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lariej · 11 months ago

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^^ this reminded me i made this post however i made this post ages ago and i now LIVE in manchester so here’s some extra fun facts to help with geography and world building!

the city centre for people is arguably Piccadilly Gardens - it has a shopping centre (The Arndale) and tons of shops n restaurants, it’s in the northern section of Manchester city centre - it’s also always busy as hell (Market Street i’m looking at you)

Northern Quarter is a sort of posh, more expensive, part of Manchester (also in the north of the city centre). it has a very hipster vibe and has shops, bars, and pubs

Gay Village is also in the north side but more central than either of the above, it’s mostly clubs and bars than anything else (also occasional kink related events go on here), lots of drag queens and drunk ppl - Canal Street is the main place

the south of Manchester outside of the city centre is what I like to think is the ‘posh bit’ - it includes areas like Sale and Altrincham which are definitely posh lmao

the northern parts of Manchester (like Bolton) used to be part of Lancashire (big up the red rose baby!!) until a good few decades ago so there a lot of slang that you’ll also find in Lancashire up north - these places tend to have stronger accents i find, but rlly you’ll find heavy accents anywhere in the city, that’s more so a thing of how you were raised ig

The Trafford Centre is the shopping centre that people hype up for being really big and cool - it’s kinda overpriced and 80% designer shops i can’t be arsed going round - also it’s mainly accessible by tram or bus if you don’t wanna spend half an hour or more driving around the FOUR fucking car parks they have spread out around the retail park and is further outside of the city centre

speaking of - trams. we have em. they’re cool and you don’t pay on the tram you tap a card on a screen before getting on the platform and it will charge u based on where you tap your card after you’ve got off (tap n go system basically with zones that charge u differently based on where u are travelling in MCR)

Fallowfield and Withington are the student areas in the south of Manchester - mostly UoM students around here whether in houses or on campus accommodation - for anyone looking for a manchester uni student bar to name drop for a uni au or something - go for 256 or 42s (or Factory but that’s near Gay Village so it’s a good bus ride away but it’s common with students)

there’s a lot of southerners in the city that have moved here, Mancunians born n raised here will take the piss out of them for fun (a friend here told me about how he convinced a southern girl that ‘Stockport’ was pronounced ‘St (Saint) Ockport’ and she bought it)

Popular train stations include: Victoria Station, Oxford Road Station, Piccadilly Station, Deansgate -> most trains coming to Manchester will go through Piccadilly as that’s the biggest if i remember right

hope this helps!! also i love talking about this city so if anyone has questions about it i am happy to answer!!

Ghost’s Manc Accent Guide (ish)

listen i’ve seen a few guides written for this fandom regarding writing Soap’s Scottish accent and yeah fair BUT i have not seen one done for writing a manc accent for Ghost yet!!

this is very much gonna be half arsed because while I myself am not a manc, i have grown up in the north west of england and literally my entire family is (Bolton/Denton on my dads side, Sale on my mums) but it might help some people

if something is from Manchester it is Mancunian - just an extra word to use instead of ‘from Manchester’ in writing (also whenever i see it written in fics i go ‘oh damn this author knows what they’re on about’)

now my experience with manc accents as i said before is Bolton/Denton and Sale which have their differences from a Central Manchester accent. to my knowledge we don’t know what area Ghost is from so i could be wrong here

BUT!! generally, mancunian accents will drop Hs at the beginning of words

‘don’t be hanging about’ ends up sounding more like ‘don’t be ‘angin’ about’

one of the most common things I’ve seen is dropping the G at the end of -ing words as well (as seen about with hanging)

you get the classic northern “fuckin ‘ell!”through this which absolutely Ghost would say

this next one might not be a central manchester thing but it IS something i’ve heard my dad do so if you’re writing Ghost with a heavier accent from the outer regions of Manchester this could be of some use to you

‘you was’, ‘I were’, ‘we was’ - just fucking around with the grammar rules really, I’ve found it’s usually with the heavier accents and when ur getting a bit ‘lazier’ with speaking - definitely a very informal thing

also - we don’t say y’all. it is very much not a typical thing for someone to use y’all unless they have a lot of interaction with american content on social media which i doubt Ghost does

instead consider ‘yous’ - this might be more from where i’m from (Lancashire - further up north about a county over from Greater Manchester) but yous/yers are something u hear - again though, very informal and slang like, rarely hear adults say it

I’m not gonna go into much detail with specific mancunian slang simply bc i wasn’t raised there so my knowledge of it is spotty aside from what my family uses but:

arse not ass

can’t be arsed - can’t be bothered

piss off - self explanatory, fuck off

add ‘absolutely’ to damn near anything and u will have a phrase for drunk - go tos are ‘wankered’ ‘fucked’ ‘pissed/pissed up’

bollacks - balls but also can be used as and exclamation when stuff goes wrong

‘shits gone tits up’ - stuff has definitely gone wrong

‘fuck sake’ - usually said with great exasperation and annoyance, emphasis when speaking is on the ‘sake’

hope this helps someone!! and if anyone has any corrections or additions please do let me know!!

#cod mw #laz speaks

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melis-writes · 3 years ago

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Oh pls continue the part of arthur x victoria with their date pleaseeee

But of course!! 😍 This is actually a very popular request and I don’t blame you guys for wanting to see how it goes at all since there’s going to be a whoooole fic with Arthur x Victoria in the future! WHO WANTS A PART 3 AFTER THIS?! 👀😏

Although it was only Thursday afternoon and not like Arthur has to wait a whole week to see you again, Friday night can not come faster enough for Arthur whose practically been impatient and even a little nervous from the moment you accepted date night for 7:30 PM at Arthur’s place.

If it was up to Arthur, he’d have wanted to skip the rest of his cases for the afternoon for the entirety of Thursday and take you out right then and there, but Arthur figured out quickly that even with the time and date you gave him, you were still teasing him.

You had no plans for Thursday evening but seeing the anticipating look in Arthur’s eyes only made you want to make him wait just a little longer to see you; it would your first real date with him after all.

So all the flirting during court breaks, case preparations, lunch breaks and practically any time you and Arthur both had to see and speak with one another definitely paid off to one thing; you said ‘yes’ to a date, and Arthur made it clear to you he’s romantically interested in you.

Arthur couldn’t keep his eyes off of you all Thursday afternoon once you both saw each other again during a trial, and now that Friday afternoon had finally come at last and Arthur couldn’t be more jittery to wrap up his work and prepare a homemade dinner for his date with you.

Arthur doesn’t want the overdone “let’s go to the theater to see a film” type date where only silent glances are exchanged or even take you to a fancy restaurant downtown somewhere, but a date more down to earth, intimate, private, and casual for Arthur to show you his genuine interest and intentions first.

From the moment you walked into the courthouse in the morning dressed in a taupe, lace-detailed blouse with a matching blazer, pencil skirt and white stillettos—it wasn’t just Arthur’s eyes all over you as you made your way into the office.

And while Arthur now had a newfound confidence near you with his romantic interest known to you, the attraction and little moments where Arthur’s just stunned watching you work or even do something as casual as walk down the hallway have increased tenfold.

Now however, it was the end of the day and Arthur and his colleague Warren were next to each other once again in the courtroom—reviewing papers about the current case and Arthur’s client while they waited for Judge Francis to return.

“Arthur, are you even looking through any of that carefully?” Warren raises a brow, noticing Arthur skimming over his documents carelessly.

“Yes,” Arthur replies in a heavily distracted tone, adjusting his glasses. “I’m pretty sure I read these over a million times before we got here.”

“Well, I hope you made your notes last night, then.” Warren shifts in his seat. “It’s gonna be the easiest case you’ve had against the prosecution in weeks.”

“Mhmm.” Arthur gives out a soft sigh, bored by the countless paperwork in front of him.

“But it doesn’t matter unless it’s Victoria Ferrari, right?” Warren stares back at Arthur, waiting for the response he absolutely knows he’s going to get.

“Victoria?” Arthur’s eyes light up as he looks back at Warren.

“Oh, geez.” Warren sighs deeply. “Would you actually pay more attention if Victoria Ferrari was on the case?”

“She’d give me something to fight for, yeah.” Arthur rubs his forehead gingerly. “Prosecution isn’t prepared at all. They’ve got the weakest argument I’ve ever seen.”

“Well, that’s what I’ve been trying to tell you.” Warren groans quietly, lowering his tone of voice so only Arthur can hear. “But something tells me there’s another reason why even the mention of Victoria Ferrari’s name has you this excited.”

“Maybe, what’s it to you?” Arthur chuckles, pushing his paperwork aside. “You know her, I know her, it’s no big deal.”

“I think you’re blushing, Arthur.” Warren murmurs. “You couldn’t have picked a more terrifying woman to be ooey-gooey for?”

“Terrifying?” Arthur blinks back at Warren. “Word choice, my friend. How is she terrifying?”

“Well,” Warren stammers for a moment, gesturing out towards the courtroom. “We’ve all seen her working—in action or whatever you wanna call it. The woman is relentless. She does her job here better than half of the staff—uh, don’t tell them I said that. It’s like second nature—that’s what terrifies me. I mean I’m doing this out of public interest—I care about the law, but Ferrari? She was born for this.”

“I know.” A grin forms over Arthur’s lips. “That’s what I love so much about her. The term ‘Ferrari fire’ wasn’t made up without good reason, you know. She’s a damn good lawyer.”

“Yeah, and a fine partner in life too I assume if that’s what you’re aiming for.” Warren shakes his head, “just don’t upset her or break her heart. She’ll probably get in touch with the mob and put a hit on you or something.”

“Oh, that’s a classic joke—how did you come up with that one?” Arthur takes off his glasses, setting them down. “Mob jokes, because she’s Italian?”

“Honestly, it’s got nothing to do with that.” Warren shrugs his shoulders. “She just seems like the type of woman who takes no shit from anyone, anyhow.”

“And I’ve got a date tonight with that woman.” Arthur exhales, relaxing in his seat. “So now you know.”

“What?” Warren asks a little louder before ushering himself. “You’re serious? And she agreed?”

“Well, yes, obviously.” Arthur stares back at Warren. “Why are you so surprised?”

