#incredible twilight view of pool and fit

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Poolhouse in Orlando An illustration of a large, modern backyard pool with custom-shaped pool house tiles

[compelamaserati]

Poolhouse in Orlando

Example of a huge trendy backyard tile and custom-shaped pool house design

[palmbeachreasort]

An Escape to Define Romanticism: An Unforgettable Experience at Mayfair Palm Beach Resort, Gopalpur

Experience a romantic getaway like no other at the luxurious Mayfair Palm Beach Resort, Gopalpur. Located on the shimmering blue coast of the Bay of Bengal, the Mayfair offers a truly unforgettable setting for couples looking to define their own version of romanticism. Whether you’re looking for a secluded beach escape or a luxurious city break, Mayfair Palm Beach Resort has it all. With a selection of accommodations ranging from Deluxe Seaview Rooms to luxury suites, this exquisite resort offers something special for everyone. Get ready to experience all the creature comforts you could ever want, be it a romantic sunset cruise along the coast or a private beachside dinner that will make your heart flutter. With its breathtaking views and lavish amenities.

The Heritage

Mayfair Palm Beach Resort is a blend of modern amenities, luxury, and heritage. The resort is a style statement that is a blend of the rich history of the region and the modern amenities that guests will enjoy. It has a lot of sprawling outdoor space and a mesmerizingly beautiful beach to provide a perfect setting for your vacation.

The Luxury

The Mayfair Palm Beach Resort offers guests a truly luxurious experience. From the moment you step into the resort, you’re greeted by a staff that is well-versed in the art of hospitality. Once inside, you’ll be treated to a plethora of amenities and comforts that will leave you wondering how you ever managed to survive without them. The resort boasts a library, a fine dining restaurant, a Bar and a charming lounge where you can catch up with friends and family or simply relax with a good book. The resort also has an outdoor swimming pool, a fitness centre, a spa and Indoor & Outdoor Game Zone where you can rejuvenate and relax.

The Secludity

With its incredibly secluded location, Mayfair Palm Beach Resort, is the perfect place to get away from it all. The resort is located on a secluded stretch of beach in Gopalpur, which makes it the perfect place to escape the hustle and bustle of the city. You can spend your time exploring the beach or simply lazing by the pool while sipping on a fruity drink. The resort also has a lush garden where you can walk around and enjoy the fresh sea breeze.

Dining Back in 1914

The Mayfair Palm Beach Resort boasts a vibrant and elegant restaurant that serves a variety of cuisines, including Indian, Chinese, European, and South Asian dishes. The restaurant is housed in the Heritage Wing of the resort, which has been a part of the property since 1914.

Tranquility Redefined

The resort’s spa offers a wide range of rejuvenating and relaxing treatments. Guests can choose from a variety of treatments, from a classic massage to a soothing facial. The spa also offers a wide range of Ayurvedic treatments that are meant to balance your mind, body, and spirit.Ready to experience all the creature comforts you could ever want? Get ready to fall head over heels in love with this exquisite resort.Escape to the picturesque shores of Gopalpur with the Mayfair. This exquisite property is the perfect place to redefine your idea of romance. Whether you’re looking for a secluded beach escape or a luxurious city break, Mayfair Palm Beach Resort has it all. With its breathtaking views and lavish amenities, this exquisite resort promises an escape that will bring out the romantic in you. So, what are you waiting for? It’s time to fall in love all over again.Whether declaring your love while you sail into the sunset with your loved one from the harbor at The Bay or bending your knee in the most enchanting fairytale-like palatial settings, our resort curates the most romantic experiences which you have ever had. Whether you’re newlywed or on your way to celebrating your 50th anniversary, Beaches offers the perfect destination, unique experiences and world-class inclusions for you and your loved ones and only to commemorate your special occasion.From dining under the twilight sky that changes colors while the flickering candles glorify your evening or experiencing the magical moments of love at a romantic beach dinner orchestrated by the never-ending waves of the sea, while indulging in exquisite delicacies or blending the romance of a bygone era with modern luxuries in a spectacular setting.Plan the perfect romantic getaway at Mayfair Palm Beach Resort Gopalpur, no better place to take your loved one. With our bespoke romantic curations, you and your loved one will be transported to a forgotten world of romance and royalty.

[mira1308]

Things to do in Bangalore.

Bangalore is a dynamic city that effectively takes special care of the ‘hip and current’ age of young people. The city, which is a blend of societies, has a plenty of incredible exercises that will keep the youthful (and young) captivated for a really long time. You will be stacked with choices with regards to activities in Bangalore for teens, whether it’s a thrilling outing, kayaking, zip-lining, and other bold games, touring, eating, travels, or celebrating after twilight. Bangalore has all that you could need, from watching the dawn at Nandi Slopes to moving at one of the city’s clubs. The City takes special care of its celebrating swarm with an exceptional selection of bars, bars, parlors, and clubs, making it perhaps of the most exuberant metropolitan in the area. A couple of well known bars and clubs for you to partake in the night are Badmaash, Indigo XP, Nolimmits Parlor and Club, Stones, and so on.

Climbing requires one day, and traveling requires no less than two days. Move away from the anxieties of regular circumstances by heading outside. At the point when you’re stuck inside for a really long time, pressure, gloom, and uneasiness can increase. Also checkout adventure resorts in Bangalore.

Madikeri:

Q Experiences, coorg is one of its sort resort in Coorg, with its closeness to different traveler areas like, Dubare elephant camp where dasara elephants train, Nisarga dhama, and some more!! With giving extravagance, solace and remain, yet additionally making you experience the rush, the experience and the beautiful excellence of Scotland of India, Q experiences, Coorg offers concealed and neglected undertakings similar as our waterway valley wake, where you experience neglected cascade and stream valley which no different hotels or homestays offer in nearness of Madikeri resorts.

This hotel is absolutely an eco-accommodating property, Best resort in Coorg: Q experiences, Coorg, is one of the exceptionally custom-made retreat with free jeep rides and captivating experiences under the plume of Q Experiences, at Madikeri, Coorg, Whether it is a gathering of Companions, or a family outing, we guarantee to tweak the experience according to the necessities, with the realness of Coorg, we ensure you want to visit over and over to encounter the neighborliness and experiences of our hotel in coorg-Scotland of India in its actual sense.

Luxury stay in Chikmagalur

The Swarga Retreat homestay is situated between the most gorgeous pinnacles of Baba Budangiri, Kemmangundi and Mullangiri, encompassed by rich greenery, with different conveniences like swimming pool, private cascade and exercises like nature strolls, jeep rides and journeying, swarga retreat is one of its sort insight, each and every detail including food, and comfortable stay are custom fitted for your solace and close to nature.

Settled high among the delightful espresso estate valleys of Chikmagalur and Chikmagalur resort, swarga retreat Homestay is the encapsulation of extravagance combined with amazing perspectives on nature. Found only 6 Kms from Bababudangiri making a course for the Cloudy slope station of Kemmangundi , the homestay offers panaromic perspectives on the Chandra Drona range in the Western Ghats . The top notch Homestay offers sumptuous Valley View rooms notwithstanding garden view rooms which accompany pool access. A 2 BHK Estate is presented for families needing security. The rich blue pool accompanies a magnificent perspective on the close by slope ranges . The jeep ride to the property along a twisting street through the flawless espresso homes and cascade filled slopes is unrivaled.

Nandi Slopes:

Nandi Slopes is a bunch of delightful little hillocks situated at a little distance of 60 km from Bangalore, Obtaining their name from the tall sculpture committed to the Ruler Nandi based on the highest point of the slopes, the spot is a number one of the guests coming from practically all the close by district, particularly Bangalore.

Deftly roosted on the lower regions of Nandi Slopes, The Aura Foothills overwhelms you in the tranquil all encompassing perspective on Nandi slopes which makes the dawn/nightfall dazzling. You are constantly went with the melodic cries of peacocks being a tease their varieties in a dynamic presentation alongside other natural life the retreat envelops as wispy mists empowers you to absorb the landscape that will revive you alongside the most flavorsome food given by our cooks. It’s the ideal setting for finding the rich legacy of Karnataka.

