#Adorable Tours of Egypt

[mammonscheeks]

demon brothers + dateables as destinations in the human world

✎ a/n: these are my opinions! i'm south and west asian, so i am most knowlegeable about those countries, please correct me if i've said anything incorrect!

LUCIFER

new york city, usa. he likes the cold, industrial corporate feel of nyc. it helps him avoid his feelings.

anywhere in germany. he likes their no-nonsense culture and unspoken social rules.

MAMMON

las vegas, nevada, usa. he always begs mc to take him there. the flashy lights and casinos are right up his alley.

dubai, uae. he loves the luxurious feel of it, and how its the center of celebrity gatherings, vacations, and parties.

LEVIATHAN

tokyo, japan (especially the akihabara/electronic district). he's always updated on pop culture and the newest technology/games.

seychelles island, africa. he likes swimming, but not socializing on the beach. that's why he likes isolated islands.

SATAN

london, england. he's interested in their medival history and seeing the places that inspired novels like harry potter and the sherlock holmes franchise.

cat island in japan, or any mediterranean country where cats freely roam.

ASMODEUS

paris, france. he'd love paris fashion week. he also just seems french to me, idk.

seoul, south korea. he'd adore seoul's culture, everything from the modern sappy kdramas to traditional dresses, like hanbok. he would bring an empty suitcase to stuff it with beauty products.

BEELZEBUB

mumbai, india. this metropolitan city in india offers so many different kinds of food. he would love to eat his way through the city, if not the entire country.

every city in mexico. he'd try the regional cuisine, but also hang out at the beach with his brothers and mc (so cute).

BELPHEGOR

cairo, egypt. he was once fascinated with humans, and often watched them build civilizations from heaven when he was an angel. he would enjoy the historical wonders of egypt.

reykjavic, iceland. idk why he just gives me iceland vibes. life there can be slow and cold, and it often gets less light than other countries.

DIAVOLO

transylvania, romania. he loves its breathtaking castles and culture, and is intrigued with all the pop culture references of vampires.

petra, jordan. this is a significant place in abrahamic religions, known for being haunted by demons, or jinn. diavolo would be fascinated by this history, whether its actually haunted or not. i know he'd eat up those scary ghost tours (insert fic about that here) and even probably try and scare a few tourist groups, despite barbatos advising him against it.

BARBATOS

istanbul, turkiye. istanbul has well-maintained structures from the byzantine empire, the ottoman empire, and even "newer and hip" neighborhoods. barbatos, being able to see the past and future, would appreciate the blend of it all here, like he's walking through time.

kathmandu, nepal. he'd enjoy the peace of monasteries and mountains, which are as old as the earth itself.

SIMEON

tuscany, italy. he'd enjoy the vast fields, heavenly sunsets, small towns and historic churches. he would find tuscany a peaceful place to write, but appreciates the community feel of small italian towns. would definitely be so friendly he'd get invited to eat dinner at a random family's house.

thessaloniki, greece. he would absolutely love seeing all the greek orthodox churches there, with their blue and white colors and dome roofs. he is just amused to see the religious structures humans have created. he'd also probably be interested in greek mythology, even though he's an angel.

LUKE

cape town, south africa. he would be so excited to see penguins at the beach and would enjoy the burst of color south africa offers. he'd also enjoy the modern bakeries and desserts in south africa.

lyon, france. the country is known for desserts. luke would probably take a baking class there to learn how to bake more things.

SOLOMON

salem, or just any small town in massachusetts. as a sorcerer, he's intrigued with their history of "witch hunting" and the paranormal.

lalibela, ethiopia. being old, he's intrigued with how ancient cities like lalibela have changed since biblical times. he also probably enjoys learning about different cultural practices and what they have in common with his sorcery. he also wants to learn how to cook more dishes from different countries, but fails miserably

[madlittlecriminal]

Fixing Mistakes ☾ Steven Grant × Female!Reader

Request: no, but they're open for everyone i write for :)

Warnings: donna being donna, marc pops up at the end

note: this has been done a few times before, so im sorry. i just like the idea

credits to @missdictatorme since her fic titled The Shades of the Moon is about steven getting the job as a tour guide. it is smut, so don't read it unless you're 18+

He was nervous to say the least. Donna said the new owner of the museum was making an appearance since she wanted to help them with their employees. He asked Donna about it, and she shrugged. "Might lose your job, Stevie."

So here he was, a nervous wreck while cashing out a customer. Yeah, he wasn't going to lie, as much as he didn't like working in the giftshop, he did like working at the museum. Sadly, he knew that if what Donna said was true, it was because of the number of times he was late. Then it hit him.

Wasn't the owner a man?

He shook his head and began organizing the small figures of the Egyptian Gods and Goddesses when the sound of heels made him confused as he knew one of them were Donna's, but the other was different. "Stevie! This is (Y/N). Her grandfather left her the museum after he passed away." You held your hand out while glancing at his nametag and smiled. "Nice to meet you, Steven." He took your hand and shook it, feeling his heart race at the sight of you.

Hathor blessed you with beauty, there was no denying that.

You broke the handshake and scan the giftshop. When your eyes fell on the stuffed Taweret, you made a mental note to buy it before leaving. She was honestly too adorable, and you didn't care that they were meant for children. "So, I read through your file and saw that Donna here wrote a little note saying that you wanted to be a tour guide?" He gulped before nodding his head. "Yes, I still do actually." You nodded. "Donna, can you give us a minute alone? Meet me in your office." She left and you look over at Steven. While he did sport dark circles under his eyes and baggy clothing, you thought he was handsome.

"So, it's no secret that you're late. A lot. Can you explain that to me?" You grab one of the plushies and bite your lip to hide your smile. "I-I have a sleeping disorder," Steven let his eyes wander a bit, checking you out before snapping out of it quickly. You hummed at his response before looking back at him, your eyes meeting his dark brown ones. "I trust there's a reason you want to be a tour guide and I know Donna doesn't want you to have it because you hardly come on time, but can I ask why you want to be a tour guide?"

He went ahead and ranted about Egypt, telling you everything that fascinated him which left you speechless. "It's just amazing!" You smiled at him. "I love that you know so much about it, Steven, I do. I can't give you the position though because of your tardiness, you know that right?" The smile on his face faded. "Y-yeah, I know."

"However, can you tell me why Donna calls you Stevie? You two don't seem close for her to give you a nickname, right?" He snorted. "She isn't great with names." You tilt your head to the side. "Steven, J.B calls you Scotty. I would get him not being good with names because he was playing a game on his phone when I walked in. Gave him a warning and told Donna she had to be on top of him for that. You work at the giftshop, and she makes you do inventory with her. How does she not know your name? Haven't you corrected her?" He nodded.

"She's just ignorant then?" He looked down and you sighed. "You know I can't have someone like that working here. I know she wants me to fire you, but honestly, I think you can try being on time more than she could be less ignorant." He chuckled at your words and nodded. "I need you to do something for me though before I tell Donna the news of her termination." HIs eyes widened at your words as you placed the plushie on the counter. "Can you ring me out and maybe try to be on time for, let's say...a week? If so, I'll think about that promotion for you." You sent him a wink, causing him to gasp and nod frantically. "I would love that! Thank you, (Y/N)!" You grin as he handed you the plush along with the receipt after cashing you out.

"No problem, but please don't make me regret this, okay?" He ran out from behind the counter and hugged you. You were surprised, but ultimately decided to hug him back...oh man, these baggy clothes did absolutely nothing but hide the fact that he had muscles. "Thank you thank you thank you." You chuckle before pulling back from the hug with Steven and hugging Taweret. "Just please promise me you'll make the effort to come on time. You'd be a perfect addition to the tour guides." With that, you left the giftshop, making Steven fist pump the air. "Honestly, she's 1,000 times better than Donna. I'll try to make sure you get up on time for now on, okay buddy?" Steven looked at the glass counter and raised a brow at his reflection. "I think we both know she's gorgeous, mate. Do you think she'd be interested?"

"Let's not get ahead of ourselves, buddy. I like your suggestion, but patience is a virtue."

[total-drama-brainrot]

Owen vampire anon here! Thanks for replying

I do like the idea of a whole horror concept of Owen, might like to play into that scenario one day. But i feel like it would be way more funnier and just...more Owen if it was kept in a more comedic light.

Hear me out on this scenario, everyone knows well enough that Owen might be a vampire. (People got this idea from some of the ideas you listed, and maybe the fact that Owen has mistaken them for food way too many times to be suspicious). But Owen is convinced that no one knows, so in the confessional he's just like "no one must know" dramatically

And then Noah walks up to the confessional like "My best friend might be a vampire. Crazy shit i know right?"

Also it would be really funny if Owen is convinced Izzy is a vampire too due to all her biting, when its really Izzy just doing fun pay back for all of Owen's blood sucking.

Yes! I adore fun light-hearted AUs, and having the vampire Owen AU focus mostly on the hijinks he gets up to in order to protect his "secret" (despite everyone knowing there's something up with him) is so fun. So good. 10/10 concept - especially since it plays into is canonical inability to keep a secret.

I think the initial misconception that Izzy is some sort of supernatural creature would be really funny; a fellow vampire, some sort of werefolk, a zombie(?). Anything known for being as feral and bite-happy as Izzy tends to be. She'd absolutely try to play into the idea, but I can't see her being very convincing at all despite her abilities as an actress - thus she'd be outed as a normal(ish) human being pretty quickly.

Though she'd be more than contented to be Owen's main bloodbag. Izzy's absolutely the type of person who'd have a weird fascination with the supernatural (her actions in the Egypt episodes of World Tour attest to this) and being the primary foodsource for a vampire would be right up her alley.