“I… I don’t know.” Warren laughs to himself. “Maybe it’s because I have a hard time imagining how you’re going to treat her out to a date.”

“Well, it’s easy. Don’t think so little of me.” Arthur playfully nudges Warren. “Date at my place tonight, homecooked dinner—”

“Let me guess, Italian?” Warren crosses his arms.

“Yes, Italian food.” Arthur answers, laughing as he hears Warren groan again out of second hand embarrassment. “Wine, good conversation—what else is there to do?”

“Really? That’s it?” Warren taps the end of his pen against the desk. “Wine, dine…? Nothing else? Nobody’s gonna make a move?”

“That’s what you’re worried about?” Arthur blushes a little. “Come on, be a gentleman. It’s the first date. We gotta take it easy.”

It definitely wouldn’t be the first time Arthur’s mind wandered to imagining himself kissing you, of course.

Arthur was largely ignored by everyone else except his fellow colleagues when he practically burst out of the courtroom at the end of the day and hurried to pack his things in his office.

However, it was when your secretary knocked on the door and entered Arthur’s office that Arthur didn’t know whether to feel anxious that you’d cancel or just to hear from you via your secretary.

“Miss Ferrari says there’ll be no need to visit her address to pick her up. She’ll be at yours, Mr. Kirkland. I hope you don’t mind I’ve shared your residential address with her.” Your secretary told Arthur.

When Arthur asked why the change of plans as he has no issue picking you up, it was met with the response of, “Miss Ferrari has a few errands to attend to after work.” Short, simple, and much too vague of an answer.

Still, you weren’t stalling or teasing Arthur any further. The only “errands” you were preoccupied with was picking your favourite shade of scarlet lipstick to perfect your pout, clasping on diamond earrings and curling your hair.

You finished off your sultry, evening look with a little black dress with thin rhinestone straps, body hugging fabric showing just a peek of cleavage with the dress’ sweetheart neckline, and matching pumps.

Besides, how could a surprise remain a surprise if Arthur has a chance to see it all on the car ride back to his apartment?

You had the chance to ring the buzzer under ‘Kirkland’ inside the lobby of Arthur’s apartment, but not to ring the doorbell as Arthur already has the door open to peek down the hallway and see you coming.

Arthur picks up on the scent of your floral perfume before he even sees you. As you walk around the corner, running a gentle hand through your styled hair—you lock eye contact with Arthur in front of his suite door.

Arthur tries his best not to literally show you his jaw is about to drop at the sight of you, but even you can tell from afar Arthur’s at a lack of words from how he has his lips pursed open.

Hit with an even harder wave of attraction than before, Arthur is stunned at the sight of you from head to toe and barely knows where to look at next as you walk right up to him.

“Expecting someone, Kirkland?” You gently push Arthur into the apartment, smiling teasingly.

“You look absolutely gorgeous.” Arthur murmurs, walking backwards until both of you’re in the apartment and the door shuts behind you. “Welcome.”

“Thank you for having me.” You blush, walking further inside. “A date’s a date, isn’t it?”

“You’re telling me.” Arthur scoffs, gesturing to his outfit consisting of everything he wore at work earlier except his brown suit jacket on. “Hope you don’t mind the mess—and I’m referring to myself and my kitchen.”

“Don’t be ridiculous.” Your eyes land over the two plates of steaming spaghetti Bolognese on the kitchen counter. “I prefer it this way.”

“Well, make yourself at home and don’t mind me.” Arthur laughs sheepishly, moving around frantically in the kitchen to find his wineglasses. “I’m running late on my own terms.”

“I appreciate the effort.” You wink, leaning down to take off your stilettos. “Italian on the menu today?”

“You could guess easily, huh?” Arthur puts both of the plates down on the kitchen island—his eyes darting to your legs for a split second before he puts down one plate across the other and sets down two forks next to it. “I guess I’m predictable.”

“It’s thoughtful, if anything. Hard on yourself in and out of the law, Kirkland?” You set aside your heels, taking a seat at the kitchen island.

“You have no idea.” Arthur puts down two candles on the centre of the kitchen island—gazing up at you. “Maybe I wanna make a good impression on my first date.”

“Guaranteeing yourself a few more?” You rest your elbows down on the island, watching as Arthur begins to pour half a glass of white wine for you both.

“You tell me.” Arthur grins, igniting a match and lighting up each of the candles. “How am I doing so far?”

“Well,” you pick up your fork with a smirk, pointing at the spaghetti. “I’ll let you know as soon as you give me a reason for your amazing homecooking.”

“Calling it amazing before you try it?” Arthur chuckles as he turns off the kitchen and foyer lights. “High compliments from Miss Ferrari.”

“I know a good spaghetti Bolognese when I see one.” You wrap some of the spaghetti around your fork as Arthur takes a seat across from you. “Italian and homemade, Mr. Kirkland is out to impress.”

“Thought it would remind you of home.” Arthur grins, pulling his wineglass over to his plate.

“I’m from Sicily, not Bologna.” You let out a soft laugh, twirling more spaghetti over your fork.

“Oh, I knew that.” Arthur groans, smacking his forehead. “I definitely knew that. This was just a twist.”

“Cute.” You comment back, taking a bite of your meal. “And very delicious. Thank you.”

“I should be the one thanking you.” Arthur takes a sip of his wine. “You keep me sane in and outside of work.”

“Oh? Hopefully you don’t just see me as a lawyer.” You swallow down your food. “Especially here of all places.”

“No, I definitely see you as…” Arthur’s eyes meet with yours again. “A lot more. I want to get to know you, especially outside of work. I’m never one to limit someone to their career but something tells me you’ve got the same fire in your life that you do in the law.”

“Maybe.” You tease in response, drinking your wine. “Couldn’t I say the same thing about you? Mr. I-Punched-Judge-Flemming-in-The-Face.”

Arthur diverts his gaze down to his food, bursting out laughing with you. “I guess I did something to catch your attention after all.”

“You always had it.” You tell him, holding your wine glass. “You’re one of the only lawyers we have with an actual personality and life outside of the place. Everybody knows Arthur Kirkland punched Judge Flemming, everyone also knows that it was Arthur Kirkland who sided with the prosecution in Judge Flemming’s case.” You point your fork at Arthur. “Divorced for three years, father of two, married to the law in all technicality and living in an unfurnished apartment. I think I know everything there is to know about you Arthur Kirkland, but you still need to get to know me.”

Arthur’s eyes widen at the sudden revelation of information towards him, but he’s pleasantly surprised than shocked, disturbed or otherwise. “So, you know.”

“I want to know.” You reaffirm. “I want to know more. Isn’t that why you invited me over? Or do you just like looking at me?”

“You’re teasing me.” Arthur blushes. “You already know how I feel about you.”

“I’ve had tougher cases to deal with.” You’re more than enjoying seeing Arthur’s reaction and very obvious attraction to you. “All you ever do is look at me at work, Arthur, and when you’re not doing that, you’re thinking of me, aren’t you?”

“I—” Arthur sets down his fork, quickly chewing down his food. “I’m not trying to make it look like I’m just—”

“Arthur, relax.” You giggle, seeing him all flustered. “You know me, I know you. You’re so easy to tease.”

“Only so because you know I like you.” Arthur confesses, almost instantly regretting the words coming out of his mouth in fear of some sort of rejection. “You already figured that much.”

“You showed me, honey.” You rest your chin over your fist, smirking. “I like forwardness. You’ll get far with me.”

“Then I hope you don’t have anything to do tomorrow morning.” Arthur tells you, his tone of voice now serious.

“Why’s that?” Your interest peaks.

“You could spend the night with me.” Arthur pushes his plate aside.

“I didn’t bring a change of clothes.” You whisper back, placing your hand over the rhinestone strap of your dress.

“That’s not a problem with me.” Arthur’s eyes dart down to your chest as he slowly rises from his seat, seeing your breasts spill free from the neckline of your dress. “I can make this work.”

#and justice for all au #and justice for all x reader #arthur kirkland x reader #and justice for all prompts #al pacino x reader

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vvnnie · 4 years ago

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hey! any places in particular you recommend for a weekend in Newport Beach and Laguna? cafes, fun things to do, best beaches?

Balboa Island and downtown Laguna have tons of shops. One of my favorite coffee shops is on Balboa Island - Succulent Coffee Roasters. Costa Mesa has Sidecar Doughnuts/Plums Cafe for breakfast, and Pie Society for drinks (21+ speakeasy).

Favorite beaches: Little Corona just because of how close it is to me, but Laguna Beach's Tablerock is probably my fav down there. Victoria Beach has that spiral staircase tower on the beach. Crystal Cove is a cool area too with a restaurant on the beach - Beachcomber. Everyone loves the Shake Shack too but be prepared to wait in line. Beach area near Newport Pier is very popular, tons of good food and shops too. Bear Flag has amazing fish tacos/burritos/poke. Fable & Spirit great cocktails.

Dana Point has some cool places too, but it's more sleepy beach town. Coffee Importers has the best everything bagels + avo + lemon pepper. There's also whale watching out of the harbor there, but not sure best times of the year to go.

Favorite short hike: Spur Ridge Trail in Laguna. Great views from Dana Point to Long Beach

If you want any more particulars message me off anon!

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stephissalty · 5 years ago

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part two: you still wear my jacket

Pairing: Iwaoi

Rating: T

Warnings: Language

Words: 1400

Part 1 - AO3

AO3

you still wear my jacket, part 2

“As we begin our descent, please make sure your seatbacks and tray tables are in their upright and locked position. Please ensure your seatbelt is fastened and all carryon luggage is stowed appropriately in the overhead or under the seat in front of you. Thank you.”

The intercom dings as the seatbelt light turns on in preparation for landing. Oikawa lifts his head off of Iwaizumi’s and rolls the kinks out of his neck from being leaned in the same position for the last several hours. Their hands are still laced together.

“Iwa-chan, we’re almost to London,” he whispers, careful not to startle Iwaizumi. The other inhales deeply as he slowly wakes up. Oikawa smiles fondly and squeezes their hands gently.

“Have we slept this whole time?”

“Yeah,” Oikawa laughs. “It’s five London time. We’re going to be exhausted tomorrow.”

