#poon is still adorable

[pharawee]

—Why did you come into my room? —Your room is my room.

S H A D O W ◊ Ep.6: Funhouse

[dragonknightcal]

IM BACK!!!

BET YALL THOUGHT YOU GOT RID OF ME. BUT HERE I AM!!!

Baby Wild Headcanon, lets go!!

Ok, today's topic will be spoken words.

All kids have a phase where they mispronounce words because they just cant make the sound or that's what they hear the word as. Wild was no exception.

He didn't speak often after growing out of his baby!wild faze, but during that faze was a very different story.

Blanket? Try bankalet. Spoon? Poon. Horse? Horshwy. And yes all those are said exactly as they are spelled.

Wild grew out of it, as all kids do, but some words still get mispronounced from time to time, mostly when he's dead tired. The chain finds it adorable, and no one ever has the heart to correct him.

[sxxft-yoon]

my ~spicy~ opinions about gp999 connect mission preformances because i'm bored asf and i'm scared to death✨

DISCLAIMER: these are just my opinions and you're allowed to disagree with them, just please be respectful💕

also, i'm at school right now so there miiight be some shitty grammar so sorry about it 🤷‍♀️

enjoy my controversial and biased opinions! also sorry for low quality images bwahahahhahah i suck

•yes or yes teams•

~team 1~ line-up: kim hyerim, huh jiwon, kim chaehyun, ma yuling, chiayi, li yiman, okuma sumomo, yamauchi moana, kuwahara ayana

my opinion: ok they absolutely slayed this one and definitely deserved the mcountdown performance, because everyone shined here. hyerim is an amazing main vocal and their team dynamic made me smile. kinda salty about moana not getting recognized and jiwon as a center made me cringe a tiny bit but i'll let it slide haha

mvp: kim hyerim (k-group)

~team 2~ line-up: lee chaeyun, kim sein, kim doah, leung cheukying, wen zhe, xu ziyin, kishida ririka, arai risako, okazaki momoko

my opinion: what's with the sein hate? she's fifteen, literally younger than me and a great vocalist. yes, she was a bit fast and that kinda brought the performance down, but she's a literal child! damn! doah as a center was sO cringy i almost cried laughing but overall my once ass is kinda satisfied

mvp: kishida ririka (j-group)

•how you like that teams•

~team 1~ line-up: choi yujin, seo youngeun, lee yeongyung, cai bing, shen xiaoting, xia yan, inaba vivienne, kawaguchi yurina, may

my opinion: i don't want to seem rude, i'm pretty sure they worked hard and all that, but the performance was...mediocre? i'm not talking about the mistakes, those are ok, they're humans but yujin, yurina and vivienne were almost invisible. tbh, the only one that i really loved in this performance was xia yan.

mvp: xia yan (c-group)

~team 2~ line-up: yoon jia, sim seungeun, kim dayeon, zhou xinyu, chen tzuling, wu tammy, shima moka, ando rinka, sakurai miu

my opinion: this is probably the most forgettable performance out of all 11. nothing stood out to me besides their kinda good facial expressions. so much wasted talent. they did ok, but definitely not outstandingly good to win.

mvp: yoon jia (k-group)

•fiesta teams•

~team 1~ line-up: lee sunwoo, kang yeseo, choi yeyoung, poon wingchi, huang xingqiao, chen hsinwei, hiyajo nagomi, sakamoto mashiro, kubo reina

my opinion: fiesta teams were done dirty with screentime but this one was really good, considering fiesta is in a ridiculous key! sunwoo should’ve got the planet pass, she did great, reina vocal queen and for once i agree with the judges about xingqiao, she improved so much! mashiro stood out to me the most.

mvp: sakamoto mashiro (j-group)

~team 2~ line-up: huening bahiyyih, kim yubin, suh jimin, hsu nientzu, lin shuyun, wang quiru, sakamoto shihona, nakamura kyara, ito miyu

my opinion: oh, boy. here we go. first, i don’t understand why judges didn’t suggest a main vocal change when miyu’s throat was so damaged from the high note, which ruined the already mediocre performance. on the brighter side, jimin and bahiyyih did great and were really stable! still, none of these girls had a chance to show off.

mvp: huening bahiyyih (k-group)

•ssfwl teams•

~team 1~ line-up: kim bora, ryu sion, lee hyewon, chang ching, zhang luofei, liang jiao, terasaki hina, hayase hana, nagai manami

my opinion: this is definitely my fav performance from this mission - everyone had their few seconds of fame, they complimented each other a lot and at one point they looked like a debuted group, especially when bora and luofei did the highnote. lalalalalala~

mvp: kim bora (k-group)

