#Little Sur River Beach

[rabbitcruiser]

Bixby Bridge, CA (No. 1)

Bixby Bridge, also known as Bixby Creek Bridge, on the Big Sur coast of California, is one of the most photographed bridges in California due to its aesthetic design, "graceful architecture and magnificent setting". It is a reinforced concrete open-spandrel arch bridge. The bridge is 120 miles (190 km) south of San Francisco and 13 miles (21 km) south of Carmel in Monterey County on State Route 1.

Before the opening of the bridge in 1932, residents of the Big Sur area were virtually cut off during winter due to blockages on the often impassable Old Coast Road, which led 11 miles (18 km) inland. The bridge was built under budget for $199,861 (equivalent to $3.64 million in 2023 dollars) and, at 360 feet (110 m), was the longest concrete arch span in the California State Highway System. When it was completed, it was the highest single-span arch bridge in the world,  and it remains one of the tallest.

The land north and south of the bridge was privately owned until 1988 and 2001. A logging company obtained approval to harvest redwood on the former Bixby Ranch to the north in 1986, and in 2000 a developer obtained approval to subdivide the former Brazil Ranch to the south. Local residents and conservationists fought their plans, and both pieces of land were eventually acquired by local and federal government agencies. A $20 million seismic retrofit was completed in 1996, although its 24-foot (7.3 m) width does not meet modern standards requiring bridges to be 32 feet (9.8 m) wide.

The bridge is "one of the most photographed features on the West Coast" and in the world. It has been featured on "postcards, TV ads, everywhere," according to Debra Geiler, project manager for the Trust for Public Land. The bridge's location on the scenic Central Coast of California, the parabolic shape of the arch, the tall spandrel columns, and the architectural piers contribute to an "intense aesthetic experience." "It's the gateway to Big Sur and the interior has never been logged. The land is pristine." Zad Leavy, former executive director of the Big Sur Land Trust, described the land as "...the most spectacular meeting of ocean and land in the entire United States."

Source: Wikipedia

[discopaddock]

BIEVRE RIVER - PIERRE GASLY

PAIRING: pierre gasly x fem!reader

GENRE: angst, fluff

NOTE: english isn't my first language so im sorry for any mistakes

WARINGS: sad and heartbroken pierre :(, mentions of crying, google translated french

PART TWO

Pierre never ever had felt in his whole life that ridiculed and betrayed. The love of his life ran away from their wedding, plus with his own cousin. He looked pathetic in front of his friends and family.

It was supposed to be his day, his great day and what? And a dick.

During his great day, he was sitting with tears in his eyes and on face, with McDonald’s and a bottle of Absolut in his hands on the beach by the river Bievre.

He dropped his phone on the floor in the church, probably pulling it down, while he was running away by sacristy with face all in tears.

He had with himself a wallet, bottle of vodka, food, car and Alexander McQueen on himself.

He was feeling woefully, but still he was wealthy and handsome. She didn’t take these from him.

And when he was sitting the next hour, virtually alone on that beach, he heard a voice behind him; small, brokenly and crying a little bit.

“Sorry, mind if I sit here?” Gasly turned around and saw a girl in white shirt and long black skirt with heels and a bottle of wine in one hand and a box from one of the best bakers in Paris in the other. She had red eyes, just like him, which didn’t make him feel better.

“No, no problem” he answered, and she nodded her head in thanks and dropped the shoes on the sand.

“I’m Y/N, by the way” she said, when she finally sat down. Pierre shouldn’t have been ready at that moment for any conversation, but something attracted him to that girl, who just like him had to cry for some reason on that day. So because of that he told her his name. “Sounds nice. What brings you here, Pierre?”

“Ah, putain” he slipped out, when he was thinking for a while in silence. “Ma fiancée s'est enfuie de notre mariage” he said eventually, hoping that she didn’t speak french. Ah, fuck. My fiancée ran away from our wedding.

“Je suis vraiment désolé. Désolé de demander” the girl said quickly, which made Pierre want to hit himself on his forehead. She wasn't stupid. I mean, in his opinion, she didn't look stupid. I’m so sorry. Sorry for asking.

“D'accord. Je suppose que je devais en parler à quelqu'un” he laughed and then took a sip of vodka. “Et qu'est-ce qui vous amène ici?” It’s okay. I guess I had to tell someone. And you, what brings you here?

He was curious. Maybe it was her boyfriend? Or girlfriend. Or completely something else.

“Dure journée de travail” Y/N answered him, looking for something in her bag. A hard day at work.

“Dure journée de travail?” Where do you work?

“A l'Ambassade,” the girl said. In the embassy.

“Alors tu es intelligent” Pierre told, making her laugh. So you are clever.

“J'ai à peine réussi mes examens finaux! Je suis terriblement stupide” she announced and then took a corkscrew out of her purse. I barely graduated! I’m terribly stupid.

Pierre thought that Y/N was cute. Pretty also. Her H/C hair cascaded down her back, and her E/C eyes, freckles on her straight nose, and dimples on both cheeks gave her charm. She definitely wasn’t ugly, that was something he could tell after watching her wrestle with the wine stopper for a while.

“T'aider?” Do you need help?

The girl nodded, then handed him the bottle, taking his vodka from him so that it wouldn't spill.

“Sur quelle chanson étiez-vous censé danser la première danse?” she asked completely out of nowhere, and when she heard the title of Ed Sheeran's most popular song from him, she twisted her mouth in a grimace of disgust. “Oh God! C'est la pire première chanson de danse! Sérieusement? Il n'y en avait pas d'autre?” What song were you supposed to dance your first dance to? This is the worst song for a first dance! Seriously? There was no other?

"Je voulais quelque chose en français, mais elle a choisi Ed," he confessed, pouring wine into the glass she was holding. He had no idea where she got it from, but he liked it. I wanted something in French, but she chose Ed.

“C'est peut-être encore mieux que tu ne l'aies pas épousée. Totalement insipide de sa part," she said, sticking the bottle and glass into the wet sand before opening the box. "Aide-toi." She pushed them under his nose and he took out two yellow macaroons. Maybe it's even better that you didn't marry her. She is literally so tasteless. Help yourself.

“Merci”

Pierre thought that Y/N might have been right, that it was better that he had not married Dulcinea. Yes, she was pretty and he really felt something for her, but he wasn't bad at writing stories either.

"Je suppose que je devrais rentrer à la maison," he said, when the sun had long since sunk below the horizon and both bottles had run out of alcohol. "Mais j'ai perdu mon téléphone quelque part et je n'ai aucun moyen d'appeler Charles," he laughed at his stupidity. Drunk him told her the whole story of his life, but he regretted nothing. I should probably go home. But I lost my phone somewhere and I have no way to call Charles.

Y/N put her phone in front of his face. Already unlocked with a view of the Dune Paul Atreides wallpaper. Or Timothee Chalamet, because he played him in the last film adaptation, after all.

"Entrez l'indicatif régional devant ce long numéro” she announced as he took the smartphone from her. Enter the area code before this long number.

“Quel est l'indicatif de pays de Monaco?” What is the area code for Monaco?

“+377.”

"Comment sais-tu cela?" he asked, typing in his best friend's number. How do you know this?

"Je travaille à l'ambassade, ça doit être clair," she replied as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. I work at the Embassy, that's obvious.

About five or seven minutes after Charles answered the phone, he appeared on the beach looking very worried.

