Into the Wild

The sister and I made a trip up to the wilds of Lapland through Norway, Sweden and Finland. Although we saw reindeer on a few occasions, mostly we saw mountains and fog, psychedelic lichen, rocks, rivers, tundra, and blueberry bushes turning red.  It is a rugged and sparse landscape, but in some way it is beautiful and touches those parts of the soul that long for wildness and nature without humans.  Although we saw those, too.  And they were curious and wonderful humans, the adventuring kind, obviously.

One of the most beautiful areas was the Lyngen Alps, where we spent one night nestled in a river-filled valley, surrounded by the highest peaks of the area, and watched over by perched glaciers and slopes of golden trees.  The river was amazingly light blue, the unbelievable color you see in storybook pictures, only it was real.

Real also the pain in our feet.  Or the grumps if you don't eat.  But real also the peace and the delight at nature's details.  Below a few snapshots of our time:

Leaving Kilpisjärvi

Sonja and Saana in morning light

I <3 norway="" td="">

let me drink and drink and never thirst again!

Lyngen Alps

Our last campsite

Londres

In such a large city, no one cares what you look like, where you're going, what you're up to.  It is a city chock full of different languages and peoples, all rubbing elbows at the crosswalks and in the red double-decker buses.  They share underground and train rides all round this massive city, some blocking out the auditory melange of public transportation by reading, others by listening to their music, or even getting lost in reverie. 
Yesterday I walked down to the Thames, just to enjoy the feel of the city.  I saw a man braving the traffic on his bike, dressed in a fuzzy green crocodile costume with a little tail sticking out behind him!  Two Ukrainian Jehova's Witnesses approached me, apparently thinking I was Russian and a tourist.  The camera must have given me away, because only a few minutes before, some lost Americans asked me for directions, thinking I was a local.
Friends from different walks of life have figured in my brief stay already.  It is a joy to find oneself in the warm circumference of friends, connecting again after years or months of separate lives.  I find myself living the moment, keenly aware that I may look like a tourist when I whip out a camera, but I feel no compulsion to go see tourist sights at the moment.  I am currently with lovely Helen sitting in Kaffein, enjoying the loud milieu of a cafe with orange walls, plenty of clinking plates and pop classics that I can occasionally hear over the din.  I haven't figured out what language is being spoken at the table next to mine....ah wait.  I asked the waitress.  Albanian.
Yes, I am breathing other air, having other thoughts, seeing other faces than I usually see.  And once in a while, it does a body good! :)

Show's over, new stuff on the way.

The wedding season has contained four varied episodes, and is now concluded.  After Egypt, I returned to two more weddings here in Finland.  The most recent one I attended ended with waltzing and an amazing beat box performance!  In our little group of friends we discussed what our favorite part about weddings is.  One likes the photo slideshow, the other the dancing.  The guys like the food best, of course.  I enjoy the speeches.

But this post is not so much about the merits of festivities that initiate matrimonial bliss, rather just a woot and a holler that I AM GOING TO ECUADOR!!!  Yep, my bags are packed, I'm ready to go.  And so is Sonja.  Christmas of 2007 was the last time we were there, and now we are headed home for a month.  I wonder what this trip will contain.  Certainly we have some plans, but mostly I am open to see what God has in store, what he wants to teach me, and how he wants me to join Him.  I'm looking forward to spending time with my parents and drinking in a vista filled with Andes mountains as well as rambling jungle foliage. 

WOOT!  HOLLER!  Here's to living fully!

Weddings....Chapter 1

So July is full of weddings for  me.  The season kicked off last Saturday with my friend's daughter's wedding in a beautiful villa in Helsinki.  It was a perfect summer day, and the bride and groom were enchanting.  I translated between Finnish and English, since the groom was from Canada.

The next day, bright and early, I flew to Egypt, where I now find myself in the familiar living room of the Rozza house in Giza (internet now available!).  The steadily clicking fan above makes the hot day bearable.  Grandma is sleeping on the floor and the ladies of the house along with some neighbors are out on the patio.  We are waiting as the last cookies (to be taken to friends and wedding guests in honor of the impending celebrations) are baking in the large gas oven on the patio.  We have made hundreds of cookies--yes, I tried my hand at it!  Soon we will be headed to the new flat where the bride and groom will begin their lives together.  We have to do a last cleaning and make sure everything is perfectly in order.

