#hotel cloud integration

[phonesuite]

In this article, we’ll explore how innovative virtual call center assistants can leverage these tools to create streamlined customer service experiences that improve operational efficiency while still delivering top-notch support. Learn More...

[phonesuitedirect]

5G technology can offer advantages that have the potential to revolutionize the hotel landscape. Let’s take some time to dive deeper into how and why this next-generation wireless technology could have major implications for your business. Read More...

[trayoungvis]

6 ways to improve front desk operations in a hotel

Implement a User-Friendly Property Management System (PMS)

Investing in a robust, user-friendly PMS can streamline many front desk functions, allowing for quicker guest check-ins and check-outs, and simplifying task management for staff. The right PMS can also automate functions like billing, housekeeping updates, and guest profile management, ensuring that information is centralized and accessible. With integrated technology, front desk staff can access real-time data and focus more on engaging with guests rather than juggling paperwork.

Example: Hotels can use cloud-based PMS solutions that integrate with mobile devices, enabling staff to manage bookings, room assignments, and other guest requests on-the-go. This type of flexibility can enhance the guest experience and make the front desk operation more agile.

Enhance Staff Training and Development

A knowledgeable and friendly front desk team is essential for smooth operations and creating positive guest experiences. Training programs should include customer service techniques, conflict resolution, cultural sensitivity, and technology skills to ensure that staff can handle a wide range of scenarios. By investing in ongoing training and development, hotels can empower front desk agents to respond confidently and professionally to any guest need.

Example: Implementing customer service role-playing sessions or workshops on handling difficult situations helps front desk staff feel more prepared and confident in high-pressure situations. This leads to quicker resolution of guest issues and enhances the overall service quality.

Leverage Mobile Check-In and Check-Out Options

Offering mobile check-in and check-out options can greatly improve convenience for guests, especially those who value minimal contact or are on tight schedules. With these digital options, guests can skip the line, access their room with digital keys, and receive important information directly on their mobile devices. This not only speeds up the process but also reduces wait times at the front desk, allowing staff to focus on more personalized interactions with guests.

Example: Hotels that allow guests to check in through an app or kiosk help reduce lobby congestion during peak hours, providing a smoother arrival experience. Mobile check-out also enables guests to settle their bills quickly and leave feedback immediately, fostering a positive and seamless end to their stay.

Create a Well-Organized and Efficient Workspace

Organization is key to smooth front desk operations. A clutter-free, well-designed workspace helps front desk staff access essential tools and information quickly, allowing them to serve guests efficiently. Organized storage, a clear filing system, and ergonomic workstation setups can reduce unnecessary steps and help staff focus on guest engagement rather than searching for items.

Example: Organizing desk drawers with labeled sections for different forms, supplies, and guest essentials can speed up routine tasks. Hotels could also use digital filing systems to eliminate paperwork, making it easier to retrieve guest data and reducing physical clutter.

Use Data Analytics for Forecasting and Staff Allocation

Data analytics can play a significant role in optimizing front desk operations. By analyzing guest flow patterns, seasonal demand, and peak hours, hotels can better predict staffing needs and ensure that they have adequate coverage. This approach prevents both overstaffing and understaffing, ensuring that guests receive timely service without additional operational costs.

Example: With data insights, front desk managers can allocate more staff during weekends, holidays, or major events when guest traffic is higher. During low-occupancy periods, they can redistribute front desk staff to other areas of the hotel, optimizing labor costs and efficiency.

Encourage Personalized Service and Attention to Detail

Personalized service can leave a lasting impression on guests and set a hotel apart from its competitors. Simple gestures, like addressing guests by name, remembering their preferences, or accommodating special requests, can enhance guest satisfaction. Front desk teams can leverage guest data from CRM systems to tailor their service approach, creating an experience that feels unique and memorable.

Example: If a guest is a returning visitor who previously requested extra pillows or specific room amenities, front desk staff can proactively arrange these before their arrival. Such attention to detail shows the guest that their preferences are valued and remembered.

Conclusion An efficient front desk operation is essential for a hotel’s success and guest satisfaction. By adopting advanced technology, continuously training staff, organizing the workspace, using data analytics for decision-making, and personalizing guest interactions, hotels can significantly enhance their front desk operations. These improvements lead to smoother guest experiences, higher retention rates, and a stronger brand reputation.

Additional Tips for Optimizing Front Desk Operations

Offer Multi-language Support: Having multilingual staff or digital translation tools can enhance communication with international guests.

Automate Routine Tasks: Automated notifications for housekeeping, maintenance, or guest requests can streamline coordination among departments.

Implement Guest Feedback Systems: Encourage guests to provide feedback during check-out, which can help the hotel address issues immediately and improve service.

[illbearound]

MOST WANTED MAN

Hiiii! First of all, I want to thank you for all the love I’ve been receiving. I wasn’t expecting that at all. Everyone is so sweet!! So thank you, thank you, thank you! 🥺💜

Second, I’m still trying to figure out tumblr posting (I’m new at this , so I’m still learning how to navigating here). I've noticed that there's a character limit, so I might have to split some chapters and make the story a bit longer than I expected. So please, bear with me.

I have the story almost written (working on the last chapters, atm). And I still got a few things I want to revise first – grammar and punctuation stuff. Still, I have not figure it out yet when I will update it. I was thinking about do it every other three days but maybe that’s a bit much. Maybe I’ll do an upload on a specific day of the week. Or just post whenever. Idk I haven’t set that up.

At last, here it is the first chapter! I hope you enjoy it. Please let me know your feedback!!! (only if you want to, a heart is also very good!! ) 💕🫶🏻 Happy weekend!

Chapter One — Oranges and Familiar Faces

Madrid , February 2025

The city looks like a painting when she arrives. Terracotta rooftops glowing beneath low clouds, windows shuttered against a late winter drizzle. Rain taps softly on the car roof. The driver doesn’t speak, only nods when she thanks him. The hotel is made of pale stone and glass. Modern, but trying not to look it.

In the elevator, she watches the numbers change and feels the quiet stretch of panic that’s been building all week. She presses her hand against her stomach without thinking. She doesn’t want to admit she feels sick.

The room is fine. Clean, anonymous. The bed is made with perfect corners. A tiny desk under a high window. She doesn’t unpack, just lifts the most decent clothes from her suitcase and lays them over the chair. The rest stays in the case like a secret. Her phone buzzes but she doesn’t check it.

She opens the window instead. The air is damp, tinged with exhaust and oranges and something floral she can’t name. Somewhere down the street, music plays — fast, percussive, joyfully unaware of her.

She takes a deep breath. Her throat tightens.

It’s only a work trip.

She reminds herself of that like a mantra, like it’s supposed to mean something.

*

She had received the email last Saturday morning. She was on the couch in her sweatshirt, curled around a cup of tea that had gone cold. Outside her apartment, Paris went on living. Footsteps on pavement, a motorbike, the clink of glass from the bakery downstairs. Inside, everything had gone still.

Subject: Madrid Expansion — Selected Staff for Team Integration & Travel Itinerary

At first she thought it was a mistake. Or a bulk email. She read it twice. Her name was there, in the list. One week in Madrid. A full week.

She didn’t move. Not at first. The room felt like it had narrowed in around her.

The kettle began to scream in the kitchen. She stood too quickly, banged her hip against the table. Her hands trembled slightly as she turned off the stove. The tea didn’t matter anymore.

Julie appeared in the doorway, yawning, her hair in a sideways ponytail like a comic strip character.

“You’re up early.” she said, scratching her elbow.

Anna blinked at her, still holding the dry teabag.

“I have to go to Madrid,” she said “for work.”

Julie tilted her head. “Like… Madrid Madrid?”

Anna nodded.

For a second, neither of them said anything.

Julie crossed the kitchen, leaned against the fridge. “And how do you feel about that?”

Anna shrugged. “It’s just work.”

“That’s not what I asked.”

Anna sighed, looked down at the counter like it might give her the answer. “I don’t know.” she said finally. “There’s the chance I see him. Or the chance I don’t. And I honestly don’t know which is worse.”

Julie didn’t try to fix it. She just stood there, steady.

“You’ll handle it,” she said. “You always do.”

Anna didn’t believe that, but she didn’t argue either.

They’d met in university, at a party Anna had tried to sneak out of before she was even halfway through her drink. Julie had caught her on the stairs and pulled her back in with a laugh and a brash, charming “no way are you bailing on me, I just got here.”

Julie was the kind of person who filled rooms without trying. People leaned into her, wanted to be close to her. She was funny and bright and fast. And not in a showy way, but with a sort of effortless gravity. She was studying art history and was always covered in paint or glitter or bits of tape, like her life was made in collage. She told stories with her hands. She loved hard and forgave quickly. Anna had never met anyone like her.

They moved in together that spring and never really stopped. Even now, years later, they shared a flat in the 11th, though Julie would be leaving soon. She was engaged now, to Guillaume, her long time boyfriend. Steady, gentle, impossibly French but a really nice guy. Anna didn’t say it out loud, but the idea of Julie leaving scared her more than she expected.

So she listened to her.

At the airport, Julie texted her:

Julie: You should text him. Just let him know you’ll be in town.

Anna: Isn’t that weird?

Julie: He’d want to see you. But it’s your call. Just don’t overthink it. You’ve got this.

Anna didn’t text him. She opened the window in the hotel and watched the city instead.

*

Madrid is warmer than Paris, but not by much. The days start gray and end with a wash of gold on balconies. On the first afternoon, Camille, her coworkers, takes her to lunch in a narrow restaurant where the waiters speak happily. They sit at a corner table with red napkins folded like fans.

Camille orders wine. Anna asks for something lighter, an orange juice.

Camille raises an eyebrow but doesn’t comment.

