#The Colonnade buffet

[amitapaul]

Day 23

Poem 29

29/23

THE CHAIR

1

The chair, the desk,

the large rooms,

the cubicled sections

the long corridors

the colonnaded porticos

and the lawns

with formal borders

a crooked fir tree

graceful frangipani

bougainvillea and quisqualis

and the bridal creeper

trailing over

the boundary walls

I never really knew

how much the gardens

meant to me

and the vases of flowers

on the tables

2.

Teatime was always the best of times

and of course it was always teatime

Well, after eleven o’clock, definitely

Bearers in white with red cummerbunds

and ornate turbans of red and white

with gold piping seen here and there

between the folds, and a stiff hoopoe’s crest

of starched white mulmul topping the confection

could be seen soundlessly floating up and down

the gleaming corridors of power with polished door of teak and mahogany opening on both sides

amidst the potted palms and aspidistras

bearing silver trays with silver teapots

( later steel ) and milkpots and sugarpots

spoons and strainers and starched damask napkins

with Brittania Marie Wafer Biscuits and trail mixes

of spicy salted vermicelli and roasted gram and pulses

at the very least ; at best piping hot samosas

plump with mashed spiced peas and potatoes

served with a dash of Kissan’s tomato sauce

which is in fact mostly made of pumpkin

and ice- cold rosogullas in their own syrup

or sugar- bombs of soft sticky hot gulabjamuns

served with fresh hot Darjeeling tea

O the tinkling of those spoons in those teacups !

and the tiny clouds of steam rising like mini dragons

from each fine porcelain or bone-china tea-cup when tea was poured from the hot teapot pot

into each translucent cup, table brewed -

a soupçon of milk, and one sugar, please .

3.

The gossip was always hotter and spicier

than the snacks and the tea, especially

in the rooms of the departments of personnel

finance and cabinet coordination, especially

on Tuesday afternoons, when the Cabinet

usually met, and transfers and postings were decided :

you could see hacks from over a dozen newspapers

eager for slivers of news that even a passing peon

could drop, before the big feast of the post- cabinet

Press Conference, with pakoras and pineapple pastries

and ready- mixed tea from aluminium tea kettles

for official spokespersons, assistants, clerks,

and media persons. Four thirty to five o’clock

in the afternoon in the Secretariat Conference Hall

under the pink Clock Tower in the Old Secretariat.

4.

To sit for hours

in colour- blocked

salwar - kameez-

dupatta- jacket

poring over petitions

and yellowed pages

of the law books

and “ reporters “

of High Court

and Supreme Court

Judgements with

titles and years

etched on their

covers and spines

in gold on red black

or brown leather

sparring with lawyers

in their black coats

and gowns and stiff

starched white collars

bow ties and recording

evidence and citing

precedents and dictating

judgements in tones

sonorous to drowsy

stenographers

5.

Upstairs in the record room with the port- hole windows

records from a hundred fifty years ago were slowly

falling apart among the district gazetteers, and the clerks

and record- keepers wheezed and coughed

with asthma and tuberculosis, driving up the costs

of medical reimbursement.

6.

One day the marigold garlands and rose bouquets

came out in cartloads and speeches were delivered

framed and presented to a jolly good “ fellow”

and a farewell ride given on a car pulled by colleagues.

That night, a buffet dinner at a posh hotel.

Then silence, more or less.

7.

Cholai, the principal under- gardner,

brought home a bunch of handpicked flowers

on my birthday .

We had some tea and biscuits

and a pleasant chat in the verandah.

Birds sang to us - I , relaxed on my rattan recliner,

He , very proper, on a polished shisham chair.

( ASA )

23/4/23

#23GloPoWriMo

Poem 29

[hometoursandotherstuff]

I cannot get enough of artist David Bromley’s home and atelier in Melbourne, Australia. The decrepit colonnades of the balcony house a bronze oriental crane, an Argentinian chandelier, French demijohns in blown glass, a ceramic "Middle Earth" vase and chairs by the Swedish Chris Martin . On the floor, the tiling is painted by hand.

Their home doubles as a studio, which can also be hired for launches and other events.

When they moved into the derelict building, it had once been a hotel and shopping arcade, and then a Turkish bath. It had no wiring or plumbing and pigeons had made it their home. Italian chairs surround a French oak table in the dining area.

A French plate rack and David Bromley mural add character to the kitchen.

A blue Murano glass chandelier, mid-century sculptures from Ghana, a Japanese university cabinet and paintings by David Bromley (on floor).

On the landing of one of the two staircases brushed with ocean blue pigment powder, a glass roof lights up Tom Ripon's red wire mesh ponies, two portraits of children, ceramic dishes and an embroidered chair - all by Bromley himself.  Also, a man in the red cap (anonymous), Argentinian chandeliers and a low Chinese buffet.

Posing in front of a work in progress, "The child with the moon", David and his wife Yu Yge, stylist, are surrounded by paintings by the Australian Mark Shaller and Victor Rubin, by the Japanese Ito and a bust of the former premier Australian Minister Thomas Playford.

Against the backdrop of op-art motifs, two colorful abstractions, a pair of Indian carnival statues and a Ferris wheel model.

In the office, above a fan-shaped window, a steel mobile of flying machines crafted by Bromley spins above a stool and coffee table. 

The dressing room features Moroccan lights, a Soviet painting, a shoemaker’s rack and French leather motorcycle panniers.

The dressing room showcases the original arched window visible from the street.

Balanced on a Victorian railing, a painted "Masked Boy" statue and, beside it, a bronze "Boy with hammer" plinth by Bromley.

In the studio, wall sketches of childish scenes, paintings of butterflies and birds and "Celebration", a welded bronze group of seven children playing, boy with slingshot and airplane model, all works by Bromley.

Next to the op-art mural at the head of the bed evoking an abyss, a series of children's games in paintings, as on the quilt, painted by David Bromley.

In the style-clashing but fabulous bathroom, a French stone basin sits  alongside an industrial brass tap and David Bromley painting.

Italian glass tiles create an out-of-the-ordinary bathroom. A David Bromley tapestry covers a French chair.

The long hallway hosts French cupids, Indian lights, a McLean Edwards drawing and a Clinton Nain painting.

Old Japanese divers’ helmets, Tom Dixon lights and a Bernard Buffet print make up the curious collection by the stairs.

https://www.homestolove.com.au/david-bromley-gallery-2601

[dhiabori]

ARRIVAL ―

CW ― sensory overload; very lightly implied child abuse/neglect

TIMELINE ― after ‘sonya wakes up’

St. Petersburg is, apparently, hot. Sonya steps out of the train carriage, tucked into Pyotr’s side, and is hit by a wall of sticky heat. It’s made all the worse by the throng; he’s never seen so many people in the same place, so many black coats, so many bowler hats, so many footsteps. So large a mass of humanity, roiling in opposite directions.

Pushing through it feels like pushing through a storm, anxiety fluttering in his chest. He doesn’t understand how Pyotr navigates it so easily, when it’s all too much, too many sounds, too many sights — snatches of conversation, the patient died on the table, what are you bringing to Vova’s, oh it was hilarious, you should’ve been there. Cameos of people: a woman with a sharp, vicious laugh, a man with a scar. Each image only builds, and builds, mingling with the smell of smoke, the cooing of pigeons, he’s dizzy with it all —

And suddenly they’re out. Suddenly the light of St. Petersburg summer hits him, too bright, enveloping him in a moody city warmth that’s only marginally worse than the cloying station. Suddenly Pyotr’s bundling him into a troika, jumping up beside him and giving the driver an address.

St. Petersburg is hot, and it’s so grand it hurts to look at. Houses that look like wedding cakes, continental yellow with colonnaded facades; trade buildings, carved and imposing, glowering down from squares filled with people. When the lines of buildings part, Sonya can catch glimpses of the sea in the gaps between them. When he can bring himself to look up, squinting against sunlight that burns his eyes, he can see the spires of a fortress looming against the sulky summer sky.

Peter and Paul Fortress, Pyotr tells him — somewhere in the back of his mind, Sonya realises he’s been keeping a running commentary going, a litany of place names that sounds like a prayer. Almost all of them simply wash over him, subsumed by the city’s magnificence.

Eventually, the troika driver turns off onto a quieter road. The houses here are grand, swallowing up whole swathes of streetfront; you could maybe fit a whole village in just one of them.

“Here we are, little one,” Pyotr says, as the driver stops in front of one of the — palaces might not be the right word, but it isn’t far off. “Home.”

Sonya’s stomach twists a little as he’s handed down, fingers tightening around Pyotr’s hand. Whatever the building is, with its columns, its balconies, its deceptively salmon-pink exterior, it hardly feels like a home. 

If anything, the door reminds Sonya of a mouth as it opens; he almost freezes on the threshold, but Pyotr hustles him through.

Home. It’s blessedly cool inside, like a church — only the church from a shard of Sonya’s memories could come close to approximating the grandeur of the entrance hall. Smooth, lacquered wood beneath Sonya’s feet; red on the walls, laden with paintings and lavish tapestries. A twin staircase branches out, upwards, delving into the bowels of the house. Shafts of light from the windows fall on its steps, illuminating them with hazy summer sun.

“What do you think, then?” Pyotr nudges him, almost playfully, knocking him off balance. “It’s a far cry from that filthy little shack, isn’t it?”

“It’s, it’s nice,” murmurs Sonya, still lost in the intricacies of the newel post. It’s carved in the shape of a lion, eying him hungrily. 

Pyotr chuckles, putting an arm round Sonya. “Nice. I’ll give you that, little one, though most people go for magnificent.”

Sonya nods — but his attention has been captured by movement on the stairs. 

The man descending is, quite possibly, the most beautiful man Sonya has ever seen.  More beautiful than any of the faces he can dredge up from his memories, at least: he’s tall, with an easy grace to his movements that make him look like he’s stepped out of one of the oil paintings on the wall. Certainly, the Divine Artist has made him a masterpiece, accentuating his fresh complexion with brown curls and rose-blushed cheeks. The duck-egg blue suit he’s wearing only serves to make him stand out against the red walls.

“Ah, отца!” he says, hurrying down the stairs. “We weren’t expecting you back until—” Whatever he was going to say withers away when his gaze meets Sonya’s. “Who’s this?”

Sonya feels Pyotr stiffen, perhaps out of annoyance. Perhaps jealousy; up close, the man looks all the more like one of God’s masterpieces. 

“Leoniy,” Pyotr says, voice icy with disapproval. “You’re not a kicked puppy, there’s no need to run and greet me.” 

“But—”

“Save it. This is Sonya,” Pyotr gives him a proud little squeeze. “I rescued him from a somewhat sordid incident involving starving peasants;  he’ll be staying with us for a while.” 

Starving peasants. Sonya wants to say he doesn’t remember anything like that, wants to stand by the unease twisting in his gut — but he doesn’t remember even a single sliver. Pyotr’s words mean nothing, and everything. 

“Welcome,” says the man — Leoniy — stepping forward to offer Sonya his hand. “Leoniy Petrovich Zaytsev — but since you’re staying here, you can call me Leosha.”

Pyotr nudges him, and Sonya shakes Leoniy’s hand, chest fluttering at the contact. A son, then, not a friend or rival.

“Why don’t you show Sonya to his room, Leoniy?” says Pyotr. 

“I was just about to—”

“The cream one will do; I need to make arrangements with Masha.”

With that, Pyotr gently pushes Sonya towards Leoniy, striding off down a corridor. 

Leoniy sighs, running a hand through his hair. 

“I was just about to go out,” he says. “Never mind. Follow me, I’ll show you where you’ll be staying. 

Sonya trots after him as they begin to make their way up the stairs; without Pyotr, he feels even more unmoored, bobbing around in a storm-tossed sea. He doesn’t belong here; the gilded opulence of the house makes that clear, the intricately-plastered ceilings, the vibrant carpet underfoot. 

He isn’t even good enough to walk in Leoniy Zaytsev’s shadow, let alone sleep under the same roof. If the poverty of his memory wasn’t proof enough of that, the fangs that nudge at his lips are, the bubbling animal instinct in his chest.

“So,” says Leoniy, as they walk through a series of opulent doors, a series of even more opulent rooms. “You’re from the Volga region?”

“I, I guess.” Just like Pyotr’s story, the word falls flat, shattering against the blankness of Sonya’s mind. 

Leoniy laughs, soft and uncomfortable. 

“Is it bad there?”

“Um—” Pyotr had told him on the train, there was a famine. Sonya guesses that does make it bad, though the yawning chasm of his memory stretches out across the concept. Bad means a flash of his brother’s face, a glimpse of terror. Bad means watching his mother kill a deformed calf. Bad is the way their names slip through his fingers. “Maybe.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

Sonya swallows, shame heating his cheeks. “I don’t, don’t remember.”

“Oh.” Leoniy pauses at another door, giving Sonya a strange look he could almost call pity. “Well, I’m sure you’ll make some more memories here.”

