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I was sitting in a Barcelona square when I heard screaming. I looked to my right and saw a little girl chasing pigeons with feathers. I grabbed my camera, turned it on, zoomed a bit, and then pointed in her general direction and prayed. I got lucky.
She did not catch any pigeons.
In Seville I walked with the hostel crowd to some bars off the Guadalquivir River. There's a wall against parts of the river where you can sit down and relax, and we put ourselves next to three guys who were singing and drinking to improvised drum beats. These guys attracted more people than the actual bars behind them and it seemed like they weren't even trying; they were just having fun. I was pretty mesmerized by them, especially the one in the white shirt who sang with so much energy that he was red and exhausted after every song.
When I came home from Spain, I was so inspired by their performance that I ordered an instructional book to learn how to play my djembe drum. I am sure I will open that book any day now.
What do you do when you get desensitized to amazing castles, towers, cathedrals, and palaces? What do you do when you can't even see them? What does it mean when you don't get the chance to practice a language you've studied for months? Does it matter that you don't meet many natives? And what exactly is culture anyway? What is the point of traveling?
On my way to Madrid I had to wait in the Valencia train station for seven hours because I missed an earlier train. I was getting used to my new health problem that showed up the night before and was wondering what I would do for the next ten nights. I went to the caf? and shared a table with a German tourist. The table was small and the metal chair was uncomfortable. I drank coffee and sat there for three hours with a pen and notebook, thinking, drawing, and writing nothing of real importance. I sat there a man without any obligations: no one I had to call or see, no meeting to attend or job task to perform, no deadline or pressure of any kind to face, as free and disconnected as I can get, happy and at peace with myself. It turns out I don't travel for the girls, for the culture, for the food, or for the sights; I travel just so I can sit somewhere with my own thoughts, alone, with a pen, free from the noise and routine of everyday life. As for everything else that happens during travel — well, those things are just a bonus.
Ladies and gentleman, the mullet is alive and well in Spain. Maybe you can consider them stylish mullets, but they were still mullets, sported by half the native girl population in Barcelona (and in lower numbers elsewhere in Spain). Even though these girls seemed to rock the mullet well, I was still disturbed.
One word can best describe Spanish girls: juicy. You just wanted to bite them. I would say they are two-thirds South American and one-third white, with a ratio that changes depending on where you are in Spain. Barcelona had less whiteness, which showed in curvier, darker women while Seville had more whiteness with the most blondes in all of Spain. Barcelona had the most beautiful girls, very closely followed by Granada.
It's very rare for a Spanish girl to have neither breasts nor ass. They have at least one, and it's usually breasts; big, full breasts. While I'd rate their ass as only respectable, they tended have a better idea how to accentuate it, choosing to wear thin, cotton dresses that made it seem bigger than it really was.
If you are into girls with oral fixations, Spain is your place. Not only do most of them smoke, but they all have piercings in the mouth area. There was no clear pattern of where they put it: some of them have it on their lip, some have it somewhere around their mouth, and others have it closer to their cheek. While American girls have the generic lower back tattoo, Spanish girls have the randomly placed mouth piercing. I think neither have considered the repercussions of their choice that may come with aging.
As you can see from the chart below, Spanish girls prove to be capable enough in enough categories to edge out Italian girls. Venezuelan women will retain the top spot because they possess all the qualities a horny assman needs. American girls, like usual, round out the bottom.
|International Women I've Studied In Their Natural Habitat
|American Girls
|Venezuelan Girls
|Italian Girls
|Spanish Girls
I wouldn't believe you if you told me – after my recent tame experiences in Italy and Venezuela – that I would be thrown deep in the game every day for two weeks. But that's what happened. Spain was like a boot camp of game.
By the time I left Madrid for Seville, I was mobile but still in bad shape. I was completely congested and started to develop a dry, unproductive cough. My voice, the keystone of my magic, was completely shot. As a man I was borderline useless.
Seville's residents have been described as the most beautiful in all of Spain. I observed the women of Seville closely for four days, and, frankly, they are quite chunky monkey. Unless September happened to be fat overhang month, look to other Spanish cities for better quality. I think the fatness could be due to the cheap 2-3 euro tapas that put U.S. Spanish restaurants like Jaleo to absolute shame. (In Granada, the tapas actually come free with your two euro drink.)
It was in Seville where things started coming together.
Lesson #1: If you think you are getting a vibe, you are getting a vibe.
When I walked into the Oasis Hostel in Seville looking for a room, a 5'10, thin German 23 year-old girl named Vicky was helpful to me (think runway model without an eating disorder). That's it — just helpful. At the time I wanted to think she was giving me a vibe, but I concluded that she was just a nice person.
The hostel had a communal dinner the next night and she stood next to me until I started a conversation. When it comes to girls there are no such things as coincidences; they are subtle creatures, opposite of the man's obvious "I want to fuck you, seriously" style of seduction. They reward men who have enough social intelligence to pick up on these subtle signs, and unless desperate, will only give you one or two chances to do something about it.
As I would find out six hours later, Vicky was indeed giving me a vibe. I've come to learn that German girls compete very well with other women of the world. Plus their accents are tough to beat.
Lesson #2: Language is everything.
Without language, you just can't establish that emotional connection. This is why I let myself stay in the comfort zone of English-speaking hostel girls than trying to grind it out and play a numbers game with natives. Language is like the screwdriver in your toolbox — a toolbox that only contains four other tools. A big chunk of your game relies on the ability to talk and have it mean something to the girl your talking to. Every girl I met in Spain who meant something to me was fluent in English.
Lesson #3: If someone asks if you are God, say yes.
After Vicky I met Hannah, an 18 year-old English girl who attends Oxford. She is the typical cute girl-next-door but with a very nice body. Rumor around the hostel was that she had a boyfriend, but she never told me so I could only interpret her omission as a green light. My cough was getting worse but she didn't care and neither did I. I put in six hours of work that first night but she still wasn't ready to be kissed.
Instead, she washed my face. Yes, my face. It was the most genuine moment of the trip. We were in the bathroom, she accused me of having "bad intentions," and next thing I know she was scrubbing my greasy t-zone. It's hard to resist a girl who shows a willingness to take care of you (unless, of course, she's ugly).
The next morning she gently woke me up like only a girl knows how and asked if I wanted to go to the beach. If a cute girl asks you if you want to go to the beach with her, you say yes. Don't make the same mistake that Dan Aykroyd made in Ghostbusters.
I liked this girl a lot, but I liked the other girls a lot too. These are the times I feel pity for guys who have crushes and obsess over just one girl for months or even years. There is just too much quality out there in the world to have an obsession. And every new girl you meet sort of just replaces the previous one, even though the previous one was awesome in her own way (and maybe even better). For some guys, the rush of meeting someone new is more addicting than the comfort from something stable and long-term.
I spent another twelve hours with Hannah, including time in the water playing around, away from everyone else. On the beach she wore a serong that covered everything below her waist. I would patiently wait for a gentle breeze to lift it up just enough to show a little skin. Fantasizing about nudity, I decided, is more erotic than nudity itself.
Eventually I realized Hannah was like a pot of water you could only heat on low. She invited me to travel with her and her girlfriend to Cadiz, but it would completely change my plans. I had to say no. Should I have gone? Was I on the verge of breaking her down? You always hear of girls having a window of opportunity, a time where you must take advantage of her attraction for you. Well, guys have it too.
Lesson #4: Cockblocking is a chronic illness that can only be managed, not cured.
No one has any respect for a man trying to get laid. Especially not the girlfriend who can't walk home alone. Or the other girlfriend who is having a bad day and needs emotional support at four in the morning. Or the drunk Aussies who are acting stupid and ruining it for everyone. Or the hostel guy won't let you take a guest inside. Or the other hostel guy who won't let you make out with your girl in the lobby. Or the drunk guy friend who rather die than see you get with his crush. Or the Canadian guy who stands right next to you and your girl in his lame "I Like Girls Who Like Girls" t-shirt when you are ready make a move. Or the club that closes when you finally get the girl alone. It just wouldn't stop.