“Ah, fuck,” Iwaizumi swears, but he doesn’t actually sound like he’s upset. Instead, he snuggles in a little closer yet. “You said you’re here for work?”

“Yeah, but my conference doesn’t start until Monday.” Three days from now. “I’m staying in a hotel not far from Covent Garden. I was planning on sightseeing for the next few days.”

“My hotel is near the Victoria Underground Station,” Iwaizumi replies.

Oikawa plays with his next words in his mind carefully. “You�� you can stay with me instead. If you want, I mean. If it’s too fa -”

“I’ll check the cancellation policy once we touch down.” He squeezes their hands reassuringly. Oikawa exhales and squeezes back.

He’s missed this.

“Ladies and gentlemen, we have been cleared for landing. Flight attendants, prepare the cabin for arrival.”

“Hey, Tooru?”

“Hmm?”

“I’ve missed you.”

“I’ve missed you, too, Iwa-chan.” He presses a kiss into Iwaizumi’s hair.

“I forgot how high maintenance you are,” Iwaizumi deadpans as Oikawa grabs his second suitcase from the carousel. Oikawa has a backpack and two large suitcases for a one-week trip, as Iwaizumi stands with only his backpack and a small duffel bag.

“It takes effort to be this beautiful, Iwa-chan,” he declares with a cheeky grin.

Iwaizumi throws his duffel bag over his shoulder and grabs one of Oikawa’s suitcases in lieu of dignifying that with a response. Hand-in-hand, they make their way to the ground transportation entrance, where Iwaizumi has organized a Lyft for them.

Later on, after checking into Oikawa’s hotel, they find themselves in Covent Garden. It’s barely into the new year, so the Christmas decorations have yet to be taken down, so the whole space is illuminated by twinkly lights. In front of the building is a massive lighted tree.

“It’s beautiful,” Iwaizumi notes.

“Isn’t it? London’s always been one of my favorite cities to visit when I travel.”

“How many times have you been?”

They enter the Covent Garden Market and admire the shops and restaurants on all sides. The area is crowded and decorated beautifully. A few art vendors are set up, selling handmade jewelry or paintings or photographs.

“I think this is my fourth time,” Oikawa says. “I first came not long after we broke up.” He cringes. “That trip was in the works at that time, actually. Most of the time, I’m sent here for a conference of sorts. This time I’m presenting at an aerospace firm conference.”

“You’ve become so successful.”

“You have, too.” Oikawa sees a crowd gathering up ahead and wordlessly tugs Iwaizumi by the hand.

They find the crowd, in the center of which is a saxophonist playing some popular tune. People are swaying as they watch the player, and some people toss coins into his open case. The rich, brassy sound carries through the area, echoing lightly, as the player crescendos.

Iwaizumi wraps an arm around Oikawa’s shoulders and pulls him close as they watch the performance. Oikawa relaxes and drops his head onto Iwaizumi’s shoulder. “It’s beautiful, isn’t it?”

“Mm. Just like me, right, Iwa-chan?”

“You know, usually people complement their partner instead of just themselves all the time,” Iwaizumi teases and kisses Oikawa’s forehead.

“It’d be mean for me to lie, though! And, anyways, I’m too selfish to let the rest of the world share Iwa-chan with me. He’s too handsome for anyone else,” Oikawa responds cheekily.

Iwaizumi doesn’t reply, but Oikawa thinks he feels him grin against his hair as he pulls Oikawa closer yet.

Delivered, 21:30: [Photo Attachment]

Delivered, 21:30: look who i found on the plane!

Oikawa sends Hanamaki the selfie that he and Iwaizumi had taken earlier, knowing it would make its way to Matsukawa by the end of the evening. They’d taken the photo at dinner, and Iwaizumi was smiling shyly at Oikawa as Oikawa kissed his cheek. It took a few tries to get a good picture, but it was worth it. His first photo with Iwaizumi in three years was adorable. Even though Iwaizumi’s expression was small, his eyes were bright and fond.

It doesn’t take long for Hanamaki to reply.

“Why the hell is Makki FaceTiming me?” Iwaizumi asks just before answering. “Makki -”

“Iwaizumi, you’d better start explaining right this fucking second,” Hanamaki demands.

“The fuck is going on?” Matsukawa asks - oh, good he was there anyways, Oikawa thinks.

“Uh -”

Oikawa snatches the phone, being sure to keep Iwaizumi in frame with him. “Long story short, we’re back together.” He grabs Iwaizumi’s hand and shows their conjoined hands to Makki and Mattsun. Iwaizumi, still confused, looks at him.

“Yeah, we got that much, Oikawa, but you guys haven’t spoken in fucking three years and suddenly you’re kissing in London? What the fuck?”

“He was in the seat next to me on the plane,” Iwaizumi explains quietly, his brain piecing together what’s happening. “We talked some things over.”

“Yeah! And it kinda worked out, right, Iwa-chan?” Oikawa looks back at him.

Iwaizumi blushes. “You could say that.”

“Hey! Lovebirds!” Mattsun shouts. “I’m happy for you assholes.”

“Me, too. Go be gross somewhere else. We’ll talk when you guys get home,” Makki says. And then their faces disappear from Iwaizumi’s phone.

Received, 21:45: Happy for u assholes

Received, 21:45: Don’t fuck it up again

Received, 21:45: I have a life now

Delivered, 21:46: thanks makki <3 thanks mattsun <3

“That was a lot all at once,” Iwaizumi remarks.

“I’d just sent that selfie to Makki,” Oikawa laughs and leans into Iwaizumi.

“It’s been a second since the last time I saw them.”

“Mm, me too. We’ll have to get lunch.”

“Yeah,” Iwaizumi agrees. He wraps his arm around Oikawa’s waist and pulls him backwards until they fall back on the bed. “But now, I think I’m ready to go to sleep.”

“Aw, is Iwa-chan sleepy?”

“Very.”

Oikawa grins and kisses Iwaizumi’s nose. He rolls on top of Iwaizumi and gently cups his face. Oikawa slowly leans in and touches his lips to Iwaizumi’s.

He feels all of the air in his lungs rush out as he presses more firmly, slotting his upper lip to match with Iwaizumi’s lower lip. Their mouths slide together in sync. Iwaizumi gently swipes his tongue against Oikawa’s lip and slides into his hot mouth. Oikawa moans quietly as their tongues slide together. Iwaizumi nips lightly at his lip and tugs at Oikawa’s hair, drawing a sharp inhale out of him. Their bodies move in tandem as Oikawa shifts and kisses back harder yet.

“God, I love you,” he whispers.

“I love you, too,” comes the response.

As their lips and bodies slide together, becoming more heated as clothing is slowly discarded, Oikawa distantly thinks about how he didn’t think he’d ever feel whole or right again, but, now, with Iwaizumi’s body against his, loving words whispered against his mouth, everything in the world seems to be just the way it was intended.

“It doesn’t smell like you anymore! It hasn’t for years!” Oikawa complains, holding out his Aoba Johsai jacket to Iwaizumi. The cuff is still flipped out. HAJIME #4, STRONGER. He’s always worn it with Iwaizumi’s given name showing, even though it would cause him pain.

Iwaizumi takes the jacket and tosses his own jacket to Oikawa. “Fine, we’ll trade for a few days.” He shrugs the jacket on and comes to stand behind Oikawa. He wraps his arms around him and kisses his neck softly. “Because I love you.”

“I love you, too, Iwa-chan.”

#iwaoi #my writing #oikawa tōru #iwaizumi hajime #hq #hq fanfic #iwaoi fanfic #oikawa tooru #fluff

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sablelab · 5 years ago

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Covert Operations - Chapter 91

DISCLAIMER: This is a modern AU crossover story with Outlander and La Femme Nikita. LFN and its characters do not belong to me nor do those from Outlander.

SYNOPSIS: Fergus is making inroads to locating Claire and continues to send a message to Jamie on his PDA. When he finally knows what is on the disk Jamie is livid and vows to find Claire ASAP. He informs Fergus that Karen Yee is implicated someway in Claire’s kidnapping and that he has her in play. He feels that she is the best way of locating his Sassenach.

Previous chapters can be found at … https://sablelab.tumblr.com/covertoperations

I am very grateful for your support of this story and I THANK YOU for reading, the likes and or posting a comment on the last chapter. If you wish to read something else of mine over the Christmas break perhaps you will find a short story, poem or chapter story on my Master List to your liking. xox

https://sablelab.tumblr.com/masterlist

CHAPTER 91

Once he arrived back in Hong Kong James Fraser set the first phase of his plan into action. Needing to know Karen Yee’s whereabouts, he contacted the architect firm that she worked for in the guise of wanting her services for an overhaul of his city apartment. The firm’s secretary informed him that Karen was away on business but would be returning to Hong Kong later that night. Ever polite, Jamie asked her to check the availability for an early appointment. Impressed by the smooth tone of his voice and persuasive manner, the secretary was only too happy to pencil him in for a scheduled time with Karen the following day. Then when he pressed for additional information about her after hours’ agenda that night his persistence was rewarded. She’d confided that Karen was scheduled to meet with a client at Victoria Peak at 9.30pm, but wasn’t sure if the client was picking her up for the dinner meeting or if she was meeting him at the restaurant. Armed with this information, it gave Jamie some breathing space and the leverage he needed to set his contingency plan into action whilst Karen was not around. He quickly made his way over to her apartment to check for any clues that could implicate her in Claire’s kidnapping or give him Intel as to her whereabouts. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* Standing on the threshold of Karen Yee’s apartment he knocked then casually looked around. The corridor was deserted. However, just as Jamie was just about to enter her apartment suddenly a neighbour opened their door into the corridor. The young man appeared to be in a hurry and quickly walked past him towards the elevator. Jamie casually acknowledged him with a nod and watched until the man disappeared into the elevator. When all was clear, he opened the door with his U-key, entered Karen’s apartment and closed the door quietly behind him. Meticulously he searched the apartment from head to toe in order to find anything that would help him find Claire, but her apartment was clean. Karen had certainly been thorough. Though when he searched through some papers on the bureau, Jamie found a copy of a receipt for two meals from a Stanley eatery. The receipt confirmed that Karen and someone else ... most likely her boyfriend Andy Ma ... were in Stanley on the same dates as his Sassenach. It was the evidence that he needed but Jamie was unable to find anything that would indicate where the triad was holding Claire captive. Nevertheless, Karen Yee was involved in her kidnapping and, when he found her ... she would lead him to Claire. Putting everything he’d disturbed back in its rightful place; the last thing Jamie did was place listening devices on her phone and in strategic places in and around the apartment. If Karen returned before her dinner date, he would know. Then just as quietly as he’d entered ... he left. Having had no sleep in over 48 hours, Jamie decided that he would take the opportunity to catch up on some much-needed rest before the critical phase of the mission began. He knew that he would need his wits about him over the next few days to be at his best and function on all cylinders. He needed to conserve his energy and replenish his strength as he anticipated that the triad would not give up Claire without a fight ... but he’d be prepared. For him it would be a fight to the death. If even a single hair was touched on her head, he would wreak vengeance like none they had seen. Disappearing from the apartment building as anonymously as a ghost he was ready to plan his next strategy. He would be waiting and prepared for when Karen Yee next made an appearance. Meanwhile back at Section One...