“Salut Charles! Tu me manques." Pierre greeted the Monegasque, whose expression changed to a concerned one when he saw Gasly's condition. The Frenchman got up from the sand and hugged Leclerc, who also wrapped his arms around him. He had never felt so sorry for him. And he knew him most of his life and was there when they kicked him out of Red Bull and moved to Toro Rosso. Hey Charles! I miss you.

"Je te suis aussi, Pierre. Je m'inquiétais pour toi" he replied after a moment as they pulled apart. I follow you too, Pierre. I was worried about you.

"Ah j'ai oublié! C'est Y/N. Mon nouvel ami. Y/N, voici Charles, mon meilleur ami” the blue-eyed man rushed towards the girl, dragging Charles with him. The brown haired woman hastily got up and almost spilled her wine from the glass, but she extended her hand towards the newly met man, shifting. Ah, I would forget! This is Y/N. My new friend. Y/N, this is Charles, my best friend.

Leclerc thought that Y/L/N was a really pretty girl. In Pierre's type.

"Comment rentres-tu à la maison, ma douce?" Gasly turned to her as she stowed her things into her rag bag. How are you getting home, sweets?

A red light bulb went off in Charles' head at that moment. His friend never asked his possible mates for one or two nights about transportation home.

“Métro," she replied shortly, and the brunette immediately shook his head. Subway.

“Non non Non! Nous vous conduirons avec Charles. D'accord, Charles?” The green-eyed man only nodded, because that was all he had left. The girl at first did not want to agree, but under Leclerc's pleading eyes she did, because she knew that drunk Pierre would not let her go so easily. No no no! We'll drive you with Charles. Right, Charles?

And so Y/N ended up sitting between Gasly's legs in a black Ferrari 488 Pista Spider. Brunette got his phone in his hands and after seeing it, he said that the next day he would go to the salon to replace the glass.

After a while, he also took a photo of Y/L/N looking out the window and showing her left profile in the frame. Pierre then thought that he had never seen a more beautiful woman in his entire life.

He encouraged the girl to give him her phone number, which she didn't want to do at first because he wouldn't remember her the next day anyway, and Charles was looking at them strangely. I mean, he was looking pityingly at Gasly, not at her. He was the one who felt completely sorry for her being stuck with his friend in this situation.

“C'est mon domaine. Merci beaucoup pour le trajet, Charles," she said finally, and the brunette sighed in dissatisfaction. This is my estate. Thank you very much for the ride, Charles.

"Je te reverrai, n'est-ce pas?" asked the sad Frenchman, not wanting to let go of the brunette from his arms. Leclerc gave Y/N an apologetic look, and she had no option but to agree. We'll see each other again, right?

Y/L/N quickly said goodbye to the men and then got out of the car.

"Je pense que je suis amoureux, Charles," Pierre squealed as he watched the girl enter her cage. The Monegasque slapped him on the back of the head, muttering that he was an idiot. I think I'm in love, Charles.

In the meantime, the girl entered her apartment and leaned against the front door, then sat on the floor, and finally began to sob.

Her roommate, Eszter, heard her crying and immediately went to her best friend. The girl was perfectly aware of her entire afternoon and evening. She may have drunk all the wine herself, but it was almost alcohol-free, so she wasn't drunk at all (unlike Pierre).

"What's wrong, sweets?" Balog asked, crouching beside the younger girl.

“I met a guy whose wife ran away from the wedding and he was drunk as fuck and wanted my number, so I gave it to him, but it was a mistake, because he won't remember me tomorrow anyway. And at work this cunt had a problem with me and I cried and all, I'm fed up, I want to sleep." Esz barely understood anything of her friend's gibberish as she helped her up off the cold floor. She led her into the living room, then sat her down on the couch and gave her tissues.

"He was old and rich, wasn't he?" The brunette knew her platonic soulmate type very well, so she knew what to expect.

“He was maybe ten years older. And definitely rich. He showed me his Ferrari... And his friend who was driving us also had a Ferrari” Y/L/N dreamed, leaning against the back of the sofa. “But his fiancée ran away from the altar. Guess it's not that great. Or she was cheating on him. I don't know, I want to forget about it. Just like he does about me.

But Pierre did not forget. Same as Y/N about him.

[sibylsleaves]

What kind of vacations do Buck and Eddie like to go on? Do they prefer the beach, mountains, or places where it snows? Also one more in terms of older established Buddie. Do they retire in LA or do they live and travel in a RV?

I think they do a lot of road trips!!!! Buck always drives. as a Californian I am biased but there are SO many beautiful and fun places to visit in California so yeah i think they do a bunch of road trips, including camping trips to Big Sur and Yosemite and Joshua Tree, go river rafting in the American River, a trip up to San Francisco (they let Chris hang out and get room service by himself in the hotel for one night to go to some gay bars), San Diego to go to the zoo, and they definitely find a great adaptive snowboarding place in Big Bear or Mammoth or Tahoe for Chris to try out (Eddie also has never skiied in his LIFE so he and Chris are just going down the bunny hill together while Buck cheers them on). They probably do venture out of California to do some of the national parks in Utah/the Grand Canyon/etc and they absolutely do at least one trip to Vegas just the two of them (Buck does NOT win it big at poker but Eddie loves him anyway).

I also picture them doing a big road trip up the coast of California for their honeymoon but again I'm biased because that's what my parents did for their honeymoon 🥰 They stay at the Madonna Inn and crack up at the over-the-top kitschiness, and they stay at a cute little B&B in Carmel-by-the-Sea.

And they definitely do many trips out to Texas to see the Diaz family, like at least twice a year.

For retired Buddie, I think they retire in LA but they travel pretty frequently and finally hit some of the international trips on their bucket lists (Buck for sure takes Eddie to Peru and shows him all the places he used to hang out when he lived there).

[blam-marie]

SKIN DEEP chapter 1

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Louison left the river for the fourth time of her life on a hot August day. She pulled herself from the waves to the sandy shore alone, with no one to witness the beginning of her journey. Her siblings had broken the ancient traditions by refusing to accompany her to land. They were terrified of what would wait for her there. She didn’t share their worry. Louison knew the world of men well, and she would manage on her own. But then, it wasn’t as if she had much choice.

Far away, beyond the rocks that bordered the little sandy beach, she could see the menacing bell tower of St. Adalbert Sur Mer piercing the sky. The small church’s metal roof gleamed like a lighthouse under the heavy sun, a pinprick of light presiding over a quiet village with a dark secret.

That secret was the reason that Louison was here. Three times over the summer, the naked, lifeless body of one of her siblings had been found in the river. Naked, and cradled in cement. It was a crime that no one could discover, aside from those who lived in the waves. For the St. Lawrence’s clans, this meant war. To steal a pelt was one thing; but to throw the skinned bodies of Selkies back in the water to be found by their families? That was just unimaginably cruel.

Three times already, Louison had been sent to land to investigate the disappearance of a sibling. She was her clan’s emissary, like her mother and grandmother before her. This time, however, the problem at hand was much worse than a missing selkie, trapped by a human out of cruelty disguised as love. There was no one to save and no sibling to reunite with their family. Louison, for the first time in her life, had to solve a murder.

She was afraid, of course. But she couldn’t let fear take hold of her. The clan’s matriarch herself had assigned her this mission, and Louison was determined to see it through. She would find out who was responsible for this and drag them into the waves. Sedna could decide their fate.

Taking advantage of the high tide, she slid forward onto the smooth pebbles of the beach. The day was warm, but there was no one in sight. Humans, following strange customs, usually disappeared from the shores towards the end of summer, when their offspring returned to the learning places that they called schools.

