9/29:
this morning we woke up to rain, lots of rain. but anne claire and i decided that we were still up for doing sintra, even if it meant getting wet. so we headed to the train station and took a 45 min trip out there. it poured the entire way there, but by the time we got off it had slowed to a tolerable drizzle. we went to the national palace. i wasn´t sure that it was worth paying the 5 euro to get in, but anne claire is a journalist and flashed her press card to get free admittance for the both of us! sweet!
afterwards we hiked up to Quinta da Regaleira, a historic estate consiting of a palace, chapel, park, grottoes, wells, caves, and a lake. we hiked around the property for over 3 hours, but we could have stayed 8. it was really extraordinary! and huge! i especially enjoyed hiking through the underground caves.
at the top of the mountain in sintra is the Castle of the Moors. it looked spectacular from the bottom (despite the fog), but i had heard that it was pretty cheesy up top, and i was short on time since i had to get back to the hostel and pack before heading to the trainstation to catch the night train to madrid. so we never made the hike all the way up. instead we stopped for a quick bite and a quick beer, and explored the small town. i also had to make a quick stop to try the pastel de nata (the cream-filled pastry that portugal is famous for!) then i headed back to lisbon, and anne claire headed to the beach at cascais (the sun had finally made its way out at that point).
now i am back at the hostel about to leave for the train! see ya back in madrid!... caitlin comes tomorrow :)
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Monday, June 29, 2009
wandering around
6/28: happy birthday dad!
today i woke up late and enjoyed my free hostel breakfast (i always eat a ton of the free breakfast so i can skip lunch and just buy one meal a day, even if its from the grocery store). then i was going to go with my new turkish friend, hulya, around lisbon, but she wanted to go up the castle where i had already been, so i took a pass.
the weather was not great, but i grabbed my umbrella and walked to a few museums. even though i dont love museums, most places are closed on sundays and that is the one day most museums are free. then i hiked to the top of Eduardo VII Park, where there was the postcard view of the city of lisbon. afterwards, i walked to the Basilica Estrela, one of the most famous churches in the area - it was beautiful, and the adjacent park made for a very nice stroll. then i took a break for a glass of wine and stopped at the grocery store on my way back to the hostel (i was not going to munch on bread for dinner tonight). i picked up some eggs, yogurt, and a bottle of wine. i was eager to meet more people tonight, and figured a bottle of wine might help.
i arrived at the hostel at about 5 oclock, riiight before the rain got really bad. i relaxed and read for a few of hours. then i connected with caitlin online and booked our hostel for our first two nights in madrid. that meant i knew exactly where i would be sleeping for the next FOUR nights (i had already booked a BED on the train back to madrid for tomorrow night)!! wow. it was kinda nice.
later, i made some dinner and split my bottle of wine with Anne Claire, a new friend from france. we talked for a few hours and made plans for the next day to go to sintra, a nearby town.
all in all, a good, relaxing, day :)
today i woke up late and enjoyed my free hostel breakfast (i always eat a ton of the free breakfast so i can skip lunch and just buy one meal a day, even if its from the grocery store). then i was going to go with my new turkish friend, hulya, around lisbon, but she wanted to go up the castle where i had already been, so i took a pass.
the weather was not great, but i grabbed my umbrella and walked to a few museums. even though i dont love museums, most places are closed on sundays and that is the one day most museums are free. then i hiked to the top of Eduardo VII Park, where there was the postcard view of the city of lisbon. afterwards, i walked to the Basilica Estrela, one of the most famous churches in the area - it was beautiful, and the adjacent park made for a very nice stroll. then i took a break for a glass of wine and stopped at the grocery store on my way back to the hostel (i was not going to munch on bread for dinner tonight). i picked up some eggs, yogurt, and a bottle of wine. i was eager to meet more people tonight, and figured a bottle of wine might help.
i arrived at the hostel at about 5 oclock, riiight before the rain got really bad. i relaxed and read for a few of hours. then i connected with caitlin online and booked our hostel for our first two nights in madrid. that meant i knew exactly where i would be sleeping for the next FOUR nights (i had already booked a BED on the train back to madrid for tomorrow night)!! wow. it was kinda nice.
later, i made some dinner and split my bottle of wine with Anne Claire, a new friend from france. we talked for a few hours and made plans for the next day to go to sintra, a nearby town.
all in all, a good, relaxing, day :)
lisboa! finally!
6/27:
well that was not fun. dave had called as i was just leaving madrid and advised me to go hang out in the bar to pass time. unfortunately, i was short on cash... and the bar was pretty empty anyway, surprisingly. for 10 hours i was cold and uncomfortable and my neck will surely hurt for days. note to self: book a bed on the return train immediately after arriving in lisbon!
but anyway, at 7:30am, i arrived in lisbon!!! of course, i still had no idea where i was going to sleep and did not want to wander around town looking with my pack on my back. so i sat in the cafe at the train station, drank some coffee, charged my nearly-dead phone, and consulted hostelworld.com (my hostel bible) via blackberry browser. the trickiest part was finding a hostel that was not too expensive, and that accepted credit cards. hardly any of the hostels accepted cards. finally i discovered Lisbon Old Town Hostel, which advertised "the newest hostel in lisbon!". perfect! and i was able to reserve a room online! (to avoid getting all the way there and finding out that they were full) it was a bit more than i was hoping to pay (22 Euro), but that was fine. after a short ride on the metro, i hiked about a half mile to my new home.
as i arrived, they were painting the outside wall... a beautiful mural of the city of lisbon! i have to remember to take a picture before i leave. i walked in and the guy at the desk was very friendly. in fact all the staff was very friendly... and all about 24 year old, and male, and portuguese, and cute. sigh..
the hostel was way smaller than in barcelona, and way more quiet... and generally nicer. i was booked in an all girl, 8 bed room, but only a couple of girls were in the room. it was very clean and had a lot of personality. beautifully painted walls, and art everywhere. even the blankets on the beds were stylish (the fact that the beds had blankets... or even two sheets, says a lot about how nice this place was, as far as hotels go). our room also had an adjacent living room!
it was quiet and peaceful and very nice, i loved it. but i had noticed that there were not really any americans anywhere and many people were speaking various other languages. no problem, i kinda wanted to do my own thing for a couple days anyway.
as tired as i was, i only had three days here so i took a shower and headed to downtown lisbon. i wandered around, up the streets and into the shops, and then i decided to hike up the mountain to the cathedral and the St. Jorge Castle. the view from atop the mountain was spectacular, and i spent a few hours just wandering around and getting lost and re-finding my way. exhausted, i returned to the hospital at about 5 and passed out until 8. then i found some bread to munch on for dinner, had some beer with a few people and chatted for a couple hours, and went back to sleep.
well that was not fun. dave had called as i was just leaving madrid and advised me to go hang out in the bar to pass time. unfortunately, i was short on cash... and the bar was pretty empty anyway, surprisingly. for 10 hours i was cold and uncomfortable and my neck will surely hurt for days. note to self: book a bed on the return train immediately after arriving in lisbon!
