#called europe the cheese tour

[copperbadge]

It might be the El station and an airplane ticket but "Sittin' in a train station with a ticket to Nashville and a pack on my back" sounds like the start of a bangin' country song. Cross between Walkin in Memphis and Homeward Bound with a lil twist of Detroit soul in there somewhere. I'm gonna need Dolly Parton, a gospel choir, and a guitar with a hole in the sound board.

[earthry]

Sugar Papas ( Sugar Daddy Headcanons)

I’m stressed about financial things right now so let’s discuss Sugar Daddy Papas. This is very self indulgent.

tw: sfw mostly, a little bit suggestive, mentions of surgery, fluff

Primo

You make him feel young again and he loves indulging you in the things you enjoy. If you’re going to school or you have a passion project he’s more than happy to fund them. Loves to take you with him to vineyards and fancy high society events. Will bring you to tour world famous botanic gardens and spoil you the entire trip.

Probably goes to expensive luxury country clubs and brings you along— there’s a massage and spa service and you always get a nice day of relaxation. You relax in the hot tub together and sometimes things get a little frisky because he just can’t resist that little pleased look on your face when you’re enjoying the heated water and a cold fancy drink that’s sitting on the edge, there’s music playing and not too loud— it’s a good life. You’re pleased and fuck if that’s not the hottest thing to Primo.

Secondo

Loves dressing you in expensive dresses and/or suits and showing you off on his arm. If you like feminine clothing he’ll take you to very fancy boutiques and wait while you try on dresses and the like. You always get 100% of the store’s attention and service because they know that Secondo will spend so much money if you like a particularly outfit. If you prefer masculine clothing, he takes you to expensive tailors and personally finds the best and most suitable fits for you. He’ll suggest several designs, but if there’s something you really have your heart set on he has no problem whipping out his credit card for you.

After retirement he enjoys traveling around Europe and will bring you with him. You always fly first class and his favorite game is ‘how far can we go before the flight attendant gets suspicious’. You have to learn to be quiet very quickly because Secondo has some very talented fingers that wander a lot. What you don’t know is that he’s already paid the crew off to not bother the two of you.

Loves to watch beautiful sunrises and sunsets with you so he always finds accommodations with the best views. He buys the finest wine and loves having you try his favorites or ones that are native to the region or area you are visiting. Loves to hear your opinion of everything— the wine, the food, the countryside. Could listen to you talk for hours.

Terzo

This man buys the most expensive lingerie for you and has you ‘model’ it for him. Takes you to red carpet events and operas, treating you to fancy five-star restaurants with rich food and good wine. He may have a playboy reputation and you had fully expected for this arrangement to only last a few months, but the two of you are celebrating your third year anniversary soon. He’s planning to fly the two of you out to some exotic vacation spot for a full week of absolute bliss.

Every fancy hotel you visit he insists ‘breaking’ the bed in and after his appetite is sated, he will call room service and let you order whatever you want. Buys you expensive body lotions and oils and massages you, hands running up and down your body as he whispers worship and praises.

If you have a favorite tattoo artist you want a tattoo from, he'll do his best to get you a booking and fly you out. He'll sit there and hold your hand and help you take care of it after. And of course, he'll pay for the whole thing.

Copia

You go with him on tour and the ghouls consider themselves lucky to have you because Copia will book the best hotels for you because you deserve nothing less. You enjoy lazy evenings in between concerts nestled in his lap with your back against his chest as a movie plays on the big screen in your hotel room and Copia slowly hand feeds you fruit or cheese, stealing a kiss after each bite.

He loves to have his hands on you, loves the feeling and reminder that you are his. The expensive clothing you wear, the necklace and watch and shoes, those are all claims to him. Little touches against your shoulder, hand around your waist, lips brushing against your temple, you’re intoxicating to him.

Supportive about plastic or transition surgeries, he’ll pay for it all and it will be at the best places with the best care. He’ll pay for any treatments you want, will help administrator them if needed. He will give you so many affirmations for your body whether it be physical or gender-based, he’s more than happy to please. He just wants you to feel comfortable in your own body. Buys you the most expensive products for care.

Sets up an Etsy account for you and links his card to it— doesn’t care what you buy as long as it makes you happy. Almost cries when you buy a little keychain of him and tell him that way he can always be with you-- he immediately insists on finding someone who does custom art and keychains to get one of you too.

[silentglassbreak]

Anonymous

Noah Sebastian x OFC

!!!There is finally smut in this chapter!!!!

Warnings: Alcohol abuse, overall abuse, mild violence (ie. bar fights), smut, swearing, and altogether just a lot of fuckery.

+It goes without saying, this is a work of fiction. All of my words are my own. Plagiarism is a crime.

Taglist: @flowery-mess

Part 5 - Bad Decisions

Three months and three days, since I had met Noah Sebastian. Since he had walked into my group, reserved and exhausted, ready for a change. Three months and one day since I had agreed to be his sponsor. Since I had taken on the role of maintaining his sanity and sobriety with him. Three months exactly since Noah kissed me, causing me to pull back on our relationship.

I had given myself a silent rule that I never told Noah: we did not meet in person, outside of group, unless it was dire. So far, we had not gotten to that point.

He called me often, needing support. We talked on the phone, sometimes for only a few minutes while he panicked, I calmed him down, and he focused on breathing. Sometimes, we talked for a long time. I suspected he called me at times, out of pure boredom.

Two weeks after his show in Hollywood, he finally told the members of the band that he had began AA. As I suspected, they were all very supportive, most notably, Nick Ruffilo, his best friend since childhood. He even brought Nick to our last 'Loved Ones' session, where we asked everyone to bring someone in their lives who supported their recovery. Some people only brought their sponsors, but some brought their husbands, wives. Girlfriends. I always brought Laura.

I met Nick that day. He was polite, had the most charming smile, and shook my hand respectfully.

"You're the famous Leena, huh?" Noah had been talking to Syd when Nick approached me.

"Famous?" I quirked my eyebrow. He smiled brightly.

"You've kept my boy straight for a whole month."

I nodded in understanding. As fate may have it, the day Nick came to group, was the same day Noah had earned his 30-day coin. He had earned himself a large round of applause, as well as his favorite flavor of cupcakes in class. Red velvet, cream cheese frosting, graham cracker dust. I'll never forget, I asked Laura to make them.

Nick cared deeply for Noah, I could see it. I knew the other members, Folio and Jolly, did as well, but I believed Nick was his best source of support.

I broached the subject with Noah about a week later of Nick being his sponsor. I saw the look on his face while he sipped on his coffee, group having just ended.

"Oh, I didn't even think about it." He was looking at the ground, something he regularly did when he was uncomfortable.

"I mean, it was just an idea?" I tried to stay warm, comforting. Noah didn't always go for that. He had his moments where he felt patronized, and preferred I be straight with him. Usually when he was in a bad mood.

"I could ask him, I guess." He still wouldn't look at me.

I sighed, quirking my lips in a smile. "You don't have to. I'm happy to keep being your sponsor, Noah."

He looked at me finally, through his lashes. "You just know how to pull me back from the brink. He doesn't."

I nodded in understanding. "Guess you're stuck with me then." I beamed at him, earning a smile back.

Today, Noah was earning his 90-day coin, right before he leaves for tour. He got to go first in group, discussing his experience through recovery. He also got his special cupcakes, Laura turning up special to deliver them by hand. He was like a kid in a candy store, nearly hopping up and down when she handed him his special cupcake, bigger than the rest. He was ever thankful that she was a talented baker, promising to bring him and the band cupcakes during their tour dates here in LA.

The band had added 17 additional tour dates, beginning the tour in the summer instead of fall. They would have three months off from June to September, and would head to Europe in December. The success of the band was exciting, and stressful all the same for Noah. I saw the toll it took.

Two weeks ago, he finally told his girlfriend about his recovery. We didn't talk about Lily often at all, but he definitely did not want to discuss that subject. I gathered that it did not go well. All I learned was that she told him she needed space, and backed out of tagging along on the first part of the tour with them. She promised to catch up in September.

I saw how this affected Noah, and his sad days had been more frequent lately. Seeing him happy to be receiving his coin was a relief.

"Can I make a request for my 90-day?" He sat in his regular chair, directly across the circle from me, his too-dark eyes on mine.

"Within reason." I responded with a suspicious grin.

"Can you tell me one thing about you that I don't already know?" Everyone in group looked directly to me, including our two newcomers. All eyes seemed confused. As was I.

"Like what?" I crossed my legs, trying to hide my uncomfortable posture.

"Anything."

I blinked, my head swirling. Something he didn't know? We had learned quite a bit about each other over the last three months. In group or on the phone, we had played twenty questions more than once.

"Well," I sighed, knowing that my confession would be news to everyone, as I never talked about it. "my sponsor is my Dad."

He looked taken back, not expecting that. "Really?"

I nodded coolly. "Yep. Since I got sober three years ago." I relaxed a bit in my chair. "He's the reason I got sober."

Noah sat back and folded his arms, intent on listening to me. He gestured for me to continue.

"At 25, I was set down the worst road. I had been actively drinking since I was 16, and really struggling since 18. I dropped out of college, went through job after job, ended up in jail a few times. And that's the mild stuff. I won't bore you all with the gruesome details." I glanced around the room. The only person who knew even half of my story was Abel, and he was unfortunately not here today, so I felt vulnerable.

"My mother was an alcoholic, who died when I was very young from her addictions." I could feel tears threatening to come to the surface. My throat was forming a lump I just couldn't swallow. "My Dad, who swore to never drink again after she died, decided that once I hit rock bottom, to take me to her gravesite."

I looked down at my hands, feeling my voice shake. "He had purchased a plot for me right next to her when I turned 21, because he swore I would be with her sooner rather than later."

One traitorous tear spilled down my cheek, and I wiped it away feverishly. "So I had him drive me to a meeting. He stayed with me. Came with me to every single one."

I laughed at the thought. "He would sit in the car and listen to Country music while he waited. And every time I fell off, he drove me right back. He's my rock. He's the reason I'm alive."

I was still looking at my hands when I heard the clapping. My head snapped up to see Noah, his hands clapping together before everyone else joined. It was a liberating moment, but I was still vulnerable.

I checked my watch, noticing that we were over on our time.

"Thank you, everyone." The applause died down. "I appreciate each and every one of you. Unfortunately, we've got to get out of here before Angie comes in and rips me a new one."

-

At home, Angel and I were curled up on the couch, enjoying our favorite movie (it was my favorite, so it was his favorite by default), Silent Hill. I was tossing him single popcorn kernels as I ate and watched intently.

"See, baby, this is the part where all of the piece of shit cultists get what they deserve!" He looked at me with his honey brown eyes, clearly understanding every word I said.

My ringtone went off, and I almost ignored it, because we were so close to the end, and figured the call could wait until after. That is, until I realized it was Noah's ringtone. I had switched his a while ago to a song by his own band, so I knew when it needed to be answered at any cost.

I rushed over to the kitchen counter, not even bothering to pause the movie.

"Hello?"

"I need a fucking drink, Leena." His voice was cracked, and sounded wet. Was he...crying?

"No, you don't." My immediate response anytime he said that.

"No Leena, I'm driving to a bar. I can't fucking do this."

The panic rose in my chest, threatening to spill in the form of vomit. No, not now. Not after we've worked this hard.

"Noah Sebastian, I will kick you out of group."

"Who fucking cares?" I scoffed.

"Uh, you do, apparently. You called me."

"Mostly just calling to let you know I'm a fucking failure. So, sorry to waste your time."

My mouth worked faster than I could stop it. "Come to my place."

He was quiet. "Nah, bar sounds better."

"Noah, come see me. Please. And if you still want a drink afterwards, then I won't stop you."

I could tell he was perusing this. "You don't ever see me outside of group, remember?"

"Well, fuck that for right now. Come see me."

He groaned. "Leena, it's midnight. You should be asleep."

"Yet, I'm awake. 3AM ice cream, remember?"

