#miami kiss my absolute beloved

[chrollohearttags]

“..smile for me, daddy..”

you take quite the liking to eren’s newest piece of jewelry!

oral sex (p + a eating), spit play, hair pulling, fingering, squirting, need I say more?

I’ve written this trope before but I’m doing it again because why not?! I can’t get it out of my head and I am pushing this agenda. (Also trying to ease back into writing because I’ve been bullshitting.)

* . °•★|•°∵ ∵°•* . °•★|•°∵ ∵°•* . °•★|•°∵ ∵°•* . °•★|•°∵ ∵°•

“What you think, my man? How ya’ like it?”

“..yeah, this is the one, dude..definitely the one..”

stood before the counter at Schiaparelli Jewelers, brandishing a mirror in one hand as the the other casually stroked over his chin, Eren’s lips curled into that of quite the smirk; in turn, refracting off of the light..to say that he was satisfied with the result of his latest commission, would be a very gross understatement. Schiaparelli’s had become a staple in Miami's Design District. A multi-generational business with a reputation that preceded them. With infamy rivaled next to Johnny Dang. Having catered to celebrities and the city’s elite alike, they curated the most beautiful pieces with the utmost care. Thus, earning them millions and a recurring clientele. Among those were the Underground God himself and seasoned musical maestro, EJ the Don. Who had gotten everything from his first chain to the wedding ring he placed on his beloved (y/n)’s finger a year prior. VVS diamonds glistened from the bottom row of his already perfectly aligned teeth as he examined the new grill he had just acquired. A spur of the moment decision he’d made on impulse while you were away on another modeling trip. The custom mold wrapped his entire bottom and encapsulated his canines with red stones. It was absolutely beautiful and although the piece had set him back roughly fifteen thousand, it was well worth it and deserved in his opinion! Having just been nominated for two writing awards and a third for album of the year. Awards season was approaching and although it wasn’t among his priorities to attend, it was still a feat worth celebrating. Not to mention, it was quite the confidence boost as well. He wasn’t one to base his self worth in extravagant jewelry or expensive clothes, but he was certainly feeling quite good about himself in these. He loved the way they looked against his lips and how they complimented his teeth.

dapping up the jeweler, EJ thanked the man once more and proceeded to give him quite the hefty payment for his services..of course, self gratification wasn’t the only reason he had gone and copped this new piece for his collection. He was actually hoping to get a little something more out of the deal..

“That’s what I like to hear, my man! Listen, how do you think the missus will react? Think she’ll like ‘em?”

a question he was certain he’d find out the answer to as you had just shot him a text, saying that you’d made it home and of course..to hurry back to you! Not a moment too soon, in his opinion. He’d spent all week longing to see you again and what better way to greet you than with a surprise like this?

“..I guess we’ll find out soon enough..”

* . °•★|•°∵ ∵°•* . °•★|•°∵ ∵°•

“Mmph…Rennnnn, baeee! Stop—oh my gosh…”

the words spilling out in a trail of whiny huffs being drawn forth from your mouth. Among many other lewd sounds leaving you at the moment. Just as he had expected, your reaction was one he could’ve spotted from a mile away..the second Eren made it back home through the door, (y/n) came rushing him as you leaped forth into his arms. It didn’t take long after spinning you around with an array of kisses for you to spot them..the faint glint from his mouth as you slowly pecked at it. It was when you took his bottom lip between your teeth and tugged gently, did you reveal his little secret. He could tell immediately from the glare on your face, just what you thought of it. That was also apparent by your sudden shift in demeanor..going from subtle, flirtatious kissing to full blown, unadulterated lust. He had no interest in setting you to your feet or halting your advances, especially when you continued to swirl your tongue around his own and continue filling his head with compliments. From how sexy he looked with them and how badly you desired to wet them up! “Yeah? I’m glad you like them, baby.” That was to say the least. He wasn’t shocked in the slightest and once he heard your opinions, he no longer felt any reservations about his purchase! So fast forward, and the two of you moved your little party to the downstairs game room, where he’d often reside on his days off. You’d find yourself on the leather couch in the corner, legs spread to either side as he feasted at your center. Nearly seven days had passed since you’d seen one another in person and nearly ten since you’d had any physical touch so it was obvious what was on either of your minds. Inked up fingers laced around your throat in an effort to make certain your eyes never shifted from his. Meanwhile, you couldn’t help but to glare down at him with tears and lust teeming at your waterline. A finger slid between your lips as your husband delicately flicked that tongue around your clit..and each time, he’d make certain to flash you a toothy grin. In which you’d catch those sparkling diamonds littering his mouth.

“You sure you want me to stop, baby? I mean..you were the one begging me to make you come in my mouth.” Prompting both of you to burst into laughter. He knew that it was only because you were so close to your peak. Apparent by the creamy secretions leaking down his chin and staining that silver. How he craved your essence, your flavor and the feeling of you dripping onto his tongue. How good it felt to hear your moans coagulating with the sounds of his loud slurping, erupting throughout the room. Those white toes resting atop his bare shoulder blades, curled up at the slightest brush of your little bud. “I-I..fuck, it just feels so good, baby. Please..keep going.” (Y/N) uttering with the heave of your chest, rising and falling at a rapid rate as you tried to control your breathing.

“That’s what I thought..now lay your pretty ass back and lemme take care of you..lemme eat this pussy. Missed you so bad..”

with that, he’d continue his ascent into your soaking cunt. Exploring every fold, crevice and every delectable part of his beautiful wife. It may have been his favorite pastime if he were being completely honest…eating you until he brought you to the brink of tears and ecstasy. There was something so satisfying about it. Especially with the euphoric feeling of those juices making contact with his mouthpiece. Your fingertips would run underneath his chin and stroke the side of his face as his own dug into the thick flesh of your thighs..kneading slowly and keeping you in place. “Fuck…you look so sexy. Shit..” tossing your head back and releasing another breathy giggle from the overstimulating pleasure. “..swear you gon’ make me come, daddy..right there.” Guiding him along with your hand and those loud whimpers. That sundress that wrapped your body was shuffled down to your tummy as it bunched up underneath your breasts. You’d alternate between them and those dark tresses of his, not entirely sure what to do with yourself as you were unraveling.

“Don’t tease me now, princess. I need all of that..please..”

only taking a breath momentarily to work a couple digits inside of that hole as it spasmed on the air. He knew you needed to be filled but for now, he wanted to continue his feast..in more ways than one. As he parted your legs even further and continued working those digits in and out, Eren tugged you towards him. The only time he’d become forceful, as to keep you restrained. Because whilst you were focusing on the gentle thrust of his fingers in your pussy, his tongue would snake south to your puckering hole. Where the tip prodded at it and he’d flick around until you were trembling. Pleasure only increased tenfold when you pinched at those sensitive nipples. You could barely contain yourself and it was only a matter of time before he’d be getting that sweet release. He’d squeeze at your plump asscheeks as he switched between your entrances. Lobbing each hole with a very generous amount of spit. Soft whimpers arose from your throat and even hitched but that wasn’t enough for him. He needed that body to fall apart within his grasp and to react only the way he could make it happen.

“Come on, gorgeous. Let me have it. You wanna come, don’t you?”

that toothy smirk appeared yet again along with a high pitched coo. It never fails to make you melt..with the nod of your head, you’d shake vehemently, just grasping at anything to feign off the swelling in the pit of your stomach. One that was only mere seconds from exploding.

“Aw, then let it out. Do what you said you would earlier..or you gon’ hold back on me?” Teasing as he continued to push up into your most sensitive spot. And it didn’t take long until you were exploding all over the couch and of course, those silver slugs lining your man’s mouth. “Fuck! Fuck!—“ “..thereeee we go!” (Y/N) released a shroud of juices that spilled onto the cushions and Eren let his tongue wag as he lapped up every single drop..those fingers sopping with your creaminess. Which he’d let you slurp off once you were able to compose yourself.

“Shit!..Kiss me..” whining as you tugged him up by his chain and into your grasp. Shoving that tongue back between his lips and tasting the remnants of yourself against those grills. Cupping his face between your palms, you’d pull away from each other to meet gazes once more. That’s when he’d smile for you once again and you’d swoon for him all over again.

“Yeah, I’m gonna need you to wear those more..like all the time.”

#cherry’s works ✦⭒ #this is so cheesy #but i can’t stop thinking about it #aot x black reader #eren x black fem!reader #black fem reader #aot au #musician x influencer au #black reader smut #eren jaeger #eren jaeger x black reader #black reader #eren jaeger x reader #aot x black y/n #aot drabbles #aot smut #attack on titan #attack on titan au #attack on titan smut #attack on titan drabble #eren yeager #eren yeager x black reader #black fanfiction #smut drabble #snk au #snk drabble #snk smut #cw smut #cw spit #drabbles

[xinhua-jun]

do I have to pick, can I just ask all the Rick & Morty ask game questions at once 😂

ay Bri 😂😂😂 honestly I’ll let you do it because I KNOW that if I don’t answer them rn I’m gonna forget and then get lazy about it 😂

adding my beautiful gf’s ask here as well 💗

Morty my absolute beloved 💛💛💛

Domestic Beth for sure

Yes, those two were romantically involved and fucked nasty 100%

I saw someone saying Wren and honestly? Such adorable and fitting name!!! I love it so much. This is canon now

iirc adult swim ordered 10 no? so that many, hopefully an extra one or two xD

metaphorically speaking I would smash Young C-137, pass the old one lol. (but I would totally smash Miami)

Is it really a villain if he’s done nothing wrong, ever, in his life? (Evil Morty ❤️💛)

HOOOO BOY. This is the hardest question yet! I love most if not all episodes for one reason or another. But my top 4 categories are the BAMF Morty ones, the break-up ones, The Citadel ones, and the Rickbot ones.

