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iamthenightcolormeblack · 3 years ago

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Impressions of Bride and Prejudice (2004)

I finally watched this movie as it is currently free on YouTube! It's a really interesting "modern-day" adaptation (specifically a Bollywood musical) of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice which takes place in Amritsar, India, London, England and California, USA instead of the English countryside. It stars Aishwarya Rai as Elizabeth Bennet (now Lalita Bakshi) and Martin Henderson as Mr. Darcy (William Darcy).

Names:

Bakshis = Bennets

Jaya Bakshi = Jane Bennet

Lalita Bakshi = Elizabeth Bennet

Maya Bakshi = Mary Bennet

Lakhi Bakshi = Lydia Bennet (Kitty isn't included here)

Kholi Saab = Mr. Collins

Balraj = Bingley

Chandra Lamba = Charlotte Lucas

Kiran = Caroline Bingley

Darcy's mother (Catherine Darcy) = Lady Catherine de Bourgh

The Casting:

Aishwarya Rai as Lalita Bakshi. She's captivating and beautiful as Lalita, with intelligence and wits to match. The film understands why Elizabeth Bennet is one of literature's greatest heroines: she has a lot of self-respect, speaks her mind, and refuses to compromise on her values. What's most important is that she achieves the balance between the two clashing cultures: she cares about her family and respects Indian traditions yet is also a strong individual who keeps her dignity.

Martin Henderson as William Darcy. I don't like that Darcy is an American in this movie because (in general) Americans are usually less reserved than British people, so it takes away a key part of Darcy's character (his repressed emotions). He's much more sympathetic than book Darcy because he seems to be more open-minded towards Indian culture the more he learns about it (unlike book Darcy, who is stubborn and insists that his "good opinion once lost is lost forever"). In the book, Darcy's pride has several characteristics (belief in the correctness of his opinions, belief in his social superiority, bad treatment of others he thinks is beneath him). I don't like how the film simplified his pride into imperialism/ethnocentrism, which he lets go of pretty quickly. Plus his "rudeness" can easily be perceived as discomfort in a new cultural environment because he hasn't been exposed to Indian culture, whereas in the book it seems to be intentional (and Darcy acknowledges to Elizabeth that he was taught to treat others beyond his own social circle meanly). Overall I had rather too much sympathy for him because he's too easy to read; he's experiencing a lot of culture shocks which he isn't prepared for, and his imperialistic beliefs (which come from his mother) don't help. One of the reasons book Darcy is interesting is because he's mysterious; his emotions remain hidden and the only sign of his growing love for Elizabeth is his staring at her. This Darcy is just a typical white American boy who is in love with a woman far superior to him in terms of intellect and cultural awareness.

Nitin Ganatra as Kohli Saab. Mr. Collins is one of my favorite cringe characters ever and never fails to disappoint. In this movie, he's an accountant who lives in the Beverly Hills area in Southern California and is very arrogant because he thinks he's a big shot living close to celebrities in a one-of-a-kind colonial home (when in actuality he lives in a cookie-cutter house in a suburb). He peppers his speech with Western slang to show off how "American" (and thus wealthy) he is, yet still clings to outmoded beliefs that women should be submissive housewives. He represents the very worst of Western culture in that he's materialistic and looks down on Indian culture as beneath him. In his quest for riches he has lost his Indian identity and become greedy.

Notable Scenes:

The first dance. Balraj is happy to have fun and show off his awesome dancing skills. Darcy, meanwhile, observes that the mothers are eyeing Balraj for the marriage market and is worried that his friend may be trapped by gold-diggers. He's clearly uncomfortable and out of his element here, so Kiran helps translate the songs for him. It's interesting seeing Kiran as a translator here because it would explain why she's one of the few people Darcy hangs out with; she's a cultural intermediary here to help him acclimate to a strange new environment.

Darcy snubs Lalita. This part in the book where Darcy insults Elizabeth by proclaiming her "tolerable, but not handsome enough to tempt me" is significant in forming Elizabeth's hatred of Darcy. Not only is he impolite in refusing to dance with Elizabeth, he also shames her by criticizing her looks. In the movie, Darcy excuses himself from dancing with Lalita by saying that he's busy preparing for a conference (in this version, he's a rich businessman who operates luxury hotels). I wish they had kept the original insult in because without it, Lalita's dislike of Darcy has less merit. While it was impolite of him to not dance, he did use a proper excuse and didn't insult Lalita, so unlike in the book, it doesn't make sense why she would hate him so intensely after that one meeting.

A Marriage Has Come to Town song. In this song-and-dance number, Lalita and Jaya are preparing for the wedding to Balraj. The whole town is excited for the wedding and Lalita wonders if life for a woman is all about getting married to be a mere wife: "It seems they had nothing in their lives before today / and why are they so happy to give a daughter away."

Darcy and Lalita conversation #1: Lalita points out most Amritsar residents can't afford to stay at Darcy's luxury hotels; Darcy says standards are necessary, justifying the high price. Darcy says he finds arranged marriages strange and "backwards," hinting at an affinity with Lalita as they are both "romantics." Lalita, still thinking that Darcy is attempting to insult Indian culture, says that arranged marriages have evolved and may not be so evil as he thinks it is.

Lalita and Darcy "accomplished woman" scene. So they have the part from the book where they have Darcy's unrealistic list of the characteristics of his perfect woman and then it becomes a culture clash. Lalita says Darcy's whole hotel business is imperialism (the tourists visit without appreciating Indian culture and the jobs created only benefit the well-off). Darcy replies: "But I'm not British" ("American exceptionalism" is just another form of imperialism).

Dinner with Kohli Saab. I love watching all the "Dinner with Mr. Collins" scenes from all Pride and Prejudice adaptations because it reveals Collins' great arrogance in assuming himself to be of greater importance than he is, as well as his bad manners. This movie does not disappoint; Kohli Saab literally eats with his fingers, shoving rice into his mouth while talking at the same time. Meanwhile, he spews out misogynistic views of women, stating that he came to India to find a "traditional" wife who will serve and obey him; after all, there is "no life without wife." He notes that the Indian-American girls have "a conceited sort of independence" (not what he actually said in the movie, this is a quote from the book which really fits here) and that some of the Indian-American girls "have turned into the lesbian." Lalita later recalls that watching Kohli Saab eat is like observing "a Jackson Pollock painting."

"No Life Without Wife" song. An accurate reading of Kholi Saab: he's "crude and loud" and came to find a wife by flashing his "green card, new house, and big cash." The song reveals what a hypocrite he is; he's lonely and pathetic because there is "no life without wife" yet he won't respect his wife as his equal. I love the "Kohliwood" fantasy sequence where Lalita pictures herself unhappily serving Kohli as a submissive wife. After the song ends Lalita imagines herself marrying Wickham in the English countryside before it turns out Darcy is the groom; she runs away from him.

The Cobra dance. Maya shows off her dancing skills in an awkward dance. Kholi criticizes Indians for being "unsophisticated" (what an arrogant person) while Darcy, in a change of heart, praises how highly they value family.

Kholi's proposal. I love how he tries to train himself to power walk because it's trendy and before proposing stretches himself clumsily, knocking over a pot (he definitely isn't husband material). Lalita mocks Kholi's obsession with physical health, pointing out that many people are physically healthy but don't exercise their minds.

Visiting Kiran. Kiran is arrogant and takes the Bakshis over to her fancy apartment where the mother tries and fails to show some cultural knowledge. I find it interesting that the movie made Lalita and Kiran foils of each other. They are both intelligent women who are "multicultural" in that they can navigate both Indian and Western culture, but they use their cultural knowledge in different ways. Kiran uses it to belittle others and demonstrate her own superiority, while Lalita uses it as a means of gaining respect for herself and others.

Darcy ends up on the same airplane flight as Lalita. This is a cute scene where he gives the first class seat to Mrs. Bakshi just so he can sit with Lalita in economy class (he's totally in love with her!).

Kohli Saab's epic house tour. Love how he pays great attention to the jet tubs and the closets.

Meeting Darcy's mom. She's totally ethnocentric and possibly racist. The first thing she asks Lalita is "tell me about India" and she expresses her disappointment at Darcy's decision (because of Lalita, it's so obvious he's in love) not to buy the hotel in India because "everybody has their hand on India these days" (brings to mind spheres of influence/colonialism since the mother sees India as a place to make a profit). Then the mother reveals that she really isn't interested in India and only knows about its stereotypes: "well, with yoga, and spices, and...wonderful Eastern things here there's no point in traveling there anymore." Meanwhile Lalita retorts that "people haven't stopped going to Italy because Pizza Hut's around the corner."

The first proposal. Darcy's conflicted feelings for Lalita are effectively summed up (perhaps better than in the book, where he begins well but ends with a long account of the inferiority of Elizabeth's connections): "he loves her in spite of the fact that he tried to forget about her, he still wants to marry her in spite of the fact that his family (specifically his mom) will disapprove." Unfortunately, the emphasis on the social inferiority of Lalita's family is left out; Darcy doesn't say anything else until Lalita claims that he thinks her family is inferior and blames him for separating Jaya and Balraj. I don't like this because it seems like the separation of Jaya and Balraj was the only reason Elizabeth rejected Darcy. Also Elizabeth's admission that she did try to overlook her prejudice of Darcy doesn't make sense, because only after the first proposal does she do so.

Plot Changes. The major plot points are all included but the "order of events" has changed:

Lalita and Darcy become friends and she meets his family before his disastrous first proposal. There's a montage where they are traveling alone together, visiting the Grand Canyon and sharing a moment on the beach. I don't like this change because Darcy's separating Jane and Bingley wasn't the only reason Elizabeth rejected him, it was because she hated him (arrogant, proud, doesn't treat others nicely). By showing early on that Darcy is a good person, Lalita's prejudice against Darcy makes less sense because she now has a glimpse of Darcy's true character which in the book doesn't happen until the Pemberley visit.

Their early friendship disrupts Darcy's character journey because it reduces the significance of the first proposal to his character development. In the book, he doesn't start to reform himself until Elizabeth tells him that he needs to behave in a "more gentleman-like manner."

The first proposal is the consequence of all the miscommunication and false perceptions affecting Elizabeth and Darcy, and it motivates both characters to change. Elizabeth rightly scolds Darcy for being inconsiderate; he did the proposal for the selfish reason of purging his feelings so that he wouldn't have to suffer anymore and assumed that she would say yes. Elizabeth rejects him because of his rude manners and lack of consideration, and his defensiveness (where he portrays himself as the victim of feelings and implies he's such a good boy for wanting to marry her in spite of her horrid family) doesn't help. After realizing the extent to which Elizabeth hates him, Darcy writes The Letter to set things right, and Elizabeth realizes that she is not the best judge of character. Thus, giving us a fuller picture of Darcy's character and letting him charm Lalita before the first proposal reduces the significance of the event to the plot and character development.

Wickham and Lakhi have a connection early on, making Lakhi's attempted elopement inevitable. Right after the failed first proposal, Lakhi runs off with Wickham and Lalita and Darcy find out about it at the same time that Darcy comes to apologize and tell Lalita that Wickham is bad. I love that Wickham was punished really badly; after Darcy fights him, he gets slapped twice, once by Lalita and the second time by Lakhi. Even better is that Lakhi doesn't end up with Wickham.

Themes

The film uses the culture clash between India (Eastern) and Western cultures to examine what makes a good marriage.

Indian culture as presented by the film is more collectivist ("we" over "I"). It also promotes traditional gender roles, with women expected to be "meek and submissive" wives. In contrast, Western culture in the film is more individualistic and aspirational (careers and love are possible). But at its worst it condones exploitation of others for profit and cultural intolerance.

In the book, there are different kinds of "culture clashes:" traditional nobility versus new money (the Bingleys made their fortune in trade and Caroline is hoping to be an accomplished woman to make up for this), country versus city (Darcy offending Mrs. Bennet by claiming that the society is "confined and unvarying") and arranged versus romantic marriages.

The misunderstandings that propel the story (Darcy's dismissing of Elizabeth as "tolerable," him falling in love with her even though she still hates him, her belief in the legitimacy of "first impressions") are emphasized through the culture clash. Many of the conflicts in the film are a result of cultural stereotypes and conflicting beliefs.

Interestingly the film doesn't resolve the question it raises of how best to appreciate India and its culture. Lalita raises a lot of points about not oversimplifying Indian culture to a few stereotypes, but one could argue that India as represented by the film might be stereotypical. With the exception of the resort scenes and Goa beaches (which are tourist traps according to the film), the scenes in India heavily emphasize the "developing country" aspects of India with lots of pastoral scenes (cows crossing the road unharmed, farmland, dirt, shacks, dirty motorcycles fighting each other in traffic). Plus the "culture" as represented by the film's dance sequences seems to be the dominant Hindu culture with lots of elephants and saris and curry. Yes, I know this film is a romantic comedy, but the assertion that India is a complex, diverse country is contradicted by what we are presented. Presenting the rustic aspects of India would explain why the characters want to get out of India and go to the richer Western nations, but it harms the premise of the story that we shouldn't judge based on first impressions because the India scenes seem to confirm a Westerner's stereotypes of India (exotic people living in a primitive land).

Changing views on marriage: In the film, as in the book, we are presented with traditional and modern views on what makes a good marriage. Mr. Collins' marriage represents the traditional view in which marriage is a practical "economic proposition," much like a business deal where the marriage is made for the securing of material wealth and happiness comes last. Lady Catherine and other members of the aristocracy view marriage as a means of producing heirs (and bringing large amounts of money through dowries) to keep the property (source of power and wealth) in the family. The modern view of marriage is a partnership of equals who love and respect each other; happiness rather than material wealth/power is the priority. It threatens the power of the traditional nobles as it provides the potential for social climbing. Finally, it becomes another part of the culture clash, as it also ties in with the Western value of individualism, putting it at odds with the more collectivist Indian culture as presented by the film.

Elizabeth and Darcy in the book and in the film are united by their belief in a marriage based on love (the modern view). In the film, Darcy says he wants to look forward to starting each day with his wife, while Lalita says she wants a man who is a romantic and respects her for her mind. For instance, Elizabeth states that "only the deepest love will induce me into matrimony" and that Jane and Bingley should have some time to get to know each other before being rushed into marriage. To Elizabeth, mutual love and respect are essential for a marriage to succeed.

As for book Darcy, when Caroline catches him admiring Elizabeth and asks if he will marry her right away, he jokingly rebuffs her for making that assumption: "A lady's imagination is very rapid; it jumps from admiration to love, from love to matrimony in a moment. I knew you would be wishing me joy." Significantly, he mentions love needing to come before marriage, hinting that he shares the same belief about respect (admiration) and love being necessary for a good marriage. In fact, a big reason he separated Jane from Bingley was because he feared that Jane did not love Bingley in return. In short, love in marriage is just as important to Darcy as it is to Elizabeth.

Conclusion:

Bride and Prejudice, as shown by the title, focuses heavily on the theme of marriage and uses the culture clash between India and the West to emphasize the importance of first impressions in our treatment of others.

