Tag: holidays

Holiday destinations: Bansko, Bulgaria

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I have just came back from my winter holidays with my family in Bansko in Bulgaria. This mountain resort is an excellent choice for your ski and snowboard holiday in Bulgaria.

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Bansko was voted as the best winter resort in Bulgaria with the longest ski runs and the richest cultural history. The town of Bansko is situated at the foot of the Pirin mountain in the south-western Bulgaria, 160 km from Sofia (around 3.5 hours’ drive from the airport).

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The resort offers excellent ski and snowboard conditions and infrastructure. There are a lot of hotels of various standards and prices based in there. I would personally recommend Premier Mountain Resort or Kempinski Hotel if you like staying in luxury hotels.

What’s worth mentioning here, the prices of hotels, ski rentals etc. are probably 50% cheaper than in Alps so you can stay in a 5 star hotel for the price of 2/3 star hotel in Austria or France.

Après ski

So what to do after a day on slopes? Après ski in the resort is really good and offers hundreds of bars, traditional restaurants and clubs where you can indulge after your skiing or snowboarding adventures. I will be posting some reviews of places that are worth visiting whilst in Bulgaria soon.

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Location

Bansko is a ski and mountain resort located in the south-western part of Bulgaria. The town is situated 6 km from the town of Razlog and 160 km from the capital of Sofia. The town of Bansko is located 925 m above the sea level whereas its ski area – at an altitude of 2000 – 2600 m.

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Resort information

Bansko ski resort is attractive in all seasons but I’ve only been there during the winter as I love skiing.

The ski season in Bansko lasts from 15 December to 14 April. During the recent years a multimillion Euros investment in a brand new skiing area has been made by Yulen, the company that runs the skiing area of Bansko. Numerous new luxury hotels and facilities in the area of the Gondola lift station have been constructed. It provides excellent ski and snowboard facilities, as well as a unique history and architecture of an old and new part of the town.

I hope you enjoyed reading this review!

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Pauline

Holiday destinations: Brussels, Belgium

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A few weeks ago, I took my husband to Brussels. It is one of these places where I’ve been to on multiple occasions and I always like returning to this city made famous by its French fries, waffles, seafood and beer.

Brussels is the largest city and a capital of Belgium. It has a population of 1.2 million and it has been increasingly becoming multilingual with increasing numbers of migrants, expatriates and minority groups speaking their own languages.

Historically it was a Dutch-speaking city, it has seen a language shift to French from the late 19th century onwards. Today the majority language is French however all road signs, street names and many services are shown in both languages. If you fancy a short break then Brussels is a great destination as it is only 2 hours away on the Eurostar.

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There’s lots to see in the city from the famous chocolate shops to enjoying its cafe culture in the Grand-Place area.

Here is a short list of my suggestions:

  1. Grote Markt (Dutch) / Grand-Place (French).
  2. City Museum – Maison du Roi (French) – Broodhuis (Flemish).
  3. Hôtel de Ville – Town Hall.
  4. Heysel Park and the Atomium.
  5. Basilica of the Sacred Heart (Koekelberg Basilica).

I hope you enjoyed reading this review.

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Pauline

Holiday destinations: Paris during the winter, France

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A few weeks ago I travelled to Paris with one of my best friends – Natasha.

Paris is a capital city of France and it has a population of 12 million (2014) which covers 18 percent of the residents of France. In 2015 Paris received 22.2 million visitors, making it one of the world’s top tourist destinations.

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Travel:

We decided to go to Paris by Eurostar as it is the easiest way to travel to Paris from London. It takes under 2.5 hours and trains depart from King’s Cross Station in central London every hour. Prices vary from £29 for a standard single ticket booked in advance to £249 for a business premiere ticket including an access to the Executive Lounge and some complementary drinks and a meal on-board.

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Attractions:

Paris is wonderful and it doesn’t matter whether you travel there during the winter or during the summer.

The Central area of Paris along the Seine River is classified as a UNESCO Heritage Site, and includes many notable monuments. In addition, Paris is the home of many important museums and cultural institutions. There are many places worth seeing however if you are in Paris for a limited time (we were there for 3 days) then you should definitely visit:

  • The Eiffel Tower – an iron lattice tower on the Champ de Mars that was named after the engineer Gustave Eiffel, whose company designed and built the tower.
  • The Louvre – the most visited and the largest art museum in the world.
  • Arc de Triomphe – is one of the most famous monuments in Paris. It stands in the centre of the Place Charles de Gaulle, at the western end of the Champs-Élysées.
  • Notre Dame Cathedral – is a medieval Catholic cathedral on the Île de la Cité built in the 12th century.

Furthermore, I would definitely recommend that you either take a walk down the river or alternatively you can take one of many mini-cruises especially if the weather is nice.