~team 2~ line-up: joung min, cho haeun, lee rayeon, liang qiao, ho szeching, cui wenmeixu, hayashi fuko, kanno miyu, oki fuka

my opinion: both ssfwl teams were actually bearable, even though i don’t like this team’s vocals that much. rayeon carried in vocals but again, i can’t get through the performance without being annoyed at mnet giving them black outfits instead of something actually fitting the dreamy concept, eh. 

mvp: lee rayeon (k-group)

•ebs teams•

~pretty u team~ line-up: kim yeeun, lee yunji, guinn myah, liu shiqi, gu yizhou, yang zige, ikema ruan, kamimoto kotone, murakami yume

my opinion: i’m kinda unsure if i find this adorable or ,,way too much’’ lol. yes, the concept is supposed to be like that but tbh i think myah overdid it a little bit, but she fit the concept and definitely made her team win, she’s super charismatic! another person that i’d love to highlight is kotone, she’s main rapper material. overall, i think the win was deserved.

mvp: guinn myah (k-group) 

~mic drop team~ line-up: an jeongmin, han dana, choi hyerin, lin chenhan, wang yale, liu yuhan, kitajima yuna, fujimoto ayaka, aratake rinka

my opinion: i’m fully aware that this team had no rappers which makes me question their song choice, but they did better than i expected them to! yale’s ,,yeah i’m on the mountain yeah i’m on the bay’’ is stuck in my head and even though they weren’t really charismatic, it wasn’t terrible. 

mvp: an jeongmin (k-group)

(it won’t let me post more than 10 images so here’s a gif lolol)

~the eve team~ line-up: you dayeon, kim suyeon, jeong jiyoon, xu ruowei, fu yaning, su ruiqi, ezaki hikaru, kamikura rei, nonaka shana

my opinion: i might be biased but they did amazing if we don’t count yaning’s eyebrow (im sorry yenny ily) and tbh, hikaru overdid it a little. jiyoon and shana are main vocal material and this performance made me a diehard ruiqi stan. the one that surprised me is dayeon, she did quite well with the vocal parts. 

mvp: su ruiqi (c-group)

so, this was a huuge mess and i have no idea why i’m doing this but yeah i just hope ruiqi gets in 

[beautiful-de4mity]

Hiroto’s Voicy 2020/07/14

“When it finally arrived, I rushed to destroy the box and take it out excitedly!”

ーHiroto unboxing his very first electric guitar.

Disclaimer [I’m translating for fun and self-learning purposes. If you listen to the Voicy and happen to find some mistakes, please feel free to correct me☀]

Hiroto started off with a story about the increase in Uber service usage. If he take a walk around the town, he will see a lot of Uber delivery men. He actually uses the service a lot lately and there are stores applying discount up to 20% for members which can be allocated as tips for the delivery men. The cashless method from your smartphone is also possible. He mentioned this as “o kimochi” or giving present to people as an act of kindness (a Japanese culture). However, giving tip to service workers isn’t actually familiar in Japan (even though basically it has the same concept as o kimochi). Hiroto concludes that giving tip is more popular overseas. Recently, he gave more tip to help people during this pandemic.

Tonight he talked about the day he held his very first electric guitar. Actually, long before he bought his first electric guitar, he already had an acoustic guitar even though he didn’t have any idea how to do tuning😅 

Hiroto got that acoustic guitar from a store that providing mail order at that time (he got the address from the back of Shonen Jump magazine). In the advertisement, it was described as a set for beginners and easy to use. He didn’t know anything about tuning but it seemed the acoustic guitar was equipped with something that releases “pooon~ poon~” faint sound and that guitar ended up being a decoration😅😅😅

It was around June when he was in the 1st grade of junior high school when he decided to seriously play guitar. His family owns a beauty salon and he helped around washing, doing errands, etc., to collect pocket money. He also did some jobs like delivering newspaper, literally anything to save more money during summer holiday. The target amount was reached around mid-September and at that time he started to make a guitar-related journal. He was going to buy it in about 3 months while carrying around that journal until it worn out. He filled that journal with knowledge, he went to the bookstores and collected information and took notes from guitar-related magazines. For the magazines he bought, he cut the parts he wanted to learn and turned them into clippings. 

