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lady-of-lyon · 3 years

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So, I made one post a while back about how awesomely feminist the show Wild Kratts was, with how its two main female characters were women of color in engineering and deserving roles of power, female villains who weren’t motivated by spite or quest for youth, etc, but today I wanted to talk about something slightly different, that I’ve wanted to cover for a while now, because I also think it’s very good - and that’s how the show portrays masculinity, in a way that’s really positive!

First, we have our two main characters, Chris and Martin Kratt. Keep in mind these two are basically self-inserts - and there are plenty of creators, especially males, who have used self-insert characters in really scummy ways - all I have to say is Powerpuff Girls reboot and you know exactly what I’m talking about. Even if they weren’t literal self-inserts, male characters, superheroes especially, oftentimes serve the male power fantasy, being just the strong, stoic, all-powerful person so many boys are told they’re supposed to be. I could get into a whole discussion about how the male power fantasy is present even when males are not (ever look through a fashion magazine and wonder why there are so few men? Sure, part of it is that the industry thrives off exploiting women’s insecurities, and men aren’t as concerned for their appearance, but another part of it is so that the guy, looking through it, can feel like he has no competition for these women - there’s a reason so many comedians have jokes about fashion magazines being their sexual awakening as kids. It’s really scummy) but that’s not what this is about. So, the bros had every opportunity to do just that - make themselves these traditional heroes who aren’t actually really good role models, like batman or what have you. It’s certainly not uncommon for celebrity cartoons to do stuff like that. But Martin and Chris chose a different approach. They’re pretty strong standouts for positive masculinity. They’re openly affectionate - both with eachother as brothers, and with their friends. They cry, sometimes over little things - most of the time when big superheroes cry, it’s ‘cause they lost the girl they loved or their mentor or something like that, only in the big, most agonizing moments do they shed a tear. But here, Chris or Martin will cry just because they’ve had a bad day, or because they’re overwhelmed and overjoyed that someone named a mantis after them! In a lot of shows or movies when a guy cries over something little, it’s usually played for laughs, or to emasculate him, but here it’s casual without being unreasonable or overdone. The brothers cry just ad much, maybe even more (haven’t gone back and counted or anything) as the girls do. Not to mention, it’s a very nice depiction of a loving, healthy sibling relationship. As the youngest sibling myself, it’s refreshing to see a pair who don’t abuse eachother with noogies or cruel and snarky remarks. When they do fight, it’s never a screaming match, and also because they had a conflict of interest or disagreed over a fact, not because, say, one of them stole the other’s shirt or is neglecting the other’s feelings. Kids, being very impressionable, get exposed to a lot of abusive sibling relationships played as normal in media, and start thinking this is how siblings are and should act. For instance, my sister (who is now my best friend and has gotten over all these bad habits over time) when she was younger watched a lot of Kim Possible, a show that is great, but has a bad family dynamic with Kim and her little siblings. The “tweebs” as she calls them are always irresponsible, destructive, and making Kim annoyed to no end. My older brother was one of the most polite, reserved, kind little kids, but she still treated him like he was a brat and a nuisance, because that’s what shows like Kim Possible taught her little brothers were. Additionally, I was always treated like a spoiled crybaby who just wanted attention and got away with everything - I was not any of those things, ever, but that’s what shows teach you little sisters are. Sure, Wild Kratts has a smidge of that, with Chris seemingly being the stereotype of the know-it-all little sibling, but instead of being constantly looked town upon for being too “perfect” like with Hailey Long in American Dragon, Martin often praises his brother for his abilities. Sure, Martin gets annoyed when Chris tries to correct him on things, like in the episode Wolf Hawks, but everyone else does too, so it feels more like a take-down of mansplaining than a sibling spat.

I talked too in the feminist post about how refreshing it is that Chris and Martin more or less willingly put themselves under the authority of Koki and Aviva, two women of color. I don’t think it’s possible to say any one character is the “leader,” they all work as a evenly balanced team, but it’s safe to say that Koki and Aviva make the more responsible decisions. The bros try to get out of their calls a few times, but the show plays it more like they’re being irresponsible, and less like they’re renegade cool dudes who don’t take nothing from nobody, especially not two girls. They are pretty much always punished via karma for their reckless choices, most especially in To Touch a Hummingbird, where their arrogant attitudes blow up in their faces rather spectacularly. We also never see the narrative most present in sitcoms, where the male leads mess up and go out of their way to cover it up and ultimately gets away with it - after all, you have to root for them, right, because sure they messed up and had no consequences, but aren’t they just so lovable? No, here Martin and Chris always have to fix their wrongdoing, and it’s always deserved when they get comeuppance. Another aspect of the show I like is that, many times, when the bros get captured or are in peril, they are saved by the women - and most refreshing of all, there’s never a moment of “wink wink nudge nudge wow I can’t believe I had to be rescued by a GIRL” or even “wow you saved me you’re pretty good honey guess I shouldn’t have underestimated you, you go girl!” No, when the girls save them, it’s just - you know, relief? Because they were saved? It’s never a scenario played as an exception, or any more dire than when the bros need to rescue eachother. The bros are genuinely happy to have them as teammates. The show even did the standard “boys vs girls” episode in the form of When Fish Fly - but instead of being actually girls vs. boys, it’s engineers vs. adventurers. There’s nothing really gendered about it - the girls happen to be engineers, and the boys happen to be adventurers. And the episode doesn’t end with the boys being “wow gosh darn I shouldn’t have doubted you girls are better at everything,” it’s a mutual agreement that both parties have hard jobs. Basically, the bros are very naturally respectful of women. That plays more into their feminist narrative too, but either way, it’s refreshing.

Then, we have Jimmy! Jimmy, the lovable gamerboy pizza man. At first glance Jimmy seems like the stereotypical cowardly, pathetic, emasculated loser. He’s frightened of most things, as of yet has no power suit, and he BAKES for crying out loud! But none of these things are framed as terribly bad traits. Sure, we laugh when he screams and runs from an animal, but though it happens over and over, the crew doesn’t get sick of it. They don’t berate him or belittle him because he’s so gosh darn cowardly. There’s a great scene in Rattlesnake Crystal where Jimmy has to deliver something to the bros alone, in the middle of a spooky desert. He is terrified the whole time, sprinting off after he delivers the goods. When Martin and Chris run into him, they don’t laugh at him for being spooked, they just greet and then bid fair well to their friend. To them, this is just Jimmy, and there’s nothing wrong with it. Jimmy isn’t coddled, but he is reassured many times that he’s a valuable member of the team. I love that little message, that you’re just as important of a person even if you can’t do as much or have greater limits. When his friends do try to get him over his fears, it’s not because they have to, that the day will somehow be ruined by Jimmy’s incompetence p, but because they’re his friends, and want him to experience fun and wonderful things that he would otherwise miss out on. But what Jimmy CAN do is just as important! Jimmy is a gamer, which in a lot of shows, is portrayed as a lazy, useless, mindless hobby. But here, because he plays video games, it makes him essential for piloting the ship and teleporting important items. There’s always the joke that video games improves your hand/eye coordination, but recent studies have shown it has much better effects. It can make you much better at keeping track of multiple moving objects and processing technical but variable information- two traits which, fittingly enough, are really really important for air traffic controllers and airplane pilots! He also demonstrates a lot more courage behind the wheel of the Tortuga, which makes sense - in an impersonal setting, he would have more sense of calm and control and courage, because it’s so similar to a video game world. It’s not all too different with how I feel more emboldened to pick fights with people on the internet, but get crazy anxious if a real person so much as looks at me. So Jimmy’s love of video games isn’t because he’s irresponsible, it has real benefits. A quick last point - Jimmy also eats a lot, but they thankfully don’t make him fat or greedy or anything like that. He never takes food from people, he actually bakes, and shares it with others! Having the baker be a boy is a lovely touch.

I might do another post about the toxic masculinity of the two villains, (or four villains, I guess, if I wanna discuss the minions) but I’ve got other work to do, and this post is long enough already, so I’ll get around to it later. I’ll sum it up with this - Wild Kratts is a show that teaches boys it’s not only ok to be kind, but essential. The brothers protect defenseless animals, advocate for things “icky” and “weird,” like bugs or snakes or worms - not because they’re boys, and boys like icky things, but because they genuinely see the beauty in all life, and are encouraging us to slow down and do the same. The Wild Kratts are heroes who save the world not by being the strongest or smartest or coolest, but by looking after those who are exploited and vulnerable, who are essential to the world, even if they can’t always do everything. In Wild Kratts the only weaknesses a man can have isn’t what he can’t do, but what he does do that he shouldn’t have. Sure, it’s a cute show about two funny guys who have cool powers, but it’s also a show about accountability, compassion, respect and trust. The show says “boys will be boys” in all the right ways - Martin is a lovable goof with a heart of gold, but he still has to get his act together when he messes up, and he’s still creative and smart and openly sensitive. Chris is a bit of a know-it-all show-off, but he can also mess up as much as his brother, and is still bold, brave, adventurous, and can put his money where his mouth is. Jimmy is a cowardly, napping, eating machine video-gamer, but he’s still a valued member of the team, has incredible skills and talents, and will always help his friends, even if he is really, really scared. It is so important to have role models like these, in a world dominated by unhealthy machismo. The Wild Kratts are heroes who save the world - both animated, and real.

All they need now is a canon queer character, and I’ll stan them forever! My money’s on Aviva!!

#wild kratts #chris kratt #martin kratt #long post #hottake #feminism #meninism #positive masculinity #toxic masculinity #jimmy z #wk jimmy #kratt brothers

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new-world-hope · 6 years

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QuakeCon Fallout 76 panel

Panel begins at around 37:50, but if you want to skip the panel intro (in which nothing happens) and a replay of the E3 trailer, go to 42:18. Panel includes Fallout 76 development director Chris Meyer, project leader Jeff Gardiner, and game director Todd Howard.

Important/noteworthy info (I’m sure this is riddled with spelling mistakes, bad grammar, maybe even conflicting info; if you notice anything, let me know):

In regards to questing and general feel, FO76 remains “very similar to the Fallout you know and love.” Howard describes it as being 80% the familiar feel of Fallout, with the other 20% being “really different.”

FO76 has more “adventure elements,” focuses more on what it means to live in the world. It “has to feel real” to the player. The game “has a slow burn,” and they want you to really feel like you are your character in this game.

FO76 uses the Quake III networking architecture.

According to Gardiner, Bethesda Montreal is working on the game’s graphics, while Bethesda Austin is comprised of gameplay and network code experts.

Bethesda debuts the Fallout 76 Perks trailer (in the style of similar animated Vault-Tec trailers which came out before FO4), including things like mutations.

Character creation in Fallout 76 is shown at 54:40. The CC has been improved over FO4, though no details on how or why are given. Immediately after creating your character, you are taken to a screen where you can take your Vault-Tec ID badge photo, using the game’s photo mode, which allows you to select character poses and facial expressions.

Photo mode can be used at any time throughout gameplay, and photos you’ve taken appear in load screens. These are randomized along with “curated photos.”

Loading screens do not appear often, but there is a “little one” whenever you fast travel.

You can change your character’s appearance at any point throughout gameplay, from your hairstyle to even your gender.

At 56:25, gameplay is shown of emerging from the Vault, including your first level-up.

Leveling up begins with choosing whichever one of your SPECIAL attributes you wish to increase, which is followed by choosing an available “perk card” under that category. This seems much less cluttered than FO4′s perk chart screen. Taking a perk again increases its rank up to a seeming maximum of three. Each perk card has a “point cost” which requires a certain SPECIAL level in order to equip it.

“The levels keep going up and up and up. We don’t want to make a game where you have to stop leveling, but we had to make some very interesting decisions on what that means for a multiplayer game for balance.

We see level-ups to level 2, level 4, and then level 42. At 58:37, at the level 42 level-up screen, the player is wielding a crossbow.

PERKS SEEN: (any words in brackets were cut off; all assumptions are my own, though any indicated with ? I am unsure of--KEEP IN MIND that the numbers are affected by PERK RANKS and are thus subject to change; the numbers here are taken from perks of various tiers; this includes things like “there’s no chance you’ll be addicted to alcohol,” which is a level 3 perk, in which we can assume the first two levels just have a lowered chance)

STRENGTH

GLADIATOR: Your one-handed melee weapons now do +10% damage.

THRU-HIKER: Food and drink weights are reduced by 30%.

STURDY FRAME: Armor weighs 25% less than normal.

EXPERT SLUGGER: Your two-handed melee weapons now do +10% damage.

BEAR ARMS: Heavy Guns weigh 40% less.

BATTERIES INCLUDED: Energy weapon ammo weighs 30% less.

BANDOLIER: Ballistic weapon ammo weighs 90% less.

EXPERT HEAVY GUNNER: Your non-explosive heavy guns now do +10% damage.

PERCEPTION

GREEN THUMB: You have a 25% chance to reap twice as much when harvesting flora.

PERCEPTI-BOBBLE: You hear directional audio when in range of a bobblehead.

PANNAPICTAGRAPHIST: You hear directional audio when in range of a Magazine.

ENDURANCE

SLOW METABOLIZER: All food satisfies hunger by an additional 15%.