There was silence, only the sound of a blinker in the background.

"Where do you live?"

Without answering, I dropped him my location pin.

"Says I'm ten minutes away." I sighed a breath of relief.

"Door's unlocked."

-

Despite my telling him to come in, he knocked. Angel stood at attention, to which I instructed him to sit and stay. I opened the door to find a soaking wet Noah. I didn't even realize it was raining.

He looked awful. Clearly had been crying, his clothes soaked through from the storm. I grabbed his arm and hastily pulled him in to avoid any more weather getting hold of him.

"Jesus Christ, dude." He just stood in my doorway, staring at me.

A low growl left Angel, bringing our attention to him.

"Angel, come." Robotically, he came to me and I pointed to Noah. "Let him smell you. He's protection trained."

Noah raised a brow. "What kind of dog?"

"He's a mutt. Bluetick Hound and Husky. 90 pounds of death if he doesn't like you."

I saw Noah stiffen slightly as Angel sniffed his legs, shoes, and hands. Once he was satisfied that he was safe, Angel stepped back.

"Go to bed." I pointed to the room and he took off, following the command.

"Hm, good dog." Noah's tone was surprised.

"I live alone in LA, I've got to do something to protect myself."

He nodded and stepped onto the tile floor after me toward the hallway. I noticed how wet he was.

"Wait here. I'll get you some dry clothes."

He looked at me incredulously. "You think they'll fit?"

I rolled my eyes. "Wait here."

I returned two minutes later with a pair of men's sweats and a faded Disturbed t-shirt. "They're my brother's. I'm sure they'll fit."

He nodded in appreciation and I pointed to the bathroom.

He returned moments later, soaking clothes in hand. I walked over and grabbed them from him and walked further down the hall to my laundry room. Checking the many pockets on his pants, I threw his clothing in the dryer and started it.

Padding back into the living room, I waved him over to the couch. We both sat on opposite ends, me leaned back, pulling the throw over myself, him dropping his head into his hands.

"You want to talk about it?" He just shook his head. I pursed my lips. "You want to watch a movie?" He looked up at me from over his shoulder.

"Like what?"

I smiled, picking up my remote. "Well, I just finished Silent Hill, but I've got all the streaming networks, so I can get anything."

He furrowed his brows. "Silent Hill? Like, the game?"

My jaw dropped. "You've never seen the movie?"

He just shook his head. "Can't say I have."

"Well fuck, let me just restart it."

He snorted. "Didn't you just watch it?"

"It's my favorite movie, ever. I'll watch it again."

He sat up straight, then leaned his back on the couch. I reached behind me on the side table, grabbing another blanket and chucking it at him. He smiled a small, sad look at me, and unfolded it over his lap.

During the movie, Noah's demeanor loosened ever so subtly. He started with his back against the couch, arms in his lap, looking unamused. By the first call of the Darkness, he was leaning forward, paying closer attention. At the first sight of Pyramid Head, he was interested. And by the hospital scene, he was asking questions.

"I still don't understand, why does Sharon look like Alessa? And why did the little girl say she was burning?"

"Would you be patient?! We're literally getting to that part right now!" He shook his head and leaned back, crossing his legs underneath him and his body moved slightly closer to my legs that were outstretched on the area between us.

His leg bumped my foot, and he looked over, noticing I was glancing at him.

"Oh, my bad." He scooched back to his side, and I snickered.

"I'm not going to combust if you touch my foot Noah, it's no biggie."

He smirked, mischievously. "Well, in that case." He then stretched his giant self out across the couch, pulling my legs up over his legs. He nestled in, pulling the blanket up to his chest.

It was at this point that I actually noticed.

"Hold the fucking phone." I quickly paused the movie and his head snapped to me.

"What?"

"You cut your fucking hair?!" His hair was easily eight inches shorter, sitting just below his ears. How it took me this long to notice is beyond me.

He laughed nervously, and ran his hand through his locks. "Yeah, after group, I went and got it cut. Felt like I needed a change."

I smiled brightly, reaching over and tousling it. "I like it. It suits you."

He leaned back, his face appreciative.

I played the movie, and he was absolutely enamored. It was always fun watching someone experience this movie for the first time.

Once the credits began to play, his eyes were much brighter. "Are you tired?"

I shook my head. "Nah, not right now."

"Want to watch another one?"

I stood up. "Sure, but I've got to pee and grab a water bottle. You want one?"

He nodded, swiping the remote and scrolling through the networks to find another movie.

I called Angel to his bed in the living room, and took care of my business. When I returned, he had 13 Ghosts pulled up on the screen.

"Can we watch my favorite now?" I smirked.

"Absolutely, it is also one of my favorites."

He pressed play, and I walked past him, my thigh catching the edge of the couch, causing me to stumble toward the coffee table.

Before I could connect with the glass, his arm was around my arm, pulling me back toward the couch. I landed square in his lap. It took me a second to process. He smiled at me nervously.

"Sorry, didn't want you getting a concussion."

I slid off his lap, but was now seated closer to him, by side nearly pressed against his chest. He turned his attention back to the TV, throwing his blanket over the both of us casually.

I pulled my bare legs up under the blanket, now very aware that all I wore was a pair of too-short gym shorts, a plain white t-shirt, and socks. I was home alone earlier, in my defense. My knee was pressing into the side of his leg, but he didn't seem to notice.

His body radiated so much heat, I instinctively sunk down further under the blanket. His gargantuan arm was draped over the back of the couch, the back of my head pressed against it.

I let myself get into the movie for a while. We made it about half an hour in before I felt him shift. He stretched his legs in front of me, now in near full laying position. His arm tugged my shoulder and I looked at him.

His eyes were honest, or so it seemed. "It's just cuddling. I haven't had anyone to cuddle with in a while."

I pondered this for a moment. My brain screamed against it, told me it was wrong and I knew where this could go. But he was so warm. He was so comfortable. I slid down, stretching my legs over his, my chest laying on his. My face had nowhere to go but on his collarbone while I tried desperately to watch the television.

Something tugged at me, which I tried to ignore for a while. I couldn't for too long before I piped up.

"How would your girlfriend feel about us 'just cuddling'?"

I felt his chest still, his breathing stopped for a beat.

"She dumped me." I snapped my head up

"What?"

He sighed, not looking back at me. "Why do you think I needed a drink?"

"Oh, Noah." I moved to sit up, but his arm around my waist held me in place while he squeezed his eyes shut.

"Can we please just...not?" When he looked back at me, he had a single tear trying to escape from the corner of his eye.

"Okay." I softly responded and gently leaned back down. His arm secured me in place, while the movie continued to play.

About halfway through, I felt my eyelids getting heavy. His fingers that were holding my waist had been drawing small circles on my back for a few minutes, and I was fading quickly. The warmth, the comfort. He wasn't the only one who hadn't cuddled in a while.

"Are you asleep?"

This roused me. "Hmm? No. Just comfortable." My voice was raspy with sleep, my eyes only half open.

His chest shook with the rumble of a laugh. "You want me to head home?"

I slightly shook my head. "Warm." His hand rubbed up my arm now, coming to rest on the cap of my shoulder. I heard a low humming sound, and realized it was him, humming a tune that I couldn't place.

"It should be illegal to be able to sing that good." This made him snicker.

"Too bad, huh?" I sighed, relaxing. "Maybe if I wasn't so talented, you'd actually like me."

This made me slowly lift my head, narrowing my eyes at him. "You are an insufferable human Noah Sebastian." He smiled a goofy grin at me. "I am trying to relax, here."

His hand came up to brush my hair from my face, his eyes locked on my tired ones.

"You're really beautiful Mileena, you know that?"

I raised my eyebrows, my eyes getting wider. He didn't seem fazed, just studying my face.

"Well...thank you?"

His fingers twirled some stray bands of my hair while his eyes just would not leave mine.

"Would you hate me if I kissed you?"

My stomach bottomed out. I was awake. All the way awake, now. I sighed heavily.

"We can't do that, Noah."

He bit his bottom lip.

"Can't, or won't?"

"Both?"

I rolled onto my side then, slightly breaking the contact between us. He was sat with his head propped on the pillow at the end of the couch. He kept his arm on my waist, but raised himself up just enough to nearly tower over me.

"Would you tell me to stop again?"

He was testing me. I was going to fail if he didn't stop. He felt it.

"Probably."

"Would you make me leave?"

"Is this why you came over? Girlfriend dumps you, so you figure you'd come hook up with your sponsor?" Okay, maybe that came out a little sharper than I intended. But it needed to be said.

"I wasn't planning on coming here. I was set on the bar."

I sighed. He was right. He was on the brink, and I invited him in. Practically begged him.

"Noah, I just...we can't."

His hand reached up to cup the side of my neck, his eyes now fixated on my mouth. I caught the tip of his tongue dart out over his bottom lip.

"Would you make me leave?" He repeated his question.

I didn't answer him, I just stared. I couldn't hide the want on my face anymore. I could feel my eyes pleading with him to just do it. Just make the move, because I couldn't.

With the luckiest break I've had in a while, he read my thoughts, and dipped his face down to brush our lips together.

This was different. This wasn't hungry. It was a hot burn, slow and steady. His hand came up to brush against my face, pulling me just close enough for him to press his face closer, solidifying the kiss.

Once I had the nerve, I moved my lips against his, my body melting against him. We moved slowly, our tongues only trying to make short appearances to taste the other's lips. His kisses on my lips slowed, his hand running down the side of my body, stopping to rest on my hip. Noah's lips began to trail off of my mouth, moving down to my neck, leaving soft kisses over my throat, making my breathing stop altogether.

I'm not entirely sure how long we stayed this way, his lips leaving trails of warmth over my jaw, neck, and collarbone.

I finally reached for him, my arm searching for the hem of his shirt, slipping underneath. My fingers grazed his skin, feeling the solidity of his frame. I felt him breathe out a sigh when I began leaving kisses on his neck. I let the tip of my tongue trace his adam's apple, smiling when the grip on my hip tightened with a nip of his skin.

After he had been tormented enough, he slipped his arm around my waist, flipping to perch over me, laying me flat on my back.

The kiss that came now was burning, hungry, and wild. My fingers pulled at his shirt, lifting it until he had to sit up and pull it over his head.

He wasted no time coming back to attack my neck, nipping and biting carefully, but enough to have me whimpering. He slid one hand up my side, beneath my shirt, and grazed the side of my breast, waiting for a reaction. I arched my back, trying to beg for touch.

His fingers grabbed my entire breast with one hand, pinching my hard nipple and rolling it between his fingers. I gasped at this.

"Oh, Noah..." I heard him hum, a sign of approval.

My hands grabbed his hair, pulling him back to my face. I kissed him while he used his other hand to lift my shirt, exposing both breasts.

It took no time for him to work his way down, taking my nipple in his mouth, leaving me breathless. His tongue circled the hardened bud, driving me absolutely wild.

I could feel his excitement pressing into the inside of my thigh, so I squirmed, causing a friction I'm sure he noticed. I felt the growl more than heard it.

His hand slid up my thigh, stopping on the inside, just before the hem. I could feel myself shaking in anticipation. He hooked the edge of my shorts, and with no mercy, pulled them down viciously, exposing my plain black cotton panties.

His hand glided over my core, feeling how damp the fabric already was. I was breathing heavily, silently begging for more.

"Jesus Christ, Leena." His mouth reached down and kissed my breast again. "So fucking wet."

His words had my brain scrambling. I hadn't been intimate in so long.

His fingers traced over the wet spot, teasing me until I was sure I was going mad.

"Noah..." His eyes looked up to me, my left nipple glistening from his saliva. "Fucking please."

The smile on his face was so wicked, I swear I saw the devil behind it. And this was my one-way ticket to hell. At least it's warm there.

His fingers slipped under the fabric, running up and down over my slit, nearly hitting that one spot I needed.

"This? This is what you want?" His tone was deadly, which had me reeling even harder. I fucking needed him.

