#railway trips from london tours

[rhapsodynew]

How David Bowie traveled the entire USSR in a compartment of an ordinary train.

During his more than half a century-long career, British rock musician David Bowie toured almost the whole world, and almost everywhere he was greeted by crowds of fans mad with delight, and concerts were held only at the best urban venues. 

One of such inhospitable countries for foreign artists was the Soviet Union, where Bowie's songs were simply banned. Therefore, when rumors appeared in the press that David Bowie had secretly visited the Soviet Union in the early 70s, all public attention turned to this extremely curious story.

It later became known that the trip was not such a secret, because along with Bowie, the USSR was also crossed by journalist Robert Musel, who later wrote an article about the musician's journey, friend and colleague of the singer Jeff McCormack, who published an entire book about the artist, and photographer Lee Childers, who recorded all the details of the trip.

David Bowie and Jeff McCormack in the dining car

In April 1973, when David Bowie's Ziggy Stardust Tour, dedicated to the promotion of two albums by the artist ("The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars" and "Aladdin Sane"), was already coming to its logical conclusion, the entire David Bowie team was counting on a short vacation, because The next concert in London was scheduled for mid-May only. In general, it is an ideal situation to stay at home and relax for a while. However, Bowie had completely different plans in this regard...

David Bowie during the "Ziggy Stardust Tour"

. . . And all because in the distant 70s, David Bowie suffered from terrible aerophobia, the cause of which was a very nervous flight from Cyprus during a storm for the performer. Looking ahead, I note that over time Bowie still managed to overcome his fear of flying, but until then he tried to move between concert venues using land or water transport. And this, as you know, required much more time than flying by plane.

In general, David Bowie planned to spend all his free time on the road before the concert in London. At first, the artist and his team had to travel for two days on the ship Felix Dzerzhinsky, en route from Yokohama to Nakhodka. Most of the passengers on board were ordinary tourists, but this did not bother the rock musicians in any way: they drank and had fun all the way, and Bowie even played an unplanned acoustic set, performing his main hits.

The audience of this spontaneous concert liked the version of the song "Amsterdam" the most Jacques Brel, which was performed by the artist. On the stage after the concert, Bowie talked with the Russian sailors for several more hours, telling them about Western culture.

When the steamer finally arrived at the port of Nakhodka, all passengers, including musicians, were escorted to the train, which Bowie liked very much - a big and, unfortunately, forced fan of railway travel

At the same time, all foreign tourists were given a book "On Scientific Communism" by Marx, Engels and Lenin, as well as memos explaining what can and cannot be photographed in the USSR. However, the funniest "gift", according to the musicians, was a brochure in which the authors stated their point of view that the animated series "Tom and Jerry" contributes to the mental degradation of children.

The train that the musicians boarded took them only to Khabarovsk in three days, where foreign guests had to switch to a much more modest Trans-Siberian Express - the most ordinary train, similar to thousands of other trains that still run between Russian regions.

In addition, the "ordinariness" of this train was also in the contingent traveling in it, consisting of ordinary Soviet citizens, for whom David Bowie seemed like some kind of alien. It is understandable: the actor had red hair, he was dressed in bright outerwear - shiny T-shirts, wide trousers, caps and platform shoes, and on the train he even wore a kimono.

The journey from Khabarovsk to Moscow lasted six days, during which David Bowie and his team not only listened to the unflattering statements of the Soviet middle class, but also did more pleasant things - they communicated with the guides and even sang their songs to them, for which, in addition to ovations, they received additional portions of tea and products that the guides They bought it during stops.

In addition, the "ordinariness" of this train was also in the contingent traveling in it, consisting of ordinary Soviet citizens, for whom David Bowie seemed like some kind of alien. It is understandable: the actor had red hair, he was dressed in bright outerwear - shiny T-shirts, wide trousers, caps and platform shoes, and on the train he even wore a kimono.

The musicians looked out the window for a long time and thought a lot. Bowie, for example, was very struck by the poverty of the Soviet people, and he could not understand how they survived the harsh Siberian winters in wooden houses. He was also surprised by Soviet women who, regardless of age, performed hard physical work. And, of course, the musician admired nature, because in addition to picturesque landscapes, he often saw wild animals from the train window.

The Trans-Siberian Express arrived in Moscow on April 30, and Bowie and his team spent three days in the capital. Of course, they went to Red Square and looked into GUM, but Bowie didn't like it there. He noted that they did not even manage to have a delicious lunch in GUM. Well, on May 1, the musicians witnessed a large-scale festive parade, which they watched from the windows of the Intourist hotel on Tverskaya Street (now The Ritz-Carlton is located there).

Bowie was frankly amazed not only by the size of the crowd, but also by the fact that each participant in the parade was holding a red flag and singing patriotic songs. This sight remained in the musician's memory for a long time and became his last great impression from a long journey through the Soviet Union. The next day, the musicians boarded a train and, passing Warsaw, Berlin and Paris, headed for London.

After this trip, David Bowie came to the USSR (Russia) twice more. In 1976, together with Iggy Pop, on the birthday of the latter, they decided to fly from Zurich to Moscow in between shows, and celebrate the holiday there.

But, this is the next story.... to be continued...

[scotianostra]

On 24th February 1923, the world famous steam train, the Flying Scotsman, went into service.

The first train to officially reach speeds of 100 mph and more, the Flying Scotsman is 100 years old today.

The Flying Scotsman is arguably the most famous locomotive in the world. Originally built in Doncaster and started life on the London and North Eastern Railway in 1923. It was named the Flying Scotsman after the London to Edinburgh service which started daily at 10am.

Designed by Sir Nigel Gresley, it was the first steam train to ever reach speeds of 100mph. In 1928, it was redesigned with a new type of corridor which meant a new crew could take over without the train stopping - reducing journey times from London to Edinburgh by eight hours.

The locomotive starred in The Flying Scotsman feature film released in March 1930, one of Britain’s first films with a ‘talkie’ soundtrack.

When it was first built, the Flying Scotsman was apple green, but it was repainted black during the war, in common with all railway stock. It was later blue when the railways were nationalised until it went out of service in 1963.

The locomotive was bought and repaired by British businessman William McAlpine in the Eighties and went on a tour of Australia, clocking up 422 miles - the longest ever non-stop run by a steam locomotive. In the 90s, the Flying Scotsman was once part-owned by record producer Pete Waterman.

After a successful campaign, the locomotive was once more returned to public ownership in 2004. In its latest form, it is back to its classic green and is officially known as No. 60103.

The Flying Scotsman 2023 day trips will set off from Bristol, London and York, and will travel the country to eight destinations including Edinburgh, Portsmouth and Cardiff. More dates will be announced at a later date.

[zu-is-here]

So it was quite the trip! I'm not going to go though the whole thing here though, as it would take a while, but I tell ya, this was amazing.

London was such a great day! I was the only one from the UK on the tour so it was alot of fun trying to explain British slang to people XD not to mention scone politics.

As you know, I met Blue in France! Oh my goodness I was so awkward XD it's almost sad tbh. I almost missed them! With no data I didn't see there message and it was lucky that I got back to the hotel in time to see them! Such an amazing person and a amazing hug!

Not to mention French bread was yummyyyyy

In Switzerland we went to the highest railway station in all of Europe. Unfortunately for us, there was no view due to a white out. But we got to go inside an icecave! I also tried fondu!!

Italy had the best food I have to say. Most of what I had there was very very yummy yummy. I had some very nice aperol spirits while there, did you know it was invented in Venice?

In Rome I was a few feet away from a team member who was Unfortunately pick pocketed. We didn't see anything and tbh it put as all on edge.

This gelato thoughhh

In Venice the city was over run with pidgins, because they are considered important there.

Tried bruschetta

After Italy everyone was getting tired, all looking forward to being home and getting to have lay ins

But I'll say that I enjoyed our afternoon in the rhine valley. The river cruise we did was a nice break from all the rushing around. I also brought a very nice hand made beer Stine as token.

The last country we stayed in was Holland. Did you know that uh.... leaves are legal to smoke there? Well some.of my tour mates had fun I heard. I stuck to the cheese, but did get alittle drunk at the final dinner we all had together haha not my fault they had a cocktail menu XD

On the last day we stopped off for lunch in Belgium, did you know they invented French frys? And honestly they went down and treat! With some Belgium waffles.

