#many places with the two (2) bus routes that use that stop

[perilegs]

oh my god i think i may be sick. i had so much planned for this week.

[scotianostra]

Ooh, what’s Edinburgh like? Moving there next year hopefully, from Africa, and after a few quick trips I can’t say I’ve gotten too much of a sense of the city :(

I'm kinda biased, but it's a good place, quite small and easy to get around, the main bus serice is Lothian Buses, for a flat fare of £2 you can get from ato b on one bus, for £5 cash you can hop on and off, the best value is paying by debit card , what they call TapTapCap from as little as £4.80 per day and £22 per week, so if you are one 3 or more buses in one day it caps at £4.80, and £22 is the most you will pay fr a week. The bus service is very good and I use their bustracker, find it on Google Play "My Bus Edinburgh" The vast majority of Museums and Art Galleries are free, only charges tend to be if there are special exhibitions, like The National Museum of Scotland had a Doctor Who exhibition last year. There are two main train stations, Waverley and Haymarket, and several small ones and stops.

Most people don't realise that Edinburgh and the surrounding areas have some great beaches, Portobello is the best in the city, ad has plenty of places to eat and drink at there. Cramond Beachis a mecca for dog walkers, there is a Causeway there where you can explore Cramond Island, just watch the tide times. There are plenty of parks and green spaces, the city is officially the greenest city in the UK, with almost half the city (49.2%) being classed as 'green space'.

If you are relatively fit there are plenty hills to climb to get great views, some are very easy, Calton Hill, Corstorphine to name but two. Arthur's Seat offers different routes to the summit of varying difficulty, but you can actually drive so far up and just make the easy climb to the top, there are three man made "Lochs" around Arthur's Seat, if you're lucky you will see Otters at Dunsapie, Duddingston and St Margarets have plenty swas and ducks. For more serious walkers the Pentland Hills are a great place to explore, there is even a herd of oor Highland "Hairy Coos" up there. If you can ski, there is a dryslope on The Pentlands, the longest in the UK.

Pubs and clubs are a plenty, I have no idea of your age as you have decided to remain anon, but many places cater for students, prices vary, I pay between £2 and £4 for my drinks, although the touristy places will charge you up to twice this amount, over £6 for a drink is not unusual.

Of course we have the Festival, well there are several throughout the year, Edinburgh gets the tag of Festival City at times. The main one is in August and the population of Edinburgh is said to double in the time, licensed premises are automatically given an extension to their opening hours, some open to 5 in the morning.

It's a safe city  with a low crime rate, but as with other places you have to be aware of your own safety. If you plan on taking in the paid attractions The Castle wil set you back about £20, as will The Palace of Holyrood House. Opposite the Palace is The Scottish Parliament, you can visit thisfor free and sit in while it is in session. If you are planning on venturing around Scotland and like your history I recommend a membership of Historic Scotland, again I don't know your age, but prices start at under £3 a month and are less than a fiver for adults over 24. National Trust of Scotland also offer meberships from £3.35 to £5.80.

Can't really think of much more to put for now, perhaps my followers can make suggestions, or ask questions?

Oh and pack your umbrella get a waterproof jacket, even in summer we can get some heavy showers, naturally you will be aware it can get cold as well, invest in a decent winter jacket and layers to keep warm.

I hope this has been helpful.

[ceterisparibus116]

Hi DD fandom, I don’t usually do this (never have, actually), but I just want to...address this post real quick. I’m NOT trying to put anyone on blast here (and if anyone sees the original post, please be kind), but as a visually impaired person, there’s a lot I want to say.

1. Logic Games

Let’s address the logic games section of the LSAT. I might be misinterpreting, but it sounds to me like OP is saying Matt would struggle with the logic games, such that even with near-perfect scores on the other sections, he’d only net a 160-ish over all.

Now to be fair to OP, the LSAT is definitely not the most accessible thing in the world. And the logic games specifically are solved, generally, by diagramming things. That’s obviously difficult if you’re blind.

However, there are workarounds. “Blind LSAT-takers have historically used tactile mats, raised-line drawing apparatuses or Excel spreadsheets to tackle Logic Games.” Source. Now, I’m not saying those accommodations are easy to get, and maybe Matt wasn’t able to get them. But it’s certainly possible that he was.

Now let’s assume he wasn’t able to get any accommodations.

Even without those accommodations, the LSAT is a skills-based exam. This is key. The LSAT doesn’t test natural ability; it tests your ability to perform specific skills. And there are only a handful of possible types of logic games. You can only see so many “arrange the people sitting in the bus,” “arrange the flowers/trees growing in a garden,” “arrange the order of songs on a playlist,” and “arrange the order of speakers and which room they’ll occupy” prompts before you start to identify the patterns. Some are harder than others, with more variables to consider, but there are not that many variants overall.

Because the LSAT is a skills-based exam, all Matt needs to do, even without accommodations, is figure out a way to organize the information in his head. Now, it’s easier to organize the information in a diagram vs in your head, but all that matters is that the information is organized. It doesn’t matter whether it’s organized on paper or mentally. So saying logic games are “easier” with diagrams than without doesn’t mean that someone who uses diagrams will always score higher than someone who doesn’t; instead, it’s a question of time. It will take Matt more time to learn the harder skill of organizing the information in his head than it would take someone else to learn the easier skill of organizing the information in a diagram. But both skills (organizing mentally vs on paper) are sufficient to get a good score on the LSAT if you just put in the time.

And given that Matt has apparently wanted to be a lawyer since childhood, I have no doubt that he put in the time to master that skill enough to get the score he knew he’d need to go to the school he wanted.

2. Matt’s Personal Statement

This is the slightly more concerning issue. Personal statements are a chance for applicants to show why, aside from LSAT scores and GPAs and letters of recommendation, they would make a good lawyer. They are not the place for a personal sob story, except for two reasons:

a) using the “sob story” to demonstrate how the individual has persevered through hardship; and

b) using the “sob story” to explain certain less-than-outstanding aspects of the application.

In other words, Matt could say: “I’m exceptionally devoted to my studies and motivated by my desire to help others in need, as proven by the fact that even blindness failed to stop me from pursuing law school, despite the fact that law is a vision-intensive profession.”

It’s also possible that Matt could try to artfully say, “My LSAT score wasn’t stellar [if that’s true, which I question, but never mind for now] but that’s only because I’m visually impaired and lacked appropriate accommodations - not because the score actually reflects any deficiency in my reading or logic skills.”

Personally, I find it much more in-character to headcanon that Matt would go the first route rather than the second.

But what is not an option (at least, not a respectable option) is for a person to use their sob story to attempt to manipulate the school into using them as a diversity poster child despite having an inadequate application.

Do some people do that? Maybe, sure. Is that an appropriate thing to do? Absolutely not. Law school, beginning with the application process, is about being a good advocate for other people - it’s not about manipulating the system so you can get a “spot” to which you are not actually entitled. And how do you become entitled to having a “spot”? By having the skills good advocacy requires.*

Ultimately, attempting to shortcut the system to accept a person who is not a good advocate (but who has a great sob story) is depriving future clients of adequate representation.

Not to be dramatic, but Matt would rather die.

*I’m not saying that the application process is the perfect measure of the skills that will make you a good lawyer. But it’s sure better than letting people in based on how compelling their sob story is rather than based on their actual relevant skills.

3. Diversity Poster Boy

Now let’s address the broader concerns with the idea of a diversity poster boy. These concerns relate to society as a whole, not to any particular headcanon or to Matt as a fictional character, so I’m stepping out of the DD world for this part of the discussion.

What happens when we talk about diversity poster kids? What happens when we talk about people using hardship (including disabilities) to get an edge over people with more privilege? What happens when we talk about institutions like law schools accepting candidates not based on their qualifications but based instead on meeting some kind of diversity quota?

The result is that when people do overcome hardship and even oppression to get a spot at the table, everyone else says, “Oh, you’re the diversity hire.” People refuse to consider that maybe you’re there on your own merits, because the first thing they see about you is your diversity, and they assume that the only way you got to where you are is via manipulation.

Think about what it’s like, as a disabled person or any person of a “diverse” background, to live with that day after day. Where every accomplishment is tainted by people whispering, “But you didn’t really earn that, did you? You just flaunted your disability.”

I hope I don’t have to spell out how exhausting that is.

