During the Summer, my great friend Andi and I went on a 5 day trip to Albania. We got to see the beautiful mountains, the Adriatic sea, (1) and try new things. We would love to share are miraculous experience with you! Day 1 On the plane ride, we decided to catch up on our Albanian knowledge and find out some things that have been going on there. We found a magazine that talked about an incident that had occured during a soccer game against Serbia and Albania where a drone was flown over the field carrying an Albanian flag. The game was interrupted when a Serbia player grabbed the flag and the Albanians tried to protect it. Several Serbians invaded the field and tried to fight with the Albanian players. (18) The same magazine contained a historical article about the struggle for power in the 1800’s between the Ottoman empire and the local Albanian beys. The Ottomans resented the beys because they posed a threat centralized power. The beys disliked the modernization programs that had been established by the Ottomans. Through a series of events the Ottomans realized that their empire was in danger, so they devised a plan. Reşid Mehmed Pasha, a leader among the Ottomans, invited the Albanian beys to a meeting. Led by Veli and Arslan Bey, about 500 bey leaders and their personal guards. Once they arrived they were led by a Turkish commander to an enclosed field where they were attacked and killed by Ottoman forces. Andi and I arrived on a Friday around noon in Tirana, the capital of Albania (12) at the Tirana International Airport. The first thing we noticed upon our arrival was the unique clothing that everyone wore. The contrast between our typical clothing and their traditional attire was remarkable. While we Americans are comfortable in a simple t-shirt and shorts, they’re clothing is evidence of a much more complex sense of style. For example they have traditional headdresses that are worn by both men and women. The women were wearing kapicas, langis, leveres or kreyqes on their head, bështjellëses or xhubletas to cover their body and opingats (a type of art sandals) on their feet. Men wear qeleshes or a fez on their head, fustanella (a skirt-like garment) to cover their body and opingats for their feet. They also wear xhaketes, which is a traditional vest. (11) Naturally, from being on the airplane for so long, we wanted to eat. So our instinct was to ask someone what they suggested for lunch. We stopped the first person we saw; a very nice man who was more than willing to help us. He greeted us with a friendly “Tungjatjeta!”, we later found out that this meant “hello”. (7) After a few minutes of struggling with our Albanian-English dictionary we finally managed to convey that we wanted to find food. He walked us to his favorite restaurant, Melograno, and told us to order the dish Fërgesë of Tirana with veal. (9) We thanked him and he left us, saying, “Mirupafshim!”. This is the Albanian word for goodbye. (7) It was so good that we asked for the recipe, here’s what they gave us:
After eating an amazing and interesting lunch, we decided to head to our hotel. On the drive, we were startled by loud honking and screaming. Shortly after, we saw about 10 cars drive past us with people sticking their heads out of the window. We asked our driver what was happening and if it was safe and he laughed and said that it was a tradition that people did after their wedding. When Albanians get married, the married couple tends to drive through town in a decorated car while they honk the horn constantly.They will have some friends following in their (Decorated car with a camera man) cars and they will make as much noise as possible too. Usually there is another car next to them with a guy sticking out of the sunroof recording it all. (10) (Fërgesë of Tirana with veal) (Albanian Flag) As we were getting closer to our hotel, we saw that the Albanian environment has a lot of natural resources. The Albanians built their houses into the mountain's side and there were also a lot of people fishing along the coastlines. They incorporate the fish in many different dishes because its such a common natural resource. (2) We were staying in a very small, family-owned hotel that was more like a large house than anything else. When we entered the “lobby” (which was basically a living room that had a desk and a few chairs in it) we saw a few women sitting in the far corner of the room weaving an intricate design on a loom. After checking in we walked over to them to see what they were doing. They told us that they were making embroidery with which they decorate their homes with. (19) They then proudly showed us the many pieces of work, as well as socks, gloves and sweaters that they had knitted. The ladies then presented us with beautiful pieces of embroidery for us to keep. (Albanian embroidery) Day 2 We woke up bright and early the next day because we wanted to get a lot of things done. The first place we went to was Berat which is located at the river Osum in the middle of the country. In the past it was built as a castle and it is erected at a hill. At this hill there can be found the original castle, named Kalaja. The castle contains a district with numerous churches and mosques and is well worth seeing. Berat is also called the “city of thousand windows” because the typical houses have large window frontages. The white houses are listed buildings to keep the original appearance of the city. In 1961 Berat was elected “city of museums” and therefore is a great destination for those that love history and culture. (16) (Berat) After visiting the beautiful Berat, we headed to see the awe-inspiring Mount Korab. Mount Korab is a mountain located in both Albania and the Republic of Macedonia, its peak forming a frontier between the two countries. The Korab mountain range stretches over 40 kilometers in a north-south direction between the lower section of the Black Drin and its tributary Radika. It is located around the border triangle of Albania, Macedonia and Kosovo, southwest of the mountain Sar Mountains. The Korab is very rugged and consists mainly of shale and limestone. On the west side, the mountain falls steeply over rock walls. The north side consists of craggy rocks. (15) (Mount Korab) Finding ourselves exhausted from the tour of the mountains we decided to head to a much calmer venue; the Et’hem Bey Mosque, built in 1822. Its most distinct feature is its 35 meter tall spire which contains a spiral staircase to the very top. For a while it was the tallest building in Albania’s capital, Tirana. It’s considered the most beautiful mosque in the country. Closed under communist rule, it reopened as a place of worship in 1991 against government law. 10,000 people attended with surprisingly no interference from the police. (13) As we were driving back to the hotel we asked our driver, Rezar, to give us knowledge on famous people who have made a significant difference to the world. He told us that Mother Teresa was a Roman Catholic Religious Sister and missionary who lived most of her life in India. She was born in today’s Macedonia, with her family being of Albanian descent originating in Kosovo. She received numerous honors including the 1979 Nobel Peace Prize. (6) In Fact, she's made such an impact there that they even have a national holiday in remembrance of her called Mother Teresa Day. It is celebrated October 19 and it was ratified by Albanian Parliament as an official and national holiday. (8) (Mother Teresa) We asked Rezar what some good conversation topics would be if wanted to converse with the locals. He told us that the locals were pretty friendly but to avoid the topic of homosexuality. The subject was considered taboo. However, in the earlier years when women didn’t have half the rights that men had, it was socially acceptable to “become a man” in order to gain the same privileges that the males of their culture had. In order to do this they cut their hair, traded all their skirts and dresses for men’s clothing and spent their time with other men in their society. In exchange for these privileges they had to pledge to a life of celibacy. Nowadays women are almost equal in terms of rights and social status so there’s no need for women to “become men”. However, there are still about 40 sworn virgins remaining in the northern Albanian countryside. (3) Day 3 Sadly our trip had to come to an end. Because it was so highly recommended by locals, we decided to spend the last day at the beach. We went to the Albanian Riviera which is located in the southwest of the country. New built hotels and attractions shall allure tourists and promise a great holiday.The countryside is mostly original and behind the beaches there can be found large and dramatic mountain settings. In the mountains numerous small romantic villages are hiding, perfect for small trips. There is a steep coastline, which can be compared to the Italian Riviera but is much quieter and less crowded. (14) (Albanian Riviera) The beach was so pretty and after hours of Andi encouraging me, we decided to go cliff diving. I can gladly say that was the best time I had there. It’s something that we will never forget because it gave us such a rush and we had an incredibly amazing time jumping off of a cliff together. (20) (Andi & Adriannah)
Adriannah Reyes (right) and Andi Minter (left) are both freshman at Memorial High School. Adriannah moved to Houston from California when she was 8. She has attended Woodview Elementary, Spring Branch Middle School and MHS since then. Andi has lived in Houston her whole life. She graduated from Memorial Drive Elementary and moved on to Duchesne, which she then left to attend SBMS and now MHS. Adriannah spends her time after school cheering at Woodlands Elite and Andi spends her time playing volleyball for the freshman B team at MHS. They are both hardworking students who love their teacher Mrs. Reed.
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you?” on streets is also inappropriate, since that phrase is only reserved for close friends or family (3). Imagine if you had asked an old lady how she was doing and in response, she gives you an evil stare in response (definitely didn’t happen to us). Summer in Denmark is quite moderate in comparison to Texas. We visited Denmark in June, one of Denmark’s hotter months. The temperature ranged between 15º to 25ºC, or 60º to 70ºF for us Americans. In winter, temperatures can drop past freezing, probably hindering the chances of doing anything other than cowering indoors. The weather is also a bit unpredictable, and one must always prepare for rain. A light rain jacket was always within reach during our stay (4). During our stay in Denmark, the Danish celebrated Grundlovsdag, or Constitution Day, on June 5th to commemorate the signing of the Danish constitution in 1849 (8). All the shops and stores were closed, so it was lucky we didn’t need to buy anything! We went out to see public speeches on subjects such as politics and history, which helped us learn more about the country.
