#Motorized Gondola

[redrcs]

Not quite what I was expecting

Noosa River

[buccellato]

Cute little thing I appreciated from Stampede is how Meryl is constantly uncomfortable and sweating in the heat of the world, really sets her apart from the others (who are used to the heat) as a person who had the privilege to grow up in comfort

[ontherocks21]

Someday I'll Write It: (Interlude Sneak Peek)

Without the need to detour at her Theed home, they arrive at Varykino just past mid-morning. Aside from a few words to coax the gondola into cooperation, Anakin had fallen quiet as he piloted them across the lake.

Unusually quiet.

Several times Padmé wants to ask if the lothal cat has his tongue only to falter, wondering if the proverbial feline has managed to steal her own away too.

Padmé hopes he's not having second thoughts about all of this. Adamantly, she assures herself of that impossibility, even more so when her own nerves flutter wildly like a rabble of butterflies as Varykino looms into view.

Looms. Now there's a word she's never used to describe her beloved retreat.

But loom it does. Cutting the motor, Anakin coasts them expertly into the villa's dock. The long shadow cast by the hillside welcomes them in a chilly shroud, and Padmé shivers, suddenly bereft without the warmth of the spring sun. Mercifully, her betrothed offers a steadying hand as she steps onto the pier, heated flesh chasing the cold threatening to take up residence in her bones.

Wrapped in silence - even the birds around the estate have abandoned their songs - they make their way up the stone staircase, Varykino guarding their clandestine arrival like a stalwart sentry.

Padmé's footsteps echo loudly in the main landing, only to sound muted compared to the heavy tread of Anakin's boots following closely at her heels. Without Nandi and Teckla to guide them, she leads him to the western wing, knowing full well Anakin likely remembers every intimate turn to their neighboring suites.

Automatically, Padmé turns to the left most door, twisting the worn knob with a familiarity that not even Death could steal from her fingers and allowing the thick wood to ease open on silent hinges.

It takes her a second to realize Anakin doesn't follow her across the threshold, that he fidgets in the doorframe as if suddenly warring with propriety when they had decided to hell with it. Spinning on her heel, she watches his cerulean eyes roam her private quarters, soaking in the layout and decor before drinking in the sight of her.

This time, she can't blame the setting sun for the brilliant flush unfolding along his tanned skin. It's almost noon, and the sun's rays have no painting jurisdiction here.

Dutifully, he clears his throat and turns away as if to leave. "I'll just put my things next door..." Anakin's voice trails when her hand finds the crook of his elbow.

Stay, her touch commands even as courage catches in her throat. Reflecting a hint of shyness but bolstered by a touch of daring, rich brown boldly holds deep blue. Padmé swallows thickly, bravery forcing the words past way the nerves tying her vocal cords in her knots.

"You'll just have to move them back tonight."

[ryanfrogz]

Northtown Maintenance-of-Way, part 3

For the final part of this mini-series, I'll be focusing on a few miscellaneous, specialized machines used in the track maintenance process. Each one's role can be done by other, less specialized machines, but it would be a good deal harder.

This is a Mineral Products Inc. Multi-Purpose Machine. It's a mechanical jack of all trades, used for everything from trenching to blowing snow off of tracks. Its most common use is as a 'yard cleaner': the big broom mounted to the front picks up material between the rails and loads it onto a conveyor belt, which can dump it off to the side or into a towed railcar. Another popular job is snow removal: the broom is exchanged for an auger system, and the rear-most conveyor can be replaced with an impeller fan and chute. MPI's website says the machine can move 2000 pounds of snow per hour, and the blower can fling it up to 150 feet away from the tracks. Because it's not limited to just the rails, it can also be used on yard roads & parking lots. Other attachments include a trencher, air blower, rotary broom, and a hydraulic arm which can be fitted with its own range of attachments. I'm starting to sound like a shill here... but it is a pretty cool piece of kit.

The next piece of machinery is Herzog's ACT, or Automated Conveyor Train. It's a special set of cars which uses a conveyor system and swinging boom to "precisely" drop ballast where it's needed. The yellow thing seen above is the train's main power unit. I don't know if it uses hydraulic or electric motors, but this car powers them. Each train set has up to 30 cars, which are just high-side gondolas with conveyors in the bottom. Each car has its own conveyor, which dumps into the next car's conveyor through a small hopper.

A closer look at the connection between cars. I don't know if the water is from recent rains or the train's dust suppression system.

And here's the 'front' of the train, which is really the end. It features the operator's cabin and the most important bit, the unloading arm. It can move ballast 50 feet from the center of the tracks, according to Herzog's website. Conveyor trains like this one are mostly used for filling in washed-out track beds, but can also strategically place piles of ballast for future projects. As of writing this post, the control car is still less than a year old. It really is the cutting edge of ballast-dropping technology!

The last machine is another Herzog product: the creatively-named Rail Unloading Machine. It looks complicated, but is actually quite simple. A crane arm feeds sticks of continuously-welded rail (CWR) into a roller system, which feeds it forward (backwards, really) through two clamps and onto the ground.

A view of the other side. Same deal, but all folded up. Check out the flex on that arm!

[beautifulvenezia]

‘The Lido, with its acres of sun-pinked or pyjamaed bodies, was like a strand with an endless heap of seals come up for mating. Too many people in the piazza, too many limbs and trunks of humanity on the Lido, too many gondolas, too many motor-launches, too many steamers, too many pigeons, too many ices, too many cocktails, too many menservants wanting tips, too many languages rattling, too much, too much sun, too much smell of Venice, too many cargoes of strawberries, too many silk shawls, too many huge, raw-beef slices of watermelon on stalls: too much enjoyment, altogether far too much enjoyment!’ ― David Herbert Lawrence

[ambiguouspuzuma]

Intelligent life

Some planets are built for intelligent life. Asteroids sculpted into warrens of caves; barren hunks of rock, terraformed or xenoformed and fashioned into some new sort of home. Even space stations, welcoming travellers to their titanium shores, may grow so large that they form fresh worlds in their own right, the perfect fit for their ingenious creators.

More commonly, they develop new intelligent life of their own: dominant species emerging from within a stable habitat, organically learning to improve their lot, finding ways to bend the rules of nature. They come writhing out of the ocean, clambering down from the trees, and crawling out of ignorance with their tools and words and memories, on the path to claim their birthplace as their throne.

Still more planets do not see intelligent life at all, passing their entire lifespan in that blessed silence, that blissful ignorance - although as such, any species they do possess are unaware of quite how fortunate they are.

But there are some - a rare, ill-fated few - which simply have it thrust upon them.

The Sierra 470 hadn't been meant to ferry pioneers through space. It was only a small gondola under a solar sail, suitable for brief trips between greater craft, with barely enough room for its current occupants. But it had been built as the lifeboat for the ship which had.

That mighty vessel, the SKG Ultramarine, had been en route to a neighbouring galaxy when it was grounded on an iceberg of asteroid debris, its hull ruptured beyond repair. Amongst that backdrop of catastrophe, these escape pods had been cast like dandelion seeds upon the solar winds.

Guntan-B3 was an ocean planet, a few bald islands in a frozen sea, and not the most welcoming to terrestrial life. Still, the crew of the Sierra met it with the gratitude of a drowning man clutching a proffered hand, without pausing to check if it belonged to friend or foe. Like beggars, refugees were seldom afforded the luxury of choice.

Their capsule arrived as a stray bullet, hurtling through the emptiness of space, and punctured the planet's atmosphere as much by chance as by design. For the tightly huddled masses inside, it was a welcome break from the terror of the abyss. They cannonballed into the lilac surf, sending a plume of water soaring overhead and giving rise to ripples which led waves to crash on distant shores... and then set about following them.

