#tram ton pass

[givemequeen]

the artist; spencer reid x reader

request: Hello! It’s me again. :) I have a concept but I’m unsure about a plot, if that’s okay. Could you maybe write a Spencer x Fem!Quiet reader who likes to draw? And Spencer always sees her doodling on her papers while she’s bored like flowers and eyes and stuff? And sometimes she draws the team while they’re working but one day Spencer sees her drawing him and he confronts her very politely and she’s all flustered and blushing? I don’t know if it’s something you’re comfortable with, I just like to draw and if I worked with the FBI that would definitely be something I would do if I was bored. 😄🫶🏻 Thanks a ton!!! I love your writing.

a/n: i love spencer sm. i rly hope this is what you were looking for! thanks for the request :)

It had all started with some fun doodling; a couple of fun little drawings here and there when things were slow or during long flights. It hadn't been anything serious. Then, you attempted drawing landscapes; mountains, buildings, anything. Not just silly doodles.

Drawing helped you pass time, you enjoyed it and, if you said so yourself, you were quite good at it. Drawing people had always scared you, you weren't sure if you could get it right so you started with strangers, people on the bus or tram, in long queues, at cafes.

On one particularly long flight to Seattle you had drawn Hotch. His hard stare and furrowed brows as he read over a case made him easy to draw. Then it was Garcia, her bright smile brought you comfort. Then Rossi and JJ and Morgan.

And finally, Spencer, the cutest member. You could definitely see why Morgan called him pretty boy. His soft lips and hair beautifully juxtaposed his sharp jawline and slim fingers.

He was you're favourite to draw. You had around half a dozen drawings of the team by now; some individual, some in groups. But, your best drawings where those you had done on Spencer.

"Wow. You're really good." Spencer voice made you jump, nearly spilling your coffee over your drawing.

He had just gone to the jet's bathroom - you had been careful to hide your work as he passed by you.

"Spence!" you yelped, moving to clean up. "You scared me." you pressed your sketchpad against your chest, hiding your drawing from sight.

"May I see?" he leaned over and stretched out his hand - that gorgeous, slender hand of his. The one you had a couple drawing dedicated to in the very sketchpad he was reaching towards.

"No!" you said, a little too quickly. "I- erm-"

"Oh, that's okay, sorry for asking." he straightened up. "I just... well I thought that was a really good drawing. You made me look quite nice." his voice was soft, no one else could hear you.

Apart from the looks from that initial scream, no one was paying any attention to you two, everyone too immersed in their own thing to pay attention. You looked around, confirming no one was watching, and moved over in your seat.

"Sit." you said, patting the space beside you.

Spencer sat down, his thigh warm against yours, and smiled at you.

"Here." you offered him your sketchpad and hid your face in your hands, too ashamed to watch his reaction.

He opened the first page and oohed. You peaked between your fingers, wondering what he was looking at. It was your very first doodles. He pointed out some and smiled; his revolver, his favourite book, Morgan's headphones, Garcia's pens.

"I really like these." he said.

"Thanks." you mumbled.

He turned the pages, his fingers feeling the bumps and ridges of the drawing. He was particularly fond of the one you did of Vegas' skyline.

"That's amazing." he said, more to himself than to you.

You pulled away one of your hands and leaned over to him. His scent was overpowering in the best way possible; coffee, old books, and that new cologne he had been trying out.

He finally got to the one you made of Hotch. Spencer laughed out loud, looking up to his boss and laughing even more.

"Identical! Same expression." he whispered in between laughs.

"Thank you." you said, a smile appearing on your face.

"Oh and Garcia..." he laughed. "The same smile..."

He passed the pages - the first drawing you had done of Morgan made him laugh again. It had been of him flirting with Garcia; you had nailed his wicked grin.

Finally, he flipped the paged onto his section of the book. The first one you had done of him he had been reading a book, his fingers pressed against the pages and he read page after page.

"Oh wow." he whispered. "That's... it's amazing. You're such an artist. How did you manage it?" he turned to look at you.

"Oh, well, I dunno." you bit the inside of your cheek. He wasn't mad you had drawn him without permission or something? "You like it?" you asked.

"Of course! They're amazing." he reached out to squeeze your hand. "You're amazing. I'm really impressed."

You stared at your joined hands and your heart skipped a beat. "Thanks." you stuttured.

Spencer let go of your hand and went back to passing the pages. The next drawing, he had been fast asleep, an open book resting against his chest. He laughed at that one too, making some comment about how ridiculous he looked.

"Well, I thought you looked cute." you whispered, scared he might actually hear you.

"Yeah?" he said, looking over at you.

"Yeah." you said.

Spencer was blushing. He quickly looked away and flitted through the rest of the pages. He was especially impressed by the one of his hands ("wow, I had no idea they looked so..." "beautiful?" "creepy").

He closed the book gently and handed it over to you.

"I'd love to get a copy of some of those, if you don't mind." he was so close to you, you were afraid he could hear your heartbeat.

"Yes- no- I mean, I don't mind. I'll send you the original." you were having trouble trying not to stare at his lips for too long.

"You'd do that?" Spencer asked.

"Of course, since you were such a good subject." you laughed and stared into his soft eyes.

"I'd love to be an actual subject for you one day, since you're so good at it." he moved to stand up and you nearly whined as his warmth left you. "If you ever need a subject, let me know." he flashed you that sweet smile of his and made his way back to his seat.

You couldn't believe what had just happened. It took everything in you not to squeal and dance around like a teenage girl. You pressed your sketchpad against your chest and buried yourself deep into your seat, already thinking of all the poses you could get Spencer into.

[lynx-doodles-indie-games]

i know i already have a bunch of series so far, but this one's a good one to quickly whip together when the ferretbrain or life kicks me in the teeth. little vessels! back in july, i sketched forty-three vessels based off almost every charm and most items in hollow knight, so here are the results of listening to a lot of long and boring lectures XD

so meet kindle and lyre! they're not proper OCs in the sense that they've got tons of enthusiasm or a role in a story behind them, but i can pencil out a history and trajectory for them.

links to everything below the cut:

wandering compass + map & quill; gathering swarm; stalwart shell; soul catcher, shaman stone, & soul eater; dashmaster + sprintmaster; grubsong + grubberfly's elegy; spell twister; steady body, heavy blow, quick slash, & longnail; mark of pride; fury of the fallen; thorns of agony + shape of unn; baldur shell; defender's crest; glowing womb; quick focus + deep focus; lifeblood heart + joni's blessing; lifeblood core + sharp shadow; hiveblood; spore shroom; nailmaster's glory; weaversong; dream wielder + dreamshield; grimmchild + carefree melody (here!); kingsoul and void heart; tram pass; lumafly lantern; hunter's mark; delicate flower

[sporadicthingcollection]

Last Thoughts (Tech x F!Reader)

Summary: A man's last thoughts are of love.

Pairing: Tech x F!Reader

Rating: None.

Word Count: 739.

Warnings: Spoilers for TBB s2 finale. Character death, description of injuries.

Notes: Thought I'd break your hearts a little. Recommended listening is "Maggot Brain" by Funkadelic.

---

He was hoping the fall would kill him -- a quick, painless splat, to put it crudely. Or, if that didn’t work, the several tons of durasteel would crush his skull and it would be over just as fast.

But sheer dumb luck kicked in just a moment too late to actually save his life. The fall did not kill him. The tram did not crush him. So here he lies at the bottom of a gorge, waiting for death.

He can’t move his legs -- based on the angles, they’re shattered irreparably -- but he feels no pain, meaning his spinal column is partly severed.

He’ll either bleed out internally or his lungs will stop working. Or he’ll succumb to the elements. He’s heard hypothermia isn’t a terrible way to go, all things considered. Hallucinations and paradoxical undressing.

It’s only a matter of waiting.

Hunter and Echo will be fine. They’re well-adjusted soldiers, conditioned from birth to accept death whenever it may come. They will mourn, but it will pass.

It’s Wrecker he’s worried about. Soft-hearted Wrecker. This certainly won’t help his fear of heights.

And Omega. She’s a child. Children shouldn’t have to watch their loved ones die. He doesn’t regret his decision, but he wishes she hadn’t had to watch. You’ve said as much in the past--

His blood chills and his heart jumps into his throat.

You.

Ah, you.

How could he forget about you?

Intelligent, persistent, prescient, patient you?

First love. First kiss. First time.

Never again will he see the sparkle in your eyes as he explains something to you. Never again will he hear your laugh as he says something he didn’t realize would be amusing. Never again will he feel your soft lips against his own as you, in your words, “shut him up.”

He wants to slap himself. This was supposed to be quick, so he didn’t bother with a proper farewell. A brief message while you were asleep, telling you he’d see you in later.

It is now later, and he lies at the bottom of a gorge, waiting for death.

Idiot.

