#Cycling Vietnam

[vietnam-by-bike]

1. Immersion in the Ancient Khmer Empire:

Cycling allows you to fully immerse yourself in the ancient wonders of the Khmer Empire, with Angkor Wat and Banteay Srei being the highlights. As you pedal through the temple complexes, you will witness the grandeur and intricate details that have been preserved for centuries. Unlike exploring these sites by car or bus, cycling provides a closer connection to the historical context, allowing you to observe the architecture, intricate carvings, and experience their sheer magnificence firsthand.

2. Off-the-beaten-path Adventure:

Venturing off the main tourist routes in Cambodia and Vietnam is made possible by cycling. Kampong Thom, located between Angkor Wat and Phnom Penh, presents an opportunity to delve into the rich Khmer culture and explore lesser-known temples, rice fields, and local villages. By exploring these hidden gems on a bike, you can witness authentic Cambodian life, interact with friendly locals, and gain a deeper appreciation for this enchanting region.

3. Unforgettable Cultural Experiences:

Cycling through Phnom Penh, the vibrant capital city of Cambodia, allows you to absorb the vibrant history and culture firsthand. Visit the haunting Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum and the Killing Fields for a profound understanding of Cambodia's dark past. Pedaling through local markets, sampling delicious street food, and interacting with friendly locals will provide irreplaceable cultural experiences that showcase the warmth and generosity of the Cambodian people.

4. Connection with Nature:

The journey through the Mekong Delta, a sprawling network of rivers, canals, and lush green landscapes, is a highlight of this cycling adventure. By cycling through this picturesque region, you can witness the daily life of locals living along the delta's banks, pass through verdant rice paddies, and explore charming villages. The peaceful and serene environment allows for a deeper connection with nature, away from the hustle and bustle of city life.

5. Mekong River: Lifeline of Southeast Asia:

Following the Mekong River by bike offers an extraordinary perspective on the region's livelihood and biodiversity. As you cycle along the river, you will witness local fishermen casting their nets, witness traditional fishing villages, and witness a rich array of wildlife. Furthermore, a cycling adventure along the Mekong River allows you to witness the magnificent sunrises and sunsets that paint the river's banks with mesmerizing colors, creating postcard-worthy moments wherever you turn.

✅ Cycling in Cambodia and Vietnam 10 days offers an unforgettable experience that combines historical wonders, cultural immersion, and a connection with nature. By taking this unique, off-the-beaten-path approach, you have the opportunity to engage with local culture, witness breathtaking landscapes, and experience the region from a completely different perspective. So gear up, hop on a bike, and get ready for an adventure that will create lasting memories and leave you with a profound appreciation for the captivating destinations of Cambodia and Vietnam.

[pnguyenst]

Immerse yourself in the gateways of an enriching ruler experience and connect with the natural beauty, authentic charm, and cultural heritage with countryside discovery. A place that offers to create memorable journeys to break the hustle of urban life. Get a diverse range of experiences to feel the tranquility of the countryside. Get ready to embark on your journey with countryside discovery to experience an opportunity to connect with nature, and culture and create long-lasting memories. Whether you are a solo traveler or a group traveler, make us your companion to unlock the hidden gems with captivating landscapes and live your life to the fullest. See more https://www.countrysidediscovery.com/

[hopefulkidshark]

Traditional Cycle Ride near St. Joseph Cathedral, A Experience the Authentic Charm of Hanoi, Vietnam: The Metropolitan Archdiocese of Hanoi is a Catholic metropolitan archdiocese of Vietnam. It is one of the earliest in the history of the Catholic Church in Vietnam. The creation of the diocese in present form was declared 24 November 1960. Wikipedia

[retrocgads]

UK 1987

[carahbou]

Went to 'nam today.

[xtrablak674]

Breaking Cycles

Good morning Ms. Stone, I was just listening to the beginning of a podcast talking about the history of electronic cigarettes ergo what is now known as vaping. It instantly had me thinking of the conversations I was having with my late brothers children, when he wasn't even buried yet. Like myself they all knew he died of COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), I don't think any of us were deluding ourselves about the cause, his incessant smoking.

