Company Name	Title	City
United States Secret Service	Criminal Investigator	Fort Myers
Surgery Center of Aventura	Operating Room Nurse PRN	Aventura
Gulf Coast Surgery Center	PACU Nurse PRN	Bradenton
Countryside Surgery Center	Operating Room Nurse PRN	Clearwater
Nicklaus Children's Hospital	Physician/Attending - (PICU) - Naples, FL (Full Time, Day Shift)	East Naples
SIm10Consulting	B737 Contract Instructor	Marion County
Nicklaus Children's Hospital	Physician/Attending - Palliative Care (Full Time)	Miami
First Vehicle Services	Diesel Mechanic - Miami Springs	Miami Springs
Asd East Fl Ops Support	PRN Float OR Nurse	Miramar
North County Surgicenter	PRN Endoscopy Nurse	Palm Beach Gardens
First Transit	Automotive Technician -Pinellas County	Pinellas Park
Brambles USA Inc	On-Site Manager	Alachua
Trustco Bank	Customer Service Coordinator- FT Day Shift-Altamonte Springs, FL	Altamonte Springs
Icc	Field Sales Representative	Altamonte Springs
Trustco Bank	Part-Time Customer Service Coordinator - PM Shift	Altamonte Springs
Strategic Staffing Solutions	Construction and Engineering Project Manager	Apollo Beach
Orangepeople	Sr Business Analyst	Bay Lake
RAYUS Radiology	X-Ray Technologist	Boca Raton
Konica Minolta Business Solutions	Field Service Installer	Boca Raton
Konica Minolta Business Solutions	Field Service Technician	Boca Raton
Ushealth	Junior Account Manager	Bonita Springs
Beverage Manufacturing Company	Warehouse Forklift Operator	Bradenton
CenterWell Home Health	Home Health Licensed Practical Nurse	Bradenton
HCA Florida Blake Hospital	Registered Nurse Med Surg	Bradenton
Allied Universal®	Security Officer - Armed Lobby 1st Shift PT	Bradenton

Hey guys, here are some recent job openings in fl. Feel free to comment here or send me a private message if you have any questions, I'm at the community's disposal! If you encounter any problems with any of these job openings please let me know that I will modify the table accordingly. Thanks!

Left Indiana and moved to Florida a few years ago after living there my whole life. Just came back for the first time since leaving last night. Why do people stay here? As soon as we crossed into the state it was nothing but run down little communities, potholes in all the roads, road construction on every route, skinny ass shirtless dudes with meth teeth walking around everywhere, dilapidated houses that should be razed, cows, corn, just disgusting everywhere you look. I’m so used to Florida now and their perfect, constantly paved roads, no pot holes, brand new homes, brand new buildings, planned construction that doesn’t really affect traffic, beaches, palm trees, and even though it’s always hot, everyone wears a fucking shirt. This place is a shithole. Why do people stay here?!?!

Recently, I embarked on a journey, bidding farewell to the captivating landscapes of California. I found myself in different places, including Florida and Massachusetts. However, my heart ached for the familiar embrace of New Jersey, a place that held a special and irreplaceable spot in my soul.
Florida's tropical beauty couldn't capture the essence of home. The scorching heat and dry climate left me yearning for the changes in weather that New Jersey graciously provided. Massachusetts, while charming, couldn't compare to the beauty and untouched nature that had become a part of me. I missed the enchantment of New Jersey's landscapes, where the lush forests, beautiful beaches and vibrant trees painted a picturesque scene.
New Jersey, with its diverse communities and vibrant economy, held a place in my heart that no other location could replace. It symbolized the sense of community and belonging that made it feel like home. The diversity of the state brought a richness of perspectives and experiences that fostered innovation and collaboration. Driving through its scenic roads, surrounded by the beauty of nature, brought a sense of peace and familiarity.
The yearning for home, for the captivating landscapes of New Jersey, remains deeply rooted within me. The memories of exploring its diverse cities and towns, the joy of witnessing its natural wonders, continue to evoke a profound longing. While I appreciate the experiences gained in my current surroundings, they cannot replicate the unique charm that New Jersey holds.
While my journey has allowed personal growth, the allure of New Jersey's charm remains steady. I cherish the memories and treasures woven into the fabric of my being during my time there. I eagerly await the opportunity to once again be embraced by its captivating beauty and reconnect with the sense of community that makes New Jersey an irreplaceable and cherished home. I miss New Jersey!

The Middle East is a region steeped in rich history, vibrant culture, and breathtaking landscapes. While it has long been associated with its oil reserves and geopolitical complexities, the tourism potential of this diverse region is often overlooked. In this blog, we will delve into the possibilities and opportunities that await travelers in the Middle East, shedding light on its hidden gems and showcasing why it is an emerging tourism hotspot.
The Rich Tapestry of Culture:
The Middle East boasts a tapestry of cultures that date back centuries, offering a captivating blend of traditions, customs, and cuisines. From the bustling bazaars of Istanbul to the ancient wonders of Petra, the region is a treasure trove for history enthusiasts and cultural aficionados alike. Exploring the ancient ruins, vibrant souks, and grand mosques, visitors can immerse themselves in the enchanting ambience of this land, discovering stories that have shaped civilizations.
Unparalleled Natural Beauty:
Beyond its bustling cities, the Middle East is blessed with awe-inspiring natural beauty that often surprises travelers. From the breathtaking landscapes of Wadi Rum in Jordan to the pristine beaches of the Arabian Gulf, the region offers diverse natural wonders. Adventurous souls can embark on desert safaris, hike through rugged mountains, or dive into vibrant coral reefs, experiencing the raw beauty that lies off the beaten path.
Luxurious Hospitality:
The Middle East is renowned for its luxurious hospitality, where visitors are treated like royalty. The region boasts world-class hotels, extravagant resorts, and impeccable service that caters to the discerning traveler. From opulent accommodations in Dubai to traditional raids in Morocco, the hospitality industry in the Middle East caters to a range of preferences, ensuring an unforgettable and pampered stay.
Modern Architectural Marvels:
The Middle East is synonymous with innovative architectural marvels that redefine skylines and push the boundaries of engineering. Dubai's iconic Burj Khalifa, the futuristic city of Doha, and the magnificent Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi are just a few examples of the region's architectural prowess. These modern wonders blend seamlessly with the traditional charm of the region, creating a unique juxtaposition of the old and the new.
Untapped Business Opportunities:
The tourism boom in the Middle East presents promising opportunities for entrepreneurs and investors. The region's governments have recognized the potential and are actively investing in infrastructure development, promoting tourism-friendly policies, and attracting global events. This has opened doors for businesses ranging from hospitality and travel agencies to adventure sports and eco-tourism, making the Middle East an attractive destination for aspiring entrepreneurs.
The Middle East is a region brimming with possibilities and opportunities in the tourism sector. From its rich cultural heritage and natural wonders to luxurious hospitality and architectural marvels, the Middle East offers a unique and captivating experience for travelers. As the region continues to invest in tourism development, now is the perfect time to explore the hidden gems and unlock the untapped potential of this emerging tourism hotspot.

