#I keep trying to get the news station fare hop post

[ablednt]

Is anyone else concerned that seemingly literally all mention of tumblr user lichina-lycanthrope is gone from the site? like the URLs show up on google but when you click the post is gone, including the ones that have been reblogged. That's weird right?

[evien-stark]

✧I Need You✧ Chapter 63

Dvahli Stark became an overnight sensation. In a world that should have been focused on cleaning up and looking towards the future, the headlines in most papers for the following weeks were all about the new royalty that had entered the world. A tiny little black cat that everyone had fallen in love with almost as much as you and Tony had. It was utterly ridiculous. Nonsense. There were much more important things going on. But… 

As far as image molding went, letting the public be privy to one or two photos from a carefully curated shoot where Tony seemed unafraid to show off his softer side did wonders. You worried about him falling back into an opposite ocean. Where he’d been a vicious by sly and cool warmonger before, now that he was Iron Man he may have been reading as vicious for the greater good superhero. That was bad. And you may have been soon to follow.

Lord knows the Christine Everhart’s of the world were not on your side, and were never going to be. Every other day there was some new poll or blog post or five minute video calling for pitchforks. Like the aliens that had descended upon New York had been your fault somehow. People with brains knew better, but people who were hurt and restless were looking for anything to swing a fist at. 

So why not smooth the edges down. Remind the general public that there were people underneath those suits. Ones that had struggles. Ones that had lives. Just like they did. And part of your new life was a new fuzzy ball of fire and sweetness. Tony had gifted Dvahli a maroon colored color with a gold name tag. A little too on the nose, you’d told him, but somehow still perfect. 

JARVIS had done his due diligence and located the absolute best veterinarian in the area. Expensive but kind and understanding. And also had no problem signing a few pieces of legal paper that made sure Dvahli’s life was not for sale to any outlet. No details and no pictures. After that you’d had to make sure the vet was okay with microchipping the cat with a chip of Tony’s design. Better than the ones on the market, he’d said. Of course. 

LUNA was not missing for too long. After the weirdness in the living room, she’d come back online the very next day. To her credit, when asked about it she’d had much the same to say, routine upgrades and maintenance, and she was perfectly happy with letting JARVIS assist you if he wanted to  (although you wondered if she’d been programmed to say as such…). 

When you’d approached Tony the next morning about it, he was bluntly honest about it all. “I can’t believe he was that obvious with it.” 

“Obvious?” 

“Yeah, he let me know he wanted to assist you a little extra a little while back. I don’t think it’s anything to be concerned about.”

The two of you shared a look afterwards. You didn’t sense he was lying, nor did you even think that, but there was still some lingering strangeness about this. And that you did get from him. He was as curious about this whole thing as you were. But if JARVIS was acting as his own agent in whatever this was… should you feel honored? Happy? He’d gone and decided on his own that he wanted to help you. For what reason? Who knew. You were sure it would eventually present itself. For now, it was kind of nice that he just decided he wanted to look over your shoulder. You didn’t really mind so much. You liked JARVIS. 

You just didn’t like being in a constant state of wondering what was going on with your life. Too little too late now, you guessed. 

The city got on without the two of you present, although of course your leaving prompted some sneers from your least favorite people. Ones that were easily ignored. You couldn’t be everywhere at once, and Pepper was more than capable of running the Avengers Tower as it was being rebuilt- an easy out, as well. With the Tower being reformatted, it was best not to spend too much time there or you’d get caught up in the construction. Or so went your excuse, anyway. 

While you’d wanted to take an extended stay at the house, work still needed to be done. You found yourself going to Stark Industries more often than you would have liked in the midst of trying to pretend you’d earned a vacation. Life clearly thought otherwise. It must have been why you ended up in your office so often- practically every day. And it also must have been why Tony was always in the lab. 

Early June rolled in, and that morning before going to work you’d gone downstairs to bid him goodbye and also lightly yell at him for not going to bed the night previous- a habit which he’d started again. Troublesome and worrisome. But hard to do anything about. Especially when you caught the sight of him frantically snapping cables and wires together on a suit you’d never seen before. Black, silver, and gold plating. 

“Which mark is that?” 

“Uh…” Distracted noise escaping him just as he shut one of the panels tight. He then started mumble counting to himself, “-ten… eleven… twelve, I think. Yeah. Twelve.” 

“How are you up to twelve?” Which was the one he’d taken into the Battle of New York? You suddenly couldn’t even remember. He’d come to the penthouse to rescue you in a damaged one and then taken off in another. But what number? Certainly it couldn’t have been ten? 

Which meant… 

“Because that’s how sequential numbers work.” Sassing you, realizing too late that that was not in his best interest as he looked over to catch you giving him an annoyed look. “Sorry. I haven’t slept.” As if that was a good excuse. 

“So go sleep.” 

“Yeah. In a minute.” Going back to work, turning half away to press open one of the shoulder rims so he could start working inside. 

“I have to go to work. I’ll check in later.” Stepping away from the door, you gave him a brief kiss, forcibly turning his attention away with a hand to his cheek, so you could smooch the other firmly. “You better be in bed when I do.” 

“What time’s that at? One? Two?” 

“What would be the fun of ruining the surprise?” 

“Well I’d like to not get in trouble.” He was half grinning at you. 

You half grinned back. “So go to bed. Easy.” 

Before you could leave, he moved to the work station, lifting Dvahli from a tray and handing her over. “Take her to work, would you? I keep losing track of her and I’m scared she’s gonna start swallowing screws when my back is turned.” 

Taking her into your arms and then tucking her on your shoulder, you gave her an affectionate squeeze that she made noise over. “Come on, Li. You’re an office cat today. Daddy doesn’t want you in the workshop.”

Just as you made it to the door, “Daddy, hm?” 

“Don’t even start.” Warning him before shutting the door and leaving. 

It was well into late afternoon before you even had time to think of checking in on him, and questioned if it was even worth it. Chances were he wasn’t in bed. You didn’t want to fight with him about this, because that wasn’t really the best way to resolve things- and it wasn’t like you were faring any better. Though you went to bed you often tossed and turned most of the night, and when you did fall asleep, it was always nightmares.

Not to mention people at Stark Industries had quickly come to learn you were not to be approached from behind anymore. Your mind was not the safest place, and being busy with a million things served to make some of it quiet enough most of the time. Which was what you knew Tony was doing. So how could you be angry at him? Maybe frustrated, but not angry. Frustrated on his own behalf. You wished you knew a better way to fix things. To climb through the mud with him and come back to a sense of normal…

But the truth was, the both of you were doing the exact same thing. Running. Running from your problems and focusing on anything but. 

Bambi knocking on your door earned a slight startle. “Excuse me, ma’am. Sorry for the interruption.” Dvahli had been napping in a small bed on your desk, and interrupted she immediately started complaining. “A Steve Rogers is here to see you, but he’s not on your schedule, would you like me to send him away?” Such a character. Formal to the very end. As if she didn’t know who Steve was, or that you didn’t either. Simply because he hadn’t called ahead. 

“No that’s okay. I’ll see him.” It was strange that Steve would even be here. You couldn’t imagine why. Already the thought that something bad was happening was making your heart start hammering. Trying to quiet Dvahli, you picked her up from the bed and cradled her in your arms. 

You watched the small courteous exchange as Bambi waved Steve in and he thanked her, side stepping around her solid figure to actually get into the office. Bambi was a tough, no nonsense woman. You really did appreciate her. Especially the way she seemed to spook Steve just a little. Once the door was closed behind him though he seemed even more awkward. “Hi- I hope I’m not interrupting.” 

“Nothing terribly important.” Smiling at him lightly, setting Dvahli down on the desk so you could give him a hug as he came closer. “What’s up? You could have just called, you know.” Curious about why he’d chosen to go this route. “Were you at the house? Did Tony send you away or something?” 

“No- I… I didn’t even think to stop by there. I just knew you’d be here.” Once he sat down in the chair in front of your desk, Dvahli hopped down into his lap, making herself at home. 

This all seemed off. “You’re kinda making me nervous. What’s up?” Being honest with him that he was poking at your anxiety. He hadn’t gone to the house, he hadn’t called your personal phone. He’d come to your place of work. To see you specifically. Why? 

“Sorry. I don’t mean to bother you. I just wanted to talk to you about something. The uh… the Secretary of Education got my number somehow, and well… we sat down for lunch. He was talking to me about doing a set of campaigns. Some sort of… I think he said educational videos?” 

At once your nervousness vanished and was instead replaced by a wave of confusion. “Oh. ...you want me to send legal over? Get you out of it? Did you sign anything yet?” So, someone on Ellis’ team had swooped in when the rest of you weren’t looking and was trying to talk Steve into doing some ridiculous set of videos. He’d accidentally signed and was looking for help to- 

“No, nothing like that. I actually- well. He asked if you and Tony would be interested in doing some, too.” 

“Oh.” You blinked a few times at him. “Oh. You’re serious? You wanna do it?” Of course he did. Of course he did. Steve Rogers, Captain America. Face of shaping this new era’s youth. Why not? Sure. Stranger things had happened. 

“I think it’s a nice idea. After everything that’s happened, I think kids having a voice to point them in the right direction is good.” 

Despite wanting to hold steady and not judge him, you felt your eyes narrow just a touch. “And that’s how you feel? Or is that what this guy said to you?” 

Steve’s head turned down, caught red handed. His smile turned a little sheepish. “Well, yeah. He said a lot of that, but I agree with it. Anyway. I’m already on board. It’s not about my participation. He just asked if anyone else on the team wanted to join.” 

“Bruce turned you down?” Trying to keep your voice from being too sarcastic. 

That smile turned into an understanding grin. “He did.”

“Clint and Nat?” 

“Said something about how they can’t expose themselves anymore. I understand.” 

“Right.” You did, too. “Don’t take it personally, but I think Tony and I are going to just stick to speeches and seed money.” 

Automatically his hand went up in a wave. “I get it. It’s fine. I just thought I’d try. And, for the record, I think your involvement with the city is admirable.” 

“Hardly-”

“Just don’t let it run your life.” He was being a little too on the nose and you were absolutely sure that he knew. That was equally as bad. It meant he was seeing through you. For a moment you wondered if you looked too obvious. Tired. Run down. Or if you were giving off that air of a brain moving too quick. Pulled in a million directions. With a heaping dose of mental illness bearing down on you. 

Pushing a smile forward, “Tough call to make yet. We’re not really out of the woods. And it’s harder to keep an eye on everything from here.” 

“Then why are you here?” It was as if he was staring right through you. 

Your eyes dropped to the desk. Dvahli abandoned Steve’s lap in favor of coming over to you, something you took great solace in as you pulled her close. “I couldn’t be there anymore.” Deciding to be honest with him. But only just enough to let him know where you were at, not letting that sit too long. “You really took a flight all the way here just to ask me all this?” 

His lips pressed together, hands folding inward, looking caught as he smiled. “It’s hard to keep up with all your teammates when they’re so far apart. A phone call doesn’t do it justice.” 

Bruce was still at the Tower, working on several different things. Of course you and Tony had told him you were leaving, and he hadn’t seemed too put off by it. Then again, he had a safe place to stay now, rent free. And an entire lab at his disposal. He’d seemed perfectly fine. Clint and Nat were off doing SHIELD things, as they were apt to do. Steve was apparently taking meetings from government officials on behalf of the Avengers. 

And you and Tony were on the other side of the country. 

Some team. 

“So you’re trying to keep an eye on me?” Teasing, defaulting to humor where you’d been too exposed. It clicked then. The reason he hadn’t called ahead. The reason he’d just shown up. You were less likely to put him off if you had no idea he was coming. 

Smart man. 

“Trying being the appropriate word here.” Because clearly you and Tony weren’t making this easy on him. No one on the team was. But at least you were still on the same planet. You wondered where Thor was. What he was doing. But he was probably doing the most well out of all of you. 

You found yourself nodding. A long time ago this used to be your job. As each new member had been introduced… you’d tried your hardest to get on everyone’s good side. To keep them close. Now you were totally removed. How had that happened? And here Steve was. Picking up the slack. “Yeah…” You allowed yourself a deep breath. “Well. I’m sorry. I think we’re going to politely decline on doing the kid PSAs. But. If you’re still in town for a while, how about we all get some dinner?” 

“I’d like that. You and Tony aren’t too busy?” 

“I have a couple more meetings today and then I’m fine to take the evening off. Tony- ...I’ll dig him up out of the lab. He could use some fresh air, I’m sure.” 

For a moment, you sensed a small air of concern from him. “What’s he been working on?” 

“Fixing the suits. I think working on the newest versions.” Not willing to give all Tony’s secrets away. You weren’t even sure you were close to the bottom of that well. You knew he was working on more than what he needed. Absolutely sure of that by now. But no one else needed to know about that. Yet. Not until you and Tony had a longer discussion about it. 

Steve nodded and then made a weak gesture. “Ah, yeah. I was wondering why you weren’t wearing the…” 

Instinctively your hand raised to your chest. Empty. The Heart Reactor was still in your purse. But for the sake of saving face… “I’ll be alright without it for a while.” 

“You’re capable. I wasn’t implying otherwise.” 

“I know you weren’t.” Giving him a quick smile to show you took no offense. “Anyway, dinner? Let’s say seven?”

“Dinner sounds great. I’ll get out of your way now.” He stood, reaching over your desk to offer his hand for a shake. An action that simply would not do. 

So you set Dvahli down onto her bed on your desk and came around to nudge his hand out of the way and lean up to give him a hug. “Thanks for checking on me.” Because, educational videos aside, that’s probably really all this was. Steve was smart enough to know you’d never go for something like that. 

“That’s what teammates do. They look out for each other.” It wasn’t like you’d forgotten that very simple ideal, but it was nice to be reminded of it in such a way. 

With something fresh and nice on the horizon, the rest of the day didn’t drag on so bad. Your mind wasn’t as restless or wary. What a concept. You thought of checking in with Tony- either to see if he’d actually gone to sleep or to let him know of his imminent dinner plans, but in the end talked yourself out of it. 

Calling ahead to a restaurant to put reservations in for yourself under the usual not to be disturbed card (a nice table in a secure location in the back of the restaurant somewhere), you texted Steve to let him know where to meet you. Then you went home, Dvahli in tow, to collect your significant other. 

For a moment you half expected to see him dozing on the couch. Maybe that would have been nice. Maybe you would have covered him and let him sleep and just gone to dinner alone and apologized. But, no. The living room was empty, as was your bedroom. And you knew there was only one place you’d find him. 

Same place you left him. In the lab. Except the suit he was working on now, hours later, was completely different. “Tony, we have dinner plans.” 

“We do, huh? I don’t remember that. We going somewhere nice?” 

“We are. Steve is coming, too.” 

“What’s Steve doing in California?” 

“Why don’t you ask him yourself when we get there?” It was hard not to be frustrated. This had the ghost of so many other painful memories. He was barely acknowledging you. More talking to himself while he continued to work, like you were just a ghost in the room he wasn’t very convinced was real. 

Maybe that broke through to him, because he finally looked up. “Yeah I… I can do that. Let me just take a quick shower.” Something he needed desperately. It looked like he’d painted himself in grease. 

“We have time. Don’t rush. And when we get home you’re going right to bed.” No room for discussion. He looked like hell. You couldn’t honestly remember the last time he’d slept, which meant he had even less of an idea. Maybe it was your fault. Maybe you needed to watch out for him closer. 

Like Steve was doing for you. 

Finally setting down his tools, Tony got to his feet and came over to you. A brief kiss was spared before he tapped your chest as he turned away towards the door. “Where’s your…?” 

“In my purse. Why does everyone keep asking me that?” Feeling more than a little grumpy very suddenly. And feeling even worse that you were letting your mood spoil. 

Tony stopped halfway up the stairs. “Who else asked?” 

“Steve.” 

He started nodding and continued going up the stairs. “Right.” 

Dinner ended up being inconsequential, which made your conscience even heavier as you laid there that night. They were memories you wanted to hold on to, but they seemed like things you’d already done. Sat down. Ate food. Chatted idly. But had it been? You remembered the sound of laughter. Something you felt you’d sorely needed. 

But by the time you were in between one nightmare and the next, you barely remembered leaving work that day. When you turned over, the empty spot beside you hollowed you out even further. 

Dvahli criss-crossed between your feet as you made your way downstairs. It wasn’t to yell, but there was a heat to your mood that you needed to get out of you before you exploded. All the same, it died once you opened the door to the lab and saw Tony sitting at a workstation, conferenced in a call between Rhodey and President Ellis. 

All three men turned their attention on you as you stepped in, intruded into some private conversation. Tony half swiveled in his chair, and on the screen Rhodey and Ellis turned, both heads tilting opposite directions. You pulled your cardigan closed. “What’s going on?” 

Tony waved you in, so you stepped closer. “There was a bombing an hour ago. At a factory in Georgia.” 

“A bombing?” Not sure you were hearing that right. “What are you talking about?” 

Ellis spoke up. “Public doesn’t know about it yet. It’s similar to two other ones that happened in April and May. And someone just claimed them.” 

“Why are you telling us this?” You and Tony weren’t on the board of defense. You weren’t part of the government. Or the military. You weren’t part of anything that had to do with this, right? So why…? 

Rhodey moved his hand from his mouth with a flick of his fingers. “He calls himself the Mandarin. And our intel says he runs with the Ten Rings.” 

Your entire body froze. Reaching out you laid a heavy hand on Tony’s shoulder, and he returned the gesture by sliding a hand up the back of your thigh, gripping just short of hard. You were glad. Because otherwise your knees might have given out. 

Not this. Not now. 

Continuing, Rhodey looked down, reading off his report. “But what we don’t know is why he’s targeting these out of the way places here. It doesn’t track.” 

Ellis shook his head. “We’re gonna keep it off the radar. I don’t think the public should be swept into a frenzy so soon after… well. You know.” 

Squaring up, trying to stay strong, you released your next thought on a breath. “So what do you want from us?” 

The next look Rhodey gave you told you everything. “Nothing. I’m telling you this as a courtesy. This is not superhero business. I thought if I told him straight to stay out of it, he might.” 

“Can you believe this? Asking me to do the favor of not helping- when I could-” Tony was starting. And if he started this he’d never stop. This was what had brought him here. That group. 

“Tony…” Lowering your voice. He broke from his diatribe to look up at you. “Let them handle it. We don’t play for that team. We’ve got enough going on.” Trying to impart to him that one more thing might destroy the both of you. Neither of you had started a process of healing. Or even processed any sense of grief or worked through the trauma of what had happened… 

It couldn’t be one more thing. It’d kill you. 

There was a fight in him that seemed to die the longer he looked at you, until finally he dropped his head. “Yeah… yeah. I’ve got- uh… I’m busy, anyway. But, you know. Thanks for asking. Maybe next time.”

Rhodey scoffed. “We weren’t asking.” Trying to not let Tony get away with that self-inflated ego. “And there is no next time. Not on this one. Got it?” 

