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indiaalphawhiskey · 2 years

Note

Hi India

I wondered if you might have any update on your GAPT AU or your Ugly Betty AU because I am obsessed with them both x

Hello, love 💕

This message is so sweet, thank you! Unfortunately, I haven’t written much over the past month because I’m spending time with my family for the holidays (and the hubbub isn’t the best for getting in the zone), but here’s the most recent but I wrote for GAPT AU. 😉 I hope you like it!

🌩 Snippet.

“Anyway, they have one flight out scheduled early morning next Sunday, for everyone who’s stranded here. And it’s perfect,” he said, eyes alight, “‘cause like, we’d already have been here a week, so people would have seen us together, playing up the whole anniversary thing. And then, an ‘emergency’ could suddenly come up.” He made air quotes with his fingers. “Something that I’d need to fly back for, and.” Louis’ smile was so big at this point that it was hard for Harry not to take it even a little personally. “You could have your holiday entirely to yourself, no one the wiser.”

He said that last bit with such a flourish it was almost as though he was pausing for applause, so confident that it took nearly four beats of Harry’s restrained silence for Louis’ beaming grin to finally falter, just a little. He chuckled, slightly awkwardly, “Now, now. Don’t rush to extoll my brilliance all at once.”

“Hm,” Harry tried to smile, though it felt both forced and fleeting. “It’s… certainly…” He paused, inhaling, his eyes darting quickly around the room as he tried to find an end to that sentence. He pasted another placating smile on his face, as he looked back at Louis. “A… plan,” he settled on, rather kindly, if he did say so himself.

Louis clearly didn’t share that sentiment, his expression clouding over instantly. “But?” He prompted flatly.

Oh, where to begin? Harry thought to himself, trying his best to rein in his exasperation. Taking a deep breath, he decided to stick to practicalities.

“Well…” he started, treading lightly. “Okay, what kind of emergency were you thinking? ‘Cause, I mean, wouldn’t every emergency require your husband to fly back with you? Like, if one of our kids was sick or something, or if the basement was flooding…”

“Okay, well, nothing to do with health or the kids,” Louis said, rolling his eyes. He better not say— “Obviously.”

Tongue already caught between his teeth, Harry took the extra precaution of pressing his lips together as he willed his irritation not to spike.

Oblivious to Harry’s annoyance, Louis continued, “But something like the basement thing would work, no?”

Harry stared back at him, incredulous that his question seemed one hundred percent serious. “What? No. You’re not my housekeeper, Louis. You’re supposed to be my husband,” he said, narrowing his eyes as his head recoiled on his neck. “Why would I send you back to deal with that alone while I lounged on a beach for two weeks?”

“I don’t know,” Louis said, quick and defensive. “Maybe we discussed it. Like, I didn’t want both of us to have to waste our holiday when it was something I could deal with alone, so I told you to stay,” he explained away easily. With a light shrug and a smile, he added, “Maybe you just married someone that thoughtful.”

“And maybe you married a fucking dick,” Harry deadpanned without missing a beat. “I mean, what the hell kind of trophy husband arsehole,” he continued, distantly aware that his earlier determination to hide his mounting vexation had failed. Alarmingly quickly. “Would continue on a romantic anniversary holiday when his partner was knee deep in floodwater on the other side of the Mediterranean?”

“Okay, I really doubt anyone’s going to think about it like that.”

“Like what, logically?”

❤️‍🩹 More from the GAPT AU.

#GAPT AU #GAPT snippet #fathers with benefits au #I miss these boys so much #thank you for asking about them anon!#iaw anonymous #iaw ask

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pinkysfaultorbrainsfault · 4 years

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animaniacs - s3e8: don’t tread on us

i am. so sorry this is late. i wish i had a good reason but actually it was because i spent saturday night drinking bacardi with my mom. and then sunday morning throwing up all the bacardi. i have only just resumed feeling like a normal person.

haha.

episode summary: pinky and brain post racist things on facebook. no, i’m kidding and i’m sorry for the slander. they actually draft up an alternate version of the declaration of independence that names brain as supreme ruler of all things. very cool.

the rundown:

it’s boston, in 1775.

people are coming to boston for lots of reasons, such as A, they are an old timey family in old timey clothes, and B, they are elmer fudd.

“i’m hunting wedcoats!”

okay. enough of you, elmer. thankfully, the camera pans away before we’re forced to experience any more of that, and we are greeted with mice, instead.

“at last, pinky, a new world to conquer.”

“egad, brain, i forgot to turn off the lights in the old world!”

of course, back then this obviously didn’t apply to actual lights, so pinky just left a bunch of candles on. good going, pinky. it’s probably on fire by now!

unfortunately then the drunk frat boys arrive. brain helpfully informs pinky that they are “not real indians”, which scans, because india is quite a long way from boston. they’re not native americans, either, which is probably what he means.

“the colonists are revolting.”

“oh, i dunno, brain. i think the costumes are rather fetching.”

(obviously brain means revolting as in “starting a revolt”. kind of like rioting. more importantly, pinky should never be allowed to make that face again.)

WE WON’T PAY THE BRITISH TAX, yells a man off screen. the mice do not care. brain just has to keep explaining to pinky exactly what is going on around them, because if he stops being condescending for five minutes, he dies.

“they’re carried away with the spirit of independance.”

and so are they. hoo hoo.

bonk.

“ooo, earl grey. my favourite.”

thankfully, we then have a small timeskip to

PHILADELPHIA 1776

where thankfully we see that the mice have not drowned again for the second time in a row. hello, ferdinand von aegir! good to see you.

“at last, pinky. after a year of watching and waiting, it is time to put my plan into action.”

“you mean we’re finally going to learn to harmonise, get a choreographer and move to detroit?”

OOOOOH LA LA LA LA

“no.”

brain is talking about His Plan. he is finally going to ascend to his rightful position in this budding democracy!

EMPEROR.

man, i wonder when they stop doing this. does it happen in the spinoff? i don’t remember it being quite so prevalent.

but ok. ok look. so brain tells pinky about the declaration of independance.

“all the governing principles of the nation are being put into that document.”

“oh haha too bad it doesn’t say anything about you being the leader”

and brain is surprised. and then is like, oh are you pondering what i’m pondering. (”i think so brain but where do you stick the feather and call it macaroni?”) like he hadn’t thought of this originally?? so???? what was his plan going to be???? magnetise jefferson to the floor by his pocket change????

don’t look at pinky like that, you silly little man.

so anyway they go off and do that.

“we shall simply replace their declaration of independance with this! the declaration of obedience.” technically i think it’s more A Declataslion Of 9rediek, but i’ll give that to brain on the basis that he is a mouse and writing with a human pen must be hard. i’m not entirely sure i could write with materials bigger than me, either. so, yknow. no hard feelings, bee. it’s all good.

but just look at ths, though.

“we hold these truths to be self evident that-- a mouse named brain will be leader. that’s b, r, a, i, n. hoorah.”

“ooo, i like the hoorah part.”

eventually, brain figures out how to spell his own name (good for him) and they get to the crux of the plan; getting it onto the table.

via paper plane, apparently? they have a whole diagram, which is cute. brain goes and stands on the table, pinky launches the declataslion of 9rediek, and they make the switch while... the... founding fathers aren’t looking, i guess. pinky does point out that they might notice, but brain brushes him off.

because they’re all wearing those RIDICULOUS BIFOCALS invented by BEN FRANKLIN and you CAN’T SEE A THING THROUGH THEM

so, as his arch nemisis ben franklin arrives, complete with the rest of The Continental Congress Delegates, brain puts his plan into action.

“i hope the signing goes quickly, citizen adams. i have to get back to my experiments with electricity.”

(adams’ response to this is “go fly a kite”. i feel like this is important to mention.)

conclusion:

exhibit a: mousie on the shelf. he peep. brain tells pinky to get into position before plonking himself there. it’s cute.

air mouse (nyoom). upon receiving the signal, pinky launches the paper.

bonk.

woosh!

...........ah.

so. uh. turns out brain’s “meticulously calculated trajectory” was actually entirely incorrect. either that, or ben franklin’s head is just that big. but anyway, the declataslion is stuck in his stupid receding mullet, instead of on the table where it’s supposed to be.

“huh?”

meanwhile, it turns out this is not the only trajectory calculated wrong. air mice nyoom ends in the same way every single other air mice nyoom ends, and pluto has another cause of death to add to their art collection.

💚

o he fall in the inkwell

meanwhile, ben franklin finds the declataslion. he reads it, says “hmm”, and then just proceeds to steal it and run away.

but not on pinky’s watch!

or brain’s, once he manages to get out of the inkwell.

WHAT A LOVELY STORM, yells ben franklin, for no reason. in a desperate attempt to get his declataslion back, brain climbs... directly on the kite.

“pinky, follow me!” homeboy already knows what’s going to happen. cartoon sixth sense. that face.

“once i get this declaration signed, i will be a shining example of american leadership!”

oh dear.

oh no.

“are you a leader yet, brain?”

“only in the field of electric discovery.”

as jefferson pulls the big bell to let everyone know the declaration of independance has been signed!

it.... causes random parts of the mice to inflate until they vibrate themselves off the side of the building.

i don’t know either.

anyway. could brain have calculated his trajectories better? absolutely. but not only did ben franklin own slaves, and brain would never, he... also just stole some random guy’s paper and fucked off with it, which was a mean thing to do.

brain: 3 ½ pinky: 5 ½ outside influence: 9

“do you think they’ll object to changing the national currency to cheese balls?”

“once this nation’s leaders unwittingly sign it, they’ll have no choice.”

hmm.

#patb #a!#pinky and the brain #animaniacs #this was a good episode i think!#definitely better than the last one. lol

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earisu1 · 3 years

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Document-based Time-line: Before Jennifer Arrived at the Orphanage

Original date of the post: 23 of October, 2007.

Disclaimer: not my words, not my ideas, just reposting to spread and preserve.

“ This is an arrangement of the dated documents of Rule of Rose as a time-line, from the earliest document to the ones just prior to Jennifer’s arrival at the orphanage.

This is the time period between 25 April 1929 and 2 March 1930.

The GamesSpot/GameFAQs gamescript faq incorrectly claims that the letter exchange between Jennifer and Wendy began in 1928 (and declares, based on this incorrect date, that the “Joshua” of Gregory’s diary entries must be Jennifer). Although the dates on the letters exchanged between Jennifer and Wendy don’t mention the year, these letters could not possibly date from 1928 as Jennifer was living in the cellar of Gregory’s house when the correspondence began, but the airship that Jennifer flew on, and that crashed, killing Jennifer’s parents and resulting in Jennifer being rescued by Gregory, didn’t take flight until 1929. Therefore, Jennifer was not at Gregory’s house in 1928 and Jennifer was not exchanging letters with Wendy in 1928.

The first document of the time-line, by the way, is one that was overlooked in the GameSpot/GameFAQs game-script faq.