Opening the door, he reveals a room almost as big as the cabin of Sonya’s past. There the similarities end; he can’t help but gasp a little at the sight. The walls are a dreamlike cream, to match the bedding — the richest bedding he’s ever seen, pillows plump as clouds against a dark headboard. There’s a wardrobe, too, and a large window, spilling the summer in. 

This can’t be his room; he doesn’t deserve the inviting bed, the gauzy curtains buffeted by what little breeze there is. A stable would suit him better. Or a kennel.

“Are you alright?” Leoniy asks, snapping Sonya out of the haze he hadn’t even realised he’d fallen into.

“Yes, Leoniy Petrovich,” Sonya says, keeping his gaze fixed to the floor. Trying to forget how warm Leoniy’s hand had felt when he shook it. 

“Just Leosha, please.” He can hear the smile in Leoniy’s voice, patient and a little sad. It makes him want to look up. It makes him want to hug him, to cry against his chest, to tell him how very far he is from home. 

“Sorry, Leosha,” he murmurs, doing none of those things. Just standing there, staring at a carpet he isn’t worthy of standing on.

“It’s alright. There’s no point in formality when we’re living under the same roof, is there?”

Sonya shakes his head, gaze drifting to Leoniy’s boots. They’re brown leather, only marginally lighter than the receiving room floor. 

“Well, I suppose I’d best be getting on. There’s probably a troika waiting for me.” Those boots move past Sonya, Leoniy’s breath tugging at his ear for a moment.

Turning to watch him go, Sonya’s eyes linger on the back of Leoniy’s head. The tilt of his shoulders, proud and free.

Halfway down the corridor, he turns around, and their eyes meet.

“Actually — if you ever need something — really, something you can’t ask of my father — keep following this corridor until you find a door with a pressed bouquet of flowers on it, and knock. I’ll do what I can.”

Sonya nods, numbly. Drops his gaze, settling on a mole just below Leoniy’s left eye. Even when he turns and heads back down the stairs, Sonya’s gaze still lingers there, as his heartbeat hammers in his ears. 

He turns back to the room, walking inside like a visitor to another world. Even sitting on the bed feels like a transgression. 

It hits him, then, with expensive sheets beneath his fingers and a stale city breeze kissing his cheeks. He’s so, so irrevocably lost.

[karmaholmes221]

Vicomte de phantom

Outside Phantasma

Paris, 1895- A mysterious fire consumed the Opera Populaire. A mob rampaged through the theatre's twisted catacombs baying for the masked man they held responsible. Only his mask was ever found...

I made my way through the grounds of the ornate amusement park, politely trying to slip through the throngs of delight holidaymakers. I couldn’t help but catch bits of conversation as I passed.  ”Hurry up!” A child called to his father.

”You won’t believe it!” A young woman told the toddler on her hip.

”Take a look what’s over here!” A boy around the age of twelve called to his friend.

”Who imagined just how big the place would be?” A man asked  the woman on his arm.`

“The man called Mr Y put it up in just a year.” Another voice sounded.

“It’s a little slice of Heaven by the sea!” A young girl exclaimed.

I continued to slip past people as the crowds grew larger.  ”Look, there’s restaurants!” A voice yelled.

”A midway!” Another voice replied.

”A gigantic concert hall!” A man shouted.

”The biggest funhouse ever seen!” A woman called.

”A volcano that erupts each day at three!” one of the workers shouted.

”Wonders brought from ‘round the world!” A mother told her daughter.

“The season’s just begun, but Mr Y has got it all!” A boy told a young girl who was clinging to his hand.

”Crystal fountains!”

”Grand pavilions!”

“Hell, it musta cost him millions!”  As I reached the grand pavilion the crowd grew even more tightly packed as it grew larger and more festive.

”Over here!” A girl yelled.

”The sights! The sounds! The lights! The smells! The wonder wheels! The carousels! The gardens and arcades, and the marble colonnades!” one of the vendors shouted.

”The rides!”

”The shows!”

”The games of chance!”

”The rush!”

”The whirl!”

”The sheer romance!”

I finally made it to the final throng of people and paused as I overheard their conversation. ”And the rumours…” A woman said to one of her friends.

”What about ‘em?” Her friend asked.

”Things so odd you daren’t doubt ‘em…” A man beside them said.

”Freaks and monsters…” The woman said.

”Aberrations…” The man said.

“Weird mechanical creations…” And older woman added.

”And the Genius who designed it wears a mask!” The woman exclaimed. The small group erupted in a burst of excitement, chattering and pointing.

I shook my head at there enthusiasm, smiling as it brought back memories of my time with the traveling fair in Paris. I opened a door that was all but hidden by the vast posters. It led to the small dressing and preparations area backstage. I stepped in, shutting the door,  and Meg stumbled away from a small hole in the wall where she had been watching the throngs of people move past. She looked absolutely terrified. “Jesus, what a crowd.” She squeaked.

I couldn’t help but smile. “Nervous?”

Meg shifted back and forth. “Just a bit.”

I couldn’t help but laugh. I moved and put my hands on her shoulders.  ”Kid, look who you are! The headline act! A major star! You’re already a hit.” one of the showgirls sided up to me.

“Got a match?”  she asked and I handed her one.

“Wonder what he’ll think…” Meg said quietly to herself and I gave her a confused look.

“The boss?” I questioned.

“If he’s even here.” she said, almost pitifully.

I smiled comfortingly at her. ”Honey please… He’s here. And in just two days, he’ll be there tossing you bouquets. At our gala premiere. Picture it! The cream of Manhattan! Celebrities! Millionaires! Watching you!”

“I’ll be waiting in the wing, wound up tighter than a spring, as the house begins to dim. And I’ll practice ev’ry line, hoping desperately to shine. Shining only for him.” Meg said, slipping off into a private reverie.

“Just imagine how they’ll cheer, at the moment you appear.” I continued to encourage her.

A smile now broke across Meg’s face. “Stepping out before the scrim..!Let ‘em whoop and let ‘em call, I won’t hear the crowd at all…”

“No, it’s only for him.” I finished.

”Tell me how I look.” Meg said, suddenly self-conscious..

”Fine.” I assured.

Meg’s face became worried and I knew I had misspoken.  “Just fine? What about my hair?”

I chose my words quickly but carefully this time, trying to keep her upbeat.”Beautiful.”

“Your swear?” she asked and I let out a laugh.

”Trust me, once the boss sees how you put that song across. Hell, he ain’t got a prayer”

“You mean it?” She asked me, hope shining in her eyes.

I turned her around to face the mirror along the wall, both of us gazing at our reflections as I began to speak.” You’ll step out into the light. Looking lovely, burning bright, all vitality and vim!”

I watched as Meg re-lost herself in the vision.”And I’ll rapturously float through the melody he wrote, singing only for him.”

“And before the music dies, up the audience will rise, nearly bursting at the brim! And you’ll stand there in the glow…” I said, continuing to paint the picture.

“And perhaps, at last he’ll know…” Meg said wishfully as another showgirl rushed over from where she had been standing by the curtain.

”Girls! Hurry up! We’re on!” I quickly pushed Meg towards the stage as the girls rushed to make an entrance in the company of the specialty acts;  Ms. Fleck as our aerialist extraordinaire, Gangle, the barker, and our strongman Squelch.

From where I stood  just behind the stage curtain a to watch, I could hear several people in the audience. “Where is she?” A girl asked.

”Look! There!” A woman said.

”In the center!” A man added.

”Just like in the posters” the woman said appreciatively.

”It’s the Ooh La La Girl!” the girl squealed.

”Meg Giry!” The man said happily.

I glanced over to find that Madame Giry had joined me, I offered her a small smile before turning back to look at the stage. Meg smiled at the crowd before beginning to sing. “Welcome each and everyone to our firmament of fun!

”A buffet of Ballyhoo!” the showgirls sang.

Meg joined them.“It’s where coney comes to play and it’s opening today!

“And it’s only for you!” Meg sang with a winning smile.

”And you!” one showgirl said.

”And you!” another repeated.

”And you!” and a third repeated.

“Entertainment day and night, sure to dazzle and delight!” Meg and the showgirls sang

“And of course we’ll be there too!” Meg sang.

The showgirls began waving and flirty with the crowd. “Yoo hoo!”

Meg joined their voices. “We’re so happy that you’re here, for the season’s big premiere! And it’s only for you!”

With that, Meg gave a little curtsey to the audience before running off, throwing her arms around me with a triumphant smile as Gangle began to shout over the din. “Ladies and Gentlemen, Miss Meg Giry, the Ooh La La Girl! Five shows daily, only here at Phantasma. And now the aerial exoticism of the fabulous Miss Fleck – half bird, half woman, all for only 10 cents a ticket…”

“How was I? Tell me?” Meg said pulling away from my embrace to face her mother.

Madame Giry smiled proudly.  “Delightful, Meg. Just perfect. And I say that not only as your mother… But as your producer.”

“Was he watching?” Meg asked earnestly and Madame Giry opened her mouth to reply but I quickly cut her off, plastering a smile on my face.

“I’m sure he was and I’m sure he’ll have much to say about how much you’ve progressed.” I took Meg gently by the arm and began to lead her away from the stage, Madame Giry following close behind.

“By the way, it seems you have an admirer. A certain Mr. Thompson.” Madame Giry informed offhandedly.

Meg and I shared a glance as we followed her. “Is he important?” she asked hesitantly.

[purpleballoondaze-blog]

Seabourn Encore

Seabourn Encore

Seabourn Encore

Seabourn Encore enlisted the celebrity chef Thomas Keller to elevate the dining experience. Which shows that Seabourn means business when it comes to it’s all-inclusive culinary program. That was already the case before Seabourn  luxury cruise line launched its new Seabourn Encore. Even well before bringing on Keller, it was winning food awards across its fleet.

So…

[leggigoesabroad]

skipping down sixteenth avenue

We woke up the next morning honestly fuggin AMPED because it was a full day at sea.  We had big plans to get some work done, explore the ship, day drink, revel in it all, etc.  But immediately we all felt so seasick that mid-meeting in Brooke’s room she just said “this isn’t happening. Let’s all go back to bed.” And we snorted lines of Dramamine and napped (essentially.)  We got an invitation that morning for dinner with the captain that night, which just so happened to be the ship’s formal night that we didn’t know existed.  Cue PANIC as I accused them all of trying to haze me by not telling me I needed to bring anything other than athleisure.  The nicest thing I brought with me was a floral jumpsuit so I tried my best to blend in but goddamn it these women were wearing like, sparkly evening gowns, strapless bodycon dresses, etc.   Couldn’t even go shopping anywhere since we were at sea all day.  Brooke says it was Nick’s fault, Nick and I secretly remember it was Brooke’s fault as she was the one who told us that Alaskan cruises don’t have formal nights…. Sigh. I’ve only just now started to get over it.  Combined with feeling like death all day and then having to be on good behavior for the very peculiar captain, things were dire.  The lack of formalwear also of course meant that I felt the need to get ahead of it to everyone I encountered the entire night.  “Just so you know I was told there wasn’t a formal night!!” **manic laughter drawing attention to myself** “I would never think this was appropriate for a formal night or dinner with the captain, we didn’t know! We’re here for work! It was a miscommunication!” **more manic laughter and essentially forcing people to say I look nice** “I dress way better at home, had I known I would have fit right in!! You can imagine.  I compensated by getting rip-roaring drunk and OD’ing on Dramamine which led me to a coma-like state I tried to Adderall-away the rest of the cruise.  Hate me cuz u ain’t me.  

The captain was ssssssooo strange – pleasant, but just on a different level of awareness than most normal people.  Lived in his own little captain world.  Old and British and told stories that made no sense and weren’t really relevant. Overly polite but also we felt like he didn’t want to be there.  By the way, I saw captain multiple times a day and at EVERY meal.  I swear he’s just a figurehead who never drives the boat himself. We did a bridge tour later in the week and he made a point to roll on through and look like he was “captain-ing” at one point when we all know he just chills and makes his officers do it. Towards the end of the trip we were talking to him one day and asked how his day was, and he said he had to get up at 4 am to dock and was exhausted and slept all day afterwards.  First of all, 4 am isn’t that much earlier than a normal early wake-up time.  Second of all, docking start to finish only takes like 45 minutes MAX.  Third of all, it’s your job!!!!!!!

We finally pulled into our first port in Ketchikan on Thursday morning.  The boys each had a fun shore excursion to do (bear sanctuary, ziplining) but Brooke, Yolanda and I had a day of running from vendor to vendor to spend about 15 minutes each just learning what they offered and asking questions.  Yolanda used to travel in Alaska with Seabourn back in 2013, so she greeted every tour operator in every town as if they were her long-lost brother or sister and reunited after being away at war for six years. You’ll hear more about it as these blogs go on but lord she is the most dramatic person I have ever met and also not self-aware whatsoever but it’s fucking hysterical.  Today when we said goodbye I said, “honestly, Yolanda, I can’t remember a time before I knew you.” And that’s about how I can sum up our relationship.  