The ones where Beth or Jerry take the spotlight, regardless of how little or much 💀

My least favorite characters are both Beth and Jerry, funnily enough. They’re awful parents and while I would enjoy their narcissistic and/or manipulative behaviors otherwise, they stopped being alluring the moment I fell in love with Morty (instantly). Baby boy’s well-being comes first now and forever

Mistreating Morty 🔪 *inserts community meme template* I can excuse genocide, but I draw the line at making the baby sad

Not at all! While their voices are part of their essence, it’s not what makes the characters themselves. It’s not the end of the world. Dubbed shows are proof of it. Besides, vocal chords change all the time!

ALL MY BELOVED RNM MUTUALS <33333

Morty and Summer!

Ohhh!! that’s an easy one. Any scene where Rick thinks he’s being subtle about his affections for Morty, regardless of how one perceives them. It’s just so funny to watch that pathetic old man trying so hard to repress his emotions and STILL come off as jealous, possessive, or a simp. Morty has him wrapped around his little finger and Rick KNOWS it. He HATES it so much it makes him look stupid and yet he STILL complies. [chef’s kiss]

Ahhhhh. Best Season is 3 or 6.

Worst one is, hmmm. Maybe 4?

something something death of the author etc etc

“Nobody exists on purpose, nobody belongs anywhere, everybody’s gonna die. Come watch TV.” and “You can’t help it. You were bred for it.” and “Every version of us spends every version of all our lives in one infinite crib built around an infinite fucking baby.” Honorary mention to “little junebug.” They live rent free in my brain 🥰

SUMMER 💗💗💗

#🎐 #bri #nevi #rick and morty #rnm q&a #📌

[talkingismylifewrites]

I have to say pride and prejudice is also my favorite book! I used to read so many fanfic of Darcy and Liz. Do you think Dealor will fit in a P& P setting?

Y E S 100%

obviously john is darcy

roger is lizzie

freddie is jane (BECAUSE FREDDIE MERCURY WAS REALLY FUCKING SHY GUYS OKAY HE WAS A SHY DUDE WHO HID IT WELL)

jim is mr. bingly

brian is gee i don’t know MR COLLINS

(”chrissy,” roger gasps, “engaged? to be married? to mr may? but he’s ridiculous!” 

“don’t look at me like that,” chrissie snaps. “not all of us can afford to be romantic. i've been offered a comfortable home and protection. there's a lot to be thankful for. i'm twenty-six years old. i've no money and no prospects. i'm already a burden to my parents. and i'm frightened. so don’t judge me, roger. don't you dare judge me.”) 

A N Y W A Y S

roger and freddie are boffing around when from across the dance hall they spot JIM a ball of sunshine and light and...mr. john richard “deaky” deacon

who is just miserable

and freddie and jim go off dancing and roger’s like do you dance??

and john (MR. DEAKY!!!), who loves to dance but has never found the right partner is like ‘not if i can help it’

and roger is weirdly...charmed??? and he’s like yeah i’d fuck him 

until MR. DEAKY, completely caught off guard by the beautiful yet sassy roger, is like OF COURSE I DON’T LIKE HIM JIM HE’S JUST OKAY ALRIGHT LIKE YOU WERE DANCING WITH THE ONLY DECENT PERSON

and roger’s like ugh rude

basically freddie and jim start courting??? and john and roger keep hanging out and its so fucking awkward becuase john won’t...stop...staring???? and roger’s like does he want to kill me or fuck me because i’d be down for either

AND THEN JIM LEAVES FREDDIE AND ITS SO FUCKING SAD AND FREDDIE IS HEARTBROKEN AND THEY’RE ALL ANGSTY AND UPSET

then there’s some drama and some angst and john ends up cornering roger in a pavilion and it’s raining and they’re fighting the urge to shiver but the sexual chemistry is just overwhelming and they’re unable to keep their eyes off each other’s lips 

and john admits that he persuaded jim to dump freddie because freddie wasn’t like forthcoming??? and v flirty and jim is shy okay he deserves someone who shows their love

and roger is so fucking ready to pop him in the mouth YOU’VE RUINED THE LOVE OF A MOST BELOVED BROTHER AND HE’S SHY

cue the absolute devastating “your arrogance and conceit, your selfish disdain for the feelings of others made me realise you were the last man in the world i could ever marry” 

AND JOHN IS SHOOKETH

HE’S FROZEN TO HIS CORE

HOW DARE ROGER CALL HIM OUT SO CRUELY

SO JOHN RETREATS TO HIS MANSION AND ROGER IS LIKE YEAH FUCKBOI GO AHEAD AND RUN AWAY

but then john sends his apology letter and explains that he was just scared for jim because his sister (julie) had been tricked and preyed upon by the dastardly paul prenter and now ROGER is shooketh

and he realizes that he’s been so incredibly cruel to john who is just emotionally constipated and doesn’t know how to be a real boy

then there’s some more drama (crystal gets into trouble??? dominique?? veronica???) and john comes to the rescue and pays off the trouble

[roger is like creeping in pemberly john’s wicked cool house and spots julie playing piano and julie is like OH THIS IS THE ONE FOR MY ANGRY BROTHER YES THIS ONE I CHOOSE HIM LETS GO JOHN FUCK HIM OR I WILL]

then john brings jim back and he proposes to freddie and they fall in love

and roger’s really happy for freddie!! but also supes sad because he ruined his chance at happiness so he’s having a depression walk through the moors and then

THERE

HE

IS

john is striding through the moors in a beaufitul flowing jacket and roger is like oh damn i’m gonna fuck him and love him and marry him

and they confess their love 

“you have bewitched me body and soul and i love...i love...i love you”

roger, kissing his hands, “your hands are cold” 

then they kick down roger’s father (MR BEACH)’s door and they’re like YO MIAMI WE’RE GETTING MARRIED

and because i firmly believe in and love the american ending (THE EUROPEANS ARE ROBBED)

after marriage roger and john are sitting in front of their amazing palace mansion and roger’s like you may only call me mr deacon when you are completely and perfect and incandescently happy

and john THE FUCKING NERD is like and how are you....mr. deacon?????

and then they live happily ever after and I DIE

k thanks for my ted talk joger and p&p owns my soul

#john and roger #idiots jn love #pride and prejudice au

[asarsgyan]

Chapter 3 The end of the flower

Catalina and Albeiro were arguing, once again, in their living room, when Yésica appeared at the door, pale with fright, and beckoned to her. Albeiro objected to her leaving, but as always, Catalina went over her will and ran into the street to hear the news that she had been waiting for for many weeks:    "Marica, Mariño has arrived from Mexico!" He told her with a dry throat and wild eyes.

   Immediately, several images crossed Catalina's mind. One, that of the operation of her breasts, another, that of an immense bra where she was swinging, although sad, and one more, that of her body dancing in the wind with a low-cut blouse that stole the eyes of countless men with open mouth. When he returned to reality, jumping from happiness, but with a hint of sadness deep in his soul, he began to weave all kinds of questions. What time did he arrive, where he was, how did he find out about his arrival, what he looked like, if he was nice, if he could get the 5 million pesos for the operation with him, how were they going to find each other and that Albeiro couldn't find out anything or he would kill her, to which Yésica replied with the same disorder. That he had just called her, that he was crowned and therefore fought,    But Albeiro didn't need someone to tell him that his girlfriend, or at least the head of his beloved, was in the wrong direction. From the window of the house and hiding his humanity behind a sheet, which served as a curtain, he watched with surprise and deep surprise the screams and jumps that Catalina gave every time Yésica said something to him. Only the image of Dona Hilda walking into the kitchen distracted him.

   When he entered his house in a state of absolute contentment, Albeiro had already returned to his position on the sofa in the living room, hiding what he had just seen, but dead with rage inside when he sensed that the apple of his eye was disappearing without remedy and unstoppable steps. That is why he did not know whether to harass her with anger into telling him what Yésica had told him or to handle the situation with intelligence. He supposed that if he put her against the wall to tell her what he was going to do, she would be filled with reasons to get him out of her life and that's why she opted for the latter: "    How I like to see you happy, my love," he said. in perfect performance and with total hypocrisy to which Catalina responded with a kiss, a hug and a reason as hypocritical as the expression exhaled by her boyfriend.    "I just got a job, my love, I'm going to work!"