Just finished my first trip to Italy and what a great experience. Wanted to share my experience here for other first time travelers and some things I would have done differently. The trip was broken up into 3 legs and spread across 12 days - Tuscany (5), Rome (2), and Amalfi (5). I'll include some details of itinerary and travel.
Apologies for a long post, but hopefully someone will get some good info out of this!
​
To prep for the trip, I used the Duolingo app for about 3 months to try and make sure I knew enough Italian to get by. Of course, the moment my plan touched down all that studying I did flew out of my head and I basically forgot it all! In the end I was able to get by with just greetings, ordering food/drink/cafe and simple hi, how are you type phrases. For reference, my wife did no studying and picked it up right away. Only shock to her was that there was no such thing as iced coffee.
Tuscany
We flew into Milan and rented a car at the airport. Would definitely recommend this because once you are into Tuscany it is hard/expensive to find drivers and Uber is basically non-existent.
Stayed at the Como Castello del Nero hotel. The hotel was beautiful and had everything you could want. Rolling and picturesque hills from every vantage point, a great pool, good fitness facilities and a nice spa. The staff at the hotel were world class as well. The restaurants on property were very nice however quite expensive. We did eat on the property a few times, but I think i preferred my meals off property and in the smallelocal restaurants more. I would have planned more dinners off property if I had to do anything differently here. Favorite meal was at La Capanna del Gallo, a smaller restaurant which was a short drive from our hotel.
For activities we visited a few wineries/vineyards as well as did a bit of hiking. We were a little jet lagged and did spend a bit of time just relaxing and drinking wine by the pool. The winery that absolutely blew me away was the Antinori Vineyard in Bargino . We did the CRU tour which included an in-depth tour of the facilities, tasting of several vintages and then a lunch with wine pairing. Would highly recommend visiting here. One of the mom-and-pop vineyards that we visited and i would also recommend is Il Palagio di Palazzo. Did the CRU tour here as well and was very pleased.
​
Rome
Used the rental car to travel from Tuscany to Rome, then returned the car near our hotel in Rome.
Stayed at the Baglioni Hotel Regina. Nice enough hotel, but the rooms were a little dated. Technically classified as a 5 star hotel but I probably would have classified it as a 4 star. Still, decent enough stay and staff. Plus for the location as well. We booked this hotel because it was purely in a good location and more of a 'utilitarian' choice - we knew that we weren't going to be spending a lot of time here so the hotel didn't matter all that much.
As we were only in Rome for two days, we really tried to pack in as much as we could. On the day we arrived we spent the afternoon walking around and just taking in the city. We had dinner in the Testaccio neighborhood, which i would highly recommend. We ate at Felice, which was a bit touristy but i think still worth it for some excellent cacio e peppe.
Trevi Fountain - its whatever - cool i guess but absolutely mobbed.
Colosseum - very cool. Did an early morning guided tour which was booked on Viator.
Vatican Museum - Also very cool but a bit long for our taste. Did a 4 hour private/guided tour booked through Context Travel. We were able to get 'behind the ropes' in a lot of places to look at things away from general public which was nice, but its very crowded in the main areas.
If we had to do something different in Rome it would for sure be spacing out activities or just booking a day or two more. All in all, we went to Rome knowing that we would be very busy and very 'touristy' but I think slowing it down a bit would have made this portion of the trip a little nicer. Still, Rome is great and would love to get back.
​
Amalfi
Took the train from Roma Termini to Naples. Our hotel arranged for a transfer from Naples to the hotel.
Stayed at Borgo Santandrea just outside of Amalfi town. Hands down nicest hotel I have ever even stepped foot inside. Seriously 5 star all the way through with no detail overlooked. One detail I loved is that it smelled amazing in throughout the hotel which actually was a really nice touch. The hotel had an amazing pool and is the only hotel in Amalfi that his its own beach club. The staff were top notch and I think there was a staff-to-guest ratio of like 3:1. The hotel also had a free shuttle that would drop-off/pickup from Amalfi town whenever you needed which was a real life saver in terms of time and money.
For activities we visited Ravello, Amalfi and Positano (sort of) then utilized our hotel's beach club for a few lazy days. Ravello was my favorite of the cities to visit. There were tourists yes, but much fewer than all the other cities. We visited Villa Cimbrone which has a spectacular garden and amazing views. You should go here for a nice cocktail or glass of wine. We went out in Amalfi town for dinner several times and never had a bad meal. We tried to branch off the main square and into some alleyways to find hidden gems, but all in all I would say most of the restaurants were comparable at the $$$ price range on google maps. Finally, we planned to visit Positano but scrapped it at the literal last minute - we rented a boat to take us from our hotel's dock to Positano but as we approached Positano it just appeared overrun by people. Instead we had our boat driver just cruise us around the coast. This ended up being one of my favorite days. The cost was $100/hour so actually pretty reasonable. Beach club at Borgo Santandrea was also a highlight - not crowded at all and the service is great. You can visit the beach club even if you don't stay at the hotel, so I would say its worth it even just for a nice lunch and cocktails. The pizza at the beach club is really good, although a little pricey at roughly 30 euros for a basic pizza.
I don't think I would really change anything about the Amalfi portion of my trip other than trying to extend it!
​
Just to give everyone an idea on budget, I think we spent roughly $25,000 for two people during the trip of a lifetime.