The bopping around was not as fun because we didn’t actually participate in any of the activities, and it was pouring rain.  But all things considered, not as bad as I expected it would be.  We met two super-hot fishermen (each of whom had a baby with their wives in the last week smh where do I get one) and heard all about their different excursions.  They sounded dope but there was freshly caught fish all around us on the docks and their eyes stared at me during the whole spiel and I couldn’t focus.  Why are fish eyes SO CREEPY? After a few more stops around town, our local tour operator Kari drove us to the end of the island to George Inlet Lodge and met one of the owner/operators, CANDI, who gave me a real “mom in Justified /Aunt Lydia in Handmaid’s Tale / whatever her real name is who just won an Emmy” vibe, except less cold blooded murder-y. They showed us their boats and excursions and then fed us an authentic meal just like the members would get, which included Dungeness crab legs.  I told myself before the trip started that I’d HAVE to try and eat more seafood because a) it’s fresh AF in Alaska so this is the place b) my excuse of “but it’s too expensive at restaurants” can’t apply here #freeunlimitedfood and c) I should try to immerse myself in the culture. If Kitty ever reads this she’ll die, also Kitty you should never go to Alaska.  We’re going to keep a running tab on all the seafood, I tried, okay?!  First: the “dungie” crabs.  Learned how to crack them open and everything.  They were relatively tasty, but I still don’t get why people lose their shit over crab legs, especially because it’s soooooo much work for so little payout.  I’m more of a low investment, high reward type.

After the lodge we drove to the opposite end of the island and got on a boat to drive out to Hump Island (lol) Oyster Farm, where a 20-year-old kid named Sean showed us around his dad’s operation.  He was the epitome of what I imagine an Alaskan braaaaaaaah to be and he was cracking me up. All self-deprecating humor about how no 20-year-old should know as much about oysters as him and all he wants to do is chill with his friends in the summer, not tumble oysters 12 hours a day. There were tons of pots all around the little floating island and he explained it takes an oyster about 3 years to grow to maturity and be ready to be eaten/sold, so I asked him if the pots were organized by relative age so you know which ones are new and which need more time, etc.  He said, “honestly we’re just oyster farmers we’re not the brightest most organized guys in the world but that would make sense, wouldn’t it” but all with a sweet douchey little smile only a college kid could get away with.  The thing that struck me most was just how different “summer jobs” in Alaska are for kids than in say, DC.  They don’t work at fast food restaurants or for their dad’s law firm or at daycare blah blah blah, they work on boats or on oyster farms or fishing or logging or giving tours to cruise passengers.  Builds character! And calluses!  They fed us fresh oysters after that which I really didn’t want because I had an oyster one time and I thought it was gross, but again, had to.  And it tasted better than I remember probably because I was literally on the farm where it was grown, kinda like how beer tastes better at a brewery because it never has to travel. 

Back on the ship that night, we ate at what is literally called The Restaurant.  The ship only has a few dining options – The Restaurant, which is pretty shmancy and requires a reservation (but not for us VIPs of course who had the same table reserved for us every night), the Colonnade (buffet-style, ate all of our breakfasts and lunches there) and the Grill, which is a VERY SHMANCY Thomas Keller restaurant that has cut-throat competition for reservations and apparently our members lose their minds over.  We ate there a few nights later and I accidentally got hammered on my new favorite drink, Old Cubans, and had to be essentially rolled out of there in front of the Super Hot Waiter I’m in Love With, Thomas from Belgium. Literally just conjured his face in my mind when typing this and felt an internal swoon.  I miss him so much.  ANYWAY we ate at the Restaurant each night, which had fixed menu options on the right hand side and a rotating left menu.  I tried to be ~adventurous but mostly ate a lot of steak.  Had a black truffle risotto one night and literally loved it so much asked for a second portion.  Going to the lake this weekend and stuffing myself in a bikini is going to be like, a three-person job. We had the same two servers each night – Anastasiia, a 25-year-old Russian girl who love/hated us and today tried to do a bike excursion after never having ridden a bike before and eventually gave up because she crashed too much (I said, “Anastasiia! You can’t just try and ride a bike and hope it goes well, you need someone to guide/teach you until you’re comfortable!” Smh) and Simba, a South African angel who had a crush on me and calmly put up with all of my Lion King jokes.  Listen, other than Super Hot Waiter Thomas, they all had a crush on me.  Maybe they found my complete lack of adherence to their dress code sexy in a “fuck the rules” kind of way?? (How is one supposed to dress for “elegant casual” nightly anyway…) Maybe it was how I insisted night over night that I was “one of them” and not a client because I was here for a site visit and begged them to let me hang out with them?  (The assistant Maitre’D Marius tried to pull so many strings to allow us to be invited to crew Bingo night but alas, we were rejected.) Or maybe it was because I was one of the only people on the ship under the age of 60 and I shamelessly chatted and flirted with everyone I saw, at every meal… It’s hard to say. Simba even publicly sang me a love song at the last night at dinner.  

Slept that night and woke up to the most magical, mystical, ethereal scenery of the Misty Fjords surrounding us.  I’ll post a picture so you can truly understand how magical these were.  Pouring rain but gorgeous and foggy and tranquil. TO BE CONTINUED!

[writing-royza]

Tainted Blood, Tainted Soul - Chapter Twenty-two - Meetings and Greetings

A/N: Happy Sunday, everyone! So you guys are special: you get two updates this week! I’m sorry I didn’t update last week; I ran into technical issues, between a tumblr glitch and my laptop beginning to die. So please enjoy!

I do not own FMA.

Chapter Twenty-two - Meetings and Greetings

MARKETPLACE, CITY OF JADAD, ISHVAL

1743 HOURS, APRIL 23RD

They had been re-searching the buildings surrounding the square for only twenty minutes or so before things went straight to Hell.

They had begun with the the bakery, where it was difficult to tell the dust of age from the dust of long-expired flour. It hadn’t mattered too much; whatever Riza’s new abilities might be, they knew that she was still capable of leaving footprints and the dust — whatever its origin — was undisturbed.

Next had been a handcrafted jewelry shop, polished coloured stones on leather thongs, once-brilliant gemstones, and worked gold alike sitting unmolested within their glass cabinets. Roy had hesitated a moment, his eyes on a pendant necklace upon a gold chain, thinking that if this merchandise could be retrieved and brought to the newer sections of the city, it would help boost the Ishvalan economy…. But he would think about that later.

Two more buildings searched, with equal results: nothing, and more nothing, aside from mouldering furniture, dust, and general abandonment.

Scar led the way down the covered colonnade, watching the shadows that had grown ever longer while they were rummaging about inside. “Not much longer before it’s safe for her to come out,” he murmured. “We’ll have to move —”

“What do you mean ‘safe?’”

Both men froze in their tracks in front of a recessed walkway that led through to the outside of the square. Roy’s heart began hammering in his chest at the sound of that familiar voice, a sudden cold sweat breaking out on the back of his neck. Beside him, Scar tensed, big hands curling into ready fists.

Halfway down the alley, leaning back with insolent casualness against the stone half-wall to one side of a doorway, was a faintly smirking Riza Hawkeye. Purple eyes gleamed in the shadows as they fixed on Roy, her lips pulling wider into a full grin as she watched his expression change. Roy knew that his dismay at being detected and seeing her in this new state were plain on his face… but there wasn’t much he could do about that now.

Clamping down hard on the emotions swirling around in his mind, he resettled his face into its most businesslike look. The one he used for facing down Hakuro or any other senior officer. “I believe what he meant was that it would be easier for you to move around after sunset,” he said mildly. “We know you can survive in sunlight, but it’s a well-educated guess that it does have an adverse effect on you.”

Her smile had lost some of its sinister light when it became apparent that he wasn’t going to play whatever little game she had devised. “You always were clever,” she said quietly. “And you were clever enough to pick up one of my… limitations. A minor one, but one nonetheless, I grant you.” She tilted her head to one side. “But have you managed to figure out exactly what you’re dealing with?”

Roy gritted his teeth, hating having to say the word. “‘Vampire’ has been batted around quite a bit,” he said, not quite able to keep the insolence out of his tone.

Riza fairly beamed with dark pride, her pointed canine teeth much in evidence even at the distance separating them. “Oooooh, well done,” she purred, sliding a step closer but still not leaving the shadows. “You boys should be proud of yourselves, all working together like this. Pooling your knowledge until you come up with the answer.”

She spoke like a kindergarten teacher, praising a particularly precocious five-year-old. Roy could see Scar’s jaw beginning to set at the patronization, could feel the red heat of a blush creeping up the back of his own neck. Both of them stayed silent, watching her warily, waiting for her next move.

When she realized that neither of them was going to respond, she dropped her stance into one of exasperation, her eyes rolling in annoyance. “Oh, for pity’s sake…. I’m not going to dive at you and rip your throats out, so you might as well relax.” She folded her arms, shifting to stand hip-shot. “You’re obviously not willing to hurt me either, or else you would have tried, so I can only assume you’re here to talk, check on me, or both.”

“The first step was finding you,” Roy said, daring a step in her direction. Those amethyst eyes flicked to his feet and then back to his face, her relaxed posture taking on the barest hint of tension. Not nervous tension; coiled spring fight-or-flight tension. He stopped. “After that, we thought we might try and convince you to come back with us. So that we can sort this out.”

For the first time, her smile didn’t reach her eyes. Riza remained motionless, watching him levelly. “You want me to go back to the inhabited areas of the city,” she said blandly. “Me. A vampire. Who’s sole sustenance is human blood and who has a stunning anger management problem that can lead to a horrifically gruesome death for whomever crosses me.” One eyebrow quirked. “You want to put someone like that back in the middle of an unsuspecting population? I think I’d like to take back my comments on your intelligence.”

Roy gritted his teeth and tried again. “Forgive me for wanting to have faith in my assistant,” he fired back. “Or for hoping that there’s enough humanity left in you that you’d be able to control yourself.”

“Oh, I have plenty of self-control,” the vampire said, her voice a self-assured purr once again. “For instance, I’m enough in control not to bleed you both dry and leave your bodies where they drop.” She wagged a cautionary finger. “But if you put me in the middle of what would essentially be an endless buffet of living, breathing bodies…. It would be like putting chocolate in front of a toddler and telling them they can’t have it. Hardly sporting at all.”

Much as it galled him to admit it, he could see her point. Time for a change in tactics. “Then why not let us set you up someplace away from the rest of the people, somewhere with little daytime light but where we know where to find you so that we can work on getting you back to normal?”

Scorn was the only thing that crossed her face. “Typical man with a god complex,” she spat, shifting to lean back against the wall. “Not happy unless you’re trying to save someone, even when that person clearly doesn’t want or need to be saved.” She fixed him with an annoyed glare. “I’ll spell it out for you one last time, though if it doesn’t get through your thick skull, you’re out of luck.” She spoke slowly, hammering the point home. “I like myself the way I am. I do not need to be changed back. You are wasting your time, and mine.”

Her eyes hardened. “Get. Lost.”

Annoyance flared hot and red in Roy’s veins, and he opened his mouth to return verbal fire… and stopped as Scar stepped in front of him.

“She is toying with you,” he said over his shoulder, still ready to face the creature in the shadows should she come for them. “She is keeping you talking until the sun goes down and keeping you angry so that you don’t notice her plan.”

Riza huffed a sigh. “You weren’t supposed to notice. That’s five whole minutes I’ve wasted, now, trying to play the long game. I should have just lured you into the shadows and taken you out.”

“If you were able,” Scar answered evenly. Reaching to the pouch around his neck, he did not remove it, but held it toward her and took a pair of steps in her direction.

She frowned. “You’re going to try and frighten me with a coinpurse? How do you —” As he drew nearer, her nostrils twitched as she sniffed cautiously… frowned slightly… and then clamped a hand over her mouth as she gagged, bending nearly double. Scar backed off by one step, allowing her to catch her breath.

With the back of her hand held to her nose, her eyes watering from the retch, she glared at him. “What the hell kind of raw sewage is in that thing?” she bit out. “You’re either braver or stupider than I thought, to walk around with that hanging around your neck.”

“Try ‘smarter,’” Roy answered, his tone only a few shades shy of bitter; her remarks from earlier still stung. “We’ve at least proven they’ll keep you at arm’s length.”

“Ugh. Gladly.” Despite the new greenish tinge in her pale face, she shot him a grin. “Though I wouldn’t drop it around me, if I were you. It’s like gaining entry to a house: all I need is the smallest possible opening.”

Standing straight once again, she took several steps backward, fading farther into the deepening shadows. “I can see that our meeting here isn’t going to get us very far, and I have another one coming up in a few hours. If you’ll excuse me, gentlemen.”