But you know what, I will never get upset at cockblocking again because it's a part of life, something I can't control, like my slowly emerging back hair. Just ride it out like a wave. The more you worry about it, the worse your mood gets.
Lesson #5: It's all attitude.
After Seville I went to Granada for two nights. The dry cough got worse: each coughing fit would end with me gagging and wiping tears from my eyes. I also contracted bacterial conjunctivitis and had to take off my contacts. Since I didn't bring my glasses, I could not make out faces unless they were two feet away from me. In other words, I couldn't see anything. I experienced the Alhambra, Spain's most popular attraction, through the eyes of a legally blind man.
Even though I wasn't even in condition to pick up a whore in a whorehouse, the game pulled me aside and asked me to make one final show.
Her name was Helen. She is a 19 year-old student from England. I swear I didn't try to meet her but she sat at my table with her friends while I was having a cappuccino. She said two things which meant that, at the minimum, I would be sucking face tonight:
1. "You are the first American I have really met." Everyone loves firsts!
2. "I really like Johnny Depp." I look nothing like Johnny Depp and have nothing in common with him, but girls who like Johnny Depp also like me. I don't ask questions.
Spain took away everything I thought was important to meet girls. My voice was shot, my eyes were leaking thick, green mucous, and I couldn't get out a long sentence without coughing. I looked and felt like shit. I was a beaten man. But I was still getting with quality girls that I dream of meeting here. How is that possible? How can I be at only 50% health but still succeed? Why would a girl want to kiss a guy who sounded like he was about to hack up a small, furry animal? Why did it keep working again and again regardless of how bad my condition got?
It has always been right in front of my face.
The game is not your clothes, it is not your money or your car, it is not you cologne, it is not your lines or routines, it is not your hair, it is not your wingman, it is not your guitar, it is not your voice, it is not muscles, it is not your job, and it is not your liquid courage. It is everything inside in your head: your intelligence, your life experiences, your desire, your drive, your self-respect, your beliefs, and your confidence. Your success as a man is already determined every morning before you even walk out the door. As long as you've put in your dues, there is no need to do, just be.
Americans make a big deal when they hear you are traveling alone: "Oh my god, poor thing, don't you have any friends? It must be so hard for you." This usually comes from the same people who rather be struck down with a mysterious illness from God than to go to a movie theater or bar alone. About half of the Europeans I met in hostels were traveling alone, a non-issue that I don't remember coming up in conversation. For living in a culture that stresses the individual, I'm surprised that Americans want their hand held when wandering from home.
I only need a few things for successful independent travel: $100 a day, the desire to experience new things, uncontrollable sexual rage, and good health. With health gone, the dynamic of the trip changed. "Where am I drinking tonight" changes to "Is this the right dose of medicine."
It was pointless to go to Ibiza while ill. Instead, I went to Madrid to recover for three days.
Madrid, from the five or six blocks I saw, seemed like a very nice city. It was hard to explore when I had to take a thirty minute break after every ten minutes of walking. In three days I visited a palace, a park, and a botanical garden, which I took a fine nap in. I did not enter a single Madrid club or bar unless you count the bar in my hostel. There is a subtle competition between travelers about how much they've seen or done, and I'm not ashamed to say that I did virtually nothing in Madrid.
An important part of recovery is proper nutrition. Any doctor will tell you that soup and juice is fine for a sick body, but I decided to ignore conventional wisdom and treat my body with a daily dose of Doner Kebab, which you may know as Gyro.
There is something very masculine about Doner Kebab; the gigantic, rotating hunk of beef, the oozing meat juice, the crackling sizzle, the muscular forearm of the man doing the slicing, and the sweaty brows of everyone standing near the open-air spit. It all adds to a very satisfying culinary experience.
Every sub shop in the States is stingy with meat. You order steak and cheese but you get dough and lettuce. Not so with Doner. They pile meat on top of meat and then add some more meat. The meat that fell off my daily Doner sandwich could easily feed a non-American teenager for a day. I was content to eat Doner every day, especially after my paella experience in Valencia.
Earlier in the trip I thought I was robbing myself of the Spanish experience by not eating at fancy restaurants. I decided to eat in a place that displayed a metal pan of paella about the size of a monster truck tire. I had chicken paella, wheat bread, and a glass of sauvignon blanc. The meal was very good, but I swear to you it tasted very similar to a $1 box of Rice-A-Roni Chicken Broccoli flavor that I often make at home. It rang in at $35, and I can definitely say to you that the paella experience was not thirty-five times better than my boxed rice. I don't care how great Spanish cuisine is, but for $35 it better end with at least a lap dance.
I've concluded that foreign dining is more risky than unprotected sex. But now I have protection. I will only eat at restaurants that meet these five conditions:
1. There are no patrons speaking English.
2. The wait staff speaks broken English at best. If fluent English is spoken by any waiter, run.
3. There are no English menu translations.
4. A large percentage of the clientele is composed of people who don't possess maps, digital cameras or fanny packs.
5. The location of the restaurant is at least two blocks away from a popular tourist site or square. If you eat at a caf? next to a huge cathedral, you might as well throw your money away.
There is only one place in Spain that consistently met all criteria. It's called Doner Kebab.
I trained hard to prepare my body for two weeks of punishment. I went to the gym four times a week and put my body in the best shape it has ever been in my life. But it wasn't enough because I decided to embark on a brand of tourism that was unsustainable. Here's how to destroy your body in four quick days:
1. Stay out until at least 4am every night. Each night drink an amount of alcohol that your body normally doesn't see in a week.
2. Get less than 4 hours of sleep a night.
3. Halve your normal caloric intake.
4. Consider water overrated.
5. After doing the above four items, insist on walking miles a day.
On the train ride back to Valencia from Bunol, I noticed a slight pain in the back of my throat. Encouraging emails from friends the day before urged me to push it no matter what, to sacrifice myself for the greater good of fun, excitement, and notches. Yes, I must keep pushing beyond what my body is capable of. I took a nap and prepared for my date with Ana the Polish girl, who I met
the night before.
It was much easier in Spain to meet quality, foreign girls. I remember thinking of the trouble I'd have adjusting to girls back home, having to go from Godiva chocolates to Hershey bars.
Ana took me a Brazilian bar called Opera where we met up with twelve of her friends, eleven of them female. They were from Croatia, Germany, Czech Republic, Spain, and of course, Poland. Back at home I often wish to be a part of a large international circle of foreigners who come together to share laughs, drinks, and sex. I was living the dream but unable to fully enjoy it.
Excited about her newfound Spanish skills, she insisted on talking to me in Spanish. Problem is I didn't really understand, and I just nodded my head as the pain in my throat got worse. I didn't mind being her language guinea pig as long as I didn't have to talk.
Opera became completely packed and all eyes were on the stage for the Capoeira demonstration. Capoeira is a Brazilian martial art that has little or no contact — it looks like a cross between ballet and gymnastics, with acrobatic kicks and moves that sometimes match with music. The demonstration by the three Brazilian men was nice, and I liked watching them balance themselves on their head while contorting their body in various directions, but I wanted the Brazilian female dancer I saw warming up on the side to take the stage.
Some women, like this Brazilian, have the ability to rotate the lower half of their body while keeping the upper half completely still — a complete mastery of the spine that is common with professional belly dancers. It was mesmerizing to watch a perfect body move perfectly; it puts you into such a spell that in this case I was convinced she is worthy to be my bride, and I don't even believe in marriage.