   Albeiro couldn't contain himself and protested. "Why a position if you are too young to go to work." Who the fuck is offering him a job. "Don't trust yourself because that person just wants to take advantage of you." That surely some perverted lawyer wanted to use her as a secretary to "eat" her on the payday of the first fortnight. That she rather continued to study judiciously that he, despite his limitations, could give her, from time to time, to buy her little things. The problem is that Albeiro referred to as "little things" a soda, an empanada, a packet of potato chips, some sanitary napkins, a promotional blouse, an alligator to tie one's hair, a poster of Shakira, Carlos Vives or Juanes, a tree seed bracelet, a shampoo envelope, a belt, a buckle, some other galguerías and the money for the transport. But Catalina was thinking of other little things, something more, much more, definitely more expensive, such as her bust operation, brand-name clothes, fine perfumes, three-car markets for her mother, a car for her and an apartment like the Ahumada's. at the very least, if she became Mariño's girlfriend.

   There were two problems in all of this. The first, that Catalina felt a sublime love for Albeiro and the second, that Dona Hilda was not going to let her get away for a weekend with Mariño without a convincing explanation. The first problem was solved using his remorse and his conscience for what he was going to do to Albeiro. That is why he forgave him his chants, he received him with affection and conceal the crumbs of money and the small and cheap details that he gave him with great effort; She became more affectionate with him and promised to lower the deadline for giving him her virginity by three years.

   Albeiro, who was now separated by a few months from the happiness of possessing her, believed he had won heaven and accepted all the conditions of his little and manipulative girlfriend. He even gave her permission and a little money to go for the weekend with her class friends for a walk. He even interceded with Dona Hilda to let her go, appealing to his dual status as boyfriend and father:    "Do you think, mother-in-law, that if I distrusted Catalina, I would give her permission to go there?" Do you believe, Dona Hilda, that Catalina is capable of disappointing you and me that we love her so much? Do you distrust the education you have given your daughter, Dona Hilda? Do you consider that Catalina is she a crazy girl not to let her go for a walk? So why don't you let her go? Look how wise she's been lately! Look at that the girl needs to go out, unburden herself, know the world! Look, Cata's friends are very healthy girls! Look, if you lock it up, it will be worse! Look at my little sister, my mother wouldn't let her go out the door alone and without knowing how, when, or where she got pregnant!

   Dona Hilda accepted her son-in-law's arsenal of arguments, but clarified: "    Okay, let him go, but then I'm not going to get away with strange stories."    Then he regretted giving him permission and added a series of conditions and considerations: And he can't go with his brother? How about something happens to me? How about those girls getting drunk and leaving her alone? How about they teach me strange things? What if he learns rudeness and God forbid he even wants to smoke? Yes, I better go with the Bayron. If so, I let her go, if not, no.    Crying over the impositions of her mother, Catalina told her that if she had to take Bayron then that it would be better not to go, thank you for mistrusting her and that it happened to her as an idiot for asking permission instead of deceiving her or running away with her friends without saying anything or going with them making up lies. That it would not be strange to her if the next time she did not wake up in her bed, because what she was, she was never going to do things to the right as she was doing them at that moment and that ...    At that moment, Mrs. Hilda she interrupted, convinced her daughter was right, and let her go.    "Okay, well, but a lot of judgment," he said and added, "He behaves well, very careful with getting freaked out and if something happens to him, then don't say I didn't warn him."

   Catalina thanked Albeiro for the favor of convincing her mother to let her go for a walk, putting him in her bed, the morning of the next day, after Dona Hilda went to the market and Bayron to school or to billiards according to her mood. . That rainy morning with the raindrops hitting the roof with joy, Catalina gave Albeiro a preview of what was going to happen in a few months when he turned fifteen, after kissing him to the length and breadth of his humanity.    Albeiro responded by proposing to her. Catalina said yes, but that they had to wait a while for that because no priest was going to marry her at her age. Albeiro told him that to love each other they did not need the blessing of any priest and proposed that they go live together. He swore eternal love, he swore fidelity to all tests. He told her that he had enough savings to rent a room and buy a mattress with full pillows and sheets. That, as she knew, he was not rich, but that he was going to work very hard in life to give her everything she needed, to give her a couple of children and raise them with good principles and a lot of love. That if Deportivo Pereira qualified for the finals, they could think of going for a walk every December to the Santa Rosa hot springs, the Manizales Fair and why not, saving a little more, to the National Coffee Park in Armenia. Catalina, who had in mind trips to Miami, Paris, Argentina or at least San Andrés or Cartagena, told him to let her think and thanked him with passionate and sincere kisses for his willingness to give himself to her for life.    Moved by the noble and sincere intentions of her boyfriend, Catalina entered the bathroom and wept over Albeiro's naivety and what she was going to do with her friends from that night on at Mariño's farm. He felt so false and so unhappy that he even asked God for forgiveness for failing a man who only deserved love and sincerity from him. Albeiro played it hard with caresses and prayers to get Catalina to give herself to him that morning, but he couldn't, because although Catalina wanted it, she knew that giving her virginity to him and not to Mariño meant forgetting about her great dream.

   Sad for not having made her his wife, but enthusiastic about the idea of ​​marrying or moving in with her, Albeiro returned to the screen workshop, where they stamped the Deportivo Pereira flags, with such a spirit and happiness that it increased by more than two hundred percent their productivity. He wanted to show his beloved girlfriend, when he returned from his walk, that the trip to the hot springs of Santa Rosa was no longer a utopia. At night and with a bleeding heart, Catalina walked out of her house in the company of Yésica, Ximena and Vanessa. Two blocks later, they were picked up by a truck with Cali plates and dark glass.    At midnight they arrived at a farm rented by Mariño, just for the weekend, where the ducks roamed stately around an artificial lake on whose dock two motorboats and a small yacht were lulled by the small waves generated by the wind. Mariño's cronies and bodyguards fought to guard the pool area because they knew that, on a regular basis, they ended up putting their naked women in the water. In this way, they met famous actresses, television presenters, queens and models, in scandalous positions that Play Boy magazine would pay in dollars and millions and it could even be said, without fear of exaggeration, that many of those escorts chose that profession more out of lust and voyeurism, than to earn money risking their lives. That is why none of them wanted to remain guarding the exterior of the farm so they decided to bet, face and seal, who stayed inside the house and who outside it. The losers went into depression. They would have preferred to have their salary lowered than to deprive themselves of watching their boss making love to the girls who had just arrived.    Among them was Catalina, dead of fright, because she knew her first time with a man was imminent. A cold trickle ran through her body and she fell asleep in her coccyx, on purpose, while she thought of Albeiro, her mother, the deceit she had made on them and Mariño naked with his belly once again rich on his fragile humanity. From time to time, wiping his sweaty hands against the boots of his pants, he whispered to Yésica that he urgently needed a drink to calm his nerves.

   —Fresca, my friend, I have a drink is what that man is going to stuff right now, even through his eyes, —he said with some mockery and filling Catalina with fear, who panicked when Yésica gave her another additional detail:    —They used to smear ourselves with drink everywhere. They love to drink from our vaginas.

   When the dark-glass van stopped, Mariño impetuously approached, but affectionately offered his hand to Catalina and her three friends, demonstrating that he was not going to behave like a real boss, whose pride and arrogance prevented them from acting. with chivalry. Mariño, who believed that to have a better time he had to impress his guests, he invented that the farm belonged to him and invited them to continue to the pool, giving orders all the way to the men who had hit the side of the coin thrown in the air . That they turn on the music, that they serve the drink, that they leave me alone with the girls, that they send for food to the town, that batteries with the radios, that they do not let the sun turn off and that they keep an eye out because «you already know that the DEA is looking to extradite me 'and countless unnecessary lies,    When they got to the pool area, Mariño called Yésica aside to tell her what he thought and in the order he wanted to do it. Catalina tried to smile without showing her anguish, while Mariño looked at her and her friends with more seriousness than she should. And while the three applicants for Mariño's bed and money offered themselves at a distance, he spoke with total frankness to Yésica. Mariño seemed upset and unhappy, but none of the little women knew why or by whom. To disguise that they weren't listening to the discussion between the client and Yésica, Vanessa and Ximena admired the sumptuous place in amazement, while Catalina tried to control her nerves without knowing that the worst was yet to happen. Of course, she suspected it when she saw Mariño's face looking at her with contempt as she spoke to Yésica:    "Do you know what partner?" I don't really like the peladita that you say is a virgin.

   Yésica didn't know what to say as Mariño lit a cigarette and looked at Ximena with one eyebrow raised more than the other in an authentic boastful pose typical of the Marlboro man in commercials. Catalina, who was carefully observing Mariño's gestures, began to be filled with insecurity and tried to push her chest out to hide what was a defect for her.    "But why don't you like it?" She is the only virgin of the three! He exclaimed, defending her from another frustration.    "I don't know, the little girl is pretty, but she's very little," he said, looking at her and added, "she also has almost no tetics."    "But she's a virgin the way you like her, Marino." Instantly he added with disgust: "I get you what you ask for!"

   "No, that's fine, but let's let it grow a little ... I bet it will be around fourteen years old ..."

