#it’s an artist i really love too and it’s right in my town at 3pm on a saturday which if you know my sleep schedule is. ideal

[mikesbasementbeets]

bought tickets to see live music for first time in about two years life is ok again maybe

[talisamposts]

My 7-day Tasmania Itinerary

Tasmania is such a beautiful travel destination! I recently spent a week there and absolutely loved it. Aside from pre-planned group bookings, I didn’t find much in the way of solo travel itineraries, so I took a bit out of all the posts I found and created my own. I have to say, I thought it was near perfect! I decided to rent a car for the week, but if you have your own and take the ferry over, that works too.

So if you’re planning a trip to Tassie, have a look over my plan.

Day 1 - Hobart

Your first day can be spent just exploring Hobart and the surrounds. As it’s not a large city and the airport is so close, it’s possible to see quite a few things even if you only have half a day. 

In terms of accommodation, Hobart is not lacking in anything. I would definitely recommend a stay in Rose Bay, which is not in the Hobart city centre, but across the bridge on the opposite side of the Derwent river. It’s a few minutes’ drive out of the city and you get the most spectacular views of the Tasman bridge and the river. 

While driving around Hobart and around the city, make sure to head up to Mount Wellington. This is a must-see and probably the easiest and cheapest thing you’ll do. It’s completely free to go up to the viewpoint and you can drive the entire way. I drove at a leisurely pace, stopping a few times to take pictures and take in the scenery, which probably took me about a half hour. The view from the top is breathtaking and you can wander around there for a bit. Just remember to take warm clothing as it’s freezing at the top!

Once you’ve been up Mount Wellington, head to the Botanical Gardens. Entry is also free and the gardens are stunning. They have a wide range of plant species, a cafe and shop and their very own Japanese Garden. If you’re wanting some peace and quiet in nature, this is the place to go.

For dinner, Hobart has many options. As a vegan, I love supporting businesses that are entirely veggie, which is why I ate at Veg Bar a few times. To be honest, it’s not the greatest vegan food I’ve had by a long shot, but it’s worth a visit, if only to enjoy the funky decor.

Day 2 - Bruny Island

Since driving a lot can get tiring, I recommend doing the things that require the longer drives at the beginning of your week. Trust me, you’re not really going to be in the mood for them towards the end. To catch the ferry to Bruny Island, an absolute must-see when in Tassie, you have to drive about 30-40 minutes to Kettering. The ferry takes about 15 minutes and departs at multiple times throughout the day. The island itself is actually really large with no public transport, so prepare to spend the majority of your time driving.

If you’re keen to get that Bruny Island lighthouse photo everyone loves, I recommend doing that as your first thing. It’s the furthest away from where the ferry docks and the road takes you through the South Bruny National Park. It’s gorgeous but be careful on the dirt roads as your tires can slip easily depending on your car. I think it took me roughly 2 hours to get there. 

I am not ashamed to admit that, as an introvert, I despise large crowds and will almost always avoid them. I did not get that typical lighthouse pic, because it started raining just as I got there, there were heaps of people and it’s still quite a climb from the carpark up to the lighthouse. I walked halfway up, took an average pic of the lighthouse, and went back down. Keep in mind that you have to pay an entry fee to actually go into the lighthouse. I still think it was worth the drive, though, because the scenery there and along the way is absolutely beautiful.

Aside from the lighthouse, there are plenty of other things to see and do on Bruny Island. Wine tasting, chocolate tasting, whiskey tasting, cheese tasting, lunches (my recommendation is Bruny Island Seafood Restaurant for great seating and a delicious pumpkin soup) and many other options. Build those into your itinerary however you’d like. If you’re exploring the island the way I did, starting right down at the bottom, I recommend heading over to Adventure Bay next. 

On your way back up to the north of the island, make sure to stop at the Neck. This is the part that connects the south and north of Bruny Island. Climb up the stairs to the lookout point and get that iconic view of both beaches! 

The reason I did this later in my day was that there are a lot less people around than in the morning, so you can actually find parking and enjoy the view without a million people around you.

Day 3 - Bay of Fires

For two days of my trip I did actually book a guided tour. I know this is not always the most appealing to introverts, but I highly recommend you push yourself to do it. There are plenty of tours to choose from, most of them doing roughly the same thing and they tend to keep groups to a maximum of 24 people. In my case I was very lucky, as they’d somehow overbooked their tour and organised a smaller bus for just 7 of us. The people in my tour were all absolutely lovely, and our guide was excellent, so it worked out really well for me. 

Either way I’d still recommend booking an East Coast Tasmania tour as getting all the way up to the Wineglass Bay and the Bay of Fires would be tricky as a solo traveller. This is really where you want to be taken care of, and I also enjoyed the break from having to drive for hours.

Have a look at some Tassie tours here.

I realise that for these two days my rental car was not being used, but the daily price was not high enough for me to care too much about this. If this is something that bothers you, change up your itinerary a bit. Keep in mind that booked tours run on specific days only, so you’ll have to plan around that. The 2-day East coast tour I booked starts on Wednesdays.

Part of the tour is also a stop at a wildlife sanctuary in Bicheno, where you can see and learn about Tasmanian Devils, Wombats, Quolls and other interesting animals. Buy a feed bag and go feed the kangaroos and geese wandering freely around the sanctuary, it’s an amazing experience!

Day 4 - Wineglass Bay

The second day of the tour takes you to the Freycinet National Park, where you’ll climb up to a viewpoint to look out over Wineglass Bay. This is another iconic Tasmanian image that’s worth the hike up the mountain. Make sure to wear suitable footwear and be reasonably fit!

Unfortunately, I visited on one of those extremely rare, extremely rainy days and did not get to see the view from the lookout, but honestly the walk was still fun. I got completely soaked through within minutes (imagine jumping into a swimming pool fully clothed) and there were waterfalls running down the mountains. Considering that this rarely ever happens, I felt quite lucky to have seen a side of Freycinet that most people don’t. 

I’m not sure if this applies to me only or if all introverts can relate, but I love the rain. It’s my favourite weather because the world is so much less noisy when it rains. So overall, for me, this was still a great experience.

On a normal, sunny day you’d probably take a nice hike up to the viewpoint, take some pics and then go down to the actual beach of Wineglass Bay for a swim. This would take a few hours and you’d see wallabies and other animals in the park. You’d then head back to Hobart in the afternoon.

Day 5 - Port Arthur 

Port Arthur Historic Site is a little village and historic site which showcases the history of British prisoners and the officers and soldiers stationed there. It’s really well kept and you get a good feeling of how life was back when it was operational. I unexpectedly spent almost all day here as it’s really big and there is just so much to see. Tickets aren’t cheap and additional tours cost extra, but even if you just get general admission it’s worth it. The ticket is valid for 2 days, so you do have the option to return the next day. 

The site is about a 90-minute drive out of Hobart, and it’s definitely worth a visit!

Day 6 - Salamanca Market, MONA

Most people agree that a trip to Hobart wouldn’t be complete without visiting the famous Salamanca Market. This market sells everything from fresh veggies to jewellery to delicious food and drinks. My first stroll through the market took about an hour, that’s how big it is. It’s held every Saturday at Salamanca Place from 8:30am - 3pm. There are some great vegan options if you’re like me and like to eat your way through a market!

If you’re into art, then check out the MONA (Museum of Old and New Art). It’s one of Hobart’s main attractions, a museum built mostly underground that you can get to using their unique ferry. If you’re on a budget just keep the entry and ferry prices in mind, as they’re not cheap. 

The museum is like no other you’ve ever experienced. You won’t find information cards or artists’ names on the walls beside their art, as you’d expect. Instead, you’re given a device (like an old iPhone) that you keep with you as you walk through the exhibits. It has a location service so you can check out any information on anything you’re looking at, including interactive VR stuff. It’s definitely very interesting, but I must admit there were times where I thought “this counts as art?”, but that’s just me. The nice thing is it’s mostly dark everywhere and you don’t have to talk to anyone, so a great thing to do for introverts.

Day 7 - Richmond

I recommend relaxing or doing any small things you didn’t get to do all week on your last day. A tip my AirBnB hosts gave me was a drive to Richmond, a small town about 25 minutes outside of Hobart. It’s got that typical cute, old-timey village feel. There’s a huge lolly shop with so many candy options, the Richmond Bridge which is the oldest stone bridge in Australia, and the Richmond Gaol where they also imprisoned women. For lunch I recommend Czegs’ Cafe. The decor is adorable and they have little outside tables where you can keep away from the masses. The vegan pasta is to die for!

I really hope this little itinerary helps you in your search for the best things to do in Tassie. If you have more time, I hear Launceston is a great place to visit, or even going up the West Coast. I’ll have to check that out the next time I go.

[ilovemybirdy]

When Heartbeats Collide Chapter 1

Kairi, a budding pop star is out of luck when her music producer suddenly has to take a leave of absence. But an up and coming producer by the name of Sora could be just what she needs to finish her album (and spice up her life).

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter 1: A New Partnership

“Click, tap tap, click.” the sounds of my laptop echoed in the small studio room. Often times, I liked to coop up in here whenever inspiration struck; and last night I had been fortunate enough to strike a gold mine of it. I had been re-watching sleeping beauty for the millionth time and upon this particular re-watch the movie had made me think about the implications of love at first sight. Or I guess, in her case love at first sleep. I thought that it might be an interesting metaphor to talk about love from a dream like state of mind or perspective. I wanted to emulate an airy sound and make the listener feel like they were up in the clouds listening to angels.

I had finished the first verse, the chorus, and had settled on doing the song in Bflat minor. As I hummed potential melodies to myself, a sudden knock interrupted my thoughts.

“Come in!” I called. The door clicked open and my assistant Selphie entered.

“Hey Kairi! How’s the song writing going today?” she asked. She gently smiled at me and walked over.

“Well… I’m having trouble thinking of a bridge and a second verse, but other than that I’m making good progress.”

“I’m glad to hear it!” she exclaimed. “I know you’ve been having writer’s block lately, so it’s great you finally un-stuck yourself. Unfortunately, you’ll have to finish working on this later; your meeting starts in 10.” She checked her watch and gave me an apologetic look. I glanced at the time on my phone: 11:50PM. Right on the dot, as Selphie always was.  

“Oh fun,” I groaned. “My favorite part of the month.”

“That’s why I brought you your favorite: iced caramel coffee with a shot of espresso and extra creamer!” I had been so absorbed in my work that I hadn’t yet noticed the coffee in her hand. “I also got you one of those overpriced snack boxes at Papoubucks because I know you forget to eat when you go into these creative frenzies. Seriously! You’ve been in here for hours.” The time had really flown by; we had gotten here around 8 and it was already noon now.

“Thanks Selph. I swear, I don’t know what I’d do without you sometimes.”

“Probably starve to death and go into cardiac arrest from caffeine withdrawal.”

We erupted into a fit of giggles at the snide remark. As I took a much, much needed sip of coffee (my insomnia had been particularly bad lately) Selphie helped me pack up my belongings. On the walk to the conference room I began explaining my new song to her.

“Have you decided on a name yet?” she asked.

“Some contenders I have are dreamy, cloud, and maybe rem? You know, the stage of sleep you have dreams in. Or at least that’s what web MD said.”

“I never like looking up medical problems on there, it just always tells me that I have cancer and that I’m going to die or that I’m pregnant,” she chortled. “Out of those names though I think I like rem the best.”

“Selphie, you’re supposed to take the advice from websites like that with a grain of salt.” I giggled, before continuing. “But yeah, I think I’ll go with rem; it has more meaning behind it than the other names.”

“Look sometimes I get curious and can’t resist looking my symptoms up! Anyway, it sounds like you’re making a really sweet love song! It’s a pretty interesting concept too. I’m sure I’ll love it when you’re done with it.”

Our conversation came to a halt as we arrived at the conference room. We took our seats in the black leather chairs, and unpacked our belongings as members of my team arrived. Selphie readied a pen and notebook to record important points from the meeting. Glancing up, I saw my manager Aqua make her entrance. We made eye contact and she smiled warmly at me; I grinned back. She always wore suits, but today she was sporting a slightly more casual outfit: a navy button up shirt tucked into a pair of black jeans. Her black heels clicked on the tiles and I noticed that she had her sleeves rolled up; probably due to the recent heatwaves. Destiny Islands was famous for having the highest temperatures out of all the worlds, especially during summer.

The rest of my team followed suit behind Aqua: Olette (the head of my PR team), Xion (head of my marketing team), and Marluxia (performance coordinator).  Olette was donning a flowing orange sundress with wedge sandals, Xion was wearing a sleek grey suit, and Marluxia was sporting a pink polo shirt with jeans. Aqua briefly scanned the room to make sure all members of my team were accounted for before starting.

“Alright guys let’s get started. I know I want to take my lunch break just as much as you all,” Aqua said. The room filled with soft laughter at the cheeky comment.

“First things first, let’s check in with you Kairi. How much progress have you made on your album since our last update?”

“Well…” I fidgeted with my pen as I skimmed over my notes. “I have about 5 songs that I finished writing lyrics for. I’m in the process of finish a 6thsong right now. How much time do I have left before the album has to be finalized?”

Aqua paused for a moment and glanced at her laptop.

“I met with Mickey, the head of the department and he said he’d like to have it finalized by September so… that gives you about 4 more months. He also said you needed to have at least 10 songs on the album, if not more.”

“That’s cutting a little bit short but as long as I have Pence to help me finish writing it should be okay. Is he going to be back soon?”

“Well… about that. Pence’s younger brother finally found a kidney donor.”

“Really?! That’s great!” I smiled and clasped my hands. They had been waiting for 6 months at this point. I sighed in relief, things would finally be okay for Pence’s family again.

“I know!” Aqua beamed back at me. “However, because of that he’s decided to take a leave of absence to help out his family back in Twilight Town. Which unfortunately means we have no music producer for you for a while.  However, no need to fear manager Aqua is here! I’ve already recruited some local producers to replace Pence in the meantime. If you don’t click with any, I can always look for more candidates, but it would be easier if you chose one of them for convivence’s sake. I’ll email you their resumes and sample songs for you to look over later. I even took the liberty to schedule interviews with them for this evening so we can get the ball rolling ASAP.”

My anxiety began to flare up at the prospect of interviewing strangers. Writing music was such an emotional and personal process for me; not to mention with someone completely new. Pence had helped me write some of my greatest radio hits and I trusted him so much. It was going to be difficult having to go without him this time.

“Thanks, Aqua, I’ll look over them during lunch. When are the interviews?” I responded, trying to mask the shakiness in my voice. I hid my hands under the table as they shook.

“I have 3 candidates; interviews start at 3PM with 30 minute time blocks for each candidate. Don’t worry, you’ll get out of here no later than 5 today. And with that out of the way, let’s move on to the next topic!”

Chatter broke out into the room and I began munching on my snack. Olette and Selphie discussed some modeling opportunity for ‘Destiny’ magazine, but I was barely paying attention. I breathed slowly, trying to calm down from the anxiety eating away at me until Olette interjected.

“Hey Kairi, have you heard of the Radiant Garden Met Gala? Yuffie is one of the fashion designers for this year; I met her at a networking conference last week. Apparently, she’s a big fan of yours and asked if she could have the honor of designing for you!” She pushed a stray hair behind her ear as she beamed at me excitedly.

The Met Gala was one of the biggest annual fashion events throughout all the worlds. While I never really cared for the press at big events, getting dressed up and admiring all of the designer’s hard work was my favorite thing about red carpet events.

“I’d love to attend, Selphie do I have room in my schedule for it?”

“Mmmmm…” she paused as she flipped through her planner, “Yeah! It is cutting it a bit close to your performance for the Island’s summer fest but definitely doable. Olette, can you give me Yuffie’s email so that I can coordinate the consultation and fitting?”

Olette nodded and began typing away at her laptop. Xion then stepped up to show some new merch designs for the team to look over on the projector. Aqua and I approved some, and requested alterations on others for her team to work on. Marluxia and Selphie then discussed some future performance dates. By the time the meeting was finished, my coffee and snack box were no more. Everyone fled out of the room saying their goodbyes quickly, excited for lunch.

“Hey Kairi, what are you in the mood for? Why don’t you go prepare for those interviews while I go pick up lunch?” Selphie asked.

“How about comfort food? Maybe some pad thai from that Asian place on Shinjitsu street?” I desperately needed something to calm my nerves with how on edge I felt.

“Oh, I love their orange chicken! I’ll head out now, be back in a flash! I wanna take a look at those resumes too when I get back. A new producer, how exciting!” she squealed. Grabbing her purse, she dashed out the door. I quickly packed up and headed back to my studio room. Once there, I made myself comfortable at the desk and pulled up my email.

Hey sweetheart!

Here are the 3 candidates I’ve picked out for you: Hayner, Seifer , and Sora. The first two have worked with some of my other artists I manage, and Sora was a recommendation from Xion herself. Apparently, they went to college together and he works with some of her other merchandise clients. As a reminder, interviews start at 3PM! I’ve told them to just meet you in your studio. Good luck and remember to check in with me tomorrow.

Sincerely,

Aqua

Artist Manager at Destiny Island Records

Deciding it was best to just go in order, I clicked on the first file titled ‘hayner.docx’. Previous artists he’d worked with included big names like Yuna and Paine. Yuna was well known for fast paced hip hop EDM songs and Paine did a lot of alternative rock. At least he was multifaceted, but neither genre was exactly my cup of tea. I clicked on the links to the sample songs listed but was only slightly impressed.