Their lifeboat had washed up onto a desert island, in a sense, although Guntan-B3 had few true islands to offer them. The Sierra 470 was not meant for life at sea, and the survivors had to repurpose it into a raft: broken girders turned to oars, the solar sail cut loose, and new sails stitched from the robes of those who'd fallen in the crash.

They cannibalised the ship's technology, air conditioning systems becoming a rudimentary motor, and it wasn't long before they thought about doing the same to each other. Day followed day, and their stores began to look as bare as the horizon, a hazy smudge between the ashen sky and purple sea. No doves appeared to save them from the flood, and lead them to their Mouth Ararat.

But then the peolops did.

They were roughly seal-like in appearance, rotund yet sleek, or simply adapted to a life in the sea. The crew named them for the sounds they made, a sort of bubbling greeting as they looked up to the makeshift deck. They were curious, friendly, unafraid - and why would they be? They had no natural predators, and had hitherto been alone above the waves, where they only came to breed in places where their young could also feel secure.

Intentionally or not, they led the Sierra 470 to one such site, a rocky atoll that barely rose above the surf. It was a snug fit for one corner of the spacecraft's hull, and they nestled into their new home, a place where they could stretch their legs and wade into the periwinkle shallows. They washed, and laughed, and thanked the peolops for their aid as they swam in circles around them.

But joy soon faded as their other needs returned. The pioneers were cold, and hungry, and desperate. It was nice to have friends, but all of the friendliness in the world couldn't furnish them with the other things they lacked. They had no need for companionship, on a lifeboat already crammed to the gills. They had a need for furs, and fire, and food. The peolops had a thick hide, and oily blubber, and plentiful flesh.

In future generations, the descendants of those settlors would tell each other stories of a world imbued with magic, of friendly animals that lived side-by-side, a world that could never exist. But there was no magic in their world. The pioneers had proven that. They scoured the oceans, tracked down every peolop on the planet, stripped them each down to their cartilage, and didn't find an ounce of magic in their hearts.

They had discovered a new life for themselves, utilising the remains of their technology to exert dominion, confusing their intelligence for wisdom. It was an oil lamp that cast a shadow over the rest of the planet. In the absence of the peolops to control their numbers, their prey species began to proliferate, and devoured the white coral which in turn gave them sustenance. Within a century of the Sierra 470's arrival, Guntam-B3 had become every bit as dead as the pioneers had first feared.

Again, adrift not in a flood but in a drought, a desert of their own design, they prayed for a dove to come and guide them on. Again, those prayers were answered: an intact spacecraft, making a controlled descent into the atmosphere in search of future colonies, discovered their atoll, the rusted, water-damaged homes, the apparent savages who huddled in the shallows underneath.

Once the language barrier was breached, they extended an invitation for the descendants to join them on their ship, and the survivors welcomed them with gratitude, sharing smiles of relief as they escorted them aboard. They were intrigued by this alien species, who seemed more advanced than they were now, and perhaps more than they'd ever been. Corralled into some sort of holding pen, they were curious, friendly, unafraid - and why would they be? They had grown up with dominion here.

Like the peolops, they had never known to fear a predator before.

[askvectorprime]

Dear, Vector Prime.

Are there any members of Trainbots that transform into linear motor cars or monorails?

Dear Rolling Stock Rock,

As the Trainbots have become more involved in the war on a galactic level, the hardworking scientists and engineers at Shibuya Manufacturing have continued to work with the Autobots on the creation of new warriors to protect the Japanese public. Currently two have been completed, with more planned.

The Osaka Monorail line is protected by Koumei, who transforms into a 3000 Series monorail. Quick-witted and a good study, Koumei is popular with the students who frequent his route as he uses his advanced suspension to ensure a smooth ride, making him easy to sleep on after a long cram session. Large enough to form a replacement limb for Raiden, Koumei can also turn into the Mono Railgun, a long-range anti-combiner rifle.

Meanwhile, the newest Trainbot is Kuusou, who is stationed as part of the Yokohama Sky Cabin gondola line. Excellent at languages and with a small frame suited to the tight streets of Yokohama bay, Kuusou enjoys her role as a tourism spokesbot. When Raiden has cause to defend Yokohama, Kuusou’s weaponised yo-yo mode allows him to mesmerize and take down enemy combiners at mid-range.

Among the other planned Trainbots, perhaps the most notable is concept warrior code named JRZ. Currently planned for deployment in Kyushu for a test run by 2040, this hypothetical Autobot would use an entire Shinkansen engine and cars to turn into a giant warrior based on bleeding-edge technology left behind by Team Shinkansen, who fought the Destrongers in the early 2000s. I wonder what kind of person this “Shinbot” will turn out to be…

As you can see, the Autobot fascination with trains shared by the Japanese continues to live on! You might be amused to know that domestic airlines are beginning to petition the government to ask the Autobots for some passenger jet “Planebots” to act as promotional staff as well. Unfortunately for them, so far it appears unfeasible due to safety concerns, and for now the existing airborne Autobots will have to suffice.

[snappedsky]

Borderlands: Skies the Ultimate Treasure Hunter

Skies, Gaige, and the Vault Hunters arrive to the Lodge.

*Links to previous and next chapters in reblog*

--

Guns, Love, and Tentacles Part 2

Gaige the ex-Vault Hunter stands next to her robot companion, Deathtrap. She glares at Skies suspiciously. “Hey, Skies. Hammerlock warned me you were coming.”

“Heh, oh yeah?” Skies mutters, “wish he had warned me.”

“You know this lass?” Zane asks as he and the other Vault Hunters stand next to her.

“Yeah,” she replies, “guys, this is Gaige. She was one of the Vault Hunters who uh...took down Jack.”

“Oooh, so you guys got history history,” Amara remarks.

“Juicy,” FL4K comments.

“Hammerlock told me about you guys too,” Gaige smiles, “we go way back. He’s kinda my favourite. I’m the wedding planner.”

“Anyway, we are late!” she booms, “let’s get a move on. The brochure says there is a ‘charming gondola’ that should get us up to the Lodge. Come on! Let’s walk-and-talk.”

Gaige leads the way through the tundra, shooting at any wildlife that get in their way. Skies keeps to the back of group, hanging her head.

“You alright?” Moze asks, patting her shoulder.

“Ah, yeah,” Skies smiles awkwardly. “Just a little...awkward for me. I haven’t seen Gaige in years. If I had known she was gonna be here, I...”

“Ah, come on,” she scoffs, “it’s not like you to be scared. This is a good thing. You can reconcile with her.”

“Yeah, I guess. She probably doesn’t hate me as much Maya did, at least, and I almost had drinks with her.”

They come out onto a cliff with a closer view of the giant monster corpse and everyone takes a second to admire it.

“Man, that is one giant freaking tentacle monster,” Gaige comments, “I mean, it was in the brochure and everything but, oof...the pictures did not do it justice.”

They soon arrive to the gondola and head up the stairs to the top. “Here’s the gondola!” she exclaims, “heh heh, not quite charming but I’ll give it a...rustic? Let’s see if we can get it going.” She pulls a lever on the control panel but nothing happens. “Ugh, the motor’s fried. I’m gonna have to improvise some repairs. See? Planning only gets you so far.”

“Those wires must lead to a power source,” Skies adds, “let’s just see where they go.”

“We’ll see where they go,” Moze says, stopping Skies from leaving the platform.

“Aye, you two have some catching up to do,” Zane adds.

“Ah, w-wait- don’t-!” Skies tries to insist but the Vault Hunters run off giggling, leaving Skies alone with Gaige. They glance at each other and Skies awkwardly clears her throat.

They both wait at the gondola platform, awkwardly silent for a few minutes when Gaige says, “so...what do you think of Hammerlock and Wainwright? Weird pair, right? Hammerlock’s all ‘dashing headlong into danger’ and Wainwright’s all ‘books and glasses of old brown stuff’.”

“You know how hard it was to find a venue they agreed on?” she continues, “but I think I freaking CRUSHED IT! The last thing they wanted was a tourist trap and this place isn’t even on most review sites! Or maps.”