I (28M) have been in a state of limbo from the day this was brought up. My partner (27F) and our daughter have went away on holiday with my partner’s parents and brother, but left me out. Just for extra information, my partner and I have been together pretty much nine years except for a slight break a couple of years after our daughter was born. Also they are currently on the holiday at the moment.
When this was first brought up, my partner told me that her family was considering going on holiday and our daughter and her were invited to go along too. I knew that we didn’t have the money for such trip especially on such short notice (6 weeks before they were set to fly). Turns out her parents were paying for the full trip and that she will only need to pay for her clothing (even though her parents put towards for both of them), lunch and any excursions or souvenirs they wanted.
My partner had asked me to make sure I get the time off approved with work for the duration of the holiday (which was done but they were funny about it) but it turns out that it was so I was able to look after my partners parent’s dog (Even though my partner knows I don’t like animals). They had discussed every detail of the holiday with me as if I was going to be there and then the point came as I was double checking the booking information with my partner (as she wanted to make sure that it was done correctly), that I found out I wasn’t invited.
I completely understand they couldn’t have afforded to book a holiday for 6 people but if they had just told me, I could have worked something out financially to allow me to be included.
Personally I think my partner should have told me from the very beginning and when she knew I wasn’t invited, she should have declined the invitation. I had asked her how she would have felt if my parents had suggested the same thing but left her out and she responded with “well you wouldn’t be going” which is exactly what I would have done.
I know my partner and my mum haven’t had the best relationship so I know this type of trip would never happen with my family but from my understanding I have always been on good terms with my partner’s family.
My partner has shown some form of guilt relating to me not going on holiday with them but I feel like it has been short lived and when I’ve told her not to discuss “holiday details” with me, she will ask me what’s wrong knowing full well that I’m annoyed that I would be spending 8 out of 12 days of my annual leave allowance by myself, while she and our daughter would be enjoying themselves in a foreign country by a hotel pool, the beach, going on boat trips and having spa days.
I have been trying to be nice about the situation as I don’t want to make my partner feel guilty or not being able to enjoy the holiday, but I really feel like I have been mugged off as everyone from work “knows” I was going on this trip but I’m sitting at my partners parents house watching a dog for free.
What do you think? Thanks

In 1991, the idea of a Muslim-majority state within the USA that allied itself with the USA and protected North American Muslims from hate crimes, Riba, Haram things, and sectarian violence was born. It was based on the legend of Qarser, that there was once an ancient Live Oak tree somewhere on the Virginia Peninsula but the tips of the leaves had a V-shaped indentation, rather than protrusion like any other Live Oak tree, making it a tree which bore heart-shaped leaves. The Native Americans met with Muslims from West Africa to trade under this rare tree with the beautiful leaf mutations. When the White settlers came, the Native Americans and West-African Muslims fled or were pushed out West and their unwritten history and culture was destroyed and the tree was cut down. This legend has a few variations and is used as a justification for the Virginia Peninsula being the specific location of an independent Muslim micronation. Qarsherskiyan nationalists still tell this tale today. The movement for an independent Muslim country had few supporters and many critics and locals chased off any Muslims who tried to buy land in the area. Ultimately the plan failed but was written down and recording in several notebooks and diaries which were hidden in the walls of a few houses in Virginia and Ohio belonging to members of the former movement. As time when on, the houses needed renovations and the notebooks discussing the plan and its reasoning and failures and successes were found. In 2005, a boy named Brennan White was born in London, Ohio and began growing into a very interesting kid, with unusually fast rate of maturity, able to speak full sentences before being one year old and walking by one years of age as well, according to his grandmother who raised him until we was about 3 years old. Brennan studied horticulture lessons for children at only age 3 and could explain how to create hybrids of trees and name and identify various plants and animals at age 4. By 2019, American teenagers and pre-teens from Muslim-American backgrounds found these notebooks after homeowners in the area did as the notebooks instructed and handed it to someone from the local Islamic community upon being found. It was the Powerplant Group, a powerful conglomeration of groups of kids and teenagers from Ohio, West Virginia, and Ohio named for their love of Urbex adventures and previous explorations of abandoned powerplants and cooling towers. In the same year, 2019, one female member named Powerplant 'Aisha based in Vermilion and Lorain in the state of Ohio got hold of all the notebooks and took particular interest, announcing the re-formation of the Muslim state in the USA and never officially naming it but calling it several names including Qarsherskiy. Nearby, on East 21st Street, Lorain, Ohio, USA, Brennan White had slowly matured over the years researching geography, religion, language, horticulture and botany, entomology, and science to INCREDIBLY OBSESSIVE levels for over a decade. He was particularly fascinated by Wicca and Black Magick but by fall of 2020 his shift had focused to Indian and South Asian societies a bit more, as well as Chinese and Hispanic traditions. In 2020, Powerplant 'Aisha and the Powerplant Group consolidated power over the Islamic Sultanate of Qarsherskiy although it still wasn't officially named that and hadn't declared independence. They began working with Brennan to make up a non-existent Island-Nation online called Aleialei Atoll in order to trick people online into believing a small, rich Pacific island nation existed and needed their help. It wasn't a scam but a ploy targeting the enemies of Qarsherskiy solely to lead them down an internet rabbit-hole and waste their time, distracting the enemies of Qarsherskiy from spreading slander online. Thousands of footage and images of beautiful beaches around the world were uploaded by over 30 members of the powerplant group all across social media and labelled as ''Aleialei Atoll" while lore, culture, and history of Aleialei Atoll was made up and posted online. Anyone who slandered Qarsherskiy or the powerplant group online would be directed to research Aleialei Atoll with some vague statement about the place and suddenly hours of researching the mysterious and unknown "country" would ensue. By sping of 2021, Aleialei Atoll had been exposed and the powerplant group hired hackers to take down 99.7% of all content related to the project from the internet. A new fictional nation called Bahariterra was made up in Spring of 2021 and an average of 250 YouTube videos a week went up. Any time any of the 30+ members of the Powerplant Group saw food, palm trees, beaches, or something interesting from a foreign culture, it was uploaded online as something from "Bahariterra" and before long thousands of hours of content a week went up and long paragraphs of information on various websites misled Qarsherskiy's online slanderers down a new rabbit-hole. By the end of 2021, Brennan's family began preparations to move to Newport News, Virginia, officially leaving Lorain, Ohio on 1st January 2022, and arriving late at night to a hotel in (downtown?) Newport News. the next morning, 2nd January 2022, Brennan and his family had settled in a new home and were finishing putting luggage away. After a year of Brennan exploring the area with his local friends, obsessing over the last few hundred years of history in the area, and meeting people who would convert to Islam or were already Muslims, Brennan learned in late December of 2022 of local neo-Nazi groups called Bombenfein who spoke a Germanic conlang and believed in an esoteric radical re-interpretation of Christianity that favoured Whites and sought to kill racial and religious minorities, Brennan knew it was a matter of time before the Islamic Sultanate of Qarsherskiy would declare independence, especially when police continuously failed to protect the freedom and safety of many local American Muslims and other minorities. Despite not having access to the internet at the time due to being in trouble with his family, Brennan secretly began getting his friend to represent him online and spread a message of his bravery and good leadership and plans for Qarsherskiy. Qarsherskiy would be a sultanate but if the sultan leaves no successor or if people dislike him and overthrow him, Qarsherskiyan law states the new sultan and their royal family gets elected into power by the people's choice and votes. Brennan began pushing his campaign and became the sultan of Qarsherskiy. On 28 March 2023, Qarsherskiy elected the first Emir and Sultan and declared its independence. Brennan became the sultan, Ali Aq-Qarsherskiyy At-Tariq AL-Akbar, and instantly opposed neo-Nazi threats to Qarsherskiy, helping his micronation of 1,947 people called Qarsherskiy in a two month struggle against Neo-Nazism known as the PondWater Neo-Nazi Wars, which ended in the Battle of BasaraQ exactly 2 months later on 28 May 2023 with Sultan Ali's victorious army praising his leadership. Qarsherskiy and its nearly 2,000 citizens then nearly had a Sunni-Shi'a Civil War which was put down peacefully by the sultan Ali. From 31 March 2023 to 3 June 2023, several attempts by the mere 17 Alawites in Qarsherskiy to overthrow and take over the government of Qarsherskiy failed. Qarsherskiy than began a healing process after its first two months were lived in chaos.