Hiroto started to contact the music shops listed in the magazines one by one, asking about the model he wants, the price, the quality, and he was surprised that he received clear answer. Actually, it was probably safer for him to go directly to the music shop himself but he didn’t have enough knowledge yet. He cut off cardboard and put rubber on it and used it as if it is a guitar fret, wrote information about certain positions to determine the pitch, drew the chords shape, etc. In other words, Hiroto only had theoretical information without knowing how to play the actual instrument and that made him embarrassed to go (but his effort is so admirable, dang!) 😥😥😥  

He got that feeling because he once went to a music store nearby and just looking. But then the music shop clerk set up a guitar and gave it to him while saying, “Try to play it.” but he ended up can not play it. So he was embarrassed to go to the music shop again (the hurdles and pressure are high). However, he somehow finally went to one of the music shops and decided to buy that, but he ordered it via phone 😂😂😂 He negotiated and purchased for the model and set up he wanted. After that, he was calling the music shop almost everyday to make sure his guitar had been sent or not. He thought people from that music shop must be like, “This kid again?!” 🤣🤣🤣

At the day it was supposed to arrive at his home, he didn’t go to school (he was too excited and worried). He ordered the guitar from Ikebe Music Shop and was told that the guitar would be arrived in a week but a week felt like forever🤣  When the guitar arrived, he still remember clearly it was the second week of September, Friday. He stayed at home, didn’t want to go to school, while repeatedly thinking “Not yet? Not yet? Not yet?” 😂

It was supposed to arrive at 4 pm and he attended a tennis school which scheduled at 5.30 pm. He thought at that time, since he didn’t come to school, he should at least attend his tennis school. By the time the guitar arrived, he rushed to open the box (he described it as “destroyed the box”😂), set up the amp, and soon after that he practiced everything he had in mind right away!

It was a moving moment for him. He was overflowed with joy and screamed loudly in excitement. For the next an hour, he was immersed in playing guitar before realizing he should’ve gone to his tennis school (he made it on time though). He went home, picked up his guitar again, played for hours until asleep holding his guitar and his amp made “byaaaaaanggg” loud sound. His parents went to his room and scold him. He stopped, then played again, fell asleep again, repeat! 😂😂😂

That was his first day with his very new electric guitar!

Isn’t he adorable?! Took me a while to write this down since I couldn’t stop myself from laughing! I thought it was going to be a tear-jerking story, but it turned out to be very very refreshing! Please listen to it!🥰🎸

- BONUS -

[clarice-dagny-archived]

Clary didn’t like the feeling of being watched all the time but at least she had Kai, Aurelia and Thomas around too.  She was rarely alone anymore which gave her a sense of comfort in all the craziness.  They’d moved Hazel’s crib to their room so she’d never be by herself which also gave the red head and peace of mind.  She didn’t bother to keep her phone on anymore since she was sure ‘they’ were listening but they had so many other electronics in the house, she doubted the single device being switched off would do much.

As scary and tense as things were, Clary tried to stay positive for Hazel’s sake.  According to Auri, babies were very intuitive and she believed it.  Even with all the smiles and play time, Hazel seemed to know something was going on.

“Hazel nut, can you say ‘auntie Auri’?”  Clary tried as she wiggled one of the stuffed dinosaurs in the air at the baby.  Hazel flailed at it and made loud grunting noises but no actual words.  “How about ‘uncle Thomas’?”  At the mention of the other male, Hazel turned to the door to look for him before angrily hitting her hands on the floor.  

Clary couldn’t help but laugh, “no, he’s not back yet.  Sorry nut,” she said ruffling her hair.  Hazel was definitely getting more of it now.  They could even put it in tiny pig tails if they got her to hold still long enough for it.  Similar to Kai, she seemed to really like Thomas and missed when he wasn’t around.  It took a while to get there but now she was adorably attached.  

Hazel was getting a lot bigger now which always tripped Clary out.  She could run around and she would even try to dance whenever Thomas had his music on.  She could say ‘momma’ and ‘daddy’ and ‘’poon’ which was pretty cute.  Lately her new favorite word was ‘no’ and she was very stubborn if she didn’t want something.  

Things seemed to be going so well which was why Clary didn’t want anything to happen.  If someone did try something, they were going to be met with several very angry vampires.  “Hey Hazel nut, why don’t we go put on that tutu auntie Auri got you?”  She suggested as she scooped the baby up and kissed her cheeks.

“Nooooo!”  Hazel screeched but laughed the whole time as Clary carried her upstairs.  

“Yesss,” Clary said right back as she narrowly dodged the cats who were running around all over the place.  Mittens and Freebie played a lot now.  Well, mostly Freebie tried to sleep and Mittens bugged him until he got too annoyed and chased the kitten around.  

There never seemed to be a dull moment but so long as no one was dying, the red head was perfectly fine with this kind of madness.  

