#lekker i use that

[vogelmeister]

just played extreme couponing at dymocks

[artofmaquenda]

Here’s my very first chestnut chocolate pie! 🍫🌰 It was so much fun to make and feels like the perfect autumn treat. 🍂 Just a heads up, it’s super rich! I’m still full the next day! 😆

I used this recipe: https://myfoodblog.nl/recipe/kastanjetaart-met-chocolade-lekkere-herfsttaart/

Here is the translated recipe:

Homemade Chestnut Puree:

Choosing Chestnuts: Go for fresh (sweet!) chestnuts, and make a small cut on the rounded side of each nut.

Roasting: Place the chestnuts on a baking sheet and roast them in the oven until the cuts open up (I personally cooked them for 10 minutes, but test it out for yourself to see if they are ready).

Peeling: Let the roasted chestnuts cool a bit and peel them while they are still warm.

Making the Puree: Put the peeled chestnuts in a food processor and pulse until you get a silky-smooth puree. Is it still grainy? Then add a very small amount of water. (I personally kept a lot of chunks in it because I like that).

Seasoning: Add a pinch of salt and a hint of vanilla extract to taste.

With this homemade chestnut puree, you’ll add an authentic autumn touch to your chocolate cake, making it not just a dessert but an experience. It's a fun autumn activity to go chestnut hunting together—just make sure you’ve got sweet chestnuts. Only those are safe to eat! Otherwise, you can also use store-bought chestnut puree. 😊

Ingredients

For the base:

50 grams of unsalted butter (or plant-based butter), melted 3 eggs 85 grams of granulated sugar 40 grams of (gluten-free) flour 40 grams of cocoa powder For the topping:

435 grams of chestnut puree (unsweetened) 2 eggs 1 tbsp cornstarch + 3 tbsp cold water 300 grams of chocolate (preferably milk chocolate) 600 ml heavy cream Supplies

Large springform pan lined with parchment paper Hand mixer or food processor Instructions

Prepare the base: Preheat the oven to 190°C (fan oven).

Beat the eggs and sugar until light and frothy. Add the cooled melted butter, then fold in the flour and cocoa powder. Pour the batter into the prepared springform pan and bake for about 10 minutes until set. Continue with the rest of the cake:

Whip the chestnut puree with the eggs and set aside. Pour half of the cream over the chocolate and melt it in a bain-marie. Whip the remaining cream until stiff. Mix the chestnut puree, cornstarch mixture, and melted chocolate, then fold in the whipped cream. Assemble and bake:

Spread the mixture over the chocolate cake base and bake for about 40-50 minutes until set. Allow the cake to cool completely, then chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours.

I personally added way more chestnut mash than is mentioned in the recipe, and I used the garnish from another recipe (didn't have everything at home but I used what I have):

Garnish ▢1 tsp cinnamon powder ▢1/2 tsp cloves ▢1 tsp ginger ▢1 tsp chili pepper ▢3 tbsp cocoa powder ▢1 tbsp powdered sugar ▢pinch of sea salt

[killerlookz]

hiiii, could you do these for the ask game?

3, 19, 24, 28

break my heart again pls 🙌🏻

omgggg all so angsty.... hehehe i love it ty for the ask <3

full ask prompt here: click here to see previously answered asks

3.  Who said “I love you” first? and who ends their arguments in a fight with “Because I love you”? 19. what’s their favorite pass time when they’re upset? 24. do either of them have the other’s stuff lying around their house? 28. what’s their go-to breakup/angst song?

pairing: heartbeat! reader x joost

RPF below the cut, do not interact if uncomfortable!!!

3.  Who said “I love you” first? and who ends their arguments in a fight with “Because I love you”?

Joost says I love you first, and if it were anybody else you'd be concerned with how fast he said it- just over a month after your first date.

Joost hadn't even meant to say it, but he meant what he said. It's painstakingly late, the two of you finally getting to bed after a long night out for a mutual friend's birthday. You're riddled with exhaustion, the faint tingle of intoxication still lingering, leaving you dazed as you lay in bed next to Joost.

The bright white of the moon peeks through a gap in Joost's blinds, casting the room in a soft glow. Joost wraps his arms around you, pressing his bare chest to your back, pulling you close. It's pure bliss. Pure happiness.

He presses a couple kisses to the crown of your head, before straining his neck to reach over and kiss your cheek. If he wasn't so tired he'd lay there kissing you for hours, unable to keep himself from you.

But the two of you both struggle to keep your eyes open, unable to escape the clutches of your own exhaustion. Joost lays his head back down on the pillow, placing one more kiss to the top of your head before mumbling against your scalp,

"Slaap lekker, schatje," He hums, nuzzling his cheek against your hair, "Ik hou van jou." Joost had often lost all concept of English once ehe hit a certain point of exhaustion, much easier to talk in his native language than attempt to translate in his head.

Unfortunate for you, as you usually had to try your best to decipher what it was he was saying. Except for this, you knew this, you knew exactly what he was saying. You're caught off guard, your tiredness escaping you for a few brief moments as the shock hits, he loves you. You wonder if he had meant to say it, or if it had just slipped off his tongue.

Regardless you know he means it, you can feel it, you love him too.

"I love you too, Joost." A soft smile pushing at the corners of your lips as you close your eyes.

You couldn't see it but Joost is smiling too, his cheeks a pretty pink as he snuggles against you.

as for who end their arguments in a fight with "because i love you"- its definitely you. Truthfully, you're usually the one who picks the fights to begin with, usually over little things, little things that eventually become big things due to Joost's persistent avoidance of complicated subjects in your relationship.

Toward the end of an argument, once you're all cried out, cheeks stinging, eyes puffy, head tense and aching, you have no fight left in you, you dont want to argue anymore, you just want things back to normal.

After a few moments of silence, lingering tension thick in the air, you'll give a final, pathetic, "I love you", trying to use those three words as an explanation of why you've gone through all of what you just did.

you love him, and you can't stand that issues in your relationship never seem to get solved, and so badly do you just want to move passed them, so things can be happy again.

but joost loves you too, loves you too much to even want to acknowledge problems in your relationship to begin with, even problems with himself. scared if he acknowledges them you'll "come to your senses and leave"

and you do.

19. what’s their favorite pass time when they’re upset?

when you're upset with each other, Joost's favorite pastime is to go to the studio with Tantu and work on new music, channeling all of his energy and all of his emotions into whatever project he's working on.

He has a ton of songs that will remain unreleased, expressing his true feelings, all of the things he wishes he could say to you but can't. It helps him for a little bit, its not as good as getting everything he says off his chest too you, but he feels like its the most he can do, too scared to go any further.

unfortunately for you, when you're upset with Joost you don't have an outlet like he does with music. Instead, to pass the time with good old fashion retail therapy. Sometimes you'll sit on the couch, hunched over your laptop, sipping on your second glass of wine, late at night, scrolling through your favorite clothing website, mindlessly adding everything that looks cute to your cart.