“Heh, yeah,” Skies chuckles, “they are uh...pretty different. But I think that’s why they work. I mean, I don’t know dick about romance, but I’ve seen them together and they seem to...I don’t know...complete each other?”

“Heh heh, you’ve gotten pretty sappy huh?” Gaige remarks.

“Psh, yeah right,” she scoffs.

They both chuckle and sigh.

“You know, when Hammerlock told me you were invited, I have to admit, I wasn’t...sure about it,” Gaige says, “but now that we’re here...it’s good to see you again.”

“Yeah?” Skies smiles. “It’s uh...good to see you too.”

They smile at each other as the Vault Hunters return, coming up the steps.

“Mission accomplished,” Amara states.

“Nice,” Gaige replies, “I think we’re almost good to go back here. Let’s get a move on- we are late!”

She digs around in the engine of the gondola, plugging things in or pulling things out. “Almost...got it...just one more tweak, annnnd...ha! There we go!”

A mechanical whirring starts up and Gaige leads the way to the gondola. “Let’s move! To the party!”

She flips the switch and everyone steps onto the carriage. The door closes behind them and it carries them up into the mountains, closer and closer to the giant monster corpse and soon they arrive to a large, wooden chalet built directly underneath it.

“Hmm, charming,” Skies comments as they walk along the deck to the front door, the word ‘LODGE’ over top of it.

Gaige throws open the doors. “Hey-hey! Vault Hunter delivery- and treasure hunter! Where my grooms at?”

Hammerlock and Claptrap are sitting in comfortable chairs in front of a crackling fireplace. They both stand up as the group walks in.

“Gaige!” Hammerlock chimes, “wonderful, wonderful!”

“Ah, very good, very good” a man behind the bar purrs with a voice that could curdle milk. “More guests for the...big event.” A pale man with a thin moustache, small glasses, and eyes blacker than coal faces everyone with a sinister smile. “Welcome! Welcome to the Lodge.”

Skies and the Vault Hunters glance at each other and approach the bar. “So, be honest, bro,” Skies says, “you’re definitely gonna like try to sacrifice us to some elder god, maybe the one this lodge is built under?”

“Oh, no, no, no,” the man replies, “I am Mancubus Bloodtooth...host and proprietor of The Lodge. Please, please, enjoy your stay. I am always available, should you find yourself in need of...hospitality.”

“Okay...” she mutters, unconvinced, but goes over to the fireplace.

“Skies, so happy you could come!” Hammerlock chimes, squeezing Skies’ hand.

“I’m happy you invited me!” she replies, “I’ve never been invited to a wedding before.”

“You are the first guests to arrive,” he says then side-eyes Claptrap. “At least, the first ones INVITED...”

Claptrap laughs. “Oh, Hammerlock, you’re such a kidder! You know I wouldn’t miss this for anything!”

Hammerlock groans with annoyance.

“Uh, Claptrap!” Gaige says quickly, “I have a super-duper important wedding planner mission for you. I need you to find a...um the Pearl of Ineffable Knowledge. Can you do that for me? The whole wedding depends on it!”

“Minion!” Claptrap gasps, “you want me...to save the whole wedding? You picked the right guy!”

He quickly rolls out of the room and Hammerlock heaves a sigh of relief. “Oh, thank goodness.”

“I am not going to let anything spoil your big day, Hammerlock,” Gaige says reassuringly. “Wait, where’s Wainwright?”

“Oh, Winny’s been such a nervous mess,” he replies, “I’ve tried to get him to relax, but he insists on dashing about, making sure everything is perfect.”

“But,” he continues, “the party must continue! Thank you for trekking all the way out to this frigid wilderness! Winny will be back soon and all will be well. Yes, yes, this will be a celebration to remember!”

“Okay, wedding planner powers activate!” Gaige exclaims, “we need party decorations, stat! Vault Hunters, I’m thinking balloons.”

The Vault Hunters nod and begin putting up balloons all over the Lodge.

“Want me to do anything, Gaige?” Skies asks.

“Nah, Skies, you ain’t a Vault Hunter,” she replies, “this is a holiday for you, right? So holiday it up!” “Sweet,” she grins and sits in a chair in front of the fire, stretching out.

She doesn’t relax long however before a private call comes through her ECHO communicator from Wainwright. “Skies. I have a favour to ask. Meet me in town. And don’t tell Alistair where you’re going- just make up an excuse.”

“Let’s get the night started with a good hunting tale!” Hammerlock declares, “gather round, whilst I recall the time I defeated the Heresian Slitherjaw armed with nothing but a rotten banana!”

“Oh, man, you know I love a good hunting story, Hammerlock,” Skies replies, “but I...feel the call of treasure c-uh c-calling to me...and you know if you don’t answer the call of treasure, they don’t call back. So I’m just gonna go...answer the call...”

“Oh! But you’ve only just arrived,” Hammerlock sighs, “no matter. The banana can wait. And if you see Winny out there, do tell him to come in from the cold.”

“You got it,” Skies grins and hurries over to the side door. But she gets there to find Mancubus blocking it.

“Valued guest,” he says, “I could not help but overhear your plan. I must caution you against entering the town tonight.”

“Why?” she asks suspiciously, “harder to sacrifice me when I’m not in your lodge?”

“You see, the people of this town are all...afflicted in their own ways,” he explains, “some might say...cursed. You might encounter some strange behaviour.”

“Can’t be stranger than this,” Skies mutters and clears her throat. “But I have encountered some curses in my time as a treasure hunter and I do prefer to avoid them. Still, I gotta do a favour for the groom so I’ll just take some back-up. Kiddos!”

The Vault Hunters stop tying up all the balloons and hurry dutifully to Skies’ side.

“Ah, you have a responsibility to assist,” Mancubus nods, “I understand. Do return soon. The Lodge will miss you.”

He steps away from the door and Skies and the Vault Hunters exit out onto the deck and head for the gondola to take them to the town of Cursehaven.

[zrtranscripts]

Season 10, Mission 3: Another Invented Disease

Quoth the Raven

~

[water swirls]

MOHAMMED BOUJETTIF: “In the glare of the day, there is little poetry about Venice. But under the charitable moon, her stained palaces are white again.” I see now that Mark Twain was quite correct. A moonlit gondola ride across the Venice Lagoon has always been a dream of mine. My wife and I booked tickets only two months before the gray apocalypse. We never took that trip.

FRANCES DEMPSY: [gasps] Quinzi, stop rowing! I can hear a patrol boat.

[boat motor rumbles]

MOHAMMED BOUJETTIF: I believe we remain unobserved. Quinzi, you may resume your labor at the oar. We’re close now. I see the [?] of the Grand Canal.

FRANCES DEMPSEY: We got through because they’re looking in, not out. They’re only worried about stopping people leaving. They don’t think anyone would be mental enough to try to sneak into a plague city.

MOHAMMED BOUJETTIF: Indeed. We’re most lucky.

FRANCES DEMPSEY: Is luck the right word?

MOHAMMED BOUJETTIF: Fortuna has favored us in one regard, at least. After months of fruitless searching, we have a lead to Runner Five’s location at last. And with Quinzi as our local guide, our visit should be brief.

FRANCES DEMPSEY: I wish we could do it all by gondola. People said they’ve got the zombie situation in Venice under control, but that could mean anything. And do we even know what this plague is?

MOHAMMED BOUJETTIF: Only that it’s almost invariably fatal. But the aquatic route isn’t possible, I’m afraid. In days past, the canals of Venice were home to a profusion rats. Today, it’s the restless dead who clog the waters.

FRANCES DEMPSEY: There, Quinzi. There’s a dock at the base of the stairs. [gondola bumps against dock, canal water splashes] Throw me the rope!

MOHAMMED BOUJETTIF: Careful! Frances, Quinzi, the steps are slimed with weed.