   Fifteen," Yésica lied, adding another year, to which Mariño responded with a rueful smile and a compassionate phrase:    "No ! " what a sin! He is the same age as my daughter. No, I'm not capable, I'll take the one with the white blouse, ”she declared, pointing to Ximena. —The other one to wait for me, I'll send her to call later.    When Yésica raised her lips to tell him what Mariño had said, Catalina fell into despair and began to cry. All her friends tried to comfort her in vain, but she did not want to hear reasons. He was sadder than ever, his illusion vanished like a puddle on the asphalt on a sunny afternoon, his self-esteem slept on the floor and his tears lined up to leave. First he said he was going to kill himself. Later, when he remembered that he did not have the courage to do it, he said that he was going to steal, if that was the case, to get for the operation because he could no longer bear the humiliations of those guys. That if the very stupid ones thought they were very pretty, that they would eat shit and hopefully the police would catch them so they would stop being such bastards. In the midst of the uproar, Mariño sent for Ximena.

   At first, Catalina was reluctant and even asked him to leave her alone, but "Caballo" insisted with kindness and gentle manners, so the girl ended up confiding her sorrows and pains. She told him that she was bored with the rejection that men made of her for not having large breasts and, incidentally, she asked why they were like that and if they did not feel capable of looking beyond the material. "Horse" answered him, with self-confidence, that no, because they were possessed by the demon of lust and that no one wanted or could fight against such a delicious devil. Catalina laughed at the answer and opened herself wider. She told her that she had a boyfriend and that she loved him, but that the poor man earned very little and that is why she could not buy him the things she wanted.

   In the background were Yésica's stories to Vanessa about how she met Mariño and Ximena's screams in the pool as far as Mariño went to throw her naked before the pleased gaze of her bodyguards, who clashed their hands in the dark without stopping looking at the woman's tits, betting on whether they were real or silicone.

   Catalina watched her with envy and began to cry with rage, but "Caballo" tried to reassure her by asking her not to cry anymore because if the problem was silver, he could get her. Catalina looked at him in amazement. She couldn't believe it and began to wipe her tears with her right forearm while "Horse" continued to convince her that her days of grief were over. He told her that he had fallen in love with her as soon as he saw her get out of his boss's truck and even swore that a woman was the same as what he asked God every night in his prayers.    When Catalina asked him, with some anxiety, where he was going to get five million for his operation, «Caballo» replied that lifting that bill was easier than she thought. That sometimes they sent him to collect bundles of dollars that the organization's planes threw into the sea or that he also took him off the scales when they weighed the bill, because it was so much that counting it became a tedious, time-consuming and almost impossible. Catalina began to cheer up, but it was when he told her that in that way he had managed to buy a taxi for her father, that she saw his dream of enlarging her boobs closer.    As soon as Ximena appeared smiling, hiding her nakedness with a white towel that barely covered her buttocks and breasts, and Mariño's screams were heard calling Yésica to send Vanessa to him, Catalina took the opportunity to escape with Caballo.

   "Let's go to the manger there is air conditioning there," "Caballo" told him and they both took refuge in the carelessness of the others and in the shadows of the night to reach the sumptuous place where about a dozen horses slept, each one in a stable equipped with air conditioning, wooden floors, clay tile roofs that rested on macana reeds and perfectly stuccoed walls.

   Smiling and paranoid, they entered the stall, where "Caballo" carefully unloaded his AK 47 machine gun, trying not to produce noises that could disturb the fine-stepped horses that slept there or his coworkers who saw him vanish with the minor. Catalina only thought of Albeiro with a lot of guilt and the pain that penetration was going to produce, according to the stories and warnings of all her friends.

   When «Caballo» began to kiss her and undress her somewhat roughly, the inexperienced girl went into a kind of lethargy, while her mother's words crossed her mind warning her to behave well and Albeiro's proposing marriage. When he returned, Javier already had her in her underwear and began to kiss her neck as he lowered his pants with total trembling and anxiety. Catalina thought that the irremediable time of being a woman had arrived and she was very sorry to do it with a stranger and in that, not romantic, place, but she had no choice: her only heritage in this world was her hymen and if she gave it to Albeiro as her soul asked, she would have missed the opportunity to get the money for the silicone implant in her bust. So he decided to relax by disconnecting, incidentally,

   But he could not completely isolate the feelings. When "Caballo" threw her, erect, against a bale of hay, Catalina only managed to close her eyes so that the tears would not escape, fearing to spoil the moment that meant to fulfill one of her two dreams. "Horse" struggled and struggled while she bit her lip to keep from crying out in pain and while the companions of the cunning escort watched the scene, ecstatic with desire, through the half-open stable door. But "Horse" could not accomplish his feat and from one moment to the next he was enraged and threw it hard to one side.

   "Why isn't this shit going in?" He asked while his companions covered their mouths so that their laughter would not give them away.    "Isn't it better on the floor?" The poor woman asked with a soft and humiliated tone with which she tried to defuse the embarrassing situation. Without answering anything and possessed by the devil of lust whom he called delicious, "Horse" took her by the shoulders, like a rag doll, threw her roughly on the floor and climbed on her with violence and willing savagery. to satisfy his desires before Mariño yanked him out of delicious ecstasy.    Suddenly Catalina's body shook. Without any lubrication, the bestial man entered her. The girl felt the worst pain of her life. His mouth opened like a spring and his nails dug into the back of «Horse», drowning out a plaintive scream that pierced his soul and that drew a dozen immense tears that rolled down the neck of the possessed animal that, having getting into rhythm, he did not stop moving over her with total anguish, despair and irresponsibility. His excitement was such that at the moment of ejaculation he wanted to ask her if she was planning, but he preferred to keep quiet so as not to damage the moment, without even knowing, that he had just become the first man in the girl's sexual life.

   A lump was left to live in the throat of the new little woman who did not come out of her amazement at being full of blood and without having enjoyed the delicacies of sex in the least, as her experienced friends assured in the stories of the park .    When she began to dress with a satisfied face and a bit of shame at the brutality shown, "Caballo" observed that the girl was crying, but could not imagine why. She didn't know either.

He was in doubt if she was sobbing from the pain caused by the tearing of her vagina, from the definitive loss of her childhood or from having committed infidelity against Albeiro. The feelings mixed in her and they tripped over each other, in such a way that, while the feeling of guilt drew a tear from her, the feeling of knowing that she was already a woman on the verge of achieving one of her goals unearthed a smile.    When "Caballo" finished dressing, he found out that Catalina was a virgin and panicked. He thought, with a high probability that the girl could be pregnant and asked her to take a quick exam to avoid surprises. He scolded her for not warning him of her innocence and apologized by saying that he had thought that just by coming to a farm with a tracheo like his boss, he supposed that she must have some experience, for example, to plan. She asked him if he always did it without a condom and he lied to her saying that only that once and that because he did not expect my God to send him that pretty little girl during work hours.

   They smiled, hugged each other falsely, and when she was getting ready to put on her thongs, two coworkers from "Caballo" appeared. Catalina was embarrassed, very frightened and covered her naked body with her clothes, while "Caballo" claimed his friends for their abuse. They asked him to let them be happy for a moment, but Catalina panicked and began to cry again.    "Caballo" concealed his displeasure a bit, but faced with the blackmail of his companions, he urged Catalina to please them. He reminded her that he had the money that she had asked for, but that he should behave well with them, because if they gave him away, Mariño was going to be furious and he was going to throw him out like a dog, killing in passing, the possibility of silver.    Incredulous and closing her eyes, Catalina had no choice but to please two other strangers as "Horse" grinned at them from a distance.

   This time she relaxed and while crying with pain, in her soul and in her vagina, she let the two men and the reminiscences possess her: She remembered Albeiro giving her a teddy bear, "El Titi" rejecting her, Mariño looking at her badly, her stepfather pulling up her school skirt and stroking her legs, the hen on the clock pecking eternally at nothing, the planes landing without her at the Pereira airport, Yésica showing her silicone tits, a school teacher yelling at her with anger, his mother making love to another stepfather, Bayron smoking marijuana and offering her the cigarette and, finally and before Javier warned his rapists that Mariño was looking for them,the early memory of Caballo handing him a package with the money under the statue of the naked Bolívar in the center of Pereira.

   Not caring about the girl's pain, Caballo and his two companions came out of the manger smiling and high-fiving each other.

   Catalina was left dressing in great pain and stood up with great difficulty. She could hardly walk, but she knew that the walls of the stable ended at the door and she gave up leaning on them. She combed her hair with her hands, looking into the eyes of a mottled horse that watched her undaunted, and then she left the place observing it all for the last time, recording in her memory and perhaps forever, the infamy of which she had just been the victim.    Indolent with the woman's pain, the three escorts, the first three men in Catalina's life, the ones who just made Albeiro the possible fourth man on the apple of her eye's list of lovers, surfaced. hiding and trying to make others believe they were doing a routine round. When Catalina appeared, concealing that nothing in her life was happening, she tried to specify "Caballo" for the money. "Horse" became nervous and began to hesitate and make all kinds of apologies. That he did not have the ticket in that place because they could discover it,

   He also told her, without any tact, that that way he would be able to shake off a little of the humiliations of his bosses who rubbed at least two too beautiful women in his face every day. Catalina demanded him yelling at him that if he considered her a trophy, but Caballo amended his offense by reminding him that no, that he had liked her, precisely, because she was the opposite of those women, all immersed in a stereotypical mold that made them see , the same, that is, anorexic, with straight blond hair, a turned up nose, a flat stomach, eyes with colored lenses, a puffed chest, haggard cheeks, pointed shoes, shiny sparked pants, blouses tight and short, Cartier watches,

   Catalina ended up entangled, believing all the stories and said goodbye to him, not without first agreeing to an appointment to receive the money in Bolívar's park the next day at four in the afternoon.    And while "Caballo" and his two friends strutted around the farm laughing, telling their colleagues that they had deflowered one of the boss's "old ladies", as if this had been the greatest feat of their lives, Catalina pretended to be well in front of Yésica who would not stop lecturing her for having left with "Horse".    That guy is a liar, "he said to her as she began to get scared," he never misses an opportunity to throw the dogs at you, but don't forget, partner that bodyguards are just that, bodyguards and live naked at all hours. First, it's time to give them money, ”she said, while Catalina remained silent, fearing the worst.    "Why doesn't she speak, sister. Did something happen to her?"    -No, nothing. He answered with a broken voice, wanting to die inside and thinking about the possibility of having lost, for nothing, his most precious asset.