I could only nod wildly. His index finger slipped inside, curling at just the right angle, hitting the sweetest spot, I could've burst right then and there.

"That's it. Good girl." His words had me moaning softly, his fingers working me over. Noah continued this until I was nearly seeing stars, his thumb now rubbing circles over my clit. I was ready, so fucking ready, eyes shut tight, climbing the hill and about to fall over. Then it was gone.

My eyes burst open, nearly ready to complain before I felt his hands pulling my panties down, his hot breath just centimeters from my core.

"I can't tell you how many times I've thought about this, Leena. I'll bet you taste incredible." Breathing was out of the question. Air no longer existed.

And that was it, he was on me. His tongue lapping up my pussy, humming while I gripped his hair frantically.

"Holy fuck, Noah."

"That's it baby. Scream my name. Be good for me."

My brain was no longer firing on any cylinders. I was on another plane altogether.

His lips latched onto my sweet spot and sucked like his life depended on it.

"Noah, oh my god! Oh my god, I'm going to come." My back arched off the couch, and my vision went white.

"Noah, Noah, Noah!" My voice was going hoarse. My toes curled and I began to feel the overstimulation, my hips bucking against him.

His arms pinned my legs down, leaving me nowhere to go. I fought for purchase against his skin.

"Please, please I can't. I can't!" He finally released me, lapping at my inner thigh one more time, causing me to shiver.

He sat back, a satisfied grin on his face.

When I looked up at him, I could see the clear bulge in the sweats, and smiled my own wicked grin.

I saw the confusion on his face before I sat up, simultaneously pushing him back on the couch, ripping the front of the pants down. It came to my attention that he wasn't wearing any boxers, so his cock sprung free instantly.

His eyes were fixed on me while I sized up his length, trying to work out how I was going to swallow this damn thing.

I slid the tip of my tongue across the top, eliciting a hiss from his lips. He stared down at me, watching my every calculated move.

With no warning, I wrapped my lips around him, and took him as far down as my throat would allow.

"Oh, fuck..." His eyes went half-masked, his mouth falling open. "Do that again. Jesus Christ."

It didn't sound like a question, so I diligently obeyed. My throat gave out about halfway down his length, causing me to gag. His hand grabbed my hair, nails in my scalp, holding me there.

"Yeah, baby. That's it." He let my head up, saliva dripping from my lips. "You're so good, Leena. Such a good girl."

His hand pressed me back down gently until I had a good rhythm going, my head bobbing, eyes looking up at him.

"Fuck, girl, I'm not going to last like this." I hollowed my cheeks, increasing the suction, and his eyes bulged.

His head flew back, his chest heaving wildly. "Just like that, baby. Don't stop."

I obeyed, suddenly really enjoying the submissive role. His hand guided me faster until I felt him harden to nearly stone.

"I'm going to come, don't stop...fuck don't fucking stop baby."

I felt the first hot stream hit the back of my throat, and I relaxed, waiting for the rest before sucking just a second longer, listening to him hiss in response. I let him out of my mouth with a pop, smiling at him sheepishly when I sat up.

He laid there, eyes closed, hands on his chest, working to breathe.

It took a while, but he eventually opened his eyes. His smile was lazy, and he lifted an arm to pull me down, now laying on his chest again.

He reached behind me and flung the blanket over us, kicking his pants the rest of the way off, and looked down at me.

"We shouldn't have done that, huh?"

I blushed, nuzzling my nose into his neck to hide it as best as I could. "No, we shouldn't have."

He ran his hand up and down my arm, now turning his attention back to the movie that was still playing.

"We'll do better tomorrow." Was the last I heard before my eyes drifted closed.

[klaineccfanficlibrary]

HI ALL! This is a weird one but do you know any stories where Mercedes is heavily in instead of Rachel? I always preferred that friendship and was disappointed in how that friendship changed on the show. I would love to read stories where Mercedes is Kurts best friend. (Bonus if Sam's in it too). Thank you in advance)

That's not a weird Ask - happy to find more Mercedes and Samcedes for you! ~Jen

Hey Mister DJ, Put a Record On By @honeysucklepink

It's Valentine's Day, and single coworkers Kurt and Blaine are stuck at the campus radio station playing sappy love songs and dedications. All the cheese is giving them indigestion, but who knows? Maybe by the end of their shift, they'll be humming a different tune...

~~~~~

My Heart, It Pounds, Yeah You Got Me by @nineofhearts4

Kurt gets drunk and records a TikTok entitled “Guys I Had A Crush On In High School”, in which he talks about, rates, and shows pictures of his various crushes— embarrassing, unrequited, and otherwise — thinking he set it to friends only or private. When he wakes up the next day, he has a flood of notifications that prove otherwise, a hangover, and a text from Blaine Anderson. The longest part of Kurt’s now viral video.

~~~~~

Like A Firework by beautifulunseen

Kurt, who has tried to stay away from the music industry, meets a beautiful stranger one night at a party and falls hard. The only problem is the beautiful stranger is Blaine Anderson, rockstar.

~~~~~

Regrets Collect Like Old Friends by Fearlessly

After the engagement gets called off, Kurt turns to Mercedes. Will she be able to help while she’s on her first national tour? This is a story about friendship and self-discovery.

~~~~~

Operation Secret Santa by @chasingkerouacwrites

Kurt can’t stop staring at the cute guy who comes by the coffee station near his desk every morning, but can never muster up the courage to say hello. Until the assignment for their office Secret Santa is revealed and his reads ‘Blaine Anderson’. Written in pieces for Klaine Advent 2017.

~~~~~

Soon by prettyskylark

Set during 4x21. Mercedes gives Kurt the talk during their double coffee date when the guys go get their coffee. Because someone must have told Kurt to pull his head out of his ass and finally open his eyes.

~~~~~ They are Unicorns By KillerQuen80

Kurt and Blaine let Sam and Rachel talk them into a bachelor party instead of the upscale dinner they'd originally planned. Which leads to them finding an unconventional centerpiece at the party.

~~~~~

Clinging to This Hating Game by notarelationship

Kurt and Blaine couldn’t stand each other in high school, maybe one was a jock/cheerleader and the other a nerd/glee clubber. Or they were bitter rivals for competition solos if they were both in glee club. Now they both live in NY and their friends set them up on a blind date, not knowing they went to the same high school.

~~~~~

Hiding in Plain Sight by @nineofhearts4

Blaine is famous and decides to take a break from it all by putting on a disguise and going “backpacking” through Europe with his best friend Sam. What happens when they run into fellow Americans, Kurt and Mercedes, at one of the hostels?