[digiayush]

What should be done in and around Bangalore for Youngsters

Bangalore is an energetic city that effectively takes care of the ‘hip and current’ age of young people. The city, which is a blend of societies, has a plenty of incredible exercises that will keep the youthful (and energetic) excited for a really long time. You will be stacked with choices with regards to activities in Bangalore for teens, whether it’s a thrilling outing, kayaking, zip-lining, and other gutsy games, touring, feasting, travels, or celebrating after twilight. Bangalore has all that you could need, from watching the dawn at Nandi Slopes to moving at one of the city’s clubs.

Kayaking

Kayaking and paddling are in some cases confounded, nonetheless, the essential contrast is that kayaking is only for one individual, while kayaking is for a gathering. ‘Tracker’s boat’ was the first significance of the word kayak. Without it, the North Americans would not be able to get food, particularly despite enormous difficulty.

Then again, Kayaks are the present plastic boats with long wooden shafts for paddling around the water. Kayaking can give a feeling of freedom, and the natural air and water can mitigate.

Kayaking is basic, advantageous, and accessible all year. Spring, midsummer, and fall are ideal seasons for a loosening up ride. The wonderful lake is one of the primary motivations behind why Q Mango Backwoods is so exceptional. You can push your pressure away on the lake. While kayaking at this retreat, don’t miss seeing the dawn.

Check out: adventure resorts in bangalore

Coorg

Coorg is well known for being a nature’s abundance and unlikely treasure of the Western Ghats in southern India. With many slants canvassed in green vegetation, espresso estates and the scenes generally covered in lovely fog, Coorg positions exceptionally in the top picks of individuals hoping to live it up.

Qexperiences-coorg, is known for its effectively open traveler areas like, Mandalpatti top View Point, Abbe falls, Dubare elephant camp coorg, Talakaveri, Chelavara Falls,Tadiandamol journey, Raja seat, and some more, as it is situated in exceptionally nearness to city of Madikeri, the retreat is arranged in Madenadu, 20–25min drive from city, the Best hotel in Coorg offers, different amenities,comfort and extravagance along the genuine Coorg experience, with Pit fire with music/karaoke in drifting restaurant,Vally Zipping, Sky cycling, Commando rope course, Burma span and many undertakings, neglected cascades, waterway streams and considerably more!

Best hotel in Coorg: QExperiences, coorg is one of its sort resorts in Coorg, with its closeness to different traveler areas like, Dubare elephant camp where dasara elephants train, Nisarga dhama, and some more!! With giving extravagance, solace and remain, yet in addition making you experience the rush, the experience and the beautiful magnificence of Scotland of India, Qexperiences, Coorg offers concealed and neglected undertakings similar as our waterway valley wake, where you experience neglected cascade and stream valley which no different hotels or homestays offer in closeness of Madikeri!

Also check: Madikeri resorts

Extravagance stays in Chikmagalur

The Swarga Retreat homestay is situated between the most lovely pinnacles of Baba Budangiri, Kemmangundi and Mullangiri, encompassed by lavish greenery,with different conveniences like swimming pool,private cascade and exercises like nature strolls, jeep rides and journeying, swarga retreat is one of its sort insight, each and every detail including food, and comfortable stay are custom fitted for your solace and close to nature.

Settled high among the lovely espresso manor valleys of Chikmagalur, swarga retreat Homestay is the encapsulation of extravagance combined with magnificent perspectives on nature. Found only 6 Kms from Bababudangiri headed for the Hazy slope station of Kemmangundi, the homestay offers panaromic perspectives on the Chandra Drona range in the Western Ghats.

The top-notch Homestay offers sumptuous Valley View rooms notwithstanding garden view rooms which accompany pool access. A 2 BHK Manor is presented for families needing security. The rich blue pool accompanies a superb perspective on the close by slope ranges.

The jeep ride to the property along a twisting street through the flawless espresso homes and cascade filled slopes is unrivaled.

One can partake in a jeep ride to the confidential cascade situated in the 300-section of land espresso manor encompassing the property.

A portion of the well-known spots of traveler interest found close by to make your excursion complete are:

Bababudangiri — 6Kms

Mullaiangiri-17 kms

Kemmangundi-15 kms

Manikyadhare Cascade — 9.5 Kms

The swarga retreat Homestay is an unlikely treasure which makes certain to blow your mind with its perspectives and present-day offices, lovely friendliness by thoroughly prepared staff and delicious food by proficient culinary specialists.

Comfortable However Green, Tranquil yet Agreeable

Swarga Retreat is beautified in the rich greens of a ridge, which gives you a comfortable spaceto partake in the plant life in the thick greens of Chikmagaluru Pinnacles and invest some astounding energy with your loved ones. The homestay is likewise involved an immense overhang region offering fantastic perspectives on the rich green valley with a waterway streaming at the base where you can have your lunch and supper alongside your loved ones with the quiet slope top view.

Check Out: Chikmagalur resort

[secret-engima]

So the Demons Verse is inhabited by fantastical races, yes? Not, I assume, JUST humans and daemons? What other races are there, and does each kingdom have it’s own main race? ie. demons for the Night Kingdom, humans for Lucis, such and such. (Maybe merpeople for Altissia, can we please have merfolk in Altissia??) And how do these other kingdoms react to the new Accursed?

Yes actually! Lucis is actually the most mixed kingdom for Historical Reasons my brain is too tired to make up on the spot rn. The original population was primarily Human, but that was back in like- Somnus’s time. By now everyone in Lucis is so used to seeing Elves, Dwarves, Fairies, hybrids, and the occasional Mer that no one bats an eye. That said, the other kingdoms are more heavily biased toward one fantasy race or other, even if the other races are scattered throughout.

Yes, Accordo is a kingdom of Mer. Altissia, the capital, is their only above-water city, meant to facilitate trade and communications. The canals are their primary roads but there are all sorts of waterpark style lanes and pools and things on the level of the stone streets so people can chat and be eye level.

Tenebrae is a kingdom of Fairies, deceptively delicate looking beings who are about the height of a human (not teeny thank you) and with razor sharp teeth. The Oracle is a Fairy Queen btw.

Niflheim is an Elven run kingdom, because I said so and because having humans be the evil empire dudes is boring. Of course, because of all the territory they’ve conquered, there are a LOT of other members from different races in there (barring merfolk, because the Niflheim continent is traditionally Desert and that was before they managed to tick off the Glacian and get cursed to nigh-on eternal winter).

Then of course, because fantasy world, there are other kingdoms that weren’t there in canon. Galahd is it’s own kingdom for one (inhabited by humans who hoard the magic art of skin-changing to themselves) that is a long-standing ally with Lucis, if an aloof one. There’s also a teeny kingdom up around the Rock of Ravatogh primarily inhabited by dwarves. Supposedly because they’re too stubborn to leave despite the semi-active volcano right outside their capital but mostly it’s because nobody ELSE wants to come near the semi-active volcano and they like their privacy and the lack of invasion risk this gives them.

Up in Niflheim, mostly by the shores or way up in the mountains, there are still human-run kingdoms btw. Niflheim leaves those scattered kingdoms alone (for now) because frankly all of those humans stubborn enough to live in first a desert and then a SNOW covered desert (and/or near the choppy waters of the ocean) is a bit too stubborn to be worth crushing (yet). Nobody is entirely expecting the uneasy non-aggression treaty to last up there, since the new and young (by elf standards) Emperor Aldercapt is not the relatively reasonable type his father was.

Also there’s a kingdom of humans who claim to be Solheim survivors by the way. Not sure where, probably way up past Vesperpool where you can’t get to in FFXV.

Nobody likes to talk about them.

They’re arrogant and nuts and only leave everyone else alone because the Night King’s kingdom would be right on their doorstep if they caused any trouble.

Speaking of, Insomnia’s kingdom isn’t just the city, it’s the entire island on which the city is founded and also a little bit of the mainland besides.

Anyway, on your other question: FICLET TIME. 

Word of the new Accursed spreads ... slowly. Most don’t believe it, only notice something is up because the daemon attacks have stopped (daemons can travel through shadows all around the world barring warded areas like cities and Havens, they just don’t LIKE to, apparently it makes them feel slimy and tired, but the original Accursed made them do it so the attacks were worldwide things). At first they think like Mors did, that something is Up and everyone privately bids a sigh of relief that Lucis is the next door neighbor to the Accursed and not them (Barring Galahd, who is the oceanic next door neighbor, they all begin battening down the proverbial hatches).