By the end of her performance, the throat pain was so great that I had trouble speaking. The smoke was getting to me and my head was hurting. Ana was being nice, sitting there patiently waiting for me to take charge and be a man. But there would be no way I could service her tonight. I excused myself to leave at the night's peak.
Every trip has its low point and for Spain it was tonight, getting ill and leaving an amazing bar and guaranteed action to return to an unbearably hot hotel room the size of a jail cell. I cursed myself for being too cheap to pay five extra euros for something bigger with air conditioning. Yes, this would be the low point, dry heaving over the toilet, desperately needing to vomit and unable to sleep. I would never fully recover.
La Tomatina is a yearly festival in Bunol, Spain that began because of one lovesick man. He tried to win over a woman with song until townspeople became so fed up that they started throwing tomatoes at him (so the legend goes). It is now a massive event attended by 30,000-40,000 people.
Most people arrive into Bunol by train and head to the town center to witness the glory that is the ham pole, a wood log greased in lard with a ham attached at the top. There would be no tomatoes until the ham was brought down.
This ham could have been brought down in fifteen minutes if everyone worked together like in those human towers, but every guy there wanted to be the hero. One man would get close and another would try to climb over him to a chorus of boos. Girls who attempted to mount the log would have their shorts pulled down. The base of the ham pole was not very different from a mosh pit, with fights, bloody noses, and boob grabbing. I was content taking pictures from a distance.
It was very obvious that the thick, white lard made climbing the pole very difficult. After about half an hour the main goal of the climbers was getting off as much of it as possible. Guys who made it high enough would have shirts thrown at them for grease wiping. The grease-wipers would get the most cheers as blobs of the Crisco-like substance landed on the crowd.
By 11:30am there were a few guys who got tantalizingly close to the ham. Patiently, the crowd waited by singing, chanting, and throwing random objects in the air. Finally, at noon, a young man brought down the ham with the help of a muscular man who supported him. A cannon boom was heard and the man and his ham was carried off into the crowd, a hero. Off in the distance, the first of five trucks was making its way to the town center. Little red balls could be seen flying in the air.
The next stage of the festival was the tearing of the shirts. If you had a t-shirt on, there was a very good chance it was going to get violently ripped off. The locals usually led the effort but tourists such as this one caught on quickly. Tearing shirts was harder than what I remembered from watching Hulk Hogan as a kid: you really had to yank and pull the victim in all directions to get the initial tear going. These shirts were then wetted with dirty water from the street and thrown into the crowd.
The first truck got closer and the noise from the crowd grew louder. Everyone wanted tomatoes. I put away my digital camera in a plastic bag as the first wave of tomatoes landed around me. Inside the trucks were at least half a dozen people shoveling and throwing tomatoes into the crowd. Security in front of the trucks moved people away.
There were a good amount of tomatoes being thrown in the air after the first truck passed, but it was less than I thought. I was barely messy and hardly getting hit. Was this it?
Then the second truck arrived. Instead of proceeding on like the first one, it stopped about ten feet away from me and lifted its bed. Several tons of tomatoes were dumped onto the street. Then it all happened so fast.
One minute I was wondering where all the tomatoes were and the next minute my eyes were burning and I was slipping into a river of tomato sauce up to my ankles. People were falling all around me and whole tomatoes were hitting me in the face. It took only a couple minutes for everyone there to get completely duped in tomato.
I kept getting hit in the head so I had to stay low, close to the tomato river. I'd bend down, scoop up some tomatoes, and hurl them at no one in particular. The smell of the river was getting to me, the product of 40,000 stinky bodies, a city square freshly coated with beer and urine, and a concentrated quantity of tomato that does not happen in nature. I gagged every time I reached for more ammunition.
Ten minutes felt like eternity. You get tired quickly and want to rest but there is nowhere to go; the tomatoes don?t stop flying and the tomato river continued to get higher after the remaining trucks dumped their load. The best I could do for rest was to go towards a wall and huddle against a mass of bodies. Once in a while I would take out my waterproof disposable and take pictures.
Many people there had a strategy to inflict pain. They would grab one tomato and try to beam you in the head. I tried doing this but it didn't bring me as much satisfaction as the pie-face strategy. I would scoop up sauce from the river and make sure to leave out any large tomato pieces. I'd stand up, bob and weave like a boxer to avoid getting hit, and search for a victim close enough to nail but not too close where I'd get easily identified as the thrower. Then I would very slowly sling the sauce directly in his face so he was forced to stop whatever he was doing to wipe off the mess. (Imagine someone opening a large bottle of spaghetti sauce and tossing it at your face from six feet away.) I wanted people to go home and remember my toss. The discomfort I created with my pie-face throw put a smile on my face every time, except for the couple of instances where I was caught and dealt with in a swift and furious manner.
After an hour of fighting, after tomato pieces entered almost every crevice of my body, a cannon went off and it was over. Disgusting, outrageous, unique, filthy: this is something you can only do once. I got hosed off and took out my camera bag to take pictures but it was halfway filled with red water. It wouldn't work again, but it was a small price to pay to take part in the ultimate tomato war.
Five days later I was served gazpacho, a tomato soup appetizer. It brought back vivid flashbacks of the river, the smell, the pain, and the days spent digging tomato seeds out of my ears. I couldn't finish it.
Tomatina Tips:
-Don't bring anything you don?t mind losing. Your clothes will be destroyed.
-Don't worry if you lose your flip flops. There will be hundreds to pick from afterwards.
-You need a shirt to get back on the train. Buy a souvenir shirt for twelve euros.
-Always keep your head down, looking at the floor. Don?t show people your eyes!
-When the fight nears an end (you?ll notice the tomato river starting to thin), go to the water hose platform in the center. They are powerful enough to clean you off.
-Don't bother with goggles. Your eyes will burn initially but they adjust after a short amount of time. Most people with goggles had them on their heads.


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New office furniture is all very well, but don't we all want our tape dispensers, staplers and scissors to be at least as sophisticated? This was the idea behind the decision of Japanese company Suikosha to contact British designer Michael Sodeau with the request to put together a small range of stationery with the above articles plus rulers, alarm clocks and erasers. All in black, white, yellow and orange, and with the name Anything. These practical and functional products are the first result of their collaboration, and several small office aids will follow shortly. After that, the partners plan to specialise together in … Anything.
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Read more about our philosophy
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Find your local showroom

subset: commoncrawl


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Honeymoon in Italy: 8 Romantic Itineraries
When it comes to honeymoon destinations, Italy usually ranks high on the list. It's no surprise, either – you've got everything from pretty villages and lively cities, to glamorous seaside towns and peaceful countryside here, not to mention some of the best wining and dining in the world.
But with so many different options, working out an itinerary can be the tricky part. Do you stick with one region? Travel the length of the country? Below, we've pulled together eight itineraries that we think are perfect for a honeymoon in Italy – but there are endless other combinations you can choose from (just give us a call with what you fancy and we'll come up with a bespoke itinerary).
The Quickie: A Luxury City Break in Venice
If you can only spare a few days, or want to have a 'mini-moon' rather than a big trip, a city break is perfect. And where better than Venice, one of the most romantic cities going? For a stay to remember, why not book a Grand Canal view room at The Gritti Palace, one of Venice's most iconic hotels, or a lagoon view room at the famous Belmond Cipriani, set just across the water from Piazza San Marco? A private walking tour is a great honeymoon option. As it's just you on the tour, it's completely your choice where to go – the Rialto market, perhaps, or the opulent Doge's Palace. And, of course, a honeymoon to Venice wouldn't be complete without a gondola ride – pricey, but well worth it.