You leaned in to the table. “We understand, Rhodey. Thank you. Good night. Good night, Mr. President.” 

The two of them mumbled out their goodbyes before ending the call. Tony swiveled around in his chair and moved to stand. “JARVIS-” Calling out to no doubt have him get back to work or run a scan or who even knew what. But he stopped and took a long look at you. “JARVIS I’m… I’m heading to bed. Clean up. We’ll start fresh tomorrow.” 

“Yes, sir. Rest well.” 

Coming closer again, he put his arm around you, and started walking you out of the lab. “What are you doing up so late anyway?” 

Despite yourself you smiled. “You really wanna play that game?” 

“Not if I end up the loser.” 

“You would.” 

“I’m very aware.” 

Those were the last three words you heard as you drifted off when you laid down. I’m very aware. 

[kagakusenpai]

That one super silly Rika x Ashiya fanfic I regrettably wrote

You know sometimes you just get this really dumb idea? And you’re talking with your friends and you mention it and they're like ‘haha do it!’. Ya, so I did it.

I know I had some stupid fun writing this, so I hope you all enjoy it too - these events take place sometime after volume 11. Don’t worry its SFW ;)

~~

“Dude, this storm is getting crazy, you sure Libicocco isn’t back to kidnap Chiho or something?” Urushihara asked while lazily leaning backwards from his permanent post at his computer.

“You know you shouldn’t joke about these things, remember what happened last time he showed up? Something about you ending up becoming more of a useless corpse than you usually are.” Was the snappy reply from across the room.

The windows in Room 201 of Villa Rosa Sasazuka were creaking and groaning under the immense pressure of the storm that had suddenly taken Tokyo by surprise.

“I hope Ashiya makes it back in time to make supper, I’m starving already.”

Maou checked his phone to see if Ashiya had sent him a message.

No new messages.

“Maybe we’ll have to get a MgRonalds delivery…Kawada’s gonna complain if I ask him to deliver in this weather…” Maou muttered as he stretched himself out on the floor.

“Dude, if you order delivery Ashiya’s gonna kill you. Plus, if Acies finds out she’ll make you order thirty burgers…again.”

Maou stared at the clock on the wall. 6:42pm. Deciding whether he’d rather face death in the form of starvation or Ashiya’s wrath, he let out an audible sigh.

~~

Elsewhere in Tokyo, the Demon General Alciel was fighting his own battle. The once ferocious general who had cunningly brought his enemies to their knees without lifting a finger was currently on a battlefield he’d never experienced before. The sweat on his face was starting to form neat rivers as it slowly slipped down his forehead and onto his cheeks. Shivering from the combination of wet clothing and air conditioning in the room he stammered:

“Ms. S..S…Suzuki, I’m terribly s.s...sorry. I meant n-no offence.”

He knew he had messed up.

~~

40 minutes ago, at Shinjuku Station.

Normally accustomed to riding the train during non-peak hours, Ashiya was quite frustrated with the hordes of businessmen that were constantly entering and exiting the train. When he finally managed to get out at Shinjuku station, he found himself being pushed and pulled along with the crowd as he tried to find the right exit.

“If I recalled correctly, Ms. Suzuki had mentioned we should meet at the ‘New South Gate’.”

Earlier that week, Ashiya had sent a message to Rika Suzuki asking if he could request her assistance in purchasing a new phone. Considering recent events, he thought it would be appropriate if he also had a mobile phone to contact Maou in case of an emergency. Rika had arranged they meet today after she got off work at six o’clock.

As Ashiya turned the final corner to reach the New South Gate, a familiar voice shouted out behind him.

“Heeeey! Ashiya over here!”

Rika grabbed Ashiya’s shoulder before he got swept further away by the crowd. Blushing ever so slightly, she pulled him aside, away from the steady streams of business men flooding through the ticket gates.

“Ah, Ms. Suzuki, I didn’t notice you there. My sincerest apologies for such an oversight”

“No, no it’s fine! I know its super busy right now so there’s no choice but to call out before I lose sight of you. Anyways let’s go before it gets any more crowded here.”

“It gets even busier than this?” A stunned Ashiya replied as he quickly followed Rika further into the station.

After a few minutes of navigation, Rika and Ashiya finally arrived at the Yamanote line platform headed towards Ueno. Ashiya had seen an advertisement for a big cellphone sale at a major retailer near Ueno station, prompting his request with Rika earlier in the week.

“It’s twelve stations from here to Ueno, so let’s see if we can snag a pair of seats. Keep your eyes peeled Ashiya!”

“Understood. I shall make amends for my previous mistake with due diligence in acquiring seats for Ms. Suzuki”

“Hey, no need to be so… oh the trains here, quick!”

Ashiya and Rika rushed over to a less crowded door on the train and hopped on. Unfortunately, not only were all the seats taken but this cart was packed with rush hour commuters. Rika and Ashiya made their way to the middle of the cart and stood face to face while holding onto the hand grips.

“Ms. Suzuki, it appears to me that most of the seats here are occupied by what seems to be…sleeping businessmen” Ashiya frowned.

“Don’t worry, they’ll end up waking up ten second before their station. It’s second nature to the veteran salarymen around here, believe it or not.”

Ashiya smiled at Rika’s casual explanation. He noticed that her work clothes were different than usual. In place of her usual purple and white vest and shirt, she was wearing a deep olive-green shirt with elegant ruffles down the middle. The red hairslide she normally wore had been replaced with an intricate blue clip with a butterfly pattern. She gave off a more mature aura, fitting of Rika’s role today as his guide, Ashiya thought to himself.

“Now Arriving at Shin-Okubo Station. The doors on the left side will open.”

Ah, eleven more to go. Ashiya realized that a fair number of people were queued to enter the train at this station.

“Ahhh, this is gonna be crazy packed! Hold on tight Ashiya.”

The doors opened, and dozens of people began to make their way into the train. Unfazed by the sudden influx of people, Ashiya held his ground against the increasing pressure from the other standing commuters trying to stuff their way into the train. Rika, on the other hand, was not faring too well but managed to stay on her feet.

The train lurched forward as it begin making its way to the next station. Suddenly…

“Ah!”

The momentum from the passengers pushed Rika off her feet into Ashiya’s chest. Being a bit short in stature, the sudden lunge forced her to let go of the hand grip and grab onto Ashiya’s chest.

“I-I’m s-sorry Ashiya.” An embarrassed Rika could barely get the words out of her mouth as she desperately tried to regain her footing.

“Not a problem Ms. Suzuki, please feel free to hold onto me until you’ve regained your footing. I do say, it’s amazing how you manage to survive these crowds every day on the ride back home. This almost feels like a new type of battlefield.” Ashiya looked down at the panicked Rika, his whiskey brown eyes gauging whether he should lend a hand.

His strong, steady gaze made Rika squirm even more. Nervously glancing downwards, she carefully fidgeted her feet around to find a position that would allow her to stand up straight and keep her balance. The train’s constant rocking offered no help with her attempts.

Another sudden turn forced her to cling onto Ashiya some more. She could smell his clothing, which had a strong smell of the softener that Ashiya frequently used. Her grip on his shirt let her feel the shape of his chest muscles. They were much more toned than she thought. His usual UNICLO wear didn’t do his body any justice, she thought. Rika allowed her mind to wander like this for a moment…she suddenly felt pangs of heat coursing through her body. She was starting to lose her composure.

“Ah what am I thiiinkiinngggg!” Rika whispered to herself.

“I think we’re almost at the next station Ms. Suzuki. I believe I have the perfect opportunity to acquire us some seats, as that gentleman beside us seems to be preparing to stand up shortly.”

Ashiya’s brief interjection brought Rika back to her senses. The adrenaline had begun to flow after her series of distracted imaginings. Luckily, they both managed to grab a pair of seats on the train at the next station.

Rika stared down at her handbag, trying to avoid all eye contact with the aloof Ashiya, who was busy gawking at the sheer number of commuters on the train.

~~

“Now arriving at Nippori station. The doors on the right side will open. For transfers to the…”

“Two more to go! We’re almost there Ashiya”

“I’m sorry for having to put Ms. Suzuki through all this…”

“No, its my pleasure! Plus, it beats having to go home alone in these crowds, it will be a lot less busy by the time we’re done.” Rika finally mustered up the courage to look back up and smile at Ashiya. The moment her eyes met with his, she felt her chest tighten a little.

As the train began to move again, Rika noticed that all the new passengers were carrying soaking wet umbrellas. She looked out the window behind her to check the situation.

“Ashiya look! It’s absolutely pouring out there. Did you bring an umbrella?”

Outside, a large storm had begun to brew. The rain was almost pouring down sideways, meaning the wind was also blowing in full force.

“Ah, yes. I do keep a small one on my person just in case something like this does occur.” Ashiya grinned as he felt his jacket pocket to confirm he had brought his umbrella.

Rika let her mind wander for a split-second, imagining her and Ashiya sharing an umbrella and walking through a rainy Ueno park on the way to the electronic store.  

“What am I thinking?? I’ve devolved into a friggin’ generic high school girl!” Rika thought to herself while biting her lip, trying to come back to reality. Her composure had already begun to crumble, even before the main event had begun. Face flushed and heart pounding she covered her face with her hands.

The sudden screeching of the train being brought to a stop brought her to reality, again.

“Attention all passengers, due to a sudden change in weather the Yamanote Line will be suspending service until further notice.” The authoritative voice on the intercom announced. “We will momentarily be stopping at Uguisudani station, all passengers are advised to disembark and seek other means of transport.”

Ashiya suddenly stood up. His back to Rika, he keenly observed the situation. It hadn’t even been a month since the previous ‘storm’ that resulted in both his and Rika’s lives being turned upside down for weeks. He tried to detect any sources of demonic or holy energy nearby, but found nothing out of the ordinary. Deducing that this weather might truly be from natural causes, he sat back down and turned towards Rika. Seeing her behaviour for the last few minutes led him to believe that she was also worried about the possibility of a demonic or angelic attack.

“It seems that we have nothing to be worried about, Ms. Suzuki. This storm seems to be one hundred percent natural, I assure you.” Ashiya gave a warm smile towards Rika, who was still recovering from self-inflicted embarrassment.

She gave a quick nod to Ashiya, unable to think of an appropriate reply. The revelations made to her in the past few weeks were sinking into her mind. Angels, demons, other worlds… it still made no sense to Rika. All that she was certain of was that the man sitting beside her, Shirou Ashiya, was currently making her feel emotions she knew all too well. Regardless of his demonic background, his white-blond hair and taut stature made her eyes stray more often than not when they were together.

The train slowly started inching forward, towards the next station: Uguisudani.

Rika thought back to the first time they had gone out shopping together. Remembering how she wished that the walls between her and Ashiya could break down, even just a little bit, made her realize how much things had and hadn’t changed since then. Learning about his past, had in a sense, widened the gap between the them. They both came from different worlds, Rika having no part to play in the epic battles of the Ente Islanders that took place. Thinking back, she missed being a naïve girl enraptured by the sight of the kind yet mysterious man that suddenly came into her life. Her train of thought was interrupted by the train’s arrival at the station.

Ashiya and Rika made their way out onto the platform along with the other passengers on the train. The rain was pouring at such an incredible speed and angle that not even the roof of the platform was able to stop them from getting completely soaked.

“Shall we go to a nearby coffee shop and wait there until this storm subsides? I wouldn’t want Ms. Suzuki to get soaked and catch a cold in this weather.” Not to mention, should Rika catch a cold, both Maou and Emi would harass him for not properly taking care of her while they were out together.

“Sure, I think I saw a sign for a small family restaurant down that street, let’s go there!” Rika exclaimed as she pointed Ashiya towards the direction she assumed the sign pointed towards.

Ashiya went to open his trusty pocket umbrella before they set out from the station. The moment he opened it and stepped outside, a large gale of wind snapped the umbrella’s top off. The force of it snapping pulled the handle out of Ashiya’s grip.

“Ah...”

He had purchased that umbrella soon after he moved into Japan with Maou. The umbrella, along with any sentimental value it had, was carried away by the wind. He’ll have to budget for a new and stronger one later.

Seizing her chance to live out the small fantasy she had on the train, Rika stepped up: “Don’t worry Ashiya I have an umbrella we can share h-”

With a short woosh~ her umbrella also slipped out of her hand and disappeared into the distance, probably chasing after Ashiya’s umbrella to keep it company.  

Rika stood there, speechless. The torrents of rain were relentless, and she knew they had go somewhere quickly before they both ended up being swept along with their umbrellas in the rain. The cold was already getting to her, slowly seeping through her clothes and causing her to shiver.

“Time is of the essence Ms. Suzuki, let us go quickly!” Ashiya quickly draped his jacket over Rika’s head and placed his hand on her opposite shoulder to hold it in place.

The warmth of his hand gently grasping her shoulder made Rika’s heart begin to race, she gripped her handbag with both her hands and brought it to her chest as they began to race through the streets.

As if sensing the sudden increase in Rika’s heartbeat, the storm picked up its pace. Rika let out a small yelp as the rain battered her sides like a barrage of arrows.

“Ms. Suzuki! Please hang on for one more moment, I will get us to safety.” Ashiya, his eyes filled with raw determination, gingerly picked up Rika and sped towards the end of the street. He couldn’t let Rika stay out in the rain any longer. Looking around, he couldn’t find the family restaurant, but he spotted a nearby building with a sign indicating hourly room rentals. He recalled Urushihara telling him that these types of buildings, called ‘Net cafés’, existed as a place where one can rest for hours with various facilities, including laundry and showers, for an extended period. Prioritizing drying off, he decided this would be the most appropriate choice.

Meanwhile, the sudden princess carry that Ashiya sprang onto Rika had dealt serious mental damage. She voiced no protest as Ashiya picked her up and lifted her high up against his chest. The gears in her brain had stopped functioning long ago.

“O-ok…thank you.” Her voice was barely audible, but Ashiya could feel her cold body shivering ever so slightly.

The next couple minutes flashed by like a blur for Rika. Ashiya gently put her down on one of the soft chairs in the lobby of the building they entered before heading towards the reception. She noticed him asking a few questions before getting a set of keys and walking back over to Rika, who had begun to regain her senses. He offered out his hand to help her get up from the chair. Rika, who had already lost all sense of shame, happily obliged and took Ashiya’s hand. Its gentle embrace caused Rika’s face to feel pangs of warmth.

“It seems we are just in luck, as there was an available room for us to dry off in.” Ashiya led Rika towards the end of the hallway where their room was located.

“You’re fine paying with a hotel, Ashiya? Isn’t that expensive for you?” Was all Rika could come up with, seeing how the normally stingy Demon General just spent a large portion of money without a second thought.

“I agree, it is unfortunate to have to spend money on such short notice, but it is an emergency and Ms. Suzuki’s safety is my top priority. Besides, the rates for this Net Café is quite cheap considering the laundry services they also offered.”

Rika smiled to herself when Ashiya mentioned her name. Even though she hadn’t told him her feelings, she was always happy to find that he cared so much about her. Most men would start revealing their true nature and act overly familiar with her at this point, but Ashiya’s gentlemanly attitude even now showed that he was a true man of class.

“You mentioned laundry, but I have nothing to change into…so I don’t think I’ll be able…”

“Don’t worry Ms. Suzuki, I mentioned this to the receptionist and they said that outfits could be provided to us with the room, at a very minimal cost. I was quite impressed, but unsure what they meant when they asked the theme of the outfits. I requested we receive the most normal set, so long as they fit us both.”

They arrived at the end of the hallway, Ashiya fumbling with the keys for a moment before managing to insert it correctly into the lock. Still latched onto Ashiya’s hand, Rika timidly followed Ashiya into the room, trying to asses her current situation. She looked around the room for a moment before realizing something…very shameful. The once broken gears in Rika’s mind started spinning in full reverse. She could feel her pulse pounding in her forehead as her eyes darted around the room. Ah, no this can’t be.

Ashiya had yet to turn around and piece together the look of horror that had begun to develop on Rika’s face. He was genuinely intrigued with the colorful layout of the room. Urushihara’s explanation of a Net Café did not mention the spacious and extravagant room he was currently in. A small basket was neatly placed on the bed, beside a couple of clean bath towels. He stepped forward to see what its contents were. He found a colorful assortment of round mints wrapped in neat foil packaging.

Picking one up, he turned around to offer it to Rika, who had been silent since entering the room.

“It seems there are some complimentary treats for guests in the room. Would you ca-”

The great strategist and Demon General Alciel could have never predicted Rika’s reaction.

“P-P-P---PUT TT-THAT DOWN RIGHT NOW ASHIYA!!!!!!!!!!” Rika’s voice rose quite a few decibels as she barely managed to stammer out her sentence. Her eyes were stained red and the expression on her face showed that she was on the cusp of breaking down.

“D-DON’T TOUCH THOSE” She pointed an accusing finger at the ‘mint’ in Ashiya’s hand.

Every single alarm inside Ashiya’s brain went off at that moment. Rika was acting completely normal up to this point, albeit a bit quieter ever since getting off the train. With the possibility of an enemy attack being second to none, Ashiya realized that the reason lay in something he had done. Further assessment of the situation had to be immediately done before coming to a conclusion.

“What is wrong Ms. Suzuki? If you are injured I can look and see if there’s anything I can do to help.” He kept calm as he took a few steps towards Rika.

“STAY AWAY.” Rika began yelling. She knew she was being unreasonable, but the situation had already gotten out of hand in her mind. Her consciousness was floating in and out. Part of her knew Ashiya was being naïve, but her instincts as a woman were taking over for her already fried brain.

Realizing he was only making things exponentially worse, Ashiya backed down. From the look on Rika’s face, Ashiya could tell that she was exhausted, but also afraid of something. Could it be that she finally saw him as the demon that he truly was, and being locked in a room alone had terrified her to wits’ end? The great Demon General Ashiya of the past could have cared less about the opinion of one lowly human, but the fact that Rika’s actions made Ashiya feel empty on the inside was an unmistakable sign that he had changed.

“I’m terribly… sorry Ms. Suzuki! I will go ahead and wash up, so please relax and keep the room to yourself.” Hiding the tinge of sadness that he had just felt, Ashiya grabbed the basket and towel and rushed into the bathroom.

Rika sensed the slight falter in Ashiya’s voice as his soggy figure made its way to the bathroom. She was being cruel to the man she loved yet could not stop herself. She knew she had to explain to Ashiya the issue behind this whole situation before she imploded any further. Water still dripping from her arms, she grabbed the remaining towel off the bed and began to dry herself off.

Meanwhile, in the bathroom, Ashiya took a good look in the mirror at his drenched figure. He must have looked quite pathetic in front of Rika. The bitter feeling in his heart wasn’t going anywhere. He must make amends with Rika somehow.

“A quick warm shower should help clear up my mind.”

Turning on the shower to allow the water to warm up, he grabbed a bottle of liquid soap from the basket he brought with him and undressed himself.