Only the Oracle suspects something drastic and unseen has changed, because she ... she FELT something. Unexpectedly in the night, as if the entire world had cried out in surprised relief. She had woken up with a start and all of Tenebrae had woken up with her to gawk as their magically grown, softly glowing trees and flowers all lit up until it was as bright as day and then just as quickly faded back to their normal soft glow. But she has no idea WHAT happened, just that it was after that the daemon attacks stopped.

And then stay stopped.

For a year. And then a year and several months. No sound, no sight, no word, no whispers of black magic trying to build in the dark places to form the cursed Night Clouds that let daemons roam free in the day (note: daemons in this world will not die if subjected to sunlight, but OH BOY will they get sunburn and will get sick from it. Moon, starlight, and greatly diffused sunlight is okay, but cloudless/mostly cloudless days? Not even the Accursed could force them out of their homes then).

And then, just when everyone’s nerves are at their tightest-.

Lucis is overthrown.

Oh, OFFICIALLY it is fine, King Mors still reigns, there weren’t even any casualties, but all the spies and witness reports and shaky letters to family in other kingdoms say the same thing. The Accursed marched on Insomnia with a horde of daemons that were incalculable, Night Clouds rolling out all the way to the capital of Lucis, covering the city sky as if the wards meant to prevent that exact event meant NOTHING. Then, just as quickly, the horde turned and left and the clouds retreated.

They took the Crown Prince of Lucis with them.

Ohhhhh boy the gossip and panic. The disbelief and fear, because what has happened, what has changed to give the Accursed that much power? Surely something MUST have changed or else he would have done that and more long ago. Even the Empire quails from the implications, ceasing its tentative pokes at it’s sister continent for fear of stirring Insomnia.

But four more years go by and the attacks never resume. Hunters and travelers report daemons spotted at night, wandering by doing who knows what, but they ... are non-violent. They do not attack travelers or try to chase down caravans, they just go about their night as if they had never had a bloodthirsty thought in their lives (until someone attacks, and then suddenly the bloodlust is back and the offender is torn to shreds). People learn fast to just leave the daemons alone and be left alone in turn, but it Freaks People Out.

Finally, FINALLY, the tension cannot be born, and Queen Sylva herself leaves to investigate, her husband in place as regent and her daughter safe and sound, a new Oracle in case ... she ... well. Hopefully that won’t happen.

She flies alone, hidden from view with magic, and lands respectfully at the border of the Night Kingdom. Her magic flares, not enough to be anything like an assault, but enough to be noticed. A greeting of sorts. No Oracle has done this since ... centuries at least, more perhaps, but legends speak of this ritual, of a date and time and way for the Oracle to meet with the Accursed and be let free afterward (for amusement, not honor, but everyone knows the Accursed likes “playing by the rules” just to prove that the rules cannot stop him from winning). She hopes the legends are right.

An hour later, her escort arrives. She holds her head high as the daemons lead her into the dark.

The city is not anything like she imagined. It is dark, yes, but not nighttime black. This is the dull light of dusk and twilight, sunlight filtering through the clouds just enough to support the curling greenery reclaiming the ruins of the ancient city, not enough to burn the skin of the inhabitants. Foreign magic weaves through the air and ground, but it does not reek like the black arts Sylva has encountered in the wake of the unseen Accursed. This feels different. Old and wild and ... calm. Dangerous, incredibly so, but passive. A predator watching her pass by, too relaxed to bother tearing her apart.

More than the magic, the city is ... ALIVE. Daemons flit to and fro, not screaming and bloodthirsty like she has always seen, but calm. They chatter and warble in a tongue she doesn’t know, haggling in marketplaces and gossiping as she and her escort pass by. A few small ones that could only be called children scamper by, pausing to blink at her in awe and Sylva feels just as surprised. She didn’t know ... she didn’t know daemons even HAD children. No one did. Most assumed the Accursed just ... created them when he needed more using his black magic.

Then she sees the human and the world stops. She jerks to a halt without thinking and her escort stop with her, growling angrily at her pause but she does not care. Her wings flick out from her back in an expression of shock before settling.

The human looks just as surprised. He gapes at her, clean and well dressed and healthy, if pale from such low light. Then, to her increasing shock, he bows and falls in step with the escort, bossily pushing a daemon out of step to take its place with a low, inhuman chatter noise that sounds like a coarse imitation of the daemon’s tongue. He tentatively smiles at her after taking his spot in the escort and she cannot think of how to react. Especially when she spots MORE humans lurking in the streets alongside the daemons, talking and haggling and pausing to stare at her.

What are ... what are humans doing here? The Accursed hated all the races, but the fairies and the humans were easily the ones he hated most. How had they survived?

She does not get a chance to ask, because by now they are approaching what must be the Accursed’s home, a towering building untouched by the ruin of the others. She is led inside and straight to a throne room that fits all her expectations (dark, ominous, with furs and trophy racks lining the walls, lit with will o’wisps) save for the inhabitants. Especially its king.

The Accursed is nothing like she expected. He is human. Physically he looks only about ... oh perhaps his late twenties or thirties, only a little older than her little Luna, who is only just now learning the rites and spells of Oracle magic. His hair is black and neatly kept, his clothes are fine, if a bit worn, and his skin is pale, but not unhealthily so. More strangely, she sees none of the signs of black magic she knew she should have been. His skin is not bloodless white, there are no patches of thick black stones from where the evil magic has managed to break free of his body and crystalize and a hundred other symptoms that are all ... not there. She thinks it’s an illusion until he straightens up on his throne and meets her eyes. They are blue, blue and clear as a summer sky. There is no hint of acidic yellow, no smoky swirls of black-grey where whites should be, no slitted pupils. His eyes ... are normal.

No black mage, no matter how skilled or old or cursed, could cast an illusion on their eyes. That was the price for using that magic. That was an unbreakable rule of magic itself. Magic had its colors, and those colors effected the eyes of the wielder and those effects could NOT be hidden (especially not while using spells, but even just passively. It was why Lucis Caelums always had blue eyes, and Oracles always had white-blue).

She stops, barely notices the daemon guards calmly filing out, as if she was not even a threat to be watched anymore, and tries to understand what she is seeing.

There is movement at the Night King’s side and she is startled to see Prince Regis, King Mors’ missing son, the one captured and dragged away as the price for Lucis’s continued existence. He is not a tormented, enslaved wreck she would have expected, he is dressed well, his face is unmarred by pain, his eyes, too, are clear of any curse or enthrallment as he bends down to whisper something in the Night King’s ear, almost like an ... advisor of some kind?

She reaches out with her magic, just a tiny tendril, out of sheer disbelief, looking for the spell that must be placed on the human prince no matter what her eyes are telling her. Before the magic can reach the prince, the Accursed’s gaze sharpens and his own magic snaps out. But instead of the biting pain of black magic meeting white and both burning the other in a flare of agony, her magic is given the equivalent of a light, scolding rap on the knuckles. A teacher warning a child to mind their manners and Not Touch and her wings flick as she tastes the unmistakable ozone-rainy texture of crystal magic on her tongue. Old and deep and far more powerful than she’s ever known it, not since the original rites and spells for it were lost, more powerful than any in written history even, but unmistakable.

The man on the throne is a Lucis Caelum.

“You have journeyed far,” says the Night King, the impossibility, on his throne as his magic settles down again, his lips twitching in a gentle sort of amusement she cannot comprehend, “to grace us with your presence, Queen Oracle. You come alone, as well. Are you not afraid?”

“Have I need to be?” She asks cautiously in return, “Has the hospitality of the Night King on this honored day and night, upheld since the times of the Fall, been rescinded?”

It is not her Oracle senses, or even her Queen sensibilities that spot the flicker of surprise and lost confusion on the man’s face, but those of a mother who is used to seeing her children pretend to be wiser and more mature than they are to impress her, only to stumble when they encounter something unknown. Another whisper from Prince Regis and the expression clears and his eyes light with understanding that is so innocent and fascinated that she cannot stop or shake the new, terrifying and fascinating, realization from her bones.