I see their relationship playing out a lot more vaguely than it did in canon - neither would ever cross the boundary of confirming whether their relationship is official or not, and (if we're getting a little angsty with it) Owen's happier living with their indeterminate situationship than risking asking Izzy to be his girlfriend, only to learn that she barely tolerates the company of a "monster" and doesn't share the sentiment. Or worse. Of course, that's pretty out of character for Izzy, but she is fairly unpredictable and Owen's got good reason to play his cards close to his chest when it comes to his "condition".

I didn't want to talk about Noah in the OG post since a lot of my blog in practically centered around him, but I did have an idea for a scenario where Owen is convinced that Noah is also a vampire, hence why he befriends him so quickly and easily. Because Noah's got pretty much all of the characteristics; he's cold to the touch, generally avoids sunlight and going outside, his footsteps are feather light to the point he moves around silently, he sleeps a lot during the day, ect ect.

To Owen, the only logical conclusion is that Noah is also a vampire who's really bad at masking it. In actuality, Noah's just kind of a weirdo. And anemic.

So Owen's fairly open about his vampirism to Noah, wholly convinced that they're both in the same boat. And Noah takes it in stride because he ran out of fucks to give the moment he arrived on the island and, in all honesty, Owen's pretty good company.

Then you get a scene like the one you proposed - Noah goes into the confessional, says something along the lines of "So my best friend is a vampire. I didn't realise reality TV shows cared that much about their diversity quota, but here we are." And plays off the whole situation in his usual unflappable and snarky way. Did he just have his perception of the world as he knew it shattered under the news that vampires are real? Yeah. Does he care? Not really.

Cue shennanagins where the rest of the Island knows that Owen is a vampire... and maybe they even think he turned Noah? And our favourite idiots are completely unaware and trying desperately to keep Owen's vampirism a secret.

I think it'd be really cool to have someone else on the island be a different type of supernatural being too, and have them work as an antagonistic force towards Owen in this AU. Or have someone be well versed in the occult and, using their knowledge, act as a de facto vampire hunter in a cartoonish game of cat-and-mouse between them and an oblivious Owen. Cough cough Gwen cough.

[lesuccube]

➚ 𝐅𝐎𝐋𝐃𝐄𝐑 : ꜱᴛᴇᴠᴇɴ ɢʀᴀɴᴛ — ᴛᴀꜱᴛᴇ ᴏꜰ ꜱᴜɴꜱʜɪɴᴇ

𝐒𝐘𝐍𝐎𝐏𝐒𝐈𝐒 — how's life like with the sweetest british man ever ?

𝐖𝐀𝐑𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐆 — fluff infection , mild smut virus

𝐂𝐎𝐌𝐌𝐄𝐍𝐓 — not beta'd , constructive criticism is welcomed . reblogs and comments are appreciated .

𝐖𝐎𝐑𝐃 𝐂𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐓 — 1.6k

you and steven have been together for a good half a year and i picture steven as a more needy kind of boyfriend. the man lacked so much attention and affection before and now that he has you in his life, he never wants that to stop. he tries hard not to be needy or clingy but he can't help it.

he just wants you to look at him, love him and spend your time with him and only him. sometimes it's overwhelming but you always make sure to tell steven when it starts to get too much but those are extremely rare. you're always happy to indulge the man with some well deserved love and affection!

he's brought up the idea of you moving in with him when you hit the fifth month of being together actually.

you always end up staying over at his place whenever you two hang out (because he literally won't let you go home sometimes under the guise that it's too late for you to go back and he doesn't want anything to happen to you). i mean, he's already given you the spare copy of his keys with a matching koala keychain attached to the keyring.

you tell him that you'll consider it, not saying yes but not really saying no. he's hopeful though, would keep asking you about it after every week as both an inside joke and a serious offer.

after the whole ammit stuff that went down in cairo, steven actually reapplied at the museum! he managed to get word that donna was fired and someone else has replaced her spot . you convinced him to go back and do what he loves, reassuring steven that he'll do great.

it took a few days of convincing but in the end he did listen to you and applied for the tour guide position and he got the role with flying colors! the museum was thoroughly impressed by his knowledge of ancient egypt and gave him the job on the spot and he would be starting as a guide the following week.

you treated steven with home cooked vegetarian meals and wine that night and proceeded to end the night tangled between the sheets.

you definitely cook in the relationship. steven got a taste of you cooking stir fry once and he's begged you to keep cooking for him ever since.

he had shyly asked you to pack him lunch when he was about to start at his new role as a tour guide and you happily obliged! you make him cute vegetarian bentos daily and leave a small sticky note on his lunch box filled with words of encouragement.

you don't know this but he actually kept every single one of them in a tiny box and hid it within his shelves.

you own a car which makes steven your permanent designated passenger princess!

you think it's adorable the way he blushes profusely when you open the door for him and whines that he should be the one doing that for you, only for you to shush him and tell him that you enjoy doing it for him.

you 100% hold hands a lot especially during longer drives or if he's feeling cheeky, he'd sneak a hand on your thigh that would begin to travel higher and higher.

on those days you'd have to find a place to park and fast to sneak a quickie, edging poor steven until he's all whiny and submissive, begging for his release. but you do remind him he was being bad by distracting you while driving. he'd have to wait until later that day to be able to cum.

at times like that he's glad he wears loose and baggy clothings because it would have been embarrassing to walk around with a raging hard on outlining his jeans even though it's his fault in the first place that he has to deal with his boner while on a date with you.

you tried to build furniture together once. it was just a shelf actually, so that the book piled on the floor of his flat would have a better home. but you found out you both sucked at it, there were screws missing and the manual confused the hell out of you two even though the instructions were really easy and simple to follow.

you both gave up mid-work and the poor shelf ended up as a half finished product tucked away at one corner of his flat collecting dust.

i'm a firm believer that steven is a romanticist. he's pretty old-fashioned about it too.

he writes you handwritten letters every month celebrating the day you had agreed to be his girlfriend. if his shift at the museum ends earlier than your work, he'd pick you up at the lounge area of your work building with a fresh bouquet in hand. he plans your dates together!

he'd always make sure to ask you your free days and tries to align his own schedule with yours so you can go on a date next weekend for a trip at the farmer's market and then have some breakfast at a quaint café a little ways from the city. he's a romantic sap and you wouldn't have him any other way.

you buy gus the second new decorations in his aquarium. you never saw the original gus, all that you knew was that the first one really only had one fin.

when you asked about how the original gus was replaced he was hesitant at first, thinking you might be weirded out by his condition but marc was the one who dared him to try and tell you. so he let you know bits and pieces about his did, introduced you to marc after many heavy debates with his reflection (when you weren't around).

in conclusion, the chicagoan liked you for steven which in turn meant that he did too but that's a story for another time.

steven is a sub and you can't change my mind. bratty but a sub nonetheless. he likes that you take control and he's more than happy to give it to you with very little resistance. a little spanking sets him straight if he doesn't behave.

i also headcanon him being into bondage. he likes it when you tie him up, colorful ropes knotted and binding him in place, the anticipation of waiting for you to touch him turns him on even more.

he prefers things like silk ribbons rather than handcuffs and yes, you've definitely gagged him before when he starts to get too loud after receiving a complaint from your downstairs neighbor about your activities.

you once made an offhand comment about steven looking extremely peggable, it left him a blushy stuttering mess. but one day when you come home from work, steven is sitting on his bed looking nervous and squirmy, a big paper bag next to him.

"steven baby, what's wrong?" you ask as you set your bag on the floor next to him before kneeling in front of him, taking his hands in your own. "i um... do you remember love when you— you said i was... peggable?" he says the last word in a tiny whisper, a blush spreading from his cheeks to the tips of his ears and down his neck. he lets go of your hand to give you the bag with shaky nervousness, looking away as you peer at the contents inside: a strap on and a big bottle of lube.

"d-do you think we could uh— would you like to try it love? i-i'm fine with it if you are." let's just say you and steven had a very fun time experimenting into his new kink.

i feel like sweet steven would propose to you after a year and a half into the relationship?

yes he knows he's moving too fast but to him, you're everything. you're it. (let's say marc and layla divorced after cairo okay? okay.) plus marc liked you too. he liked you a good amount (he loves you but marc's stubborn and insists he only likes you a healthy amount) he would front and spend some time with you too. to steven that's like the best thing he could ask for.

"we don't have to marry right away, love. we're busy with work with you getting ready for your promotion and i'm getting more and more tours and it's been hectic enough for us as it is but one day yeah? one day i would love to see you walk down the aisle where we'd both say our vows and by the end of it, i get to finally call you my wife." he rambles as he kneels in front of your crying figure, ring in hand.

i know we all think he'd be a blubbering mess when proposing but i personally don't see him doing that.

if that man proposes, it's because he's set his mind into it after thorough deliberation. if he proposes, it's with confidence and purpose.

he doesn't prepare a speech, just relays what his heart tells him and it's telling him that his love for you was more than life itself and that he wants nothing more than for you to give him the absolute honor of having him as your husband. you had to kiss him to shut up so you can finally tell him...

"it's a yes steven, it will always be a yes for me. i love you more with each day i get to be with you, and to spend the rest of my waking days with your last name as my own? if this was a dream steven grant, never wake me up because i would love to be your wife. i'm yours and only yours if you'll have me."

[artdonalldson]

May I request #3 "Did I say that out loud?" + Steven Grant? xo

Hi, love! Thank you so much for requesting! I wrote this in just one night + it’s my first time writing for Steven! so if it’s a bit weird I apologize hehe!  Hope you like it tho! 💕

Prompt: "Did I say that out loud?"

Summary: Steven likes you, you like Steven, but neither of you dare to confess your feelings (until now!)

Content: No pronouns, no descriptions, reader likes books, Steven being a cute nerd, museum date, love confession, one (1) kiss, my bad english, probably.

Words: ~1.2k

GIF by @salome-c ✨

If anyone else wants to send a prompt, please check this post!

