Lunch nammos mykonos menu

The Nourish Eatery in Sunbury is a charming café that offers a delightful dining experience. Nestled in the heart of Sunbury, this cozy establishment provides a warm and inviting atmosphere for visitors to relax and enjoy their meal.
The café boasts a modern and stylish interior with comfortable seating arrangements, creating a pleasant ambiance for patrons.
The menu at The Nourish Eatery is designed to cater to a variety of tastes and dietary preferences. Whether you're a meat lover, vegetarian, vegan, or have specific dietary restrictions, you'll find delicious options to satisfy your cravings. The café takes pride in using fresh and locally sourced ingredients to create their dishes, ensuring quality and flavor in every bite.
The breakfast menu offers a range of enticing choices, from classic favorites like fluffy pancakes, eggs benedict, and avocado toast to unique creations like breakfast burritos and grain bowls. For lunch, you can indulge in hearty salads, gourmet sandwiches, and wholesome wraps. The Nourish Eatery also offers a selection of freshly brewed coffees, teas, and refreshing beverages to accompany your meal.
What sets The Nourish Eatery apart is their commitment to promoting a healthy lifestyle. They prioritize nutritious and wholesome ingredients in their dishes, providing options that are both delicious and nourishing. Whether you're looking for a quick bite or a leisurely meal, you can feel good about the food you're enjoying at this café.
Overall, The Nourish Eatery in Sunbury is a wonderful place to dine, relax, and nourish your body and soul. With its welcoming atmosphere, diverse menu, and dedication to healthy eating, it's a must-visit spot for locals and visitors alike.

I had a salami sandwich for lunch yesterday. That was the last straw. I walked away thinking, "I really, really , really need to do something about my eating." So I joined WW that afternoon.
I had a good dinner last night, a great zero point breakfast this morning (eggs and watermelon).
For lunch today, I was at a big work event. I didn't have a plan, other than eating good (healthy) food.
Score! They had some really nice vegan rice ball things...and a good salad! And of course water to drink.
This is such a huge win when compared to what I normally would have had...cookies, lemonade, chicken in a gooey sauce.
And the vegan rice balls were great! (Hannibal's Catering in Sacramento)
Basically, I wanted to introduce myself on day one of being on plan, and report about some good menu choices that were far better than what I would have eaten had I not joined yesterday.

I have no mods which affect character speed. I dont know if its a corrupt file or something, anyone know of a way to reset this? Just my characters walking and animation speeds are fast, every other aspect of the game is normal.
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Shout out to Hubspoke Kitchen in Wallingford. They opened early this year and I just discovered by new sandwich shop for lunches. They have more than sandwiches too!
The friendly owners shared some fresh pasta they're perfecting before making it available on their menu. They said their dine-in is opening soon.
206 Main Street, Wallingford
https://hubspokekitchen.com/

Treat your team to a delightful dining experience at the best restaurant for team lunch. Our diverse menu options, impeccable service, and inviting ambiance. Make your team gathering memorable with Chulha Chauki da Dhaba.

A friend and I went out for lunch to a cafe. They had a dish that came with pork sausages. The kids menu had a chicken sausage option. I requested to the waitress if we could swap since my friend (non-muslim) does not eat pork.
The waitress kept saying that was a kids menu item and it wasn’t allowed as an option.
As someone who has worked in F&B, there are often times we had food that expired or weren’t sold. It also seemed like a simple switch. I also felt making this one change was not going to trigger a bunch of customers asking the same if it was an inventory concern.
Is this something you’d ask to speak to the manager to make this request? Or would you let it be? (They did not serve chicken sausages as an optional extra either.)
Thanks.

A friend and I went out for lunch to a cafe. They had a dish that came with pork sausages. The kids menu had a chicken sausage option. I requested to the waitress if we could swap since my friend (non-muslim) does not eat pork.
The waitress kept saying that was a kids menu item and it wasn’t allowed as an option.
As someone who has worked in F&B, there are often times we had food that expired or weren’t sold. It also seemed like a simple switch. I also felt making this one change was not going to trigger a bunch of customers asking the same if it was an inventory concern.
Is this something you’d ask to speak to the manager to make this request? Or would you let it be? (They did not serve chicken sausages as an optional extra either.)
Thanks.

Obesity is becoming more widespread as people’s lives get busier, leaving them with less time to prepare meals and exercise. To better preserve your health and get back in shape, you should start by creating a meal for obese people.
Obesity can cause a variety of serious illnesses, including osteoarthritis, cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, sleeplessness, and others. However, if you know how to prepare an appropriate weight reduction food, you can avoid the aforementioned risks. So, what are the menu planning guidelines for obese persons to assist them control their weight and safeguard their health?

Menu planning principles for fat adults

According to a 2017 study published in the International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, those who plan their meals ahead of time are less likely to be overweight or obese. These people also eat a wider variety of foods and have healthier diets. Furthermore, having a ready-made menu allows them to save money on eating out.

To build a healthy weight loss menu for fat persons, keep the following concepts in mind:

1. Cut back on greasy foods:

Fried foods with a lot of fat not only make the weight loss menu unsuccessful, but they also cause a slew of hazardous health issues. These are the foods that overweight and obese people should avoid if they want to lose weight and improve their health.

2. Eat nutritious foods:

A meal should have enough protein (15%), fat (30%, with no more than 10% saturated fat), and complex carbohydrates (55% of the diet). You can acquire enough of the aforementioned nutritional categories by eating the following foods:

• Egg
• Salmon, shrimp, and other seafood
• Healthy oils such as olive oil, avocado oil, and so on.
• Beef, chicken, hog, lamb, and so forth…
• Cauliflower, spinach, cabbage, celery, cucumber, and other green veggies…

To ensure food safety, look for a trusted supplier when purchasing these goods.

3. Split meals:

When creating a weight reduction menu, avoid eating too many meals and instead divide the food you need to eat during the day into numerous little meals. This will make it easier for you to control how much food you consume. When eating, you should also take your time, chew thoroughly, and concentrate on your food. This manner of eating allows the brain to signal to you when you are full, allowing you to stop in time, and it also allows the stomach to perform more efficiently.

4. Limit sugary water:

Sugar-free and calorie-free water, such as filtered water, should be prioritized on the menu for fat persons. You should also avoid sugary beverages such as soft drinks, sports drinks, and bottled water. Even juice contains some sugar, so be cautious when incorporating this type of water in your weight reduction meal.

5. Have food ready:

Even though there are plenty of healthy options, you may be too tired to cook on hectic, tiring days. To reduce cooking time on busy days, choose a free day to prep the ingredients or cook the finished dish and refrigerate it. This food preparation approach is known as meal prep, and it is a clever way to cook food for 2-3 days in one session. You’ll stop eating out and have more control over how many calories you consume at each meal if you have meal prep meals in the fridge.
You can look online for more food preparation ideas to create excellent yet visually appealing foods. Cookbooks can also be purchased if you enjoy reading.

How to Create a Weight Loss Menu Every Day

Depending on their tastes, allergies, or readily available foods, each person approaches the secrets of creating a weight loss plan in a unique way. However, you might get more ideas from the diet menus listed below.

Menu for Losing Weight in the Mediterranean

The Mediterranean diet emphasizes fruits, vegetables, olive oil, fish, and other nutritious foods. This diet does not focus on calorie or fat reduction, but rather on eating foods high in fiber, lean protein, and unsaturated fats. This diet has been demonstrated in numerous studies to lower the risk of death, improve weight, and prevent cardiovascular disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes.
You can use the following menu to lose weight:

• Cereal with Greek yogurt and cheese for breakfast
• Lunch: Whole wheat bread with sesame grilled chicken
• Afternoon salad of salmon, beets, and raspberries
• Snack: roasted almonds, beets, and your favorite vegetables with yogurt sauce

Clean eating diet menu

Eat clean, also known as clean eating, is a nutritious diet that will help you lose weight while protecting your health. You will eat nutritious snacks on this plan, so you will feel fuller for longer and eat less during your main meal.

