What city freezes once a year. For everyone and everything

What will you do when you lose a loved one? Is it worth living after this?
Now Lou Clark is not just an ordinary girl living an ordinary life. Six months spent with Will Traynor changed her forever. Unforeseen circumstances force Lu to return home to her family, and she reluctantly feels that she will have to start all over again.

The bodily wounds are healed, but the soul suffers, seeks healing! And this healing is given to her by members of the psychological support group, offering to share with them joys, sorrows and terribly tasteless cookies. Thanks to them, she meets Sam Fielding, an emergency doctor, a strong man who knows everything about life and death. Sam is the only one who is able to understand Lou Clark. But will Lou be able to find the strength to love again? ..

Beginning of the XX century. The island of Castellammare is lost in the Mediterranean Sea, it is a godforsaken corner where it is so easy to find refuge from unrest big world. In the center of the island, at the very top, there is an old house, once there was a bar "House on the edge of the night", where all the island news, gossip and rumors flocked.

But this house has been abandoned for many years. But one day a stranger appears on the island - a doctor, and from that moment the "House on the Edge of the Night" begins new story. On a quiet Mediterranean night, when the stars are shining in the sky, and the air is filled with the smell of basil and thyme, the population of the island will increase: the local count and the visiting doctor are waiting for heirs. The history of Dr. Amedeo's family will be stormy, full of secrets, trials, sacrifices and love. The House at the End of Night is a spellbinding saga of four generations who live and love on a forgotten island off the coast of Italy. The novel combines ironic romance, magical realism, fairy tales and facts, a lifelong love story and the history of the twentieth century. One of the main characters of the book is the island of Castellammare itself, the rocks of which hide amazing legends.

Kylie and Ryan love each other with that pure and calm love that many can only envy. But one day at the exit of the restaurant, Kylie notices a homeless man. With horror, she recognizes him as Cade, the once successful producer whom she loved very much until he left her without deigning to explain himself. Is it really him? Cade's friend, James, denies this possibility, and Kylie's fiancé is getting more and more worried every day - she is too carried away by her strange fantasies ...

What should a woman do if she is in love with her boss and at the same time has a close friendship with his wife? Especially since David himself, Louise's boss, is in love with her. Her heart tells her that it is necessary to cut the Gordian knot and break sharply with both. Louise is already ready to make a difficult decision for her, as it suddenly turns out that the seemingly exemplary marriage of a beautiful friend and her ideal male boss is actually far from cloudless. And the more details emerge, the more frightening the picture emerges, and the intricate love story turns into a crime drama, the ending of which is unpredictable.

Kathy is a woman who has suffered from her husband's cruelty for many years.
The police could not help her - after all, it was there that the man who turned her life into hell served ...
And then one day Katie's patience snapped. Having lost hope of salvation, she made a desperate escape - and found a "safe haven" in a small, calm southern town. But is Katie ready for a new relationship? Is she able to trust a man again, understand him and love him? Even if we are talking about such a charming person as the young widower Alex Wheatley, who sees Katie not only as a lover and friend, but also as a mother to her children. Alex and Katie are walking on the thin ice of the unknown, while Katie's husband has already begun searching for her...

After ten years of absence, Vivienne Walker returns to the city of her childhood from sunny California and settles in a cozy estate by the river. She has a painful break with her husband behind her, and she hopes that her native places will help her survive the loss. But the first days bring only disappointment - the house is empty, her grandmother died, everything around has completely changed, and even the old cypress tree, in the shade of which Vivien "listened to the song of the swamps" in her youth, was ruined by a ruthless tornado.

A natural disaster prompts Vivien to remember another incident - in 1929, her great-grandmother, the wife of a watchmaker, disappeared during the Great Flood. This story is shrouded in mystery, and Vivienne decides to do a little research to have fun. But as soon as she took a careless step, the riddle took a very unusual turn...

In the garden behind a high fence stands the Waverley family home. Among other wonderful plants in this garden is an apple tree that produces very special apples - they are believed to help predict the future. And all the women of Waverley can be called quite special. They have extraordinary talents. Claire can use any flower, any herb that grows in her garden, to cook such a meal that you will lick your fingers. Old Aunt Evanelle gives people unexpected gifts, the meaning of which is revealed much later. But what kind of talent Sydney, Claire's younger sister, can boast of, is still unclear. She had just returned home after a long absence, returned to a place where she hoped to find peace of mind. But the shadows of the past trail behind, reminding her of what she ran away from without looking back...

The plot of this book is based on real events that took place in Venice in 1576, five years after the crushing defeat Ottoman Empire in the naval battle of Lepanto.
Under the cover of night, a ship with a deadly cargo on board sneaks unnoticed to Venice. A man, in whom life is barely glimmering, descends from the ship and heads towards Piazza San Marco. He brings the inhabitants of Venice the "gift" of Constantinople. A few days later, the whole city is already engulfed in a plague - and the Turkish Sultan enjoys his revenge.

