#anyways enjoy the random 7am before work post | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

logically-asexual · 3 years

Text

okay i'm already procrastinating and i don't plan on sleeping any time soon so here we go.

☆ ✩ my personal ranking for every season 1 Sanders Sides episode. ✩ ☆

i think it's going to be pretty similar to @dukeofonions' but let's see if i find something new to contribute haha. i see you didn't include that one about Patton in the Big Game or whatever, so i'm not including it either xd. also i think i'm going to count Accepting Anxiety as one episode only.

edit: i finished and now i dare you to drink a shot of water every time i say the word spanish or a version of the word comfort and become very well hydrated.

#16 I'm in a Disney Show

(i agree with dukeofonions here) i always forget this episode exists. it was ok in terms of being happy for real life Thomas but as a Sanders Sides episode it didn't do anything. the sides were just giving their opinions but it wasn't very funny or interesting. also i'm bitter because it made me look up the episode he was in and i didn't like it at all. i don't know if i'm too old for those Disney shows now but Thomas was literally the only good part of it, everything else was really dull and boring imo. a waste of time.

however, Logan supporting clickbait is one of the funniest things ever, and i'll never forget it.

#15 Becoming A Cartoon

i didn't hate this episode but it was just .. meh.. you know? several factors contribute to this. one, i couldn't feel much nostalgia for Butch Hartman's shows because i watched them in Spanish, and everything feels really weird when they speak English, i don't like how my old cartoons sound in English. two, it was disappointing to me because we were all desperately waiting for Plot™ and instead they give us this short episode about nothing (oh how the tables have turned now it's the other way around haha). and three, i didn't like the style of the animation :/ their faces and expressions freaked me out, Roman's douchey face still haunts me.

#14 Way Too Adult

here i'm biased because i don't like Patton much, and i didn't back when i watched the series the first time either, so this video was a little disappointingwithout the rest. also it wasn't relatable to me because i am still too young and dependent on my parents haha. but Patton is funny and it's funny to laugh at Thomas' struggling.

#13 The Dark Side of Disney

i've never been a fan of Disney movies. i actually never watched Mulan or the Lion King or Aladdin as a kid, so meh. i liked the ending, though, it was cool to see Virgil have fun and be right for once. it does make me a bit uncomfortable because the way Thomas tries too hard with Virgil's mouth movements and his low voice reminds me of a guy that had made me v uncomfortable not long before watching that video. so an icky feel overall.

#12 A New Year of Lying to Myself

this video was actually kind of fogettable to me. i had a hard time connecting the voices in the song to the characters and idk. i don't love it nor hate it, just .. neutral.

#11 My True Identity

pretty much the same opinion as dukeofonions, again. it's a good introduction and it's good that it was the beginning of it all but on its own it's not very special. i think it's awesome on Thomas to have come up with such a clever idea, like choosing the dad, the teacher and the prince and putting them together and match them with thoughts?? that fit so perfectly?? it really is just very impressive when you think about it, that it was just a random idea he had for a short 5 minute video.

#10 Taking on Anxiety

i liked this video a lot because when i watched it i had recently been a lot on tumblr, and found out through relatable posts that i had anxiety. so watching this video was really fun and it made me happy to feel so seen, specially the intro when Thomas just talks about what it's like to have Anxiety and Virgil is so smug about it.

- ★ -

okay now that those are out of the way things are going to get hard... all the following i love with all my heart so i'm going to rank them based on the smallest things.

#9 Growing Up

once more, Patton isn't my favorite. so that's why i'm putting this here, plus the echo at the end askjhsahg, but i love love this video. i remember we were waiting and oh so ready for the angst of nobody taking Patton seriously. and we received!! i love that though Roman and Logan are antagonists here, they're both so happy about Thomas wanting to have a healthy life. and i just adore the way Logan admits his mistake at the end and asks Patton directly. my heart... also aw.. the nostalgia. i remember none of us knew how to spell Patton's name and were writing it in very funny ways until Thomas and Joan told us lol.

#8 The Mind vs The Heart

when i watched this video the first times i didn't like it much, because i only had eyes for Virgil, but later i came back to it and loved it. so taking that into account i'm putting it here. logicality was the first ship i ever shipped in the show because i saw a gifset on tumblr of Patton screaming "what do you know about love?!" and Logan "apparently more than YOU" and the caption said "MARRIED", and i thought hey yeah... anyway. i love them. they're both my dads since that day.

this video is so so so relatable and i love it. Logan and Patton are so much fun arguing and i love how they compromise at the end and work together. im reconsidering.. i might move it higher? no, fine i'll leave it here.

#7 Making Some Changes

this video was absolutely hilarious. i personally couldn't see it as the Sides still once they were acted by Thomas' friends, i enjoyed it more as that bunch being silly and trying to be the sides but failing in so many ways, while sometimes nailing stuff suddenly. i really don't take this one too seriously as an episode. except Joan!Logan and Valerie!Logan, my beloved... i love how Joan acted as Logan and their voice and that they kept their ace ring on.. there's a reason i had them as my icon for so long. and Valerie looks a bit (a lot) like me with the glasses and dressed in dark colors, plus she spoke Spanish and there's .. no words to describe the joy i felt when seeing/hearing that. wait i'm getting emotional...

#6 My Personality Q&A

when i watched this Virgil was my favorite side and i didn't care much about the rest lol. when i heard his answers i related to him SO much it was scary, and also his voice is so soft and it was all very comforting. it was also when i first starting looking at Logan with more attention, because when he brought up Big Hero 6 and Fall Out Boy and said he didn't sing and would recite it like a poem? it only took a couple seconds but my brain said "me" and never went back.

now this video is a little underwhelming to watch for me, most of the appeal for me was in finding out the answers, and also watching it when we didn't know a lot about the sides. now we know more and want to know more so it's not as fun to me as it was first.

i wish so bad they'd do another one, although i know it would be more difficult with a much bigger audience, i think they can manage and i just need it. the chaos.. the energy.. they all being so savage with each other, learning little random facts about them you didn't expect.. i need it.

- ★ -

oh boy top 5 here we go. the next three are practically a tie. i can't choose.

#5 Alone on Valentines Day

i love Valerie, and the idea of this video was perfect and so perfectly excecuted. every side just giving their crazy opinions on how to woo a random stranger, i laughed SO much. first with Logan speaking simlish out of nowhere? at that point i didn't know practically anything about the sims except that it was some video game and the whiplash of Logan going AYO and the rest killed me. then when Roman whipped out that dialogue in Spanish??? my life was completed. i've never felt more happy than i did in that moment gosh. just the hilarity of Roman's drama, the shock of them speaking Spanish suddenly like that, the absolute JOY of seeing a creator i like speak (may i say) perfect Spanish, the other characters' faces after that.. never been happier.

also the conclusion was so cute. Virgil solving the whole problem without wanting to. i loved it.

#4 Am I Original

i think this video speaks for itself. it was fun to watch them all do the ideas Roman had, plus Logan and Virgil nodding at each other, (i love them so much), plus the angst at the end of Roman's perfectionism, plus Roman's just perfect name. this video has it all.

i think Thomas posted it kind of late at night and i watched it at 7am in the classroom as i waited for my classmates to arrive and the class to start. (i usually was like 40 minutes early to school due to mom’s work). i had to contain my laughter and it wasn’t easy.

#3 Losing My Motivation

i started loving this video after a while, when Logan passed Virgil in the position for my favorite side. but once he did this episode was beautiful. it's so funny and i love Logan and Patton's dynamic so much. and the video also so damn relatable in general. i felt so seen with it because they named all the problems i have when procrastinating, down to Patton's vague explanation of his feelings, it's exactly how i feel every time i want to do stuff. and the plot twist! i can hear the dramatic sound effect and see how they all turn to Logan clearly in my head, and it always makes me smile. plus there's so much Logan angst that can be dug up and overanalized. i love to watch it over and over.

#2 Accepting Anxiety

this video was perfect. everything we wanted. we knew it was coming and it delivered perfectly, better than any fanfic done in the waiting time. the week between the parts was agonizing but in a fun way somehow. i remember precisely when i was watching part 2 in my living room. i screamed. and i cried, a lot. i was feeling terrible at that time in my life and Thomas was such a comforting presence and i can't begin to describe how this episode made me feel.

and later it is always fun to rewatch with all their different reactions to being in Virgil's room, the energy of that was on point. Thomas is such a great actor and the characters where just amazingly performed. plus it gave so much to talk adn think about, the idea of the rooms, lots lots of insight into the characters, foreshadowing, so much. it's just perfect i have nothing else to say.

#1 (for purely emotional reasons, ironically) My Negative Thinking

i think Accepting Anxiety is the best episode of the season objectively but my favorite is My Negative Thinking. because i love Virgil and Logan so much and seeing them argue together was and is great. the comfort.. i can't repeat that word enough throughout this post. it's such a soft video while not being overwhelming with Patton and Roman's outbursts. just quiet (mostly) and clear and with perfectly timed humour.