Once she’d left the water, the transformation took her. Her body stretched, her almost three hundred pounds of bone and flesh splitting into perfectly plump arms and legs. It was never pleasant, but she endured the shift stoically.

From as far back as their history could recall, the transformation had always been a group ritual. That day, under the uncaring glare of the sun, Louison had only herself. She used her sharp claws to tear at her chest, slashing awkwardly at the fur on her ribs until she could grab a handful and rip it off. The pale, damp skin of her new breasts rose towards the sky as she heaved under the morning light. With salt on her lips and the sun in her eyes, she struggled out of her pelt with as much grace as a salmon stuck in a fishing net. For Louison, every second spent in the open was a second too long. She knew that on this beach, she was a target. Someone could spot her at any moment. Had she had the choice, she would have preferred to land at Selkie’s Cove, a small shallow bay surrounded by rocks a few kilometres from St. Adalbert Sur Mer. She could have hidden in any of the caves dotting the cliffs there, and would have had all the time in the world to shift into human form.

Unfortunately, it was the very place where her sisters had last been seen alive. Selkie’s Cove was definitely somewhere where her investigation would take her, but not before she could put on some clothes and establish her cover in town.

Louison rolled onto her knees and looked around her warily. There was no one in sight. She got her feet under her, her legs trembling with the effort needed to stand after months spent in the river. Louison, unlike other selkies, practised walking often. She knew what movements to make and how to shift her weight from one foot to the other, even when she was rusty.

It was her mother that had insisted on this training. She used to warn her about growing slow, about spending too long on the beach after leaving the water. It was dangerous. Keeping that danger in mind, Louison picked up her fur pelt and folded it carefully under her arm.

The wind coming from the river made her shiver despite the warmth of the sun on her naked skin. To the east, a line of pebbles separated the beach from the bike path. She started painstakingly walking towards it. Her steps gradually grew more sure on the wet sand and large rocks until she had a decent stride going. At the bend of the path, where the sand gave way to yellowing grass, stood a small wooden structure. It was nothing more than the municipal employee’s shed, and yet Louison knew that she would find what she was looking for inside of it. Old Gustave had worked all his life to keep the beach clean and welcoming. Although it had never been part of his official functions, he had also gotten into the habit of keeping clothes and other useful things inside his shed. Especially after his wedding to the beautiful and tragic Armande.

Louison had liked Armande. Her mother had investigated her disappearance from the clan, once. It was one of the only times when it had had a happy ending for everyone involved. Of course, Armande hadn’t lived long on land. That just wasn’t where their specie thrived. But she had been happy here, and that is what mattered. Gustave had never taken her pelt — nor touched it, as far as she knew.

Few humans respected the Great Taboo. For that, the clan gave him their tentative trust.

The shed wasn’t locked. Louison pushed the door with effort, the old hinges covered by layers of rust and salt. The place was full with tools, machines, and who knew what else, all carefully kept on high metal shelves. In a corner, behind an abandoned lawn mower, was a plastic bin on which someone had painted “lost & found”. Louison had a moment of fondness for Gustave. There were piles of clothes inside, all of them carefully folded and apparently sorted by sizes. A couple of shoes and boots were also lined up under a work bench nearby. Behind the clothes bin was an old metal locker. Upon inspection, a padlock and its key had been left inside.

Louison placed her pelt on the highest shelf with reverence. She hastened to shut the door before she could change her mind. The sharp snap of the padlock locking was at once reassuring and terrifying. She gnashed her teeth and forced herself to walk away from the locker, back towards the bin. She had to find something to wear that would support the cover that she and her siblings had come up with.

August was the perfect month to move into St. Adalbert Sur Mer. Every fall, dozens of students that attended CEGEP in the neighbouring town came here to find cheap apartments. They filled the village with new faces. There wouldn’t be a better moment to slip in unnoticed. Louison, with her large honest eyes and round face, figured that she could pose as a student of marine biology, which would give her the perfect cover to carry out her investigation.

She pulled out a few plaid shirts and some pants from the bin, then chose a sturdy-looking pair of boots. All of the clothes were visibly second-hand, but that would only serve to help sell her “poor student” image. She pushed aside everything that was too brightly coloured or had a different cut than she recognized. Fashion had doubtlessly changed a lot since the last time that she’d come on land, and she hoped that she wasn’t making a mistake with her choices.

She didn’t want to have to come back to the shed to pick something else. Too many selkies on land made the mistake of visiting the place where they had stashed their pelts too often. It wasn’t subtle, and increased the chances that someone would follow them there. Better not to take that risk.

Lastly, Louison went to the work bench and started to check the drawers. She hoped that Gustave’s generosity would have extended to leaving her some money, just enough so that she could find a place to sleep while on land. With a serial killer on the loose, the last thing she wanted was to have to return to the river every night and risk being noticed.

Fortunately, the park ranger was a generous man. A few bills had been slipped under a flower pot, as well as the flyer for the local youth hostel. She bit her lip, trying to think of the best way to show her gratefulness to the old man. Louison picked a pair of scissors from the tools on a shelf nearby and cut a lock of her dark hair, which she tucked under the flower pot where the money had been. He would know what it meant; the clan now owned him a debt.

And the clan took its debts very seriously.

[alt-bluesman]

Animal Crossing memories, part 3

I think this is the final part!

My Joy-Cons haven't completed their journey yet, but in the end I decided that I'm not going to put much faith in them & grabbed a set of used Hori controllers in the meantime. Gave Pan a final tour today. Didn't want to invest in a capture card, so a couple of screenshots is the best I can offer!

Sadly there's no way in heck I can stuff all of them into a single post, so I'll just narrow it down to my favourites & the ones I have something to say about!

First, the map. My villagers were Gruff the goat, Kitt the kangaroo, Sprinkle the penguin, Kyle the wolf, Ione the squirrel, Olaf the anteater, Al the gorilla, Jambette the frog, Fang the wolf and Fuchsia the deer. I liked them all, fuglies included. I like a lot of the ugly ones now!

Naturally my biggest dream was to invite Shrek to the island. Shrek never showed up. I had to resort to home-brew methods!

Frample's home. I couldn't fit the big-ass yard in the frame, but there was a little islet with a snapping turtle living on it. A homage to Jacksepticeye's Tortellini, forever jammin'!

The Zen Garden that my villagers never really cared for, haha. I found out they aren't very eager to interact with any objects that aren't close to their houses or the plaza. They sometimes goof around on the southern beaches, but that's pretty much it!

(At least those lads were having a time of their life)

Ione's yard was the bane of my existence - the laggiest part of the island. I was never able to pinpoint the cause, there was no water and not even that much foliage. Some folks say that snow causes the game to get quite choppy, but it lagged during the other seasons too. Maybe it was all the custom paths?

Sprinkle lived close to Ione. Her yard was a bit more spacious, so I could build Snowboys there. Some of them still ended up in the river!

The main road with 5 frickin' waterfalls. Not visible here, but there was another one on the left. A good place to be if you want your eardrums to explode!

This cliff served no particular purpose, but I liked the view! This was my stargazing hideaway.

The campsite was pretty dang huge and placed right next to the island entrance. A decision I came to regret after some time. Now I prefer them tucked away in a secluded spot!

Isle of Spooks! My villagers never visited it except for that single time when Gruff decided to sneak in and investigate. Gruff was an absolute legend.

The beach next to the campsite was one of the few decorated beach areas that I was actually quite happy with!

The entrance. Nothing too fancy, but there were so many failed attempts at making a decent entrance, lmao. Makes ya finally settle with whatever ya have!