You've been friends with Steven for a couple of months now, he's the sweetest man you know and you love talking with him all the time, not to mention he’s very handsome; he works at the museum as tour guide and he promised that he’d give you a personal tour one of these days.

Life has been a little busy for you but he idea of going out together seems interesting and fun, so you agree to go out with him on a sunny sunday morning.

You met at the coffee shop you usually go to, you made a connection from the very first time you saw him in there, he was sitting the table in the corner while reading a book, you approached him and asked what was he reading, the next thing you knew you were sitting together and having a long conversation about your favorite books and some other stuff; soon it became a fun routine to you, to come over and have some nice chatter with him.

And as the time passed by, your friendship started to grow and the feelings did as well, before you knew it you were thinking of his big pretty eyes all the time, and those messy curls you’d love to tangle your fingers on; you think seriously if you should make the first move and tell him that you like him a lot but you don’t know if that would be a good idea, you don’t want to ruin your friendship, so you just hope that eventually he’ll let you know how he feels about you.

.......... 

Sunday soon arrives and Steven finds himself taking his time getting ready to see you at the museum, he’s not usually like this but he spends a good amount of time looking at himself in the mirror, fixing his curls and picking his favorite shirt just to see you, he’s never really had a date before and this is the closest he’ll ever be to be on one, he tells himself, so why not make the most of it? 

After some minutes, you walk to the museum, looking at the big pillars adorning the entrance, a couple banners hanging outside with images of gods and monsters  "Treasures of Ancient Egypt”, you read out loud.

You walk inside to find Steven leaning on a counter, with a book on his hands and his reading glasses on, looking as perfect as always.

"Hi, Steven!"

"Oh, hey!" He quicly shoves the book on his bag to greet you with a warm hug.

"You want to get going? There's a lot I want to show you"

.......... 

You can see the joy on his eyes as he guides you through the halls of the museum, both of you admiring all kinds of the ancient artifacts, from jewelry to statues, taking your time to look at every detail while he explains every single particularity of every object on display, his soothing voice filled with excitement, and looking at how you pay attention to everything says.

Steven loves to make you smile all the time, that’s one of the things he adores about you, so he’s always cracking up a few jokes and telling you the most random facts he knows, he’d love to be all the time with you if he could just to make you happy and hear the melody of your laugh; he can’t deny that he really really likes you, a lot, maybe a little bit more than just as a friend.

It’s nice having someone who likes to listen to all the things he has to say, someone who understands his love for books and egypt, you actually have a lot in common and it makes him feel so so happy that he doesn't know what to do with all of these newfound feelings, he feels that if you keep spending more time together he’ll end up spilling the words, but that's not what scares him, he's afraid that if he tells you and you like him back then you'd leave him. 

Oh, if only he knew…

.......... 

As you keep walking around, you spot something that catches your eye, a group of small figurines carved in stone, ushabtis, all of them lined up like a small army on a glass showcase.

"Quite interesting, isn't it?" 

"Yeah they're pretty nice" you nod

You'd seen these in books before and seeing them now is quite impressive.

"You know? They used to place these in pharaoh's tombs, so they would help them in the afterlife" he explains.

"That sounds interesting"

"Wanna know something else? You can also imprison gods in them" 

"Gods?"

"Yeah, I've seen it myself"

You can't help but chuckle.

"What else do you know that I don't?" You ask

"Well I can tell you stories you wouldn't believe" he smirks

He walks you to a wall with some paintings of gods, standing in front of one in particular.

“See this one? This is Khonshu…” he begins

“God of the moon, right?” 

He looks at you and nods

“Well, believe it or not, he’s real, I used to work for him, he’s very annoying by the way”

“What?” you chuckle

“See? said you wouldn’t believe me” he smiles as you let out a laugh

He speaks so seriously that sometimes he almost makes you believe he’s not joking, (because it´s just a joke, is it?).

“Do you have any other secrets, Grant?” you ask with an amused smirk

“I can tell you more if you want”

“Tell me” You step closer to him, your face is a few inches from his.

You've never been this close and you have to admit he’s even more attractive like this, you can feel the smell of his cologne and it's delicious; he looks at your eyes, then at your lips, it's like he really wants to kiss you- and you’d let him if he wanted to, because you can perfectly feel that he likes you too.

"Oh God, you're really beautiful" 

You giggle a little as you look away and then back at him, he seems not to notice what he said until his eyes widen in surprise.

"Oh, no... Did I say that out loud?" 

You just nod in response

"Oh… oh, I… Sorry, I…" he stutters as he starts to blush and tries to hide his face on his hands.

You put your hands on his arms, soothing them carefully.

“Hey, let me look at you” 

He slowly uncovers his face and looks back at you, you're right there in front of him, you didn't leave like he imagined you would, instead you look happy, beaming at him and absolutely gorgeous.

Without a warning you reach to give him a kiss on the lips which he responds immediately, cradling your face on his big hands and pressing his lips against yours, they are warm and fit perfectly with yours.

As you pull away you notice he’s happy and a little bit confused.

"I didn’t know how to tell you this but, I think you're beautiful too, Steven" 

“So, are we still friends?” He asks nervously

“Sure, more than that if you want to” you suggest with a wink

He puts his arms around you and hugs you tightly

“okay then, love”

You walk around the museum for a while more, his hand on yours and feeling happy that you finally had the chance to let your feelings bloom at last. 

......

Thank you so much for reading! <3

[tubbypeddle]

Jojo's Bizarre Adventures matchup with @graveyard-dash!!

(author's note: I'm so sorry this took forever, i'm going thru an awful burnout phase right now, and almost forgot about this. but I remembered! so here I am! credits to original gif owners, as well, I did not make them.)

I'm so sorry this took so so long 😭

seriously, someone told me I looked happier today, and I told him he must be mistaken bc I've been so drained for the longest time there's no way I look happier than the last time u saw me

Anyway!

let's get into it!

You find yourself wandering around Hong Kong.

It's 1989.

It's scary all by yourself.

Of course, you find yourself in the middle of a battle you had no idea was going to happen.

And you're saved by the man who'd been on fire five minutes ago,

Jean-Pierre Polnareff

You found yourself in the middle of his battle by accident. You followed the noises of commotion, hoping for a story to tell your friends.

Instead, you find this tall Frenchman in some weird battle that you can't really fully make out with some Japanese teenager and an intimidating Muslim man.

He finds you absolutely charming. You're probably not all dressed up, but that's not what draws him in to you. It's not your piercings, or your clothes, or your makeup, or your pretty dark hair.

It's your eyes. There's something in your eyes that reminds him of a life he's always wanted to live out when he was a kid.

A 'happy wife, happy life' kinda life.

It's after the fight that he promises to find you. He has to leave to follow them on their journey to Egypt, but he promises to come back to you, wherever you are.

It's a big scene, dramatic and filled with what you thought were empty promises, however charming he was.

But he keeps to his word.

You've since returned to your home country after touring around Hong Kong, but he still managed to find you. Showed up to your door with a big bouquet of flowers and everything.

Your relationship from there is beautiful.

You're both pretty touchy people. Polnareff likes to have his hands on you whenever he can. An arm around your shoulders, a hand in your back pocket. Just holding hands. He won't ever let you do anything without him hovering behind you.

You're drawing? He probably has his chin hooked over your shoulder, just watching as you draw. (He definitely asks you to draw him)

You're baking? He's right behind you, clinging onto you like a lost puppy.

He stays away while you're cooking though. He's scared of the Gordon Ramsay in you. Absolutely terrified.

You know his saying. 'Happy wife, happy life'. I mean, you're not his wife yet, but you will be. He has no intentions of ever living a life without you, so you'll have to marry him eventually. When he inevitably pops that special question.

The two of you are absolute gossip QUEENS.

Polnareff always has the juiciest tea, since he's started working with the Speedwagon Foundation. He likes to eavesdrop on classified conversations just so he can report back to you.

He used to gossip like this with Sherry all the time, and since finding you, he's just happy he can gossip away without being hardcore judged for it (Kakyoin)

He absolutely adores the gifts you get him. They're always on display somewhere in his house back in France. (To be honest, he probably takes you back to France with him as soon as possible. Sweeps you off your feet back to the city of love)

Tough, be careful, because as soon as he gets that Speedwagon paycheck, he's spoiling you as often as he can. Any little thing that you even look at with any sort of interest, Polnareff will buy it for you. So I hope you have plenty of storage room for his dramatic gifts.

It's absolutely perfect that you find humor to be one of your favorite traits in other people, and yourself.

Because get ready for plenty of laughter in your relationship with him.

He loves telling jokes, and loves making you laugh in any way he can. And he loves that you're the same. Aside from having his hands on you at all times, another requirement for a relationship with him is the laughter.

He's a silly guy. He doesn't mind being the butt of the joke at times, if it means you'll laugh.

-=-=-=-=-=-

again, I literally cannot say it enough, I am so sorry for the ridiculously long wait

i, like, speedran this in the span of two nights bc I didn't want to keep you waiting any longer than you had to

I HOPE YOU LIKED IT

[selidren]

Printemps 1924 - Champs-les-Sims

10/10

Ou alors elle se trouvera là où elle a toujours voulu être. J'admire chez elle cette certitude un peu illusoire avec laquelle elle mène sa vie. On a souvent l'impression qu'elle ne doute de rien, qu'elle sait exactement ce qu'il faut faire. Je vous ai déjà dit que c'est elle qui a encouragé ma liaison avec Jean ? Je ne crois pas. J'espère pour elle qu'elle vivra toutes ces magnifiques aventures qu'elle fantasme tant et qu'elle m'écrira les détails dans ses lettres. Je suis persuadée que de toute façon, nous ne la verrons plus beaucoup à la maison à partir de l'automne. J'espère bien revoir mon frère cependant. Il est n'est pas souvent là, et il me manque beaucoup. J'ai bien un autre petit frère, mais nous n'avons plus beaucoup de centres d'intérêt en commun depuis quelques années, et de toute façon, il va à son tour entrer au pensionnat cette année. Si j'ai un jour un fils, je ne sais pas si j'aurai envie de le laisser aller là-bas, il me manquerait encore plus qu'Antoine j'imagine.