They talk about work. Or Camille does, mostly. She’s effortlessly polished, with that subtle Parisian way of seeming completely disinterested while knowing exactly what’s happening. She’s in her forties, with a calm kind of authority. Red lipstick. Clean suits. Long earrings. No apologies. She isn’t quite a friend, but she is the kind of woman Anna quietly admired. Camille had the composed confidence of someone who'd long stopped worrying about being liked. They'd fallen into a quiet sort of companionship since Anna had started working in the office; a lunch here and there, an occasional walk to the metro when they finished late. Camille talked more than Anna, but it never felt like noise. She was curious, clever, a little cynical. The kind of person who asked how your weekend was, then actually listened.

“I almost married a chef once,” she says between bites of roasted fish. “He wrote poems on receipts and smoked in the shower.”

Anna laughs. Not because it’s funny, exactly, but because Camille says it like it’s the most natural thing in the world.

Anna smiles faintly "I thought Spain would be sunnier." she admits

"Spain is sunnier. February just doesn't care."

The week moves in blinks. Meetings. Introductions. Office tours.

The Madrid office space was slick and modern, all clean lines and filtered light. But the people were the opposite — tactile, warm, constantly offering coffee, food, compliments, stories. Anna spends most of her time trying to match their energy, knowing she never quite does. Camille thrives, even with her broken Spanish and ironic tone. She knows when to push and when to vanish. She doesn’t push Anna, but always found ways to include her gently, effortlessly. Anna smiled when she needed to, contributed when she could, and disappeared into herself whenever possible.

She walks through the city at dusk, letting herself get a little lost. The buildings look sun-worn and sturdy. There are oranges on the trees. The light feels closer than it does in Paris.

She doesn’t text him. But she thinks about it every night.

It’s Friday night. The restaurant is loud, full of weekend buzz and cheap wine and too much cologne. Her small group from work had planned dinner. A chance to relax, to laugh and to celebrate the successful week they had. They've got the weekend off before returning to Paris, and this feels like the perfect start, a night out in the last stretch of their time in Madrid.

Outside, the rain has quieted to a mist, fine and invisible until it catches the light. The street is narrow and damp, cobblestones slick with reflection. A row of motorbikes leans against a wall across the way, their seats glistening. A neon sign from a corner bar buzzes quietly in the distance, humming its way into the silence between them.

Anna tucks her arms across her chest, bottle of water cold in her hand, she’s too tired to drink tonight . Camille lights a cigarette, shielding the flame from the wind, the tip flaring orange before settling into a steady glow. Smoke curls up around her, mingling with the city air — exhaust, wet pavement, something faintly floral.

They don’t speak for a few moments. There's a comfort in the quiet, in the shared act of being slightly apart from the noise, of pausing without obligation. Camille offers her a cigarette.

Anna shakes her head. “I’d just embarrass myself.”

Camille smiles faintly. “We’ve all done worse.”

Then Camille exhales and glances sideways. She smokes with a casual grace of someone who's been doing it since the '90s. “You’ve been a little strange this week,” she says. “Quieter than usual.”

Anna shrugs, watching a raindrop slide off the edge of a streetlamp. “I’m always quiet.”

Camille gives her a dry look. “You’re not always like this.”

There’s no malice in it. Just observation, casually dropped into the night like a coin into a fountain.

Anna’s eyes flick toward the building across the street. There's nothing remarkable about it, shuttered windows, a closed florist, some dark shapes that might be tables inside a café. But one door glows faintly, a soft amber rectangle in the dim. Seems like one of those expensive restaurants with ridiculous menus.

“I’m fine.” she says eventually, because it’s easier than untangling anything real.

Camille takes another drag. “You've been here before?"

It is an innocent question; light, casual, nothing loaded. But it catches her off guard. Because even though Camille doesn't know the history, the question lands heavy. Like it grazes something buried.

Anna doesn’t answer right away. Instead, she looks up again at the sky, pale and blank. Then down the street, where taillights smear across the wet stone. The city feels suspended, like it’s holding its breath with her.

“No.” she says finally. “But it's... familiar. In a way.".

Camille studies her. "Love thing?"

Anna's smile holds no humor. "Isn't it always?"

Camille doesn't press. Just nods, a small, almost imperceptible gesture. “We should get drunk.” she says lightly, as if to break the tension.

Anna huffs a small laugh. “Probably.”

And then, just as she begins to turn back toward the door, her foot lifting slightly from the ground, the door across the street opens.

It’s subtle at first, just a creak of movement. Her eyes catch it out of habit, not expectation. She’s not looking for anything. Not anymore.

But then, like a slow, deliberate reveal, he steps into the light.

Her body stills before her mind does. Her breath cuts short, like she’s suddenly underwater.

Kylian.

He’s there. Real. Present. Not memory or fantasy. Not the version she’s rewritten in her head a hundred times. He walks into the faint orange glow of the doorway with that same easy posture, the way he adjusts his sleeve with one hand like he's done it a thousand times. The rhythm of his movements unchanged. Unthinking.

For a split second, she doesn’t feel anything. No rush of emotion. Just a hollow quietness, like the air has been sucked out of her.

Then it floods in — the weight of the months, the questions left hanging, the sudden, cruel sharpness of the present.

Beside him, Étienne appears. The bodyguard, the driver, the trusted shadow; tall, composed, still somehow blending into the background. Just as he used to. He speaks to Kylian in a low voice, then scans the street, that same soft vigilance in his eyes, as though checking for exits no one else sees. She remembers the way he used to play French rap music from the stereo, tapping his finger lightly on the wheel. She hadn't thought of Étienne in months, and yet, there he was too. Like a ghost from the past.

And then, as if pulled by something unseen, Kylian lifts his head.

His eyes land on her.

Not around her. Not through her. On her.

The recognition is immediate. No delay. No question. Like he was expecting her all along, or maybe hoping not to.

For a second, neither of them moves. The city carries on around them. A horn in the distance, the rush of tires over wet stone, but here, in this stretch of air between them, time narrows to a point.

Kylian’s face doesn’t change much, but something in it softens. He says something to Étienne, too quiet to hear, and then takes a step forward.

Then another.

He begins to cross the street.

Anna doesn’t move. Her fingers tighten slightly around the bottle in her hand, but she doesn’t step back. Doesn’t breathe. She watches him approach, each step sounding louder in her ears than it should.

He isn’t rushing. There’s a carefulness to the way he moves, like he’s not sure if this is allowed. Like one wrong word could send the whole thing toppling.

Beside her, Camille straightens a little, glancing between them. “Is that–?” she begins, her voice low “Do you know him?”

Anna doesn’t look at her. “Kind of.” she murmurs.

Camille nods, sensing something in the stillness, in Anna’s posture. “I’ll give you a minute.” she says, already stepping toward the door, flicking her cigarette to the gutter without looking back.

And then he’s there.

Not close enough to touch, but close enough to speak. His presence feels too large all of a sudden. Too familiar. He smells like the same cologne. Wears the same kind of coat. And his expression, that small, half-smile, eyes flicking quickly to hers, it all crashes into her like a memory she's still grieving.

“Hi.” he says, quiet.

“Hey.” she answers, almost as softly.

The word feels simple, but her throat tightens around it. He looks at her like he’s still trying to understand the fact of her.

He blinks, then glances around, like trying to place this version of her in this particular streetlight. “What are you...?” he starts, then trails off. “I didn’t know–”

“I’m here for work,” she says quickly, the words sharper than she intends, too rehearsed. “They’re expanding. I came for the launch. Just a few days.”

She hears herself. The precision of it, how careful she sounds. Not casual, not surprised. Just... neutral. She doesn’t know why she phrases it like that. Maybe part of her doesn’t want to give him the wrong impression; doesn’t want him to think she came here because of him, for him. That would feel too exposed. Too much like something she used to do.

But underneath it, there's a flicker of something raw, a quieter truth pressing up against her ribs. That maybe she’d hoped for this. That maybe part of her had scanned every room for this moment, just like this, without letting herself admit it.

She watches his face, waiting for some reaction, a shift in his expression, some small sign of what he’s thinking. But he just nods, slow, like he’s absorbing it. And she can feel it all beginning to catch up to her now, the sudden nearness of him, the old ache unfolding in her chest like a bruise returning.

Kylian nods, then shifts slightly, tucking his hands into his coat pockets. That same half-smile plays at his mouth — crooked, a little unsure, like he's trying to land somewhere between familiarity and caution.

“Still drinking water at social things, huh?”

It’s such a simple thing. Barely even a real comment. The kind of line people toss out when they don’t know what else to say.

But it hits her like an echo from another life.

He remembered. The first time they met.

She glances down at the bottle like it’s just appeared there, like it’s someone else’s. And then the smallest smile pulls at her mouth, not quite amused. More like caught.

“I guess some things don’t change.” she says.

But they both know a lot of things did.

———

next chapter

tags: @nowrosesaredead

[shinjirev]

The shared night of the mc and the legal consultant

Having to spend the night with the three ghouls of sinostra and finding herself alone in the company of three boys, the fellow had chosen to share the room with Ritsu. The latter, partly almost incredulous, had felt positively disturbed by being chosen. Despite his feelings, however, Ritsu wanted to try to keep himself rational and to trace her choice back to a set of practical motivations. After all, Ritsu was the person closest to her and also certainly represented a more reassuring alternative to the captain or his deputy, known for their unpredictability and irascibility. Anyway, despite his happiness with the situation, Ritsu avoided getting carried away by his personal feelings that risked clouding his judgment on the matter. These were no issues he could waste time on, especially not during a mission so crucial to achieving the laurel wreath.