“It has not,” says the Night King smoothly, “yet I must ask, for what reason do you come?”

“I come,” she says slowly, “to greet the newly crowned Night King, and, if it pleases His Majesty, to receive answers to some questions.”

There is a frozen silence where the humans lurking in the shadows all gape at her. Then-.

Laughter. Soft and short and weary, but honest and not unkind, “I was wondering,” says the man (boy, for although age clings to his bones like a heavy cloak, she does not think he is a man by Immortal standards, not yet, or at least he shouldn’t but is, just like all children forced to grow up too fast) as he stands up and begins limping (limping and what blow could permanently injure an Immortal? Those who survive even burning to ash on the wind? She can think of only one answer, and the surety of her realization grows) down the stairs to meet her on even ground, “if anyone on the outside would figure it out.”

He stops before her, amusement mixed with only a thread of wariness in his eyes, a human too old to be natural, an Immortal too young to be ruling, “What gave me away?”

She stares into his eyes and feels the ancient power of her bloodline, the intuition that marked them as seers, stir. For a moment she tastes memory and pain, a curse willingly taken to spare the lives of others, a price willingly paid as blood weeps free of should-be mortal wounds. For a moment memory not her own whispers poisonously in her ears “The throne sits only one.” and in her blood another voice responds, “Off my chair, Jester, the King sits there.” She pushes it away, those are not her memories to keep or her burdens to bear. Those belong to the young Night King standing before her, looking at her without fear, but instead nostalgic fondness, as if he looks at her and sees the ghost of another at her shoulder (one of her ancestors perhaps, and the thought gives her pause).

“Your eyes,” she settles on finally, “the original Accursed had yellow eyes.” She has never seen him to know of course, but all practitioners of the Black Arts got them before the poisonous magic killed its own wielder, and the Accursed would have been no different despite his stubborn survival in the face of the death curse Black Magic gave all its wielders.

There is a flicker of surprise, then sadness, “Yes,” he agrees with a knowing that comes from experience, “they were.” He blinks as if to banish a memory, then dips his chin in greeting and gestures a hand toward one of the side doors of the Throne Room, “It is far too early for dinner,” he says politely, “but I am certain Ignis would be able to make something light to help you relax from your journey. Will you talk with me over tea?”

Feeling off balance and aware he could tell despite her calm facade, she dips her chin and flicks her wings in a return greeting, one monarch to another, “I would be honored.”

[diversetolkien]

Hey yal! Below is a submissions I received regarding my Eol and Maeglin post. My responses are indented with the grey line! OPs are not!

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First of all, it is absolutely necessary to draw attention to the things you’re drawing attention to. Whether you are “right” or “wrong,” or whether anyone is “right” or “wrong” is beside the point of the argument in my opinion: these issues simply need to be addressed! We need discussion and different points of view and they all need to be considered and we need them now more than ever. There are clear examples that are sketchy to say the very least: good guys are fair-skinned but the evil men ((, Haradrim) are not; orcs, clearly bad guys, are “swarthy” and “slant-eyed”. However, I do believe your point about Eöl and Maeglin on June 10 are off the mark. I believe you get too carried away by the title “dark” and hang your entire argument up on that. As far as I know, there is no textual evidence that Eöl was a dark-skinned elf at all.

Hello there! Thank you for the message. I do want to emphasize that I’ve been incredibly reluctant to answer this. As of resharing my meta I received a terribly racist message from a user on the website, and will tread cautiously with addressing any messages regarding Eol and Maeglin due to that. I completely agree that we do need discussion, and I’m open for it. This is the only way we can progress. But I won’t tolerate blatant racism.

I’m not accusing you of doing such, but for future references I want to make this clear.

While you believe I may get carried away on the aspect of dark or ‘swarth’, I think it may be important to explain what racial coding is, and also to remind you of Tolkien’s history with coding and with people of color. I talked about coding on my twitter, but in short coding is ascribing real world traits to fictional characters.

This includes attributing the historical and social context to the text to prove a point.

We’ve discussed how Tolkien has borrowed from cultures aside from his own, and with The Silmarillion published in the late 70’s, it’s not impossible to see how influence from America and racial influence there have played a role in his writings.

I also wouldn’t call it being ‘carried away’, when, as we both agree, Tolkien has a history of racism directed at people of color.

And at the same time, I think it’s important to note that while you dismiss the possibility of Tolkien considering Eol dark despite the use of swarth, you ascribe swarth to the orcs and their skin tone in the same breath. I don’t see why it’s impossible for the two to mean the same thing. Not when we do have a racist author who grew up in a very racist society already using dark skin to describe evil characers. Not when Eol’s narrative of the brute mirrors that of the orcs (ie: Celebrian and the Orcs).

And regardless if it is explicit or not, Eol is still coded. Again, we know this because we have canon stories that mirror his completely. This being, again, Celebrian and the Orcs.

We can also accept that Tolkien’s constant use of “dark” to describe evil things, and “light” to describe good things comes from a place of racism. So why is there such push back when we analyze that further?

Tolkien was known to ponder about problems, such as missing words in the Germanic languages. The term asterisk-word is coined by August Schleicher for exactly this purpose: words that should have existed in a (dead) language but aren’t recorded and needed therefore to be reconstructed. For example, Tolkien doesn’t have a recollection of how he came upon the word “hobbit” but to make it fit his Legendarium he made the asterisk-word *holbytlan, supposedly an old English word meaning “hole-builders” because hobbit language was akin to Old English. This word doesn’t exist in old English but could (and maybe should) have. Tolkien also wrote a long argument about a particular difficult passage in the Beowulf-poem which you can read in “Finn and Hengest.” Now normally I would never try to talk straight what’s curved, but Tolkien is a bit of a different case as I hope the above examples show.

The case of Eöl is a trick(s)y problem that stems from the “Prose Edda” written by Snorri Sturluson, an Icelandic poet who lived in the 12th century. This is thoroughly explained by Tom Shippey in his essay “Light-elves, Dark-elves, and Others: Tolkien Elvish Problem”. A quick summary is (but one really ought to read Shippey’s essay to understand it) that there are light-elves, dark-elves, dwarves and black-elves in the “Prose Edda.” Germanic scholars such as Nikolas Grundtvig and Jacob Grimm bent themselves in all kinds of shapes to explain the “error” that Snorri made. Are the black-elves the same as the dark-elves? Are both black-elves and dark-elves dwarves? What about twilight-elves? Tolkien pulls all the different strands of this one problem together and called it Eöl the Dark Elf. He could never have done this in an academic work if he wanted to be taken seriously, so his fiction seemed a great outlet to deal with this. Maybe it was all a private amusement because Tolkien never mentioned it as far as I know.

I personally can’t recall Eöl ever being called dark-skinned. He is considered “black” due to the armour he’s wearing made out of the metal galvorn that he made himself after coming into contact with dwarves (which also ties in masterfully with the whole elf-problem, again, see Shippey’s essay), but it’s not skin colour. Eöl was called the Dark Elf because he lived in a place where the sun never came. It was called Nan Almoth, the valley of the star pool, and he loved the stars, and loved to live in the twilight. The twilight-part is important in the above discussion as well.

I understand you are trying to be informative but please don’t be patronizing. Please do not explain to me what I already know. In the future, I will not be answering messages like this again. This is incredibly rude. You are assuming I don’t know about what I made a meta about, and that’s an insult to what I’ve written.

Please read my blog fully before you attempt to whitesplain something I already know. I understand debate, but there is a clear different between wanting to have a healthy discourse, and flat out patronizing me and treating me like a child.

Back the the point; The same, again, can be applied to the orcs. The orcs wear dark armor, were tortured by a creature who is often described as dark, reside in dark areas—but we know clearly that they are coded off of people given the description of them being swarthy.

The same attribute that’s given to Eol. And again, we have a clear historical context and in-canon context. And we know that Tolkien borrows from American history, and that England itself had a huge role to play in that history.