Je sens que les changements seront plus radicaux que prévu. Petite Eugénie (qui adore écouter aux portes) dis que Papa et Maman veulent retourner en Egypte, mais ce serait pour s'y installer. Ce serait vraiment une catastrophe. Je n'ai absolument pas envie que cela arrive.

J'ai été ravie de vous écrire cher cousin.

Noé

Transcription :

Albertine « Cléo… Ma grande fille, pourquoi est-ce que cela a l’air de te bouleverser à ce point ? Et que faisais-tu à la boite aux lettres ? »

Cléopâtre « Maman, je… Comment se fait-il que je sois la seule que la passion fuit ? »

Albertine « Mais… mais de quoi parles-tu ? »

Cléopâtre « Vous et Papa, Sélène et son Berto, A… bref vous avez compris… Moi aussi je veux une histoire d’amour passionnée, des émotions qui tourbillonnent et qui vous donnent l’impression de vous noyer de bonheur… Moi, je brûle tout sur mon passage ! »

Albertine « Je ne comprends rien ma chérie… Tu y auras droit aussi un jour, j’en suis sure, qu’est-ce qui te fait croire le contraire ? »

Cléopâtre « Il y a ce garçon avec qui j’écris… Enfin, un ami d’Antoine. Il nous a mis en contact et… j’ai été très amoureuse Maman. Mais trop, beaucoup trop. »

Albertine « Oh ma chérie... »

Cléopâtre « Il m’a dit dans sa dernière lettre que j’étais trop brûlante pour lui, et qu’il ne pouvait pas me donner ce que je voulais alors… Je lui ai répondu. Je l’ai supplié… Mais je n’ai jamais eu de réponse. Alors j’attends. »

Albertine « Ma Cléo… Il y a tout à aimer en toi. Le feu qui t’animes ne brûle pas trop fort, il fait en réalité de toi quelqu’un de précieux. C’est un magnifique outil de création, et une lumière qui te fait briller. Si ce garçon ne peut pas le voir, c’est qu’il n’est pas celui qu’il te faut. Mais il n’est que le premier, il y en aura d’autres. »

Cléopâtre « Comment en être sure ? Et puis je l’aime... »

Albertine « Je sais que c’est très dur, mais il faut l’oublier. Si il ne veut pas que vous alliez plus loin, ce n’est pas la peine de persévérer. Je sais simplement que si ton père et moi avons pu nous trouver, il n’y a pas de raison que tu ne trouves pas quelqu’un un jour. Pleure autant que tu veux, cela te fera du bien. Puis, pense à la suite. Tu vas faire de brillantes études, et ta carrière littéraire sera plus brillante encore. »

Cléopâtre « Mais l’amour... »

Albertine « Cléo, tu as toujours aimé l’idée de l’amour. Mais il n’est pas tout. Si j’aime ton père, je n’ai pas que lui comme raison de vivre. Ne te définis pas comme une amoureuse avant tout. Tu le trouveras. Mais avant, pense à toi et à ce que tu accompliras. Et quoi qu’il arrive, n’oublie pas que ta Maman sera là pour t’aider ou même juste pour épancher tes larmes. »

[jungkookjeon0007]

Nights in Vegas | CH. 8 (JJK FF)

☆ summary: When Olivia flies to Las Vegas for her first ever BTS concert w/ her best friend, she was expecting to make lots of unforgettable memories... What she wasn't expecting was to end up with the lead singer, Jeon Jungkook, knocking on her hotel room door only to find her in nothing but a towel. What will happen when the golden maknae wants to see her again? Will it lead to heartbreak, or a promising future for them both?

☆ pairing(s): jungkook x olivia.

☆ ratings: (18+) for detailed sex scenes + harsh language.

☆ genre: smut, angst, fluff.

☆ word count: 1.5k.

☆☆☆☆☆☆

We went to grab some lunch at the cutest place called The Blueberry Hill Family Restaurant and it was seriously some of the best food I've ever eaten.

We talked and had a good time laughing at each other's jokes and the most embarrassing things that have happened to us in our lives, debating whose was worse.

Once our bellies were full, it was time to take a few tours and do some sight seeing around the city. Jungkook had planned the whole day for us, so I had no idea what was on his itinerary.

We arrived at our destination and I was stunned to see a helicopter waiting for us. I looked at him with a confused expression, "A helicopter? Where are we going in a helicopter?"

He replied with a mischievous smile, "You'll have to wait and see because I can't spoil the surprise."

He winked at me, grabbing my hand, "Come on they're waiting for us"

With that I followed him to the helicopter and once we were ready for takeoff, the pilot had us put on our headphones so we can talk to each other while up in the air. We sat beside one another and as I was looking around waiting for us to take off, I felt someone staring at me. As I turned, I caught him looking at me with an adorable smile on his face. "What?"

He shook his head, "Nothing, I am just thinking how happy I am to be doing this with you."

He smiled and grabbed my hand, interlocking our fingers together.

"Okay, is everyone ready for takeoff?" The pilot asked.

We both gave a thumbs up and said yes in perfect sync. The pilot smiled, starting up the helicopter and before I knew it we were up in the air. If I were afraid of heights, this would be terrifying... but like Jungkook, I was fascinated and could not believe how beautiful the view was.

Our first place to visit on the tour was the Strip of Las Vegas. We could see nothing but a boulevard of casinos, hotels, and a mash-up of replicas of the world's most iconic places (Egypt, Venice, France etc) and it was a sight to be seen. We lingered for a bit while the tour guide told us all about the Strip and why it was so popular, soon flying off to the next place on the list.

The Hoover Dam.

"This is amazing, but why is it so famous? I am curious." Jungkook stated as he peered out the window.

The tour guide once again started to explain that The Hoover Dam is famous because it protects Southern California and Arizona from disastrous floods that the Colorado area used to be common for. 

"Woah, does it do anything else besides that?" He asked full of curiosity.

I caught myself staring at him as the tour guide explained that it also provides water to irrigate farm fields and that it supplies water and power to LA and other cities in the southwest.

He stared at him with big doe eyes shining in fascination.

. . .

We toured a few other places until the guide let it slip that our final trip would be over The Grand Canyon. I gasped in awe as I saw it in the distance and grabbed Jungkook's arm in excitement, "Oh my gosh. I have always wanted to see The Grand Canyon but never actually thought that I would be able to! I am so excited right now that I could cry."

He gave me a huge smile and wrapped his arm around me, moving my headphones to whisper in my ear. "I know, Lacie may have  helped me out with this part." His lips barely touching my ear.

I pulled back and looked at him in confusion as he smiled at me. "L-lacie. My best friend?"

He nodded.

"But, how? I was with you all night and this morning?"

He shook his head as an amused smile spread across his face, "I will explain later, for now look out your window and enjoy the view." He nodded to the window behind me.

I was so into the conversation that I didn't realize we were flying right over the west rim of The Grand Canyon. My mouth was wide open as my eyes were shining in awe at how beautiful it was in person. I could only imagine something like this before, and he made it a dream come true for me to be able experience this. I was feeling so overwhelmed with happiness that my eyes started to fill with tears, daring to spill down my cheeks. It wasn't only the fact of seeing the canyon in person, but it was the fact that he did all of this for me and went completely out of his way to ask my friend what I liked. He will never understand how much this moment truly means to me.

I planted a sweet kiss on his cheek as we flew over end of The Grand Canyon, "Thank you so much for this Jungkook."

. . .

[Jungkook's POV]

We started heading back towards the city after a 3 hour tour of all the beautiful landmarks, along with The Strip of Las Vegas. I couldn't get the image of how perfect she looked seeing The Grand Canyon out of my head and when she kissed my cheek, I swear that spot burned the remainder of the helicopter ride. I am on cloud and loving every damn second of this adventure with her and lucky for me, our day of plans is not over yet.

I surprised her with one more thing and took her to The Strat Hotel Casino SkyPod. This is where some of the world's most extreme thrill rides are located and I myself have been itching to get on them. Naturally they knew I was coming before hand, and only let so many people in to avoid the place being overcrowded.

As we got in the elevator to go up to the top floor, I could tell she was confused.

She looked at me with her eyebrows furrowed. "Are we not going to the casino?"

I shook my head, "Just hold my hand and we will be there before you know it, okay?"

I sent her a sweet smile and while returning it, she grabbed my hand nervously. "Okay."

As the doors opened, I could see the look of excitement flashing across her face, "You brought me to ride these rides??? How did you know I always wan-"

She stopped mid sentence as realization hit her. "Lacie huh?" She asked with a sly smile on her face.

"She may have also mentioned that you've always wanted to ride these as well."

She shook her head as we started walking towards the rides, riding all 3 back to back and laughing the whole time. Never would I have guessed that she would enjoy rides like this or not be afraid of heights.

This woman keeps getting more and more amazing as the days go by, I swear.

. . .

[Author's POV]

After they took the helicopter tour and rode some of the world's scariest thrill rides together, Jungkook and Olivia started to get sleepy and wanted to head back to the hotel. First before going back though, they stopped and got some snacks to take back and within 30minutes, they arrived back at the hotel.

"Hey Liv, I really want you to come back to my room so we can snuggle together and take a nap... but I want to also take you out to dinner later just the two of us. I was kind of hoping it could be like a date." He instantly turned crimson red.

"I would like that too, but I think it would be best if we went to our own rooms so you can pick me up properly for our first date later."