“Fergus has there been any contact from Jamie?” Madeline asked when he was requested to appear in her office.

“No ... not yet.” “I see ... No doubt he is not communicating with Section because of the risk of betraying where he is,” Madeline stated knowing only too well that once Jamie had gone dark, he would not jeopardise anything for the personal mission he was on. “I’ll keep trying ... I’ll change the wording of the communiqué and see if he responds this time.” “Good ... Have you managed to get a location for Claire from the information on the disk?” “I’ve reviewed it several times and have been able to identify the building materials used in the room where she was tortured.” “I see ... and what have you gauged from that?” Was Madeline’s next question. “It appears that the type of masonry used is ancient handmade stonework which dates back to the 17th or early 18th century.” “And ...?” The inflection of her voice indicated that she was intrigued by his statement. “This particular stonework was used in monasteries built on Lantau Island of which there are several.” “Excellent. That’s a good starting point. Anything else?” “I can eliminate the Roman Catholic Trappist Haven Monastery located on the east coast." “Why so?” “The Monastery at Tai Shui Hang is still home to a number of Roman Catholic monks. However, the main reason is because there were lotus crests engraved in the stonework. These are not associated with Catholicism. The flower is a significant iconography of Buddhism as it symbolises the ability of everybody to attain enlightenment.” “Good at least that narrows the field. Can you identify which particular monastery it is then?” “Not yet, but I’m working on the possibility that this is a disused one, most likely in a relatively remote part of Lantau off the beaten track and probably located on the rugged west coast of the island where the trails are not easily defined.” “You have obviously systematically gone through the possibilities Mr Claudel ... but what is your reasoning for this hypothesis?” “There are several monasteries in the Ngong Ping area which are highly popular with tourists particularly near the Tian Tan seated bronze Buddha, therefore that leaves us with a few other options. The west coast is mountainous and most of the population lives along the south coast.” “Hmm ... that makes sense. The triad wouldn’t have a torture chamber near a populated area ... but a monastery?” Fergus looked at Madeline and stated solemnly. “How ironic it would be if a place of worship, turned out to be a place of suffering.” “I’m sure the Rising Dragons would find this quite acceptable ... particularly if the monastery is inaccessible. How far along are you in your theory?” “By a process of elimination, I hope to have something very soon.” Madeline congratulated him on the progress made thus far. “Good work Fergus ... Keep me posted when you find something definite or the minute Jamie calls in.” “Yes Madeline.” Outside Karen Yee’s apartment...

Some hours later Jamie’s black SUV Mercedes–Benz pulled up and parked across the road from Karen Yee’s apartment building. He activated his listening device to see if she had in fact made it home or had gone directly to the restaurant. Confirming that Karen was in her apartment, Jamie rolled down the window and surveyed the area. It was relatively quiet and although a few cars turned onto the road they merely sped off along the street without stopping.

He’d only had the apartment building under surveillance for a short while when Jamie heard the sound of an approaching motor car. Rolling down the window and raising his binoculars he watched as a limousine approached then cruised into the private parking lot reserved for the apartments’ residents. This was obviously Karen Yee’s rich client who had come to pick her up for the appointment. Jamie saw the chauffeur get out of the limousine and open the back door of the vehicle. A male occupant got out of the limo and spoke to the chauffeur. “Wait here Henry ... I’ll be back with Miss Yee in no time.” “Certainly sir.” Jamie observed what was happening for a while then put the car window back up. When the man disappeared into the apartment building, the chauffeur made his way to the newsstand nearby. Seizing the moment Jamie got out of his car. Quietly but quickly, he approached the unattended limousine. He attached a tracking device to the back bumper bar while the chauffeur was preoccupied, then slipping back to where his SUV was parked; he got into the vehicle and waited for further developments. While he waited outside, he listened to events taking place in the apartment building. He heard a knock on Karen Yee’s apartment door, then the man knocked for a second time before the door finally opened and this time voices were heard. “Good evening Miss Yee ... I’m Mr Yi Tien Cho’s assistant Joseph Peng. He has sent me to collect you for dinner.” “One moment ... Just let me just get my jacket.” There was a short pause then Jamie heard the man say, “Are you ready to go now Miss?” “Yes, thank you.” “Good ... this way please. The limousine is parked downstairs.” ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Once again Fergus walked over to his computer. He didn’t even take the time to sit down, he just leant down and quickly keyed in some commands. Although he’d sent a message many times over the last two days, time was now of the essence. This time he had been more explicit in the wording. He was starting to despair as Jamie had still not contacted him. The triad had set a time limit with an ultimatum that Claire would be tortured further if Jamie didn’t show. Since receiving the communiqué, he had been working close to the wire. Time was critical. Section had no idea if the triad would follow through with their threats, but there was obviously a reason for the triad sending it.

Would Claire be tortured again or was the disk just a teaser to show the triad’s power and might?

Before he hit the enter key, Fergus hesitated for a split second, as if mentally preparing himself for another disappointment ... then banishing his doubts to the back of his mind he sent the message.

JAMIE: ARE YOU THERE? ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ As he waited for Karen to appear, it was the incessant beeping of his PDA on the seat beside him that caught Jamie’s attention. He looked down. It was another incoming message from Fergus. He had paged a few times now so Jamie picked up the device. As he did so a different message appeared on his PDA. This time, the communiqué was more explicit and as he read the message blazoned across the screen his brow furrowed in concern. I HAVE CLAIRE’S LOCATION. SHE’S IN DANGER ... PLEASE CONTACT ASAP. Without hesitation he sent an immediate reply back to Fergus. YES. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

I HAVE CLAIRE’S LOCATION. SHE’S IN DANGER

The communiqué had shaken Jamie to the core. He felt a gamut of feelings course through his body as the meaning of Fergus’s succinct message finally sank in. Section had Claire’s location. While this was fantastic news, the fact remained that she was still in acute danger and alarm bells rang loud and clear in his head.

Taking a deep breath and quickly reconnecting his comm. set unit he spoke directly to Fergus. “Tell me everything ...” ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Despite being overcome with relief that Jamie had finally got in touch with Section, Fergus dreaded having to tell him about the disk they had received of Claire’s torture. But Jamie needed to know what the Rising Dragons were capable of and what he would be up against in his retrieval attempt. Fergus took some minutes to relay all that they knew of Claire’s kidnapping and whereabouts, then biting the bullet, he finally told him of what they had witnessed on the disk. “Jamie there is one other thing ...”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Closing his eyes James Fraser absorbed the words that Fergus relayed, but it was difficult to hear what he had to say. His heart ached for his Sassenach and what she had endured at the hands of the tyrannical triad. However, the more he listened the more determined he became. He wondered what fate would befall Claire if he didn’t find her soon, but deep down inside he knew that she was still alive ... she just had to be ... if not then there was no purpose left in life for him. He also knew that he couldn't let the heartache and rage overpower him. Summoning all the tenacity he possessed James Fraser’s demeanour quickly changed and the cold face of the menacing Section One operative came to the fore. Claire’s life depended on his cunning and ruthlessness right now. With steely resolve he ordered, “Fergus, I need ye to patch me through all the Intel ye have on Claire straight away.” He paused then added, “... and send a copy of the disk.” “Done.” Knowing that Fergus would have been analysing the disk for any clues to Claire’s whereabouts Jamie asked the inevitable question. “What do ye have on her location?” “I’ve narrowed it down to two monasteries on Lantau Island but I’m still working on it.” “Which two?” “Tsz Hsing Monastery in the south-west and Ling Yan Monastery to the north-west. Both of the monasteries are near the village of Tai O ... but the terrain is difficult and mountainous in this area.” “That won’t be a problem.” Fergus was not surprised by Jamie’s answer. In fact, he expected nothing less for nothing would stop him from finding where Claire was being held.

“Is there anything you want us to do?”

“Keep an open channel. Until then keep working on Claire’s location. Ye’ll have to move quickly ... the triad has already moved her once.” “Will do.” “I want to be notified the second ye receive anything else of significant." “You’ve got it. What about Karen Yee?” Fergus’s off-handed question hit a raw nerve. It was even more important to capture her for Jamie knew she held the key to where he would find Claire.

“She’s triad.” “You were right all along about her then Jamie. But how was she able to avoid detection as a member of the triad?” “I dinna ken yet but I’ll find out one way or the other. I have her in play.” “Looks like she’s your best bet at the moment.” All he needed was for Karen to follow through with her arrangements for tonight and then he would be waiting. Jamie’s eyes hardened with his reply.