“This really isn’t a hotel isn’t it…” Rika shook her head. She cupped her hands and placed her head in them, so no one could see the desperate expression on her face. Once Ashiya gets out of the bathroom, she’d ask him a few questions and explain to him what their current situation was. That way he’d also feel a bit of embarrassment and tensions would hopefully dissipate between the two of them. Her hopes were beginning to rise when –

*BANG* … … *THUD*… … “Aaaa…”

“Ashiya? Was that you?” Rika was certain the noise had just come from the bathroom. “Is everything OK?” Had something happened inside the bathroom? Could it have been an enemy attack? Rika was still unfamiliar with the allies and enemies of the Ente Islanders she knew but still considered that something heinous may be taking place on the other side of the wall.

No answer.

Taking a leap of faith, Rika opened the door too the bathroom and peered inside, expecting the worst.

She wasn’t too far off.

“…Ms. Suzuki? I’m sorry but could I enlist your help for a moment here? I seem to be experiencing some issues” A half-naked Ashiya was sprawled on the floor of the bathroom, with only his underwear on.

“Y-yes?” Rika took a step back and hid her body behind the door. Still peering from around the corner, she observed the fallen Demon General in all his glory.

“It seems that the complimentary soap provided by this establishment is far below standards!” Ashiya declared in a defiant tone. “The residue it leaves is extremely slippery and has made it extremely difficult for me to even walk! If you would be so kind as to pass me my towel Ms. Suzuki, I will clean myself up and remove myself from this pitiful state.”

Crestfallen, Rika was speechless. Normally even the thought of her seeing Ashiya shirtless would cause all the neurons in her brain to fire simultaneously, but now she was slowly dying on the inside. Extra careful not to step into the room, Rika nimbly grabbed Ashiya’s towel from off the counter and tossed it at his face.

“Many than-”

Rika shut the door mid sentence.

Ashiya thoroughly dried himself off with the towel, quietly cursing this strange soap. Perhaps it was a unique kind of soap and he had not been taught the correct method of application? Nonetheless, more important matters had to be attended to - making amends with Rika over whatever had happened.

“Ah, I forgot to bring an outfit with me to change into!” Ashiya swore at what seemed to be his twentieth blunder of the day.

Towel neatly wrapped around his waist, Ashiya had no choice but to go back into the room and fetch the outfit himself. Asking Rika to do something again would be extremely dangerous. Back onto the battlefield once more.

Sitting in the corner of the room, shoulders raised, and hands placed on her knees, Rika stared down the still shirtless Ashiya that crept out of the bathroom towards the closet. She had a clear idea what to tell Ashiya to resolve this messed up situation in her mind, but perhaps it could wait until he was dressed again…

Ashiya opened the closet.

He… couldn’t understand the meaning of the closet’s contents. A maid outfit, nurse outfit, cat costume and…some strange clothing made up of black leather and strings. Did the receptionist mistake his request for an outfit for… something else? The only outfit that could even fit Ashiya’s body was the odd leather suit. Likely designed for some sort of horse riding or climbing, with all the metal rings attached to the torso. It seemed odd to him that medieval clothing like this existed in modern Japan.

“I guess I’ll wear this until my clothes are dry.” Ashiya pulled the outfit out of the closet.

Rika couldn’t believe her eyes. She could only stare as Ashiya pulled out the costume from the closet. The moment he tried to slip it over his head, she knew she had to act, or else she’d die of shame before being able to explain anything to Ashiya.

“MR. ASHIYA…ah…umm… could you please listen to me?!” Rika’s hoarse voice surprised herself, the nervousness was getting to her. “There’s something you should know about this room before you put that…”

Unfortunately, Ashiya’s head was currently stuck inside the costume by the time Rika had begun her protests. Head tilted at an obscure angle, he was truly the epitome of a man who had lost his wits.

“Mmmmphh-ss-s-orry Ms. Suzuki I couldn’t mmmngg-hear wh—”

Rika had had enough.

Dashing from her chair, she darted to Ashiya and forcibly ripped the costume off his body. Grabbing his exposed sides, she pushed him onto the bed before running into the washroom and fetching his wet clothes. She threw the soggy clothing onto the body of their lifeless owner. Fists clenched she walked back into the bathroom.

“Put your clothes on Ashiya. Right now. You have thirty seconds.”

He didn’t need to be told twice, Ashiya had his clothes on and was kneeling on the floor when Rika walked back out thirty seconds later. The sweat on his face was starting to form neat rivers as it slowly slipped down his forehead and onto his cheeks. Shivering from the combination of wet clothing and air conditioning in the room he stammered:

“Ms. S..S…Suzuki, I’m terribly s.s...sorry. I meant n-no offence.”

He knew he had messed up. It didn’t matter why but this was his only means of escape from the current situation. Standing at the other end of the room, Rika had a deep frown on her face.

“I’m only going to ask this once, so listen carefully.” Rika took a deep breath.

She couldn’t look Ashiya in the eyes. Shifting her focus to the floor, she continued.

“Do you know what a love hotel is?”

“A l-l-love hotel?” Was the confused reply. Head bowed, Ashiya was searching through all his past experiences in Japan to find a reference to this ‘Love Hotel’ Rika mentioned. He only recalled a few things.

“It is a place where couples go to experience time together in privacy, f-from what I understand…”

He wasn’t wrong, but Rika knew she had to bridge the information gap that Ashiya was clearly missing. Her face reddened at the thought of the question she was about to ask.

“Ashiya, how do demons…reproduce?”

It was Ashiya’s turn to be at a loss for words. Rika had thrown a curveball in Ashiya’s direction that he couldn’t have expected in a million years.

“I’m sorry Ms. Suzuki but I don’t understand the purpose of this…”

“Do you know how humans do it???” Rika’s strained voice showed that her composure was near its limit.

“Y-y-yes?”

“Well, that’s what this room is for.” Rika tightened her fists a little as she told Ashiya the crux of the issue.

“B-b-but why this strange clothing and soap?” Ashiya was genuinely concerned why such odd things were placed in the room.

“Humans… have certain things they do to…umm…set the mood for these things…” was the soft reply from across the room.

Ashiya could sense the tension in Rika’s voice. He realized that he must have given Rika many mixed messages when he dragged her into this room, considering it had something to do with human mating. Still unaware of the bizarre customs behind the deed, Ashiya figured it would be best to just keep quiet and let Rika relax. He would have to buy her an apology gift on a later date for sure.

“I understand why you must have been so confused Ms. Suzuki. Please accept my sincerest apologies.” Ashiya stood up and gave a deep bow towards Rika.

“A-ah, n-no it’s fine, since you didn’t know what kind of room it was…well…” Rika nervously shuffled her hands into her pockets before continuing. “I guess I kind of overreacted as well and started yelling at you instead of stopping to explain things.” She knew the adrenaline had gotten the better of her.

“I accept full responsibility for what has occurred here today, it was my fault for failing to provide proper accommodations. Please rest assured I hold no ill-will towards you Ms. Suzuki.” Ashiya had a small innocent smile on his face.

Seeing this, Rika’s heart warmed up a little, along with her clothes.

~~

The tired figure of Shirou Ashiya labored up the stairs to 201 Villa Rosa Sasazuka in the moonlight. It was half past nine when the storm had finally let up and he and Rika could leave the love hotel. Although the tensions had been mostly lifted, Rika had adamantly declined his offer to accompany her home. The bitter feeling from earlier had crept back into his heart during the long train ride back.

“Humans are such…such…” Ashiya was too exhausted to finish his sentence. He opened the door to room 201 and quietly stepped in. The moon provided just enough light for him to tip toe in and put his bags down. Sighing deeply, he sat down with his back to the wall. He stared at the moon for a short while before looking around the room to see what the state of the room was.

At the other end of the room there was a large plastic bag overflowing with MgRonalds wrappers. From the sheer size of the bag, Ashiya assumed that at least 20 burgers had been ordered. His brain didn’t have enough energy to even get angry about that right now. Maou and Lucifer were both sleeping soundly in their usual spots, sprawled out without a care in the world.

Ashiya opened his bag. Even though they didn’t ‘use’ the room at the love hotel, being the stingy man that he was, he snuck some of the complimentary ‘mints’ and soap into his bag to take home. He carefully took them and placed them in the cabinet under the sink. Even though he was still unsure of their exact use, he had paid for the hotel room and wanted to get his money’s worth. The finances of the Devil King’s Castle on earth were no laughing matter, and Ashiya would keep anything if it meant they could save a few hundred yen later.

He let out a quiet yawn. Better get to sleep soon, so he could wake up and make breakfast for the two demons sleeping beside him. Ashiya quietly prepared his bedding and slid under the covers. What a long day it had been for him.

He fell asleep almost immediately, completely unaware of the ticking time-bomb he had just placed under the cabinet.

“aa...Ms. Suzuki…how good to…mmm…see…no…I” Ashiya muttered in his sleep.

But that’s a story for another day...

[yalerussianchorus-blog]

Blog Post for Friday, May 31st by Gabriel Mesa

May 31, 2019

I would say this day began at the crack of dawn, but the sun rises at 3 AM in Moscow. A smaller contingent of the chorus managed to wake themselves up after the chaos of the free day that came before. Following the hotel breakfast (a hot dog and eggs with a consistency reminiscent of tres leches cake), the 17 of us were off to the metro station. We groggy travelers made our way through the Moscow underground to the Leningradsky train station, and on our way we admired the intricate and majestic metro as always. Upon arriving, we stood in the center of some stalls while Stepan bought the train tickets to Sergiev Posad. Although we were fascinated by the one dollar book stands around us, the piece de resistance was a KFC stall which was the first thing to catch our American eyes. It really is the small things that make such a big difference. After a brief discussion about the improvement regarding service and food in Russian fast food chains, I remarked that in this moment Russia seemed more capitalist than the USA.

Stepan returned with our tickets and we were, in classic YRC style, scrambling to make the next train. The so called ¨Elektrichka¨ (an electric train serving the greater Moscow area) was a full and colorful place. We were sat far from one another, next to the many Russian commuters. Vendor after vendor entered our train car, selling goods ranging from ice cream to woven bags, though no one was aggressive nor pressing. After these interesting sales pitches, I settled into a conversation with Stepan and Reed, the YRC members who were seated near me.

It was about halfway through our train ride to Sergiev Posad that the ticket collector came around. After he scanned my ticket in order to check that I was not a ¨rabbit¨ (a term for those who hop car to car without paying), Stepan told us to keep the ticket. This took me by surprise because I assumed the five dollar fare was one way. Apparently a three hour train trip cost five dollars in total. What a place!

As we approached the end of our exploration of the infamous Russian rail gauge, we sang some songs for the other passengers. They loved them. Several of them were adamant about finding out where our next concert would be and at what time. Soon we arrived at Sergiev Posad.

The train platform stood in a small ravine between woods upon woods. We followed the three or four other passengers that got off at the station up a narrow staircase into even more forest. What followed was a ten minute walk through trees and unpaved roads until we arrived at our destination. Behind a solitary bus stop was a large path leading to a gate. As we approached and tried to collect our party, a Siberian Husky strode excitedly in our direction. He greeted us with a wide smile, wet fur, and eyes of two different colors: one pale blue and the other dark brown. The dog’s owner soon followed and lead us to his farm. As we approached through mud and tall grass, new dogs weaved in and out of our group. In the end, they totaled about ten. It was also at about this point that I began to rethink my decision to wear my suit rather than bring it to change, a decision initially motivated by a desire not to carry a suit around and to get good pictures on the horse.

This old Soviet collective farm had a surprising charm. The greenery had so overgrown the rusted metal structures that the two seemed now inseparable. This almost post-apocalyptic fusion was the perfect backdrop to mount our steeds. Our guide led horses one by one out of the barn and we formed a line leading to the field. Most of us were beginners or close to it; I had only ridden twice before. Nevertheless, we all were elated to ride in the vast field ahead of us. The sun shone down after the rain such that all the grass glistened with tips of light. When we finally began to control our horses, we all lined up for a photo and burst into a song about exactly what we were doing: riding our horses through the fields of Russia. I then began to roam around the property, followed by three other choristers. This entire time we all were trying to get our horses to gallop fast, though all unsuccessful. I finally persuaded mine though much shifting and prompting into a fast pace. Much to everyone’s surprise, the horses behind mine matched the new speed, and we trod on laughing and frantically trying to control the energetic steeds. I then switched out with some of the members on the ground. After several more songs and pictures, we returned to the barn and said our goodbyes.

A tiring riding session inspired a rapacious desire for food. We unpacked a bag full of sandwich supplies and snacks, though we supplemented it with goods from the small food store across the street. I practiced some Russian with the cashier after she refused to believe that I was American, most likely due to my attire and dark hair/eyes. Even having explained the history of the chorus and what we were doing here, she wanted to know my background so I just told her I was Spanish (partially true). After waiting a while for the bus, we decided to take some incredibly cheap Yandex cabs (Russian UBER) and in groups of four we made it to our next destination: the first concert of the day.

Upon arriving at the gates of the Detski Dom, a home for the deaf and blind, we greeted the group of chorus members who just arrived from the train station. Outside the building were statues made of various interesting textures for the children to explore. A woman showed the men into the library to change and the women into another room. Having already worn my suit to ride the horses, I brushed off some dirt and occupied the rest of my time before the concert by reading children’s books which were perfect for my Russian reading level. As we entered the auditorium and began with the roar of Tebe Boga Khvalim, many of the children were taken aback and excited. One of them had hearing problems and was signing to Stepan and waved to all of us throughout the concert. I am fairly sure we were loud enough to be heard even by him. After the concert we performed the parade of cabs again and were off to the Patriarch’s monastery.

Once we entered what seemed to be a gigantic white fortress reminiscent of the walls of Minas Tirith, a group of monks received us and brought us to a changing room. One of them was a native Alaskan who spoke fluent English, though the power of this country caused him occasionally to forget English words that he knew in Russian. They instructed us to meet back at their beautiful green and gold amphitheater in an hour. Most of us took that time to snack and tour the grand churches. We grabbed some fresh kvass and a bought a monastery cake that was just a larger and more delicious fig newton with Old Church Slavonic writing on it. Carrying our loot around the grounds, Zosia, Hank, and I observed the many people that flocked across the square from the ongoing service to the holy fountain to the many relics. The American priest gave us a tour of the oldest church whose interior was dark yet glorious. The chorus then lined up outside the performance hall.

Our act was preceded by a group of older women dressed in very traditional Slavic clothing. They had a very gentle sound which contrasted against the brash chorus routine and, though I didn’t know it at the time, I was lucky to be singing with them later that day as well. After we sang through our regular lineup on tour so far, Stepan decided to throw in the patriotic song Kon’ and we began the progressively more intense opening sequence. Just as we knew the soaring and inspiring chorus which was coming next, so did the audience. They began clapping throughout the introduction with gasps of excitement. Despite being a world away, we were able to connect to these people’s sense of home and pride. The director of the monastery choir reinforced this concept when he said that we sang with heart and the spirit of the music despite “technical issues.” I came out of that concert quite spirited, and became even more so when I learned we were going to Stepans house for an afterparty.

During our general scramble to the various bus stops and taxi stands, I noticed a sizable bust of Lenin right outside the monastery. Interesting juxtaposition. We filled up an entire bus and I had to wait with Stepan, Agata, and Malcolm for the next one which came within 30 seconds. Halfway through the ride, Stepan realized that he had promised his host to buy vodka for their party so we go off and on again. The short interlude consisted of Stepan running inside and grabbing an armful of spirits. Seeing this boozy bundle, the cashier said to him, “let’s get to know each other,” justifiably implying she needed to see some ID. The chorus met at the final bus stop and walked down yet another forested path to the residence of Stepan and his host family.

By the time we opened the gates to the yard, the festivities had already begun. To my surprise the Slavic women’s group was there in full force but normal clothing; they apparently were comprised of Stepan’s neighbors. A man with an accordion played nonstop for two hours, inviting us to sing and dance to every new song as if it were his grand finale. Russian food was laid out all across a table about twenty feet long. My personal favorites from the offerings were seasoned pig fat, blini pancakes, and potatoes of a superb quality. The only issue was the mosquitoes, though they seemed to bother people less and less as the night drew on for reasons that here are heavily implied. We were taught traditional dances and sang our own rendition of Country Roads as we are oft inclined to do in all sorts of places, much to the chagrin of some of the more decorum-minded members of the chorus (of which there are few). The night wound down and simultaneously up with a string of emotional toasts. One particularly funny moment was when Lance was translating Stepan’s Russian toast and understandably mistranslated a toast to people across the sea to a toast to sea-people which garnered much laughter then and for the rest of the trip. As a grand finale, we engaged in a fiery sing off with the other group which brought everyone closer together. Suddenly, we realize we have to catch the last train out of the town and everyone scrambles to get a cab or get driven. My car ride was an extension of my intensive Russian courses at Yale, as a native Muscovite chorister spoke with one of our hosts throughout most of the trip. She invited us to a Slavic music festival in Germany and we all said our thanks and goodbyes.

Having engaged in very active leisure time for the last three to four hours, we all were understandably tired as we made our way to the train platform with around 10 minutes to spare. Soon after boarding, Hank and I spoke with a Jazz musician in Russian, pooling our collective four semesters of the language to achieve a moderate success. After the first stop, a man with a violin entered the cabin (filled with only the chorus and a few more passengers) and began an emotional rendition of the Game of Thrones theme song, complete with backing track. He was good and the entire chorus pooled all their change to give to him, though not without a request. I believe it was Beau who then  volunteered me to sing a rock song as he did later in the tour as well (though I never am inclined to refuse). After searching mutually known tracks, we settled on Winds of Change by the Scorpions. I picked up the mic connected to the man’s speaker and Stepan and I harmonized on a violin-heavy cover of a rock song about the very country we were touring. While an unfortunate ride for those wishing to rest, the spirit of rock and roll was strong that moment. I settled into a nice conversation and the beginnings of this blog post for the rest of the journey.

Upon taking the metro from the train station to the hotel, I was greeted by my long lost roommate: James Han. He unfortunately received his passport back from the visa agency late so he had to delay his flight a week, though he arrived that afternoon and was ready to explore Russia. Though everyone else had gone swiftly to rest and we had and early rehearsal the next morning, we still had a hunger to do more.

It was around 2:30 AM when James and I decided to go on an adventure. James’ part in this is more excusable considering he was still on USA time, but I certainly wanted to explore the fabled woods to our north. We set off on the main street, as complete darkness was stayed by the ever twilight sky. As we passed a gas station, the most lovable wet stray approached us. I, with bolstered confidence from my rabies shots several months ago, let the dog come near. We bonded and, in keeping with the Russian tradition of naming dogs American human names, we called him John (Джон). The friendship lasted the rest of our journey. He would not leave our side even though we did not have any food to give him. Even when we went into a club to go the bathroom, he waited patiently outside. As we walked away I called to him in Russian and said “let’s go,” and he obedient followed. A Russian man on the porch of the club remarked with surprise “He listens to you?” After some more walking, we entered the great wood, which lies right next to the city streets. A great wilderness at the doorstep of the hustle and bustle of the civilization represents Russian towns and cities as a whole. We stepped into the beauty of a clear European forest filled with birch and extending for miles upon miles according to Google maps. At around 5:00 AM we left the forest and arrived back at the hotel thirty minutes later. Once we went inside we knew we had lost John, but we will not forget him.