He quickly snapped his head up to look at her as she was already smiling. Before he realized what he was doing, he picked her up and spun her around. She giggled and laughed when suddenly the air got serious. He didn't realize the situation they were in until both of their breaths hitched and got heavier. Olivia's egs were wrapped around his waist as he held her butt in the palms of his hands. They were staring into each other's eyes, feeling the urge to have their lips on one another. She laced her fingers in the back of his soft and silky black hair, pulling him closer. Their lips then met, sharing a steamy and hot kiss inside the elevator.

When the elevator signaled they were on her floor, they broke the kiss and at each other as he put her down.

"I guess I will see you later then huh?"

"Absolutely you will." He smiled at her, waving goodbye.

Not believing what had just happened, she touched her lips softly and knew right then, that she was starting to fall in love with Jungkook.

[nemolfc]

𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐢𝐞𝐫 - 𝐦𝐨𝐡𝐚𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐝 𝐬𝐚𝐥𝐚𝐡.

・𝐫𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐛𝐲: 𝐚𝐧𝐨𝐧𝐲𝐦𝐨𝐮𝐬

( 𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐌𝐨 𝐒𝐚𝐥𝐚𝐡: 𝐇𝐢𝐦 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐲/𝐧 𝐚𝐫𝐞 “𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠” 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐲/𝐧 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐨 𝐝𝐨 𝐬𝐨 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐟𝐮𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐝𝐮𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐌𝐨 𝐛𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐢𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐟𝐮𝐥. 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐫𝐞𝐠𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 ��𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐌𝐨 𝐬𝐚𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐡𝐞’𝐬 𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐬𝐞𝐞 𝐲/𝐧 𝐛𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧. )

𝐩𝐬𝐚: 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤 𝐨𝐟 𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐲 𝐰𝐚𝐲, 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐞 𝐨𝐫 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐦 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐲𝐞𝐫 𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐟𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐲 ( 𝐦𝐨'𝐬 𝐟𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐲 𝐢𝐬 𝐬𝐨 𝐜𝐮𝐭𝐞 𝐛𝐭𝐰 ) 𝐬𝐨 𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞, 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐜𝐞𝐞𝐝 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐠𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐯𝐢𝐛𝐞𝐬.

𝐢'𝐦 𝐚 𝐦𝐮𝐬𝐥𝐢𝐦 𝐢𝐫𝐥, 𝐬𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐬 𝐩𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐲 𝐟𝐥𝐮𝐟𝐟 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐢𝐬𝐥𝐚𝐦 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐱𝐭, 𝐲/𝐧 𝐢𝐬 𝐚 𝐜𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐧 𝐞𝐠𝐲𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐧 ( 𝐢𝐭'𝐬 𝐦𝐮𝐜𝐡 𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐢𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐰𝐚𝐲 ) 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐞𝐧𝐯𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐭 𝐡𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭.

[ 𝐡𝐨𝐩𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐢𝐭 ]

( cuuuute )

Y/N is a deeply spiritual person in the sense that she believed with her whole heart that a woman must remain pure and untouched until she meets the man she can truly call, the love of her life - she was born in Cairo, Egypt to two loving parents who were Catholic and had instilled in her that the proper way to love someone is to refrain from any and all sinful acts, which is a lesson she carried throughout her entire life.

She had tried dating, and by dating - it was the standard, meeting a nice guy over a meal or a soft drink, chatting for a few hours yet it never really went anywhere, two serious relationships that ended only because the men expected her to relent and fully surrender herself to someone, whilst she fully believed that the person she is meant to be with is out there, and if she were to meet him, she wanted to be pure.

That's when Mohammed came into the picture.

Y/N was accepted into Liverpool Hope University on a scholarship to study English Literature as she hoped to become an author, a kids author to be exact - and within her time in Liverpool she was able to meet several people of the same faith, who ensured that she had fun but also steered clear of sinful acts, and one morning; a very calm and uneventful morning, she stopped at a café to grab a cappuccino and a sweet treat when on her way out, she collided with someone and thankfully, nothing was spilled.

" Oh my god, I am so sorry " Y/N apologized before her eyes widened upon realizing who she collided with.

It was none other than, Mohammed Salah, Liverpool's and Egypt's star.

Her parents adored him, given that they were massive football fans and her father frequently watched Liverpool games on the tv just to cheer him on.

" It's fine " Mohammed smiles politely, his brows raising for a moment before he decided to ask. " You're not from here, are you? "

Y/N shakes her head with a shy smile, " No, I'm a fellow Egyptian " she states with a giggle.

" Really " Mohammed smiled.

Y/N nods, " yes, I am and just for the record, I'm not an avid fan of football so you can rest, I won't act crazy or ask you for a photo, but thank god my parents aren't here cause they love you " she laughs.

Mohammed laughs, " Ah, well I'm glad to know that "

Y/N gestured to her car, " I should probably go now " as she was about to make her way to her car he stops her, " Yes "

" May I at least know your name? " Mohammed asks, " And maybe get your number, you know ... " he smiles, " just in case you need a tour guide around Liverpool "

Y/N smiles, " Ah! " she placed her cup and box on top of her car before she rummaged through her bag to grab a pen and a piece of paper and write down her contact information. " Here you go "

Mohammed smiled as he read over the name, " Y/N L/N, a beautiful name "

" Thank you " Y/N smiled, " Goodbye Mohammed "

That day was the setting stone for a beautiful and spiritual relationship built on respect, love and admiration; They had similar personalities and were very hardworking when it came to what they loved, their only difference being their religion, Mohammed being a practicing Muslim and Y/N being a religious Christian, however that difference as much as it was minuscule seeing they both hailed from the same nation, it did pose as problem when it came to the public eye.

Several hate messages and comments flooded her socials, people telling her to back off, calling her a bad seed for supposedly corrupting Mohammed and while those comments affected her in a sense, Mohammad assured her that he doesn't care as his intentions for her were pure, he loved her and respected her wholeheartedly, regardless of the religion she practiced.

After a lovely dinner in a cozy Italian restaurant, Mohammed and Y/N decided to take a walk around the park, and it was then that he decided to ask her, " Where do you see yourself in a year? "

Y/N took a minute to formulate a coherent response and smiled, " I would say, happily married with a child "

Mohammed smiled at the answer, " So do I " he falls silent for a moment before he decides to ask even further, " I want that too, however two children instead of one "

Y/N felt a flutter inside of her chest, " Girls or boys? "

Mohammed shrugs, " I don't mind, as long as God gives me healthy children, and their mother is also healthy " he smiles, " I don't mind what I am blessed with "

Y/N nods slowly, " So, in a year from now, you'd get married? "

" Yes " Mohammed nods, " I'm not getting any younger, I want to do things properly, I want to settle down seeing as I am thankful to God and my parents for getting me to where I am, I'm only short of one thing that God had advised us to do, get married "

Y/N smiles, " I like that, I am glad I found you because ... there are no more real men in this world, you're a gem Mohammed and I love you so much "

Mohammed smiled, " I love you too " he stopped midway through their walk which confused Y/N. " I want to ask you something "

Y/N stops with a confused expression, " Ok? "

" Marry me? "

There it was, the two words she'd wanted to hear her entire life; her mother had gotten married at a young age, and here she was, at twenty five - in front of who she can only describe as an angel on earth, " Mo " she whispers.

" Y/N I mean it, I want a future with you " Mohammed smiles, " While I would love it, if you converted to Islam, but I don't want to force you, I respect you Y/N, I respect the fact that you live your life the proper way which is a rare thing to find in this world and if there's a woman I know will be a proper mother to my children, it'll be you "

His words were enough to have her tears threatening to fall, " so? "

" Yes, I will marry you, we can get married tomorrow if we have to " Y/N giggles, " I love you and I want to spend the rest of my life with you "

" Good " Mohammad smiled, " I will do this tomorrow night, the proper way but for now, let's continue our walk "

[jades-typurriter]

Tell us more about Fiora and Heather!!

ALRIGHT SO

even though fiora is kind of the main character of "Shear Bliss" (NSFW Warning!) we kind of have to start with heather because they are, contrary to appearances, the older of the two of them by FAR

heather's original refs, designed and drawn by @sacrednanners on twitter!

theyre actually significantly older than fiora. like, by several millennia.

they were actually born on one of the smaller islands in the mediterrannean about 3200 years ago, a period during which, according to greek mythology, the gods were still directly fucking with people all the time. according to Oedipus Rex, the gods stopped doing that after looking at the colossal mess they made in the events of that play (+ the trojan war), so if i wanted to be able to point at the existence of magic in greek mythology instead of coming up with my own magic system, i had to pick a date from before then (more specifically, its the estimate i saw for the setting of The Odyssey, and Circe was a direct inspiration for their character, so thats what i went with :) )

after picking up their tricks, they started traveling from island to island and city-state to city-state, using their magic to trick people into believing they were a minor deity or nature spirit of some kind. as it turns out, that sort of thing is a good way to land "guest of honor" status at those old greek festivals (and also lots of offerings of food!) they picked up their taste for being pampered and adored there, and once they had run out of places to keep up the con had their fill of greek life, they also toured lower egypt, doing much the same, and then so on and so forth in other places

they've maintained their youth for so long using their magic (which is, in turn, maintained with all the worship they used to collect with the "lesser divinity" scam). nowadays, they get all the attention they need through less direct means than showing up to a rager in person: a VERY strong digital presence. in addition to modeling work, they run a highly successful instagram and are a popular livestreamer, bringing in a comfortable amount of money from donations, sponsorships, etc. (that said, they still fuckin love a good rager).

fiora's original reference, also by @sacrednanners, and the first panel of the sequence from Shear Bliss, by my bestie @mae-lizzowski

fiora, on the other hand, is totally mortal and also (apart from working in and around hollywood) totally normal. she was born in a rural community, moved out to work as a tailor, and through a combination of factors (working hard in a decade where that made a difference, having a steady supply of any colored thread she could need immediately on-hand to rapidly iterate on a client's request, and some lucky connections) was able to build up enough savings and reputation to set up her own boutique.

she met heather through her work, when they were working their way up to their current popularity (which, to be fair, wasn't much of a long process; in fact, it was suspiciously quick) and heather wanted to go straight to the big names to get some nice clothes for themself. for as obnoxious as they can be as a customer, they're good at telling where exactly The Line is, and they don't cross it with fiora. with that absolute minimum of respect met, enough reoccurring business between the two of them led them to develop a rapport---while the streaming gig is relatively new, heather's been one of fiora's most reliable customers for going on 30 years! even if she can't stand them sometimes, thats plenty long to get used to somebody.

her wool, pivotal to her work though it is, is also fairly normal. no magic involved, just a quirk of her genes. both of her parents had white wool, and even her son doesn't share the mutation!

