Dry skin is a common condition that affects people of all ages. It can be caused by a number of factors, including:

• Weather: Dry skin is more common in cold, dry climates.
• Age: As people age, their skin produces less oil, which can lead to dryness.
• Medical conditions: Some medical conditions, such as eczema and psoriasis, can cause dry skin.
• Medications: Some medications, such as diuretics and antihistamines, can cause dry skin as a side effect.
• Lifestyle habits: Smoking and excessive sun exposure can also contribute to dry skin.

Dry skin can be uncomfortable and unsightly. It can also make you more susceptible to skin infections. If you have dry skin, there are a number of things you can do to relieve the symptoms and prevent further dryness.

How to Treat Dry Skin

• Moisturize regularly: This is the most important thing you can do to treat dry skin. Moisturize your skin several times a day, especially after bathing or showering.
• Use a humidifier: A humidifier adds moisture to the air, which can help to relieve dry skin.
• Take lukewarm baths or showers: Hot water can strip away the natural oils from your skin, making it drier.
• Avoid harsh soaps and detergents: Harsh soaps and detergents can strip away the natural oils from your skin, making it drier. Use mild soaps and detergents that are designed for sensitive skin.
• Exfoliate gently: Exfoliating can help to remove dead skin cells and reveal new, healthy skin. However, it is important to exfoliate gently, as harsh exfoliation can irritate dry skin.
• Wear sunscreen: Sunscreen helps to protect your skin from the sun's harmful rays, which can make dry skin worse.

If your dry skin is severe or does not improve with home treatment, see a doctor. They may recommend prescription medications or other treatments.

Tips for Preventing Dry Skin

• Drink plenty of water: Staying hydrated helps to keep your skin healthy and hydrated.
• Eat a healthy diet: A healthy diet provides your body with the nutrients it needs to keep your skin healthy.
• Get enough sleep: Getting enough sleep helps your body to repair itself and can also help to improve the appearance of your skin.
• Manage stress: Stress can contribute to dry skin, so it is important to find ways to manage stress in your life.

By following these tips, you can help to prevent dry skin and keep your skin looking its best.

In Iceland right now, the sun never really goes down!
So if any of you will be in Iceland on June 21st that is when we celebrate our Summer Solstice here in Iceland, aka the longest day of the year. Some facts about it and a great way to experience it in a unique way 👇

• On June 21st the Sun "rises" at 2:55am and goes "down" on 12:03 am, but it doesn't really set or go down, it just kid of lowers an lingers.
  • Compared to the Winter Solstice that takes place on December 22nd, then the sun comes "up" at around 11:00 am and starts going down at around 15:00 pm, but it never fully goes up.
• This "24-hour-daylight" period usually last for about 6 weeks

There will be loads of cool events happening on the 21st of June for the Summer Solstice, there used to be a big music festival but that has not happened yet after covid.

Some ideas on cool things to do during the Summer Solstice 2023 from a local!

• Join a Summer Solstice Yacht party! This is an exclusive event with drinks, snacks and entertainment all included. Enjoying the Midnight sun with a cold bear overlooking the Reykjavík Bay area? Sounds perfect tome!
• Do a midnight hike ending in a hot spring, you could hike from Hveragerði and jump into Reykjadalur
• Join a golf tournament, the Artic Open is held during these dates and can be a great way for anyone who loves golf to experience Iceland! Note this takes place in the North

Hope this helps, let me know if you have more questions about the midnight sun! ☀️

3725 0963 7847 Need friends from Tunda and Sun habitats only. Send/Open every day.

I got married yesterday and we're both North Africa nerds. Her vows contained a lot of Rommel references. Bet you can guess what mine were based on... Thought I'd share my vows with you all.
Person I love less than the Matilda but more than others,
I spent a LOT of time thinking about what I was going to say when I stood up here with you in front of everyone we hold dear. I know you think I waited until the last minute, but in all honestly, I've been mentally writing this for months, despite not having anything concrete down on paper.
In researching how to write wedding vows, the one piece of advice I kept coming across was to read the vows of others and to use that as a template for saying what one wants to say about your future partner and your vision of your shared life together.
So I read wedding vows. Lots of them. Some were better than others. But none of them really resonated with me.
Then, randomly, it hit me. It was going to start as a goofy, nerdy joke at the beginning of my vows, but the more I thought of it, the more I realized it was already the perfect template. So if you'll allow me to be a bit of a dork for a moment...
Perrett before Fletcher
Matilda II before Valentine
40-41 North Africa campaign before 42-43 North Africa campaign
These words are the first oath of fealty to Queen Matilda the Second of the Desert, not actually contained in “The Matilda” by Bryan Perrett. The work was made from the effort of ten entities; H.R.B Foote, the Matilda II, American Lend-Leased equipment, Bryan Perrett, Colonel Jerram, 4th Royal Tank Regiment, 7th Royal Tank Regiment, Australians, the Matilda’s dummy thicc armor, and United Nations; each having their own core ideal and associated oaths.
Well, I'm an entity, so regardless, here, today, I make these oaths to you:
Like Foote, I will remember.
I will remember my love for you. I will remember your love for me. I will remember being one of only two tankers to get the Victoria Cross.
When we inevitably disagree, I will remember that the conflict isn't you vs me, it's US (not the United States) against the Problem.
...and I will remember the day we met.
I will remember standing in the cupola having a little battle with an Italian where we were trying to out-offensive-joke the other.
It was my turn, and I told a sexist joke and you overheard. You then proceeded to walk over, punch me in the shoulder and call me a dick.
Who could have known that that tiny act of simple assault would lead to all this? I feel like I won that battle, despite my clearly debilitating shoulder injury, and my prize was the love of my life, my best friend, and my partner.
Like the Matilda II, I will be there when I'm needed.
I will be there for you when you have a rough day. I will be there for you when you have a good day.
I will be there for you when you're sick. I will be there for you when you're healthy.
I will be there for you when you need help with a battle; a difficult foe; a difficult campaign. I will be there for you always.
Like the American Lend-Leased equipment, I will seek freedom.
The Yanks sought freedom not only for themselves, but for others.
I will seek YOUR freedom.
I will not attempt to control you. Instead, I will seek your freedom to make your own choices, and I will support you in those choices even if I disagree with them.
Like Perrett, I will seek truth.
I will be honest with you in all things. I will not lie or mislead you. I will have the difficult conversations openly and honestly. I will put random anecdotes that really can’t be verified into my history book.
Like Colonel Jerram, I will speak MY truth.
I will be a Smokey Stover. I will shout that you’re incompetent. I will share my idea to drive at half speed all the time to increase readiness.. and I will share praise for you while being modest about myself.
Like the 4th Royal Tank Regiment, I will seek self-mastery.
You have always pushed me to be better, and more than that, you make we WANT to be better.
And so I will work in Eritrea with a squadron with no spare parts.
I will always strive to improve myself to be a better friend, partner, and husband to you.
Like the 7th Royal Tank Regiment, I will reach my potential.
I will not be lazy. I will do what needs doing. I will not exceed half speed I will push my own bounds to ensure you and our children have the quality of life you all deserve. Unless that means moving at more than a snail’s pace.
Like the Australians, I will seek justice.
I will seek justice for you.
If others are flammable, I will cram a flamethrower in the turret of a Matilda. When you have something that needs a depth charge, I will strap a Hedgehog to the back of a Matilda.
And so help me I will march right back into some shitty Pacific island and tell them to not use Comfort Women and that they'd better pony up and get some consenting bitches or something, and then set them on fire with a Frog.
Like the Matilda’s dummy thicc armor, I will protect.
I will protect you and our children from danger. I will protect you and our children from harm. I will step in front of you when there's a threat. I will be your rock when you're scared. I will be your shield when you're vulnerable. and if it comes down to it, I will lay down my own life to save yours.
Like the United Nations, I will unite.
I will put US (Not the United States) above ME (Not the Middle East) I will prioritize our family above all else. I will ensure my work doesn't interfere with family affairs.
I will remain by your proverbial side through thick and thin; through blood and water; through rain and sun; through rich and poor; through sickness and health; through good times and bad; until death should part us.
You are my best friend, my partner, my love, my life, and my wife from this day until the last.
But also still second to my love for the Matilda.