In addition, if you love live-shows and cabaret then you should definitely visit Moulin Rouge but be prepared-tickets for a show and dinner are quite expensive and start at 190 Euros per person thus we decided to skip it this time.

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Hope you enjoyed reading this review.

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Pauline

Holiday destinations: Palma, Majorca

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I have just came back home from a great second mini-moon in Palma de Mallorca so I would like to tell you about this destination today.

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Palma is situated on the south coast of Majorca. Almost half of the total population of Majorca live in Palma and the entire urban area of Palma in 2009 was 621,000.

With beautiful weather, stunning scenery, and delicious cuisine, Palma is a very popular destination for holidays. Its airport, serves over 22 million passengers each year.

Palma’s multicultural history is reflected in the wonderful variety of architecture visible throughout the city. If you are in Palma only for a few days then you should definitely:

  • Walk through the gorgeous fairly narrow, quiet streets of the Old Town surrounded by a diverse range of interesting buildings. The architecture of which is comparable to cities such as Florence.
  • Visit Palma La Seu Cathedral. It is Gothic cathedral which rises out of the city walls which once marked the edge of the sea.
  • Go to Placa d’ESpania -the transport hub of Palma.
  • Walk or cycle around the beach. There is a cycle path and promenade lie directly behind the beach. If you like running then it is also a perfect place for a morning run!
  • Visit the Almudaina Palace. It is a 13th century palace with charming gardens located just next to the cathedral.
  • Visit the Bellver Castle a Gothic style castle located on a hill 3 km to the west of the center of Palma. You will be able to admire the panorama of Palma from there.

I will post some suggestions of where to stay and which restaurants are worth visiting over the next few days.

Hope you enjoyed reading this review!

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Pauline

 

Holiday destinations: Dubrovnik, Croatia

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I visited Dubrovnik recently and it was simply breath-taking.

Dubrovnik is one of the best known Croatian cities on the Adriatic Sea. It is one of the most prominent tourist destinations in the Mediterranean, referred to often as ‘the pearl of the Adriatic’. It was also recently featured in the popular ‘Game of Thrones’ series so it’s a must-see for any fan who wishes to discover the settings of this fantasy series.

As I was there with my fiancée only for a day, we decided to take one of the guided walking tours on top of the walls. In spite of the heat, humidity and heavy crowds, this was undeniably one of the most spectacular walks in the cities we’ve ever seen. Our guide was very knowledgeable and it was very interesting to listen to the tales she told us about the city.

We loved it and would love to visit the city again. Next time we will definitely stay for longer to see all the beautiful sides.

I hope you enjoyed reading this review.

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Pauline

 


					

		
		
			





			
				



	
	

					
Holiday destinations: Amsterdam, The Netherlands
			


	


				

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A while ago I decided to pursue my career and as a result I moved to Amsterdam. I ended up living there for almost 2 years before I was certain that I want to move back to London. I always feel quite sentimental when I think about this unique city. Despite the obvious presence of thousands of visitors, its life remained authentic. The city old Centre is formed from canal rings, which give you the feeling of space and freedom.


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Cycling is key to the city’s character and there are 400km of cycle paths so try to rent a bike and cycle a bit when you visit.


Location:


Amsterdam is the Netherlands’ capital, known for its artistic heritage, elaborate canal system and narrow houses. Amsterdam has a population of 840,486 and is located in the province of North Holland in the west of the country.


Amsterdam’s name derives from Amstelredamme, indicative of the city’s origin as a dam of the river Amstel.


 
 
 
  
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Attractions:


There’s lots to see in the city. Here is a short list of my suggestions:


    

  1. Visit the Museum District houses works by Rembrandt and Vermeer at the Rijksmuseum, the Van Gogh Museum and modern art at the Stedelijk.
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  2. Visit Anne Frank House.
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  3. Visit Dam square.
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  4. Have a drink or something to eat around Rembrandtplein or Leidseplein squares.
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  5. Have a picnic at Vondelpark.
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  6. Take a canal cruise.
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I hope you enjoyed reading this review.


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Pauline


 

					

		
		
			





			
				



	
	

					
Holiday destinations: Corfu, Greece
			


	


				

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I recently stopped at Corfu Island for a day. Corfu is the second largest of the Ionian Islands Greek island in the Ionian Sea.


 
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
  
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
  
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
  


It is also among the most beautiful and popular islands of the country. Due to its strong historical connection with Europe, Corfu was among the first Greek islands to open to tourism.


 
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
  
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
  


Located on the north western side of the country, Corfu island has a cosmopolitan feeling combined with a special traditional character. We had a traditional Greek meal cooked for us by a ‘Greek mama’ in a restaurant that felt like a kitchen of your relatives. Portions were really generous and the attitude of the staff was lovely-they were all extremely friendly and smiley.