Finally, the citation from the Book of Lost Tales (BLT) where Maeglin is called swart is problematic to me. I think it’s as much proof against your point as it is in favour of it. Many, many things have changed since the BLT was written and turned into The Silmarillion (I mean Sauron was a giant cat at first!). The BLT version of Maeglin being “swart” is a discarded  version and in The Silmarillion, a way later revision, “his skin was white”. I think it would be wrong to conclude Tolkien discarded the swart skin of Maeglin as he realised it was racist. I think he simply hadn’t figured out the elf problem of the Edda when he wrote the BLT.

I think this is all negated by the fact that Tolkien has canonical characters of color, and that they have been coded. I’m having an incredibly hard time wrapping my head around why that’s accepted, yet when it comes to Eol and Maeglin it isn’t. We can accept that Tolkien has a history of racism with people of color, based on evidence far less than what I’ve provided. Maeglin’s light skin can be attributed to the fact that his mother was light. It’s possible to have a dark parent and be born light.  

And regardless if it was changed or not, it’s incredibly important to discuss it due to the fact that it was racist, and deserves to be brought to light.

I want to stress, again, that I think your work and thoughts are important, no matter if I or anyone else agrees or disagrees. It is of the utmost importance to address issues of racism, genderism and any other kinds of ism that is out there. Discussion is what matters!

[manifest-journal]

Golden Door Spa and Resort

One of the most ultimate spa getaways

The fully-inclusive rate for a 7-Night Stay is $9850, not including tax or gratuities.

https://goldendoor.com

777 Deer Springs Rd, San Marcos, CA 92069

What exactly is the retreat?

With only 40 rooms, there is a four-to-one staff ratio dedicated to your interests, goals, tastes and comfort. Their program is seven days by design because it’s the best way to travel to a place that brings you back to you. Pretty much everything (yes, everything) is included.

Day One

Breathe out. The moment you enter through the golden doors, cross the yatsuhashi inspired footbridge and release your cares at the turn, you will be nurtured, guided and transformed.

Day Two

Breathe in. Start your day with one of four guided hikes on 30 miles of private trails. Breakfast in your room awaits your return along with your schedule of fitness classes, spa treatments and mindfulness sessions. Fortunately, your closet is stocked with workout wear you’ll need each day.

Day Three

Breathe deeply. You might have yoga, archery, boxing and a session with your personal trainer before lunch. A facial, body treatment and meditation class in the afternoon. One thing is certain, your masseuse will be waiting for you in your room at the same time every day.

Day Four

Breathe easier. The incredible lightness of eating pure, fresh, biointensive-farmed meals from the gardens is transforming you from the inside and doing wonders for your outsides. A cooking lesson in the kitchen and a breakfast with our nutritionist will inspire you to continue clean eating at home.

Day Five

Breathe as one. Hikes on the mountain, Tai chi in the meadow, a guided labyrinth walk, nights of camaraderie over twilight dinners with just 39 other guests. It’s all designed for reconnection - to yourself, to the bigger picture, to the joy of laughing out loud.

Day Six

Breathe even deeper. Stretch yourself with TRX training, Pilates, haiku writing or some precious time with your thoughts in our bamboo forest. This evening may feature a mind-expanding guest speaker from the worlds of the arts, sciences, food, entertainment, healing and conservation.

Day Seven

Breathe joyously. Your last day includes either a scalp treatment or a deep conditioning, shampoo and blow dry as you prepare to step back into the world. A celebratory dinner (with wine) and a final labyrinth walk together marks a week of rejuvenation and reimagination that will inspire you to open new doors.

Spa and Personal Care

DAY ONE: A relaxing facial followed by a thorough skin analysis helps us select the right products for your skin type.

DAY TWO: A detoxifying cleanse and gentle extractions draw out environmental pollutants and residue.

DAY THREE: A refreshing peel or a gentle exfoliation, depending on your skin type, takes your skin back to its cleanest, freshest state.

DAY FOUR: A deeply hydrating and nourishing facial adds the finishing touch of a truly natural, healthy glow.

Your 7-day program includes one of our delicious body treatments: Bamboo Pearl Body Polish, Chai Spice Body Polish, Hinoki Contemplation Scrub, or Yuzu Uplifting Scrub.

Your 7-day program includes a combination of six 45-minute Deep-Tissue, Swedish, or Thai massages.

Healthy Cuisine Program

A meal plan that reflects your dietary needs and preferences

Fresh produce grown on our bio-intensive farms

Breakfast and a mid-morning snack

Lunch and mid-afternoon snack

Appetizers and dinner

Nutrition education classes

A weekly cooking class

A celebratory alfresco group lunch or dinner on our farm

Fitness Program

Bamboo meditation walk

Gratitude labrynth hike

Meadow Hike

Butterfly walk

Meditation Hike

Aqua yoga

Restorative yoga

Yoga Nidra

Zen Yoga

Inner Yoga

Vinyasa

Swimming

Water Fitness

Cycling

Barre Burn

Core classes

Dance classes

Roll and release

Core and stretch

The melt method

Archery

Biofeedback for stress reduction

Chakra meditation

Mindful eating

Haiku writing

Healing breath

Journey to joy

Labyrinth

Meditation

Self hypnosis for sleep

Spirited walker

Tai’ Chi

Water color

Astrology

The Rooms

A private room with your own garden deck or patio. All rooms are single occupancy only with a private bath and, true to its inspirational heritage, a sliding door to the outdoors, for both views of, and access to, the surrounding Japanese gardens and the vast sky beyond. Less is more, and these accommodations focus on elegant simplicity.

Amenities

They provide warm-ups, shorts, t-shirts and terry robes, all laundered daily, plus a yukata, a casual cotton kimono, and sandals. You will also receive Golden Door skincare products, a reusable water bottle, journal, tote andyoga mat. Courtesy roundtrip transportation from San Diego or Los Angeles area airports

Facilities

600 acres of native hills, meadows, Japanese gardens, and citrus groves

12 mountain or meadow hikes of varying challenge on 25 miles of private trails

7 state of the art gyms

2 swimming pools

Watsu Water Therapy pool

2 labyrinths

A lighted tennis court

A bathhouse with Jacuzzi, steam-roomand sauna, and 9 skincare and body care treatment rooms

5 acres of bio-intensive gardens

Personalized Service

We maintain a staff to guest ratio of 4:1 to meet your every need without interruption or delay. Maid service is provided twice daily. Staff is available for any personalized needs your stay with us may require, and we focus on every individual element down to your diet requests and personal goals for your stay.

I am so grateful for finding this spa and resort, and I look forward to accepting the full benefits of this experience in 2020.

[voidsettle]

Roman Holiday

                                                                                                     September 2018

I didn't plan Rome, it just happened. I was actually going to Venice in October, alone, to celebrate my birthday away from my crowd, cura te ipsum. And then I wanted a practice trip to get (morally) prepared for traveling on my own. I was anxious about everything, from my hotel and language to sightseeing and lack of support. I could never imagine I would fall madly in love.

Tempio dei Dioscuri, Roman Forum

Each, in its own way, was unforgettable. It would be difficult to— Rome! By all means, Rome. I will cherish my visit here in memory as long as I live (c) Roman Holiday

I bought tickets to Rome almost by accident. I (almost never an impulsive buyer) was preparing for my Venice trip, buying tickets, booking hotel, and then I saw - Rome. And decided to take a look at the tickets. And ended up buying one.

Ave Caesar, Morituri Te Salutant!

The predictions for the trip were not looking bright. First I got a rejection from the first hotel I booked because I was arriving pretty late at night (around midnight). I booked another one and, looking at some reviews, found out this hotel was not really a good choice. And so anxiety ensued.

I didn't know how to get from the airport to my hotel. Taxi'd cost me nearly 70 euros, ouch. The trains stopped running around the time I landed, but I still had to go through the customs. Internet research not only gave no answers but actually increased my nervousness: buses didn't route 24/7, crime (pickpockets mostly) was high, Wi-Fi in cafes was only accessible for locals with Italian cards (something-something anti-terrorism ad nauseam), and mobile companies would try to trick you into spending more. I felt devastated.

But as soon as I set foot in Rome, it all vanished in a cloud of smoke. The great city welcomed me with summer warmth, lively, happily oblivious crowds and small streets with equally small, smart cars. I was captivated instantly - the feeling that'd linger in me for months to come.

Felix culpa, truly.