Even if you aren't into Pride and Prejudice, the movie is worth watching for the Bollywood dance sequences. I also liked the songs because they effectively developed the marriage theme.

The characters are mostly true to the book, except for Darcy, who isn't proud enough and is quick to reform his character.

Last but not least, the real villains of the story were imperialism and ethnocentrism.

Tags: @thatvermilionflycatcher @appleinducedsleep @princesssarisa

#bride and prejudice #aishwarya rai #martin henderson #bollywood #pride and prejudice #jane austen #mr darcy #elizabeth bennet #elizabeth x darcy #book adaptation #adaptation

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ebp-brain · 4 years ago

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rosemary boxer/laura thyme. only one bed!

the traditional rosemary & thyme fic for @bigblackdogfic on her birthday (even if she’s rarely on tumblr these days!)

Rosemary should probably stop expecting luxurious accommodations just because she and Laura are working on the garden of a luxurious house. This latest, for instance, Morewood Manor in east Hampshire, takes her breath away when they rattle the Land Rover up its sweeping drive, and she and Laura exchange their well la di da look, the one they save for the most ostentatiously expensive homes—three parts cynical amusement at the way some people live, one part genuine awe, and one part a kind of mental rubbing their hands together at the thought of the cream teas and feather pillows they will hopefully get as perks while they’re there. But they should really know better by now. It’s true that the house is stunning, an 18th-century Palladian building with a large portico and towering columns, and the gardens stretch up a broad slope to the back of the house, overgrown but in relatively decent shape. And their host, Charlotte, a friendly but harried woman with corkscrew curls and scuffed black pumps, is welcoming and generous. But they can see from the moment they walk in why they, with their reasonable prices and small-scale operation, were hired to spruce up the grounds rather than some posh landscaping company.

“I’m sorry, it is a bit in disrepair,” says Charlotte as they crane their necks to look up at the peeling plaster and the damp spots on the ceiling. “Oh, no, it’s more than a bit,” she amends immediately, “I know, it’s a dreadful mess. I’m selling it. The last Clifford-Smythe, my great-aunt Euphenia, finally passed away—oh, you’ll think I’m dreadfully heartless, but she was ninety-eight—and now there’s no one left who refuses to let Morewood pass out of the family, so—” She flutters her hands around at the neglected surroundings. “Well. One can’t keep up these absurd estates anymore, can one? Not without masses of help and goodness knows there are few old families in Britain who can afford that these days—and the National Trust didn’t want it, more’s the pity, so…. That’s why I want the gardens done up, at least, make it look as appealing as possible from the outside anyway and hopefully some rich American will think it’s a jolly fixer-upper. Goodness, how I babble. You’ll want to settle in first, yes?”

“That would be lovely,” Laura manages to get out before Charlotte Clifford-Smythe is off again.

“Now I have to warn you, most of the house is shut up. Absolutely uninhabitable. I can only manage to keep a few rooms in working order all on my own, and I don’t generally have visitors here, you see, since I live in my little cottage in Winchester most of the time. So, that is to say, I can put you up as promised, but there is one small issue.”

She hesitates. Rosemary and Laura exchange surreptitious glances. Rosemary knows what’s in Laura’s mind as well as if it were her own: It can’t be worse than a tiny attic room with bunk beds and party music pounding through the walls past midnight. It can’t be worse than a tent pitched on lumpy ground—which was then set fire by an arsonist.

Can it?

“Oh, I’m sure we’ll manage,” Rosemary says heartily. Perhaps a little too heartily, judging by the look Laura gives her.

“I am sorry for the inconvenience,” their host says apologetically as she leads them up the stairs and along a musty-smelling corridor. “It’s the one room I’ve got, other than my own, and…”

She opens the door. Rosemary braces herself for mouldy patches and water stains—or possibly a cell-like chamber where some poor Victorian wife was confined for “hysteria” on her doctor’s orders—but for at first glance she doesn’t notice anything wrong at all. It’s a pleasant room, with pale pink walls and a spectacular view of the rose garden. The late afternoon light shines through the thick paned windows, turning everything dusky gold: the antique vanity, the carved armoire, the faded carpets, the heavy four-poster bed—oh.

“There’s only one bed.” Charlotte wrings her hands a bit. “I did think maybe I could put one of you in the Blue Room, since it’s only been shut up for a couple of decades—it used to be quite grand—but as it happened a whole colony of moths had taken up residence in the mattress, and—”

“No, no,” Rosemary says hastily, feeling that she’d better interrupt while she has the chance. “This is lovely.”

“Really?” Charlotte turns worried eyes on them both.

“Oh, goodness, yes,” Laura says genially. Rosemary can see her biting back a smile and has to look away to stop herself smiling back. “We’re easy, really. As long as no one tries to shoot at us in the night—”

“Heavens, of course not!” Charlotte says, looking scandalized.

“Only a joke,” Rosemary quickly cuts in. “Really, this is more than all right.”

“Well,” says Charlotte, “if you say so. Now, why don’t I leave you two to get settled in and we can have a tour of the gardens before supper? It’s only rabbit stew, but—”

“Perfect,” says Rosemary firmly. “We’ll see you soon, then.”

Charlotte closes the door, finally, and Rosemary and Laura look at each other, grinning.

“Well,” says Laura, sitting on the bed. “This is a pickle, isn’t it? Only one bed. Whatever shall we do?”

“Yes, I will miss the twin beds we manage to get stuck with everywhere else. They’re so…chaste.”

“Mm,” says Laura. “I don’t know how I’ll cope. I’ve gotten used to feeling like I did when I visited my mum two weeks before my wedding and she made me and Nick sleep in separate rooms.”

“Your mum was very wise,” Rosemary said. “It’s dangerous, sleeping in the same bed with you. You’re a dreadful temptation, you know.”

“Are you threatening my virtue?” Laura demands.

“Oh,” says Rosemary, sitting down very, very close to Laura on their one bed, “absolutely.”

After a few moments, Laura, now rather flushed and out of breath, says, “Do you remember at that house in Dorset with the French garden, where they put us in the nursery and we broke that flimsy little bed?”

“I still maintain that that beam was already cracked,” Rosemary replies with dignity.

“Better than when the curate almost caught us out back of the rectory at—”

“Yes, yes. Well, we’ve got three nights here and we can take full advantage.”

“Thank goodness for the decline of the English aristocracy,” Laura says.

Rosemary snorts. “Thank goodness.”

#happy birthday bbd!!!#rosemary and thyme #rosemary and thyme fic #rosemary boxer #laura thyme #my fic #earlybloomingparentheses

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causeiwanttoandican · 4 years ago

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Holy crap!

The Telegraph- Camilla Tominey

'She wanted drama': The inside story of the rift between Harry and Meghan and The Firm

As the Sussexes give their tell-all Oprah Winfrey interview, royal insiders reveal the 'other side of the story'

By Camilla Tominey, Associate Editor5 March 2021 • 9:00pm

There was something distinctly familiar about the Oprah Winfrey teaser in which Prince Harry declared: "My biggest concern was history repeating itself."

The words, due to be aired during the Duke and Duchess of Sussexes' tell-all interview on Sunday night, bore an uncanny resemblance to the statement released by Harry's communications secretary, Jason Knauf, in November 2016 after the Sunday Express had revealed that the Prince was dating the American actress.

Confirming that "his girlfriend Meghan Markle" had been "subject to a wave of abuse and harassment", the statement criticised the "racial undertones" of newspaper coverage, adding: "Prince Harry is worried about Ms Markle's safety and is deeply disappointed that he has not been able to protect her. This is not a game – it is her life and his."

The unprecedented salvo created two important narratives around the former Suits star – it formally confirmed her status as the woman in Harry's life but also positioned her, in the eyes of the palace and the public, as the victim at the heart of a media "storm". As the statement suggested, a line had been "crossed".

But the tirade "by the Communications Secretary to Prince Harry" also put Mr Knauf in a compromising position. How was the former director of corporate affairs for the Royal Bank of Scotland going to be able to handle media relations for a couple when the Prince had so publicly made plain their deep hostility towards the press?

Almost exactly two years later, the 39-year-old spin doctor would submit a a bullying claim accusing Meghan of driving two personal assistants out of the household and undermining the confidence of a third staff member.

The Sussexes have denied that Harry pleaded with Mr Knauf not to pursue it, claiming the couple are the victims of a calculated smear campaign based on harmful misinformation. They said the Duchess was "saddened by this latest attack on her character, particularly as someone who has been the target of bullying herself and is deeply committed to supporting those who have experienced pain and trauma".

Those highlighting the "outrageous bullying" say they want to "tell the other side of the story" to the picture expected to be painted by the Duchess on the Oprah special of her "almost unsurvivable" time in the Royal family. "Anyone who is a victim can't bear to watch it," said one.

The couple's lawyers insist Buckingham Palace is manipulating the press to peddle a "wholly false narrative" –notwithstanding the fact that the complainants no longer work in the royal household and the lack of palace action has now prompted an internal inquiry.

The Telegraph has spoken to a number of well-placed insiders who witnessed first-hand the turmoil within the royal household from Meghan's arrival as Prince Harry's girlfriend to the couple's decision to stand down as working royals last year.

All spoke on the condition of anonymity amid claims they had been operating in a "climate of fear", where employees were routinely "humiliated" in front of their peers and repeatedly subjected to "unreasonable demands" by both Meghan and Harry.

Unwilling to play a supporting role

It was not until October 2017, a year after Mr Knauf's unprecedented statement that Meghan gave an interview to Vanity Fair in which she declared of her relationship with Harry: "We're in love. I'm sure there will be a time when we will have to come forward and present ourselves and have stories to tell, but what I hope people will understand is that this is our time."

The public did not have to wait long. Just a month later, the couple announced their engagement with a photocall in the sunken garden at Kensington Palace and an interview with the BBC's Mishal Husain in which Harry described his fiancee as "another team player as part of the bigger team".

Yet behind palace gates, it was quickly becoming apparent that Meghan had no intention of she and Harry being seen as the "supporting act" to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, despite their seniority in the royal pecking order.

That Christmas, determined to walk side by side with William and Kate to Sandringham's St Mary Magdalene Church, rather than several steps behind, they were pictured together as the so-called "Fab Four".

The Cambridges invited the Sussexes to spend the festive period at their nearby bolthole, Anmer Hall, an experience Meghan spoke of fondly afterwards. "Meghan was very positive about it," said a former aide.

Two months later, the quartet appeared at their first official event together at the inaugural forum of their Royal Foundation – a highly choreographed event described by one royal insider as "designed to send a message that they would be working as a team. It was all very carefully rehearsed beforehand".

Disagreements with the Cambridges

After Meghan showcased her years of previous work with "larger NGOs and smaller grassroots organisations", both William and Harry acknowledged that working so closely with loved ones had led to "healthy disagreements" over how to best guide the foundation's work.

"Working as a family does have its challenges, of course it does," Harry said. "But we're stuck together for the rest of our lives."

By now, Kensington Palace staff had already become familiar with a mantra that would come to characterise the run-up to the Sussexes' wedding in May 2018.

"Want Meghan wants, Meghan gets" may have been shouted by Prince Harry to Angela Kelly, the Queen's personal assistant, following a row over a tiara – but royal aides were already well acquainted with the importance of meeting the Duchess's exacting standards.

"Everyone wanted her to be happy because they knew that would make him happy," said one. "Do whatever it takes to make it work for Meghan was the mantra. We all cared deeply about Harry. Contrary to this idea that they weren't supported, we were going to great lengths to accommodate their needs."

So much so that there was an extraordinary incident during the couple's first tour of Scotland when members of the palace PR team "body blocked" Meghan's former adviser Gina Nelthorpe-Cowne during a visit to an Edinburgh cafe in what one former aide described as "the most embarrassing moment of my professional career".

The Duchess had apparently expressed "a reluctance to make eye contact" with Ms Nelthorpe-Cowne, who was reduced to having to post an Instagram shot of her former close friend and client visiting the Social Bites cafe from a considerable distance. "Anyone from the past was a problem," observed the former aide.

Ms Nelthorpe-Cowne's name would later reappear in court documents accusing Meghan's close friend and stylist Jessica Mulroney of "putting pressure on her [Ms Nelthorpe-Cowne] to withdraw or change statements" she had made in an April 2018 interview with the Mail on Sunday.

The defence documents claimed the Sunday newspaper's features editor complained about the intervention to Mr Knauf, who allegedly responded by saying he would ensure "this does not happen again". In the piece, Ms Nelthorpe-Cowne described Meghan as: "Picky, not only when it comes to her clothes but also her colleagues, instantly dismissing those who didn’t share her 'vision'."

Describing how the Duchess had "given me a bit of a difficult time" after meeting Harry, she added: "Meghan likes to move on".

When contacted by The Telegraph, Ms Nelthorpe-Cowne declined to comment on the incident.

'Email bombardments'

As the world was gearing up for what the LA Times had billed as "a royal wedding for the 21st century", behind palace gates the atmosphere was becoming fraught.

Staff had grown used to "email bombardments" by Meghan and Harry, with one describing how "the last thing we'd do before going to sleep is reply to their messages and the first thing we'd do in the morning is reply to their messages. Weekends, holidays – there were no boundaries. They live on their phones all the time".

Despite publicly claiming they largely ignored the press coverage, in reality the couple were often consumed by it. "They're both very thin-skinned," said one former employee.

Meghan's supporters say staff members "who preferred a more genteel pace" could not keep up with the Duchess's "American work ethic" – with one close friend now suggesting the criticism was racially motivated. "Find me a woman of colour in a senior position who has not been accused of being too angry, too scary, too whatever in the workplace," the friend said.

Yet it was not just palace employees who found themselves on the receiving end of "inescapable screaming and shouting".

Much has been written about the bridesmaids' dress fitting, first revealed in The Telegraph in November 2018, that left the Duchess of Cambridge in tears.

Contrary to subsequent reports that the row concerned Princess Charlotte's tights, what actually happened was that the dress itself did not fit Kate's then nearly three-year-old daughter. According to a well-placed source, "demands were made about when subsequent fittings would be, and Kate left sobbing".

While Meghan's allies suggest that Kate did not make enough of an effort to welcome her future sister-in-law into the royal fold, allies of the Cambridges suggest she "tried to arrange social things" and invited her to watch tennis together but "there was a sense that Meghan never really wanted to be friends".

Those inside the palace concede, however, that the Cambridges can "appear standoffish" and are "often out of contact for extended periods".

Another former royal aide claimed the Duke, particularly, appreciated the "deflection" from his own occasionally demanding behaviour. "Bullying is endemic across all the households," the former aide added.

"The Meghan thing is a disgrace, but it's not in isolation. They cut you out, undermine you, talk down to you. One minute you're in – the next you're persona non grata. Some staff have special protection. I've never witnessed behaviour like it before. I wish I'd never seen behind the curtain."

