places to be–Tomas Morato. 

This cafe is small but you can make the most out of it. They have very accommodating staff and a clean restroom (the most important thing). Aside from that the place gets particularly cold in the evening so I suggest bringing a hoodie or shawl. For internet service or the wifi; the internet connection is pretty good and I have not experienced any problem so far. As for the coffee, it is not the best but it works in waking you up. The pasta selection that they have is actually really great and they also have some desserts though at times they only have one or two kinds.

TIPS:

Try the Chicken BBQ Skewers. The one they served me is not fatty and the rice is cooked really well. I think it costs around 200pesos. For pasta, try the Arrabiata, Pasta a la Carlo (a bit spicy and I think this is the expensive one), or the seafood one that they have (I forgot the name since they recommended it to me but it was not on the menu).

Lastly, if ever you crave for some Korean BBQ there’s one behind Figaro.

The place opens at 7am - 12midnight (Weekdays) and 7am - 10pm (Weekends).

5. Burger King (Matalino St, Quezon City - Near Mercury Drug Store)

Sometimes, I really try to stay away from coffee and tend to crave burgers especially from this one and so I sometimes go to this place. This Burger King location is pretty conducive for me in studying since the place is brightly lit and good for the days when I just can’t handle dim lights and when I am tired to the bone. But let me just remind you that the place is a fastfood chain and there will definitely be loud noise or chatting so bring your earphones or headphones. They open early in the morning (not sure of the time) and close at around 10pm (I think). 

Not to worry, they won’t call your attention for staying the entire day but you still have to order every now end then like, breakfast, lunch, snack/dinner or atleast two meals. They have rice meals like chicken, so burger is not always the choice.

TIPS:

They do not have the usual outlets but the USB type ones so I guess the place is a whole lot better when you need to review using your notes, books or tablet. I am not sure about the wifi but I think they do have. Aside from that, guard your belongings with your life, and the crew is not as courteous as cafe staffs or library employees so just ignore or complain to the manager about some catcalling incidents and frighten them with the Catcalling fine (hahahaha).

So there you have it, the five places I recommend to go to when you need to get some work or studying done. I still have some places to recommend but I need to go back and try the place twice or three times before I give my verdict. As of now I am currently in the process of reviewing and going to some places in Tomas Morato and the newly built Starbucks at Vertis North. Up next in my blog are the best study techniques that I have tried and tested and those that I am still currently using till now.

Thank you for reading! Study well and continue to stay focused. Remember that success follows as hardwork perseveres. This is Isabelle, signing out!

[jaegerandmikeineurope]

Travel to and Day One in Rome

Our last morning in Lucerne was rather uneventful. We woke up and had our showers and got ready for the day before heading out for some breakfast. We tried McDonalds but were shocked to see that they were only open from 10am onwards so we ended up going to a supermarket to purchase some pastries and ended up with some croissants and some nutty, chocolate log thing. We went back to our hotel and sat out on our balcony in the sun as we had our breakfast. We then spent the rest of the morning packing up our bags and I worked on the blog while Mike watched some videos.

Just after 11am we went downstairs to checkout before heading to McDonalds for an early lunch. We ate our meals and then walked across the road to the train station where we hopped on our train to Milan. We were initially a bit stressed as we were unsure which coach we were meant to be on as the ticket wasn’t clear, which meant that we got on the train after the initial crowd of people who took up all the rack space with their luggage. We were able to fit Mike’s bag in the overhead rack easily, but my bag was a bit more of a challenge considering it is so fat. After putting it up on the seat, opening it up and pulling out a few items we finally made it thin enough to fit up above us. 

The train ride to Milan seemed to pass by slowly, Mike played a thousand games of solitaire while I read another Harry Potter book. We arrived in Milan at around 3:50pm and made our way to our connecting train to Rome. This time there were no luggage racks but we got on early enough to manage to shove our bags up above us, mine was a very, very tight squeeze. Unfortunately on this trip Mike and I weren’t seated next to each other as we had booked our tickets so late, so he sat in an aisle seat around a table with a group of three people, while I sat by the window around another table with a pair and a solo traveller. The three hour journey felt even longer because of this. 