All together it was amazing. I wish I had more time to tell you everything. But yeah, that'd me!

How was yours?

Sorry I didn't answer right away! (ówò) I wasn't prepared as well as you xp

I'm so happy to hear you had such a great time on your trip! \(//∇//)\☆ So it started from London but all the tourists except for you were not from UK?? :0 And do you have funny moments to share? (*ﾟ∀ﾟ*)

Oh!! Lucky you to meet each other in real life after all! (´⌣`ʃƪ) She said she was so excited to see you and your drawings too! <3 Even if it wasn't much, it's so good to hear that you two had a nice time together╰(*´︶`*)╯

So many amazing places and OMG— so much yummy food! (⁎⁍̴̀﹃ ⁍̴́⁎)♡ Fondu looks really interesting *^* (As for aperol spritz, I didn't even know about its existing, shame on me (≧∀≦)) Such tasty photos— stop teasing me! XD <3

Oh my god!.. ∑(ﾟДﾟ) What was that?? Did they tell the police? It reminded me of how my friend's bag with documents was stolen when we were on a beach in France, they had to drive to the consulate to be given a document to go back to Russia ("ó3ò)

Pidgins?? Who are they? ( ・∇・) True, the journey takes a lot of energy, but so many impressions and emotions are worth it! ☆ And such beautiful souvenirs are a nice addition to that *w*

Guess the Holland government is smart enough not to remove the fallen leaves! ;D You did deserve a good rest <3 OH I didn't even know this about French fries! (°▽°) The Belgium waffles look delicccious ˚✧₊⁎

Thank you so much for sharing your experiences and photos with me! (〃ω〃) You look wonderful against the backdrop of these picturesque landscapes *^*

***

It is hard to tell about everything that happened in these two weeks (especially about going through all the circles of hell because of the wrong tan xd) but the main thing is that I had a great time with my family <3

Here's a couple of interesting moments that happened on my way though! :D

At the airport, they stopped me because of "a suspicious thing" in my backpack and asked "What are these packages at the bottom?" And I froze cause I was carrying medicines (at the request) and was frightened that it may be illegal, but they pulled out... a pack of buckwheat. (Buckwheat is expensive abroad so I brought it from Russia) At that moment I forgot the word in English and said "this is Russian rice" >:D

At another airport where I was spending the night, I lay down on one of the seats vacated by a couple, but when I woke up, I saw them sitting next to me, on one seat, cuddling together. I jumped up and apologized for taking one of their places but they were so sweet and kind and open-hearted to me with "You slept so sweetly, we didn't want to wake you up",,, (´°̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥ω°̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥｀)♡ (Just made a quick sketch of them from memory cause I wanted to capture this precious couple in Love (ㅅ´ ˘ `) Maybe I'll finish it soon,,, ♪)

UPD:

@help-im-a-gay-fish

Woah! (≧∀≦)☆ To be honest, I've heard a lot of accents but I would never differ them (x3x)

OMG XD No idea why but it reminded me of Killer, that's what everyone would do to him :'D

Oh I didn't even know this word! (°▽°) A british one?

You almost what?! ∑(ﾟДﾟ)

PFFF— witchcraft! XD

Awww this is actually such a cute tradition! (๑˃̵ᴗ˂̵) If it's a kiss on a cheek, right? :D

Hope so! <3

Sounds interesting *w*

Only 10! (´；Д；`) I mean, I feel so sorry for him but a child embarking on a criminal path from such an early age... It is a way to survive for many yet what a human will she grow up...

Ah pigeons! XD

OHHH so that's it! (≧∀≦) I can fee them :'D

ヾ(≧∪≦*)ノ〃♡

You don't know buckwheat?? (O_O) (I can't add more images but this is mb the main thing Russians cook & love! >:D You can eat it for breakfast, lunch, dinner, with milk, sugar, fish, vegetables, meat— worth trying in short xd)

For real! (〃ω〃)

Yesss ˚✧₊⁎ I couldn't leave without trying paella with seafood & salted jacket potatoes in sauses & goat cheese with jamon & of course yummy pizzasss! (*´﹃｀*)

[rygoespop]

Thomas and Friends: Tales from Sodor (Story 16): The Japan Trip

Narrator: The Japan Trip

Scene transitions to Sir Topham Hatt, arriving at Tidmouth Sheds, to see the 9 Engines

Narrator: One morning, Sir Topham Hatt arrived at Tidmouth Sheds with a letter

Sir Topham Hatt: Good morning Engines! I got a letter, from Japan!

Thomas: A letter? From Hiro!?

Sir Topham Hatt: Yes! It's a special job!

Gordon: I wonder how many engines are needed to help over there

Sir Topham Hatt: Alright! *he opens the letter* Dear Sir Topham Hatt, it is with great honor that you send six of your Engines to the Japanese Railway to help out with Hiro

The Steam Team blew their whistles in excitement

Sir Topham Hatt: Silence! Now the 6 engines, by Hiro's request are: Emily

Emily: Oh!

Sir Topham Hatt: Molly

Molly: Yay

Sir Topham: Rosie

Rosie: Yay!

Sir Topham Hatt: James

James: Heh heh

Sir Topham Hatt: Percy

Percy: Oh, that's nice

Sir Topham Hatt: And most importantly of all...

Gordon, Henry, and Edward all waited

Sir Topham Hatt: Thomas the Tank Engine..

Gordon: *flabbergasted* Doh! Thomas!?!

Thomas: Me? Hiro wants me!?

Sir Topham Hatt: That's right! Now all 6 of you, I need you all to go to Brendam Docks, your Rail Ferry will be there

Thomas: Let's go! *he blew his whistle and puffs to Brendam Docks*

Percy, James, Rosie, Molly, and Emily all blew their whistles and puff to Brendam Docks

Thomas: Look out Japan! Here we come!

Scene transitions to the 6 Engines (Thomas, Percy, James, Rosie, Molly, and Emily) all on the Rail Ferry at Brendam Docks, the other engines (Gordon, Henry, Edward, Toby, Salty, and Porter) are there

Narrator: Later that day, it was time for the Ferry to set sail to Japan

Gordon: *annoyed* I don't know why Thomas? Why couldn't they pick a big strong engine like me?

Henry: Oooh, not again, Gordon! Remember what happened last time when you were in London?

Gordon: But that didn't answer my question, why Thomas?!

Sir Topham Hatt: The Japanese Controller requested Thomas to help out, and I must obliged

Thomas: Oh this will be fun, working with Hiro over in Japan! Yet, I wonder who'll run my Branchline while I'm gone

Sir Topham Hatt: Don't worry Thomas, I made arrangements

Stanley: *blew his whistle as he arrives with Annie and Clarabel* Hello Thomas!

Thomas: Stanley?! Your looking after my Branchline?!

Stanley: Yes Thomas, I'll look after your Branchline while your away in Japan

Thomas: Well, time for the 6 of us to get going, goodbye everyone!

The 6 engines blew their whistles as the ferry set sail, the other engines blew their whistles, Toby rang his bell and Salty honked his horn

Narrator: And soon, Thomas, along with Percy, James, Rosie, Molly, and Emily all set sailed to Japan

Scene transitions to the Ferry sailing from Sodor all the way to the Sea of Japan

James: I think I see some neon lights

Percy: Is that?

Rosie: It is

Molly: It's...

Thomas: Tokyo!

The Ferry arrived at Tokyo Docks, the bridge was lowered, and there waiting for the 6 engines, was Hiro

Hiro: *smiling* Hello, my friends

Thomas: *excited* Hiro! *puffs out of the ferry*

Percy, James, Rosie, Molly, and Emily all puff off the ferry as well

Hiro: Welcome, to Japan! My home, and land of the Culture

James: Wow! So this is Tokyo, it looks, very nice!

Hiro: Come my friends, let me give you, the tour!

Scene transitions to Hiro, giving Thomas, Percy, James, Rosie, Molly, and Emily a tour around Japan

Hiro: Here is Shinjuku, a popular location within the city of Tokyo, it's where Hotel Capsules, Ramen bars, and famous Arcades are there for people to sleep, eat, or go have fun

Rosie: Wow!

