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millennial-star-gazer · 4 years

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A Very Fairytail Christmas (Deck The Halls With Nalu 2019)

A Very Fairytail Christmas

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Deck The Halls With Nalu 2019 Prompts: "Baby it's Cold Outside," "Let it Snow," "O Christmas Tree, All I Want For Christmas is You," It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year," and "A Holy Jolly Christmas"(All Implied)".

Genres: Romance, Humor, Fantasy. Friendship/Family and Poetry

Characters: Natsu, Lucy, Wendy, Happy, Gray, Carla, Juvia, Erza, Gajeel, Levy, Pantherlily and Jellal

Pairings: Multi-ship with hints of Nalu (Natsu x Lucy) , Gruvia (Gray x Juvia, Gajevy (Gajeel x Levy), Jerza (Jellal x Erza), plus Cappy/ ( Happy x Carla) with a bit of Carla and Pantherlily thrown in.

Rating: K+ to T for some adult themes with mild references to alcohol, nudity, drunken shenanigans and other mature content. Recommend reading level is for teens, young adults and higher.

Summary: Natsu, Lucy , Happy, and the rest of Team Natsu along with Gajeel, Levy and Pantherlily all learn the true meaning of the winter holidays- that a day filled with warm tidings spent with friends makes for a very "Fairytail Christmas" indeed. A retelling of the main event of the Fairies Christmas OVA in the form of a poem for the @fortheloveoffandomevents's Deck The Halls With Nalu Event. This was originally an entry for the @fairies-and-christmas Secret Santa exchange 2017 as a gift for the lovely @cosmicloveoftheages Enjoy!

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A/N: Hey guys, it's your girl back again with an entry for @fortheloveoffandomevents Deck The Halls With Nalu Event . As some of you may know, this is a retelling of the main events of the Christmas OVA in the form of a holiday-themed poem. This was originally a submission for the @fairies-and-christmas Secret Santa exchange as a gift for the @cosmicloveoftheages. Now without further ado, here's the poem. Enjoy!

(Scroll down past the cut/”read more button” for corresponding links and the actual poem).

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Disclaimer: As you all know by now Fairytail does not belong to me, but the most honourable Hiro-sensei instead, for whom without this labour of love wouldn't be possible.

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Read A Fairytail Christmas on FF other platforms, and the rest of my writing here:

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1. A Very Fairytail Christmas

A. Tumblr

B. Fanfiction

I. Primary (Main) Fanfiction (Click Here:) (or here: https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13442535/1/A-Very-Fairytail-Christmas-Deck-The-Halls-With-Nalu-2019)

II. Secondary Fanfiction ( Click Here) (or here: https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13143482/1/Millennial-Drabbles)

III. Other (Click Here:) (or here: https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13246734/1/Millennial-OTP-Drabbles)

B. A03

I. Primary/Main (Click Here:) (or here: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21494713)

II. Secondary (Click Here:) (or here: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18244343/chapters/43167767)

2. Master Post of All My Writing (Click Here:) (or here:

https://millennial-star-gazer.tumblr.com/post/179665258923/master-fic-rec-post)

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"Enjoy the magic this holiday season by listening to music and enjoying the occasion with the people that you care for most."

(Source Unknown)

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It was the day before Christmas

Bells as as the divine as heavenly choir of an angels rang out

All the fairies were fluttering about preparing to deck the walls with care this way and that

For when the clock struck twelve, off to Lucy's Team Natsu's and company would go for some holiday cheer

Jubilant laughter ,clinking of glasses, jolly salutations of "Merry Christmas" filling the air

all fun and games until low and behold the girls succumbed to the mercy of far too much sake running through their veins

much to the dread of the red-blooded males , hearts stricken with terror

An firecesome Titania, demanding queen of the Fairies, an unholy she- beast of intoxicated fury An insensate sky maiden , might as well be dead to the world for throwing three sheets to the wind from all the spirits she's consumed

An overly-sentimental Juvia of the sea

tears flowing like a gushing torrent of rain ️

breathing new life into that cliched rhyme: "The rain ️ in Spain."

