#La Petite Seconde Metropolis

[watchilove]

La Petite Seconde Metropolis Louis Erard x The Horophile

La Petite Seconde Metropolis Louis Erard x The Horophile – When Louis Erard meets an insider with a passion for fine independent watchmaking, they don’t just talk, they create. The result is a new collection base for Louis Erard’s 39 mm Petite Seconde: three variations (slate, salmon, tobacco) on a New York-inspired Art Deco style revisited in a resolutely contemporary spirit – neo deco! Limited…

[watchmasters]

Geneva Watch Days 2023: The Hottest Watch Releases

In its fourth year, Geneva Watch Days has risen to become Switzerland's second-most important watch fair and trade event. Live from the 2023 edition in Geneva, we bring the connoisseurs of luxury watches Delhi a glimpse of the latest watches presented by top exhibitors.

Alpina Alpiner Heritage Carrée Mechanical

Alpina watches showcase vintage calibre 490 movements and unique rectangular mirror-polished silver cases, a departure from Alpina's norms. The 2023 edition features the automatic AL-530 calibre, anti-glare sapphire crystal, and vintage logo-adorned dials.

Angelus Chronodate Titanium Storm Blue

The 2023 Chronodate Titanium Storm Blue Edition continues Angelus's legacy as the first wristwatch chronograph with a calendar. Powered by the in-house calibre A-500, it's complemented by a satin-finished titanium bracelet.

Armin Strom One Week First Edition

Armin Strom presents a 41mm stainless-steel watch showcasing the complex calibre ARM21 with a seven-day power reserve. Its open-worked dial and integrated steel bracelet add modern elegance.

Arnold & Son Perpetual Moon 38 Mintnight

The Perpetual Moon in an 18-karat white-gold case is adorned with mint green, turquoise, teal, and sky blue mother-of-pearl. Driven by Arnold & Son’s in-house calibre A&S1612, it offers a moon phase that remains accurate for 122 years.

Bulgari Octo Finissimo

Bulgari’s Octo Finissimo CarbonGold Automatic is one of the world’s thinnest mechanical watches. Housing Bulgari's automatic mechanical calibre BVL 138, it provides a 60-hour power reserve.

Corum Concept Watch

Corum introduces a 39.5mm timepiece that pays homage to the night sky. This watch is a blend of organic shapes and sustainable materials, offering a unique horological experience.

Czapek Place Vendôme Complicité Harmony Blue And Stardust

Czapek & Cie unveils the Place Vendôme Complicité in Harmony Blue (18-karat rose gold) and Stardust (steel). These watches feature two independent oscillators beating at the same pace, a unique 1930s mechanism.

Doxa Sub 300β Sharkhunter

Doxa presents a dive watch with an 18-karat 3N gold bezel and a black ceramic case. It's water-resistant up to 300m, making it an ideal choice for diving enthusiasts.

Frederique Constant Classic Power Reserve Big Date Manufacture

Frederique Constant boasts a big date, a 50-hour power reserve indicator, and a moon-phase complication on the dial. It comes in platinum and rose-gold cases.

Girard-Perregaux Laureato Absolute 8tech

Girard-Perregaux continues to push boundaries: the cases are made from unidirectional carbon fiber and titanium, offering a modern and lightweight design.

H. Moser & Cie. Endeavour Centre Seconds Vantablack

This 40mm watch boasts a Vantablack-coated dial, slim red gold indexes and leaf-shaped hands,  that creates a mesmerizing visual effect. It houses the automatic calibre HMC 200, offering a three-day power reserve.

Jacob & Co The World Is Yours Dual Time Zone

Inspired by a vintage dual time zone Wakmann watch, it features maps of the Americas, Europe, Asia, and Africa in 18-karat rose gold. The watch is powered by the JCAA11 calibre movement, offering precise timekeeping and a unique design.

Laurent Ferrier Sport Auto 40

Laurent Ferrier pays tribute to the 1979 Porsche 935 No. 40 with the Sport Auto 40. These 41.5mm titanium watches feature gradient viridian green dials and a cross motif for speedy readability.

Louis Erard La Petite Seconde Metropolis 'Louis Erard X The Horophile'

Louis Erard collaborates with The Horophile to create the La Petite Seconde Metropolis. With just 178 units available, this limited edition “New York art deco style” watch combines Swiss watchmaking and modern design.

Maurice Lacroix Aikon Skeleton Urban Tribe

Maurice Lacroix presents the Aikon Skeleton Urban Tribe in a smaller 39mm stainless steel case. This urban-inspired watch features a dark grey flange, Super-LumiNova indices, and the Sellita SW200-1-based ML115 automatic movement.

Oris AquisPro 4000m

Oris pushes boundaries with the AquisPro 4000m, a dive watch water-resistant to an impressive 4,000 meters. It features an Oris-patented rotation safety system and an extension for diving suits.

Perrelet Turbine 41 Titanium

Perrelet introduces its smallest Turbine watch, the Turbine 41 Titanium, in a 41mm titanium case. Despite its novel display with spinning propeller-inspired blades, it remains lightweight and durable.

Trilobe Nuit Fantastique Brume

Nuit Fantastique Brume is a unique timepiece. Its grey-brown shade shines through guilloche motifs, creating an artistic look. Inside, the X-Centric calibre movement powers the watch, developed at Trilobe's workshop in Paris.

Urwerk UR-100V Stardust

Urwerk presents the UR-100V Stardust, a 41mm stainless-steel watch with a dial adorned with 400 diamonds. Its self-winding UR 12.02 movement offers precise timekeeping and a power reserve of approximately 48 hours. Water-resistant to 30m, it comes with a blue fabric strap and steel pin buckle. If you are eyeing some classic masterpieces among luxury watches sell Delhi sellers, these are definitely the pieces you need to take home back today.

[hakesbrother]

San Antonio, Tx Homes For Sale & San Antonio, Tx Real Estate

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[angellyslion]

BioDad Clark Kent

Je m'appelle Lara Kent, soeur jumelle de Jon. Mes parents m'ont envoyé vivre chez des amis à eux. Il s'agit de Nadja Chamack et sa fille de cinq ans, Manon. Ils se sont rencontrés dans leur école de journalisme.Depuis mon départ mes parents ont divorcé, ma mère est repartie vivre à Smallville et mon père s'est remarié à Lex, son ennemi. Au moins Lex me considère comme sa fille. Je fais souvent des appels vidéo avec eux. Mon jumeau me manque énormément. À chaque vacance ils viennent me rendre visite.

Cela faisait plus de quinze ans que je n'avais pas mis les pieds à Metropolis dû à un voyage scolaire, j'y retourne. Nous allons visiter entre autres Lexcorp et Daily Prophet. Bien sûr Lila a déclaré être la nièce honoraire de Lex et prétend sortir avec mon frère. Heureusement que nous sommes plus à Paris sinon je crois que j'aurais égorgé Lie-la.

Nous arrivons devant le Daily Prophet, les vigiles vérifient nos affaires pour s'assurer que nous n'avons rien d'illicite ou de dangereux sur nous.Après être rentré le chef de la sécurité nous explique le règlement intérieur et donne un avertissement à Alya qui filme. Avant de venir j'ai donné à la classe, les règlements les plus importants à respecter pour les visites mais certaines personnes se croit au-dessus de tout comme d'habitude.

« Lara comme c'est bon de te revoir !

— Salut Papa moi aussi je suis contente de te revoir !

— Marinette comment peux-tu...

— Premièrement Lie-la mon vrai prénom et Lara Kent, deuxièmement mon père est Clark Kent et troisièmement si je t'entends dire encore une fois que tu sors avec mon frère je te ferai vivre un enfer. Mon jumeau ne sortira jamais avec une fille comme toi et en plus il aime les garçons et cela fait déjà deux ans qu'il sort avec Damian Wayne. Tu as déjà prétendu sortir avec lui en plus !

— C'est quoi cette histoire Lara ? demande Jon qui vient juste d'arriver

— Je vous au déjà parlé de la menteuse, c'est elle. Je pointe Lie-la du doigt, je sais que c'est impoli pour une fois je m'en moque de manquer de politesse. Elle a prétendu sortir avec Damian Wayne qu'elle a rencontré lors d'un Gala. Quelques jours plus tard quand elle a su que nous faisons un voyage à Metropolis à prétendre sortir avec Jon et qu'elle était la nièce honoraire de Lex !

— Ce n'est même pas vrai, bafouillé l'Italienne.

— Si et j'ai des preuves, d'une j'ai enregistré tout ce que tu disais sur ma famille et puisque ta vie est tellement géniale et que tu connais tellement de gens Alya à tout posté sur son blog et nous avons le droit à des interviews. Je pourrais facilement envoyer ses vidéos aux concernés ce qui ferait que toi Lie-la soit poursuivie pour le reste de tes jours et ta dette s'étalera sur des générations. Et quant à toi Alya tu seras radiée de toutes les écoles et  entreprises de journalistes du monde.

— Mais...

— C'est de ta faute, comme tu le dis si bien, la règle fondamentale d'un journaliste et de vérifier ses sources et toi tu ne l'as pas fait, tu peux t'en vouloir qu'à toi-même ! Le pire, je t'ai prévenue qu'elle mentait, tu n'as pas voulu me croire. Maintenant tu en payes le prix ! J'en ai fini avec vous la classe, je retourne dans ma vraie famille ! Bye ! »

Je tire mon frère dehors et nous rigolons dû à l'expression choquée de ma classe et le regard de haine que m'a envoyé Lie-la. Quelques secondes plus tard, je reçois des messages d'excuse de ma classe. Je les ignore et les blocs. Petit rappel, changé de téléphone et de numéro et le plus vite possible pour éviter tout harcèlement.

[marauderundercover]

Stars Shine

AO3

Prev

Clark Kent didn’t often take days off. He enjoyed both of his jobs (being a journalist was something he liked almost as much as being a hero), and didn’t really see a need to stay at home alone. And then, his niece was born. And suddenly, days off were important. Because days off meant time he got to spend with his adorable niece. Someone who was growing and learning more and more every time he saw her. Like now. His older brother and Sabine had a convention in DC, which meant Marinette was staying with him in Metropolis for a week. Which meant, he was supposed to be off duty for the week.

“Bruce, I don’t exactly have an Alfred. What was I supposed to do with her? You’re the one who sent the emergency call even though you knew I had her this week.” He asks, trying not to let his tone suggest how frustrated he was. No need to upset Marinette (who was currently going back and forth between looking out the windows of the Watchtower and looking at him). Bruce’s jaw clenches slightly, his lips pursed.

“Bringing a child here was-” Bruce starts, but Marinette cuts him off with a squeal.

“Étoiles! Oncle Clark, étoiles!” She says, grinning from ear to ear, pointing out the window. Clark nods, smiling back at her.

“Yes they are. Can you say, star?” He asks, adjusting his hold to point back out the window.

“Oui! Star!” She says, before clapping. Bruce’s face falls slack as he sighs.

“I’ll have Robin stay here with her. But we need you.” He says. Clark nods. Robin was eleven, that’s old enough to babysit, right?

—-

Dick did not sign up for this when he put on the cape and became Robin. He wanted to avenge his parents and fight alongside Bruce. He didn’t want to babysit a toddler! He was totally whelmed.

“Brille, brille petite étoile dans la nuit qui se dévoile. Tout là-haut au firmament, tu scintilles comme un diamant. Brille, brille petite étoile, veille sur ceux qui dorment en bas.” The little girl, Marinette, sings again. She’d been singing it pretty much nonstop. And while it was cute the first couple of times, there were only so many times he could listen to ‘twinkle twinkle’ before he lost his mind.

“So, your Uncle said you’ve been working on English, too. That’s cool.” Dick says, because what else do you say to a random toddler that just so happens to be Superman’s niece?

“Cool!” She says, grinning. Dick grins back, unable to keep it in. Okay, maybe this wasn’t so bad.

“Wanna see a cool trick?” He asks. She nods. Dick jumps to his feet and does a couple of cartwheels before moving into a back handspring. Landing it, he looks over to the kid. He grins immediately when he sees the awed expression on her face as she claps excitedly.

“Again! Encore!” She giggles. Dick does, adding in a couple more flourishes with it just to make the kid giggle more. “Robin teach?” She asks, eyebrows scrunched in concentration. Dick frowns, thinking of something he could teach her. She was really little-

“Okay, but we have to be very, very careful, okay?” He asks. She nods, grinning.

“Okay!” Somersaults were easy enough for toddlers, right? He couldn’t remember what he’d learned by the time he was her age. He just knew he started learning tricks young. But how hard could it be to teach a two year old somersaults?

—-

Walking back into the Watchtower, Clark immediately zeroes in his hearing for his niece. Ignoring Bruce’s calls (probably reminding him to fill out his reports), he follows the sound of Marinette giggling. Walking into one of the gyms, he’s slightly shocked to see Dick helping her do a cartwheel on one of the mats. It was rough, but the second she was on her feet again, she cheered.