So he decided to spend the evening reviewing the mission information provided by the darkwick institute, integrating it with that obtained in the field. To carry out this thorough review, he decided to request the cooperation of his partner. Of course, her participation was not essential, much less necessary, but Ritsu did not want to deprive himself of her company. They would spend the evening together exchanging considerations on the mission and he would have had the opportunity to have her close without taking away attention from the mission. Ritsu and yn then reached their very modest room and placed their bags there. As soon as he arrived in the room, Ritsu noted with disappointment how much the hygiene rules were not respected and, feeling in the mood for conversion, wanted to share his culture with his roommate. Sharing that soon resulted in an enumeration of broken health regulations and possible complaints and related penalties.

In short, his timid attempt at openness resulted in a sort of conference on questions of law. -according to the Regulations for the hotel industries (Royal Decree 24 May 1925, no. 1102) Hotels must guarantee daily cleaning of the premises, disinfection of common areas and toilets, regular replacement of bed linen and towels- The poor girl, noticing Ritsu's enthusiasm, wanted to listen to him carefully without interrupting him but tried to show herself participating in the conversation (which seemed more like a monologue) by asking timid questions about the laws mentioned.

While the two were talking quietly, they also took care of getting ready for the night. Yn was surprised to see Ritsu settle down and open his bag. Everything inside was ordered and divided into sections according to the use of the objects. The girl couldn't help but smile noticing how Ritsu's perfectionism extended even to the smallest precautions. He noticed her surprised look and smiled in turn. -I guess you're surprised by my order, but it's natural that it should be so. A legal consultant must always be ready to present himself in the appropriate conditions in front of each of his potential clients - *with a proud smile he crossed his arms, in the attitude of someone who is explaining a very important concept* - so it is essential to always have a personal hygiene kit but also tools of the trade such as my notebook or my tape recorder available. I notice that you have not brought similar instruments so I will have no problem lending you mine. Obviously on condition of appropriate use and a minimum rental rate...- -No no Ritsu, don't worry... I have my cell phone with me to collect information, there is no need- -Perfect. Just remember to keep your device charged. The availability of means is a fundamental element in any type of investigation.- That said, while the girl finished arranging her things, Ritsu went to the bathroom and after a while the water from the shower was heard. The girl took advantage of the moment alone to change and put on her pajamas and then start preparing the documents that would keep them busy that night.

After a few minutes, Ritsu emerged from the bathroom already wearing his pajamas. Even at a time like that, his perfection didn't seem to leave him. Everything about him appeared composed and serene. Even his soft clothes seemed to take on a statuesque seriousness when worn by him. His hair was still wet but it had already been brushed, so it fell softly around his face and on his neck. Some strands appeared messy and restless. The only detail to clash with his image so composed. Calmly, leaving the bathroom door open, he began to dry his hair, patiently taming those few dishevelled locks. Before she knew it, the girl found herself observing him. His composure, his tranquility, his pragmatism... Nothing seemed to disturb him even during the mission. Ritsu had exchanged no conversation with her that could comfort her in her fright during the mission. Yet his gestures and his confidence had made her feel at ease and protected somehow.

At one point Ritsu turned around and met her gaze. She was still standing there with the mission documents in her hand. - Ah yes. You can start the review. You don't have to wait for me. I'll have finished here shortly anyway.- Fortunately Ritsu had dwelt on his documents, not on the fact that she was watching him. -Yes, of course, excuse me... I get to work immediately- So she looked away and actually went to start the work on her own. The room, in its modesty, was not equipped with a table or desk, let alone chairs. So the girl placed the material on her bed, leaving herself some space to sit down.

After a while he reached her and sat down on the other side of the bed in a composed manner. The two began to review the documents by reviewing the information already received from the institute and then Ritsu began to research the new books acquired in the city while she jotted down the significant information in a notebook. It wasn't a very exciting activity, so she began to feel the heaviness of sleep invade her thoughts as her eyes grew heavier and a few yawns interrupted her work. Ritsu realized her condition and after observing her for a few seconds he warned her - your conditions do not seem optimal to me to continue with this occupation. In the present state of affairs it is reasonable for you to lie down and let me continue- -But, Ritsu... there is still a lot of work here...-

- I am aware of it, but do not fear for me. I will continue only as long as my tiredness allows me to. Not having proper rest time will affect my work in the mission, and I can't let it happen. That obviously applies to you as well. Reason why you should rest- Although his words sounded so formal and logical, it was clear that they also had an undertone of concern. Ritsu moved the documents over his own bed and left her free space. Despite her intentions, the girl went to lie down under the covers, feeling immediately assailed by sleep. She felt lost, far from the institute and potentially in danger. But in that situation she found comfort in the service light on above her bed. And as the cares of the day gave way to the comfort of sleep, she stared at that comforting light and thought that deep down just like that... that light was Ritsu still awake... that light was Ritsu.

[oacest]

fic: kenet, dragon!liam, 3.6K words

When Liam was little and did something to annoy Noel, whether it be stealing his stuff, whining, chattering, following him around everywhere, or generally just existing in his space, he used to tell him they weren't really brothers.

(This was before Liam's fire came in, before his explosive tantrums were a threat to the structural integrity of the council house.)

Liam was bad at school – his head was in the clouds years before he ever managed to wing his way up there. If he'd paid any attention to his special classes, he would've known Noel was only having him on, that it was one of those genetic fuck-yous that riddled their family. They had a grand uncle in County Mayo like Liam; he was locally famous for having a few too many and terrorizing pilgrims off Croagh Patrick.

As it was, it didn't take much to convince Liam he was adopted; it wasn't like Noel or Paul occasionally had a tail, now did they.

You're lying, Liam would moan. As if he wasn't already tearing up.

I ain't. Da won you in a card game. Pair of sevens was all he needed to bring you home.

It didn't matter to little Liam that their family was dirt poor and kind of awful; the idea of not really belonging to it filled him with an instinctive terror. Noel never knew if that was because of his condition or just being the baby of the family.

Of course it always backfired, because Liam would go running to Mam, and then she'd twist his ear for telling his little brother he came from an egg like one of them turtles down by Cringle Brook.

Noel pretty much forgot about it by the time they left Tommy and got the new house. The old taunt got buried under years of other insults and lies, under a mountain of reluctant fondness and occasional wonderment, and then other things.

By the time they were in Oasis, the fact of their brotherhood was not only obvious to anyone who looked at them, it was also central to every facet of their waking lives. It was the first thing people knew about either of them, which is a bit fucking much when you considered Liam occasionally shifted into a winged, fire-breathing creature the size of a fucking tank.

Nevertheless: Noel Gallagher, big brother to Liam. Liam Gallagher, little brother to the entire fucking country it sometimes seemed. But first and foremost Noel's.

So yeah, Noel forgot what he used to say.

Liam never did, though.

–------

Most dragons? Proper ugly fuckers. Bullish heavy foreheads and beady eyes, ill-formed features like they got jumbled about after a lifetime of being rearranged all the time in the shift. It's just one of the many ways Liam was blessed at birth that he seems to be the exception.

In some lighting you wouldn't even notice the faint iridescence of scales just under Liam's skin where it gets thin: the underside of his wrists, the imprint of his spine. The bleach of his knuckles when his hand is in a fist.

He has a slight pebbling at the ridge of his eye socket, but somehow through the magic of his brother that gets turned around into something beautiful too. Beautiful and occasionally terrifying.

Between the two of them, Noel is the one who looks like he'd be the dragon. But he's never been jealous, except for a brief stretch of years when he dreamed nonstop about what he'd do if he could grow bigger: if he could smash Tommy into bits or breathe fire, transform his entire ugly world into cinders.

He got over that, though. And Liam went on to live his life in such a way as no one could feel jealous of it.

1994

“Is it true you're telepathic?” asked the girl from Em Tee Vee. They were in some hotel room, where half these interviews seemed to take place.

Truth was, they used the hotel rooms because their schedule was so crazy, and also because Marcus hoped Liam would behave better if he was in a space he felt he could own. What Marcus or anyone had yet to understand was that Liam felt he owned any and every space he happened to be in at the time. And that he was hardly more likely to behave if Noel was present.

“No,” said Noel.

“'Course it is,” said Liam. He waved a hand between them and then at himself. Wiped his nose; the fire made his sinuses tingle sometimes. “But not – not like this.”

“Not ever,” said Noel firmly. Liam couldn't communicate in his other form; he could barely communicate in this one.

“He's lying,” said Liam. He took a drink from his pint, looking sullen. “I remember, when I was little and could still like, perch on his shoulder—”

“So when you were two?” said Noel, shaking his head at the girl.

“You let me do it until I was at least five. Anyway, I could talk to him then. Hear 'im in me head too. 'Course I did, how is a kid supposed to get on if he can't talk to anyone and he's hungry or, or gets lost up a tree or summat? But he stopped talking back. Now he never listens neither.”

“None of that is true,” said Noel, and the world believed him because the alternative was insane.

2015

Noel.

Noel.

Noel, Noely G, Noel Gallagher. You fuckin prick, let us in. Noel, you awake? Noel, I know you're awake, the cousins always drag us out when we're in Dublin. Nole. Noel! NOELNOELNOELNOEL—

He groaned and finally pushed up from his marvelous big bed. There was the not-lately-familiar feeling of someone trying to tweeze out thoughts from his head with a pair of serrated chopsticks, and he half-hunched over in pain as he made his way over to the window of the rented flat.

He dragged aside the floor-length curtain and grimaced up into the glowing blue eyes of his brother, who had somehow wedged his elephantine body into the narrow space of the balcony. The wrought iron railing was battered and bent outwards, the grill and wicker chairs toppled over. This was going to do wonders for Noel's reputation for partying.

He rubbed his eyes and considered shutting the curtains again.

Liam, as if he could read his thoughts (he couldn't), huffed a massive breath that caused half the glass door to immediately fog over, and then thumped his head against it. Once, twice. He blinked his massive eyes down at him.

