Well at long last, here is a blog about my trip to Germany. My parents are working on some blogs about their trip here, and hopefully those will be up by the end of the week.
So I left Paris on the 31st and flew to Hamburg, where my friend Paul picked me up at the airport. That night was New Years Eve, and I have to say that it was the best New Years celebration ever for me. 9 of Paul's friends came over to the house, each of them bringing some food. We talked and ate and played games and listened to music. Then at about 11:40, we went up on the roof of the building. Now in Germany, fireworks are legal for New Years Eve ONLY--and everyone buys them and everyone sets off fireworks at midnight. Even when we first got on the roof at 11:40, people were shooting off fireworks. Once midnight hit, I was surrounded by fireworks. Anywhere I looked, there were fireworks. It was a little magical for me. We toasted champagne and hugged and just watched the fireworks (and set off a few of our own). After that we went back downstairs and listened to music and danced and talked and had a lot of fun. Then later we did more fireworks and walked through the streets listening to music and wishing everyone a Happy New Year. It was an experience I'll never forget. Paul recorded some videos on the roof, and I'll have him send me one so you can see what it was like!
The next few days were very relaxed. I went to a lot of places. I went to churches in Hamburg, and the King Tut museum, and I went to an English class with Paul's younger sister, Marie. We went to Lüneburg (a town near Hamburg), and I saw my last name on a building! Then I went to Berlin for 2 days where I did 2 tours--one being a general tour of the city. We saw the Berlin Wall, Brandenburg Gate, Reichstag, former Luftwaffe Headquarters, Museum Island, the bunker where Hitler died, Bebelplatz, and more! Then the next day I went on a tour to Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp north of Berlin. That was a very surreal experience. It's just difficult for me to understand the amount of hate people can have for one another.
After 2 packed days in Berlin, I headed to Neustadt am Rübenberge, home of the Hotel Scheve. My maternal great-grandmother's maiden name was Scheve, and I know a lot about my Scheve family history. In fact, there is a book that I have about the history of the family--and my name is in the book! When I discovered that the Hotel Scheve is not far from Hamburg, I knew I needed to make a trip there. During my sophomore year of high school, we had to make 100 goals and staying at the Hotel Scheve was one of my goals. Staying there was a lot of fun. When I arrived, I got a full tour of the place from Ursula, who runs the hotel with her husband, Helmut. Then I talked to Helmut and one of their sons, Henning, on the phone. Helmut and Ursula's daughter, Britta, came over with her 2 children, and we all had dinner together. The next day Britta gave me a tour of the town, and I got to see where her kids go to school. It was a really quick trip, but a lot of fun. I hope I can go back some day with my family and spend more time there and get a full history lesson of the Scheve family from Henning.
Then after 2 more days in Hamburg, it was back to Valencia, where I was greeted with some cooler weather. I ate plenty of German food in Germany including currywurst, all sorts or sausages, and I even tried sauerkraut (not my favorite!). I'm a big fan of German bread--a lot of the bread has lots of grains and seeds in it--yummy! So that's my trip to Germany--email me if you want to know more! There are pictures up--they are under the Christmas in Europe title! Also up are pictures from my family's stay in Spain! Definitely take a look!
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Monday, January 11, 2010
Bella Italia!
At long last--my blog from Italy!! I was in Italy from Dec 12-Dec 20th, and I went with Marli and Nikki. We left the night after all the fall semester people left, and the trip was a good way to help us not dwell on their departure. So here's a rundown of everything!
December 12, Saturday
We flew to Rome in the afternoon, arriving in Rome around 5pm. It was my first time flying on Ryanair, the infamous cheap European airline. The plane was packed--and we hit turbulence, and the landing was quite bumpy. An interesting first experience to say the least. From the airport, we took a bus to the main Termini train station, where we then walked to our hostel. We stayed at a really nice hostel in Rome--the staff and other guests were all super friendly--and the staff was really helpful when we needed help. After checkin, we went to have some dinner. We all had pasta, and it was DElICIOUS. It was my first taste of Italian food in Italy--and already, I was hooked. During dinner, we planned out what we wanted to do each day. After dinner we decided to walk down to the Colosseum, so we could see it lit up at night. It was really beautiful, and I would recommend seeing it at night and during the day. Then we headed back to the hostel and got some much needed sleep.
December 13, Sunday
We slept in the next morning, and then we went to the Pantheon. Originally the Pantheon was a pagan temple, but it was converted into a Catholic church a long time ago. It was beautiful. It also is the where Raphael is buried. From there we went to Piazza Navona, a beautiful plaza with a large fountain. They also had a Christmas market going on there, so we took some time and walked around looking at all the goods and at the smiling families. After that we went to the Trevi Fountain, where we all threw in a coin, guaranteeing us a wish and a return trip to Rome. Before heading to the Spanish Steps, we stopped at a café and grabbed a panini. It was the best panini I ate during my time in Italy--with mozzarella and tomatoes and arugula...really good stuff. Then we saw the Spanish Steps and strolled in the Villa Borghese Gardens, walked in the Piazza del Popolo, and visited 2 Catholic churches. The first was my favorite church of the entire trip--called San Carlo al Corso. The inside was just amazing, breathtaking--it was beautiful. We also went to Santa Maria Maggiore, which was about 2 minutes from our hostel. Another beautiful church, it is where the sculptor, Bernini, is buried. That night we ate at our hostel--the staff cooked a meal for everyone who wanted it for 5 euro each. There was bruschetta and some smoked salmon with a sauce for appetizers, then pasta with a meat ragu for the main course, then homemade tiramisu for dessert. It was quite good. We stayed up talking to people for a while before going to bed.
