# Where was the last place of interest to you that you visited?



## Katybug (Nov 16, 2013)

For me, it was the east coast of my state and our annual family vacation, Wilmington, NC.  With vastly improved by-pass highways from when we lived there, it's now less than a 4 hr drive away.  It's so hard to admit, so adventuresome that I used to be, but that's about as far as I care to go anymore.


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## SifuPhil (Nov 16, 2013)

The restroom.

Not exactly _interesting_ so much as _necessary_.

I can't even remember ... oh, okay - my son's wedding in Ohio.


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## SeaBreeze (Nov 16, 2013)

A few years back when my sister came to visit, we took her to Rocky Mountain National Park, big tourist attraction.


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## babyboomer (Nov 16, 2013)

Wasn't the last trip, just a recent, and interesting!! (Australia(NSW)


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## Diwundrin (Nov 17, 2013)

I always liked Murrurundi too Bboomer. Didn't know anyone there but passed through it and stayed there a couple of times. I don't know what there is about it but it was a 'feel good' town and I'd go the extra distance past Scone to stay there, then drive back back next day.  Pretty little place too. Glad you enjoyed it.


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## dbeyat45 (Nov 17, 2013)

Damn you BabyBoomer !!  A few months back, we had lunch at the Scone RSL (recommended) and drove through Murrurundi without stopping !!

Now, I have to go back .....


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## Jackie22 (Nov 17, 2013)

Santa Barbara California and Hearst Castle in San Simeon, beautiful country.


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## babyboomer (Nov 17, 2013)

Funny enough, we got already something in common.
I'm sorry, we couldnt stop in a place out of Nundle, There was a Coffe shop, with a sign " The best coffe outside Italy" LOL


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## rkunsaw (Nov 17, 2013)

I must have just missed you Jackie. I've been to Santa Barbara several times. I had a recent trip to Milwaukee,Wisconsin. My first time there. We got to see a lot of sights there and on the way.


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## SifuPhil (Nov 17, 2013)

I had visited Murrurundi many years ago.

I'm glad to see they changed their sign ...


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## SeaBreeze (Nov 17, 2013)

SifuPhil said:


> I had visited Murrurundi many years ago.
> 
> I'm glad to see they changed their sign ...
> 
> View attachment 3544



:lol:...you're a gem Sifu, keep the smiles comin'...good soul food!


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## That Guy (Nov 17, 2013)




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## Pinky (Apr 7, 2016)

The 12 Apostles in the State of Victoria, Australia - when there were 12 of them. My best g/f sent me a photo of it back in '99 and it took my breath away. Even more breathtaking seeing it in person. I did a caravan tour of The Great Ocean Road. Just beautiful! Loved Melbourne, and wish I'd had time to live there for awhile. The blend of old/new architecture was interesting.
This photo doesn't do it justice.
The 12 Apostles, Great Ocean Rd, Victoria Au.



Melbourne, Victoria Au


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## Falcon (Apr 7, 2016)

Floating down the Mississippi River in a houseboat with my friends.

So much to see.....hear......smell; "Tug" boats _pushing_ raft of logs etc.

Stopped at a riverside café  for lunch.....catfish cheeks and hushpuppies......and beer.

Love a repeat....whenever.


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## Kadee (Apr 7, 2016)

Pinky said:


> The 12 Apostles in the State of Victoria, Australia - when there were 12 of them. My best g/f sent me a photo of it back in '99 and it took my breath away. Even more breathtaking seeing it in person. I did a caravan tour of The Great Ocean Road. Just beautiful! Loved Melbourne, and wish I'd had time to live there for awhile. The blend of old/new architecture was interesting.
> This photo doesn't do it justice.
> The 12 Apostles, Great Ocean Rd, Victoria Au.
> 
> ...