Scene transitions to Hiro and the 6 Engines puffing at Mt. Fuji

Hiro: Here we have one of the famous landmarks, Mt. Fuji!

Thomas: Wow! It's all covered in Snow!

Hiro: Well, of course Thomas, reminds you of the snow back on Sodor when winter rolls in

Scene transitions to Hiro, Thomas, Percy, James, Rosie, Molly, and Emily puffing through the Japanese Countryside

Hiro: And here, we have one of the shrines, and over there, is the Sumo Gym

Rosie: Wow!!! So this is what a Sumo Match looks like

Hiro: Ha, I knew you like it Rosie

Rosie: I wanna give it a go!

James: Don't be silly Rosie

Emily: Engines can't Sumo wrestle

Rosie: Awww

Scene transitions to Hiro and the 6 Engines arriving at the Sheds

Hiro: And here, are the Sheds

Thomas: Wow! It looks like the older Tidmouth Sheds

Hiro: Yes Thomas, but unlike the Tidmouth Sheds back on Sodor, which has 9 Berths, the Japanese Sheds has 6 berths, so all 6 of you can sleep here

Molly: But where do you sleep?

Hiro: I sleep in my own separate shed

Thomas: Alright then

Hiro: Now then, all 6 of you, go have fun, but tomorrow, we all got a busy day

Thomas: Alright then Hiro, let's go!

Thus the 6 Engines all got spread out and see more of Japan

Narrator: Soon, Thomas, along with Percy, James, Rosie, Molly, and Emily all got to explore Japan

Percy: *arrives at Shinjuku* Wow, it is so busy, kinda like a cross of both Knapford Yards and Brendam Docks

Molly: *puffing around in Nagoya* Oh my, this looks like a nice part *sees a concert* Oh, what's this? *she puffs forward and she was surprised* Oh, it's a concert!

Molly watches a Japanese Pop Concert, but she unintentionally whistled, the Pop Singer was surprised, and finds Molly's whistle to be perfect

James: *puffing around Yokohama* Here's James! *he puffs around hoping for attention, but sees an Artist* You there!

The Artist looks at James

James: Can you do an art of me?

The Artist was confused by he obliges and makes an art of James, and shows it to him, which is in fact, James in Manga Style

James: Ooooooh, looks nice!

Rosie: *puffs back to see an Outdoor Sumo Match* Oooh yay, I get to see one! So much better than the one at Ulfstead!

Rosie's Driver and Fireman climb out of the cab to see the match

Rosie: *observing the words from the Sumos* Dosukoi.. Dosu, koi.. Dosukoi!

The Sumo Wrestlers see Rosie, and they bow to her

Emily: *puffing around Kyoto* My, what a scenic place Kyoto is, Henry would've love to see this

Thomas: *puffing around Tokyo* Hello Tokyo!

A bunch of People see Thomas, one man points out that it's him, due to Thomas being popular in Japan

Thomas: Oh, konnichiwa! *he blew his whistle into the Night Sky*

Scene transitions to the next morning, the 6 Engines are all sleeping at the Japanese Sheds

Narrator: The next morning, after a long night of exploring Japan, Hiro arrived

Hiro: Good morning my friends

Thomas: Oh, good morning Hiro!

Hiro: *smiling* So, how was your time exploring Japan?

Thomas: It was Amazing!

James: I got an artwork of me

Percy: I explored

Emily: Kyoto is beautiful

Molly: I got to be in a show with a Pop Singer

Rosie: And I learned how to speak like a Sumo Wrestler

The other engines looked at Rosie

Rosie: What? It's what I seen

Hiro: *chuckled* Good one Rosie, but now, it's time for work

Scene transitions to Thomas, pulling 2 Oigawa Express Coaches

Narrator: Later, Thomas was pulling some Coaches of the Japanese Railway

Thomas: Huh, this does feel like my Branchline back home on Sodor

Hiro: I bet it does *puffing up*

Thomas: Hiro!

Hiro: I see your on your way to the first station, in Nagoya

Thomas: Yes, and I see it! Hello Nagoya! *he blew his whistle and puffed in to Nagoya Station*

The Passengers climbed off

Hiro: See Thomas, it's like your Branchline back on Sodor

Thomas: Yeah, it does! I wonder how the others are doing?

Scene transitions to Tokyo Yards, where Rosie is ready to shunt an empty truck, but rather than shunting them like how she does back on Sodor

Rosie: Dosukoi! *she shunted the truck very hard, it bumped Emily*

Emily: Ow! Rosie!

Rosie: Oops! Sorry Emily!

Molly: *pulling 4 Coal Cars* Um... Rosie, this isn't the time for being a Sumo Wrestler, it's time for work

Rosie: Your right, I'm sorry Molly!

Molly: That's good *she blew her whistle and puffs off to Tokyo Docks*

Scene transitions to James, pulling some Oigawa Coaches as well

James: Alright, Shinjuku station! *he arrives at Shinjuku Station* Here's James!

The Passengers get off the coaches

Percy: *puff in with freight cars of Fish* Oh, hello James! Pulling Coaches as usual?

James: Well of course Percy! I'm not interested of taking Smelly fish!

Percy: Well, I'm doing fish deliveries, the fish are going to Sushi Bars all around Japan

James: Sushi?

Percy: Yes, Sushi! It's a delicacy in Japan

James: Oooh, that looks good!

Percy: I got to get going, bye James! *he blew his whistle and puffs off*

Scene transitions to Night, Thomas and his friends all gathered at the Sheds, as their crew all have Sushi

Narrator: Later that night, after a long day work, Thomas was getting excited

Thomas: Wow! I never thought Japan could be so much fun around here

Emily: Yeah, Rosie is taking a liking to Sumo Wrestling a bit too much

Thomas: Really?

Rosie: What? I said I was sorry!

Emily: I forgive you Rosie

Molly: As I was puffing to Tokyo Docks, I saw that same Pop Singer from last night, so I helped her get to her show

Thomas: That's one special I ever heard

Molly: Yes Thomas, it is special indeed

James: I saw the same artist, he made that impressive artwork of me, so he made another one

Percy: And those fish were Smelly, but I got them delivered

Hiro: I'm glad, you had a time of working, so thought I take you to a Hot Springs for Engines

Thomas: A hot springs?!

Hiro: For Engines, yes! It's to relax your wheels, it's like a Sento, bath in Japanese Culture

Rosie: Let's go!

Hiro: Alright

Scene transitions to the 7 Engines, arriving at the Engine Hot Springs

Narrator: Later, when they arrived at the Engine Hot Springs

Molly: Oooooh, my wheels feel so much better

Emily: I do say

Thomas: This feels relaxing

Hiro: Ooh yes, the Hot Springs relaxes your wheels, after a long day

Percy: Wished Sodor had something like this

James: But we do have the Steamworks

The 7 Engines enjoyed a night of relaxation

Narrator: The Next day, Thomas was puffing through Tokyo, until he saw a Workman

Scene transitions to Thomas puffing through Tokyo until he sees a Workman with a Red Flag

Thomas: What's the matter?

The Workout told Thomas about Hiro being stuck on the tracks on the Snowy part of Mt. Fuji

Thomas: Hiro! *he blew his whistle and races off to Mt. Fuji*

Scene transitions to Mt. Fuji, where Hiro is stuck

Hiro: Oh my..

Just then, Hiro heard a familiar whistle

Thomas: Hiro!

Hiro: Thomas!

Thomas: Hiro, what happened?

Hiro: My water tank broke, I can't move, and now an avalanche is going to happen

Just then, the Avalanche started to happen

Thomas: No! *he jumps in and shunts Hiro out of the way, for safety*

Hiro: Thomas, what are you?

Thomas: I saved you before, and I can't let anything happen to you! *he shunts Hiro to safety*

The avalanche happened, but Thomas got Hiro to safety

Hiro: Thomas.. You risked your life to save me again

Thomas: I didn't want you to get covered in Snow

Hiro: Thank you, Thomas *he smiled*

Scene transitions to a ceremony, at Tokyo Yards, a crowd of people were there, including Percy, James, Rosie, Molly, and Emily were there

Narrator: Later that day, Thomas arrived at Tokyo Yards, for a special surprise

Percy: Way to go Thomas! Thats my best friend!