December 14, Monday
We woke up early on Monday morning, since we had a date...with the Vatican! We had arranged a tour of the Vatican Museum before our trip, since we didn't want to wait in line. We took the metro from our hostel to the Vatican--strange thing about the subways in Rome...they are really quiet--not many people were talking at all. The Vatican Museum was amazing--there are so many paintings and sculptures and tapestries--I was thankful we had a tour guide to help lead us through everything. We ended our tour outside the Sistine Chapel where there was a small café. We had packed our own lunches to save some money--so we ate our lunch at this café before entering the Sistine Chapel. The Sistine Chapel was stunning. We stayed in there a long time just drinking it all in. They try to keep it silent in there, and there are no photos permitted. If you even pull out a camera, a guard (in uniform or in disguise) will stop you--if you succeed in taking a picture, he will escort you outside. Our tour guide had told us lots of things to look for in the Sistine Chapel. We also asked one of the guards where they put the chimney during conclave. We got to see the mark it made on the floor--it's a very historic place. Then we went into St. Peter's Basilica, which was huge. I cannot even describe how large it is when you first walk inside. It was very elaborate, and they were cleaning the alter while we were in there, preparing for the Christmas holidays. I'm strolling along in the basilica, when I suddenly I see a familiar face. It was my friend Rachel--who also goes to Luther and we were in choir together. She is spending the year in Nottingham with the Luther program, and she was on vacation too! It was nice to see a familiar face. After leaving the Vatican, we walked to where the Old Vatican was--and then walked back to our hostel, stopping at some shops and at a bar for some hot cocoa and coffee. We had a really great dinner that night too. We went to dinner at a tiny family run restaurant near the Piazza del Popolo. I have no idea what the name of the restaurant was, but the food was great. We were seated next to a group of Italians who gave us some recommendations for our food. Everything was really good.
December 15, Tuesday
We got a call on Monday night from our friend John, who had been with us in Valencia. His friend, Drew, had come to visit him in Valencia--and then they were planning on going to Rome and Amsterdam, and had landed in Rome on Monday afternoon, and they wanted to sight-see with us on Tuesday. We met up with John and Drew at the Colosseum. From the Colosseum, we visited Palatine Hill and the Roman Forum. We grabbed some pizza for lunch and then went to Scala Santa. Scala Santa (Holy Steps) is the set of stairs from Pontius Pilate's palace. Constantine's mother brought the stairs to Rome in the 4th century, and they are the steps that Jesus is said to have walked on several times the day of His crucifixion. It is a bit of a religious pilgrimage, and you have to climb up the steps (which are covered in wood) on your knees. Look it up on wikipedia for more info. We also went to the church of St. Peter in Chains--which houses the chains of St. Peter. Both were really neat places to visit.
December 16, Wednesday
We checked out of the hostel and took a train to Florence. It was a long train ride, but it was really beautiful watching the scenery change. When we arrived in Florence, we checked into our hotel and walked around a little bit. We had dinner at a restaurant the hotel staff had recommended and then spent the evening in our room with a movie. It was very cold and rainy/snowy outside, and we were just wanting to relax.
December 17, Thursday
We slept in and went to the Duomo. Then we went to the Galleria dell'Accademia, where Michelangelo's David is. Then we went to Ponte Vecchio, a famous bridge in Florence. We climbed up a big hill to an overlook of the city, which was breathtaking. Florence was beautiful and very academic. It had a much more relaxed pace of life compared to Rome. In the afternoon we went to a Christmas market near St. Croce church and later window shopped. We had dinner at Ciro & Sons, a restaurant recommended to me by family friends back home. Another delicious Italian meal.
December 18th, Friday
We went to the Palazzo Pitti, which was a Renaissance palace owned by the Medici Family. We visited the Palatina Gallery, Modern Art Gallery, and the Royal Apartments. After lunch, we strolled in the markets and did some shopping.
December 19th, Saturday
We checked out of the hotel and looked at some Christmas markets. Then we had some delicious hot cocoa before heading to the train station to go to Pisa. Overnight, snow had blanketed a lot of Italy (probably 1-2 inches in Florence) and it caused a transportation nightmare. All trains were delayed, and we waited over 2 hours for a train to Pisa. Normally there are 3 trains an hour to Pisa. The train was really full, but we made it to Pisa in the afternoon. We rested at our hotel for a while and explored a little bit of the city.