A reprimand from the Queen

One member of staff afforded "special protection" is Angela Kelly, who has served as the Queen's closest aide since 2002. Rumours of Meghan being dubbed "Duchess Difficult" began to surface around the time it emerged that the Liverpudlian docker's daughter had been given a tongue-lashing by Harry.

Yet what was never accurately reported around the time of "Tiaragate" was that far from being denied the item from the Crown Jewels she wanted, Meghan was in fact given her first choice.

The argument erupted after the Duchess demanded that Queen Mary's Diamond Bandeau Tiara be produced for an unscheduled hairdressing appointment.

"Angela told Harry it was priceless and couldn't suddenly be handed over at short notice. He was furious and shouted: 'What Meghan wants, Meghan gets.' Suffice to say it didn't go down too well." So badly, in fact, that the no-nonsense 53-year-old, who has her own fearsome reputation among colleagues, reported the incident to the Queen, prompting a grandmotherly telling off for Harry.

Little did the Prince know at the time that staff had also given him a nickname: "The hostage".

According to one person with first-hand knowledge of the events: "They insisted that they had the same inflation-adjusted budget for the wedding as William and Kate – she got the choir she wanted, the dress, the carriage procession, the tiara – she got everything she wanted but it still wasn't enough.

"She was constantly looking for reasons to say she had been deprived. Also, she wanted drama from the very beginning."

Although the couple wanted their spokespeople to deny it, a story about Meghan requesting air freshener to be sprayed around the "musty" St George's Chapel was true, according to multiple sources.

Even The Kingdom Choir did not get off lightly after the couple changed their song 12 times before they were happy with the arrangement of "Stand By Me". As choir member Karen Gibson revealed: "Gospel music is all about the cherries on top and it's not about stinting on anything. But we got word back that they wanted something a little less, so we did a second version which had an Etta James arrangement but again we had word back that it wasn't right."

The group was then asked to meet Harry and Meghan face to face, before the couple finally settled on an arrangement after 11 previous attempts.

"The wedding was hugely stressful for everyone involved in it," said one former aide. "Staff were spending most of their time having smooth things over with suppliers."

Tears before the big day

The "Markle Debacle", when Meghan's father Thomas pulled out of the wedding at the last minute, only added to the tension as royal aides scrambled to "rescue" the narrative around the "big day" by having the Prince of Wales step in to walk Meghan down the aisle.

Despite Meghan later claiming to ITV's Tom Bradby that "not many people have asked if I'm ok", royal insiders insist they "rallied around" the couple – who were both in tears at times.

The Most Rev Justin Welby, the Archbishop of Canterbury, who officiated the ceremony, is also understood to have given "psychological as well as spiritual" support. The principle leader of the Church of England caused hilarity among his staff by failing to recognise Ms Winfrey at the lunchtime reception at Windsor Castle, asking the US chat show host what she did for a living.

By the time the couple had returned from their honeymoon, relations between the Sussexes, the Cambridges and their staff became so bad that Harry and Meghan appeared reluctant to engage with anyone at the June 2018 leaving party for Miguel Head, William's former private secretary.

According to two separate sources, the couple "remained aloof" throughout the bash in the private garden at Kensington Palace. "It was a really convivial atmosphere with William giving a touching speech about Mig, but Harry and Meghan just remained on the outskirts and didn't mingle with anyone. They were the last to arrive and the first to leave."

Eyebrows were similarly raised when, having shared the news of her pregnancy at the Champagne reception following Princess Eugenie's wedding to Jack Brooksbank in October 2018, Meghan declined to attend the evening do. The bride was said to have been "upset" that Harry only "popped along for a drink without Meghan" – although they were due to fly to Australia for their first Commonwealth tour the day after.

During the 16-day tour, which also took in Fiji, Tonga and New Zealand, the couple appeared reluctant to engage with the press. Although Harry managed to be persuaded at one point to speak to reporters at the back of the plane, he told them: "Thanks for coming, even though you weren't invited."

Bullying claims emerge

On the same trip, it was claimed that Meghan had cut short a visit to a market in Fiji because she was concerned about the presence of a UN organisation promoting women, with which she had previously worked but now was no longer associated.

At the time, officials suggested that it was because it was humid and the crowd was oppressive in the market. After Meghan had been ushered away, a female member of her entourage was spotted sitting in an official car, looking extremely upset. Meghan's female personal protection officer left her post shortly afterwards.

Lawyers for the Duchess said she met other leaders from UN Women later on the tour and denied she left for the reason alleged.

Although Mr Knauf had not gone on the tour, he is thought to have been "deeply concerned" by reports of the couple's behaviour overseas.

"There was a sense that they were just refusing to take advice, and insisting on doing everything their way," said one royal source. "No one, from the most senior to the most junior employee, wasn't under constant attack," said another.

Matters came to a head in October 2018 following the departure of a second member of the Duchess's private office.

Mr Knauf emailed Simon Case, then William's private secretary and now the Cabinet Secretary, after conversations with Samantha Carruthers, the head of HR. Mr Case then forwarded it to Ms Carruthers, who is based at Clarence House.

The email read: "I am very concerned that the Duchess was able to bully two PAs out of the household in the past year. The treatment of X* was totally unacceptable. The Duchess seems intent on always having someone in her sights. She is bullying Y and seeking to undermine her confidence. We have had report after report from people who have witnessed unacceptable behaviour towards Y."

The email, which also expressed concern about the stress being experienced by Samantha Cohen, the couple's private secretary, concluded: "I questioned if the household's policy on harassment and bullying applies to principals."

While Mr Case was "very personally supportive" of the individual members of staff, Mr Knauf expressed his concern in the email that "nothing will be done". The palace is now holding an investigation, having been criticised for failing to act sooner.

It was not until a month later that it was reported that Melissa Toubati, the Duchess's former PA, had "quit suddenly", just six months into the job. The following month, it was announced that Ms Cohen would not stay in post after the Sussexes' baby was born.

The couple were apparently "furious" about reports of their high staff turnover, piling more pressure on their PR team to "try to turn negative headlines into positive ones".

According to one former employee: "What people fail to understand is Harry's hatred of the media is probably one of the most important things in his life. It is defining for him. So the narrative is always – it’s the press's fault, never theirs."

That Christmas, the Sussexes were once again photographed alongside the Cambridges on Dec 25 but opted to stay with the Queen at the "main house" rather than Anmer Hall.

It came after an awkward staff Christmas party in which "all mention of Melissa's name was banned", according to one royal insider. "It was as if she never existed." Some employees found it hard to reconcile the couple's erratic conduct with moments of genuine kindness, such as when Meghan would buy female staff members flowers or even jewellery.

Relations break down

By the New Year, relations within Kensington Palace had "irretrievably broken down," with Prince Harry no longer on speaking terms with Mr Knauf after he had failed to persuade him to drop the complaint against his wife. The Sussexes' lawyers deny any such conversation took place.

Sources close to the couple say Ms Toubati, who was asked to sign a non-disclosure agreement, was sacked for misconduct, pointing out neither staff member made complaints of their own to HR. Ms Toubati's friends deny she was sacked for misconduct.

With Harry and Meghan already operating in a silo – and increasingly consulting the Duchess's US team of advisers rather than palace officials – a split of the two households at Kensington Palace appeared an inevitability.

It was around the time that the couple moved to Frogmore Cottage in Windsor in March 2019 that Amy Pickerill became the third of the Duchess's staff to leave her role, having served as her assistant private secretary since November 2017.

Mr Knauf also stepped down to work as senior adviser to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. He is now chief executive of the Cambridges' Royal Foundation. Friends say he "bitterly regrets" not warning Sara Latham, who was appointed as the Sussexes' director of communications in April 2019, how difficult working for the couple could be.

The American PR supremo, who used to advise the Clintons, quickly worked this out for herself when the couple insisted on secrecy around son Archie's birth on May 6, while trying to maximise global coverage.

Around the same time it was falsely claimed that the Duchess had been prevented from doing an interview with CBS anchor Gayle King, Ms Winfrey's close friend. In fact, insiders say "the Duchess was calling shots throughout."

It came after Meghan had attended a high-profile baby shower in New York with Serena Williams and Amal Clooney, without being accompanied by any palace press officers. Concerns were raised behind palace gates when freebies started arriving at New York's Mark Hotel, causing consternation for staff back in the UK having to wrestle with the Royal family's strict rules on gifting.

Having courted controversy throughout the summer of 2019 for snubbing the Queen's invitation to Balmoral and taking four private jets in 11 days instead, relations with the media were at rock bottom at the start of the Sussexes' September tour to Africa.

Royal aides were then left dumbfounded when what had been a surprisingly successful 10-day trip with Archie was overshadowed by Meghan's interview with Mr Bradby, in which she revealed the "struggles" she had faced adapting to life in the Royal family.

Duke's fears for wife

It came as Harry released an attack on the tabloid press as the couple announced they would be suing the Mail on Sunday over the publication of a letter Meghan had written to her father.

In a highly personal and scathing statement, Harry said some newspapers had "vilified her almost daily for the past nine months" and claimed they had published "lie after lie" at Meghan's expense simply because she was out of public view on maternity leave.

Referencing his mother Diana, Princess of Wales, who died in a car crash in Paris while being pursued by the paparazzi, the Duke said: "Though this action may not be the safe one, it is the right one. Because my deepest fear is history repeating itself. I lost my mother and now I watch my wife falling victim to the same powerful forces."

The interview set the tone for their January 2020 announcement that they would be "stepping back as senior royals" to become "financially independent".

As the world gathers to watch the most highly anticipated royal television event since Diana's Panorama interview in 1995, it will be left to the viewers to decide which version of history represents the truth.

8 notes · View notes

fortheheavenssake · 5 years ago

Text

MM Anon 5

Dec 1

MM ANON, I’m watching series 1 of the crown, BRILLIANTLY WRITTEN AND EDITED. The filming is so accurate and attention to detail. I remember Norman Hartnell designing the Queens wardrobe for the commonwealth tour. My mother was a dress-maker so I watched everything she watched. Methinks the Queen had something to do with this because it’s so accurate. Reason, she’s 92 ‘ what a visual legacy. I can imagine her throwing a ashtray at Philip, and HIS secret dalliances. EPIC!!

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Dec 1

MM ANON ……… the king in waiting ……… “Mmmmm , not many diversions left”……… in need of some TLC. ……… financial scrutiny ……… financial mutiny !!! ………… “ Don’t piss down my back and tell me it’s raining!!!!!!”………… “Catherine ‘ it’s HM” ……… “ Catherine, I want your discretion”………… “ it would be my privilege ma’am”……… “ That’s a tough one, old thing” ……… “she can do it!! “…… “makes you proud old thing, he looks the part” ……… “backseat ,a Philip?” ………… “ dot The Is…………”

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Dec 2

MM ANON … “when we are born, we cry , that we are come”…… “your RH. that’s why you didn’t go” ……… “Four” ……… ahhhhhrrr , I hate mornings!! ……… “give a dog a bone …” ………… “ yes , we’re all watching it! It’s very addictive “ ……… “ How the f***did they know that!!!”………… “ I told them Philip!!” ……… “bloody snoops” …… At the last count sir , all was Ticketyboo.

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Dec 3

MM ANON ……… “Darling’ please pass the Wrinkle cream” ………”she’s on this blog I read”💜……… “ we’ve been invited to the Boxing Day shoot” …… WoW ‘ that’s a beautiful photo Kate …… “he’s to young ‘ good grief William!!”…… ‘This cobra has no fangs ……… “The service, maybe bring C&G.” ……… “ The spring diary ma’am’ was thinking they could do The America’s and Canada” ……… “ the Children too”…… “what say you Philip?” …… “indubitable , old thing” …… “ Settled!!”……” Sidney’ more refreshments”

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Dec 4

MM ANON ……… lovers not-on or emerald??…… Alexander McQueen green machine??……… Clean sweep!!!……………Trump wants his ball back…… Banquetiquette ……… “ One has to watch the hot mike Donald!!”……… Meanwhile’ crying in a corner……” a clash of Wills”……… “come on old thing,tell me all the gossip”………” Sydney ‘ gin and Du……” “ Ones a tad exhausted “…… “ you looked stunning Catherine “……… “yes ‘ I saw your killer 👀side eye “…… 👑👑💕💕And so to bed Zebedee!!……… “ Lottie ‘turn your pad off!!”…George’ sleep!!

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Dec 5

MM ANON …… “ no, not the service”……… Strip and rip…… IRSt in peace……” I think you’ll find it best ma’am”…… “ exactly ‘ peace and quiet”…… Distant thunder ……… “On Her Majesty’s secret service”…… No!! Not the whole enchilada………… The dossier, almost complete!!…… “Yes!! It certainly is personal”……… “she lived by the sor-did…… “gather thee rosebuds …………”…… “ not a word,old boy”. ……… “ Mmmm, unfortunate name for a club”……… “a sticky wicket,what!

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Dec 6

MM ANON … BREAKING NEWS ……… ‘ PGs WRINKLE CREAM FAILED MEGHAN-MARKLE AFTER EXHAUSTING APPLICATIONS. 😱😱😱😱 . Beautician suggests plastic surgery, no hope on skin care ……… laser treatment doesn’t cure problem. 🤣🤣🤣

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Dec 6

MM ANON …… megbots in crisis …… megs spotted on ISS…… megs searchers internet for archificial upgrade …… megs still breastfeeding …… frogcott staff witness meg and Harry in screaming row 😱……… meg accused of bugging KP……… meg and archbishop in risqué photo shoot …… Archbishop denies clergy gossip …… meg ,VF interview ‘ I hate my chicken legs ‘…… Harry in GQ interview, I want a divorce ‘…… GQ, shock ‘horror, Harry’s OK’…… meg pens, ‘confessions of my yachting years’. … $20 million advance.

Thank you MM Anon😊❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

MM ANON, todays post is a light hearted look at the relationship between M&H. ……… to all who interprets, my sincere apologies. 🤣🤣🤣 KEEP CALM AND MEGXIT.

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Dec 6

MM ANON 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻Prayers for victims of shooting at navy base in Florida. 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻 God grant the serenity to accept the things you cannot change. God bless the families involved. 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻

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Dec 6

MM ANON …… Muffin the mule…… looby loo & Andy pandy …… 95 , time!!…… “no’ not chaz”’……… “ I’m Meghan Markle and I indorse this massage” ……” An American Christmas card”…… betrayal in B&W……… “ it’s HMTQ your talking about!!!”…… “ tell her to PO ‘ it’s the Boxing Day shoot”……… 🎼I’m dreaming of a right Christmas 🎼…… a shortie but goody.

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Dec 6

MM ANON …💜💜💜💜💜💜💜🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻💜💜💜💜💜💜💜DEAR SKIPPY, WE HAVE EARTH ANGELS IN OUR HUMBLE MIST. GIANTS OF FORTITUDE, GODS OF DIVINITY AND LOVERS OF QUIET HUMILITY , TO ALL WHO WALK THE ROAD LESS TRAVELED WE ARE BLESSED BY YOUR AURA OF PROTECTION AND LOVE.

