#Open to Tourists in Tuscany

[archoniluthradanar]

A song to ignite three dead hearts

A song to ignite three dead hearts : a Poly!Volturi one-shot

Dark theme, because men who purposefully hurt women should be shown it's not acceptable behavior.

Response to a request by @iloveslasher (using the song Vampire by Olivia Rodrigo as inspiration)

oooooooooooooooooooo

Since the day the three Volturi masters informed you how important you were to them, you felt your current life was `a dream, and any moment you'd wake up to find yourself back in your ordinary little life.

Your ordinary life was that of a singer. Your agent would get you booked in seedy lounges, and if you were lucky, an occasional piano bar. Your love life was proving to be as good as your singing career. You had been seeing a man who seemingly had a secret life. He lived as if he had money, all the while taking yours, when you were able to earn any.

When you asked him what he did for a living, he never answered, but merely skirted around the question. He'd be gone many nights, telling you he had to meet with some very influential people, but of course he couldn't take you with him, the implication obvious. He lived high on the hog, but you never could find out how he could afford it. The worst thing was all your friends begging you to leave him, but you never listened. He was handsome, charismatic, and made you feel like no other woman was good enough for him. Sometimes.

You thought you were smart enough to know if any man was bad news. It took you six months to see through your lover's facade, yet he had left you first.

Just when you thought your life could not get any worse, you received a random email telling you you'd won a free trip tp Italy. At first, your mood brightened, but then you thought it had to be a scam. You were never that lucky. Still, you called the number and a woman's voice answered. She said her name was Heidi. She explained everything and sounded completely legit. Unlike other scams, she asked for nothing up front. She only questioned you about your relationship status, in case you needed a larger hotel room. You admitted you had just broken up with your boyfriend so would be traveling alone. That seemed to excite her. The arrangements were made and you prepared to leave for this impromptu vacation. Didn't you deserve it, after all?

You had arrived at the city that was your unknown destination in the Tuscany region. Heidi promised you you would not be disappointed, and you weren't. It was a historical city by the name of Volterra. Your hotel room was small but nicely appointed. That first night, you had showered and were lying on your bed, when inspiration struck. You decided to write a song about your ex and the strange but terrible relationship you had. As usual, you centered on the chorus first. The words flowed, and it wasn't long before you had the lyrics and tune. You walked around your room, humming and singing your new song. You wondered if you'd be able to get it recorded as a demo once you returned to the States. Little did you know, you were not returning home, ever.

oooooooooo

The next day, you donned some casual clothing and headed across the piazza where the tour was to start. You saw a beautiful woman dressed in a burgundy dress and black gloves. She looked like an old time Hollywood starlet from the 1940s. When you got closer, you saw she had violet eyes so unusual, you felt drawn into them. Gathered with your fellow tourists, you all entered the structure called the Palazzo dei Priori. Everyone's excitement quickly turned to horror.

The group followed Heidi until you all reached a set of large wooden doors that opened for everyone. Once inside, the doors closed, trapping the group. Your eyes caught the vision of three men sitting on a dais, gazing down at the center of the room where everyone was gathered. Without warning, other figures standing around the room started attacking. You looked around, unsure what was happening, but as soon as you saw blood, the fight-or-flight feeling took over. Then you felt strong arms pick you up, before you fainted.

oooooooooo

You woke to the same three men, staring down at you. You were lying on a large plush bed. You sat up, backing away from them on the bed. A very cold hand grabbed yours.

"You have no need to fear us, my dear. You're very important to all of us," said the man with jet-black hair.

And that was how you found out you were the mate to three powerful vampires. Marcus had explained the mating bond some vampires experienced when they found their mate. On rare ocassions, there could be bonds between multiple vampires as in your case. You were given a room of your own, and the deference not only of your three mates but those who served them. It was true, you cried for two days straight, but then you began to accept your fate which was not death as your fellow tourists had experienced. And unlike your ex, who took and took from you, these men gave to you. Whatever you needed. Money, clothing, gifts and their attention. You listened while they explained their nature and history, and what your fate was to be. Over the next couple of weeks, you felt yourself caring more for them.

While speaking with Marcus in the garden one cool morning, you told him you were a singer. Marcus loved music, and asked you to sing something for him. It had to be a capella, since you had no band or even any recorded tunes with you. He listened quietly while you sang a romantic tune that seemed to hynotize the taller vampire. It wasn't long before the others, Aro and Caius, joined you both in the garden. All three men sat raptly while you sang for them.

When you were done, Aro smiled at you, admiration in his red eyes. "You sing beauitfully, my dear. You truly have talent. Do you write songs as well?"

Now why would he ask you that question. "No, I don't, Aro."

Caius pulled a folded piece of paper out of his pocket. "We think you're not being truthful with us, cara mia," he said, looking at the words on the paper.

You attempt to grab it, but he holds it out of your reach. "How did you find that?" You glare at the blonde vampire.

"We searched your things, to see what you had and what you might need. Do not be angry," Aro says.

Caius reads the words on the paper, even though you know he had already read it. "Who is this foul man who broke your heart? Was he one of us or a human?"

You look down at the floor. "He was human who acted more like a monster."

"You see us as monsters?" Marcus asked. "You compare him to a vampire."

Shaking your head, embarassed, you reply, " No, I don't see any of you as monsters."

Caius' face darkens while he reads the lyrics. "He is a monster if he hurt you, cara. I will find him and kill him with as much pain as possible."

"No! No, please, don't do that. He's gone forever. He can't hurt me anymore."

Aro sits on the sofa, and looks up at you. "Sing it for us, my dear. Let us hear a song of your own creation. You do have a lovely voice."

Marcus sits next to Aro, while Caius takes a seat on a corner chair.

You feel shy all of a sudden, but you owe them so much, so if a song pleases them, why not sing it for them. You stand in the middle of your room, telling them if you had music, it would be better. "The title is just "Vampire". You smile when you see Aro nod. He probably finds it all so amusing, even if the subject made Caius angry.

You stand before these vampires, more humane than the man you loved for six months, and begin to sing.

Hate to give the satisfaction asking how you're doing now how's the castle built off people you pretend to care about just what you wanted look at you, cool guy, you got it. I see the parties and the diamonds sometimes when I close my eyes Six months of torture you sold as some forbidden paradise I loved you truly You gotta laugh at the stupidity

Your inhuman mates listen to your every word, mesmerized by the tune and words, although Caius' eyes darken in anger. How he would love to tear apart the mortal bastard who inspired such pain in you.

You finished your song with the last lines.

I've made some real big mistakes But you make the worst one look fine I should've known it was strange You only come out at night I used to think I was smart But you made me look so naive The way you sold me for parts As you sunk your teeth into me, oh Bloodsucker, famefucker Bleedin' me dry, like a goddamn vampire

Aro heard the last part of the song and wondered if you saw them as 'bloodsuckers' and 'goddamn vampires'. He finally asked it of you.

You walked over to the couch and sat in between Marcus and Aro, placing a hand on each of their thighs. "Not at all. I mean, I never knew vampires existed, then when I find out the truth, you've done everything you could to make me feel welcome. I don't know why, but I fell for that SOB too soon, I imagine. Already I care very much for you all."

"As we feel about you, dear one. We want you to stay here in Volterra and hope you will eventually allow us to change you so you can live with us, forever."

Caius excuses himself, seeing Aro give him a nod so slight, you don't notice.

Your two mates embrace you in turn, thanking you for sharing your gift with them. It's not a gift Aro usually looks for, but one he and the others appreciate all the same. He asks if you might be so kind as to sing for the entire coven some time. Of course, you agree. It gives you the chance to do what you love. You just didn't think they'd like a song about a man who treated you so poorly.

Four days later, you found out why Caius had left the castle. When he returned late one night, he had not returned alone. He had a man slung over his shoulder. Once in the throne room, the blonde vampire dropped his human baggage on to the floor. You gasped when you saw the face. It was your former lover. How had Caius found him? After seeing the smug face again, you find you no longer care about him. "Why did you bother to bring him here?"

Caius grabbed the man by the collar, easily pulling him up off the floor with one hand. He forced the man to look at you. "You dared to hurt our mate, foolish human."

"Caius, aren't you being a little dramatic?" you ask him. You wonder why he bothered to bring the bastard here.

Your former lover stares at you, fear replaced by anger. "Who are these guys and why are you with them, here in Italy of all places?"

"Talk nice, lover, or my mate Caius will tear you to pieces. I imagine he will anyway." Never have you felt so strong in talking with your one time boyfriend. Compared to the Volturi, he was a weak human and of no consequence. You feel satisfied there will be no more lies, no more deceit, no more cruelty. Your song would live forever in your soul, but it would be tamed by it.

Caius bared white teeth at the now frightened man. "Sporcizia umana! Human filth!" His fingers wound in the man's hair, tugging his head back and latching razor sharp teeth in the soft flesh of his neck. Screams echoed in the small room. He drank some of the foul blood, but stopped, letting the human fall to the floor to bleed out. He turned to Felix, telling the guard to dispose of the body. He sped to his rooms to shower and dress, not wanting to see you disgusted by him.

You stare at your now dead lover, killed by one of your current lovers. Well, soon to be lovers. None of them had been to bed with you yet.

Aro and Marcus came to your side. "Are you annoyed with us, my dear? It was Caius' idea, but I did nothing to stop it."

"I should care," you say, unable to summon any sympathy. You will be like them, your sense of humanity changed when you are changed. It was quite satisfying actually. Payback for all the lies, the stolen money, the way he tricked you and used you, and tried to separate you from your friends. "But I don't."

You link your arms into those of your mates and walk with them to your room. "I think that we should spend some time together. Maybe I'll be inspired to write a song about all of you and what you mean to me. For now, I wish to thank you all for saving my life, and for offering me a new one." As soon as you've entered your room, Caius is not far behind.

"We cherish you, il nostro cuore, and will always protect you," Caius assures you. Aro, Marcus, and Caius each gives you a kiss, as if it were their blessing.

"Let's make this our first time," you say, smiling back at them.

"All three?" they ask simultaneously. "At once?"

"All three," you say, your arms open to them. "At once."

A/N : the song credit goes to Olivia Rodrigo with her song "Vampire". It's on youtube, if you want to listen to it.

#the volturi #volturi fanfiction #aro volturi #caius volturi #marcus volturi #aro volturi x reader #caius volturi x reader #marcus volturi x reader

[veronika-tserber]

Zodiac Signs, Cities & Curious Facts! 🌆

Each city was selected by me from "The Rulership Book" by Rex E. Bills, alongside one fact that matches that particular sign's energy! There are more cities and places that align with the vibration of each sign, but these are the ones I picked for this post. All pictures are from Google Images.

Enjoy this random and (hopefully) fun thread!😁

♈Aries: FLORENCE, Italy

Florence has a unique street festival: The "Calcio Storico" is a traditional street football game played annually there. The game involves four teams representing the four historic quarters of the city, and it's known for its rough and intense style of play!