“Aye ... Karen will lead us to where the Rising Dragons are holding my Claire.” ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ “Or else ...” Fergus finished under his breath. He released a huge sigh of relief for there was no way of stopping James Fraser now. If anyone could save Claire Beauchamp, Jamie would and now he would have help to do it. “I’ll provide tactical ... Just wait a moment until I set it up.” “Thank ye ... When I’ve detained Karen Yee, I’ll call in.” ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ True to his word Fergus quickly sent the Intel Jamie wanted to his PDA. He viewed the disk that the Rising Dragons had brazenly sent to Section and what they had done to his Claire. Not only had they kidnapped her but they’d done the worst possible thing ... they had tortured her. Jamie was enraged. The more he watched the more he seethed at the callousness of the treatment meted out to her. When he caught up with Claire’s interrogators, they would pay the ultimate price and would suffer for what they had done. He had no qualms about killing each and every one who had hurt his Sassenach. Not only had they tortured Claire, but they also knew about him. It was obvious that their ploy was twofold. They knew that Section One was involved somehow and by sending the disk they’d indicated that they would show no mercy ... well neither would he. Secondly ... if they’d wanted to flush him out knowing that he would come to her rescue then they had succeeded in bringing him out into the open. Despite the triad’s upper hand at the moment it wouldn’t last for long. The one thing they didn’t know was that this James Fraser was a cold Section One operative. He was a man to be feared. Those who had harmed Claire would wish they had died because there was no way they would take another breath when he found them. There would be no forgiveness or clemency. Their days were numbered. He wouldn't think twice about it. It didn't matter what Oversight, Operations or anyone thought. He would make them pay and pay dearly. Having seen enough, Jamie switched off his PDA. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ The sound of movement near the limousine brought him back to the task at hand and when Jamie looked up, he saw the couple had arrived downstairs. From his vehicle, he watched as the chauffeur hurried to open the door for Karen Yee to enter the luxuriously appointed limousine. She clambered in and the escort climbed in after her.

Before closing the door after the couple, the chauffeur proclaimed. “If there is anything you would like Miss Yee, press the button to your left and your message will be conveyed to my cabin.”

“No ... I’m sure there will be nothing I need.”

“Very well then. It will be a short journey until we arrive at our destination.”

With that he closed the door of the limousine and entered into the driver’s cabin that secluded the passengers from the chauffeur by the security partition.

“Fergus ... the limousine is leaving,” Jamie announced so that he would be diligent in tracking its movements back at Section.

As Jamie watched the white limousine cruise out of the car park, he activated the tracking device he’d planted on the bumper of the vehicle. The beeps registered loud and clear and as the limousine moved along, so too did the dots indicating the tracking of its journey on the GPS matrix panel inside his car. Once the limo was a short way away, Jamie pulled away from the curb and followed at a safe distance behind.

“I’m in pursuit.”

“I also have the target in view,”

Fergus replied.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The darkened limousine cruised along the streets of Hong Kong Island as it made its way to the location for dinner. After manoeuvring through the evening traffic for some time the limo soon began to ascend the mountain heading to Tai Ping Shan, the summit of Hong Kong Island and the best place for looking down at the scenery of Victoria Harbour.

“The vehicle is cruising north and seems to be heading to Hong Kong Island’s main residential and picturesque areas of The Peak.”

“Thanks Fergus ... that’s verified.”

The road leading up to the summit looped around the mountain. At various points along the way, Karen could see The Peak Tram defy gravity as it made its way up the extremely steep incline of the mountain. The funicular railway continued up the lush hillside towards The Peak as the limousine cruised smoothly along the road. From the vehicle Karen saw commuters standing upright in the carriage and remembered that the floor of the funicular was angled to accommodate the passengers from losing their balance.

She’d found it difficult to keep her balance on the steep incline the first time she’d ridden the tram too,

she remembered.

Jamie followed behind and soon caught up with the limousine, however as he did, it slowed down. Realising that he may be a little too close he pulled back somewhat and decided to pull into a viewing area where the Peak tram made a stop at the steepest incline at May Road, about 27 degrees to the horizon to avoid any suspicion of tailing them by the driver. As he indicated his intentions to turn into the parking bay, Jamie observed what the limousine did. He watched as it increased its speed and turned out of sight around the bend. His hunch had been right. However, it was of little concern as the tracking device was operative and Fergus had the limousine under surveillance as well. He would know soon enough when the limousine had reached its destination.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The viewing bay was nearly full with sightseers and tourists taking in the dazzling panoramic views of Hong Kong Island, the harbour, Kowloon Peninsula and the hills beyond. Parking his car alongside other vehicles, Jamie waited for a few minutes but he too couldn’t help but admire the view. From this lofty vantage point, gazing over central Hong Kong with its towering office and apartment blocks, the harbour with its trademark white and green ferry boats and the surrounding islands was certainly superlative at night.

His thoughts though were elsewhere.

Somewhere out there the Rising Dragons were holding his Sassenach. But where was she? Where had they hidden her on Lantau Island? Would he be too late to rescue her?

The magnitude of the task was suddenly a little overwhelming but Jamie remained steadfast. He had a target to abduct.

Suddenly Fergus’s voice interrupted his musings.

“Is everything okay?”

he asked as it appeared that the chauffeur had sped off and that Jamie was not in pursuit.

“Aye ... but I had to pull back for a while.”

“Okay.”

“The limousine driver was suspicious that I was following them.”

In an attempt at some humour as well as trying to relieve the tension he could sense in Jamie’s voice, Fergus stated

“You were!”

James Fraser ignored his comment.

Finally, he pulled out of the parking bay after allowing for the limousine to put some distance between them and Jamie proceeded to follow the route the vehicle carrying his prime target Karen Yee had taken. He maintained a steady speed around the meandering road that lead to the summit while the tracker beeps continued to flash inside his car.

Then a short while later Fergus announced,

“Jamie ... The limousine has reached its destination.”

That was good news and James Fraser accelerated knowing that the target would soon be his. Karen Yee would not be able to enjoy her dinner or the view from The Peak this evening ... he had other plans for her.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ to be continued Monday 30th December when Jamie apprehends his target and they make their way to Lantau Island where the triad is holding his Sassenach.

Until next Monday week …

Seasons’ Greetings to all and my very best wishes for a wonderful and enjoyable Christmas. sablelab xox

#jamieandclaireau #Jamieandclairefanfic #jamieandclairecrossover #outlander fanfiction #outlanderfanfic #the lallybroch library #covert operations

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thelastchair · 6 years ago

Text

Alps 2019

(Written by Arthur Scopic - March 29, 2019)

Landing Zurich **** On landing at Amsterdams Schipol, I knew something wasn't right, not just the usual transatlantic blear, but odd chills and fever. Texting my pal Subtle Plague, I warned him that I may have a cold or flu and may be infectious. He dismissed any concerns, citing their own little germ trawler as being of greater potential for flus or colds and nobly insisted we meet.

So, after nearly missing the connection to ZRH due to customs clogging at Schipol, I boarded the flight to Zurich, dozed some more in that jetlag timewarp and embarked on the train for Konstanz from ZRH.

Konstanz, Subtle Plague **** Subtle Plague met me at the train station and ferried me to his house to meet his family and set me up for a nap before we headed out to the Gotthard zones. I considered just taking a hotel and convalescing but hope sprang eternal in my skiersoul, so next morning we headed out on the Swiss highways to the Gotthard tunnel and Airolo.

Konstanz

It was over twenty years ago that I landed in Geneva and contracted a cold and rather than taking it easy, jumped into skiing around La Grave, Serre Chevalier, Puy St. Vincent and the Milky Way. But by the 6th day or so, while skiing at Val Thorens, I knew something was seriously wrong. I shortly spiraled into fill blown pneumonia, eventually requiring IV antibiotics on returning to the US.

Airolo ****

So this time, I was going to be smarter and on arriving at Airolo, despite the pow and sunshine, I deferred on the skiing and snoozed in Subtle Plagues RV. I took solace in the fact that one of the more widely read ski weather forecasters had explicitly directed his followers to Airolo, resulting in crowding and pow frenzy that chewed up the snow at what is normally a low key area. Such is the internet.

At days end, we drove up a nearby valley and camped out for what ended up being one of the most fevered nights I'd ever had. My throat burned on every swallow and my head throbbed with a thundersome sinus headache resulting in little sleep. So once again, skiing that day was not for me. Subtle Plague was a prince about it all, understanding and left me to me convalescing.

Konstanz Again ****

At days end after Subtle and buddies had enjoyed a powdery tour, we rolled back to Konstanz in the RV. Konstanz is a beautiful town, with it's older buildings and neighborhoods having escaped some of the ravages of WWII by virtue of being on the Swiss border and thereby not targetted by bombing raids. I knew that Subtle and family had a busy Monday morning ahead of them so after sleeping Saturday night and being feasted and feted by their hospitality, I trundeled off in a train headed to St. Anton Sunday afternoon.

St. Anton, Haus Elisabeth, Arlberg Guides, Verwall, Hinterrendl **** I had initially planned to roll out East to the Gasteinertal and ski that zone, but the flu caused to me to reevaluate that plan. I wrote the wonderful folks at Hotel Echo Bad Gastein and cancelled my room there and dredged around for another option in St. Anton when I found Das-Elisabeth which fit my requirements of being reasonably close to the train station. So I booked a room there. It proved to be an excellent choice with a superb breakfast and quiet spot to finish this flu. I again chose not to ski the first day, but with a suggestion from the host, Berthe, found a doctor to check me out and write a script for the antibiotics I knew I'd need after this flu. I walked around the village in a howler snowstorm, got a good sleep and readied myself for the first turns of the trip.

St. Anton is HUGE and I not knowing it at all, I opted to try to find some guided options. The best deal I found was with the Arlberg-Guides who offered a guided group option for 97Euros. This turned out not only a great option, but fortuitous as well by virtue of meeting Sebastyn.

The lift system is staggering with a base terminal at the Galzigbahn looking like a spaceship.

The day broke blue and crowds were massive with enormous lines at the Galzigbahn. Our guide circumnavigated that queue, opting for the Gampenbahn chair for a checkout run before taking us down into Schongraben for some quality pow.

Next up, we rode up into the Galzig zone, hoping to get up into the Schindlerspitz. But due to avalanche levels being up to 4, both the Schindlergrabahn and the Valuga were closed. On traversing out towards the Arlberg Pass, we could see a gargantuan liftline at the Arlenmaderbahn, so we took a high traverse to access the Albonabahn II.

View from Albonabahn II

After a few laps down that we skied the North face down into Stuben and used the old Albonabahn chair to get back to the Albonabahn II and started down into a beautiful valley ending the day in Verwall with beer and local game charcuterie. ****************************************************************************************************

I found a sign for a museum that turned out to be a beautiful old chalet that was a combination ski museum and restaurant, so I went in for a light dinner.