Logan my beloved.. learning spanish... helping me with my own anxiety.. and their debate was so good. and the fact that they were friends i- i can't. Virgil didn't think Logan liked him and Logan told him explicitly that he did and the casual softness of it i cant even. Logan is happy that he tried.. it's just marvelous. Virgil and Logan as best friends will always be my favorite pair, and their dynamic will always be what i strive for in any relationship i might form, with both sides silently comforting each other within their own limits and realistic perspectives. so nice.

- ★ -

so yeah. that's all. thank you if you read all the way up to here. ♡ ♡ ♡

#sanders sides #thomas sanders #logan sanders #virgil sanders #patton sanders #roman sanders

19 notes · View notes

sebspocketsquare · 5 years

Text

Wishing you were here... 1

Pairing: Bucky Barnes x Reader (chatroom)

A/N: Hey guys! Here’s the first real thing I’ve worked on this year... oops! Anyway, I’ve had a lot of fun writing this, so I hope you enjoy reading it! Part 1 is mostly just a preview of what’s to come, I have other, longer chapters written and I’m thinking I’ll post once a week! Let me know what you think! (PS i did put a ‘read more’ link in here, so hopefully it works!)

Warnings: language, maybe? flirting? pet names

Masterlist

The only light illuminating your bedroom is the one that comes from your computer screen - bright, almost blinding, and making your eyes silently scream for sleep.

You’re moments from giving in, from turning away from the chat room you’d found your way into a few weeks ago, hoping that you’d find someone to take the edge off your loneliness.

Unfortunately, all you’d managed to find was creepy 60 year old men begging to see your breasts. You weren’t here for it.

A long yawn escapes you, the kind that makes you raise your arms over your head and extend your entire spine. You’re in the process of lowering your arms to exit out of the chat program, when a new IM appears on your screen.

[Sarge1917]: Hello.

You refrain from rolling your eyes, willing yourself to believe that this one won’t be a creep… but there’s a nagging thought in the back of your head, one that whispers: he’s just like the rest.

You reply anyway.

[SpaceKitten]: Hi there.

It takes a few moments before you receive a response.

[Sarge1917]: How are you?

You’re used to the first question someone asks you being “pics?” Or “dtf?” You can’t even think of one person on this god awful site that asked you how you were.

[SpaceKitten]: Honestly.. I’m exhausted. How are you?

His reply is almost instant this time.

[Sarge1917]: Oh, about the same. It’s pretty late where I am.. nearly morning, but I just can’t sleep. What’s got you up?

The fact that he has taken the time to try to have a normal conversation with you has you appalled… but also intrigued.

[SpaceKitten]: My mind won’t stop racing. I’m up all night, every night. I’d blame insomnia, but…

You hit the send button before you realize it.

[Sarge1917]: but…?

You don’t expect him to reply so quickly and you face an internal struggle: do you be honest, or do you lie?

He’s a complete stranger, so why not tell the truth?

[SpaceKitten]: Honestly, I’ve never liked sleeping alone.. Once the sun sets and night takes over I.. I’m overwhelmed with how lonely I really am. I can’t stop thinking about it.

He doesn’t respond straight away this time, and you’re afraid you might’ve scared him off. Fiddling with a random toy on your desk, you anxiously await the sound of a new IM coming through.

[Sarge1917]: We have more in common than you think. I know that feeling, exactly, and I wouldn’t wish it on anyone. I’m sorry.

You’re chewing your lip as you re-read each word, letting it soak in.

A total creep would never speak to you in such a sweet way, right?

You decide to be brave.

[SpaceKitten]: I keep telling myself that Mr. Right will come along some day and sweep me off my feet, but.. The more I think about it, the more it seems unlikely.

[Sarge1917]: Why’s that?

You sit back in your chair for a moment, letting out a long sigh as you contemplate your response. You’d been honest with him so far, so why not continue on that note?

[SpaceKitten]: Honestly?

[Sarge1917]: Honestly.

Taking in a large breath, you write out your reply.

[SpaceKitten]: Honestly.. most of the men I’ve gone on dates with, and the ones I’ve met here only want one thing from me.. and I’m not looking for just that, you know? I want something.. real, I guess? That probably sounds stupid..

His response is delayed for a few moments, but when it finally shows on your screen, you have to bite back a smile.

[Sarge1917]: Not stupid at all.

[Sarge1917]: In fact, I’d like to apologize on behalf of all of the men who have made you feel like a sex object.

[Sarge1917]: Nowadays, most men are.. for a lack of a better word, pigs. It makes all of us look bad.

[Sarge1917]: You deserve better than that. You deserve to be treated like a goddess.

[SpaceKitten]: Oh, I don’t know about a ‘goddess’, but.. I’d like to at least be treated like a person.

[Sarge1917]: Like an equal.

[SpaceKitten]: It’s like you read my mind.

[Sarge1917]: (:

You’re not sure how late you stayed up talking to your new mystery friend, mostly because you end up falling asleep at the keyboard. The only reason you wake is the sun peeking through the curtains and directly on your face.

The first thing you’re acutely aware of is that your back and neck are killing you. You’ve got drool stuck to your cheek and you’re quite sure the shape of the keys are embedded into the side of your face.

You couldn’t look worse.

The computer is still up and running, your chat app still open, along with your conversation.

You feel guilt flood your belly immediately.

While having such a pleasant conversation, you fall asleep on him? What kind of jerk does that make you?

The guilt starts to swirl and alter to another emotion as you read the last bit of your conversation over, the skin up your neck and to your cheeks burning with.. embarrassment? Desire? You weren’t sure.

[Sarge1917]: Well, kitten, it would appear you’ve fallen asleep on me. Can’t say I blame you, it’s nearly 7am here..

[Sarge1917]: I really enjoyed talking with you. And I’m glad I was able to help you find a way to sleep.

There’s a long time gap between the last message and the next.

[Sarge1917]: I was thinking.. maybe if you wanted.. we could talk again? I don’t know what it is, but.. I really would like to get to know you better.

[Sarge1917]: Would that be alright with you?

[Sarge1917]: I hope so.. Sweet dreams, kitten.

How could you possibly say no?

Night after night, week after week, you fall asleep at your desk messaging back and forth with Sarge. He’s sweet, charming and almost a little too perfect in some ways. You’d be lying if you said you hadn’t grown attached - the kind of attached when chatting with him was the highlight of your day; the kind where you’d once spent an entire hour wondering what the color of his eyes were and if he has a beard or not.

It’s the kind where you’re afraid that someday, he might disappear.

6 months later, you were still conversing every day, but that fear just seemed to grow and grow. How long would this last?

You’re in your usual spot at your computer with your usual snacks, listening to music. It’s late, your neighbors have already gone to sleep, and it almost feels like you’re the only person left awake in the entire world.

Until a new IM notification appears on your screen.

TAGS: (sorry if you dont like being tagged, its been so long since i’ve posted idk who to tag anymore lolol. @mindingmyownbusiness @plumfondler @buckybarnesappreciationsociety @loricameback @tinaferraldo @geminimoonbeamx @preserumsteverogers @moderapoppins @lowkeysebby @buckyshattergirl @jayattemptstoruletheworld @the-observant-fangirl @moondancewrites @moonbeambucky @trinityjadec @stevieang @bionic-buckyb @eyecandybarnes @propertyofpoeandbucky @promarvelfangirl @ballyhoobarnes @bucky-plums-barnes @cate-lynne @witchymarvelspacecase @imaginingbucky @theimpossibleg1rl

#bucky x reader #wishing you were here..#sometimes i write #sebspocketsquare #bucky barnes x reader #bucky fic

280 notes · View notes

tjp5 · 4 years

Text

Week 4 Day 7 and Week 5 Day 1

Welcome new readers. Here is a link to the first entry (https://tjp5.tumblr.com/post/190274141892/a-short-background) , in case you don’t feel like scrolling through 20 some entries. I have finally decided to open this up to people that are not within my circle…. By using hashtags. Yea, real huge. But honestly, it’s a start.

To the people who have been reading, I am sorry I didn’t write yesterday, It’s a very busy time at work, and I literally was home for a half hour from 7am to 11pm. It was an insanely busy day. I took some sick time, because the only time I could go to therapy, was at six, and there was no way to jam a workout between that and baseball last night.

So on to Tuesday, which was the last day of week four, I ate well, stayed within my intermittent fasting, oh yea, if you’re new here, I do intermittent fasting, I know its considered bad by some, but I don’t care if you have negative thoughts about it, because I get it. My thought process in this is that I have a horrible snack control, if I have this time constraint on when I can eat, it is a hell of a lot easier for me to say no. See folks, I know me. Anyway, I had two beers at bowling, first to celebrate getting through a month of this program, which is further than I have ever gotten on any actual workout since I had coaches yelling at me to do their workout in college, and secondly because Pittsburgh drivers made me angry and I needed to calm down this road rage. Bowling went very well, I bowl better pissed off, its just probably not good for my wellbeing. But I am an Italian, anger is just one random fuck up away. It is a great way to live, and honestly it is very good for workouts, when you are conscious of it. I literally can go, from “fuck you,” to lifting more weights in an instant. It’s great. Also, block pissed me off, they don’t tell you that to file your HAS in the state its nearly 40 dollars. FOH. Go with turbo, trust me.