   The next day, while sheltering from the rain under the sculpture of Bolívar Desnudo, the bell of Pereira's cathedral began to ring as the clock struck five in the afternoon. It was the first call to mass at six and it was then, an hour after arriving for the appointment, when Catalina understood that she had lost, for nothing, her most precious asset. "Caballo" never showed up and with him his hopes of having raised the five million for the operation disappeared. Although he waited for him until midnight in the hope that she had misheard the time, "Caballo" did not appear alone, nor with the money and Catalina walked home, crying along the way and naming them the name. mother to the drunks who approached her to ask her price at that time of the morning.    He arrived in the morning, at dawn, when the sun was just rising and while the sky was covered with glory and gunpowder from some distant celebration that he never understood. Ironically, he thought it was the "Horse" celebrating his move. He cried two days in a row without Dona Hilda, Albeiro, or his brother Bayron being able to extract a single syllable from him. On the third day, she spoke to ask for a glass of water and remained silent, until Thursday, when Yésica came for her, believing she had the formula to resuscitate her, but not knowing that with what Catalina would tell her, she would finish dying:    —Marica ! "She told him, puffed up with happiness," Marino sent for her. He said he did want to be with you now! He wants his Virgo, partner!    While Catalina was dying inside, Yésica continued her devious story that burned her ears and the other senses and soul right there:    —But rejoice, sister, because I've already arranged for you to pay for the partner operation! five million pesos! He said showing him three bundles.    Catalina felt the mirror on her mother's dressing table break in her face, tearing her skin apart with good reason and she decided not to say anything and then start crying for another four days. When the tears ran out, he went to find Yésica and told her the whole truth. Indignant, she told him that she had to tell Mariño to kill "Caballo" and his other two employees for faltons, but then she regretted it because she remembered that she had told him that Catalina could not go yet because she had her period.

   "We can cheat on him like Paola did with her second boyfriend!" Catalina proposed innocently, but Yésica refused:    "It's just that with Mariño things are at a different price." He told me that he had 26 Virgos and that he wanted to reach 50 quickly, so that he could win something over his bosses.    "Rather, you know what?" Yésica told him angrily for the loss of the two million pesos that Mariño promised her on commission: "    Let's forget about it and walk around I'll introduce her to Margot to see if she can model her in the meantime."    Catalina told him that she did not want to be a model or an actress, that the only thing she wanted was to have surgery on her bust to become the girlfriend of a tracheto, but Yésica replied that under those conditions it was easier for one of them to fall in love with her when she saw it on television, than offering it as she was doing it, because they knew that some little girls from other neighborhoods gave it for less, even having them bigger.

[nzingaain]

I have been on a hiatus, I haven’t felt like writing, Even when I DID feel like writing I couldn’t muster up the motivation to get started…I just haven’t been present in almost half a year… But I’m back, yay! And I recently had my 23rd birthday (recently as in April lol) and for that birthday I decided I wanted to travel. Settling on Havana, Cuba… here’s how it happened.

The Decision Process

I just took, the best birthday trip I have ever experienced. Months before my birthday I knew I wanted to go somewhere, and it was largely based off price on where I decided to go. My criteria for picking a place was:

Warm

Out of the country

Under $500 round trip

Easy to get there and back AND experience things within a week

So. Some of the places I was looking at were Paris, Tokyo, Mexico, Cuba and Hawaii.

Paris was excluded because of the political unrest going on there, also price. Tickets to paris were about 500-600 roundtrip.

Tokyo was excluded because of price and how long it takes to get there. (I don’t even know why I thought it would be an option).

Mexico was in. Cuba was in.

And Hawaii was a little bit too expensive (plus technically not out of the country).

I settled on Cuba over Mexico because, well honestly it was cheaper. I was surprised how cheap it was to get to Cuba. The tickets were only $240 roundtrip. PLUS the ones I chose included an overnight in Panama and then an eight-hour layover on the way back in Panama.

So I was sold. For reasons unbeknownst to me I’ve always had a strange obsession with Panama and I was really excited to be there, even if it was only for a day or two.

And luckily my borfriend was all in to go, so I had the perfect travelbuddy! ❤

Getting Into the Country

As I’m sure you know, it’s way more difficult for Americans to get to Cuba than it was when we had our beloved Obama as president. But to be honest it isn’t very hard at all.

I entirely overthought and overworried while planning my trip. I read all these blogs that said I needed x, y and z in order to make it in. They said that customs would interrogate me and that my itinerary needed to be flawless and blahblahblah. It isn’t true. I do have some tips for making it in and out smoothly (and cheaply).

Unless you happen to live in Miami, you probably will need more than one flight to make it into Cuba. I strongly suggest that you take a flight from your homecity to another city in Central/South America and then fly into Cuba from there.

This is mainly becausee to get a visa to enter the country from America is doubly more expensive and complicated than getting one from practically anywhere else.

American visas to Cuba are $80 + shipping and handling fees.

My visa to Cuba from Panama was only $20 dollars and they just gave it to me as I boarded my flight to Cuba.

It’s said that you need Cuban traveling insurance, and for some people this is true. You get this when you land in Cuba before exiting customs. However, when I brought it up to the Cuban custom officers they said I was fine and didn’t need it.

To be honest it appeared they said that because of my age, older travellers they tend to make you get it. If you’re in doubt and don’t want to spend the money (it’s apparently $7/day more or less) just wait till you’re almost out of customs and ask them if you need to go buy it or not. They’ll be sure to let you know.

And  honestly that’s it! I made a very loose itinerary, I didn’t stick to it, and not a single person asked me about it on the way there or back.

Panama City, Panama

My first stop on the trip was Panama City. (But honestly it was just the Tocumen/Panama City Airport and the Riande Aeropuerto Hotel).

It was a lovely hotel. It ran at about $70/night and the amenities were amazing!

https://riandehoteles.com/en/aeropuerto/amenities/

They had a free shuttle that ran every 30mins from the airport to the hotel. There was paintball, multiple pools, free breakfast buffet, bars, restaurants, a spa, a boutique, a casino AND it was entirely pet-friendly.

Alas I didn’t bring my pet bunny…

My Pet Giant Flemish Rabbit

But I don’t think he would have liked the heat anyways. Plus my parents said he really enjoyed the stay at my housee… I question the truth of that statement (my parents have a cat that dislikes him and a dog that refuses to let him do ANYTHING in peace) but he’s back home and happy again regardless!

My favorite part of the hotel was the outdoors restaurant, the bar (lol), and the giant chessboard by the pool!

Our stay at the hotel was short and sweet. The rooms were nice and airconditioned, the bathroom was pretty amazing (hello rainfall showerhead) and the food was good overall!

Tip: I highly suggest you try their bbq grill platter for dinner, it feeds two easily and  it was so delicious I wish I could go back tonight and have some more…

Havana, Cuba

Cuba was amazing. As soon as I set foot into our Airbnb I felt like I was at home. The food, music, living quuarters, people, pretty much everything except the language reminded me of my haitian family in Miami. It was entirely natural being there and I would go back in a heartbeat given the opportunity.

Our Airbnb host was Helmo and his mother. They were so super helpful and sweet and I would absolutely stay with them again and recommend people to them for any travels to Havana.

Their Airbnb was in the neighborhood of Vedado, so not in the heart of Old Havana or Central Havana but instead 10-15mins away by the sea. It had a King sized bed, a nicely sized bathroom, a kitchen and eating area as well as a living room and balcony.

The balcony was our favorite spot in the apartment. We eneded every night on there and started most of our morning up there as well.

Helmo’s mother made us breakfast every morning at $5/person. Totalling to $10/day and $30 for the entire stay (Wednesday morning we overslept and ended up skipping breakfast and Friday morning we left very early for the airport and decided to forgo breakfast).

Her breakfast was AMAZING. If I could have packed her up and kept her with me forever and learned all her cooking recipes I would have. Alas, she only spoke Spanish and my Spanish is so slow and painful we didn’t get to communicate much outside of me thanking her everyday and her telling us breakfast was ready.

Each day was packed with things to do. It WAS some months ago, so I’ll try my best to remember everything. But forgive me if I miss some things.

Day One

We got into Havana around 8pm and made it to our Airbnb by 9ish. They gave us a tour of the house and then recommended Karma for dinner.