Let me in, cunt.

“Why are you here?” he demanded as he slid the balcony door open. Liam's head immediately pushed inside, followed by his long neck. “Aren't you supposed to be in New York for court? What the fuck, Liam?”

Liam shook his head like a dog and wiggled forward a few more steps. Out on the balcony, the railing groaned and shrieked as his heavy, razorback tail slid free of it.

He shifted as he walked, because even those massive balcony doors wouldn't fit his shoulders. In a minute he was standing naked in the middle of Noel's bedroom, looking around like he'd never seen one before.

“What the fuck?” said Noel again for good measure.

“In the morning,” he grumbled, rolling his neck and already stepping towards the bed like it was his. “Man, 'm completely knackered.”

“Long day being unemployed and a wanker?” But he was tired too and, while he had long since learned that the path of least resistance did nothing to actually ameliorate their relationship, he couldn't be bothered when it was four in the morning and he had a busy schedule the next day.

He got back into bed and Liam wasted no time cuddling up, like they still did this all the time. As always, his chest was like a reactor core. It was like trying to sleep on a bed of hot coals.

“You're sneaking out tomorrow morning,” said Noel, shoving a pillow in the nonexistent space between their bodies for some insulation. “I mean it. Tour's only starting, and if I have to spend it talking about you drunkenly winging across Ireland sky-writing tweets instead of promoting my album, I'll kill you. I really will.”

Liam ducked his head and chewed on the corner of the pillow. “Your album,” he muttered, muffled. “I used to have albums. Loads of 'em. A lovely, bright collection.”

Noel rolled his eyes. He said nothing and hoped for sleep to instantaneously claim them both.

“And fans,” continued Liam mournfully around the pillow corner, which was starting to get singed. “And music every day.”

His eyes slid up the length of Noel's body, faintly glowing again. If he tried shifting and broke the bed, Noel would find this flat's fire extinguisher and spray its contents down his throat.

“You could still have all those things,” he pointed out, exhaustion masquerading as patience. “If you got off your ass and put your name on the line. You know, you'd think you'd want that – your name over everything.”

“That was always the difference between me and you,” said Liam. “Didn't need my name over something to know it was mine.”

He slid his knee forward and up over Noel's legs. His dick was a hard burning line against his thigh.

Noel chewed on his lip and held his breath for a long moment of possibility. It had been years since they did that. Stopping was probably part of the reason things got so bad; generally speaking, dragons did not like being told no. But it was the only way.

Noel had worked too hard to start saying yes again on some random night in March on the eve of his second world tour.

“Go to sleep,” he said, and he rolled over so his back was to him.

2018

People were too fucking precious about it these days, the way they were about everything. Fucking snowflake millennials. Suddenly naming something for what it was or describing how it fucks with your day was simply not on, apparently.

Back in the nineties, people would meet Liam, spend maybe half an hour with him, and come away wincing sympathetically at Noel for what he had to deal with all the time. Twenty years on, neither of them have changed and yet now Noel's the bad guy for simply stating Liam is obsessed and jealous and thinks even now that Noel is part of his—

“Ooh,” says Donald from Radio 2, “I don't think we should use that word.”

It takes a moment for Noel to realize which one he means. “What, hoard?” he says incredulously.

A click signals the producer on the other side of the glass has hit a button. Cathy's voice pipes into the booth. “It's considered othering, Noel.”

“Then it's doing its job, because my brother is as other as it fucking gets.”

“That – may be,” says Donald bracingly, “but our listeners are not, and we wouldn't want to blindside them.”

Blindside, fucking christ. As if they were not talking about the man who once went on a three-day bender and passed out in broad daylight in Notting Hill on Michael Hutchence's jag, crushing it.

Noel sits back and crosses his leg, then his arms for good measure. “What word should I use, then?”

Donald looked back through the glass to Cathy for guidance. They waited while she considered the question or, more likely, googled it.

Another staticky click and she came through, clearly reading off her phone, “People avoid the H-word because it puts the compulsion at the center of the experience. This can be avoided through the use of people-first language—”

“People-first language,” repeats Noel. “Well, there's your problem right there. Liam's not a person.”

There's a beat of silence and then Donald gives a short, uncomfortable laugh.

–---

Any-fucking-way, here is a list of everything Liam considers part of his hoard:

When he was really little, Noddy toys; thereafter their childhood bedroom and everything in it; Noel's apartment in India House; Noel's first apartment in London; a series of very stupid hats; every fucking song Noel ever wrote for Oasis, including the ones Noel kept back to sing himself; every fuzzy layering garment he has ever clapped eyes on through a shop window; Noel's time; Noel's attention; and lastly but also firstly and everything in between: Noel himself.

1996

It was probably really fucking dangerous, flying while they set off fireworks below. But Liam was off and running before anyone guessed what he was doing, and then it was too late to even worry. It was always too late to worry about Liam.

Anyway, after a show like that, everyone kind of thought he was untouchable. He'd make the universe bend around him.

The massive crowd continued to cheer; music poured from the speakers. Noel leaned against the fence and sipped his beer, watching along with everyone else for glimpses of his brother through the explosions and smoke overhead.

His chest felt like it was bursting full of warmth and light. He might start floating any second. He wondered if this was how Liam felt all the time.

1985

C'mon, wheedled Liam.

“Not a chance.” It was the fourth time he said it, and it was growing harder with the repetition to say it casually. He tried smiling at Diane, who was sitting on the park bench drinking a lemonade and managing to look absolutely stunning as she did it. She smiled back, sorta.

Liam put his head down like an anteater and started trotting at him. It took Noel a baffled second to realize he thought he could scoop him up like that. It was really embarrassing, but it would've been even more embarrassing if he succeeded, so Noel evaded him by darting and jumping behind a tree.

So then he was hiding behind a tree from his kid brother while his potential girlfriend watched. He hated his life sometimes.

A furnace blast of air ruffled Noel's hair as Liam wound his head around the tree. Why not? He sounded plaintive in Noel's head.

People who saw them only could see the surface of things. They saw a little guy getting harassed by a massive blue-green dragon with a lazy eye. And then they looked the other way, because that's what everyone in the world did when things were happening to little guys.

“The last time we tried flying, I damn near broke me arm,” he said, pressing back again the bark like he could become one with the tree. “I said never again, and I meant it.”

I was ten. My balance is way better now. I been practicing.

“Practicing with who?” he scoffed.

Girls, mostly. But Polly Lynch let me take her guinea pig up once. I reckon if a guinea pig can manage it, so can you.

“Oh, that's just what Mam needs, you killing some poor girl and making us pariahs in the neighborhood.”

Liam nosed forward and chucked his chin with his snout. Not gonna kill nobody. Told you, I'm good at it.

“Answer's still no.”

Why not? I wanna show you things, like Black Chew Head and this one geezer's office in City Tower, you won't believe it, he's got a whole wall full of—

“You ain't supposed to be going into the city,” says Noel sharply. “How many times we gotta tell you that, you'll get in trouble. There's rules, Liam.”

Liam chucked his chin again, but more roughly this time. Noel could feel the sting of scraped skin along his neck and clapped a hand to it, grimacing and cursing.

His little brother stepped back, long tail shambling in a large circle over the park lawn as he turned his back on Noel.

Unease trickled in, too late. Noel started after him. “Liam!”

If you're not coming with, you don't get to tell me what to go.

And then he was taking off with a heavy, sulky beat of wings. Noel and Diane watched him go. He favored his right side, listing badly. Better balance his arse, thought Noel. He would've killed Noel for sure.

“What did he say?” she asked.

He shook his head. “Nothing, I don't – I don't know. He can't talk when he's like that.”

“Oh.” She seemed surprised. “But I thought—”

“What?” he asked, real fast (too fast).

She looked at him in steady appraisal. Eventually, she shrugged and said, “Nothing. I just thought you could hear him, is all. Your mam made it sound like you could. Said you were the only one.”

Noel looked back at the sky, where Liam was only a small dot now. He was going too high.

“I'm a good guesser, is all,” he said.

2019

He didn't need the tell-tale shadow or the sound of beating wings overhead to know his brother had just left. It was obvious from the scorch marks spelling out CUNT in the lawn. The letters were large and crooked, somehow identical to his scrawl when he signed something for a fan. The T was still actively on fire in two spots.

It was just as well Sara and the kids weren't here yet and wouldn't be until the end of the week. The Hampshire house was still mostly empty. Noel was only out there to oversee the relocation of some of his more precious items (that is, his guitars).

He walked across the lawn, already hearing his wife's voice in his head: this has gone too far, we need to get a restraining order, he's dangerous, can't you see he's not well? How are we supposed to sleep like this? What about the boys, what if he takes the boys? After the things he's said and now he's over here proving he knows exactly where to find us?

The problem is, Liam will always know where to find him. There's nothing he can do about that, short of murder and/or suicide. He's only not done at least the former because the mere thought of the Cain and Abel references in all the headlines and book titles and documentaries made him disgusted.

Noel stamped out the two small fires and wiped his shoes on the grass to get the ash off. He took out his phone and made two calls standing there in the center of the lawn. The first was to his landscaper.

The second was to his mother.

2006

They had told Liam from the very beginning he needed to take special care with his voice, because of his condition; the fire was harsh on his larynx, made the cartilage more brittle. But Liam said fuck you, first just in his head, and then in Noel's, and then a few times aloud to anyone who dared tell him how to live his life over the years. And now that voice was gone: shredded and hoarse, you'd never guess what he used to be able to do with it.

“What do you mean, you're going on tour without me?” he said. They were in his local in Primrose Hill, in a corner booth. Noel had wanted to break the news somewhere familiar, so Liam wouldn't destroy the place if things went really poorly.