When we left Copenhagen we took a bus to Møns Klint, a 6 kilometer stretch of chalk cliffs. The cliffs are sheer and some of them were over 120 meters above the sea. We had a great view as we walked on a path all the way along the cliff tops. In some spots we were able to take steps down to the shore and walk on the beach (15).
The last city we visited was Aalborg, which is near the northern end of Denmark. It was settled around AD 700, making it over 1300 years old. It has an old-world charm because of it’s many historical buildings. It is known as a university city, and the largest university, the University of Aalborg, has over 17,000 students. Our favorite part of Aalborg was the Aalborg Zoo, which contains over 1300 animals from 138 different species! (12). On June 15th Denmark celebrated Valdemar’s Day to commemorate how Denmark got it’s flag. The legend says that the Danes were trying to repel the Estonian advances into Denmark and were on the verge of losing the battle. A Danish archbishop prayed for a sign of victory, and as an answer a red flag with a white cross is said to have fallen from heaven. King Valdemar II took the flag and waved it to his despondent soldiers, giving them hope and courage to push forwards and win the battle. The day has become national flag day when little Danish flags are sold (8). During the celebrations we saw a parade with performers wearing traditional Danish clothing. The women wore bonnets or scarfs, long skirts or petticoats, silk aprons, and fabric jackets. The men had leather knee-breeches, woolen stockings, long shirts, and jerseys or jackets. Both men and women wore clogs (11). Overall, our trip to Denmark was spectacular. We learned many things about Danes and their culture, what they do for fun, so on. Denmark is a land of many interests, both man-made and natural. Stuart and Pierce, signing off! Farvel!
When we asked where in the world Poland was, we were told that it was west of Russia, South of the Baltic Sea, in North Eastern Europe.(1) Our parents also told us to pack a light jacket and some pants because the temperature would be somewhere in the 70's to 50's this time of the year.(4) At least we wouldn't be hot and bored. We also learned that the places we were going to visit were Warsaw, the capital, and Krakow and Zakopane. Before we left, we noticed there were no outstanding travel advisories, which was quite a relief. But at that point, a little danger would have been welcome.(17) We landed in Warsaw at around 2:30 PM local time, or 7:30 AM Houston time. As we were standing in line at the baggage line, this young guy walked up to us and said, "dzien dobry!" We all stared at him like he was from another planet. He saw the confused looks on our faces and said in heavily accented English, "My name is Wojciech, the tour guide that y'all had requested." It was then that our parents recognized him and told us that Wojciech would be with us our whole trip in Poland. One thing we noticed as soon as we stepped outside the airport was the haze in the air. I asked Wojciech about this and he said that due to during the Communist Regime nothing was done about pollution and this still plagues Poland today. Also he said that many of the rivers were contaminated during that time. He also said while Poland is getting its pollution under control, it is still affected by the actions of the Communists. (2)Once we had left the airport he instantly launched into a speech about Warsaw. He told us that Warsaw historically has hosted many crucial events in the history of Poland such as being the site of elections for Polish Kings, meeting of the Sejm (Polish parliament), and events such as the Polish victory over the Russians in the great Battle of Warsaw in the year 1920. He also told us that today Warsaw has become a center for commerce in Central Europe.(12) Well at least Poland was completely boring. Battles sounded good to us. So he then asked us where we wanted to go first. Our parents, said they wanted to go to the Old Town of Warsaw. To say we were disappointed would be an understatement. Old buildings, Whoopee. So off we went. When we arrived the first thing we noticed was the weird architecture of the buildings. Surprisingly we saw lots of other people around there that looked like tourists also. We asked Wojciech if this was a tourist hot spot or something. He said that this was one of the biggest tourist sites in all of Poland. People loved the rich cultural heritage shown here. We wandered around the Old Town for the rest of the afternoon. Wojciech told us stories about Old Town's origins in the 13th century and other historical facts about it. We found out that the Royal Palace was located there. We heard about how it was burned down during WWII and the process of rebuilding it. I understood why it was such a popular tourist attraction, with a cultural history this deep, how could you not be interested in it? (14) We then walked along Podwale street, along the battlements and came across a strange sight. It was a statue of a little boy wearing a soldier's helmet that was way too big and carrying a sub machine gun. It was quite a peculiar sight. We asked Wojciech what this was. He said it was the Mały Powstaniec. Wojciech told us in a melancholy voice that this statue honored the children who had fought and died during the Warsaw Uprising in 1944. He told us that many children had died in the battle fighting for what they believed in. (16) It was a very sombering sight. After a few minutes of awkward silence Wojciech decided to lighten the mood. He went on telling us about his life in Poland. He told us about his child hood in Poland, and how he became a tour guide. He told us about his girlfriend that he asked to marry him just a few weeks ago on Zielone Swiątki. We all turned around wondering what on earth he had just said. He saw the puzzled looks on our faces and told us that it celebrated the Holy Spirit coming down on the disciples on the Jewish holiday Pentecost. He told us that on Zielone Swiątki was a national holiday. All schools, banks, businesses, etc. were closed. Also people decorate their houses with green branches hoping that Gods blessing would come to their families. As we were all Christians, we thought that was very interesting. We were very happy for Wojciech. We left the Old Town on a happy note and then went to our hotel and got a good night of sleep in Poland. We went back to the topic of his now fiancé. We asked him what Polish people traditionally give women as gifts. He instantly said, "An odd number of flowers". We were all a little surprised by this. He said that in Poland a gift of an odd number of flowers was traditional. we asked him why this was. He said he really didn't know, thats how it had always been. (10) The next day we struck back out and went to down town Warsaw. As we walked around the city we passed a very unusual sight. in the middle of a grassy area was a circle of granite with a brass head on it. As we passed we asked Wojciech who that guy was. He told us that that was Lech Kaczynski. He told us Lech was the President of Poland from 2005 to 2010. As Wojciech told us about him, he voice was filled with passion. We realized that this was one important dude. We then got to the elephant in the room: What happened to him? In an angry voice Wojciech told us that he had died in a plane crash over Russia. The way he said Russia are it pretty clear that people in Poland still hated the Russians. He told us of the anguish his people felt when Lech died. It sounded to me like everyone loved him. (6) That day we finished our tour of downtown and then went back to the hotel. Our parents told us that we were going to have to get up early; our flight to Krakow left at 8:30 in the morning. We were sad to leave Warsaw. It had surprisingly started to grow on us. The next morning we left the Polish airport and went to Krakow. As soon as the wheels hit the tarmac, Wojciech did his thing and launched into a speech about Krakow. We learned that Krakow is one of Poland's largest cities, the Pope used to preach there, Steven Spielberg filmed Schindler's List here, and it was a great tourist hotspot... for not so great reasons, but more on that later. We only had one day in Krakow so we decided to make the most of it. We walked all around Krakow. We saw the old Jewish quarter. We saw the Old Synagogue, which used to be a popular synagogue. It was used as a weapons storage for the Germans during WWII, and today it is a museum dedicated to Krakow's Jews.(12) As we were walking back to our hotel in Krakow, we passed some British guys drinking beer and heading to what seemed like some sort of club. We kept walking and saw some more people just like the last group. We asked Wojciech what was going on. He told us that Krakow was a very popular tourist attraction because of the cheap alcohol, cheap plane tickets, and an abundance of prostitutes. He said that it had gotten so bad that the Archbishop of Krakow had condemned the city and begged for reforms. He said the city was "defaced by the debauchery and drunkness". That put a slight damper on things. The look on my parents face told us that they were ready to leave now. We didn't blame them. (18) We stopped at a local bar before left Krakow, and quickly learned a few things about how to act in Poland. Wojciech told me that body language was important to the Polish, but I didn't realize quite how important it was. When I slouched in my chair or crossed my legs while I was talking with someone, they were quick to correct me. My worst mistake was when I brought up Polish politics. Wojciech neglected to mention any thing about how bad of an idea that was, but I quickly found out from the man I was talking to. He got very annoyed all of the sudden and quit talking to me. DO NOT bring up Polish politics, especially if you plan at laughing at them. (3) I also learned about Poland's accession to NATO in 1999 (5). This was a huge boost for Poland, making them closer with other member countries, and increasing their trade. I ordered Zurela (9) a dish of sour rye soup served with sausage and an egg inside a bread bowl. It was delicious. On our way back to the airport, we noticed a lot of people wearing colorful feathers. Wojciech told us that the feathers were a big deal (11) and most of them came from right here in Krakow. The feathers were very pretty. Wojciech suggested that we take a visit to the Tatra mountains, the highest range between the Alps and the Caucasus. They have rocky peaks covered with all-year snow, sharp ridges, "picturesque" ponds, waterfalls and valleys make this place supposedly the most spectacular in Poland. About 250 km of trails and a wide range of slopes would definitely please us if we wanted to hike or ski. He said a stay in the town Zakopane at the foot of the mountains would help us learn more about the Polish culture He told us that Zakopane is the tourist spot for people wanting to visit the Tata Mountains. (12) While it sounded really fun, we didn't think we had time to fit in the trip. