Classroom Laughs

The Hot Seat
It's an interesting job to bond your students to one another. However, the better they work as a group, and love each other as a family the more distance you can cover academically.
In order to accomplish this we've been moving through the class - taking turns on the hot seat. Each kid gets to sit on the special chair in the front and their classmates get to ask them questions. Then we all share something we appreciate about that student. Yesterday, Julia was on the hot seat, and we were hearing "she's such a good friend" "she's very kind" "Julia is a good helper" "Julia is definitely an optimist", which was quickly followed by "Better than a communist!" from Emery. That brought a quick end to Julia's turn as we all erupted in laughter.

Kids Say the Darndest Things

Spelling in a fifth grader can be a very creative activity. Reading their writing at times can take the deciphering skills of the CIA. It gets really fun when a misspelled word ends up being the correct spelling of another word. This happened to me yesterday when Jason finished his Terra Nova testing about thirty minutes early and had time to kill. He chose to draw and after several "masterpieces" he made me a special card. It has a picture of an airplane trailing a banner, which reads, "U.S. Jamie is the beast". So true!

Today, Sierra came in with a new hairdo. Her much anticipated body wave. Sierra has a simple bob, reminiscent of Ramona Quimby, and was very excited about this new coif. She kept tossing her hair, and scrunching up her new curls. Flipping her short locks around in an attempt to gain some attention. I must say, be careful what you ask for! Robert turns to Sierra at lunch and says, "Why is your hair so wrinkly today?"

Flying Hampster

We have a new class pet. His name is Ziggy, and he is a six week old hamster. I really was hesitant to allow living things into the room,at least those that cannot take care of themselves fairly well. Fairly well is a fluid concept in the middle school world. Most of the time, if they ate and didn't break anything we call that a victory!
The last time I had a class pet he came back to school from the weekend dead. And then he sat on the shelf in his cage for about three hours before the little girl had the guts to tell me he had died! Deceased animals and school children don't mix all that well. I've already hosted one pet funeral, and don't have much desire to repeat that fun. Our shaky rendition of Wind Beneath My Wings was reason enough to say, that's enough to class pets.
But, Amanda's hamster had babies and she was insistent that one come to live at school. He's only been here about a week, but I am in love! He is light tan, with little gray ears that stick out at all times. He has pink paws and a twitching pink nose, that he rubs ferociously that just makes me melt. He spent the first few days just exploring his new cage, and surving the taps and pokes frequently directed at his plastic cage. But after he started squealing a little too much, we decided he needed to take some countertop field trips. Evan and Keegan were the first students to get him out, and he didn't take too kindly to ten year old hands. He peed on Evan's shirt and jumped from Keegan's hand about four feet to the floor. Keegan stands over Ziggy, who is sprawled and dazed on the ground, and says "You better stop that or you'll get a concusion!"
Ziggy may meet his maker sooner than he'd like, or maybe that's what he prays for at lunch after surviving a loud fifth grade morning. Either way, I'm glad he's come to give me company in this school of crazy kids! Ziggy and I taking on the middle school!

Back to Work

Giving up the rambling life has proved more challenging than I could have imagined. Being back in the states, and finding my identity has been hard. I'm no longer in graduate school, or moving forward on my career path, nor do I own a home anymore. Nope, I'm someone with a graduate degree, living at home, and carpooling to school with my seventeen year old sister! I've never felt more lost in my life.
However, I do have a classroom, and my confidence and comfort in that role sustains me when I realize that I will celebrate my 29th birthday at my parents house where I sleep in a room with two twin beds!

When my reality starts to depress me, days like this one at school, get me through.

Last week, I was on lunch duty and was patrolling the tables when I saw Chris walking up to a table with Robert and Gordon. Chris is an adorable little thing, with great curly blond hair, and big smile. He is a little bumbling thing, without a whole lot of direction in life. He also has a little speech impediment, and pronounces his r's with a little L in them! Gordon is an British transplant, new this year. Robert is quiet, but really smart and mature.
Chris sets his tray down on the table, looks at the other two boys with a determined stare and says, "Boys, how do you feel about George Washington?" He pauses for a second, and then follows up with, "Because I am not a fan!". Robert and Gordon just stared at Chris for a second, trying to make sense out of this comment. It is a quite serious statement for 5th grade lunch, where we usually talk about how fast we ran at recess, and which girl we farted in front of!
Gordon starts off the response, with "Chris, you shouldn't hate George Washington! If it weren't for him, you'd all be talking like me and paying taxes to the queen!". This comment made no sense to Chris, so Robert steps in and offers, "Chris did you mean, George Bush?"
Chris thinks for a second and then with a chuckle, says, "Oh yeah, I get them mixed up a lot. But I'm still not a fan! I mean who starts a war after that other guy is already dead."
At this point he turns to me and says, "You know that guy, what's his name?" I said, "Saddam Hussein?"
"Yeah, him. Didn't he get hanged? I mean he's already dead and then we go over there. That's ridiculous!"
I let Robert and Gordon straighten Chris out, and they continued the Iraq debate for a while. Chris never swayed though - it doesn't matter to him what George's last name is - He is not a fan!

190 Days Already?

So, my postings have been fewer and further between these past few days because the Chinese government has a problem with my blog and keeps me from getting my words out there for all the world to see. But on my last morning in China I won't be kept down!
I spent the last week in Xian seeing the Terracotta Warriors and the pandas and just generally enjoying the city, with its bell tower and drum tower and city walls that just ask to be run.
After the worst train ride ever sitting in hard seats overnight for twelve hours with a third of the Chinese population in my compartment - I returned to Beijing for a little more Chinese KTV (karaoke) and I'm off for the airport at noon.
Six months have flown past and I'm amazed to be done. Some friends I've been traveling with for the past month are headed to Hanoi and I really wish I was starting over with them.
However, I will return to Aspen to teach 5th grade at Aspen Middle School - and that should be an exciting new adventure. Teaching that doesn't involve gansta rap and the ghetto!

Beijing

Highlights of China thus far:
Tianamen Square and the 4:57 am flag raising
Having my photo taken by LOTS of Asian people
Peering over Mao's picture at a sea of black heads
Touring gorgeous temple architecture being spruced up for the Olympics
Climbing the steps of the Forbidden City
Being driven around the park pond on a motor boat
Eating dumplings at the night market...
While others ate skewered testicles and starfish
Cheering on the 309 day 21 hour and 59 minute countdown marker for the Olympics
Loving the Chinese hospitality and friendly faces!

The Ger Camp

Driving down the bumpiest paved road in the world, with dust flying up behind the van we headed up the Mongolian "tourist" valley to our Ger Camp. Upon arrival we found three yurts and the most beautiful landscape. Craggy jagged peaks sticking through smooth green valley floors, with hawks circling the sky.
We immediately got on our horses and took off for a ride to Turtle Rock. It had been a while, but my short-legged Mongolian horse and I got along well. I named him Gladiator because his mane had been shaved off straight so he looked like a Roman Soldier with that brush on his hat. He only had a third gear, so we trotted most of the way, but on horseback is a great way to see the Mongolian steppe.
Beautiful stars, meat dumplings, and a gorgeous sunrise and now I'm back in UB headed to the train for China!

First Impressions on Mongolia

I arrived in Mongolia this morning after another two days on the train. We left Irkutsk, Russia at 9 pm, and arrived at the border at 1 pm the next day. We left the border at 8 pm that night. Yes, thats seven hours at the border!
I'm not sure what we were doing all that time, except getting a good look at the "vast lumbering Russian bureacracy" as Tad put it. Luckily, we all made it out of the country safely and had a pretty amazing time while there.
Mongolia so far is definitely in Asia. The people are an interesting mix of Inuit and Chinese in appearance and very warm and friendly. Our Honcho, Elmira, met us at the train. She is a cute little bundle of energy at 18 years of age. She already speaks Khazak, Mongolian, and English - that last two she has picked up in the past two years. With her as an example the Mongolian future looks very bright!
We are headed to the ger camp tomorrow to ride horses and sleep in a yurt. I'm excited to try the yurt Mongolian style!

Beaten with Sticks

Four days on a train, and you get pretty comfortable. I settled in nicely to that life. We filled our days with reading and eating and drinking and talking. One of our group members brought his laptop and we would have movie night every evening at eight. Not a bad plan! But, then again I wasn't sharing my compartment with a Russian Secret Forces Army Man, like our groupmates!
The Siberian countryside was beautiful, with rolling green hills and wide rivers - but it all starts to look the same from the window of a train.
So I was happy to arrive in Irkutsk, where we transfered to Lake Baikal, the largest freshwater lake in the world. It was beautiful - and freezing (5 degrees C) which we found out a few minutes after arrival, in our first and last lake swim!
We hiked up to some gorgeous overlooks and took a boat ride around the water. All exciting, but the highlight of Siberia was the Russian Banya!
The Homestead where we were staying just built their sauna, and we were only too eager to participate. There are three rooms in the banya, one with the coals and benches which is burning hot. The next with the freezing cold water buckets, to pour over yourself of course. And the last, which has a picnic table where you can sit and snack between steamings!
We started in the coal room for five minutes, then out to the cold water, then to the table. Again, coals, water, table. The last time you enter the coal room - someone is to come with you and beat you first with birch branches, leaves intact, and then pine branches! After six months of traveling with people, there is nothing more rewarding than beating them with sticks!
We all survived, and thoroughly enjoyed our third cultural "bath" experience.
Today we are headed back to the train and onto Mongolia, bring on that smooth train rock and roll.