Rosie: Hooray for Thomas!

Thomas: *puffs up, and sees Hiro* Hiro! I see you got a new Water Tank

Hiro: Yes Thomas, I want to thank you so much

Just then, The Japanese Controller arrived

The Japanese Controller: Chinmoku!

The crowd silent their cheering

The Japanese Controller: Let me be the first to say, Thank you, to Thomas of Sodor, for saving Hiro, the Master of the Railway twice from danger!

The crowd cheered briefly

The Japanese Controller: Now let me be the first, to welcome a special guest to reward Thomas, ladies and gentlemen, introducing the Emperor of Japan!

The Crowd cheered as the Emperor of Japan arrived and walked up to Thomas

The Emperor of Japan: *bows to Thomas* Konnichiwa, Thomas of Sodor! For your heroic action, on saving our beloved Master of the Railway, we would like to present you, your medal, of Honor and Bravery *he climbs up on the ladder and puts the medal on Thomas's funnel*

The crowd cheered, evenly Percy, James, Rosie, Molly, and Emily blew their whistles, Hiro blew his whistle the most of all

Emily: Hooray for Thomas!

Just then, the Pop Singer arrived and prepared to sing her song, but she points to Molly for her help

Molly: Oh me?

Thomas: *to the Pop Star* Actually, we'll do one better

Molly: *surprised* Really?!

Thomas: All of us!

The Pop Singer sang as Thomas, Percy, James, Rosie, Molly, Emily, and Hiro all took turns blowing their whistles, as the camera pans to the flag of Japan, and an amazing Artwork of the 6 Sodor Engines and Hiro was shown, in the style of Traditional Japanese Art

Story End

[train-smith]

One of the most modern trains in Britain

When you think of a modern train the first image to pop up in your head is most likely an electric self-driving train that can reach speeds of 200mph; well there's an anomaly that lies in this data. This locomotive was completed in 2008 but still requires a fireman; its name was the "Tornado".

Now A1 Peppercorn Tornado sounds fast, and that's because it is, but this train is in fact a steam engine only reaching an official speed of 100mph. Originally designed in the 1940s, it was meant to be an additional engine for the East Coast Main Line but was never built due to the modernization and dieselisation plans of the 50s. It can pull 15 coaches at slower speeds but on today's modern tracks with faster speeds being able to reach a lesser 10-11 coachers. The Tornado wasn't anything special at the time of initial design but was to be simply an addition to the fleet.

The project was first founded in 1990 by the A1 Steam Locomotive Trust in 1990 with the idea for the train to be oil-fired for cost and operational reasons. This oil-fired plan was later scrapped in favour of the original coal firing due to the increase in global fossil fuel prices. The 1940s plans had been scanned by 1993 (with a further 140 scans in 2001) and construction was started in the following year. Changes from the original were necessary to better suit both modern manufacturing techniques, and new rail networks, but a great part of the components had been kept to the original design. The bulk of improvements was ones to meet current safety and operation standards.

The train ran under its own power for the first time on 29 July 2008 at Darlington, and then during the next two years further tests were made and the operation of its first passenger journey. The first mainline trip was in 2009, known as The Peppercorn Pioneer, from York to Newcastle and back. The Tornado now hauls numerous rail tours on main lines all over Britain and also heritage railways. It's a great sight to behold for me and fellow trainspotters mostly due to the historical sight of a monster 1940s locomotive on today's modern rails.

A piece of media to see the Tornado in is an episode of Top Gear, first aired in 2009. The episode shows a race, from London King's Cross to Edinburgh Waverly. Taking part in the race are the Tornado, a 1949 Jaguar XK120, and the 1949 Vincent Black Shadow (my favorite motorbike). The train, unfortunately, comes second, but the great magnificence of the locomotive is greatly televised with the hairs on the back of my neck standing up each time the Tornado is on screen. Another film that has the Tornado present, is the 2017 Paddington 2 (I can greatly sympathise with the character of Jonathan).

The Tornado is a must-see for anyone that has a great passion, or little interest in trains. The vast amount of work and funding put behind the project has greatly paid off and is greatly appreciated by me, and other train enthusiasts alike, truly amazing!

[jonathanwrotethis]

Two days in London

Seeing London through the eyes of a visitor was interesting - the many small things that separate our cultures. Obviously the language, but also the behavioural differences. The stand-off-ishness of british people - particularly in the cities. The silence on underground trains. The reluctance to strike up conversation with anybody in the street about anything. I guess for my part I amused greatly with occasional unintelligible idioms that had to be explained.

On Sunday we "played underground trains", and popped up in South Kensington to visit the Victoria and Albert museum, then Kings Cross (obviously in search of Platform 9 3/4), visiting St Pancras along the way to see the wonderful statue of the couple that towers over the departing railway lines.

We wandered along the south bank - past Cleopatra's Needle, and quite by accident nearly got run over by the peloton of a one-day-classic cycle race through the city. The huge benefit of the cycle race? All of the roads were closed, so we could wander around the gothic arches and spinnerets of the law courts with no other tourists in sight. It was kind of eery but wonderful at the same time.

We ate on the run throughout the day - stopping for sushi at Kings Cross, and a burger bar on a corner of the south bank. Over twenty thousand steps throughout the day, according to my watch.

Sunday was a slower start - exploring some wish-list shops in and near Oxford Street (I'm such not a "shopper", but happy to tag along), before heading towards first Euston, and then the long train journey out to Watford Junction, and the coach to Leavesden Studios.

It was interesting - again - to see the studio tour through different eyes. Where many might have seen "Harry Potter" through theme park installations replete with animatronics and such like, at Leavesden you're seeing the studio itself - the sets, the props, and a few minimal re-creations of moments from the movies.

It's probably a little less polished, and a little less immediately impressive than a theme park, but there's a real sense of care about everything - a sense of duty to the fans - to tell the story of how a children's book became something greater than anybody imagined, and how the author, the movie makers, and the cast were impacted by it.

I guess Harry Potter is up there with Star Wars and Lord of the Rings in terms of the dedication of the fan-base to the source material, and it's various manifestations. Being "where it came from" is somehow wonderful, in a way that's difficult to describe.

After drinking Butterbeer, and quite possibly the biggest hot-dogs in the known universe, we made the long trip back towards London, and I said farewell to my friend - waving from the platform as her underground train whistled off into the darkness - fingers crossed that she would find her way without me.

I should have had no such fears. She's a smart so-and-so. I had to explain that idiom too. I guess it's just a bit city, and I'm a father of daughters - and even though they're grown up now. It's hard to switch off caring and worrying for others.

I eventually got home a little after 11pm, with the rest of the family already in bed. I quietly cleared the kitchen - a surprise of sorts for the morning - then fell into bed and slept "the sleep of the just" as my late father-in-law called it - waking with the alarm at 7am and walking back through the memories of the previous days.

Today has been unintentionally amusing. After filling the washing machine and firing up the work computer first thing to begin writing a technical document, I joined the regular team meeting mid-morning and my project manager frowned.

"Aren't you on holiday today?"

"Am I?"

I looked at the calendar. And laughed.

And that's how I've spent the morning so far getting on with all the small chores that usually get pushed to one side. My other half is only working half-a-day today, so I will invite her out for lunch on her return and tell all the stories of the days away. I'm sure I have much to catch-up on too.

I thought I would be more tired this morning, but strangely I'm fine. This whole "getting away for a day or two" seems to be a good thing. I've never done it before.

[aghotel]

The Milestone Hotel guide: Best day trips from Peterborough

If you find yourself in the charming city of Peterborough, you are in for a treat. This quaint city in Cambridgeshire offers not only its own unique allure but also serves as a perfect starting point for exploring the beauty that surrounds it. Join us as we embark on the best day trips from Peterborough to nearby towns and natural wonders that will leave you awe-inspired. Whether you prefer a coastal adventure, city exploration, or a journey through historical and cultural sites, our Peterborough guide has it all.