but anyway, at 7:30am, i arrived in lisbon!!! of course, i still had no idea where i was going to sleep and did not want to wander around town looking with my pack on my back. so i sat in the cafe at the train station, drank some coffee, charged my nearly-dead phone, and consulted hostelworld.com (my hostel bible) via blackberry browser. the trickiest part was finding a hostel that was not too expensive, and that accepted credit cards. hardly any of the hostels accepted cards. finally i discovered Lisbon Old Town Hostel, which advertised "the newest hostel in lisbon!". perfect! and i was able to reserve a room online! (to avoid getting all the way there and finding out that they were full) it was a bit more than i was hoping to pay (22 Euro), but that was fine. after a short ride on the metro, i hiked about a half mile to my new home.
as i arrived, they were painting the outside wall... a beautiful mural of the city of lisbon! i have to remember to take a picture before i leave. i walked in and the guy at the desk was very friendly. in fact all the staff was very friendly... and all about 24 year old, and male, and portuguese, and cute. sigh..
the hostel was way smaller than in barcelona, and way more quiet... and generally nicer. i was booked in an all girl, 8 bed room, but only a couple of girls were in the room. it was very clean and had a lot of personality. beautifully painted walls, and art everywhere. even the blankets on the beds were stylish (the fact that the beds had blankets... or even two sheets, says a lot about how nice this place was, as far as hotels go). our room also had an adjacent living room!
it was quiet and peaceful and very nice, i loved it. but i had noticed that there were not really any americans anywhere and many people were speaking various other languages. no problem, i kinda wanted to do my own thing for a couple days anyway.
as tired as i was, i only had three days here so i took a shower and headed to downtown lisbon. i wandered around, up the streets and into the shops, and then i decided to hike up the mountain to the cathedral and the St. Jorge Castle. the view from atop the mountain was spectacular, and i spent a few hours just wandering around and getting lost and re-finding my way. exhausted, i returned to the hospital at about 5 and passed out until 8. then i found some bread to munch on for dinner, had some beer with a few people and chatted for a couple hours, and went back to sleep.
travel travel travel
6/26:
i woke up at 7am, just in time to throw a shoe across the room at mau and tell him he was going to miss his train, and fall back asleep. i didnt wake up until 10:30, but it was okay because they dont charge you unless you check out after 11. still unsure of my plan, i packed quickly and headed downstairs. MY EURAIL HAD COME!!! excellent. i knew that the train from madrid to lisbon was not until night but i was antsy to leave and a little anxious about not having tickets or knowing where to go...and madrid was still a 3.5 hour train ride from barcelona...so i went to the train station. i caught a 2:00 train to madrid and when i arrived (about 5:30)i immediately bought my ticket to lisbon. the train did not leave until 10:30pm from a station on the other side of the city, and i would have to be seated because all the beds were full. bummer. but at least i would be in lisbon by morning! since i had 5 hours to kill, i left the station and found a nearby (i did not want to travel too far, since i had my heavy pack to drag along) cafe to have a beer. it was a beautiful day, and i sat and read for a couple hours near the art museum reina sofia. then i cought the metro across town to the other train station to wait for my other train. i was wayyy too early and nearly drove myself crazy sitting there for 2.5 hours, but i was nervous about getting lost. at least i had kindle to keep me company.
at 10:30 i boarded the crowded train and settled in... i had a long night ahead of me. maybe since i had gotten no sleep the night before, i would be able to pass out in the uncomfortable seat...
i woke up at 7am, just in time to throw a shoe across the room at mau and tell him he was going to miss his train, and fall back asleep. i didnt wake up until 10:30, but it was okay because they dont charge you unless you check out after 11. still unsure of my plan, i packed quickly and headed downstairs. MY EURAIL HAD COME!!! excellent. i knew that the train from madrid to lisbon was not until night but i was antsy to leave and a little anxious about not having tickets or knowing where to go...and madrid was still a 3.5 hour train ride from barcelona...so i went to the train station. i caught a 2:00 train to madrid and when i arrived (about 5:30)i immediately bought my ticket to lisbon. the train did not leave until 10:30pm from a station on the other side of the city, and i would have to be seated because all the beds were full. bummer. but at least i would be in lisbon by morning! since i had 5 hours to kill, i left the station and found a nearby (i did not want to travel too far, since i had my heavy pack to drag along) cafe to have a beer. it was a beautiful day, and i sat and read for a couple hours near the art museum reina sofia. then i cought the metro across town to the other train station to wait for my other train. i was wayyy too early and nearly drove myself crazy sitting there for 2.5 hours, but i was nervous about getting lost. at least i had kindle to keep me company.
at 10:30 i boarded the crowded train and settled in... i had a long night ahead of me. maybe since i had gotten no sleep the night before, i would be able to pass out in the uncomfortable seat...
Sunday, June 28, 2009
beach!
6/25: today i went to the beach alll day long. my family was gone, and i was finally able to take advantage of the topless beaches! after about 6 hours, we were fried and decided to rehydrate and head back to the hostel. we grabbed some dinner and then hung out at the hostel until about 12:30. i had not been planning on going out because of my lack of funds, but my dorm-mates were very persuasive. we headed to the gothic area and hit up a few bars. i even led everybody back to sincopa, the bar that i had liked so much when my parents came out. people were very nice and somehow i ended up drinking a sufficient amount even without any money...the perks of being a girl, i suppose.
while we were out, we got the news: michael jackson had left us.
a moment of silence.
it really was crazy though, because michael jackson is a universal superstar, and EVERYBODY in barcelona knew who he was and that he had died just as soon as we did.
after the bars we headed to the beach. after a while a bunch of us separated, and people eventually headed back to the hostel. mau and i managed to be the last ones back at about 5:30, which was great because he had to catch a train at 8am, and i had to check-out by 10... ugh. and i still didnt know if/when my eurail pass would get there - would i have to book another night? or try to get to madrid/lisbon?
while we were out, we got the news: michael jackson had left us.
a moment of silence.
it really was crazy though, because michael jackson is a universal superstar, and EVERYBODY in barcelona knew who he was and that he had died just as soon as we did.
after the bars we headed to the beach. after a while a bunch of us separated, and people eventually headed back to the hostel. mau and i managed to be the last ones back at about 5:30, which was great because he had to catch a train at 8am, and i had to check-out by 10... ugh. and i still didnt know if/when my eurail pass would get there - would i have to book another night? or try to get to madrid/lisbon?
guadi, gaudi, gaudi ... and a minor mishap
6/24: this morning i went with some of the girls to Parc Guell, a park containing many stone structures, fascinating buildings, and other statues by antonio gaudi. it was a decent hike up to the park, but when you arrived you entered into a beautiful, colorful, magical world! i will post pictures shortly (if i can figure out how to do that), but it was truly amazing how every single thing - from the seats to the pillars to the houses to the bridges, were intricate pieces of art. one could spend an entire day just exploring this whimsical universe! also, for anybody who watches americas next top model, one of the runway shows apparently took place here - and i admit that when somebody pointed it out to me it did look familiar (must have been one of those damn marathons that can consume you on a rainy sunday - my mom knows what im talking about)
Afterwards we took a crowded train back to the gothic center, where we stopped for some sangria. this is when i noticed that my wallet was gone...bum bum bum.... it was my own fault - i had taken it out to buy a train ticket and had put it back in my purse right on top of everything else, and then boarded a very crowded train.
