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Feb 16, 2019 | Short Stories
By Susan Browne © Susan Browne 2018/2019
Clara has moved to a Greek Island and lives alone. She would love to get her ex back, but she never imagined he would fall into the trap so easily.
Well, what would you do?
I find him at the side of a dirt road, dehydrated in the blistering sun, on my island. My beautiful gem in the dancing Aegean Sea, with white buildings, dotted like cakes.
Fritz left me seven years ago. I never got over him. And now here he is. Like an apparition.
He said I was much too career-driven to have time for a relationship. I was running my own business. What choice did I have? They say it gets easier, and when it became too late, it did get easier. Much easier. I get to go to a Greek island and not come back and hire more staff to sort things for as long as needed.
I've bought a scooter, so I can nip around and see things off the beaten track. I like being on my own. I honestly don't have an issue with it. I'm the foreign lady in the house on the hill that is kind to cats of every sort – even raggy, flea-bitten ones. And that speaks Greek badly.
He puts out his hand, and I pull over. He wears a hat and sunglasses, but it's him.
'No way,' I say.
'Clara?'
'Yes, Clara.'
'Any chance of a lift? I'm out of petrol.' That accent still does something to me. I do my best to squish it and stamp it out like I would a moth getting ready to eat my clothes. Keep it together, Clara.
'So it seems. What happened?'
'My bike is back there somewhere.'
He smells of sun cream, aftershave that I recognise, and, well Fritz. The human body is a miracle. We are just animals at the end of the day.
'You can laugh if you like. I don't care. Yes, I am an idiot.'
'I'm not laughing. Maybe you had a leak in your tank?'
'Or maybe I didn't fill up for such a long ride.'
He still tans easily. Ever pretty. A Bavarian Mountain God. Six foot two, flaxen hair and glacial blue eyes. Sultry lips like his mother has just smacked him in the mouth.
The years have only improved him. He climbs on behind me.
Squish.
'Let's keep heading for this beach down here,' I say. 'We can get you some water. I'm just out.' I want to lean back into him, to turn just a little and let my lips brush across his skin, but instead, I accelerate, and the bike lurches forward.
When we get to the beach, there is a small carpark where we dismount. After a few steps, he actually passes out right there on the sand in front of me. His head just misses a great big rock.
I check his pulse and its racing. An elderly man runs up to us, completely naked, and it dawns on me that this is a nudist beach. He straddles Fritz and announces 'it's okay, I'm medically trained,' and begins CPR. I pull him off, and Fritz wakes up to a pair of balls swinging past his face and me shouting at the man.
'We are okay,' I say to the pair of balls.
We aren't really okay, in truth. I should ask someone to help us to stand, to get water, but I just can't bring myself to ask naked people. There's just something about them. I'm going to manage him myself. Past all of these bodies, we walk arms around one another for support, across to the Red Snapper Taverna.
'Water, please. Neró parakaló.' I help him to sit in the shade. Fritz is shivering. 'Easy,' I say. 'Drink it slowly.'
'I want to eat something. Anything,' he tells me.
'I have the perfect thing in my bag. Close your eyes and open your mouth,' I find myself saying. I take out a meatball that I have had wrapped in napkins, last nights leftovers brought along for snacking on the go. It's still good. He opens his mouth and bites into it.
'Oh my God,' he says. He always loved my meatballs. He licks his fingers and looks at me, and I feel self-conscious. 'I'm better now. Cured.'
I suppress the smile. 'So, what are you doing here?'
'I came to see you. I heard the news.'
I flush. 'Oh that. Nice of you. Are you with anyone?'
'No. I was, but it's over.'
'You came all the way out here to see me? Because you heard I was terminal?'
'Yes. You look great though.' He pauses. 'How are you?'
I take a big drink of water. 'Fine, actually.'
'Fine? Nobody knew where you were staying, you're hard to find. I've been here for days.'
I shrug and smile.
'And I heard you are still making these amazing meatballs.'
I punch his arm and we both laugh.
'I have missed you.'
'Oh yeah?'
'Every moment.'
'Come on. You're certifiable.'
'You always said that.'
'I was always right.'
'So, if I am, you want to run into the sea naked with me? Since we are here on a nudist beach anyway?'
'No, I bloody well don't,' I say.
Ever quick, he pulls off my top faster than I can react and runs into the sea, stripping as he goes. From there he throws his shorts out onto the shore. With just my bra and skirt on, I pay for the water and walk down to the water's edge, cautiously undressing as I go. The waiter in The Red Snapper is used to it I expect. Here goes.
Truth is, I got the all clear months ago. I could have gone and told them all and got back to work. But it's just too good here. So I kept it under my hat. Here, I write. I swim. I cook. I explore. The business ticks over itself and I get paid. Just a few emails and the odd call. They leave me alone. I hoped beyond hope that he might want to see me. That a part of him still loved me somehow. Still cared. I have a friend back in London that knows him. I was just about to tell her the good news then she mentioned she would be meeting him. So I thought I'd leave things the way they were. I know its lousy. I can always tell her now. I didn't think in a million years he would actually come, but here he is. Bare as the day he was born in the sparkling surf. I could always say I only just got the news now. In my inbox today. Who'd know?
About this Story: This story was written in response to a flash fiction challenge run by NYC Midnight in 2018, where I had 48 hours to write a 1000 word story.
The Prompt: Genre = Romance; Location = a dirt road; Object = a Meatball.
Nov 16, 2018 | Short Stories
By Susan Browne © Susan Browne 2018
A Flash Fiction Thriller. Josh is desperate to get work, on the verge of being kicked out for not having the rent. On finally getting an interview somewhere unexpected and bizarre, he is subjected to a test he hadn't bargained for.
This morning I woke up to the sound of a tinkling bell and Tiddles licking my face with her tiny ragged tongue. Her paws are like something out of a dolls house. Her collar is too big for her scrawny neck. Her blue eyes too big for her head.
The landlord didn't allow pets, so I had to keep her a secret.
On checking my email, I had a reply from my most ridiculous job application I ever applied for: a freak horror show assistant. Whatever the hell that is. It was shoved into my hand in a bar a few days earlier, a handwritten note advertising a job. And then this email came:
We are interviewing this morning at 11, please reply if you can make it, and include your phone number so I can give you directions.
The place was well outside of Sligo town, behind a caravan site, through acres of bog, a breeze from the Atlantic that would skin you. I had to bring Tiddles with me and leave her in the back. Too risky leaving her in the apartment. I banged the door shut and walked down the narrow, overgrown path. I had a weird feeling that I was being followed, and I tried to shake it. I thought I heard a van door being slammed again but convinced myself that was madness.
At the entrance, I was met by Sofia. She was far from Irish, had long, white hair with a streak of blue and a short denim skirt. I tried not to stare at the tiny tattoo under her left eye of a teardrop with a skull inside it. It looked strangely familiar, which threw me. She sounded Italian. She brought me down to the interview room which was an old staff canteen. I could hear someone shuffling down the corridor away from us. It smelled like a thousand spilt powder cappuccinos and cup-a-soups in there. And some other faint, repulsive smell that I couldn't identify. On the wall, an ancient sacred heart flame lamp flickered red. The air was freezing.
She looked at me and smiled, but it did not reach her eyes. 'Thanks for coming. Please sit down.' I sat across from her on a red plastic chair, accidentally standing on cutlery on the filthy floor.
'Do you like horror, Josh?'
'Sure.' I actually didn't.
'Do you scare easily?'
'Scare?'
'You know, if, say we said this place is haunted and we needed you to be the caretaker for the night, alone, would you do that?'
'Sure. I don't scare easily.' That's not entirely true, but I figured I might as well roll with it. I was about to be living in my van, or worse, with my dad in Castlebar, and that was scarier than any freaks in there.
'Okay. This is a very well-paid job, and this interview is a sort of.. test.' She flashed a ruck-sack full of money at me. 'We pay cash, and we pay quick, immediately at the end of each assignment. We need someone with some kind of .. grit.. you see.'
'Really?' I just really heard the money part and began plotting my escape from my life of despair into a life of coolness. Whatever kind of shit this is, I'll have to do it. Me and Tiddles could live in luxury, free from huffy, eye-rolling landlords.
She turned toward an old brown microwave. 'What if I were to tell you that something you love was in that microwave? What would you do?'
I laughed. 'What? Like my favourite pizza?'
'Not food. Something you care for. Personally.'
I felt hairs on the back of my neck stand up as she walked over to the old dirty microwave. I had this silly habit of making jokes when I'm nervous, so I said 'what? Have you got my mam in there?'
'Not your mam, she would not fit I do not think,' she said, and grinned. Despite her pretty face, her teeth were yellow, and a little pointy, and her silver eyes widened alarmingly. 'Meow,' she said and rolled what looked like a cat collar bell between her fingers.
I stood up so fast I knocked the chair back.
'Relax,' she said, but I was already lunging towards the microwave.
Just then big strong arms yanked me back by the shoulders. I was being held tight and I could smell the sourness of sweat and feel a scratchy beard and lip stud against my ear.
'We just need to know what you are willing to sacrifice. You see, to do this work requires a tough guy. Someone who can fulfil the assignments. Most people so far.. they don't meet the criteria.'
I relaxed into the hold, feigning submission. 'Do it,' I said. 'Switch it on,' but as she did, I wriggled out from under the arms, stabbed a fork into the man's leg and knocked the burco filled with boiling water flying. The microwave was on for less than a second, and Tiddles was stunned but alive. I shoved her into the bag with the money and ran. The man was yelling and hunched over in pain.
I ran through the bog to my van with Tiddles and the money which of course I should have left there. I daren't look behind me. My lungs were screaming, and my vision was going dark and patchy. But I made it. My beat-up old van with no shocks. With very little fuel in it. At the end of an awful, old road that is overgrown in part. Potholes that you could comfortably bury a body in. The van made it.
Tiddles and I, we've decided to move South. The van is packed and we're going in ten minutes. I had a few missed calls but I've switched the phone off and will be getting a new number. I've even put all the rent outstanding in an envelope, with the word thanks scribbled across it.