• Breakfast: Greek yogurt topped with sliced strawberries, walnuts, and chia seeds.
• Toasted grain bread with cheese and mango sauce for breakfast
• Brown rice with salmon and Japanese soybeans for lunch
• Banana with flaxseed for an afternoon snack
• Turkey and salad for dinner

Weight loss menu high in protein

Protein-rich foods help you grow muscle and burn fat, making them ideal for athletes. This nutrient-dense diet will also help you feel fuller for longer and have fewer cravings, allowing you to avoid overeating at each meal.

• Broccoli and Parmesan for breakfast
• Northern plums for breakfast
• Pumpkin soup with chickpea butter for lunch
• Snack for the Afternoon: Kiwi
• Brown rice with cooked fish and asparagus for dinner

Weight loss menu with low fat and salt

Fat and salt not only interfere with weight loss, but they can also harm heart health. The menu below will assist you in avoiding substances that are hazardous to your body and health.

• Cooked oats with walnuts, bananas, and skim milk for breakfast
• Broccoli, low-fat cream cheese, plain low-fat yogurt with flaxseed, half a peach, unsalted crackers for lunch
• Dinner consists of salmon, green beans, almonds, a salad with low-fat dressing, skim milk, and an orange.
• Skim milk and cookies for a snack

You can tailor the components in the suggested weight reduction menus above to your eating habits, tastes, health, and cooking abilities. The amount of food consumed at each meal is also entirely determined by the amount of physical activity performed each day. Adjust your food intake such that the calories you consume are less than the calories you burn.
Obesity has serious consequences, but you may protect yourself by closely monitoring your food. A sensible meal for obese individuals will assist you in controlling your calorie consumption, avoiding harmful foods, and easily achieving a more reasonable weight. The ideal shape and weight are heavily influenced by how you organize and stick to the weight reduction food on a daily basis.

From sushi to noodles and stir-fried delights, their extensive menu offers a wide range of Asian delicacies. There's something to satisfy every palate and cater to various dietary preferences.
Located in the vibrant Urdaneta City, the restaurant is easily accessible, making it a perfect choice for a quick lunch or a relaxed dinner. Come and enjoy our culinary offerings at a convenient spot. https://www.ourpangasinan.com/restaurants/a-culinary-delight-exploring-the-diverse-menu-at-wani-asian-cuisine-in-urdaneta-city/

It seems every time i’ve walked up for an early lunch (usually when they aren’t as busy) the employees greet me and then instantly ask what they can get started for me. when i’m clearly keeping distance from the register and looking at the menu, and tell them i need a minute they always get really awkward with me and I feel rushed. They just used to regulars maybe?

Just had The Burger House for lunch. It's been a while since I had them last and forgot that they are pretty damn good. I know it's essentially Wendy's in disguise and they are a tad slow, but the quality is there and the menu selection has some excellent variety. Not priced too bad, just a little higher than the fast food chains for the same thing and almost all of the burger combos are the same price. The fry sauce is great and they are ALWAYS open when they are supposed to be.

Had to run an errand at Spec’s on my lunch break and realized for the first time there’s a deli with a full kitchen at the back of the Arbor Walk location.
Got a half-sandwich (corned beef), half-wrap (turkey) & side (fruit salad) combo for $5.55! Best under $6 deal I’ve come across in a good while.
They also have a full menu of hot sandwich and poboys for about $10.
You can stay and eat there, just can’t drink the alcohol at the same time.

Excuse my bad English, it's not my first language.
Hoi! I'm a 17 y. o. boy who unfortunately fell into the world of disordered eating/eating disorders some time ago. I'm a bit better now, I've stopped using a calorie counting app and gotten into a better mindset but it's still tough. I sometimes have small crying fits or go into panic because I ate too much, which is why I'm here.
My family is visiting Efteling soon. Our stay is 4 days long. I'm very excited, except for the food part. We'll probably go to the restaurants in the park (Pinokkio's, Polles, maybe even Raveleijn) for dinner if we have time during the day and if we don't, we'll eat at the hotel's restaurant. So, can I, a 17 year old, order kids' meals at the restaurants in Efteling? Or can they make smaller meals?
I'm asking because if someone brings a big plate of food to me, I'll devour the whole thing. I simply can't not eat it all. But then when I do clean the plate, I fall into panic because, well, I overate. It's not fun so I'd rather avoid the whole situation by just ordering a smaller meal. And honestly, a tornado potato and chicken Raveleijn style? Sounds absolutely delicious. Heart shaped pancake with fruit? Love it. Call me childish and I will not care because to me, children's meals are superior and not only from the "they don't make me have meltdowns" standpoint.
Recommendations on lunch places are also appreciated! The chat bot told me some places have "magical mushrooms" as their menu thingies, could someone explain what they are, exactly?
Thanks in advance!

Hey everyone!
This sub was a great resource for preparing for my big Euro trip, so I wanted to drop this post as a round up for great gluten free places I visited!
PARIS
Patisseries:
Copains - fully GF bakery, amazing selection here and super friendly staff, everything I had here was delicious (and I tried way too much)
NoGlu - while my least favorite of the bakeries, NoGlu offers lunch as well, so getting a traditional ham and emmental sandwich on their baguette was a great treat. As far as their straight up baked goods though, they were noticeably GF as compared to others in town
Le Pont Traverse - this little coffee shop is operated by NoGlu and serves baked goods from their bakery. It was super close to my hotel, so we started pretty much every day here. The smoked salmon bagel was especially good
Chambelland - while it was a close race with Copains, this was my favorite of the bakeries. I legitimately couldn't tell their eclair was gluten free
Dinners:
Brasserie Les Deux Palais - this is probably the only really "tourist trap" place we went, but we were hoping to walk along the Seine around sunset one night, and this brasserie by Sainte Chapelle was just the right location. It's definitely overpriced, but if you're looking for the traditional tourist brasserie experience while gluten free, this is a reliable stop
Le P'Tit Troquet - traditional French cooking, small restaurant with an even smaller menu, but gf adjustments available for most menu items and friendly about making the changes needed
Le Saotico - this little bistro was packed with locals when we arrived, which is always a good sign. The owners are a couple and the wife has Celiac, so she is quick to assure you that you are in good hands. They make some amazing duck and had great GF dessert options
Boutary - shout out u/MagneticPerry for this recommendation because this was THE BEST MEAL of our whole trip. A caviar-centric tasting menu, tailored around my GF request, with some of the most delightful waitstaff I have ever had the pleasure of meeting. A true 10 out of 10 experience
NICE
Taverne Messena - this place was a godsend when we arrived to Nice at 11pm one night. They stay open until 1 am and have a special menu labelled with allergens
Pop-O-Thyme - we ate lunch twice at this little crepe spot, traditional GF buckwheat crepes can be made with almost any of their fillings, and the GF crepes are made in a separate area than the others
La Rotonde - this is the mid-budget option for dining at the historic Le Negresco resort in Nice, with the Prix Fixe menu coming in around 65 euros a person. Your GF options are a little limited on the prix fixe menu, but everything I had was delicious, and they brought out warm GF rolls that were amazing. Dinner here also gets you access to the historic hotel, which is normally reserved for guests, so make sure to check out the incredible bar as well
GiGi Tavola - Someone told us the GF pizza at GiGi Tavola rivaled any GF pizza in Italy, which I was very skeptical of, but after having spent a week in Italy I have to agree. This is the best GF crust I have ever had. Make sure to make a reservation here, and if you're a craft cocktail person, ask about the speakeasy when you pay the check
At this point in my trip, we crossed over into Italy, and here I am happy to confirm everything you've heard about being gluten free in Italy is 100% true. People are super friendly and super knowledgable, almost every restaurant has their allergen info handy, and the AIC (Italian Celiac Association) awards a seal of approval to restaurants that can the facilities and know-how to assure food safety for people with Celiac.
GENOA
I Tre Merli - we had a stopover night in Genoa and wanted some seafood. I Tre Merli is AIC certified and sits out on the port, so we figured it was a good pick. All the seafood was fresh and delicious, and they offer several gluten free pasta options to accompany any of their sauces. I had some incredible GF seafood gnocchi here
McDonalds - yep, I tried the Italian GF burger. It is exactly what you expect: a frozen double cheeseburger that's been microwaved to order and served to you still sealed in plastic. But it's safe, convenient, and a Scharr bun is gonna be delicious no matter what. It makes me so mad no one in the States can offer something that is this simultaneously convenient and safe.
FLORENCE
Hostaria Il Desco - another AIC certified spot, this one offering more upscale pastas. We got truffle bruschetta on GF bread and chinghiale pasta (wild boar, a local delicacy). This place was a healthy mix of locals and tourists, which for Florence is saying a lot, as it was flooded with American college kids the whole time we were there
Sgrano - a very popular lunch spot in Florence serves giant sandwiches prepared inside an entire loaf of focaccia, and Sgrano is directly across the street offering a GF version. These sandwiches are gigantic and filled with incredible Italian meats and cheeses. I highly recommend you split a sandwich, I had one to myself at lunch and couldn't eat for the rest of the day
Cafe Del Teatro Niccolini - this cafe offers several different gluten free croissants, store and prepared separately in the back, and is a convenient grab-and-go espresso and a pastry spot
Grom - no matter where you go in Italy you'll probably find Grom gelato. They started as a dedicated GF gelateria and got big enough to be bought out by Unilever, so they are all over the place now. While many gelaterias in Italy are knowledgable enough to be very safe about scooping your GF order, it's nice to have dedicated GF flavors and cones at places like Grom
ROME
Taliani Pastries Cafe - I had read this place wasn't fully GF before going, so I was expecting a limited GF selection, but they actually have much more GF options than non-GF. The pastries were huge and delicious and reasonably priced, the staff even threw in some little tarts for free since they were close to closing.
Pizza in Trevi - at just a few steps away from the Trevi fountain, this place is filled with tourists, but it's AIC certified and has a unique buckwheat GF pizza crust that gives it a great flavor. Despite the crowds rushing in and out, they give gluten free diners a separate placemat and bring all the gf food out on separate dishes to insure safety
Mercato Hostaria - after sitting down here and opening the menu I realized this must be the more upscale sister restaurant to Pizza in Trevi, although the surroundings here are completely different. Instead of the cramped crowds of Trevi, this restaurants sits out on a quiet piazza, but they follow the same AIC safety protocols. All their pasta sauces can be served on fresh in-house GF pasta, and everything we had here was delicious
Mama Eat Lab - there are several Mama Eat locations around Rome offering GF comfort foods (think a lot of breaded and deep-fried options), but Mama Eat Lab in Vatican City is a smaller, dedicated GF location. The pizza here was probably the least impressive of my trip, but the pasta is delicious, and they make these like breaded, deep-fried mashed potato logs that are incredible
I hope some of this was helpful for any of you planning travel, and for anyone out there with travel-anxiety due to our dietary needs, I just want to assure you that France and especially Italy are excellent places to be! I felt more safe there than many of the places I travel in the US.