Hi All!
Coming to Thailand for 3 weeks in Dec/Jan, part of the trip will be spent in BKK, Khao Sok and CM and then I have 10 days of beach time to plot in.
To keep the number of destinations to a minimum I planned to have this time in Phuket specifically Patong at the Four Points in the northern part of the beach as I enjoy somewhere with a good choice of restaurants and has some nightlife (doesn't need to be crazy, some bars is fine)
In the past week 3 separate people have told me Patong beach is super dirty and not nice. I'm not very confused - initially I ruled out Krabi because Railay is stunning but the only higher end hotel (Rayavadee) is way too expensive, Ao Lang I heard beach isn't nice either and food options bad? And then I considered Khao Lak but heard it is more for families/older people so can be boring?
What do you all suggest for 10 days beach? Is north Patong beach that dirty/can I take taxis to some nice beaches?
I could also be open to splitting my time between Patong and Khao Lak - then I would not stay in Khao Sok just do day trip

In 1991, the idea of a Muslim-majority state within the USA that allied itself with the USA and protected North American Muslims from hate crimes, Riba, Haram things, and sectarian violence was born. It was based on the legend of Qarser, that there was once an ancient Live Oak tree somewhere on the Virginia Peninsula but the tips of the leaves had a V-shaped indentation, rather than protrusion like any other Live Oak tree, making it a tree which bore heart-shaped leaves. The Native Americans met with Muslims from West Africa to trade under this rare tree with the beautiful leaf mutations. When the White settlers came, the Native Americans and West-African Muslims fled or were pushed out West and their unwritten history and culture was destroyed and the tree was cut down. This legend has a few variations and is used as a justification for the Virginia Peninsula being the specific location of an independent Muslim micronation. Qarsherskiyan nationalists still tell this tale today. The movement for an independent Muslim country had few supporters and many critics and locals chased off any Muslims who tried to buy land in the area. Ultimately the plan failed but was written down and recording in several notebooks and diaries which were hidden in the walls of a few houses in Virginia and Ohio belonging to members of the former movement. As time when on, the houses needed renovations and the notebooks discussing the plan and its reasoning and failures and successes were found. In 2005, a boy named Brennan White was born in London, Ohio and began growing into a very interesting kid, with unusually fast rate of maturity, able to speak full sentences before being one year old and walking by one years of age as well, according to his grandmother who raised him until we was about 3 years old. Brennan studied horticulture lessons for children at only age 3 and could explain how to create hybrids of trees and name and identify various plants and animals at age 4. By 2019, American teenagers and pre-teens from Muslim-American backgrounds found these notebooks after homeowners in the area did as the notebooks instructed and handed it to someone from the local Islamic community upon being found. It was the Powerplant Group, a powerful conglomeration of groups of kids and teenagers from Ohio, West Virginia, and Ohio named for their love of Urbex adventures and previous explorations of abandoned powerplants and cooling towers. In the same year, 2019, one female member named Powerplant 'Aisha based in Vermilion and Lorain in the state of Ohio got hold of all the notebooks and took particular interest, announcing the re-formation of the Muslim state in the USA and never officially naming it but calling it several names including Qarsherskiy. Nearby, on East 21st Street, Lorain, Ohio, USA, Brennan White had slowly matured over the years researching geography, religion, language, horticulture and botany, entomology, and science to INCREDIBLY OBSESSIVE levels for over a decade. He was particularly fascinated by Wicca and Black Magick but by fall of 2020 his shift had focused to Indian and South Asian societies a bit more, as well as Chinese and Hispanic traditions. In 2020, Powerplant 'Aisha and the Powerplant Group consolidated power over the Islamic Sultanate of Qarsherskiy although it still wasn't officially named that and hadn't declared independence. They began working with Brennan to make up a non-existent Island-Nation online called Aleialei Atoll in order to trick people online into believing a small, rich Pacific island nation existed and needed their help. It wasn't a scam but a ploy targeting the enemies of Qarsherskiy solely to lead them down an internet rabbit-hole and waste their time, distracting the enemies of Qarsherskiy from spreading slander online. Thousands of footage and images of beautiful beaches around the world were uploaded by over 30 members of the powerplant group all across social media and labelled as ''Aleialei Atoll" while lore, culture, and history of Aleialei Atoll was made up and posted online. Anyone who slandered Qarsherskiy or the powerplant group online would be directed to research Aleialei Atoll with some vague statement about the place and suddenly hours of researching the mysterious and unknown "country" would ensue. By sping of 2021, Aleialei Atoll had been exposed and the powerplant group hired hackers to take down 99.7% of all content related to the project from the internet. A new fictional nation called Bahariterra was made up in Spring of 2021 and an average of 250 YouTube videos a week went up. Any time any of the 30+ members of the Powerplant Group saw food, palm trees, beaches, or something interesting from a foreign culture, it was uploaded online as something from "Bahariterra" and before long thousands of hours of content a week went up and long paragraphs of information on various websites misled Qarsherskiy's online slanderers down a new rabbit-hole. By the end of 2021, Brennan's family began preparations to move to Newport News, Virginia, officially leaving Lorain, Ohio on 1st January 2022, and arriving late at night to a hotel in (downtown?) Newport News. the next morning, 2nd January 2022, Brennan and his family had settled in a new home and were finishing putting luggage away. After a year of Brennan exploring the area with his local friends, obsessing over the last few hundred years of history in the area, and meeting people who would convert to Islam or were already Muslims, Brennan learned in late December of 2022 of local neo-Nazi groups called Bombenfein who spoke a Germanic conlang and believed in an esoteric radical re-interpretation of Christianity that favoured Whites and sought to kill racial and religious minorities, Brennan knew it was a matter of time before the Islamic Sultanate of Qarsherskiy would declare independence, especially when police continuously failed to protect the freedom and safety of many local American Muslims and other minorities. Despite not having access to the internet at the time due to being in trouble with his family, Brennan secretly began getting his friend to represent him online and spread a message of his bravery and good leadership and plans for Qarsherskiy. Qarsherskiy would be a sultanate but if the sultan leaves no successor or if people dislike him and overthrow him, Qarsherskiyan law states the new sultan and their royal family gets elected into power by the people's choice and votes. Brennan began pushing his campaign and became the sultan of Qarsherskiy. On 28 March 2023, Qarsherskiy elected the first Emir and Sultan and declared its independence. Brennan became the sultan, Ali Aq-Qarsherskiyy At-Tariq AL-Akbar, and instantly opposed neo-Nazi threats to Qarsherskiy, helping his micronation of 1,947 people called Qarsherskiy in a two month struggle against Neo-Nazism known as the PondWater Neo-Nazi Wars, which ended in the Battle of BasaraQ exactly 2 months later on 28 May 2023 with Sultan Ali's victorious army praising his leadership. Qarsherskiy and its nearly 2,000 citizens then nearly had a Sunni-Shi'a Civil War which was put down peacefully by the sultan Ali. From 31 March 2023 to 3 June 2023, several attempts by the mere 17 Alawites in Qarsherskiy to overthrow and take over the government of Qarsherskiy failed. Qarsherskiy than began a healing process after its first two months were lived in chaos.