VACCINATED: Chance of catching a disease from creatures is reduced by 60%.

DROMEDARY: All drinks quench thirst by an additional 15%.

PROFESSIONAL DRINKER: There’s no chance you’ll get addicted to alcohol.

AQUAGIRL: You no longer take Rad damage from swimming and can breathe underwater.

CHARISMA

HAPPY CAMPER: Hunger and thirst grow 40% more slowly when in camp or in a team workshop.

PHILANTHROP[Y? IST?]: Restore some of your [team’s] hunger and thirst when [you eat] or drink.

SPIRITUAL HEAL[ER?]: You regenerate health for [?] seconds after reviving anot[her] player.

SQUAD MANEUVER [perhaps MANEUVERING?]: Run 10% faster when part of [a] team.

STRANGE IN NUMBERS: Positive mutation effects are +% stronger if teammates are mutated too.

LONE WANDERER: [Wh]en adventuring alone, take 10% [l]ess damage and gain 10% AP regen.

TEAM MEDIC: [Y]our stimpaks now also heal [ne]arby teammates for half the normal strength.

BLOODSUCKER: [Blood p]acks now satisfy thirst, no [longe]r irradiate, and heal 50% more.

PARTY GIRL: The effects of alcohol are doubled.

HAPPY-GO-LUCKY: Your Luck is increased by 2 while under the influence of alcohol.

QUACK SURGEON: Revive other players with liquor!

BODYGUARDS: Gain 8 Damage & Energy resist (max 24) for each teammate excluding you.

HARD BARGAIN: Buying and selling prices at vendors are better.

INSPIRATIONAL: When you are on a team, gain 5% more XP.

INTELLIGENCE

FIRST AID: Stimpaks restore 10% more lost health.

CONTRACTOR: Crafting workshop items now costs 25% fewer materials.

MASTER HACKER: Gain +1 hacking skill, and terminal lock-out time is reduced.

EXOTIC WEAPONS: You can now craft Rank 1 exotic weapon mods. (Plans required) [Vault Boy is shown wielding a bow on this card]

AGILITY

MARATHONER: Sprinting consumes 20% fewer Action Points.

GOAT LEGS: Take 80% less damage from falling.

LUCK

SCROUNGER: 50% change to find extra ammow hen you “Search” an ammo container.

STARCHED GENES: You will never mutate from rads and RadAway will never cure mutations.

MYSTERY MEAT: Stimpaks generate excessive, edible meat. Higher Rads improve the chance.

MYSTERIOUS STRANGER: The Mysterious Stranger appears more often when using VATS. [This perk is at level 2 of 3; assume that the Stranger only begins appearing if you have level 1]

LUCK OF THE DRAW: Your weapon has a 10% chance to regain condition when hitting an enemy.

CAN DO!: [30%?] chance to find an extra canned good when you “search” a [?] container.

You can pick any perk that you meet the requirements for when you level up. More become available as you level.

Your stat level determines how many perks you can have active at a time: A character with 12 Strength is shown to have one level 3 perk, three level 2 perks, and three level 1 perks, adding up to 12. Cards can be worth up to 5 points, with each capping at different tiers.

Each SPECIAL stat has a cap of 15.

Charisma in FO76 is designed to share your perk cards with other players in your team.

Perk cards can be unlocked in card packs, which you initially get every two levels, until level 10, after which you get one every five, in addition to the single perk card you unlock every level. They come with four cards and a stick of gum, which can be used as a food item. The gum wrapper has a joke in it, all of which are written by Emil Pagliarulo (writer of such things as Oblivion’s Dark Brotherhood questline, Skyrim’s guard dialogue, and Fallout 4′s main storyline).

You can swap out your perks at any time.

There are “hundreds” of perk cards.

SPECIAL points cannot be increased after level 50, but you can still pick a perk card every level after that.

Beta goes live in October.

They fully expect FO76 to be broken at first; the beta will be used as a stress test.

FO76 will be updated regularly after launch; Todd states it will be a “different game” one, two, five years after it comes out.

On PvP, griefing: When you shoot another player, you do a little bit of damage, not full damage, described as an “invitation” to combat, like “slapping somebody at a bar.” If the other player engages, then both enter combat and do full damage. There is a cap reward to combat based on the players’ levels; you will get more caps for killing a high-level character than a low-level character. When you are killed, you can “seek revenge,” which doubles the reward for killing them.

An attacking player can still kill someone who does not wish to engage, but if they do (i.e., against their will), they become a “wanted murderer,” and get no reward for it (no caps, no XP) and appear on everyone’s map as a red star with a bounty on their head--a bounty which comes out of their own caps. They are also unable to see any other players on their map.

Sneaking removes you from the map (unless you are wanted).

When you die, you drop your junk items--think crafting materials, a large portion of the gameplay loop. You can store your junk in a stash. The point of this is to represent sunk time, to make sure you are preparing before heading into a dangerous area.

You can respawn at any fast travel point; the point closest to you is free, the Vault 76 entrance is free, but everything beyond that has a cap cost dependent on distance from you.

PvP does not “kick off” until level 5.

You are able to “ignore and block” players; ignoring blocks them for the session. (Assuming blocking means you won’t be matchmade with them again?)

There is a “pacifist flag” (mode) which sets the game so you cannot accidentally engage in combat, so that no one can trick you into fighting by jumping in front of your bullets (further preventing griefing)

PvP is balanced so that stronger players will indeed be harder to kill, but if you play cleverly and well you can still manage to come out on top; the cap reward will be incredibly high if you pull off a kill on someone much higher in level

Blueprint system: Save blueprints to a creation so that you can easily rebuild it if it gets destroyed, and so that it can be moved within your camp to fit it nicely with the terrain whenever you move somewhere new.

Camps can be destroyed so that you cannot grief players by trapping them inside a prison.

Example of a trap set by Bethesda employee: Player sat in the middle of the road playing a tuba, but built turrets in the foliage to the side of the road. When players attempt to attack him, the turrets turn on them and fire from the foliage, killing them first.

Camp can be moved so that players can move their camps around when they find a nicer spot, but players tend to settle in to a specific place to keep their camp.

There is voice chat for your team, and for the game world; area-based, so you can hear players near you.

VATS is now real-time. You cannot initially target individual body parts, and the ability to do that is a perk you can unlock. Percentage to hit is based on your Perception. VATS can be used to find players (as you can in other modern Fallout games).

VATS becomes more and more useful the more you invest in Perception.

Inon Zur is scoring Fallout 76.

Licensed music: FO76 has more tracks than have ever been in a Fallout game. There are radio stations you can listen to. There is a balance of “classic” tracks used in older Fallout games, as well as songs new to the series; they seem to be drawing most heavily from 40s music this time around. Howard says there is an “unbelievable amount” of weird, wacky 40s music.

Private servers are definitely happening, specifically because they want people to be able to mod the game. It’s going to be “very, very complicated,” but Bethesda is “committed to it.” They are in the process of solving that problem.

#fallout 76 #fallout #bethesda game studios #bethesda softworks #todd howard #quakecon #quakecon 2018 #fo76 #video #panel

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parsippanylibrarykids · 6 years

Photo

By: Miss Rose, Miss Sam, & Miss Kristen

FICTION

Ahdieh, Renee. Flame in the Mist. G. P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers, 2017. 416p. (gr. 7-9)

On the way to the imperial city to meet her betrothed, Raiden, Mariko and her escort are ambushed by the dangerous Black Clan, a gang of bandits that were hired to kill her. She dresses as a peasant boy to survive, infiltrating their group and eager to find out who hired them. Mariko impresses them with her wit and connects with Okami, one of the leaders. While there, she starts to question the truth about her family and her desires.

Albertalli, Becky. The Upside of Unrequited. Balzer + Bray, 2017. 340p. (gr. 9-12)

Molly has had her more than her fair share of crushes but nothing ever seems to come from them, as her twin sister Cassie keeps reminding her. When Molly makes a connection with Will, Cassie pressures her to start a relationship with him but Molly isn’t so sure that is what she wants, especially as she starts to get to know her coworker Reid and bond with him. Molly and Cassie’s relationship becomes additionally strained as Cassie starts spending more time with her new girlfriend and not participating as much as Molly would like when they need to start working on their mothers’ long-awaited wedding after gay marriage is finally legalized.

Benway, Robin. Far From the Tree. HarperTeen, 2017. 374p. (gr. 9-12)

After Grace, who was adopted as an infant, becomes pregnant and decides on an open adoption for her baby, she realizes that she would like to learn more about her own biological mother as she struggles with her feelings for her baby and her decision. Her supportive parents help her with the search and she discovers that she has a younger half-sister who was also adopted as an infant and an older half-brother who has been in the foster care system since he was a toddler. She connects first with Maya and then with Joaquin, who are struggling with their own issues, which include Maya’s mother’s alcoholism and Joaquin’s feeling that he isn’t worthy of love. The three siblings bond over their search for information on their birth mother and help one another sort through their feelings.

Buxbaum, Julie. What to Say Next. Delacorte Press, 2017. 304 p. (gr. 9-12)

When popular and beautiful Kit Lowell starts having lunch with socially awkward David Drucker, everyone at Mapleview High takes notice. But Kit doesn’t mind especially since David’s brutal honesty is oddly refreshing at a time when she’s struggling to overcome the shock and devastation of her father’s recent passing. Used to being outcast and ignored, David welcomes the sudden friendship and agrees to help Kit try to solve the mystery behind her father’s tragic car accident.

Cheng, Jack. See You in the Cosmos. Dial Books, 2017. 320 p. (gr. 5-9)

Aspiring astronomer Alex Petroski is only eleven, but he’s already building a rocket to send into space. Alex and his dog Carl Sagan (named after the real life astronomer), make the journey from their home in Colorado to the Southwest High-Altitude Rocket Festival (SHARF) in Albuquerque to launch his Golden iPod into space aboard his rocket, Voyager 3. Along the way to SHARF and beyond, Alex meets new friends and captures his adventures in daily recordings on his Golden iPod, in the hopes that other lifeforms will get to hear about what life on Earth is like.

Colbert, Brandy. Little & Lion. Little, Brown and Company, 2017. 330p. (gr. 10-12)

After Suzette’s stepbrother Lionel begins to exhibit disturbing behavior stemming from undiagnosed bipolar disorder, Suzette is sent to a boarding school across the country while Lionel receives the treatment he needs. At school, Suzette has a secret relationship with her roommate but it ends disastrously and she’s not sure she is ready to come out to her parents, even though they are always supportive of her. While home for the summer, she realizes she has feelings for both her long-time platonic male friend Emil and mysterious new acquaintance Rafaela, which makes her even more confused. On top of this, Lionel confides in her that he is off his medication and Suzette agrees to keep his secret against her better judgement. When Lionel runs off during an outing, Suzette is forced to come clean to her mother about everything.

Cook, Eileen. The Hanging Girl. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2017. 311p. (gr. 9-12)

Skye’s mother believes in all things paranormal, especially psychic abilities. Skye isn’t a believer, but she has convinced her classmates that she is indeed psychic and gives tarot card readings to her classmates. A fellow student convinces her to use her pretend skills in the kidnapping of a rich girl, but things go horribly wrong for the kidnap victim and Skye has to stay one step ahead of the police.

Firestone, Carrie. The Unlikelies. Little, Brown and Company, 2017. 323p. (gr. 9-12)

The summer before Sadie’s senior year of high school looks like it is going to be a dull and lonely one, as all her closest friends are a grade ahead of her and leaving for college. After an altercation at the farmers market where she works is caught on video, Sadie is lauded as a local hero and invited to be honored along with other teens who have done extraordinary things. The hero teens form a bond and over the course of the summer work together to help underdogs as best they can. An unexpected windfall bequeathed to Sadie by her employer aids them in their quests.

Frank, Steven B. Armstrong and Charlie. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2017. 304 p. (gr. 6-8)

It’s 1973 and Charlie and Armstrong are starting sixth grade in Los Angeles. For Charlie it means starting a new school year without his brother Andy who recently died in a tragic accident. Armstrong is not looking forward to sixth grade either. He is feeling uncertain and apprehensive about being bussed to an all-white school away from his neighborhood and most of his friends. Charlie and Armstrong clash at first, but what starts as a fierce rivalry soon turns into a close friendship.

Goo, Maurene. I Believe in a Thing Called Love. Farrar, Straus & Giroux BYR. 2017. 336p. (gr. 7-9)

Desi is an overachiever who likes to plan things out. So when she finds herself flailuring (failing at flirting) yet again, she plans the perfect way to get noticed by her crush, Luca, in a good way. Raised by her widowed Korean father, she grew up with a steady diet of K-Dramas. With her Appa’s help, she meticulously creates a perfect list for her real-life K-Drama and sets her plan into action.

Green, John. Turtles All the Way Down. Dutton Books, 2017. 286p. (gr. 9-12)

Billionaire Russell Pickett is being investigated for fraud and bribery, currently on the run from authorities and there is a substantial reward being offered for knowledge of his whereabouts. Because Aza knew his son Davis when they both attended the same grief camp as children, her friend Daisy convinces her to talk to Davis to try to find out where his father is hiding so they can split the money from the reward. When she and Davis reconnect, Aza develops feelings for him. Her overwhelming anxiety interferes with her friendship with Daisy and makes it difficult for her to pursue her romance with Davis.