(her son florence is his own character btw, as opposed to like an off-screen piece of characterization for fiora. imagine being raised by both a hardass like fiora and a diva like heather. imagine this kid just turning 20 and not only breaking into the fashion business as well, but rubbing elbows with celebrities and going to parties and shit. hes such a menace and i love him)

anyway ty for letting me ramble about the two of them ily bestie

[kyndaris]

Obligatory Beach Episode

When most Australians think of surf, sand and sun, they think of their local beach. Press them a little on famous ones that they can lounge on or which tourists frequent and they might say Bondi Beach or the Gold Ask. Ask them for something a little more exotic and they’ll probably name a resort in Bali or Fiji.

Ask Europeans for an exotic beach locale and you might get something like Hurghada. After all, it’s not too far from the European mainland and has some killer snorkelling opportunities to get up close and personal with adorable little fishes!

Our tour group had chosen to stay at the Stella Makadi Resort. More exactly: the Stella Gardens Resort and Spa Makadi Bay. From the outside, it looked almost like a massive compound. On the inside, it was a nice relaxing stroll down to the beachside with a few shops dedicated to selling trinkets and souvenirs that screamed: EGYPT!

Our first day at the resort was one of rest. We had no activities planned, which seemed apt when travelling with a large group of geriartrics.

Okay, I kid. They were mostly in their 50s and 60s. Which, I mean, still isn’t young by any means but considering I was the youngest of the entire group sitting at the round number of 30 says a lot. Heck, even 30 is old when you talk to teenagers.

So, what does one do when there isn’t much of a rush to head anywhere and everywhere? You go to the local beach, of course. As, as part of a package with the resort, there was a shuttle could take the adventurous down to the shoreline instead of having to hoof it down, plebeian style.

I don’t believe much explanation is required when photos will suffice in terms of the atmosphere of the Stella Makadi. It was pretty much your typical resort stolen from every tropical resort ever. Which isn’t to say it was bad, but I hadn’t brought swimmers. I had been more intent on learning the history of fishing rather than focusing on my tan lines.

As a random aside, most of the elderly Europeans (of which there was a lot down in Hurghada) seemed to love the idea of burning their skin until it was lobster red. They might not have peeled yet but is it any wonder their skin was so saggy and wrinkly when compared to Asians?

In any case, my first day of Hurghada mostly revolved around getting to know a few select members of the tour group a bit better than I had before by playing cards with them on the beach and pondering what our buffet meals had on offer.

The second day at Hurghada was, thankfully, one of adventure albeit ones where you had to pay a little bit extra on top of the $7000 that had to be shelled out at the start for the trip. 

Our first stop was Sindbad Submarine. And no, that’s not a typo. It was literally called Sindbad rather than Sinbad.

In any case, the Red Sea, it should be noted, shares a few similarities with the Great Barrier Reef. In that it has a reef where plenty of fish call home. And to truly appreciate the aquatic life in and around the area, one must go  beneath the waves. Hence, many of our tour group packing into a floating tin can that could sink down about 25 metres below the surface, all so that we could marvel at coral, the diver that came with us, and the fish the diver had managed to lure towards our window with the promise of food. 

I even spotted a Red Sea clownfish poking out through its home anemone, as well as an Indian lionfish lying low but wasn’t able to snap a shot fast enough on my phone. Alas!

After our submarine adventure, we boated back to shore and were presented with a certification of completion. Our local tour guide, Ahmed, even saw fit to write our names in Arabic on the slip of paper.

With our morning activities over, it was back to the resort for lunch before we enjoyed a Jeep Safari through the Sahara Desert. But although I say Jeep, I really mean Toyota Land Cruisers.

Since most of those in our tour group were an elderly bunch, the dirvers took it slow on the small hills and crests in the desert. Throughout the drive, we stopped at multiple areas, snapping shots of a distant mirage, a lonely Acacia tree (that was not the Tree of Tenere), and a towering dune of sand.

We even stopped at a nomadic village. In Chinese, it sounded like Bolu but a search on Google tells me that it might be the beduins. In any case, we got to taste their special type of naan, cooked over a flat stone with camel dung used to fuel the fire, ride a few camels and enjoy a cup of red tea that was a little too bitter for my tastes.

By the time we left their village, the sun was setting. Though I would have preferred to have returned to the resort by then, we still had one last stop. A performance, actually, that involved belly dancing and some clever dervish twirls. Along with some food and refreshments.

And even though I was asked to participate in some additional dancing, like the I coward I am I refused. Me? Belly dancing? In front of strangers? Never.

Besides, I’m not very curvaceous - at least in the sexy sense - and the thought of being the only poor dancer on  stage was a huge disincentive to get up and ‘shake my booty.’ 

So, while this wasn’t the most stereotypical beach episode in every anime ever, there was plenty of sun, surf and sand to enjoy. Certainly, for any enterprising influence, Hurghada would have been a great relaxation spot with excellent water views and opportunities to get down and dirty with beach volleyball and Zumba on the sand. 

As for budding Egyptologists, well, a little leisure can go a long way. Hurghada might not be rich in history, but it is rich in demonstrating the interconnection between cultures and giving some much needed zing if all one does is trek from one dusty old temple to the next.

[etbtoursegypt]

Day Trip to Quad Bike in Sharm El Sheikh

Sharm El Sheikh, a gem on the Red Sea, offers endless opportunities for adventure, relaxation, and exploration. With Sharm El Sheikh Day Tours, you can create unforgettable memories while enjoying a variety of activities tailored to your interests.

For thrill-seekers, a Day Trip to Quad Bike in Sharm El Sheikh is a must. Zoom through the golden desert dunes and soak in the breathtaking views of the Sinai landscape. Families and water lovers will adore the Sharm El Sheikh Day Tours: Trip to Aqua Park, where endless fun awaits with slides, pools, and wave simulators.

If you're intrigued by the beauty of the underwater world but prefer to stay dry, the Glass Bottom Boat Excursions in Sharm el Sheikh offer a unique way to admire vibrant coral reefs and marine life without diving. For history enthusiasts, Book Petra Tours by Ferryboat with Sharm Day Tours to explore the ancient city of Petra, a UNESCO World Heritage site just a short journey away.

Snorkeling enthusiasts have two incredible options: With Sharm el Sheikh Day tour to snorkeling in Tiran Island, you'll discover pristine coral reefs and exotic marine creatures, while the Snorkeling trip in Ras Mohammed by Boat provides access to one of Egypt's most stunning marine parks.

If ancient history fascinates you, embark on the Luxor Day Trip from Sharm El Sheikh to witness iconic landmarks like the Valley of the Kings and Karnak Temple. Alternatively, the Full Day Trip from Sharm el Sheikh to Cairo by Plane offers a chance to explore the Giza Pyramids and the Egyptian Museum in just one day.

With Sharm El Sheikh Day Tours, every moment becomes a new adventure. Choose your perfect trip and let the beauty of Egypt captivate you!

[christophe76460]

QUELLE EST L'ORIGINE DE NOËL ?

Il faut remonter à Babylone, qui est le berceau de l’humanité.

Nimrod, le petit-fils de Cham qui est l’un des fils de Noé était le fondateur du système babylonien que le monde actuel continue de pratiquer.

Il a construit la tour de Babel, l’ancienne ville de Ninive ainsi que d’autres villes importantes de l’époque. Le nom de Nimrod est hébreu et vient du mot qui signifie « il s’est rebellé ».

Des écrits anciens racontent que Nimrod était si pervers qu’il se maria avec sa propre mère, Sémiramis. Après la mort précoce de Nimrod, Sémiramis propagea la doctrine diabolique de la résurgence de Nimrod en tant qu’esprit.

Elle prétendit qu’un arbre verdoyant était apparu du jour au lendemain, à partir d’un tronc d’arbre mort, ce qui symbolisait le retour de Nimrod sous une forme spirituelle.

A chaque anniversaire de sa naissance, elle prétendait que Nimrod venait sous cet arbre et y déposait des cadeaux.

Cet anniversaire était le 25 décembre : voici donc la véritable origine de la célébration de Noël, et du sapin.

Grâce à cette supercherie, Sémiramis fut peu à peu considérée comme la « Reine du Ciel » par les Babyloniens, et Nimrod, sous divers noms, devint le « Fils Divin du Ciel ».

Idolâtré pendant des générations, Nimrod fut aussi adoré comme le Messie, le Fils de Baal et le dieu Soleil.

Dans ce système babylonien, la « mère et l’enfant » (Sémiramis et Nimrod réincarné) devinrent les principaux objets d’adoration.

Cette adoration de la « mère et de l’enfant » se répandit dans le monde entier, bien que les noms utilisés étaient différents suivant les pays et les langues.

En Egypte, on les nommait « Isis et Osiris », en Asie, « Cybèle et Desius », dans la Rome païenne, « Fortuna et Jupiter ».