About this Story: This story was written in response to a flash fiction challenge run by NYC Midnight in September 2018, where I had 48 hours to write a 1000 word story.
The Prompt: Genre = Thriller, Location = an Interview; Object = a Microwave.
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Oh, Baby!
Sep 17, 2018 | Short Stories
Ciara was expecting something more exotic for her online dream guy to work at than driving buses. However, the idea grows on her.
It turns out that the rugged faced Dub I have been stalking on social media for the past month is a bus driver. His profile speaks more of an engineer; lecturer; travel photographer; detective perhaps.
I still think his posts are brilliant and that he must be very smart. I accidentally liked one once, but usually I just quietly admire him, not commenting or interacting with him. My friends say I'm an idiot. I'm just shy I guess.
Nan says 'you should never judge a book by its cover,' as we sit here in the bus station having mushroom colored tea in thin paper cups. I'm not sure what she means, but I can't ask her because she's speaking too loudly and I know he could walk by at any moment. I still experience a giddiness at seeing him, even with the Bus Eireann uniform.
'You could always ask him out on a date. What's the harm in that?' Nan smiles, triumphant. Her chihuahua, Baby, looks at me with his cute black eyes and appears to nod in agreement.
'Nan, I can't just ask him out on a date,' I hiss.
'You are so old-fashioned. In my day..'
'Your day?' I say, trying to imagine what Nan might have been getting up to in her day and then abandon the thought with a shudder.
My face reddens as he strolls right past us again.
'I think he likes you,' she says, using her outdoor voice.
He suddenly doubles back on himself and trips over Baby's lead. Baby yelps with fright and hides under Nan's chair as the bus driver falls to the white and green tiled floor.
'Oh my God, are you okay?' I say.
'Plant Power Girl?' He untangles himself from the lead and pats Baby gently, who sniffs him and then licks his hand.
He actually knows who I am. 'Dara Redford?'
Baby, having made a quick recovery starts humping his ankle.
Nan says 'This is my granddaughter, Ciara. She is at uni doing a Masters in.. what is it again, Love?'
'Social Studies,' Dara shrugs. 'I saw it on your page.'
Wait, this guy actually reads my stuff. Looks at my profile. Creepy.
'Well, it's nice to see you in real life,' I say, trying to sound aloof.
He strokes Baby's head while ushering him off his leg, with expert panache. 'I'd love to see you in real life again. Want to meet me for dinner sometime?'
'I've loads of study to do,' I blather.
'No problem. Sorry for tripping over your lovely dog. Have a safe journey if you are traveling today.'
He tips his cap which I find a little cringy, but it makes me reconsider the Bus Eireann uniform. I like the hat and the shape of him as he walks away.
Nan looks at me with that stare she is so good at. 'Never look a gift horse in the mouth, Ciara.'
'What does that mean?'
'I mean why the bejeezus didn't you say yes? He's an absolute ride.'
'Delete that expression from your vocabulary right now.'
'I'm just saying, I would,' she grins, wickedly.
'And that! Disgusting.'
'I just want you to be happy. He looks a nice chap. Go after him.'
Our bus to Dublin is being driven by our own Dara Redford. As we board, he doesn't make any eye contact with me. I want so much to say something funny, but the moment is lost, and I work my way to the back of the bus with Nan and Baby following behind me.
As we approach Dublin, he makes an announcement that we will be arriving soon, and I go onto his profile and send him a message.
Are you free Friday night for meet up in Galway? Sorry. Awkward with my Nan there.
I hit send and feel my blood pressure rise through the roof of the bus. Before I can say anything to him, Dara has hopped off and is retrieving passengers' bags from underneath.
It's been three full days of checking my phone and Dara's profile about thirty times an hour. I am now content about the bus driver detail. I've even idly followed Bus Eireann's page. I'm beyond smitten, and now he's replied:
How about fish and chips at Spanish Arch at 7?
I wait all of four minutes so as not to appear too keen: I'm vegan, so I'll bring my own. See you there xxx. The kisses were by accident. Mortifying.
It's quarter past seven, and my nose is stinging.
'Sorry I'm late. Shopping took longer than I thought.'
'Shopping?'
He unfurls a smart, striped picnic blanket, and produces two very impressive looking salads from my favourite deli.
'You're so good. Thank you.'
I sit and eat, self consciously. Just then a miniature dog runs up and licks my hands. 'Baby! What are you doing here?' I expect nan is nearby spying somewhere.
Baby is not very impressed by the salad and looks down at the swans as though he is the boss.
Dara turns to me and puts his strong hand on the side of my face, looks into my eyes with those deep blue lagoons and long lashes. I lean a millisecond closer and breathe him into every cell of my body. He says in his Colin Farrell accent: 'can I be extremely forward and ask if it's okay to kiss you right now?'
I reply by kissing him first. The whole world disappears around us.
Next, on cue, Baby starts gyrating on his leg. Nan's head appears close to mine and says 'don't mind me. Want me to get you some proper food, Lovey? No need to eat that salad stuff just cause she is, there'll be nothing left of you.'
About this Story: This story was written in response to a flash fiction challenge run by NYC Midnight, where I had 48 hours to write a 1000 word story.
The Prompt: Genre = romantic comedy, location = a bus station; object = a chihuahua.
Must be Talking to an Angel
Jun 16, 2018 | Short Stories
By Susan Browne © Susan Browne 2012 and 2018
Angel Story. Published by Woman's Way Magazine, Ireland February 20th, 2012.
Marilyn gripped her mug of tea as her friend Annabel continued with zest. 'You should read the book after me. And since I have started reading it I have had lots of angel signs. I keep finding white feathers, hearing songs about angels on the radio and I know it's them. Of course, it was probably happening all along I just didn't notice.'
Marylin watched her as she spoke. She did look different. She had a glow that wasn't there before. But something about what she was talking about seemed to create a knot in Marilyn's stomach and transported her back into a classroom where she was about six.
She allowed herself to drift away from her friend and into the memory for a look around. The children were all listening intently. She couldn't hear what the teacher was saying, but she sensed it was somehow connected to what Annabel was telling her.
'Well, what do you think? I'll be finished by this evening. I could drop it over.'
'Okay,' she sighed heavily.
'What's wrong? You love reading.'
'I don't know, Annabel. All this angel stuff. It's not really for me.'
Annabel looked at her, crestfallen. Marilyn tried to make amends. 'It's certainly suiting you though. Just look at you; you're radiant.'
'I know. I feel a hundred times better. My life is changing in a way I can't explain.'
That night Marilyn dreamed of being back in the classroom. She could smell the little pile of fresh pencil shavings carefully discarded in her inkwell as she tried to rub black marks off her fingers.
Miss Kelly was pointing at chalked letters on the blackboard. Little Marilyn watched colours dance and swirl around her. She saw a figure of light standing close to her, glowing and watching on lovingly. The golden form looked over at Marilyn and smiled. Then she demonstrated breathing slowly in and out, pointing at Miss Kelly. Marilyn's mouth opened and the words simply tumbled out, 'Miss Kelly I think your angel says you must stop and take a breath.'
The class went quiet and thirty-six eyes turned to face Marily. Miss Kelly's angel seemed to flinch.
'What did you say?' the teachers face turned crimson and the colours around her turned into an ugly grey mist. Miss Kelly stormed over and cracked a wooden ruler across her little hands. The hurt and confusion she felt were much worse than the physical pain. Miss Kelly was her favourite teacher. She woke out of her dream and quietly got out of bed, reading the time as only 4:44. She wept as she relived the incident, trying to make sense of it. She made herself a hot drink and did some tidying before her body demanded she get back into bed. Immediately she slipped into another dream. This time Miss Kelly was an older woman dressed in a green jacket. Miss Kelly was apologising to her profusely. The dream was so clear.
'It's alright,' she kept telling her, embarrassed.
'I would love to make it up to you. What a beautiful child, telling me my angel's message. How cruel I was.' Marilyn saw her angel again, laughing and rejoicing, shining and spinning around her. She was also aware of her own angel embracing her with golden light.
'I forgive you Miss Kelly,' and she did.
When Marilyn awoke the next morning she had the urge to ring her friend Annabel straight away to tell her about the dream but something stopped her. It was just a dream after all. On her drive to work she turned on the radio only to hear the lines 'must be talking to an angel,' by The Eurythmics. It made her laugh. 'So maybe there are angels,' she smiled. She remembered to buy some sugar at the last minute and stopped at a different shop than usual. She joined the queue and gasped as Miss Kelly joined after her. She hadn't seen her in years but was stunned to see her wearing the same green jacket that she had worn in the dream. The retired teacher gave her a warm smile.
'You're Marilyn, aren't you?' she said.
'Yes Miss Kelly,' she said.
'Please call me Margaret. Can I talk to you for a minute?' she said after a pause.
Marilyn agreed, feeling apprehensive as they walked out of the shop together.
'Here is okay,' she said. 'I just wanted to thank you.'
'What for?' asked Marilyn.
'I know this might sound a little strange, but I've always believed something you said to me when you were a child made me stop smoking. I was very hard on you when you said it, because it wasn't what I wanted to hear. I used to smoke sixty a day, I had terrible chest problems, and my mother was the same and died young because of it. I grieved terribly for her. But what you said made me stop immediately. I never smoked since. I am deeply indebted to you.'
'Wow. That's quite amazing,' said Marilyn.
'Can you still see angels?' she asked.
Marilyn's face reddened. Then she realised there was no need to feel afraid. 'I did in my dream last night.'
'Well I often see them these days, and your angel says there is a book you ought to read,' she grinned. The light twinkled in her eyes. 'I'm so delighted I met you,' she said, and waved as she walked away.
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A Woman Much Like Me
May 16, 2018 | Short Stories
About this story: This was published by Woman's Way Magazine, Ireland October 26, 2005. Set in Goa, India, which is one of my favourite places.
Una could feel the heat immediately as she stepped off the plane and made her way down the steep metal stairs. A sense of euphoria bubbled up inside her. The sun embraced her body, warming her bones and lifting her spirits. She thought of Garrett and said under her breath, 'can you feel that, Garrett? Isn't it marvellous?'