FRANCES DEMPSEY: Don’t worry, I never slip. Alice always said I was like a goat. At least, I think that’s what she meant. She might have just been telling me I needed deodorant.

MOHAMMED BOUJETTIF: Lead the way, Quinzi. The one we seek is at the far end of the canal. The mysterious Raven nests in the Giardini Reali, the Royal Gardens. We’re in Venice, a plague city ruled by unknown powers. I believe we should make haste.

~

MOHAMMED BOUJETTIF: This place is labyrinthine. We’d be lost without the map your band of thieves supplied, Quinzi.

FRANCES DEMPSEY: You call yourself the Magpies, right, Quin? Why does everyone in Venice name themselves after birds? And how do we know we can trust this Raven person? The message came through like, five different people before it reached us, and no one even agrees who the Raven is.

MOHAMMED BOUJETTIF: Indeed. A shoe seller in Istanbul was quite certain the Raven is a man of indeterminate but enormous age. An immortal, older than the city of Venice itself. A [?] assassin described a girl of twelve, a killer like himself, the most deadly of them all.

FRANCES DEMPSEY: That’s not ominous.

MOHAMMED BOUJETTIF: They say the plague began with the Raven. Its first victim appeared the day after the arrival of that ill-omened bird. Of course, people have always blamed outsiders for their misfortune. And Venice has a shameful history in that regard. Did you know that the word ghetto had its origins here? It was the area of the city the government forced its Jewish inhabitants to live.

FRANCES DEMPSEY: Yeah, we did the Merchant of Venice in school. Antonio was a dick.

MOHAMMED BOUJETTIF: My feelings entirely. And I can tell by your face, Quinzi, that you feel the same.

FRANCES DEMPSEY: I don’t like it here. There’s something... wrong with this place.

MOHAMMED BOUJETTIF: It’s sinking. The waters always clamored to reclaim it, and the apocalypse has hastened the process.

FRANCES DEMPSEY: It’s more than that. It’s the way the paint’s all flaking off the walls. The buildings are beautiful, but the stonework’s crumbling. It looks, I don’t know, decaying? Like it died a long time ago.

MOHAMMED BOUJETTIF: But someone yet lives here. Two factions patrol the streets of Venice, keeping an uneasy peace, one by day and one by night. Neither is our friend. The Raven advised us to travel in that liminal time when powers change hands and Venice has no true master. Our window of opportunity is brief.

FRANCES DEMSPEY: You know the route the Raven sent us, don’t you, Quinzi? Let’s run.

~

FRANCES DEMPSEY: Oh, we’re back at the Grand Canal. I’ve got totally turned around. I think I can see... Up ahead, that covered bridge. Is that...?

MOHAMMED BOUJETTIF: The Rialto. It houses stone shops within its arches. Venice was a city built on commerce, and so it remains. Trade is the lifeblood of this place and the reason so many still make their home here.

FRANCES DEMSPEY: But who’s in charge? You said two factions.

MOHAMMED BOUJETTIF: They are but parasites on the body politic! The gondoliers and their poisons roam during the day, while the Mala del Brenta patrol at night. Once, the Mala were a mere mafia. Now they’re said to traffic in far worse than drugs. But as for who rules? Venice has changed hands a dozen times since the apocalypse. Rumors are the King of Zagreb ran it at one time. The French warlord Jacques Le Renard claimed dominion for a year and two days. Now? Perhaps the city belongs only to itself.

GONDOLIER: Knives for sale, [?]. Knives, knives for sale!

FRANCES DEMSPEY: The gondola! I guess the changeover hasn’t happened yet. Quick, under this bridge. Hide in the shadows.

MOHAMMED BOUJETTIF: There are three women in that boat. One to row, one to cry their wares, the third has a knife! She’s using it to sever the hands.

FRANCES DEMPSEY: The hands!

MOHAMMED BOUJETTIF: Grasping for the boat out of the water. Bloated and white in death, the flesh half-peeled away. The dead seeking company in their watery grave.

FRANCES DEMPSEY: Glad we didn’t try to row in. Look, the boat’s tying up. They’re getting out.

MOHAMMED BOUJETTIF: The time of the gondoliers draws to a close, and the hour of the Mala approaches. We must hurry!

~

FRANCES DEMPSY: It’s so silent. I know there are people living here. Up there, see? Eyes watching us from the window. But there’s no one on the streets.

MOHAMMED BOUJETTIF: We’ve traveled broadly, you and I, in our quest for Five. A sighting in Budapest that was nothing but smoke and mirrors. A trail running through the warring cantons of the Alps. Helpless people pulled from danger by a nameless benefactor. No trace of them remained. We’ve visited pirate archipelagos and a warlord’s palace, but Venice is more dangerous than all of them.

FRANCES DEMPSEY: I heard Amelia the last time you spoke to her. She sounded really worried, for Amelia. Actually, not even just for Amelia.

MOHAMMED BOUJETTIF: She’s followed many fruitless leads in the search for Five, made many painful deals for information that proved of little value.

FRANCES DEMPSEY: We’ve all tried so hard for nothing. If we need to take risks to finally get an answer, I don’t care. It’s worth it. [flies buzz] Ugh, that’s horrible! Quinzi, watch out. There’s a pile of corpses in the middle of the road. They’ve just been... thrown there, like chucking out the rubbish!

MOHAMMED BOUJETTIF: Only recently deceased. Their skin is covered in lumps, buboes.

FRANCES DEMPSEY: Buboes? Like... Bubonic plague?

MOHAMMED BOUJETTIF: More yellow in color, with a curious purple marking in their center. It’s almost like a letter.

FRANCES DEMPSEY: Don’t get too close. Could infect you. [distant shout] Where did that come from?

MOHAMMED BOUJETTIF: One of the arms in that pile of corpses is twitching. A leg is kicking out.

FRANCES DEMPSEY: Are they zombies, or... God. People just left them here to die?

MOHAMMED BOUJETTIF: We cannot stay to find the answer. Quinzi, lead on!

~

[bell rings]

BELL RINGER: Portate fuori i vostri morti!

MOHAMMED BOUJETTIF: The bell-ringer and his companions are entering a crumbling palazzo, no doubt to collect the bodies of more unfortunates. From the charnel smell, I believe that’s their wagon up ahead.

FRANCES DEMSPEY: Ugh, it’s full of decapitated heads. They’re still alive! I mean, dead-alive. Their teeth are snapping.

MOHAMMED BOUJETTIF: Lacking their spines, they shouldn’t be capable of movement.

FRANCES DEMPSEY: V-types do that, though. You have to disassemble them into basically atoms before they stop moving. But there shouldn’t be any V-types outside the UK.

MOHAMMED BOUJETTIF: Perhaps the plague creates them.

FRANCES DEMPSEY: That’s... That’s a really bad thought. I can see people on the other side of the canal. I think they’re having dinner. There’s a white tablecloth and candles and everything. Who does that on the side of a canal full of corpses?

MOHAMMED BOUJETTIF: Italians.

FRANCES DEMPSEY: It’s my fault, you know. Five being missing, everyone being captured. It’s all my fault.

MOHAMMED BOUJETTIF: I hardly think that’s true.

FRANCES DEMPSEY: They told me not to come. They never wanted me on the mission to Tunisia. They knew I’d be a liability, but I wanted to be part of the team. [sighs] I wanted to be as valuable to them as Alice was. And because I was there, it all went wrong! I’m a jinx.

MOHAMMED BOUJETTIF: I believe in many things, Frances. I believe our spirit survives us after our death, and that a higher power guides the turning of the ages. But I will never believe that an innocent young woman, acting from love and with courage, is responsible for so much ill luck. No. There is some other force working against us, some malevolence that hasn’t yet shown its face.

FRANCES DEMPSEY: What if it is the Raven?