Then, I pulled up Seifer’s resume. Apparently, he’d been behind some of the top hits lately; many that I knew and enjoyed. I didn’t even need to take a listen to the samples; I knew the songs already. However, his style didn’t fit the vibe I was trying to go for on this album.  It was way too… club music-y and sexual. Before I even got a chance to look at the last candidate, Selphie waltzed in.

           “Kairi! I’m back!” the plastic bags crinkled loudly as she set them down on the table. She handed me my food and started to dig into hers before barraging me with questions.

           “So, have you looked at the resumes yet? What do you think so far?”

           “I’ve only looked at two. I’m not particularly interested in Hayner and Seifer is a maybe. I haven’t had a chance to look at this ‘Sora’ guy yet though.” I turned my laptop to her.

           “Wow the first two guys seem pretty accomplished! What’s wrong with the Hayner guy?”

           “His style doesn’t really fit with my vision for this album. I’m also not a punk or rock singer.”

           “Oh, I guess that’s true. Why is Seifer a maybe?”

           “I feel like he has a good track record for making hit singles, but that’s the only reason I’m considering him.”

           “You don’t need a producer to make hits! You have some of the best, no, thebest vocals I’ve ever heard. Don’t go with him just because you think he’s the technically correct choice. Why don’t we take a look at the last guy tog-e-herfmmf?”

           “After I finish my lunch. And Selphie, I love you but please don’t talk with your mouth full of food.”

           “Hey!” she pouted, and her face made me burst into a fit of giggles.

           Selphie scarfed down her lunch in 2 minutes while I ate my pad thai at a reasonable pace. She may have looked tiny and ladylike on the outside, but the girl was a monster when it came to food. There was a reason she didn’t do dinner dates on the first date; I’ve never met anyone with a more bottomless stomach than her.

           “Kairiiiii, I’m trying to be patient but you’re taking so long to eat! Can I just start looking at the Sora guy now?”

           I rolled my eyes. “It’s not my fault you eat at the speed of light. Are you sure you’re human?”

           She smacked my shoulder lightly and pouted.

           “Sorry, sorry. Yeah go ahead. Once Selphie had finished skimming the written portion, she played one of the sample songs. The song was soft and gentle, and a beautiful tenor voice sang over it.

           Don’t get me wrong I love you

           But does that mean I have to meet, your father

           When we are older, you’ll understand what I meant when I said no

           I don’t think, life is quite that simple

I was hooked. It was exactly the tone I was looking for with the added bonus of meaningful lyrics. Selphie noticed my eyes widen and sniggered.

           “There’s more sample songs listed, I’m assuming you want to hear the rest?”            “Yes please.” I immediately answered. She giggled once more at my eagerness.

           A sanctuary, my sanctuary, yeah

           Where fears and lies melt away

           Music in time

           I need more affection than you know

           What’s left of me, what’s left of me

The first song had been a bit more upbeat but this one sounded heavenly and dreamy… which is exactly what I had wanted for the song I was working on this morning. I quickly scarfed down the rest of my food before beckoning Selphie to give the laptop back.

           “Quite the eager beaver we have here huh?”

           “Shut up. I just happen to like these samples okay?”

I wiped my hands off on a napkin before scrolling back to the top of the resume. He had only worked with lesser known artists, and only had two years in the industry under his belt. Experience or not, it was obvious the guy was gifted. I absolutely needed to meet this man.

[fourteenacross]

hadestown - 5/26/19, 3pm

We also saw Hadestown while we were in the city for Octet!

Sooooo, as I mentioned before, I saw Hadestown off-broadway at the NYTW in the spring of 2016. I had previously been familiar with the album, as Orpheus and Eurydice is a particular favorite myth of mine. I can't 100% remember, but I think that someone told me to listen to it when I was writing my X-Men Orpheus&Eurydice story? Either way, when we found out it was going to be playing while @pearlo was in town, we got tickets, along with @littledust and @anachronistique. And it was great!! I truly enjoyed it! I've been listening to bits of it regularly ever since! (Ish. There was like, a good eight months where all I listened to was podcasts, books, and Ghost Quartet.)

I'm saying all of this because this review is...pretty critical? And I want to make it clear that I do love this music and enjoy this show and I had a good time and I would recommend it, probably! But I wasn't as in love with the production as I was with the NYTW production for a few reasons that I'll get into below the cut.

So, usually I go song by song, but I feel like the things I have to say are largely broader than that, so I guess I'm just going to jump right in.

The cast is largely excellent. Patrick Page and Amber Gray could murder me and I'd be okay with it, tee bee aitch. Patrick Page does a thing with his face that just makes me cry, I don't know how he does it. Sorcery, probably. And Amber Gray is an actual goddess, for reals, how is she even real?

I loved Eva Noblezada's take on Eurydice! She had this sharp, broken energy to her that was truly incredible. She was like...spunky. And it was excellent.

I loved Andre De Shields' energy. His movement was unreal. His voice didn't work for me in places, but that could have just been the sound design of the show--there were bits where it was really hard for me to make out what he was singing.

Jewelle Blackman is AMAZING, as are Yvette Gonzales-Nacer and Kay Trinidad. They've really turned the Fates into a more menacing presence, and while I ADORE Lulu Fall and Shaina Taub and missed seeing them, I didn't MISS them, if that makes sense.

Reeve Carney. Oh. My dude. You are certainly a white boy with a guitar.

And here's where it really starts to break down for me. I have two major issues with the show, and the first one is that I find absolutely nothing exceptional in Reeve Carney. I cannot understand why this cagey, feisty girl who's been hurt before would throw everything in with this weirdo, IMMEDIATELY POSSESSIVE kid who's singing her a song? Lisa framed it as, "She's nineteen and she's literally never met a nice man before," and I can kind of see it through that lens, but I also don't think that's the lens that the show wants me to see it through. It wants me to frame this as a beautiful, epic love story, but I don't buy that she's in love with him. Maybe I'm too gay for it or maybe it's the writing or maybe it's the acting, but it doesn't connect for me, and once that connection is broken, the whole show sort of falls apart.

I don't recall having this problem with the NYTW version. It could be that since that version started with the two of them already in love, it was easier to wave it off as some off-stage wooing that already happened and accept that there were reasons they were together. It could have been that Nabiyah Be's Eurydice was a little softer and more naive. It could have been that I empathized more with Damon Daunno's Orpheus. Whatever it was, I found it much easier to accept that they were in love, which made Orpheus' neglect feel so much more painful and Eurydice's choice so much more desperate and all that followed so much more heartbreaking.

Basically, most of the stakes stop being so high if you don't buy into their love, which I just...did not.

My other major issue, to get that out of the way up front, is the pacing is still not great. Although I didn't write up notes after Hadestown in 2016 (I saw it literally hours before I saw Hamilton for the first time), I remember talking with my friends about how the beginning is very tight and the middle-to-end are kind of a mess and bloated. I didn't follow the show closely while it was out of town and I guess I kind of hoped that it would have been tightened up more, but no. It was not. It still feels very over-full and there's now this number where Orpheus gets beat up by the Hadestown workers that's like...comically over the top. In my heart, I really feel like this could be a one act show, or at least a two act show with much shorter acts. "Wait for Me" is SUCH a good act one finale, but you lose some of that energy moving to "Why We Build the Wall," which I think would work just as well as an opening to act two, as much as I love the way "Our Lady of the Underground" is staged.

Anyway, all that being said, I still enjoyed it and still cried, so what do I know, right?

Road to Hell: I liked this as an introduction overall, and loved the little intros for all of the characters. It really sold me on Andre De Shields, too, esp because I loved Chris Sullivan so much.

Any Way the Wind Blows: This is such a great song and god, I loved the way Eva played Eurydice. The candle thing was a nice touch.

Come Home With Me: I can't believe I'm supposed to care about this kid.

Wedding Song: I liked the new twist on this, although I think I like it better a more earnest song. Still, Eurydice using this to sort of mock Orpheus about being a broke artist was a cool twist and Eva sold it.

Epic I: This was fine. It's explained either here or earlier that spring and fall have more-or-less disappeared because Persephone is being forced to spend more time in the Underworld and is being brought back down sooner. The implication, as we get further along in the story, is that Hades doesn't know how to connect to Persephone any longer and is keeping her around more both a) as a show of power and b) because he doesn't know how else to express himself to her.

Livin’ It Up On Top: I would absolutely kill for Amber Gray. This version of Persephone is drinking to cope. A LOT. It paints this sad, lovely picture of what she's been feeling.

All I've Ever Known: I just do not buy that they're in love, sorry.

Way Down Hadestown: The staging and set of the show are fantastic. There's a panel at the center of the stage that rises and lowers as needed and the visual of Persephone and Hades, stony faced both, sinking back into the underworld is perfect.

A Gathering Storm: The through line about the weather mostly works for me, but honestly, I was so distracted by how annoyed I was at Orpheus during this number that I was pulled out of the moment.

Hey, Little Songbird: Skipping ahead a little, Patrick Page is perfect, in case you were wondering. I tweeted something like that after NYTW and he clearly found it in a vanity search and replied very humbly, which I find quite charming. But yes, I adore him.

When the Chips are Down: This is one of my favorite songs in this show and the Fates kill it here. Their slightly more sinister characterization makes it more haunting than taunting and I'm into it.

Wait For Me: The lighting in this number deserves a Tony all on its own. Jesus Christ, that's art. The set is also incredible. As Orpheus moves down into Hadestown, the stage splits apart from an intimate cafe into a larger, more industrial space. Very cool.

Why We Build the Wall: Again, Patrick Page is excellent. This works really well to pull Eurydice in, as well. We see her slowly starting to accept this way of thinking as she listens to Hades. And, of course, Persephone's act-ending line is perfect.

Our Lady of the Underground: Amber! Gray! Is! Wonderful!

Flowers: My actual favorite song in this show. Eva nails it, it was beautiful and poignant, on the heels of her slow realization that this isn't what Hades said it would be at all, that she's forgetting her name and who she is as she slowly is sucked into the capitalist machine.

Then in here is some more Orpheus stuff, including the ridiculous fight scene where he’s beat up by the workers?

There’s also this subplot that the workers think that if Orpheus can get out, they can get out too, so he’s leading like, a whole little revolution? Except that isn’t really expanded on at all and kind of falls away. It also, imo, takes these weird steps towards turning it into a different story than it is. If you’re pushing that it’s a love story, a love song, so much and then at the last minute paste on this “also a revolution is happening????” and then drop it for the emotional climax like...what are you doing, why is this here?

But also, there's this bit where Hades says "Have a drink!" to Persephone and she says something like "I'm done with that" and it is a real (pun not intended) sobering moment for the two of them. Ugh, I just really love them and the complexities of their relationship.

Epic: Patrick Page's face is very good at acting. The rest of him, too, I guess, but even from the cheap seats, I got SO worked up over Hades' quiet slip into acknowledging the despair that he feels over his inability to connect with Persephone. The guy on Naomi's other side was full on crying, even more than me. It was honestly glorious.

(I have a lot of thoughts about Hades and Persephone, and, to be honest, they’re my main draw to this show. I’m fascinated by their relationship here and the way it’s broken in a way they’re not quite sure how to fix. Against all odds, I’m rooting for them, I want it to work for them, if only because they both seem to remember this time when they were in love and nothing else mattered. I think that’s part of why the parts of this incarnation that don’t work for me...don’t work for me. I’m already more invested in Hades and Persephone than Orpheus and Eurydice, so when I have to work ten times harder to feel for their relationship, it just doesn’t seem worth it, especially next to one that I’m sucked into almost against my will.)

Doubt Comes In: I will give Reeve Carney this--despite knowing how this story was going to end, I still felt the creeping tension and dread in those moments leading up to him turning around. A woman behind Lisa said, "Oh no!" out loud, even.

Road to Hell (Reprise): And this is the other place where I cried, of all things! This number ends up being about how we know that this is a sad story and we know how it ends, but we keep telling it anyway, because that's what stories are there to do. I got weepy, who knows!

I Raise My Cup: So they moved this to after the curtain call??? I....don't know if it works like that, tee bee aitch.

ANYWAY, those are my thoughts, mostly I'm tired of typing this and the deadlines that I started writing it to avoid are looming, SO. I enjoyed it a lot, despite the things that bothered me, but I would probably not spend $150 to see it again. Rush tickets, maybe.

[ecmusgrave]

It’s 3pm on a Sunday. I am on an Amtrak train back to NY from a weekend in Virginia. It’s been a long weekend that has simultaneously felt extremely short, and I don’t feel ready to go back. I miss everyone already, my heart is heavy and I have still yet to get over this discomfort with goodbyes.

In between the last time I wrote and now, I had a birthday. I turned 24 on a day that began bitterly cold in Brooklyn and ended up being somewhat temperate by the time I walked home from the train at 10pm. I had friends out for sushi that evening, I called my sister, I called my uncle, I called my mom and dad. A few nights later more friends took me out drinking at Duff’s in Williamsburg. I was plied with good food all week and was reminded of how loved I am, and part of that was a mini-vacation the following weekend (ending today) to hang out with my sister Caroline, her husband Ryan, my sister Sarah and her two boys, at Caroline and Ryan’s house in Richmond.

Thursday was a dreary and kind of woozy day, the train ride down took forever (or felt like it did) and I finally landed at my sister Caroline’s around 10pm. She made me soup, and we sat around her dining room table, small but fitting for just the three of us. The soup was thick with celery and herbs and felt like the most nourishing thing I’d had in weeks, and I slept well that night.

I came to Virginia kind of sick and got sicker on Friday. The weather was rainy Friday and Sunday, but very nice on Saturday. Friday I was meant to get a tattoo from Katie Davis, a local artist who I’ve wanted to have a piece done by for years. My first tattoo was done by her husband, Fred Pinckard, at Salvation Tattoo in Richmond where they both work. I follow both of them on Instagram and realized I could take an extra day for this weekend trip and get a tattoo done by Katie. I was going to get a deer tattooed on the other side of my body from where Fred’s tattoo was done- hers would be on the outside of my left thigh. The deer was meant to be an homage to my time in the UK. Friday I spent most of the day throwing up, with some kind of stomach bug, so I had to cancel my appointment, which I made a month out. I felt awful about it.

My hope is to come back and get it done, but I think what I’m so disappointed about is that I don’t know for sure when I’ll be back. Train tickets are expensive, my budget is tight enough as it is, and I can’t really justify taking time and money to go do it. If circumstances were different I’d probably stay another night or so in RVA and get the tattoo done, but I’m still in such a transitional period (read: broke) that a $70 train ticket isn’t something I can shrug off. Maybe in a few months I’ll feel differently, but missing out on this session (after I’d set aside time and money!) because I was sick was a huge bummer.

So was missing out on a lot of things I wanted to do in the UK because I was sick, frankly, and so is not feeling like I have the money or time to go to a doctor (if that would even help?) and figure out what I need to do to not get sick as often as I do. I don’t want it to become a trend, I don’t want to have a weak stomach- but how much money and time do people waste in denial about medical conditions? How much time and money to people waste, in general? Am I wasting time and money by staying in New York?

Unclear, not the point. Now that I’ve done enough complaining: 

The weekend was great as soon as my sister Sarah and my two nephews Nate and Eli, arrived at Caroline’s house. We sat around and played card games and I ate some rice and felt better, slowly. I woke up the next day feeling much better, though still tried to take it easy- maybe I’ve learned my lesson with overcompensating from a sick day. Sarah let me drive her Subaru to bowling, and I paid a cash toll for the first time, tossing the coins in a big silver basket coming out of the booth. The second time around I missed it (I’m publishing this on my blog, Jesus) and Sarah scrambled out of the car and picked up all of the coins I dropped for us to be able to get going. I ended up winning the second round of bowling, Ryan made us spectacular spaghetti and meatballs for dinner, we watched the 2018 Robin Hood movie and everyone just sat around, comfortably watching a movie, which I was taking part in for the first time in what felt like a long time. I am feeling tears prick at the backs of my eyes thinking about it.

And I got to go out and photograph under the Nickel Bridge in Richmond. I took Caroline’s car and drove less than two miles from their house to this park connected to a boarded-up pump house, and walked out on the towpath along the river for a while. It was cold enough to want for a jacket, but I didn’t need my coat. (I feel like I’ve been wearing a winter coat for eight goddamn years.) I leaned over a chain link fence and trespassed over CSX property and breathed in crisp pre-spring air and felt my feet sink deeper into the ground, and it felt freeing. Shooting 35mm and feeling free, in Virginia, is how I started taking the pictures I take now, and every time I do it I feel like I need to do it ten times over.

Caiti mentioned my feeling sad was about growing up, maybe growing away from my family more than I’m comfortable with. I said, if I’m growing up why do I still feel like a dumb kid? Does anybody ever really figure out how to balance this shit? I worry that my family feels that I’m aloof and inaccessible because I chose to live in New York. The truth is I don’t have the resources to put up more than one person, and my apartment is small enough that my family members (almost all of whom are older) would still feel cramped. I wanted to move away from the DC area, and wanted to avoid going to a community college, or taking a gap year, or embracing the unknown, when I moved to New York: I didn’t want to move away from my family, but that’s what I ended up doing, and now I have a life in New York and they have lives elsewhere.