NEARBY CITIES

Cambridge: A mere stone’s throw away from Peterborough, Cambridge is a perfect city to visit, boasting picturesque charm and a prestigious university. Witness the architectural splendour of historic colleges, enjoy punting along the tranquil River Cam, and visit the renowned Fitzwilliam Museum.

Leicester: A short drive or train ride away, Leicester offers a fascinating journey into history and culture. Discover the story of King Richard III at the visitor centre and explore the vibrant Golden Mile, reflecting the city’s multicultural heritage.

London: Surprisingly accessible from Peterborough, London is a short drive down the A1 or a quick 50-minute train ride to King’s Cross station. The capital offers endless activities and attractions, from West End shows and world-class museums to diverse culinary experiences.

Nottingham: Nottingham is an ideal day trip destination for history enthusiasts and shoppers alike. Explore the legend of Robin Hood through visits to Nottingham Castle and the bustling city centre.

HISTORIC AND CULTURAL PLACES

Burghley House: Indulge in history and grandeur with a visit to Burghley House, a splendid Elizabethan mansion near Stamford. Explore the dazzling rooms and halls and wander the vast estate grounds.

Sandringham Estate: A visit to Sandringham Estate offers a glimpse into royal family history and a memorable day out. Tour the house to learn about the royal family’s connection to this fantastic retreat and enjoy leisurely walks in the expansive gardens.

NEARBY COASTS

Hunstanton: Head east to Hunstanton on the Norfolk coast for a refreshing coastal retreat. Enjoy fun-filled arcades in New Hunstanton or unwind in the serene ambience of Old Hunstanton, home to one of Norfolk’s finest beaches.

Skegness: Along the Lincolnshire coast, Skegness epitomizes traditional British seaside charm. Delight in amusement park rides, build sandcastles on the golden beach and stroll along the lively promenade with souvenir shops and cafes.

COUNTRYSIDE

Peak District: A scenic two to three-hour drive away, the Peak District showcases stunning natural beauty with its peaks, hills, and rivers. Whether you opt for a scenic hike or a visit to picturesque towns like Bakewell, a day at Peak District is one the best day trips from Peterborough.

Lincolnshire Wolds: Closer to Peterborough than the Peak District, the Lincolnshire Wolds, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, offers rolling hills and panoramic vistas, making it an ideal retreat for nature lovers, hikers, and cyclists.

A FUN DAY OUT

Rutland Water: Not far from Peterborough, Rutland Water, the largest man-made lake in England, provides a range of watersports and outdoor activities. Whether you’re interested in cycling, walking, fishing, or birdwatching, Rutland Water has something for everyone.

Springfields Shopping Outlet: If you’re in the mood for shopping, Springfields Shopping Outlet near Spalding is a great option. Explore a variety of high-street and designer brands at discounted prices and enjoy a meal at one of the onsite eateries.

Nene Valley Railway: Experience a unique day trip with a nostalgic ride on the Nene Valley Railway. Departing near Peterborough station, this steam train journey takes you through picturesque countryside and quaint villages, offering a glimpse into a bygone era.

There you have it, fellow explorers—a glimpse into the best day trips from Peterborough that you can add to your itinerary. Whether you are interested in history, nature, academia, or simply seeking tranquillity, these nearby towns and natural wonders have something for everyone. Pack your bags, hit the road, and let the adventure unfold!

For a relaxing stay and delicious dining experience, book your stay at our 3-star hotel in Peterborough, The Milestone Hotel. The hotel is situated at Normas Cross, Junction 16 of the A1(M) and has modern amenities including Hypnos beds, free Wi-Fi, free parking, a restaurant & bar and meeting rooms. Learn more: www.aghotels.co.uk/the-milestone-hotel/

[sofiahotelhuahin]

Thailand's Top Hotels 2023: Wellness Resorts, City Gems, And More || SofiaHotelHuahin

Thailand punches well above its weight when it comes to accommodations because it is home to some of the top hotels in Asia. The country's iconic addresses are saved for the beaches and islands; Chiva Som is consistently voted as the best destination spa in the world, and Aman, Banyan Tree, and Six Senses are scattered throughout Thailand's best islands.

In Bangkok, glitzy city hotels rival those found in New York and London. There are a lot of quaint and hidden hideaways to be discovered as well, where warm service and regional cuisine make you feel like you've had a taste of local life. Here we rank the best hotels in Thailand in order of our personal favorites.

Six Senses Yao Noi, Phang Nga

On the steep tiny island of Yao Noi, which is situated in Phang Nga Bay midway between Phuket and Krabi, Six Senses has mastered the castaway experience. On the speedboat trip to the resort, shoes are removed, and signs made of driftwood indicate to the white sand beach, the hilltop infinity pool, and a cluster of stilted homes with thatched roofs. Searching for the spa that is tucked away inside of a series of old-fashioned long homes in the forest, navigating the multi-level bamboo and clapboard restaurants for supper, and watching movies on the beach under the stars—everything feels like an adventure. Utilise one of the hotel's bicycles to make a round of the island, passing past the fishing community and rubber plantations, and keep an eye out for pairs of sooty black hornbills. —Lee Cobaj

InterContinental Khao Yai hotel, Khao Yai

It's difficult for me to believe that this charming resort, which is three hours north of our home in Bangkok and adjacent to the national park of the same name, wasn't designed with children as its only target audience. The hotel, which was created by eccentric architect Bill Bensley, unfolds like a lake-dotted, railroad-themed playground, with each structure—from the main wing's gingerbread trim to the lakeside eateries—taking design cues from the neighbouring Pak Chong railway station, built during the reign of King Rama V. With an imaginative story about a fictional railway conductor named Somsak, whose locomotive-style sleeping accommodations also serve as the hotel lobby, Bensley blurs the lines between truth and fiction.

Banyan Tree Samui

The private pool in your home features a floating lotus flower and unparalleled panoramic views of Lamai Bay. Buggies transport visitors around the villas, private beach, spa, and elevated restaurant The Edge, which are connected by twisting, steep walkways. Differently sized and shaped villas rise from the peninsula, but every one has a view of the garden or the sea. The spacious bedrooms in the family and couple villas open to expose private infinity pools, and the rainfall showers are large enough for two people. Beanbag chairs are set up on a wooden deck so that guests can relax and watch the sun rise over the water. have renting a kayak or taking a private boat tour while spending the day at the private beach, or have afternoon tea at the beach café.

Raya Heritage, Chiang Mai

This Ping River hotel doesn't have any elaborate roofing. It's unlikely that the popular local dishes khao soi soup and sai oua sausage will be offered. outdated Buddha statues? practically none. But no hangout has a stronger sense of place than Raya Heritage, where the typical temple-inspired teakwood and gold appearance has been abandoned in favor of a clean-lined design that puts crafts front and center. bricks made of terra cotta. woven baskets made of reed. textiles made by handloom. Indigo jolts. It honors the legacy of the ancient Lanna civilization, a transnational kingdom whose ancient capital was Chiang Mai. It's the kind of place where only your conscience prevents you from packing your bag with hand-dyed shawls or lacquered bamboo catchalls (in light of this, Raya Heritage opened its Him Gong shop in 2019). It's not Disney-fied but fresh and bright. However, the patchwork of cultural influences in the area is not limited to the interiors. Burmese noodle salads, Chinese kung pao chicken, and river prawns prepared in the Shan style are all served by linen-clad waiters at the restaurant. A master herbalist from a nearby town creates a distinctive blend for the steam chamber, which uses bone-cracking Burmese massages as its main focus. Although excursions to visit artists can be arranged, the 33 rooms—some of which have private pools—are comfortable enough to stay in all day.

sofiahotelhuahin

Standard- Two to three persons are allocated to a room. The accommodation has air conditioning, a refrigerator, and a king-size bed. has a wall fan, a table with two chairs, a fire extinguisher for emergencies, and a view of a garden out the window.

Deluxe- Two to three persons are allocated to a room. The accommodation has air conditioning, a refrigerator, and a king-size bed. has a wall fan, a table with two chairs, a fire extinguisher for emergencies, and a view of a garden out the window.

Superior- Two to three persons are allocated to a room. The accommodation has air conditioning, a refrigerator, and a king-size bed. has a wall fan, a table with two chairs, a fire extinguisher for emergencies, and a view of a garden out the window.