Kitt's yard! I remember feeling very proud of it once, but it doesn't really appeal to me anymore, especially that blob of a path.

Farmlands. That rainbow flower garden was a convenient way of keeping most of the flower breeds & colours in one spot, without them overtaking an entire island, but probably not something I'd build today. I hated when balloons flew over it because I couldn't shoot them down from there!

This yard was between the farms. First it was Tasha's, then Claudia's, then Fang's. I never bothered to redecorate, haha.

And here were the crops. Leif has failed me & never brought the carrots!

The woods behind the farms. (Wayyy too much clutter for my current tastes, but at least my main man Gruff was there)

The pirate bay! One of my oldest builds, but still very much up my alley!

(What if I told you that Pompom never really moved away?)

Alrighty, that's most of the western side of Pan covered. Here's a land bridge that connected the main cliffs behind the plaza. Waterscaping around it was absolute hell! Admittedly, I'm still quite proud of it & it's something I'd like to build again, but most likely without the dang river.

The road leading up to the Museum. Museum was an important building for me because of my first job, but I never quite got the surrounding area to look right. I do like the stone lion-dog statues, though!

Jambette's yard was my absolute favourite spot on the entire island. Minimalism was the name of the game. With a frog model from Jim!

Kyle's yard had a bit of a side business in the top left corner!

Eastern river mouth. I was all about putting those little islets on my rivers and lakes. It's fun and games till a special character or a fossil decides to spawn on them..!

Moving back to the eastern cliffs: here are some hungry gnomes and Olaf's yard. I always gifted all of my dresses as well as dumbest pieces of furniture to Olaf. He took it all like a champ!

I gave Mr. Resetti an extra job on Pan. (And a lazy bear compadre)

A seasonal icy drink bar - with Al's ass cheeks in the background for everyone's viewing pleasure. Al was the very first villager I found on a mystery island on a rainy day. Seeing his silhouette in the rain, I legit thought he was some kind of zombie. I didn't invite him back then, but when I bumped into him again on my last villager hunt, I decided to take him. Mad lad has finally made it!

Fuchsia's yard. A bit funky, but I still like it!

And that's it! There's a bunch of other screenshots I wasn't able to fit in, like the absolutely glorious board drawings from my best friends. Don't worry though, they are safe and sound with me! Farewell, Pan. You were my introduction to Animal Crossing and even though I'm ready to move on, I will always remember you very fondly!

[curatedglobaltravel]

Romance Reimagined: Discover the World's Most Enchanting Getaways for Two

Nothing says love quite like a romantic getaway. As Valentine’s Day approaches, I handpicked a selection of swoon-worthy destinations tailored just for two — along with some incredible hotel bathtubs for an extra splash of magic. Reach out soon; I’ll help plan the gift of a lifetime.

MINIMOON MAGIC: DREAMY DESTINATIONS TAILORED FOR TWO

CITY RENDEZVOUS: THE MARK

At The Mark, all of New York City is at your fingertips to whisk away you and your loved one. This hotel features 150 guest rooms and suites, including several terrace suites. Ask me about the 10,000-square-foot, five-bedroom Penthouse with private rooftop access.

BEACH OASIS: AMANYARA

A secluded beachside resort, Amanyara is situated on the northwest coast of Providenciales in the Turks and Caicos, and couples feel the relaxing ambiance from the moment of arrival. Thirty-six timber-shingled guest pavilions and 20 villas are tucked along the coast and tranquil ponds.

WINE RETREAT: FOUR SEASONS RESORT AND RESIDENCES NAPA VALLEY

You and your partner will raise a glass to one another as you soak in magnificent views from this Four Seasons’ Napa retreat. Discover innovative cuisine at Michelin-starred Auro, holistic spa rituals at Spa Talisa and Four Seasons’ thoughtfully personalized, signature service.

MOUNTAIN HIDEOUT: THE LITTLE NELL

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Request Details  ⟶

SUMPTUOUS SOAKS: INCREDIBLE HOTEL BATHTUBS

If you’ve ever dreamt of sipping a glass of champagne while taking a roomy bubble bath with your partner, I know just the place to give your Valentine’s getaway a splash. A beautiful bathroom view elevates the romantic experience even further, whether it’s a city skyline twinkling in the distance or the gentle crash of ocean waves. Some of my favorite trip-worthy tubs include those found at The Silo Hotel in Cape Town, South Africa; Qualia on Hamilton Island, Australia; Hotel de Crillon, a Rosewood Hotel, in Paris, France; Post Ranch Inn in Big Sur, California; and Coqui Coqui in Mérida, Mexico.

Request Details  ⟶

SPOTLIGHT ON: THE CITY OF LOVE Paris, France

STAY:Le Bristol Rosewood Crillon La Fantaisie George V Plaza Athenee Cour des Vosges Cheval Blanc Le Grand Mazarin JK Place Paris

SIP+ SAVOR:Chez L’Ami Louis Septime Chateaubriand Paul Bert Clamato Baratin Au Passage Chez Janou Allard

SHOP:Avenue des Champs-Élysées Avenue Montaigne Saint-Germain-des-Prés Galeries Lafayette Maison Labiche Buly 1803 Merci Haussmann Samaritaine Le Marais Neighborhood

SEE + DO:Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Paris Musée Rodin Musée du Louvre Pompidou Jardin des Tuileries Seine River yacht cruise La Cuisine Paris pastry-making experience Palace of Versailles (1-hour transfer)

MICHAEL SHANE STEPHENS Curated Global Travel An affiliate of Protravel michael@curatedglobaltravel.com 310.691.7461 curatedglobaltravel.com

Copyright © 2024 Global Travel Collection 1633 Broadway, New York, NY 10019.

[bluezonerealty]

Dominical Property For Sale On A Budget

Dominical, in the southern Pacific region of Costa Rica, is a small town knows for relatively unspoiled and lack of development. Travelling to Dominical is now simpler thanks to the repairing of its roadways. The international flights land in Costa Rica's capital city of San Jose. From there, you may either drive to the much closer airports in Quepos or Palmar Sur, or catch another flight there. The driving time from the airport in Quepos to Palmar Sur is 40 minutes. It will take you at least four hours to drive directly to your destination from San Jose Airport.

Top dominical real estate is a wise and affordable investment for the long run. Land and property price is decreasing in the south part and increasing in the Northern part as a result of better development. Dominical is still fairly unknown, so visitors can expect a peaceful and pleasant stay. Dominical real estate marketis predicted to increase in value by both locals and real estate market due to the city's popularity. More foreign buyers are expected now that the country's roads are more accessible and internet service is more widespread.

Many people have the false impression that buying a home or a plot of land in Dominical is either expensive or too difficult. An excellent two-bedroom home on a 1000-square-meter lot with a garage and convenient location may be found for as little as $98,000. There are some good pieces of property available for as little as $55,000 USD, and they're located within 10 minutes of Dominical.

When compared to other Caribbean islands, Dominical is still far away from becoming too developed. Over half of the recent property buyers in the region have decided to purchase land instead of an existing home in order to construct their Dream Home.

Do not be concerned that the market is too young and that the language and purchasing system will be too difficult to understand. English-speaking real estate agents are available in the region and can assist you with all aspects of the local "Notare"-based system.

Dominical Property For Sale has gained worldwide recognition because of its beautiful beaches and well-known surfing culture. Large waves on open beaches are ideal for experienced surfers, while smaller, more beginner-friendly waves can be found in more sheltered locations. You may go kayaking on the rivers, scuba diving in underwater caves, or just relaxing in the peaceful environment.