Hi guys!
My husband and myself would be heading to LA in December.
We’ve shortlisted these 2 hotels based on the price and reviews (e.g,. cleanliness, safety). - Andaz West Hollywood - Marina del Rey Marriott
Since there are so many pros/cons for both locations, we are having a hard time choosing. Which would you choose?
Here’s our itinerary for reference:

• Day 0 (Thurs): Arrive at LAX at 8pm. Pick up rental car.
  
• Day 1 (Fri): The Getty (3-4 hours), Santa Monica Pier, Venice Beach for sunset
  
• Day 2 (Sat): LACMA, Griffith Observatory(3-4 hours)
  
• Day 3 (Sun): DTLA: The Broad Museum, Bradbury Building, Grand Central Market. Comedy night.
  
• Day 4 (Mon): Check out of hotel and drive to Disneyland.
  

Thank you!

There's been much talk about BL's potential as a driver of tourism. And it's evident, as some of you have shared your stories here in this sub, while others have asked for help planning upcoming trips. But there still appears to be a lack of easily accessible information for people visiting Thailand for the BL. Here's an attempt to remedy that, with this guide to visiting Thailand for BL fans. I've taken the liberty to incorporate suggestions from several previous threads here, as well as various other sources, so thank you to everyone who's contributed to the discussion.

First things first

This will only touch on things specifically of interest to BL fans. For the other aspects of your trip, including most basic planning stuff, please consult the usual travel resources.
That said, firstly you'll want to consider the purpose of your trip, and how much of it you want to dedicate to BL stuff. Do you just want a regular vacation, with a side stop for some merch, or are you here to relive the all the scenes from your favourite BLs? It's very possible to come up with a weeks-long itinerary of nothing but BL locations, and you could spend as much time mall-hopping to catch artist appearances, but Thailand also has a lot of other things to experience, whether you want to stick to the major attractions or go off the beaten track. It's all up to you.
Also, this probably goes without saying, but if you want to attend a specific event, be sure to plan around it and make travel arrangements accordingly. Concerts and fan meetings usually have tickets go on sale a couple of months in advance at most, so you'll want to have flexible options if you book your travel and accommodation before then.

Destinations

Most of the BL-related things you can do will be concentrated in Bangkok, so it's where this guide will be mainly focused, but there are also several provincial locations that have featured in BL, especially Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai in the north and Phuket in the south, all of which are major tourist destinations in their own right. Series have also spent time at plenty of beaches and resorts (particularly around Hua Hin and several towns in Chonburi province) as well as other popular excursions, most of which are short trips from Bangkok. Further out are the island resorts of Koh Samet, Koh Tao and Koh Lanta. The north-east Isan locations are rather off the tourist trail, but could well be worth the experience if that's your style of travel.

Getting immersed

Arriving in Bangkok, one of the first things you'll notice as a fan of Thai BL (or Thai dramas in general) is that you're surrounded by familiar faces everywhere, on banners and billboards and the back of tuk-tuks. Although BL actors aren't that well known among the general public (a surprise to some), the better known ones have a ton of brand endorsements and appear in ads for all sorts of products. Even if you're not planning your trip around BL, spotting actors you know in ads and fan projects can be an entertaining pastime.
Head into a 7-Eleven and you're pretty much guaranteed to see faces you recognize, perhaps on products you're already familiar with from all those series sponsorships and product placements. If the advertising worked and you're dying to know what that bottled green tea or that seaweed snack tastes like, this is your chance to give them a try.
Speaking of tasting, you'll probably be sampling plenty of Thai food while here, so why not include some of the food and drink items from the series you remember, be it som tam from What Zabb Man, the traditional desserts from UWMA, or the famous pink milk, known here as nom yen?
Meanwhile, if taking public transport, spend some time watching the people and see how BL imitates real life. Do you recognize the colours of the school uniforms? Or the university students in their white shirts and black slacks? You might even come across some engineering students in their workshop overshirts.
If you miss hearing the Raikantopeni disclaimer at the beginning of shows, be sure to turn on the TV to catch it as they air live. Be aware though that following shows in Thailand will be more difficult than at home, as they won't have subtitles on TV or on most local streaming services, so you'll likely need a VPN.