To reach us out in offline mode do not forget to visit

Sofia Hotel Huahin        

100 / 3 - 6 Poonsuk Road Hua Hin, Prachuap Khiri Khan, Thailand 77110

Email: sofiahuahin@gmail.com

Visit Our website — https://sofiahotelhuahin.com/

[roversremovals1]

Top 5 Tourist Attractions in Blackburn, UK

Blackburn, a town in Lancashire, is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the United Kingdom. It has been shaped by its history and culture, which are reflected in its architecture and museums. Here are five attractions that make Blackburn a must-visit destination for travelers from all over the world:

Blackburn

Blackburn Cathedral is a Church of England cathedral in Blackburn, Lancashire. Its formal title is the Cathedral Church of St. Mary and All Saints, and it is the seat of the Bishop of Blackburn. It was designed by Sir George Gilbert Scott and consecrated on 1 September 1847 by Rt Revd Edward Benson (later Archbishop of Canterbury).

The first bishop appointed to Blackburn was Rt Revd Henry Montgomery-Massingberd (1905–48), who chose as his motto "Constans Fidelis" ("constant and faithful"), which can be seen carved over the south door together with his personal arms: argent three crosses botony gules on a chief azure two bars wavy argent between three escallops or; Motto: Constans Fidelis." The arms were granted by royal warrant on 19 July 1929.

Darwen Tower

Darwen Tower is a Victorian folly built in 1857. It was built by John Bowes, a wealthy cotton merchant who wanted to build something showy and grand for his family to enjoy. The tower stands about 50 feet tall and has four floors inside; each one has unique features like stained glass windows and ornate fireplaces.

The building was originally intended as a summerhouse but later became known as an observatory because of its high vantage point over the surrounding countryside (it's located on top of a hill). Today it's open to the public with tours available during certain times throughout the year--you can even stay overnight in one of the rooms if you'd like!

Little Harwood

Little Harwood is a town in the borough of Blackburn with Darwen, England. It is famous for its brickworks and mills, as well as its railway station.

The population of Little Harwood is approximately 2,000 people and it has been around since at least 1200 AD when it was first mentioned in documents from nearby townships.

The Lord Street Centre

The Lord Street Centre is an excellent place to learn about the history of Blackburn. Located in the heart of the town, it's open to the public and has a collection of over 20,000 objects. The centre focuses on social and industrial history, as well as local culture. It also houses an art gallery that features temporary exhibitions from artists from all over Europe.

Of course, there are many other good reasons to visit Blackburn.

Of course, there are many other good reasons to visit Blackburn.

It's a great place for a weekend away or day trip if you live in the surrounding area.

You can visit several tourist attractions within the city and surrounding towns.

There are many free things to do in Blackburn that don't cost any money at all!

There are many good reasons to visit Blackburn. It has a rich history, beautiful architecture and an abundance of natural beauty. The city also offers plenty of activities for visitors with everything from museums and galleries to parks and gardens. We hope this list has given you some ideas about some places that might interest you on your next trip!

Looking for removals services near me in London, then book your perfect move with us. We offer a wide range of removal services including man with van, furniture lifting and packing, house clearance and more!

Rovers Removals 6-8 Lord St W, Blackburn BB2 1JX, United Kingdom (254) 403-786 https://removalsserviceblackburn.co.uk/ https://www.google.com/maps?cid=16136469332046463691

[winnerslable]

The true meaning of this ancient, awe-inspiring creation has been lost in the mists of time. Was Stonehenge a temple for sun worship, a healing centre, a burial site or perhaps a huge calendar? How did our ancestors manage to carry the mighty stones from so far away and then, using only the most primitive of tools, build this amazing structure? Surrounded by mystery, Stonehenge never fails to impress. +447884282467info@chilloutlondon.comHeadquarter OfficeWestminster Pier, SW1A 2JH

[stormdistrict]