This day was filled with so many wild and life-changing experiences. This is why I miss tour so much already. The bonding we had as a group and the connection we made with the people (as well as the dogs and horses) we met is a feeling I will take with me forever. Though it is very difficult for me to say, I am glad that I missed the Bon Jovi Moscow concert that day to experience all the brilliant moments this day on tour had to offer.

[techcrunchappcom]

New Post has been published on https://techcrunchapp.com/an-austin-trip-for-sxsw-ll/

An Austin trip for SXSW (LL)

Austin’s SXSW, aka South By Southwest, should be experienced at least once. During this nine-day event, art meets cutting-edge technology, with lots of entertainment in between.

This culmination of creativity is what you make it, though a little planning can go a long way. Don’t get me wrong, though; there’s something magical about planting yourself in the midst of some of the best talents on the planet and just seeing what happens.

Lodging

Long before you set foot in Austin for SXSW, lodging should be secured. Unless you’re looking to camp out a few miles away in your (rental?) car, it’s best to lock something down months ahead of time. 

The fest works with various Austin hotels to provide rooms and slightly friendlier rates for attendees. To take advantage of these room blocks, get your fest access badge in order. Once your pass details are squared away on the SXSW site, you can use your registration number to nab a South By hotel room.

Austin vacation rentals are also excellent SXSW lodging options. You’ll have a ton of flexibility when it comes to the experience. Traditional stays range from shared rooms to sprawling private residences. Looking for more than just a place to leave your bags? Post up in a treehouse, tiny house, or tent.

Accessing the Fest

Alright. None of the other SXSW trip details matter if you don’t have your access pass figured out. This multifaceted fest spans tons of themes and scenes, and passes are required to attend most of the features. 

Platinum badges are the most versatile and offer access to most of the SXSW programming. The VIP-style SX Xpress Pass fast tracks its carriers to priority status at some events. Category-specific badges like music and film are available for attendees focused on specific aspects of the fest. Not sure which badge is for you? The SXSW badge quiz helped me hone in on my access needs. Bottom line: all badge levels get access to the taco meetups.

South By can also be experienced on a budget. A very minimal budget, at that. Tons of free events are held throughout the festival; some are offered by SXSW, and others are pop-ups on the streets surrounding the main events. Riding the free-entertainment train is definitely an option, so don’t let limited funds hold you back from experiencing SXSW.

Food and Drink

micheile henderson 7NFwwp vZk8 unsplash

You won’t go hungry during SXSW. Food and drink booths flood the area, and you can easily fill a day (and your stomach several times) sampling the offerings. Badges are beneficial for this aspect – some of SXSW’s best food spots require them. Lots of the food spreads are free, though portions tend to be small.

And, while in Austin for SXSW, you’ve got to try some food truck cuisine. Most can be found within a one-mile radius of the Austin Convention Center; these mobile meal stations are the perfect way to refuel while hopping between conferences and expos. Selections span all meals of the day, from donuts and breakfast burritos to Texas barbecue and sandwich fusions. And lots of tacos. Austin really has a strong taco game.

Austin’s bar scene is not to be taken lightly, especially during SXSW. Hit Maggie Mae’s on E. 6th Street for live music and gourmet pub fare…if you can snag a spot. No worries if you can’t, though. Austin’s East 6th Street is home to tons of bustling bars, so keep walking and you’ll find something.

If you’d rather seek out a low-key spot to relax and plot your next move, you can branch out beyond the SXSW action. Cozy wine bars and pubs with patios can be found a few miles from the downtown area. Just don’t tell anyone where you’re going…

Tips

Expect lines.

Long lines are guaranteed at SXSW. Accept it and plan accordingly. Meet fellow line-waiters, scan schedules, or stare at your phone; it is what it is, and you might just enjoy it.

Pack like you’re going to a remote island.

Even though you’ll be immersed in oceans of people, access to resources can be scarce. Weather can be unpredictable, and electricity might be hard to find. Extra batteries, sunscreen, and raingear have come in handy in the past. I can’t stress enough the importance of wearing footwear that you love (and not in a “these are super stylish and match my outfit” kind of way). Came a little too prepared? Austin luggage storage is a handy way to lighten the day-to-day load while having easy access to your gear.

Check out some of Austin’s best attractions.

Sure, the space booths and start-up presentations are intriguing, and the films are fantastic…but there’s more to Austin than SXSW. The SoCo District’s home to boutique shops and is a perfect place to experience some of Austin’s quirky culture. The Moody Theater usually has some excellent programming on the calendar. If you want a good outdoor show, head for the Congress Avenue Bridge at sunset, and you can see thousands of bats embarking on their nightly bug hunt. Seriously. This city has everything.

[transcriptroopers]

Training: Part 1

After months of waiting, I'm finally going to get into what training looks like. This will be a four part series and will include reception, basic training, and AIT. Feel free to send questions regarding anything you read here, but for questions involving training that I haven't covered yet, please wait until I finish the OP! My goal is to have all four of them finished by May, so let's crush it!

Part 1: Reception (you're on it!) Part 2: Basic Combat Training (coming soon!) Part 3: Basic to Advanced Individual Training (coming soon!) Part 4: Advanced Individual Training (coming soon!)

Things to keep in mind while I go through this series:

•We're “recruits” or “warriors” or some other nickname before we're “soldiers.” We have to get through BCT at least before people start considering us soldiers. So typically I'll be referring to people as “recruit.”

•As always, I'll be using the terms “male” and “female” to refer to recruits, as that's what's proper and respectful in a military setting.

•This series starts assuming you've already gone through the recruitment process. If the recruitment process is requested, that'll be a separate post.

•I'll be using a lot of slang in this post because otherwise it'll read extremely tediously. I will attempt to explain the slang the first time it's used, but if you're confused you can always ask me. If you suspect you'll have trouble, you might try keeping notes of what things mean; maybe it'll help your writing at a later date as a quick reference!

Part 1: Reception

The day has come: it's time to ship off to basic training. You don't really need to bring anything with you other than the clothes on your back and your folder of paperwork, which will likely be a big ol' bulky pain in the ass. You can bring hygiene stuff with you if you want, but considering your NCOs will probably just make you buy more hygiene stuff when you arrive anyway, there's almost no point. You show up at your recruiter's office at the appointed time. They either put you on a bus or drive you all the way to MEPS, which is the Military Entrance Processing Station. You've already gone through MEPS a few weeks prior, so you won't be there very long. Your flight doesn't leave until tomorrow morning, (the army wants accountability of you the night before) so you get shipped off to a hotel to twiddle your thumbs. You'll be rooming with other recruits and your evening meal will be taken care of by the hotel.

The next morning, you wake up bright and early, probably around four or five a.m. You and the other dozens of recruits take a bus that takes you to the airport, where you'll separate into smaller groups. Not all of you will be going to the same basic training location, so your group will probably be on the smaller side, maybe three to five people. You'll stick in this group until you arrive at your new unit and likely get separated.

Depending on how long it'll take you to arrive, you'll receive meal vouchers. The army will pay for one to two meals at the airport. The voucher has to be all used up in one go, so if you get a $20 voucher and only use $10, that other $10 is gone. Those vouchers are only good while you're in transit to basic training. You'll also have paperwork with instructions on your way there, including phone numbers to call in emergencies and where to go after you arrive.

If something comes up to where you either miss your flight or your flight is delayed, there's a hotline you can call to inform the army of the delays so they know you haven't gone AWOL.   Your plane will touch down wherever your new unit will be. The instructions will lead you to the waiting place, which will likely be full of many other recruits from all over the country. There will be restrooms, food, drinks, and possibly entertainment while you're waiting. You still have all of your personal belongings, including your phone.

When it's time, (whether that means ten minutes later or ten hours later) you hop on a bus to be taken to the next step, and the official title of this section: reception.

Reception will be your first taste of military life. You'll be separated into male and female barracks and assigned a temporary reception platoon, which could easily be a hundred individuals. In the barracks will be bunk beds, lockers, showers/toilets, and washing machines/dryers. You still have your phone, but during the day it must be kept in your locker, and you can get in big trouble for having it on you during the day. You're still waking up bright and early in the morning, probably 5-6 a.m. You have a morning formation every day (and multiple more formations after that) which requires you to be in that day's uniform.

Every day, you have a designated chow time in the morning, afternoon, and evening. The Dining Facility, or DFAC, will often be extremely full, which means you'll probably have to wait before you can even enter. You'll still be in formation standing outside the DFAC, entering slowly one or two at a time. It might take half an hour just to get inside the DFAC and an hour and a half before chow time is over.

Because of this, you won't be permitted to dawdle. Your NCOs (who aren't drill sergeants, yet) probably won't let you take more than ten minutes to eat, although they might only give you five minutes if they don't like you. If you look like you're eating too slowly and you've only been sitting down for like two minutes, they might shoo you out to make room for others. The DFAC is basically a buffet, (free to enlisted) although at this point you're only allowed one run through it, and it sucks to be you if you forgot something. They serve hot chow even for breakfast, cereal, milk and juice, fruit, and possibly even a salad bar. The food itself is a bit subpar, but all things considered it's not horrible. It's probably no better or worse than a school lunch. You won't be permitted to drink coffee or hot tea, and you can't go up and refill your drink if you finish it too quickly.

Because I went to training in the cold, our strategy for staying in the DFAC longer was actually getting as much food as was reasonable. We'd still have to eat it fast, but because there was so much of it it often took us longer to the point we could maybe stretch out fifteen minutes of sitting there. The stomachache kinda sucked after, but with how cold it was outside it was worth it to avoid it for ten more minutes. We'd eat oranges, (which require time consuming peeling) cereal, (taking smaller spoonfuls) apples, (eating the whole thing, core and all) whatever it took not to have to stand in the cold anymore, knowing we were destined for hours of bracing the cold.

It is absolutely forbidden to remove food from the DFAC. People still do it to have something to snack on while they're in the barracks for the evening, but you'll get a nice chewing out if someone catches you.

You'll go through CIF, which is the Central Issue Facility, to get your proper attire. Four sets of ACUs, Army Combat Uniforms, and two sets of PFT gear, (physical fitness training; you get a winter set and a summer set). You'll also receive two duffel bags which will be marked with your name and the last four numbers of your SSN, social security number, and a laundry bag which was the only acceptable thing to keep dirty laundry in.

You'll be issued a card containing your first paycheck from the army, a forwarded salary. Using this card, you must buy your own white socks and athletic shoes (for the PT uniform) ranks, (for the ACU) and hygiene products, including tooth brushes, soap, and shampoo, as well as any other little things you might find useful (baby wipes, cough drops, and chapstick = the basic training holy trio, always have these on you at all times). Females also have to purchase hair ties. They have to be the really small thin ones, not scrunchies, and they have to roughly match your hair color. If females have an unnatural hair color when entering basic, they have to pay to have their hair dyed their natural color. Females can also no longer shave their heads in accordance with 670-1.

Males will have their heads shaved, and they will continue to have their heads shaved every two weeks until BCT is over. This isn't covered by the army either; even though they require your hair is cut every two weeks during BCT, and they actually march you along to the barber themselves, you're the one paying for the haircut. And despite the fact that your hair is constantly being shaved, they still expect you to have and use shampoo on your bare pathetic scalp. And sunblock, if needed. Fun fact: the top of your head can sunburn, even in cold weather.

The rest of reception takes about a week barring any delays. You'll spend those days going through a number of medical evaluations (even though you already went through medical eval in MEPS) including hearing tests, dental exams, (any work that needs to be done is marked in your file unless it's priority, in which case they take care of it right there) and eye exams. Those who wear glasses will be issued GI glasses, which are sturdier and shouldn't break easily. Back when I joined we were still using the S9 model, which were so ugly we called them BCGs: birth control glasses. Nowadays it appears the army has switched over to the 5A model, which look much more respectable. My experience with BCGs was fairly awful; they didn't have nose pads, meaning they constantly fell down the face and sometimes caused sores on your nose where the hard plastic was rubbing unprotected on your skin. I'm afraid I'm not sure how the 5As fare as far as comfort goes.

Vaccinations are going to be numerous and quick. When I was going through reception, we lined up in a column and we would take a step, stop, get stuck, sometimes in both arms at once, and then step forward again. These are just basic vaccinations; others like smallpox will be waiting until AIT. If you can medically confirm you've already had a vaccination, you can skip it, but considering most people can't, they just stick you anyway. This includes things you “don't need” like the chicken pox vaccine. The less diseases we have to worry about, the better. Fears of needles will not be respected or humored. You'll also be spending a lot of time getting your paperwork settled. The army has life insurance, which you have to choose, sign, and declare a beneficiary. You'll have to set up your direct deposits with your bank for your paychecks and if necessary set up any powers of attorney for your family while you're in training.

Finally, you'll be getting some quick crash courses in drill and ceremonies and army history. You'll learn the Army Song and probably sing it at least once a day, as well as the Soldier's Creed. You start learning the ranks, how to march, and military etiquette. It won't be drilled into you quite as much yet, but the more you can learn and absorb before you go to BCT, the less you'll get yelled at by your drill sergeants. At the very least you'll be expected to know the basics of marching, (keeping step, various commands) and how to stand at attention and the various positions of rest.

All throughout reception, you'll have a lot of downtime and a lot of “hurry up and wait.” You may be forced to just literally sit around for hours, rain or snow, hot or cold, and often you'll be unaware what exactly it is you're waiting for. During this downtime, you have to keep your voices down and not walk around or move from the designated area. You can't sleep (believe me – as deprived of sleep as you are you'll find yourself falling asleep anywhere) and you still can't use your phone, which should be locked up in your locker back at the barracks. Don't bother complaining about this downtime to your NCOs, because they won't be sympathetic and they probably won't tell you why you're waiting or how much longer you'll be waiting.   You do have the opportunity to bond with your fellow recruits, although you'll probably wind up in separate units come BCT. A lot of drama can arise from this, including Star-Crossed Lovers Syndrome, but I don't recommend giving into that. Relationships in reception, BCT, and AIT are not allowed. Theoretically.

This is all I have for you regarding reception! I hope you've gotten some useful information and that you can look forward to part 2. Thank you for your patronage! Your continued support is appreciated!

-Kingsley

Was this post informative? Entertaining? Eye-opening? Then consider supporting SPC Kingsley on Patreon!

[tyleroakley-obsessed]