“Again, oiseau! Again!” She exclaims, clapping her hands. Dick laughs.

“Why don’t we try the somersault again instead?” He suggests. Marinette pouts.

“Non. Cartwheel please!” She says, moving into a position to attempt it again. Clark can see the moment she spots him. Her eyes widen and she runs to him, arms outstretched. Clark grins and picks her up, tossing her in the air gently. She giggles before landing back in his arms, hugging him tightly. Clark relaxes, letting out a breath he didn’t realize he was holding as he hugs her close. It’s not that he doubted Dick’s ability to babysit, but he had realized after leaving that the boy was an only child and had likely never spent time with such a young child before.

“Did you have fun with Robin?” He asks her, and she nods, grinning.

“Oui. Robin is my friend.” She says matter-of-factly. Clark glances at Dick, grinning at the shocked look on the boy’s face.

“Looks like you have a new friend, Robin.” He says. The boy grins, snapping out of his shock.

“I guess so. If you ever wanna learn more tricks, kid, you know where I am.” He says, and Marinette grins.

“Cool!” She says. Dick laughs and nods.

“Oh yeah kid, the coolest.” He says. Clark grins.

“Thank you for watching her, Robin.” He says. Dick grins.

“Any time. She’s a pretty cool kid.” He says. Clark laughs.

“That she is. Ready to go home, Sunshine?” He asks. Marinette shakes her head.

“No.” She says, turning around so that she can reach towards Dick. He reaches back towards her and she immediately latches onto him, giving him a tight hug. “Love you!” She says, hugging him close. Clark sneakily brings up his phone, snapping a quick picture of the two. He’d make sure to send it to Bruce later.

“Love you too kiddo.” Dick says, his voice quiet. Marinette leans back and reaches for Clark again. Once she’s settled in his arms, she waves at Dick.

“Bye bye!” She says. Clark grins.

“Bye Robin.” He says lightly, heading towards the Zeta tubes. Maybe he could arrange for Dick to babysit again. They both seemed to enjoy it. And if Marinette kept up with gymnastics, Dick would really be able to help her. Besides, it wouldn’t hurt for either of them to spend time with actual kids. Maybe they’d even grow up to be friends.

Next

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[thecaptainhelm]

Every Tap of My Heart

Here’s a  valentine’s gift for @savagenutella46, whose a lovely person! Here’s my gift of writer love for a fellow maribat enthusiast, hope you have a wonderful day fit for a wonderful person. xoxo uwu [insert heart heart winky face heart eyes rose]

Thanks to the moderator @eat0crow for setting this up so nicely, ily all!

In a small office, one of the many in the college of liberal arts building, two people sat across from one another in an awkward manner. One, a rather tall, tan, and robust young man with a relaxed and loose posture, and the other, a much smaller brown, older gentleman, salt and peppered hair and frown lines around his mouth.

“Mr. Wetherby,” the young man said in greeting.

“Jonathan.” Mr. Wetherby deadpanned in return. There was a slight pause between the two before the older gentleman spoke again.

“Well, how are you progressing with your midterm project Jonathan? You were well ahead of your peers the last I observed. I trust you have maintained this pace?”

Jon grinned at this, rather than being intimidated by the scholarly demeanor of his professor. Many of his classmates were intimidated by Mr. Wetherby if not for his surprisingly deep voice, then for the juxtaposition of his gentle appearance and his strict teaching. He had only ever felt amused.

“Yes sir, everything is going well. I’ve already checked the business’s schedule and set a meeting with the owner to have a short interview. Everything is totally in order.”

Mr. Wetherby stoically gazed at Jon’s silly grin as they conversed and didn’t say anymore. He simply nodded, typed a few phrases in the computer and turned the screen to Jon. 

“Very good. With this the meeting is complete and you’ve received full marks for the student-teacher progress report. Have a nice day, Jonathan.”

“Right sir, thank you sir, you too sir,” Jon smiled, bright and goofy, unmoving from his seat.

Mr. Wetherby gained a slight tick near his temple.

“Mr. Kent.” The young man blinked, tilting his head with a look comparable to a puppy dog.

“Yes, Mr. Wetherby?”

“You may leave now,” He spoke through gritted teeth. “Have. A good. Day.”

“Right sir, of course sir!” Jon bounced up and carelessly packed his things away. “Have a good day sir!” He energetically left the room and before the remaining occupant could so much as sigh, Jon popped back in, dark hair flopping into his eyes.

“Oh yeah, are we still on for patrol or are you going to call in--”

“Beat it, Corncob!”

“Hahaha!” Jon cackled and dashed away to complete his assignment. Anyone who saw him would do a double take. It seemed as though he was gliding on air, though he wasn’t moving particularly fast. People shrugged and moved about their day, too busy to really care.

Jon Kent was just strange like that.

Sometime later in the evening, the tall and somewhat awkwardly bulky Jon Kent nervously shuffled his way through Metropolis, carefully moving around busy pedestrians and apologizing in a fluster when he didn’t move carefully enough. He knocked into one final person and sheepishly grinned at the irate grunt before arriving at his target location. La Bonne Fée.

The building was sizable, enough space for a backroom, restrooms, a cozy kitchen facility, counter, and booths for people to sit and relax, with enough space left over to not feel compact. The furnishings were all warm, comfortable and the decorations had a slight vintage feel from a  bygone era of classy etiquette and manners. Through the door he could clearly hear the music of an old school juke-box, playing a Jagged Stone album.

Jon had come to such a café to ask the owner for an interview for the school financial magazine’s new column dedicated to new and upcoming businesses.

Some would ask if Jon lost his touch, others if he was touched in the head. Why would he interview a brand new café, one not even a part of a chain, when they were practically all over the city selling the same thing as their competitors.

Jon swallowed hard, and knocked on the softwood door. He picked up a jumping pulse and saw though the window a head of dark hair quickly poke out from behind the counter. His palms had become sweaty and his own heart jumped in his chest when soft footsteps quickly paced to the door and was pulled open with a silent, breathless smile.

“Jon, hey!” Marinette Dupain-Cheng looked up at him with bright grey eyes, almost silver under the city lights and his heart really kicked into high gear then, only slightly less embarrassing when he heard her heart doing the same.

“Glad you could make it,” She nervously fixed the hem of her sweater and pulled her apron on straight.

“Me too,” He smiled at her and was fine getting lost on her eyes before she cleared her throat and held the door wider.

“Would you like to, um if you would--?”

“Oh right, yeah, yeah, yes please, um,” Jon gulped and grinned strangely. He walked in with small quick steps through the door, taking extra care to not bump into her and send the smaller woman three inches through the flooring. God, he wouldn’t ever live that down if that actually happened.

“Well, I’ll grab some refreshments while you set everything up. Be back in a bit,” Marinette grinned as she led him to a booth near the front, out of view of the windows and moved to the counter with a stiff gait. He sat, pulling out his notebook, his voice recorder, pencils and two copies of the agreed upon interview questions. He fiddled with the materials, trying to distract himself from Marinette’s sounds, her heartbeat, her slight hitches in breath as she moved, the sound her petite fingers made when rubbing against the foam cups, all to no avail.

Yes, that’s a suspicious amount of attention to a single, pretty young woman in the city, but he couldn’t help it. He pressed down on the indentation of his index finger, reveling in the simultaneous sensations of hearing and feeling her heartbeat in person.

He couldn’t help it because she was his soulmate.

Jon’s soulmate mark was one he had from birth, thought to be a deformity but what was actually a touch based soul mark. Pressing it would allow him to feel the pulse and heartbeat of his soulmate, so long as they were alive in this life. The doctors had actually thought there might be a twin or a second heart while he was in the womb, but an x-ray via Superman showed that he was a  lone healthy baby. 

Marinette Dupain-Cheng was a small, triracial young woman, with delicate features, a barely noticeable spread of freckles across a small nose and round grey eyes that turned into happy crescents when she beamed wide and unrestrained. This was all he knew about her, from their brief interactions while they set up the interview, all skin deep and superficial knowledge that he wanted to get past. 

This was his soulmate and he knew he shouldn’t rush, but there were so many things that she would have to know about him, things he shouldn’t and couldn’t hide from her, at least not forever, but how was he going to bring up being a superhero? No, wait, how was he going to bring up being half extraterrestrial?! She’d freak!

He tried to relax. He only found out the Marinette was his soulmate when he asked if she would let him interview her and couldn’t help but compare her heart rate to the one on his finger, further panicking when he saw her press her fingertips together in glee and saw the imprint of his finger upon her own. From there he saw that her index finger would snugly fit the imprint on his and he knew it, beyond a shadow of a doubt that she was his soulmate, that special person the universe found matched perfectly to him in every way that counted. He’d studied and pressed and listened to this heartbeat, wanting to press his head against her back to study and listen in the flesh for years, all before he knew who she was and that she was his and he was hers.

He pressed on it as she walked back to their booth, watching and smiling as she relaxed somewhat, lightly stroking her thumb along her finger as she set the tray of cookies and coffea, the cafe’s specialty fusion drink.

“Sorry for the wait,” She neatly placed the cookies between them after setting down their drinks. He watched the quick and graceful way she tucked the tray into her seat beside her before sending him a dazzling grin that briefly scrambled his brain.

He gaped before managing to stutter out a lame “no trouble” and Marinette merely grinned, cheeks pink. He could dually understand her heart at this time and couldn’t help becoming more flustered. His dumb brain was making him think Marinette had a crush on him, when she was probably just nervous and excited for the interview.

Yeah, that’s all there is to it, nothing more to it at all, he told himself while watching her cheeks darken. 

It wasn’t anything more.

“Well, here’s to a good interview?” Marinette nervously giggled as she raised her cup and Jon did the same without a second thought, only realizing his mistake when she saw his soulmark and paled, honing in like a bat out of hell. He tensed trying to think of an excuse or a lie or something to say but he was stuck. Hope clogged his throat and desire pressed down his tongue.

“You have a soulmark?” She asked after a lengthy pause.

“Y-yes, I do.” His voice cracked from bad nerves and excitement.

“I do too. Touch based.” Her eyes pierced through his soul and pinned him on the spot. He couldn’t leave even if he wanted to.

“Cool. Super cool! I have one too, touch based like yours, yep! Cool!” Jon bobbed his head fervently, searching her gaze and found that she seemed to have the same idea as him. Her hand stretched to the middle of the table and waited for him to meet her in the middle. When he reached, slow and steady, it exposed the subtle quaking of his hand, revealing his inner feelings. He was comforted by the fact that her hand was shaking across from him too. It was a relief she felt the same.

Finally, the fingers touched, a small pale finger tapping two knuckles against the back of his. His shoulders tensed, Marinette mirroring him beat for beat as shoulder collapsed in devastation.

If Jon had thought that feeling Marinette’s heartbeat secondhand was an amazing feeling, then all the wonders of the accumulated sensation were nothing compared to this one touch. The pure physical sensation of another being pulsed through him, the echoing din that had been with him unnoticed all this time becoming known as he melted into himself, feeling it destroy him gently and lovingly.

“Wow,” Marinette breathed shakily. “Wow, I’ve, I never thought,”--an incredulous laugh-- “That was…”

She trailed off taking in his enraptured expression.

“Yeah, me too.” He grinned in wonder. His eyes bored into her own, falling deeper into her spell.

They stared at each other before Marinette finally broke the silence.

“Bonsoir.” She extended her other hand, unwilling to break contact.

“Hi.” He firmly grasped it, giving a strong shake. “Jonathan Kent, miss. Pleased to meet you.”

Marinette smiled beatifically. “Marinette Dupain-Cheng. The pleasure is all mine, Jon.”

The End

[mel-et-ses-histoires]

Snowpiercer : un train qui a de la classe.

Attention, comme disent nos amis mangeurs de pancake au caribou : Ostie ! Ça va divulgacher à un point ça va partir en christ !

Donc on va parler ici du film et de la série Snowpiercer en s’intéressant surtout sur le discours sur la lutte des classes, qui est le petit fil conducteur de ces deux œuvres.

Le film Snowpiercer est une adaptation d’une bande dessinée française : Le Transperceneige et la série est une adaptation .... ben je sais pas trop, ça ressemble quand même plus d’une adaptation du film voir une prequelle qu’une adaptation de la bd sans liens avec le film, mais on y reviendra.

Alors c’est pas évident de comparer un film et une série car le format change la manière dont on raconte une histoire. Mais on va se concentrer plus sur le fond, le message, que sur la forme. En sachant qu’il y a plus de matiere dans la serie car c’est beaucoup plus long.

L’histoire :

En voulant lutter contre le réchauffement climatique la planète a pris un petit coup de froid puisque la température avoisine les -100° à peut prés, ce qui rend la civilisation humaine telle qu’on là connait..... compliqué.

