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thecarnivorousmuffinmeta · 5 months

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What do you think of Gus and Gale's relationship?

Personally, I like to think that Gus did have some degree of fondness for Gale, and that was one of the reasons why he was so angry when Walt had Jesse kill Gale.

Oh anon, I don't think they have much of one and we see that more or less in the show. Gale has very little idea what he's getting into and who exactly he's working with and Gus really only speaks to him when necessary.

I don't think any fondness was involved, Gus had other very good reasons to be very upset.

Gus's Perspective on Gale

Gus had hit the jackpot.

He found a PHD level chemist who is familiar with all the equipment he needs, who has a relatively clean record (beyond smoking weed in college and the like I'm sure), who is just an eccentric fellow who wants to do cool chemistry, get paid for it, and dabble in exciting things he shouldn't be doing without feeling any real risk.

Gale lives a quiet life, has no significant other who can talk sense into him/turn him in/turn him in a direction Gus doesn't like, he does his job earnestly and is a rule-abider when it comes to Gus's rules, and Gus will never ever have a problem with Gale.

Gale is exactly the sort of person Gus likes to do business with: clean in every other respect, unnoticed, and completely off the radar.

Gus doesn't care that he's not as good at Walt as making miracle meth, he just needs Gale to be good enough and better than everyone else (and if something unfortunate happened to Walt then that competitor is off the market anyway).

And then there's fucking Walter White.

On the very very very surface level, Walter White also looks like someone Gus would love to do business with. Walt certainly thinks so. Walt previously had a clean record, he's a middle aged white dude no one looks twice at, he is (in Walt's humble opinion) so smart and so much smarter than everyone else, and he makes the best meth around.

Trouble is it takes Gus 0.02 seconds to see that Walter is emotionally unstable, a huge risk taker when it comes to personnel (as at the time Gus takes one look at Jesse and goes "his second in command is an active meth addict???", he has a complex where he absolutely has to be the big man, and if Gus deals with him in any capacity then whatever Gus gains monetarily he'll lose out on by taking on huge amounts of risk.

Not to mention this guy was clearly involved in beef with the Salamancas and Gus wants to take care of those fuckers personally.

Gus decides to give Walt a trial run, but he never wants to deal with him in the long term, this is just to get Gale more cooperative and maybe get Gale up to speed on making meth that's as good as Walt's.

And then Walt fucking kills Gale.

Kills the golden goose that Gus has spent ages finding, that he was lucky to find, and now Gus is stuck with fucking Walt who just proved he'll kill key personnel of Gus's if he's in a panic. Which is why as soon as possible Gus starts looking into Jesse as a replacement for Walt.

The Gale thing was so upsetting for Gus not because it was Gale as a person, but because of what Gale represented to him as far as his business went and the fact that Walter just fucking kills him.

#breaking bad #breaking bad meta #breaking bad headcanon #gustavo fring #gale boetticher #walter white #meta #headcanon #opinion

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loadednachosao3 · 3 months

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Do you think Lalo was ever poor? Or it's a completely unrelatable person situation? Because for a rich kid he blends in very well.

it's an interesting idea... I personally have always figured the Salamancas were well-connected and rich by the time he was born, but... by my count, Hector was about 20 when Lalo was born. we can say that older Salamancas were already dealing drugs/in the cartel/from well-off families by then and it kept them comfortable until later when they became millionaires officially, but then again, in canon -- I know they don't digitally de-age, so this is a little unreliable, but let me cook -- Hector looked to be at least in his 40s-50s by the time the Eladio poolside scenes began. timelines are hard... whatever, work with me here.

we also know that the cartel didn't even start dealing the (more profitable) meth until after Gus joined up and convinced them to switch gears. they were dealing cocaine before, which, sure, the cartel would still be full of millionaires from that, but maybe their operation was smaller? less of it to go around?

so let's spin a yarn: if Lalo's family was poor until at least the age of 18 (when TD says he was shipped off to a "good school" in the US, which would require both visa and school money), what would that be like? I imagine his family was always involved with drugs in some form, be that using or dealing. users becoming dealers is not at all uncommon, after all.

so, little Lalo, not yet a cartel prince, family scraping by on drug money without being affiliated with any official organized criminal groups... he knows what it's like to want for more. knows exactly why, for example, Nacho joined up (and sees himself in him).

let's think. Lalo, maybe 15, dealing where he shouldn't because it's all he knows and he wants more money he can't get in his family's tiny little patch of unofficial "territory." business-smart even in those days -- little Lalo all holed up in the sparse libraries nearby, learning English just so he has more options to read about business and money and all that stuff.

the cartel in bcs was apparently built by Eladio and the Salamancas. maybe it was Eladio's family who was rich and well-connected, but the Salamancas who worked street-level as muscle and dealers. maybe Lalo is the reason. streetwise and book-smart kid running around, making schemes to muscle out the competition, catching the attention of Eladio's family, who had been dealing longer, more, still new, still without a huge grasp on the market, but they see potential with young Lalo Salamanca and his ruthless family.

maybe Lalo is the way he is because he NEEDED to be. smiling because you make friends and connections that way, hurting people because you get their money and (frightened) loyalty that way. going off to college a few years after his actions introduced his family to Eladio's. coming back to see that they're millionaires now. letting it get to his head because he was so instrumental in it. being resentful when Hector takes the lead and the credit. (you can stay at Casa Tranquila, tio. they have such good care!)

he doesn't want to go back to that early life of smoke-thick rooms and cigarette burns and drunk parents who would rent you out if it meant getting another hit. he doesn't ever want to feel what it's like to not be able to afford something ever again. to not get what he wants.

so what if Lalo isn't spoiled because he grew up a pampered cartel prince, but because he DIDN'T? because he thinks he deserves every penny he and his family have? because he's terrified of the idea of being destitute again? because if all it takes to be rich is a little ruthlessness, a little willingness to hurt people the way he was hurt, why should he ever try to act any other way?

but it comes out, his past, just a little, when he's playing poker with the guys, or chatting with a corner store clerk, or helping an abuela across the street. it comes out in the crinkle at the corners of his eyes, and his genuine laughter, and his relatable, friendly body language, everyone's friend, people pleaser, look at Lalo, he's so nice! you'd hardly even think he was born into the cartel (because he wasn't, because he never thought his life would turn out this way, because sometimes he wonders what it would be like if he had the chance to go back and rewrite history).

maybe this Lalo would understand why Nacho poisoned his uncle. maybe he'd see Manuel working hard for an honest life, and Nacho charmed by the cartel's dazzling facade, and empathize. maybe, if Nacho were to tell him about the blackmail, he wouldn't skin him alive. maybe he'd kiss him and tell him "I get it" and "I'm sorry" and maybe even "thank you." maybe he'd try to help Nacho get free, even if that meant sending him to Canada with his father and never, ever seeing him again. maybe that's the right thing to do.

maybe he doesn't want to do it, though, because he wants to keep getting what he wants. maybe he's selfish.

maybe that's okay.