Veni, Vidi, Vici

Colosseo, Rome. Asians are truly great photographers - I got the shot from a trio of Malaysian girls

I didn't have a plan. I've done my homework, surely - some books on Michelangelo, a couple of movies featuring Rome, bits of research here and there. Ex nihilo nihil fit, the lesson you learn after so many trips. I knew about Places, had a must-see list, a maybe-visit list, and even a in-case-I'm-bored-and-have-free-time list. But for my first morning in Rome, I decided to just stroll down the hill from Roma Termini, where my hotel was, to the foremost Roman attraction, the Colosseum.

That morning - and each one afterwards - I woke up at 7 (a rare feat for me, a devoted late-sleeper) to the chime of bells. An authentic experience, when surrounded by churches - not unlike Istanbul, where you wake up to a muezzin call. It's quite convenient: I never once needed an alarm clock. Although people with weaker psyche probably would be disgruntled.

But I wanted a cup of coffee first. The thing about coffee in Rome (and the rest of Italy, really) is that it's great. Unlike many of the European countries, Italians do know what coffee is: I never had bad - nay, even mediocre coffee in Italy. Here, coffee is not just a breakfast, a legal drug or a communication vehicle; it's a tradition.

Do not sit down for coffee - the price of the order will double the moment you pick a table. Drink it at the bar, standing up, with a piece of fresh pastry and chatting with the bartender and other clients.

This is the best way to adapt to mornings. By day two, I learned to order my coffee in Italian, as locals do; by day three, nearly passed as one.

Moses by Michelangelo, San Pietro in Vincoli

The thing about Rome is: you should not ignore the opportunities. If you see something curious, do not pass by. I discovered the first of Michelangelo's works by chance, ascending the stairs of the random vine-draped arched passage and finding myself facing the church of St Peter in Chains.

Fortunately, I have a sweet habit of walking inside the churches I see, no matter how famous they are - they always give comfort to the tired feet and eyes, allow to rest and might feature something curious.

Mood altered after recognizing the hand of the great master, I strolled down the street that opened the view of the Colosseo.

Get a ticket at the Roman Forum - you get to see Colosseo as well, but no need to wait in lines.

At the entrance, I got acquainted with a couple from Frankfurt, who met in Vilnius, but were originally from Ukraine. What a small world.

Roman Forum is a place of history so deep that it was dizzying. I don't remember much specifically for this reason: ancient places tend to have so much meaning one has troubles stacking it all up into their mind and worldview.

Palatine Hill. Sun, pines and cicadas

So the first vivid and distinct impression I caught was on top of Palatine Hill, and had nothing to do with history but everything with pure sensations.

High dark pines (that specific Roman kind with flat crowns), unbearably loud, suffocating cicadas, bitter fir-tree air, slightly moist and trembling with heat, tasting of stone and sand, scorching sun pouring over the crown of my head down the shoulders with viscous glutinous beads.

This simple, thick and fragrant flavor will always be the first thing that pops into my mind whenever I think of Rome. And thus I fell.

Palatine Hill is more of a park than a museum (like Roman Forum). Colosseo is neither; it's a site of tourism, of people, covered under the multilingual crowds to the point of being completely extinguished under the feet and voices.

The lines are formidable (you don't want to be caught in one of those, trust me). Even with a ticket, I spent nearly 20 minutes waiting for the security check. Inside, there is even more people: they are sitting on the fallen columns, ruined walls, on the sandy ground. They are taking photos, laughing, greedily drinking, fainting from heat, and chatting, talking, shouting! Most eerie feeling when you're alone.

Colosseo, Rome

Also, the place is ginormous. Who could've thought that Rome featured an even bigger arena, Circus Maximus that could fit more than double-sized crowd of the Colosseum. Unfortunately, not even ruins remained.

Whatever city I visit, I manage to get lost at least once, walking away from tourist routes and off into the jungles of the city. This result in all kinds of hilarious and wondrous discoveries; in Rome, it gifted me with Giardino degli Aranci and its smaller version Giardino di Sant'Alessio.

These cozy little pools of greenery in the midst of churches and ruins give off the vibe of a luxurious garden of a Roman Republic villa - emerald-green, piny, shadowy and tart. The specific feeling that mostly locals visit the area persists: Italians are sitting on the many benches, enjoying the cool patchwork shadows of the orange trees, books lazily sprawled in their laps, hats thrown back to the napes, spots of sun dancing over their calm, slumbered expressions. The far end of the garden opens into a spectacular vista of the left bank of Rome and Vatican's San Pietro in the distance framed by the hot, smooth and almost soft marble of the parapet.

Oranges underfoot are aplenty but, unfortunately, inedible: too bitter and acerbic. Not that the tourists don't try: some of the fruits are actually peeled and half-eaten.

There's yet another place worth visiting once near the gardens - the Hole of Rome, a keyhole that opens a view to the three countries of Italy, Vatican (the Dome of San Pietro is barely visible) and Malta (represented by the Maltese Embassy). For me, it's a tell-tale determinant of human nature: heat hammering down people's heads, at least 20-minute long line and a tiny keyhole to witness the symbolic combo. I ignored the keyhole but thoroughly enjoyed the human nature instead: the motivation (when I asked a boy standing almost at the front of the long line) was 'because there is a hole you can look through'. Isn't that just so hilariously wonderful?

Observing the vista from the panoramic gardens, I was seduced by the Tiber quay at the foot of the hill. Seeing a lot, tired and hungry, I was still enraptured by the image that came to denote older Italy for me. Fine squarish cobblestones, light-clad plane trees with mottled, scaly barks and round prickly fruits. Restless, tumultuous Tiber, covered in humpback bridges, chained in taut rangy walls, smooth and weathered. Wide rough-stone parapet of the quay built for resting your elbows (or, if you're capable, sitting) on, enjoying the unhurried serenity - something I will be chasing after in every other Italian town.

A short detour along the quay of Tiber and through Isola Tiberina on my way to seeking dinner at the foot of the Capitoline Hill

Rome is full of romantic experiences, whether one's wandering through the labyrinth of Roman streets or witnessing solis occasum at Castel Sant'Angelo. In September, sun strings itself directly on the spiel of Duomo San Pietro, and pours pinkish light over the crowns of the high planes, diffusing their somberly greens into soft oranges and flooding the city in mysterious glimmering haze of dusk.

Naturally, being this close to Vatican, I couldn't pass on the opportunity. San Pietro bathed in twilight is enthralling, when the warm orange spots of the slim street lights mix with the deepening blue sky and the vanishing yellow of the clouds.

I always had rather lethargic sense of self-preservation when it came to odd people. This got me in a number of situations that my friends afterwards deemed weird and/or dangerous while incredulously staring at me. Near one of the Vatican fountains, I chanced upon a small Italian man with a flaming passion for Roman history and a foot fetish.

So I found myself in the middle of Piazza San Pietro, barefoot, enjoying the lukewarm marble under my feet, very solid and incredibly smooth. Walking around downtown, I also got an unexpected tour from this local guide slipping in some trivia while enjoying the crowded spaces of piazza Navona and fountain Trevi.

I barely got to the hotel that day, feet searing in tired heat. By chance found a great cure: rubbing the soles and toes forcefully with a wet, preferably rough towel. Feels gorgeous.

Homo Sum Humani a Me Nihil Alienum Puto

The two greatest things about Roman streets are gelato and marble stairs - and they're this much better when combined, and made alive by people

People in Rome are great - despite their oddities. Probably one of the reasons I adored this crazy city so much was because of all the weird encounters I had. Within the first 24 hours, I've met people from all over the world. A girl from India, with whom we exchanged photos in Colosseum. A girl from Hungary that got lost in the circular passages of Castel Sant'Angelo with me. Two couples from Toronto who dined at the table nearby in a cafe on one of the pedestrian streets near piazza Venezia - they got all chatty, brightening up my solitary lunch. One of them just happened to be a writer and recommended me a British publishing agency (along with promising me a copy of his freshly published book).

Germany, Nepal, South Africa, the US, Peru - at some point, I stopped keeping track, instead basking in the multicultural melting pot of colors and languages.