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Dec 7

MM ANON …… subpoenaed to swim uphill…… “withdrawal with notoriety”……… “pony!! “ she has no fear Catherine”……… “wherever did she get this wilfulness ?…… YOU!!!!…… “Philip will help me write it!!”……… “caution ma’am”……… “no colourful language”…… “ are you pensive LG”…… “frighteningly apprehensive ma’am”…… “I trust my subjects”………”one communicates with Netflix” ………”OMG😱😱”……”The Diana Years”……” it’s confidential LG!!”

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Dec 8

MM ANON …… not an engaging situation …… my LITTLE pony……… WOC-less……… We’re just mild about Harry …… a charitable laundromat ……… expenses,expenses ………”it’s a Multi million business, trim it”…… hangers OFF!!……… ‘‘twas the night before Christmas”……… a conservative Royalist ……… 12th night ……… morning sic -ness……… “ say goodnight Gracie.

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Dec 9

MM ANON ……… Re-Hab-itual behaviour ……” Gone In sixty seconds”…… ( six weeks?) ……… no sight, sound or visual,no optics???? …… old photos, photo shops and disinformation!!……… “ there OK, ma’am!!”…… “ones duty is, keep muddying the waters”…… The Peoples Princess, WHAT!!! ……… “capitalise on it ma’am”…… “AMERICA”…… “are you a gambling man LG?”……… “ only on absolutes”…… Charlotte’s wish-list Web 🤣🐴🦄🎼💕……… “what’s that racket basil”… “It’s Brahms, Brahms 4th racket”🤣🤣🤣🤣

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Dec 9

MM ANON, Dearest skippy, your blog is a cutting-edge example of investigative information and in depth research by your helpers. This community YOU have created is visited by world tabloids , broadsheets and cable TV. Some even associate royalty and the establishment. How many times “ RIGHT HERE,RIGHT NOW!!” has the SKIPPY 20. been spot on. EPIC POSTING,EPIC INVESTIGATIVE DIGGING. ‘JUST EPIC!! BRAVA SKIPPY.

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Dec 10

MM ANON, Soooooo, Nutmeg … The merchandisers whore, has been reprimanded after 2 years of pimping out anything she wears for financial gain …… NO OTHER MEMBER OF THE FIRM DOES THIS, the salacious saleswhore and professional grifter has soiled the monarchy enough!! “ listening H !!! ‘ the public see right through this obnoxious interloper, the gathering of unhappy people are testimony to this couples blatant disregard of royal prerogative. This nonentity must go. ⚖️⚖️⚖️⚖️Justice must prevail.

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Dec 10

MM ANON …… Predictions Guaranteed …… W&K increases commitment …… 🎼”no other love have i”🎼……… mummy serves a Christmas ace……4-0-tee-love…… advantage HMTQ …… nutmeg, FAULT!! …… DOUBLE FAULT!!…… Game, Set and scratch🤣🤣🤣…… “ these are actors,as I foretold you “………” thar’s gold in them thar Hills”………… 🎼”HOLLYWOOOOOOOD”🎼……… “An exit strategy LG.”……🎄 seasonal Sandringham🎄…… “I WANT A POOOOOOOOONY” ,please.🎅🎅😘😘😘………… “ ask your father!!……… ask your mother!! ……… ask Gan Gan. !!😂😂😂

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Dec 10

MM ANON, The first with the most news breaking!!!! The DOC is with child. PG said back in Nov. did I give a clue????? Can’t remember what yesterday’s riddle was 🤣🤣🤣🤣 I’m a mess of jumbled messages,and perhaps a little nuts. RIGHT HERE RIGHT NOW. speculation of course.

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MM ANON! ……… TRIBUTE TO TRUTH!! 💜💜💜💜 SALUTATIONS PG. TO SKIPPY AND THE BLOG COMMUNITY OF DEDICATED CONTRIBUTORS AND HELPERS. FOR HMTQ AND GBHMTQAOGC. TO THE curious who visit skippy, royal family,establishment and aristocracy. Thank you for your support. even the intellectually challenged misguided sugars who visit the bloggers blog. SALUTATIONS ALL. the truth will out. 💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜

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Dec 10

MM ANON , re-Full work mode. Don’t loose track of the fact that this full on grifting colonial carpetbagger has Sunshine Sucks!! It’s a desperate juggernaut of spin , lies and everything in between. That’s why they call it “pubic relations.” ……… just think ‘ sex lies and video tapes. So PLEEEEEEZ. take this bull$h!t with a pinch of salt. Nutmeg lives and dies swimming in PR turds. It’s the nature of that particular beast. It’s simple physics, shit floats to the surface. 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

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Dec 10

MM ANON …… Dear anon, a big juicy revaluation?????? Well dear friend,I give what ,and all information I’m given by my esteemed sources. Those sources are well under the establishment radar. Total anonymity,TOTAL!!! The wonderful information is sometimes current,sometimes elaborate and embellished sometimes “spot on!!!” So’ I’ll continue to inform and enlighten as is my want and skippy’s indulgence. GBHMTQAOGC

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Dec 10

MM ANON. , dear hearts , The loneliness of the long distance grifter, the isolation and contempt of the family “ she never had” and desertion of former associates in crime are deserting her in proverbial droves. The lifetime gravy boat she contemplated has listed ,and is rapidly sinking beneath the sea of turds she created for her self centred indulgence. This is our observation and her reality. NB. There is video evidence of her “ habits” from the , “ good old snorting days”. Allegedly!! 🤣🤣🤣

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Dec 10

MM ANON, Trolls have one positive point, they validate the existence of those they resent , they justify that resentment by insults and jibes infantile name calling and illiterate smears. Trolls are degenerate operatives of fallen social climbers,those sad creatures of the ones who once tolerated them but now have nothing left but contempt. Nutmeg is such a creature, an abysmal product of her own greed and failed dreams. How the might have ,have fallen. 🤣🤣🤣

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Dec 11

MM ANON, The anomaly that reportedly exists called archificial is a mystery of unfathomable proportions. The vision of it at the Tutu audience is somewhat baffling, nutmegs obvious unease and awkward stance when trying to hold the poor child,who reaches for… somebody it knows. The whole situation has never been experienced within a minor Royal situation. Nutmeg & Harry are causing ripples 🤣🤣🤣🤣😂😂😂😂🤣🤣🤣🤣’ will the Christmas card explain more?????? Curiosity awaits!!!!

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Dec 11

MM ANON ………🎼 jingle smells, jingle smells 🎼……… 🎼” I’m dreaming of a POC Christmas”🎼…… “ no Christmas chemicals or alcohol in re-hab”……… “ on a whiter note”…… “ come on Lottie ‘ aunties found a little pony” …… “ So !!! You caved darling.”…… “well ‘ it’s Christmas!!”……… “not turkey ‘ Dover sole!!”… “ but it’s tradition Philip”……“ f**** tradition !!”…… “I’ll inform Sydney”…… “are you going to announce it old thing?”…… ANOTHER COUNTRY … “He’s a brilliant speech writer” …… “you’ll bloody need it

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Dec 11

MM ANON, 🎼she wore blueeeeeeeee velvet 🎼 and the lovers knot,and HMTQ In emeralds

Ok you all! These are hints she gave us….now let’s match to the riddles…..and of note…..she kept talking about the Emeralds….we presumed Kate……she never said Kate…..❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

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Dec 12

MM ANON ………emeralds should do the trick …… they certainly did…… W&K the lovers knot ………💍 a ring (Rock) of ages…… No Sin-ders you WON’T go to the ball😂😂……… 🎼”re-hab’ I said ,know know know!!!”🎼…… “ we ALL KNOW nutmeg!!”…… “GOD’ she’s in all the papers Philip”…… “ I see, she’s beautiful old thing”…… “she shines Philip”……… Wanta Konta and Kate🎾🎾…… Boris the spider…… “ doesn’t matter who you vote for, the government get in !!”…… sneezing ponytails 🐴🐴

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Dec 12

MM ANON, …… Princess Margaret’s Limerick at President Lyndon Johnson’s dinner party ‘ I quote … “ there was a young lady from Dallas, … Who used dynamite as a phallus,… blowing her tits to bits , Her vagina to China ,and her @sehole to Buckingham Palace. …… forgive the colourful language, but it is funny. 😂😂😂😂😂

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Dec 12

MM ANON , We all remember Fergie and the toe sucking/ pool screwing photos so for her to aligned herself with nutmeg is probably a “ girl’s of a feather “ both are ageing slappers , and who in God’s dear sweet world takes Sarah bloody Ferguson seriously , really REALLY !!! She’s always been an embarrassment to the firm , hated by PP and PC/Camilla PA. so it’s all a smoking mirrors BS-fest. And her association with Epstein, ……… give me a break!!!!!

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Dec 12 - Election Day, UK

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Dec 12

MM ANON, WELL ‘WELL ‘WELL …… nutmeg is apoplectic in re-hab after this mornings papers are FULL of photos of The fragrant Kate and HMTQ in Vlad & lovers knot tiaras. Her sugars are like Lemmings jumping of off Beachy Head 😂😂🤣🤣 and Fergie facedump is identifying with the old slapper because they both caught shagging by the poolside. 😂😂😂. EPIC

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Dec 13

MM ANON …… Cor’ bin a long night!!…… “ Darling ‘ it’s an allagee-gee” ……” majori-ty and crumpets ma’am”…… “ “That’s all ,I’m orf to Sandringham”……… George&Kate set and match…”that’s it Lottie ‘ walk on !!”…… “ I did it auntie Zara”…… “ Ducks in a row then Netty?”……… “Nurse!! What’s the bleeding time”?…… A little procedure!!…… “ the lids screwed down ma’am”……… “ones writing ones screech”…… “he’s coming Philip!!” …… “backlash old thing?”………… “it’s a Norwegian Blue Philip 😂😂”

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Dec 13

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Dec 13

MM ANON, NEVER A LONELY CHRISTMAS 🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄Dear hearts , never will the soul that is Skippy abandon you this Christmas ,or her community of spiritual warriors, there love is endless, this is the land of earths angels 👼 and animal amazements. Join the fellowship of friends and hugs. God bless you all ,thank you Dearest skippy, no lonely soul this Christmas. 💜💜💜❤️❤️❤️💚💚💚

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Dec 14

MM ANON ……… Blueeeeeeee velvet …… pop pop Poppins ……… she met Mary ………” Mmmmmm , a bit sneeeeezy”……… “ we’ll go and get something really silly for her” …… it’s not a phone, it’s a MPC…… “ it’s all very Cloak & dagger”…… “ Catherine, I’m deadly serious!!”……… “meals on bloody wheels!! piss orf”……… Shut down everything!! ………… “A new broom,old thing”…………… “ well, ones not amused “………… “I’ll inform Sydney”……… From Cromer!!……… “Cromer???”

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Dec 15

MM ANON, sidebar’ thank you skippy,my favourite colour ROYAL BLUE / INDIGO mix. or blue velvet ‘ a joy. as you inform all the community in a couple of weeks we won’t remember anything else. I have a question dear heart ❣,are you broadcasting over Christmas 🎄 ? My Christmas is spent with a few friends of likeminded opinions. Belgravia is alive and festive. We shall wander into Chelsea to people watch and mull the wine and mince the tarts. Looking forward to wishing all a healthy Christmas 🎄.

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Dec 15

MM ANON ………… 🎼” give a little, take a little”🎼…… “Mary, Mary, quite …………”……FBI , (under the stones)……… “ very succinct old thing”…… “ blunt’ Philip!”……… “its a beautiful yacht ma’am” ………… “ I fear 20, more than 19” ………TO THE VICTOR……”………… a little late dear friend ……… WHITEHALL NOW!! …… only one came ……… IF , dear boy IF”……… “ you were only supposed to blow the bloody doors off”

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Dec 16

ANON, OMG’ something every royal father and mother dread…… “ can’t we take them back to our house, it’s HUGE!!” ( homeless inquiry’s by G&C. ) it’s like “ what’s electrickery” …… or “ why is the sky blue?”… so , Catherine’s response, “ I’ll ask Gan, Gan darling, maybe they’ll find a safe space for them ……… “ I know mummy, they could all live in Gan gans house” 😒😒😒😒 side eyes to William, William changes subject to pony’s and tennis.

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Dec 16

MM ANON, Sooooo’ Nutmeg And himself won’t be At Wednesday’s Turkey nosh at BP ,Mmmmm , no surprise there Ma’am. The insolent obnoxious self indulgent hoe and her now husband see’s it fitting to snub the invitation. Truth be known everyone is waving flags that she’s staying with her Calipornia besties , if they exist?? The anomaly in this puzzle, no comment from himself?? WHY? One would expect one to” come clean” and stop the speculation, strangely strange!!! On the fence? What’s happening?

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Dec 16

MM ANON, praises, salutations, respect, recognition, I stand in awe of the interpretations that anons gracefully post when sifting through the mine field of riddles. It’s an almost psychic melt of another’s thinking 💭 🤔 THANK YOU DEAR ANONS , AND MAY YOU CONTINUE INTO 2020 WITH TENACIOUS DILIGENCE AND APTITUDE. 💜💚❤️

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Dec 17

MM ANON , There used to be British comedy called Kevin and Perry…… two obnoxious teenagers, Kevin always used the argument “ it’s soooooo unfair!!” , this reminds me of that self pitying tw** nutmeg crying over perception of her importance!!! HOW CAN SOMEONE WHO IS IRRELEVANT BE IMPORTANT ???? THEIR PR IS IN OVERDRIVE DESPERATELY SEEKING EXPOSURE AND DEAR K&W IS KNOCKING THEM BACK EVERY DAY. nutmeg hiding in a cubicle screaming and kicking “ it’s sooo unfair” 🤣🤣🤣

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Dec 17

MM ANON , Methinks anon may be on the right track. Nutmegs Christmas card will be something that flips the bird at the establishment. Giving the middle finger to the royal family and her critics, bet whatever it is it won’t be subtle. The vacuous tart is resentful and insecure so she’ll be out to insult and justify her existence , although we all know it’s irrelevant, expect the unexpected. Tutu, B&W , archificial playing football, tits and bums , expect anything and everything

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Dec 17

MM ANON, A very Mary Christmas,has knocked the irrelevant one from the tabloids and broadsheets. W&K are right,left and centre of ALL stories today. What seems to be obvious is that William and Kate come across as relatable and normal, unlike the portentous and phoney nutmegs. Forgive my observation ,himself looks like he’s shot himself in both feet, all the stroking,touching claw holding, is sickening to observe. You could have fooled me he’s not with her. BUT!!! we’ll see at Sandringham.