Free Virtual Museum Tours | MasterList

1. J Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles With more than 6,000 years worth of creative treasures, the Getty is one of the best places for art on the west coast of the US. Go from neolithic clay figures to Van Gogh’s Irises and Renoir’s La Promenade – just two of many artworks that feature in the virtual tour. As with several of our selection, Google Arts and Culture offers a “museum view” tool to look inside gallery spaces, with clickable artworks presenting further information. The Getty’s sunny sculpture plaza and garden terrace are worth adding to your digital trip, via another viewing platform, Xplorit. (https://artsandculture.google.com/partner/the-j-paul-getty-museum?hl=en) getty.edu 2. Vatican Museums, Rome Soaring vaulted ceilings, intricate murals and tapestries, the Vatican’s museums are creatively rich sites. Don’t forget to look up when exploring the seven spaces in the museum’s virtual tour (http://www.museivaticani.va/content/museivaticani/en/collezioni/musei/tour-virtuali-elenco.1.html), to gawp at a series of 360-degree images, including the Sistine Chapel. Wander around the rest of Vatican City with a You Visit tour that takes in Saint Peter’s Basilica and Square, complete with a tour guide narrating each interactive space. museivaticani.va 3. Guggenheim, Bilbao Frank Gehry’s sculptured titanium and steel building, on the banks of the Nervión River, is one of the world’s most distinctive art spaces. The interactive tour (https://artsandculture.google.com/partner/guggenheim-bilbao) takes viewers around its collection of postwar American and European painting and sculpture – Rothko, Holzer, Koons, Kapoor – and even down between the weathered curves of Serra’s Matter of Time (turn left at the entrance). guggenheim-bilbao.eus https://www.guggenheim-bilbao.eus/en/digital-experiences 4. Natural History Museum, London From the diplodocus to the dodo, botany to butterflies, giant crystals to specimens in jars … the Natural History Museum’s vast collection has long been a favourite of both Londoners and tourists. Get lost in the corridors and gallery spaces – one treat is Dippy the dino, who despite recently going on tour still makes an appearance in the entrance hall in this interactive online guide (https://artsandculture.google.com/partner/natural-history-museum) . nhm.ac.uk 5. Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam This grand museum has a vast collection of art and historical objects across 80 galleries. A 10-year renovation project was completed in 2013, transforming the space and combining elements of 19th-century grandeur with modern lighting and a new glass-roofed atrium. The interactive tour (https://artsandculture.google.com/partner/rijksmuseum) helps viewers get up close to every brush stroke by Vermeer, Rembrandt and other Dutch masters while exploring the Great Hall and beyond. rijksmuseum.nl 6. National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, South Korea There are several sites making up this museum: the main gallery in Gwacheon and branches in Deoksugung, Seoul and Cheongju. The virtual tours (https://artsandculture.google.com/partner/national-museum-of-modern-and-contemporary-art-korea) explore an inspiring mix of print, design, sculpture, photography, new media and other large-scale installations. From Joseph Beuys to Warhol and Nam June Paik, the collection includes an international lineup of established artists, contemporary Korean artworks and emerging names. mmca.go.kr 7. Musée d’Orsay, Paris In the former Gare d’Orsay, a Paris railway station and hotel, the musée is home to Cézanne, Monet and other French masters. Under a 138m-long curved glass roof, sits the largest collection of impressionist and post-Impressionist works in the world. The virtual tour (https://artsandculture.google.com/partner/musee-dorsay-paris) also includes an online exhibition charting the history of the building. And over on Tourist Tube there’s a 360-degree view of the magnificent exterior. m.musee-orsay.fr 8. British Museum, London There are 3,212 panes of glass in the domed ceiling of the British Museum’s Great Court, and no two are the same – and the 360-degree view in this virtual tour (https://artsandculture.google.com/partner/the-british-museum) lets viewers examine each and every one. Beyond this magnificent space, viewers can find the Rosetta Stone, Egyptian mummies and other ancient wonders. The museum’s interactive infographic platform, History Connected, goes into further depth of various objects with curators, along a timeline. britishmuseum.org 9. MASP, São Paulo, Brazil The Museu de Arte de São Paulo has one of the broadest historical collections available to view via its virtual gallery platform (https://artsandculture.google.com/partner/masp?hl=en) , spanning from the 14th to 20th centuries. Paintings appear suspended in the air around the open-plan space, on glass panels or “crystal easels” as the museum calls them. There’s also a temporary retrospective exhibition by Brazilian pop artist Teresinha Soares beside the building’s statement red staircase. The glass and red-beam structure, built in 1968, is worth a look from the outside too, via Google Street View. masp.org.br 10. National Gallery, London A backdrop to London’s four lions in Trafalgar Square, the National is home to 2,300 publicly-owned paintings, watercolours, drawings and other European art from the 13th to the mid-20th century. There are seven exhibition spaces of Renaissance art and the Central Hall to explore in its 360-view virtual touring pages (https://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/visiting/virtual-tours/google-virtual-tour) , from portraits to large dramatic altarpieces. nationalgallery.org.uk 11. National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C. This famous American art museum features two online exhibits (https://artsandculture.google.com/partner/national-gallery-of-art-washington-dc?hl=en) through Google. The first is an exhibit of American fashion from 1740 to 1895, including many renderings of clothes from the colonial and Revolutionary eras. The second is a collection of works from Dutch baroque painter Johannes Vermeer. 12. Pergamon Museum, Berlin As one of Germany's largest museums, Pergamon has a lot to offer — even if you can't physically be there (https://artsandculture.google.com/partner/pergamonmuseum-staatliche-museen-zu-berlin?hl=en) . This historical museum is home to plenty of ancient artifacts including the Ishtar Gate of Babylon and, of course, the Pergamon Altar. 13. Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam Anyone who's a fan of this tragic, ingenious painter can see his works up close (or, almost up close) (https://artsandculture.google.com/partner/van-gogh-museum?hl=en) by virtually visiting this museum, home to the largest collection of artworks by Vincent van Gogh, including more than 200 paintings, 500 drawings, and 750 personal letters. 14. Uffizi Gallery, Florence This less well-known gallery houses the art collection of one of Florence's most famous families, the de' Medicis. The building was designed by Giorgio Vasari in 1560 specifically for Cosimo I de' Medici, but anyone can wander its halls from anywhere in the world (https://artsandculture.google.com/partner/uffizi-gallery?hl=en) . 15. National Museum of Anthropology, Mexico City Built in 1964, this museum is dedicated to the archaeology and history of Mexico's pre-Hispanic heritage. There are 22 exhibit rooms (https://artsandculture.google.com/asset/the-national-museum-of-anthropology-mexico-city-ziko-van-dijk-wikimedia-commons/bAGSHRdlzSRcdQ?hl=en) filled with ancient artifacts, including some from the Maya civilization. Not all popular art museums and galleries are included in Google Arts & Culture's collection, but some have taken it upon themselves to offer online visits. For example, the Louvre offers virtual tours on its website. To see more of Google Arts & Culture's collection of museums, visit its website. There are thousands of museum Street Views (https://artsandculture.google.com/search/streetview?hl=en) on Google as well. Google Arts & Culture also has an online experience for exploring famous historic and cultural heritage sites. 16. The Louvre The Louvre may be closed, but you can still access its many treasures online. The French museum’s virtual tour takes you to some of its galleries, including into the basement ruins of the building’s original moat, which dates back to 1190. Don’t miss the Egyptian antiquities, where you can learn more about the pharaonic period. While the entire museum isn’t available as a tour, much of the collection is available as images on their website, so you and the kids can search for the most memorable works, including the Mona Lisa. Tour The Louvre (https://www.louvre.fr/en/online-tours) 17. Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History Take yourself on a tour of the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, whether it’s through the temporary exhibitions or the permanent collection. Along the way, check out dinosaur skeletons, animals from around the globe and even past exhibits that are no longer on display in reality. It’s a great way to keep your kids learning about the world around them even when they can’t be in school, and there are plenty of follow-up activities or readings you can do after the tour. While you’re there, stop by the Smithsonian Castle and the Hirshhorn Sculpture Garden, both of which have adjoining virtual tours. (https://naturalhistory.si.edu/visit/virtual-tour) 18. Easter Island Take things outside to Easter Island, where Google has created a virtual tour of the island’s famed statues. There’s also a short video of the island and its massive ancient creations, which could make for a good opportunity to discuss world geography with your kids. (https://artsandculture.google.com/story/4wXhfs-0ooroMQ?hl=en) 19. Monterey Bay Aquarium Who doesn’t want to look at peaceful videos of undersea life when they need a break from reality? The Monterey Bay Aquarium’s live web cams will delight both you and your young ones, especially the adorable penguin cam. To find something soothing, watch the hypnotizing moon jelly cam or the kelp forest cam, which showcases leopard sharks moving among the kelp. When the live cams aren’t running (they operate during specific hours), there are pre-recorded videos to fill in. (https://www.montereybayaquarium.org/animals/live-cams) 20. NASA Glenn Research Center Take a virtual tour of the NASA Glenn Research Center or the Space Telescope Operations Control Center, which houses the Hubble Telescope. At NASA Glenn, delve into the ballistics impact lab or the supersonic wind tunnel, which could, of course, lead to a discussion about physics that you might not be that equipped to have. Don’t worry, NASA has a lot of stuff online, making it a great resource during this time at home. (https://www.nasa.gov/glennvirtualtours) Sources: Andrea Romano Updated April 27, 2022 (www.travelandleisure.com) Antonia Wilson Mon 23 Mar 2020 17.15 GMT (www.theguardian.com) Emily Zemler avr.. 8, 2020 (www.purewow.com)

[beachy--head]

since you said you would try AUs and my mind literally only works in AUs here are more prompts lol (although i do think it’s harder to do drabbles for AUs 🤧):

high school japril - whatever tropes you want cuz i’m a sucker for all of it

or

they meet while traveling and keep running into each other

as you can see I was a bit inspired :D my very first au! It was super fun.

___

The first time she sees him, she's trying to take a picture of the Colosseum, and he won't move out of the frame. He's not even taking pictures, he's alternating between looking at the map in his hands and at the amphitheatre in front of him, probably trying to picture the whole building as it used to stand centuries ago. She watches him as he notices she's waiting to take a picture, making a vague hand gesture before moving out of the way. She nods to say thank you, and he smiles before walking away, trying to shield himself from the italian sun. Her pictures don't do justice to the building standing in front of her, but she doesn't really care, so happy she's finally here and determined to enjoy every single minute.

The second time she sees him, she's getting out of Notre-Dame cathedral, feeling calm and at peace after talking to God in such a historical landmark. It's almost sunset, and he's leaning on the railway of a bridge, looking pensively at the Seine. She stops in her tracks, trying to make sure it's the same guy, and sure enough, the buzzed hair, the black messenger bag, the red sneakers tell her that he is indeed the same man she saw in Italy. She's weirded out, but well, coincidences happen. Why wouldn't two tourists meet in two of the most touristic places in Europe? So she crosses the bridge towards the Quartier Latin, making a pit stop at Shakespeare & Company (because who can resist a good bookstore facing the Seine?), and she misses the way his eyes find her and watch her walk away.

The third time she seems him though, she's starting to get freaked out. While the City is never void of tourists, it's also not the most obvious of places to visit in London, and the chances they would both book a ticket to get at the top of the Sky Garden, to admire the British capital from above, on the same day and at the same time, are quite honestly very low.

She's usually shy, but she's also usually curious, so she gathers all of her courage and marches towards him as he's taking in the view on the platform deck.

"Are you stalking me?"

"Am I...?"

"Stalking me. I'm pretty sure I've seen you in Rome and in Paris, and now here, and it's getting really weird."

"Now who sounds like a stalker?"

She rolls her eyes as he laughs, taking in his eyes, and his smile, and the way his shoulders move for the first time.

"I'm flattered I'm so memorable, but no, no stalking, I swear. Just a guy making his way through Europe. Like you?"

She doesn't know why, because this guy could be a psychopath after all (her ears ring with all of the advice her mom gave her before leaving, don't talk to strange men, stay safe, it's dangerous to travel alone), but they start talking.

They're still talking as they make their way downstairs, cross London Bridge, walk along the Thames on the Southbank before ending up in a pub. Jackson Avery, from Boston, tells her he's here because he has just finished college and that this trip is his grandfather's notion of a Grand Tour, sending him to Europe to broaden his mind and perfect his education (the only education he got so far though, he admits, is learning how to ask for a beer in five different languages). April Kepner, of Moline, Ohio, tells him that she's saved up for two years to go on this trip with her sister, but Alice's time off work was cancelled, and the tickets were non-refundable, so she went by herself and doesn't regret it.