December 20th, Sunday
We went to the Leaning Tower and stayed there for a few hours. The Leaning Tower is located alongside the Duomo of Pisa--and it is a pretty big area. We sat in the sun and took a multitude of different pictures with the Leaning Tower, each photo getting a little more ridiculous. Then I headed to the airport and returned to Valencia that evening. My flight was delayed over 2 hours for weather--so I arrived back at my flat around 12:15 am....then I left my flat at 6:00 am to head back to the airport to go to Madrid to pick up my family.
----
Italy was a great trip. I loved everything about it. We had a very relaxed approach to the trip, which made it easier when we had delays or the weather was bad. We made a food checklist that first night in Rome which included pizza, pasta, panini, tiramisu, and gelato---we ate all of them...more than once. Also a great find in Italy was hot chocolate. In Italy, hot chocolate is thick--almost like brownie batter...but better. We drank it almost every day, comparing each one to the one we had drunk previously. I got a lot of good pics, and I also shared pics with Marli--they should be uploaded by the end of the night. Italy also cultivated my love of churches and cathedrals, because all of them are magnificent in Italy. They are one of my favorite things to visit because I feel like a church is universal.
I know this entry is long and gets shorter at the end, but I hope you enjoy it, and I hope it isn't boring. Italy is a place I would go back to in a heartbeat. I wish I could have spent more time there.
December 12, Saturday
We flew to Rome in the afternoon, arriving in Rome around 5pm. It was my first time flying on Ryanair, the infamous cheap European airline. The plane was packed--and we hit turbulence, and the landing was quite bumpy. An interesting first experience to say the least. From the airport, we took a bus to the main Termini train station, where we then walked to our hostel. We stayed at a really nice hostel in Rome--the staff and other guests were all super friendly--and the staff was really helpful when we needed help. After checkin, we went to have some dinner. We all had pasta, and it was DElICIOUS. It was my first taste of Italian food in Italy--and already, I was hooked. During dinner, we planned out what we wanted to do each day. After dinner we decided to walk down to the Colosseum, so we could see it lit up at night. It was really beautiful, and I would recommend seeing it at night and during the day. Then we headed back to the hostel and got some much needed sleep.
December 13, Sunday
We slept in the next morning, and then we went to the Pantheon. Originally the Pantheon was a pagan temple, but it was converted into a Catholic church a long time ago. It was beautiful. It also is the where Raphael is buried. From there we went to Piazza Navona, a beautiful plaza with a large fountain. They also had a Christmas market going on there, so we took some time and walked around looking at all the goods and at the smiling families. After that we went to the Trevi Fountain, where we all threw in a coin, guaranteeing us a wish and a return trip to Rome. Before heading to the Spanish Steps, we stopped at a café and grabbed a panini. It was the best panini I ate during my time in Italy--with mozzarella and tomatoes and arugula...really good stuff. Then we saw the Spanish Steps and strolled in the Villa Borghese Gardens, walked in the Piazza del Popolo, and visited 2 Catholic churches. The first was my favorite church of the entire trip--called San Carlo al Corso. The inside was just amazing, breathtaking--it was beautiful. We also went to Santa Maria Maggiore, which was about 2 minutes from our hostel. Another beautiful church, it is where the sculptor, Bernini, is buried. That night we ate at our hostel--the staff cooked a meal for everyone who wanted it for 5 euro each. There was bruschetta and some smoked salmon with a sauce for appetizers, then pasta with a meat ragu for the main course, then homemade tiramisu for dessert. It was quite good. We stayed up talking to people for a while before going to bed.
December 14, Monday
We woke up early on Monday morning, since we had a date...with the Vatican! We had arranged a tour of the Vatican Museum before our trip, since we didn't want to wait in line. We took the metro from our hostel to the Vatican--strange thing about the subways in Rome...they are really quiet--not many people were talking at all. The Vatican Museum was amazing--there are so many paintings and sculptures and tapestries--I was thankful we had a tour guide to help lead us through everything. We ended our tour outside the Sistine Chapel where there was a small café. We had packed our own lunches to save some money--so we ate our lunch at this café before entering the Sistine Chapel. The Sistine Chapel was stunning. We stayed in there a long time just drinking it all in. They try to keep it silent in there, and there are no photos permitted. If you even pull out a camera, a guard (in uniform or in disguise) will stop you--if you succeed in taking a picture, he will escort you outside. Our tour guide had told us lots of things to look for in the Sistine Chapel. We also asked one of the guards where they put the chimney during conclave. We got to see the mark it made on the floor--it's a very historic place. Then we went into St. Peter's Basilica, which was huge. I cannot even describe how large it is when you first walk inside. It was very elaborate, and they were cleaning the alter while we were in there, preparing for the Christmas holidays. I'm strolling along in the basilica, when I suddenly I see a familiar face. It was my friend Rachel--who also goes to Luther and we were in choir together. She is spending the year in Nottingham with the Luther program, and she was on vacation too! It was nice to see a familiar face. After leaving the Vatican, we walked to where the Old Vatican was--and then walked back to our hostel, stopping at some shops and at a bar for some hot cocoa and coffee. We had a really great dinner that night too. We went to dinner at a tiny family run restaurant near the Piazza del Popolo. I have no idea what the name of the restaurant was, but the food was great. We were seated next to a group of Italians who gave us some recommendations for our food. Everything was really good.