“Wait, hang on a second.” Roy made sure she had paused before looking to Scar. “Can you give us a minute? I want to try talking to her one last time… but I need to do it on my own.” He saw the doubt in the other man’s face, but pressed on. “Two minutes, no longer. And I won’t try anything stupid.”

Red eyes glanced in Riza’s direction, then back to the Colonel… and finally, the larger man nodded agreement. “I’ll wait by the street exit. Make it quick, and keep your distance.”

“Right.” He waited as the warrior moved off, watching Riza slink slowly closer without leaving the haven of the shadowed hallway, her expression full of wary curiosity. Roy put a hand protectively on the repellent charm hanging around his neck, and she stopped.

“You said, before you left the amphitheatre last night, that all the yantir did was ‘put the good girl to sleep and bring the bad one out,’” he said, trying for the same level, businesslike tone Riza herself so often employed. “Is that true? Somewhere in you in the real Riza, just… suppressed, somehow?”

She tilted her head first one way, then the other, thinking it over. “You could say that, I suppose. Think of it as… hm, how to describe it so you can understand…. Ah!” She snapped her fingers as an idea struck. “I’ll borrow one of her memories for this. You remember how that one Xingese kid, the boy, got turned into a human-based Homonculus? With Greed’s personality and his own coexisting within the same body?”

Something cold and sharp sank slowly through Roy’s chest. “…Yes.”

“It’s like that,” she answered with an airy shrug. “We’re sharing a body, but right now, I’m in the driver’s seat. Your little yantir knocked her out of commission for a while. Once she wakes up, she’ll be able to try and fight me for control, but even if she wins, I’ll be able to fight back soon after.” A smile played across her lips. “Two kids, constantly playing King of the Castle. Or maybe, as you’ve described her, Queen of the Castle.”

Taking a steadying breath, he glanced back into the market square. The sky was still darkening slowly, but he wouldn’t consider himself in trouble until he saw stars in the sky. “You said that you don’t want to go back to the way Riza was before, but if you’re sharing that body, shouldn’t you ask her opinion? You might not want to change, but maybe she does.”

“What’s the point?” She slid a few steps closer, but stopped a few metres away, her nose wrinkling as she presumably caught a whiff from the protection charm around his neck. “It’s up to whoever is in charge of the body to make the decision. It does whatever its told to, regardless of whoever is doing the driving.” She grinned. “I could get this little lady up to a whole lot of trouble if I wanted to, then leave my other half to deal with the fallout.”

“Shame that that would involve giving up control,” Roy shot back, dread crawling into his stomach. He knew the possibility had been there, but if he could prevent her from taking advantage of it. “And we both know you’d hate to do that.”

“Depending what the trouble is, it might be worth it.” She eyed him shrewdly, clearly trying to read his expression. “You told Scar you wanted to try talking to me on your own, probably so that you could convince me to work with you rather than me going off and doing my own thing. But you’re not, you’re just… talking.” Her eyes narrowed. “Trying to build rapport, so that I trust you?”

He shook his head. “Trying to figure you out. Trying to figure out this whole situation, and what it is you want.”

“Oh, is that all?” Riza’s blonde eyebrows lifted. “You could have just asked. As of right now, I have no ‘master plan,’ and I have no urge to contemplate one. In fact, aside from that meeting I mentioned, I have no concrete plans whatsoever for the immediate future.”

Roy felt his spine stiffen, the dread in his stomach swirling sickeningly. “Meeting. You mean the one who started all of this. The killer from Central and East City.”

“Mmhmm.” Her smile was close-mouthed but no less diabolical. “My… sire, I believe the term in vampire lore is. The one who made me as I am, right under your very nose as it turns out. He’ll be here….” She paused, her gaze becoming introspective as she considered it. “Likely in another five hours.”

So, the teams back home had been right; the killer was on his way here, now that his… creation had come into her own. Suddenly, Roy needed to be far away from this spot, no matter how much time was left until sunset.

“Don’t look so shocked, Colonel,” Riza admonished lightly. “You must have known he would follow you here, if for no other reason than to keep toying with you and your Lieutenant. You’re his favourite playthings, after all.” She beamed at him. “You should stick around. He’s going to be awfully hungry after such a long trip….”

Almost automatically, as if in a dream, he reached up to the protection charm and yanked sharply on it. The knot at the back came undone, the little parcel coming away in his hand. Before he could second-guess the action, he lunged forward, tackling the thing in his Lieutenant’s body to the ground and pressing the charm directly into the centre of her chest.

The fall knocked part of the wind from her lungs, and when she drew a gasping breath, she immediately gagged at the closeness of the charm. Roy gritted his teeth, keeping it pressed firm to her, all too aware of the closeness of that familiar body as she squirmed and bucked, trying to escape. He kept one hand clenched in the shoulder of her dress, willing the fabric not to tear, desperately hoping that this impromptu plan would have the effect he was gambling on….

When she went limp beneath him, her head lolling to the side, a spike of fear shot through him that it had all gone horribly wrong.

“Riza. Riza, come on….” He let go of her dress, shifting his hand to tap her gently on the cheek, dropping the charm to feel at her neck for a pulse. It was there, rapid and thrumming like a rabbit’s after the struggle, her breathing coming and going through her nose in short puffs.

His stomach clenching in worry, Roy took a deep breath and forced his tone into one of command. “First Lieutenant Hawkeye, you’re required on duty. Hop to it.”

Her eyes flashed open with only the merest flicker of re-closing… and moments later, that warm brown gaze found him.

“…Roy?”

He said nothing, merely pulled her to him as he sat up, holding her close against his chest. After a second of stunned silence, she returned the embrace, although with a hesitancy that belied her confusion. When he could finally force his arms to loosen, he leaned back, studying her face. “Are you all right?”

“I think so.” There was a haziness to her eyes that he didn’t like, but other than that, she was very much herself. “Whatever you did, it worked, but I doubt it will hold for long.” Her lips set into a thin line. “She’s not much stronger than I am, but she’s determined enough to keep control that it gives her an edge.”

“Okay.” He touched a hand to her cheek, feeling the warmth of life beginning to seep back into her the longer she was in control. “What do you remember? She said you were asleep.”

“‘Asleep’ is more like an analogy,” she said, talking quickly in case her alter ego began to assert herself. She looked carefully about as she spoke, taking in her surroundings. “It’s more that… I become the subconscious while she has control of the conscious mind. I still hear and see everything happening, but I have no say in what happens, what’s said, where I go….”

Roy frowned. “So then, if —”

Riza shuddered, shook her head roughly as though to clear it, and then looked him firmly in the eyes. “Roy, don’t talk, just listen. She’s already trying to take over again.” Her hand grasped his upper arm, imparting seriousness. “The killer is coming here, which means the entire populated part of the city is a target. They’re the only food supply for miles.” She shuddered again, her breath hitching. “They all need some kind of protection, either that pouch thing you just used, some kind of religious icon, or staying in a hol —”

Her entire body twitched violently to the left, knocking her free from his arms. She recovered, but slid away another foot or so. “- A holy place like the temple.” Her mouth tugged in a faint smile. “I’m sorry to give you orders, sir, I know it’s not exactly appropriate.”

His return grin was as weak as hers. “We’ll discuss your punishment for insubordination later.” Ignoring the risk from the returning vampire persona, he leaned forward and pressed a warm, deep kiss to rapidly cooling lips. There was a soft sound from the back of her throat that might have been the start of a moan, but she held it back. “Hope to see you soon, Whiskygirl,” he murmured, easing back to a safer distance and trying not to let the ache in his chest colour his words. “Stay strong.”

Another strong twitch rocked her, but there was one last smile that was pure, unadulterated Riza Hawkeye. “Even into Hell,” she murmured knowingly. Her eyes closed, and she sank back to lie prone on the sand-swept street.

Silence followed, except for a soft shuffling as Roy eased backward another few feet. Blindly, his hand groped for and found the charm pouch, his eyes watching the slow — too slow — rise and fall of Riza’s chest. Finally, she gave a soft sigh.

“Would you look at that,” she said, matter-of-factly. “I think the sun’s just about down.”

His head snapped back, eyes widening at the sight of the purpling sky overhead. Already, two bright points of light winked in the lowering twilight; night fell faster in the desert than he realized.

When he looked back to her, she was raised on her elbows, watching him with a mischievous smile dancing in those amethyst eyes. She lay perfectly still, watching him without fear or fondness. Her lips parting, the tip of her tongue running across the edges and points of her teeth in a surprisingly good approximation of a wolf eyeing prey.

“Better start running, fire boy,” she advised, her voice low with a casual kind of menace. “You don’t want to be caught all alone out here. Don’t you know monsters come out at night?”

Roy was no coward, but he knew when he was up against something terrifying that he had no hope of beating on his own. Rising smoothly to his feet, he slipped cautiously away from the entrance to the hallway, not turning his back to her. To turn away was to invite attack.

When he was out of her line of sight, he bolted for the side street where Scar waited. The other man saw him coming, perking to an alert posture when he saw the speed Roy was moving at… and asked no questions. No sooner had Roy drawn level with him than Scar was running too, both of them pelting back down the street toward the distant, relative safety of the inhabited areas of the city.

---------------

Riza waited until she heard the pair of rapid footfalls echoing off the buildings receding into the distance before she got to her feet. Somewhere in her mind, in the aftermath of the brief switch, she could feel something that felt like an impossibly tiny person pounding on the walls of an equally tiny cell, demanding release… but she ignored it. There were other, more pressing matters to attend to.

First on her list, she wanted out of this dress. The Ishvalan people mind be more comfortable showing as little skin as possible by covering it with the blandest colour in the world — honestly, whoever came up with ‘biege’ ought to have been shot on principle of fashion — but it was not for her. She craved colour, style, and something softer on the skin than homespun cotton.

She padded barefoot down the side street that the Colonel and that hulking Ishvalan had taken, the dust from their passage still settling around her. She was in no hurry, not yet; there was still time before her sire reached the northern city limits, and then she would meet him somewhere closer to the centre.

She breathed deeply, with her slow rate, of the cooling night air. Warmth lingered in the sand and stones, warming her toes as she passed, but her body did not hold to it. Her lowered respiration and pulse saw to it that her skin stayed cool to the touch, her extremities especially. Riza smiled, tilting her face to the darkening sky and letting the breeze play across her features; the night was falling all around her, bringing a peace to her after the hated brightness of the day.

Her path took her long the same street as Roy and Scar, and the rest of the search party before them. It was perhaps a forty-minute easy stroll back to the occupied section of the city, but she did not intend to follow them so far. With ten minutes to go until civilization, she turned down an alleyway and vanished into the shadows.

Taking to the rooftops was a simple matter for her, an easy climb with her increased strength and senses. She emerged into starlight with all the coiling strength and grace of a lioness on familiar turf.

The quieter residential streets lay on the outermost edges of the inhabited section, and these she passed through silently and unnoticed, until she reached a wider boulevard alive with the sounds, sights, and smells of humans.

Light and sound poured out from the streets ahead, lanterns lining the sidewalks and people talking and laughing as they went about their lives. Late-night vendors called to passersby, offering goods and food for trade or barter. Those were really the only two commerce systems in use at the moment; cash was hard to come by in a people just beginning to recover after nearly a decade of oppression.

Such trusting fools, she thought, dropping low to the rooftops as she approached the edge of the lighted area. Several prominent members of their leadership know there is danger in the darkness, and yet there’s no rooftop sentries, no one on patrol on the perimeter…. Careless, naïve fools….

Riza belly-crawled to the edge of the first rooftop, only her eyes peeping over at the array of shops below. Delicious smells of cooking meat and baking bread wafted on the air, along with the smoke from cookfires and hearths. The rhythmic ting! ting! ting! of metal being worked sounded from farther along the avenue, laughter from a newly opened alehouse rising into the air from open windows.

She followed the sounds of bartering cries from her right, keeping close to the edge, but only peering over at odd intervals, looking for the distinct signs of what she sought… there. Working her way to the roof of her desired shop, she crept to the back and dropped into the shadowed, deserted alleyway behind.

There was no lock on the door she was faced with, making slipping inside the candlelit interior an easy task. Swaths of fabric draped every whichway so as to be visible to passersby hid her from the shopkeeper as well as any customers as she entered the tiny space. It was more akin to a stall than a true shop, but it held what she was looking for.

Bolts of cloth lines the walls in a riot of colour, different textures and patterns colliding over every surface. Men’s, women’s, and children’s clothing hung on tall stands or from horizontally braced poles across the width of the interior. The voice of an older woman came from the front, speaking rapidly in Ishvalan to one customer or another, no doubt extolling the virtues of her product.

Riza didn’t waste time, simply locating the style she wanted in a colour she liked before stealthily slipping the item from its hanger and disappearing through the back door once again. The garment, she draped around her neck like an athlete’s towel for the time being, needing her hands free and her progress unencumbered.

She gained the rooftops once again, dodging from one to the next and onward, back to where the city lay dark and silent in its abandonment. All the while, her teeth glinted in the starlight in a prideful grin at her accomplishment.