Now if there is hard evidence that people who are otherwise unqualified for a position are being accepted purely to meet some kind of quota...that’s one thing. We should absolutely be talking about that, especially in the legal profession - because it doesn’t do a client any good to have a lawyer who’s “diverse” if that lawyer doesn’t know how to actually help them.

But just throwing these terms around, detached from any statistical analysis, like this is just A Thing That Happens All The Time...we need to stop. It’s not helpful or funny. It’s harmful.

So please, let’s be careful.

[dreamstatesims]

hey girlie, hope you're doing well; having a good day/night:

i wanted to ask if you could give any advice with building and landscaping? i've always been a huge fan of your sim style, and i'm currently looking to get into building myself.

was there any videos you watched or accounts that were able to help you jump wholeheartedly into the wonderful world of build/buy mode?

thank you soooo much in advance <3

hi! i could go on and on about this topic so thanks for asking. last year i wrote about building here, if you recall. since that one was more about "vibe" maybe this one should be a little more technical? idk, i'm a dreamy creative so i'm sure this'll get emotional anyway lol.

i suggest picking a world or architectural style and let one inform the other. then research that style, look at floor plans and dive into pinterest for a while before you start building. if you don't already have one, get one and go collecting inspiration that you can reference later. here's mine, if you wanna check it out.

when landscaping i think about two key things: what style of gardening goes with this build (manicured, overgrown, minimal, etc) and i consider the trees and/or flowers i see in the world around my lot. i'll incorporate some to blend on and off-lot gardening. and i can't emphasize enough how important terrain painting is! in my opinion it really anchors everything down. for example, i paint all around and under landscaped areas, trees, the entire perimeter of the house/buildings, and anything else like pools, decks, driveways. it creates depth and makes it look like these things are really sprouting out of the ground. also paths! even if you don't have stones laid down, think about the routes sims will take to get from one place to another, like from the back porch to the pool, the marks little sneakers leave under the swing set when simmies play, from the mudroom to the trash bins by the garage. grass thins out and you'll see some dirt showing through regularly trodden routes, so paint those on to make the area look lived in.

the simpler the floor plan, the better. even if you pick a floor plan that's complicated, simplify it. you don't need a garage? remove it or convert it into something else. too many little rooms and hallways? open up those spaces or take them out entirely and push the necessary rooms you want to keep into that area. you'll find your builds will be much easier to play in this way and it won't take sims hours to get to the kitchen or up the stairs.

i have general dimensions for rooms that really work for me: kitchen 5x6, 6x6, 6x7 dining 4x5, 5x5, 5x6 living 5x6, 6x6, 6x7 half bath 2x2, 2x3 full bath 3x4, 4x4 owner's suite 5x6, 6x6 bedrooms 4x5, 5x5 hallways 2 spaces wide

maybe a bit tricky, but think about adding rooms in the roof. a play room, guest room, second living room, or office space. hell, even just an attic you can convert later as your family grows. when building attics, i'll lay out the roof design first and then see where i can build rooms inside. for easier gameplay you'll want to then break down the roof into sections so when you lower the walls you can see inside and the camera won't bounce around.

twistedmexi's TOOL mod is an absolute gamechanger and i highly recommend using it to expand your lot outside the lines. EA has decorated the world outside of your lot with fences and other features that suggest you can absolutely push things further. i'll setup whatever i want outside the lot inside my grid first and then move it all out together. i do this for play areas, picnic tables and umbrellas, firepits and seating. i'll put cars parallel parked on the road or in the driveway EA has provided. and don't forget about debug items like electrical poles, post boxes, bus stops, fire hydrants and other stuff you'd see around a neighborhood.

i'm subscribed to a handful builders on youtube that i'll watch from time to time. it's great to see what other folks are doing because this community is so creative and you'd be surprised the little tricks you'll pick up. these are some of my favorite builders: simproved, simsphony, plumbob kingdom, simcubeez, bojana sims.

if you have any more questions on specifics or want an actual tutorial on something, don't hesitate to ask! and that goes for anyone reading this very long-winded post. kudos if you made it this far!

[behind-the-veil-of-sanity]

I’ve never kept a diary, but I guess if I had, the entry for today would run something like this… September 5, 2024. It is summer again. Did summer actually ever leave? 21C and not a cloud in sight (teeny fib, the late afternoon turned hazy, but still warm). Shorts and T-shirt. Short socks in sneakers :D No response from real estate agent on web query. Wrote direct email re next possible viewing. Yay, a fast response! Viewing planned for today. In two hours time… find bus route and get there on time. Arrived on time, no agent in sight. Wait. Wait. Ah, eff it, I take a stroll around the property to get my bearings and make use of MY TIME! Apple trees, red and blackcurrant bushes. Nice. Pick up Newtonian apple (allowed!). Take a bite. Soft… pick a few red and blacks (don’t tell!). WHERE IS THE EFFIN AGENT??????? call agent. Auto response: can’t talk right now. What? Text agent: where are you, I’m here!!!! Out of town? Misunderstanding? Oh. Well yeah you didn’t spell that word right did you, but I also did not read that word properly. Next week you say. Okay. Fuck. (sneaks off the property hoping no one saw me). Now what? Stroll down the high street. Check out the local shops and dining places. Quaint, my final verdict of this village. Check bus time table, last bus an hour away. Hungry. Take aim at the local pizza place. 45 minutes later I roll out of the pizza place, one calzone and a beer lining my stomach. Buy orange fizz for desert (why? There wasn’t any coke!). Take last bus back home. Same driver as before. He recognised me… Get off bus, walk for 30 mins to get home, plus stopping off at the local grocery store. Note to self: always bring two bags for groceries. One bag makes life just so much harder. Arrived home. Sweating like a roasting pig. Huffing. Puffing. Watch warns me my pulse is too high for a sedentary position. Fuck #2. Feel stuffed two hours after pizza. Too much mozzarella I reckon. Also, too little tomato sauce. TV time. Watch TV. Time passes. The sun sets. Nice. Takes photo and posts to tumblr. TV. TV. Bang. Darkness. Power gone. Look out the window and realise the whole neighbourhood is dark. Get candles. Light candles. Get phone. Wait for cell service to be restored. Check power company website. Planned work? Power restored in 6 hours! The text to mum contains too many expletives to mention, but how the fuck can EON (electricity company) be allowed to run planned maintenance without telling their customers. Getting annoyed. Write complaint email to EON using even more colourful language. Press send. Feel no remorse. Fuck. (#3) I was supposed to enlist in the next uni course today. Today. The last day. But the power is off… I can access the computer with all the docs. Fuck (#3 still echoing in my head). Get phone out. 30% battery left. Might just work… Log on to Uni. Select course. Enlist. Proceed. Sorry? What? The online system can’t determine how much I’m supposed to pay cuz I’ve moved… BUT I DONT NEED TO PAY TODAY!!!!!! Contact Uni using web form. Write long explanations but try to ignore the frustration from the power fucking company idiot still bouncing in my head. Press send. Get automated reply immediately. Okay, that seemed to have gone to the wrong department. Try again. Contact student support. Sigh. Repeat the same info, adding a few extras and further queries. Press send. Fuck it. Walk to fridge. Open door. Get beer. Drink beer. Sigh. Gawd, I just feel the urge to whinge, into the void where no one can hear me. Huh, I know — Tumblr.

[mikimeiko]

Daytrip - To the lake! And the weather is good this time!

Ok, now that the weather is finally warm enough is time to go back to the lake and the hills/mountains! I'm staying in Lombardy today, and that means I get to use the Ioviaggio ticket, which is a day pass (or 2 days, or 3 days, or a week) that you can use on any regional train, every bus, every tram, every metro, some funiculars and even some lake ferries :3 (not today though) inside Lombardy (actually you can also get to a couple of places in Piedmont, Emilia Romagna and Veneto but only by train. Oh, and two cities in Switzerland! which is very amusing).

Am I going to describe every transport pass I use? Why yes, of course! It might make you want to come here and try them :D

First stop: Luino

I've been to Luino before, but this is the first time I see the historical town centre? The other times I must have stuck to the lakeside, but it is actually very pretty.

Luino is one of those eerie places that was clearly really prosperous at a certain point of history and then (slowly? all of a sudden?) lost its importance/status. The train station is huge and quite elegant, the newish part of the town and the lakeside are full of gorgeous art nouveau buildings, many of those former hotels now converted to other uses.