Toute l’humanité est morte à exception d’un grand groupe de rescapés qui vivent dans un immense train conçu spécialement pour survivre à la fin du monde et qui voyage dans un grand tour du monde. Ce train a été conçu par un ingénieur de génie du nom de Wilford.

Lors du départ du train des gens qui n’avaient pas de billets se sont ruer vers le train pour y survivre. Ces “sans tickets” survivent à l’arrière du train sans aucun confort ni lumière, ne mangeant que les maigres rations qu’on leur fournit. A la moindre résistance une “correction” [du petit coup de crosse de fusil dans la tronche à l’amputation d’un membre] est administrée pour rappeler qu’ils ne sont pas censés être là à la base et qu’ils survivent parce qu’on le veut bien et que si ils voulaient bien resté sages pendant qu’on s’occupe des vrais passagers ce  seraient cool.

Le film et la série commencent alors qu’une révolution de sans tickets se préparent. D’autres ont déjà eu lieux et ont eu des résultats..... mitigés.

Le film :

On est 17 ans après le départ du train. Format du film oblige on va droit au but, on ne développe pas trop les personnages autres que les personnages principaux et on insiste sur la violence qu’il y a eu à l’arrière du train (cannibalisme, meurtre) en n’en mettant la responsabilité sur Wilford (ce qui n’est pas faux). La révolution est vite menée et se termine par un seul homme, le perso principal qui va chercher à tuer Wilford. On est plus dans une histoire de vengeance que d’une lutte de classe mais comme le film est ultra symbolique pas passe très bien. Notons qu’il s’agit d’un film Coréen, si le film avait été réalisé par un américains il aurait été moins symbolique et plus frontal je pense.

Dans ce train Wilford justifie la situation par la nécessite du maintient d’un équilibre dans l’écosystème qu’est le train. Une place pour chaque chose et une chose à sa place. Pour lui il est parfaitement normal qu’on traite comme des animaux les sans tickets car c’est leur place “naturelle”.

Ce besoin de contrôle de tout les parametres du train va même jusqu’à devoir réguler la population qui ne doit pas depasser un certain seuil. Quitte à organiser des révolutions.

On apprend en fin de film que les révolutions antérieurs (et l’actuel) sont organisés par Wilford et par le chef des sans tickets pour diminuer régulièrement la population des sans tickets et des gardes en les faisant s’affronter jusqu’à un niveau “idéal”. L’idée étant que si on ne le faisait pas au final on mourra tous de faim.

A cela on ajoute un petit concept d’homme machine où les enfants pauvres servent de pièce de rechange et sont lobotomisés façon Metropolis. (déshumanisation par la technique et l’industrie toussa toussa).

Le film se termine par le déraillement du train. Le film finit donc plutôt mal, les deux seuls survivants étant une ado toxicomane et un enfant de moins de 5 ans lobotomisé.

Idée du film : dans le cadre de la lutte des classes la lutte armée est au mieux inutile, au pire on fait que couler le bateau dans lequel on est tous. Tristesse, desespoir, si vous vouliez de la lutte des classes avec une happy end fallait regarder Matrix.

La série :

On est 7 ans apres le départ du train.

Comme on est dans une série on peut développer plus l’univers et même on le doit car 10 épisodes d’une heure avec que du symbolisme comme dans le film on perdrait trop en cohérence.

Du coup le propos sur la lutte des classes peut / va parfois / souvent passer en second plan. Etre assez superficiel voir “naif”.

Et parfois au contraire ça va être des idées plutôt pas mal.

Ici le train est bien séparé en 1er, 2eme et 3eme classe d’une part et les sans ticket à l’arrière. La 1ere vit dans le luxe, ne travaille pas et ont des putains d’appart géants. La 2eme semble etre constitué de travailleurs spécialisés de haut niveaux (médecin, généticien, ect) et ils vivent dans un env 20m² tres confortables. La 3eme classe vit entassée, chacun ayant son coin pas tres propre à lui et est constituée d’ouvriers.

Mélanie Cavil est une sorte hôtesse, elle s’occupe des besoins des passagers et est porte parole de Wilford. On comprend tres vite que c’est en fait elle qui dirige et que Wilford n’est qu’un mirage.

Dans cette série on suit un sans ticket, ancien policier, pour enquêter sur un meurtre dans le train, ce qui va l’amener à découvrir (ainsi que le spectateur ) l’univers du train.

Le bon point positif de la série est qu’ils ne sont pas tombés dans le cliché du “les pauvres sont gentils parce qu’ils sont pauvres et les riches sont méchants parce qu’ils sont riches” même si (et c’est ça qui est bien) beaucoup de personnages sans tickets et de la 1ere classe le pense eux !

On va pendant une grosse partie de la série se concentrer sur la préparation de la révolution et il est intéressant de noter que pour beaucoup de personnage la révolution est un but en soit, il n’y a pas d’apres, ce n’est pas un moyen. Un personnage va même aller jusqu’à dire que ce qu’on obtiendra de la révolution c’est en premier lieu de pouvoir “manger les riches”. C’est surtout Layton, le personnage principal qu lui voit la révolution comme un moyen de mettre en place un système plus égalitaire pour tout le monde.

Initialement Layton partage la vision caricaturale de l’arrière, à savoir que les riches sont méchants par nature et il se moque de manière dédaigneuse qu’on cultive dans le wagon agricole des fraises (symbole facile de luxe) ce à quoi Melanie lui répondra qu’on en a rien a tapper que ce soit un produit de luxe, c’est surtout que c’est le meilleur rapport taille / apport nutritif. 

Et petit à petit le perso de Mélanie va etre tres interessant parce que on se demande le “pourquoi” de ces inégalités et Mélanie va montrer que d’une part certaines choses en fait n’ont pas été voulu et que d’autres n’ont pas été choisit. En fait Mélanie est le personnage qui pose la question “comment gérer des ressources limitées dans un milieu inégalitaire ?” Mélanie est issue d’un milieu modeste, elle ne cherche pas à ce qu’il y ait une domination entre les classes mais elle n’hésitera pas à avoir une attitude tres utilitariste pour gérer les problèmes. Une greve en 3eme classe ? Ok. Vous avez 24h pour arreter la greve où on en tire 10 aux hasards qui partent à l’arriere avec les sans tickets. Parce qu’une greve de 24 ce serait la mort du train.

On enferme quelqu’un a tord ? Peut etre oui, mais là il faut vraiment rassurer les passagers donc tant pis, j’ai quelqu’un sous la main je l’utilise pour dire que j’ai trouver le coupable, je peux pas me permettre qu’il y ait une panique à bord.

Les vaches sont mortes ? Alors en vrais moi j’en ai rien a faire de la viande, ce qui m’inquiete c’est de plus avoir de fumier pour les cultures.

Vous pensez que j’emprisonne dans les caissons de stase tous les opposants et les mécontents ? Ben en fait non je met en stase toutes les personnes avec des compétences particulières dont on aura besoin quand un jour, inévitablement le train s’arretera parce que trop usé et qu’il ne restera que des gens nés dans le train et qui ne savent pas cultiver la terre ou réparer un moteur. 

On brise également le bloc “riche / pauvre” en montrant des situations de sans tickets qui envoi péter la révolution contre de la bouffe ou des gens de la 1ere qui vont fournir une arme discretos pour la révolution.

SAUF QUE

Ben sauf que la révolution finit par arriver. Mélanie est destituer, elle envoi un petit taquet à Layton du type “tu a l’impression que j’étais une dictatrice ? Ben va y, va gérer les problèmes je te regarde” et les deux derniers épisodes ne sont qu’une annonce de la saison deux. Et on s’intéresse de plus en plus aux personnages et de moins en moins à l’intrigue. Que donne le train dirigé par Layton ? Est ce que la révolution ça marche ? Ben on sait pas. On verra peut etre dans la saison deux.

C’est dommage parce que même si c’était diffus il y avait des petits points de réflexions intéressants et il y avait surtout de la nuance.

Alors le film lui était avec zero nuance mais c’était parce que ça avait du sens, on avait plus des symboles que des personnages. Donc là c’était pas grave.

J’espère que la saison deux repartira sur un rail “politique” et nous fera pas une casa del papel en explorant la back story des personnages.

Et j’espère aussi qu’on verra moins Mickey Sumner par ce que 1) comme elle est les 3/4 du temps en uniforme ça déconcentre et 2) quand elle commence à sourire c’est terminé on peut plus suivre l’épisode.

Et maintenant c’est l’heure du petit jeu !!!

Vous etes Mélanie, vous dirigez le train en disant agir au nom de Wilford (qui est surement mort)

Une ado psychopathe de la 1ere classe passe en jugement pour meurtre et torture sur des gens de la 3eme classe (parce que c’était rigolo selon elle). 

Le jury est composé d’un membre de chaque classe. La 1ere classe est en mode “Trololo le juré de la 1ere va forcement voter pour nous, celui de la 2eme aussi donc si le pauvre vote pas pour nous c’est pas grave”. La 3eme classe est elle très remontée et à peur que le crime reste impunie car l’auteur est de la première.

Surprise : les 3 jurés votent coupable et l’ado psychopathe de la 1ere est condamnée à la peine capitale. Les parents pas contents sont assez influents et ont déja posés des problèmes. L’ado vous sous entend qu’elle sait que Wilford n’est pas dans le train et menace de le révéler à tout le monde (donc foutre en l’air le pouvoir que vous avez et peut être jusqu’à lancer une révolte).

Que faites vous ?

[empathetixss]

Margaery Tyrell Verses ( taken from my old blog )

( V: YOU WERE JUST A ROSEBUD ONCE (YOUTH) )

Margaery as a child growing up in Highgarden.

( V: THE GOLDEN ROSE OF HIGHGARDEN )

Margaery as a teenager in Highgarden. (ages 13-14)

( V: LOVELY AS A DAWN (GOT/ACOK) )

Margaery during her marriage to Renly. sub versus: (listed with particular players.)

When Winter met Spring (Robb Stark marries Margaery after Renly dies)

( V: GROWING STRONG EVEN UNDER LION’S CLAWS (ASOS) )

Book Canon. Margaery of House Tyrell. She is gentle and kind, sweet and beloved by the small folk. Recently engaged to one Joffrey Baratheon. She is the QUEEN to be, though the real question is, does she desire it? Verses that are housed under this verse LOTR Verse - Elvish Rose - Mace Tyrell is Half-Elven. He marries a human, Alerie Hightower and chooses the fate of the mortals. His children have the choice as well, His youngest has not chosen her fate yet. Lady Rose - Lady of a keep. Margaery is a mortal, that lives close to Rivendell. (or in some verses Mirkwood)

( V: OF THORNS (AFFC/ADWD) )

During Margaery’s Trial by Faith. She’s held in a tower by the septa’s and The High Sparrow. After the evidence falls away from Margaery, she is released into the custody of Randyll Tarly.

( V: UNE ROSE DANS DE LE NORD )

After House Tyrell falls on the ‘wrong side of history.’ Loras is sent to the Stormlands, Garlan is sent to the vale, and sweet, young, Margaery is sent to the North. On top of all of this, the Tyrell’s must pay a certain amount of gold every year to the crown to keep the children fed. Or so they are told. Margaery wins over House Stark and eventually ends up betrothed to Robb Stark.

( V: WINTER IN OUR BONES )

Margaery is engaged to marry Robb Stark, but it all ends at the Red Wedding. Jon Snow, now Jon Stark, saves her life. (with: @moreastark )

( V: THE FRANKISH ROSE )

Season 2-3: Margaery is the daughter of Frankish King Mace Tyrell. He’s done his best with all three of his sons, now he wants Margaery in on the game. Yet there was a reason she was kept hidden. To keep his kingdom safe Mace was forced to give up his beautiful daughter to King Ragnar. Now in Kattegat, she has to survive.

Season 4B: Margaery is the daughter of a Frankish Lord. She resides in Paris and among Princess Gisla and Duke Rollo's court. She's just a lady in the court, curious about the Viking Raiders among them at the moment.

( V: DRIPPING IN GOLD )

A royalty au currently under construction. (Verse with: halfawolf)

( V: HOIST THE COLOURS )

grim tides/Black Sails/POTC/Pirate!Queen Margaery. Queen of the Pacific, and Agean, The Rose of Highgarden has truly come a long way. From stowing away on a ship as a small child to escape the British Attack on her family, to having her own crew, she’s practically unstoppable. It doesn’t hurt that many of her male counterparts doubt her ability as a pirate captain because she’s a woman. She proves them wrong, Every. Single. Time.