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Dec 17

MM ANON …… The Christmas Royal choreography ……… Homeless hope……… “not just for Christmas”…… quiet compassions ……… Brits rage at nutmeg……… “ it’s Harry Jim,But not as we knew him”……… “ what’s the answer Spock?”……… EST…… “ eat your vegetables!!”……… “ but mummy, that’s sooooo unfair” ……… “no veg, no pony!!”……… “well from a PR standpoint, it’s an annual thing now”………… “ front and centre ma’am”……… “quite agree!!” ……… “Philip ??” ……… “people identify old thing”……… “ The Sandringham songbirds”

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Dec 18

MM ANON, Today The HMTQ will retire to the warming confines Of Sandringham. Reunited with PP and relaxing evenings in front of a real log fire 🔥. Sydney will be on call to deliver copious amounts of ones favourite tipple. Writing her speech and watching back episodes of Downton Abbey. Occasionally taking trips around the vast estate in the royal Land Rover. A relaxing few days before the tribe descend on them for the festivities 🥳. CHRISTMAS CARDS PLEASE !!!!

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Dec 18

MM ANON …… we are in the age of fast transport. Depending on what mode of royal conveyance Sandringham is one hour from London. ( to anon stuck in the 18th century). A cool Yule to all anons 🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄

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Dec 18

MM ANON ……… 🎼tis’ the season’ ……… 🎼……… “Tighter than ones ducks @ss under water ma’am”…… “indubitably LG, send the letters!!”……… “ Netty has it stitched!!”……… I think they were spotted on Elba……… someone saw them in Calvi ……… “Hmmmm, the historical significance doesn’t escape me”……… “ what say you Philip?”……” who gives a sh**, fancy a drinky?

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Dec 18

Anonymous asked:

MM ANON, The dynamic trio’ GC&L , these three children are about to embark on their life adventure, and yes’ I can see them taking over the world, first George, moulded by and coached by his father he will be diplomatic and educated in high tech and security of the family ,think oxford illuminati crossed with Bond. He will grow into a handsome man , followed and pursued by bright well educated beautiful women. He’ll be guided by his parents on who is a suitable girl friend, there will be many.

skippyv20 answered:

Oh yes indeed! Thank you😊❤️❤️❤️❤️

skippyv20

MM ANON / Part 2, Charlotte, Now this young woman to be will become the conflict within herself, opinionated and self willed she will be a laser focused neutral beauty of formidable character, mindful of her station she will develop compassion and empathy with her loving public, this will be a PRINCESS OF AND FOR THE PEOPLE, much loved in all circles of society, willing to get down and dirty and attend diplomatic banquets on the same day. Versatile perfection and stunning looks, 👀. Look out!!

MM ANON. Part 3/ Louis, this young man to be will find himself in a singular activity, I can see him as an explorer of his chosen passion. Space will become very important in 2040. and this young man could well be a pioneer in his chosen field. There may be a conflict and he will be part of that environment. No fear this soldier of fortune, And Again a handsome man followed by swooning beautiful young ladies. He will be advised once again to choose wisely. Speculation of course.

Sounds so wonderful! Thank you😊❤️❤️❤️❤️

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Dec 19

MM ANON …… Kate’s Christmas present to nutmeg …… Wrinkle cream!!😱😱…… new year getaway W&K……The Firm views pre-recorded QS. ……… A Royal decade, the 20,20s. …�� “ up a gear ma’am”…… “ Keep calm and ostracise LG”…… 🎬it’s a wonderful life 🎬…… “ FROZEN mummy!!!”………”STAR WARS daddy!!”……… OMG ‘ it’s her Christmas card ……… “ we never received one” …… “ bloody lucky you!! “…… 🎼bye bye miss American pie🎼……… Kate’s tabloid cull…… “ what’s your 20?”

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Dec 19

MM ANON, THE CAMBRIDGE CHRISTMAS CARD. The M/ Cycle is a Triumph engine in a Rickman-Mettisse frame/ sidecar. Circa, 1955 ish’ The Duke being an ardent Biker, (photos of him sitting on a Norton Brietling at the IOM last year.) I’m sure he still goes on “race days at Brands Hatch”. Fast and safe ,all of this is testimony to a visionary CCard to show the world a relaxed and tight family unit. Unportentous and normal. It could be any family in any decade.

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Dec 19

MM ANON, Spending two thirds of your life with your legs open is a consequence of ones occupation, nutmegs stance has been an open book (legs) since we first saw her trundle into KP gardens. At every photographic opportunity she has her legs apart it’s a habit of the life she chose. ‘S’pose life transactions that include money in your hand ,smile on ones face and legs apart can only suggest what your occupation was ?? Yachting takes its toll, only speculation 🤣🤣🤣.

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Dec 20

MM ANON. BREAKING NEWS/ PP TAKEN TO KING EDWARD VII HOSPITAL IN LONDON THIS MORNING. OUR THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS🙏🏻

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Dec 20

MM ANON ………an unwelcome intrusion ……… “ and it was all going so well” …… “ sweeping the the whole bloody house!! “…… fun and games ……… C&G play charades …… Def-Con 4……… “150 million expected ma’am”…… “ my little Pony”…… mini scrambler,🏍Wow!!…… “grouse for the grown-ups”…… “dial it back ma’am?”……” what happens in Sandringham, stays in Sandringham”…… “Charles, see to the RPOs”…… “ night before Christmas,and all round the house “………… Great Expectations

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Dec 21

MM ANON ……… “ it’s a tad cautionary ma’am”……… visiting hours only!!! ……… “ no bloody fuss, piss off” ……… “ and SYDNEY!! no drinks !!!”……… she’s here until January …… Diplomatic immunity…… one way in, one way out!!……… Full cover’ face recognition and sleeper van. ……… “ 🎼the kids are alright!!👀🎼”……… “ to start with’ it’s a 50cc Yam.”……… “ a pony has more torque” ……… “stop worrying Catherine!!”…… “It’s His Decision”……… “ I’ll meet, just say when!! “.

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Dec 22

MM ANON ……… George in the mix. …… a royal blackout …… pensive at the Forth Bridge …… “ Royal Bostic sir”…… “ unity ma’am!!”……… Done and Dusted ……… No Card???……… Christmas IG word salad and virtue massage …… …… rapidly dissolving PR……… “ when in doubt use mental health” ……… “we need a distraction ma’am”……… it’s a win, win !!……… “that’s a silly jumper William”

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Dec 24

MM ANON …… yesterday’s riddle?? ……… Christmas Eve prayer’s …… 2.09 pm in England …… not on my watch. ………… Father Christmas 🎄 comes to Sandringham …… nutmegs not here 🥳🥳🥳🥳🥳…… Mike incognito ……… Lost in Space ………” Yes , but dress them warm”. ……… A long wait for the faithful …… everyone is vetted and counted. …… it begins for little royals……” Andrew!!!”…… “Bloody hell’ I’m here you know!!” ……… “Ahhhh, Lobster 🦞 Bisque!!” ……… “Overtired!!”

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Dec 25

MM ANON …… Security , at church service is stitched up like a kipper. RPO is unobtrusive but very present. Notice HMTQ never left alone, always surrounded. GBHMTQAOGC

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Dec 25

MM ANON …… Lottie kills it with pink flamingo … 🥳🥳absent madam🥳…absentee ginger …… K&W now it’s a new monarchy!! …… happy Christmas to all our readers …… UK migrant terrorist alert …… PA on silent running …… skippy breaking news about Lottie on Christmas walk way back……… right here, right now!! ……… DM follows skippy …… dogs behind.

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Dec 25

It’s the time lag. ……… MM ANON ……… to all on the bloggers blog!! 9.26 am. At time of post. A Very special day to all , Christmas, pets , those flying, those being cuddled. Happy Christmas 🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄💜💜💜💜💜💜💜 skippy Family, 💜💜🙏🏻🙏🏻PG💜💜🙏🏻🙏🏻LK🙏🏻🙏🏻💜💜to all 🙏🏻🙏🏻💜

Thank you dear MM Anon! Merry Christmas💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜

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Dec 25

MM ANON 💜💜💜 HAPPINESS TO ALL THIS CHRISTMAS 🎄 🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄💜💜💜💜💜💜💜

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Dec 26

MM ANON ……… Morning paper!! ……… OMG………… she’s a superstar ………… “ your the one who wanted this” ………… “we’ve started a monster”……… 🎼I’m alumberjackandimOK🎼………… don’t go and tell them……… just friends!! ……… 🎼Substitute 🎼……… tumblr is a crap site……… you’ll miss me ……… stop listening to the static. ………… we need the space

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Dec 27

MM ANON …… Right here,Right now!! …………… lots of faithful followers ……… Skippy for news going into New year ……… sales of wrinkle cream skyrockets ……… Vancouver, Smancouver ………… DISINFORMATION …… “ May the force be with you “……… “ Lies, she tells, grifter she is!!”…… hiking,shmiking ……… Archificial in-samination…… happy new lies ……… PR incredulous …… Canada turns its back!!……… “ not another bloody photo!!”…… “ stupid bloody card!,”……… “ another Snifter old thing?”

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Dec 28

MM ANON ……… illusions of grandeur ………not in my Restaurant ……… Canada snubbing you. …… Britain will boo you……… LA New Years …… go to Alaska!!! ……… C&G new found fame ……… W&K , curb there enthusiasm ……… mid-wife’s helper……………United monarchy ………New Years at the Middletons. ……… “who said it.” … “he used to be more accommodating” ………… an empty £4,000,000 joke……… “ he’s not impressed” ………… “ that ship has sailed

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Dec 28

MM ANON … Many thanks for your input in 2019. Wishing you a happy new year. ❤️❤️❤️

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Dec 29

MM ANON, …… Thank you for all you diligently working on the riddles. 💜💜💜❤️❤️❤️ You are the real stars of MM ANON, you are the ones the skippetts look forward to reading. You’re there ( make it easy) day. To understand the riddles and give us the answers is a selfless action of altruism. Thank you all , especially PG and LK 💜💜💜❤️❤️❤️ God bless you all and a happy new year.

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Dec 29

MM ANON …… I have a minor task……… Due Diligence ……… 🎼And here you go again 🎼……… “ They will encounter a heavy work load”…………”it’s not impossible”………… The one thing we can’t take for granted ……… SNAKES and ladders ……… “she only comes out at night” ………… A challenging time ahead …… not their best decision ………… They have all the answers ……… The return will be difficult, if they return??………… make or break!!

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Dec 30

ANON , On New Year’s Eve Eve , we give thanks for the tribulations of 2019 because without them we couldn’t face 2020. We know what to expect, more two faced lies , action and disinformation via their PR. So expect more of the same and more of us with skippy’s help and the help of anons can plough through the coming year. Mutual support and tenacity demands our continuous vigilance. Joyous new year.

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Dec 31

MM ANON …… “ happy new year to all our readers”…… 20.20. predictions ……… MM implosion ………Keep it quite!!………G&C in the viralsphere …… K&W keep it real ……… C&C relax duties ……… The best of the best……… 🎼if your sweet heart sends a letter 🎼………🎼 keep on runnin 🎼………… lack of vision ……… “ she’s blind as a BAT”……… Times Squared…… “ ring out the old, welcome the new”

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tabloidtoc · 5 years ago

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Globe, March 30

Cover: Prince William and Princess Kate Middleton’s coronavirus nightmare

Page 2: Up Front & Personal -- Celine Dion channels Sherlock Holmes, Kaley Cuoco drinks from a liquor bottle on the set of The Flight Attendant, Dick Van Dyke

Page 3: Andrew Garfield blows his nose, Gabrielle Carteris, Alec Baldwin doing daddy duty in NYC

Page 4: Lori Loughlin and husband Mossimo Giannulli are terrified at facing tough-as-nails U.S. District Judge Nathaniel Gorton who has a history of humiliating the rich and famous and throwing the book at them

Page 5: Just weeks after whining that his divorce from Jennifer Garner was his biggest regret fast-moving Ben Affleck whisked his new leading lady Ana de Armas off to her native Havana for a romantic smoochfest, Beatles great Paul McCartney says the work of William Shakespeare hit the right note with him as a teen and inspired his songwriting, Steven Spielberg’s porn star daughter Mikaela Spielberg was arrested for domestic violence in Nashville after a scuffle with her pro-darts-player fiance Chuck Pankow

Page 6: Cover Story -- Prince William and Duchess Kate’s kids in virus quarantine -- fears for Prince George and Prince Louis and Princess Charlotte after classmates were exposed to coronavirus -- the children’s weekly playdates with Queen Elizabeth canceled

Page 8: Shark Tank investing star Daymond John had some good news concerning the coronavirus -- he predicts it will spawn a bunch of babies, coronavirus is wrecking the image of the popular Mexican beer Corona

Page 9: Katie Couric wasn’t going to isolate herself even after talking with a friend who is positive with coronavirus but she was persuaded by concerned fans, televangelist and convicted fraudster Jim Bakker is in legal hot water again for trying to dupe disease-fearing followers into coughing up $125 for a baloney coronavirus cure

Page 10: Caitlyn Jenner was snared taking $25,000 to appear at a charity event, Harvey Weinstein suffered a brain injury when he fell and banged his head in New York’s scary Rikers Island slammer

Page 11: Justin Bieber plunged into an intense mind-and-body cleanse that’s so extreme he literally stinks and has worried wife Hailey Baldwin and loved ones fearing he’s gone too far, Dolly Parton has a sexy treat for her fans for her upcoming 75th birthday -- she plans to post for Playboy again

Page 12: Celebrity Buzz -- Michael Douglas at a film festival in Colombia, Post Malone is now baring his soul about the heartbreaking reason he masks his face in ink -- he thinks he’s ugly, Nicolas Cage gave new girlfriend Riko Shibata a tour of his final resting place -- the nine-foot-tall pyramid tomb he bought in New Orleans’ oldest cemetery, first-time mom Ashley Graham changed infant son Isaac’s poopy diaper on the floor right in the middle of a Staples store aisle, Nikki Bella in sixth grade was so mad at her sister Brie Bella she cut off all her pubic hair and sprinkled it in her sheets, Harrison Ford’s latest film The Call of the Wild is expected to lose $50 million at the box office

Page 13: Ailing Genesis rocker Phil Collins shuffles on the street in London ahead of the band’s reunion tour, fresh off her face-lift Abby Lee Miller in a wheelchair in West Hollywood, Alanis Morissette goes acoustic in London for her Jagged Little Pill 25th anniversary tour

Page 14: Ireland Baldwin says fans can find nude photos of her all over the web, Jason Biggs admits he has a dad bod and wears gut-hugging shapewear under his clothes, Fashion Verdict -- Martha Plimpton 1/10, Evan Rachel Wood 9/10, Kristin Cavallari 8/10, Mare Winningham 4/10

Page 16: Caroline Kennedy is locked in a desperate fight with an agonizing incurable disease that’s left her barely able to walk

Page 17: President John F. Kennedy wrote “I got into the blondes” on one of the 98 pages of notes he jotted on a legal pad after losing his voice to laryngitis during his winning 1960 run, Nicki Minaj could be visiting her husband Kenneth Petty in prison for the next 10 years because he was busted for failing to register as a sex offender after moving in with her in California