Headed to Siberia

Moscow has been wonderful - great borscht, Soviet concrete buildings, well decorated metro stops, Lenin mosaics, even very "charming" women selling tickets to the Kremlin.
We head out tonight on the train and don't arrive until July 5th at 10:00am! In Irkutsk, Russia at Lake Baikal. That's three days and four nights on one train, in one compartment! We are well prepared with anything that can be cooked with hot water (as hot water is the only thing readily available on board), chocolate, toilet paper and vodka. All the necessities!


So, mom if you don't hear from me for a while - I'm okay. Just in Siberia or then Mongolia!

RUSSIA

The grand finale!
We made it through the Russian customs on Monday, and arrived at our hostel, by Russian bus and metro, no problem. We met our group, which is the four of us, two British guys and one Aussie guy. Girls don't come to Russia apparently!
We had two great days in St. Petersburg viewing the tzars handiwork. Winter Palace, Summer Palace, the Hermitage. All beautiful and baroque and European. We also spent most nights touring the town until 2:30 or 3:00 am as the sun is still up and it feels like the middle of the afternoon. Surreal.
Last night we took the train to Moscow, where most things are dark, concrete and Soviet! Todays highlight was Lenin's body, in all its waxy glory. Red square with the Kremlin walls, St. Basil's Cathedral and the State Historical Museum is amazing. All very different architecture, with the solid red brick of the Kremlin, the snowy white roofs of the Museum and the cartoony onion domes on St. Basils.
So far, Russia is great. Interesting sights and good vodka!

To Hel and Back

I've recently returned from Hel! That is a small town in Poland on the Baltic Coast at the very tip of a long peninsula! Not very hellish, except for the weather - too much rain, at least if you wanted to lay out on the beach.
We stayed at Mamma Mia's and sang lots of ABBA. Ate some lody (polish ice cream), basically a twist cone sold on every corner. Each of these places is a tarp over and ice cream machine with a large fiberglass replica of the cone in front. Wouldn't I have liked to have been the person to think up those cones!
And got the beach once, and got a little sun while we watched the dark gray clouds roll in.
We had an amazing sunset last night, and got to sit on the beach and watch that slow, northern sun sink into the ocean. It was partly amazing because the settting didn't actually happen until about 10 pm!
Our Russian visa saga comes to fruition tomorrow as we depart for St. Petersburg. Communist mecca here we come!

Laugh to Keep from Crying

There are days when the traveling is amazing. Every moment is a new experience and the beautiful views, delicious tastes and inspiring sounds surround you.
Others, you have to work at it. The last twelve hours have been work.
My family left last night for Vienna, and I waited with them at the train station for a while and then had to make my way back to the hostel alone.
We were unfortunately sleeping in a twelve bed dorm last night, so when I opened the door at 10:00 there was a guy getting dressed, but he had only made it into his underwear when I entered! Okay.
The other nine people in the room went out last night, about the time we went to bed, so I knew I would be expecting them throughout the night. At about 2:30 some show up flip on the light, clumsily and noisily get their things together and go to sleep - without turning off the light. So, once out of bed.
Again some more folks came home, twice out of bed to turn off the light.
The last guy stumbles in at 4:30, and gets into bed. Just about then our resident snorer starts up, and the last one home starts mumbling something in his bed and then jumps out of bed. "F-this, and f-that.", he says. I'm not sure what was f-ing wrong because I couldn't understand his accent! Then he starts into, "I hate you. And I hate you. And I hate you most of all." He heads out the door, and I was greeted by him almost coming out of his shorts this morning where he passed out on the couch just outside the room. He slept right through the large Asian group eating breakfast this morning, so I doubt the snoring would have been that big of a problem!

We got up early this morning and headed to the train for Gdansk. In our compartment there is already a guy, who probably hasn't showered in a week, or atleast thats how it smelled when he helped me put my bag on the shelf above our heads!
This wouldn't be so bad, except that I've already been dealing with the worst smelling man in Poland back at the hoste! Take a freaking shower! They are free, and the hostel will even give you a towel!
But he sits down and the smell subsides, another girl joins us and we now have five people in this small compartment, but it will work. Until seat 33 shows up, and her beagle. That's right - six people and a dog! Plus the lady has no control over the stupid thing so it spends the first fifteen minutes of the trip licking my feet! I just kept repeated, I asked for this trip, I asked for this trip!

Luckily I found a more vacant compartment and got a new seat, and we arrived in Gdansk which is a great city, and our hostel was only five minutes from the train station! It resembles a halfway house more than a hotel, but I'm still laughing!

Hiking the Tatras, Polish Style

We are in Zakopane, Poland now. About twenty miles from Strebske Pleso, Slovakia where we were two weeks ago. We could have walked over last month, but decided to take the long way around, by way of the Czech Republic!
We went hiking today, which considering that the chairlift was broken was a much bigger undertaking than we had first expected. But we made it up to the alpine lake, gorgeous views and it only rained on us a little. Apparently I am just meant to see these mountains only in clouds!
Tomorrow we take to the roads on bicycle!

Poland

Krakow
We have been in Krakow for three days now, and are loving the communist hospitality. Last night we went to dinner, or tried, but when we asked for a table for seven people the young lad said, with great disdain "Oh, no, impossible!" So we tried a different place!
Overall, the former bloc has been great, but there is still a little too much left to feel really comfortable. The folks here stand in line, with no frustration, for way too long. They are quite gruff and curt when providing service. And would not like you to know at all that they speak English.
Yesterday we hit Auschwitz, which was a day. We were walking through the camp at Birkenau and the wind blowing in the rain storm provided some relief from the heat, but with it came a burning smell that just comes from the ground. The entire area, an old farm, one massive grave, just pulses with the tragedy.
Today we shopped and piddled. Judy and Kendall took to the tourist golf cart tour! Tomorrow we head to the mountains. High Tatras here come the Evans!

The Family Has Arrived

I have had a huge shift in gears the last few days, as the Evans family showed up last week in Prague to join the adventure for a few days. Things have been entertaining, as they take on Europe for the first time for some and a long time for others.
After some serious flight delay in the US and then Paris, they all made it, followed slowly by their luggage.
We flew around Prague, and then were off to Cesky Krumlov. We checked out the castle and some of us rafted the Vltava river. If you are Jill or Katy you walked the river dragging your raft.
We are in Krakow now, learning about architecture and amber. Judy has already been yelled at several times and it is safe to say she would not have made a good communist - too chatty!

No more stops for wildlife!

Yesterday, we were driving along backcountry Czech roads, enjoying the rolling green hills dotted with red tile roofs. I love that every little town has a clock tower punctuating its skyline!
We had just stopped at a castle that had some birds on display. My guess is that the somewhat shady man smoking a cigarette not too far away with the large leather gloves would put on a show with the hawk, and other birds of prey. However, when we were there they were all tied to their own stump, the hawk even had blinders on.
As we turned a corner in our car, I noticed the wingspan of a large bird swooping down to a tree, so I slammed on the breaks and threw it into reverse and turned down the hawk's street. We turned off the engine and rolled in, as to be sneaky! We got a pretty good look, before the bird noticed our bright red car (not great for wildlife stalking!) and flew off. But, we got to watch those huge wings power off into the sky.

I put the car back in reverse to turn around, and was watching for traffic out on our bigger road, when I felt the back tires slip off the road! We had already been commenting on how deep the ditches in the Czech Republic are, and now we were about to really find out! Luckily, I was driving so the other three hopped out, Jen without shoes, and got behind the car. We had cooked up our plan of attack when a Czech lady drove up and started shouting questions in Czech. When she realized we only spoke English, the pity and amuzement filled her face, and she also ran to the back of the car.

When I felt the wheels slip the first time, my hands had done a little flying for the emergency break, and in the process I had turned on the windshield wipers. So the girls are all in the back trying to hold the car, and getting their fingers hit by the back wiper. They start hollering to fix it before moving the car. I started pushing buttons and moving the extra sticks on the steering wheel, but all they really got was shot by the wiper fluid! Luckily, we were laughing hysterically!

Because I am such a fabulous stick car driver, and I know special tricks with the emergency break, and because of my great defensive line in the back, we got the car on the road no problem. Crisis averted! And we made a new Czech friend!

Next time a bird's shadow crosses our dashboard, we will pretend it didn't happen!

Time keeps flying by!

I have been in charge of the transportation, accomodation and activity arrangements for the group for about a month now, and I can tell the stress is seriously impeding my creative side! I can't think of any good stories to tell, even though funny things happen everyday!

So, instead here are the facts.