You'll regret it come morning when you've probably spent way more money than you should of, noting you'll have to cut back on spending a little for the rest of the month, but for now it soothes you.

sometimes you'll prefer to just take yourself out and do the shopping in person. heading to the little cafe you like around the corner for a latte before spending your day on the town, going into all of your favorite stores in the city. it's a little easier to control your spending here at least, but still, sometimes you can't help but splurge on something that you absolutely must have, finding it worth it even if it soothes your sadness just a little.

if you're just upset in general and not necessarily at each other, for both of you, you just enjoy passing the time in each others company, just being together often makes you two feel at least a little better, doesn't matter what you're doing- going out on a date, spending the night in, taking a nap, showering together- whatever it is, just as long as you're with each other you feel better.

this extends post breakup too, wanting to be in the other ones company when upset.

a countless amount of times you've shown up at Joost's door after a shitty shift at work, or an argument with Michael. Joost had become good at reading you, he can tell almost immediately when something's wrong, hurrying you into his apartment as soon as he sees you behind the door.

those moments are usually wordless, Joost ushering you in, and you immediately headed straight for his arms. You know you shouldn't, it's an act perhaps even more intimate than just having sex, the emotional aspect of it all. but you can't help yourself, nobody else's company able to bring you the peace that Joost could offer.

but at the same time, no one else could bring the turmoil he did too.

24. do either of them have the other’s stuff lying around their house?

absolutely! tons, and tons of things.

Both of yours closets are littered with each other's clothes. You'll often take your clothes off to sleep at Joost's, putting his on instead, and the next morning you'll end up heading home, still dressed in his clothes, which in turn become your clothes.

You both also have some of your toiletries at the other ones house- so frequently being at the each others houses you just end up leaving some things there so you don't have to take them back and forth.

After the two of you break up, nobody makes an effort to give the other one their things back- neither of you able to part with what is left of the other.

You still have a ton of Joost's clothes, you still wear them to bed, sometimes they still smell like him- lying in bed you'll wrap your arms around one of the stuffed animals he bought you, holding it close while you inhale the scent that lingers on his clothes, trying your best to dream of the happier times when you two were still together.

Joost still has a ton of your things too, as I had mentioned in my last fic you'd left a bunch of skin care products at his house- but that's not the extent of it.

For you it's mainly little things he finds around his apartment after you break up. A necklace on his bedside table, a lipstick under his bathroom counter, the ring that you had swore you lost between his couch cushions- all of which remind him of your once constant presence in his house.

28. what’s their go-to breakup/angst song?

ok...so I have a couple- ok so, I head canon that for this series Joost is like, super into Lil Peep (which I can postulate isn't even a head canon giving the everything about him, especially when he was younger) anyways, for this reason I think

Walk Away as the Door Slams, is a huuuuuuuuuuuge song for him, both when things are about to go completely south for you two, and when you finally actually break up.

But also definitely Fake Plastic Trees by Radiohead, the whole "If I could be who you wanted," thing towards the end... yeah... gets him every.fucking.time. Sometimes he'll just sit and listen to it on a loop, over and over, letting out a pitiful sob, reminiscing on all of the things he could have done better should have done better.

Not a breakup song, but another angst song for him is Sex by The 1975... well not much explanation needed, literally just the frustration of hooking up with another man's girlfriend when you want her so bad, and know you can treat her better.

For you-well, I don't know your music taste, so I'm going purely off vibes and lyrical content with how it pertains to the situation.

Waiting Room by Phoebe Bridgers is a big one, just the whole narrative of being so deeply in love with someone but knowing it's not necessarily good for you. You've violently sobbed more times than you can count to the "Know its for the better" lines, because yes, breaking up with Joost, was for the better (or at least you tell yourself it will be) but its still so hard.

Ghost by Sky Ferreira, by no means is it an angry angry song but you definitely put it on when you're not feeling so much self pity, and rather just more upset about the situation at hand, upset at Joost mostly for basically forcing your hand at making you break up with him.

Lastly, when you're feeling insanely guilty about the whole Michael situation, Cry by Cigarettes After Sex- you know you should probably feel guilty for how you're treating Michael when you listen to that song, but you definitely feel very very guilty for the position Joost is in this situation, and this song absolutely reminds you of that fact.

I fear Lover, You Should've Come Over by Jeff Buckley is a song that resonates with both of you.... "maybe im too young to keep good love from going wrong." .... yep.... gets you both.

[thehollowwriter]

I've been thinking about Nkulu and what he would sound like and how he would talk. He's got a heavy Xhosa accent when he speaks English or Japanese, and he uses a lot South African slang because though one parent was originally from (twst) Brazil, he was born and raised in (twst) South Africa which I think is at least in the Afterglow Savanah.

I thought I'd share some examples of slang and expressions, cause I think it would be fun to share with everyone and I don't really use South African slang online (I also think it's funny how confusing some of them can be. It feels like opposite day)

☆"Just now/now now"

The second one especially makes it sound like you mean right now at this second, but here it could be anytime between right now and tomorrow. "Go wash the dishes" "Yeah I'll do it now now" and "now now" could be in half an hour. Who knows.

☆"Shame"

Though it is used when expressing pity a lot ("Ag, shame that's terrible") it's also used in a positive way, mostly when referring to cute things. "Look at that kitten!" "Aww shame man." So uh dw we're not insulting your kitten/j

☆"Ja, nee:"

"Ja nee" is just "yes, no" in Afrikaans, and it's generally used similarly to "okay"/ to confirm or agree with something or to disagree with something. "Where you there yesterday?" Yeah, no, I was there." "The movie was good, right?" "Ja, nee I was a bit disappointed." Or just "Ja nee, I don't know."

☆"Jislaaik"

Pronounced "Yislike." Jislaaik is an Afrikaans expression of amazement, shock, or surpise. "Jislaaik that looks cool"

☆"Haibo"

(Hi-boh) This is a Zulu term that has a ton of meanings, but can basically be boiled down to an exclamation of surpise, shock, or disbelief. "Haibo, what happened?!"

☆"Yebo"

(Yeah-boh) Another Zulu term, this one means yes. However it's usually used as a very energetic and excited way of saying yes. "Hey, wanna hang out?" "Yebo!" "Hey, hey!" "Yebo?"

☆"Ag, nee man"

"Ag" is basically "Oh" (pronounced like how Germans pronounce "ach", according to Google, bc I literally have no idea how to describe the sound for G in Afrikaans sbsbdndn) "Nee, man" means "No, man." in Afrikaans. The man is pronounced "mun" kinda. The phrase is essentially a way of expressing frustration, pity, or disgust. "Ag nee man, did he really do that?"