As you could see above, Wednesday was a shit show, just kick my ass busy. It was my own doing, but whatever. I am one of those people that thinks they work better in a time crunch, procrastinations finest. Although work was busy, I found time to go to the deli and grab my first meal, I was busy as hell so a walk would help. Then I got a call from sprint asking for money I don’t have, and that was just wonderful too. I could feel that Italian anger coming again. But I came back crushed my work, and left early to get to the gym, had a banana on the way. It was leg day, and it seems that week 5 is going to have longer workouts than week four. The warm up was easy until the fourth round. It was rows and squats. I was just worn out by the time that I got to the end of it. Squats were good, I am starting to feel strong again with my lower body, like progressively more than I had before. This workout has been very beneficial in that aspect. Except for doing Pistols, my knees still ache from those, and that was Sunday. I may be substituting for those if there are a large number to do in the future. I am trying to finish this program. The rest of the workout was good, people started flooding in at the end, so I had to improvise a little on the cardio, and by improvise I mean I cut it into two and cut the rest time in half. I have done worse. I had to race from the gym to Therapy, fun fact homie thinks this blog is good for me, so its going to keep coming. I ran to chipotle after, kept the rice light, no sour cream, no bullshit, ate quick and went to baseball.

For the new readers, baseball is my first love. When I was young, I was pretty fucking good, then I got hurt, got fat, got in shape, got hurt and got fat. Wonderful cycle. I continue to play because I love to do it. Well last night was the first ‘practice’ of the year. It felt good to hit baseballs, make jokes with a team, and be around it. Look for mental and physical health, I can’t stress enough, find something you enjoy. For me it is baseball and bowling, for you it might be tennis, or rec league basketball. Who knows, just doing something and having a little extra something to be in shape for seems to help immensely.

I will bring some month one results to you come Saturday when I have more time. Right now, I can tell you I am a lot stronger, and in a lot better cardio vascular shape. On a personal note, bowling has become easier because my balance and lower body strength has improved. Hitting a baseball seems to be a more violent action because of the core strength that I have developed. I am enjoying being on a program so far, and hopefully I continue well for the next couple months.

Cheers

#fitness #newyearnewme #workout #mentalhealth

1 note · View note

chiliwriting · 6 years

Photo

Comes and goes in waves

A line from one of my favorite songs says, “ it comes and goes in waves, it always does”. At this point I am talking about the summer season, the season will all love and anticipate throughout the whole year. Waking up at 12pm with no stress, spending the day at the beach, eating fruits and vegetables… and ice cream, meeting people, falling in love and of course, going out at midnight only to return early in the morning. For us students, that’s the summer we are waiting for. For others it’s work, work, work (not Rihanna’s song) until August when they get fourteen days off work to have fun. For others, it’s just a season only too hot from the rest. You might be waiting the summer for the whole year, you might just hate it it’s here, the thing is though that every summer just comes and goes in waves. Time flies you can barely realize what you’re doing over the summer. I hope you understood already that this post is about summer and vacations of course. As I am Greek, I’ll lay out the top destinations for three types of vacations in Greece just to give you an idea on how cool it is and why you should visit.

A party place

We ALL have that one friend who just goes crazy over the summer and the only word they think about is party. Drinks, parties, beach bars and clubs, amazing views and many shots. Not going to lie, this is not always my cup of tea but I’ve been through that phase too. Greek people are really communicative and open to heart. This means it is really easy to get drunk and meet people especially when they know you ‘re Greek as well. It’s like we are all one family. Anyway, top party destinations over the summer include the islands of Mykonos (always popular for its partying situations and the free shots you get in bars), Ios, Spetses, Paros and Ikaria. For me, it all comes down to these places if all you’re looking for is a huge party. These five islands are different to each other in many many ways, however all of them serve you the same plate in a way. Plenty of choices offered during day and night. Mykonos and Ios are the places in which you get to ask yourself in the end of the day, “how much drinking can I handle from 11am to 7am the next morning eventually?” Beautiful beaches to visit, great sunset views and many places to party. Not going to lie again… Mykonos is more expensive than Ios in accommodation; food and sunbeds are charged in the beach. However, I recommend it for the experience, it’s always worth cause even if you don’t want to party all the time and you are looking for a combination, they do offer you this opportunity to chill as well.

Speaking of a combination of chilling and partying on a lower budget, I strongly suggest Spetses and Paros. They are both islands you can visit in which you do have the opportunity to spend the whole day at the beach without necessarily paying for sunbeds and shade and still choose between a variety of night- clubs and bars to party at night. From experience, I take full responsibility for saying that you’ll spend less than in Mykonos on food and accommodation and you will still have a great time, if you have the right group of friends who are on the same page as you on how they wish to spend their summer. For those visiting Paros if you are looking for a place to party over the day and listen to mainstream music, check out Pounta Beach, they often have special guest events worth going to! Finally, if you are looking for a more traditional place where camping, chilling and Greek parties happen, then Ikaria is your place to go. You’ll get to see another side of partying in a traditional Greek way, with Greek music and dances as well as taste traditional Greek food and wine in tavernas. Two disadvantages: everything goes super slow at the pace people on the island wish it to happen and you need a car. Other than that, you will have a great time and enjoy the Greek beauty at its maximum.

A romance place

You met the love of your life? Are you looking for 5 days of relaxation and romance? Are you looking for the best sunset view in the place you visit? Are you looking for a private catamaran sail tour around a variety of beaches? Although there are plenty of island to go with your “other half”, there is only one place to visit for all these stuff and what would that be, but Santorini. For me, it is THE Island to visit when you are in a relationship or looking for one. People say that you will either love this place or hate it, only because of its energy coming from the volcano and the fact there is no green on that island. I tend to call it an island of rocks. If you book your tickets and accommodations relatively early, it will not cost you as much if you search well. Food tends to be expensive sometimes so pay attention on the menus before entering a restaurant. Top bars to go include: KOO club, Enigma club and of course Two brothers bar, the oldest and most famous bar on the island. As far as beaches are concerned Kamari, Perivolos, Katharos, Eros and the Red beach are the must places to go to. Moreover, I would urge you to visit the volcano and go on a sailing tour although expensive, the money is worth being given. However, after a long day under the sun what would be better than a walk on the caldera from Fira towards Imerovigli for the best view of the sunset from different angles. Oh! Oh! I almost forgot to say that, top place for the most picturesque sunset view and walk around is Oia, do not miss it because those pictures will look amazing. To conclude, just to give you alternatives it is worth looking up for the islands of Andros, Milos and Amorgos if romance is choice for this summer!

A family place

Reaching the final vacation type, if you have a family with children, the abovementioned places would not be included on the top of your list necessarily. Personally, I used to travel with my family as a kid in islands a lot, hence I have three of them to recommend to families. Naxos is one of them. There is a quaint view from the op places of the island that allows you to appreciate the blue of the sea and the rest of the island. It is the ideal place for parents to take some time off from work and spend time with their kids at the beach. Agia Anna is the most common place that people book accommodations and go for a swim. It will sound funny 100% but try those fried potatoes in the restaurant you’ll choose to have lunch or dinner and do not forget to ask for their traditional cheese. You will absolutely love it.

Secondly, I would advise you to take your family to Lefkas or else Lefkada as we Greeks call it. There are now words to describe the beauty and hues of the blue waters that exist on that island. It is ideal for children because it is not expensive, you can access it by car only a couple of hours away from Athens and it offers places safe for families. For instance, restaurants with a small playground where you can enjoy your food but also keep an eye on the children playing next to you. Secondly, the beach bars do not charge you more for sunbeds and since you are a family, you will spend less there too. The time has come now for the third place, which to my opinion is Crete. It is a huge island, full of welcoming people who never stop offering food and drinks to try and there is a variety of choices on where to go and what to see. Each place in Crete is different and has a story to communicate to the tourists visiting. As it is far, it is worth flying there and renting a car on the island. Rethymno and Chania are of utmost importance places to visit when in Crete but if you are a family that can afford it, why not plan a holiday trip on three or four places to make the most out of this experience?