The Classic: Venice, Florence and Rome
Ticking off Italy's big three cities is a classic itinerary, and fantastic for honeymooners after sightseeing, culture and plenty of food and wine. In Venice, tour St. Mark's Basilica and the Doge's Palace, then steal a sunset kiss as you glide underneath the Bridge of Sighs on a gondola – it's said to ensure eternal love. High-speed trains whisk you to Florence in a couple of hours. Once in the Tuscan capital, admire the art in the Uffizi and scale the stairs to the Duomo's terraces – or perhaps head out into the countryside for the day. Another 90 minutes on the train and you'll arrive in the Eternal City, home to iconic sights like the Colosseum, Pantheon and Spanish Steps.
The A-List Approved One: Portofino, Positano and Capri
You might spot a few celebs on this tour of Italy's chicest destinations. Start off in ritzy Portofino (as singer John Legend and his wife did after their Lake Como nuptials), where colourful houses cluster around a harbour filled with million-dollar yachts. The Belmond Hotel Splendido is a fantastic honeymoon hotel, with a beautiful pool overlooking the harbour. From the Italian Riviera, head south to Positano on the Amalfi Coast, where Oscar-winner Reese Witherspoon honeymooned. Channel Jackie O in huge sunglasses and a floppy hat as you wander through the town's steep streets and sunbathe on the sandy beach. From here, it's a short ferry ride across to the beautiful isle of Capri, favoured by everyone from Elizabeth Taylor to Leonardo DiCaprio. For a stay to remember, try the stunning Hotel Caesar Augustus.
The City and Sands Combo: Rome and Sardinia
Fancy a week on a white-sand beach but your other half prefers seeing the sights? This one's for you. Start off with a few days in Rome, exploring ancient sites and beautiful churches, and sipping espresso in shady piazzas. The Donna Camilla Savelli is a lovely honeymoon option – set in the bohemian neighbourhood of Trastevere, it's housed in a 17th-century convent and has a fabulous rooftop terrace with views across Rome. From here, jet over to Sardinia, home to some of the best beaches in Europe. Hire a car and seek out some of the quieter stretches of sand for a picnic lunch for two.
The Glamorous One: Milan, Lake Como and Verona
If glitz and glamour is high on your list, this trio of destinations is perfect. Kick off in Milan, Italy's fashion capital. Browse the designer boutiques in the Quadrilatero d'Oro (Gold Square), gaze up at the immense glass and iron ceiling of the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, or sip cappuccini in one of the city's historic cafes (Milan's coffee culture is the best in Italy). From here, it's a quick journey up to Lake Como, where you can spend a few days exploring beautiful Bellagio and touring palatial lakeside villas. Make Verona your final stop – if you're honeymooning in the summer, you'll be in time for the annual opera festival. Splash out on a Gold section ticket and don your finest eveningwear for a night to remember – it makes an unforgettable honeymoon finale.
The Foodie Favourite: Florence, Tuscany and Bologna
Explore three of Italy's finest foodie destinations on this three-stop itinerary. In Florence, search out the best bistecca alla Fiorentina (a giant cut of beef that's often best shared between two) and lampredotto (tripe, often served in a sandwich). After a few days in the city, escape to the postcard-perfect Tuscan countryside. Hole up in a rural retreat such as Castel Monastero and spend your time sampling regional dishes and, of course, tasting plenty of local wines. Finish up your foodie tour in Italy's culinary capital: Bologna. The city (and surrounding Emilia-Romagna region) is home to a huge number of delicious products and dishes, including tagliatelle al ragu (the real spaghetti Bolognese). It's a prime spot to stock up on take-home gifts, too – wheels of Parmigiano Reggiano, bottles of Modena balsamic vinegar and perhaps some Parma ham.
The Top-to-Toe Trip: Milan, Florence, Rome, Sorrento, Sicily
This one's the full monty, taking you from the tip to the toe of Italy's 'boot'. Start off in fashionable Milan, home to the Gothic Duomo di Milano and beautiful Teatro alla Scala opera house. Then travel south to arty Florence for galleries, museums and day trips into the Tuscan countryside. From there, it's a short hop down to Rome. Give yourself a good few days here to see all the sights and allow for plenty of long lunches and al fresco aperitifs. Next, it's off to the coast for relaxation in beautiful Sorrento. Spend some time on the beach, hop over to Capri for the day, or explore some of the pretty villages along the Amalfi Coast – just remember to save time to pop to the shops for a bottle of Sorrento's famous limoncello! Your final port of call will be Sicily. Stay in one spot (Taormina and Cefalu are both lovely), or travel around the island – it's up to you.


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Cool Points To Be Had!
I just recently updated my cool points leaderboard, and JR has taken the overall cool points from Omar Karindu. Fear not, though, folks, because there are plenty of cool points up on the board still waiting to be claimed, namely the past Cover Theme Games that have gone unsolved as of this moment! Here is a link to the past Cover Theme Games that still remain unsolved – see if you can solve them!
The very FIRST Cover Theme Game!
This one has nothing to do with the Flying Tiger or the Green Goblin.
This one intentionally shows Clark Kent rather than Superman.
Sub-Mariner and Hellcat have nothing to do with this one.
This one has had two good answers, but the one I was looking for is still out there!
This one has nothing to do with Morbius.
This one has nothing to do with Professor X.
Good luck! Go get some cool points!
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Pantry Buys 39 Southern C-Stores
Sanford, N.C., The Pantry Inc. has agreed to purchase 39 c-stores from Waring Oil Co. The locations operate under the Interstate Food Stop banner in Mississippi and Louisiana. The stores accumulated $100 million in revenues last year.
Pathmark 3Q Loss Widens
Carteret, N.J., Pathmark Stores Inc. reported a net loss of $18.3 million, compared to a net loss of $3.6 million the year before. Sales rose 0.1% to $980.5 million despite a 0.6% decrease in same-store sales.
GameStop Has Tough 3Q
Grapevine, Texas, GameStop Corp. reported a net loss of $2.5 million in the third quarter, which includes $18.8 million in expenses related to the retailer's merger with Electronics Boutique. That compares with net earnings of $12.1 million in the year-ago period.
Sales for the third quarter grew 28.2% to $534.2 million despite a 12% decline in same-store sales.


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Featured property
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Classically styled impressive home with paddock on the edge of hambledon
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This unique, peacefully situated, property provides an easy lifestyle within the appealing village environment of hambledon in the south down national park. a striking feature is the…
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Website: Go to Agent Website


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When buying a cute outfit for any holiday my first stop is ALWAYS Old Navy because their clothes/accessories are so affordable. I don't feel too guilty buying items I know will only be worn once at Old Navy. You don't need to dig too deep in your pockets for your little one to look cute since they are already cute as it is! I know I don't need to for my "cupcake".
Below are some of my faves from Old Navy's "Americana" collection, which is perfect for July 4th:
|These sandals look cute on any little patriot
|Love these red sandals. The cute bows make any feet dainty.
|This hat is so stylin'
|My daughter will be wearing this.
|My nephew will be sporting this one! He explodes with cuteness 24/7!
|This baby denim top screams Americana. The embroidery adds a soft touch.
|Can't forget this classic look. Timeless!
|We must not forget a hat to protect our little ones' precious heads.


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UK Paintball Sports Federation
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Viewing 1-3 of 3 entries
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Director Joseph Sargent's 1966 spy thriller is the third The Man from U.N.C.L.E. feature film after To Trap a Spy and The Spy with My Face. It is a re-edited, cut and enhanced feature-length film version of The Man from U.N.C.L.E.'s two-part season two opening episode Alexander the Greater Affair.
The U.N.C.L.E. men are here again in this spinoff from the hit Sixties TV show, as agents Napoleon Solo (Vaughn) and Illya Kuryakin (McCallum) are threatened by an Edgar Allan Poe-like pendulum, mummification and a megalomaniac Alexander (Rip Torn) in a droll and diverting story. Alexander steals a chemical weapon from a military base that makes enemy troops lose the will to fight. It also adds a subplot featuring Yvonne Craig (who does not appear in the TV episodes) as an U.N.C.L.E. operative ('Control') carrying on a flirty relationship with Solo.