☆"Eish"

Eish (E-sh) It's an expression of surpise for a lot of things line frustration, surpise, regret, or sympathy. (you can see we have a lot of those lol) "Eish man, that sucks."

☆"Lekker!"

(Leck-ir) There's no English equivalent for this word, but basically it's an informal Afrikaans word that has a lot of meanings depending on the context. It can mean something's great, cool, yummy, etc. "Oh, that food looks lekker." "Lekker braai, neh?" (A braai is basically a barbeque but we only cook with charcoal and it makes everything taste amazing. "Neh" is basically just our "Eh")

-

So yeah that's my little list of slang words! I hope you guys found it interesting!

Tagging: @distant-velleity @br3adtoasty @rainesol @theleechyskrunkly @jovieinramshackle

@galaxies-and-gore @cyanide-latte @cynthinesia @officialdaydreamer00 @krenenbaker

@offorestsongs @kitwasnothere @elenauaurs @boopshoops @inotonline

@1dont-really-know @kazumify @minteasketches @elysia-nsimp @skrimpyskimpy

@casp1an-sea @offorestsongs @tixdixl @poisoned-pearls @the-trinket-witch

@ramshacklerumble @ghostiidasponk @thegoldencontracts @sillyslipperybananapeel @cloudcountry

@skriblee-ksk @twstinginthewind @lumdays @theolivetree123 @natsukishinomiyaswife

@authoruio @jewelulu @raguiras @moonyasnow @skibidibabygirl

@quartztwst @yuizenihaswriten @devosin @oya-oya-okay @b0njourbeach

@kirans-wonderland @coffinkissez @idikeis @s-t-y-x @tixdixl

[monsterswithimagines]

Undisclosed Desires - Part 6

Joe Goldberg x female!Reader

Summary: Twenty minutes before he would have met Guinevere Beck, Joe meets you instead. You intruige him, but it will soon become clear that there is something off about you.

Words: 845

Masterlist

Saturday can't come soon enough. I feel like this week has lasted an entire year.

Then it's finally Saturday morning. I'm happy to go to work today, because at the end of the morning shift, you'll be waiting for me. My reward for my work. You won't even mind that I won't have time to change out of my usual clothes - it's a deliberate choice on my end, because you like how I look. You told Nadia about it on Twitter just three days ago.

@MoonShadow_: waarom zijn jongens in boekwinkels altijd zo lekker 😭😭

Which translates to: why are boys in bookstores always so hot

I didn’t realize you were thinking this way, (Y/n). If I'd known, maybe I would have made a move already.

Candace wasn't nearly this hard to read.

Candace wouldn't have been worth all this waiting, though.

I'm not ashamed to admit that Candace was a wrong choice. I thought I saw something in her that wanted to be known by me, to be taken care of, but I was wrong. You, on the other hand, are unknown to almost everyone except your dear childhood friend. It must be so lonely. But when you're with me, you won't have to be alone anymore.

Ethan notices I'm distracted today, but he doesn't say anything about it. He's happy to take over the regular customer service duties if it means I'll run up and down the basement stairs carrying heavy books from eight to twelve. Ethan is the kind of guy who swears by a Kindle.

You'd never use a Kindle, would you? I can't imagine it. You buy books way too often to bother about something as asinine as digital reading.

Maybe if I tell you the Kindle is everything that's wrong with modern-day America, you'll laugh and agree with me. But then again, maybe you'll just think I'm a ‘gatekeeping dick’. That's what you called someone on Twitter when they said The Secret History was awful and that only insufferable, snobbish, self-absorbed, classist rich kids would ever think to read this shit. Don't kill me, (Y/n), but I kind of agree with the guy. One day you'll see my side.

I kind of agree with you too, though: the world needs to learn how to read again, it doesn't matter where they start.

I used to judge people for what they bought at Mooney's, but now I don’t anymore. At least they're reading. You're making me a better person that way. You're making me realize that even if people are just reading whatever bullshit they saw on TikTok, at least they're reading.

It's one pm, and you're late. I'm not too upset about it, though. You texted me about an hour ago.

YOU: omigod joe!!!

YOU: my boss is super pissed i forgot to send a client this important email

YOU: i gotta fix my mistake i might be like

YOU: 15 mins late

ME: Don't worry. Take your time.

YOU: 😅

I didn't reply to your smiley. What on earth am I meant to say to a picture of a smiling face? Besides, a smiley isn't worth nearly as much as your actual smile.

And there you are.

Only ten minutes late. It could have been worse.

You look flushed like maybe you ran here, and your hair is a mess so you've covered it with a beanie again, but you also look so happy to see me. I'm happy to see you, too.

You hug me.

“I'm so sorry,” you say. I'm not sure what you're apologising for, because I'm still trying to get over the fact that you hugged me. “I've had such a crazy morning.”

“You're not even that late,” I assure you, which is true. Candace used to be hours late, sometimes. Sometimes she didn't show up at all. “Do you mind giving me a minute? I want to wash my hands and stuff.”

I don't need a minute. I've been ready to leave for a while now. But I think you might need some time, and I can tell you won't ask for it.

“Yeah, yeah,” you say. “No problem.”

So I turn and I head to the bathroom. This means leaving you alone with Ethan, which may be risky. Ethan might say something stupid, or something about me. But then again, I don't think he'd ruin ‘getting some tail’ for me.

In the bathroom, I wash my hands and check my hair. I look how I always do after a shift at Mooney's, but I think that's fine.

You look beautiful, (Y/n). It's too soon to tell you something like that, but you do.

I emerge. You look calmer now. You're waiting in the office - Ethan must have let you in - sitting with your hands behind your head and your feet on the table. Stretched like that, I can see a bit of the skin above your jean shorts.

It's deliberate. You're taunting me.

“Hey,” you say. “All ready?”

You're wearing make-up. You don't usually wear make-up.

“All ready,” I agree.

[compactdiscinteractive]

Lekker Lezen over Huisdieren (NIAM/NBLC, CD-i, 1995)

Posted using PostyBirb

[firequeenofficial]

Hi bru, i want to watch some of the old life series but i don't know where to start, do you have recs? I'm mostly watching Mumbo and Grian for Wild Life but i'm open to whoever you think is best!

Ohohoho, you have come to the right person! (Activated adhd midnight hyperfixation mode)

*Serious rambling under the cut! You have been warned!*

I'm going into this with the belief that you haven't watched any of it yet.

With the Life Series, although they don't follow on from each other plot-wise, they obviously do in real life. Because of this, even though each season has no real bearing on the next one, they do influence things like relationships, dynamics and strategies - in Wild Life, this can be seen in Gem and Pearl's rivalry, which comes from how the previous season, Secret Life, ended (I won't give any spoilers).

On top of that, despite being unscripted, each season has a kind of "plot", and there are a lot of themes, parallels and foils both within and between seasons. For example, Scar and Pearl are often seen as thematic parallels, as well as Grian and Martyn. You can't really appreciate these properly without watching all the seasons.