[heartyearning]

DID YOU WATCH IT??? WERE YOU IN LOVE WITH THE EP?? ((I think I need to marry Bryan fuller that guy is 👌))

if you marry bryan youll become my mom bc bryan is also my mom

IT WAS SO FUCKING GOOD THO LIKE EVERY SINGLE BIT WAS SO GOOD you know right at the start in the coming to america bit when mr ibis dips his pen into ink and all the fannibals look at each other w tears in their eyes bc it looks so much like hannibal (was that just me?) and then that bit w tech boy okay holy shit that fucked me up i liked it so much but tech boy is SO CREEPY i loved the way they like distorted his voice and then his face and it kinda looks like a bunch of bugs crawling round on his face and its TERRIFYING and OH MY GOD THE BIT WHERE THE CEILING FALLS DOWN AND U SEE LAURA I THOUGHT THAT WAS SO GOOD and like.. i feel like im the only one who actually adored bilquis but like my bisexual ass wants her to eat me and also low key was so good and like jonathan tucker could stare at a wall for an hour and a half and id still say his performance was stunning, amazing, breathtaking, but like i think he did real good and when hes all bundled up in bed that was too cute for me i love him so much and then at the airport and he looks all snazzy in that Big Boy Coat i loved it and what else did i like OH YEAH MR WEDNESDAY WAS SO GOOD AND FUNNY and also my idiot leprechaun son who is Stupid As All Fuck showing off and losing his coins (like c’me on darling you shouldve known that would happen) but can we talk about the crocodile bar set tho it was so?? pretty?? and magical looking i LOVED IT and okay lets just talk about shadow bc ricky whittle did SUCH A GOOD JOB ON HIM IMO LIKE?? AM I WRONG THO i.. have never been happier w a show in my life and part of that is the fact that the cast and crew is so happy about it (janice poon’s blog post where she teaches you to make lauras chilli AND fangirls about hannibal? the most beautiful thing in my life) but also part of it is HOW DANG GOOD IT IS YOU KNOW

[travelmsn123]

10 Best reasons to visit Nepal in Visit Nepal 2020

Nepal — a beautiful country nestled in between two powerful giants, China and India, speaks stories of its own. Also, known as a god-gifted country, it has some of the world’s highest mountains, including Mount Everest, the highest of them all. There is an old Nepalese saying, which many people believe: “Heaven is myth, Nepal is real.”

Historically famous as a attractive destination, Nepal has been attracting a growing number of tourists each year over the past couple of decades. The country’s government has announced this year as “Visit Nepal 2020,” following the success of “Visit Nepal 1998” and “Visit Nepal 2011.”

The government has been capitalizing a major part of its time, money, and resources in the tourist industry. It has introduced new destinations and is focussed on developing and promoting various destinations and services. The private sector has responded with a wide range of vacation packages for every family, couple, individual, and also for all types of budgets.

Further 10 reasons to visit Nepal in 2020

World Heritage Sites

Nepal is home to 10 UNESCO World Heritage sites. The heritage sites, which have been chosen for their cultural and natural value, include:

Boudhanath

Patan Durbar Square

Swayambhunath

Changunarayan

Kathmandu Durbar Square

Bhaktapur Durbar Square

Pashupatinath

Sagarmatha National Park

Lumbini

Chitwan National Park

Each of these landmarks holds a unique and significant value, making it an attractive destination for visitors. The best thing about this country is that all of them are easy to reach, with seven sites located in the capital city Kathmandu.

Trekking

Nepal offers one of the best trekking experiences in the world. Your choices as an keen, amateur, or novice trekker are literally limitless. Regardless of how fit or unfit you and your companions are, Nepal has a route to suite you.

Why not experience the view of a spectacular sunrise and feel at peace with nature thousands of miles from the stress and hustle of your life in the workplace.

Some popular treks include the Everest Base Camp, a trek that goes through one of the most challenging Kathmandu to Lukla Flight, Annapurna Base Camp Trek, and Ghorepani Poon Hill Trek by crossing beautiful city Pokhara.

For enthusiastic trekkers who are seeking value for money and an unforgettable experience, Visit Nepal 2020 has exactly what you require.

Mountain climbing

Nepal is home to 8 of the 10 tallest mountains in the world including the tallest peak Mount Everest, also called Sagarmatha, making it a place which can provide thrilling adventures and memorable experiences that can’t be provided in any other part of the world.

Apart from these eight peaks, there are 326 other mountains within Nepal which are open for mountaineering expeditions, providing enthusiasts and seasoned profeffionals with endless opportunities.

Throughout history, the mountains of Nepal have fascinated famous climbers from the United Kingdom, the United States, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Ireland, and dozens of other countries across the world.

The government of Nepal has undertaken another major task for Visit Nepal 2020 — making this region as clean as possible. One of the problems with popular tourist attractions is garbage, which for some time littered many Himalayan hills; not any more.

Wildlife Exploration

Nepal is one of the richest countries in terms of biodiversity in the world. It is also called the “Amazon of Asia” as it is home to 5,980 flowering plant species. Some of its flora and fauna are unique to the region.

Additionally, it is home to 900 different species of birds. In fact, eight per cent of the world’s bird species live in Nepal, which is more than North Africa and Europe collective.