bad luck, first my eurail gets sent to the states, now my wallet is gone. :(
luckily, i had taken some precaution. i had kept my credit card and my passport locked up in the room, just for this reason. still, i had no cash, and no access to cash because my debit card was gone.
i went immediately back to the hostel and called my bank. they cancelled my card and fast-tracked one to my parents house - they said they were not able to send a new card internationally. on top of that, they were not able to issue me a pin number for my credit card for 7 days...what a dilemma.
no reason to freak out, there were ways to get by. caitlin could bring me my debit card when i meet her in madrid on the 30th. and if i REALLY needed to, i could get a cash advance from a local bank, but that would include a fee and high interest. i also remembered that i had about 45 dollars with me. if i exchanged that, i could probably get about 30 euro? still, not enough. so, i asked my new friends for a favor. since we were going out to eat anyway, could i please put everything on my credit card and have them give me cash? of course, they would! great! as long as i can charge everything and keep my small amount for when i really need it, i should be able to make it! right? and there is also the exchange option, and the cash advance option if i REALLY need to. okay, problem solved, but it would be a tricky 6 days...i would have to spend as little money as possible.
luckily i had not lost anything else in my wallet, about 20 euro, my debit card, and my license. it could be way worse! no reason to let it stop me or get distressed. shit happens. i will be more careful from now on.
Afterwards we took a crowded train back to the gothic center, where we stopped for some sangria. this is when i noticed that my wallet was gone...bum bum bum.... it was my own fault - i had taken it out to buy a train ticket and had put it back in my purse right on top of everything else, and then boarded a very crowded train.
bad luck, first my eurail gets sent to the states, now my wallet is gone. :(
luckily, i had taken some precaution. i had kept my credit card and my passport locked up in the room, just for this reason. still, i had no cash, and no access to cash because my debit card was gone.
i went immediately back to the hostel and called my bank. they cancelled my card and fast-tracked one to my parents house - they said they were not able to send a new card internationally. on top of that, they were not able to issue me a pin number for my credit card for 7 days...what a dilemma.
no reason to freak out, there were ways to get by. caitlin could bring me my debit card when i meet her in madrid on the 30th. and if i REALLY needed to, i could get a cash advance from a local bank, but that would include a fee and high interest. i also remembered that i had about 45 dollars with me. if i exchanged that, i could probably get about 30 euro? still, not enough. so, i asked my new friends for a favor. since we were going out to eat anyway, could i please put everything on my credit card and have them give me cash? of course, they would! great! as long as i can charge everything and keep my small amount for when i really need it, i should be able to make it! right? and there is also the exchange option, and the cash advance option if i REALLY need to. okay, problem solved, but it would be a tricky 6 days...i would have to spend as little money as possible.
luckily i had not lost anything else in my wallet, about 20 euro, my debit card, and my license. it could be way worse! no reason to let it stop me or get distressed. shit happens. i will be more careful from now on.
the solo adventure begins!
6/23: so, like i mentioned, my dads plan to have the nicest hotel at the end just made my transition to hostel-jumping all that more difficult. nonetheless, i was really excited for it all to begin! after they left i stayed at the hotel until about 2 oclock, sucking up my last bit of pure luxury and free food and drink. but by then i was anxious to cross town and get settled into my 10-person dorm room at Centric Point, a huge 400-person hostel. everybody was out when i got there so i dropped my bag, locked up my valuables, and headed out. i had some errands to run to finish preparing for my back-packing trip... i had a get new lock for my locker (i had forgotten mine), a new water bottle (also forgot it, and i CANNOT travel/live without one), a satchel, and an all-inclusive European travel book. after finding a lock and bottle at an outdoors store, the bag at a cute store in El Born, and "Europe on a Shoestring - big trip on small budget" Lonely Planet guide in a small book shop, i headed back to the hostel. still, nobody was there, so i headed up to the terrace on the 7th floor which i had yet to check out. wow. it was really sweet up there! my hostel was in a great location, on a main road and in the middle of a bunch of gaudi architecture - you could see much of his stuff from the roof! and their was a bar and tables and chairs and even a place to lay out and catch some rays! so i sat down and read for a while while sipping on a sangria.
that night was the festival of san juan, the reason that i had decided to stay an extra day... so i headed to the beach with two girls from the room, sara and su. it was absolutely packed all night long, with fireworks going off continuously and music playing on the boardwalk, and of course, guys walking around selling 1 euro beers. all in all, a really fun time.
ps. i had realized soon after my parents left, that my Eurail pass had returned with them to the states. bummer. looks like i might be in barcelona a night or two longer than expected...
that night was the festival of san juan, the reason that i had decided to stay an extra day... so i headed to the beach with two girls from the room, sara and su. it was absolutely packed all night long, with fireworks going off continuously and music playing on the boardwalk, and of course, guys walking around selling 1 euro beers. all in all, a really fun time.
ps. i had realized soon after my parents left, that my Eurail pass had returned with them to the states. bummer. looks like i might be in barcelona a night or two longer than expected...
Saturday, June 27, 2009
barcelona!
when we showed up at the Hotel Arts, we immediately assumed our VIP status. with champagne in hand, we checked in "upstairs" - up in the lounge that is. we were treated like royalty, and that was before we even saw our rooms, or the beach or the pool or the fitness area. my dad said he planned it that way, the nicest place at the end, when people might be most antsy to get home. and it was a good call on his part - it is hard to be homesick when then alternative is the ritz in barcelona! .... (unfortunately this had the reverse affect on me, because intead of going home to my own bed afterwards, i would be downgrading drastically to the cheapest hostel i can find in whatever city i decide to sleep in..)
day 1) we took advantage of the food in the lounge and rested. until midnight that is. it was saturday night and keelin, kyle, and i were not going to miss our one weekend night in barcelona! we headed out to El Born.... El Born was great because there were bars on either side of the street, and people hung out in between them, creating a "street-party", complete with guys walking around selling 1 euro beers ! we had a few beers at a casual bar and met some girls from denmark that were very nice. they had been in barcelona for four days and offered up some good suggestions of things to do. we also talked about politics and food (lea was a vegetarian as well) and the possibility of me visiting them in denmark if i get a chance.
Then we met some other girls, who brought us to a club. they knew the bouncer and got us all in for free !! clubs arent usually my scene, but we were in barcelona! it was hot and sweaty and lots and lots of peoople and dancing and bad music (just like an american club)... but it was a necessary experience!
then we headed home...sort of. keelin was following me and i was following him and before we realized it we were really far from the hotel. when we finally turned around and got close, i realized that the sun would be coming up soon and it was the solstice! so we HAD to go watch the sunrise. after a big debate about where the sun actually rose ... we headed to the beach! there were other people there, and there were still guys walking around selling euro beers! exactly what you want at 6 in the morning, hehe.
day 2) sleep. after passing out at 7am, we were kinda useless for most of the day. we did make it out to the beach for a couple of hours... and then back to sleep. we did get up eventually to go upstairs and eat food... in the lounge. and then we went out for a drink to celebrate fathers day!
day 3) we planned on taking a bus tour but the buses were on strike (strikes just follow us around europe) so we did a walking tour instead. we checked out some of the buildings by gaudi, a spanish architect who created some really cool dr. seuss like work! his stuff is all over barcelona, including the sagrada familia, a giant whimsical temple! we also walked by the hostel that i had booked to stay in when the fam leaves....