Ms. Stone I recall him and his wife, before they separated, picking up discarded butts and smoking them, because they had spent up all their money for the month in the first week as usual. I can't pretend that that behavior bought up nothing but disgust with me. Let's move beyond just how unsanitary it was, but to be that engulfed by a habit that you would literally pick up garbage to smoke it, is extremely disturbing to me. Then to be on video chats with his kids and to see my brothers youngest son never stop vaping during the handful of talks we had was dumbfounding.

These kids all visited their dad in the hospital, they saw how emaciated he had become and he was already too skinny, they were more than aware at how much he smoked and yet his youngest never put down his vape pen. It took so much mental energy to make sure the young person didn't feel the judgement that was building up within me as I watched his life rise from his lips in puffs of smoke.

I remember when I was still interacting with my brother how his own mother admonished me for encouraging both him and his wife to stop smoking and to exercise more. Yes, we've arrived in The Twilight Zone, I was being attacked for encouraging the parents to be more health conscious and physically fit, so they could be around for their children and not die early like our own father did.

No matter how horrified I was at the behavior repeating itself, I had no standing with this young man that the parental figures around him hadn't already hopefully attempted to dissuade him from becoming the third generation of pre-mature death.

My father died at forty-three and my brother died at the exact same age, both were health-related deaths. My father and my brother were both avid smokers, cigarettes and marijuana, but my dad's death was more than likely related to his exposure to Agent Orange in Vietnam, but I have to say I don't think his excessive smoking was helping his already wounded body.

Its so hard to be the one who has a vantage point to see the repeating patterns and not be able to do anything about it. If I couldn't dissuade the grandfather, or the father, what success would I have with the son who hasn't seen me in over a decade? Its like my nephews eldest sister, who became a teen mom after being the child of a teen mom who was also the child of a teen mom, when does the cycle ever end? And more importantly how do we get people to even see it?

[Photo by Brown Estate]

[hauntingblue]

For some reason I watched episode 3 of the bear instead of the first and I felt like it was kinda mid and felt kinda sad bc ayo directed it but now I watched episode one (bc I clicked episode 3 and got the same one and thought damn how could my favourite pirating site do this to me) but this one is really good it got me choked up

[indochinecruise]

Enjoy sweet moments of cycling with your loved ones amid the poetic natural scenery in Viet Hai village, Lan Ha bay.

Let Indochine Cruise take you to this poetic experience

Visit us on website: https://www.indochinasails.com/

[skippudippu]

this is really inspired by a post someone else made but I can’t find it rn 😭😭 but hear me out okay

yes lisa frankenstein is a campy silly funny slasher romcom, and I ADORE it for that. but I’ve been thinking abt how it comments on the way society treats people with trauma, especially women, especially in past decades. the three major women each demonstrate different effects of that.

Lisa is the most obvious — we know what happened to her mom, and we see how everyone feels about her. hell, she tells us. nobody cares about her healing, they just want her to move on. (this also ties into themes of the original Frankenstein story; he wasn’t a monster, but everyone treated him like he was, so he became one.) instead of helping her, everyone others Lisa because she does not hide her pain, nor the effects that pain has had on her. so she becomes the dangerous freak everyone made her out to be.

then we have Janet — Janet, whose father died in the Vietnam war, who appears to have ignored her trauma exactly the way society wanted her to. she buried her pain in order to fit into traditional feminine roles: she’s a mother, she keeps up her home, she’s thin and made-up and absolutely drenched in feminine colors and silhouettes. but the unchecked trauma ate her up inside, and it made her into an antagonist. she became the very sort of person that contributed to her own suffering. she’s perpetuating a vile cycle.