Page 19: 10 Things You Don’t Know About James Norton, Billy Crystal has a racy formula for the success of his 50-year union with wife Janice -- he’s insatiable, Kobe Bryant’s grieving widow Vanessa Bryant is demanding the harshest possible discipline for sheriff’s deputies who allegedly shared gruesome photos of the January 26 helicopter crash that killed Kobe and his daughter

Page 20: True Crime

Page 24: Terrified Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt endured an agonizing hospital nightmare as their young daughters Zahara and Shiloh went under the knife for critical operations

Page 25: Neil Diamond bravely burst out of a two-year retirement forced by crippling Parkinson’s disease to heroically perform a heartbreaking farewell for fans

Page 26: Health Report

Page 36: Real Life

Page 41: William Shatner’s ex-wife was ordered to pony up her part of the couple’s horse semen collection

Page 45: As a top U.S. attorney calls for him to be grilled in New York about his seedy friendship with pedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein terrified Prince Andrew has hired the former lawyer of a bloodthirsty South American dictator

Page 47: Hollywood Flashback, Bizarre But True

#tabloid #tabloid toc #grain of salt #prince william #princess kate #duchess kate #kate middleton #prince george #Princess Charlotte #prince louis #queen elizabeth #caroline kennedy #neil diamond #james norton

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deadsoojin · 6 years ago

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[ TASK 1: solo investigation ] location: château de brissac || brissac-quincé, france trigger warning: death, murder

soojin chose this particular location because of its convenience in location as she was already going on a business trip to paris, france for her father’s fashion company. it was only about a three hour drive from paris. she thought that there wouldn’t be another chance to visit such a beautiful work of architecture, so she made her decision to go there. being on a solo investigation meant that she was in charge of filming, audio and research which was a bit worrisome since she’s never done it herself. therefore, she was worried about not filming enough quality content, but hoped the group editors would be able to work with what she had. before arriving at the castle, she had given a call to book a room and asked for permission to film as a content creator during her stay. she was allowed to leave the task if things were to get too overwhelming, but she did not think that would happen. being one of the clairvoyance of the group, she’s seen enough spooks in her life and experienced more than the average. the castle was built in the 11th century and claimed to have their own resident ghost. they called their ghost, the green lady, who was a woman by the name of charlotte de brézé. charlotte was an illegitimate daughter of king charless vii and his mistress agnes sorel. she was forced in an arranged marriage with jacques de brézé. they were said to be polar opposites and did not love each other. jacques came back after hunting one night, had dinner with charlotte, and went back to his room. the couple did not share a room, probably due to their unloving relationship. in the middle of the night, a servant woke jacques to tell him that his wife was having an affair. jacques caught them red-handed and murdered the two in a rage of fit. charlotte is said to still roam the castle today, while her lover is said to have moved on. soojin took on this task to find charlotte who is said to roam the tower room of the chapel in her green dress; hence the name, the green lady.

DAY 1:

soojin arrived at the castle bright and early, checked into her room and rested a bit before she set up her camera and audio. she clipped her microphone near her chest and put everything else into order as she have seen the crew done before. the room was filled with a cozy queen bed with artwork plastered on the walls and decorations that fit the 11th century theme. she turned on the camera as muttered under her breath, “is this on...? i wished i had someone operating the camera for me.” she flipped the camera around to film herself and spoke to the camera in an anxious voice, “well, i guess you all are stuck with me for the next two days.” her visage was in an obvious state of worry, but a smile managed to break through. “so we are at château de brissac, a castle in france. it’s considered the largest one here. they claim to have a resident ghost haunting the place. she’s known as the green lady...” she took a breath before she continued explaining, “the green lady is the ghost of charlotte de brézé who was forced into an arranged marriage. how did she die? in short, she had an affair and was brutally murdered by her husband because she was caught red-handed.” usually soojin was behind the scenes and not in front of the camera, so the fact that she was required to film and carry on a conversation with the viewers was a very odd experience to her. “so i booked a tour for the afternoon; however, the tour is in english and my understanding of english is not the best, so please be patient with me.” she explained as she filmed herself walking to the meet up place. as the tour began, the brunette tried to catch the words: ‘ghost’ and ‘tower’ because that was her purpose for this trip. soojin simply nodded as the tour guide spoke as a gesture of acknowledgment. they continued to walk around the different rooms in the castle and she remembered during her research that sometimes you were able to catch the dukes of the château and their family. soojin was unable to that day, but she was able to film the inaccessible areas to the general public with the private tour. at the end of the tour, she and the group were brought to an underground tunnel. as soojin walked down, she was just imagining the endless possibilities of what could have happened down there. it was dark and extremely dimly lit. the only source of light came from the flickering lit torches attached to the walls of the tunnel. “it’s a little dark down here, so i’m not sure if you can see... but we are currently in an underground tunnel. i’m not sure what the purpose of this underground tunnel. it may have possibly been used for mining or for military purposes.” soojin explained behind the camera as her eyes darted around, noticing the spirits that were wandering around. she did not pay much attention to them because her aim was the green lady, but she still reported, “there’s actually some spirits wandering down here. i want to get a closer look at them, but our tour guide is asking us to make our way out.” she was lying. she let out a sigh of relief because the closer she got to them, the more she would be closer to experiencing their death with her ability. sometimes she could not handle how gruesome and devastating it was to see their last moments flash in front of her eyes. after the tour, she had a late lunch at the castle. she did not forget to film the food and dining area. after staying for a few days in the foreign country, she was really missing korean food. being out here alone reminded her of how alone she really was in life. even if she did have her group of people who she called her friends, in all honesty she never really felt close to them. it was all a facade. afterwards, she strolled around the castle, filming every bit and part of it. the greenery of the winter landscape was amazing. there wasn’t much around besides the few decorations they still had up from christmas and the wine tasting section, but somehow it felt warm and cozy to her. night came and she was ready to embark her adventure. mostly everyone was asleep, but she could still hear some staff cleaning and working. she had already gained permission from the people in charge and began to film from her room to the tower room. she felt a cold chill run down her spine as she left her room, but it was probably due to the window she had left opened. “okay, i am about to walk to the tower room where it is said that the green lady most frequently haunts.” soojin spoke quickly as she walked down the dimly lit hallway. soojin was not exactly scared, but the thought of encountering a foreign ghost was a bit chilling since she did not know what to expect as communication was an issue. she made her way up to the tower room and there was no sight of the green lady. she explored the room for thirty minutes, but there was no sign of the green lady or any ghosts. she filmed around the room once more before letting out a sigh, “unfortunately, it looks like we are not going to see charlotte today. i’m a bit too worn out to continue investigating.” feeling defeated, she closed the camera and went back to her room. soojin tried to get some sleep before her exploration continued the next day.

DAY 2:

early morning came as she was awoken by the moans of a spirit. soojin researched that it was said that many heard the moans of charlotte in the early mornings, but she did not expect to hear it after the defeat last night. she quickly grabbed her camera and put on a sweater before she continued to listen and follow the source. her hand was trembling as she held the camera, not because she was scared, but she had just awoken and was still in her pajamas searching for the ghost. she saw the judging eyes of the other guests and staff as she walked down the hallway, but she was too focused on wanting to find the ghost of charlotte to bother. as she got closer and closer to the source, she found herself breathing faster and harder. she was excited to finally capture some quality content. the clairvoyant took soft and slow footsteps as she made it up into the room where charlotte was brutally murdered. she took one deep breath before walking in. she saw her. it was a quick glance, but soojin saw the alleged green lady who quickly disappeared. she saw the white figure with a green dress. soojin noted that there were holes in place of her eyes and nose, which was probably a representation of what may have been injured when she was murdered by her husband. she walked out of the room, feeling a bit scared due to the unrecognizable facial structure. finally after the sudden appearance of the ghost, she managed to speak out, “i don’t know if you guys were able to see what i saw, but charlotte was right there in front of me. she didn’t exactly have a face... it was actually a little scary. i’ve seen worse, but just something about her did not seem right...” her voice trailed off as she walked back to her room, thinking about what she had just seen. soojin went back to her room, a little more delighted knowing that she shot some decent footage. she took it easy the rest of the day and filmed inside of the castle for more footage in case there wasn’t enough. the castle itself was not exactly spooky, but after seeing charlotte, she did not feel so well. she was not able to communicate with the spirit and that was what was bothering her. she wanted to help her move on and leave the castle as she had been lingering around for ages. her lover had already moved on, but charlotte was unable to. night came once again and soojin turned on her camera once again. “it’s my last chance to find charlotte and maybe communicate with her, but i’m afraid i might not be able to.” her voice trembled speaking her true thoughts. she took heavy steps up to the tower room and there she was, charlotte sitting in her green dress as if she was waiting for soojin this whole time. soojin’s heart rate escalated immediately upon seeing charlotte. her breathing became uneven. she was honestly scared, seeing how calm the spirit was. usually they would try to get her attention and demand her to do things since she was able to see them. but, charlotte was undeniably too calm. soojin was unable to speak any further to the camera. maybe charlotte wanted help? soojin took careful steps over to the lady and took one gulp before she looked into the holes that were in place of the eyes of charlotte. with one deep exhale, she moved her right hand carefully over the spirit, closed her eyes, and tried to recapture the last moments and emotions of charlotte before she passed away. soojin didn’t know why but before she knew it, hot tears welled down her cheeks. she opened her eyes and in the blink of an eye, charlotte was gone. the brunette couldn’t stop her tears from falling. her legs gave away and she fell down to the hard, cold floor. forgetting about the filming, she left the camera to the side and just continued to cry until there was nothing left to come out. her heart felt like it shattered into a million pieces, it felt too stuffy. she could not control her emotions as her hands clasped over her heart, her breathing slowly getting more and more inconsistent. instead of seeing charlotte’s last moments, she saw something she didn’t expect to see again. those memories, those ‘fabricated’ memories.

#tw: death #tw: murder #*•.¸☾ self para: soojin *•.¸☾#ghost:task

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boutiquelong · 2 years ago

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Trove books

#TROVE BOOKS SERIES#

Kate's tribute to the Queen: Princess of Wales wears Her Majesty's diamond and pearl drop earrings as she joins her husband William at Sandringham Princess of Wales reveals George 'understands the loss' of the Queen while Charlotte and Louis 'less so' - and that they're 'doing well Prince William reveals 'very difficult' Queen coffin walk brought back haunting memories of his mother Diana's funeral The thirteenth defendant will be tried in March 2021. Thirteen suspects were charged in the UK with conspiring to commit burglaries between December 2016 and April 2019, and to receive criminal property.Ĭourt proceedings are ongoing, with 12 individuals having already pleaded guilty and sentencing is due to take place over four days, beginning on September 28. 'If it wasn't for the hard work of Detective Constable David Ward and others in this Joint Investigation Team these books would have been sadly lost to the world forever.' 'These books are extremely valuable, but more importantly they are irreplaceable and are of great importance to international cultural heritage. Speaking about the most recent raid, Met Police inspector Andy Durham said: 'This recovery is a perfect end to this operation and is a demonstration of successful joint working between the Met and our European law enforcement partners in Romania and Italy - and at Europol and Eurojust. He had already been sentenced to 13 years in Romania for drug and people trafficking, and in 1989 had been sentenced to 15 years for murder. Little is known about the inner workings of the Clamparu family, but a man believed to be the boss - Ioan Clamparu, known as 'pig's head' - was jailed in Spain in 2012 for people smuggling Many of them have avoided prosecution by offending outside of the country. This group is based in the Isai region in Eastern Romania and have a history of complex, large-scale, high value thefts. Scotland Yard said the gang accused of stealing the books is linked to a number of prominent Romanian crime families who form part of the Clamparu crime group. The stolen property would then be taken out of the country by other members of the gang using different transport methods. They operated by flying members into the UK to commit the crimes, before flying them back out of the country a short time after. The Met police the Clamparu are known as specialist thieves, and were behind a string of high-value warehouse burglaries across the UK.

#TROVE BOOKS SERIES#

Police carried out a series of raids that led them to the find on Wednesday. It took the international manhunt made-up of the Met Police, the Romanian National Police and the Italian Carabinieri, along with Europol and Eurojust, more than three years to track the books down. Some of the multi-million pound collection have been deemed to be of international importance and are considered irreplaceable, police said. The name (The Trove means Khazanet in Arabic) was inspired by the great bookmaker and artist Mohieddine el-Labbad, it was his weekly article for the Arab kids in the 80's.The stash - which was due for a specialist auction before being taken - includes works by Galileo and Newton Addressing all ages, especially students and researchers, and opens its archives and shelves for those who wish to encounter this unique experience and explore its treasures.Īt this project, we aim to document the books and publications contained in the Trove and make them available in a digital database platform that facilitates research, as well as tour exhibitions, lectures, and workshops for students, designers, and artists. The Trove believes in the necessity of discovering the past and learning from its successes and failures in order to form a clear-cut ground to move through to the future. It also focuses on exploring the veterans behind this creative product from the end of the nineteenth century to the present day. The Trove is concerned with the features of the Arab bookmaking and all the crafts that revolve in its world: such as the creative content, typography, and illustrations. The Beautiful Books Trove: an archival project and a specialized library for the collecting and the studying of Arabic books and publications with an inspiring visual and cultural content.

#Trove books

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ufunktour · 2 hours ago

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#tour #walking tours operator #walking tours #uptown funk tour #uptown funk tours charlotte

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georgerealestategroup · 4 years ago

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Noah George Hendersonville Decides to Spend More Time Listening to People Realtor Needs

Noah George, a popular and experienced real estate broker, is very industriously for the betterment of real estate in Hendersonville and its vicinities. Noah George Hendersonville has sold over 1100 local properties in Western North Carolina as of today. In addition to spending most of the time working as a real estate broker, Noah likes walking down the street, listening to live outdoor music, eating foods from local restaurants, camping/hiking in the national forests and the nearby state.

Noah George Hendersonville strongly believes that honesty and transparency are the only things that bring you success. Using George Real Estate Group’s website, people can find all the real estate properties listed in North Carolina and stay posted about everything happening in the real estate industry.

Noah George is always more than read to listen to people’s queries related to real estate. He always has the best solution to cater to their needs. Whether you want to invest in a commercial property or a residential house, touching base with Noah George Hendersonville is the best thing you can do. He runs and owns a credible real estate group called George Real Estate Group to provide the residents of North Carolina the best real estate deals.

His friendly and compassionate behavior is what sets him apart from the rest. Noah George Hendersonville always never gets bored of addressing to people’s needs related to real estate in Western North Carolina. He has been running George Real Estate Group for a long time, and understands all the ins and outs of owning and selling a property. Hiring him for a smooth real estate transaction is a good idea for many of the residents in North Carolina.

As already stated above, Noah George is the founder of George Real Estate Group, a successful real estate company that is trusted by the majority of people in North Carolina. It has been operating for quite a long time. People from all over the state prefer availing their services to make a wise decision about real estate investment.