Karl Schranz's Kneissl White Stars

Next day, another storm had moved in, so I elected to repeat with Arlberg Guides and again skied with Sebastyn, a sharp wit and keen skier who had grown up skiing in the Arlberg. We had a different guide who, after a warm up on the Gampenbahn, took us over to the North facing Rendelbahn zone. After riding several lifts we dropped over into Hinterrendl, a spectacular bowl of excellent powder with views obscured by storm.

Old door in St. Anton

The day after, it was still storming but I wanted to have a little more free reign, so I elected to skip the Arlberg Guides. I had also moved hotels to the Hotel Kirchplatz which was a bit East of the town center and closer to the Nassereinbahn where I started the day. Lo and behold, there was Sebastyn who kindly offered to ski with me that day. After a couple of runs, we hooked up with his friend Victoria and spent a few laps skiing the powder in what I'll call the Galzig Gullies near the Osthangbahn chair. It was light, thigh deep snow in among the trees with decent visibility. After a bit, Vicki suggested that we meet up with her boyfriend Yannick who was to get off guide duty at noon, so we skied back down to the Nasserein base. Yannick got off and suggested another lap down the powder in Schongraben. While chatted on the lifts as we sampled snow over in the Galzig zone, we found that Victoria's mom is Berthe who manages Haus Elisabeth. The Freakwhency strikes again! We ended the day with beer and wienerschitzer at the Krazy Kangaroo around 3:00. A big thanks to Seb, Vicki and Yannick!

View from Hotel Kirchplatz

Old St. Anton chalet

The next day, Friday, was my last day in the Arlberg and it was forecast to dump with rising freezing levels. Sebastyn had to head back to school, so I decided just to roll solo around the Galzig Gullies and whatever else was visible. This proved to be not much. The day started with spooky snow fractures in the trees around the gullies, but failed to actually slide on the ski cuts I put in. So I raged solo mad laps mostly on the Galzigbahn until about 1:00 when it started to rain at the bottom. By 2:00 I was soaked, so I headed back to the Hotel Kirchplatz to wash and dry stuff. It's a great hotel with a sauna, wellness spa and free washer and dryer which I sorely needed. By 3:30 I was at the bahnhof and by 4:00, rolling to Klosters.

I can see why the Arlberg is so popular: it's massive and gets a lot of snow. At the same time, it's crowded and lots of the businesses in town are jaded by tourists. I was extremely lucky to hook up with Sebastyn, Victoria and Yannick who were incredibly warm and abundant and convinced me that my aversion to St. Anton as an instance of a megaresort, was ill founded. I'll be back. ****************************************************************************************************

Klosters, Hotel Wynegg, bw_wp_hedonism, Gargellan, St. Antonien **** After a 3.5 hour jaunt on Austrian and Swiss trains, I stepped onto the platform in Klosters Platz, right next to the soaring Gotschnabahn tram. I had been in touch with bw_wp_hedonism who had generously offered to meet up. I had also dug around for a reasonably priced room, a somewhat rare beast in Klosters and had stumbled across Wynegg, a recently revamped old hotel which was establishing itself as a haute gourmando locus. So I booked a room there, a 10 minute walk from the bahnhof. bw_wp_hedonism pinged me via whatsapp and turned up in the hotel bar. We made plans for the next day to poke around Parsenn, one of 5 enormous lift systems in the Davos/Klosters complex.

I was a little late and with blue sky and fresh pow, the lines at the Gotschnabahn were significant. bw_wp_hedonism had waited and we ran into his buddy Tom and were off. We raged all over the Parsenn, up to the summit via the Furka lifts and then the Gipfelbahn where we found sweet deep untracked snow on a variety of North facing exposures.

View from Schiferbahn gondola

The area is laced with dozens of groomers that keep lots of tourists busy and provided access to an innumerable wad of excellent off piste options. After a couple of laps on the Schiferbahn in excellent pow, we met with a bunch of bw_wp_hedonism at the midmountain near the base of the Furka lift for lunch. After a lengthy lunch we made a few more sidecountry laps by taking bootpacks and traverses off the Totalp zone, eventually making apres ski at Berghaus Schifer.

View from midmountain Parsenn, untapped offpiste above

I rolled back to the Wynegg for a shower and nap before taking a table in the restaurant at 8:30.

The food was superb, starting with an excellent salad, I ordered a soup that was celestial: a foamed saffron broth and perfectly poached prawns. The wine list was fantastic with a crisp chardonnay and an excellent local, rich pinot noir by the glass. I finished with the specialty pizokel noodle and lamb in a deliciously deft creamed curry sauce. I zonked out by 22:00.

bw_wp_hedonism had referred to doing a tour I had eyeballed for years, one that went over a little pass above the Madrisa area over into the Voralberg and the Gargellen ski area, then back over to Switzerland and the tiny medieval town of St. Antonien.

**************************************************************************************************** On waking, we texted back and forth making plans to meet at the top of the Madrisabahn and head out. And so we did. It was amazing with an easy, gently ascending skin S/SE from the top of the Schaffugli lift to the Schlappiner Joch and the border with Austria.

Looking south from Madrisa

On the skintrack to Schlappiner Joch. Schlappiner where?

At Schlappiner Joch

The ski down from there was on beautiful sparsely tracked North facing steep slopes with a long and easy run out down to Gargellen where we had to stop in at the base of the gondola to get single ride passes back up to the top of the Kristelbahn and a slightly more significant climb up to the Sankt Antonier Joch.

From there. it was a West/Northwest facing series of virgin pow lines draining down into a creek gully which fed us out onto a road requiring the canonical walk in ski boots down into the atmospheric town of St. Antonien clustered around a spike steepled church dated 1492. There we enjoyed beer and charcuterie until the bus came and we wound around curves connecting ancient villages down to the train station at Kublis.

St. Antonien

At the Kublis bahnhof, I thanked bw_wp_hedonism and pal Tom for their gracious abundance, I had had an amazing time around Davos, again, more data that eroded my reluctance to ski at the more reknown areas.

I rallied back to Klosters and the Hotel Wynegg, extending my sincere thanks to Cedric and all the folks who run an incredibly warm and tasteful hotel to which I hope to return. Grabbing my clothes and gear, I hopped the train for Rueras, Switzerland to meet up with the motley band of maggots at MtLodge

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Rueras, MtLodge **** The train actually ended in Disentis with the last leg of the trip to Rueras in the trusty Swiss postbus which kindly dropped me at the very door to the hotel. There I met the owner, Michele, an effusive and warm persona who set me up with a sweet room and delicious food and drink. He had also queued up a number of routes and tours that I had ogled for years. But first, sleep. It was dumping.

Morning brought delicious coffee and the classic Euro breakfast spread while making plans with all the k00ks who had rendezvoused at MtLodge With fairly heavy snow coming down, we decided to ride lifts from Dieni, a 10 minute walk from the hotel, over towards Andermatt and see how far we got. The forecast 5-10 cm turned out to be more like 20-30 cm and deeper in the wind loaded places. At Dieni, we made 1 lap before heading up and over into Val-Val where we kind of got stuck lapping a sweet stash of pow at least 4 times before punching it further West into the Oberalppass zone and ripping lines of powder varying from boot top to waist deep until lunch was called at the hutte there. When Mr. Mike and I tried to share a charcuterie board, the waiter either misunderstood or was taking the tourists for a ride, yelling "YOU ORDER, I MAKE" as we tried to clarify we only wanted 1 order.

Afternoon brought a few more laps on the Schneehuenderstck gondy before we started making our way back towards Dieni where again we spun run after run of virgin pow turns, finally some of us throwing in the towel at 3:00 after milking one more untracked zone. We took the sled run all the way back to Rueras and MtLodge for drinks and a delicious dinner. More of the maggot crew had arrived.

Dieni

Next morning Tuesday, most of the fistful had targeted Andermatt, so we took the early train over and ramped and raged off the Gemsstock tram. Skiing the West couloirs first thing proved to be not such a good idea for some. After a warm up, a few of us went out to ski the Giraffe which only had about 15 tracks in it. We returned to it again later to find only 30 or so tracks. After a few more front side runs, the whole fistful took the Guspis down to Hospental which had wide swaths of uncut snow and the usual stunning scenery, ending with beer and dried meats at the Gotthard Haus before a train ride back to Rueras.

Guspis at 4:00 pm

Skiing into Hospental

Next day, Wednesday, the host with the most, Michele at mt-lodge, had arranged enough transport for us to go over to St. Moritz via the Juler Pass and Bivio. Once at Corvatsch, the highest ski area in St. Moritz, we met Michele's buddy Matteo who took us first down the Northwest couloir to ski acres of stunning pow, then over to Val Roseg past Piz Roseg and the Morteratsch Gletscher and down to lunch at Hotel Restaurant Roseg Gletscher which was awesome. Then an ugly 37 minute long pole and skate out to Pontresina to catch the bus over to Corviglia where we took the 2 stage funicular and a chair ride. Then a little traverse and bootpack to drop into Val Bever with hectares of uncut, Northwest facing powder skiing. The day ended at Gasthaus Spinas with beer and another series of train and bus rides back to pizza in Celerina.

Lunch of cream of asparagus soup with prawn at Hotel Restaurant Roseg Gletscher

Icefall off back of Piz Roseg

Piz Roseg

****************************************************************************************************

Dropping into Val Bever

Thursday, the morning destination was Disentis, a 5 minute train ride to Acla da Fontauna and a short walk up to the tram.It was a gorgeous bluebird day with evidence of the suns heat on some of the south facing slopes. After a warm up, we took a short skin up to one of the entries to Val Strem to the West. With a little downclimb from the col into a couloir, we were set for a few thousand vertical of Northwest facing pow surrounded by rock and ice. We skied out to the train at Sedrun and hopped it, going West pver to Andermatt to meet with another portion of the crew. The afternoon was spent mostly skiing in the main bowl under the upper Gemsstock and finishing with a lap out into the Felsental where we continued to find good soft lightly tracked powder.