'Look, Mum, there's the terminal over there. Will we have to walk?' a little boy said to his mother who was trying to carry about five pieces of luggage and not really listening.
'I think we will have to walk. You'd better help your mam with all that stuff,' said Una. He looked up at her in surprise, but her warm smile reassured him.
Una started walking. She couldn't stop smiling. 'We're here. In Goan paradise at last,' she whispered, looking down at her two swollen feet bulging out of her beige sandals.
The airport had been modernised since she and Garrett had come, and things were very efficient this time. The taxi ride took half an hour. She just stared out of the open window at the strangely familiar sun-scorched scenery. The palms clung together in forests, and then they straggled out across fields, some with crops and some barren and daunting.
'Are you travelling alone?' the taxi driver asked her after a while.
'Well, I lost my husband last year. But we planned to retire out here. And I think he's sitting right here beside me if you know what I mean,' Una grinned as she was sure she was right. She stroked the crucifix pendant that she wore for reassurance. She was sure this was all quite plausible. She did not notice the frown on the driver's forehead. Or his inability to reply. It wasn't her problem. She had arrived.
All the arrangements had been made with Mr Atal whilst Garrett was still alive. And she had been in regular contact since. The girls thought she had gone mad. They even tried to talk her out of it. But she was so sure. So determined. One day they spoke harsh words to her: 'Mum, you've gone crazy. It's a normal grief reaction, but you have to see it for what it is. You're an old woman; you won't survive in India on your own.' She had lain awake that night fighting off the terror they and other well-meaning friends had instilled in her. Una had wept until they took pity on her and tried to approve and be happy for her. 'I know the place like the back of my hand; it's like a second home,' she had insisted.
She sensed she might be an embarrassment to them. But Una didn't feel old. And now she was here, out of the grey, drizzly November of Ireland, she felt even less so. Mrs Atal was there to greet her. She had flowers for her on a string, like a Hawaiian necklace. She hugged her and told her she was ever so sorry about Garrett. 'You'll be okay. We are nearby. I will send friends to help you settle in,' she looked the old Irish woman up and down. Her grey hair was still the same length, in big awkward curls, and her face was red and shiny in the heat. She had lost a little weight, but her face was still plump and pleasant. She wore a coloured silk blouse that had been purchased there and was showing its age.
'You're so kind,' Una squeezed her face and gave her a kiss. Mrs Atal looked a little embarrassed but remained warm. She showed her around the house that Una remembered so well. It had been changed a little. Celtified. Garrett had stated what decor and facilities they would need and it had all been arranged for them. It was still very India though. Kashmir rugs that they had bought three years ago had been aired and thrown across the tile floors. The bed had a good mosquito net around it. The bathroom was now wheelchair friendly; this had been the most expensive job of all. You just never know, Garrett had said as she had sighed about all the money it was costing.
'You just never know indeed, Garrett,' she said quietly.
'Pardon,' said Mrs Atal.
'Oh nothing, Pet, I'm just mumbling on to myself.'
'You must miss him, Una. I think you are a very brave woman,' Mrs Atal turned to face her.
'Thanks, Love, I don't know if I'm really all that brave at all.'
'You are, you are wonderful,' she smiled, and then looked away quickly in case Una should squeeze her face again. That minute her mobile phone rang.
'Oooooh things change don't they? Everywhere you go… There was none of them the last time we were here,' said Una.
Mrs Atal smiled politely and answered the call. She spoke quickly in her own language. Una had seen this before. It looked as though she might be having an argument and then suddenly the tone would change and it would all seem friendly again. She would try to guess at what the words meant. Mrs Atal was not long on the phone. 'My husband wants you to join us for dinner. Would you like this?'
'Of course I will. I'd be delighted,' Una laughed.
'That's good. I'll pick you up at five. Is that okay?'
'That'll be just grand,' said Una.
'Do you need anything before I go? I bought you some bottled water for drinking.'
'You're as good as gold, Mina, as good as gold.'
After Mrs Atal had gone, Una realised that she was here for the first time without Garrett. Even though she felt he was here in spirit she missed his physical presence, and someone to talk to. She looked down at her flowers, which were already starting to wilt with the heat of the day and the warmth of her body. 'I'll go and have a shower before I unpack, Garrett,' she said, and carefully peeled off the necklace.
You do that, love, she imagined him saying.
'It'll be too late to go to the beach now; I'll wait until morning, shall I?'
Yeah, better off. It'll be dark by the time you leave the Atal's house.
Unpacking was strange. None of his socks and shorts to sort through. She wished she had brought them along anyway. She put her hand into the empty suitcase and smelled. Trying to get a smell of him. Sun cream that had spilt years ago filled her with memories.
Oh, feck that bloody suncream! Look at that, Una! My best feckin' shirt!
'Don't worry love. I'll sort it when we get home,' she said to the case. 'Home… but now this is home. This is our home now, Garrett. I'll have to see if I can sort it here,' and she laughed to herself. She laughed until she curled up into a little ball on the floor and began to cry.
Dinner at the Atal's was lovely. Their son was back from the States on holidays and his wife had a strong American accent. Una enjoyed knowing more than she about the place. Her parents were from Delhi and she had never been here before. She was beautiful and elegant. But not as elegant as Mrs Atal, even though she was twenty years younger. Mr Atal kept looking at Una, as though he was afraid she might burst into tears at any moment. But Una felt happy here. She loved the company and the local food. She just wondered how she would face her lovely house all alone tonight. And tomorrow, and the next day.
On the beach the next day Una remembered she must phone the girls. It was too early now. They were five hours behind. There were more bars and restaurants on the beach this time. Lots of bodies, young and old, were sauntering by. She shook her head firmly at the beach sellers who offered their produce, then kicked off her sandals and walked into the sea. The Indian women kept covered up, even in the water. Yet the Westerners bared all, ignoring the stares. 'Nobody would stare at me,' Una said to the sea, and laughed at the idea of stripping down to her swimsuit. 'Not today thanks, I'll take this sun one step at a time.' Just then she noticed another Caucasian woman that looked her own age. She had seen her and was wading towards her.
'Good morning,' she said in a European accent.
'Morning. Lovely isn't it?'
'Yes, it's very beautiful. Have you been here long?' she asked kindly, for Una was snow white in colour and had obviously just arrived.
'No, only got here yesterday. How about you?'
'I am here for one month. I am thinking of living here for the rest of my life.'
'Me too. I have a house just a minute inland.'
'I am renting but wish to buy too. I was supposed to be coming with my husband, but he died a few years ago. So now its just me' the lady smiled bashfully.
'Really? You are brave. But then I guess that makes me brave too.'
Disrupting Places
Apr 27, 2018 | Short Stories
By Susan Browne ©Susan Browne 2006 and 2018
Short Story set in North Kerry. Inspired by seeing an extension being built. Came first place in 2006 Ballydonoghue Parish Magazine Writing Competition, North Kerry, Ireland. Written in North Kerry colloquial language.
'I couldn't sleep after all that at all,' she said, pouring more milk into my tea.
'Because of the holes in the yard?'
'Not just holes – deep trenches. Cut out of the ground. Ones deep enough to bury a horse in. Stretching this way and that.'
'The foundations of your extension?'
'Yes. It kept me awake.'
'That's nuts. Why would it keep you awake? Just excited, I s'pose.'
'Excited yes, but scared too. Scared that it might be disturbing old spirits.'
I pulled me tea over to myself, for fear she's put even more milk into it.
'The old spinster that lived in the house before us mightn't like it. Us rooting around and all that. And those that lived before her, that lived on this patch of land. They might be bothered. Those who lived as far back as when you didn't wear shoes and central heating was your stomach after the dinner.' Her eyes shone.
'Sure extensions are going on every day in North Kerry. And as far as I know no spirits have come bothering people yet.'
'But how do you know?' she said. She was right of course. Spirits may not simply arrive in their Sunday best and say 'Hello, you have caused me great upset by building on your new conservatory. 'They might do subtle things.'
'Subtle things like what?' I asked.
'Well just hanging around in a dissatisfied manner.'
This made me smile so I had to turn away a little. My imagination is fairly vivid, you see. 'But what about the existing house?' I said. 'That's only built since the seventies. Wouldn't that have upset a few spirits that weren't quite as old back then but older than the seventies people all the same?'
She said 'Yeah but they've had time to adjust by now. This is a new… ahh… disfigurement. A new wound. She used her hands for emphasis. 'Now how can I explain it? Have you ever been into a new building and found it uncanny that just months before the place you are standing would have been in thin air? And beneath you the mud and whatever grew and lived there are now suddenly drowned by concrete?' She briefly mimicked a person drowning. My mouth opened and closed.
'Like the new building in the hospital. It's like it doesn't quite belong there yet. The air and the space there just hasn't had chance to accept the change.'
'Ah now you're really doing the dog on it,' I said.
This time she smiled. But I knew out of coyness and not irony. I knew she was really serious; and being kind of an agreeable person I had to agree a little. I mean none of us really know.
'Now the walls are up,' she said, 'it's not so bad. When we get living in there, happily so please God, we will start to make the place exist.'
'As ye imprint yourselves on the space and air and time and stuff?'
'Now you're talking.'
I stuck my nose into my mug and finished my tea. I left the scone till after, knowing it would be divine. From the new bakers in town. The one that might be upsetting the old clothes shop spirits, since we were on such matters.
'I hope the tea will taste as nice in there.'
'What do you mean?' she said.
'Well if the spirits were upset then they could put a bad taste into it.'
'Really? I never thought of that.'
Then neither of us knew who was codding who.
'But Mary,' I said, 'how do you know they'd be troubled by it all anyhow? They might only be delighted of the change.'
She wrinkled up her nose before considering it. 'Well that's true too of course. But then you never think of that when you wake in the darkest hours of the night.'
'No then, you don't I suppose.'