When we arrived at the Roma Termini train station it was 7:50pm and it was dark out which was making us feel slightly on edge as we tried to figure out how to get to our accommodation. Google Maps for once was not being helpful in telling us if the buses were running and which one to catch, fortunately I had a copy of the instructions that the Airbnb host provided us with and we figured out what we needed to do. We exited the train station and walked across the road to the bus station and managed to find the correct stop for our bus, purchased our tickets and waited with the crowd for the bus to arrive. 

We hopped on the bus and were on our way to our accommodation, arriving within half an hour and just before the cut off where we would’ve had to have paid extra money for a late check-in. Our new Airbnb is very cosy and consists only of the bedroom, a kitchen and a bathroom and is located in an old building with a small courtyard. It is down a little alleyway in an old neighbourhood and is located right in the middle of many attractions and restaurants that I have on my list to visit which is great.

 I had forgotten that this particular accommodation didn’t have a washing machine so we  had to spend a bit of time after getting settled, hand washing some tshirts, socks and undies in the kitchen sink so Mike we would have clothes for the next couple of days. Even though we had skipped dinner and were feeling a little peckish, we decided it was too late to try and go out to get anything so just went to bed. 

This morning we woke up around 7am and got ourselves ready for the day. We headed out to go to this cafe I had on my list that apparently served great coffee and pastries. Our walk through the streets of Rome was very cool as we walked along the cobbled streets down alleyways and amongst beautiful, old and weathered buildings. We made it to the cafe and placed our order - I got a jam stuffed croissant and a hot chocolate, while Mike got a chocolate stuffed croissant and a cappucino. We stood up at the bar to have our drinks, just like the real Italians do. Mike really enjoyed his coffee and croissant, and I found my croissant to be a bit more dense than the ones we had been having in Paris (I have been spoilt) and my hot chocolate was unlike anything I had ever had before, so thick and chocolate-y and bitter. 

After breakfast, we walked literally around the corner to the Pantheon which was just incredible, what an awesome building to have stood the test of time. Fortunately it was free entry so we walked straight inside and were so impressed with the size of the place and the dome design that included the open oculus in the ceiling. We walked around for a while and took a seat in one of the pews for a moment before moving on to the next site. 

A couple of streets away we visited the Trevi Fountain which unfortunately was not turned on and being cleaned at the time withall the coins from the bottom of the fountain being cleared out. It was still impressive to look at but we decided to just come back either later that day or on another day to see the fountain in action. 

We then began walking the streets in the direction of the Colosseum and ended up coming across the “Wedding Cake” building, rather known as the  Monumento Nazionale a Vittorio Emanuele II. We walked up the steps of the building and began exploring the different levels, balconies, terraces and statues. We saw a great view of Rome and of the Colesseum in the distance. We decided not to take the lift all the way up to the top, satisfied with the view we saw from the terrace and instead headed inside. Here we went through a short display which we think was about the history of Rome and it’s identity. It had some pretty cool displays which included Dante’s Divine Comedy and a video display that transported Mike and I to different sites in modern Rome.

We left the exhibit and building and continued making our way to the Colosseum, walking past several old ruin sites. We figured the crowd at the Colosseum was going to be hectic considering the number of tourists we had already seen out that day and we were correct as there were people everywhere and a long queue. We decided to come back for our visit on another day. We walked around for a bit, checking out the outside but grew tired of the many, many people asking if we needed help buying tickets, or if we wanted to skip the queue so we moved away in the direction of Palentine Hill. The line here was a bit shorter but we figured we would just do these two attractions in the one day so instead did a short walk around the exterior of the site, which just lead to a dead end so we turned back.