December 15, Tuesday
We got a call on Monday night from our friend John, who had been with us in Valencia. His friend, Drew, had come to visit him in Valencia--and then they were planning on going to Rome and Amsterdam, and had landed in Rome on Monday afternoon, and they wanted to sight-see with us on Tuesday. We met up with John and Drew at the Colosseum. From the Colosseum, we visited Palatine Hill and the Roman Forum. We grabbed some pizza for lunch and then went to Scala Santa. Scala Santa (Holy Steps) is the set of stairs from Pontius Pilate's palace. Constantine's mother brought the stairs to Rome in the 4th century, and they are the steps that Jesus is said to have walked on several times the day of His crucifixion. It is a bit of a religious pilgrimage, and you have to climb up the steps (which are covered in wood) on your knees. Look it up on wikipedia for more info. We also went to the church of St. Peter in Chains--which houses the chains of St. Peter. Both were really neat places to visit.
December 16, Wednesday
We checked out of the hostel and took a train to Florence. It was a long train ride, but it was really beautiful watching the scenery change. When we arrived in Florence, we checked into our hotel and walked around a little bit. We had dinner at a restaurant the hotel staff had recommended and then spent the evening in our room with a movie. It was very cold and rainy/snowy outside, and we were just wanting to relax.
December 17, Thursday
We slept in and went to the Duomo. Then we went to the Galleria dell'Accademia, where Michelangelo's David is. Then we went to Ponte Vecchio, a famous bridge in Florence. We climbed up a big hill to an overlook of the city, which was breathtaking. Florence was beautiful and very academic. It had a much more relaxed pace of life compared to Rome. In the afternoon we went to a Christmas market near St. Croce church and later window shopped. We had dinner at Ciro & Sons, a restaurant recommended to me by family friends back home. Another delicious Italian meal.
December 18th, Friday
We went to the Palazzo Pitti, which was a Renaissance palace owned by the Medici Family. We visited the Palatina Gallery, Modern Art Gallery, and the Royal Apartments. After lunch, we strolled in the markets and did some shopping.
December 19th, Saturday
We checked out of the hotel and looked at some Christmas markets. Then we had some delicious hot cocoa before heading to the train station to go to Pisa. Overnight, snow had blanketed a lot of Italy (probably 1-2 inches in Florence) and it caused a transportation nightmare. All trains were delayed, and we waited over 2 hours for a train to Pisa. Normally there are 3 trains an hour to Pisa. The train was really full, but we made it to Pisa in the afternoon. We rested at our hotel for a while and explored a little bit of the city.
December 20th, Sunday
We went to the Leaning Tower and stayed there for a few hours. The Leaning Tower is located alongside the Duomo of Pisa--and it is a pretty big area. We sat in the sun and took a multitude of different pictures with the Leaning Tower, each photo getting a little more ridiculous. Then I headed to the airport and returned to Valencia that evening. My flight was delayed over 2 hours for weather--so I arrived back at my flat around 12:15 am....then I left my flat at 6:00 am to head back to the airport to go to Madrid to pick up my family.
----
Italy was a great trip. I loved everything about it. We had a very relaxed approach to the trip, which made it easier when we had delays or the weather was bad. We made a food checklist that first night in Rome which included pizza, pasta, panini, tiramisu, and gelato---we ate all of them...more than once. Also a great find in Italy was hot chocolate. In Italy, hot chocolate is thick--almost like brownie batter...but better. We drank it almost every day, comparing each one to the one we had drunk previously. I got a lot of good pics, and I also shared pics with Marli--they should be uploaded by the end of the night. Italy also cultivated my love of churches and cathedrals, because all of them are magnificent in Italy. They are one of my favorite things to visit because I feel like a church is universal.
I know this entry is long and gets shorter at the end, but I hope you enjoy it, and I hope it isn't boring. Italy is a place I would go back to in a heartbeat. I wish I could have spent more time there.
Thursday, January 7, 2010
Thought to ponder.
In Europe, I am considered blonde.
This does not make sense to me.
It all started when I got my hair cut, and the hairstylist told me I was blonde. Since then I have been called blonde many many times--in Morocco, Italy, and now in Germany. How am I a blonde here???
This does not make sense to me.
It all started when I got my hair cut, and the hairstylist told me I was blonde. Since then I have been called blonde many many times--in Morocco, Italy, and now in Germany. How am I a blonde here???