Today’s Memphian To Meet is Jared “Jay B” Boyd aka DJ Bizzle Bluebland. He’ll be broadcasting live from Central Station’S lobby this Sunday at noon, just in time for a perfectly Memphis brunch playlist. Catch the stream on social media via I Love Memphis accounts on Facebook and Twitter (I’ll share the link) or on Memphis Travel’s Instagram Live. Photo provided by the artist. This set is the last of the Memphis Music Hub DJ Series —details on that here. See DJ Spanish Fly’s old school Memphis hip hop set (in 360° Smell-O-Vision Magic!) here. Read more about DJ Alpha Whiskey’s all-ladies soul set here and see her 360° broadcast here. Get to know DJ Memphi$ Jone$ here and watch his set here. I’m extra excited about this Sunday’s DJ Dance Party, because Jay B is a friend of mine, a fellow writer, and a very cool Memphian that you need to meet. Get to know him a little better with our quick Q&A below, then plan to tune in on Sunday on social media at noon. Sunday Brunch! With DJ Bizzle Bluebland! This Week! Holly: What can Memphis music fans from around the world expect during your set on Sunday 5/3 at noon? Jay B: It’ll be similar to my typical Sunday fare at Eight & Sand [the lobby bar at Central Station]. I’ll be the finale of this series, so I want to make sure I encompass all of what folks have heard throughout the series. Like the other DJs who spin at Eight & Sand, I love my records. So, you’ll hear some of the Memphis music from my collection that have become staples of my sets. Some of it is rare, and some is not necessarily hard to find but a bit off the map. You probably won’t hear your favorite Al Green or Isaac Hayes joint, but you’ll definitely hear them, their collaborators, and some other selections adjacent to the marquee Memphis music. Holly: What does your DJ set theme mean to you? Jay B: It’s a Sunday afternoon set, so the energy is soulful. It’s warm, and fulfilling, like the family meal you eat after church. That uplifting, sanctified energy is in there, but you’re unwinding and easing into your week. So, you get an excuse to indulge a bit. Jay B. with Joyce Cobb at Central Station. Photo provided by the artist. Get To Know Jay B Holly: Where are you from? How long have you lived in Memphis? Jay B: I’m a born and raised Memphian. From the Southeast area of town, but I went to school further out East at White Station. After graduation, I went to college, not too far away, at Ole Miss, before landing a job in Mobile, Alabama. I’ve been back in Memphis for almost a year-and-a-half. I’m grateful to be home, and back in my element. Holly: Tell us about your “day job”…I bet most I Love Memphis readers are familiar with your great work. Jay B: I’m a news reporter at The Daily Memphian, writing about general news, arts and culture. Anyone who might be familiar with my writing, may know me most for my features about Memphis music history and its culture. But in a very short career, I’ve covered everything from crime scenes to capital murders to naval ship christenings with Warren Buffett’s daughter to luncheons with Jimmy Buffett and all sorts of things. You never know what might come across your desk, and it never fails, the stories I never would pick for myself are always the most rewarding. I think learning on the fly has made me a well-rounded individual.  Holly: How did you get started as an artist and as DJ? Jay B: I think I started planting the seeds of becoming an emcee as a kid. I would carry around a little Fisher-Price boombox with a mic, rapping and singing. I’d perform all-the-time in preschool and elementary. In middle school, I started recording my own songs. And in high school, I had a pretty good run, as a part of a group produced by C-Major, who’s now an integral part of Memphis’ Unapologetic crew. I learned to DJ in college, as a staff member at Bridge Builders summer conferences. It was a way to keep the students energized each week. So, I brought it back on campus at Ole Miss, and flourished with the skill on my own college radio program. And I really love records, so spinning records helps me pay for that habit.  Holly: How has Memphis music inspired your artistic career? Jay B: I’ve always been one to pay homage to the creators in this city. When I was young, it was all about Memphis hip-hop. In college, my cousin Andrew Love, a seminal horn player in Memphis soul, passed away. It spurred my interest in owning all the records he played on. I’ve been buying records weekly ever since, and I’m still not close to that goal. But it has kept me deeply engrossed in Memphis soul, its labels, its producers, and its stories. Jay B. and Memphis soul producer Dan Greer. Photo provided by the artist. Memphis Inspiration  Holly: How has Memphis as a city inspired your artistic career? Jay B: Being home has been revolutionary for my morale. It’s certainly made me a better record collector. But the proximity to the artists who wrote, engineered, produced and released this music has given me perspective, care, and, in some cases, ownership over the media. I feel like an ambassador and an advocate for the artists and their material. Not only am I able to play a song, if I’m doing my job right, I’m able to tell you a bit about how it came to be. That feeds my spirit. And because Eight & Sand is all Memphis music all the time, the other DJs really push me. I get record envy. So, I can’t slip. I have to keep digging for records, relationships and stories!   Holly: Favorite Memphis music artists or genre and why? Jay B: I learned from guys like DJ Leroy, Memphis Jone$ and Witnesse, through the years, to have a deep appreciation for “boogie” music. It’s the groovy, funky, post-disco vibe that most people would never associate with Memphis. And Memphis is, by no means, a hub of the style. But like most things, particularly in the realm of music, we bring our own flavor to the party. It’s glam, it’s sometimes hokey, it’s over-produced, and can tend to be cookie-cutter, stuck in a time we’ve all moved on from. It just reminds me to hang loose and not take things so seriously.   View this post on Instagram   A post shared by Jared “Jay B.” Boyd (@jaredjaybboyd) on Mar 8, 2020 at 4:26pm PDT DJ Bizzle Bluebland at Central Station Holly: You’ve done sets at Central Station before. Tell us about that. Jay B: From the time Central Station opened, I’ve been in Eight and Sand every Sunday. That’s my home bases, as far as my DJ career is concerned. I had given up DJing after college, and was considering jumping back into it. The guys at Eight & Sand were privy to my love for Memphis records, and asked if I’d be interested in the gig. It’s been incredible. Since October, we’ve brought in Cut Chemist, Spanish Fly, Dante Ross, Case Bloom—all these guys I would’ve never been able to spin records with otherwise. The dudes who aren’t from Memphis have had an immense respect for what we’ve been building, and they love the Memphis music.  Holly: During non-pandemic times, how can Memphians enjoy the DJ Bizzle Blueband experience? Jay B: Every Sunday at Eight & Sand, I’m in the building, spinning classic Memphis records, chatting with visitors to Memphis and hanging with locals. I love the lounge atmosphere. I try to think of it like a sort of Sunday Soul Brunch.  DJing In A Pandemic Holly: How have you been coping personally and professionally during the pandemic? Jay B: I’ve been making it okay. News is still a busy business. I can’t complain, at all. My work is essential, and I’m still able to make a living. So long as that is the case, I have been clinging to the perspective that I shouldn’t allow myself to complain. As far as music goes, I’ve been recording my mixes and uploading them to the web. It’s given me an opportunity to be more creative, playing music from outside of Memphis, and more experimental styles I wouldn’t typically play with a live audience.  Holly: How can people keep up with your projects? Jay B: I’m @JaredJayBBoyd on Twitter and Instagram. My articles can be found on Daily Memphian’s homepage most every day. I’m DJ Bizzle Bluebland on MixCloud, where I host my own mix show “Nervous Wreck Radio.” I continue to co-host the “Beale St. Caravan” on NPR, which is syndicated internationally, sharing the stories and sounds of Memphis and the Mississippi Delta worldwide. And, if you need one hub to find all that, and other side projects, my website www.JaredJayBBoyd.com keeps it all under one tab. Jared and me after a press conference on May 2, 2019—exactly one year ago! Just For Fun: Meet Jay B 1. What’s always in your bag/on your person? I have to keep a phone charger, business cards, my Beats headphones, and my computer, in case any news breaks. I don’t want to get caught slipping. 2. Guilty pleasure? YouTube. I can spend hours, at a time, watching interviews, talk shows and news features about the nerdiest topics. 3. Go to outfit? Black denim pants, white Nike Cortez sneakers, an ironic vintage t-shirt promoting a band I’ve only heard once or twice. 4. How do you drink your coffee? Black, no cream, no sugar. I’m enjoying a cup of coffee right now, actually. The beans were imported from Ethiopia and roasted in Memphis by my friend Bartholomew Jones. 5. Favorite song(s) right now? My friends at Shangri-La Records laced me with a pack of records yesterday. It’s already changing the way I’m listening to music and formulating mixes. But I’m going to have to keep the titles to myself, until they hit my mix show. 6. Go-to order at Eight & Sand after a DJ set? The chicken sandwich called “The Birdie” is the best in town. But I’m vegan these days. So, I’ll grab an order of fries over at Bishop and bring them over to the bar to chill. MEMPHIS MUSIC HUB DJ SERIES Sunday Brunch SUNDAY, MAY 3 AT NOON Live on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Rebroadcast in 360 next week. Are you a home owner in Memphis, with a broken garage door? Call ASAP garage door today at 901-461-0385 or checkout https://ift.tt/1B5z3Pc

https://ilovememphisblog.com/2020/05/memphian-to-meet-jared-boyd-aka-dj-bizzle-bluebland/

[tamboradventure]

19 Easy Ways to Save Money in Armenia

Posted: 12/16/19 | December 16th, 2019

I never got to Armenia when I was in the Caucasus. I was bummed because there so much history there. Next trip, right? Well, Carine and Doug love Armenia so much, they’ve visited four times over the past few years. So, in this guest post, they are going to give us their best tips for saving money when you visit Armenia!

Armenia is one of the oldest nations on earth. Its roots date back to 860 BCE, and its capital, Yerevan, just celebrated its 2,800th anniversary, making it one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. The nation has a very rich culture, a ton of beautiful places to explore, amazing food, and some of the most hospitable people you’ve ever met. Having been to Armenia four times, we’ve found it to be one of our favorite places on earth.

The crowds have not made it yet to this beautiful part of the world, which is why we often hesitate to share our love for Armenia with others (we want to keep it our little secret as a budget-friendly destination).

But Matt convinced us otherwise, so here we are, sharing our 19 best tips for saving money in the country:

1. Walking around the cities The cities in Armenia are very walkable. They’re easy to navigate and well marked. You can even get from one end of the capital Yerevan to the other in 30-40 minutes. Walking is also the cheapest and healthiest way to get around. So bring comfy shoes — they will come in handy!

And if you get lost, just ask the locals. They’re so helpful and love showing their city off. Don’t be surprised if they end up walking with you to your destination and inviting you over for coffee and cake as well!

2. Take a free walking tour in Yerevan. There is so much to see and do in Yerevan. The best way to get a taste of it is to join a walking tour with Yerevan Free Walking Tours. The tour lasts about three hours, covering almost 2.5 miles (4 kilometers) and about 25 points of interest. To join, just meet at 5 pm (17:00) by the entrance to the History Museum on Republic Square.

3. Use the GG or Yandex apps instead of taxis. Although there are taxis, the fastest way to get around is to use the GG or Yandex apps. Like Uber, they call on drivers in your area to pick you up. GG only works in larger cities at the moment.

Rides within Yerevan will cost you about $3-4 USD, depending on how far you’re going. Rides to the airport will set you back about $6.

If you want to call on a regular taxi, make sure you agree on the price before getting in, especially at the airport. This is where regular taxis will most often try to charge you double what you’ll pay on GG or Yandex. Sure, it’s convenient not having to wait for your ride to get there, but is it really worth the extra money? Probably not. Offer to pay them the same thing GG would charge, plus an extra 100 AMD (or dram) ($0.21 USD) to avoid the wait.

A little note about cars in Armenia: Although they surely had seat belts at one point in time, they are not frequently used. Don’t be surprised if there is no buckle or seat belt at all. Especially, don’t be surprised if the driver just shrugs off your comment about it!

4. Hop on a marshrutka to get around Yerevan. One of the cheapest ways to get around the larger cities is by taking marshrutkas (minibuses). Cities are working on putting together a map of the various routes, but for now, you can use the A2B Transport app on Android, or if you know Armenian, check out Marshrut.info (although your browser may offer to translate the page into English, too).

Riding a marshrutka costs 100 AMD ($0.21 USD), which you pay before getting off, or when the driver asks you. To get off at your stop, just say kangnek (kang-nek), which means ‘Stop here’. The bus will pull over at the next stop to let you off.

Also, here are a few tips to help you enjoy the ride: Sit in the front when you can; you’ll be more comfortable. If you take one of the minivan marshrutkas, you open and close your door. Just make sure you don’t slam the door too hard, or you’ll hear it from the driver. Sometimes seating will get tight, so you may need to stand. Also, don’t be surprised if women ask you to hold on to their purses, groceries, or babies if you do have a seat — although the nice thing to do is to offer them yours!

5. Take a bus between cities. Although tourism infrastructure is slowly being built, it’s still quite easy to get around the country, even if most people don’t speak English.

There are larger buses that go from city to city, though most are to and from Yerevan. These are also called marshrutkas. Costs vary between $0.50 to $5.00 USD depending on where you’re going. Your money will be collected before the marshrutka leaves.

Just know that there’s no actual bus schedule: they usually head out to larger cities (Gyumri, Vanadzor, Dilijan) when they’re full. If not, they leave on the hour — just don’t expect them to be very timely! You can grab one at any of the three bus stations in Yerevan.

On your ride, it may happen that they may need to refill the marshrutka with gas. Many vehicles in Armenia run on compressed natural gas and propane, so during the fill-up, you will be asked to get out of the vehicle as a safety precaution.

6. If you’re in a rush to get to a new city, take a shared taxi. You can also take a shared taxi, which usually leaves from Yerevan’s main bus station. You’ll split the fare between 3-4 people. There is no schedule for departures. Again, they wait until the taxi is full before they head out.

Costs vary between $5 and $10 USD per person, depending on where you’re going. You can negotiate with the driver, though. If each person pays a little more for their fare, they won’t wait to fill up to go.

Our tip here would be to find friends at your hostel that want to go to that same city. They’ll help you fill that taxi up faster.

7. Just hitchhike to get around (and make friends). This is definitely the cheapest and most fun way to go! Even locals recommend it to get around. They call it avtostop, which comes from the Russian word for hitchhiking. When traveling outside of Yerevan, it can often be easier to hitchhike between villages than to wait for a marshrutka. However, it’s not the most time-conscious way to do it.

You’ll notice that Armenians are very friendly, generous, and hospitable, so they’re very willing to pick up strangers looking for a ride on the side of the road. However, if you end up making friends with the driver, they will insist you come over for drinks and food before they drop you off at your desired destination. If you want, you can try and tip the driver, but chances are, they’ll kindly refuse.

A few tips here to ensure safe and easy travel: We recommend you look clean, travel in groups of two or three people, and to have a mixed-sex group. Also, women shouldn’t be offended if the driver (likely a male) only speaks to the men of the group! Armenia is still a very traditional country.

8. In Yerevan, take the metro. Yerevan’s metro system is little known to visitors, but it is displayed on Google Maps and is one of the best ways to get around the city. It’s also one of the things residents of Yerevan are very proud of. The Karen Demirchyan Yerevan Metro covers 2 miles (13 kilometers) and has about 10 stops. Tickets cost 100 AMD (or $0.21 USD), so it’s really cheap to get from one end of the city to the other. In the summer months, it’s also the coolest mode of transportation.

There is no metro card to speak of. Simply go to the counter and exchange your money for a token to get you through the gate. Also note that for some odd reason, you’re not allowed to take pictures in the metro, even though most stations are beautifully built.

9. Hostels and homestays are your best bet for cheap short-term stays. If you’re on a tight budget and don’t mind sleeping in large, 20+-bed dorms, there are spots available in Yerevan for as little as $3 USD, slightly out of the center of Yerevan. If you want a smaller dorm, around four to six people, expect to pay about $15 USD per bed. These types of dorms are closer to the city center. At that price, certain hostels even have private rooms available.

Armenia is also a great place to do a homestay. If you want to connect with residents on a different level, we highly recommend doing this. It’s one of our favorite ways to get to know the culture and to experience how locals live. The family you choose will treat you like one of their own, hence feeding you like crazy. We would especially recommend this in smaller towns, where you can actually learn a lot about life outside of Yerevan.

10. Airbnb is a great option for longer stays. Airbnb is quickly growing in Armenia, especially among expats who rent out their places during the months they’re not around. You can find great options in the center of Yerevan for $40 USD or less. This will give you access to an entire apartment with a kitchen, which is a great way to save money as well. You may even be able to negotiate the price if you’re staying for longer periods of time.

11. Couchsurfing is great for if you’re on a super tight budget. With such hospitable people, it’s not surprising to see tons of great options for Couchsurfing, mainly in Yerevan. If you like staying with a local, this is one of the best options. Just don’t be surprised if your host ends up adopting you at the end of your visit!

12. Visit Armenia in the shoulder seasons for the best pricing. The busiest time to visit Armenia is during the summer. June to September are when you can expect to see crowds and high prices. However, if you go to Armenia in April or May or the end of September through mid-November, the crowds will have subsided, and prices will drop. This is when you can find cheaper accommodations, and even negotiate prices for longer stays.

13. For cheap eats, look for typical Armenian meals. You’ll find a lot of cheap and delicious options typical of Middle Eastern cuisine and influenced by the Caucasus region. You can eat local treats like lahmajoun (Armenian pizza) for as little as $2 USD per plate. Another great cheap option is getting shish taouk or wraps from hole-in-the-wall restaurants. These bad boys will also only set you back $3-4, depending on what you put in them. Another delicious and cheap option is khatchapuri (cheese-filled bread), a typical Georgian meal that is served all over Armenia.

Some of the best homemade meals are sold on the side of the road. You’ll see plenty of people selling their fresh produce, homemade wine, vodka, sweets, and other treats all over the country, mainly on large “highways.” You’ll also find these stalls set up near some of the more popular tourist destinations, like Garni, Geghart, and Noravank. These will only be a fraction of the cost of what is sold in grocery stores, and they’ll be much more delicious, that we promise! If you buy a few things from the same stall, you can negotiate the price. Also, don’t be shy to ask for a sample!

14. If you have a kitchen, cooking in is always the cheapest option. If you plan on cooking in, expect to spend $20-30 USD for weekly groceries, split between two people. You can either get your goods at grocery stores like Sas, Vas, or Parma, or head to a market to get them straight from the source. In Yerevan, the Gum Market (pronounced “Goom”), or Gumi Shuka, is a great place to shop and observe residents in their daily routine.

15. Avoid the produce at the supermarkets. The best place to get fresh produce is not in grocery stores. It is often imported from far-off countries and packaged in a lot of plastic. For the best produce, be sure to check out the fruit stalls that are on every street corner or behind a group of large buildings. They have local goods that are in season, and often you can negotiate a good price, especially if you’re buying a larger volume.

16. Drink the tap water. The water in Armenia is perfectly safe to drink straight from the tap. Even while you’re out exploring, you’ll find public water fountains, called pulpulaks, everywhere, from public parks to street corners, all over Yerevan and in larger cities. These fountains are almost always running, providing fresh drinking water to those in need.

You can get a sip of water straight from a pulpulak or fill up your own water bottle. To redirect the flow of water at an angle for the bottle, simply place your finger on the spout, and voilà! (As an eco-friendly tip that helps you save money and the environment, make sure you have a reusable water bottle.)

17. Get the best souvenirs at Vernissage in Yerevan. You will notice a ton of handicrafts and other goods being sold all over the country. If you find something special in one of the villages you visit, get it there. But if you’re looking to get souvenirs for friends and family back home, be sure to check out the Vernissage in Yerevan. Although Sunday is the big day when all the merchants are present, you can still score great finds any day of the week.

Your best bet is to walk around once to see what’s available and compare prices. Then go back to the stalls with the best prices and try to negotiate a little more. Try to wait until the end of the day to get the best prices, as most merchants will want to go home.

18. Don’t be afraid to bargain on prices. We mentioned it before, and we’ll say it again: don’t be afraid to bargain on goods. Although tourist prices aren’t as exaggerated as in other parts of Asia, you can still knock off a good percentage by negotiating with the seller. Just be fair with your final price. It may seem like a few dollars for you, but it may mean the difference between having a meal that night or not for the seller.

19. Visit Armenia’s top sites for free. One of the best things about Armenia — as if we haven’t listed off enough of them — is that most of the popular sites of interest are free. Noravank, Geghart, Khor Virap, the Areni winery (including a wine tasting) — all these amazing sites are free to enter and visit.

***

We loved our time in Armenia and would highly recommend it to anyone looking to get away from the crowds and travel on a budget. Your dollars go so much further here than in most other countries. Yet you’ll never be lacking in delicious food or comfortable amenities. And too add to all of this, you’ll have a ton of beautiful sights to visit and kind people to share your journey with!

Carine and Derek spend half the year traveling the world and the other half exploring their home province of Quebec. Their goal is to inspire everyone to chase their wildest dreams and to leave a positive impact on Earth. Their blog, We Did it Our Way, focuses on eco-friendly travel guides to both popular destinations, as well as off-the-beaten-path locations, on how to live and travel sustainably, and on tips for content creation. Carine and Derek are also on Instagram (@wediditourway) where they share their pictures and eco-tips.

Book Your Trip to Armenia: Logistical Tips and Tricks

Book Your Flight Find a cheap flight by using Skyscanner or Momondo. They are my two favorite search engines because they search websites and airlines around the globe so you always know no stone is left unturned.

Book Your Accommodation To find the best budget accommodation, use Booking.com as they consistently return the cheapest rates for guesthouses and cheap hotels. You can book your hostel with Hostelworld as they have the most comprehensive inventory. Some of my recommended places to stay in Armenia:

Envoy Hostel Yerevan – This is a cozy little hostel where the staff goes above and beyond to help you make the most of your time in the city.

Kantar – Kantar is incredibly clean with lots of common area space, and one of the best breakfasts in Yerevan!

Hostel Tsaghkadzor – There are no frills to this place in Tsaghkadzor, but it’s comfortable and close to all the town’s main attractions.

Don’t Forget Travel Insurance Travel insurance will protect you against illness, injury, theft, and cancellations. It’s comprehensive protection in case anything goes wrong. I never go on a trip without it as I’ve had to use it many times in the past. I’ve been using World Nomads for ten years. My favorite companies that offer the best service and value are:

World Nomads (for everyone below 70)

Insure My Trip (for those over 70)

Looking for the best companies to save money with? Check out my resource page for the best companies to use when you travel! I list all the ones I use to save money when I travel – and I think will help you too!

Want More Information on Armenia? Be sure to visit our robust destination guide on Armenia for even more planning tips!

The post 19 Easy Ways to Save Money in Armenia appeared first on Nomadic Matt's Travel Site.

from Nomadic Matt's Travel Site https://ift.tt/2LXNlg0 via IFTTT

[tripstations]

Tips for Getting Around New Zealand

New Zealand looks like a small country on a map, especially next to Australia. But once you’re in the country, it’s actually quite big. So I want to share with you the best and cheapest ways to get around the country.  

