Five Graves to Cairo (1943) Billy Wilder

December 3rd 2023

The One Where They Go To Florida: Part 2 (Frat!Rhett Abbott x Reader)

Summary: The Delta Taus take off for spring break in Florida and the shenanigans are only beginning

Warnings: Frat boy shenanigans etc.

Tagging: @floydsmuse @attapullman @callmemana

You groaned a little when you felt Rhett's warm lips kissing your cheek, his arm still wrapped around your waist, pawing a little bit at your boobs.

"You awake?" he mumbled, his voice deep and gravely from sleep.

You shook your head. "Don't wanna get up."

Rhett kissed you again, hoping that it would help you wake up a little bit. Outside it was still dark but already you could hear the rest of the Delta Tau house waking to life. You rolled over and looked at the screen on Rhett's phone......5:30 in the morning. You whimpered a little, still groggy and sleepy from having been woken earlier than normal.

"What time does the flight leave?" you asked him

"Eight-thirty," he whispered.

"Can I go back to sleep for a little bit?"

Rhett kissed your cheek again. "Half an hour," he told you. "Not a minute later."

He set the alarm for another half hour in the hopes that the extra sleep would help you wake up a little. It did and once the two of you were up and in the shower, you were both fully awake and smelling of Rhett's Irish Spring body wash that he let you use any time you stayed the night.

You took the back staircase that wound its way down into the kitchen where all the other Delta Taus were busy pouring their coffee in a styrofoam to-go cup. Kayce looked like a mess, his hair sticking up at a weird angle and his grey t-shirt possibly the same that he had worn the day before.

"Alright idjits," Kayce announced. "Grab your bags and toss'em down by the front door, bus will be here in twenty."

Rhett grabbed the pot from the coffee maker, pouring you a cup of the steaming liquid that smelled of cinnamon. "My lady, one for you," he chuckled.

You kissed him, letting his tongue dart out a little to catch the lingering taste of cinnamon on your lips. "Still sleepy?" he asked.

"I think we're gonna need to grab Dunkin when we're at the airport or something," you answered. "I've got the hungry shakes."

Rhett pulled you in, your bodies swaying a little as he kissed the side of your head. You both stayed like that, lost in each other and breathing in each other's scent until a loud *CLUNK!* reverberated off the floor at the bottom of the stairs in the front hall.

"The hell was that?" you asked.

"Fuckin Kelso's bag," Rhett yawned.

Oliver Scott was the last to come back down the kitchen stairs, setting his bag on the chair before grabbing a coffee. Rhett laughed a little when he saw the Delta Tau Sex Manual poking out from a pile of his neatly folded clothes.

"What?" Oliver asked.

"Bruh if ya'll haven't memorized it by now, I'm afraid you're a lost cause," Rhett laughed.

Oliver smiled and rolled his eyes. "I'm sorry, I thought I'd bring some reading material with me," he chuckled.

Finally it was time to roll out. The vans had pulled to the outside of the house, everyone clambering in with their bags stowed way in the back. You sat in between Rhett and Kayce, your rightful place as the First Lady of the frat, with Rhett's thumb gently rubbing circles on your thigh where his hand had come to rest.

"Alright shitheads," Rhett said to the gang. "We've got less than a fifteen minute ride to the airport, six hours on a plane and two weeks in the Florida Keys.......how shall we kick off?"

Bo laughed as he hauled out his phone, pulling up Spotify as the beginnings of "Colt 45" by Afroman filled the van, much to the delight of the others. The whole way there, they belted out the filthy lyrics, you yourself more than happy to join in with them until the small buildings of Bozeman International Airport came into view.

Everything went off without a hitch with everyone blowing through security clearance with ease. As soon as everyone had gotten to the gate, you, Cairo and a few of the others decided to go and scrounge up something to eat.

"Ugh, my God, iced coffee so tasty!" Cairo groaned.

"You'd think you hadn't had any since the Reagan Administration," you laughed.

"That's what it feels like," Cairo told you. "If we're gonna be on this monster of a flight, I'm gonna need all the rocket fuel I can get."

"You didn't get any sleep did you?" you asked him.

"Oh hell no honey," Cairo answered. "I came in from work, Foster was already dead in bed and let me tell you, nothing sucks worse than having to walk home in cha-cha heels, but it was worth the tips."

"What was it this time for the show?" you asked him.

"Ancient Egypt of course," Cairo said. "Can't tell you how many people thought I looked good in my Cleopatra wig."

You, Cairo and the rest of the group made your way back to the gate, passing out the Dunkin Donuts orders to the rest of the gang. You were pretty sure that such a large order would have gotten you banned, but the workers had greatly appreciated the business.

You and Rhett were relieved beyond words when you could finally board the plane, leaving everyone to get settled. Thank God you and the others had slipped extra bottles of Dramamine into everybody's bags or you would have all been screwed elsewise.

You and Rhett settled in to watch an 80s comedy movie while the others found other ways to keep themselves occupied. It wasn't long before you and Rhett were listing off all the shenanigans that would most likely ensue once you were all there.

"How much do ya'll wanna bet somebody fucks a flagpole again?" Rhett chuckled.

"I'm not betting anything," you told him, snuggling further into his chest. "You KNOW that's bound to happen."

Rhett made a face knowing it was bound to be the apple pie incident all over again. "Just promise one thing darlin?"

"Hmm?"

"If we're all hungover you'll drag us to the nearest diner for a hangover special and Bloody Marys?"

You leaned up to kiss his lips. "For you?" you said. "Anything."

Rhett smiled into the kiss. It was times like this that he was lucky to have you as his First Lady.

The 5 Most Opulent Artifacts Found in King Tut’s Inner Tomb

All that glitters is sometimes gold—particularly when it comes to the tomb of King Tutankhamun.

There is perhaps no other period in human history that has captured minds and imaginations quite like ancient Egypt. “Egyptomania,” or the intense interest in all thing Egypt, was first sparked by Napoleon’s Egyptian Campaign at the turn of the 19th century. Throughout the 1800s, people across the world emulated the architecture and design of Egyptian culture—for example, Victorian-era jewelry frequently incorporated scarabs, and cartouches and monuments across Europe took the form of obelisks.

The pervasive obsession with Egypt reached an apogee when on November 26, 1922, archaeologist Howard Carter and his team discovered the doorway to the tomb of Pharaoh Tutankhamun (commonly referred to as King Tut) in the Valley of the Kings on the west bank of the Nile. Though archaeological digs had been undertaken throughout the area, most tombs had succumbed to looting and grave robbing, leaving them stripped bare of their original contents. Tut’s tomb, however, had been hidden by debris and rubble, preserving it to near perfect condition.

Despite discovering King Tutankhamun’s tomb in late 1922, it took several months for archaeologists to work their way through and catalogue the contents within the outer chambers. On February 16, 1923, Carter finally came face-to-face with the doorway leading to the tomb’s inner burial chamber and unsealed it. What he and his team were met with was the most well-preserved and intact pharaonic tombs ever found. Over the following eight years, the items and goods contained therein were carefully catalogued and removed, and today are held in the collection of the Egyptian Museum in Cairo.

To mark the centennial of the unsealing of the burial chamber, we’ve gathered five of the most opulent and intriguing artifacts that were found in King Tutankhamun’s tomb.