at night, mom and dad come out for a few drinks in the gothic district to a small little bar called sincopa, great music and ambiance!
day 4) family leaves, what an amazing time. most families cant spend this much time together, away from home and friends and distractions. but we really had a great time with each other. thanks to my dad especially, for working so hard to make this trip possible for all of us. it was such a great experience to share with the five people closest to me in life...
thanks also to aunt pris who helped with alll the planning!
now the family is home, and my trip is just at the beginning... seperate posts to come!
day 1) we took advantage of the food in the lounge and rested. until midnight that is. it was saturday night and keelin, kyle, and i were not going to miss our one weekend night in barcelona! we headed out to El Born.... El Born was great because there were bars on either side of the street, and people hung out in between them, creating a "street-party", complete with guys walking around selling 1 euro beers ! we had a few beers at a casual bar and met some girls from denmark that were very nice. they had been in barcelona for four days and offered up some good suggestions of things to do. we also talked about politics and food (lea was a vegetarian as well) and the possibility of me visiting them in denmark if i get a chance.
Then we met some other girls, who brought us to a club. they knew the bouncer and got us all in for free !! clubs arent usually my scene, but we were in barcelona! it was hot and sweaty and lots and lots of peoople and dancing and bad music (just like an american club)... but it was a necessary experience!
then we headed home...sort of. keelin was following me and i was following him and before we realized it we were really far from the hotel. when we finally turned around and got close, i realized that the sun would be coming up soon and it was the solstice! so we HAD to go watch the sunrise. after a big debate about where the sun actually rose ... we headed to the beach! there were other people there, and there were still guys walking around selling euro beers! exactly what you want at 6 in the morning, hehe.
day 2) sleep. after passing out at 7am, we were kinda useless for most of the day. we did make it out to the beach for a couple of hours... and then back to sleep. we did get up eventually to go upstairs and eat food... in the lounge. and then we went out for a drink to celebrate fathers day!
day 3) we planned on taking a bus tour but the buses were on strike (strikes just follow us around europe) so we did a walking tour instead. we checked out some of the buildings by gaudi, a spanish architect who created some really cool dr. seuss like work! his stuff is all over barcelona, including the sagrada familia, a giant whimsical temple! we also walked by the hostel that i had booked to stay in when the fam leaves....
at night, mom and dad come out for a few drinks in the gothic district to a small little bar called sincopa, great music and ambiance!
day 4) family leaves, what an amazing time. most families cant spend this much time together, away from home and friends and distractions. but we really had a great time with each other. thanks to my dad especially, for working so hard to make this trip possible for all of us. it was such a great experience to share with the five people closest to me in life...
thanks also to aunt pris who helped with alll the planning!
now the family is home, and my trip is just at the beginning... seperate posts to come!
Thursday, June 25, 2009
munchen!
i liked munich! when we got in, we were all kinda exhausted, generally exhausted. so we were thrilled to find that the hotel was equipped with a huge spa and pool (kyle finallly got the pool he'd been hoping for!), a fitness room, and internet. it was one of the nicest hotels i've ever stayed at - very modern on the inside but housed in a very old, interesting building.
so my mom and i went out for a short walk while every one else rested and enjoyed the accomodations, for dinner we went to hofbrauhaus - a beer hall near marienplatz that keelin recommended (he had been when he visited for oktoberfest). on the way we stopped and saw some good music on the street. then my mom and i stopped for a glass of wine, and the boys went out for beers on the street. the next day was rainy and cold, which kinda sucked since it was our only full day in munich. but we made an effort- equipped with six umbrellas, we walked around munich....until the rain won the battle. we headed indoors for more german beers and pretzels, and headed back to the hotel. i finally got in a really good workout and relaxed for a couple hours before keelin and kyle and i went out. the night was really really fun - my favorite nightlife so far! we stopped for a liter at a beerhall. then we were looking for recommendations in our book, but the guide book was from 2000 and lacked sufficient directions so we were not too confident. but one bar stuck out to me (jurgenwaltz i believe? no thats probably not right....) it said that it was more of a local place with live music and cozy atmosphere. i didn't think we would actually find it (it could have closed or changed hours it nine years...) but i headed where i thought it might be, and sure enough on a lonely corner we saw the sign for the bar. we walked in and saw that all the lights were out and chairs stacked...but we could hear music from somewhere. we looked up and saw a light on and people singing. and upon further inspection, spotted stairs going up. we went up, but the door was closed with a sign in german that we could not read.. was this a private party? we were pretty unsure and almost didnt even bother opening the door. good thing we decided to go for it! the bar was tiny and packed, but we were able to squeeze 3 seats on a bench with a bunch of local guys. we sang and swayed and stayed for way longer than expected. it was a ton of fun! and the music was great and the people were just so happy and nice! we all loved it, but kyle especially wanted to stay as long as possible!
but after a few beers we moved on (we did only have one night out, and so much to see) we went to a smaller bar for our night cap, and headed home, stopping for drunk food on the way! yummm
onto barcelona, time is flying wayyy too fast!
so my mom and i went out for a short walk while every one else rested and enjoyed the accomodations, for dinner we went to hofbrauhaus - a beer hall near marienplatz that keelin recommended (he had been when he visited for oktoberfest). on the way we stopped and saw some good music on the street. then my mom and i stopped for a glass of wine, and the boys went out for beers on the street. the next day was rainy and cold, which kinda sucked since it was our only full day in munich. but we made an effort- equipped with six umbrellas, we walked around munich....until the rain won the battle. we headed indoors for more german beers and pretzels, and headed back to the hotel. i finally got in a really good workout and relaxed for a couple hours before keelin and kyle and i went out. the night was really really fun - my favorite nightlife so far! we stopped for a liter at a beerhall. then we were looking for recommendations in our book, but the guide book was from 2000 and lacked sufficient directions so we were not too confident. but one bar stuck out to me (jurgenwaltz i believe? no thats probably not right....) it said that it was more of a local place with live music and cozy atmosphere. i didn't think we would actually find it (it could have closed or changed hours it nine years...) but i headed where i thought it might be, and sure enough on a lonely corner we saw the sign for the bar. we walked in and saw that all the lights were out and chairs stacked...but we could hear music from somewhere. we looked up and saw a light on and people singing. and upon further inspection, spotted stairs going up. we went up, but the door was closed with a sign in german that we could not read.. was this a private party? we were pretty unsure and almost didnt even bother opening the door. good thing we decided to go for it! the bar was tiny and packed, but we were able to squeeze 3 seats on a bench with a bunch of local guys. we sang and swayed and stayed for way longer than expected. it was a ton of fun! and the music was great and the people were just so happy and nice! we all loved it, but kyle especially wanted to stay as long as possible!
but after a few beers we moved on (we did only have one night out, and so much to see) we went to a smaller bar for our night cap, and headed home, stopping for drunk food on the way! yummm
onto barcelona, time is flying wayyy too fast!