Mais même en Grèce, au Japon, en Chine et au Tibet, des chercheurs ont trouvé des répliques de la madone qui existaient de toute évidence déjà bien longtemps avant la naissance de Jésus-Christ.

Pendant les quatrième et cinquième siècles, les païens du monde romain qui acceptèrent par milliers « le christianisme », ont pu garder leurs vieilles coutumes et croyances païennes.

L’idée de la mère et de l’enfant devint aussi très populaire, particulièrement au moment de Noël. A cette occasion, les gens chantent l’hymne Douce Nuit, Sainte Nuit qui contient ce thème familier de la « mère et de l’enfant ».

Nous sommes nés dans un monde babylonien, et nous avons été élevés toute notre vie dans le respect de ces traditions qui sont prétendues sacrées.

Nous ne nous sommes jamais demandé si elles venaient de la Bible ou d’une idolâtrie païenne.

Il faut donc bien se rendre compte que l’origine réelle de Noël remonte à Babylone. Ceci est lié à une apostasie satanique organisée, qui touche maintenant le monde entier. En Egypte, on a toujours cru que le fils d’Isis (le nom égyptien de la « Mère du Ciel ») était né le 25 décembre.

Par conséquent, le paganisme a célébré ce fameux anniversaire bien des siècles avant que Christ ne soit né. Nul part dans la Bible il ne nous est dit d’adorer la mère et l’enfant ; les apôtres et la première église ne l’ont pas fait, pourtant, on trouve partout aujourd’hui des croyants qui considèrent qu’il est normal de célébrer la fête de Noël.

Luc 1 : 28, 42 et 48, présente Marie comme une femme bénie par Dieu, mais il n’a jamais été question de la déifier.

L’adoration de Marie en tant que « Mère de Dieu » est largement répandue, et le dogme de l’Immaculée Conception (qui nous la présente comme une médiatrice entre Dieu et l’homme) est une continuation de l’idolâtrie de l’ancienne Babylone introduite par Sémiramis, la femme de Nimrod.

C’est une tromperie satanique, qui détourne nos yeux de Jésus-Christ, le Seigneur ressuscité, qui est assis à la droite de Dieu. Il n’est plus un bébé désormais, il n’est pas non plus resté dans la tombe.

Ainsi, cet ancien « mystère » païen et idolâtre a été transmis à travers les religions païennes.

[mariammohamed21]

West Suhail got the UN award and became a tourist destination.

West Sohail" is a village whose name has recently become famous as an indispensable tourist destination when you come to the city of Aswan in southern Egypt for tourism, people are able to transform the name of the village from an ordinary local village that is not well known to a tourist destination used by tourists and foreign delegations to enjoy its people's rituals and its picturesque environmental atmosphere. you can visit this vilage by booking Egypt tours to see this artistic village at Aswan.

The Nubian people in the village of West Sohail expressed their joy at receiving this award, assuring the "seventh day" that the award is the culmination of a march of tourism effort exerted in the village, which has transformed from an ordinary local village where Nuba people live a simple life to a tourism model to emulate among others in the world, visit the Nubian vilage by booking through Egypt Christmas tours to spend your new year holiday at folkloric vibes. the young Nubian people have been able to help themselves. book your tour now at Egypt travel packages to explore more about Egypt's history.

The Nuba people added that the people of West Suhail were credited with starting work in the local tourism field inside Nubian villages and turning them into tourist attractions by exploiting the elements of the Nubian environment on which they were raised and turning it into folklore that tourists loved and adored. check this beauty at 8 Days Cairo, Luxor & Hurghada Christmas holiday to live different experiences. The Nubian Heritage become in the hearts of all lovers visiting the Nubian country and who love to return. book your tour at 10 Days Cairo, Alexandria, Siwa & Nile Cruise Christmas tour to see the magnificent city.

They explained that one of the customs and traditions of the people of Nubia, which they were raised on and loved by tourists, is to rely on the environment and nature in everything, even in the form of building houses in the shape of domes and colored from the outside in different bright colors on the banks of the Nile, and inside these houses, Nile crocodiles are bred and locked inside cages. you can visit this magnificent village with 7 Days Tour Package to visit Cairo and White Desert Safari to see the beauty of Egypt.

The Nubians distinguished themselves in singing, forming various Nubian bands, preparing food and drinks in the distinctive and favorite Nubian way, and eating them amidst the picturesque nature that Allah Almighty loved as villages on the banks of the Nile, besides the Nubians' interest in making handicrafts made of environmental crafts, and all these and other components made the village of West Suhail in the eyes and hearts of tourists cannot do without visiting the Nubian village at 7 Days Cairo and Mount Sinai tour package to see the beauty.

In this regard, the United Nations Tourism Organization (UN Tourism) announced the victory of the village of West Suhail in Aswan governorate among the best rural tourist villages for the year 2024, visit it with 9 Days Christmas holiday to Cairo, Luxor, and Aswan to see the great temples and history at Aswan. during the participation of the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities in the meetings of the 122nd session of the Executive Board of the United Nations Tourism Organization (UN Tourism), which is currently taking place in the city of Cartagena de India, Colombia.

@cairo-top-tours

[bishoynagib]

West Suhail: The Nubian Village Shaping Egypt's Tourism Future

"West Suhail” is a village whose name has recently become famous as a tourist destination that is indispensable to visit when you come to the southern Egyptian city of Aswan for tourism, and its people were able to transform the name of the village from an ordinary local village that is not known about many to a tourist destination that tourists and foreign delegations used to enjoy the rituals of its people and its picturesque environmental atmosphere.

We sheds light on the village of West Suhail in Aswan Governorate, after it was announced as the winner of the United Nations Tourism Organization's award for the best rural tourist villages for 2024. Unique experiences is offer in Egypt tours , including visits to Nubian villages like West Suhail.

The Nubian people in the village of West Suhail expressed their happiness at winning this award, stressing to The Seventh Day that the award is the culmination of a process of tourism efforts made in the village, which turned from an ordinary local village where Nubians live a simple life, to a tourism model to be followed among its counterparts in the whole world, as its young people were able to help themselves and took advantage of the period of the tourism recession and a large number of young people working in tourism were exposed to unemployment due to the periods of tourism recession in the far south of Egypt, especially in the summer season, so the youth were quick to create new job opportunities. We provide in Dahab Day Tours travelers the chance to discover traditional villages and immerse in Nubian culture.

The people of Nubia added that the people of West Suhail were the first to work in the local tourism field within the Nubian villages and turn them into tourist attractions, by exploiting the elements of the Nubian environment that they grew up on and turned them into folklore that tourists are used to, loved, and adored, and the Nubian heritage became in the hearts of all lovers visiting Nubia and those who loved to return to it again. Cultural insights into Egypt's diverse heritage are often a part of Taba Day Trips, such as visits to Nubian communities.

They explained that among the customs and traditions of the Nubian people that they were raised on and loved by tourists is the reliance on the environment and nature in everything, even in the form of building houses in the form of domes and colored from the outside in different bright colors on the banks of the Nile, and inside these houses, Nile crocodiles are raised and locked inside cages and can be photographed with them and their young, in addition to the customs and traditions of the people in generosity and hospitality. Travelers can enjoy Cairo Day Tours from Dahab by Air, offering an opportunity to explore both urban and rural Egyptian treasures.

They pointed out that the people of Nubia are distinguished in singing, forming various Nubian bands, preparing food and drinks in the distinctive and favorite Nubian way, and eating them amid the picturesque nature that God Almighty has blessed them with as villages on the banks of the Nile, in addition to the interest of the people of Nubia in making handicrafts made from environmental crafts, and all these elements and others made the village of West Suhail in the eyes and hearts of tourists who cannot do without visiting it and enjoying the nature and its unique rituals that are unparalleled in the world. A mix of historical and spiritual experiences can be enjoyed on tours from Dahab to St Catherine's Monastery, so let's enjoy the amazing journeys.

In this context, the United Nations Tourism Organization (UNTO) announced that the village of Gharb Suhail in Aswan governorate won among the best rural tourist villages for 2024, during the participation of the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities in the meetings of the 122nd session of the Executive Board of the United Nations Tourism Organization (UN Tourism), which is currently being held in Cartagena de Indias, Colombia. Another popular choice for travelers, Petra Tour from Dahab, offers an opportunity to expand their cultural horizons.

For his part, Major General Ismail Kamal, Governor of Aswan, congratulated the people of the Nubian village of West Suhail as one of the most beautiful sites on the page of the immortal Nile River due to its picturesque nature and the cheerful faces of its people, who are characterized by good and warm reception for their guests and visitors from various tourist groups and Egyptians, which made it an icon of Egyptian cultural heritage, especially since it still retains the old Nubian style of houses and customs of the original Nubian people. Perfect for exploring iconic landmarks of ancient Egypt, Luxor Day Trip from Dahab by Flight offers an unforgettable experience.

The governor stressed that the village of West Suhail is witnessing a great boom of various projects in light of President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi's interest in it, and its inclusion in the second phase of the presidential initiative A Decent Life, to implement projects in various sectors of work such as drinking water networks, sewage, roads, and others, making it an integrated aesthetic panorama, and achieving more attraction for the tourist movement, and turning it into the largest center and destination for rural, environmental, therapeutic, and hospital tourism. Adventure lovers are attracted to the region by Dahab Desert Safari, Blue Hole Snorkeling, Quad Biking, and Camel Safari, to know the beauty of Dahab, you have to come to me.

For those seeking a mix of natural beauty and spiritual significance, Mount Sinai and Saint Catherine Tour from Dahab is a must.

Combining modern travel with ancient wonders, the tour from Dahab to Giza Pyramids offers a unique experience.

Offering unique and immersive experiences for visitors, the Day Tour to Cairo Attractions and Camel Ride from Dahab is a memorable adventure.