And that’s okay! I’ve had important growth since then, and learned important lessons, and honestly having made a life for oneself (anywhere!) is a goddamn challenge, no matter who you are. I grant this. I trust myself, I trust my choices, but it’s hard when it feels like sometimes I’m turning my back on people who do things like scoop up coins from the road for me, or who get me a whole cake a week after my birthday so I still have candles to blow out, or who give me the last of their awesome homemade soup (even if I did reject it the following day), to pursue my own path and make my own choices and be my own person, somewhere that feels so far away.

--

Part of this is sadness that I’ve been denying my own narrative, under the pretenses of furthering others’. Right? It’s probably time I got serious about what I wanted, if I’m having the feeling that I don’t want what I have.

I had simple wants and needs when I started looking for a new job: I wanted free time without sacrificing decent pay, I wanted to be able to skip town every once in a while without getting into trouble or missing out on anything. (To be fair- two of my favorite standup comedians did shows in New York while I’ve been out of town.) I needed to take care of myself and not feel so irreparably sad all the time. I don’t think my wants or needs have changed much- just my ability to pay attention to them.

Our train is pulling through DC currently, in a minute I’ll look out the window and see Silver Spring. I went to Book Thug Nation in Williamsburg a couple of weeks back, spoke to the cashier at length about the store and the neighborhood since I’d never been before. It turns out he grew up maybe a mile away from where I did, in Silver Spring, home to many, beloved by few. We’ve now veered away and are plugging away through Hyattsville but I’m still stuck thinking about that conversation, where we talked about not feeling okay calling ourselves New Yorkers, even though that’s what all our family and friends from Maryland felt like we were. My parents often call me that, and I don’t mind, but it feels like a lie. We’re pulling through the suburbs just below Baltimore and the ground is already dusted with snow- it feels just shy of cruel- which is me being melodramatic. I just don’t want to claim this snow as mine.

I’m thinking about how terrified I was to move home and stop making work after college. The new work I’ve been doing, I decided recently (after a come-to-jesus with Julie over a mountain of nachos and some other very important dialogue), is about my impetus to keep making work after school. It’s about determination and willfulness and the urge to keep doing, to keep going. I’m doing it subconsciously but I’m doing it, mostly in places that aren’t where I live.

In some ways, I wonder if I’m honoring the places I’m from, the places I leave part of myself every time I leave, by bringing it back to New York and actually MAKING the work here. I don’t have an Imacon in Maryland or Virginia, it’s not like I would have guaranteed access to anything if I moved; I couldn’t even find somewhere that sold film south of New York, much less a place that develops it, without charging a huge markup. I made the choices I made not because they were wrong or right, but because they were my choices to make, and given the circumstances I was when I made them, I think I chose wisely. In this practice, though, I need the escape as much as I need to return to the fold. I was writing a few weeks ago about longing, and how longing leads to searching, and how, usually, if you search stringently enough, if you sift through enough dirt, you find something good. I’m still searching, and it’s a laborious process- but I have rewards. I have tangible evidence that I’ve made work and continued the patterns that are good for me (and dropped some that aren’t), which is what I wanted.

And I still want it- I think a casualty of that is feeling sad I can’t spend all my time in one place for too long without getting an itch to leave. I loved traveling. I will do more of it. I’ll also come back to the places I’m from more. I wanted to promise this with a tattoo, but I don’t need a tattoo to promise myself that. (Though I still want it, goddamn it.) I want it to be enough to promise myself something. While I was asleep an old friend texted me and asked what my goals were for this year: I think that’s a decent one.

[sourwolfstories]

sourwolfstories ultimate coffee shop fic rec list

50+ sterek coffee shop fics in no particular order

ADHDecaf by pleaseletmetouchyourbutt

Stiles is 25 and runs his own coffee shop. Derek doesn't know this. Derek, a mechanic, thinks that Stiles is 17 and jail-bait.

Misunderstandings ensue.

Cinnamon by blackstar

When Derek starts working in the "Full moon" coffee shop across from the BH police department, he starts talking to Stiles - the loud and bright, always-smiling sheriff's son, who keeps coming in again and again, adding cinnamon to everything he consumes. Pining ensues.

Beginnings by ericaismeg

“I think," Stiles says, looking up at Derek with amusement flickering in his eyes, "that this is the part where one of us says, 'This is the start to a beautiful friendship', don't you?" "I don't," Derek says, masking all emotions. He gives Stiles his best blank, boredom expression. "I don't think this is the beginning of anything." "I'm hurt," Stiles says with a gasp. He puts his hand dramatically on his chest. Stiles grabs Derek's coffee and holds it out for him. "Have it your way, Mr. Hale. I'll just be your barista, who has your order memorized and ready to go every day at 3pm."

*** Derek's a professor who comes into the coffee shop where Stiles and Erica works. Stiles and Scott have a spare room that Isaac moves into. Erica's a supportive friend. It's all about new beginnings.

Not Exactly My Cup Of Coffee by officerstilinskihale

Stiles buried his face in his hands and resisted the urge to scream.

The angry sex he wasn't having with Derek would be so good.

Caution, contents may be hot by WeirdV

Derek has been working at the coffee shop since his parents left it to him in their will. Laura wasn’t much for taking over the business, but she spends a lot of time there, helping out with stock and supplies. Stiles is a regular, for almost three months, when he suddenly starts going to the coffee shop across the street. He’s not the first costumer to switch loyalties, but it stings Derek just a little bit more.

Stiles Stilinki always wanted to go into law enforcement, but he’s not patient enough to climb the ladder to detective, and his methods aren’t always – let’s say on the right side of the law. So he does what he deems a perfect solution for someone without the correct social skills or patience to make promotion, he becomes a Private Investigator. When he gets a job to investigate a shady employee at the coffee shop across the street from his regular place, he suddenly finds himself missing a decent cup of coffee. He’s been going to the new place for almost a week now, and they still don’t know his order, his regular barista had it down the next day. and – of course – it is interfering with the case he’s personally involved with, his mother’s murder.

Awesome & Awesomer by whyamIalwaysLoislane

Derek and Laura meet up and have a coffee. In Stiles And Scott's cafe. Fluff and cuteness ensues.

All Stirred Up by jsea, marguerite_26

Derek's first duty as a new deputy is the early morning coffee run to The Leaky Carafe, and it's not long before he discovers that the quirky barista has a knack for making the perfect drink. Every time. Even before you order.

But is it intuition, luck or magic that has all Stiles' customers leaving happy?

Now You’re Too Sweet by agent_izhyper

In which Stiles is thoroughly confused and awkwardly misinterprets the situation, and has fallen in love with Derek's heavenly baked goods before he even knew (let alone fell for) Derek Hale. Also, first meetings are a mess and the universe hates him, but nothing new there, right?

The Customer Ain’t Always Right by trilliath

Today's the day. He's gonna do it. He's actually going to (as Cora says) "speak words like a normal human and talk" to (as Cora has designated him) Cute Coffee Boy. - Or he would, if it weren't for this asshole cutting in line.

“Name for the Order?” by katnisskirk

AU. Stiles is a barista and Derek is a customer who regularly comes in while talking on the phone so Stiles repeatedly (intentionally) mishears his name.

Breathing Fire by jordanparissh

“Stiles. Are we gonna keep this up? And our relationships?” “Yes? Yeah. I guess.” “This is so wrong.”

or the one where Derek and Stiles both have girlfriends, but decide to cheat on them with each other anyways

The Right Motivation by bleep0bleep

Stiles had walked in to Derek’s life one rainy day, dripping wet all over his floor and stared openly at Derek pulling out a fresh batch of lava cakes, and said to Derek, “Please just put it in my mouth.”

Simple Math by lizzstomania

"It's just math, Derek. It's me and you; it’s not rocket science and it's not Shakespeare. It's basic arithmetic and you, for some ungodly reason, never bothered to learn to add."

They Call Me Stuart (That’s Not My Name) by KuriKuri

“I’ll have a, uh, medium mocha,” Stiles finally says, squinting up at the drink menu on the back wall.

“Name?” Douche-y blond guy asks, picking up a disposable paper cup.

“Stiles,” Stiles replies, grimacing as he watches the guy scribble down ‘Stuart’ on the side of the cup. Whatever. It’s not worth the trouble of trying to get him to change it.

even a bad cup of coffee (is better than no coffee at all) by vlieger

AU where Derek and Laura stay in New York and open a coffee shop after the fire, and Stiles meets them when he moves there for college.

only fools rush in by decideophobia

Is it an imaginary date?

No. I met him in a coffee shop.

When?

This morning. It was love on first sight.

Just Coffee by MaddieStilinski

‘What?’ he asks as he reaches the counter. Scott just raises his eyebrows.

‘Nothing dude. Just admiring your tactics.’

‘What tactics?’ Derek asks, rolling his eyes. ‘I’m getting him coffee.’

Scott shrugs, starting up the machine. ‘Say what you want Derek, but in my experience it never is ‘just coffee.’’

A Series of Surprisingly Fortunate Events by Trench_coats_and_denim_jeans 

Stiles may or may not be perpetually single, so Papa Stilinski decides to set him up with a girl from his hometown. A girl Stiles doesn't want to date, so he takes a book out of the movies and lies about having a relationship. Who is the unwilling victim? His best friend's boss at the coffee shop, Derek Hale. The man who seems to have a personal grudge against him.

It goes about as well as one could expect.

Kaleidoscope by Vendelin

Stiles spends a year before college working at the all-night coffee shop in town. It's nice and quiet, until one dark and brooding Derek starts coming in every morning, ordering coffee so strong that it should not be fit for human consumption. Ever. Stiles tries not to be affected by the mystery guy, but it's not like anything else happens around here, so really, what did you expect? And when he's already in too deep, he realises he might even be in way over his head...

Midnight Wolf vs Abominable Snowman! by KuriKuri

Derek almost makes the mistake of saying, It’s not fanart, but he manages to catch himself, biting his tongue. This stranger, who’s already identified himself as at least a casual fan of Midnight Wolf, doesn’t need to know that he actually is the artist and author, not just another fan.

He Takes His Coffee Black by orphan_account

On the cusp of actual, responsible adulthood with no ambitions to his name, Derek Hale (soon to be Derek Hale, Master of Physical Therapy) is faced with the dishearteningly underwhelming notion of his future. For his final winter break, Derek returns home to his family's coffee shop where he spends the dry winter days filling aggravating orders for equally aggravating people and burning his hands with scalding milk.

It's the last place on earth he expects to find a kindred spirit, but some twitchy kid named Stiles-- with his simple order of one black coffee and a wry little grin-- turns out to be just that.

Duet by BulletBlaze

Lydia is going to kill him if he's even a second later than he already is.

Or, how Stiles' extreme lack of money, time, and grace somehow lands him a date with his favorite author's brother.

That’ll Be $4.20 (But You Can Have My Love For Free) by stilinski_wolf

Stiles is the barista at the coffee shop Derek frequents, and after they start talking via messages on Derek's coffee cups, Stiles gets the courage to tell Derek he likes him, and Derek asks him out.

Stiles' Christmas that year just got a whole lot better.

i want a sip of what you’re sippin’ on (are you picking up what I’m putting down) by jadore_hale

“Stiles!” Scott grabbed him and pulled him off to the side. “We’ve talked about this. You are the worst at flirting!”

Stiles barely registered what Scott was saying. He couldn’t take his eyes of Derek. The man was ridiculous. His eyes. His perfect stubble. His big muscular arms that Stiles was dying to have wrapped around him. Why was Derek even working at a coffee shop when he had all this modeling potential?

“Excuse him,” he said to Derek on Scott’s behalf. “He’s a little embarrassed. He wants to know if he can get your number. That way he’ll know where to get a hold of me tomorrow morning.”

Stiles hitting on the new barista with his mad macking skills yo.

To Catch ‘Em All by Sithisis

Stiles is the only person in the coffee shop at 10 PM at night, waiting for his drink order. He is also playing Pokemon Go and wondering where in the world is Eevee when the door opens, shuts, and in strides a man who looks a few years older than him. Stiles thinks he’s a model or something before he catches himself staring, looks up into the man’s eyes, and notices that they are a brilliant gold.

Stiles’ breath hitches.

Eevee isn't the only thing he wants to catch.

Pedal to the Floor by phillipa_gordon

Stiles' brain grinds to a halt.

His driver is definitely not middle aged. His bus driver is hot. Like, really hot. Like burning.

He also looks a bit like a serial killer at the moment, what with his impressive eyebrows being drawn into a scowl, but still. Actually, that expression kind of doesn’t look as terrible on him as it should. He’s got cheekbones and stubble and eyes and Stiles is in love. Totally in love. This guy is gorgeous and Stiles could go swimming in those incredible eyes. He opens his mouth, determined to be smooth, but instead what comes out is:

‘I’m not usually this wet.’

OR

The public transport AU in which Stiles pines, Laura meddles and Derek has no idea what his eyebrows are doing

My Favorite Asshole by CRAmber

AKA the coffeeshop AU nobody asked for.

Once in a Blue Moon by dobrien 

A Coffee Shop AU in which Stiles owns a coffee shop, Derek owns a gym, and Stiles just so happens to be the neighbour living below Derek that wakes him up every morning at the ass crack of dawn.

I’d Be A Fool To Let You Go by bistiles_bilinski

The guy, Stiles, had frozen in his tracks and glanced up at him through his eyelashes with a blush and bashful smile. “Me?” he’d asked. “The guy who spilled a cup of coffee on you and then proceeded to trip over your foot and crush your muffin? You want to take that guy out?"

Second Chances by rootbeer

"A lot of times the ‘markings’ were common, simple things you said to strangers all the time. 'Excuse me'; 'thank you'; 'hello'. Some got extremely romantic things like 'it’s you isn’t it? I’ve been waiting for you' or 'Wow you’re really pretty'. And they were always the first words their soulmate would ever say to them.

Of course, having 'You are the fucking worst kind of person in the world' tattooed down your side, didn’t bode well. How fucked up was Stiles Stilinski that even his fucking Soulmate hated him? High School had been a special kind of hell when all the kids learned what his tattoo said—despite his best efforts to keep it a secret."

Brutus by planiforidjit

After a failed engagement and losing his job, Stiles does what any twenty-seven year old would do: he buys a puppy and moves back in with his dad.

And then stupid Derek had to be there, owning a bookstore and having a kid and looking probably hotter than he used to.

Little Kid Crush by KuriKuri

“What’s your name?” Derek asks, wiping the last of the tears off the kid’s face with his sleeve.

“’tiles,” the kid mumbles, and Derek frowns, wondering if he heard correctly.

“Tiles?” Derek repeats.

“Stiles,” the kid repeats, pouting at Derek slightly, defiant even though his eyes are still puffy and red and his cheeks tear-stained.

White Chocolate Cheesecake by Loslote

Stiles shivered when he felt a rush of cold air. He turned around to see a tall, broad, extremely muscled man in a black leather jacket step in amid a flurry of snowflakes. The man’s stubble and dark hair framed piercing hazel eyes. He held his hands in his pockets, and he glared out from beneath thick, furrowed eyebrows. His eyes landed on Stiles and pierced right through him as though Stiles were the only thing standing in between this man and his coffee, and Stiles gulped and...yep. Knocked over his coffee.

“Can I…Can I help you?” Stiles asked, dropping his textbook on the counter and dabbing at the coffee stains on his flannel.

“Sixteen ounce white chocolate cheesecake mocha,” the man said after glancing at the menu board. His voice was higher than Stiles had expected, and softer. He smiled, and as his eyebrows lifted, Stiles could have sworn he heard a choir of angels burst into song. “Hold the whip, please.”

The One With the Bearded Bespectacled Guy by mikkimouse

Based on this prompt: “There’s only one plug in this entire coffee shop and you’re sitting right in front of it and you’re not even using it, and my laptop is about to die in the middle of this online exam I’m taking, so whatever I don’t care how intimidatingly attractive you are I’m sitting down at your table to plug my shit in.”

Hallowed Grounds by damnfancyscotch

Everything in Beacon Hills is the same when Stiles comes home from college.

Well, except for the fact that he's a published author now, Scott is halfway across the world with a travelling circus, Erica's epilepsy has been cured, her boss offers him a job too, and there's this weird black dog that seems to be following him around just to judge him.

Oh, and the murders, of course.

But other than that stuff... totally the same old BH.

Perk Up by Scruffy_Wolf

"You really like like him, don't you?"

Stiles wrinkles his nose, "God, what are you, twelve? I don't like like him. We sleep together sometimes and I studied on his couch for a few hours once. That's it."

"You should tell him you have feelings for him," Scott continues, blatantly ignoring what Stiles is saying. "It'll probably solve a whole lot of problems. Then you can just sleep together and hang out while not sleeping together without it being awkward. Also, I won't have to listen to months of your moping."

(Or: Stiles is a grad student who spends far too much money on coffee at Derek's shop. They also fuck occasionally.)

I Hope By the Morning by andnowforyaya

From the bathroom came sounds of the guy brushing his teeth. Stiles rubbed the fifty dollar bill between his fingers and felt cheap. "Dude, I'm not taking your money."

The guy spat and turned the faucet on. "Take the money. You said you lived in Queens last night? Who the hell lives in Queens."