Arms latching on tightly to a terrified ice demon slayer.

An unusually giddy Levy,

lady of solid script magic runes, future mother of her and Gajeel's child , seemingly leaning in for a kiss .

Only to burst into tinkly peals of laughter in his face

A disgraced Happy and Pantherlily who might as well been

a pair of wild stallions for all the demanding daughter of Queen Shaggot could care

A mortified Salamander underneath a just as zany celestial mage,

And yet deep down he can't help but subconsciously find her antics to be oh-so endearing to But oh, what little could the shenanigans, the antics, the hi-jinks could compare

For how could they know what the fates would have in store

when the all too gleeful Erza, the ruthless beast,

would suggest her high-stakes round of "Master Draw"

A game so notorious, that only fools with the buzz of firewater singing through their veins would dare play

One stick, one draw, winner take all

Whoever didn't have the best would be at the mercy of the chosen's one thrall

And who would have guessed who might be the one to win it all?

Why Erza of course, low and behold!

A wily gleam in fathomless depths of violet , madness ensues Pleas for mercy, canine-like yips and barks filling the air

Random awkward embraces

An infuriated storm woman's jealous rage

Absurd ensembles,

stripping down to nothing more than underwear in the cold

A sexy dance by the Son of Igneel himself in the nude or two,

the most discomfiting lock of lips from two of the exceeds who may just keel over and die in of their own shame.

A sensation of blazing ️ wax on the poor astral mage's flesh

Three grown young men doing everything in their power to cram themselves into spaces no average human being should ever dare to fit

All this, debauchery galore and more, all at Titania's fellow wizards expense

But oh, little did she know,the time for revenge would come

The dread hour nigh, when the ice demon slayer finally drew his own stick,

For out in in the snow a scantily-clad, fiery redhead would boldly dare to go,

in spite of Gray's protests

A decision she would soon some to regret

But fear not, all is not lost, for salvation is at hand in the form of Jellal

a king finally come to take his long- lost queen home

and swathed in the warmth of his cloak,

Erza along with the rest learns right then and there

that a day of warm tidings and day spent with those she loves makes for a very Fairytail Christmas indeed.

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Fic Tag Squad:

@fuck-yeah-nalu @fortheloveoffandomevents @nalubookclub @fuck-yeah-nalu @nalubookclub @fortheloveoffandomevents l @fuck-yeah-nalu @nalubookclub @fortheloveoffandomevents

@petri808 @magnolia726 @ccrispy

@yukimcffblog @yukimcffblog @writer-appreciation

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A/N: Please be sure to let me know what you think by dropping me a line leaving a review/ comment. Plus, feel free to like, share and reblog. Oh and don't forget to check out the rest of my writing! Keep an eye out on my profiles for updates and reuploads of my fics too . (Corresponding Links above, in navigation bar and bio if reading this on tumblr ). Take a look at the other Deck The Halls With Nalu Entries while you're at it and thanks for everyone's support so far! All right guys, I'm off for now. Once again, Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah , Yule, Kwanzaa , New Years and holidays no matter which you celebrate ! Take care!

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fortheloveofcringe · 5 years

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Before I came across HBO’s Game of Thrones, I was battling my own wars. Pedestrian wars with schoolmates, teachers, people who I used to work with and the crumble wins and the scarring defeats that made me an enemy against myself. I lived in a world where I hated myself for being on it.

In late 2017, I ejected myself from a school because of penchant politics. People wanted me in the spotlight to help them and grill me in the end. It was the same time when Taylor Swift’s Reputation album came out and I remember one of her songs states a list of names. I had my own. From relatives to outsiders. I hated people who I believed would make me breath easier without them in my area of existence. I was so depressed at that point because long story short I was an Editor-in-Chief, betrayed and demoralized because my pen was mightier than anyone’s sword, next thing I know I had to transfer to a different school and became a regular student all for the sake of my sanity. It came with a price. Scholarship lost, friends to strangers, and all I had was my computer and my family.