The spiny babbler (Turdoides nipalensis; Nepali: काँडे भ्याकुर), which belongs to the family Leiothrichidae, lives in the middle hills of Nepal. This bird cannot be found anywhere else in the world. Locals refer to it as Kande Bhyakur, which means “thorny bird.” In the early breeding season, you can hear the males singing.

The Birthplace of, Buddha

Lumbini, located in the Nepalese town of Kapilavastu, is considered one of the most spiritual places in the world. It is the birthplace of Lord Buddha. Lumbini is surrounded by many temples and monasteries.

It is a destination for countless pilgrims, many of whom travel thousands of miles. If you seek serenity and calmness, this is definitely somewhere you should consider visiting.

Food

Nepal is sandwiched between India and China, two nations famous for their cuisine. Even though the country’s authentic food is inspired by Indian cooking, its favourite fast food is Mo, which comes from China.

Given Nepal’s wide range of soil types and climates, as well as ethnics groups, there is a surprisingly wide range of dishes and food types. The Columbian Exchange brought outside foods into the region, including peanuts, cashew nuts, maize, tomatoes, potatoes, guavas, chilli peppers, and guavas.

Nepal is a great destination for vegetarians and vegans. The emergence of ahimsa in the region — the avoidance of violence to any living being — resulted in a high prevalence of vegetarianism in the country’s population, which still exists today.

Culture and religion

For a small country, Nepal has many unique cultures. They all have their characteristic languages, clothing, and histories. If you like learning about different cultures when you go on vacation, you will be pushed to find a better place to satisfy your curiosity. There are festivals all year round, which various cultures celebrate.

Perfect for Family Vacations

Nepal provides experiences that the entire family can enjoy together whether it be boat rides, swimming with elephants, sightseeing, and family- friendly activities such as visiting museums and temples among many. It has good weather and locals who adore children.

The most popular tourist attractions are not far from one another. Its superior hotels and transportation facilities can be accessed at relatively low prices. As part of its tourism drive, Visit Nepal 2020 has pushed these prices even lower.

Safe and Secure

Compared to many other parts of the world, Nepal is a safe place to visit. The religious nature of its citizens and their natural kindness guarantee that tourists can feel secure during their stay. Nepalese people are welcoming and understand how important tourism is for the national economy.

According to the UK government, of the 40,000 Britons who visit Nepal each year, the vast majority have a trouble-free stay.

People

Nepal is not only blessed with mountains, wildlife, and other beautiful physical features, but also with friendly, kind, and hospitable people. If you are wondering how the Nepalese people will receive you, be sure that they will do so with open arms!

Some additional information about Nepal

Nepal has a population of 26.4 million, making it the world’s 48th largest by population. It is a relatively small nation geographically — the 93rd largest in the world by area. Its main exports include clothing, pulses, leather, paper products, medicinal herbs, leather, and carpets. Tourism is a major earner of foreign currency.

The country’s main (official) language is Nepali. However, there are 123 languages that people speak as their mother tongue.

Source: https://msntraveltours.com/single_blog/26

[terraencounters-blog-blog]

Victoria is a Gem

I fell in love with Victoria.  She wears flowers everywhere.  She loves all kinds of ethnic food.  She has several scenic hills.  She adores the sea with gorgeous views of the Olympic Mountains above.  Named after famed Queen Victoria, she may just be the best small city to visit in all of North America.

We have been here a few times when we used to live on the West side of the continent but this was the first time we spent a whole week. Weirdly, it was like we were the ones at home as we picked up our son at the ferry from Vancouver to visit with us for the weekend.

The Homecoming sculpture (Wharf Street) above captures that magical moment when a sailor returns home and greets his daughter.  OK, our reunion with our son was not quite as dramatic as we just spent the previous week together — but we do not see each other often as we live 4500 km (2800 mi) to the east!  It is closer to fly to Honolulu!

Capital of British Colombia

Naturally, the best place to start exploring is to walk from the tourist bureau on Wharf Street along the harbour with lots of flowers, boats and cute yellow water taxis. In the background is the provincial Parliament building dating from 1897.  Note the Romanesque (semicircular) windows with mini-columns. Vancouver is a much larger city.  So why is little Victoria, with only 357,690 people, the capital of British Columbia?

After its start as a Hudson’s Bay fur trading post by Sir James Douglas (1843), Vancouver Island was the only British colony in the West because the rest of today’s Canada was “ruled” by the Hudson’s Bay Company (HBC).  However, thanks to the Fraser Gold Rush (1858), the area of mainland British Columbia (BC) was inundated with Americans.  And they wanted to BC to join the USA.

Governor Douglas of Victoria saw the threat to a future Canada if BC became part of the United States. In 1858, he unilaterally declared British sovereignty and laws over the BC mainland. There were no telephones in those days to get the Queen’s approval. Fortunately, Queen Victoria, immediately endorsed the actions of Governor Douglas and so BC became part of Canada rather than the United States.