Current status: in Germany
So currently, I am in Germany. This is going to be a quick little post with some updates...but expect major bloggage come next week when I return to Valencia. I get back on Sunday afternoon. So why exactly am I in Germany?? Well it all started way back in December when I was trying to figure out what to do for New Years. My parents were going to be returning to the United States on the 31st, which would leave me in Paris. So I had 2 options--return to Valencia or find somewhere else. I did some thinking and figured it would be the perfect opportunity to visit my friend Paul Dijkzeul in Hamburg. He was a foreign exchange student at DC-G my junior year, and we got to be really good friends. He had invited me to come stay with him whenever I wanted, and he thought it was a great idea for me to come for New Years. So on the 31st, my parents left for the US, and I went to Hamburg, Germany. The flights were relatively uneventful..people kept trying to speak German to me or French, and I did not understand either of those languages. I was waiting at the baggage claim for my bag, knowing that just beyond the gates were mass of people and that one of them would be waiting for me. I enjoyed this fact, because most of the time there is no one waiting for me on the other side. I was pleased with this thought and humming a song in my head when I felt a tap on my shoulder...and there was Paul! It was great to see him, since it had been over 2 years since we last saw each other--plus I was shocked since the area I was in was a secure area, only passengers allowed. So somehow he had found a way to get down there without getting in trouble, and he successfully scared me. So I was in Hamburg from the 31st until the morning of the 5th. I will go into what I did there when I return to Valencia. Then on the 5th I came to Berlin, which is where I am now. I visited the city and saw a lot of neat things--all of which I will talk about later when I return to Valencia. As for right now, I am sitting in my hostel, waiting for my train to a small town outside of Hannover. Why am I going to this town?? Because I have relatives there! I am very German (in fact, I am more German than Paul is), and I still have some very distant relatives who live in the town Neustadt am Rübenberge and run a hotel...the Hotel Scheve. Scheve is my maternal great-grandmother's maiden name. So I am related...I have my Scheve family history book at home. Being able to stay at the hotel is a big deal for me--I have wanted to stay here since I found out about it. It is even included in my list of 100 goals I had to make my sophomore year of high school in English II with Mrs. Berkeley. That is where I am going today...then tomorrow afternoon I will return to Hamburg and leave for Valencia on Sunday the 10th. I will write all about my trips (Italy, family, and Germany) when I return and also post the multitude of photos I have taken. All for now. Hope you all are having a great year so far!!!
Friday, December 25, 2009
Merry Christmas
Just a quick post.
Family arrived on Monday afternoon after a long delay at the Heathrow due to the weather in Madrid. They escaped the US before the storm hit in the east. We were in Madrid until yesterday morning and arrived in Valencia around 3 by train. We're seeing lots of things--and they are taking a TON of pictures. Hopefully I can get one of them to write up a post tomorrow night. Merry Christmas to all!!!!
p.s. Italy was great too--look for a blog on that later!!
Family arrived on Monday afternoon after a long delay at the Heathrow due to the weather in Madrid. They escaped the US before the storm hit in the east. We were in Madrid until yesterday morning and arrived in Valencia around 3 by train. We're seeing lots of things--and they are taking a TON of pictures. Hopefully I can get one of them to write up a post tomorrow night. Merry Christmas to all!!!!
p.s. Italy was great too--look for a blog on that later!!
Friday, December 11, 2009
Viaje a Marruecos (Trip to Morocco)
**This blog entry is incredibly long. It will be necessary to sit down with some coffee/hot cocoa/eggnog and Christmas cookies in order to read in one sitting!**
On Wednesday, I returned to Valencia after a week long trip to Morocco.
Simply put, the trip was indescribable. In fact, the whole trip feels like a dream. I still can’t understand how it is real and that I saw and experienced all the things that I did. It was a truly unique experience, and it is a trip that I never imagined taking. The experiences that I had there already have left a lasting impression in my mind. It’s hard to me to write about everything—but I will give it a try. Words can’t really describe it—and the pictures don’t do it justice. (The pictures are up—you NEED to look at them)
A quick rundown of our time in Morocco. We left Sevilla, Spain on Thursday morning at like 4 am—taking a bus to the Straight of Gibraltar—then taking a ferry—then getting back on the bus and going to Fes. We stayed in Fes on Thursday and Friday nights. On Friday we toured the Medina and also saw a folklore show. On Saturday, we got back in the bus and drove to Erfoud. Once we arrived in Erfoud, we took Jeeps (4x4s) into the Sahara Desert. We spent Saturday and Sunday nights in the desert. On Sunday we rode camels, climbed sand dunes, and visited a little town. On Monday, we went back to Erfoud, then took the bus to Meknes. We spent that night in Meknes, and on Tuesday, we returned to Sevilla. I spent Tuesday night at a hostel in Sevilla with all the Valencia people who went—then I flew back to Valencia on Wednesday afternoon.
There were about 60 kids on the trip from the Barcelona, Santander, and Valencia ISA programs. There were 9 of us from Valencia---me, Marli, Jessica, Val, Rosy, Maddy, Nikki, John, and Andrew. There were 2 from Santander, and the rest were from Barcelona. ISA has 3 separate programs in Barcelona, and they are all really big (100+ kids in 2 of the programs). Of the 3 Valencia ISA directors, our head director, Manuel, accompanied us on the trip. Now a little bit about the trip itself.
Fes
We arrived in Fes after a very long day of traveling. After dinner the first night, I went out to walk around with some people. There were 4 guys and 5 girls in our group. Walking around Fes, we were stared at a lot because we were girls out walking at night. I think it’s probably important to say that Fes is the religious capital of Morocco, so they are very conservative there. Almost all the women have their heads covered when they are out, and they do not walk around at night. I felt somewhat awkward that night walking around, because we got so many strange expressions from people. Walking past cafes, all the people inside were men. It was my first time really seeing Muslim culture, and it was an interesting experience.