I spent 2 weeks traveling through Japan - Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto and I'm writing this for those who are thinking about visiting. To preface, I did travel with a friend but spent a lot of time on my own. I'll cover as much as possible.
Pre-Trip
I booked a flight with American Airlines / Delta Airlines for $590 round-trip three months before departing.
I flew out of Los Angeles to Tokyo (Haneda). The trip started on February 9 and ended on February 20. I booked my accommodation before arriving in Japan. I used Hostelworld and Agoda. More about the hostels and hotels I booked are below.
COVID Screening and Visa information for US Citizens only
During the time I visited, Japan still required visitors to be fully vaccinated and have a pre-screening for arrival. First I had to do a pre-screening for American Airlines on VeriFly (please do this a day before checking in at the airport if so). Then, save yourself time and use Visit Japan Web (http://vjw-lp.digital.go.jp/en/) and do the pre-screening requirements a couple of days before departure.
When you land in Tokyo, immediately after deplaning, swaths of airport personnel ask if you have the screener filled out and ready to go. If you don’t, they put you to the side and ask you to fill it out using the airport’s wifi. It takes time and you still have to go through customs after.
Visas for US citizens is a free, 3-month visa if I recall correctly. Bring your COVID vaccination card just in case they ask for it.
Tech/Phone
I took my iPhone 14 Pro (unlocked) and connected buying Ubigi 10gb data plan. Do this before flying to Japan. When you land, you can activate your data plan directly on your phone. I didn’t get pocket wifi as the Ubigi worked perfectly.
Download the Ubigi app. They give instructions but please follow them.
Apps that I used:
Google Maps: you can download offline maps.
Google Translate: Use this everywhere you go. You can use the camera feature and it can translate Japanese to English really great. It saved me a lot of hassle when ordering at restaurants.
Currency Converter
You might want to download a VPN if you want to use Netflix and such. Express VPN is one I’d recommend.
Money/Currency
I took my Charles Schwab debit card and a backup Chase credit card/Chase debit card. Surprisingly, a lot of stores in Japan are cash-heavy; especially small shops and restaurants. My budget for the trip was $2000 with flights included.
Hostels and hotels were around $20-35 USD. Food prices were about $7-$20 a meal. It can get really expensive if you eat at fine dining restaurants. That being said, I stuck to eating mostly at hole-in-the-wall establishments where no English was spoken. Believe me when I say that the best ramen I ever had was only $7 USD. More on what restaurants I recommend are down below. If you really want to save money, don’t buy alcohol.
A solid budget for me was $60-$80 per day without lodging expenses. Some days, I only spent $40 which was all food (I spare no expense for food), then some days I went over because I bought cool souvenirs for myself and some excursions were pricey. You can visit Japan for less but I didn’t want to money pinch myself because I was only there for 2 weeks.
Transportation
I love Japan for this reason. So here’s my take: If you are visiting Japan for exactly 14 days; get the JR Pass on Klook. You buy this a month before departing your home country. For me, Klook delivered it about a week after I bought it over Mail. You could buy either a 7, 14, or 21-day JR pass so I would recommend planning a trip that matches these exact number of days to get the most out of your money.
Now imagine you’re in Japan. It is your first day officially visiting…go to a JR Pass office at any major train station and ask them to redeem your pass. They will ask for the paper ticket that arrived in the mail to your home and they will ask for your passport. After they verify that it is you, they will give you a small ticket which will be your JR pass. DO NOT LOSE THIS! I believe they will not replace it. On how to use it, check out this video.
Now to navigate, I used a combination of Google Maps and Apple Maps to get around. Use whichever one is more comfortable for you. These 2 apps are really exceptional at mapping out the best routes and the times trains depart. Note: the JR Pass only works for JR rail lines! Tokyo/Kyoto/Osaka all have their own subways and train lines with their own payment system. More on this…
So the best way to get around the city is using a Suica card. These are sold virtually at any train station. If you can't find it, ask a train station attendant and say “Suica?”. They point you in the right direction.
A Suica card can be refilled unlimited times and can be used for any rail lines (JR included, but not for Bullet Trains). It is used by tapping at the turnstiles to enter the rails and at any vending machine in Japan! Also at arcades! It is a total mindblower haha Also in Tokyo, some hostels or hotels have a 3-day subway pass for cheap.
Bullet Trains - You can use the Shinkansen bullet trains if you have the JR Pass. Make an important note: You can only ride the Hikari or Sakura trains with your JR Pass. The Nozomi and Mizuho are reserved seating and cost extra because they have fewer stops. If they catch you using these rail lines, they will ask you to get off the next stop or worse, fine you and report you. To see Mount Fuji from Tokyo to Kyoto/Osaka, sit on the right side of the train (right side of the direction it is going). Use Google Maps and Apple Maps to pinpoint when to look out the window.
Food
I usually ate sandwiches and pastries from 7-Eleven in the morning or whenever I needed to pack a lunch. It was a great way to save cash and the food was delicious. High-quality foods and snacks.
As I said earlier, I really spare no expense for good, big meals. I save money at 7-Eleven so I can go all out for lunch and dinner. My go-to meal was usually ramen because it was so damn good. I tried a lot of foods. I’ll try and remember which ones I ate: - Ramen - Okonomiyaki - Unagi - Katsu Curry - Taiyaki - Tempura - Japanese cheesecake - Macha ice cream - Macha waffles - Onigiri - And a lot of different ice creams, confectionary snacks - McDonald’s - please try lol they have interesting combinations
Pack List
I used a 40-liter Osprey backpack.
1 scarf
1 beanie
2 cotton t-shirts
2 thermal polyester long-sleeve shirts (Odor resistant)
2 pairs of joggers
1 pair of Nike thermal leggings
8 pairs of Nike Dri-Fit boxers (lost 1)
4 pairs of ankle socks
3 pairs of Darn Tough Merino wool blend socks (Highly recommend, Odor resistant)
1 parka
1 pair of Adidas Ultraboost shoes
1 Hershel toiletries bag
2 Forge cable combination locks
External battery pack (13000 mAh)
Bose QC-25 noise-canceling headphones
Over the course of the trip, I bought a much-needed 30L Patagonia day backpack
I don’t sweat heavily so I re-wore my shirts, the Merino wool blend socks, and joggers. I did my laundry maybe once or twice at the hostels. It was freezing at the time I went, so I usually layered up when temperatures were lower than usual.
Safety
I am a 6'1" (1.85 m) male with a light brown complexion. I felt safe most of my time there. I think it was the safest country I have ever been to. Some Japanese people are known to be racist but I didn’t experience it. So I wouldn’t worry about it.
Itinerary/Activities
Feb 9 Day 1 Tokyo Feb 10 Day 2 Tokyo Feb 11 Day 3 Tokyo (Day Trip to Odiaba/Yokohama) Feb 12 Day 4 Osaka Feb 13 Day 5 Osaka (Day Trip to Hime-ji Castle/Kobe) Feb 14 Day 6 Osaka (Day Trip to Nara) Feb 15 Day 7 Kyoto Feb 16 Day 8 Kyoto Feb 17 Day 9 Kyoto Feb 18 Day 10 Tokyo Feb 19 Day 11 Tokyo Feb 20 Day 12 Tokyo (Fly Out)
I will put a star (*) next to anything that I highly recommend! 2 stars are for more emphasis! I will list the accommodation first, then activities, and then bars/restaurants.
Tokyo - 3 Nights (Asakusa + Akihabara + Odaiba + Yokohama)
Lodging: Sakura Hostel Asakusa
Activities: *Tokyo National Museum, *Senso-ji Temple, Kaminarimon Gate, Nakamise-dori Street, *Sengaku-ji Temple, Hirose Entertainment Yard arcade, Animate Akihabara, **Mandarake Complex Akihabara, Tsukiji Outer Fish Market, TeamLabs Odaiba, Gundam Yokohama, NISMO Museum Yokohama, Nissan Headquarters Yokohama
Restaurants/Bars: Fuji Ramen Asakusa, Asakusa Unana, *Naruto Taiyaki, *Koyangi Asakusa, *Ouzakura Ramen Yokohama
Took a Shinkansen bullet train from Tokyo to Osaka
Osaka - 3 Nights (Kobe + Nara)
Lodging: Backstage Osaka Hostel
Activities: *Hime-ji Castle, *Kaiyukan Aquarium, Dontonbori, Shinsekai, Round 1 Stadium (arcade), *Nunobiki Waterfall Kobe, *Todai-ji Temple, *Nara Park, Kasuga Taisha Temple, Gilco Sign
Restaurants/Bars: *Wakakusa Curry Nara, *Nakatanidou Nara, *cafe CROCO Nara, Fanny Mae Bar Osaka, Rikuro’s Namba Main Branch, PC and Retro Bar Space Station, Bible Club Bar Osaka, Untitled karaoke bar next to Rock Bar Cherry Bomb lol, Takoyaki Wanaka Sennichimae Osaka, Sushi Dokoro Kuromonsuehiro Osaka, *Dotombori Ichiaki Osaka, *Hamamoto Coffee Himeji, Tairku Ramen Kobe
Took a Shinkansen bullet train from Osaka to Kyoto
Kyoto - 3 Nights (Day Trip to Uji)
Lodging: **Gojo Guesthouse
Activities: Otagi Nembutsu-ji Temple, Adashino Mayumura (closed when I arrived early), Arashiyama Bamboo Grove, *Tenryu-ji Temple, Togetsukyo Bridge, *Nishiki Market, *pocoapoco Record Store, Super Milk Record Store, *Fushimi Inari Taisha Temple Complex, *Byodo-In Temple Restaurants/Bars: *comorebi Ramen House, 茶室 tea room Uji, *Gion Duck Noodles, 自家製麺 うどん 讃式
Took a Shinkansen bullet train from Kyoto to Tokyo - Saw a glimpse of Mount Fuji :’)
Tokyo - 2 Nights (Shinjuku + Shibuya + Akihabara)
Lodging: **Capsule Hotel Anshin Oyado Shinjuku Station (Males Only)
Activities: Tower Records Shinjuku, Disk Union Shinjuku, Mandarake Complex Shibuya, Nakano Broadway, Tokyo Dome for Red Hot Chili Peppers concert, *Shibuya Sky at Night, Tokyu Hands Shop
Restaurants/Bars: Ramen Kaijin, Shakey’s, McDonald’s, Ichiran Nakano
Tips, Advice, and Bonus Stuff!