Morning! We live in zone 3a/b on the prairies in Canada.
Last summer we bought some fruit trees- two plum, two apple and two cherry. All rated for our zone.
They were young/small trees maybe about 5' tall. They all were pretty leafy and seemed healthy when we got them. Put them in the ground with a big hole that we added some better soil to (our ground is pretty sandy) and some fertilizer and put mulch around the base of them when they were in ground. They seemed alright for the first summefall and even got a few tiny little pieces of fruit (not big enough to eat.) We did have an issue with deer coming and eating some leaves/peeling some bark but we hung little bars of soap on the trees and that seemed to stop them (a local farmer's suggestion.)
We weren't expecting much out of them for the first few years but this spring they seem to have stayed... dead. The leaves obviously fell off because we live in a pretty cold zone and our winters are down to -40 a lot.
One of the cherries has a small sprout of green down by the base of the tree which I've read you should probably prune to encourage growth at the top of the branches etc but there's literally NO growth up there so it makes me scared to cut off the only green part of the tree?
One of the apple trees has a big bushel of leaves on ONE single branch.
One of the plum trees also has a green sprout down by the base.
The fact that two of them have greenery near the base of the trunk makes me think that something in common is stunting all of their growth. We added fertilizer this year and re-mulched them and made sure to cut down the grass/weeds around them. They get lots of sun.
Is the soap hurting them?
Are we watering too much? I try to water them almost every day whenever it doesn't rain because in the summer it is SO hot/dry here without rain.
Did we not protect them from the harsh winter enough?
We invested a fair amount of money assuming this would be a many-years project and that these trees would mature and eventually maybe give us some fruit when our kids are older etc etc but I'm so sad to see them already failing one year in.
I can take photos if that would help.
Any assistance would be awesome!

This quote moved me especially when I thought about death the other day
Maybe there is life after death, maybe there is nothing
but to Fang yuan even that does not matter
even if he fails completely, even if he dies, it does not matter
what matters then?
“Ask yourself, listen to your own inner voice.
What do you want to do?
What kind of person do you want to be?
where do you want to go?
You can get an answer in your own heart.
Don’t because of their attitude, Feel wronged in your own mind.
If you often feel wronged yourself, then you will regret it, you will often bring a mask and become another person, not the real you.
I’m tired of living with a mask… I want to live with my true face and want to achieve my goals in the way I want to the most.
Only when I am alive can I feel the passion of life and the desire for life!”
...
"Even if my life is the setting sun, I will live out my own splendor
I struggle to survive in the mortal world
I came to life and I joined the world. I lived my own life,
I lived according to my own feelings, even if the waves toss me up and down,
sending me to the border of Death,
I will never grieve, lament, fear, or worry
I will savor these flavors thoroughly, I will still laugh crazily until the end.
I am true to my nature.
I am a true person!"
...
"Humans only live for a hundred years,
it is as unreal as a dream that ends in an instant.
What is the point of a person living in this world?
No more than just being on a journey, and witnessing interesting things.
Although I do not want to die, I do not fear death. I am already on my right path, I have no regrets even if I die."
...
"I thought that he was a heartless person or was filled with hatred and rage, that was the reason for his evil actions. But the truth is, he has abundant emotions, he does not lack anything.
Even though he pursues strength, he is not obsessed with it.
What drives him to do this is his goal.
This goal is deeply ingrained in his heart, not only three lifetimes, even after a hundred lifetimes, it cannot be eradicated.
This person cannot be reformed."
...
"There was no absolutely desperate situation in this world,
there were only people who despair.
The answer to resolving problems will always be in our own hands;
when we inspect our inner hearts,
we will find that the miraculous heavenly power was in ourselves all along!
To discover oneself, to recognize oneself, and to rely on oneself!"

This was Gareth’s favorite part of the path. It wasn’t the darkest part of the tungsten woods, but it was hauntingly narrow and ended abruptly at the ravine, with the bronze light of the temple shining through the trees on the other side. And it was still dark enough that the glass eyes of the cogbirds shone like amber gemstones in the scraggly trees around him, their internal reactors quiet in the dim morning. It would be a few more hours before the sun warmed their panel wings enough to swarm him, so he had plenty of time.
Gareth pulled off his back and knelt at the edge of the ravine with his hammer-pick. He used the sharp end to gently dig out the cliff, careful not to undermine himself. More than one miner had hit stinkdamp gas pockets in this area. Oil-soaked clods fell silently into the mist-shrouded pit below. Finally, he struck something hard. He reached around the ledge, feeling into the hole as his eyes stared into the deep. From the hole he pulled up a mass of black glass. Smoked obsidian.
Gareth stuffed it into his pack and licked his fingers before continuing to dig, finding several more masses. He twitched when he heard the screech of a cogbird behind him. He looked over his shoulder as several of them hopped along the tungsten branches, their little reactors glowing. Gareth looked up and saw no sun. He looked across the ravine. The temple light was shading to crimson.
Gareth cinched his pack closed and pulled it on, steeling himself for the run. One of the cogbirds positioned itself right in the middle of the path. Gareth knew it was over if he hesitated. He charged forward, whacking the cogbird with his hammer-pick as it came at him. He didn’t stop, knowing they were swarming behind him. He smiled to himself as he ran into the darker depths of the woods. One day soon he would have enough obsidian. The days of that temple, and the cogbirds, were numbered.
---
I write novels, short stories, and online interactives with flavors of epic fantasy, grimdark, historical fiction, and steampunk. More at Earthpillar and my website.

I've heard in countries like Norway its always night for a few months and day for a few months. So whats it like? So the sun goes down one day and doesn't come come up the next couple of months? I know its a lame question, please dont be hard on me hehe

Hello all,
So I’m building a 4,100sqft house in Webster, TX. I am the GC. I had a few companies give me a bid and one had a 2ton and 3ton… and the other bid had a 3ton and 4ton. 2ton difference seems concerning. (Quick note, I think the 7ton bid was 2tons more cause we mentioned possibly doing zones. Which we are no longer doing.)
House is spray foam open cell. R15 walls and R35+- in attic. With radiant barrier roof deck as well. (Which I’ve heard wasn’t the best choice with spray foam) We also have about 9 large oak trees that shade about 1/3 of the house most of the day.
The 2ton system feeds about 1,900sqft that has 65sqft of west facing windows.
3ton system has 90sqft of west facing windows.
All east facing windows block the sun with all the large trees we have.
10ft down stairs and 9ft upstairs with a 20ft living room ceiling.
I decided to run a CoolCalc. For the 1,900sqft system, it put cooling BTU at 18,000 and heating at 28,000
For the 2,200sqft system, cooling at 32,000 and heating at 24,000.
This 3ton system includes the 20ft living room ceiling… it’s 18x22… so roughly 7,900cuft. Rest of areas are either 10 or 8ft
I am having a HARD time believing a 4,100sqft is going to do fine with 5 tons.
Any of you seen seen 5tons cover 4,100 and do ok?
Going with Goodman 17seer 2 stage everything.