MOHAMMED BOUJETTIF: Then we’ve made a very serious mistake. Alas, we have no choice but to see it to its end. There, do you see? On the balcony of that half-destroyed house, figure in feathered carnival masks watching us. They are the Mala. We’re on their territory, uninvited. If they catch us, they will kill us.

~

FRANCES DEMPSEY: I can hear them following us, but I can’t see them. [distant shouts] Oh God, what’s that?

MOHAMMED BOUJETTIF: The Mala’s hunting call, or...

FRANCES DEMPSEY: Or what?

MOHAMMED BOUJETTIF: Another variant of the undead, perhaps unique to these shores. Who knows what strange and terrible forms the virus may have taken in such a place as this?

FRANCES DEMSPEY: I can smell them, I think. It’s not like normal zom smell. It’s almost... Sweet?

MOHAMMED BOUJETTIF: There are many mysteries to unravel here. Our challenge is to live to unravel them.

FRANCES DEMPSEY: What are you even doing here, Mo? You could have put me on a boat back to England and gone home to your wife. This isn’t your fight.

MOHAMMED BOUJETTIF: I made a promise to Miss Spens that I’d see her people safe. My word is my bond. No true currency remains in this world except that.

FRANCES DEMPSEY: You’re a good man, Mo.

MOHAMMED BOUJETTIF: One could ask for no higher praise!

FRANCES DEMPSEY: Look, over there, past the narrow marble bridge. Is that someone wearing a bird mask? The Raven, it must be!

MOHAMMED BOUJETTIF: A plague doctor’s mask, of course!

FRANCES DEMPSEY: They’re pointing left. What does it mean?

MOHAMMED BOUJETTIF: Ah! Ah, a narrow alley between buildings, hidden in shadow. We would have run straight past it!  I believe the Raven means for us to take it!

FRANCES DEMPSEY: What if it’s a trap? What if it leads us straight to the Mala? Maybe that was the whole point of bringing us here.

MOHAMMED BOUJETTIF: We have quite literally no other option. Follow our masked friend’s directions. Quinzi, run!

~

FRANCES DEMPSEY: There, at the end of the street. The person in the plague mask, the Raven. They’re waiting for us the other side of the bridge. They’re beckoning. But we’ve got the Mala or the zombies or whatever they are right behind us.

MOHAMMED BOUJETTIF: Ah, no! I understand now. The bridge is wooden, do you see? And there is some sort of mechanism. I believe it’s a drawbridge. We merely have to make it across and our safety is ensured. It appears the Raven was indeed attempting to aid us. It’s a balm to the soul to find such an honor in this fallen world.

FRANCES DEMPSEY: Come on, Quinzi! Last burst of speed. We did it! We’re safe.

MOHAMMED BOUJETTIF: Not until we raise the drawbridge. Quinzi, you could take the other side.

[drawbridge mechanism clanks]

FRANCES DEMPSEY: That’s creepy. The sound just... Stopped. Are they really gone?

THE RAVEN: The hunt’s over. They won’t bother me here. We have, uh... An understanding.

FRANCES DEMPSEY: Is that...? No, it can’t be!

THE RAVEN: Oh, let me take this damn thing off. Oh, I can hardly breathe up here! [sighs] It’s so good to see you, Frances!

FRANCES DEMPSEY: Maxine!

MOHAMMED BOUJETTIF: Our missing doctor. We have come here in search of one lost companion, and found quite another.

FRANCES DEMPSEY: How did you get here, and what are you doing? Do you really know where Five is? Do you know how to rescue the others?

MAXINE MYERS: One question at a time, please! I don’t know it all, Frances, but I have found out a few things. Venice may be a hellhole, but a lot of information finds its way here. There is so much for me to tell you, and so much for us to do.

~

[velvethana]

PHONING... 𓂃 ࣪˖ carnival.

Essentially becoming a shut-in due to your extreme fear of crowds, your friends are determined to take you out and show you how much fun things can be.

selected: [ taehyun's song.] replay? ✧

જ⁀➴♡ wc 1k ✧ fluff , humor , comfort

As you inch closer to the front of the line, the rhythmic clinking of the cars ascending and descending fills your ears.

Standing before the entrance, the worker looked at you expectantly before glancing at the boys behind you. You turned to face them and they all gave you an encouraging smile, each one as sweet as the one before.

“So, who’s it gonna be?”

Looking at each of them, it felt almost impossible to pick just one. The feeling that everyone was waiting on you made you even more anxious, the idea of annoying the people around you getting your nerves up even more.

“Hey, Y/N it’s fine. Take your time.” Taehyun commented.

The small smile he gave you was enough to have you letting out a sigh of relief. “Do you want to come with me?” You asked, voice hopeful.

His eyes widened for a moment before nodding.

“Man… no fair.” Beomgyu whined.

“Can it, motor mouth. You’d probably throw up your cotton candy on Y/N anyways.” Yeonjun said, motioning for the two of you to go ahead with a smile.

Taehyun steps next to you, stepping into the open-air gondola as the attendant began to secure the safety bar.

“Are you excited?” He asked.

“Excited? Yes! Nervous..? Also yes. Somehow? Yes.”

The attendant gave you a friendly nod and tight smile before stepping off.

With a lurch, the Ferris wheel began its slow ascent, the ground falling away beneath you as the world took on a new perspective.

Taehyun seemed so calm and collected, a stark contrast to your sudden jittery nerves.

It wasn’t necessarily the fear of heights weighing on you now but the intense awkwardness of being so close, alone, with Taehyun.

A million thoughts of embarrassing yourself in front of him ran through your mind and none of them seemed appealing in the slightest.

You couldn't help but fidget with the hem of your shirt. Taehyun seemed to notice your continued unease and gently placed a hand on yours.

"Hey, don't worry. I'm right here with you," he said, his voice soft and soothing as always.

You felt a rush of warmth at his touch and his words, nerves beginning to subside again. Nodding, you gave him a grateful smile in return.

“I’m actually kind of surprised you picked me,” he started.

“I’m really glad, though.”

“Yeah… I mean, I’m glad too! I kind of realized we haven’t been able to get a second alone, so…”

“You wanted a second alone with me?” His voice was playful as he gently nudged your shoulder and you puffed out your cheeks with a huff.

“You know I hate when you guys tease me. That’s not what I meant…” your voice trailed off though, unwilling to defend yourself.

Especially when you had wanted a moment alone with him.

As the ferris wheel continued to ascend, you couldn't help but steal glances at Taehyun, his profile illuminated by the twinkling lights below.

His eyes were widened the slightest bit, the lights of down below reflecting in them like stars. The smile on his face was wide, almost child-like but as always infectious.

He seemed so at ease, gaze fixed on the horizon as you rose higher and higher.

"You know," he said, breaking the comfortable silence between the two of you, "I used to be pretty bad with crowds too when I was younger. The smallest bit, so I won’t pretend to completely understand your anxieties but I can sympathize.”

You chuckled nervously, feeling suddenly embarrassed by your own fear. "I guess I have a lot to learn from you," you admitted.

He shook his head, turning toward you. “You’re already fine. Truthfully, I was a bit worried but you did really well today. I’d even say you had fun for once in your life.”

You scoffed in fake offense, “I have fun in my life.”

“I’m sure you and those headphones have lots of fun almost walking into ongoing traffic. What I meant was, I’m glad we got to experience this with you.”

As the ferris wheel reached its peak, he turned to face you as much as he could, eyes sparkling with warmth.

“And there’s something I've been wanting to tell you," he said steadily as if he could scare you away somehow. Suddenly his voice was tinged with emotion.

It almost felt like there was an anvil hanging over your head ready to drop at any moment.

As cartoonishly ridiculous as that comparison was, in the moment all you hoped for was that he would say what you had been thinking.

Heart skipping a beat, your stomach began to flutter as you cursed yourself for snacking earlier.

“You can tell me anything, Taehyun.” The use of his name had him looking away, almost looking embarrassed for a moment.