Val Strem entrance couloir

Scott smoking up the Val Strem pow

Val Strem from the bottom

Felsental

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Friday, the last day at Rueras, we had planned to do the Oberalpstock, a well known descent of over 2000 meters, and one I had lusted after for a decade. North facing down into the Maderental valley. Michele had arranged for guides, some Italian friends of his and we were off to start at 8:30 on the early Disentis tram. The original plan had been for the group of 17 to split into 2 groups, one to do the Oberalpstock, which has some technical parts, and the other group to take a more mellow tour down into Val Strem. Unfortunately, our guides were not comfortable with splitting the group, so some of us decided to not take the tour and instead ski pistes at Disentis.

The climb involved a fairly easy skin to start with then a bit of a traverse to a via ferrata that climbs a rocky section and leads onto another traverse followed by a short downhill section. I am notoriously slow on the skin track, so by the time we skied the short downhill section and started another longer climb, I was far behind the main group. At one point the skin track split with one variation going to the climbers left and up to the summit of the Oberalpstock itself. The right branch took a mellower ascent to a shoulder where the actual skiing down the North side began. I was convinced the group had headed up the summit and I was lagging, so I headed up intent on catching up with the rest of the group. But in fact, they had taken the mellower right branch and were waiting for me there. Hell bent on summiting, I argued in broken English with the guide, Rosso who relented and accompanied me to the summit where to my surprise there were no other members of the group. So I skied down mashed potato snow from the south facing summit and sidestepped to catch the group.

Oberalpstock traverse before via ferrata

Climbing the via ferrata

Oberalpstock summit selfie

View across first portion of Oberalpstock after via ferrata

View from the Oberalpstock summit

Looking down into Maderental 2400 vertical meters below

Skiing down the Oberalpstock

The Oberalpstock is enormous and despite a lot of tracks, we found sections of uncut, consistent steep pitches rolling North into the Maderental of vertical drop around 2200 meters. One section near the bottom was hard ice and the guides set up ropes to help control that section.

Eventually we skied corn in an avalanche chute down into a cow pasture. It was an all-time route appropriate to end the trip.

Walking along the Maderental

Special thanks to Michele for organizing the trips to St. Moritz, the Oberalpstock and providing warm, abundant hospitality at MtLodge. Also thanks to my ski fiend pals Subtle Plague, bw_wp_hedonism and all the maggot k00ks who showed up to sample skiing in the Swiss Alps.

MountainLodge

#skiing #powder #europe #last chair #backcountry #alps

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elliotclarke2023 · 3 months ago

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Exploring India’s culinary landscape is not just about taste; it’s a connection to the vibrant cultures, traditions, and people that make this cuisine extraordinary. It’s an opportunity to savor the rich flavors of history, from the royal kitchens of ancient empires to the bustling streets of modern metropolises. This journey celebrates the incredible diversity and myriad influences that have shaped India’s culinary identity over thousands of years.

#indian food in victoria #indian cuisine restaurant victoria bc #indian kitchen victoria bc #restaurants downtown victoria #popular restaurants near me Victoria

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legaladvicerstexas · 2 years ago

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Houston - The City With Something to Do For Everyone

Houston, the fourth-largest city in the United States, is a vibrant urban center with a diverse population. It's also home to some of the most interesting shops and restaurants in Texas. Whether you're looking for a new place to eat or trying to find something fun to do while visiting Houston, this guide will help!

River Oaks

River Oaks is a neighborhood in Houston, Texas that has long been known as one of the most affluent neighborhoods in the city. River Oaks homes are some of the most expensive to purchase and rent in the country, with an average home price of $1.4 million.

River Oaks is also home to many restaurants and shops that cater specifically to its well-to-do residents. The neighborhood boasts high-end establishments like Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue, Whole Foods Market®, and Chanel Boutique at The Galleria® Mall – all within walking distance from each other!

For those looking for more than just shopping or eating out there's plenty more fun things to do at River Oaks Park which has hiking trails along Buffalo Bayou Park where you can enjoy views of downtown Houston skyline while hiking through lush green forest surrounding you on all sides. If your looking for some great exercise then try running along the trail which runs right by this beautiful park where anyone can come visit anytime they would like

Lakewood Church

Houston’s Lakewood Church, one of the largest churches in the United States, is located just outside of downtown Houston. Lakewood was established in 1959 by Bishop John Osteen and his wife Victoria. Today, their son Joel Osteen leads the church that has grown to be able to seat more than 16,000 people at once and attracts over 43 million viewers each month through telecasts at its satellite campuses across America.

You’ll find it hard to believe that this beautiful space was once a run-down theater until you see what it looks like now! Now you can attend services at Lakewood Church on Sundays or watch them on TV during their “Hour of Power” service every week day morning from 10AM to 11AM CST/11AM EST/8AM PST (check local listings).

Rice Village

Rice Village is a shopping and entertainment district in Houston, Texas. It is located near Rice University and includes over 50 shops and restaurants. As one of the city's top tourist attractions, Rice Village hosts many festivals throughout the year including the annual Art Car Parade. The area has been featured on several television shows including "Matlock", "Buffy the Vampire Slayer", "Friends" and has also served as a backdrop for movies such as "The Blind Side".

The area was developed in the 1920s by William Marsh Rice, the namesake of Rice University. It was designed to be a shopping and entertainment district for Houston's elite and included a movie theater (which later became an art house cinema), shops, restaurants and even a bowling alley.

Westmoreland Houston

Westmoreland Houston is a great choice for those who want to be close enough to the city but not so close that they can't escape the hustle and bustle. The neighborhood is located just west of downtown, making it both convenient and easy to access public transportation. You'll enjoy plenty of dining options here as well as some excellent shopping centers, which will make your day-to-day life in Westmoreland much easier.

And when you're ready to take a break from all that activity, there are plenty of parks available for you and your family members. Some have even been designated as dog parks—so if you're an animal lover like me, then you’ll especially love this area!

Levy Park

Houston has a variety of parks. One of the most popular is Levy Park. It's located in the Montrose neighborhood and is a great place to go for a walk, enjoy nature or host events like festivals and concerts.

It has plenty of space to host large groups of people and many amenities including basketball courts, an amphitheater with stage, playground equipment, picnic tables and benches. In addition to these things there are also tennis courts that can be used by anyone looking for some exercise on their way home from work or after school activities with friends!

Houston is a city that has something to do for everyone!

Houston is a city that has something to do for everyone! Whether you're looking for culture, nature or just some good old fashion fun, Houston has something in store for everyone. So whether it's shopping at River Oaks or relaxing by Lakewood Church; either way we hope this blog post gives you some insight into all that is Houston!

If you're involved in a car accident, you need to know what to do. If you've been injured and can't work, or if someone was killed in the accident, you need help. You don't have to struggle through it alone.

Auto accident attorney Houston: What is auto accident attorney Houston?

If you've been involved in a car accident, it's crucial that you know what to do. You need legal representation from a seasoned attorney who is familiar with the laws of your state and will fight for your rights. You need an auto accident attorney Houston who can help get the compensation you deserve for medical bills and other damages associated with the incident. Auto accident attorney Houston are highly skilled professionals who have experience handling these types of cases and know how to get results for their clients.

Rose Sanders Law Firm, PLLC 1 Greenway Plaza Suite 100, Houston, TX 77046 (713) 221-3773 https://www.rosesanderslaw.com/

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hong-kong-art-man · 2 years ago

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Happiness Starts The Day When You Take A Stroll In The 400-year-old Neighbourhood Of Shau Kei Wan In Search Of The Dignified General Rock

I am tired of Central, Causeway Bay and Tsim Sha Tsui which frighten me with ceaseless noises, colours and lights. It takes a simple and forgotten district to make me happy. The art of strolling in a small district is easy to acquire: just be humble and friendly. Shau Kei Wan bay area on Hong Kong Island is quickly changing, with shopping malls, expensive residences and modern hospital coming into view. But, we wish it could hold on to that old town character forever. The kind of charming people that I met in Shau Kei Wan haunt me. I want to do stories about the unexpected encounters with them who are ordinarily extraordinary.

Please make a trip to Shau Kei Wan and you will be thrilled to be in the exotic Kam Wa Street outdoor fresh market.

Hundreds of years ago, boat dwellers lived in the remote area of Shau Kei Wan which was geographically an excellent typhoon shelter. It was difficult to dream big and the fishermen’s best dream was one day to be able to cross the tall hill in Quarry Bay which blocked Shau Kei Wan and the other parts of Hong Kong Island, and be able to go to the city area such as North Point. The earliest recorded history of Shau Kei Wan was back in the Ming Dynasty, an imperial kingdom ruling China about 400 years ago. Being on the extreme eastern tip of Hong Kong Island and with a broad inlet of the sea where Mount Parker(柏架山) curved inwards, Shau Kei Wan was the popular bay area for fishermen and refugees to settle down when they first set foot in the Victoria Harbour of Hong Kong. During World War II, the Japanese established a co-operative market for local fishmongers. After the war, ‘industrial revolution’ took place in Shau Kei Wan in the 1940s and entrepreneurs started factories along Factory Street to manufacture toys, plastic flowers and artificial jewellery by making use of the massive low-skilled labour. There was an industrial wastewater ditch in the middle of Factory Street releasing a foul smell.

An old kaifong recalled, “Boat dwellers travelled far and wide and did not use banks. They bought gold jewellery and put them on the boat. In the old days, there were a lot of goldsmith shops near Mong Lung Street(望隆街) and Main Street East(東大街). For the kids, the first on their list was street food. From fish balls to stinky tofu, charcoal-cooked chestnuts to wonton noodles and from steamed sticky rice to salt-baked quail eggs, these streetside attractions only cost ten cents! There were also many simple gambling games in the streets such as ‘balloon dart’ or ‘the odd or even marble guess’. Prizes were snacks. Cycling was a cheap way for the teenagers to get around Wang Wa Street(宏華街) . Some swam near Tam Kung Temple(譚公廟).”

A granny said, “We had no TV at that time. We got into the cinema to forget about the reality. There were 4 to 6 movie houses in Shau Kei Wan and most were not well-decorated. Bedbugs shamelessly watched movies together with us while enjoying their dinner.”