---------------

ABANDONED SECTION, CITY OF JADAD, ISHVAL

0142 HOURS, APRIL 24TH

She was waiting on the inn’s rooftop terrace when her visitor finally arrived.

He skulked into the market square, his dark suit blending at times with the shadows while at other times, his pale skin was indistinguishable from the light-coloured stone walls. Riza made no move to call to him or otherwise make herself known… but he paused near the well and lifted his head. At this distance, she could not make out his features, but she knew his eyes were on her, perched as she was on the half-wall at the terrace’s edge.

Silently, he started for the inn’s ground floor, and Riza felt a peculiar sensation near her solar plexus. Nervousness, she determined, watching as he began to scale the building. This man had attacked her before, had pursued her from one city to the next, had made her the way she was… and she still knew next to nothing about him.

And when he finally climbed gracefully onto the roof, his face clear to her for the first time, she wished she had remained oblivious.

Reaching up, briefly lifting the fedora hat that looked so ridiculous in this desert environment, former Major Solf J. Kimblee favoured her with a smile. “Lovely to see you again, Lieutenant.”

She was on him in another instant, tackling him to the cracked paving stones of the terrace floor, the two of them somersaulting over and over in the dust until she finally pinned him. Purple eyes were alight with fury, her hand clamped tightly around his throat as she sat astride his chest, her legs pinning his arms to his sides. “You have some nerve,” she spat, pointed teeth evident as she glared at this old, hated enemy. “I don’t know how you survived the Promised Day, but I have half a mind to finish what Pride obviously failed to.”

In contrast, he was completely calm, lying relaxed beneath her with no evident intention to fight back. “Well, when one loses the ability to have a mortal human life, nerve is about all one has left.” He smiled indulgently, the words beginning to rasp as her fingers tightened slightly. “And giving you answers is one of my primary reasons for coming, so if you would be so kind as to—”

“‘Kind?’” she echoed, not quite derisively. “As though you were ever kind to anyone a day in your life.”

His form shivered and then stretched into a long string, snaking away from her and out of her reach, depositing her in a kneeling position on the flagstones. Kimblee reassembled himself partway across the terrace, dusting himself off fastidiously as his body finished coalescing. “Really, Lieutenant, flying off the handle that way is only going to slow our progress this evening. Try to control yourself.”

She got to her feet, eyes wary on him and stance ready to dodge at a second’s notice. “You mentioned answers,” she said flatly.

“Indeed, I did.” He glanced her way, his eyes straying over the dress she had stolen to replace the plainer everyday Ishvalan garment. “…Did you dress yourself up for me? Perhaps you’re more welcoming of me than you care to admit.”

If anger had not already left her cheeks tinged with red, the blush would have been much more noticeable. Suddenly, the snowy white abaya was much less of a good idea. Riza folded her arms over the soft linen, feeling the tiny bumps and ridges of the intricate emerald-green beadwork through the fabric. It was belted at her waist with a matching green sash, covered her arms and fell to her ankles, and yet with his eyes on her, she felt strangely exposed.

“Answers,” she reminded him firmly.

“Very well,” he said, almost resignedly. Walking to the edge, he leaned back against the half-wall, his arms folded. “I can see we’re not going to get anywhere until your curiosity is sated. I trust you’ve figured out what you are? What I’ve made you?” Her only answer was a curt nod. “Good.

“You were apparently told — likely by that chimera traitor, Heinkel — what happened to me on the Promised Day. First, my former employee mauled me until near-death, and then Pride had the unmitigated gall to eat me.” He smiled faintly. “I certainly taught the brat a lesson, though. I managed to retain my own personal soul using him as a vessel, until Edward Elric stripped away all that was ‘Pride,’ and left only ‘Selim.’”

Riza moved no closer, but she did relax her tense posture when it was apparent by his own that he would not be attacking anytime soon. “Yes, I’ve been told before of a human-based Homonculus retaining their original soul while their body plays host. I didn’t realize it could work in reverse.” She eyed him coolly. “Though I would have thought that, when Pride’s power was taken from him, you would have been destroyed along with it, having no body left.”

Kimblee shrugged modestly, the faint smile still tugging at his lips. “When the Elric boy invaded Pride’s soul, I thought the same thing. I was ready to disappear into the void; being part of a body as nothing but an unattached and unassimilated soul was growing boring…. So imagine my surprise when, in the late evening of the Promised Day, I find myself regaining consciousness, stark naked in the underground lair Father had built for himself.”

Her eyes narrowed. “How?”

Spreading his hands theatrically, he grinned. “Magic, my dear.” He waited, but silence and her stony gaze were the only things that greeted this pronouncement. He let his hands drop back into his lap. “You have no sense of humour. In reality, Homonculi are rather resilient beings, especially that Gluttony one. I’m sure you know that personally.

“When Gluttony was eaten by Pride, his soul molded mostly into that of Pride… but by the time Pride was destroyed, he still wasn’t fully amalgamated. His Philosopher’s Stone was not entirely amalgamated or used up either.” His smile grew to a proud one. “When I realized what Edward Elric meant to do, as I said, I was ready to disappear into the void… if what I attempted failed. I took Gluttony’s soul, what remained of his Stone, and what remained of myself… and I molded them together. Gluttony’s Stone served to manifest a new body; it remembered how, having only been grown from Father shortly before. My soul inhabits it, although the side effects have been… noticeable.”

Realization was beginning to dawn on her, things clicking into place. “The hunger,” she said. “That’s where it comes from. It comes from Gluttony’s influence.”

Kimblee nodded. “Along with other… appetites I know you’ve noticed.” He did not acknowledge the hot points of red that bloomed in her cheeks at the comment. “There must have also been some last vestiges of Pride’s soul trailing me when I reformed myself, hence the ability to elongate and reform at will. And the arrogance, of course, though I consider that particular side effect to be mild.

“Any other little quirks can, I’m sure, be chalked up to the vagaries of alchemy that still aren’t perfectly understood.” He got to his feet, bringing her abruptly back onto the alert. Drawing closer, his own pointed teeth showing in a leering smile. “Of course, now the main question is… can two old soldiers who never really got along learn to live with each other in the face of a new, unprecedented occurrence?”

She glared daggers, even though she knew he would be unaffected by such a look. “Give me one good reason why I should have to work with you.”

“It’s very simple.” Quick as she was, she did not react soon enough to dodge the hand that grasped her chin, forcing her to keep eye contact with him. He drew close enough that she could feel the warmth of his breath on her nose and lips, his eyes steady on hers in a way that signalled power and mastery.

“I did you the honour of making you into what you are. You owe me.”

[lccdctour]

Day Three

After a lovely breakfast buffet at the Marriott, we began day three of the Washington DC tour at the White House. We were lucky to have the opportunity since White House tours have only recently resumed after Covid restrictions were lifted and are currently only offered on Friday & Saturday mornings. And we picked a beautiful Saturday morning to see Washington (sunny with highs in the mid 70s!).

The tour began with a security check and the first of many photos with the Secret Service members who guard the White House. (Shout out to all the Secret Service who were so willing to answer our questions and pose for pictures!) We then made our way through the tour entrance hall and into the East Colonnade which was adorned with colorful ribbons in celebration of Pride month. Pictures of famous events and visiting dignitaries lined one wall of the colonnade (where Susan noticed the picture of President Biden signing legislation declaring June 19th as a federal holiday had Juneteenth spelled incorrectly (Juneteeth - oops).

After a brief stop at the White House gift shop, we continued through the ground floor past the China room (filled with China dishes from previous administrations), the Vermeil room (with portraits of the First Ladies), and the library. We then made our way up the stairs to the state floor and the largest room in the White House - the East Room. The site of state dinners, receptions, concerts, award presentations, press conferences, and even laundry hung out to dry (I’m looking at you, Abigail Adams), the East Room is also home to a famous portrait of George Washington from 1800 that survived the 1814 burning of the White House thanks to the quick actions of First Lady Dolley Madison, as well as three huge crystal chandeliers which each take 30 days to clean. (We told you those Secret Service members were kind enough to answer our questions.)

We next passed through the Green Room with a portrait of Indiana’s own William Henry Harrison (longest inauguration speech; shortest term of office), the Blue Room, and the Red Room, all of which were filled with portraits, busts, and artifacts of former presidents and first ladies. Following the colorful rooms came the State Dining Room, the Cross Hall (seen in many presidential addresses and press conferences) and the main entrance hall with its ornately decorated Steinway piano and portrait of a contemplative JFK.

Our group exited the White House through the north door and after another picture with the very friendly Secret Service and a group shot of both singers and chaperones, we were off to our next adventure - souvenir shopping. A very conveniently located souvenir shop made our hands full and our wallets lighter (who knew bucket hats were so popular?) and then we boarded our buses for a quick ride to the National Mall (not the shopping kind).

After yet another group photo (in front of the Washington Monument this time), we were off to have lunch and explore the Smithsonian Museums in chaperone groups. While the Air & Space Museum is currently closed for renovations, many of us visited the National Museum of Natural History with its look at life from fossils, dinosaurs, mammals, insects, humans, and even geology & minerals (including the 45.5 carat Hope Diamond). Some of the group also checked out the exhibits at the American History Museum. While the popular arts & entertainment artifacts were currently off-exhibit also due to renovation, we still saw the inauguration gowns of the First Ladies, learned about American Democracy, and examined the history of the United States at war. The original flag flown over Fort McHenry in 1814 during the Battle of Baltimore during the War of 1812 was also on display. The sight of this flag still flying over the fort inspired Francis Scott Key to write a poem which became known as the Star Spangled Banner.

Speaking of the Star Spangled Banner, while we were unable to sing it at the Washington Nationals game (luckily, the soloist was really good so we didn’t have to storm the field…), we did have a great time at the game which was our final activity of the day. We arrived at Nationals Park, found our seats in left field and joined the sell-out crowd who settled in on this beautiful afternoon to watch the Nationals play the Philadelphia Phillies (where the Nationals also retired the jersey of former player, Ryan Zimmerman and gave away free shirts to all the kids!). It was a low scoring game with the Nationals losing to the Phillies 2-1 in 10 innings, and the lines for the concessions were insanely slow, but we really had a great time enjoying the music, fans, mascots’ antics, and even the game itself. All in all, it was a wonderful way to end LCC DC Tour day three! (Lots on the agenda for day four, so look for the next blog post…eventually.)

[symphonyevents]

10 Incredible Wedding Venues in Sydney Handpicked by Jack

I get it, choosing the best Indian wedding venues, table chair hire or outdoor party furniture hire in Sydney may quite seem like a daunting task once you're in the lookout for one. Sydney is flooded with options in abundance, once you start to narrow down your criteria. The very first thing to do is figure out the kind of wedding that you want- is it a grand affair or more of an intimate one with just your loved ones around? This writeup will help narrow it down for sure.

I've dealt with numerous weddings in the town till date and whilst there are a wealth of incredible venues to tie the knot out there- these are some of the venues which are my favorite at this point of time, that are picturesque and unique in their own right.

There's a good sort for whatever vibe and aesthetics you're after. Without further ado, here goes my list of 10 truly unique Indian wedding venues or engagement party venues in Sydney. 

 Curzon Hall 

Curzon hall is beyond perfect for a regal themed Indian wedding with a touch of old-world charm. Set in Agincourt Road, Marsfield, Curzon hall is a stunning castle-like structure surrounded by gardens with Italian style colonnades, ornate cathedral ceilings, semi-circular arches, sandstone parapets and entry halls exuding grandeur and elegance. With a capacity to accommodate up to 450 seated and 600 standing guests, Curzon hall is not to be missed if you want to plight your troth in one of the most picturesque locations in the city. Choose either Curzon hall catering or source other caterers, but one thing is for sure- their food and drinks are off the chart. 

Doltone House 

Offering a range of beautiful historic and modern dedicated spaces for a magnificent waterfront wedding, Doltone house is definitely worth checking out!  The venue is an attraction of its own with multipurpose versatile spaces perfect for a grand sit-down or cocktail occasion, a killer ceremony spot, contemporary and luxe finishes, breathtaking views of Sydney, all in one! Whatever budget or style you're after, you can customise the menu. There's a reason Doltone house was able to expand aggressively over the past few years, and food is perhaps their cornerstone. The sky's the limit at Doltone house.

 Le Montage 

 Le Montage is the ideal venue for Indian weddings for a plethora of reasons. The venue offers luscious on-trend menus by the expert in-house culinary team and packages to set the base of your journey ablaze. Their unique selling proposition is to meet not just the needs of extravagant affairs, but also for intimate weddings as well. You have 10 picture-perfect event spaces to choose from, and based on the chosen space, you can have an intimate ceremony as few as 30 guests or a grand one with as many as 1490 guests. 