Tutankhamun’s Sarcophagus and Three Coffins:

Seeing the sarcophagus was perhaps one of the most exciting moments for the archaeologists at the time, as it indicated early on that the contents were preserved and intact. Crafted of quartzite and red granite, and displaying the images of Isis, Nephthys, Neith, and Serqet, the sarcophagus housed three nesting coffins which held Tutankhamun’s mummified body. The outer two coffins are made of fully gilded wood and inlaid with glass and semiprecious stones, such as turquoise and lapis lazuli. The innermost coffin, however, is made almost entirely out of 110.4 kilos of solid gold, similarly adorned with inlaid stones, and incised with inscriptions and in the shape of Osiris holding scepter and flail.

The Death Mask of Tutankhamun

Found within the innermost coffin upon the mummified body, King Tut’s death mask has become a world-recognized icon of ancient Egypt and the pharaonic era. Composed of 10.23 kilos of solid gold, it depicts Tutankhamun wearing the traditional stripped pharaonic headdress replete with representations of the goddesses Nekhbet and Wadjet above his brow. The mask’s back and shoulders are inscribed in Egyptian hieroglyphs with a protective spell copied from the Book of the Dead, offering protection as the pharaoh moved through the underworld.

Canopic Shrine

In the process of mummification, many of the person’s organs are removed and placed in what are called canopic jars. These containers frequently included lids shaped after the heads of the Sons of Horus, protective deities. Like many other ancient Egyptian tombs, King Tut’s included an alabaster canopic chest containing the four separate jars. However, in the pharaoh’s tomb, these were housed in a canopic shrine. Standing at six-and-a-half feet tall and enrobed in gold, the shrine includes the figure of the goddess Nepthys who stands guard over the royal contents.

Golden Sandals

A large swathe of the items found in King Tutankhamun’s tomb represented personal necessities, such as clothing, toiletries like perfume, and food stuffs. Included among these items were a pair of gold sandals. These golden shoes have been found in numerous other ancient tombs, and it is believed that they were made specifically for funerary and burial practices. The soles of the shoes depict the nine traditional enemies of Egypt, including the Nubians and Libyans, symbolizing that as god-king they were literally beneath his feet.

Golden Chariot

King Tutankhamun’s tomb contained a total of six golden chariots—though, unfortunately, all were in various states of disrepair as they were either mishandled or damaged by looters. After restoration, they were identified as typical D-cab chariots that were meant to be drawn by two horses. The image of a pharaoh driving a chariot was a common symbol of royal power and wealth, and in ancient times, pharaohs were often presented at public events in opulent chariots to highlight their status.

By Annikka Olsen.

Meet My OC

—Dr. Nyla Imani Hassan

Basic Information

Full Name: Nyla Imani Hassan

Nickname(s): Lala, Ney, Nay

Place of Birth: Cairo, Egypt

Date of Birth: 14th November 1990

Hometown: Seattle, WA, USA

Ethnicity: Egyptian-Palestinian

Nationality: American

Hair Color: Dark Brown

Eye Color: Dark Brown

Height: 5′6″

Languages: English, Arabic, and (a little bit of) French

Personality Traits: Adventurous, enthusiastic, ambitious, familial, outspoken, stubborn, (can be) demanding, hot-headed, reliable, passionate, cautious

Hobbies: Hiking, swimming, photography, playing video games

Face Claim: May Calamawy

Family

Father: Hassan Noor Ali

Mother: Aisha Zahrah Mustafa

Sibling(s): Zayn Samir Hassan (older brother; deceased), Aida Zafira Hassan (younger sister)

Education

Medical School: Harvard Medical School at Harvard University

Undergraduate: University of Washington, majored in Biochemistry

Career

Current Occupation: Doctor, Internal Medicine | Head of Diagnostics Team at Mass Kenmore, MA

Past Occupation: Doctor, Internal Medicine | Attending at Mayo Clinic, MN

Romantic Relationship

Love Interest: Tobias Carrick

Personal Background

Nyla was born in Egypt, but moved with her family to Miami when she was three years old. They stayed there for a year with a close relative, then her father decided to move to Seattle when they have saved enough money

For the first few years of living in the US, their family has struggled financially

Though, despite those struggles, her parents have always prioritized Nyla and her siblings’ education, making sure that they could continue to learn in school

As an immigrant, Nyla was often belittled and bullied by her classmates, especially during elementary school. She was not (yet) fluent in English, so she would often mix up certain words and sentences

Things started to look up when her father was able to open up his own automobile repair shop, which instantly became popular in the neighborhood

However, when she came home one evening, she found her older brother laying on the floor, struggling to breathe. They rushed him to the hospital, but the hospital could not admit him due to lack of insurance. Her family moved him to another hospital, in hopes of him getting admitted and treated first, yet they were also declined in that hospital. As they rush to move him again to another hospital, her brother has passed away.

That specific moment became one of many reasons Nyla decided to be a doctor

Random Facts

Nyla loves swimming, and she got into the regional synchronized swimming squad when she was six years old.

One of her favorite childhood memory is riding the Seattle Great Wheel with her family when they first arrived at Seattle

Her current comfort show is Bridgerton

She always has a book in her bag wherever she goes, just in case she has some free time to read up

She would always bring white roses to her brother’s grave whenever she visits him

She met Marchia in middle school, and slowly became close friends as time flew by. They lost contact when Nyla got her internship at Mayo Clinic, but rekindled her friendship shortly after learning that Marchia became the Head of Diagnostics at Edenbrook

Her high-school superlative was: “Most Ambitious”

She suffers from fear of heights, or commonly known as acrophobia

Once, she bumped into Julia Roberts at the supermarket, and after asking Nyla tons of medical advice, they exchanged phone numbers. She still has her number to this day

Have more questions about Nyla? Feel free to send ‘em to my inbox, or send me a DM!

Main Masterlist

I’m in my Bucky obsessive era again (thanks to you)and i’m here to make a request.An angst but with a happy ending,reader is a black widow(Nat and Yelena adoptive sister)and during her time in the red room she had something with Bucky.Now that the red room is gone and Bucky is living his life with Sam,they meet again.The rest is up to you,be as creative as you want 😌

So We Meet Again

Here it finally is! Sorry anon that it took a while, school and work was keeping me busy this week! I kinda left it open-ended in case you wanted me to make a longer fic :D

Warning: Mentions of the Red Room, Dreykov, nonconsensual choking, mentions of Nat's death, angst and fluff if you squint Words: 433

I lay my head against Nat’s grave letting the tear fall freely, it had been 5 years since Nat and Yelena freed me from that horrible place, the red room. 5 years since i had lost and gained Yelena back and only 3 months since Nat died, I lost one sister while the other grieved and drew into herself and left me alone once more. 

Without anyone left in my corner I set out to find the only constance in my life during my time in the red room, James. I learned of his name in a passing moment be had in Cairo, almost a decade and a half ago, even if he doesnt remember me. 

I kiss her head stone and clean it of debris before i head back to the road and get into my car, last i had heard after he came back, he began living in Brooklyn, NY. 

During my time in the red room we were taught to never show emotion, but since i was freed ive realized how emotional i truly am, stunted some would say, dumb others if they would fine out that a tough widow had developed feelings for a fell assassin.  

I arrive in Brooklyn and begin my search, recon being my specialty it wasnt hard to find him. Some may call it stalking i call it waiting to gain the courage to talk to the man who made me feel whole, the man I loved.

Luckily for me, it was James who had approached me 1 week after i had arrived in brooklyn. I was sitting alone in a small cafe when he entered, i looked up and we made eye contact. His eyes widened and a small smile appears on my face until i see his face of surprise turn into one anger. He comes storming towards me with anger, regret and something else in his beautiful baby blue eyes. 

“What the fuck are you doing here, who sent you” he growled and grabbed my throat, luckily we were in the back of the cafe tucked away in the corner so there was no one who would notice the beautiful man with his metal are wrapped around my throat.  