We then decided to check out Nero’s Domus Aurea upon Dad’s recommendation. However upon googling we saw that it is only open on weekends and Mike and I leave on Friday. We still walked to it’s location through a bit of a dingy park, but only got to see a very small part of it that was the above ground part. We’ll just have to come back Dad and make sure it’s on a weekend!

It was super humid and Mike and I were feeling very warm so began our walk back to where we originated from this morning in search of lunch. We headed to Cantina e Cucina where we got a snug seat in the back of the restaurant. We ordered some bruschetta for starters, pasta carbonara for me and spaghetti and meatballs for Mike. Everything was super tasty and rich in flavour - Mike’s dish in particular was very nice. After lunch it was only reasonable that we get gelato for dessert, so we headed off in the direction for this gelato shop that was also on my list called Giolitti. 

After a short walk we arrived to the large, traditional looking gelato store. We had to prepay and line up with our receipts to be served by one of the gelato servers. It was very difficult to choose which flavour since there were so many, but Mike ended up with a cone of chocolate and caramalised fig, while I got Vanilla Creme and Raspberry and a dollop of whipped cream on top (which was free!). We went outside with our gelato to stand and eat them in the street and it was like I died and went to heaven. They were so creamy and flavourful - we just loved it!

After our gelato, we then headed back to the Trevi Fountain which was now running again! We threw in our coins, took our photo before sitting down just to watch the fountain for a while. It’s so big, with so many things to look at, if there weren’t so many people around it would have actually been quite peaceful. 

I next dragged Mike along to a shop that I wanted to check out which was a short distance away where I did a little shopping and ended up with a pair of sandals. Once I was finished, we began the walk back to our accommodation, stopping along the way at a supermarket to pick up some breakfast supplies. We have since been chilling out at home, watching some Netflix and updating the blog. Our plan is to head to the Vatican tomorrow!

[janelawsonfood]

It had reached the point of embarrassment. The business of ‘not yet’ having visited the ‘art island’ of Naoshima.

Many of my clients had made the trip and raved, or were seeking my advice on a regular basis… ‘what’s it like?’ ‘when’s the best time to go?’ ‘where should we stay?’ ‘what’s the food like?’  I could only share what I’d heard reported from friends so I had no choice but to do some first hand investigation.

Of course it had been on my Japan-travel bucket list for some years. While I’ve travelled from the head to the tootsies of Japan there is much amazingness yet to discover and only so much you can fit in between hosting tours, researching and writing,  scouring the country for products for our upcoming online store (zenbuhome.com opening soon! nudge nudge, wink wink) and catching up with good friends in our second home.

Finally, last December (2016) we made it. Freshly hitched – it was a good excuse to taste a bit of island life.

I wasn’t prepared for the truly laid back vibe, the lushness of the trees, the rugged coastline, the strange sadness in parts nor the outgoing friendliness of the local obaachan (grandmothers/older ladies) in others.

Or the sunsets. Oh my. The glorious background to wine-o-clock.

It was an all too brief two nights however I learnt so very much during our short stay that I thought it would be rude not to share it! I hope it helps you to make the most of your own  Naoshima travel.  Please note that there are a couple of different approaches and entry points to the island but I’ll only refer to the journey from Kyoto – from where Naoshima and the Seto inland sea are popular sidesteps.

1.Getting there. Although, as the crow flies, Naoshima is not too far from Kyoto –  it ends up being about a 5 hour trip door to door so if you are only there for a weekend  – go very early on the day you are due to arrive and don’t underestimate how much there is to see !

The train trip from Kyoto to Uno Port is pretty damn lovely.  Especially when you pass through the farming area closer to the inland sea end of your journey, seated in old fashioned carriages, after a train swap or two, filled with character and the rhythm of the tracks is a special kind of relaxing fun.

Note that you need to switch trains a couple of times before arriving but it isn’t too complicated – on the final change you arrive on a small platform and may immediately decide to follow everyone else down the stairs. But don’t!  Because you’ll just have to lug your bags back up again!  All you have to do is hold fast at said platform for the connecting train – just a few steps away from where you sprang out of your carriage with intention to run to find the next platform in case you missed your next train ..  Of course it pays to double check with a local if unsure (someone is bound to understand you if you look panicked enough)  –  you simply never know when they might change platforms on you.