I will never forget how bored I was that night in late 2017. I was answering existential questions from Pinterest when my younger brother suggested that I should watch Rick and Morty. My younger brother is closest to me, if anything. I values his opinion from emotional matters to T.V. shows. I am just so proud of how he became so structured regardless of the misfortunes of our family. I had a conversation with him one night and he suggested that I watch, Game of Thrones.

I’m not a person of trends. I heard from a wise Youtuber that trends are for the anxious. When my brother brought it up. I was skeptic. The first time I heard the words game of thrones was in 2016, in on of my jobs as a contact center agent, when my co-workers where hounding around HBO in the cafeteria, then later, mumbling repeatedly (sounding like mindless fools really) the words “Hodor! Hodor!”

It didn’t appeal to me. I was one of those people who felt “special” and above everyone because I never watched any episode of this “non-sense.”

That night, It was before the semester started (semestral break after the 1st semester from one school to another) I was eager to be different. I wondered how I can become, not myself or away from myself for a while. Then I just became tired of my own thoughts and said to myself that if my brother has had this show to influence hid inferential fluency, maybe I should give it a chance.

The glory of the white noise intro of HBO started playing in my laptop. And my boredom flares.

I never remember how I started loving it. All I know was I was looking at a lady who looked like Avril Lavigne and I wanted to follow her story. It was Emilia. From me before you. I cannot believe myself how a jolly and jubilant person can become such a timid and subservient character. Well acting. I followed Daenerys’ storyline first.

When I watched the show, I definitely did skips to catch on conversations. But when I got to the end of Season 7, I rewatched it and realized I had one more character that I closely related to. Arya Stark.

Although Dany was my first love per say, I realized I related more to Arya as I remember parts of my life where I almost looked like a child beggar.

Arya had fire in her. Anger. So does Daenerys. They both had people to destroy. And so I also did. Arya had a list. I had one too. It just made perfect sense. I was no longer in my own war. I was in a story. Someone else’s story. At last.

It felt like I was doing what I wanted to do to the people who made me suffer. Watching them set ablaze enemies or stab them to death. One thing that I understood as to why Game of Thrones became such a phenomena is the fact that this show exhibits the cause and effect of action. If I was to do these things in real life, I’d be serving my whole life in jail. And so as other people. The fantasy of the macabre and the invalid, in the real world is channelled through the characters and I believe all of us has this darkness inside us that this show channelled successfully through several characters, may it be minor or lead characters. They all had the filth of being a human and that’s what made it so relatable. Staring the truth on it’s face. There are people as cunning as Cersei, as ignorant to wise as Sansa, as scary as Joffrey, as mannered as Podrick, as honourable as Brienne and a lot more. The truth is the show really is a game.

When I tried to explain it to a romantic conquest before season 8 started, I just knew I had to explain it like a video game. You start by choosing a character, in this case following a storyline and see where the winds of winter blow them to.

Much like how I live my life now. I let my choices and reactions define my possible future. To add, I become more “empowered” when I say for example, listen to the soundtrack of house Targaryen before I take an exam. Because as much as the visuals brought such greatness to the show, it wouldn’t be as great without the score, sound effects and music that enveloped it. The dedication and intricacies weaved in each episode, I just want to take a chance in this sentence to give a nod and even bend the knew to each hand who made it as unforgettable as it is.

In another context Game of Thrones is a direct mockery of what dim-witted wrestles surround the human race. We all “squabble” about who and what and where and why, when all we do is we fail to address direct issues such as what food shortage (exhibited from the Lannister-Tyrell agreements) does to people, the power of who sits in the, well not a mosaic of swords but the Presidents chair, the endless treachery and abuse of power (seen although out the show), the manipulation of simple andals and all of these matters that fall short to alleviate the human race.

But, I am certain that I am lucky enough to live in this world no matter how trivial or unnecessary what I or we go through to some people. I know you got to this point by reading my trivial experience on the first half of this prose, but the reality is I can never live in Essos nor Westeros. I don’t have the guts to see people live that way. Unsanitary, first of all, then we have the death of our loved ones in one throw of a sword, or how about this; we all think we are going to be badasses when we wish for a zombie apocalypse but have you seen the Battle of Winterfell? I thought so too. There is no way.