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/poland/11243504/Krakow-defaced-by-the-debauchery-and-drunkeness-of-British-stag-parties.html Our last stop in Krakow was at the Church of Peter and Paul. (13) It is known for its beautiful exterior and it's statue of 12 disciples in the front. As we parted ways with Wojciech he told us bout some of the things we could do in Poland that the Polish do. (19) He said that Polish pastimes were similar to American's. The Polish have very similar leisure activities such as horseback riding, climbing, hiking, and bike riding. As the plane took off we took a moment to go back and reflect on our trip. We decided the most memorable thing and unusual thing was when Wojciech first came up to us and we didn't know who he was. The thought of it made us laugh. (20) We realized we would miss him, and the country of Poland. It turns out that it is really an awesome country, and I would definitely go there again About the AuthorsGuten Tag! That’s good day in German, the official language of Austria (7). Before leaving, we checked the U.S. State Department travel advisory to learn a bit about this country. But there was no travel advisory (17). With a little research however, we learned that this country is located in central Europe. Austria is positioned in both the northern and eastern hemispheres. Austria is bordered by the countries of Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Liechtenstein, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Switzerland (1). On our trip, we visited three cities. First Vienna, the capital, next Linz, an economic center, then finally Innsbruck, a renowned winter sports center (12). Austria is located within a temperate climatic zone. When we went it was winter, so we wore warm clothes because of all the snow located there (4). The first city we visited was Vienna. We went to The Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra. This is one of the countries most amazing spectacles in my opinion, with the collection of the best musicians in Austria joining together to perform the rich musical history of the country, and that of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, along with many other fine composers (14). We also visited St. Stephens Cathedral, which is a beautiful cathedral in the heart of Vienna and is one of the most recognizable aspects of the city. Not to mention that it is the most important religious building in the Country (13). While in Austria we learned some very strange things. One of which is that it is considered extremely rude to chew gum in public. Another is that the Austrian people value their privacy immensely and that you should never ask personal questions related to age, occupation, or family (3). One cool thing we learned about Austria is that Austria has a very low water pollution level, leaving lots of fresh clean drinking water. In fact, Austria is very clean and has one of the lowest overall levels of pollution in all of Europe (2). Another cool thing was when we learned about The Battle of Vienna from our tour guide. The battle occurred on september 11th and 12th of September in 1683. The Imperial City of Vienna had been under siege for 2 months by the Ottoman Empire. The battle was won by the combined forces of the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation and the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth (5). There were so many cool things to see on this trip. The grandest of these was the mighty Alps, which run through Austria and are a major physical attraction not only for their majestic beauty, but also for the abundance of activities that can be partaken in on these mountains such as skiing and hiking which are among some of the outdoor winter sports that are a favorite pastime in this wonderful country (15, 19). Outdoor winter sports are a popular pastime as Austria is situated in the Alps. Some of these include skiing all forms of which are very popular, as well as hiking in the summer months. You probably won't believe this but we also saw the one and only Arnold Schwarzenegger while eating dinner in Vienna as he was visiting his home country (20). If you don't know who he is, Arnold was a bodybuilder, the Governor of California for 8 years, and an actor in a bunch of major Hollywood movies (6). The holiday “Stefanitag” was occurring while on our trip. This is translated to “St. Stephan’s Day” in english. It's a Christian saint's day to commemorate Saint Stephan, celebrated on the 26th of December i n the Western Church an d the 27 of December in the Eastern Church (8). It was really neat to see a holiday that the Austrian people celebrate. Now everyone knows the greatest motivator in the known universe. I'm referring to food. My my, the Austrian people sure do that right! While there, we dined on a lot of great food such as Wiener Schnitzel, a traditional Austrian dish made with boneless meat thinned with a mallet, and fried with a coating of flour, egg, and breadcrumbs (9). Soon, the people will be entering the New Year, that'll be with church bells ringing and waltz music swinging. In Vienna, New Year is celebrated at midnight by a big feast in St. Stephen’s Square and the streets of the Inner City (10). Lederhosen are traditional clothing in Austria. They're breeches made of leather; they may be either short or knee-length. Traditionally, Lederhosen were worn for hard work as they are durable and easy to clean, however, they are now mostly worn for leisure (11). Near the end of our trip, we visited Mauthausen Concentration Camp. It's a concentration camp set up in Austria near Linz (16). http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/nov/24/iran-nuclear-talks-likely-extended-vienna
Another unfortunate event that was taking place while we were there was the Vienna negotiations between a coalition of countries with the ultimate goal of slowing or stopping all together Iran's nuclear program. Auf Weidersehen! (Goodbye in German) (7) Heus from Holy See! While in Vatican City we’ve had so much pizza, a flatbread with tomato sauce and cheese along with additional toppings. While we spent the summer here on June 29th we celebrated The Feasts of Saints Peter and Paul along with the rest of the city. During this holiday many people gather and eat feasts in celebration of the Remarkable things Saint Peter and Saint Paul accomplished. It is held annually and we were lucky enough to experience it. It was extraordinary. Another tradition in Vatican City is the Meal of Seven Fishes, which is served only on New Years Eve; it is a tradition to have the meal of seven fishes, including, squid, eels, and conch. There is always a pasta course for this meal.Vatican City is a tiny country, only 109 acres! It is located about 30 minutes north of Rome. We enjoyed the vacation in shorts since weather in the summer is mild. The weather made our travel easy and light. This was ideal for the days we went outside and played cricket. Something we saw people doing during our visit was playing cricket, a sport which includes a ball and bat, the teams try to score runs. Another thing to do outside is to visit the Vatican Gardens, which date back to medieval times. The garden represents the blood shed by thousands of Christians who were persecuted by Nero, a Roman Empire. The transportation was almost the opposite of America. Many people walked around town because if everyone used an automobile then the streets would be way to crowded. “When in Rome do as the Romans do.” Well we say “ when in Holy See do see the Holy Chapel.” The St. Peters Basilica is the biggest Christian church in the world, designed by Michelangelo, it also holds his first statue. Michelangelo’s effect on Vatican City can also be seen in the traditional clothing. Guards wear boldly colored Renaissance clothing designed in the 1500’s. Women wore ankle length dresses with aprons and embellished vests. Another Renannsaince artist who changed Vatican City was Raphael. Raphael was a leading figure of the Italian/Vatican City High Renaissance classicism. We saw much of his artwork all around Vatican and Italy. His most famous piece would have to be The School of Athens (shown below). Just this past weekend, Friday, November 28th 2014, we heard news about the Pope visiting Turkey during the Christian-Muslim Tensions. The Pope shortly after his arrival he led a prayer and hopefully settled the tension (read more at http://abcnews.go.com/Health/wireStory/pope-visits-turkey-amid-christian-muslim-tensions-27215877). This makes us feel more at rest for the citizens of Vatican City, and we will definitely return! The Pope also recently married 20 couples whom have all broken cultural taboos. These cultural taboos include couples who lived together and had children before marriage. Something that makes life easier is that Vatican City has its own post office and it issues out its own stamps. This system is much quicker and more efficient than Italian Mail. The most interesting thing that we learned/saw on our trip was that Vatican City is the only country in the entire world that you aren’t born a citizen into. You have to make an appointment. This means that there are not a lot of citizens of Vatican City, about 800. However, many many tourists and visitors come to explore the magnificent county, that it seems to be much more populated. One extraordinary atrraction is the Sistine Chapel. The Sistine Chapel is the Chapel of the Pope; built in 1473 and the walls and even the ceiling are painted by famous artist Michelangelo. It is absolutely breathe taking! Another unique, outside attraction is Saint Peters Square. Saint Peters Square is a very large square where thousands of people gather to hear the pope give special messages at Christmas and Easter. It is also at the heart of the country surrounded by very important buildings. This is the Ceiling of the Sistine Chapel painted by Michelangelo in 1508-1512. The outstanding artwork tells the story of the Bible. Vatican City is always in danger of active volcanos. Aside from volcanoes there are also earthquakes. In 1929 the Lateran treaty established a border around Vatican City. Instead of a suffocating wall there are certain buildings that mark the end of the Vatican territory. So if you step into one building you may of had just left Vatican! So from Vatican to Italy, Vale!