His arm is leaden, but he manages to lay it atop his wristcom. Moving his fingers stings, but he’s able to access his files with little trouble. Recordings, visual, cultural... there it is.

Peninsular Pantoran Wedding Song, dated two months ago.

He opens it. You appear, your hair up in a bonnet and clad in your lounging clothes. You look stunning.

"--you sure it's recording?" you're asking. "The light's not on."

"I am certain." He doesn't mind the sound of his own voice. He's heard it enough over the years.

You inhale, then pause. "Tech, I feel silly."

"Why? This is a document of your culture's traditional choral practices. It is an underrepresented--"

You frown. "My mom is the chantress. Why don't you get her to sing it?"

Here’s his favorite part. He still pats himself on the back for this response. “In addition to her not being here right now, I do not find your mother half as attractive as you.”

And the reason it’s his favorite part? Because your cheeks darken as your gaze turns upwards, and your lips curl into a bashful smile. Little dimples appear -- probably his favorite feature of yours.

And, with a deep breath, you begin to sing in your native tongue. Melodic and rhythmic, punctuated by pops and clicks you make with your tongue.

He doesn’t know the words. And, for the first and only time in his life, he is content to not know. He doesn’t need to know what it means. He just needs to see your beautiful lips move, your lovely eyes sparkle, your weight shifting from foot to foot as you suppress the urge to dance.

He plays the recording again. His fingers hurt.

Void nips at the edges of his mind. His thoughts loosen and crumble to pieces. His vision swirls, twisting and turning like Omega’s Serennan kaleidoscope.

He plays the recording again. Breathing is hard.

He sees you in wedding attire, veiled in a rainbow of beads, your face painted to highlight your eyes, your hair woven with gold threads. 

He plays the recording again. He can’t focus his eyes.

Tears appear. Rips in his vision and in time. Visions of what was and what will never be. Peace. War. Strife. Satisfaction. Love. Hate. Rage. Redemption.

He plays the recording again.

He slips slowly into a long, dreamless sleep.

---

⬅⬅⬅ | "Filled With Things to Say" Masterpost | To the Mastahpost | Tip Jar | ➡➡➡

[dojae-huh]

Doyoung leaving D&G show.

The lady in pink is the best extra.

I'm very curious what Doyoung attracted attention to at 0:13-0:15. He did it so matter of factly. Actually it seems it started even at 0:11. Doyoung came out, clocked someone and called out to the bodyguard. A person with a big camera but no press pass?

Also, where are the recordings from those rich guests who didn't know who Doyoung was but filmed him due to the commotion.

Ya sure he is cute? heh.

Those shining nails.

Finally justice to Doyoung's cupid bow. The shape of his mouth is often altered with lipstick, and not to the better.

0:44 - you can hear the command for chanting Do's name. Fans prepared.

The tram driver looking at the reason of the gathered crowd.

1:00 - Funny how professional photographers run in the front and a "tourist" with a phone with them.

Look how he made the bodyguards and everyone else turn around and follow him to the other end when he decided to continue to greet the fans without waiting for the tram to pass. Meanwhile it's a very new and overwhelming situation even for an idol (Taeyong gets lost), the years of MCing show.

Do I think Doyoung feels "cool as a cucumber"? Probably not, he collects himself for the job. Still, he can do it. The more something is familiar to him, the easier it is. He isn't confident with acting, but he is with appearing on red carpet before a ton of photographers. However, this "cooler version" also reminds how the "sweeter version" is also a role.

[foxtriestobiteandmaimandkilland]

omg so. i got the tram pass. and wen ton the tram. then arrived in a Place(tm) and explored the place. and now im in city again. but its the right side of city. which is. cool. bc ive not been here  yet. so like. i could just. Skip. soul master. probably. ALTHO I WONT. bc completion is cool. but. yeah.

[vacationsinhanoi]

How About Spending Vacations In Hanoi

You will have a good time spending your vacations in Hanoi because there is so much to do there that you might never get bored. You will get an opportunity to experience the magnificent architecture and culture firsthand, savor the mouthwatering treats, and take part in a variety of thrilling activities. In general, there are a number of reasons why you should schedule your trips to Hanoi; and you can review the details below: 

When to plan your vacations in Hanoi

Phung Hung street in Hanoi - Source: vntourist

When the weather is a little chilly and the flowers are in bloom, winter or springtime are the greatest times for visiting Hanoi. A lot of festivals and activities will be available for you to participate in, so that you can learn about the local culture as this is also close to the Lunar New Year. Another fantastic time of year to spend your vacations in Hanoi Capital is in autumn, when the atmosphere is pleasant but not oppressively hot, with calm and nostalgic surroundings. When you visit Hanoi in the fall, you'll get to experience tranquility, with cool winds, yellow leaves, the green vendors selling young rice and the mild scent of milk flowers, among other things.

>> Top things to do & see while in Hanoi:

Things to enjoy while visiting Hanoi

Travelers can enjoy a wide variety of activities and attractions in the charming capital of Vietnam. While having your vacations in Hanoi, you can visit dozens of museums, temples, cities, and other places. In Hanoi, there are a ton of fantastic sites to go sightseeing, a ton of fantastic places to buy souvenirs, and a ton of fascinating things to do. A special feature of Hanoi's geography is that in the heart of the city there are many lakes, typically Hoan Kiem Lake with an ancient turtle tower in the middle. Right next to it are impressive architectural works and valuable heritages such as Pen tower, Ink Slab, The Huc bridge, Ngoc Son Pagoda, and so on. Hanoi is the center of religion and Buddhism of Vietnam, so there are many temples and pagodas hundreds of years old in the inner city, namely One Pillar Pagoda, Bach Ma Temple, etc.

Cuisine in Hanoi

Bun cha Hanoi - Source: Wikipedia

Spending your vacations in Hanoi, you should remember to check out the genuine beauty of this city, which is its exquisite cuisine. This is among the world's most delectable cuisines that has inspired many chefs throughout the world. You shouldn't pass up the opportunity to explore the city's streets in search of regional specialties - you can have a nice lunch for very little money because they are also extremely cheap.

>> More about highlights of Hanoi: https://zoimas.com//profile/vacationsinhanoi

Pho Hanoi is a substantial and tasty type of noodle soup that may be topped with various ingredients including beef, chicken, and so forth. When visiting Hanoi, there are numerous locations that sell pho, but if you want a fantastic, real version, try the Thin pho shop. Numerous foods such as bun cha, banh mi, La Vong grilled fish, etc., are also worth trying while spending your vacations in Hanoi.

Unique way to move while visiting Hanoi

Cyclos in Hanoi - Source: Vietnam tour

While walking is a good way to discover Hanoi's tourist attractions, it's advised to rent a motorbike or bicycle to navigate the city's neighborhoods more easily. Particularly, one of the unique features of tourism here is the old town cyclo, which is the experience you should definitely not miss when having your vacations in Hanoi. Many visitors visiting Hanoi choose this vehicle to discover the ancient beauty on each street, weaving in the middle of a busy and bustling capital.

If cyclo brings ancient features, the tram is the means of modern and new “green tourism” of Hanoi, which will help you discover a civilized, polite Hanoi with a modern pace of life. The double-decker bus is another option, passing through the majority of the most prominent attractions of this city, convenient for you to visit them without worrying about being lost or finding your way.

Travelers who like to tour historic towns, consume good food, and take in picturesque views would definitely spend their vacations in Hanoi. This area is populated by quaint locals, historic structures, sidewalk vendors offering regional specialties, feudal and French colonial architecture. No matter where you are from in the world, traveling to Hanoi is simple and convenient because it is the center of importance of Vietnam.

[fafou-en-finlande24]

Samedi 16 Mars : Retour à la capitale Helsinki.

J'ai quand même un peu mieux dormi une fois la gamine assez crevée pour dormir. 

J'arrive pile à l'heure à 9h15. Je rejoins à pied l'auberge de jeunesse The Yard, au 3ème étage d'un immeuble à moins de 500m de la sortie de la gare. 

Je repère l'endroit où se situe la consigne à bagages pour déposer mon gros bagage. 

Je rencontre Rebecca, la jeune fille de l'accueil avec qui j'avais communiqué et je prends quelques informations touristiques. 

Je pars à pied d'abord puis comprends vite qu'il faut que j'achète mon ticket journée en ligne car ce n'est pas possible aux bornes de tramway. 

Une fois pris mon pass transport à 11 euros (qui comprendra aussi mon train vers l'aéroport demain matin), je monte dans un tram pour deux arrêts et descends place du Sénat où siège aussi, en haut des grandes marches en granit, la cathédrale de Helsinki. 

C'est un bijou d'architecture, avec entrée en prix libre (on vous conseille quand même 5 euros). 