Places full of memories. Places to have fun. Places to relax. No matter where you are, if you are spending time with your favorite people, you will have a nice time. I chose to lay the destinations in that order because this is how summers work most of the times. You go somewhere, meet someone, spend time with them and out of the blue end up being with him or her. Call it a friend who became family, call it a guy/girl you fell in love with and is your summer crush, or just find which of the three applies more to the style of vacations you’re looking for. Nevertheless, please; please; please; do NOT forget to visit museums when travelling on an island. The knowledge you and possibly your kids will receive is really special and cannot be found anywhere else. This is mainly because you will get people from the island sharing their knowledge and stories with you and not random people who just read about it on a book! Again it is a matter of choice, it always is. What you choose to do defines the outcome of your actions up to a certain extent. Every summer has its own story… happy or sad it may be but it will always stay in your heart. Summer 2018 has just started and there are three months ahead to choose what you’ll do over the summer and the memories you want to create this year. Read more, travel more, laugh more and go on the loose. Eat less… you need that summer body for the beach dear, spend less (if you can), work less (if you can) but most of all think less and fill your batteries in for next year. Choose wisely where to go and have a great time! Enjoy the summer!

Talk to you later, xx!

-Aggelina Tsilimpari-

#Summer #stories #memories #sea #sand #beach #Greek #island #santorini #parosisland #mykonos #naxos #greece crete #writing #Athens #vacation

3 notes · View notes

toppdoggfanfics · 7 years

Note

i didnt realize no one had requested for sangdo yet!! i need to change that haha could you please do a cute scenario where you've been feeling tired and stressed and depressed lately and sangdo surprises you with a weekend getaway and its just filled w fluff of what he planned for you guys?? thank u angel

Hi bb!! Sorry that I’m posting this so late ;___; a lot of things happened already but I do hope you enjoy this one!!

“I don’t know…. My week is packed already babe. Even on weekends, you know that.” You replied tiredly as you turn off your laptop. Sangdo walked towards you and rubbed your shoulders.

“I know… I just really want you to be with me. Can you give me at least your Saturday?” He begged.

You have a report to be passed on Monday and you’re not even half way through it. Spending your whole Saturday with him would mean wasting a day of completing your report. But it is rare of Sangdo to ask you to come with him to his schedule. Especially since he’s an idol, bringing a girlfriend with him is a big no-no.

“Alright, I’ll clear my Saturday for you.”

“Really?!!! I’m so happy I could give you a full massage now.” He exclaimed happily. He gave you a kiss on the top of your head before leading you to the bed. Sangdo looked really glad that you agreed you dare not to think of your unfinished work.

Saturday came and you woke up to the smell of brewed coffee and bacon. Your hand automatically moved to the right side of the bed only to find it empty.

Yup, Sangdo is already up and cooking breakfast. You checked the clock and it said 6:45am. Usually Sangdo is still sound asleep at this time but today is his supposedly “big day” he probably didn’t get enough sleep last night.

“Babe you’re up early.” You greeted him as you help yourself with the bacons on the table.

“Of course, we’re leaving at 9am.” He said happily as he shove a cup of coffee on your hands. You just nodded at him while stuffing yourself with the rest of the food he prepared. Sangdo doesn’t cook that much but when does, it’s really really damn good.

Then it hit you that you don’t even know where you’re going.

“Where are we going anyway?” You asked.

“It’s a secret.” He was smiling cheekily while enjoying his food so you didn’t push it already. Anyway, wherever it is you are sure to have fun with him.

————————–“Are we dropping off your company first?” You asked him. He just shook his head without looking at you. You sighed and just turned your head to the busy street outside. It’s impossible to make a conversation with him when he’s driving.

Without realizing, you drifted into a long nap, which isn’t surprising because you woke up before 7am. But what surprised you is waking up at Lotte World’s parking lot.

“Babe!!!! What are we doing here?!”

He just answered you with a chuckle while guiding your groggy self out of the car.

“Well, you once told me you haven’t been to Lotte World yet, and I think it’s very sad so…” He brought out matching mickey mouse headbands from his backpack and wore it on his head and yours.

“Seriously? Mickey mouse ears on Lotte World?” It’s one of those rare moments when Sangdo is just full of surprises.

“Next year I’ll take you to Disneyland.” He muttered casually. You just smiled weakly but Sangdo planning your future getaways never fails to make your hearbeat skip.

————————–

You’ve tried every ride in the park including the one for kids. You were having the time of your life you didn’t even once think of your unfinished report at home. When you finally decided to rest, it was already 5pm.

“I can’t even feel my legs!” You complained when you finally stopped at one of the park benches. Sangdo just laughed at you while he tries to untangle your already frizzy hair.

“Thank you, babe. If it wasn’t for you, this fully grown woman won’t even dream of seeing Lotte World.”

“I’m glad you had fun. And I think I should get us some drinks. You really look like you need one.” He gave you one last pat on the head before going. You were about to doze off again when a kid passed you a note. Before you can say something, he ran back to his mom.

Without opening the note, you closed your eyes again only to be bothered by another kid with another note.

You shook your head and opened the notes.

“ME?… WILL…?” You clicked your tongue in annoyance. Your head is still spinning from the extreme ride you last tried and so not in the mood to play with the kids. You crumpled the paper and was about to throw them away when 2 kids approached you again. Each with a note on their hand.

“Who the heck is asking you to annoy me?” You said almost screaming. The kids ran away and Sangdo came with a drink on his hand.

“Babe? Why are you screaming at the kids?” He asked.

“Random kids are trying to piss me off by giving me random notes!” You opened the last two notes that read

“YOU and MARRY” You pursed your lips as you slowly put all the words together kn your head. You uncrumple the other 2 papers and laid them side by side on the bench. And alas, it read

“WILL YOU MARRY ME?” Before you can read it aloud, Sangdo already said it behind you. You turned to him teary eyed, with frizzy hair and with a very dry throat.

He reached for his pocket and presented you a ring with a small heart shaped diamond ring.

“But babe, before I say yes….” Sangdo’s face changed as he wait for your sentence to finish. The worry on his face is priceless and it makes you wanna kiss him right there and then.

“Before I say yes….. Can I have a drink? I’m really thirsty.” He let out a nervous laugh before handing you the soda. He just stood there awkwardly with the ring clutched on his fist.

You placed the drink on the bench and throw yourself to him.

“Yes!!! Yes, I will!!!” You screamed on his ears. You were both laughing and crying and everyone was watching you, taking photos and clapping their hands.

You broke the hug and allowed him to slip the ring on your finger.

“So, do you think my wife is ready for next year’s Disneyland?” He asked you.

#toppdogg #topp dogg #sangdo #yusangdo #yoosangdo #toppdogg scenarios #toppdogg imagines #topp dogg scenario #topp dogg imagine #toppklass #toppkeul

7 notes · View notes

maeinmotion · 7 years

Text

Sometimes, it’s okay to do random things – things that you’d never imagine doing, things that first comes to mind without second thoughts. Like this line from the song by Duran Duran (they’re my all-time favorite classic rock band, by the way!): “feared today, forgot tomorrow.” I’m not exactly sure how that could relate, but heck.

Anyway, that’s exactly what we did.

For today’s post, I’d like to talk about what we did during the weekend. Now, it may seem as though perhaps I’m way behind others who have already done them before me. Let’s just say we all obtain different experiences one way or another, or my version of it.

Last Saturday, my partner and I decided to take a trip down South of Cebu; that’s why I named this post ‘Cebu South Side Series’, as there will be more than a few trips going there in the near future (since we intend to go around the entire island!) I discovered that while being raised as a city girl all my life, I have this thing about the countryside. Whenever I’m on an adventure, I always have this huge appreciation of nature and what’s amazing is I’m lucky live in a country that is abundant with it. I mean, just look at that!

No. 1: Oslob Whale Shark Watching (Butanding)

That was first on our itinerary and I gotta say the experience was, well, while it wasn’t the best, it certainly was an overwhelming one. Here’s one of the best and closest shot we got with the gentle giants.

Okay, so here’s a little trivia about how the whale sharks started appearing along the beaches of this particular area:

The first whale shark sighting took place around 2011 which then roused the once tranquil town to become one of the most visited spots in Cebu. At first, only one shark appeared and then they started coming in by the numbers. These amazing sea animals could grow approximately between 12 to 14 meters in length (that’s about a size of a small bus!) and what sets them apart from their shark cousin is that they are identified by their flat, vacuum like mouth and whitish/yellowish spots or stripes along their body which gives them a unique distinction. They don’t pose a significant danger to swimmers or divers since their diet consist mainly of plankton and small shellfish. Back then, people were allowed to swim and touch the whales but overtime, because of the nasty chemicals from the sunblock lotion swimmers use on their skin slowly started to cause noticeable damage on the whale shark’s body so the tourism department began to impose a 5-meter rule when swimming with the shark and that pictures are not allowed to be taken unless the flash is turned off. However with the uncontrollably large number of tourists, organizing this activity is getting harder for them to implement proper rules and regulations while protecting the whale sharks.

Getting there

It takes about a 3 to 4 hour trip getting to Oslob, depending on the traffic. We had a car so we commuting wasn’t necessary. However, we found out that the whale sharks only swim around the area between 7am to 10am since the tide is high around that time so we left the city around 6am and arrived half past 9am so we were able to catch the whale sharks for about an hour before we were advised to return to shore. An orientation about how to handle the whale sharks are usually held by batches and is mandatory before heading out to the water and for every person or group there is always a kuya guide with you on the pump boat to help navigate there.