Tbilisi, Avlabari, 12 Metekhi str.
The hotel "Penthouse" is located in the old and picturesque part of Tbilisi, Avlabari. The hotel takes the third and fourth floors at 12 Metekhi street. You can reach our floors by a comfortable, modern elevator. The hotel has 23 rooms, out of which 4 are suites and the rest are singles and doubles. The rooms are equipped with comfortable modern furniture. Fast all rooms have a balcony, overlooking a beautiful view of the Narikala fortress and other sightseeing locations in old Tbilisi.
The hotel bar and a restaurant with a terrace create a cozy and a pleasant environment. You can enjoy the best views and sceneries of new Tbilisi from the bar and the restaurant. The hotel offers heating, conditioning, high quality internet access, fire safety system, security, individual safes, mini bars and a wide choice of satellite TV channels. ATM machine for all types of plastic cards is located inside the hotel.
You can reserve an air, land and railway tickets, plan sightseeing tours and rent a car without leaving the hotel building. The hotel can also help you arrange the airport pick up – drop off service. Prices range from USD 60 to USD 140 (including breakfast). The price include also 18 %VAT. Welcome to the hotel Penthouse!


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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


To cope with the 'Learning Fever' of Chinese language worldwide, offers a comprehensive language programme to all Malaysians who are not using Chinese as their native language.
is the first training centre in Malaysia where the 'interactive learning' system is applied. Learning Chinese is made much easier and effective here because students are not only bestowed with the freedom to choose from a wide range of courses and classes, but they can also enjoy all the facilities and activities organized by our centre.
Our education facilitation officers (EFO) will look after and give assistance to our students in relation to their study and living. guarantees an all-rounded interactive communication and care to our students.
KunkwanizationTM is the representation of our innovative teaching pattern in which our learning programme is specially designed for Malaysian students. With reference to all successful Chinese courses offered in Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan and China, our courses also take into account of relevant subjects such as pedagogy, psychology and linguistics as the theoretical basis of our programme.


Why Use Our Indoor Weathering Laboratory?
So it's been a short amount of time after you've finished painting the walls of your home. It was a lengthy ordeal and the bright colors of the new wall looked spectacular. After a while, you started to see the bright color it once was start to darken and fade. You might be wondering why….
Does Clothing Need UPF Evaluation?
Why Test Paper Products for UV Light?


PeakView by Horseshoe Lake is a garden-style apartment community that consists of 13 two- and three-story apartment buildings with a mix of one-, two- and three-bedroom apartment homes. The homes feature spacious walk-in closets, kitchen islands, fireplaces, track lighting, oversized double-pane windows, central air and forced gas heat. The community offers many amenities including a fitness center, a pool and hot tub, sand volleyball court, pet park, a clubhouse with WiFi and a business center. PeakView by Horseshoe Lake is well-located in Loveland in the Fort Collins Metro, with easy access to highways and retail within minutes of the property. The community is located nearn Boyd Lake State Park where residents have the opportunity to bike, boat, camp, fish and hike. Fort Collins was recently ranked #10 in "Best Places for Business and Careers" by Forbes. Major employers include Anheuser-Busch, Otter Products and Advanced Energy.


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Smeaton Tower
One of the South West's most well-known landmarks
A centrepiece on Plymouth's Hoe, Smeaton's Tower has become one of the South West's most well-known landmarks.
What use is a lighthouse on dry land? Smeaton's Tower once stood about 14 miles out to sea - on a clear day you can still see the stump on the horizon where it once stood proud against the elements. Just like a tree, the tower bends in the wind. It's hard to imagine what it was like out there in the middle of a raging storm, as it bent to and fro and the waves crashed right over the top. It sounds terrifying, but the tower never snapped and now it is the model for all lighthouses built on rocks.
Smeaton's Tower is a memorial to celebrated civil engineer John Smeaton, designer of the third and most notable Eddystone Lighthouse. A major step forward in lighthouse design, Smeaton's structure was in use from 1759 to 1877, until erosion of the ledge it was built upon forced new construction. John Smeaton has another claim to fame - he also invented quick-drying cement!
The lighthouse was originally built on the Eddystone reef in 1759 at a cost of £40,000 but was taken down in the early 1880's when it was discovered that the sea was undermining the rock it was standing on. Approximately two-thirds of the structure was moved stone by stone to its current resting place on the Hoe.
Smeaton's Tower has been a Grade I listed building since 1954. It is open for visitors, who may climb 93 steps, including steep ladders, to the lantern room, and observe Plymouth Sound and the city. Now standing at 72 foot high, Smeaton's Tower offers fantastic views of Plymouth Sound and the city from its lantern room which, along with the rest of the building, has been painstakingly restored to its original glory.
Smeaton's Tower is a 19-minute drive from Future Inn Plymouth. Alternatively, it would take around 35-minutes on public transport or 28-minutes by bike. It would take approximately 1 hour and 25 minutes to walk from the hotel.
Future Inn Plymouth is an ideal base for the night offering various sized rooms including rooms that can sleep up to four adults or a family. Perks include free car parking, free wifi and a complimentary robe and slippers. Book direct for the best available rates on our website or by contacting the Reservations Team on 01752 701000 or reservations.plymouth@futureinns.co.uk.
Fishbone Restaurant is ideal to fuel up as every day the team serve breakfast, lunch, evening a-la-carte or traditional roasts on Sunday. A large selection of drinks is also available including cocktails all of which are £7.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


This study examines the behavior of Swiss house prices to immigration flows for 85 districts from 2001 to 2006. The results show that the nexus between immigration and house prices holds even in an environment of low house price inflation, nationwide rent control, and modest immigration flows. An immigration inflow equal to 1% of an area's population is coincident with an increase in prices for single-family homes of about 2.7%: a result consistent with previous studies. The overall immigration effect for single-family houses captures almost two-thirds of the total price increase.