We've been to Venice, Vienna, Slovakia and now Czech Republic in the past few days. We got stood up for the first time on couchsurfing!
We learned to live like a Hapsburg in Vienna.
I navigated Slovenian traffic like a pro!
We traveled on our worst night train ever!
We saw a small corner of the High Tatras, in Slovakia. Really small, especially through the rain clouds that have followed us ever since Jen's cousin, from Seattle brought her weather here!
The people in Slovakia don't speak English, and they don't like you reading their People magazines without buying! But they do have Dr. Pepper which was an incredibly redeeming factor!
We ordered and enjoyed a dish in Strebske Pleso that was called "pasta with mildewy and mouldy cheese"! Honest!
The next four days are to be spent driving around the Czech countryside checking out old castles and cathedrals. That is the plan, but seeing as how they don't believe in roadsigns, we'll see where we end up!

My parents and my sisters join in a few days for another big family adventure!

Bowling in Slovenia

Nothing like showing up in the bowling alley to hear great American oldies music. And to know that the brand of bowling ball the world over, is American. Here are the beautiful American ladies having a little taste of home!

Croatia

Trying to remember what you´ve done the past few days - getting harder and harder.

Piran, Slovenia
Very cute coastal town, built on a hook out into the Adriatic Sea. Great Venetian buildings, and good gelato.

Split, Croatia
Shipping city with a Roman history. Diocletian had his retirement palace here, when everything was owned by the Roman Empire. He was the beginning of the end, by partially things off to four sub-emperors.

Dubrovnik, Croatia
The pearl of the Adriatic, at least according to Lord Byron and he wasn´t too far off. The old city was gorgeous, with great gelato! We walked the city walls, where you get wonderful views of the Adriatic.
In Slovenia and Croatia, the locals rent out rooms in their houses almost everywhere you go. There are signs labeling the ˝sobe˝ in every neighborhood, so we found a great on up on the hill, and were able to make ourselves some great pasta dinners!

Plitvice National Park, Croatia
This is a waterfall wonderland! Hiked it for a few hours on our way back north.

Venice, Italy
Well, its Italy, so of course its amazing! We spent the day there today, and felt like we were on vacation from our trip. Had some amazing gelato (are we seeing a pattern?), great pizza, and pigeons!

Back in Slovenia tonight, with free internet, which is a small piece of heaven and home, when you`re on the road. I can´t really check people.com when I´m paying 4 euro an hour!

We are headed to Ljubljana, where we will drop off my friend Kristen at the airport, and our beloved little car, and get on the train for Vienna.

Put Out to Pasture

The Lippizaner horses were bred here in Slovenia, when this was part of the Hapsburg Empire to supply Archduke Charles with stallions for his court. They are a beautiful white, with short stocky legs, and have incredible strength and intelligence. We went to the stud farm yesterday, and saw the mares and all the new colts. However, we were in a group with 15 retired British folks, who only wanted to know what happened to the horses when they could no longer work! Ironically, these horses retire at 27 and just graze the fields and enjoy life for another fifteen years or so. The Brits thought that way okay, and we find it pretty nice too. Retire at 27 okay, done!
I had been telling Lauren for a while how beautiful and white the horses would be - trying to pump up her enthusiasm. So, I read her part of the book and the line, "They are born a dark black ... " sort of threw me! But the sentence finishes, "then turn a mottled gray in adolescence before becoming white in adulthood."
We had a wonderful time touring the farm, and seeing the show. I love a good show! The horses side-stepped, and side-strutted, and stood on their back legs. I don't really remember that being a positive trait in horses, but when in Slovenia...!

We drove out to Piran yesterday afternoon, which is this cute little Venetian coast town. Our next week involves lots of Croatian beach time - tough life!

Catch Up

So, my last post apparently scared my mother into believing someone hacked into my blog and something had happened to me, so just to clarify - Mom, its me and Im fine! In fact I just beat my friends good in a game of Slovenian bowling!
We have had some great adventures since Budapest:

Eger, Hungary
This quaint little wine town in the heart of Hungarian wine country. We accidentally ended up renting a great apartment overlooking the square of Eger. This place was HUGE and beautiful, and since we´d been sleeping on the floor in Budapest, it was our own Hungarian castle! The owner of this place also happened to be the wine engineer for the Eger Vin Winery, and offered to host a wine tasting in his cellar the next night so we gladly accepted and got to try his 1983 vintage! The next day he gave us a tour of the cellars at his company and at the friends winery across the street. It was a great few days!

On to Slovenia - We spent one whole day on the train from Eger to Budapest to Ljubljana, where we were met at the train station by Katja our next Couchsurfing host. She is 24 and lives in the upstairs apartment of her parents house outside the city and we think she hosts couchsurfers because she needs extra stimulation. She showed us around the city at warp speed in her little bare bones car! She was wonderful and her house was awesome. Out in the country so we got to see a real Slovenian family, and their home! She even took us to a party/concert thing up on the mountain, and we tried a Slovene delicacy - wine and coke together! Just pour out half the coke in your bottle and fill it with wine!
Ljubljana was a great little city with a castle and an old town, and a nice Russian consulate who gave us our Russian visas after four trips to the embassy in two countries. We got denied in Hungary flat out, and Slovenia was much kinder. That is after we filled out job applications, complete with questions about our connection with biological warfare, and our experience with the military. Don´t worry I didn´t tell them I use to be a whiz with a bb gun!

The real fun started when we picked up our car on Friday - a little wagon of sorts, that fits all five of us and our bags nicely! (My friend Kristen joined us in Ljubljana!)
We headed to Bled, where Tito vacationed, and to Lake Bohinj - gorgeous alpine views and great hairpin turns!

A Mothers Day Tribute

To my dear mother: You have given me feet established in a firm foundation but wings to fly wherever I dream of going. You have loved us but not fettered us to your apron strings. Your wisdom is boundless and your wit the same. Your physical beauty is only surpassed by your internal beauty. When the sun shines, it shines only on you! What a JOY it has been to have you as my mother, and now I call you friend. Love, Your oldest child, Jayme

Another Normal Day

My trip home from work in central Budapest requires several buses and a tram, but I like living in the country so the hassel is worth the effort. The view of the mountains from my back door is worth every bump and jostle from the city. Plus some days things happen on a train that you just never want to miss.
Today I got on the #47 tram, and was followed by four girls, probably American, guide book open. They were chattering about the difference between a tram and a bus, and whether they needed a tram, and was this a bus. I knew it did not matter, so I didn`t say anything. They stayed on the bus and were talking about that damn statue park. Why we let that man put all those statues up again is beyond me, but at least it was far out of town. I`m still not sure what the attraction is, not too many people make that trek, but these girls were in for a ride. The bus we were on ends, and to keep going now you have to get on the tram #47. Too bad this is my stop, I`d love to see how they do.


I boarded the tram #47 to head out to my village. I had come into Budapest to do some shopping. There were some tourists on the bus, and I thought wow, they are far away from the sights. I listened in to their conversation to see where they were going, and they mentioned the statue park. I chuckled to myself, all we wanted to do was get those bad reminder statues down, and now people come from all over to see our trash basically. I wasn`t sure how they were going to get there from the tram though. At the end of the line, just a few stops down, I was passing these girls on the tracks, when I heard, "Do you speak English?". Okay, I wanted to get home but these poor girls were in trouble! I walked them across the square and down to the bus stop. I thought they needed bus 3, until they could connect to #50, but I confirmed this with another Hungarian woman at the stop. I showed them on the sign and the map what they wanted and told them where to get off - I hope they make it. I told them to take the red bus to the yellow bus home, that will be much faster. I don`t know who told them to take this route but it was bad information.

I drive route 50 from the mall out into the country and then back to the shopping mall. Mostly I just have country folk coming into town to pick up some items at the big mall, and then heading back out to their farms, so when I pulled into the station and saw four tourists waiting at my next stop, I was intrigued. Especially since that stop was the next to last and I the bus did was go to the station, unload, turn around and head back the other direction. But, they got on rode one stop and got off. They unloaded with confused faces, but then just started laughing histerically. They started walking circles around the station, like they were looking for a sign, or some sort of information. When I started to turn around to wait at the stop they came running across the street. I knew then they must be headed up to the statue park, nothing else for foreigners to do in this area. So, they got back on the bus and rode up to the park. They got off at the park stop, and headed in the right direction. I sure wish I knew how to tell them the park is closed this time of day in English!

Party like it 1896

We have been in Budapest, Hungary for a few days now. We have mainly been hanging out near the Chinese and Russian embassies patiently attempting to get our visas. The Chinese goverment accepted our payment of 95 dollars and we scored entry to the country. The Russian consular has not been open since Monday so HOPEFULLY Friday will be our lucky day.