My life has been rather busy so I didn't get a chance to look at the schedule when it was released about 4 weeks ago. But I finally got to look at it now and here are my thoughts:
First, the good:

• Our road game at Miami is in OCTOBER this year! FINALLY the NFL scheduling gods threw us a bone! This is the first time since 2010 that our road game at Miami has not been in September, December, or January! To break it down even further:
  • In 2011, 2014, 2019, and 2022 we played at Miami in either Week 1 or Week 2 of the season, when it's still extremely hot and/or humid there. We won in 2011 and 2019, but lost in 2014 and 2022.
  • In 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2020, and 2021 we played at Miami on or after December 2. We only won the 2012 and "2016" matchups. 2016 is in quotation marks because that game actually occurred on January 1, 2017.
• We don't have a "long home game drought" at a time when people are putting up their Christmas lights! To break it down:
  • In 2017 we played a home game the Sunday after Thanksgiving, then our next home game was on Christmas Eve. (We played 3 road games in a row in Dec. 2017).
  • Similarly, in 2020 we played a home game the Sunday after Thanksgiving, but our next home game wasn't until after Christmas. We also played 3 road games in a row in December.
• We once again have a December or January matchup with the Buffalo Bills. This has been the case every year since 2017.
  • From 2017-2021 our home game with the Bills was in Week 16.
  • In 2022 we played the Bills on the road to end the season.
  • This year we'll play at Buffalo in January again.
  • Our "penultimate" game of the regular season will be against the Bills. This was also the case from 2017-2020. But we were at home from 2017-2020, this time it's on the road.
• Our sub-.500 record the year prior means fewer prime-time games this season, with exactly 1 appearance each on SNF, MNF, and TNF. Of course new flex rules are in place now...
• We get a "pseudo-bye" between our games with the Steelers (TNF Week 14) and Chiefs (MNF Week 15). This includes 3 extra days of rest before playing Patrick Mahomes!
• Our schedule is very "NFL RedZone-friendly" in the latter part of the season for the 3rd year in a row. Weeks 11-12, then Weeks 14-16 we play in a "national" game so you could theoretically spend 1-8 PM Eastern time watching the RedZone channel and the entire Pats game.
  • We also had stretches in November-December during the 2021 and 2022 seasons that allowed multiple weeks of RedZone watching outside of a Pats game.

Now, the bad:

• We lose a home game. And against the COLTS too! But we still get 8 home, 8 away.
• 3 consecutive prime-time games that are probably "non-flexible", during the month of December. At this time of year, the sun goes down at 4:30 PM. I'm usually tired by 10 PM. So that's some 3.5 hours of darkness then the START of a Pats game. This happened last year too, initially with FOUR consecutive prime-time games before the game against the Raiders was flexed out.

Nonetheless, I'm looking forward to this season and I'm optimistic we'll finish with more wins than in 2022!

Recommended.
Hitman: Blood Money is, still to this day, one of the most beloved entries in the series. This game went above and beyond anything made by its predecessors. With a gripping storyline, highly detailed levels and better controls, this game can be summed up in one word: consistency. The gameplay and AI is more consistent, giving the player more control when solving the mission's puzzles and such. Blood Money added a pre-mission preparation, where the player has a wide latitude in the way he can choose how to tackle the levels. Another great addition was the implementation of accidents, so you can kill pretty much anyone as long as they cannot pin it on you.
Levels are now highly detailed, with really crowded parties with many NPCs to interact with. The mission "Death on the Mississippi" has 109 NPCs, and 120 NPCs in "Dance with the Devil". The lights are much better and no longer blind you (a persistent nuisance in the previous game), there are more complex environments and impressive effects - even today. The AI is smart, capable of seeing blood and will no longer attack you on sight when catching 47 tresspassing.
The ranking system is now more detailed and the number of shots stopped affecting your rating. Another great idea that was used in this game is that sedating people is now permanent (finally).
The controls are better with a sensible system of using Space, E and G, with the options appearing on the top left corner of the screen. The compass is now an integral part of the hud. Agent 47 handles that much better and everything is now more dynamic and smoother. He can easily climb, run and perform actions like attack or interact with objects. A coin was introduced, thus giving you the ability to lure NPCs away or towards you. This can also be made by throwing weapons, like the mine. Combat is much better, with melee attacks and better aiming. You can now run towards your targets, from behind, and knock them out before they can react; being more realistic.
Weapons are now fairly easy to collect, since you can play individual missions within a player profile and you can visit your "armory" in the new hidout the devs gave 47. You can also upgrade your weapons with the money from your hits. You now can use NPCs as human shields.
The game also added two new features: a newspaper and the notoriety system. You must avoid witnesses or else you will start to appear in the newspaper covers and random NPCs will recognize you during missions. The newspaper is also hilarious, with odd stories, foreshadowing, easter eggs and a brief description of how you killed your targets. You can also get plot points and foreshadowing by listening to conversations or radio broadcasts in-game.
Amid completing contracts, 47 discovers a shadow organization called "The Franchise" that is intent on destroying the ICA and plans a palace coup in the United States. The game finally revisits South America, with a mission in Chile, and goes through the most iconic missions in the series, like "Courtains Down", with its many creative ways of eliminating the target without being noticed; or "The Muder of Crows", with the Crows gang, where the female in the crow costume can be killed by dropping a piano over her; and the Mardi Gras crowd (127 killable NPCs). Agent 47 can also disguise as a priest and celebrate a marriage; dress up as Santa in a Playboy-style ice party, and even as a US Marine in the White House. This game goes out with a bang in one of the most epic endings in a video game, with Agent 47 dressed in his now venerable white suit.
The relationship between Agent 47 and Diana is greatly expanded; giving more depth to 47's character. Before just a briefing voice, she becomes far more than that.
Even if the ragdoll physics are showing its age in this 2006 game, Hitman: Blood Money is a masterpiece, one of the most fun and replayable entries in the Hitman franchise and the stealth genre in general.