“It's not a tour,” he said, downplaying it like that has ever made a difference. “It's a few acoustic shows. I've always done those on the side.”

Liam shook his head. “But not like this, not as a tour.” He sat back, putting his arm over the back of the booth. His eyes traveled over the room, already seeing past Noel to the ranks of invisible enemies lying in wait.

Like a fool, Noel leaned forward to reason with him. “Look, it's to promote our album. You cannot possibly have a problem with this. I promote the album, you don't have to do nish, we both rake in the money.”

“Fuck the money,” said the man who's been a millionaire for a third of his life. “You're running off with my shoes, trying them on for size. Well, I think you'll find they're too big for you, little man.”

Noel tapped the table. “Right.” And then, to himself, “Why the fuck did I even bother.”

“Yeah, why did you?” he asked as Noel began sliding out of the booth. “I'll tell you why – you wanted to be able to say to people, I gave him fair warning. But I see through you. I got that third eyelid, brother, I'm always watching.”

He informed him, “I didn't have to tell you anything, actually. I don't need your permission to tour and, as I won't be dealing with your sulking on the road, your cooperation is also irrelevant. But I thought you deserved to hear it from me, that you might handle it like an adult and not a puffing little skink.”

For some reason, this is what cause Liam to flip his colours. His arm shot out and he grabbed Noel's wrist in his hot little hand.

He stood there looking down at it, for some reason not pulling away immediately.

“My voice is recovered from the spring, if that's what this is,” said Liam quietly. “I'm ready to go, Noel. Just name the date. I could do Knebworth tomorrow, man, you know I could.”

Despite a lifetime of proof that it wasn't any good, sometimes Noel caught himself wishing they could speak telepathically like this. Maybe it would be better, if it were these eyes he was looking into, this hand he was holding, when he lied and told him it wasn't about his voice.

[heronoegg]

I mean this in the best way possible: If i looked up the word "spaghetti" in the dictionary i would find your art style.

On another note, i request bnha wing au lore, such as how similar their diets are to their specific bird species and birds in general as well as how cities look like, and a picture of Northern Goshawk Sero (because apparently they're the most acrobatic birds according to google.)

i don't even like spaghetti all that much if im being honest hjbghjfb it hurts my stomach and tomato makes me break out yet here i am eating pizza

anyway Sero is actully a sparrow because the pun was too good for me to pass it.

original colors and one i blasted with filters because i like doing that jvkgf hcj

i didn't want him being a hawk cause in their society Hawks are viewed as the "better" birds (by better i mean like Hawks though raptors are viewed as stronger, more successful, beautiful/handsome ect they are so this and so that) Sero's quirk compared to Bakugo influences my choice of making Bakugo a Hawk and Sero a common bird - a sparrow. there was another reason but i forgot what it was

Now as for your other questions.

-How similar are their diets to their specific bird species and birds in general

I mean, i wouldn't say somebody is eating another person, but it's not severely uncommon in their world that a person would eat another person if they were starving enough and there was nothing else around. Raptors would sooner eat a rat before another person they'd have to be severely pushed into eating another person and it's only raptors/predators cases that have eaten other bird persons but that hasn't happened in a long time (at least that they know about) It's frowned upon to eat people jfknvbghfj

They do eat seeds, they grow vegetables, they eat roots, they grow fruits, bugs that aren't sentient, they eat other little critters that aren't sentient, they eat rats that aren't sentient - they have some form of non-sentient cattle cause if rabbit people like Mirko exist that means rat people exist, i don't think sentient cow or pug people exist but bugs and lizards aren't off the table there are sentient bugs and lizards cause bug people are incorporated in wing society.

-how do cities look like?

I actually have this written out. Ok so in this AU for somereason i never explained but the planets flora grew to like massive height so giant trees that reach the clouds exist, flowers that are big as houses exist, plants making people look like bugs even if they are a bird exist but normal size land, plants and trees exist as well.

living arrangements

Bird people

they typically nest in tree houses or live in hollowed-out trees that serve as single-family homes or communal living spaces almost that of hotels.

Higher branches are reserved for the rich or successful - safety and status all that noise.

Mid-level branches have platforms and hanging structures it's middle-class neighborhoods. The poor/under paid live in shrubs where bugs live or smaller trees closer to the ground floor but still elevated enough that they aren't touching the complete ground.

Houses include perches and structures robust enough to support winged living. Regular furniture but adapted for wings and tails. Beds that provide space for wings i imagine their round?

People do still do nest-building - i think my friend said Deku's mom owns a nest. -it's an older generation thing, i assume they integrate natural materials into their living spaces either inside normal homes or in custom-built house.

i think the bird houses are my favorite thing in this AU cause i sit here and think about how their houses look alot

I think of balconies, roof gardens, open spaces it's really cool in my head think of skyloft from skyward sword but without the clouds kinda? i had skyloft in mind when i was making this AU

Bat people

They prefer caves or cave-like structures that can be built into cliffs or large trees. Wealthy bats love spacious caverns higher up, lots of privacy and security from predators

Middle-class bats may have communal roosts on ledges or hollowed parts of large trees, while the less fortunate find shelter in smaller crevices and overhangs closer to the ground but still vertical enough for their needs.

Bug people

those with butterfly or moth wings build around massive flowers and tall vegetation.

The rich live high in canopys but i think bugs are the lowest ranking species here.

some might dwell on large leaves or within the stems of tall plants, lots of vibrant communities akin suburban life. it's silly jhtbgfhj

Some individuals may resort to makeshift accommodations among thickets or low-lying plants, some elevation to facilitate their flight-based movement.

There are no streets; travel is facilitated by flight between different areas. There are lots of glades and clearings that serve as social and trading hubs for interaction between different species and economic classes.

i have other things about this AU but i wanna save it for it's own post i just wanted to answer your question.

[govindhtech]

Google Cloud’s BigQuery Autonomous Data To AI Platform

BigQuery automates data analysis, transformation, and insight generation using AI. AI and natural language interaction simplify difficult operations.

The fast-paced world needs data access and a real-time data activation flywheel. Artificial intelligence that integrates directly into the data environment and works with intelligent agents is emerging. These catalysts open doors and enable self-directed, rapid action, which is vital for success. This flywheel uses Google's Data & AI Cloud to activate data in real time. BigQuery has five times more organisations than the two leading cloud providers that just offer data science and data warehousing solutions due to this emphasis.

Examples of top companies:

With BigQuery, Radisson Hotel Group enhanced campaign productivity by 50% and revenue by over 20% by fine-tuning the Gemini model.

By connecting over 170 data sources with BigQuery, Gordon Food Service established a scalable, modern, AI-ready data architecture. This improved real-time response to critical business demands, enabled complete analytics, boosted client usage of their ordering systems, and offered staff rapid insights while cutting costs and boosting market share.

J.B. Hunt is revolutionising logistics for shippers and carriers by integrating Databricks into BigQuery.

General Mills saves over $100 million using BigQuery and Vertex AI to give workers secure access to LLMs for structured and unstructured data searches.

Google Cloud is unveiling many new features with its autonomous data to AI platform powered by BigQuery and Looker, a unified, trustworthy, and conversational BI platform:

New assistive and agentic experiences based on your trusted data and available through BigQuery and Looker will make data scientists, data engineers, analysts, and business users' jobs simpler and faster.

Advanced analytics and data science acceleration: Along with seamless integration with real-time and open-source technologies, BigQuery AI-assisted notebooks improve data science workflows and BigQuery AI Query Engine provides fresh insights.

Autonomous data foundation: BigQuery can collect, manage, and orchestrate any data with its new autonomous features, which include native support for unstructured data processing and open data formats like Iceberg.

Look at each change in detail.

User-specific agents

It believes everyone should have AI. BigQuery and Looker made AI-powered helpful experiences generally available, but Google Cloud now offers specialised agents for all data chores, such as:

Data engineering agents integrated with BigQuery pipelines help create data pipelines, convert and enhance data, discover anomalies, and automate metadata development. These agents provide trustworthy data and replace time-consuming and repetitive tasks, enhancing data team productivity. Data engineers traditionally spend hours cleaning, processing, and confirming data.

The data science agent in Google's Colab notebook enables model development at every step. Scalable training, intelligent model selection, automated feature engineering, and faster iteration are possible. This agent lets data science teams focus on complex methods rather than data and infrastructure.

Looker conversational analytics lets everyone utilise natural language with data. Expanded capabilities provided with DeepMind let all users understand the agent's actions and easily resolve misconceptions by undertaking advanced analysis and explaining its logic. Looker's semantic layer boosts accuracy by two-thirds. The agent understands business language like “revenue” and “segments” and can compute metrics in real time, ensuring trustworthy, accurate, and relevant results. An API for conversational analytics is also being introduced to help developers integrate it into processes and apps.

In the BigQuery autonomous data to AI platform, Google Cloud introduced the BigQuery knowledge engine to power assistive and agentic experiences. It models data associations, suggests business vocabulary words, and creates metadata instantaneously using Gemini's table descriptions, query histories, and schema connections. This knowledge engine grounds AI and agents in business context, enabling semantic search across BigQuery and AI-powered data insights.

All customers may access Gemini-powered agentic and assistive experiences in BigQuery and Looker without add-ons in the existing price model tiers!

Accelerating data science and advanced analytics

BigQuery autonomous data to AI platform is revolutionising data science and analytics by enabling new AI-driven data science experiences and engines to manage complex data and provide real-time analytics.

First, AI improves BigQuery notebooks. It adds intelligent SQL cells to your notebook that can merge data sources, comprehend data context, and make code-writing suggestions. It also uses native exploratory analysis and visualisation capabilities for data exploration and peer collaboration. Data scientists can also schedule analyses and update insights. Google Cloud also lets you construct laptop-driven, dynamic, user-friendly, interactive data apps to share insights across the organisation.