Today, I led a walking tour of Pest and Buda. We strolled the Vaci Utca, seeing the National Museum and the Great Market Hall, where we refrained from buying nesting dolls of the Soviet leaders. We crossed the Danube and visited Castle Hill with the Royal Palace, St. Mathias Church, the Hilton (built in 1976 - still trying to figure out what comrades needed a Hilton) and the Vienna gate (only a 10 day walk from Vienna). The Hungarians celebrated the centenial of the Magyars, their ancestors, settling in this area in 1896 so almost every building on the tour was built then. If it was not blown up in WWI or WWII, it was 111 years old. We had a interesting historical tour, even if it was a very recent history.

Tonight we went to the Opera, or at least the first act of the opera. The building was beautiful and the opera was in German, and translated in Hungarian. After some great music, and a little nap, there was a curtain call and the audience walked out. We thought it was a short opera, but enough of singing for us.

Are you sure this is my train?

Somehow we booked ourselves into the nice train last night. Duvets, hardwood paneling, window shades, beautiful fluffy pillows! We booked our tickets from Brasov to Budapest, with an overnight stop in Sighisoara and ended up with a nice ride. The only problem being the ride was too short, and interrupted by border guards wanting to stamp my passport.
We got to Budapest this morning, and we are once again Couchsurfing, with Nick and Jaco. They are both American students studying in Budapest for the year, and they have an unfurnished living room! We will definitely be able to repay our 23 year old hosts with some sweeping and dish cleaning.
We walked along the Danube today, checked out the Parliament and St. Istvans Church, where they still have St. Istvans hand!
Tomorrow we attempt to get Russian visas - Bring on the fun!

Transylvania

Brasov is a small town with a medieval history set in the Carpathian Mountains of Romania. It has a beautiful square, with a great church and good gelato! After exploring here, we took the train to Sinaia yesterday. About an hour back down the valley, where the highlight is Peles Castle. The little town is covered in gorgeous trees and the views of the mountains are hidden because of how deep you sit in the valley. The walk from the train station was up lots of stairs and then through the gauntlet of gypsy stores where you can buy anything from a crochet tablecloth to a homemade boomerang (the man colored the popsicle sticks himself!) to knives and guns! Pretty much a Romanian Target! At the end of this street there was a gypsy man with a lion sitting on a park bench. We're not quite sure what he did with the lion, or what the tourists were supposed to do either, but I think the lion would do about anything that would earn this man a dollar! After walking backwards to stare in disbelief at the lion, I flipped around, turned the corner and up the sweeping hill was the amazing castle. The initial view is breathtaking, the interesting building, which doesn't exactly fit into the traditional definition of castle, had a stunning clock tower and lots of intricate paintings. There were several spires with detailed iron crosses topping them, pointing up at these gorgeous craggy peaks. As I spend most of my time talking too much, I don't often run out of breath, but this sight almost did it.
We took the English tour with our German dictator of a guide, who only made the trip more fun. "These are Murano glass chandeliers, from Venice, from Italy" she barked in her interesting English diction. It felt like she knew how to label each piece in several ways, so just to reduce confusion she used them all. "These are silver candlesticks, they are metal, they are from Amsterdam, from the Netherlands". After being released from the castle without incident, we strolled the town and then headed back to Brasov. Don't worry the evening was not without incident, as we met another drunk Romanian man who English was bad probably on a sober day, but drunk was even better! Romania actually feels like a whole country of gypsies, as they all want something, and just go around whopping each other on the head. Moms grabbing ears of children, Grandpas slapping children on the neck - always entertaining!

Three Snotty Americans

I have made a serious personal discovery on this trip - I am allergic to cigarette smoke! In fact we all have some reactions to the incessant smoking that is Eastern Europe. Smoking on trains, in restaurants, on buses, at the Internet cafe - everywhere! So, we all have runny noses and clogged sinuses, which means we buy Kleenex in bulk, and blow our noses in public (which is not very feminine!) and get lots of stares.
We've also decided that the best way to combat this congestion is ice cream - a good reward for being sick.

We took a bus to Brasov this morning, and have spent the rest of the day discovering this wonderful little town. Lots of Baroque style buildings, interspersed with lovely Communist construction!, set in this valley of Carpathian Mountains. We climbed up the hill today and got a good aerial view of the town. We picked up a map/guide at the tourist info office and were given really great info such as, "Black Tower - Built in 1494 the Black Tower has been blackened by fire."! Needless to say we're learning a lot, no historical stone unturned!

Catch up

Veliko Tarnovo - The cultural capital of Bulgaria, we toured the fort and its chapel, and saw the great light show that night. The rainbow lights flashing around the fort walls were quite entertaining!
Varna - Mid-size city on the Black Sea, we were about the only people standing on the beach on this cloudy and overcast day. So, we were making our way back to our hostel, which was this great place in a smaller village not too far away, with a great movie collection, and we had to take the bus. We knew the stop and the bus number but not the times, and so we sat down on the bench to wait, next to an older Bulgarian woman with a black scarf over her head and a few teeth missing. She started talking to us rather loudly in Bulgarian, which we don't understand, and we laughed and shrugged. Then her friend, with no teeth joined us, and then they were both talking to us, not getting any responses, they started hollering at us, because as we all know that works - just say the foreign words louder! We were cracked up laughing, and finally we got through much acting and sign language that our bus wouldn't come for 45 minutes and they were trying to save us the wait!
Bucharest - We left Varna at 8:45 am on a train for Bucharest. We had to change trains at the border, which resulted in four hours of waiting. Luckily we found a restaurant serving our favorite snack, french fries with white cheese! We boarded the second train, to be yelled at by the Bulgarian man who ran the train. He was only wearing a blue track suit, and so Jen kept asking to see his badge, which made him really happy. He got the Romanian policewoman, who looked intimidating with her purple hair, and official uniform, but wasn't when she talked to us. She told us we'd have to deboard on the other side of the border because this was not our train. The train we were on was the 1:30 and we needed the 3:30 - it was currently 4:00 - who knew. So we stood in the middle of nowhere eating our Lion candybars, and waited some more. Our train showed up, we got on and an hour later we were in Bucharest - drama!
We are couchsurfing here in Bucharest, which means were staying with Irina, this girl we met on the Internet. She is great, she just bought her little apartment, and we are on the oldest most uncomfortable couch ever, but its free, and we're loving it.
We had to call Irina once we arrived in Bucharest, and at the payphone were accosted repeatedly by an old man with a bottle of beer (on a Tuesday evening) who kept assuring us that he doesn't drink regularly, this is just a holiday! And that he loves America, and that we shouldn't be afraid of Romania because of what we've seen on the movies!? Don't worry though, the nice boy who ran the sex shop just near the phone helped us out!

Rila Monastery

From Sophia, the capital of Bulgaria, we took a couple buses into the mountains to reach the monastery at Rila. The snow capped mountains all around, covered in newly leafed spring trees, and the red brick exterior of the building made a beautiful contrast. The monastery was wedged into the valley, next to the river. Inside the monastery walls the church fills up almost all of the inner courtyard, jutting up against the mountain backdrop.
It was an amazing site to set through the first archway and take this whole scene in. We checked into the monastery as we were to bunk with the monks for the evening. The monastery has 300 beds, and is not too full, so there is lots of extra room for guests. Our sparse and freezing cold room had a nice "shed your earthly possessions" feel to it.
We walked around the little area and met up with our 11 year old friend from the bus, Hristo. Apparently his mom comes quite frequently to the monastery to pray, and he tags along. He just hangs out around the courtyard talking, in his excellent English, to anyone who is there. Over the next two days he showed us all the secret places, best photo spots, and interesting historical facts. He was the cutest little thing, with his shaved head. He said the monastery was his favorite place in Bulgaria. I asked him why, and he stumbled over some English for a while, and then just rested his hand over his heart, and said, "my soul".
We found some great hiking trails in the area, and ate our picnic lunch overlooking another valley, and the highest peak in the area. We also found the Bulgarian doughnuts, like beignets - only 15 leva, we can afford that! All in all Rila was quite a find, and our night with the monks and Hristo was a great Bulgarian day!

Plovdiv

After our night train, and exciting border crossing we arrived in Plovdiv moving a little slower. We decided to drop off our stuff and then climb this hill, at the top is the Soviet Liberation monument. Death to Fascism! We wanted to check out the town, and get our bearings. At the top we could see all around, and the views of the surrounding mountain ranges were nice. There was a little old man up there, and I was impressed with his hiking skills, as I was a little winded! He started talking to us, asking if we were Romanian, German, Russian? He didn't speak any English, but was more than happy to chat along in Bulgarian. We just laughed and shrugged. Then Ann remembered that Jen had been carrying along a Point-It book for our whole trip, and we'd never had need to use it. It is a little flip book with pictures of everything, so that you can "point" to whatever you need. So, from the map in the back we sort of explained that we were American. He was so happy, and just wanted to keep on talking. We're not sure of the conversation, but somehow we came up with the fact that he was a professor and his friend was an electrical engineer. They pointed out all the other things in Plovdiv, and gave us lots of other information. I practiced a little Bulgarian, hello and thank you, and got some pronunciation tips.
We shook hands and said goodbye, and congratulated ourselves for finally making it off the Lonely Planet track!