and finally, there’s Taffy, who naturally checks every box on the ‘traditional femininity’ checklist. social and bright and pretty. a cheerleader, a party girl, toeing the line between fitting in and being memorable. she’s never experienced the kinds of struggle that Janet or Lisa did — until the end of the movie. that shot of the man in the car looking at her, beaten and bloody and scared out of her mind. and he drives away without a word. the minute she has a big, ugly problem? she’s dismissed. she’s othered, the same way that Lisa was.

but in Taffy’s final scene, she’s visiting Lisa’s grave. she wears the rosary, a symbol of her otherness. her dress is a feminine cut, and it’s black w pink flowers. she has just been a victim of events scarily similar to Lisa: her mother was killed by a frankenstein, she witnessed death, she was subsequently dismissed for her trauma. but I have to hope that this symbolizes the difference between Taffy and Lisa/Janet; that she’ll break the cycle; that she’ll be able to address her suffering while reclaiming her femininity.

[workingclasshistory]

On this day, 23 July 1944, 19-year-old French communist resistance fighter Madeleine Riffaud saw a German military officer taking a walk over a bridge on the river Seine in Paris and got off her bicycle. As he looked at the Louvre, she took out her gun and shot him twice in the head, killing him. As she cycled away, she was pursued and knocked off her bike by French collaborators in a car. Riffaud tried to shoot herself to avoid torture but was captured and handed over to the Nazi SS. She was beaten repeatedly, escaped but was recaptured and deported to a concentration camp. There, she was released in a prisoner swap, and took part in the armed uprising which liberated the city in August. She later recounted to Agence France-Presse in an interview, “It was joyous… People were falling in love and kissing each other without knowing each other. After years of having to do everything in secret, we could fight in the open.” Riffaud survived the war and later became a journalist, supporting and reporting on anti-colonial rebellions in Algeria and Vietnam. If you value our work researching and promoting people's history like this, please consider supporting our work, and accessing exclusive content and benefits, at https://patreon.com/workingclasshistory https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=666345558871996&set=a.602588028581083&type=3

[vietnam-by-bike]

One of the most beautiful holidays in Vietnam By Bike - https://vietnambybike.com/blog/mai-chau-bike-tours

[pnguyenst]

Vietnam Biking Tours for the Adventurous Escapades

Want to explore an accelerating journey across various terrains? Explore the Vietnam biking tours to promise mountainous landscapes across the serene coastlines. Get ready to discover hidden gems in Vietnam and enjoy the flexibility and freedom that biking offers.

[h0neybane]

RAH... MY YUUSONA.... HERE SHE IS!! @beneathsakurashade shes basically just me so i dont have as much to say about her as i did morwenna, but ill add some explanations + references under the cut!

left is nrc uniform, right is a casual outfit! : ̗̀➛ the reason the age is blanked out is bc i like to do selfship stuff but i dont want any weird age gaps since im a minor! so i just leave it ambiguous so i can adjust as needed : ̗̀➛ homeland is blanked out because its mysterious ... no im just kidding LMFAO im asian american but i didnt know whether i should put america (nationality) or vietnam (ethnicity) so i just settled for blank : ̗̀➛ my two main motifs were the moon and pearls because 1. i like leona and 2. i like jade. thats it LOL : ̗̀➛ i know her club says "go home" but she actually kind of cycles between clubs? like sometimes she'll drop in and watch magift/spelldrive practice, sometimes she'll mess around with the pop music club, sometimes she actually does go home, etc etc! just how she feels : ̗̀➛best subjects r biology because that's my actual favorite school subject (if not counting art) and potionology because when i was younger i would get onto royale high enchantix and then sit and wait just to go to potions class

as i said earlier i dont rlly have much to say just bc its literally just. me. so ill leave it at that!!! ill definitely post abt her in the future tho

[henry-fox-biggest-stan]

I have the Stranger Things: Worlds Turned Upside Down: The Official Behind-the-Scenes Companion book, I got it in 2018, so here are some fun facts from it

In the party’s dnd charts it says Will’s class is “magic-user” 👀👀 and one of his abilities is “true sight” 👀👀

The first scene written and the first scene filmed are both the dnd game at s1 ep1

Mike supposedly has rainbow blinds in his room (as a reference to E.T since Elliot also has rainbow blinds)

When El throws Lucas against a wall, that was Caleb, not a body double. Apparently he was excited to film without a double and asked for it (he was thrown against a mattress). Called said he had so much fun.