This enhanced notebook experience is complemented by the BigQuery AI query engine for AI-driven analytics. This engine lets data scientists easily manage organised and unstructured data and add real-world context—not simply retrieve it. BigQuery AI co-processes SQL and Gemini, adding runtime verbal comprehension, reasoning skills, and real-world knowledge. Their new engine processes unstructured photographs and matches them to your product catalogue. This engine supports several use cases, including model enhancement, sophisticated segmentation, and new insights.

Additionally, it provides users with the most cloud-optimized open-source environment. Google Cloud for Apache Kafka enables real-time data pipelines for event sourcing, model scoring, communications, and analytics in BigQuery for serverless Apache Spark execution. Customers have almost doubled their serverless Spark use in the last year, and Google Cloud has upgraded this engine to handle data 2.7 times faster.

BigQuery lets data scientists utilise SQL, Spark, or foundation models on Google's serverless and scalable architecture to innovate faster without the challenges of traditional infrastructure.

An independent data foundation throughout data lifetime

An independent data foundation created for modern data complexity supports its advanced analytics engines and specialised agents. BigQuery is transforming the environment by making unstructured data first-class citizens. New platform features, such as orchestration for a variety of data workloads, autonomous and invisible governance, and open formats for flexibility, ensure that your data is always ready for data science or artificial intelligence issues. It does this while giving the best cost and decreasing operational overhead.

For many companies, unstructured data is their biggest untapped potential. Even while structured data provides analytical avenues, unique ideas in text, audio, video, and photographs are often underutilised and discovered in siloed systems. BigQuery instantly tackles this issue by making unstructured data a first-class citizen using multimodal tables (preview), which integrate structured data with rich, complex data types for unified querying and storage.

Google Cloud's expanded BigQuery governance enables data stewards and professionals a single perspective to manage discovery, classification, curation, quality, usage, and sharing, including automatic cataloguing and metadata production, to efficiently manage this large data estate. BigQuery continuous queries use SQL to analyse and act on streaming data regardless of format, ensuring timely insights from all your data streams.

Customers utilise Google's AI models in BigQuery for multimodal analysis 16 times more than last year, driven by advanced support for structured and unstructured multimodal data. BigQuery with Vertex AI are 8–16 times cheaper than independent data warehouse and AI solutions.

Google Cloud maintains open ecology. BigQuery tables for Apache Iceberg combine BigQuery's performance and integrated capabilities with the flexibility of an open data lakehouse to link Iceberg data to SQL, Spark, AI, and third-party engines in an open and interoperable fashion. This service provides adaptive and autonomous table management, high-performance streaming, auto-AI-generated insights, practically infinite serverless scalability, and improved governance. Cloud storage enables fail-safe features and centralised fine-grained access control management in their managed solution.

Finaly, AI platform autonomous data optimises. Scaling resources, managing workloads, and ensuring cost-effectiveness are its competencies. The new BigQuery spend commit unifies spending throughout BigQuery platform and allows flexibility in shifting spend across streaming, governance, data processing engines, and more, making purchase easier.

Start your data and AI adventure with BigQuery data migration. Google Cloud wants to know how you innovate with data.

[panashifzco]

Why Self-Service Kiosks Are the Future of Hospitality and Retail !!

The retail and hospitality industries are constantly evolving to meet the demands of modern consumers. As businesses strive for efficiency, convenience and improved customer experience, self-service kiosks have emerged as a game-changing solution. From quick-service restaurants to retail stores and hotels, kiosks are revolutionizing how customers interact with businesses, making transactions smoother, reducing wait times and enhancing overall satisfaction.

The Growing Demand for Self-Service Solutions

With the rise of digital transformation, consumers now expect seamless, tech-driven interactions in every aspect of their lives. Self-service kiosks address this demand by providing :

Speed and Efficiency – Customers can place orders, check-in or make payments quickly without waiting in long lines.

Reduced Labor Costs – Businesses can optimize staff allocation, reducing operational expenses while maintaining quality service.

Enhanced Customer Experience – Customizable interfaces and multilingual support ensure a smooth and personalized experience for diverse audiences.

Improved Accuracy – Self-service kiosks eliminate human errors in order placement, payment processing, and service requests.

How Kiosks Are Transforming Retail Retailers are integrating self-service kiosks to streamline operations and improve shopping experiences. Some key benefits include:

Faster Checkout – Self-checkout kiosks minimize congestion at traditional cash registers, reducing wait times.

In-Store Navigation & Product Lookup – Customers can quickly locate products and access real-time stock availability.

Loyalty Program Integration – Kiosks enable customers to register for rewards programs, check points, and redeem offers effortlessly.

Seamless Omnichannel Experience – Integration with e-commerce platforms allows customers to order online and pick up in-store.

Upselling and Cross-Selling Opportunities – Kiosks can suggest complementary products or promotions based on customer preferences.

The Impact of Kiosks in Hospitality In the hospitality industry, self-service kiosks are redefining guest experiences by offering:

Faster Hotel Check-Ins and Check-Outs – Guests can skip front desk lines and access rooms with digital keys.

Self-Ordering at Restaurants – Quick-service and fast-casual restaurants use kiosks to enhance order accuracy and speed.

Automated Ticketing and Reservations – Kiosks streamline the process for theme parks, movie theaters and travel agencies.

Personalized Customer Interactions – AI-powered kiosks can recommend services, upgrades, or add-ons based on customer preferences.

Multi-Functionality – Kiosks can serve as concierge services, providing guests with local recommendations and travel assistance.

The Future of Self-Service Kiosks The future of self-service kiosks is driven by technological advancements, including:

AI and Machine Learning – Personalized recommendations and predictive analytics will enhance user engagement.

Contactless and Mobile Integration – NFC payments and mobile app connectivity will further simplify transactions.

Biometric Authentication – Facial recognition and fingerprint scanning will improve security and user convenience.

Sustainable and Eco-Friendly Kiosks – Digital receipts and energy-efficient designs will support environmental initiatives.

Cloud-Based Management – Remote monitoring and software updates will enable seamless kiosk operations.

Voice-Activated Interfaces – Enhancing accessibility for all users, including those with disabilities.

Conclusion Self-service kiosks are no longer a luxury but a necessity for businesses aiming to enhance efficiency, reduce costs and improve customer satisfaction. As the retail and hospitality industries continue to evolve, adopting kiosk technology will be key to staying competitive and meeting the ever-growing expectations of tech-savvy consumers.

What are your thoughts on the future of self-service kiosks? Share your insights in the comments below!

[faberown]

"COME ON, DAD! DON'T YOU WANT TO GIVE ME A HUG?"

"Cain finally came out into the open, out of the black cloud, and Adam could see him. Any sign of his human appearance had completely vanished, leaving only a sort of hideous caricature in its place. He was thin, to a decidedly excessive degree, probably due to the years spent wandering the Earth; his arms and legs were extraordinarily long, and the same could be said of his fingers, which moved as if they were spider legs; from the base of his back there was a long tail ending in a hook, while from his quadriceps emerged six black tentacles that seemed to be made of pure dark matter; slightly to the side of these tentacles there were two deformed wings, similar to those of a bat, but pierced in several places, and that seemed almost burnt. He was wearing some sort of haggard outfit that looked halfway between that of a hunter and that of a farmer. But the most monstrous thing was the face: the skin completely black as coal, almost devoid of any facial features, with fist-sized eyes that glowed with a bloodthirsty yellowish light, and a mouth bristling with teeth as sharp as those of a shark also yellowish; his hair had disappeared and on the contrary an imposing platform of horns curved backwards ending in golden tips encircled his head like a blasphemous crown. In the center of his forehead there was still the mark that he himself had etched on his skin, which now seemed to have become an integral part of it and was surrounded by green and unquenchable flames"

Extract from:

This is a fanart of the way I imagined Cain in my story "If Hell is forever than Heaven must be a lie", which I invite you all to go and read. If you're wondering why he looks so much like Adam, well, that means you haven't read my story yet, so... go to do it. All you need to know is that Adam was highly inspired by Cain to build his character as a general of the angelic army. And I've already given enough spoilers, so go and read if you want to learn more.

[phonesuite]

This blog post will provide an illustrative roadmap for understanding what's necessary for successful digital transformation adoption. Explore the essential components of a digital roadmap, highlighting the importance of aligning technology with business goals to ensure a successful transition. Learn More...

[phonesuitedirect]

In this blog post, we’ll discuss how leveraging the next generation of Wi-Fi 6E helps enhance user experiences, reduce operational expenses, and offer insights into why now is the time to embrace 802.11ax in your hotels. Read More...

[theinnovatorsinsights]

With Innrly | Streamline Your Hospitality Operations

Manage all your hotels from anywhere | Transformation without transition

Managing a hotel or a multi-brand portfolio can be overwhelming, especially when juggling multiple systems, reports, and data sources. INNRLY, a cutting-edge hotel management software, revolutionizes the way hospitality businesses operate by delivering intelligent insights and simplifying workflows—all without the need for system changes or upgrades. Designed for seamless integration and powerful automation, INNRLY empowers hotel owners and managers to make data-driven decisions and enhance operational efficiency.

Revolutionizing Hotel Management

In the fast-paced world of hospitality, efficiency is the cornerstone of success. INNRLY’s cloud-based platform offers a brand-neutral, user-friendly interface that consolidates critical business data across all your properties. Whether you manage a single boutique hotel or a portfolio of properties spanning different regions, INNRLY provides an all-in-one solution for optimizing performance and boosting productivity.