From Uno Port. There are in fact a couple of choices of transport across the waters to Naoshima  (which we didn’t find out about until after the first boat trip) .

The cheaper option, used by locals, and for transporting cars and ‘bulky stuff’ over is somewhat rustic and the smoking indoors thing has not yet been banned  – consequently a stale musty stench is embedded in the soft furnishings. But for a short trip, even on a frosty day, sitting rugged up on the deck in the sunshine  – it’s perfectly fine.

However, next time I’ll try the fancier ‘visitor’ carrier version which is likely to be a little better set up for lugging bags onto and I’m guessing has a sweeter smelling cabin. I will be going back as some stage so I’ll update this at that time ( but don’t hold your breath or anything… well not unless you choose to sit indoors on the local ferry).

2. Accommodation. Being that we were attempting a mini honeymoon (ie research disguised as such due to perfectly convenient timing) we decided to opt for the justifiably luxurious accommodations of Benesse House.

We chose the ‘Museum’ rooms instead of the Oval, Park or Beach accommodations – based mainly on cost but also because the view was spectacular as they are at the top of a hill (as are the Oval rooms).

Each room offered large (for Japan) decks and as you don’t see a lot of deck action in  Japan it was a novelty for us. Especially as we were so very keen on the outlook of wide blue skies and the sea.

  The rooms presented very well on the website but we did find them to be showing a little age, and the bathrooms were very small (common in Japan but we were anticipating something a little newer and more spacious here for some reason),  however it was only 2 days and everything was very comfortable and clean.

The service was minimalist but friendly. A small bottle of wine (not yet chilled…hence ice) was waiting for our arrival with a message of marital congratulations .  All was well with the world. And that view… nothing else really mattered to us – even the somewhat unromantic twin (ie 2 x single ) beds  couldn’t ruin our excitement.

 An aside, staying at the Museum is actually pretty cool because you get to wander around the relatively people-free installation space until 11pm. Bonus!

3. Sunsets.  The Inland Sea sunsets were the most spectacular I’ve encountered – their potency has been forever etched in my mind.  I’d return for the sunsets alone. Warning – potential sunset overload…

4. Days of closing. Next time I’ll be sure not to visit the islands on a Monday or Tuesday -unless we’re staying a whole week  -because it turns out that many of Naoshima’s sites are closed on a Monday. On Tuesday’s the neighbouring art island of Teshima has its day of rest too – so pop that in your travel planner now ! Needless to say we were rather disappointed to discover, after arriving around 11am on a Monday (after a 5am start)  that we’d just missed the last boat to Teshima and most of Naoshima’s sites were shut.  As I said – we need to go back. It really pays to do your research.

5. The Food. OK – settle in now because this might ramble on for a bit…

The Museum has 2 spots to eat – the cafe (which is only open until about 5pm) and the restaurant which serves a Japanese or Western breakfast and then opens again for dinner – Japanese – offering a choice of several different Kaiseki style courses, including one vegetarian version. But I’ll come back to that in a moment.

We slurped up pasta for lunch one day at the cafe and, although the space itself is lacking in any real personality, the view was very relaxing and the grub surprisingly good.

We sampled the western breakfast at the Museum and felt, for the money, that it wasn’t overly exciting, and the service was almost uncomfortably formal. Next time I’d choose their Japanese breakfast.

The dinners were not bad.. that’s probably unfair, they were in fact well presented and technically pretty spot on –  but if I was to have just one Kaiseki meal in Japan it would be elsewhere…. I’d be guessing this is the only restaurant on the island serving Kaiseki style cuisine  – and most other restaurants are quite a trek from the museum so it is certainly convenient.