Before actually going on the trip, our moms explained how our travel was taken care of. Of course, we were confused. They further explained to us that there were travel advisories but not many that had needed to be taken care of. She informed us that we didn't need any vaccinations which relieved us both. There was no way we wanted to get shots! Yes, we are in high school but we are still afraid of needles. No visa was required unless we were going to stay for more than 90 days. Our passport though had to be valid for three more months after we were leaving. There was also requirements to have a blank page on our passports for our entry stamp (17). Being the good students we are, we researched a little bit about Slovakia before embarking on our exciting journey. It's a landlocked country, and the countries that border Slovakia are Poland to the north, the Czech Republic to the northwest, Austria to the west, Hungary to the south, and Ukraine to the east (1). Slovakia's trees are used for timber, and croplands provide food, gases, and oil for the people. The people of Slovakia interact or use the land provided by mother nature to supply resources for their use (2). After we were satisfied with our quick research, we headed off to our promising destination! Instantly when we reached Slovakia, vivid colors of white, red, and blue were spotted everywhere. We couldn’t help but gaze in awe at the clothing the people wore. It contained a long, large skirt with a blouse attached with long sleeves tapered to the waist. This form of dress that the women wore was known as kroje and it was pronounced kro-yeh. We were even more amazed at the attire of the men which included narrow trousers, a waistcoat that was tight, and a jacket that was tapered at the waist. One young man happened to walk by and I couldn’t help but ask why their clothing was so rich with culture and style. He responded and said that due to the mountainous area here, the clothing was made out of materials such as wool and other furs. He elaborated and told me that the variation of pattern and design was present because foreigners that came into the region brought different materials to help influence the style of clothing. The Renaissance in the 15th century also impacted the clothing by many wanting the need to develop clothing with cultural influence. This is why this traditional wear is symbolic to Slovakia's culture heritage of the country. (11) The second thing we noticed after breaking away our stares from the beautiful clothing was the weather. Cold winter was present in the country of Slovakia, and we were grateful that we were wearing warm jackets. Not a fan of the cold, I turned to Karina and told her we should've went when it was summer time: the temperature would be just right and not too hot (4). Hugging ourselves for warmth, our tour guide Lukáš appeared to us, and we began the tour of the magnificent country of Slovakia.
After absorbing tons of information from our tour guide, we decided it was time to head to our hotel and rest. We both almost fainted at the front door at the sight of where we would be staying. It was absolutely amazing! It made us wonder about what else we were missing from the world. We finally decided that it had been a long day and it was time to patiently wait for what the next day was yet to bring. The next day, we decided to enjoy our time with some skiing in the mountains, but not before eating lunch! We decided to stop for lunch at a local restaurant that Lukáš suggested. We were led to our table and sat down. Habitually, I took the napkin in front of me and started to unfold it to place on my lap when the waitress stopped me. Confused, I turned to Lukáš. He explained to me and Karina that you aren’t supposed to put the napkin on your lap (3). Instead, you leave it on the table and use it only when necessary. After a few minutes were presented with a typical Slovak food called bryndzové halušky, or translated in English, potato dumplings with bryndza sheep cheese and bacon (9). For being our first dish here, we were greatly impressed. It was so unique and it just pleased us with much satisfaction. When we finished lunch, we went on with our plan to ski in the mountains. It was a very popular activity since the area was very mountainous. We had a splendid time! The weather was just right and perfect (19). After skiing, we decided it would be nice to walk around and and enjoy the many buildings in Slovakia. A famous cultural attraction is the clock tower in Banska Bystrica which was built to prevents thieves from stealing copper and silver in 1552. We climbed up the 101 stairs and we were able to enjoy the amazing view of the mountains. Once again, our minds blew at the sight of Slovakia's features. A person who was working on maintaining the tower in order informed us that the tower leans 65 centimeters from its vertical axis. (14) How strange! When we finished observing the tower, we stopped by Lukáš’ house to take a break from the cold weather. As we came inside, he told us to take off our shoes, explaining that it was customary when entering a Slovak’s house (10). He also told us that if you are invited to a Slovak's home, it's rude to not bring a gift for the host (3), although he gave a wink and let us off gift-free. Slipping off our shoes, we browsed through our tour guide’s house. I looked at the various books on his shelves, and one in particular caught my eye. On it was a picture of a man labeled as Juraj Jánošík. Lukáš told us that Juraj Jánošík was a Slovak highwayman, the Slovak equivalent of the famous Robin Hood, and has been the main character in many Slovak legends, novels, poems, and films (6). As tempting as it sounded to read the book, being accustomed to shopping and socializing drove us to explore the different stores and restaurants that were available. We wanted to be able to do almost every single thing that could possibly be done. After hours of exploring, we decided to actually enjoy the landscape area so we went to the low Tatras. This was a mountain range that contained a buffet of physical activities which made it one of the best physical attractions in Slovakia. There was an amazing park nearby and the air there was filled with beautiful birds that flew and chirped. There was also a cave! It gave us the goose bumps but it also excited us! The low Tatras also provide recreational activities such as skiing, fishing, and boating. This mountain range provides various activities to enjoy the day with and that is exactly what we did- we enjoyed it! (15) We later walked through the streets of Slovakia in which Lukáš filled us in on some Slovak history. During the 6th century, Slavic tribes settled in present day Slovakia (5). Eventually, they were united under the Slavic kingdom of Greater Moravia, which was a combination of territories, including present-day Czech Republic and Slovakia. After having been satisfied with the answer we received from the gentlemen, we continued on our journey. Before going on our trip we had also decided to search information over the two cities we were going to visit throughout our trip. I found out that both our cities were major in the country of Slovakia. Banska Bystrica, I found out, was a very historical site and a location where many events happened in the past. It is known as the heart of the country and a place with many coal deposits and mineral resources were for mining. This helped make the city rich. This city also contains many structures that symbolize its background such as the SNP museum and the Thurzo’s House. This makes it a city for great tourism. The city was also the center of the anti-fascist resistance to the Slovak National Uprising during World War 2, which is actually a holiday celebrated on the 29th of August. The Slovaks who banded together to rebel against the dictatorship are celebrated by putting wreaths on a memorial located in Bratislava (8). All these factors contribute to its cultural outlook. Our second city that was chosen for us was Trencin. Ginny had searched the web and had found that it too was a major city because of its location on a river. This city was known as the center of the region of Povazie. Since it was near a river, it was important in many categories towards Slovakia and Povazie. Many companies, financial institutions, and railways were present in the city. The several railways contributed to the industry development and once again because of its location (so close to a river), cultural, economic, sport, and commercial topics were supported by the city. To retrieve a broader idea of the country, Ginny and I decided to go ahead and research the capital of Slovakia. We found out that the capital was Bratislava which we thought was interesting. It contains the president, parliament, and the executive branch which govern the country. It also includes several institutions and large businesses. It's historical monuments, restaurants, and public transportations greatly make it a site for tourism. The climate of the capital also contributes to tourism. All these factors are pull factors that attract people to come into the country and help increase it's economy. (12) After remembering all of this information, Ginny's stomach growled furiously. It was a sure sign that it was time to head back once again to our hotel. When we returned, our day two in Slovakia was complete. It was amazing how much information a country could posses.