 Shangri La

 Set overlooking the sparkling waterfront of Sydney's harbour bridge and Opera house, this luxury deluxe hotel houses 18 function rooms and 560 capacious suites and guestrooms. It doesn't matter whether it's an extravagant affair or a themed one, their executive chef and culinary team will tailor a refined and palatable menu to best suit your exact requirements. The luxe hotel is a haven with grandly proportioned rooms that could easily accommodate intimate gatherings to more lavish gala weddings with quite a number of attendees.

 Stamford Plaza

Set in the heart of Brisbane, Stamford Plaza is the go-to venue that seems to have it all- riverside backdrop, delectable food and a laid-back vibe. A truly unique setting for your big day, offering thoughtfully devised wedding packages that can be customised. Get astonished by the panoramic views of Brisbane River, Kangaroo point cliffs, and a lush ceremonial garden. The elegant garden terrace can seat up to 60 guests whereas the grand ballroom up to 270 guests

 The Epping Club

 Are you hoping to wow guests with your choice of venue? Then you simply can't go past The Epping Club. When you choose The Epping Club for your dream wedding, your big day is guaranteed to be indelible and unique, while the food, facilities and service are still world-class. You have four versatile function spaces to choose from and space can accommodate up to 600 guests with ease. Food and beverages can easily be customised to fit your ideal requirements and desires.

 Parravilla Function Lounge

 Offering 2 magnificent function rooms- the ballroom and crystal ballroom, marry in style at Parravilla Function Lounge, the ultimate picturesque wedding venue. The space has been designed to lend itself a unique and individual styling, and can easily seat up to 450 guests in the ballroom and 150 in the crystal ballroom. The dining options are just immense- buffet meal facilities, seated meal facilities, in-house catering and corkage option. 

 Skyview Reception

In a word, Skyview Reception can be described as a one-of-a-kind venue. Their impressive grand staircase, a chandeliered ballroom that seats up to 500 guests, with features to amp up your big day, complemented with bespoke menus are just a few of the unique features that you can avail at Skyview reception. You can either choose from the cocktail area or stylish foyer to kick start your wedding in style. 

 Oatlands House 

 Set in Oatlands, Sydney, this luxe Indian wedding venue lets you choose from among 4 outdoor ceremony locations, in the midst of lush gardens and vineyards as well as 6 opulent indoor ceremony locations that will enchant you with its vintage charm. Also, there are manifold flexible event packages to choose from that best suit your cultural tradition, so every wedding is welcome at Oatlands house. This elegant Georgian manor is complemented by Gourmet menus, modern event amenities, and most importantly, the services of the staff cannot be overlooked. 

Paradiso Receptions

Till date, Paradiso receptions has been the most sought after wedding venue by couples aspiring a traditional yet stylish wedding. You can choose from among the 5 diverse function centres that can conveniently seat up to 1200 guests. Paradiso receptions offers all-inclusive packages, customised menu that gratifies every taste and dedicated wedding coordinators who will let you enjoy a unique, unforgettable experience making it not just romantic but intimate and flawless. 

Fancy getting married in Sydney but yet to settle for the best?

If you're still in the lookout for an Indian wedding or engagement venue in Sydney, you're guaranteed to find one from this curated list that you can't go wrong with! For more information visit https://symphonyevents.com.au/.

[yes-jordanperfecttourss-blog]

Petra Tours – The Ultimate Experience In Jordan

The ruin of Petra is Jordan's most-visited vacation spot and extraordinary compared to other safeguarded archeological destinations on the planet. Despite the fact not known when the construction of the city happened. The construction happened around the first century B.C. when Nabataeans referred Petra as "Raqmu". The city was a significant exchanging hub for frankincense, myrrh and flavors in the locale, and was later attached to the Roman Empire and kept on flourishing until an enormous quake annihilated a great part of the city in the fourth century A.D. It remained unoccupied from the middle of the seventh century until in 1812 when a Swiss pioneer set out to "rediscover" the lost city of Petra by persuading his Bedouin guide for taking him there.

Many reputed tour operators can be your guide and enable you to have Petra tours from Amman when you are on a vacation at Jordan.

The Petra Archeological Park in Jordan highlights a staggering stone cut design set in a dynamic red sandstone landscape just as transcending mountains fixed with profound sections and gorges. The Nabataeans covered their dead in intricate tombs cut of mountainsides, and the city was home to sanctuaries, a stone theater, colonnaded road and holy places.

Petra is not just one of the "New Wonders of the World" yet in addition a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The remnants of Petra recorded as a World Heritage Site for the "one of a kind aesthetic accomplishment and an exceptional building ensemble of the first centuries BC to AD. The fluctuated archeological remains and structural landmarks from ancient occasions to the medieval periods bear outstanding declaration to the now lost civilizations. They succeeded each other at the site and the tremendous expansion of expounding tomb and sanctuary design; religious places; the remnant channels, passages and diversion dams that joined with an immense system of storages and supplies which controlled and monitored regular downpours. The broad archeological remains also include copper mining, sanctuaries, chapels and other open structures.

A tour to Jordan essentially is not finished without a visit to Petra. You could peruse a hundred manuals about the different tourist spots in Petra, or see a thousand photographs of The Treasury or The Royal Tombs, yet nothing can set you up for the staggering surge of wonder and awe when you get your first look at the Treasury through the Siq or advance down the Colonnaded Street. In the event that you are intending to go to Petra, then it is wise to be with reputed tour operators and be with their local guides.

Visiting Petra in Jordan during Ramadan 

Ramadan is a blessed month seen by Muslims. The dates of recognition fluctuate as per the Islamic lunar schedule. In 2020, it will be from April 23 to May 23. During Ramadan, Muslims fast from daybreak to dusk, and liquor is not available with the exception of in some bigger inns and eateries.

A few spots may change to an extraordinary Ramadan menu, and shops and even vacation destinations may close early. Overall, you should attempt to abstain from eating and drinking even water out in the open as an indication of regard during Ramadan. Nevertheless, it would not be fitting to quit hydrating and drinking water on the off chance that you are exploring Petra, particularly in the event that you are getting around by walking.

During Ramadan, the Petra Archeological City opens at 7 AM and shuts down at 4 PM.

How to reach Petra 

From Amman to Petra, the drive will take you around 3 hours. From Aqaba to Petra, hope to drive for 2 hours, and in the event that you are going to Petra from Wadi Rum, it will take a little more than an hour via vehicle.

The least demanding approach to get around Jordan is via vehicle, so you can hire a Toyota. The fares are not exorbitant. If you are with your travel agency, they will arrange for a safe and comfortable journey from Amman to Petra.

Petra is inside a town called Wadi Musa, and driving around Wadi Musa is simple on the off chance that you approach Google Maps. There are a few single direction streets and the intermittent spot of traffic, yet it is reasonable in any case. You can leave your vehicle 100 meters up the street from the Petra Visitor Center, the fundamental access to Petra Archeological Park for a fee.

Where to stay in Petra 

Wadi Musa is the closest town to the archeological site of Petra. When visiting Petra in Jordan, there are various hotel alternatives to suit all financial limits, yet in the event that you are searching for an upscale hotel with magnificent facilities and administration then I strongly suggest the Petra Marriott. Despite the fact that the stylistic layout is somewhat dated, the rooms are roomy and agreeable, and you can have a staggering perspective of the surrounding. The morning meal and supper buffets are copious, fresh and sensibly valued, and no one can beat the nightfall view from the pool.

The staff cordiality is remarkable at the Petra Marriott everybody tries well beyond to make your stay agreeable, and the hotel is only 5 minutes away via vehicle from the Petra Visitor Center. The Petra Marriott is perhaps the best lodging in Petra.

What to bring to Petra 

A printed or e-duplicate of the Jordan Pass on the off chance that you bought one

Your visa

Cash or tidbits and additional bottles of water

As much water as you can convey in your refillable bottle

Sunscreen

Hat

A handheld fan

Camera

You will need to bring a little tripod on the off chance that you go to "Petra By Night"

There are a bunch of washrooms and little cafés and shops inside Petra Archeological Park.

What to wear to Petra 

The pathways and earth streets inside the Petra Archeological Park can be pebbly, uneven and dusty. You totally need to wear appropriate strolling shoes, leave the flip-flops, wedges and heels at home. In spite of the fact that the vast majority in Jordan are Muslim, you will not find that Jordan is very preservationist.

You will locate that numerous sightseers wear shorts and sleeveless tops out in the open, yet I would suggest that as an indication of regard and social affectability you are aware of what you wear in Petra and Jordan overall. You can wear free jeans, a tank top and a short-sleeved cardigan to cover your shoulders. You should attempt to wear breathable apparel that is anything but difficult to walk.

How to move around in Petra 

You can move by walking: Most individuals get around Petra by walking. You need strong strolling shoes and a lot of water.

You can also use horse carriage, donkeys or camel: Carriages are for individuals who cannot walk right to the Treasury, and ponies, camels and donkeys have for quite some time utilized as working creatures here.

Petra opening times 

The antiquated site of Petra and its Visitor Center are available to guests daily from 6 AM to 6 PM throughout the late spring and 6 AM to 4 PM in the winter. As referenced before, the opening times may shift during the period of Ramadan.

In spite of the fact that Petra Archeological Park shuts in the early night, the recreation center opens around evening time 3 times each week on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday. The thrice-week "Petra By Night" demonstrates is an enchanted encounter not to be skipped in the event that you can time your visit appropriately. It is an extraordinary method to see some portion of the stone city and starts with a candlelit stroll along the whole Siq to the Treasury, where melodic exhibitions occur under the evening glow and gleaming stars.

There is no restriction on the number of tickets sold for Petra By Night, and you cannot book a ticket ahead of time. Petra By Night starts at 8:30 PM at the Petra Visitor Center, and you should plan to show up 30 minutes ahead of schedule to sift through your tickets. The event completes at around 10:30 PM, yet exhibitions finish and groups begin to get out of the Treasury by about 9:30, 9:45 PM.

What to see in Petra 

Petra Archeological Park covers a zone of 264,000 square meters… it would take a long time to explore the whole of the complex. There are different paths that you can take, with the Main Trail beginning at the Petra Visitor Center in the core of Wadi Musa.

Despite the fact that The Treasury frequently hailed as the substance of Petra, there are huge amounts of stunning landmarks to visit: here are a portion of the key features and places to see in Petra!

The Siq 

From the fundamental passageway at the Petra Visitor Center, a 10 to 15-minute walk will take you to the opening of the Siq. The thin crevasse is 1.2 kilometers long and shaped from a parting of the mountain. The stone trench is 3 to 12 meters in width and reaches up to 80 meters in tallness.

The emotional notches and waves lead guests into the core of Petra and the most popular fascination, The Treasury.

The Treasury 

The Treasury, or Al Khazna, is a transcending veneer cut into the mountain and is maybe Petra's most popular milestone. It stands right around 40 meters high and is delegated by a funerary urn, which as indicated by local legend disguises a pharaoh's fortune. Likely built in the first century B.C., and its capacity is misty – a few archeologists trust it to be a sanctuary, while others think it was a spot to store archives. Nevertheless, the latest uncovering uncovered a memorial park underneath the Treasury. You cannot enter The Treasury.

A few people stop here and do not explore the remainder of Petra – on the off chance that that is what you are intending to do, at that point you ought to hope to walk roughly 4.2 kilometers between the Petra Visitor Center and The Treasury. It will take you anywhere between 30 minutes to an hour every way.

There are a few perspectives in Petra where you can see the Treasury. In spite of the fact that you could attempt to locate your own specific manner there, local guides may bother you.

The treks up are modestly testing and include some stone climbing, yet it will just take 15 to 20 minutes. At the Treasury perspective, you can purchase tea or water from the businessperson on the off chance that you do not buy anything; they will approach you to pay some money per individual to snap a picture there.

The Theater 

Stroll to one side of The Treasury along the Street of Facades and you will discover The Theater. Cut into the side of the mountain at the foot of the High Place of Sacrifice, the Theater can oblige 4000 observers and is the just one of its sort on the planet.

The Royal Tombs 

Further past The Theater are the Royal Tombs that sit above the city. The four tombs are the Urn Tomb, built around 70 A.D. with specialties that open into little internment chambers, the Silk Tomb including multi-shaded stone on its exterior, the Corinthian Tomb with water bowls for purging customs, and the Palace Tomb with a five-story veneer and entombment rooms.

The Great Temple 

The Great Temple Complex speaks to one of the major archeological and compositional segments of central Petra. The complex covers roughly 6000 square meters and highlights huge 15-meter-tall columns. It is that the construction happened before the finish of the first century B.C. by the Nabataeans.

The Monastery 

Otherwise called Ad Deir, The Monastery is another of Petra's royal gems and is perhaps the biggest landmark. It is a standing structure of 47 meters wide and 48.3 meters tall. The utilization of the space was for the gatherings of religious affiliations and later re-utilized as a Christian church. The Monastery goes back to the mid-second century A.D. and is one of the most mainstream spots to visit in Petra.