For reference, the rate for swimming with the whale sharks is P500.00. If you opt to just watch on the boat, it costs only P300. However, a different rate is given to foreigners or tourists. We wanted to have pictures taken without the hassle of bringing our own underwater camera, so we availed of the service they had there which cost an additional P500.00.

So there, getting to swim with the whale sharks was definitely one-of-a-kind.

No. 2: Tingko Beach, Alcoy

Since swimming with the whale sharks wasn’t enough, we wanted to soak in more salty water and decided to head to Alcoy which is about an hour trip from Oslob. It was the weekend, so the aforementioned beach resort we went to was a bit crowded. We then decided to go on a boat trip (with the help of a kuya guide, of course!) and snorkel to look at the wonderful corals with all the various fishes swimming along the vast ocean floor.

DCIM100MEDIA

What’s new in this part of the island is that a little sand bar (or sand spot, I guess?) was discovered located further away from the shoreline and needed a boat ride to get to. While it wasn’t necessary the best thing, the thought that what caused it to appear could be nature’s work as it was only recently spotted. You could see that it’s far from the beach where we are.

DCIM100MEDIA

It wasn’t particularly scorching that day, but we did enjoy some sun and sea on this mini excursion. However, it always pays to be prepared by bringing a bottle of sunblock lotion with you. Cebu is always known for its tropical weather so a little protection could go a long way. Also, staying hydrated is key and some loose clothing.

This is not the end

Going on this little adventure was immensely fulfilling. It’s nice to think of taking trips abroad, but the things that may seem insignificant can be always found wherever you are. What I’m trying to say is, there’s so much to discover in the place that you’re currently living. All it takes is a sense of adventure, curiosity and thrill-searching.

Now, the question here is: Where to next?

Til’ the next episode!

While we are young… (Cebu South Side Series) Sometimes, it's okay to do random things - things that you'd never imagine doing, things that first comes to mind without second thoughts.

1 note · View note

itsjustkp007 · 7 years

Text

Trump Rant/Plea #1

I try to not be too political on social media in general, and I try to hold my tongue. I try to hope for the best. I try to be optimistic. I try so hard to not let things that I cannot change not bother me, but the last 5 days have gotten so out of hand and I am so disappointed that I find myself needing to say something. I want to give the new President the benefit of the doubt. I am trying to so badly, and you have no idea how much I want to be proven wrong or told that the media is villainizing him, but...it’s not. By signing for those pipelines, by signing for the reversal decision of Roe v. Wade, by making decisions without even consulting the people for guidance, I would feel that the Founding Fathers would be disappointed if I didn’t say something. I know that America has a controversial past (to say the least) and I know that we’re nowhere near perfect, but we were founded by standing up for our beliefs, for seeking opportunity in a new world (wasn’t ours, but that’s a whole other issue), and for fighting for what we believed was right. “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.” The Declaration of Independence is one of the first documents where we established, as a country, what every person in the United States should be guaranteed. Abraham Lincoln stated that the country should be of the people, by the people, for the people. JFK stated that we should ask not what our country could do for us, but what we could do for our country. Despite any mistakes we made, despite our disagreements, despite everything that we have faced, there was this underlying belief that we are in this together, as cheesy as it sounds. Trump has made it clear that we’re not a united front anymore; we are more divided than ever, and that’s how he wants it. This isn’t just a critique anymore; this is what I have gathered from his actions over the last five days. I have disagreed with Presidents before, and I will disagree with all Presidents at some point, but I was at least heard.

I know that long text posts aren’t a lot of people’s “thing,” and I’m sorry. I have a Tumblr to share the things that I enjoy, share the random thoughts that I have, and whatever else comes to mind. I don’t claim to be a certain type of blog because I want to have the freedom to post what I want. If someone reads it, great. If someone ignores it, that’s fine, too. I just want to have an outlet where I can be whatever version of myself that I want. Yes, I’m a fangirl of a lot of things. Yes, I’m a book nerd. Yes, I watch way too much YouTube. Yes, I am very passionate about a lot of things, but I learn from what I post here. I learn from seeing others’ opinions. I love sharing similar likes and dislikes with people over the Internet, but I also love being real. I want to be real about my emotions and not hide in fear. I want to share my worries and concerns. I do it rarely because I prefer to be positive, but hey, if it makes one person feel validated, then I’m happy. No regrets. Anyway, now that that “disclaimer” is out of the way, here’s what I posted on Twitter (seeing as that’s where the President goes for opinions).

My Tweets: “1) I usually try to not be bothered by the things that I cannot change, and I try to give everyone the benefit of the doubt, but... 2) ...I cannot accept Trump’s behavior. I cannot accept his total disregard for humanity as a whole. I cannot accept his inability to listen. 3) We are a country made of the people, by the people, for the people, and he used his power for his own personal gain and to boost his ego. 4) I know that America isn’t perfect. I know that we have our problems, but I love my country, and I hate seeing my fears become reality. 5) I know God is in control and I know that I can trust Him, but how can I feel peace when the POTUS is going against what America stood for? 6) I get that America has a controversial past; who doesn’t? I can forgive and forget. Not every POTUS before him was perfect, but they tried. 7) At least if I disagreed before with a President, they explained their thought process towards why they made that decision... 8) ...I think I’m just disappointed that everything I was worried about with Trump has happened, and it’s only been 5 days. 9) I have never wanted to be proven wrong so badly in my life, and my worst fears became reality. I may sound bitter, but that’s because I am.”

Granted, I meant my worst fears of Trump being POTUS, but you get the gist of it. I want to be wrong about Trump. I want him to do a good job, and I want him to change his ways and do the best that he can. But actions speak louder than words. He has made it clear to me who he is looking out for, and I know it’s not me. It’s not Democrats. It’s not Republicans. He’s not looking out for anyone but Donald John Trump. Out of all of the hate that his family has received, he has only responded to those who oppose him. He has not stood up for his wife. He has not stood up for his son. He has only taken the hate thrown at him and delivered hate back. Donald Trump has fought fire with fire. He has no problem trying to defend himself and bring people down with him, but he has failed as a husband and a father. If I was married or had children and I saw someone talking shit about my family, you better believe they will hear back from me. I defend my loved ones. Honestly, I would be more likely to respond to hate towards my family rather than hate towards me. It’s not because I won’t defend myself; it’s because I don’t have time for comments about me from strangers that will not help me grow as a person. If Trump won’t defend his family, what makes anyone think he’ll defend us? If Trump won’t fight for his family, what makes anyone think he’ll fight for us? This is why I did not vote for him. It was not just because I disagreed with him, and it had nothing to do with his political party. It had everything to do with the fact that he has failed to show love and compassion to his family. I can’t expect someone to love and support my country and its people when they can’t even love and support their loved ones.

The parenting in my house was 50/50. My parents were, and still are, a team. They’re not perfect, but they always had my best interests at heart. My dad worked 7 PM-7AM for the first 14 years of my life, and he was still as involved in my life as he could be. He’d skip a nap to pick me up from school if I was sick. Whenever he got the chance, he would tuck me in at night, read me a story, goof off with me, and tell me to have sweet dreams before I fell asleep. If I had a nightmare, he would get up and check under my bed for monsters or stay in my room as my pretend bodyguard and protect me from any evils until I went back to sleep. My dad was busy and he did work a lot, but I could count on him. He worked hard to provide for me, but he also made me feel loved and protected. When was the last time Trump helped Barron with his homework? Did he ever take his kids to the park to play because he knew how much they loved it there? Did Trump ever spend time with his kids one-on-one? How many times did he attend a sports game, a dance recital, or anything that his kids were in to show how proud he was of them? These are legitimate, not rhetorical questions, and I don’t ask them to make him look like a non-existent father or to make him feel bad. I ask them because...I’m worried that he didn’t make an effort. If you can’t spend time with your kids, help with the kids, or even try to get to know your kids, that is lazy to me. I don’t remember my father ever saying he was too busy for me. I realize that I’m lucky to have two loving and supportive parents, and I get that my father was never as busy as Trump is/was, but I don’t understand how Trump doesn’t seem to think about his family for a second. How can I expect him to serve our country as President and make decisions for the benefit of our country if he doesn’t even think about what would benefit his loved ones? I hope that these observations are proven false and I really hope that I am wrong about Trump only caring about himself, but I’m not holding my breath. I stopped believing in fairy tales a long time ago.

#personal political post #I just needed to get these thoughts out I'm sorry #long ass post because I'm full of feels and I just want to put them out there #there may be a bit of repetition but I got out what I needed to #please Lord let me eat my words #I want him to succeed #I just wish that he stopped signing bills like autographs and tweeting #focus on the people and listen rather than blocking them out

1 note · View note

bike42 · 5 years

Text

Paris. September 5-11, 2019

Thursday September 5, 2019

Not my “usual” kind of adventure, but I’m traveling to Paris / London to celebrate Bailey’s 30th birthday. Her birthday isn’t until November 22nd, but I thought the weather would be better in September (I decided that when Jeff and I were in Paris in the rain/cold in May).