BC is a massive province (944,735 km²) that is 20% bigger than Turkey or 36% bigger than Texas but with only 4.6 million people. Victoria is on “small” Vancouver Island (31,285 km²) about the size of South Carolina, Belgium or Taiwan.

In 1869, HBC was pressured by the British government to reject an American government offer of CA $10,000,000 to buy Rupert’s Land.  Considering its much larger size, that would have been quite a steal given the $7 million spent to buy Alaska.  Instead, the HBC sold it to Canada for $1.5 million.  That was quite a deal, except HBC never paid for it in the first place!!

The iconic landmark of Victoria is the Empress Hotel (1908) with its old world Edwardian feel. Believe it or not, the run down hotel was nearly pulled down in 1965. Thanks to a $45 million dollar renovation, it has thrived. In addition to serving beautiful décor and traditional Devonshire tea, the grounds of the hotel are strewn with gorgeous flowers. In fact, Victoria is the city of flowers. That is probably its’ most special feature. Flowers adorn every street downtown.

Hidden Gems

The other special thing about Victoria is finding neat places a short distance from the touristy harbour/downtown area. Just around the corner is Thunderbird Park on Douglas St.  It is full of real totem poles and even a meeting house. The presence of Indian culture is palpable in BC.  In fact, 17% of Canada’s aboriginal people live in BC.

They own large parts of the province and now many of these areas have become self-governing First Nations (FN). Many of the FN territories in the north built community centres where visitors can meet FN people and learn about their culture.  Do not miss the Nisga’a Museum (New Aiyansh) north of Terrace.  It has some of the best artifacts anywhere and the free guide was a superb, enthusiastic teenage girl who was a font of information.

A short walk from here is a very beautiful “park” at 835 Humboldt Street. A tree-lined road leads to St. Ann’s Academy (1871), a convent and the first BC school for girls.

The Quebec Provincial style property was sold to the province of British Columbia. This National Historic Site is now the BC Ministry of Advanced Education.

Chinatown

North of here is first and oldest Chinatown in Canada.  The Chinese immigrated to BC during the various gold rushes and some never went back thus starting the Chinese-Canadian community.  Due to prejudice, the Victoria School Board issued a policy in 1908 allowing only Canadian-born Chinese children to attend Victoria public schools.  In response, the first school for Chinese students was built in 1909. The school at 636 Fisgard St. is still being used. It was funded by the Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association.  It should be noted that the CCBA in San Francisco and BC actively funded Dr. Sun Yat Sen and worked for the overthrow of the corrupt Qing Dynasty in 1911.  The only remnant of the Republic of China today is Taiwan.

Just down the street is another hidden gem, Jeff Maltby’s Chinatown murals.  The 19th-century street scene shows the Way Sang Yuen herbalist shop.  It employs superb trompe-l’oeil visual effect that just draws you in.  You just have to stare at it for several minutes.  Another nearby Maltby mural is a portrait of the family of Lee Mong Kow, who became the first principal of the Chinese-language school above.

So much pizza! Victoria

Thai Food, Victoria

Today 13% of Victoria’s population is Asian.  Needless to say, one can get surprisingly good ethnic food in Victoria – everything from Italian pizza to Thai green curry.

Abkhazi Garden

Nicholas Abkhazi was a Georgian Prince whose family fled the Russian Revolution.  In Paris, he met Peggy Carter, an American born in Shanghai.  During World War II, the Prince was sent to a POW camp in Germany and Peggy to an internment camp near Shanghai.  After the war, Peggy settled in Victoria and Nicholas in New York.  They reconnected, married and settled in Victoria in 1946.

They bought a property at 1964 Fairfield Rd and began creating a garden.  It is a more natural environment than typical English gardens.  There are magnificent native Garry oaks, Japanese maples and rhododendrons.  Unfortunately you need to come in spring for rhododendrons but we saw them in their native habitat on Poon Hill on the Annapurna Trek in Nepal.   A trail circles around rocky slopes, with varied views of the garden below and their house on top.  It is now a teahouse and gift shop.

The Abkhazis worked together on their creation for over 40 years, referring to it as “their child”.  After the Prince died, Peggy sold the garden in 1988 to her gardeners, who later sold it to developers for $1 million.  The Land Conservancy (TLC) saved the land and house from the bulldozers in 2000, but it is still zoned for townhouse development.

In case you thought that’s all there is to Victoria, more is coming in our next post.

Fall in love with Voluptuous Victoria. She wears #flowers everywhere, loves all kinds of ethnic food, and adores the sea #travel #amazing #Canada #roadtrip #photography #must-see #exploreBC @HelloBC Victoria is a Gem I fell in love with Victoria.  She wears flowers everywhere.  She loves all kinds of ethnic food. 

