#Secret Lagoon

[gabrielaaufreisen]

Der Goldene Kreis auf Island

Der Goldene Kreis ist fast ein "Muss", wenn man eine Island Rundreise macht. Der Thingvellir Nationalpark, der Gulfoss Wasserfall und die Geysire gehören dazu.

Wir sind nun schon ein paar Tage im Süden Islands unterwegs. Der Goldene Kreis ist ein Muss für einen Island Roadtrip! Wie du sicher schon in meinem letzten Blogbeitrag gelesen hast, sind mein Mann Dirk und ich im Winter auf Island unterwegs. Der Januar war einer der kältesten seit vielen Jahren, mit Unmengen von Schnee. Davon ist nichts mehr zu sehen, da es in den letzten Wochen wiederum…

[stone-and-glass]

Iceland's Secret Lagoon

[shannonofthezteam]

7.7.24 Golden Circle- Secret Lagoon

Of course, we couldn't miss out on the natural hot springs in Iceland. What a muscle - soothing delight!

[bappa1324]

[mavidin]

No, but this is [the Philippines]. You can't ask for logic.

~Our Share of Night, Mariana Enriquez

[splooosh]

“not remotely”

Todd Nauck - Larry Strucker

[langernameohnebedeutung]

I'm almost certain I don't want to do the Blue Lagoon during my Iceland trip but the tours I looked at really push it on you and I checked their website and this is so fucking hysterical -

[clickbliss]

Loddlenaut: a cozy clean up that leaves the bigger questions behind

by Amr (@siegarettes)

Loddlenaut

Developers - Moon Lagoon

Publisher - Secret Mode

PC,

With a chill, and I daresay--cozy--atmosphere, Loddlenaut offers exactly the kind of laid back routine that’s easy to dip into for small moments of satisfaction. Taking the role of an ocean sanitation worker, there’s an immediate satisfaction to clearing the junk and gunk in the area, which builds towards the long term goal of creating a clear, inhabitable biome. Loddles, the native lifeform of the planet, provide a light pet raising element, not unlike Sonic Adventure’s Chao Gardens.

Alongside the cute, slightly aliased aesthetic, and some light survival game elements, Loddlenaut kept me plenty engaged and doesn’t overstay its welcome, with plenty smaller goals for those looking for more. Yet it's those same cozy elements, and the vague gestures toward an environmental message that Loddlenaut struggles to square away. 

Loddlenaut follows a familiar structure, starting you out with limited capabilities, clearing areas to reveal the next, and in the process gaining access to new materials and faster, more efficient abilities. Intentional or not, this turns the world into a “frontier”, where wildlife and environmental resources become stepping stones to greater control over the space.

Loddlenaut attempts to sidestep these issues by focusing on restoring an environment that was already previously inhabited, cleaning up the mess left by a careless corporation that exploited the planet’s resources. Materials are simply reclaimed from debris left behind, and it’s restoring the habitats of the plant and animal life that provides resources, not harvesting them. But it’s difficult to throw off the underlying motivations that drive its progression. 

Systems like fast travel emphasize this struggle, only allowing you to quickly travel between areas after you’ve cleared them, and consequently, reclaimed all their materials. The framing is slightly different, but functionally it feels no different to clearing all the objectives in an open world game. The feeling is exasperated in the late game, where the amount of trash increases, and the limited inventory pushes against your ability to make steady progress. The goal quickly became gathering materials to ease the tedium, and more than a few times I considered jettisoning trash back into the area instead of lugging it back to base, so I could clear more of an area before making a return trip. (Dropped trash doesn’t count against an area’s completion). I ultimately didn’t, but looking at the forums it seems that I wasn’t the only one with that idea. 

The story gestures towards larger environmental concerns, but never resolves. Your operator makes repeated comments about the massive damage done by the corporation that’s hired you for cleanup, but reassures you that it’s not your job to question your actions, only clean up after them. The delivery had me almost sure that there’d be a turn somewhere near the end, but Loddlenaut concludes with a simple “nature is healing”, creating an unintentional downer ending as I left knowing the underlying problem creating the pollution hadn’t been dealt with.

The team’s intentions seem more to imply that the work is not yet done, to avoid a simple easy solution, and inspire further action, but it leaves so many underlying assumptions unchallenged in an attempt for a feel good ending. I walked away feeling less like my character had made a meaningful contribution, but instead was doomed to be a janitor for the messes of a corporation who would continue to move to new worlds and leave the same problems behind. 