Once again Vaughn, McCallum and Leo G Carroll as their spy boss Mr Waverly give their customarily suave and attractive practised performances in another likeable UNCLE outing. It is one of the most amusing feature films of the series, lifted by bright guest star appearances by Torn and Dorothy Provine as Alexander's estranged wife Tracey .
Also in the cast are David Opatoshu as Alexander's accomplice Kavon, David Sheiner, Donna Michelle, Leon Lontoc, Robert Karnes, Clarke Gordon, James Hong, Cal Bolder, Carole Williams, Teru Shimada, Arthur Wong, Elisha Cook Jr and Robert Gibbons.
Elements of the two-part episode Alexander the Greater Affair, such as scenes with Alexander's parents, are cut out to allow for the subplot with Craig and other new scenes with a bit of sex and violence in the film's 102-minute running time.
It was the last film taken from the TV series released in US cinemas, but the movies remained hugely popular in the UK and elsewhere and continued, with One of Our Spies Is Missing up next.
Much loved icon of Sixties cool style, Robert Vaughn died of leukaemia on 11 November 2016, aged 83.
© Derek Winnert 2016 Classic Movie Review 4744
Check out more reviews on http://derekwinnert.com


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Category: Stock Vector | Comment: ( 0 )
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Picture: Wu Tang Clan The 2011 Glastonbury Music Festival held at Worthy Farm in Pilton - Day 1 - Performances Somerset, England - 24.06.11
After months of denying reunion plans, all 10 members of rap supergroup the Wu-Tang Clan will perform together for the
first time in almost a decade at a festival in California next month (JUL04).
The group will headline the ROCK THE BELLS event in San Bernardino on 17 July (04).
The festival will also feature performances by Redman and Dilated Peoples.15/06/2004 13:35


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Discussion in 'Miscellaneous' started by Snowlilly, Aug 21, 2012.
I am not surprised.
WOW! The Harvest trilogy, by Michael Hicks, is the best trilogy I have read in a very long time! It is cover to cover action and thrills...and science fiction, too. It's about a world food shotage; I won't say any more, but GET these books! I got them for my kindle because the first one was free...I'm so glad I did.
That's the "Nazi Germany won, and then collapsed like Soviet Russia" novel, right? Turtledove does love his historic parallels.
I've just started The White War, on the Italo-Austrian front of World War I. It's part of my year-long reading quest to understand parts of the war I've long ignored (which is everything beyond the western trenches, airplanes, and submarines).
The Last Dogs: Dark Waters by Christopher Holt. It's #2 in a 4-book series, The Last Dogs.
I am listening to The Absolutely True diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie, narrated by Sherman Alexie.
My current dead-tree book is Amarcord by Zoran Zivkovic. It is a collection of short stories with the common theme of memory. Previous short story collections by Zivkovic I have read had different themes (mist, books, music, time) ,
No, that's something different - but I think I want to read that! (Charlie is published by Ace.)
That pretty well sums it up - and while I couldn't put my finger on it earlier, the parallel to the Soviet Union's collapse may be exactly what made it so predictable for me.
They're way down the reading list, of course, but I picked up a couple more books yesterday (like I needed any more, but as I said to the clerk who was helping me look up publication dates, "I was in the mall for other reasons, but this bookstore is here, so I'm here"): The Fractal Prince by Hannu Ranajmiemi - I read his debut novel, The Quantum Thief, last year - and Off to Be the Wizard by Scott Meyer. I'd never heard of the book, or him, before, but when I read the back cover blurb:
I thought, I have to read this.
^^ Yeah, I can't stop buying books, either. I was at B&N, looking for something for my Mother, when The Doctor and the Dinosaurs caught my eye. It looks great in and of itself, but I mainly got it because I'm afraid it may be too similar to something I'm writing.
Started the 10th Anniversary edition of American Gods today...
The Wounded and the Slain by David Goodis
The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt. This'll be book #36 for 2014, which has to be some sort of record for me.
I had my kindle down to only 6 unread books before going on another book-buying spree. It's up to 3 pages again. I think I'm also annoying my emergency!roomate by responding to everything he says with 'I just read a book about ___' and then telling him all about it.
They're like tribbles! They multiply! I do it so often too! Worse yet is when I see Bargain priced hardcovers. They just keep piling up.
I don't know which breeds more - my books or my doll collection.
Yeah, the bargain shelves at B&N are like an opium den for me.
I read The One - Selection series by Kiera Cass yesterday. Now I need to finish up The Last Dogs, The Long Road.
Right now I'm reading both the castle by Kafka and Ulysses by James Joyce
Having just finished The White War, concerning the Italian front of WW1, I'm debating my next read. That book was excellent if mildly depressing (seriously. twelve battles for the same river?), so I want something uplifting. I'm considering my favorite author, Isaac Asimov's, book on The Universe. Last published in 1980, my fear is that it is badly dated by this point. History doesn't change much, but science marches on at the quick-step.
Just finished Star Trek Titan: Taking Wing.
And in the car, I'm on the last cd of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.
Last week, I read Elizabeth Warren's A Fighting Chance, then started on JFK in the Senate: Pathway to the Presidency. I finished that one last night, which apparently is the first book to focus on JFK's senatorial career.
I'll start reading Glenn Greenwald's No Place to Hide: Edward Snowden, the NSA, and the U.S. Surveillance State sometime in the next few days.
I've finished The Martian - would love a sequel/companion book about a real colonization attempt, or maybe I'll just write fanfic - I enjoyed it so much I miss the characters now that I'm done with it.
Having mastered feeding the kid with one hand while reading on my phone with the other, I'm now into the second book of Wool (had read the first previously, but re-read it quickly the last two days to refresh my memory). The yarncrafter in me loves that each book title has something to do with yarn. And generally I love a good dystopia, so I'm looking forward to making my way through the whole thing.
Next in the queue is Season of the Harvest, and then I may go back through this thread and see what else has been recommended that I want to read.
The Wool series is one of the best I've read.
Separate names with a comma.


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Former Patriots defensive back Dick Felt passed away Saturday in Utah at the age of 79. Felt played for the Boston Patriots from 1962 to 1966. He was an all-star in 1962 and helped the Patriots reach the 1963 AFL Championship game against San Diego.
Before turning pro, Felt starred at Brigham Young University in the 1950s, then served in the Air Force. He coached BYU's secondary from 1968 to 1993 and also served as the school's defensive coordinator.


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Are you looking for ways in which your staff can more effectively, efficiently, and sustainably implement new programs or other organizational change? Are you looking to foster lasting customer relationships?
Story is a powerful, persuasive communication tool. Sharing a story helps you to establish trust, explain complex issues, clarify values, and create meaning for your listener. Certainly, you and your organization possess great stories about your positive impact. But do you remember to share these stories? Did you once hear a story, and now can't recall all the details, so you refrain from sharing it with others? Do you sense that you might be able to share the story so that it has more impact, and is more memorable?
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The story at the top of this page was recorded at a Narrative Academy Thaler Pekar & Partners facilitated for ESB, Ireland's largest electrical supplier.