[jordanandegypt]

Home - but still writing about Egypt

Oct 13, 2024

Greetings all,

I know it has been almost 2 weeks since we returned from Egypt - but “stuff” has gotta in the way of my writing, thinking, and remembering.  My vacation “glow” has faded - but today I am going to try to brighten the glow and using my photos, tour book and what is left of my mind, I’m going to finish up our trip.

The “stuff” that has stopped me from writing is big.  Before our trip Mark took a little fall on his bike that resulted in a  brain bleed (chronic subdural hematoma.) He was hospitalized for a few days and underwent a procedure called an MMA (middle meningeal artery) in which they go through the groin into the brain and put some “glue” near the area of the bleed.  Of course that is my layman explanation - but it was a big freaking deal.  That caused our travel plans to be modified - but we are flexible..  A few days before we left of our trip, Mark met with this heart Dr and his brain Dr and after another CT Scan they pronounced him in good traveling condition and wished us well.  BUT merely as a safety check he was to have another CT Scan the day after we returned from Egypt.  So, we got home later Oct 2 and at 8:00 AM October 3, Mark headed to have another CT Scan.

He had felt fine during the entire trip so we expected everything to be fine - but it was not.  The CT Scan showed the bleed had continued to "leak" - again - layman speak.  The bleed was 3 times the size of the original bleed and he headed to the hospital - this time for a craniotomy.  This is major surgery in which a part of the skull is removed to give the Drs access to the “leaking" area.  Surgery would last approximately 2 hours, he would be in ICU for 2 days, then in general care for another 4.  We were both rattled.

Fast forward.  Mark is great.  

He is bald - although his hair is starting to grow back. He has a very large incision on his head with 23 staples - kind of a Frankenstein vibe.  He spent only 1 day in ICU and then 2 days in general care before he was released to my care.😳.  As the grandkids are calling him “Super Grampa” exceeded all expectations.  He feels fine and we even attended grandson, Colin’s soccer game the day after Mark was released from the hospital and are looking forward to another game on Tuesday (Go SKYLINE!) 

The night we came home from Cairo I unpacked and did laundry and put away suitcases and, and, and, just trying to stay awake.  I’m awfully glad I did that - because nothing else has been done since then.  Mark is doing better than the doctors anticipated  and I’m slowing getting back my rhythm.  It is 4:00 AM and I have a load of clothes in the washer and one in the dryer - and they have nothing to do with our trip but they are just part of catch-up on our daily life.

So that is my “stuff” and a legitimate reason for the delay.  But I’m going to delve back into the trip because there is still much to share….

Back to Egypt….

I simply adore the opportunities to see a local village and to meet locals and this was a great visit - that I didn’t talk about when it happened.  

September 23, 2024 (Day One on our dahabeya.)

This was a long day that started at 3:30 AM as we headed out for our hot air balloon ride.  After that we boarded and ship and heading up the Nile.  In later afternoon we dropped anchor at a little community called Al Hagz Bahry and we were met by this lovely lady.

Al Hagz Bahry is a large village about 5,000 people but more than a couple of miles from the Nile, which was necessary when the flooding of the Nile was uncontrolled.  But since the 1970s smaller “neighborhoods” have sprung up and this is where we were led.  Our hostess, whose name I cannot remember - 🤬 - but it might be Asaara, was stunning.  Her English was great and she was very proud to tell us that she had learned it from Google.  She was funny and generous and gracious.  She walked us to her home that she shares with her parents, her two children  and her sister.

Her husband works in Cairo and comes home every 6 weeks for a few days.  Then she moves back to her in-laws house to be with him, but after he returns to work - she comes back here with her children.  She said she had the perfect marriage.  No husband for 6 weeks.  5 days of honeymoon and then bye-bye for another 6 weeks.  We all cracked up!

She is gregarious, charming and ambitious. She is preparing to give sewing lessons to her neighbors as she makes all the clothes for her family - which are quite lovely - FYI.  Her sister is unmarried and a teacher.  Notice the paintings on the house.  Her father took a plane to Mecca for the Haj a few years ago and others hope to do the same someday.  The boat is still a dream - to travel to other lands.  The Arabic writing you see are passages from the Quran about family, love and health.

We were served some lovely mint tea - with the mint freshly cut.

She answered all our questions and then gave us a tour of the house. While we were in the house she grabbed Marla, Nora and my hand and pushed us in the bedroom.  “I have a surprise for everyone!" she said and she opened the wardrobe and took out clothes.  She and her sister selected dresses and headscarves for us and then helped us dress.  NOW - I will say that these dresses were lightweight and might have been cool - but we but them on over our regular clothes - you know - layers.  Then the headscarves - which are all wrapped differently - and we were hot!  BUT it was wonderful.  Our hostess was having a great time and so were we.  She was so cute - she said to our group - "I want you to meet some lovely Muslim women I just met” and she led us out to the veranda.

One of the things I LOVE about traveling with this company is that they get us INSIDE people’s homes and lives. These experiences shine a light on just how much we have in common.  When I think of Egypt years from now, sure I will remember pyramids and temples but I always hold experiences like these in my heart.

I LOVE this Mark Twain quote, "Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one's lifetime.”

I think this is so true.  When you travel and meet and talk to people who live in the area you are visiting, you are an ambassador for the US and the people you are talking to are ambassadors from their country.  It makes it impossible to hate or see “people” as your enemy if you have shared food with them at their home.  We spent almost a full month in two Muslim majority countries. We heard the call to prayer 5 times a day.  Jordan and Egypt are not Sharia law government countries. BUT what does that really mean?  I’m guessing many people reading this have a bad taste in the mouth when they read "Sharia law."

Sharia means “the correct path” in Arabic. In Islam, it refers to the divine counsel that Muslims follow to live moral lives and grow close to God.  Most Muslims follow this in their own lives. 

Below are the 5 pillars of Islam:

In Egypt and Jordan, people may or may not go to the Mosque to pray 5 times a day.  It is not the law.  We heard the call to prayer day after day, but shops nor restaurants nor markets closed.  People in the streets did not turn into the Mosque.  Normal life was not disrupted. For many Muslims praying is personal and although they do not pray 5 times a day at the designated time in a mosque, they do say their prayers at night, after work.  Ayman doesn’t tour during Ramadan because it would be physically impossible to have no water and food during the day and keep up the pace he has set for his “ducklings.”  

During Ramadan - those who are able -  participate in the daily fast that includes abstaining from all food and drink; not even a sip of water is allowed from dawn to sunset before breaking the fast in a meal known as “iftar” in Arabic. Those fasting are expected to also refrain from bad deeds, such as gossiping, and increase good deeds. The elderly, pregnant woman and children are exempt from the fast.  The breaking of the fast is a celebration with wonderful food, surrounded by friends, families and neighbors.

Countries with Sharia law see all their civil law through the Sharia lens.  We have not been to Saudi Arabia , Iran or Afghanistan- and frankly I don’t want to go - but people we know who have visited tell us that the call to prayer stops everything.  Shops close and everyone goes to pray. They have a robust “morality police” making sure people - especially women -  are wearing proper attire and doing their required Muslim duties.  Jordan and Egypt are not like this.  We saw many churches in both countries and people have a right to worship as they wish.

A word of warning to anyone reading this that Christian Nationalism is also “Sharia law.”  When one religion demands that the government make laws and restrictions that follow their chosen religion it means trouble.  Of course, everyone - world-wide -  believes they are correct and have found the one true religion but once the majority religion of a region begins to be intolerant of any other beliefs we have trouble.  So Beware!

September 26, 2024

We visited another small village as we cruised by the Nile - and we got there by a little hike down the gangplank, through the woods to a road where  Tuk-tuks awaited us.  These Tuk-tuks are the Uber of a small village, my friend.

We went to a craftsman’s workshop under a tree.

This man makes baskets for mangos and other things all from the large vein of a palm tree frond.  He has been doing this for 52 years.  He was charming, friendly and very proud of his craft.

I have two movies to show you can only upload one. DAMN IT!!  He was quick, efficient and used his feet.  Watch his feet.

He encouraged us to learn his technique.  Joe - who is an excellent wood craftsman - jumped right in and did a great job.  Joe had a disadvantage right away because he was wearing shoes.  Look behind Joe to see the chairs our host also created.

On September 27, we made another stop - this time to the Draw camel market.  To get there, we took a boat to the village and then got in the back of pick-up trucks. Wild - huh?  People also grabbed a ride as we went from the harbor to the village.  Below was our “hitchhiker"

This town is famous for its camel market, where more than 2,000 camels, brought from Sudan in caravans that cross the desert in a 40 day road trip, are sold and bought. Two days a week this small village is flooded with people buying and selling camels.  It was NOT market day when we stopped and I think that is a good thing.  We visiting with a man who runs a “B&B” - and that has a little different meaning in Draw, Egypt.  I think he called it an inn - but is was a place to sleep with food - so I’m going with B&B.

The market participants (buyers and sellers) often want a place to sleep before they begin their long march home - so here are some of the places available.  It rains once about every three years here.

And those staying for the night have animals - so there are B&Bs for them as well.  Note the marking on the camel - that is his ID.

There were several places for animal and this goat pen was a hit for all of us, especially Mark and Daphne.

Again we were welcomed with kindness like old friends dropping by.  The owner explained the market and also the major growth of the city as it has been flooded with people fleeing the Sudan civil war.  Since these people are exactly the same people as they are divided only by stupid governments and borders, everyone is pulling together to welcome these people into their community.

Everyone builds up preparing for their son to bring home their wife - but in this community people are building several stories up to house the new emigrants.  Atop these taller building are pigeon coops.  Pigeon is a common food and is believed to be an aphrodisiac.

I'm stopping here although I have more to report. Hopefully it won't take me 2 more weeks to do it.

Salem