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
venezia.
so kelly's 13th bday was celebrated between two countries - she woke up in switzerland and fell asleep in italy. the way there though, was a bit rocky. the train was the longest we've been on so far, and also the least comfortable. and no food!... or so we thought. so at milan when we had a 15 minute stop, keelin, my mom, and i jumped out and went to buy food. we were already cutting it close, and up at the register the cashier did not know how to work the register and had to look up every single item code.... keelin went to the train to make sure it hadn't left. when we finally paid, my mom grabbed the food and took off while i waited for change and ran. keelin barely made it. my mom and i- not so much. bummer...
neither my mom nor i had grabbed our purse. we looked at each other, reached into our pockets and she pulled out a credit card (with my dads name on it) and i pulled out my cell phone. no ID, no cash - phone, credit card, and a bag full of food. LUCKILY, that was all we needed. we were able to get tickets at a reasonable price for the next train to venice - only a half hour behind the one that we had been on, and more comfortable! so as stressful as it was at the time, it ended up only being a minor glitch...
venice was unlike any place i've ever been. extremely touristy! but really interesting as well. it took a while for me to realize that this is a real town, not a theme park. people actually live with river streets. no cars at all, but boats! seems like quite the mode of transportation! especially for our boat-loving family! i think kyle is considering moving there to become a 'taxi' driver!
the next day we went to murano - the island known for its glass blowing. and we saw a demonstration, and bought some really interesting art! later, we took a 3 hour tour of venice - 1 hour on boat, two hours walking. and while it was all really interesting, and good to get away from the touristy areas for a while, 3 hours was a long time, especially for me who usually hates formal tours at all costs.
besides glass, venice is also known for its masks! so, naturally, as a mask collector, i was in heaven! before leaving the next morning, i found a great typical venetian harlequin mask that i can't wait to add to my collection...
onward to alemania!
ciao bellas!
neither my mom nor i had grabbed our purse. we looked at each other, reached into our pockets and she pulled out a credit card (with my dads name on it) and i pulled out my cell phone. no ID, no cash - phone, credit card, and a bag full of food. LUCKILY, that was all we needed. we were able to get tickets at a reasonable price for the next train to venice - only a half hour behind the one that we had been on, and more comfortable! so as stressful as it was at the time, it ended up only being a minor glitch...
venice was unlike any place i've ever been. extremely touristy! but really interesting as well. it took a while for me to realize that this is a real town, not a theme park. people actually live with river streets. no cars at all, but boats! seems like quite the mode of transportation! especially for our boat-loving family! i think kyle is considering moving there to become a 'taxi' driver!
the next day we went to murano - the island known for its glass blowing. and we saw a demonstration, and bought some really interesting art! later, we took a 3 hour tour of venice - 1 hour on boat, two hours walking. and while it was all really interesting, and good to get away from the touristy areas for a while, 3 hours was a long time, especially for me who usually hates formal tours at all costs.
besides glass, venice is also known for its masks! so, naturally, as a mask collector, i was in heaven! before leaving the next morning, i found a great typical venetian harlequin mask that i can't wait to add to my collection...
onward to alemania!
ciao bellas!
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
bern victim.
GO TO BERN! it is officially my favorite place i've visited in europe so far. as i emerged from the train station the first thing i noticed was bikes. everywhere. bikes! they weren't even locked up. were these people not afraid of getting their bikes stolen? don't they know that an abandoned bike will not last 7 minutes unlocked?? oh wait, this isn't chicago....
somebody immediately offered to help us find our hotel, and to help us figure out how to get a bus ticket, and what restaurants had the best deals. these people were so nice and friendly, and coming from france it was a very, very refreshing!
besides the amazing population of bern, the city is beautiful. set in the alps, it provides breathtaking views of the mountains as well as a river through the town. the weather was good, and i felt at home among these friendly bikers and hikers!
the hotel was awesome as well... and really close to the small town. and since i was so
anxious to take advantage of every minute i had in bern, i dropped my bag and grabbed a bike (which was rented to us for free) and went into town for a stroll, a beer, and a snack.
the next day the weather was a little overcast but i was determined to get some hiking in. so i convinced keelin to hike up to gurten with me; it was a short, moderate hike, but really enjoyable - plus there was some really good grafiti art along the way. at the top was a spectacular view of the mountainous city of bern and its surrounding villages.
at night we went for some fondue (we were in switzerland, afterall) and out to check out the night life. while the first few places we went seemed pretty dead, on our way home we went to a bar called Cuba, and although it was a weekday night, Cuba was packed! and open til 3:30! so, naturally, we stayed longer than we had intended. but i had a great time, met some locals, met some fellow travelers, danced a bit, and exchanged some contact info...
the next morning we left for venice early....
but i was so drawn to this small mountain town, that i am considering working it into my trip later on this summer! i really would like to come back and explore for a few more days!
ok... venice updates to come!
ciao!
somebody immediately offered to help us find our hotel, and to help us figure out how to get a bus ticket, and what restaurants had the best deals. these people were so nice and friendly, and coming from france it was a very, very refreshing!
besides the amazing population of bern, the city is beautiful. set in the alps, it provides breathtaking views of the mountains as well as a river through the town. the weather was good, and i felt at home among these friendly bikers and hikers!
the hotel was awesome as well... and really close to the small town. and since i was so
anxious to take advantage of every minute i had in bern, i dropped my bag and grabbed a bike (which was rented to us for free) and went into town for a stroll, a beer, and a snack.
the next day the weather was a little overcast but i was determined to get some hiking in. so i convinced keelin to hike up to gurten with me; it was a short, moderate hike, but really enjoyable - plus there was some really good grafiti art along the way. at the top was a spectacular view of the mountainous city of bern and its surrounding villages.
at night we went for some fondue (we were in switzerland, afterall) and out to check out the night life. while the first few places we went seemed pretty dead, on our way home we went to a bar called Cuba, and although it was a weekday night, Cuba was packed! and open til 3:30! so, naturally, we stayed longer than we had intended. but i had a great time, met some locals, met some fellow travelers, danced a bit, and exchanged some contact info...
the next morning we left for venice early....
but i was so drawn to this small mountain town, that i am considering working it into my trip later on this summer! i really would like to come back and explore for a few more days!
ok... venice updates to come!
ciao!
Friday, June 19, 2009
ooh pariee - what a louvre-ly city!
we took the train into paris and a cab to the hotel ... we were all surprised at how nice the hotel was! it was so modern and different from our hotel in london, which had been more traditional.
after settling in and taking a quick nap, we left the hotel and maneuvered our way through the streets of paris for the first time. and as we crossed the seine and turned the corner and caught our first glimpse of the eiffel tower, i was awestruck. i mean, i knew it was there, the symbol of france - we have all seen the postcards and the keychains and the romantic scenes in the movies, so i was surprised to find myself speechless. it was just a tourist site, right? the cliche thing to do when visiting paris? well yes, it is that. and maybe that is why i wasn't expecting it to affect me so much. but standing 300 meters high, lit up and beautiful in the twilight, it really is incredible. so i recommend it to all those who travel to paris: be the tourist, take the pictures, head straight to the eiffel tower and let it consume you.
afterwards we went to Diet and had a delicious vietnamese dinner (or so i hear.... the vegetarian pickins were slim)
the next day we went to the louvre. the building really is magnificant, and a bit overwhelming. buttt we made the mistake of taking a tour... and while i didn't hate it, i did not louvre it either (sorry, i can't stop myself). no, but seriously, it was pretty painful. personally, i'm not a big fan of guided tours, and this one was pretty bad. by the end, we had taken off our headphones and begun wandering around on our own.