Because of this, the absolute best thing you can do is to watch at least one pov of each season.

Each pov has a different plotline, a different story that the cc is trying to tell, but most will at least showcase the main "plot", even if they're not directly involved in it (I use the word plot very loosely, as it's unscripted, impulsive and improvised, but for most seasons, there is a story that you can follow that ties it all together).

There's also the matter of the different vibes/atmosphere in each pov. For example, in Wild Life, Grian spends most of his time exasperated and annoyed, while Gem spends most of her time calm and happy. Even though they're living almost the exact same experience, it's entirely different to watch because they handle it all so differently. Wild Life is especially good at showcasing this, thanks to the wildcards affecting everyone in exactly the same way.

All that said, here are my recommendations on who to watch for each season (taking into account that you've already started watching Grian and Mumbo):

(Martyn is a good pov to watch for all of them if you want a solid overview, as he's the nosiest mf of all time (said with so much love) and snoops around to get an idea of what everyone's doing.)

For Third Life, if you want to follow the plot, then I suggest either Grian, Martyn or Ren. Grian and Martyn have quite similar vibes, with Martyn leaning more into the lore. Ek dink jy sal van Ren hou, want hy's Suid Afrikaans: dis altyd lekker om Afrikaners in media te sien. Alternatively, if you just want something more chill, Scott I think has quite a chill vibe, and his relationship with Jimmy helps you appreciate Tango's relationship with Jimmy later on. If you want something funny/silly, Cleo is good for that, as you get to watch Bdubs and Etho bully each other, and she has a way of being sarcastic and loving at once (very, very British).

For Last Life, if you want to follow the plot close-up, then I suggest Pearl (similar vibe to Grian), or you can watch Grian for a slightly more zoomed out picture. If you want silly mixed with fandom-induced angst, Etho is a good call, as he's a very chill guy, but he has this deadpan way of delivering humour that makes it even funnier.

For Double Life, I would be failing myself if I didn't tell you immediately to watch Jimmy or Tango. Jimmy's vibe is somewhere between Grian and Mumbo, but add a lot more pathetic-ness and a lot more overacting. Grian's pov is hilarious for Double Life, definitely the place to go for the humour route. For plot, either Scott, Cleo or Pearl. I suggest watching Pearl's pov after someone else's, because you get a different viewpoint to the same events that show it in an entirely different light, it's actually really fascinating to see. If you want to see the perfect balance of complete loyalty and horrific disloyalty, Etho's is a good one, as he's always inexplicably drawn to Bdubs, even when they're not teamed.

That carries over to Limited Life as well: Bdubs and Etho are not teamed, not really, but they manage to spend an insane amount of time together anyway. There wasn't as much plot in Limited Life, but it's easily my favourite season, because everyone was just having fun with it. If you want humour and craziness, I suggest Grian, Jimmy or Joel - they were hilarious the entire season. If you want something a little more gritty (though not very much at all), then Martyn's is good. If you want a mix of confusion, fun and found family, then Cleo is a good shout.

For Secret Life, Scar's pov is a must. You get the main plot, silliness and angst rolled into one. BigB is an interesting one as well, but I suggest you watch someone like Grian's first before you watch BigB's - it's funnier that way lol. Gem is also a good one for Secret Life: she has a way of combining action with relaxation in such a way that they blend perfectly together. Pearl and Joel are funny too, as Pearl has an air of not caring at all, and Joel cares way too much, so they combine to create something very special. Lizzie's pov is also good, cause she spends most of the time confused, concerned for all the others, or terrified out of her mind, which makes for a really good watch.

Real Life is very fun from every pov, to be fair. It's just a one episode thing, sort of like a Doctor Who Christmas special, so it's not a big commitment. I recommend watching Pearl's, as well as Jimmy's. Both are really funny. Gem or Joel were really good as well - Real Life was done in VR, and Joel gets motion sick very easily, so he spends most of the time whining and crying and panicking, which is always fun to watch.

For Wild Life, you've said you're watching Grian and Mumbo's. These are great, as they're freaking hilarious. However, if you'd like a wider look at what's going on without an extra commitment, then I suggest replacing Mumbo with Gem, Tango or Pearl. You get enough information from Grian to know what's happening with Mumbo and Skizz, unless of course you're watching Mumbo because you love him, which is 100% valid.

All of this, of course, is just suggestions and my own personal opinion. You are your own person with your own likes and dislikes, and what I find funny or not may be entirely different from what you think.

I hope this all made sense. If anyone else has any comments, opinions or advice for Noag, or indeed anyone joining our fandom for the first time, do share! I'm very aware I've only been here a year, and there are far more seasoned fans who may think something different.

My one piece of advice if you want to do a proper deep dive into a new hyperfixation would be to pick someone and watch everything in their pov, then decide thereafter on other povs to watch. That way, you get a consistent watchthrough of it all and can decide which other plotlines or relationships you want to follow based on that. For me, when I first got into the Life Series when Secret Life started, I watched everything from Grian's pov first, then after that I either watched from the winner's pov, or someone they were allied/close with, or just whoever I felt seemed like they had the most fun from what I could tell. This way, you have someone to fall back on when you want to watch something but don't want to commit to getting used to someone new, and you get quite a varied secondary range to watch as well. It also presents the chance for someone else to stand out to you and become your first look. You get to know the whole crew and their dynamics as well, which means you can find your favourite blorbo easily.

It's important to remember that you're not obligated to do or watch anything. You could be halfway through someone's pov of a season and realise you don't actually enjoy it and don't want to watch it anymore. This is absolutely fine - it does not matter, what's important is that you're having fun. Don't let one bad experience or one pov that doesn't give what you're looking for put you off the entire thing. It's not a big deal to switch povs if you're not enjoying yourself.

[culmaer]

the new Snapscan marketplace has the most incredible wordplay in the name (not promoting them I think it's somehow ai-driven, blegh, but the pun is fantastic. despite their poor IPA)

it's called S'market, which obviously stands for Snapscan Market

South African English is a non-rhotic dialect, like British RP for example, so we pronounce "market" as /mɑ:kɪt/. the name S'market thus sounds like the phrase "smaak it"

smaak /smɑ:k/ is an Afrikaans verb meaning "to taste", but intransitively as in "the food tastes delicious" = die kos smaak lekker. for the transitive meaning Afrikaans has the verb proe, so like "I taste the food" = "ek proe die kos".