If you haven’t experienced Kaiseki before I’d say this was a good entry level place. I chose the vegetarian Kaiseki and the husband’s course included meat and seafood – I was excited to see what they would come up with in the veggie option as I love good shojin ryori (buddhist vegan cuisine) but, sadly,  I ended up with total food envy. My meal was fine but his sashimi looked pretty amazing and listening to him devour it as I flapped my konnyaku (devil’s tongue root jelly)  ‘sashimi’  about was a little soul destroying… however my Nasu dengaku (fried eggplant was sweet miso sauce) was superb! In fact I could have eaten several of them and left the rest of my meal – except the tempura perhaps…  but then his had fat, juicy prawns… oh stop it!

  Right !  now we also had the buffet breakfast at the Terrace restaurant which is in the Park/Beach accommodations complex, right down by the water.   Splendid – surprisingly high quality house made breads, pastries and jams, both Japanese and western specialities – think a very simple chawan mushi (steamed savoury custard),  perfect omelettes made to order, a range of Japanese vegetable dishes, quality yoghurt, fruit,  soup etc.

It ranks high on my personal hotel breakfast buffet scale.  The outlook certainly doesn’t hurt either!

It isn’t the cheapest place for breakfast on Naoshima but as the museum and terrace restaurants are pretty much your only choice in this part of the island – I know where I’d be dining every morning.

We also enjoyed a degustation dinner in the same restaurant – French/Japanese. It was very good, a teensy bit old fashioned if I was being picky, but well executed with great flavours and textures using local ingredients. Fresh, flavoursome and a little bit of magic.

It didn’t hurt that they poured us champagne on arrival, sent out a plate with some strawberries and congratulatory message handwritten in chocolate and handed us a small carry bag when we left, inside was a gorgeous mini stollen (as it was just before Xmas).  A lovely touch. The hand-luggage squished Stollen was repurposed as a gift to a friend so I can’t vouch for the flavour but it looked authentic!

We heard that there are a couple of decent places to eat near Honmura art house village (where the hotel shuttle bus stops FYI) -an Italian place, a burger joint and a ramen shop – we didn’t get to any of them. So do ask the hotel concierge what they recommend if you are staying longer and wish to try elsewhere.

The only thing is… that the evening hotel shuttle stops running rather early in the scheme of things but if the hotel knows you are eating at one of the Benesse house restaurants they seem to be able to arrange a car to pick you up. Saying that, even if you go with the dego – it is timed well enough for you to make it to final shuttle bus of the day – should your fork not dawdle over the pretty plates.  If you eat in Honmura or down near the port you will need to arrange a taxi to get you home unless you eat early. Get your hotel to book that for you as I suspect there are not many on the island.

6.Miyanoura Port Area.  I was a tad reluctant to add this next bit, and please allow me to state that this is only an observation based on our couple of days on the island so I’m hoping the vibe was simply because we were travelling in winter and the place was a bit flat being off-season…

Despite Yayoi Kusama’s cheery red pumpkin by the water’s edge, Naoshima’s Miyanoura port area ( where you’ll arrive when coming from the mainland’s Uno port)  has a rather sorrowful energy.

Perhaps due in part to the skeletal remains of the ‘industry that was’? As can happen in any place over time. It’s as though the community around the port area has been quietly fading away over the years and everyone under 90 has relocated to the mainland for work or something ‘more’ than island life.

The only youthful looking residents we did spot seemed to own or work in one of the handful of tourism relevant businesses – small eatery, bicycle rental etc. The staff in the largish gift shop/cafe area at the ferry terminal seemed a little resentful to have to deal  with foreigners.  To be fair – their demeanor could have been due to  shyness or a perceived language barrier…. They did seem very surprised, perhaps a little scared, when, during our transaction and attempted conversation,  they realised we could speak Japanese .  However they did not follow our cue.

 It felt so very far away from the Japan we know and love. Even though tourism is clearly injecting cash into certain areas on the island I guess it could feel like they had no real choice in their community being inundated at times? And as we know some tourists are not very good it treating locals with the respect they deserve.