Elle est plutôt sobre à l'intérieur, peu de dorures, de peintures, des couleurs bleu pastel clair, dans un même ton que ses coupoles extérieures avec leurs étoiles dorées. Les bancs sont en bois clair vernis (peut être du boulot) et fermés par des portillons. 

Il fait un brouillard assez bas et on a du mal à distinguer le haut de la plupart des bâtiments. 

Je file ensuite en direction du petit marché sur le quai où il y a des restaurateurs sous des petits barnums oranges. 

Je fais étape dans une grande boutique de souvenirs qui regroupe seulement des artisans finlandais.

Il y en a pour tous les goûts et c'est d'une richesse artistique vraiment intéressante (bijoux en bois, masques d'animaux en fer, travail du verre, du métal). 

J'achète quelques trucs et me trouve un petit pendentif à rajouter à ma collection, et représentative de cette première expérience, une jolie chouette. 

Je me rends ensuite au marché et y déjeune. Je choisis un stand où ils font du poisson frit mais aussi de la soupe de saumon. 

Je la déguste avec la part de pizza de Sam. Je vais ensuite rejoindre l'embarcadère du bateau vers la citadelle de Suomenlinna. 

Mon ticket de transport à la journée comprend cette traversée. Je prends celui de 13h, pour un trajet d'une dizaine de minutes, à travers la glace brisée les premières centaines de mètres. 

Cette citadelle s'étend sur plusieurs îles et on a vite fait du passer pas mal de temps. Je ne rentre pas dans les musées mais balade tranquillement explorant les bâtiments militaires, une épave de sous marin, le tout toujours dans le brouillard ce qui donne une ambiance un peu irréelle, mystérieuse. 

Marcher sur les remparts, avec la mer Baltique gelée en morceaux plus ou moins géométriques, flâner, on en oublierait la petite pluie et la température proche de zéro. 

Je fais un bout de chemin avec un couple de retraités très sympas qui me disent qu'eux naviguent et viennent voir la citadelle l'hiver car il y a trop de touristes l'été. 

Je reprends le bateau puis décide de rentrer à l'auberge en tramway. Je repars un peu plus tard, bien décidé à voir l'église orthodoxe. 

Je ne pourrai rentrer car il y a une messe mais elle a l'air beaucoup plus ornée. 

De l'extérieur elle est rouge, en briques, et les coupoles sont dorées, à l'architecture d'influence russe. 

Je longe à pied le quai puis marche vers le centre évoluant sous la pluie, jetant des coups d'œil aux restaurants (je passe devant le restaurant Pastis). 

Je m'arrête chez Fafa's, pas mon collègue de Détours du Monde, mais un resto tout petit spécialisé dans les falafels. 

J'y prends un Burger aux falafels et au houmous, des frites et des choux fleurs frits. C'est vraiment très bon et affreusement meilleur marché que tous les restaurants que j'ai vu jusqu'ici.

Je reprends un bout de tramway et finis à pied. Le pub irlandais en bas de la rue est déjà bien animé (c'est la saint Patrick me semble t'il).

La zone commune est un peu plus animée que tout à l'heure et les fragrances de cuisine asiatique flottent dans l'air.

Je vais me doucher et je mets à sécher mon manteau. Je me couche tôt, vers 21h car mon vol étant à 7h, pour être dans les temps, je dois prendre le premier train HSL à 5h06, et donc me lever à 4h30.

[umichenginabroad]

Week 1: Vítej doma (welcome home)

Dobrý den! Čau všichni, (Good day! Hello everyone,)

Orientation + Czech History

After our arrival on Monday, our IFSA program held orientation this past Tuesday and Wednesday. It mainly focused on the rich history of the Czech Republic, Czech cultural differences, and our expectations for this semester. The head of IFSA Prague introduced us to Václav Havel, the last leader of Czechoslovakia and the First President of the Czech Republic after the dissolution of Czechoslovakia and the downfall of Communism in the region. In one of his interviews, Havel states, “Hope is not the conviction that something will go well, but it’s the certainty that something has meaning regardless of how it works out.” This resonated with me going into this semester abroad because I cannot comprehend what I will learn nor the experiences I will have, but I have faith in the fact that they will meaningfully shape the person I will be in a few months. 

We also got to explore the Staré Město (Old Town) on a guided walking tour. Our group started on the Charles Bridge, the oldest stone bridge in Europe built under the direction of King Charles IV to replace the old Judith Bridge which had been washed away by floods. Its gothic style meets the baroque style buildings and architecture that make up Prague. The bridge has tons of statues depicting saints and symbols of Christian faith, as pictured below in the bottom row.

We then made our way to the Old town Square, in which the Jan Hus Memorial stands. Hus was an infamous Czech rebel whose preachings and beliefs criticized the Catholic Church; his death set off a religious, political, and social revolution in Bohemia which fuelled the Protestant Reformation in Europe. The statue depicts the victorious Protestants who were forced into exile during the Thirty Years' War, and a young mother who symbolizes national rebirth. From this statue, there is an incredible view of the gothic Church of Mother of God before Týn (top left picture).

Finally, we got to see the medieval astronomical clock (The Orloj) attached to the Old Town Hall in Prague, which is one of 3 remaining clocks like it in the world. It shows the relative positions of the Sun, Moon, Earth, and Zodiac constellations, while also telling the time and date. The Orloj is pictured in the center of the top row.

School

IFSA holds school in Vila Grébovka (pictured below) which has an amazing view of the city. 

After orientation, we had a slightly stressful period of add/drop. I was originally placed into the required classes that satisfy the Engineering MDE requirements: Leadership Development in the Tech Sector, Tech Ethics & Public Policy, Communications for the Tech Sector, and Essential Czech. I was also placed in Architecture and Design, which counts towards my international minor and seems like an extremely interesting class. These five classes came out to 12 credits, but I added Database Management Systems, a ULCS Computer Science course offered that will transfer back as an ULCS. To get an idea of how much in-class time I will spend, see my finalized class schedule for the week below:

Since I am in the College of Engineering, our classes transfer back as P/F, which is different from my friends in LSA, but their MDE/Capstone requirements do not include Tech Ethics & Public Policy nor Communications for the Tech Sector. We use Canvas as our main learning platform, which is nice because it’s familiar, but we had to create new accounts separate from the UMich portal. Classes start this upcoming week so workload details will be included in my next blog :)

Transportation 

We were required to purchase the PID pass for tram, metro (subway), and buses, which allow us to get anywhere in the city in no more than 25 minutes! It cost $65 for the 3 month pass which is incredibly worth it, especially because the public transportation system here is extremely reliable and punctual. You don’t have to scan anything at a tram stop or a train station to get on, but every once in a while a guard will come up to you and show their badge, which is them asking to see your pass. If you don’t have a pass or it’s not properly activated, you will get a fine of around $15. To be honest, the process is pretty intimidating since they don’t always speak English.

We’ve been walking a ton as well, and I’ve averaged over 15,000 steps this past week. What I did not expect was how hilly Prague is; I climbed 54 flights today according to my health app!

Housing Accommodations

Our housing accommodations are split up into two buildings for our entire program of ~80 students. My building holds 12 students: one female apartment of 6 and one male apartment of 6. Students could request a shared room or a single for an extra $500. I requested a shared room because I don’t mind living with other roommates, but I got assigned a single which is honestly pretty nice. Below I’ve included details and pictures of our apartment so you can have an idea of what the accommodations look like:

4 single bedrooms; 1 shared bedroom

1 full bathroom with a bath, toilet, and sink

1 half bathroom with a toilet

1 half bathroom with a shower and sink

1 kitchen / living room:

Appliances: toaster, electric stovetop, oven, small dishwasher, small washing machine, fridge, freezer, microwave

Dishware: silverware, cups, plates, bowls, wine glasses, pots, pans, skillets

A balcony connected to one of the bedrooms (for air drying laundry)

Weather

The weather here has been pretty consistently cloudy, foggy, and windy, but the sun usually peeps out for a couple hours around noon which is nice. I haven’t figured out which jackets to wear to be comfortable throughout the entire day, but I typically wear my trench coat since it’s chilly in the mornings (~40 degrees fahrenheit) and then take it off in the afternoon once it reaches 50 degrees. A much more mild winter than Ann Arbor.

Food + Nightlife

Food and drinks are two of the things that attract many people to Prague, and I now understand why. There are TONS of high quality and authentic food options, ranging from classic Czech and Western European cuisine to Asian dishes like ramen and pho. One thing I find super interesting is that after Czechs, Slovaks and Ukrainians, the Vietnamese are the largest community in the Czech Republic. This is because the communist Vietnamese government allowed its citizens to settle in the socialist Czechoslovakia (later turned communist) for education and work training in the 20th century. 