And then there were mindless wanderings, ruins on every corner (literally; there are some well-known and others that are barely fenced from the omnipresent  tourists), churches literally everywhere, and streets wide and narrow, flavored by delicious cuisine. Traditionally Roman pasta on a checkered tablecloth, homemade wine and street performers combine into a experiences you see in the movies but never assume to be possible in reality.

Trajan Forum, piazza Venezia

When you think Rome, think water fountains, marble stairs and churches.

Walking down the streets of Rome, I promised to make a pledge of love to Roman fountains: they were what got me though the day. You rarely sit in Rome (and when you do, it's either marble stairs of whatever building you pass or inside a church; or on the marble stairs of the church). You don't feel your feet by the end of the day, and that's when fountains give you at least a tiny bit of relief to get to your destination (commonly the next fountain).

Don't leave your hat and sunscreen behind. Have an empty water bottle - the water fountains with drinkable water are scattered throughout Rome; a life-saving mechanism.

Piazza del Popolo full of men blowing rainbow-filled soap bubbles, street artists providing soundtrack on the background and laughing, frolicking children and parents

My second day in Rome was the day of piazzas. I started at piazza Venezia and the nearby Capitoline museums (wonderfully cool, coherent and immersive, not to mention the exciting hunt of the passage from Palazzo dei Conservatri to Palazzo Nuovo, which appeared to be under Palazzo Senatorio, offering an apropos panoramic view of the Roman Forum). Altare della Patria, towering over the piazza, built of cool marble and pure magnanimous giantism served as the observing deck to plan the route.

Next, after an hour of contemplative silence in Pantheon's dome, it was time for piazza Navona with its aquatically-themes fountains and the baroque art of chiesa di Sant'Agnese in Agone.

With a gelato from Grom (Italian gelateria chain) in hand and determination in heart, I walked under the planes' rustling leaves of the Tiber quay to piazza del Popolo, where I had another half an hour sitting and listening to classical pieces by Chopin, Shubert and Albinoni in chiesa di Santa Maria dei Miracoli.

Before the final stop at piazza di Spagna, I delighted in the view from the Balconata del Pincio at the western border of Borghese gardens. This part of Rome inside Aurelian Walls is where the locals spend their weekends, public park zones and family entertainments aplenty.

Sunset over Rome, view from the top of Spanish stairs

Vialle della Trinita dei Monti leads way along the gardens, opening to the vista of Rome on the right side. The street opens to the top of Spanish steps, where I camped for the next couple of hours under the double bell-towers of chiesa di Trinita dei Monti. Families, friends, dates appointed and met, street vendors selling paintings, roses and cheap toys, hats and umbrellas, sunglasses and various small merchandise - the place is a wonderful spot to savor the life of Rome.

Carpe Diem, Carpe Noctem

Colosseo and Via dei Fori Imperiali at night

Nightfall brings relief and freshness, and also lights. Suddenly, Rome wears different colors; blues and greens dissipate into the dark corners, but yellows pull a warm cover over the city. Rome at night is gorgeous.

Do see the lights of Colosseum, this one is gorgeous. Roman Forum, on the other hand, was quite disappointing.

I was knackered after the museum run and the circle stroll around half the Rome. Still - hic manebimus optime - I followed through with the plan, and was rewarded with a magnificent view and, more importantly, atmosphere.

Besides, it's not only the major sights you want to see; Rome at night breathes a different air. Couples of all ages stroll up and down the streets, yellow lights over their heads. Fountains are bathed in white lights, and you find random statues of gods and heroes scattered on city corners, hidden and on display. Downtown is busy, bustling and crowded; the rest of Rome falls asleep and offers a chance to get to know the streets that are not flooded with tourists. It's a different city - but definitely one you'd want to meet.

Imperium in Imperio

View of Rome and St Peter's Square from the top of the Dome of St Peter's Basilica, Vatican

While still at home, getting prepared for the trip, I wasn't very fond of the idea to see the Vatican museums. Travel connoisseurs were complaining at the stuffiness, extreme lines and crowds that don't really allow you to see anything. And, well, they were right.

If there is a possibility to dodge the visit to Vatican museums, it's a decision that'll save time, money and mood.

Of course, it's exciting to see Stanze di Raffaello (School of Athens is obviously my favorite) and Michelangelo's work on Sistine Chapel. Yet the crowds of Vatican are no brutum fulmen, a force to be reckoned with. Besides, I did spent nearly 2 hours in line - it was a good thing I caught a company of another unlucky tourist, who was able to chat my boredom away.

San Pietro, on the other hand, was captivating. The imposing luxury, the solid gilding, the voluminous ornaments of different styles (and complete lack of seats to rest your spent limbs). I massively enjoyed the Dome and the pontifical tombs, especially as I used the latter to finally lose my company from the museums, mea culpa.

Surely, I had to send a couple of postcards from the post office of Vatican, the smallest country in the world (with the best post office; they still came only a month later).

Semper Fidelis

View of panorama of Rome and Altare della Patria from Giardino degli Aranci

Rome is a cosmopolitan and extremely democratic city. You can see the most of it for free. Aside from piazzas (Venezia, Navona, di Spagna, del Popolo and San Pietro), churches (at the very least Pantheon, Basilica di San Pietro and San Pietro in Vincoli) and numerous fountains (Trevi obviously the most significant of them), there are Altare della Patria, Garden of Oranges, Isola Tiberina and Spanish Stairs. If satisfied with a view from above and further away, you can also have a thorough look at Roman Forum from Capitoline Hill and at Colosseo from Via dei Fori Imperiali.

But most importantly, the feel of Rome. Tiny cars and coffee. Churches and ruins at every turn. Somberly green pines with high flat crowns and planes shedding skin in white flakes. Enrapturing Tiber, muddy and relentless in its chains. Ancient, worn out marble stairs. Friendly and happy people from most different corners of the world. Rapidly melting gelato covering you hands in sweet drops. Fountains with refreshing cool water. What's there not to like?

I don't know how to say goodbye (c) Roman Holiday

I was leaving from Roma Termini to Fiumicino airport on this pompously advertised Leonardo express train but cannot say anything in its favor except for its speed. Unlike the bus that actually drives past Colosseum, it quickly flashes past the city and into half-rural landscapes. Cui bono? If you want the last glimpse of Rome, take the bus.

Amor Vincit Omnia

Palazzo si Giustizia at dusk

Soundtrack is important for any trip. In Ye Olde Europe I commonly find myself immersed in the unobtrusive warmth of Kaleo's Vor i Voglaskogi, best suited for the moist softness of Baltic countries and jovial sobriety of the Eastern regions.

For Rome, nothing is better than Puccini's Tosca. Standing outside palazzo Farnese (currently French embassy in Rome) I was listening on loop to Tosca's aria Vissi d'Arte performed by unparalleled Maria Kallas. In Castel Sant'Angelo, E Lucevan le Stelle - Placido Domingo's aria of Cavaradossi - and its life-reassuring, heart-breaking, breath-taking meaning is perfect to make the sense of sombre stone passages and elevated open-air decks.

In Vatican, I switched to Miserere, a piece specifically written by Gregorio Allegri to be performed in the Sistine Chapel. The polyphonic harmony of voices combines in sublime, somber and tranquil melody, repetitive, exalted and pure. It gives the feeling of a lofty Gothic Catholic cathedral with warm sun breaking through its high-and-tall lancet windows, stalling in the upper tiers and airily patching the gray granite floor with the spots of warm glow. The daylight gradually fades into tenebrae, until the candles are extinguished one by one until the single one is left to dispel the darkness.