♉Taurus: LEIPZIG, Germany

Leipzig is known as the "City of Music": Leipzig has a rich musical heritage and is considered one of the world's most important cities for classical music. Famous composers such as Johann Sebastian Bach, Richard Wagner, and Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy have strong connections to Leipzig, and their music is celebrated in the city's numerous concert halls, museums, and festivals.

♊Gemini: LONDON, England

London has a "whispering gallery": The Whispering Gallery in St. Paul's Cathedral is a circular gallery that runs around the interior of the dome. Due to its unique acoustics, if you whisper against the wall on one side of the gallery, the sound can be heard on the other side, over 100 feet away.

♋Cancer: ISTANBUL, Turkey

Istanbul has a famous street for cats: The "Cat Street" or "Kedi Sokak" in Turkish is a narrow street in the historic district of Sultanahmet that is home to dozens of stray cats. The cats are well-fed and cared for by locals, and the street has become a popular tourist attraction.

♌Leo: BERLIN, Germany

Berlin is a graffiti artist's paradise: The city has a long history of street art and is home to some of the most famous graffiti murals in the world. The East Side Gallery, a section of the Berlin Wall that has been turned into an open-air gallery, features over 100 paintings by artists from around the world.

♍Virgo: MOSCOW, Russia

Moscow has a rich literary history: Many famous Russian writers, including Leo Tolstoy, Fyodor Dostoevsky, and Anton Chekhov, lived and worked in Moscow. It also has the largest number of public libraries in the world: "The Russian State Library" , which is the largest library in Europe and the second largest library in the world, after the Library of Congress in the United States.

♎Libra: VIENNA, Austria

Vienna has a rich musical history: Vienna has been a center of musical innovation and creativity for centuries and has been home to many famous composers such as Mozart, Beethoven, and Strauss. Today, the city is renowned for its classical music scene and is home to the world-famous Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra.

♏Scorpio: TOKYO, Japan

Tokyo has a unique fashion scene: Tokyo's fashion scene is known for its avant-garde and eclectic styles, with Harajuku being the center of youth fashion culture. "Gothic Lolita" is part of Harajuku, and it incorporates darker and more macabre elements into the Lolita fashion aesthetic.

♐Sagittarius: TUSCANY, Italy

Tuscany is home to the oldest university in Europe: The University of Bologna, which is located in Tuscany, is the oldest university in Europe, having been founded in 1088. It is still one of the most prestigious universities in Italy.

♑Capricorn: BRUSSELS, Belgium

Brussels is home to the "Atomium": The Atomium is a unique architectural structure in Brussels that was built for the 1958 World Exposition. It is designed to represent an iron crystal magnified 165 billion times, and it has become an iconic symbol of the city.

♒Aquarius: LOS ANGELES, California

LA is the birthplace of the Internet: The first successful transmission of a message over the Internet occurred on October 29, 1969, between two computers located at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and the Stanford Research Institute. This event is considered the birth of the Internet.

♓Pisces: GALICIA, Spain

Galicia is home to an ancient spiritual destination: The Way of St. James, also known as the Camino de Santiago, is a famous pilgrimage route that leads to the cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in Galicia. Every year, thousands of people from all over the world make the 780 km journey on foot, bicycle, or horseback. Many of them walk the route for spiritual reasons, while others enjoy the physical challenge and the opportunity to meet people from all over the world.

Now, that was a pleasure to put together! How do you feel about the fact/city for your sign? As a Virgo, I'd love to visit the Moscow library, but as a weird/edgy fashion sucker, Tokyo seems like a whole lot of fun! Also, the Aries one made me LOL! Y'all just can't stop fighting, can you? 😂

Which fact/city is your favorite one(s)? Let me know down below! 🖤

- Foxbörn

ᴍᴀꜱᴛᴇʀʟɪꜱᴛ 1

ᴄʜᴀʀᴛ ʀᴇᴀᴅɪɴɢꜱ

ᴡᴀɴᴛ ᴛᴏ ʙᴜʏ ᴍᴇ ᴀ ᴄᴏꜰꜰᴇᴇ?

#astro notes #astrology #astro observations #astrology notes #birth chart #zodiac #astro community #zodiac signs #horoscope #aries #taurus #gemini #cancer #leo #virgo #libra zodiac sign #scorpio #sagittarius #capricorn #aquarius #pisces #travel

[travistierney92]

Fly-Drive The East Coast Of The United States

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[cheaptrainticketsuk]

Exploring on a Budget: Free Things to Do and See in Europe

Europe, with its rich history, vibrant culture, and stunning landscapes, is a dream destination for many travelers. However, the continent can also be known for its high costs, particularly in popular tourist destinations. But fear not, budget-conscious adventurers! Europe offers a wealth of incredible experiences that won't break the bank. From exploring world-class museums to soaking up the atmosphere in charming squares, here's a guide to some of the best free things to do and see across Europe:

Immerse Yourself in History and Culture:

Museum Magic: Many European cities boast renowned museums with free admission on specific days or hours. Explore the vast collections of the British Museum in London, delve into ancient Egyptian artifacts at the Egyptian Museum in Berlin, or wander through the magnificent halls of the Prado Museum in Madrid.

Architectural Gems: Europe is an open-air museum of stunning architecture. Admire the iconic landmarks like the Colosseum in Rome, marvel at the intricate details of the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, or stroll along the Charles Bridge in Prague, taking in the city's skyline.

Free Walking Tours: Get a local perspective and learn hidden insights by joining a free walking tour offered in most major European cities. These tours often cover historical sites, cultural landmarks, and hidden gems, providing a unique and budget-friendly way to explore.

Embrace the Great Outdoors:

Park Perfection: Europe is dotted with beautiful parks and gardens, offering a tranquil escape from the city bustle. Relax in the sprawling Hyde Park in London, wander through the romantic Jardin du Luxembourg in Paris, or picnic in the scenic Vondelpark in Amsterdam.

Hiking Adventures: Lace up your boots and explore the diverse landscapes Europe has to offer. Hike to breathtaking viewpoints in the Swiss Alps, trek through the rolling hills of Tuscany, or follow the coastal paths along the Portuguese Algarve.

City Beach Life: Many European cities boast beautiful beaches, perfect for a free day of relaxation. Soak up the sun on Barceloneta Beach in Barcelona, build sandcastles on Brighton Beach in England, or take a refreshing dip in the Aegean Sea at a public beach in Athens.

Experience Local Flavor:

Market Musings: Immerse yourself in the local culture by browsing vibrant street markets. Sample fresh produce at La Boqueria market in Barcelona, haggle for souvenirs at the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul, or wander through the flower market in Amsterdam.

Festival Fun: Throughout the year, Europe comes alive with vibrant festivals celebrating everything from music and food to art and history. Join the lively crowds at the Notting Hill Carnival in London, witness the spectacular Carnival of Venice, or experience the traditional Running of the Bulls in Pamplona (if you dare!).

Picnic Power: Pack a basket with local delicacies and find a scenic spot for a picnic. Enjoy the Parisian atmosphere in the Jardin du Luxembourg, savor the Italian sunshine in a piazza in Rome, or people-watch in a park overlooking the Danube River in Budapest.

Beyond the Big Cities:

Hidden Gems: Venture beyond the popular tourist destinations and discover Europe's hidden gems. Explore the charming towns of Cinque Terre in Italy, wander the medieval streets of Český Krumlov in the Czech Republic, or lose yourself in the beauty of the Lake Bled in Slovenia.

Free Public Events: Many European cities host free public events throughout the year, from open-air concerts and movie screenings to cultural performances and art exhibitions. Check local listings or ask tourist information centers for upcoming events.

Planning Your Budget-Friendly Adventure:

Accommodation: Hostels, guesthouses, and camping offer affordable accommodation options throughout Europe. Consider using travel platforms and apps to compare prices and find the best deals.

Transportation: Taking advantage of public transportation like trains, buses, trams, and metros is a cost-effective way to get around most European cities. Consider purchasing city passes for unlimited travel during your stay. Additionally, look into affordable train tickets, Megabus tickets for longer journeys between cities to save even more money on transportation expenses.

Food and Drinks: Opt for self-catering by staying in apartments with kitchens or preparing picnics with groceries from local markets. Street food vendors often offer delicious and affordable meals on the go.

By embracing these free and budget-friendly experiences, like finding Cheap Train Tickets UK, you can embark on an unforgettable European adventure that enriches your soul without emptying your wallet. Remember, the most valuable souvenirs are often not material possessions, but the memories you create and the connections you forge along the way.

#cheap train tickets uk #megabus tickets #cheap train tickets #europe travel #budget travel

[susanreeed]

Why These Italy Vacation Packages Are Selling Out Fast!

In the world of travel, some jewels shine brighter than others, catching the imagination and wanderlust of travelers all around the world. One such gem is the most recent Italy holiday package, which has been selling out at an incredible rate. But what distinguishes this package from the rest, enticing passengers to book their slots quickly? Let's look at the causes behind its increasing popularity.

Incredible Value

First and foremost, the value of this Italy vacation package is unparalleled. It combines luxurious lodgings, great dining experiences, and private excursions at a substantially lesser cost than booking each service independently. The package has been meticulously crafted to ensure that guests have the best possible experience at a reasonable price, making it an enticing offer for anybody looking for an Italian break.

Book Now: Best Italy Vacation Packages

Unique Itineraries

What defines this package are the innovative itineraries that go beyond the usual tourist destinations. While travelers can still see major monuments such as the Colosseum in Rome and the canals of Venice, this package also includes trips to lesser-known locations. The route, which includes the rolling hills of Tuscany and the hidden beaches of Sardinia, is designed to highlight Italy's diversity and beauty, providing a more authentic and enriching travel experience.

Special Access

Another reason contributing to the vacation package's sell-out status is the special access it offers. Participants can take exclusive tours of historical places before they open to the public, wine tastings at notable vineyards that are not normally open to the public, and cookery sessions with renowned Italian chefs. These once-in-a-lifetime activities are difficult to organize on your own, giving the package an air of exclusivity and attraction.

Individual Services

This package includes exceptional levels of customized care. Travelers are assigned a personal concierge from the minute they book, who can help with everything from airport transfers to dinner reservations. This personalized service guarantees that each traveler's wants and preferences are addressed, making the trip both hassle-free and suited to individual tastes.

Source URL: https://susanreeed.wixsite.com/home/post/why-these-italy-vacation-packages-are-selling-out-fast

Limited Stock

At last, the sense of urgency induced by limited availability contributed significantly to the speedy sale of this vacation package. Travelers are eager to reserve their position because there are only a limited number of spots available in order to retain the experience's exclusivity and personalized nature. This scarcity, combined with the increasing desire for unique travel experiences, has made the package a valuable commodity in the tourism industry.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the combination of exceptional pricing, unique itineraries, exclusive access, customized service, and limited availability has made this Italy holiday package a must-have for travel fans. It demonstrates the demand for immersive and authentic travel experiences that extend beyond the surface level of tourist sites. For those who are fortunate enough to gain a spot, an extraordinary tour through Italy's most treasured and hidden beauties awaits.