The fifty seemed gritty in his fingers, but he put it in the back pocket of his ridiculously tight jeans, anyway. That was, like, a five-hour shift at the coffee shop where he worked, Common Grounds, with tips. "And don't call me 'dude,'" the guy continued, turning off the faucet. "I'm not your college bro. It's Derek."

so he’s got a few flaws by Watermelon Wolves (Phnx)

In short, everything was terrible.

Coffee Shop Stalkers by phoneboxmug

Derek has a secret crush on Stiles, Stiles has a secret crush on Derek. Derek forgets his wallet at the coffee shop they stalk each other at and Stiles is desperate to use this as an excuse to finally get the ball rolling. Laura and Lydia are cupids. Derek and Stiles have filthy minds.

Not So Much Coffee and Books as it is Hot Chocolate and Erotica by knaval  

Alternative title: The Pen Is

AU in which Stiles is an erotica novelist, and Derek is the sexy fireman he daydreams about. He sees Derek daily at the coffee shop, writing out his fantasies about Derek, basically Derek is his muse. All goes well until Derek starts talking to him and trying to read his books. Little does Stiles know, Derek is already a fan of his books.

Wolf’s Brew by Seth_Lecter

Derek is pining after his pretty barista. And boy, is he glad his sisters aren't there right now...

Coffee Storm by splendid_splendont

‘we got caught by this awful storm and now we’re waiting for it to calm under the roof of a café, want to go inside and have a coffee in the meantime?’ au

Electric Heart by stilesxlydiaxderek

Based On The Prompt "You're sitting in front of the only plug in this entire coffee shop and not using it. I don't care how attractive you are, I'm sitting at your table because I need that plug"

Whatever Our Souls Are Made Of by Lissadiane

It's a cold, snowy night and Stiles is halfway through his shift at the campus coffee shop when a tall, dark and handsome stranger walks in, one who seems unaware that he's being haunted by a wolf.

In which Stiles Stilinski sees the ghosts of animals with unfinished business, and Derek Hale is unaware that his dearly departed sister left a few things unfinished.

Don’t You Wanna Be My Sky? by WhoNatural

Stiles got ratted out by the Realm Guard for sneaking off with Scott a total of seven times before his dad buckled, promising sabbatical once Stiles reached Faehood, and enough Earth culture in the meantime to have him talking like a born-and-bred Californian teenager.

He just didn’t have the tan.

(Or, in which Stiles is a Frost Fae sent to the Earth Realm on the Fae version of Rumspringa and immediately falls head-first into a Coffee Shop AU)

Draw Me a Little More by BekkaChaos

Sterek AU: Artist!Stiles and Shy!Derek meet in a coffee-house when their waiter, Barista!Isaac, points out to Derek that Stiles has been staring at him.

Just My Type by thedevilyousay

Laura and her brother are not so patiently waiting in line at the coffee shop one morning when a cute stranger grabs her hand by mistake.

or

The one where Stiles doesn't pay attention and Laura gets to witness her brother and his new dumb boyfriend's love at first sight.

I Hope By the Morning by andnowforyaya

From the bathroom came sounds of the guy brushing his teeth. Stiles rubbed the fifty dollar bill between his fingers and felt cheap. "Dude, I'm not taking your money."

The guy spat and turned the faucet on. "Take the money. You said you lived in Queens last night? Who the hell lives in Queens."

The fifty seemed gritty in his fingers, but he put it in the back pocket of his ridiculously tight jeans, anyway. That was, like, a five-hour shift at the coffee shop where he worked, Common Grounds, with tips. "And don't call me 'dude,'" the guy continued, turning off the faucet. "I'm not your college bro. It's Derek."

Give Me Back My Bones (maybe then we’ll talk) by kariye

Derek meets Stiles on a Wednesday. He comes in for his usual cup of coffee and somehow walks out with hot chocolate, cinnamon on the top, and no idea what just happened there.

it’s been like years since it’s been clear by sirona

It's six-thirty in the morning, but there are warm lights behind the floor-to-ceiling, de-boarded windows, and the 'For Sale' sign on the door has disappeared along with Stiles' memory of where he'd been headed just moments before. The coffee shop is, apparently, open for business once more.

Mistletoe Never Lies by CarolineLahey

Derek Hale loves his family, he really does. He just wishes they weren't so determined to set him up. When he finally blurts out that he has a boyfriend, and quickly gives his mother the name of the barista at his local coffee shop as his "boyfriend", he figures that buys him a little peace. He probably should have been paying attention to the part of the conversation where he agreed to bring Stiles home for Christmas to meet the family.

Voldemort and Jean Valjean (Walk into a Coffee Shop) by PsychicPineapple

So sue him, Stiles had a stupid habit of giving out goofy names at coffee joints.

**

‘Name?’ He stood with his sharpie at the ready.

‘Voldemort,’ Stiles answered without missing a beat.

You Had Me At Latte Batman by Hatteress (goddammitstacey)

The one where Derek’s a barista who accidentally woos Stiles with latte art.

[storytimecatb]

aaaaaand it's done! Request for meeting Bondy at a festival xx --- Security managed to pull you out from between the barrier and screaming girls. You wouldn't have had to been rescued if you weren't forced to come to this thing with your friend. Whom then proceeded to ditch you for a guy she just met after 4 drinks. "She's not looking good, mate. Bring her back here." You felt relief. Relief from being crushed against the barrier. Relief from the anxiety of not having Grace around. You followed security towards the back of the stage and once you got there, they disappeared. "Thanks?" You looked around, behind the stage were tents. Assuming this is where bands, artists and all the important people hung out. "Hey! You alright?" You jumped a little and turned around to see a guy sitting on a bench smoking a cigarette. "Woah. Didn't see you there.. I'm good, managed to escape the hoard of people back there. I don't usually come to these things. But my friend Grace brought me... then ditched me for some random." That was probably more info than he actually needed to know but he smiled and gestured you to sit with him. "Well glad you survived. Your friend Grace doesn't sound like much of a friend though." He reached into his pocket and held an open pack of cigarettes out to you. You took one and felt yourself looking for a lighter, only to have him light it for you. You sat down and blew smoke up toward the sky. "Yeah, she isn't exactly the greatest. But I'm all she has." You had no clue who this guy was, only that he wore a goofy hat and got security to bring you back here. "Sorry, I didn't catch your name." You held a hand out for him to shake. "Johnny Bond, nice to meet you. Can call me Bondy if you want, everyone else does." He shook your hand but still held onto it waiting for you to introduce yourself. "Unusual name, but also cool. I'm y/n." Instead of shaking your hand, he kissed the back of it. "Very nice to meet you, y/n." "Likewise, Bond." "Aye!! Bonds! Let's go mate!!" You both looked back and saw three guys walking toward the stage. "Oh shit. Alright, coming!" He stood up about to walk away, but stopped and held his hand out. "You wanna watch?" You looked at him and stuttered. "I uhh I don't wanna be crushed by the crowd again." He laughed and grabbed your hand pulling you up. "I'm not throwing you into the pit, love. You can watch from the side." That sounded way better. You trailed behind. The guys gave him an odd look. "This is y/n, she's going to watch us from the side. That cool?" They shrugged and nonchalantly responded. "Yeah, alright." "Cool." Bondy dragged you through backstage, telling security you were with him. A lady pointed to a spot where you could see the stage but still wouldn't be in the way of things. "Don't get in the way." Everything happened quickly and the guys jumped out onto the stage. "We are Catfish and the bottlemen and this ones called Cocoon!!" The name instantly rung a bell. You gasped and looked around as if you'd find Grace. Which was highly unlikely. This was the band she couldn't shut up about and the whole reason why you were forced to come here. You pulled out your phone and took a picture, sending it to Grace. -GRACE. LOOK AT WHERE I AM!!- -Grace!!!- She finally responded. -Woah. What the hell?! Whose dick do I have to suck to get back there?!- -Dude, you're gross. I didn't suck anything. Crowd swallowed me whole and the dude with the hat got security to bring me out back. I'll tell you more later. This is insane.- -You're sooooo lucky. Tell me how Van smells if you get a chance.- You laughed at that last text, when you were approached by a guy who was a bit shorter than you were. "Want some water?" He pulled a bottle out from a cooler. "Sure. Thanks." He stood beside you watching as they played onstage. "Do you know Bondy well?" He had to yell a bit so you could hear him. "I only just met him about 20 minutes ago, didn't know he was one in one of the bands playing. Let alone my best friends favourite band." You continued to watch as the lead singer moved around with so much energy. You could tell he had the crowd going nuts. After the show, Bondy took you to one of the tents. "Care for a drink?" You hesitated and he must've seen that on your face. "I should probably go find my friend. She was kinda flipping out when I told her who I was with." He nodded and grabbed a drink from one of the other guys and began drinking it. "Text her. Tell'er to come to that end. I'll see if I can finesse security to let her in too." He was pointing off to the side somewhere and Grace must've known where because she found it quick. The look on her face was complete shock. You both brought her into the tent and she almost lost her shit, but tried to remain cool. "Wow.. you guys mind if I get a picture?" She handed you her phone as everyone bunched up together. She was all smiles and whispered to you. "He smells amazing." You couldn't help but laugh. "You're fucking nuts, you know that right?" Bondy walked over with two drinks just as you said that. "I think she's nuts if she's getting on with bonds here!" The boy with the shades on was laughing. "Fuck off, Van." Bondy jokingly flipped him off. "Here. One for you and one for you." He gave the both of you drinks. One drink turned into a couple drinks and some of the boys started smoking. Someone tried to pass it to you but you didn't smoke. So you just gave it to Grace. The whole evening was a blur, the lot of you ended up drunkenly exploring the grounds. You could tell by the hangover that you had fun. For the first two weeks after the festival Grace would talk non-stop about meeting them. You didn't see them the way she did. She was absolutely crazy about them. You continued to work the rest of the summer. Things started to die down after everyone got back from their holidays. This had you more time to just chill out a bit at work. Scrolling and scrolling through the feeds and switching from app to app. You got onto Instagram and realized you had a message from a week ago you hadn't noticed. -Hey! It's Bondy, from the band your friend likes. We're done with shows for a little bit in the next couple weeks. Was wondering if you'd like to hang out.- You weren't sure how to reply, so you kept it short and sweet. -Sounds cool, just shoot me a text and let me know.- You left your number at the end of the message. He replied that day. You were constantly texting him for weeks and you couldn't bring yourself to tell Grace. You didn't need her freaking out about it. Good or not. She didn't need to know. Besides she found a new boy toy so she was gone a lot of the time. -Hey. I'm in town now, let's meet.- -alright where are you staying?- -Ruiz Hotel- -Got it. There's a cute coffee shop two blocks from there. I'll meet you there around 3.- -Sweet. Can't wait :) - 3pm. This gave you enough time to get dolled up. You weren't one to make a big fuss over a guy like this. But something about him drew you in. The only thing was you weren't sure about was if he felt the same. Some days you felt like you were bothering him with texts and some days he seemed so interested and even flirted. The coffee shop was quiet with minimal people. You sat and waited until you saw him walk in. "Heeeeey! How've you been? Looking gorgeous as usual." He gave you a hug, you unknowingly breathed in his scent. Subtle cologne. Not the kind that stung your nose. "I've been good well I think I'm going to get fired soon. They've been hiring new people and firing everyone else. So I won't be surprised if I'm one to go." You sat down as he ordered his drink. "Can I try the Hot White Russian?" You choked on your drink. Was that actually a name for a drink? The waitress walked away and you grabbed the little menu to see. "Shutup. Really? Vodka? It's still morning!" You smiled at your reaction. "I'm still a couple hours ahead alright?" He winked and put his hand on yours. These kinds of things are what made you question your relationship with him. What was it exactly? "Uhm. What are we doing?" You pulled your hand back towards you. He laughed nervously. "We're having coffee." You rolled your eyes at his smart ass response. "No. I mean..us." The waitress put his drink down on the table. "You need anything else?" He didn't even look at her. Instead he stared into his mug. "Nah. We're good." He was definitely deep in thought. You began to question if asking him was a good idea or not. "Bond?" He took a small sip of the hot drink. "I think we should... just stay friends.. I'm on the road a lot. So it would be stupid of us to think anything else would work." Something inside you broke a little bit. Okay, so maybe he didn't feel the way you felt about him. You nodded and started pointlessly stirring your drink. "Yeah. You're right. Friends." You forced a smile and continued conversation about other things. You both tried to ignore that you were just friend zoned. But the tension between the two of you made the walk to the hotel kind of awkward. The day after that he didn't send his usual "good morning" text. Which had you kind of bummed, and feeling like you ruined whatever you guys had. The next two days were the same. He never texted. Grace called you Saturday morning. "Y/n. We're going out tonight." You just finished breakfast, which was just whole wheat toast and some butter. "Where? Why?" You were still chewing that last bite. She scoffed on the other line. "Does it really matter? You don't do anything, so I'm taking you out to have some fun. Be ready at 8." She hung up before you could protest. "Son of a bitch. Dammit Grace!" You cussed at the phone even though she couldn't hear you. You shuffled back to your bedroom. Still sleepy, threw yourself onto your bed and stared at your phone. Catfishes twitter was all about how they loved the town and that they knew how to have fun. "Pfft. Agghhhh!" You screamed into your duvet out of frustration. The cat stopped to look at you. "Ava, did I just fuck up my friendship with Bond?" Ava rubbed her head on the hand you had hanging of the bed. She meowed. "Yeah. You're right. I did." The fact that you were talking to your cat about this made you realize that maybe you should talk to Grace. It'd be a hell of a lot better than acting like a crazy person. You picked up your phone and tapped on her name. -Okay so here's the thing. Bondy and I never stopped talking after the festival and I was unsure of what was going on. So I asked him and now he's not talking to me.- -You fucking what?! And you didn't tell me?!- -Don't be mad.- -I'm not mad, that's just.. wow y/n.- -yeah..- -Well you wouldn't be you if you didn't demand answers. But I took him as the type to be super cool about things.- So did you, which is why you were so open with him. You needed to change the subject. -What am I wearing tonight?- -Something slutty.- -like club wear?- -slut wear ;) - -lol stop. Okay "club wear" - You were done getting ready and waited for Grace to show up. -Outside. Hurry up loser.- -k- You shut off the lights and locked the door behind you. "Ouuuu look at you. Looking hot!" She teased you, knowing how to cheer you up with her off humour. "Shutup. Is this too short?" You pulled at the dress, she looked over and laughed. "No you're good. If anything it needs to be shorter." You both laughed as she drove downtown. The into the club was long. You werent up for standing outside half the night. "This sucks. Let's go somewhere else." She held a finger up as she aggressively texted someone on her phone. "Follow me." Without question. You did as she said. She went to the other side of the building, and just as you approached the door it swung open and a short girl wearing a really short skirt opened it. "Hurry up before I get caught doing this!!" You ran in and followed her. She must've been atleast 5"2 without heels, you wondered how she wasn't falling out of her dress. "Alright get lost." Grace happily walked through a door and you were both in the club without waiting forever. "Who the hell was that?" She smiled and pulled you towards the bar. "My cousin Liza. I helped her with something a couple months back, so she owed me a favour." You nodded your head and laughed. "Well shit.. cool." Grace ordered drinks and handed you a beer. She pulled you towards the corner of the club. She was dancing toward the VIP section which was on a platform with rails surrounding it. "Why are we going over here?" She ignored you and kept dancing. You got close enough to see why she ignored you. Bondy was sitting right there, along with the rest of them. "Grace!!! What the hell?!" Just as you were about to walk off she grabbed your arm. You look over at Bondy who looked over at you. But you ducked hoping that maybe he wasn't looking at you. "Y/n?" You knew you were busted and probably looked stupid for trying to hide too. "Heeeey." You slowly came out from behind Grace. "I'll let you two talk.." she danced off into the crowd. "Gra-..." she was already gone. You swore under your breath. "What are you doing here?" He was leaning over the rail trying to talk to you. "I'm uh.." he stopped you and pointed toward the big scary guy guarding the entrance way. Bondy said something and the big guy moved out of the way, letting you in. "Grace brought me here. She must've heard that you guys were here." He poured a drink and handed it to you, taking the empty beer out of your hand. He staggered back slightly. "Is that a bad thing? Did you not wanna see me?" Confusion flooded your head, then frustration took over again. "What? You're joking right? You don't respond to my texts. You're the one who doesn't want to see me!" Your voice was loud enough that the other guys turned their heads. Van walked over. "Everything alright?" He put a hand on Bondys shoulder, making him angrily move away. Van had a concerned look on his face, and looked at you to make sure you were alright. You gave him a nod. "I think you've had enough to drink, mate!" Bondy stood against the railing, letting Van take the cup from his hand. He stood and waited for him to respond. Bondy adjusted his hat and turned toward Van. "I'm good. I'm good." You weren't sure how he was going to react after that little show. He sighed and walked back over to you. Van stood on guard. Not that he was worried that he'd do anything violent. But just wanted to make sure things were alright between you two. "I'm sorry, y/n.." that was all he said before pulling you into a hug. You weren't prepared for it and kind of fell into him, then you smelled that familiar scent. Letting yourself melt into him and hugging him back. He didn't let go, instead he loosed up a bit, arms still around you and whispered into your ear. "I can't be friends with you." There was that heartbreaking feeling again. You tried to pull away but he wouldn't let you. "I can't be friends with you because I want more than that. But I don't know how to make it work." He loosened up on the hug, you looked up at him. "You could've said that.. oh I don't know.. a week ago!" A sort of sadness washed over his face. "I want more too, you idiot." He looked back at you and laughed. You began picking a the little bit of piling on his shirt just so you could avoid looking at him. "Hey. Hey. Look at me." You chewed on your lip then looked at him. "You good?" He was giving off that happy, goofy vibe again and sighed. "Sorry if I scared you. Too much to drink. But if you wanna do this, then let's do it." Vague, but you knew what he meant. "Y/n, did you hear me?" You paused for a second then put the sassy front on again. "Yeah.. I'm not deaf." He laughed. Then looked at what you were wearing, he smiled. You were back to being uncomfortable after he did that. "I know I look stupid." He grabbed your hand. "You could wear a potato sack and pull it off." You rolled your eyes and he pulled you in for a tight hug. Whispering into your ear again. "So yes?" There wasn't hesitation this time. "Yes." He kissed your forehead. There was the melting again. You shut your eyes and put your arms on his shoulders, pulling him in. The first kiss of many. He must've felt those romantic vibes because he backed up quick. He wasn't one for PDA and didn't want anyone to see him being soft. "Alright loser, have a seat!" You smirked and he put a hand on your lower back. You were seated between Bob and Bondy. He leaned in toward you. "Shhh. Can't let anyone know I'm human, alright?" They way he tried to act serious about that statement made it even more funny.