Merch stores & fan hangouts

This might be a bit of a letdown, but apart from GMMTV's, there aren't really any physical stores for official merchandise. But since you'll be in the country, you could check with your accommodation to see if they can arrange to accept local package deliveries for you, so you can place some online orders and avoid the international shipping fees. Be sure to check the processing and delivery times - this might be tricky (and won't work with pre-orders, only in-stock items).
GMMTV's shop is not a traditional giftshop as one might assume, but more like a kiosk at their office on the 30th floor of the GMM Grammy Place building - there's just a small product display and a cashier window. Apart from buying products, there's a good chance of running into some actors when visiting, though you're not allowed to linger and there's nowhere to hang out apart from some cafés on the ground floor. You will likely spot some fan-project displays (as mentioned above) outside and in the building, and the cafés will often have cup-sleeve giveaways by fans. Here's a very helpful guide by u/snuffles005: How to visit the GMMTV building and shop
Elsewhere, there's Wab Cafe' and Friends, by the Studio Wabi Sabi people. It's a café, so you'll be buying drinks there rather than merch, but it's very much a space created for fans, and there will often be something going on like fan projects and giveaways, or maybe mini-events with actors making an appearance. It's in RCA, Bangkok's main clubbing neighbourhood (and home to studios where many productions hold their workshops), which takes a bit of an effort to get to, but it's also probably the most dedicated hangout space for BL fans there is.
From Star Hunter, there's Hunter Village, a studio space (mostly used for dance classes) in MBK Center, one of Bangkok's most popular malls. It's a mostly open space, so you'll be able to see if there's someone coming in or something going on, but I'm not sure if it's really somewhere you can hang out at.
Other than that, quite a few actors have their own cafés or some other business, which you might want to visit to support them directly. Clothing and fashion items (perhaps from brands with your faves as presenters) may also be something you'd want to go shopping for.
For manga and anime (including BL/yaoi) there's an Animate store (the specialty chain from Japan), also at MBK Center. In addition to imported works, they also have an extensive Thai section, with both translated and original works.
If you want to observe the Thai novel scene, just walk into any major Thai book store, where you'll likely find rows, maybe entire shelves, of BL novels, prominently displayed - BL has very much gone mainstream in the Thai publishing industry. You'll also find glossy magazines featuring actor photoshoots here. You'll have less luck finding English translations, though, as most translated works are e-book only. For English-language (and Japanese) books in general, your best bet is Books Kinokuniya. They do have Japanese and Chinese translations of some Thai BL novels, as well as the English manga versions of SOTUS and Manner of Death, at international prices.

Catching events

Seeing actors up close (or at a distance) in real life will probably be the BL highlight of your trip for many of you. And unless you're ultra specific as to whom you want to see, there are ample opportunities to catch these actor appearances.
The biggest experiences will of course be the major events - concerts, fan meetings, and the like - that you'll have to buy tickets for. As mentioned above, you'll have to plan around them if you want to attend (which also limits how long you can plan in advance), and make sure to actually get those tickets. They're usually announced very publicly, so it's hard to miss them if you follow the usual news update channels. If you're around when one takes place but can't attend, it can still be worth dropping by if you want to get hold of the merch or just check out the crowds.
For more casual fans, you'll still have plenty of chance to see actors at smaller events, as there's pretty much always something happening somewhere, though there might not be much choice on who you get to see. These events vary a lot in scale, and can be anything from product launches to movie premieres. Most artist's agencies will announce them on their social media channels, usually on a weekly basis, and fan accounts may help share and/or translate them. You'll have to follow them to keep updated.
Most of these events will be held in Bangkok's plethora of malls. The biggest ones are mostly lined along the BTS Skytrain's Sukhumvit Line, so if you plan to do a lot of mall-hopping, whether for events or just shopping, consider getting accommodation with easy access to the BTS for convenience. Here's a great post by u/BumblingWombat that describes the experience in detail: What it's like to go to BL events in Thailand (Oh yeah, there are also top-spender events, which I won't go into, as I don't know anything about them. Those who're aiming for them probably won't need this guide anyway.)
Aside from these specific events, there are also annual book fairs that are partially or directly BL-related, where actors from various agencies may make appearances. The mainstream National Book Fair and Book Expo are usually held at the beginning of April and some time in October. Since last year, BL novels and publishers have had a large presence there, and GMMTV actors made daily appearances with fan gatherings in the car park. There are also smaller book fairs directly focusing on BL: Y Book Fair in July, and International Novel Festival at the end of November. They also feature actor appearances, but can also be worth seeing just for the atmosphere if you're interested in experiencing the literary BL scene here.
On the other hand, to experience more of the community side of the fandom, you might want to check out some fan-held events, such as the birthday projects that fan clubs often do, which may be in the form of café galleries or mini-gatherings. Info will mostly be on Twitter, though it may not be readily translated.