#Best Italy Vacation Packages #Italy Holiday Packages

[jaydeemedia]

[ad_1] Italy is the stuff of oversized travel legends: gladiator battles in Roman arenas, gondolas gliding along Venetian canals, and communities frozen in time by fierce volcanoes. Yet, the nation’s true magic is often found in one of Italy’s small towns rather than the cohort of star-studded cities. Deciding which of Italy’s most beautiful towns to visit is as challenging as choosing a gelato flavour. From hilltop townlets framed by saw-toothed peaks to pretty coastal settlements necklaced by a shimmering Adriatic shoreline, the options are delicious from top to toe. Whether you’re seeking silence among the vines of a hinterland hideaway or prefer to indulge in Italy’s best local experiences, these are some of my favourite small Italian towns to visit. Unlike other articles that might spotlight lesser-known (and certainly beautiful) cities, such as Matera and Mantua, my twenty picks are true Italian towns without a single city in sight. Taormina, SicilyNemi, LazioComacchio, Emilia Romagna Desenzano del Garda, LombardyBorgo Valsugana, TrentinoSorrento, CampaniaLocorotondo, PugliaArpino, LazioCefalù, SicilyMaratea, BasilicataBellagio, LombardyAlberobello, PugliaMonterosso al Mare, Cinque Terre, LiguriaLipari, SicilyCastelmezzano, BasilicataBrisighella, Emilia RomagnaPolignano a Mare, PugliaPriverno, LazioOrvieto, UmbriaSan Gimignano, Tuscany Taormina, Sicily On Sicily’s seductive east coast, the beautiful hilltop town of Taormina observes the Ionian Sea from high above. The Greeks sure picked a cinematic spot to set up camp some 2000 years ago – something the Romans clearly agreed on when they upgraded the impressive open-air theatre. You don’t even need a script to make these terraced seats the best in the house; the dazzling comma-shaped bay backed by foreboding Mount Etna is the daily performance. Yet Taormina is as much about modern luxury as historic architectural feats, and if you’re seeking a slice of Sicilian indulgence, you’re in the right place. This is, after all, the main filming location of The White Lotus. Home to some of the most indulgent five star resorts in Italy, a treat-yourself hilltop retreat is Taormina’s grand finale. Better still, settle yourself at the base of the pretty town, and you’ll have the Bay of Taormina on your doorstep. Waking up at the Mazzarò Sea Palace and effortlessly stepping onto Sicily’s swarthy sands is a top-notch ticket, one that makes the uphill schlep to the town itself worthwhile. Read more:Reasons to visit Sicily Start in the small town of Nemi before descending to the crater lake Nemi, Lazio Castel Gandolfo is one of Italy’s most famous towns to visit on a day trip from Rome. Thousands have flocked through the imposing doors of the Pope’s palace since he gave up his summer residence for tourists. Venture just a little further, and the idyllic small town of Nemi has much the same charm but with far fewer crowds. A splendid shaded trail under chestnut trees links the pretty pair. Once in Nemi, you’ll be greeted by a cute, compact and pedestrianised core. Narrow streets link pastel-hued homes, far-reaching viewpoints, and cafes selling the town’s signature dish, porchetta (pork) sandwiches. Like Castel Gandolfo, which crowns Lake Albano, a volcanic crater, Nemi is also perched above a dazzling body of water. Not just a serene spot for kayaking alongside ducks, some of Nemi’s best attractions are found bankside: The Temple of Diana, a significant pilgrimage site since the 6th century BC, and the Roman Ship Museum of Nemi. The latter houses the artefacts and recreations of ancient Roman wooden ships, which amazingly survived for centuries at the bottom of the lake, only for a fire to destroy the museum in the 1940s. If you’re looking to tack on some small Italian towns to your Rome visit, Nemi and Castel Gandolfo are the perfect pair. Sunset in Comacchio, enjoying aperitivo on a floating restaurant Comacchio, Emilia Romagna

Wedged between the flamingo-frequented wetlands of the Po Delta and the beaches of the Emilia Romagna Riviera, the former fishing village of Comacchio is Venice in miniature. A handful of canals wend through this small Italian town, flanked by laid-back boat bars and typical restaurants serving all kinds of seafood – Comacchio’s speciality being river eels. So beloved, these slimy local delicacies have their own festival. Beyond the highlights, including an excellent museum that holds the buried treasure of a long-lost ship, the Po Delta provides even more tranquil retreats. Hire some bikes, or hop on a boat tour to explore the wetlands. Stilted fishing cabins, fronted by traditional nets, and thousands of pink flamingos await in the estuary of Italy’s longest river. Read more:Visiting Comacchio and the Po Delta Desenzano del Garda is a beautiful small town on Lake Garda Desenzano del Garda, Lombardy Lombardy’s handful of lakes are some of Italy’s finest glories. Fringed by pretty Italian towns and frequented by millions of tourists, they can also be as overwhelming as they are astonishing. On Lake Garda, the lake-moated castle of Sirmione, giving access to the peninsula town beyond, is one of the busiest spots. For a slightly more serene base, settle your sights on Desenzano del Garda instead. The location is perfect for exploring some of Lombardy’s best spots. Sirimione is reachable by a quick ferry ride, the pebble beaches of Manerba are a hiking trail away, and the unsung wine region of Laguna is ideal for tastings in family-run estates.  Desenzano del Garda itself is as picturesque as small Italian lake towns come. Lapped by Garda’s waters, the diminutive harbour is flanked by colourful Venetian-style architecture, well-heeled trattorie dishing-up Lombardian recipes, such as fragrant risottos, under shaded porticos, and all the gelaterias you could wish for on a lakeside stroll. Borgo Valsugana is a tranquil town in northern Italy Borgo Valsugana, Trentino Officially one of the most beautiful towns in Italy, as certified by the I Borghi più Belli d’Italia association, Borgo Valsugana is tucked away in Italy’s north. Located in Trentino, the Dolomites looming beyond, the Sugana Valley’s namesake town is a well-preserved example of mountain life. Sliced by the Brenta River, Roman roots are still visible in Sant’Orsola Church, although it’s mainly medieval layers, such as the 13th-century Castel Telvana you’ll see today. Stay in a renovated small palazzo or a welcoming agriturismo, most likely serving its own bottled wines, and appreciate the slower pace of life. Borgo Valsugana is also an excellent base for outdoor adventures. Mountain hikes are abundant, including more unique trails through Arte Sella, an outdoor sculpture gallery. But it’s Valsugana’s pair of pristine lakes that steal the show. Levico, a tranquil, jade-tinted pool, is perfect for SUP outings followed by a thermal spa visit, while larger Lake Caldonazzo is best for fast-paced watersports. You can even get a ski lesson from a world champion here. Read more:Why you’ll love the lakes of Valsugana Valsugana’s lakes are mountain-backed water sports heaven Sorrento, Campania The Amalfi Coast, just south of the Bay of Naples, has long been the jewel in Italy’s tourism crown. Dramatic cliff-hugging villages, scented groves of canary-yellow lemons, and pebbly beaches lapped by hushed waters have seen pretty Positano painted on millions of postcards. The gateway to it all is one of Italy’s most beautiful towns, Sorrento. And while tourism has well and truly taken over the whole of the Sorrentine Peninsula, you’ll find a slightly more lived-in experience in Sorrento than the resort villages around the corner. Long before we all flocked here for Limoncello, the Greeks and then the Romans were equally taken with the peninsula as a trading port. Nowadays, it’s an excellent base for village-hopping the Amalfi Coast or sailing across to the Isle of Capri.

Still, vestiges of the past dot the town, such as the 15th-century Sedil Dominova and the Baroque Cathedral. Sure, Sorrento is missing a proper beach, but take a pew in the Villa Comunale gardens for seascape panoramas, and you’ll soon forgive this small town for its lack of sand. Come in summer, when the seasonal music festival is in full swing, and Sorrento will be soundtracked by classical concerts – timeless and blissful. An al fresco restaurant in the whitewashed streets of Locorotondo, Puglia Locorotondo, Puglia In Puglia, the heel of southern Italy’s “boot”, idyllic coastal towns reign supreme. Take a detour from the shimmering shoreline, though, and you’ll find a trove of tranquil, whitewashed towns cradled by vineyards, olive groves, and fertile farmlands. Locorotondo, named for its circular shape, is arguably one of Puglia’s prettiest. Curved, cobblestoned streets weave through whitewashed homes, terracotta flower pots and trailing bougainvillaea adding pops of the Mediterranean palate. Settle into one of the narrow, alfresco restaurants and chow down on local specialities, such as burrata cheese, bursting with creaminess, or ear-shape orecchiette pasta, and you’ll be living out all your Italian small-town fantasies. Read more:One week Puglia itinerary Arpino is one of the prettiest small towns near Rome Arpino, Lazio With Rome commanding all the attention, the rest of the Lazio region rarely gets a look in. Big mistake. Lazio’s five provinces boast some of Italy’s best small town boltholes, and Arpino is one of the best places to visit near Rome. Stretching across sloping hills in a cross-like shape, the town is as inspiring as the surrounding lush landscape of the Frosinone Valley. And inspired it has. This is the birthplace of the Roman scholar, philosopher and statesman Cicero and the Pantheon’s architect Marco Agrippa. Best of all? Here, you’ll essentially experience two small Italian towns for the price of one. High above, the L’Acropoli di Civitavecchia is more like an adjacent village. Hemmed by mortar-free polygonal defensive walls, Civitavecchia has been inhabited since the Volscian days (around 1000 BC). Down below, the more “modern” town reveals its eras in stone walls, stacked higher and higher during the pre-Roman, Roman and medieval periods. Come in August, and you’ll be able to see the town alive for the Gonfalone of Arpino. Watching the runners balancing a terracotta amphora on their heads is just one of the unique experiences at this folklore festival. Cefalu is one of Italy’s most cinematic towns Cefalù, Sicily Sicily has no shortage of spectacular small towns, but coastal Cefalù is the crème de la crème. Founded by the Greeks some 2300 years ago, Cefalù really blossomed during the Middle Ages. Most notable is the town’s Norman architecture, which has earned World Heritage Status. Cefalù’s Cathedral, a medieval masterpiece featuring first-class Byzantine mosaics, is the star-studded centrepiece. Like a medieval movie set, Cefalù has starred in numerous films, and you’ll feel like a silver-screen star whether you’re strolling the storied streets or ambling along the arc of butterscotch sands. Not only is Cefalù one of the prettiest coastal towns in Italy, but it’s also a godsend for gastronomy. Sicilian food is some of the country’s most flavoursome, taking inspiration from all of the invaders, inhabitants and seafarers who have been and gone. Combine this with the bounty of fresh fish that arrives in Cefalù daily, plus some spectacular sea view restaurants, and you’ve got one of Italy’s best degustations. Christ the Redeemer high above the small Italian town of Maratea Maratea, Basilicata Basilicata is one of Italy’s most overlooked regions. Other than Matera, an almost unbelievable city sculpted into a rocky valley, it rarely features on must-visit lists. It’s criminal but also a blessing – you’re much more likely to be holidaying with locals here.