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The Bill Of Rights Freedom of religion, speech (expression), the press, assembly and petition The First Amendment The right to keep and bear arms The Second Amendment Freedom from housing soldiers in your home The Third Amendment Freedom from illegal searches and seizures The Fourth Amendment Freedom from self-incrimination and double jeopardy The Fifth Amendment The right to a speedy trial by jury and the right to have an attorney The Sixth Amendment The right to a civil trial The Seventh Amendment Freedom from excessive bail and cruel and unusual punishment The Eighth Amendment People have other rights than those that are listed in the Constitution The Ninth Amendment Historical Examples Rights not specifically given to the national government in the Constitution are reserved for the states The Tenth Amendment In Context "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances." The Five Freedoms Original Intent "A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed." "No Soldier shall, in time of peace be quartered in any house, without the consent of the Owner, nor in time of war, but in a manner to be prescribed by law." An example of a right not mentioned in the Constitution is privacy. The Ninth Amendment ensures privacy in our homes, of our medical records,and freedom from government interference in our personal choices. The purpose of the Ninth Amendment is to make it clear that people have rights beyond those clearly listed in the Constitution. This amendment was crucial in getting the support of the Anti-Federalists to ratify the Constitution. The Anti-Federalists were worried that personal rights weren't protected. This amendment is the protection of those rights. The Tenth Amendment states that any powers not specifically delegated to the national government are state powers. Many states today have legalized medical marijuana, and the federal government can not prosecute users in states where it is legal because it is a states right. The Tenth Amendment is the source of Reserved Powers: those that are saved for the states. written or spoken religious meetings, writings, speeches any religion news that is written, televised, on the Internet, etc. meet and protest asking the government for change Freedom of Religion Freedom of Assembly Freedom of the Press Freedom of Speech Tinker v. Des Moines (1969) Freedom to Petition The Third Amendment has never been challenged. No quartering has been attempted in this country since the American Revolution when we were still a part of England. - Prohibits Congress from establishing an official religion.
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- Includes discussions, telephone conversations, lectures, radio, and other forms of spoken words.
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The officers cannot use a warrant to "shop" for evidence of wrongdoing.
The law enforcement officer must swear under oath that he is telling the truth.
The judge must be convinced that the search will uncover evidence of criminal activity. Unreasonable Searches and Seizures No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the Militia, when in actual service in time of War or public danger; nor shall any person be subject for the same offense to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation. Huh? No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury = You can't be taken to trial for a really big crime without being indicted by a
Grand Jury. Formally accused A jury that decides if there is even enough evidence to have a trial. except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the Militia, when in actual service in time of War or public danger; = The military has special rules about their trials. During a war, they are allowed to rush the trial process a little bit. nor shall any person be subject for the same offense to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; = This is the double jeopardy clause. If you go to trial for a crime but you are found not guilty at trial, you cannot go to trial for the same crime again even if they find more evidence you did it. nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, = Self-incrimination is when you say something that makes you sound guilty. You can't be forced to do this when the police are questioning you. nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law = The police cannot hold you in jail or prison unless you have been given
due process. All your rights are respected after your arrest nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation. = If for some reason your property needs to be taken so it can be used by the government, they must pay you
"fair market value." Whatever your stuff is worth
(not necessarily as much as you want) So... You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in court. You have the right to have an attorney. If you cannot afford an attorney, one will be appointed for you. Do you understand these rights as they have been given to you? The police do NOT have to tell you...
They can lie to you to get a confession from you.
if you stop the questioning that cannot be used as a sign of guilt in trial.
you can have your lawyer answer all the police's questions for you. Your rights only have to be read if you are placed under arrest. It is up to YOU to know these things. before your trial after your trial Know Your Rights Pleading the Fifth Refusing to say something that would incriminate yourself In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the State and district wherein the crime shall have been committed, which district shall have been previously ascertained by law, and to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation; to be confronted with the witnesses against him; to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor, and to have the Assistance of Counsel for his defence. Speedy Trial Public Trial Impartial Jury Right to Confront Witnesses Right to Counsel The time between your arrest and trial is not to exceed one year unless there is a good reason or you agree to the delay. All defendants are allowed to have a public trial. It cannot be done in secret. You have the right to a trial by an impartial jury of your peers. Notice of Accusation If you are accused of a crime you have a right to know exactly what you are accused of doing. You have a right to hear and question all witnesses against you. You also have a right to call witnesses in your defense and compel them to testify. You have the right to have a lawyer even if you can't afford one.
The lawyer you are given will not charge you any money. Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted. Bail An amount of money paid to the court to allow you to remain free while you await trial. Forbids Excessive and Cruel and Unusual Punishment Your punishment depends very much on the severity of your crime. Your punishment cannot be too harsh for the crime you commit.
Excessively cruel punishment
is not allowed. Is the death penalty cruel and unusual? Is the right to keep and bear arms a collective right (meant just for militia purposes), or is it an individual right that every American citizen has?
Can there be a middle ground where the ownership of guns might be limited without being prohibited? "The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized." a good enough reason before a judge Freedom to Petition Think About It . . . .
Freedom of Assembly If anyone can meet for any reason, does that mean they could hold a KKK rally in Beaver Dam? Prohibits Excessive Bail Bail cannot be set too high for a given crime. Which is more important . . . preserving an individual's personal freedoms or protecting America as a whole? "In Suits at common law, where the value in controversy shall exceed twenty dollars, the right of trial by jury shall be preserved, and no fact tried by a jury, shall be otherwise re-examined in any Court of the United States, than according to the rules of the common law." Civil Law Cases where people sue each other. The outcome of a civil lawsuit is money damages. Criminal Law Cases where a law is broken, usually posing a danger or threat to other people. Penalties can result in jail or prison sentences. What was the framer's original intent for the Second Amendment? Some of our Founding Fathers feared the power of a standing army (remember their difficulties with the British Army leading up to the Revolutionary War). In order to prevent a large national army, it was necessary to have local militias ready to defend the nation in times of trouble. Thus, people had to keep their own arms in their homes ready to fight if need be. Citizens who believe in this interpretation might read the Second Amendment as a whole. What was the framer's original intent for the Second Amendment? Other Framers of the Constitution feared that disarming the population would lead to the possibility of the national government abusing its power. Without being armed, the public would have no means with which to fight back against what may become unjust laws. Citizens who believe in this interpretation might read the Second Amendment disregarding the first clause. A court order allowing law enforcement officers to search a suspect's home or business Challenge Question: Can you pray in school? Challenge Question: Which is more important . . . preserving an individual's personal freedoms or protecting America as a whole? Challenge Question: Is the death penalty cruel and unusual punishment? eminent domain "The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people." "The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people." Limitations to Freedom of Speech We cannot endanger our government or other Americans.
We cannot tell lies about someone that hurts their reputation (slander).
We cannot make threats.
We cannot swear.
We cannot provoke riots. Limitations to Freedom of Religion A religion cannot force its values and beliefs on others.
In its practices, it cannot physically hurt others who do not want to be hurt. Limitations to Freedom of the Press We cannot endanger our government or other Americans.
We cannot print lies about people that will hurt their reputation (libel).
We cannot make threats.
We cannot provoke riots. Challenge Question: Does that mean that the Ku Klux Klan (KKK) could hold a membership rally in Beaver Dam? Limitations to Freedom of Assembly We must have the proper permits, when required.
We cannot violate others' rights.
We cannot endanger others or our government.
We cannot cause violence or provoke riots. Limitations to Freedom to Petition We cannot endanger our government or other Americans.
We cannot tell lies about other people (libel).
We cannot make threats.
We cannot curse in public.
We cannot provoke riots. Challenge Question: Under the First Amendment, can you, as a joke, yell FIRE in a theater? So are you confident in your Privacy in the United States? The following sources of your personal information are NOT necessarily subject to privacy under the Fourth Amendment:
Your Library Records and Searches
Internet Databases such as Google or other search criteria
Anything you post to the Internet: Facebook, Social Networking Sites
Video Game conversations
"Gaming System Monitoring and Analysis Project"
"Hotwatch Subpoenas": Credit Cards and Grocery Store Transactions watched in "real time"
Anything broadcast over "airwaves" - Cellphone calls and text messages Anything on your person, in your automobile, car, truck, or vehicle if located within 100 miles of any U.S. border or coastline, may be searched by the United States Boarder Patrol for any reason without a warrant. In Addition: In a civil trial, when the amount of the lawsuit exceeds $20, you have the right to jury trial.