"J-james listen to me, Nat and Yelena freed me from Dreykov's hold" his hand soften against my throat as realization crosses his eyes. 

"Y/n, that's really you then? In there finally?" 

"YES James it's really me," I say as tears well in my eyes, "it's truly me"  

He wrapped me into such a strong hug and I knew I was finally home.

The 100 Best Films of the 1940s

Ranked and rated high-to-low:

1. The Third Man (1949) ★★★★★★★★★★ 2. His Girl Friday (1940) ★★★★★★★★★★ 3. Black Narcissus (1947) ★★★★★★★★★★ 4. A Matter of Life and Death (1946) ★★★★★★★★★★ 5. Dumbo (1941) ★★★★★★★★★★ 6. Casablanca (1942) ★★★★★★★★★★ 7. Kind Hearts and Coronets (1949) ★★★★★★★★★★ 8. The Maltese Falcon (1941) ★★★★★★★★★★ 9. Citizen Kane (1941) ★★★★★★★★★★ 10. Pinocchio (1940) ★★★★★★★★★★ 11. Les Enfants du Paradis (1945) ★★★★★★★★★★ 12. And Then There Were None (1945) ★★★★★★★★★★ 13. The Big Sleep (1946) ★★★★★★★★★☆ 14. Sullivan's Travels (1941) ★★★★★★★★★☆ 15. The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (1948) ★★★★★★★★★☆ 16. The Picture of Dorian Gray (1945) ★★★★★★★★★☆ 17. Road to Utopia (1945) ★★★★★★★★★☆ 18. Passport to Pimlico (1949) ★★★★★★★★★☆ 19. Gilda (1946) ★★★★★★★★★☆ 20. The Three Musketeers (1948) ★★★★★★★★★☆ 21. Great Expectations (1946) ★★★★★★★★★☆ 22. The Ghost of St. Michael's (1941) ★★★★★★★★★☆ 23. The Shop Around the Corner (1940) ★★★★★★★★★☆ 24. Arsenic and Old Lace (1944) ★★★★★★★★★☆ 25. The Ox-Bow Incident (1942) ★★★★★★★★★☆ 26. Saboteur (1942) ★★★★★★★★★☆ 27. Whisky Galore! (1949) ★★★★★★★★★☆ 28. The Thief of Bagdad (1940) ★★★★★★★★★☆ 29. Bambi (1942) ★★★★★★★★½☆ 30. I Married a Witch (1942) ★★★★★★★★☆☆ 31. Road to Zanzibar (1941) ★★★★★★★★☆☆ 32. Road to Morocco (1942) ★★★★★★★★☆☆ 33. It's a Wonderful Life (1946) ★★★★★★★★☆☆ 34. To Be or Not to Be (1942) ★★★★★★★★☆☆ 35. On the Town (1949) ★★★★★★★★★☆ 36. The Big Steal (1949) ★★★★★★★★☆☆ 37. The Philadelphia Story (1940) ★★★★★★★★☆☆ 38. Double Indemnity (1944) ★★★★★★★★☆☆ 39. Out of the Past (1947) ★★★★★★★★☆☆ 40. I Know Where I'm Going! (1945) ★★★★★★★★☆☆ 41. Ball of Fire (1941) ★★★★★★★★☆☆ 42. Laura (1944) ★★★★★★★★☆☆ 43. Nightmare Alley (1947) ★★★★★★★★☆☆ 44. Oliver Twist (1948) ★★★★★★★★☆☆ 45. Hail the Conquering Hero (1944) ★★★★★★★★☆☆ 46. Dead of Night (1945) ★★★★★★★★☆☆ 47. Spellbound (1945) ★★★★★★★★☆☆ 48. The Paleface (1948) ★★★★★★★★☆☆ 49. Hellzapoppin' (1941) ★★★★★★★★☆☆ 50. La Belle et la Bête (1946) ★★★★★★★★☆☆ 51. Foreign Correspondent (1940) ★★★★★★★★☆☆ 52. The Lady Eve (1941) ★★★★★★★★☆☆ 53. My Favourite Wife (1940) ★★★★★★★★☆☆ 54. Monsieur Verdoux (1947) ★★★★★★★★☆☆ 55. Brief Encounter (1945) ★★★★★★★★☆☆ 56. The Palm Beach Story (1942) ★★★★★★★★☆☆ 57. Green For Danger (1946) ★★★★★★★★☆☆ 58. The Black Book (1949) ★★★★★★★★☆☆ 59. Brighton Rock (1948) ★★★★★★★★☆☆ 60. Bicycle Thieves (1948) ★★★★★★★★☆☆ 61. The Miracle of Morgan's Creek (1943) ★★★★★★★★☆☆ 62. The Mark of Zorro (1940) ★★★★★★★★☆☆ 63. Panique (1946) ★★★★★★★★☆☆ 64. Blithe Spirit (1945) ★★★★★★★★☆☆ 65. Hangover Square (1945) ★★★★★★★★☆☆ 66. Letter from an Unknown Woman (1948) ★★★★★★★★☆☆ 67. Five Graves to Cairo (1943) ★★★★★★★★☆☆ 68. The Fallen Idol (1948) ★★★★★★★★☆☆ 69. High Sierra (1941) ★★★★★★★★☆☆ 70. The Ghost and Mrs. Muir (1947) ★★★★★★★★☆☆ 71. The Queen of Spades (1949) ★★★★★★★★☆☆ 72. The Razor's Edge (1946) ★★★★★★★★☆☆ 73. Lifeboat (1944) ★★★★★★★★☆☆ 74. The Eagle with Two Heads (1948) ★★★★★★★★☆☆ 75. My Darling Clementine (1946) ★★★★★★★★☆☆ 76. Meet John Doe (1941) ★★★★★★★★☆☆ 77. The Sea Hawk (1940) ★★★★★★★★☆☆ 78. Hamlet (1948) ★★★★★★★½☆☆ 79. Odd Man Out (1947) ★★★★★★★½☆☆ 80. Random Harvest (1942) ★★★★★★★½☆☆ 81. The Grapes of Wrath (1940) ★★★★★★★½☆☆ 82. Rebecca (1940) ★★★★★★★½☆☆ 83. Le Corbeau (1943) ★★★★★★★½☆☆ 84. Mr. Skeffington (1944) ★★★★★★★½☆☆ 85. Fantasia (1940) ★★★★★★★½☆☆ 86. The Great Dictator (1940) ★★★★★★★☆☆☆ 87. Rome, Open City (1945) ★★★★★★★☆☆☆ 88. Obsession (1949) ★★★★★★★☆☆☆ 89. To Have and Have Not (1944) ★★★★★★★☆☆☆ 90. Rope (1948) ★★★★★★★☆☆☆ 91. The Man Who Came to Dinner (1942) ★★★★★★★☆☆☆ 92. The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp (1943) ★★★★★★★☆☆☆ 93. It Happened Tomorrow (1944) ★★★★★★★☆☆☆ 94. All Through the Night (1942) ★★★★★★★☆☆☆ 95. The Devil and Daniel Webster (1941) ★★★★★★★☆☆☆ 96. The Big Store (1941) ★★★★★★★☆☆☆ 97. Ride the Pink Horse (1947) ★★★★★★★☆☆☆ 98. It Started with Eve (1941) ★★★★★★★☆☆☆ 99. Portrait of Jennie (1948) ★★★★★★★☆☆☆ 100. Notorious (1946) ★★★★★★★☆☆☆