WELL ANYWAY like I said, I tend to think of him as being born into wealth even without the cartel and being super spoiled because of that, but this certainly was fun to think of and ramble incoherently about! thanks, anon!

#ask tag #anonymous #lacho

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onyxhellebore · 8 months

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There was something almost suicidal in Gustavo Fring's choice to work with Walter White. He is and has been an incredibly careful man. He sees Walter's egomania and volatility. He is not a man who he would ever work with under ordinary circumstances.

But the vengeance that he has poured his whole life into has an expiration date. He wants revenge against the cartel, and against Hector Salamanca most of all. He wants to tear Hector's entire family and everyone he ever cared for away from him in his final confrontation. I think it would mean less to him if Hector died of natural causes before he could avenge himself upon him.

So, there is a deadline on his vengeance, one he does not know. He has to ramp up production, take over the market, and ice out the cartel from the region in order to engineer that final meeting.

Walter is a time bomb, he knows that, but he changes his mind because he hopes that he can contain him. At least, contain him long enough to get his revenge.

#gustavo fring #walter white #hector salamanca

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girlbloggerbae13 · 2 years

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Princesa Salamanca: Chapter 3

A/N: Ok, I'm SO SORRY this is so delayed. Finals were fucking crazy. Glad that semester is done with...anyways, SMUT SMUT SMUT in this one. Also, so sorry, but I fear a Nacho/Sarah/Lalo love triangle coming soon. Anyways, enjoy, and as always, let me know what you think!

Warnings: Smut, NSFW

Previous Chapter:

Chapter 3:

Sarah’s phone rang, and again, it wasn’t Lalo. She’s started wondering if he’s ever going to show, but she knows him. He’ll show, and if not for her, then for the family, right?

“Hola Ignacio. How are you feeling?”

“Hey, I’m supposed to let you know to head to El Michoacano. We have business to attend to,” Nacho says in a monotone voice, ignoring her question.

Sarah cocks an eyebrow. “You’re letting me know to head there. For a meeting. We have business? I didn’t know you liked me like that Nacho,” she teased.

Nacho was unamused, and he simply sighed before retorting, “Whatever, head there.”

I’m just trying to be friendly, she thought before hanging up without saying goodbye. Sarah slipped on a pair of her favorite black heels, thinking of her last night with Lalo, and made her way to her car. Once inside, she put on her favorite, Elvis, and lit a cigarette. Marlboro Lights, the prettiest pack on the market.

Singing along to Suspicious Minds, she pulls into the parking lot of El Michoacano. She turned off the car then stepped out, double checking that her gun was in its holster, snug against her thigh. Sarah swung open the door to the restaurant to see Nacho sitting, arms crossed, at his usual table, with a plate of familiar looking tacos in front of him. He cocked an eyebrow at her, and motioned for her to sit.

She heard singing coming from the kitchen, and immediately knew who it was. Paca paca paca in me caballo. Lalo was finally in town. She smiled to herself, then turned to Nacho.

“Lalo’s here?” Sarah asked the grumpy man sitting in the dining area of the restaurant.

Nacho nodded, and like he knew she was calling for him, Lalo walked out from behind the kitchen, smiling.

“Bem! Princesa! I wanted to surprise you.”

Sarah was grinning ear to ear, and she ran up to Lalo, practically jumping into his arms. She sunk her face into the crook of his neck and whispered, “I missed you.”

“Ay dios mio, ella bonita,” Lalo looked down at her with lustful eyes. His girl, his obedient girl, holding down the fort here in New Mexico. He cupped both sides of her face and kissed her. She giggled into the kiss, then leaned in with desperation, practically clawing at the satin shirt the Salamanca man was wearing.

Nacho coughed, already sick of whatever interaction was going on between this “Lalo” and the gringa.

The pair ignored the man briefly, and when Lalo finally pulled away (after deepening the kiss a little too much for the current setting), Sarah was still leaning into him and mumbled protests as her lips departed her husband’s.

“Lo siento, Ignacio, you have to understand, I haven’t seen my Sarah in what feels like forever,” Lalo said, feigning exasperation towards the younger man. “She keeps me young, you know?” Lalo leaned in towards Nacho, whispering, “You know what I mean.”

Nacho grimaced, Lalo smirked, and Sarah blushed, but the trio sat down to start discussing some more of that Salamanca family business. If Nacho thought Sarah was too eccentric, he was in for a treat with Eduardo.

After business was finished and done, Sarah was relieved to be able to go home with Lalo. She was practically itching under the table, aching for the older man. She always had that dangerous ache for him, and she always would. Lalo alleviated some of her frustration by sliding his hand up her skirt, though he was simply keeping a hand on her thigh to steady her anticipation.

Outside, Lalo pulled his girl away from her own car. “Come ride with me.” Of course, she listened.

In the car, she was able to unholster her gun. “Aye, put that in the back. You know I don’t like you having to carry those around. I’m here now, yeah? So no more of that,” Lalo instructed.

Sarah nodded silently, biting her lower lip. Lalo turned towards her. He tutted, then cupped her chin. “What are we going to have to do about you?” He lowered his voice, looking deep into her doe eyes. She was putty in his hands.

“The twins said you did so good while I was gone. So good for me, huh?” He knew the answer; he just liked to hear her say it. Sarah nodded. Lalo nodded back slowly as he ran his fingers through her hair. “Yeah, yeah you were.”

Sarah swallowed and took a deep breath. Lalo always did this, almost examining her in a way. Examining her loyalty, her love for him, her compliance. “Such a good girl for me.” Lalo pecked the tip of her nose, the unspoken sign of his approval. Almost childish in a way, a simple kiss pressed to the tip of her nose. It was innocent enough to praise her good behavior, but teased Sarah’s lips to keep her close and waiting for more.

And she always waited for more from Lalo. She did carry herself with confidence and poise, but when it came to him, that all went out the window. She would follow him, both happily and blindly, to the ends of the Earth.

“Ready to go home, mujercita?” Sarah nodded, and Lalo grabbed her hand as he drove away with the other.

Their home for the time being was a swanky set-up indeed, though nothing compared to her home with Lalo in Mexico. There, Sarah was able to be a guest and a homemaker at the same time, and all the while was living more lavishly than she could have ever dreamed.

Lalo parked and slowly (he was never in a rush, because Lalo knew he would get what he wanted no matter how long it took him) made his way to Sarah’s side of the car. He opened her door and held out a hand to gently usher her out of the car and up to the front door. Lalo guided her in front of him, placing his hand on the small of her back. He hummed quietly to himself as he pulled out the key.