If I have made any errors, or have left out a document that should be here, please let me know in the “comments”.

TIME-LINE:

“25 April 1929

The World’s Largest Airship to Take Flight

In anticipation of the coming era of airship travel, Britain announced the completion of the world’s largest airship. In its long awaited first flight, it will lift off at Cardington and fly to India by way of London. All of Britain eagerly awaits the inaugural ceremony. Along with the Mayor and the Countess, children from the local orphanage will participate in the ribbon-cutting ceremony.

(“Unlucky Clover Field”, Smoking room, newspaper)

~~~

Sunday, June 1

Clear skies. Today, I weeded the fields. Work went well.”

(“Gingerbread House”, Study, Gregory’s diary)

~~~

“Monday, June 2

Clear skies. Today, I weeded the fields. Work went well.”

(“Gingerbread House”, Study, Gregory’s diary)

~~~

“Tuesday, June 3

Cloudy. Weeding again. Tomorrow, I’m thinking of taking my son Joshua with me out to the fields.”

(“Gingerbread House”, Study, Gregory’s diary)

~~~

“Wednesday, June 4

Clear skies. Today, I weeded the fields. Work went well.”

(“Gingerbread House”, Study, Gregory’s diary)

~~~

“Thursday, June 5

Rain in the afternoon. Weeded the field again. Joshua isn’t feeling well, so I worked in the fields alone, as always.”

(“Gingerbread House”, Study, Gregory’s diary)

~~~

“Friday, June 6

Clear skies. Today, I weeded the fields. Work went well.”

(“Gingerbread House”, Study, Gregory’s diary)

~~~

“Saturday, June 7

Rainy. Weeding again. Tomorrow morning, I’ll go into town to sell peas, so tonight I must make preparations. It is a busy day indeed.”

(“Gingerbread House”, Study, Gregory’s diary)

~~~

“Sunday, June 8

Clear skies. I went to market and sold peas and carrots. I had hoped to be able to feed Joshua something nutritious, but sales were not good, so I was not able to buy much.”

(“Gingerbread House”, Study, Gregory’s diary)

~~~

“Monday, June 9

Clear skies. Today, I weeded the fields. Work went well.”

(“Gingerbread House”, Study, Gregory’s diary)

~~~

“Tuesday, June 10

Clear skies. Joshua has been misbehaving. He went and ate sweets out of the cupboard without permission.”

(“Gingerbread House”, Study, Gregory’s diary)

~~~

“Wednesday, June 11

Cloudy. Weeding the fields again. It was chilly today. I’ll have to give Joshua a blanket so he won’t catch a cold.”

(“Gingerbread House”, Study, Gregory’s diary)

~~~

“Thursday, June 12

Cloudy. Joshua is under the weather. He has a slight fever, so I fed him some hot pea soup.”

(“Gingerbread House”, Study, Gregory’s diary)

~~~

“Friday, June 13

Clear skies. Today, I weeded the fields. Work went well.”

(“Gingerbread House”, Study, Gregory’s diary)

~~~

“Saturday, June 14

Cloudy. Planted peas in the ground.”

(“Gingerbread House”, Study, Gregory’s diary)

~~~

“Sunday, June 15

Rainy. I spent the day in my room drawing a picture book for Joshua. I’m sure he’ll enjoy this one.”

(“Gingerbread House”, Study, Gregory’s diary)

~~~

“Monday, June 16

Cloudy. Today, I cleaned out the barn. Joshua told me he liked my latest story. Nothing pleases me more that to see my son happy.”

(“Gingerbread House”, Study, Gregory’s diary)

~~~

“Tuesday, June 17

Cloudy. Barn cleaning again. I’ve been neglecting the fields, so they’re in a bit of a mess. I must drive the insects and mice away.”

(“Gingerbread House”, Study, Gregory’s diary)

~~~

“Wednesday, June 18

Clear skies. I did weeding today. The weather was beautiful. A great day to work in the fields.”

(“Gingerbread House”, Study, Gregory’s diary)

~~~

“Thursday, June 19

Clear skies. More weeding. I wanted to take Joshua out with me to the fields, but his coughs were getting worse, so I had him stay in bed.”

(“Gingerbread House”, Study, Gregory’s diary)

~~~

“Friday, June 20

Clear skies. Today, I weeded the fields.”

(“Gingerbread House”, Study, Gregory’s diary)

~~~

“21 June 1929

Another Unexplained Disappearance

There has been another mysterious disappearance of a child recently. Following missing children reports on the 7th and 14th, police are now investigating this case as both a possible kidnapping and a missing person.

Local residents are advised not to allow children outside unsupervised and to take caution around any suspicious individuals.”

(“Gingerbread House”, boarded-off room with sky wall paper, newspaper on floor by the chair)

~~~

“Saturday, June 21

Clear skies. Planted peas in the ground.”

(“Gingerbread House”, Study, Gregory’s diary)

~~~

“Sunday, June 22

Cloudy. I thought of a good idea for a story. I’m going to take a day off from the fields and concentrate on refining it.”

(“Gingerbread House”, Study, Gregory’s diary)

~~~

“23 June 1929

Luxury Airship Missing!

England’s largest luxury airship, which just set sail on its virgin flight—a flight celebrated across the country with great fanfare—was reported today to have gone off course and is currently missing.

It is speculated that the vessel diverted from its course to avoid a low pressure system approaching from the south, but its whereabouts are still unknown.

Due to the heavy thunder and rain that have blanketed the area since yesterday, the search for the airship has faced many difficulties.

(“Gingerbread House” Cellar Bedroom, newspaper clipping pinned up on wall)

~~~

“Monday, June 23

Clear skies. I did weeding today. Joshua told me he liked my latest story. There’s nothing I love more than seeing his beaming, happy face.”

(“Gingerbread House”, Study, Gregory’s diary)

~~~

“Tuesday, June 24

Clear skies. Weeding again. It feels great to work the fields on such a fine day.”

(“Gingerbread House”, Study, Gregory’s diary)

~~~

“Wednesday, June 25

Clear skies. Today, I weeded the fields. Work went well.”

(“Gingerbread House”, Study, Gregory’s diary)

~~~

“Thursday, June 26

Clear skies. Today, I weeded the fields. Work went well.”

(“Gingerbread House”, Study, Gregory’s diary)

~~~

“Friday, June 27

Clear skies. Today, I weeded the fields. Work went well.”

(“Gingerbread House”, Study, Gregory’s diary)

~~~

Gregory’s June 1929 calendar

1 (sun) Sunday

2 (sun) Monday

3 (cloud) Tuesday

4 (sun) Wednesday

5 (rain cloud) Thursday

6 (sun) Friday

7 (rain cloud) Saturday

8 (sun) Sunday

9 (sun) Monday

10 (sun) Tuesday

11 (cloud) Wednesday

12 (cloud) Thursday

13 (sun) Friday

14 (cloud) Saturday

15 (cloud) Sunday

16 (cloud) Monday

17 (cloud) Tuesday

18 (sun) Wednesday

19 (sun) Thursday

20 (sun) Friday

21 (sun) Saturday

22 (cloud) Sunday

23 (sun) Monday

24 (sun) Tuesday

25 (sun) Wednesday

26 (sun) Thursday

27 (sun) Friday

28 (unmarked) Saturday

29 (unmarked) Sunday

30 (unmarked) Monday

~~~

10 November

To Mr. Joshua, the bear in distress,

My name is Wendy. I always watch you from the sky. Mr. Joshua, why are you trapped down there?

(“Gingerbread House”, Cellar Bedroom, cradle?)

~~~

16 November

Dear Wendy, my visitor in the window,

Thank you so much for writing to me. The man calls me Joshua, but my name is Jennifer. I’ve been in this room ever since he saved me. He’s a nice person… but he won’t let me leave.

(“Once Upon a Time”, Sickroom, by the lamp)

~~~

27 November

From W to J

My Prince in need of rescue,

It was a pleasure to meet you, my dear Prince. What a wonderful encounter! Yes… I only wish there was a world for just you and I: The Prince and Princess…

Don’t worry. I’ll set you free.

(“Gingerbread House” Cellar Bedroom, cradle?)

~~~

10 December

From J to W

Thank you Wendy.

I want to fly away from this room and run with you in the fields…

But the man is so lonely, so sad. I can’t just leave him alone.

(“Once Upon a Time”, Sickroom, by the lamp)

~~~

9 January

From W to J

…Oh my poor kind prince.

You’re worried because that man sometimes seems crazy, right? Well don’t worry. I know where he hides that awful thing of his. So let’s run away together. You can leave it all to me. Everything will be all right.

(“Gingerbread House” Cellar Bedroom, cradle?)

~~~

14 January

From J to W

Thank you Wendy, my kind and fair Princess. Is there something that I can do for you?

(“Once Upon a Time”, Sickroom, by the lamp)

~~~

20 January

From W to J

My Prince, Please don’t worry. I’ll do anything for you. Just… pledge your love for me. That’s all I ask.

(“Gingerbread House” Cellar Bedroom, cradle?)

~~~

24 January

From J to W

I, Jennifer, pledge to the fair Princess Wendy:

Everlasting

True love

I am yours

(“Once Upon a Time”, Sickroom, by the lamp)

~~~

27 January

From W to J

Tomorrow night, I shall unlock your shackles. Let us live together forever.

everlasting

true love

i am yours

(“Gingerbread House” Cellar Bedroom, cradle?)

~~~

“March 2, 1930

Recently, the children have been engaging in odd activities and spreading disturbing rumors—rumors about creatures that come after children who don’t clean up and stray dogs that kidnap small tots… It’s all very bizarre.”