On Friday we went to the Medina in Fes. The Medina is basically a giant market place. The older walled city in Fes where the Medina is a UNESCO World Heritage site, and the Medina is believed to be the world’s largest contiguous car-free urban area. There are no cars in the Medina—they use donkeys and carts to move things around. The streets of the Medina are very narrow, and it is incredibly easy to get lost in the Medina. I almost felt like I was stepping into a different time period. We stopped at a few main shops in the Medina. Our first stop was at a Pharmacy/Apothecary. The pharmacist was the 5th generation in his family to run the pharmacy. It was not your traditional pharmacy, it dealt more with herbs and oils than with pills. We got to try our a lot of things….lipstick made from hemlock, different essential oils (jasmine, white musk, rose), spices (saffron, cinnamon, cumin), and some special items that were supposed to cure ailments. There was this one mix that was supposed to get rid of your allergies, stop a cold, stop you from snoring, and improve your health—just by smelling it. We all got a little whiff of it, and it burned when you smelled it! Then we also went to tannery. The tannery was fascinating because they dyed the leather there too—standing on one of the balconies, we looked over this vast field filled with stone vats that were filled with dye. We were given fresh mint at the door to help with the smell—as a lot of the dyes are made from odd substances, like camel pee. It did smell quite bad there. There were many different types of skins—camel, sheep, goat, cow, etc. We also went to a Moroccan rug shop where they displayed 20 plus rugs for us as a group before taking us in smaller groups to other rooms and trying to get us to buy rugs. All day we were told that we would get the “special student price.” At the rug shop, our personal salesman told us that a small rug (roughly 5x3) would cost us 350 US dollars. But they liked to barter, and by the time we were leaving the room, we had got him down to 2 rugs for 100 US dollars. I was seriously tempted when he made that last offer, but I decided against it. After a lunch of couscous and oranges, we went to a fabric shop where they sold bedlinens and turbans and scarfs and fabric for all sorts of things. All the fabric was high quality and handmade, so the items were a little pricy. It was neat though to see how everything was being made. Then we went to a ceramic shop and got to see how they made some mosaics. We saw a lot of things and by the time we got back to the hotel, we were exhausted. That night we went to a folklore show. There was music, belly dancing, and a magician…and it was a lot of fun. During one part of the night, we looked over and saw Manuel (our director) talking with someone and pointing at all of us. A few minutes later, a woman came and took John and Nikki away. Then they appeared a while later sporting traditional Moroccan wedding clothes, and they were paraded around the room. It was quite funny.
The Sahara Desert
Being in the desert was my favorite part of the trip. We arrived at dusk and weren’t really able to see much. After dinner, we bundled up (as it was very very cold) and headed out to look at the stars. We climbed the sand dunes and watched the stars—then we got to see the moon rise. The next morning we were awoken to watch the sunrise. I didn’t want to miss it, so I quickly put on my shoes and walked out of the tent. We hiked up a lot of dunes before we sat to watch the sunrise—it was a little exhausted because just minutes before I had been sound asleep! The sunrise was beautiful. It had brightened up and then the sun slowly came over the dunes in the distance. It was so beautiful. That day after breakfast, the camels arrived at camp. We went out riding on camels to a giant dune, which we proceeded to climb (without the camels—they rested down below). The view from the top of the giant dune was breaktaking. I could see for miles and miles, and it was just peaceful. It was a place that I never could have imagined. Riding on the camels was a lot of fun. Marli and I shared a camel and named her “Nona.” We aren’t really sure if Nona was a boy or a girl, but we say she was a girl. It was a little bumpy at times, especially when you first got on. When we got on Nona, she was laying on the ground—then once we were sitting, they had her stand up. She gets her back legs up first—so for a minute or two, we were at a 45 degree angle looking at the ground (a little scary)—then she would get up on her front feet as well. We visited a small town nearby and had the afternoon to ourselves to play and enjoy the desert. It was a lot of fun. That night I watched the stars again. The stars were the best stars I had ever seen—and the greatest quantity of stars as well. I’m going to write a little bit more about that experience later.
Bus Rides and Meknes
After our time in the desert, we went to Meknes. We just spent the night there, but I did walk the streets with some friends that night. It was similar to Fes being that all the cafes were filled with men—but the city was more modern and not so conservative religiously. I really didn’t get to see much there, but it was a nice stop. As for the bus, it was practically our second home for the trip because we were on the bus a lot. I was very thankful for Dramamine because the drivers sometimes went a little fast around some sharp turns and the roads were a little bumpy.
A Little Reflection
So that’s all I’m really going to write about Morocco—feel free to ask me question—just email/facebook me. My experience was very unique, and I did a lot of thinking on the trip. That second night in the desert when I was looking at the stars, I had a bit of a revelation that doesn’t quite make sense.