Restaurant culture is slightly different than in the US. People usually tip 10% for good service, but it’s socially acceptable to not tip at all, especially if the service was poor. When the waiter or waitress comes at the beginning of the meal, you typically put your whole order in. They come to the table pretty quickly and are not very patient so be prepared to order! When done with your meal, you can signify to the restaurant staff that you’re done by aligning your silverware together on your plate and they will come and take it. If you’re not done eating yet and your silverware is in that formation, they still may come and take it so be mindful of that.

The bars are super lively, and many have a cool story behind them. I’ve been in WWII bunkers, 15th century pubs, speakeasies, and more! It’s safe to walk and take public transportation at night, and there’s a quiet curfew where you can’t be loud or obnoxious on the street past 10pm or you will get fined; it makes for a pretty peaceful environment.

Cultural Differences

Most stores and restaurants close before 9pm (besides bars)

The majority of the Czech population is atheist, agnostic, or apatheist, due to the religious conflicts that make up its history (read above in the Orientation + Czech History section)

The average alcohol consumption for adults in the Czech republic is 600L / year, so there is a very large drinking culture

Prague is a very lively city and there are a lot of public meetups between friends and colleagues, but Czech homes are (pretty strictly) for family.

The Czech Republic is small! The population of the Czech Republic is 10.5 million, and the population of Prague is 1.3 million. For comparison, New York City’s population is nearing 8.5 million!

Mini Excursion: Prague Castle

We visited Prague Castle for our first mini excursion and bought the Basic Circuit entry ticket for students for $5 (need to show your MCard). This gave us access to the Old Royal Palace, St. George‘s Basilica, St Vitus Cathedral, and Golden Lane. We spent around 2 hours there, exploring the castle gardens and views, as well as the rich history of the Hapsburgs and other leaders that ruled from this castle. 

Soon to come

Morning runs

Groceries + cooking

Day trip to Plzen (Pilsen - a city in Western Czechia famous for its beer)

Weekend trip to Vienna!

As per usual, I’m going to share a couple of ins (things that are working) and outs (things that have caused me some trouble) for this past week.

Ins:

Public Transportation: get anywhere in Prague within 25 minutes! Punctual, reliable, and easy to use.

Announcing your entry / leave: In Czech culture, it’s customary and polite to greet employees when entering a store or restaurant by saying “Dobrý den!” (Hello!) and let them know you’re leaving by saying “Na shledanou!” (Bye!)

Google Shared Albums: we’ve been taking tons of pictures and shared albums make it much easier to ensure everyone has access to them! 

Google Translate: most people (especially retail or restaurant employees) speak some English, but you cannot expect any labeling of food or other items in store to be in English.

Outs:

Carrying my passport / ID / cards on me: You don’t want to lose these! I have a photocopy of my Passport that I keep on me and I have not had trouble getting into bars/clubs with this form of ID. I just turned 21 so I only have a paper ID and I have been laughed at the two times I’ve presented it, so the passport photocopy is the move… 

Slezská Housing: Our housing is slightly isolated from the other people in our program, which makes it difficult to meet everyone, but also for going out and more importantly, not having to walk home alone.

English: One of the most respectful things you can do when moving here is to try and adapt to their culture and customs; speaking just a little bit of Czech goes a long way here! Simply greeting people and saying please and thank you in Czech has made locals super kind to me as a visitor. 

Na shledanou,

Reese Liebman

Computer Science and Engineering

Institute for Study Abroad (IFSA) CS Tech Career Accelerator in Prague, Czechia

[viedemaigre]

#39 R.A.P.T

Lundi 20 novembre 2023

Aéroport d’Orly, Paris

23h30 heure française

Atterrissage. Après une escale de dix heures à Lisbonne, l’avion a une heure de retard suite à la grève des aiguilleurs du ciel. Je suis crevé. Crevé d’une intense semaine de taff’, crevé de l’attente, crevé d’un nourrisson qui a pleuré une bonne partie du voyage. Et pour couronner le tout, le repas n’était pas inclus dans le vol malgré l’embarquement à 17h20. Classe éco’, tu coco’.

Une seule envie : récupérer ma valise et gagner le centre chez ma pote Anaïs pour dormir avant de repartir au Mans.

Mon cerveau est en mode pilote automatique. GPS sur le smartphone pour trouver un itinéraire de transport en commun rapidement. La machine m’indique qu’il n’y plus d’Orly Tram et qu’il ne reste que deux bus.

Non loin de l’arrêt, la navette me dépasse. Il faut agir vite. Bientôt les lignes de métro vont fermer, je décide de monter par la porte du milieu. Pas le temps pour le distributeur si tant est qu'il y en ait eu un et pas fan du smartphone pour ce genre de services (bonjour la fracture numérique qui t’oblige à posséder un appareil hors de prix pour tout faire).

De toute façon, il aurait été difficile d’effectuer l’un ou l’autre, le bus est littéralement blindé de monde. À l’arrêt suivant, deux usagers forcent le passage. La tension monte avec eux. Je repose littéralement contre un homme et une femme.

Aucun affichage ni écran d’informations (pas même pour les arrêts). Juste une horloge qui indique minuit et passe donc au mardi 21 novembre 2023. Je m’en souviendrai.

Ça y est ! Terminus Denfert-Rocherau en vue, plus que le métro et on sera bon.

Les portes s’ouvrent : « Contrôle RATP, bonsoir ».

Ils sont quatre à bloquer les portes de sortie . À trente minutes de la fermeture de la ligne.

La vérification des titres prend un temps fou et je le sais, je ne vais pas y couper.

C’est ironique, je dis souvent à mes potes que je ne resquille jamais les transports car si je décide de le faire, je peux être sûr de me payer un contrôle. Car-ma.

À mon tour. Je tente d’expliquer ma situation au contrôleur chauve qui me fait face : le retard, la cohue, la fermeture de la ligne, le fait que je ne suis pas d’ici et étranger aux détails du réseau (j’apprends peu après qu’il était possible de payer par carte bancaire sur un moniteur situé à côté du chauffeur, mais littéralement inaccessible au vu de la fréquentation).

Le type ne veut rien savoir. Verbe hostile, autoritaire. Direct. C’est l’amende ou les flics. Pas d’alternative. Nous sommes quatre dans le même cas. Trois hommes et une femme. Les autres ont préféré payer l’amende pour être tranquilles. Nous tentons d’argumenter, de bonne foi. Le ton monte. Les gens derrière protestent.

Ce seront donc les flics.

Le bus se vide, il ne reste que nous. Team A contre Team B, masques sociaux et répliques bien rôdées.

Temps calme puis reprise de la joute verbale. Cela sent les techniques de pression, les agents formatés d’un système huilé où tout n’est que protocole et règlement. « Tu viens d’où ? Du Mans ? Et tu ne paies pas le transport au Mans ? Nul n’est censé ignorer la loi. Personne t’a obligé à monter », « Réglez maintenant et on en parle plus, vous pourrez contester après mais là faut prendre ses responsabilités ».

Oui, ses responsabilités de consommateur bête et docile qui doit accepter une injonction sans en interroger les tenants et aboutissants. J’ai encore la casquette blanche de ma copine à l’envers sur la tête, j’ai l’impression d’être Nekfeu dans sa jeunesse. La situation est surréaliste.

Les flics sont en route a priori. Pour quatre putain de tickets de bus. Un d’entre nous (je salue son initiative) décidé d’appeler le 17 aussi pour expliquer son point de vue.

Une agente tente le rôle de la « bonne inspectrice » et me répète que je pourrais contester l’amende de 50 euros par la suite. Mais je connais le procédé psychologique. Je lui demande comment prouver la foule, ma fatigue, mon ignorance du réseau de transport parisien pour espérer être remboursé. Elle me répond un argument bancal sur un capteur d’effectif placé à l’entrée des bus. Cela ne tient pas la route. Je pense qu’elle sent le manque de consistance de sa rhétorique. « Vous êtes de mauvaise foi » nous lance-t-elle. Exemple classique de manipulation par inversion.

Je demande au chauffeur de nous ouvrir les portes, il refuse. Je tente de forcer le passage avec ma valise. Les agents font barrière. « Faites attention, monsieur, je filme, faites attention à ce que vous faites ». Coup d’œil à la caméra pectorale du chauve, pas de clignotant rouge. Il bluffe ?

Le manège dure une heure. Majoritairement dans le silence. Parfois entrecoupé par des échanges tendus et kafkaïen. RAPT : Régime Autoritaire Paris Transport.

Au bout d’une heure, ils décident de libérer le chauffeur et nous demandent de sortir sur le trottoir. Un quart d’heure avant, j’ai écumé les forums détaillant les droits et devoirs des contrôleurs et je le sais, tout comme mes camarades : ils ne peuvent pas nous retenir contre notre gré à l’extérieur du véhicule.

Nous prenons donc la tangente. Sans courir. L’escouade ne tente même pas de nous poursuivre.