Loosely based on the time Niall Horan apparently went backpacking in disguise in Asia

~~~~~

and one blaine mercedes friendship that could have been

The Roommate chronicles by killerqueen80

Living together is an eye opening experience in different ways for Blaine, Mercedes and Sam.

[livelysonletour]

We spent Friday with a tour company that likes to go off the beaten path, called We Hate Tourism Tours (we’ve learned that the Portuguese have a very sarcastic sense of humor). They took us to the Mountains of Sintra and beach dunes of Cascais, sites of Portuguese royalty escapism during historical hardships.

We were two of six on the tour group, but the other 4 wanted an exclusive tour in German without any pesky English. So they split us up and we spent the entire day with our tour guide, Mannu, handcrafting a personalized tour.

In the mountains we visited Miradouro de Santa Eufémia, Sintra National Palace, Palace and Park Biester (Cat will add a part 2 with more pictures from the palace), and Palace and Park Montserrate. The mountain would naturally be bare granite, but it's ideal climate encouraged the Portuguese to plant forests of pine trees (lumber for Portuguese ships) and cork trees (cork for wine bottles). The palaces of Sintra were royal retreats especially during the hot summer months and the Castle of the Moors (the right most red arrow below) still stands from the 700s.

Mannu took us to Pão Saloio (roughly translated to Hillbilly Bread) for a classic rural lunch of breads, chorizo, pork belly, cheese, olives, and tomatoes and Cat was introduced to Green Wine - wine made with grapes that are not fully ripened due to the weather conditions of Portugal. We knew it was going to be good when we saw a group of police officers hanging around smoking and having their coffees.

Our last stop on the mountain was the western most point of continental Europe, Farol do Cabo da Roca (the left most red arrow below and pictured below).

We made it way down to the beachy dunes of Cascais. Cascais was a retreat for some King I forget the name of who sought to get away from the throngs of people following him all the time so he went to the village or fishermen as he thought the smell would keep the bourgeois away...

After many stops admiring the waves (Mannu was a surfer and could not believe the conditions on the day), we circled back to Lisbon where we had a lovely dinner of tempura green beans, steak, cod, clam rice, truffle mashed potatoes and another glass of green wine for Cat. I struggled to stay awake during dinner, so Cat only made two pit stops for shopping as we walked back to our airbnb.

I was asleep by 8 :)

[umichenginabroad]

Week 0: Longest Day of My Life

Hej! I am Jiwoo Kim, who is a junior studying Chemical Engineering. I’m so excited to write about my IPE study abroad through the DIS program for the next couple of months!

A picture of me and Melo!

It is my fourth day in Stockholm and I already have tons of memories and tips to share with you all. But since it’s the first post, I’ll just talk about my crazy first day in Stockholm as a teaser for my future posts.

Preparing my flight to Stockholm

As a person who likes to pack EVERYTHING, I had SO MUCH to pack for 4 whole months. I didn’t want to bring too many suitcases that would make me regret my life decisions while I’m trying to walk and pull my luggage through the cobblestone roads piled with snow. So it ended up with one overweight checked baggage (*$65 fee for international SAS flight if under 28kg), a carry-on, and a backpack. 

On the way to Sweden

Arriving in Sweden

When I arrived in Sweden, people from the DIS Stockholm program were right outside the gate to greet me and give me instructions on how I would be going to my housing. When about 40 or so DIS students gathered, we took a short train ride followed by a taxi that took us straight to the Studentboende apartment. All the transportation was arranged and paid for by the DIS, which was easy and relaxing! 

Normal streets in Stockholm looked like this. Can you believe it?

Housing 

My housing is the Högalidsgatan apartment where both DIS and local students live together. It is one of the oldest buildings in Stockholm, rich in history, located on an island called Södermalm. 10-minute walk to the Metro and the ICA, which is a supermarket that sells various goods and food. DIS provided $600 worth of ICA gift cards as a food stipend for the semester, which convinced me to shop for groceries and cook even when I had never done it before. 

Cozy double room with our own bathroom and kitchenette!

Almost right after we arrived, we were given information about transportation, phone, keys, etc. I unpacked a little bit and went directly to the housing tour.

Apartment view from the window. I couldn't believe it <3

I met a lot of students and we shared our excitement for the special semester in Stockholm! Everyone was very friendly and wanted to hang out as soon as possible. I attentively listened to the extensive recycling process (sustainability is THE THING in Europe) and the closest train station. My roommate arrived soon after the tour and we went shopping at ICA with my new apartment friends together. We did some heavy grocery shopping, “cooked” dinner (meaning we toasted bread to make a sandwich with pesto, cheese, and ham), and prepared to go to bed.  Well, we tried to go to bed. 

I swear it tasted better than it looks like...

Well, we tried to go to bed.

All we wanted was clean towels and bedding to wrap up a long long day, so we put them in the washing machine. And guess what we saw when we went back to dry them. All the washing machines (with our stuff) and dryers (with another person’s stuff) were locked! Although this meant we were not sleeping anytime soon, my roommate and I took it as a learning experience and searched for resources. Thanks to the machine breaking down, we learned how to submit a FixIt request! It helped us get rid of jet lag by forcing us to stay up late. And we also learned that the maintenance people are sooo nice and are on top of things. They called me in less than thirty minutes after I submitted the request. Although it was a Saturday night, they responded quickly and assured us that they would resolve our problem. In fact, we did get new sheets and towels not long after the call. We were able to fall asleep as soon as we showered.

This was a summary of my hectic first day in Stockholm. I hope you enjoyed it, and I will follow up with more exciting events next week! 

Hey då,  

Jiwoo Kim

Chemical Engineering

DIS Study Abroad in Stockholm, Sweden

[roaming-mia]

8.5.23

One week and one day since we grabbed our four suitcases and our dog and moved from New York to Switzerland! The excitement is still very much alive, but it still doesn't feel real! We are getting a good feel for our little city we get to call home for the next two years. I took the bus, tram, and train for the first time this past week! I was so so nervous to tackle public transportation by myself, but I did it! I went a few "zones" over to pick up my new bike I found on tutti ch. Because I'm not fully confident on public transport, I decided to ride my new bike home 12.1 miles! The weather was beautiful 72 and sunny. I've never gotten so much fresh and in my life! It was so amazing. I called my mom for a chunk of it and talked to her. I got lost a lot, but it was so much fun riding a bike for the first time in years. My last wrong turn took me down right next to the Rhine and it was just breathtaking. I accidentally melted our electric kettle on the stove our second day here. My husbands Italian and French co-workers united is over on Saturday and served is an amazing spread of meats and cheeses from both regions. They served 3 separate homemade quiches which were all delectable. The following day we went to his aunt and uncles house and were served some steaks, white asparagus, and traditional Turkish food. Kenan and I have just been slowly and taking in the breathtakingly old buildings. My favorite moment was definitely walking through the city and taking a backstreet into little roads with the most beautiful old buildings adorned with gorgeous greenery and flowers. There were very few people around, and it was so calm and quiet. I would hear were the birds chirping. We found a little café after we got our designer chocolates and were able to enjoy our espresso’s in almost a courtyard and enjoy the calm breeze and take in our surroundings. I found a basket for the front of my bike for gizmo and I’m excited to get that attached. I’ve been continue explore shops and figure out the best places to run daily errands I found the biggest coop ever! It had six floors and every single thing I needed so I was able to pick up some fun things to surprise Kenan with as well as a bike lock. Today is now 9.5.23 and I went to view an apartment. It was in a cute quiet neighborhood but it was very small for Fr.2000 per month. I don’t think we are going to take it. It was only 40 m² I took the long way home and stopped by a massive park and sat and enjoyed the sunshine for a while before heading home to see gizmo we are going to Kenans work counselors for dinner tonight with him and his wife. I am very excited because they have been so warm and welcoming to us even before we arrived. I am very excited to meet his wife. I will probably pick up nice flowers and a bottle of wine for when we head over. I am loving Switzerland so far. I am anxious to get our welcome packets in from the Canton. It will include our museum cards which give us free admission to all the museums in the city! I am very excited to learn about the history and culture here and in all of Europe, there are a lot of long weekends this month, which is great. Hopefully Kenans and I can take a few weekend trips, if not day trips to a few cities before the summer kicks off. We are planning to head to Zürich on Saturday to meet up with his cousin, her husband, as well as her son for the day. They are going to give us a tour! I am going to bring my camera and take a lot of photos.

[the-coconut-asado]

CRAIC GOURMETS

As my brother-in-law Darcy used to say (when he was 22), I’ve been around a long time and I’ve seen a lot of things. But it wasn’t until this year that I had been to Ireland. Darcy has never been to Ireland, but I’ll wager that over a beer or three he will tell you he has. He once told his friends about the ‘awesome’ Jimi Hendrix gig he went to in Sydney, a miraculous 20 years after Hendrix had died. And, as if to prove life is a circle, Hendrix’ statue now stands  bang in the middle of Dublin. Maybe Darcy did go to Ireland after all. 

My neglect of Ireland was never intentional. It’s just that there had never been a  reason to go. And when we finally did plan to go - for my friend Sue’s big birthday back in 2020  - well, you know what happened next. 

For many years (specifically through my childhood and youth) Irish cuisine was underrated, something you would now have to put down to tired clichés (and that’s if you were being kind). Yet of everywhere in Northern Europe, Ireland has arguably the biggest abundance of fish, seafood, root vegetables and dairy in combination. Paint a still life and the oyster and crayfish would glisten against a creamy backdrop of colcannon, creamy risotto and a rugged hunk of treacly soda bread. And now I’m ravenous. 

We decided to do the trip we should have done in 2020. Sue’s family were originally from Galway on the West Coast, so that’s where we headed,  via Dublin and with a day spent circumnavigating a very wet Connemara. Ah,  I can hear you saying, arms folded, that’s why you never visited Ireland before.

But, just as in San Sebastian last year, the weather wsn’t what we were there for. 

In Dublin we had the first of many gourmet experiences - at an Indian restaurant called Pickle. Like everything we ate that week, Pickle elevated its specialty dishes beyond mere ‘tasty’. True, and also like everything we ate that week, our Euros didn’t stretch very far. But when the food is this good, the ‘ouch’ factor is balanced by the memory. I would definitely make a special trip to Dublin again for Pickles’ Dingle Bay crab and mango and Khadai Paneer (cottage cheese in a fenugreek sauce)

In Galway, you are spoiled for choice on where to eat. But a top choice is Ruibin,  where the oysters, the salmon and the custardy based desserts meant you could gorge without feeling bloated. Plenty of energy left, then, for what followed that night. Let’s just say the ‘singalong’ we were promised in the Galway Sailing Club (part of the Arts Festival that week) didn’t happen in the way we had imagined. No folksy ballads and resounding choruses of ‘Whiskey in a jar’ here; it was more about Celine Dion stick effigies, (very) interpretative Riverdance and a plaintive cry or ‘What the f*** is happening right now?’ as a parade of Tina Turner masks cavorted past us hollering SImply the Best in various keys. What an excellent night that was. 

The next morning, be-Guinnessed and bedraggled, we headed to Ard Bia at Nimmos, the only breakfast bistro I have been to that has a Michelin Star. Here we achieved a personal best of a 100 EUR bill for breakfast (for 3 of us). My rather beautiful l Vegan Breakfast Bowl with freshly made potato farls delivered a double whammy of luxuriance and healthful smug, that smug a  little undermined by  the chilli-moccaccino that accompanied it. 

I say weather wasn’t what we were there for, but it would have been grand for the rain to have stopped, just for five minutes, during our day’s driving tour of Connemara. ‘If you ever catch me saying again how I would like to move to Ireland, please remind me of this,’ said Sue as she, once again, tried to de-mist her side of the windscreen. However, in spite of the driving rain and keening wind, we alighted on one of Ireland’s most picturesque spots for lunch: The Misunderstood Heron at Leenaun. This is a permanent food truck that serves just a few options including steaming mussels in a chorizo broth and peat-hut smoked salmon on a pillowy sourdough. We held our umbrellas over the food and clumsily wolffed both of these down while gazing at the Loch through the mist. Make sure you detour here when you visit. Whatever the weather. 

The rain continued into the evening, which made our evening stop at O’Gradys by the Pier, right next to the crashing waves and craggy beach, all the more Lorna Doone-y. O’Grady’s has portholes for windows so you can see the dramatic scenery through a romance novel frame, while at the same time feeling cosy and cossetted from a menu that included Roast Cod with bacon, prawn and pea risotto and a full-bodied Irish Coffee to round the evening off. 

We headed back to Dublin for our final evening, and dived straight into pub fayre and live music at The Temple Bar and O’Shea’s Merchant. Guinness stew with herb dumplings? Don’t mind if I did. And yes, the Guinness did taste better here. 