Perhaps I want to make sure that this essay ties the thought I’ve had ever since I watched the show. I became different because I have closely observed the journey of the characters I loved, and hated.

The world is a game of legacy. And so legacies are the great houses of the Seven Kingdoms hath become. The story might be ending soon for T.V. but they (the characters) will always be in my head, whispering… “Valar Morghulis.”

#gameofthrones #daenerys targaryen #battle of winterfell #game of thrones #arya stark #valarmorghulis

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jeremyanderson-blog1 · 7 years

Audio

Musical Analysis:

THE ENTIRE SONG

Genre: The genre of the song is hip hop/rap

Effectiveness: This song definitely works. In the first verse, Chance aims to paint a somber picture of the citywide violence of Chicago that surrounded him during his childhood. The mix of vocals and instrumentals of the song makes me want to sit down and imagine life as a child in Chicago who may or may not see his friends from summer to summer due to gun violence.

Danceability: This is not song that makes me want to dance.

LYRICS

Theme: The main theme of “Summer Friends” is a Chicago childhood troubled by violence. The song begins with vocals from Francis and The Lights singing “Oh, Oh, incredible. My Lord… incredible. I believe.” The vocals are somber, yet the words are hopeful. This sets up a mood throughout the song that is gloomy, yet faithful that better days will come.

Plot: Chance immediately impresses youth as a tone as he opens the song with verses like, “Socks on concrete, jolly rancher kids/I was talking back and now I gotta stay at grandma crib/Bunch of tank top, nappy headed, bike-stealing Chatham boys” and “JJ, Mikey, Lil Derek and them/79th street was America then/Ice cream truck and the beauty supply/Blockbuster movies and Harold’s again” Here, Chance highlights the simplicity and carelessness of youth by mentioning tank tops, nappy hair, jolly ranchers, ice cream trucks, Blockbuster movies, and Harold’s Chicken. Immediately after Chance sets this tone, he transitions into the reason behind overarching gloom of the song, violence in Chicago (ex. “We were still catching lightening bugs when the plague hit the backyard/Had to come in at dark, ‘cus the big shorties act hard). Here, Chance portrays violence in Chicago as a pandemic (“the plague”), yet confines it simply a backyard (Chicago). He masterfully stresses just how concentrated and dangerous violence is in Chicago. The plague was a continent-wide epidemic that was powerful enough to kill thousands of people across Europe, and Chance compares something that powerful to raze not an entire continent, but just one city. He also accentuates just how young he was when violence crept into his childhood, as only young children spend time trying to catch lightning bugs. The plot is wonderfully drawn as innocent imagery is drawn into the dark reality that violence snatches the jubilant memories of his childhood.

Literary Devices: The most effective literary device Chance uses in this song is repetition. The repetition of “summer friends” enforces the image of young kids just wanting to have fun. Yet, “summer friends” is always followed by a line reinforcing the reality that due to violence, friends aren’t guaranteed to make it to the next summer (ex. “summer friends don’t stay around here”, “summer friends don’t stick around”). Towards the end of the song, Chance, repeats “citywide” several times to stress that the violence isn’t only a problem in his neighborhood of Chatham, but gun violence rears its ugly head across several neighborhoods across the South and West sides of Chicago.

Literariness: The lyrics have immaculate quality and can most definitely stand alone as a poem.

MUSIC

The instruments: The vocals and lyrics are the focus of the song, so I can’t pinpoint any certain instrument being used besides the percussion instruments accenting the words and a brief violin solo to end the song. However, I do notice what may be a computerized instrument subtly holding the song together.

Mood: The somber vocals that open the song create a reflective tone that remains effective throughout the entire song. However the instrumentals and tempo of the lyrics are rather upbeat, creating a contrast that signifies a sedated, yet sincere mood that is reflected in the lyrics.

Technology: I don’t recognize any distinct technological uses in this song.