What the River Knows review

4/5 stars Recommended if you like: Egypt, Death on the Nile, archeology, adventure Thank you to Netgalley, Wednesday Books, and the author for an ARC in exchange for an honest review! I really wanted this to be 5 stars. The premise is so intriguing and Egypt has so much interesting history, both on its own and in relation to archeology. Unfortunately, this is a book where I'm not really sure how I feel about it, so it's 4 stars right now but might drop down later. The first half of the book lives up to expectations. We get Inez traveling to Egypt and using her wits to tag along on her uncle's excavation. I loved the descriptions of Cairo and the Nile and Phillae. There's so much culture and lush imagery, it's easy to become engrossed in the setting and story. Unfortunately, after that the plot doesn't focus as much on archeology and Egypt as it should. We do get multiple excavation/temple/tomb scenes, but I wanted more of them. I wanted a true exploration of being on an archeological site and discovering these big things and worrying over tomb raiders. Instead, we get more focus on personal relationships (or lack thereof). The story was also fairly predictable. I wasn't entirely sure at first, but once Inez got to Cairo I felt more certain of what I suspected. Then, later on when the first half of my theory was revealed, it was also immediately obvious that the rest of it was too and I got to sit with a feeling of utter dread while Inez just went with things despite the signs pointing to a bad conclusion. That being said, I can actually understand why Inez didn't question things as much as she should've, and why when she did question things, she dismissed her own instincts. Like, honestly, I think anyone probably would in that situation. This is one of the few cases where I think things being predictable for the reader and not for the character actually makes sense...I just wish the predictability was less subtle so I didn't have to spend 30% of the book waiting for the other shoe to drop. One thing that really bothered me was that the whole mess with the grave goods was framed as being wholly Inez's fault. Like, was she being extremely dumb? Absolutely. Is it understandable? Also yes. And is it especially understandable because her uncle kept lying to her and hiding the truth? 100%. Half of the mess would've been avoided if Tío Ricardo had simply told Inez what he'd suspected and dealt with the potential fallout of that. Instead, he kept secrets and lied (and it was fairly obvious this was setting up to be a miscommunication trope) and then got angry with Inez when she didn't magically know who their enemies were. Not just him, Abdullah also got upset with her, though not as much as Tío Ricardo....but Abdullah also wasn't telling her shit. Like, a single conversation in Cairo, as upsetting as it would've been, would've literally circumvented this whole thing and instead everyone blames Inez. As for the characters. Inez is great in the first half of the story. She's got a lot of spunk and a desire for the truth. She's fairly good at getting herself in and out of any situation, which comes in handy. But for someone so interested in Egypt, she doesn't really seem to know that much about it. I actually liked Isadora, and I'm not really sure what Whit's problem with her is (though I'm sure it will get revealed in book 2). She and Inez make a formidable team and I would've liked to see them interact more. Her dad can be awful and kind of gruff, but Isadora seems to manage him fairly well. Whit is...mainly annoying, imo. Inez wants the two of them to be friends, and while they're in Cairo he seems fairly normal, but so much of the story involves him being secretive or lying or just being annoying and pushing Inez away. It gets frustrating after a while. We also get to see things from his POV, but they're mostly small snippets and single scenes. I think it would've worked better if we'd gotten chapters or half-chapters from his POV or if it had been excluded altogether. Some of his POV scenes provide helpful information, but the way it's written now it mostly just seems like he has a POV because Ibañez couldn't figure out how to provide the information any other way. Tío Ricardo had the potential to be a fantastic character. The first scene where they're all at dinner makes him seem really promising, and it definitely appears as though he cares about Egyptian history and the injustices being wrought by the British and French. However, a lot of that is overshadowed by how secretive he is and just downright awful he can be to Inez. He sort of redeems himself toward the end and shows that he truly cares about her, but it still doesn't make up for the rest of the book. I didn't realize that this book was part of a duology. I thought it was a standalone like her previous book. This book really didn't need a sequel. The way it stands now, there's obviously things left unfinished that require a sequel, but if the book had been cleaned up a little, I really think a full story and arc could've been told within the one book. Certain parts of the book are dragged out and probably could've been cut in favor of finishing the story satisfactorily. And honestly, what's left of the plot doesn't really feel like it could fill a whole second book. Also, what was that ending? Things were already fine without that INEZ FELL FOR IT note. It adds a layer to the story that it absolutely does not need. There are already so many complicated relationships and crossing and double-crossing, the book doesn't need more. I was actually somewhat interested in a sequel before reading the epilogue, but once I read it just kind of felt 'meh.' It's too much going on and I'm not really interested in seeing more of Inez getting lied to and then falling flat on her face when everyone else's lying is revealed.

Il reste quelques jours aux législateurs européens pour sauvegarder le droit d’asile

Dix-huit organisations de défense des droits humains à travers l'Europe, aux côtés de travailleurs humanitaires et de survivants de violations des droits humains, affirment qu'un sommet crucial à Bruxelles le 7 décembre risque « d'ouvrir la porte à des abus à travers l'Europe », notamment au profilage racial et aux refoulements, dans le cadre d'une « attaque potentiellement irréversible ». sur le système international de protection des réfugiés et l’État de droit. 

Les organisations, parmi lesquelles Amnesty International, Border Violence Monitoring Network, EuroMed Droits, Jesuit Refugee Service Europe, Platform for International Coopération on Undocumented Migrants et Save the Children, ont tiré la sonnette d'alarme sur de vastes questions liées au Pacte européen sur la migration et l'asile. . Cela fait suite au Conseil Justice et Affaires intérieures des 4 et 5 décembre et précède un « trilogue géant » sur les dossiers législatifs clés du Pacte le 7 décembre.

Les principales préoccupations des militants concernent :

Le renforcement des « refoulements » aux frontières, qui ont été liés à des centaines de morts, de blessés et de violations de leurs droits aux mains des forces frontalières des États membres de l'UE.

L’augmentation du recours à la détention dans toute l’Europe, notamment pour les enfants et les familles, dans un modèle qui a conduit des personnes à rester incarcérées, dans un vide juridique et dans des conditions physiques désastreuses.

Le risque de profilage racial des personnes qui vivent et viennent en Europe, quel que soit leur citoyenneté ou leur statut de résidence, à mesure que des procédures de contrôle basées sur la surveillance sont déployées dans tout le bloc.

L’approfondissement des politiques « d’externalisation » où le contrôle européen des migrations est sous-traité à des pays tiers sans possibilité de responsabilisation, ce qui a été à son tour lié aux décès en mer, à la torture généralisée et aux conditions inhumaines.

L’accent est mis sur les expulsions tout en réduisant les garanties procédurales, malgré le risque de préjudice grave si les personnes sont renvoyées vers un pays tiers. Ceci, combiné au recours à un « pays tiers sûr » dangereux, permet aux États membres de se soustraire à leur responsabilité en matière d’accueil et de protection.

Le recours obligatoire aux procédures d’asile aux frontières, qui contraint les personnes à une détention de facto avec un accès limité à l’assistance juridique, représente un coup dur porté au droit d’asile en droit international. Ces normes pourraient être encore plus abaissées dans un éventail inacceptablement large et vague de situations dites de « crise ».

L’incapacité du Pacte à résoudre les problèmes de fond qu’il prétend soulever, comme la répartition des demandes d’asile entre les États membres.

La présidence espagnole du Conseil de l'UE entend conclure tous les accords politiques sur le Pacte le 7 décembre. Les défenseurs des droits avertissent que « des décisions complexes aux conséquences énormes sont prises à la hâte ».