Bulgaria or Bust

Our last day in Istanbul we had a little run in with the hostel owner over payment, and seeing as how we needed to store our luggage there for the day we let his rude attitude slide and paid the extra 6 lira, which is like two meals, if you're on our budget! We visited the Aya Sophia and then the Blue Mosque - in that order as to avoid the huge Carnival Cruise crowds that had descended on the Hippodrome for the day. Gorgeous morning, great lunch, we walked along the Bosphorus in the afternoon and watched the fisherman and their 10 fishing poles lined up on the bridge.
That evening we arrived back at the hostel to collect our things, use their bathrooms before our overnight train. I went to grab my medicine, which I take every night, and realized I had left it on the bed that morning. So, I woke up the woman sleeping in that bed, and no medicine. So, I breathed a sigh of reluctance, knowing that I would have to talk to my best friend at the desk.
I first asked if anyone, the cleaning lady, had found a red pill bottle that morning.
No.
Are you sure because I know I left it on the bed?
No. She said nothing.
Well, do you have any advice for me, how to go about finding it, what do people here do if they lose things?
Buy new.
A deep breath, to remain calm, and I started again with, "Well, if I were going home that would be a great option, however, I will be on the road for another three months, and need this medicine."
I don't know.
Is there a place she might have set things if she had found them?
NO.
Nowhere, no other options?
Okay, I'll call her.
Success! I was making progress. He dialed the phone, and asked a question, but speaking absolutely no Turkish, he was probably asking his friend what time to meet him at the bar that night.
He hung up the phone and said, "She threw it out."
What, threw it out? Why?
You left, she threw it out. He said with even more disgust.
Well, where is the trash? Is it still here?
Now, he looked at me like I was really crazy, but the seriousness of the situation was starting to sink in.
Its out on the street.
Jen and Ann had been listening from the next room, and immediately sprung into action. We all three ran to the street and saw two black plastic bags. When the reality of digging through the trash sunk in, I said, no way - I'll buy new.
But, Jen and Ann had the bag open and on the street before I could protest.
Within a few minutes, the tell-tale red Target bottle was recovered! Thank you Jen and Ann and thank you Target!
With only 30 minutes to get to our train, we were suited up with bags and off on the run. A walk which had previously taken 30 minutes without gear now took 15!
We made our train, cute little three person berth and were off.
We arrived at the Turkish border at 3 am, and were thrown off the train to get our passports stamped. One hour in the cold, and entertained by a crazy Turk getting slapped around by the police, we were exited and back on the train. That is the hardest earned stamp in my passport!

Istanbul

Istanbul was fantastic! I saw the Blue Mosque, Aya Sophia, Topkapi Palace, the Grand Bazaar. The weather was fantastic, so we just spent two days walking around. Eating great kebabs, and pide (Turkish pizza). Shopping for rugs, which of course we can't carry, but are beautiful.
Istanbul is the only city that spans two continents, Europe and Asia. The city has a great spice, the sophistication of Europe and the food and prices of Asia. It has the history of both continents, so you can see one building that spans ancient Roman times to the Crusades, Islamic influence as it was a mosque for a while and after Ataturk became a museum.
We left Istanbul and Turkey yesterday night, on a train for Bulgaria. Two months in Eastern Europe, phase four of the trip begins!

Hamam

The steam billowed from the burst of cool air, and the heat of the room settled on my shoulders. As my vision cleared I could see the large marble octogon standing two feet high in the middle of the room. Around the edges were the small washrooms where you could have your own tap of steaming hot water. Dispersed throughout the room, wearing only their underwear were the Turkish women relaxing their Friday afternoon away at the bath.
I was given a red plaid tablecloth to use as a wrap, and was feeling somewhat embarrased and yet extremely excited about my first Turkish Bath.
The Turkish women who ran the place mimed washing ourselves in the little rooms first, and then relaxing on this large marble table of sorts in the middle of the room. The hot water is piped beneath the table so the marble is hot. The room is 90 degrees, and heavy with steam. The only lighting are small glassed over holes in the ceiling, so as you view the scene, the slits of light illuminate large Turkish body parts. These women spend their days in full head wrap, and long coats so this Friday afternoon is a highlight of their week. The rest of the time this hamam is co-ed, but on Fridays from 12-4 its ladies only and these women took full advantage!
We had paid for the wash and the massage in full decadent expectation. So after relaxing for way too long - we had to take a Pepsi break before passing out from the heat - we got our scrub. Clad only in your underwear, which we forgot!, you lay down on a bench sort of thing and brace yourself. The Turkish woman comes over with a loofah, made of steel wool - or almost, and gets started. Forhead, neck, chest, stomach, rear end, any and ALL skin gets a wash. After this was over, I looked around my bench and thought that her loofah must be coming apart because their were small bits of wool or yarn or something laying all around me. When I looked at her cloth I realized it was white, and wouldn't make these kind of bits. This must be dead skin! Well, after three months of improper showers, what did I expect?
The olive oil massage was wonderful, but too brief. She washed my hair as well, and apparently the birds nest look is popular in Turkey because only when my hair was one big tangled mess did she stop!
After a bit more relaxing it was about four o'clock and time to go. I'd lost a bit of skin, and some dignity - but I'm thinking of opening a bath at home. Come on every Friday in the steam room, with a little massage, hanging out naked with all your friends - no better way to start the weekend!

Winter Cruise

Word to the wise - Don´t go sailing in Turkey in April! Too cold! The views were gorgeous, nothing like the Meditteranean, however most of my cruise was viewed from beneath the blanket I huddled under for four days! The last day it warmed up enough to really enjoy the boat, and the ocean - so that was lucky. But I´m definitely coming back to do it again when swimming would be a relief from the heat and not a death defying act!
We left our cruisemates in Kas and took a bus to Selcuk, which is minutes from Ephesus (as in Paul´s letters to the Ephesians). It is a wonderful preservation from ancient times, with houses, streets, arches and columns, and a wonderful theater!
We´ve almost spent our flight home money on Turkish carpets, but our salesman assured us they are flying carpets! Killing two birds with one stone!

Olympos, Turkey

I've been hanging out at Bayram's Treehouse in Olympos, Turkey. Playing lots of backgammon with my hippie friends. At least when they aren't practicing how to throw their numchucks! And I've read about 8 books. We have communal meals, and so I'm ready to move into the commune.
We leave today (in about 5 mins) on our Mediterranean Cruise. Sailing from Olympos to Feithye - talk to you in four days!

Hair Museum

On our last day in Cappadocia, we toured the Open Air Museum, saw some more cave dwellings, and churches and then headed off for lunch of hummus and pita! We were sort of out of new options, but pottery is a big deal in this area of Turkey so we decided to take a quick trip up to Avanos, the pottery mecca of Cappadocia, because of its location on the red river where the red clay comes from.
We unsuspectingly got on a bus and rode 15 minutes to this new town, got off and the pottery place recommended by our book was right in front of us - Chez Galip.
We walked in, and there is a boy spinning something on a foot powered wheel, so we sit down to take a look. He demonstrates with one pot, and then gestures for one of us to try. I have been anxiously waiting for this moment, so I put down the kitten that had climbed into my lap and sat down at the wheel. The smooth, creamy feel of the clay spinning through my hands is so relaxing. Together the boy and I created a pretty nice piece of pottery.
After cleaning up and photographing myself with my pot, a short little round man, with wild curly gray hair walked through and shouts something at us in Turkish. We all sort of glance sideways and shrug our shoulders. He says, "English only?" And we nod our heads with some embarrassment. He shouts again in Turkish and waves his arms around in the air, and a younger man comes over and begins to explain about this shop to us in English. He says we have nine rooms, the first has red clay pottery, the second and third have white clay pottery, fourth, fifth..., and rooms eight and nine are for the hair museum. What? We must have misunderstood. English is not as widespread and competent in Turkey as it has been other places. In fact most people as us if we are from Australia? New Zealand? England? Canada? and then they start over. We finally have to say "America, USA". It is a nice change of pace, but does make for comical conversations.
We walked through a few rooms of pottery, not very interesting, but in the sixth or seventh room, the hand painted white pottery bowls, and plates arrive and we get a little more excited - and then our grey haired man shows back up and the fun begins! This is Galip, the man whose name graces the shop and whose charisma defines the place. He notices our guide book, and through his our interpreter tells us with much excitement, that since we have come without a guide he will give us a thirty percent discount. Wow! Then he wants to give us a hand painted hotplate - free gift! Then he wants to autograph our hotplates! Who is this man? And then the clincher, he wants to add our hair to his hair museum. He says this part while pulling out his own interesting coif and leading us into rooms eight and nine.
The walls are covered floor to ceiling, with small pieces of white paper and from each little slip is a chunk of hair. There are dreadlocks, long curly tendrils, straight and long, wavy, blond, black, brown - covering every inch of this long arched hallway. Each person has written their name and address and the date they made their donation to the museum. Some people have even included their picture! Who is this man?
So, we decided while in Turkey - and he cut off a small piece of hair from each of our heads and we have joined possibly the oddest tradition, but a museum is a museum, right? He's even in the Guinness Book of World Records!
After buying a few pieces of pottery, he asks us if we would like to now go see his workshop. Its only three or four kilometers away from here. We thought, heck, this has already been a day for the books, why not keep it up. We piled into his vanagon with another man, and a younger girl who drove us out of town, and then back up the mountain to the Chez Galip workshop. We saw someone mold a plate on a wheel, and Galip painting a large plate. We saw his own personal collection of pottery, and the gated vault which holds his most valuable pieces for sale. We just kept walking around in amazement, drinking his homemade wine from small pottery cups, shaking our heads and wondering how these things happen. Once we had toured and talked sufficiently we promised to come back soon, especially once we had money to buy more things. Some younger man and his friend drove us back into town in his brand new Ford, and within five minutes we were right back where we started at the bus stop, and if not for the bags of pottery in our hands, and that bald spot on the back of our heads we would have to wonder if it happened at all.