There are 2 different ways to reach the Monastery: from the main path, or by means of the "back course" from Little Petra. If you take the principle trail – from the guest place, you take the fundamental path roughly 8 kilometers trailed by the Ad Deir trail around 2.5 kilometers that implies you walk 10+ kilometers every way. On the off chance that you are anticipating taking the principle trail to the Monastery, you will wind up going through 7-8 hours strolling in Petra. The path is generally level until you arrive at the Ad Deir trail, which includes a tough trip and 800 or more advances. This trailhead starts behind the Basin Restaurant.

On the other hand, on the off chance that you have over 1 day in Petra, at that point you can think about visiting the Monastery from the back path. For this path, you should go with an authorized guide from the Petra Visitor Center.

The best way to explore and enjoy not only Petra but also entire of Jordan it is wise to be with Jordan Perfect Tours. They have the best of guides and knowledge to organize the perfect tour. It is for sure that you will have an adventurous, comfortable, safe and enjoyable vacation with them. Call at +962-79-5022001 to have a word with their tour advisors and plan your trip to Jordan.

[bryantlongworth]

Immovable Furniture: Built-Ins, Colonnades, Buffets https://ift.tt/34HqMTP

[ijulehbaa]

Barev Armenia 2018! 🇦🇲 (Part 1)

›`They said that the charm of the moment is in the spontaneity of it. 

That’s exactly what we did with our 4 days trip to this amazing country and indeed we enjoyed it. Perfect place to have your first ever SNOW experience kulang ang 4 days! (4 days was not enough!)

Along with my Friends and College Classmates (Jenny and Pamela, THE BIRTHDAY GIRL), we booked our last minute trip with the help of Tabeer Tourism. (You can ask for Ms. RD she is very welcoming and will answer all of your travel questions)

Our WINTER PACKAGES includes:

Flights: 

SHJ (Sharjah) - YVN (Yerevan) | YNV (Yerevan) -SHJ (Sharjah) (Roundtrip)

Hotel Transfers: 

Airport - Hotel (Vice Versa)

Hotel Name: 

Shirak Hotel (click link)

3-nights stay in a double room with this amazing view and breakfast buffet.

(Photo by Pamela or Jenny)

and of course, one day private tour with a Driver who will stop to every insta worthy place along the way, you can ask them nicely.

Our destinations for that day includes four places

Garni Temple

Geghard Monastery

Tsakhadzor Cable Car

Lake Sevan

Budget : AED 1,400/- (USD 381.15/-) or ( PHP 19,812.34/-) each person.

Experience : PRICELESS!

Not bad for a 3 nights package right? It is really a SULIT (worth-it) finds. 

Stick around to know which fruit is the most recognizable symbol in this country. It is believed to bring fertility and good fortune. Any guess?

Armenia, AN ARCHITECTURAL TREAT.

(Garni Temple) - is the only standing Greco-Roman colonnaded building in Armenia and the former Soviet Union. An Ionic pagan temple located in the village of Garni, Armenia, it is the best-known structure and symbol of pre-Christian Armenia (Wikipedia)

Geghard Monastery - Geghard is a medieval monastery in the Kotayk province of Armenia, being partially carved out of the adjacent mountain, surrounded by cliffs. It is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site with enhanced protection status. (Wikipedia)

The Cascade - is a giant stairway made of limestone in Yerevan, Armenia. It links the downtown Ketron area of Yerevan with the Monument neighborhood. Designed by architects Jim Torosyan, Aslan Mkhitaryan, and Sargis Gurzadyan the construction of the cascade started in 1971 and was partially completed in 1980. (Wikipedia)

Location:

Armenia is a 3-hour flight from Sharjah, UAE. ‘Armenia is a mountainous, landlocked country, on the southeastern edge of Europe, and at the gateway to the Middle East and Asia.’ - www.worldatlas.com

Currency: (as of date)

Armenian Dram (AMD)

1 AED = 133.11 AMD

1 USD = 488.93 AMD

(Photo credits to Jenny)

Please note:

If you are coming from U.A.E is it better to exchange your Dirhams first to USD

For better exchange rate in AMD, you can exchange money in the city or supermarkets nearby (ex. SAS)

Visa:

For Filipinos, you can either apply online or you can get a Visa on arrival. 

Fee will be 3000 AMD or approx. USD 6-7/-

For other nationalities you can check the Foreign of Ministry and Affairs of the Republic of Armenia regarding whether Visa is required for you or not.

Link —> http://www.mfa.am/en/visa/

*all photos used are by me and my friends*

Thats only part 1 - to be continued.. 

(Food, Photos and Places)

[travels-with-chris]

Czech Republic Brno We had originally planned to go to Slovakia next on route to being reunited with our camper van, however, with bus and train either being impractical or expensive we decided on a pit stop in the Czech Republic for two days in its second biggest city, Brno. No we had not heard of it before either. Our Polski bus from Krakow took just under 6 hours but was comfortable, had wifi and actually saw us sit in out own seats for once. We only had a fifteen minute walk with the bags to our hotel and after dropping them in the room, we headed out. With neither of us wanting to go far, we found a bar, against our better judgements after recent festivities, had one beer each, then dinner and straight back to bed. Get us! After a buffet breakfast and discovering we could see the castle from our bedroom window, we made the short walk to the centre. Having found the tourist office for a map, rather then visit the 6/7 places I, (Chris) had found online, Richard thought we could combine two guided tours taking three hours using his phones Navigon system. After passing the busy vegetable market our starting point was Freedom Square. This is the main square and bar trams passing through, is pedestrianised. Nearby is the Church of St James, which is gothic in style and unchanged since the 17th century. What we particularly liked was that on the facade there is a little man positioned over the southern window, sticking out his naked buttocks at passers by. Next for us was Moravian Square, the biggest in Brno. The Church of St Thomas is on the corner, containing the tomb of a Moravian king, however, as it was a Monday, the church was shut. We passed the new town hall on our way to the old town hall, where we had already been earlier at the tourist information centre. The symbols of the town a dragon and a wheel can be found in a passageway. Outside is a portal with a slightly crooked spire. Legend has it that the stonemason was not paid fully so decided to intentionally crook the central turret in the portal. With everything being so close by, we found Denis Gardens quite easily, overcoming the free runners and passionate lesbian couple, we reached the colonnade and obelisk and took in the views across the city and up to the castle, including the nearby cathedral. Petrov Cathedral is named after the hill on which it is built. It was not too high to climb and once up, we looked inside, circled it then headed back down. By now it was time for lunch, so after a smoothie and panini, with cookie, we were all set for the next part. First sight of the afternoon was the theatre then opera house and another nearby park to sit in. An amazing cascade of water spelt out the name of the city, time and temperature all through droplets. It was really special to see with the eye, but not captured so well by camera phone. Tugendhat Villa was a slight mission to find outside the centre. Cited as an example of Bauhaus architecture, we wanted to see it as this is where the Velvet Divorce, was signed, separating the Czech and Slovak Republics in 1992. At the bottom of the hill we had climbed was Luzankky Park, a welcome sight as it had benches and shade. It is the oldest park in the country and biggest in Brno. We were more than happy to sit and people watch. By now with tired legs, we had to continue on to Veveri Street, which has many art nouveau and baroque style buildings to see. We headed down the street seeking shade as we went, heading for our final attraction on the list, Spilberk Castle. After a tough climb up steps and slopes we paid to enter the caste mates, an area which saw it as one of the most feared prisons in the Austro-Hungarian empire. There were various rooms set aside as guard rooms and prisoners rooms, even changes made by the German garrison stationed here in the Second World War, could be seen. We climbed a tower for a great vantage point of seeing the whole city and catching the breeze before descending all the way down and back to base. After all the walking we were glad to get home for a break and try to update the blog as the internet had not allowed us to for the past few days. Once refreshed our initial plan of having a meal in the hotel restaurant was scuppered by it being closed, so we found one not too far away, then set out to see the city by night in the main squares. It was quite busy with those enjoying the cheaply priced alcohol, yet we choose a cup of tea with a piece of cake to finish the night off and our quick stop in this part of the Czech Republic.

[tonyduncanbb73]

Where to Eat on Christmas Day in Boston

From hotel brunches to seafood spreads

This holiday season, let Boston’s restaurants do all the work. While many restaurants are closed for Christmas Day, various spots around the city will be in full swing, offering brunch, breakfast, and/or dinner. Whether you’re looking for something traditional (a la honey-glazed ham) or something a little out of the ordinary (all-you-can-eat meat feast, perhaps?), it’s not too late to snag a reservation somewhere.

Here now, the top picks for Christmas Day meal options in several different categories, ranging from hotel buffets to meat feasts and beyond.

Hotel Feasts

Hotel restaurants are almost always open for the holidays and are generally a reliable option for holiday dining, if you’re willing to shell out the big bucks for buffets. Here are some top picks around town.

Katie Chudy for Eater

Bar Boulud

ArtBar — Royal Sonesta Boston

A classic Christmas buffet at ArtBar features pumpkin bisque, spiced glazed ham, roasted sirloin, and assorted potatoes, along with a selection of pies made in-house. The buffet runs from 5 to 9 p.m., $50 for adults and $19 for kids under 12. Kids under three eat free. (40 Edwin H Land Blvd., Cambridge)

Artisan Bistro — Ritz Carlton

Festive buffet service begins at 7 a.m. and runs through 3 p.m., with a carving station, a selection of cheese and charcuterie, smoked salmon, and salads. For dessert, there are items like peppermint cocoa torte, red velvet cheesecake, and spiked eggnog panna cotta. The spread costs $65 for adults and $30 for children. The restaurant will offer a la carte dinner service from 5 to 10 p.m. as well. Reservations available by phone — (617) 574-7295. (10 Avery St., Downtown, Boston)

Bar Boulud — Mandarin Oriental

Christmas Day at Bar Boulud features a buffet brunch from 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., including raw bar items, eggs, honey-glazed ham, prime rib, salmon, and pumpkin risotto, along with other offerings. The buffet cost $95 for adults and $48 for children age 12 and under. There will also be an a la carte breakfast offered from 7 to 10:30 a.m. and dinner service from 5 to 8 p.m. (776 Boylston St., Back Bay, Boston)

Brasserie Jo — Colonnade Hotel

A concise menu available on Christmas Day features soup and salad, a first course of seared scallops, roasted duck, salmon en croûte, and an eggnog crème brûlée or pear tartine for dessert. Reservations can be made online. (120 Huntington Ave., Back Bay, Boston)

Clink — Liberty Hotel

Clink’s Christmas menu features a la carte entrees, plus some of the usual shareable plates and appetizers. Entrees include a Christmas goose with a chestnut confit, pan-roasted black bass with brown butter dressing, lobster gnocchi, and an eggnog crème brûlée for dessert. Reservations can be made online. (215 Charles St., Beacon Hill, Boston)

Eastern Standard — Hotel Commonwealth

This popular Kenmore Square restaurant will offer breakfast starting at 7 a.m., with a streamlined menu offered from 10:30 a.m. to around 1 p.m., when the festive Christmas menu comes in, with three courses available for $65. The restaurant also serves specialty cocktails, wine, and beer. (528 Commonwealth Ave., Kenmore Square, Boston)

Fin Point — Hilton Boston

Reservations are still open for Christmas Day dining at Fin Point, which offers New England seafood and raw bar options, plus pizza, pasta, and some classics like lobster rolls and burgers. (89 Broad St., Downtown, Boston)

Henrietta’s Table — The Charles Hotel

A full Christmas buffet will be available between 12 p.m. and 8 p.m., going for $90 per person, $45 for kids aged five to 12, and free for kids under four. Breakfast will be available from 7 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. (1 Bennett St., Harvard Square, Cambridge)

Meritage Restaurant & Wine Bar — Boston Harbor Hotel

Out by the harbor, Meritage will serve a prix fixe Christmas menu (with or without wine pairings) from 4 to 9 p.m., with a la carte options for children under six. Call (617) 439-3995 to make a reservation. (70 Rowes Wharf, Boston)

Miel — InterContinental Boston

The Christmas spread at Miel includes a rabbit and mushroom soup, prime rib, seared scallops, and a smoked pheasant breast with acorn squash. For dessert, there will be peppermint cheesecake and a classic bouche de noel. Menu available for $65 per person. (510 Atlantic Ave., Waterfront, Boston)

Oak Long Bar — Farimont Copley Plaza

Two different options will be available, including a modified a la carte menu and a prix fixe menu. The dining room will be open from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m., with the set menu offered from 12 to 3 p.m. and from 4 to 10 p.m. (138 St. James Ave., Back Bay, Boston)

Tamo — Seaport Hotel

Those down near Boston’s Seaport on Christmas Day can pop into Tamo for a holiday buffet. There will be eggs Benedict, roasted cauliflower soup, honey ham, roasted sirloin, vegetables, and macaroni and cheese. Desserts include select pastries and a chocolate fountain, and the menu will be available from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., for $75 per person and $25 per child. (1 Seaport Ln., Seaport, Boston)

Special Meals

Hotel restaurants aren’t the only options, though. Here are some special holiday feasts being served at restaurants around the Boston area.