Maratea is one of those small Italian towns you come to when you want to escape it all. Think of a less glam, much more laid-back Amalfi Coast, and you’ve got the gist. There are a few attractions to tour, such as the towering Christ the Redeemer statue staring out to the Tyrrhenian Sea and the 9th-century Basilica of Saint Blaise, but Maratea’s main charm is the laid-back coastline. While the coastal roads don’t quite compete with the Amalfi Coast’s scenery, they certainly hold their own. Take a road trip between beaches, leafy cliffs, and overlooked coves and caves accessible only by boat. By night, retreat back into the harbour for the freshest of fish. The very hands that caught it are likely drinking at the bar. Read more:Italy off the beaten path The Salita Serbelloni in Bellagio, Lombardy Bellagio, Lombardy Lake Como oozes with glamour. For years, this has been a retreat for the rich and famous. George Clooney and Brad Pitt are just two of the celebrities with villas on the edge of this handsome lake, flecked with pastel-hued villages and backed by lush, low-slung mountains. At the tip of the lake’s two lower “legs”, Bellagio has long been considered the jewel in Como’s crown. Over more than a millennium, the town was sold between various private owners, keeping it both elusive and indulgent. Everything seems to take place in a lavish villa here: Villa Carlotta is a museum, Villa del Balbianello is open for unforgettable tours, and with a bit of an investment, a Villa can also be your home for the night. Gently sloping up from the water, the core of Bellagio is a colourful medley of staircases and narrow streets. Salita Serbelloni, the town’s most photographed stairs, captures all of Bellagio’s magic. From the top, vistas of pale yellow houses, tumbling wines, cerulean waters and soaring hills beyond are enthralling. Being one of the most beautiful towns in Italy, it’s also one of the busiest. If you’re seeking a rural retreat on the water’s edge, away from the crowds, string spots like Nesso or Varenna together into a lakeside Lombardy itinerary instead. Still, with the pretty set of gardens on Bellagio’s edge, such as Giardini di Melzi, you’ll find some serene pockets on the peninsula. The typical Trulli houses of Alberobello Alberobello, Puglia In Italy’s sun-kissed southern Puglia region, the fertile Valle d’Itria is dotted with olive groves and typical trulli houses. These stone-built, circular buildings topped with conical roofs feature on every Puglia postcard, and in the small old town of Alberobello, you’ll find their greatest concentration. Here, you can sleep in a trullo, see how they would have been as typical homes in museum-style trulli such as Trullo Sovrano and Rione Aia Piccola, or enjoy a dinner under one of the conical roofs in Ristorante Trullo D’Oro. If you’d like to spot a trullo “in the wild” rather than on these sometimes day-tripper-crowded streets, hop on a bicycle and head into the valley. Along these trails, you’ll see traditional trulli with exposed brickwork and no whitewashed facade intertwined with olive groves and citrus trees. Read more:Things to do in Puglia Monterosso al Mare is the largest of Cinque Terre’s Five Lands Monterosso al Mare, Cinque Terre, Liguria Along the North Ligurian Coast, also known as the Italian Riviera, the five villages of Cinque Terre have long enchanted travellers. Linked by slow trundling trains and epic trails overlooking tumbling vineyards and the Mediterranean beyond, it’s a timeless setting of settlements at the base of steep verdant slopes. While all of the five lands (the direct translation of Cinque Terre) are technically fishing villages, tourism has seriously reshaped the narrative here. Especially in Monterosso al Mare, the westernmost of the handful, which feels like a small town these days rather than a tucked-away village. Is it the prettiest of the five? Not really. But Monterosso al Mare does stand out for its sweep of sand, something lacking in the other four.

Thankfully, the town’s medieval character still shines, and the cluster of narrow streets, historic buildings and the Aurora Tower, which juts into the ocean while doubling as a marker for where the old and new parts of town meet, make it as old-world as the rest. For me, the best time to visit Cinque Terre is in the low season, when you’re much more likely to experience silence by night rather than a sea of selfie sticks. And off-season is when Monterosso shines, as the bars and restaurants in some of the smaller villages shutter in winter. Lipari is one of the main towns on the Aoelian Islands Lipari, Sicily The Aeolian Islands, a set of seven serene – if you ignore the bubbling volcanic activity of Stromboli – isles off Sicily’s northeast coast, host some of the more offbeat towns in Italy. San Pietro on Panarea and Vulcano Port, with its sulphur stink, are two of my favourite small towns on this archipelago. But it’s the town of Lipari, on the islands of the same name, that earns my recommendation. Amongst the narrow streets of the historical centre, you’ll find Mediterranean living at its best. The freshest of seafood (try local stuffed octopus with a glass of the island-produced Malvasia) spills across the al fresco tables of laid-back osterias. Luminous bougainvillaea falls down the fronts of whitewashed buildings. And the town’s history unfurls in the Greek and Roman exhibits of the Museo Archeologico. Once you’ve clambered up the steep cobblestone streets, you’ll reach the Castle of Lipari. These Spanish-built medieval fortress walls, perched atop a volcanic rock, afford some of the best views in town. Inside, you’ll find more historic discoveries, ceramics, and the Church of Santa Caterina. If you want Sicily in miniature, you’ll find it here. Read more:Best islands to visit  Castelmezzano, one of Italy’s most beautiful small mountain towns Castelmezzano, Basilicata One of the most beautiful towns in Italy, Castelmezzano is that dreamy mountain getaway. Perched against the backdrop of the Dolomiti Lucane, a set of saw-toothed peaks that dominate the landscape, the cluster of ochre roofs, bathed in orange street lights at night, are truly cinematic. This is a town to come to for mountain hikes and a countryside retreat. Stay a few nights in this 10th-century settlement, and you’ll soon discover all the secrets of Castelmezzano’s side streets. Castelmezzano isn’t the only small Italian town shrouded by these mountains, though. Here, you get two for the price of one. Pietrapertosa, the “twin” across the way, is linked by the Angel’s Flight, a zipline that will whisk you through the air to the second of the peak-snuggled towns. Once you’ve had your fill of rural Italian living, continue to Basilicata’s most beguiling city, Matera, a magical land of caves, ancient underground living, and streets that tell the stories of poverty, disease and now, restoration. The landscapes around the medieval town of Brisighella Brisighella, Emilia Romagna In Emilia Romagna, best known for the foodie cities of Bologna, Parma and Modena, you’ll find Brisighella, one of the prettiest small towns in Italy. I could wax lyrically about this place for days. Arriving here felt like stepping into an Italian movie set – castles stand above vineyards, a clocktower surveys the lush valley, and terracotta-roofed homes exist in a trance-like state. Set around three hills, each crowned with a landmark – a clocktower, a castle and a church – there are plenty of easy trails which will take you to the main sights. Vestiges of Brisighella’s medieval past are very much evident, especially in the Via degli Asini, a half-timbered, stone-floored passageway. And as with much of Emilia Romagna, local flavours are in abundance, with small-batch wines and excellent, if unsung, olive oils of particular note. Once you’ve bathed in Brisighella’s glory, head into the mountains of Parco Carnè or the nearby old quarry caves, where live music performances are held underground in summer.

Read more:Things to do in beautiful Brisighella Polignano a Mare is a beach town in Puglia Polignano a Mare, Puglia Puglia is regarded as one of Europe’s best beach destinations and has pretty seaside Italian towns aplenty. Even if some shorelines are pebbly rather than sandy, this does little to put off troves of Northern Italians flocking to the south every year – and Polignano a Mare is a popular choice. Chances are, you’ve seen this striking whitewashed village, which crowns cyan waters atop near-vertical limestone cliffs, on Instagram. It’s Puglia’s poster child. The little main beach looks even better from a viewpoint above, although it can get crowded in summer. Still, with an abundance of beaches on the peripherals, you don’t have to travel far for a more private spot of sand. Better still, hop on a boat tour and explore the caves to see some of Puglia’s best features. Inside Polignano a Mare’s maze of streets, you’ll find everything that makes Puglia so delectable. Narrow lanes, flanked by whitewashed and sandstone buildings, weave past little boutiques selling locally crafted ceramics. Window-style restaurants prepare stuffed Puccia Salentina sandwiches. Alfresco restaurants serve plump red prawns and cuttlefish. And gelato parlours adorned with ceramic flower pots dish out jade-hued pistachio scoops. There isn’t a long list of attractions to tick off – but perhaps that’s what makes this Italian town the perfect seaside holiday. Piazza Giovanni XXIII in the beautiful town of Priverno Priverno, Lazio Travel around an hour south of Rome and leave the crowds in your wake as you head deeper into Lazio. Priverno is one of Italy’s lesser-visited small towns, but it won’t disappoint those seeking archaeological finds. The mammoth discovery of the Roman city of Privernum, where archaeological digs continue, is nearby. In Priveno’s city museum, you’ll find these incredible mosaics, statues, artefacts and other discoveries, all curated and catalogued by humble Paula (say hey from me!). Across the plaza from the museum, a grand staircase leads into the Cathedral, where St. Thomas’s skull has put Priverno on the pilgrimage map. Around the town, medieval architecture unfurls at every corner, making the lack of international tourists all the more surprising. Come for the annual medieval festival, and you’ll see reenactments of how life once was. Just up the road is one of Italy’s smallest villages, centred around the Gothic, 12th-century Abbey of Fossanova, where St. Thomas spent his final days. This is Italy’s oldest Cistercian monastery, and it remained closed to the public, other than pilgrims, for centuries. Nowadays, you can enter the imposing, if simply decorated, Abbey before seeing more archaeological discoveries in the neighbouring museum. The provincial table doesn’t disappoint either, with buffalo produce, such as mozzarella and meats, treasured Orsini Olive Oil, and Chiacchietegli di Priverno (Priverno’s violet broccoli) padding the menu. Read more:These are Europe’s best hidden gems Fossanova Abbey is easily combined with Priverno Orvieto, Umbria Perched atop a volcanic plateau, Orvieto is one of Umbria’s most beautiful medieval towns. In this part of Italy, Etruscan history is writ large, making Orvieto much older than its Middle Ages architecture conveys. Yet it’s a different story when you head underground. Take a tour of the caves, tunnels and other subsurface wonders, and you’ll start to get an idea of how advanced the Etruscan civilization was nearly 3000 years ago. Back above, the hulking and highly detailed Duomo di Orvieto is the star. Honestly, it should be famous the world over for its magnificent frescoes and detailed facade. But all across the storied streets, you’ll find vestiges of the past, which particularly pop during Oriveto’s numerous cultural events. If you’re seeking a Tuscan-style retreat but want fewer crowds, Umbria is much more than a consolation prize.