I have recreated two of my favourite Irish dishes here, and an eternal favourite dessert which would not look out of place on Ruibin’s menu or Ard Bia’s dessert cabinet. 

No other Craic needed. 

Pan-fried Cod Cheeks with Bacon and Prawn Risotto (serves 2)

This dish is buttery, creamy and packed with mellow flavours. I don’t think this needs peas as well so have omitted but you can add if you wish. Instead this is liberally laced with fresh chopped parsely. Make this a staple during the winter months. Serves 4. 

Ingredients: 

4 small cod loin fillets

2 tbsp butter

For the risotto: 

1 tbsp. Olive oil

6 rashers streaky bacon

11/4 cups arborio rice

1 small onion (I used a red onion for the colour but use whatever you have), chopped

¼ cup dry white wine

3 cups chicken stock

2 cups water

125g raw peeled prawns

Generous handful of parsley, chopped

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

How to make: 

Heat the oil in a frying pan and fry off the bacon until brown but not overdone. Remove, cut into small pieces and put in a small bowl. Heat the stock and water on a low heat. 

Heat 2 tbsp. Butter in a larg-ish saucepan or saute pan. Then add the onion and a generous pinch of salt and fry until the onions are soft. Add the rice and stir to coat for a minute. Then add the white wine and cook until the wine has almost evaporated, then add ½ a cup of the stock mixture and stir on a low/ medium heat until reduced.

Keep adding ½ a cup of stock to the risotto and keep stirring as the liquid gets absorbed into the rice but still creamy. By the time you have incorporated your last ½ cup of stock, the risotto should be ready (the rice should be smooth but still have a touch of bite). Yurn off the heat and cover while you cook the prawns and cod. 

Pat the cod dry and season. Ditto with the prawns. Add the second 2 tblp of butter to the frying pan and fry the prawns u ntil just pink on both sides  - just a few  minutes (do not overcook or the prawns become rubbery). Reserve the prawns withe the bacon. Add the cod loin fillets to the pan and saute for about 2-3 minutes on each side. While the cod is cooking stir the prawns, bacon and chopped parsley into the risotto. 

Spoon  the risotto into four bowls and top each mound of rice with a cod loin. Drizzle some of the pan juices over the top, sprinkle with a touch more parsley and serve. 

Mussels in a Chorizo-Beer Broth

When I had these at the Misunderstood Heron, I could have ordered several bowls. It comes together quickly, thanks to the miracle of molluscs which impart so much ocean-fresh flavour in a matter of minutes of cooking. A dish that just makes you smile. Serves 2

Ingredients: 

1kg Mussels, de-bearded and rinsed

250g uncooked chorizo, casings removed

1 tbsp. Olive oil

1 onion, thinly sliced

2 garlic cloves 

2 tsp. ground cumin

1 stp. Salt

1 12 oz bottle beer or lager

2 tbsp. Unsalted butter

Generous bunch choppced coriander

Crusty sourdough for serving

How to make: 

Heat oil in large pan or wok (one with a lid). Cook chorizo, onion, chopped garlic, cumin and salt, stirring to break up the chorizo, until the onions are soft and the chorizo cooked through (8- 10 mins).

Add beer and butter, increase the heat and bring to the boil. Cook for a minute or so to reduce slightly. 

Add mussels, cover and cook until mussels are oprn (6-8 minutes). Discard any that do not open. Spoon the mussels into bowls, ladle the broth around them, then top with cilantro (and a shake of tabasco sauce if you fancy it). 

Serve with warm crusty bread. 

Apple and Custard Pie

This is my go-to apple pie-ish dessert, thanks to a shorter than short pastry I learnt from John Tovey in a 1980’s edition of Sainsbury’s Magazine. This pastry has the texture of a viennese whirl and crumbles in your mouth. The recipe is on a ripped out page of the magazine,  now yellow and curly at the edges. But still unbeatable. Serves 8-10. 

Ingredients

For the pastry: 

350g self raising flour

110g cornflower

350g soft butter

Zest of 1 lemon

110g golden caster sugar

2 egg yolks

For the filling

8 cox or granny smith apples

200g creme fraiche or sour cream

110 soft brown sugar

1 tbpn flour

2 large eggs

How to make

Put the flour and cornflour and butter (in walnut-sized chunks) into a food processor and pulse until just the texture of rubble (you should never overwork pastry and particularly not this one). Add the sugar and lemon juice and stir to incorporate (a couple more pulses should do it). Whisk the egg yorks then dribble them evenly over the toip of the mix and pulse 2 or 3 times until the mixture clumps into bigger ‘rocks’. Tip the mix onto a floured surface and gently bring together until it is a ball of pastry. Cut the pastry into a ⅔-⅓ split, roll each into a ball and flatten slightly. Wrap in foil and chil for at least 4 hours (or overnight). 

Bring the pastry fully back to room temperature. Roll out on a sheet of baking parchment until larger than the circumference of a 22cm fluted pan. Fit neatly pushing into the edges (it could be messy but this is a great ‘patching’ pastry). Pop into the fridge and chill for 30 mins. 

Heat the oven to 170C or 160C fan. Line the pie crust with foil and fill with baking beans. Bake in the oven for 30 mins then remove the foil and beans and put to one side while you make the filling. Turn the oven up to 175C or 165C Fan. 

To make the filling, peel core and thinly slice the apples (toss in a bowl with jiue of ½ a lemon to keep from browning). In a jug, mix the custard ingredients intil smooth. Working quickly, layer apples and custard until you have finished both.

Roll out the pastry lid and popover the apples, pressing at the edges and using any spare pastry to patch up any cracks. Bake for 50-mins to an hour until the pastry is golden brown. 

Remove from oven and dust generously with caster sugar. Let the pie cool down, then remove from the ring, transfer to a platter and serve. 

[balapann-blog]

Day 9 - 14 September - Belgrade

We got up and went to the train station to book our sleeper train to Montenegro on Sunday night, however lots of the streets were closed by the police and there were armoured vehicles and police dogs around which was slightly intimidating. We did manage to get to the station and then book the train, (we initially thought we had got a private cabin but the lady had booked us on the Saturday train and there were only couchettes for Sunday, however this will hopefully be better than the night bus or sleeping on across 3 seats like our last night train).

We then went and spent the most opulent £16.90 I’ve ever spent at breakfast at this bib gourmand restaurant. It was a modern take on Balkan food and I had this polenta portage with blue cheese and mushrooms and Nin had cold oatmeal with every nice fruit under the sun on it. Considering we had that and 4 coffees, I couldn’t believe the price!

The breakfast was quite heavy so we went home to chill for a bit and then went on another excellent free walking tour. The guide was a very dry woman (i think called Ivana) who spoke through lots of different things, such as the three main architectural styles of Belgrade; Habsburg (very much friends of the blog at this point), brutalist, modern (she really did not like the modern stuff). We walked down the street our apartment is on, and then into the more hipster part of town that during the time when organised crime most ran the country in the early 00s was called silicone valley because of the breast implants of the mob wives who went to the clubs there. This is also where the oldest families in Belgrade live in, as there are very few people whose families have lived continuously in Belgrade for generations (apparently the city empties on orthodox holidays as everyone goes back to their village or town).

Although Belgrade was very Ottoman for hundreds of years, almost nothing of this architecture remains bar a couple of houses. She spoke through the Serbo/Croat language and the fact that it has two scripts (Cyrillic and Latin) because when Serbia and the rest of Yugoslavia merged Serbia used Cyrillic and Slovenia/Croatia used Latin and since the languages are the same, both scripts are usable.

We went to Belgrade castle which is absolutely massive and has an amazing view down onto the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers. The tour finished in the orthodox cathedral where there was a wedding on. Serbian weddings seem to be soundtracked by gypsy brass bands who seranade the bride as she enters the church. It was fun and very over the top.

Our tour guide was interesting, on one hand, she was very liberal in her views and spoke a lot about government corruption and hoping all the things from the Yugoslav wars were behind the region. On the other hand she was very clearly Serbian in of her outlook, she crossed herself going into the cathedral, she preferred the Cyrillic script to the Latin, and was very proud of her Serbianness (if thats a word). Her explanation of the place of rakija in Serb culture was really interesting and heartfelt. I think that sometimes there is an assumption people in the east of Europe want to be like people in the west of Europe, but that that view I think is lazy and quite condescending (even if we can all stray into it) and that there are loads of ways to be a good person and be a good society. And nice liberal people from metropole cities in Western Europe don’t have a monopoly on a good life and we have lots of faults and blind spots that we don’t often interrogate.

After the tour we went to a grill called GrillRepublik which had 4.9 stars on google (‘unheard of’ Nina Jones) they were playing the Liverpool game which was nice I hadn’t watched any football since the season started. The food was so good we both had burgers with kajmak on it which is a Balkan cream thing that is half way between butter and clotted cream. It was delicious but I think dangerous to have on meat like that. My burger came with cabbage and I got a shopska salad, Nin had onions and a slightly different salad. The bread we had was also very fresh and airy. This was supposed to be a little snack so we got the small burger, but it was so big we could just about finish it!

After food, we went home and chilled out for a bit and then went to this fun bar for a couple of drinks (it was Saturday night after all), however we were both quite tired and so we left and went for a little walk and then went back to our apartment, I published my blog from Sarajevo and we did some planning and got a relatively early night.

What we ate - Iva New Balkan Cuisine, GrillRepublik

What we liked - My polenta thing got quite heavy after a while so i think the grill was the best thing of the day.

Day 10 - 15 September - Belgrade > Bar

We were planning to go for a run before we checked out but it was absolutely lashing when we work up so we just had a coffee in the flat and packed. When we left we went to do laundry in a laundrette, which was needed as we hadn’t done any washing since Zagreb! There were lots of tourists there trying to wash (or dry) their stuff. Walking there had been a bit of a mission and I am very thankful for the waterproof cover for my bag!

We then went and stored our stuff in a luggage storage and looked for place for lunch, we found this very classic boogie coffee shop/brunch place. I had this french omelette with mushrooms which was amazing, I think I said it was one of the best omelettes id ever had, not sure if that was hyperbole or not but it was good! It was probably one of the most expensive meals we had had since Slovenia (about £33) but the space was very nice and the food was good!

After that we failed at getting a bus to the Museum of Yugoslavia, so in the end got a taxi. It is quite a random museum, and mainly houses The Big Man’s (Tito’s) mausoleum and then a museum bit that seems only there to house the presents that he got from other world leaders, among some other things about the formation of Yugoslavia. The most numerous thing in the museum was relay batons from Youth Day celebrations over the years, my main thought was that I just want someone to love me like Tito loves relay batons.

After the museum, we walked to St. Sava’s temple which is the second biggest Orthodox Church in the world. It was pretty amazing and I think had been restored quite recently and was latterly shining gold. The pictures I took do not do it justice. They were also piping in some sick plainchant music which added to the atmosphere.

We then walked back into town (the other two places had been a bit out of town) via a Boots/Superdrug type shop, which in the rain and after being in lots of cites that id never been to before felt strangely comforting (something about the lighting and familiarity), even though we didn’t get anything. We went to the National Museum of Serbia, which is mainly an art gallery with some early artefacts on the second floor. The art was pretty good, would have liked a bit more socialist realism, but there was some great stuff there (it was free and in the main square too!)

We then went to a Vietnamese (Asian fusion really) that was in the bib gourmand but was really just fine, I think in London we are spoiled it’s Pho Mile. We then got our bags and got a taxi to the station. The driver said he hoped Putin sent nuclear bombs on the UK as he showed us a building that had been destroyed in nato bombing (good thing I said we were Irish).

I enjoyed Belgrade much more than I expected to, particularly after being in Sarajevo and Republika Srpska, and reading and hearing about how the Serb Government is acting and its close relationship to Russia. I guess it is true that most people are generally friendly and welcoming and that politics generally sits above individual interactions with people. It also feels like Belgrade is pretty liberal (particularly the places we went), and I doubt the rest of the country is quite like that. Our taxi driver slightly shattered that assumption, but looking at his age, he could well have been in the Yugoslav army at the time of the wars, and what would an experience like that do to someone. It takes lots of courage and self reflection to go against the view of an institution you are part of, particularly if you hear of atrocities committed by the other side (real or not), and NATO are bombing your country. The graffiti below is from the main square in Belgrade, written in English with stencils of Radovan Karadžić beside it, even with all the perceived liberalism in Belgrade, this politics is impossible to ignore.

We were very early for our train and when it came we were both top bunks in a couchette. We have definitely got our night travel better and a night train is definitely preferable to night bus. The guy in the bunk below me snored quite a lot and my noise cancelling headphones ran out of battery at about 1am! I think I slept a bit and am definitely not as tired as after the bus. At about 8am I woke up and went to look out the window, the train we were on is famously very beautiful and it was a very nice view to wake up to, first the mountains then Skroder lake! We are now in a coffee shop in Bar waiting for our check in at 2 to our hotel down the coast. The weather is much nicer here so let’s hope it stays that way!