Sarah was unconsciously tapping her foot. “In a rush, princesa? What’s so important inside?” Lalo teased, stepping closer to the woman.

She tried to deny her motivation, but the effort became a lost cause as Lalo backed her into the door. He kissed her, with more force than he used earlier in the restaurant. He was able to unlock the door without interrupting the moment, and he guided her back into the apartment. Sarah was already flustered, pulling Lalo towards her as soon as they stepped inside.

“Mmm, shhh,” he whispered, “I’m not going anywhere. You can slow down.”

He closed the door, locking it behind them, then turned back towards Sarah, who was looking apologetic. “I’m not upset, I know you missed me.” He spoke hushed. “You got no one taking care of you here, huh?”

Sarah’s once doe eyes turned to those of a siren. She bit her lower lip, breathing slowly. “Mmm-mmm. I need you.”

“Oh yeah?”

Sarah nodded, pouting.

“Please?” She was whispering now.

Lalo moved back into the kiss, one hand on her waist, though it was so large compared to her petite frame that it practically wrapped around her side, and the other hand in her hair, grasping for something to hold on to.

Sarah leaned into the kiss, grabbing back just as hungrily. Her hands were in his hair, then on his belt, then making their way under his soft satin shirt. Lalo lifted her so her legs were wrapped around his torso and carried her into the kitchen, setting her down on the counter. He kissed and sucked his way down to the bottom of her dress, then as she was pulling the black curls on his head and moaning small obscenities, Lalo stopped to look up at Sarah with a devilish grin. He started rubbing her through her pink panties. “That’s so cute, mi amor. Little pink panties with a pretty little bow.”

Lalo admired the wet spot already forming in her underwear. “It’s a shame you’re ruining them because of me.”

He scooted her hips slightly forward on the counter, earning a small squeak out of the younger woman. Lalo tutted quietly, then used both hands to slowly pull the panties off of Sarah’s body. She let out a breathy moan, her head leaned back into the cabinet. “Please, please, Lalo,” she pleaded.

Lalo chuckled to himself. The poor girl was in shambles, and he still had all of his clothes on. Ensuring to go slow, he kissed from her knees up to her heat. She was shaking. Lalo started on his girl, keeping the snail’s pace from before, sucking and kissing, and eventually, working his fingers close to her entrance.

Lalo, ever the showman, moved his mouth away from the girl, and instead started rubbing small circles on her clit. He could see that Sarah was arching her back, desperately, and he grabbed her face by her chin, making her meet his gaze. “Yeah?” He asked, smiling an arrogant smirk.

Not dropping the pleading expression, Sarah nodded again, and this time clawed at his hands, unable to physically ask for more.

He inserted two fingers into the girl, pumping slowly, but not averting eye contact. Sarah let a quiet moan escape her lips. He finally broke the gaze and moved his mouth back down to where it was needed most.

Lalo could tell that Sarah was about to come when she started grabbing at his hair, her legs started shaking uncontrollably, and she let out a string of whimpers. He stopped, abruptly, leaving the already shaken-up Sarah even more havocked. She tried pulling him closer.

“No, no, Lalo, I’m, I…please come back, I need–”

She quieted down as he stood up from his previously crouching position. He pushed out his lower lip, mocking the woman. “What you need, princesa, is someone to take care of you the right way. You’re acting like no one’s touched you in years, desperate and pleading for me.”

“I just missed you is all. I’ve been stuck here, just me and my imagination,” Sarah pouted, running her fingers over his hands on the side of her face.

Lalo cocked an eyebrow.

Sarah batted her eyelashes, giving the siren eyes again, always drawing the Salamanca back in. “You left me here. I had to touch myself, touch myself and think about you doing it for me.” Lalo looked at Sarah, lustful, only he was better at controlling his urges. She started sucking on his finger.

“How could I do that to my girl, hmm?” Lalo asked her with sarcasm. “How rude of me. I have to make it up to you now.”

“Mmm-hmm,” she said, still sucking on his finger, running her tongue over the pad of his fingertip.

He planned to take her to the bedroom, have a passionate and slow-burning night. But his girl was a needy brat, and Sarah needed Lalo, right there in the kitchen. Who was he to say no? He kissed her again, and now he was feeling desperate. She made quick work of the buttons on his shirt, then ran her hands over his chest and back as he took off the shirt, tossing it towards the fridge.

Sarah, still kissing Lalo, blindly reached for his belt. Before unbuckling, she rubbed him through his expensive slacks. He wasn’t one for being too nosy during sex, but something about Sarah’s confidence through the desperation was going to get him hook, line, and sinker every time.

Sarah felt Lalo getting even harder through his pants, and she smiled to herself. She unbuckled his belt and unzipped him. He quickly kicked off his pants. Sarah was moaning just from touching him. Lalo teased her with his fingers. “All this for me? Ay dios mio, tan mojado, princesa. I need to take care of you, yeah?”

Sarah simply moaned in response, and Lalo moved to remove his boxers. Sarah gulped, seeing his hard cock in front of her. He smiled at her, and held himself at her entrance for a moment before slowly pushing in.

Just like every time before, Sarah clutched onto Lalo’s shoulders as he started fucking her. She pulled him close to her, snaking one arm under his, but clutching onto his shoulder, and the other arm wrapped closer to his head, holding onto his hair for support. She breathed out, slowly, as she did every time, adjusting herself to accommodate his size.

Once Lalo noticed the petite frame on the counter in front of him relaxing into the crook of his neck, he picked up the pace, and Sarah’s grip tightened. She tossed her head back, but bit her lip to keep her voice down.

“Fucking…princesa, so tight…no one’s been taking care of you, mm?”

“Uh-uh,” Sarah responded through her teeth, trying to keep herself from being overstimulated by the man whose touch she had been deprived of for way too long.

Lalo picked up the pace, gripping Sarah’s hip and neck, one hand on each. “I’m gonna have to fix that.”

Sarah softly sunk her teeth into Lalo’s left shoulder. “Please,” she breathily moaned, “please don’t stop, Lalo.”

He didn’t. As she pressed herself closer to him, he only grabbed her more. His thrusts were getting sloppy, and he could tell Sarah was getting close, too.

“Hey, hey,” Lalo whispered in between grunts. “No one’s here, you can be as loud as you need.”

Sarah briefly made eye contact with the man that had her in this trance.

“Yeah?” Lalo asked. “You gonna come, right here?”

He kept fucking her, hard, and after being given the go-ahead, Sarah stopped muting herself. “Lalo…oh, there, there…”

She was close. Once he felt her tensing up around him, he started sucking and nibbling at her neck, telling her, “Let go, princesa.”

Her whole body shook as she came around him. “Fuck, fuck…mm-hmm…”

She gasped, still clawing at him, and as she rode through her orgasm, he only whispered to her, “Good girl… buena…”

Sarah grabbed at Lalo’s head again, “Your good girl…I’m your good girl,” she said quietly, still moaning and shaking.

