#Central park 3 Lake Front Towers | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

the-headbop-wraith · 4 years

Text

3 _ 41 _ The Land Time Forgot

Part 3

Late the following morning (no one set an alarm aside from Mystery, and he kicked it off the nightstand) the Mystery Skulls arrived back on the scene of the Fanatical Hypes ™ theme park. The group splint into two, with Vivi and Mystery hitting up an information desk, and scheduling a meet with Mr. Klayton. While she went in to establish the meeting, Arthur and Lewis jammed off to scope around. The main priority of the latter group was get a feel for the general mood of the park, and as usual, keep track of the staff performing mundane services. For this specific case, pay special attention to character actors doing meet-and-greets.

Arthur and Lewis returned to the district where they first encountered the Allosaur, but likely by morning and the park opening, the reconstruction staff had the demolished perimeter repaired totally. Covered up, and not much evidence left in the open for documentation.

The fences were replaced, the hedges and shrubs trimmed back to conceal the shredded branches. Nothing was left for the curious, aside from some footprints in the soil, likely to entice the fascination of a child exploring around.

“Well shit.”

“Language.”

Arthur grumbled to himself as he gnawed on his powdery funnel cake. “It wasn’t like there was much else to check out, anyway.” He followed Lewis, who was leading the way while he leaned hard on aimlessness; distracted by his second breakfast. “Y’think we should check out the attraction in the daylight? Ride it, see if Allo is on the prowl?”

This wasn’t his first choice, it was last on the list. But the list was short, and he was a bit lethargic from the sugar dump and not invested in running cross country over the Ages Gone district. He did rationalize the Allosaur wasn’t present in the ride, if it was damaged the night before – he didn’t see how much – the Allosaur might be decommissioned for repairs. He didn’t want to be a drag on the case, either, even if he wasn’t invested in getting chased top of the morning out of the attraction first thing. Better than putting it off until nightfall, when the creep factor spiked one-hundred percent.

The closed sign was still up, and no lines gathered at the entrance of the Land Time Forgot ride.

“I can turn it on,” he mentioned.

Lewis paused to examine the entrance. “Naw. We should head over to HQ, and meet with Vivi and Mystery. How’s the cake?”

“Hmm.” Arthur shrugged. “Not as good as the ones your Mamma makes.” Lewis smirked. “At least, the ones not sabotaged by heaty spicy.” This got a laugh out of Lewis.

“Every time, I warn you not to leave your food unattended.”

Arthur choked on powdered sugar. “S’not my fault, she’s so crafty!” He tore off a bit of the cake and passed it over.

“No contest?” he prompted, as Lewis nibbled.

“Mmm. Es un poco decepcionante. Then again, it doesn’t have the same fragrance.”

“Ever the connoisseur of pastries and spicies.” Arthur fell in step with Lewis. “if we’re lucky, maybe the thing blew a fuse and fell into one of the lakes.”

An estimated time was set for meeting up with Vivi and Mystery at the main security office, and the central headquarters for the Fanatical Hypes ™. She had to make her way to HQ, after checking in with information and securing a bit of time with Mr. Klayton. The hoops and hurtles took time, and at best was a ‘hurry up and wait’ scenario.

“Everything looks normal,” Lewis mentioned.

“Attendance bein’ low n’all,” Arthur rebounded. He dumped the cardboard box and napkins in a trash reciprocal, and stopped at a bench beside a towering tree. From his own backpack, he produced the bottle of ninety-nine and scrubbed the sweet-sticky off his hands. “I’ll keepin’ an eye out for the Allo chasing team.”

“You wanna chase the Dino Exterminators?”

“Heck no! I wanna know which way to be runnin’, and race out of dodge.” He jammed a thumb up over his shoulder.

Lewis pulled his backpack around front and fished around for the work camera. “Classic Arthur, the brave.” He waved the camera. “Can I get a pic? For the memorias.” It wasn’t important where Arthur relocated to, as long as Lewis moved into position. “Strike a pose.”

Arthur stood, flexing his… noodle arms. “Check out these guns.”

Lewis adjusted the zoom and snapped a picture. “Cojo.”

“Did you say something rude?”

Lewis stuffed the camera back in the backpack and resumed walking. “No.”

“I’m gonna look up that word right now.” He pulled out his phone and began tapping. “Say that word again. C’mon, say it.”

Lewis sighed. “We’re supposed to be working.”

“I’m doing essential research.”

The layout of the security office was not overly complex, and one of the security officers escorted Vivi through the corridors. It was still off-putting with how most the corridors were identical, they might’ve been going around in circles and would be none the wiser. They came through the day before, and Mystery pursued the security guy with every ounce of confidence in his doggy stride. But Mystery was at times overconfident in his own abilities, she usually had to keep an eye on him.

They reached the inner waiting room for Mr. Klayton’s office, a quaint little space where a receptionist worked behind a desk and work station. The previous day, the team didn’t spend much time here. Vivi bid the security escort a thank you and went to the receptionists. In a brief exchange, she gave over her details and offered the temporary ID. The receptionists made a brief call to Mr. Klatyon, and then to Vivi:

“He’ll see you in a moment. Would you like some refreshments?” The receptionist stood a bit and indicated the far side of the room. Both Vivi and Mystery followed the line of sight.

One side of the room reserved space to a short concession table, among some comfortable looking chairs. A mini fridge huddled in the corner, with a glassed in front, revealing chilled snacks and sodas. The offered goodies didn’t appear to be off-brand names, and appeared to be on the pricey side.

Vivi strolled over to the fridge and squinted one eye. “Want a snack?”

Two minutes later, the receptionist was peering over the desk uneasily as the dog and girl cleared out the refreshments. All the cups and trays were in a neat stack on the table, among with two cans of soda with straws sticking out. Mystery was drinking his soda, very politely. Vivi polished off another one of those adult lunchable meal-sets, with the meats and cheeses portioned out, and some crackers. Mystery took up a napkin and dabbed at his snout.

Quite suddenly, the door to Mr. Klayton’s office swung open wide, and three people emerged, mid argument. Not arguing among each other, but speaking loudly in a heated fashion, and being expressive with the tangle of the back and forth. Vivi stood up from the recliner she had claimed, but the door to Mr. Klayton’s office shut. Um, what was she supposed to do? She looked at the receptionists, but they were on the phone.

“—is keep sitting on this debt, we lost money we’re unable to compensate for because he has the models,” one was saying.

Vivi perked.

“We can refurbish the skins,” another was saying. “Get them off our hands. The skins are pliable, the finalized version universal.”

“Excuse me.” Vivi smiled when they stopped and looked her way. The three looked rather distinct with their general style, piercings, and a few tattoos. Nothing over the top or overdone, but they stood out with the clash of the formal blazers and slacks. “I take your meeting went well?”

The smaller guy, he looked the most stressed, took a deep breath. “I hope you did not get commissioned for work with this guy.”

Vivi gave a little wave. “Oh no, don’t worry. No money transactions going on here.” She got her backpack off the recliner and rummaged around. She pulled out a dog toy for Mystery. “You’re talkin’ about skins. That’s heckin’ scary. Mystery, you scared?”

Bark! He loved wail chicken. OH! But he was scared. He took the chicken and slinked under the table. A little whimper would sell his performance.

“Yeah, sorry ‘bout that,” an older girl replied. “Don’t pay attention to that. The owner of this company kind of skimped on our checks for some orders. We want it settled, but contract technicalities.” She sighed and smoothed out her extravagant hair. “We’ll have to explore our options with the court, but right now we don’t want to go there.”

“Oh boy,” Vivi feigned surprise. “Court fees are kind of high. Would it be worth it?”

The group looked around to each other, uncertain, annoyed. The buff guy once more, responded, “It wouldn’t be very profitable, for our company. But we might be able to recover some of our lost appraisal value.”

“That’s why we need to forget it, and just refurbish the skins,” the girl was saying.

“What skins?” Vivi asked innocently. “Like, taxidermy? Is there a taxidermy attraction in the park?” They kind of laughed.

The third member, a stout figure, spoke. “We built some 3-D attractions for the park, we can’t talk much about it due to… corporate copyright protections.”

“Gotcha.” She winked.

“There were two purchases,” he went on. “The endo-structure support, and then the skin cover. We got paid for the mechanical skeleton, but there was… a miscommunication for the covering, and Geoffrey ordered the skins off another supplier.”

“They don’t even look that good,” the buff guy snapped. “We incorporated specialized silicon into the joints, to compensate for wear and tear.”

“None of them are anatomically correct.” The girl was saying.

“That’s enough,” the stout guy said. He checked his phone. “We gotta get going. Another meeting.” He waved his phone Vivi’s way. “Good luck with anything.”

When the trio exited the main door, the buff guy turned back. “Pfft, hope you get your money’s worth.”

Vivi was already digging through her backpack. “We’re not… getting paid.”

The security escort was at the door, holding it while the trio exited. Arthur and Lewis slipped in, Lewis appeared perplexed.

“Paid?” he asked, when the door shut. “Are we getting paid?”

Arthur sighed. “No.”

“Should we?”

“Technically, yes.”

Vivi was busy writing in her notebook. “We’re not getting paid, not this job. We’ll be compensated in something far more valuable.”

Arthur tugged on his goatee. “Pray tell, what is more valuable that cold, hard, cash?”

Lewis prompted, “Liquid assets?”

Mystery barked. He slipped out from under the table, chicken in his teeth.

Arthur was laughing. “God, I love you Lewis.”

Vivi swung her pen at them. “We’re getting paid in unlimited food.”

Bark! Mystery balanced the chicken on his head.

“Exactly. Lifetime passes.” She continued writing in the notebook. “What did you two find out?”

“Well—” Lewis began. The door to Geoffrey Klayton’s office opened, and the business owner’s head poked out.

“Mystery Skulls,” Mr. Klayton called. “Do you have anything to report?”

There wasn’t much to impart onto Geoff or Geoffrey Klaton, manager of Fanatical Hypes ™, and distressed new owner of the park. The most that the Mystery Skulls afforded was a courtesy call, to see if there was anything he could recall. Likewise, if anything was reported by Geoffrey’s staff in the short time the crew was absent, let alone if the Allosaur was making rounds. The team did speculate to the park owner, the animatronic that was malfunctioning might not be a malfunction at all. For the time, this was all the intelligence they would be willing to impart until deeper into the investigation.

“A saboteur?” Mr. Klayton uttered, on the side of disbelief. “I don’t know what you mean. That is to say, I understand your suspect. But who could possibly want to sabotage my theme park?”

Vivi exchanged a glance with Lewis. Both were sitting, with Arthur between them on his phone doing more ‘research’. He hadn’t spoken much since the meeting initiated, his spare arm was draped down an idly scratching at Mystery’s ear.

“You… really can’t think of anyone that would have it out for your park?” Vivi proposed. “A disgruntled worker? A group opposed to the expansion of the park?”

“Or how ‘bout a bright but neglected kid, with a knack for engineering and computer programming,” Lewis tossed in.

Arthur stopped what he was doing and gave Lewis a thousand-yard stare. “Dude, really?”

Lewis huffed and adjusted his ascot. “Don’t underestimate the power of kids. You of all people should know their capabilities.” Arthur gave a shudder, and the topic ended there.

“A rival competitor!” Vivi speculated, with fervor. “Or other theme attraction, such as museum or zoo? Your theme park is a massive draw from other, perhaps lesser-known tourist stops.”

Mr. Klayton thoughtfully stroked his chin. “I suppose all of those are possibilities, but I wouldn’t know where to start.”

Vivi opened her mouth, but stalled out and took a short breath. “Yes,” she sighed. “Well, we know how they plan on defaming your company.”

Lewis took over, “Once we deal with the Allo-dino menance, it’ll dry up their tools. Might even draw them out to confront us, if only to salvage the machine.” He glanced to Arthur, still engrossed with his phone.

Mr. Klayton cleared his throat and leaned back. “I should be the one utilizing the Allosaur nuisance to scare off all the ruffians that come to this park, and vandalize attractions. It costs millions yearly to repair graffiti! Never mind the damage a broken, malfunctioning animatronic causes.”

The group chuckled a little uneasily. After the events the night before, they were more than eager to investigate the human influence behind the machines ‘glitch’, or lack of. The problem wasn’t the mechanical nightmare deviating from its programming, but that it was following someone’s programming to the absolute command.

“It is pretty serious,” Vivi admitted. “We’re rooting for a starting point, and that’ll give us the momentum we need to reach a conclusion with minimal hiccups. You can’t think of… who might have it out for you?” Geoff Klayton wasn’t taking the bait.

He flipped his palms up, shrugging. “I don’t know what to tell you. As a theme park owner, and owner to several trademarks and copyright properties – I have rivals, and I have competitors – any one of them might have the capacity to… rob my attraction of an animatronic.”

“Oh, they didn’t hijack the animatronic.” At last, Arthur spoke up. He continued tapping and swiped on his phone. “It’s not an original of the set you purchased, so technically you don’t own it. I would ask for records on the transaction, those animatronics ordered and supplied. Have that on hand.”

Something in Mr. Klayton’s demeanor changed. “Yes. That would… make sense.”

Arthur pointed to his phone. “I’m going through files for the ride from Influencer Adrenalin Junky Park Enthusiasts, trying to estimate where and how Allo began making first appearances.” He chewed on his knuckle as he returned to the phone. “It’ll narrow down the parties or persons invested in sabotaging your park.”

Mr. Klayton nodded. “All right. You seem to have things under control. Er, please notify me if you learn anything new.”

The meeting didn’t reveal much for the Mystery Skulls, but cashing in and checking Mr. Klayton’s response to the investigation was telling. It was more productive discussing their progress amongst their crew, while meandering through the park and keeping an eye on the boring routine, scouting for the lingering glance that linger too long on the colorful assemble. Someone other than Geoff would be in on their involvement, and it would narrow down who that person or people were, if they were forced to emerge from the shadows rather than hide behind a computer monitor. Given how bare the park was today, it wasn’t difficult to sift through familiar faces.

