This is from the SAS website:
SUMMER 2008: MV EXPLORER TO CALL ON ALEXANDRIA, EGYPT INSTEAD OF ISTANBUL, TURKEY
Monday, July 28 1:30 p.m. (eastern) Following extensive consultation today with officials at the U.S. Embassy in Istanbul, the Overseas Advisory Council, ASI Group (our global risk management service), V-Ships (our ship�s management service), and the onboard senior leadership team (Captain Jeremy Kingston and Executive Dean Jill Wright), and consistent with the Semester at Sea commitment to the health and safety of our participants, the Institute for Shipboard Education senior management team in Charlottesville, Virginia has decided that the Summer 2008 voyage will not call on Istanbul, Turkey. The MV Explorer will now call on Alexandria, Egypt (pending confirmation of a berth). Anticipated arrival to Alexandria is Wednesday, July 30 at 0800. A field program is being developed and will be made available tomorrow for participants to consider. Please continue to check this site for further information as it becomes available.
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
WE'RE GOING TO EGYPT!!!!! SO EXCITED!!!
Monday, July 28, 2008
TURKEY
So, just as I was putting up the last blog, our Executive Dean Jill Wright made the announcement that We ARE NOT GOING TO TURKEY. We don't know where the ship is being re routed to...I'll find out soon.
More Thoughts on Italia
At the moment, my mind is wrapped around whether or not we will go to Turkey. In about an hour, we're due to find out. But I must write more about my experiences in Italy, before I forget the details.
First of all, Italy felt like the beginning of an entirely different trip. Perhaps the weather had a strong influence, or maybe it was my monster of a cold that affected my state of mind, but Italy was completely separate from the Europe we've encountered this past month. Of course, anyone can guess that would be the case. And honestly, I felt much more at home. The Mediterranean lifestyle is one very familiar to me, and although Italy is not Greece, Naples and the Amalfi coast felt like a next door neighbor. Much more recognizable to me than say, the countries of Scandinavia. The spirit of the people and the liveliness of the city was refreshing and vitalizing. Naples itself was a city with a distinct personality, one very different from those we’ve already visited. If I could compare it to one, it would be St. Petersburg. But that really is more a result of the same high levels of crime. Crime was a big issue for us SASers and many were victims of pickpockets. I took the fewest amount of pictures in Naples because we were advised to not show our cameras. It was quite a disappointment not to photograph the streets! It is true that they weren’t well maintained and dirty, but they were intriguing nonetheless. Neapolitans seemed proud of their city, despite its numerous problems. It was an extremely busy place, and walking around felt like a whirlwind. I’ve already mentioned the traffic but let me just reiterate how much it affected our stay. Between the crime rates and the traffic, my sightseeing in Naples was quite limited. Not to mention the incessant attention from males…that is a whole other story. But despite all of this, I wanted to know Naples, to see as much as possible. I only wish I could have met more locals to show me around. But on my own, and even with SASers, I felt restricted. It was not like Russia where we felt unwelcome…quite the contrary, the Italians embraced our presence. But there were too many distractions that prevented us from truly enjoying the city. Without a doubt, it is a place I would love to return to, to see all the things I couldn’t. So, my lasting impressions of Naples, many of which I already wrote about include:
1. The intensity of the traffic
2. Crime
3. Vespas:
What an interesting change it was to go from countries where the bike is ubiquitous to an area where the vespa dominated the scene. I don’t think I saw one person riding a bike during my stay in Italy, and honestly, I would be terrified to in Napoli. But I would see as many as three people on one vespa! Even children sitting in front of their parents!
4. Trash:
Yes, there is still trash everywhere in Naples. Rubbish all over the streets. Some places seemed better than others, but for the most part, the city was pretty dirty.
5. Gender relations:
On the streets of Naples, I had the most interesting experiences as a female than in any other port we’ve visited. It was here that I received more attention from men than I probably have in my life. Never before had I felt so watched as if I were an old relic on display in a museum. Men of all ages would stop and spend two minutes of their life watching me pass. One would think there are more important things to do than watch females cross streets, but in Italy, this appeared to be a common pastime for males. And yet, only part of the time I felt violated, in a sense. Even that is much too strong a word. The majority of the time I would even smile back at the men and say “ciao” in return. It was the first time ever that I actually waved to a car that beeped at me. In the States, I am always slightly annoyed at car honks or even prolonged stares but here, I did not feel uncomfortable. In the other countries, I had similar feelings of resentment (like, why are you looking at me? Stop!). But in Italy, I only had a few moments with these reactions. But why? What was it that made me react differently here in Italy, with the absolute most attention than in other places? Could it have been because it was so ubiquitous that I had gotten used to it? Perhaps. Maybe more so, it was due to the lively, easy going, generally upbeat atmosphere that exists in southern Italy. I never felt threatened in any case, but maybe it was because as an outsider, I felt a little safer…which shouldn’t make any sense but I almost had a protective shield around me…knowing that I would never see these men again and that I wouldn’t pass their way twice. There was also a much greater familiarity with the female body. All throughout my travels in Italy, not simply in Naples, there was a preoccupation with the erotic, even in the small towns. Pictures of bare breasted women would be on the walls of a shop selling gelato. There were porn movies adjacent to stalls selling newspapers. As a woman, I did not feel any sense of shame or embarrassment…it was quite the contrary…because this seemed more like an appreciation of the female body, maybe even a celebration. And it was a rejuvenating change. Because I did not feel that behind all the attention I received, there were crude, vulgar thoughts running around in the minds of the men, which was relieving.
However, this was not the case all of the time, and it must be noted. On the last day, I walked alone in the morning throughout Naples to do some last minute sightseeing, and I was wearing a rather short dress that seemed to attract a lot of attention. Honestly, I felt like a prostitute. It was early morning, and there were not many women around, which made it all the more worse. Almost every person I passed was an older male who would stop what they were doing to watch me walk past them. Being alone, I never talked to any men except when I was purchasing something and made it a point to wear my sunglasses…I don’t know, there’s something about keeping my eyes hidden that always makes me feel better. In that morning, there is no question I felt extremely uncomfortable. There was even a moment where an Italian woman walking towards me said something to me, that appeared to be negative and directed towards my choice of dress…so I leave Italy with two completely different experiences.
First of all, Italy felt like the beginning of an entirely different trip. Perhaps the weather had a strong influence, or maybe it was my monster of a cold that affected my state of mind, but Italy was completely separate from the Europe we've encountered this past month. Of course, anyone can guess that would be the case. And honestly, I felt much more at home. The Mediterranean lifestyle is one very familiar to me, and although Italy is not Greece, Naples and the Amalfi coast felt like a next door neighbor. Much more recognizable to me than say, the countries of Scandinavia. The spirit of the people and the liveliness of the city was refreshing and vitalizing. Naples itself was a city with a distinct personality, one very different from those we’ve already visited. If I could compare it to one, it would be St. Petersburg. But that really is more a result of the same high levels of crime. Crime was a big issue for us SASers and many were victims of pickpockets. I took the fewest amount of pictures in Naples because we were advised to not show our cameras. It was quite a disappointment not to photograph the streets! It is true that they weren’t well maintained and dirty, but they were intriguing nonetheless. Neapolitans seemed proud of their city, despite its numerous problems. It was an extremely busy place, and walking around felt like a whirlwind. I’ve already mentioned the traffic but let me just reiterate how much it affected our stay. Between the crime rates and the traffic, my sightseeing in Naples was quite limited. Not to mention the incessant attention from males…that is a whole other story. But despite all of this, I wanted to know Naples, to see as much as possible. I only wish I could have met more locals to show me around. But on my own, and even with SASers, I felt restricted. It was not like Russia where we felt unwelcome…quite the contrary, the Italians embraced our presence. But there were too many distractions that prevented us from truly enjoying the city. Without a doubt, it is a place I would love to return to, to see all the things I couldn’t. So, my lasting impressions of Naples, many of which I already wrote about include:
1. The intensity of the traffic
2. Crime
3. Vespas:
What an interesting change it was to go from countries where the bike is ubiquitous to an area where the vespa dominated the scene. I don’t think I saw one person riding a bike during my stay in Italy, and honestly, I would be terrified to in Napoli. But I would see as many as three people on one vespa! Even children sitting in front of their parents!
4. Trash:
Yes, there is still trash everywhere in Naples. Rubbish all over the streets. Some places seemed better than others, but for the most part, the city was pretty dirty.
5. Gender relations:
On the streets of Naples, I had the most interesting experiences as a female than in any other port we’ve visited. It was here that I received more attention from men than I probably have in my life. Never before had I felt so watched as if I were an old relic on display in a museum. Men of all ages would stop and spend two minutes of their life watching me pass. One would think there are more important things to do than watch females cross streets, but in Italy, this appeared to be a common pastime for males. And yet, only part of the time I felt violated, in a sense. Even that is much too strong a word. The majority of the time I would even smile back at the men and say “ciao” in return. It was the first time ever that I actually waved to a car that beeped at me. In the States, I am always slightly annoyed at car honks or even prolonged stares but here, I did not feel uncomfortable. In the other countries, I had similar feelings of resentment (like, why are you looking at me? Stop!). But in Italy, I only had a few moments with these reactions. But why? What was it that made me react differently here in Italy, with the absolute most attention than in other places? Could it have been because it was so ubiquitous that I had gotten used to it? Perhaps. Maybe more so, it was due to the lively, easy going, generally upbeat atmosphere that exists in southern Italy. I never felt threatened in any case, but maybe it was because as an outsider, I felt a little safer…which shouldn’t make any sense but I almost had a protective shield around me…knowing that I would never see these men again and that I wouldn’t pass their way twice. There was also a much greater familiarity with the female body. All throughout my travels in Italy, not simply in Naples, there was a preoccupation with the erotic, even in the small towns. Pictures of bare breasted women would be on the walls of a shop selling gelato. There were porn movies adjacent to stalls selling newspapers. As a woman, I did not feel any sense of shame or embarrassment…it was quite the contrary…because this seemed more like an appreciation of the female body, maybe even a celebration. And it was a rejuvenating change. Because I did not feel that behind all the attention I received, there were crude, vulgar thoughts running around in the minds of the men, which was relieving.
However, this was not the case all of the time, and it must be noted. On the last day, I walked alone in the morning throughout Naples to do some last minute sightseeing, and I was wearing a rather short dress that seemed to attract a lot of attention. Honestly, I felt like a prostitute. It was early morning, and there were not many women around, which made it all the more worse. Almost every person I passed was an older male who would stop what they were doing to watch me walk past them. Being alone, I never talked to any men except when I was purchasing something and made it a point to wear my sunglasses…I don’t know, there’s something about keeping my eyes hidden that always makes me feel better. In that morning, there is no question I felt extremely uncomfortable. There was even a moment where an Italian woman walking towards me said something to me, that appeared to be negative and directed towards my choice of dress…so I leave Italy with two completely different experiences.
Turkey???
We recieved word this morning that there was a terrorist attack in a neighborhood in Istanbul, killing 15 people and wounding many more. At this moment we are unsure of whether or not we're still going to Turkey...if you remember earlier this month there was an attack at the consulate but this is much worse...I've copied and pasted an article from the NY Times for you all to read...we won't know what happens for awhile...but its quite possible that we will change course...
Bombs Kill 15 in a Crowded Istanbul Neighborhood
By SEBNEM ARSU
Published: July 28, 2008
ISTANBUL — Two bombs exploded within minutes of each other late Sunday in a crowded pedestrian area of Istanbul, killing at least 16 people and wounding more than 150 in what the city’s governor called a terrorist attack.
The double bombing appeared to be the worst case of terrorist violence in Turkey in nearly five years and seemed to take the Turkish authorities by surprise. There were no immediate claims of responsibility, although Kurdish separatist militants were initially suspected.
Residents in buildings near the explosion sites hung Turkish flags from their windows and balconies in reaction to rumors that the separatists were responsible.
There was no obvious reason the Istanbul neighborhood that was bombed, which is almost completely residential, had been the object of a terrorism plot.
The first blast, which the police and witnesses said was relatively minor, attracted scores of onlookers curious about the commotion, with at least some of them thinking it was caused by a gas leak explosion. Many of the onlookers were then hit by flying shrapnel and debris in the second, more powerful blast about 10 minutes after the first and about 20 yards away, the governor of Istanbul, Muammer Guler, said in a news briefing broadcast by Turkish television.
Witnesses described a scene of panic with victims lying on the street in pools of blood. The bombings seemed timed to exploit the summer pastime of many residents of the pedestrian area of Gungoren, in central Istanbul, to stroll in the cool late evening before going to bed.
“It’s surely a terror attack, there’s no doubt,” Governor Guler said. “Because people were gathered after the first explosion, and because the second explosion happened right after, people sitting right across got severely injured.”
Senol Simsek, a witness who provided first aid to the wounded, told the NTV television network that he had seen at least five people lying and writhing near a telephone booth that was destroyed. The police quickly sealed off the entire area and closed it to all traffic.
Hayati Yazici, deputy prime minister who happened to be visiting Istanbul on Sunday, visited the bombing site and told the Anatolian News Agency: “It is obvious that this is the work of a villain organization, a person or people, however it is not certain as to who this is. Our friends are investigating, it will be discovered for sure.”
The double bombing appeared to be the most serious terrorist attack here since twin truck bombings at two Istanbul synagogues killed 23 people and wounded more than 300 on Nov. 15, 2003. An obscure group linked to Al Qaeda took responsibility for the synagogue blasts, which were the worst in a series of explosions blamed on Islamic extremist groups that year that killed more than 60 people.
President Abdullah Gul, in a written statement, denounced the attack here Sunday and said Turkey remained committed in what he called the struggle against terrorism. “Nothing can be achieved by terror, violently claiming lives of the innocent,” Mr. Gul said. “These attacks show the inhumanity and misery of the assailants.”
Officials were continuing investigations and analysis at both explosion sites to determine the precise cause and motives behind the attack, Turkish news organizations reported.
There was initial speculation that the bombings might have been the work of the P.K.K., or Kurdistan Workers’ Party, an insurgent group that has been fighting the Turkish Army for autonomy in the southeast area of the country adjoining Iraq.
Earlier Sunday, the Turkish military announced that its fighter jets had attacked 12 Kurdish separatist targets in Iraq’s Qandil region and that it had inflicted an unspecified number of “terrorist casualties.”
Lynsey Addario contributed reporting.
Bombs Kill 15 in a Crowded Istanbul Neighborhood
By SEBNEM ARSU
Published: July 28, 2008
ISTANBUL — Two bombs exploded within minutes of each other late Sunday in a crowded pedestrian area of Istanbul, killing at least 16 people and wounding more than 150 in what the city’s governor called a terrorist attack.
The double bombing appeared to be the worst case of terrorist violence in Turkey in nearly five years and seemed to take the Turkish authorities by surprise. There were no immediate claims of responsibility, although Kurdish separatist militants were initially suspected.
Residents in buildings near the explosion sites hung Turkish flags from their windows and balconies in reaction to rumors that the separatists were responsible.
There was no obvious reason the Istanbul neighborhood that was bombed, which is almost completely residential, had been the object of a terrorism plot.
The first blast, which the police and witnesses said was relatively minor, attracted scores of onlookers curious about the commotion, with at least some of them thinking it was caused by a gas leak explosion. Many of the onlookers were then hit by flying shrapnel and debris in the second, more powerful blast about 10 minutes after the first and about 20 yards away, the governor of Istanbul, Muammer Guler, said in a news briefing broadcast by Turkish television.
Witnesses described a scene of panic with victims lying on the street in pools of blood. The bombings seemed timed to exploit the summer pastime of many residents of the pedestrian area of Gungoren, in central Istanbul, to stroll in the cool late evening before going to bed.
“It’s surely a terror attack, there’s no doubt,” Governor Guler said. “Because people were gathered after the first explosion, and because the second explosion happened right after, people sitting right across got severely injured.”
Senol Simsek, a witness who provided first aid to the wounded, told the NTV television network that he had seen at least five people lying and writhing near a telephone booth that was destroyed. The police quickly sealed off the entire area and closed it to all traffic.