http://www.thedaily.sk/president-addresses-parliament-on-corruption/ We stopped by a Café to refresh ourselves and to add more enthusiasm for the day ahead. When we entered we heard these two people talking about the president of Slovakia. It turns out that recently on the 26th of November, 2014, President Andrej Kiska stepped into parliament. He supported and talked about the fact that health services were not being acknowledged. It was said that it was being corrupted and that a system should be established that prevents this so that health services meet their prioties and the needs of people. This impacts us and the people around the country since health services need to meet the needs of the people and since there are diseases and medical problems that run high in Slovakia. We will be in a much safer environment if a better system was made. The presidents word and say over the topic of corruption in health services will surely affect the system to provide a better environment. Once word gets out globally to other countries, they would want to spend time here and visit Slovakia. They will feel more comfortable to spend vacations in the country since health services would be on guard and better than before.(18) Being able to spend time with my friend was amazing and so many memories were created but I've got to say that there was one attraction that stood out. Ginny and I were taken to the Town Castle Area in the city as our last place to visit. Of course we weren't looking our best since it was 7 am in the morning, so it was sort of embarrassing but it was so AMAZING!! We entered a building and went to the very top and looked out the windows. The view was absolutely perfect. It was as if time stood still. I was almost in tears at the thought that we were going to leave this place soon and Ginny was beside me still gaping with amazement. The Town Castle was standing high and mighty and the structures around it only made the view more lovable. If you took in details of the view, out tour guide told us, we could see the Church of the Holy Cross. He once again gave us background information. He said that the Town Castle was made to protect copper and silver mining. It was also an addition to fortifications. (20) It seemed to us that every building in Slovakia had a strong meaning to it's creation. Before we knew it, it was time for our departure. Before heading out, we took one last view of the amazing country of Slovakia, in which we will forever treasure in our hearts. We left in a matter of minutes which felt like it had been seconds. Ginny and I both agreed that soon, we would return. We would return for more surprises from this country that we once had never heard of . Silently, we said our last goodbyes and our adventure had ended. Thanks for reading our blog about the great Slovakia! Dovidenia! (goodbye in Slovak, 7) About the Authors
About The Author
"Moien" From Luxembourg!"Moien," or hello (7), from Luxembourg. It is a very small country north of France, southeast of Belgium, and west of Germany (1). I spent a week in Luxembourg this winter. It was cold at around 35 degrees Fahrenheit, but it was also partly cloudy and sunny. There was a chance for snow, but it didn't snow on me while I was there so I was able to hike and drive without any problems. (4) One thing I noticed was that everyone was dressed nicely. There was a large contrast between their nice outfits and my leggings and baggy sweatshirt. (4) While walking around, I saw many people eating at cafes and playing chess. I made sure to visit the three largest cities in Luxembourg: Luxembourg, the capital, Esch-sur-Alzette, the second largest city and home to the National Museum of the Resistance, and lastly Differdange. At Differdange I visited a castle. Both Differdange and Esch-sur-Alzette are located inside communes. (12) I also went to Le Chemin de la Corniche. According to the Luxembourg writer Batty Weber, it is known as “the most beautiful balcony of Europe.” From what I saw, she was right. It runs along the Alzette valley on the ramparts - built by the Spaniards and the French in the 17th century - from the Bock Promontory up to the lower part of the Holy Ghost Citadel. Up to the year 1870 the Corniche had staircases in steep parts which were levelled off only after the dismantling of the fortress. Moreover the greatest part of the protecting wall with its loopholes was cleared away so as to disclose a superb panorama on the valley of the Alzette, the city district of Grund and the Rham Plateau. (14) One thing to remember next time I go to Luxembourg is that not everyone speaks French and German. It was like a taboo. I would ask for "une glace au chocolat" and the person at the register would look at me funny. Other taboos include the fact that they are very proud of their heritage and The Grand Duchy and you should not talk bad about them. They hate when people are late (this is considered very rude), and they expect the highest amount of respect and politeness. (3) The country, though so small that the people are squished together, is very beautiful. (2) I made sure to try the Luxembourgian delicacy Quetschentaart which is an open fruit tart with zwetschgen, a fruit off of the Zwetschge tree or damson plums. With the Quetschentaart I had Judd mat Gaardebounen which is a smoked collar of pork with broad beans. The pork is soaked overnight, then boiled with vegetables and spices. Served in copious slices together with the beans and boiled potatoes, it is considered to be the national dish of Luxembourg. (9) One of the places I visited was Vianden Castle. My friend, who had visited Luxembourg early last year, had suggested I visit it. Vianden Castle had once been the home to many counts. (16) It lived up to its expectations except for the fact that it was much more crowded than it should have been. the Salvador Dali Exhibition, and many people were there. (18) There was an art exhibition, I also did a lot of hiking. I had climbed a few mountains in Japan last summer and enjoyed it, so I hiked in Luxembourg. I hiked on the NaturWanderPark Delux. (15) It was an amazing experience. The trail was a mixture of shore and rocky areas. I chose the trail in Vianden. The majority of people would be at the cafes or would be playing chess during the day. (19) I got in on one of the games and I won. Check Mate! The Sunday after I arrived, I went to St. Michael’s Church in Uewerstad. St. Michael’s Church is the oldest existing religious site in Luxembourg, dating back to 987 A.D. It is located in the Ville Haute quarter of southern Luxembourg. St. Michael’s has elements of Baroque, Romanesque and Gothic architecture and has been restored many times to preserve its original form. The church has a decorative altar and a carved oak pietá, a statue representation of the Virgin Mary mourning over the dead body of Jesus. (13) The next morning I drove to Schifflange in hopes of seeing Gilles Müller in his hometown. Gilles is a famous Luxembourgian tennis player. (6) One thing I like about Luxembourg is that it is so small. In 1839, the Treaty of London ceded the western part of Luxembourg to Belgium. This led to Luxembourg being smaller. (5) One of my friends who lives in Germany is planning to visit Luxembourg during Buergsonndeg which is in February. The Sunday after Shrove Tuesday is Buergsonndeg (Buerg Sunday), when a Buerg, a huge pile of straw, brushwood and logs, often topped by a cross, becomes a roaring bonfire. At the hour appointed for the spectacle, the architects and builders of the pile - usually the town’s young people - march in torch-lit procession to the site, their progress closely monitored by volunteers from the local fire department. It can be cold outside, late in winter, waiting for a bonfire, so a barbecue and mulled wine are available to provide sustenance and warmth. In some towns, the honour of setting the Buerg ablaze goes to the most recently married local couple. (10) My friend is also going to visit on June 23, The Grand Duke's Official Birthday. This is a national holiday in Luxembourg where the birthday of the Grand Duke is celebrated although no Duke has ever been born on this day. (8) While I was in Schifflange, I bought some dolls dressed in the traditional costume for my neighbor. She has a collection of dolls in her room. The traditional costume of Luxembourg is similar to that of Germany. It is similar to Lederhosen, but instead of a green color, it is blue. (11) I was lucky when I chose my dates for my trip because the U.S. State Department said that there were no travel advisories. (17) My trip to Luxembourg was a very fun experience for me. The most memorable part was probably hiking Mullerthal Trail because of its beautiful waterfalls and other natural wonders. (20) This was one of the most amazing trips I have ever taken! I can't wait to go back! “Äddi!”(7)
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We met many people during our travels, for example, we saw Tomislav Nikolić, the president as of 2012 in Serbia. We saw him while touring Novi Dvor, a building that is the official seat of the President of Serbia.(6) |
Serbia, Period 6
While traveling around Serbia, we
learned some Do's and Do Not's. First impressions are very important to Serbians.You should dress formally and if you are unsure what the dress code is, you should err on the side of formality. You should only refer to people with a higher position than you by their title, such as "President" instead of Mr. or Mrs. (3) One exciting thing that happened on our trip was that we were caught in an earthquake! Serbia is one of the few European countries at very high risk to have natural disasters occur. There is also a large variety of natural wildlife in Serbia. To protect the animals there are 377 protected areas that hold about 6.4% of the entire country. (2) While we were in Serbia we learned about some important events in Serbia's history. One important event was the Serbian Revolution. It was to gain independence from the Ottoman Empire. It lasted from 1804 to 1815 and was led by Karađorđe Petrović and Miloš Obrenović. (5)
learned some Do's and Do Not's. First impressions are very important to Serbians.You should dress formally and if you are unsure what the dress code is, you should err on the side of formality. You should only refer to people with a higher position than you by their title, such as "President" instead of Mr. or Mrs. (3) One exciting thing that happened on our trip was that we were caught in an earthquake! Serbia is one of the few European countries at very high risk to have natural disasters occur. There is also a large variety of natural wildlife in Serbia. To protect the animals there are 377 protected areas that hold about 6.4% of the entire country. (2) While we were in Serbia we learned about some important events in Serbia's history. One important event was the Serbian Revolution. It was to gain independence from the Ottoman Empire. It lasted from 1804 to 1815 and was led by Karađorđe Petrović and Miloš Obrenović. (5)