then we headed to the metro station to get to sucre-coeur. at the station we had our first experience of that French rudeness you hear so much about. the guy working in the information office (yes, it said information in english right above the window) refused to deal with us at all when we asked to buy tickets. no french? no help! he refused to even look at us, and waved us away from the window. yeah, he was a jerk. but we eventually figured it out on our own.
when we got to sucre-coeur, we did the hike up the hill to montmartre, a little neighborhood with markets and cafes and local art. it was a beautiful day and we took our time exploring before stopping for wine and dinner. sucre-coeur may have been my favorite area of paris that we visited. it was quaint - a great spot to walk around and just observe...
the next day we took the train to EuroDisney. and although this trip was mostly for kelly, i think we all enjoy Disney (at least in small doses). that night, back in paris, keelin and kyle and i went out to a few bars, rode an abandoned bicycle with flat tires, missed the last train, and cought a cab back to the hotel.
so overall, we had a good time in paris. the city really is amazing: beautiful buildings, beautiful people, beautiful streets, cafes and art - and fine wine, of course. the downside: the people were generally not the most welcoming. yes, that is a generalization. and not every parisian was a jerk, but we encountered quite a few people who did not have the best attitude, especially toward us american tourists.
i would really like to visit other parts of france and see if the vibe is different outside of paris. hopefully i will get the opportunity! perhaps a trip to nice after barcelona? ha, we'll see....
au revoir!
after settling in and taking a quick nap, we left the hotel and maneuvered our way through the streets of paris for the first time. and as we crossed the seine and turned the corner and caught our first glimpse of the eiffel tower, i was awestruck. i mean, i knew it was there, the symbol of france - we have all seen the postcards and the keychains and the romantic scenes in the movies, so i was surprised to find myself speechless. it was just a tourist site, right? the cliche thing to do when visiting paris? well yes, it is that. and maybe that is why i wasn't expecting it to affect me so much. but standing 300 meters high, lit up and beautiful in the twilight, it really is incredible. so i recommend it to all those who travel to paris: be the tourist, take the pictures, head straight to the eiffel tower and let it consume you.
afterwards we went to Diet and had a delicious vietnamese dinner (or so i hear.... the vegetarian pickins were slim)
the next day we went to the louvre. the building really is magnificant, and a bit overwhelming. buttt we made the mistake of taking a tour... and while i didn't hate it, i did not louvre it either (sorry, i can't stop myself). no, but seriously, it was pretty painful. personally, i'm not a big fan of guided tours, and this one was pretty bad. by the end, we had taken off our headphones and begun wandering around on our own.
then we headed to the metro station to get to sucre-coeur. at the station we had our first experience of that French rudeness you hear so much about. the guy working in the information office (yes, it said information in english right above the window) refused to deal with us at all when we asked to buy tickets. no french? no help! he refused to even look at us, and waved us away from the window. yeah, he was a jerk. but we eventually figured it out on our own.
when we got to sucre-coeur, we did the hike up the hill to montmartre, a little neighborhood with markets and cafes and local art. it was a beautiful day and we took our time exploring before stopping for wine and dinner. sucre-coeur may have been my favorite area of paris that we visited. it was quaint - a great spot to walk around and just observe...
the next day we took the train to EuroDisney. and although this trip was mostly for kelly, i think we all enjoy Disney (at least in small doses). that night, back in paris, keelin and kyle and i went out to a few bars, rode an abandoned bicycle with flat tires, missed the last train, and cought a cab back to the hotel.
so overall, we had a good time in paris. the city really is amazing: beautiful buildings, beautiful people, beautiful streets, cafes and art - and fine wine, of course. the downside: the people were generally not the most welcoming. yes, that is a generalization. and not every parisian was a jerk, but we encountered quite a few people who did not have the best attitude, especially toward us american tourists.
i would really like to visit other parts of france and see if the vibe is different outside of paris. hopefully i will get the opportunity! perhaps a trip to nice after barcelona? ha, we'll see....
au revoir!
Sunday, June 14, 2009
rachel, got ya` bracelets?
sorry, kinda bad at this so far...
updates, eh?
first and foremost: it turns out, the london bridge never fell down. it is, in fact, standing quite sturdily. and i crossed it on my way from the tower of london to a rally to raise awareness of hiv/aids issues worldwide. afterwards, we had a much-needed wyman (plus dave) frisbee hour (or two) and some drinks along the river, where we encountered peter "douchebag"(a name my mother gave to to our waiter after some intense rudeness on his part).
the weather in london was colder than expected, and it rained a couple of days, but we still had a great time- visited the british museum, the tate modern (i was personally a big fan), walked through many neighborhoods (including some quite interesting ones....) and parks, strolled the river, went out in soho with kyle and keelin, hit up pubs all over, and spent a day with dave who came in from birmingham.
the day before we left london, the Underground went on strike. at 6:59pm all of the underground staff got up and walked out, whether they were working ticket booths or conducting a train. the strike was held because of disagreements over wages between the rail/transportation union and the city and because the mayor (boris johnson) was planning to cut around 1,000 jobs. during the day before the strike there was lots of speculation whether it would be averted at the last minute. apparently negotiations took place and some compromises were made, but they were unable to come to an agreement about the impending job cuts...
so by 5:45 the rush to get home began... it was a tuesday night and a ton of people had to get home from work before 7pm, or risk being stuck on an abandoned train, or stranded without any train home at all. though we weren`t coming home from work, we got caught in the same rush at about ten after 6, as we attempted to make our way back to our neighborhood before it was too late. all five of us (kelly had stayed back at the hotel) took a deep breath in and piled into an already overflowing train (somehow). it was sweaty and uncomfortable and even painful, and i loved it. this is the kinda social expression and uprise that it is really interesting to experience even in the most 'outsider' sort of way. real political and social issues in a different society happening all around me (literally) - the reaction of the people, the impact on local, daily, life, etc. yeah, so, that was pretty cool to experience. (the next morning, however, it kinda sucked trying to find a way to the chunnel station all the way across the city without undergroud service, and with everybody else looking for a cab , and 3 times as many cars on the street....but we made it!)
and so, for now, 'chip chip cheerio!'
updates, eh?
first and foremost: it turns out, the london bridge never fell down. it is, in fact, standing quite sturdily. and i crossed it on my way from the tower of london to a rally to raise awareness of hiv/aids issues worldwide. afterwards, we had a much-needed wyman (plus dave) frisbee hour (or two) and some drinks along the river, where we encountered peter "douchebag"(a name my mother gave to to our waiter after some intense rudeness on his part).
the weather in london was colder than expected, and it rained a couple of days, but we still had a great time- visited the british museum, the tate modern (i was personally a big fan), walked through many neighborhoods (including some quite interesting ones....) and parks, strolled the river, went out in soho with kyle and keelin, hit up pubs all over, and spent a day with dave who came in from birmingham.
the day before we left london, the Underground went on strike. at 6:59pm all of the underground staff got up and walked out, whether they were working ticket booths or conducting a train. the strike was held because of disagreements over wages between the rail/transportation union and the city and because the mayor (boris johnson) was planning to cut around 1,000 jobs. during the day before the strike there was lots of speculation whether it would be averted at the last minute. apparently negotiations took place and some compromises were made, but they were unable to come to an agreement about the impending job cuts...