Stylishly Decorated & Cozy 3BR / 3 BA Condo - Ski-in / Out!
We invite you to enjoy our wonderful vacation home nestled below Lone Peak in the Mountain Village of Big Sky Ski Resort. Ski-in/Ski-out convenience makes this condo perfect for families. POMA lift access to Big Sky resort area only 150 yards away. Come and go as you please! Just a quick walk to nearby shopping, dining and après ski fun! Short drive to the newly developed Moon Light Basin Ski Resort.
Big Sky is not only about winter activities. Summer can be the most relaxing and scenic time to visit Big Sky, especially when the wildflowers are in bloom. Whitewater rafting, mountain biking, horseback riding and fly-fishing are just a small sampling of the activities available.
This 2 story vaulted condo features private ground level entrance, 1 bedroom with a queen size bed and a full bath, 1 bedroom with 2 double beds and a full bath (great for kids) and a spacious master bedroom with a king size bed, desk, seating area, walk-in closet and a full bath. This condo is elegantly decorated with new slate floors in the foyer and kitchen, fresh colors, new carpets, new furniture and wonderful iron beds. All this centered around a large stone fireplace in the great room and french doors which lead out to a deck. Our home offers a warm and relaxing atmosphere after returning from a great day of outdoor activities. You can pull into the attached heated garage and unload or prepare your gear in comfort. If you're hungry and feel like eating in, the kitchen is fully equipped to cook for a crowd, or better yet, there is a variety of great restaurant choices in the Big Sky area.
We also have free Wireless DSL High Speed Internet.
All in all, with 100 trails covering 3600 acres of uncrowded terrain, we think Big Sky is the best year-around resort in America and is by far the most family-friendly! One hour from Yellowstone Park and Historic Bozeman. Less than 50 miles to (BZN)Bozeman airport.
Come visit Big Sky Country!
Free DSL Wireless Internet, 4 Cable TVs, 4 DVD's, HEATED 1-Car Garage, Deck, No Smoking!
. We had a really hard time parking last night as the driveway isn't cleared at all. There's serious Mold in the master bath, and all other bathrooms. So disgusting and the smell permeates the rooms. It was really hard to drive on the parking spot and it's not cleared. No hand soap for sinks, and dirty dishes were put away in the drawers. There is no Kleenex and there's still towels in the dryer. It seems to me that these things should be ready for when we arrived. Not sure if the cleaning people and management people aren't doing their job but really frustrating as a guest. Made it challenging to get in last night and park and unload as well as getting ready this morning when we needed to wash dishes before making breakfast.
I sincerely apologize for all the snow we have had at Big Sky this year! It made parking difficult, as there is a car parked in the parking spot 90% of the time, and the roofs had shed due to the warm weather that week. I park there constantly with no issues as does everyone else. Keep in mind the condo is at 8000'. I also apologize for the clean towels in the dryer. We had a back to back that day....As for the 2 square inches of mold, renters can have a hard time keeping the shower curtain closed.... when you complained about the lack of tissues, I replied immediately that there were a dozen boxes in the closet... you can't please everyone.. it's not the 4seasons, but please see all other reviews.. can't please everyone all the time.
Access to lifts very convenient. Condo had ample space for 6 adults and contained most everything we needed. Chris was very easy to work with including helping us with some special requests.
Big sky mountain is an incredible place to ski!
We enjoyed this condo and thought it was a great value for the money. The location was convenient for skiing and we loved having the large mud room entry way for our boots, coats etc. Having a heated garage is awesome! We stayed with 4 adults and 4 kids and had plenty of room. We had a great visit to Big Sky!!
This house is located close to the pommel lift which makes it almost a ski in/out. The room set up with three bathrooms were perfect for our group of three couples. The kitchen had all the utensils needed or enough you could improvise. The carpet is a bit worn as is the bathroom floors, caulk, grout. Beds comfy. Big sky skiing was awesome.
Big Sky is awesome! SO MUCH SNOW!
This place was super convenient to Big Sky Resort and an easy drive to the Madison Base (Moonlight Basin, which we LOVED). Although not truly a ski-in/ski-out, we loved the condo! There were 5 of us, and we had plenty of room for more. Within 5 minutes of our arrival, we had the first visit from the friendly neighbourhood fox. He ended up coming at least twice a day, perching right outside the back door/windows. We named him Red, LOL. The owner was super helpful.... kitchen was well-stocked with equipment and spices and coffee supplies. Towels and linens were super comfy which was a big plus for me. I'd suggest Milkie's for awesome local pizza, Buck's T-4 Lodge for a great steak and wild game, and Montana Jack's off-the-slopes for good food, music and drinks. Plan to stay for a week if you want to ski all there is to ski because the skiable area is HUGE...you couldn't possibly see it all in less time than that.
We had 4 adults. The condo worked very well for us. Spacious. Good beds. The owner converted the second room upstairs into a king so that was very nice. We had several nice fires. The Poma lift is a short walk away. It was not possible to ski in and out of the unit. Big Sky itself was amazing. Great snow and beauty. Can't wait to return.
Access to nearby Fitness Center/Health Club for no additional charge! Hiking, Fly Fishing, Snow-Cat Skiing, Sledding and more!


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3 Programs That Lose Out in Obama's Defense Budget
The Obama administration released its budget and strategy documents this week, spelling trouble for some military programs. Here's a rundown of some of the losers.
By Joe Pappalardo
The Obama administration released its budget and strategy documents this week, spelling trouble for some military programs. Not that many are at risk of cancellation, though: The $708 billion 2011 Pentagon budget is $18 billion higher than 2010's. (It calls for $33 billion in supplemental funding for wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, something candidate Barack Obama railed against during his campaign.) Still, Gates and Obama took some programs to task, and killed one outright. Here's a rundown of some of the losers.
1. F-35 LIghtning II (Joint Strike Fighter)
Defense Secretary Robert Gates has taken no pains to hide his dislike of the F-35 program. The stealth multirole fighter could become one of the world's finest warplanes, but its development lags behind schedule and the plane is not seen as an urgent need against guerrilla enemies who don't have sophisticated radar networks. This budget season, Gates proved his malice by firing the F-35 program manager Brig. Gen. David Heinz and refusing to release $614 million in performance bonuses to the F-35's lead manufacturer, Lockheed Martin. The budget has $10.7 billion slated to buy 23 F-35As for the Air Force F-35As and 20 F-35C jump-jet variants for the Navy. That is nine airplanes lighter than last year's allotment.
2. CG(X) NExt-Generation Cruiser
When it comes to U.S. Navy ships, stealth and the ability to knock down missiles are vital jobs. The CG(X) --a next-generation cruiser warship--was supposed to replace the Ticonderoga class cruisers that the administration wants to deploy in greater numbers to the Middle East and Asia to counter missile threats. Those ships have AEGIS systems that can track multiple aerial foes and kill them with missiles. The CG(X)'s umbrella of air defenses would likewise protect a carrier group or fleet from missiles and airplanes, but it had a radar-defeating hull design, electric propulsion and powerful radar. The ship's design is based on that of a futuristic destroyer the Navy is designing; the cruiser would have been a larger and better armed version, but some military planners argued that advances in Chinese ballistic antiship missiles made the design inadequate. The DD(X) and CG(X) were announced in 2001 and have suffered development problems--this year's budget keeps funding for three next-gen destroyers, built at a price of about $3.3 billion each. But the Navy may never get the CG(X) underway, or even get the chance to settle on an official design.
3. Expedentiary Fighting Vehicle (EFV)
The Marines' ride from ship to shoreline has aged, but the service is having a tough time developing its replacement, the EFV. The Corps' program cost $14 billion, but the vehicle broke down every 4 hours and couldn't steer straight while in the water. This year the EFV's budget is being slashed from last year's by about $50 million, down to $243 million for continuing research and development. The EFV timeline called for it to be fielded this year, but the budget delays that date as well. Consider this program on life support--although the desperate need of a replacement and support from Marine Corps brass reduces the chances that the EFV will be canceled.
7 Military Tech Winners and Losers Under Gates's Proposed Defense Budget
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DARPA is Building a New Hypersonic Missile
U.S. Navy Specs Out its Future Fleet of Frigates
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The Real Military Tech Behind Edge of Tomorrow 's Guns and Gadgets
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Pentagon Turns to Engineers for Troop Transport Fix in Iraq: Analysis (With 6 Next-Gen Chopper Designs!)
Drone Skies: The Unmanned Aircraft Revolution Is Coming
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United! (1965)
Sezonul 1 Sezonul 2 Sezonul 3 Sezonul 4
United! was a British television series which was produced by the BBC between 1965 and 1967, and was broadcast twice-weekly on BBC1. The series followed the fortunes of a fictional second division football team, Brentwich United. The football scenes were filmed on the grounds of Stoke City with Jimmy Hill acting as a technical advisor, and the efforts to achieve authenticity saw the show being criticised by the then management of Wolverhampton Wanderers, who complained that the series was based on their team. United! was not a success, and was cancelled after two series. The programme was generally considered to be too soft to appeal to male viewers, and too male-oriented for the female soap opera audience. As was common television practice of the time, the series' episodes were wiped, and none of its 147 episodes are believed to have survived. Created by Anthony Cornish, other writers on the programme included Gerry Davis, Brian Hayles, Malcolm Hulke and John Lucarotti. The directors included Innes Lloyd and Derek Martinus. Aside from Cornish, all of these individuals also worked on Doctor Who concurrent with their involvement in United!.
Kynaston Reeves
Hilary Mason
Eric Longworth
Paul Whitsun-Jones
Basil Dignam
Stephen Yardley
Harold Goodwin
William Lucas
Richard Hurndall
Bryan Marshall
Ballard Berkeley
Rudolph Walker
Tony Caunter
Michael Billington
Scrie un review pentru United!


Synonymous with skateboarders, surfers and Southern California (where the brand was founded in 1966), Vans is a true sneaker icon. Add some cool to your casual with these canvas checkerboard slip-ons with platform soles for a bit of boost. When you select your size, "H" equals a half size.


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Esistono più comuni francesi con questo nome

La Chapelle-Gauthier – Eure
La Chapelle-Gauthier – Senna e Marna

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


When it comes to finding the best Talent Management Software in Saudi Arabia, it is imperative you take plenty of time for research. Shortlist a few companies, take a look at their testimonials, and ask for price quotes. This way, you can gain info regarding how much the Talent Management System will cost you (in accordance with the features you want). After all, determining your budget is a crucial aspect of investing in any software/system.
Modern talent management softwarearegreat tools to support your HR strategy. So, don't settle for a software that lacks the features you need and go the extra mile in conducting due diligence by asking vendors and consultants questions regarding how the Talent Management System will benefit your organization. Look at the features and compare the offerings with other software on the market.
When selecting a Talent Management Software in Saudi Arabia, don't simply look for an application that "automates" your existing processes. Go for software that helps your HR department improve the selection and talent management process. Bear in mind the best Talent Management System help sin crease the efficiency and effectiveness of every member on your team.
Never choose a software or make a final decision, until and unless you are 100% sure the software can be implemented with your existing HR management and payroll portal system. Therefore, make sure the software provider you choose has the appropriate support services in place to help you implement the software successfully within the organization.
When buying a software application, look for features that allow for "configuration" not "customization". The software should be tailored to your organization and provide the appropriate configuration tools to ensure success. Anapplication that you have to "customize" would be a waste of money.
So, now that you are familiar with the tips mentioned above, choosing a good Talent Management System won't be a problem. However, if you want to skip the lengthy research process, contact MenaITech, a renowned HR and Talent Management Software provider that offers the best Talent Management solutions.