During the scene where El sends the van flying, the duffers said than when they first tried it (without filming) it all went as it was supposed to, it flew the right directions. The first time they filmed, tho, the van fell on top of one of their cameras and destroyed it.

Steve is in his last year of high school (as opposed to Nancy, who is in her second, or Jonathan who is in his first)

Steve plays basketball and baseball. He was supposed to be an asshole and die the first season, but Joe Keery came and gave a bit more depth to Steve’s character.

243 people auditioned to play El

Some of El’s powers include biokinesis, teleportation, and psychometry

Hopper fought in Vietnam 

At first the upside down wasn’t supposed to appear on screen at any moment. We would have heard what happened over walkie talkies or radios.

A demodog is just a teen demogorgon (I think this was explained at the show, but I have seen people say they are different creatures)

Jonathan does cycling, is in the school newspaper, and the photography club

Caleb is very good crying on command

Mike’s bike is the newest because his family has the most money, Dustin begun painting his bike but hasn’t finished it yet, and Lucas has a fluorescent saddle

At first they weren’t allowed to use ghostbusters costumes but they talked to Ivan Reitman and eventually got green light 

Dart was supposed to appear in the first season but they didn’t have enough time

The upside down was originally called the underworld 

Nancy and Jonathan (their relationship) are inspired by David and Jennifer from WarGames (1983). Also by Willie Scott and doctor Jones from Indiana Jones

Bob was supposed to die on ep 4 instead of ep 8

For the scene with Will and Morse code (when he’s tied to a chair) the duffers just told Noah to watch a YouTube video on Morse code the day before 

Talking about Noah, after being possessed and convulsing to the point everyone was amazed with his acting, the moment they stop filming he just gets up and asks for a cup of tea like nothing happened

For the upside down spores they actually used dandelions 

Hopper is repeatedly described as a cowboy lmao

In s1 when the boys dress El up in a wig and a dress and Mike does her makeup, they are dressing her up in their vision of what a girl is

Finn said than it was only halfway through the second episode than Mike realized than El is a real girl, a real person, and not E.T.

The duffers were inspired by the breakfast club for the making of Nancy, Jonathan, and Steve’s characters!!

Nancy played volleyball, was in the cheerleader team (?!?!?!), was in the French club, volunteered at church and did social volunteering, and did a writing workshop

Barb played softball, the clarinet, was part of the Mathematical Olympiads, volunteered at the library, and was a babysitter.

[gael-garcia]

Writers Against the War on Gaza (WAWOG) is an ad hoc coalition committed to solidarity and the horizon of liberation for the Palestinian people. Drawing together writers, editors, and other culture workers, WAWOG hopes to provide ongoing infrastructure for cultural organizing in response to the war. This project is modeled on American Writers Against the War in Vietnam, an organization founded in 1965.

Statement of Solidarity

October 26, 2023

Israel’s war against Gaza is an attempt to conduct genocide against the Palestinian people. This war did not begin on October 7th. However, in the last 19 days, the Israeli military has killed over 6,500 Palestinians, including more than 2,500 children, and wounded over 17,000. Gaza is the world’s largest open-air prison: its 2 million residents—a majority of whom are refugees, descendants of those whose land was stolen in 1948—have been deprived of basic human rights since the blockade in 2006. We share the assertions of human rights groups, scholars, and, above all, everyday Palestinians: Israel is an apartheid state, designed to privilege Jewish citizens at the expense of Palestinians, heedless of the many Jewish people, both in Israel and across the diaspora, who oppose their own conscription in an ethno-nationalist project. 