Noah’s George Real Estate Group is committed to offering masses the latest real estate listings for sale in their preferred localities. The company benefits everything involved, as it’s ideal for both buyers and sellers. Sellers can advertise their property exactly where potential investors are interested. To spread awareness about the real estate market, Noah George has started airing a radio program, which will go live every Mon 9 am on FM95.3/AM1600 or Stream Live at http://www.WTZQ.com. He also goes live on FM107.7/AM1450 every Thursday. To catch him, Stream Live at www.WHKP.com.

Noah George can be contacted for real estate needs in any of the following areas: Statesville, NC, Concord, NC, Charlotte, NC, Gastonia, NC, Indian Land, SC, Lake Lure, NC, Waynesville, NC, Maggie Valley, NC, Denver, NC, Asheville, NC, Morganton, NC, Lenoir, NC, Matthews, NC, Hendersonville, NC, Lincolnton, NC, Black Mountain, NC, Hickory, NC, Lincolnton, NC, Waxhaw, NC, Salisbury, NC, Lancaster, SC, Huntersville, NC, Brevard, NC, Fort Mill, SC, Monroe, NC, Burnsville, NC, Arden, NC, Cornelius, NC, Rock Hill, SC, and Weaverville, NC.

Since Noah George is a licensed and experienced real estate agent, you are less likely to have any issue while working with Noah George; instead, you will be fully satisfied. If this is your first time buying or selling a property in any part of North Carolina, it is highly advised that you work with a credible and experienced real estate broker like Noah George to avoid any problem involved in the buying and selling of a property. You may also visit Noah’s website dedicated to the people of North Carolina. The website brings you listings with stunning and shinning photos, 3D walkthroughs, videos, and virtual tours.

Noah George Recommends Taking Stock of the Following Points When Buying a Home

There are several things you should consider when buying a house to stay on the safe side. Here’s what Noah George recommends considering when buying a new home:

What type of lifestyle you want?

Would you like to travel or stay home? Do you use public transport? How many vehicles will you use? Do you plan to host large gatherings or host parties? How often your guests will stay over?

Answering such questions can be of big help to you in spotting the best home for you. Perhaps you need a hyperlocal, walkable, and environment-friendly urban lifestyle. Maybe you need a rural country life. Or perhaps you are looking for a low maintenance setup suiting frequent travel.

There’s no use to settle for anything less than you need. Imagine your lifestyle for both today and the years to come. This will go a long way toward helping you choose the features you would like in your home. Think of your day to day life with regard to running errands and commuting to work, and also imagine how you want to celebrate your holidays and weekends. This is how you can find the right property meeting your requirements. However, you should also look for other aspects such as a number of bathrooms, bedrooms, kitchens, and privacy.

Do you have any plans of keeping a pet?

If you’re planning to buy a house in a neighborhood that is governed by the association of homeowners, the HOA may have other restrictions beyond the town rules. Do you need some outside space to walk your pet? If you want to have uncommon pets, be sure to check the neighborhood restrictions.

Movability

There are a lot of websites available on the internet, which provide you with walk score of a property. So, you can easily check the bike ability and walkability of any property on a scale ranging from 0 to 100. Some people love their cars and want a spacious garage and roomy access to freeways. Some need greater walking potential.

Schools and Colleges

That’s a biggie if you have or plan to have kids. The presence of elementary schools is good, but having a high school in the surroundings is considered a big plus.

Source Link: https://worldtourtravels.com/noah-george-hendersonville-decides-to-spend-more-time-listening-to-people-realtor-needs/

Social Links:

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boozedancing · 7 years ago

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When Mrs. Satellite Engineer came up with Scotland as a Spring Break destination for us and the teenage daughters, my first thoughts went quickly to Islay. That idyllic island on the west coast is forever in my mind after three days there with the Single Cask Nation (SCN) boys and a few SCN members four years ago. But, alas, this was not to be a whisky trip. This was a family trip to Scotland with, maybe, a little whisky mixed in. Like a cocktail with a wee bit more spirit.

First passes through a proposed itinerary included Islay, but with limited time, it really made no sense with the big loop of driving that our route would take us on the mainland. A new, “better” itinerary sans Islay was constructed by my far better half. And upon presenting it to the daughters, it was met… with glum faces. “What about Islay?!”, they exclaimed. Or maybe whispered. I just know someone said it and was glum saying it. Could well have been me but there were no recording devices to prove it. Apparently I am listened to on rare occasion and my waxing poetic over that last few years about the little island sunk in – and paid off! Islay was back on the trip!

Day 1

After an overnight stay in a Glasgow airport hotel, we walked back to the airport the next morning and boarded a cozy Loganair flight to Islay. I was mentally prepared with low expectations for the flight to be cancelled for the inevitable bad weather that was surely to come, and not atypical of travel in this part of the world. Yet the Gods of the Hebrides looked down upon us with beautiful blue skies and frosty white clouds as we boarded that little 40-seat airplane. The eyes of Daughter #1 widened when she saw Ardbeg, Laphroaig, and Lagavulin a few thousand feet below nestled on the coast. It probably wasn’t the same feeling I had four years ago as my mates and I crossed the channel to Islay via ferry but Daughter #1 was clearly bright-eyed and excited. Seeing her glued to the window in anticipation got me pretty excited too.

A few minutes later we were disembarking the stairwell from the Saab 340B. It was a bit dizzying walking those twenty yards to the tiny terminal. Maybe I was just airsick. Who knows? We were on Islay! And it was a beautiful day!

Islay was a good starter track for my “wrong” side of the road driving practice that I needed. And as we pulled out of the airport “car hire” parking, I was quickly reminded to “STAY TO THE LEFT” by the friendly chorus sitting beside and behind me. Heading south on the A846 towards Port Ellen with fields of peat all around us, I almost pinched myself to wake up from this crazy dream. But that would have required deciding which hand to take off of the wheel safely for the pinching which would have ended in “TWO HANDS ON THE WHEEL! STAY TO THE LEFT!” I didn’t need that. No pinching. But I really was on Islay again.

The Kildalton Cross

I tried not to play too much tour guide as we got into Port Ellen and passed the malting house. There was plenty to see without me pointing and gabbing. With little time on the island, we had some must-do’s. First was to head up the eastern coast to the Kildalton High Cross. The quaintness of the island can’t be overstated. Hugging that coastline and driving through its hilly, uneven terrain with only a house here and there, and sheep everywhere else, the family got a crash course in Islay’s unique and varied beauty. Daughter #1 was amazed how the air didn’t have that salty, seaside smell that we’re accustomed to at home near the Pacific. Villages sit against the sea on one side and woodlands on the other. Islay has its mysteries, indeed. The various signs with their bilingual street names only played on our heartstrings more. Gaelic can do that to you, especially if you can’t pronounce it. Passing Ardbeg, Laphroaig, and Lagavulin northwards towards Kildalton warmed my heart. We would stop on the way back but it was good to see those friendly buildings again.

Scotland’s historic spots are fascinating if only for their lack of… visitors. The Kildalton Cross and church grounds are at end of a paved road on a tiny hill. There’s a parking lot though we were the only ones parked on this Saturday morning. And there’s a chain-link fence around the property but it’s only purpose seemingly is to keep the sheep from wandering in. The scattered sheep droppings on the church property proved that either the sheep were really good at opening the gate or visitors were really bad at closing it. It would seem that the sheep love seeing an ancient Christian cross more than human tourists do. Our first bit of sightseeing took us back 700 years in time, and that was without my LA freeway driving skills helping much.

Ardbeg

The drive back down the hill looked like a scene from Lord of the Rings. You pick which one; I get them confused. Go with the one that has the Shire. Coming back through the tree-shaded “neighborhoods”, we were greeted with hens and roosters alongside the road, and even a group of peafowl showing off their mating ritual with plumes a-pluming. I really only wanted to stop into Ardbeg and hit the Old Kiln Cafe for lunch. But much to our surprise, the distillery was closed, though operational. Apparently, the weeks leading up to Easter are “low season” at many distilleries. Nonetheless, we parked. Teen Daughter #2 and I ventured through the property between the buildings with those luscious whisky-making smells in the air. Never seeing a soul the entire time, we made our way to the little green space behind the distillery overlooking the sea. This was a view of Ardbeg that I missed on my last visit, and with the place closed, it was a quiet, peaceful moment viewing that iconic warehouse. Wind briskly blew off the sea wreaking havoc with the daughter’s mane of hair and also rippled the rainwater atop the nearby standing barrels. Who knows if there is actually the whisky in them or not? They could well be “dummy” barrels for the dummy tourists who make the trek to this distant land. But it didn’t matter; it was pretty cool to us with no one else around.

Islay Woolen Mill Company

Laphroaig was closed also and we just passed on by Lagavulin. With a 2:00 pm tour of Bruichladdich a few hours away, we were going to check off “distillery visit” soon enough. Chris Hallstrom formerly of Scotch Whisky Auctions had told me that a neat little stop was the Islay Woolen Mill Company. A bit past Bridgend proper which is a few miles past Bowmore tucked away in a picturesque notch along the River Scorn lies a tiny ancient factory producing some of the best woolen goods found in Scotland. It’s more of a house with a shop inside and a mill in the back. Owner Gordon Covell welcomed us and had his factory manager give us a tour of the facility that probably hasn’t changed much since it first opened in 1883. It was a short but fascinating look at an art and craft from 200 years ago with its Victorian Era looms rattling away. Their beautiful work has been proudly used in movies like Braveheart, and the shop was easy pickings for this group looking for scarves. The “Laphroaig” pattern scarf is now happily in my possession. The short walk to the car need a look over the bridge above the Scorn. This really felt Shire-y.

Peatzeria

The troops needed lunch before heading to Port Charlotte so we ventured back to the booming metropolis of Bowmore. Peatzeria (get it?) is a fun little restaurant with a great logo and tagline (“A Slice Of Islay”) and a better menu. A friendly colorful two-story space with a patio overlooking the sea, Peatzeria’s decor is brightly modern and the menu has many twists on local favorites. We sat upstairs next to two young moms as their toddlers happily chowed down cheese pizza, colored on menus, and walked about in socks. It was our kind of place. And they had Irn-Bru on the menu. It was also our first taste of what must be Scotland’s National Soup: Potato Leak which popped up at almost every place we ate all week.

When we made our way downstair we visited with Chef Paul while takeaway ice cream was being served up. He told us about the restaurant’s origins and that business was booming. Paul’s sister-in-law, Caroline, is a Bowmore girl and it was her idea of starting a modern pizzeria on Islay. Her sister, Sharon, and Paul run the place bringing their backgrounds in hospitality and cooking. Now they have THE pizza place on the island that seems a great spot for sunset dinners, family outings and even kids birthday parties. And, yes, there’s various Islay whiskies on the menu (for the adults).

Happily stuffed we headed back towards Bridgend but now took the A847 westward along Loch Indaal. The endless low tide of Islay was off to the left exposing the bay’s many crags and rocks. The waters barely moved. Somewhat desolate, the road to the other lobe of Islay feels like it is taking you very far from the towns of Bowmore and Port Ellen. Homes dot the landscape but are again vastly outnumbered by sheep and even sailboats. Other cars on the road were a rare sight on this day. Pulling into the village of Bruichladdich, distant Port Ellen across the loch felt hundreds of miles away but in reality it’s no more than 20 minutes, especially with my LA lead foot.

Bruichladdich

A few minutes late, we joined the tour as it left the Bruichladdich visitor shop. A few Germans and a few Brits made up the group as we followed tour guide, Frazier, across the parking lot to the first stop, the grist mill. Frazier gave a detailed history of Bruichladdich leading to describing what the role the Porteus grist mill played in all of this. Next was the the open top mash tun which is a unique feature of Bruichladdich’s. It was interesting seeing it completely empty on a day when the distillery was not mashing. The cogs and mechanism looked positively archaic while the vessel seemed so much bigger without any water and grain in it. Was it a big empty metal swimming pool with a sleeping robot inside ready to crush its next prey, or maybe a birthplace for a Marvel superhero or a Transformer waiting to transform. Too much? I’m a bit nauseous myself.

The Oregon pine wash backs were next, fermenting away their carb-heavy soup. Frazier let us put our noses in each as they were all in different states in the process. And, of course, there was a tasting of the warm, oatmeal-y “beer” that was the result of the fermentation, siphoned out of one of the wash backs. Off to the Still Room where we all felt a tad bit smaller in the that forest of copper works that stretched high to the ceiling. The stills felt bigger to me on this visit and I think that sense was heightened with the daughters looking dwarfed against them. The girls are grown up but seemed less so in this room. The noiselessness gave the stills a peaceful elegant beauty as they waited for their next run in a few days. A walk in the chilly air for a quick visit to one of the warehouses was next. Casks of Octomore plus sherry and ex-bourbon barrels surrounded us while our noses filled with that dank oaky aging spirit smell. I couldn’t breath it in enough. I could see the eyes of the girls and the Mrs. Satellite Engineer widen as we walked by the endless rows of barrels. I could only imagine what they were thinking.

Our guide led us back to the visitors center where many dollars were spent on valinches and other “necessities”. It was a group effort as I poured one of the “bottle your own”, a 12 year old Port Charlotte finished in a Hermitage Blanc cask, and the girls did the rest of the work of labeling. Future distillery guides in the making. Their first distillery tour was in the books and, I dare say, they are better human beings for it. Good parenting is what we’re all about.

Port Charlotte

Heading farther down the road, a few minutes later we found ourselves in Port Charlotte. Having spent three days there before, it felt like a long lost friend’s kind inviting embrace. Not much had changed in four years which made me very happy. There are still no traffic lights. Progress is overrated.

We pulled up to the Lochindaal Hotel on the main drag in downtown Port Charlotte. On my prior visit, my mates and I befriended Sarah MacLellan who was tending bar in the pub there. Her parents own the hotel so it was an easy choice for our one night on Islay. Sarah’s mom, Katie, and I e-mailed and she was excited about our visit. We stayed behind the pub in two beautiful joined rooms aptly named the Peat House. Sarah’s father, Iain, and her sister, Helena, welcomed us as if we were coming into their home which we kind of were, at least their second home since they live in the village of Bruichladdich. After a quick unpacking and a few hours of sunlight left, I had one place for us to see.

Portnahaven

Farther south down the road from Port Charlotte is the village of Portnahaven. It literally feels like the end of world as it points off to Northern Ireland. But before getting there we (thankfully) found a herd of Highland cows alongside the road. This was very high on the list of things to see because they are big, shaggy, and cute by all of my family’s accounts. After a brief visit and chat with the coos, we made our way to Portnahaven parking along the bay. This small craggy bay is lined with white cottages overlooking the seals who call it their home too. Several were laying on the rocks in the sun and could care less of our visit. Not exactly the welcoming committee but at least they were quiet. We parked a short walk from the An Tigh Seinnse pub, the local watering hole not much bigger than a postage stamp. Before entering we met a couple from Glasgow on holiday. They were driving around Islay in a rented RV with their dog Mac. Mac was the friendliest of canines and the first of many who we would meet on our trip. Dog-loving folks that we are, we became fast friends with Mac, and his owners too. After a last few ear rubs (for Mac), we found our way into the pub where we were warmly greeted by the owner and a few locals. The Ileach are the friendliest of folk who will engage you at the drop of a hat or a tip of a dram. With no hats to drop, we went for the latter and had a wonderful time visiting with the local pub-goers. It would have been very easy to spend the rest of the day in this warm little pub.