While we were there we also learned some of the local language (Serbian). We learned how to say hello, which is Хелло (pronounced hello, with the accent on "he"), and Гоодбие (pronounced godbie) which is goodbye. (7) We also ate a lot of the native food. We both agreed that our favorite dish was sarma, a dish with grape or cabbage leaves wrapped around some type of meat. (9) While we were there, we participated in a holiday called Victory Day. It is on May 9 and celebrates Nazi Germany surrendering to the Soviet Union. Unfortunately, many people still had to work that day but there were still large gatherings of people and parties, so it was a lot like Halloween, but with less candy. (8)
Serbia is home to a major beacon of religion. The Cathedral of Saint Sava in Belgrade is the largest Serbian Orthodox church and one of the largest Orthodox churches in all of the world. This was an exceptionally memorable part of our travel after having learned the history of the cathedral. It had begun in 1594 as a collection of relics, that was being transported from the by Serb rebels, until it was burned by the Ottomans. Its current architecture was approved for construction in 1984 and is still continuing to be built today. It is a very enjoyable tourist attraction, although it is important to remember to ask for permission to take pictures while inside of the cathedral. (13)
Mileševa monastery, Serbia has grown to be a very popular site for tourism due to several factors, however we noticed that the two strongest causes are the kindness of Serb citizens and the natural terrain of Serbia's region. In a local village where we stayed for 2 nights, families, living in the area, would treat us (and all other tourists) with great respect that isn't often expressed in countries towards tourists. (14) The Serbian region is abundant with rivers, like the Danube and the Drina, has vast, fertile plains for farming, which encourages the country's large agricultural culture, and it consists of mountains. There is tourist appeal in each of these: rowing and sailing in rivers, and horseback riding and hiking in the plains and the mountains. The abundance of rivers is the source of common activities that Serbian citizens participate in, mostly fishing and swimming. (19) Also, skiing is a popular tourist attraction in the Serbian mountains. (15)
Serbia had been in conflict with the Ottomans since the 1300's, the century that the Battle of Kosovo took place. The Battle of Kosovo didn't spark nationalism in Serbia at the time, although it heavily influenced Serbian and Ottoman cultures through song and loss. Today, Serbs are able to recognize it as Serbian courage, for they were potentially outnumbered, from about 12,000-30,000 Serbs to 27,000-40,000 Ottomans. (16)
Здравейте (Hello) (7)! Earlier this year, we visited the lovely Eastern European country of Bulgaria. It is bordered by Romania, Turkey, the Black Sea, and is about the size of Tennessee- nowhere near as large as the United States (1). There is currently no Travel Advisory for Bulgaria, so all we needed were our passports (17).Day 0- Arrival in Sofia (10/2/2014) We met our tour guide at the airport in Sofia, the capital as well as the economic and cultural center of Bulgaria (12). The weather was lovely in the city, with temperatures mostly in the 60's (so much nicer than Houston!). This was to be expected- Bulgaria is in the marine west coast climate that stretches all the way across Europe, but it also has some influence from the always-warm Mediterranean. We packed mostly light autumn clothes, but it got a bit colder at night (4). Upon arrival, one of the first things we noticed was the rather stale air and the occasional person wearing a surgical mask. We questioned our tour guide about the pollution and she revealed that Bulgaria has the most polluted air in Europe (2). Apparently Soviet manufacturing and the use of wood as fuel in homes has polluted the air to the point where people die alarmingly often from air pollution. What a terrifying prospect- I'm not quite as excited as I was before. | About the Authors I'm Hannah Robertson, one of the authors of this blog. I am really interested in the world today and how it is changing. I've never been out of the county but love to go to museums and learn about other cultures. I also read a lot, go on social media and work on homework. Thank you for reading our blog and we hope you enjoy. Hello! I'm Claire, the other author of this blog (the one on the left in the picture). I love traveling and seeing the world- I have visited many countries, from Denmark to Russia to China. The culture of other countries is a beautiful thing- there is so much that we do not know about our fellow tenants of the planet and their lives. When I'm actually at home, I can be found playing tennis, watching tv shows obsessively, scrolling through social media sites, or working on various art projects. |
Day 1- Sofia (10/3/2014)
We began our adventure touring historical Sofia. The city was built around a hot spring centuries ago. Today, the hot spring is still in use- it is surrounded by luxury spas open to the public. After the hot spring, our tour guide took us to visit some of the old churches and ruins in the city. One of the plainest-looking but oldest religious structures was the Rotunda St. George, a round domed structure dating back to the 4th century BC. Over the years, it has been used as a baptistery, a church, a mosque, and a mausoleum, and is currently an operational temple (13).
We began our adventure touring historical Sofia. The city was built around a hot spring centuries ago. Today, the hot spring is still in use- it is surrounded by luxury spas open to the public. After the hot spring, our tour guide took us to visit some of the old churches and ruins in the city. One of the plainest-looking but oldest religious structures was the Rotunda St. George, a round domed structure dating back to the 4th century BC. Over the years, it has been used as a baptistery, a church, a mosque, and a mausoleum, and is currently an operational temple (13).
Speaking of embracing history, our tour guide was regretful to inform us that we had missed the annual September 22 celebration by a couple of weeks. While we have the Fourth of July as Independence Day, Bulgarians celebrate September 22nd, the date of their freedom from the Ottoman Empire. On that day in 1908, Bulgarian head of state Tsar Ferdinand declared independence from Turkish rulers. Today, the day is celebrated as a public holiday. (8)
Next, we visited the the Monument to the Soviet Army. It shows a Soviet Soldier with a Bulgarian Man and Woman on either side of him, a memory of the Soviet influence that once loomed over Eastern Europe. It is a popular gathering place for young people and also contains other monuments and memorials (14). Today, our tour guide also presented me with a belated birthday present, since she did not know my birthday was yesterday. We learned that you are not, in fact, supposed to wait to open presents (3). Oops.
Interestingly enough, the city held a vaguely melancholy aura today. Our tour guide informed us of an explosion at an explosives plant on Wednesday that killed 15 people (http://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/03/world/europe/deadly-blasts-in-bulgaria-rip-through-plant-decommissioning-land-mines.html). The government has declared a day of national mourning. Further research on the miserably slow hotel wifi revealed that the explosion was only 90 miles from Sofia, and was caused by lack of observation of safety rules. What a tragic event! We offer our condolences to the families of the victims. (18) Since the explosion was mostly due to the unsafe conditions in the factory, I wonder if there will be protests against such deplorable working conditions?
Day 2- Sofia continued (10/4/2014)
Sofia was too large a city to tour in only one day! Yesterday we experienced the historical side of the city, and today we got a glimpse into the culture of Bulgaria. We began the day with some shopping on the streets of Sofia, including the world-famous Vitosha Boulevard. On some of the smaller streets, we discovered some local shops with classic Bulgarian dress. Some of our favorites are the sayana, a dress with a slash in the front, and the dvuprestilchena, a costume with two aprons. An example of a woman in her traditional Bulgarian dress is displayed here (11). We also got to learn about what Bulgarian teens do for fun. It turns out that sports are a main pastime here in Bulgaria, just like in America! Bulgarian teens also enjoy going out, being social, and spending time with friends. Many Bulgarian teens participate in clubs and teams at their schools, and they can even get sports scholarships and grant money for their skills!(19) it was very fun and insightful to experience casual activities like these in Bulgaria, and we hope to spend more time with our Bulgarian counterparts.
Sofia was too large a city to tour in only one day! Yesterday we experienced the historical side of the city, and today we got a glimpse into the culture of Bulgaria. We began the day with some shopping on the streets of Sofia, including the world-famous Vitosha Boulevard. On some of the smaller streets, we discovered some local shops with classic Bulgarian dress. Some of our favorites are the sayana, a dress with a slash in the front, and the dvuprestilchena, a costume with two aprons. An example of a woman in her traditional Bulgarian dress is displayed here (11). We also got to learn about what Bulgarian teens do for fun. It turns out that sports are a main pastime here in Bulgaria, just like in America! Bulgarian teens also enjoy going out, being social, and spending time with friends. Many Bulgarian teens participate in clubs and teams at their schools, and they can even get sports scholarships and grant money for their skills!(19) it was very fun and insightful to experience casual activities like these in Bulgaria, and we hope to spend more time with our Bulgarian counterparts.
Day 3- Pirin National Park (10/5/2014)
Today we drove from Sofia to the beautiful Pirin National Park. It only took three hours- Bulgaria is tiny compared to Houston! It is home to the oldest tree in the country, the Baykusheva Mura. The tree as old as the country itself at 1,300 years old. It took five people holding hands to wrap all the way around the trunk! (15)
Today we drove from Sofia to the beautiful Pirin National Park. It only took three hours- Bulgaria is tiny compared to Houston! It is home to the oldest tree in the country, the Baykusheva Mura. The tree as old as the country itself at 1,300 years old. It took five people holding hands to wrap all the way around the trunk! (15)
Day 4- Plovdiv (10/6/2014)
Day four of our trip- we visited the second largest city in Bulgaria, Plovdiv (12). While Sofia is the center of western Bulgaria, Plovdiv is the center of the south. Not only is it an industrial and commercial hub, Plovdiv is also a popular tourist destination due to its amalgamation of Byzantine, Ottoman, and Bulgarian Revival architecture.