We have to wonder whether the reason for the permanent art project and the, ‘wonderful’ by all accounts, annual Trienale Art Festival was as a way to attract much needed life into the island. And indeed it has but I have to wonder if it’s what the locals were expecting.

Of course our discomfort with this is so minor in comparison with the joy experienced on the island but it did make me wonder how it has truly impacted the locals.  Has anyone else had a shared experience in the port area?

10. The Art. As you would anticipate –  is spectacular.

The outdoor sculpture installed around the island, sometimes in  distant or almost hidden spaces against a canvass of raw nature.

The wide spectrum of artworks and artists both Japanese and foreign.

The fascinating purpose built architecture which plays a part in the art itself.

The practical-use installations – like the bubbly construction used as both a bicycle parking station and rain cover for those waiting for island transport.

The surprise of finding a little bit of something gorgeous  around the next corner..  keep an eye out for the pictures in string that pop up now and again on the side of a house or in an alleyway.

The deep cultural significance in many of the works in the living art house village of Honmura. All of it. Just took our breath away.

On that note. In direct opposition to the personal interactions experienced in the port area was the joyous experience of Honmura.  It totally rocks!

Traditional architecture, laneways and temple areas interspersed with installations and friendly older folk who were more than happy to start a conversation (in Japanese) as they performed their daily shuffle from their homes to the grocery store.

The local community centre up the road looks like THE place for meet ups and neighbourhood activities but the architecture and design alone makes it worth a visit as an ‘outsider’ and they have very clean public toilets too!

  11. Size. Naoshima is bigger than you think. We spent 1.5 days excitedly wandering and didn’t see it all. Ideally try to stay a minimum of 3 or 4 days if you want to take in as much as possible, visiting the other islands in the vicinity too (eg Teshima, Inujima, Shodoshima etc) . And a week or more if you have time up your sleeve and like a bit of relaxation in with your art –  you can always hop across to Shikoku too.  There are some houses available to hire, yurts and minshoku around the islands so do your research if you fancy a more affordable , longer stay. Did I mention the sunsets?

12. What are you waiting for? Just go!

  If reading about Naoshima sparked an interested in joining us on one of our luxurious Japanese Cuisine and Culture Tours then please take a look at our line up for 2018 – but hurry – they are filling up quickly –  the Spring Tour is almost at capacity!

Do make sure you take advantage of the earlybird special  if you can – it runs out in early July! We apologise that that they’ve all been snapped up for our Zenbu Haru spring tour. 

Naoshima It had reached the point of embarrassment. The business of 'not yet' having visited the 'art island' of Naoshima.

[noblehippy89-blog]

Laos - the delights of Luang Prabang & our memorable trip to Kung Si waterfalls

Luang Prabang is a UNESCO world heritage sight and there is no denying its delights with its French colonial architecture set amongst the backdrop of the temple topped mountain and Mekong and khan rivers. The town was in complete contrast to the modest and traditional village on Pak Beng. The streets pretty and clean with frangipani bushes covering every corner, wooden balconies and palm trees lining the street. I was surprised by the number of teenage girls, gracefully riding motorcycles with perfect postures and relaxed facial expressions. I don't know how the Laotian women manage to look so elegant and classy on motorbikes.

We came to a junction which was decorated in small multi coloured lights and an assortment of triangular flags. The sun shone on the trees and glinted of the wide and softly flowing river. in the distance, high above we could see a temple on the mountain, the mountain is named Mount Phusi and is much like the grand centrepiece of the town.

At night when we went for an orientation walk we came across various restaurants and bars, some set in gardens with delightful lanterns. The pretty little lights shone on the greenery and the white and brown French colonial style balconies added to the beauty.

The night market was filled with the usual arts, crafts and tourist accessories. I drank my fifth fruitshake, which was an icy relief during the sticky evening. Although very pretty, as I walked there were far more tourists than locals. Many of the bars were Western style and boasted 'We sell western food' on their outer window. I understood the need to cater to tourists, but as I came across more and more of the same sort of shops and cafes , I thought it was a bit of a pity as the town seems to be struggling between preservation of its colonial heritage and accommodation of its heavy influx of tourists. 