(“The Little Princess”, Headmaster’s room, desk, Hoffman’s diary)

(“Once Upon a Time”, Headmaster’s room, desk, Hoffman’s diary)

~~~

“Sunday, March 2

I don’t know what’s wrong with me. Was it something I did? Last month I failed. What will happen to me this month? Mr. Hoffman said that a new girl is coming soon. Will I even lose to her and be all miserable? I’m scared. I hate to think what’s in store for me.”

(“Rag Princess Sews”, Working Class Luggage, Amanda’s diary)”

Notes: this is really awesome if you want to get into the story but you forgot certain files while playing, or maybe if the let’s player you’re watching isn’t much into reading stuff in games.

#rule of rose #rule of rose mysteries #rule of rose theories #not showing in the taaags

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maryannechisholmart · 3 years

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Under our skin, we all look the same. (Why I painted Immortal)

"I am immortal. At least, my soul. It walks with me, then falls away, like a heavy blanket. All of this pain is fleeting."

The day I painted "Immortal" I was studying religion. I remembered an experience that cemented my faith at only 8 years old. My parents took us to church every Sunday. It was non negotiable. I was just told I was too old to remain in Sunday School class. On this day my Mother and Father instructed me to attend the main services with them.

I was not excited by this prospect. The priest, in the Episcopalian church my parents attended at that time, was a fire and brimstone type of preacher. I was repulsed by him, at the time I didn't fully understand why.

My father was loved by so many people. He was kind, and had many friends from countries all over the world. India, Africa, Europe, Russia, Native Americans, Polynesians - He taught me the core belief that we are all the same color under our skin. He wrote and composed music for Up With People, which sang about love, equality and was even mocked in an episode of South Park with flying daisies and bald cult followers. That was funny 😄

I had inherited my parents respect for people of all nationalities. On this day we went to church the topic was "Eternal damnation in hell; if you do not accept Jesus as your Lord, and savior." I had never heard anyone speak so freely about the spiritual eternity of billions of people. I was instantly offended, and embarrassed my parents by talking back during the sermon.

Mostly I remembered thinking "Why were my parents listening to this horrible man condemn virtually all of their global friends, and native American friends to hell?!" I was so angry, I announced, in church, that we do not (sic) live in a universe that would exclude it's cherished souls to hell just because they didn't agree with another persons opinions. However, because I was eight, I probably just said "You suck!" I was definitely thinking it though.

My father said, it is in the Bible. I felt the Bible may be the word of God, but it was edited by man. Men have agenda's. He was incensed, I finally explained to Dad how I couldn't bear all of his friends burning in hell. I also knew that was not true.

I spent my life learning, reading, fascinated by the paranormal, and ancient texts. I read the Bhagavad Gita, in Sanskrit. I read the writings of Zacharia Sitchin, and ancient Sumerian text interpretations. I knew, in my heart, there was a "source" that connected all of us.

My faith was compassion. My practice was empathy.

The day I painted "Immortal" I thought about life after prison. I thought of being in a place where there was love, trust and acceptance. I knew there was no justice with man, but there is justice in karma, even if it happens in the next life.

The poem takes about our "avatar", this body, and that our soul is immortal. I absolutely love this piece - it is my souls journey to love, freedom, and truth - no matter what fire & brimstone preachers may say.

#Immortal #religion #equality #empathy #compassion #artistsoftwitter #FND #mcartist #maryanne chisholm

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queer-crusader · 4 years

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The story of The Flying Dutchman (the actual-ish story, not that one from PotC)

So the story seems to originate from the 1700s, and it's a pretty religiously-based one. It tells of Captain Willem van der Decken, a proud and stubborn man, and his ship The Flying Dutchman. It was the Golden Age of the Dutch (and also the English) Empire, and the Netherlands was dominating the world trade through the VOC (Verenigde Oost-Indische Compagnie, or East India Trading Company, which was later taken over by England I believe - it gets a tiny mention in PotC). Spices were worth more than gold, and the VOC had their headquarters in Batavia. The one to find the quickest route to sail there got a claim to power and fame, and Willem wanted that claim. (I would call him by his last name but it's annoying and long to type on my phone.)

It was a religious time (hell, the country was freshly established, just off the back of a war between Catholics and Protestants), and Willem, against the wishes of his wife and crew, wanted to sail on Easter Sunday. Like a fucking HEATHEN. Even now there's some shops that don't open on regular Sundays because of religion, but EASTER SUNDAY?? BACK THEN??? Yeah. Disgrace, and worse, sacrilege. But he insisted, he wanted to get to Batavia, Easter or no, storm or no - because on top of things, there was a storm brewing as they got to the Cape of Good Hope (also known as Storm Cape I believe, for good reasons - it was a notoriously dangerous area to sail).

As hell started to break loose, his crew begged him to turn back, but Willem insisted on getting around the Cape. He got so furious, he threw his navigator overboard he famously cried out "By God or the Devil, Easter or no Easter, I will sail around the Cape if I have to sail until Judgement Day!"

So, that's not a good thing to say. The ship and its captain and crew fell into the hands of the Devil, and they were cursed to sail forever, the dead crew silently performing their tasks. Apparently sometimes they would send out sloops to passing unfortunates to hand them stacks of letters, which they asked to be delivered to long-dead relatives. It supposedly sails against the wind with red sails.

I knew the basics of the story, but I got some more details from the Dutch Wikipedia. I am by no means an expert on this tale nor a qualified expert on history or mythology or whatever, and there are definitely people out there who have a far better in-depth knowledge, but this is basically the story as it is more or less known in the Netherlands. Hope that helps @medusinestories!

#bs fic writers eat your heart out #also if you're ever in the netherlands go to the Efteling theme park and ride the flying dutchman ridr #it is GORGEOUS #anne speaks #mythology

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underthewingsofthblackeagle · 5 years

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>>Faking a marriage before God?<< - Not “Just a lesson from the Courtroom” but an answer from the life experience of a Christian minister

“Stühle” by Hans

Consolation and Hope for the hurting hearts. Everything under the line.

As I have taken up to comment on several things concerning OL in the past under the title “Just some lessons from the courtroom”, I have decided to comment on a post I read around the “happenings” and rumors of the last weekend - this time from the viewpoint of my other profession.

As many of my followers know, I worked for several decades at one of the biggest district courts of my country (mainly as a Senior Administrator for International Legal Assistance in Criminal Law). But I am also an ordained minister and certified counselor of the Christian faith for (this year exactly) 30 years. And since 1991 I always worked both jobs - one as my 7 am to 3:30 pm job, the other one in the evenings and on weekends.

In the said post, a person asked:

“But would they really fake a marriage before God?”*

The moment I read the said question, I could feel the horror behind it. I sensed sorrow and hurt.

Before I comment on that question, let me explain the following: When I came to the OL fandom on Tumblr, I was surprised by a large number of people who - after I got to know them - revealed themselves as people of deep faith and spirituality to me. I met people from all religious backgrounds, different denominations, etc. And let me make this very clear: I respect all of you, every single one. Even if we don’t share the same convictions, the same kind of faith. I respect you all - and I also respect every person who calls himself/herself an atheist. Because faith, in my conviction, is a very personal decision and only a personal decision. Having said that, I like to comment on the last weekend and the said question. For an introvert like me, it is not an easy thing to post such personal things here. Please don’t think I want to preach at you. All I want is to give you the consolation that was given to me:

1. A hard truth

First I have to state a very hard truth. 30 years of ministry have taught me, that everything holy to God and men, can and will be faked. Let me give you some examples:

I saw a man faking the Christian confession and baptism - before God! - because he wanted to marry a lady of deep faith.

I saw a man faking the Christian walk of faith, showing a very pious lifestyle - before God! and the whole parish - while he was beating his wife at home regularly.**

I saw several men and women faking a marriage before God, speaking their vows but never taking them seriously.

I saw a man faking the Christian walk of faith - before God! -, calling himself and his church “the only elect of God” while offending and humiliating foreigners and people of a different faith.

These are only four of my many personal observations. We could go on and mention all those men (and some women too!) who called themselves “servants of God” while they were sexually abusing innocent children. We could mention the superiors of these people, who tried to hide these criminal acts before state authorities - a behavior that enabled the predators to molest and destroy even more innocent lives. We could mention the leaders of a distinct megachurch who were not willing to open their multi-million-dollar-building to help the victims of a hurricane. We could mention a high-ranking representative of “the only church of God”, flying to India first class for visiting the poor while building himself a villa for 35 million Euros in Germany (paid by the financial support of the common church member). We could mention all of those Christians, who believe they need killing machines (aka automatic weapons) because the Almighty God, they confess their faith in, obviously isn’t mighty enough to save His followers. These (and other people) have no problem to fake sacred things before God because - honestly - they only believe in two idols: themselves and the money they can get.

All of this contradicts the Christian faith, the gospel, the teaching of Christ. All this is fake before God. All this is shameful and hurting for those, who believe and honestly and humbly walk by their faith. But there is

2. No Need for Despair, but consolation for the hurting heart We have to face the truth. If we don’t do it and if we shamefully try to hide it, we are in danger of becoming “Fakers of the Faith” ourselves. That is absolutely no alternative! Remember that Christ taught us, that the truth has the power to set us free (John 8:32). Seeing, experiencing, that people fake all kinds of holy things before God, has hurt and saddened me deeply, but I am not in despair. I didn't lose my faith, no, contrary, my faith in God became even stronger. Why? The answer lies in the teaching of Christ, especially in the parable, which is called “The Parable of the Tares” (Matthew 13, 24 ff.) In this prophetic parable, Christ makes it clear to His disciples, that in later times there will be two kinds of people in the realm of faith: Those, who are like genuine wheat and those who are pseudo-wheat. I know, many bible translations use the word “tares” or “weed”. But if you do an in-depth study of the background of this parable, you will find that the difference is not between “wheat” and “weed”/”tares”, but between “wheat” and “pseudo-wheat”. The word, used in the original Greek of the New Testament, is “ζιζάνιον” (zizanion). It is the Greek name for a plant also known under the Latin name “Lolium temulentum”, “poison darnel” in English or “Taummelloch” in German. This plant looks like true wheat, but it can’t bear the real fruit. It is nothing but a fake! When you eat from this plant, it unfolds a poisonous effect. This can lead to dizziness, blindness and in the worst case even to death. That is exactly the spiritual effect fake-believers can have: their fake-Christianity will confuse you, tries to blind you for the truth and tries to kill your faith. 3. But how should we react to fake-faith and pseudo-believers?