Directly following the departure from the main headquarters, the group stopped for some late lunch. They planned to make a direct path to the Land Time Forgot attraction, with the aid of a golfcart rented to them for convenience.

“You guys are really taking advantage of the free food gig,” Lewis stated. He had a small crate of fries, bummed off from Arthur’s meal. He should have been the one driving, but he barely managed to catch the golfcart when Vivi sped off.

“I’m a growing boy,” Arthur mumbled, seated in the back-bed reserved for supplies. And him. He loaded the hotdogs with his usual condiments, expertly applying sauces regardless the rock and bumps of the vehicle. “I’m callin’ it now, gonna beat twenty KM tonight. I need calories.”

Woof!

“Yeah-yeah, hold on.” Arthur used the spare plastic cutlery to divide off a piece from one of his hotdogs, and tossed it to Mystery.

“Then there’s this guy following us.” Lewis bit onto the end of his fry tray and pulled his backpack up off the floorboard. He dug out the work camera and began fiddling with the menu on the back. “’Unna ‘end ohh ‘eh ‘ick’ures.”

“Aw, thanks sweety,” Vivi gushed. “Love photos.”

Arthur stuffed a hotdog into his mouth. “MumhmumhmmmuumhmhmhmumhUUGH.”

“Artie, don’t talk with your mouth full.”

He chewed and swallowed. “I’m tryin’ tu say, he could be a fan.” He had to brace his feet to the tailgate and wrap an arm around Mystery, when Vivi took a sharp turn. Mystery gobbled up one of his hotdogs while he was distracted.

Vivi took some fries from Lewis’ tray. Together the two chimed, “Naah.” She took the side of the phone and gave the photos a short review; the fry stuck out of her lips like a lollypop.

Lewis added, “Guys a creeper. Don’t like that.” With practiced routine, he held the steering wheel while Vivi was distracted. The golfcart bounced over a railroad intersection and revved down the pathway, the sights and shadows of scenery whipped by as did the visitors enjoying a very offseason.

Through the next two hours, the team browsed through the Land Time Forgot attraction, with some of the ride features on, minus the roaming animatronics. With the lights on, they returned to the scene of where Arthur became trapped by Allo, and scouted through the roughed up terrain to determine if anything else could be scrounged out of the untouched region. Thankfully, the attraction remained shut up and abandoned over the course of their investigation, otherwise, the roots and undergrowth might’ve been restored to their former glory. And all evidence within whisked away – an aspect that greatly annoyed Vivi. Which was why no one divulged that information to her, prior to the meeting. They needed Geoff’s cooperation, especially if he could be manipulated into divulging intel he wasn’t aware was relevant to the investigation.

With clear minds and energy, they took some additional pictures of the damaged tree. The attraction was less creepy with the light and the pre-recorded jungle ambiance, it seemed normal despite the artificial birdcalls replicating anticipated clamor of long extinct avian and reptiles. With the animatronics inactive, the crew made certain to keep alert for the thundering steps and grumbling that should have no right being present.

After scarfing two hotdogs, Mystery was on the hunt for evidence as well.

“The people I spoke with,” Vivi was saying, “seemed open about their dispute with Geoff McKlayton. They have plans on going to court with their dispute, but they could also be pressuring him into paying up the money he owes on the machines. Though, I don’t think either party want it to go that far.” She set her hand on her chin, contemplating the flaws in the assessment.

“But they went off and told you.” Lewis picked up a cracked chunk of the root, and examined the inner gray material that was cement. “Maybe they were frustrated and venting, or they’re not fixed on covering their tracks. Even if I wasn’t aware of an investigation, I wouldn’t go broadcasting. That’s just me, though.” He grinned.

Vivi shrugged. “It doesn’t need to be the whole group. One person, a programmer, can scheme this plan up.”

Arf-arf!

Arthur lowered his phone and turned the way Mystery was. “Watcha got there?” Mystery pawed at the fake soil, a ways off from the group. Some of the terrain was disturbed, and footprints visible in the undersoil. He crouched and moved aside a few strands of the interwoven fiber. “Hmm? This is something.” He reached over and gave Mystery’s head a playful rub. “Nice work, bud.”

Bork! Mystery smiled and wagged hit bob tail.

It was a short bar with wires attached at a servo and computer board. The piece was no longer than his forearm, though it was apparent this was not the entire part. The metal was warped and bent, the circuit board was snapped in two. A few insignificant pieces lay in the dirt, but being so small they were not worth the time.

Arthur took his phone up and snapped off some pictures. “I need your paw for reference.”

Mystery sat back and bent his ears down.

“C’mon, just your—” Arthur rolled his eyes. “Never mind. I got this.” He stuck out his foot, and snapped off some pictures. “They’re for our private collection.” He flipped the piece over and inched in close, until he was a foot off the floor.

Lewis and Vivi came over. “What’s that? From the Allo?”

“Obviously.” Arthur pulled down his backpack and slipped out a napkin. “Likely the arm, but it might’ve come off its snout.” He bounced the metallic piece in his hands. “Light. Snapped easy too. The endoskeleton support must be zinc or aluminum. I would have to examine it more carefully.”

Vivi adjusted her head band. “They made it cheap.”

“It’s not cheap,” Arthur corrected. “This metal is light, which benefits the dinos swift movement and alleviates stress on more important components, such as the legs and infrastructure.” He pulled out a bag and stuffed the metal component into it, then sacked it. “Anything else to declare, Mystery dog?”

Mystery did a tight circle and barked. I’ll give it another patrol, no promises.

They spent a little more than thirty minutes, rechecking the only other location where Lewis and Arthur had an extended encounter with the Allosaur. That was the plaster cliff, where Lewis spectacularly failed to climb. Not that it was his fault, the cheap material and the sheer panic. Though Arthur did note the vine rope was missing. Why would it be missing? No secret someone came through and moved it, with intent. It didn’t supply much to the sleuthing, aside from what they could already figure. The missing vine could mean someone came through and removed some incriminating evidence, but it left the question of why the vine?

“It’s still early,” Lewis yawned. “Should we hit up the room, go through our research until the park closes?”

“Grab a nap,” Arthur teased. From the ledge he jumped and landed between Mystery and Vivi, the soft fake ground cushioned his touchdown. Even so, he shook his legs out as he began walking. “Snag a snack on the way.”

Woof. Mystery trotted alongside Arthur.

“I’m game,” Vivi proclaimed, as she stretched. “We’ll get an early start this evening, see if we can scope anyone suspicious. Hmm… cool. Hey! Wait a second!” She halted dead in her tracks – Lewis was right behind her, and stumbled into her backside. “Hey! WAIT!” She pointed to one of the animatronics, a long-necked sauropod nuzzling the high branches of a frond. It paid her no mind.

“Um!” Lewis exclaimed. “Arthur?”

“Hah?” He stopped and swung back. Following the gaze of Vivi and Lewis, he spied the issue at hand. “Hey! Noway! You’re not pinning that on me!” Mystery popped behind his legs, ears folded back and shoulders dipped.

“You’re totally missing the point,” Vivi rebuked. “We’re not alone here.”

“In more ways than one.” Lewis grabbed her hand and tugged her along. “Vamoose! Con rapidez!”

“Damnit-damnit-damnit!” Arthur hissed. He ducked and dove between the forest saplings, with Mystery in his shadow. “We should be okay if we don’t divert our course. The dino displays aren’t dangerous, if we get too close they’ll move out of the way. Right? Right! They have that failsafe programmed.”

In their swift footed retreat, they happened across paths with a biped herbivore and another one of the tyrannosaur models amid a dramatic confrontation. Though, the conflict was complete PG, the two animatronics shuffled around and growled, no real physical assault was planted on the other. The tyranno charged, and the bipedal herbivore gave a wail and trudged aside – tail swishing in the low branches. The group sprinted out of the way, altering their trek when the herbivore animatronic waddled much too close to their position, though neither animatronic dropped focus or heeded them in the slightest.

“You can let go of my hand now.”

Lewis snatched his hand from Vivi’s. “Oh, sorry. Forgot.”

“It’s okay.” She picked up speed, threading among some baboo foliage and leapt out onto the road. One of the buggy’s rolled through, forcing her back beside the barrier and the grove of fake trees. “Yikes!” She was joined by the others, springing free of the fake shrubbery.

“Someone ain’t playing around,” Arthur panted.

Lewis was already stepping over the trackway, where the buggy’s followed the pathway fitted into the vehicle guidance rail. “Let’s hurry. If Allo spies us, we’ll have a heck of a time shakin’ it.”

Arthur and Mystery leapt to the side, beside Lewis. “Don’t have to tell me about it.” He adjusted his backpack, that janky part dug into his shoulder blade.

The noises of the passive animatronics was off-putting, the lumbering machines prowled through the thicket on pathways of their pre-scripted focus. Sometimes one or two grunted in the thicket, the machines gave pre-scripted calls to their counterparts, and it was somewhat reassuring when someone returned the cry – it made them more conscience and lifelike rather husks or puppets. Nonetheless, the clamor was off-putting.

Though none took an interest in the group as they navigated through the patches of undergrowth, there was an otherworldly strangeness to the situation. It would’ve been different, if they were aboard the ride and could marvel at the animatronics as a fantastic spectacle. Being trapped within the attraction itself, was akin to getting locked in the lions den. Anywhere, the Allosaur could be lurking, watching, its movement masked by the other roaming giants mindlessly patrolling.

“We should’ve checked the charging station,” Arthur muttered. “It was worth a shot.”

Vivi barely stalled, as she skipped down a mild slope. “The chances were astronomically low. Anyway, it’s unlikely whoever built it, would chance it to have the same restrictions the other animatronics have. Maybe it has a car battery, or something similar - something to change out manually, and quickly.” Arthur was about to counter, but Lewis broke in:

“Argue back at the room,” he huffed, while clambering over fake logs. “Mr. Klayton doesn’t need another incident.”

“Another incident,” Arthur spat. “If I’m turned into a toothpick, he’ll have another incident!”

“Artie!” Lewis and Vivi snarled simultaneously. Mystery barked.

Ten minutes later, they were stumbling out of the grove of thick elephant ears that bordered the initial entrance to the attraction. A buggy was situated at the ramp that slopped down, and intersected with the track where the vehicle locked into. It remained stationary, while the group marched the remnant meters over to the vehicle dock. Arthur took up the lead, climbing up onto the boarder where riders would exit off.

“For the record, someone has to manually unlock these so they can start off.” He moved along the walkway beside the vehicle port, toward the control office. The group followed. “For safety reasons.”

“Then someone was just here,” Lewis amended, slamming a fist into his palm. “We might’ve missed them by a second.”

Vivi grabbed the elbow of his shirt sleeve. She whispered, “They might still be around.” The control office had a glassed door, and through it no visible shape of a person or anyone was visible. The corridor leading behind the paneling was deserted. “Let’s keep our eyes open.”

“Right.”

The door was left ajar, but there was no indication of who might’ve been there to tamper with the controls. Arthur checked the ceiling, for tiles that might’ve afforded a hasty escape. Not that they would pursue someone up there.

With him entered Vivi, giving the monitors in the room a lingering scrutiny – the cameras revealed every angle of the attraction. Primarily, the tracks and the buggies, and the exits. None of the office revealed much, aside from what could be observed from this singular location. Arthur hadn’t even activated the cameras, though they were clearly marked.

“Y’know what I’m seein’ a lot of?” he ventured, upon taking a closer examination of the screens.

“Huh?” Lewis followed Arthur’s gaze, tracking each static shot. Some of the dinosaurs in the attraction continued to lumber about, performing for no audience their monotonous charade.

“We didn’t need these screens going,” Arthur continued. “Though it might’ve helped. But these cameras are watching everywhere we were runnin’ around the other night.”

Lewis hiked up his brows. “The place wasn’t as deserted as we wanted. They could be – ” He’s cut off by Arthur’s hand capping his mouth.

“Mystery?” Vivi prompted. She stepped out of the office and addressed the hound. “Can ya get us a lead?”

Yip! Mystery plowed his way into the control office and gave the floor, the dial panel, and the chair a brief skim with his snout. He padded out of the office sniffling at the cement floor, decorated with imprints of fossilized insects and varied species of crustaceans. Weaving this and that way, then in a circle, Mystery directed his path to the ride exit.

Woof!

“Lead the way then,” Vivi cheered. Lewis, then Arthur followed one after the other.

“Could it have been anyone not affiliated with the park?” Lewis questioned, as they pursued Mystery through the narrow corridor. Displays of replicated bones and dioramas of dinosaur statues amid patches of forest, gave guests ample photo opportunities upon exit. There was also a pose with dinosaur station, set aside in an alcove along the way.

“It’s possible.” Arthur scratched at his sideburns, thoughtful. However, he knew what Lewis was getting at. “The controls are easy enough to figure out, with minimal issues if you fuck it up. Basically, everything is on or off. I lay my cards, that we didn’t miss them by a second. They fooled around, got the ride going, and then took off.”

“You said the ride buggies have to be manually set off.” Vivi indicated.

“True,” Arthur piped. “Still, it takes the buggies a few minutes to roll around the trail. The ones we saw might’ve been the first activated on an error, before the Flintstones got warmed up.” Vivi groaned at that.

“Is the trail hot, Misty?” Lewis called.

Mystery gave an affirming bark, and picked up the pace. He banked into the curve, leading past displays of replica dinosaur fossils ‘excavated’ from the wall. But suddenly, the dog skidded on his rear paws and pulled himself up short. Vivi nearly tripped over him, and Lewis nearly collided into her once more.