I’ve been abroad now for over 3 months. In that time I’ve been in Spain, Greece, and now Morocco. In this time, the world has started to appear a lot smaller to me. I no longer feel that the world is very big. I feel like I have the capability to go anywhere. There are different cultures and lifestyles and many different places, but it just doesn’t seem so big any more. I feel like I have more significance in the world. But then in Morocco, I laid on a sand dune and saw more stars than I’ve ever seen in my life, and frankly, I’ve never felt smaller and more insignificant than in that moment. Looking up at the stars made Earth feel small because there is so much out there—so much unknown. It was a very odd feeling, and I don’t quite understand all of these thoughts right now. But with time, I probably will start to understand more.
My whole trip thus far (since I’ve been in Spain) just feels a bit like a dream, like it isn’t real. I’ve done so many things—things that I never imagined doing. Some days I wonder how it is possible for me to do this for a year—because it is school, but at the same time, it is so much more. I’ve immersed myself in a different culture, had to adapt to using a different language, traveled to unknown places, etc. I know that I’m very blessed and lucky to have this opportunity. It just doesn’t quite make sense in my head right now.
----
I’m going to end this blog entry here. My blog entries will be a little sporadic over the upcoming month. I’ve been on Christmas vacation since December 2, and I do not start class again until January 18th. I will be traveling to Italy, France, Germany, and Norway during that time—as well as traveling in Spain with my family. Maybe you’ll see a guest blog entry from my mom, dad, or brother….who knows!?!? Feel free to email me with any questions or thoughts—I really love hearing from everyone. All for now.
On Wednesday, I returned to Valencia after a week long trip to Morocco.
Simply put, the trip was indescribable. In fact, the whole trip feels like a dream. I still can’t understand how it is real and that I saw and experienced all the things that I did. It was a truly unique experience, and it is a trip that I never imagined taking. The experiences that I had there already have left a lasting impression in my mind. It’s hard to me to write about everything—but I will give it a try. Words can’t really describe it—and the pictures don’t do it justice. (The pictures are up—you NEED to look at them)
A quick rundown of our time in Morocco. We left Sevilla, Spain on Thursday morning at like 4 am—taking a bus to the Straight of Gibraltar—then taking a ferry—then getting back on the bus and going to Fes. We stayed in Fes on Thursday and Friday nights. On Friday we toured the Medina and also saw a folklore show. On Saturday, we got back in the bus and drove to Erfoud. Once we arrived in Erfoud, we took Jeeps (4x4s) into the Sahara Desert. We spent Saturday and Sunday nights in the desert. On Sunday we rode camels, climbed sand dunes, and visited a little town. On Monday, we went back to Erfoud, then took the bus to Meknes. We spent that night in Meknes, and on Tuesday, we returned to Sevilla. I spent Tuesday night at a hostel in Sevilla with all the Valencia people who went—then I flew back to Valencia on Wednesday afternoon.
There were about 60 kids on the trip from the Barcelona, Santander, and Valencia ISA programs. There were 9 of us from Valencia---me, Marli, Jessica, Val, Rosy, Maddy, Nikki, John, and Andrew. There were 2 from Santander, and the rest were from Barcelona. ISA has 3 separate programs in Barcelona, and they are all really big (100+ kids in 2 of the programs). Of the 3 Valencia ISA directors, our head director, Manuel, accompanied us on the trip. Now a little bit about the trip itself.
Fes
We arrived in Fes after a very long day of traveling. After dinner the first night, I went out to walk around with some people. There were 4 guys and 5 girls in our group. Walking around Fes, we were stared at a lot because we were girls out walking at night. I think it’s probably important to say that Fes is the religious capital of Morocco, so they are very conservative there. Almost all the women have their heads covered when they are out, and they do not walk around at night. I felt somewhat awkward that night walking around, because we got so many strange expressions from people. Walking past cafes, all the people inside were men. It was my first time really seeing Muslim culture, and it was an interesting experience.
On Friday we went to the Medina in Fes. The Medina is basically a giant market place. The older walled city in Fes where the Medina is a UNESCO World Heritage site, and the Medina is believed to be the world’s largest contiguous car-free urban area. There are no cars in the Medina—they use donkeys and carts to move things around. The streets of the Medina are very narrow, and it is incredibly easy to get lost in the Medina. I almost felt like I was stepping into a different time period. We stopped at a few main shops in the Medina. Our first stop was at a Pharmacy/Apothecary. The pharmacist was the 5th generation in his family to run the pharmacy. It was not your traditional pharmacy, it dealt more with herbs and oils than with pills. We got to try our a lot of things….lipstick made from hemlock, different essential oils (jasmine, white musk, rose), spices (saffron, cinnamon, cumin), and some special items that were supposed to cure ailments. There was this one mix that was supposed to get rid of your allergies, stop a cold, stop you from snoring, and improve your health—just by smelling it. We all got a little whiff of it, and it burned when you smelled it! Then we also went to tannery. The tannery was fascinating because they dyed the leather there too—standing on one of the balconies, we looked over this vast field filled with stone vats that were filled with dye. We were given fresh mint at the door to help with the smell—as a lot of the dyes are made from odd substances, like camel pee. It did smell quite bad there. There were many different types of skins—camel, sheep, goat, cow, etc. We also went to a Moroccan rug shop where they displayed 20 plus rugs for us as a group before taking us in smaller groups to other rooms and trying to get us to buy rugs. All day we were told that we would get the “special student price.” At the rug shop, our personal salesman told us that a small rug (roughly 5x3) would cost us 350 US dollars. But they liked to barter, and by the time we were leaving the room, we had got him down to 2 rugs for 100 US dollars. I was seriously tempted when he made that last offer, but I decided against it. After a lunch of couscous and oranges, we went to a fabric shop where they sold bedlinens and turbans and scarfs and fabric for all sorts of things. All the fabric was high quality and handmade, so the items were a little pricy. It was neat though to see how everything was being made. Then we went to a ceramic shop and got to see how they made some mosaics. We saw a lot of things and by the time we got back to the hotel, we were exhausted. That night we went to a folklore show. There was music, belly dancing, and a magician…and it was a lot of fun. During one part of the night, we looked over and saw Manuel (our director) talking with someone and pointing at all of us. A few minutes later, a woman came and took John and Nikki away. Then they appeared a while later sporting traditional Moroccan wedding clothes, and they were paraded around the room. It was quite funny.