1. Goes without saying but please respect the local customs.
   
2. Please learn how to say “Thank You” in Japanese! Just learning and using “Arigato” anywhere you go will make you seem like you care and respect everyone. Nothing was more embarrassing than watching an American say “thank you” to a Japanese person.
   
3. Plan to do the major tourist attractions early in the morning. You will get nice pictures without any tourists and you’ll sometimes get the whole temple complex to yourself. The staff will also be more friendly and willing to chat with you. I usually aim to be at temples around 7:00 when they open.
   
4. Use Google Translate for everything! You can have full conversations with friendly Japanese people when using the conversation feature on the app! Use the camera feature to translate Kanji at restaurants that do not offer an English menu.
   
5. Get a Ubigi data plan, I bought 10GB and it had good service anywhere I went. Get more GB if you plan on staying longer.
   
6. I ate at 7-Eleven most of the time when I was too lazy or tired to go out. The 7-Elevens here in Japan are nothing like the ones in the US. Expect to find high-quality sandwiches, Onigiri, and more Japanese snacks.
   
7. Shop at supermarkets near the end of the day (1 hour before closing) and they usually mark down prepped meals half-off or at a discounted price! If you really on a budget, this can help you to save a ton of money and still get a taste of the local cuisine.
   
8. If you need to buy random stuff like clothes, bags, or toiletries; go shop at any Don Quijote or Tokyu Hands department store. They have other shops too that are great to find cool stuff.
   
9. Use Google Translate to translate English to Kanji (Japanese) and use Kanji to find restaurants that are hidden because they don’t use English words. For example, if you want to find the best ramen place, search “拉麺” and you’ll find hidden gems with 5-star reviews!
   
10. The best souvenir I brought back myself was a Goshuincho. These are “honorable stamp/seal book” used by people visiting shrines or temples. If you want more info, google this! I highly recommend doing this!
    

If you have any questions, comment below or send a DM. Peace!

So for work I have a lunch meeting at a fancy steak place. I looked up the menu and on the FAQ it says to talk with your server about what the chef can offer. Can I come with meal ideas based on the menu and ask for something like mac n cheese with a side of asparagus? What's the best etiquette here? I haven't really been to a fancy restaurant (or worked at one lol) so idk what the best way to deal with this is.