NOTE: This is a remake of the list I made way back in 2022, and it can be found here: https://www.reddit.com/BokuNoHeroAcademia/comments/vx4z7h/providing_some_characters_ideal_real_names_in_my/
Keep in mind that some entries on the list have their names changed over time because of, well, reasons. Check the old list for comparison.
​
Providing some characters’ ideal real names in My Hero Academia whose real names are currently unknown and are only referred by their aliases.
Have you ever wondered what the real names of some characters in My Hero Academia may be? There are some who are only refered by their aliases and not their real names. For example, we know that Cementoss’ real name is Ken Ishiyama (石山堅), but Ectoplasm’s real name is unknown. So I thought I would compile a list of characters, whether heroes, villains, or neutral, whose real names are not revealed in any form of media, whether they are anime, manga, game, or light novels. Keep in mind that I made up all of the ideal real names by myself (with my limited knowledge of the Japanese language). We’ll wait if Kohei Horikoshi decided on some of the names to be designated as official real names, so there could be a possibility that if a real name is already revealed and is different from mine.
Crimson Riot: Masayoshi Shinkuyama (真紅山正義, しんくやま まさよし)
Shin (真) means true, Ku (紅) means crimson or deep red, Yama (山) means mountain, Masa (正) means correct or justice, and Yoshi (義) means righteousness. The surname Shinkuyama means deep crimson mountain, which explains his hero name. The given name Masayoshi means justice, since Masayoshi is an alternate reading of Seigi, which also means justice. His sense of justice, and to an extent, chivalry, is what motivated the life of Eijiro Kirishima on his path of training to be a pro hero.
Lunch Rush: Godan Ransei (蘭生五旦, らんせい ごだん)
Ran (蘭) means orchid, Sei (生) means raw or genuine, Go (五) means 5, and Dan (旦) means daybreak. His name is a play on British chef celebrity Gordon Ramsay, only if you mention the name in western order, since Japanese names use the surname-first, given-name order, making his name Ransei Godan instead. The Go in Godan likely refers to the 5 tastes – sweet, sour, salty, bitter, and umami, while Dan refers to breakfast, which is ironic considering that his hero name is Lunch Rush. The Sei in Ransei also likely refers to his signature insult.
Snipe: Hokori Toki (東木埃, とうき ほこり)
To or Higashi or Azuma (東) means east, Ki (木) means tree or wood, and Hokori (埃) means dust. The surname Toki roughly means “east wood”, a reference to American actor Clint Eastwood, who is known for starring in old west and spaghetti western films. The surname is also homophonous with time in Japanese, Toki (時), probably as in the phrase “the good old times” or “the good old days”. The given name might be a reference to the “Dust Bowl”, the name given to the drought-stricken Southern Plains region of the United States in the 1930’s, or the Kansas song Dust in the Wind.
Ectoplasm: Kazuhiro Masumi (増見数博, ますみ かずひろ)
Masu (増) means multiply or increase, Mi (見) means to see, Kazu (数) means number, and Hiro (博) means command or esteem or win acclaim. The surname Masumi alludes to his quirk, noting that he can multiply or clone his own self, while seeing multiple directions at once through his clones. The given name Kazuhiro is a reference to his profession, a math teacher in UA.
Backdraft: Kansho Kadome (火止看消, かどめ かんしょう)
Ka or Hi (火) means fire, Dome or Tome (止) means to stop or halt, Kan (看) means to watch or observe, and Sho (消) means to erase or extinguish, the same kanji character in Shota Aizawa’s name (相澤消太). In other words, Kadome means stopping fire, while Kansho means observe while extinguishing.
Uwabami: Mamiko Hebita (蛇田真美子, へびた まみこ)
Hebi (蛇) means snake, Ta or Da (田) means rice field, Ma or Shin (真) means true, Mi or Bi (美) means beauty, and Ko (子) means child. Hebi in Hebita refers to her appearance and quirk, alluding to the Greek mythological figure Medusa. Her given name means true beautiful child.
Gunhead: Kenshiro Tsutsuto (銃頭拳志郎, つつとう けんしろう)
Tsutsu (銃) means gun, To or Atama (頭) means head, Ken (拳) means fist, Shi (志) means will or intention, and Ro (郎) means male. The surname Tsutsuto literally means Gunhead, his hero name. Tsutsu in Tsutsuto is the same reading in Lady Nagant’s real name, Kaina Tsutsumi (筒美火伊那). Although written in a different kanji (筒), which means gun barrel, a reference to her quirk, it has the same connotation as the other one. The given name Kenshiro may be alluded to the main protagonist of Fist of the North Star of the same name, although written in katakana, noting that he is a pro hero whose agency specializes in armed combat and martial arts. Also the Ken in Kenshiro is the same kanji character in Itsuka Kendo’s name (拳藤一佳).
The Fly: Kisuke Koba (小羽黄助, こば きすけ)
Ko (小) means small, Ba or Bane or Hane (羽) means wing or feather, Ki or Ko (黄) means yellow, and Suke (助) means help or assistance. The surname Koba literally means small wings, referring to his appearance and quirk. The Ki in Kisuke means yellow, referring to his blonde hair.
Slugger: Sango Sakagami (阪神三吾, さかがみ さんご)
Saka or Han (阪) means heights or slope, Kami or Gami or Shin (神) means god, San (三) means 3, and Go (吾) means I or my. The surname Sakagami is an alternate reading of Hanshin (阪神), a reference to a popular Japanese pro baseball team, the Hanshin Tigers (阪神タイガース). In the west, the baseball team is primarily (and infamously) remembered for being associated with the curse called “The Curse of the Colonel”, a 1985 Japanese urban legend regarding a reputed curse placed on the baseball team by the ghost of the deceased Kentucky Fried Chicken founder and mascot Colonel Harland Sanders, who passed away 5 years prior at the age of 90. The given name Sango is a play on ’35, the year the Hanshin Tigers were founded, 1935; although the next year, they would be officially formed and have their first season as the “Osaka Tigers”. In 1940, amid anti-foreign sentiment, the Tigers changed the name to "Hanshin" and in 1947 changed the name back to "Osaka Tigers". The current team name was assumed in 1961.
Native: Teppei Nishiriku (西陸哲平, にしりく てっぺい)
Nishi (西) means west, Riku (陸) means land, Tetsu (哲) means philosophy, and Pei or Hei or Hira (平) means flat. The surname Nishiriku means western land, most likely referring to America. The given name Teppei is a play on the word tepee or tipi, a conical tent made by Native Americans.
Selkie: Yasuhiro Hirezaki (鰭崎安洋, ひれざき やすひろ)
Hire (鰭) means fin or flipper (body part), Saki (崎) means cape or peninsula, Yasu (安) means peaceful, and Hiro (洋) means ocean. The Hire in Hirezaki means fin or flipper, referring to his seal physique. It may also be a reference to the Japanese word Kikyakurui (鰭脚類), meaning pinniped. They are a widely distributed and diverse monophyletic group of carnivorous, fin-footed, semi aquatic, mostly marine mammals. They are also commonly referred as seals. In fact, the name "pinniped" derives from the Latin words pinna, meaning fin and pes or pedis, meaning foot, thus giving the literal meaning of fin footed.