Lloyd-Jones, Emily. The Hearts We Sold. Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 2017. 381p. (gr. 10-12)

In a world in which demons are real and they can grant anyone a wish….for a price, Dee Moreno decides that the only way to get away from her bad home life is to make a wish. Unlike modern myth, the price isn’t a soul, but a body part. With the news that she won’t have a scholarship come the new school year, she trades away her heart for two years and is enlisted to protect the world by closing the voids that open up to unleash monsters on the world.

Lu, Marie. Warcross. G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers, 2017. 368 p. (gr. 9-12)

Teenage hacker Emika Chen works as a bounty hunter, tracking down players who bet illegally on the virtual reality game called Warcross. When Emika needs to make some quick cash, she takes a chance and hacks into the opening game of the Warcross Championships and ends up at the center of the biggest international event. Unfortunately, Emika gets caught and finds herself face-to-face with the elusive creator of Warcross, Hideo Tanaka. Instead of arresting her, Hideo asks Emika to play in the tournament and spy on the other players to uncover a security problem. But Emika’s investigation uncovers much more than just a security breach in the Warcross empire.

McManus, Karen M. One of Us Is Lying. Delacorte Press, 2017. 368 p. (gr. 9-12)

It’s a typical afternoon for five students who are stuck in detention. By the end of it, though, one of those students, Simon, won’t make it out alive. When it’s revealed that Simon had planned to expose juicy secrets about the other four students on his gossip app, “About That,” all four of them become suspects in the murder. Bronwyn (the brain); Addy (the beauty); Nate (the criminal); and Cooper (the star athlete) are forced to confront the allegations brought to light by Simon’s blog. Though they barely know one another and belong to different cliques, the four band together to prove their innocence. And yet they were the only ones with Simon when he died. Did one of them kill Simon to protect a powerful secret or are they being framed by an outsider?

Menon, Sandhya. When Dimple Met Rishi. Simon Pulse, 2017. 384 p. (gr. 9-12)

Dimple Shah is glad but surprised when her parents agree to pay for her to spend the summer at coding camp in San Francisco. Dimple is passionate about coding and also looking forward to the break from her mother who mostly just wants Dimple to find the “Ideal Indian Husband.” Rishi Patel is a hopeless romantic so when his parents tell him the girl they hope to be his future wife, Dimple, will be attending the same summer camp as him he is eager to meet and impress her. Needless to say, Dimple and Rishi’s first meeting does not go as planned once Dimple learns the Patels and Shahs played a role in the “suggested arrangement.” But slowly Dimple and Rishi’s friendships grows into something more and both are forced to confront their conflicting feelings between family obligation and the future they envision for themselves.

Murphy, Julie. Ramona Blue. Balzer + Bray, 2017. 408p. (gr. 9-12)

Ramona, her sister Hattie, and her father have been living in a FEMA trailer in a small town in Mississippi ever since Hurricane Katrina destroyed their old home. Their trailer becomes more crowded once Hattie’s boyfriend Tyler moves in after Hattie becomes pregnant. Ramona works several jobs to help her family as much as she can and she gets frustrated when people inquire about her plans for the future because all she can envision for herself is continuing to stay right where she is, working at menial jobs just to keep a roof over her family. When her old friend Freddie moves back into town and encourages her to swim with him and his grandmother, she starts to see that there might just be way out of small town life. Up until now, Ramona has only ever had romantic feelings for girls but she starts to see Freddie as more than a friend.

Nielsen, Susin. Optimists Die First. Wendy Lamb Books, 2017. 228p. (gr. 9-12)

After the death of her younger sister Maxine, Petula’s family falls apart. Petula’s mother starts hoarding cats and her father avoids home as much as he can. Petula has become hyper-focused on all the bad things that could possibly happen to her loved ones and she does her best to keep herself safe at all times. She has been attending an art therapy program through her school and meets Jacob, who has a robotic arm and his own issues that he has to cope with. Petula and Jacob form a bond but when she learns about his involvement in the death of a friend, she isn’t sure she can remain on good terms with him.

Ormsbee, Kathryn. Tash Hearts Tolstoy. Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2017. 367p. (gr. 7-9)

Tash is of the director of an amateur web-series that goes viral. Tash loves Tolstoy, and with her best friend, Jack (Jacqueline), they put together a modern production of Anna Karenina entitled Unhappy Families. With a mention on a popular vid-blogger’s own channel, Seedling Productions starts to reach acclaim in the webseries world, and with fame comes haters. Meanwhile, she’s also coming to terms with the the deepening divide between her older sister and a new, long distance relationship with a male video blogger who doesn’t know she’s asexual.

Perkins, Mitali. You Bring the Distant Near. Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2017. 320 p. (gr. 9-12)

In 1960, sisters Tara and Sonia Das are getting used to life in Queens after living in Ghana and London for several years. While Tara and Sonia adjust to life as teens in America, matriarch Ranee works diligently to make sure her family maintains customary Bengali traditions. Years later, Tara’s own daughter Anna must leave her beloved home in Mumbai and go to school in New York with her cousin Chantal. Told in alternating point-of-views and spanning generations, this is the story of the Das women.

Perkins, Stephanie. There’s Someone Inside Your House. Dutton Books, 2017. 287p. (gr. 10-12)

After an incident at her high school in Hawaii, Makani moves to Nebraska to live with her increasingly forgetful grandmother and start over where no one knows her secret. When students in her high school start dying at the hands of a serial killer, Makani and her friends investigate. While trying to figure out who in their small town is behind the slayings, Makani is forced to reveal the secret of how she attacked a friend during a hazing ritual gone wrong.

Poston, Ashley. Geekerella. Quirk, 2017. 320p. (gr. 10-12)

Elle grew up watching the sci-fi series Starfield with her late father, but the news that the movie’s version Federation Prince Carmindor is teen heartthrob Darien Freeman has her seething. An unlikely friendship begins when Darien accidentally contacts Elle when trying to talk to management at ExcelsiCon. Through her job on the Magic Pumpkin Food Truck and her friendship with her co-worker, Elle decides to go to ExcelsiCon, the Con her father helped created, to win money to get away from her stepmother by entering their Cosplay Contest.

Reynolds, Jason. Long Way Down. Atheneum, 2017. 306p. (gr. 9-12)

Will has been taught to live by the Rules of his neighborhood: no crying, no snitching, and always get revenge. After his brother Shawn is shot and killed, Will has no choice but to get Shawn’s gun and head to where the boy he is certain is the killer lives to exact revenge. On the elevator ride down, different figures from Will’s life who died from gun violence, including his father and his uncle, get on at each floor and help him figure out what he should do.

Riazi, Karuna. The Gauntlet. Salaam Reads, 2017. (gr. 4-6)

On her birthday, Farah and her two friends get transported into a board game called The Gauntlet of Blood and Sand to rescue her impulsive younger brother, Ahmad. Inside the game, the Architect created three challenges they have to complete to escape, all the while making sure no one finds out that they’re also trying to locate Ahmad to save him. If they lose a challenge, they’ll be trapped inside the game forever.

Roth, Veronica. Carve the Mark. Katherine Tegen Books, 2017. 468 p. (gr. 8-12)

Cyra is the sister of the brutal ruler of the Shotet people. In a world where people develop unique powers called current gifts, Cyra’s is more burden than gift. She feels and can deliver intense pain and her brother exploits this, using Cyra and her power as a weapon against his enemies. Akos is the son of an oracle from the planet Thuve. His gift allows him to turn off the current, so that he is not affected by other current gifts. When he is captured by the Shotet people, Akos finds an unlikely ally in Cyra.

Ruby, Laura. The Shadow Cipher. Walden Pond Press, 2017. 448 p. (gr. 6-8)

In the 19th century, the eccentric Morningstarr twins build a dazzling New York City using new technology and impressive machines no one has ever seen before. Skyscrapers reach new heights and the Underway travels miles and miles below the ground. When the architects mysteriously disappear fifty-seven years after arriving in NYC, it’s revealed that they’ve left behind the New York City Cipher, an intricate puzzle and treasure map woven into the buildings and machines in the city they created. By present day, the Cipher still hasn’t been solved. Tess and Theo Biedermann and their friend Jaime Cruz make one last desperate attempt to solve the Cipher when they learn their beloved apartment building (a Morningstarr masterpiece) has been sold to a money hungry real estate developer with plans to demolish it.

Sanchez, Erika L. I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter. Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers, 2017. 344p. (gr. 9-12)

Julia’s older sister Olga is the perfect, dutiful Mexican daughter who only leaves the house to go to her job or attend classes at the local community college. Julia is rebellious, has a hard time controlling her emotions, and wants nothing more than to leave Chicago and go to college in New York. After Olga is killed in an accident, Julia’s relationship with her parents becomes even more strained. It isn’t until after Julia attempts to take her own life and has to be hospitalized and then has an opportunity to spend a few weeks with her family in Mexico learning more about her parents and their journey to America that she and her mother and father are able to understand each other better. She also learns her sister’s secrets and realizes that Olga was not as perfect as she seemed.

Thomas, Angie. The Hate U Give. Balzer + Bray, 2017. 444p. (gr. 9-12)

Starr is a passenger in the car when her friend Khalil, who is driving, is pulled over by the police for having a broken taillight. Khalil is shot and killed during the traffic stop even though he is unarmed and hadn’t been doing anything wrong. His death is all over the news and the people in her largely African-American, lower income neighborhood respond very differently than the mostly-white students at the elite prep school she attends. Caught between two worlds, Starr tries to cope with what she witnessed and get her friends from school to realize what she is going through but even her own family doesn’t quite understand.

Watson, Renee. Piecing Me Together. Bloomsbury, 2017. 264p. (gr. 9-12)

Jade loves art and language and has dreams of traveling the world someday, even though opportunities for a girl from a low income family seem limited. She hopes to get picked for her private school’s study abroad program, but when she is called down to the guidance office, she learns that she has instead been selected to participate in a mentorship program for African-American students. She reluctantly agrees to give the program a try but has a hard time connecting with her appointed mentor, Maxine who is distracted with her own issues.

Zappia, Francesca. Eliza and her Monsters. GreenwillowBooks, 2017. (gr. 10-12)

Eliza Mirk fades into the background at school, but online, she’s the creator of the popular webcomic Monstrous Sea. Within her anonymous world online, she has friends and people that understand her, but it isn’t until she finds out the new guy at school, Wallace, writes Monstrous Sea fanfiction that she starts to appreciate the real world. When her parents accidentally share her online identity, she has to not crumble under the pressure of needing to finish her comic, her relationship with Wallace, and her anxiety.

GRAPHIC NOVELS

Chmakova, Svetlana. Brave. JY, 2017. 248p. (gr. 4-6)

Jensen’s reality is very different from his daydreams. He has trouble in middle school with making friends, with his school work, and even just not being left out of activities in Art Club. Akilah and Jenny, part of the school newspaper, ask for Jensen’s help with a special project about being bullied. While Jensen doesn’t believe he’s really bullied, the project opens his eyes to what challenges everyone faces in middle school, and that it’s important to be brave and make the changes you want to see in the world by reaching out to someone who seems lonely. Holm, Jennifer L. Swing It, Sunny! Graphix, 2017. 224 p. (gr. 4-7)

Sunny is having a hard time adjusting to life in middle school and at home without her brother. Even when Dale comes home from boarding school to visit, Sunny can’t figure out why he seems so different and angry all the time. Sunny is finding the year really confusing, but despite it all she’s determined to stay positive. Sunny doesn’t let her sadness get in the way of doing all the things she loves like listening to records and watching her favorite TV shows, General Hospital and Gilligan’s Island. She even makes a new friend and learns how to twirl a swing flag!

Jamieson, Victoria. All’s Faire in Middle School. Dial Books for Young Readers, 2017. 248p. (gr. 5-8)

Imogene’s parents work at the Renaissance Faire, which is a huge part of the entire family’s life. Imogene and her brother have been homeschooled but now that she is entering middle school, she is going to start public school. School proves to be a huge culture shock for her. Imogene tries to fit in with the popular girls, but ends up isolating her only genuine friend and damaging her relationship with her younger brother in the process. She figures out a way to make things right, using the skills she has learned from the Renaissance Faire.

Meyers, Marissa. Wires and Nerve. Feiwel Friends, 2017. 238p. (7-9) Iko, an android, is out to prove she is more than just a machine by tracking rogue wolf-hybrids for her friend, Cinder. The soldiers have other plans and don’t make it easy for her, even with the help of a royal guard. Iko is forced to confront the fact that while she may feel human, not everyone will see her as anything more than an android.

NONFICTION

Aronson, Marc & Marina Budhos. Eyes of the World: Robert Capa, Gerda Taro and the Invention of Modern Photojournalism. Henry Holt and Company, 2017. 294p. (gr. 7-12)

Photographers and reporters Robert Capa and Gerda Taro were both Jewish refugees from Europe who made their mark in the photography world by documenting the Spanish Civil War, with a focus on chronicling the war’s effect on children.