[gingerandwry]

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil - Week 2

After the sweltering, unseasonable heat during my first week in Rio, the forecast for the next week called for rain. It’s rained everywhere I’ve been so far, but the short bursts and high temperatures meant that the rain did not hold me back. I was not prepared for the flood that was heading toward Rio.

I approached Monday trepidatiously, unsure when the clouds would burst and end my day. But it was sunny and hot as usual (and especially humid) when I woke up so I walked up to the lagoon and over to Leblon. The lagoon offers some lovely views from the running/cycling path that surrounds it.

Leblon is adjacent to Ipanema and almost indistinguishable. It’s known to be quieter and more laid back (and ritzier it seems). And on Monday morning the crowd was much older, kind of a Palm Beach to Ipanema’s Miami. I walked along the beach on the delightfully, swirly designed sidewalk promenade that lines the beaches all the way up to Leme (and some of the city streets too). I reached the base of Dois Irmaos, the iconic peaks that cap the beach’s eastern end, and enjoyed the views from the Mirante do Leblon there. And then I walked inland to my real destination: BB Lanches. In “The Beastie Boys Book” the band mentions that this is their favorite juice bar in Rio, and they named one of their songs (”Suco de Tangerina”) after an item here. So naturally I had to stop by for some tangerine juice.

With no sign of rain yet, I took an Uber to the Urca neighborhood at the base of Pao de Acucar. Just south of the Morro de Urca is Praia Vermelha, a small sheltered beach. At the end of the beach is Pista Claudio Coutinho, a popular 2k walking path that wraps part way around the hill. It’s a pleasant jungle stroll where you can hear waves crashing below and take in expansive views of the ocean and nearby islands.

I reached the end of the trail, turned around and walked back to the beach and up to the west side of the hill. The Urca neighborhood felt very distinctive. It begins with a small marina full of little fishing boats and then turns into a cute residential area, tucked in to the base of Acucar. Most of the homes are modest (with a few princely estates, especially up the hill), and there is just one small commercial strip. The most notable feature is the Mureta, or sea wall, that looks out over the city and the bay. It’s a popular place to sit, hang out, drink beer and enjoy a quiet moment in this hectic city. The area feels like a small coastal town unto itself. In fact Urca is actually where the city of Rio started before it moved farther north. And there are still a few military bases here, presumably protecting the city from seaborne attacks.

With clouds forming, I decided to head home. I took a short nap, and when I awoke, rain was pounding the city, dumping buckets while thunder and lightning jolted the sky. This continued for several hours, and when I walked outside for dinner, a river was gushing down the street (which must be why it’s called Rio...). Water was up to my ankles on the sidewalk and my calves in the intersection. Fortunately I did not have to go far to eat dinner before I retreated back to my apartment. The rain calmed down a bit by midnight but it did not stop until....

Tuesday around 3pm. Rio normally receives 95mm in April. In nine hours on Monday night it got 246mm. Some neighborhoods saw walls of water taking out cars, and some favela endured mudslides (which killed at least three people). Apparently the lagoon overflowed too. My friend here said he had never seen anything like it in 15 years here. I was relieved that the event was as cataclysmic as it seemed to me and not a commonplace carioacan affair. The rain was less intense on Tuesday, but the city was recovering from the impact so many things were closed. I had to cancel my plans and stay shut in.

On Wednesday I re-emerged and headed to the Museu de Arte Moderna. It’s looking a little run-down these days but still has a good collection of mostly Brazilian art from the 20th century. It’s displayed according to traditional painting subjects (landscape, portrait, still-life, etc.), and they have some fun with modern artists’ takes on the classics. I particularly enjoyed the last exhibit on illusion and how context changes art.

My day took a turn for the frustrating after that. I wanted to go to the Flamengo FC match at Maracana stadium on Thursday night. I bought tickets online, but this being Brazil, it was not so simple. First I had to print out a voucher, so I asked my friend to do this at his office, then I met him to pick it up. Then I brought the voucher and my passport and credit card to one of Flamengo’s stores. There I was informed that I had bought student tickets so I could not use them (the website said nothing about this). The game was sold out, so I could not get other tickets. My tickets were supposedly refundable (minus the service fee of course), but as of this writing, the money had not been returned. I was disappointed not to get to see Maracana, a legendary stadium, but mostly annoyed at having to go through this big hassle for nothing. I know that Latin American countries require saintly patience, but I was really missing good ol’ American (and Silicon Valley) efficiency at that point.

Nevertheless, I persisted. I stopped by Igreja Sao Francisco de Paula, a gorgeous church whose interior is covered with intricately detailed carvings. It looks more like an opera house, but with the refreshing lack of gilding it felt more tasteful than the other churches I’ve seen.

I carried on to Museu Nacional de Bellas Artes. The collection is supposedly formidable, but most of the museum was closed for construction and/or exhibit rotation. Really just a few rooms upstairs were open, as well as two hallways with some busted-up Grecian marble statues that were copied from the Louvre and some oddly configured side rooms that did not look interesting. (Brazil does not seem to be aware of central air conditioning since most buildings have separate A/C units for each room (if any at all). This fits uncomfortably with places like museums that should be open and lend themselves to a flow, rather than a series of rooms behind closed doors.) After a short look around I stopped for some beers then returned home for the night.

On Thursday the clouds had mostly parted and the sun was high and hot again, so I could resume my outdoor activities. I took a car back to Parque Lage (the first place I visited when I arrived) so that I could take the steep hike up to Cristo Redentor. It was only upon reaching the trailhead-- some ten minutes into the park-- that a security guard informed me the trail was closed due to the rain. Thwarted again. I explored some more of Lage (which is just a small section of the tropical Parque Nacional de Tijuca, something I would now not be able to see) before calling another Uber to take me to the Corcovado train station.

The “Christ the Redeemer” statue is probably the most iconic, recognizable feature in Rio. The most popular way to get to it is on a small old train that slowly runs up the steep incline three times an hour. Stepping off the train and up a few flights of stairs, the view at the top is spectacular. Corcovado hill is right in the middle of the city, and it’s one of the tallest, so you can see everything, past Maracana in the north, past Niteroi across the bay and past Dos Irmaos to the south. I was pleased with how much of the city I could identify at this point and with the realization that I had covered a good chunk of it. The statue itself, while a feat of engineering, is nothing special, as it’s meant to be viewed from afar. (I’ve actually been surprised at how small it is. I think I’m used to aerial photos taken from above it where it seems to loom over the whole city. Or as Homer Simpson put it, “It’s like he’s on the dashboard of the entire country.”) The journey has two notable downsides tho. One: all the tourists, clogging the best viewpoints and all taking the same photos of themselves with their arms outstretched under the statue. The other drawback is the waiting. When I arrived the next available train was almost two hours off (although you can make reservations online). Then you wait to board the train. Then you sit on the train for 20 minutes, mostly looking out at dense, unspectacular forest. Then you wait for an opening to take the photos you want. Then you wait to board a drain down and then another 20 minute ride. There are so many hills around; I wonder if any others offer a similarly thrilling view while being more accessible. At the very least, I would take a van up (which they offer from a few parts of the city) since the train adds considerable time and nothing more than kitsch value.

When I was back in the Cosmo Velho neighborhood, I walked east to its other attractions. The first is Largo do Boticario, an old square surrounded by colorful colonial houses near a babbling brook in a jungle canopy. One hundred (plus) years ago, it must have been a charming area reminiscent of an old Portuguese plaza, but it’s completely decrepit now. (Apparently the buildings have been bought by a hotel company that will restore them.) Farther up the road is the brand-new Casa Roberto Marinho. Roberto founded Globo, now a huge Brazilian media empire. He restored this Mediterranean villa and grounds as his home and hosted who’s-who parties in the 1960s and 70s. The building has now been turned into a private museum to display his art collection, with a heavy emphasis on modern Brazilian art. The works are phenomenal and the home and gardens beautiful. You really get a sense of what it might have been like to hobnob at one of his parties. After that it was time to call it a day and have a relaxing evening at home.

Before I went to bed I developed a stomachache that kept me up much of the night. (In Brazil a lot of restaurants offer cheap per-kilo buffets; it’s probably best not to eat at these places at the end of the night.) The next morning I still felt ill and tired so I stayed in bed most of the day. Bummer since my days in Rio were nearing an end.

I felt well enough (and well-rested enough) on Saturday to get myself to the ferry for Ilha de Paqueta. This is a car-less island deep into Guanabara Bay. I mostly wanted to go to see the views from the ferry, but the island is nice too. I rented a bike and rode around the perimeter (without stopping you could do this in under 30 minutes). The shore is dotted with little beaches and parks and (questionably) Brazil’s only baobab trees. Other than a small commercial area near the dock, the rest is full of homes (and a cemetery). I really enjoy enclosed, flat bicycling like this, and it was a nice, calm respite from the city. For the people of Rio it seems to be a mostly working-class getaway-- the beaches are not really that nice but the general environment is. I was mostly intrigued by the locals who live there. Although there is no local economy the island seems to encompass the full social strata-- large gated mansions, lovely cottages, modernized townhouses, abandoned waterfront estates, even a favela. It’s so Brazil to have all of this side-by-side on a tiny, beautiful island.

After a few hours I took the ferry back to the city. I stumbled upon a street party (Rivalzinho) and ambled around it a bit. I returned home and chilled out on my final Saturday night in town.

And then I awoke for my final day in Rio. I had planned to walk or bike around, but the on-and-off light rain showers made that less desirable. So I walked over to Copacabana beach since I still had not been. (Yes it’s one of Rio’s most famous sites, but Ipanema is a better beach, and I’m not much interested in hanging out on the beach anyway.) Copa is beautiful indeed, especially its graceful northeastward curve.

It made me consider what makes Ipanema and Copa so special and enticing. I realized that for both the natural beauty lies in the views: the jutting peaks at the ends, the water and the mountains and islands on the other side. But the immediate surroundings are not lovely at all-- the beaches are thick with barracas (vendors) and lined with densely-packed, (mostly) unattractive high-rises. It’s a very different approach than we take on the US west coast. There, beaches tend to be removed from cities and kept close to their natural state. Where there is nearby development it is usually minimal and often “beach-appropriate”, e.g. boardwalks, cottages, surf shacks, etc. But I’m not sure which I prefer. While I love an unspoiled, untouched beach (which Rio has if you go farther out), I like the way they incorporate their beaches into the city. It’s not pretty in a natural sense but it does add to the urban appeal. Perhaps on the west coast in our drive to “protect” our coastline we are actually under-utilizing public space. That said, Rio’s beaches do have two huge drawbacks. One, the vendors: it’s nice to know you can get anything you want right on the beach but it’s impossible to relax with someone in your face trying to sell you something every few minutes. And two, the stench: the waters here must be seriously polluted because every time I approached an open body of water (ocean, bay or lagoon), I was hit with an overpowering, stomach-turning scent of human waste. It doesn’t blanket the shoreline so you can settle into a spot out of smell’s way, but good luck getting there without wanting to vomit in your mouth.

And so my time in Rio drew to a close. (Well not before one final aggravation. For my flight to Brasilia, I was departing from the smaller Santos Dumont airport, which is on a tiny strip of land in the bay next to downtown. I opted for a window seat so that I could look out over the city as we took off. But on this plane, 7F did not have a window, just a wall. It was torture. Thanks Gol Airlines!) Rio is a beautiful, exciting city, and I enjoyed my adventure there. However I left with mixed feelings and wonder if I will return. The longer I spent there the more I missed things I take for granted at home: pedestrian right-of-way, good customer service, lower urban density, leafy greens, buildings that aren’t walled off, friendly strangers, punctuality.... And as much as I complain about our gay scene, it’s relatively friendly and low-attitude, unlike Rio’s. Rio is a big city that comes with big city people and problems, and despite its sweltering heat, it can be a cold place, at least to an outsider. I had a fantastic visit, perhaps just a few days too long. And I think I would like to return but next time it will be with friends or a loved one so that I can share all the good times the city has to offer.

[travelguy4444]

Barcelona Itinerary: How to Spend Your Time in This Incredible City in 2019

Posted: 1/7/19 | January 7th, 2019

Barcelona is one of the most popular destinations in Europe. It’s a city that I’ve been to many times.

Once a major city in the Roman Empire, the city still places an important role in the region and is home to millions of residents and visitors enjoying all the delicious sangria and gin, mouthwatering food, stunning beaches, warm weather, the rich history and culture, and unique architecture that Barcelona is famous for.

Barcelona is one of the most vibrant, fun, energetic cities in the world.

Barcelona is such a popular place that in recent years it’s even had to clamp down on “overtourism” to help reduce the number of visitors. (This is something I fully agree with since cities must learn to balance tourism with local life.)

With so much to see and do in and around Barcelona, where do you begin? How many days do you need to visit?

I think to really get a feel for Barcelona you should plan for four or five days. While you could see it in less, you’ll do yourself a disservice if you rush your visit. This is a city of late night dinners, late morning, and afternoon siestas.

Life isn’t rushed here and neither should your visit.

This 2-5 day itinerary highlights all the best things to see and do and help you organize your visit so you can see it all!

Barcelona Itinerary: Day 1

Take a free walking tour

I love free walking tours. I think they are a wonderful way to get to know a new city, find your way around, and learn some history in the process. (And, since they are filled with traveler too, they can also be a good way to meet other people.) My recommended walking tour companies in Barcelona are:

Sandeman’s

Free Walking Tours Barcelona

Free Tours By Foot

Get lost in the Barri Gotic

Barcelona’s old Gothic Quarter is my favorite part of town, filled with narrow, winding streets and historic buildings. Spend a few hours getting lost in this district. To me, it’s the most beautiful area in the city. The area also has numerous attractions worth seeing:

Barcelona History Museum – Barcelona has one of the best city history museums I’ve ever visited, including 4,000 square meters of Roman ruins beneath the museum that you can walk through. There is a free, detailed audio guide and meticulous explanations of the exhibits. If you do one thing in the city, make it this. I visit every time I’m in Barcelona. The ruins are just stunning. Admission is €7. Address: Plaça del Rei.

The Grand Royal Palace – The Palau Reial Major (near the history museum) was the home of Barcelona’s counts and later the kings of Aragon. It has a very detailed history about the city and region through the centuries. Admission is €7. Free on the first Sunday of the month and every Sunday after 3pm. Address: Plaça del Rei.

Chapel of Santa Àgata – This royal chapel was built in 1302. The most interesting thing inside is the beautiful altarpiece, made by Jaume Huguet, that was added in the 15th century. It contains beautiful paintings of religious symbols in the style of the Middle Ages. Don’t miss it! Admission is €7. Address: Plaça del Rei.

Barcelona Cathedral – Built in the late 13th to early 15th centuries, this is a classic Gothic cathedral with huge spires, colorful stained glass, and incredible wood carvings. If you go inside, pay the extra €3 to visit the terraces, where you’ll get an incredible view of Barcelona. Admission is €7, though you can sometimes get in for free (there’s no apparent schedule to this). Address: Placita de la Seu, 3.

Explore Gaudí’s architecture

Gaudí is Barcelona’s most famous and creative architect. His unique style, use of nature motifs, and catalog of work is legendary – and part of the reason so many people visit the city. No visit to the city is complete without a tour of Gaudí’s works. You can find them everywhere — in addition to the buildings listed below, he even designed lampposts, monuments, and sculptures. Here are the best sights to see:

Park Güell – Park Güell is a 45-acre garden complex designed and built between 1900 to 1914. It’s since been converted into a municipal garden and is now a World Heritage Site. The focal point of the park is the main terrace, which is surrounded by a long bench in the form of a sea serpent. Known for incorporating various themes into his work, Gaudí incorporated artistic elements of Catalan nationalism as well as ancient poetry and mysticism into this work. The park is right near La Sagrada Familia so it’s easy to visit both. I like how colorful everything in the park is! Tickets are €8.50, at the ticket office, or €7.50 when you order in advance online. Children six years old and younger are free. Address: Carrer d’Olot.