Sirius: Miya Otomaru (音丸美弥, おとまる みや)
Oto (音) means sound, Maru (丸) means round, Mi or Bi (美) means beauty, and Ya (弥) means all the more or increasingly. The surname Otomaru means sound around, a reference to her quirk, which allows the user to hear high frequencies around her that humans normally cannot. She uses it to communicate with Selkie when they are far apart. She can also use it to detect the number of people nearby. The given name Miya can be also read as Mimi (耳), which means ear in Japanese, also a reference to her quirk and appearance.
Mr. Brave: Yuichi Kamige (上毛勇一, かみげ ゆういち)
Kami or Ue (上) means up or above or raise, Ge or Mo (毛) means hair, and Isamu (勇) means brave. The surname Kamige literally means raising hair, a reference to his quirk. The given name Yuichi means brave one, a reference to his hero name.
Death Arms: Atsuto Aratake (荒武篤人, あらたけ あつと)
Ara (荒) means rough or wild, Take (武) means military, Atsu (篤) means fervent or serious, and To or Hito (人) means person. The Ara in Aratake and Atsu in Atsuto refer to his serious and rough behavior.
Crust: Mutsuo Tatezaki (盾崎六雄, たてざき むつお)
Tate (盾) means shield (type of personal armor), Zaki or Saki (崎) means cape or edge, Mutsu or Roku (六) means 6, and O (雄) means masculine or male. The Tate in Tatezaki refers to his quirk, shield, which allows him to manifest stone-like, hexagonal shields from their body that could be utilized both defensively and offensively. His given name Mutsuo is a reference to his hexagonal shields.
Yoroi Musha: Takeyoshi Furumoto (古本武義, ふるもと たけよし)
Furu (古) means old or ancient, Moto or Hon (本) means origin or book, Take (武) means military, and Yoshi (義) means righteousness. All of the kanji characters are associated with him. The surname Furumoto can be also read as Furuhon, which means ancient book, possibly referring to old records, text, or illustrations regarding Japanese history and society. The Take in Takeyoshi refers to his hero costume, resembling a samurai, while Yoshi refers to his personality, which is ironic after what happened during the war.
Kesagiri Man: Kenjuro Kuroi (黒井剣寿郎, くろい けんじゅろう)
Kuro (黒) means black, I (井) means water well, Ken (剣) means sword, Ju (寿) means longevity, and Ro (郎) means male. The Kuro in Kuroi refers to the color of his hero outfit, while the Ken in Kenjuro refers to the literal meaning of his hero name - slashing someone with a sword diagonally from the shoulder, Kesagiri (袈裟切り).
Water Hose father: Namihiro Izumi (出水波弘, いずみ なみひろ)
Water Hose mother: Kishiko Izumi (出水岸子, いずみ きしこ)
Knowing that the Water Hose Duo is Kota Izumi’s (出水洸汰) parents, we can obviously assume that they are also named Izumi. Izu (出) means outside, and Mi or Mizu (水) means water. Combined together means flood, Izumi (出水). The surname is also homophonous with fountain in Japanese, Izumi (泉).
For the father: Nami (波) means wave or billow, and Hiro (弘) means vast or wide.
For the mother: Kishi (岸) means beach or shore, and Ko (子) means child.
Nezu: Hideyuki Nezu (根津秀幸, ねず ひでゆき)
Assuming that Nezu is his surname, I would give him his given name only. Ne (根) means root, Zu or Tsu (津) means harbor, Hide (秀) means excellence, and Yuki (幸) means happiness or fortune. His surname is meant to be a play on rat in Japanese, Nezumi (鼠), and his given name is a common Japanese male name, which fits his personality.
Kido: Ryota Kido (貴堂良太, きどう りょうた)
Ki (貴) means noble, Do (堂) means temple or hall, Ryo (良) means good, and Ta (太) means plump or thick. His surname is homophonous to that of his hero name (キドウ) and his respective quirk traject in Japanese, Kido (軌道).
Onima: Junji Onima (鬼馬淳次, おにま じゅんじ)
Oni or Ki (鬼) means demon, Ma (馬) means horse, Jun (淳) means pure, and Ji (次) means next. His surname is homophonous to that of his hero name (オニマー).
X-Less: Mitsuyuki Hoshimoto (星本光行, ほしもと みつゆき)
Hoshi (星) means star, Moto or Hon (本) means origin or book, Mitsu (光) means light, and Yuki (行) means line. His name is a reference to his quirk laser, where he fires energy beams from his right eye.
Shishido: Daisho Shishido (獅子戸大昌, ししど だいしょう)
Shishi (獅子) means lion, Do (戸) means door, Dai or O (大) means big, and Sho (昌) means prosperous or clear. His surname is homophonous to that of his hero name (シシド) and the fact that the first two syllables of his surname fits with him being called the lion hero. Shishido is also an actual surname, but written as宍戸 instead, with the initial kanji character meaning muscles or meat.
Airjet: Hayato Kamizora (上空早人, かみぞら はやと)
Kami or Ue (上) means up or above or raise, Zora or Sora (空) means sky, Haya (早) means early or fast, and To or Hito (人) means person. His surname is a reference to the fact that he can shoot blasts of air above the ground as high as he wants.
Fourth Kind: Shugo Shinomiya (四宮修悟, しのみや しゅうご)
Shi (四) means 4, Miya (宮) means temple or palace, Shu or Osamu (修) means discipline, and Go or Satoru (悟) means enlightenment. The Shi in Shinomiya refers to the fact that he has 4 arms in his appearance. Not a Kaguya reference.
Takeshita: Yoshiyuki Takeshita (竹下吉幸, たけした よしゆき)
This character in the manga and anime is named that way, which is an actual surname, which means I would give him his given name only. Take (竹) means bamboo, Shita (下) means below or under, Yoshi (吉) means good luck or joy, and Yuki (幸) means happiness or fortune. The Take in Takeshita is likely a reference to his unnamed bamboo quirk.
Eel Boy: Teruki Unagi (宇凪輝樹, うなぎ てるき)
U (宇) means roof, Nagi (凪) means calm, Teru (輝) means shine or illuminate, and Ki (樹) means tree. His surname is homophonous with eel in Japanese, Unagi (鰻), referring to his unnamed eel quirk. Interestingly, in My Hero Academia: Vigilantes, there is a character with a similar sounding name, Teruo Unagisawa (鰻沢照生), unrelated to the character above. I made that name up without realization, so I must say it’s almost a coincidence.
Briareos: Gosaku Tezawa (手澤郷作, てざわ ごうさく)
Gyges: Gosuke Tezawa (手澤郷輔, てざわ ごうすけ)
Knowing that the two guards present during the Assault on Tartarus are brothers, we can assume that they share the same surname. Te (手) means hand or arm, and Zawa or Sawa (澤) means swamp, referring to their appearance.
For Briareos: Go (郷) means village or hometown, and Saku (作) means make or prepare.
For Gyges: Go (郷) means village or hometown, and Suke (輔) means help or assistance.
Public Safety Commission President: Yasuko Hoki (保喜安子, ほき やすこ)
Ho (保) means protection or guarantee, Ki (喜) means delight or rejoice, Yasu (安) means peaceful, and Ko (子) means child. Combining both the initial kanji characters of both her surname and given name would mean security in Japanese, Hoan (保安), referring to her position in the Hero Public Safety Commission.
2nd user: Hayao Nikaido (二階堂速雄, にかいどう はやお)