What we ate - June cafe, Istok

What we liked - June was nice, Istok i would say is overrated but wasn’t bad.

[hadiyahzain]

Discover Turkey: A Journey Through Culture, Cuisine, and History

Turkey is a captivating destination where history, culture, and cuisine come together to create a rich and immersive experience. As a country that bridges Europe and Asia, Turkey offers a unique blend of ancient traditions and modern charm. From the bustling bazaars of Istanbul to the ancient ruins of Ephesus and the surreal landscapes of Cappadocia, there’s something for every traveler to explore. Whether you're a history enthusiast, a foodie, or simply seeking adventure, Turkey has it all. With a variety of Turkey tour packages available, you can easily plan your journey and experience the best that this diverse and vibrant country has to offer. Discover Turkey and embark on an unforgettable journey through its culture, cuisine, and history. 

Here are some excerpts from Discover Turkey: A Journey Through Culture, Cuisine, and History. 

1.Overview of Turkey: A Culturally Rich and Diverse Nation:  

Turkey is a distinct example of an East-West fusion nation situated between two continents. It is one of the most fascinating travel destinations in the world because of its deep-rooted history, varied landscapes, and rich cultural heritage. Turkey offers visitors a wide range of experiences, from the busy streets of Istanbul to the historic ruins of Ephesus. The nation's rich history as a crossroads of civilizations is reflected in its diversified culture. Turkey offers something for everyone, whether you are an adventurer, a foodie, or a history enthusiast. 

2. Istanbul as a Cultural Melting Pot: 

The largest city in Turkey, Istanbul, is frequently seen as the center of the nation's cultural identity. The Roman, Byzantine, and Ottoman empires all had Istanbul as their capital. Originally called Byzantium, it was subsequently renamed Constantinople. The beautiful Hagia Sophia and the Topkapi Palace are just two examples of the city's architectural design that reflect its historical significance. You can sense the melting pot of cultures and the pulse of history as you stroll through Istanbul's streets. Turkish culture may be thoroughly experienced in the city's bustling bazaars, diversified neighborhood like Sultanahmet and Beyoğlu, and active arts scene. 

3. Turkish Cuisine: A Taste of Culinary Delights:  

With its vibrant colours, fragrant spices, and variety of dishes that honour the nation's ethnic past, Turkish food is a sensory feast. A synthesis of elements from the Middle East, Mediterranean, Balkan, and Central Asia has shaped the cuisine. A trip to Turkey wouldn't be complete without sampling its delectable cuisine. Enjoy a classic Turkish breakfast consisting of eggs, fresh bread, cheeses, and olives to start your day. Don't pass up traditional foods like pide (Turkish pizza), mezes (small appetizers), and kebabs. The nation is renowned for its desserts as well, especially baklava, a pastry consisting of layers of filo dough stuffed with nuts and covered in honey. Try a glass of Turkish tea or coffee to go with your meal—both are essential components of Turkish hospitality. 

4. Revealing the Historical Treasures of Turkey:  

Turkey is a historical treasure trove, with ruins of long-gone civilizations all around the nation. Ephesus, an ancient Greek city on the Ionian shore, is one of the most well-known. It is home to the Temple of Artemis, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. With its ancient remains, the city of Troy—immortalized in Homer's epic poems—offers a window into the past. Because early Christians lived in Cappadocia and carved churches and monasteries into the rock formations, the region has great historical and cultural significance in addition to its bizarre landscapes of fairy chimneys and underground cities. By visiting these locations, tourists can travel back in time and take in the magnificence of the civilizations that formerly called this area home. 

5. Turkey's Natural Wonders:  

Turkey has some amazing natural scenery in addition to its cultural and historical value. The Turkish name Pamukkale, which translates to "Cotton Castle," is a marvel of nature with its white travertine pool terraces that are full of mineral-rich water. For thousands of years, people have used these hot springs for therapeutic purposes. The breathtaking turquoise coast, where the Aegean and Mediterranean waters converge, is yet another wonder of nature. The beaches of Fethiye, Bodrum, and Antalya are ideal for leisurely walks and aquatic activities. Hikers who love the great outdoors can enjoy breathtaking views of the sea and mountains from the Lycian Way, a long-distance hiking track that runs along the coast. There are countless options for adventure due to the country's diversified topography, which ranges from the rich plains of Anatolia to the untamed mountains of the East. 

6. Turkish Hospitality: You're Invited to Stay Here:    

The friendliness and kindness of the Turkish people are among the most unforgettable experiences of travel there. Turkish people are renowned for their warm hospitality, always going above and beyond to make guests feel at home. The generosity of Turkish people is apparent everywhere, whether you are asked into a home for a cup of tea or are helped by a stranger on the street. The nation's culture and customs, which uphold the highest standards of care and respect for visitors, are firmly ingrained in the concept of hospitality. Interacting with the people, picking up a few Turkish phrases, and taking part in cultural practices like dining together or going to a festival can all significantly enhance your trip. 

Conclusion   

Turkey is a destination that promises a rich blend of culture, history, and culinary delights. Whether you’re exploring the ancient ruins of Ephesus, savouring authentic Turkish cuisine, or soaking in the breathtaking landscapes of Cappadocia, every moment in Turkey is filled with discovery. The country's unique position at the crossroads of continents makes it a melting pot of traditions and influences, offering something for every traveler. With a variety of Turkey holiday packages available, planning your journey is easier than ever. These packages allow you to experience the best of Turkey, ensuring a memorable adventure that captures the essence of this extraordinary country. 

[magicmitch-eats]

Getting paid to eat pizza? Sounds great, but this won't be as easy as it sounds! In fact, this is the biggest pizza challenge I've ever attempted! I'll also be teaming up with Randy Santel to tackle this monstrous pizza challenge! If we win, we'll get $500 CASH! ✨ Support my content & unlock awesome perks: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/magicmitch

🌏 Australian Food Challenge Tour: Day 4 / Challenge 4 🌏 📺 Watch this entire tour here ➡ https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLyc8PEyVWPbfsWN0TYumuUzJzCjMgXXvS ✨ Subscribe for more videos ➤ youtube.com/magicmitch?sub_confirmation=1

Location 📍 Mamma Mia's (Rockford, Illinois)

🌟 The 32″ Team "Don" Pizza Challenge 🌟

Teams of two 👨👨

32" diameter pizza, weighs around 14 pounds 🍕🤯

You must choose at least one topping besides cheese (we went with green pepper, onion, and Canadian bacon)

Time Limit ⏳ 45 minutes

🌟 Rewards for completing this food challenge 🌟

Free meal ($49 + $7 for each additional topping) 💰

Free t-shirt 👕

Your photo up on their Wall of Fame 📸

$500 Cash! 💲💵💲

*Rules and stipulations have changed since the attempt of this challenge, so call ahead to confirm availability and details.

🌟🌟🌟 MORE FOOD ADVENTURES 🌟🌟🌟 🍔 QUADRUBLE BACON CHEESEBURGER CHALLENGE IN MISSISSIPPI - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1oQL-_tt1nw&list=PLyc8PEyVWPbee1YF8Rd-sYfVQA_3_A-mB&index=3&t 😳⚠ MY BIGGEST FEAR CAME TRUE DURING THIS 72 OZ STEAK CHALLENGE - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KZoQxJKi4BA&list=PLyc8PEyVWPbdXuMakZ-PNXmFms7KVQY5J&index=35 🥞🍦 Huge Pancakes & Ice Cream Dessert - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eS3o1X4f2Ho&list=PLyc8PEyVWPbdXuMakZ-PNXmFms7KVQY5J&index=7 🍕 144 Pizza Rolls - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IJWTJ0vQZ3g&list=PLyc8PEyVWPbfYjaKQj8DyW12PYmGAfCCM&index=2 🍛 Jumbo Japanese Curry Challenge - https://youtu.be/aRpc2OYjg10 🐟🍟 Fish & Chips Challenge in New York - https://youtu.be/QielFWpLreU 🥪 Epic Grilled Cheese Sandwich Challenge in Chicago - https://youtu.be/if4SfEKQFIs 🍕 2-Foot Calzone Challenge - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HX4S79ku0kc&list=PLyc8PEyVWPbfYjaKQj8DyW12PYmGAfCCM&index=3 🍳🥓 Huge Irish Breakfast Challenge - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=41nvSmNBuxQ&list=PLyc8PEyVWPbdBA3HPeLgF8kFUTy5Ef5DB&index=22 🍖🍗 BBQ Challenge in Scotland - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1-GDQbsiLyI&list=PLyc8PEyVWPbdXuMakZ-PNXmFms7KVQY5J&index=4 🤢⚠ THE WORST RESTAURANT FOOD CHALLENGE I’VE EVER DONE - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Omvx115nh84&list=PLyc8PEyVWPbdXuMakZ-PNXmFms7KVQY5J&index=34

🌟🌟🌟 FOOD CHALLENGE PLAYLISTS 🌟🌟🌟 ❄ NORTHWEST USA WINTER TOUR - https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLyc8PEyVWPbfxOBIS-DE9HDftS6UQRrHx ✌ UK & EUROPE TOUR (ROUND 2) - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLyc8PEyVWPbdXuMakZ-PNXmFms7KVQY5J 🍕 EPIC PIZZA CHALLENGES - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l0ZZeoaBQMs&list=PLyc8PEyVWPbfYjaKQj8DyW12PYmGAfCCM&index=1 🍁 East Coast & Canada Food Challenge Tour - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLyc8PEyVWPbdBA3HPeLgF8kFUTy5Ef5DB ⌚ Food Challenge Eating Records – https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLyc8PEyVWPbcAfrvY1cobMLRyBwx_9lZF 💪 EATING RIVALRY (Magic Mitch vs Eager Ethan) - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLyc8PEyVWPbdzwtno2Y4nMP7fUXvweM0M

I'm Magic Mitch, The Food Adventurer! I embark on epic eating adventures and battle various food challenge monstrosities all over the world! I also review these challenges in terms of the set up (rules, prizes, etc) and taste! I also discuss the strategy I used against these beastly portions of food!

If you enjoy epic food eating adventures, be sure to subscribe! https://www.youtube.com/c/magicmitch?sub_confirmation=1

[jaydeemedia]

[ad_1] Planning a food-themed trip in Europe is one of the continent’s greatest joys. From Copenhagen’s world-renowned Nordic cuisine to Turkey’s transcontinental flavours, Europe’s best foodie destinations are as diverse as the continent’s many cultures. Choosing where to chow down on your travels, though, is a challenge. Some of the most beloved food cities in Europe, such as Paris and Barcelona, are long-standing classics. Yet, Europe’s up-and-coming culinary destinations can be as surprising as they are affordable. With the first Portugal-dedicated MICHELIN Guide being published this February, Copenhagen’s game-changing Noma set to close its doors later this year, and Lithuania’s unsung cuisine commanding a spotlight at Vilnius’ recently established Pink Soup Fest, 2024 could be the year to consider a lesser-visited foodie region for your European gastronomic getaway. Whether you want to indulge in a Georgian feast and thousands of years of viticulture or take a French food tour far from Paris, these are some of Europe’s best food cities and regions to build your next delicious trip around. Portugal’s quality of Atlantic seafood makes the country one of Europe’s best food destinations Porto, Portugal I’ve been calling Portugal home for six years and holidaying here for decades. Seeing the transformation in the country’s food scene has been incredible. I couldn’t have been more proud to attend this year’s first-ever Portugal-only MICHELIN Gala Dinner and see so many young chefs celebrated for their innovation. Yet, while some dining rooms have gotten fancier and many chefs more creative, I love that Portuguese cuisine has remained mainly traditional, with the quality of ingredients always taking pride of place. And while the Algarve’s Mediterranean diet is delicious, and Lisbon boasts plenty of tourist-focused dining rooms, I would argue that Porto is the country’s epicurean capital. This northern city more than holds its own against Europe’s more established food cities. Portugal’s Chef of the Year 2023, the ingenious and young Vasco Coelho Santos, has a handful of top-notch restaurants here. The Atlantic bounty ensures a steady stream of first-class seafood. And with The Douro snaking inland from the city, a perfect glass of Port or a premium bottle of wine is always at hand. Plus, Porto’s prices are pretty wallet-friendly, whether you’re eating traditional tripe at a low-key tasca or splurging on a seat at a chef’s table. Standout dishes, dining rooms and food experiences in Porto Deciding what and where to eat in Porto is all part of the fun. Want something traditional? Order a francesinha, a croque-monsieur-inspired sandwich stacked with cheese, smoked sausage, and meat in a slightly spiced beer sauce – A Regaleira serves the original. Or devour bacalhau à gomes de sá, Porto’s take on Portugal’s beloved salted cod fish. Alternatively, follow in the footsteps of Anthony Bourdain and try tripas à moda do porto – a bean and tripe stew hailing from less affluent times – at A Cozinha do Martinho. If you’d like to indulge, I can’t recommend Chef Rui Paula’s ocean-view Casa do Boa Cho Nova or Vasco Coelho Santos’ Euskalduna Studio enough for fish-heavy, Michelin-starred tasting menus.  Over a weekend in Porto, you can easily flit between the Port lodges of Gaia across the river, stroll the sights and atmospheric restaurants along the Ribeira, snack and shop at Bolhão Market, and even fit in a train or boat trip to the Douro’s vineyards. If you want a more intimate experience with one of Portugal’s best chefs, contact The Art of Tasting Portugal, where the lovely Patricia and her team will help you see the city through the eyes (and palate) of a local gourmand.  In Lyon, sausages of all kinds are one the start of a gourmands getaway Lyon, France  Lyon is one of France’s best cities to plan a gastronomic getaway. In fact, many would say it’s not just the country’s best city for cuisine but the “Food Capital of the World”.