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positivepsychologyinterventions · 4 years

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Dealing with Deep Sadness During the Holidays

Holidays aren’t always joyful, blissful, nor magical. Instead, they can mark a season of not just situational stress and sadness — but one of deep melancholy.

There are many reasons that can contribute to holiday depression. Some factors include dysfunctional family dynamics (which are often thrown in one’s face more often during holiday get-togethers), unrealistic expectations of holiday merriment, financial issues, the loss of a loved one, and the year’s-end introspection about whether one’s goals have come to fruition — or not.

Through all of one’s individual reasons why sadness can descend during the holidays, there is also a general presumption that it “tis,” indeed, “the season to be jolly,” fed to us by advertisers, holiday-themed movies and TV shows, the bright-light cheer draped over neighborhoods and storefronts — not to mention the constant jubilation of holiday tunes blasting over our airwaves.

During the holiday season, then, one’s own personal despair often clashes with our culture’s ongoing message of joy and mirth. It’s as if one is caught in a crazy-making world that can make one’s inner feelings seem as if they are in direct opposition with almost everyone — and everything around them.

As a person who experiences deep holiday melancholy myself, I understand how this juxtaposition can deepen one’s inner sadness. Through the years, though, I’ve learned how to stave it off before it pulls me under. Below are two of my favorite techniques, which I hope can help you, dear readers, as well.

Balance Inner Emotions with Being Out in the World:

I know the old adage that if you’re feeling down, smile — and fake it — until you actually “make it.” And… I get it. Sometimes that really does work. When I’ve been depressed and still pushed myself to go to a holiday party, I have ended up feeling better to have gotten out of my dome of doom after socializing with others.

Yet, what does NOT work is to deny one’s true feelings, because then they can bubble up in inappropriate ways, such as snapping irritably at loved ones or honking not just once — but maybe even three (!) times in a row at a car who cut you off (which, much to my family’s chagrin, I’ve been known to do on one too many of occasions when stressed). Also, in the long run, trying to push down emotions can make them linger far longer than if you had allowed yourself to process them as they came up.

What does work is balance. First, recognize your true feelings. Let yourself cry. Vent to your best friend. See a therapist if you’re so overwhelmed that it seems as if there’s no way out. When you have the time and space, you may even want to play some sad music to help release the tears. And then, when you are out in the world, focus on other people, ask them what’s going on in their lives, how are they feeling, maybe even commiserate about how stressful the season can be. It’s about balancing your inner and outer life in such a way that you’re aware of your own feelings as you reach out to others.

Channel Your Inner Rebel:

Oftentimes, the holidays can push our obligation and guilt limits so far out, that we feel as if we have to agree to things we wouldn’t ordinarily do. How many of you have heard “But it’s Christmastime!” when your partner asks if some distant relative or friend (whom you don’t even like or trust) can stay a couple of days? How many times have you felt obligated to buy presents that are out of your budget? How many times have you forgone your usual exercise and diet routine in order to “join in the merriment”?

When you’re dealing with depression, these obligations and guilt trips can make it that much worse. So, what can you do? Call forth your inner rebel. And I don’t mean that in the James Dean style of taking a long drag from a cigarette and racing your car down the highway. I mean the kind of inner rebel that takes pride in thumbing its nose at tradition and expectations in a healthy way, one that it gives you permission to take care of yourself.

Your inner rebel can help you say no to certain houseguests (or at least limit their time), get more creative with budget-friendly present buying (thrift store treasures, anyone?), exercise to a YouTube video before you go to that holiday party (even it’s going to make you a tad late), and push away that second slice of Grandpa’s rum cake (even though he may furrow his brow at you).

And last, but not least, balancing your true emotions while reaching out to others, as well as tuning into your inner rebel, may also remind you that no one’s holidays (or lives, for that matter) can ever match the nostalgic harmony of “Little House on the Prairie.” Holiday melancholy or not, no one has the perfect family — nor experiences the perfect holiday season.

from World of Psychology https://ift.tt/37BTZSh via IFTTT

#IFTTT #World of Psychology

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easytravelpw-blog · 5 years

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Full text write on https://easy-travel.pw/festival-review-sziget-budapest/hotels/

Festival Review: Sziget, Budapest

I was excited to return to Óbuda Island in Budapest for the third year running to attend the Sziget (9-16 August 2017) for seven days of sunshine and spectacle.