A senior citizen told me, “All sins became apparent after the 60s when people could afford vices. Criminals started making money from such trades. Street prostitutions, drug dealing and illegal gambling had become almost a commonplace of community life in Shau Kei Wan. In 1976, a big fire burnt down the seaside squatter area of Shau Kei Wan and government had to build decent housing units to take care of the poor. The housing improvements in our district gradually became a great anti-poverty as well as anti-crime measure. Shau Kei Wan is now a quiet, simple and friendly place to live with the best law and order. If you are a huge seafood lover, come to Shau Kei Wan. Residents here used to work with fish and naturally there are now many seafood restaurants and fish-ball ‘cha chaan tengs’(Hong Kong-style cafes) in our neighbourhood to entertain you!”

An elderly butcher remembered, “Now, we are amazed at the home delivery innovative services such as Foodpanda. In our gold and silver days, home delivery services were not rendered by big companies. Mom-and-pop stores all sent the children of the family, irrespective of their age, to carry and deliver bags of rice, LP gas cylinders, bottles of peanut oil, soft drinks, mahjong table and even wonton noodle soup to homes. Tipping was generally not given. Manpower was never a problem in the 60s and 70s.”

If you long for a walk which helps you be able to escape the torture of living in a busy big city like Hong Kong, you can stroll over the quiet and comforting streets and alleys of Shau Kei Wan. Do not omit the level paved lane area behind the buildings along Ngoi Man Street(愛民街). This ancient terrace is nostalgically isolated from the outside world and good food from the family restaurants is served on the terrace as a special treat to you for overcoming a flight of stone steps.

The famous General Rock(將軍石), on the top of the hill embracing Shau Kei Wan, is an object of veneration for tourists. Over hundreds of years, the Rock has been overlooking and protecting Shau Kei Wan obediently. Any ship sailing into the beautiful Victoria Harbour from the East would be security-checked by the General.

History is a chain of memories contributed by all. Following the light of the sun, we will leave the old world. Place stands still and so does the sentimental old Shau Kei Wan…

MLee

Chinese Version 中文版: https://www.patreon.com/posts/ying-xiong-bei-71961087

Shau Kei Wan in 1930s https://youtu.be/fxIiiSWDgFY Acknowledgement-歷史時空3.0進級版

Shau Kei Wan in 1961 https://youtu.be/T73Qyn8XFT0 Acknowledgement-MichaelRogge

Hong Kong Shau Kei Wan Main Street East https://youtu.be/D4pqV6A1-pg Acknowledgement-4K Hong Kong Recorder

Shau Kei Wan Shipbuilding Master – Pui Kee Shipyard https://youtu.be/3OH9wZKuZZE Acknowledgement-Hong Kong Culture Heritage Studies and Promotion Association

Climbing to General Rock, Shau Kei Wan https://youtu.be/wQQUjJ5a-ec Acknowledgement-swallowchu

#Kaifong #Balloon Dart #Cha Chaan Tengs #Kam Wa Street #Typhoon Shelter #Ming Dynasty Hong Kong #Mount Parker #Factory Street #Mong Lung Street #Main Street East #Wang Wa Street #Tam Kung Temple #Mahjong #Ngoi Man Street #Victoria Harbour #Flight Of Stone Steps

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channetravels · 2 years ago

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While I’m Young and Skinny

Ilagan Sanctuary is the most visited tourist spot in Ilagan City today. It is a protected area located in the foothills of the Sierra Madre Mountain range in Brgy. Santa Victoria, Ilagan City, Isabela. This Nature Discovery that Isabelinos take pride in is 15 kilometers away from the city proper of Ilagan. Ilagan sanctuary is a nature discovery where everyone can enjoy nature’s finest beauty and experience the activities that this place can offer.

HOW TO GET THERE?

The junction to Ilagan Sanctuary is located along the National Highway at Brgy. San Andres, 6 km north of the city center of Ilagan. One can ride a northbound bus, van, or jeepney and alight at the junction, where tricycles (PHP 200 roundtrip, with waiting time) can be hired to take you to Ilagan Sanctuary (entrance fee: PHP 100, inclusive of use of the swimming pools) in Brgy. Santa Victoria.

WHAT TO DO?

First, for those who love walking like me, you can go on a trek to reach the Pinzan waterfalls to enjoy the beauty of the sanctuary. It will only take 700 meters of walking. You will be conquering the muddy and rocky hike for you to reach the majestic waterfalls. After trekking, you can dip into the basin of the Pinzan waterfalls. The falls are the perfect place to relax after a long walk, unwind and forget our life problems for a while. Let's go to the next stop - to the beautiful caves of the sanctuary! The sanctuary features natural lattices and rock formations inside 400 meters of cave length. It includes the Main cave, Altar cave, and Adventure cave.

Those tourists who are willing to discover the beauty of the caves are required to have a tourist guide. It is for their safety and the preservation of elements inside the caves, the stalagmites, and the stalactites so that they will remain beautiful and virgin. Several species of wildlife animals are taken care of in the sanctuary ostrich, crocodile, eagle, monkey, birds, and wild pigs. The animals are kept and taken care of in the Animal Kingdom.

Tourists can also enjoy some culminating activities while they are in the sanctuary. They can try to climb walls. The management guarantee that these activities are safe and enjoyable. They can also try cable cars. Families, friends, and couples can also try the boating area inside the sanctuary. And the most popular activity in the destination is the zipline. Tourists can enjoy this ride for only 200 pesos. And, of course, an outing is incomplete without the swimming pool. There are big mini pools in the sanctuary.

WHERE TO STAY?

Budget accommodations are available in the city center of Ilagan. D’ Infinity Hotel at 24-A Paguirigan St, near the Mormon church, for example, this hotel has good service and accommodating staff. Rooms start at PHP 500. Tel. no. +63 78 622 3848. There are more options for accommodation in the bigger cities of Cauayan and Santiago.

WHERE TO EAT?

K8c10 Restaurant (4VWP+WM4, Taft St, Ilagan, Isabela)

This restaurant is an instagrammable place to dine in. They serve all-day breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Great food! Especially their best seller "ukoy" ( crispy deep-fried fritters made with glutinous rice batter, unshelled small shrimp, and various vegetables, including calabaza, sweet potato, cassava, mung bean sprouts, scallions, and julienned carrots, onions, and green papaya.) for only 20 pesos.

“What are you waiting for? The God-given beautiful paradise of Ilagan awaits you.”

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hembworlds · 2 years ago

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Teeth whitening treatment near me

If you're looking for a way to improve your smile and make it more confident, teeth whitening may be just what you need. This is especially true if you have braces, as they can make it difficult to keep your teeth as clean and white as you'd like. Luckily, there are many teeth whitening treatments available that can help you achieve a bright, beautiful smile.

First, let's explore some of the most common causes of teeth discoloration. Many people assume that teeth only become discolored due to poor oral hygiene, but this is not always the case. In fact, there are many factors that can contribute to yellow or stained teeth, including:

Genetics: Some people are simply more prone to teeth discoloration than others due to their genetics.

Age: As we get older, our teeth tend to become more yellow or gray due to changes in the enamel.

Diet: Foods and drinks such as coffee, tea, wine, and dark-colored fruits can all contribute to teeth staining.

Smoking: Tobacco use can lead to yellow or brown stains on teeth.

Medications: Certain medications, such as antihistamines, blood pressure drugs, and chemotherapy drugs, can cause teeth discoloration.

No matter the cause of your teeth discoloration, there are several teeth whitening treatments that can help you achieve a brighter smile. Here are a few of the most popular options:

In-office teeth whitening: This treatment is performed by a dental professional and involves the use of a powerful bleaching agent to remove stains from the teeth. This method is typically the most effective and can whiten teeth by several shades in just one appointment.

At-home whitening kits: These kits come with trays that are customized to fit your teeth, as well as a bleaching gel that you apply to the trays and wear for a certain amount of time each day. This method can take a bit longer than in-office whitening, but it is more convenient and can still produce great results.

Whitening toothpaste: These toothpastes contain mild abrasives that help to remove surface stains from the teeth. While they may not produce dramatic results, they can be a good option for maintaining a bright smile after undergoing professional whitening.

When it comes to finding a teeth whitening treatment near you, there are several options to consider. Your dentist may offer in-office whitening or provide you with a custom at-home whitening kit. Additionally, there are many over-the-counter whitening kits and products available at drugstores and online.

No matter which teeth whitening treatment you choose, it's important to keep in mind that results may vary depending on the severity of your teeth discoloration and the type of treatment you undergo. However, with proper care and maintenance, you can enjoy a beautiful, white-smile for years to come.

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iosluck393 · 3 years ago

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St Arnaud is a former gold mining town, situated between Avoca and Donald. The district around St Arnaud supports an agricultural industry of sheep grazing, grains and wineries, with forested areas to the south and open Mallee plains to the north. The town centre features many well-preserved historic buildings and a generous number of pubs in.

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Jul 16, 2022 · The 3-star Country Road Motel St Arnaud Saint Arnaud is set 2.4 km from Wax Garden Conservation Reserve and 1.3 km from Pioneer Park. Free Wi-Fi is offered throughout the venue as well as a golf course, complimentary private parking and a patio are available on site. The accommodation is located 10 minutes' walk from the centre of Saint Arnaud. St Arnaud Sporting Club in Saint Arnaud, Victoria. Read latest reviews and get driving directions. Located at 26 Dunstan St, St Arnaud VIC 3478, Australia, the St Arnaud Sporting Club offers great food in a relaxing atmosphere.

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The lakes are a popular destination year round for boating, water skiing, swimming and kayaking, and hosts the annual New Zealand Antique and Classic Boatshow. A short boat trip, or half day walk at Lake Rotoiti will take you through native forest to Whisky Falls, a 40m high, and fast-flowing waterfall. To learn about the ecology of honeydew. Opposite the golf club, offer casual golf and lunches and dinners 7/7 and pokies. Very close proximity to Coiltek gold centre.... Counter Lunch park Hotel. What a pleasure it was today to stop in at the Park Hotel Maryborough. Great service in the front bar by Sue the bar tender. Decided on the rissoles and veggies from the bar menu for $10.00.