That sent the man over the edge, and he lost control of his thrusts, coming inside her, filling her up. He had a thing for that, seeing Sarah so cock-drunk and needing every last piece of him. She was the one that originally begged him to come inside her.

Lalo grunted lowly, almost growling, into her ear, still choking her. She was still arching her back, now trying to open herself more so Lalo could come deep inside her, which almost sent Sarah into a second orgasm.

As Lalo finished spilling into her, he grabbed her hips on both sides, pushing himself as deep as possible. “Fuck, fuck…muy chingón.”

Sarah gasped, whining at the overstimulation, but when Lalo pulled out, she was left whining at the lack of stimulation.

“Oh, I know, I know,” Lalo spoke in a hushed, comforting tone. “You want more, hmm? Una niña tan obediente…” The man moved her hair out of her face. “So good to me, princesa, such a dirty girl for me.”

Sarah nuzzled into Lalo’s neck, kissing him every so often.

“Such a good girl. My pretty girl.”

He pulled her face out of the crook of her neck to kiss her forehead, then her nose, once more validating Sarah. “Now, let’s get you cleaned up, yeah?”

#lalo salamanca x reader #lalo salamanca #lalo x reader #lalo salamanca fanfic #ignacio varga x reader #ignacio varga #nacho varga x reader #nacho varga x reader x lalo salamanca #love triangle #bcs fanfic #tony dalton x reader #tony dalton #michael mando #bcs smut #breaking bad #jimmy mcgill #better call saul #bcs #dom!lalo salamanca

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mygainyear2024 · 6 months

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Day 1 Lisbon in 32,729 steps

Oh my! I am feeling weary after a big day of walking. I slow climbed into a hot bath when I returned at about 8.30pm.

The weather was not as cool as I anticipated, a lovely high of 17° and only a little sprinkle of rain at around 5pm.

I started the day at the hotel buffet and had my first Pastel de nata. It actually tasted quite good, but I do understand why the one I had later in the day at Manteigaria was award winning. It was served warm and the pastry was lighter and the filling creamier. It may have helped that I purchased a shot of Espinheira with it (it was basically "I'll have what she's having"!)

I first walked to the glamorous El Corte Inglés department store to see what the fuss might be about. I ended up using the WC and buying a bottle of water! I'm thinking the summer sales will be on when I return to Lisbon at the end of May and my suitcase might be a bit lighter.

I then headed up and down a few hills to a recommended cafe, Comoba, for a local latte (galão) before moving onto lunch at Time Out Market Lisboa for lunch. The codfish croquette was recommended at Croqueteria. It was the tastier of the three I had (cuttlefish with squid ink and tuna were the other two), with a side of sweet potato crisps, creamed spinach and a glass of rose for €12. I met Mary and Elaine from Kentucky (now retired, but former work colleagues) who were sitting beside me also trying to work out the process for ordering. They are on a short trip, river cruise up the Duoro River to Salamanca, Spain and return. Elaine totally got me when I mentioned my "gap" years, particularly the one sans men. And they reported they were very happily retired (although Elaine did say she was volunteering for 15 hours per week). They seemed to also keep themselves occupied with several short overseas holidays.

For the afternoon I'd pre-booked the 2.5+ hour Sandemans New Europe walking tour with Nuno (originally from the north of Portugal, he moved to Lisbon in 2012 to pursue acting). The itinerary included the central district of Bairro Alto and a visit to the oldest bookstore in the world (Bertrand), several cool views of Lisbon, including from the Santa Justa Elevator, a history lesson on the Great Earthquake of 1755 and the intriguing story of the peaceful Carnation Revolution and the end of the dictatorship on 24th April 1974 and lots of food recommendations.

I ended the evening with dinner at Sebastião, pre-booked on the Fork app. I ate a whole roasted octopus (the waiter assured me it was ok to eat everything) with sautéed turnip tops and sweet potato. It was a large meal and quite tasty (aside from a couple of gritty bits), served with a lovely glass of red he recommended that wasn't on the menu. The waiter also gave me a very basic Portugese language lesson, apparently it's mostly a nasal language and the words I have been using are all a bit wrong. Bring on those classes this week in Alvor.

My favourite human contact today was with Mary and Elaine from Kentucky.

Best food - definitely the Pastel de Nata at Confeitaria da Gloria.

Best beverage - the latte at Comoba.

Most interesting story - the Carnation Revolution and how recent that really was and Nuno's perspective that over the past 10 years "Portugal" is acknowledging and taking responsibility for all the wrong doings from the past and changing the language to describe this, eg instead of "slave trading" saying "human trafficking".

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jackredfieldwasmyjacob · 1 year

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TOP 10 FAVOURITE MADRID STATIONS

today, for madrid day (may 2nd), i'm doing my top 10 favourite madrid metro / train stations !!! as you would imagine this is gonna be very subjective and honestly i could've done it even more personal to me but i didn't wan to dox myself too much <3

anyways, everything will be below the cut, hope you like it :)

10. RECOLETOS (C1, C2, C7, C8, C10)

recoletos is just a stop away from atocha, and it's located at the start of the salamanca district (in the recoletos barrio), the wealthiest and fanciest part of the city, but just close enough from the city center where you are next to a lot of important stuff. personally, i've been here multiple times mostly to visit the national archaeological museum, which shares building with the national library, just opposite of the station [right pic]. it also has one of the prettiest boulevards in the city, paseo de recoletos [left pic], that goes from colón square to cibeles square, and is always super full of live. i love walking from it to the banco de españa metro stop, in cibeles, it's super pretty!!!!

9. PLAZA DE ESPAÑA (METRO LINE 3, LINE 10)

plaza de españa, or, in the madrileño dialect 'plazajpaña', is one of the main reunion points in the city. a ton of teens hang out here and, in fact, it's known as a meeting point for emo, otaku, and k-pop kids. needless to say, i used to come here a lot when i was younger, and even now when i hang out with my uni friends we meet up here. there was a very dramatic reformation of the square from 2019 to 2021 [see left vs right], which i absolutely hate cause it removed almost all green spaces. the only thing that remains of the original square is the don quijote monument, which honestly is pretty good, i really like it!! also, that big ass building you can see in all three pics is the edificio españa, and at one point was the tallest building in the country! it still serves as a good guiding point when you want to return here, i've used it a lot of times myself. here the largest and busiest street in the city starts, gran vía, and there's also some busy and well-known streets that start here like princesa street or my most visited one (alongside gran vía), leganitos street, full of asian restaurants and supermarkets (again. otakus and k-popers). it's also the closest station to the temple of debod, my favourite part of the city so if you know me irl you've probably been here with me lol