Ni (二) means 2, Kai (階) means story, stair or floor, Do (堂) means temple or hall, Haya (速) means quick or fast, and O (雄) means male. For the given name Hayao, the Haya in Hayao is the same one in his quirk "Gearshift" in Japanese, Hensoku (変速). The surname Nikaido has the kanji character for 2, Ni (二), referencing the fact that he is the 2nd user of OFA. Something I would like to share - the first time I encountered the surname Nikaido came from a staff member whose name was credited with that surname in most of Mob Psycho 100's episodes in the end credits. As soon as I saw the name 二階堂 in the end credits, that gave me an idea to use that surname as a what-if name for the 2nd user, so that's how I arrived with that surname. I never intended to name him after an anime staff member whatsoever.
3rd user: Sanjiro Undo (運道三治郎, うんどう さんじろう)
Un (運) means luck or fortune, Do (道) means road or path, San (三) means 3, Ji (治) means reign or cure, and Ro (郎) means male. The surname is read as "oondo" and not in the English word as it appears to be in romanized form. Also, the aforementioned surname is homophonous with movement in Japanese, Undo (運動), as his quirk Fa Jin is used for to build up kinetic energy by repeating regular motions and store it for later use. Kinetic energy in Japanese is Undo Enerugii (運動エネルギー). The given name Sanjiro has the kanji character for 3, San (三), referencing the fact that he is the 3rd user of OFA.
6th user: Enzo Rokuhara (六原煙造, ろくはら えんぞう)
Roku (六) means 6, Hara (原) means field, En or Kemuri (煙) means smoke, and Zo (造) means create or make. The surname Rokuhara has the kanji character for 6, Roku (六), referencing the fact that he is the 6th user of OFA. The given name Enzo is a reference to his quirk Smokescreen, which would give the character's nickname as En. The surname is also the name of a Japanese railway station in Kanegasaki, Iwate. Interestingly enough, two other characters in the series, whom both of them are villains, are also named after real world Japanese railway stations. The villains in question are Twice and Re-Destro. Twice's real surname is Bubaigawara (分倍河原), named after a railway station operated jointly by the East Japan Railway Company and the private railway operator Keio Corporation located in Fuchu, Tokyo of the same name, while Re-Destro's real surname is Yotsubashi (四ツ橋), named after a railway station in Nishi-ku, Osaka of the same name.
Wolfram: Shigeki Kinzoku (金続重樹, きんぞく しげき)
Kin (金) means metal, Zoku (続) means to continue, Shige (重) means heavy, and Ki (樹) means tree or wood. The surname Kinzoku is homophonous to Kinzoku (金属), in which the latter kanji character, Zoku (属), means genus. However, the Zoku in Kinzoku (金続) means to continue, referring to how he manipulates and creates metal continuously in combat. The Shige in Shigeki refers to how generally heavy metal is. Not to mention that his villain name is named after tungsten, whose symbol W means wolfram, and it is one of the heaviest naturally stable elements you can carry or hold (but factually speaking, uranium IS the heaviest element in terms of natural stability).
Nine: Kisho Terunaga (照永起昇), てるなが きしょう)
Teru (照) means shine or illuminate, Naga or Ei (永) means eternity, Ki (起) means rouse or get up, and Sho (昇) means rise up. The Teru in Terunaga likely refers to his intimidating appearance, akin to a god, while Naga likely refers to the fact that he would be invincible like any other villain if he has a great amount of quirks, considering that he is one of the few characters to do so. The given name Kisho is homophonous with weather, Kisho (気象), a reference to his original quirk before amalgamating to All for One, weather manipulation, or Kisho Sosa in Japanese (気象操作).
All for One: Majin Shigaraki (死柄木摩甚, しがらき まじん)
According to All for One himself in a flashback, Shigaraki is his real surname; however, his given name is unknown. Shi (死) means death, Gara (柄) means grip or handle, Ki (木) means tree or wood, Ma (摩) means to scrape or grind, and Jin (甚) means extreme or intense. The given name Majin is homophonous with devil in Japanese, Majin (魔神).
Mustard: Shoki Kitai (北井祥基, きたい しょうき)
Kita (北) means north, I (井) means water well, Sho (祥) means auspicious or good omen, and Ki (基) means fundamentals or basis. The surname Kitai is homophonous with gas in Japanese, Kitai (気体), a reference to his quirk. The given name Shoki is homophonous with miasma in Japanese, Shoki (瘴気), a highly unpleasant or unhealthy smell or vapor, fitting with the properties of his quirk.
Innsmouth: Yakishi Takonuma (蛸沼焼司, たこぬま やきし)
Tako (蛸) means octopus, Numa (沼) means marsh, Yaki (焼) means burnt, and Shi (司) means administer or boss. The Tako in Takonuma is a reference to his appearance, resembling an octopus.
Moonfish: Takanari Habashi (歯橋高成, はばし たかなり)
Ha (歯) means tooth, Hashi (橋) means bridge, Taki (高) means tall or high, Nari (成) means grow or reach. The surname Habashi is a reference to his quirk blade-tooth in Japanese, Shijin (歯刃).
Ending: Shingoki Kurodo (黒道伸剛輝, くろどう しんごうき)
Kuro (黒) means black, Do or Michi (道) means road or path, Shin (伸) means to expand or stretch, Go (剛) means sturdy or strength, and Ki or Teru (輝) means shine, or gleam. The surname Kurodo means black road, referring to how he activates his quirk through a road or highway. The given name Shingoki is homophonous with traffic lights in Japanese, Shingoki (信号機).
Starservant: Noriharu Hoshimiya (星宮典治, ほしみや のりはる)
Hoshi (星) means star, Miya (宮) means temple or palace, Nori or Ten (典) means law or rule, and Haru or Chi or Ji (治) means reign or subdue. The surname Hoshimiya means star temple or star palace, referring to his villain name. The given name Noriharu can be alternatively read as Tenchi (天地), which means above and below, top and bottom, or more symbolically, heaven and earth. The third meaning could possibly be referring to the phrase “Heaven and Earth are about to collide”, one of the taglines to the 1998 asteroid disaster film Deep Impact, since the villain himself is a preacher who ensures the society that the end of the world is nigh.
Dictator: Reiji Shiki (志紀令司, しき れいじ)
Shi (志) means will or intention, Ki (紀) means chronicle or history, Rei (令) means orders or command, and Shi (司) means administer or boss. The surname Shiki is homophonous with command, direction, or supervision in Japanese, Shiki (指揮), while the given name Reiji is reverse for command or control in Japanese, Shirei (司令), both referencing his quirk despot.
Kunieda: Ikunobu Kunieda (國枝育伸, くにえだ いくのぶ)
Kuni (國) means country, Eda (枝) means bough or branch, Iku (育) means grow or raise, and Nobu (伸) means to expand or stretch. The villain name Kunieda, which is written in katakana, is an actual surname in Japan, so I had to use the kanji version of that name. The given name Ikunobu means growing and expanding, both of which are referring to his quirk that has the ability to sprout and grow gigantic flowers, spores, and fungus-like plants from the ground.
Gigantomachia: Goro Onikigawa (鬼木川吾郎, おにきがわ ごろう)
Oni or Ki (鬼) means demon, Ki (木) means tree, Kawa or Gawa (川) means river, Go (吾) means I or my, and Ro (郎) means male. The Oni in Onikigawa refers to his demonic appearance, while his given name Goro is a play on the Japanese onomatopoeia Goro Goro (ゴロゴロ), which describes the sound of thunder, earthquake, or other disasters incoming, fitting with his personality during the Paranormal Liberation War Arc.