Check out all our hair raising photos from Cappadocia.

Hot Air Ballooning over Goreme

1000 m high to 85 m low

The alarm goes off and 5:30, and even though I´m used to early mornıngs, and thıs one ıs goıng to be partıcularly great, ıt ıs stıll early as I´m lıterally sleepıng ın a cave. But, I layer up as much as the contents of my backpack wıll allow and head out ınto the cold sprıng mornıng. We head down the road, ın the early mornıng lıght, eyes barely open. No matter how tıred, thıs ıs a day I´ve been waıtıng over eıght months for, and seeıng the colorful fabrıc bıllowıng ın the aır gets me goıng.
Today ıs Hot Aır Balloonıng! The faıry chımneys, and other ınterestıng rock formatıons make for great aerial vıews. Not to mentıon seeıng one of the volcanoes that helped to create thıs odd landscape from 1000 meters at sunrıse! Our guıde, Stu, and hıs stuffed bear Barnaby made for a humorous mornıng.
After returnıng to our pensıon at 8:00, we had breakfast wıth Habıb, and then headed back out on a regıonal tour of Cappadocıa. We vısıted an underground vıllage created by the Hıtıtes, but prımarıly used by Chrıstıan to hıde out from 600 to 1100 AD. We´re gettıng quıte adept at crouch-walkıng through small tunnels. We have also learned that the word collapse ıs off-lımıts whıle walkıng 85 meters underground!
A two hour walk through the Turkısh Grand Canyon, lunch at the rıver, and then we toured a vıllage buılt ınto the sıde of the rock walls and ın the conıcal formatıons ın the valleys. Thıs landscape ıs hard to explaın, but thınk Star Wars and you´re gettıng closer - especıally because part of Star Wars was fılmed here. Although, Ann our resıdent SW expert doesn´t remember that part.
Tonıght at dınner we met Amır, who made us some great Gözleme (Turkısh crepes) and told us about the horrors of global warmıng and the horrıble Turkısh woman who wouldn´t gıve hım an Amerıcan vısa at the Amerıcan embassy! We got the whole story!
Today was full of hıghs and lows - lıterally.

Welcome to Turkey!

We flew from Athens yesterday to Kayserı, a small town ın Central Turkey. We got to the baggage claım, and ıt was about twenty feet of conveyer belt and then a roller ramp down to the floor. If you dıdn´t grab your bags fast, they´d roll rıght off onto the ground! All three backpacks arrıved - whıch ıs a gıft from God! We´re 10 for 10 flıghts, wıth bags gettıng through!
We were goıng to do a taxı to a bus to a taxı to get to Goreme (Whıch ıs no longer Gorem, Jen´s Amerıcan pronuncıatıon, but ınstead, Gwere´me!), but wımped out and just took a taxı all the way. You know you are too old to backpack when ten extra lıra ıs worth the convenıence! Once we got ınto the warm cab we were sold, as ıt ıs a lıttle cold here!

We are stayıng ın thıs AWESOME cave hotel, ıt ıs really lıke a womb down there. Down a few steps, watch your head, and there are three lıttle beds ın a cave! Wıth a heater! We slept 11 hours last nıght ın our lıttle cave - that may be my own personal record!

We are ın Cappadocıa, whıch one of my frıends says looks lıke Mars, I thınk ıt looks lıke Grand Junctıon, just wıth these extra tall mushroom style rock formatıons!

Thıs mornıng at breakfast I started teachıng Ann to play Backgammon, and our Turkısh host Habıb, had to take me on! My grandpa would be proud because I only lost by one roll! The people here are ıncredıbly nıce and accomodatıng, unless you´re doıng ıt wrong ın whıch case - you´ll be humorously corrected ımmedıately - whıch seems to be my case all the tıme!

Hristos Anesti!

Easter in Greece!
The fact that the Greek Orthodox Easter and my Easter landed on the same day is supposedly a big deal! We went to the church last night at about 11:30 pm, and joined a huge crowd all carrying candles. The gypsies had been selling candles for two days, but we were unsure of the seriousness of this offer. But after being the only blond hair, blue eyed attendees with no candles, we decided to try and fit in! There was lots of chanting and singing, that I don't understand. Then a procession to the courtyard and more singing - that I still don't understand. Then they brought out the fire, which is supposed to have come from Rome maybe - but since the Pope and the Greek Orthodox Father excommunicated each other a while back, the fire may come from somewhere else! Anyway the people start lighting candles, and once yours was lit, you said a little prayer then we all sang a song together, no the blue eyes though.
The idea is that you walk home with your candle lit, and take this special flame back to your house. We walked Melissa, Jen's sister, back to her hotel, then got bored.
It was one of those nights where the bells are ringing, your holding your flame and looking up at the Acropolis shining above you - That is what life is about!
Happy Easter everyone!

Lamb on the spit

Nafplio, Greece is this lovely little coastal town on the Peloponnese peninsula.
Highlights
A real Italian gelato shop - with a gelati master! Ate there five times in three days
Incredible fort, up 999 stairs - good for the legs!
Daytrip to Epidarvos - ancient ampitheater where you can hear a woman breathing on the stage from the top level!
Gorgeous ocean views!

I am in Athens now. We returned our car, so were back on foot and metro.
Easter is Sunday, which is sort of why we're in Greece right now. The bells have been ringing all day for Good Friday. The flags are also flying at half mast. That is either for Jesus, or for the cruiseship that sunk off the coast of Santorini - I'm guessing Jesus since 98% of the population is Greek Orthodox.
We're getting ready for the celebration and by that I mean our lamb is already roasting on the spit out in the street! Keep you posted...

Its All Greek To Me

I arrived in Greece a few days ago after 48 hours of continuous traveling through Dehli, Milan and finally Thessaloniki. My friend Jen's family has joined us for this part of the trip, and so we have rented a nine passenger van to tour the country. We started calling ourselves Team Fiat!
It has been quite comical as all the town names, and street names are in the Greek alphabet - go figure. So we have just been inventing new names that use the American word that looks the closest to the Greek symbols.
One day in Meteora we were at the top of a rock hill, and the van won't start. We all had to get out and push the van up the hill, and jump in once it got going - Little Miss Sunshine style!
Greece is amazing, if not a little cold. We are only traveling in the mainland, and have seen some of the greatest mountains. Snow on oneside and an oceanview on the other - quite a change for this landlocked Colorado girl!

Helping the Poorest of Poor - Jayme and Ann style

We sent Jen off to the hospital to change bandages and give injections - and headed off to Shishu Bhava, an orphanage/school for children. Unknowingly we had been assigned to the handicapped side of the orphanage, where unfortunately because of the severe physical handicaps our hokey pokey skills were not beneficial. There were two groups of kids, some with mental handicaps, who we were told we couldn't play with, and another with physical handicaps, and that required changing diapers - not my thing!
After standing around for a while and feeling useless, we took ourselves up to the roof - to help with laundry. With the other Japanese volunteers, whose lack of English made them fairly useless as well. It turns out we're not very good at that either. All we had to do was take the washed clothes and hang them up on the line, and we got reprimanded many times. Apparently the bibs go on a certain line, and underwear somewhere else, but the nuns don't even agree on the correct placement. Many times, I would hang up a whole line of underwear only to have a nun tell you, "Auntie, no no", take all the underwear down and point randomly somewhere else on the rooftop. An hour of that and we were feeling really stupid.
About that time the lead nun brought out two umbrellas to shade for some painting that would happen sometime later that day with the children. These were Indian umbrellas, which means they were made in about 1975, and are completely broken now. They had been repainted many times, but that still didn't mean they would actually stand up. The volunteers had begun to come up to the roof for tea, and the umbrellas kept falling on everyone, so Ann and I elected ourselves, Sisters of Charity Umbrella Holders. We proudly help up those umbrellas until every volunteer had had their tea. We didn't discriminate among people we held them up for everyone regardless of social class and skin color!
After that we got bored, and the useless feeling started to set in again, since the umbrellas didn't need to stay upright, so we took ourselves on a tour and got lost and turned up in front of the internet place - and here we are. I do believe Mother Theresa would understand.