Les organisations impliquées dans ce communiqué sont AMERA International, Amnesty International, Associazione Ricreativa e Culturale Italiana, Border Violence Monitoring Network, Comisión Española de Ayuda al Refugiado, Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies, Center for Peace Studies Croatia, Greek Refugee Council, Ligue des Droits Humains, CNCD-11.11.11, EuroMed Droits, Irídia, Jesuit Refugee Service Europe, KISA Chypre, La Cimade, LADDH – Ligue Algérienne pour la Défense des Droits Humains, PICUM, Save the Children.

« Depuis des années, l’UE tente de se mettre d’accord sur un nouveau système pour répondre aux personnes qui se déplacent ou fuient vers l’Europe. L’accord actuellement sur la table aggraverait à bien des égards la législation existante et risquerait d’accroître les souffrances aux frontières européennes. Cela pourrait augmenter de facto la détention dans l’ensemble de l’UE, réduire les garanties pour les demandeurs d’asile et normaliser les exceptions au droit d’asile aux frontières européennes. « Les décideurs politiques européens ont la responsabilité de garantir un accord final pérenne, fondé sur des preuves et respectueux des droits de l’homme au cours de ces derniers jours de négociations politiques. »

« Le Pacte sur les migrations, dans sa forme actuelle, ouvre la porte aux violations des droits de l’homme, en apportant un soutien implicite et explicite de l’UE à la privation arbitraire de liberté et aux graves violations des droits de l’homme qui sont devenues monnaie courante aux frontières de l’UE ou à proximité. » «Ce pacte reflète l'obsession de l'Europe pour les expulsions, basée sur l'hypothèse selon laquelle si vous ne remplissez pas les conditions requises pour bénéficier d'une protection internationale, vous n'avez pas le droit de rester dans l'UE. Ce que cette approche néglige de manière flagrante, c’est que les personnes se déplacent pour de nombreuses raisons différentes et peuvent avoir droit à des permis de séjour autres que ceux liés à l’asile.»

«Il est incroyable qu'ils veuillent recourir encore davantage aux 'pays tiers sûrs'. D’après mon expérience, la Turquie n’est pas un pays tiers sûr – je suis une personne qui avait un statut du HCR, qui m’a ensuite été retiré par les autorités turques. « S’ils poursuivent réellement ce Nouveau Pacte, ce sera contraire à toute forme de droits de l’homme ou de droits des réfugiés. Ils jouent avec la vie de personnes vulnérables et en danger.

« Notre système d'asile doit garantir la sécurité des enfants grâce à un pacte sur la migration qui protège, et non menace, les droits des enfants. Cela signifie pas de détention ou d'expulsion d'enfants, des regroupements familiaux rapides et des décisions de migration prises dans l'intérêt supérieur des enfants. « Une personne sur quatre arrivant en Europe est un enfant – et ces personnes qui arrivent doivent être protégées et soutenues, et non confrontées au chaos et aux abus. »

« Le Pacte sur les migrations, dans sa forme actuelle, ouvre la voie à un nouvel archipel de camps de détention où les personnes – y compris les enfants – sont arbitrairement enfermées, maintenues dans un vide juridique, maltraitées et privées de l’accès à leurs droits fondamentaux. » « Et grâce à un système de profilage racial et de surveillance à travers le bloc, cela élargit le réseau des personnes susceptibles d’être détenues. » « Nous n’avons pas besoin de chercher plus loin que dans les îles grecques, où ce processus est déjà en cours. Les législateurs européens doivent rompre avec un modèle défaillant qui ne profite qu’à ceux qui profitent de la dépense de nos ressources dans des prisons et des systèmes de surveillance nuisibles et coûteux – et donner la priorité aux personnes.»

« Le Pacte sur les migrations était censé parvenir à une position européenne commune sur la manière dont les personnes ayant besoin de protection sont prises en charge dans l’ensemble du bloc. » « Cela n’a rien fait de tel. Au lieu de cela, les États peuvent simplement esquiver leurs responsabilités en payant pour des armes, des murs et des camps de détention dans des États frontaliers ou dans des pays tiers au bilan désastreux en matière de droits de l’homme. Il n’atteint pas ses objectifs, comporte des risques dangereux et devrait être réformé ou abandonné de toute urgence.» « Les législateurs européens doivent plutôt trouver une vision d’une véritable solidarité, de routes de migration sûres pour les personnes qui en ont besoin, et d’un système doté du soin et des investissements nécessaires pour garantir que les personnes en déplacement et les communautés d’accueil bénéficient des avantages de la migration. »

« Nous craignons que le pacte sur les migrations, dans sa forme actuelle, ne compromette les droits de l’homme et les valeurs de l’UE sous la pression d’un accord avant la fin de cette législature. L’UE devrait abandonner ce projet qui non seulement ne parviendrait pas à apporter de véritables solutions opérationnelles aux lacunes du système existant, mais qui serait également préjudiciable aux migrants et aux réfugiés.» « Le Service Jésuite des Réfugiés a une longue tradition de visite et d’accompagnement des personnes en détention pour migrants en Europe, qui remonte à plusieurs décennies. Nous constatons directement à quel point l’accès à l’assistance juridique et à la justice dans ce contexte est actuellement limité. La proposition actuelle ne fera qu'empirer les choses. « Nous appelons les législateurs à faire demi-tour et à abandonner ce pacte. Il est encore temps de consacrer de l’énergie et des efforts au renforcement des systèmes d’accueil et d’asile sur le territoire et des mécanismes permettant un partage significatif des responsabilités entre les États membres.»

«Les mesures proposées s'inscrivent dans la continuité de stratégies déjà éprouvées. Elles reposent sur une approche répressive et sécuritaire visant à freiner les migrations et à encourager les expulsions, des solutions qui se sont révélées inefficaces et, surtout, ont coûté des vies humaines. Au lieu d’apaiser les peurs et d’apporter des solutions, ils légitiment les idéologies xénophobes et conduisent à des catastrophes humanitaires. Il est temps d'opérer un véritable changement de paradigme, pour une Europe fondée sur le respect des droits de l'homme et la solidarité internationale, afin de garantir que les personnes soient protégées et non exclues ».

IMAGENES Y DATOS INTERESANTES DEL DIA 5 DE DICIEMBRE DE 2023

Día Internacional de los Voluntarios, Día Mundial del Suelo, Día Internacional del Ninja, Día Internacional de los Clubes Leo, Año Internacional del Mijo y Año Internacional del Diálogo como Garantía de Paz.

San Dalmacio, San Sabás y Santa Potamia.

Tal día como hoy en el año 2012

En Egipto se producen graves enfretamientos frente al palacio presidencial entre opositores, que se oponen a la nueva Constitución dictatorial que pretende aprobar el rais Mohamed Morsi, del partido islamista "Hermanos Musulmanes", y que lo sitúa por encima de la ley, y leales al mencionado presidente en los que, en El Cairo, resultan muertos seis civiles por arma de fuego y al menos 446 heridos. Tres días más tarde, en un intento de poner fin a la grave crisis política que azota Egipto, el presidente Mohamed Morsi accederá a derogar su controvertida declaración constitucional en la que se otorgaba poderes casi absolutos, origen del conflicto en las calles. (Hace 11 años)

1950

Tropas chinas entran en la capital de Corea del Norte, Pyongyang, al mismo tiempo que las fuerzas de las Naciones Unidas son hostigadas constantemente hacia Corea del Sur, tras haber mantenido la ciudad bajo su control desde el pasado 19 de octubre en que fue capturada; pero el 26 de noviembre, una potente ofensiva china cerró la línea de retirada al noreste de Corea a las tropas de la ONU, por lo que el presidente estadounidense Harry S. Truman, ante el temor a una guerra abierta con China y la Unión Soviética, abandona su objetivo de reunificar por las armas Corea, retomando a cambio su objetivo original de detener la "agresión comunista" en dicho país. (Hace 73 años)