I ended up returning to Loddlenaut after the ending, wanting to clear up the areas that had become polluted again in my absence, and to check up and name the Loddles that I hadn’t had time for as I barrelled through the last areas. The little creatures remained cute as ever, but I couldn’t help notice the eerie stillness of the planet. Without the pollution cluttering up the landscape, it had the vibe of an aquarium. An isolated space to raise pets, with sunken structures to add visual variety. 

The thing is, as an aquarium, it’s easy to find joy in. At the end of the day I do love to feed and raise my pets, and clean the gunk out of their tank. Loddlenaut is just that, a playground for your pets that I enjoyed, that gestures at the bigger questions without any answers for them.

[syrasenturi]

you're telling me rapunzel and cassandra basically got married in this gay ass book???

[aristocratic-otter]

I'm back! I was absolutely determined, after being sick and swamped with work for the last few weeks, that I would post today. I have so many words to share! But first:

Thank you to you lovely people who kept tagging me even though I've not posted one of these in a month. Thank you to @facewithoutheart, @aroace-genderfluid-sheep, @fatalfangirl, @larkral, @cutestkilla, @prettygoododds, @artsyunderstudy, @confused-bi-queer, @ivelovedhimthroughworse, @moodandmist, @nightimedreamersghost, @hushed-chorus, @blackberrysummerblog, @j-nipper-95, @theearlgreymage, @you-remind-me-of-the-babe, @ileadacharmedlife, and @wellbelesbian.

Bits from my many, many WIPs below (8? 9? I'm losing track...)

From: A new fic, set in the Age of Sail (one of two possibilities for my COTTA this year):

Simon

The sky is a perfect blue, the breeze is licking against my cheeks like a happy dog, and Tyrannus Basilton Grimm-Pitch is the biggest arsehole on all of the seven seas. 

You’d think he was five years older than me, the way he acts, not a measly few months. He’s standing across from me, frowning fiercely as I take my time thinking through the order he’s just given me. 

“Show me the cargo hold, cabin boy!”

The command, coming as it was in the high voice and  posh accent of the SS Watford’s most obnoxious passenger, caught me by surprise. Tyrannus Basilton, or Baz, as I’ve heard his mother calling him, has ignored me for the most part, since we set sail from the port of Southampton. When he’s come across me in his explorations of the ship, he doesn’t say anything, he just stares at me like I’m something particularly foul that he’s just stepped in. 

I hate him. 

From: My Cobb!

Why on Earth would Penny be fated to fall in love with a Normal? 

It’s impossible. So I should be encouraged, right? This means that Baz and I…that Baz and I…

I wince away from finishing that thought. I don’t know why, but it’s been bothering me more and more over the last few days, the thought that my destiny is to kill or be killed by Baz. Maybe I just wish for a kinder destiny?

No. I can’t possibly wish for that…with Baz…just, no. 

From: Westward Son:

 Agatha is nuzzling his cheek with her palomino nose, but he doesn’t appear to even notice the horse’s presence. He’s miles away.  No. It’s all I can think. No, I won’t let this happen again. No, I won’t let him pull away or lose himself in pain and grief. I won’t lose him.

From: Saving Simon Snow:

Baz’s lips are as soft as I remember. He gasps against my mouth, but doesn’t pull away. He lets me kiss him. Like before, I can sense his inexperience in the way he lets me control the kiss; when has Baz ever let me control anything? But he’s not unwilling, that’s obvious. His lips move under mine, and his body sways towards me. 

I slide my hands around his hips and hold him steady. I kiss him. He sinks into my chest. We’re so close now that I can feel the faint chill of his skin under his clothes. 

Because he’s a vampire, I think, and then dismiss the thought as irrelevant. Because he’s a boy. No. He’s a man. He’s my husband. 

From: Snow Fox, my other contender for COTTA, an American Revolution AU:

I watch the boy, as he bows to Agatha Wellbelove before taking the first position of the minuet. She curtsies in return, before turning to face in the same direction he is facing, and raising her hand elegantly as an offering. He accepts the offer with his free left hand. The pianist begins a bouncy tune, and the pretty young couple begin the mincing steps of the dance. 