Hayati Yazici, deputy prime minister who happened to be visiting Istanbul on Sunday, visited the bombing site and told the Anatolian News Agency: “It is obvious that this is the work of a villain organization, a person or people, however it is not certain as to who this is. Our friends are investigating, it will be discovered for sure.”
The double bombing appeared to be the most serious terrorist attack here since twin truck bombings at two Istanbul synagogues killed 23 people and wounded more than 300 on Nov. 15, 2003. An obscure group linked to Al Qaeda took responsibility for the synagogue blasts, which were the worst in a series of explosions blamed on Islamic extremist groups that year that killed more than 60 people.
President Abdullah Gul, in a written statement, denounced the attack here Sunday and said Turkey remained committed in what he called the struggle against terrorism. “Nothing can be achieved by terror, violently claiming lives of the innocent,” Mr. Gul said. “These attacks show the inhumanity and misery of the assailants.”
Officials were continuing investigations and analysis at both explosion sites to determine the precise cause and motives behind the attack, Turkish news organizations reported.
There was initial speculation that the bombings might have been the work of the P.K.K., or Kurdistan Workers’ Party, an insurgent group that has been fighting the Turkish Army for autonomy in the southeast area of the country adjoining Iraq.
Earlier Sunday, the Turkish military announced that its fighter jets had attacked 12 Kurdish separatist targets in Iraq’s Qandil region and that it had inflicted an unspecified number of “terrorist casualties.”
Lynsey Addario contributed reporting.
Saturday, July 26, 2008
Capri and Naples
I’ve known about the Island of Love for quite some time (shoutout to Pao who bought me a lovely cross from Capri!!) and have always been eager to visit. The first two days in Italy all I heard back on the ship were wonderful remarks about Capri, so I was more excited than ever. We purchased tickets around 7:45 and got on the boat at 8:10. It took a little less than an hour to arrive at Marina Grande. Upon finding out the Blue Grotto was currently closed, we decided to get on a bus to Anacapri, the smaller town on the island. Once again, twists and turns up a mountain to Anacapri. At every turn, bus drivers have to honk because they can’t tell if cars are coming down and there is only room for one car one direction. It’s a little intense. We were dropped off at Piazza Vittoria, from where I grabbed a Herald Tribune (my LIFESAVER..oh to read newspapers again). The first thing we did was hit the Seggiovia del Monte Solaro, the 12 minute chairlift up Monte Solaro, Capri’s highest point of 
July 251,932 ft. Wow…going up was the most tranquil 12 minutes of my life (well, perhaps a certain sunday morning). I had never done anything like this (besides like a charlift at kennywood, lol). Charlifts are now at the top of my list of favorite things to do. To my right was the Mediterranean Sea and we were able to see amazing views of Capri and the Bay of Naples in general. My barefeet hung loose over lemon groves beneath me…the landscape was massaging my eyes…and then when we got to the top, it was probably the best view of this entire trip. There is something about mountains that invigorate me and seeing the bright blue sea below made it all the more perfect. This was the Italy I came for.
Once we had taken the chairlift down, we found a place called Sciue Sciue to get a quick lunch. After, our main priority was seeing the Blue Grotto. The Grotta Azzurra is a famous cave that has a distinct blue glow to the water and is the most popular tourist destination in Capri. From Anacapri, we took a bus to the Grotto and waited in line for about twenty five minutes. Then, we got on a small rowboat that only fit five of us (including the guy who rowed us in) and went in line with the other dozen rowboats to pay the admission fee. Then we waited for
about five minutes in the boat for other rowboats to come out of the cave. It’s really funny to watch people because in order to get into the cave, people have to awkwardly lie all the way down in the rowboat because there is such a small opening (1.3m high). Once we were inside, I was like, “where is the blue???” Everything seemed dark, I could barely see anything. But then I turned my head back to the right and towards where we had entered, and the water was the most beautiful blue color I have ever seen in my life (when I get internet access, I’ll put up a video…I was taking a video when we had just gotten in so my first view will be yours as well :) ). The men who row the boats are called “singing captains” because they sing while in the cave. We were in there for all but two minutes and honestly…I don’t know if its worth it (costs like 18 euros overall). There are other grottos on the island of Capri, and when we first got to the Marina Grande, there was an Italian man offering to take us to four other grottos and a tour around the island for 25 euros. The three other people with me wanted only to go to the Blue Grotto, but I really wanted to go on this other tour…we would have been able to swim in the grottos, ah…oh well.
After seeing the grotto, we got on a bus back to Anacapri and then waited about ½ hour for another bus to get to Capri town. Then, we took the funicular down to the Marina Grande and got our ticket back to Naples. Afterwards, we went to the beach right next to the Marina and ran into the sea…felt so refreshing. We were only in for about 15 minutes but it was so worth it…and free!
We got back to Naples around 430ish and once again, took a mini siesta. I later went out with some other friends to have dinner and we found this place that had been
recommended to us, called Osteria Pizzeria? Naturally, I ordered a Margherita pizza which was very good and we enjoyed a local wine called Falanghina Beneventano. Later, we went to get gelato at Caffe Gambrinus, perhaps the most well known café in the city. It’s right near the Piazza Trieste e Trento and Oscar Wilde was known to hang out here. Mussolini even shut down rooms there because left wing intellectuals met there. The gelato was alright but what we really loved were these frozen lemons filled with lemon sorbet. So delicious!! After relaxing for awhile, we headed back to the ship.
July 26
Today I awoke up early enough for breakfast and headed out to the Museo Archeologico Nazionale, which took me about twenty to twenty five minutes to walk to. Luckily, it was a pretty direct route, straight up Via Toledo. I had been hearing that this was the best archaeological museum in Europe and that the artifacts found in Pompeii and Herculaneum were all there. It’s a large, pink and
green building…definitely an interesting choice of colors. Anyhow, I was actually really happy to get inside…my walk wasn’t as pleasant as I hoped…I’ll write more about that later…but the museum was a little disorganized I felt…perhaps it was the time I went (early in the morning) but it seemed understaffed as well. However, it was nice seeing the variety of artifacts, including paintings, sculptures, and mosaics. The classic Fighting the Persians mosaic was there, as well as some really interesting sculptures, including Farnese Bull, which is the largest sculpture survived from the classic period. The best part was seeing models of the town of Pompeii…so cool to see everything laid out. After the museum, I spent the next hour or so walking around parts of Naples…exploring what I hadn’t seen, getting the Herald Tribune, buying a phone card and getting very excited about making phone calls only to find out it didn’t work at the phones near the ship…sigh…
I went back to the ship a little early and took a swim in our pool and took it easy. I’m still sick so I didn’t want to push myself, even on the last day. I should be writing field reports and we have another important paper due in Global studies in two days….ah….work. And only two days until Istanbul…unbelievable. I’m so happy we’re here in the Mediterranean and the weather has been such an improvement!
It’s about 9:30 right now and I’m about to do some other writing and then go to bed. I have a lot of work for classes and I should get as much sleep as possible. I'll try to write tommorrow more about my impressions. Ciao!
July 251,932 ft. Wow…going up was the most tranquil 12 minutes of my life (well, perhaps a certain sunday morning). I had never done anything like this (besides like a charlift at kennywood, lol). Charlifts are now at the top of my list of favorite things to do. To my right was the Mediterranean Sea and we were able to see amazing views of Capri and the Bay of Naples in general. My barefeet hung loose over lemon groves beneath me…the landscape was massaging my eyes…and then when we got to the top, it was probably the best view of this entire trip. There is something about mountains that invigorate me and seeing the bright blue sea below made it all the more perfect. This was the Italy I came for.
Once we had taken the chairlift down, we found a place called Sciue Sciue to get a quick lunch. After, our main priority was seeing the Blue Grotto. The Grotta Azzurra is a famous cave that has a distinct blue glow to the water and is the most popular tourist destination in Capri. From Anacapri, we took a bus to the Grotto and waited in line for about twenty five minutes. Then, we got on a small rowboat that only fit five of us (including the guy who rowed us in) and went in line with the other dozen rowboats to pay the admission fee. Then we waited for
about five minutes in the boat for other rowboats to come out of the cave. It’s really funny to watch people because in order to get into the cave, people have to awkwardly lie all the way down in the rowboat because there is such a small opening (1.3m high). Once we were inside, I was like, “where is the blue???” Everything seemed dark, I could barely see anything. But then I turned my head back to the right and towards where we had entered, and the water was the most beautiful blue color I have ever seen in my life (when I get internet access, I’ll put up a video…I was taking a video when we had just gotten in so my first view will be yours as well :) ). The men who row the boats are called “singing captains” because they sing while in the cave. We were in there for all but two minutes and honestly…I don’t know if its worth it (costs like 18 euros overall). There are other grottos on the island of Capri, and when we first got to the Marina Grande, there was an Italian man offering to take us to four other grottos and a tour around the island for 25 euros. The three other people with me wanted only to go to the Blue Grotto, but I really wanted to go on this other tour…we would have been able to swim in the grottos, ah…oh well.After seeing the grotto, we got on a bus back to Anacapri and then waited about ½ hour for another bus to get to Capri town. Then, we took the funicular down to the Marina Grande and got our ticket back to Naples. Afterwards, we went to the beach right next to the Marina and ran into the sea…felt so refreshing. We were only in for about 15 minutes but it was so worth it…and free!
We got back to Naples around 430ish and once again, took a mini siesta. I later went out with some other friends to have dinner and we found this place that had been
recommended to us, called Osteria Pizzeria? Naturally, I ordered a Margherita pizza which was very good and we enjoyed a local wine called Falanghina Beneventano. Later, we went to get gelato at Caffe Gambrinus, perhaps the most well known café in the city. It’s right near the Piazza Trieste e Trento and Oscar Wilde was known to hang out here. Mussolini even shut down rooms there because left wing intellectuals met there. The gelato was alright but what we really loved were these frozen lemons filled with lemon sorbet. So delicious!! After relaxing for awhile, we headed back to the ship.July 26
Today I awoke up early enough for breakfast and headed out to the Museo Archeologico Nazionale, which took me about twenty to twenty five minutes to walk to. Luckily, it was a pretty direct route, straight up Via Toledo. I had been hearing that this was the best archaeological museum in Europe and that the artifacts found in Pompeii and Herculaneum were all there. It’s a large, pink and
green building…definitely an interesting choice of colors. Anyhow, I was actually really happy to get inside…my walk wasn’t as pleasant as I hoped…I’ll write more about that later…but the museum was a little disorganized I felt…perhaps it was the time I went (early in the morning) but it seemed understaffed as well. However, it was nice seeing the variety of artifacts, including paintings, sculptures, and mosaics. The classic Fighting the Persians mosaic was there, as well as some really interesting sculptures, including Farnese Bull, which is the largest sculpture survived from the classic period. The best part was seeing models of the town of Pompeii…so cool to see everything laid out. After the museum, I spent the next hour or so walking around parts of Naples…exploring what I hadn’t seen, getting the Herald Tribune, buying a phone card and getting very excited about making phone calls only to find out it didn’t work at the phones near the ship…sigh…I went back to the ship a little early and took a swim in our pool and took it easy. I’m still sick so I didn’t want to push myself, even on the last day. I should be writing field reports and we have another important paper due in Global studies in two days….ah….work. And only two days until Istanbul…unbelievable. I’m so happy we’re here in the Mediterranean and the weather has been such an improvement!
It’s about 9:30 right now and I’m about to do some other writing and then go to bed. I have a lot of work for classes and I should get as much sleep as possible. I'll try to write tommorrow more about my impressions. Ciao!
Amalfi
July 24
My alarm always arrives too quickly. On Thursday, I awoke around 650ish and met Momoko for breakfast at 7:10, extremely sick but ready to go to Amalfi, a small town on the famous Amalfi coast. We had planned to go with two lifelong learners, Sue and Jim. One of the wonderful features of Semester at Sea is the diversity of ages on the ship. We have lots of little kids, even some babies on the ship who are children of the staff and faculty. They did the most adorable dance performance at our last talent show, to the song “Under the Sea” from the Little Mermaid. The poor things were just standing and dancing…too cute for
words. Anyhow, we also have Lifelong Learners, who are mostly comprised of senior citizens who have joined us on our voyage. They come to our classes and I try to bond with them as much as possible. Many have been on SAS trips before and almost all are extremely well traveled. It’s wonderful. There’s a program that brings students and Vintage Vagabonds (what they’ve remained themselves) even closer, where a student has “grandparents” and a SAS “family.” Momoko, my dear friend from Japan, is in this program and Sue and Jim are her “grandparents.” Together, we all decided to travel to Amalfi and it was awesome to change it up a bit and sightsee with the older folks. At 7:40 we met at the gangway and headed for the port to get tickets.
At 8:25, we boarded the “Metro del Mare” boat and it took two hours to finally arrive in Amalfi. Yet, it didn’t feel like that much time had passed. We did make three stops before our final destination, including the incredibly charming town of Positano, which is situated on cliffs. If there is one place I would wish to return to, Positano would be it. I regret not going there…it looked so beautiful!
But, I was just as happy seeing Amalfi. Once upon a time, Amalfi was a bustling place with a population of 70,000 residents. Unfortunately, in in the mid 14th century, an earthquake devastated the area, and now, Amalfi has only about 5,000 people. The boat dropped us off at Piazza Flavio Grande and the first thing I noticed was the large beach, Spiaggia Grande, to my right. The whole thing was covered with umbrellas and chairs. We headed to the main part of town, the Piazza del Duomo. We decided to split up for
about 45 minutes so I took the opportunity to explore the main street, Via Lorenzo d’Amalfi, which was narrow but filled with restaurants, hotels, and shops. I stopped in only a few, and instead spent most of the time taking picture of the architecture. When the four of us met up again, we decided to have lunch at a place right in the Piazza del Duomo. Pizza was the obvious choice. I also ordered hot chocolate, to which the Italian waitress told me I was crazy to have such a combination. The pizza there was the absolute best I had in Italy. Just 
fantastic. After lunch, Momoko and I went to the main sight, the Cattedrale di Sant’Andrea. It is the dominating structure in Piazza del Duomo, which a huge flight of stairs leading to the Sicilian Arabic-Norman style structure. It was originally built in the 10th century and has three main parts, the cloister, the crypt, and the cathedral. Without a doubt, the crypt was the most beautiful part…it’s odd, it felt like the most sacred space I have been in!
After exploring the cathedral, we hit the beach! For 5 euros, we got into a private beach with our own lawn chair and umbrella, and interestingly enough, we found Jim and Sue there as well. The sea was amazing. Probably my best swim ever. The past few days were very warm so a swim was absolutely necessary! But the view from the sea back to the town of Amalfi was lovely. It felt like a dream world.
The water was the perfect temperature and after swimming we did some sunbathing.
Around 345, we caught the bus going back to Naples. For the first hour we continued traveling south, which struck us as odd, despite the amazing views of the sea. Sue and Jim thought we might have gotten on the wrong bus but I was sure we were going
to turn around soon, which we did. At times the bus got quite crowded…there was even a dog that came on! But once we got on the highway and headed north there were fewer people and I did some daydreaming…
When we got back to Naples, we had dinner and then Momoko and I went in search of wi-fi. The McDonalds had weak signals (I didn’t get anything at all) so we tried to get wireless in a hotel but then were directed up Via Toledo. We came to a small piazza where throngs of teenagers seemed to be hanging out. “Parle inglese?” I asked a random couple, who were both about 16. They had the normal response, which was saying a little. Together we struggled to understand each other…we were looking for internet point…wi fi? When they realized what we wanted, the couple as well as several of their friends all motioned that they would show us…and so off we went! Suddenly there were about seven young Italians all around us, cheerfully (and very loudly) speaking in Italian about this and that…enthusiastic, they were! And so nice…even though we didn’t communicate much, there were times we clearly understood each other…so much smiling…it was wonderful! They took us down alleyways and walked through the streets like it was a playground (which was impossible for me to do with the traffic but what I expected a local to do) and it all felt like a maze…I had no idea where we were going but I trusted them. The first place we went to was closed so instead of leaving us there, they took us to another place! It was near Piazza Dante and also, unfortunately, closed. As we were talking and I was trying to ask how to get back to the port, there was a lot of confusion. An Italian at a restaurant right next to us came out to try to help, and then another Italian who spoke some better English came out to help more. Everyone was so nice, so willing to help! Mmm, life is beautiful.