so by 5:45 the rush to get home began... it was a tuesday night and a ton of people had to get home from work before 7pm, or risk being stuck on an abandoned train, or stranded without any train home at all. though we weren`t coming home from work, we got caught in the same rush at about ten after 6, as we attempted to make our way back to our neighborhood before it was too late. all five of us (kelly had stayed back at the hotel) took a deep breath in and piled into an already overflowing train (somehow). it was sweaty and uncomfortable and even painful, and i loved it. this is the kinda social expression and uprise that it is really interesting to experience even in the most 'outsider' sort of way. real political and social issues in a different society happening all around me (literally) - the reaction of the people, the impact on local, daily, life, etc. yeah, so, that was pretty cool to experience. (the next morning, however, it kinda sucked trying to find a way to the chunnel station all the way across the city without undergroud service, and with everybody else looking for a cab , and 3 times as many cars on the street....but we made it!)
and so, for now, 'chip chip cheerio!'
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
el salvador.
so i graduated may 9th and headed down to central america that weekend. i spent most of my time in el salvador, a country about the size of massachusetts that was consumed by a brutally violent civil war between 1980 and 1992. this immersion trip had special meaning for me, since i had devoted much of my senior year to writing my Honors paper on human rights in el salvador, specifically about the practice of torture during the civil war. this trip allowed me to meet the survivors and experience how the country has recovered, and understand that in some ways the war has not yet ended.
here are some fragments from the journal i kept while i was there:
"I had written about the death squads and government-sponsored murder, so it is extremely interesting for me to be here and see/hear first-hand what I have been researching. It affected me on a totally different level actually being here and visualizing the death squads, than simply reading descriptions and statistics."
"Radio Balsamo is dedicated to promoting democracy in the community [Zaragosa] and offers people a forum to voice their concerns and to organize. They asked if Danny and I would go on-air for a few minutes and explain who we were and why we were there and then answer some questions, since Danny and I are the only two in the group who really speak Spanish. It was a bit nerve-wracking and I know I made some mistakes but it really was exciting!"
(during my homestay in Zaragosa):
"Esmeralda made us coffee and eggs and we were able to talk with her. She told me about her life - about the war and how it had affected her family, about torture, and about having to start over. I translated all of this to Jacob, which felt a little strange because I knew she felt comfortable relating her painful past to me, but I wasn't sure about him...
She told me that during the war her father was suspected of being a guerrilla (even though, in reality, he was not). For that reason her mother and father were arrested and jailed, and her family was separated for eight years. Her father was tortured because they thought he had valuable information about the guerrilla forces and could give up key names and locations. Meanwhile, her brother, who WAS a guerrilla, was brutally murdered. They still do not know what happened to his body
When the family was reunited (save her brother, whose name she did not share), her father was still in danger, so they fled to Zaragosa for refuge. They had to leave their house, all their cultivated land, and everything else they had known. They even had to change their names. They traveled to Zaragosa and had to start from scratch. They built a new house, and cultivated new land.
Then Esmeralda began to tear up as she began to recount the story of her older sister. Her sister had not gone with the family to Zaragosa. She was married and had stayed with her husband and father-in-law. The armed forces captured them and tortured them. They killed her husband and his father. They raped and tortured her, and left her for dead in a ditch. Somehow, however, she managed to get up - bleeding and wounded all over - and walk. She walked until she reached a small pueblo, where she was admitted into the hospital. She was there for a few months, and had begun to heal, when the armed forces found out she was there. She was warned by somebody working at the hospital that they would be coming for her, and he helped her escape the day before they came. Now her sister lives in Zaragosa with the rest of her living family."
...
"Esmeralda makes $60-70 a month, which is not enough to live on, but is better than the $15 she used to make...
She said that since the war, the economic situation has not really improved... few jobs...low pay.."
(During our visit to the Liberation Museum in Perquin):
"After our visit, we had a talk with Mario, who is in charge of the museum and a former guerrilla. During the discussion, he said some really profound things that I would like to remember:
- He said that for each year of war, it takes 20 years to recover
- He said that the people responsible for the war crimes must be brought to justice - the impunity must be reversed. Then, they could be FORGIVEN and the country could begin to heal.
- He said that in war, there is not one good side and one bad side. Both sides made many errors.
- Although the Peace Accords were signed in 1992 the war is not over yet. People are still hurting. Those responsible should step forward and apologize so they can be forgiven and the country can heal.
**Mario was such a jolly and sweet man. Despite his experiences and the destruction of his country, he was happy and proud and optimistic about the future of El Salavdor."
(During the visit to El Mozote)
"El Mozote is where the biggest massacre of the war occurred. They estimate that 1100-1300 people died at El Mozote. Many remains were never identified, and it is impossible to give each perished soul a name.
The Church in El Mozote is standing just as it was at the time of the massacre. You can see the dents from bullets on the ground and in the entrance and in the garden, as well as the stain of blood that has not washed away in 28 years. On the outside walls on either side are beautiful murals. On the right side is the happiest depiction I have ever seen. It was an image of kids playings (silhouettes of young children), stars, rainbow, sun. The colors are just so bold and bright and the kids seem so innocent and joyful.
Standing there, I could not help but feel genuinely HAPPY! Even though, at the bottom of the mural were plaques with the names of 146 children, 140 between the ages of 2 days and 11 years, who on one dark day in 1981, were locked inside and brutally murdered. The babies were thrown in the air and caught with machetes.....
...And I am in awe, as I have been so many times throughout this trip, at the ability of these people to remain hopeful - to remember the children as they were when they were alive and at their happiest, to believe that in heaven, they have returned to that joyful, innocent state.
...
Later, we walked to another part of town, into a foresty area where we could identify the remains of a house. That house was where many women of El Mozote were locked inside and bombed - Fragments of their bones still lie in the soil...."
(After our visit to the Aragon Foundation):
"Alas! I am in love. jaja. This morning we visited the Aragon Foundation, where we met Guillermo (or Guie as he told me to call him), the founder of Aragon. Aragon foundation provides education to elementary and high-school-aged kids in El Zaite, an area of Zaragoza controlled by gangs. The foundation also offers various weekend activities for the children to keep them occupied so they are less likely to get caught up in the gang-life. There are also classes for the adults of the community (i.e., about hygiene and carpentry). Many of the parents are gang members, and some of them really do want the best for their children. Nonetheless, their home-life is very dangerous. Guie has meetings with the gang-leaders every month to negotiate terms and help assure that the school and students are kept safe (He admitted that he does get quite nervous before each meeting and the short meetings are always extremely stressful). Many of the students are at school from 6am to 7pm or 8pm, and some even stay overnight because going home is too dangerous. For those that do go home, the school has a private bus that picks them up and drops them off, so they do not have to walk. Each child is also given a uniform, (including shoes, which many of them have never previously owned).
Aragon is funded by Belgian donors. Guie's parents died during the civil war, and he was adopted by a Belgian family. He spent most of his youth there, and then moved back to Zaragosa to start Aragon. The donors are all connections he has back in Belgium, whom he reports to throughout each year.