If you want to learn more about Dominical property For Sale, you can go to this website www.bluezonerealty.com, where you can get the best deal possible.

[mymoonagedaydream]

Only the Good Die Young (part 8)

Summary: Things finally seemed like they were falling into place

Pairing: Biker!Bucky x y/n

Word Count: 2k

Warnings: Language, anti-religious sentiment, harmful relationship with parents, smut references, the FLOOF of it all

Author's Note: It’s the finale, goddamn I’m gonna miss all this Billy Joel stuff. Thank you so much for all the love for this series. Who knows, maybe we’ll come back to these two eventually, but for now they’ve definitely been through enough. Bless ‘em.

---

The rest of the date was surprisingly nice.

You managed to coerce Bucky back to beer after the sewer water he’d ordered had all gone, and it turned out that the restaurant took their ‘bottomless breadsticks’ promise a little too seriously, doing everything but force-feeding you by hand to get them gone.

You just couldn’t shake the feeling that something was hanging over the two of you.

After what he said, you’d tried your best to dig a little deeper, but he changed the subject pretty quickly once he realised how upset you were- and it was almost impossible to get more information out of Bucky once he’d stonewalled.

Either way, you knew you’d have to talk to him more about it soon, even if you didn’t particularly want to.

It was his face as he said it. You never wanted to see that again.

Stuffed and a little tipsy, the two of you spilled out of the restaurant and started heading home. The evening air was a chilly, but Bucky had wrapped his jacket around your shoulders before you’d even begun to feel the cold.

After walking for a while, you came to a corner you recognised, and decided to take him on a little detour.

You tugged his arm towards the turning. ‘Shall we take the long way back? We can walk along the river.’

‘Sure, but if you fall in I’m not coming in after you.’ He gave you a wide smile and snaked his arm around your waist, letting you lead him down the side street.

A comfortable silence fell as you approached the water, both of you watching the ripples distort reflections from the harbourside restaurants and bars. Reaching the edge, Bucky turned to carry on walking along the path, but you stayed in place and pulled him back.  

He moved to stand opposite you, looking a little confused as you took both his hands in yours. 

'Buck, what you said earlier, I really think we should talk more about it.'

'Nah, it’s alright. It was in the past. Like you said, things are good now and that’s all that matters.'

‘No, I didn’t mean, uh-’ Christ he was slippery, using your own words against you like that. ‘Look, maybe I shouldn’t have said that. If it’s still affecting you, it matters, and it’s good to talk about it.’

He turned his head, staring at the water, deep in thought. You didn’t let up. You brought your hands up to his face and pulled it back towards you, raising your eyebrows at him expectantly. 

He took a deep, shaky breath.

'If I keep talking, I might say something that drives you away. I don't know if I could take that.'

‘Bucky, I don’t care about your past.’ His face changed suddenly, tensing a little. You rubbed your forehead and winced, realising that your tone had been much firmer than intended. ‘That came out wrong.’

He let out a small chuckle, pulling you closer and smirking. ‘First you want me to talk, now you tell me to shut up.’

‘No, what I meant was, nothing you’ve done in the past could change my opinion of you now.’ You wound your arms around his neck. ‘Unless you were a serial killer, but even then I might let you try to convince me that they deserved it.’

‘Oh they did.’

You laughed, moving to cup his face and stroke your thumbs across his cheeks. Feeling his hands pressed against your back and staring into his glowing blue eyes, something inside you burst or erupted or... Christ, you weren’t sure, but next thing you knew your mouth was writing a cheque that you weren’t sure Bucky would want to cash.

‘I love you, Buck.’ His face dropped slightly in shock. Fuck it, you were all in now, might as well carry on. ‘Properly. Get a dog together type love. Put up with you stealing the covers all night type love. I’d even go as far as to say-’

He cut you off, pressing his lips against yours and squeezing your waist tight. You relaxed completely in his arms, not sure that you’d be able to stay on your feet if he suddenly let go, but too caught up in the moment to care.

He pulled away an inch, just for just a second, to whisper ‘I love you too. Just stop talking.’

You weren’t sure how long the two of you were standing there by the river, it was becoming increasingly easy to lose time while you were tangled up with Bucky.

The rest of the walk home was a hazy, fragmented mess of staggering for a few minutes at a time before getting distracted and clumsily fumbling at each other. You found yourselves regretting taking the long way, both of you becoming more and more impatient to get back to the privacy of the apartment, and not making it past the floor on the inside of the door when you did.

But hey, at least neither of you ended up in the river.

---

You’d found it. The perfect apartment.

It was pretty small, but more than enough for just the two of you. The beach was a couple minutes walk away, but it was a fifth floor apartment, so the front window had a sea view. It even had underground parking, so Bucky wouldn’t have to rush to the window to check on his bike every ten minutes.

He was out at the store when you came across it and you couldn’t stop yourself pacing around excitedly until he got back. You practically jumped him as soon as he came through the door, dragging him over to your laptop.

After a quick flick through the pictures, he dug his phone from his pocket. ‘It’s ours. What’s the number?’

‘Oh, well, we should probably go see it first.’

‘Nah. How bad could it be?’

You nodded slowly and let your gaze wander around his flat, lingering on the carpet stains and the patch of mould in the corner.

Yep, things were starting to make a little more sense.

‘What’s the hold up?’

Your eyes flicked back to Bucky, looking at you excitedly, phone still ready in hand. A warm smile spread across your face. Maybe it was time to take a page out of his book.

Stop thinking so much, close your eyes and jump.

Bucky made the call, you sent over all the information they needed, and then you waited. 

And waited. 

All evening, checking Bucky’s phone every ten minutes. It was like torture. 

Nothing had come through by midnight, so the two of you gave up and slunk off to bed, trying to stay optimistic about finding somewhere else but inwardly completely gutted.

---

You woke up the next day to the smell of cooking bacon and the sound of Bucky humming to himself in the kitchen. Stretching yourself across the empty bed, you could easily have slept for another couple hours, but you were too curious to see what he was up to.

Your hand found your phone on the bedside table and you checked the time, your head darting away from the pillow in shock when you saw that it was creeping up to midday.

Pulling your pyjamas on, you trudged through to the front room, seeing Bucky stood over the stove.

‘What’re you doing?’ You walked up beside him, settling into his side as he snaked his arm around you, gazing at the pile of food he was pushing around the pan.  

‘A proper breakfast, I thought we’d celebrate.’

You nodded sleepily, a little confused. ‘Celebrate what?’

He looked down at you, sporting a wide smile. Your drowsiness slowly melted away as you realised what he was talking about.

‘We got it?’

‘We got it.’

Some kind of throaty yelp noise escaped your mouth, making Bucky burst out laughing. You threw your arms around his neck, squeezing him as hard as you could, feeling tears welling up in his eyes.

When you finally let go of him, he dug his phone out of his pocket and showed you the email from the landlord.

‘Wait, this says we move in at the start of next month?’ He nodded proudly. ‘Buck, that’s two days from now.’

‘Yup. Better get packing.’

Turns out he’d already hired a van to arrive the next day and nipped out while you were asleep to buy packing boxes. You had no idea who this guy was and what he’d done with Bucky, but you weren’t complaining.

Finally, it felt like things were falling into place.

---

The drive to your new home was about an hour. 

You’d hoped the ride would be relaxing and cathartic, but you spent almost the entire time white-knuckled, gripping onto the dashboard. Bucky drove the moving van in exactly the same way as he drove his motorbike, he didn’t even seem to notice the sound of all your possessions sliding around chaotically in the back.