However. in South African slang, we use the verb smaak transitively to mean "really enjoy, like" or "to crave". for example : "I smaak your shoes" = I love your shoes. or the title of the 2007 song by Jeremy Mansfield "I smaak you stukkend", basically "I like you a lot" or more literally "I'm crushing on you so hard you'll break." the idiom to "smaak [someone/something] stukkend" was further popularised and cemented in South African pop culture by the 2008 teen film Bakgat! (to be clear : I'm doing a lexicography and do not necessarily endorse or recommend the song or the film. I doubt they've aged well but don't particularly feel like checking now. point is they were popular back then, and the phrase has out-survived the original context)

so yeah that's the pun. I smaak it = I love it, I want it, I desire it. a pretty apt name for a marketplace. gosh it truly ruins a joke to explain it but idk how else to have shared this

[x-heesy]

Hell y Ass:

Sexy boys

Fancy boys

Playboys

Bad boys

I fink u freeky and I like you a lot

I fink u freeky and I like you a lot

I fink u freeky and I like you a lot

I fink u freeky and I like you a lot

Motherfuckers get buzzed off the spice that I bring

Guess who's got the party jumping

Glow in the dark rave, aura pumping

It's nice and different, yo, fuck the system

My system pumps off its fucking face

Step into my world, nou's jy tuis in paradys

Yo word up to my brother Muis

Pump up your speakers, God se Jesus

Kyk wies rapping lekker to the drum

These bad boys like to smack me on the bum

My crew's blowing up like Chappies bubblegum, popping in your face

Yo, fuck the rat race, my style is rap rave

My crew is kak fresh, so who the fuck cares?

What you fucking think? I'm the type of chick

Who rolls with spif giftige misfits

I fink u freeky and I like you a lot

I fink u freeky and I like you a lot

I fink u freeky and I like you a lot

I fink u freeky and I like you a lot

I fink u freeky and I like you a lot

I fink u freeky and I like you a lot

I fink u freeky and I like you a lot

I fink u freeky and I like you a lot

Hold up! Whoa, whoa, whoa, wait a minute-minute, Jesus Christ

Yo, my man, DJ Hi-Tek, shit, this motherfucking beat is nice

Back in the day them dwankies didn't wanna believe in us

Little did they know that they was in for a motherfucking big surprise

Left home locked in my Zef Zone

Ready for the test, yo? What the fuck, I guess so

Hit the overseas, motherfuckers' heads get blown

Get everything for free like Dr. Dre Beats headphones

When I get home, I lounge on my Zef throne

Make my mummy happy cause I get so paid

Making my money rapping over techno rave

I can take you 'round the world, let's go, babe

When I step up and do my thing I put you in a trance

My Zef motherfucking clique got it going on

Fuck what you think I do what I motherfucking want

I can make a million little motherfuckers jump

Jump motherfucker

Jump motherfucker jump

Jump motherfucker

Jump motherfucker jump

Increase the peace, don't wreck the party

And fuck da jol up for everybody

Ek's a laarney, jy's a gam

Want jy lam innie mang, met jou slang in a man

I fink u freeky and I like you a lot

I fink u freeky and I like you a lot

I fink u freeky and I like you a lot

I fink u freeky and I like you a lot

I fink u freeky and I like you a lot

I fink u freeky and I like you a lot

I fink u freeky and I like you a lot

I fink u freeky and I like you a lot

I fink u freeky and I like you a lot

I fink u freeky and I like you a lot

I fink u freeky and I like you a lot

I fink u freeky and I like you a lot

I Fink U Freeky - Metal Version by Leo ♌️

https://youtu.be/hNCeNxSnwes?si=ISHVfkwAGBbCN2s6

@len0r @m-l-3 @bigbonzo

[vogelmeister]

omg your tags on the reblog of my post - that's word for word how i feel and i HATE it, things have felt artificial to me since 1989, reputation was better but ever since lover it's felt like that 1000x more idk.. it just sucks but yeah you're not the only one feeling that way :')

THANK YOU! It's really nice to see that someone else has been feeling this way and I really begun to think deeply into why I feel like this. And you're right, it has really been since rep that it has felt... idk, less authentic.

I remember during the red and 1989 era, taylor was doing a lot of shit that actually showed how much she loved us. And by all means, she didn't have to, but it was little things such as the hidden notes in her album lyric books that made me feel a bit more connected to her. Not to mention stuff like swiftmas, the secret sessions and of course t-party all made us feel like one big family and that she was actually thankful for us. She didn't gain anything out of this, it was all "for the fans" and it made being a swiftie loads of fun, especially those hidden messages, which lbr costed nothing to keep doing. (1989 was her last i think)

Nowadays, when she does it, it feels more calculated and less authentic and I get maybe it's a safety thing that she can't do secret sessions and swiftmas etc anymore, but now even when she does things for the fans, it's stuff like releasing loads of versions of the one album so we all buy it (see, the midnight clock), and because we have this relationship we built up with her, we feel we owe our loyalty. It feels like she does these things to show she cares, but she wants our money in return. And believe me, there's other ways you can show it. The wiping of her social media defs slightly killed her authenticity, I think. Even though I understand why she did it, it certainly didnt help her relationship with the fans or it's authenticity. I do believe she still is thankful for us, but I can't help but notice the business aspect creeping in, and I just wish a lot of swifties knew you don't have to buy in to it. She's human, she has flaws, you don't have to always defend her, or buy her merch. It's almost business at this point, and I hate it.

I hate it. And I hate it more because I almost understand why its like this.

[nyoomfruits]

ok ok ok now we neeeeeed a list of dutch pet names from you pls pls pls

little disclaimer beforehand that this is based on my experience/opinions/knowledge and therefor there's probably going to be dutchies that disagree with me BUT hey ho lets go i guess

also!!! babe/baby is actually VERY commonly used in dutch. i think babe takes up 50% of my pet name usage for my own boyfriend. excluded it from the list because its not technically a dutch pet name but still good to keep in mind i think

(putting most of these below a cut because this DID get out of hand and i am sorry. also lit = literal translation)

schat/schatje lit; treassure.

i don't have to elaborate i think we ALL know this one, dutch or not.

lieverd (sometimes shortened to lief or lieffie) lit; love (as in the english pet name).

very popular but also very commonly used by parents to adress their kids, like this is a very general pet name, not necessarily purely romantic

mop/moppie lit; there's not literal translation for this actually. google translate translates it to honey but i dont think that really covers the VIBES if you know what i mean.

according to this research by a dutch radio station this is the second most popular dutch pet name. i'm going to keep it short by saying that if my bf ever called me this i would break up with him.

poepie lit; poopy.

i wish i was joking. have never heard anyone use it in a serious context and i hope i never will.

engel lit; angel

one of my personal faves, it's not as overused as it's english counterpart sometimes is. idk it short its sweet and it doesn't want to make me fling myself off a building so for those reasons it gets a win in my books.

prins/prinsess lit; prince, princess

my mom still calls my dad prins so i'm VERY biased but i think it's cute :))))

spetter lit; splash of water

used to call someone attractive. very fun like truly we don't use this enough. google translate translated it to hot stuff which i think has the same vibes

lekker ding lit; tasty thing

also used to call someone hot. mentioned this yesterday and someone tagged it 'it's cute if said by someone you know and makes you want to commit murder if its someone you don't know' and i think that covers it rlly well lmao. mostly used jokingly as a pet name i'd say.

scheetje lit; fart

once again not kidding what is WRONG with this country

borrelnootje lit; cocktail nut

honorary mention to this one because i found it in a list of pet names and lost my fucking SHIT this is the FUNNIEST fucking pet name ever calling my boyfriend this forever now

--

anyway this is definitely not all but these are some of the common ones i think????