I ADORED KARMA.

We went back there literally everyother night for dinner. Their food was impeccable, their prices were great and their flan!!! Omg. I didn’t even know I liked flan. It turns out I love flan. Especially theirs.

Tip: their mojitos are great and only $2…be careful. I definitely had one or two too many and lived to regret it.

This was the night going into my birthday. I actually almost died that night (don’t tell my parents).

The story is… I was drunk (remember those mojitos I was talking about) and Thaddeus and I walked to the sea to get a look at it. I saw this 500 Habana sign and decided I should take a picture by it and… well underneath it was a very large gap that fell into the highway. And right before it was a large, but hidden, metal bar.

I tripped on that metal bar and almost fell into the gap… Luckily I grabbed onto the sign last minute and managed not to kill myself three minutes into my 23rd birthday.

Here is the photo evidence.

Habana Sign….Almost died getting this photo

Shortly after we headed over to a club, but didn’t go inside. This is where we experience our first attempt at being scammed.

My lovely, friendly, sweet boyfriend cannot resist talking to everyone he meets. Regardless of me telling him that people in Cuba are out to scam the tourists and that we just have to walk away if we hear any of the classic scamming schemes.

The one that night was the “it’s my birthday buy us all drinks!” scam. And they were entirely thrown off by the fact that it was ALSO MY BIRTHDAY.

They almost lost face until they decided to take it into stride and say “even more reason for us all to get drinks! Yay!” And then the woman tried to kiss my boyfriend and then hug me. At that point I was naturally entirely done with the situation and I grabbed him and pulled the both of us away from her.

Right after a cab driver tried to insist on taking us home…which we  nicely declined because our Airbnb was just a few blocks away.

Ending the night we tried to go to sleep but those mojitos said no and I threw up for a good chunk of the night. Oh well.

Day Two

We started the day with breakfast, and then had an 8hr tour of Havana, Cuba. And omg it was so packed.

The tour whipped back and forth between Verdado, Central Havana and Skirted through Old Havana.

There was actually an hour of the tour we decided to skip, which was a walking tour through Old Havana at the end. But I was so tired by the time we got to it I asked to just go home instead and we did the walking tour on our own Wednesday.

Our tour guide was Julio and he was so kind, so well-informed and just a pleasure to be around for 8+ hours two days in a row!

Day Three

We spent all of Tuesday in Viñales.

It. Was. Beautiful.

The scenery was so gorgeous it felt unreal. I looked at the photos after and could only believe I took them because I experienced it.

The drive up to Viñales was about 3 hours. Half an hour in Havana, two hours on the highway and then another half hour or so on country roads.

While we’re speaking about roads, I saw a lot of blog posts before I went saying how their road are in terrible condition and bumpy and awful. This is ABSOLUTELY NOT TRUE. Their roads are literally the same as ours. If anything better than Chicago’s at least because they don’t have many potholes since they don’t experience Winter.

The only reason the roads feel rough at all is because the cars are old. The newer cars they have there (sometimes we took a taxi or coconut-cab) I didn’t feel a single bump or rough ride. But the older cars, the ones you see in the photos and wonder at, those simply don’t have the shocks and mechanics put into place to have a smooth ride. It’s as simple as that.

If you want to experience a non-bumpy car ride then take a newer car. If you want to get a true Havana (tourist) experience and be in the cars from the 50’s then stop complaining about the bumps because that’s a part of the ride.

Also, speaking on the cars, the EXHAUST omg. I couldn’t breathe while on busy city streets if I was in the backseat of the car. The exhuast is just so much more potent than what I’m used to from modern day cars.

I eventually got used to it/stopped sitting in the backseat and opening windows. But wow that first day or two was rough. It literally made me nauseous.

Okay. Back to Viñales.

 Our daytrip was to a family-owned tobacco farm, where we would learn the cigar making process as well as ride horses and attempt to pet goats! The family was very upfront and transparent about their tobacco making secrets. I won’t spill them past saying each farm in Cuba has their own special recipe for boiling the tobacco leaves. And that secret recipe is how you get different flavors and smells when smoking a cigar.

I am not really a smoker. But I did have a few puffs of one of the freshly-rolled cigars! They dipped it into their own home-made (bee-made…whatever) honey and IT. WAS. AMAZING. Really I think I just liked tasting the honey more than smoking the cigar.

Viñales was a whole day of trip. By the time we got back I don’t think we did much more than find some dinner and head home.

Day Four

We took a day out into the city! We went to the marketplace area of Havana (that was the walking part of the tour that we missed on my birthday because I was too overwhelmed). And I adored it. Blocks and blocks of little shops with art and food and books and just anything you could ever want.

Our little coconut cab dropped us outside of the square and we walked for probably hours up and down.

I think the best part of Cuba was that as long as we were quiet and didn’t speak English we were mistaken as Cubans. Which, as a tourist, is great. However, as soon as we spoke Cubans would immediately try to sell us things or tell us stories to get us to give them money. So do keep in mind, you will lose all your money and be scammed into many things if you’re too naive as a tourist there (as a tourist anywhere if we’re being truthful).

We ended the day at Karma again. More flan, more mojitos. No throwing up this time.

Day Five

The last day. We turned it into a beach day and it was fantastic.

The beaches are about 45-60mins outside of the city. I suggest getting a shared car there because the ride will be faster than the bus, but much cheaper than getting your own taxi.

This best way to get a shared ride is to go to the bus that heads to the beach then find a taxi driver (or let them find you) and he’ll offer you a price of 10ish dollars per person if he has a full car. Which is a great deal for him but an even better deal for you, because it includes both ways.

DO NOT miss the time to get back if you do get a shared driver though. Because you WILL be stuck at the beach. The bus stop drops you off about a half mile from the beach and there will be no choice but to walk that walk if you want to get home. Plus the buses stop running fairly early… so be careful.

We didn’t miss our driver, but two girls we went down with did.

At the beach it’s almost like a summer beach-house town. There are restaurants and bars and shops but it all is rather relaxed with a “no pressure” vibe. The restaurants are expensive in comparison to the rest of the city,, but do give generous amounts of food. They will even bring food to you on the beach!

The bar is rather cheap, and the drinks are delicious (both alcoholic and non-alcoholic).

Pro tip: BRING SUNSCREEN!! And I don’t just mean to the beach. I mean to Cuba. They don’t have ANY in the country. It is not for sale there you cannot get it.

I give you that tip because I got BURNT. And then I got red. And then I peeled. And it hurt. It was not plesant at all. Just remember to pack sunscreen.

The next day

At the crack of dawn (before dawn truly) we left! Our AirBnb host set up the taxi for us and it was a quick hop over to the airport.

A favorite trip of mine. Especially now that I have been to another island (be on the look out for my post on Jamaica). And I honestly would love to go back… If only w could get rid of Trump then maybe I’ll be able to 🤷🏽‍♀️

    Birthday In Cuba (plus Panama!) I have been on a hiatus, I haven't felt like writing, Even when I DID feel like writing I couldn't muster up the motivation to get started...I just haven't been present in almost half a year...

#african-american #airports #Beach #birthday #Cuba #flights #focus #friendship #happiness #Havana #Island #love #Me #overseas #pets #positivity #quality time #travel #traveling

[ilvoloflightcrew]

“Don’t Rain On My Parade” from “Funny Girl”

Barbara Streisand

photo credits: Bing Images

HAPPY BIRTHDAY PIERO! FROM GINA IN TEXAS 🙂

Here’s your Birth Flower..

On your birthday, Piero, I am reminded of an old song that so aptly describes you:

“Stay as sweet as you are,

Don’t let a thing ever change you.

Stay as sweet as you are,

Don’t let a soul rearrange you.

Night and day I pray

That you’ll always stay,

Just as sweet as you are.”

HAPPY BIRTHDAY from Mary Bohling

Happy Birthday and enjoy your day! Hugs Linda

Happy 24th birthday dear Piero. Your voice sends me to the stars. My life has been enriched by your talent and personality. See you at your next U.S. tour. Joanie Guyon in California

Happy  Birthday from your Detroit fan who told you: it is your voice that makes this singing group – DIFFERENT.             Rosemarie Ringenbach

Dear Piero:

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

A Love Letter for you.

From the time I first saw you, September 4, 2011, you have been changing my life every day. Simply by growing up to be the many-talented and handsome and charming young man that you are – you continue to change my life. Every day I hear your voice, and I fall for you all over again. You give me hope for the future of music among the young people of the world. What heights you have flown to! When I hear you sing, I forget to breathe!

  When I see you face to face, my brain just quits and I am unable to say anything that makes sense. So count me among the many fans who cannot tell you what you really mean to me, except from the safety of the internet. You are one of my newest three grandsons – adopted, of course, and younger than my natural granddaughter!

  Piero, I send you my love and admiration, and for the parents who raised you  – gratitude for their job, well done! HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

With love from Texas,

Linda P

Happy 24th birthday Piero!   Enjoy your day.

Chris

Piero, you light up my life with your glorious voice.  You have a most wonderful career ahead of you.  I am wising you a heartfelt Happy Golden Birthday!  I’ll be eagerly awaiting your next American Concert Tour.