My wife and I just returned from a 7-day trip on the Holland America Eurodam from Seattle to Alaska. At the top I will say Alaska is an absolutely must-do destination. Despite our issues with Holland America and the Eurodam, every single stop on the itinerary in Alaska brought at least one “wow” moment. Unfortunately, the ship and line we decided to sail with, the Holland America Eurodam, was a very disappointing experience. I will pre-apologize for the lengthiness of the review here. :)

ITINERARY - 7 Days - May 20-27

Seattle - At Sea - Juneau, AK - Glacier Bay, AK - Icy Strait Point, AK - Sitka, AK - Ketchikan, AK - Victoria, BC - Seattle
Overall, the itinerary was fantastic. Some of the stops felt a bit rushed, especially if you had to take a shuttle from the port, but we overall felt we had a decent amount of time in each port. The toughest back-to-back stops were the ones we arrived late, left late, but then arrived at the following port very early the next morning.
As I said above, Alaska should be on everyone’s bucket list. The views are indescribably beautiful, the people are extremely nice, and the stops felt very “authentic” as compared to some other cruise destinations we’ve visited. We will visit Alaska again. Some of our top picks at each stop:

• Juneau - Whale Watching with Harv and Marv's Outback Alaska (highly recommend), Mendenhall Glacier
  
• Icy Strait Point - 1300’ Gondola Ride (expensive, but absolutely worth the view)
  
• Sitka - Fortress of the Bear, Pel’Meni (Russian Dumplings), New Archangel Dancers, Russian Bishop’s House
  
• Ketchikan - The Great Alaskan Lumberjack Show, Creek Street Shops
  

SHIP

The Eurodam itself is a fine ship, and feels very “classic” in terms of styling. However, the overall space of the ship felt incredibly underutilized. The “Lincoln Center Stage” was completely unused for music the entire trip. The 1000-person auditorium generally sat empty, save for a couple of 30-minute shows per-day and a movie or two while in-port, and this starts getting into our issues with the ship.

On-Board Entertainment

Activities during the trip were practically non-existent unless you wanted to bid on an art piece or purchase jewelry or a watch. I understand that it’s kind-of Holland America’s “thing” to have a relaxed on-board experience, but even random movies in the auditorium during the day would help break up the monotony on longer sea days. The two trivia games offered were often packed to the brim on days with no “scenic” viewing.
There were also a few entertainment options we read about on this subreddit/advertised by Holland that were non-existent on the ship, such as the BBC Earth Experience or bringing guest speakers aboard to talk about Alaska. We had Park Rangers on our Glacier Bay day, but otherwise it was the Cruise Director reading from a 30-minute teleprompt script with accompanying slideshow for their version of “TED” talks each day - she was awesome, but not a replacement for a guest speaker or expert on the topic.
The evening shows, to put it bluntly, were bad. I know this is a common complaint about Holland America, but I didn’t realize how bad. The comedian Jill Kimmel was a nice change of pace, but my wife and I abandoned going to the nightly Holland-produced shows after Night 3.

Stateroom

Our stateroom was good to great. We had a verandah room on the 8th Deck, right under the Lido buffet. There was practically no noise, and the staff that tended to the room were incredibly nice and efficient. Room was cool, clean, and quiet.
The bed, however, was easily one of the worst beds we have ever slept on. I’m a very easy sleeper and I even had issues falling asleep on the bed - constantly waking up with back pain each day. The television in the stateroom was fine, but they did not allow you to change input sources and the TV remote was mostly non-functional; not a big deal, unless you’re struggling to find things to do on the ship…

Technology

Technology with Holland America is a serious dichotomy. Our embarkation process was EASILY the best and fastest we’ve had with any cruise line. They have facial recognition technology and we were at the port and onto the boat within 10 minutes. I’ve never seen anything like it - big props to HAL here.
Once on the boat, things aged very quickly. My wife and I both struggled the entire trip to keep a Wifi connection to the ship’s internal network, which is required to use the Navigator App. The Navigator App itself is quite buggy, fails to refresh, and sometimes just never loads. We relied on the room-delivered paper itineraries often to see what was going on for the day. I took both of our phones down to Customer Service and was told “that’s just what happens sometimes” and that there was no fix.
We purchased the “Internet at Sea” package prior to the trip to try and stay connected, and it connected maybe 2-3 times while we were underway. We used the connection a couple times in-port, but otherwise it was a huge waste of money. Neither of these problems have been an issue on any previous cruise for us - yes, the internet at sea is very slow, but it would stay connected, and the internal Wifi for other ships has never been at-fault. I asked Customer Service about a refund on the internet package and was told that since we pre-purchased and used a “significant amount of data at sea” (180MB by their count), we were not eligible for a refund.
We practically had whiplash going from one of the most technology-forward port experiences on embarkation and debarkation to a complete lack-of user facing technology for convenience on-board.

STAFF

The Eurodam’s staff were overall good. Highlights were our stateroom stewards, the various bar staff, and embarkation/debarkation staff members. Our stateroom stewards seemed to always be patrolling the hallways, super polite, extremely nice, and always willing to give a helping hand. We really couldn’t have asked for better staff to have with us.
The rest of the staff on the ship seemed very… uninformed. Asking a staff member where something was on the ship or what time something was happening (such as port arrival time) was often met with a confused look or “Please visit Customer Service”. I’m assuming this is likely due to a heavy turnover post-COVID, but it really seemed like much of the staff were passengers as much as we were.
The other odd thing about the staff is what I would call “parroting”. English is not the first language of the majority of the staff, which has never been a problem prior to this, as a misunderstanding would often have the staff ask us for clarification. On the Eurodam, however, the staff all seem to simply parrot back to you what you’ve said to them without any understanding which led to many confusing situations for both parties.
As an example, I once asked a Customer Service desk staff if they could process a document for me, we were a day late, so they couldn’t. “I cannot process this for you, sir.” No problem. Since I didn’t need the paper anymore I asked:

• “Ok, could you shred this document for me then?”
  
• “I’m sorry sir, I cannot process the document for you.”
  
• “Yeah, that’s fine, could you throw this paper away for me?”
  
• “Sir, I’m sorry, I cannot process the document.”
  
• “I know, I understand. I’m just asking you to dispose of the paper.”
  

Finally someone came from the back room, translated for him, and he took the paper and put it in the shredder under the desk. This was a super minor thing, but it happened over-and-over again - the staff acting like they understood what was being said, but seemingly not actually comprehending it. Learning a language is incredibly difficult, and I have zero issues repeating myself, nor do I get upset by it, but it almost seemed like the staff were directed to fake understanding as it happened with multiple staff across the ship. This especially was an issue with the dining staff, which gets us into the biggest issue on the ship.

FOOD SERVICE

I’m not entirely sure where to start with this one. Food service was simply awful from top to bottom. Our one highlight was eating at Tamarind for one dinner.

Lido Buffet

Let’s start with Lido, the buffet. The space simply is not large enough for the number of passengers on the Eurodam. Every visit we had required us to hunt for a seat for 5-10 minutes before attempting to get our food. The buffet is not fully-mirrored on both sides, so it was a crapshoot as to which line would be longer on a given night. The space between the closest tables and buffet line was about 2 people across which made traversing Lido a chore at best - God help you if a mobility scooter ended up somewhere in the line. To be clear, it was never the person who required the scooter's fault, it's absolutely the poor layout of Lido.
The food in Lido was, in-general, bland, overcooked, and not visually appealing. There was a lot of overlap day-to-day of reusing similar cuts of meat for a slightly different dish. Often, there were dishes on the menu that just were never prepared or we were told was “out” despite never seeing it on the buffet early into dinner or lunch. The food also felt very cheap - I settled for a cold-cut sandwich a couple of times for lunch and the quality of the ham and turkey used would make an Oscar Mayer’s accountant blush knowing they could get away with selling it.
There were also very odd choices made about what you could and couldn’t do yourself at Lido. Get bread? Yes. Get a bagel? No. Cut bagel? Yes. Toast? No. Get jam? Yes. Get butter? No.