Visiting filming locations

If BL inspired you to make the trip to Thailand, no doubt you'd be interested in visiting some of the filming locations yourself. But while some of them are traditional tourist attractions in their own right, most aren't normally on the radar for general visitors, so it'll take a bit of investment (in time and travel) to include them in your trip.
If there's a single most iconic location to recommend, it must be the Rama VIII Bridge over the Chao Phraya River, which shows up in more BLs than anywhere else. So far, it's been seen in SOTUS, SOTUS S, Gen Y, Tonhon Chonlatee, I Promised You the Moon, My Ride, Enchanté, Cutie Pie, KinnPorsche, Even Sun, 2 Moons: The Ambassador, and Boyband. It's not really a tourist attraction, but it's a major landmark of modern Bangkok that everyone knows, and isn't too hard to get to. It's a bit of a walk (some 15 minutes, or just take a tuk-tuk) from either the Phra Athit or Thewet Pier if you're coming from the main riverside attractions and use the Chao Phraya Express (or Tourist) Boat. If you're into financial history, the Bank of Thailand Learning Center and museum is right next to the bridge. Otherwise, Suan Luang Rama VIII Park by its base is also nice, and also a filming location. The bridge itself is most photogenic at night, but make sure you have transport back if you stay late. Consider one of those dinner cruises if you want to experience it from the same angles as KinnPorsche and Cutie Pie.
For other locations, you'll need to do some research. If there's a specific series you want to follow, try searching to see if someone has already compiled a list of locations, which is likely the case for the more popular series. Most info will be on Tumblr or Twitter.
Filming locations may be public places, shops and businesses, private establishments, or purpose-built or converted studios, so remember to think of their ability to welcome visitors. Dress appropriately for the venue, take care to respect their regular functions, and be considerate to other people. Some of the most familiar locations are university campuses, and the grounds will generally be open to the public, but they're not usually equipped to deal with large numbers of visitors. So if you do visit, have fun reliving those memorable scenes but make sure not to disturb the real students who are there for class. Meanwhile, cafés, bars and restaurants would surely welcome your patronage, but please do not snoop around private offices or people's homes. It all boils down to following common sense, really.
A lot of the locations will be quite spread out and some distance away from downtown, so you'll have to plan carefully if you want to hit more than a few. You might want to hire transport for the day, but also take the traffic into consideration.
If you've always wanted to sleep in the same room that your favourite characters lived in (or at least an identical one), you might be in luck. Some of the apartment locations may have rooms available for daily renting, so check with them. As above, though, their location can be rather inconvenient transport-wise. On the other hand, you might want to opt for the hotels and resorts that featured as locations, which will be better equipped with tourist facilities.
For houses specifically, I have a post on The houses of Thai BL. Most of them are private property rented out as studios, but some will be happy to accept visitors (for a fee) on their off days. Contact their management to see if a something can be arranged. Or if you're serious about it and ready to pay, just rent the place at full price for your own personal photoshoot. If you try it either way, do let us know how it turns out. On the other hand, Wawa House (To Sir, With Love) has a café for visitors, Slōlē (Golden Blood, Bite Me, Enchanté, The Tuxedo, The Eclipse) is a real-life café when not filming, and Red Brick Kitchen (Not Me, KinnPorsche, War of Y) features a chef's table dining experience (reservations only, 4 persons minimum).
If you're just looking for some usual attractions that happen to have BL appearances as a bonus, here are a few (very non-exhaustive) suggestions for Bangkok:

• Temples & shrines
  • Wat Arun (KinnPorsche)
  • Wat Kanlayanamit (KinnPorsche)
  • Rong Kueak Shrine (Our Skyy: Pete-Kao, Our Skyy 2: Never Let Me Go)
• Museums & art galleries
  • Warehouse 30 (Theory of Love)
  • Bangkok Sculpture Center (Vice Versa)
• Historic buildings
  • Hua Lamphong Railway Station (Theory of Love)
  • So Heng Tai Mansion (Our Skyy: Pete-Kao)
  • Neilson Hays Library (Enchanté)
  • The House on Sathorn (functions as a restaurant) (KinnPorsche)
• Zoos, aquariums & other activities
  • Sea Life Bangkok Ocean World (UWMA, IPYTM)
  • Flick Skate Park (Cutie Pie)
• Themed markets
  • Asiatique The Riverfront (Why R U?)
  • Kwan-Riam Floating Market (My Engineer)
  • ChangChui Creative Park & Plane Night Market (Vice Versa)
• Bridges & Parks
  • Rama VIII Bridge & Park (see above)
  • Memorial Bridge (& Chao Phraya Sky Park) ('Cause You're My Boy)
  • Bhumibol Bridge (& Lat Pho Park) (Not Me, KinnPorsche, LITA)
  • Chong Nonsi Skywalk & Canal Park (Chains of Heart, Bed Friend, The Promise)
  • Queen Sirikit & Wachirabenchathat (Rotfai) Park (Cutie Pie, My School President)
  • Benjakitti Forest Park (Vice Versa)
  • Suan Luang Rama IX Park (Vice Versa)
  • Chulalongkorn University Centenary Park (Vice Versa)

While Bangkok's malls are very much major attractions by themselves, I didn't include them as their appearances are quite too numerous to list.
Outside of Bangkok, each series will mostly feature locations relatively near each other (except Cupid's Last Wish, which went all over the country), so I'll just list the series by destination without going into each location's detail.

• Chiang Mai: Manner of Death, Triage, Dew, Grey Rainbow, Sky in Your Heart, On Cloud Nine, 180 Degree Longitude, A Tale of Thousand Stars, everything by Wayufilm
• Chiang Rai: A Tale of Thousand Stars, The Love of Winter
• Lampang: Bed Friend
• Khon Kaen: Love Mechanics 2022
• Chachoengsao: Remember Me
• Chonburi: KinnPorsche, Star in My Mind, Never Let Me Go, Moonlight Chicken, Cutie Pie (Bira Circuit), My School President (Institute of Marine Science)
• Koh Samet (Rayong): Hard Love Mission
• Amphawa (Samut Songkhram): Together With Me
• Kanchanaburi: UWMA
• Hua Hin & nearby (Prachuap Khiri Khan): Bad Buddy, My School President
• Koh Tao (Surat Thani): Even Sun
• Phuket: ITSAY
• Koh Lanta (Krabi): Why R U, Why You... Y Me?

Further resources & suggestions

The Let's Talk BL podcast hosts talked about their experience in Thailand last year, covering a lot of the above points over several episodes at the beginning of season 3. Be sure to check them out if you want all the details, especially S3 EP3: Tips & Tricks for the perfect BL experience in Bangkok. Some of their main tips that I didn't mention above are not to overstretch yourself trying to go to everything, and to use a map to plan your days.
Colourme-feral on Tumblr has an incredible Google Map that plots locations from several series, and more in their blog, which a lot of the above is sourced from. For Bad Buddy specifically, Telomeke-bbs on Tumblr has a series of posts that analyse the locations at an insane level of detail.
I'm sure I haven't covered nearly everything in this post, so please feel free to add your suggestions in the comments. (I'll try to expand the locations list as I get around to digging for more series.) If you have questions or need help identifying a specific location, feel free to ask! (Though no guarantees there.)
For full disclosure, I'm receiving no compensation whatsoever for writing this. Any biases or omissions are purely unintentional.