The Namesake

I just returned from the Indian Cinema at the flash mall, (Flash is cool in Kiwi! - learned that in India) where I saw the movie The Namesake. It is based on the book by Jhumpa Lahiri. It is a story of an Indian couple from Kolkata that moves to America, where they have children and the culture struggle that ensues as their children grow up. It is an amazing story of family, and ties to ones' mother country. I highly recommend it. It was incredible to be in Kolkata and watch this story unfold, with its flowers and saris and rickshaws, as I am sitting in between several women all decked out in full Indian regalia. A art imitating life imitating art experience at its fullest.
This time in India has been extremely trying as women here are second class citizens, no matter what their caste. I am constantly aware of covering my body and the male eyes that quickly fix themselves on any bare body part, including ankles or elbows. We have spent so much time talking about marriage, arranged and love, and the role of wife and husband in India and the western world. The concept of family is different here than at home, and yet love for your family is the same no matter what your responsibility to them, or your moral obligation. I am so full of emotion after these three weeks. Anger at the way I have been treated, and knowing that so many women consider that normal. Frustration over car horns, poverty, children being forced to beg by their parents, a government that is too corrupt to do anything, and what my role is supposed to be as a tourist. It was fulfilling to see an Indian character, who is very American, and yet Indian struggling with these same issues and what his role is to be in his own family. Just go see it!

My tour ended today. Most of the group members dispersed, it was sad to see everyone go, as we had bonded so well. It is interesting to think that my trip in India will forever be connected to these people I did not know three weeks ago, and may never see again.
We are staying at St. Monica's Guesthouse, which is connected to St. James Church across the street from Mother Theresa's House. I will start my volunteer work in the orphanage tomorrow. I am hoping a few days there will help to redeem my heart after walking past so many children in such destitute situations. I can't wait to get back to my children - a true teacher at heart!

Let me know how you liked the movie!

13 great videos from India

We have 13 new videos from India. Don't miss the hippies dancing in Pushkar, adventures on bouncing camels, bad dancing at indian discos, oily cooking lessons, painful Indian beauty treatments and near death tuk-tuk rides.



If the player is not working visit: http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=69AF8221ECE9CF43.

India Craziness

So - I've tried to write about my incredible adventures in Varanasi on the Ganges, but the activities just keep coming and the Internet doesn't so, now I've already had my introduction to Kolkata and said nothing about Varanasi!

I'll tell the story of the best day.
Our guide Shyaam is from a village about three hours from Varanasi city, so we rolled out of town UN style in a white SUV. We kept commenting that India is totally different when seen through the windows of a nice car! The road trip was similar to all driving experiences, but I did wear a seat belt for the first time in two months!
We arrived in the village, which is brick buildings, homemade bricks - with bamboo and rush grass roofs. We sat down with Shyaam's uncles, old and wrinkly, to have tea in the men's hut. Which was just three walls, waist high, with the grass roof, and plastic chairs. They spoke in Hindi, we spoke in English, nodded our heads at each other for a while. Then they said, okay now we go on tour of village.
We walked around a few houses, dodged a few cows, they pointed out the fields. We were surrounded by wheat fields, with women working them in this extreme heat. Resistance to sweating was futile, your shirt would be drenched and there was nothing to do about it, but smile!
We ended our walk at the school. By this time we had gathered quite a following, so eight white people and about fifty Indian villagers file into the school yard. The children had plastic sacks on the ground for their desks, and had placed their books inside their sack for the lunch break. They were deathly afraid of us, possibly the first white people they had ever seen, so the first twenty minutes or so was pretty stunted. We smiled, they stared, we said hi, they stared!
Finally, we took a picture and showed them the camera. That was a hit, a few more pictures led to teaching the high five, and we were starting to get comfortable. By the end of our stay we had a huge circle dancing around the yard to the Hokey Pokey. Great fun.
We went back to Shyaam's house, and he took us into the women's side to have lunch and meet his mother. After a lunch of dahl and chapati, the women brought out their saris, and shuffled the girls into the bedroom. A flurry of fabric, stuffing boobs into blouses, and tube of lipstick and a comb and we all came out in full Indian glory. The fact that I would have to wear a sari everyday is another reason why I would have made a horrible Indian woman!
As we are getting the feel for this new tight, and yet revealing dress, the young niece says, okay we dance now. They pushed us into the "tv" room, and turned on the music. We started to sway and snap, when the women jumped into the middle of our circle to teach us some Indian moves. It is amazing what a chaste Indian woman, who doesn't show her ankles will bust out on the dance floor when no men are present. Lots of hips shaking!
We had an amazing day experiencing real India. Prior to the village we had only interacted with three Indian women, and they were all involved with the tourism industry which means, they are getting something out of the transaction. These women were just ecstatic to have us in their home, and share their worlds with us.
From the hokey pokey to shaka laka boom - it was a wild day!

600+ New India Photos

After 2 weeks in India I've finally found non-dialup internet and posted our latest photos. Go to http://www.flickr.com/photos/anntrak/sets. to see our India photos.

New India Photos Sets Include: Dehli & Holi, Jaisalmer, Camel Safari, Jodhpur, Udaipur, Pushkar, Jaipur and Fun in India.

As you can see we visited the Taj Mahal this morning and jumped for joy that we actually made it!

Also I've added photos to previous posts, so scroll down.

Big Dream Come True

The Taj Mahal
I can remember watching Anne of Green Gables as a child, when the mean principal tells Anne, "I want to know, not just believe that the world is round. I want to see things like the Taj Mahal, things I've only seen in pictures."
I can remember seeing my own pictures of the Taj Mahal and thinking about how exotic and unreal this place was. Well, today I made it, and even up close it has an incredible surreal quality. The marble reflects the light is such a way that it seems like you could just wave your hand right through the blocks. We had to put on shoe covers made of white gauze to walk inside the mausoleum, and it felt like walking on clouds through a hologram. Like the whole picture could have been made of sugar, and one douse of water would cause it all to disolve.
We walked into the center of the building, and the wind was blowing through the sandstone screens, it was dark and in the center is the grave of Mumtaz, with just one lamp above it - Indescribable. I wanted to just soak in this long awaited experience, but my lovely Indian guide decided to start hollering, HOOO, just to show off the echo. He said, "look - no microphone!" Well of course not you idiot. Why would you need a microphone next to a grave!
I learned that the Taj was built for Mumtaz, the wife of Shah Jahan , who died giving birth to their fourteenth child. As she was dying, Shah Jahan asked her how he could prove to the world just how much he loved her. She said, the king will not marry again, he will love all my children equally, and he will build a beautiful monument in my honor - and thus we have the Taj Mahal. He went into hiding to mourn Mumtaz, and after a few months he sent letters all over the world requesting plans for this mosoleum that was to be built, and many options were sent. It was one from an Iranian architect that was selected. Twenty years and $70 million dollars later.
Dream come true.

Wedding Crashers

In Udaipur, one of our group members, Danielle, was inquiring about a cooking class. She went to Shushma's shop, and asked about classes for the next day. Shushma told her that the next day she would be closed because she had to cook for her brother-in-laws wedding, but that Danielle could just come to the wedding. Danielle said, no no I don't want to intrude, I am with a group, there are many of us. Shushma said, well then you will all come. Danielle said, but I have eight friends, and Shushma again refused. She said that we were all welcome, here is the address, and that she will see us there, no questions, we are to attend. This is how we came to be invited to the Indian wedding - of whom we have no clue, just Shushma's brother in law!
Now backpacking does not really allow or require that you carry wedding attire so we scrounged around and found some suitable things. It allowed some of us to make that fancy purchase that was really unneccessary before you had a wedding to go to! One of our group members, James, even ended up in full Indian dress when all he asked for was a collared shirt.
We found out that most people in Udaipur were going to the wedding, so finding some friends to help us find the place wasn't too hard. From about a block away you could see the lights, and the large tent like things that were covering all the food stations. As we came through the archway, there was Shushma, whom only Danielle had ever met. She greeted us and introduced us to her husband. They were so happy to have us.
The bride and groom were setting up on a platform under a canopy, on large gold plated chairs. People would go up and give them their envelope of money, and congratulate them. There were two cameramen and a videoman, so you would be recorded for all eternity and then step down. There was also a gallery of chairs in front of the stage where all the female family members sat, in order to admire the new couple and congratulate each other on how well they had made the match. The rest of the time the bride and groom just sat there, watching the rest of us have a good time. Except of course for when the groom had to get up and spit off his stage!
The rest of this large area had food stations all around the perimeter. You got a HUGE plate in the middle and then made your way around the buffet. They had all kinds of wonderful, spicy food. We piled our plates high, mine mainly with the fresh butter naan, and found a seat on the grass.
There was music playing, but no dancing. Mainly we just talked to all the little kids who kept coming up to us, to practice their rote English conversations. "What is your name? What is your country? Are you married?"
We also got our chance to give our cash gift to the bride and groom, and take our picture. It is a little odd saying, "May your wedding last long, and may you have children in the next year." to a total stranger! Then we could join the large group watching the bride and groom, who only talked for the first time the night before, squirm! Good times, as long as you are not the one on the stage!
It was a wonderful evening, and is definitely a highlight of our trip. Though unsuccessful in Shushma's eyes, as not one of our single girls walked away with an Indian husband!