1946

La ONU se establece definitivamente en su sede de la ciudad de Nueva York (EE.UU.), tras haber pasado por San Francisco, donde celebró la Conferencia sobre Organización Internacional y por Londres, donde celebró el primer período de sesiones de la Asamblea General. No obstante, no ocupará el actual edificio de treinta y ocho plantas de la Sede, junto al East River, hasta 1950. (Hace 77 años)

1933

En EE.UU. se deroga la "Ley seca" con la aprobación de la Enmienda 21 a la Constitución, lo que pone fin a la prohibición de fabricar bebidas alcohólicas. Fue a principios de 1919 cuando otra Enmienda, la 18 prohibió la fabricación, venta y transporte de licores en los Estados Unidos, dando pie al veloz desarrollo del crimen organizado. La prohibición se ha mostrado totalmente ineficaz y la presión popular ha logrado que finalmente se derogue. (Hace 90 años)

1830

El compositor romántico francés, Luis Héctor Berlioz, estrena en París (Francia) su "Sinfonía fantástica" con gran éxito de público. "Episodio en la vida del artista" es el subtítulo que le pone el propio Berlioz. (Hace 193 años)

1824

En Perú, mientras prosigue el sitio de las fortalezas de El Callao donde se refugian los realistas, el general Simón Bolívar entra en la ciudad de Lima como libertador, hasta hoy en poder de las fuerzas españolas. Cuatro días más tarde, el 9, tras varios meses de persecuciones y escaramuzas entre ambas tropas, tendrá lugar la Batalla de Ayacucho, desarrolló en la Pampa de la Quinua en el departamento de Ayacucho, donde los ejércitos realista e independentista combatirán ferozmente. El Virrey José de La Serna será derrotado, capitulará y aceptará la independencia del Perú, significando la de toda Sudamérica. (Hace 199 años)

1484

El Papa Inocencio VIII condena la brujería mediante bula papal. Con posterioridad enviará inquisidores a Alemania para juzgar a las brujas e iniciar la persecución de su jefe, exponente del Platonismo Renacentista, Giovanni Pico della Mirandola, que será juzgado y condenado por herejía, y excomulgado, por lo que huirá a Francia, donde será detenido y conducido a la cárcel de Vincennes. Más tarde en 1493, el nuevo Papa Alejandro VI lo absolverá de cualquier imputación de herejía y lo admitirá de nuevo en la Iglesia católica. Pico della Mirandola, sin embargo, no abjurará de ninguno de sus principios. (Hace 539 años)

In a dark time, the eye begins to see, I meet my shadow in the deepening shade; I hear my echo in the echoing wood.

Charlotte, meet Briella Nichole Bishop, a 34-year-old resident. Hailing from New Orleans, LA, she’s been living in the neighborhood of NODA for five years. She’s been told she looks like the twin of Rihanna, but she disagrees. 

GET TO KNOW THEM --

x She is the owner of an occult shop named of place Neverwolf Apothecary. x Briella lived in Egypt for 5 years. On occasion, she does regret leaving the country but she’s content with her life. x Although Briella didn’t choose a musical career, she does enjoy performing in front of a live audience and will occasionally travel to events to perform. x She can be found on all social media accounts by the handle @themorrigan. x People often describe her as loyal, knowledgeable, a free spirit but also devious, destructive, vengeful. x When she’s not at work or with friends, she likes to read and travel.  x Her favorite person is her mother, Joanna.

TO THE GRAVE --

A decade ago, Briella faked her own death and fled the country. For the first five years, she lived in Cairo, Egypt. The reason she fled you may ask. She was being hunted down for a deal gone bad. Not by her own hands, but the hands of her older brother. The older male was caught in a bad deal. The men on the other end wanted to traffic Briella as a payment. Upon her return to the U.S., she legally changed her name and is distant from her brother.

BBC 0423 15 Jul 2023

12095Khz 0359 15 JUL 2023 - BBC (UNITED KINGDOM) in ENGLISH from TALATA VOLONONDRY. SINPO = 55545. English, dead carrier s/on @0357z then ID@0359z pips and Newsroom preview. @0401z World News anchored by Gareth Barlow. Fighters from Russia's Wagner mercenary group are training soldiers in Belarus, the Belarusian defence ministry said on Friday. A mass grave has been discovered in Sudan’s West Darfur state with at least 87 bodies, as a regional summit hosted by Egypt to help solve the crisis in Sudan gets under way. The United Nations human rights office said Thursday that it had credible information that the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) were responsible, the same day the summit kicked off in Cairo. The United Nations has described as "unacceptable" the conditions placed by Syria in an offer to allow aid to keep reaching rebel-held territory. Syria's ambassador to the UN said on Thursday his government would let aid continue entering the country via the Bab al-Hawa crossing from Turkey. An architect has been charged in the deaths of three out of up to 11 victims in the long-unsolved Gilgo Beach murders in New York state. A 19-year-old firefighter has been killed in western Canada as the country battles its worst season of wildfires on record. About 900 wildfires are currently burning across Canada, some 560 of which remain out of control. A second heatwave is expected to hit Italy next week as Cerberus is swiftly followed by heatwave Cheron, named after the ferryman to the underworld in Greek mythology. The Cerberus heatwave is set to get worse over the weekend with the mercury expected reach as high as 45C in parts of Greece and Spain. An Italian court has suspended a ruling that a brown bear should be put down for mauling to death a jogger in the Alps. The animal, a 17-year-old female identified as JJ4, was captured after the fatal attack on Andrea Papi, 26, near his village of Caldes on 5 April. He was the first person in Italy to be killed in a bear attack in modern times. Sports. @0406z "The Newsroom" begins. 250ft unterminated BoG antenna pointed E/W, Etón e1XM. 250kW, beamAz 315°, bearing 63°. Received at Plymouth, United States, 15359KM from transmitter at Talata Volonondry. Local time: 2259.

Cities of the Dead: The World's Most Beautiful Cemeteries by Yolanda Zappaterra

Yolanda Zappaterra’s Cities of the Dead: The World's Most Beautiful Cemeteries is a fascinating and educational book. I enjoyed the pretty and nostalgic pictures and I liked reading about the histories and architecture of these interesting cemeteries. However, I wish the book was better organised and there was less of a disparity in the locations presented.

This book is divided into regions: The Americas; Europe; and Asia, Oceania, and Africa. Many famous cemeteries are included like Lafayette Cemetery No. One in New Orleans, Al-Qarafa in Cairo, Hollywood Forever Cemetery in Los Angeles, Père Lachaise in Paris, and Highgate Cemetery in London. Each cemetery featured has its own entry which includes at least one picture and examines its history, architectural features, and famous residents. Most of the entries are brief and encompass one or two pages. However, there are a few of the more famous sites whose write ups are slightly lengthier and feature more pictures. There is also a great section on symbolism in cemeteries. This informative chapter briefly describes the meanings and histories behind items like cherubs, candles, and boats that are often found in cemeteries.

This book is so original and interesting! I learned so much about many different countries, and cultures. Cemeteries are undoubtedly places of sadness, nostalgia, and tragedy. They are an indelible and important record of humanity, reveal a multitude of stories, and–as this book shows–can be quite beautiful. I loved seeing the Merry Cemetery in Romania which is filled with colourful folk art depicting stories about the deceased. It is truly a unique and endearing tradition and tribute. The journey through the iconic Père Lachaise reflects a swathe of famous Western figures like Jim Morrison, Oscar Wilde, and Frédéric Chopin. I am in awe of the lovely Aoyama Cemetery in Tokyo where people can enjoy the beautiful springtime Sakura. Here, you can also find the grave of the famous dog Hachiko. His adorable gravesite is covered in doggie themed gifts left by adoring fans.