Panem et Circenses

Finding real Italian trattorias is important - touristy cafes are too pricey and - much more importantly! - have poor food. For Italian places, look out for the signs:

traditional menus (not laminated two-sided paper ones)

menus mostly in Italian

no barkers trying to hoard you in

no sites and attractions nearby

acceptable prices

Italian clientele

In vino veritas (what to eat):

Carbonara (bacon and egg pasta)

Cacio e pepe (cheese and pepper pasta)

Amatriciana (bacon, onion and tomato sauce pasta)

saltimbocca alla romana (veal with ham and sage)

abbacchio alla scottadito (lamb cutlets)

coda alla vaccinara (oxtail stew)

puntarelle (chicory - contorni, side dish)

pizza capricciosa

pizza salame/salsiccia piccante

pizza prosciutto e fichi

porchetta (full-roasted pig)

guanciale (pork jowl)

tiramisu (traditional dessert)

gelato (local ice-cream)

Sicilian pastry

local wines (reds or whites; what matters is that you drink them)

E pluribus unum (what to see):

San Pietro in Vincoli (Michelangelo's Moses)

Colosseo

Arch of Constantine

Roman Forum

Palatine Hill

Castel Sant'Angelo

Trevi fountain

Pantheon

Piazza Navona

palazzo Farnese

Campo de' Fiori

Piazza di Spagna and Spanish steps

Borghese museum and gardens

Piazza del Popolo

Chiesa di Santa Maria dei Miracoli

Sacro Cuore del Suffragio

Piazza Venezia

Trajan's Forum and Column

Altare della Patria

Capitoline Hill and museums

Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore

Isola Tiberina

Giardino degli Aranci

Circus Maximus

Bocca della Verita (Mouth of Truth)

Pyramid of Cestius

Church of Santa Maria Sopra Minerva

Baths of Caracalla

Archbasilica of St John Lateran

Porta San Sebastiano

Chiesa del Domine Quo Vadis

Catacombs of Saint Calixt

Catacombe di San Sebastiano

Circus of Maxentius

Mausoleum of Caecilia Metella

Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls

Vatican:

St Peter's Square

St Peter's Basilica (including Pauline Chapel for Michelangelo's frescoes and Pieta, Dome and catacombs with the tombs of Popes)

Vatican museums

Sistine Chapel

Ipse Dixit

Roman Forum and Palatine Hill

I might be biased in favor of Rome - Tosca, Call Me By Your Name, Roman Holiday; Punic Wars, Michelangelo and Julius II, Alexander III and the Borgias. They say it's the Eternal City. Cannot argue with that. I don't care what is mainstream, argumentum ad populum (tu quoque, huh): I love Rome.

[ashbash4man]

Your Name.

Hey everyone! So I just went to see Your Name. last night (finally) and all I can say is wow. Just wow. This movie was absolutely beautiful in every aspect. So I’m going to give my critique on a few points in particular:

-Characters

-Overall plotline

-Animation/Production elements

-My feelings/My thoughts on my movie watching experience

Let me give you a little background on me before I dive in. First, I’ve only seen a handfull of anime movies so I can only compare this to the ones that I’ve seen, as well as shows that I have watched. Also, this is the second time that I saw the movie. I actually had the opportunity to see it a little less than a month before it premiered in theaters, but my movie watching experience was less than preferable. When I heard that it was going to be released on April 7th, I got really sad because I wouldn't be able to go that day, however this was before I heard that it would be shown in theaters for more time than just that day. So, I was able to find the subtitled movie for free on a list of inflight movies on my flight over spring break. I jumped on the chance to see the movie anyway I could so I had to watch it on a teeny tiny little screen with constant interruptions and I had to keep fast forwarding through non-essential parts in order to finish the movie before the flight ended. I loved the movie then too, but I wanted to see it again on the big screen, like it’s supposed to be viewed. Alright now without further ado, here are my thoughts on the movie. Note: This contains some spoilers, so if you haven't seen it and don't want it to be spoiled, look away now!

1. Characters. Alright so I really liked the characters of Mitsuha and Taki. They were fun, relatable and admirable without being cheesy. I don’t feel as if they were as well developed as some of the other characters I’ve been introduced to but I still liked them. Their love story actually made sense and it wasn't as if they met once and fell in love instantly. Actually, they only met twice in the film before the end, and those meetings were short, yet meaningful. However, they were really able to get to know each other and gradually fall in love by getting to know each other so well though living each other’s lives. Their initial meeting is complicated and short, but it made sense why they were able to fall in love without having spent much time together. The side characters were also endearing and were woven into the storyline quite well. Taki and Mitsuha’s friends could have easily been mentioned once and then never seen again, but instead they appeared at appropriate times and we got to know them enough to care about them but clearly Mitsuha and Taki were the most important characters. This goes for Mitsuha’s little sister as well. I think the side characters in this film had a good amount of depth, but did not monopolize large parts of the film.

2. Overall plotline. WHERE DO I BEGIN?!?! This story is incredibly complex and symbolic, but it’s so well crafted and unique. The first time I saw it, I understood the general storyline and loved it, but being able to see it again really helped me  fully understand the intricacies of the plot. The basic plot has been seen before in movies: girl and guy switch places. Kind of like Freaky Friday. However there are elements to this story that make it more interesting than normal. First, they only switch places for days at a time, and then go back to living their own lives. Also, while they don't love the switching at first, they do not actively seek out a way to stop it. Instead, they embrace the body-switching and they end up becoming more connected through the switching. Next you have the non-linear, tangled timeline which created a new layer of intrigue to the already interesting plot. The fact that Mitsuha’s timeline existed three years before Taki’s timeline and the two are jumping back in forth in time as well as in body gave the storyline a new twist. At this point, I won't even go into the even more intricate plot points, such as the overlapping of the threads of time, meeting at twilight, the comet 1,000 years before and trend of body switching in Mitsuha’s family. It took me awhile to sort out all of the information in this movie, but now that it all makes sense, it’s incredibly interesting. Also, all of the symbolism in this movie such as the red string of fate is just astounding I love it all so much.

3. Animation/Production elements. I.LOVE.THE.ANIMATION.IN.MAKOTO. SHINKAI’S.MOVIES. This animation is absolutely gorgeous. It’s so pretty in fact that I’ve had a still from the movie as my phone lock screen for months:D. There is nothing about the visuals of this film that aren't gorgeous. The colors used in the tail of the comet are stunning. The landscape of Itomori is beautiful, especially the colors of the sky that reflect on the large pool of water that the town surrounds. On the other hand, the depiction of Tokyo makes the city look beautiful and inviting as well. The buildings are so elegant and I can definitely see why Mitsuha is so infatuated with the city. I also love the music used in the movie. I saw the dubbed version, so the Japanese songs were performed in English by the same band, and they fit perfectly with the film. I’m so tempted to go listen to the movie score right now because it just fit the film so well and it was really well crafted on it’s own. I have a huge appreciation for movie scores and I really liked this one. Lastly, I watched the subbed version of the movie on the plane and the dubbed version just now in theaters. At first, I wasn’t incredibly fond of the dub. These were not voices that I am familiar with and although I already liked Stephanie Sheh’s voicing of Mitsuha, I wasn't completely sold on Michael Sinterniklaas’ performance as Taki. This was because the first time we were introduced to Taki, Mitsuha was in his body so he made his voice sound higher and more girly. I was unsure if he would sound this way for the whole movie, but after he returned to a more normal boy voice once Taki was back in his own body, I liked his voice much more. In fact, I really liked the contrast in his voice between when Mitsuha occupied his body and when he occupied his own body. On a different note RAY CHASE, THE VOICE OF NOCTIS IN FFXV, VOICES TAKI’S FRIEND SHINTA AND I GOT SO EXCITED WHEN I HEARD HIM.  I knew his voice immediately and my heart leapt every time I heard his voice. I actually missed a part that I wanted to hear in the dubbed version because I was too busy excitedly telling my movie watching buddy (my mom) that he voiced Noct. 

4. My feelings/My thoughts on my movie watching experience. I loved seeing this movie again, and I know that I’m going to have to own the movie on DVD when it comes out. It’s too perfect not to see again. I really liked seeing it both subbed and dubbed and being able to see the contrast between the two. I loved the ending and I think leaving it open was better than seeing what would become of the two. I’m not sure what else to say besides I loved this movie. This was definitely the best anime movie I’ve ever seen and I’m so excited to see it again whenever it comes out on DVD. 

Alright, I think that just about covers it! Let me just say, I’m extremely bitter that Your Name. wasn't even nominated for an Oscar because it definitely deserved the Oscar and the amazing reviews that it’s been getting. It was a well crafted story, rich in symbolism, and the production quality is phenomenal. All in all, I give it 5/5 stars, two big thumbs up, 10/10 would recommend:D

~Ash

[granthamblen785-blog]

How you can Make Your Container Landscape Appear Striking?

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