Glad to hear you enjoyed your trip along th great ocean road pinky ,I live in South Australia ..I have traveled that road and seen the sites a couple of times ..Unfortunately many homes were lost, along that road in devastating bush fires last summer  
I was going to look up if the house on the pole , was spared, by the fires it is certainly a landmark ...If you look up great ocean road fires I'm sure there will be something about it on the net ..come back soon and check out SA


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## Pinky (Apr 7, 2016)

Kadee, a pleasure to meet you! I lived in Adelaide for several years. My friends who still have their farmhouse in Mallala were affected by the fires you speak of. They of course had their cropland (barley, peas) razed, a couple of sheds and fences, but were much more fortunate than many of their neighbours. Thankfully, they had sold off their sheep about a year ago, in order to retire.


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## fureverywhere (Apr 7, 2016)

No pics for now, but the eldest boy got us all to Seaside, A NJ amusement park after a wedding. It was devastated during hurricane Sandy a few months later. So very glad we got to see it, including frolicking in the ocean.


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## Guitarist (Apr 7, 2016)




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## Ameriscot (Apr 7, 2016)

The last place was driving through Glencoe to get to grandson's house in Inverness.  Also went to the beautiful beach at Nairn so he could build sandcastles.

Before that was our winter in Thailand. 

Going to a pretty town today - Fort William - and driving through beautiful scenery again.  Ugandan daughter has to go there to get her biometrics for her work visa.  We will spend the night and will probably drive to the coast near the Isle of Skye stopping at Eilean Donan Castle and Glenfinnan (where the Jacobite rising began in 1745 with Bonnie Prince Charlie).  If it's not rainy this time I'll get pics.


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## vickyNightowl (Apr 8, 2016)

Ameriscot said:


> The last place was driving through Glencoe to get to grandson's house in Inverness.  Also went to the beautiful beach at Nairn so he could build sandcastles.
> 
> Before that was our winter in Thailand.
> 
> Going to a pretty town today - Fort William - and driving through beautiful scenery again.  Ugandan daughter has to go there to get her biometrics for her work visa.  We will spend the night and will probably drive to the coast near the Isle of Skye stopping at Eilean Donan Castle and Glenfinnan (where the Jacobite rising began in 1745 with Bonnie Prince Charlie).  If it's not rainy this time I'll get pics.



I hope you are able to get pics!!


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## oldman (Apr 8, 2016)

London, England and the vicinity. August, 2015.


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## Kadee (Apr 8, 2016)

Pinky said:


> Kadee, a pleasure to meet you! I lived in Adelaide for several years. My friends who still have their farmhouse in Mallala were affected by the fires you speak of. They of course had their cropland (barley, peas) razed, a couple of sheds and fences, but were much more fortunate than many of their neighbours. Thankfully, they had sold off their sheep about a year ago, in order to retire.


Pinky ....I know mallala very well ,( Very nice little town) ...I Live on the Yorke Peninsula,We take our caravan to Adelaide twice a year to catch up with family/ friends ,for a few days in preference to usual short visits ,When we take the van down we quite often camp at the sports ground at Mallala ,as the local lions club built a very nice shower/ toilet block in the football oval grounds for the campers .
I believe they are in the process of making a caravan park in the town from farming land the club purchased right next to the oval ...Yes the fires were terrible it's amazing only two people lost their lives in such horrific fires ,it would be my worst nightmare..

See this link for Great Ocean Road Fires last Christmas...Pinky  http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-12-...ire-number-of-homes-lost-at-wye-river/7054840


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## Redd (Apr 8, 2016)

I feel like I don't have to travel seeing all the wonderful pics here. Keep em coming.

As for me, I prefer the small day trips and my own bed at night.


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## Ralphy1 (Apr 8, 2016)

A remodeled bathroom...


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## Pinky (Apr 8, 2016)

Kadee46 said:


> Pinky ....I know mallala very well ,( Very nice little town) ...I Live on the Yorke Peninsula,We take our caravan to Adelaide twice a year to catch up with family/ friends ,for a few days in preference to usual short visits ,When we take the van down we quite often camp at the sports ground at Mallala ,as the local lions club built a very nice shower/ toilet block in the football oval grounds for the campers .
> I believe they are in the process of making a caravan park in the town from farming land the club purchased right next to the oval ...Yes the fires were terrible it's amazing only two people lost their lives in such horrific fires ,it would be my worst nightmare..
> 
> See this link for Great Ocean Road Fires last Christmas...Pinky  http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-12-...ire-number-of-homes-lost-at-wye-river/7054840



How devastating for the people who lost their homes, and for the State of Victoria. Words can't express the sadness I feel for those families.