While this book is extremely educational and well-researched, Zapaterra’s writing is sadly quite dry and can be repetitive. The book also could have been better organised. I would have liked to see a better distribution of information as some cemeteries have a lot of pictures and information while other entries are woefully succinct. The Europe chapter is very large and so many English cemeteries are included that I thought that I was touring every cemetery that England has to offer! In comparison, the Asia, Oceania and Africa chapter is quite sad with not many entries. Furthermore, while I do appreciate the abundance of wonderfully composed and evocative pictures, the book would have benefited from a more meaningful selection of images.

Thank you to NetGalley and Quarto Publishing Group – White Lion for this book in exchange for an honest review.

⚰️⚰️⚰️1/2 out of 5 coffins!

#allegria #Sodic #beverlyhills #Standalone $$ للبيع فيلا في ألجريا صف أول جولف بسعر مغري $$ * للبيع فيلا مستقلة ألجريا سوديك الشيخ زايد* * تصميم مايكل جريفز * نص تشطيب * موقع مميز صف اول جولف * مساحة الارض 500 متر * مساحة المباني 350 متر * 3 غرف نوم ماستر بدريسنج * غرفة دراسة * ريسبشن 3 قطع * 5 حمامات * غرفة مربية بحمام *WhatsApp* https://wa.me/message/I7PNNU6MFD67O1 * For Sale Standalone Allegria Sodic Zayed City* * Semi Finished * Michael Graves Design * Prime Location First Row Golf * Land 500 SQM * BUA 350 SQM * 3 Bedrooms Master With Dressing * Study Room * Reception 3 Pieces * 5 Bathrooms * Nanny's Room With Bathroom For Showing Or More Details 01097892693 Mohammed Heikal From #Remax_Re_Advisor *مستشارك العقاري المختصص في الشيخ #زايد* #للبيع #فيلا #الجريا #سوديك #الشيخ_زايد #westown #sheikhzayed #casa #Fortywest #one16 #allegria (at The Allegria Golf Course, Cairo, Egypt) https://www.instagram.com/p/Cj84YCIDho1/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Egypt Safari Tour

Egypt Safari Tour is one of the world's seven wonders. It will undoubtedly become a World Heritage Site in the future. Every visitor who comes to witness its breathtaking panorama can find something there. Never is it identical looking. The atmosphere and look of the location are affected by the time of day, the season of the year, and the weather. The finest times to see Egypt's pristine desert are at dawn, late afternoon, and sunset.

Because it was inaccessible to them before they acquired 4x4s, they refer to the area farther into the interior as the New White Desert Egypt. Still, the entire region should actually be referred to as the White Desert because the majority of the desert floor begins 8 km (5 miles) northeast of Qasr and has white outcroppings. United States government designated the White Desert as a protected area.

Most access will be provided in the recreational zones. Vehicles will be allowed, however, they will only be allowed on certain pathways, and camping will only be allowed in certain places. The majority of the escarpment to the northwest of the main road and a portion of what is today known as the New White Desert Egypt are included in these regions. Currently, there are two entrances above the escarpment to the east, one at the tower and the other at Gebel al-Izaz, Crystal Mountain, though this is susceptible to change.

Gebel al-Musabbarin, or Mountain of the Embalmed, is another name for the mountain used by locals. Cut into the mountainside are tombs from the Ptolemaic, Roman, and 26th Dynasty periods. There is no proof that a Christian burial occurred. Few of the graves at Gebel al-Mawta feature ornamentation; the majority are bare. The mountain used to be covered in bones, and it is thought that the Siwa emerald mines are nearby.

One of the best siwa Egypt trips is to the conical peak known as Gebel al-Mawta, or Mountain of the Dead, which is located just over a kilometer to the north of Shali along the main route from the escarpment. Gebel al-Musabbarin, or Mountain of the Embalmed, is another name for the mountain used by locals.

Egypt has many Safari Trips and one of the amazing Safari in Egypt is Cairo White Desert Safari Tours an amazing white desert safari in Egypt. Maestro Online Travel offers you one of the most awesome choices of Safari in Egypt in a short holiday, you will visit the Pyramids of Giza & Egyptian Museum then feel adventure with the Egypt desert Safari Tour.

Itinerary:

Day 1 Arrival Cairo

Maestro Online Travel wishes you an exciting desert safari adventure, our representative will meet & assist you in all the procedures upon your arrival at Cairo international airport then transfer you to your hotel & help you to check in a smooth way & overnight in Cairo.

Day 2 Cairo Day Tour 

Breakfast at your hotel, Maestro Online Travel professional tour guide will escort you to explore the secrets of the Pyramids of Giza, the most famous landmark of Egypt and one of the most astonishing monuments in the whole world, see the Sphinx which is another breathtaking monument. We will be having lunch in one of the recommended local restaurants in the area of Giza. Then proceed to visit the Egyptian Museum the largest museum in the whole world. The highlights of more than 120,000 displays include the treasures of King Tut Ankh Amun, the Mummies Hall, and many other displays dating to various eras of ancient Egyptian history, continue your tour to the Egyptian Restaurant for Launch and drive back to your hotel & overnight in Cairo.

Day 3 Black & White Desert

After early breakfast at your hotel, drive via a private air-conditioned vehicle to Baharyia Oasis, the Bahariya Oasis as it is the nearest to Cairo among all the attractions of the Western Desert of Egypt. After around 4 hours ride from Cairo, we reach El Bahariya, Lunch will be served at a local restaurant at Bahariya oasis. Then continue driving via 4 X 4 vehicle to visit the Black Desert and the natural hot spring of Valley of El Haize, then drive to see the quartz crystal at Crystal Mountain, and the rocky formations in the Valley of Ashgabat. Continue driving to the White Desert National Park the most well-known desert destination in Egypt. Camping in the White Desert & overnight stay.

Day 4 Baharyia Oasis/Cairo

Have an oriental breakfast, and then drive to the Bawiti Village, the biggest center of the region that features traditional houses and a huge number of palms. Our next visit will be to the Museum of the Golden Mummies, with many of the golden mummy covers buried in the region in the Roman period more than 2000 years ago. We move on with our tour to Bahariya by visiting the English Mountain, the monitoring point of the English army during World War I with a marvelous view of the Western Desert. Our following stop will be to the Tombs of Qarat Qasr Salim, with several tombs dating to the 6th century BC with remarkable wall paintings and magnificent ornaments. And then you will be transferred back to Cairo & overnight.

Day 5 Fly Back Home

Breakfast at your hotel, free time at your leisure then transfers to Cairo international airport with a Maestro Online Travel representative for your final departure.

For more info. kindly visit www.maestroegypttours.com

or send your request to [email protected]

Tel : +201001422529

Fanny Wilson and Nellie Graves - Friends who fought side by side

Fanny Wilson and Nellie Graves were two friends who enlisted together, disguised as men, and fought in the American Civil War.

Fanny was born in Long Island, New York. In 1860, she went with her friend Nellie to visit relatives in Louisiana. Both of them had lovers at home and missed them very much.

In 1861, as the threat of the war became increasingly real, Fanny and Nellie decided to stay with their lovers if the war broke out. Since they knew the two men were going to enlist in the Union army, they decided that they would join the same regiment as them, but not the same company. This was less risky and still allowed them to stay near their beloveds. 