Trouble in Paradise

If you're going to get hurt, you better do it with flare! That has always been my motto, and the other day was no different.
We arrived in Jaipur, the pink city, and we're transferred to our hotel the Diggi Palace. We had come from Pushkar, which is the drug capital of Rajasthan, which means that it is full of hippies and addicts who have managed to create a culture that is so pro-marijuana that we felt like the outsiders. Our hotel there, the Purple Garden, was well below par for the trip, and run by another man who was so stoned it was amazing the place was still standing!
As the tuk tuks pulled up in front of the Diggi Palace, we passed through the gate to find an amazing oasis. A large green lawn, bordered by orange, pink and yellow flowers rolled before us. Cut through by a small stone path, and dotted with lovely tables and chairs for lawn lounging, this garden was heaven. We could not have been more excited after too many local buses and bad hotels, we were ready for some down time.
To augment this respite, Jen and I headed out of the Palace to find some chocolate. Our guide, Shyaam, told us to just go out and turn right and a small store would be right there. Well, going out means fighting through ten tuk tuk drivers, who are just sure you need to go "to fort, to fort - beautiful. Cheaper than cheap price." Then some children begging, then someone who of course is willing to sell you some old bent up postcards or a ragged looking picture of Krishna.
Finally we reached the street, which is just a continual bombardment of noise and attention. We walked a block or two and didn't find a store, so we thought crossing the street might help. Dodging traffic we made it to the median, which is just a ditch with a two foot high concrete wall, that is about five inches wide. I stepped up onto the wall to get fully out of the street, not noticing that a line from the power polls is hanging down to right at my chin. In order to not hang myself of the power line I try to regain my balance on the wall, which is not working so I step back down onto the street. Between the wobbling, and the quick step I managed to roll my ankle, causing me to sprawl out into the road. The next thought in my head is, "I am laying in the street in India." Then, "I am laying in the way of traffic in the street in India." Then, "If I don't actually get up I will be dead in the street in India." The two buses barrelling down the road and honking madly, helped with this last thought. I jumped up and hopped over the wall, missing the wire and then hobbled across the other lane of traffic to make it to the "sidewalk". "Accident? Accident?" This is how we were greeted on the other side of the street, and that is when I realized just how much of an audience I had during this whole episode. I managed to get away from the mob, without any special Indian medicine, and we found the real American medicine, Cadbury chocolate!
I am still laughing at the story the Indian bus driver got to tell his wife when she asked what happened today at work. "Well, there was this white girl ..."

Udia Udia Udia Udiapur

Busses in India

By signing up for the Basic tour we agreed to participate in some local forms of transportation, but since we spoiled ourselves by flying all over southeast Asia today was a little shocking.
We've been in Udiapur for the past two days, which is a lovely town set on two man made lakes. The weather was fabulous, cool and not so dry. There was good shopping and great restaurants. The James Bond film, Octopussy, was filmed at the City Palace there in 1982, and almost every restaurant shows it nightly! We saw it once while there, and Roger Moore was a very entertaining if not ridiculously corny Bond. All the India footage was shot in Udaipur, so if you need a little visual connection - there you go.
This morning we left on the local bus, which is really no big deal. There are assigned seats and most of the people are going a longer distance, so there are less stops, people are prepared for a little bit of a ride. We get to store our backpacks in the back instead of in our seats. If you can handle the honking - Indian vehicles don't have rear view mirrors so they let you know they are passing by honking - on the freeway, can you imagine!
After six hours we arrive in some town where we have to switch to the local, local bus. At the bus station the drivers stand outside their busses yelling, Jai, Jai, Jai, Jai, Jaipur -really fast. I am actually quite good at Udia, Udia, Udiapur - if things don't work out I can always drive an Indian bus! Our guide, Shyaam, says we'll keep our baggage with us on this local bus. The driver offered to put it on top of the bus but we all looked up and there is not anything on top of the bus to hold the bags, no rails or straps. We apparently would just throw them up there and hope they didn't fall off. We asked if the bus would stop if one fell off, and Shyaam said, "Eventually".
Then the bus pulls into the parking spot and Shyaam, says "Okay we go". This was a very calm command considering the rush that was beginning. The people are just swarming, pushing and shoving around the door to the bus. We are in the middle of the pack and just getting knocked around. To add to the fun, we have huge packs weighing about 35 pounds each, and we are the only white people boarding this bus. We quickly realize that without some serious assertiveness we are not going to get on this bus, let alone have a seat, so the backpacks come in handy and with some good swings right and left we cleared our path. Welcome to real backpacking in India.
I was looking out the window at the desert pass by, and it took me a few minutes to notice just how dirty and gross this bus was. But don't worry, just because you can see a man and dog pooping alongside one another from the bus, this is not a completely backwards place. Once on the bus the ticket man has a handheld computer that will produce a receipt for your bus ticket. Nothing like technology among the squalor! Every man whose possessions include a big stick and something wrapped in a big sheet needs a reciept.
We arrived in Pushkar unscathed, just a little rattled! But I've been offered marijuana about ten times already today, so I should be calming down soon!

His name was Pepsi

The jeep turned off the road and was now bumping along through the desert sand, knocking small brush out of its way. I was sitting in the back on one of the long benches, packed in between my other traveling mates. My view out of the back window allowed for the best view of where we had been, and the large cloud of dust following us.
The jeep came to a quick stop, and we stumbled out of the car. The desert sand was billowing around us, and I wondered if we really were starting a camel safari or if this was where they brought the tourists and told them to find their own way back to town. This had the makings of a great movie that would of course include lots of running and screaming and wild animal interactions. As the air cleared we saw about ten camels, with their legs curiously folded under them, as they sat on the ground. There was a cart attached to one camel, and they all had a pile of sacks and blankets somewhat resembling a saddle on their back. So, it was to be the beginning of a great adventure.
The camel men, who were all wearing colorful turbans in fuschia and saffron and long white shirts, sort of gestured that we could just choose a camel. I was immediately drawn to his darker hair, which had a great curl. He was a little smaller than the other camels, which would become a lot smaller when he stood up. I walked over, and it was love. The camel boy said, "you want to ride Pepsi?" and I knew we were meant for each other. (The other people in our group are quite anti-soda, and if you are reading my blog you probably know about my serious love for all things cola. Pepsi it was going to be!)
The leader of this group of nomad camel boys mounted his sitting camel and showed us how to ride the camel while it stood up. It was quite precarious when the expert did it so my first time was a little interesting. Those curiously folded legs actually reveal four joints - one hip, two knees and an ankle. So I sat on Pepsi, while he was sitting on the ground and began the tedious process, which I was sure could end in a big pile of tourist on the hard ground. I was pretty sure this was not how I wanted to start my safari, I was going to be sore enough just riding the thing. However, with a big lean backwards, another big lean forwards, another BIG lean backwards, Pepsi was standing and I was proudly perched on top.
I had purchased a fancy camel scarf in Jaisalmer, and scarf and sunglasses in place I looked ready to trade opium and silk across serious middle east lines. I was prepared for serious camel riding. After all, I grew up riding horses. I even had one of my own for a while, camel - horse no big deal. That was before I really go to know Pepsi!
He turned out to be the smallest camel, but he had the biggest heart. When we started our walk the camel boy tied Pepsi to the back of another camel, and then the boy hopped into the cart - I can't say I blame the boy for not wanting to want the five kilometers. But Pepsi was not a follower, really who wants to follow the very back of camel when you aren't tall enough to see over his rear end. So Pepsi took to walking as far up as his small lead would allow which meant we took that safari at a 45 degree angle to the rest of the camels. Pepsi would walk up right along whoever he was tied to and then just crank his neck in order to stay there. Good view for me, until you could see that Pepsi was going to try this sidestep dance along the side of a rock formation or a sand dune. Great for the nerves!
We made it to the camp, had a great dinner and dancing with the locals. Our camel guide had written his own song in English just for this occasion aptly named, "Camel Safari"! The chorus is just "camel safari do, ku, do, do, ku, do". It was with the verses that his true creativity shines by giving a detailed account of each step of the camel safari - riding in a jeep, riding a camel, we are eating the dinner of lentils and rice and red chiles, the camels are peeing and pooing and farting - do, ku, do... Beautiful music. He actually had a lovely voice and started off the safari with a little John Denver - Country Road. Nothing like hearing "West Virginia, Mountain Momma" in that unmistakable Hindi accent!
The next morning, I asked the camel safari guide if I could take the reins myself, and he just laughed and said "oh not with Pepsi, he no follow directions"! So we once again danced our way back to the jeep, tied to the back of another camel, walking at that great angle. This time it was Jen who we were tied to, and she was convinced Pepsi was trying to bite her leg, which made for a great trip back. Now the camel safari song goes something like, "Camel Safari, do ku do, Ahhh - Jamie, The camels are biting the riders, do ku do , do ku do".