Room Service

Next up, room service. The combination of arriving at ports early and the general slowness of Lido had us ask for room service breakfast 5 times. The food never arrived on time, typically 30 minutes early or 15 minutes late. Not awful if you ask for a 7AM breakfast and it arrives at 7:15AM, but pretty rough when you ask for a 6AM breakfast and it arrives at 5:30AM.
The room service started making me second guess our food safety. We often would get cereal, milk, and yogurt of some sort. The milk always arrived at room temperature or slightly warm, as did the yogurt and this was consistent. I don’t know if warm milk and yogurt is a Holland America thing, but I sure did not like it. Continuing on with food safety, out of our 5 in-room meals, 3 of the days we had visibly dirty flatware - as in, still had food on it from the previous meal, dirty. This was disgusting. This also continued to be a problem across the whole ship, for the entire trip. We had to double check every single piece of flatware and glass we used. Here’s a “taste”.

Main Dining Room

Finally, the Main Dining Room (MDR). The food in the MDR seemed to be different (not better, unfortunately) from what was served in Lido, at least for the first 4 days. After the 4th day, the MDR simply mimicked what was being served in Lido, just plated differently. I can’t say I’ve been on a ton of cruises, but I’ve never seen this happen - usually the MDR is in place for food diversity. I suppose it is nice for someone who doesn’t want to spend the time in the MDR, but the illusion of food choice was completely gone.
I once asked for chicken to be added into my pasta dish, something that has never been an issue with any other…anything. When the dish came out, pasta, no chicken, but then I was offered the full chicken entree as a second plate, in addition to my pasta. I explained again I wanted to add chicken to my dish and he said they could not do that, but he would be happy to shred the BBQ grilled chicken dish into my pasta and mix it for me at the table. A nice gesture, but no thanks. I’m not sure if this is a limitation of the kitchen or understanding of our wait staff, or both. I watched him write “+chicken” next to the order, so I’m assuming the former.
The food listed on the menu also almost always was not what was brought to the table. Two distinct examples were a “Gourmet Greens Salad with Toasted Nuts, Cherry Tomatoes, and Orange Segments” that my wife ordered once. What arrived was an iceberg lettuce salad, walnuts, sliced tomato, and no oranges. The following night I ordered “Ricotta and Spinach Tortellini with Spicy Arrabbiata Sauce and Grilled Vegetables”, what arrived was the frozen cheese tortellini from Lido with the marinara sauce on the buffet that is offered every single night. I went to Lido after our dinner to confirm this with 100% accuracy. Don’t get me wrong, I am a man who loves his cheese tortellini, but that's just false advertising that I feel is purposefully used to make it “feel” more premium.
After our experience with dirty flatware in our room, we started checking ours extensively before each meal in the MDR and had 3 different additional occasions where there was still food or drink on the fork, spoon, or cup, from the previous user. We brought this up to the staff each time, got an apology, but never truly trusted the cleanliness of anything onwards.
From a time perspective, the MDR took forever. Our shortest trip to the MDR was a lunch which took just under an hour and a half. We often would sit with our finished appetizers plates for 10-15 minutes before someone would come take them from us, then wait another 10-15 for our entrees. Often our drinks were not filled, or just forgotten all together. It was very odd…the staff seemed extremely busy, but often felt like they weren’t getting much done. I saw many times that staff would be shuffling clean plates from table to table, just to move them back to a big stack at the end, then repeat the same process with the same plates.
Similar to our in-room experience, our food always arrived at questionable temperatures. I ordered a Caesar salad 3-4 times throughout the trip and it always arrived warm to the table - not room temperature, warm. Again, maybe a Holland America thing, but I did not like it. Our entrees were always room temperature or cold and the one time I sent it back, it took 20 minutes to get a replacement, just for the replacement to be cold. I’m really not expecting the world here, but at least some level of expediency. It never felt like the wait staff’s fault (perhaps minus the shuffling), but someone in the chain was seriously letting them down.

CONCLUSION

There’s more I could say about everything on the ship, but I will just leave it that it was not a pleasant or even decent Eurodam experience for either of us. Overall the sailing experience with Holland America felt extremely cheap, dated, and by the end, dirty. I cannot see us sailing with Holland America ever again, which is a shame since they do offer some interesting itineraries elsewhere in the world. We honestly went into the vacation really wanting to like Holland America as it seemed what was advertised aligned very well with our interests.
The issues come as a bit of a shock to both of us, as we felt that Holland presents itself as a “premium” cruise line with top-quality dining and entertainment and reviews seem to state the same. Based on our Eurodam experience, it couldn't be further from the truth. I really hope our experience was a one-off, but it was a really miserable one. We’ve had 3-night “booze cruises” out of Port Canaveral that have had considerably better dining and entertainment, at a significantly lower price point, extrapolated out.
Despite all the issues with the ship, Alaska exceeded everything I could have imagined. This was still one of the greatest vacations we’ve ever taken and I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend an Alaska itinerary to anyone, just avoid Holland America at all costs.

Hello Boston! I’ll be in the area at the end of June for a conference and I’m looking for recommendations for restaurants from locals. I tried to search the sub but didn’t stumble upon many restaurants recs, although I did find that great thread of low quality expensive restaurants that helped steer me away from certain spots.
I love food and am not picky. I have ~ $100/day I can spend and will likely be eating lunch at the conference most days so most of that will go towards a good dinner, maybe breakfast. I’m staying in the Seaport area and from what I saw on that low quality thread, a lot of restaurants around there aren’t great. So far I’ve booked a reservation at No Relation (tried O ya but there was nothing available until mid-July!). Fox & Knife piqued my interest (big Top Chef fan) since they have raviolo on the menu and it’s something I’ve always wanted to try. Meyers+Chang sounded good too. I plan to stop by Bova’s at some point.
Please give me all your recommendations!!