In 2019 I started a sort of project, an instagram page called Ognistazione that I hoped at some point to turn into a website, a combination of my wanderlust and my completionism: visiting every train station in Lombardy and see what you can find there (unofficial motto: there's always something to see), exploring railway lines one stop at a time. When the lockdown started I was only two stations short on my second line; the first thing I did when the three weeks from my second dose of vaccine were over was to go to those two stations and finish that line. Life was hectic at the time, and a few months passed before I started a new line, but still something was a little bit off and I keeping it up started to feel more like a chore than anything else. So it went on an indefinite hiatus (I briefly revived the page during last summer's train tour, though it was a little off topic).

But today, while I was on the train in a direction I hadn't traveled in a while, I actually felt like trying again. Because really, it's just this weird project that is not really about trains and it's not really about daytrips and it's not really about discovering hidden gems but it kinda is all of these things, and at the best of times it felt like a little nudge to get me on a train and wandering even when I thought I didn't have the energy so I don't know. Let's try again I guess.

(With some modifications, there were aspects that were unsustainable and I don't really care for unsustainability in my free time) (Also would anyone maybe be interested in a tumblr version? I'm not sure if it could work or how it could work but I could try!)

So north we go, to Pino sulla sponda del Lago Maggiore!

LOVE when you can see the water from the train platform.

I've been here once before and I kinda thought I'll never come back again because to get to the town from the train station you have to go up these:

(they continue for a while, this is just the first bit). I am a city dweller made of jello, going up stone stairs for any amount of time kills me every time and I hate it!

But the town is quite nice, and the view of the lake is ALMOST worth it.

Since I'm not dead after all, I decide to go to the next stop, Maccagno, which is luckily BY the lake and not OVER the lake.

I decided to go back via a different route, with a bus for Varese passing through the hills (there used to be a railway ;_; but as it happened to many smaller railways it was decommissioned in the 50s. In Ghirla there's still the old station building and they converted the platforms into bus stops).

It was a good idea because the route is very pretty. It was a bad idea because it picked up all the kids going home from school (WHY DO I ALWAYS FORGET THAT MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOL KIDS HAVE SCHOOL ON SATURDAYS).

Then I waited far too long at Varese train station, and I was cold and tired and sad, but then? The light got beautiful (:

[budgetcabservice]

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[walkswithmycamera]

Rapallo, Liguria ITALY

We're going to be train🚆hopping from Rapallo to Riomaggiore, the furthest village in the Cinque Terre national heritage park and steadily working our way back over the course of the day.

The main Cinque Terre villages aka the '5 Lands' are: Riomaggiore ➡️ Manarola ➡️ Corniglia (387 steps up from the station) ➡️ Vernazza ➡️ Monterosso

But, it hasn't all been plain sailing, so to speak...

---000---

HERE'S HOW WE ROLLED:

NOTE! External links (hightlighted in BLUE) open in the same window, I have to figure out how to resolve this - so PLEASE, use the Back Button on your browser to return to the post thread, or right click to open in a new tab or window. THANK YOU!

The weather forecast we received just a day before we were due to depart on our "Italian Escapade" hmmmm

An orange weather warning was in place for heavy rain, possible flooding and strong winds 🤐 all from the moment we arrived on French AND Italian soil 😭 Dammit, we'd planned long and hard for this trip - we hadn't accounted for flooding!

But, we were lucky… it was dry with pleasant temperatures when we arrived some 2 hours behind schedule at NCE airport 🇫🇷, which was excellent as we had a 20 minute walk to our hotel for the night.

Moving on to Genoa 🇮🇹 the next day by Flixbus we awoke to rain but by the time we'd had breakfast and shipped out of the hotel it was improving and had stopped fully before we reached the bus terminal at T1 NCE Airport.

It was a bit of a grey journey, as can be seen from the image below, but with some fabulous views of ravines and little picturesque French towns hugging the coastline were visible all the way from the high route road.

Next, a refuelling stop just after we passed through the tollbooths at Ventimiglia - WOW! See the image below...

And that wasn't all of it, the driver also put in almost 30 EUR from a second pump. We assumed it was a mixture, a bit like the 'old skool' way of mopeds having to have a measure of two stroke oil.

---000---

Immigration Officials boarded the coach at Ventimiglia, so passports or ID cards had to be produced.

The weather stayed dry through the remainder of the day, although not during the full bus journey - and we eventually reached Genoa at around 14:30hrs (2.30pm in the afternoon), still some 90+ minutes behind schedule owing to a late departure from the Flixbus terminal in Nice.

---000--- We had another overnight stay planned in a hostel closer to Brignole train station.

This meant taking a bus from the Genova Principe area, which was no easy task.

And yes, we finally did uncover the secret that you cannot purchase tickets from the bus driver - they had to be purchased either from a machine or a Tabac shop and each single ticket must be 'validated' in the machine as you board the bus. This was the most difficult part of our transport in and around Italy, as although many blogposts I'd read during the research for this particular trip, all referred to the 'validation' - not one person actually made clear what was involved in this particular process...

Basically, you stick one end of the ticket into the machine which date and time stamps it. The same applies for the majority of train tickets if you purchase card or paper tickets. Usually, there's an indictor line, which states you must keep the ticket to the left side of the slot when you insert it. Please be aware of the rules for your ticket - if inspectors board the train and you have not validated before boarding, you could receive a large fine!

The Bus and/or Metro ticket lasts for a duration of 110 minutes, which allows you to change to another en-route if necessary.

---000---

Meanwhile the next morning, the weather outlook was most definitely although slowly improving, as we made our way into Rapallo by train a little before lunchtime on this, our second full day after departing the UK from LPL John Lennon Airport on our easyJet flight.

Our stay in Rapallo at the Hotel Italia e Lido by the castle was booked for 5 nights and we were most pleased to find our room was ready even though we arrived a little earlier than the official check-in time. So, as the weather was definitely better than we anticipated from the forecast, we dumped our bags and headed to the bus station which we had passed on exiting the train station.

---000---

WE WERE OFF TO PORTOFINO!

We certainly weren't taking any chances that this part of the trip was going to be thwarted. As the saying goes 'make hay while the sun shines' meaning 'do it now.'

Two buses were required, the first being the number 707 from Rapallo to Santa Margherita Ligure (the next proper town) and from there another bus (I believe it was the 782) to Portofino. The cost came to €20 for the return journey for both of us.

Whilst having that drink along the small harbour front at Portofino, one of the waiters began to furl up the large umbrellas, as we watched a dark mist begin to form out of the bay over the Ligurian sea.

We were informed heavy rains were expected in around 20 minutes time, so it was a quick decision and we decided it was probably better to see if we could grab a bus back to the next town and if necessary, sit out the weather there...

But, upon checking out the rather long snake queue for the half hourly small Portofino bus back to Santa Margherita Ligure, we were looking at a 2 hour wait at the very minimum and although a couple of ladies we got chatting with said they were happy to share their taxi with us (when it eventually came), we gave up on the idea... Because every man and his dog were trying to flag down each passing taxi to escape before the threatened bad weather arrived.

So, we took the 5.5km footpath walking route which meanders partly up above the road and for the majority of the time, away from passing traffic.

You can see the route here on Rome2Rio website (our 'go to' for getting from A to B research), or check out the alternative options.

There is a ferry route (you will see the details through the Rome2Rio website link posted above), which runs between Rapallo, Santa Margherita Ligure and Portofino, but due to the predicted bad weather the last one had just headed out for the day and then, wasn't scheduled to run until the weekend due to strong winds approaching...

---000---

And, CINQUE TERRE?

We stuck to our guns and held our nerve for our last full day in Rapallo - we booked the rail tickets for the Cinque Terre part of our tour the day before - and awoke the next morning to this.

Exactly the kind of day we were holding out for!

Yes, we did make it to Cinque Terre - with a few hiccups on the way back, such as a delayed and then a cancelled train which made it a bit awkward getting back from Monterosso and Levanto - plus a little 'argy bargy' over the request for a bathroom break in a bar where they wanted us to order drinks first. Something we were perfectly happy enough to do and had already planned to do so, but they were holding us over a barrel and not pointing out where the mysterious bathroom was.... so we got up and left - after our drinks had been poured, but without touching them. Lots of shouting in our faces and arm waving, but we weren't having any of it.

More will follow on the Cinque Terre, once I've processed my images and thoughts....