From the said parable we learn first and foremost: Never concentrate on fake-faith or pseudo-believers! Concentrate on the truth and on the all-knowing God, who loved us so much that He warned us before it happened. God is not surprised and you shouldn't be either. Therein lies my greatest consolation. The God who knew all of this before (including the last weekend fake) is still able to change everything. Don’t react with hate, hateful speech or with a judgemental spirit! Be aware, that by giving room to these kinds of feelings, you betray your own values and the truth you stand for. Jesus, knowing that these questions would arise, answered them in the parable: “So the servants said to him, ‘Then do you want us to go and gather them?’ But he said, ‘No, lest in gathering the weeds you root up the wheat along with them. Let both grow together until the harvest, and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, “Gather the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.“ (Matthew 13, 28 ff.) It is not mine nor your duty, to judge who is true/honest and who just fake’s it. Neither you nor I know the hearts like God does. Therefore God is the only One who can justly judge everyone and trust me, He will do it. But there are also several things for you and me to do:

Don’t let the pseudo-wheat blind your eyes for the truth or for the power of God. Don’t let all of this discourage you. God in His love warned us before it happened. He is not surprised. He is still the same God, mighty to help. He can’t be shaken and He still owns tomorrow. Nothing is hopeless, nothing is lost until the last day of this dispensation of grace has ended.

Live the truth humbly, walk in the truth daily.

Care for the fakers. They are in a dangerous place. Why? In 30 years of service, I have witnessed it again and again: Living a lie always leads to more lies and that leads away from true joy, true peace, and true happiness. One lie calls for another lie and in the end, all these lies lead to despair. Therefore, care for the fakers from depths of your heart! These people need you and your prayers! Pray for them and don’t stop doing so. Pray that the truth will reach and fill their heart again. Pray that they don’t miss the mercy and grace of God, that will lead them back not only to the path of righteousness, but to true life, true joy, and true peace.

Take the words of this promise to heart: “And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.“ (Galatians 6:9)

3. A last word about the last weekend

I don’t believe, that means I’m not convinced, that a real wedding has taken place last weekend. I will expound the reasons for my conviction in another post. This will take some time. Right now, I am busy because I stepped in for a friend who had to have emergency surgery and is still in rehab. But I will try to post my thoughts on that around Sunday/Monday. I know this is a long post and I thank everyone who read it. Feel free to comment on this post, tell me what you think, send me your criticism, questions, etc. I might not be able to answer immediately, but I will do so asap.

As always - from Prussia with much love, DoP Notes: * I’m sorry, but because my week was very busy I forgot to reblog or screencap the post. I remember the ask was in a reblog. If anyone of my readers has screen caped it or a link, please let me know.

** When I got notice of this, I informed the authorities and they put a stop on it.

#Outlander #Outlander Fandom #OL #Faking a wedding before God?

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satyaranjan93 · 4 years

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I am from a village where art is a profession for all. My works are inspired from Indian miniature, Odisha's Pata Painting, Palm leaf painting. In Odisha where nature is abundant contrary to this metro city I witnessed many transitions and changes. Moreover, feeling of rootlessness and strive to be rooted to reconstruct my own space I try and co-exit with the nature and diverse culture which most people have in this city. I take these experiences as my inspiration and use those ideas in my work, where I try to learn and built a new language of Art. A language in which our life and time could reflect precicely. I am trying to explore market place, travellers of railway, road ways transitions, shopping mall, sunday market etc to broden my horizons.

Satyaranjan Das

Time to Return

Mixed Media

30x60 inches

2020

Pollution is the top problem of the society, this is due to migration. People change their place for education, employment, mobility, housing, and persecution. This is why pollution is also seen with the population at certain places. In this work I have depicted Fly over bridges are being built in the current cities with crowds and traffic congestion. It's impossible to live in a city, and people are returning to their cities. " In this work I depicted those people who are not able stay in the city with a good lifestyle, and they failed to establish by income, education, living style etc. And finally one day they have to return to their own home land by pressure of political, social etc. Moreover Migration is a way to move from one place to another in order to live and work. Movement of people from their home to another city, state or country for a job, shelter or some other reasons is called migration. Migration from rural areas to urban areas has increased in past few years in India.

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sadmmann · 5 years

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Victims of the attack in Sri Lanka

Sri Lankan authorities have confirmed that 253 people were killed in a wave of suicide bombings on the island on Easter Sunday. This list does not include all the victims

Shantha Mayadunne and Nisanga Mayadunne

The Sri Lankan TV chef Shantha Mayadunne and her daughter Nisanga were killed in the blast at the Shangri-La hotel in Colombo. Nisanga posted a picture on Facebook shortly before the explosion with the title “Easter breakfast with my family”.

Anita Nicholson, Alex Nicholson and Annabel Nicholson

Anita Nicholson, a 42-year-old lawyer based in Singapore, her son, Alex, 14, and daughter, Annabel, 11, died when a suicide bomber detonated a device in the breakfast queue at the Shangri-La hotel in Colombo. Ben Nicholson, 43, was the only person in his family to survive the attack.

Zayan Chowdhury

The eight-year-old, a relative of the Bangladeshi prime minister, was killed while having breakfast with his father at a hotel in Colombo, when a suicide bomber detonated his device.

Sally Bradley and Bill Harrop

Sally Bradley, a GP, and her husband, Bill Harrop, a retired firefighter, were from Manchester but lived in Perth, Australia. They died in the Cinnamon Grand hotel bombing.

Amelie Linsey and Daniel Linsey

Amelie, 15, and her brother, Daniel, 19, were killed at the Shangri-La hotel on the final day of their holiday while trying to escape the first blast, according to family members.

Rui Lucas

The Portuguese citizen, an electrical engineer aged 31, was on his honeymoon with his wife, Sílvia Ramos, when he was killed. He had gone to get some more food from the buffet when the bomber struck, the Portuguese newspaper Correio da manhã reported.

“She told me that it was all very fast. He got up and soon after there was an explosion and the room filled with smoke. After she managed to see Rui. He was in front of her, dead,” a family friend who had spoken with the widow told the paper.

Kieran Shafritz de Zoysa

A fifth grader at the prestigious Sidwell Friends school in Washington DC, Kieran Shafritz de Zoysa had been on a leave of absence from the school for a year, living in Sri Lanka, the New York Times reported.

Dieter Kowalski

The 40-year-old Denver resident was killed during a business trip for the publisher Pearson. "And the fun begins," he posted on Facebook. "Love these work trips. 24 hours of flying. See you soon Sri Lanka!

Monique Allen

Allen, 54, a Dutch citizen, was on holiday in Sri Lanka with her husband and three sons. She had gone down for breakfast with one son, while her husband and two other sons stayed upstairs. While they were eating, the bomber attacked, a Dutch paper reported.

Rangan Fernando, his wife Danadiri and their children

As a result of the attack on the church of St. Sebastian in Negombo, the whole family died - Rangana Fernando, his wife Danadiri and their three children. The eldest daughter of the couple, Biola (third from right) was six years old, Leone is four years old, and the youngest child, Seth, is only 11 months old.

Ramesh Raju, hero of Zion church

Raju was at the Easter service at Zion evangelical church in Batticaloa when a stranger carrying a large backpack tried to enter, saying he wanted to film the service. But Raju told the man he could not enter with a large bag and forced him outside the church. Just after he did so, the bomb detonated, the BBC reported.

He leaves behind a wife, Chrishanthini, who was a Sunday school teacher, and two children, all of whom were attending the service with him.

Sharon and Sarah Santhakumar

Twelve-year-old Sharon and his 11-year-old sister, Sarah, were among a large group of children killed at Zion church. They were clustered near the door after finishing Sunday school class. The siblings were buried next to each other the day after they were killed, the BBC reported.

Berlington Joseph Gomez, Chandrika Arumugam and three children Bevon, Clavon and Avon

Berlington Joseph Gomez, 33, and his wife, Chandrika Arumugam, 31, and their three sons, Bevon, 9, Clavon, 6, and Avon, 11 months, were all killed in the blast at St Anthony’s shrine in Colombo. “All family, all generation, is lost,” Gomez’s father told Associated Press.

Manik Suriaaratchi and Alexendria Suriaaratchi

Manik Suriaaratchi and her 10-year-old daughter, Alexendria, were killed in the blast at St Sebastian’s in Negombo. Originally from Melbourne, Australia, they had moved to Sri Lanka five years ago.

Sudesh Kolonne, the husband and father of the two killed, had been standing outside the church when the blast hit. “I heard a huge noise and I jumped into the church and I saw that my wife and my daughter were on the floor,” he told the ABC.

“I just saw my daughter on the floor and I tried to lift her up, [but] she was already dead. And, exactly the same … next my wife is there. That’s the end of the story of my daughter, my wife.”

Subramani Christopher

Christopher, 28, was a driver and odd jobs man who died in the blast at St Anthony's church in Colombo. He was originally from Akuressa in the south of the country, but was working in Colombo, where he lived in a tiny house near the church for which he paid 10,000 ($57; £44) rupees a month. He had been married only 11 months. He had gone to church with his wife and infant son on Easter. His wife and child survived but he did not.

Enosh Silva

Enosh , 12, of Sri Lanka, was one of several children killed at St. Sebastian’s church, his father told Agence France-Presse.

Agnes, Alfred and Alma Povlsen

Three children of the billionaire fashion tycoon behind Asos also died. Anders Holch Povlsen, Denmark’s wealthiest man and one of the largest landowners in Scotland, lost three of his four children. A spokesman for his company declined to give further details.

Many victims were citizens of other countries who came on vacation or on a business trip to Sri Lanka:

BRITAIN:

Sri Lanka's top diplomat in Britain says authorities know of eight British nationals killed in the bombings.

Among them were lawyer Anita Nicholson, son Alex Nicholson and daughter Annabel Nicholson, her husband, Ben Nicholson, confirmed in a statement.

INDIA:

Indian officials say eight Indians died in the attacks.

DENMARK:

The Bestseller clothing chain confirmed Danish media reports that three of the children of its owner, business tycoon Anders Holch Povlsen, were killed in the attacks.

SPAIN:

Spain's Foreign Ministry says a Spanish man and woman were killed but didn't provide further details.

AUSTRALIA:

Australia's Prime Minister Scott Morrison says two Australian citizens were killed.

CHINA:

Chinese state media say two of the country's citizens died in the blasts.

UNITED STATES:

The State Department says at least four Americans were killed and several others seriously injured. It gave no details about the victims' identities.

SWITZERLAND:

The Foreign Ministry says two Swiss nationals, one of whom also had the citizenship of another country it didn't name, died in the attacks. It said a third member of the family, who had two non-Swiss citizenships, also was killed. It didn't identify the victims.

OTHERS:

The Netherlands, Japan and Portugal have also confirmed their nationals were among the dead.

I am very sorry that I can not tell you about all the dead people in this terrible and senseless terrorist attack. I am very sorry that this happened. Remember

#Sri Lanka #Victims #attack #terrorist #terrorist attack.#sri lanka bombings

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topfygad · 4 years

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Corfu island – epitomizes the Magic of the Greek Isles

Corfu Ionian Islands The Greek IslandsApril 16, 2020

The reason Corfu is one of the most beautiful islands in Greece is that it one of the greenest, with dense vegetation. The island is located in the Ionian island group, west of the Greek mainland.

Despite the island attracting a lot of visitors, it has retained its wild beauty, making it perfect for hikes along narrow mountain paths and trails. On these walks, you’ll experience the wondrous nature of the island as well as tiny villages, monasteries, monuments and splendid views of the Ionian Sea. The trails are marked by yellow signs and the walks are most times suitable for kids as well.

Corfu Island: Just so Much Variety

Much of Corfu is mountainous. In fact, it was during the Middle Ages that the island had the name Corypho which actually means ‘Place with peaks’. It is thought to have been named after the two peaks of the island’s highest mountain Pantokrator. Most places on the island are visible from the mountain peak.

The beauty of the island isn’t confined to just one part of the island either, and magnificent resorts are spread around the island. If you had to choose, you might opt for the north of the island as it is more hilly and there are lots of beautiful little bays.

You’ll be amazed at the crystal clear water and coves. The island has some 217 kilometers of coast, but if you’re not a beach lover, the interior has plenty to offer as well.

A Mix of Sightseeing, Nightlife and Shopping

If you want a taste of what Corfu is all about, there are many half- and full-day tours for those who want a taste of the place. Corfu is always a popular destination and you can also hire a minibus with driver and enjoy a magical day of sightseeing. A trip like this could include Aqualand, Achilleion Palace, the view of Mouse Island or the must-see monastery at Paleokastritsa, set on a hill about the beach.

Achilleion Palace

A trip to the old town to explore the fortress and do some shopping has to be on your to-do list as well. Speaking of shopping, for those who want to make waves in Corfu and don’t mind bending their bank balances, there is a never-ending list of must-see and must-do activities.

Best Time to Visit Corfu

The beauty of visiting the Greek isles is that they are pretty much all-year-around holiday destinations. However, it also depends on what experience you’re looking for.

The climate on Corfu is generally mild with hot and dry Summers and mild winters. The winter may appeal to those who want to avoid the crowds as this is when the island is extremely quiet. Many of the restaurants and hotels actually close.

January is the coldest month on the island and July and August are the hottest months with temperatures being capable of soaring to 35°C(95°F), with some days becoming even hotter. With such high temperatures, you’ll want to be on the beach, but you’ll be sharing the sand with plenty of other beach visitors as July and August are the island’s peak tourist times.

Everything is expensive in Corfu over this peak holiday time. If you visit out of these peak times you can cut down a great deal on your flight and accommodation costs.

How to get to Corfu

Airplane flying over Mouse Island

It is one of the easiest islands to visit from the UK, with direct flights from many of the airports and all flying to Corfu International Airport. Incidentally, the Kanoni area offers excellent views of the airport and it can be quite entertaining watching the planes taking off and landing.

There are flights every day and all year from Athens to the airport at Corfu. During the island’s high season, there are also charter flights available from all over Europe.

Book you taxi in advance

Private airport pickup can be pre-arranged and this will save you all the hassle. You can Book Your Corfu Airport Taxi – to get you directly from the airport straight to your hotel and they usually have the same price of a taxi or a little bit more. The best thing is that even if your flight is delayed, you’ll have no problem as the driver will be monitoring the flight anyway. You will be met by the driver holding a name sign as soon as you come out at the arrivals with a bottle of water and city map.

To get you into the holiday mood, you can catch one of the open ferries or hydrofoils from various ports such as from Paxi, Brindisi, Trieste, Patras or Igoumenitsa.

Getting Around the Island

If you’re a fitness fanatic, you may want to rent a bike on the island as it’s a great, affordable way to see Corfu. There are quite a few bicycle rentals but the one which comes to mind is Corfu Cycles.

You can rent one of their bikes or even join one of their cycling tours. When you hire a bike from them you get helmet, lock, repair kit, bottle holder and a safety vest plus roadside assistance which is included in the price. They will also deliver and pick up your bike if needed.

Buses are another way to get around. The main bus terminal in Corfu is San Rocco Square. The green buses are long-distance and the blue buses are short-distance. Local blue buses depart from the local bus station in Corfu Old Town. Ticket prices are according to the journey length. Tickets can be bought on the bus. You’ll notice that bus services are somewhat reduced over the weekend.

There is also a Day Ticket which costs roughly 5,50 € and which is valid for a day, offering unlimited rides for all destinations.

Car- and scooter rentals are also available. To hire these transport-modes, you have to be 21 years of age. Both cars and bikes can be delivered to where you are staying.

Shopping in Corfu:

Shops open for business between 8-9 am to 2:30 pm. They close for siesta time, opening doors again at 5:30 pm until 8:30 – 9:00pm. Most shops are closed on Sunday.

Main town in Corfu:

Corfu Town is the capital of the Greek island of Corfu. The Old Town of Corfu city is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is absolutely beautiful and you’ll love the Venetian architecture found alongside the quaint, winding cobblestone streets. Here are some of the highlights which you should definitely put on your list of places to see:

St. Spyridon Church

The Saint Spyridon Church is one of the most important landmarks on Corfu. Dedicated to the patron saint of the island, Saint Spyridon, it was built in the 1580s and houses his relics. The beautiful single-nave basilica with its imposing bell tower is visible from various parts of Corfu Old Town.

The Old Fortress of Corfu

This imposing Venetian fortress is hard to miss. As it dominates the front part of the Corfu Old Town, this massive fortification plays a crucial role in the history of Corfu.

The entrance to the Old Fortress is located just a short walk from Liston Square and to reach the grounds you must cross a small wooden bridge. From here you can enjoy wonderful views of Corfu’s Old Town. There is also a fabulous lighthouse known as the Sea-Town which offers spectacular views.

Spianada

This large square in front of the Corfu Old Town set across from the Old Fortress, is one of the largest squares in Greece. Liston which was build by the French is part of the Spianada square and houses numerous cafes and bars.

Cricket matches used to be played on the Esplanade, the only place in Greece where this sport was played.

Museum of Asian Art

Located right in the heart of Corfu’s Old Town inside the Palace of St. Michael and St. George it is the only museum in Greece which is dedicated to the art of Asia and features a remarkable collection of Chinese, Japanese and India art among others. In the summer there are several concerts taking place at the outdoor premises of the museum.

The New Fortress of Corfu

The New Fortress is a Venetian fortification built on the hill of St. Mark in Corfu in several stages.The original structure was completed in the 16th century by a military engineer Ferrante Vitelli and is located across from the Old Fortress. What is visible today inside the fortress are works which were built by the British during their ruling in Corfu.

Mon Repos Palace

A neoclassical building set at the east side of Paleopolis, which was Corfu’s ancient city. It was built in 1830 by the British Commissioner Sir Frederick Adam right at the beginning of the Kanoni peninsula opposite the ruins of Paleopolis. It is not as glorious as the Achilleion palace yet it overs spectacular sea views extending all the way to the eastern coast of Corfu island.

Nightlife in Corfu:

Corfu is one of the most cosmopolitan of the Greek Islands with a vibrant nightlife. The island is geared towards tourism and it presents its visitors and locals with an excellent line-up of trendy restaurants, bars and nightclubs.

Most of the pubs and bars open early in the morning and remain so past midnight into the early hours of the morning. The nightlife is offered at lots of different venues, from restaurants to disco clubs to lap dance clubs and pool halls.

The most popular night-life destinations are Kavos, Ipsos, Sidari, Dassia, Glyfada and Paleokastritsa. If loud music, dancing and exotic cocktails are your thing, then Corfu won’t disappoint.

Fun & Unique Things to Do in Corfu

Governor Olive Oil

The Dafnis family has revived the olive oil production on Corfu. The family olive grove is located in Agios Mathaios, where three generations have been cultivating the aged Lianolia variety olive trees in the family grove. Producing a high quality, award winning olive oil, the Governor has quickly gained world recognition as one of the premium olive oil brands in the world.

The passion for what they do is evident from the moment you step foot on their family olive grove, and when meeting the Dafnis brothers I was instantly impressed by their dedication, — it is truly inspiring. This is definitely one of the top experiences on Corfu, which you absolutely shouldn’t miss.

Aqualand

Like all resort islands, Corfu offers tourists and locals unlimited activities to enjoy whether you’re single, a couple, a family or a group. Located on the main road, Aqualand is a must. It is equipped with thrilling slides and pools and is surrounded by beautiful green forests.

There are free sunbeds and umbrellas and lots of restaurants and cafes to keep visitors fed. Qualified lifeguards make sure everyone has a safe, happy time. For all it offers, it is small wonder it’s known as one of the best waterparks in Europe.

Culinary travel

Greek cuisine is so decadently delicious so that many visitors who have tried it want to know more. Food lovers can get the chance to experience fantastic Greek restaurants and learn to cook at the same time. Ambelonas is more than just a restaurant and vineyard. The owner transformed a small artisan food business into a vineyard, restaurant and a venue for light-hearted, casual cooking classes.

Cooking classes take place outdoors, under the tree arches where you participate as a cook or you can just watch. You’ll learn how to make Zucchini pie and Sofrito cooked with white wine and lots of garlic. The Ambelonas restaurant is rated as one of the best in Corfu.

You can also attend pasta making classes, visit a vineyard for wine tasting or visit an olive oil farm where high quality olive oils are produced.

Boat Hire

Did you know that you can hire a boat and cruise around Corfu’s coastline? Check out Agni Boats as they offer a big selection of boats for hire with all the mandatory safety equipment in place.

You can stop over at any of the quiet, beautiful bays and coves along the coast. You get support throughout the rental period and it’s a super, cool way to see some of the island from this fun activity.

Festivals and Markets

Corfu is a vibrant cosmopolitan island and there are always celebrations, festivals, concerts and markets happening. Quite frankly it is beyond the scope of this guide to include all the events planned in Corfu.

Paleokastritsa Monastery

The variety of the island is such that a person needs to spend a year just to get an idea of all that takes place. The Paleokastrítsa’s Varkarola Festival for instance in August commemorates the Ottoman siege of 1716 and there are mock naval battles and plenty of fireworks.

There is also a sardine festival in August as well The Agiotfest soul, rock and folk festival in August.

Best Beaches on Corfu

Ermones Beach:

This most beautiful beach is found about 18 km west of Corfu. It’s a quiet beach, while being busy enough for those who like to take in everything from behind dark sunglasses.