We got back to the ship with no trouble and I went to sleep right away!
My alarm always arrives too quickly. On Thursday, I awoke around 650ish and met Momoko for breakfast at 7:10, extremely sick but ready to go to Amalfi, a small town on the famous Amalfi coast. We had planned to go with two lifelong learners, Sue and Jim. One of the wonderful features of Semester at Sea is the diversity of ages on the ship. We have lots of little kids, even some babies on the ship who are children of the staff and faculty. They did the most adorable dance performance at our last talent show, to the song “Under the Sea” from the Little Mermaid. The poor things were just standing and dancing…too cute for
words. Anyhow, we also have Lifelong Learners, who are mostly comprised of senior citizens who have joined us on our voyage. They come to our classes and I try to bond with them as much as possible. Many have been on SAS trips before and almost all are extremely well traveled. It’s wonderful. There’s a program that brings students and Vintage Vagabonds (what they’ve remained themselves) even closer, where a student has “grandparents” and a SAS “family.” Momoko, my dear friend from Japan, is in this program and Sue and Jim are her “grandparents.” Together, we all decided to travel to Amalfi and it was awesome to change it up a bit and sightsee with the older folks. At 7:40 we met at the gangway and headed for the port to get tickets.
At 8:25, we boarded the “Metro del Mare” boat and it took two hours to finally arrive in Amalfi. Yet, it didn’t feel like that much time had passed. We did make three stops before our final destination, including the incredibly charming town of Positano, which is situated on cliffs. If there is one place I would wish to return to, Positano would be it. I regret not going there…it looked so beautiful!
But, I was just as happy seeing Amalfi. Once upon a time, Amalfi was a bustling place with a population of 70,000 residents. Unfortunately, in in the mid 14th century, an earthquake devastated the area, and now, Amalfi has only about 5,000 people. The boat dropped us off at Piazza Flavio Grande and the first thing I noticed was the large beach, Spiaggia Grande, to my right. The whole thing was covered with umbrellas and chairs. We headed to the main part of town, the Piazza del Duomo. We decided to split up for
about 45 minutes so I took the opportunity to explore the main street, Via Lorenzo d’Amalfi, which was narrow but filled with restaurants, hotels, and shops. I stopped in only a few, and instead spent most of the time taking picture of the architecture. When the four of us met up again, we decided to have lunch at a place right in the Piazza del Duomo. Pizza was the obvious choice. I also ordered hot chocolate, to which the Italian waitress told me I was crazy to have such a combination. The pizza there was the absolute best I had in Italy. Just 
fantastic. After lunch, Momoko and I went to the main sight, the Cattedrale di Sant’Andrea. It is the dominating structure in Piazza del Duomo, which a huge flight of stairs leading to the Sicilian Arabic-Norman style structure. It was originally built in the 10th century and has three main parts, the cloister, the crypt, and the cathedral. Without a doubt, the crypt was the most beautiful part…it’s odd, it felt like the most sacred space I have been in!After exploring the cathedral, we hit the beach! For 5 euros, we got into a private beach with our own lawn chair and umbrella, and interestingly enough, we found Jim and Sue there as well. The sea was amazing. Probably my best swim ever. The past few days were very warm so a swim was absolutely necessary! But the view from the sea back to the town of Amalfi was lovely. It felt like a dream world.
The water was the perfect temperature and after swimming we did some sunbathing.
Around 345, we caught the bus going back to Naples. For the first hour we continued traveling south, which struck us as odd, despite the amazing views of the sea. Sue and Jim thought we might have gotten on the wrong bus but I was sure we were going
to turn around soon, which we did. At times the bus got quite crowded…there was even a dog that came on! But once we got on the highway and headed north there were fewer people and I did some daydreaming…When we got back to Naples, we had dinner and then Momoko and I went in search of wi-fi. The McDonalds had weak signals (I didn’t get anything at all) so we tried to get wireless in a hotel but then were directed up Via Toledo. We came to a small piazza where throngs of teenagers seemed to be hanging out. “Parle inglese?” I asked a random couple, who were both about 16. They had the normal response, which was saying a little. Together we struggled to understand each other…we were looking for internet point…wi fi? When they realized what we wanted, the couple as well as several of their friends all motioned that they would show us…and so off we went! Suddenly there were about seven young Italians all around us, cheerfully (and very loudly) speaking in Italian about this and that…enthusiastic, they were! And so nice…even though we didn’t communicate much, there were times we clearly understood each other…so much smiling…it was wonderful! They took us down alleyways and walked through the streets like it was a playground (which was impossible for me to do with the traffic but what I expected a local to do) and it all felt like a maze…I had no idea where we were going but I trusted them. The first place we went to was closed so instead of leaving us there, they took us to another place! It was near Piazza Dante and also, unfortunately, closed. As we were talking and I was trying to ask how to get back to the port, there was a lot of confusion. An Italian at a restaurant right next to us came out to try to help, and then another Italian who spoke some better English came out to help more. Everyone was so nice, so willing to help! Mmm, life is beautiful.
We got back to the ship with no trouble and I went to sleep right away!
ITALIA!
Later tonight, we will leave Italy. Most of the past four days were spent coughing, sneezing, and fighting to speak with a broken voice. Despite it all, I smiled more than in any other port. This was the part of the voyage I waited for, where I could enjoy the warmth of the sun and the glow of the Mediterranean. After four days in the heat, I’ve gotten quite tan! And slowly, I’ve been recovering. Honestly, I think the scenery has healed me. On the first day, the majority of students on the MV Explorer left for Rome but I cannot tell you how happy I was to have stayed in the south. Naples and the Amalfi Coast had more than enough to offer and I could not imagine having a different week here. In the future, I will hit the more “popular” cities in Italy but I am so grateful to have spent my first visit in this area.
July 23
On the first day I had a SAS trip to Pompeii (the Italians actually spell it with one i, so pompei) and the town of Sorrento. It was an early start so fortunately, we were one of the first groups to get off the ship (if you can imagine, 600 students wanting to get off the ship at the same time, plus the faculty, life long learners…). We left right after the diplomatic briefing, around nine. Outside of the port, two buses were waiting for our trip and I jumped on number two, where the most wonderful tour guide waited, named Roberto (of course I did not know this when I was getting on the bus). As we made our way to Pompeii, about 25 kilometers, I was able to see my first views of Napoli. Naples is Italy’s third largest city, and has been in the news a lot this past year due to the trash/rubbish problems. I read many articles this past spring particularly about the crisis and I was eager to see the streets. Later on, when I actually walked through Naples, I did see trash almost everywhere on the streets, some places better than others obviously but the problem definitely still exists…
Honestly, my first impressions of Naples were not the best, because we passed many of the city’s slum areas. Everything seemed so cluttered and dirty, and yet there was a certain charm to all of it. Perhaps it was the variety of house colors and the laundry draping on balconies, or maybe just the excitement of being in Italy…I was enamored.
I had heard a lot about the traffic in the Naples area being absolutely horrible, and indeed, it took quite awhile to get to Pompeii. Luckily we were leaving the city and not going into Naples…there seemed to be a motorcycle crash on the other side of the highway…I saw a man lying on the ground right in the middle of the road…and then cars backed up for miles. There is major traffic in the morning, when everyone is going to work, but then when people leave for the siesta in the afternoon and also return, and then later in the evening after work. It’s a very busy area to be sure.
Anyway, we got to Pompeii a little after 10 and spent about two hours wandering the ruins. It was fabulous. Before visiting, I really didn’t comprehend what an extensive complex the ruins are…I imagined a little area with some columns…perhaps more than that, but I was not prepared for how large it was! If I were on my own, I would have spent hours wandering the streets, the houses, the small shops…and I’m sure I would have gotten lost. Since we had a short visit, we only hit some of the highlights…seeing the Tempio de Venere, the basillica, the Tempio di Apollo, the Lupanare (the brothel), among other things. For those who are not familiar with the story, Pompeii was completely covered in ash when Mt. Vesuvius erupted in 79 AD. It wasn’t until the late 16th century that the ruins were discovered and excavations still continue today. The volcano is still active and Mt. Vesuvius last erupted in 1944...I had a kick out of someone writing on our graffiti board on the ship “Don’t live in the Red Zone…Vesuvius will get you!” Supposedly this is one of the longest periods of inactivity and it will be interesting to see what happens in the future…scary to think 700,000 people live right under the mountain.
Pompeii was fantastic and such a surprise. I should have had a better understanding of the site having taken archaeology classes but honestly, I had no idea it was so large. I would love to go back on my own and simply meander…focus more on the feel of the place rather than all the distractions that come along with tour groups. I was very surprised when we finished and it was a couple of hours later…the time must have flown! After seeing the ruins, we went into a hotel nearby to try limoncello and some chocolate. Limoncello is a liqueur made of lemon peel, alcohol, sugar, and water and it was a lot stronger than I anticipated. Truthfully, it was a little painful to even finish my free tasting.
When we continued on to Sorrento, we saw limoncello being sold everywhere. Sorrento is a small town of about 25,000 people but is a popular destination for tourists. The ride from Pompeii to Sorrento took about an hour and was quite the drive. This summer I have gained a newfound respect for bus drivers all over the world. Really. The roads they have to work with are so much narrower and the fact that they deliver us safely from point A to point B is a miracle. The road we took from Pompeii to Sorrento swerved from left to right on a cliff overlooking the Bay of Naples. It constantly provided us with breathtaking views but the twists and turns right next to the edge took our breath away out of fear…our good natured tour guide, Roberto, who I bonded with during Pompeii (I adore 75 year old men) joyfully exclaimed, “don’t you feel like being on a rollercoaster or helicopter?” Ha, YES.
The first thing we did in Sorrento was have lunch. SAS always hooks us up with the best restaurants. The one we went to was called La Basilica and was on a side alleyway off Piazza Tasso, the main square. It was a fantastic, three course meal served with a local wine, called Solaro. After lunch, we were given time to explore the area. I spent the majority of the time walking on streets observing and taking everything in…to me, there didn’t seem like much to do in Sorrento but it would have been a nice place to go and relax. The restaurants all looked fabulous and there were several upscale stores for shopping. But all very touristy. I wish I could have seen more outside of the centro storico, the main area in town. I did visit the Villa Communale Park, a small area with great views of the bay. Around 3:30 we departed Sorrento and it took us an hour and a half to return to Naples, even though its like 50 kilometers. It was alright, everyone took the opportunity to dose off. Roberto’s thick Italian accent woke us all up by saying “wakey wakey.” I thought it was hilarious.
Back in Naples, I relaxed for an hour or so and had dinner on the ship. Later on, I went out exploring with some friends, and I had my first experiences of Neapolitan traffic. I thought St. Petersburg was rough. Oh my god, Russia has NOTHING on this. Crosswalking monitors barely exist. I didn’t follow one and never saw a green man go. The first night I almost died about three times. Red lights? Yeah right. There was never a time I crossed a street when cars were stopped. You have to walk through them as they are flying past. I’m so not kidding. I can’t imagine what tourists do with little kids…I would be terrified to cross the street. My MTV guide book did not prepare me for the experience when it wrote
“Stepping off the curb at first will seem like a death wish, but it is quite simple if you follow one basic rule: just go. Don’t step into the middle of the freeway or speeding vehicles, but generally cars and scooters will swerve around you.”
UM, yeah you have no choice but to step in front of speeding vehicles. I can laugh at it now tucked away in my cabin but traffic was a harrowing experience. I can’t imagine a worse place. I usually followed a local or two as they were crossing….I definitely have become more bold, which I suppose is good. The locals didn’t seem phased at all…they were perfectly fine. I would never want to drive in Naples…nothing could persuade me. It’s chaos.
Anyway, my friends and I found some great gelato and walked around the Piazza del Plebiscito, which was beautifully illuminated at night. The same can be said for the Piazza Trieste e Trento, which has a wonderfully nice fountain. After hanging out on the streets, we walked back towards the ship, which is right next to Castel Nuovo. The name is kind of misleading if you’re an outsider, because the castle was actually built in the 13th century (I’ve heard it’s also known as Maschio Angioino). Inside it’s now a museum and unfortunately I wasn’t able to go visit it but we were lucky to hear a concert going on inside the castle courtyard that night. We didn’t actually go inside and see the singers but we could still hear the opera outside.
At the end of the my first day, I felt sicker than ever. My voice was basically gone. But walking around Naples really piqued my curiosity. It seemed so different than the Italy I had always been shown in movies and pop culture. But the next day had been planned to see the town of Amalfi with Momoko and her SAS grandparents, Sue and Jim. Exploring Naples further would have to wait.
July 23
On the first day I had a SAS trip to Pompeii (the Italians actually spell it with one i, so pompei) and the town of Sorrento. It was an early start so fortunately, we were one of the first groups to get off the ship (if you can imagine, 600 students wanting to get off the ship at the same time, plus the faculty, life long learners…). We left right after the diplomatic briefing, around nine. Outside of the port, two buses were waiting for our trip and I jumped on number two, where the most wonderful tour guide waited, named Roberto (of course I did not know this when I was getting on the bus). As we made our way to Pompeii, about 25 kilometers, I was able to see my first views of Napoli. Naples is Italy’s third largest city, and has been in the news a lot this past year due to the trash/rubbish problems. I read many articles this past spring particularly about the crisis and I was eager to see the streets. Later on, when I actually walked through Naples, I did see trash almost everywhere on the streets, some places better than others obviously but the problem definitely still exists…
Honestly, my first impressions of Naples were not the best, because we passed many of the city’s slum areas. Everything seemed so cluttered and dirty, and yet there was a certain charm to all of it. Perhaps it was the variety of house colors and the laundry draping on balconies, or maybe just the excitement of being in Italy…I was enamored.
I had heard a lot about the traffic in the Naples area being absolutely horrible, and indeed, it took quite awhile to get to Pompeii. Luckily we were leaving the city and not going into Naples…there seemed to be a motorcycle crash on the other side of the highway…I saw a man lying on the ground right in the middle of the road…and then cars backed up for miles. There is major traffic in the morning, when everyone is going to work, but then when people leave for the siesta in the afternoon and also return, and then later in the evening after work. It’s a very busy area to be sure.
Anyway, we got to Pompeii a little after 10 and spent about two hours wandering the ruins. It was fabulous. Before visiting, I really didn’t comprehend what an extensive complex the ruins are…I imagined a little area with some columns…perhaps more than that, but I was not prepared for how large it was! If I were on my own, I would have spent hours wandering the streets, the houses, the small shops…and I’m sure I would have gotten lost. Since we had a short visit, we only hit some of the highlights…seeing the Tempio de Venere, the basillica, the Tempio di Apollo, the Lupanare (the brothel), among other things. For those who are not familiar with the story, Pompeii was completely covered in ash when Mt. Vesuvius erupted in 79 AD. It wasn’t until the late 16th century that the ruins were discovered and excavations still continue today. The volcano is still active and Mt. Vesuvius last erupted in 1944...I had a kick out of someone writing on our graffiti board on the ship “Don’t live in the Red Zone…Vesuvius will get you!” Supposedly this is one of the longest periods of inactivity and it will be interesting to see what happens in the future…scary to think 700,000 people live right under the mountain.
Pompeii was fantastic and such a surprise. I should have had a better understanding of the site having taken archaeology classes but honestly, I had no idea it was so large. I would love to go back on my own and simply meander…focus more on the feel of the place rather than all the distractions that come along with tour groups. I was very surprised when we finished and it was a couple of hours later…the time must have flown! After seeing the ruins, we went into a hotel nearby to try limoncello and some chocolate. Limoncello is a liqueur made of lemon peel, alcohol, sugar, and water and it was a lot stronger than I anticipated. Truthfully, it was a little painful to even finish my free tasting.
When we continued on to Sorrento, we saw limoncello being sold everywhere. Sorrento is a small town of about 25,000 people but is a popular destination for tourists. The ride from Pompeii to Sorrento took about an hour and was quite the drive. This summer I have gained a newfound respect for bus drivers all over the world. Really. The roads they have to work with are so much narrower and the fact that they deliver us safely from point A to point B is a miracle. The road we took from Pompeii to Sorrento swerved from left to right on a cliff overlooking the Bay of Naples. It constantly provided us with breathtaking views but the twists and turns right next to the edge took our breath away out of fear…our good natured tour guide, Roberto, who I bonded with during Pompeii (I adore 75 year old men) joyfully exclaimed, “don’t you feel like being on a rollercoaster or helicopter?” Ha, YES.