Getting around New Zealand

By bus

New Zealand has a very well developed bus network that connects all major cities but also stops at small places along the way. If you are going to rely mainly on busses to get around the country, then I definitely recommend getting a bus pass. Inter-City offers the FlexiPass and the TravelPass are valid for 12 months and they offer you pretty unlimited travel around both islands and they also include the Interislander ferry.  To buy a pass, you choose a rough route but you are then free to roam along that route at the time and pace that you choose. Prices start at 120 NZD for a very simple route (Auckland to the Bay of Islands) and go up to around 990 NZD for a route to every nook and cranny of New Zealand.   Kiwi Experience offers something similar but their passes are a bit more pricey than the once by Inter-City. However, on the Kiwi Experience you meet a lot more backpackers and they also offer additional experience tours (e.g. to Milford Sound) at a special Kiwi Experience price. Some hostels also offer discounts to Kiwi Experience travellers. So if you’re traveling alone and want to meet other backpackers really fast, their bus passes can be worth looking at.   Stray offers guided tours around New Zealand varying in length from a few days to a couple of weeks (quite pricey). They also offer hop-on-hop-off passes which give you more flexibility and freedom to do what you want. The way it works is that you choose a route for your 10-trip bus pass and then you’re free to roam as you please. The passes do not include the ferry but Naked Bus does offer sleeper beds on some journeys. So if you want to replace a hostel with a night on a bus, this might be something to consider.    

By train

Trains aren’t widely available but there are a couple of mainly tourist lines that run across the North and South Island. There are three scenic rail lines operated by KiwiRail: the Northern Explorer (Auckland-Wellington), the TransAlpine (Christchurch-Greymouth) and the Coastal Pacific (Christchurch-Picton). They all start early in the morning and run once a day (though not every day of the week).   If you just want to get from A to B, there are definitely more convenient buses running on all those routes but if you have the time, the journeys are definitely worth it. The windows of the carriages are big and let you take pictures along the way. I have done the Wellington to Auckland journey before and it’s a beautiful way to see the centre of the North Island. A ticket from Auckland to Wellington costs around 160 NZD (around 100 Euro/ Dollar at the moment) and the journey takes about 12 hours. There are also combination bus and rail passes available.   Wellington also has a very well developed train network that runs up the coast and up the Hutt Valley. The fares are very cheap, especially when you are used to the prices of European trains, but the trains are very comfortable and the staff at the Wellington Station are very helpful if you’re unsure as to what ticket you need.  

By ferry

If you have ever looked at a map of New Zealand, you may have noticed that New Zealand is made up of three separate islands: the North Island, the South Island and Stewart Island (there are actually a couple more strewn across the Pacific but let’s keep it at 3).   The best way to cross the Cook Strait is by ferry. There are two operators that run between Wellington and Picton: the Interislander and Bluebridge. Both operators sail several times a day between the two main islands and the trip takes about three and a half hours. Prices differ greatly, as there are a lot of discounts and different fare options available. But just to give you an idea, I checked the price for an Interislander Ferry that would sail on the same day from Wellington to Picton and the cheapest Web Saver fare is 55 NZD (which would be 32 Euro or Dollar at the current exchange rate). I’d definitely recommend that you book the ferry a couple of days in advance, especially during the summer months (November-February) as there are a lot of Kiwis and tourists around.   The ferry is definitely the best way to get a first idea of the Marlborough Sounds and of the beauty of the South Island. If, however, you are doubting your sea worthiness even slightly, I’d recommend you stock up on anti-seasickness medication because the crossing of the Cook Strait is almost always rough. I did the crossing once and I have never felt so sick in my entire life. So don’t say you haven’t been warned.    

By plane

Flying is certainly the quickest way to get around the country but it’s also the most expensive (except for some trains which are even more expensive). Having said that, if you can plan ahead slightly or if you know that you definitely need to be at a certain place within New Zealand, it’s worth checking out flights. Air New Zealand is the most widely operating airline in the country and they tend to have good offers that can save you money and a lot of time when trying to get around.   Jetstar also offer services that connect the big cities. Jetstar is comparable with Easyjet or Ryanair. Similar service (or lack thereof) and similar friendliness. Jetstar can be unreliable, however, as they tend to delay or cancel flights quite regularly.

The post Tips for Getting Around New Zealand appeared first on Tripstations.

from Tripstations https://ift.tt/2Zhvg0U via IFTTT

[thechasefiles]

The Chase Files Daily Newscap 5/3/2019

Good MORNING  #realdreamchasers! Here is The Chase Files Daily News Cap for Friday 3rd May 2019. Remember you can read full articles for FREE via Barbados Today (BT) or Barbados Government Information Services (BGIS) OR by purchasing by purchasing a Weekend Nation Newspaper (WN).

STILL IN RECESSION – Barbados remains in recession, with the economy contracting by an estimated 0.2 per cent in the first quarter. And while economic growth is predicted to be no more than 0.25 per cent this year, Central Bank Governor Cleviston Haynes says he believes the island can achieve the “spurt in growth” it needs. He also announced that a team from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) will be in Barbados next week to check the progress of the economic reforms, as Government prepares to receive another US$49 million from the Fund. (WN)

TV STATION PERMITS ON THE CARDS – Government will be permitting other entities to apply for licences to operate television stations, as Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley says it is “wrong” to allow the state-owned Caribbean Broadcasting Corporation to continue to operate as a monopoly.  “One of the areas in which our country has lagged seriously has been with respect to the audio-visual access that we have given to our people through the Caribbean Broadcasting Corporation remaining a state monopoly,” Mottley said during a ceremony to rename Nation House the Harold Hoyte & Fred Gollop Media Complex yesterday.  “We have committed to removing that because it is wrong, wrong, wrong,” she declared. (WN)

IT’S PRIVATE – Government is set to introduce a law to protect personal information, especially data stored by the state on the Internet, the Prime Minister announced today. An information ombudsman is also to be appointed, should funds permit, who will be responsible for enabling access to Government Information. The Prime Minister also announced that the television airwaves, the sole preserve of the state since 1964, are to be opened up to competition. As she addressed the renaming of the Nation Publishing Company’s headquarters after two of the newspaper’s founders, the late Sir Fred Gollop and Harold Hoyte, Prime Minister Mottley said: “Cabinet has also discussed a Data Protection Act, and we hope to bring this to both Houses of Parliament before the end of June, because it is important that we respect people’s privacy in a world where information is shared by the minute, and every time we go on a website, we leave “digital footprints” which can be used to trace us. “We want to work with all economic interests to protect people’s privacy, because our Constitution does not address these matters since they were not an issue in 1966 when it was drawn up.” The Prime Minister added: “My Government is committed to allowing people to have a say in how this country should be run and the direction which its development should take, and as soon as our financial position permits it, we will be creating the post of Information Ombudsman, who will ensure that information will flow in an unbiased fashion.” Ahead of tomorrow’s commemoration of World Press Freedom Day, the Prime Minister commended the two media giants for ensuring fair and unbiased coverage of all political organisations in the country, suggesting that they pursued Errol Barrow’s policy of “Friends of all and Satellites of none” as they went about their work. Mottley revealed that Government was committed to giving Barbadians more choice in locally based television, but  wanted to ensure these stations would truly represent all Barbadians and not be partisan in nature. Said the Prime Minister: “We have committed to removing the state-run monopoly of the Caribbean Broadcasting Corporation, but we want any new television stations to be public companies in which Barbadians can purchase shares and thereby own a stake in them. (BT)

MINIMUM WAGE LAW ‘ON THE TABLE’ – A national minimum wage is still on the cards, Minister of Labour Colin Jordan has declared. Jordan gave the assurance as he spoke with the media during May Day celebrations at the Barbados Workers’ Union Solidarity House headquarters on Wednesday. A Minimum Wage Advisory Committee has been holding talks on the “mechanics” of a national minimum wage law, one of the labour party’s election promises, he said. Under the current law, the Shops Act, a minimum wage is only in effect for shop assistants. Jordan told reporters: “We have spoken to the employers representatives at a committee meeting and we have indicated to them that like we have done in Government since we came into office, there is going to be a sharing of information but also a sharing of the burden of adjustment. “We have been very clear to say that the burden of any adjustment must not be on the backs of workers alone, so workers have had to bear some of the weight of adjustment but capital – businesses – have borne some of it, [and] tourism businesses have had to pay increased taxes.” But the labour Minister stressed that a national minimum wage must not be rushed and should benefit private sector workers. Jordan said: “Like we did when we gave a pay increase for public workers very early on in our term of office we also recognise that those in the private sector will also have to get something but we will not do it rashly. “We will consider it in a tripartite way… where we engage all sectors…. We will engage in the tripartite structure which is the minimum wage board…. We will work through what is possible and we will work through the mechanics of it and the timing of it but it is on the table. “We are not doing this in an off-handed or rash or erratic kind of way; it must be thought through so as much as I am the Minister of Labour and a champion for workers there is an understanding that if an increase is to work, if it is to be sustainable then the businesses who have to pay it, must also be in a position to be able to pay it on an ongoing basis. So all things have to be considered before we make a decision.” The Minister for the Social Partnership Relations further maintained that the Government had also sought to share the burden of structural adjustment across all sectors so workers would not bear the brunt of the island’s fiscal woes. He said: “A significant part of the burden has been borne by creditors. People who have loaned Government money at a period of time when Government had an insatiable appetite for borrowing money and coming out of that we have asked capital creditors, lenders, to bear some of the burden with us. “If they had not borne a significant portion of the burden, the impact on workers would have been unthinkable and that was a position we could not take.” (BT)

GROUNDED LIAT COULD HURT TOURISM – The financial state of regional airline LIAT is of such grave concern to Governor of the Central Bank of Barbados Cleviston Haynes, that he is worried that if the carrier goes under it could deliver a body blow to tourism. The rising cost of air travel is being blamed for the country’s continued struggle to maintain visitor arrival numbers from the rest of the region, according to the central bank’s latest report. As he delivered the country’s first quarter economic report card, the Governor eyed the high fares charged for inter-island travel – made up mostly of taxes and Government fees. Up to March 31, while overall tourism arrivals grew by 2.2 per cent, arrivals from Trinidad declined by one-tenth and other CARICOM visitors were down by 4.6 per cent. “In general, the regional market is grappling with the issue of travel cost,” said Haynes. The Governor said LIAT’s ongoing troubles could further harm the country’s tourism performance and that of the wider region, but declared optimism that a solution is in sight. The Governor told reporters: “The LIAT situation is obviously one that is concerning and I know that regional governments are in the process of discussion trying to find a resolution. “Not having [the] regional airline impacts not only Barbados, it impacts all of the regional economies that depend on tourism. “Our ability to move from one country to another will be severely impacted in the absence of [this] regional airline.” There have been mounting fears that the island-hopping airline could go out of business if officials did not come up with a way to inject US$5.4 million in emergency capital. Haynes said: “Such an airline has to be one that is economically viable. Clearly, our own financial situation and the financial situation of several of the other governments is not one in which one can continually have to inject funds into LIAT, and certainly Barbados has had to inject substantial amount of funds over the years in order to keep it afloat. “I think the governments are really trying to find a more even approach to the financing of LIAT such that it can keep afloat and can continue to service the various islands. Yet despite his concerns, Haynes said he remained optimistic that regional officials will come up with a viable solution. “At this stage, I feel optimistic that we will find a durable solution to the regional air transport problem and therefore in that sense I anticipate that we will not be adversely impacted by a further fallout of regional tourism,” he said. Airline executives and governments across the LIAT network are currently taking part in back-to-back discussions about the need for all the territories served by the airline to contribute to a minimum revenue guarantee model. Barbados is the majority shareholder, with other major shareholding countries being Antigua and Barbuda, St Vincent and the Grenadines and Dominica. On Monday, LIAT’s Chief Executive Officer Julie Reifer-Jones gave the assurance that despite the challenges facing LIAT it continues to maintain its full flight schedule. (BT)

GARBAGE PILES UP AGAIN ‘AMID OVERTIME BAR’ – Two bank holidays in a week have left residents across a number of St Michael communities having to put up with rising mounds of refuse. But Sanitation Service Authority spokesman Carl Alff Padmore attributes the unsightly pile-up on SSA workers not being granted overtime among other issues. “We had four bank holidays falling very close and we are not paying overtime to our workers. We do sincerely apologize for the backlog, but we are working around the clock to address the situation in and around Barbados,” he said. When a Barbados TODAY team visited a number of communities across the parish, the stench of neighbourhood trash heaps rose with the afternoon heat. But Padmore reasoned that some of the foul odour was because Barbadians fail to sort their garbage at source. “We still are having that problem where Barbadians feel that they should throw every and anything out in the garbage receptacle. If they get into the operation at home they would be less garbage going into the landfill and it is more environmentally friendly.” At Westbury Road, there was a pile of debris just outside the St Leonard’s Anglican Church. Sharon Bowen, the owner of a nearby babysitting service, said the SSA did attempt to remove the debris but the truck was full. Bowen declared the garbage pile was caused by people from other communities in and around the St Michael area illegally dumping their waste in Westbury Road. A Barbados TODAY team witnessed an SSA truck picking up garbage along the Westbury Road stretch. At Bridge Gap, Eagle Hall, residents seemed to disregard the ‘No Dumping’ sign as a heap of garbage was piled directly in front. Outside the Ann Gill Memorial Methodist Church in Fairfield, there was another garbage pile which included household items. At Denton Road, Grazettes, a homeowner told Barbados TODAY: “As you can see this is a problem. The garbage ain’t get pick up and we are fed up.” A resident of Lattice Road, Grazettes, St Michael said: “[They] come and move garbage from Grazettes Resource Centre and the truck [became] full and I was told that is why they did not pick up out here.” SSA spokesman Padmore told Barbados TODAY that sanitation workers were heading to several St Michael districts tonight so that by tomorrow the areas should be restored to a state of normalcy.  (BT)

NO QUICK FIX – Government will be making a huge mistake if it moves ahead with plans to incorporate ZMs (maxi taxis) into the Transportation Augmentation Programme (TAP), says the head of one association. Instead, chairman of the Alliance Owners of Public Transport (AOPT), Roy Raphael, is urging Government to come back to the negotiation table with terms that make better business sense for the route taxi owners, originally targeted for the programme. As a matter of fact, Raphael is of the view that the introduction of the ZMs into the system will only serve to overwhelm an already saturated aspect of the public transportation industry. He argued that with the increase in bus fares from $2 to $3.50, route taxis were already seeing significant falloff in ridership. “Having ZMs enter the TAP programme is not going to be a quick fix as it will create more problems for both ZMs and route taxis. Right now, the route taxis are competing against each other, but to take a ZM and put it in the bus terminal will create issues for the other operators plying the route. “For example, let’s say you put three ZM vans on the already crowded Jackson route, the other Jackson operators will not be happy about that. We have seen a decline in the number of commuters catching the bus since the increase in bus fare,” said Raphael, who predicted an inclusion of ZMs will only lead to more chaos on the roads. The AOPT chairman also contended that since the 75 per cent hike in bus fares, there has been an increase in the number of ZMs illegally operating routes, adding to the rat race culture which has blighted the sector’s reputation for many years. “These vehicles are supposed to operate from a garage, seaport, airport or a place of attraction. The route taxi is only supposed to pick up persons along a route. Since bus fares have gone up, we are seeing an increase in ZM vans plying routes and this is already causing problems on the road,” he explained. Earlier this week, then chairman of the Transport Board, Gregory Nicholls, revealed that failing to gain sufficient buy-in from route taxi owners, the organisation is now turning to ZMs to supplement the low bus complement of the state-owned transport service. Nicholls has since resigned as chairman. His observations followed closely on revelations by chairman of the Transport Authority Ian Estwick, who claimed sabotage by some operators. He admitted that with the programme, which was set to start last Sunday, the goal of contracting 100 private public service vehicles (PSVs) by that time was unlikely. He estimated that around 20 PSVs would have signed onto the programme. However, Raphael told Barbados TODAY that more PSV operators would be willing to sign on to TAP, had Government followed through on a number of initial promises when discussions about the programme first began. “Initially we were looking at 20 minibuses and ZRs to start the project with. We were supposed to run the project for eight months then look at how other persons can get on board. Then we were told that because of the issues at the Transport Board, Government wanted 40, then later than number went up to 100. “There were a number of points of agreement between the PSV owners and Government. These would have been duty-free concessions, an additional permit for persons entering the project and neutral transport co-ordinators, paid for by AOPT, to ensure that everyone is treated fairly,” he said noting while a verbal agreement was established, the PSV owners were yet to see anything in writing. Additionally, Raphael explained that his organisation wanted assurances that the additional persons brought into TAP, who were not members of AOPT, would also be required to equally contribute to the upkeep of the transport co-ordinators. “As it stands Government has fallen away from all three of these issues. We are hearing it in talk but they are not putting it in writing,” he stressed. Governor of the Central Bank Cleviston Haynes today gave his blessings to the TAP, saying it was perhaps the most viable option at this point for the troubled public transportation sector. He was responded to questions from reporters during the Central Bank’s economic review. “The government is looking at the possibility of bringing electric buses in order to supplement the existing stock. As you would appreciate the fleet has grown old and tired and therefore there is a low level of buses on the route on any given day,” said Haynes. “The prime minister would have also announced the desire to integrate the private sector and the public sector and that is probably going to be the more sustainable route because already, the private sector commands about 75 per cent of the overall bus fleet,” he explained. Haynes said it was critical that the quality of service in the public transportation system improves so that commuters can rely on the bus being there at a particular time to take them from point A to point B. (BT)

‘INSENSITIVE’ BUS BEES – The Bees are being chided over 15 Transport Board buses used for Monday’s Heroes’ Day picnic on the same day that commuters complained of being left stranded by a bus shortage. Opposition spokesman on transport, Sylvan Greenidge, today accused the Barbados Labour Party of putting the party’s agenda ahead of the country. At a news conference convened in the Opposition offices of Parliament this morning, Greenidge told journalists: “The decision by the Transport Board to charter 15 buses from its already skeleton fleet was an extremely poor and callous management decision. “And for the Government, who only weeks ago visited the bus terminals and heard the cries from frustrated commuters about the ridiculous hours they spend waiting for a bus, to allow the management of the Transport Board to send 15 buses to support their fun and frolic at the East Coast Road, leaving workers stranded in the bus terminal, is an act  in party paramountcy. “Simply put, the interest of the Barbados Labour Party has now been set above the interest of the country.” Greenidge declared he was equally aghast by what he deemed an insensitive response to the cries of the stranded commuters by Minister of Transport Dr William Duguid, who was quoted as saying: “You cannot negate the opportunity for charters, as these bring in more profits for the Board than routes.” Greenidge called on the Prime Minister to hold her Transport Minister to account for the statement. The Opposition spokesman said of Duguid’s response: “What a loaded statement. Just imagine sitting in the bus terminal for hours waiting on a bus, having just completed a gruelling eight-hour shift. The following day you question your Minister about the reason for the long wait and you receive what the Minister reportedly said as your answer? “How in 21st century Barbados a minister of the state, fully cognizant of the challenges currently facing the country, the massive retrenchment and unnecessary high taxes imposed on the backs of the working class – all part of a seven-year austerity programme, would make such an insensitive and reckless statement?” The Opposition spokesman contended that Government was essentially rudderless on a path to ease the country’s urgent transport woes. He took issue with the recent suggestions that Government is moving towards granting duty-free concessions to route taxi owners, who are willing to sign onto a seemingly unpopular Transport Augmentation Programme (TAP) which involves shifting private operators to under-served routes. Declaring the move as discriminatory, Greenidge said it not augur well for private-public collaboration on transport. “We are not certain if this is a matter agreed to by Cabinet or if this is another ad-hoc suggestion. We feel the suggestion is discriminatory and goes against the formulation of a strong transport system,” he said. Following a series of meetings with Public Service Vehicle owners, Government failed to gain sufficient buy-in to TAP, which was supposed to yield 100 route taxis to supplement the 50-70 buses at the Transport Board. The Transport Authority has claimed that the success of the programme was being undermined by the PSV’s associations. But Greenidge charged that “meeting some challenges in getting full buy-in from the private operators may have more to do with the high-handed attitude of the Transport Authority rather than the lack of co-operation from the private operators. He added: “Until the Transport Authority is prepared to talk to rather than shout at the other players in the sector, then attempts at restarting the augmentation programme will continue to fail.” (BT)