Pourtant, au coin de la rue je prends peur. Et s’ils décidaient de me rattraper ? De faire une ronde avec les flics ? Alourdi par ma valise, je suis moins mobile. Accélération.

Paris vous aime les gars, surtout si vous marchez au pas.

Un stylo bic bleu s’est brisé dans ma poche gauche pendant le contrôle. J’ai les mains pleines d’encre. 

Il est 02h52.

Je suis rentré en Uber*

*Je déteste Uber

Montage : A.S.

Musique : « 22 » - S-Crew

[nebuleuse-mirobolante]

J'découvre mes mots ,mes maux viennent pas du Louvre

Mon cri passe pas le BAC mais dans mon style borderline ,j'ai des failles et j'te cisaille

Mes bras sont mutilée ,s'marave à coup de ciseaux aiguisés

Toxico,Tramadol, défoncé dans le tram ferme ta gueule t'est folle quand la camisole ecrite sur ta tête te brûle et t'immole

J'bedevais pas mais le Lyrica m'explosait

J'tisais pas pas ses lyrique me défoncaient

J'viens parler sans mes tabou car j'leur détruit le cou

Aujourd’hui tant de meufs abusées tout les jours et c'est pas que des fous

La drogue t'attire comme tu attire les pointeurs

C'est pas de faute ,c'est eux les violeurs

Mais quand tu te came on profite de toi

Tu serait sans âme comme un au dela sans foi

Car j'marchait seul defoncée dans les ruelles

Qu'elle soit moche ou belle elle attire ces ordures dans leur poubelle

Male violent ,une michto c'est rien a coté d'un gros macho

Car l'Écriture inclusive ce serait pour les mal baisées car sois disant y a pas de mauvais baiseur

Car les murs gisent et poussent à la derive quand le mal si laid profite de ta douceur

Crois moi ,ils ont des 4&4 en pleine ebullition

Toi tu est psychiatre de cette poesie pleine de passion

Viol ou came proche de l'hero

Va voir ailleurs, il te manque un euro

Aujourd’hui j'decouvre l'amour, pas besoin d'un gars comme toi ,j'preferais même un rat

Aujourd’hui les meufs abusées par nos reuf paieront plus l'addiction ,900 euros d'AAH ,je fait tache mais que dans la peinture

Les pro capitalistes me disent d'aller bosser, j'prefere brosser mes rimes utopistes

Avant je me shootais aux antidouleur maintenant mon shoot c'est d'ecrire ma douleur

Un cri d'amour ,de passion ,de pudeur

Un cri qui nique ton capital ,deviens capitaine

Fait sortir l'amour à travers la haine

J'baise vos codes ,vos modes ,vos modeles

J'prefere mourir rebelle plutot que belle

Ancien tox ,jamais botoxée juste par les rimes

J'etait lost mais maintenant je viens même si je frime

J'suis loin de la tess mais dans ce refrain viens pas me test ,jsuis la tigresse qui fait de l'ouest le pays des princesses

Resitante tranchante et warrior de l'aurore

J'defie le systeme comme j'defie la vie et la mort

Nébuleuse

[chloemarievaughan]

May 23rd- Bruges to Antwerp

Woke up, had our coffee, and got all packed and put our luggage in the storage room so we could do some last minute exploration of Finally made it to the churches we wanted to go to from the day before! St Salvatorskathedral and then Onze Lieve Vrouwekerk. St Salvatorkathedral Was very, very opulent. Dark wood, a ton of gold and silver decorations, and for some reason, three organs! One of them looked very new but I have no idea why a church would need so many organs. Probably the fanciest church we have been in this trip.

According to our tour boat driver from the day before, the other church (Onze Lady Vrouwekerk) has the third highest brickwork tower in all Europe, behind only two in Germany. You could not go up in the tower part though, and we went in the beautiful church part but didn’t pay for the museum part to see a Michelangelo sculpture. I didn’t realize that’s what was in the paid part, might have considered it but I thought it was just a museum about the church.

Then we had a moment I’ve been looking forward to all trip! A Belgian waffle! There are two types of waffles commonly sold throughout Belgium, Brussels style and Liege style. They are shaped differently (Brussels looking more like what Americans think of as Belgian waffles) and also the batter is different. I’m pretty sure that Belgians eat their waffles plain, but mom and I got some toppings- mom got whipped cream and strawberries, I got bananas, whipped cream, and chocolate syrup which was an extremely delicious choice even if not authentic haha. (We both got Liege waffles- Wikipedia says the dough is based off a brioche bread dough). They serve them to go and so we did some window shopping while eating, and then went to one more church, the Basilica of the Holy Blood. This church claims to have some of Jesus blood on-site, which was very interesting.

With great reluctance to leave Bruges, we headed back to grab our suitcases and head out of Bruges for Antwerp. Had to roll our suitcases back 20 minutes over cobblestones- tried to go a different route for a hopefully smoother sidewalk, no luck- and then bought a ticket and hopped on the next train to Antwerp! This train took 1.5 hours, had a few stops along the way (backtracked us beside Ghent again and I saw the Belfry and St Baafs and St Nicholas again! Fun!)

Took a quick nap on the train and got off in Antwerp. Antwerp Central Station is the most beautiful train station I have ever been in. We took a bunch of photos, and then headed to our air b n b. We stayed in hotels the rest of the trip, but in Antwerp we are here on a Tuesday and Wednesday night which aren’t as popular travel destinations so we got a good price on an apartment style air b n b. We have so much space- including a kitchen, and Also, there is a private rooftop with a view over the Stadspark! Our air b n b host came and greeted us and gave us an overview of the city and made some recommendations of things to do while we are here. He told us two nights weren’t enough and was so proud to welcome us to his city and his apartment.

However, The trade off of such a cool apartment is that we are farther from the action here. We have another city pass here and for the first time I think we will be taking more advantage of the trams and buses to get around! we walked about 20-30 minutes to get to Antwerps tourist center, which is located in an old castle/ fortress on the river, and bought our city pass. In Ghent the pass was a physical card; in Antwerp it’s a website you can scan QR codes to redeem. how modern haha. The goal for tomorrow is to go to enough museums to make the pass worth the money! we talked about the pass and decided even if we didn’t quite spend enough to make it worth it, it’s really nice to have the flexibility for unlimited public transport since we are further away (side note as I wrote this we learned that this city card includes a brewery tour with two free beers included. That line item puts us over the top with the city card, so it side end up saving us a few bucks 😂)

After two such cute towns/ cities in Ghent and Bruges, Antwerp was a bit of a shock to the system. Much bigger city and some parts are pretty dirty, and then you walk around the next corner and see a beautiful cathedral or some really cool architecture which is kind of jarring. Even some of the pretty buildings look like they could use a good power washing… we had time for one museum before dinner so chose our museum based on the only thing Mom knew about Antwerp before coming here- they are famous for their diamond industry. (Before this trip I knew about the fancy train station but did not know they were famous for diamonds) We went to Diva, which was a diamond museum! Again had a little audio guide, and there were exhibits on the current and past state of diamond mining and cutting in Antwerp (80% of the worlds raw diamonds get processed/ cut in Antwerp) they had Some exhibits of diamond jewelry but really not enough in my opinion. then they had a little side exhibit of fancy cutlery and plates and I wasn’t impressed. the diamond museum needs more diamonds 💎

Mom and I were famished by the end of the diamond museum and quickly made it to the Grote Markt or main square of Antwerp, and enjoyed dinner at a Random place while taking in the square (mom had a pasta dish and a Brugs Wit beer- the one we had yesterday at 2Be. I had a chicken pot pie type dish and a beer from a local brewery in Antwerp. we then went for a walk near the Scheldt river and went to admire the evening view from the top of the MAS museum! We may go back tomorrow to actually go to the museum, but you can get a nice view of the city from the top which is always my goal in a new European city. This view was on the 10th floor, and luckily, while there was no elevator, we did not have to take the stairs: wound around the building taking the escalators to the top! And the view was great!

then we took advantage of our city card by taking the bus back to our apartment instead of walking. Finished the evening grabbing some hummus, cheese, crackers, truffles, and a bottle of wine which we enjoyed out on our patio overlooking the park while watching the sun set. another lovely day in Europe 🙂

[inboundtravelvietnam]

All You Need Before Going To Sapa

Sapa - the most famous destination of Vietnam. With a cool climate, majestic mountains here every year attract many domestic and foreign tourists

Located in the Northwest of Vietnam, Sapa is a famous hill station of Lao Cai province near the China border. Sapa has been a popular destination for travelers from many countries over a century. It's an amazing place that a traveler is looking for: an amazing natural beauty with imposing mountains and green valleys, fascinating cultures and traditions of many hill tribes and a beautiful all year round pleasant weather.