“Dang breaks.” Lewis caught Vivi before she could topple over onto the hound. “What gives?”

Mystery tilted his head, then set his nose back to the floor. He made a dog grumble, baffled, going in a circle, then went counterclockwise. His head sprang up and he looked back at the group, ears sprouting high, and a yip for good measure.

“Arthur?” Vivi echoed. She glanced around, jolting. “Arthur! Where—”

“Oh Dios mío!” Lewis capped his hands over his face. “Otra vez?”

Vivi pushed past him, charging throgh the narrow corridor. “He didn’t go that way, that’s for sure!”

Mystery scampered after them, barking up a storm. I have to get in the lead! Let me by!

They returned to the main chamber of the attraction entrace, spreading out and skimming across the nearby thicket for a chance of movement or flash of yellow. Mystery barreled by, headed for the ride entrance and yapping.

“It happened so fast!” Lewis was saying. “He was right behind me! Cómo! Como dejamos que esto suceda?”

“They couldn’t have gone far. Mystery!” Vivi gave chase, before the bob tail winked out of view beyond the curvature in the entrance corridor. “Lew! Hurry!” With a growl, Lewis raced after. “Arthur! Ya there!”

“They’ll hear us Vi!”

Ruff!

“So will Art,” she countered. “He can buy us some time, if he can fight them.”

After a grueling chase – no indication or view of where Arthur and the vandal might be, let alone indication of how far ahead they’d gone – the lengthy tunnel ended abruptly. The trio was blasted by vicious, unobstructed sunlight of the noon day. Vivi squinted and raised a hand, struggling to dampen the light and view through the over-exposedness of her vision. She blinked several times, at a total loss. Mystery was barking in hysterics.

“Where!”

“MMHP!” She knew that stuffed mouth mumble anywhere!

Lewis had an easier time adjusting to the light, given the shade of his pompadour. He took a stand and pointed, aimed toward the parked golfcart already loaded with yellow and orange. “Hey! Stop right there!”

One of the corny costume masked dinosaur curios popped up, its static eyes gawked north and south simultaneously. In the back of the golfcart bed, Arthur jerked his legs, but with his body bundled tight he was not going anywhere. He couldn’t get up over the edge, despite his desperate thrashing.

The masked vandal ducked into the driver side of the golfcart and hit the gas, and like that the electric vehicle shot off – its corner bumper skid across one of the fence posts in the tight turn.

“I said STOP!” Lewis hooted. “C’mon Mystery!” He and the dog jumped the “Out of Commission” fence, and sprinted down the inclined stepping sections, immediately hurrying after the speeding cart.

“You guys!” Vivi called. “Wait, we need a better plan!” Regardless, she bounded down the steps as well, nearly falling down completely in a misstep. Before she could devote herself entirely to running down her colleagues, she broke off and took a different route.

When he wanted to be, Lewis could move fast. He could absolutely rival Arthur in a sprint if the occasion called, but for a short stint of time. In that same amount of time, he recognized he was not going to get ahold of the cart that was zooming off with his friend. Faster than his legs could move, tireless, and with the authority of a beep-beep – guests moved aside.

Though Mystery could keep going, and could be just as relentless.

“Don’t lose him!” Lewis called.

Bark! His tongue lolled out of his mouth, he wasn’t going to fail. If he lost the vehicle, picking up the scent would not be simple. He should know, he devoted lifetimes to obstructing trails.

In short time, the soft putter of an engine revved beside Lewis. He gave it a look over, and glanced at the driver. “Should I ask?”

“Official Mystery Skulls business!” Vivi barked. In the back of the cart, numerous packages and boxes were packed in. That explained a lot. “We’re losin’ them.”

Lewis hopped aboard. He took the bar that framed the canopy of the vehicle and leaned out. The vehicle swayed and skidded, when Vivi swerved to avoid oblivious guests and a few character actors out on the path. Vivi smacked the horn.

Beep-beep.

“Outta the way! Look out!”

The other cart remained a ways ahead, the little vehicles were not highway fast Ferraris but they could move. Ahead, a sharp left took the other cart on another path. Lewis clambered to the other side of the cart and leaned out.

“Don’t slow down!” He reached an arm out. “Get as close as you can, and hold tight!”

“Gotcha!” Vivi altered course, going for the corner of the path and the lamppost there. “This is some GTA next level, huh?”

“More like P-G-TA!” He grabbed the lamppost and held the cart steady with his other arm, hauling it into the trajectory they needed to catch. The wheels screeched over the pavement, but they maintained stability without a full-on rollout and maintained speed. “I’d wager this was a lead.”

“Cheerio!” Vivi cheered.

Arf! Arf-arf! The cart rolled up beside Mystery. He gave a leap and plopped right into the back of the cart, among the packed merchandise. He set his front paws on a sealed box and stood tall, tongue hanging and the breeze sweeping through his mane.

“We’re not gaining much,” Lewis noted. He shoved off his backpack and began digging inside.

Ruff! Mystery popped his head in the front seat, and leaned his snout up toward Lewis. Woof.

“Oh, thanks.” Lewis took the rolled up twine, likely for prizes at the game district. He took the end and skillfully tied a small knot, then slipped a loop of twine through. “Keep us steady.”

“You can’t lug Arthur out of the cart, at thirty miles an hour!” She ground her teeth together while swerving, skillfully avoiding a pack of teens. Her palms slapped the helm as she regained stability, and pulled up straight.

“I want to lasso that guy, or stall him.” Lewis fitted the loose end of twine in his hand and began swinging. Someone flashed off a picture as they sped by. A short knob sat visible on the back of the cart, beside the cargo space. If he could get it snagged there, they could stall the cart. That was the plan. “In broad daylight,” he hissed.

The first two lasso throws missed by a mile, but the third was close. Too close to Arthur’s foot, sticking out of the cargo back. The yellow hair sprang up, and briefly Arthur poked his head up – the sash around his face was coming undone. Arthur tumbled over, disappearing from view momentarily. When next he did appear, it was to kick out the backpack he had been wearing.

Lewis put a pause on the cowboy antics and climbed to the other side of the cart, he leaned out and snatched up the pack.

“I think I’m gaining,” Vivi grunted, focus fully on the cart holding steady ahead of them. “The battery might be going bad.”

Mystery raised his head and bent one ear high. “Aroo?”

Lewis was busy fitting the tie into his fingers, and winding to throw the lasso once more. But Mystery’s question gave him pause, and he glanced around. Upon spying the cause for scrutiny, he swung to Vivi. “Train!”

“What?” she snapped, disbelief. Looking the way Lewis was focused, she too spied the cause for alarm. “Agh! Arthur!”

And up ahead, the level crossing signals descended onto the pathway, directly between a steadily growing swarm of people abiding by the clear warning. The chime of bells rang unrestrained, and the miniature hoot of the train tooted as it closed in on the leveled platform. The train’s speed decreased, but not on account of the approaching golfcart.

“He’s not stopping!” Vivi snapped. “The people!”

“The train!”

Bark!

Lewis clambered into the driver side and slammed his foot onto the brake. The cart wheezed and swerved, but by adjusting his weight over the frame he managed to keep it from crashing sideways. Vivi’s line of sight never broke from the other cart – as it veered around the mob of people gathered to observe the train – and barreled through the level signals. The train blared its horn but didn’t slow, and in an instant it was all over.

Vivi leaned out of the opposite side. “What happened!” She disembarked the immobile golfcart and ran toward where the train was. Lewis followed.

“No debris!” he noted. “The train didn’t stop. They made it through.”

“You sure?” Vivi gripped her shirt as she skimmed over, through the crowd and to the train tracks on the level. The train chugged by, what was worse was the waiting. “We lost them.”

The train hooted, its speed dropped considerably in the pedestrian zone. Some of the people muttered amongst themselves, perplexed entirely by the scene witnessed – Was it some sort of publicity stunt? When the last cart rattled by undiscouraged following the event, the level crossers ceased their insistent chime and hoisted skyward. Bystanders broke apart and crossed the leveled tracks, and through the mesh of faces there was absolutely no sign or indication of where the golfcart or the googly-eyed reptile scurried off to. But thankfully, there was no sign of ruble or plastic, let alone metal. The cart made a clean getaway, and for once they were grateful.

For the time, that is.

Mystery whined.

“It’s all right.” She knelt and hugged the pup around his shoulders. “My fault. I should’ve been watching.”

Lewis took a breath and exhaled. “Hang in there, Art. We’ll come get you.” He leaned over and tapped Vivi on the shoulder. “Let’s get the car, see if Mystery can pick up the trail before it gets too cold.”

The Dinosaur mask could pass for a mythical lizard, or a dragon. Yeah, a mighty dragon, driving through the park on his way to do maintenance. He sped beneath the archway designating the new district, the Mythical Plateau full of attractions themed after regions of the world and local creatures that prowled the forests, mountains, or swam through the lakes. The castle was an eye-catching landmark, but it had a back access barred off from visitors. An easy optical illusion barred access, unless someone knew what to look for or how to find it. The illusive entry was not the only barrier eluding park guests.

He drove the cart down the curving slope and into a space built out beneath the road, where a metal gate stood impenetrable. Closer inspection would reveal the lock wasn’t fastened, and needed minor manipulation to open the padlock latch. But there was nothing down in this area, the location was off limits to civilians, and impossible to navigate without a light. No one but project-coaches knew about this space, let alone the stories it could tell.

He heaved the gate open, the wheels beneath the barrier creaked as they eased the thick metal along its tract. Returning to the cart, he drove it the next few feet through the small opening allowed. After shutting the door enough, he returned to the cart and snapped the headlamps on.

It was a short ride on the circular ramp, which transported loose supplies and attraction décor to an upper floor, this level elevated alongside the surrounding park. The road led up into the interior of the elaborate castle, an faux edifice that was completely hollow, its entire frontal display a façade. The interior construction ventured back several meters, where more of the outdated machines could be stored; train carts from rollercoasters, single vehicles from the rides, and unused vehicles. Likewise, mannequins or other creature statues got stashed away, among the disassembled portions of large statue pieces, along with props or entire furniture sets.

After a few minutes, the golfcart was eased to a halt. The dust from the storage chamber swirled in the lamp lights. Deep within the plaster chambers of the castle fortress, noises from the surrounding world pilfered through, muffled.

The masked man reached to the ceiling of the cart and clicked on a miniscule light, the contribution didn’t assist much in visibility. It did offer some definition to the edges of the cart, its seats, and the passengers. The masked man climbed out and went to the back, where Arthur lay in the cargo bin. He hauled the prone figure out and dumped him on the ground. Arthur grunted through the bind across his jaw, snorting at the dust and blinking.

“Fuhh!” He tried to roll over and get up, but his ankles constricted any beneficial movement. At the cart, the figure fumbled around, noisily.

“Where is it? The part!” The masked person scrambled over to where Arthur wriggled and grabbed him by the shoulder. The reptile mask had wacky eyes, a stiff snout, and the jaw bounced out of sync with all verbal demands. The rest of his full-bodied disguise was pleather with printed scales, in blue and green patterns. “What’d you do with it? Your backpack! Where is it?”

Arthur sneezed, and rolled his eyes. This guy was a dumbass.

“Oh,” said the guy. “You must’ve dumped it off the side, did you? Crafty.” He dropped Arthur once again, and left him in the dust. The pleathered suited jerk hurried across the floor to a drape, covering a tall heap on the floor. “You’ll regret that.” He pulled the tarp back, revealing… something.

With the shitty light, Arthur couldn’t make out much. He glared, uncertain what the guy was up to. He had a suspicion, but the specifics were lost on him. He shifted his legs closer to the wheel rim of the golf cart – he wasn’t bound by rope. It was cloth, easy to cut and fix, within hasty time constraints. It could be sheared, with time constraints.

“Antrodemus.” At the spoken word, a sound vibrated against the hollowed walls of the interior building. Of where they were, no dimensions could be defined by Arthur – noises came through. And now, this sound. A whirring, and creaking… was that a growl?

What really did he expect?

The animatronic dinosaur rasped as its hydraulics kicked to life. With a hiss, it rose from its lying stance and hefted upward to its full height. The masked figure back-peddled a few feet, as the tarp covering it slithered away. Glint and flashes of light glanced off the outline of the figure, it loomed in the drab mud of space, a vague heap. Below it, a self-sustained light shimmered – the shape and interaction with masked figure, indicated a phone of palm pilot.

A connection sparked in Arthur’s mind. He paid careful attention, already working through the details the person skimmed through on the display face. He sneezed.

After a short sequence or exchange, the Allosaur creaked to face Arthur – the eyes in its head glinted. He gaped at it, mind fluttering with the prospects for his survival. The Allosaur marched over, and Arthur made the valiant effort to kick away; somehow he had to escape. Where was Lewis and Vivi? Why hadn’t Mystery located him yet? He gargled, trying for a scream—

Talons the size of butcher knives looped around his shoulders and lifted him upwards. Panicked proper, Arthur twisted and kicked like a deranged merman. The animatronic ceased movement at least. But he remained clamped tight within its not PG serrated claws.

Below, some shuffling and movement closed in, though the dino-animatronic remained static. Hands shoved into Arthur’s pockets, padding him down, grabbing at his vest. Arthur struggled more, and managed to smack the guy in his crummy dinosaur masked face. The dude crumpled sideways, dazed. A good shot! But he hadn’t intended to actually hit the guy, not while he was trapped in this position with a giant meat grinding puppet looming. The Allosaur watched with all the interest of a blank television screen.

“Argh!” The masked man wobbled as he tried to stand, a hand capped to the side of his snout. “Don’t test me! Antrodemus can bench press a car, and he has no restrictors. I’ll have him turn you into a gooey, soggy pretzel before the suns sets.”

Arthur swallowed around the sash in his mouth. The portion of the blindfold over his face pressed uncomfortably into his eye, causing it to weep.