8. NUEVOS MINISTERIOS (METRO LINE 6, LINE 8, & LINE 10; CERCANÍAS C1, C2, C3, C3a, C4, C7, C8, C10)

i have a love-hate relationship with this station, and everyone that has used it might have similar feelings i think. so, nuevos ministerios is one of the main transportation hubs of the city, specially in regards to trains, as you can see above. in fact, i had to go here every year while i was in college, cause the only way to get to campus was by the C4 train line and nuevos ministerios is in my most-used metro line (line 10), so i always switched between metro and train here. which was not great. nuevos ministerios is notoriously one of the most confusing stations in the city; and i got lost several times despite using it every single day. but, honestly? that's what kept me humble. every day was an adventure in nuevos ministerios <3

no but really, i grew to love it. it's located right in the business hub of the city, in fact just outside of it is AZCA [left pic], the closest thing to a CBD madrid has (alongside las cuatro torres). it is also on the paseo de la castellana, one of the main arteries of the city and where a lot of offices are located [right pic]. i've been around this station tons of times, either going to my middle egyptian classes after uni that were located 10 minutes away from nuevos ministerios, admiring the christmas market in december, being stressed going to a job interview, or buying last-minute gifts in the shopping center in AZCA. i don't think i could hate it even if i really want to. she's my nemesis, but she made me who i am.

7. TRIBUNAL (METRO LINE 1, LINE 10)

tribunal is probably the most popular station, especially among young people. it is located in the center, in the university barrio, right in the middle of fuencarral street [left pic], which is the most hip and popular street for young people and has a sorta hipstery vibe with it. it also runs through the malasaña and chueca barrios, respectively the arts/counter-culture and LGBT hubs of the city, so once again. i think you can pick up the vibes. the buildings here are super pretty and i think tribunal constitutes the center of the places where people from madrid like to hang out, instead of tourists. outside of tribunal station is the madrid history museum [right], a pretty nice and underrated museum with an absolutely insane façade. one of my favourite museums, the museum of romanticism, is also pretty close, and i've been to both multiple times, can't recommend them enough!

6. ALUCHE (METRO LINE 5, CERCANÍAS C5):

aluche is so so special to me. so, aluche station is the center of aluche barrio, in the latina district. latina is one of the poorest districts in the city, but this is pretty normal; most outer districts are more poor than the central ones. it is also a pretty accurate depiction of what a normal barrio looks like, where most people of madrid live. i regularly go here cause it's my closest train station, and more than aluche, i have friends from different barrios of latina and have been to a lot of places here pretty regularly, so latina is like a friend to me. and aluche station is the crown jewel, she's never failed me once, 10/10 no notes <3

5. ATOCHA (ALL CERCANÍAS LINES):

you know this one was coming. atocha is the largest and most important train station in the country. not only all local train lines go through here, but most long-distance trains start here. if you take a train to madrid, this'll probably be your first taste of the city. it is also in a really good spot; i've gone to protests here, to pride, to women's day rallys, to the nearby reina sofía museum [right pic], home of 20th century art like picasso's guernica; to the unesco world heritage paseo del prado and the prado museum, the largest in the country; to the caixaforum, a smaller museum with temporal expos; to the royal botanical garden; to the retiro park... as you can see, you can find practically anything here, it's a great starting point. and i haven't even mentioned the national anthropology museum, the thyssen-bornemisza museum, the best barrio of the city aka the barrio de las letras (where tons of writers have historically lived and where different verses and quotes can be found engraved into the sidewalks), or the fact that inside atocha station you can find a tropical garden with turtles and fish [left pic]. honestly she's the best girl, i love her.

4. MONCLOA (METRO LINE 3, LINE 6)

moncloa is probably my most used station right now. it is the main bus hub in western madrid, and it's located just outside of ciudad universitaria (university city), where the main university campus of the city is located. this makes it extremely popular with the young crowd, and it's right next to argüelles, one of the main party areas of the city. i used to walk to class from here during my master's, i still do it when i have to go get a book from the library, and it's always a delight to cross the parque del oeste (most underrated park of the city imo) [right pic], i have so many good memories listening to music through that area, it's one of my safe spaces. it's also the meeting point of me and my closest friends everytime we hang out in madrid, so we always end up hanging out around here. again; it's probably my most used station right now. also, just as plaza de españa is notoriously an otaku and k-poper hangout, moncloa is famous for the 'pijos de moncloa', posh students of the private catholic university CEU san pablo that are always there and usually contrast a lot with the rest of students (especially the arts and humanities ones!). in moncloa you can also find the faro de moncloa, an observation deck of the whole city [left pic], tho i've never been there (i'm scared of heights okay). princesa street also starts here. oh! and outside the station there's the arco de la victoria. i almost forgot about it.

3. ÓPERA (METRO LINE 2, LINE 5, AND RAMAL)

ópera is the best well-placed station if you want to show someone around the city i think, and it leads you straight to the busiest but also prettiest parts of the city so it was an easy choice. also the ramal!!! y'all know how much do i love the ramal <3 so yeah, ópera is right outside of the royal theatre, and by the plaza de oriente, the hedged square next to the royal palace. even though i fundamentally disagree with monarchy, it's a really beautiful area, honestly. also, sunsets by the palace are !!!!! the almudena cathedral is also there but eh. it's not great. also, on the other side of ópera station is arenal street, a super pretty street with iconic locales like that one makeshift bookshop i always see every couple of months in this website, or the chocolatería san ginés, that allegedly has the best chocolate con churros of the city. also, arenal street ends in puerta del sol, which is literally the center of the city. like you couldn't go more center than sol. so yeah. great place, great station, 10/10.

2. RETIRO (METRO LINE 2)

a station that has been covered in vinyls of trees and nature and has an exit right in the middle of the retiro park aka a unesco world heritage site that acts as the main park of the city (like hyde park or central park)???? of course i was gonna love it. i love retiro park with all my heart, it's one of my favourite areas of the city, and it has my favourite event of the year, the book fair !!! apart from the park, just outside retiro station is the puerta de alcalá, madrid's most iconic monument that has a sick song about it. i don't have anything else to add. just. 💞retiro 💞

PRINCIPE PÍO (METRO LINE 10, LINE 6, AND RAMAL; AND CERCANÍAS C1, C7, C10)

she means so much to me... príncipe pío is one of the largest stations in madrid, and is a transportation hub of metro, train, and bus (she's got everything!!) there's a shopping mall inside the station [left pic], and it's one of the starting points of madrid río [right pic], a sprawling area next to the manzanares river. it's very convenient for me to get there, so i've met up with tons of friends here that have made this place even more special, and i've also used it as a desperate place to get something to eat after or before a concert / musical with my sister and / or cousin, or as a way to get to a concert in la riviera, a famous concert venue in madrid río. also, just outside the station is the puerta de san vicente and the campo del moro (the gardens of the royal palace), and it's also not too far from my belovedest temple of debod; i usually start at plaza de españa and end up here or vice versa. in conclusion, príncipe pío is the best station (i almost forgot the ramal!!!) and i wouldn't be anything without her. she's my friend and she's my whole world. i love her with all my heart <3

#madrid #metro #stations #this ended up way too long i'm so sorry #anyways. this was fun!#hope you enjoy it!