The foundation of Sapa

The name Sa Pa is derived from Mandarin Chinese. In Mandarin, SaPa or SaPá means "sandy beach" because in the past Sa Pa Town was a small sandy beach where indigenous people often gather during their market days.

After capturing Sapa in 1887, the French colonialists expanded the area of Old Sa Pa into a hill station, especially for summer vacation. In 1915, the first two wooden villas were built by a French contractor. A very short time after that, many French-style villas were built and make this place a popular summer destination in the entire Indochina for French officials. When it became a hill station, the French also set up the infrastructure. In 1925, they built Cat Cat hydroelectric station. Until 1930, they paved the road from Lao Cai to Sapa. A clean water supply system was also built to serve the town area. At the same time, a Sapa residential town was formed. Besides the Vietnamese people, there also were Chinese and French people living here.

Until 1943, Sapa had about 200 villas and houses. It also has many gardens, playgrounds, plantations as well as tourist attractions such as Ham Rong mountain, Da Cave, Silver waterfall, Cau May ... Nowadays, resorts and hotels from the French era are no longer available. as most were destroyed in time. border war with China in 1979.

Since 1954, Sa Pa has become a popular destination for domestic tourists but only until 1992, it has been opened to welcome international tourists.

Sa Pa town has an altitude of 1,600 m above sea level, 38 km from Lao Cai city and 376 km from Hanoi. In addition to the main road from Lao Cai city, there is another transport route to Sapa, which is National Highway 4D connecting the border towns of Binh Lu, Tam Duong and Lai Chau. Although the majority of the inhabitants of Sapa are ethnic minorities, the town is concentrated mainly on Vietnamese people who rely on agriculture and tourism.

Tourists come to Sapa to enjoy not only the fresh air, the simple tranquility of a mountainous area, but also to admire the wild beauty of Sapa terraced fields, waterfalls, or to discover the customs, cultures of ethnic groups in the mountains such as H'Mong, Giay, Red Dao, Tay, Xa Pho ...

Hoang Lien National Park and Vietnam's highest peak: Fan Si Pan

Sapa's locals

- Rice harvesting festival of Giay people - Dancing Festival of Dao people. - Sweeping the Village festival of Xa Pho people - Xuong Dong or the celebration of a new crop at Ban Ho village

Attractions

https://admin.inboundvietnam.com//Web/Resources/Uploaded/1/images/News/TravelGuide/All-you-need-before-going-to-sapa-4.jpg

Silver Waterfall: About 6km from Sapa in the direction of Tram Ton Pass, Silver Waterfall is about 200m high with rushing water creating impressive mountain sounds.

Cloud Bridge - Cloud Bridge: An old bridge created by locals to cross the river through their village. The original bridge is no longer there, but it is still one of the most visited parts of Sapa because it is located in the beautiful Golden Stream valley (Muong Hoa valley).

Sapa Ancient Stone area: in Muong Hoa valley has 196 carved items covered with many strange figures of ancient inhabitants thousands of years ago. Until today many archaeologists have not yet deciphered their meanings. The ancient carvings area has listed as the National Monuments.

Ham Rong Mountain: is a garden on a mountain inside Sapa town. It's a small yet beautiful garden with nice walking paths and a few scenic viewpoints down to the town center. There's also an orchid garden available for visiting. There are two cultural dancing shows by the local artists from the villages around Sapa.

Sa Pa market: now available everyday however it gets a lot busier on Sunday. A night before the market, local people travel to town and stay overnight. they gather together and sing folk songs or dance together. They often bring along their traditional instruments such as embouchure (lip instrument), bamboo flute, bamboo saxophone... to play. The activities are often happening near the market that’s why people called it a "love market".

Hilltribe villages in the valleys: these are the favorite spots by travelers to Sapa. These are the living places of local people in the villages with an incredible setting on nature. The villages are often located among the rice terraced fields perched on the mountain slope. Trekking through these villages in Sapa while learning about the locals' fascinating culture is an amazing experience. 

Mount Fansipan: also known as the roof of Indochina. Fansipan is now accessible by cable car. You could easily spend half a day in this area wandering through the parks and gardens.

How to get to Sapa? 

Sapa is 350 km far away from Hanoi and is around 40 km from Lao Cai city. Getting to Sapa now is very easy either by public transportation, tour buses or private transportation. 

From Lao Cai city, you can reach to Sapa by roads only. Public buses or private car with driver are readily available while some small other groups choose to rent motorbikes.

How to get to Lao Cai / Sapa from Hanoi?

With the distance is about 300km, from Hanoi to Lao Cai you can choose to go by train, regular public or tour buses or private transportation.  Traveling by train to Sapa is still a popular mode of transportation. There are 6 pairs of trains leaving Hanoi to Lao Cai and vice versa every day but the night trains with sleeper cabins are better choices.

Since the new Hanoi - Lao Cai highway is completed, getting to Sapa from Hanoi is a lot easier by road. The number of visitors choosing to travel by road increase a lot since it takes only 4 hours to get to Lao Cai from Hanoi. Many tourists choose to go by car because the time is much shortened (5 hours now compared with 8-10 hours before). Also, there are now many options for public buses that leave regularly from every bus station in the city. Many tour buses and luxury minivans are leaving Hanoi Old quarter to Sapa from early morning till noontime and from Sapa to Hanoi in the afternoon.

How to get to Sapa from Lao Cai?

Lao Cai is about 40 km from Sapa, and is about 1 hour driving if not in traffic. Some cars from Hanoi go straight to Sapa, but some will stop in Lao Cai and then they use smaller cars to transfer passengers to Sapa to ensure safety (due to Lao Cai - Sa Pa road is narrow, steep).

If you bring a motorbike to Lao Cai and then go to Sa Pa, you should follow the 4D road up hill and it takes roughly 1 hour too. There are also back roads to Sapa that takes you on the less frequented road with amazing scenery. This is also one of our pupular day tour from Lao Cai to Sapa. 

If you take the train, you only arrive at Lao Cai station, then you continue to go another 40 km to reach Sa Pa town. For those who can afford it, renting a private car is the most convenient. However, for those who want to save money, they can choose to go by bus. At the gate outside Lao Cai station, there is a bus stop. They sell bus tickets for a few dollars (equivalent in Vietnamese Dong). And they also accept travelers' bulky luggage.

The bus departs from Lao Cai station square and ends at Sapa Church. They depart quite regularly every day, the earliest bus departs at about 5:30 am to pick up the first groups on board. This bus stops at some pick-up points in Lao Cai city and then goes straight to Sa Pa.

Where to stay

Sapa is a very popular destination, so there are choices for everyone in terms of accommodation, from luxury hotels and resorts to budget guesthouses and homestays in villages. In recent years, there has also been a wide selection of eco-lodges.

There are hundreds of hotels in Sa Pa which are invested with the quality from 1 to 5 stars. The standard of hotel, location and reputation will decide the rates. Some of our favorite hotels are:

Aira Boutique Hotel- 4 star: one of Handspan's favorite hotel. The rooms are very nice with good views. Staff are very attentive and always deliver outstanding service. 

Sapa Elegance Hotel- 2 star: located in the center of Sapa town, Elegance is a small charming local hotel with very spacious rooms and attentive service. 

Topas Ecolodge: is a unique motel that has been certified by National Geographic and is one of the most desired places to stay in Sapa. The resort is located 15km from the center of Sapa on a hilltop with bungalows overlooking the magnificent valley. This is a prime example of sustainable tourism as they use eco-friendly materials to build bungalows and provide jobs for locals from nearby villages. The resort has one of the most impressive year-round jacuzzis and infinity pools in the whole of Vietnam with the best views you can find from a mountain resort.

Homestay in Sapa: Handspan works with communities from different villages since the beginning of tourism development in Sapa to provide unique local experience for our guests. With ‘Homestay’ experience, your overnight accommodation is provided by a local family in their traditional houses. There’s no private room and you’ll sometimes sleep on the floor (with mattress) in a large communal area. The sleeping corner is set up with a single mattress (thin, but adequate), blankets (ditto), pillow and mosquito net. The restroom is at the international standard and a few steps from the main house.

Best time to visit Sapa

The most ideal time to travel to Sapa is from September to November and from March to May. At this time, Sapa weather is stable, sunny day, cool night.

April to May is the time when ethnic minorities transplant rice on terraced fields. And this is also the blooming season of many beautiful flowers. The scenery of rice transplanting is very beautiful, which is liked by paparazzi in this ripe rice season.

September to October is the season of ripe rice, when all the scenery of Sapa seems to brighten up. Around this time, Sapa seems to put on a new color - yellow all over the hillsides. But you should go in mid or late September, to October many places have already harvested.

Summer from June to August is also the rainy season but the rice fields are green and lush.

December to February can be chilly, but this is also the season of cherry blossoms.