As well as more than 10 music stages, Sziget promised a varied programme including theatre, dance, traditional Hungarian craft workshops and even an interactive games area focusing on helping people with disabilities.

Who goes to Sziget Festival?

Diversity is the heart and soul of Sziget Festival, with over 100 countries represented on the island. As well as Hungarians, who tend to purchase day tickets, the festival attracts hoards of ‘Szitizens’ from the Netherlands, France, Italy, Germany, the UK, and beyond. There were more than 1,000 Australians at Sziget this year: quite a journey to make for a festival!

Sziget Szitizens enjoying the festival (c) Andrew Moss

Accommodation

I opted to avoid camping at the festival and instead rented an apartment with a group of friends. This allowed me the opportunity to return home each night for a shower and a decent night’s sleep, and also meant I could catch the Sziget boat to the island each morning: a truly lovely way to start the festival each day.

The simplest way to rent an apartment in Budapest is through Airbnb, and if you book enough in advance you should be able to rent a lovely, air-conditioned apartment for peanuts. Our base was only a 10-minute walk from Sziget boat and housed 14 people, at the cost of £15 a night – bargain!

You can also book an inexpensive hostel in the ‘Pest’ side of the city. If you go down this route, make sure you check there is air conditioning in the bedrooms.

You can, of course, camp at the festival and there are plenty of shady spots to pitch your tent. There is also a VIP camping option, but if you’re willing to spend the extra cash I recommend you book an apartment or hostel in the city instead.

Food and Drink

During my previous trips to Sziget, the food was disappointing. There wasn’t that much variety and what was there was greasy and salty. This year there was a definite improvement, especially in the area near to the Hungarikum Village. I sampled some delicious Goulash Soup as well as a Russian dish called pelmeni: mixed pasta stuffed with beef and pork with sour cream and vinegar. The food options around the main stage were fairly uninspiring so I recommend branching out from the centre of the festival when you get peckish.

You can’t take in your own alcohol to Sziget. A beer or plastic cup of wine costs less than £3 while one of the festival’s signature cocktails is around £5.50. As with previous years, Sziget’s alcohol policy allows for a very jolly atmosphere without creating too many alcohol-related casualties.

Sziget Beer Drinkers (c) Andrew Moss

At Sziget you don’t use cash to buy food and drink. Instead, you pre-load money onto a Festipay card and this can be used to pay for everything at the festival. There are several booths dotted around Sziget where you can top-up, and you can protect your money by downloading the Sziget App and registering your card. If you lose it, you can cancel the card and reimburse the money on a new card. Very nifty.

What’s the music like at the Sziget Festival?

We arrived at the main stage on the first day mid-way through a fun and energetic performance by Bosnian group, Dubioza Kolektiv. Taking inspiration from reggae, ska, alternative rock and Bosnian folklore, the band whipped the crowd into a joyful frenzy. This is what makes Sziget so special: the opportunity to discover bands from across the globe who would otherwise never enter one’s consciousness.

The music line-up was, admittedly, a mixed bag. The seven headliners absorbed over half of the festival’s €20m budget, yet they weren’t the big hitters of rock and pop that I’d become accustomed to.

Sziget Revellers at the main stage (c) Andrew Moss

I really enjoyed P!nk’s fun and fiery performance on the first night, but confess I was less thrilled by the prospect of Kasabian, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis and Major Lazer. Tamás Kádár, CEO of Sziget Cultural Management, admitted to us that the line-up was weaker than usual, in part because some of the acts are asking for 50-60 per cent more money than the previous year.

This has become a serious issue for festival organisers around the globe. Fortunately there were some excellent performances by lesser known artists on the main stage including a feisty set by The Kills and a beautifully sweet performance by English rose, Birdy. The closing act on the main stage, Dimitri Vegas and Like Mike, was also a surprising sensation.