When you're doing research, every minute counts. Having to remove your equipment from the lab to have it serviced and calibrated means losing valuable time, plus incurring charges for certification procedures.
To solve that problem, Kent Scientific's SomnoSuite Low-Flow Anesthesia System is Certified Maintenance-Free! Unlike traditional vaporizers, our systems have been designed so that they'll never need time consuming, potentially costly calibration. This means you'll never have to remove your system form service and experience the down-time and cost that an annual certification would require.
Traditional vaporizers that are used for animal anesthesia require periodic calibration. Once or twice each year, they must be taken out of service and either shipped or inspected in-house by certified technicians. Before certification can be made, seals and gauges must be tested and calibrated. These and other parts can require repair or replacement and the obvious costs associated with them.
Unlike a traditional vaporizer, the SomnoSuite Low-Flow Anesthesia System is designed using an internal digital vaporizer. More robust, with no replaceable components, this vaporizer only uses small amounts of anesthetic resulting in more precise anesthetic delivery, the production of less waste anesthesia gas and less strain for the system.
With typical calibration service costs at around $400 per year, never needing to calibrate your systems can represent a significant savings. Added to the savings in isoflurane use and waste gas disposal, it makes the SomnoSuite Low-Flow Anesthesia Systems an incredibly economical tool to work with. Having consistent results on a regular basis is a benefit not only measured in dollars, but in the quality and integrity of your research.


Detailed information on each item (image, material, size, etc.) can be accessed by clicking on its thumbnail.
Add the items you wish to purchase into your shopping cart by clicking the "ADD TO CART" button. Proceed to checkout by clicking the "CART" button located at the upper right corner of the screen. If you wish to continue shopping click "KEEP SHOPPING".
Fill in all required fields such as delivery/shipping destination, delivery/shipping method, and payment method.
After you have placed your order, we will send a confirmation e-mail to the address you have used to register with us.
The confirmation e-mail will generally be sent by the next business day. If you did not receive a confirmation e-mail, please contact us at – BUSHIZO Customer Support.
You can choose your payment method from the following options: Credit Card.
We accept JCB, Visa, Master Card, Diner's Club and American Express. You can choose between a one time payment or multiple installments.
・Orders placed on a Sunday or a Japanese national holidays will be sent out the following business day.
In rare cases, some items may become out of stock while an order is being placed. We will contact you to cancel your order.
Generally, returns and exchanges are limited to defected items or items damages during the shipping proccess.
※The color of our image may differ slightly from the actual product.
We hold no responsibility for the color of our images. For more detailed product information, please contact us prior to purchase.
Contact us within 7 days of receiving your package for return or exchange.
・No major changes in the merchandise and packaging since its arrival.
We recommend checking your merchandise for defects immediately after it has arrived.
Returns and exchanges are generally not accepted a week beyond its arrival.
After the 8th day, we may accept returns on items that have been kept in the same condition since its arrival(no exchanges accepted), delivery fees will be charged.
To protect your personal information and the environment, we do not issue receipts or detailed purchase statements unless instructed to.
If you would like a receipt or a detailed purchase statement, we will accept requests on an individual basis. Please place your request in the "remarks" column on your next order.
If you would like a receipt, please provide information about the person receiving it and its purpose.
If these instructions are absent, we will put the name of the person who ordered from BUSHIZO on the receipt and "payment for goods" as the purpose.
※ The amount written on the receipt will be the actual amount paid (in the case of a sale, it will be the amount after the discount).
※ In case of a cash payment on delivery, the payment slip issued by the delivery company will be on the receipt and we will not issue an additional one.
※ We will not issue a receipt if the date, amount, name of the person, and purpose are left blank. Also, we will not issue a receipt if "Customer" was put in the name section.
If you have received a defective product or if the product you ordered is different from the ones that you received, we will accept both returns and exchanges unless the product has been used.
After checking for defects, we will reach out to you by email.
1) The product has been in your possession for over 7 days after its arrival.
2) Products that have been used or washed.
3) Products without the accompanying statement of delivery or tags.
4) Products which have been soiled or damaged under your possession.
5) Underwear and other similar items for sanitary reasons.
6) When the condition of the product differs greatly from the condition upon its arrival.
(including boxes and any other accessories) We require all return shipments to be made via EMS (International Express Mail Service).
Please note that we cannot refund your shipping costs if you return your item by any delivery company other than EMS (International Express Mail Service).
*You will need to pay the shipment cost when returning your product, but we will refund the amount together with the cost of returned items.
Custom duties incurred when the product was initially received will not be refunded.
*We are not responsible for the difference in currency exchange rates between the date of purchase and the refund date.
*When several items were purchased in one order and you are returning a part of it, the amount equivalent to ① and ② will not be refunded.
*Please note that we cannot accept any returns if you do not contact our customer support center within the limited period specified above.
1. The delivery time and specifications ( design, materials etc.) of the item are subject to change. There is a chance that the production for said product will be halted for various reasons. We will inform you through e-mail immediately if that happens.
2. Delivery time for these items may vary. You cannot add them to your shopping cart with normal items nor specify a desired delivery time.
4. We will inform you once we have the items available.
If you have selected an item which will be in stock, a "Receive E-mail Once Stock Available?" screen will appear after clicking you click the"ADD TO CART" button.
Input your e-mail address so that we can inform you we have restocked.
※The items you requested are being sold on a first-come-first-served basis. Quantities may be limited, so act NOW!


continue to develop population-specific strategies and dedicate resources to overcome the barriers that many Canadians still face regarding diagnosis and treatment: waitlists, geographical/ socio-economical/ cultural challenges.
increase capacity among healthcare practitioners for treatment.
include re-treatments in reimbursement formularies.


Other than the content you own, under these Terms, Carol Richard and/or its licensors own all the intellectual property rights and materials contained in this Website.
Certain areas of this Website are restricted from being access by you and Carol Richards may further restrict access by you to any areas of this Website, at any time, in absolute discretion. Any user ID and password you may have for this Website are confidential and you must maintain confidentiality as well.
In these Website Standard Terms and Conditions, "Your Content" shall mean any audio, video text, images or other material you choose to display on this Website. By displaying Your Content, you grant Carol Richard a non-exclusive, worldwide irrevocable, sub licensable license to use, reproduce, adapt, publish, translate and distribute it in any and all media.
Your Content must be your own and must not be invading any third-party's rights. Carol Richard reserves the right to remove any of Your Content from this Website at any time without notice.
This Website is provided "as is," with all faults, and Carol Richard express no representations or warranties, of any kind related to this Website or the materials contained on this Website. Also, nothing contained on this Website shall be interpreted as advising you.
In no event shall Carol Richard, nor any of its officers, directors and employees, shall be held liable for anything arising out of or in any way connected with your use of this Website whether such liability is under contract. Carol Richard, including its officers, directors and employees shall not be held liable for any indirect, consequential or special liability arising out of or in any way related to your use of this Website.
You hereby indemnify to the fullest extent Carol Richard from and against any and/or all liabilities, costs, demands, causes of action, damages and expenses arising in any way related to your breach of any of the provisions of these Terms.
Carol Richard is permitted to revise these Terms at any time as it sees fit, and by using this Website you are expected to review these Terms on a regular basis.
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These Terms constitute the entire agreement between Carol Richard and you in relation to your use of this Website, and supersede all prior agreements and understandings.
Made to Order Items are not refundable. All made to order transactions are final, please make sure you read all dimensions and information in the individual listing.
In interest of hygiene and for your own protection earrings are not refundable and non-exchangeable.
Ready to ship items are refundable within 3 days of receiving them. After received and 3 days have passed all sales are final and not eligible for returns.
Items must be unworn and unaltered from original state. You will be refunded minus any shipping charges. Buyer is responsible for any return postage fee and insurance.
Refunds will only be submitted once returned merchandise is received back in original condition.
For all UK Orders, I will pay for Royal Mail first class mail/trackable unless otherwise noted. Ready to ship items will ship within 2-3 business days of payment received. If other mailing services are requested, the buyer will be made aware of these costs and agree before shipping.
International Buyers: International orders are shipped by Royal Mail Airmail Tracked & Signed. All UK orders are sent by RM 1st class recorded (special delivery upgrade is available upon request). Buyers will be informed of shipping and handling costs before mailing due to special requests.
Your item may also be delayed in customs in your country, customs duty may apply of which the buyer is wholly responsible for.
All made to order items will have different dispatch time, depending on design complexity.