The first thing we did in Sorrento was have lunch. SAS always hooks us up with the best restaurants. The one we went to was called La Basilica and was on a side alleyway off Piazza Tasso, the main square. It was a fantastic, three course meal served with a local wine, called Solaro. After lunch, we were given time to explore the area. I spent the majority of the time walking on streets observing and taking everything in…to me, there didn’t seem like much to do in Sorrento but it would have been a nice place to go and relax. The restaurants all looked fabulous and there were several upscale stores for shopping. But all very touristy. I wish I could have seen more outside of the centro storico, the main area in town. I did visit the Villa Communale Park, a small area with great views of the bay. Around 3:30 we departed Sorrento and it took us an hour and a half to return to Naples, even though its like 50 kilometers. It was alright, everyone took the opportunity to dose off. Roberto’s thick Italian accent woke us all up by saying “wakey wakey.” I thought it was hilarious.
Back in Naples, I relaxed for an hour or so and had dinner on the ship. Later on, I went out exploring with some friends, and I had my first experiences of Neapolitan traffic. I thought St. Petersburg was rough. Oh my god, Russia has NOTHING on this. Crosswalking monitors barely exist. I didn’t follow one and never saw a green man go. The first night I almost died about three times. Red lights? Yeah right. There was never a time I crossed a street when cars were stopped. You have to walk through them as they are flying past. I’m so not kidding. I can’t imagine what tourists do with little kids…I would be terrified to cross the street. My MTV guide book did not prepare me for the experience when it wrote
“Stepping off the curb at first will seem like a death wish, but it is quite simple if you follow one basic rule: just go. Don’t step into the middle of the freeway or speeding vehicles, but generally cars and scooters will swerve around you.”
UM, yeah you have no choice but to step in front of speeding vehicles. I can laugh at it now tucked away in my cabin but traffic was a harrowing experience. I can’t imagine a worse place. I usually followed a local or two as they were crossing….I definitely have become more bold, which I suppose is good. The locals didn’t seem phased at all…they were perfectly fine. I would never want to drive in Naples…nothing could persuade me. It’s chaos.
Anyway, my friends and I found some great gelato and walked around the Piazza del Plebiscito, which was beautifully illuminated at night. The same can be said for the Piazza Trieste e Trento, which has a wonderfully nice fountain. After hanging out on the streets, we walked back towards the ship, which is right next to Castel Nuovo. The name is kind of misleading if you’re an outsider, because the castle was actually built in the 13th century (I’ve heard it’s also known as Maschio Angioino). Inside it’s now a museum and unfortunately I wasn’t able to go visit it but we were lucky to hear a concert going on inside the castle courtyard that night. We didn’t actually go inside and see the singers but we could still hear the opera outside.
At the end of the my first day, I felt sicker than ever. My voice was basically gone. But walking around Naples really piqued my curiosity. It seemed so different than the Italy I had always been shown in movies and pop culture. But the next day had been planned to see the town of Amalfi with Momoko and her SAS grandparents, Sue and Jim. Exploring Naples further would have to wait.
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Sick at Sea
Ah, I’ve been horribly sick the past few days. At first it was seasickness, then a terrible sore throat came along, followed by lots of congestion, sinus problems…this morning I took day quill, only to throw up three times right after…luckily I got my hands on some Sudafed and some other things…the past two nights I got no sleep whatsoever…this morning we were SO bumpy…I was falling over this morning walking to breakfast, I had to skip global studies I felt so sick…I feel better now but nowhere near fully recovered. I’ll push myself for Italy but I’m worried I’ll be so worn down right after that I’ll still be sick in Turkey (we only have two days between Italy and Turkey). Send me healthy energy! The funny thing is, I have taken so many precautions against becoming sick…the seasickness is hard to prevent sometimes (only so many pills/ wrist bands, etc) but the sore throat came out of nowhere…eh. I’m going to logistical preport in an a half an hour but then going straight to bed…hopefully I’ll have more strength in me tomorrow for Pompeii and Sorrento.
Sunday, July 20, 2008
AFRICA!
So today we passed through the Straight of Gibraltar and I got to see Morocco! It was so cool…unfortunately, pretty foggy so the pictures weren’t as clear and crisp but still a very wonderful experience…I’ve always had this romantic vision of Morocco floating around in my head so seeing the actual land was an incredible feeling! To my surprise, the coastline was very mountainous…but so grand! When we head back to the states, we will have to stop for at least six hours to refuel…unfortunately we won’t be able to disembark at that time L . We have two more days of sailing until we get to Italy! I’ve decided to stay in Naples and explore the Amalfi coast region instead of traveling to Rome, but I’m still just as excited! We are all very happy for the warmer weather…the past month hasn’t felt like summer at all but I’m certain all of that will change now that we approach the Mediterranean.
Friday, July 18, 2008
An End to Belgium?
Although I did quickly mention the many differences between the north and the south, I forgot to talk about the current political crisis in Belgium, which has arisen due to those very regional distinctions. As I previously mentioned, the Dutch north has become the far richer area and in Wallonia, unemployment rates are 2-3 times higher. Flanders wants economic autonomy and views the Walloons as “welfare deadbeats” (according to Prof. Lynch of UVA). The tables have turned and many Dutch-speakers are advocating for an independent Flanders. This is a country with a very complex government system, as I already talked about. And now, just on Monday when we were docked in Belgium, the prime minister Yves Leterme resigned. Last year, Leterme had said that Walloons are “intellectually incapable of learning Flemish.” His own mother spoke French! These are the kind of powerful sentiments that exist between the north and the south….and yet as a tourist, one could never notice any of this….however, Brussels, which is a separate federal district, did feel very different from Antwerp, and Brussels is a bilingual area! But what will happen to Belgium? Would the EU let a split occur? And if so, what would that mean for other areas, such as Scotland, northern Italy, Catalonia in Spain? Is it possible that I will never be able to visit Belgium as we know it today?
Thursday, July 17, 2008
Belgium!
Just a quick note: I won't be able to upload any pictures/videos until I get to Italy. We don't have much internet time on the ship, and uploading any files basically cuts your time in half...sorry!
July 16
So, Belgium! I had a lovely stay in this country and wish I had more time to explore. I have no idea whether or not I'll have the chance to return but I would highly recommend Belgium to others as a tourist destination. The people were so very helpful, there's a great deal of diversity, and the food is AMAZING. Here's some info about Belgium before I get started. Most people don't know that Belgium has two main languages: French in the south, or Wallonia, and Flemish Dutch in the north, or Flanders. Luckily, I was able to experience both areas. Historically, there has always been a great rift between the north and the south, one established based off of religious, linguistic, economic, and ethnic differences. In the past, there was an enormous gap in the wealth between the north and the south....Wallonia had the higher ground with its large coal deposits and modernized quite early. The north remained predominately agricultural. But in the past 40 some years, there has been a complete reversal in the relationship between Flanders and Wallonia. Now, the north has overtaken the south in prosperity and growrth rates. One thing I should have known...Antwerp (or it's Dutch name: Antwerpen, the French name: Anvers) is the diamond capital of the world! Really cool.....needless to say, many shops selling diamonds and jewelry all around the city. Here's some more interesting information: Belgium has ten provinces, each with its own administrative governing functions, but the real authoritative power lies in the regions: the Flemish region, the capital of Brussels (which is similar to the DC) and the Walloon region. Each has its own parliament. There are also four executive bodies! Clearly, they have a very complex system of government, which tends to be very costly. As a result, they have the largest public debt in western Europe.
Belgium is a small country, about the size of New Hampshire but is one of the most densely populated in the world. The two major cities, of course, are Antwerp and Brussels (Brussels is home to the European Union and NATO). If I didn't travel to Amsterdam, I would have gone to Bruges and Ghent, other popular destinations. I loved Belgium. I only have the best things to say. The people were so, so kind! Yesterday we explored Brussles (Bruxelles) and had a great time. The first thing I went to see was the Atonium, basically a model of a giant atom (335 feet tall), about 165 billion times the size of an actual atom. It was made in 1958 for a universal exposition. We took the metro to get there...it was kind of on the outskirts of the city but worth the trip. Especially since we didn't have to pay anything to see it...unless you wanted to go inside. From the top of the atom, there were tourists gliding down on a line to the ground...a friend told me it was like 25 euros to do this....it was tempting.....
Mini Europe was right next to the Atonium but we decided to skip it. Instead, we took the metro back to Central Station and walked to the Grand Place, a really great, large open square with fantastic architecture. The buildings are in the Flemish Renaissance style, from the 16th and early 17th century. Supposedly, they were all rebuilt after French troops destroyed them in the late 1600s? Not quite sure about that one...check me on it...regardless, the guildhouses are not orginial...but so beautiful! There was the Hotel de Ville, the old town hall, the Maison du Roi which is now the Musee de la Ville de Bruxelles, which is something of a history of the city museum. My favorite part of the Grand Place was Le Cornet, the guildhouse of the boatmen. Unfortunately, the past two days were pretty rainy/gray so we didn't get to see everything in its grand splendor. I wish I had come in August...the Grand Place is taken over by the Tapis de Fleurs, where the whole center is covered with flowers. Still, seeing the Grand Place was great...the architecture is unlike anything we see in the states...
After walking around the Grand Place, we were starving and anxious to try frites. French fries are actually incorrectly named...they should be called Belgian fries, but here they are simply known as frites. Everyone had told me to expect heaven, and in truth, they were great. Here they serve them with mayonnaise and when we first heard this, our reaction wasn't the best. But then we learned that there is a wide selection of different types of mayo...the kind I got was pretty spicy...definitely not the mayo I'm used to. After eating, we went in search of Mannekin-Pis, a statue of a tiny boy peeing. I don't know, the Belgians love it. Supposedly, they even make costumes for the boy...more than 500 have been made. So we had to see it...and we were surprised at how small he is!!! There were security cameras and so on...I kind of appreciate how much they love this statue...its nice :)
On the same street, we found waffles. OH MY GOD. I don't think I'll ever have another culinary experience like this one. For about 4 euros, I bought a waffle filled with strawberries, chocolate sauce, and whipped cream. It was orgasmic. Honestly. I had another today in Antwerp. Just bloody fantastic. Wow. Really, I didn't think they would be different from the Belgian waffles in the States. But they belong in an entirely different category. But I don't get it! Why can't we figure out the secret and make these in the US??? And what about the chocolate???????? The chocolate is just .......oh god, for a chocolate lover, Belgium was just the best. I bought a lot of chocolate and will be very happy for the next few days until we get to Italy. I bought chocolate for family and friends, but honestly, I don't think they'll last with me in the same vicinity. Sorry! Ah, Belgium. Only good thoughts.
After my five minute trip to heaven, I headed to the Musees Royaux des Beaux-Arts. It took awhile for me to find the place...I think I was still in la la land. It cost less than five euros for me to get into the Royal Museums of the Fine Arts, and it was worth it. Unfortunately, I only had time to spend in the Musee d'Art Ancien, which housed artwork from the 15th through the 18th centuries. The two most famous pieces I saw were Pieter Brueghel the Elder's "The Fall of Icarus" as well as "The Death of Marat" by Jacques Louis David. I really do wish I could have spent more time there, but I only had a bit of an hour. I didn't do much sightseeing in Amsterdam, Brussels, or Antwerp...most of the time was spent simply walking and observing. In Brussels, I passed SO many churches...the Cathedrale des Saints Michel et Gudule, the Eglise Saint-Jacques-sur-Coudenberg, and so on. Also, I walked past the Palais Royal and Les Musee Belvue and the Palais de Charles de Lorraine. Sometimes I prefer walking to see a city...in Amsterdam we walked all over the place, and it was refreshing. By the time the late afternoon rolled around, I was pretty exhuasted (big surprise) and decided to go back to Gare Centrale to get back to Antwerp.
The only discomforting moments I had in Belgium were related to the trains. I had bought a round ticket in Antwerp so I didn't have to worry about buying another ticket (as I have done with all my other journeys) but if I hadn't, I have no idea how I would have gotten a ticket back. The train station was pretty difficult for my friends and I to navigate around, but I didn't think I would have much of a problem returning. Ha. So, I found the track where the trains depart to Antwerpen but there were so many trains coming and going, it was very difficult to tell which one was which! The monitors didn't help the confusion....at one point I asked the lady next to me if the train in front of us was going to Antwerp and she answered back in french, I don't know. She left and I shrugged my shoulders. Another woman asked me in french questions about the trains....there was nothing I could really do or say, but even the locals were confused. At one point, another train approached and the woman I had previously asked came over to me and pointed to the train. "Antwerp? Anvers?" I asked. She nodded. I repeated myself. She did the same. So I got on. And almost immediately, I realized I made a mistake. Luckily, we were heading in the same direction, which I could tell when we got to Mechelen, which is between Antwerp and Brussels. But there was no english and I was too embarassed to ask the man next to me, who I think noticed my confusion. When the woman came to collect tickets, she stopped, looked at mine, and started speaking in French and then Flemish. "English?" she asked me. I nodded eagerly. I immediately started to explain. "Someone told me this was going to Antwerp!" The woman chuckled a bit, I was clearly distressed....but she calmed me down. "It happens every day. You will get off at the next station, in Lier, and then get on the next train, which is going to Antwerp. I will give you a slip that will tell the next conducter you are a lost passenger." I started laughing. That's kind of romantic, isn't it? Lost passenger...the thought definitely helped a bit with the embarassment. As we approached Lier, I got up and waited alongside the door. The person who was sitting next to me, a man with a kind face who was in his late 30s I would guess, also got up. I had wondered if he knew English and had heard all that had gone on. He saw me fidgeting with my things and said "I think the train to Antwerp is on track 2. Well, that is what it is in the morning. When you get off, I will show you where you can go to check." Pointing, he directed me to the building where I could double check the track. "Thank you so much! I really appreciate it... I thought the woman was correct, but I wasn't totally sure." He shrugged his shoulders. "Today was an odd day. There were track changes. The train before this one and directly after were going to Antwerp, and luckily, you are not far, so it's okay." It was nice to be reassured that I wasn't a complete idiot. He was right, the train was on track 2 and I got back to Antwerp in less than 20 minutes. No big deal. His kindness was not unusual here. So many people helped me out, in big ways and smaller ones. I would never have to ask anyone...if they heard or saw I was confused, they said something themselves. It was wonderful, really.
I got back to the ship in time for dinner (yay! save money!) and relaxed a bit before going out to celebrate a friend's 21st birthday. I had my chance to try flavored Lambic beer, called Kriek. I had cherry last night, and rasberry today around lunchtime. It was amazing! Thank goodness its not readily available in the states because I would be an alcoholic. Lambic is one of the most well known types of beer in Belgium. This is how one of my guidebooks described it:
in the valley of the Senne, there is a natural borne yeast called Brettanomcyes. For centuries, brewers have simply left their warm wheat beer wort uncovered during the winter months, and allowed air to deliver the yeast into it. The fermenting beer is then left to mature in wooden cases for a year or more.
So, does not sound very appetizing. But oh wow-so good!!!! I didn't get to try the Trappist ales, which are interestingly enough, made in abbeys. The only brewing monasteries in the world are located in Belgium and there are about six of them. The word "Trappist" comes from the silent order of Cistercian monks who made them. Unlike the other ports we've been in, beer was incredibly cheap here.
I got in relatively early last night but wasn't able to get all the sleep I wanted.