 Love to you from Minnesota, USA ~ Allene Shipman

Dear Piero,

On your birthday, we wish you a wonderful, special day full of blissful happiness, surrounded by the people you love and doing whatever brings you great joy. You are, without doubt, one of the best singers in the world, but your magic is much more than that. Your fun loving personality, generosity of spirit, the passion you give to the music and that magnificent smile, brings great happiness to thousands of people. You deserve that this bounces back to you and to experience enormous happiness, especially on your special day.

Buon compleanno Sue and Graham Hemshall Nottinghamshire UK

Happy Birthday, Piero!  I hope life is good and you have many blessings!

Rosemary Westgate

Tanti Auguri Piero! Since your last birthday, it has been another amazing year! Your “Notte Magica” concert in July in beautiful Florence with Placido Domingo was absolutely stunning! Loved that you started the concert with Nessun Dorma which I had been hoping for you, Ignazio and Gianluca to one day sing. It was everything I expected and more. The entire concert was splendid! The solos, duets and all the songs were wonderful and Ave Maria, Mater Misericordiae was spectacular as well. Can’t imagine how you found the time to train for such a difficult repertoire but appreciate how hard you all work to be the very best and that you certainly are.

I am very grateful that I was able to attend your concerts in Easton and at Radio City Music Hall and they were both wonderful! Thank you for all the beautiful music and best wishes for another extraordinary year. God bless you and all your loved ones.

Hugs to all, Margaret Ladolcetta

Happy birthday, Piero! Best wishes for you. Many successful years with Gianluca and Ignazio. All the best!

Best regards, Paula

Buon Compleanno Piero🎂🎂 May your 24th year be filled with many more successful endeavors. Grazie for sharing your time and talent with your many adoring fans. I attended the Notte Magica concert in Miami where I did my first M&G and had a grand time. I look forward to many more!! 🎼🎶🎼🎶

Tanti Auguri Annette Simonini Naples, Florida

“Sending you my wishes for a happy 24th birthday. I hope you have a special day filled with all good things – love of family, friends and fans. Your music has given so much pleasure to the world and I hope you know how special you are to all of us. Happy Birthday, Piero!!”

Best Wishes and much love,  Janet D

Dear Piero…have an awesome birthday❤️ ~~ tcarosi1956

Have a wonderful, relaxed day, get some rest & recreation! All the best for the future, from that crazy old lady, you overwhelmed in Düsseldorf on 17A! ~~ Astrid Scheck

Your Birthday marks one of the many milestones from the day you were born. Sharing your gifts makes the world a happier place. We all need the joy you’re bringing to the world. Be well and may you have an unforgettable Birthday. Dr. Jay and Victoria Wilson

Ciao, Piero….♥♥

This is ‘Nonna’ Harriett sending you my love and warmest Happy Birthday wishes for your 24th Birthday! *<:-P party You cannot imagine how your beautiful music helped me during my months of therapy following my back surgery last January. You lifted my spirits so much, every day, as I played your CD’s and DVD’s. I set a goal to make it to the Chicago Opera House in March to attend IL Volo’s concert. I made it!!! You all were magnificent, as always, and I stood with tears of happiness, with many others, to offer standing ovations following every song. You, Gianluca and Ignazio were so kind to me at the Meet and Greet, steadying me to stand without my walker. I am looking forward to attending another concert when you return to Chicago. God bless you, dear Piero, and may you celebrate your birthday and enjoy your well-deserved success, as you bring love around the world. Ti amo. ♥ Nonna Harriett Eckberg

Dear Piero,

Hope you have a fantastic birthday; still young and so very full of talent.  I am still on a high cloud after seeing you in Verona, it was the best time of my life!  Love you guys.  Cannot wait to see you again!  Much love,  Il Volo fan – England  xxxxxx

Dear Piero, Wishing you a wonderful Birthday, hope one day you can return to San Antonio, Texas🤗. Love Joyce Bond

Piero, Buon compleanno from the lady in Detroit that gave you the Nail of Pavarotti. Good luck in your career and in your life. Thank you for all the joy you bring to us. 🎂 ~~ Rose Marie Paliobeis

PIERO! Happy Birthday from Minnesota! You have adoring fans here who claim to have known you since your very young days & watched you grow up from being a child prodigy to a very handsome young man with a magic voice & a magnetic personality. May you always have happiness & good cheer. Please stay just the way you are. We love all of you.

Trish

Happy Birthday, Piero!!! I know your day will be filled with fun, laughter and much love from your family, friends and fans. God bless you on your special day.

Hugs, Beverly Schreiner, NJ, USA

Dear Piero

May the coming year bring you much happiness, health and good surprises!

from Toronto with love, Penina Honig

IT’S CELEBRATION TIME!

Wishing you champagne, a cake with a sparkler candle and a chorus of –

Happy Birthday To You, Happy Brthday To You Happy Birthday Dear Piero Happy Birthday To You

Lot’s of hugs, kisses and best wishes for your 24th.

Luv Ya Julie Bernache

To Piero

I know that all the members of Flight Crew and all the people that attended the Il Volo Fan Faire convention last year in Las Vegas (many of these are one in the same) wish you a very happy birthday.

May your life continue to bring great and soulful experiences. As a voice teacher and coach I am thrilled to see that your vocal craft continues to grow and you are and will continue to be a wonderful musician and a singer with great heart.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

Myron Heaton Las Vegas

Dear Piero, I wish you the happiest of Birthdays. You and your partners have brought so much joy to so many people around the world. You deserve so much in return – every day and especially your own special day. It is hard to believe that you are only now, closing in on the years when the voice of a tenor is supposed to peak. Yours has been amazing for all of nine years already. You are loved by so many. Lesley Newall.

Happy Birthday Piero! You are such a tremendous singer and fine gentleman. It has been a joy to watch your career soar upwards. Enjoy your special day and the year ahead! Jane from Minnesota

Happy Day, my dear Piero! The time has certainly flown by since my first birthday wish to you. Thank you for several wonderful years of the best music in the world. I know there will be many more years of joy ahead for us all. I can’t wait to see what’s next. Love and Best Wishes, ~Marie Crider

Buon Compleanno, Piero!  Venticinque Anni!

Have a wonderful day with your family and friends!

It was so good to hear you sing and to meet you in Chicago. Your dedication and hard work was very evident in that heavenly music!

Hoping that all the love and kindness you have shown to all returns to you one hundred fold!

Auguri!    Patricia W. (@pitterpat0) – Missouri, USA

Happy Birthday, Piero! I am wishing & praying for you to have your best year yet! May this coming year bring you fulfillment, gratitude, joy, still more dreams come true, and always deeply deserved recognition! This has been another year of spectacular accomplishments, which I know bring you joy and which create sparkling happy-dances in me and all your beloved fans! Each tour year, my greatest joy is to travel to see you and your “brothers” in concert… the best vacation anyone could wish for!

Great love & happiness to you, Piero!   Jeanine DuBois

Piero~ My best wishes and adoration for your birthday from Arlene Butler in Morro Bay, CA

Tutti il meglio a Lei Piero!  La veda in Lucca …. JoJo

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO

PIERO BARON FROM

EDWARD HAWKINS

“Dear Piero,  Wishing you a wonderful 24th birthday and all the best for the year to come. Have a great time in Mexico and South America.  Kathy and John Pritchard.”

Piero,

It was wonderful to attend so many concerts in Italy and especially great to visit with you in Taormina… You made my vacation very special.. By the way, you were born on my father’s Birthday… So happy Birthday Dad and Happy Birthday to you Piero…God bless you always,

Jeannette Giglio

Happy 24th birthday!!! Hope you have a wonderful day with family and friends. 

With many wishes,

The Rosas Family

Las Vegas, NV USA

Buon compleanno Piero and with best wishes for many more to come. Have a GREAT day. Thank you for all the pleasure you give. Ciao, Marion Ferrari in Florida.

Buon Compleanno Piero !! ~~ Jean Haines

Caro Piero, Buon Compleanno!           Tanti Auguri! Have a wonderful 24th birthday!    Thank you, Piero for the pleasure & happiness your wondrous music has brought to me.  Notte Magica is a  magnificent Concert presenting  the beauty of your voice at it’s best! This year will bring many new adventures  with more awards & honors as The Flight continues to soar!    Amore,  Nonna Anne

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My Dear Piero, You are a very kind, caring ,and loving young man !!  Thank you from the bottom of my heart for all the beautiful memories that have filled my heart watching you grow up, listening to your magnificent, breathtaking voice at many concerts and your sweet hugs and kisses at the M&G’s !! It is one of my biggest pleasures in life following you as you continue your incredible journey fulfilling all your dreams one by one !! I hope your birthday is as special as you are !!! Have FUN !!! 🎂🎈🎂🎈🎂 HAPPY “24th”BIRTHDAY !!!!! All My Love, Joan Brenin 💕💕

“Hugs and kisses for a wonderful 24 th birthday! May all of your birthday wishes come true!

Sandi Eyman

Dear Piero!

    Each for us has somewhere in the world some “secret love”.