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starbuck · 2 years

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SO, as my fellow BrBaBCS friends may remember, it’s been my theory ever since I started rewatching BrBa that the timing of the DEA going after Tuco RIGHT after he started selling Walt’s supermeth was too coincidental to be true… that it would make sense if Gus was somehow involved considering he was about to secretly launch his own meth business and did NOT want competition from the cartel and ESPECIALLY not a Salamanca.

Eventually though, this theory seemed to be proven false by my being reminded that the DEA found Tuco’s bloody fingerprint on No Doze’s body, giving them a perfectly legitimate excuse to go after Tuco without any outside involvement necessary. That’s what I *thought*… But then this morning I realized that I had overlooked one crucial detail: HOW did the DEA find No Doze and Gonzo’s bodies so quickly in the first place?

They were tucked away in a junkyard SO secluded that a man could be murdered in broad daylight with no one taking notice, but I’m supposed to believe that some random person found Gonzo RIGHT after he died and reported this not just to the police, but to the DEA? A likely story… Instead, let me tell you another story…

Tuco had already been selling Walt’s meth for at least a week prior to the junkyard sale… A new, super-potent strain of meth goes on the market in the ABQ territory and OBVIOUSLY Gus is gonna take notice and be displeased. So what does he do? Well, first he’s gotta figure out where Tuco is getting it from. He has someone (probably Mike) follow Tuco to the junkyard sale and watch the whole thing with binoculars from a distance. He watches Tuco murder No Doze and dispose of his body. Interesting. They’ll put a pin in that. In the meantime, they’ve gotta figure out who these guys Tuco got the blue meth from are.

Canonically, Walt and Jesse are both spied on in the days following the junkyard sale and both assume the culprit to be Tuco, however, I went back and checked and was validated by the fact that, as expected, the car that pulls away from Walt’s house in 2x01 is NOT the same car that Tuco drove to the junkyard. Additionally, Tuco seems surprised to learn Walt’s real name and that he has a family in the following episode, things which shouldn’t have surprised him if he had already been spying on Walt’s home. No, I think a better explanation for all of that was that it was Gus’ guys scoping out the competition (but also happy to let Walt and Jesse THINK it was Tuco because anything to make that relationship more fraught than it already was is to their benefit).

And so that all brings us to the question of who tipped off the DEA… Just as Gus had guys watching Walt and Jesse, someone also must have tailed Gonzo back to the junkyard, watched him die, and, with Tuco now entirely defenseless, decided that this was the moment to strike. They left an anonymous tip with the DEA and then let the law do the rest of the work for them. The way things ultimately went down for Tuco was obviously unplanned… I’m sure the original plan was just to have him imprisoned again, but I can’t imagine that Gus was too unhappy about Tuco’s death, even if he didn’t exactly orchestrate it himself.

This is all heavy conjecture, obviously, but I think it makes sense and I like how this reading lets it mirror Tuco’s going to prison in BCS where, on the face of it, it’s Tuco’s own inability to control his temper fucking him over, but, in truth, he’s also being set up by outside forces he has no knowledge of. Really adds to the tragedy of it all, in my opinion.

#tuco salamanca #the tuco tag always needs more posts so i’m giving it a present #breaking bad #i’m still like. i can’t BELIEVE i never thought about this before #and - for the record - i don’t care if this is ‘actually true’ or not #i do absolutely believe that it was Gus spying on Walt and Jesse in 2x01 and not Tuco #but otherwise i’m 100% content to just let this all be my little pet theory #i do not require authorial validation… it’s true in my brain because i decided it is #i ALSO still enjoy the idea that Bolsa and Eladio also wanted Tuco dead and that Gus secretly had their blessing to do Whatever #either because Eladio felt threatened by Tuco taking on such a profitable deal without running it by him first #or that nobody trusted him with that much power #and meanwhile Gus had his own motivations and was like :)))))))))))))#i just like the idea of the cartel eating itself alive #and it also adds credence to my Bolsa Is A Fake Bitch thing #which - again - is true regardless but this Adds To It #i like that - again - you can draw parallels between BCS where he’s like ‘Hector we obviously respect you so much’#and then after Hector’s stroke he’s like ‘he totally deserved that amirite? lol’#vs. him telling Hector and the twins that their revenge is VERY important to him and the cartel as a whole #while he secretly had given his blessing to Tuco’s demise #it’s all just *chef’s kiss* excellent tragedy all around #anyways i’m very tired so i’m done for now #but feel free to talk to me about this and i can say more in the morning #brba #long post

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alpinefury · 1 year

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Free City of New Salamanca

New Salamanca is a port city on the southern coast of North Hesperida, originally founded in the early 17th century by Castilians.

New Salamanca occupies a crucial position on the lower Mishisipone river, representing the last port on the river navigable by heavy draft ships. Almost all goods trafficked down the length of the Mishisipone river eventually make their way here. It is the only European founded city on the Gulf of Hesperida's entire northern coast.

Should one find oneself in New Salamanca it is very easy to eat well there. It is a favoured port of call for many Hesperidine and European vessels, with well stocked markets featuring all sorts of provender from across the Hesperides, but the wider regio of New Salamanca and its allies is also well provisioned, not only with maize and prodigious hauls of seafood, but also with rice, hesperidine grape, and batat nuts, among many others. The city's 'abiernas do their best to combine the multitude of culinary influences mixing in New Salamanca, to great success.

The site upon which New Salamanca presently sits was formerly a boundary between at least two Hesperidine nations, which according to local legend and backwater history was marked with a standing red pole, a practice sometime associated with the Mascogine speaking peoples. The Mishisipone river itself is a great artery that links the very heart of North Hesperida with its south-eastern coast, and there is plentiful evidence of contact and trade between the cultures along its banks long before Europeans ever set foot upon the continent. The great Mantac mound to modern New Salamanca's west was already built in this earlier period.

Thus, though no city occupied what would become New Salamanca, the region was certainly no empty quarter beforehand, but a rich, well managed landscape, whose peoples held complex court. That the city was founded at all was only due to the largesse of the Hesperidine peoples of the region, in part due to the sorry state of those who sought to settle there. And the story of those settlers had been very sorry indeed.