( V: THINGS WE LOST )

From a young age, Margaery was betrothed to Jon Targaryen. The Heir to the Seven Kingdoms. Now, it’s time for them to bring their families together. (w: halfawolf)

V: THINGS WE LOST TO THE FLAME

Jon is exiled and stripped of his title, Margaery is forced to wed another, life is not as she planned it until Jon comes back to her. (w: moreastark)

( V: THE RELUCTANCE OF THE WOLF )

(A WANTED VERSE) Forced into marriage with one another by Lady Olenna and Lady Catelyn’s arrangement. Margaery tries to make the best of her fate. Lady Catelyn is a joy and kind to her. Wonderful in every way. While Robb… Robb is cold to her. Margaery becomes scared that she is trapped in another loveless marriage and struggles to understand her cold & grim husband.

( V: A MODERN ROSE )

Margaery works for her father a respected lawyer in the Tyrell Firm. In her spare time, she paints.

Gangster Lawyer: assilat-vojjor Drogo is a respected Gang leader on trial for a murder he didn’t commit. Margaery is his Lawyer. Our Gentle Sin: astormcrow. Margaery and Daario get close to one another, start an affair. At the same time, he kills people for a living. Crushing them in high heels and pearls: wintersking. Margaery is Robb’s boss. Currently they’re having a torrid affair.

If you let my soul out (it’ll come right back to you.)  Reincarnation verse.

The Drifter: Margaery Tyrell runs into Jon Snow while wandering the streets of Paris. & she can’t help but be drawn to him. Little does she know that he is hiding a secret. (w: moreastark)

( V: A COLLEGE ROSE QUEEN )

Margaery is the Youngest of the Tyrell’s. Attending Harvard Law in the fall, Margaery is just trying to make it in a family that vacations in Europe for the hell of it. Mostly she’s just looking for fun.

( V: OBLIVION )

Margaery Tyrell is a British-born scientist, working for the government. She double majored in biology and anthropology. She’s never really thought much of the superhero’s other than the fact that they’ve saved the world. She proud of the work she does and believes in what’s right for the future. That being said, her loyalty is not easily swayed or bought. (Notes for Marvel-verse)

* Recruited by Nick Fury. * Security Level Clearance: 5 (sub verses): Webbed Roses with webheadedhero You Can Keep Your Shield On with buyxwarxbonds Notes for DC verse * Recruited by the Secretary of Defense. * Lived in Metropolis

(V: A LADY IN WAITING (TWQ) )

The White Queen Verse: Margaery is a noble lady. Her family has the symbol of the Golden rose. They are neither York or Lancaster. Tyrell’s are really all for themselves.

( V: A LADY IN WAITING (TUDOR) )

Upon hearing of the death of her beloved cousin Anne, Margaery ventures to King Henry VIII’s court for answers. - She’s managed to ensnare the king in her thorns and finds herself caught as well, because her feelings fro him have grown beyond what she thought they would. (Timeline: Anne of Cleves is queen, but before Kitty Howard meets Henry.) - Anne sent for her cousin before her death and she has been there since her second miscarriage. verse with vivatreginam -Margaery arrives after the death of her cousin Anne, taking in Elizabeth and offering up her home as a place for her. verse with any elizabeth

( V: A ROSE OF FRANCE )

French born, but Spain raised Margaery Tyrell, is brought back to court along with the rest of her family when they hear of Prince Francis’ wedding to Mary Stuart. Of course they are overjoyed and offer their services to the young couple swearing themselves to them. While Margaery’s ambitious grandmother seeks a powerful marriage for Margaery perhaps with a royal of Scotland, Margaery skeeks to get to know the future queen better. Hoping to call her friend one day.

( V: LA BELLE PETITE ROSE )

BBC’s The Musketeers Verse. Margaery is the King’s Cousin, but that doesn’t mean much in France. Serving under Queen Anne as a Lady in Waiting, she is happy with her position. Although, she is intrigued by The Musketeers in the service of the King. 

Une Rose de Versailles: A Noble Catholic Lady from the south of france, originally she’s engaged to the Dux De Baratheon known as Joffrey. She’s not very happy with the match, as the man has a reputation for cruelty. She has come to Versailles, when the King moves court from Paris to there. She finds herself a bit more at ease there, she is able to be herself more and be around women other than her future mother-in-law. Her fiance hates it and wishes to return to Paris. She has hope that she might catch the king’s eye, but she knows that women here are everywhere each wanting a piece of the king.

( V: OF IRON THORNS )

Margaery has taken the Iron Throne through her son after the death of her husband. Now she has to keep it. (husband can be Renly, Joffrey, or Tommen.)

( V: THE TALES ARE REAL )

The Original Rose Beauty: Margaery was a noble lady in Snow’s court, but also a friend for Queen Regina until her identity as a Princess and future Queen of her own realm was reviled. Margaery was Aurora’s mother, the first sleeping beauty. Sometimes known as Briar Rose. She tried her best to shield her daughter from the curse but was unable to do so. When the first curse hit, she was swept up and sent to Storybrooke. Living under the curse, she works in the flower shop owned by Moe French. She spends her days doing inventory and ordering new flowers when needed. The day that repeated for 28 years, she would visit the sheriff's station with coffee, and cut flowers in the shop. When Emma came to town, she was curious about the woman who seemed to be hanging around Young Henry but said nothing of it. Sticking to herself and the solitary life the curse forced her to lead. After the curse breaks, every memory is brought back to her. She believes she is without her brothers, her husband, and her daughter in this land without magic and would give anything just to see them again.

( V: LIFE IS WAR )

A modern twist on a love story. Verse with moreastark

( V: A LOYAL KNIGHT )

Athos entered Margaery’s service when she was still married to Joffrey. The sadness that surrounded the man caught her attention and she did everything she could to get him to smile. Little did she know she would fall head over heels in love with the knight. They hide it as best as they can although she would rather be with him than apart from him. (w: dettexhonneur)

( V: DON'T FEAR THE REAPER )

Margaery had gotten out. More than that. She had made a place for herself outside of the MC. Her father had just been the MC's lawyer, it wasn't like she had to be anything to them, right? She could go and do whatever she wanted. That is until, she came home. She came home for a funeral and saw... Him again. Jon. She had been to High School with him. He had been her first everything. She had thought for a while, he would be her everything. Until she grew up. She went to college, became a lawyer, and seeing Jon again, made her feel like a teenage girl. Especially on the back of his bike. Now she's got a choice. Stay, start over with the man she loves, or go back... (verse with: moreastark)

( V: DON’T LET YOURSELF BE HUNTED )

When Margaery was a child she always knew there was something different about her, and her family. She always just thought it was odd that her father could influence those around him with a word, her grandmother’s plants never died, and her brothers… Well, Willas’ super memory and intelligence was next to none, and his ability to seemingly communicate with Animals, Garlan and his super strength, Loras and his agility, she wondered what her powers would be. At nine the voices started. She could hear them even in her sleep, it was all so very loud and overwhelming, she just wanted it to stop, but it didn’t. It just got worse and louder, it wasn’t until later that she learned these voices were not in her head, they were in the heads of others. She also learned that she could feel other’s emotions as well and project her own on them. Margaery harnesses the powers of empathy and telepathy, her grandmother does her best to help her control it.

Her family is heavily involved in the Hellfire club, and Margaery didn’t have much of a choice, but to do the same. She has always admired the X-Men though and is considering switching sides.

( V: IN A LAND OF WONDER )

Margaery Tyrell is visiting the Kingdom of Camelot with her father and brother.

( V: MAGIC AMONG US )

Growing Strong. It’s the Tyrell House motto, it’s also Margaery’s personal mantra. She's a Ravenclaw.

( V: GROW TILL YOU CAN’T ANYMORE )

District Eleven, Margaery, and her family have much knowledge about plants, orchards, and people. When Margaery is picked as a tribute, she proves herself and wins her games… Allowing herself to be taken in by the charms of the capitol like her brother before her. She’s become the favorite of many. Alt verses: Burn it all down - Margaery joins the rebellion.

[thomashpol]

A Londres

 Parce que j'affectionne Londres

Le centre de Londres a subi des blessures fréquentes tout au long de la Seconde Guerre mondiale en raison de bombardements aériens, qui ont dévasté les quais et de nombreux domaines commerciaux, domestiques et professionnels, tels que le centre historique de votre région. Environ 30 000 Londoniens sont morts des suites d'une action adverse dans le ciel sur le capital d'investissement, et 50 000 autres ont été blessés. La fin des hostilités a contribué à faire un profit des évacués, et la reconstruction de votre ville a commencé simultanément, malgré le fait que la création de matériaux ait été désespérément à court d'offre. Pendant la guerre, la meilleure stratégie de Londres, au Royaume-Uni (1944) a fini par être prête comme méthode de reconstruction et en plus de relocaliser certains Londoniens et leur carrière dans de nouvelles municipalités à travers les fonds et également dans des «zones assistées» dans des éléments de la provinces linguistiques. La construction des derniers biens immobiliers a été découragée et fermement exploitée dans une boucle respectueuse de l'environnement autour du Royaume-Uni, ainsi que l'expansion dispersée à venir de la ville qui s'est produite dans des parties plus éloignées du sud-est de l'Angleterre. La réponse des communautés les plus récentes (1946) a donné naissance à huit nouveaux établissements à l'extérieur de la métropole. Le passage du village et de la nation se prépare, notamment en 1947 et 1968, a fourni aux régulateurs de la ville des pouvoirs de terrain remarquables à acquérir et à contrôler l'avancement à l'intérieur de Londres. The Event of Britain (1951) a proclamé la récupération à l'échelle nationale et créé le Noble Festivity Hallway autour du prêteur sud de votre Tamise, ainsi que la propriété Lansbury (une zone de réaménagement à Poplar). Malgré cela, de graves toxines du flux d'air des foyers domestiques au charbon et des cheminées de fabrication ont conduit au grand smog de 1952, qui a joué un rôle dans le décès de 4 000 Londoniens. Au cours du quart de siècle suivant, il y a d'énormes dépenses pour le nettoyage des bidonvilles, tourisme la conception des dernières maisons et locations d'appartements et l'avancement des solutions. L'organisation métropolitaine était beaucoup plus largement reconnue, ainsi qu'une large couverture pour détourner une discussion de l'emploi et de la propriété vers des localités au-dessus de l'emplacement continuellement construit de Londres. En conséquence, le nombre de citoyens dans le Grand Royaume-Uni est passé d'environ 8 193 000 en 1951 à environ 6 600 000 en 1991; néanmoins, des progrès sont en cours dans d'autres régions du sud-est. La fente du Royaume-Uni, qui avait été dévastée tout au long de la Seconde Guerre mondiale, a été réparée dans les années 1950. Néanmoins, entre 1968 et 1981, les quais de la ville ont été fermés au trafic du site Web en raison des petites dimensions, des relations de travail difficiles, de la mauvaise administration et des concurrents efficaces des principaux ports d'Europe continentale, en particulier Europoort à Rotterdam, en Hollande. Dans les années 1980, la Docklands Advancement Corporation de Londres, au Royaume-Uni, a recommandé des changements majeurs dans les Docklands, comme la construction de nouveaux logements et un grand nombre de nouveaux lieux de travail (notamment à Canary Wharf). Le Royaume-Uni a connu une désindustrialisation assaisonnée à ce jour, avec des industries plus anciennes qui avaient été créées à l'époque victorienne s'effondrant et de nombreuses industries plus modernes, des rencontres sur Internet pendant l'entre-deux-guerres et situées le long des rues principales rayonnantes aménagées au cours de toutes ces décennies, discutant exactement de la même destin. L'économie de Londres a connu une croissance pour être considérablement adaptée aux transactions financières et à de nombreux autres types de processus de service. Ces secteurs du marché de l'économie ont été renforcés par des modifications législatives intervenues au milieu des années 80, ce qui a eu une incidence sur les opérations budgétaires. En conséquence, le paysage urbain de nombreux éléments de la métropole et aussi de la finition à l'ouest a été transformé par la création d'immenses nouveaux immeubles de bureaux commerciaux. Les cas les plus importants sont Broadgate, sur le site Web de l'ancienne station Broad Road; Royaume-Uni Connection Metropolis, à côté de la Tamise; et aussi le Lloyd's en développement. De plus, les terminaux de l'aéroport de Londres à Heathrow et Gatwick ont ​​été élargis, un nouvel aéroport important a été inauguré à Stansted (30 kilomètres [50 km] au nord de la ville), et un minuscule aéroport pour les vols vers l'Europe L'Union européenne a commencé à fonctionner Docklands. L'achèvement de l'autoroute orbitale M25 a permis aux voitures de passer à travers l'argent plutôt que de se déplacer par le biais de celui-ci. Néanmoins, la congestion des autoroutes est restée un problème sérieux, le M25 étant très sérieusement bombardé de trafic ciblé.