Rachel Leah Blumenthal for Eater

Doretta Taverna

Abe & Louie’s

A lobster Christmas is in store for diners at Abe & Louie’s. The restaurant will offer a boiled lobster dinner with two, three, or four pounds worth of meat, in addition to baked lobster with breadcrumbs and Maine lobster casserole. (793 Boylston St., Back Bay, Boston)

Doretta Taverna

Go Mediterranean for Christmas dinner with a four-course meal with two entrees for the table and a special dessert tasting. Dinner priced at $65 per person. (79 Park Plaza, Back Bay, Boston)

Ma Maison

Open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., Ma Maison has both prix fixe and a la carte options available, including butternut squash soup, wild mushroom risotto, grilled rack of lamb, duck, and a traditional bouche de noel for dessert, along with many other items. (272 Cambridge St., Boston)

Mamaleh’s Delicatessen

Combine Christmas traditions with a belated Hanukkah by stuffing yourself full of latkes and “Jasian specials” — that’s Jewish and Asian. Think whitefish rangoons, kung pao pastrami, and more. Mamaleh’s second annual “Moon Wok” event takes place from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Christmas Day (with a Michael Jackson soundtrack), and the restaurant is open the rest of the day without the specials as well. Reservations recommended; check Reserve. (1 Kendall Sq., Kendall Square, Cambridge)

Grab Bag

For something a little different, ranging from all-you-can-eat meat to empanadas and burgers, here are your non-traditional options — and restaurants that are open but just doing their usual thing — for the day.

Sarah Storrer for Eater

The Broadway

Assaggio

How about Italian food for Christmas dinner? Assaggio is serving seafood and pasta options galore, plus lamb chops, brick chicken, and short rib. Reservations are still available on OpenTable. (29 Prince St., North End, Boston)

Bricco

Dig into some pumpkin tortelli or veal ossobuco at Bricco in the North End. The restaurant is taking reservations for Christmas Day and has plenty of wine, cognac, and whiskey to round out a special occasion. (241 Hanover St., North End, Boston)

Double Chin

Cube toasts and chinwiches and cola wings, oh my! Feast on Hong Kong-inspired dishes at this Chinatown spot, and don’t forget to save room for dessert. Reservations are still available on OpenTable. (86 Harrison Ave., Chinatown, Boston)

Fogo de Chao

Eat all the meat you can imagine on Christmas Day in Back Bay. Fogo de Chao will be open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., featuring several specials, including Vegas cut New York strip steak, sweet potato casserole, and a variety of bone-in meat cuts. (200 Dartmouth St., Back Bay, Boston)

Gyu-Kaku Japanese Barbecue

Reservations are still available for a hands-on dining experience at Gyu-Kaku Japanese BBQ in Brookline. Choose from meats, seafood, and vegetables, and round out a meal with dessert on Christmas Day. (1002 Beacon St., Brookline)

La Fabrica Central

Taste the Caribbean in Cambridge this holiday, with options ranging from plantain balls with pork belly to ceviche, yucca fritters, and various empanadas. Main courses feature seafood, hearty cuts of meat, and rotisserie chicken. (450 Massachusetts Ave., Central Square, Cambridge)

La Voile

The restaurant’s menu of French dishes includes fois gras, mussels, ribeye, cheese, and desserts, and reservations are still available on OpenTable. (1627 Beacon St., Brookline)

The Broadway

This new spot in Southie has dinner reservations available for Christmas Day, serving its American menu of small bites, burgers and sandwiches, and wood-fired pizzas. (726 E Broadway, South Boston)

[egyptonlinetours1]

Egypt and Jordan Trip by Plane

Egypt and Jordan Trip by Plane

Egypt is such a great and charming country, where you can enjoy visiting historical sites, swimming, enjoying the natural views and so on. So, can you imagine how fantastic is the capital? Cairo is the capital of Egypt for several centuries.

 Experience gorgeous Egypt and Jordan Trip by Plane Discover Petra which is one of the new seven wonders of the world, which give you a remarkable experience to live the traditional lifestyle of people and enjoy relaxing and exciting activities in the beautiful desert, get a magical experience to enter this hidden city through a long narrow Siq, scout the amazing carved buildings made by Human hands, get the chance to try horseback riding to the entrance of the canyon, Camels are available to hire inside Petra.

Day 1: Arrival Cairo Egypt,

Egypt and Jordan Trip by Plane

You will start your Egypt tour by a meeting and assistance service upon arrival at Cairo airport by Maestro Online Travel REP. Transfer to your hotel in Cairo Welcome drink upon arrival at hotel in Cairo, Check in with free time to relax, Optional tours are available, Overnight in Cairo Day 2: Pyramids, Museum, Khan El Khalili Tour,

Egypt and Jordan Trip by Plane Breakfast at hotel in Cairo, Meet up with personal Egyptology guide, explore the wonders of Giza pyramids area where are the most famous monument of the world & of Egypt. Also you have the chance to take a camel ride (Extra charge). Proceed to the mighty sphinx and ask your guide about the reason for head of man and body of lion. Take your private car to Egyptian Museum, the richest museum of Egyptian antiquities in the world. After you finish your Cairo Museum drive to have lunch in good quality restaurant in Cairo including services and charges. Drive to the biggest market in Middle East Khan El Khalili Market. When you finish your day tour in Cairo tell us your feedback about Cairo tour before arrive your hotel. Overnight in Cairo Hotel Day 3: Embarkation/ Aswan Nile Cruise Sightseeing,

Egypt and Jordan Trip by Plane Breakfast at your hotel and transfer to Cairo International airport, fly to Aswan, arrive Aswan and meet up with your guide in Aswan with a direct transfer to the cruise ship for embarkation before the lunch. After lunch, you will start your tour to Visit the High Dam, Old Dam, The Unfinished Obelisk & Philae Temple, Visit the Botanical Garden by Felucca. Afternoon Tea Cocktail, buffet dinner with music and dancing. Overnight on board your Nile cruise in Aswan Day 4 Sail to Kom Ombo – Edfu,

Egypt and Jordan Trip by Plane

Breakfast, meet up your guide and visit Sobek temple in Kom Ombo, its unusual temple dedicated for two gods Sobek the Crocodile and Hathor God the god of fertility and creator of the world. Finish your tour and back to your Nile Cruise lunch and sail to Edfu temple, discover new experience with Edfu temple tour, check into carriage car with horse and move to visit Horus temple in Edfu, the temple dedicated to the falcon god Horus, was built in the Ptolemaic period between 237 and 57 BC. Also Horus temple the best preserves temple in Egypt, you will find out much information about the mythical interpretation of this and all other temples, after that back to your Nile Cruise Dinner and Overnight Day 5: Luxor West Bank Excursions,

Egypt and Jordan Trip by Plane Breakfast and after that drive to West Bank visiting the wonders of valley of the kings and Hatshepsut temple passing on Colossi of Memnon, begin your day tour in Luxor west bank with the royal tombs of Thebes (Luxor) and climb down the tombs for kings and nobles (the ticket valid for 3 tombs). Valley of the Kings is your gateway to Royal tombs for 62 Kings and nobles in ancient Pharaonic time, after that drive El Dier El Bahari and visit Hatshepsut temple, the only queen who ruled Egypt, continue your West bank tour in Luxor and stop on Colossi of Memnon for the king Amenhotep III. It's the time for Lunch and after finishing your Lunch drive back to your Nile Cruise and overnight in Luxor Day 6 Luxor East Bank Tour - Fly to Cairo  

 Egypt and Jordan Trip by Plane Having breakfast on board, disembarkation at 10:00 am, and see around Luxor Temple, is large temple located in Luxor East bank built for the god Amun, after that have a short ride to the amazing Karnak temple The complex is a vast open-air museum, and the second largest ancient religious site in the world, after the Angkor Wat Temple of Cambodia. Walk around Karnak temple and have a look on Magic Lake and amazing oblisques, free time in Karnak temple and after that drive to have Lunch in Luxor restaurant, at your flight time transfer to Luxor airport to fly to Cairo, arrival Cairo, and our representative will meet & assist you then you will be transferred to your hotel in Cairo and overnight Day 7: Cairo – Amman Breakfast at your hotel in Cairo, transfer to Cairo international airport, fly to Amman, arrive Amman airport. Maestro Online Travel will meet and assist at the airport, after that transfer to your hotel, check in and Overnight Day 8: Umm Qais – Jerash – Ajloun – Amman Breakfast at your hotel and get ready for the amazing day tour in Amman, visit Umm Qais which belonged to the famous Decapolis, a union of 10 cities, founded by Alexander the Great, where you have an overwhelming view over the north Jordan Valley, after that drive to Jerash, the best example of a Roman provincial city in the whole Middle East, proceed to visit Oval Plaza, Roman colonnaded street, the Nymphaeum and the Temple of Artemis, continue to Ajloun the great 12th century Islamic castle built around 1184/85 by the famous Islamic leader Salah al-Din. Back to Amman for overnight Day 9: Amman – Madaba – Mt. Nebo – Dead Sea – Petra Have your tasty breakfast, begin your day tour to Madaba, unleash your inner in the famous mosaic 6th century map of Palestine in St. George's church, after that moving to Mt. Nebo, the place where Prophet Moses gazed at the promised land before he died, continue to visit the old monastery and overlook the Jordan Valley and Dead Sea, the lowest point on earth, the Dead Sea, where you have leisure time and relax. Continue to Petra for overnight. Day 10: Petra full day tour – Amman In the morning get from your Hotel, and escort you to rock city Petra. This intriguing old Nabatean capital commanded long time the Arabian, and is an unquestionable requirement find in the Middle East. Meet your guide at the Visitor's Center and begin to investigate the spiritualist site. You pass the Siq, a thin chasm where you get the principal close perspectives of the vivid sandstone, finishing at the delightful Treasury. Stroll along the Street of Facades to the Royal Tombs, the Theater and Qasr Al Bint, Extra time all alone, then walk a similar route back to the passageway entryway. Toward the evening come back to your hotel Day 11: Final departure Breakfast, check out and leave your room before 12PM, Maestro Online Travel representative escort you to Cairo Airport terminal for final departure.

For more   information about   Egypt all packages   http://www.egyptonlinetours.com/Egypt-All-Packages/index.php

 Or information about  Egypt Nile cruises http://www.egyptonlinetours.com/Egypt-Nile-Cruises/index.php

Website http://www.egyptonlinetours.com/

Email: info@egyptonlinetours.com

WhatsApp number 002 01014025039

[hollywoodglees]

Posted by Larry Gleeson

Thai Night at American Film Market 2019, took place on Friday, November 8th, 2019, at the Colonnade Ballroom, Hotel Casa Del Mar, Santa Monica, California, hosted by the Department of International Trade Promotion, Ministry of Commerce, Royal Thai Government. Her Royal Highness Princess Ubolratana Rajakanya Sirivadhana Barnavadi of Thailand, graciously presided over Thai Night, an evening filled with ambiance and the Thai Royal Princess’s presence as the door to a brilliant and captivating film industry opened.

One of my top World Cinema films comes from Thailand and Director Apichatpong Weerasethakul the 2010 Cannes Palme d’Or winner,  UNCLE BOONMEE WHO CAN RECALL HIS PAST LIVES – a layered film delving into the human condition, transformation and annihilation. Since then, the Thai film industry has exploded expanding exponentially becoming the top producing cinema in the region.

In addition to Princess Ubolratana Rajakanya Sirivadhana Barnavadi and the Thai Dance Troup, the top eight Thai film companies were on display to inform about filming in Thailand and to showcase Thai films during a cocktail and networking reception. Thai inspired finger foods and canapés and specially crafted Thai Mocktails were all the rage followed by a Thai Select Buffet line. For those who aren’t familiar with the work being done in Thailand, now is an excellent time to check it out!

(To note: One of the first deals announced out of AFM, NEON landed North American rights to Apichatpong Weerasethakul’s latest film, MEMORIA.)

        Until next time, I’ll see you at the movies

Larry Gleeson

*Featured Photo: Her Royal Highness Princess Ubolratana Rajakanya Sirivadhana Barnavadi of Thailand (Photo by Larry Gleeson)

Mesmerizing!!! Thai Night Reception at American Film Market (@AFM) 2019 - hosted by the Royal Thai Government and presided over graciously by #HerRoyalHighnessPrincessUbolratanaRajakanyaSirivadhana BarnavadiofThailand Posted by Larry Gleeson Thai Night at American Film Market 2019, took place on Friday, November 8th, 2019, at the Colonnade Ballroom, Hotel Casa Del Mar, Santa Monica, California, hosted by the Department of International Trade Promotion, Ministry of Commerce, Royal Thai Government.