I am trying to plan a family vacation to Tortola next April. We live in New England, so I know there isn't any direct way of getting there but thinking of flying into St. Thomas and taking a ferry over. Are there any rec's for hotels or places to stay? My husband is an avid surfer, but we also have 8 & 10yo kids, so also want access to sandy beach and snorkeling. Would love some insider tips! Thanks!

There are plenty of seafood restaurants in Riviera Beach. Whether you're looking for casual, or a more upscale dining experience, there is something for everyone. In addition to our local restaurants, we also have some great national chains that offer great options for seafood lovers.https://www.tripoto.com/trip/new-orleans-style-restaurant-riviera-beach-florida-3be2c4e49a4e468e

I don’t write a lot of reviews but there isn’t much info on the Alua properties which Hyatt bought last year and rolled into WOH early this year. So hopefully, my impressions will be of use to someone.
I just got back from staying at the AluaSoul Costa Malaga in Torremolinos, Spain. I spent about a week there in a Junior Suite. I am a WOH Globalist. I had a “Half Board” rate which included breakfast and dinner. I also had access to the “My Favorite Club” which serves refreshments all day (more on that later). Rates were incredibly affordable, around €80 per night for the junior suite. A regular room was just a few euros cheaper so I booked the higher category, I didn’t want to chance the lack of an upgrade given this is the start of the busy season. (the hotel was pretty full) I did not book a club room but was automatically upgraded to one. Points redemption was 12,000-15,00 per night for a standard double room so paying the rate was preferable.
Location: The hotel could not be better located for nightlife and food. You are in the center of town and surrounded by literally hundreds of restaurants and bars. You are also a 5-minute walk from Torremolinos’ main train station which connects directly to the airport, Plaza Mayor (large mall), and Malaga City. The airport is about 15 minutes via train, and Malaga is about 30. The walk from the train station to the hotel is an easy one with a wheeled suitcase. Escalator and smooth sidewalk. The hotel is also right next to the LGBTQ+ area, which is huge in Torremolinos. Lots of entertainment options and trendy places there as well. It is a walk down a cliff to the beach, but I found it very pleasant. There are 2-3 ways to take to the beach, and I found none of them boring. The town also offers an elevator to the beach at a rate of €0.50 each way, but I never thought to use it. An Uber from the airport to the hotel costs around €15-18 euros. There is a mini-mart 2 doors down, and another 5 doors down and there is a medium-sized supermarket a 3 minute walk away. There is a pharmacy next to the supermarket.
Check-in: The lobby is clean and modern, nicely decorated in a 4-star Spain way. Front desk staff were quick and efficient but the man who checked me in didn’t explain things so well, but I arrived VERY late. The female desk clerks the next day were far more helpful. Upon check-in, I was upgraded to a My Favorite Club room, and I was on the 10th floor (the hotel only has 11 floors).
Room: Room was ok. Fairly large but not a true suite. There is a sitting area with a couch long enough for a grown person to sleep on and a double bed that was 2 singles pushed together as you often find in Europe. The beds were not attached together, and the floors were smooth laminate, so they had a tendency to move, creating a gap in the middle. The bathroom was notably small, featuring just a sink, toilet, and shower. It's enough for 2 people, but just. There was also a small balcony with an ocean view, although also with many buildings. There were 2 large glass bottles of water on the table and the refrigerator was stocked with a few types of beer, a bottle of cava, and some sodas. There was a Nespresso machine and capsules and a boilekettle with tea supplies. This was complimentary. The room, and bathroom, were very clean but everything was about 10 years out of date. The TV was large, but didn’t feature any smart features and the HDMI cables were a bit hard to get to as it was firmly mounted on the wall. BBC News was the only English language channel (no regular BBC, and the guide showed CNN but it was not available) but they had several German and French channels as well as any Spanish of course. WiFi was good enough to stream and do video calls. The A/C worked great, shower pressure was good as was the hot water.
Club: My Favorite Club is basically their version of a Regency Club, except that it runs all day and is stocked with alcohol at all times. They had coffee/tea/soda, 3 types of beer, 6 types of wine, 8 spirits, and bottled mixers as well as 3 juices and milk. They also always had 4-6 types of tapas and they were refreshed often with different types. The spread was quite impressive and not many people had club access even though the hotel was full. That is good because the club literally only has 8 seats! I was actually amazed at how little the lounge was used given the hotel was busy.
Food: Meh. During my stay, I only ate breakfast 3 times and dinner 2 times even though it was included. That is mainly due to the fact that the food in Spain (outside of the hotel) is amazing and affordable. If you have to pay much extra for food options I wouldn’t. When weighing half board or all-inclusive places in Spain, Portugal, or Greece, consider the fact that local restaurants are incredible and usually cheap. The wine was €2-2.50 a glass for a generous pour at a restaurant. There were literally hundreds of places within walking distance. You could be better off getting a hotel with a nice pool, a great location, and perhaps a breakfast-only option. Even breakfast could be a waste as you often stay out late in Spain and would have to rush to shower and get ready just to eat some eggs, cold cuts, and a croissant to save €5.
Pool: Very nice pool with some shade and some sunny areas. Not huge but clean and relaxing. They feature live music at night, but end at about 11:00 pm to avoid disturbing guests. One night I had to go back to my room which was 10 floors above the pool, and the music was quite loud. Something to consider if you sleep early or get a low floor. People in club rooms also get a reserved area by the swimming pool with loungers, etc. This means a better chance of snagging a good chair. Poll was quite busy. Guests are a mixture of ages and nationalities. I heard Dutch, German, French, UK English, American English, Russian, and of course Spanish. There were college kids to retirees.
Edit: They were working on a rooftop bar when I was there, it looked nice, but it was not yet open. They were actively constructing it, so I suspect it will open in a few weeks. It will have basically the same view as my room.
Globalist recognition/benefits: As I mentioned above, my late arrival didn’t help. There was no verbal recognition upon arrival and check-in but I was upgraded to the club room.
Overall, I would say it’s a 3.5-star room, 4.5-star location, 4-star staff, 3-star food, 4.5-star club. The value is 4.5 stars, though. I would stay again based on the price for quality and the excellent location (for someone who likes local culture and food more than the beach).
Hotel site https://www.hyatt.com/en-US/hotel/costa-del-sol/costa-malaga-adults-recommended/ascma