[watchilove]

Louis Erard x The Horophile La Petite Seconde Metropolis Green

A year after unveiling their collaborative art deco-inspired Capsule Collection, Louis Erard and The Horophile return with a fourth rendition of La Petite Seconde Metropolis, this time with a sleek green dial that looks to the future rather than the past. Originally conceived as an alternative to the archetypal three-hand watch, La Petite Seconde Metropolis takes a page from New York-style art…

[alicehart]

First

As is the fate of all life, the planet began to reclaim the lost city of Yhada, a former human civilization located on the planet, Tallon III. Structures crumbled due to neglect. Moss, trees, and vines climbed the metal structures that remained, and streets began to split as the earth underneath burst through.

It was the perfect hideout for anyone on the run.

As soon as the ship touched ground, the thief could be found skipping her way out the door and onto the abandoned city streets. She could hear Wylan calling out to her, but Alice couldn’t be bothered to ask him to repeat himself. 

Finally, some space… and room to breathe and stretch her legs. Sometimes, Alice didn’t know what to make of his teasing and pranks. They’d finally gotten over the whole panty raiding phase, or so she hoped. But, he always found new ways to pick fun at her. What was she? Some child? If that’s how the man was thinking, he had a thing or two coming…

The thief disappeared into the shadows of the city, leaving her companion behind. Abandoned villages, ancient abandoned civilizations on Earth, sure. But an abandoned metropolis? This was a sight to behold. Decrepit skyscrapers looming over, the creaks of neglected metal frames was a bit concerning, but what were the chances that today would be the day one of these structures would fall? Slim to none, Alice figured.

Leave it to the dancer to stumble upon a stage. Tucked between the modern structures sat a building that seemed to have traveled through time. Inspired by the ancient art deco era, it was something one could only find on Earth. Naturally, Alice was drawn to it.

Like a spotlight, the sunlight showed through the ceiling beaming down onto the stage. She walked down the tattered red carpet that once lead welcomed entertainers to the stage, all mere memories now. It brought her back to the days she aspired to find herself on such a grand stage. Just how long had it been since Alice danced?

Cautiously, the dancer stepped onto the stage. Her foot tapped a few times to test the integrity of the wood; It seemed sturdy enough.

The room was silent, all except the hiss of wind as it passed through the cracks and holes of the theatre. It was eerie.  

“Hm…” she thought to herself as she pulled out her phone. Sure, there was no audience, but who was there to say that this stage couldn’t have one more performer?

Alice picked a song from her collection on her phone, pressed play, and sat it down on the floor. And as if she’d only left dance the day before, the names all came back to her. 

Croise devant.

A La Seconde. 

Epaule.

Arabesque.

Penchee.

Once again going into a Croise, before making an attempt at a Pirouette. As to be expected, it wasn’t as elegant and delicate had she her pointe shoes, but hey, she was working with what she had.

Alice allowed the rhythm to guide her. Instincts told her how her body should move, which pose and move best suited the tempo and mood. Spinning, limbs extended, her petite form was delicate and seemingly weightless. It was the first time she’d dance since before her accident long ago. The faint sound of her music with the pitter patters of her feet echoed through the building and onto the street.

[und100]

Benjamin Lavie

Aujourd’hui j’ai l’immense plaisir d’interviewer Benjamin Lavie, le jeune auteur du jeu Singin’ In the Game chez Fée Mumuz’. Il est également le fondateur de sa maison d’édition qui ne compte pour l’instant que ce jeu à son catalogue.

Bonjour Benjamin, tout d’abord un grand merci d’avoir accepté de répondre à mes questions! Peux tu nous décrire ton parcours? J ’ai toujours été joueur, que ce soit de jeux de cartes traditionnels, jeux vidéos, jeux de société etc, mais j’aime aussi certains arts, comme l’écriture et la photo. Lorsqu’une idée vient, j’ai souvent envie de la matérialiser. Or, à 20 ans je suis pleinement tombé dans la marmite des jeux de société modernes et c’est à cette époque qu’est née l’idée de Singin’ in the Game. Il me semblait donc tout naturel de chercher à aller au bout du projet, même si je ne pensais pas encore à l’édition. D’autant que je commençais tout juste mes études pour devenir professeur des écoles, ce que je suis toujours à 75% depuis que j’ai créé Fée Mumuz’. Quel est ton processus de création?  J’ai grosso modo créé 3 ou 4 jeux (qui, à l’exception de Singin’ in the Game sont pour l’instant à l’état de prototypes). Le premier (Singin’ in the Game!) est né d’une frustration ( “Bon sang! Ce serait trop bien un jeu de ce genre, ça doit forcément exister! Quoi, ce n’est pas le cas?! Horreur, malheur, bon et bien dans ce cas je m’y colle). Le second a plus été un challenge lancé par un pote et le troisième, une subite envie de créer le jeu d’une émission TV que je n’arrêtais pas de visionner. D’une façon générale, j’ai à cœur d’essayer d’apporter une expérience de jeu nouvelle, de créer des jeux qui ne ressemblent pas à d’autres, je dirais donc que chez moi, c’est souvent le manque qui me donne l’envie de créer. Cela dit, j’ai également participé à la protojam du FLIP 2019 et j'y ai retrouvé les sensations des ateliers d’écriture auxquels j’ai pu prendre part. C’est très chouette également de partir d’une contrainte et d’avoir un temps donné pour parvenir à un résultat.  Comment t’est venu l’idée de ton jeu, Singin’ in the Game? L’idée m’est venue en jouant à un autre jeu musical: “Hitstory”. En gros on nous demandait, qui a chanté un titre. Si on trouvait, on marquait des points, si on le fredonnait, on en marquait également. J’étais frustré de voir qu’on ne pouvait pas chanter tous les titres de nos artistes favoris et que, comme dans beaucoup de jeux ou d’émissions musicales, on s’en tiennent souvent aux artistes et aux titres les plus “grand public”. Je voulais une jeu dans lequel tout le monde se retrouverait, qu’importe les goûts, qu’importe l’âge. Une espèce d’encyclopédie (pour son côté complet), mais un véritable jeu d’ambiance malgré tout.)

Pourquoi avoir décidé de créer ta propre maison d’édition plutôt que de proposer ton jeu aux éditeurs existants? J’ai tout d’abord proposé le jeu aux éditeurs mais pour la plupart, cela ne correspondait pas à leur ligne éditoriale. Il faut dire que les jeux de culture ne sont pas forcément ce que recherchent les joueurs habitués aux jeux de société modernes. Alors si on ajoute le fait qu’il s’agisse d’un jeu “musical”, à ce côté culturel, cela peut sembler très clivant. De mon côté, j’avais toujours cherché à éviter d’éditer moi-même Singin’ in the Game, car la paperasse, les recherches de fabricants etc, ça ne m’emballait guère. Mais j’ai également vu le retour des gens en festivals, le plaisir qu’ils prenaient à (re)découvrir des titres et des artistes, l’ambiance que cela amenait à la table. Ça m’a boosté et je me suis dit que culturellement et socialement, ce jeu devait exister, que j’avais travaillé de nombreuses années dessus et qu’il fallait que j’aille au bout pour que tous ceux qui désireraient l’avoir puissent y jouer avec leurs proches. Peu de temps avant que je ne me lance dans l’édition de Singin’ in the Game et de ses extensions, quelques éditeurs se sont tout de même montrés intéressés par son édition. Mais à ce moment là, je m’étais déjà trop projeté sur le financement participatif et je n’étais plus prêt à lâcher le bébé. En effet, si je savais que devenir éditeur ne serait pas une mince affaire,  je trouvais professionnellement très enrichissant de réaliser seul toutes les étapes du projet afin d’en saisir tous les rouages. C’est grâce à cela que j’ai pu endosser toutes ces casquettes: auteur, animateur, commercial, publicitaire, éditeur... Quelle est la ligne éditoriale de Fée Mumuz’? Ma ligne éditoriale est d’éditer des jeux funs et faciles à prendre en main afin de permettre au plus grand nombre de jouer à tout moment.  Je m’oriente donc vers des jeux familiaux ou familiaux +, si possible jouable de 2 à 5-6 joueurs et plus, qui durent moins d’une heure et dont l’épaisseur du livret de règles ne serait pas décourageante. Où sont distribués tes jeux? Pour le moment c’est Ludistri qui s’occupe de la distribution de mes jeux. Je sais qu’ils sont trouvables dans plus d’une quarantaine de boutiques un peu partout en France et en Suisse mais je n’ai pas la liste exacte de ceux qui l’ont. Toutefois, Singin’ in the Game et ses extensions sont toujours disponibles sur le site Fée Mumuz’ si on ne le trouve pas ailleurs. Tu semble privilégier les distributions en boutique physique, pourquoi? Pas nécessairement mais comme je suis un jeune éditeur, je n’ai pas pu me permettre de faire imprimer une énorme quantité de jeux , ce qui aurait réduit les coûts. De plus, j’avais à cœur de ne pas faire fabriquer le jeu en Chine donc le coût final du jeu s’en ressent, ce qui je pense, peut freiner certains sites internet.  En tant que joueur, quel est ton jeu préféré? Impossible de donner un top 1!  Kingdomino, Le Petit prince “fabrique-moi une planète”, The Island, Balade à Burano, Iquazu, Bienvenue à bord, Unanimo, Coloretto, Metropolys, Patchwork, The Boss, Medieval academy… ce sont des jeux que j’adore, mais il y en a tellement (j’en ai environ 400 chez moi). D’une manière générale, j’aime beaucoup les jeux qui sont à la fois simples tout en ayant une dimension stratégique.

Selon toi, quel serait un jeu sous-coté? Je n’ai pas de définition précise mais j’imagine qu’on a plus de chance de trouver des jeux sous-côtés chez les petits éditeurs qui n’ont pas la même crédibilité que les éditeurs installés depuis plus longtemps. Ils n’ont en général pas les mêmes capacités non plus. La communication (vidéos, publicités), développer son site internet, proposer des concours, être présents sur tous les festivals, ça prend du temps (ou/et des hommes) et ça a un coût. Il faut faire donc faire des choix, ce qui inclut que certaines pépites ludiques puissent passer inaperçu. De plus, je pense que la plupart des médias s’intéressent avant tout aux jeux, aux auteurs et aux éditeurs reconnus ou qui buzzent (ce qui se comprend, cela fait forcément des articles et des vidéos plus lus/vues) ce qui peut laisser de très bons jeux dans l’ombre. On a très peu entendu parler de “Balade à Burano” par exemple qui est à mon sens aussi beau que bon. Sans doute parce qu’il a été édité par “EmperorS4” qui n’est pas très connu ou mis en valeur en France.  A Cannes j’ai également eu le plaisir de tester “Cuisto Fury” de Ludiconcept que j’ai trouvé vraiment sympa, “Iquazù” chez Haba n’a pas buzzé et pourtant il est super aussi, tout comme “Bienvenue à bord” qui est génial mais n’est pas sorti en boutique (il était réservé à l’origine aux participants des croisières “Captain Meeple”).  Je dirais donc qu’un jeu sous-côté est un bon ou très bon jeu dont on a hélas trop peu parlé.