Pin it! Top: Orvieto / Bottom: San Gimignano San Gimignano, Tuscany Speaking of Tuscany, I can’t write a list of the most beautiful small towns in Italy and forget the forever charming settlements that dot the region’s beloved rolling hills. Picking just one is mission impossible, but the UNESCO-listed Historic Centre of San Gimignano is famed for good reason. Long a pilgrimage stop on the Via Francigena – a centuries-old, multi-day, cross-country trail that traverses many of the above-mentioned towns – San Gimignano has been welcoming hoards long before it rose to tourism fame. Nowadays, it’s the well-preserved medieval architecture, especially the heaven-reaching towers that dot the town, and the unimaginable interior paintings of the Collegiate Church of San Gimignano, that pull in the crowds. Settle into Tuscan life at an out-of-town countryside stay, enjoy mornings strolling through the town’s time capsule before the day-trippers arrive, and spend your long lunches sipping the local, crisp Vernaccia wine – is there really any better way to appreciate Italy’s beautiful small towns? Read more:Underrated European cities to visit [ad_2] Source link

[ofmythsandfables]

Elizabeth B.athory

starter call | open starters | aesthetics | headcanons | photos

SYNOPSIS

Being of noble blood, Elizabeth had a strict upbringing, and was taught to demand excellence and exude power. As she grew older, her beauty was unmatched, as were her wit and brains. Elizabeth was betrothed to a knight, but she had not taken his name, for she had higher ranking than he. As a gift, he gave her his estate, and that is where they lived together until he mysteriously passed away some years later. Now a widow, Elizabeth was the most eligible woman, due to her status as a countess and her desirable beauty. They say she aged like fine wine, that even as she got older, she retained her beauty. No one knew that behind closed doors, she was seducing her maids and then draining them of their blood to keep herself youthful. It was easy. For years, no one ever suspected that she had been a creature of the night, a nightmarish monster deep within. Therefore, the missing girls were just that, missing. Until someone suspected her of foul play, and she was locked away in a tower for murdering the maids. It is said in history that Elizabeth died in the tower many years later, a possible heart attack. But what history doesn’t tell us is the Countess escaped her confines and murdered those who tried to keep her locked away forever, and fled Hungary to comb the entirety of it for blood. But how did Elizabeth become a creature of the night? Some say her real father was a vampire, and her mother a human, both slain by a hunter in the mountains where they dwelled. He had rescued the orphaned baby, never realizing that she herself was a vampire hybrid when he presented her to the Count and Countess in the region. Having just lost their baby not long before that once birthed, they took in the baby girl happily and dubbed her Elizabeth, raising her as their very own. Seeing how different she was from an early age, it didn’t matter to the new parents. They loved her unconditionally, but her true self had to be hidden from the world to ensure her safety. But eventually, as the story foretells, her secret would be her end. Or rather, her beginning?

VERSES

Bloody Countess:

Elizabeth is living in Hungary after her husband’s death, enjoying her time being a widow with lavish parties and lovers galore. Here is where the famed “bathing in virgins’ blood” story originates.

Femme Fatale (Modern):

Main verse. Elizabeth owns a wine company and winery in the hills of Tuscany. The winery is a tourist destination where guests can rent the place out for a period of time. She travels often around the world meeting clientele to sell her product, but does go back to her villa when she can to relax and perhaps feed on a guest or two staying at the winery.

AUs:

Because she is a vampire, Elizabeth can be put into any era/universe.

ABILITIES AND WEAKNESSES

ABILITIES:

SUPER STRENGTH

SUPER SPEED

TELEPATHIC

ACUTE SENSE OF SMELL AND SIGHT

SHAPESHIFTS INTO A WOLF

TELEPORTS

THROWS VOICE

SONIC HEARING

WEAKNESSES

SILVER

WOODEN STAKES

SENSITIVITY TO SUNLIGHT RESULTS IN MIGRAINES

OTHER FACTS:

ELIZABETH CAN EAT FOOD WITHOUT IT HARMING HER, BUT HER REAL NECESSITY IS BLOOD. SLEEP ISN’T NEEDED BUT SHE DOES INDULGE IN IT.

#{ elizabeth / verses }

[europeincomingei]

Unforgettable Student Travel Packages for Exploring Europe

Are you prepared to embark on an extraordinary journey through Europe? Student travel is a fantastic opportunity to learn about new cultures, experience new landscapes, and make memories that will last a lifetime. Students can experience Europe's magic thanks to student travel packages, which are both convenient and cost-effective. We'll take a deep dive into student tours Europe in this blog post, highlighting the unique experiences and locations that eager students who want to discover Europe's beauty can find.

1. Memorable Experiments:

Student travel packages include a wide range of unique experiences that go beyond the usual tourist destinations. Imagine taking a hike through the Swiss Alps, kayaking in the Norwegian fjords, or participating in Munich's vibrant Oktoberfest celebrations. Students will have unforgettable experiences that will shape their worldview and foster personal growth as a result of these student Europe trip packages, which frequently include adventure activities, cultural exchanges, and off-the-beaten path explorations.

2. Local Secrets and Treasures:

The chance to learn about local tidbits and treasures is one of the best features of student travel packages. Packages frequently include lesser-known destinations that provide unique insights into the local culture, despite the allure of well-known cities like Rome and Paris. Students can get a taste of the real Europe outside of the usual tourist hotspots by exploring the charming coastal towns of Cinque Terre in Italy, the medieval charm of Krakow in Poland, or the bohemian vibe of Budapest in Hungary.

3. Social Inundation:

Understudy travel bundles underline social submersion, permitting understudies to interface with local people, participate in significant collaborations, and gain a more profound comprehension of European legacy. These packages promote cross-cultural exchanges that broaden perspectives and establish connections that will last a lifetime, whether you take flamenco dancing lessons in Spain or take traditional cooking classes in Tuscany.

4. Responsible and eco-friendly travel:

Lately, the significance of reasonable and capable travel has acquired conspicuousness. Ethical tourism, local community support, and eco-friendly practices are all embraced by numerous student travel packages. Students can have a positive impact while exploring Europe's wonders by staying in eco-lodges, participating in conservation projects, or supporting social enterprises.

Student Europe travel packages give students a once-in-a-lifetime chance to go on an adventure that goes beyond boundaries and helps them grow as people. By embracing the accommodation, moderateness, and one of a kind encounters given by these bundles, understudies can open the enchantment of Europe. Student travel packages give young explorers the opportunity to discover the true essence of Europe while creating memories that will last a lifetime and forging connections that will last a lifetime. These opportunities range from local secrets and hidden gems to cultural immersion and sustainable practices. Therefore, pack your belongings, accept the unknown, and set out on a journey that will forever alter your perspective and pique your curiosity about the world.

#student tours Europe #student Europe trip packages #Student Europe travel packages

[archoniluthradanar]

Portrait of a Volturi mate - Aro

I'm the human mate to an arrogant son-of-a-bitch who happens to be a vampire, and I could not love him more.

I ignorantly accepted a free tour of a very old castle of sorts while vacationing in Tuscany Italy, and nearly lost my life. How was I to know the group of tourists on this tour were tagged to be lunch to a bunch of vampires, me included. The doors were opened and we walked into the slaughterhouse, waiting for something magical to happen. For me it did.

The red eyes of a man I saw as so beautiful, it literally hurt my heart, focused on me and pulled me from the sudden and bloody fray with a burst of speed that made me dizzy. When he put me down in an outside corridor, I gazed at him, confused as hell. "What was that all about?" I cried out.

"This is the thanks I get for saving your life. I am Aro, leader of the Volturi, and you now belong to me."

Of course, when I heard those words, and looked into those ruby eyes, what else could I do. I fainted dead away.

When I woke up, I was lying on a bed, plush with velvet blankets and matching cushions. Red Eyes was looking down at me, an enigmatic grin on his otherwise flawless face. I jumped off the bed and headed for a door, only to find I was in a rather ornate bathroom. I left that room and went toward another door, only to find myself in a huge walk-in closet filled with clothes and accessories. I stomped my foot, angry as sin. "Damn, how do I get out of here?" I demanded. I saw one more door and ran for it, but Red Eyes beat me to it and blocked my way. "You are so effing fast," I accused him. All I got in return was a smirk.

"My dear, I meant what I said. You are mine, for all eternity. On the other hand..." He walked up to me and reached out with pale fingers, stroking my cheek. His fingertips were ice cold and I got goosebumps up and down my arms and back. "...I am yours as well."

"Is that supposed to make me happy?" I questioned, using my "unhappy glare" face all my friends knew. However, Red Eyes stepped back from me, seemingly confused. 

"Your fate was sealed the moment you entered this castle. You're to be my mate, dear one."

Now I was the confused one. I backed up slowly until the backs of my legs hit a piece of furniture. I sat down on the sofa behind me and looked up at him with enquiring eyes. He obliged me and sat next to me.

"This is the home of the Volturi coven of vampires, and I am Aro, it's leader. When you entered the throne room, you were about to be devoured by one of my Guard, that is until I saved you. When I heard the beating of your heart, I knew why you were here."

When I felt his hand clasp mine, I didn't pull away. I didn't want to. "I suppose I should thank you for saving me, Aro. The rest I don't understand, I'm sorry."

"May I read you, my dear?" Without question, I let him hold my sweating hand, hoping he wouldn't notice. After a couple of minutes, he let it go and merely looked at me. "I understand now. To put it as simply as possible, I am your mate and this castle will be your home. Our fates are bound together."

I rose from the sofa and shook my head slowly. "This can't be." But even as I said the words, I knew he was right. I felt it in my heart. I wanted to touch him, but my instincts betrayed me and I ran for the door again. 

He sped across the room and grabbed me by the arms, taking me into an iron-tight embrace. His eyes flashed while he bared his teeth at me. With one hand, he pulled my hair from my neck and I felt cold breath on my skin. His teeth scraped over my tender flesh until I stopped breathing. Then I heard him laugh. "I'm not going to harm you, dear heart. You are one very brave little human."

I was suddenly released, and when I pulled away from him, I swung my arm as if to hit him, but he caught my wrist, then shook his head. "That will hurt you more than me."

I looked him in the eyes and leaned into him, pressing my lips against his. My arms encircled his neck while I tasted him, felt his hard body against me. It all made sense to me now. It really did.

For his part, he joined in the kissing, running the tip of his tongue over my lower lip, his cool hands on my back. "It makes sense to me as well, little one."

I smiled at him. "You're not that much taller than me."

"True," he said. "But I could break you with one hand." There was no threat in the statement, only the truth.

And that is how I, a human, met a vampire who took me into his heart and home, and loved me. Sometimes we argue, neither of us willing to give in. We're both stubborn, but then we enjoy showing each other how much we need the other. 

Aro can be an arrogant SOB, but he is my arrogant SOB, and no one else will ever have him.