July 17
Today was the day to explore Antwerp, our port city. I had walked through and seen much of it already, but it was nice to be more leisurely about it. The only thing I paid to do was to enter the Antwerp Cathedral (2 euros for students), a truly spectacular sight, which is also known as Onze-Lieve-Vrouwekathedraal. It's visible from almost anywhere in Antwerp....and was fantastic to see inside. From what I heard, it took over 100 years to build and is the largest gothic church in the Benelux region. The cathedral was probably the biggest I've ever been in....and had a four Ruben masterpieces, including:
-The Raising of the Cross (1610)
-The Descent from the Cross (1614)
-The Resurrection of Christ (1612)
-The Ascension of the Virgin (1626)
Earlier in the morning, I had passed several interesting places including the Nationaal Scheepvaartmuseum, which looks like an old castle from the outside. We also passed Vleeshuis, which was the guildhouse of the butchers in the 16th century. Now, it has been made into a music museum. The architecture was really insane...and the red color made it truly look like a meat house!! Nearby is the Grote Markt, the main square of Antwerp, very similar to the Grand Place in Brussels. Guildhouses and all. I actually like this better than the Grand Place...it was a lot more intimate. Supposedly Antwerp was named after a Roman soldier defeating a giant who then threw the hand of the giant into the Schelde river...I guess the latin word for throwing the hand is hand-werpen, so Antwerpen came from that....anyhow, in the middle of the Grote Markt, there is a statue honoring the Roman Brabo, who saved the city.
Recently, Antwerp has been gaining popularity as a fashion mecca. The Mier, which is the main pedestrian shopping street, is amazing. So many stores! All of these European cities have pedestrian shopping streets, it's fantastic. Oh, one of the things we've been noticing is there are SO many H&M's all over the place...there were three on the Mier....we saw about four in Amsterdam all in the same vicinity....there were two on the Stroget in Copenhagen about 2 minutes walking distance apart....really interesting...I thought it was an American store, but we're thinking maybe not because its so popular. Even Bergen had an H&M. I'll do some research.......
The first day we arrived in Antwerp we walked along the Mier to get to the train station. As we passed the stores, we noticed very odd displays in the window. Really strange mannequins....the only time I had seen these were in halloween stores...we just thought, maybe that's the way they do it. It was just extremely eccentric and slightly humorous but I was still perplexed at the meaning. Today I found out there's been a contest between the stores...I don't know what the prompt was: the scariest display?
Its 8:30pm right now and I'm about to go to bed. Maybe I'll watch a movie..I need to write some field reports but I don't have the energy, I'm just so tired. Writing these blogs takes quite a while in itself. I started working on these when I got in around 4ish? But of course, there's been numerous interruptions. Dinner, safety drill, etc.
My favorite moment in Belgium was at the end of my port experience, when I entered a Nepalese craft store that had been recommended. In the middle of our square on the ship, we have a graffiti board put up for each port. On it, students can write what place they liked or disliked, what they recommend, etc. I had read about this particular store and it had great reviews: nice service, free tea upon entry (who doesnt love that?) and great, well priced jewelry. When I was on my way back to the ship, I saw a sign for it and decided to go in. It was a lovely store...fantastic energy. There were singing bowls (YES!!), scarfs, and lots of jewelry, all what I expected. And when the woman behind the counter, (about 30 I would say, from Nepal,...she had told me she had been in Europe for about 6 years) saw me come in, she brought me over a cup of tea and it was delicious. There were two others in the store at the time, making purchases. The energy was just so amazing, I just had to buy something. I wear a long necklace every day with two crosses on it and various other pendants. People can always hear me coming from far away, I jingle! So I decided to buy a carnelian stone to put on the necklace but I wanted to make sure it fit first. She helped me out immediately, and we easily fell into conversation. I told her other students on my ship enjoyed her store so much they recommended it to the whole shipboard community. Before I knew it, the woman was so overwhelmed with joy, we were hugging about the wonder of life, tears were coming to her eyes...I didn't know the name of this woman but it was such an incredible moment....she was so happy to hear that people liked her store...it was too much for her. We had this great human bond...I knew her heart just by seeing her face. She made me remember all my blessings and I left her store probably the happiest I've been this whole trip. Definitely the most grateful I've been. And then when I passed through security to get on the ship, I made it a point to tell the older Belgian man that he has a lovely city and a beautiful country. He had a similar reaction to the woman, without the tears and hugging, of course. Just very happy. I loved it.
Oh, one more thing about the metro in Brussels. They never checked our tickets, there was no way to monitor people using the metro. It's all based on the expectation that one will follow the rules. It's hard to know how many people take advantage of the situation, and clearly if one is caught without a ticket, they have to pay huge fines. But I got the sense that no one takes that chance and voluntarly follows the rules. I would like to think that would work in a US city, but that would be naive. And yet, why? Are people's lives that harder that they would feel the need to cheat the system? Where do the differences lie? Why does it work here and not in the US? Will it ever work there?
The more I see of the world, the more questions I have about my own country.
July 16
So, Belgium! I had a lovely stay in this country and wish I had more time to explore. I have no idea whether or not I'll have the chance to return but I would highly recommend Belgium to others as a tourist destination. The people were so very helpful, there's a great deal of diversity, and the food is AMAZING. Here's some info about Belgium before I get started. Most people don't know that Belgium has two main languages: French in the south, or Wallonia, and Flemish Dutch in the north, or Flanders. Luckily, I was able to experience both areas. Historically, there has always been a great rift between the north and the south, one established based off of religious, linguistic, economic, and ethnic differences. In the past, there was an enormous gap in the wealth between the north and the south....Wallonia had the higher ground with its large coal deposits and modernized quite early. The north remained predominately agricultural. But in the past 40 some years, there has been a complete reversal in the relationship between Flanders and Wallonia. Now, the north has overtaken the south in prosperity and growrth rates. One thing I should have known...Antwerp (or it's Dutch name: Antwerpen, the French name: Anvers) is the diamond capital of the world! Really cool.....needless to say, many shops selling diamonds and jewelry all around the city. Here's some more interesting information: Belgium has ten provinces, each with its own administrative governing functions, but the real authoritative power lies in the regions: the Flemish region, the capital of Brussels (which is similar to the DC) and the Walloon region. Each has its own parliament. There are also four executive bodies! Clearly, they have a very complex system of government, which tends to be very costly. As a result, they have the largest public debt in western Europe.
Belgium is a small country, about the size of New Hampshire but is one of the most densely populated in the world. The two major cities, of course, are Antwerp and Brussels (Brussels is home to the European Union and NATO). If I didn't travel to Amsterdam, I would have gone to Bruges and Ghent, other popular destinations. I loved Belgium. I only have the best things to say. The people were so, so kind! Yesterday we explored Brussles (Bruxelles) and had a great time. The first thing I went to see was the Atonium, basically a model of a giant atom (335 feet tall), about 165 billion times the size of an actual atom. It was made in 1958 for a universal exposition. We took the metro to get there...it was kind of on the outskirts of the city but worth the trip. Especially since we didn't have to pay anything to see it...unless you wanted to go inside. From the top of the atom, there were tourists gliding down on a line to the ground...a friend told me it was like 25 euros to do this....it was tempting.....
Mini Europe was right next to the Atonium but we decided to skip it. Instead, we took the metro back to Central Station and walked to the Grand Place, a really great, large open square with fantastic architecture. The buildings are in the Flemish Renaissance style, from the 16th and early 17th century. Supposedly, they were all rebuilt after French troops destroyed them in the late 1600s? Not quite sure about that one...check me on it...regardless, the guildhouses are not orginial...but so beautiful! There was the Hotel de Ville, the old town hall, the Maison du Roi which is now the Musee de la Ville de Bruxelles, which is something of a history of the city museum. My favorite part of the Grand Place was Le Cornet, the guildhouse of the boatmen. Unfortunately, the past two days were pretty rainy/gray so we didn't get to see everything in its grand splendor. I wish I had come in August...the Grand Place is taken over by the Tapis de Fleurs, where the whole center is covered with flowers. Still, seeing the Grand Place was great...the architecture is unlike anything we see in the states...
After walking around the Grand Place, we were starving and anxious to try frites. French fries are actually incorrectly named...they should be called Belgian fries, but here they are simply known as frites. Everyone had told me to expect heaven, and in truth, they were great. Here they serve them with mayonnaise and when we first heard this, our reaction wasn't the best. But then we learned that there is a wide selection of different types of mayo...the kind I got was pretty spicy...definitely not the mayo I'm used to. After eating, we went in search of Mannekin-Pis, a statue of a tiny boy peeing. I don't know, the Belgians love it. Supposedly, they even make costumes for the boy...more than 500 have been made. So we had to see it...and we were surprised at how small he is!!! There were security cameras and so on...I kind of appreciate how much they love this statue...its nice :)
On the same street, we found waffles. OH MY GOD. I don't think I'll ever have another culinary experience like this one. For about 4 euros, I bought a waffle filled with strawberries, chocolate sauce, and whipped cream. It was orgasmic. Honestly. I had another today in Antwerp. Just bloody fantastic. Wow. Really, I didn't think they would be different from the Belgian waffles in the States. But they belong in an entirely different category. But I don't get it! Why can't we figure out the secret and make these in the US??? And what about the chocolate???????? The chocolate is just .......oh god, for a chocolate lover, Belgium was just the best. I bought a lot of chocolate and will be very happy for the next few days until we get to Italy. I bought chocolate for family and friends, but honestly, I don't think they'll last with me in the same vicinity. Sorry! Ah, Belgium. Only good thoughts.
After my five minute trip to heaven, I headed to the Musees Royaux des Beaux-Arts. It took awhile for me to find the place...I think I was still in la la land. It cost less than five euros for me to get into the Royal Museums of the Fine Arts, and it was worth it. Unfortunately, I only had time to spend in the Musee d'Art Ancien, which housed artwork from the 15th through the 18th centuries. The two most famous pieces I saw were Pieter Brueghel the Elder's "The Fall of Icarus" as well as "The Death of Marat" by Jacques Louis David. I really do wish I could have spent more time there, but I only had a bit of an hour. I didn't do much sightseeing in Amsterdam, Brussels, or Antwerp...most of the time was spent simply walking and observing. In Brussels, I passed SO many churches...the Cathedrale des Saints Michel et Gudule, the Eglise Saint-Jacques-sur-Coudenberg, and so on. Also, I walked past the Palais Royal and Les Musee Belvue and the Palais de Charles de Lorraine. Sometimes I prefer walking to see a city...in Amsterdam we walked all over the place, and it was refreshing. By the time the late afternoon rolled around, I was pretty exhuasted (big surprise) and decided to go back to Gare Centrale to get back to Antwerp.
The only discomforting moments I had in Belgium were related to the trains. I had bought a round ticket in Antwerp so I didn't have to worry about buying another ticket (as I have done with all my other journeys) but if I hadn't, I have no idea how I would have gotten a ticket back. The train station was pretty difficult for my friends and I to navigate around, but I didn't think I would have much of a problem returning. Ha. So, I found the track where the trains depart to Antwerpen but there were so many trains coming and going, it was very difficult to tell which one was which! The monitors didn't help the confusion....at one point I asked the lady next to me if the train in front of us was going to Antwerp and she answered back in french, I don't know. She left and I shrugged my shoulders. Another woman asked me in french questions about the trains....there was nothing I could really do or say, but even the locals were confused. At one point, another train approached and the woman I had previously asked came over to me and pointed to the train. "Antwerp? Anvers?" I asked. She nodded. I repeated myself. She did the same. So I got on. And almost immediately, I realized I made a mistake. Luckily, we were heading in the same direction, which I could tell when we got to Mechelen, which is between Antwerp and Brussels. But there was no english and I was too embarassed to ask the man next to me, who I think noticed my confusion. When the woman came to collect tickets, she stopped, looked at mine, and started speaking in French and then Flemish. "English?" she asked me. I nodded eagerly. I immediately started to explain. "Someone told me this was going to Antwerp!" The woman chuckled a bit, I was clearly distressed....but she calmed me down. "It happens every day. You will get off at the next station, in Lier, and then get on the next train, which is going to Antwerp. I will give you a slip that will tell the next conducter you are a lost passenger." I started laughing. That's kind of romantic, isn't it? Lost passenger...the thought definitely helped a bit with the embarassment. As we approached Lier, I got up and waited alongside the door. The person who was sitting next to me, a man with a kind face who was in his late 30s I would guess, also got up. I had wondered if he knew English and had heard all that had gone on. He saw me fidgeting with my things and said "I think the train to Antwerp is on track 2. Well, that is what it is in the morning. When you get off, I will show you where you can go to check." Pointing, he directed me to the building where I could double check the track. "Thank you so much! I really appreciate it... I thought the woman was correct, but I wasn't totally sure." He shrugged his shoulders. "Today was an odd day. There were track changes. The train before this one and directly after were going to Antwerp, and luckily, you are not far, so it's okay." It was nice to be reassured that I wasn't a complete idiot. He was right, the train was on track 2 and I got back to Antwerp in less than 20 minutes. No big deal. His kindness was not unusual here. So many people helped me out, in big ways and smaller ones. I would never have to ask anyone...if they heard or saw I was confused, they said something themselves. It was wonderful, really.
I got back to the ship in time for dinner (yay! save money!) and relaxed a bit before going out to celebrate a friend's 21st birthday. I had my chance to try flavored Lambic beer, called Kriek. I had cherry last night, and rasberry today around lunchtime. It was amazing! Thank goodness its not readily available in the states because I would be an alcoholic. Lambic is one of the most well known types of beer in Belgium. This is how one of my guidebooks described it:
in the valley of the Senne, there is a natural borne yeast called Brettanomcyes. For centuries, brewers have simply left their warm wheat beer wort uncovered during the winter months, and allowed air to deliver the yeast into it. The fermenting beer is then left to mature in wooden cases for a year or more.
So, does not sound very appetizing. But oh wow-so good!!!! I didn't get to try the Trappist ales, which are interestingly enough, made in abbeys. The only brewing monasteries in the world are located in Belgium and there are about six of them. The word "Trappist" comes from the silent order of Cistercian monks who made them. Unlike the other ports we've been in, beer was incredibly cheap here.
I got in relatively early last night but wasn't able to get all the sleep I wanted.
July 17
Today was the day to explore Antwerp, our port city. I had walked through and seen much of it already, but it was nice to be more leisurely about it. The only thing I paid to do was to enter the Antwerp Cathedral (2 euros for students), a truly spectacular sight, which is also known as Onze-Lieve-Vrouwekathedraal. It's visible from almost anywhere in Antwerp....and was fantastic to see inside. From what I heard, it took over 100 years to build and is the largest gothic church in the Benelux region. The cathedral was probably the biggest I've ever been in....and had a four Ruben masterpieces, including:
-The Raising of the Cross (1610)
-The Descent from the Cross (1614)
-The Resurrection of Christ (1612)
-The Ascension of the Virgin (1626)
Earlier in the morning, I had passed several interesting places including the Nationaal Scheepvaartmuseum, which looks like an old castle from the outside. We also passed Vleeshuis, which was the guildhouse of the butchers in the 16th century. Now, it has been made into a music museum. The architecture was really insane...and the red color made it truly look like a meat house!! Nearby is the Grote Markt, the main square of Antwerp, very similar to the Grand Place in Brussels. Guildhouses and all. I actually like this better than the Grand Place...it was a lot more intimate. Supposedly Antwerp was named after a Roman soldier defeating a giant who then threw the hand of the giant into the Schelde river...I guess the latin word for throwing the hand is hand-werpen, so Antwerpen came from that....anyhow, in the middle of the Grote Markt, there is a statue honoring the Roman Brabo, who saved the city.
Recently, Antwerp has been gaining popularity as a fashion mecca. The Mier, which is the main pedestrian shopping street, is amazing. So many stores! All of these European cities have pedestrian shopping streets, it's fantastic. Oh, one of the things we've been noticing is there are SO many H&M's all over the place...there were three on the Mier....we saw about four in Amsterdam all in the same vicinity....there were two on the Stroget in Copenhagen about 2 minutes walking distance apart....really interesting...I thought it was an American store, but we're thinking maybe not because its so popular. Even Bergen had an H&M. I'll do some research.......
The first day we arrived in Antwerp we walked along the Mier to get to the train station. As we passed the stores, we noticed very odd displays in the window. Really strange mannequins....the only time I had seen these were in halloween stores...we just thought, maybe that's the way they do it. It was just extremely eccentric and slightly humorous but I was still perplexed at the meaning. Today I found out there's been a contest between the stores...I don't know what the prompt was: the scariest display?
Its 8:30pm right now and I'm about to go to bed. Maybe I'll watch a movie..I need to write some field reports but I don't have the energy, I'm just so tired. Writing these blogs takes quite a while in itself. I started working on these when I got in around 4ish? But of course, there's been numerous interruptions. Dinner, safety drill, etc.