As tu un scoop à nous partager? Je travaille depuis de longues années sur la genèse de Singin’ in the Game et de Fée Mumuz’. De la naissance de l’idée, aux festivals en passant par le financement participatif et les partenariats divers, l’idée est de retrouver tous les éléments qui peuvent se cacher derrière la création et l’édition d’un jeu.  Or, j’ai profité du confinement pour réécrire ce document (qui faisait plus de 900 pages A4 à la base)! Plus qu’à le relire et faire les dernières corrections et ceux qui voudraient avoir un aperçu de l’envers du décor le pourront! Pour continuer cette interview, je te propose de sortir le jeu “Questions de merde” Je tire 3 cartes, prêt? Voici les questions de la première carte:  Que dois tu toujours faire avant de sortir en soirée? La première chose à faire est de préparer le sac de jeux (que je blinde)! Ensuite je prends à boire ou à manger histoire de ne pas venir les mains vides. Que faut-il obligatoirement apprendre à un enfant? Ahah et c’est à un maître d’école que vous demandez ça? Je dirais l’empathie et la politesse. Le monde manque cruellement de gens qui cherchent à comprendre les autres. Quelle est ton astuce pour mettre de l’argent de côté? Je me contente de peu. J’achète de plus en plus de produits d’occasion également (écologiquement c’est sans doute bien mieux). Ah, et puis d’une façon générale, je me fiche de porter ou de manger de la marque. Ça aide! Voici les questions de la deuxième carte: Quel jeu télévisé pourrais tu gagner facilement? Euhhhh…burger quizz peut-être (mais ne comptez pas sur moi pour le burger de la mort)!  Et je ne serai pas fichu de gagner à “N'oubliez pas les paroles” malgré ce que l’on suppose souvent. Je connais quelques paroles de beaucoup de chansons, mais quasiment aucune par cœur). De quoi avais tu peur quand tu étais petit? Des serpents, à la Indiana Jones! Selon toi, quelle est la loi la plus stupide du pays?  J’aurais tendance à dire que toutes les lois qui cherchent à faire payer les plus pauvres en omettant de parler d’évasion fiscale sont des lois débiles...M’enfin, il y en a bien d’autres, mais évitons de trop parler politique! Voici les questions de la dernière carte: Quel produit fait maison pourrais tu vendre au bord de la route? Ce serait sans doute des poèmes qui me serviraient à “payer” les personnes qui m'emmènerait à bon port. Cela ne demanderait pas trop de matériel et l’inspiration viendrait des rencontres. L’idée me plait bien! Si tu pouvais être mécène, que financerais tu? Les associations écologiques et celles qui donnent aux personnes dans le besoin (Restos du Cœur).  A quelle époque aurais-tu aimé vivre?  Ahah, on m’a souvent dit que je n’étais pas né à la bonne époque. Je crois que j’aurais aimé naître au milieu des années 50 histoire de découvrir les Beatles à l’adolescence avant d’enchaîner avec les 70’s et les 80’s. Le top. Sinon, il n’y a pas vraiment d’époque historique ou lointaine qui me fait rêver. Question Bonus: qui aimerais-tu que j'interviewe après et quelle question souhaiterais tu lui poser? J’aimerais que tu interviewes Guillaume Luton de Worldwide games et que tu lui demandes “A quand un jeu sur un sport atypique”? (type fléchettes, pétanque, baseball, pêche, biathlon etc). Si tu l’as déjà interviewé, j’aimerais alors que tu te tournes vers David Pérez de Flyin’ games et que tu lui demandes “Quand est-ce qu’on s’organise un petit poker?”. Merci beaucoup, Benjamin d’avoir répondu à mes questions! Nous allons suivre l’évolution de ta petite maison d’édition avec intérêt! Merci à toi! C’est vraiment chouette et sympa de ta part de mettre un coup de projecteur sur les petites maisons d’édition!

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Spain Itinerary: The Perfect 10 Days

Day 1: Madrid

Retiro Park/Oyster

You’ve arrived in Spain’s vibrant and elegant capital city, likely after a long flight. Hope you got some sleep! Check into your hotel, where you’ll stay for three nights, and drop off your luggage so that you can hit the pavement. Madrid is the heart of all that makes modern Spain tick, offering world-class museums, charming cafes, amazing tapas, cosmopolitan nightlife, and an excellent metro system to get around. Take an Urban Adventures walking and tapas tour through the city’s well-known sites like Plaza Mayor, the Royal Palace of Madrid, and Puerta del Sol, and meander through Retiro Park if the weather is nice.

If you’d prefer a cultural romp through the city, take some time to explore Barrio de las Letras, where several of Spain’s most famous writers lived (including Cervantes). Look for famous literary quotes and colorful bohemian art that line the cobblestone streets. Also known as Huertas, this part of town is located in between Madrid’s most famous museums: The Prado, Reina-Sofia, and Thyssen-Bornemisza. Hitting up all three in one day is a fool’s errand, so pick one for your first day and save another for your second.

Once you’re changed for the evening, head to Templo de Debod, an ancient Egyptian temple moved here from Aswan and rebuilt in the city. Crowds tend to gather nightly to watch the stunning sunset view. Linger through the area until dusk, and then head to one of the cool restaurants in Malasaña or Chueca for dinner.

Where to Stay in Madrid: Petit Palace Plaza del Carmen

The Superior Family Room at the Petit Palace Plaza del Carmen/Oyster

Our top Madrid hotel pick is the sleek Petit Palace Plaza del Carmen, located on an attractive square near Sol, surrounded by restaurants, shops, and attractions. Modern, yet budget-friendly, rooms have floor-to-ceiling windows, laptops for guest use, and free Wi-Fi; additional hotel freebies include bike rentals and coffee in the lobby.

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Day 2: Madrid Like a Local

Plaza de San Andrés/Oyster

Spend your second day in Madrid getting to know the city on a more intimate level. Start your day off with a Spanish breakfast of pan con tomate (toast rubbed with tomato and sprinkled with a little salt and olive oil), which can be found at any cafe. Pair it with cafe con leche (coffee with milk) and a glass of zumo de naranja natural (freshly squeezed orange juice) for a true Spanish experience.

Afterward, take to the streets. This is one of the best ways to experience local neighborhoods like Malasaña, which is the hipster heart of the city, or LGBTQ-friendly Chueca. Both districts — which are side by side — are packed with boutiques and shops (but note that smaller stores close for the siesta — generally from 3 to 5 in the afternoon). You’d also do well to explore Lavapies, which is home to a majority of the city’s immigrant community, amazing art galleries, and community spaces like the fascinating La Tabacalera, and art and activism center that makes a rebellious counterpoint to The Prado and Reina Sofia.

For lunch, head to one of Madrid’s many colorful markets sampling jamon and cheese, patatas bravas, jamon serrano, Spanish tortilla, and a variety of pinchos and tapas. We recommend Mercado de la Cebada in La Latina for something that’s less touristy than the overpriced Mercado San Miguel. If you’re in town on a Sunday, head to the Rastro Flea Market in La Latina, which is an antique-filled street-life spectacle to behold.

End the day with a rooftop drink overlooking the city, and another traditional tapas crawl along Calle Cava Baja. Alternatively, hit up the amazing Middle Eastern and South Asian restaurants in Lavapies. Finish the night off with churros and chocolate at Chocolateria San Gines — the city’s most famous churro institution.

Day 3: Day Trip to Toledo or Segovia (Overnight in Madrid)

Toledo, Spain; Ines Padron/Unsplash

Now that you’ve experienced a slice of the city, it’s time to take a day trip to either Toledo or Segovia — both medieval walled cities within a 30-minute high-speed train ride from Madrid. Toledo, for its part, was named a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1986, and is where Christians, Muslims, and Jews lived together for centuries. It is also the place where El Greco lived and painted in Spain, though the museum that was supposedly his house is, in fact, not where his home was. Nonetheless, it’s a fascinating folly that’s cool in its own right. El Greco’s most famous work, “The Burial of Count Orgaz,” is located in Toledo.

Segovia, though, is often considered the prettier, less expensive sister of the two. You can walk from the Roman aqueduct on one end of town, pass the city’s wonderful cathedral, and arrive at the castle all the way at the other end of town in about 15 minutes. Everywhere you turn along the way is a feast for the eyes.

Day 4: Seville (Sevilla)

Street at the EME Catedral Hotel/Oyster

Today, you’ll be traveling south by train to the flamboyant, charismatic, and ever-evolving Andalucian metropolis of Seville. You can reach Seville from Madrid in less than three hours by train, but you should book your tickets online well ahead of time to get the schedule that you want. We suggest one of the earliest departures during the day.

According to myth, Seville (or Sevilla, as it’s known in Spain) was founded 3,000 years ago by the Greek god Hercules and combines gorgeous buildings with the vibrant gitano culture that gave birth to flamenco music and dance (now considered Spain’s national musical style, and enjoying a contemporary moment in the pop music of Rosalia). Major landmarks include the ornate Alcazar, built during the Moorish Almohad dynasty, and the 18th-century Plaza de Toros de la Maestranza bullring. The Gothic Seville Cathedral is where the city’s world-famous Semana Santa processions begin and end, and is home to the Giralda, a minaret-turned-bell tower that offers some of the best views in town when climbed.

For dinner, sample the city’s innovative tapas before seeing a flamenco show. Seville’s close proximity to the Guadalquivir River makes it one of Spain’s most productive agricultural regions, while its location by the coast brings a wide variety of fresh seafood and fish. It’s best to either make a restaurant reservation in advance or arrive before the locals do, as they come in droves. El Rinconcillo is Seville’s oldest tapas restaurant, open since 1670. For nightlife, head to the Alameda de Hercules, especially if you’re after gay bars. Other nightlife options include the Macarena neighborhood, where you’ll find lots of small bars.

Where to Stay in Seville: EME Catedral Hotel

Pool at the EME Catedral Hotel/Oyster

EME Catedral Hotel is ideally located right next door to the Seville Cathedral, in the heart of the historic center. With stylish, modern rooms featuring upscale amenities; a rooftop terrace complete with a hopping bar and a pool with striking views; and a relaxing spa offering a wide array of treatments, this boutique property sets the bar for Seville cool.

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Day 5: Seville and Granada

Street at the Marquis Urban/Oyster

Wake up in Seville and treat yourself to a leisurely breakfast. Spend the rest of your day roaming the rest of the city’s sights, like the stunning Plaza de España. Wander the streets of Triana and Santa Cruz, checking out the local crafts and boutiques and snapping plenty of pictures of the impossibly pretty street scenes. If you’re after a casual lunch, the Mercado de Triana is easily the city’s best spot. Make sure you grab a decent-sized lunch because you have a three-hour bus ride ahead of you in the evening, but trust us that it’s worth it. At the end of that ride is one of Spain’s most beautiful sights — Granada — where you’ll be spending two nights.

Part countercultural university town, part stunningly preserved classic beauty, Granada leaves an impression far larger than its size might suggest. As the last redoubt of the Moors in Spain, the look of the city is unlike anywhere else in Europe, with a heavy Islamic influence seen all over the city’s architecture. If you didn’t see a flamenco show in Sevilla — or even if you did — it’s worth seeing one of the shows that take place in the caves of the Sacromonte of Granada. Cueva de la Rocio is arguably the most famous, though Zambra Maria la Canastera is also quite popular.

Where to Stay in Granada: Parador de Granada

Isabel la Catolica Patio at the Parador de Granada/Oyster

In order to make the most of your time, why not opt to stay inside of Granada’s most famous sight — the Alhambra. This upscale hotel has all of the history that you’d expect in a former palace on the grounds of a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It also happens to be an incredibly romantic place to unwind after a long day of traveling and exploring.

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Day 6: Granada

Alhambra, Granada, Spain, Dimitry B/Unsplash

Granada’s masterpiece is the Alhambra. Since you’re waking up inside of it, spend your entire morning and the early part of the afternoon making you way through the beautiful grounds. With the peaks of the Sierra Nevada behind it, this 13th-century palace complex and walled fort is dazzling. Intricate Moorish motifs decorate nearly every surface of the buildings that compose the Alhambra, most notably in the opulent Palacios Nazaries. This is complemented by the natural beauty of the Generalife gardens. Keep in mind that you could easily spend hours here seeing everything, but you’ll need to be smart about your time. Additionally, you must purchase tickets online well in advance, as this is one of the most popular attractions in Spain and entrances are strictly limited.

Head to the center of Granada for lunch and then make your way to the city’s other sights. The Granada Cathedral and the Royal Chapel are great for history lovers, while the Centro Jose Guerrero is an option for culture aficionados. In the late afternoon (before the sun has set), head to the city’s fascinating Albayzin neighborhood. Here, the warren of medina-style streets is an impossibly beautiful place to get lost. You’ll stumble upon too many holes-in-the-wall to count, and sunset is a magical time to be here.

Day 7: Barcelona

Barcelona; Alfons Taekema/Unsplash

Today you’ll travel from Granada to Barcelona — it’s less than two hours by air, and one-way fares can be found on budget carriers for under $50 if you book in advance. The cool Catalan capital has plenty to offer with its walkable streets, modernist architecture, designer shops, and stylish bars and clubs.

Start your Barcelona experience by taking a mandatory walk through the heart of Las Ramblas, which runs from Plaza Catalunya to the Mediterranean Sea. To either side are equally fascinating neighborhoods: The Gothic Quarter (Barri Gotic) and El Raval. The former is hyper-touristy, but incredibly atmospheric and perfect for getting lost. The latter, El Raval, was once a bit dodgier, then became the locus of Barcelona’s immigrant community, and is now a mix of immigrants, hipsters, university students, and in-the-know travelers.

You’ll find better dinner fare in El Raval, with spots that draw more locals than what’s on the other side in the Barri Gotic. If you’re after tapas, head to Bar Centric, then follow it up with drinks at Madame Jazmine on Rambla del Raval (across from Botero’s cat sculpture). Gay travelers can head to L’Eixample, where the majority of Barcelona’s official gay bars are located, though generally the queer scene is more mixed here than in Madrid.

Where to Stay in Barcelona: Hotel 1898

Private Terrace in the Suite Colonial at the Hotel 1898/Oyster

Hotel 1898 evokes Spain’s opulent late 19th-century past, with its architecture and decor, but guests get thoroughly modern pampering, with top-notch service, plush rooms, a spa, and excellent dining. And unlike other Las Ramblas area hotels, Hotel 1898 has not one but two pools, indoors and outdoors.