Water sports lovers will be pleased to know that there is a diving center that operates at the beach as the water is super clear for snorkeling and diving. There are plenty of taverns and cafes along the beach as well as beach umbrellas and deck-chairs to ensure you can spend the entire day at the beach.

Paleokastritsa:

Paleokastritsa Beach is postcard-beautiful with its turquoise sea, golden sands and harbors. Many people go on boat trips to other beaches along the coast. The village of Paleokastritsa offers beachgoers plenty of taverns overlooking the bay. The main beach of Paleokastritsa is attractively small and is thought to be one of the finest beaches in the Greek islands.

If you’re particularly looking for child-friendly beaches, the west beaches of Glyfada and Pelekas might be worth a visit.

Where to Stay in Corfu

There is no shortage of hotels and other forms of accommodation in Corfu that offer unbelievable value if you find the right one. There are a number of credible tourism partners in Greece that can offer you quality hotel breaks in the Greek isles.

Between the hotels, bed-and-breakfasts and guesthouses, you can find amenities such as swimming pools, tennis courts, gyms, health spas and more.

Marbella Corfu:

This is a magnificent 5-star, air conditioned hotel with the most magnificent views and featuring lots of luxurious features. The hotel also has a water park on-site complete with restaurant and bar. It offers other luxury facilities such as kids play area, wifi, flat-screen TV, nightly entertainment, private bathrooms, free toiletries and 24-hour front desk. Read our hotel review here.

Corfu Villa Rainbow:

Beautifully set amongst olive tree groves, Villa Rainbow rooms & Apartments is excellent, affordable self-catering accommodation. It is made up of clean, comfortable, stylish rooms and apartments offering a host of features to ensure a comfortable stay. It is also well situated to Glyfada- and Kontogialos Beach among others.

Summing Up:

The Greek isles are one of the most visited places in the world, and Corfu is one of the popular islands with its white sandy beaches, clear turquoise seawater, active nightlife, amazing nature and unlimited activities.

Your holiday on the island can be as quiet or as active as you like. It’s always crowded in the Summer months with a vibrant atmosphere. Dance and music lovers will be enraptured with the live venues while the many bars and nightclubs attract their own jubilant crowds.

The activities on Corfu are endless, the accommodation vast and varied, with everything being laid on with visitors in mind. It’s no wonder that when you tell people where you’re headed they’re jealous, because Corfu is filled with all the ingredients to ensure that visitors have the time of their lives.

PIN IT!

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therappundit · 5 years

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The Best of the 1st Half -*2019 Pundit’s PlayLi$t*

Yeah so quite a bit has gone down since the ball dropped.

Everyone talks about how having a baby can change a person, but in my opinion it doesn’t change a person as much as it evolves a person into someone that can still love all of the stuff they always loved, *plus* a little person that they now put before anything else in their day to day life. My friends, that is where I am at in this moment in life. No, I do not write as much as I used to, but I’m happier now than have been in some time, and I love music just as much as I ever did. I am still learning the balance, but I’m also pretty excited to have a little daughter that I will be able to share my highly opinionated thoughts on hip-hop with, whether she wants to hear them or not (most likely not).

These rankings are based on the following key factors: my personal favorites (this is technically not just a list of my favorite songs), plus songs that I thought were especially well done or influential (even if they may not have resonated me as much as everyone else), diverse (I didn’t want to have 10 songs from the same artist, but I would have if I was only basing this list on personal faves), especially strong production and/or verses, and the song had to be officially released prior to July 1st.

As for the year in rap music in general up through the close of June, it has been a strong one. What the genre has lacked in strong “mainstream” releases, it has made up for with enough fantastic underground hip-hop projects that belong in steady rotation for a long time. So here it is, at last, my list of the best rap songs of the first half of 2019… 🙏

1. “Palmolive” - Freddie Gibbs & Madlib feat. Pusha T & Killer Mike

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NSn_r2w-idg

(Bandana is quite an album, and “Palmolive” is quite a song. One terrific verse from Freddie, a great hook from Killer Mike, and then a verse of the year front runner with Pusha’s verse, all over a soulful Madlib back-drop?? Yikes. Freddie Gibbs & Madlib have made all rap fans very proud in 2019.)

2. “Thank God” - Tree

https://soundcloud.com/mctreeg/thank-god?in=mctreeg/sets/wegrownnow

(Tree’s We Grown Now is such an amazing album. I can’t recall the last time I heard a project that felt like a living, breathing work of art that logs the life of a man that has been through life’s ups and downs and is just happy to be here to talk about it.)

3. “Crown For Kings” - Benny feat. Black Thought

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AtTu_TC3f6A

(Blown away. Black Thought and Griselda?? Bars on top of bars on top of bars...two verse of the year contenders, easily.)

4. “Ricky” - Denzel Curry

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3WHm6tfvKlk

(As soon as you press play, you can feel the humidity coming off of this song as if we were in the crowd with Curry down in Florida. A wonderful homage to his father, and the Carol City of which he hails.)

5. “Massage Seats” - Freddie Gibbs & Madlib

https://soundcloud.com/gangstagibbs/massage-seats?in=gangstagibbs/sets/bandana-16

(Smooth as Helllll. “This ain’t for soccer mamas this is for the underground” is right.)

6. “Funeral March (The Dirge)” - Your Old Droog feat. Mach-Hommy

https://soundcloud.com/your-old-droog/funeral-march-the-dirge-feat?in=your-old-droog/sets/it-wasnt-even-close-1

(One of the hardest sounding songs in recent memory. I can hear these too aggressive rhymers do this all day.)

7. “Crime Pays” - Freddie Gibbs & Madlib

https://soundcloud.com/gangstagibbs/crime-pays?in=gangstagibbs/sets/bandana-16

(So quintessential to Bandana’s vibe this thing feels like it has a pulse. I was listening to this on my walk home the other day and it put me in such a breezy headspace, I can’t even describe it any other way than simply saying it’s another classic Madlib production.)

8. “5 to 50” - Benny feat. India

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QQGRPxrHtjI

(Captivating. Benny and The Alchemist join forces to concoct a song so real it makes 90% of drug dealer talk in rap music sound phony.)

9. “There U R” - Tree

https://soundcloud.com/mctreeg/there-u-r?in=mctreeg/sets/wegrownnow

(Give this man his flowers now. There are a lot of talented artists in rap music, but none tackle a song like an old Blues man...none except Tree, that is.)

10. “Freestyle Shit” - Freddie Gibbs & Madlib

https://soundcloud.com/gangstagibbs/freestyle-s-t?in=gangstagibbs/sets/bandana-16

(Pffffew, that Gibbs delivery....right from the get-go on the album’s first song it’s so clear that Bandana is a special project.)

11. “Sunday School” - Benny feat. 38 Spesh & Jadakiss

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ero1Xexyhs

(Good luck picking the best verse here! All three kill it, but Spesh may end up pulling ahead with a few key haymakers.)

12. “Situations” - Freddie Gibbs & Madlib

https://soundcloud.com/gangstagibbs/situations?in=gangstagibbs/sets/bandana-16

(One of Bandana’s more minimalistic instrumentals, and it takes off thanks to the jet pack provided by Gibbs’ absolutely sensational contributions on this one.)

13. “Cokewhite” - Goldlink feat. Pusha T

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8zCGiHhTxMM

(One of a few verse of the year contenders from King Push.)

14. “Funeral” - Tree & Parallel Thought

https://parallelthought1.bandcamp.com/track/funeral

(I hope with all of my heart that songs like this aren’t part of Tree’s process of letting go of the music biz, but even if it is, what a beautiful way to go out.)

15. “Bandana” - Freddie Gibbs & Madlib feat. Assassin

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yWCciqqzno4

(While it may not have made the final cut of the Bandana album that shares it’s name, this reggae-tinged Madlib blessed riot starter has been one of my favorite songs of the year since it dropped and it keeps feeling better to me.)

16. “Flights” - Tree

https://soundcloud.com/mctreeg/flights?in=mctreeg/sets/wegrownnow

(Tree kills it with the autobiographical joints, and this soulful walk down memory lane is as enthralling as an audio diary.)

17. “To Whom It May Concern” - Jim Jones feat. Cam'ron, Guordan Banks, Benny The Butcher and Conway

https://soundcloud.com/jim-jones-capo/to-whom-it-may-concern-feat-camron-guordon-banks-benny-the-butcher-conway-the-machine?in=jim-jones-capo/sets/el-capo

(A Dipset and Griselda collaboration is enough to make someone like me get emotional...anyone have a tissue, this Benny-Cam’ron-Conway back to back series is too much to handle!?)

18. “Dominate” - DJ Muggs & Eto

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DxjTKqpMHIE

(Straight menace music. Muggs & Eto would have made Mobb Deep proud with “Dominate”...especially Muggs, this beat is brutal!)

19. “Under The Train (Transporting)” - Your Old Droog

https://soundcloud.com/your-old-droog/under-the-train-transporting-1

(Droog’s Transportation album may be the perfect travelling companion for moving through the streets of NYC, and this song may be the crown jewel. This has the feel of a classic New York anthem and I am crazy for it.)

20. “Obamacare” - Quelle Chris

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L-F19d5PcJY

(Another year, another thought provoking Quelle Chris project. He seems to be getting better with age, is that possible?)

21. “Attics” - DJ Muggs & Eto

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1UmYxcv4YTs

(Sure Muggs & Eto dropped a banger of an album with Hell’s Roof, .but “Attics” has the strength to be a career defining track for Eto. This is dark poetry from the hungriest parts of upstate NY.)

22. “ZUU” - Denzel Curry

https://soundcloud.com/denzelcurryph/zuu?in=denzelcurryph/sets/zuu-3

(A rousing intro to what I would consider the best “mainstream” rap album of 2019 so far.)

23. “Chasing Ghosts” - Your Old Droog feat. Roc Marciano

https://soundcloud.com/your-old-droog/chasing-ghosts-feat-roc?in=your-old-droog/sets/it-wasnt-even-close-1

(What a great example of why these two are so good at what they do. Eerie underground hip-hop at its’ finest.)

24. “Giannis” - Freddie Gibbs & Madlib feat. Anderson .Paak

https://soundcloud.com/gangstagibbs/giannis-feat-anderson-paak?in=gangstagibbs/sets/bandana-16

(One of the funkier standouts from Bandana, and album full of standouts. Paak and Gibbs tap dance all over this one.)

25. “18 Wheeler” - Benny feat. Pusha T

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JdZC8uBwJ4Q&list=PLVipAi3U-JouPCQvz3KoH2B1VAKAZc7m4&index=6

(At this point, what else needs to be said about the potency of these two rap-writers? Calling it “coke rap” wouldn’t even begin to explain how good these two are when it comes to rapping.)

26. “Cubicle” - Buddy feat. 03 Greedo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nZ9Yw7i_Fo8

(What a slept-on smash from Buddy and 03 Greedo. Both artists do the West Coast proud with one of my favorite cuts off of the deluxe edition of Harlan & Alondra.)

27. “AUTOMATIC” - Denzel Curry

https://soundcloud.com/denzelcurryph/automatic?in=denzelcurryph/sets/zuu-3

(Denzel Curry and Tay Keith prove to be a potent combination on this ZUU banger.)

28. “IMG” - Nolan The Ninja

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8vNvRLIQHVs

(Nolan has blessed us with a number of great songs in 2019, but I think this one epitomizes just how much he has progressed as a rap artist.)

29. “Make No Issues Of It” - Jim Jones

https://soundcloud.com/jim-jones-capo/make-no-issues-of-it?in=jim-jones-capo/sets/el-capo

(Jimmy did his thing...but Heatmakerz kicks the damn door down.)

30. “Splinters” - Fly Anakin & Tuamie feat. ANKHLEJOHN & Al.Divino

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZWORdUQAEcc

(Just a chilling collaboration from some of the best artists that underground hip-hop has to offer, that’s all.)

31. “Deadass” - Kemba

https://soundcloud.com/kembaland/deadass-2