Bolden, Tonya. Pathfinders: The Journeys of 16 Extraordinary Black Souls. Abrams Books for Young Readers, 2017. 124p. (gr. 5-8)

In this biographical compilation, readers learn about achievements of some of the less well known African Americans in history who made a great impact. People profiled include Civil War spy Mary Bowser, race car driver Charlie Wiggins, and mathematician Katherine Johnson.

Gonzales, Andrea & Sophie Houser. Girl Code: Gaming, Going Viral, and Getting It Done. Harper Collins, 2017. 272 p. (8-12)

Andrea “Andy” Gonzales and Sophie Houser met at Girls Who Code and teamed up to make a video game that went viral. Through the success of their video game, the duo was thrust into the spotlight, inspiring girl coders everywhere. Girls are so often left behind in the tech industry, and the authors message is to not give up on your dreams and career goals despite the statistics. Included are resources for readers who are interested in computer science topics discussed throughout the book.

Heiligman, Deborah. Vincent and Theo: The Van Gogh Brothers. Henry Holt & Co., 2017. 464 p. (gr. 9-12)

This book explores the complex but close relationship of the Van Gogh brothers. Through nearly 700 letters, the story follows the brothers from their early childhoods, into adulthood as they developed careers of their own, and up to both of their early deaths. The author reveals the successes, differences and issues that existed between the two brothers. By becoming an art dealer, Theo made true on a promise made to his brother as a teenager to always support and encourage him, even as Vincent’s mental health deteriorated and issues developed in Theo’s personal life. Back matter includes a timeline and author’s note.

Slater, Dashka. The 57 Bus. Farrar Straus Giroux, 2017. 302p. (gr. 9-12)

On November 4, 2013, Sasha, an agender teenager, fell asleep on the bus. Richard, another teen on the bus, noticed Sasha’s gauzy skirt and held a lighter to it, thinking the act would startle Sasha and nothing more. Sasha’s skirt caught fire and burned Sasha’s legs severely. Video footage from the bus led police to find and arrest Richard and charge him with a hate crime. This book examines what Sasha’s life was like before and after the attack as well as how Richard and his family were impacted by his actions. Information on the criminal justice system is included, along with information on gender neutrality.

Walker, Sally M. Sinking the Sultana: A Civil War Story of Imprisonment, Greed, and a Doomed Journey Home. Candlewick, 2017. 208 p. (gr. 6-12)

At the end of the Civil War in 1865, more than 2,000 people boarded the Sultana, a steam boat equipped to carry only 376 passengers. Aboard the boat were Union soldiers who had recently been released from Confederate prisoner-of-war camps where they had been mistreated and endured atrocious conditions. On the third night into their journey north, the boilers exploded, engulfing the Sultana in fire. More than fifteen hundred people were killed. This book describes the tragic event and examines who (or what) was responsible for the disaster and how it could have been avoided. The book is filled with photographs, maps, a glossary and in depth author’s notes.

#books #ya books #middle grade books #best books #book recs #book recommendations #best books of 2017 #middle grade #teen

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wavemasterryx · 7 years

Text

All the writing projects i’ll probably never finish. i don’t know why anyone would want to hear about them, but i guess if you’re /that/ bored, enjoy. Oh, right, there’s also going to be massive spoilers in most cases, if that’s something you’d worry about.

Also, don’t worry about how much progress i might have made on actually working on one of these instead of writing up all of this. The answer is “none”, because this is not writing, it’s depression-fueled babble.

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01) Sunny Hoof: Thy Music Too

Small story continuing the series with amputee Blackjack and nightmare Glory, attending the Nightmare Night festivities in Chapel. i think Blackjack’s costume was going to be Bowser, so that she could conveniently disguise her wheelchair as his flower-copter thingy, but i don’t remember who Glory was going to be. It was either going to end up being the two of them sneaking off to bang in the haunted house, or a not-lewd double date with LittlePip and Xenith; i never did decide.

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02) Sunny Hoof: TBD

Another small story taking place during Chapel’s Running of the Leaves festival (admittedly, not nearly as much running as old Equestria, considering at least half the population has some sort of disorder or disability). Rather than Blackjack, this one would actually be centered on RedEye and Ilaris having a very casual walk (wagon ride) through the orchards, pure silly fluff.

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03) Project Horizons the First Movie

Something of a difficult position, this idea takes place after the events of Chapter 77, but before the Epilogue is set in motion. I mean, in anime it’s very common for movies to happen that are completely non-canon to the show but take place withing a specific time-frame relating to the show, i guess that’s what i was really banking on.

Anyways, the basic idea is that as rebuilding is finally getting underway, a well-intentioned alicorn happened across (or was given by someone...) a document leading her to an ancient shrine of phenomenal power. Using this power, she wishes “all the good people who were claimed by the Wasteland, within the memory of the living” to be returned to life. The spirits warn her that she should bring back the not-good as well, but she insists on not undoing everyone’s hard work saving the world, to which the spirits concede, leaving her with a warning that there will be a price.

This price comes in the form of four “Aspects of Suffering”, pure evil taking the form of the (very common in anime) four celestial beings, and seeking to bring pain and misery back to the world.

In essence... it’s just a series of excuses: to bring everyone back to life that deserves to have a happier ending; to have a series of cool, flashy battles, without the potential for everyone dying; and to get some particular scenes that i really want to happen... like Primera threatening / trying to seduce Pip with a choking Homage (something about “i’ll beat her record and make you scream 33 times” ), P-21 and Rampage returning to Equus via rocket, which they land on top of one of the big bads, and Cuarta being all smug and mocking everyone right before she (and the building she’s standing on top of) gets tagged ‘it’ by Puppysmiles.

The story would end with the aspects being defeated somehow... and then a hard “defeat equals friendship”, with Blackjack giving them a chance to do better, much to /everyone’s/ dismay.

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04) Project Horizons the Second Movie

Taking place shortly after the first movie, things would seem to be going pretty well with the rebuilding. It would be pretty slice-of-life for the first few chapters, with gradually more hints that something else was going on as certain ponies begin mysteriously disappearing for increasing lengths of time; including Dawn.

A search would reveal they’d fallen into a trance and in some secluded location had begun building some kind of portal. Either the work would be just finishing as it was found, or letting it proceed so they could find out what was behind it... the portal would lead Blackjack and a large strike force to one of the other planets in the Equus system, where they would find themselves in a mechanical nightmarescape, created by fragments of Cognitum.

Naturally, they would need to stop her resurrection, and wipe her blight from existence for the final time.

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05) Project Horizons the Third Movie

Compared to the other two... this idea is more of the pure silly fluff that should be expected of me. i don’t recall if i had decided how or why, but the basic idea was that something had happened to shift the world to an alternate reality where a large portion of the population is foals. There would be kindergarten shenanigans, shopping trips and cooking with mama Boo, and all kinds of likewise absurdly and unnecessarily cute things. Also unlike the other two, i have no conclusion in mind for this one... maybe there could be two versions, one where they go back to normal and one where they don’t?

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If i somehow had enough money to commission Somber to write these... i wouldn’t... cause there’s no way he should have to write stories with ideas as bad as these. Not that i wouldn’t be tempted anyways... out of morbid curiosity i do wonder how much it would cost for him to consider it...

Unfortunately, they’re definitely too complex for me to be able to handle on my own. i know, it will be hard, but you’ll have to struggle through the disappointment.

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06) Boo Quest: the Chrysalis Building

A slight re-imagining of the story i had intended to have behind my farce of an attempt at running a “choose your own adventure” thing on Boo’s tumblr. i’m sure some people were curious what was waiting on the top floor...

It would definitely not involve any voting for this incarnation though, it would just be a straightforward story to be told of what happened on her adventure.

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07) Fallout Equestria: Botsunyu

The first of my ideas for a full-fledged independent side-story, directly ripped off and or a homage to Resident Evil... 5. i think. It would feature a 3-person squad of NCR recruits investigating the hulk of a ship which had been sent on an exploratory mission to Neighpon, only to drift back into Manehattan bay after several months without contact.

On reaching the ship, they find the remains of some of the crew, but mostly a large amount of strangely fleshy tumorous cocoons (or possibly crystalline, if i want them to be less horrifying). In the course of attempting to salvage the ship, the team would encounter and try to deal with the hatchlings of the colossal nautilus / parasitic wasp starspawn which attached itself to the underside of the vessel.

The story would end with the destruction of the ship, but how many of the team survive, and if they actually manage to defeat the starspawn or not, i’m not certain.

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08) Fallout: Neighpon

More of an exercise in world building than anything, this idea was a to be centered around the daily life of a ninja scout in training and her hunter-tracker best friend. Both are orphans, their home villages having been almost totally wiped out by the massive starspawn monstrosities that inhabit the island nation.

i had also considered a variant of this same idea but with more generic characters, to emphasize the world instead of my bad character designs. Not that the world design is really all that much more remarkable.

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09) Fallout Equestria: Deepest Dark

Probably the idea i’ve talked about the most before... centered on a structural engineer living in a vault dedicated to deep core mining operations. The idea is based on Dead Space, Alien: Isolation, and other such horror games... that the stable’s mining runs into something as it progresses deeper... never quite pinned down what. Some kind of primordial evil, monster from another dimension... i’d vaguely considered it actually being Sombra’s horn, but thinking about it more now, that actually seems like the least threatening of the ideas.

This story would involve a lot of violence, and potentially end with the entire stable, including the protagonist, being wiped out.

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10) A Bleach Love?Story: EIRS

The only large story project i’d ever actually finished, and then i had to go and extend it... It’s probably the story i would like most to complete, if just because my mom really wants to find out how it ends... She’s literally the only one though; my other two “fans” disappeared when the [Adult Swim] forum died, and there’s no way i could reach them now... If i ever did manage to finish it though, there would be an issue of what to do with it... since posting it here wouldn’t really accomplish anything other than making another post for people to scroll past. The only other places i really frequent only service furries, so even if written works were more valued there, i wouldn’t be able to post it.

Anyways... the story itself... i actually know more or less exactly what i want to happen, but i’ve completely lost pace with the style that i wrote it in, so it puts me somewhat on edge about how big the difference in styles is.

The villain of this season is borrowed from Digimon, and is slowly eating the entire multiverse, erasing anything it consumes from time, so that it was like it had never existed.

i actually had the next chapter halfway done when i stopped writing... It was going to be the big hint of what’s going on... Then the chapter after that the D-Reaper was going to make its first big attack on the Enterprise away team, allowing me to bring in a cameo from the first season that i was really hoping to use (redeemed villains for the win), and letting them just narrowly escape. Third chapter it would attack the Enterprise, and then only Data would be left to find the answer in the final chapter. Which there is one, i actually have the scene almost entirely planned in my head... except that it’s kinda... a really controversial idea, that i don’t know if it would come across as too disrespectful, even though i don’t mean anything bad by it at all...

The ending i had in mind was Data (ironically played by a Jewish actor, which i didn’t remember until way after i planned this...) retrieving the Ark of the Covenant from the Nazis, and then using it to politely ask God (played by Lelouch Lamperouge) to restore the multiverse.

To me... it’s a perfectly logical and thematically appropriate way to end the story... actually the only ending that really makes sense... But i don’t want to insult anyone with it, it’s just supposed to be silly fun with a small side of heartwarming, and i know religion can be a super sensitive issue... so that’s a big problem for me.

It’s so close to being finished, which makes it really quite sad...

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11) TBD: Mercenary Pony Adventures

Really the most ambiguous of all my ideas... it’s something of a catchbasin for all my failed RPG character ideas... a seven-element wizard, a slime wizard, a combat maid, and possibly the two (prospective) main characters from Fallout: Neighpon. It would requite a lot of inter-personal interaction to drive it, between quests...

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12) Space-Thriller

Super casual space exploration and possibly light adventure fluff, centered around a young alien slug-girl.

Based on an RPG system i’ve tried a few times to create, but it’s never worked out because i am terrible at balance. In this same general idea, i would also love to do a story about the adventures of the HMLV Destiny or the smaller and much more reasonable HMCV Raven (101 and 20 pony crews, respectively), but i don’t have any more confidence in writing their stories than i did in running the campaigns that they were part of...

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13) Pokemon: Milk & Honey

i have spent an unnecessarily large amount of time creating my own ‘version’ setting within the Pokemon world; this story reflects how events in the game would take place if the NPC (Red, Ash, etc) were playing rather than the player. Or if it were an anime instead of a game.

i’ve been told that stories of Gym challenge journeys and fighting against a region’s evil team are some of the worst fanfiction you could possibly do for Pokemon (maybe second only to running a scarf shop), but i mean... it’s kinda an important step in establishing characters, isn’t it?...

So yes... the story would follow the two protagonists as they travel through the region, battling, training, and growing closer as they reach for their dreams together.

With all the planning i’ve put into it already, i probably have a reasonably serviceable outline for the potential story... but actually writing it is another matter entirely...

Plus there’s the added problem that... the plan is supposed to be for the female protagonist to be incontinent as a result of her quite meager psychic power interfering with her body’s natural development. i really want it to be a super casual part of the story, like not a big deal at all so that it doesn’t interfere with anything... but then i’m an idiot and go tying it and her mental health to several key plot points and well... i don’t know how many times i need to say i’m a bad writer before people believe me.