He took a deep breath, returning his gaze to you. It was rare to ever see him nervous like this. "I really like you, Y/N. As more than just a friend. Well, more than like.”

All Taehyun could focus on was the feeling of your hand in his and how right it felt to him.

The weight that had finally been lifted off of his shoulders as he uttered the words, “I love you.”

And to him, it was true, every word. For Taehyun, loving you had come as natural as breathing.

Maybe you hadn’t noticed it because of how overwhelming everything had been in the world around you, but he was always there watching out for you.

Because to love you was about multitudes, the exact thing that you despised. Even if you disliked it, everyone was drawn to you without you knowing.

A love that is inordinate.

"You do?" You asked, voice squeaking a bit at the end.

The nervous look on his face quickly washed away as he laughed at that reaction and you audibly groaned, swatting at him.

“Don’t laugh! You can’t just drop that on me up here!!”

“Is there a better place?”

“Then the top of a ferris wheel?! Uh, yeah! What if I like— jumped off?”

“So you’d kill yourself to reject me? That’s a bit dramatic.”

“What?! No—! I’m not rejecting you— and I’m not killing myself either. Or, I wouldn’t. I am very happy with my life, actually!”

Taehyun nodded, that playful glint in his eyes.

“I believe it.”

“You’re kind of a jerk for this…”

“You invited me.” He shrugged.

“You’ve been plotting on my downfall this whole night, huh?”

"Yep. But I have to admit, seeing you so nervous up here is kind of adorable."

A wave of relief washed over you with the moment of silence, heart beating out of your chest.

“…You love me.” You said to yourself, repeating it in your head almost like a mantra to convince yourself.

Taehyun laughed, “undoubtedly so.”

“How much?” Your voice was hopeful, somehow finding it in yourself to squeeze his hand.

When the others had asked him, he couldn't find the words to answer back then.

But in front of your hopeful gaze, the words had finally found their way to him.

“If you asked me to, I would drain all the seas around the world and count every grain of sand that clings to the ocean floor.”

“Wow.”

The carnival below was a colorful tapestry, lights twinkling like stars against the night sky.

The sounds of laughter and music drift up to meet the two of you, mingling with the gentle creaking of the wheel as it turns.

“That’s all you’ve got?”

“Shut up, I’m overwhelmed! That’s like really romantic and this is way better than I ever dreamed of so I’m just… speechless. But thank you.”

He hummed in response, “don’t thank me.”

Looking at him in awe at the sheer magnitude of his admission, you let out a sigh of contentment.

“…I love you too, Taehyun.”

As the ferris wheel began its descent, you leaned in closer to him, placing your head on his shoulder.

“So you dreamed about me confessing to you?” he asked, a hint of amusement in his voice.

“Please don’t ruin my coming of age romance scene right now.”

Secretly you had hoped that the ride would never end and you could stay there, breathing him in as you watched the lights together.

“Y/N?”

“Yeah?”

“I’ve counted every beat of my heart that has echoed since I met you.”

જ⁀➴♡ phone in ᝰ.ᐟ

[the-firebird69]

https://youtu.be/T3iNEBWxNfs?feature=shared

It's not a bad idea but people use the jet skis and our son has an idea to offers an option an electric and a through hull fitting to put the propeller below and most time it gets damaged on both like this there's a way to make it like an impeller using the same mechanism and at an angle believe it or not and it's a different mold which is the issue he says there's only one other way to do it is to make it like a gondola he doesn't like that so he says what about like an IO as a kid and people would ruin it and this is going to ruin your outboard and he says well they're probably ruin it so you make an outboard and we do know how to do that it's not real simple though so like my idea of a different model rowboat that has this impeller and it's going to work better than other stuff it doesn't look that bad the impeller intake would be on the bottom and it has a mesh and the spout goes out the back and for the middle and it keeps the boat steady use a 2000 KW bicycle engine and you use bicycle batteries you can get two of them and you can get a certain brand it doesn't have to be all this mumbo jumbo and it's not really a great controller on it it's a cheap controller they can get anywhere and that's what we'll do we'll get an aftermarket controller and battery so they can replace it the batteries would be probably 750 kilowatt each and the thing would go about 50 mph and that would be the 8-ft boat no that's probably the 10 football and 10 ft boat and with a couple people in it and some gear that would be fast for an electric and we do see what they're saying they'd have plastic electric and the lithium and we do track it so let's put our heads together and design this

Thor Freya

Olympus we use these electrics all over the place they're very quiet they don't consume fuel and it doesn't smell and people can't find us

We're going to use them for other stuff to defeat people who are stealthy well no but the max are we do understand that you guys would be doing it and this is an awesome idea and I was making fun of him and he said okay well your motor is cheesy and we do have a propeller on it and it's a solid shaft and yeah it gets broken a lot the impeller would be great and I know how to make those I'm going to try and do it and you have a housing that's built into the mold but really it's a pain in the ass it takes a lot of time what he said was you take the Sea-Doo and you turn it into a boat and why would you take the impeller off and all that good stuff so I decided to try and do that and it works much better time cedars and stuff are waste of time they suck those seadoos you can't stay on them you get tired I'm looking forward to seeing these boats and I want to get going on I want Coleman to pump them out they actually have the company and people are buying it like madness tons of camping gear. We could not keep up with the orders and we're going to be forced out of business in the business was going to be ruined now I see that people are using it and they have to and we see why

Bja

Olympus

[edwinspaynes]

coney island pls !!

Coney Island is currently a long and involved outline because it's a research-heavy fic, sort of like A Ribbon of Dream. But here's a bullet point from the outline:

Canals of Venice ride, you ride in a gondola along a simulated Grand Canal that’s made to look like venice. There’s live entertainment to show to passengers who float by. The gondolas are propelled by steam motors (It’s comparatively lame to Venice, Alastair says, but he sees why some Americans might like it)

[havenhomes]

Venice Standalone Villas

"Venice Villas by Haven Homes

Are you eager to experience the realization of a dream? Head to Venice Villas in DAMAC Lagoons to make this dream come true. Venice Villas in Lagoons, offered by DAMAC Properties, present a wonderful collection of modern villas for sale in Dubai, providing a valuable investment opportunity for investors looking to buy properties in the United Arab Emirates. These villas perfectly embody the Italian glamour and will make you feel the allure of the city they are named after.

Venice Villas are the latest addition to the stunning DAMAC Lagoons project by DAMAC Properties, one of the renowned real estate developers in the UAE. This splendid residential community is inspired by the globally famous Italian city of Venice. From architecture, water channels, and gondolas to shops, restaurants, and cafes, everything in Venice Villas contributes to creating a truly magnificent experience.

Location of Venice Independent Villas DAMAC Lagoons is located near the charm of DAMAC Hills, yet tucked away from the hustle, forming a new prime community in Dubai, inspired by famous Mediterranean destinations. Venice is also minutes away from world-class golf clubs and recreational parks, the most visited attractions in the city.

Trump International Golf Club, a globally renowned club with unparalleled amenities hosting grand golf tournaments, is just 12 minutes away by car, approximately 1.6 km distance.

Travel time to Global Village, the largest multicultural park with pavilions and shops representing different countries' culture and heritage, is about 18 minutes, approximately 8.7 km distance.

For those wanting to explore nature's beauty, head to Dubai Miracle Garden. This paradise park with over 50 million unique flowers is just 14 minutes away, approximately 4.5 km distance.

Venice Independent Villas are also located near:

Al Maktoum International Airport – 24 minutes.

Palm Jumeirah Island – 25 minutes.

Dubai Mall and Burj Khalifa – 30 minutes.

Dubai International Airport – 35 minutes.

DAMAC Hills Park – 1.9 km.

Studio City Park – 2.62 km.

Windsor Park Motor City – 2.7 km.

The Els Club – 3.3 km.