With the sun close to being behind the hill and shadows growing toward the loch, we headed back towards Port Charlotte. We made a stop in the village of Nerabus to see its ruins of a chapel and carved grave slabs all dating to the 14th and 15th centuries most likely. The ruins are in the middle of a field requiring a small walk through a cemetery looking towards the water. Again, this ancient spot didn’t seem like a well-visited one except by four-legged wooly locals. But it was a good look back into the Hebrides history.

Port Charlotte

After a bit of rest back at the hotel, it was dinner time. The lovely Port Charlotte Hotel was a stone’s throw from our hotel and seemed a place for a nice dinner. But it was booked up(!) on this Saturday night due to live music starting later in the evening. I remembered another place a short walk up the loch side of the road and luckily it was open. Yan’s Kitchen is a modern bistro looking out to the bay serving up locally sourced seafood, meats, and vegetables. Locally sourced which sounds like a buzzword term to every millennial in Snapchat distance of Portland is the real deal in Scotland as we grew to learn. Listings of where all the menu ingredients came from were commonplace from the fish to the whisky. Yan’s only had Islay whisky to accompany their dishes. Fresh and local weren’t buzzwords here. Our delish dinner included scallops, beef, a large board of local meats, smoked salmon and cheeses, plus pasta. Go big or go home!

The girls were ready to turn in upon our return to the Lochindaal. It was a long couple of days after the long flight from Los Angeles two days earlier. The streets were eerily quiet which made the moonlit sky and its stars top billing for the slightly chilly walk back. The parents said goodnight to the girls then headed back three or four steps into the pub where a lively crowd enjoyed the evening. It was nightcap time.

The pub at the Lochindaal Hotel is actually two pubs, not so-Siamese twins connected at the bar, each with its own entrance. One side is more traditional with a pool table while the other is more of a restaurant where meals for hotel guests and locals are served. The restaurant has a seaside theme that reminded us of home. The bartenders weave between the two sides of the bar easily. Pub side. Restaurant side. Both are small, friendly and cozy. Our kind of pub. We sat on the busier restaurant side at the bar chatting with locals while a group celebrated a birthday at a table. The whisky list was printed out and taped to the wall. It was a long list that was heavy on the Islays with distillery and independent bottlings. It did not disappoint. My kind of place.

Four years before when Lee Zaro and I popped in after dinner with the boys, we met Sarah working behind bar on a quiet weeknight, and decided we never wanted to leave. We met probably same group of locals enjoying the pub on this visit. One was the art director of Bruichladdich at the time. A regular at the pub, he was happy to talk whisky, bottle and tin design, and play pool. I don’t recall if he was a born and bred Ileach but he definitely had the sensibilities of the island. Of course, on an island this small, stories of meeting Islay’s distilleries “elite” folk just about anywhere are commonplace. But I’d venture to guess that they are like most anyone else lucky enough to live here. Happy and nice.

Islay Day 1 was over.

Day 2

The day didn’t start off so sunny though it was sunny out. I woke early and ventured out to walk the Port Charlotte streets this Sunday morning. Quiet with only the occasional car passing through, the walk down to the pier reminded me of the my prior visit when my compatriot, Mr. Zaro, and I donned swim trunks and jumped off the slippery concrete pier into the loch because… well, just because. There would be none of that today.

Walking through those serene streets and the whitewash uniformed buildings was a peaceful way to get a little exercise before breakfast. But that all ended when I got back to the hotel and found a flat tire on the rental. An Islay pothole (easily the best in the world) surely got us the day before. Back in the pub, Owner Iain was drinking coffee, watching the news. He offered up tea for me as well as to call the car hire about the tire. Everyone knows everyone on an island this small.

Iain and I with his crewmate George kibbitzed about this and that: whisky, Brexit, Islay life, America, sports, kids, whatever. Just shootin’ the poop in a pub on a Sunday morn on Islay. The rest of the gang made it to the pub for breakfast of eggs, cereal, meats and toast. All prepared beautifully by George.

With the tire fixed, it was time to see what else we could see before heading to the airport with our remaining few hours on the island. We decided to head “behind us” to see if Kilchoman was open. By all accounts it was but after traversing the worst road we’d driven there so far, alas, it was closed. We drove up onto the property and it was good it see again and the ongoing expansion. It was a very different view of Islay from the hill that Kilchoman sat on looking northwest.

Caol Ila

We now decided to leisurely just drive the island on the backside of it and head towards Port Askaig on the Jura side of Islay to the east. The girls quickly fell asleep missing the even more desolate and sparse surroundings out here. Nearing Port Askaig we saw the sign for Caol Ila(!), a distillery I hadn’t been to but makers of whisky that I adore. A bit of an odd jaunt up a hill and then snaking down towards the Sound of Islay, we were both taken by the beautiful location of the distillery along the water. A small waterfall was flowing at the back end of the parking lot coming from the hill that we drove down from. My, was this picturesque. And OPEN!

We parked, left the girls sleeping, and ventured around the property. A few folks came out of visitors center so that’s where we headed, with no time for a tour. So we shopped. We’re good at that. A distillery cat welcomed us from its perch atop a picnic bench on the patio, and the young woman behind the counter inside was nice and helpful, probably a bit surprised to see visitors on a Sunday morning. A few tastes and a few purchases later, we headed off to the airport. Caol Ila was in the books!

Islay Airport

Iain told me to leave plenty of time to get through Security. I thought he was kidding. He wasn’t. The security measures at Islay’s airport were inversely proportionate to its size. The tiny room past luggage drop-off required a thorough prepping of carry-ons before their trip through the x-ray machine. Then there was a proper pat-down after you walked through the metal detector followed by a more than cursory search of those carry-ons post x-ray. It was rather amazing but made sense since who knows where travelers were actually coming from on their way off the island. Travelers beware.

A relaxing wait in the airport’s waiting area allowed for some contemplation of the quick but memorable visit to the island. We boarded onto Loganair’s Spirit of Edinburgh walking across the tarmac as we did the day before. Our quick trip to Islay was over. Heavy sigh. We came, we explored, we lived. The whole family (less the son in college who already had his spring break) connected with the island in that short time, I think. Connecting with it seemed so easy since it wants to connect with you. The people, the villages, the island life, the solitude, the sea, the peat, the coos, and the whisky. They are all tied together and easily let you become part of them. I only hope it will be less than four years before we can connect again.

Our man @AaronMKrouse takes the family to @isleofislay for #SpringBreak! #Travel #Whisky When Mrs. Satellite Engineer came up with Scotland as a Spring Break destination for us and the teenage daughters, my first thoughts went quickly to…

#Booze Traveler #Drinkwire #Family Vacation #Islay #Photography #Photos #Pictures #Scotland #Spring Break #Travel #Whiskey #Whisky

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icouldbuildacastle-x · 7 years ago

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For Taylor <3

Hey, Taylor!

I just thought I’d introduce myself. My name is Charlotte (but everyone calls me Char) I’m heading out to the London Night 1 Reputation Tour after seeing you twice in Manchester this year.

Ever since I was twelve years old (and I’m 24 now!) I listened to your music. I sat in Biology class with one earphone in, listening to you when I really should have been listening to the lesson. I had a bit of a bad time at school, and you really helped me get through it.

Not only did you help me through the difficult period of being bullied, but you also performed some sort of miracle through your beautiful words.

Mum and I had always been close. We always ended up cleaning up after Sunday lunch (where my Stepdad insisted on using every piece of cutlery in the house!) Of course, there was music on in the background and it always seemed to be you singing with us as we danced around the kitchen with spatulas and ladles in our hands. Speak Now is her absolute favourite song- and we never failed to have that repeat. It made cleaning up fun.

In November 2013, my mum had a sudden subarachnoid brain haemorrhage. It was a severe bleed, but the wonderful surgeons managed to operate and she did pull through (they called her a medical miracle) - but not without consequence.

When she woke up, she didn’t remember a lot. She was confused, angry, upset…and it was sort of like she was a different person. Of course her head was sensitive, which meant there was no more music. I cleaned up Sunday lunch by myself- and I really missed the person I loved the most.

One day, I decided to have it on really quietly, I didn’t want to hurt her head. Speak Now came on and I nearly burst into tears, because it wasn’t quite the same without Mum and I doing a wedding march down the kitchen!

You made a miracle happen.

My mum, the woman who couldn’t even remember the date…or the fact her own mother had passed away, walked in to the kitchen- so quietly I didn’t even notice. I did notice, however, when she began singing every single word off by heart. She remembered the words to your song.

You gave me a small piece of the woman back that I thought was gone forever- and I’ll never be able to repay you for it.

Unfortunately, there have been complications with her brain, including other aneurysms and epilepsy, which means there is no way she can come with me to one of your shows. However, she is so excited for me to go and sing and dance my heart out- and I’m going to do her proud and take loads of pictures and videos so that I might just be able to make her feel like she’s there, too.

I got these tattoos in celebration of you, my Mum (who never gave up, even when her body wanted to) and myself- because I’m so proud of all the struggles that have been overcome.

I hope you like my costume! ‘

Thank you so much for everything- and I can’t wait to see you again on the 22nd June.

@taylorswift @taylornation

#taylor swift #taylurking #reputation stadium tour #london #excited #three times #frozen #elsa #disney #dancing with our hands tied #costume

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travelnbabble · 4 years ago

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Havana, Cuba, Mar 6-10, 2020

[Cigars, Vintage cars, communism but so so much more]

Since we’re still in a pandemic right now, this might not be the best time to blog about International travel (it is honestly starting to sound like a joke to me now after 7 months of being at home), but still I want to document this JUST IN CASE one day the world opens up again. Fingers Crossed.

Cuba is the one of the most interesting places I’ve traveled to. Having lived in a communist country for so long and learned about Chinese communist history, I definitely see some similar traits on how things operate there (compared to China before 1980s). 70-80% of locals have government jobs, limited quantity and variety of everyday supplies and a generally closed off economy. However, the culture was a huge surprise. Because of colonization all the way until 70s or something and close proximity to the US, the architecture, the people and even the food are just a fascinating mix of old Spanish, Caribbean and the Americas with a touch of Chinese influence (from I guess inter-governmental support). Glamours western looking palaces, stunning hotel rooftops (with Hemingway’s favorite daiquiris), extremely welcoming people, run-down multi family homes, Chinese brand buses, vintage (and very loud) Fords, moka coffees, and of course music cigars and Havana Club rum. There’s literally a little bit of everything which makes this place unfathomable at times but definitely very unique.

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I spent 5 days in Havana, RIGHT before the US closed the border due to COVID-19.

Stayed in an Airbnb in Old Havana

[balcony of my airbnb]

Everything was great besides no Wifi, which was pretty much the case with any accommodation besides large government operated hotels. With the visa I have (support for Cuban people) I was not supposed to stay in those so...My Airbnb host gave us a phone for emergency contact.

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Participated in 2 Airbnb experiences

One was a rooftop tour (with drinks) in vintage cars (yes one of those very ‘fancy’ ones you see I tourist pics). Went to some of the best hotel roof tops, Madonna’s favorite restaurant, etc.and just amazing views.

[sunset so pure and holy]

[Another one]

[rooftop of Kempinski with a pool and direct view of the Capitol]

[the host had such good energy the group chatted into later in the evening and everything lit up]

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The other was lot more cultural, basically a city tour with two Cuban college students learning about Cuban people. Had some very open and honest conversations about locals’ lives, struggles, Cuban government, social systems, political views etc. Very eye opening and informative.

The most shocking part for me was the drastic difference in lifestyle between the rich and the poor. Pretty incredible to see what tourists get to experience vs. how locals actually lives.

Remember the rooftops and impeccable views? Well for local Cubans working government jobs, one drink will probably cost half months’ salary, let along staying overnight in a hotel room.

We got to go inside to a local multi-family homes and spoke with people living there. 12 families (or was it 15) cramped in a tiny tiny yard. The living conditions were...brutal to say the least. Photographing their private rooms felt a bit too intrusive to me so I took photos outside.

[outside of the multi-family home. Each window is at least one household]

As we walked towards the Chinatown area, which was right across Capitol (the central area), this is how different things are. I took these two photos standing in the same spot, just facing opposite directions. On one side-

[grandiose]

and on the other side:

[slum, building were literally falling apart and mostly empty with no windows]

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I would recommend both experiences because I got to this country under very different lights and pretty in depth. In short, local life here is really tough but tourist/rich life is pretty damn amazing.

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Havana Club Factory

I personally like visiting distilleries when I travel. Being able to see how different types of liquor come to be is interesting and it’s always good to learn about the history behind the brands. Like, sugar cane to rum? Magic. And honestly the silver one makes great Cuba Libre even with Diet Coke.

Since Havana Club is THE local rum brand and one of the most famous exports of Cuba besides maybe Cohiba, I had to pay the factory a visit. Unlike Bacardi factory in Puerto Rico, where they literally take you around in a golf cart, this place is a lot smaller but still very impressive. Needless to say I brought some back for friends but unfortunately they are still sitting in my home coz ugh COVID.

[look at that molasses]

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Cigar Factory

Also worth a visit. I didn't have a photo here but it’s a operating factory and the whole cigar making process open for display. I watched workers literally from picking the right leaves, rolling the cigars, cutting, packaging them, etc.

[on my way to the Cigar factory]

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Food and Drink

Great but not as cheap as you think. The prices are comparable to US, not NYC but maybe...Charlotte? I went to mostly restaurants for tourists instead of local ones which were generally way cheaper but not the best quality. You are welcome to try but I didn't want any accidents and was on vacation so decided to treat myself okay.There were plenty of decent restaurants and amazing food. Clean, fresh and amazing flavors. Not just rice and beans for sure.

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Internet and communication

Like I mentioned before, wifi is not really a thing. I got Internet cards from my Airbnb host and also bought from the post office. It’s hourly and with the card I can log in and use internet at Wifi spots. Some specific park and post office.

In terms of calling and texting, I used T-mobile and the local phone my host provided to contact them.

Language - locals speak Spanish. I... don't really. Most people understood a little bit of English especially if they are in the service industry (like they know ‘water’ if you're trying to buy water in a store, most restaurants have English menus ). Locals in general are nice and will help as much as they can. I mean I survived pretty easily.

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Traveling right before pandemic/lockdowns?

It was a little scary at the end coz there were very very limited internet access for tourist and we were worried we won't be able to go back or worse - get the virus and be stuck sick in a foreign (and definitely not very medically equipped) country. Thank God that didn't happen, and it was an amazing trip.

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Alrighty, hope this is some what helpful and I realllyyyy hope we get to travel again soon. My inner travel bug has definitely been buzzing.

Until then, stay safe and have faith:)

xxx.

Cindy

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