 
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
  


There are a lot of lovely beaches around the island and if you like discovering new places then you should definitely go for a walking trip around the city as there are some lovely ruins and castles worth seeing there. We decided to climb on top of the hill at midday which was quite challenging as it was extremely hot but as a results we were able to admire the island from its highest points.


My advice would be to do all the sightseeing during the late afternoon hours.


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I hope you enjoyed reading this short review.


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Pauline

					

		
		
			





			
				



	
	

					
Our lunch at Dessirier restaurant, Paris
			


	


				

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On our last day of our mini-moon in Paris, we decided to have a lunch at one of the best fish and seafood restaurants – Dessirier. The restaurant was firstly opened  in 1883 by Louis Dessirier and his small Parisian café became a big oyster bar and the Cadoret family was running it for 5 generations. In 1996  chef  Michel Rostang  took over  ‘Dessirier’ and refurbished it completely  with a help of the architects Hélène and Olivier Lempereur, upon Michel Rostang’s 2 passions, cooking and contemporary art. Today the restaurant stands out as one of the best fish and seafood restaurant in Paris and celebrates its 20 years old offering its emblematic dishes, still going with seafood rigorously selected and whole fish to share.


Location:


Dessirier by Michel Rostang is located just a minute away from Porte de Champerret tube station and around 15 minutes walk to the Arc de Triomphe.


 
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
  


Address:


9 Place du Maréchal Juin, 75017 Paris, France


Atmosphere:


We booked our table for 1 p.m. On our arrival, we were greeted by a restaurant Manager-Philippe. He took us to our table and made us feel welcomed and comfortable. Once we sat down, he introduced us to our waiter – Francois who was friendly and attentive.


 
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
  


The menu:


As the restaurant celebrated its 20th anniversary since the famous chef Michel Rostang opened it and renewed it in 1996, we decided to choose our lunch from a special 20th anniversary menu.


 
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
  


Before we received our starters we got a small complimentary creamy pate.


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For a starter my husband had some oysters that were fresh and I ordered a marinated salmon with some fennel preserve with gravlax sauce. It was amazing and extremely tasty.


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Mains:


For my main I decided to have some fried Colbert that was served with a tartare sauce and grilled rice. James had some cod with garlic mayonnaise. Both dishes were full of flavour and delectable.


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Desserts:


It was unquestionable what I would have for my dessert as soon as I saw the strawberries and raspberries fraisier cake served with a scoop of Basil ice cream on the menu. Let me tell you, I eat out a lot but that was THE BEST Fraisier cake I have ever tasted in my life. If you like light and fruity desserts than you would definitely love it.


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My husband went for ‘Rum baba’ with nuts and red fruit  which he really enjoyed.


 
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
  


It was full-flavoured and great for rum lovers!


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Just before we left, I had some coffee latte which was a perfect end to this delicious meal.


 
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
  


Overall experience:


If you like seafood than you should definitely visit Michel Rostang’s Dessirier dishes. We both really enjoyed our lunch at the Dessirier-food was excellent, service was very attentive and surroundings were modern. The area where the restaurant is located was lively and buzzing so great if you want to visit a typical Parisian coffee or bar for a drink afterwards.


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For more information and to book visit:


http://www.restaurantdessirier.com/


I hope you enjoyed reading this review!


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Pauline

					

		
		
			





			
				



	
	

					
Our dinner at Le Petit Pontoise in Paris, France
			


	


				

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After a day of sightseeing, on the second day of our mini-moon in Paris, we wanted to have some more traditional French cuisine thus we booked a dinner at Le Petit Pointoise.


I wore one of my white cocktail dresses from COAST with some Karen Millen hills and accessorized it with some silver jewellery and my Furla handbag that I took with me for our trip.


Location:


Le Petit Pontoise is located just 5 minutes’ walk from Notre Dame Cathedral in the center of Paris.


 
 
 
  
 
 
 
  
 
 
 


Address:


9, rue de Pontoise, 75 005 PARIS


Atmosphere:


We booked our table for 7 p.m. When we arrived only one other table was taken but within 30 minutes the restaurant was full and buzzing with tourists and some regular dinners.


On our arrival, we were greeted by a friendly waitress-Boom. She took us to our table and made us feel welcomed and comfortable.


 
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
  


Service:


We were mainly served by Boom however there were also a few different staff members who attended our table. They were all friendly and looked after us well.


The menu:


The menu at this gourmet bistro offers an impressive selection of dishes that are all built around traditional French recipes. The Head Chef-François Récapet works at Le Petit Pontoise for more than 14 years and provides his dinners with a high quality, traditional French cuisine with a twist. Some of his traditional recipes are treasured since his childhood in Périgord and all dishes are made with fresh, seasonal products.