He finally parked up outside the apartment block and you reverted back to religion for the first time in years, thanking god that both of you survived the drive.

The building wasn’t particularly attractive, sitting in an unremarkable side street opposite a seedy looking off-license, but you still felt the excitement bubbling in your stomach as you hopped out of the van and surveyed your surroundings.

Bucky gave you a wide smile and walked towards the door, approaching a man in a cheap suit who you hadn’t even noticed. The keys were exchanged, and suit gave you a polite nod before turning and walking down the street. 

That was, quite possibly, the only easy interaction you and Bucky had ever had with a third party since you’d been together. 

You knew life was going to be a whole lot easier after leaving that fucking town, but you certainly hadn’t expected such immediate results. This was incredible. 

You grabbed a box and followed Buck up the stairs, bursting through the door into your new home. 

The first thing you noticed was the view. It was even better in person. 

You unceremoniously dropped whatever you were carrying and walked towards the window, seeing the vast ocean spread out in both directions as you got closer.

Bucky came up behind you, wrapping his arms around your waist and resting his head on your shoulder.

‘Whatta you think?’

‘I love it.’

‘It needs a bit of work.’ He briefly surveyed the walls and the ceiling. ‘I think the last people here had dogs, there’s still some-’

You swivelled round in his arms and placed your hand firmly over his mouth, feeling him smiling against your palm. ‘I don’t care. I love it.’

Bucky mumbled something into your hand. You rolled your eyes and moved it away from his face, prompting him to repeat himself.

‘Me too.’

It took a couple hours to get everything out of the van, and when you’d finished, the two of you found yourselves staring at a messy pile of boxes dumped in the middle of the living room. 

A unanimous decision was made that there was no point starting to unpack before having something to eat, even though you’d spent the entire drive shoving handfuls of doritos into each other's faces.  

---

So, for the first of many times, you and Bucky watched the sunset over the sea. 

Sitting on cardboard boxes in your cheap flat, eating pretty terrible Chinese food, with nothing in the world but a few dollars and each other. 

And it was perfect. 

---

@shawnie--jo @brilliantbellesoares @livingoffsavvyillusions @noiralei @bebeyeni @kingkassam @newyorkgoddess @sir-lili @im-squished @dancer3205 @thefallenbibliophilequote @supernaturalwintersoldier @adriannajackson @rhumphr4

---

[rabbitcruiser]

Little Sur River Beach, CA

Little Sur River Beach is a picturesque beach on the rugged coast between Big Sur and Carmel-by-the-Sea. This is a sandy beach with dunes, drift logs, and steep mountains behind it. A lagoon pools up at the river mouth and birds are sometimes seen floating here. Unfortunately the land at the mouth of Little Sur River is privately-owned by the El Sur Ranch and you will find signs posting “Private Property” and “No Trespassing” on the barbed wire fencing along the highway. Little Sur River Beach has been proposed for acquisition by the state of California, but it hasn’t happened yet. Right now all you can do is photograph it from various pull-out parking areas along the shoulder of Highway 1. A rock arch is visible in the huge rock on the beach if you park north of the beach and look south. 

Source

[oneshotolive]

Little Sur River Beach, CA. [OC] [3549 x 1535]

📷: mjochus91

[minivirgo]

est-ce que je peux te suggérer de répondre à toutes les questions (sauf celles que tu veux pas) ou est-ce que c'est plate de ma part de pas choisir?

do you have a crush on anyone? TRY TO GUESS

what’s your favorite candy? anything that has nuts/peanuts and chocolate in it… reese’s, m&ms… skittles are also great

favorite love song? there’s too many i have a playlist named ‘’:3’’ that’s full of love songs

what was your first kiss like? i dont even remember it that well lmao. it was alright i guess

what was your last kiss like? ti bisou sur le front avant de partir

sexual/romantic orientation? bi baby

do you prefer poems or love letters? i will say love letters because im more familiar with them but ….. my dream is to receive a love poem in a cute envelope in the mail ;___;

have you ever been in love? yEAH…… right now :3

favorite milkshake flavor? i only ever tried vanilla, chocolate and strawberry. i think my favourite was chocolate but it’s been a long time

dinner dates or brunch dates? brunch date with my bros @cul-de-saque @nopadsnohelmets @babycows ..... that’s what dreams are made of

favorite perfume/cologne? for me anything that smells fresh and sweet and calming like lavender or rose or vanilla…. for my partner i am. greatly obsessed with his deodorant lmao it smells amazing i want to buy it for myself but i dont know if it’s weird to smell the same lol

favorite candle scent? lavender + grapefruit 

what’s the most attractive thing a person could wear? a big watch (pardon vovo de vo(vo)ler ton obsession)

snow, rain, or sun? all three !!!!! but i think snow + sun is a great combo it gets so bright outside

sweetest romantic memory? my summer escape with my bf and the laughs shared in the river and the shooting star watching right after he asked me to get in a relationship…. hihihi

what’s your dream wedding like? bro i don’t know…….. but ive been thinking of marriage every day for the past months lol what’s wrong with me ??? 

what makes you blush? when people point out really specific things they like about me...... and when im told i have a nice butt. it’s true and i agree. -__-

do you believe in love at first sight? i believe you can fall in love quickly but at first sight is a little extreme but who am i to know !

do you believe in soulmates? yes……… im cheesy

denim jackets, leather jackets, or bomber jackets? denim 

what’s your sign? virgo sun, libra moon, cancer rising :3 

are you single? no hihihihi

do you prefer to charm, or be charmed? be charmed :3

guitar or piano? bro you can’t make me choose……… 

do you fall in love easily? tough question… i feel like i’ve only been in love twice and one of those ended up real bad. i think i don’t fall in love easily but once i fall in love i fall in it really deeply and i have a hard time reading the red flags if there are any and a hard time moving on

valentine’s decorations: yay or nay? yay the aesthetics of valentine’s are *chef’s kiss*

would you prefer to propose or be proposed to? what’s your dream proposal? i dont even know if that’s something i will ever do ! but IF i do i think i would prefer to be proposed to bc ive never taken the first steps ever bc im shy and insecure 

cloud gazing or star gazing? StAR GAZING 

do you like to dance? i never really do but i’m sure it can be fun

kittens or puppies? i refuse to take a pick !!! (but i will say kitten bc my cat is next to me hihihi)

coffee, hot chocolate, or tea? all of the above ?? 

favorite soda? ginger ale

do you prefer gazing wistfully out the window or lying dramatically over the sofa? gazing wistfully out the orléans express window………...

favorite pajamas? my huge snoopy pyjama… it’s amazingly soft ! it’s just a shirt with buttons that don’t stay closed so i usually end up not wearing the top all night but the shorts are amazing omg i will sleep in shorts instead of pants even in the middle of winter 

do you think about love a lot? bro that’s the only thing on my mind 24/7...

a walk in the park or a walk on the beach? walk in the park ! there’s no beach near me and walking in the sand is a struggle lol… but i would love to go soon i think the last time i stood on the beach was in 2016 O_O 

hand kisses or nose kisses? nose kisses :3 but the ultimate is forehead kisses

what’s your dreamhouse? lots of wood, lots of plants, a garden with veggies and herbs and flowers, big windows, a cozy attic with a triangle roof, a clawfoot tub, vines on the outside walls…..