STRICKEN CRUISE SHIP ‘NOT DOCKING HERE, SAYS MOH – The Ministry of Health assured today that a cruise liner currently held under quarantine in St. Lucia after a single outbreak on board is not scheduled to dock at Bridgetown. On Monday, health officials in Castries ordered 300 passengers and crew members on the Freewinds, a vessel owned by the Church of Scientology, not to leave the ship after determining a female crew member had come down with the highly contagious illness. The ship was due to leave Castries today. But in a Government statement, the ministry stepped up its call to anyone still not immunised against the disease to visit the nearest polyclinic or GP,  for the two-dose measles/mumps/rubella (MMR) vaccine. The Ministry of Health stressed that while there has been no measles outbreak in Barbados, with the last known case recorded in 1990, there have been reports of outbreaks in North America, the United Kingdom, Europe and the Americas. The outbreaks have followed the rise of the “anti-vaxxer” movement of opposition to immunisation. The MMR vaccine is generally given to Barbadian one-year-olds. But Senior Medical Officer of Health Dr. Karen Broome cautioned that travellers planning to go to an area where there is an outbreak should ensure that children from six to 11 months receive a dose of the vaccine. Adolescents and adults must also ensure that they have had their MMR vaccine, the health official said. Two doses of the vaccine fully immunise against measles. Past measles sufferers have life-long immunity. (BT)

KILLER MUST SERVE AT LEAST 25 YEARS – Sentenced to six concurrent life terms for killing six young women in the 2010 Campus Trendz clothing store fire, confessed manslayer Renaldo Anderson Alleyne must now serve a minimum 25 years behind bars before any consideration is given to letting him back on the streets. That was the judgment handed down today by this country’s final court of appeal – the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) – which dismissed Alleyne’s challenge to the 2012 sentence imposed on him by the local High Court. It is the first time a recommendation has been made about the minimum time a prisoner serving a life sentence in Barbados should remain in jail before being eligible for release. CCJ President Justice Adrian Saunders, in a concurring judgment, said that Alleyne’s crime “was a serious one deserving of a stiff sentence”. His colleague Justice Denys Barrow, who also agreed, said that sentences should reflect the principles of retribution and deterrence and the court’s position was strengthened by a recognition of the importance of the society’s sense of justice. In September 2010, the killer, now 29, along with an accomplice, robbed the Campus Trendz story on Tudor Street, The City. Alleyne, of Prescod Bottom, Hindsbury Road, St Michael, threw two Molotov cocktails into the boutique which caused a blaze. The young women, who had hidden inside the store during the robbery, died as a result of smoke inhalation. Alleyne admitted his role in the robbery in a statement he wrote. He was charged with six counts of murder, but in June 2011, he pleaded guilty to six counts of manslaughter. This was accepted by the Director of Public Prosecutions. In reflecting on today’s CCJ’s ruling and the near 10-year tragedy, founder of the September 3 Foundation attorney at law David Comissiong told Barbados TODAY that even though justice had been served, the events of that fateful day still leave him with feelings of depression. Comissiong, who is Barbados’ Ambassador to CARICOM,  lamented that the message of the foundation that urges consideration for each other’s lives does not seem to be getting through to people since the callous acts of the two young men behind the Campus Trendz killings. “In the years since then and we look at some of the senseless acts of violence that we are still perpetrating on each other, we really have to wonder whether anything has been learnt from the Campus Trendz tragedy,” he said. The matter of Alleyne’s appeal was heard by the regional court on December 5, 2018. However, shortly after hearing the case, it came to the CCJ’s attention that Alleyne may have been involved in another matter of a similar nature. The court convened a hearing on January 10, 2019 at which the lawyers on both sides confirmed that he had indeed been involved in the robbery and firebombing of the Chicken Galore building, less than one month before the Campus Trendz incident. The court was satisfied that as the appellant’s guilty plea in the Chicken Galore incident was not finalized until 2013, it was not relevant at the time of his sentencing for the Campus Trendz matter in 2012.  However, based on legislative authority, the CCJ considered that it could take this information into account. The court was satisfied that the trial judge in the local High Court had considered all the relevant mitigating and aggravating factors and statutory provisions in imposing the sentences. Further, the actions of Alleyne in two incidents of a similar nature, revealed a callous and reckless disregard for human life that must attract stern condemnation from the judiciary. The appellate court considered in its judgment that “in discharging its judicial function to fashion an appropriate sentence” when imposing a life sentence, the court “not only has the authority, but, we venture to say, the responsibility” to recommend the tariff or minimum period of sentence to be served for purposes of deterrence and punishment. Accordingly, the CCJ recommended that Alleyne serves at least 25 years before being eligible for consideration for release. The killer was represented by attorneys Arthur Holder, who is also the Speaker of the House of Assembly, Shadia Simpson, Adonica Spence and Danielle Mottley, while acting Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions Anthony Blackman and Senior Crown Counsel Olivia Davis appeared for the Crown.  (BT)

ACCUSED TO CHANGE RESIDENCE – A 62-year-old upholsterer was granted $3,000 bail when he appeared in court recently on a wounding charge. It is alleged that Frank Martin Worrell, of Baycroft New Road, Carrington Village, St Michael did serious bodily harm to Cecil Worrell with intent to maim, disfigure or disable him or to do some bodily harm to him on April 27. He was not required to plead to the indictable charge, which was read to him by Magistrate Douglas Frederick. There was no objection to bail from Sergeant St Clair Phillips who however raised concern that the two men resided at the same residence. “They are fighting . . . some injuries were sustained including a fractured nose,” the prosecutor revealed. However, the prosecutor’s fear was quickly settled when Worrell’s surety informed that court that he would also accept the responsibly of finding a place for Worrell to rent. That undertaking resulted in the magistrate granting bail to the accused whose case continues before the District ‘A’ Magistrates’ Court on September 23.(BT)

CITY MEN BAILED – Two 20-year-old men were granted $5,000 bail today after they appeared in the District ‘A’ Magistrates’ Court on separate charges. They are Daniel Antoine Shaquan Stoute and Keanu Nathaniel Harris, both of Lightfoot Lane, St Michael. Stoute pleaded guilty to unlawfully entering on the premises of Akyem Wharton’s on April 26 when the occupier had forbidden him to do so. He however told Magistrate Douglas Frederick he was not guilty of damaging a chair belonging to Akeila Wharton on the same date. On an indictable charge of statutory rape – Stoute and Harris who are charged separately – were not required to plea to the allegation that they had sexual intercourse with a 14-year-old girl on the same date. Harris meanwhile pleaded guilty to unlawfully entering the premises of Akyem Wharton, which is occupied by another person, in a wanton manner. Sergeant St Clair Phillips disclosed that the complainant secured the house in the early morning on April 26 and returned around 12 p.m. where he saw Harris and another person in the house. He asked them to leave and they complied. He returned later and found out that Stoute was also at the house and warned him against coming at the residence. When the complainat returned  to the house around 5 p.m. however, he again saw both accused, a female minor and others at the house. The police were called in and the young men arrested. In mitigating on her clients’ behalf attorney-at-law Angella Mitchell-Gittens told Magistrate Douglas Frederick the two had owned up to some of their charges and where remorseful of their actions. She submitted that Harris was unknown to the law courts while Stoute had one prior for cannabis. “It appears to be an abandoned house where young persons with too much time on their hands find themselves,” the attorney revealed just before the magistrate ordered that Stoute pay the court a fine of $500 in one week or spend a month in prison. Harris was ordered to perform 120 hours of community service. The two return to court on September 24 in connection with their other charges. Stoute must also report to Central Police Station every Wednesday by 10 a.m. (BT)

BURGLAR CONFESSES – Twenty-five-year-old Dario Arlington Hollingsworth, who admitted to a burglary spree over the past three months, has been remanded to HMP Dodds for the next 28 days. The No. 42 Golden Rock, Pinelands, St Michael resident appeared before the District ‘A’ Magistrates’ Court today and pleaded guilty to nine of ten charges, which occurred in the District ‘A’ and ‘F’ jurisdictions. Appearing before Magistrate Douglas Frederick, Hollingsworth, who was the subject of a recent wanted man police bulletin owned up to entering the home of Avril Peyton and stealing items and Barbados, Canada and US currency totaling $6,015. 71 between February 16 and 17. Between March 2 and 22, the self-confessed burglar also trespassed in Johanna Pelaez’s home and stole three items worth $160. He also entered the home of Christiane Flynn and stole two items and US$300; the home of Nicholas Neilands, and stole jewelry and other items along with BDS$400 totaling $1,573.39 as well as the home of Stephanie Acoca where he stole several items along with US$1,000 and CDN$400 totaling $4,341. Hollingsworth, who back in 2017 claimed that he could not walk and was wheelchair bond, stood unaided in the docks today and admited that  between April 3 and 9 he trespassed in Daniel Luke’s home and stole a tablet, BDS$150 and a laptop totaling $3,850. He also entered the home of Marie Kavenagh and stole three bags, a wallet, a car key and a passport all valued at $1,740.42. He also pleaded guilty to damaging a door belonging to Sweetfield Manor without lawful authority or reasonable excuse; entering the house of Clemen Buter as a trespasser with intent to commit theft and burglarising the business known as Bananaquit where he made away with a television and remote control belonging to Sweetfield Manor and a decoder box and remote control belonging to the Caribbean Media Corporation totaling $1,490. However, he was not required to plea to the indictable charge of burglarising the home of Matias Osca where he allegedly stole property belonging to six people inclusive of electronic devices, jewelry, medication, a bikini and other clothing totaling $21, 970. Hollingsworth is also facing an indictable joint charge with 39-year-old Louwayne Joel Eugene Branch, of Monroe Road, Haggatt Hall, St Michael. The two were not required to plea to the charge that they entered the home of Stephen Harrison as trespassers and stole a number of items worth $20,886. The accused will appear in the District ‘F’ Magistrates’ Court on May 10 on that charge which allegedly took place between April 19 and 20. Branch is separately charged with dishonestly assisting in the disposal of two laptops worth $6,000 and a $400 tablet for the benefit of another person knowing or believing that the devices had been stolen. He pleaded not guilty to the charge which is alleged to have occurred on April 20, 2019 as well as that of putting off a bill of exchange on August 16, 2018 in the amount of $2,429 purporting to be a CIBC FirstCaribbean International Bank (Barbados) Limited cheque payable to Altimar Wholesalers Inc. and drawn on the account of First Class Car Rentals and Taxi Services knowing it to be forged. Branch also denied the charge that he obtained from Altimar Wholesalers Inc on the same day snacks and drinks totaling $2,429. 32 via a forged CIBC FirstCaribbean International Bank (Barbados) Limited cheque payable to the company and drawn on the account First Class Car Rentals and Taxi Services knowing it to be forged. The accused also denied a joint charge with 32-year-old Shekira Kelly-Ann Best of Monroe Road, Haggatt Hall, St Michael which allegedy occured on August 8, 2018. The two are charged with obtaining from BRC West Indies Limited 280 bars of Rebar Steel worth $3,413 via a forged FirstCaribbean International Bank (Barbados) Limited cheque.  Best pleaded not guilty to the charge as well as a separate charge of allegedly uttering the forged cheque on the same day. Station Sergeant St Clair Phillips objected to bail for Branch on the grounds that he was currently on bail and was now before the court on more allegations in two different jurisdictions. But Branch’s attorney-at-law Kyle Walkes argued that his client was still a proper candidate for bail as he always attended his court hearings, was gainfully employed and had a fixed place of abode. The attorney also claimed that his client had been in police custody for the past 12 days and “he indicated that he had been beaten by police  . . . and has suffered injuries . . . and is passing blood. Walkes also urged the court to grant Branch bail so “his family can take care of him”. He further stated that two of the charges, which were presented to the court, were alleged to have occured almost a year ago and his client was willing to surrender to any bail conditions that the court was willing to impose. After mulling over the submissions Magistrate Douglas Frederick ruled in favour of the prosecution and remanded Branch. There were no objections from the prosecutor in the cases against Best although she has a pending matter before the court. She was granted $5,000 bail which she secured with one surety. All three accused will reappear in the District ‘A’ Magistrates’ Court on May 30 when the magistrate is excepted to make a decision on sentencing for Hollingsworth who was also remanded to Dodds. (BT)

POLICE NEED HELP IDENTIFYING INJURED MAN – Police are seeking the assistance of the public in identifying a man who was injured in an accident round 6:05 p.m. yesterday at Vauxhall Road, St James. The man is in critical condition in the Surgical Intensive Care Unit of the Queen Elizabeth Hospital. He was involved in a collision with minibus B148. When asked, he gave his name as Michael Blackman, Shawn Blackman and Charles Blackman. He is about 5'8" tall, medium built with a dark complexion. He has black and grey hair, a broad mouth and appears to be in his mid50s. Anyone with information which can assist with identifying this man is asked to contact Holetown Police Station at 4191700, police emergency at 211, Crime Stoppers at 1800TIPS or any Police Station. (WN)

WORLD RELAYS OUT – Barbados’ silver medal team from the last International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) World Relays will not be taking part this year. Some of the island’s top athletes have not been released by their schools for the biennial meet, which will be held in Yokohama, Japan, from May 11 to 12. President of the Athletics Association of Barbados (AAB) Catherine Jordan said several factors contributed to the decision. The international governing body for the sport of athletics recently released the 47 teams participating and Barbados was omitted. “The board of the Athletics Association of Barbados Inc. (AAB) after much consideration, has decided that it would not be sending a team to the World Relays this year, since some of its fastest athletes who are in school could not be released in May to travel to Japan to represent the country,” Jordan said. (WN)

PM’S MESSAGE FOR START OF RAMADAN – The following message was issued by Prime Minister Mia Mottley, QC, MP, to mark the start of Ramadan 2019 in Barbados. Today, as members of the Barbadian Muslim community join with more than a billion of their colleagues around the world to mark the start of the holy month of Ramadan, I cannot help but note that they are doing so in what is clearly an increasingly intolerant and chaotic world. And while it may be coincidental that Muslims are starting these holy celebrations just one week after the very tragic loss of more than 200 lives in a series of bombings in Sri Lanka on Easter, a similarly holy occasion on the Christian calendar, the world ought not to lose this opportunity to promote love — love for self, and love for others. Throughout this month, Muslims will engage in intense prayer and dusk-to-dawn fasting, all part of a regime whose aim is to stimulate physical and spiritual purity. They do this by refraining from the bad habits that have helped to push the world in a direction that many of us so abhor. We certainly would all live in a better world if more of us practised in our everyday lives the personal restraint that members of the Muslim community emphasize during Ramadan. How much more caring our world would be if we all placed less emphasis on self-indulgent habits and more on empathy for the less fortunate, patience and the observance of strong, positive family values — all of which will no doubt feature prominently in mosques and wherever else Muslims gather this month. I therefore take this opportunity to wish all members of the Barbadian Muslim community, and Muslims all over the world, a happy Ramadan and trust that as you reach the holiday of Eid al-Fitr you would all be able to declare that the month has indeed brought you all closer to God. (WN)

For daily or breaking news reports follow us on Instagram, Tumblr, Twitter & Facebook. That’s all for today folks. There are 242 days left in the year. Shalom! #thechasefilesdailynewscap #thechasefiles# dailynewscapsbythechasefiles

[kacydeneen]

Everything You Need to Know for DC’s ‘March for Our Lives’

The 'March for Our Lives' is scheduled in D.C. for March 24, and will likely bring thousands of activists demanding increased gun control and school safety measures.

Students from Stoneman Douglas High School led efforts to organize the protest after 17 students and teachers were killed on Valentine’s Day when a former student rampaged through their school.

Whether you’re coming to D.C. for the protest or you’re a resident, here’s everything you need to know before, during and after the march.

Jump to:

Before the March: Getting to and from DC, Navigating D.C. and Metro, Getting a Smartrip Card, Where to Stay, Registering for the March

During the March: Day, Time and Location, What to Bring, Signs and Banners, Getting to the March, Road Closures, Bathrooms, Cell Phone Service, Safety, Up-to-the-Minute Information

After the March: Nearby Food and Restaurants, More Things to Do in D.C.

Frequently Asked Questions

Before the March 

Getting to and from DC

Driving

If you drive into the area, you’ll want to consider parking your car outside the city. If you’re staying overnight, your hotel may have a parking lot. If you’re coming for the day — or plan on staying in the city — there are parking lots outside the city. Metro offers 44 suburban parking lots; see a full list here. You can see which Metro station parking lot is best for you on this map. Prices start at $4.70 a day on weekdays and $2 a day on weekends; parking is free on Sundays.

Bus

Megabus, Greyhound, Peter Pan and more buses serve D.C. Most drop you off at Union Station, where you can easily hop on Metro’s Red Line, which connects to other lines. Union Station is less than a mile away from the march’s start point.

Wanderu allows you to search many bus services at once. You can also join a group chartering a ride through rallybus.net.

Air

Baltimore-Washington International Airport is accessible by the MARC train from Maryland; a shuttle bus connects Dulles International Airport to the Metro; Ronald Reagan National Airport directly connects to the Metro.

Navigating D.C. and Metro

Washington, D.C. is divided into four quadrants: Northwest, Northeast, Southeast and Southwest. The center point is near the National Mall — right where the marchers will demonstrate. Check addresses so you don’t end up on the opposite side of the city!

D.C.’s mostly-underground Metro system will be running extra trains for the march. You need a Smartrip card to get on the Metro.

You must scan into one station at your starting point and scan your Smartrip card again when you leave. Only one person can travel on one Smartrip card, with the exception of young kids. Two children under the age of 5 can travel with an adult on their Smartrip card. Fares vary based on distance traveled.

Getting a Smartrip Card

Smartrip cards cost $2. You can buy them at the stations or at stores for $10 (with $8 in fare pre-loaded onto the card) including CVS and Giant. Search for a convenient location here. 