Even though Guie speaks like 6 languages fluently, spoke to us only in Spanish (I think he was self-conscious about his English). I was so impressed by this whole organization and how it was really offering theses children an alternative future (saving hundreds of kids from the gang-life), that I spoke to Guie for a long time after the presentation. Bob and I were both interested in the possibility of returning to work with the organization, so I asked Guie if that would be a possibility. He said he would love for me to return, but if I were to stay longer than a month it would be quite dangerous. If I were to stay for up to a month I could sleep at the school, but I would still need to sacrifice any "partying" or night-life outside of the organization, due to the gang presence.... Either way, I have his contact information. I would really like to help out in the future, in some way."
so these are just a couple reflections i had during my time in central america. i am off to europe in a couple days to begin another adventure, this one of a completely different nature. updates to come...
here are some fragments from the journal i kept while i was there:
"I had written about the death squads and government-sponsored murder, so it is extremely interesting for me to be here and see/hear first-hand what I have been researching. It affected me on a totally different level actually being here and visualizing the death squads, than simply reading descriptions and statistics."
"Radio Balsamo is dedicated to promoting democracy in the community [Zaragosa] and offers people a forum to voice their concerns and to organize. They asked if Danny and I would go on-air for a few minutes and explain who we were and why we were there and then answer some questions, since Danny and I are the only two in the group who really speak Spanish. It was a bit nerve-wracking and I know I made some mistakes but it really was exciting!"
(during my homestay in Zaragosa):
"Esmeralda made us coffee and eggs and we were able to talk with her. She told me about her life - about the war and how it had affected her family, about torture, and about having to start over. I translated all of this to Jacob, which felt a little strange because I knew she felt comfortable relating her painful past to me, but I wasn't sure about him...
She told me that during the war her father was suspected of being a guerrilla (even though, in reality, he was not). For that reason her mother and father were arrested and jailed, and her family was separated for eight years. Her father was tortured because they thought he had valuable information about the guerrilla forces and could give up key names and locations. Meanwhile, her brother, who WAS a guerrilla, was brutally murdered. They still do not know what happened to his body
When the family was reunited (save her brother, whose name she did not share), her father was still in danger, so they fled to Zaragosa for refuge. They had to leave their house, all their cultivated land, and everything else they had known. They even had to change their names. They traveled to Zaragosa and had to start from scratch. They built a new house, and cultivated new land.
Then Esmeralda began to tear up as she began to recount the story of her older sister. Her sister had not gone with the family to Zaragosa. She was married and had stayed with her husband and father-in-law. The armed forces captured them and tortured them. They killed her husband and his father. They raped and tortured her, and left her for dead in a ditch. Somehow, however, she managed to get up - bleeding and wounded all over - and walk. She walked until she reached a small pueblo, where she was admitted into the hospital. She was there for a few months, and had begun to heal, when the armed forces found out she was there. She was warned by somebody working at the hospital that they would be coming for her, and he helped her escape the day before they came. Now her sister lives in Zaragosa with the rest of her living family."
...
"Esmeralda makes $60-70 a month, which is not enough to live on, but is better than the $15 she used to make...
She said that since the war, the economic situation has not really improved... few jobs...low pay.."
(During our visit to the Liberation Museum in Perquin):
"After our visit, we had a talk with Mario, who is in charge of the museum and a former guerrilla. During the discussion, he said some really profound things that I would like to remember:
- He said that for each year of war, it takes 20 years to recover
- He said that the people responsible for the war crimes must be brought to justice - the impunity must be reversed. Then, they could be FORGIVEN and the country could begin to heal.
- He said that in war, there is not one good side and one bad side. Both sides made many errors.
- Although the Peace Accords were signed in 1992 the war is not over yet. People are still hurting. Those responsible should step forward and apologize so they can be forgiven and the country can heal.
**Mario was such a jolly and sweet man. Despite his experiences and the destruction of his country, he was happy and proud and optimistic about the future of El Salavdor."
(During the visit to El Mozote)
"El Mozote is where the biggest massacre of the war occurred. They estimate that 1100-1300 people died at El Mozote. Many remains were never identified, and it is impossible to give each perished soul a name.
The Church in El Mozote is standing just as it was at the time of the massacre. You can see the dents from bullets on the ground and in the entrance and in the garden, as well as the stain of blood that has not washed away in 28 years. On the outside walls on either side are beautiful murals. On the right side is the happiest depiction I have ever seen. It was an image of kids playings (silhouettes of young children), stars, rainbow, sun. The colors are just so bold and bright and the kids seem so innocent and joyful.
Standing there, I could not help but feel genuinely HAPPY! Even though, at the bottom of the mural were plaques with the names of 146 children, 140 between the ages of 2 days and 11 years, who on one dark day in 1981, were locked inside and brutally murdered. The babies were thrown in the air and caught with machetes.....
...And I am in awe, as I have been so many times throughout this trip, at the ability of these people to remain hopeful - to remember the children as they were when they were alive and at their happiest, to believe that in heaven, they have returned to that joyful, innocent state.
...
Later, we walked to another part of town, into a foresty area where we could identify the remains of a house. That house was where many women of El Mozote were locked inside and bombed - Fragments of their bones still lie in the soil...."
(After our visit to the Aragon Foundation):
"Alas! I am in love. jaja. This morning we visited the Aragon Foundation, where we met Guillermo (or Guie as he told me to call him), the founder of Aragon. Aragon foundation provides education to elementary and high-school-aged kids in El Zaite, an area of Zaragoza controlled by gangs. The foundation also offers various weekend activities for the children to keep them occupied so they are less likely to get caught up in the gang-life. There are also classes for the adults of the community (i.e., about hygiene and carpentry). Many of the parents are gang members, and some of them really do want the best for their children. Nonetheless, their home-life is very dangerous. Guie has meetings with the gang-leaders every month to negotiate terms and help assure that the school and students are kept safe (He admitted that he does get quite nervous before each meeting and the short meetings are always extremely stressful). Many of the students are at school from 6am to 7pm or 8pm, and some even stay overnight because going home is too dangerous. For those that do go home, the school has a private bus that picks them up and drops them off, so they do not have to walk. Each child is also given a uniform, (including shoes, which many of them have never previously owned).
Aragon is funded by Belgian donors. Guie's parents died during the civil war, and he was adopted by a Belgian family. He spent most of his youth there, and then moved back to Zaragosa to start Aragon. The donors are all connections he has back in Belgium, whom he reports to throughout each year.
Even though Guie speaks like 6 languages fluently, spoke to us only in Spanish (I think he was self-conscious about his English). I was so impressed by this whole organization and how it was really offering theses children an alternative future (saving hundreds of kids from the gang-life), that I spoke to Guie for a long time after the presentation. Bob and I were both interested in the possibility of returning to work with the organization, so I asked Guie if that would be a possibility. He said he would love for me to return, but if I were to stay longer than a month it would be quite dangerous. If I were to stay for up to a month I could sleep at the school, but I would still need to sacrifice any "partying" or night-life outside of the organization, due to the gang presence.... Either way, I have his contact information. I would really like to help out in the future, in some way."
so these are just a couple reflections i had during my time in central america. i am off to europe in a couple days to begin another adventure, this one of a completely different nature. updates to come...
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