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The Bill of Rights
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Daniel Pearsonon 10 April 2013
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preg_match always returning true
Why preg_match might return true, when you expect it to return false.
Created: 2012-02-25 17:36
If preg_match doesn't work, or for some reason returns true unexpected, you might just need to include the start and end metacharacters in the pattern. The caret "^" is used to indicate the beginning of a string, while the dollar sign "$" indicates the end of a string.
The below example would match the characters a-z anywhere in the string, and still allow the presence of other characters, but only when a-z are present somewhere in the string.
if (preg_match("/[a-z]+/", $_POST['name'])) { echo 'Valid: '.$_POST['name'];exit(); }
This is a trap if you don't test your code properly, and could open up a box of potential security issues. The next example will include the start and end metacharacters.
if (preg_match("/^[a-z]+$/", $_POST['name'])) { echo 'Valid: '.$_POST['name'];exit(); }
This pattern would only allow the characters a-z to exist in the string.


text:
Hi everyone,
My friend and I need your help! In July we are flying to London from New Zealand to travel Europe by Eurail within 5 months. So far the only route we have planned is to head to Guernsey from London.
This is where we get a bit stuck.
As Guernsey is so close to France, we're thinking of starting our Europe travels in France. But we're currently unsure as to what route to take from there.
Would it be better to start our journey Northern Europe or Southern Europe?
So far we've had mixed responses. Most people we know have done Southern Europe first then headed over to Northern Europe when it's colder and have had a great time! But many people are also telling us to head to Northern Europe first as it will be less busy during August/September then to head to Southern Europe when it's not so hot.
We're stuck and could really use your help!
Recent ActivityView all Europe activity »
- 1 Family vacation
- 2 GTG Paris December 2017
- 3 Paris, Normandy & Amsterdam with College Graduate
- 4 Italy 9 Days in December/Itinerary Help
- 5 Christmas Markets 2017
- 6 How many miles is a good 'walking tour'?
- 7 Budget trip
- 8 London flat feedback wanted - yes, I'm going slightly crazy!
- 9 Adventureseeker returns to Italy! As glorious and detailed as before!
- 10 Driving
- 11 3 weeks driving the Netherlands
- 12 May Germany, Switzerland, and Iceland
- 13 Algarve Town Selection
- 14 Tips for first trip to UK
- 15 paris to london- day trip
- 16 Browsing Barcelona
- 17 Three nights in the Italian Riviera: hiking in Camogli with day trips
- 18 Pubs showing NFL football in London?
- 19 Sampling Some of Sicily and Bits of Italy Beyond
- 20 Buying a motorcycle in Europe??
- 21 Help With Itinerary By Train: London, Paris, Nice, Florence
- 22 ROMA Pass inclusions. - 3 days in Rome
- 23 Spain December/ January 2018/19
- 24 Portugal
- 25 Pisa Central to Hotel Kinzica at late night.
Hi everyone,
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Yes nothern Europe first when the south swelters in heat and cities like Venice, Florence and Rome are sinking under the weight of tourists - fall weather in northern Europe can be quite cool and damp but in the south brilliant and fewer crowds then. Makes total sense to start in north and end up in south, perhaps Greece or Spain and fly out of there.
Anyway for the rail part check out these IMO superb sources: www.ricksteves.com; www.seat61.com and www.budgeteuropetravel.com - download the latter's free online European Planning & Rail Guide for lots of tips and suggested rail itinerariesl
From Guernsey you can take a boat to St-Malo a really sweet seaside old town near which is Mont-Saint-Michel - then work over to Normandy, especially if D-Day beaches interest you - Bayeux being a swell city to base in and then over to Paris - up thru Belgium to Amsterdma over to Berlin or up to Scandinavia - down thru Germanuy, Prague, Vienna, Switzerland to Italy and then Greece or Spain, etc.
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Thank you so much for your help! That sounds amazing.
It's definitely seeming like that's the best way to go. But is it true that there are some places in Europe that are simply better to visit during their peak season?
We already have our flights booked from in and out of London so we were hoping to kind of do a big loop because we are greedy and want to see as much as we can!
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But is it true that there are some places in Europe that are simply better to visit during their peak season?>
Interesting question - I would say very few - like the tulip fields in Holland must be seen at their peak - or the lavendar fields in Provence but IME any city is better for the tourist outside of peak season - especizlly Italian tourist meccas - Venice in July and August is really sardine city - elbow to elbow on main drags.
So I would say generally no to that interesting question.
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You do need to check your Schengen visa status. As New Zealanders you are allowed to stay in certain countries for longer than other nationalities are visa free, but I am not sure that applies to touring the Schengen area in general.
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Here is a page from the New Zealand Embassy in Paris website that explains what hetismij2 wrote:
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<But is it true that there are some places in Europe that are simply better to visit during their peak season?>
I think this is also a very personal consideration based on what you enjoy and want to experience. For instance, if you go to Greece in July August, you will have lots of resort type things happening-seaside restaurants, lots of European tourists, clubs, etc. And that will be very different if you choose to do that portion in September and October. While I am the last one to love to be caught up in the height of the tourist season at any beach mecca in Europe, it can be super depressing to hang out in a beach town after September when it is mostly just you and the retired grand parents
Also, if you are someone who enjoys lots of local cultural events like theater dance, etc. most of the types of things gear up again in September in the major capitals.
If you do decide to start Guernsey to St. Malo, the beach in Dinard is really nice and even in July much less crowded than beaches in the south of France-so you might like to spend some beach time there.
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Beach time in Dinrd even in summer could mean a fairly cool weather - I have regularly gone to beaches with French family at St-Giles Croix de Vie and even in August it is often iffy if you want to really swim - maybe Dinard, farther north, is warmer but I doubt it. Much like English seaside resorts that have lost much of their custom to cheap flights to bone fide warm beach areas in southern France and Spain northern French beaches also see dwindling numbers from their halcyon days when folks simply drove for their seaside vacation to the nearest beach.
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5 months! jealous!!
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I agree with jpie that beach resorts in the Med are much more fun in the summer, especially if you are students and want to be there when other young people are around. I'm much too old for clubbing, but still prefer the Greek Islands when they are busy.
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As said previously, a lot depends on your interests and what kind of activities and areas you have on mind on each country.
Personaly I would rather experience this
than this
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Kiwis may not be interested nice beaches, assuming they have tons of them!
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Yes, but often Kiwis I have met are interested to explore Greek Islands and other scenic sea-side spots on souther Europe and enjoy the (summer) ambiance.
Or many people are interested to visit archeological sites and museums. Those often have limited opening hours on winter and I do not think exploring outdoors under pooring rain or snow is equally tempting as on a milder climate.
Of course up to now it is all assumptions as OP did not clarify what they are after...
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Go North to South
"But is it true that there are some places in Europe that are simply better to visit during their peak season?" well there are two issues, if you want to get drunk with loads of young people in warm weather then Ibiza then don't go in October as it is dead. If you want to lie on a serviced beach in southern Italy in November it will be too cold and the bars on the beach all closed at the end of August.
If you want to see the small cities of Florence, Venice, Rome for their sights then don't go in July/August/Sept 'cause you will need to pay for the pleasure of being pressed into big queues. Think Tokyo peak time crush not buses on Queen Street in Auckland. Plus, of course it is hot in July/August
For larger cities like London or even Medium one like Paris it makes little difference as they are busy all the time
The whole Normandy/Brittany area is worth some time, inhabited for a long time, so loads of castles, monestries, dolmen, very cow based food with some good sea food.