Thanks for reading, Shell xx

[ourtriptoswedenandnorway]

Flam train and Nærøyfjord fjords

Sunday - 6/23/24

Logistically, today was complex from a transportation standpoint with many dependent legs— take a train to another train to a boat to a bus to another train. We needed to manage our time carefully today, and we did, because miss one of the connections and the whole process falls apart, and who knows where we would end up sleeping! But it all worked out and we woke up in Voss and went to sleep in Bergen.

Today we checked out of our hotel in Voss, but had them store our luggage for about 10 hours as we took the Flåm train and a two hour cruise on the fjords.

The first train we took was headed east from Voss back to Myrdal. We passed through Myrdal yesterday on the train, but didn’t stay there because it is only a train stop and doesn’t have acceptable accommodations.

So we got off the train in Myrdal and took a different train that was headed to Flam. In Norway the train from Myrdal to Flam is a famous train route, and they call it the “Flam Train”.

The Flam Train traverses 20 tunnels with stunning views of Norway’s landscapes, including mountainsides, cascading waterfalls, picturesque valleys and fjords. It descends 2,800 feet with a gradient of 1:18, one of the steepest in the world for a standard gauge railway. Completed in 1940, it is considered an engineering marvel.

Kjosfossen waterfall

Another waterfall

When we got to Flam there are a lot of tourists— most of whom were either on a 7 or 14 day tour of some sort or on a cruise ship. Before making our Flam train reservation, we researched how many cruise ships were due to be in Flam on the various days and booked our trip on a day when only one cruise ship was going to be in port.

Flam is built around tourism—plenty of places to spend money in overpriced gift shops and “cute” places to eat lunch. Even with only one cruise ship being in port, there were a lot of people there, most of them older, acting totally touristy. Since that is not our thing, we decide to go for a hike. We had about 3 hours before our cruise left, so we bought lunch and headed out on a hike to the old Flam church. It is a 2 to 2 1/2 hour hike out and back. The area around Flam is beautiful with lush greenery, steep mountains and waterfalls. After 5 minutes of walking we were out of all congestion and on an old country road that ran parallel to a beautiful river. We ended up stoping along the way to take pictures so never made it all the way to the old Flam church, but had a nice hike regardless.

Bridge used by locals for fishing,

At 3pm we boarded an electric catamaran and cruised for the next two hours through the Nærøyfjord fjords. The fjords is 10.5 miles long and at its narrowest it is 820 feet wide surrounded by steep mountains with snow covered peaks. Waterfalls cascade down the mountains with small villages dotted along the way. The Nærøyfjord fjords is a UNESCO World Heritage site and is considered one of the most beautiful fjords in the world.

When the boat docked in Gudvangen, we boarded a bus that went from Gudvangen back to Voss. At Voss, we went back to our hotel, which was next door to the train station, picked up our luggage, and took the 7:15pm train from Voss to Bergen. We sat on the north (right) side of the train, which had the best views.

Unfortunately due to our tight timeframe there was no opportunity to buy dinner before we got on the train, nor was there any food on the train to Bergen. When we arrived in Bergen it was late and we just bought survival sandwiches in the Bergen train station. We then went to our hotel and checked in. We are staying at Hotel Oleana, where we will be staying for the next four nights. It was a long day.

[alielahi]

Secret Revealed: Rent a Car for a Month for 300 Near You!

Do you often take the hopeless route of public transportation or you are forced to incur heavy expenses just to meet your short-term car hire needs? Can you believe this evil secret of renting a car for one month at a cost of only 300 a few blocks from you? Correct! It's the last title. Strap up and we move to this very practical guide which partially showcases the term long-term car rental on a budget.

1. Introduction

Picture this: whether it is about discovering new places or moving about freely and comfortably during any time of the day, inner-city bus services give you that feeling of not going ready for a hospital billing by the moment you go out of your house. Through our eyes, let this be a symbolic dream. Now, instead of keeping the dream alive, we choose to bring it into existence. This is the very article where we will expose the hidden truth about Rent a Car for a Month for 300 Near Me, which you can find very fast in your area.

2. What is the reason for renting a Car for a Month?

Convenience with a Click of a Mouse.

It would be awesome to have your own wheels, and this feeling will last for a whole month. No longer do you have to worry when the bus comes or spend a huge amount on taxi. With a lease to car, the comfort is just the distance, it is yours.

3. The Advantages of Extended Vehicle Leasing

Cost-Effectiveness

Long-term car rentals not only provide considerable cost savings when compared to daily or weekly rentals but also over time reduce the required maintenance. Now you need only pay a small down payment per month which will avail you longer periods with rates that are discounted when compared with owning your own car.

Flexibility

Don't even think about commanding your vehicle to behave well-disciplined and drive very little Every time you rent a car that way, you are free to drive however much you want and whenever you like. It is your rarely used possession when it is best for you.

4. Where can you locate the most inexpensive car rentals on a monthly basis?

Local dealerships and rental agencies

Initiating the search, by visiting local dealerships and rental companies should be your first step. A lot of companies have discounts on their monthly or multi-month rentals, especially when there is less demand.

Online Platforms and Smartphone Apps

But at the same time, overlook the capacity of online platforms and apps as well. With many platforms including Greatdubai.com and apps like Turo, it is easy for you to get people. They offer seats to rent out their vehicles at prices that are hard to beat.

5. Guidelines for Bagging the Best Deal

Compare Prices

Go to different rental companies to get the best deal on a rental car price. Do not stop at the first deal you will come across. Spend some time looking for a deal that is within your budget and that meets your necessities.

Negotiate Terms

Don't be scared to negotiate the terms of your lease, especially if you're dealing with lessors. In case you are successful in negotiating you may be able to pay a lower rate or receive extra benefits.

6. Familiarizing oneself with the Terms and Conditions

Study the small print carefully.

Although it may seem tedious, before signing any rental agreement ensure you read the small print thoroughly. Take considerations such as a mileage restriction. Moreover, make sure that insurance coverage and cancellation of early termination are included.

7. The step-by-step processes of extending your rental period

Plan Ahead

In case you need to extend your rental period, don't wait till the last moment and inform the rental agency or landlord at least several days before the due date. Late extension of your rental for a day or two may cost you a higher fee.

8. The involvement of spare parts and insurance payouts.

Maintenance Responsibility

If you are renting, your rental agreement will usually cover basic maintenance. However, it is also necessary to point out who is within the scope of serious repairs and maintenance when you rent a house or apartment.

Insurance Coverage

Make sure to have comprehensive insurance which covers you sufficiently before driving. Insurance can be obtained either through the rental agency or through your provider, that is, depending on the case; you should be guaranteed in the event of any accident or damage.

Ensure yourself and is the best experience and get it now!

In whatever way you go about using the car- work week commutation, weekend trips, or longer trip travels, make sure you exhaust its capabilities to the fullest to extract maximum value. Plan your trips in a way that you end up reserving most of the time for yourself and simply enjoy having your own car.

9. Best Budget Cars for Monthly Leasing.

In a scenario when you want to rent a car for one month on a budget, you would need to select the right vehicle. This would decide the entire renting process. Here are the top contenders. They offer affordability without compromising quality.

Renault Koleos

Renault Koleos is definitely one of the stylish and very practical SUV cars that are great for long rentals. A very comfortable and smooth driving experience also secures the car for both city and freeway rides, thanks to its generous interior space and efficient engine. Unlike the studio or 1-bedroom apartments, this 2-bedroom unit is distinctively built with its state-of-the-art equipment and high seating capacity. It has become a household name among renters who wish to derive value, quality, and diversity.

Nissan Armada

To enlarge the Nissan Armada s capacity and power, it is an incredible alternative with which to rent it monthly. The size of this SUV delivers a spacious cabin, lots of room for luggage, and outstanding towing capacity, which make it ideal for long family trips or adventuring in the wilderness. Armada in spite of its size, the Armada offers a quiet and comfortable ride, in which can be put forward as a practical and realistic choice, especially in long-term rentals.

Nissan Versa

The Nissan Versa is the right option for you if having an affordable monthly rental takes the first position in the priority list. Compared with other cars in this category, this sedan is designed to offer the best balance between the price of rental, high fuel efficiency as well as a bigger and more comfy cabin. Surprisingly, the Versa might not be as small as it appears. It has enough space for the passengers to stretch their legs in the cabin, and the space in the trunk is not limited at all. The Versa coming in at a low price and having been proven to be dependable stands as a great choice for budget tenants.