My favorite moment in Belgium was at the end of my port experience, when I entered a Nepalese craft store that had been recommended. In the middle of our square on the ship, we have a graffiti board put up for each port. On it, students can write what place they liked or disliked, what they recommend, etc. I had read about this particular store and it had great reviews: nice service, free tea upon entry (who doesnt love that?) and great, well priced jewelry. When I was on my way back to the ship, I saw a sign for it and decided to go in. It was a lovely store...fantastic energy. There were singing bowls (YES!!), scarfs, and lots of jewelry, all what I expected. And when the woman behind the counter, (about 30 I would say, from Nepal,...she had told me she had been in Europe for about 6 years) saw me come in, she brought me over a cup of tea and it was delicious. There were two others in the store at the time, making purchases. The energy was just so amazing, I just had to buy something. I wear a long necklace every day with two crosses on it and various other pendants. People can always hear me coming from far away, I jingle! So I decided to buy a carnelian stone to put on the necklace but I wanted to make sure it fit first. She helped me out immediately, and we easily fell into conversation. I told her other students on my ship enjoyed her store so much they recommended it to the whole shipboard community. Before I knew it, the woman was so overwhelmed with joy, we were hugging about the wonder of life, tears were coming to her eyes...I didn't know the name of this woman but it was such an incredible moment....she was so happy to hear that people liked her store...it was too much for her. We had this great human bond...I knew her heart just by seeing her face. She made me remember all my blessings and I left her store probably the happiest I've been this whole trip. Definitely the most grateful I've been. And then when I passed through security to get on the ship, I made it a point to tell the older Belgian man that he has a lovely city and a beautiful country. He had a similar reaction to the woman, without the tears and hugging, of course. Just very happy. I loved it.
Oh, one more thing about the metro in Brussels. They never checked our tickets, there was no way to monitor people using the metro. It's all based on the expectation that one will follow the rules. It's hard to know how many people take advantage of the situation, and clearly if one is caught without a ticket, they have to pay huge fines. But I got the sense that no one takes that chance and voluntarly follows the rules. I would like to think that would work in a US city, but that would be naive. And yet, why? Are people's lives that harder that they would feel the need to cheat the system? Where do the differences lie? Why does it work here and not in the US? Will it ever work there?
The more I see of the world, the more questions I have about my own country.
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Amsterdam pt. 2
Another busy day has come and gone! Today we traveled to see Brussels, technically the capital of Europe. But before I talk about that, I'll say more about Amsterdam. Traveling to a new city is always an interesting mind exercise for me. Before I visit a place, I always have ideas of how a city should feel based on what I know about the area, its history, the architecture, the people, and so on. In my head, all of these images come together to create one truly unique vibe. However, this vibe, this feeling is usually way off. Amsterdam was like that for me, as was Copenhagen, and even St. Petersburg. It's in no way a disappointment, just different from what I expect. In Amsterdam's case, I think it was a larger difference because I had always had these romantic feelings for the city....making it larger than life...but of course, it wasn't. Nothing ever is. On one hand, it was literally smaller than I imagined. The canals were beautiful...many times we walked along side them. If we had more time, I would have liked to take a canal ride. I suppose I'll make up a little list of my final impressions of Amsterdam:
1. Lively
It was easily the busiest city we've been to thus far. Even St. Petersburg didn't have so many hordes of people, despite having a population like 4 times the size. Lots of people outside, walking around, hanging out...almost claustraphoic at times. And we weren't always in the center of Amsterdam or in the most touristy places. Definitely, a lively, upbeat kind of atmosphere.
2. Bikes! Again!
I don't know which city had more bikes, here or Copenhagen. Probably Amsterdam....it's funny, we didn't look out for cars or trams but rather bikes. So many people use them and I love seeing it. I think things weren't as formal here in terms of bike rules and such as they were in Copenhagen but that's okay. I would have loved to have rented a bike and rode along the canals, which I really came to love. I wish Americans would adopt the European appreciation of bicycles....it would do so much good....
3. Canals
The canals were the peace and calm of the city. There were so many......and one of my favorite moments of the trip was walking along Prinsengracht in the morning, on my way to Anne Frank. They were still and silent, but seemed to keep the city in check. Part of Amsterdam was like the energy and enthusiasm of a teenager, anxious for wildness. But the canals were the wise, the thoughtful, the all knowing. I almost had a spiritual experience being near them....they had always been there in Amsterdam's history...
4. Coffeeshops
It's actually illegal to smoke or buy cannibis but in Amsterdam, it's pretty widely tolerated and much of it happens in coffeeshops, which are not what we Americans think of as a coffee shop. Oh no, this is where hashish and marijuana are sold...the shops are licensed but we heard a lot about people slipping things into drinks here or just messing around with tourists in general....but we could smell pot in places all over the city.....I didn't see much police....and yet, I never felt unsafe.
5. Americans
There were A LOT of American tourists...I engaged in numerous conversations with people traveling from the states...I spoke with more Americans here than in all the previous countries combined. It's always comforting to speak with fellow Americans...we immediately share this bond that only travelers and foreigners can establish with one another...a similar understanding of excitement mixed with confusions and anxiousness.
People were very friendly in Amsterdam, tourists and locals alike. At one point, I entered a cheese shop and immediately my senses picked up on the wonderful aroma. "It smells great in here!" I said, to no one in particular. The shop owner apparently heard me and replied, "it's my aftershave!" I burst into laughter...people in Belgium and the Netherlands have been so good natured and helpful...today, I got on the wrong train to Antwerp from Brussles (someone misinformed me) but two people on the train helped me. It was wonderful, and turned a potentially inconvenient situtation into a relatively stress free one.
I'm back in Antwerp now and have one more day to explore! I'm just happy I don't have to travel far, I'm a bit tired....
oh ps...I apologize for any poor grammar, mispellings, etc...I write these blogs very quickly and don't always have time to reread them....forgive me!
1. Lively
It was easily the busiest city we've been to thus far. Even St. Petersburg didn't have so many hordes of people, despite having a population like 4 times the size. Lots of people outside, walking around, hanging out...almost claustraphoic at times. And we weren't always in the center of Amsterdam or in the most touristy places. Definitely, a lively, upbeat kind of atmosphere.
2. Bikes! Again!
I don't know which city had more bikes, here or Copenhagen. Probably Amsterdam....it's funny, we didn't look out for cars or trams but rather bikes. So many people use them and I love seeing it. I think things weren't as formal here in terms of bike rules and such as they were in Copenhagen but that's okay. I would have loved to have rented a bike and rode along the canals, which I really came to love. I wish Americans would adopt the European appreciation of bicycles....it would do so much good....
3. Canals
The canals were the peace and calm of the city. There were so many......and one of my favorite moments of the trip was walking along Prinsengracht in the morning, on my way to Anne Frank. They were still and silent, but seemed to keep the city in check. Part of Amsterdam was like the energy and enthusiasm of a teenager, anxious for wildness. But the canals were the wise, the thoughtful, the all knowing. I almost had a spiritual experience being near them....they had always been there in Amsterdam's history...
4. Coffeeshops
It's actually illegal to smoke or buy cannibis but in Amsterdam, it's pretty widely tolerated and much of it happens in coffeeshops, which are not what we Americans think of as a coffee shop. Oh no, this is where hashish and marijuana are sold...the shops are licensed but we heard a lot about people slipping things into drinks here or just messing around with tourists in general....but we could smell pot in places all over the city.....I didn't see much police....and yet, I never felt unsafe.
5. Americans
There were A LOT of American tourists...I engaged in numerous conversations with people traveling from the states...I spoke with more Americans here than in all the previous countries combined. It's always comforting to speak with fellow Americans...we immediately share this bond that only travelers and foreigners can establish with one another...a similar understanding of excitement mixed with confusions and anxiousness.
People were very friendly in Amsterdam, tourists and locals alike. At one point, I entered a cheese shop and immediately my senses picked up on the wonderful aroma. "It smells great in here!" I said, to no one in particular. The shop owner apparently heard me and replied, "it's my aftershave!" I burst into laughter...people in Belgium and the Netherlands have been so good natured and helpful...today, I got on the wrong train to Antwerp from Brussles (someone misinformed me) but two people on the train helped me. It was wonderful, and turned a potentially inconvenient situtation into a relatively stress free one.
I'm back in Antwerp now and have one more day to explore! I'm just happy I don't have to travel far, I'm a bit tired....
oh ps...I apologize for any poor grammar, mispellings, etc...I write these blogs very quickly and don't always have time to reread them....forgive me!
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Amsterdam
The past two days has felt like two weeks....my body aches, my eyes drift off into the realm of some dream state, and my mind is overwhelmed with everything I've seen. And even a couple hours ago seems like a week ago.......time is a funny thing.... almost hypnotized when the senses are used so much.......
We actually arrived in Antwerp sunday night but I had already gone to sleep and missed our docking. Traveling through the Kiel Canal saved us a LOT of time and we ended up coming into Belgium earlier than planned. Yesterday morning (oh my god....it really cannot be yesterday morning) I awoke pretty early to enjoy a hearty breakfast before my adventures...but first, we had our diplmatic briefing with representatives from the embassy in Brussels (foreign service YES!). Once the ship was cleared and I got my passport, a couple friends and I speedwalked to the central train station, hoping to jump on a train to Amsterdam as soon as possible. Even during the speedwalk, I couldn't help but admire the city of Antwerp. By far, my first impressions were the best of any port city we've been to. I couldn't wait to return to explore more! Luckily, the station wasn't difficult to find, basically just a straight away from the port. We didn't have much time to look around the station...but it has a gorgeous interior..I'm planning on taking many pictures later. Buying a ticket to Amsterdam took less than five minutes (including waiting in line) and was a breeze. One way was about 19 euros (for under 26). We caught the 10am train...quite a feat in our case...The train ride was pleasant enough, minus a man who was across from me....at times making me feel rather uncomfortable....incessant, sinister type staring...oh well, he got off before Amsterdam so no harm done. The train took roughly two hours....so we arrived just for lunch time! After exchanging cash and kroners and such into euros, we stepped out of the train station very enthusiastically.
I had ALWAYS wanted to go to Amsterdam. If someone asked me to choose between Paris and Amsterdam, I would have chosen the latter. In a heartbeat. I think I was always drawn to the area because of my middle school obsession with Anne Frank, or maybe it was the romance of the canals and architecture....who knows....I was just very, very excited to be there. Almost immediately we were in the red light district, or on the outskirts of it at least. Our first impressions were of lots of sex shops, which wasn't too surprising.
Soon we were in the better parts of Amsterdam....with lots of fashionable stores, cafes, (NOT coffee shops), cute streets, etc. We were starving and had no trouble deciding on Cafe Luna, a really cute place on Kalverstraat. I got a cheese sandwich with lettuce, egg, and cucumber on a baguette as well as a Brussels waffle with chocolate (wanted to have that for comparing purposes!). All delicious. When we were finished we continued walking along, now in the hopes of finding the hotel we booked, on Marnixstraat. When we found it, we were told they weren't able to accomodate us, but had set up our stay with another hotel down the road. "Down the road" turned out to be a little farther, past where Marnixstraat turns into Weteringsch. We had some difficulty finding the new hotel at first, but after twenty minutes of searching and asking Dutch locals, we found Hotel Sphinx.
When we got inside, we were told our room wouldn't be ready until an hour later, so we decided to hit up the Van Gogh museum (gogh is actually pronounced like hhawwh...ha, perhaps thats not the correct phonetic way....in any case, we say it WRONG). The museum not only had a rather large collection of his works but also many contemporary pieces as well. I was really happy to see some of my favorite pieces, pieces that I hang on my wall and see every day.....lovely to see them in person! My plan has been to buy an art print from every country I go to as my main souvenir (who really likes those spoons, anyway?) so for the rest of the trip I carried around my poster in this elongated triangular shape holder...couldve been used as a weapon, I swear. We had spent about 3 hours walking and from and in the museum itself, so we headed back to Sphinx to check in.
Everything was set up when we got there and was generally satisfied with our room. We were just happy to have three beds. But, what we would come to discover later on that night, was that the walls were extremely thin. And lucky for us, about four hooligans from England were staying next door and made quite a ruckus. We got VERY little sleep. But before we went to sleep, we decided to head towards the Anne Frank house, thinking the crowds would be almost non existant closer to 9pm. They weren't. There was no way we could get in and see it in enough time before the place closed. So instead, we went out to get dinner and found a cheap vegetarian place called Maoz, where we all got falafels. After, we went to a chocolate shop where we either indulged in ice cream, waffles, or just a drink (hot chocolate for me).
Nearby was Leidseplein, a popular square filled with restuarants and the like. We stopped for about fifteen minutes to watch some break dancers put on a show, hopefully I'll be able to upload the videos I took. We were all pretty whipped by then and decided to have an early night since it was decided we would wake up pretty early the next day. Getting up wasn't that difficult since I was pretty much awake the entire night (thanks to our considerate neighbors). When we checked out, I was almost running to the Anne Frank house. I don't know, I think it's just me but perhaps its an American trait...I just had this image of massive crowds forming even an hour before the place opened....I was prepared to be the 50th person in line even at like 830.....so I booked it...for real. I was getting some true exercise there...carrying my bags around, the Van Gogh poster holder of death....I don't know, I was oddly energized. And when I got to Prinsengracht 263 (well, really like 265 because they bought like the all the buildings around the main building) there was only ONE person in line. Granted, it was about 8am and the museum was set to open in at least forty five minutes. But I was proud of this speed walking accomplishment...it definitely paid off. For a little bit, I put my stuff down with my friends and walked around the area in search for some caffeine (even though I really didn't need any) and instead passed by the Tulip museum, which I had heard about, but it didn't seem too impressing. After failing at my mission, I returned to the long lines I had anticipated.
But we were second! And we easily got in when it opened and I loved every moment of it. It had been a dream to be in this place....so much so that I tread lightly on the floors, as if they were sacred. When I was in middle school, I truly became obsessed with The Diary of Anne Frank....I would dream that I too was hiding as a Jew in the Holocaust. To me, this was one of the most important landmarks in Europe. And the speed walking truly paid off...there wasn't really anyone ahead of me.....I spent several minutes ON MY OWN in the rooms.......I was in Anne's room by myself for awhile, ......it was really an intense, emotional experience....and yet, very eerie at the same time. Yeah, totally eerie. I imagine that effect would have been curtailed a bit had there been more tourists around me........in any case, I was really lucky.
We stayed in the museum for about a little more than an hour and then hit a cafe near by for some breakfast. We all got dutch pancakes which were simply put, amazing. I stayed there for awhile because it was a wi fi spot and I had my laptop......when I was done, we went to see Westerkerk, a church almost right next to the Anne Frank museum. I remember reading how the bells and the church in general were a great comfort to Anne, but I had also read in one of my guidebooks that climbing the tower was a must do in Amsterdam. Westerkerk, which was built in the 17th century, has the tallest tower in the city, about 280 feet....which we climbed on extremely tight and narrow staircases....ah it was an experience, that's for sure! Less than ten people can be taken up at at time its so intense. If one is afraid of heights or is claustrophobic, this is not for you. Older people and larger people would have some difficulty as well. It was great though, very exciting! It took us at least ten minutes to get to the top...I thought the climbing would never end, I don't know how the tour guides go up and down so often. But the views from the tower overlooking the city are spectacular!!! It was perhaps the best moment I had in Amsterdam (besides being alone in the secret annex). If you are heading to Amsterdam, you HAVE TO DO THIS! It was fantastic....great panoramic views of the city, the canals, everything. We stayed up there for quite a bit before heading back down, which was a challenge in itself. I also learned that Rembrant and his son Titus were buried here in this church? Pretty cool........
We did a lot of walking around and observing afterwards, including passing Koninklijk Paleis, a royal palace. Supposedly it was originally meant to be Europe's largest town hall but when Napoleon came in 1808 and made his brother king of Holland, it turned into a palace. We also went through Rosse Buurt, or the Red Light District. It was certainly interesting...lots of sex shops, places to see sex shows, etc...and then in the windows of many buildings were prositutes standing, trying to get passerbys to come in....
Alright, so that is part 1 of Amsterdam. I'm so tired, I have to go to sleep...hopefully will write tommorrow.