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<I do not think exploring outdoors under pooring rain or snow is equally tempting as on a milder climate.>
I agree - that is why one should start in north with still good weather and work south for still good weather
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I could paraphrase that to read: "start in north for mediocre weather and work south for more mediocre weather".
It's no secret why most Europeans head south for their summer holidays, and many more head to the Alps for their winter holidays.
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summers can be boiling in Italy - average high Florence July about 92 F I think with humid. Add that to the sweltering crowds and you have an experience that can be anything but relaxing.
Late fall in Italy does not necessarily mean mediocre weather - could be really nice and has been the times I've been there - plus no long lines at tourist places like Vatican or Colosseum, etc.
A factor is crowds and that is one reason to aim for say October in Italy when the weather may be wet in the north but in Rome downright perfect.
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About Eurailpasses - there is a 3-month long consecutive one but the flexipasses are at most I believe for a 2-month period. Rather than buying two of those look at the zillions of other passes avaialbe - one-country passes; 2-country; 3-4 country ones (like Eurail Select Passes) and regional passes like the Scan Railpass, the Benelux Pass; BritRail Pass or Eastern European or Balkans Railpasses - those passes can be much cheaper per day than a Global Eurail and they also may come in a cheaper 2nd class form.
For example if doing Belgium, Netherlands and Germany in depth the Benelux-Germany railpass may be the ticket to ride (and there is a cheap add-on fare I believe to use the pass to go to Prague and Verona Italy and Innsbruck, Austria I believe.
The Swiss Pass has many more benefits in Switzerland than does a Eurailpass, being valid on many mountain trains that Eurails are not and also on lake boats, postal buses, aerial gondolas, etc so if going to mountainous areas like the Jungfrau Region or Zermatt the Swiss Pass would be much more useful than a Eurail which at most would give a minor discount on some lines in those areas.
Think more than just Eurail as you do in your OP!
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Indeed you could use a string of regional passes with down time in between in certain areas - like the Benelux-Germany pass - the an Eastern European pass for Czech Republic, austria, Poland, Slovakia and Hungary - take it to Switzerland - a Swiss Pass in any case may be much much more beneficial than a Eurailpass in Switzerland - then maybe start a longer Eurailpass or just buy point to points.
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Thank you all so much for your help - we appreciate it so so much!
<"start in north for mediocre weather and work south for more mediocre weather".>
This is the only worry we have with doing Northern then Southern - we don't want to get a kind of "flatline" of weather, if that makes sense. If we're not going to be anywhere when it's particularly warm and we're not going be anywhere when it's particularly cold, are we going to be experiencing these places in their in between state? Because we'd love to see them in all their glory!
It's seeming like either way you win some & loose some.
So if Italy/Greece etc aren't particularly great to be in during September, October, Novemeber then the only place left that is worth exploring during those months is Northern Europe? Is this correct?
Sorry if any of our questions come across as silly or naive, we just have very little knowledge of Europe and know that if someone were to be visiting New Zealand and asking for advice we'd definitely be steering them away from visiting during the unpredictable inbetweeny seasons.
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Hi ceepee,
Without knowing your age and interests it's hard to give you advice. If you are young and want to be in Greece when you can enjoy the islands at their best along with other young people, then definitely go there in summer. Yes, it's hot and crowded in peak season, but why would so many people go there at that time if it were as bad as made out? That's the only time some (students, for example) can take their holidays, but still...
If you are older, like so many of us who post on Fodor's, then October/November would be a good time to go. It's more pleasant to visit the archeological sites in cool temperatures, and the islands are very quiet, something us oldies often enjoy. For the record, I am in my 70s and prefer the islands and mainland Greece in late August and September.
That said, there is no point in zig-zagging all over the continent trying to fit everything in at the best time of year.
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If we're not going to be anywhere when it's particularly warm and we're not going be anywhere when it's particularly cold, are we going to be experiencing these places in their in between state? Because we'd love to see them in all their glory!
It's seeming like either way you win some & loose some.
So if Italy/Greece etc aren't particularly great to be in during September, October, Novemeber then the only place left that is worth exploring during those months is Northern Europe? Is this correct?>
Not IMO - Italy and Greece are great in Sept, October and November IME - weather still really nice vs sweltering and mobs of tourists in summer and northern Europe yes can always have mediocre weather in summer but in the fall it often deteriorates and the days get awfully short and dark and dank - IMO not an enjoyable thing at all - northern Europe is in its 'glory' at the heighth of summer - if you can call it that!
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Thank you! Sorry I should have mentioned that we are both 21 years old and have just finished studying. We want to experience as much of the culture as possible. We are interested in food, art, theatre, events, exploring nature and making friends.
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I think you should leave Greece off this trip. It isn't on the rail pass and you would have to find other transportation there. There are many young people studying abroad in Italy in the fall. I am sure if you "hang out" in Florence or Rome you will meet many of them. I would do as PalenQ suggested and stick to the North/South route ending in Italy. Really spend sometime there enjoying the marvelous sights with our the hordes of people and fly back to London for your flight home. Or pop over to Spain and finish from there. So much to see, but you really can't make a bad decision
PS I love NZ! Kiwis are some of the nicest people on the planet. You will have a great time....
Bon Voyage
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Greece is a great destination and I would not skip it, but you need to pay attention to details. For example most people want to get a taste of the islands. Say the so praised Santorini is a tiny island with around 12000 people pernament population. Go say on September, no problem, tons of people around you, the island welcomes literally millions of people each summer. Go on December and you will find empty streets, 90% of shops and restaurants closed and nightlife next to zero.
Travel logistics are important too. No local has any reason to travel between Mykonos and Santorini for example, so there is no easy way to visit both on winter without lots of backtracking. Go on summer where ferry routes are added for tourists and on 3 hours you connect from one to the other.
Mainland transportation is fine but after November sites and archeological sites will close most likely around 3pm and might have a day off too. More careful planning required. Go around Christmas on a mountain destination or ski resort in Greece and you may find all accommodations booked. I guess the same applies more or less on all countries, specifics vary.
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I've never been an advocate of following the weather like a migratory bird. I'd rather be somewhere when I can get the best out of each destination, and that means the Mediterranean in summer. If you are interested in "food, art, theatre, events", they will be better, if anything, in Paris and London during winter months.
If you want to make friends your own age when traveling, think where they will most likely be at different times of the year.
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northern Europe outside of summer IMO not very enjoyable at all - southern Europe in summer too hot and suffocating crowds - those should be your two salient things that are facts.
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Well, I've lived in England for about 40 winters now, and enjoy that time of year very much. I go to southern Europe for holidays in the summer, and enjoy them too! You are showing your age, PalenQ!
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So, 5 months from July takes you to Christmas or maybe to a bit/all through January?
IMO , sightseeing in northern European cities can be pleasant on a little warm summers day, but remember there are temps up to 30c even in UK in the last few summers. So, if it's a cooler, cold, may be some rain, you are moving around cities, plenty of things to do inside/under cover.
German/Belgian, French and UK cities are very festive heading to the Christmas season and it's good time for partying and sightseeing if that's what you'll enjoy.
The summer is for fun in the med, the adriatic, the Aegean, blue seas no good under grey skies.…ignore the sun-dodgers, have your time there first.
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You want to be in Morroco or Egypt by the end of the holiday
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Yannis, I was thinking the same thing about winter festivities, especially the Christmas Markets in Germany: http://www.wanderlust.co.uk/planatrip/inspire-me/lists/top-8-german-christmas-markets?page=all. It would also give someone from the southern hemisphere a chance to see a White Christmas.
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South Island ski slopes not withstanding
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Bilboburgler, you do realise it is mid-summer in New Zealand at Christmas?
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