(Unfortunately, in any other era this should have been a huge rap hit. Fortunately, in this era it can be praised as one of the best underground smashes of the year.)

32. “Wild Minks” - Quelle Chris feat. Mach-Hommy

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4dQmPX1C0Vk

(Quelle and Mach make beautiful music together, and they don’t come much more beautiful than this one.)

33. “Education” - Freddie Gibbs & Madlib feat. Yasiin Bey & Black Thought

https://soundcloud.com/gangstagibbs/education-feat-yasiin-bey?in=gangstagibbs/sets/bandana-16

(As if that line-up isn’t enough to make any hip-hop head salivate, what’s even more impressive is the final product manages to meet expectations.)

34. “Dynasties” - Tedy Andreas

https://soundcloud.com/tedyandreas/dynasties-prod-graphwize

(Dope beat, dope MC and a killer hook. I can’t be the only longterm fan that Tedy earned with this one.)

35. “Flat Tummy Tea” - Freddie Gibbs & Madlib

https://soundcloud.com/gangstagibbs/flat-tummy-tea

(I liked it when it first dropped, love it even more now. Freddie straight MURDERS this one...)

36. “Eedeot Bwoy” - Mach-Hommy feat. Your Old Droog & Tha God Fahim

https://soundcloud.com/mach-hommy/eedeot-bwoy-feat-tha-god-fahim?in=mach-hommy/sets/wap-konn-joj-1

(What a great year for both Mach & Droog. This joint feels like 3:00AM Wake Up Show music...and I love that!)

37. “2016” - Jamal Gasol

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wxEBzhV6Ar4

(True Stories is quite possibly my favorite project from Gasol’s impressive discography, and this one has been in my rotation for all of 2019 thus far. Jamal is another one of upstate New York’s gem MCs, so if you’re a fan of Benny and Griselda, definitely check out Niagara’s Jamal Gasol.)

38. “Field Negro” - Royce Da 5′9″

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-yDmU881LTo

(An unorthodox production anchored by one of the best writers in the history of the genre, that’s all. Royce murders this thing with so many quotables...yet you’re still somehow sleeping on Royce???)

39. “Know The Type” - Lansky Jones feat. CJ Fly & Mr. Muthafuckin' Exquire

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=riRJk2QiROI

(What happens when a collection of some of NYC’s most talented, but least heralded MC’s join forces to deliver what sounds like a classic mid-90′s throwback joint? They create one of the smoothest rap songs of 2019.)

40. “Spider Hole” - Billy Woods & Kenny Segal

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t1WBEi5LlkI

(Beautifully bleak music from Billy Woods and Kenny Segal, who demonstrate brilliant chemistry throughout Hiding Places.)

41. “Bad Boys” - Pivot Gang (Joseph Chilliams, Saba, MFnMelo) feat. Smino

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UCaBVqi4Rag

(This one didn’t blow up - at least not yet - but I have no idea why!? This track, like so much of Pivot Gang’s You Can’t Sit With Us album, is such a fantastic showcase for Chi-town’s deep hip-hop scene.)

42. “Last Supper” - Eto & DJ Muggs feat. Meyhem Lauren

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zCc47fVzptU

(A dope song from a dope album, sure...but it’s that Meyhem verse that catapults this joint into the top 50 of the year through June. “I don’t have kids just clothes, cars & cribs” is easily one of the year’s best opening bars!)

43. “$ream - Rigz (Da Cloth)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=piGwjW27ZRQ

(Not just one of Rochester’s finest, Rigz is quite simply one of hip-hop’s finest MC’s.)

44. “HolOnHolOn” - Fly Anakin & Tuamie

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SCbgGn2BXUc&list=PLAfLqY9BQJkyjUuDAEn7cehQ3DZWAZogX&index=4

(Another GORGEOUS track from Mutant Academy. Is it me or does Tuamie channel some Jay Dee-esque vibes with this one?)

45. “Jason Statham, Pt. 2” - Pivot Gang (Joseph Chilliams, Saba, MFnMelo)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qy57oefUZXg

(A very dope song from a very dope album. Pivot Gang’s project deserved all of the attention that Revenge of the Dreamers received, and then some. This is Chicago all-star work.)

46. “CAROLMART” - Denzel Curry feat. Ice Billion Berg

https://soundcloud.com/denzelcurryph/carolmart-feat-ice-billion?in=denzelcurryph/sets/zuu-3

(One of the bounciest joints on a very bouncy album, here Denzel successfully harkens back to the regional style that influenced him without sounding even the slightest bit dated.)

47. “Down” - JID, Bas, J. Cole, EARTHGANG & Young Nudy (Dreamville)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ibvxfN7G6Gs

(The names in this line-up were enough to keep the hype building for Revenge of the Dreamers 3. However, it’s the performance of the artists on the track that have kept it in heavy rotation over here.)

48. “207” - Your Old Droog

https://soundcloud.com/your-old-droog/207-1

(Weaving funny lyrics with poignant observations has always been one of Your Old Droog’s specialties. By tackling personal topics such as agoraphobia and his general anti-social behavior Droog is able to elevate this song to stand-out status.)

49. “Only Built For Corrilinks” - Quadry & Tuamie

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ZXufjWO1E4

(Travelling waaaay under the radar is Baton Rouge’s Quadry, who dropped a stellar project helmed by rising underground producer extraordinaire, Tuamie. The duo’s Emergency Raps, Vol. 5 is a quick but impressive listen.)

50. “Oaks” - BULLIES (Denmark Vessey, DrxQuinnx and Azarias)

https://fxckrxp.bandcamp.com/track/oaks

(A criminally underrated project that stands amongst this year’s finest, Denmark, Quinn & Azarias have fantastic musical chemistry that can be found all across the Bullies album. In another time and another place, Bullies would fit in well alongside Def Jux’s starting line-up.)

***Selections #51-#100***:

https://therappundit.tumblr.com/post/186668563851/the-best-of-the-1st-half-2019-pundits

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ineffablefool · 5 years

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India update: it is Thursday morning here now, so one and one half days left in the office. Tomorrow night we fly to Delhi, then there's not quite one day in a hotel there (which I forgot when I was packing, whoops), and then we fly for home really late Saturday local time. Should be back in my own house like 8 pm Sunday evening CST if nothing goes horribly wrong!

I am looking forward to getting out of here SO MUCH. I love our team here, but I do not love having to go through a week of being extra-misgendered, feeling like a colonialist (we definitely get e.g. lighter security screenings because we're white, and what are you going to do, *argue questions of racial equity* with the guy who has semi-automatic weight backing his moral argument?), and not being able to drink or rinse with the tap water.

And, of course, I'm looking forward to not being 10.5 hours off from my normal dash/discord activity anymore. And having a computer! With a real keyboard and a mouse!!! People who are leaving me long AO3 comments or emails this week are... not getting responses in a timely manner, I'll tell you that much.

#ineffablefool original post #ineffablefool is going to india for a bit #it feels weird to be the privileged white person complaining abt feeling privileged but... like...#we spent 4 grand US for personal platonic Crowley's ticket #and my work spent 4 grand for mine #and then all the other expenditures #even if a local 5 star hotel does work out to like 50 bucks a night and food is fairly cheap too #there's still.........so much thst could have been done with that money that would be more useful for humanity #idk #I'm just tired of watching personal platonic Crowley go through the normal people line while I go through the freak line #and of not being able to drink anything cold but soda #modern problems

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spinayarnindia · 5 years

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Grasp All, Loose All

Once, in former times, there lived in a certain city in India a poor oil-seller, called Déna, who never could keep any money in his pockets; and when this story begins he had borrowed from a banker, of the name of Lena, the sum of one hundred rupees; which, with the interest Lena always charged, amounted to a debt of three hundred rupees. Now Déna was doing a very bad business, and had no money with which to pay his debt, so Lena was very angry, and used to come round to Déna’s house every evening and abuse him until the poor man was nearly worried out of his life. Lena generally fixed his visit just when Déna’s wife was cooking the evening meal, and would make such a scene that the poor oil-seller and his wife and daughter quite lost their appetites, and could eat nothing. This went on for some weeks, till, one day, Déna said to himself that he could stand it no longer, and that he had better run away; and, as a man cannot fly easily with a wife and daughter, he thought he must leave them behind. So that evening, instead of turning into his house as usual after his day’s work, he just slipped out of the city without knowing very well where he was going.

At about ten o’clock that night Déna came to a well by the wayside, near which grew a giant peepul tree; and, as he was very tired, he determined to climb it, and rest for a little before continuing his journey in the morning. lip he went and curled himself so comfortably amongst the great branches that, overcome with weariness, he fell fast asleep. Whilst he slept, some spirits, who roam about such places on certain nights, picked up the tree and flew away with it to a far-away shore where no creature lived, and there, long before the sun rose, they set it down. Just then the oil-seller awoke; but instead of finding himself in the midst of a forest, he was amazed to behold nothing but waste shore and wide sea, and was dumb with horror and astonishment. Whilst he sat up, trying to collect his senses, he began to catch sight here and there of twinkling, flashing lights, like little fires, that moved and sparkled all about, and wondered what they were. Presently he saw one so close to him that he reached out his hand and grasped it, and found that it was a sparkling red stone, scarcely smaller than a walnut. He opened a corner of his loincloth and tied the stone in it; and by-and-by he got another, and then a third, and a fourth, all of which he tied up carefully in his cloth. At last, just as day was breaking, the tree rose, and, flying rapidly through the air, was deposited once more by the well where it had stood the previous evening.

When Déna had recovered a little from the fright which the extraordinary antics of the tree had caused him, he began to thank Providence that he was alive, and, as his love of wandering had been quite cured, he made his way back to the city and to his own house. Here he was met and soundly scolded by his wife, who assailed him with a hundred questions and reproaches. As soon as she paused for breath, Déna replied:

‘I have only this one thing to say, just look what I have got !’ And, after carefully shutting all the doors, he opened the corner of his loin-cloth and showed her the four stones, which glittered and flashed as he turned them over and over.

‘Pooh !’ said his wife, ‘the silly pebbles ! If it was something to eat, now, there’d be some sense in them; but what’s the good of such things?’ And she turned away with a sniff, for it had happened that the night before, when Lena had come round as usual to storm at Déna, he had been rather disturbed to find that his victim was from home, and had frightened the poor woman by his threats. Directly, however, he heard that Déna had come back, Lena appeared in the doorway. For some minutes he talked to the oil-seller at the top of his voice, until he was tired, then Déna said:

‘If your honour would deign to walk into my humble dwelling, I will speak.’

So Lena walked in, and the other, shutting as before all the doors, untied the corner of his loin-cloth and showed him the four great flashing stones.

‘This is all,’ said he, ‘that I have in the world to set against my debt, for, as your honour knows, I haven’t a penny, but the stones are pretty !’

Now Lena looked and saw at once that these were magnificent rubies, and his mouth watered for them; but as it would never do to show what was in his mind, he went on:

‘What do I care about your stupid stones ? It is my money I want, my lawful debt which you owe me, and I shall get it out of you yet somehow or another, or it will be the worse for you.’

To all his reproaches Déna could answer nothing, but sat with his hands joined together beseechingly, asking for patience and pity. At length Lena pretended that, rather than have a bad debt on his hand, he would be at the loss of taking the stones in lieu of his money; and, whilst Déna nearly wept with gratitude, he wrote out a receipt for the three hundred rupees; and, wrapping the four stones in a cloth, he put them into his bosom, and went off to his house.