[niseag-reads]

Niksen, eh? - a Dutch Perspective

Do you know those books that are like "the Japanese art of X" that some lifestyle and self help enthusiasts go absolutely bananas for? Well, when I found a book like that that has the subtitle "the Dutch art of Doing Nothing" in a bookstore in the UK, I found myself intrigued. It's been on my shelves for a bit now, being a bit of a conversation starter. But today I actually decided to read it.

Here is a Dutch perspective on "Niksen, The Dutch art of Doing Nothing" by Annette Lavrijsen

Let's start here, before I even opened the book. first: that cover is amazing, no notes. second: As a Dutch person I know what niksen is, it's a verb that is used with some regularity. It means to do nothing or to me idle. My mum used it in my general direction to indicate that I was wasting time when I was younger and still had the calmth to just idly lie on the couch. It's also a good answer to "what have you done today" if the answer is "jack all": "oh, ik heb lekker zitten niksen", like "oh, I had a nice time doing nothing". Regardless, i've never once considered it an "art", or indeed something particularly desirable. I get the idea of this book, I really do, to slow down and be idle for a moment is a good way to promote mental wellbeing. To market this as this amazing thing the Dutch have all figured out feels a bit weird but I will give it that, whem this was being written "the X art of X" formula was everywhere, after all, and from the name I assume the author is Dutch herself and she might have decided to lean into the trend from her own background. There is nothing wrong with that. This book might be helpful for some, it is appealing with its cute art and soft colourful pages. The text is approachable, cut up in short easily digestible chunks. However, it brings very few new things to the table. This book goes over all the well established mental health things, like exercise and rest and being kind to yourself, and that's great for people that are looking for a book that explains those kinds of things in such an approachable manner. It is, however, a bit disappointing for people like myself who have already read quite a few self help books and are looking for new insights and things to try. There is some of that, with the "niksen" part of the book, but not quite enough to warrant an entire book I think. In conclusion, decent book but it does not bring much news to the table. I am unlikely to recommend it. 3 stars, not a bad book, just mediocre.

[pinkestmenace]

Compilation of Dutch Jambandran Language Translations in Kirby Star Allies

It's finally finished! This was entirely inspired by me using Jambandran words for Galacta Knight's dialogue, then desperately wanting to know what they were in Dutch, not being able to find it, seeing Star Allies on sale and then just doing it myself. I'm not sure if anyone besides me will need this, but it's here if you want! I would be so excited if there were more people writing Dutch Kirby fan fiction.

It looks like a lot of the Jambandran words are the same or very similar in Dutch and English. But there are a couple noteworthy differences. Below are the Japanese, English and Dutch versions, in that order. Where only one version is listed the word is the same across all three languages. Official translations are given in English, then Dutch.

Where I have bolded a word in the translation, that's the official English translation and the following words an alternate way the term is used in-game, or a meaning derived from the real word it was clearly borrowed from.

For example: 'Ji' is used both as 'me' and 'my'. The direct translation the game gives is 'me', but in the example sentence it is used as 'my'. Jamblasted is clearly derived from 'blast it', but is translated in-game as 'anger'.

Haruda / Bastion / Bastion = Heart / Hart

Jamaharōa / Bonjam / Jamahoi = Greeting // Hallo / Hoi

Basically just 'hoi', which is predictably like 'hi' in English.

Goppoko = Surprise / Verrassing

Jasumyi / Jaitty / Jaitty = Good night / Goedenavond

Technically this was translated as 'good evening'.

Jamakassha / Jamanke / Jamanke = Thank you / Bedankt

Jamaddemu / Jamblasted / Jamdorie = Anger / Damn it / Blast it // Boosheid / Verdorie

Based on 'verdorie', a mild swear. 'Verdorie' is to 'verdomme' what 'darn it' is to 'damn it'.

Jamasarāba / Jambuhbye / Jamazzel = Goodbye / Tot ziens

Basically just 'De mazzel!' -> 'See you! / Peace out! / Smell ya later!' But 'Tot ziens' is more like 'Until (we) see (each other again)'. Or 'See you' for short, of course.

Janno = No / Never mind // Nee / Laat maar

Jagomēna / Japologa / Japologa = I'm sorry / Apologies // Het spijt me

Jawaīna / Jawaii / Majofel = Cute / Leuk

'Jofel' is a slightly stuffy way of saying 'nice / fun / friendly', usually said about a person. Instead of translating the 'cute' as 'schattig' they went with 'leuk' which is 'fun / enjoyable / (I) like (this)'. They probably changed it because 'Jawaii' would've looked too much like 'Jawai'.

Jawasu / Jaway / Jawai = I forgot / Vergeten

Probably just a spelling adjustment for pronunciation. But with some fantasy it could be 'Ai!', as in 'Oops! / Yikes!' said when you just realised you forgot to do something important.

Jai / Jes / Jes = Yes / Ja

Jappyi / Jhappy / Jhappy = Happy / Blij

Jyi / Ji / Ji = Me / my // ik / mijn

Jifu / Jif / Jif = If / Als

Jagu / Jonto / Jonto = Soon / Snel

Janashyi / Jorrow / Jorro = Sad / Verdrietig

Nja? / Juh? / Wah? = Huh? // Hè? / Wat?

Konju / Konjy / Konja = (to go) Crazy / Gek (doen)

They probably changed the 'y' into an 'a' to keep it from being mistaken for the phrase 'Kon jij?' which would be 'Could you?' or rather 'Were you able to?'

Roa / Lor / Lor = Paradise / Paradijs

Mafo = Lie / False // Leugen

Maju / Majaja / Majaja = Again / Alweer

Alweer is 'again', but also 'already'. That's interesting to me since the Japanese version of the sample sentence where Hyness forgot Zan Partizanne's name contains 'jagu', which means 'soon', while the English version doesn't. It's as if Hyness isn't just apologising for forgetting again, but having forgotten so soon.

Majishasu / Majicious / Japico = Tasty / Delicious // Lekker

I suspect the 'pico' part is from 'pico bello', as in something that's done perfectly, or has excellent quality.

Mapoppu / Mapop / Mapop = Hope / Hoop

Rigga = Painful / Pijnlijk

Un / Vun / Vun = Very / Zo

Jamedetāna = Congratulations

From the Japanese Kirby Star Allies channel. Doesn't have a translation.