First Previous
Memory Transcription Subject: Vani, Venlil Surgeon
Date [Standard Human Reckoning]: 2136-10-22
Secluded in the comfort of our cabin, I found myself savoring the rare moments of peace with Johan. The bustling camp did not afford us the luxury of privacy, and this precious pocket of calmness felt like a gift. Lying on the bed together, we did not feel the need to fill the silence with words or engage in any couple of activities. I felt an inherent satisfaction in just lying there together.
"Vani," Johan's voice filled the quiet cabin.
"Johan."
"I'm... I'm afraid of going back," he confessed.
I considered his words before asking, "Do you have many friends back in Jakarta?"
His gaze stayed on the ceiling as he replied, "Other than Snop... not. I guess, in a twisted way, that's a kind of luck?"
I watched as he rolled onto his side to face me, his eyes searching mine. "I count myself beyond fortunate to have met you." His fingers stroked my mane. His light touch felt heavy and comforting. "Even if we were in Jakarta when they implemented the quota they would have let me evacuate with you."
For a while, we just lay there, appreciating each other, our silent exchanges speaking volumes.
When we arrived at the ship, it was still the second or third hour of the day. I forgot when I fell asleep, but Johan's alarm woke us up the same. When we stepped out of our cabin, we found Tresn and the siblings lounging in the common area. Tresn now had the prostheses in his paws. The device twitched every now and there. Meanwhile, the siblings were engrossed in their thoughts or busy with their pads.
In the common area, we had our first meal aboard the vessel. We sat near the window, our portal to the world outside. Through the clear pane, the black water merged with the black sky, and I felt like being suspended in a void. Yet, despite this sense of absolute stillness, the ship flew above the water at a speed above fifty meters per second. Sometime after we had cleared our plates, our surrounding transformed. The sun, breaking the confines of the horizon, began its ascent. Although we were facing away from this bright ball in the sky, its effect was no less mesmerizing. Dawn overtook the black sky. First, the once pitch-black sky took on a shade of deep purple. A transition to an intense, deep red followed it soon after.
Perhaps two or three hours after the sunrise, the coastline of Cirebon began to emerge, peeking out from the edge of the horizon. Its unblemished skyline shone in stark contrast to the devastation reported in Jakarta.
Elangkasa joined us in the common area before we landed.
"Hi folks." They greeted me. "So, I might have forgotten to tell you all that you'll go to Purwakarta Sector 12 as volunteers."
"We don't mind." Said Johan. "I'm glad if I can be of help."
Elangkasa then briefed us on our job in Purwakarta Sector 12, Bolad and I would join the health workers. Johan and Cynthio had put aside their differences, nodding in agreement when Elangkasa assigned them to service and maintain the drones for rescue. Snop agreed when they asked her for help in construction with her skills in operating machining tools.
The armed forces had commandeered this once bustling commercial hub and had transformed it into a temporary base and staging area just like in Banjarmasin. Once we disembarked, Bolad and I joined Johan in his van again. A map of the region appeared on the dashboard. A red pinpoint marked the ovation where the bomb fell and a circle around it, the area of effect.
My classes both in Venlil Prime and Earth did not teach me about orbital bombardment and here I learned that one needs to get into a bunker in times like this. Because, for tens of kilometers, the bomb would heat the air to the point of causing tissue damage. The map showed a region where you will face severe burn injury if you stayed outside when the explosion happened. Amid the circle depicting the zones of devastation, one stark red marker pulsated with disconcerting energy. It lay within the severe heat zone. Its constant glow commanded my immediate attention.
"Johan," I ventured, pointing at the glaring red marker that almost seemed to taunt us, "That red marker there is your home, is it not?"
His eyes shifted from the barren road to the display, taking in the red beacon that represented his home. "Yeah…" He let out a sigh, heavy with desolation within the confines of the vehicle. "I wonder what's left of that house now."
As we drew nearer to the affected area, I steeled myself for the scenes of destruction. However, the buildings seemed to have withstood the assault better than I expected. Of course, we could see the scars of the attack, the shockwave shattered windows and some structures had superficial cracks. A general sense of disarray permeated our surroundings, but the core structures stood against the odds.
Cities and towns dotting the outskirts of the Greater Jakarta Province had been retrofitted with camps to accommodate the droves of displaced people emerging from the ruins of the once-thriving metropolis. In recent days, the tide has started to turn. Able-bodied survivors moved back towards their shattered homes, driven by the urge to reclaim and restore what they could salvage from the debris.
Our journey led us to the city of Purwakarta, a place I remembered from a past excursion with Johan. We had once visited the city's reservoir, taking in the tranquil beauty of the idyllic landscape. The city has changed now. A bustling hive of activity transformed the city as it took refuge for those fleeing the destruction.
Because of the scale of the destruction, we didn't have a single "camp" as we had for the gojids. The refugee districts were divided into Sectors. We pulled into sector twelve as the midday sun reached its zenith, casting almost no shadow on the ground. Prefabricated buildings of varying sizes formed an ordered chaos across the city's outskirts.
Everywhere we looked, people occupied themselves in a frenzy of activity. Here, soldiers oversaw the transport of food and materials. There, health workers moved to check from the habitation unit to the habitation unit. Engineers collaborate with helper and builder drones to perform maintenance and construction. All around, people took on roles they never imagined they would, united by the common goal of survival and restoration.
Despite the dire circumstances, the humans put on determined faces. Humans made the majority of camp inhabitants, but I spotted two arxurs here, their imposing presence always accompanied by a human minder. Both of them shot a look in disgust at Tresn, while humans looked at the defector with an equal part of concern and curiosity.
Elangkasa led us through the camp. First, we passed the engineering quarter where my human and the siblings parted from us. Another trip led us to the medical complex, where we saw medical personnel moving with well-practiced efficiency to care for the injured. A conglomeration of tents and prefabricated buildings all bearing the red crystal symbol made up the hospital. The bustle here felt different, it had an undercurrent of urgency threaded through the ordered chaos.
At the entrance of the hospital's administration building a zurulian had waited for us. Her short stature did not deter us. Upon noticing us, however, her expression turned sour.
"I have a feeling I'm not supposed to be here." Said Tresn. "Maybe... I can get to the habitation unit?"
"You need some help with physiotherapy. Can you bring him there, Elangkasa?" said Bolad.
"Yeah, take that to a human health worker. I'm not going to treat it." The zurulian said with a huff.
"I am Bolad, and this is Vani." The gojid introduced ourselves.
"I'm Rawan, the medical Coordinator for Sector Twelve, Shift Two."
My stomach rumbled, a reminder that it was midday, mealtime according to Earth's cycle.
Sensing my discomfort, Rawan commented. "Hungry already? Well, we are on a lunch break right now. Follow me," leading us away from the hospital administration.
According to the map, there exist two dining areas, located far from each other. The one Rawan brought us to, served plant-based meals for species with a herbivorous diet, the other was where arxurs and their human minders feast.
Stepping into the hall felt comforting. It felt as if an invisible barrier dampened the harsh sounds of the bustling camp outside, replaced by the familiar din of a busy dining hall. Members of Federation species, like us, gathered here. I saw zurulians, colleagues of Dr. Rawan, along with several gojids who had responded to the call for assistance in the rescue, relief, and rebuilding efforts.
The dining procedure here was not like what we had at the camp. Instead of autonomous carts coming around to deliver our meals, we had to stand in line. Humans manned the serving counters, dishing out meals onto trays as we moved along. The menu today consists of a stir-fried noodle and rice combination, named "Nasi Mawut".
After getting our portions, we selected an empty table, the tantalizing taste in the air from our tray deepened my hunger and anticipation. We set down our trays, and with a collective eagerness, took our seats.
"To be honest," Rawan began, her gaze sweeping over the crowded dining hall before returning to her meal, "This is often the highlight of my day here." She gestured towards her plate and scoffed, "Imagine that, I, a zurulian, looking forward to a predator's meal."
"To be fair," I retorted, "this meal is not prepared from ingredients they acquired from hunting."
Rawan chuckled a high-keening sound that made her sound like she was in distress. "Sometimes," she mused, her eyes thoughtful as she poked at her food, "I do wonder why they feel the need to consume flesh when they can subsist on meals such as these."
Not wanting to engage in a sensitive debate with a superior officer we had just met, I opted for silence, focusing instead on the pleasant taste of the Nasi Mawut before us.
A voice broke the quiet chatter around us. A gojid, appearing youthful by their standards, made his way toward our table with a casual gait. A broad smile adorned his face as he acknowledged us. "Hey, doctors! Fancy seeing you here again."
"Greetings," Bolad replied with a courteous nod. "I hope the presence of arxurs has not caused you undue distress?"
I looked at the gojid's hip and saw a familiar scar. I recognized him as the one gored by the sheep back at the camp.
A robust laugh escaped from the gojid, his face brightening up. He waved off Bolad's concerns, "No worries, Doc. We've got a human minder assigned to us to keep those predators in check. And we also have a buddy system, safety in numbers, you know."
"That is good to hear," Bolad responded. Although my facial annotator had learned a lot about gojids' gestures and expressions, it kept interpreting Bolad's emotion as a blank.
A small device strapped to the gojid's wrist chirped. The gojid glanced at it before looking back up to us with a swift nod. "Ah, duty calls. Well, it was nice chatting with you, Doc!" With that, he swung around, his round figure merging with the crowd as he strode towards the exit.
Once the gojid departed, Rawan, Bolad, and I continued to sit and chat over the remains of our meal. Bolad and I shared stories about our experiences in the gojid camp in Kalimantan. The pervasive sound of a resounding announcement filled the hall, halting our exchange. An impersonal voice echoed from the overhead speakers.
"Shift Two! Your break time will be over in ten minutes. I repeat. Shift Two! Your break time will be over in ten minutes." The forceful announcement marked the conclusion of our pause, a reminder of the tasks that awaited us.
"Well, that's our cue," the medical coordinator announced, getting up from her seat. Her hands reached for her tray but having to maneuver in bipedal mode made the action seem awkward.
"Allow me," I offered, reaching for her tray to assist. "I'll carry it to the collection point."
"Thank you," she responded.
As I made my way to the collection point, Bolad engaged Rawan in a conversation. "How many shifts are there in a day?" he queried.
Rawan turned to Bolad. "We work with a four-shift rotation. The humans initially wanted three, due to their unusual stamina," she explained.
Once we discarded the tray Rawan led us back to the medical complex of Sector Twelve.
"Our main goal here is to offer immediate care to the injured and aid in their recovery." She started when we passed the gate of the medical complex.
Rawan gestured towards a cluster of tents assembled off to the side. A perpetual flurry of activity surrounded them as people carried patients in and out on stretchers. "These are our triage tents," Rawan explained. "New patients are first brought here for evaluation. Depending on the severity of their injuries, they are then dispatched to the appropriate sections for treatment. Bolad, you'll be stationed here. Your expertise in general medicine will be invaluable in assessing patients."
Our tour continued, taking us through the maze of the field hospital. We walked past prefabricated structures, erected with solid synthetic materials.
"These," Rawan proclaimed, her paw sweeping towards the buildings, "are our operating theaters. We haven't been able to install remote surgical facilities. Though, given your preference, that shouldn't be an issue..."
"I do favor direct surgery," I confessed, revealing a bit of my past.
Rawan halted, her sharp gaze taking both of us in. Her snout was positioned between Bolad and me looking at us from her peripheral vision. "I've reviewed both of your files," she said, focusing her attention on me. "I've worked with your kind before. You have your use in times and places like this."
Neither Bolad nor I questioned her use of the term "your kind", but we all know what she implied here.
"Now, it's time for you to report to your stations," Rawan instructed us, her tone leaving no room for debate. "The human health workers already in the field will brief you on the specific protocols we've established here."
The moment I crossed the threshold into the operating theater, I was confronted with an open fracture. The sterile operating rooms of the past, where I donned a vacuum suit to prevent my fur from contaminating the environment, seemed a world away. Here, a disposable robe was all that separated me from my patient. I plunged into hours of repairing human bodies, and I feel more useful than I had ever felt before. As valuable as my previous role of determining causes of death was, I feel a satisfying gratification in saving lives.
As I immersed myself in the demanding tasks of the medical field, my mind sometimes drifted toward Bolad. While my duties were straightforward, applying proven techniques and procedures, Bolad grappled with the daunting responsibility of determining the course of our patient's treatment. His role dictated the trajectory of their recovery or, in the worst cases, their demise. The magnitude of such a responsibility could be soul-crushing, and I wished that it did not burden him.
Before I knew it, a new team arrived ready for me to hand over my job to them. The end of our shift brought us to a prefabricated habitation unit, a space similar to our quarters in the camp. Due to spatial constraints, the unit contained three bunk beds instead of the usual row of mattresses.
When Bolad and I arrived at our living quarters, we found Johan, the siblings, and Tresn already present. They all gathered around a table, engrossed in a spirited card game.
"Vani! Bolad!" Johan looked up from his hand of cards, a warm smile spreading across his face. "How was your day?"
Bolad answered before I could. "I had to watch people die."
A stark silence filled the air. Johan's smile faltered as he bit his lip.
"Bolad was assigned to the triage area," I clarified, stepping in to defuse the tension.
"But you can request a rotation if the stress becomes too much," I offered, directing my words at Bolad as I hoisted myself onto an unoccupied chair. "What about you two?" I inquired, shifting the focus onto Johan and his siblings.
"We had to program the drones and-" Johan began, but Cynthio interrupted his explanation.
"They removed all the restrictions," Cynthio said. "We got to work with unrestricted synthetic intelligence! What we had to do felt less like programming and more like... talking with them." The joy and excitement on Cynthio's face were obvious even without my facial annotator.
Tresn placed a card onto the pile in the middle of the table, interjecting a question that caught us off guard. "By the way… how difficult is it to get to Sector Ten?"
"You could walk there if you wanted. Why do you ask?" Johan responded, curious about the sudden interest in another sector.
"There's someone I want to meet," Tresn admitted, a hint of hesitation in his voice.
"Hmm…" Snop considered, tilting her head. "We have about two or three hours before the breaking of the fast. How did you come to know this person?"
"The Internet," Tresn replied.
"Oh…" Snop replied, her face attempting to maintain neutrality and almost failing.
Intrigued by Tresn's unexpected online connection, we decided to accompany him on the short journey to Sector Ten. Leaving our habitation unit, we found ourselves navigating the ad hoc alleyways of Camp Sectors. Humans of all ages hustled past us, their faces a mosaic of determination and sorrow, each one bearing the weight of rebuilding amidst the ruins.
The further we ventured towards Sector Ten, the more conspicuous the increase in the arxurs' presence became. Given their nocturnal tendencies, I surmised that most Arxurs preferred anything but the second shifts.
Upon reaching the main plaza of Sector Ten, Tresn pulled out his pad, fingers dancing over the screen to access a social media site. I saw intensity in his actions, as he engaged in a private chat with a rapid succession of texts. He scanned his surrounding and his instinctive predatory gaze locked onto a specific figure in the bustling crowd, a human who was also looking around. An arxur shadowed him, their movements synchronized as if orchestrated by a shared rhythm.
Tresn wheeled first and we followed him toward the pair, our formation taking on a semi-circular shape around them. The human had close-cropped curly hair and his upper revealed his arm. A band covered his right arm and there was something off about the rest of that limb. The skin looked too smooth.
"Wait…" Snop, ever the observant one, pointed a finger toward the human, her voice laced with recognition. "I think… I know you."
The human responded by pointing back at Snop. "Aren't you Snowpaws?"
She nodded in affirmation. "Yeah, and you're… Jagomerah?"
A smile of confirmation danced on the human's lips. "Yeah."
Johan, who had been watching the interaction unfold, broke into a musing grin, "Jagomerah… that has to be a screen name," he remarked, shifting his gaze toward Tresn.
"Tresn," Johan began, an amused undertone in his voice, "You have been chatting with furries haven't you?"
"Scallies." Both Snop and Jagomerah corrected.