INBOUNDVIETNAM TRAVEL is recognized by the Vietnam Tourism Association as a Top Tour Operator and Service Provider of Visa, Work Permit, Permanent Residence Card and nominated for the Vietnam Trusted Travel Company award.

[la-g0g0]

[Quantum Jump AU]

[Background]

Far into the future Black Mesa has recently been working on projects and experiments relating to quantum physics and teleportation. The facility has received samples from an unknown origin but it has the ability to open portals to anywhere, well in a controlled environment . The samples are crystal like, they’re small in size but contain a ton of power.

A few people have been chosen to participate in a new experiment with these crystals, Gordon Freeman happens to be one of those lucky few. The experiment requires the person’s HEV suit to have the crystal embedded into it, Then the individual would try to open a portal in the test area…

[The incident]

Gordon Freeman, a young physicist is currently a part of the team working on the experiment of the crystal embedded HEV suit, and would be chosen to test out the suit. Physical training was necessary and Gordon didn’t mind completing it, plus it got him used to the suit. After training Gordon would usually hangout with his partner Barney and the other security personnel or Kleiner. Gordon’s schedule would continue to stay the same until the date of the first test run, as the day approached closer something felt off. The morning of the test, Gordon woke up early, he was not gonna be late for work this time. It quickly left the dorm and took the tram to the locker room. Gordon eventually got to the locker room and put on the HEV suit, he headed to the test chamber. Though there wasn’t a security guard waiting at the door..something was definitely wrong. The door was left ajar, Gordon quietly entered through it and walked down the long empty corridor leading to the chamber. The farther Gordon went down the corridor the more reality became more distorted. They eventually reached the test chamber and entered, a tall lanky man stood in the center of the chamber. The man quietly inspected a large crystal before placing it in his suitcase and opening a portal. Gordon stood there confused and not sure what to do, one thing he did know that crystal cannot leave the facility. The man would soon walk through the portal, the portal began to close and Gordon quickly used the suit to keep it open, it soon ran after the man. The equipment soon started to malfunction and heat up…just like that..Gordon Freeman was gone…and any trace of what actually happened..

[The Aftermath]

After the incident Black Mesa was divided on whether the whole ordeal was intentional or an accident. Some assume Dr. Freeman was a traitor and some not. No one could decide since the security tape in the room ceased to exist..any evidence ceased to exist. Still they needed to find and retrieve Dr.Freeman and the sample, Barney volunteered to go find them. Luckily the suit also had a tracker on, which would make his job easier. Barney would begin this journey alone..He soon left the planet off to find Gordon and bring him home....

[20 Years..]

A few years had passed and Alyx Vance and John Freeman had joined Barney to find Gordon. For years the crew had traveled to different planets following the tracker only for it to switch to another planet once they got close to the location. No matter how close they were they never found Gordon or any sign of him each time. 20 years have already passed and still no sign of Gordon..but none of them had given up just yet. They had one last shot before they would eventually have to come home. The next planet they headed to or almost crashed into was strange. It has no record and it seemingly appeared out of nowhere…but this was there last hope..and so they would take it…

[sylvinuk-turkey]

For breakfast today (Saturday) we finished the amazing handmade sigara boregi that Gokay’s aunt made the day we arrived and left in the fridge for us. We also had some leftover borek. We left the house around 10:30a by taxi to get to the archeology museum. On the way Gokay had to stop to get his mom something that we will bring to them tomorrow. Due to traffic the taxi driver dropped us at the train station in old Istanbul and we walked about 8 min to the museum.

The museum is physically part of the topkapi palace but a different entrance fee. Luckily we have the museumpass, which let us skip the line that had formed and go right through. There was a woman and son from Rome entering at the same time and I said a quick hello.

The museum itself was alright, it had some beautifully preserved sarcophagi from Lebanon area that were very detailed. There were also a variety of pottery, sculpture/busts, some interesting metal coins/money, and some interesting jewelry/crowns. As we were finishing in the main building, it started pouring rain… which the forecast said nothing about. So we waited about 10-15 minutes and it cleared up. At which point we crossed the courtyard to the other building which used to be the head(s) of the palace staff/caretakers housing but now holds ottoman pottery. The building also still had its original tiling and stained glass windows (it seems).

Adam and Carley went to the outdoor museum cafe for coffee while Gokay and I finished looking at the ottoman stuff. Then we headed to lunch by taking the tram one stop back toward the train station we started at.

The lunch place Gokay found was in a covered alley way, and it was a Pide place since that was one of the last foods on Adam’s list to try in Turkey. Pide is basically pizza/calzone depending on the style, but in an oblong shape instead of round. We got three types - original minced meat, closed sucuk and cheese, and a cheese and egg. Yum! We drank “Turkish Sprite” called Nigde Gazozu We finished the meal with Turkish tea. Which Gokay told us today that Turkey consumes the most tea (Turkish black tea specifically) of any country… on average about 3.6 cups a day/person. That’s 1300 cups (or 15.5lbs) a year/person.

After lunch Adam and Carly wanted to finish some gift shopping in the Old Bazaar. So we walked back through the Bazaar the other direction from last time. I actually finally found some flowy pants that fit me, Carley found some earrings for her family, and Adam got more collectible paper money from around the world and a few other gifts.

We made our way out of the bazaar to take the tram out of the city. Instead of finding an empty road to grab a taxi there was a ton of traffic… so we finally decided to take public transit all the way home (4 total lines including the tram we just got off). We took the fenicular up the hill again and then got on M2 and then had to get on M6 which drops us one block from Gokay’s parents place.

Being a little cranky and tired, and knowing we were possibly going to have a late night, we took a nap (not too long though). Then around 8:30 we got ready to go out for the evening for dinner and possibly a club. We left around 9:30p by taxi, and ended up at the flower passage near Taksim for dinner.

We grabbed the first table and ate for about 2 hours. It was similar to the seafood place in experience in the sense that we ordered a variety of small cold appetizers (e.g, hummus, yogurt, beans etc.), then a couple of warm appetizers (e.g., calamari, fried mussels) then a main dish (kofta) and a dessert (some fresh fruit). We also had a beer each.

Once we finished we headed to a club Adam had heard about. It was closed, but we had passed a couple places on the way, so we headed back to one of those. I’m not a night owl so between it being late (even with a nap) and it being smokey inside which I’m not used to, I wasn’t super excited to continue the evening. Gokay and I were going to head out and Adam and Carley stay, but in the end we all left and headed back to the metro and took the metro home. We got home around 2a. Tomorrow is the last mostly full day, and we head to Selimiye on a 5p flight.

[coopersinnetherlands]

Walk walk, walk walk, walk - and ride a bit.

Today we officially figured out how to work the transit pass system. The pass on the GVB app has a QR code. If you tap it, it goes full screen. Sounds simple but the QR code reading system on the busses is broken. The drivers (who are sealed in a soundproof COVID booth and can’t talk to us) want to see the small QR code screen on the app and then you tap on the blue space beside the QR code and it turns green. The drivers want to see it turn green. I had both of our passes on my app so had to some quick finger work to get on the tram while not holding up the line. It took the hand signals of several drivers and attendants to figure it out. This was much better than our 1985 trip where we never did figure it out.

The largest bike parking lot in the world. 4 stories tall!

Today we went for breakfast to the famous Amsterdam Pancake Bakery. The pancakes are more like crepes than our pancakes. They tasted good though.

We then did the Rick Steves tour of the Red Light District. It was around noon so it was pretty tame. There were only a few ladies in the windows and it was not intimidating - one lady did tap on the glass but I think she wanted Colleen. We did go back again to part of the area at around 6 pm and it was a little livelier but not too crazy. Still lots of empty windows. I think that after dark it might be a bit scary there.

We learned a lot about Amsterdam’s liberal attitude to things that are “natural”. Essentially, plants that are grown in nature or activities that are natural (like sex) are all permitted. Shops are allowed to stock and sell marijuana to a limited amount. Everything is regulated and taxed. This has been the case for about 30 years. It is working - drug use in The Netherlands is about 1/2 of the USA and their jails are practically empty.

The prostitutes get regular health checks, are part of a union, have protection by paid or volunteer “bouncers”.

The “coffee shops” in Amsterdam mostly don’t sell coffee. That is a euphemism for Marijuana store. You have to ask to see the cannabis menus (the shops aren’t allowed to initiate the sale). It’s ok because the coffee was mostly disappointing - tiny little cups of espresso. It tastes good and gives a caffeine shot but doesn’t last through a whole croissant!

After after the red light district, we headed back to one of the quieter parts of town and had lunch in a nice Square. There was a band of statues silently playing.

We decided to walk back to the hotel but partway there we decided to get bikes. After a quick stop back at the hotel, we decided to go for a ride through Rembrandt Park and Vondel park. Rembrandt Park was a big forest area full of trees. There is one big road that runs across the middle of it and it had two big statues of Clifford the Big Red Dog. Vondel Park is kind of like Prince’s Island Park but way bigger. It is where “everyone” goes to hang out in the sun. We rode around and through those parks and then back to the hotel - not far.