‘How shall I turn these rubies into money ?’ thought Lena, as he walked along; ‘I daren’t keep them, for they are of great value, and if the rajah heard that I had them he would probably put me into prison on some pretence and seize the stones and all else that I have as well. But what a bargain I have got ! Four rubies worth a king’s ransom, for one hundred rupees ! Well, well, I must take heed not to betray my secret.’ And he went on making plans. Presently he made up his mind what to do, and, putting on his cleanest clothes, he set off to the house of the chief wazir, whose name was Mush, and, after seeking a private audience, he brought out the four rubies and laid them before him.

The wazir’s eyes sparkled as he beheld the splendid gems.

‘Fine, indeed,’ murmured he. ‘I can’t buy them at their real value; but, if you like to take it, I will give you ten thousand rupees for the four.’

To this the banker consented gratefully; and, handing over the stones in exchange for the rupees, he hurried home, thanking his stars that he had driven such a reasonable bargain and obtained such an enormous profit.

After Lena had departed the wazir began casting about in his mind what to do with the gems; and very soon determined that the best thing to do was to present them to the rajah, whose name was Kahré. Without losing a moment, he went that very day to the palace, and sought a private interview with the rajah; and when he found himself alone with his royal master, he brought the four jewels and laid them before him.

‘Oh, ho !’ said the rajah, ‘these are priceless gems, and you have done well to give them to me. In return I give you and your heirs the revenues of ten villages.’

Now the wazir was overjoyed at these words, but only made his deepest obeisance; and, whilst the king put the rubies into his turban, hurried away beaming with happiness at the thought that for ten thousand rupees he had become lord of ten villages. The rajah was also equally pleased, and strolled off with his new purchases to the women’s quarters and showed them to the queen, who was nearly out of her mind with delight. Then, as she turned them over and over in her hands, she said: ‘Ah if I had eight more such gems, what a necklace they would make ! Get me eight more of them or I shall die !’

‘Most unreasonable of women,’ cried the rajah, ‘where am I to get eight more such jewels as these ? I gave ten villages for them, and yet you are not satisfied !’

‘What does it matter ?’ said the rani; ‘do you want me to die ? Surely you can get some more where these came from ?’ And then she fell to weeping and wailing until the rajah promised that in the morning he would make arrangements to get some more such rubies, and that if she would be patient she should have her desire.

In the morning the rajah sent for the wazir, and said that he must manage to get eight more rubies like those he had brought him the day before, ‘and if you don’t I shall hang you,’ cried the rajah, for he was very cross. The poor wazir protested in vain that he knew not where to seek them; his master would not listen to a word he said.

‘You must,’ said he; ‘the rani shall not die for the want of a few rubies! Get more where those came from.’

The wazir left the palace, much troubled in mind, and bade his slaves bring Lena before him. ‘Get me eight more such rubies as those you brought yesterday,’ commanded the wazir, directly the banker was shown into his presence. ‘Eight more, and be quick, or I am a dead man.’

‘But how can I ?’ wailed Lena; ‘rubies like those don’t grow upon bushes !’

‘Where did you get them from?’ asked the wazir.

‘From Déna, the oil-seller,’ said the banker.

‘Well, send for him and ask him where he got them,’ answered the wazir. ‘I am not going to hang for twenty Dénas !’ And more slaves were sent to summon Déna.

When Déna arrived he was closely questioned, and then all three started to see the rajah, and to him Déna told the whole story.

‘What night was it that you slept in the peepul tree ?’ demanded the rajah.

‘I can’t remember,’ said Déna; ‘but my wife will know.’

Then Déna’s wife was sent for, and she explained that it was on the last Sunday of the new moon.

Now everyone knows that it is on the Sunday of the new moon that spirits have special power to play pranks upon mortals. So the rajah forbade them all, on pain of death, to say a word to anyone; and declared that, on the next Sunday of the new moon, they four — Kahré, Mush, Lena and Déna — would go and sit in the peepul tree and see what happened.

The days dragged on to the appointed Sunday, and that evening the four met secretly, and entered the forest. They had not far to go before they reached the peepul tree, into which they climbed as the rajah had planned. At midnight the tree began to sway, and presently it moved through the air.

‘See, sire,’ whispered Déna, ‘the tree is flying !’

‘Yes, yes,’ said the rajah, ‘you have told the truth. Now sit quiet, and we shall see what happens.’

Away and away flew the tree with the four men clinging tightly to its branches, until at last it was set down by the waste sea-shore where a great wide sea came tumbling in on a desert beach. Presently, as before, they began to see little points of light that glistened like fires all around them. Then Déna thought to himself:

‘Think ! last time I only took four that came close to me, and I got rid of all my debt in return. This time I will take all I can get and be rich !’

‘If I got ten thousand rupees for four stones,’ thought Lena, ‘I will gather forty now for myself, and become so wealthy that they will probably make me a wazir at least !’

‘For four stones I received ten villages,’ Musli was silently thinking; ‘now I will get stones enough to purchase a kingdom, become a rajah, and employ wazirs of my own !’

And Kahré thought: ‘What is the good of only getting eight stones? Why, here are enough to make twenty necklaces; and wealth means power !’

Full of avarice and desire, each scrambled down from the tree, spread his cloth, and darted hither and thither picking up the precious jewels, looking the while over his shoulder to see whether his neighbour fared better than be. So engrossed were they in the business of gathering wealth that the dawn came upon them unawares; and suddenly the tree rose up again and flew away, leaving them upon the sea-shore staring after it, each with his cloth heavy with priceless jewels.

Morning broke in the city, and great was the consternation in the palace when the chamberlains declared that the rajah had gone out the evening before and had not returned.

‘Ah !’ said one, ‘it is all right ! Musli wazir will know where he is, for it was he who was the king’s companion.’

Then they went to the wazir’s house, and there they learnt that the wazir had left it the evening before and had not returned; ‘but,’ said a servant, ‘Lena the banker will know where he is, for it was with him that Mush went.’

Then they visited the house of Lena, and there they learnt that the banker had gone out the evening before, and that he too had not returned; but the porter told them that he was accompanied by Déna the oil-seller, so he would know where they were.

So they departed to Déna’s house, and Déna’s wife met them with a torrent of reproaches and wailings, for Déna too had gone off the evening before to Lena’s house and had not returned.

In vain they waited, and searched — never did any of the hapless four return to their homes; and the confused tale which was told by Déna’s wife was the only clue to their fate.

To this day, in that country, when a greedy man has overreached himself, and lost all in grasping at too much, folks say:

‘All has he lost ! — neither Déna, nor Lena, nor Mush, nor Kahré remain.’ And not five men in a hundred know how the proverb began, nor what it really signifies.

#children #short story #storytelling #Podcast #Audiobooks

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dailycrictalk · 2 years

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10 Daily Cricket updates 28 March 2022

Today I am going to share with you 10 daily cricket updates March 28 2022. Which is going on now. So, without delay let's get started with 1st update.

1- 2nd Match DC vs MI highlights. Delhi Capitals on Sunday defeated Mumbai Indians in the 2nd match of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 season at the Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai by 4 wickets. Chasing a target of 178, Lalit Yadav and Axar Patel starred with the bat for DC, adding an unbeaten 75 runs to take the team to a four-wicket win. Lalit (48) and Axar (38) showcased fine counter-attacking skills to take DC home with 10 balls to spare. This came after MI had taken control of the proceedings, following DC's top-order collapse. Earlier, Ishan Kishan scored an unbeaten 81 as Mumbai Indians posted 177 for five after being put on to bat first. Apart from Ishan, skipper Rohit Sharma scored a fine 41 at the top of the order. Rohit and Ishan had given MI a flying start in the powerplay, adding 53 runs without the loss of any wicket. However, Kuldeep Yadav pegged back the five-time champions with the wickets of Rohit Sharma, Anmolpreet Singh and Kieron Pollard. Kuldeep returned with figures of three for 18 while Khaleel Ahmed also picked a couple of wickets. Kuldeep yadev took 3 wickets by giving only 18 runs in his full spell of 4 overs.

2- 3rd Match RCB vs PBKS highlights. It was a solid batting display by both the teams with Punjab Kings (PBKS) eventually beating Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) by 5 wickets in their first match of the season. Chasing 206, the team kicked-off on a good note with Mayank Agarwal and Shikhar Dhawan adding 71 runs in just 7.1 overs. Wanindu Hasaranga then broke the stand, dismissing Mayank on 32(24) balls in his first ball of the season. Dhawan and Bhanuka Rajapaksa continued Punjab's fight and added 47 runs for the second wicket before Harshal Patel provided RCB with their second breakthrough, removing the Indian on 43(29). Rajapaksa also scored the same number of runs in 22 balls before getting out to Mohammed Siraj, who then went to dismiss India's U-19 star Raj Angad Bawa in the following delivery. Liam Livingstone was the final batter to depart as a late cameo by Odean Smith helped PBKS close the match with an over to spare. Earlier in the evening, Faf du Plessis scored 88 off 57 as Royal Challengers finish on 205/2 after being invited to bat first. The RCB skipper found great support from Virat Kohli as the pair added 118 runs for the second wicket. Kohli retuned unbeaten on 41 off 29 balls.

3- No women's IPL in 2022. Indian Premier League (IPL) was started in 2008, and at that time Indian Premier League was for only mens and still now IPL is only organised for mens. Every year the Board of Control Cricket in India (BCCI) talks about conducting Women's IPL, but women's IPL has not been started yet. BCCI organizes T20 Challenge tournament every year in place of Women's IPL. Mens IPL 2022 has already started, and this year too BCCI has officially said that "Women's IPL will not be conducted this year, T20 challenge tournament will be organized". Womens cricket is not given much priority in India and due to this, women's cricket is being growing very slowly. Just as Australia has the men's Big Base League (BBL) every year, Similarly the Big Base League for women is also organized by the Australia Cricket Board. The board of cricket control in India (BCCI) should conduct women's IPL to improve the cricket quality of womens in India.

4- Statement of Liam Livingstone on Monetary value. England batsman Liam Livingstone will be seen playing for the Punjab Kings team in IPL 2022 this year. Liam Livingstone has made a big statement regarding monetary value saying that "We are picked as a cricketer, monetary value is irrelevant".

5- BCCI will earn 16000 from IPL 2022. Every year the board of cricket control in India (BCCI) benefits a lot through IPL. Every season some new company or beans joins with IPL and in this season more than the last few years the company or brand is associated with IPL. The BCCI generates huge amount of revenue every year by the companies joined in IPL. In this season there are 10 teams are taking part in IPL 2022. So IPL teams have got a lot of sponsors from companies, and this can benefit BCCI a lot. A report has come from Dainik Bhaskar and in this report Dainik Bhaskar's company have given very big news. News company Dainik Bhaskar has said that "The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) could get the revenue of RS 16000 CR from IPL 2022".

#cricket #cricket news #ipl 2022 #ipl news #cricket updates #ipl latest news #bcci #icc

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