#volturi fanfiction #volturi #aro volturi #Volturi mates

[luxurytravelcurator]

YES.!!! It is time for my annual #Italy scouting/exploring trip, to find and curated uniques experiences, restaurants, hotels and options for my clients…. The line-up is confirmed and dates set: #Rome @ Hotel d'Inghilterra Roma. #Florence @ Villa Cora. #Portofino @ Belmond Splendido Mare. #Milan @ Palazzo Touring Club and back to Rome @ Palazzo Montemartini. Flying #UNITEDAirlines Polaris #BusinessClass… and the restaurants lime up is mind blowing… including the brand new Saporium Firenze by Borgo Santo Pietro #Tuscany ( opening March 14th ). Stay tuned. Starts MARCH 24th. Of course paired with unique and authentic experiences and tours, curated personally by Luxury Travel Curator in collaboration with our expert and trusted on-site partners. Booking directly with me, my clients will enjoy a suite of #VIP Amenities such as and not limited to: Room upgrades + Early Check IN & Late Check OUT + Complimentary Breakfast + Food & Beverage and/or Spa Credits + Free WIFI among many others. Stay tuned to my upcoming trips 2023: Cuba ( February 2023 ). New York ( March 2023 ). Rome, Florence, Portofino & Milan, Italy ( March 2023 ). Buenos Aires, Argentina ( April 2023 ). Paris, France for Roland Garros ( June 2023 ). My mission is to transform Tourists into Travelers by experiencing unique travel experiences, moments and destinations worldwide. Luxury Travel Curator, Concierge, Blogger & Lifestyle Consultant. Over 28 years curating the world of Authentic and Sophisticated Travel, Hospitality & Lifestyle, one destination at the time. Member of the exclusive @VirtuosoLTD Luxury Network, #AmericanExpress Membership Rewards, Fine Hotels & Resorts and Pay with Points Programs. Luxury #TravelAdvisor. #Jetsetter #Globetrotter #BonVivant. Founder of @LGTNetwork Luxury #GayTravel Curator, member of @IGLTA. #Travel #Hotel #Restaurant & #Airline reviews. Follow, read and share my travel experiences worldwide. #TravelAgent, #TravelBlogger, #WeddingPlanner #TravelBlog #LuxuryTravel #Luxury #Lifestyle #LuxuryTravelCurator #Concierge #Blogger #VirtuosoTravel Luxury Travel Curators Mobile & WhatsApp [phone] / Email [email protected] / www.luxurytravelcurator.vip (at Italy) https://www.instagram.com/p/CpEWh7ot9T3/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

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[gonomadtravelposts]

Tweeted

Villa Lena is Ready to Welcome Tourists Tuscany is Excited to Reopen its Doors to Tourists Once Again By Matt Martella Villa Lena, Tuscany has announced that it will be re-opening to guests from 15th June 2020. The Villa Lena marks the beginning https://t.co/O5Y5Aa8Nn2

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[happyfirecreation]

Get High-end Rental Property In Italy

Content

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[tuscanwalker]

Sept 18, 2022: Ponte a Rigo to Aquapendente 14.0 km, CUS 1,000 ft

A Pretty Easy Day

We had a fairly expensive dinner last night as we were eating in the resort dining room from the Al a carte menu. We each had a small bowl of gnocchi ragu, a side of sautéed spinach, a glass of the wine made at the agritourismo and water - $80. Pretty high when you consider the wine was only $4 a generous glass and was the highlight of the meal. It had several fruit notes, some nice fine tannins and a great deal more complexity than we expected (we would guess $25+ at home). The restaurant touted its “amazing” chef, but frankly the ragu was bland and tasteless compared to many that we have had.

We had arranged for an 8 am pickup. We were informed by reception that breakfast was normally at 8 but her colleague was there earlier so breakfast at 7:30 was “no problem”. We have learned that “no problem” in Italy can sometimes mean “not my problem”. We were confronted by a locked door at 7:30 and it took 15 minutes to communicate with the woman in the kitchen who had not been informed of our early departure. She quickly let us in and we wolfed down a full breakfast in about 10 minutes including great cappuccino and the best croissant we have had in Italy, fresh from the oven.

The driver dropped us back in Ponte a Rigo and we were off. Not much to do or see en route, except a welcome cappuccino stop at about 6 km. The bar owner was as surprised to see us as we were to find the bar open, and did not appear fully dressed for the day. His dog however was more than ready for visitors, particularly those who would provide multiple ear scratches. I took my jacket off at this point and discovered that, in the confusion over breakfast (and the general mental confusion of old age), I still had the set of 3 room keys. Definitely too late to walk them back.

A couple of km down the road we stopped again, but this time for a somewhat tacky looking snack bar that was clearly aimed at the tourist trade. If we had been in rural USA, I would have looked for an accompanying road side attraction like a rattlesnake zoo or world biggest ball of string. A mid morning Fanta was definitely in order. We then crossed one of about 4 major rivers that we have crossed this week, once again completely dry. The drought is turning a Tuscany into a desert,

We arrived in Aquapendente around noon but our luggage was no where to be seen. When asked, the Albergo’s owner very helpfully volunteered that he had a friend at Il Poggio and would see that the key was returned. We were also informed that the hotel restaurant was closed Sunday evenings, so they had arranged a meal at a nearby bar.

We soon discovered the reason for the closure. Around 13:00 crowds began to enter the restaurant until we estimate there were at least 80 diners. All were well dressed, so we think that this was the place to go for lunch after Sunday mass. It was like a huge family party to which we were clearly not invited. The place did not empty out until about 4 just after our luggage finally arrived. Of course, the bags were left in front of the Albergo in the square, 2 stories down.

In comparison to the generous plates of wonderful smelling food being served at the Albergo, we had anchovy and zucchini flower pizza by the slice and a Moretti in the Town Square followed by a decent gelato cone. Not great, but frankly, in the setting of the town square, not bad either.

[faelid]

Moonlight and love songs

@iibonniee I did the thing!'

I may have gotten a little carried away.

Also, this was harder than I thought it was going to be. I have these little snippets in my head and I'm terrible at transitioning between them. I spent three days trying to fix it and in the end I'm giving up.

I hope I did it justice.

---

It felt like fate, that their aimless wandering should have deposited them outside the jazz bar, almost unnoticed but for her wanting to capture the flow of people through the narrow alleyway. The sign, barely past head height, was a round oak measure overlaid with wrought iron:

Hello Dolly:

Whisky and Jazz

Changkyun read it aloud, turning the name into a suggestion, letting it dangle in the chill. It was as much a question as it was an indication of immediate interest, and she dragged herself away from her ISO settings, where she'd been toying with the perfect shot.

The place was tucked between the paper lanterns that lit the alley, advertising for open restaurants. She didn’t even bother to look for a menu, just glanced back to Changkyun. He was rocking on his heels with barely concealed excitement, hands in the pocket of his long wool coat. It was all the convincing she needed, and she smiled fondly at him.

“Looks like a winner to me!” She slid her phone back into her jeans, photo abandoned as she followed him inside. The host cut them off in entryway, chattering in Japanese quicker than she could follow.

She spared a moment to appreciate this balance of talents, watching Changkyun swipe a lock of his dark hair from his face as he responded. They were well matched in English and Korean, but that was where their lingual overlap ended. It worked to their benefit, taking turns playing translator, never being truly lost as they traveled, whether it was the hills of Tuscany or the hutongs of Beijing.

But as her Japanese skills were limited to meagre discussions of the weather and directions, she amused herself with checking out the bar as Changkyun did the conversing.

It was small, not much more well-lit than the alley had been, and not very busy at the moment. It couldn’t be more than a few hundred square feet; from where she stood she could see straight across and out the floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the river. Outside, the night life of Gion was coming alive, lights winking on in high end tea houses as the Kyoto elite came out for their after-hours business meetings.

Changkyun turned to her, mischief like honey in his eyes. “He says they don’t serve food here, but the next band is on in ten. It’s a good time to get seated before they start.”

"Whiskey isn't food."

She tried to school her face to sternness, but she was grinning before she'd even finished speaking. And while she’d need to eat something eventually, she was pretty sure Changkyun could subsist on music alone. She liked jazz, but she liked seeing him relaxed and vibing even more.

They could have served Taco Bell and she still would have given in, just to see him happy.

She was hopeless.

But this was the man who’d worn a kimono out in public for her earlier, indulging her desire to be part of the magic without a word of complaint, going so far as to allow other tourists take their picture as they posed in the small zen gardens that lined the historic district.

So what, she was hopeless; he wasn’t any better.

“It’s soul food,” he insisted, long eyelashes fluttering dramatically. She shook her head - the audacity of this man - but he’d already turned back, reassuring the host in fluent Japanese that they had no issues with the lack of sustenance.

They were led to a pair of stools at the corner of the bar, near the window. Now that they were inside, she could see that there was no stage, just a small area sectioned off from the tables. And sectioned was a strong word… If they sat at one of the tables, they were certain to end up in the band’s lap.

The bar, to Changkyun’s delight, had more than just the typical imported scotch and bourbon - it also had an extensive collection of Japanese whiskey. He considered himself something of an enthusiast, and was excited to show off his knowledge. She almost felt bad for the bartender, but he was probably accustomed to it.

As far as she was concerned, it didn’t matter which bottle ended up in her glass. It all tasted like liquid fire, stirring embers where it pooled in her stomach. Changkyun ordered for both of them, two different batches from the original Kyoto distillery, supposedly incredibly rich and flavorful.

In a different lifetime, he might have found her indifference a waste. But now?

It worked out for the better. He could get double the tasting without double the drinking, and he never had to fight over the better beverage.

Which isn't to say that he was going to let her off the hook for an education in the finer differences in local processing; Kyoto was known for their whiskey, after all. That meant it was a cultural lesson, not meagre alcohol snobbery.

She teased him about his expensive palate, anyway, but not with any heat. She enjoyed seeing him come alive as he explained something he was passionate about, enjoyed the enthusiasm in his face and the intensity of his body language.

It’s true, what they say, that jazz is an experience and not just music. It was more intimate, more real, than anything else. When a great soloist erupts on the spot, pouring their heart into that place, that moment…it’s something that can’t ever be replicated in recording.

The band was good. The cellist in particular, but maybe he paid more attention because he’d always enjoyed the sound, the way the bass resonated in his bones and made his teeth tingle. If he ever learned to play, that’s what he’d pick, something with notes you could feel as much as hear. His estimation of the band when up a notch when he realized they hadn’t shunted it to the background.

She felt like she was floating, lost in an ethereal haze of whiskey and jazz. They’d finished more than a few drinks between them, so when Changkyun's arms came to rest around her waist, she leaned back into the unyielding wall of his chest, grateful for the extra support. He propped his chin on her shoulder, swaying them to the rhythm.

"I love this song," she murmured. She could feel his indulgent smile, the light pull of his embrace turning it into a familiar hug.

"You just like Nat King Cole." He whispered back. She hummed, but didn’t protest. No point in denying something they both knew to be true. His breath tickled in her ear as he sang along quietly:

Darling, it’s incredible

That someone so unforgettable

Thinks that I am unforgettable, too.

Goosebumps flared under her sweater. When he sang like that, holy shit. Such a heady rush of arousal and affection never failed to leave her at a crossroads, torn between swearing her undying love and kissing him senseless.

Without much thought, she watched as the band started packing up, making room for the next group. She hadn’t even realized it, but they’d ended up staying for the entire two hour block, utterly entranced.

She could have happily spent the rest of the evening exactly where she was, but evidently Changkyun was going to be the designated adult tonight. He pulled his arms from her waist and gave her shoulders a squeeze, watching her melt under his hands. "Let's go get some food in you, hmm?" He said to her hair, and she rolled her neck on a soft moan, wishing he’d never stop.

“Who needs food, anyway?”