We actually arrived in Antwerp sunday night but I had already gone to sleep and missed our docking. Traveling through the Kiel Canal saved us a LOT of time and we ended up coming into Belgium earlier than planned. Yesterday morning (oh my god....it really cannot be yesterday morning) I awoke pretty early to enjoy a hearty breakfast before my adventures...but first, we had our diplmatic briefing with representatives from the embassy in Brussels (foreign service YES!). Once the ship was cleared and I got my passport, a couple friends and I speedwalked to the central train station, hoping to jump on a train to Amsterdam as soon as possible. Even during the speedwalk, I couldn't help but admire the city of Antwerp. By far, my first impressions were the best of any port city we've been to. I couldn't wait to return to explore more! Luckily, the station wasn't difficult to find, basically just a straight away from the port. We didn't have much time to look around the station...but it has a gorgeous interior..I'm planning on taking many pictures later. Buying a ticket to Amsterdam took less than five minutes (including waiting in line) and was a breeze. One way was about 19 euros (for under 26). We caught the 10am train...quite a feat in our case...The train ride was pleasant enough, minus a man who was across from me....at times making me feel rather uncomfortable....incessant, sinister type staring...oh well, he got off before Amsterdam so no harm done. The train took roughly two hours....so we arrived just for lunch time! After exchanging cash and kroners and such into euros, we stepped out of the train station very enthusiastically.
I had ALWAYS wanted to go to Amsterdam. If someone asked me to choose between Paris and Amsterdam, I would have chosen the latter. In a heartbeat. I think I was always drawn to the area because of my middle school obsession with Anne Frank, or maybe it was the romance of the canals and architecture....who knows....I was just very, very excited to be there. Almost immediately we were in the red light district, or on the outskirts of it at least. Our first impressions were of lots of sex shops, which wasn't too surprising.
Soon we were in the better parts of Amsterdam....with lots of fashionable stores, cafes, (NOT coffee shops), cute streets, etc. We were starving and had no trouble deciding on Cafe Luna, a really cute place on Kalverstraat. I got a cheese sandwich with lettuce, egg, and cucumber on a baguette as well as a Brussels waffle with chocolate (wanted to have that for comparing purposes!). All delicious. When we were finished we continued walking along, now in the hopes of finding the hotel we booked, on Marnixstraat. When we found it, we were told they weren't able to accomodate us, but had set up our stay with another hotel down the road. "Down the road" turned out to be a little farther, past where Marnixstraat turns into Weteringsch. We had some difficulty finding the new hotel at first, but after twenty minutes of searching and asking Dutch locals, we found Hotel Sphinx.
When we got inside, we were told our room wouldn't be ready until an hour later, so we decided to hit up the Van Gogh museum (gogh is actually pronounced like hhawwh...ha, perhaps thats not the correct phonetic way....in any case, we say it WRONG). The museum not only had a rather large collection of his works but also many contemporary pieces as well. I was really happy to see some of my favorite pieces, pieces that I hang on my wall and see every day.....lovely to see them in person! My plan has been to buy an art print from every country I go to as my main souvenir (who really likes those spoons, anyway?) so for the rest of the trip I carried around my poster in this elongated triangular shape holder...couldve been used as a weapon, I swear. We had spent about 3 hours walking and from and in the museum itself, so we headed back to Sphinx to check in.
Everything was set up when we got there and was generally satisfied with our room. We were just happy to have three beds. But, what we would come to discover later on that night, was that the walls were extremely thin. And lucky for us, about four hooligans from England were staying next door and made quite a ruckus. We got VERY little sleep. But before we went to sleep, we decided to head towards the Anne Frank house, thinking the crowds would be almost non existant closer to 9pm. They weren't. There was no way we could get in and see it in enough time before the place closed. So instead, we went out to get dinner and found a cheap vegetarian place called Maoz, where we all got falafels. After, we went to a chocolate shop where we either indulged in ice cream, waffles, or just a drink (hot chocolate for me).
Nearby was Leidseplein, a popular square filled with restuarants and the like. We stopped for about fifteen minutes to watch some break dancers put on a show, hopefully I'll be able to upload the videos I took. We were all pretty whipped by then and decided to have an early night since it was decided we would wake up pretty early the next day. Getting up wasn't that difficult since I was pretty much awake the entire night (thanks to our considerate neighbors). When we checked out, I was almost running to the Anne Frank house. I don't know, I think it's just me but perhaps its an American trait...I just had this image of massive crowds forming even an hour before the place opened....I was prepared to be the 50th person in line even at like 830.....so I booked it...for real. I was getting some true exercise there...carrying my bags around, the Van Gogh poster holder of death....I don't know, I was oddly energized. And when I got to Prinsengracht 263 (well, really like 265 because they bought like the all the buildings around the main building) there was only ONE person in line. Granted, it was about 8am and the museum was set to open in at least forty five minutes. But I was proud of this speed walking accomplishment...it definitely paid off. For a little bit, I put my stuff down with my friends and walked around the area in search for some caffeine (even though I really didn't need any) and instead passed by the Tulip museum, which I had heard about, but it didn't seem too impressing. After failing at my mission, I returned to the long lines I had anticipated.
But we were second! And we easily got in when it opened and I loved every moment of it. It had been a dream to be in this place....so much so that I tread lightly on the floors, as if they were sacred. When I was in middle school, I truly became obsessed with The Diary of Anne Frank....I would dream that I too was hiding as a Jew in the Holocaust. To me, this was one of the most important landmarks in Europe. And the speed walking truly paid off...there wasn't really anyone ahead of me.....I spent several minutes ON MY OWN in the rooms.......I was in Anne's room by myself for awhile, ......it was really an intense, emotional experience....and yet, very eerie at the same time. Yeah, totally eerie. I imagine that effect would have been curtailed a bit had there been more tourists around me........in any case, I was really lucky.
We stayed in the museum for about a little more than an hour and then hit a cafe near by for some breakfast. We all got dutch pancakes which were simply put, amazing. I stayed there for awhile because it was a wi fi spot and I had my laptop......when I was done, we went to see Westerkerk, a church almost right next to the Anne Frank museum. I remember reading how the bells and the church in general were a great comfort to Anne, but I had also read in one of my guidebooks that climbing the tower was a must do in Amsterdam. Westerkerk, which was built in the 17th century, has the tallest tower in the city, about 280 feet....which we climbed on extremely tight and narrow staircases....ah it was an experience, that's for sure! Less than ten people can be taken up at at time its so intense. If one is afraid of heights or is claustrophobic, this is not for you. Older people and larger people would have some difficulty as well. It was great though, very exciting! It took us at least ten minutes to get to the top...I thought the climbing would never end, I don't know how the tour guides go up and down so often. But the views from the tower overlooking the city are spectacular!!! It was perhaps the best moment I had in Amsterdam (besides being alone in the secret annex). If you are heading to Amsterdam, you HAVE TO DO THIS! It was fantastic....great panoramic views of the city, the canals, everything. We stayed up there for quite a bit before heading back down, which was a challenge in itself. I also learned that Rembrant and his son Titus were buried here in this church? Pretty cool........
We did a lot of walking around and observing afterwards, including passing Koninklijk Paleis, a royal palace. Supposedly it was originally meant to be Europe's largest town hall but when Napoleon came in 1808 and made his brother king of Holland, it turned into a palace. We also went through Rosse Buurt, or the Red Light District. It was certainly interesting...lots of sex shops, places to see sex shows, etc...and then in the windows of many buildings were prositutes standing, trying to get passerbys to come in....
Alright, so that is part 1 of Amsterdam. I'm so tired, I have to go to sleep...hopefully will write tommorrow.
Saturday, July 12, 2008
Germany and the Kiel Canal!
About a week ago, we found out that we would be traveling through the Kiel Canal (previously known as the Kaiser-Wilhelm-Kanal) in Germany to get to Belgium! Originally, we were going to travel by going around the Jutland Peninsula, which we went through to get to Russia from Norway. The Kiel Canal was built in the late 19th century and is the busiest canal in the world, with about 45,000 ships passing through each year! (funny, I had only ever heard of the Panama canal but this one is much busier!
) By going through the Kiel Canal, we have been able to save time and money. For those who are not familiar, the canal connects the North Sea with the Baltic Sea. According to wikipedia, most cruise ships cannot pass through the canal so we are quiet lucky! I did see many locals on the side of the canal watching as we pass through....it's pretty cool to say we've all actually been in Germany and seen the landscape (it is Germany on both sides of the canal) without setting foot on the land. But I've seen it! You would be amazed how close we are....hopefully later I'll be able to upload the pictures I took...we could easily swim to the shore....on both sides...we're THAT close. So here's a shoutout to Nina! I've been to Germany!
****
One thing has all been on our minds as we get closer to sailing to the southern Europe...what will happen about Turkey. When we were in Denmark, there was an incident outside of the American consulate in Turkey, where six people were killed. It is not that unusual to change plans or be re routed...so we're not sure what's going to happen...the rumor I heard is the alternative is going to France, Spain, or Egypt...I would LOVE Egypt...but personally, Turkey was the highlight of this trip....so it will be quite a downer if it doesn't happen...unless, of course..I go see the pyramids and ride camels instead, .....hmm....
Tommorrow I have two midterms and then on monday we arrive in Antwerp...the plan is to get on a train to go to Amsterdam asap and spend monday and tuesday there...come back and hit Brussels and see Antwerp....busy!!
) By going through the Kiel Canal, we have been able to save time and money. For those who are not familiar, the canal connects the North Sea with the Baltic Sea. According to wikipedia, most cruise ships cannot pass through the canal so we are quiet lucky! I did see many locals on the side of the canal watching as we pass through....it's pretty cool to say we've all actually been in Germany and seen the landscape (it is Germany on both sides of the canal) without setting foot on the land. But I've seen it! You would be amazed how close we are....hopefully later I'll be able to upload the pictures I took...we could easily swim to the shore....on both sides...we're THAT close. So here's a shoutout to Nina! I've been to Germany!****
One thing has all been on our minds as we get closer to sailing to the southern Europe...what will happen about Turkey. When we were in Denmark, there was an incident outside of the American consulate in Turkey, where six people were killed. It is not that unusual to change plans or be re routed...so we're not sure what's going to happen...the rumor I heard is the alternative is going to France, Spain, or Egypt...I would LOVE Egypt...but personally, Turkey was the highlight of this trip....so it will be quite a downer if it doesn't happen...unless, of course..I go see the pyramids and ride camels instead, .....hmm....
Tommorrow I have two midterms and then on monday we arrive in Antwerp...the plan is to get on a train to go to Amsterdam asap and spend monday and tuesday there...come back and hit Brussels and see Antwerp....busy!!
Friday, July 11, 2008
Korsor and final thoughts on Scandinavia
July 11
This morning was one of the most relaxing mornings of the past four weeks. I pulled myself out of bed early, knowing I would regret missing breakfast if I slept in. It was a beautiful day out and I had barely seen any of Korsor. I left the ship around 9 and walked around the town for a good two hours. Although there aren't any real touristy attractions, it was so much nicer to simply observe the comings and goings of the locals. When I left the ship, I walked for about five minutes until I crossed a bridge that brought me to the main part of Korsor, which had some small shops and restuarants. I walked along a street called Nygade where I stopped at a tourist office for a map. Then took a left onto a small street called Algade, which led to the main church in Korsor. Then, I took another left onto Brogade, which finally brought me to the street that ran along the harbour, Havnegade. Near the pier, I found a bench and spent a good half an hour taking in the land
scape around me. Everything was so quiet...I had written in my notebook, "I feel so wonderful here..on my own...I'm beside the water, watching the locals take their boats out and their dogs for walks-it is a quaint town, one that graciously accepts its visitors, one that appreciates the sea, one that lives on its own and understands the beauty of simplicity...one that doesn't take for granted the stem of a single flower. And the clouds-never has the sky felt closer to humans than it does here...I had the same feeling in Sweden...oh, if only I could paint........"
After some reflecting, I walked back towards the ship but continued on past it, to explore the other part of Korsor. The main road I walked on was called Revvej, which let me pass by many charming homes, as well as the library, and also a very cute bakery, from where I indulged in a brownie. Korsor vaguely reminded me of downeast Maine, near where my mother lives. If there was one word to describe the town, it would be simple. Not that it didn't have stores and a bar or two, not that the people were backwards in any sense...Korsor to me seemed like an oasis, completely separate from the rest of the world, surrounded by only good energy, void of darkness altogether. If the world gives in to chaos, Korsor would somehow be safe, I'm sure.
****
I've been to three Scandinavian countries thus far and I thought I would share some of my lasting impressions, even though they are pretty generalized:
1. Clean
There has been a complete lack of trash in Norway, Denmark, and Sweden. The streets were spotless! No one even thinks to litter....it seems to be a common duty to keep one's city clean...although we want this in the States, we are all guilty of littering. We don't take those extra steps to find a trash can..in short, we are lazy. And ultimately, even if you yourself are determined to see America as clean as Scandinavia, your neighbor may not give the idea a second thought. Here it doesn't seem to be a problem at all. It will be interesting to compare Naples which has a rather large rubbish issue.
2. Safe
I never once felt in harm's danger. Even though I had one or two locks on my bags and stayed alert throughout my visits, I rarely had to give a creepy man the evil eye or constantly check my bag and wallet. The people were also so welcoming, which let us relax and be at ease. I only knew of one person who used her security belt in scandinavian countries, and that was only because she was used to it. In Korsor, kids of ages seven or eight would ride their bikes alone and go explore. Anywhere in Scandinavia seemed to be the perfect place to raise a child (maternity leave is also VERY generous, and fathers can even take off quite a bit of time..childcare is free as well). People truly look out for each other here. After all, the Danes in particular are said to be the happiest people in their world.
3.Bikes!
Bikes were everywhere, especially in Copenhagen, where there are separate lanes for bikers, and even separate lights. I saw more bikes than cars my entire time in Cph. People ride with baksets and it seems to be the transporation of choice for most Danes. In Bergen, there weren't as many bikers but Malmo has a considerable lot. Tourists can also be included in the practice-there are bikes to rent but also city bikes one can pick up from the street...a 20DKK is needed for a deposit but once the bike is returned, so is your money. It's a wonderful system that seems to have been adopted in many European cities. If only America could jump on the bandwagon.........
4. English
Traveling is incredibly convenient mainly because everyone speaks almost perfect English. Even though we tried to speak either Norwegian, Danish, or Sweden, it was simply a matter of respect and out of politeness.
5. Expensive
Probably the only downfall of Scandinavia on the whole was how expensive it was. Meals were always around $15, and these were the doable places. I didn't buy any souvenirs in Denmark or Sweden, and only a poster from the Bergen Art Museum. Scandinavia is expensive regardless but coming as an American tourist was even more difficult...thank you Mr. Bush for our lovely exchange rates. It won't get easier either because the majority of countries we hit next are on the Euro, so....eh.
Regardless of the expenses, Scandinavia was wonderful. The word civilized keeps coming to mind. The people were generous, sweet, and helpful. People are happy and life is good here. I can't imagine how different Scandinavia will seem when I move to India in the fall...........
This morning was one of the most relaxing mornings of the past four weeks. I pulled myself out of bed early, knowing I would regret missing breakfast if I slept in. It was a beautiful day out and I had barely seen any of Korsor. I left the ship around 9 and walked around the town for a good two hours. Although there aren't any real touristy attractions, it was so much nicer to simply observe the comings and goings of the locals. When I left the ship, I walked for about five minutes until I crossed a bridge that brought me to the main part of Korsor, which had some small shops and restuarants. I walked along a street called Nygade where I stopped at a tourist office for a map. Then took a left onto a small street called Algade, which led to the main church in Korsor. Then, I took another left onto Brogade, which finally brought me to the street that ran along the harbour, Havnegade. Near the pier, I found a bench and spent a good half an hour taking in the land
scape around me. Everything was so quiet...I had written in my notebook, "I feel so wonderful here..on my own...I'm beside the water, watching the locals take their boats out and their dogs for walks-it is a quaint town, one that graciously accepts its visitors, one that appreciates the sea, one that lives on its own and understands the beauty of simplicity...one that doesn't take for granted the stem of a single flower. And the clouds-never has the sky felt closer to humans than it does here...I had the same feeling in Sweden...oh, if only I could paint........"After some reflecting, I walked back towards the ship but continued on past it, to explore the other part of Korsor. The main road I walked on was called Revvej, which let me pass by many charming homes, as well as the library, and also a very cute bakery, from where I indulged in a brownie. Korsor vaguely reminded me of downeast Maine, near where my mother lives. If there was one word to describe the town, it would be simple. Not that it didn't have stores and a bar or two, not that the people were backwards in any sense...Korsor to me seemed like an oasis, completely separate from the rest of the world, surrounded by only good energy, void of darkness altogether. If the world gives in to chaos, Korsor would somehow be safe, I'm sure.