During King Juan IV's reign in Castile a somewhat ill-considered scheme was hatched to both leech some of Castile's domestic turmoil and increase the kingdom's prestige when reckoned against its neighbour, and rival, the Crown of Aragon. Goffredo d'Escors, the expedition's commander, was only given limited resources, as King Juan didn't want to give the impression of an armed expedition directed against Aragon. This was the inauspicious start to what soon became a complete misadventure. After a series of disasters, including being fired upon by Kuban coastal batteries, the arrival of d'Escors' bedraggled survivors into the mouth of the Mishisipone delta in April 1612 was the only good stroke of fortune they had experienced.

There was never any question of the new arrivals attempting to conquer or otherwise subjugate their Hesperidine rescuers. Whilst the expedition's gratitude towards their new neighbours was genuine, particularly after the Citimasha people not only helped to feed the starving Castilians but showed them how to grow Hesperidine crops, any remaining temptation to become a latter day Alexander was snuffed out by the twelve years it took for any Castilian ship to find them. New arrivals soon started to trickle into New Salamanca, little more than a palisaded village at this time. These new arrivals did not only come from Castile. New Salamanca's relative isolation, coupled with Castile's hands-off governance, made it an ideal destination for certain Europeans fleeing religious persecution or other forms of hardship.

A substantial number of the original founders of New Salamanca had married into local Hesperidine nations, and more than a few of the new arrivals did the same. Martim de Sousa, a Portuguese trader said in 1638, that he recognised very little in the developing settlement as 'evoking a purely Christian character'. This was meant to be an invective against New Salamanca, but it accurately reflected both its principles of religious toleration and cultural diversity. Indeed, New Salamanca was increasingly untethered from Castile, who had provided the colony with only intermittent financial support. This resulted in the growing settlement briefly soliciting Aragonese financial interest, which allowed New Salamanca to complete its first stone fortifications in 1645. Whilst this resulted in Castile banning Aragonese traders from New Salamanca in retaliation, it succeeded in its short term aim of acquiring resources for the town, and in drawing loose Castile's purse strings, at least for a time.

When Castile's attention and finances were inevitably drawn elsewhere once more in the 1660s, New Salamanca turned to another, somewhat unlikely backer; the United Commonwealths. New Salamanca's religious tolerance aligned with the principles of the U.C, but the latter had spent much of the past century preying on Catholic-owned colonies, and New Salamanca was still at least a nominal demesne of the King of Castile. However, the U.C was in no position to maintain any kind of garrison or governance over the city. Backing the city's continued quasi-independence and seeing how the dice fell was a more promising enterprise. This secured the city's mercantile future, but also enabled the purchase of a few obsolete warships. These ships' nominal purpose was the prevention of piracy, but they also decreased the city's nominal dependence on the king of Castile yet further.

Matters would come to a head in 1686. King Bermudo IV was facing a Castilian financial crisis that threw the New Salamanca situation into sharp relief. Either the crown had to restore a Castilian monopoly on the city, due to the proportion of its trade ending up in other European states, or abandon the expensive ambition of the colony altogether. King Bermudo made his choice, and sent an armed expedition under the command of Roque de Menga. This was the first time Castile had ever attempted to mount a cross-continental military expedition, with predictably disastrous results. The expedition, its forces much reduced by disease and one sunken ship, was forced to make for the Aragonese port of La Mercè on Nema island. The Aragonese governor, Ferran Geribert, essentially strongarmed de Menga into accepting Aragonese 'assistance', which would have likely led to New Salamanca passing into the hands of the Aragonese crown.

However, New Salamanca had not been idle in the intervening years. New Salamanca had further fortified the Mishisipone Delta. Its batteries and small navy were enough to prevent any realistic attempt at a sea-led assault. It had also begun to conduct formal treaties of defense, at times even alliance, with many neighbouring Hesperidine peoples, most of whom already had friendly relations with the city. Those Aragonese-Castilian forces that landed on the coast found themselves under near constant arrow and musket fire. The invaders found themselves forced to retreat within an hour, leaving numerous casualties behind them. Among them was Ferran Geribert. His death was was the harbinger of a revolt against Aragonese rule on Nema within less than a month.

The battle marked the beginning of de facto independence for New Salamanca, along with the foundation of the Mishisipone Confederacy. The Castilian crown could not simply keep throwing expensive expeditions across the Atlantic in the hopes of recapturing what was, at the end of it all, simply one successful merchant town. New Salamanca's independence was formally recognised in 1697 in the same Treaty of Lorraine that brought Europe's Wars of Religion to their end. It was the first European-founded settlement to have its independence diplomatically recognised in such a fashion. It would not be the last.

Whilst New Salamanca remains free to conduct its own foreign affairs, it is also a component of the Mishisipone Confederacy, acting as the Confederacy's main commercial hub and sometime political capital. As trade along the Mishisipone has increased over the past century and a half, so also has it increased across the Atlantic, not only between the Hesperides and Europe but between the Hesperides and most other continents of the world. New Salamanca gained its independence as a bustling market town, but has become a substantial city every bit the equal of its European peers. Both the city and the Confederacy have grown prosperous and powerful, and are now a crucial component of the Haudenosaunee's diplomatic wall arrayed against any newly introduced European 'interest' in North Hesperida (and, where possible, the Hesperides as a whole). New Salamanca has recently become a major exporter of Japanese goods. These originate from the Tokugawa possessions on the west coast of North Hesperida, officially termed Koganeyama Domain by the shogunate. These include both the growing agricultural bounty of Koganeyama proper and Japanese textiles. This has added yet further to the complex cultural layers that make up New Salamanca's population. The city is also home to the largest Jewish population in the Hesperides, the only Hussite knightly order to have arisen from the Iberian peninsula, and the largest urban population of indigenous Hesperidines north of Meshiko.

#alternate history #worldbuilding #lore

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tasview · 4 months

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People watching

Yet another post of candid shots from the hip of random visitors to Hobart’s Salamanca Market. Olympus PEN-F, 14-150mm F4.0-5.6 II lens. If you have gotten curious what these people I’ve photographed are looking at, artwork and sculptures created by Dee MooPoo, (pictured out of focus in the foreground in the shot above). Thanks to everyone who mostly unknowingly participated in my recent series…

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#faces #Hobart #mono #People #portrait #Salamanca Market #street photography #Tasmania

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bergens-adventure-tours · 2 years

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Week 1: February 12th-19th, 2023 // First Week Down Under; Time to revive the old blog…

Well, I made it!! Managed to stay sane during 32hours of travel time, got to experience running through the airport for fear of missing my next flight, read 1.5 books, slept 8+ hours, and survived my first Australian spider encounter!

I had my first full day on the 15th in Hobart, Tasmania, and it was truly such an incredible way to start off my trip! My friend Alissa took me all around town while she ran some errands – got myself a phone number and bank account set up, checked out the local climbing gym (it’s 3 floors with the absolute coolest set ups!), explored the multitude of outdoor stores all in just a 2 block radius (I’m convinced DT Hobart is at least 25% outdoor stores), and visited one of the local zero waste stores (where I also got told to apply to their location…might land a job sooner than expected lol).