Day four of our trip- we visited the second largest city in Bulgaria, Plovdiv (12). While Sofia is the center of western Bulgaria, Plovdiv is the center of the south. Not only is it an industrial and commercial hub, Plovdiv is also a popular tourist destination due to its amalgamation of Byzantine, Ottoman, and Bulgarian Revival architecture.
For dinner, our tour guide took us to a fancy restaurant for her name day celebration. Bulgarians get two birthday-like celebrations- the day of their birth and their name day. Each saint has a feast day, and the name day of a person is celebrated on the feast day of their namesake. On name days, the family has a big meal to commemorate the occasion (10). The best part of the meal was definitely the food. The Shopska salad was absolutely amazing. It is an extremely popular Bulgarian salad and is sometimes described as the ‘Salad that Defines Bulgaria’. Shopska salad is named after a large group of people called the Shopi who live in Sofia and are very economical when it comes to finances. The salad is made from chopped tomatoes, onions, cucumbers, and peppers and is sprinkled with Bulgarian white cheese (9). We also learned that it is considered rude to eat before permission is given by the host, which a member of our tour group accidentally demonstrated (3). Poor guy, he looked so embarrassed. Hopefully he will be forgiven...
Day 5- Shipka and Buzludsha (10/7/2014)
We traveled all the way to the very center of the country and into the Balkan Mountains to visit the National Park Museum Shipka, a series of monuments situated on top of a mountain. There was a whole reconstructed battle scene there- the dugouts, artillery units, and position of the troops. Apparently there were a total of four battles, called the Battle of Shipka Pass, on the mountain during the Russo-Turkish War. In the end, the Russians, which the Bulgarians were allied with, defeated the Turks. The remains of the defenders are still there after a century and a half, in a marble tomb under the Liberty Memorial (16).
We also stopped by an abandoned Soviet monument. This was probably the oddest thing we saw this week (20)- a UFO-shaped concrete structure built during Soviet times. It is now vandalized, damaged, and ruined, as well closed to the public for fear of collapse. The inside is plastered in intricate mosaics celebrating the Soviet regime, but we never got to see it.
We traveled all the way to the very center of the country and into the Balkan Mountains to visit the National Park Museum Shipka, a series of monuments situated on top of a mountain. There was a whole reconstructed battle scene there- the dugouts, artillery units, and position of the troops. Apparently there were a total of four battles, called the Battle of Shipka Pass, on the mountain during the Russo-Turkish War. In the end, the Russians, which the Bulgarians were allied with, defeated the Turks. The remains of the defenders are still there after a century and a half, in a marble tomb under the Liberty Memorial (16).
We also stopped by an abandoned Soviet monument. This was probably the oddest thing we saw this week (20)- a UFO-shaped concrete structure built during Soviet times. It is now vandalized, damaged, and ruined, as well closed to the public for fear of collapse. The inside is plastered in intricate mosaics celebrating the Soviet regime, but we never got to see it.
Day 6- Varna (10/8/2014)
Today we drove to the eastern coast of Bulgaria to visit the lovely port and third largest city of Varna (12). It is situated on the coast of the Black Sea, making it an important port in both ancient and modern times. For this reason, Varna is often called the Sea Capital of Bulgaria. Varna also contains many cultural attractions, such as museums, aquariums, and a massive collection of art, including icons painted in the Bulgarian Revival.
Today we drove to the eastern coast of Bulgaria to visit the lovely port and third largest city of Varna (12). It is situated on the coast of the Black Sea, making it an important port in both ancient and modern times. For this reason, Varna is often called the Sea Capital of Bulgaria. Varna also contains many cultural attractions, such as museums, aquariums, and a massive collection of art, including icons painted in the Bulgarian Revival.
Day 7- Back to Sofia
We spent all day on the road today, driving from the eastern border of Bulgaria to the west. Not a particularly eventful day, but we did pass by a city called Gabrovo. Gabrovo, while not the largest city in the country, is the birthplace of famous sculptor Christo. He and his wife Jeanne-Claude create sculptures by wrapping everyday objects from shoes to oil barrels. The wrapping conceals the details of the object while capturing its essence. Christo has worked all over the world, creating projects in Germany, the United States, Switzerland, France, and many other countries. (6)
We spent all day on the road today, driving from the eastern border of Bulgaria to the west. Not a particularly eventful day, but we did pass by a city called Gabrovo. Gabrovo, while not the largest city in the country, is the birthplace of famous sculptor Christo. He and his wife Jeanne-Claude create sculptures by wrapping everyday objects from shoes to oil barrels. The wrapping conceals the details of the object while capturing its essence. Christo has worked all over the world, creating projects in Germany, the United States, Switzerland, France, and many other countries. (6)
Fun Fact: We've mentioned the Revival in the late 1800's several times here. But what triggered such a massive shift in Bulgarian culture? In 1877 the Ottoman empire, that had ruled Bulgaria for nearly 5 centuries, was overthrown by Russian forces and Bulgarian volunteers. There had been many revolts throughout the Ottoman Rule and it all came to a head during this time (5). Freedom from the Ottoman generated a sense of independence, which led citizens to recreate aspects of their culture as separate from the Turkish.
Wow, what an eventful week! I learned so much about Bulgarian culture and history, and I hope you did too. It was so much fun to be shown around a country and culture so different, yet in some ways so similar, to our own. I hope you enjoyed hearing about our Bulgarian Adventure! сбогом (Goodbye!)!
November 1
Dobrý den! (Hello in Czech, the official language of Czech Republic (7))
Laura and Emily here! We are just about to embark on a wonderful trip to the Czech Republic, a beautiful landlocked country surrounded by Austria, Germany, Poland, and Slovakia.(1)
Dobrý den! (Hello in Czech, the official language of Czech Republic (7))
Laura and Emily here! We are just about to embark on a wonderful trip to the Czech Republic, a beautiful landlocked country surrounded by Austria, Germany, Poland, and Slovakia.(1)
It took forever to pack our suitcases but we eventually got through it. We had the perfect clothing for this trip because the climate of Houston and the Czech Republic are somewhat similar during the fall. The temperatures are around 80-90 degrees in The Czech Republic in the fall so we packed mostly short-sleeved-shirts, and shorts. But just incase, we packed a light jacket and a pair of pants for each of us. Since the United States has no travel advisories against the Czech Republic, it was very easy for us to fly there. (17)
Our flight was a whopping 14 hours long from Houston to Prague, which happens to be the capital of Czech Republic (12)! So naturally when we arrived we were exhausted! As soon as we were out of the airport, we headed for a hotel. When we arrived at the Rezidence Lundborg, we had some dinner. It was a very interesting dish. Rajská (9) (read “raiska”), a somehow interesting combination of meat with sauce and bread or another starch such at pasta, is what we ended our long day with.
Since it was a rather small hotel it was almost like being inside of a house. Instead of there being a great big dining hall, there was a small table where people sat to eat. The cook would also eat with you, that is why she was treated as a hostess. When we were served, we had to wait for the hostess to begin eating before we did. This is customary of most Czechs. (10) Well goodnight! Tomorrow is going to be a big day!! |
Day 1: Today we are going to learn a little about the culture of the Czech Republic! First we learned about some cultural taboos in the Czech Republic. The first one is, apparently it is forbidden to mix business and personal affairs. (3) So when I, Emily, tried to ask the tour guide how old she was and she had to explain to me not to ever do that ever! The second one we learned today is that you must ALWAYS pay attention to matters of social etiquette. (3)
After that fiasco we continued on our tour of Prague Castle, a popular historical tourist site. (16) This castle is the current residence of the President of the Czech Republic and also housed the offices of the communist Czechoslovak government after the liberation of Czechoslovakia.
After that fiasco we continued on our tour of Prague Castle, a popular historical tourist site. (16) This castle is the current residence of the President of the Czech Republic and also housed the offices of the communist Czechoslovak government after the liberation of Czechoslovakia.
When we were leaving the castle, we saw a sign for horse back riding. We followed to road and found a sign for a hiking trail called the "Czech Paradise" or Cesky Raj. This trail is an eight hour long trail that winds through the Czech Republic National Park and has rest stops along the way. The beauty of the views inspired people to build the hiking trail so others can also appreciate the scenery. (2) Hiking is a popular pastime in Prague. (19) While we were on the hike, we saw many sandstone pillars and halfway on the trail we stopped in a typical restraint and ate some traditional food. It was delicious!