The man finished searching his pockets, and located one cell phone, a package of pepperoni snacks, his lockpick set, a lighter, a graphing calculator, two magazines, and a flashlight. The vandal rolled everything up to the best of his ability between the magazines, and gave Arthur a look that couldn’t be conveyed through the dopey reptile mask.

“How the hell did you have all this crap on you?”

Arthur grimaced. “Mah-Ick.”

“Well,” the guy said, as he went over to the golf cart. “Antrodemus. Execute command: Freeze. Confirm.”

The Allosaur wheezed. The servos and hydraulics through its torso shifted, settling the entire animatronic in place.

“Antrodemus. If no reset supplied, then Execute command: Movement. Pursuit.” He set the magazine burrito onto the golf cart bin, and took out his own phone. After some tweaking over the screen, he spoke, “This will be your only warning. If you try to get away, I won’t be responsible for what happens. What will happen, if you try to run? That, you will have to figure out for yourself. I’ll put it this way,” he began walking, “I don’t recommend testing Antrodemus.”

Arthur’s glare persisted, until the masked jerk’s silhouette fully dissolved into the murk of the interior chamber. The questions swarmed his mind: What was he planning? and What about his friends? They were in danger, but at least the Allosaur was off the playing board for the time. That was his only comfort. There was still a great deal that could be done, in his absence. If this guy could control the Allosaur, likely built the damn thing, then he was more versatile in terms of the theme parks functions.

It was too soon to try and work towards escaping. The guy wasn’t stupid, but he might be careless now. He needed to hold on for a while longer, think about a plan for if once he got free. There was time to think and plot, secure a safe escape. Reset and Movement. Those keywords. What did they mean? They were triggers, designated to erupt the marionette into action.

To the Allosaur. What did it mean?

He turned his eyes up. In the dim, piss poor light the Allosaur remained unmoving, frozen and gazing off in the same state the other animatronics undertook when they were deactivated. Likely a sleep mode. He shifted his focus to the abandoned golf cart, and the lights. The atmosphere abound was bleak, no penetrating shapes or suggestions of form aside from what gleamed against the dull illuminations of the abandoned cart. The present golf cart didn’t offer enough, and to test any theories would test recapture. That depended on how much battery life the vehicle had.

A more terrible thought occurred to Arthur, and his breathing hiked up. What would happen if the Allosaur locked onto movement, while it was still latched onto him? It was not a ‘thinking’ machine, it was a ‘respond to’ machine.

#mystery skulls #mystery skulls ghost #mystery skulls fanfic #mystery skulls fanfiction #fanfic #fanfiction #msa fanfic #msa fanfiction #mystery skulls lewis #msa!Alive Lewis #mystery skulls mystery #mystery skulls vivi #mystery skulls arthur

1 note · View note

semiramis-audron · 4 years

Text

There’s British things in British Columbia

It was half past six when the medics finally packed up their equipment and the police had finished their report, made all the photos for the property damage charges and the insurance and allowed him to finally close up the place.

It hadn't been that big of a deal. He wouldn't press charges for the door or the glass. But there had been humans involved and hurt, so there was no way around calling an ambulance and the police. Doing things the human way was so… involved.

So he had to wait for them to arrive, while the bouncers held the demon who had been the reason for the fight. Really the human started it but… ah well, no use crying over spilled glass and blood. The human got fixed up and was on his save way home. As was the lady, who thankfully suffered no harm and as far as he knew also the demon. A friend picked him up and made sure of it... as he was assured…

Trevor locked the door to the pub and began putting up the chairs while the dust and wood and glass on the floor moved itself into a heap and then hovered towards the bin. He mopped the blood off the floor and sighed at his shirt, and his watch. They were cleaned a finger snap later, but the glass of the watch had cracked, the mechanism had stopped. He could fix that later, or get a new one. Maybe Richard would like to help him pick one.

He reached for the bandage tape at his ear. The area was throbbing with pain. Even more so when he realised too late that hair was stuck to the tape. A sharp breath of air through his teeth and he pulled it off all the way. The gauze pad came off dark red, the bleeding had stopped by now. He removed the hair gel before his fingertips felt for the stitched gash. The wound closed swiftly, there would be no traces left in a day or two. The pain subsided a little, nothing to bother a healer about.

He looked around the pub. All done.

Fixing the door would need to wait a bit to not seem suspicious. Then again, no one was going to even attempt a break in to begin with, so he wouldn’t lose sleep over that detail.

How late was it anyway? He checked his phone. Almost 7… And there were several messages. Huh.

All of them from Richard. Did he get wind of what had happened? No, the messages were from earlier in the night… day… Right he was in… Vancouver… they were 8 hours behind London.

Apparently he could see all the skyscrapers of the city from the meeting room.

Trevor imagined it was a great view, if one wasn't afraid of heights. There was supposed to be a meeting and the other party was late? So Richard was busying himself.

They had a bowl of maple candy with the city flag of Vancouver pressed on at the reception desk, but it was for kids visiting the tower for the lookout platform. So he wasn’t supposed to get one, sadly. But he had charmed the lady and got a sealed bag full.

He did have a childlike wonder to him sometimes, Trevor admitted.

Earlier in the day he had also been to the Capilano Suspension Bridge in the nearby forest, in also terrifying heights.

✉ You can walk through the treetops! It's all safe and up to code ;) They are very strict about their regulations. And so many trees! You would love it! ✉

Trevor couldn't help a sensible chuckle escaping. He did imply that he enjoyed it whenever Richard sent him updates and fascinating things that he encountered on his travels. The photo on the bridge was breathtaking. It was kind of Richard to take his time to make it. And yes, he would probably love it there. If he had been aware of the messages earlier, he would have asked him for more pictures. Accursed timezones…

The other party of the meeting had been a no show according to a later message, so he got a selfie of Richard in front of the McDonald's on Main Street with it's architecturally intriguing angular glass roof. He was holding a box of nuggets. The message implied he was craving nuggets, and an evil >;P smiley. Outrageous!

He was staying in Canada for another day since the meeting was now planned for the next afternoon and Jeff had made it clear that the partner had in their previous, very lucrative deals, always been reliable. So should be given some leniency especially in this important case.

Richard informed Trevor, that he was reminded of him, when he learned about the British Properties a good 700m air line from the bridge, where only people with an actual British passport used to be allowed to live. They excluded non-white and Jewish people in olden times, but were less racist now. At least something?

After that Trevor was treated to some facts about Richard’s hotel.

His balcony had wooden covered flooring that smelled like freshly cut pine trees. They must use a special varnish. He was going to try and find out about that tomorrow.

And the Lookout of the Vancouver Harbour Center was clearly visible. Not as high up as the meeting room, but equally beautiful.

According to the bartender at that Hotel bar, it was regularly used as a set for movie shoots, because Vancouver was considered the “North Hollywood” with how important it is to the film industry.

To Richard’s delight, they also served sushi. It was from the same bartender, that Richard apparently learned that the so-called California Roll wasn’t invented in California! It was invented in Vancouver, by a Japanese Chef, owning a restaurant nearby.

Trevor yawned slightly in the dark, wondering whether he should be concerned about Richard finding a more interesting bartender than him. He took off his shoes and made it to the kitchen, pointing a finger and a snap at the stove, heating some water for tea to settle down while scrolling through the messages.

He was further informed him that Richard could see the hills of Stanley Park from his Hotel room, and that all of the grey squirrels found in Stanley Park, which is by the way 10% bigger than Central Park, are descendants of eight pairs of grey squirrels that Vancouver received as a gift from New York City in 1909.

And that the Beaver Lake in the park, was ironically beaverless until just 2008.

Also, that he was again reminded of London and Trevor, because right next to the Hotel was an apartment building called London Place and because Vancouver, due to its geographical and vegetational zone, had one of the mildest climates in Canada, but more rain. So kinda like London. But more trees.

✉ So if you want me to check out any trails or trees for you tomorrow, drop me a message. <3 ✉

Right, Vancouver was basically in a rain forest.

The latest message was only a few minutes old. The light of the phone was casting eerie shadows on Trevor’s face, reflecting the message in his eyes. The dim coloured glow of the Streets of SOHO, shining through the window like moonlight through the stained glass of a church.

He hadn’t bothered about the brightness, but slowly the glare of the screen was beginning to irritate his tired eyes. He put the phone in his pocket and leaned against the counter, waiting for the water to boil, stifling another yawn, closing his eyes.

After this long night in the bustling pub, the quiet of his empty flat was a stark contrast. At first there was just the background hum of silence in his ears, then slowly the natural noises in it grew louder. The muffled sounds of the awakening streets outside became more clear and the soft pearly bubbling of the water. Finally he could hear himself breathe in the quiet of the morning, opening his eyes again, now more used to the dark.

He was looking at his clean and neat kitchen table, the polished counters and precisely closing drawers. Everything had its place in the greyish darkness. There was pristine and almost sterile order, even more so in the monochrome colours of the night.

And towards his living room, a bit more homely, that lay also vacant in the dull grey. The fireplace was empty, wood neatly stacked, the tv pitch black. Books and magazines shelved proper and no spine out of line. Unless SOMEONE took one out to leaf through it and didn't put them back properly. Or put them on the coffee table instead. Or just dropped his stuff there, even though he had a nightstand just for his stuff...

The coffee table was unburdened though. The flat was quiet, his solitude undisturbed, his privacy uninvaded and isolated from the life of human beings. He checked his watch, sighed at the shattered glass, then took out his phone again. The little circle next to Richard’s name was still green.