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14) Pokemon: Milk & Honey, TBD

Following a rather large battle at the end of the main storyline... the two protagonists are invited by the Pokemon League to take a job in it as special investigators. While they patrol the entire region regularly, they are also responsible for keeping an eye on the “Dreamers Network” a vast virtual reality system that is growing steadily more popular since its debut.

When users start turning into Pokemon, and coming out of the VR sleep acting like they are still those Pokemon, it’s up to the protagonists to track this brainwashing back to its source; a small clinic on a private server, and find some way to put a stop to it.

Oddly enough... this side-story is actually based on a dream i had way back when i first started plotting out and working on this world. Most of it has faded, except for one very strong scene... The male protagonist staring up at his partner on a floor above, being wheeled away by a nurse as she’s begging for him to shoot her [with a special gun that would disconnect her from the network and potentially completely wipe her memory], because she doesn’t want to risk the treatment making her do anything wrong. It still plays quite vividly in my head, even nearly 6 years later.

i believe my intention was for it to be a human-form Sableye or Espeon behind everything, trying to extract vengeance for someone (probably their trainer) who they had cared about greatly and lost... Or maybe a Mesprit draining away positive emotions in order to feed them into their close friend who only exists as a remnant on the network. Or something like that.

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15) Pokemon: Bunkatsu Village

A version of the Pokemon world without humans, this story takes place a decade or two after a comet / space ship carrying an alien virus crashed into the planet. The virus infested and altered everything, the only pockets of normalcy being small villages like Bunkatsu that are surrounded by a powerful barrier; the result of part of the “Legendary Heroes” final effort to save the future. Pokemon in these villages are trained to be adventurers and head out into temporarily stabilized pockets of the outside world to search for resources, treasure, and (hopefully) the eggs of the fallen heroes.

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16) Build a Perfect Blitzle

This story would have been the first in a potentially lengthy series of dirty stories, serving as something i could finally use as an outlet for everything i enjoy that makes me a bad person. It would entail someone being held by “Build Corp.” (voluntarily or otherwise) and being put on a livestream feed where every day the viewers would vote on a set of options put forward by the stream’s “sponsors”.

While actual voting would have been nice, i decided that using a dice to choose randomly would work fine, and so using a list of all the things i like, i could come up with a satisfying simulation of adding torment after torment to whatever poor characters ended up being chosen.

This seemed like a really nice idea at first... but it started getting to me that there’s literally no one i could share it with... so there was no reason to write it, since it could only turn out worse than it exists in my head already. i actually even finished some of the first trial with Kino, and it didn’t seem half bad (as much as it wasn’t long enough to be bad yet), but yeah...

The idea really had some potential... so many different things that could happen, and the ways options might interact with each other... and new and different kinds of volunteers... It really could have been fun.

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17) Other

A few other random ideas i’ve considered at one time or another, but would be significantly less likely to attempt than anything listed above:

Something with my ponies from World of Warcraft. Perhaps a history, or travel journal to be serious... or lacking that... more silly slice-of-life stuff. There’s also some potential for naughty things with a few of the characters (seems to be a running theme with this section), but some would be too tempting to involve certain NPCs, which is a big “no no” according to tropes...

A fetishy but possibly not explicit story involving an alchemist zebra of mine and a friend’s pony, as part of an ongoing series they’ve been writing for them.

Or.. trying to write the exceedingly inappropriate story ideas i’d wanted to commission of my dumb bunnies.

#ryxstories #fallout equestria #project horizons #project horizons the first movie #bunkatsu village

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sstabhmontown · 8 years

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Creating wilderness hex maps

As we journey to the southern continent, I'm putting in an order to get some custom-printed hex paper that suits my stationery demands. Meanwhile, I've been drawing maps—and I thought it was a good moment to try to record the procedures that I use for making wilderness maps. Ideally a version of these may make it into the rulebooks themselves somewhere, in my continuing quest to make them a complete pick-up-and-play game.

Starting a map

If you are beginning a new campaign, you may want to begin with just a single sheet of paper, at 6 miles per hex (in groups of four, 24 miles to a super-hex). This entire page is likely to fit within one or one-and-a-half of the largest size hexes I use, 96 miles—so you'll have to do a lot less work than what I do making maps for the group to travel on a flying ship!

You'll always begin with some idea of the kind of landscape you want to create. At the beginning of our game in 2011/2012, I knew I wanted an island among many, with rocky shores. For that first island, I just drew a coastline, and to add additional ones later, I used a semi-random method.

Due to the nature of our current adventures—Bill of Bucket asked for the Devil's help when he was blind drunk, and is now obligated to carry out a Quest—we're getting to try some new ways of framing play:

The Goat-faced Killer spent some time in the libraries and dockyard halls of Vardturn, gathering geographies, and in exchange for spending some cash and rolling against Int, drew a not-to-scale map of the continent's shores.

Ferrius Yew used the spell Commune to identify sites that would fall on their journey. This is letting us frame the adventure very differently than a normal sandbox campaign—when a divination tells something outside the borders of what I have already developed, I let the player speak the prophecy of what they will find there, and then use that as I make my maps. Ferrius Yew gave five sites, which I will be placing on the map after the first few stages.

In any case, begin with a coastline. Copying it loosely from the not-to scale maps onto hex paper (at 24 miles a hex, with 96-mile large hexes that will help me with some geography), I created the scale version with some additional details.

Major Geography

I begin by placing islands, disrupting the coastline. For each 96-mile sea hex, I roll a six-sided die, placing an island on a 6. I roll a d8 for the number of hexes the island covers—these are major islands, if we drill down to 6-mile hexes later we are likely to find more tiny rocks.

On land, and on the islands, repeat the d6 roll for Mountains and Forests in each 96-mile hex. These major Forests cover 1d12 hexes. Mountains are more complicated: I start them in a random 24-mile hex within their area, and roll a random direction on the d12. In both that way and the opposite I begin to draw a chain of mountains. At each hex, I roll 2d6, where 7 means the mountains continue in a straight line, and each point above means one point on the hex clockwise, and each roll below means one point anticlockwise. Where the mountains cross themselves, I add a great peak. Where they cross a peak again, they stop. I also stop them at first on a 71.

Once the mountains are in place, create rivers. For each mountain hex (24 mile), roll a d6, and on a 1 mark a spring. Rivers start out whatever way is outward from the mountain range, towards a coast in a straight line, and I use the same 2d6 method to make them meander. When this leads them up into another mountain, it creates a tributary, and I'll select a point midway down the river to begin its path to the coast again. Where they turn back on themselves, I place a lake, and again pick a point to resume their path outward.

Once rivers are in place, draw in hills to seperate them into valleys, and to block them where they've ended up not taking the obvious route to the coast.

Major settlements

Now we're done with the 96-mile hexes, and start iterating on each 24-mile hex. This is a lot of dice!

For each hex, roll 2d6. On a 1, there is a settlement; on the coast or a river also add one on a 2, and on the mouth of a river mark them on 3. If there are two settlements there are two settlements! Mark them as dots.

For each settlement on a coast or river, roll another d6. On a 1, this is a city. For each city, 1-in-6 may be major cities, the largest in the land—although you may wish to keep these in one particular area of the map, as I did.

Then, let's add some other details: depending on the landscape and the tone of the place you are building, make a list of what you might see. Roll for each settlement, twice for cities, and on a 1, see what's there with another roll. I made a quickie chart like this:

Civilized Wild feature 1 Dark castle ■ (wizard or monster) 1 2 Dungeon ▲ 2 3 Demi-humans 3–4 4–5 Castle □ 5 6 Abbey [✚] 6 Cathedral ✝

Civilized hexes are ones within a 96-mile hex of the coast, or directly on a river, and open terrain—hills, mountains, and forests are always wild.

Finally, draw in roads. You'll want every city, and every cathedral, to be on a road. Link up regions where the terrain is open between them, but let mountain routes be rare. Where there are cross-roads, make sure they are on settlements.

Drilling down

These 24-mile hex maps cover a huge area—I filled four pages with the continent at this scale, for the grand voyage we are taking, as I had done with the Northwestern Islands before. When travelling by boat, these are fine—and they can work for unexpected journeys on land too.

But when the party is likely to explore an area—and I know five locations that Ferrius Yew prophecied—you'll definitely want to detail them at the 6-mile level. For those five locations, I've created a one-page dungeon, and at the bottom corner, I've started each one with a map of one to three 24-mile hexes blown up to 6 miles.

Terrain: I more-or-less use the excellent tables from The Welsh Piper to fill in the terrain of each sub-hex, based on that of the 24-mile hex.

Villages: throw the same two dice you used for towns, but instead you'll be placing villages. It may seem like a lot of settlements, but these methods actually leave much more open wild space than the realities of Medieval Europe.

Detail the villages with something that might help. I rolled a 2-in-6 chance of my most recent villages of having churches, to emphasize the divisions that I think are going to become likely given the nature of our adventure—and to give motivation to the many clerical NPCs we'll be interacting with on the way to the Papal Conclave.

Lairs, etc: the dungeons and dark castles on the over-map are only the most major. Feel free to roll for encounters in these hexes to place lairs—or you can keep them improvisational, of course, rolling when travelled-through. But, when the players visit a town and ask about nearby threats, you'll want to roll them up there if you haven't already.

I got to place the prophecied locations, in a way that is quite different than regular sandbox design—because we have foreknowledge of the shape of events to come. Still, these sites have many surprises, as I've thought of the ways that different outcomes of visiting may impact Bill of Bucket's Quest, and I have no doubt that the group will end up doing things that I haven't conceived of yet.

For six-mile hexes I've also previously used parts of the excellent Judges Guild adapatation Wilderness Hexplore from New York Redbox.

But I'm not crazy about this rule and end up leaving it aside for some ranges. I will revisit this procedure next time. ↩︎

#maps #rules #the wilderness

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4colorrebellion · 8 years

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Review-In-Progress: Yakuza 0

The Yakuza series is always one that has fascinated me, but for some reason, I had never actually sat down and played any of the games. This distinctly Japanese take on Grand Theft Auto has always hovered on the periphery of my awareness as something that I was pretty sure I would enjoy, but until recently, it was just one of those series where each new entry arrived at a bad time.

When SEGA reached out and offered up a copy of their newest entry, Yakuza 0, I was thrilled to finally give the series a fair try. Read on for my impressions of the first three chapters.

I should preface the following with one disclaimer - I have not finished the game. This is a long game. I could easily see sinking 70 or 80 hours into it. Since I have a full time job, I haven’t had time to finish this off in the two weeks that I’ve been playing it. Right now, I am fifteen hours into the game, and in the third chapter (out of 10). With the game coming out in a few days, I thought that I should share my impressions for those of you thinking about picking it up.

The newest game, Yakuza 0, is a prequel to the five mainline entries in the series. Set in the late 1980s, the story follows two characters - Kiryu Kazama and Majima Goro - who have, for various reasons, found themselves drawn into a power struggle over a vacant lot in Tokyo. The story swaps back and forth between Kiryu - who has been framed for murder and ousted from the Yakuza - and Majima - who has been exiled to Osaka for his role in an earlier assassination.

The story of Yakuza 0 is not exactly going to win any literature awards, but like a great action movie, it really sucks you in. Every bit of the writing in Yakuza, from the central plot to the dialogue, is played completely straight. Yet, at the same time, there is this surreal insanity to it. The story is over-the-top - hell, every interaction is kind of over-the-top - and you just have to smile at the madcap machismo of it all.

Whether it is Kiryu - on his knees in the rain, imploring his adoptive father to induct him into the Yakuza - or Majima - dodging punches from a drunken cabaret patron while playing the role of the doting, obedient waiter - I love every melodramatic exploit that these characters get into. They’re these ridiculous tough guys, and I really want them to succeed. I want to be them. Hell, I’d settle for being half as cool as them.

Where the writing really shines is in the side stories. Yakuza 0 has two different cities that you can explore - the Kamurocho neighborhood of Tokyo and the Sotenbori neighborhood of Osaka. As you wander around these two cities, you end up stumbling into the lives of the locals. Sometimes, this is indirect - you overhear a rumor about an event going on in another part of town, and can wander over to check it out. Sometimes this is quite direct - somebody sees you as their knight in shining armor. These quick optional quests offer welcome breaks from the central storyline, and do a great job of drawing you into the world of the game.

To give an example, as I walked by a restaurant, a TV crew begged me to stand in for their missing producer. The producer had quit after getting tired of the endless demands from the hard-assed director. As Kiryu, I had to pretend to know my stuff long enough for filming to complete. In the end, the show went off without a hitch - until the previous producer and his buddies showed up to beat the tar out of the director. Fortunately for him, they picked a fight with the wrong mobster. In the end, the sobbing director confessed that he just wanted the entire crew to understand his passion

Insane, right? Also, completely awesome. The side stories even build on each other over time. My friendship with the director ended up leading to a job protecting the “Prince of Pop” from.. Well, you’ve probably seen the video.

The characters you meet in these stories, and the interactions you have with them, really make these cities come to life. You can even befriend a number of characters, and learn their stories as you stop and interact with them.

Speaking of characters. If this scene does not convince you to play this game, nothing will.