Reel Cinema – The Springs Souk – 6.9 km.

Novo Cinema - IMG Worlds of Adventure – 10.5 km. Nearest projects: Malta, Santorini, Costa Brava, Nice, Portofino.

Apart from the luxury of these villas, there are many other amazing features that make Venice Villas in DAMAC Lagoons truly a high-end living environment. These features include:

Authentic Italian architecture.

Stunning water channels for gondola rides.

A large array of cultural events and annual festivals.

Numerous restaurants and cafes overlooking the water.

Countless retail spaces by the water and brand shops.

Spectacular views."

Dubai #UAERealEstate #Venice_Standalone_Villas

[world-holiday-vibes-23]

Unconventional Modes of Transportation That Will Leave You Amazed!

Trains, cars, planes, and buses are not the only means of travel when journeying across the globe. A multitude of extraordinary and distinct modes of transportation can be found worldwide.

Let's explore the various transportation options at your disposal.

German River Ferries: Distinctive Waterway Adventures

Fred Franken, a resident of Hamburg, Germany, proudly acquired the country's first amphibious bus after a four-year-long effort. His determination and perseverance paid off as he successfully navigated through the challenges. The HafenCity River Bus, now under Fred's ownership, stands as a remarkable tourist attraction in Hamburg, providing a distinctive experience that combines the functions of a bus and a boat, drawing visitors from both nearby and distant places.

Navigating Venice's Traghetti: Tips and Insights

In Venice, a traghetto serves as a method of crossing the Grand Canals, enabling passengers to embark on a gondola operated by two paddlers while standing.

Discovering Cuba's Iconic Coco Taxis

Tourists travelling to Cuba have been using coco taxis as a mode of transportation since 1990. These unique taxis take their name from their attention-grabbing, coconut-shaped bodies made from fiberglass, and they are essentially Piaggio scooters with seats that have been welded on.

Coco taxis are pedal-powered tricycles that provide seating for two passengers at the rear, situated behind the driver. The vehicle is covered with an aspherical plastic enclosure. While some versions come with a small motor to assist the driver when tackling uphill terrain, the driver generally doesn't need to pedal. In Havana, these coco taxis are the most encountered type of transportation.

Navigating the Aegean Waves with Hydrofoils: Flying Dolphins in Greece

A hydrofoil is an underwater fin with a flat or curved winglike surface designed to lift a moving boat or ship using the reaction on its surface from the water it travels. Ships that use hydrofoils, also known as foils, are hydrofoils. Some of the later hydrofoils, particularly Russian river hydrofoils, are still used in some countries.

Contemporary Tramway Systems in French Cities.

Trams have historically fulfilled two primary functions, predominantly for the conveyance of passengers and freight. Passenger trams encompass a diverse range of designs and sizes. Switzerland boasts one of the world's most efficient and breath-taking railway systems, making train travel the optimal way to explore this compact yet extraordinary nation.

Traditional Watercraft in Thailand

The signature of water travel in Thailand is the iconic "long-tailed boat," referred to locally as Rua Hang Yao. These versatile vessels fulfil a variety of roles extending beyond tourist excursions. They are utilised as ferries, cargo ships, and fishing boats, highlighting their flexibility across various industries. The realm of longtail boats encompasses a diverse array of sizes and design variations, continuously evolving through the ingenuity of boat builders.

Felucca in Egypt

A dhow is a traditional sailing vessel recognised for its open-deck layout, frequently embellished with colourful cushions and seating arrangements for the comfort of passengers. Canvas awnings or shelters are frequently utilised to protect passengers from the strong sun, forming a delightful and shaded atmosphere on board.

Tricycles in the Philippines

A distinctive mode of public transport known as the "jeepney," commonly found in the Philippines, provides an economical means of traveling. Jeepneys follow predetermined routes, allowing them to stop at different points along their route to facilitate passengers embarking or disembarking. This adaptability is attributed to the designated routes clearly indicated on their sides or displayed on their windshields.

Reindeer Sleds in Finland

Reindeer sledding has a longstanding and noteworthy cultural connection with the Sami people, who are indigenous to the northern areas of Norway, Sweden, Finland, and certain parts of Russia. Among these regions, Norway has the highest Sami population.

Junk Boat Tours: A Unique Way to Experience Hong Kong

Hong Kong's waterways were once filled with traditional Chinese three-masted wooden vessels known as junks, but in Victoria Harbour today, only a single authentic junk boat remains, known as the Holy Duck, affectionately referred to as "Duckling."

Exploring Matheran, India on Horseback

Horse riding in Matheran is a highly favoured means of getting around. Locating a horse for hire is relatively easy, offering a convenient option for those looking to explore the area without the need for extensive walking. It is advisable to agree on the rental rates in advance. For skilled equestrians, there are high-quality, thoroughbred-like horses available, while shorter horses resembling mules are often preferred by children and first-time riders.

Discovering the Majestic Elephants of Sigiriya, Sri Lanka

The Sigiriya Rock Fortress and Dambulla Cave Temple, both designated as UNESCO World Heritage Sites, are prominent attractions in this region. One of the most iconic experiences here is the Sigiriya elephant rides, offering visitors an exhilarating way to explore the city. These gentle giants provide a unique and memorable perspective on the area's beauty.

Regarding efficient public transportation systems, Hong Kong takes the lead in both ground and port transportation, consistently earning high ratings. Navigating a city's public transport system is a great way to discover hidden gems and truly understand its character. I hope you enjoy these diverse transportation options as much as I did when putting them together.

Our Holiday Vibes are Good Vibes Only!

[tcs-duke-of-ed-blog]

Venice Reveiw (Europe Travel Blog)

Hello, and welcome to my blog post on the city of Venice. Venice is a famous city in Italy, known for its unique law. There are no land motor vehicles allowed in venice. This includes Cars, bikes and even scooters. As Venice is an island, the roads are instead a sprawling maze of waterways and canals, where people take boats and gondolas along them to get to where they need to go. It's a very unique place, as well as a unique experience and today I’m going to rate its food, views, vibe and activities.

First, it's activities. Venices’ activities are very much centred around its unique system of waterway travel. Many tourists are almost always compelled to pay for a gondola ride through the city. These gondola rides are always great, and really are able to capture the beauty of this city from a different point of view. I also came across a great experience provided by a company called “Row Venice”, which was an amazing experience where you actually got to learn how to row a Gondola yourself! I sadly cannot remember my instructor's name, but she was wonderful. Very nice, very helpful and also pretty funny. Would 100% recommend it to families of any size. There are also some amazingly cool churches to look into, but one problem with Venice is the price tag. While not ridiculously expensive, compared to anywhere else in Italy things cost a lot more. More often than not though, the price is worth it. That's why I am rating Venice's activities a 5/5, maybe even a 6. Very cool.

Next is the food. Like I said in Tuscany, the food in Venice is pretty much standard Italian food. Lots of great Pizza, Pasta and Gelato. Since being mostly surrounded by water, there were also some pretty great seafood restaurants, or restaurants selling italian food with a bit of a seafood twist. However, like I mentioned earlier, the food here, while good, is quite expensive, and for some places maybe not worth the money. That's why I am giving Venice a ⅗ for food

Next is the vibe, mixed in with the views. Venice has a great vibe that is greatly contributed by its views. The removal of cars and roads in favour of waterways gives the city very relaxing, even charming vibes, especially in the early morning. A thing I found particularly charming was the garbage collectors, who go around on which big carts that they drag along and put garbage in, before going to a boat that grabs it with electronic arms and emptying it into the boat. A place that can make garbage collecting charming is pretty good in my books. The canals themselves are gorgeous, with little well designed bridges over the waterways makes it feel like a cool little maze. The grand canal, the sort of main highway that goes through the centre of the city like a big highway, is truly a spectacular sight to see. The Rialto bridge, the main bridge that crosses the grand canal is very cool However, away from the canals, a new vibe is presented. The inner streets of Venice are a crowded, cramped labyrinth that are usually damp, which gives a bit of a dirty, monotonous vibe. Pickpockets are known to take advantage of these crowded streets, them being everywhere. That's why I am giving Venice a 3 ⁄ 5 for both views and vibe.