The tea kettle whistled and the water stopped boiling as the soft magical aura disappeared around it.

~~~~~~~~~~ 🍁 ~~~~~~~~~~~~

Richard was leaning on his balcony, shirt half unbuttoned. Zooming in on some of the more extravagant buildings to get a better look. There had been some changes made in recent years by starchitects, or those that were paid as much at least. And there were still suggestions in the air, as far as he was keeping track of the business. Maybe an opportunity or two might arise from this prolonged stay yet.

“Mind if I join you?” the voice was husky and a bit tired, but very familiar and unexpected. He whirled around. “Trevor!? Of course! Sure! Hi! I mean, yes, I’d be happy.” He welcomed him with open arms, then realising the gesture might be a bit much, dropped the arms a bit and smiled. The barkeeper was still standing in the door to the balcony, one hand clutching the frame. Also barefoot, as Richard noted.

“The view is even more impressive than you described…” Trevor pointed out, not making eye contact, with either Richard, or the view. “Ah, you noticed the high quality wooden panelling of the balcony too.” this was bad. Trevor was clearly stuck and apparently too proud to admit it. “I- didn’t send you any pictures of the bathroom, would you like to see it? The tub is huge and it’s spotless. Great for relaxing.” Richard watched as one naked foot touched the wooden boards and the knuckles on the already pale hand at the frame stood out white. The helplessness would be adorable if it wasn't born out of stubbornness.

Their eyes met. “It’s fine…” Trevor said, taking a deep breath. “I’ll look at it later…” And the brown eyes motioned towards their left hand. Which was reaching out for him. For Richard, to take it, silently pleading for help.

He put his fingers around Trevor’s wrist and felt him return the gesture. It was a safe grip, reliable. He slowly led the acrophobic man onto the balcony and offered him a chair. Into which Trevor slumped with an apologetic smile. “It’s really… high up… But it IS beautiful.” Richard sat down on the other chair, the little wrought iron table between them. Staring at the man who was now staring at the view with the colour returning to his face. "Thank you for dropping by, that's a welcome change." also a bit of an awkward one. Just sitting there, all settled into the chair now. Hard to make physical contact like that. Why did he show up all of a sudden. Why was he there in the first place? He never teleported to him before. Should he ask? Should he offer him a drink? A snack? A tour of the hotel? Of the city? He was going to ask! “Canada is bloody cold! Do you want tea?” Trevor huffed, rubbing his arms and looked at Richard who had been a bit lost in thought staring at the more calmly breathing man. He nodded with a soft “Uh… uh huh.” and a snap later there were steaming cups on the table. They smelled warm, and a bit of spices that made Richard think of winter. The milk still spreading in amber clouds through the liquid. The brew was sweet, and with a dash of something foreign, that didn’t taste like a bitter British cuppa. Trevor shuddered, rubbing his now socked feet together. “And you said Vancouver was mild! That’s better, do you need more sugar?” Richard shook his head, watching the goosebumps on Trevor’s forearms go down.

“Well, it’s not exactly Summer. You never teleported to me before?” He really wanted to say something and Trevor took his sweet time to answer, this was a bit nerve wracking. The night air hummed with the murmur of the city beneath them and the wind rushing around the skyscrapers like a serpentine river. Trevor kept sipping his tea. His breath afterwards was visible in the air. “You made it sound like an interesting city to visit.” was the blasé response after a minute or two. "But it's a bit late for sightseeing now, isn't it?" Richard leaned partially over the table, trying to make sense of this sudden behaviour change. “The sights I’m seeing are good for now.” Trevor looked away and back out over the balcony, clearly uncomfortable. He took another sip of the tea.

Richard slumped back in his chair, picking his own tea up. They fell silent again. Watching the change of colours in the street and the clouds above. Richard was sure the tea was different than what Trevor was usually drinking. He enjoyed the thought of sharing in something special. Bitter at first, then sweet and with a hint of something exciting. Trevor tea. He watched the angel’s eyes observe the sky and the blinking lights below them. One might even say, he looked relaxed now. How peculiar. What was going on?

The deep voice sent a shiver down Richard’s spine as Trevor cleared his throat. “It’s unusual for you to be so quiet. Are you okay, Richard?” The verbal equivalent of having his chair pulled out from under him. "It's unusual for YOU to come to me! I didn't think Vancouver of all places would do that." he searched the man's face for a real reason. "Well, …" Trevor sighed. "...my watch broke and I thought you could help." A smile popped on Richard's face. "Oh it's probably the battery, I'll charge it. For you, free of charge." a small wink as he took Trevor's wrist again. "The… glass is broken." his smile faltered a little when he saw the raised eyebrow. "And it's an automated watch, yes, no battery." that explained why he couldn't find one! His own always remained charged through himself. "No problem! I get tons of fancy watches from business deals, there's bound to be an automatic one among those." He flinched when Trevor pulled his hand back, rubbing the wrist around the strap a little. He hadn't actually held him that tight? Maybe a small shock when he had tried to charge a non existent battery?

"I was actually thinking about getting a new one from a watchmaker… or jeweller." Trevor didn't make eye contact, his face a strange expression that Richard couldn't decipher. "I was hoping, with your impeccable style, you knew a good one and… would help me pick one you think will suit me…" still no eye contact, but his face had become more rosey and, yep, the goosebumps were back.

"I just wear them as I get them? But sure we can have a look tomorrow?" Trevor sighed, and emptied his cup. Wrong answer apparently. "It's a bit out of nowhere, I'm sorry." Richard waved his hands. "No, I understand, keeping your schedule is important to you and you need your watch for that. There's actually a Vienna watchmaker with 30 years in the business, right here in Vancouver, we can go there. I walked past his shop today, I didn't know ‘cause he has no website. His name is Fritz Irrgang which is funny cause his watches are all going right. Very interesting old guy---" He had gotten up in excitement and now hesitated and looked Trevor in the eyes again. He didn't look annoyed as expected, he was listening, with an amused, soft smile, and half lidded eyes. "--- but it's almost 2 in the morning so we… can't go now…” Richard continued slowly. “-- it would be rude to get him out of bed---" thoughts trailing off into nonsense as he made sense of what he was seeing. Trevor's eyes weren't just half lidded. They looked tired and unusually reflective, shimmering. Then the angel sniffed. "I'm fine with tomorrow, if you have time." he smiled, then rubbed his eyes with his index finger and thumb and sniffed again.

Oh. Oh no.

"Trevor, it's almost 10 in London. - You should be asleep." The Brit laughed quietly at what sounded like honest worry in Richard's voice, though not sneering, really. "You're absolutely right.” he replied with a more firm voice. “- we should both go to bed." he got up and vanished the cups, ignoring the view from the balcony. He squeezed Richard’s shoulder, then waved at him as he went through the sliding door and into the hotel room.

Stopping there in the dark, with his back to the air demon, toeing off his socks. Unbuttoning his Barkeeper vest, taking it off. Folding it and placing it neatly on a chair, before beginning to unbutton his dress shirt.

He tilted his head a little back to the balcony. "Are you coming or do you plan to stay there all night?"

A speaking, nightly Fata Morgana in the middle of his hotel room. Unbelievable. Richard slowly made his way into the room.

"Please close the door and turn up the thermo, it's as cold in here as out there."

Richard closed the door and stared at what amounted to an optical illusion. Watched the white shirt slide down over the other man's lightly freckled shoulders, like the casual routine it probably was. Watched him slip out of it, the light from outside enhancing the soft shadows of his spine’s curvature and shoulder blades on the fabric of his close-fitting undershirt.

This mirage however seemed, though unbelievable, to be physically there. Trevor had not left and he was doing what Richard thought he saw him doing. Unless it was a cruel trick of the light. He could maybe try to reach out for it, touch it even, if he dared.

Trevor was in the process of folding his shirt when he felt two arms wrap around his waist, a chin coming to rest on his shoulder and a chest pressing lightly against his back. The comfort that hit him when he smelled Richard's aftershave almost rolled over him like a wave. "I'll keep you warm, okay?" The angel nodded into the embrace with a shaky breath. Fingers clutching into the fabric of the shirt, while the arms lowered in defeat. "This isn't about the watch, is it?" He felt Richard’s breath at his ear, on his temple, where a few hours earlier glass had cut deep. All pain that had still been there, now suddenly gone. He shook his head slowly, quietly, leaning into the embrace, closing his eyes. Like a hot, sweet tea going down his throat and spreading warmth and courage in his stomach on a cold Canadian night.

Then he felt Richard’s nose tousling his hairline as he kissed the nape of his neck. Gentle lips. A shiver going down his spine, goosebumps flaring up, heart beating faster, but also calmer... somehow. Richard’s hands moved to his belt buckle, until Trevor’s fingers interlocked with his. The angel shook his head almost imperceptibly, one hand still clutching the shirt. “I’d like to…” Trevor whispered hesitantly “... replace some old broken things… with new ones… but gradually...”

Richard nodded, warm face against the angel’s cold shoulder, taking the shirt out of his hand. “Gradually…” he replied, folding the shirt against Trevor’s belly, one hand guided by the angel’s.

The shirt appeared neatly onto the chair, as the two men-shaped beings sank into the soft covers of the bed.

“...I’d like that…” Trevor mumbled curling his back up against Richard’s chest, pulling the demon’s arms tighter around himself. Richard buried his face in the angel’s surprisingly soft hair, breathing calmly, deeply. No gel tonight? He smelt incense and styrax but also salt and a hint of iron. “Sleep well, Trevor.” The tension in the other’s muscles broke away as he relaxed and he felt the skin noticeably heat up. The demon chuckled and kissed the angel behind the ear, before closing his eyes as well. “... thank you, Richard…”

#RichardNTrevor #AsheesRichardDickinson #Trevor Matthews #visiting the colonies #bringing tea #it's called an engagement watch you uncultured jelly bean

2 notes · View notes

gemsofgreece · 5 years

Text

Hellinikon: thoughts

Hellinikon is a vast area in the southern suburbs of Athens where the old airport used to be. After the international airport was relocated, the area was used for sports venues during the Olympic Games in 2004 and then as a refugee camp. The area was eventually abandoned which essentially turned Hellinikon into an expanded dead land. There have been a lot of discussions for investments in the area throughout the years, which were delated because privatization has traditionally not been well received in Greece (I both agree and disagree with this negative sentiment) but recently the land‘s been bought by LAMDA Development which belongs to Greek multi-billionaire Latsis family. LAMDA Development has publishized all the plans for the urban regeneration and the environmental upgrade of the area for quite a while. Despite not being familiar with the region, I was always interested in the developments of the Hellinikon issue and I thought it would be fun to just lightly rate the benefits and flaws of the huge project. And it is huge indeed, I recently found out the whole region is three times as big as Monaco and twice as big as Central Park in New York. Or, maybe, Monaco is that small. Well. Nevermind.

The Marina

Features:

A marina that accomodates 337 moorings up to 80 meters.

A 6-star hotel in front of the marina.

Retail shops and entertainment venues.

Thoughts: Okay, a marina is not a big deal, especially amongst the (how-many?) marinas that Attica has. To my understanding, this one is going to be a large and particularly upscale one. Entertainment venues are to be expected but I am a bit sceptical about the retail shops. However, YES to the 6-star hotel. I don’t mean Greece should be flooded with 6-star hotels - not at all - but the country relies on tourism so much that having at least one self-acclaimed 6-star hotel is probably good for the... prestiggggge XD

Rate: 4 / 5

The Integrated Resort

Features:

high-rise hotel

state-of-the-art Gaming and MICE facilities

Thoughts: A luxe hotel just behind the 6-star hotel? Is there a crying need for it? I’m not that against it being high-rise and a Casino though. The Casino in Loutraki is somewhat far and the Casino in Mt Parnetha doesn’t cater to sea lovers. And this one will surely be a brand new posh thing so if you want to lose your money by the sea, this will be your new dream place I guess lol

Rate: 4 / 5

The Marina Residential Tower

Features: a high-rise tall building with 200 apartments

Thoughts: It sounds stupid and unimportant but I actually like this one. If non-Europeans read that, well long story short Greece (and most of Europe) does not have skyscrapers for reasons that are associated with the region’s historical monuments. But if this building is not visible in the horizon from the Acropolis (most likely, it’s quite far), then I like it and I am all for it.

Rate: 4,5 / 5

The Beach

Features: free-access 1km long beach with 50 m average width

Thoughts: A beach in Greece, a drop of water in the ocean. However, it will be free-access (who would save them from the wrath of the nation if it wasn’t? XD) and it’s surely a long beach (I still prefer our trademark coved bays though.) I can’t think of negatives, it’s what you’d expect.

Rate: 5 / 5

The Aquarium

Features: the new “world class” Aquarium, some sources say it will be the largest in Europe and part of it will be underwater

Thoughts: The only decent aquarium Greece has is in Crete island and still it cannot compete with the good aquariums around the world. Should Greece, a country so deeply associated and dependent on the sea, lack a proper eligible aquarium? Okay, it depends on what someone thinks of aquariums. If it’s more like what you’d call a wildlife sanctuary, I support it. Let’s take for granted that it will fit all criteria for health care, endangered species preservation (when needed) and ideal conditions for the hosted sealife as well as have primarily an educational purpose. The site says that the Aquarium will complement the existing Ocean Centre of Research & Technology. It sounds hopeful and sensitive. If these are the actual designs, I freaking love them.

Rate: 5 / 5 just don’t disappoint me make it good and eligible

The Seafront Area

Features:

Beach villas

Luxury hotel

Marina for small boats

Thoughts: ...What...more luxury hotels?! I assume the large marina will be suitable only for big boats (for super rich dudes) but somewhat rich dudes have rights too. This corner is kept for somewhat rich dudes.

Rate: 2 / 5 it would be 1 for pointlessness but we stan somewhat rich dudes

The Exhibition Precinct

Features:

transformation of the old airport into an Aviation Museum

renovating the Eero Saarinen building of the old airport to an Exhibition Center

Thoughts: The renovation is definitely needed but I don’t know what good a vague exhibition center will do for Athens with its already existing exhibition centers. Maybe I am wrong though, this whole area aims to be upscale so they ‘ll probably have plenty exclusive exhibitions. The Aviation Museum is a HUGE thumbs up, I love that they respect the history of the place and they incorporate it to the new project. BTW this sculpture in the design is from another country and I hope they WON’T bring something like this here too, no offense

Rate: 4 / 5

The Metropolitan Park

Features: supposedly the biggest park in Europe and one of the biggest coastal parks in the world and will include lakes, arable land (?!), thematic regions and interconnection with all other areas.

Thoughts: This is of course necessary at the least. Athens needs some greenery badly. Urban areas lack large parks. I hope it will indeed be as expanded as they claim. I also hope Latsis will have a guard in every corner though. Urban green places sadly don’t have a lot of luck in Greece and I am already pessimistic.

Rate: 4,5 / 5 because of my pessimism

The Sports Facilities Complex

Features: what the title says