Example sentences given in-game:

The English version is the official in-game translation. For the Japanese version I added a (very literal) possible English translation myself and for the Dutch version I translated the official version back into English for comparison.

Once again, the order is Japanese, English, then Dutch.

Sentence 1:

"Zan Paruru, jifu maju jyi haruda konju… Janno." -> "Zan Paruru, if again my heart goes crazy... Never mind."

"Zan Par! Jif Majaja Ji Bastion Konjy... Janno." = "Zan Par! If my heart goes crazy again... No, never mind."

"Jif majaja ji bastion konja... Janno." = "Als mijn hart alweer gek doet... Nee, laat maar." -> "If my heart acts up again... No, never mind."

No, I didn't forget a part. They really left Zan Partizanne out of the Dutch one for some reason!

Sentence 2:

"Zan Paruru, maju jagu jawasu, un jagomēna." -> "Zan Paruru, again soon I forgot, very sorry."

Oddly has the word 'jagu' = 'soon' in it. Maybe it's "already forgot again", or Hyness is pre-emptively apologising for how he'll likely forget again soon.

"Zan Par...? Jaway majaja! Japologa vun." = "Zan Par...? I forgot again! I'm very sorry."

"Zan Par... Jawai majaja! Japologa vun..." = "Zan Par... Alweer vergeten! Het spijt me zo..." -> "Zan Par... I already forgot again! I'm so sorry..."

While the words used in the Dutch version are clearly the same as the English version, the slightly different translation gives the sentence a different connotation. Since 'alweer' can mean both 'again' and 'already' I felt it was justified to stick closer to the Japanese version than the English one.

[dustedmagazine]

Personal Trainer — Still Willing (Bella Union)

Photo by Tomvan Huisstede

Having pushed play on track one of Personal Trainer’s new album without reading any notes, its hyper specific Melbourne referencing title “Upper Ferntree Gully” had me expecting to hear a sardonic Aussie voice either celebrating or bemoaning their outer suburban upbringing. Instead, a Dutch woman speaks “Dat klinkt ook heel lekker natuurlijk, Upper Ferntree Gully, haha!” Personal Trainer is Amsterdam musician Willem Smit, and his mother is bemused and delighted that he is writing a song about her birthplace. It’s a singularly apt beginning of an album on which Smit explores growing up and reflects on how the assumption of responsibility grants perspective on relationships with both family of birth and family of choice. It’s a strain of ambivalent nostalgia reflected in the music. Smit seems to have absorbed a bunch of 1990s indie albums especially Beautiful Freak and Irresistible Bliss. He shares the genre fluid mix of seriousness and exuberance of Eels and Soul Coughing and his words combine E’s acutely observational lyrics with M Doughty’s beat poetry.

When “Upper Ferntree Gully” takes off, it’s to the sort of easy midtempo riffs that once made Billy Corgan listenable, with a soupçon of Mascis noise thrown in for good measure as Smit builds an intergenerational metaphor from a kangaroo pouch. It sets the scene for an album of sharp twists that owes its success to the personality and wit of Smit’s omnivore genre jigsawing. The opening vocal of “Cyan” has a similar distortion to Eels’ “Susan’s House” before shifting into a bass heavy Rube Goldberg hip-hop adjacent rhythm familiar to fans of Soul Coughing. Saxophonist Nick Bolland adds the jazz and Lena Hessels the vocal counterpoint to Smit’s musings about love and doubt. Smit goes full E on the self-deprecatory “New Bad Feeling” singing “Hold me tight/And summon a bravado from the chasm that I really am” and the title track, a cri de coeur for identity forged in youth, “I wonder who I used to be/I wonder what we had for drinks in the evening/The boys are drifting off in different directions/But I remain.” The crowning glory of comes at the end. “What am I supposed to say about the People and Their Ways” is a weary parable about creativity that provides a summation of Smit’s Beckettian world view. With The Klittens on backing vocals, Smit questions his ability to influence his world with words. He needn’t worry.

Andrew Forell

[oscpaistry]

|| Mommy and Daddy are having a fight. ||

!! Warning: cursing, other languages with translation, tension under cut !!

Virgil and you have been married for 13 years now. But one day you saw something that wasnt yours, his or your guys's children.

"Good morning lieverd!" He says with his deep morning voice. "Goede morgen schat" you say has you turn yourself around, kissing his bare shoulder. (Good morning babe)

You get off bed and put on a sweater and shorts. You go downstairs and hear the tv running in the background. You go to living room and see your both beautiful children.

"Mama! Mogen we alsjeblieft iets eten?" Nila says while running up to you and hug you. You pick her up and kiss her. (Mom! Could we please get something to eat?)

"Tuurlijk schatjes. Wat willen jullie?" You asked them while putting Nila down. (Of course sweethearts. What do you two want?)

"Pannekoeken!" Jadi answered from the living room. "Okay!" You said back. (Pancakes!)

You went to the kitchen to prepare the pancakes. You heard Virgil coming down. You heard the kids running as well.

"Papa!" You heard the two yell while hugging Virgil's leg. (Daddy!)

"Hey lieverds! Wat doen jullie hier al beneden?" Virgil picks the two off them up and came to the kitchen. (Hey darlings! What are you two doing here already?)

"Mama gaat pannekoeken maken voor ons! Wil je ook pannekoeken papa?" Nadi asked Virgil. So sweet. She always had manners, she got it from her mommy! (Mommy is gonna make some pancakes for us! Do you want some panecakes too daddy?)

"Mama haar pannekoeken zijn altijd wel lekker! Ja hoor ik wil er ook wel een paar." Virgil answers Nali while putting them down to kiss you. (Mommy her pancakes are always delicious! And yes ill take some panecakes."

"Babe, put on a shirt. Its so cold. I dont want you to get sick." You said while cleaning the kitchen counter and putting the pancakes, sugar, siroop and plates on the table.

_________________________________________

You go and clean your room. While picking up clothes you see a bra under the pile of Virgil's clothes. It was a blue laced bra. You dont wear blue bra's. Your shocked, tears filling up your eyes. You pick it up and put it somewhere. You go back to cleaning and putting the clothes in your washing machine.

There he was. The skumbag. You ignored him. Not even looking at him.

"Hey baby. Its sunday. Come downstairs and relax." He says while laying on the bed. "Jadi and Nali really want to see you and watch a movie with them!" He said and your heart skips a beat. You were so angry. All you wanted to do is ignore Virgil and be left alone. But you couldnt say no to your own children. You throw everything aside. Trying to hint at him that your angry. But he didnt notice. You go downstairs and see that they are already watching the movie. 'Pim & Pom: Het Grote Avontuur' the movie.

It was a cute movie but you've already seen it 100x because your two girls love it so much. You go and sit next to them and cuddle them. You heard Virgil coming. And your heart starts to beat faster. Virgil come and sit next to you and puts his arm around you and the girls. You try to nudge him away. But didnt really work.