“You do, jagi.” He said, giving her a gentle shove in the direction of the coat rack. With a sigh, she navigated her way past the table maze, detouring to the restroom while he settled the bill.

He found her outside, mesmerized by the glittering clouds she was exhaling. Adorable. He reached for her hand as he joined her, letting her know he was there. Their fingers twined together on instinct, and he brought her hand to his lips in something that was gratitude, apology, and affection all in one, and she smiled at him like he was the only man in the world.

He didn’t let go.

“Seems like it would ruin the mood to go sit down someplace now.” It was an unfortunate reality that they had long since crossed the threshold where dinnertime turned into drinking time.

All the izakaya she could see were packed, noisy with tourists and locals alike letting off steam after a long week.

He swung their hands, looking up to the night sky in thought. “Maybe we can find a yakitori stall?” There were plenty of streets between them and their hotel, so they could take their time making their way back.

“I like yakitori,” she said. It didn't matter what they ate, as long as it was quiet.

Between the brisk December night and lack of beverage establishments, they had the riverwalk mostly to themselves. It was voyeuristic, in a muted way. Every window was lit up, offering a glimpse into a silent film. They strolled quietly, communicating through touch and expression as they passed geisha pouring tea and businessmen drinking themselves into stupor, listening to the distant din of the city at night. Buoyed by the whiskey, neither seemed to mind the frigid breeze.

Their mutual preference to avoid the chaos of the main thoroughfare led them down side streets and back through the historic district. The buildings in Higashiyama dated back to feudal Japan, lovingly preserved and maintained by their owners for years, bemoaning the day their heirs would hand over responsibility to the tourism board.

And turn it over they had, cementing its fate as a veritable Disneyland. It was filled to the brim with shopkeeps and tourists, bright colors and plastic trinkets and every kind of souvenir imaginable. She didn’t want to think about the rent on the two-story Starbucks, ‘authentic’ with its tatami rooms, but she’d seen the line wrapped around the building with her own eyes. It’s not what she’d come to Japan for, but she tried not to judge.

They’d gone to see it during the day because it was one of those things you were supposed to do, feeling a spark of remorse for the spirit of a place that should have been beautiful and serene, but had more in common with the mall at Christmastime.

If they’d felt robbed of an experience earlier, they were making up for it now. They were far enough from the city center that it was quiet, only the sounds of their boots on the cobblestone streets and the scent of snow in the air for company. It was like they were seeing it the way it was meant to be seen, all too easy now to imagine city officials and visiting lords going about their day, servants hanging the wash and bringing in bags of rice and coal.

“We should always tour the city at night.” Changkyun said wistfully, and she couldn’t disagree.

“Let’s be nocturnal forever.” An impossible and selfish wish, to want this solitude for themselves, to see and be and feel a place, devoid of checklist photographers and overzealous salesmen.

It was only a few blocks away from the hotel, when the cold finally started to make itself known over the waning effects of alcohol, that they realized they never had found any yakitori. They shared a guilty laugh, chagrined to find that they’d been so absorbed in their wanderings that they’d completely forgotten about food, and now it was too late. They were well past any hope of a food stall, only ATMs and convenience stores still open between them and their room.

Inspiration struck Changkyun. Leaving her outside, he popped into the next 7/11 and came out boasting a plastic bag with a double serving of cup noodles and pocari sweat, looking pleased with himself.

“It’s not yakitori, but it’s better than nothing.” He shrugged and she wrapped him in a hug, leaning in to leech off some of the heat he’d picked up inside. She was suddenly all too aware that it was cold outside, and all she really wanted was a hot shower.

“Have I ever told you that you’re wonderful and I love you?” She’d been ready to give up on eating, despite knowing she’d regret it in the morning. It just wasn’t worth making a special trip back out for food, not at this time of night. On impulse she gave him a chaste peck on the lips, sealing her words with action.

“Once or twice. But you can say it again.” He wiggled an eyebrow at her vainly, but it was halfhearted and at odds with the rest of his expression. Even if he knew it, he was never going to tire of hearing her say it, of reaffirming that his feelings were mutually reciprocated.

“Well. You’re wonderful and romantic as hell.”

“I don’t know about that,” he said, bumping her rosy nose with his own, laughter in the corner of his eyes and a smile on his lips. “But at least it will be warm.”

#I use too many commas #I'm sorry #monsta x #monsta x imagines #monsta x im changkyun #im changkyun #changkyun #monsta x the dreaming #future lover please woo me #monsta x fanfic #monsta x fluff #monsta x reader #i did research for this #ugh #I wrote more this week than I have in the last two years #little rusty

[liibrii]

Kita Shinsuke x gn!Reader

Synopsis: Hitchhiking through the countryside you catch a ride from a handsome stranger, which just might turn out to be the greatest decision of your life – or your greatest mistake.

wc: 2k || thriller-ish, mystery-ish

a/n: heavily inspired by one of my all time favourite songs; The Count of Tuscany. tbh this fic was just an excuse for me to listen to it on repeat for several hours :P as always feedback is greatly appreciated!

In the bathroom of the roadside gas station you change into your best clothes and brush through the tangles in your hair, wash your face, scrub your hands to make sure there's no dirt beneath your nails. No one in their right mind would pick up a scruffy looking hitchhiker.

You decide to stand outside where everyone who drives in to fill their gas tanks will notice you. On a small chalkboard you bought for a few hundred yen in a convenience store you write the name of your destination with the prettiest writing you manage and even add a smiley face. That should do the trick of gaining attention.

You've almost reached your destination already. The western sea of Japan. Being born on the eastern coast you have watched the sun rise above the ocean your entire life. At least once in your life you want to see it sink in the vastness of the sea hugging your homeland.

Would a train or a bus bring you to your destination faster? They would, sadly your wallet disagreed with that option. Hitchhiking really was the best option even if you often waited for hours with no luck. Still it wasn't all bad; one time an elderly lady stoped to give you a lift. You sat in the back as the front sit was occupied by her dog who excitedly turned to sniffle and lick your face, begging for scratches. She made you stay for dinner and even prepared a futon for you to sleep. “All my children and grandchildren moved to the big cities.“ She scratched behind the ears of her dozing four legged companion as you drank tea while sun slowly set behind the hilltops. “Slowly but surely we are bein' left behind. Seein' someone so young come 'round makes these old bones incredibly happy.“

Following morning she wished you good luck on your journey. Her name and address are written in your dairy. When new year comes in a few months you mustn't forget to send her a gift. You watched her stroll away, one slow step after another, dog trailing behind, her back bent under the weight of years. Is that what the future holds for you?

You try to keep a positive outlook, at least you get to see the beauty of the countryside. The green hills and vast fields of rice swaying in the wind are a sight that takes your breath away. Summer's coming to an end. It will soon be harvest season.

Your legs are starting to hurt. Hours have passed and nobody pays you even a second glance. Under the hat your hair sticks to your skin, droplets of sweat trickle down your back. You're all but ready to give up and start looking for a place to stay the night when a man about your age approaches.

He has caught your eye before. Something about his overalls and silvery hair glimmering in the sun made him stand out from the others. He kept glancing over at you while filling his tank.

“I'm not goin' as far as ya want,“ his eyes glance over the chalkboard you're holding. “But if ya want I can give ya a ride to the next town over.“

You eagerly nod. “That would be great!“ You offer him a hand. “You can call me y/n!“

His hand is calloused. Hand of someone working outside. “Kita.“

Ride is comfortable. Kita is more on the quiet side but once you mention how pretty the landscape looks with all the swaying fields he laughs . It's a bright sound that makes your heart skip a beat. He tells you he works the fields, not all you see, but many of them. Talking to him quickly becomes easy. To your surprise you find you have a lot in common. When you arrive to the town and he stops by a small inn offering rooms you're almost reluctant to leave his company. He hesitates when taking your backpack from the back seats. “I know we just met,“ he softly says, “but could I take you out for dinner? Maybe tonight?“

How could you possibly say no? You've been travelling on your own for the past two weeks and the loneliness is starting to get to you. And he's cute.

When he picks you up a few hours later he's wearing a nice button down. He combed his hair though you preferred it when it was all messy. “I'm not late am I?“

“No, I'm just a bit early.“

“Here,“ he shyly averts his eyes when he hands you a small bouquet of spider lilies that have yet to open in full bloom.

Your cheeks flush. It has been a long time since anyone gifted you flowers. “Thank you,“ you say, sincerely.

Kita takes you to a small family owned restaurant down the street. He opens the door for you and pours you tea while you skim through the menu. Talking to him is so easy. He mentions he used to play volleyball back in high school, that many of his old teammates went on to play professionally. Embarrassed you have to tell him you know very little about volleyball. As you speak his eyes linger on your face. Sports have never been your strong suit, you admit.

“Don't feel bad over it,“ he reassuringly smiles. “So how come yer travellin' these parts?“

Your dream of seeing the sunset over the sea seems so simple when you tell him but Kita nods. There's wisdom in his eyes you don't usually see in your peers. Why are you so relieved he doesn't find your dream childish? “I just want to see the country, get to know the land and the history,“ you eagerly continue.

“There's an old castle ruin not far from the town. Tourists often visit it. If ya want I can show ya 'round,“ he offers.

A trip to ruins does sound nice. Even a little bit romantic. One more day staying around couldn't hurt, right?

Kita's smile widens when you agree. “I'll pick ya up tomorrow. Would around midday be alright?“

For the rest of the night you're all giddy on the inside. You can't wait for tomorrow to arrive. Kita walks you back to the inn and waits till you're inside before heading his own way. What a gentleman, you think to yourself. Meeting someone like him was the last thing you expected.

Whatever road lead to the castle in its days of glory has long since been claimed by the nature. Kita walks with steps of someone who has walked this path a thousand times before. You trail behind him, your clothes getting caught in branches all the time. When he sees you struggling he slows down and even offers to carry your small backpack for you.

“This castle used to be really important back in the days,“ he explains while you catch your breath. “It's strategic position is really important. There's a legend my grannie used to tell me. Durin' the Sengoku period the youngest son of a shogun fortified himself in this castle and defended it for months. Then his enemies dug tunnels beneath.“ He offers you a hand to help you climb over a pile of rubble marking what once were the castle walls. “Filled them with wood soaked in fat and set it aflame. Castle crumbled and buried hundreds of soldiers beneath it. Some say the son of the shogun still haunts this place.“

“An interesting story,“ you say, ignoring how every hair on your body stands up.

By the time you reach the ruins you're drenched in sweat and yet once the view of the valley beneath opens up you forget all about the fatigue. You step closer to the ledge and peek over it. The side of the hill plunges straight down. Deep below you see tree tops. If you slipped -

A hand grabs your shoulder. “Careful. The stones 'round here often crumble.“

You murmur an apology. Kita's hand lingers on yours, his eyes following when you walk away to have a closer look at the ruins. They're covered with grass and small trees sprouting from the crack between stones. Funny, you can't see any tables with information about this place. Having a map would surely help with orientation. You can't be the only tourist with a knack of getting lost.