10. Tips for Maintaining Your Rental Vehicle

Regular Maintenance Checks

To ensure a smooth rental, you must do regular maintenance checks on your vehicle. This will make the rental hassle-free. Keep an eye on fluid levels, tire pressure, and the vehicle's condition. This will prevent issues during your rental.

Safe Driving Practices

Take care of your rental car as if it were your own by practicing safe driving habits. Avoid aggressive driving, too much speeding, and sudden braking. These things reduce wear on the vehicle and the risk of accidents or damage.

11. Exploring Additional Rental Options

Upgrade Opportunities

Consider upgrading your rental vehicle to a higher trim level or a different model if your budget allows. An upgrade can give you access to more features. It also brings more comfort and better performance. This will improve your rental experience.

Specialty Vehicles

Explore special rentals for unique experiences. These include luxury cars, sports cars, and eco-friendly vehicles. These options may cost more. But, they can add excitement and convenience to your rental. This makes them worth considering for special or memorable trips.

13. Conclusion

No hurry on buying a dedicated vehicle as well as pricey short-term rent are a thing of the past. The secret is out, so you can now borrow a car for an hour, 300 dirhams cost and it is in your neighborhood. Do not worry about expensive running costs, owning your own car can bring you the joy of being in control of your transportation. Take the first step and embark on a new surreal adventure, full of wonders and thrills!

To finalize, affordable day-to-day car rentals provide access to an ever-increasingly convenient practice at considerable costs due to their flexible nature. Doing what the tips and conditions in this guide, require you to equip yourself for a month's exploration that will make you confident as you start.

Then, there it was the rest of the sentence: Therefore, stop stalling. The day you get your driver’s license, it can be tempting to just cruise around town without a care in the world.

11. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q1: Is there any agency out there that offers a car for a whole month for just AED 300? Can I get in touch with them?

Admittedly, you can come across cheap long-term car rental options, starting from AED300 monthly, on the premises of local dealerships, rental agencies, or on online platforms as long as you are creative.

Q2: Are there any secret payments for periods longer than the agreed-upon term?

Whilst some leases may feature added fees that could be the result of mileage overages or late return charges, asking for a written of all terms and conditions of the lease could be very helpful in order to not have any similarity.

Q3: Can you nominate a longer rent period if the need comes?

Indeed, overwhelmingly rental businesses and most individuals let their customers prolong the rental for additional time. But, you'll be wise enough to avoid any nuisances by communicating in advance.

Q4: Is the entity responsible for the repair if the vehicle packed in while I was in management?

When an incident occurs, the first action is to contact the rental company or owner so that they will get the required assistance. The exact scenario will depend on the terms of your agreement in which case, they will either offer you a replacement car for use or effect necessary repairs.

Q5: Is insurance included in what we pay for the house?

The rental agreement might cover you with basic insurance coverage, but be sure you find out the limit of coverage before you hire. Weigh the supplementary insurance as part of making certain that you have a calm state of mind.

REFERENCE

[dsandrvk]

Thursday, February 22 - Ushuaia

It rained pretty hard overnight here and when we woke up, there was fresh snow on the mountains behind Ushuaia. The temperature had also dropped significantly and our high was 15 degrees lower than yesterday. But it was still a great day to get out and stretch our legs a bit.

We were able to visit four places in Tierra del Fuego National Park. While we would have loved to spend more time at each, there was really no other practical way to get out there, except by tour or taxi. There is a bus, but it runs so infrequently that it just isn't practical. As it was, our little van of 14 guests was able to see a lot more than the large buses, and spend more time at each stop.

The first stop was the end of route 3, which is also the end of the Pan-American highway. From here one can see out to the Beagle Channel and Chile beyond. I did wonder whether the one message board for the park had anything on it before it got covered in stickers!

We also went to the post office at the end of the world (actually the end of the pier) and got postcards, which we had stamped. We could have mailed something, but the person in front of us sent off 2 cards, and the price was $24. We decided to just bring ours home. Another gal had her actual passport stamped and it must have been from some place special as the clerk pulled out a bottle of Scotch and a shot glass for a toast! Our passports were still on the ship from arriving back in Argentina and then going on to the Falklands, so that wasn't an option.

By the time we finally got back to Ushuaia, they had the "Ushuaia" letter sign blocked off for a ceremony with a lot of military. We think they are Peruvian navy, as the red vessel in the second picture came by us in the morning, blasting military music and carrying the Peruvian flag. It is an extremely well kept-up ship, too, and looked freshly painted.

The flags of Argentina and Tierra del Fuego are also seen everywhere. Our guide was explaining to us that the blue on the latter flag represents the Beagle Channel, the red-orange is the fire, the white in between is an albatross, and the stars represent not only the Southern Cross, but also the islands that comprise Tierra del Fuego, including Las Malvinas (the Falklands). Argentina just won't get over the fact that they lost that war and the islands never really were theirs. But the slogan "las Malvinas son Argentinas" is everywhere, even on buses and trains in Buenos Aires. Ever hopeful.

We wandered around town for a while, but with two larger cruise ships and three smaller ones in port, it was plenty crowded and by now the wind was about 25mph, and the temperature was a balmy 41 degrees or so, so we were motivated to spend our last pesos and get back. We spent a little time watching all the ships getting reprovisioned - in our case for a very long voyage. After we leave the ship in Cape Verde, it will continue and the next port that will be of any size will be Malaga, Spain, a couple of weeks after we disembark. I really don't know if they can reprovision in Cape Verde. We briefly considered a visit to the outdoor hotel tubs, but the winds were blowing sideways to the ship, and we were worried our robes would wind up in the Channel.

We had our safety orientation, and an introduction to the expedition staff (we have added a few birding types, and some new lecturers), and had a hosted table with one of the submarine pilots. We had a lively group and thoroughly enjoyed our evening. Since there was nothing too special for entertainment, we decided instead to get a good night's sleep. Many of the new folks aboard have been up since 4AM or so, so they don't tend to do much the first evening.

Tomorrow is a sea day as we head towards the Falklands. Our first day there will be on a couple of uninhabited islands, and that should be a treat.

[researchprojectpiotrgacmenga]

In Regards to The Uncanny

11/09/2023

I first researched the theory of the uncanny a few years ago as part of some additional context for one of my second year units. At the time I struggled to fully understand the definition and concept, merely understanding it as a feeling of distress from things that we are scared of, similar to a phobia. However, while looking for a word to describe my work, in which I recontextualised and manually manipulated parts of my hand to create paintings that left the viewer questioning what they were looking at, I stumbled upon this word again, the uncanny. Two years on, and many essays later, I have devised my own outlook on the theory and its impact on the arts. Just like Sigmund Freud explained, I understand the uncanny as a feeling of discomfort from something we believe to be familiar, yet new to us. A perfect example of this is déjà vu, where we recollect the exact events happening in front of us happening in the past to the most minute detail. The sounds, the smells and even sometimes the experience of déjà vu itself. While this can seem uncomfortable at first, this feeling comes to us with a certain curiosity and a yearning for more. One of the closest thing I can compare this phenomenon to is the enjoyment and thrill of watching a horror film. We anticipate the fright is coming with a reluctance to watch the screen, yet some part of us enjoys this fright and we can’t stop ourselves from looking on. I believe this is one of the reasons why we are drawn to the uncanny.

The uncanny takes many other forms, these including:- viewing an inanimate object with the belief that it is animate, the feeling of being watched by something, fearing the dark and what could lurk in it, noticing a repetition or pattern in events or objects(physical and psychological), believing something that is dead could come alive, viewing an object in a brand new context or location, the inability to escape a given place(walking in circles), telepathy, the feeling that you have met someone before, seeing your double, …

Over my summer break, I experienced something I immediately categorised as uncanny. To make a long story short, all the access routes from my village into the city centre were closed off for the weekend and I had to walk 2 hours instead of getting the bus I get on every day. This laborious task was already causing me great discomfort until I reached a part of the bus route I had never walked through. The sensation of being at eye level on the street, rather than on the top deck of the bus, surrounded by glass, was surreal. I found myself losing my footing and occasionally even spacing out to the point where the world around me went silent, which was aided by the uncannily quiet road. I felt like I was walking in third person. A second experience that comes to mind was in The Schoolhouse for the Sacred Spaces exhibition. As soon as I stepped through the door of the building I felt a strange feeling of discomfort that seemed to elevate when walking through the old staircases and corridors of the building. As evening creeped closer, this feeling got stronger. The darkness outside, contrasted the yellow tinged lights of the building, reminding me of times in my own school, yet I was never there this late? Was this a return of repressed feelings just like Freud believed?