A fugitive was sailing on the same ship - the beautiful Feira, the doctor of the harem, who had escaped from the Sultan, who wished to make her a concubine. Only thanks to her resourcefulness and medical knowledge she manages to survive in Venice, where the plague is raging.

In desperation, the Doge of Venice commissions his best architect, Andrea Palladio, to build the greatest church the world has ever seen, an offering to the Lord God, so beautiful that it will help save the city. Palladio's life is also in danger, and it will take all the skill of Annibal Cason, the best plague doctor in the city, to keep him from infection.

But Annibal did not foresee one thing - a meeting with Feira, who was under the protection of Palladio, a meeting with a woman - not only his equal in intelligence, but also capable of teaching him to love.

Everything is very simple. I need money. Much money. A million dollars, to be exact. That is the price I must pay for my father's life. No money. No life.

A year later, on the first of January, I must pay in full or my father will be killed. When you are faced with such a choice, you do what you have to do.

And I went to work. I am ready to play the role of a luxurious escort for anyone who can afford to pay $100,000 a month in my company. Sex is not included in the list of services, but if I (my) desire, it can bring me 20% more.

Month after month, I will live by the rules of this business. Rule one: "Never fall in love!"

A thousand kisses is a lot or a few, when everyone can be the last ...
Poppy and Rune vowed to be together forever, but Rune is forced to leave with his family for Norway...

Poppy promises to faithfully wait for him. He returns two years later. And he can't understand why Poppy doesn't want to see him anymore. This thought is corroding from the inside. However, having learned the truth, he feels that the most difficult test lies ahead.

On the summer holidays before going to Cambridge, Alice met Joe, a daredevil guy who worked at a local pub. Alice had a lot of plans and ambitions, and Joe, on the contrary, did not know how to manage his life. So different, they desperately fell in love with each other, but their romance could not have a happy ending. Alice did not immediately come to terms with the breakup, but time passed, and she met Lucas, the Cambridge "golden boy", who was seriously carried away by her. Everything was fine, but exactly until Joe returned to her life. He's not the same as he used to be, and Alice's heart breaks with pain.

Joe or Lucas? Impossible to make a decision.

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If you have never considered Poland as a country with something to surprise you, it may be time to reconsider your opinion about it. Did you know, for example, that inviting a clergyman to the opening of a supermarket in this country is an absolute norm? And that films in cinemas are usually shown in the original language, but cartoons are always dubbed?

website I decided to find out what surprises tourists in Poland, and what seems to its residents to be the absolute norm.

1. Religion is very important

Most Poles are very religious and go to churches on Sundays. Of course, you can be an atheist, but not all your Polish acquaintances will understand how it is at all.

The Catholic Church has a very strong influence on the lives of people in this country. Recently, thanks to her, even a law was passed banning trading on Sundays, and from 2020 all stores, except for very small ones, will be closed on this day of the week. Now on the first and last Sunday of the month you can still go shopping.

On the other hand, religiosity has at least one important plus that impresses even atheists when they find themselves in Poland. Catholic churches, of which there are a lot in this country (there is even a joke that they are like convenience stores), are really very beautiful.

2. It is important to remember about religious holidays

If you do not want to feel like the hero of the movie "28 Days Later" walking through the empty streets of the city, do not plan your trip to Poland at a time when locals celebrate church holidays. These days, Poles prefer to visit churches and spend time with their families. This also applies to employees of shops, cafes, restaurants and even museums.

A tourist on such days in Poland is likely to be bored. Although even a walk along the cobbled streets of cities is already interesting. Just buy food the night before so you have the strength to get around whatever you have planned.

3. You can register a marriage in the church

There are two ways to register a marriage in Poland: by contacting the registry office or by going through a wedding ceremony in a church.

If lovers choose the second option, then they do not need to go anywhere else. This is how the so-called concordat marriage is concluded, which is equivalent to an official one and has the same legal consequences: the spouses have rights and obligations in relation to each other, and in the event of a divorce, property will have to be divided.

4. Losing weight is a very difficult task.

Polish dishes are very tasty and satisfying. Many of them are specific (for example, flaki - tripe soup), and not every foreigner dares to try them. But there are many goodies in Polish cuisine that are hard to refuse. For example, beer-braised pork is cooked in the Tatras, and kartachi, dumplings stuffed with meat and mushrooms, are prepared in Silesia.

Polish cafes usually serve just huge portions of food. Often, main courses go immediately with a side dish. Small establishments are common where food is sold by weight: you just choose whatever you want, and then weigh your plate.