First full day also included getting Peg, my new home on wheels!! A 2003 Kia Pregio that has been given a lot of love and been on many adventures already; still got lots of adventuring left in her. She’s pretty minimal right now, so while I’m staying in Tassie for the next couple months I’ll be getting her set up for my adventures on the mainland.

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The 17th was a pinnacle day for me because it involved some trials and tribulations… braving the Aussie roads in the middle of the day completely solo… That was an adventure in and of itself but I managed to get “petrol” (they look at you funny when you call it gas lol), go to a thrift store (up a very steep hill – involved practicing using the e-brake to start + not roll backwards lol) to get some things for the van, and my first Aussie beach – Kingston Beach! It was a HOT day (35˚C) so swimming was very much necessary, and I was pleasantly surprised to learn that Tassie waters are actually quite cold! Like Vancouver cold… I’ve also learned that the weather + temperature changes more frequently in a day than it does in Vancouver, so if you thought figuring out how to dress for a day in Canada was hard, just come to Hobart haha.

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Some other fun notable things from this week included getting back on the yoga mat for the first time in a month, bouldering at the local climbing gym, meeting a bunch of Alissa’s friends at one of their house warming parties, big 5-hour round trip to a nearby town to pick up some things for Alissa (lots of highway practice), and visiting a cute market called the Salamanca Market that happens every Saturday.

This upcoming week is going to involve some camping and first time taking the van out for a proper mini adventure, so I’m really looking forward to spending some time really getting to know her and begin drafting up plans to make her more my own!

Stay passionate and curious, Hunter♡

02/19/2023

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anonsally · 2 years

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Days 3-5 of Australia vacation: Hobart

On Day 3, we got up early and discovered (to my utter amazement) that showing up at the airport just over an hour before departure for a domestic flight in Australia left ample time for shopping in the terminal even after we had some difficulty with self-checking our luggage.

I enjoyed having free wifi and snacks on the short flight, too, and I loved the view out the window during the descent. Tasmania is gorgeous from above!

We landed in Hobart mid-morning. The airport was a bit of a zoo, but we eventually set out in a giant rental car (to fit the four of us and all our luggage).

The vacation rental was a fairly spacious apartment with inadequate towels and pillows as well as bathrooms that were in desperate need of being redone.

We left our luggage and then drove into town, where we ate lunch sitting outside at a cafe. Despite the urban surroundings, I spotted a bird on a wire and, after looking at it in my binoculars, ascertained that it was a Green Rosella. Not only was this a new bird for me, but it's endemic to Tasmania--it can't be seen anywhere else! So that was an auspicious start to my Tasmanian birdwatching.

Brother-In-Law gave me a ride partway up the mountain on the edge of town (kunanyi/Mt. Wellington) to the trailhead for Fern Glade Track; then he went back to town to hang out with Wife and Sister-In-Law. I had a really nice little hike. I was on the trail for nearly 3 hours, but only went a little over 2 miles. My stated goal was to find a pink robin, but I despaired of that fairly soon as I wasn't familiar with any of the local birds yet and didn't even really know where to look, just that this was the right sort of habitat. I had studied their song and at one point thought perhaps I heard one, but I couldn't locate it. Still, it was a nice hike, and I spotted wallabies a couple of times. I also did see a few birds: a yellow wattlebird, several Tasmanian scrubwrens, a black currawong (which makes a hilarious and distinctive sound), a (probable) scrubtit, and a (probable) Tasmanian thornbill--all of which are endemic! And I heard forest ravens but didn't spot them. Actually, I heard a lot of birdsong but couldn't find the birds, and was extremely disappointed to discover that Merlin's sound ID function doesn't work in Australia.

I rushed back to the road in time to catch the once-per-hour bus back to town. I did not have the correct change for the fare, but the driver just let me ride anyway. Phew.

I met the others at a restaurant on the water and we had drinks and dinner there.

On Day 4, Wife and I had slept really poorly and were too tired to go through with the original plan, so my in-laws went wine tasting and then visited Port Arthur without us. Wife and I took a little walk along the water and saw some sea anemones. And later, I did manage to do a very productive 2-mile, 2.5-hour bird walk around the beach and park near the flat. I spotted lots of new birds: some masked lapwings with their adorable fledglings, a little wattlebird, musk lorikeets, eastern rosellas, sulphur-crested cockatoos (some of which were playing acrobatically in the wind, including flipping upside down), a long-billed corella, galahs, a black-faced cormorant, kelp gulls (Tasmania only has 3 kinds of gull and they're sufficiently different that I was able to identify all of them), and --less excitingly-- some Eurasian blackbirds.

Eventually we all went for a delicious dinner together at an Asian fusion restaurant, and then went to an ice cream boat (Van Diemens Land Creamery) for dessert. We stood under an awning to eat our ice creams in the rain.

On Day 5, we visited the Salamanca Markets in the morning. It was very crowded (Hobart was busy because it was high tourist season in general (holidays, summer) and because the Sydney-Hobart yacht race was going on or possibly ending), but there were some interesting things for sale and also some fun food. I enjoyed a fried potato helix on a stick, which Brother-In-Law informed me was very standard outdoor festival food!

Then we drove to MONA, the Museum of Old and New Art. This is... a very weird museum. The very eccentric owner David Walsh (a mathematician who used his skills to win a lot of money at casinos?) had it built to show his private art collection. We were there for several hours and didn't see all of it, but there was a lot of interesting stuff and the architecture was also good. It's mostly underground. There was a huge exhibition of works by Tomás Saraceno, an artist whose work I've seen some of before. These included a few about air pollution, of which I liked "We Do Not All Breathe The Same Air" best, and an installation called "A Thermodynamic Imaginary" which was astronomy-inspired. In the permanent collection, my favorite was perhaps "Kryptos" by Brigita Ozolins.

There was also a piece called "4PM" by Dean Stevenson, which was a performance; he's a composer and every day he has to compose something because a quartet is going to perform at 4pm whatever he wrote that day. It might be short, but it has to be something!

We were pretty exhausted after that. We had seen Tasmanian nativehens (another endemic!) in the adjacent vineyards when we arrived, and saw them again when we left. We went back home to have some downtime (and a cocktail) before returning to MONA for an outdoor music festival for New Year's Eve. That was pretty fun. We were lucky that it was unusually warm that day and evening. The music was mixed--my favorite band was actually the punk band (Liquid Nails?) that played around midnight--but the setting was nice. It was not too crowded yet also felt like we were out doing something for New Year's Eve, which I don't often do. We ate, had a few drinks, admired the stars, lounged about, explored a little. There was a playground, and I found that swinging on a swing while tipsy was very fun. But there's no denying that it felt really weird to be out so late!

#personal #travel #birdwatching #food

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