[earthpictureshere]

Little Sur River Beach, CA. [OC] [3549 x 1535]

[141e-2]

Little Sur River Beach, CA. [OC] [3549 x 1535] via /r/EarthPorn https://ift.tt/3eRULQa

[greatworldwar2]

• D-Day: Sword Beach

Sword, commonly known as Sword Beach, was the code name given to one of the five main landing areas along the Normandy coast during the initial assault phase, of Operation Overlord, the Allied invasion of German-occupied France that commenced on June 6th, 1944.

Following the Fall of France in 1940, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill vowed to return to continental Europe and liberate the Nazi German-occupied nations. The Western Allies agreed to open a Second Front in northern Europe in 1942 to aid the Soviet Union. However, with resources for an invasion lacking, it was postponed. The decision to postpone the invasion was due to wanting to see the Battle of the Atlantic to its closure, the lack of landing craft, invading Sicily in July 1943, and Italy in September following the defeat of Axis forces in North Africa in May 1943 resulted in the postponement of any assault on northern Europe till 1944.

Having succeeded in opening up an offensive front in southern Europe, gaining valuable experience in amphibious assaults and inland fighting, Allied planners returned to the plans to invade Northern France. Now scheduled for June 5th, 1944, the beaches of Normandy were selected as landing sites, with a zone of operations extending from the Cotentin Peninsula to Caen. Operation Overlord called for the British Second Army to assault between the River Orne and Port en Bessin, capture the German-occupied city of Caen and form a front line from Caumont-l'Éventé to the south-east of Caen, in order to acquire airfields and protect the left flank of the United States First Army while it captured Cherbourg. Overlord would constitute the largest amphibious operation in military history. After delays, due to both logistical difficulties and poor weather, the D-Day of Overlord was moved to June 6th, 1944.

The coastline of Normandy was divided into seventeen sectors, with codenames using a spelling alphabet, from Able, west of Omaha, to Roger on the east flank of Sword. Eight further sectors were added when the invasion was extended to include Utah on the Cotentin Peninsula. The Anglo-Canadian assault landings on D-Day were to be carried out by the British Second Army, under Lieutenant General Miles Dempsey. The Second Army's I Corps, commanded by Lieutenant General John Crocker, was assigned to take Sword. 6th Beach Group was deployed to assist the troops and landing craft landing on Sword and to develop the beach maintenance area. Sword stretched about 5 miles (8.0 km) from Saint-Aubin-sur-Mer in the west to the mouth of the River Orne in the east. It was further sub-divided into four landing sectors; from west to east these sectors were 'Oboe' (from Saint-Aubin-sur-Mer to Luc-sur-Mer), 'Peter' (from Luc-sur-Mer to Lion-sur-Mer), 'Queen' (from Lion-sur-Mer to La Brèche d'Hermanville), and finally 'Roger' (from La Brèche d'Hermanville to Ouistreham).

The sector chosen for the assault was the 1.8 miles (2.9 km) wide 'White' and 'Red' beaches of 'Queen' sector, as shallow reefs blocked access to the other sectors. Two infantry battalions supported by DD tanks would lead the assault followed up by the commandos and the rest of the division; the landing was due to start at 07:25 hours; the division would be the last assault division to land. Under the command of Field Marshals Erwin Rommel and Gerd von Rundstedt, the defences of the Atlantic Wall were heavily upgraded; in the first six months of 1944, 1.2 million tons of steel and 17.3 million cubic yards of concrete were laid. The coast of northern France was also studded with four million antitank and anti-personnel mines, and 500,000 beach obstacles. On and behind Sword, twenty strongpoints, including several artillery batteries, were constructed. The coastline was littered with wooden stakes, mines, hedgehogs, and Dragon’s teeth, while along the top of the beach, the Germans had constructed a network of trenches, gun pits, mortar pits, and machine gun nests. Barbed wire surrounded these positions and lined the beach.

The assault on Sword began at about 03:00 with the aerial and naval bombardment of German coastal defences and artillery sites. The landing was to be concentrated on Queen Red and Queen White in front of Hermanville-sur-Mer, other approaches having proven impassable due to shoals. At 07:25, the first units set off for the beach. These were the amphibious DD tanks of the 13th/18th Hussars; they were followed closely by the 8th Infantry Brigade, and by Royal Engineers in AVREs. The engineers set to work clearing mines and obstacles under a steady hail of small arms fire and artillery fire from Périers Ridge just south of Hermanville. Resistance on the beach was initially fairly strong, with wrecked vehicles piling up and casualties mounting; however, with most of their armoured vehicles successfully landed, the British were able to quickly secure the immediate area. By 09:30 the engineers had cleared seven of the eight exits from the beach, allowing the inland advance to begin.

British and French commandos encountered tough resistance in the seaside town of Ouistreham, on Sword's eastern extremity, but were able to clear it of enemy strongpoints. By 13:00, the 1st Special Service Brigade had reached the bridges on the River Orne and the Caen Canal, linking up with paratroops of the 6th Airborne Division, who were holding the bridges, after earlier disabling German gun batteries in a fierce night-time battle earlier. On the western flank of Sword, commandos of the 4th Special Service Brigade moved out to secure Lion-sur-Mer and effect a link up with Canadian forces at Juno Beach, but encountered strong resistance and were pinned down by heavy fire for several hours. Meanwhile, around the main landing area, the men of the 3rd Infantry Division had secured Hermanville-sur-Mer by 10:00, but were finding tougher going as they slowly fought their way up Périers Ridge and moved inland. It was gradually becoming apparent that the British would not be able to make the hook-up with the 3rd Canadian Infantry Division necessary to protect its right flank in an immediate assault on Caen. Troops of the King's Shropshire Light Infantry continued down the Hermanville-Caen road, reaching Biéville-Beuville, close to Caen, but were supported by only a few self-propelled guns, their flanks exposed.

The 21st Panzer Division, with its formidable inventory of some 127 Panzer IV tanks, was intended for use as a rapid response force; on the morning of June 6th, however, its commander, Generalmajor Edgar Feuchtinger, was in Paris, and Rommel was in Germany. The division was unable to finalize orders and preparations for a counterattack until late in the day. At about 17:00, two thrusts were launched, east and west of the River Orne. Taking advantage of the gap between the Sword and Juno sectors, elements of the 192nd Panzergrenadier Regiment were able to reach the coast at Lion-sur-Mer by 8:00 p.m.; however, with few flak units and very little support from the Luftwaffe, they too suffered devastating losses to Allied aircraft. When 250 Gliders of the British 6th Airlanding Brigade overflew their positions, on their way to reinforce the Orne bridgehead in Operation Mallard, the Germans, believing they were about to be cut off, retired.

By the end of D-Day, 28,845 men of I Corps had come ashore across Sword. British losses in the Sword area amounted to 683 men. The British and Canadians were able to link up and resume the drive on Caen the following day, but three days into the invasion, the advance was halted. On June 7th, Operation Perch, a pincer attack by the 51st (Highland) Infantry Division and XXX Corps was launched to encircle Caen from the east and west flanks. The 21st Panzer Division halted the 51st Division advance and the XXX Corps attack resulted in the Battle of Villers-Bocage and the withdrawal of the leading elements of the 7th Armoured Division.

[puertovallarta]

Yelapa Jalisco México cascada, iglesia, callejones y playas / waterfall,...