British-American indie rock band The Kills (c) Andrew Moss

There was also plenty to see away from the main stage. My personal highlights included DJ Shadow and Crystal Fighters at the indoor OTP Bank Stage by A38. USA born DJ Shadow put on an exceptional show with the best backing video I have ever seen. Striking images of wildlife, landscapes and abstract shapes burst on the screen in perfect timing to the music. The bass was so intense it made my shoes vibrate and my nose tingle. Crystal Fighters put on a jubilant performance inspired by the Basque heritage of one of its members, Laura Stockley. This band really should have had a prime spot on the main stage and I think Sziget missed a trick here.

The World Music Stage hosted a brilliant set by Orkestra Mendoza, who made it totally impossible not to get up and dance. This performance was particularly memorable as the final song coincided with Sziget’s 25th birthday party. Sziget staff members ran around the festival presenting a random selection of Szitizens with birthday cakes and party hats. My friend, Hannah, was one of the lucky recipients and her pure joy at being presented with a cake was one of my happiest memories of the festival.

What else is going on?

My advice for Sziget is to make sure you don’t just stick to the main stage and really make time to explore every area of the festival. There is much to discover, from Sziget beach to the Luminarium: an 800m2 inflatable sculpture with a labyrinth of rooms to explore. There is also the travelling funfair, cardboardia tent, Sziget comedy tent and Magic Mirror which hosts a colourful array of cabaret, drag shows and talks by the LGBT community.

Walkabout performers The Herd of Mechanical Creatures (c) Andrew Moss

One of the most widely talked-about acts this year was Anima Ardens by Belgium Compagnie Thor, which features 11 male dancers who are totally in the nude. I joined the huge queue outside the Fidelio Theatre and Dance Tent and managed to get a seat at the back. While I applaud their grace and boldness, I am afraid this performance was too arty for me. The interpretive dance aspects went completely over my head!

There were some stellar circus performances this year at Cirque du Sziget. The organisers doubled the capacity of the indoor tent this year, which was a savvy move. The outstanding performance for me was Machine de Cirque, where five Canadian blokes performed a mix of comedic sketches and extraordinary feats of acrobatics using a large, wooden seesaw.

Machine de Cirque from Canada (c) Andrew Moss

Another highlight of the festival was the colour party, where festivalgoers throw bags of multi-coloured paint at each other. This year, it was postponed to the final day due to high winds on Saturday. My friends and I made our way into the centre of the action and managed to get hold of few bags of bright pink powder. Then followed an explosion of luminescent dust and we all threw our arms up in pure joy and asphyxiation (thanks to the clouds of powder).

Verdict

Sziget 2017 was for the most part, pretty fantastic. The festival had a carefree and jovial atmosphere and I was in an almost permanent state of euphoria. Yes, the main stage line-up was a little disappointing, but this didn’t really matter when there were so many other things to see and do.

Colour Party Revellers (c) Andrew Moss

TIP: If you are planning to visit Sziget in 2018 allow some time to explore Budapest. It’s a vibrant and beautiful city with a fascinating history. You can purchase a 13-day Sziget Citypass during the festival, which allows you to use almost all forms of public transport around the city, including the boat to the festival.

⇒ Top 10 things to see and do in Budapest

Fact File

How much: Festival tickets are reasonably priced, from around £230 for 7 days. Book early to avoid price increases.

Getting there: if you arrive by car, check the parking options listed on the Sziget website. Parking spots are limited and once you leave your car, you can only return one time unless you are willing to pay for another ticket.

There is a taxi station on the island and you can also catch a taxi to the festival entrance from the city. Sziget’s official taxi partner is Citi Taxi, and they can be reached on +36 12 111 111.

The easiest and cheapest ways to reach the island are by train and by boat. The Sziget boat runs every day between between Jászai Mari square and Sziget Festival Port. Alternatively catch the HÉV suburban rail no. H5 to the Filatorigát stop, leaving from Batthyány square or Margit Bridge every 10-15 minutes.

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