Yes, forget Paris’s fast-paced brasseries, pretty boulangeries and intimate bistros and set your foodie sights on Lyon’s bouchons, the typical restaurants of France’s third-largest city. But why is Lyon considered one of Europe’s best food cities? Well, Lyonnaise cuisine has evolved over many centuries, from Romans introducing wine and perfecting their pork products to Italian influence arriving and upping the game in the 16th century. However, the city’s surrounding terroir has always been a constant. With the Alps on its doorstep, the Mediterranean to the south, and the fertile farmlands ideal for rearing livestock to the north, it’s well placed at Europe’s culinary crossroads – it’s a city where both Butter and Olive Oil are common rather than competition. Add all of these excellent regional flavours, the nearby wine appellations, Lyon’s atmospheric dining rooms and a gorgeous Old Town with plenty of al fresco terraces together, and you’ve got one of Europe’s best destinations to eat and then eat some more.  Lyon’s Old Town is pretty and delicious, making it one of Europe’s best food cities Must-try dishes, restaurants and food tours in Lyon Pork is plentiful in Lyonnaise cuisine, and charcuterie comes in hundreds of forms. Boudin Noir blood sausages, coarse-stuffed andouillette served with mustard, and the crimson-coloured Rosette de Lyon, a cured saucisson, are just a few favourites. Heartier meals, such as meat-stuffed quenelle dumplings bathing in a creamy sauce or coq au vin, a rich, red-wine-soaked chicken dish feature on nearly every menu. When you need a break from meat, a poached-egg-topped salade lyonnaise is a light lunch break. For a Michelin-starred tasting, you can’t go wrong at the legendary, late Paul Bocuse’s restaurant or ingenious Guy Lassausaie’s contemporary dining room. More affordable daily lunch menus are easily found on a stroll around the river-flanked Presqu’île arrondissement. Still, Lyon is even better if you extend your visit to include a nearby wine region, such as Beaujolais or Burgandy. Book one of these incredible culinary travel packages through east-central France, and not only will you sample Lyon’s delights, but you’ll also tour vineyards bottling oaked Chardonnays and young Gamays, which pair perfectly with your epicurean adventure. Pintxos are just one famous sample of what makes Spain’s Basque Country one of the best food destinations in Europe Basque Country, Spain San Sebastián, or Donostia locally, is arguably Spain’s best city to visit for a foodie trip in Europe. For centuries, it has been a utopia for pintxos (the region’s first-class finger foods), secretive gastronomic societies, and chefs looking to lead their class at the world-renowned Basque Culinary Centre. Yet this beautiful, beach-facing city in Spain’s north is only the appetiser – the Basque Country’s degustation also includes crisp, lightly sparkling txakoli wines, ruby red Riojas, and traditional dishes that lean on the fertile land as much as the sparkling sea. Pull all of this together, and you’ve got one of Europe’s best foodie destinations. Spend a couple of days in San Sebastián enjoying bar crawls around the Parte Vieja (Old Town), where it’s all about bar tops laden high with delicious pintxos rather than boozing. Then, head inland to the gorgeous Medieval town of Laguardia. This is where the Basque Country and the famous Rioja Alavesa wine region meet, and a warren of underground tunnels hold all the wine secrets – Bodega El Fabulista is indeed fabulous. Lastly, loop back towards the coast, where the port city of Bilbao offers some of the best-value provincial dishes. Treat yourself to a tasting in an authentic Rioja wine cellar The best dishes and culinary experiences in the Basque Country While San Sebastián is often regarded as Europe’s best food city, you’ll find excellent dishes all across the Basque Country. Away from the perfectly-formed pintxos – Calle 31 de Agosto is the

place to start your bar crawl – provincial plates such as marmitako (tuna stew), bacalao al pil pil (a slightly spicy and salted cod dish), and txipirones en su tinta (baby squids cooked in ink) provide a more filling meal. End the night with burnt Basque cheesecake, perhaps from La Viña, and you’ll be in foodie heaven. None of this needs to cost a fortune, but if you fancy a Michelin-starred splurge, Etxanobe Atelier in Bilbao or Elena Arzak’s self-titled, three-starred restaurant in San Sebastián are a worthy investment.  If you’d prefer to let someone else handle all the arrangements, I highly recommend Intrepid’s Northern Spain Food Tour, which I took a few years back. From Barcelona to Santiago de Compostela, it was a mouthwatering journey, with much of our time spent devouring everything the Basque Country has to offer. The bonus of taking a tour like this is you will get access to a txoko, one of San Sebastián’s intimate, low-key, invited-only communal kitchens where you can enjoy a true taste of neighbourhood hospitality and Basque cuisine. Italy is renowned as Europe’s best food destination, with each region retaining local specialities Florence, Italy Write a list of the best food cities in Europe, and there will be plenty of Italian options vying for the top spot. And while Emilia Romagna is perhaps my favourite Italian region for food, Florence might be the most all-rounded city to take a bite out of Italian cuisine. Yes, pizza and pasta are staples on any trip to this culinary-blessed country, but Tuscan cuisine goes beyond the headliners. All of the region’s flavours and acclaimed wines have had plenty of time to be perfected in one of the country’s most visited UNESCO-listed cities. Of course, eating is one of the best things to do in Italy no matter where you are, but like every region, Tuscan cuisine has developed on its own terms. The first clue is in the name. From the Etruscans, the region’s ancient civilization, to contemporary, modern-day chefs, many have played a part in writing Florence’s menu. Simple, fresh ingredients are plentiful. Bread is uncomplicated and unsalted thanks to a 16th-century tax. Olive Oil is on a whole other level. And meat dishes, such as thick-cut steaks and wild game, are as commonplace as cantucci, Tuscany’s typical almond cookies often called biscotti. Florence’s architecture pairs perfectly with Tuscan provincial flavours Tuscan dishes, top restaurants and foodie walks in Florence What makes Florence such a fantastic food destination in Europe is the diversity of restaurants. Given its prominence as a tourism hotspot, you’ll find plenty of popular and pricey eateries around the historic centre, especially near the Duomo and Ponte Vecchio. But across the river in local, laid-back Oltrarno, you can gorge on more affordable trattorie. Wherever you are, don’t miss the chance to sample the region’s signature pasta dishes, such as thick, ribbon-like pappardelle – often served al cinghiale, aka with a wild boat ragù – or stuffed tortelli. Tuscany’s unsalted bread is also commonplace with garlic and oil-topped fettunta (think a Tuscan bruschetta) and pappa al pomodoro, a thick bread and tomato soup found on most menus. Want some high-quality meat? Bistecca alla Fiorentina is always the answer. Pair any of these with one of Tuscany’s standout wines – red is more typical here, Chianti being the most internationally recognised label – and you’ll have a foodie weekend fit for royalty. If you want to upgrade your insights, consider taking this foodie tour in Florence to meet the local farmers, bakers, and chefs as you discover Tuscan flavours in all their forms. And if you’re seeking a special spot to celebrate in one of Italy’s most romantic cities, you won’t have to look far. Settle into a courtyard table at Michelin-starred Enoteca Pinchiorri, and you’ll be well placed for both a proposal and a provincial feast. Khinkali, Georgia’s excellent mince-stuffed soupy dumplings, are one of Europe’s best dishes

Georgia (yes, the whole country) When it comes to discussing the best food in Europe, Georgian cuisine is often tragically overlooked. Yet this country has gifted the world some of the oldest and best wines you’ll find, dishes with so much creamy cheese they should be criminal, and perhaps the most perfect dumplings you’ll ever try. This is one of my favourite foodie destinations in Europe to feast, something that’s so ingrained into the culture that supras – seemingly never-ending, table-piled-high feasts – are an integral part of society. Not that this is anything new. Winemaking in Georgia goes back some 8000 years. After enjoying your first glass of qvevri – the traditional method of production in clay vessels – aged red wine from Saperavi or little-known white Rkatsiteli, you’ll see what all the fuss is about. The table is equally historical, and Georgian cuisine has been influenced by ancient grilling practices (mtsvadi), neighbouring nations, Mediterranean travellers, and Old Silk Road seasonings. Still, there’s even more to discover beyond the national dishes, as each region proudly retains its local specialities. My friend Nicky and I couldn’t get enough of Restaurant Amra’s Abkhazian wines and dishes What and where to eat and drink in Georgia Georgia doesn’t have a Michelin Guide – it honestly doesn’t need one. Instead, take yourself on a self-guided food tour around Tbilisi, Georgia’s capital and one of Europe’s most underrated cities, and you’ll find endless affordable restaurants to try dishes from every region. The Abanotubani district is where most of the touristy restaurants are, but it’s well worth exploring further. Two of my favourite spots are Chashnagiri, a local chain where you can try many different dishes affordably, and Amra, which specialises in dishes and wines from the Abkhazia region. Whatever you do, don’t miss khinkali, Georgia’s excellent mince-stuffed dumplings, which have their own eating method to sip the soup inside. Khachapuri, a boat-like bread stuffed with cheese and an egg, is utterly indulgent. Badrijani, eggplant and walnut paste rolls are divine. And chkmeruli, a slow-cooked garlic-sauced chicken dish, is one of my favourites. Honestly, just thinking about these dishes makes me salivate. It’s easy enough to go it alone and eat your way through Tbilisi and Georgia. But, if you fancy a food tour or want to visit a wine region, reach out to my old housemates Tom & Megan, who run Eat This Food Tours in Tbilisi, and they’ll happily guide you through Georgia’s gastronomy. [ad_2] Source link

[dybdahlsvisitportugalspainfrance]

Evora

September 6, 2021

What a day!!! We left Lisboa today and headed east to Evora pronounced EV-or-a. Evora is this delightful walled city - but that has to wait because we had many wonderful adventures before we got here. We left Lisboa via the Vasco da Gama Bridge - the longest bridge in Europe - 12 miles long.

To get there we transversed a beautiful neighborhood called Parque das Nações (Park of Nations) built for the Lisboa's 1998 World Expo (think "World's Fair." This beautiful well planned and VERY pricey area housed the expositions of the more than 100 countries that participated. After the Expo the area became a beautiful community, complete with schools, hospitals, grocery stores and office space. It even had its own train station, (below) Aquarium and Casino.

We all enjoy driving through this area and seeing some beautiful sites - albeit from the bus.

We even saw the statue of "Gil" the mascot of the Expo. Carolina said that no descent Portuguese child would be without some form of "Gil" during that time.

It was not long after we exited the bridge that we found ourselves in the country - truly on the backroads. Our first stop was at a small tile store where we got a demonstration and then got to try our hand at painting our own tile.

Some people opted for freehand - but I used a stencil. I choose a Rooster because the Rooster a symbol of Portugal. "WHY?" You ask. Because of this CLEARLY TRUE story: (The details escape me - but here you go... I apologize in advance to the good Portuguese people for my rendition of this story. ) A good Portuguese man was accused of a crime and at the time - that meant hanging. Every descent town at the time had a pillory. But the man protested. He looked at the chicken on the platter and said something like - "If I am innocent, that chicken will rise up and declare it." But the baked bird just stay on the platter... So off he went to be hung. Just as the rope was being put around his neck.. COCK-A-DOODLE-DOO!!! And the man was saved!! Justice was done - as it is in all of Portugal! So, I picked the rooster! Here is my pathetic rooster pre-firing.  Stay tuned to see what it looks like later!

I think it looks like a bird with a squirrel tale - but this is not my area of talent. Oh-well. It was fun.

Next we went to a cheese museum. Our friends, Tom & Nora, took this tour a few years ago and have stayed in contact with the delightful woman who owns this farm, Filipa. They really hoped we would connect with her and occasionally things go exactly as planned.

Mark looks strange here but Filipa and I look good - so this is the pic.

She makes sheep milk cheese and we got to make our own. The process is fascinating and took much less time than I imagined.

The liquid running down the table is whey and that is used to make ricotta. We got to pack the cheese into the small molds and do a little more squeezing and then it went on the table. The other surprise was that she told us to use the liquid on our hands and rub it in. It is 100% fat and as such made a great moisturizer. My hands felt great all day. Our "starter" for lunch was cheese, cheese, cheese and cheese and chutney. Each "cheese" was the same cheese at a different age - from newly squeezed by us to 3 weeks old. DELICIOUS!!!

We had a fabulous lunch with lots of farm fresh foods and then we were on our way.

The next stop was at a cork factory. Absolutely fascinating! First - what is cork? This is the answer I like best: Cork is the outer bark of the cork oak tree.

The cork trees, from which cork is harvested, are evergreen trees of the family of oaks and chestnut trees. These trees only exist in some Mediterranean countries - Portugal, Spain, Italy, France, Morocco, Tunisia and Algeria. The cork oak is the only tree whose bark regenerates itself, acquiring a smoother texture after each extraction. It may be harvested about 17 times over a longevity that is on average 200 years. Removing the bark does not hurt the tree - but actually keeps it healthier. I could go on and on about this - but watch this video and then read the explaining. They do a much better job than I could ever do. After that are some pics i took. You just don't know what you don't know!!!

The trees are beautiful and because they are cork oats produce acorns.

The pigs love these acorns and this area is not only famous for the cork - but also for the pork and pork products.

We learned so much and so enjoyed this discovery day!!

From here we headed to Evora and our first pousada - Covento de Evora. Pousadas are old monestaries, castles, palaces, nunneries, etc that are now owned by the state and serve as top notch hotels while keeping the history of the place.

And what is Annie taking a picture of?????