Thoughts: I don’t know, I technically can’t be against sports facilities but what Athenian will get out of their way to reach Hellinikon to play sports... IDK I may be thinking with my provincial mind. Obviously, they target wealthy tourists more than Greeks anyway which is what irritates me. It says they will host professional teams and international events though. They will also restore the Olympic facilities that are located there which was absolutely necessary. Hmmm I don’t know, I am as indifferent for this as I am for sports in general, so maybe don’t listen to me.

Rate: 3,5 / 5

The New Urban Innovation and Business Centre

Features:

educational facilities and research institutions

student campus and housing

model business park

residential developments

hypermarkets, biggest shopping center in Athens

hotels

Thoughts: Yes, yes, ok, meh, no, no. The thing with the hotels starts becoming a joke. Does Athens need a bigger shopping center? I would replace the shops and hotels with simply more park. The campus and research institutions save this.

Rate: 3 / 5

The Mall at Vouliagmenis Avenue

Features: Another Mall

Thoughts: The site calls it “Shopping Center” so I just hope it is the aforementioned one, simply in a detailed description because I don’t dare imagine two massive shopping centers next to each other. Again, it’s a no, even if things work a little differently in Athens, overall I would say that Greek people and “hypermarkets” and malls don’t get along very well. Greeks always prefer their local shops downtown or even the posh shopping streets but hardly ever the Malls. (Or, at least, a curse seems to have fallen on nearly all these shopping complexes in Thessaly.) Thus, this shopping center that is quite far from Athens downtown and also has Glyfada’s upscale shops right next to it (and the future retail shops in the new Marina) will have a lot of competition to face from the locals. Too much ado about nothing.

Rate: 1 / 5 one point if they make it pretty

Let’s see if they pull that off...

#greece #europe #athens #urban #redevelopment #regeneration project #attica #hellinikon #central greece #mainland #greek facts

47 notes · View notes

interestraveler · 4 years

Video

youtube

I walked through the charming villa Carlotta on Lake Como in Tremezzo, Italy. ❤️

____________________________

1. Villa Carlotta 2. Tremezzo 3. Grand Hotel tremezzo

VILLA CARLOTTA: Villa Carlotta is a villa and botanical garden in Tremezzo on Lake Como in Northern Italy. The villa is today a museum, whose art collection includes works by Canova, Thorvaldsen, Migliara and Hayez in addition to pieces of furniture from the time of the various owners. The villa, whose architect is unknown, was completed in 1745. TREMEZZO, COMO LAKE: Tremezzo is one of the most popular tourist attractions of Lake Como, situated on the western shore of Lario, just in front of Bellagio, with a stunning view of the central basin and the Grigne. Since 1947, the village, along with Lenno and Mezzegra, has become part of a unique commune, known as Tremezzina. The marvellous villas and huge hotels built from the XVIII to the XIX century, have made Tremezzo an international tourism landmark. In the area of Rogaro you will be able to admire a fantastic ancient tower, remain of the old medieval fortresses. This small beguiling peace of land extends from the lake shores to the hilly background, at the foot of Mount Crocione. Tremezzo does have two souls, coastal and hilly, both greatly beautiful and suggestive, offering the opportunity to choose different interesting journeys. GRAND HOTEL TREMEZZO: The Grand Hotel Tremezzo is an iconic art nouveau masterpiece sitting on the western shores of Lake Como. With views spanning the crystalline waters towards Bellagio and the Grigne mountains, we treat guests to sumptuous accommodation, three pools, a lakeside private beach and lavish private park, all with the warmest hospitality all’italiana.

1 note · View note

brynandchristopher · 5 years

Text

The heartland

Hello again!

Chris and I have had yet another marvelous week-and-a-half in New Zealand filled with lots of excitement and adventure. The last time we posted we were resting up by the beach on the east coast of the North Island after completing our first Great Walk. Ten days later, we have completed our second Great Walk and are resting up by the beach on the west coast of the North Island in a city called Whanganui. It’s dreary and rainy here today, and Chris has an important football game to watch, so we decided it would be a good day to post up in a cafe for a few hours and check in with you all.

Before we left the Hawkes Bay area last week, we stopped in at the famous Hawkes Bay Farmers Market, one of the oldest and largest farmers markets in all of New Zealand. It’s summer here and there are heaps of fresh, organic produce abound, so we wanted to get some fruit and veggies from the source before leaving the area. The market was massive, lined with a large variety of different vendors offering lots of delicious treats for us to sample. We took our time wandering through the different stalls and absorbed the lovely community atmosphere that farmers markets inherently emit. After filling our bag with fresh eggs, vegetables, and a jar of honey, we bought a pastry to share for breakfast and were on our way. Our next destination was Taupo, a lakeside touristy town in the heart of the North Island, where we stayed for a night before heading north to meet up with our friend Arnaud and his partner Markus the following day. The center of the North Island is notorious for its geothermal activity, and thus a multitude of hot springs are scattered throughout the area. Over time, many of the springs were developed around and turned into luxurious day spas that cost an arm and a leg to visit, however a few free spots remain. After arriving in Taupo we decided to check out the free Otumuheke Springs, but when we got there the parking lot was overflowing with cars and people- the thought of sharing the hot spring with a giant crowd suddenly became less appealing. We turned around and decided we’d try our luck another day.

The next morning, we drove an hour north to Rotorua, another cute lakeside town, where we met Arnaud and Markus for a picnic and a quick swim. Arnaud volunteered with us when we lived in Bali, and we hadn’t seen him in years, so it was great to catch up with him and spend a few hours together. Markus has lived in New Zealand for most of his life, and he gave us some tips for a few less-traveled hot springs in Rotorua to check out before we left the area. We stayed overnight in a parking lot in downtown Rotorua, and woke up bright and early the next morning to go whitewater rafting on the Kaituna River! If I’m being honest, I was pretty terrified-I had never been whitewater rafting, and the Kaituna River is known for its level 5 rapids and largest commercially rafted waterfall in the world, a whopping 23 foot drop! We were both really excited for a new adventure though, and it turned out to be one of the most fun excursions we’ve been on in our travels so far. We had a really funny and knowledgeable raft guide, and we shared the raft with two other couples for the hour long ride down the river. The waterfall was definitely scary- the raft became fully vertical and was completely submerged under the water before resurfacing. We didn’t flip over and no one fell out and even though I inhaled a giant mouthful of water, it was fun and thrilling nonetheless.

Our next Great Walk, the Tongariro Northern Circuit, was only a few days away, so we began our journey south back down to Taupo for a couple of nights to restock our supplies of trail mix and granola bars before setting out on the trail. On our way down, we stopped in at Kerosene Creek (one of the hot springs recommended to us by Markus), and were shocked to find that the entirety of the creek was around 100° F. There were other people there, but nothing compared to our first hot spring stop, and having the whole river to swim around in gave us plenty of our own space to enjoy the steaming spring. That night we posted up on a beautiful reserve next to Lake Taupo and watched the sunset over the lake. After having such a wonderful hot spring experience, we decided to wake up early to beat the crowds and give Otumuheke Spring a second shot. The spring was situated alongside a beautiful river, and we were lucky enough to have the first 15 minutes of our time there to soak in the pools completely alone. It was a great way to start our day before prepping for our upcoming trek.

The next morning, we drove an hour and a half to the Whakapapa Visitors Center in Tongariro National Park to begin the 4-day Tongariro Northern Circuit. When we went to the visitors center to check in with the staff and give them our booking information, we had a brief moment of panic when we realized that we were a day late in starting the trek. The campsites and huts on the Great Walks are in very high demand and are usually booked for the whole summer, so we were stressed that we wouldn’t be able to embark on the trek after missing our reservation. Fortunately the Department of Conservation staff at the visitor’s center called ahead to the rangers at the campsites and they were able to make room for us. Relieved and excited to begin, we strapped on our packs and set out on the trail.

Our first day was an easy 6 miles to the Mangatepopo Hut and Campsite. The terrain had a few ups and downs but was relatively flat, and took us through stunning alpine plains shaped by volcanic explosions with volcanos towering over us on either side. We made it to Mangatepopo in a few hours, where we set up camp and had a hearty dinner of couscous, rice, and lentils. After reading our books and playing cards for a bit, we tucked into bed early knowing that the hardest section of the trek was coming the next day. The circuit trail intersects with the Tongariro Alpine Crossing, a very popular day hike and the main attraction of the revered Great Walk. The trail climbs 2500 feet in 3.6 miles through remnants of lava flow, and winds up a series of steep trail sections aptly named 'Devil’s Staircase’. The peak offers spectacular views of Red Crater and the beautiful Emerald Lakes, drawing hundreds of hikers every day. We began the hike early the next morning, joining the crowds coming in for the day hike, and started the arduous climb to the top. After a couple of hours, we made it up unscathed and stopped for a lunch of trail mix and dried fruit to take it all in. It quickly became clear why so many people embarked on this trek - the landscape was truly magnificent. With panoramic views of the dark red and black Red Crater on one side, and the stark turquoise and blue hues of the Emerald Lakes to the other, we were awed and humbled to be in such a beautiful place. The descent down the other side of the volcano proved to be a bit difficult, as the tread was entirely ash and sand, but we made our way down with only a few stumbles and continued on the circuit trail. Happy to be away from the big crowds, we powered on towards our next campsite, the Oturere Hut.

We made it to the Oturere Hut by 2 pm with 9 miles of hiking under our belts. We still felt pretty energized, and the next hut was only 5 miles away, so we made the decision to stop for a snack and then carry on to catch up with our original campsite reservations. While we were taking a break at the Oturere Hut, the hut ranger informed us with the sad news that just an hour after we had descended from Red Crater, a 75-year-old German man hiking with his son had died at the top due to a heart attack. The Maori tribe that presides over the Tongariro Crossing placed what they call a Rahui over the area, which restricts access to the crossing for 3 days. The Rahui is put in place to acknowledge the person who died and the mourning of their loved ones, and also to allow the spirit of land to recover from the fatality. With a heavy heart, we continued our way on the trail towards our next destination, the Waihohonu Hut and Campsite.

We arrived at Waihohonu after a couple of hours with sore feet and aching backs, feeling exhausted but accomplished after a long 14 mile day. Our campsite bordered a creek, and after setting up our tent we took a refreshing and freezing dip before making dinner. We spent the evening relaxing in the hut, chatting with fellow hikers, and reading our books. In the morning, we were back on the trail by 9:15 am to complete a final 10 mile day back to Whakapapa. I was a little bit grumpy that morning- Chris’ normal hiking pace is more of a light jog for me, and for the first two or so miles Chris was speeding ahead, intent on passing the multiple groups of hikers in front of us. After the first hour and a half I was drained, hungry, and irritable, so we stopped for a snack and some water before carrying on down the path. I was in much better spirits as we hiked through the hummocks and hollows of the final stretch of the circuit, with the striking Mount Ngauruhoe (better known for it’s appearance as Mount Doom in Lord of the Rings) in view the whole way. With only a few miles to go, we stopped at the top of Taranaki Falls for a break, and then completed the final stretch. The Tongariro Circuit was a difficult, rewarding trek and we felt very satisfied, albeit fatigued, to finish it in 3 days. Our first stop post-hike was a hot shower followed by a large pizza - a sequence of events that’s becoming a tradition for us after finishing a Great Walk.

In the days since we finished the crossing, we have been in the coastal city of Whanganui on the central western coast of the North Island. We got lucky with a sunny 75°F day and spent a few hours relaxing in the sun at Kai Iwi Beach. After staying one night in the city, we wanted to get a little more off the beaten path and ventured to a free campsite that was right on the beach about 30 minutes north of the city. We had no expectation of what it would be like, all we knew was that it was right on the coast, but we ended up at one of the most spectacular locations we’ve encountered in New Zealand thus far. Aside from 2 other vans parked down the road, we had a cliffside campsite overlooking the ocean all to ourselves. We ventured down onto the beach, only to be surprised yet again by a completely empty black sand beach lined with incredible cliffs and caves the whole way down. Many of the campsites and beautiful vistas we’ve visited so far have been busy and often crowded by other tourists, so we were excited to find a hidden gem of New Zealand without even trying. Long Beach and Cave Beach were definitely a highlight of our trip so far.

Today we are heading south towards Wellington, and in a few days we will take a ferry from the North Island to begin our adventure in the South Island. Everyone we’ve talked to tells us that the South Island will blow us away, so we are very excited to make our way down there. In 10 days we’ll start our next Great Walk, the Abel Tasman Coastal Track, a gorgeous trek along the northern beaches of the south island!

Lots of love from us both,

Bryn and Christopher

1 note · View note

supergurugramlove-blog · 8 years

Link

Central Park Launched a Luxury Projects Lake front towers in sector 32-33, Sohna Road South Gurgaon. Central Park Flower Valley premium township Spread over 500 Acres area.

#lake front towers #Central Park Flower Valley lake front towers #Central park Lake Front Towers #Central park 3 Lake Front Towers

0 notes

gurgaonproperty927-blog · 8 years

Photo

Central park 3 lake front towers strategically located on Sohna Road, South of Gurgaon. Flower valley township spread over 500 acres land in Sector 32-33 Sohna and connect to Golf Course Extension Road, K R Mangalam University, G D Goenka School.

#Central park 3 lake front towers #Central park lake front towers #lake front towers

0 notes

matthewschueller · 5 years

Text

One Day in Madrid | Gay Madrid Guide

One Day in Madrid?

So you’re planning your trip around Europe and you’ve only got 24 hours in Madrid… it is not easy to deeply experience Madrid in such a short time, but with a bit of quick walking and an optimistic mindset to see as much as possible, here’s what you should put on your list for what to see in Madrid in 24 hours!

Our first recommendation is to plan fo more than 24 hours in this beautiful city. Madrid is often overlooked by backpackers around the world when planning a trip around Europe, but it shouldn’t be skipped! The vibrant and electric atmosphere of the city will have you wanting to book a trip back before you depart.

Gay Madrid

Madrid is one of the most gay friendly cities in Europe. After the huge success of World Pride in 2017, Madrid has become one of the top destinations for LGBTQ+ people everywhere. Its infamous Chueca neighborhood is the city’s gayzone and holds some of the best gay bars in Madrid. While boasting the most lively Madrid night clubs, we recommend including Kapital Madrid on your night out. Apart from the fun of Chueca, Madrid should be near the top of anyone’s must-see list and here’s why!

What To See in Madrid in 24 Hours

Madrid is a very walkable city. The best thing you can do to get oriented with the city is to first partake in a free walking tour. And what better way to experience a bit of the spontaneous street-art throughout the city than to walk around! Here are some of the best free walking tours in Madrid.

1. Take a Tour

Free Walking Tours Madrid:

The free tour leaves every day at 11am (Saturdays at 3pm) from the Plaza del Callao. The walking tour is available in Spanish and English.