What a small world, indeed! Kadee, my friends have a house in Ardrossan on the Yorke Peninsula. The old farmhouse in Mallala has been fairly well cleared out, but they stay there when they've got shopping to do in Adelaide. At the Pinery, unfortunately, one of their neighbours was a casualty of the fires .. so very tragic.


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## Lon (Apr 8, 2016)

Darwin Australia----Interesting place. I was interested in The WW 2 attack by the Japanese and visiting some of the gambling casinos. I learned a new simple gambling game that I think they call Two Up.


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## Pinky (Apr 8, 2016)

Lon said:


> Darwin Australia----Interesting place. I was interested in The WW 2 attack by the Japanese and visiting some of the gambling casinos. I learned a new simple gambling game that I think they call Two Up.



I never made it up to Darwin, but wanted to. Might not have been welcome (I'm Japanese Canadian) .. like when my sister and late brother-in-law visited Pearl Harbour (everyone was staring at them .. this was in the late 60's).


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## Cookie (Apr 8, 2016)

Pinky, I was brought up in Vancouver/Richmond, B.C. very close to Steveston, which you've probably heard of.  My high school was 1/3 Japanese kids and I used to trade lunches with my Japanese girlfriends, my ham and cheese sandwishes for their sushi.  Last time I visited the village had changed from a small fishing/canning town to a very nice little tourist destination, also the location for the TV show Once Upon a Time. 

http://www.insidevancouver.ca/2011/08/25/steveston-fishing-village-a-photo-essay/


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## Pinky (Apr 8, 2016)

Cookie, I lived in Vancouver from age 7 to 20. Before then, age 3 to 7, we lived in rural Alberta. We were fortunate enough not to be interned, as my father was a soldier with the Canadian Army fighting alongside the British in Continental Europe. His name appears in a couple of books. My brother accessed all of Dad's army records a couple of years ago. There was one very surprising piece of information amongst them .. now I know the reason for my name.

We never had sushi lunches (wish we had!) .. it was bologna or peanut butter sandwiches.

My brother took me to Steveston when I was in Van in 2010. We bought fresh shrimp right from the fishing boat and had them with our lunch the next day. So delicious (and I'm not even a shrimp eater, nor do I eat raw fish sushi).

I enjoyed the story and photos in your link


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## Pinky (Apr 8, 2016)

Guitarist, what a pristine beach. Where is it? I used to have a big shell collection, but like most other collections I had, I donated them to Value Village. They ranged from tiny ones I picked up at a beach on the Yorke Peninsula in S. Australia, to big ones my late father-in-law brought back from somewhere .. possibly Bermuda. They were in a huge dish, in glass ornamental jars, on side tables .. in handmade pictures I bought from an elderly woman whose son sent her shells from Florida. Elizabeth Hay was her name. I doubt she's around anymore. Her shell pictures were beautiful.


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## Shalimar (Apr 8, 2016)

Just a gentle reminder that the flying Nisei, all volunteer Japanese American pilots,ten in all, chosen from the ranks of the Nisei
who worked in Intelligence during WW2, were among the most decorated pilots of the war. Certainly, it demeans us, and them to use prejudicial words such as "Jap."  unacceptable language.


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## Pinky (Apr 8, 2016)

Thanks, Shalimar. That term still makes me cringe.

Recently, my sister's old high school friend and her husband (who are Chinese-Canadian, and a Supreme Court Judge in B.C.) were talking about the Japanese American 442nd Regimental Combat Team. "Buddy" knows more about the Japanese Canadian experience than we do, and more surprisingly, he considered us to have been "on the same side" as Asian Canadians. I (rather shamefully) recall my parents, and some of my Chinese friends parents, speaking of one another as "enemies". It did not continue with my generation, thankfully. In fact, several of my Japanese Cdn. friends married Chinese Cdns.


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## Shalimar (Apr 8, 2016)

You are most welcome, Pinky. I am glad to see that many  old enmities have been buried. In the end, there is only one race, the human race. Either we are all equal, or none of us matter.