I'm a Florida local and my dad works for Disney so I'm already there a lot, but I seemed to do a lot last week
So my school somehow got a grant from the county to do a lot of stuff at Disney with the band program, so my top high school band got to go to a workshop backstage at Imagination Campus on Tuesday. We worked with a guy who's been performing at Disney for 30+ years and he taught us some sight reading skills using Disney music.
Thursday was my actual graduation, and as soon as the ceremony was over we high-tailed it over to Magic Kingdom along with one of my close friends. We were surprisingly productive; Big Thunder, Space Mountain twice, Jungle Cruise, I got my brothers on Tron for the first time... And we had a celebratory dinner at Tony's, which I'd never been to even tho the rest of my family has multiple times. I'm a picky eater and notorious for always picking the lamest food off the kids' menu but I actually got real food off the adult menu and thoroughly enjoyed it.
Friday was a bit slower, but my brothers wanted to hit Guardians while they were in town. EPCOT was really busy that day so we waited entirely too long for Soarin', got lunch, rode Guardians, and went back home. I ran some errands then went to a graduation party my friends were hosting. The party ended at 9 and my family had gone to DHS after dinner, so I ran from the party to DHS, got there about 20 minutes before the park closed, then joined my family for a 10:30 Fantasmic.
Saturday is the cool one: my entire marching band got to spend the day in Magic Kingdom because we got to march down Main Street. The lines were pretty bad all day, but we did get Space Mountain out of the way early (and found out one kid in my group had never done it), then my best friend and I (who each go 1-2 times a week) took the kids who don't go as often on all the little stuff they'd never done--the carousel, PhilharMagic, Tom Sawyer, etc. I think you guys would appreciate our music selection: we performed Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah as we marched through the park (and we follow the normal parade route which means we started behind Splash Mountain). Our band director made us all watch the fireworks together, too, which means the very last thing I got to do with this band program was watch Happily Ever After. Felt rather fitting to me.
Sunday I spent all day driving to Ohio, and we spent all day yesterday in King's Island, which I'm planning on posting a report for on rollercoasters if anyone's interested. Currently typing this as we drive back home. So needless to say, I've had a really fun week, and I'm not sure I'm gonna survive my 8 hour shift tomorrow 🙃