One Dashboard for All Your Properties:

Say goodbye to fragmented data and manual processes. INNRLY enables you to monitor your entire portfolio from a single dashboard, providing instant access to key metrics like revenue, occupancy, labor costs, and guest satisfaction. With this unified view, hotel managers can make informed decisions in real time.

Customizable and Scalable Solutions:

No two hospitality businesses are alike, and INNRLY understands that. Its customizable features adapt to your unique needs, whether you're running a small chain or managing an extensive enterprise. INNRLY grows with your business, ensuring that your operations remain efficient and effective.

Seamless Integration for Effortless Operations:

One of INNRLY’s standout features is its ability to integrate seamlessly with your existing systems. Whether it's your property management system (PMS), accounting software, payroll/labor management tools, or even guest feedback platforms, INNRLY pulls data together effortlessly, eliminating the need for system overhauls.

Automated Night Audits:

Tired of labor-intensive night audits? INNRLY’s Night Audit+ automates this crucial process, providing detailed reports that are automatically synced with your accounting software. It identifies issues such as declined credit cards or high balances, ensuring no problem goes unnoticed.

A/R and A/P Optimization:

Streamline your accounts receivable (A/R) and accounts payable (A/P) processes to improve cash flow and avoid costly mistakes. INNRLY’s automation reduces manual entry, speeding up credit cycles and ensuring accurate payments.

Labor and Cost Management:

With INNRLY, you can pinpoint inefficiencies, monitor labor hours, and reduce costs. Detailed insights into overtime risks, housekeeping minutes per room (MPR), and other labor metrics help you manage staff productivity effectively.

Empowering Data-Driven Decisions:

INNRLY simplifies decision-making by surfacing actionable insights through its robust reporting and analytics tools.

Comprehensive Reporting:

Access reports on your schedule, from detailed night audit summaries to trial balances and franchise billing reconciliations. Consolidated data across multiple properties allows for easy performance comparisons and trend analysis.

Benchmarking for Success:

Compare your properties' performance against industry standards or other hotels in your portfolio. Metrics such as ADR (Average Daily Rate), RevPAR (Revenue Per Available Room), and occupancy rates are presented in an easy-to-understand format, empowering you to identify strengths and areas for improvement.

Guest Satisfaction Insights:

INNRLY compiles guest feedback and satisfaction scores, enabling you to take prompt action to enhance the guest experience. Happy guests lead to better reviews and increased bookings, driving long-term success.

Key Benefits of INNRLY

Single Login, Full Control: Manage all properties with one login, saving time and reducing complexity.

Error-Free Automation: Eliminate manual data entry, reducing errors and increasing productivity.

Cost Savings: Pinpoint problem areas to reduce labor costs and optimize spending.

Enhanced Accountability: Hold each property accountable for issues flagged by INNRLY’s tools, supported by an optional Cash Flow Protection Team at the enterprise level.

Data Security: Protect your credentials and data while maintaining your existing systems.

Transforming Hospitality Without Transition

INNRLY’s philosophy is simple: transformation without transition. You don’t need to replace or upgrade your existing systems to benefit from INNRLY. The software integrates effortlessly into your current setup, allowing you to focus on what matters most—delivering exceptional guest experiences and achieving your business goals.

Who Can Benefit from INNRLY?

Hotel Owners:

For owners managing multiple properties, INNRLY offers a centralized platform to monitor performance, identify inefficiencies, and maximize profitability.

General Managers:

Simplify day-to-day operations with automated processes and real-time insights, freeing up time to focus on strategic initiatives.

Accounting Teams:

INNRLY ensures accurate financial reporting by syncing data across systems, reducing errors, and streamlining reconciliation processes.

Multi-Brand Portfolios:

For operators managing properties across different brands, INNRLY’s brand-neutral platform consolidates data, making it easy to compare and optimize performance.

Contact INNRLY Today

Ready to revolutionize your hotel management? Join the growing number of hospitality businesses transforming their operations with INNRLY.

Website: www.innrly.com

Email: contact@innrly.com

Phone: 833-311-0777

[daggerzine]

MY FAVORITE RECORDS OF 2023! (lists in no particular order....well, sort of)

MY 20 FAVORITE RECORDS OF 2023  

Anna Hillburg- Tired Girls (Speakeasy Studios)

RVG- Brain Worms (fire) 

The Tubs- Dead Meat (Trouble in Mind) 

Seablite- Lemon Lights (Mt St Mtn)

The Reds, Pinks & Purples- The Town That Cursed Your Name (Slumberland)

Lewsberg- Out and About (12XU)

Melenas- Ahora (Trouble in Mind)

Blues Lawyer- All in Good Time (Dark Entries) 

Colored Lights- S/T (Bobo Integral)

Doe St- Stepping Stones (Legless) 

Guardian Singles- Feed Me To The Doves (Trouble in Mind) 

Corvair - Bound To Be (WIAIWYA)

The Garment District- Flowers Telegraphed To All Parts of the World (HHBTM)

Royal Ottawa- Carcosa (self released)

Tough Age- Waiting here (Bobo Integral)

Soft Science- Lines (Shelflife)

The Midnight Sailors- S/T (self released)

Robert Forster- The Candle and the Flame (Tapete) 

Civic – Taken By Force (ATO) 

Sumos- Surfacing (Meritorio) 

WAIT….HERE’S 20 MORE!

Connie Lovatt- Coconut Mirror (Enchante’)

En Attendant Ana- Principia (Trouble in Mind) 

Withered Hand- How to Love (Reveal) 

The High Water Marks- Your Next Wolf (Minty Fresh)

The Feelies- Some Kinda Love: Performing the Music of the Velvet Underground (Bar-None)

Connections- Cool Change (Trouble in Mind) 

The Ex Bats- Song Machine  (Goner)

The Photocopies- Top of the Pops (Ultra Modern)

Amanda Brown- Eight Guitars (Lillipilli) 

Arthur Alexander- …Steppin’ Out!  (Big Stir Records)

Eyelids- A Colossal Waste of Lights ((Jealous Butcher) 

Panic Pocket- Mad Half Hour (Skep Wax)

Yo La Tengo- This Stupid World (Matador)

Swansea Sound- Twentieth Century (Skep Wax)

Kevin Robertson- Magic Spells Abound (Futureman)  

Super 8- Hoopla (The Beautiful Music) 

The Radio Fields- Dos and Dont’s (Subjangle)

Joe McAlinden- Where The Clouds Go Swimming (self -released)

The Black Watch- Future Strangers (ATOM) 

Rob I Miller- Companion Piece (Vacant Stare)

….AND HERE’S 10 MORE

The Lost Days- In the Store (Speakeasy Studios) 

Life Strike- Peak Dystopia (Bobo Integral)

Belle & Sebastian- Late Developers (Matador)

Lauds- Imitation Life (Fort Lowell) 

The Hepburns- Only the Hours (Lavender Sweep) 

Lomma- Torrey Pines (self released)

C.O.F.F.I.N.- Australia Stops (Goner)

Special Friend- Wait Until the Flames Come Rushing In (Skep Wax)

Burning Ferns- World of the Wars (Country Mile)

Wojtek the Bear- Second Place on Purpose (Last Night From Glasgow)

I ALSO REALLY LIKED ALBUMS BY:  Diners, Moving Targets, Bill Orcutt, Skull Practitioners, the Suncharms, Divine Horsemen, The Flashcubes, Hurry, Teenage Fanclub, Lydia Loveless, The Make Three, Shana Cleveland, The Ekphrastics, Ryan Allen, Fruit Bats, Nicole Yun, Dippers, Lost Film, Tony Jay, Cindy, Class, The Clientele, Lemon Twigs, Sweeping Promises, The National Honor Society, The Whiffs, Infinite River, Silver Biplanes, Jason Isbell, The Cuticles, Mudhoney, Alex Lahey, Crocodiles, Peter Hall, Cherry Fez, The Angles, Scott Gagner, Mainland Break, Christian Kjellvander, Sick Thoughts, Grand Drifter, The Motifs, The Sunshine Convention, The 1981, Roy Moller, Youth Valley, Soft Covers, Deadlights, The Smashing Times, The Spires, Helen Love, Motorbike, Silverstiles, Water Damage, Uni Boys, The Royal Arctic Institute, Gina Birch, Gee Tee, etc.

MY  10 FAVORITE REISSUES OF 2023 

The Chills- Brave Words (Fire)

The Replacements- Tim (Sire)

The Ocean Blue- Davy Jones Locker (Korda)

Wild Carnation- Tricycle (Delmore) 

Neutral Milk Hotel- The Collected Works of Neutral Milk Hotel (Merge)

Das Damen- 1986- Keeps Me Wild (Dromedary)

Heavenly -Le Jardin de Heavenly (Skep Wax) 

The Verlaines- Bird Dog (Schoolkids Records) 

The Toms- S/T (Feel It) 

Celibate Rifles  Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (Bang!)

MY 15 FAVORITE EPS OF 2023 

Lightheaded- Good Good Grief (Slumberland)

Minor Threat-  Out of Step outtakes (Dischord)

The Cucumbers- Old Shoes (self released)

The Reds, Pinks & Purples- Unloveable Losers (digital) 

The Vapour Trails- On a Beautiful Day (Futureman)

Blues Lawyer- Sight Gags on the Radio (Dark Entries)

Deary- S/T (Sonic Cathedral)

The Wends- Better Will (WWNBB) 

Te Vista- S/T  (Cripes) 

Red Sleeping Beauty- From Sarah With Love (Matinee)

Letting Up Despite Great Faults- Crumble (S/T) 

The Prize- Wrong Side Of Town   (Anti Fade) 

Touch Girl Apple Blossom- S/T (self released)

Galore- Blush (Paisley Shirt) 

Lost Tapes- Crossing Towns (Shelflife)

MY 5 FAVORITE COLLECTIONS OF 2023 

The Particles- 1980’s Bubblegum (Chapter Music)

Primal Scream- Reverberations (Travelling in Time) (Acid Jazz/XTRM/Young Tiki)

The Shapiros- Gone by Fall: the Collected Works of (World of Echo) 

Dot Dash- 16 Again (Country Mile)

Comet Gain- The Misfit Jukebox (Tapete) 

Eric "Eggman" Eggleson's favorite records of 2023!