One of the main reoccurring themes in my practice is my hand. Why does it hold such a special place in my subconscious?

[alianoralacanta]

I know Sheffield well (having attended the University of Sheffield for a degree, Sheffield College for some other courses and participated in a research study at Sheffield Hallam), so I can give you some background to that part of the equation. (Please bear in mind that I've never been to Exeter, so @valyrfia 's perspective is needed to counterbalance this).

Firstly, both are worthwhile options for the right student. Secondly, which Sheffield university? The University of Sheffield and Sheffield Hallam are very different - and students will get upset if you mix up the two (if you don't know, just say "Sheffield" - the Hallam students reliably specify they are from Hallam). The answers below will distinguish between the two where relevant. Also, never say "Sheffield University" as if it was a title, unless you want to confuse everyone. For the points @valyrfia addresses: - There are airports close to Sheffield, they're just not big. For the sort of airport where there's a good choice of international flights, you're looking at Manchester (45 minutes by car, or get a direct train) or East Midlands Airport (also about 45 minutes by car, but more variable due to M1 traffic jams, or get the train/bus to Chesterfield and then catch a bus to East Midlands Airport). Bonus: Donington Park, the UK's second-best motor sport venue in my opinion, is the bus stop before East Midlands Airport. (Parenthetically: never attempt to go to East Midlands Airport via East Midlands Parkway station, unless one has the means to use a taxi to do the rest of the route. I tried it once and got spectacularly lost). - London is 2 hours and 3 minutes away by train. There is a direct train there, with East Midlands Railway, which is one of the most reliable and among the cheapest train operators in the country. You will struggle to get there faster in a car. - Related to this, there is a minor commuting culture (which is stronger at Sheffield Hallam, but the University of Sheffield also has it). Students can and do find somewhere to live on a bus or train route that connects to Sheffield (I've known people do this from Barnsley, Dronfield, Chesterfield and Derby, with Doncaster, Manchester, Ilkeston and Nottingham being plausible), and then go to the university on days when they have classes. Thankfully, there's enough to do that even they usually get involved in the extracurriculars - and the majority of students will be in student dorms or in shared accommodation within Sheffield. - Both universities in Sheffield have a substantial international intake. Neither has much time for airs, graces or ostentatious displays of wealth. If you see a contactless signet ring, it was probably someone in the University of Sheffield's Not Only Dungeons and Dragons group making one to go with their campaign or something like that. On the other hand, you also won't see large numbers of obvious working-class students - in Sheffield, the upper working class and lower middle class tend to merge into each other, and the rest of the working class would typically start in Sheffield College's UC Sheffield (which offers several courses that can be topped up to degree level) or leave the city to start their degrees, due to the price. - At the time I was there, the University of Sheffield had the most student clubs in the country (it's probable somewhere else has that title now). There are considerably fewer at Sheffield Hallam. A lot of students in both places are in some sort of sports club. Most of them don't care whether you are a total beginner or internationally competitive, they have a strong intramural competition every year and they are quite a presence in the student night out scene. The clubs include a Formula First team. That said, many people don't go anywhere near the sports and have a good time. Many students will join multiple clubs and find time to fully participate in all their selected ones alongside their studies. - Rents in the city of Sheffield are high. Especially since a lot of the student accommodation is in the west of the city, meaning one is competing with other students. This is one reason why commuting is popular. (If you are in a position to rent somewhere that is not in Sheffield and commute in, you will almost certainly get better value for money).

Hi sorry I’m not sure if I remember this right but I think you’ve mentioned before that you’re British (I might be misremembering that, sorry 😭) but I was wondering if you could help me out? I’m applying for uni in the UK and I need to decide if my final option is going to be Exeter or Sheffield, and I don’t know anyone at all who’s gone to either one of those 😭😭 Do you have any opinions on these two cities and universities?

I went to uni in the UK yes! I know Exeter better than Sheffield but I’d say to check which is better for your course and which better suits your needs (ie. do you want to be close to an airport? to London? do you value more light in winter?)

Re: uni vibes Exeter has a reputation for being very….rah. It’s not as bad as Durham (hiss hiss) but is a uni that a lot of private school kids go to if they didn’t get into Oxford. Which, I don’t know your situation it might be your scene! But it is something to bear in mind. I’ve heard of contactless signet rings being sighted in Exeter.

Sheffield I know less well since I’ve only been through the city once briefly. It’s very close to Leeds and Manchester which are both major cities, whereas Exeter’s closest city is probably Bristol and is further away. Both are surrounded by beautiful countryside and to be honest, uni is what you make it. Check clubs and societies at the unis and rent prices in each city and see whether you can see yourself living there. And go with your gut. I had a place at Imperial and then went through clearing because I decided I actually couldn’t live in London and the place I ended up I LOVED and ended up bizarrely being a lot better for my career (even if my parents thought I was crazy for giving up Imperial).

Also you said it’s your fifth choice so at the end of the day really go with your initial gut in this one, this is just a back up plan anyway!

[carpetcleaning143]

Baltimore's Famous Landmarks

Introduction

Baltimore, MD is a city rich with history and culture, and it's also home to some of the most famous landmarks in America. Whether you're visiting or have lived here your entire life, there are plenty of iconic places to see and visit that can't be missed! Whether it's the nation's capital or something as simple as a museum, there are so many amazing things to see in this city that will get you excited about visiting Baltimore again (or maybe even moving here).

The Star-Spangled Banner Flag House

The Star-Spangled Banner Flag House is a historic museum in Baltimore, Maryland. It was the home of Mary Pickersgill, who made the flag that inspired Francis Scott Key's poem "Defence of Fort M'Henry". The house was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1960 and is now operated as a museum by the National Park Service.

The house was built around 1830 by John Stewart and purchased by Mary Pickersgill in 1841. She expanded it to include second-floor living quarters over time; during this period she made flags for ships using cotton imported from South Carolina and Europe as well as wool from local sheep farms. The original Star Spangled Banner Flag was sewn for Fort McHenry after being commissioned by Commodore Joshua Barney; Barney asked Pickersgill to make another one because he liked it so much (the first one survived until 1873).

The Washington Monument

The Washington Monument is a 555 feet tall obelisk that stands in the National Mall. It was built to honor George Washington, who was president of the United States from 1789 to 1797. The monument was designed by Robert Mills and completed in 1829.

It is currently closed for repairs after a 5.8 magnitude earthquake caused damage to it on August 23rd, 2011

The Nation's Capital Trail

The Nation's Capital Trail is a 200-mile bike path that runs from Washington D.C. to Cumberland Maryland, following the Potomac River for much of its length. The trail is part of the American Discovery Trail and is used by cyclists and hikers as well as horseback riders. It's possible to do it in sections or all at once if you have time on your hands!

Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine

Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine is a historic site in Baltimore, Maryland. It is located on Whetstone Point near the mouth of Baltimore Harbor and was built to replace Fort Whetstone (built in 1776). The fort was named after James McHenry, Secretary of War under President George Washington during the American Revolution.

It was here that Francis Scott Key wrote "The Star-Spangled Banner", which became the national anthem in 1931. In 1814 during the War of 1812 between Britain and America, British warships attacked Fort McHenry for 25 hours straight with cannonballs but failed to breach its defenses; this inspired Key's writing. Today you can visit this monument through guided tours or self-guided audio tours by downloading them from their website (see below). There are also exhibits inside where you can learn more about what happened during those 25 hours when Francis Scott Key penned his famous words about our flag being still there waving proudly over us all!

If you're interested in learning more about other landmarks nearby then look no further than Charm City Circulator Bus Route 15A which stops right outside Fort McHenry's entrance gate every day except Sundays when they're closed due to budget cuts due to too much money spent repairing the damage done by Hurricane Irene last year."