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## Lon (Apr 8, 2016)

Don't forget that the highest U.S.  decorated combat team of WW2 was the 442nd Regimental Combat Team comprised of mostly Japanese  not to mention the 6,000 Japanese Americans that served in military intelligence all why their moms, dads, sisters and brothers were incarcerated in camps.


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## Pinky (Apr 8, 2016)

Lon said:


> Don't forget that the highest U.S.  decorated combat team of WW2 was the 442nd Regimental Combat Team comprised of mostly Japanese  not to mention the 6,000 Japanese Americans that served in military intelligence all why their moms, dads, sisters and brothers were incarcerated in camps.



I am sadly uneducated about the Japanese American experience, therefore I've lined up a couple of documentaries. As kids, though life was less than easy, myself and my siblings had our freedom, while most my age in Canada were interned in camps, separated from their fathers. We were fortunate, my father came home from the war.


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## Shalimar (Apr 8, 2016)

I do not think I would have the strength of character and patriotism necessary to set aside the anguish I would feel seeing friends and families interred, in order to serve my country with the honour and bravery that these amazing individuals did. Truly, heroes in every sense of the word.


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## Cookie (Apr 8, 2016)

Pinky, you have a lot to be proud of.  I'm glad that you didn't suffer much during the war years. I believe I mistook you for a younger person, 
as I wasn't even around then and don't have much knowledge about it, except some time ago now, I helped a writer produce a novel set in an internment camp, the title of which eludes me now.  None of my Japanese friends at school talked about it at all and I wouldn't have suspected either, because by then it was the late 60s and people were back on their feet.  And I would have to do some research to find out if there was restitution to my friends' families, and I'm guessing there probably was.


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## Pinky (Apr 8, 2016)

Cookie, most JC's did not get back their properties, businesses or bank accounts. I don't know if it was so in Ontario, but in B.C. the government auctioned off properties to non-Japanese. Even though my father was a Canadian soldier, my parents had little more than the little clothing and bedding packed in boxes and minimal furniture they were able to move.

We brought up our daughter (who is half Scottish Cdn) to not discriminate, choosing a highly multi-racial neighbourhood to live in. It would be a disheartening experience to see one's child bear the brunt of racist attitudes. It pains me that racism does exist, and all we can do is try to change this through education.


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## Guitarist (Apr 8, 2016)

Pinky, the shell picture is Panama City Beach, FL.


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## Pinky (Apr 9, 2016)

Guitarist said:


> Pinky, the shell picture is Panama City Beach, FL.



I wasn't aware the beaches in Florida were so pristine .. I wouldn't mind being there right now, despite summer being so close. With the snow here, it's like winter's never going to end.


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## jujube (Apr 9, 2016)

I'd have to say it was Cappadocia as seen from a balloon last spring:


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## Ameriscot (Apr 9, 2016)

Pinky said:


> I wasn't aware the beaches in Florida were so pristine .. I wouldn't mind being there right now, despite summer being so close. With the snow here, it's like winter's never going to end.



The Gulf coast beaches are the best!


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## Ameriscot (Apr 9, 2016)

jujube said:


> I'd have to say it was Cappadocia as seen from a balloon last spring:
> 
> View attachment 28404



Spectacular!  I'd love to do that.


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## ndynt (Apr 9, 2016)

Redd said:


> I feel like I don't have to travel seeing all the wonderful pics here. Keep em coming.


Please do.  Yes, Florida's gulf coast beaches are the best...Panama Beach one of the nicest.   At my age, the last places of interest have been funerals....only time the few friends left get to see one another.  So they are literally a celebration of life.


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## Pinky (Apr 9, 2016)

Beautiful beaches and hot air balloons - I'm ready to go somewhere!


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## jujube (Apr 9, 2016)

Pinky said:


> Beautiful beaches and hot air balloons - I'm ready to go somewhere!



I highly recommend the beaches of the Emerald Coast of Florida (Panama City Beach to Fort Walton Beach).  We have a family house up there and they're my favorite beaches.

As gorgeous as it is and as much as I love it, I wouldn't recommend visiting Turkey anytime in the near future......