They talk for hours, and through them all, she's trying to decide if all of their meetings are only a result of some random coincidences, of a complete lack of originality in their itinerary.

Hours later, in his hotel room, when he's moving inside her and she's gently biting his neck, she comes to the conclusion that she wouldn't be mad if they were the result of something bigger.

[natromanxoff]

Queen live at Amphithéâtre in Fréjus, France - July 30, 1986

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This concert was originally supposed to be in Nice (as seen on the poster above). Freddie actually didn't find out the venue had been changed until the day of the show, refusing to show up to soundcheck. Having realized the contract couldn't be broken, he finally arrived late to the gig. "Let's fucking do this," he shouted as he got out of his car and headed to the stage.

With a capacity of 15,000, this is one of the smaller venues Queen would play on the tour. Freddie comments on it when introducing Another One Bites The Dust: "It's nice to be here tonight in this little bedroom. Now that we're in this bedroom, let's do a little boogie, huh?" Just prior to this, Roger had done a snare fill in the break after Under Pressure to which Freddie replies, "I know you're bored, Roger. Hang on." His drumming is enthusiastic in many spots tonight.

Before he does his Queen breakup rumour speech, Freddie asks, "Everybody understands a little English, yes? I can't speak French. I'm trying, but I mean... it's useless." He then introduces Who Wants To Live Forever. "This is a new song. It's written by Brian. It's on... It's a very new... What do you think it is?" Someone in the audience then shouts for We Will Rock You!

Freddie sings the third verse of Another One Bites The Dust very similarly to the album version, and he later offers a great rendition of Is This The World We Created. He also sings the first verse of Bohemian Rhapsody closer to the record version than ever before on stage.

He references an iconic French singer before Crazy Little Thing Called Love: "This is a song that Édith Piaf would've sung if she was alive." It was probably more of a joke as she was best known for her renditions of ballads.

During the breakdown of Radio Ga Ga after the second chorus, Freddie says, "It smells like a hamburger."

Instead of singing "I thank you all" in the second verse of We Are The Champions, Freddie quips, "Cartier and all." It throws him off his game, and he messes up the next few bars of piano - and audience members definitely notice. He was wearing some kind of hat, and perhaps it fell off or somehow got in the way. In the next chorus, he makes up for this flounder by singing "We'll keep on fighting" like the album, with his masterfully powerful vibratto.

Pics 2 through 4 were taken by Fredo, pics 5-8 were submitted by Alessio Rizzitelli, and the last one is from Juan Gabriel.

There is no known video footage of this show. Any footage purported to be from Frejus is extremely likely to be the TV footage of the Paris show.

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Fan Stories

“In summer 1986 my friend Martin and I decided to do an Inter Rail Tour i.e. you buy a railway ticket which allows you to travel unlimited miles all over Europe for a whole month. We started the tour in Villach/Austria on July 1st 3:15. 18 hours later we reached the Italian-French border at Savona. As early as the next day we went on to Cannes. The first thing we did in Cannes was to go to a ticket shop and to buy tickets for the Queen show that was to take place on July 30th in Nice. The vacation was already a huge success having these tickets and our anticipation was huge. We kept on travelling the whole European continent. Mid July we stopped at Oxford and London. On July 11th we decided to visit the Queen Fan Club. Unfortunately, the office was closed but we noticed hectic activities near the building of Queen Productions without knowing the reason for it. Only much later we realised why the fan club had been closed: it was the day of the first Wembley concert and we two blockheads had no idea! The stop in the UK was followed by a short trip to Spain. Then we wanted to spend the rest of our vacation on the Cote d' Azur. We found a camping ground near Nice in a town called Frejus. Each day we went by train from Frejus to St. Raphael, a 20 minute ride, to spend the day on the beach. One or two days before the concert I was lying sunbathing on the beach of St.Raphael when I noticed a small aeroplane towing an advert banner. The banner read that the Queen concert had been rescheduled to take place in Frejus instead of Nice. Thank heavens I saw that banner, if I had not seen it by sheer coincidence we would have stood before closed gates on the night of the concert. Finally the long awaited day arrived: July 30th 1986 - Queen live in Frejus. In the morning we packed our bags because we had to catch the last train right after the concert. At 1:00 pm we arrived at the amphitheatre where only about 100 fans were already waiting. The heat was almost unbearable. I remember that a fan, who had come in his car, parked the car near the gate, opened the doors and played his cassette at full volume. So, we heard A Kind Of Magic at least five times through the afternoon. Around 5:00 pm (or was it 6:00?) the gates opened. We had good "starting positions" and ended up in the 5th row in front of the gate. When the gates opened, the "battue" was considerable, as you can imagine, but we survived. When we entered the amphitheatre we hesitated for a moment if we should head for the stage or rather go for the stone steps - there was still enough room. After having stood before the stadium for hours we decided to secure seats on the stone steps so that we could sit for a change. We went half-way up the stadium and had a perfect view of the stage. The theatre is rather small and very intimate. No matter where you were, you could see the stage well. The stage was also pretty small and packed with equipment. After more waiting the show finally took off. The support band Craaft was rather boring and was hardly appreciated by the crowd. Craaft was followed by a long and boring set change. I remember the never ending "One-Two" - "One-Two" sound checks. However, the crowd was in great spirits. Those of you who ever attended a Queen concert know what I am talking about. Queen enter the stage. The start of the show is the part I remember most vividly. The lighting rig hung deep down, only about 2 metres above the stage floor. As soon as the "One Vision" intro began, the apparatus began to move and bright light came out of it. During the intro the whole lighting construction unfolded to its full size, a modest size of course, because the stage was really rather small.

I don't need to tell you about the show and the set list. I remember Freddie's greeting "Welcome in this little bedroom". My friend had smuggled his mini cassette recorder into the stadium. In the beginning he held up the recorder - unfortunately, because the music was so loud that the small microphone could not handle the sound volume. Later we put the recorder on the step behind us and so we got a reasonable bootleg. After such a long time I don't remember more details but I will never forget the magical atmosphere on stage and in the audience. Wait, I remember this: both Brian and Freddie played a wrong chord: Brian made a terrible mistake towards the end of Bohemian Rhapsody and Freddie hit the wrong key in "We Are The Champions" on the piano right before the part "but it's been no bed of roses". It was so bad that the show stopped for a second. It is remarkable that in a perfect show like this one small mistakes do happen and it made me happy to see that Queen are human, after all. The last thing I remember of this concert is our walk from the stadium to the station. We walked along the rails, did not speak a word, were half deaf and totally blissful. This night was definitely the highlight in my life as a Queen fan.” - Winnie

“Just stumbled over this site and read the other report of the Frejus-Concert! Thought I'd share my story too! I was spending my summer vacation at a campground near St Tropez, France with five friends. I saw the concert posters and decided to check out if there were still any tickets left. (It was just a few days before the gig)! So I borrowed one of our two cars from a friend and drove to Frejus to find a ticket. Actually, I wanted two, because of Amanda, this incredible blonde Scottish girl I met at our beach! :-) Well, I got my two tickets quite easily and drove back to Port Grimaud. Unfortunately, in the remaining 36 something hours until the concert, Amanda was nowhere in sight! (It turned out later that they made a tour that day, and it turned out she loved Queen! Well, missed chance for both of us! Never saw her again! So I borrowed the car a second time, had no trouble selling my extra ticket (for the price I paid, of course) and went to the concert! I was 18 back then. 34 years later, I can only remember the atmosphere in the ancient Roman amphitheatre! Coming in through small entrances, the summer dust kicking up as thousands pour in, I remember a lot of people mocking a cattle round-up! "Muuuuuh, muuuh" - quite funny! The concert was great, as the other two I witnessed (Stuttgart 1984 and Mannheim 1986, only some weeks before). It wasn't until some years ago that I learned this was the 5th last Queen concert of all (-Freddie) times! Thought I'd share my story! Wonder what became of Amanda! :-D Greetings, Andi” - Andreas Gorr