We left Madison about noon yesterday, had a layover in Detroit (nachos and beer at the bar there), and then an uneventful flight over the pond, even in coach! I watched the three episodes of season 2 of “Big Little Lies,” then we both watched “Crazy Rich Asians,” before I tried unsuccessfully to sleep. Ended up just playing Black Jack through breakfast until we landed, just after 7am local time (7 hours ahead). It doesn’t help me with jet lag to think about what time it is at home!

I think because of construction, we off loaded down the stairs (like the Caribbean) and onto buses, which dropped us off at the terminal where we were directed up the stairs and into a long queue for border control. We had about the same wait as when we left Paris last May (>1 hour!). From there to baggage claim where our bags had arrived earlier and were just sitting there - yikes! From there, we began the long walk/escalator trip to the train. I’d done this before, but in my research last week I found a guy who’d posted the whole experience step by step with photos, so having just viewed that, and following the words “to the train” in English made it easy! Some issues with the kiosk to get tickets, but Bailey figured that out. Then down to the platform and to the train. We picked one with lots of stops, but through Gare du Nord with no issues and 2 stops later we got off at the station in the Latin Quarter, just 600m from our hotel.

It was a beautiful day, and we rolled our bags up and down Rue des Écoles a bit until we got oriented enough to figure out the numbers (normal anywhere). We got to our hotel just after 10:30am, not expecting to check in, but delighted when we were able to!

We got settled in our little room (emphasis on little - especially the shower!), the the beds were just too inviting. 90 minute naps, and while we were still groggy, we hauled ourselves out onto the street. Amazing location!

We walked just two blocks and came upon a little market, and stopped in a cafe. Bailey got her first crack at ordering from the menu. She learned she doesn’t like “cafe americano,” she needs to order cafe creme, and her Mac and cheese with salmon was a bit too fishy for her. I had an omelet with salad and fries, and black coffee the way I like it!

With full bellies, we set off, just two more blocks and we were at the Seine, gazing out at what was left of Notre-Dame after the fire last spring. I had to pull a photo up on my phone to compare what it had looked like. The roof and the spire are gone. What’s most striking however is the scaffolding. What remains is the scaffolding that was there for the repairs that started the fire. We learned later that the heat of the fire fused it together and the immediate challenge is what to do with it! The whole block is cordoned off, so it’s best viewed from the left bank of the river.

From there, we continued our stroll along the Seine. Bailey was intrigued with the “Left Bank booksellers,” just like I always am. Good to have a fellow traveler that doesn’t mind poking around like that! We crossed the Pont Neuf and headed towards the Louvre. Initially we set out just to see that, and then we were going to turn back. But the closer we got to things, the more excited Bailey was to see everything, so we just kept going! When we saw the Eiffel Tower in the distance, she wanted to make a beeline for that! I told her it was further than it looked, but she was determined. We walked there and back! I’d changed into tennis shoes, but she was in sandals and got a big blister on the bottom of her foot (didn’t complain though!).

We strolled back along Boulevard St Germaine and stopped at a Brasserie to recharge, with salads, water and wine. Then an easy walk back where we collapsed into bed. Walked over 12 miles today!

Friday September 6, 2019

I’d pre-booked an excursion for us today, not really considering jet lag. We fell asleep easily, but up at midnight, 1am, 2am, etc. Alarm went off at 6, and of course I was sleeping then! We got up and we were back on the street before 7am. Grabbed a coffee and croissants from Starbucks and headed down into the metro station, emerging near the Eiffel Tour about 20 minutes later. Quick walk to the tour office helped us wake up, and we arrived with lots of time to spare and browse the brochures to see what else we might want to do this week. I’d booked this excursion online through Viator and it worked great.

Soon our guide, Mechell, arrived and we headed off to the van, with 4 folks (sisters and husbands) from St Louis and another couple from Ohio. All the folks awaiting various were older (70s), not a lot of families traveling right now. We loaded into a VW van and headed out towards Giverny and Monet’s garden. Mechell was a great guide, talking about French history and art, and pointing out sites along the way. We approached through the back country, little farming villages a lot like what we’ve cycled through in Europe. We didn’t go through Vernon or see the river, soon we were just in the familiar parking lot.

We arrived about 9:30am and there was practically no one there yet. We quickly viewed the house and used the bathroom (Bailey for the first time saw that “no squatting on the toilet” sign) and then crowds started to descend. We enjoyed the gardens, shopped a bit, and still had 30 minutes to explore the little artist village. We walked to the church when Monet and his family are buried before walking back and joining the group.

Back in the van for about 15 minutes, then we arrived at our lunch stop. I thought lunch might be a sandwich and coke somewhere, but it was a three course lunch with wine. Beautiful venue, along a little stream and a house that had been a mill. Great food and conversation with our delightful little group (Bailey may not have been the most excited, but as for random trip mates, these were great).

Back in the van, and in about 30 minutes more we were arriving at Versailles. It was a beautiful day and I was glad to learn we were able to tour the garden too. Mechell had left us on our own at Monet’s, but she was our guide at Versailles, first in the garden and then all through the palace. This was my 4th time here, and I hadn’t seen it this sparsely crowded - some bottlenecks here and there, but not too bad. I had forgotten how extensive the garden is, what we saw just barely scratched the surface.

Back in the van, and Mechell was willing to drop us wherever, so we had her drop us near the Galleria Lafayette to do some shopping. The crowds and size of the store overwhelmed Bailey a bit, so we bagged the idea of shopping and started walking back towards our part of Paris, deciding we’d find dinner on our way.

We decided to stop at an Italian restaurant. I screwed up my salad order (octopus!), but we also had a nice bottle of Chianti, a pizza and Bailey had pretty standard looking spaghetti with meat sauce. It was a fun scene to watch - people parading by on the street. Towards the end of our meal, light rain started! I put up my umbrella, rather than trying to move inside. It was quick light rain anyway.

We wandered through neighborhoods a bit as we snaked our way back; lots of action being Friday night!

Super exhausted again as we fell into our beds.

Saturday September 7, 2019

We slept in this morning and missed breakfast, but found a cafe on the river where we could still get omelets.

Last night I bought 2 day passes for the Hop On Hop Off Big Bus, which had a stop right outside our cafe. Before boarding, we also bought tickets for the night ride for this evening.

We rode the bus along the Seine, up and down the Champs-Elysees, getting off in front of the Grand Palais. From there, we walk through the Jardins des Champs-Elysees and around the Place de la Concorde, working our way over towards the opera where we jumped on the Big Bus blue line up to Montmartre. We rode through Pigalle and past Moulin Rouge, getting off near Square Louise-Michel and walking the steps up to Sacre-Couer.

It was very crowded with folks just hanging out on the steps, eating picnics and enjoying the day. We saw our first “yellow vest protest,” and while they had some signs, it looked more like a family picnic. We hung out for a bit just watching people and chilling out.

I remembered when I was here long ago, we’d walked though an area where artists were painting and selling their work. We cut to the right and came to a beautiful square where we saw exactly that. Many doing charachtures or portraits on the spot, but some other really good painters. Felt right to see that happening in Paris!

Back on the bus, Saturday evening traffic was crazy so it took quite awhile to get back to the opera stop, but it’s always so enlightening to view the city from the top of the open air bus. I’d seen this before, but it’s so funny to transition from Pigalle and the sex shops to just around the corner and there is a block of wedding dress shops!

Back to the opera stop, then we walked down to the Louvre and took a right, all the way through the gardens to the Champs-Elysees. Lots of families out enjoying the gorgeous evening.

We had about 2 hours before the 9pm night bus tour, so we settled in at the Pierre Hermès cafe that was part of the L’Occitane store for a great dinner and bottle of wine. Only negative part was being surrounded by cigarette smokers, but we were having dinner outside on the Champs-Elysees!

Boarded our bus and got great seats on top for the 2+ hour after dark trip. It got cooler as the night went on, and by the time we stopped to see the Eiffel Tower light show from the Trocadero, we were ready to be done. Unfortunately the tour also ended at the top of the Champs-Elysees, 3 miles from our hotel. Given the late hour, we walked down to the end of the boulevard and hailed an Uber - easy way to get back to our hotel about midnight!

Sunday September 8, 2019

As we boarded our bus yesterday, we were told there would be a route “disruption” today due to the women’s race (we’d seen the setup for it on Friday by the Eiffel Tower). Good excuse to be pokey ourselves.

I got tickets for a 12:30pm climb to the second tier of the tower, so we had our Starbucks breakfast and jumped on the metro. When we got out, we could hear the excitement of the “La Parisienne” run - might have been a breast cancer run, reputed to have 1000 musicians along the 7km course! We walked along the course for quite a ways, finally found a space where we could dart through the runners and get to the inside for our tower climb.