Wellbelove is beautiful; of course she is. She’s the flower of the colonies. I expect that the British soldiers eying her from the sidelines think so at least. I myself couldn’t care less for her abundant charms. My eyes are dragged over and over to the boy dancing the intricate forms with her. 

He’s beautiful too.

From Raising Dragons (almost done!):

“Hey Rosebud,” I whisper. Baz calls me that, and Gran told me that my grandfather used to call Lucy, my mum, ‘Rosy-girl’. I try it out. “My little rosy-girl. Or boy. You are a miracle, you know that?”  The baby blinks at me, wisely. As if they’re saying, ‘of course I am, catch up, dad!’.

From To Heal A Broken Mind:

“Dr. Pitch,” she says, continuing to blink at me slowly. “Am I to understand that you’ve been keeping a patient here, in your office, all day?”

Oh. Oh. So that’s what this is about. Fuck, I never thought she’d notice. 

“I…” I try to speak, but the words jam up in my throat. I swallow, and try again. “He’s a…friend.”

“Is he not also your patient, Doctor Pitch?”

I fight to control my expression. This is bad. Helplessly, I nod. “He is.”

And from my mystery collaboration!:

“The symptoms all line up with hypothalamic dysfunction,” he reports in a grave tone. “Enhanced senses, hormonal surges, fever, sweating, mania, uncontrollable laughter.”

My heart sinks. That sounds very much like what I saw with [redacted] “Have you found the mode of transmission yet?” I ask.

I guess that is 8...but I started plotting out my discord exchange fic today. So yes, I am insane.

[storyrd]

Shooting Film / Secret Lagoon

Rollei 35 / Fuji Xtra 400 Film

Hvammsvegur, Iceland

[momodivecenter]

Sampalan Dive Site with Momodivecenter is a premier diving center in the heart of the beautiful island of Bali. Momodivecenter offers an exciting range of diving experiences and courses, from beginner to advanced levels, allowing you to explore the stunning underwater world of Bali.

[imadhatt3r]

W KOŃCUUUUUUUUUUU

[ravenlilyrose]

Several years later:

A few different generations of heroes are all hanging out for whatever reason. Somehow, someone finally realizes that YJ are younger than they should be.

Tim: *typing on his phone* Oh, yeah, we’re all immortal now.

JL, Titans, etc: *crickets*

Bart: Yep, we all started worshipping Cassie to see if it would make her a goddess! And it did!

Cassie: *smirks as everyone turns to look at her*

Diana looks at Cassie more carefully, before announcing that, yes, Cassie was, in fact, a goddess now. She sounds somewhat shaken.

Random older hero: Okay, so Cassie’s a goddess, but how does that make the rest of you immortal?

Kon: Because she made us her immortal companions.

All of YJ (including the retired ones): *staring, decidedly unimpressed* Duh!

-

And then everyone has a crisis while YJ go back to whatever they were doing.

Bart: I was bored and reading about deities of the world,

Tim: as you do

Bart: yeah, and you know how Cassie is part Greek God?

Cassie: do I want to know where this is going?

Bart: do you think if we started giving her offerings and worshipping her she'd turn into a full Goddess?

Kon: don't know till we try! OH GODDESS! Accept my offering *throws gummies at Cassie*

Cassie: *smiling with a pack of gummies* you joke but I'm keeping these.

Tim: *not looking up from his phone* oh Goddess Cassie, please let us have a peaceful day.

Cissie: *walking into the room* ?

Kon: we're worshiping Cassie to see if we can make her a Goddess.

Cissie: oh ok, merciful and beautiful Goddess-

Cassie: *laughing*

Cissie: -please grant me knowledge on my next exam because SOMEONE *glares at all of them* keeps pulling me into Young Justice mission's and I haven't studied *drops down in a chair and tosses her a bracelet* my offering.

Cassie: *still laughing* knowledge granted.

[hotelbooking]

Blue lagoon secret villas At Packing light is possible at All rooms at Every morning you can wake up to a delicious free breakfast at Apart from amenities and services, Cool off on hot days by joining water-world activities like diving. Grab some last-minute needs or local souvenirs for yourself or those back home without having to go anywhere at the shops available right on-site. Find some of the city's best deals here with rooms 96% cheaper than other options. Get more than you bargain for here, which scores value for money higher than 98% of the city's accommodation. Staff and service here are considered high quality by past guests whose ratings put it above 97% of the city's options.

[goldencircleday]

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