The two young men indeed joined the army in 1862 as the war began. Fanny and Nellie followed them according to their plan. They cut their hair short, dressed in male clothes and practiced walking and talking like men. The pair managed to join an infantry regiment in New Jersey. 

The two friends adapted well to military life, they watched on their lovers from afar, still unsuspected. Fanny and Nellie fought at the Battle of Fredericksburg from December 11 to 13, 1862. In 1863, they fought in another violent battle at Chancellorsville. Fanny’s lover was wounded, so she volunteered to watch over him. He died in spite of her care and the grief-stricken Fanny fell terribly ill, as did Nellie.

The two friends were sent to a military hospital where the staff discovered that they were women. Fanny and Nellie were thus discharged and parted ways. Nellie afterward disappeared from the records. 

Fanny became a ballerina in the Cairo Theater. This occupation didn’t suit her and she decided to re-enlist, feeling that she had to fight for her country. She thus joined a cavalry regiment in Illinois. She participated in the siege of Vicksburg (May 18 – July 4, 1863) and fought in both assaults on Vicksburg on May 19 and 22. Fanny was wounded in battle during the second assault, but her injury wasn’t serious enough to cause her real identity to be discovered. She  recovered and stay with her regiment.

On August 5, 1863, Fanny was riding through the streets of Memphis when she was arrested on suspicion of being a woman in male clothing and a spy. She was taken to the police station and proved that she was a Union soldier, but had to promise to never disguise herself as a man again. The authorities then gave her female clothing. She was discharged and left Memphis dressed as a woman. Nothing is known about her subsequent life.

Here’s the link to my Ko-Fi if you want to support me.

Bibliography:

Blanton Anne, They Fought Like Demons: Women Soldiers in the Civil War

Eggleston Larry, Women in the Civil War: Extraordinary Stories of Soldiers, Spies, Nurses, Doctors, Crusaders, and Others

since i've been talking a lot about my hcs for la squadra's backgrounds i figured i would drop what i've thought of so far for risotto 👀

as a heads up there will be talk of ❗catholic trauma, familial death, and grief❗

prefacing this: so i saw an idea somewhere once that risotto and mariah are related b/c their stands both deal w/ magnetism and they both have white hair and then i made a mental exercise to play around with the idea of how that would actually Work but then the idea stuck lol

so they're half siblings and mariah is like, 5 or 6 years older? they have the same dad. he and mariah's mom separated on good terms and he eventually moved to sicily for work but went back n forth a lot to still be active in mariah's life

which is where he met risotto's mama. risotto was born and raised in siracusa but the family went to cairo a lot and likewise mariah and her mama would come visit too

so risotto's family life may have been unconventional (especially considering it was the 70s in a catholic country and his parents weren't married, nero is his mama's last name) but was very happy. he had good and loving parents, he and his sister loved each other a lot, their moms got along really well and mariah's mama was very nice to risotto too and vice versa, it was all pretty chill!!!!

maybe a few months (or a few years) later some wreckage washed ashore that could be identified as part of their vessel, but that's the most closure risotto had. he knows in his heart that they're dead because they were good parents, they would never have abandoned him and mariah. he doesn't blame the sea though and he's not afraid of it, it's just nature, and nature happens sometimes.

but when risotto was about 8 or 9, his parents were lost at sea. not sure if they were on a ferry and there was a freak storm and there were others that were lost too or they just liked to sail or what, but their boat pretty much vanished and they were never found.

so as presumably, probably, an orphan, he was taken in by his maternal grandparents in the sicilian countryside and lost contact with mariah and her mama. his grandparents had also taken in his older cousin prior to that too so it was the two of them being raised in the middle of bumfuck nowhere by their grandparents.

and their grandparents were, hm. Not Great. they were pretty hardcore catholics who ran a strict house, made ris and his cousin go to church whether they liked it or not, tried to instill them both with Catholic Guilt™️, were very conservative, kinda broadly fucked up and controlling etc. it was just, not an emotionally healthy environment.

risotto's mama probably moved away for a reason 😬 they were definitely aghast that their daughter had a child out of wedlock and it wouldn't surprise me if they had this notion of having to '''save''' risotto from '''sin'''. which probably made him feel like something was wrong with him, which he thankfully knew wasn't true because his early childhood was happy and healthy enough to give him that perspective, but it hurt nonetheless.

he and his cousin were each other's confidants and partners in crime, they loved each other so damn much and were always looking out for each other. often it was big cousin looking out for baby ris cause he was like ~5 years older but risotto wanted to be there for him too.

they got up to a lot of trouble as kids in small towns in the middle of nowhere do and it was stupid as hell but fun and freeing. authoritarian houses make good sneaks and good liars and the two of them definitely lived up to that. risotto also couldn't help but feel a sense of pride and love when he did what he pleased and tried his best to live freely because he felt like it brought him closer to his parents in spirit.

as soon as big cousin graduated the two of them hit the road and moved to palermo, against their grandparents' wishes. they shared a shitty cheap apartment that felt like a damn mansion to them cause they could do whatever they wanted and just live their lives.

they lived there for about a year before risotto's cousin was killed and he felt like the fucking world crumbled from beneath him. he viewed it very differently from his parents' deaths: one was nature, one was some asshole who couldn't be considerate to the people around him and now risotto's best friend is dead.

so he was back with his grandparents but without his cousin and he was pretty fucking miserable, but he refused to just be sad for himself, he was sad for his cousin first and foremost and couldn't stop thinking about him. and he was angry. big cousin had his whole life ahead of him that was cut short, he was a whole person with dreams who loved and was loved, and this guy only gets four years in prison and then could just go back to his life like nothing had happened when his cousin wasn't alive anymore? no. it wasn't right. risotto refused to let that go unresolved.

and that thought is what kept him going but he still ran away a lot, didn't bother with school unless he thought it could help him, etc. he became sort of numb to his grandparents and the irony of plotting revenge in his head while he was made to sit in church wasn't lost on him.

he probably dropped out and left his grandparents' place by the time he was 17 and he hasn't spoken with them since, went back to palermo, and went from there with his plotting. that's how he got involved with passione.

he got vengeance for his cousin at 18, and it was at least something, but yeah, he realized it would never be enough and the pain stayed. not that he regretted it in the slightest tho, he can still sleep a little easier and feels like he can do.... something aside from just being consumed by it.

but then he was indebted to passione for their help with getting risotto to the guy, risotto took it in stride cause again, he didn't regret it, and the rest is history.

not to say he's necessarily happy or satisfied being in passione tho, but he accepts it and works with it. he doesn't really think about what he'd like to do cause this is what he just.... does.

he tries to visit his cousin's grave in palermo every year for his birthday (and maybe throws some flowers into the ocean for his parents too, they left from the opposite coast but he figures the water will carry his intentions where they need to go). he would be perfectly happy to never see or hear from his grandparents again. once as an adult (and with gang connections) he realized he could try to track down his sister again, but decided against it. not only because he's not sure if she would accept him for who he became (he can't stand the thought of her rejecting or being afraid of him), but if he put her in harm's way, he would never forgive himself.

he doesn't know mariah is also a stand user, nor her involvement with dio or who the fuck dio even is or basically the whole mess of stardust crusaders. but she IS alive, she got very injured but is alive. maybe once giorno becomes boss, gets in touch w/ his joestar family and the speedwagon foundation etc all the little strings start coming together and risotto and mariah can find each other again. and she very much does love her big baby brother and wouldn't even dream of rejecting him. so they can be brother and sister again and it's really lovely and healing :')