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Business, general
Abstracts » Business, general
This time, it's the Barbarians at the Web; Zapata makes surprise bid for search firm
Zapata offered to acquire Web search company Excite for $1.7 billion, or $72 a share that would be paid in newly issued Zapata stock. Excite summarily dismissed the bid without consulting its board, despite the company's market capitalization of only $240.4 million. An Excite news release said the Zapata move amounted to a purchase request, which Excite declined. Zapata, which currently sells fish protein and sausage casing, has changed its line of business several times since George Bush co-founded it as an oil company in 1953. Since the 1980s, Zapata's business has spanned commercial fishing, natural gas and the restaurants and food service businesses it operates in 1998. The company's shift to the Internet business began in Apr 1998, when it obtained the defunct Web publications Charged and Word from CMT for $2 million.
Author: Ramstad, Evan, Tomsho, Robert
Publisher: Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
Publication Name: The Wall Street Journal Western Edition
Subject: Business, general
Videotex & Teletext, Seafood Products, Seafood Product Preparation and Packaging, Misc. Food and Kindred Products, Mergers, acquisitions and divestments, Company acquisition/merger, Seafood, Seafood industry, Internet/Web search services, Excite Inc., XCIT, ZAP
This time, it's the barbarians at the Web: Zapata makes surprise bid for search firm
Founded in 1953 as an oil company, Malcolm I. Glazer took control of Houston-based Zapata Corp. in 1994, and started divesting its oil interests and moved into restaurants and food service. Shortly afterward, he acquired the Tampa Bay Buccaneers followed by fish oil and sausage casings. Now the company is setting its sights on becoming one of the important Internet companies of the world, which explains its $1.7 billion bid for Excite of Redwood City, Calif. No one at Excite, however, is taking Mr. Glazer seriously.
Fish-oil co. based in Houston made bid for Calif.-based Excite after acquiring two small Web pubs that have failed already
Acquisitions & mergers, Database Vendors, Company Planning/Goals, Database industry, Article
Search engine springs from high-tech games
10-K Wizard Technology L.L.C. was started by Kee Kimbell and Martin Zacaries. Both are former employees of Ion Storm, maker of the games 'Doom' and 'Quake.' To showcase their search technology, 10-K Wizard has put up a Web site. Users a way to search the SEC's Edgar database of disclosure filings by publicly held companies. The two began their business with $600,000 in capital. They seek other applications for the search software they've developed.
Author: Ramstad, Evan
Strategy & planning, Bsns Videotex Svcs ex Database, Statistical Data Included, Management, Services, Online services, Online information services, Business information services, Company services, Internet/Web search service, Kimbrell, Kee, Zacarias, Martin, 10-K Wizard Technology L.L.C.
Subjects list: Internet services, Search engines, Zapata Corp., United States
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Harley Lights Up My Life.
Going To School To Become A Vet Tech.
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Hanne&Harley♥ updated her profile information.
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Vivek Gambhir
Consumer goods may get cheaper. Here's why
Effective tax on most items will be down at least 2 per cent under the multi-layered tax structure finalised by GST Council on Thursday
November 04, 2016, 09:06 IST
Updated: November 04, 2016, 09:58 IST
Several consumer products and white goods may become cheaper when the goods and services tax is rolled out because effective tax on most items will be down at least 2 per cent under the multi-layered tax structure finalised by GST Council on Thursday.
Under the proposed regime, tax on most consumer goods will come down from over 30 per cent to 28 per cent and even to 18 per cent in the case of certain categories including soaps, oils and some white goods. A committee of secretaries will decide on which item goes into which tax bracket.
"As long as the rates are in the high teens and the low twenties in aggregate it should lead to a consumption boost," said Vivek Gambhir, managing director at Godrej Consumer Products. "Ideally, it would have been nicer for the slabs to be lower because 18 per cent and 28 per cent are leaning on the higher side. If the effective rate becomes 16 per cent to 18 per cent that would definitely be positive and bring down prices," he said.
For makers of soft drinks, the tax impact is likely to be minimal, unless they are clubbed with tobacco and taxed at more than 40 per cent. The existing excise duty on soft drinks is 18 per cent. The industry is waiting for the final decision. "It's too early for us to comment on the current developments.
The food processing industry is looking forward to rational tax rates for carbonated beverages, savouries and fruit juices in the GST regime," said Rajdeep Datta Gupta, chief financial officer at PepsiCo.
Durables and appliances companies said the impact on consumer prices would be marginal. GST on small screen televisions and will be around 18 per cent, while that for white goods like refrigerators, washing machines, air-conditioners and large screen televisions will be at 28 per cent. At present, the tax structure on televisions is around 24 per cent while that for white goods is around 30 per cent.
Companies said this may not lead to much price drop except in small screen televisions since there is significant increase in television panel prices globally and commodities like steel. "The marginal drop in taxes will have no big impact since the difference in rates is just marginal," said Godrej Appliances business head Kamal Nandi.
Electronics makers, however, said their cost of doing business will reduce under the new tax regime. Videocon chief operating officer CM Singh said the biggest benefit of GST will be convenience of business since under the current regime, companies had to set up warehouses and pay VAT in each state.
For cigarettes, the taxation rate including excise and state VAT varies between 47-65 per cent depending on the cigarette length and industry expects at most a marginal hike under the GST regime.
Mobile bills for consumers, however, could go up. The GST rate for telecom companies is likely to be pegged at 18 per cent. Telecom service providers currently attract 15 per cent service tax — being an infrastructure service designated as an essential service under the Essential Services Maintenance Act, 1968 — and are availed of by the masses.
Rajan Mathews, director general of Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI), said any increase in tax would have a direct impact on mobile phone bills of subscribers. Edible oils makers said they were confident the government would place the category in the 5 per cent GST bracket since it is a necessity product.
Since edible oil is consumed by almost 99 per cent of the households, it should logically fall in the lowest category of taxation under GST, said Cargill chairman Siraj Chaudhry.
"However, since around 70-75 per cent of edible oil is imported, the government can probably balance the import duty with GST in a way that consumers benefit," he said.
Krish Iyer, CEO of Walmart India, said finalising the rates now may help the country roll out GST by April next year. "With half the CPI basket at 0 per cent and majority of daily consumption essential items at 5 per cent, it will keep inflation in check," he said.
Siraj Chaudhry
Rajdeep Datta Gupta
Rajan Mathews
Krish Iyer
Kamal Nandi
Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI)


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Donald P. Moynihan is an Irish-American political scientist. He is the McCourt Chair at the McCourt School of Public Policy at Georgetown University, having previously worked at the University of Wisconsin–Madison (UW–Madison) and Texas A&M University. While at UW–Madison, his book The Dynamics of Performance Management: Constructing Information and Reform was named best book by the Academy of Management's Public and Nonprofit Division and received the Herbert Simon award from the American Political Science Association.

Early life and education
Moynihan completed his Bachelor of Arts degree in public administration at the University of Limerick (1997) and his master's (1998) and Ph.D. (2002) in public administration from the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs at Syracuse University.

Career
Upon completing his formal education, Moynihan became an assistant professor at the Bush School of Government and Public Service at Texas A&M University from 2003 until 2005. While there, he received the 2004 Paul Volcker Endowment Junior Scholar Research Grant from the American Political Science Association's Public Administration Section for his work "What Do We Talk About When We Talk About Performance? A Content Analysis of Legislative Discussion of Performance Information." Following this, he accepted a similar position at the Robert M. La Follette School of Public Affairs within the University of Wisconsin–Madison.

During his early years at UW–Madison, Moynihan published various books including The Dynamics of Performance Management: Constructing Information and Reform, which won the Best Book Award from the Public and Nonprofit Division of the Academy of Management. It also received the Herbert Simon award from the American Political Science Association, which honors the book with the most significant influence in public administration scholarship in the last three to five years. In the same year, Moynihan launched the Performance Information Project "to bring together contemporary empirical research on how public services use performance data." He was also one of four faculty members chosen to establish a partnership between the Department of Political Science and the Elections Division of the state's Government Accountability Board. As a result of his academic achievements, Moynihan was one of the youngest members elected to be a Fellow of the United States National Academy of Public Administration and served as a member of the Policy Council of the Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management.

By 2014, Moynihan's work was recognized as being among the most influential to be published by the journal Public Administration Review. His works were The Role of Organizations in Fostering Public Service Motivation and Pulling the Levers: Transformational Leadership, Public Service Motivation, and Mission Valence. He was later appointed the La Follette School's Jerry and Mary Cotter Faculty Fellow and received the David N. Kershaw Award from the Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management.

Prior to the 2016 United States presidential election, Moynihan co-authored a paper titled Election Laws, Mobilization, and Turnout: The Unintended Consequences of Electoral Reform, which focused on the effects of election laws to make voting more convenient and increase turnout. The paper won the State Politics and Policy Best Journal Article Award from the American Political Science Association. His research on federal agencies' use of performance management data was referenced in President Barack Obama's proposed U.S. budget for 2016 and 2017. After presenting his research on public sector performance to policymakers at the U.S. Office of Management and Budget, the World Bank and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), he received the Leon D. Epstein Distinguished Faculty Research Award from the University of Wisconsin–Madison's College of Letters & Science.

Moynihan left UW–Madison in 2018 to join the faculty of Georgetown University with his wife Pamela Herd as the inaugural McCourt Chair at the McCourt School of Public Policy. From 2018 until 2020, Moynihan was a Visiting Professor at the Blavatnik School of Government and an academic visitor at Nuffield College, Oxford.