[superiri]

#RiriAntinGoToNepal #Day2 Phewa Tal / Phewa Lake. Located in the south of the Pokhara. D-1 Trekking, we still uncertain which trek that we'll going. Back to the start, Rinjani was the one we adore and dream for along time. But I got "talak tilu" from my mother a.k.a bututi the queen of my life. :') the number one on the list if you want to hike a mountain is a Mother Permission. Don't you dare go hike without that, shit's will happen. So let's check another where-to-go, the plan B must be sailing Komodo Trip (because I want to pose like Luffy. HAHA! padahal kalo kapalnya kaya Luffy mahal ampun-ampunan 😂) but it getting replaced with Trekking in Nepal! Yeaahh let's see the highest mountain not only on calendar or google page! But what trek? ABC? EBC? Poon Hill? Poon Hill must be a reasonable choice. It's only take 4 or 5 days trekking, with 3.210 mdpl. But it's monsoon season. When the weather is hot and wet at times, sky often cloudy and rain falling. No snow. Yes. No Snow. What? No Snow? I came here to play the snow of Annapurna 😭 let's check once again if it's possible to go to ABC or EBC. But the host of our hotel (who is a travel guide too) said it's imposibble. We don't have much time to do that. ABC is a long trek, 7-8 days only for trekking. It's imposibble to going back to Kathmandu in 2nd Sept to catch a flight. More over there's no snow there. If you really want snow that bad, you have to hike to the top of Annapurna mountain. You will always find snow all year round on top of Annapurna. But... No. I know my limits. I don't wanna die young 😂 Poon Hill trek here we come! 🔥💪🏻 Nepal, Aug 26th, 2017. #Nepal #nepaltrip #annapurna #poonhilltrek #trekking #phewalake #pokhara #nepaltrek #dktm

[aaluminiumas]

The Exact Directions

        I should give up. I have to give up until it goes too far. I’m fed up with the Culper Ring, with espionage, with Brewster, Tallmadge, Washington – each and everyone involved. I cannot bear this bevy of ravening hounds chasing me. This war, implacable as it is, has already taken too much from me – it has bereaved me of my hick life, my everyday chores, my family, my Dad. I do not want to lose anything else – and I know better than to complain about the status quo. I already have a plan in my head – and after it’s carried out, I’m done. As I have said, I lost my father, and we didn’t vanquish. I had lost Anna even earlier – and yet didn’t receive a tad of safety I deserve. Despite her constant presence in the camp, side by side with Tallmadge, she didn’t do anything to indemnify me. Am I a whipping boy for the whole Continental Army?

        I heave a sigh, stroll nonchalantly across the hall nodding to the guests with an expression that I hope passes for interest. The festive dinner the Arnolds have arranged is truly captivating, I can’t but acknowledge that: the sheer grandeur of it is breathtaking, all the bigwigs are here and discussing Mrs. Arnold, General Washington and arduous schemes they’ve been speculating on for a certain amount of time. Hell with Washington, Howe, André and whoever else they bring up – all the names are supposed to strike a chord but not to cause contrition. They are mentioned just to tune the mood, to start the party.

        “Oh, you must be Abraham Woodhull,” comes a creaky voice, “Magistrate’s son!”

        “Exactly,” I offer a reverent smile. “And you are..?”

        He replies something, introduces me to his wife, to her friends, to their circle of acquaintances which will have erased by tomorrow. Where the hell Townsend? I’m sure he should be here. Ha has to be. Unfortunately, I’ve been taken away from my vantage point – this stout man talking to Arnold is thwarting the passage, so I cannot see a thing. Where’s he? Damn. I haven’t heard from him, and this concerns me a lot. What if something has befallen him?

        And then I catch a glimpse of his austere attire – his virtuously dark, inconspicuous garb. Maybe that’s what makes him such a good spy? He sends me a gander – and I forthwith intercept it, although his imperturbable, indistinguishable face stays as cool as always. He’s staid, and this trait gives him invincibility – he will not knuckle under anyone’s demands. He doesn’t show any sign he’s recognized me; furthermore, he’s normally neutral, nodding politely to everyone he is familiar with – to the whole hall full abrim with bigwigs used to loitering and lolling in his so-called coffeehouse.

        In a couple of moments, someone gives me a note – I seize it hurriedly, unfold it. Even if people spot me reading it, they’ll surely take it for a love letter from a lady.

        “Private Woodhull,” Colonel Cooke’s strident yet still orotund voice pierces my ears. He plows his way through the jostling people. “Glad you’ve come, boy.”