The art direction also does a great job of bringing these cities to life. Although Yakuza 0 is not going to blow anybody away on a technical level - it was released in Japan on both the PS3 and PS4 - the sheer attention to detail that has gone into every nook and cranny leaves a great impression. The streets of Kamurocho are dense with detail - loaded with endless neon signs, pay phones, and storefronts. Just like any Japanese city, the streets of Kamurocho and Sotenbori are densely packed with people, businesses, and twisty back alleys to get lost in. You are almost hit with sensory overload, and it is all a great feast for the eyes.

To really see what I mean, just enter one of the many convenience stores dotting Kamurocho. I have never seen instant noodles rendered so lovingly in my life, and I cannot think of another game where I can enter a store and see such a variety of items at once, at such a level of fidelity. It’s fun to enter buildings just for the “virtual Japan” experience.

That attention to detail extends to the open-world gameplay. The sheer number of things you can do in the game is staggering. You can go to bars and play darts or pool, you can go bowling, you can hang out in Mahjong parlors. There are two entirely different rhythm games - representing karaoke and disco dancing. You can go to SEGA-branded arcades and play actual arcade games, such as Outrun, or collect stuffed animals from the crane machine. The list of minigames goes on and on, and you could easily put hours into them.

There are even alternate modes on many of the games. For example, you can either play a standard game of billiards, or you can play “Puzzle Pool”, where you are presented with particular arrangements of balls and tasked with sinking the target in one shot.

Many of these minigames are quite good. I’ve enjoyed bowling, pool, and darts the most so far. Actually, darts is another case where the attention to detail is fascinating. You go to a bar to play, and other patrons will come and challenge you to a match. If you win, they usually want a rematch - with a round of drinks in between. Yakuza 0 actually models drunkenness in the darts minigame! The more you drink, the more your vision blurs and your aim is affected. Again, I just can’t stop marveling at the endless little details that the developers have packed into this game.

If those weren’t enough, you can also build up business and real estate empires on the side. I haven’t delved into business management just yet, but I’m pretty sure it’ll be just as addictive as the other minigames.

Of course, the minigames aren’t the main focus of your adventure - those are the battles. At its heart, Yakuza 0 is a kung-fu crime flick, and you’ll spend a lot of time beating the hell out of an endless procession of goons, punks, and other ne’er-do-wells. At story-mandated points, or as you wander the cities, you’ll be ambushed by a bunch of guys and have to defeat them to move on - almost like a JRPG, but with more punching and fewer menus. The basic fighting system is relatively simple. You have a light attack, a heavy attack, and a grapple. You can also block moves. From these basic building blocks, you string together combos. You can also use objects in your environment as make-shift weapons, or equip more deadly weapons that you buy from merchants. All weapons have limited durability, so you have to manage their use carefully.

As you chain together attacks, your heat gauge builds up. Once it reaches a high enough level, you can unleash brutal attacks. When I say brutal, I mean it. You smash faces into walls, stomp on heads, and break limbs with abandon. None of this is shockingly brutal - it all fits into the over-the-top aesthetic - but it can still make you cringe.

Each character has three distinct fighting styles. Kiryu’s default is the “brawler” style - a balance between speed and brutality. He also has a “rush” style, based on boxing, that favors mobility and dodges. Finally, his “beast” style is slow, but devastatingly powerful. Majima’s default is the “thug” style, which acts as a balance between his “slugger” style - a weapon-heavy stance - and his “breaker” style - a speed-based style that makes use of dance moves.

You can switch between styles freely, and all of these styles have their place. If you are surrounded by enemies with weapons, the faster styles will allow you to avoid being hit. The heavier styles are needed to bring down the big guys. So far, I spend most of my time in the default balanced styles, but break into the others in special situations. The brawler style, in particular, just feels satisfying to use.

Defeating enemies and playing minigames both earn you cash. This can, of course, be spent on items such as food or clothing. More importantly, cash can be spent on your moves. Each fighting style has a number of upgrades that you can purchase, arranged in a series of rings. The cost to upgrade increases dramatically between rings. For instance, abilities in the first ring cost 400,000 yen to purchase. Abilities in the second ring cost 2,000,000. Abilities in the third cost 30,000,000. The prices just keep increasing from there. If you want to master each fighting style, you are going to need a whole lot of dough.

After fifteen hours, I am hooked. I feel like I have only scratched the surface of what Yakuza 0 has to offer, but I can’t wait to get back in there and keep digging. If, like me, you’re curious about the series, Yakuza 0 feels like the perfect point to jump in. As a prequel, you do not need to know a thing about the characters or storyline to appreciate what the developers have crafted. Going in, I suspected that I would like these games - I just didn’t know that I would like Yakuza this much.

Yakuza 0 launches in North America on January 24th, for the PS4.

#yakuza #yakuza 0 #ps4 #sega #greg4cr

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aroundtheworldin18years · 5 years

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Italy is one of the most travelled-to destinations in Central Europe, a beautiful country that we quite often recommend to others as a ‘must-visit’ country. From the UNESCO Dolomites in Val di Fiemme, to the narrow canals of Venice, or the soft white sandy beaches beside Spiaggia e Mare on the Adriatic Coast, to the fragrant vineyards of Petra Winery in Tuscany; there’s a place for everyone! As fascinated as we are with the beautiful towns, beaches and cities of Italy, we always seem to be drawn back to the spectacular UNESCO Dolomites and in particular, Val di Fiemme in Trentino, Italy. Un posto speciale che consideriamo una casa-da-casa. For the Summer of 2019 we would return to try out the Summer Weekly Programme organised by Val di Fiemme Tourism. Lots of fun activities, nature walks and aqua parks to keep The Callaghan Posse entertained.

A cable car to heaven

THE MAGIC OF THE DOLOMITES

The Val di Fiemme region is spectacular in winter with a picture postcard backdrop of the snow-covered UNESCO Dolomites mountain range. In winter, visitors flock to the alpine pistes seeking powder thrills and Après Ski. But, this region has so much more to offer than just skiing and snow. For starters, there’s Spring when the snow melts and clear water cascades down the mountains. The trickling Spring streams, that eventually merge in Summer and become fast flowing rivers; are perfect are thrill-seekers looking for a spot of white-water rafting. Flora and fauna flourish under a hot and hazy Italian sun and the once snow-covered hills now give way to lush green pastures. Instead of skiers, mountain bikers test their skills on the technical descents that were ski runs in Winter. Peaceful, and a place that fills us with awe and wonder every time we visit.

The UNESCO Dolomites viewed from Val di Fiemme, Trentino, Italy

ARRIVING AT MALPENSA AIRPORT

After a day of ‘around the houses’ travel with Mummy and her cost saving exercises, our Ryanair flight landed at Malpensa Airport, Milan at around 18:00. Bags were offloaded from the plane promptly and we were soon at the GoldCar car hire desk. Our medium-sized Jeep looked great but with a small(ish) boot, we had to play ‘baggage jenga‘ before we could set off to Aparthotel Majestic at the base of the UNESCO Dolomites in Val di Fiemme, Trentino, Italy. Always looking for a bargain, Mummy often picks the cheapest car hire possible and is never really sure of what vehicle we are going to end up with. That said, we’ve never had any Car Hire issues or concerns and we are becoming very experienced players at ‘baggage jenga‘.

Jeep, great for baggage jenga

MILAN TO VAL DI FIEMME

Having played ‘baggage jenga‘ with the Jeep, our journey began as dusk fell. From Malpensa Airport to Trentino by car takes around four hours. Euros in the glove box for tolls, sat-nav changed to English and it’s all systems go. Having left blue skies and sunshine in Ireland, we were now staring at a moody grey sky above Milan. And it wasn’t long until the moody grey sky burst into life! Torrential downpour and instant flooding on the roads! As we waited to use a toll booth, we watched a BMW float by on the road out of Milan. With rain, thunder and lightening, the drive to the Dolomites wasn’t the most pleasant. However, six hours of driving later; we arrived at the ‘majestic’ Aparthotel Majestic in Val di Fiemme, Trentino, Italy. Lily-Belle and Matilda were sound asleep and I was definitely ready for my bed!

The rain in Spain also appears in Italy

Arriving late at Aparthotel Majestic, Predazzo, Italy

APARTHOTEL MAJESTIC, PREDAZZO

Arriving after midnight, all we could do was unload the car and climb into bed…exhausted. After a peaceful sleep, morning arrived and Mummy and the girls took a short walk to the supermarket to purchase local delicacies and stock up on provisions! I decided to chill and get a couple of extra hours rest in the spacious apartment. Aparthotel Majestic is situated on the outskirts of the town of Predazzo at the base of the Italian Dolomites. Knowing that we would arrive late we purposefully planned not do to any activities on our first morning. Our apartment room balcony provided us with stunning views of the UNESCO Dolomites. The air was fresh and the sun shone as we sat on the balcony eating fresh melon, croissants, pretzels and cheeses. What a beautiful way to begin a holiday in Predazzo, alfresco breakfast in a majestic hotel and stunning scenery…bliss!

READ ALL ABOUT IT: OUR STAY AT APARTHOTEL MAJESTIC IN PREDAZZO

SUMMER ACTIVITY PROGRAMME IN VAL DI FIEMME

Our first activity in Val di Fiemme was an Italian cookery lesson; and no, not for Mummy! Saying that though, the girls and I do wish Mummy would learn to cook hearty Italian food fresh rather than from a Dolmio jar! Like all of our activities planned for our week in Val di Fiemme and the Italian Dolomites, they had been chosen specifically for the girls. A chance for them to leave the tablets and tech indoors and be active and enjoy the magnificent outdoors. Activity one was an hour long ‘Cooking Workshop’ at the Little Mountain Delicacies workshop at Rifugio Monte Agnello in Pampeago. Access to the meeting point was via a short chair-lift ride from a very pretty Pampeago.

A view of the UNESCO Dolomites from Rifugio Monte Agnello in Pampeago, Italy

LITTLE DELICACIES WORKSHOP

Inside Rifugio Monte Agnello, where the Little Mountain Delicacies workshop took place; a group of children gathered around a rectangular table. Each child was provided with an apron and a chef hat, got to look the part, right? On the table lay bowls, ingredients and instructions on which ingredients to add to the bowl and when. Of course, children + ingredients = mess. But not on this occasion, the little ones took great pride in their mixing. As the only British tourists, we were delighted to receive translation assistance from the lovely Marghe, a snowboard instructor in winter and employee of the restaurant in summer. Mum’s and Dad’s watched hungrily from the sidelines waiting to sample the goodies made by the young chefs. Soft, sweet coconut ball treats. Yummy! And we even had enough to take back to Aparthotel Majestic for supper.

Getting hands on at the Little Delicacies Workshop

Thumbs up for sweet treats

Too many cooks spoil the broth

EXPLORING RIFUGIO MONTE AGNELLO

After making (and munching) the sweet coconut balls, a chance to explore Rifugio Monte Agnello and burn off the calories we’d just eaten! As always, the view of the UNESCO Dolomites was spectacular, a view we could admire all day, everyday. There was a petting pen with goats that the girls were drawn to. After a short time feeding and petting, the pen was opened and the goats left to roam freely. Perched high on the mountain there was a group of wooden ‘people like’ sculptures looking out across the Italian mountains. We named these sculptures ‘Mountain Gods’. There’s a short walk down a dedicated trail with an assortment of art and sculptures, plus the largest picture frame we’ve ever seen. The frame encompassed the UNESCO Dolomites mountains perfectly. In the evening of our first day we took a gentle stroll into Predazzo to familiarise ourselves with the town.

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TESORIENTEERING HUNT

Day two and our morning activity was Tesorienteering, organised by Kindergarten La Tana degli Snomi. The activity took place at Bellamonte Alpe Lusia just 15 minutes by car from Aparthotel Majestic. In the cable car we realised we had dropped a clanger, we’d left our water in the car and outside was scorching. Our meet and greet. Andrea; gave our girls a small wooden ball each and told us all would become clear at Giro D’Ali Parco Giochi sull’Acqua in the afternoon. At the meeting pint we joined a small group of people who were much better equipped than we were with backpacks, walking poles and water. Ezio, our Tesorienteering guide; briefed the main group in Italian, then briefed The Callaghan Posse in English. We knew what we had to do….use the compass and map, follow the trail, solve the clues, return to base…easy peasy! What could go wrong?

A ride to the top of Alpe Lusia by cable car

With a map and compass, the Dlomites is your playground

Mpa, compass and a sense of adventure

SEARCH AND RESCUE

Now, Mummy and I are very competitive but Tesorienteering was taken at a more leisurely pace. A compass, map and clue sheet were provided, which was pretty much all that we needed. The trail sloped gently down through woodland with fun interactive puzzles along the trail. Dinosaur footprints led us to a bird puzzle. Lily-Belle loved the woodpeckers which rose up a pole with the pull of a rope, then fell pecking the pole when the rope was released. The Callaghan Posse, always hunting for photo opportunities; stopped regularly and we even managed a refreshing ice lolly mid way. Our quest continued and the Tesorienteering clues were solved with relative ease. Unbeknownst to us we had missed the return cut-off time and a search party was sent to locate us. Somehow we missed that we had two hours to complete the course…oops! Brilliant way to spend the morning.