Iceman: Geten Koriyama (氷山外典, こおりやま げてん)
Kori (氷) means ice, Yama (山) means mountain, Ge or Soto (外) means outside, and Ten or Nori (典) means law. The surname Koriyama is an alternate reading of Hyozan, which means iceberg, fitting with his quirk. The given name Geten means apocrypha, which is a story of unknown author or origin. While Geten is the real name of Iceman, it is unknown if it’s his given name or surname, so randomly assuming that this is his given name, his surname would be unknown, and that explains the surname’s existence. (NOTE: With the recent release of Chapter 387 on May 8, 2023, it was revealed that Geten happened to be from Rei's side, which means that his surname is Himura, and this made him a relative to the Todoroki family members, so his full name is Geten Himura. It was not explicitly stated how Rei, or even the Todoroki family, and Geten were specifically related and just listed their relation as simply "relative". With this revelation, his full name written in Japanese would be 氷叢外典, or in hiragana, ひむら げてん. As of this writing, this is the only entry on the list with a character's officially confirmed full name in the original source, so I would discard my ideal surname in favor of the original source instead.)
Unnamed Cider House leader: Gyokoten Samukawa (寒川凝古天, さむかわ ぎょうこてん)
Samu (寒) means cold, Kawa (川) means river, Gyo (凝) means stiff, Ko or Furu (古) means old or ancient, and Ten (天) means heaven. The surname Samukawa means cold river. The given name Gyokoten is homophonous with freezing point in Japanese - Gyokoten (凝固点). The first kanji of the word Gyo (凝) is the same as in the given name. His alias or villain name was never revealed as well, so Yeti (イエティ) would be a good choice, named after the ape-like creature purported to inhabit the Himalayan mountain range in Asia of the same name.
Keigo's Father: Keiichi Takami (鷹見啓一, たかみ けいいち)
This character in the manga and anime is named that way, which means I would give him his given name only. Taka (鷹) means hawk, Mi (見) means to see, Kei (啓) means disclose, open, or say, and Ichi (一) means 1. The Kei in Keiichi is the same as his son Keigo (啓悟).
Habit Headgear: Takehiko Kito (鬼頭武彦, きとう たけひこ)
Oni or Ki (鬼) means demon, To or Atama (頭) means head, Take (武) means military, and Hiko (彦) means lad or boy. His surname is a reference to his unnerving appearance. Not a Demon Slayer reference.
Giant Villain: Kiichi Otomo (大友毅一, おおとも きいち)
O or Dai (大) means big, Tomo (友) means friend, Ki or Tsuyo (毅) means strong, and Ichi (一) means 1. His name is a reference to his appearance and personality. Ironic that he is the first villain to appear in the series, yet has a character that means friend.
Sludge Villain: Sohei Dorokawa (泥川創平, どろかわ そうへい)
Doro (泥) means mud, Kawa or Gawa (川) means river, So or Hajime (創) means begin or start, and Hei or Pei or Hira (平) means flat. His surname is a reference to his dirty mud-like appearance.
Swordkil: Takeshi Mekajiki (目梶木丈士, めかじき たけし)
Me (目) means eye, Kaji (梶) means sculling oar, Ki (木) means tree or wood, Take (丈) means height or stature, and Shi (士) means samurai. His surname is homophonous with swordfish in Japanese, Mekajiki (眼梶木), which is a reference to his unnamed sword quirk, as well as his villain name, though close.
Daigo: Daigo Saruno (猿野大悟, さるの だいご)
Saru (猿) means monkey, No (野) means field, Dai or O (大) means big, and Go or Satoru (悟) means enlightenment. His surname is a reference to his beast-like appearance, while his given name is the same as that of Daigo Yamamoto (山本大悟), the character’s voice actor, also simply known (and credited) by his given name, Daigo. He is part of the Japanese comedy duo Chidori (千鳥), who made a cameo appearance in My Hero Academia: Two Heroes as two of Wolfram’s minions.
Nobu: Nobuyuki Katai (片井信行, かたい のぶゆき)
Kata (片) means part or fragment, I (井) means water well, Nobu (信) means faith or truth, and Yuki (行) means line. His surname is can be also read as Heni, which is homophonous with displacement (physics) in Japanese, Heni (変位), a reference to his unnamed displacement quirk, while his given name is the same as that of Nobuyuki Hayakawa (早川信行), the character’s voice actor, also simply known (and credited) by his nickname, Nobu (ノブ). Like the previous entry on the list, he is also part of the Japanese comedy duo Chidori (千鳥), who made a cameo appearance in My Hero Academia: Two Heroes as two of Wolfram’s minions.
Glutton God: Shigeo Shokuzawa (食澤茂雄, しょくざわ しげお)
Shoku (食) means food, Zawa or Sawa (澤) means swamp, Shige (茂) means overgrown or grow thick, and O (雄) means masculine or male. His surname is a reference to his appearance, as well as his villain name in Japanese, Kuishin (食神).
Sanctum: Seizo Jiyumiya (自由宮聖造, じゆうみや せいぞう)
Ji (自) means oneself, Yu (由) means wherefore, Miya (宮) means temple or palace, Sei (聖) means holy, and Zo (造) means create or make. His surname means freedom temple, and Seizo means holy structure, referring to his villain name.
The Mother of Quirks: Seiko Yotsubashi (四ツ橋聖子, よつばし せいこ)
Knowing the Mother of Quirks is the mother of Chikara Yotsubashi (四ツ橋主税), I would give her given name only. Yotsu (四ツ) means 4, Hashi (橋) means bridge, Sei (聖) means holy, and Ko (子) means child. I chose Seiko as her given name for a reason, because her name, when Romanized, is an anagram for quirk in Japanese, Kosei (個性), since she was the first person to use the word "quirk" to describe meta abilities.
Shie Hassaikai boss: Takahito Saijo (斎条崇人, さいじょう たかひと)
Sai (斎) means purification, Jo (条) means article, Taka (崇) means respect or revere, and To or Hito (人) means person. The Sai in Saijo is the same character in Shie Hassaikai (死穢八斎會), while his given name fits given with his position during the time he founded the organization years before Kai Chisaki succeeded him.
Hood: Tsuyoshi Aida (会田強士, さいじょう たかひと)
Ai or Kai (会) means meeting or association, Ta or Da (田) means rice field, Tsuyo (強) means strong, and Shi (士) means samurai. His name fits since he used to be a street punk who made a living as a fierce underground fighter before being turned into a Nomu by the Doctor.
Gunga Mountain Villa Paranormal Liberation Front Commander: Kairo Dendo (傳堂会呂, でんどう かいろ)
Den (傳) means propagate or transmit, Do (堂) means temple or hall, Kai or Ai (会) means meeting or association, and Ro (呂) means spine or backbone. His surname is homophonous with electric or conduction in Japanese, Dendo (電動) or Dendo (伝導) respectively, while his given name is homophonous with circuit in Japanese, Kairo (回路), both referring to his quirk amplivolt, which can conduct and amplify electricity within their body, being able to release it afterwards. Ironic that he was never given a name, yet his quirk, as well as his ultimate move, is named in the manga and anime.
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That is all I can present. If you know a character whose real name is unknown, comment down below and formulate his or her real name based on the character's qualities. Thank you!