We got into the now secured area under the Eiffel Tower a bit early. As we climbed to the first tier, I had a minor panic attack, not being a fan of heights. I looked down to see how high we were, and up to see how far we had to go yet, and thought about what this tower was made of and how old it was. Then I just rationalized that today was probably not the day it was going down and kept plugging along. It was a beautiful view, and fun to see the race going on all around us below.

We walked all around the first tier, then climbed the stairs to the second tier, and the view was even more spectacular. Didn’t dally there though, and we had to walk back down and catch the elevator down from the first level. Good tour and I’m glad we did it.

The streets were still blocked because of the run, so we had some time until the buses would be running again. We got crepes and a bottle of water and sat by the Seine for a bit, then decided to walk over and check out the Trocadero and it’s fountains. Windy day, so the fountains felt like rain.

We got to the top, and saw our Big Bus there, so we got on board to finish the tour of the red route. From nowhere, we had a few raindrops and they handed out free plastic ponchos so we put those on and stayed on top. Most of the tour we were already quite familiar with, but we stayed onboard to see what they’d say anyway. Disappointing that 6 months after the fire, they hadn’t changed the language about touring Norte-Dame and they still talk about climbing the tower, etc.

We continued the ride and got off at the top of the Champs-Elysees, and walked through the tunnel under the round about, coming out at the Arc de Triomphe. It was chilly and very windy, and they had much of it blocked off. We took a quick gander and enjoyed watching the traffic spin around. We noticed a bike event, where about a 100 riders wearing the same jersey were huddled with bikes and support vehicles, but couldn’t tell what it was from across the street.

We headed back through the tunnel, and then saw a few riders walking towards us, while the others had crossed the Champs-Elysees and were now mulling around along with the French police. Their jerseys said “Bike to Paris” and they appeared to be a Legion group from the UK. The police stopped traffic on the roundabout, and led them across to the Arc - much horn beeping from the stopped traffic, that I don’t think was of the supportive nature!

We got back on the Big Bus, and spun around the Arc again - should have gone back over to check out what ever kind of ceremony was happening!

Rode just down to the next stop at Petite Palace, then walked across the river to the Orsay museum. I’d been there before, but was happy to go back. The Orsay is a renovated train depot that hosts the paintings of the impressionists Monet and Renoir, Van Gogh, Degas as well as many sculptures. The building itself is a work of art! It closed at 6pm, but we entered at about 4:45pm without much wait, and we were able to kick it into turbo to see most of the paintings and enjoy the amazing building.

Afterwards we walked back to the Latin Quarter, and stopped at an Italian restaurant where we enjoyed salad, pizza and maybe too much wine.

Monday September 9, 2019

Everyone knows that the Louvre is closed on Tuesdays, so I’d bought us Monday tickets in advance, which is actually a smooth easy process!

We had breakfast at a nearby cafe, then strolled an easy walk to the Louvre and got in a bit early actually. We rented headphones and set out for the self guided tour. We stumbled upon all we wanted to see, and at the winged victory sculpture I recalled how to get to the Mona Lisa from there, so we followed the crowd that seemed to be heading there. Much to all of our dismay (tour guides too), she’d been moved - completely to the other side. We finished off that section, really enjoying some French work by Delaroix that Bailey had studied in art history. Then set off to find ML. Our hunt took us to parts of the Louvre I’d never before been in, and found it quite interesting. At the end, we finally learned that we had to exit back through the pyramid, stand in a separate line and follow that line up escalators to the 4th floor of the Richelieu wing, and there she was. It was a smooth and rather entertaining process actually.

By 3pm, we’d had all we could take. We left and got a sandwich, water and coffee and browsed around in some high end shops before staggering back towards our hotel. We stopped at a brasserie near our hotel and Bailey had a cheeseburger, while I had yummy French onion soup!

Tuesday September 10, 2019

Last full day in Paris. Started our day with Starbucks and the metro again to get over to the Eiffel Tower neighborhood. We walked through the Rue Clar markets, was fun to recall being here for several fun dinners with JT and mom & dad 4 years ago. Also saw flower shops that looked like they had flowers direct from the warehouse we saw in Holland last year!

We went to the Invalides, which is a collection of military museums, a veterans hospital (past and current), and a cathedral with Napoleon’s tomb. Jeff and I had been here before, but most of what we saw today was new to me. Most amazing was the Musée DeL’Ordre De La Liberation, which told the story of resistance workers during WWII, both the resistance effort, and the deportation to concentration camps for those who were found out. I’ve been to Dachau and the Holocaust museum, but this display was very different. Though few likely survived, this display showed their resistance side, a resourcefulness versus being victims, even after they were captured. Most haunting where the sketches of fellow prisoners, with dates and locations. There was also a handmade set of playing cards and a little domino set made out of clay.

After several hours, we grabbed a sandwich in the cafe, then took a walk over to the Rodin house and garden. This was also new to me and I enjoyed it, plus it was a spectacular day to be outside today! The house is an amazing early 18th century mansion, and Rodin started by renting rooms there for his workshop, and ended up with the whole thing (which he donated along with many castings of his works). As a lover of art, he also has a few Van Gogh and Monet paintings in his collection!

By 5p we were thoroughly exhausted, 6 days of walking over 10 miles per day (many of those at a killer shuffling pace). I had all I could do to make it back to the Latin Quarter (so tempting to jump on a bike or electric scooter and fly back). We found another Italian restaurant and enjoyed salad, pasta, pizza and a bottle of wine.

Back early to shower and organize our stuff. Early train to London tomorrow!

0 notes

grgop · 5 years

Text

Day 2: Exploring Dugi otok. First stop Soline

The fish ponds near the bay of Luka

Morning at the monastery

The first morning on the island started without the alarm clock waking up at 6am. It was friday, fresh air, the sound of the birds in the yard, early rays of sun through the window shutters. Somewhat different change from the everyday in Zagreb. I haven't slept so good in a while and felt as if I had been plugged into a charger during the night. The fact that I didn't have to go to my workplace in two hours and had now a luxury of the prolonged weekend might have also helped.

The best part comes when you open the window and instead looking at the neighbour in his underwear at the balcony of the 8-flat building on the other side you first have a look at the monastery's yard. Gardens, walls and the workshop. Looking to the right (southwest) you see the hills and forests along with the main road that goes to Sali or Žman in other direction. If you look just straight behind the walls of the monastery you see the houses of the Old Village Zaglav. What it looks like you can see in the video below.

The morning in the monastery

Friar Izak preparing his breakfast

Usually one of the monks would walk around the yard and do his stuff. I had a desire to start exercising in the yard which is ideal for yoga, work out and similar. However, this desire quickly disappeared when I went downstairs for the breakfast. We had an earlier agreement to have a breakfast at 7am. And so it was. We took half of the fridge on the table and I grabbed me some stuff into my travel lunch bag as having the lunch at the monastery was no longer an option. And really, the first and the last time I had lunch with the monk-fellas was on my arrival day.

So, the plan was to spend the whole day exploring the other side of the island, the northwestern one. To visit some of the following places: Veli Rat, Verunić, Soline, Božava, Brbinj and Dragove. In case you haven't, you can read the first blog post to find out more about the reason I came here and was excited to go around.

Anyway, in almost all of these places I had a few names on my "Middle Earth Map" which were potentially good candidates for the interview and recordings of the insight into the local life and customs. Since I spoke to one guy from Soline the day earlier so the plan was to go first to Soline.

However, things didn't go as quiet as planned and I postponed the trip for somewhat later since Mirel, my bodulovac companion, was busy. We fixed it though the next day which you will read in the new post. I also took the time waiting for him to go around the monastery and here’s one video:

youtube

Took most of my camera equipment and food survival pack out while greeting the monk-bros and our cleaning & cook lady. Goran's car waited for me in the shades close to the bell tower. The weather forecast was actually great - a sunny day up to 20 degrees Celsius. Or for my US friends - up to 68 degrees Fahrenheit. Which meant only one thing - t-shirt!

And now starts what I have always wanted - to go around exploring the unknown area in search of the new challenges on my own with the camera in my backpack. Turned the Indiana Jones adventure mode on, kept calm and put the sunglasses on.

Gremo na zmorac ... or... Off we go to the north

Okay, maybe they don't say it that way but hey - I'm the new one so don't judge me, judger. As far as I know "zmorac" is kind of the northwestern wind that blows from the sea to the coast. Similar to "maestral" I believe. Also, the wind directions serve as the world directions (north, south, west...) in many places on the coast but also in other Mediterranean countries.

Here come short experiences and descriptions of the long ride along the main road from the southern part of the island to the last inhabited places in the northwestern part of Dugi otok. Now, it all takes less than an hour of a decent ride by car. Of course, I couldn't miss the opportunities to stop here and there on the road to go out, take some photos and look around.