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## Pinky (Apr 9, 2016)

jujube said:


> I highly recommend the beaches of the Emerald Coast of Florida (Panama City Beach to Fort Walton Beach).  We have a family house up there and they're my favorite beaches.
> 
> As gorgeous as it is and as much as I love it, I wouldn't recommend visiting Turkey anytime in the near future......



Turkey _is_ beautiful, but of course, it is definitely not safe there. I have Turkish relatives who were there this past winter, and won't be going back anytime soon. Normally, they would visit at least 2-3 times a year.


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## 911 (Apr 10, 2016)

Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola, which is a Supermax prison, a.k.a. "Alcatraz of the South." It houses 5000 prisoners with 2000 guards watching over them on 18,000 acres, which at one time was a slave plantation. (I am copying what I am reading in a brochure that was handed to us when we visited and explored the prison.) We were given a flak jacket and helmet w/face shield to wear when we toured the facility. Yes, we were able to speak and interact with a few of the prisoners.


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## Underock1 (Apr 10, 2016)

SifuPhil said:


> The restroom.
> 
> Not exactly _interesting_ so much as _necessary_.
> 
> I can't even remember ... oh, okay - my son's wedding in Ohio.




You beat me to it, Phil. :laugh:  Great minds think alike. Sometimes that scares me. When my wife was having problems getting around, we invested in a toilet that meets AWD standards for people with disabilities. It's higher. More comfortable, and easier to get up and down from. In addition, we have a compressed air power flush. Saves water, and blows everything to smithereens with a satisfying Boom. Cost something like 900. but worth every dime. One of the reasons I never want to leave home now.

Not wanting to hijack the thread, the last place I visited of interest to me was Chad's Ford, PA. We used to go there every year. Sometimes two or three times. Longwood Gardens, Wintherthur, Brandywine museun with all of the Wyatt's stuff, and "Hanks Place"; a little hole in the wall diner with a great breakfast served amidst absolute chaos at 8AM. Without a doubt, my favorite memories. ..( Love you honey.:rose


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## 911 (Apr 11, 2016)

A little more on Angola Prison in Louisiana. I was sent down there to interview a "person of interest" for a double homicide here in PA. We had an interview room set up with video and audio recording available that we did take advantage of on that particular day. When they brought the prisoner in for us to conduct our interview, which he had already agreed to voluntarily cooperate with us and with his attorney by his side, they had this dude in ankle and wrist shackles and also a neck brace that was put on the week before due to his need to attempting to take on three guards. 

When he was seated in the metal chair, his shackles were then locked into eye bolts that were cemented into the floor. Supermax prisons are much different from state prisons and nothing like a county lockup. What a life. We saw probably 5 or 6 all out fights, guards tossing (searching) individual cells looking for contraband, prisoners spitting at guards, also saw a few cells that were void of any prisoners only because they had spread feces on their walls and on and on. The place was like visiting Hell. 

I just kept thinking to myself, "Why do we as human beings want to live like this?" The easy answer is that most people will say that all they know is hard times, lack of education and such, but when we become adults and can think for ourselves, don't we realize that there is a better way? After all, not all of them are morons. True, some are, but not all. I wish that every child when he/she turns 16 would be able to tour these types of facilities. Maybe it would have an effect on him/her that would traumatize them enough not to ever want to commit a crime.


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## Wrigley's (Apr 11, 2016)

Me and my lady friend stayed overnight on Catalina Island last week. Lucked out because a small storm came up over the weekend, right after we left.


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## Lynk (Apr 11, 2016)

When I was a little girl I would read books set in Maine.  They always intrigued me.  I would imagine the rugged coast and all the lighthouses and wanted to visit it some day but never dreamed I would.  My sister in law called me one day and asked me if I would go with her to pick up her daughter in Vermont to help her move back to Kentucky.  When her daughterpicked us up at the airport she drove us to Maine where we spent a couple of days  Maine was exactly liked I pictured it to be. The coast was rugged and we saw a lot of lighthouses and even  got to tour one.  We made a trip to Portland. We walked on the cobblestone street and did not lot of shopping.  I had a wonderful time.


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