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CHALET 44 ALPINE LOUNGE

Tesorienteering trail complete and thirst and hunger got the better of us, but mainly thirst! A short chairlift ride to the top of Bellamonte Alpe Lusia for lunch at the brand new Chalet 44 Alpine Lounge. A magnificent building with large glass windows giving diners amazing views of the UNESCO Dolomites. Our waitress, Anisa; was very polite and attentive, and once we’d ordered, the food arrived promptly and was beautifully presented. Outside the main restaurant there’s a huge veranda for al fresco dining; overlooked by two huge artistic red flowers that stretch toward the sky. Very quiet, tranquil and peaceful, and almost empty! No doubt due to the fact that the restaurant is relatively new. This fine establishment will be very popular come winter when the masses arrive. The food was excellent and we expected to spend big bucks but no, the food was superb value for money.

READ ALL ABOUT IT: OUR TRIP TO OBERHOLZ RESTAURANT IN OBEREGGEN

Food with a view.

Piatto Chalet 44

Chalet 44 for fine dining

GIRO D’ALI PARCO GIOCHI SULL’ACQUA

Once lunch had settled in our full tummies, we drove to our afternoon activity at Giro D’Ali Parco Giochi sull’Acqua. That’s one heck of a mouthful, so from here on in we’ll call it ‘Giro D’Ali’ for short! The sun shone brightly and temperatures were in the low 30’s, which for us pasty white skinned Brits; is excessively hot. Looking at the views from inside the cable car, it’s hard to believe that Giro D’Ali will be under deep snow in the winter when it becomes a ski run.

Cable car to Giro D’Ali Parco Giochi sull’Acqua

Spectacular views of the Italian Dolomites

TICKLES FROM A TADPOLE AT GIRO D’ALI

As the name would suggest, Giro D’Ali is full of fun water features to engage children. And probably the strangest thing we’ve ever experienced on our travels, tadpoles! There was a small shallow walk-through pond and a pebble stream where tiny tadpoles swam around your feet. Children, including Lily-Belle and Matilda; plunged their hands in hoping to catch the skittish critters. And, if you stood still, the tadpoles latched on to your feet and swam between your toes, really, really ticklish! Even though we knew we were attending the Giro D’Ali Parco Giochi sull’Acqua, we seriously had no idea that it was an aquapark. And, because we had no idea that it was an aquapark, we had no swimsuits or swim-shorts. Took a little while to convince Lily-Belle to strip to her knickers and vest, but she eventually did when she saw how much fun Matilda was having.

Paddling in the pebble stream

Catch a tadpole by the toe

Are they tadpoles or ‘toepoles’.

PROSPECTING FOR GOLD IN THE DOLOMITES

The Giro D’Ali Parco Giochi sull’Acqua is an excellent facility for children to expend energy. Splash ponds and streams, interactive water wheels and wooden structures, bobbing ducks, sun loungers (just a few) and a foot jacuzzi to dip your toes into, plus other play items. There was even the chance to prospect for gold and you got to keep whatever bounty you prospected! At the lower end of the aquapark there is a larger pond with an unstable floating raft and rope pulleys. The aim is to climb aboard the raft and using the ropes, pull yourself to the other side. Oh, and you also have to avoid being shot by children with large water cannons. Lots and lots of fun and practically impossible to stay dry so take spare clothing with you.

Pull faster if you want to dodge the water cannons

The wheels in the water go round and round

Catch me if you can Mr Water

There’s gold in them there hills

WHAT A LOAD OF WOODEN BALLS AT GIRO D’ALI

Giro D’Ali Parco Giochi sull’Acqua is on a gentle gradient. Fields are green and the forests beside are alive with the sound of wildlife. Red kites soar high in the sky using the summer thermals to rise. Preparing to leave the aquapark, we heard cowbells ringing, but where were the cows? Intrigued, we made our way to where the sound came from. Now the wooden balls made sense! A wooden ball assault course! Release the wooden ball then follow as it heads downwards through an assault course. Dodging holes, pinging off pegs, rolling over and under obstacles until the wooden ball reaches the end of each section and rings a cow bell. Ding-a-ling-a-ling! Very addictive and after spending 30 minutes or so going up and down with the wooden balls, we called it a day. Back to Aparthotel Majestic to freshen up and visit Predazzo for the evening.

RAI RADIO KIDS STREET FESTIVAL

The main town of Predazzo is a short 5 minute walk from Aparthotel Majestic. The buildings are colourful with decorative floral baskets hanging outside shops and restaurants. Every now and then your nose catches the sweet floral smells. In the town centre the Rai Radio kids street festival was in full swing and the sound of children having fun filled the air. Our girls love ‘mini-disco’ when we do Eurocamp holidays and the street festival was a fun way for them to join in. Plus the DJ played songs that we knew from previous Eurocamp holidays; including Baby Shark. Although we don’t speak Italian, our girls soon found friends to play with. Language is no barrier when music is playing and there’s the chance to dance!

Party time in Predazzo

Let the beat play on

VAL DI FIEMME TOURISM

At the Rai Radio Kids Street Festival we had the opportunity to catch up with Cristiana from Val di Fiemme Tourist Office. Cristiana had very kindly organised all of our activities from the Val di Fiemme Summer Weekly Programme. As well as music, there was an array of stalls selling food. balloons, face painting and temporary tattoos, which Lily-Belle and Matilda both got! I’m dreading the day when they walk in the house with real tattoos! And if they do, I’m blaming Mummy! Mummy, even though she was over the age of 18; had a tattoo that she hid from her parents for many years! To end the night, a paper plate full of the dessert delicacy Fortaie…oh my, delicious! A tasty sweet treat that closely resembles a crêpe mixed with a doughnut and drizzled with chocolate. Sticky, messy but deliciously tasty and ever so moreish! Bed time!

READ ALL ABOUT IT: OUR HOLIDAY TO SPIAGGIA E MARE HOLIDAY PARK

From Tinkerbell with love

One plate of Fortaie is not enough

A rose for rose

REVISITING ALPE CERMIS

In March 2018 we enjoyed a fantastic ski holiday at Alpe Cermis and met some wonderful people. Having day three to ourselves gave us an opportunity to relax in the pool at Aparthotel Majestic. Afterwards a return to Alpe Cermis to surprise Claudio whom we met at the ski rental in 2018. Plus we had gifts brought all the way from the Emerald Isle. In summer, Alpe Cermis base station is transformed into an adventure park with climbing apparatus and splash pools. After lunch and fun at the splash park, we ascended by chairlift to the top of Alpe Cermis. As we remembered, breathtaking views but very different from the snow-covered Dolomites of winter 2018. The picturesque well-groomed pistes were now green and sparkles of sunlight reflected off the petals of vibrant alpine flowers dotted on the mountainside. Winter skiers had been replaced by horses, ducks and other animals.

READ ALL ABOUT IT: OUR TRIP TO ALPE CERMIS, CAVALESE IN ITALY

Summer in Alpe Cermis, Cavalese

Winter in Alpe Cermis, Cavalese

THE CHURCH OF PPREDAZZO

Sightseeing over for the day and a chance to dress in our gladrags for our evening visit to the beautiful town of Predazzo. Chiesa arcipretale dei Santi Filippo e Giacomo bells were ringing and we saw this as an opportunity to pop inside the magnificent church, also known locally as the Church of Predazzo. Built in 1872, the church is luxuriant, and ostentatiously magnificent, the interior furnishings opulent and dazzlingly ornate with a fine attention to detail. Inside, the setting-sun shone through the colouful stained glass windows and created a dazzling blueish-green aura at the altar.

Handbags and gladrags

Everyone is welcome in God’s house.

PRONTO PIZZA AND KEBAB SHOP

As thunder rumbled directly above us and the rain began to fall heavily, we took refuge in Pronto Pizza. Great opportunity to order food and then boom! There was a loud explosion and dust fell from the ceiling onto our table and into our drinks! Outside, the fire brigade arrived and a crowd gathered. Lightening had struck a nearby building and debris had fallen into the road. Unphased by the noise and commotion, I tucked into a delicious speciality kebab and the girls devoured a huge pizza, and I do mean huge! Poor Matilda couldn’t lift her slice having tiny hands but Lily-Belle got to grips with her slice no bother, she wasn’t going to be defeated. On the way back to Aparthotel Majestic we stopped at Cafe Ancora for treats; ice cream for the girls, and a glass of Italy’s finest vino for Mummy and Daddy.

A slice tastes nice

Kebabs, always a great feast

Anyone for spaghetti ice cream?

RIVER RAFTING WITH AVISIO

Our fourth day in Val di Fiemme and today’s activities would not be done as a family. Mummy and Matilda had a morning to visit pony’s and horses whilst Lily-Belle and I had River Rafting with Avisio Rafting. I’m not going to lie, Lily-Belle was nervous, especially when I told here there was piranhas in the river! The instructor informed our group the course was a Class 3; small waves, a few drops, but no considerable danger to rafters. After getting kitted out and listening to a briefing from Federico; we each had to throw ourselves into the water, float down river for a few seconds, then return to shore. The water was fr-fr-freezing! Single-bladed paddle in hand, we climbed aboard the inflatable raft and was soon floating down the Torrente Avisio River. Not quite white-water but exhilarating and fun nonetheless!

Briefing on dry land by Avisio Rafting in Alpe Cermis

Ok, who pulled the plug out and drained the water

Commands were given to row slower, faster, reverse, steer left and right and ice-cold water splashed up around us. The raft bobbed up and down and bounced over rocks, often threatening to discard us into the water. At one point rafters were offered the chance to climb up a steep rock then jump into the flowing river. Lily-Belle and I climbed, but Miss C became hesitant when she saw the 5-6 metre drop and allowed everyone to go ahead of her. I thought she would bottle it, but, and with me leaning gently into her back; she finally leapt off the rock. For a fleeting moment I was concerned when she disappeared under the water, but concern became relief when she popped up to the surface. Lots of fun and I have to say that River Rafting was one of the highlights of our holiday. Loved it!

River RaFting, great way to spend the day

Don’t fall in or the piranha will eat you

ACROPARK ADVENTURE DOLOMITI

Our afternoon activity at Acropark Adventure Dolomiti would be a hands-on experience for the girls. Acropark Adventure Dolomiti is an amazing aerial assault course set within woodlands in Val di Fiemme. An assortment of climbing apparatus, zip lines and nets for children to entertain themselves. The aerial routes are colour coded with height restrictions applied and enforced. Before tackling the main course high in the canopy, children get to practice their skills and equipment handling closer to the ground. An unforgettable adventure and a perfect day out when the sun shines. After just 30 minutes of monkeying around in the trees, heavy rain came along with thunder and lightening. Fun time stopped! A halt was called and the park closed for safety reasons, the storm was too close for comfort. Far too wet to do anything outdoorsy so we drove back to Aparthotel Majestic and frolicked in the pool.

Ready for a treetop adventure at Acropark Adventure Dolomiti

Swinging through the canopy at Acropark Adventure Dolomiti

Aerial Acrobatics at Acropark Adventure Dolomiti

GELETARIA TRE VALLI AKA FRANCO’S

Midweek we arranged to meet with Claudio and Stef at Geletaria Tre Valli, aka Franco’s. From Ireland, we had a bottle of Connemara Peated Single Malt Irish Whiskey for Franco. As we often do; we got chatting to a group sat at a table beside us, a family from Lake Garda. Under their table an assortment of instruments and it wasn’t long before the instruments were in hand and music filled the air. It’d be rude not to ask for requests…wouldn’t it? The boys had no bother playing Irish jigs, jazz, pop…basically any and every genre going. Franco cajoled Mummy into dancing! Let me tell you, Franco is a lively and sprightly character with an abundance of energy. Mummy sat down exhausted long before Franco did. In the middle of our table a sharing platter of biscuits to dip in chocolate. A special night as always, Franco’s never disappoints!

Franco’s with friends, always a great night

ARCHEOLOGICAL TOUR OF DOSS ZELOR

Morning of day five and we had arranged to meet with Cristiana (Val di Fiemme Tourism) for an excursion to Archaeolab al Doss Zelor (archaeological site). Lily-Belle was excited for this activity as her desire is to become an Archaeologist. Unfortunately, we were given a winter timetable and buses run at different times throughout summer. Having stood for an hour, we concluded that the activity would have begun without us. Thankfully, Cristiana was very understanding. Not wanting to waste the morning we picked up our car and drove to Alpe Cermis. During our visit in 2018 we met Federica, the manager of Alpe Cermis Ski Resort. Having stayed in touch we paid Federica a visit. In hand we had Spiderman goodies for her son (his favourite Superhero) all tucked away inside a Spiderman rucksack. Always lovely to catch up with those special people whom we meet on our travels.

The wheels on the bus…finally move off

PONY TREKKING AT ALPE CERMIS

The previous day whilst Lily-Belle and I rafted with Avisio Rafting, Mummy and Matilda wandered around. On their travels they came across a sign ‘Passeggiate a Cavallo’ and saw donkeys and horses. Passeggiate a Cavallo translates to ‘Horse Riding‘. A small island beside the Torrente Avisio River with horses and donkeys available for short rides. Knowing how much Mat-Moo wanted to ride on the little donkey, we paid a visit. Thankfully trekking was open and the girls got to pet and ride the beautiful nags. Lily-Belle rode a horse, and Matilda a small donkey. The guide led the tame animals and riders around a well-trodden patch between fir trees and under a dense green canopy. Our ride was the last before Passeggiate a Cavallo closed for lunch.