A Colossal Waste Of Light - Eyelids

Aeterna - Vinyl Williams

Away From The Castle – Video Age

Babydoll – Rat Columns

Bananasugarfire – Golden Apples

Careless By The Coast - Marvin Powell

Cartwheel - Hotline TNT

Colored Lights

Compact Trauma – Ulrika Spacek

Continue As A Guest – The New Pornographers

Disenchanter - Alaska Reid

EP IV – Yumi Zouma

Flowers Telegraphed To All Parts Of The World – The Garment District

Henry St. - The Tallest Man On Earth

Hindsight is 50/50 – Ghost Woman

I Held The Shape While I Could – Bodywash

Javelin – Sufjan Stevens

Left Hand - Becca Mancari

Life and Life Only - The Heavy Heavy

Love as Projection – Frankie  Rose

May Cause Dizzy Ness - The Musical Chairs

My Entire Life – SUSTO

Pearlies – Emma Anderson

Perennial - Woods

Pictures – Dean Owens

Praise A Lord Who Chews But Which Does Not Consume; (Or Simply, Hot Between Worlds) - Yves Tumor

Prize - Rozi Plain

Radio Red – Laura Groves

So Soon Now – Trillion

Strange Loops and Outer Psyche – Andy Bell

Suntub – ML Buch

The Greater Wings - Julie Byrne

The Natural Lines

The Queen Is Not Dead – Spiritual Front

the record – boygenius

The Sunshine Convention

The Twits - bar Italia

This Candle Is For You - Spearmint

Waiting Here – Tough Age

We Live In Strange Times – Ian M Bailey

When Horses Would Run - Being Dead

[charlesandmartine]

Saturday 27th April 2024

We awoke early this morning, now trained to go game watching at silly o'clock. I thought the air conditioning must be on, but it was the roar of the Falls that can constantly be heard from our room. The immense spray can be seen rising from the gorge hewn by the water.

The sun beat down on us yet again. 32° on the rich, the poor, the just and the unjust. Our personal guide showed up on queue, bundled us into the back of his minibus and swiftly drove us to the Falls some 1km from the hotel. The Chinese were ahead of us already doing the selfies. Imagine if you will the holiday slide show happening soon in the home of the Pings, downtown Shanghai. What picture is this asks daddy Ping? That's Victoria Falls says Shing. Where Falls says daddy Ping, all I see is your ugly face. You got any other picture of Falls? Shing falls silent for a moment, then brightens and says yes, I took picture of Falls me and Ting. But Victoria Falls is World Heritage Site, is 107m high, 1737m wide and has 1100m3/sec, 300,000 gallons per sec. flowing over it why only picture of ugly face. Was same with Taj Mahal, London Bridge, Sydney Bridge. Last time I pay for holiday! (Names changed to protect the innocent)

This thing is immense and awe inspiring and the most amazing waterfall we have ever seen. It's construction is of several falls: Devil's Cataract used in previous days as an animal sacrifice area in times of hardship, the Main Falls, Horseshoe Falls, Rainbow Falls and Armchair Falls. In terms of scale it is 10th widest and 13th by volume but figures combined make it to the top three waterfalls in the world. The spray from the crashing water hitting the bedrocks far below rose high into the air forming fine rain soaking us through despite wearing cagoules. Whole areas were hidden intermittently due to the low cloud formed. The viewing walkways have been planted with rainforest vegetation and palm trees because after all, it is warm and it rains continuously and ideal conditions for such a beautiful tropical creation. Astonishingly, on the Zambian bank, possibly Livingstone Island, feet from the precipice edge sat a small pool, quiescent from the thunder of the current passing just inches away before crashing hundreds of feet to the melee far below. Those with an incredibly low IQ were able to enjoy this free gratis jacuzzi provided by nature despite certain death so close at hand.

The first European to find the Falls was of course David Livingstone in 1855. The Chobe River we were by, is one of several feeds to the Zambezi which tips over the Zambian side of the Falls allowing the Zimbabwe peoples to get a good look at it. Livingstone, whose statue we passed, spent his life in Zambia, dying in Chitambo in 1873. He apparently said his heart lay with Zambia, so whether he meant this literally or not, we shall never know for sure, they cut his heart out and buried it there and posted the rest of him back to Westminster Abbey. The railway bridge which also forms the border with Zambia, passes close to the Falls and is an integral part of the Cape Town to Cairo railway a dream of Cecil Rhodes. A jaw dropping engineering project from the late 19 century. Well it would be but it ran out of steam, navies and engineers by the time it reached Tanzania due to sickness and being eaten by lions and it didn't get any further. The 156m bridge was designed by the same guys who built Sydney Harbour bridge; prefabricated in Cleveland, England and shipped out in kit form; an amazing achievement in itself. It was completed in just 14 months in 1905.

Now the Victoria Falls Hotel is quite a closed community with its internal staff coupled closely with the outdoor security staff that have the appearance of a small army! They parade around the grounds keeping non-guests, locals, undesirables and baboons firmly under control and away from the bricks and mortar. They are not that keen on guests either and are likely to ask what your room number is. After recuperating from our dousing at the Falls this morning, we spent an hour or so in the sun by the pool and then felt strong enough to escape to promenade the high street. From the minibus it all looked very jolly; full of curiosity shops, the odd eating place and bar. So off we went. Now I'm sure that they are all very nice people in their own way, but I began to understand how an impala felt just popping out to where the lions live. To start with there were stares similar to those I imagine a black person might get in a white enclave. Then the hard sell starts; carvings, little wooden bowls, statuettes and bright African things. All highly valued in their own way but no I don't want one is not the right answer. You are accompanied along the street having the goods yet again thrust in front of you in case you hadn't previously realised just how much you needed one of these. Then there's the person who is convinced you want a supermarket, maybe for water and he's your man to help you find one. Then there's the honest beggars. A call will be heard from inside a shop you may be passing. It's like the entire Zimbabwe economy must depend on what's in your pocket. We felt desperately for these people but we really don't know what we could do for them. We've done as much as we can simply by coming, staying in a hotel which employs local people. I took a photo of a discarded steam engine and we legged it back to the security of the hotel just mentioned our room number to the host of guards patrolling outside once or twice.

Jungle Junction not being for us tonight we decided to eat on the terrace restaurant. The official currency in Zimbabwe is the US dollar although they have in the last couple of weeks announced for the first time ever their own currency although from what I've heard it's plummeting faster than a bucket down a well. Items purchased and meals are unusually expensive here in the hotel probably due to the link with the dollar. Meal last night was not too far short of $100!

ps Zimbabwe flags are all flying half mast because 3 brigadiers were killed in a motor accident.

pps Tomorrow we will be boarding the Rovos Rail for the next four nights to Pretoria. WiFi might be scarce.

[mikem-dawnm-japan]

Thursday 16th May - Day 10

Our fears of a wet visit to the Kenrokuen garden this morning seemed unlikely as a cloudy morning turned into a bright and sunny one! The garden is one of the top three gardens in the country according to Japanese citizens. The name of the garden means “the garden containing six” which refers to the six attributes that a garden should have: seclusion, antiquity, spaciousness, human integrity, water and scenic views. The garden was more like an arboretum as there was very little in the way of flowers, some of the trees have such heavy boughs that they need to be propped up. There were wisteria plants everywhere so earlier in the season it would have looked spectacular. The Japanese use water so well in their gardens, small streams and ponds and even waterfalls, the garden displays the oldest fountain in Japan.The day started to cloud up and the temperature fell visibly.

Our second visit today was to a local shop and craft centre where we got to decorate our own chopsticks with gold leaf, the process was fun and we were happy with the results. We now have to store them away for a month before using to ensure that the gold leaf does not come off! There was a small museum with some very beautiful artwork and a shop where Mike purchased some earrings for me. Whilst in the centre the heavens opened so none of us were tempted to indulge in the gold leaf ice cream. Myumi suggested we all took a trip to the bathroom to look at the gold designs in there! From the centre we took a short walk to the Higashi Chaka area of the city with its beautifully preserved wooden geisha houses. Many of the buildings have been converted into restaurants or tea houses now although some are open to the public.

We headed back on the bus to the hotel, with most of the rest of the group. We are both tired and we are only about half way through our trip. So we will spend the afternoon recharging our batteries in readiness for our trip on the Thunderbirds train tomorrow morning to Kyoto. The train journey will be the last time we spend with Myumi as she will be leaving us and we will be introduced to a new local guide for the remainder of our trip. We will all miss Myumi, she has been great and we have all got to know her well. It had been suggested that we head to the station to see the building so we headed across to get some fresh air, the wooden gateway and the station itself are certainly impressive and vast. The weather has turned wet and extremely windy this evening, we struggled to stand up against the wind as we returned to the hotel, let’s hope that it has subsided by tomorrow!

The hotel that we are staying in is beautiful, the atrium has a large water feature and flowers can be seen throughout the hotel in the Japanese style. Ikebana, is the Japanese art of flower arranging, the word means, “to make the flowers come alive”. The aim of the arranger is to select specific flowers and greenery to elicit emotions from the viewer as a piece of art would. The rooms and the general areas are all spotless and in excellent condition and the restaurants are extremely good. We were hoping to make it to the sky lounge this evening on the 30th floor to listen to live music but Mike feels unwell so we have decided to rest up further, ahead of tomorrows journey.