References

External links

Living people
Alumni of the University of Limerick
Syracuse University alumni
University of Wisconsin–Madison faculty
Texas A&M University faculty
McCourt School of Public Policy faculty
Fellows of the United States National Academy of Public Administration
American political scientists
Irish political scientists
Year of birth missing (living people)


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BALPA wins at High Court but offers Ryanair a way forward
The High Court today heard Ryanair's attempt to stop pilots employed by them in the UK from taking strike action as planned tomorrow and Friday [22nd and 23rd August] as well as from 2nd to 4th September.
Mrs Justice Lambert DBE rejected Ryanair's various technical and legal arguments and agreed that BALPA's industrial action ballot and procedures were lawful, and so the strike can proceed.
BALPA has responded to their legal victory by offering an olive branch to Ryanair - a framework to allow constructive negotiations to take place and if agreed by Ryanair will avoid the need for strikes.
Brian Strutton, BALPA General Secretary said:
"Ryanair was foolish to bring this into the High Court rather than the negotiating room. We offered to meet Ryanair management at ACAS to negotiate a resolution, but instead they attempted a legal bludgeon. That's backfired.
"However, we are clear that we want to settle the dispute and bring about a change in Ryanair for the better.
"Pilots in Ryanair are seeking the same kind of policies and agreements that exist in other airlines – our demands are not unreasonable. We want to address issues like pensions; loss of licence insurance; maternity benefits; allowances; and harmonise pay across the UK in a fair, transparent, and consistent structure.
"We hope that Ryanair will take up our offer of a way forward this evening so we can call off this action. We urge Ryanair to change their attitude to dealing with us, and adopt a constructive approach.
"In the event that Ryanair rejects our overture and therefore the action over the next two days does go ahead, we apologise to the passengers who will be affected. Such action could have been avoided if Ryanair adopts a different approach."


MSE Creative Consulting Blog: What Happens When a Tornado Hits a Weather Station?
What Happens When a Tornado Hits a Weather Station?
This is from near Sydney, AU and he scale is in km/hour. So, this is about a 130 mph wind gust. AccuWeather has the full details.


Ryco highlights the importance of using high quality filters in vehicles using Ethanol E10 and E85 fuels.
E10, a fuel blend of standard unleaded petrol combined with 10% Ethanol, is the most popular Ethanol fuel with up to 70% of vehicles on Australian roads being compatible for its use. There is a strong recommendation however that any vehicle prior to 1986 or fitted with carburettors should not use E10 as the solvent properties can lead to issues with rubber components used on the vehicle.
Ethanol E85, a blend of standard unleaded petrol combined with up to 85% Ethanol can only be used in vehicles that have been designed for its use due to the aggressive nature of the fuel. It should not be used unless specifically recommended by the manufacturer of the vehicle or the engine.
Due to the demanding nature of both E10 and E85, Ryco monitors these and all alternative fuels with exhaustive testing to ensure that the Ryco filter will not break down when exposed to different fuels.
Rubber components used in modern vehicles such as sealing gaskets and hoses are manufactured from rubber with high fuel resistance to meet stringent SAE standards ensuring motorists do not experience unexpected fuel leaks whilst on the road. In the case of fuel filters this is not the case with some cheap imports using incompatible components to Ethanol with disastrous results.
"The insides of a filter are just as important and the external parts as this is where the filtration of the fuel takes place", said George Dearden, GUD Automotive Engineering Manager. "There are a number of critical items within the filter such as the adhesive being used and the actual filtration media and if these are wrong the filter will not perform. Unfortunately these are totally encased within the filter cartridge and not easily checked. In these circumstances the vehicle owner would be completely unaware that the filter in their vehicle had failed," he said.
Two main types of petrol filters are currently being used in Australia i.e. Nylon and Metal bodied with Nylon typically designed for older vehicles with carburettors whilst the metal bodied filters are for vehicles with EFI systems.
Ryco Nylon fuel filters are manufactured from high quality virgin Nylon materials that resist attack from Ethanol. Test have proven that filters sometimes originating from countries where there is a lack of understanding of Ethanol type fuels or knowledge of local E10 standards, that these can be manufactured from incompatible acrylics that will eventually fail.
Recent evaluation of alternative brand samples revealed significant issues with the type of filter media and the adhesives used during the manufacturing process. In these tests the media demonstrated poor water separation performance and the adhesive broke down after exposure to the Ethanol in the fuel. Failures in recent tests undertaken revealed issues ranging from distortion of the filter bodies to complete failure of the filter element.
Ethanol blended fuels are hydroscopic with a tendency to draw water from the atmosphere leading to a build-up of water in the system. As the density of water is greater than Ethanol, water settles on the bottom of the tank in a phase called separation. To overcome this problem the media used must be capable of not only removing the contaminants but the water as well.
At Ryco the manufacturing data for each part number specifies the precise grade and quantity of the media and adhesive to be used to ensure that the performance is not compromised in any way by Ethanol fuels.


There are many distinct experiences in life and sometimes games can be seen more as escape, yet the experiential aspects of games can be a very deliberate part of the design and can contribute significantly to make the game more enjoyable.
This may be done in two ways. First, the overall general experience of playing the game may be considered, for example the concentration of thoughtful games like chess, the visceral aspects of physical games, the visual quality of board games or the atmosphere of a role-playing game.
Individual experiences may also be designed, for example where role-players enter an unexplored room or where fighters engage in a battle. A full design of experience considers all aspects, from thinking of playing through to after-game situations.
An urban street treasure-hunting game is designed both for the overall experience of running around a city and individual 'adventures' in finding clues in distinctly different contexts, such as abandoned buildings and churches.
A football team manager considers the whole experience of the players, from joining to coaching to changing-room build-up to the actual impact of the game and post-game let down.
Meaning, which is central to our lives, comes from experiencing. From the interpretation and learning that we get out of games we both improve our game-play and also find better ways of living in the 'real' world.
Experiences are not 'events' or what happens, they are how people feel about such times. A strong experience is likely to have peak emotions with perhaps a complex set of feelings along the way. We remember good experiences because the emotions we feel at the time help fix the experiences in our memories such that when we recall that period we experience again the emotions we felt then.
It has been found that varying experiences is a often a better way of generating happiness than acquiring material goods. It is hence better to spend your money on experiences, including games, than buying more 'stuff'.


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Lisbon, The Pillar 7 Experience: getting a close-up view of Lisbon's 25 April Bridge
The Pillar 7 Experience: getting a close-up view of Lisbon's 25 April Bridge
February 23, 2020 December 25, 2020 portugalupclose
One of the most iconic sights in Lisbon is the distinctive 25 April Bridge which crosses the River Tejo linking Lisbon with Almada on the South Bank. As it is a road and rail bridge it is not possible to cross it on foot, but a relatively new visitors' centre, opened in 2017 to (belatedly) celebrate the 50th anniversary of the bridge, means that it is now possible to go up one of the pillars and come face to face with the traffic on the top deck of the bridge from the safety of a glass platform that hangs over the road below (although, I must say that on the day we visited, the glass could have done with a clean!).
Pilar 7 (Pillar 7) is located on the riverfront road, Avenida da Índia, in the Alcântara district of Lisbon (not far from the LX Factory shopping and restaurant complex). The visitors' centre is state of the art, including an airport-type security check.
Large information discs embedded into the ground contain information about the project and lead to various sections of the visitors' centre, which include an area with a scale model of the bridge, showing its entry and exit roads, and with information about its history (the bridge opened on 6 August 1966 and was originally called the Salazar Bridge).
There are also lots of bite-sized facts that fans of engineering might enjoy, such as the fact that the bridge is 2277 metres long; it is composed of 82,000 tons of steel; there are 11,248 steel wires per main cable; and there are 600,000 square metres of painted surface. On the first stop of the lift we got out into a large, dimly lit warehouse-sized space (known as the Workers' Room) with bare concrete walls onto which photographs and videos of the construction of the bridge were projected on all four walls, along with more bite-sized facts. From there we went into an area where we got an intimate view of the main moorings of the support cables.
We were then whisked up in a glass lift to the viewing platform on the 26th floor at the top of the pillar, 66 metres above ground level.
The viewing platform has joined the list of Lisbon's famous miradouros (scenic viewpoints), with views towards Belém to the west, Ajuda to the north-west, Monsanto to the north and along the south bank of the river, where there is another iconic structure, the monument of Cristo Rei. Information of what was in our eyeline was marked on the safety glass panels. However, we were visiting it on a sunny but misty day in late December and the views were somewhat compromised.
There was something futuristic about the site, from the scale of the white concrete, geometric-shaped buildings that seemed to engulf us as we walked from the entrance to the lift, to the eerie darkness inside the Workers' Room, the stomach-churning depth of the lift shaft and the proximity of the traffic on the bridge, making it a slightly uncomfortable experience. It probably wasn't worth €6 for the view alone, as there are better free panoramic views from other parts of Lisbon, but it was a unique opportunity to get an insight into this famous bridge.
Entrance costs €6. Open daily (except Christmas Day): May to September 10am-8pm; October to April 10am-6pm.
Tram 15; buses 714, 727, 732, 751 (nearest stop Rua da Junqueira e Alcântara); train from Cais do Sodré or Cascais (Alcântara-Mar station)
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This St Thomas Vacation Rental comfortably sleeps 2-6+ adults. One large king bedroom, private bathroom and private balcony. Loft bedroom with one king, one queen bed, private bathroom and large upper deck.
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