Expect crowds and lines. Metro's trip planner will calculate how much money you’ll need and, if possible, add it to your Smartrip card ahead of time or at your starting station.

Where to Stay

Metro reaches out into many suburban areas, opening up more affordable options for anyone wishing to stay in an Airbnb or hotel. Check with your hotel or host that you’re within walking distance or that the hotel has a shuttle to the Metro.

A group of moms from the region has banded together to help connect marchers with families who have an extra couch or bed for free. More information is here.

D.C. is a safe city. If you are worried about staying in a neighborhood with a low crime rate, you can check you neighborhoods on D.C.’s Crime Card map. 

Registering for the March

March for Our Lives asks participants to RSVP here. 

During the March

Day, Time and Location

The march is scheduled to kick off on March 24 at 12 p.m. Organizers say it will happen on Pennsylvania Avenue between 3rd and 12th Streets Northwest.

DC’s tourism authority says you can enter on foot at Pennsylvania Avenue and 12th Street NW, Constitution Avenue and 7th Street NW and Indiana Avenue and 7th Street NW.

Follow NBC Washington and the March for Our Lives website for changes and details.

What to Bring

March is a fickle month in D.C. Check Storm Team4’s forecast and consider downloading the NBC Washington app for important weather alerts. Dress in layers and wear comfortable shoes — you will likely be walking a lot. Bring a warm jacket, water, a snack and a Smartrip card to the protest.

Signs and Banners

They are allowed, but banners and signs must not exceed 20-by-3 feet in area or ¼ inch thickness.

Getting to the March

Metro will run on a frequent, rush-hour schedule on Saturday, making it your most reliable bet.

The Metro runs six lines coded by colors. Each line serves a station convienent to the march, so you can avoid making a transfer:

Green, Yellow lines: Archives-Navy Memorial

Red Line: Judiciary Square

Blue, Orange and Silver lines: Federal Triangle

You can use Google Maps or Metro’s trip planner to find the most efficient route.

Expect crowds and lines. Metro's trip planner will calculate how much money you’ll need and, if possible, add it to your Smartrip card ahead of time or at your starting station.

Road Closures

Many roads will be affected near the National Mall. Here’s a map:

A full list of the closures can be found here.

Emergency parking measures will be in place, so don’t park in the area beginning at 3 a.m. Saturday.

Police may decide to block any road or sidewalk at any time. Follow directions of authorities and please don’t try to move or circumvent any barriers.

Bathrooms

Yes. Portable toilets will be set up near the march, D.C.’s tourism organization Destination DC says. There are also public bathrooms in the Smithsonian Museums and near several monuments, including the Lincoln Memorial, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial and the World War II Memorial. Keep in mind, the Washington Monument is closed, so bathrooms there may be impacted. This National Park Service map is labelled with restrooms.

Cell Phone Service

Typically, cell phone service becomes very slow during large-scale events downtown. Calls and texts may be spotty, and definitely don’t expect a good connection for streaming video or sending pictures.

Depending on the size of the march, it can be very difficult to find your companions if you get seperated. Make plans to check in at a certain time after the march is over, and agree on a post-march check-in plan.

Safety

D.C. authorities are accustomed to large-scale demonstrations and are there to help. Follow directions of officers. Leave the area if you feel uncomfortable. If you see something suspicious, report it to authorities.

Up-to-the-Minute Information

NBC Washington will have all the important updates before, during and after March for Our Lives. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook for breaking news updates and Snapchat (NBCWashington!) and Instagram for coverage at the march.

The WMATA website will also detail any delays or special circumstances on public transit.

After

Nearby Food and Restaurants

Many downtown restaurants close on the weekends, so you may want to walk to a nearby neighborhood for food.

Farragut North and Dupont Circle have chain restaurants like Potbelly, McDonalds and local favorite Shake Shack, alongside diners, beer gardens and more, north of K Street Northwest along Connecticut Avenue.

Union Station has food courts on the main level and downstairs with local and chain restaurants.

Eastern Market, south of 8th Street Southeast and Pennsylvania Avenue, has a number of restaurants including Chipotle, Popeye’s and D.C. favorites Cava and Ted’s Bulletin.

There are also a number of food trucks that set up in the area.

More Things to Do in D.C.

Here's a few other things you can do in D.C. over the weekend:

It’s Cherry Blossom season! Here’s our guide to seeing the blooms.

Stop by the Smithsonian Museums (they’re all free!)

Our favorite things to do in D.C., off the Mall and away from Smithsonians 

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I host students?

A group of area parents launched a website to help connect young activists with families who have a spare bed or couch. Find more information here.

How can I connect with other marchers?

A number of Facebook groups have cropped up around the march, including March For Our Lives - DC Official.

Have any other questions? Ask us on Twitter or Facebook and check back for further updates.

Photo Credit: The Washington Post/Getty Images This story uses functionality that may not work in our app. Click here to open the story in your web browser. Everything You Need to Know for DC’s ‘March for Our Lives’ published first on Miami News

[talesfromafork]

This post is part of a five part City Guide series as I explore Europe as a brand ambassador for Bonwi. It has affiliate links to things I genuinely like.

After I moved to Amsterdam, I traveled to many European cities and thought, “There’s no better city to call home than Amsterdam.” That is, until I went to Berlin. I fell in love with this city immediately! I loved that it felt as big as Paris, was as chill as Amsterdam, and had a raw and gritty charm like New York. Best of all, it had great tasting inexpensive food in every neighborhood– something I sorely miss out on living in Amsterdam. Read on to find out everything I loved about Berlin and that you should check out in this complete city guide.

Click on a section to jump down the page.

How to Get to Berlin

How to Get to Your Hotel From the Airport 

Where to Stay

How to Get Around

What to Do

Where to Eat

What to Pack

How to Get to Berlin

There are lots of ways to get to Berlin since it’s a popular international city. I personally like to fly there from Amsterdam because it only takes an hour and a half to get there, and since it’s just a short flight, I’ll get the cheapest flight available even if it’s a budget airline.

If you’re doing a big Euro trip and will be visiting lots of countries, then I’d recommend looking into getting a Eurail pass, which allows you unlimited train travel within a specified number of countries.

Blablacar is a carpooling site that lets you hop into someone’s car if there’s space! From experience, the prices are better than flying or riding the train, but keep in mind, you may encounter traffic and other unexpected delays from driving.

How to Get to Your Hotel From the Berlin Airports

I’ve flown into both Berlin airports and have found using transportation to be fairly easy.

To get from Schönefeld Airport to city centre, it takes about 30 minutes on the regional trains, RE7 or RB14. You can also take S-bahn (S9) and transfer at Ostkreuz to where you need to go.

To get from Tegel airport to city centre, there are various ways you can go, but the shortest way to reach an U-bahn station is to take the 109 or 128 bus to Kurt-Schumacher-Platz (U6) or Jakob-Kaiser-Platz (U7) stations. You can also try the JetExpressBus TXL or Expressbus X9 for quicker rides into the city.

The best way to figure out which mode of public transportation you should take, use Google Maps. If you won’t have data upon arrival, look it up on Google Maps beforehand, and take a screenshot of the directions. Also make sure to download an offline map of Berlin on Google Maps, and save the location of your hotel in it so that once you get off your S-bahn, U-bahn, or bus stop, you’ll have a map to show you where to walk to.

Berlin’s transportation fare varies by zone. Since the airports are in Zone C, you will need a ticket that covers Zones A, B, and C, which you can buy at a yellow ticket machine. A single ticket costs €3,40 as of 03/30/16 but you can check the VBB site for updated fares.

Tip: After you get a ticket, make sure to validate it by popping it into a validation/time-stamp machine. Also, some doors on public transportation do not open automatically. You will have to press a button or pull a lever to open the door.

Where to Stay in Berlin

Taken with a Sony A6000

Neighborhoods

If it’s your first time in Berlin, you may want to stay in the heart of Berlin, Mitte. This neighborhood has many of the city’s popular tourist sights and has great access to public transportation. If you want to be near the sights but still want to experience a less touristy but still trendy neighborhood, stay in Prenzlauer Berg right next to it. I stayed in this neighborhood the first time I went to Berlin and loved it because of its endless number of restaurants, bars, cafés, and people watching opportunities! Another neighborhood close to Mitte is Kreuzberg, which I explored the last time I went to Berlin. It’s a gentrifying neighborhood with immigrant roots, a lot of character, and a good mix of underground clubs.

I Booked a Hotel With Bonwi and Got Back $275 in Rewards

Whichever neighborhood you choose to stay in, I recommend booking through Bonwi because they give you the most amount of rewards back than any other online hotel booking site. For example, last time I went to Berlin, I stayed at the Sofitel Berlin Kurfürstendamm for 3 nights, and I got back $275 in rewards. The room cost $1,310, which means I got back 21% of it in rewards that I can use on hotels, flights, Visa or Amazon cards, and more. 

If $1,310 for 3 nights sounds like a bit much to you, then check out the site anyways because they have great rewards for all budgets from hostels to 5-star hotels. For example, when I went to Bruges, I got 3 nights for $690 and got back $250 in rewards, which is 40% of the hotel costs right back into my pocket! For both Bruges and Berlin, I checked rates on other sites like Expedia and Hotels.com and booked with Bonwi because I got the most rewards back. Add the 20-40% to how much your credit card gives you for travel (about 1-2%), and you’ll be ready to take another trip in no time!

Tip: Get $15 of rewards on Bonwi asap just for signing up.

How to Get Around Berlin

Public Transportation

Taking public transportation such as the U-bahn, bus, or tram is really easy and effective. Pull up directions on Google Maps for transit directions. Of course, pull them up beforehand if you don’t have data on your phone.

A single ticket on public transportation is €2,80 within Zones A&B and an unlimited day ticket is €7,00 as of 03/30/17.Whatever ticket you get, you can use it on all the public transportation within the specified zone. Check out the VBB Site for current fares and other options for tickets.

Walk

Once you’re in the neighborhood you want to be in, walk around! It’s one of the best ways to take in Berlin with its mix of old and new buildings and diverse population. I’m sure you’ll discover lots of hidden gems by poking your nose in and around streets that public transportation doesn’t take you on.

Bike

Berlin is a great city to bike in and quite easy to. There are clear bike lanes, and a lot of locals bike so cars and people are aware of bikers. 

I rented both an electric bike and regular bike from Fat Tire Tours, which is located next to the TV Tower in Berlin making it a super convenient location to grab a bike from. If you want to know what biking around in Berlin was like for me, check out this post, or if you don’t want to bike around on your own and want to learn more about the city, book a bike tour.

myTaxi or Taxi

If you’re an Uber fan, sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but there’s no Uber in Germany. Instead, there’s this app myTaxi (iPhone, Android). I like this app because you can pre-book a taxi, something you can’t do on Uber.

If you don’t have data, then keep an eye out on taxi stands around the city, or head into a hotel to ask them to get you a taxi. 

What to Do in Berlin

Both times I went to Berlin, there was an endless number of things to do. Here are my favorite sights to see.

The Reichstag Building

My #1 recommendation is to visit the Reichstag Building. The building itself is an amazing piece of architecture, but the real cherry on top of this site is that you will have great views of the city when you reach the time.

People argue when the best time to go is. I went at nighttime and saw a  beautifully lit-up cityscape of Berlin, but others say to go during the daytime so you can take full advantage of the free audio tour that points out surrounding historical buildings. Either way, you can’t go wrong.

Tip: Tickets to the Reichstag are free, but you must register prior to going. You can register here.

Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe

This free Holocaust Memorial does a fantastic job in detailing out exactly what happened from 1933 to 1945. If you’re sensitive like me, plan to go here when you’ll have time shake off the heavy material after. One of the most intimate and touching parts of the museum was the exhibit showing photos of the family who were killed in the Holocaust and what their lives were like before it.

Note: You might be tempted to jump around the memorial columns outside, especially when seeing others. I personally find it disrespectful that people are jumping around on this commemorative memorial like a playground, but a Jewish blogger said that it’s more than ok because those who suffered through the Holocaust would want people to be joyous now. However you view the memorial, note that you’re technically not allowed to as noted by a sign.

Nature-Park Schöneberger Südgelände

I went to a few parks in Berlin including the popular Tiergarten, and Nature-Park Schöneberger Südgelände was my favorite! It’s an old rail yard that was converted into a park and space for art events. I loved seeing this old train inside, and foliage growing wild over old railroad tracks and alongside the brick buildings.

Tip: Entry fee is €1. It’s an honor system where you drop a coin into a box so remember to bring a coin.

Berlin Wall Walking Trail

Berlin’s recent history is quite fascinating, and the city does a great job of sharing intimate information about the wall along its walking trail. I stumbled upon the start of the trail in Mitte and was sucked into the personal stories the information booths shared as it transported me back into time with a telling of what exactly happened on the spot I was standing at. Whether it’s walking the full 3.5 miles (5.7km) of the wall or just a section of it, I highly recommend visiting the wall, which starts out in Mitte and ends up at the East Side Gallery. Check out this map provided by Visit Berlin’s site.

Note: The beginning of the walk is right near Vietnam Village. I suggest eating lunch there before this walk!

East Side Gallery

Taken with a Ricoh Theta 360S

The East Side Gallery is an iconic memorial for freedom painted by 118 artists from 21 countries after the fall of the Berlin Wall. Artists painted the wall with various commentary on political events following the fall. In 2009, 40 of the murals were restored, but vibrantly shining or fading away, this wall has a rich history that shouldn’t be missed!

Graffiti

There’s ton of graffiti all over Berlin that you’ll stumble upon time and time again, but if you do a bit of planning, you can spot the best graffiti murals or head to the general areas where a bunch are.

Underground Clubs

Berlin may be the most well-known city in the world for its nightlife and club so it’s worth checking out the underground club scene as it’s basically the lifeline of this city. One of the most famous underground clubs in the world there is Berghain, although it’s notoriously hard to get into. You can find events for Tresor, Kater Blau, and other clubs on Resident Advisor, my go-to site for electronic events.

Tip: Don’t wear heels or flashy clothes to these clubs. They are underground clubs so wear sneakers and preferably black.

Where to Eat in Berlin

Perhaps the reason why I fell in love with Berlin is because of the inexpensive but extremely tasty variety of cuisines everywhere. I especially love that any given neighborhood will have a handful of Vietnamese pho places! #dreamcometrue Anyways, here are my favorite places in Berlin to eat.

Vietnam Village

I’ve been to four pho places in Berlin over my two trips there, and my ultimate favorite spot is Vietnam Village. The pho broth is flavorful and satisfying, and they use the right noodle thickness (yes, noodle thickness in pho can make or break the dish for me). Also, everything else they make is so good because they have great ingredients. The veggies are so fresh and tasty and cooked al denté.

Tip: If you can eat as much as me, get the appetizer size pho*, mango salad with chicken or shrimp, and the crispy duck entrée. 

*I think I fell in love with Berlin because this restaurant has an appetizer size pho. It totally solves my dilemma of wanting both a pho and an entrée but not being able to eat both in one sitting!

Vietnam Village Oderberger Str. 7

Meyan Berlin

For great Mediterranean food with a near perfect 4.9 stars on Google, Meyan Berlin is the place to go. You can’t go wrong with anything you order, but if you don’t know what to get, ask! They recommended the stuffed peppers to me, which were delicious. It also has a really cute ambiance so it’s a good place to chill out in, read a book, or even work from your laptop. 

Meyan Berlin Goltzstraße 36 www.meyan-berlin.de

Zeit für Brot

Forget Cinnabon and everything you’ve ever known about cinnamon rolls. Zeit für Brot is the bakery to go to for fluffy but dense cinnamon rolls with various toppings like nuts and a cream cheese frosting. They’re freshly baked in house! They also have great sandwiches with high quality ingredients that you can grab for take-away to eat while exploring the city.

Zeit für Brot Alte Schönhauser Str. 4 http://www.zeitfuerbrot.com/

Ottenthal

I haven’t been here, but a colleague of mine who’s been going to Berlin yearly for 19 years says that this place has the best Austrian schnitzel in town. Someone on Yelp says that this schnitzel is even better that schnitzel he’s tried at Michelin star restaurants! I didn’t get a chance to go on my last trip, but it’s on my list of places to eat so it was worth mentioning– right? Overall, it’s an elegant restaurant that puts a lot of love into their ingredients and even tells you on their menu which allergens are in each dish.

Ottenthal Kantstraße 153 www.ottenthal.com

What to Pack for Berlin

Before you even think about what to pack for Berlin, make sure to download the offline version of Google Maps so that even without data, you’ll always have a map handy. For most of the year, here are the staples that I bring with me to Berlin. Since Berlin is a big city, you’ll:

be walking a lot so wear [amazon_textlink asin=’B00XWPXR5K’ text=’sneakers’ template=’ProductLink’ store=’tafrafo-20′ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’058b07ba-16f7-11e7-9fd4-21ac0badb158′],

be out for most of the day so bring[amazon_textlink asin=’B01CU1EC6Y’ text=’ a portable charger’ template=’ProductLink’ store=’tafrafo-20′ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’68be89c3-16f7-11e7-b5ad-dbe3b3bf85da’] the size of a lipstick case and fits easily in a pocket or purse and a wire for your phone,

needing directions so bring [amazon_textlink asin=’B00YD548Q0′ text=’your phone’ template=’ProductLink’ store=’tafrafo-20′ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’82b9d7a0-16f7-11e7-b0c4-b5056013861d’] with an offline Google Maps on it,

needing to charge your phone, camera, and other electronics so an [amazon_textlink asin=’B00HVKR92Y’ text=’EU charging station with four USB ports’ template=’ProductLink’ store=’tafrafo-20′ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’dcac9368-16f7-11e7-87a4-497a778f639e’] is really handy,

be taking lots of photos so bring one that takes great photos and is light to carry like the Sony A6000 I have,

possibly want to look your best so check out this post to find out if you need a converter or adapter for your hair straightener or curling, or if you need to buy a new one,

and depending on the weather, you’ll want to bring a poncho, umbrella, or a winter coat with winter accessories. Both times I went in the Fall and Winter were gray, rainy, and cold!

Here are photos of the products I named above and other ones you might find helpful for your trip.

[amazon_link asins=’B01CU1EC6Y,B00HVKR92Y,B00I8BICB2,B005H92I6S,B01N6EGXUB,B00WQNMGII’ template=’ProductCarousel’ store=’tafrafo-20′ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’1d8ddd43-1723-11e7-a657-2f2e19d94191′]

Ready to go to Berlin? Book a hotel with Bonwi, and build up rewards quickly like you’ve never done before.

Thanks for stopping by! xo.

[row] [column size=”col-6″][/column] [column size=”col-6″] [/column] [/row] [content_box type=”with-header” title=”Want more posts like this? Sign up for our ONCE a month newsletter.” icon=”icon-envelope-alt” text_color=”dark” color=”default”] [wysija_form id=”1″] [/content_box]

City Guide: Everything You Need to Know About Berlin, Germany #travel #berlin This post is part of a five part City Guide series as I explore Europe as a brand ambassador for…