        “Couldn’t but accept the invitation,” here I smile again, wider than usual – I’m fed up with bandying pleasantries. I have to be in the opposite corner of the house, not to do the talking with another grandee. “Glad to see you here, too, Colonel. How’s the party going?”

        “Splendid,” he cackles and wrinkles his face, sipping exquisite wine. “It’s beyond my mind how Arnold’s managed to arrange such a soiree. Between us, he’s a little stiff. Stiff, pathetic and full of pathos – these are the components of his credo.”

        “Mrs. Arnold is sure to have helped him here. She definitely knows the ropes.”

        “She does!” he laughs in his squeakiest tone, obviously pleased. “I wager, you wouldn’t mind a wife like that! I’ll see to it personally, Woodhull. You’re already in the army, so the question of your promotion is just a matter of time, if you get me here. Women adore men in uniform – let alone despicable poons who spread their slits wide by meeting some regulars!”

        “I’m a married man, Colonel,” I chortle, although his blatant humor nettles me. “I’m afraid, harems aren’t allowed here.” I make a move.

        “That’s what I call inequity!” he guffaws louder, his voice rides up a notch. “Those wogs found the approach that worked wonders, didn’t they? No compliment to them, though.” he belches and scratches his turkey neck. “Anyway, when your ball and chain isn’t around, you can let yourself loose. Remember this advice, son. This saves marriages!”

        He’s certain he’s taking an image of a sage who has just outwitted me. I feverishly seek any excuse to leave him here on his own devices.

        “Oh. What a disaster,” he suddenly adds, putting his hand on the stomach. “My guts are in the mood to play a song or two. Don’t think I’m planning to get rid of you, Woodhull,” he creaks, “but this is the matter of high importance. Bubbling bowels aren’t the best when you have so many delicacies on the table – even if the table belongs to such a mess as Arnold.”

        “Of course, Colonel.”

        He swaggers to the servant, but before reaching this point, he turns around – he does have a ton more things to say. And I have to hear him out – and hope for his entrails to haul him to the latrine as fast as possible.

           “You are late,” Townsend states dryly with evident exasperation in his tone. His face as lurid as ever, especially in the dimly lit cubbyhole, his dark eyes shimmering with an emotion I cannot discern – and they are replete with confidence.

        “Colonel Cooke,” I explain hastily, “he’s buttonholed me in the hall.”

        He doesn’t say a word about it – just glares at me.

        “What?” I get inflamed immediately. “What should’ve I done? I couldn’t tell him to wait until I finish my spy chores!” I hiss at him, but it still doesn’t affect him in the slightest.

        “So listen,” he starts hesitantly, seesawing, “it’ll be quick.”

        I hear him out – his dry facts, the dry facts they appreciate so much, Culper Jr. they adore. But this is not enough: Townsend lacks the tads that can develop the operation Caleb mentioned once. They’re doing something.

        “Is that all?”

        “That is.”

        “Didn’t they say anything about future movements deeper in the country?”

        “No.”

        “You sure?”

        “I am.”

        “Townsend, this is not enough.”

        His visage hasn’t altered a tad, but I feel him tense. He is calm and collected, his movements – or rather lack of them – composed, but I can fathom his change of heart.

        “Then what would be?”

        That, honestly, strikes me dumb. I am not certain as to what should be said, what I can make seem important. I’m flummoxed and perplexed.

        “What would be enough?” he repeats, tapping at every word, his gloomy brown eyes penetrating me. “You don’t know, do you?”

        He suddenly draws closer, and it feels unsettling. “Woodhull,” he growls in the lowest tone possible, although his voice is never loud enough to be perfectly heard, “Private Woodhull,” he corrects himself, his tone morphing into ominous hissing, “next time provide me with the exact directions.” He whispers and stares deeply into my eyes for a while longer.

        And then it happened – something I cannot forget or explain. He grabbed me with his sinewy hands, squeezed me, and kissed me right in the lips. This sufficiently passionate kiss was the manifestation of his well-concealed temper I have never spotted before. I am not aware of the reason what cause such wave of feelings inside me, but I clutch his wrists in my fingers and return the kiss. It rives my vision of normalcy, but I for some obscure reason… I don’t care.

        I just stick my nails into his cassock, into his flesh and devour his hidden fervor, the flame I have never bumped into. Is that what’s stowed away inside that severe robe?

        “Exact directions, Woodhull,” he reminds, panting and moving away from me. “That’s the crucial thing I need while working for you, or Washington.”

        With this, not saying anything else, Townsend leaves me in this nook. I come up to the surface – to see Colonel Cooke telling another dirty joke.

        “Harlots are expensive,” he guffaws with a short cough, “but there’s a way to finagle a few pounds out of her, or, say, screw the hoe over!.. Once I had to do the trick…”

        I don’t get the rest – now I have to muster all the exact directions to give them to Townsend – and to meet him again.