It looks beautiful at night too!

Here is the history of this pousada:

We are cell 115.

I'm pretty sure this is way nicer than it was when this place was peopled with monks.

More on this place later.

Stay tuned!

[umichenginabroad]

Week 9: Final days in Europe

Dobrý den! Hallo! Bonjour! I have officially left Prague, and I miss it so much already. My family came to pick me up as an excuse to travel around Europe. We stayed a day in Prague and I showed my family around my favorite spots: I took them to the Jewish quarter, Charles bridge, the castle, St Vitus cathedral, tower, royal gardens, and the museum of communism. We also went to my favorite eating places, as well as another place I had been dying to try but never went called pasta fresca (it was really good!). 

The next day, we headed to Munich! When we got there we went to a hofbrauhaus, which is like a house of beer. There we were able to try typical German food, and see all the waiters and waitresses in typical Bavarian outfits. We had a lot of fun and then walked around the old town (Marienplatz) getting to know Munich a bit. The following day we went on a day trip to Schwangau, where we saw the Neuschwanstein Castle (the one that inspired the sleeping beauty!). It was very pretty and to get to and from the castle you needed to take a bus. The last bus was at 6:45, and we missed it since our tour ended around 6:30, so we had to walk back down the whole mountain. We had a lot of fun and really enjoyed seeing the German countryside on the drive there. 

We were then on our way to Switzerland, where we were staying in a cute little town called Montreux, which is located right next to Lake Geneva. I also loved looking at all the beautiful landscapes in Switzerland! In Switzerland we went to a mountain on a train (the views were incredible) and had a mini hike up to a lookout which was so gorgeous. We also toured the Cailler chocolate factory, as well as went to a town called Gruyere, where we also toured a cheese factory. We had a lot of fun and ate really good food!

I have really loved studying abroad and recommend it to anyone who is thinking about it. I was able to make new friends from all over, and was able to immerse myself into a completely different culture from what I am used to, and adapt to it. I have enjoyed this experience very much and I really wish that it wasn't over :( The hardest part of adjusting to the Czech culture was realizing that not everyone smiles, and attempting to understand the language as much as possible, since it is very different from Spanish or English (languages I speak). For the language barrier, I used the translate app, since any time I went to the grocery store I would use it in order to make sure I was buying the correct item. I am very excited to go back to U-M and share some of the things that I learned while I was abroad, as well as talk to people who are considering going abroad to tell them how great of an experience it is!

Thank you (or Děkuji!) for following along during my time abroad! I will miss making these blogs!

Na shledanou!

Mariana Pardo

Biomedical Engineering

Engineering in Prague    

[chloemarievaughan]

May 22nd- Bruges

Drank some coffee in the hotel- this time we had a coffee maker in the room, how fancy 🙂 then we were off for a morning walk- it is chillier in Bruges than Ghent so far, so we dressed in our warmest clothes for the journey. We both are wearing leggings and long skirts. Found a cafe for breakfast and had a very enjoyable pancake breakfast (topped with brie - cheese and blueberry compote) with espresso. Mom had some fruit, a croissant, and a pour over coffee (rare to see in Europe, usually you just see espresso ( which I don’t mind haha). first stop of the day was the Chocostory Museum on the history of chocolate. It was definitely cheesy and at first I wasn’t sure about it… but it ended up being really cute and very worthwhile. Another audio guide, and exhibits that took us from the origination of chocolate with the Mayans and Aztecs, to the introduction of chocolate to the Spanish conquistadors, to the importance of chocolate in French royalty ( in the form of hot chocolate to drink first and then the hard form), to the industrialization of chocolate making, and rise of Belgian pralines (chocolate shell with typically hazelnut and sugar filling). there were props and illustrations, and even a live demonstration of praline making (with tasting) and a jar of unlimited chocolate samples- white, milk, and dark. Yum 🙂

With our chocolate tour, we could add on a French fry museum tour for only 5 euros! Of course calling them French fries is a bit sacrilegious in Belgium, they say “frites” or “Frieten” or maybe Belgian fries, but never French. Not as good as the Chocolate one, but some cute exhibits on the history of the Potato. Sophie Archbold would like this museum 🙂 and they gave credit to the US for inventing the potato chip haha. they did Not include a fry tasting in the tour, just a 0.40€ discount at the frituur (fry shop) at the end. Also, not enough salt on the fries in general in Belgium- though they do serve them at every meal 😂

Then we went on a canal tour in Bruges! We had bad timing and bought our tickets right after a group of like 80 children on a field trip so had to wait for a couple boats to go but sat in a beatiful spot to wait. Thought the Ghent boat tour was great, but the Bruges one topped it! Bruges is spectacular 🙂 the canals are full of little but beautiful buildings, we saw a lot of swans (the symbol of Bruges) gliding through the water, and our tour guide was very funny. At one point our boat went under the “lowest bridge in Bruges” per our guide, and he joked that they had a boat full of basketball players last week and they needed to clean the blood from their heads of the bridge after the tour. But the guide did brag that he only lost about 10% of his customers to decapitation on the low bridge 😂

after the Boat tour, we had about two hours until our brewery tour that we had Booked at 16:30. As an American, I am obviously less used to the time 16:30, but in my head, I looked at it and planned for 4:30 for the brewery tour. All of a sudden, I panicked that I read it wrong and perhaps it was actually 14:30, or 2:30, and I had missed the tour entirely. Of course, my wifi wouldn’t work and moms internet connection wouldn’t pull up our reservation, so we wandered around for a while hoping for the best! It was correctly at 4:30/16:30 🙂

Went shopping for souvenirs and chocolates and more souvenirs. We like to wander around getting a bit lost to explore new areas- though in Bruges it is hard to get lost because you can usually always see the belfry anywhere you are, but for some reason we went passed the same block of shops like 4 times during our wandering. we went to two scenic places before the brewery- the Begjinhof and the Minnewaterpark. The Minnewaterpark was a lovely park, but wouldn’t necessarily go back, pretty generic park. The Begiinhof was very cool though. It was a place where unmarried women who did not want to be nuns but agreed to live by a certain code of conduct lived, and it was a place of peace and quiet with a church and white buildings and flowers. There are apparently now nuns who live in the area as well.

Following this walk, we headed to De Halve Maan or the Half Moon Brewery! we really enjoyed the tour here though didn’t know we were in for 110 more steps during the tour, and a very steep staircase back down. The same brewery has been operating in one family for 6 generations in the same spot and for many years were the only brewery in the city limits of Bruges. Bruges is a UNESCO world heritage sight, and so new buildings cannot be tall and must match the style of the city. The brewery is quite tall with each park of the beer making process on each level of the factory, with a fabulous view of the city because it so tall. but the coolest feature of the brewery is that they have a direct beer pipeline to their bottling facility 3 km away dug under the city and just installed in the past decade!

also, the unfiltered Brugse Zot (fool of Bruges), one of the beers that is fully made on site without ever needing to leave via the pipeline, was fresh from the vat and the best beer I had in Belgium so far!

after the brewery, mom and I meant to find a dinner restaurant but instead wound up at a bar mentioned by our guide on the boat tour. It was directly across from the most photographed spot in Bruges, Rozenhoedkaai, and had a “wall of beer” with hundreds of bottles. We had a Bruges witbier and also thoroughly enjoyed that though we were in desperate need of food as it had been a really really long time since the Fries at the Frietmuseum.

popped across the canal again for dinner at a restaurant with another view of the Rozenhoedkaai, where we had a thoroughly enjoyable time, a delicious salad, fries, a cherry St Louis Kriek and a Raspberry St Louis Lambic, and possibly the worst steaks mom and I have ever had. They were cooked medium rare as requested but otherwise, not good at all 😂

I wanted to go see the Markt Square and Rozenhoedkaai light up at night, but sunset here isn’t until 9:41 pm. (Sunrise at 5:45am- were far north here!) decided that if we went straight back to the hotel at 7:45, we’d fall asleep, So we went for an another stroll by the Bruges canal. once again had a lovely time meandering, and managed to explore until 8:30 pm. Back to the hotel room to make some decaf coffee and stay awake until we can go admire Bruges at night!

And now at about 10:15pm, back to our hotel, enjoyed a quick evening stroll with some pictures of the landmarks at night! And now it’s bedtime 🙂 hopefully you enjoy about 7000 pictures of different Bruges houses along canals 😂😂 (my WiFi kept being uncooperative hence the late post)

[swissrailjourney]

Facts why Switzerland has Always been Rveryone's Favourite Destination:

Switzerland may seem little in contrast to other European nations, but that does not imply there are fewer attractions there. Instead, it has set itself apart from the rest of Europe with its fantastic landscape, tranquil settings, and cosmopolitan towns. It has successfully become a tourist hotspot while being only mildly over-commercialized. Discover more tours in Switzerland, a place you must glimpse at least once in your lifetime. The spectacular mountain views, the heart-pounding activities, and the delectable cuisine must all be experienced at least once. So here are a few Facts about why Switzerland has always been everyone’s favourite destination:

Amazing cuisine:

The cuisine of Switzerland will astonish you with its excellent ingredients and gorgeous plate presentation, in addition to cheese and milk chocolate, both of which the nation is renowned for producing. The cuisine may be described as the result of canton’s French, Italian, and Germanic meals with a unique twist, which is most frequently obtained by adding homemade spices, naturally aged products, and a regular contrast between sweetness and light bitterness that adds to the exquisite flavours. If you are interested in the culinary arts or want to try out different cuisines, Switzerland has everything from casual cafes to Fine dining restaurants.

The fantasy of photographers:

The mountains, the crystal-clear canals, and the lush plains are only a tiny part of what makes Switzerland one of the gorgeous countries in all of Europe. The combination of all of these factors results in the unparalleled beauty of Switzerland’s landscapes. While participating in exploration activities there, The one of Switzerland's most magnificent sights, might help you find or rediscover your love of photography.

Best Swiss art galleries:

Since it offers a window into the past and a method to understand the lives and civilizations of the past, art is respected and conserved in Switzerland with the utmost care. Even though Switzerland does not produce much of its art, it makes up for this by having a variety of museums with collections of works of art from all over Europe, each of which emphasizes a particular era, whether it be contemporary, modern, or abstract. Numerous works of Swiss art, including poetry, wood carvings, embroidery, and music that frequently alternates between high falsetto and low chest notes, are influenced by art.

Self-proclaimed country of cheese:

The cheeses from Switzerland are by far the best-known in terms of diversity, quality, and production. The Swiss dairy industry is one of the most environmentally friendly types of agricultural production, has a considerable impact on the country’s economic growth. The local government depends on the businesses to maintain and improve cheese production levels, which generates jobs and secures income for various occupational groups. It is projected that the companies will generate 189,000 tons of cheese annually. Additionally, there are 475 different varieties of cheese. The flavours of Swiss cuisine will surprise you even though they are delicious on their own. The most well-known is fondue, a cheese sauce into which you can dip bread, meats, and even fruits. In a meal called raclette, cheese is melted, and then pieces are scraped off to be added to other cuisines or even eaten on their own because it is so delicious.

A country with a variety of cultures:

Switzerland is comparable to a nation with various regions, each with a distinctive culture. Each canton has its traditions, customs, and even accents, making the country exciting to visit and never getting boring. Due to the numerous historical associations ingrained in each canton, Switzerland is culturally fragmented, resulting in certain places being wholly separate from others. You should always have a translator on hand since you never know who you could run into. The differences can be distinguished in minute elements like street layouts, sign types, and more.

A train ride like no other else:

Switzerland has many beautiful open-air attractions, so you will likely have little time to see them on your first trip there. But, is it? Switzerland has a top-notch public transportation system that includes cable cars and trains that pass through some of the country’s most beautiful regions yet are unreachable by foot. So, to experience nature from a unique viewpoint, take a lovely train journey between two mountains. Seize the opportunity to practise your smartphone photography skills or to learn more about photography. Planning a rail trip across the country will not only be a fantastic adventure but one where you will always be on schedule. Like Swiss watches, all trains are exact in timing and arrive right on schedule.

Final Thoughts:

At least one time in a lifetime, visit Swiss historical places when you travel to Switzerland. The selection of the city to visit is the next step in planning a trip to Switzerland. Therefore, start looking for the town that will highlight the feature of the nation that most interests you.