La Sagrada Família – The most famous of Gaudí’s work….and one that seems to never be finished. The church has been under construction for over than 100 years (the groundbreaking was in 1882 and is supposed to be done in 2030!). Gaudí was a devout Catholic and spent the last 10 years of his life working on this project. The church blends influences of man, nature, and religion in its detailed architecture. The audio guide is worth purchasing as it covers the history of the church in great detail. Try to visit mid-morning to late afternoon so you can witness the sunlight cascade throughout all the stained glass. Admission is €15 online/€18 at the door. Address: Plaça de la Sagrada Familia.

Casa Batlló – Casa Batllo is a building restored by Antoni Gaudí in the early 1900s. He spent 2 years on the project completely revamping the exterior, main floor, patio, and roof. With its undulating shape, it’s definitely one of the more eye-catching of his creations. Located in the Eixample district of Barcelona, it (like everything Gaudí designed) was heavy influenced by the Art Nouveau style. The facade was decorated with a mosaic made of broken ceramic tiles that he collected from the trash of a nearby glass shop. The roof is arched and has been likened to the back of a dragon. It’s one of my favorite Gaudí buildings. Admission is €24.50 online/€28.50 at door. Address: Passeig de Gràcia, 43.

Casa Milà (also called La Pedrera) – From 1906 to 1910, Gaudi work on Casa Mila, also known as “La Pedrera” (the stone quarry) as the building has a facade of limestone. The goal was to evoke the sense of a snowy mountain. Gaudí, himself a Catholic and a devotee of the Virgin Mary, also planned for the Casa Milà to be a spiritual symbol and included many religious elements like an excerpt from the rosary prayer on the cornice and statues of Mary, St. Michael, and St. Gabriel. Casa Milà became run down and partially abandoned until it was restored in the late 1980s to its original form. Admission is €22 online/€25 at door. Address: Passeig de Gràcia, 92.

Palau Güell – Located off La Rambla, Palau Guell (Guell Palace) building doesn’t jump out at you like other Gaudí structures. Built from 1886-88, it was designed for one of Gaudi’s patrons, Eusebi Güell. The home is centered around the main room used to entertain high-society guests. The main party room has a high ceiling with small holes near the top where lanterns were hung at night from the outside to give the appearance of a starlit sky. There are colorful tree-like chimneys on top. It’s a bit creepy and gothic to me. One of my favorites too! Admission is €12 (free on the first Sunday of every month). Address: Carrer Nou de la Rambla, 3-5.

Note: Advanced reservations are recommended for Park Guell, Sagrada Familia, Casa Mila, and Casa Batllo so you can skip the lines!

Barcelona Itinerary: Day 2

Visit the Picasso Museum

While I’m not a huge fan of most of Picasso’s later work, it’s still interesting to learn about the life and work of one of the most influential artists of the twentieth century. With more than 4,000 pieces of art, there certainly is a lot to see here. Admission is €11, with discounts available for students and seniors. Free Thursday evenings, 6-9pm and on the first Sunday of each month. Address: Carrer Montcada, 15-23.

Barcelona Museum of Contemporary Art (MACBA)

This museum has over 5,000 works, including an extensive collection of pieces by Spanish artists such as Joan Miró and Pablo Picasso. There are also works by Americans Andy Warhol and Alexander Calder (who is known for his innovative mobiles). If you love modern art, be sure to add this to your itinerary. Admission is €10, with discounts available. Free Saturdays, 4-8pm. It’s always free for anyone under 14. Address: Plaça dels Àngels, 1.

La Boquería

This public market has an amazing array of food stalls and restaurants. It’s been at this location for hundreds of years, in a building with a beautiful iron entrance. It’s right off La Rambla (a long, popular central thoroughfare, see below), so the market is typically very busy. But grab a snack or an inexpensive lunch of ham, bread, cheese, and fruit and enjoy the scene. There’s a wide variety of seafood, including fish, shrimp, octopus, and oysters, as well as nuts, candy, wine, and tapas.

NOTE: Due to overcrowding, tourist groups are now restricted to 15 people or less. You’ll have no problem moving about on your own, but if you’re in a large group….well, be prepared to get kicked out! The city is (appropriately) trying to take back the markets for locals. Watch for changes to how they allow tourists into the market.

Take a stroll on La Rambla

The popular 1.2km long boulevard with a broad but crowded walkway in the center has many beautiful buildings along it including the Gran Teatre del Liceu, the city’s opera house. Near the theater, you can also see a mosaic by Joan Miró. And there are street performers galore here (they even have their own union). While this street is ground zero for tourists in the city (don’t eat at the restaurants here, they suck), it’s worth a stroll down at least once.

Hit the beach

You’ve done a ton of walking so far, so take the afternoon to relax! Barcelona has a wide and long beach, Barceloneta, that is incredibly popular year-round. The water is good to swim in, the sand is golden colored, and there are a lot of good restaurants on the boardwalk. It’s always busy with tourists and locals, however, so walk further from the center to reach some quieter and cleaner beaches, such as Sant Sebastià in the south and Somorrostro in the north.

Watch some flamenco

Spend your evening watching flamenco at one of these places:

Los Tarantos – This is Barcelona’s oldest flamenco venue. It’s a short show (just 30 minutes) so it’s a good place for an introduction to the art and won’t take up your entire night. Admission from €15. Address: Plaça Reial, 17.

Palau Dalmases – One of the best things about the flamenco shows here is the venue. This palace has amazing décor and incredible architecture. Admission is €25, with one drink included. Address: Carrer de Montcada, 20.

Tablao Flamenco Cordobes – This show is in a convenient location on Barcelona’s main walkway, but it’s pricey. Admission is €45 (drink and show) or €79.50 (dinner and show). Address: La Rambla, 35.

Tablao de Carmen – This show typically features excellent performers, and it’s in an interesting venue that’s a replica of a Spanish village. Admission is €43 (drink and show) or €61 (dinner and show). Address: Av. de Francesc Ferrer i Guàrdia, 13.

Barcelona Itinerary: Day 3

Ride the harbor cable car

The 1,450-meter-long harbor aerial tramway with red cars connects Barceloneta and Montjuïc (a prominent hill). The 10-minute trip gives you incredible views of Barcelona. You’ll see the port and sea on one side and the city on the other. Also, at the top of the 78-meter Sant Sebastià (San Sebastián) tower in Barceloneta, there’s a restaurant accessible by an elevator. A round-trip ticket is €16.50; a one-way ticket is €11.

Explore Montjuïc Hill

When you arrive on the hill from the cable car (or bus #150 if the cable car isn’t in your budget), you’ll find there’s a lot to do here. You can explore the Castell de Montjuïc (a large 18th-century fortress), as well as gardens, a Spanish village, and the Olympic Stadium. Be sure to also visit the Magic Fountain for the colorful water show. You’ll be able to enjoy a sweeping view of the city; watching the sunset from here is amazing too. Some highlights of Montjuïc:

Castell de Montjuïc – This is an old fortress that’s now a museum featuring military displays and information on the history of the castle. The surrounding garden is a beautiful collage of color. Admission is €5. Free Sundays after 3pm and on the first Sunday of each month. Address: Carretera de Montjuïc, 66.

Joan Miró Foundation – Joan Miró was one of Catalonia’s most famous artists. Many of the surrealist’s works are on display in this museum. Admission is €12. Address: Parc de Montjuïc.

Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya – This art museum houses Catalonian art, particularly Gothic, Renaissance, and Baroque works. The fountain out front has a spectacular free show that takes place on Fridays and Saturdays from 7pm-9pm (from October-December and February-April), and Thursdays-Sundays from 9pm-11:30pm (from May-September). Admission is €12. Free Saturdays after 3pm, the first Sunday of each month, and for visitors under 16 or over 65. Address: Palau Nacional, Parc de Montjuïc.

Poble Espanyol (Spanish Village) – The Spanish Village was built in 1929 to resemble an actual traditional village with 117 buildings from different Spanish regions. There’s an Andalusian quarter, a section of the Camino, a monastery, and more. There are also various exhibits here devoted to crafts and contemporary art. It’s a good family activity. Admission is €12.60, with discounted rates for children, students, and seniors. The village is open daily, year-round starting at 9am and closing no earlier than 8pm. Address: Av. Francesc Ferrer i Guàrdia, 13.

The Olympic Ring – When Barcelona hosted the 1992 Olympic Games, all of the excitement centered around the Olympic Ring: the Olympic Stadium, Palau Sant Jordi, and the Olympic Esplanade. You can roam the entire space for free. Address: Parc de Montjuïc.

Take a food tour or cooking class

Barcelona is a very food-centric city, so I highly recommend a cooking class or a food tour! You’ll learn about traditional Catalan cooking, selecting the freshest ingredients, and using new techniques. You’ll prepare your own meal and enjoy the fruits of your labor. Some companies to check out are:

bcnKITCHEN – (bcnkitchen.com, from €50)

Barcelona Cooking – (barcelonacooking.net, from €65)

Just Royal Bcn – (justroyalbcn.com, from €77).

Context Food Tour – (contexttravel.com, from €80).

Walks – (takewalks.com, from €77).

Devour – (devourbarcelonafoodtours.com, from €69).

Barcelona Itinerary: Day 4

Take a day trip to Girona

This medieval city, just 100km from Barcelona, is one of my favorite destinations in Spain – and far too overlooked by travelers. Here you can climb atop the city walls, wander the narrow lanes of the Jewish Quarter, and soak up the ambiance at one of its many cafés. They filmed Game of Thrones here too! There’s a lot of history and delicious food in the city!

The Renfe train ride is about 80 minutes on the normal train (return tickets from €20); the high-speed train gets there in 38 minutes (return tickets from €30).

Other Things to See and Do in Barcelona

If you have more than four days in Barcelona, you’re in luck. There are plenty of other activities to fill your time:

Head to Montserrat – The Montserrat mountain range is just outside of the city and makes for a great getaway from Barcelona’s urban atmosphere. You can reach the area by taking a one-hour train ride. Once there, pay a visit to the famous shrine of the Black Madonna at the monastery and walk around the park. The Benedictine monastery and the valley of unique, rocky pillars make for some really awesome photography. Return train tickets are around €20, and you’ll also need to decide whether to take the cable car (my preference) or funicular up the mountain.

Visit an old-school amusement park – Tibidabo Barcelona, built in 1899, is one of the oldest amusement parks in the world. On a tall mountain in the Serra de Collserola, it also offers an incredible view of Barcelona and the coastline. It’s open on the weekends, except in the winter. Admission is €28.50 for adults, €10.30 for children under 1.2m tall, and free for children under 0.90m tall. Address: Plaça del Tibidabo, 3.

Catch an outdoor film – If you’re in Barcelona in July or August, consider going up to Montjuïc Castle to catch an outdoor film on the lawn of the castle’s moat. Screenings take place on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays and are preceded by some cool live music.

Watch a soccer match – The first “football” game I ever saw was in Barcelona. It was Espaynol versus Valencia. I still have the shirt I bought that day. Barcelona’s two teams are Espanyol and FC Barcelona and, if a match is going on, try to take in one. Locals are obsessed with the sport and you’ll make a lot of good friends at the game! If you can’t make a game, you can tour the stadium and the FCB (or Barça) Museum. Tour admission is €26 online/€29.50 at the door. Match tickets are from €29, depending on the opponent. Address: C. d’Aristides Maillol, 12.

Visit the aquarium – Perfect for a rainy day, the Barcelona Aquarium has more than 11,000 animals, showcasing species from a variety of underwater ecosystems. The walk-through tunnel is the best part. Admission: €20. Address: Moll d’Espanya, del Port Vell.

Gaze at Barcelona’s free public art – Gaudí outdid himself with the huge fountain located in the Parc de la Ciutadella, a tribute to the god Neptune. I absolutely love the art and fountain here. Gaudi designed the famous Cascada Fountain when he was an architecture student. On a warm day, I just like to sit and stare at the fountain. There’s also a zoo in the park and some short walking paths. Take a bottle of wine, grab some ham, and have a picnic.

Other offbeat Gaudí works include the lampposts in Plaça Reial and Pla de Palau, and the Miralles gate and wall on Passeig de Manuel Girona. Barcelona native Joan Miró’s work is found throughout town, and you can see his famous “Woman and Bird” sculpture at Parc de Joan Miró. There are also Miró mosaics on La Rambla and at the airport.

Take a free bike tour – Free Bike Tour Barcelona offers jaunts around the city every day. The tours are typically at 10am and 2pm, but check the website (freebiketourbarcelona.com) to be sure, as there may be just one tour a day in the off-season. They last about three hours and cover all the major sights. Just be sure to tip your guides!

Where to Eat in Barcelona

For some excellent food, be sure to check out some of my favorite places:

Les Quinze Nits – Delicious food at a great price in the famous Plaça Reial. It’s a bit touristy, but even the locals come here for the value. It has a typical Spanish menu. Avoid the long lines at dinner by going for lunch instead. Address: Plaça Reial, 6.

La Fonda – Good food with large portions, near Plaça Reial. Its set menu will give you more than you can eat, and it features beautiful décor and a robust wine selection. Address: Escudellers, 10.

Allium Restaurant – This is a natural food restaurant that prepares its meals with delicious, local ingredients. It has a nice rustic décor and a friendly staff. It is well priced and my favorite restaurant in Barcelona. Address: Carrer del Call, 17.

Pinotxo Bar – Just inside the Boquería food market, this little stall is always packed and serves some of the most famous tapas in the area. I stopped there while on a food tour, and it was delicious. Try the chickpea salad! Address: La Boquería, La Rambla, 91.

The Four Cats – This was one of Picasso’s favorite haunts and a popular hangout for artists in the early 1900s. Grab a drink and maybe some tapas (the patatas bravas are delicious!) and soak up the place’s history. Address: Carrer de Montsió, 3.

Where to Stay in Barcelona

Here’s a list of my favorite places to stay in the city:

Kabul – This is one of my favorite hostels in Europe. It attracts travelers who are looking for a good time. This isn’t a quiet hostel, so be prepared to party. The dorms are very clean, the beds are comfy, and the showers have high pressure. But what makes Kabul so wonderful is the downstairs common area. It takes up a whole floor of the building and comprises a café, bar, tables, internet kiosks, and a pool table. The hostel is booked out weeks in advance, especially during summer, so don’t book at the last minute! Beds from €10.71. Address: Plaça Reial, 17.

Hello BCN – This location is clean, and the beds are comfortable. There’s a super breakfast, and the staff is friendly and helpful. Make sure to ask them for tips about hidden places in town. This is not a party hostel, and you should be able to get some good shut-eye. Beds from €11. Address: Carrer de Lafont, 8-10.

St. Christopher’s Inn – This hostel near La Rambla is all about location: it’s perfect. I really love the curtains on the dorm beds and the gigantic bar/outdoor area next to the hostel. The bar/restaurant has good food and cheap drinks, so you should definitely check it out (even if you don’t stay here). In general, I really like the St. Christopher’s brand; it offers fun, clean, sociable, and modern hostels all over Europe. Beds from €9.90. Address: Carrer de Bergara, 3.

Sant Jordi-Sagrada Família – This is an interesting hostel with a skateboarder vibe. The common area décor is all about urban arts, and the rooms are clean and spacious. The kitchen is big, and you can often find yoga lessons, cheap dinners, and free pub crawls. There’s also a half-pipe, which I’ve never seen at a hostel before. Just watch out for the spotty Wi-Fi. Beds from €14.31. Address: Carrer del Freser, 5.

***

Barcelona has something for everyone. You could squeeze in the real highlights of Barcelona in two or three days, but taking four, five, or even six days for the above itinerary will give you enough time to gorge on Iberian ham, tapas, and sangria while not rushing around.

The city moves slowly. And so should you.

Sleep late, take breaks, eat lots, and just enjoy Barcelona at a Spaniard’s pace!

Book Your Trip to Barcelona: Logistical Tips and Tricks

Book Your Flight Find a cheap flight by using Skyscanner or Momondo. They are my two favorite search engines because they search websites and airlines around the globe so you always know no stone is left unturned.

Book Your Accommodation You can book your hostel with Hostelworld. If you want to stay somewhere other than a hostel, use Booking.com as they consistently return the cheapest rates for guesthouses and cheap hotels. I use them all the time.

Don’t Forget Travel Insurance Travel insurance will protect you against illness, injury, theft, and cancellations. It’s comprehensive protection in case anything goes wrong. I never go on a trip without it as I’ve had to use it many times in the past. I’ve been using World Nomads for ten years. My favorite companies that offer the best service and value are:

World Nomads (for everyone below 70)

Insure My Trip (for those over 70)

Looking for the best companies to save money with? Check out my resource page for the best companies to use when you travel! I list all the ones I use to save money when I travel – and I think will help you too!

Looking for more information on visiting Barcelona? Check out my in-depth destination guide to Barcelona with more tips on what to see, do, costs, ways to save, and much, much more!