Free Tour of Madrid:

This tour runs for about 3 hours from Plaza Mayor. The walking tour is given in English and Spanish. The start times are 10am, 11am, 2pm, and 4pm.

OK Hostel Free Walking Tour:

Some of the Hostels in central Madrid offer Free Walking Tours as well. We stayed at OK Hostel and took advantage of their free tour along with other travelers!

Rainbow Gay Tours

Looking for more incredible in-depth tours around Madrid? Our friends at Rainbow Gay Tours gave us an experience of a lifetime while in Spain. In Madrid, dive in with one of their premium tours! Get 10% off when mentioning “Michael and Matt” on your email/booking! We Recommend:

Madrid City Center Tour: In this three-hour tour you will discover the most important monuments and places of the city center, unhurried and at your own pace.

Madrid Rainbow Night: In this 2 hour tour, you will be shown the most popular venues for the LGBT community where you can party and have a good time!

2. Puerta del Sol

Whether you’re looking for some great shopping, chow down on churro con chocolate, or people watch amidst the various street performers, Puerta del Sol is Madrid’s most famous central gathering place. Just a short walk from Plaza Mayor, Puerta del Sol was originally the spot of Madrid’s old city east gate.

3. Almudena Cathedral (Santa María la Real de La Almudena)

This Neo-Gothic Cathedral can be a quick stop on your way to the Royal Palace, or you can spend 1 to 2 hours here walking around its chapels and chambers. This is actually a newer cathedral, with construction beginning in 1879. Santa Maria Cathedral is open from 9:30am to 8:30pm 7 days a week. However, the museum is only open Monday through Saturday 10am to 2:30pm.

4. Royal Palace of Madrid (Palacio Real De Madrid)

As the grandest building in Madrid, The Royal Palace boasts an insane amount of History presenting tons of information on the Kings of Spain from Charles III to Alfonso XIII. Just a short walk from the Plaza Mayor, you can wander some of its 3000+ rooms, and look in awe at its ornate decoration. Don’t miss the Changing of the Guard (presented on Wednesdays and Saturdays). While it costs to enter the Royal Palace, you can enjoy its beauty admiring the outside if you’re in a rush. Or, come by in the evening and see the Palace from the nearby Sabatini Gardens.

Sabatini Gardens

Want another fascinating view of the Royal Palace? Head just north of the Palace, down the giant staircases to Sabatini Gardens. These Classical gardens were built in the 1930s where the former stables used to be. Here you can admire gorgeous flowers, a fascinating set of reflecting pools and fountains, and the Palace’s towering north facade. The Sabatini Gardens are open from 9am to 9pm and are especially magical close to sunset. This is one of the best places to watch the sunset in Madrid. If you’re looking for a great Instagram photo opportunity, stand at the northern end of the reflecting pool and set the Royal Palace as your backdrop.

Watch our 24 hours in Madrid and Toledo!

5. Plaza Mayor

Madrid’s living room, and the major public square in the heart of the city center. While wandering the tightly packed streets of central Madrid, you can’t miss this grand open space, boasting warm colors and picturesque architecture. The cobbled stone square is flanked by countless cafes, and acts as the meeting place, including for many of the free walking tours. This plaza was designed in 1619 by Juan Gómez de Mora and is something you must see in Madrid. Food and drink can be a bit overpriced in the plaza, but it’s worth sitting down at one of the tables at least once for the experience! We recommend Restaurant DCorozon at the North East corner of the plaza.

6. Madrid’s Museums

Madrid is a city filled to the brim with museums. From incredible paintings, history, artwork and architecture, it’s not easy to experience all of them even in a lengthy visit. In a pinch, here are the best museums in Madrid:

Prado Museum (Museo Nacional del Prado)

The Prado Museum (Museo Nacional del Prado) is a must-see when visiting Spain’s capital. There are many tours available to really dive into the works, but for those of you who are on a tight schedule, one or two hours can be enough to see the most important pieces of art. There are over 7,000 paintings within its interior, so even spending the entire day here is likely to only scratch the surface, and is an intimidating feet! The Museum is open from 10am to 8pm, however visiting at the very start of the day or during lunchtime around 2pm may save you some time in the queues. Buying a ticket in advance means that you can head straight in through security and avoid the long line altogether. Free entry is offered from 6 to 8pm Monday through Saturday and 5-7pm on Sundays and holidays, but the free hours almost always equate to large lines and crowded rooms. Must-see paintings include Valaquez’s Las Meninas, and Bosch’s Garden of Earthly Delights.

Reina Sofia Museum (Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía):

Spain’s national museum which holds 20th-century art. This prized museum is also located close to the Atocha train station in Madrid’s “golden triangle” of art. Holding Picasso’s Guernica, this is an essential stop for any lover of art. The Reina Sofia is closed every Tuesday, with entry from 10am to 9pm. The least busiest time to visit is right at opening. Like the Prado Museum, you can purchase tickets online in advance.

Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum (Museo Nacional Thyssen-Bornemisza):

Another incredibly popular museum in Madrid hosting an overview of art from the 13th to the late 20th century. From Renaissance and Baroque, to Pop Art and Impressionism, The Thyssen is one of the most extraordinary private collections of European art in the world. Where the Prado and Reina Sofia allow you to dive into specific bodies of work, the Thyssen takes a much broader view of artistic styles. Canaletto, Rubens, Degas, Manet and Van Gogh are just a few of the great artists represented here. The Thyssen is open from 10am to 7pm Tuesday through Sunday, and 12pm to 4pm on Mondays with free entry. Purchase your tickets online.

7. El Retiro Park

After running around in the hot sun for much of the day, what better place to go and relax than Madrid’s El Retiro Park? With over 15,000 trees, Madrid’s largest park is bound to provide you with plenty of shade and a little relaxation for your mid-day siesta. Check out Rainbow Gay Tours Retiro Park Tour which will take you through to see the best sights, ending in the lively Chueca district!

The Crystal Palace (Palacio de Cristal)

As one of the most iconic buildings in Madrid, this is a must-see spot in El Retiro Park. Located in the center of the park, the palace is made almost entirely from glass. The interior hosts art exhibitions and you may enter for free to see how the light shining through the crystal bounces around the many surfaces. The Crystal Palace is also a hotspot for Instagram photos. As you walk around the small lake in front of it, be sure to take advantage of the fun photo opportunities here!

The Retiro Park Lake (Estanque grande del Retiro)

If you fancy renting a small rowboat for a few euros, you can enjoy the coolness of Retiro Park’s Lake and paddle around, enjoying the view. The lake lies just beyond the massive statue of Alfonso XII, and is especially beautiful at sunset.

The Rose Garden (La Rosaleda)

Most of the flowers and roses are blooming in full force by late May, making this part of the park absolutely stunning any part of the late Spring. Walk through and get lost in its many arches and thousands of roses. It’s the perfect spot to rest your feet on a bench, watch the fountains, and simply enjoy a quiet moment away from the hustle and bustle of the city.

8. Tapa Street (Calle de la Cava Baja)

You cannot visit Madrid without experiencing the madness and fun of going out for tapas! Cram yourself into a small bar a little past 8pm to start your dinner with small plates and ask for a glass of vino tinto or 3! There are by far more tapa bars than empty stomachs in Madrid, but here on Calle de la Cava Baja you will find some of the best and locally popular spots in the old city. This is one of the best places to eat in Madrid. Looking for a couple places to start? Check out Lamiak and Casa Lucas.

9. San Miguel Market (Mercado de San Miguel)

Although not the cheapest place to get tapas in Madrid, San Miguel Market holds a massive variety of flavors and represents a new type of Spanish cuisine. The large indoor market is packed with tourists and locals alike drinking and eating and meeting with friends in the open areas around the market. Even if you’re not planning on having your entire dinner here, it’s worth checking out and enjoying a couple exquisite and modern tapas.

10. Chueca District

Chueca is the heart of gay Madrid. For nightlife, the bars and clubs are primarily centered around Plaza de Vazquez de Mella. Whether you’re looking for a place to grab a drink, sit down for dinner, go shopping, or go dancing, Chueca has something for everyone. It’s an active area that in recent decades has exploded as the quintessential gay neighborhood of Madrid. Make sure to cut out a little time to experience the nightlife here.

Where to Stay in Madrid

With a ton to see comes just as many options for accommodations including many hotels and hostels in Madrid. When looking at aspects of location, affordability, comfort and social atmosphere, these are the best places to stay in Madrid.

Axel Hotel:

In the heart of the old city is Axel Hotel, providing an incredibly fun and comfortable environment to see all the best parts of Madrid while being able to meet others in the city. With its rooftop pool and bar, Axel is the most renowned and top recommended LGBTQ+ hotel in central Madrid. Book your stay at Axel Hotel.

OK Hostel Madrid:

Along with hotel options, there are a variety of hostels to choose from in Madrid. OK Hostel is one of the most popular and highest rated hostels in the city center. It is one of our favorite hostales en Madrid! OK Hostel takes the cake for great location, centered just a five minute walk from Plaza Mayor and a short distance from the gay and nightlife district, Chueca. OK hostel hosts tons of group activities including their daily free walking tour, and a pretty expansive breakfast including eggs, bacon, and a fun cappuccino machine! This makes for a great, comfortable and affordable option for those who are looking to meet fellow travelers and backpackers. Book your stay at OK Hostel Madrid.

#gay madrid #madrid spain #gay travel #LGBTQ travel #Gay Spain #Travel Spain #Gay Travel Spain #Madrid #24 Hours in Madrid #What to do in Madrid #One Day in Madrid #Madrid gay guide

4 notes · View notes

t9digitalmarketing-blog · 6 years

Text

Top Tips & Budget Friendly Ways To Experience Paris Like A Native

Hi guys, welcome to my blog. My name is Caroline, I am 22 and I am Irish. I am studying Commerce International in University College Dublin and I spent a year in Paris studying commerce through French. I have learned the ins and outs of the city (sometimes the hard way) and some of this information I would love to have known prior to moving there. The majority of tourists spend hours queueing to see (some impressive, some not so impressive) tourist attractions and frequently get ripped off. As a result their Parisian experience ends up being very unproductive and costly.

Paris is known for being expensive but you can definitely do it on a budget and I am going to tell you how! Young people tend to avoid travelling to Paris because it has a name for being notoriously expensive, however Paris is not actually any more expensive than any other European city. Paris is very much geared towards young people and it has become my favourite city in Europe. There is a never-ending list of things to do for young people and it is simply an amazing place to live/study/visit.

I am going to share my top tips with you and help you experience Paris like a French native, and as a young person, the best spots to visit so that you can get the most out of your trip to this incredible city.

Culture

Paris is a fantastic city if you have a European passport and you are under the age of 26 as you can get into the majority of cultural sites and museums for free on any day of the week! (Admission to most museums is pretty cheap anyway but when you are on a budget it all adds up very quickly). There are hundreds of museums in Paris but my two favourite are Musée du Louvre and Musée d’Orsay. The Louvre (Musée du Louvre) is a great place to start and the Mona Lisa is a must see! Musée d’Orsay is another great museum even if you don’t enjoy art, the layout of the museum and its architecture is well worth seeing (a scene from Gossip Girl was also shot in this museum).

L’Arc du Triomphe is an absolute must! It is an arch that acts as a roundabout with 12 different streets leading up to it. You have to go underground to get to the centre of the roundabout/the arch. You can then climb up to the top of l’Arc du Triomphe which in my opinion has one of the best views of Paris. You have to climb a long windy staircase in order to get to the top so wear comfortable shoes. You can even see La Défense, the infamous business district from the top. You will also see the longest street in Europe, the Champs Elysée. The “roundabout” has no rules as such and as a result it is chaotic all the time, from the top looking down it is like watching a colony of ants frantically moving around attempting to dodge one another.

Sacre Coeur is well worth the visit even if you don’t actually enter the basilica. It is situated at the very top of a village and there is a long hilly walk up to it but the views from the top are incredible.

Palais Garnier is a spectacular opera house. You can do a day tour of it which costs €15 and tickets to the shows can go up to €500. If you are keen to see a show, you can queue at the ticket kiosk (several hours prior to the show) and get tickets to the ballet/opera for as cheap as €10 – that is if you have half the day to spend queuing for a show that could sell out.

Trocadero is an absolute must-go! This is where you will find the best view of the Eiffel Tower. I wouldn’t recommend going to any restaurants or bars in this area as they are all very overpriced (this where a lot of tourists get caught out).

Day Trips & Tours

Chateau du Versailles is magnificent and well worth visiting on a sunny day. It is about an hour (by train) south of Paris and then a 20 minute walk from the train station. The entry fee to the palace is free for European residents under the age of 26 and the entry fee to the gardens is €10 for a student (buy tickets in Versailles because they are cheaper at the door than they are online). The gardens are more impressive than the palace in my opinion. The gardens are so vast it would take you all day to walk around them however you can rent golf buggies or bikes in order to cover more land in less time. During the summer months you can rent rowing boats and row/float on the lake. Most people bring a picnic with them and enjoy their lunch on the designated grass areas soaking up the sun. There is only one coffee shop here and several ice cream kiosks so definitely bring your own snacks.

Disneyland Paris is an absolute must if you are spending a few days in Paris. You can take the RER A (main underground train line in Paris) towards Marne la Vallée and it leaves you right at the gates of Disneyland. It takes approximately 40 minutes from central Paris. The queues are not nearly half as bad here as they are in Disneyland in America and it really is a magical experience. There is something for all ages and the firework display every evening is spectacular. If you book tickets online they are usually around €50 however if you buy tickets at the door, the price is double. There are lots of restaurants and bakeries here but they tend to be pricey so I would advise bringing snacks from Monoprix and baguettes/croissants from a bakery in Paris with you. Check the weather before booking your tickets!

You can buy tickets online here https://www.disneylandparis.com/en-ie/

Boat tours are a great way to a get an overview of the city, learn some interesting facts and get some great photos. Paris is stunning at night time when all of the famous monuments are lit up so I would recommend doing a boat tour at night. There are several companies that do boat cruises, however don’t waste your money purchasing a “dinner experience” package etc. as you will be too busy eating (a very basic meal) to see any of the sights. I would recommend getting the cheapest and most basic tour ticket and choosing a boat that has an upstairs. I found that Bateaux Parisians were great and their most basic ‘illuminations’ tour cost €13.50 per person. The boat sails up and down the Seine pointing out the famous sights/monuments/areas. The tour lasts around 75 minutes.

You can buy tickets online here https://book.seine-river-cruises.com/book/7944/checkout

When in Paris do as the French do