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Day 8: Barcelona

Sagrada Familia; Duncan Kidd/Unsplash

You have two options today: Head to one of the nearby towns along the coast — such as Sitges — or go hard on the work of Barcelona’s most famous son. We mean Antoni Gaudí, the modernist architect responsible for the city’s wealth of mind-boggling landmarks. We recommend doing the latter, as Barcelona has its own awesome beach scene if you’re really craving a day in the sun.

While you don’t need a tour guide to see Gaudí’s major works in Barcelona, you do need to be smart about how you plan your visits. Given the increasing number of tourists visiting Barcelona every year, you should purchase all of your Gaudi-related tickets online ahead of time. That’s especially true for Sagrada Familia, his still-unfinished cathedral that’s easily one of the most beautiful buildings in the world, and Park Guell, which has strict visitor caps. Casa Batllo and La Pedrera are also best visited with advanced tickets, and provide a glimpse into Gaudí’s residential work. Simply use Barcelona’s efficient bus and metro system to navigate between these sights.

It’s been a long day, so spend the early evening relaxing by Hotel 1898’s stunning pool before heading out for the night. Start the night sipping Catalan cava. La Vinya del Senyor is a cozy, understated restaurant with several by-the-glass boutique cavas to choose from. If you’re lucky enough to snag a table on the terrace, you’ll be rewarded with views of Santa Maria del Mar’s 14th-century facade. Keep the bar-hopping going until it’s time for clubbing (which doesn’t start until 1 A.M. at the very earliest). Check out what’s on at Sala Razzmatazz, Input, Nitsa, and Moog if you’re after the best of the city’s late-night party scene (or check listings on ResidentAdvisor for Barcelona).

Day 9: Barcelona

Tapas in Barcelona; Sinitta Leunen/Unsplash

After two packed days (and very, very late nights), it’s time to slow your roll. Barcelona is one of the most visited cities in the world for a reason: It’s impossibly beautiful, incredibly charming, and packed with everything from amazing cafes and restaurants to culture and shopping.

After breakfast head to El Raval and see what exhibitions are happening at MACBA, Barcelona’s incredible contemporary art museum. If nothing there piques your interest, opt for the Picasso Museum instead. In either case, you’ll want to do some retail therapy at the cool shops in El Raval and El Born in between. If you’d like a neighborhood that’s a little more local, head to Poble Sec, which is below Montjuic and near Caixa Forum, another cool art space. Montjuic itself is a popular place, as views from the top are incredible, and it’s also home to the National Museum of Art of Catalunya, Montjuic Castle, the Joan Miro Foundation, and other cultural spots.

Splurge on a performance at the modernist Palau de la Musica Catalana — an exuberant space designed by Lluís Domènech i Montaner. Everything from opera to jazz and folk music takes place here, though you’d be smart to get tickets well in advance. Afterward head to dinner in nearby El Born, which is packed with intimate spots and great patio restaurants, or in the Eixample, where you’ll find Michelin-award winners like Alkimia or Catalan-Asian fusion spots like Topik. Reservations are recommended in the Eixample. If you still have energy, and your ninth day is a Friday or Saturday, there are certainly more nightclubs left to explore.

Day 10: Return to Madrid

Retiro Park/Oyster

It’s a quick and cheap flight from Barcelona back to Madrid. Depending on your timing, you may have a day to dip into Madrid from the airport (it’s only a 45-minute trip from Barajas to Puerta del Sol) if you’d like to get in any more exploring. Alternatively, it can be economical and convenient to book your inbound flight to Madrid and your outbound flight from Barcelona. Do this by opting for multi-city fares when you search for flights. You’ll likely have mixed feelings about leaving — Spain has a habit of doing that to people. But don’t worry, that just means it’s time to start planning your next trip!

Simple Tips on Traveling to Spain

Monumental art at the Reina-Sofia in Madrid/Oyster

Flying into and out of Madrid is likely to score you the best bargains and most flexibility in your travels. It also lets you kick off your trip in one of the world’s best cities (you’ll see why below). However, reasonable flights can be found into and out of different airports, so be sure to check multi-city itineraries too.

English will get you around fine enough in the most touristy parts of the destinations below, though in Barcelona you may encounter Catalan (even in the city center), which is quite different. It will be helpful to pick up some basic Spanish phrases before visiting Spain, in any case, as English isn’t as widely spoken as you might expect.

Additionally, you won’t need to rent a car, as trains, domestic flights, and long-haul buses are perfectly reliable. Flights and buses are also far cheaper than what you would find in the U.S.

Additional reporting by Kyle Valenta.

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[tripstations]

Spend Christmas in Paris | tripstations

No crowds, no line ups; simply the pure pleasure of residing as Parisians do. Watching as they go about their Christmas and each day procuring, whereas an ex-pat, scholar or secretive vacationer lives amongst them. The one actual guests on the town seem like residents of France doing their Christmas procuring within the glowing and twinkling Metropolis of Lights.

Christmas in Paris is certainly a metropolis filled with lights: all over the place you look, retailer home windows and eating places beckon with lovely and distinctive shows with every lighting their streets and neighbourhoods with distinctive and weird seasonal adornments.

Our 5 day Christmas/Birthday current journey is off to an incredible begin. Considered one of us is upgraded on the Air Canada gate, and alas it’s not me. My husband graciously fingers me the enterprise class boarding go, needs me ‘bon vol’ and heads to the again. Truthfully, I’m considerably offended—in my romantic thoughts, I had made plans to in a single day to Paris, excessive above the North Atlantic, comfortably crammed into fortunate row 13, seats A & B, surprisingly completely satisfied behind the bus. Maybe one ought to be glad about Christmas miracles, irrespective of how they make themselves accessible to us mere mortals.

A should cease in case you have by no means been to Paris must be at the Musé Carnavalet the place you’ll be able to view your complete historical past of the town from medieval occasions, via the Revolution and on to the Second Empire. And whereas within the ‘hood, go to the Place des Vosges, Paris’ oldest sq. and maybe the commonest instance of Parian life and historical past that remained untouched by Haussmann or the Modernists. Christmas in Paris procuring tip: whereas on the Place des Vosges, try the effective males’s clothes and niknaks at Emile Lafaurie on rue Birague.

As we crossed again via the Place’s wrought iron fencing and fairly sq., we had been engulfed in an (uncommon for Paris) immediate hail storm that despatched a number of pummeled Parisians and us scurrying for the lined Arcades of the Place en route to the superb and not too long ago extensively renovated  Picasso Museum, set in a gorgeous 17th-century Maison Particulier  generally known as the Hôtel Salé. 

Christmas in Paris Museum Tip: Many museums are closed both Monday, Tuesday or each. Keep away from disappointment and ensure their hours and days of operation earlier than you journey the métro to your favorite. Think about shopping for your tickets on-line to keep away from the potential for lengthy lineups—even within the winter months.

The terribly touristy Avenue des Champs-Élysées is well worth the hustle and crush of crowds if solely to view the magnificent cavalcade of lights that nightly caresses this grand procuring boulevard. There may be additionally a full-on, ticky-tacky Christmas Market near Place de la Concorde to fulfill that small Christmas takeaway or to quaff down some Christmas-mulled cider or munch on some cream-filled waffles. And Paris is filled with Christmas Markets right now of yr, so be sure to walk via not less than one in your arrondissements whereas visiting.

Christmas in Paris Buying Tip: the Louis Vuitton Flagship Retailer on the Champs-Élysées is effectively value all the elbow poking, tourist-shopping hordes for it’s excessive, elegant extravagance at Christmas-time.

For those who can’t get to the Louvre, try the Le Louvre des Antiquaires simply throughout the road and housed in a sublime, arcaded, 19th-century constructing. Window store these lovely, upscale vintage ‘stalls’ for 16th-century ceramics, unbelievable property jewellery, effective interval watches, armaments and historic equipment. Window store is maybe all any of us can do as costs had been fully out of our league!  Solely open les dimanches.

Aux Trois Petits Cochons  31 rue Tiquetonne is a beautiful, stone-walled and beamed ceiling restaurant simply steps from Les Halles and Saint-Eustache Church within the charming pedestrian quarter of Montorgueil within the 2nd. Serving typical Alsatian French meals with flare, I savoured the beautiful Foie gras to start out, and a deep, wealthy Beouf Burgandy with a match stick-thin celeriac and tiny pearl onions that complemented this darkish, satisfying dish. Beautiful early winter meals.

Lunch on the  La Rotonde , 6-Eight Place de la Bataille de Stalingrad, proper on La Quai de Seine within the 19th. It might be an understatement to say that The Rotonde de la Villette has survived historical past. Accomplished in 1788, barely a yr earlier than the French Revolution, its life was turbulent to say the least. In recent times, the house fell into neglect the place the one clientele was the homeless, drunks, out of labor immigrants and rowdy college students on the lookout for a spot to get together. That has all modified nonetheless because the Rotonde went via an in depth restoration, now providing a gallery, personal occasion house and a beautiful, hovering Parisian Brasserie that’s liberally reinterpreting French cooking. For lunch, I began with a gorgeous terrine and a really acceptable bavette with some frites. Not a nasty wine listing as effectively. The service was each immediate, enjoyable and importantly, non-invasive.

If you step into the Jacquemart-André Museum, you might be crossing the brink of the personal residence of a “Couple of Collectors.” Edouard André spent his huge fortune on buying artistic endeavors which he exhibited in his new mansion, constructed on Boulevard Haussmann and accomplished in 1875. In 1881, he married the well-known artist Nélie Jacquemart, and the 2 devoted their lives to accumulating the intensive artistic endeavors now on exhibit of their residence. Sunday brunch at their ‘residence’ is a gorgeous Parisian-filled nosh in a historic gilt and tapestry-filled setting.

Christmas in Paris Brunch Tip: Try to arrive by 11 to keep away from the brunch line. Afterward, view the various rotating displays of this petit musée, or see the personal assortment of this well-known Parisian couple.

We had been lucky to view the beautiful The Alana Assortment Masterpieces of Italian Portray exhibit, there till 20 January 2020.

Off the crushed path and value a go to is the wander-ful Les Passages Couverts de Paris. Many have fallen below neglect, however they’re actually value a stroll via to view the distinctive outlets, wine bars, petits-restos, and libraries anciens that had been initially designed to offer nineteenth-century Parisians safety from mud and horse-drawn autos. There may be an in depth community that runs from the Rue St-Marc, which incorporates Les Passages des Panoramas all the best way as much as Le Passage Verdeau on the rue de Faubourg Montmartre.

Christmas in Paris Sight Seeing Tip Maintain your eyes open as their entrances are straightforward to overlook, and plenty of are closed nights and on Sundays.

Our quaint studio rental, located within the Passages des Panoramas, gave us a quiet, calm respite from the hustle and noise of Le Grands Boulevards simply exterior.

There are numerous accessible flights on to CDG from Toronto so store round for one of the best worth. Air Canada had an Government Class improve Vacation promotion operating that gave the impression to be fairly in style, however until you might be Elite standing and up, your possibilities at a Christmas Miracle improve are simply that: A Miracle.

Paris effectively, my associates.

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[survivingmexico]

In the days since two strong earthquakes shook Mexico, I’ve seen a lot of conflicting advice, suggestions, and commentary.  What I’ve come to realize that it comes down to personal responsibility and that the only person who can decide if you are personally responsible or not, is, well you.

Let’s talk about Jorge.  He wasn’t a trained first responder.  He wasn’t a building expert.  He was quite ordinary in fact. But what Jorge did was assess the situation, said to himself “It’s up to me.” and crawled through rubble to rescue 4 children trapped inside. (Jorge Houston: el desconocido que ayudó a rescatar niños del Rébsamen)

This was not an isolated occurrence. Thousands upon thousands of residents took up the call for aid just minutes after the earthquake. Instead of saying “Well, the military will get here soon and they can take charge.” they said “It’s up to me.” and formed human chains to remove rubble and search for more survivors. (Rescuers save 16 trapped inside factory, These Photos Of Mexicans Helping Each Other After The Quake Will Restore Your Faith In Humanity

Here in Mexico, there is a decided lack of confidence in the government and with good reason. As the days passed and the government was predictably slow to respond, the search for survivors has become victim body recovery and the main efforts have been refocused towards relief for those most affected.  

Another shining example of humanity at its best is Doña Rosita. Doña Rosita carried her donation on her back across town in her rebozo.  She could have said, “I’m old.  I don’t have anything to give.” but she said, “It’s up to me.”

  But again, the government tried to impede these efforts.  Here in Moroleon, various “centros de acopio” (donation sites) sprung up.  Police officers arrived at several to demand the organizers shut down.  Some did, but others decided “It’s up to me.” and continued their collections and deliveries.

Even with donations pouring in, the government put up obstacles to relief, requiring IFE (voter registration cards) before survivors were given much-needed supplies.  It’s a shame that many of those most in need didn’t grab their ID before their house crumbled to the ground. (DIF MUNICIPAL DE JUCHITAN) In addition, several political parties have been accused of diverting supplies in order to claim credit, angering many citizens.

