TDM
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[review] reMarkable 2 after 2 months of use
Just a very short post to update you on my reMarkable 2. I still love it a lot. If you haven’t done so yet, I recommend you first read my detailed review, and my thoughts after 1 month. The highlights: I sold my Kindle to read exclusively on the reMarkable 2 (breaking news!) I received my Mobiscribe backup stylus The reMarkable 2 took a flight for the first time protected by its case and sleeve, and it’s still alive I got the 2.7 update and it’s a.ma.zing I made a video about Live View I still haven’t had to change the nib I sold my Kindle to read exclusively on…
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My Current Favorites [April 2021]: Mystics of Tibet and Sinuhe the Egyptian
Nguyên Phong is a respected author and translator in Vietnam. I’ve already recommended his book Journey to the East here. I then became interested in the books he translated, thinking that he must have read a lot, but only chose the best to translate. So I read four books selected by Nguyên Phong, three of which are about Tibet. Sinuhe the Egyptian (The Egyptian) by Mika Waltari: The character Sinuhe takes on some traits of the protagonist of the same name from an Egyptian tale. In this novel, he is set during the reign of Akhenaten, a pharaoh who undertook enormous religious changes but unfortunately failed. During our trip to…
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Where to get a PCR test in Paris? Results within 24h & Open on holidays
Recently, we had to get our PCR tests on a holiday, with the urgent need to have the results in time for our trip to Thailand. I searched everywhere on Doctolib and all the labs were closed. But I found several addresses in Paris open on holidays with quick results: Laboratoires XV: open Monday to Saturday (mornings). Including holidays (mornings only) As for us, we went to laboratoire Mozart in the 16th arrondissement because it’s better rated (not to be confused with Vaugirard, where it’s very poorly rated). You can book an appointment online here. They promise results before 9pm (same day) if the test is done before 2pm. We…
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Quick stopover in Paris (France) to better set off again: May 2021
Our return to Paris is driven by Vietnam plain and simple. I’ve been watching for the moment I can go home to Hanoi since March 2020. Following Thailand’s reopening, I see an opportunity: go to Thailand, while waiting for the borders to open between Thailand and Vietnam. But there are a few issues: my Vietnamese passport expired in November 2020, and the Vietnamese embassy in Italy refused to issue me a new one at that time. I have to go back to France and get my passport in Paris. Passport Getting this passport was no sweat-free feat: 2 hours of queueing in a small, unventilated room, with super stressed-out people,…
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Weekend in Saint-Raphaël (France)
I think I can congratulate myself on the choice of dates and destinations because as soon as I go somewhere, the situation improves at the right time. We didn’t know, when booking the flight to Paris, whether we’d be allowed to exceed the 10km travel limit, but we just had to wait a few days, until we’d isolated a bit, for all of France to open up. Having deliberately chosen a weekday to travel, I’m surprised to see that the TGV from Paris to Saint-Raphaël is full all the way to Marseille. Usually, we wear cloth masks, but we’ve finally upgraded to FFP2 masks for public transport. To avoid a…
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Where to get a PCR Covid test in Tirana (Albania)? Address & Prices
Back in Tirana (Albania) 72 hours before our flight to France, we set out to find a lab to get our mandatory PCR test. How to find a lab offering PCR tests? The time when it was a hassle to find out how to get tested (like in Rome last December) seems to be over. I simply typed “pcr test” into Google Maps, which displayed several results. Google Maps is very powerful; if “pcr test” doesn’t match any category in its database, it searches for the information in user reviews or even on the websites of the businesses it lists. To choose from the handful of results, I did the…
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Back to Tirana (Albania) & COVID-19 PCR Test
From Vlorë, we take a bus for 500LEK/person to Tirana. The ride takes 2h30 I think (I fell asleep so I can’t really tell). We get dropped off at the South Terminal and a taxi takes us to our hotel in downtown Tirana. Our other accommodations in Tirana were off the beaten path, so we’re thrilled to have a hotel right in the city center this time, as it lets us reach even more restaurants and enjoy more of the vibe. The cafés are always packed, and Albanians, a bit like Turks, love spending hours at the café. JB is a bit stressed because we need to get a PCR…
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Berat (Albania): the city of a thousand windows listed as a UNESCO heritage site
After Gjirokastra, today we visit another UNESCO-listed city in Albania. We walked through it too quickly last time and didn’t get to enjoy its charm. Part 1: Travel JournalPart 2: Practical Tips Part 1: Travel Journal The road between Gjirokastra and Berat is gorgeous, but I just can’t focus on the beauty of the mountains hidden in the mist, the valleys that reveal themselves around a bend, the crystal-clear river winding and disappearing… My mind is in Thailand, and I can’t live in the present moment. Ever since we decided to go to Thailand mid-May, planning the trip has been taking up a lot of our time. Bad news pours…
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Gjirokastra (Albania): a city frozen in time
From Vlorë, we take a 3-day mini road trip to spend more time in the cities we just skimmed through last time. Gjirokastra, a UNESCO World Heritage site with its beautiful Ottoman houses, really impressed me last time, and I absolutely had to go back. Part 1: Travel JournalPart 2: Practical Tips Part 1: Travel Journal Remember, last time we couldn’t get in because the old town was under construction. This time, we come from the other side, and despite the steep streets, our automatic car held up. Here’s the route we recommend. Don’t go into the small streets; there won’t be enough room if you meet a car coming…
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Vlorë (Albania): The Sweet Life in a Seaside Resort
During our mini road trip in Albania, we passed through Vlorë and I immediately fell in love with this seaside resort. We spent a night in an Airbnb we’d spotted (to check the internet connection & the heating, which were the two criteria we wanted to validate before a longer stay) and then we were set for 3 weeks by the sea. Part 1: Travel JournalPart 2: Practical Tips Part 1: Travel Journal Bus Tirana – Vlorë There’s a bus from the South Terminal (Google Maps link) to Vlorë every 30 minutes. From our place, we paid 700 LEK for a taxi to get to the terminal. The taxi drivers…