Leaving Old Village Zaglav went smooth without problems. Remember the narrow streets surrounded with little stone walls? And the cars that can face you at any moment? I tried to be careful the whole time as I was driving someone else's car and because of these specific dangers. But let me tell you something about driving the car on the island in general. And it also affected me in the end as I became more "relaxed" and absorbed the local driving logic. I heard many people don't have a drivers licence and since the roads are mostly empty (apart from the summer tourist season) you automatically become more relaxed and confident on the road. However, some were way too confident and careless and there were accidents, especially on the curves. Then you also have the wild animals that can jump on the road such as the mufflons. Not to mention individuals or groups who ride a bike or run just behind some corner.

I was driving having all this on my mind and as you can see (and Goran) nothing happened. I have to say I really enjoyed the rides around the island and exploring the local streets or some less visible paths around the main road. There was this sense of freedom of movement and exploring I love and mostly have when moving around on my own on the bike in Zagreb or some other place.

So what can you see on the road between Zaglav and Soline?

What can one see on the around 36 km route? There are lots of ups and downs into the hills and then to valleys and bays. At some points the road is almost on top of the hills with nothing on each side...and then the landscapes changes to having the high hills to your left and to the right a slope ending with some bays and the spectacular look towards the islands and the land to the east. Another great thing is that at some places the island is so narrow that you can see the landscape and the sea to your left and right. This was also the thing that I loved most.

In the first 10-15 minutes you pass by the town of Žman and Luka. I had no one on the list there so I skipped them. Soon the road started going uphill and I stopped at the top to take some photos. There you have a nice look towards neighbouring islands of Iž, Rava, Ugljan, Pašman and far behind towards NW the island of Sestrunj and mountains of Velebit.

What I remember next was a road to the west that climbing up the mountain. There was another military base of the Croatian army and the path was forbidden for the rest of us. This also sounds like a good SF plot on Dugi otok. And there are more places, as you will discover. Who knows, maybe soon we come up with "The mystery of the Long Island". ;-)

Few minutes later you come to the part which is guarded by the high hill to your left and some narrow slopes to your right. It's also part of the road that looks like an ideal place to test your racing car. But don't try it. After the corner I stopped by some large "park your car here" place. There were some tourists climbing the mountain road as the sign informs you that it leads you to the cave "Vela Straža". I leave it for my next visit.

youtube

Now, in the following 6-7 kilometers, until we pass by Savar, the road goes zig-zag between the hills, a bit up and down. I believe it was here at one point that I found this place where you stop and look towards the right (or the east). You see the bay below, numerous smaller and bigger neighbouring islands and Velebit mountain far on the horizon. Now you just rotate by 180 degrees to your right (or the west) and you see the vast open Adriatic sea and maybe if you are lucky you can see the glimpse of the Apenini mountains of Italy. After a short existential moment I drove off.

Unfortunately, there are still careless people who throw the trash at the random or specific places around the island. So I came across one such and found trash. It's a shame you cannot bring it simply to your home, place and put it in the cans where it should be. I guess one should be more careful here since we are talking about the island. Have a look at Japan - they also had it in nature somewhere but largely the towns and areas were clean - and I can't remember seeing any trash can outside. They would take everything home and sort it out there. Talking of discipline.

Alright, passed by Savar and soon Brbinj. That's the new place one can take ferry for Zadar or taking your car to the island. Speaking of Brbinj, I had a name there, someone from the family has a family there. But not just that - I heard that Petrov family from Vodice might have actually come from Dugi otok. And where do Petrov members live on Dugi otok? In Brbinj. However, didn't have time and set the priority on other things but I'll try to find out more about it during my next visit.

After Brbinj on our way to Dragove (around 9 kilometers) we are again surrounded with forests. Just before Dragove there is a road that leads downhills towards the beach Veli Žal. Its the place where I took my iconic "Dugi otok" photo on the last day. Oh yes, wait for the "Last day" post.

Passing Dragove, the place I also heard a lot from my US Croatian friend Danny Blasic from NY (if you know him please contact me). He told me to visit Dragove some three-four years ago when we met in person in Zagreb. As he said - one of the places that now have mostly old population and not many of them are in the good condition to speak. I almost missed Dragove but couldn't leave the island without them. And some of you might guess who my local help and interview person was. :)

Soon you reach the Y-crossing where the right road leads to Božava, our second destination, and the left ones goes forth towards Veli Rat, Verunić and Soline. Another crossroads appeared with an extra sign directing you to Sakarun beach. But I turned right following the directions for Soline.

Soline, the beach bar and the grapes

The road goes down the hill to the bay of Soline. Finally, after an hour of the road trip I found myself right one-two meters away from the sea.

Before we continue let's say a few words about Soline. A small town of the population around 40 people situated in the bay of Solišćica. The name Soline comes after the name "salt-panes" (or in Croatian "solana" or "sol" for "salt") and the place was first mentioned as early as the 12th century. Soline also had one of the first public schools on Dugi otok.

Speaking of the population which today (2011) has around 40 inhabitants it is one of the indicators of the reality of demographics on Croatian islands. Just during the years before and after the WW2 there were more than 300 inhabitants, up to 360 as the records say. And just like most of the people on the coast and the islands the Solinjani also have a long tradition of agriculture, fishing and just recently tourism. Joining the other locals in religion the Solinjani also have one church - the Church of St Jacob that dates back to 15th century. Unfortunately, I haven't explored much of Soline to see it but there you go...Let's get back to our timeline.

There was only one car moving, some old couple, as I was heading for the other side of Soline where I noticed the beach bar and the little traffic I was told to go.

As I did a circle around the bay I paid attention to what the place looks like. First thing that meets the eye are the houses with gardens next to each other. The second - there were palm trees alongside the promenade but generally I had a feeling like it's impossible to survive the summer heat if staying outside.

I saw some senior fellas sitting near the traffic-bar and drinking. I parked nearby and went to approach them. Tomislav, the friend of the friend, told me his guys would be aware of my arrival. Things somehow again changed as this had no clue on what I was talking about. Also, they disappeared to their homes after few minutes.

Here it was where I first learned the mistake in my approach when looking for the local native speakers. All of them speak the local idioms that I wish to record but when I mention it to them - they automatically assume they are not good enough, they switch subconsciously to the standard Croatian and also complain that no one in the village speaks any more the "old way". They all thought they need to recite me the Croatian of the King Zvonimir or what was written on the panel of Baška (Bašćanska ploča). They didn't understand nor perceive themselves as already speaking super interesting local dialect as it was normal to them.

What now? There were some young girls and guys around the bar. We got to know each other and I told them my "mission". They understood what I wanted but we couldn't find the appropriate candidate. Another problem was I arrived late after everyone's already been gone home after morning church. However, there was one grandpa whom we visited.

I believe his name was Svetko. He was also a tough one and didn't want to speak in Čakavski saying in a phlegmatic tone that nobody speaks it anymore. In his mind he was referring to the archaic version of his grandparents but again couldn't see that his own everyday dialect was a treasure to be explored. I was accompanied by two locals (actually if they are reading this - a girl from Slavonia and the guy from Soline whom you watched on YouTube).

The classic island story about the customs, life on the island and the dialects

So Svetko simply explained many terms of the vocabulary are simply lost as the technology and the new vocabulary replaced the original ones. Another thing is that many of the traditional customs slowly disappeared and/or are marginalized. The population is also decreasing. There might come the Croats who live abroad paying a visit in summer. Furthermore, many go to live on the land like Zadar or some other place and they gradually replace their mother tongue with the standard one or the other "prestige" dialect. Same applies to youth who are more under the influence of the standard language being surrounded with media 0-24h. Lastly, what I had found out - there is still present this stereotype that if you speak the local idiom you are not educated but stupid etc. I believe this is much stronger belief among the seniors who grew up in Yugoslavia where the standard language was a language of prestige and the local languages where seen as something of lower value.

This is of course something I have been fighting against with others for the last couple of years and my goal with the videos and creative work is to stop the destructive policy of pushing the local dialects into the oblivion. Many fail to recognize that something authentic and true of our identity, history, customs and beliefs are preserved primarily in our mother tongue and language of the local people. With their disappearance we lose our history and authenticity. Thus those little documentary trips I am doing and stuff with the camera are a small step in preserving the authentic local.

After learning some new things from Svetko we were awarded with his home grown grapes. He gave me a whole bag of them which I am deeply thankful for. I never imagined I'd be taking the grapes from Dugi otok back to Zagreb!

youtube

Marin agreed to help me record the video with the knowledge we had and heard some stuff from Svetko. Thus we stepped by and made our first video of the Youtube series! Thanks again guys for the help. I left them at noon as they were going to get some lunch and I didn't have a whole day. I tried to come back later but that was all of Soline this trip. I hope to visit them again in summer with more time to enjoy there as they deserve. In the end Soline are another peaceful place on Dugi otok where you can get the natural medicine for your body and brain. Looking forward to our next meeting.

Now off to our next destination - Lucija is waiting.

#čakavski #dugi otok #dalmacija #jadranski otoci #croatian islands #dalmatia #soline #božava #veli rat #sakarun #travel writing #blog #travelog #zaglav #monastery st michael dugi otok

1 note · View note