Kita approaches you with a smile. “Wanna see somethin' really cool?“

You follow him inside the ruins. “Watch yer step,“ he holds the branches of a lonely tree so they don't smack you as you walk by, “it's easy to trip 'round here.“

Walls here are better preserved, higher. The shadows they cast seem longer. You follow Kita inside the labyrinth of crumbled stone. An uneasy feeling of being watched grows inside you as your approach scares off a flock of birds.

Kita pushes away a curtain of poison ivy to reveal a gaping hole where the walls lean on the cliff towering above. Cold gust of wind makes you shudder. “Here,“ Kita offers you a torchlight. Your hands are cold. Fingers barely capable of wrapping around the black plastic.

He turns to you, his eyes carefully examining your face before he enters. “Ya comin'? Be careful where ya step, the stairs are slippery.“ He offers you his hand. It's warm.

“There's a natural cave beneath the castle.“ His calm voice echoes through the winding staircase. “Apparently it used to have a small pool for the nobles to cool in durin' summer. It's filled with rubble now.“

Light of the torches casts eerie shadows on the walls. Stone surface under your fingers is cold and damp. You follow Kita through a narrow hallway and soon enough you reach a small cave. It probably used to be bigger but a part of the ceiling caved in.

Rubble crunches under the soles of your shoes. In the eerie silence all you hear is your breathing and unsteady thumping in your chest. Somewhere in the distance perhaps a ghost of a long deceased soldier- you curse yourself in your head. Why are you trying to scare yourself?

You look up to see stalactites growing from the ceiling. How many thousands of years old must they be?

“They only grow about a millimetre per year. Must be tens of thousands of years old.“ Kita's voice makes you jump. How did he know exactly what you were thinking?

Only now you notice he's standing between you and the exit to the hallway. His eyes are fixed on you. He's closing off the only exit. Pounding in your chest quickens. This place is starting to suffocate you. 

Drip. Drop. Drip. Drop.

You really did follow a complete stranger into a cave beneath an abandoned castle. What an idiot. Naive, trusting idiot.

Drip. Drop. Drip. Drop.

Slowly, like water dripping from the ceiling it sinks in you may not make it out of here.

Drip. Drop. Drip. Drop.

Ah, don't be stupid! You still have years to live! A boring office job to take on! When was the last time you spoke to your friends?

Kita's eyes never leave yours as he steps closer. In the dim light it all seems so- Kita wouldn't- But you don't know him, do you? Torch rolls from your shaking fingers.

Is this really how it ends? Hidden from the sunlight, caught like a mouse in a trap of stone and cold cutting to your bones? You can't breathe. Will they ever find you? Tears well up in your eyes. Why? What have you done to deserve this?

You're shaking. Will you ever see the sunset over the vastness of the sea? Will you lay beside the unfortunate soldiers from centuries ago till you become only clean, nameless bones?

A shaky plea for your life is all you manage to stammer. Through the tears his face is just muddled colours. Is this really how you die?

Warm touch of his hands cupping your face, thumbs wiping away tears, his soft, gentle voice, paralyse you. “Hey, why are ya cryin'?“

#kita shinsuke #kita x reader #kita shinsuke x reader #kita imagine #kita #hqcorenet #inarizaki x reader #inarizaki x y/n #hq #haikyuu!! #haikyuu imagines #libri scribbles #before spider lilies bloom

[diarrheaworldstarhiphop]

The first significant wave of Chinese immigrants arrived in the industrial zone around Prato, a city fifteen miles northwest of Florence, in the nineteen-nineties. Nearly all of them came from Wenzhou, a port city south of Shanghai. For the Chinese, the culture shock was more modest than one might have expected. “The Italians were friendly,” one early arrival remembered. “Like the Chinese, they called one another Uncle. They liked family.” In Tuscany, business life revolved around small, interconnected firms, just as it did in Wenzhou, a city so resolutely entrepreneurial that it had resisted Mao’s collectivization campaign. The Prato area was a hub for mills and workshops, some of which made clothes and leather goods for the great fashion houses. If you were willing to be paid off the books, and by the piece, Prato offered plenty of opportunities. Many Wenzhouans found jobs there. “The Italians, being canny, would subcontract out their work to the Chinese,” Don Giovanni Momigli, a priest whose parish, near Prato, included an early influx of Chinese, told me.

“Then they were surprised when the Chinese began to do the work on their own.”By the mid-nineties, Wenzhouans were setting up textile businesses in small garages, where they often also lived. Soon, they began renting empty workshops, paying with cash. The authorities didn’t ask too many questions. Prato’s business model was falling apart under the pressures of globalization. As it became harder for Italians to make a living in manufacturing, some of them welcomed the money that the Chinese workers brought into the local economy. If you could no longer be an artisan, you could still be a landlord.

Throughout the aughts, Chinese continued to show up in Tuscany. A non-stop flight was established between Wenzhou and Rome. Some migrants came with tourist visas and stayed on. Others paid smugglers huge fees, which they then had to work off, a form of indentured servitude that was enforced by the threat of violence. The long hours that the Chinese worked astonished many Italians, who were used to several weeks of paid vacation a year and five months of maternity leave. In 1989, the newspaper Corriere della Sera, using racist language still common among some Italians, published an article about a Chinese worker under the headline “YELLOW STAKHANOVITE ON THE ARNO.”

While Florence was celebrated for its premium leatherwork, Prato was best known for the production of textiles. The Wenzhou workers tacked in a third direction. They imported cheap cloth from China and turned it into what is now called pronto moda, or “fast fashion”: polyester shirts, plasticky pants, insignia jackets. These items sold briskly to low-end retailers and in open-air markets throughout the world.

The Chinese firms gradually expanded their niche, making clothes for middle-tier brands, like Guess and American Eagle Outfitters. And in the past decade they have become manufacturers for Gucci, Prada, and other luxury-fashion houses, which use often inexpensive Chinese-immigrant labor to create accessories and expensive handbags that bear the coveted “Made in Italy” label. Many of them are then sold to prosperous consumers in Shanghai and Beijing. It’s not just Italian brands that have profited from this cross-cultural arrangement: a Chinese leather-goods entrepreneur I recently met with just outside Prato was wearing a forty-thousand-dollar Bulgari watch. More than ten per cent of Prato’s two hundred thousand legal residents are Chinese. According to Francesco Nannucci, the head of the police’s investigative unit in Prato, the city is also home to some ten thousand Chinese people who are there illegally. Prato is believed to have the second-largest Chinese population of any European city, after Paris, and it has the highest proportion of immigrants in Italy, including a large North African population.

Many locals who worked in the textile and leather industries resented the Chinese immigrants, complaining that they cared only about costs and speed, not about aesthetics, and would have had no idea how to make fine clothes and accessories if not for the local craftsmen who taught them. Simona Innocenti, a leather artisan, told me that her husband was forced out of bag-making by cheaper Chinese competitors. She said of the newcomers, “They copy, they imitate. They don’t do anything original. They’re like monkeys.”

Although it could be argued that the Chinese have revived Prato’s manufacturing industry, there has been a backlash against them. Native residents have accused Chinese immigrants of bringing crime, gang warfare, and garbage to the city. Chinese mill owners, they complain, ignore health laws and evade taxes; they use the schools and the hospitals without contributing money for them. In the early nineties, a group of Italians who worked in areas with a high concentration of immigrants sent an open letter to the Chinese government, sarcastically demanding citizenship: “We are six hundred honest workers who feel as if we were already citizens of your great country.”

The strangest accusation was that the Chinese in Tuscany weren’t dying—or, at least, that they weren’t leaving any bodies behind. In 1991, the regional government began an investigation into why, during the previous twelve months, not a single Chinese death had been officially recorded in Prato or in two nearby towns. In 2005, the government was still mystified—that year, more than a thousand Chinese arrivals were registered, and only three deaths. Locals suspected that Chinese mobsters were disposing of corpses in exchange for passports, which they then sold to new arrivals, a scheme that took advantage of the native population’s apparent inability to tell any one Chinese person from another.

There was a note of jealousy to the Pratans’ complaints, as well as a reluctant respect for people who had beaten them at their own game. Elizabeth Krause, a cultural anthropologist at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, has written about the changes in Prato. She told me, “While I was there, people would say to me, ‘Eravamo noi i cinesi’ ”—“We were the Chinese.”

Even as many Italians maintained a suspicion of Chinese immigrants, they still criticized them for not contributing fully to the wider economy. Innocenti, the leather artisan, claimed that “the Chinese don’t even go to the store here. They have a van that goes from factory to factory, selling Band-Aids, tampons, and chicken. And in the back of the van they have a steamer with rice.” The under-the-table cash economy of Prato’s Chinese factories has facilitated tax evasion. Last year, as the result of an investigation by the Italian finance ministry into five billion dollars’ worth of questionable money transfers, the Bank of China, whose Milan branch had reportedly been used for half of them, paid a settlement of more than twenty million dollars. Many of the transfers, the authorities said, represented undeclared income from Chinese-run businesses, or money generated by the counterfeiting of Italian fashion goods.

In Italy, these sorts of investigations are often more show than substance, and many Chinese residents see themselves as convenient targets. “We didn’t invent this way of doing business,” one mill owner pointed out to me. “If you go south from Rome, you’ll find people who are a lot worse than the Chinese.” He speculated that some Italians disliked the Chinese for working harder than they did, and for succeeding. In the Prato area, some six thousand businesses are registered to Chinese citizens. Francesco Xia, a real-estate agent who heads a social organization for young Chinese-Italians, said, “The Chinese feel like the Jews of the thirties. Prato is a city that had a big economic crisis, and now there’s a nouveau-riche class of Chinese driving fancy cars, spending money in restaurants, and dressing in the latest fashions. It’s a very dangerous situation.”

At a time when Europe is filled with anti-immigrant rhetoric, political extremists have pointed to the demographic shifts in Prato as proof that Italy is under siege. In February, Patrizio La Pietra, a right-wing senator, told a Prato newspaper that the city needed to confront “Chinese economic illegality,” and that the underground economy had “brought the district to its knees, eliminated thousands of jobs, and exposed countless families to hunger.” Such assertions have been effective: in Italy’s recent national elections, Tuscany, which since the end of the Second World War had consistently supported leftist parties, gave twice as many votes to right-wing and populist parties as it did to those on the left. Giovanni Donzelli, a member of the quasi-Fascist Fratelli d’Italia party, who last month was elected a national representative, told me, “The Chinese have their own restaurants and their own banks—even their own police force. You damage the economy twice. Once, because you compete unfairly with the other businesses in the area, and the second time because the money doesn’t go back into the Tuscan economic fabric.” He added that he had once tried to talk with some Chinese parents at his children’s school. “They had been here six or seven years, and they still didn’t speak Italian,” he scoffed. “Because they didn’t need to!”

TL;DR: coronavirus is the ultimate globalism virus, where it’s direct access to and rapid spread throughout Europe is owed to a massive illicit Chinese textile industry in Northern Italy, where Chinese run manufacturing plants that have displaced indigenous ones filled with Chinese workers paid under the table for the “made in italy” label, is currently the hardest hit area of Coronavirus outside of China.

#coronavirus