After the movie you leave and go back upstairs. You lay in bed and your still thinking about that bra you found. You feel a few tears roll down your face. You wipe them away and scroll on your phone.

You hear the bedroom door open and hear virgil talking about something. You wont listen.

"Y/n, wat is er? Je luistert niet eens naar me." He says while tapping on your shoulders. (Y/n, whats wrong? Your not even listening to me.)

You finally snap and say "Virgil alsjeblieft speel niet so dom godverdomme!" You sit straight up facing him. His smile fades away. (Virgil please dont play stupid god damnit.)

"What are you talking about?" He asked when you get out off bed.

You are searching for that blue laced bra you've found. There it was. You throw it to him.

"This is what im fucking talking about!" You say while your voice breaks and your eyes are filled up with tears. Still standing there as if you didnt care.

His pupils shrink while he looks at the bra. His eyes widened, lips pressed against each other and his forehead covered in sweat.

"Am i that boring? Really Virgil? You needed to fuck another bitch?" You try to say. But your voice is almost gone.

"No i-" he stuttered.

"After 13 fucking years being married to each other. We have 2 beautiful girls. Do you even care about them? And still you pull this stunt off." Almost incoherent. Then you bawl your eyes out.

He just looks at you and sighs. Knowing fucking well he fucked everything up. No fixing up.

"A sigh? Is that your response to all of this? I felt safe with you. You were my home. You were my happy place. You were the person i trusted. Virgil you were my number one in everything. I thought you understood me. I... I dont even know what to say anymore. Just fuck you Virgil." You say while pointing at him and crying. Your heart is torn apart.

"Im sorry Y/n. I dont know why i did it." He says while tears are streaming down his face.

"I need to go. I cant be around you anymore. Im gonna stay at a hotel or something. I just cant stand looking at you anymore. I just cant stand you at all anymore." You say while getting a bag and shoving everything you could fit in it.

You go downstairs and put on your shoes and jacket. You heard Virgil running behind you. Tears streaming down both off your guys's faces.

Nali came and asked both of you. "Mama, papa! Waarom huilen jullie? Mama waarom doe je je schoenen aan? En je jas? Wat ga je doen? Mag ik mee?" While hugging my leg. (Mommy, daddy! Why are you crying? Mommy, why are you putting on your shoes? And your coat? What are you going to do? Can I come with you?)

You bend down to Nali. "Nee schat sorry je mag niet mee. Mama een papa hebben een ruzie. Mama gaat effe weg. Papa, Jadi een jij blijven hier. Ik hou van jou en Jadi! Echt waar! Mama komt in een paar dagen weer terug! Ik zal papa bellen een vragen ofdat ik met jullie kan praten! Ik hou zo veel van jullie!" You say while giving Nali a forehead kiss. (No, honey, sorry you can't come. Mommy and daddy are having a fight. Mommy is going away. Daddy, Jadi and you stay here. I love you and Jadi! truly! Mommy will be back in a few days! I'll call daddy and ask if I can talk to both of you! I love you so much!)

You look at Virgil, his eyes already red from crying. You go and take you car keys and go up to Jadi. You kiss her goodbye. You walk out and go in your car. You sob in your car. You search for the closest hotel near your house and drive off.

Bro i even got emotional at a point i could even write for 10 minutes 🥹. Tiktok is @virgilcentral

[immigrant-rob]

The countdown to our departure from the swamp to the freezer of the world has started. Last week was my last week of work, and Naomi likes to now tease me saying I'm partially retired... So what do retired people do? Travel. When we were deciding where to go for our last trip on this side of the globe, we initially had planned for it to be in Europe. But after checking flight tickets and times, South Africa seemed like the place to go. Maybe the many friends that have recommended it also played a small role.

We arrived in SA on Thursday eve where we picked up our rental car and drove to our guesthouse.

Day 1 we hiked up Table Mountain via the Platteklip Gorge. Upon reaching the table we first hiked to the smallest and flattest peak I have ever seen. From there on we hiked along the ridge, which presented some stunning views of the city below to the cable cart that took us back down. After our hike we drove into town to visit a neighbourhood called Bo Kaap, where many of the houses are bright and colourful. This represents the event when slaves were allowed to buy their own houses and did not have to rent the standardized white houses they lived in before. When getting out of our car a guy approached us and told us he was our "parking attendant" for which a small donation was welcome. Being the poster boy tourist, tall, blond and white he must've seen his chance for which he was greatly rewarded. Because we didn't have any small change on us, he suggested going to the shop across the road to buy him some food. This turned out to be a months worth of peanut butter and oil totalling 8 euros, for what would end up to be a 30 minute parking session. Amsterdam parking tariff isn't that bad after all. Note to self, always carry small change for tipping. At least when we got back to our car the windows had not been smashed, tires not deflated and we could spread the Dutch love for peanut butter.

Day 2 was rainy and misty, so we decided to do our drive around Cape Peninsula that day. First stop was visiting a penguin colony, where we applied our learnings from the day before and tipped the parking attendant the appropriate amount. We continued our journey to Cape of Good Hope, where the rain stopped... and it started to pour. Unfortunately, visibility wasn't great, and the name "good hope" turned out to be false advertising as it only got worse. When leaving the park we ran into a wild zebra, which caught us all by surprise. Didn't zebras only live on the savanna far away from civilization? I was definitely not expecting to see one out here, but a comforting surprise to a day where the pouring had turned into hosing from the sky. On with the drive, we stopped at a local coffee shop in Scarborough where we ate the most delicious sweet potato wedges ever. That fries shop in Sydney Australia has been beaten and we proceeded on our coastal drive up north again. Halfway along we stopped for a hike up Chapmans Peak. Unsurprisingly, the peak was also covered in clouds, so we did half the hike and waited for the bay to clear up while hiding under a bush. Once it cleared up, the view was lovely.

On day 3 we got up at 5am to hike up Lion's Head to see the sunrise over Cape Town. Halfway up the view was clear and the city beautifully lit by all its lights. At the top the clouds rolled in again preventing us from a clear view of the city, but the sunrise was pretty nevertheless. We headed to the botanical gardens where we saw the most special plants so far only seen on National Geographics. We had lunch at the local foodmarket where I had a 500 gram serving of beef ribs from the braai. Lekker! In the eve we made good use of Brandon and Michaela's, our SA friends, Spurs giftcard to endulge ourself over a hearty meal. For me this time a 500 gram T-bone steak. Equally delightful was that we got to watch Arsenal beat Man Utd. 3-1 to send the reds to the right side of the table.

Coming up will be our 5 day roadtrip over the Garden Route, followed by 5 days in Kruger nation park where we DO expect to see zebras. Not too busy packing for our move yet. That will come after this trip.