The Parisians are the most sociable people you will ever come across. They love any opportunity to be amongst people and sipping on wine. There is a famous saying “when in Rome do as the Romans,” the same concept applies in Paris! Even if it is lashing rain, sit outside under a canopy and enjoy some food and a few drinks. However if the weather is good, follow the French to any of the gardens (my personal favourite is Jardin des Tuileries), bring your picnic blanket, a few croissants, baguettes and a bottle of wine and soak up the atmosphere – this is a favourite pass time for the French.

On summer nights when the parks are closed you’ll find everyone with their bottles of wine and snacks sitting along the banks of Seine – the whole way along it! It is honestly one of the most fun enjoyable and cheapest things you will do and you will feel just like a native.

Another great location during the day/early evening for doing this is on Champ de Mars which is the grass area just in front of the Eiffel Tower. It is a really popular meet up spot for students and workers alike with one of the most iconic views.

Bars & Restaurants

Brunch is a huge thing in Paris, everyone does it and you will often queue for up to 90 minutes to get a table in some of the best places. Brunch is expensive (usually €25 per person) but it is 2 meals in 1 and you get a crazy amount of delicious food! My personal favourite is Paperboy situated on Rue Amelot – all of their food is incredible! But some other great spots include Lockwood, Hardware Société, Le Pain Quotidien and the Soul Kitchen.

If you love acai bowls make sure to check out Love Juice Bar and the Juicerie. If you are a hot chocolate lover, Angelina’s is renowned for having the best tasting hot chocolate in France. It is one of the most famous ‘tea rooms’ in the world and quite an experience. However one hot chocolate costs €9 but you can opt for the take away option which is half the price. Another spot for chocolate lovers is Lindt – there are several Lindt stores in Paris all of which have sit down Cafés. I am a huge chocolate lover and Lindt did not disappoint and was much cheaper than Angelina (although 2 very different atmospheres).

Chatelet is an area full of bars and restaurants all of which are extremely affordable and it is an area that is usually buzzing from 1pm on a Saturday right up until the early hours of Sunday morning.

Pizza Populaire is a restaurant with a really alt style and cool vibes that have a pizza margaherita on the menu for just €5! However you need to be at the doors 25 minutes prior to opening (6pm) in order to get a seat as there is always a queue.

If you are on a really tight budget, there are plenty of Mc Donald’s and Dominos scattered around Paris too.

Happy hour is very popular in Paris usually between 3-7pm so if you want to enjoy a drink in a nice bar on a budget, then choose your times to do so wisely. There are several must see bars even if you only purchase a bottle of water for €3 or one alcoholic drink for €11. ‘Off Seine’ is a hotel shaped like a boat in the Seine River. Its bar area even has a pool and there is live music there every evening. 100 yards from this, there is a rooftop bar called ‘Café Oz Rooftop’ – it is another great spot that is on the Seine and turns into a rooftop nightclub every night. They also have themed events during the week such as “Erasmus student nights” etc.

Le Perchoir Marais is also a rooftop bar with very chilled, cool vibes and since waiters don’t serve customers here (you have to queue at the bar to get a drink), you can even experience it without ever buying a drink!

Rue Saint Honoré, located in the 1st arrondissement is one of the most expensive streets in Paris however there is a bar on this street called ‘Le Musset’ that does great cocktails for €6 until 7pm every day. They have a seated area outside with a canopy so you can feel and live just like the Parisians; sipping on nice drinks watching the world go by.

General Tips

In my opinion going up the Eiffel Tower is a waste of time and money. The queues can be quite long and it is expensive enough. When you get to the top there isn’t much to see other than high rise buildings. It is usually a disappointment for tourists.

The Eiffel Tower sparkles every hour on the hour once it is dark so make sure and look out for that!

An absolute must-buy is a transport pass called ‘Navigo’. It costs €27 (or if you are repurchasing €22) for a week and it allows you to hop on and hop off every RER (main underground train line), every metro and all public buses. You will get more than your value for money with this – even if you’re only in Paris for a few days! Make sure and bring a passport photo to attach on to the Navigo card because if you are stopped by the Navigo wardens you will be fined if your card doesn’t have a photo of you on it. You can check it out online here but buy it at any train station when you arrive in Paris - https://www.ratp.fr/en/titres-et-tarifs/navigo-monthly-and-weekly-travel-passes

Download the RAFTP app on your phone and it will tell you which train lines/ metros/ buses to take to your chosen destination.

Charles de Gaulle and Orly airport are the most accessible airports from the city. There are trains and buses from both into the city – all of which you can use your Navigo on. Even though flights are often cheaper to Beauvais airport, there is no public transport to Beauvais airport from the city – you either have to pay privately for the airport bus (€30 return to the city) and taxis cost approximately €120 to the airport from the city.

Place du Vendome is lovely to walk around too and a popular area for seeing celebrities during Paris Fashion Week.

I hope you found this blog helpful, let me know in the comments section if you have any questions and enjoy Paris if you are visiting! If you leave your email address in the comments section I will add you to my mailing list and send out an email when my next blog post is up so that you don’t miss it.

Disclaimer: This post is not sponsored nor does it contain any affiliated links. I took all of the photos shown in this post.

#ParisForYoungPeople #BudgetFriendly #ParisTourism #France #ParisTravelTips #ParisOnABudget #ParisianFood #BestSpotsInParis #ParisTouristAttractions #ExperienceParisLikeANative

7 notes · View notes

golicit · 6 years

Text

Top Ten: Paris

April in Paris

Next week, after the holidays are well and truly over, I will be publishing my annual survey of the Top Ten Stories in the World of D&O for 2018. In the meantime, during the holidays, I have been posting a series of alternative Top Ten lists. Yesterday, I posted my list of top ten things to see and do in London. Today, I am publishing my list of the top ten things to see and do in my all-time favorite city, Paris.

I have been to Paris many times and have strong views about the place, as my list below reflects. There are also a number of obvious omissions from the list below, as well. Most first time visitors to the city know they want to see the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, the Musée d’Orsay, Notre Dame, Sacré-Cœur, and the Arc de Triomphe. Every first time visitor to Paris should definitely see all of these sites. Just the same, I have left these top destinations off of my list, to make room for some other destinations that might or might not make their way on to visitors’ itineraries. I have set out my list below. Please also see the additional top ten list below, as well.

10. Place des Voges: An atmospheric square located in the Marais district and built in the early 17th century, this beautiful brick residential development built along harmonious and uniform lines is now a quiet retreat. On a sunny day, it is great just to visit the Place and to stroll around the square or to take in the atmosphere on one of the benches, and then afterwards leave the square by the southern archway and walk down to the Rue Saint-Antoine enjoy one of the many sidewalk cafés along the way.

The statute of Louis XIII in the square at Place des Voges

9. Le Grande Epicerie: The Grand Epicerie is a food emporium adjacent to the famous Le Bon Marché department store. The grocery store has several floors of gourmet foods and beverages. The place is frankly a little bit dazzling but it is a lot of fun just to walk around in and to look around. There are several dining counters in the store where you can sample a wide variety of foods, but the best thing to is select an array of foods to take away, and then to enjoy a picnic meal in the Square Boucicaut, in front of the department store’s main entrance.

8. Fondation Louis Vuitton: The Fondation is one of the newest museums in Paris. The modern art exhibits in the museum change all of the time, but in any event the real reason to visit the museum is to see its dramatic exterior and fascinating interior design. The beautiful building was designed by famous architect Frank Geary. It is also beautifully situated within the Bois de Boulogne. There are a number of terraces within the museum affording views of the park and the city. An interesting place to visit.

7. Buttes Chaumont: In far northeastern Paris, far off of the tourist grid, is the Parc des Buttes Chaumont, a huge park with a manmade lake, a picturesque temple perched on steep hilltop, and a series of wide promenades. The lake was built on the site of a former gypsum quarry. A stone grotto with a waterfall adjoins the lake. For someone interested in seeing a different part of the city, this park is a great place for strolling and on a sunny day for people watching.

6. Village St-Paul: In the middle of the Marais district and just off of Rue Saint-Antoine, behind the St. Paul church, is a quiet, hidden district of narrow streets and alleyways. The area has the feel of a small rural village. It is full of antique shops and of small cafés and restaurants. This quiet area is a very special secret place, only steps away from a busy avenue but entirely off of the tourist grid. Don’t tell anybody else about this place, it will just be our little secret.

The Apse of St-Paul,viewed from within the village

5. Île Saint-Louis: At some point, most visitors to Paris make their way to the Notre Dame Cathedral on the Île de la Cité. Not many visitors cross over the footbridge behind Notre Dame leading to the adjacent island, the Île Saint-Louis. The smaller island is only a few steps away but it might as well be in a different city. By contrast to the busy, tourist-crowded streets around Notre Dame, the streets on Île Saint-Louis are calm and quiet. The island is a great place for a leisurely lunch after touring around Notre Dame, or anytime you want a quiet meal away from the crowd. The residential streets are beautiful and the walkways along the waterside afford great views of the river, of Notre Dame, and of the city nearby.

The Île Saint-Louis in the foreground, with Notre Dame in the background

4. Saint-Germain-des-Prés: Notre Dame is more famous, but the Abbey of Saint-Germain-des-Prés on the Left Bank is older and more atmospheric. There often are concerts in the old church, and if you are willing to attend a service in French, it is a great place to take in a mass on Sunday morning. Across the square from the main entrance to the church is the famous Les Deux Magots café, whose famous patrons have included Simone de Beauvoir, Jean-Paul Sartre, Albert Camus, Pablo Picasso, and James Joyce. After a beverage at the café, stroll around the neighborhood and along the Boulevard Saint-Germain, it is one of the great districts in the city.

3. Canal Saint-Martin: The Canal Saint-Martin is part of the series of canals linking Paris to distant rivers bringing freshwater to the city. The Canal remains a working canal. A series of locks allow barges to make their way down to the Seine River. Walkways line the canal and bridges cross back and forth, affording great viewpoints from which to watch barges make their way through the locks. The Canal is not far from the Marais but just the same it is pretty much completely off of the tourist grid. On a sunny day the Canal is about as special of a place to stroll as there is in all of the city.

2. Rue Mouffetard: The Rue Mouffetard is a very special street away the busier environs of the Latin Quarter. At the northern end of the street at the top of Mont Sainte-Geneviève is the Place de la Contrescarpe, a large quiet square ringed with cafes and brasseries that has something of a small village feel. The Rue Mouffetard itself – which is lined with small shops selling wine, cheese, tea, clothing and books – has rolled downhill toward the south since the Roman era. The area is also now laced with student bars, including one called (I am not making this up) “Student Bar.” A great way to end an afternoon in Paris is to stroll down to the bottom of the Rue Mouffetard and then back up the hill for a cool beverage at a sidewalk café in the Place de la Contrescarpe. (The Place made my list of the ten great places to have a beer.)

Rue Mouffetard, in the early evening

A winter evening in the Place de la Contrascarpe

1. Jardin du Luxembourg: Paris is a great city full of beautiful places to visit, but in the entire city, as far as I am concerned, the most beautiful and the one most worth seeing is the Jardin du Luxembourg. The Jardin made my previously published list of top urban parks – but it is more than that. It is the place that most embodies the spirit of the city. The most essential Parisian spirits inhabit the gardens, where romantic couples slowly promenade and little children sailing their boats in the central fountain shout happily “Regardez, Maman! Regardez!” There is no better place anywhere for a stroll, to enjoy the view, to take in the air, to walk the many others enjoying the atmosphere, to feel fortunate that you have been able to travel to Paris, just to see and walk in the Jardin.

A Picture Gallery: I admit that more than once I have made wise-cracks about people who post pictures of their food on social media. Over time, these kinds of remarks have turned me into a hypocrite, because the fact is that over time I have posted lots of pictures of food in various travel posts. Sometimes, food is an interesting and even an important part of the experience in some travel locations. I have taken lots of pictures of my meals as I have traveled around. Here are some of my favorites below.

Uma feijoada, in São Paulo, Brazil (the traditional black bean and pork stew — in this picture, the beans are in the ceramic bowl).

A traditional meal of Tatties, Neeps, and Haggis ( potatoes, turnips, and haggis), in a pub in Edinburgh

When I travel alone in Germany, I often have trouble with the menu. No matter what I order, I wind up with breaded pork cutlets. In a lunch restaurant in Frankfurt, I decided to ask the waiter what he recommended. He suggested the daily special; I said OK. When it arrived, it was a big sausage on a pile of green mush, with some potatoes. Next time, the pork cutlet.

In fairness, I have had some enjoyable meals in Germany. This tasty (albeit heavy) meal of turkey ham, scalloped potatoes, sausage, and salad was at the Gröninger Privatbrauerei in Hamburg Aldstadt.

There are a lot of great reasons to visit Mumbai, but among the best reasons is the amazing food. Here’s a picture of one of my breakfasts, a serving of Uttapam (a rice batter pancake with a variety of cooked-in ingredients and a number of accompanying relishes and spices).

Smoked salmon and champagne at the Oyster Bar in the Food Hall at Harrod’s in London

A Bibimbap at a small family restaurant in Seoul. (That is, a bowl of warm white rice topped with namul, gochujang, and soy sauce, with a fried egg on top).

At a shabu-shabu restaurant in Tokyo (the name shabu-shabu is onomatopoeic and refers to the sound made when the beef and vegetables are swished back in forth in the pot of boiling water).

An octopus at a fado club in Lisbon. (Yes, I ate the whole thing).

This is a picture taken at a wonderful dinner at my good friend Aruno Rajaratnam’s house in Singapore. The menu included brown basmati rice with ghee and lemongrass; lentils with thavasi, long beans, and broccoli; chicken marinated with ground herbs and spices; prawns cooked with red chilies and tomato chutney; cabbage cooked with turmeric and herbs; and cucumber salad with yogurt spiced dressing.. Many of the herbs and spices were from Aruno’s garden.

The post Top Ten: Paris appeared first on The D&O Diary.

Top Ten: Paris published first on

3 notes · View notes

digitalmarketingt9-blog · 6 years

Text

Top Tips & Budget Friendly Ways To Experience Paris Like A Native

Culture

Day Trips & Tours

You can buy tickets online here https://www.disneylandparis.com/en-ie/

You can buy tickets online here https://book.seine-river-cruises.com/book/7944/checkout

When in Paris do as the French do

Bars & Restaurants

If you are on a really tight budget, there are plenty of Mc Donald’s and Dominos scattered around Paris too.

General Tips

The Eiffel Tower sparkles every hour on the hour once it is dark so make sure and look out for that!

Download the RAFTP app on your phone and it will tell you which train lines/ metros/ buses to take to your chosen destination.

Place du Vendome is lovely to walk around too and a popular area for seeing celebrities during Paris Fashion Week.

Disclaimer: This post is not sponsored nor does it contain any affiliated links. I took all of the photos shown in this post.

#ParisForYoungPeople #BudgetFriendly #ParisTourism #France #ParisTravelTips #ParisOnABudget #ParisianFood #BestSpotsinParis #ParisTouristAttractions #ExperienceParisLikeANative

1 note · View note