5. Borscht can be bought at a coffee machine

In Poland, red borscht is simply beetroot broth. It is served with ears - small dumplings stuffed with mushrooms, meat or even cereals. And sometimes they just drink it from cups or glasses. By the way, you can even buy it in some coffee machines.

If you want a hearty and tasty beetroot borscht with meat, you should not be upset, because in Poland it is also available. It is served in many cafes and restaurants. Just note that you need to order not red borscht, but Ukrainian.

In Poland, love for pets has reached a new level. There are a lot of dog lovers in this country who walk with their pets in parks. Near the shops, bowls of water for animals are often put up in the heat. And this is done specifically for dogs (although, of course, cats or ferrets are also not forbidden to drink from them), which went for a walk with their owners.

By the way, about walks. It is mandatory to clean up after your pets in Poland, otherwise you will have to pay a fine. In the cities there are special racks with bags and waste bins. And in Warsaw there is even an unusual urinal - a creative column in the photo above.

It is quite difficult to find a homeless animal in Poland. If you succeeded, you need to call a special service - the police eco-patrol. His staff will come and take the poor man to the shelter, where he will be washed and fed, and then they will give him all the necessary vaccinations, chip and sterilize. Then the animal will wait for a new owner for as long as it takes.

By the way, employees of the eco-patrol often have to catch wild animals that have fallen into the city. After a veterinary examination, they are released into their natural habitat.

7. You can’t just go to the cinema and watch a movie in Polish

Movies are usually shown in cinemas in their original language with Polish subtitles. The exception is cartoons and children's films; they are duplicated. So, if suddenly you find yourself in Poland in those days when the distribution of a Hollywood film that you did not want to miss starts, feel free to go to the cinema. If you know English well, of course.

8. In winter, the main problem is smog.

A huge minus of many Polish cities is that they are shrouded in winter. The reason is that stove heating is still preserved in old houses. When the air temperature drops, its quality rapidly deteriorates. Polish authorities say they are trying to solve this problem, but residents admit that they have not yet seen much success.

The problem is most acute in Krakow and Wroclaw. There is also smog in Warsaw. Szczecin and the Tricity (Gdansk, Gdynia, Sopot) are considered the cleanest cities. last three settlements located near the Baltic Sea, and the wind usually simply blows away the smog, preventing it from accumulating over residential areas.

9. The sirens of emergency vehicles are hard to miss.

Sirens of Polish emergency vehicles (ambulance, police and fire) loud. Very loud. It is possible that when driving they are always passed on the roads. But there is an opinion that this is necessary in order for the Poles to see, or rather hear, where their taxes “go”.

A week ago I visited the capital of the republic Mountain Altai- Gorno-Altaisk. Actually, the purpose of my visit to this small town with a population of 50,000 people was a master class in photography, which I was offered to read at the Gorno-Altai State University. Actually, because of this, I could not attend the main task of the project, and the project had to be left (I will write about this later).

I first visited this city in the late 90s of the last century. Then I was on my way to Lake Teletskoye and did not pay attention to Gorno-Altaisk. On this visit, despite the 30-degree frost, we managed to see the city a little. Actually, a few pictures with comments.

01. Gates of Gorno-Altaisk - the bus station welcomes visitors with colorful national panels on the wall and wooden panels on the railings.

02. It seems that they are ready to meet and provide service here foreign tourists. Clock repair stand. The inscription on it is in three languages: Russian, Altaic and English.

03. Billboards on the streets remind that elections are on September 14th. And among the snow in December they look a little ridiculous.

04. Not crowded on the streets of the city at minus 30. Many young people were seen at the food court of the local mall eating pizza, french fries and other unhealthy foods.

05. View from the food court of the local mall to the drama theater. Outwardly, for some reason, he reminded me of a mausoleum.

06. central square and most high building in the city (which I happened to see) a 9-story house of justice.

07. For folk festivals in the warm season, there is a non-separable stage here. On the day of my stay, there was a poster for a concert by a local star on it.

08. The square in the neighborhood is decorated with colorful national wooden cultures.

09. And before entering main building Gorno-Altai State University flaunts a bust of the great Russian poet performed by Zurab Tsereteli.

10. In the university itself, renovations are in full swing, causing minor inconvenience to students and teachers.

11. In general, my master class was held as part of the three-day school of journalism "Pero". Actually, following the results of the work of this three-day school, a special issue of the student newspaper should be published.

12. And here is an ad that I saw on the front page of the local press. Looks like someone lobbied for something...

13. One of the active listeners of my master class, Vera Pashinina. I recommend subscribing to her instagram .

14. As part of a practical task, I organized a mobile photography competition for students. So in VK and Instagram you can find the work of my listeners under the hash tag #photopero.

15. As practice has shown, in the age of gadgets, mobile photography captivates students. By the way, Vera won.