Hi all! My wife and I are planning our first big international trip together for February 2024 and looking for some recommendations. We are in our mid-30's and travel the USA as much as possible, but have only traveled internationally together to the Bahamas on a family trip a few years ago. Prior to our marriage only she has traveled out of the country, but as a small child with little memory of it.
We live in the midwest and looking to escape the dull winter in late February. We are able to do about 9 days in total (Sat - Sun using 1 week PTO) with a potential to extend an additional 2-3 days if needed.
We are wanting more of a cultural/historical travel experience and happy to spend each day on our feet either exploring a new city or hiking in a new landscape. We are wanting to avoid high-end resorts and tourist traps, and focus more on immersing ourselves in a new place. Our biggest requirement is some place that is at least moderate in temperature if not warm, and of course somewhere reasonably safe. We are open to either public transport or renting a vehicle and driving.
Budget wise, we'd like to stay ~$5,000-7,000 in total, and I do have some sky miles and rewards points to play with to help on flight and accommodation costs. Some of the places we've been eyeing are European countries on the Mediterranean (France, Italy, Greece, etc), UAE, and Chile/Peru. We are very interested in Asian Pacific countries, but finding the cost of flights to be significantly higher than others listed.
Based on this, what are some recommendations for places that we should be looking at for this trip?

Galactic Social Dynamic: Two Years and a wedding. (GSD #99)
////Two years after the Scareek attack on Hakkith////
"Fuck!" Emma swore as she punched her wall.
Jess' head peeked in from her passing in the hall. Silly did as well while making a low, sad trilling sound.
"Did Sun get out again?" Jess asked. "Or Sand, or both?"
The two ferrets squeaked in the tubes that ran the length of the home unit.
"No." Emma sighed. "Rillke took the bullet for me. "He's taking the first 5 years at HQ."
Jess smiled, "Why wouldn't he, now he can annoy the Senators all day!"
Emma smirked, proud of her soon to be husband. In the two years since their engagement he had shifted the Uoplo senator to his understanding of humanity. It had saved his position and while the Uoplo people were now split between accepting humanity and seeing them as rivals there was less of a concern over the Uoplo heading into civil war.
"He does." Emma smiled. "But I wanted to do that first." She feigned at pouting.
Jess laughed. "Silly and I are going to the park."
"Okay, stay safe!" Emma shouted.
She knew that both would be safe. The Homers were still seen as an oddity and something to pity, but never something to anger. A Bodivayne found that out the hard way when they challenged the Captain of the EIN Loki, the most agile of the smaller crafts humanity had. The Captain's assigned home had quickly put the powerful centaurian alien onto the ground in second and pinned him even faster. It had been a nightmare diplomatic situation at first before the Bodivayne ambassador laughed it off and called his own kind out on challenging a human.
Jess l herself was no slouch. Since the Scareek attack on the Galactic Social Dynamic the young girl had been learning to defend herself and Van had been providing the lessons, lessons that soon blossomed into him having many students. He now taught self defense two days a week.
Yes, Jess and Silly were both very safe.
Emma checked her purse for her spare sidearm and secured her main side arm as she left not long after Jess and Silly did. She made her way to engineering. Shoal was shouting orders as usual and Jack the engineering Intelligence was shouting them louder when they were seemingly annoyed. The two fit each other perfectly, even if they would never admit it.
"Emma!" Shoal shouted as he saw his friend. He waved and walked over, discarding his heavy work gloves as he did so. "Lunch?"
Emma smiled and nodded.
Soon they were in the closest thing they had to the old Omnivore Lounge of the old ship. It was a new human restaurant, well human in ownership, called "The Everything Galaxy". They specialized in nothing and had almost every edible meal in the Alliance. They even stored some canned gasses for the few Glosht that were unable to return to their world.
Shoal was grinning as he measured his BLT sandwich. Emma had to laugh, he had done the same thing nearly five years ago when he had his first one and he had done it ever since.
"Gleve should be here soon." Emma sighed.
"He'll be here." Shoal nodded to the entrance and not long after their large, shelled friend entered.
Gleve wandered over to the table and put in an order for a vegan Cesar salad.
"So its like that first lunch is it?" Emma smiled.
"Emma, we have had silence from the Scareek for nearly two years and we're pushing them back." Gleve said calmly. "We deserve to celebrate happy memories and to make new ones."
Emma smiled and nodded as she welcomed her plate. "Well, I'm making a new memory of this..."
"Goulta-Goulta." The server smiled. "Uoplo favorite. Basically their meat salad."
Emma nodded and picked up her fork.
Shoal sighed and laughed. "I'll never let bacon leave me." He playfully hugged his sandwich.
"I'm still sad there's a salad named for a dead man." Gleve admitted.
Emma snorted a laugh out.
Shoal sighed and patted his friend.
Then the three sat and chatted. It was their weekly routine and they all cherished it.
-(GSD)---(GSD)-
Rillke was staring at the odd decorations Emma had picked for their human wedding. He had tried to help, but proved to be utterly lost in human design choices. He did have to admit he liked the choice of stars and space as the theme though, he just didn't understand the many odd fantastical creatures that were tossed in.
Specifically the unicorn, it scared him as he had seen a horse attack a man and he did not think any kind god would give one of those a horn. The other thing that worried him were the security drones being run by a few Intelligences that were absolutely ecstatic to be a part of this event.
He eventually pulled his thoughts back to focus. He was about to be married in human tradition and then next week a small ceremony for the Uoplo traditions. Sadly he could not offer Emma the same lavish ceremony, Uoplo bonding ceremonies were almost always private and small.
He looked up at The Captain, Captain Bulwark, as it preferred. The Forge had come out of its home system for the sole purpose of officiating the wedding. It was now in a sparkling chrome frame that was a full upgrade from its original design. It still had the odd oval shaped disc for a head, but now it also had multiple lenses and its hands were now more articulated and better suited for full interaction. The frame was a fair two meters tall, slender and powerful looking. No longer were its wires exposed or its gears. This was the new look of the Forge and it was as intimidating as anyone could expect. It was also etched with scenes off the Forge fighting alongside many of the Alliance's lost species. The Forge had long memories and were clearly not about to let the galaxy forget any of their friends.
Rillke smiled at that, then frowned. He remembered a time he would have seen that as a weakness. And in thatoment he realized the strength humanity had brought to the stars, they had made more than an alliance with the other species. They had made a home and community with them.
The music started and Rillke jumped slightly. The guests let a small roll of laughter out and he bowed, slightly embarrassed.
He watched down the hall as Emma came walking down by herself. She had elected to not "be given away", but to give of herself. Rillke's smile widened as he recalled the argument she had with her father when he arrived. Van had to remind him that it was her choice. Rillke had simply sat in Emma's corner, smiling and drinking his coffee. He knew Emma would win that fight. As she walked down the aisle she wore a simple white gown-suit that she had designed for this occasion.
It was a strong white and gray blouse that was accompanied by a shawl of white lace that her mother had provided and what first appeared to be a simple dress, but when one looked closer they could see that it was simply two large puffy pants legs. She had called them "bell bottoms".
Then she was next to him.
Captain Bulwark started his officiation. Rillke was barely paying any attention to it. He was entranced by the woman before him. Her kindness, despite his rude and combative nature, had shown him what diplomacy was truly about. She had changed him and he was proud of that.
He felt a poke.
"Your vows." Captain Bulwark said as it simulated a throat clearing sound.
"Oh..." Rillke paused as he pulled a card out from the pocket of his suit. He knew better than to try to memorize this on such a nerve wracking day.
Emma giggled.
"We are two ships that were never meant for each other. I was ready for a fight, to bring the arms of my people to show our might. You are a delegation of kindness and civility. You went down a path to help me in my time of hurt and showed me a way forward I had not dreamed of. I laid down my arms and bowed before you for your forgiveness. You have given me much more and I can only hope I can repay some small fraction of it in our journey through this life together."
Rillke paused and the gathered audience of family and friends erupted into clapping. He noted however, Emma's father did not. At least not until her mother slugged him in the shoulder to join in. It was at that moment that Rillke realized it was Emma's mother who had a very small familial resemblance to Van. Suddenly her father's behavior made more sense to him.
Emma cleared her throat.
Rillke looked up at her with a smile.
"I love you. I will always love you. And in this journey we call life, if I leave before you, I want you to always remember that." Emma smiled.
Rillke nodded, he understood. What he understood he wasn't sure of at the moment, but he understood.
Then as the Captain advised their vows were finished, they embraced and kissed. It was always an odd sight to watch for any of those gathered.
After the ceremony was the reception. It was a party unmatched for four years when an Earth entrepreneur rented out an entire party ship from "The Galactic Rumpus Room" and somehow crashed it on a deserted moon.
The friends and family all recorded their well wishes and hopes. Emma and Rillke were reviewing them in private later when Rillke had to stop the recording. He stammered and pointed at the screen.
Emma turned from talking with Jess and saw the image. A young red headed woman in a red hoodie was waving with a sign that read, "Thank you." Next to the young woman was a man whose face she had only seen projected from the Captain once. He was average in every way except that he was long, long dead in this reality. He looked bored in the first few frames, then smiled as The Captain entered his sight.
Emma felt her hands shake.
"She did make it." Rillke sighed.
"The Forge were right." Emma smiled and took a deep breath. "And they found each other.
"A happy ending for them at least." Rillke nodded.
"A new beginning, I think." Emma smiled and centered the image to be cropped and cleaned up.
"Friends?" Jess asked.
Rillke nodded. "We thought we had lost her. She was looking for her father."
Jess nodded. "Glad she could find him. I'm going to crash."
Emma waved and Rillke nodded.
"So what chaos do you think comes next?" Rillke grumbled.
"Teen years." Emma smiled and nodded to Jess.
Rillke nodded in agreement. "Well at least your heart can let the guilt go."
Emma nodded. "Time to move forward."
////END CHAPTER////
First
Previous GSD!
Previous Zoo-nanigans
Next GSD!
Next Zoo-nanigans
Spotify!
////\\\\
So I lied just a teensy bit.
She got to let them know. Anna wouldn't just leave them hanging like that.
As for why I lied? I can't give everything away guys. There has to be something to surprise you all.
And the next chapter will be the last for this volume. With a bit of what I think is a nice twist.
Nothing cruel, but interesting.