****
I've been to three Scandinavian countries thus far and I thought I would share some of my lasting impressions, even though they are pretty generalized:
1. Clean
There has been a complete lack of trash in Norway, Denmark, and Sweden. The streets were spotless! No one even thinks to litter....it seems to be a common duty to keep one's city clean...although we want this in the States, we are all guilty of littering. We don't take those extra steps to find a trash can..in short, we are lazy. And ultimately, even if you yourself are determined to see America as clean as Scandinavia, your neighbor may not give the idea a second thought. Here it doesn't seem to be a problem at all. It will be interesting to compare Naples which has a rather large rubbish issue.
2. Safe
I never once felt in harm's danger. Even though I had one or two locks on my bags and stayed alert throughout my visits, I rarely had to give a creepy man the evil eye or constantly check my bag and wallet. The people were also so welcoming, which let us relax and be at ease. I only knew of one person who used her security belt in scandinavian countries, and that was only because she was used to it. In Korsor, kids of ages seven or eight would ride their bikes alone and go explore. Anywhere in Scandinavia seemed to be the perfect place to raise a child (maternity leave is also VERY generous, and fathers can even take off quite a bit of time..childcare is free as well). People truly look out for each other here. After all, the Danes in particular are said to be the happiest people in their world.
3.Bikes!
Bikes were everywhere, especially in Copenhagen, where there are separate lanes for bikers, and even separate lights. I saw more bikes than cars my entire time in Cph. People ride with baksets and it seems to be the transporation of choice for most Danes. In Bergen, there weren't as many bikers but Malmo has a considerable lot. Tourists can also be included in the practice-there are bikes to rent but also city bikes one can pick up from the street...a 20DKK is needed for a deposit but once the bike is returned, so is your money. It's a wonderful system that seems to have been adopted in many European cities. If only America could jump on the bandwagon.........
4. English
Traveling is incredibly convenient mainly because everyone speaks almost perfect English. Even though we tried to speak either Norwegian, Danish, or Sweden, it was simply a matter of respect and out of politeness.
5. Expensive
Probably the only downfall of Scandinavia on the whole was how expensive it was. Meals were always around $15, and these were the doable places. I didn't buy any souvenirs in Denmark or Sweden, and only a poster from the Bergen Art Museum. Scandinavia is expensive regardless but coming as an American tourist was even more difficult...thank you Mr. Bush for our lovely exchange rates. It won't get easier either because the majority of countries we hit next are on the Euro, so....eh.
Regardless of the expenses, Scandinavia was wonderful. The word civilized keeps coming to mind. The people were generous, sweet, and helpful. People are happy and life is good here. I can't imagine how different Scandinavia will seem when I move to India in the fall...........
Sweden
(wrote this earlier)
On a train back to Korsor from a day spent in Sweden. Now that I've been to three Scandinavian countries, I can tell you there are only subtle differences between them. Honestly, I could have passed on going to Sweden because it was so similar to Denmark. If anything, Malmo, Sweden had a more cosmopolitan feel than Copenhagen and Bergen. But I felt so great on my own! My most cherished times have always been when I was going solo. Even though I didn't explore Sweden by myself, I still had a very interesting time. It took about 25 minutes on train to get to Malmo from Copenhagen, Sweden's third largest city. One thing I noticed was there were a lot of squares and pedestrian shopping streets, much like Copenhagen (if you're ever in Ma
lmo, hit up Stortorget, lots of trendy stores). The best square was called Lilla Torg, which is surrounded by 16th century buildings, a very charming area indeed. If I had any money, lunch there would have been divine. Since I was very short on money, I spent the whole time walking around, taking in the scenary. We passed the City Hall, the Casino Cosmopol in Kungsparken, and walked through a public park called Slottsparken, which opened in 1872. The perfect place for a picnic! Right in Slottsparken is Slottstradgarden, an organic garden with a very nice cafe. I could just imagine my mother spending hours in this place. As we continued on our walking tour, we passed Malmohus Castle, the oldest renaissance castle in Scandinavia. After taking a few pictures (its a museum now, we just saw the exterior) we headed to the pier on the Western Harbour, which seemed to be the popular place amongst the locals. Lots of sunbathing! Then we saw Turning Torso, the highest bulding in Sweden, which has 54 stories. By this time, we were all pretty tired of walking, so we got back on a train to 
Copenhagen. Interestingly enough, there was a Canadian who sat right next to me who was quite the traveler himself. He hadn't been home to Vancouver in four years. For this summer, he planned a 12 country tour through Europe. Ironically, he had lived in Japan as well as Korea so Momoko was very happy to hear someone speaking her language. The oddest part is he'll be in Bangalore this fall (as will I). We've been meeting so many great people on these trips...it's wonderful to chat with world travelers..
And now I'm on a full train headed back to Korsor and can't wait for a good night's rest!
On a train back to Korsor from a day spent in Sweden. Now that I've been to three Scandinavian countries, I can tell you there are only subtle differences between them. Honestly, I could have passed on going to Sweden because it was so similar to Denmark. If anything, Malmo, Sweden had a more cosmopolitan feel than Copenhagen and Bergen. But I felt so great on my own! My most cherished times have always been when I was going solo. Even though I didn't explore Sweden by myself, I still had a very interesting time. It took about 25 minutes on train to get to Malmo from Copenhagen, Sweden's third largest city. One thing I noticed was there were a lot of squares and pedestrian shopping streets, much like Copenhagen (if you're ever in Ma
lmo, hit up Stortorget, lots of trendy stores). The best square was called Lilla Torg, which is surrounded by 16th century buildings, a very charming area indeed. If I had any money, lunch there would have been divine. Since I was very short on money, I spent the whole time walking around, taking in the scenary. We passed the City Hall, the Casino Cosmopol in Kungsparken, and walked through a public park called Slottsparken, which opened in 1872. The perfect place for a picnic! Right in Slottsparken is Slottstradgarden, an organic garden with a very nice cafe. I could just imagine my mother spending hours in this place. As we continued on our walking tour, we passed Malmohus Castle, the oldest renaissance castle in Scandinavia. After taking a few pictures (its a museum now, we just saw the exterior) we headed to the pier on the Western Harbour, which seemed to be the popular place amongst the locals. Lots of sunbathing! Then we saw Turning Torso, the highest bulding in Sweden, which has 54 stories. By this time, we were all pretty tired of walking, so we got back on a train to 
Copenhagen. Interestingly enough, there was a Canadian who sat right next to me who was quite the traveler himself. He hadn't been home to Vancouver in four years. For this summer, he planned a 12 country tour through Europe. Ironically, he had lived in Japan as well as Korea so Momoko was very happy to hear someone speaking her language. The oddest part is he'll be in Bangalore this fall (as will I). We've been meeting so many great people on these trips...it's wonderful to chat with world travelers..And now I'm on a full train headed back to Korsor and can't wait for a good night's rest!
Thursday, July 10, 2008
Around Copenhagen
Thank goodness...my laptop is okay! I'm writing on it at about 8am this morning and today we will be taking the train from Copenhagen to Malmo, Sweden. We stayed in a pretty cheap hotel last night...but it was nice enough, called Cab Inn. These past two days have been so busy! I suppose I should start where I left off:
July 8
July 8
After arriving in Copenhagen, we left the train station and decided to wander the streets for a little. We passed Tivoli, the oldest amusement park in the world, and walked to the Stroget, supposedly the longest pedestrian shopping street also in the world. It's a great location...resturants and stores everywhere! Although they were all pretty upscale....don't expect to 
make some bargain buys. One of my guide books had recommended a small, cheap place right off the Stroget, so we headed towards Domhusets Smorresbrod and found it on a small side street. Smorresbrod sandwiches are a Danish staple and an unmissable treat! Smorresbrods are basically open faced sandwiches and can have different ingriedients...I bought two (they are not that large): one potato and one fried fish. Very tasty! And extremely cheap...by far the cheapest food I've gotten in Denmark....each sandwich was about 13 kroner. After eating, we decided it would be best if we found a hostel/hotel. We saw a tourist information center and found out where all the good hostels are. With our maps in hand, we headed towards DanHostel, reportedly the largest hostel in Europe. And we did get a room! But just for one night....there are 15 stories in this hostel and it was a perfect location, very close to Tivoli. However, we didn't have a hostelling card so it was more expensive for us...get one if you plan on hitting many hostels. Still cheap, it came out to be about 275 kroner (with sheets). It was a room for 6, with two sets of bunk beds. It was an exciting experience for us, being our first hostel and all. We did not meet our traveling mates until later that night...how sweet they were!
make some bargain buys. One of my guide books had recommended a small, cheap place right off the Stroget, so we headed towards Domhusets Smorresbrod and found it on a small side street. Smorresbrod sandwiches are a Danish staple and an unmissable treat! Smorresbrods are basically open faced sandwiches and can have different ingriedients...I bought two (they are not that large): one potato and one fried fish. Very tasty! And extremely cheap...by far the cheapest food I've gotten in Denmark....each sandwich was about 13 kroner. After eating, we decided it would be best if we found a hostel/hotel. We saw a tourist information center and found out where all the good hostels are. With our maps in hand, we headed towards DanHostel, reportedly the largest hostel in Europe. And we did get a room! But just for one night....there are 15 stories in this hostel and it was a perfect location, very close to Tivoli. However, we didn't have a hostelling card so it was more expensive for us...get one if you plan on hitting many hostels. Still cheap, it came out to be about 275 kroner (with sheets). It was a room for 6, with two sets of bunk beds. It was an exciting experience for us, being our first hostel and all. We did not meet our traveling mates until later that night...how sweet they were! After getting our room, we walked along the Inderhaven in search for Nyhavn. Unfortunately, Tuesday was a day filled with pooring rain and we would find ourselves seeking shelt
er underneath the bridges, with locals and tourists alike. When it calmed a bit, we continued on our way and finally arrived at the Nyhavn Canal (it's the third picture on the side...similar to Bryggen in Bergen). The canal connects Kongens Nytorv to the harbour and is basically now just a row of beautiful buildings which are now expensive restuarants. Then we walked to Stroget again to find a restuarant called RizRaz which specializes in Mediteranean food but is buffet style. It seemed to be a very popular place with the locals and my stomach was easily satisfied with couscous, falafel, and the like. It was about 80 kroner (with water) for each of us.
er underneath the bridges, with locals and tourists alike. When it calmed a bit, we continued on our way and finally arrived at the Nyhavn Canal (it's the third picture on the side...similar to Bryggen in Bergen). The canal connects Kongens Nytorv to the harbour and is basically now just a row of beautiful buildings which are now expensive restuarants. Then we walked to Stroget again to find a restuarant called RizRaz which specializes in Mediteranean food but is buffet style. It seemed to be a very popular place with the locals and my stomach was easily satisfied with couscous, falafel, and the like. It was about 80 kroner (with water) for each of us. As we were walking back in the direction of our hostel, we ran into the very people we had been trying to call! Nevertheless, we ended up going in separate ways....Momoko, Helena and I wanted to go to Tivo
li for the night because we were planning to go to Sweden on Thursday (today!). After dropping some things off at the room, we headed to Tivoli around 9 and stayed there for a couple of hours. The entrance fee was about 80 kroner BUT each ride would have costed about $10 each...so, unbelievably expensive. I was totally bummed...I wanted to do the rides but we weren't able to because of the costs. So instead we just walked around the park (which was smaller than I thought) and took pictures of the sites. Tivoli is very quaint and sweet...intimate and very pretty at times. It's the most popular tourist destination in Copenhagen but I don't think I would go again. Perhaps if it was cheaper.......
li for the night because we were planning to go to Sweden on Thursday (today!). After dropping some things off at the room, we headed to Tivoli around 9 and stayed there for a couple of hours. The entrance fee was about 80 kroner BUT each ride would have costed about $10 each...so, unbelievably expensive. I was totally bummed...I wanted to do the rides but we weren't able to because of the costs. So instead we just walked around the park (which was smaller than I thought) and took pictures of the sites. Tivoli is very quaint and sweet...intimate and very pretty at times. It's the most popular tourist destination in Copenhagen but I don't think I would go again. Perhaps if it was cheaper.......When we were done we headed back to the hostel and soon met the other people staying in our room. There was a mother daughter team traveling throughout Scandanavia...the mother was from Cologne, Germany but they had lived in Toronto for as long as the girl had been alive (she was 25ish?). We had some wonderful conversations with them but we were all pretty exhuasted. When I was getting into bed, our other roommate came and we didn't get to talk so much...I think she was from Canada....nice enough.....
July 9
I woke up quite early yesterday and went downstairs to use the internet. When I was done, the other girls were almost ready to leave. We checked out and decided to get a head start to our day by crossing the Langebro bridge and entering the neighborhood of Christianshavn, where Christiania is! For those
who are not familiar, Christiania is a self proclaimed free state/utopia that is basically separate from Copenhagen (even though its in the city). In the early 70s, a bunch of hippies took over the area, which used to be 19th century military barracks. I was happy to see the area in the morning, when the residents were starting their days themselves. We were only able to take pictures on the outskirts...there were signs in the best parts saying no photography was allowed. There was not many women living there...many older men and lots of dogs running loose (but they were clearly all cared for..they were just running around). It was pretty great...I had never seen anything like this, and I'm not really sure how to explain it. There were vendors selling various things and the colors were really great....lots of grafitti....it definitely wasn't a "clean" place...and taking the kids might not be the best thing. Not that they would be in any danger...but there were some questionable types. Still very cool!
who are not familiar, Christiania is a self proclaimed free state/utopia that is basically separate from Copenhagen (even though its in the city). In the early 70s, a bunch of hippies took over the area, which used to be 19th century military barracks. I was happy to see the area in the morning, when the residents were starting their days themselves. We were only able to take pictures on the outskirts...there were signs in the best parts saying no photography was allowed. There was not many women living there...many older men and lots of dogs running loose (but they were clearly all cared for..they were just running around). It was pretty great...I had never seen anything like this, and I'm not really sure how to explain it. There were vendors selling various things and the colors were really great....lots of grafitti....it definitely wasn't a "clean" place...and taking the kids might not be the best thing. Not that they would be in any danger...but there were some questionable types. Still very cool! After seeing Christiania, we walked to meet some friends outside of the NY Carlsberg Glyptotek art museum and then headed to the Cab Inn to make accomodations for last night. Afterwards, we went in search of a post office and then to find city bikes. Being unsuccesful, we spent the day hitting the following sites:
-Christia
nsborg
nsborg-Amalienborg
-Kastellet
-Little Mermaid
-King's Gardens
-Rosenborg Castle
-Denmark's National Gallery
Christiansborg, Amalienborg, and Rosenborg were all royal residences and we only were able to see the outside (I think some had tours?). If I remember correctly, Christiansborg is used for the Parliament now, and Rosenborg has a museum inside. Honestly, they were just sites to pass and take a couple pictures of...not very spectacular, but then again, I'm thinking of the palaces of Russia. The Little Mermaid was a long ways away and tourists were surrounding the poor statue. Truly, you can skip this. But the King's Gardens, next to Rosenborg, are lovely! The annual Jazz Festival has been going on during our stay and there seemed to be a concert going on while we were walking the park. So lovely! We wished we had a blanket and food for a picnic. Instead, we went to the Statens Museum for Kunst, or the National Gallery of Denmark (it was free on wednesday!). It was really great...there was so much I haven't seen....definitely go there!
After a full day, we were so very tired, and decided to stay in for the night...which was the best thing to do! We're about to head to the train station to go to Sweden...should be interesting!
Denmark pictures:
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)