 


 


Starters:


To start with I decided to have some roasted Camenbert cheese with almond and honey crust. I love melted cheese so it was just what I needed to re-charge after a full day of sightseeing.


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My husband had some signature ‘Petit Pontoise’ roasted shrimps. They were cooked to perfection and tender.


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Mains:


There was a nice choice of mains but as I love fish I decided to have some Roasted monkfish with prosciutto. It was delectable!


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My husband had a Rack of lamb with some garlic crust. Both dishes were of good size and were presented nicely.


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Desserts:


I have a very bad sweet tooth and I decided to have one of my favourite desserts-Tiramisu ‘Veronese’. I love, love, love tiramisu and could have it for breakfast, lunch and dessert so I really enjoyed my little treat!


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James was slightly more adventurous and he had a fruit salad with Armagnac. He really liked it as it was served with some homebrewed Armagnac.


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Overall experience:


We both enjoyed our time at this traditional French gourmet bistro. You should definitely go there if you wish to discover and enjoy some great home-made French cuisine. If you wish to have a good-quality meal in a typical Parisian atmosphere then look no further. I would advise to book it in advance as Le Petit Pontoise is a relatively small, popular restaurant so it tends to be fully booked often (especially during the weekends and the peak tourist season).


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For more information and to book visit:


http://www.lepetitpontoise.fr/en/


I hope you enjoyed reading this review!


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Pauline

					

		
		
			





			
				



	
	

					
Our lunch at La Régalade Restaurant at  Hôtel de NELL in Paris
			


	


				

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Two weeks ago, on our arrival to Paris we decided to have some lunch at La Régalade Restaurant at  Hôtel de NELL in Paris.


I wore one of my Karen Millen dresses with some Jones hills and accessorized it with some silver white gold jewellery and Furla handbag.


Location:


La Régalade Restaurant is located at  Hôtel de NELL in Paris. The Hôtel de Nell has designed a variety of spaces to meet the needs of every guest with luxury, discretion and quality. It is located just 15 miutes walk from Gare de North station. It is also 5 minutes away from the Poissonniere station in the center of Paris.


 
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
  


Address:


9 Rue du Conservatoire, 75009 Paris, France


Atmosphere:


We booked our table for 12:30 p.m. and arrived just a couple of minutes before. Some would say that it was a perfect timing as I was able to take some photos before the arrival of all other dinners. As we went there straight after arriving to Paris, a friendly concierge took our suitcases and escorted us to the restaurant that is located opposite of the main reception area at the hotel. In order to get through it you need to walk through modern and spacious lobby and game room which I loved.


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What a perfect place to unwind at after a day of sightseeing!


 
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
  
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
  
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
  


When we entered the restaurant, we were welcomed by a friendly waiter. He offered us to choose our own table as we were the first dinners that arrived. We choose a table next to the bar area as it provided a romantic setting. Within minutes of sitting down the restaurant was full.


 
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
  


Service:


We were served by a few different staff members who were all professional and attentive. One of the staff members- a French waiter of Turkish origin was very friendly and had great customer service skills. He explained our menu in detail and provided his recommendations. Throughout our visit he was attentive and looked after us well.


The menu:


La Régalade Restaurant at  Hôtel de NELL serves a great traditional French cuisine with a twist. All ingredients are locally sourced and purchased on a daily basis from the local market.We choose a 3 course lunch from the special menu (37 euros per person). We had a glass of champagne to start with to celebrate our mini-moon trip to Paris.


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Starters:


Before our starters arrived, we got some traditional french pattee served with some pickles.


 
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
  
 
 
  
 
  
  


To start with I decided to go for some ‘half cooked’ tuna, eggplant caviar and baby roquette salad.


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My husband had a cold tomato soup, served with some fresh goat cheese, olive oil, pine nuts and Espelette chilli pepper. Both of these dishes were extremely tasty.


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Mains:


There was a great choice of mains I decided to have some Cod from Brittany, roasted eggplant and candied vegetables.


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My husband had some pork belly with a selection of seasonal vegetables.


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Both of our mains were cooked to perfection and I think that my cod was one of the best cods that I have ever tasted. I loved it.


Desserts:


Desserts are often my favorite part of any meal. I decided to go for some red fruits, verbena infusion and white cheese sorbet-it was yummy!


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My husband had some blanc-manger – a peach, peach sorbet in Bellini emulsion. It was heavenly.


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Overall experience:


We both had a lovely time at La Régalade Restaurant at  Hôtel de NELL. All food was delicious, beautifully presented and reasonably priced (only 37 Euros for 3 course meal which is very reasonable for Paris!). Service was great, location is perfect so if you are traveling to Paris anytime soon then you should definitely check it out!


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For more information and to book visit:


http://www.hoteldenell.com/index.php?cat=14&ID=14&nom=La+R&lang=eng


I hope you enjoyed reading this review!


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Pauline