The Sahara Desert
Being in the desert was my favorite part of the trip. We arrived at dusk and weren’t really able to see much. After dinner, we bundled up (as it was very very cold) and headed out to look at the stars. We climbed the sand dunes and watched the stars—then we got to see the moon rise. The next morning we were awoken to watch the sunrise. I didn’t want to miss it, so I quickly put on my shoes and walked out of the tent. We hiked up a lot of dunes before we sat to watch the sunrise—it was a little exhausted because just minutes before I had been sound asleep! The sunrise was beautiful. It had brightened up and then the sun slowly came over the dunes in the distance. It was so beautiful. That day after breakfast, the camels arrived at camp. We went out riding on camels to a giant dune, which we proceeded to climb (without the camels—they rested down below). The view from the top of the giant dune was breaktaking. I could see for miles and miles, and it was just peaceful. It was a place that I never could have imagined. Riding on the camels was a lot of fun. Marli and I shared a camel and named her “Nona.” We aren’t really sure if Nona was a boy or a girl, but we say she was a girl. It was a little bumpy at times, especially when you first got on. When we got on Nona, she was laying on the ground—then once we were sitting, they had her stand up. She gets her back legs up first—so for a minute or two, we were at a 45 degree angle looking at the ground (a little scary)—then she would get up on her front feet as well. We visited a small town nearby and had the afternoon to ourselves to play and enjoy the desert. It was a lot of fun. That night I watched the stars again. The stars were the best stars I had ever seen—and the greatest quantity of stars as well. I’m going to write a little bit more about that experience later.
Bus Rides and Meknes
After our time in the desert, we went to Meknes. We just spent the night there, but I did walk the streets with some friends that night. It was similar to Fes being that all the cafes were filled with men—but the city was more modern and not so conservative religiously. I really didn’t get to see much there, but it was a nice stop. As for the bus, it was practically our second home for the trip because we were on the bus a lot. I was very thankful for Dramamine because the drivers sometimes went a little fast around some sharp turns and the roads were a little bumpy.
A Little Reflection
So that’s all I’m really going to write about Morocco—feel free to ask me question—just email/facebook me. My experience was very unique, and I did a lot of thinking on the trip. That second night in the desert when I was looking at the stars, I had a bit of a revelation that doesn’t quite make sense.
I’ve been abroad now for over 3 months. In that time I’ve been in Spain, Greece, and now Morocco. In this time, the world has started to appear a lot smaller to me. I no longer feel that the world is very big. I feel like I have the capability to go anywhere. There are different cultures and lifestyles and many different places, but it just doesn’t seem so big any more. I feel like I have more significance in the world. But then in Morocco, I laid on a sand dune and saw more stars than I’ve ever seen in my life, and frankly, I’ve never felt smaller and more insignificant than in that moment. Looking up at the stars made Earth feel small because there is so much out there—so much unknown. It was a very odd feeling, and I don’t quite understand all of these thoughts right now. But with time, I probably will start to understand more.
My whole trip thus far (since I’ve been in Spain) just feels a bit like a dream, like it isn’t real. I’ve done so many things—things that I never imagined doing. Some days I wonder how it is possible for me to do this for a year—because it is school, but at the same time, it is so much more. I’ve immersed myself in a different culture, had to adapt to using a different language, traveled to unknown places, etc. I know that I’m very blessed and lucky to have this opportunity. It just doesn’t quite make sense in my head right now.
----
I’m going to end this blog entry here. My blog entries will be a little sporadic over the upcoming month. I’ve been on Christmas vacation since December 2, and I do not start class again until January 18th. I will be traveling to Italy, France, Germany, and Norway during that time—as well as traveling in Spain with my family. Maybe you’ll see a guest blog entry from my mom, dad, or brother….who knows!?!? Feel free to email me with any questions or thoughts—I really love hearing from everyone. All for now.
Sunday, November 29, 2009
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