LUNCH AT BAR AL PARCO IN ALPE CERMIS

A short cable car journey took us back to the Alpe Cermis reception. Below us, the horses, that Lily-Belle and Matilda were riding a few minutes ago; were now untethered and cooling themselves in the river. Directly beside the car park at Alpe Cermis there’s a winding path that leads to a play park and viewing platform to take in the magnificent Dolomites and pine forest surroundings. The girls played in the water features and on the park apparatus whilst Mummy took photos. I was content just to sit and enjoy the panoramic views of Val di Fiemme as we waited for our lunch to arrive at Bar al Parco. The food was excellent and reasonably priced. After lunch we hopped back in the car and set off to the meeting point for our afternoon activity, e-bikes in Ziano di Fiemme. E-bikes, that’s cheating isn’t it?

Working up an appetite at the play park

A feast for a family

Great views of Alpe Cermis and the Italian Dolomites

E-BIKES IN THE DOLOMITES

Once upon a time I was a keen road cyclist. I have ridden thousands of miles including charity rides from London to Paris, and Vienna to Prague. I’ve always been ‘anti e-bike’ so this activity was enough to give me collywobbles! What is an e-bike? In a nutshell it’s a battery operated bicycle…but you still have to pedal! Arriving at our meeting point the e-bikes were ready and waiting, as was our guide, Livio. Matilda was too little to ride an e-bike so she was placed in a tow-along trailer attached to my e-bike. At first the e-bike felt no different from riding a standard pedal bicycle, that is until you come to an uphill gradient and push on the pedals, then a small battery operated motor engages and gives you a boost. Hills become effortless and there’s no puffing and panting once you reach the summit.

The master of mountain bikes

The Three Musketeers

The e-bike route ran alongside the Torrente Avisio River. We rode tarmac and gravel paths, passed through tunnels and over centuries old bridges. Even stopping for refreshments beside the Stadio del Cross Country del Lago di Tesero where Nordic Combined (cross-country skiing and ski jumping) will take place at the 2026 Olympics. Lily-Belle asked to buy a bottle of water. Once in hand, she poured the water out, then filled the bottle at a fountain with fresh water running down from the mountains. Madness! Our guide was a pleasant man, and knowledgeable about the local areas, even suggesting places to visit if we had spare time…which we didn’t. After three hours of cycling we returned to ground zero. Although I’m not quite an e-bike convert, I would consider hiring one for mountainous holiday cycles. Tired, a relaxing night in at Aparthotel Majestic and a visit to Kids Club.

E-biking is easy peasy

E-biking is thirsty work

ANTS, MASTERS OF THE MOUND

The sixth day arrived far too quickly and after a busy week, The Callaghan Posse were beginning to flag. Our morning activity was nothing too strenuous, Masters of Butter at hut Malga Ora in Passo Lavazè. Once there a gentle stroll lead us up a dedicated track. On route we encountered huge ant mounds. Our guide prodded the mounds with a twig to show the ants aggression, and the foul smell they give off when under threat. Nasty! A few months before we arrived, a devastating hurricane – Tempesta Vaia; wreaked havoc as it tore through Cavalese and the surrounding areas. It was clear to see the destruction the tornado had caused with landslides, rockfalls and fallen trees everywhere. Millions upon millions of trees destroyed and thousands of homes damaged.

Tornado’s are almost as destructive as children

Making a mountain out of an ant hill

You go your way and I’ll go mine

MASTERS OF BUTTER AT PASSO LAVAZÈ

At Malga Ora there was a pen with fluffy llamas, a favourite animal of Lily-Belle’s. Once at the outdoor seating area, a lady arrived with a Zangola. A wooden box with a handle and a paddle within which spins when the handle is turned. Children took turns turning the handle starting with the youngest first. As the churning progressed, and the milk became butter; the handle became almost impossible to turn. It takes 10 litres of milk to make 1 litre of creamy butter. Baskets of bread were placed on the tables and the butter was placed on each table. The butter was creamy, really fresh, soft and full of flavour. Lily-Belle and Matilda didn’t like the taste at all. But, they did try to put on a brave face so as not to cause offence, and for a photo of course!

Lily-Belle looking at Llamas

Life is better with butter

Home made and fresh, tasty butter

Thumbs up for the butter

After butter making we opted to stroll back down the path. Our walk was serene and we used the time to enjoy the different flora and fauna whilst taking in the views and observing the busy ants. At ground zero there was a restaurant and we didn’t have to wait to be seated. My iphone had taken a leave of its senses so this lunch stop allowed me to do the necessary to fix it! Technology, great when it works but a nightmare when it doesn’t! Unbeknownst to the girls and I, Mummy had already done a recce of the restaurant in the hope that it served a local delicacy, fortaie, (known as stràboli, strauben or strauli in other regions). Whatever the gooey treat is called, it’s seriously delicious! The more fortaie you tuck into, the more fortaie you crave, and one plate between four is never enough!

A feast for a king

One Fortaie between four is never enough

A DAY ON THE FARM

After lunch we made our way to Tesero, Pampeago for our afternoon activity in the Tyrolean mountains, One Day as a Farmer. I thought cow bells only existed in Julie Andrews movies, how wrong was I. The distant percussion sounds, ringing out across the Dolomites; really do sound like ‘the hills are alive with the sound of music! Arriving at Malga, we were greeted by a lady whom we assumed was the lady of the house. An elderly gentleman stood with a walking cane in hand, looking out across the pastures and his cattle. The farm was different to a typical dairy farm in Ireland with 100+ cows and large robotic milking parlours. This Italian farm was simple and back to what our ancestors farms would have been like. Our group listened intently as the farmer explained (in Italian) all of the workings of the farm and machinery.

Future farmers learning about alpine farming

One man and his moo

Traditional alpine milking parlour

PULL THE ‘UDDER’ ONE

The host led our group into the cattle shed to try our hand at milking the cows. Matilda point blank refused and Lily-Belle, being a tad squeamish; pulled the udder two or three times then gave up. If Granda is expecting our girls to inherit and work the family farm, I think he’s going to be disappointed! I couldn’t help but think how we wouldn’t get to experience this type of milking interaction with cows at home in Ireland. Not much health and safety about, large cows with pointy horns meandered freely among the children. The only thing preventing us all from being gored was the elderly farmer and his cane. At one point Elly, cow number 2264, with curly horns; walked right up to me and just stood there. Confrontational or just wanting her photo taken, who knows! The elderly farmer moved Elly and her pals along swifly.

Ok Elly, moooove along

Go on, pull the udder one

OH SHOE POO

One thing I neglected to do was take old trainers or walking boots to the farm. Members of the group were looking at my pristine white K-Swiss trainers and it was obvious what they were thinking – ‘they’re not going to stay white for long’, and they were right! Covered in cow poo and ruined! The faeces, sorry I mean faces; of the group when I removed my dung-covered trainers and cleaned them in a water trough…priceless! I’m just glad Mummy had baby wipes and hand sanitiser in her bag! Trainers semi-cleaned it was time to sample the farm produce. Really enjoyable as we all tucked into delicious homemade breads, fresh butter and sweet jams whilst drinking fresh milk. A cow/bull (didn’t hang around to check) scared the poop outta me and made her/his presence known by giving me a nudge. Still not happy about ruining my K-Swiss!

Fresh food from farm to plate

Ip, dip, cow, sh…..

Andy bully’s special prize…a menacing stare

FROM UDDER TO CUP, FRESH MILK

The milk, which we squeezed fresh from a cow not 20 minutes before; was handed to us in plastic cups. Not at all like our ‘straight from the fridge’ fully pasteurised semi skimmedmilk…oh, no, much, much warmer. Lily-Belle took matters into her own hands and devised her own cooling method utilising the cows drinking trough. That was until Mummy told her I had just cleaned my ‘cow poo covered trainers’ in the same trough! I chortled to myself as other children copied Lily-Belle and used the drinking trough to cool their milk. And shhhhhh, don’t tell Lily-Belle, but just to confess, I used a small trough beside the farm house to clean my trainers, not the cows drinking trough!

one-day-as-a-farmer-mp4

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A FOND FAREWELL TO FRANCO AND FAMILY

With full tummy’s, our farm group dispersed and we left Malga, Pampeago. Just one special visit to make before leaving Val di Fiemme the following morning; Franco’s. Our arrival to Franco’s came just as his beautiful niece Lara arrived with fresh pesto from Mama’s garden. Franco insisted that we ate alongside his wonderful family. Mummy panicked as she doesn’t like pesto. Franco arrived at the table with a pan filled with pesto spaghetti and the aroma alone was enough to make us salivate. Matilda didn’t eat the pasta…she inhaled it! You’d have thought that she hadn’t been fed the whole holiday. Deliziosa! And Mummy is now a pesto convert!

Who’d have thought that we’d be in Italy, enjoying home cooked Italian food with an authentic and wonderful Italian family, as well as drinking vino and eating the best gelato that Italy has to offer! This amazing hospitality is why we return to Bella Italia annually.

Franco’s delicious pesto spaghetti,

One big HAPPY family

ALPINE COASTER IN THE DOLOMITES

After a week of Summer Activity Programme in Val di Fiemme, we had planned a few days in Croatia to relax. A mix up with our Croatia arrival date meant an extra day in Val di Fiemme. The girls were thrilled! One thing that they wanted to do on this summer holiday was ride the Alpine Coaster Gardoné at Ski Center Latemar. In 2017 Matilda was too short and wasn’t allowed to ride. Thankfully Mat-Moo had grown and was now tall enough to ride the thrilling Alpine Coaster Gardoné this time around. The coaster car hurtles down the Dolomite mountainside with only a brake and fear preventing the rider from travelling at warp speed. It’s almost impossible to concentrate on the winding track with amazing views of the Dolomites catching your eyes. Matilda thought Mummy was too slow, then rode with Daddy the second ride, much faster than Mummy.

Alpine Coaster Gardonè

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A TUBBY DOUGHNUT TRACK

Just beside the Alpine Coaster Gardone is the fun and thrilling Tubby Track. Take one of the round inflatable dinghy’s and use the magic carpet to transport yourself to the top of the track. Sit inside the dinghy, hold tightly to the handles and off you go go….whoosh! The doughnut-shaped dinghy flies down the track rotating on the bends. Great fun and the girls had maybe 7 or 8 goes each before we made our way back down the mountain in the cable car.

Tubby Track

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SKI JUMPERS DO NOT NEED SNOW

Ski Center Latemar lies just on the outskirts of the town of Predazzo and is well known for its world class Ski Jumping Stadium. The stadium was named after Giuseppe Dal Ben, a local personality who supported and promoted the values of sport to many generations of Val di Fiemme. Mid summer and the car thermometer was reading 36°C and definitely not a day for ski jumping…or so we thought! The Giuseppe Dal Ben Stadium will host the 2026 Olympics and even on this scorching hot summer day, the jumpers were out practicing; obviously no snow required. AstroTurf and a sprinkler system gives full ski functionality throughout the year. We sat and watched these fearless ‘flyers’ glide down the slope and soar effortlessly through the air before landing and coming to a stop. Flawless! Next stop an evening meal at Aparthotel Majestic.

READ ALL ABOUT IT: OUR STAY AT APARTHOTEL MAJESTIC IN PREDAZZO

Giuseppe dal Ben Ski Jumping Stadium

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ALL GOOD THINGS COME TO AN END

Our week long Summer Activity Programme and our stay in Val di Fiemme had sadly come to an end. It’s always with a heavy heart when we leave Italy, even though we do have an amazing time and know we’ll return soon. Before leaving we dropped in with Cristiana (Val di Fiemme Tourist Board) to say thank you for her exceptional kindness in organising our excursions, and to bid a fond farewell to our new friend. Next stop, Croatia.

Fond farewells….ciao for now!

WOULD WE GO BACK?

Whether you visit Val di Fiemme in Summer or Winter there’s something for everyone. Although we have been to Val di Fiemme twice in recent years, we have barely scratched the surface of the many amazing activities this spectacular region has to offer. We already have the 2026 Winter Olympics pencilled into our diary and I’m fairly certain we will return many more times before then.

With a very special THANK YOU to:

CRISTIANA TOMASINI (Marketing Office Val di Fiemme) – for your kindness and for organising an amazing week filled with fun activities from the Summer Weekly Programme in Val di Fiemme.

We are truly grateful to you for your impeccable hospitality and we had a fantastic experience working alongside Val di Fiemme Tourism on this collaboration. Until our next visit…a presto, baci e abbracci.

LILY-BELLE SAYS (10)

We have been to Italy a few times but this was by far my best holiday. The accommodation was great as was the pool. And I really enjoyed the Summer Activity Programme organised by Cristiana. Daddy and I had so much fun river rafting and I would love to do this again.

MATILDA SAYS (4)

Going to the waterpark and having baby frogs swim on my toes was really funny and I found gold in the sand pit. And I really liked riding on a pony and going down the big slide on a doughnut but no way was I touching a cows udder!

Travel Itinerary

Date(s) of stay: 3rd July – 11th July 2019

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