We come together as writers, journalists, academics, artists, and other culture workers to express our solidarity with the people of Palestine. We stand with their anticolonial struggle for freedom and for self-determination, and with their right to resist occupation. We stand firmly by Gaza’s people, victims of a genocidal war the United States government continues to fund and arm with military aid—a crisis compounded by the illegal settlement and dispossession of the West Bank and the subjugation of Palestinians within the state of Israel.

We stand in opposition to the silencing of dissent and to racist and revisionist media cycles, further perpetuated by Israel’s attempts to bar reporting in Gaza, where journalists have been both denied entry and targeted by Israeli forces. At least 24 journalists in Gaza have now been killed. Internationally, writers and cultural workers have faced severe harassment, workplace retribution, and job loss for expressing solidarity with Palestine, whether by stating facts about their continued occupation, or for amplifying the voices of others. These are instances that mark severe incursions against supposed speech protections. Specious charges of antisemitism are leveled against Zionism’s critics; political repression has been particularly aggressive against the free speech of Muslim, Arab, and Black people living in the US and across the globe. As was the case following the September 11th attacks, Islamophobic political fervor and the widespread circulation of unsubstantiated claims has galvanized a US-led coalition of military support for a brutal campaign of violence.

What can we do to intervene against Israel’s eliminationist assault on the Palestinian people? Words alone cannot stop the onslaught of devastation of Palestinian homes and lives, backed shamelessly and without hesitation by the entire axis of Western power. At the same time, we must reckon with the role words and images play in the war on Gaza and the ferocious support they have engendered: Israel’s defense minister announced the siege as a fight against “human animals”; even as we learned that Israel had rained bombs down on densely populated urban neighborhoods and deployed white phosphorus in Gaza City, the New York Times editorial board wrote that “what Israel is fighting to defend is a society that values human life and the rule of law”; establishment media outlets continue to describe Hamas’s attack on Israel as “unprovoked.” Writers Against the War on Gaza rejects this perversion of meaning, wherein a nuclear state can declare itself a victim in perpetuity while openly enacting genocide. We condemn those in our industries who continue to enable apartheid and genocide. We cannot write a free Palestine into existence, buttogether we must do all we possibly can to reject narratives that soothe Western complicity in ethnic cleansing. 

We act alongside other writers, scholars, and artists who have expressed solidarity with the Palestinian cause, drawing inspiration from the Palestinian spirit of sumud, steadfastness, and resistance. Since 2004, the Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel (PACBI) has advocated for organizations to join a boycott of institutions representing the Israeli state or cultural institutions complicit with its apartheid regime. We call on all our colleagues working in cultural institutions to endorse that boycott. And we invite writers, editors, journalists, scholars, artists, musicians, actors, and anyone in creative and academic work to sign this statement. Join us in building a new cultural front for a free Palestine.  

Signed,

WAWOG Interim Organizing Committee

Hannah Black

Ari Brostoff (Senior Editor, Jewish Currents)

Elena Comay del Junco

Kyle Dacuyan (Executive Director, Poetry Project)

Kay Gabriel (Editorial Director, Poetry Project)

Kaleem Hawa

E. Tammy Kim

Shiv Kotecha

Wendy Lotterman (Associate Editor, Parapraxis)

Muna Mire

Perwana Nazif

Brendan O'Connor

Alex Press (Staff Writer, Jacobin)

Sarah Nicole Prickett

Dylan Saba

Zoé Samudzi (Associate Editor, Parapraxis)

Jasmine Sanders

Claire Schwartz (Culture Editor, Jewish Currents)

Janique Vigier

Harron Walker

Chloe Watlington

Gabriel Winant (Department of History, University of Chicago)

Audrey Wollen

Hannah Zeavin (Founding Editor, Parapraxis)

Signed, In Solidarity

Fatimah Warner (Noname)

Saul Williams

Susan Sarandon

Janeane Garofalo

Gael García Bernal

Danez Smith

Ocean Vuong

Aria Aber

Saidiya Hartman

China Miéville

+ full list here

[venusvity]

.⋆｡ 🍓 ࿔˚⋅ THE SWEETEST GIRL IN THE WORLD ... KLARA BLIX !