Let’s talk about Shannon. Shannon saw that most of the aid was headed to Mexico City although the metropolis was not the only severely damaged area. She could have said “Well, I have a business to run and my own family to take care of.  The Red Cross will eventually get to these other towns.”  but instead she said “It’s up to me.” and drove a truck full of supplies to Atzala, Puebla, Mexico distributing them without asking for any ID.  Shannon is accepting PayPal donations for her next truckload of supplies.

With the immediate needs of survivors now taken care of, it’s time to shift the focus again, this time towards rebuilding.  There has been no word from the Mexican government on this topic and I very much doubt there will be any effort to help those who have had homes damaged or destroyed. In fact, at least one government employee has been fired when he petitioned the government for earthquake aid. (Topo de Coahuila es despedido por trasladarse a brindar apoyo en la CDMX)

It would be easy to say “Well, I don’t know anything about building. I can’t help there.” But I said to myself “It’s up to me.”  So here I am to present one worthy recipient.

  Let’s talk about Florence. Florence lives near the town of Tlalnepantla de Baz, just outside Mexico City, with her husband and two young children. Immediately after the earthquake, she invited anyone who had lost their home in the earthquake to stay with her.  With the second earthquake, Florence’s home became structurally unsound.  Two entire walls will need to be torn down and rebuilt. Internet unreliability these past few weeks caused Florence to lose her job teaching online and now she isn’t sure how she will be able to pay for these repairs.  If you would like to help Florence rebuild, contact me here.

[contact-form]

.The devastation from these earthquakes and the hurricanes that hit Mexico earlier in the month may seem overwhelming and it is.  Perhaps you think that there isn’t anything you can do, that these official organizations will sort this out. Maybe they will.  I’ve listed below organizations at the actively involved in relief and rebuilding efforts.

Whether you decide to donate or not, well, that’s up to you.

Relief 4 Marginalized Zones in MX

Unicef Mexico

Global Giving Relief Fund

Fondo Unido Disaster Relief and Reconstruction Fund

Oxfam

Save the Children

Direct Relief

Project Paz

Impact Your World Assist Earthquake Victims in Mexico

Gael Garcia and Diego Luna’s Relief and Reconstruction Campaign

  Earthquake rescue, relief and rebuilding–It’s up to me! In the days since two strong earthquakes shook Mexico, I’ve seen a lot of conflicting advice, suggestions, and commentary.  

[pereubuactionfigure]

Wonder Woman parle à tout le monde [SPOILER]

Wonder Woman parle à tout le monde.

Elle s’adresse à chacun.e d’entre nous, s’inquiète pour toutes les personnes qu’elle croise sur sa route qui subissent l’injustice du monde. Elle tue aussi, lorsque des adversaires clairement définis lui sont désignés, et qu’elle croise sur sa route ceux qui font l’injustice du monde.

Diana, Princesse de Themyscira (Gal Gadot), a grandi sur l’île des Amazones, peuple mythique de femmes créé par les dieux de l’Olympe pour protéger une humanité corrompue. Mais ce peuple se retrouve isolé et oublié sur l’île après qu’Arès, dieu de la guerre, a tué tous ses semblables. Diana est fille de Zeus et Hippolyte, reine des Amazones, et seule capable de stopper définitivement Arès. Le monde moderne brise la paix de cette île, l’avion d’un espion américain (Chris Pine) poursuivi par les Allemands venant s’y écraser : Steve Trevor est alors sauvé par Diana. L’annonce de la guerre mondiale pousse la jeune femme à s’aventurer hors des protections de Themyscira, portée par ses idéaux, convaincue de pouvoir mettre fin à la guerre si elle retrouve et tue Arès.

Patty Jenkins a réussi à nous faire s’intéresser à Diana et à Steve individuellement, ainsi qu’à leur relation, qui prend le temps d’être posée par plusieurs scènes aussi bien légères que d’action. Si bien que la fin m’a mis les larmes aux yeux, même si j’ai regretté que Wonder Woman n’ait pas crié MARTHA alors qu’elle était maintenue au sol (un clin d’œil aux origines bondage de l’héroïne ?). La réalisatrice sait aussi bien faire référence au Superman de Christopher Reeves dans ses moments de comédie que s’inscrire pleinement dans l’esthétique DC quant il faut en venir aux mains. L’ensemble est lourd en action, CGI et slow-motion sans jamais être ralenti par ces éléments, car le film est avant tout porté par un récit d’apprentissage et des acteurs qui ont une véritable alchimie.

Par ailleurs, le film tente d’incorporer un nombre non négligeable d’appels vers des luttes encore contemporaines. Chaque personnage secondaire qui accompagne l’héroïne dans son expédition et vers sa maturité a le droit à son caractère par quelques coups de pinceaux assez larges mais qui ne les réduisent pas à de simples caricatures. Et chacun a le droit à quelques réflexions, souvent directement adressées à Diana Prince, qui les signale comme conscients de leur condition et leur désir de se battre pour leur justice.

Le fait que l’action se déroule durant la Grande Guerre et non la Seconde permet de faire de la secrétaire de Steve Trevor, Etta Candy (Lucy Davis), une sufragette. Elle n’hésite pas à contredire son patron, mais elle nuance aussi les propos de Diana qui, apprenant sa situation de secrétaire, compare cela à de l’esclavagisme (parallèle commun, et qu’on entend encore lorsque l’Hymne du MLF retentit en manifestation). L’image est là, et elle est importante ; elle est déjà présente dans les récits mythiques qui ont marqué la jeunesse de la princesse.

Sameer (Saïd Taghmaoui) est le second de Steve Trevor dans cette bande de « misfits », le plus mis en avant : polyglotte, menteur, bon vivant, mauvais dragueur, il avoue à Wonder Woman son désir d’être acteur, mais d’être de la mauvaise couleur de peau. On pense immédiatement au contexte raciste du début du XXe siècle, la prégnance de la culture des menestrels, du black/red/yellowface qui trouve encore des exemples aujourd’hui (coucou Agathe Cléry), mais aussi les questions de whitewashing (coucou Marvel). Sa simple présence à l’écran, ainsi que celle de nombreuses autres minorités (sikhs indiens, noirs, etc.) mettent en images une réalité souvent effacée, celle de l’effort de guerre imposé par la France et le Royaume-Uni sur leurs colonies durant cette guerre, un sujet encore gênant à l’époque de la sortie d’Indigènes.

The Chief (Eugene Brave Rock), est sans doute le moins développé de ces personnages. Certes, il rejoint le groupe plus tardivement, en tant que passeur plus motivé par la liberté que l’argent que ce trafic lui procure. Mais son seul nom est donc « The Chief », et son aide, hors moments de bataille, est remarquée lorsqu’il signale la position de l’ennemi par des signaux de fumée… On peut toutefois reconnaitre qu’il mentionne très directement le génocide des Natifs Américains par « le peuple de Steve Trevor ». Il ne meurt pas non plus, un point positif quand on pense au dernier personnage Natif Américain dans un film de super-héros, Slipknot (Adam Beach), gratuitement tué pour l’exemple après quelques lignes de mauvais goût.

J’allais en oublier Charlie (Ewen Bremner), dont Diana se moque pour son incapacité à combattre avant de mieux comprendre son passif, « les fantômes » c’est-à-dire le PTSD dont il souffre. L’ensemble des personnages secondaires permet d’offrir une diversité de vécus et l’opportunité à Diana de montrer la totalité de son amour pour l’humanité, toutes les facettes de son empathie.

Je ne cherche pas à énumérer les bons points qui feraient de Wonder Woman un bingo SJW. Je mets en avant des figures qui malgré leur traitement inégal et maladroit ou leur caractère volontairement imparfait ont une voix, qu’on ne trouve pas (ou bien uniquement sous forme de dindon de la farce) dans des blockbusters de cette envergure. Wonder Woman les accompagne, et partage leurs indignations mais aussi cette facette imparfaite, qui ne demande qu’à s’enrichir.

Wonder Woman découvre un monde nouveau, dont elle ne maitrise pas les codes ni les nuances. Et elle ne cherche pas à le faire. C’est aussi là que repose cette inspiration de l’héroïne, sa conviction et sa capacité à changer le monde plutôt que d’accepter l’état des choses.

Je crois que je n’ai jamais été aussi transportée d’espoir qu’en accompagnant Diana dans sa quête : elle évolue et grandit nettement, découvre les réalités et tragédies des guerres, du racisme, du sexisme mais maintient le cap, convaincue de pouvoir briser les chaines d’une corruption qui serait extérieure à l’humanité. C’est d’ailleurs là que repose sans doute un des points faibles du film :

Persuadée que Ludendorff (Danny Huston) est Arès, elle est déterminée à le tuer coute que coute. La scène qui suit leur affrontement et la mort du général allemand la voit bouleversée, et incapable d’entendre ce qu’a à dire Steve. Cette confrontation avec ce qui pourrait être la réalité de la nature humaine se voit néanmoins sans conséquence puisque la révélation d’Arès en la personne de Sir Patrick (David Thewlis) lui donne l’occasion de tuer le véritable dieu de la guerre. Cette victoire est alors saluée par tous ceux qui entouraient le champ de bataille, camarades comme soldats allemands, qui il faut l’avouer ont des bouilles gamines et ont bien raison de célébrer ce qui pour eux était un combat insensé.

Wonder Woman arrive à la veille de l’armistice, et doit comprendre qu’elle et les Amazones auraient dû répondre présentes bien plus tôt. Un dieu est mort qui n’est pas l’incarnation de tous les maux de l’humanité, sans doute était-il dans le vrai lorsqu’il disait n’être que l’étincelle pour qu’éclatent les conflits et qu’ils soient toujours plus sanglants.

Contrairement à un Man of Steel dont le seul remords était de briser le cou d’un ennemi après avoir indirectement tué des millions de citoyens de Metropolis, selon un code moral absurde inculqué par un chien et une tornade, Wonder Woman vit avec le déchirement de ne pas avoir pu sauver tout le monde dans une situation qui aurait pu être évitée si la guerre avait toujours pu être évitée. Cette réalisation est dramatique et progressive, chaque scène révèle la détermination de la princesse à sauver qui elle peut et son intransigeance vis-à-vis d’adversaires dans l’état-major britannique comme de l’autre côté du No Man’s Land. Je me suis souvent laissée emporter par ces moments d’honnêteté pure, d’idéalisme, avant d’être rattrapée par ce sentiment de malaise lorsque (comme pour ces autres combats contre les discriminations qui ont un écho contemporain particulier) je repensais à Gal Gadot : actrice israélienne, elle a dû effectuer son service militaire dans l’IDF comme tout.e citoyen.ne mais surtout, elle a été vocale après cela dans son soutien, et notamment en 2014 lors du bombardement de Gaza par l’armée israélienne. Je ne veux pas entrer dans cette polémique, développée ici (https://medium.com/@nerdypoc/gal-gadot-isnt-wonder-woman-23ce51d30859), mais le décalage entre les paroles de Wonder Woman et cette position m’a frappée et gênée. J’ai immédiatement pensé (sans vouloir comparer l’incomparable), au fait qu’Elizabeth Moss, actrice qui appartient à l’Eglise de Scientologie, joue dans The Handmaid’s Tale, une série qui parle d’une femme dont le monde se transforme en dystopie religieuse où les femmes encore en état de procréer sont réduites à la servitude et à leurs seuls organes reproducteurs (http://themuse.jezebel.com/isnt-it-relevant-that-the-star-of-the-handmaids-tale-be-1794667562). Soyons clairs, je ne compare ici que le décalage entre l’actrice et son rôle, dont on aurait pu se dire qu’il l’inspirerait à revoir ses convictions.

Si je pense ça, c’est parce que, je crois me répéter, peu de films de super-héros sont aussi positifs, jusque dans leurs moments les plus sombres, et conscients du rôle qu’ils ont à jouer pour inspirer, tirer vers le haut tout un public. En sortant de ce film, outre le fait que j’avais définitivement envie de travailler à la conservation dans les réserves du musée du Louvre, j’étais emplie de ce sentiment qu’il serait possible de bouleverser le monde, de voir le bien là où il est, là où on peut l’atteindre. Malheureusement, si Gal Gadot réussit si bien à distinguer son rôle de fiction et ses convictions personnelles, j’ai peur que peu de gens soient assez transportés par un film pour remodeler le monde avec la naïveté et la détermination de Wonder Woman. J'espère qu'au moins les petites filles (comme sans doute de nombreux petits garçons) trouveront elles la capacité à ne pas dissocier fiction et réalité pour rêver de transformer le monde. J'ai envie de croire à une naïveté qui ne nous quitte pas lorsque nous quittons la salle.