Kung Si Waterfalls was by far, one of my highlights of this trip. We took a one hour mini bus ride from Luang Prabang to see the black bears and the waterfalls, which we were all very excited to swim in, given the heat. The journey was filled with windy roads, rice fields and occasionally, basic shops.  Once we arrived, we entered a tropical jungle filled with beautiful and vibrant butterflies. Stop one were the curious black bears, rescued and cared for from cruel captive conditions by the charity ‘free the bears.’ Dark, large and fluffy, we saw about four bears; 3 were laying resting, and one was actually chilling in a pond!

Onto the waterfalls, as we climbed to higher ground. And then we saw it. I was honestly unprepared for its beauty. A deep and cream aqua lake lay ahead of me, and in the distance, a higher level with another spectacular pool. As we walked on we came across two smaller waterfalls. I was captivated and had fallen deeply in love with their seductive sights.

It was time to get wet and I was anxious to be one with the water. But as I approached the shallower parts of the pool, I could see many mini fish. It’s ok, I told myself, after all so had allowed myself to have my very first and incredibly frightening fish pedicure a week before. As usual, Kamran was reluctant to take the lead, so I mustered the courage to be one with the fish. And floating ant flies. I noticed that as the water got deeper there were no fish or insects, so I quickly swam further into the lake. The perfectly cool temperature and spectacular sights made my eerie encounter with any fish or bugs well worth it. The best part of all this was the kindness of strangers, as members of my group caringly encouraged me and congratulated me for combatting my fears.

We then sat in one of the lakes, some of us swimming, some of us sitting by the edge, feeling the pressure from the gushing water, on our backs. I remember just laughing and screaming, and having an enthralling time. For some reason Kamran would not join me in the middle of the pool and I felt achingly disappointed. Why did he always have to be like this? Thankfully, the cheerful and spirited company of other group members quickly helped to dissipate my sadness. I somehow managed to co Vince Kamran to bring g his camera phone and attempt to take photos in and near the water. Sadly, this led to the demise of his phone.

Above the pool that we were all sat in was a lake with a great and glorious waterfall. Just in front of the waterfall was Melo (one of the lovely 50 something Irish social workers) perched on a massive rock with her feet dipped in the water. ‘Come on in up here, it’s beautiful!’ she yelled with heaps of enthusiasm. I was told that the water on the way to the waterfall was extremely deep. I was quite scared, but Sheila (the other Irish social worker) reassured me that they were all around and would therefore assist me if needed. I gulped and gestured to Kamran (who was now rather curiously sat on a bench) to join me. Once again, that tinge of sadness, as he refused and left me to my own devices. Remember that extremely iconic photo of princess Diana solitarily sat in front of the Taj MahaI? That was how I felt, and it slowly became a regular feature of what was meant to be a trip that brought us together. Anyway, back to the waterfall, I composed myself, and jumped in, ready for the depths and incentivised by the stunning pouring water that appeared in the distance. After my courageous swim, I will meet the waterfall I told myself. Two minutes and fifty strokes later, I made it to the rock with Melo kindly lending a hand to help me sit. 'You did it! You are such a brave girl!’ She told me . Together, we swam to the waterfall which was only 5 meters away. Joined by Mika and Hans, we sat under the gushing waters, which felt like a super energised aqua massage. All I could hear was the gurgling and rushing of water, and all I could feel was a soothing icy pressure. We all laughed, whooped and screamed, and in that moment I felt incredibly alive. In those few minutes I felt so much happiness, that I will always carry with me. The sadness of being unable to share such experiences with Kamran juxtaposed with the care and love from newfound friends who were strangers only days before, created emotions that are hard to describe. What I can say for sure, is that those few hours were the best part of my trip. I challenged myself, connected with beautiful souls and was awakened. And how tragic, that those incredibly precious memories were without the company of my seemingly cautious and conservative husband.