Yelapa (read more: https://pvmx.net/YelapaENG) is for those who enjoy finding hidden places or hideaways to get away from the hustle and bustle of modern civilization. Undoubtedly the place to look for these in the Banderas Bay area is to look south, there are a number of beautiful beaches, especially those that can only be reached by sea, among these Yelapa. Yelapa is a fabulous little beach and town, so isolated that you feel as if you were on a tropical island in the South Pacific, for a long time even cellphones didn't work here and that was wonderful. 30-45 minutes south of Puerto Vallarta by sea, between the jungle and the waters of the Bay of Banderas and the small Yelapa bay. Where is Yelapa? Yelapa is in the southern zone of the Banderas Bay, between Majahuitas Beach and Pizota (further west). It is about 20-30 minutes by water taxi (panga) from Boca de Tomatlan. You can only arrive by sea. How to get to Yelapa from Puerto Vallarta To get to the place there is only one way, by sea, you can take a boat from the Los Muertos Beach Pier (50-60 minutes), or travel by land in a bus (orange and while, from the corner of Basilio Badillo and Constitución in Puerto Vallarta's romantic zone) passing Mismaloya until you reach Boca de Tomatlan, the final destination of the public bus. From there take a water taxi, or panga, as they call them locally, the trip by sea takes about 30 minutes. It is advisable to get to Playa Yelapa from Boca de Tomatlan, there are two docks to disembark in Yelapa Cabo Corrientes, one on the main beach by the side of Lagunita Yelapa Hotel and another in the town of Yelapa which is on the west side of the small Yelapa Bay. Find out more on Yelapa Puerto Vallarta at https://pvmx.net/YelapaENG 00:00 Inicio 00:08 Cascada de Yelapa / Yelapa Waterfall 00:38 Calles de Yelapa / Yelapa streets 01:21 Iglesia Santa María de Guadalupe Yelapa / church 01:43 Interior Iglesia de Yelapa / church interior 02:14 Callejones de Yelapa / sidewalks of Yelapa 02:44 Playa Isabel / Isabel Beach 03:10 Calles de Yelapa / sidewalks of Yelapa 03:41 Playa Principale de Yelapa / Yelapa Main Beach 03:52 Río El Tuito (derecha) / El Tuito River (right) 04:00 Escaleras a la playa principal / Walking down to the main beach 04:20 Fin/end Yelapa - averigua más en https://pvmx.net/YelapaESP - es para aquellos que disfrutan de pasear y buscar lugares recónditos o escondites para alejarse del bullicio y la superficialidad de la civilización moderna. Sin duda el lugar en la bahía de banderas para esto es ir hacia el sur, donde hay una serie de bellas playas, en especial a las que sólo se puede llegar por mar, entre éstas Yelapa, un secreto a voces que ha reunido a muchos artistas y extranjeros que buscan lo natural y lo real. Yelapa Jalisco es un lugar fabuloso, tan aislado que crees estar en una isla tropical del Pacífico Sur, por mucho tiempo no había siquiera servicio celular y permitía un aislamiento total, cosa que es un lujo hoy en día. A 40 minutos al sur de Puerto Vallarta por mar, entre la jungla y las aguas de la Bahía de Banderas. Dónde está Yelapa México Si ven el inicio del video, notarán que Yelapa está en la zona sur de la Bahía de Banderas, se encuentra entre Playa Majahuitas y Pizota (más al oeste). Está a unos 30 minutos en taxi acuático (panga) de Boca de Tomatlán. Sólo se puede llegar por mar a este pueblo y playa. ¿Cómo llegar a Yelapa desde Puerto Vallarta? Para llegar al lugar sólo hay una manera, por mar, pueden tomar una lancha desde el Muelle de Playa Los Muertos (45 minutos), o viajar por tierra pasando Mismaloya hasta llegar a Boca de Tomatlán y desde ahí tomar un taxi acuático, o panga, como los llaman localmente, el viaje por mar toma unos 30 minutos. Lo recomendable es llegar a Playa Yelapa desde Boca de Tomatlán, hay dos muelles para desembarcar en Yelapa Cabo Corrientes, uno en la playa principal por el lado de Lagunita Yelapa Hotel y otro en el pueblo de Yelapa que está en la zona oeste de la pequeña bahía de Yelapa. Averigua más sobre Yelapa Cabo Corrientes en https://pvmx.net/YelapaESP

[a-dinosaur-a-day]

Pyroraptor olympius

By Ripley Cook 

Etymology: Fire Thief

First Described By: Allain & Taquet, 2000

Classification: Dinosauromorpha, Dinosauriformes, Dracohors, Dinosauria, Saurischia, Eusaurischia, Theropoda, Neotheropoda, Averostra, Tetanurae, Orionides, Avetheropoda, Coelurosauria, Tyrannoraptora, Maniraptoromorpha, Maniraptoriformes, Maniraptora, Pennaraptora, Paraves, Eumaniraptora, Dromaeosauridae

Status: Extinct

Time and Place: Around 72 million years ago, in the Campanian of the Late Cretaceous 

Pyroraptor is known from the La Boucharde locality in France, the Vitoria and La Posa Formations in Spain, and potential locations in the UK 

Physical Description: Pyroraptor is a poorly known raptor, based on a few fossil scraps found around the late Cretaceous of Europe. Portions of the foot, arms, and some teeth are known from Pyroraptor, none preserved very well. It had the sickle second toe claw of other raptors, and it seems to have been fairly lightweight and small - probably no longer than 1.4 meters, though that is of course an estimate. Other than that, we know very little about its appearance - we don’t even know if it was a specialized sort of raptor like in the Dromaeosaurine, Microraptorine, or other groups - except for that it would have been very fluffy, with wings on its arms and a tail fan on its tail. 

By Conty, CC BY 3.0 

Diet: As a raptor, it is most likely that Pyroraptor fed upon meat, probably small animals such as lizards, mammals, and turtles.

Behavior: Pyroraptor would have been a very active dinosaur, spending most of its time hopping and stalking around the rivers and beaches in its island environment. Like other raptors, it wouldn’t have been a pursuit predator, but rather an ambush one: it would have waited for prey to appear, and then pounced on it, using rapid flaps of its wings to stay balanced on top of the struggling prey. This technique, called raptor prey restraint, is still seen in living raptors today. Pyroraptor would have also been able to run up vertical surfaces, such as trees and cliffs, using flaps of its wings to gain lyft up the surface. Then, it would have been able to catch food on the run! Other than that, Pyroraptor probably wasn’t very social, based on fossil evidence from other raptors - that being said, it would have taken care of its young, and probably stayed in small family groups during this process. 

By The Unknown Horror From the Ocean Depths, CC BY-SA 4.0 

Ecosystem: Pyroraptor lived in the Late Cretaceous of Western Europe, which was a series of islands sitting in a shallow ocean - sort of like the Bahamas today. These ecosystems were easy to travel between, utilizing rafting and other forms of impromptu sea travel, so the animals on them tended to be similar to each other. Pyroraptor itself lived with many turtles, snakes, sharks, and gars; as well as Eusuchians such as Musturzabalsuchus and Acynodon. There was some sort of large Azhdarchid pterosaur, too - currently called Azhdarcho, though that’s a questionable assignment. As for other dinosaurs, there were Abelisaurids there, Titanosaurs like Lirainosaurus, Nodosaurids like Struthiosaurus, the Ornithopod Rhabdodon, and another raptor called Richardoestesia, and the protobird Gargantuavis! 

By José Carlos Cortés 

Other: Pyroraptor was named as such because it was discovered after the occurence of a forest fire. Since so little is known about this dinosaur, there isn’t much more to be said about its phylogenetics or history of discovery! It is rather famous for having been featured in the 2003 documentary Dinosaur Planet, though given its poorly preserved nature, the wisdom in that choice of star is mildly suspect.

~ By Meig Dickson

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