Photo credits: 5, 6, 8, 11,

The post Barcelona Itinerary: How to Spend Your Time in This Incredible City in 2019 appeared first on Nomadic Matt's Travel Site.

source https://www.nomadicmatt.com/travel-blogs/barcelona-itinerary/

[tarakates]

Out of all the countries I have seen Spain undoubtedly stole my heart, so after heading home from Ibiza (home being Arni at this time) my initial plan to just explore the cities within Switzerland for my last few weeks changed, because beach depression is real, and I wanted to experience a whole new culture. Ibiza was amazing, but I felt like I had missed out on the cultural shock which is my absolute favourite factor when travelling. Ibiza at this time was filled with a lot of Germans and I felt like the Spanish were seldom to be seen. Within 5 hours of being home I booked my ticket to Barcelona, the one place where my heart was truly stolen.

As someone who always always loved the beach I thought I would love to visit Spain, so it was kind of a bucket-list moment when I finally did, but the peace and absolute serenity that I felt whilst being there was incredible. I loved how I was able to lie on the beach and let Spanish sun scorched me brown and then how I could enjoy the atmosphere around me as the sun began to set and the night air filed with exciting possibilities. Every evening I had a picnic on the beach and then lay down to stare at the blanket of stars as that single wave lapped on the shore. People were always friendly sometimes too friendly, but since I love meeting new people at times it was great to engage in conversation with someone new – it is something I have come to love whilst being abroad (…but only if I am not reading a book and I want to).

The people around always seemed happy, and I do realise that it may be because it was Summer Holidays, but I also just found the Spanish were easy going, they worked hard, but they also know how to enjoy life. By day I wandered the narrow streets, spent times in café’s or sitting watching the skaters – that was also something I really loved how most of everyone skated, it was so cool, and it almost made the clumsy want to attempt it. To be honest besides seeing the Arc de Triompf because it was on the way to my hostel and the Cathedral because wandering led me there I didn’t do much sight-seeing at all. Firstly Barcelona, is quite huge and so spread out that me who loves walking was exhausted as well as the fact that we were in a heat wave and I drank around 3 litres of water a day just because I had to – to survive the intense heat. It was not possible to step foot onto the beach until around 4 in the afternoon, I mean you could, but I preferred not to scorch my skin red or to get blisters. I did understand the reason behind Siesta’s when I felt that intense heat especially because the humidity just enveloped me and at times it was extremely suffocating.

The third day I was in Barcelona I took a trip to Monserrat where I experienced the most amazing views and because I had not quite figured the reason of Siesta yet, the mountain range was pretty vacant during 11 am and 3pm at 42 degrees – I did feel the consequences whilst staggering down the mountain after all my energy had been sucked from me. However, I would not have done it any other way. Me who loves going off the beaten track climbed that mountain until I could not anymore and the view that seemed to go on forever made me feel like I was on top of the world, I sat there for a good hour and half just taking it all in. It was captivating; one of those moments that stop you breathing for a bit, my heart was thumping with joy. I wandered through the village a bit before heading back to Barcelona where I spent another evening enjoying the beach.

This evening was really amazing- I sat on the beach tucked into another book as a group of people were strumming on their guitars and couples did the Salsa on the beach under a full moon and a blanket of stars. Wow, right?

I loved Barcelona, but the beach is near a port I wouldn’t say the water is the cleanest, so I had done my research before I had arrived and booked 4 days away at a place in Costa Brava called Lloret de Mar, and if it was culture shock I wanted I got it!! Lloret de Mar was not a place I had heard of before, however from the pictures I had seen online it seemed beautiful – which it most certainly was. But my goodness I was introduced to another level of partying. It was insane many school leavers and maybe a view university kids filled every crevice of the main street it was suffocating and even though the most amazing artists performed at the events I was quick to find the nearest secluded beach within my reach. Which to my luck was only about a kilometre away. This particular beach stole my heart to the degree that I decided to extend my trip for another 3 nights which was a big thing considering the hostel in the heat wave didn’t have air -conditioning. It had the turquoise water, okay there was no sand but granules and no waves unless a boat was present – I actually giggled to myself one day when there was a huge wave (in terms of Europe) and all the little children ran to dive into them compared to South Africa where the little children run into the water and out when the waves came. The beach was were I spent the majority of my day I slept until around 10, went for breakfast at my café where I had to practise my limited Spanish – actually very limited Spanish and then I would take a walk down to the beach at 12 pm and leave at 2 am the next morning. That too me was an absolute treat. I chatted with people from all over the world this beach was filled with mostly families, so I got to chat with a lot of people which I enjoyed. The final night my heart was heavy due to the fact I was leaving this place, and especially due to the fact that at midnight the sky lit up with a thousand displays of fireworks, I felt as though my life had become one of those Summer stories, the bizarre thing was that the story was true, and nothing that I have experienced in South Africa during Summer could compare to what I experienced abroad. There are no words to explain what Summer is in Europe it is just something that everyone needs to experience at least once in their life time.

I headed back to Barcelona the next day, thinking maybe I should see a few important sights, but the heat wave had become even more intense and I spent the last three days wandering through the cooler narrow streets in the Gothic quarters and in cafés with air conditioning before only heading to the beach at around 9 pm when the sunset. My final day I spent at one of the beach cafés sipping iced coffee and enjoying their amazing sandwiches for one final time before I headed back to the airport where I spent the evening. It was quite the experience spending a night on an airport floor I realised then I had finally become a traveller willing to do anything to experience a new place.

Today, lying in bed it’s almost surreal to think that exactly three weeks ago I was lying on a beach in Spain and now I am home. Looking back at the year behind me and at all that has happened since I have left my small town and yes moved to a tiny village but in the same way expanded my entire world and grown as a person – I feel extremely blessed to have had this experience. My heart broke when I said goodbye to my host family because they had become family, but I also realised that I could not have been happier that my heart broke, because it meant I loved and I was loved and even though goodbyes had to be said I would not have wanted to be any other ways because I made family and friends in new parts of the world.

No one can ever take the memories I have away, from sitting in a piano bar on a Sunday evening sokkieing in Zürich until 3 in the morning, to going off the beaten track a million times over, to sitting by the lake sharing travel stories with a complete stranger who became a friend, to reading a book as the swans floated around the lake and music filled the atmosphere on Friday afternoons. To BBQing with new-found friends and closing off a good weekend by the lake all standing around just admiring the sunset, it all added to the magic of my Summer abroad and that was just the simple things in the city I called home for a year. I was smiled upon during this journey and even in the uncertainty that lies ahead, I know for sure that even though yes, this chapter has come to an end, I am so glad that I did it, that I could and that it has left an imprint on my heart. An even bigger part of my heart lies in Europe this time round and one day God-willing I look forward to returning because to be quite honest my bucket-list only become a whole lot longer this year.

All Good Things Come to an End. Out of all the countries I have seen Spain undoubtedly stole my heart, so after heading home from Ibiza (home being Arni at this time) my initial plan to just explore the cities within Switzerland for my last few weeks changed, because beach depression is real, and I wanted to experience a whole new culture.

[whimsicat]

It’s been a slow day today. After the long and somewhat unpleasant workday yesterday--ten hours for the record--I appreciate the peace today. It’s raining outside. It’s about 9pm as I type this and I have to go for a shift tomorrow from 10am-3pm, which is not bad really. I’m currently addicted to listening to Broadway animatics, particularly Heathers the Musical, and I’m doing okay money-wise and health-wise.

Why is it then that I still feel so sad?

I have this deep, constant sense of feeling lonely. Probably because I am, in truth. I haven’t actually hung out with people my own age in a long, long time, though it’s not as though I’m unpopular or anything at work. It’s like I have a wall up and I can’t seem to fully connect with others. There’s some people I’d be okay with hanging with if they asked, and others that have asked but I’ve declined because I don’t drink alcohol and they usually just want to go drinking--and one girl gave me a strange look when I say I don’t drink, but I’ll go just to talk.

I have friends online, friends that I’ve had for years and years. Some I’ve seen in person, some I haven’t, some I will finally see when I go to a convention in February. That’s exciting. There’s one friend I talk to every day for hours at a time and she’s, unfortunately, also my long-lasting unrequited love.

I don’t really want to say “crush” at this point. i had a “crush” on someone who I’m no longer friends with because we had a falling out, though the conclusion at least was a mutual break off instead of a huge flare of drama. I’ve been in love with this person for around...six years, or so? Most of our friendship, give or take a year.

The problem is, this friend has known of this crush and rejected me around three times over the years. My feelings for them tend to come and go, but it always inevitably returns when my many other crushes in the past get rejected. I’ve written numerous posts on my horrible luck with love so I won’t repeat myself here.

I want to get over her. I do. I want more than anything to get over her. We’re friends first and foremost and have remained friends--unlike with the other person--even when we had a rough patch because of relationship problems and emotional toying. We’re perfectly fine again, now, more or less. It’s not awkward or anything. We’re regularly up to around 3-5am talking. Just...talking.

We both like to write, though she claims I’m the better writer. We make up entire stories and write back and forth to each other, RP’ing our own OCs in grand, elaborate plots. It’s almost always somehow romantic, especially our current magical school storyline. 

Gods, the amount of romance we’ve written. I forget sometimes I don’t know how a kiss or a hug or anything actually feels, that I’m just writing my assumptions on it, or copying how other people describe it. Writing two characters in loving relationships kinda makes my pain feel better, but inevitably it’s like over-indulging in some kind of substance, because my misery as the recollection hits me that I still haven’t had a single person date me before despite multiple efforts, leaves me teary-eyed. Some nights, it’s outright crying.

But the cycle continues.

My friend’s told me before about how she doesn’t think love is for her, or how she wonders if relationships will ever work out for her, after the failure of her last one. 

I want to scream. Make some kind of grand romantic gesture. What are you talking about?! I’ve loved you for years!! Let me show you how much someone loves you!

But she already knows my feelings. And still will not date me, despite being close friends with me. I simply don’t understand it. But I don’t want to sit around trying to change her mind. I just want to get over her then. Get over her so I don’t beat myself up again and again, wondering why I’m not good enough, wondering why my best friend bemoans her relationship luck yet simultaneously won’t even test what it’s like to date me. 

I remember once a while back, I broke down, asking why not? Please, why?

She admitted to not having an answer. 

That’s kind of...worse. It made me feel terrible. Why? She didn’t even know. My best friend doesn’t know why no one wants to date me, including her. I don’t either. So I just sit here second-guessing everything about myself. Looks, personality...something fundamentally broken that no one will ever be able to find. A glitch in the system. A factory error. A malfunction.

My friend’s been out all day today, having an actual life. I’m curled in bed with my laptop wishing I looked different or my voice was cute, or at least that I didn’t laugh like a hyena.

It’s misery like I can’t describe. I’ve written long posts on this subject but no matter how many times I try to put heart to words, nothing properly explains it.

Tonight, I think, I will write a lot on it. Just get it all out. So maybe I’ll repeat myself after all. Maybe something will connect on the off-chance someone reads this, and understands even a little of what I’m going through.

Or perhaps it’s just a way to pass time. Either works.

I suppose you could call me ungrateful for my gift. I love writing, and plots, and everything therein. I like to analyze movies and video games and I smile with excitement when something’s clever and and gleefully mock something when it’s terrible; this makes my older sister complain that I never enjoy anything because I examine it too much, but that’s not true. I enjoy things deeply when they’re good. And I pick apart things I like, even. It’s just what I do. She’s a counselor, so I point out it’s my version of analyzing people all the time, and she actually did acknowledge my point, so that’s something.

Anyway, why am I ungrateful? Because no one cares about writing. My parents sure don’t. They’ve never read a single thing I’ve created, not school assignments, not original work, and of course (I don’t expect them to) not fanfiction. My siblings don’t really read my fanfics and stuff either, though they’re more encouraging and will at least let me talk to them about my stories. My little sister--gods bless her--will talk with me at length about it. 

I’m also a bit jealous of her.

She’s a wonderful, wonderful artist. I’m so happy she’s so talented. I show my friends her stuff when she posts online and I commission her (though she’s baffled as to why I think I should pay her when we’re family) but it’s my way of supporting her. Not only that, but she talks to me about her own ideas, about a web comic she wants to do, and I love her stories. So original and charming.

I wish I had her talent.

No one really wants to read my stories. I’ve sent them to people. My older sister read a few chapters of something but dropped it and never started the second thing. But if I was an artist, all I’d have to do is show someone a picture and they could gush over it. Like when my parents coo over my little sister’s art. But my parents never once read my stuff. They just tell me “you’re going to be a famous author one day” but couldn’t tell anyone what I even like to write.

I’m a good writer. I think this much. I just wish I wasn’t. I wish I could draw as well as I write. I wish when I was younger I decided to pick a pencil up instead of reading books and wanting to write sweeping tales.

What was I thinking.

I never know what my younger self was thinking.

If there was one thing in my life I could change, just one, I would want to wave a magic wand and make myself a social butterfly. Ever since I was bullied in 7th grade, I’ve had a rough time connecting with others. Everything was beautiful my freshman year, but when we moved to another state (again) and I ended up in a tiny country town in Missouri, I became so apathetic and pained from losing everything again--because my father was in the military, we moved every 2-3 years--that I shut down. I finally gave up. And I dropped out of high school, only getting my G.E.D. years later. I have my Associate’s now and I’m going for my Bachelor’s in Sociology, with the intention of doing case-management and other work like that, but...gods. I wish I could go back and make myself social. Create high school memories that don’t suck. I was bullied in tenth grade and I dropped out in eleventh. Tenth grade in particular was horrible.

All of this stays with me. I just wish I could be charming. I’m apparently pretty funny according to my coworkers, but anxiety and depression and suicidal impulses have dogged me all my life. Like now. I’m always worried.

You will never meet someone who likes herself less, and I’ll tell you exactly why that is. As stated before, I’m 22 years old and I can’t get a date. No one has ever held my hand before. Even online, I’ve never had people confess to me. I’ve certainly confessed to other people, several times, but I always get let down.

So look back. I bet, to whomever may be reading this, you have some kind of relationship experience. It may not be the best, but you can look back on the excitement of a first kiss or a first love, when it was beautiful in the early stages; (or, if you’re still dating, now). I don’t have that. I don’t have any positivity associated with the word “love”.

And yet, I crave it desperately. It’s become almost like a mythological concept to me. Love, nirvana, heaven. A destination that I will one day reach if I do something, something, something.

And you know what happens, right?

I look back on every rejection and I crumble a little inside. Why not? What’s wrong with me? The first time, sure, she was out of my league and I knew it. At least she was nice about it. But what about after that...? And after that? How many times will I be rejected? Why not? Why not me? What’s wrong with me? What do I have to change, who do I have to become?

One person confessed to me. They even asked me to date them. My biggest regret in life so far is not saying yes. I was afraid, due to our somewhat complex, differing views on a lot of subjects, that we’d not be good for each other that way, though at the time we were good friends. I was afraid that I’d say yes just to date someone and not out of love, and I thought they deserved someone who loved them wholeheartedly. My friends told me not to date them. They said it’d be nothing but drama because of this particular person’s reputation. In the end all of these conflicting points had me think I probably wasn’t ready to date, and they deserved better, so I said the truth: I don’t think I know what love is, I’m sorry, I need some time. They were extremely nice about it. Understanding.

They’ve since moved on to a new crush. Someone near them. I wish them so much luck. I just wish I had said yes then. That I had given it a try. Because that was about two years ago and no one has ever said I love you since.

Maybe that was it. My one shot. And I missed it. Now I’m sighing and casting longing looks at my best friend and wishing she’d look my way and realize I know her so, so, well, better than anyone, and we could be good. I know we could. 

I just wish I was...something. Cooler. Prettier. I wish sometimes I had a different skin tone, that I was taller or not flat-chested. I never feel like a girl or a boy so I suppose that makes me nonbinary, but I don’t care about gender in the slightest. Hi, hello, I’m pansexual and I just want to like someone for who they are. Boys and girls are cute, and anything else. I can find something cute about anyone.

I wonder if I could be beautiful. If I were beautiful, maybe someone would look my way for once.

What if I let my hair grow out, if I got piercings or put on makeup for once. What if I stopped wearing Zelda shirts and carried name-brand purses, or learned how to walk without looking down or away when I pass people. What if I figured out how to be pretty in the way someone wants?

I wish and I hope that it’s something as simple as my appearance when it comes to my lack of “real-life” romance. Someone will at least look my way if I’m beautiful.

But I know...the problem is just...”me”. Because online, it’s just the same thing. No matter how warm and supportive I am, how much we talk, how much we have in common. I get the same message back, the same gentle voice on a call or video chat: “Anyone would be lucky to have you.”

My most hated phrase. I’ve heard it from everyone.

The problem is just “me”. And how can I change that? I’ve tried. For years, I’ve tried. I’ve...given up.

My biggest fear is that I’m going to turn 25 and be out of college or just about, and I still won’t know what it’s like to have someone call me their girlfriend. That I’ll never know what sex feels like, or a kiss, or have someone get all giddy because we’re having a date that night and they’re nervous, and I can see it in their eyes.

The feeling is oppressive. Humbling. Sobering.

I want to be beautiful and wanted. Instead you’ll see me living vicariously, writing romantic fanfiction and (hopefully, if I decide to live that long) adventurous fantasy stories with a dash of romance. Escapism for some poor teen in a miserable high school, trying to find someplace better, just like I did.

I told my friend I think I’m over them because I thought if I wrote it, maybe she’d believe it, but I don’t think she did. I also thought maybe I could convince myself of the fact. We’re going to see each other at the con in February with some friends. The worst part is I don’t know how I’ll be.