National Aquarium in Baltimore

The National Aquarium is a non-profit organization dedicated to the conservation of aquatic life. It was founded in 1981 by Robert J. Sullivan and David A. Rubenstein, who together raised $2 million dollars to open their first location at the Inner Harbor in Baltimore, Maryland, United States. The aquarium currently has three locations: one at the Inner Harbor (opened on October 1st) and two others located on Pier 4 Park in downtown Baltimore along with its exhibit "Aquatic Animal Health Center" where they treat sick or injured animals; as well as another one known as National Aquarium - Camden Yards which opened on April 18th, 2016 featuring only freshwater fish species from North America including those who live within Chesapeake Bay Watershed area

Laura Village

Laura Village is a historic village in the city of Baltimore, Maryland. It was named after the wife of Charles Carroll of Carrollton, one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence. The village is part of a larger area known as "Carrollton", which was platted by his son Charles Carroll Jr., who owned much land in Baltimore County at that time. The village consists mostly of 19th-century homes, many built with stone quarried from nearby Jones Falls Valley (now part of Druid Hill Park).

Yorktown

Yorktown is a historic town in Virginia, located on the York River. It was the site of the Battle of Yorktown, which ended the American Revolution. The Colonial National Historical Park and several other sites are located there and makeup it one of America's most visited tourist destinations.

Conclusion

Baltimore has many landmarks to visit and explore. Whether you're looking for the best places to see in Baltimore or want some fun activities to do with family and friends, we've got it covered!

Carpet Cleaning

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[squishneedsahero]

Maybe It Isn’t all Bad

Awesomest of Them All 2.0

Part 2 of 13

Word Count: 1714

Batman x Batmom!Reader

You know what the bat family needs? Someone to pull them together and give them all the love they deserve. Who better to do that than you? An author rising to stardom in Gotham who catches the eye of a billionaire with your standoffish attitude at a huge social gathering. You are yourself and never pretend to be more or less than that. Plus you're the most stubborn person in the world, refusing to let good things go without reason.

This is a rewrite of my story Awesomest of Them All, I wanted to see how much I've improved over 3 years.

It had been two months since you published your book, and it had taken off. Tons of people loved it and even more had read it. Because of this you were suddenly a popular public figure of Gotham, and of course like all other public figures you were invited to one of the many galas that happen in this city. You hated it. You, y/n l/n the nobody who lived in a shabby apartment and just happened to get lucky with your book. What you wouldn't give to go back to being a nobody so you could spend your Friday night watching Netflix alone on your couch.

Unfortunately you weren't sure how the snobby rich people,who thought they were better than everyone else, would take you rejecting their invitation the first of probably many. But this was a charity gala hosted by Bruce Wayne: play boy, billionaire, and one of the few people present that seems somewhat genuine even if you didn't think he had a single thought behind his eyes. So maybe it wasn't all bad cause all the rich people were donating to charity and Bruce usually made sure the money went somewhere good.

You had worn an elegant gown, preferring it to the ones that let your ass hang out the bottom. The dress was fabulously elegant and made you feel like a queen. You had paired it with your your highest high heels, stilettos that you could stab someone with if it came down to it. So far the night had been filled with pointless conversations and lots and lots of introductions, all while dancing a waltz.

Lets be honest you won't remember most of the new people you had met, you could've met the Queen of England and not have known it. You didn't remember not because you had been drinking, even if you had thought about it many times, but because there were so many people that wanted to get you and your new found popularity under their thumb and gain through you.

You had finally gotten a break by standing by the buffet table and eating the food they seemed to be letting go to waste. If nothing else you would singlehandedly make sure the food didn't get wasted. You kept trying to think of an excuse to go home, but so far couldn't think of anything. Your planning was interrupted when yet another person came up to you, except his face is somewhat familiar. "Hi," you say after you hurriedly swallow a bite of food.

"Hello, Miss (y/n) (l/n)," he begins, knowing your name but you not knowing his, "may I have this dance?" He asks, great another dance luckily you were used to being on your feet thanks to waitressing otherwise you'd be worried about them falling off with all this meaningless dancing. Why couldn't rich people be more fun with their dancing, most of them were white, playing some pop songs, and the Cupid Shuffle could only make things better.

"Yes, Mister..." you pause as you try to place him, you know you know him but you'd seen so many faces like that tonight that it was a blur.

"Wayne," He finishes for you.

"I'd love to dance with you Mr.Wayne," you lie through that smile that was plastered to your face. You offer your hand and wish desperately you had taken your chance to escape when you'd had it only moments before.

He takes the hand you offer to him and leads you out to the dance floor, waltzing yet again, at least you didn't have to lead cause you had no idea what you were doing. "My son read your book," he begins, trying to start up a friendly conversation, "he's keeps trying to convince me to read it."

"That's nice," you respond awkwardly, what were you supposed to do? Try to convince him to read it too? Hell no, you are not going to act like an airhead and promote yourself.

"He doesn't know that I've already read it," Bruce says. You laugh before you can stop yourself, you almost apologize but he laughs as well. "I enjoyed reading it, it was very well written." Maybe he did actually have real thoughts in his head unlike how the media portrayed him.

"Thank you," you say a slight blush making is way onto your cheeks. He was quite attractive after all and here he was complimenting you. The smile on your lips becomes more genuine as the two of you continue dancing, making light conversation, and surprisingly it was quite enjoyable.

Before you know it the party is over. And you'd spent almost half of it dancing with one man. "Thank you for the dance."

"It was my pleasure," he says, and you find yourself blushing for the millionth time that night. Maybe these parties weren't all bad, you'd found a friend you could have intelligent conversations with after all.

You find yourself invited to almost every gala that happens in the city over the next few months and every time Bruce is there the two of you spend most of the time dancing and talking with each other. The conversations between the two of you are pleasant, covering many topics, and most importantly they aren't meaningless like all the other conversations you were forced into at galas.

Bruce would get your opinion on things such as how the money he got for charity should be spent since you had been more recently living among the people he was trying to help. Like you weren't bad off by any means but you hadn't owned a car, relying on bus routes to get around the city and working 40+ hours a week to keep your head above water. You had been better off than many in Gotham but you had been closer to the poverty than Bruce had, even considering his night job. The fact that he genuinely cared and wanted your opinion amazed you. He was the first and probably only friend you made among the one percent at those parties.

Of course the two of you didn't only talk business, other more casual subjects came up. The two of you bonding over having dead parents, even if he was more traumatized and your wounds more recent. Then talking about school and how you had decided to skip college in order to pursue writing while he had been homeschooled then traveled the world instead of college, not that either of you were too old for college though. He was was 23-24, still young despite having adopted an 8 almost 9 year old and you were close to the same age as him.

The both of you being young, and single, did lead the two of you to have more than a friendship but that was after nearly a year of just talking at galas. Okay a year of just talking was a lie. It was probably only six months before the two of you found yourselves out in a garden and shared your first kiss. But it was an entire year before he finally asked you out, claiming it was a dare from Dick and to ease the pressure of the press.

You of course called him on those lies and pointed out the fact that there had not been a single other woman in his life since the two of you met. And said the only way you'd go out with him was if he'd, "just admit you like me." Needless to say he did.

That was part of the reason that he was so attracted to you. Despite what he knew about you from the one day he saved you from Joker, you were just unafraid to be yourself. You had never pretended or tried to pretend to fit in at the galas. You'd never been afraid to call him on his shit, even if it had risked your one friendship that made those galas bearable.

To your surprise when you had called him a dumbass for thinking it was acceptable to give a 9 year old unlimited access to the internet he laughed and said you were probably right. Then for some reason he thought it was a good idea to ask you for parenting advice and you told him that was a worse idea. You had less of an idea how to be a parent than he did, the only reason a 9 year old shouldn't have unlimited internet access was because he was a bit young to already get unrealistic expectations from porn. Mainly you had no idea, it just felt weird to turn a kid loose on the internet but then again you'd been a kid who ate mud and called it fun.

So, all the talking and asking opinions and just spending a ton of time together leads to Bruce asking you out. The press saw this coming from miles away and caught you both on your date, not that they didn't have pictures of the two of you hiding from people on a balcony. But an actual date?!? Amazing! All the internet fans were happy for you, the paparazzi loved you and would do anything to get pictures of the two of you.

The two of you became Gotham's it couple overnight but the best thing about it was that it was real. Both of you were blatantly honest, calling each other out when needed and defending each other at other moments. There were no secrets between the both of you and you wouldn't trade that for anything. It was amazing to you that you had finally found a man who saw you as his equal and if anything he was a man known for being a womanizer.

So that's how it all started, in the space of a year the two of you fell in love and were head over heels for each other. Dick played match maker every chance he got, since he adored you for some odd reason. And of course, when you finally met him Alfred approved of you and Bruce being together, the one person able to call him on his shit and have him listen. It was a miracle that Alfred had thought he'd never love to see.