Klara Blix, formerly known as JIAH, was the second Venus member to debut solo after Baebi. Her image would greatly differ from that of her groupmates, taking on a much sweeter and teen-friendly image since she was just a teen herself. Debuting in August 2018 at just seventeen, her debut single album "Why, Why, Why?" would become an instant classic and beloved "confession" anthem among young girls. Klara's brand ranking would skyrocket, and she was dubbed "Korea's Favorite Foreigner" on every variety show she appeared on.

"For Girls" was the first mini album released by Klara in August of 2019. The title track, "Good Luck, Hun." was an excellent demonstration of Klara's vocal ability and cuteness. The song would not only be popular with her typical audiences but older audiences as well, specifically older women. Her first fansign held for this album would go viral for being filled with a majority of girls and old ladies. Good Luck, Hun would top multiple charts in not only Korea but in Japan as well, resulting in a Japanese version of Good Luck, Hun and Why, Why, Why?

Deciding to take her in a more vocal-focused and mature concept that wasn't even that mature, Klara would come back with her 2nd Single, "Moon, Sun, Stars," in June of 2019. While this song did not flop by any means, it was not popular amongst fans because of the concept change. A common phrase asked by netizens during this time was, "Where did Korea's little sister go?" despite Klara still being her cute self. Due to the poor reception and poor costume choices, this era would not be remembered fondly by Klara and is often forgotten by netizens.

After a four-year hiatus from solo music, Klara would finally return in May of 2023 with the adorable single "Teddy Bear!" which would catch the hearts of a new generation of young girls. Klara was clearly marketed as an idol for a younger audience, a role model, and even a Disney Star, but only on the weekends. Teddy Bear! would garner international attention for its viral dance challenge, which was done by virtually anyone with access to social media, putting Klara back on the map musically, though she never really left. It was clear Klara had a great time promoting Teddy Bear! and even went on her first solo tour of Asia, traveling to Japan, Thailand, China, Hong Kong, Vietnam, and the Phillippines. This would mark her most successful era since "For Girls."

Her most recent comeback would be in November of 2023 with the single "Like That," which wasn't even meant to be an actual promoted release but instead a gift to fans for giving her such a lovely tour. The fans would be very vocal about wanting at least ONE stage for the single, which, after much convincing, Klara would deliver. However, one stage turned into five and would later become a full-on promotional cycle. Like That would become a staple in her discography, many constellations asking her to perform the song to this day despite her saying, "It's a concert exclusive!". This era, though short, is very beloved by fans due to how connected she was with them. Towards the end of this era, Klara would announce she would be taking a hiatus from solo releases, wanting to focus on Venus and her acting career.

.⋆｡ 🍓 ࿔˚⋅ KLARA BLIX SOLOIST QUIX FACTS !

She has fifteen music show wins to her name. More than half of them being won by Why, Why, Why? and Good Luck, Hun.

During her performances of Why, Why, Why? Her background dancers would often rotate between DeepDive members, resulting in a lot of cute interactions and starting the groups public friendship. Fans favorite "Why, Why, Why?" boys would be Kiwoo, Finn, and Woojin. This would even result in a special stage where Klara and Kiwoo would perform a duet version of Why, Why, Why?

At Klara's first fansign, there was a photobooth where attendees could take pictures with her. Klara would put some of the pictures on her wall and they can still be seen in the background of her lives to this day.

Often, Klara would perform at retirement homes and still does to this day. Many videos of her have gone viral for dancing with the grandma and grandpas there. She says visiting old people is one of her favorite things to do because they all treat her like she's their granddaughter.

When asked if she wanted to try a more "mature" concept during the press release for Teddy Bear!, Klara immediately shook her head. "Last time I did that, I stopped making music for four years. I don't want to try that again. I like being successful and cute."

During Teddy Bear! Promotions, a picture taken by staff of a long line of idols wanting to film a TikTok with Klara was posted by staff with the caption "She's such a legend ㅋㅋㅋ," which would become a meme between constellations.