I’ll hug her for sure. I just hope I don’t do anything stupid. Life isn’t like a manga. She won’t magically change her feelings because I kissed her or something reckless. I’d more likely ruin the weekend. I entertain silly thoughts, but nothing will happen. I know I can control myself. It’ll be nice just to see her...

I used to wonder if maybe she just didn’t want to ruin our friendship in case we broke up. But then she casually mentioned on a call once about how one of her friends going with us to the con is also an ex. I felt my heart twist at that. So it’s not that. She still has friends who she used to date.

It’s just me.

Again.

She doesn’t want to date me.

I know it sounds so dramatic. I know. But I love her. I love her. I love her more than anyone I’ve ever had feelings for, and I’ve known her for years. She’s not dating now and I’m always lowkey hoping she’ll have an epiphany one day. That she’ll wake up after we talked to 6am again and think about how we laugh at the same things, about our joke where we both say “I was just thinking that!” That maybe she’ll feel something.

But at the same time I’m not. I just want to get over her if she won’t change her mind. I don’t want to be bitter toward her. if she doesn’t love me I can’t say I blame her.

i just want to fall for someone who can give me a reason why she loves me. Who’ll say something instead of “I don’t know” when I ask why?

I want someone to look at me and say, “Angel, you’re beautiful.”

And I want to believe them.

[czechthisshitout]

Visit to Auschwitz 4.25.17.

*DISCLAIMER* These are my personal opinions and reflections on Auschwitz and thus reflects my own limited knowledge and personal biases. 

Another one of the reasons I may have fallen behind on this blog, was my reluctance to write this post. It’s not that I don’t want to share my experience at Auschwitz, I just wasn’t sure how to approach it and wanted to make sure I did so in a respectful way. This post may be a bit more fragmented and less narrative than most of my other posts.

On Tuesday morning, we all woke up early and packed up our stuff at the Hostel in Krakow, so we could meet up with Mike by the bus by 8am. I stole some cheese and bread from the hostel breakfast, because I didn’t want to buy any food on the premises of Auschwitz (we were scheduled to be there from 9:00am to 3:30pm that day). The atmosphere on the bus ride was strange, some people were silent, others were nervously cracking jokes, by the time was got a few miles away, the bus was silent. Auschwitz is on the outskirts of a rather large Polish town, with houses and shopping malls only a few minutes away, which was very rather startling. It makes sense, as there was houses close to Auschwitz which were torn down as Auschwitz was being constructed and the town was already well established by 1930s. I guess it just goes to show that American conceptualize Auschwitz, as somewhere so inhumane and unimaginable, that is must be in some isolate, desolated place. What was even more disconcerting, was the various food and coffee stands that littered the walk to the front entrance and the brightly colored advertisements for sodas and hotdogs, just like those in the more touristy parks of Prague. Again, I recognize the necessity of having food venues, especially for children and the elderly, but the prominence of the consumerism really caught me off guard. I guess, you assume the entire “Auschwitz” experience has to be solemn and devoted to the memorial, and any aspect that seems ‘normal’ or ‘capitalizing’ off the experience, is deeply uncomfortable and disconcerting. 

Anyways, we paid at the front gate and met our tour guide after a few minutes of standing right by the entrance. The weather, was decent, partly sunny and high 50s. Our tour guide was a soft spoken, middle aged Polish women, who’s grandfather worked in the Auschwitz workshops, alongside concentration camp inmates, but said never stepped out of time, as he knew him and his entire family could be killed if he did so. Her grandfather’s story really brings up the question of what is the difference between collaboration and coercion. 

Everyone in the group got a headset, so we could hear what our tour guide was saying with minimal distraction to the groups, as it was fairly crowded. She was hugely knowledgeable and did a good job of illustrating the suffering of Polish prisoners and the later shift to Jewish suffering, as well the complicity of various groups during the functioning of the camp.

We started in Auschwitz I, the original camp which originally housed Polish prisoners, and had administrative building, the Nazi officers residents, the barrack, and the more ‘museum’ part of the compound. We had an intensive three hour tour, during which I saw

-The ‘main square’ in which role call was performed twice a day on the inmates, and the inmates often had to spend hours in terrible conditions and undergoing abuse from the officers.

-A massive room filled with thousands and thousands of pounds of hair, which had been forcibly been shaved by officers as women entered the camp. It was mounds upon mounds of hair, some of it beautiful braided. 

-Rows and rows of camp inmate photos, taken in 1941 and 1942, before the volume became too vast, and the Nazi switched to tattooing numbers on the inmates arms. Its terrifying how thin and haunted looking some of them already were when they had the photos taken.

-Huge piles upon piles of luggage with the owner’s last names handwritten on them. The victims were asked to do this as they were being transported to the camp. 

-Piles and piles of tea kettles, you could tell that many of them had were worn and well loved. 

-A memorial to the children inmates, many of whom were only eight or nine years old.  

-The original crematorium and gas chamber, which had functioned until early 1944 when three larger crematoriums were built at Birkenau. It was claustrophobic and dark, and I’m glad we only spent a short amount of time there.

-Terrible terrible pictures of the inmates who survived medical experiments by the Nazis doctors, many of them children.  

-The inmate prison, where political and other non-Jewish inmates were held for punishment or before being killed by firing squad if they had rebelled or ‘misbehaved’ in any other way in the camp. 

-A memorial to/exhibit on the Romani victims of the Holocaust. It was illuminating and disturbing to learn the many ways the Romani were treated just like the Jews. You could also tell that the exhibit had a lot less funding than other exhibitions, reflecting the negative cultural attitudes to the Romani people that continue until this day. 

-A room filled with artist recreations of the few drawing from child prisoners which have survived.  That was a particularly hard room to walk through. 

In general, I was surprised by the emphasis on the non-Jewish, Polish inmates and the harsh conditions they had to endure, again its somewhat makes sense as Auschwitz is in Poland and was originally a camp for Polish prisoners, but the American narrative is that of Jewish suffering.This emphasis is also somewhat political in nature, as Auschwitz serves as an excellent way for the Polish to uphold a victimization narrative and distance themselves from any charges of complicity. I hate the fact that Auschwitz is used for political purposes and to possibly uphold over simplified narratives about the Holocaust. I know its inevitable and all memorials are in someway political, but there was so much suffering, so much death on such an unimaginable scale, I just want it to remain apolitical. I want it to honors both those who lost their life and those who suffered, and to educate future generations, I want it to retain some kind of ‘purity of purpose’ I suppose. 

We had thirty minutes for lunch, I went back the bus and eat my bread and cheese before swinging by the bookshop and purchasing a two books, one a testimonial of one of the Nazi doctor’s assistants and the other about art the prisoners managed to make in the camp. At the end of the break we piled back into the bus and headed to Birkenau, the later, larger camp, where most of the exterminations happened. We went to the entrance/guard tower and the tour guide gave us a quick history lesson before thanks us and parting ways. For the afternoon, we were freed to explore Birkenau in our own way, at our own rate. 

The first thing that struck me was just how huge Birkenau, most of the barracks are gone, the material being reused in the Post-war period, but the rows of their foundations just stretch on, row after row, there is dozens, if not hundreds of rows. What is even more sickening, is than 75% of the (predominantly Jewish) prisoners who arrived at Birkenau went died in the gas chambers within the first few days after their arrival, many never even used the barracks that splayed before me. 

At Birkenau you get this nearly suffocating sense of ‘nothingness’, its not the visceral sadness I felt from many of the personal artifacts in Auschwitz I. There is no human elements there, just the skeletons of the buildings. Many of the victims that there died, weren’t just killed, they were erased, their belonging stripped from them, their bodies destroyed, many didn’t live long enough to leave any mark or reminder of their presence. So many people died in Birkenau, in such as an efficient, clinical way, the human mind can’t comprehend it. The scope is so massive, any individual can only dip their toe into the ocean worth of suffering that was the horror of the Holocaust. 

We had about two hours to ‘experience’ Birkenau, I saw:

-A ‘children’s barrack, with a few murals made for children and which highlighted just how inhumane the conditions of the barracks were.

-The train line extension that dropped off the prisoners, and where they were sorted as being ‘fit’ or ‘unfit’ by Dr. Mengele. Those who were fit to work were sent to the barracks, those ‘unfit’ sent to the gas chambers. Women, children and those over 40 were most often deemed unfit.  

-The ruins of the three gas chambers, which the Nazi blew up in the last weeks of the war, in an attempt to cover up their tracks, and where you can still see the steps the victims descended as they entered the building.  

-The building were the all incoming prisoner were processed, registered and stripped of their belonging before being forcible shaved and showered. It was one of the few buildings intact, with large pictures on the walls of Jews waiting to be processed and the Nazi offers ‘registering’ them. When I walked through the building I was the only person within the building, the rooms were freezing and it just felt incredibly suffocating and ominous. It was one place in Birkenau were you really felt a ‘reminder’ of the victims who suffered here. 

One of the weirdest things was just how ‘pretty’ it was parts of Birkenau were. The back of the camp is a wooded area with small paths between the various buildings, it was a sunny afternoon, you could hear bird song, it was *pleasant.* Not a word you would ever wanted to associate with Auschwitz. You almost feel guilty, enjoying the natural beauty where so much suffering occurred. We like to believe that beauty and suffering are two separate experiences, and its uncomfortable whenever they simultaneously occur. 

I was nearly late headed back, we were supposed to be back at the bus by 3:30pm and at 3pm, I found myself on the far side of the camp, so I quickly had to cover the 2-3 mile walk back. Part of the walk involved walking back through the barracks on a rough uneven path with a tall fence on each side. It was only as I was halfway through this portion did I remember this was one of the major paths victims look from the train platform to the gas chambers. Except I was walking in the opposite direction, from the crematorium back to the entrance, it really hits you that you have this simple freedom that hundreds of thousands of victims did not. A mixture of guilt-tinted relief and dread descended over me, and I visibly sped up when I neared the main walkway. I was able to catch up with Francesca, Maddy and Mike as they were nearing the guard tower/entrance, and we were the last people back to the bus. 

I was exhausted, both physically and emotionally. No to be too hyperbolic, but I can think of few instances where I was more exhausted than the bus ride back to Prague that late afternoon and evening. 

[the-pbd]

2.20.17 | Bangkok

Hooray for whirlwind travel weekends! 

Thailand is a country that deserves much more than two days to explore but I was balling on a (time) budget so that was all I could spare. My friend Jameel had been on a family vacation in Thailand and right before he flew back, we met up in Bangkok to do some sightseeing.

I'd been to Thailand before (albeit 10 years ago) so I was less interested in the touristy stuff, and Jameel had already seen most of it with his family anyway. Luckily, there's a ton of beautiful scenery in and around Bangkok. After some research, we decided to visit Erawan National Park, where there apparently was a stunning hike along a 7-tier waterfall. (Side note: Jameel pointed out that I have a weird thing for waterfalls. After some reflection on a few of my previous travels- most notably Iceland- I have to admit he's right. But I mean, who doesn't love a good waterfall? Literally no one. Because waterfalls are awesome).

It was somewhat of a cumbersome process to get to the falls. We took a taxi from our hostel on Khasan Road to the Southern Bus Station (Sai Tai), a bus from there to Kanchanaburi, the nearest town to the falls, and then another bus from Kanchanaburi to the park entrance. All in all, it was a 4 hour trip one way on Thailand's bumpy, dusty roads in some vehicles that had definitely seen better days. The good thing was that the rides were crazy cheap.

Upon arrival, we located the beginning of the hike and after a really short walk (like, 10 minutes) we reached the first tier. Honestly, I felt a little undeserving of the view because it was something that I would've hiked at least an hour for, but there it was- a crazy beautiful waterfall barely 500 meters from the park's entrance. There were a lot of people splashing around in the light blue pools and you could see schools of skimming along the banks, and huge palm fronds overhanging the water. It was ridiculously pretty but kind of crowded, so we kept going. The second, third, and fourth tiers all had a decent number of people hanging out in them as well. The last couple of tiers were more isolated.

What was really cool about the hike was that all the waterfalls were different. Some of them were wide and free-flowing and others were more like steps, with choppier rapids. Sometimes the hike was right next to the water and other times it was through the jungle. We stopped a few times to climb up the river and snap some photos. Even though it was a really hot day (hotter than Singapore, which is saying something) the shade provided by the leafy canopy was cool. Still, by the time we got to the very top of the falls, I was super ready to go swimming.

The seventh tier- aka the end of the trail- was almost at the top of the mountain and took us about an hour and a half to get to. There were fish up there (how did they get there??) and I'm pretty sure I saw a water monitor clambering around one of the pools as well. And we even saw some monkeys! As someone who has only seen monkeys in captivity, it was weird to think that they existed in the wild, too. No wild monkeys in the US, at least not to my knowledge.

We decided to hike back down a little to swim, in order to avoid the crowds. The water was refreshingly cold but still pretty shallow, and we paddled around for a little while before drying off and hiking back to the park entrance. The buses back to Kanchanaburi were hourly and we just barely made the 3pm one. The buses were packed to the brim, with people sitting in the aisles and crouching in the back and even standing on the steps in the open doorway, holding onto railings. But for 40 bhat ($1.20 USD) I had no reason to complain. After arriving back at Kanchanaburi, we hopped on the other bus back to Bangkok and then split a taxi with some people we met who were also headed back to Khaosan. We arrived at like 7pm and Jameel and I showered and got ready for the night.

Khaosan Road is pretty famous in Bangkok, comparable to Bourbon Street in New Orleans. I feel like every major city has that one road just filled with vendors and street food and budget hostels and bars and clubs and touristy stores. Khaosan was that road. Because this was Thailand, street food was plentiful and delicious and Jameel and I basically just made a feast out of it, snacking on some spring rolls, then some satay, then some pad thai, and finally some freshly blended pineapples. All for like less than $5. We bar hopped a little and drank some beer and explored a nearby rooftop bar, and then came back to Khaosan and got some cocktails. It was close to midnight then and things were getting super rowdy. People were dancing and drinking in the streets (they had these things called vodka buckets, which are more or less self-explanatory). Bars were pumping out music as loudly as their speakers could handle, and vendors and promoters were walking with advertisements for Laughing Gas (??) and even signs boasting that their bar didn't check IDs. It was pretty wild. We called it a night soon after that and went back to the hostel. 

The next morning, we woke up and had breakfast (side note- the people at Some Rest Hostel are SUPER nice. Shameless plug for them, not the least because we lost their room key and they didn't charge us or get mad or anything and we felt really bad and then ended up finding the key in Jameel's backpack much later, after we'd already left. Oops). We spent the morning walking around Khaosan (it looked super different in the daytime) and then taking a water taxi to River City to check out Terminal 21 in Sukhumvit. On the way there, we passed by this street market, and there was this one stall that had a buffet of food. We got this incredible (starting to run out of adjectives to describe the food) pumpkin soup and a cup of tapioca pudding in coconut milk with cantaloupe. I really feel like we need these food stands in America. It would literally revolutionize the sad food industry that we currently have and make our nation a lot healthier. But then I guess that would put Chipotle and Chick-fil-a out of business, and we can't have that.

We eventually made it to Terminal 21 , which is basically just a huge shopping mall with a different city theme on each floor. They had London, Tokyo, and Paris and also two cities in America- San Francisco and Los Angeles. I thought it was unfair to include two cities from the same country- even the same state- but Jameel loved it. Whatever. Californians. We had some money to blow so we got some sesame noodles with roasted duck, spicy noodle soup, Thai tea (of course) and then got a desert of MANGO STICKY RICE. Okay, I have to say- mango sticky rice sounds very boring. It also looks very boring. It's literally just slices of mango on a mound of rice. But what I didn't know until I tried it was that the rice was glutinous, slow cooked until it had the consistency of mochi, and then cooked some more in coconut milk and condensed milk. It's soft and chewy and sweet and heavenly. The mango on top is a nice touch. But the rice is absolutely fire. Highly, highly recommend.

Anyway, we strolled around the mall for another hour or so and I bought a leather keychain strap thing because I felt obligated to buy a souvenir. I really dislike useless trinkets like snow globes and shot glasses so even though my purchase wasn't super ~*Thai*~ or whatever, it was useful and that's what really mattered to me. Side note: my friend Carolyn does this really cool thing where she gets a piece of jewelry in every place she visits. I think that's such a great idea because A) Jewelry is small and easily packed and B) It's a cultural and artistic representation of where you went without being obnoxiously touristy. Also, if someone compliments you on it you can say "Thanks! I got it in Belgrade/Krakow/Barcelona/Reykjavik" and sound super cultured and not pretentious at all. I started doing this in Europe and would've also got something in Bangkok but the mall was pretty bougie so there wasn't really any cheap jewelry for sale. 

Around 2pm, we decided it was time to get on our flights to go back to our respective homes. Jameel was going to a different airport than me so we took a taxi to the nearest metro station and parted ways. It was really nice to catch up because I rarely got to see him ever since he moved to the other side of the country. We did get to meet up once in Copenhagen last year but that ended up being a total fiasco (another story for another time.) This was our first real hangout since he graduated in May 2015, and I'm really happy I was able to catch while he was here on this side of the globe.

Bye, Thailand. I'll be back for you soon but until then I'll be dreaming about your tropical waterfalls and your mango sticky rice.