In total, that brings Venice up to a 14/20 score. That's been my review of Venice, thanks for reading. 

[engbergeurovacay23]

Tuesday in Axes-les-Thermes

The place we're stating in Ax-les-Thermes is just so incredible in terms of its spaciousness and views--and general niceness, except for the lack of t.p. when we arrived ;) When we woke up on Tuesday morning, it was a cool and misty morning here in the French Pyrenees and we opened the big sliding doors to the decks (of course, there are no screens in the doors, as there are not in the windows -- which is another one of those "welp, I am American and I am used to screens in windows and think they make sense" kind of things). With the doors open, the cool air in the home was wonderful. This place also has electric shutters, which, interestingly, we have in Albuquerque, which were installed in 1982.

Interesting side-note-style story: our bedroom shutter broke in May of last year ('22) and the company could not get a motor, since they were coming from France and everything was still pandemic-backlogged, and they wouldn't even service our crazy shutters, since they're 41 years old. Anyway, with the help of a friend who knows the window/shutter people well, we were finally able to get our bedroom shutter fixed this last May (so, a whole year later!) and we were like, whoa! behold! let there be light! It was amazing to have light coming through the window again and not sleeping in a total cave.

Anyway -- yes--shutters. Shutter technology has really improved since 1982! Here the shutters are virtually silent. It is amazing. Ours in Albuquerque sound like metal scraping on metal with a very tired, elderly motor working as hard as it can ;)

Once we'd had breakfast on Tuesday, we decided to go down to Ax-les-Thermes town proper (down the steep hill from our house, about 4 minutes in the car) and take the gondola up to the Ax-3-Domains ski area. I can inly imagine what this place is like in the winter! The gondola ride is no longer than a tram ride in Albuquerque -- and maybe as far? But, the gondolas are typical ski area gondolas, and people take their skis or mountain bikes up to the ski areas from town in them. So, we all went up, and then Eric and both kids got outfitted for mountain biking. The kids started off in the little terrain park and Cece was so into it! Rowan used it just as a warm-up and then decided he wanted to do the downhill mountain biking with Eric, so they both got the full body gear and full-face helmets. I stuck around and watched Cece in the terrain park and then, after a little while, she was tired and needed a lunch break. Eric and Rowan were off, up the chair lift, at the top of the mountain and we expected we'd just meet them back in Ax-les-Thermes later, and pick them up with the car from the bottom of the gondola.

So, Cece and I had a bit of an adventure getting lunch. So, I repeat, we are at a ski area . . . in the summertime. Even though there is mountain biking, it is not busy at all, and just a few of the shops and restaurants at the base of the ski area, where the lodging is, are open. When we were looking for some lunch, we saw that a few food-oriented places were open and we went into one that seemed to sell roasted chicken, some pasta, some frites (fries), and vegetable quiche. I was trying to make out the sizes of the portions and it seemed that their offerings were quite large. I asked whether--thanks, Google Translate-- we could get just a child-sized portion of roasted chicken, and the man said, no, only whole rotisserie chickens were on offer. I asked if Cece could just get the "frites''' then, and the proprietor said yes. I also asked for the vegetable tart. So, a little bit--five minutes or ten-- later, we got our food and it was a ton of very delicious fries and the vegetable pasta, which wasn't exactly what I ordered but was still excellent. Afterwards, I asked whether I could order a milk for Cece and the guy explained that he'd already made an accommodation by selling me frites without a whole chicken and he only had the tetrapack large boxes of milk. Also, it appeared that there were only bottles of ketchup and other things -- not small sizes. It was so odd. I mean, this is like a food shop at the base of a ski run. I have no idea why they only sell cartons of milk, bottles of ketchup, and whole chickens. The guy was pretty nice about all of it, but it was still a head-scratcher.

We have a joke in our family about how me eating fries with a fork "brings shame to the family," because Eric thinks it is so funny that I would eat fries with a fork. Now, the kids always remark on it. And I continue to do it as a matter of principle--and stubborness. As with pizza. Always a fork and knife. And that is common in Europe, so, there! Anyway, so, Cece and I enjoyed a lot of hilarity eating our fries with a fork and I actually ate some with a wooden knife, because we only had one fork. It was quite a sight to see--which no one, unfortunately, saw. Especially Eric. Cece seriously wanted me to take video of us "bringing shame to the family" ;)

Cece did one more go at the terrain park and then we took the gondola down to town. Once we got to the car, we went back to the house and changed Cece's shoes because hers were soaked. I guess I forgot to mention that it was quite cold at the top of the mountain and the grass was very wet, so Cece's boots got soaked with her riding. Also, Cece got shocked by an anti-cow wire, when we were hiking before the riding began!! We were approaching a trail and there was a wire along the side of the trail, which we thought we'd just duck under. None of us imagined it was intended to shock cows! Cece started screeching and crying--because she'd grabbed it with her hands to go under it-- and we were so worried! Luckily, I mean so luckily, she was just fine, but her leg ached from the electricity going through her hands and through her leg and into the ground!! Poor thing! Perhaps we all should've known that about the wires (which are everywhere), but there were no signs of any kind. Maybe French people just know about these wires and no warnings are needed.

Anyway, so, in the afternoon, it wasn't long after Cece and I returned to Ax-les-Thermes that Eric and Rowan called to say they were coming down the gondola. We picked them up and Rowan was, again, starving. We got him an assortment of items at the Spar grocery -- two yogurts, a box of crackers, and something else that I can't recall . . . Eric had some mushroom pizza. My kids won't eat pizza, so we had to assemble something else for the boy! Eric and Rowan apparently had so much fun mountain biking, though the trails were very hard, apparently! And their path was blocked once or twice by some high mountain cows with picturesque bells who were living a life of luxury up there on those slopes!

After we all reconvened, it was time to try to go to the thermal baths that help this town have its name--they give it the "thermes" part. So, we waited in a short line at Les Bains de Couloubret and then approached the counter to pay. But, as we've seen elsewhere, there were all kinds of rules and signs and we tried our best to see whether our swimwear would comply. France is well known for its egalité perspective, which is why they don't allow "obviously religious" clothing in public schools (this has been covered amply in the news), so the sign showed that a "burk-ini" could not be worn, but neither could some other kinds of swimwear that we had a hard time figuring out. Turns out, our kids' one-piece, sort of wetsuit-material swimwear was a no-go, said the man at the counter. So, we left Les Bains de Couloubret and went on our next adventure: grocery shopping. We ended up in the exotic location of Aldi in a neighboring town. And wouldn't you know it, there was a pair of boys' trunk swim bottoms there and I was like, hot dog, let's get these and then maybe we can pass through the protocols at Les Bains de Couloubret tomorrow! Soaking in hot water was high on my list of things to do in Ax-les-Thermes. Cece had another two-piece swimsuit that we were pretty sure would work. So, you'll have to read the next post to see whether we were successful in our next attempt.

After Aldi, we came home and ate dinner and then went on a little tiny hike to the end of the block here (before Eric had to get on a Zoom call at 9 p.m. here), down an incredibly steep slope but on a trail that was clearly a trail. It was so overgrown, well, canopied, by trees that it was nearly dark, or dusk-like. We wanted to try again on that trail when we had more time, so that was also put on the to-do list for Wednesday--as was the kids and I taking the train to Toulouse, while Eric road-biked! The next entry will detail those adventures, all leading up to our departure from France on Thursday, when we fly from Barcelona to Munich.

I am not sure I have any profound insights to close this post with. I will say the kids are tearing through the books they brought, so in Toulouse, we have on our list an English-language book shop. More soon!