Then we headed back into Central Amsterdam for more fun and food. By that, I mean we walked – a lot! The plan was to find a bakery to get some quick food for tomorrow morning and then find a restaurant where we could watch people.

A note on the food here-every meal has tons of carbs. Bread (brood) is a huge staple of the diet.

We found a great spot at the intersection of two canals. We hoped to wait around until dark and the lights came on on the bridges.

After supper we wandered around waiting for it to get dark. That took a long time since sunset wasn’t till 8:50 and then they didn’t turn the bridge lights on until after 9:30. After miles of looking at every single bridge combination in the city multiple times we found the one we wanted, but it must’ve had a bulb out because it wasn’t lit up. Colleen wants to phone the mayor. I feel sorry for the poor guy who has to check every single lightbulb on all of those bridges to find out the one that’s burnt out. I have attached a picture from Google of the one we wanted to see! Once we got some bridge pictures we decided to head home. We had to walk a long way to get the tram. In total we walked 24 km, +12.7 km on the bike today! All that exercise should help us burn off all the bread!

Bridge Lights

[somegiantmess]

Réflexions d'une citoyenne lambda

J'ai tapé un truc au pif vendredi dernier puis je l'ai laissé en plan, mais autant qu'il serve à quelque chose, alors je le mets là.

Sujet : la voiture.

(J'avais pas d'intention précise sur le format et le ton, désolée si c'est chelou, m'enfin osef :p)

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Sur le chemin pour faire les courses cet après-midi, je passe près d'un homme qui attend sur un trottoir ; une voiture arrive et s'arrête sur le côté de la voie, la femme au volant sourit (en voyant le monsieur qui l'attendait je suppose) et j'entends le bruit du frein à main qui s'enclenche lorsque la dame le tire vers elle.

Je ne sais pas pourquoi mais à ce moment précis ça fait resurgir des souvenirs du quotidien que j'avais dans ma ville natale, où on prenait la voiture tous les jours, et comme on est vendredi en fin de journée je me mets à imaginer l'atmosphère qui va avec la scène. Un proche vient vous chercher et vous allez vous rendre quelque part, au restaurant, ou chez quelqu'un peut-être, pour passer une bonne soirée, l'anticipation est joyeuse. J'ai quelques flashbacks un peu "bittersweet" de moments sympathiques où j'étais en voiture avec des proches, quand j'étais enfant pour une sortie au lac, ou encore quand j'étais adulte avec des amis pour traîner dans la ville durant une soirée d'été. On était conforts, on s'amusait bien, juste entre nous, avec quelques bêtises à la radio, il y avait un air de liberté et de fun. Dans ces moments, la voiture peut se transformer en un lieu familier, dans lequel on se sent bien.

C'est ce que je me suis rappelé. Dans ma ville natale, tout ça était tout à fait normal. Et ça l'est toujours ; la voiture est plein de choses, à la fois une nécessité pour se déplacer pour beaucoup, un confort, une expérience agréable, pratique, qui permet d'aller vite, un objet de statut social… Elle est partout, elle est omniprésente. Un des objectifs d'une vie, objectif perçu comme évident, jamais remis en question, c'est de passer le permis de conduire et d'avoir une voiture personnelle, qui promet la liberté.

Je n'ai jamais eu ma propre voiture ; j'utilisais toujours celle des proches. J'avais pour projet d'en avoir une, dans le futur. Et puis un jour, je change de ville. Je n'ai toujours pas de voiture personnelle à ce moment, et puis je me rends compte que dans ma nouvelle ville, je peux faire mon quotidien sans elle, sans que cela soit insupportable ou compliqué, quoiqu'un peu fatigant, comme tout trajet. J'ai des bus, des trams, un bon réseau cyclable. Dans ce contexte, la voiture finit naturellement par disparaître de mes désirs d'achat (encore fallait-il que j'en aie les moyens).

Et puis plus tard encore, à force de curiosité et de lectures, il peut arriver qu'on prenne doucement conscience, véritablement, de l'autre facette de la voiture. Elle qui nous paraît si normal, si désirable, elle implique aussi énormément de choses, qui elles sont beaucoup plus sombres.

Maintenant que je les ai en tête, il est difficile de ne plus les voir. Ces implications néfastes que je vois de façon quasi permanente, non-exhaustives, sont principalement les suivantes :

Ses conséquences désastreuses sur le climat, avec ses émissions de gaz à effet de serre ; 15% des GES en France proviennent de la voiture individuelle. Cela représente un poste conséquent d'émissions, avec une grosse marge de manœuvre pour les réduire. Le changement climatique est l'un des plus gros défis qui s'impose à nous aujourd'hui et pour les décennies à venir. Il englobe à peu près tout le reste, il va grandement déterminer les conditions d'habitabilité de notre planète. (Note : On parle de voiture individuelle car le taux moyen de remplissage est de l'ordre de 1,2 personne. Je vois souvent dire que nous nous servons donc d'un objet de 1,5 tonnes pour déplacer en moyenne 1 personne.)

Ses conséquences mortifères avec la pollution de l'air, qui engendre ~40.000 morts prématurées en France par an, et des centaines de milliers d'autres impacts sur la santé ; elle favorise pathologies respiratoires (cancer du poumon, asthme…), pathologies circulatoires (maladies coronariennes, AVC), pathologies périnatales, diabète… D'autres effets sont suspectés mais manquent encore d'études. On peut relever aussi la pollution sonore et la favorisation de la sédentarité. La voiture prend également la vie d'environ 3000 personnes par an France via les accidents de la route.

Ses conséquences destructrices sur la biodiversité ; construire des routes, autoroutes, parkings… nécessite d'occuper un espace considérable (à Paris, la moitié de l'espace public est réservé à la voiture), et nécessite d'artificialiser les sols. Traduction : détruire des espaces naturels, des écosystèmes, des vies animales et végétales (qui nous rendent maints services au passage, si l'on se fiche de ces vies pour elles-mêmes), pour les bétonner et les goudronner. Cette possibilité d'aller toujours plus loin avec la voiture engendre ce changement d'usage des sols destructeur de biodiversité (entre autres problématiques), et crée même un cercle vicieux : étalement urbain des moyennes/grandes villes, centres commerciaux excentrés toujours plus nombreux, zones pavillonnaires qui se multiplient ces dernières décennies… enfermant les habitants dans la dépendance à la voiture.

Sa dépendance aux énergies fossiles, au pétrole avant tout, et ce que ça signifie à la fois pour le climat déjà mentionné, mais aussi la géopolitique. Ce n'est pas la guerre en Ukraine qui nous fait découvrir ce risque, même si elle le rappelle ; il était déjà connu. Les sources d'énergies fossiles sont principalement aux mains de certains pays, dont certains, surprise, avec lesquels on n'est pas nécessairement en bons termes. On se retrouve couteau sous la gorge parce qu'il nous faut bien ces énergies pour continuer de tourner dans notre système actuel, donc on donne de l'argent qui sert à financer plein de choses… comme des guerres.

A partir de là, à force d'avoir toutes ces informations qui infusent dans la tête… Je n'arrive plus à voir la voiture comme un moyen de transport naturel, que l'on peut prendre sans réfléchir, automatiquement, comme quelque chose qui n'a aucune conséquence. Je ne vois plus la voiture comme une évidence, ni d'ailleurs comme permettant l'accès à la liberté : quid des coûts économiques à l'année ? Des coûts environnementaux et sanitaires ? Du temps perdu, du stress des embouteillages ? Je crois surtout que nous en sommes dépendants parce que notre société, construite sur les énergies fossiles en abondance, a été ainsi faite. Ces choix semblaient être les bons à une époque ; ils ne le sont visiblement plus.

La voiture m'a rendu bien des services et m'a fait vivre plein de choses. J'en ai plein de souvenirs. Elle me rend encore des services, parfois, lorsque je suis dans celles des proches pour des vacances ensemble.

Mais ce n'est pas parce qu'elle a rendu des services dans le passé, et qu'elle en rend encore, que l'on doit continuer de s'y accrocher avec la même ampleur qu'aujourd'hui. Elle ne disparaîtra jamais complètement, mais elle peut, et elle doit, être remise en cause.

Le simple fait de penser, de se rappeler de tout ce qu'implique la voiture, et de remettre en perspective ces informations lorsqu'on entend les voix se lever avec ferveur contre les 110km/h sur autoroutes, ou la piétonisation des centre-villes et les passions qu'elle provoque, ou lorsqu'on voit de nouvelles zones commerciales, de nouvelles autoroutes en construction… serait, il me semble, déjà un petit pas dans la bonne direction pour cette remise en question.