[losolvidad0s]

Culebra, A. Reyes

Summary: When you learn of EZ’s DEA deal, your relationship with Angel is put on the line. 

warnings: swearing, a n g s t 😩 

word count: 1.7K

a/n: hi everyone! I am slowing jumping back into the writing groove so here is an angsty Angel Reyes fic that made my heart crack right down the middle, wahhh. Love my emo baby Angel. Enjoy! Thank you for +350 followers!

taglist: @cind-in-real-life  @kchavez666  @dearsamcrobae  @courtrae89 @cocotheclown  @brattyfics  @gemini0410  @angelreyesgirl  @jasmine10128  @briana-mishell24   @starrynite7114 @est1887  @joannasteez​  @amorestevens​  @bidenbussy​  @empireroyals​ (please let me know if you would like to be added or removed!)

(gif belongs to @haydenpanettieres ✨)

“Please, EZ, tell me this is some kind of sick joke.”

EZ looks at you with soft eyes, a defeated expression painted over his face as he remains stoic. If there was a chance this was a prank then you’d just wait til the boyish grin forms on his lips but that never comes. He brings his hands to hold the front of his kutte, a defense mechanism of his. 

A heaviness settles in your chest and the pit of your stomach as his words begin to replay in your mind. He tries to give you an apologetic look as you process everything. After a few moments, the worry turns into frustration then quickly to anger.

“I made a deal with the Drug Enforcement Administration that got my sentence reduced to half by becoming a part of the Mayans MC to get Intel on the Galindo Cartel.”

Your hands push against EZ’s chest, which he wasn’t expecting, causing him to stumble back. The shoves keep coming the angrier you get. “Y/N, stop.” He tries to get ahold on your wrist to stop you but the adrenaline fuels you to be quicker than him for a brief moment.

Eventually, he is able to grasp and hold your wrist steady between the two of you and as you try to break free, you cry out. “How could you? How could you do that to him? Why, EZ?!” The break in your voice when you scream his name makes him let go and step back. Your face now wet with tears, voice well on its way to becoming hoarse. 

“I had to, it was the only way. If I didn’t then..”

You scoff, “Then what? You’d have to finish your sentence? You choose to hurt your brother rather than finishing YOUR sentence that you got YOURSELF into? How selfish of you. You disgust me!” Your shoulder harshly collides with his as you walk off.

When EZ had asked to grab dinner, you didn’t expect it to end this way. After getting a bite to eat at a favorite food truck, he took a different route back to Angel’s apartment, saying he needed a friend. You thought it could be him needing to talk about how things have been hectic in the MC. Being a prospect and all.

“Y/N.” He calls out to you as you walk away from him in the darkness, you don’t go very far though. You feel defeated knowing all of this is only going to end one way, Angel’s heart being broken. You slowly turn back, “He’s gonna hate me.” Your voice barely above a whisper.  

This relationship with Angel has been a rocky one. It’s been on and off for the past year but when EZ was released from prison and began prospecting for the MC it somehow helped Angel to establish a foundation with you, opening his eyes in some way. He saw how loyal you were to him and that you were the only constant. But with this, that could jeopardize it all.

EZ watches you as a million thoughts run through your mind. He can see that you’ve been holding your breath for sometime now, “You can’t tell him.” You couldn’t believe you were saying it. Whose side are you on anyways? Would this be considered fraternizing with the enemy by asking him to keep quiet? 

His brows crease as he steps forward, “Whaddaya mean, Y/N? I have to, eventually. The DEA, they need intel and I don’t know how much longer I can keep this under the radar without risking someone getting caught under the bus. Me or them.”

“EZ, this will break him beyond repair. I can’t lose him to this. I worked very hard to get him to want me the way he does now. And the second he realizes I knew, I’m dirt to him. I can’t have that. So no, don’t tell him. You can figure out a way to keep this under water while still holding up your end of the bargain.” You plead to him, having moved closer. He searches your eyes and gently nods. A small smile appears on your lips as a rugged breath breaks through. EZ wraps his arms around you as you cry.

For a while, you thought this could all work out. It was going so well that you almost forgot about all of it. Then came the night where Angel mentioned something unexpected came up with the MC and that he’d be off the radar til the next day. It didn’t come off as worrisome with you as you’ve gotten used to these kinds of things. But then came the following morning. 

You were making your way to Angel’s apartment, surprising him with breakfast. As you go to knock the door opens and a visibly angry Angel is standing there, a pile of your clothes bundled in his arms. “Angel?”

“Ah. perfect timing, here.” He drops it at your feet with force and disappears into the apartment. You stand through shocked for a moment before stumbling over the clothes to follow him. You call out his name as you set down the bag and two coffees.  

He appears once again, more clothes and your bathroom bag. He flies it towards you, you trying to catch it but failing to. You have no idea what’s going on. But he mumbles something under his breath. Culebra. As if the air in the room suddenly begins to run out, barely any left to breath it hits you all at once. Angel continues to drop things at your feet.

“Angel…” You begin but he stops in front of you, his towering figure making you peer up at him. He starts to move towards you, an instinct of yours to keep out of harm's way and in this instant harm seems to be Angel. “Baby, talk to me.”

He bites his bottom lip, letting out a low chuckle, “I got nothing to say to you. In fact, it’s almost like when you had nothing to say to me. Boy scout and pops, I could see that coming. But you? Keeping a secret like that from me. For 2 fucking weeks?”

The venom is dripping off his tongue with hurt gleaming in his eyes.

You attempt to reach out and touch him, you being a physical lover rather than a verbal kind, but he pushes it away, “I trusted you, I opened my life to you despite being sketched out to do but I fucking did but you! You’re the one who can’t even be honest with me. It was always ‘It’s Angel’s fault, you dig yourself in these holes, Angel. Be real with me, Angel.’ But look, my own fucking girlfriend.”

The heat is literally radiating off him. But what excuse do you have? You shared his frustrations when EZ first told you but you became selfish and decided to keep quiet about it. You wanted the good times to keep rolling and because of the selfishness, it’s all crashing. 

Angel steps away from you, “I wanted to tell you. I did!”

“But you fucking didn’t. You choose him over me, you did that knowing it meant Ezekiel over Angel! No hesitation.’ He screams at you, pointing his fingers.

A sob falls from your lips as you see him breaking like a tide taking away a sandcastle. It hurts more than you imagined it would. The outcome of telling him would’ve been immensely better than this one. Why did you think it could all go away and never come to light?

“That’s not true! Of course I thought about it.. I was upset that he would do something like that to you, I truly was but,” You nearly stutter trying to get your words out. 

There were many occasions that you’ve seen Angel mad. Countless arguments, disagreements, petty acts but never like this. “But what? Hm? What, Y/N?!” He strides back over to you, getting in your face as you flinch back on instinct. 

You’re quiet, averting your eyes from him. “But then I’d lose you. That’s what I was scared of.”

Angel tilts his head, “That doesn’t even make any sense, Y/N. You think I would be angry at you because of what my brother did? I’m pissed because you knew and decided not to tell me. You walked around acting like you didn’t know. I have every right to be mad! And besides that, how fucking selfish of you, thinking of you and not how it would hurt me.”

“I was scared because your brother betrayed you, because by EZ doing this it would remind you of the hurt you felt growing up. It would make you feel like you used to… which means you would lose yourself, I would lose you right in front me. And I want all of you, good and bad, but w-we had just gotten to a good place. We weren't arguing as much a-and I had been slowly leaving more and more things here.” You look down at the articles of clothes scattered at your feet. 

Angel inhales a deep breath and lets it out forcibly. He looks to you then scratches his eyebrow, not knowing how to carry on the conversation. As your emotional distress begins to be felt physically, Angel takes your hand and holds it against his cheek.

This is something you both began to do when neither of you could speak. When the words wouldn’t form, couldn’t explain how you felt, the touch of  hand could do it. As he holds it against his cheek, you cry more. This meant that Angel understood.

As he brings your hand back down, you leap up to wrap your arms around his neck. He does the same around your waist, breathing in your scent. He closes his eyes as he sinks into you.

You won’t ever know what this moment meant for Angel. Despite feeling completely wrecked to learn what EZ had done, along with you keeping it in the dark, Angel feels wanted for the first time in a long time. Though true you wanted to protect yourself, you wanted to protect him more. To him, that’s enough to look past the wrong you did. He knows in this moment, you are truly the one for him.