Day 2: Our first day was so fun and exciting, we couldn't wait what was in store for us the next day. The first place we visited was Church of St. Ludmila.(13) The church's architecture was amazing. The church is a neo- Gothic church built in 1888-1892 by Josef Mocker in honor of St. Ludmila of Bohemia. The front of the church had two 60 meter towers with bells and a main entrance with statues. The interior was very colorful with bright color windows and many paintings hanging on the walls. At one time it was closed for construction but reopened later.
In the afternoon, we sat on a bus for over 2 hours to get to our next city, Brno, the second most populated city in Czech Republic. This city is a city known for it's cultural history, business, as well as its international trade fairs and universities. (12)
Day 3: A wonderful day spent in Brno:
In the afternoon, we sat on a bus for over 2 hours to get to our next city, Brno, the second most populated city in Czech Republic. This city is a city known for it's cultural history, business, as well as its international trade fairs and universities. (12)
Day 3: A wonderful day spent in Brno:
First things first. Who doesn't want to go shopping? The first mall we visited was the OLYMPIA Center just for fun. We decided to buy some of Czech Republic's traditional clothing. For our mothers and ourselves, we got dresses made of lace and embroidery.(11) We spent most of the morning picking out the right sizes.
In the afternoon, we visited a famous historical building, Villa Tugendhat, which is located in the wealthy neighborhood, Černá Pole. It was designed by a German architect Ludwig Mis van der Rohe and was built in 1928-1930. It is now an icon of modernism. It played a major role in worldwide diffusion and acceptance. (14)
In the afternoon, we visited a famous historical building, Villa Tugendhat, which is located in the wealthy neighborhood, Černá Pole. It was designed by a German architect Ludwig Mis van der Rohe and was built in 1928-1930. It is now an icon of modernism. It played a major role in worldwide diffusion and acceptance. (14)
We didn't plan anything for the night, so we decided to learn about the country.
There is a pioneer, Gregor Johann Mendel, known as "the father of genetics". He discovered the basic principles of heredity like the Law of Segregation and the Law of Independent Assortment. His experiments made life changing discoveries. (6)
The history of the country itself is not that long because it hasn't been independent for long. In 1993, the country of Czechoslovakia officially split into two independent countries, Czech Republic and Slovakia. On the same year, Vaclav Havel was elected as president for Czech Republic. (5) A holiday celebrated in Czech Republic is the Struggle For Freedom and Democracy day on November 17th. It is an international students day. Bold students fought for what they believed for ( peacefully) and some perished. They stood up against the Nazi's and during the Velvet Revolution. To commemorate the holiday, there were public rituals and ceremonies, where the president would lay flowers at the commemorative plaque on National Avenue in Prague and deliver a speech. (8)
Day 4: "The Final Day"
This is the day that we wrapped everything up. We tried to remember all of the interesting things we had done but all we could think about was one event in particular. (20) On the 2nd day we were in the Czech Republic, we witnessed people base jumping off of an antenna. It was so cool to watch! Basically people would climb the stairs to the top of the antenna and jump off. As they descended, They would do cool tricks as if in a wind tunnel. Then above the ground around 70 feet, they would pull their parachute cords letting out brightly colored parachutes which would slowly bring them back down to Earth.
As we headed to the airport, we grabbed two newspapers from the backseat pockets in the cab. On the 4th page was an article about a horse race that takes place north of Prague. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/13/sports/steeplechases-most-historic-jump-is-also-its-most-controversial.html?_r=0 It is called the Velka Pardubicka (18) (literally the Grand Pardubice) was held and a field of horses challenged the Taxisuv prikop, or Taxis Ditch, a brutal trench that has claimed many races, and a number of lives, over the years.The Taxis occupies a sacred place in European racing, as riders are not allowed to practice the jump and the only race in which it is featured is the Velka, a punishing test of endurance that sends horses on a cross-country dash of 31 jumps and about four and a quarter miles (or a bit less than four times the distance of the Kentucky Derby). In 124 runnings of the Velka, there has never been a race in which all the horses that began the race were able to finish it.
We are at the Ostrava airport. Ostrava is a city known for it's coal and steel. The city is the 3rd largest city and 2nd most urban city. (12) We wanted to stay here longer but sadly, we didn't have time. We wanted to go to the Ostrava zoo which was founded in 1949 and officially opened in 1951. The zoo originally had 8 animals, 2 species and now increased to 230 species and includes a petting zoo. There is an African Mammal house, a Monkey house, an Elephant house, 3 aviaries, 4 birds, small Amazonia, and a hippo house. It was the first zoo in Czech Republic to see the birth of an elephant.
There is a pioneer, Gregor Johann Mendel, known as "the father of genetics". He discovered the basic principles of heredity like the Law of Segregation and the Law of Independent Assortment. His experiments made life changing discoveries. (6)
The history of the country itself is not that long because it hasn't been independent for long. In 1993, the country of Czechoslovakia officially split into two independent countries, Czech Republic and Slovakia. On the same year, Vaclav Havel was elected as president for Czech Republic. (5) A holiday celebrated in Czech Republic is the Struggle For Freedom and Democracy day on November 17th. It is an international students day. Bold students fought for what they believed for ( peacefully) and some perished. They stood up against the Nazi's and during the Velvet Revolution. To commemorate the holiday, there were public rituals and ceremonies, where the president would lay flowers at the commemorative plaque on National Avenue in Prague and deliver a speech. (8)
Day 4: "The Final Day"
This is the day that we wrapped everything up. We tried to remember all of the interesting things we had done but all we could think about was one event in particular. (20) On the 2nd day we were in the Czech Republic, we witnessed people base jumping off of an antenna. It was so cool to watch! Basically people would climb the stairs to the top of the antenna and jump off. As they descended, They would do cool tricks as if in a wind tunnel. Then above the ground around 70 feet, they would pull their parachute cords letting out brightly colored parachutes which would slowly bring them back down to Earth.
As we headed to the airport, we grabbed two newspapers from the backseat pockets in the cab. On the 4th page was an article about a horse race that takes place north of Prague. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/13/sports/steeplechases-most-historic-jump-is-also-its-most-controversial.html?_r=0 It is called the Velka Pardubicka (18) (literally the Grand Pardubice) was held and a field of horses challenged the Taxisuv prikop, or Taxis Ditch, a brutal trench that has claimed many races, and a number of lives, over the years.The Taxis occupies a sacred place in European racing, as riders are not allowed to practice the jump and the only race in which it is featured is the Velka, a punishing test of endurance that sends horses on a cross-country dash of 31 jumps and about four and a quarter miles (or a bit less than four times the distance of the Kentucky Derby). In 124 runnings of the Velka, there has never been a race in which all the horses that began the race were able to finish it.
We are at the Ostrava airport. Ostrava is a city known for it's coal and steel. The city is the 3rd largest city and 2nd most urban city. (12) We wanted to stay here longer but sadly, we didn't have time. We wanted to go to the Ostrava zoo which was founded in 1949 and officially opened in 1951. The zoo originally had 8 animals, 2 species and now increased to 230 species and includes a petting zoo. There is an African Mammal house, a Monkey house, an Elephant house, 3 aviaries, 4 birds, small Amazonia, and a hippo house. It was the first zoo in Czech Republic to see the birth of an elephant.
Finally on the plane: As much fun as we had, I'm glad to be heading home. So as they say goodbye in Czech, sbohem! (7)
Biography:
Hi! This is Emily Ward and Laura Huo. We love traveling because we get to learn about other amazing cultures. Whether it's in Asia or Europe, if we get the chance, we definitely want to go. Traveling is fun but home is where we feel the most comfortable.
Emily: At home, I love to draw, play the piano, and run. Most of all, eating. Food is life.
Laura: When I am at home, I prefer sticking to my bed and phone. Or eating. Yes. I agree with Emily. Other than that, I like to read and listen to music.
Hi! This is Emily Ward and Laura Huo. We love traveling because we get to learn about other amazing cultures. Whether it's in Asia or Europe, if we get the chance, we definitely want to go. Traveling is fun but home is where we feel the most comfortable.
Emily: At home, I love to draw, play the piano, and run. Most of all, eating. Food is life.
Laura: When I am at home, I prefer sticking to my bed and phone. Or eating. Yes. I agree with Emily. Other than that, I like to read and listen to music.