    In interview you were often told that your idol is Angelina Jolie. I wish you so much personal meeting with them – Angelina comes and say to you —

    /more in song/: https://www.youtube.com/embed/ZeFFCLlX97s?autoplay=1

Friendly Zdena from Belgium

Buon Compleanno, Piero, Happy Birthday Cento Anni. A Beautiful powerful Voice in a wonderful young man. Congratulations, God Bless you, with love from Brooklyn! Vincent

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, PIERO. LOVE, VICTORIA LITIZETO

Happy Birthday Piero! Love, Manola

Hope you have a wonderful birthday ~ Camille

Happy Birthday, Piero! Hope you have a WONDERFUL one! Love ~ Maimi

Tanti auguri! ~ Ineke Poisson, South Africa

Happy Birthday to the best tenor in the world!  Roxiebell

Happy Birthday Piero thank you for all the joy you bring us . I hope your birthday is filled with everyone and everything you love ~ Margaret

Happy Birthday! ~ Margaret Mirailh

Tanti Auguri!  🙂  ~ Jan Bolin

Ciao Piero!

Much love, happiness, and tanti auguri from the Detroit Il Volo Gals.  Emilia is busy baking your cake right now, but she sends her wishes and all the sweet treats to you.  We celebrate your birthday each year and hope you have as much fun as we do!  May you continue to soar above the turbulence with your 2 trusty co-pilots – Gian and Igna!

Detroit Il Volo Gals:  Jana, Lorna, Chris, Donna, Sharon, Emilia, Barb, Ginny

Piero, from these many birthday wishes, you are well-loved, the world over!

You are love!

The Flight Crew… 🙂

    Happy Birthday, Piero! "Don't Rain On My Parade" from "Funny Girl" Barbara Streisand photo credits: Bing Images HAPPY BIRTHDAY PIERO!

#24th birthday #Piero

[retracingpoliphilo]

Building In Time

Beloved Reader:

I first drafted this Oct. 27, 2012, revisited Oct.12, 2013, Oct. 30, 2015, Jan. 12, 2016.  Since drafting my thought has evolved on time and dimensionality quite a bit, much of it culminating recently. I did not revise any of the below to reflect that yet, as 1 - it hasn’t synthesized for me yet, 2 - My reason for posting this has more to do at the moment with the dynamics of living and working together as humans in our larger world, ideas and directions on where we perhaps should be moving towards in terms of resources, value, supporting one another in generative abundance, doing civilization, etc ... So, aside from enjoying, do me a solid and suspend on the time/dimensionality a bit - maybe turn it around in your head and let me know your perspectives? Temporality is a fascinating beast of startling beauty ... Also: I love you, what stories we weave together. Collectively Stewarding Abundance Enjoy, with love

<3Karja Cygnus -----

See, the thing you have to understand about the fourth dimension", she begins to explain, "is that its much more than just time - in fact, time is to the fourth dimension as movement is to the third - its simple the visible interaction within its fabric. The fourth is the dimension of cause and effect, action and reaction, push and pull, give and take. Time is the surface upon which this is visible to us. Therefore, time is manipulable, there is no such thing as a paradox in time travel - if you change something, it simply nudges the decision branch you're part of in a slightly different direction than the one you came from, as you move in time, you move along potentialities/probabiliies/realities - The question is not paradox, the question is - can you return to your own line of potentiality? …"

At some point her fascinating rambling begins to register less to me, as I register more of her smell, the movement of her hair, the way she uses her entire upper body in her conversational gesturing. I'm hooked. The girl is definitely out of her gourd, but its my type of squash. 

"Aaand I've lost you." She laughs. “Where? Please do interrupt - I really get going on some subjects." 

"No, its ok - thats why we're here, so you can tell me more about this. But, do you mind if we walk and talk? I'm getting a bit fidgety sitting still, and its so nice out." 

She grins. "Of course! Thats perfect actually, I was hoping you might have that inclination. There’s a storm front blowing in, so I need to go and check up on my building sites anyhow, and I can show you a more practical view of the fourth dimension that way." 

So I clear and scrape the dishes and she settles up the bill. I'm setting the dishes onto the washrack when the chef taps me on the shoulder as he opens the cooler. "Learn well, she knows her stuff." and there he pauses, digging through the shelf looking for something that is not a carrot, leek or egg which are all that I can see him rummaging unsatisfiededly through. "But be careful - she's wild, breaks men more often than the other way around." 

"Oh, thanks, but I'm just here about time-engineering …" I begin, and then stop as he smirks at me. 

"uh-huh." He says disbelievingly. "Well, I've been her most common three-squares-and-coffee-a-day for some time now, so please excuse me if I feel I know the look on your face from experience. That may have been all you were after before, but not now. Just know, she's not very good at seeing it, or responding to it." 

"Well, thank you for that. I'll keep it in mind." I say, and then hastily depart the kitchen. She is just gathering up her clutter of things from the table, so I join her, grabbing my jacket and leading the way out onto the street. 

She stops for a moment, lost in thought, starts and glances around and then gestures me south. "We're going to visit my sites in order of progress. That way you can see the work progress along a trajectory. And, if we don't finish in the time we have, we can just start with the next house in order next time, and so on." 

The grange we had met at was on a pedestrian street, with its wooden decking and slight sway of the supporting water below. We turned the corner onto a common traffic street - brick paved, the occasional bike passing through those on feet. Many food carts - I stop briefly at one selling mango. 

"PreparadoVerdeSaltGracias." I strung my words together as I handed the coin to the old man and he handed back a small paper sack of green mango strips, dashing salt and giving a feeble squeeze to the half lime in is hand as he did. Walking away from the cart, we were both almost bowled over by three boys racing and chasing each other down the streets, worn canvas sacks of mangos bouncing against their hips. Looking back, I watched as my coin was mingled with others paid by the old man in exchange for the foraged mangos. Sacks emptied, the boys dashed off again to climb more trees with the inexhaustible energy of boyhood. 

"So, what do you think of Veniqueno?" she asks, using the longer of the slang terms for Little, or Pequeno, Venice. Once, this area had been known as Little Havana, and before that LIttle River (what?) and before that, and before that … but, here I was, in my head again - instead of responding to the brilliant gorgeous woman at my side. 

"It's impressive. I've visited so many of the historic American Cores - from those that failed to transition to those that transitioned fairly well - but ViQue, its thriving like only the better historic European Centers manage to." She gives me a surprisedly appreciative and assessing look. 

"Most people don't see that of ViQ, (male name). But I agree. What shapes that opinion for you?" 

"Oh, absolutely. Just … stop me if I get going. I have that same tendency with certain subjects as well." She smiles. Wonderful. 

"Most places in America, focus, still, after everything we’ve come through, on the aggregate. I can guess at the reasons for that, but will not for the moment. What that seems to lead to is an ongoing struggle with moving beyond to a thriving local scale functionality." (….. continue) --- 

Second day at post-wanderchat dinner she flirts casually and invites him up to her place. He begins to acquiesce and then thinks back to what the chef says, and stops. 

"Hey. So, I like you. I like you in a serious way it seems and I don't want to get caught up and hopeful in a casual fling, I'd rather just keep it friendly if thats all you're offering. You don't have to answer now, or ever, but I think I'll pass on that coffee for tonight either way." He finishes with what he hopes is a warm smile. 

She frowns momentarily and then looks at him with an appraising look on her face, one side of her mouth slightly scrunched up. "Okay." Her face relaxes back into its normal smile, and she tiptoes up to place a light kiss on his forehead before continuing with the half hug and a peck on each cheek which was custom here. 

"Meet me at the 14th St ferry terminal for sunrise," she says, as she lets herself into the front gate of her building. 

--- 

(Towards the end of the third visit) We're riding the ferry across the bay towards Miami proper, and she is seated next to me, face turned into the wind, watching the scene pass by. The sun is setting and the sky is glorious. Miami, from my short experience, has the most consistently beautiful skies Ive ever seen. Not necessarily the most spectacularly beautiful, that is saved for places above (pick an altitude) where the sky is more wide open and dominated by different cloud formations. But Miami, so far, has always delivered. Towering clouds which began their lives over the everglades are now marching stately out towards the ocean, lit from behind by the setting sun. The wind, which was pleasant in town, now carries with it a a damp chill which the ferry passengers are sluggishly responding to.

She pulls a light sweater out of her bag and over her head in one continuous action which I don't fully comprehend. Still staring out at the bay she edges into me, huddling against the growing wind. I can't help but heat slightly at her touch. It's been a good day, and I'm feeling hopeful for an answer that realistically may never come.   

The ferry slows as the engine sounds and vibrations intensify. The boat is swinging in sideways, and people are gathering along the railing to debark. The lights of the city are just twinkling on as the sun makes its way completely below the horizon.   

"I know a great place for fresh fish near here, you game?" she asks. Of course I am, and it has nothing to do with the fish. "Well, I've never really been a fish for fish' sake person - an occasional hankering for Sushi is usually the closest I come. But, if you help me order, I'm game." Is my best attempt at downplaying my willingness.

#20121027 #20160112 #collectivelycreate #consciouslycreate #livingcreation #creativeprocess #complexdynamic #livingsystems #stewarding #abundance #20131012 #20151039 #cooperation #cooperative #commonwealth #thriving #localeconomy #speculativefiction #imagination #humanity #empathing #temporaility #civilization #gonzojournalism