Asmaa' is getting married!!  That is why I am here.  She is Mohammed's only daughter and the celebrations and preparations have been going on for some time already.  When I arrived we went to find the right hairdresser who will do her wedding make-up and hair.  This involved a trip to a wedding mall, crowded with little shops stuffed with wedding dresses of various colors and all kinds of bling, as well as coiffeurs as they call the hairdressers.  The hair salons enjoyed air-conditioning and were also stuffed...with brides!  All shapes, sizes and colors, but with one thing in common: a lot of make-up!  You would think they were headed to perform on Broadway!  In a sense though, they are preparing for their biggest show, as they will sit on a raised platform and be applauded, videoed and pictured to no end on their wedding evening by all the guests and friends. They're the stars of the show!

I have not only made cookies, but cooked some, and sat drinking tea with the neighbors who are all under the impression that I understand everything they say.  Hehe. The house is constantly full of people bringing things and helping with preparations.  It feels like a privilege to be part of it all (also tiring, as paying attention to the conversation takes a lot of brain power).  I wanted to update right now, as there is time, I don't know about the coming days though.  We'll see.  Just want to share the excitement with you all. :)

leaving

My backpack is packed.  It's time to see friends and eat brunch with them before an afternoon take-off.  The back yard is covered with snow and I am playing Christmas music.  I keep wondering about all that I have left undone, and hope that it will be here when I get back to take care of it.

I feel that I haven't had much time to really think about what I will be doing in Israel, and what it will be like.  My mind relegates it to the category of "I'll figure it out when I get there."  I suppose that is the only way to go.  But here is a link to a documentary on Finnish TV of where I am going.  Watching it gave me a picture for my mind's eye, and perhaps now for you too.  It's narrated in Finnish, but the interviews are in English.

Next time I'll be reporting from al-Quds (Jerusalem in Arabic). :)
Over and out.

All roads lead to...

The past few weeks have been a bit of a roller-coaster ride in terms of work things.  None of the projected plans of the last post have come to pass.  And how thankful I am for that!  I think I have been in a process through which I am learning to have patience and trust that God really does want to reveal his will to those who seek him. 

So, on the work front:
I am to be an English teacher for different companies here in the Helsinki area.  I am excited for the possibility to help motivated adults find confidence in communication and better language skills for their workplace challenges.  It also means that I will be staying in Finland.  I am also at peace with this, as the other doors to other job applications around the world closed.  I was actually astounded at the peace I had, wondering if I just wiggled around enough or jumped hard enough that this peace would somehow be shaken off of me.  I'm still peaceful. 

I hope to still do some shifts at the store I work for and continue writing articles. This is a link to a travel article I wrote about Egypt for the Finnair flight magazine, see page 16.

And on the surprise front:
Before I begin my English teaching, I will be spending six weeks in Jerusalem volunteering at Shevet Achim, doing activities with the children, hospital visits, and whatever needs doing, really.  I first heard about this organization two years ago when I visited my sister who was in Israel studying Hebrew at the time.  I've been on the Shevet mailing list ever since.  I love the reconciliation and healing they stand for, the hope they offer.  (And yes, I still have a job to come back to.)  I just bought my ticket last night, and will be headed out on Sat. the 20th and returning at the beginning of January.  I am, of course, excited to see my sister, and also my dear friend Essy, who both live in Jerusalem!!

So my nomadic soul has an anchor here in Finland, as well as an opportunity to serve in a faraway corner of the world.  But the peace that has surpassed my understanding comes from the anchor I have in my God and Father, who knows how he made me, for what he made me, and how that fits into his plans.

Multsumesc Romania!

(Thank you, Romania!)

It is not until you step outside of your box that you realize how accustomed you have become to the view on the four walls around you. My Finland box is one of those places that I have almost become blind to, because it is what I breathe, think, see. Nothing wrong with that, since you must live where you are at.

But travel always offers a new perspective, as the box opens and the air begins to change. The cobwebs flutter away in the breeze and a new scent invitingly beckons toward exploration and new awareness. So my trip last weekend to Romania for Emma's wedding was a welcome refresher. It was my third time to Romania, but the first to Bucharest. Salient points/thoughts stuck in my head:

-Wedding was the main theme: a bustling civil ceremony on Saturday, and the private church ceremony on Monday followed by a long photo session and then the reception. Emma is my friend from college (APU) and I saw her last in 2008 only a month before she met her Nate!

-Romania reminds me of Poland and Ecuador: post-communist sadness mixed with impoverished community

-Did you know? Three in four pregnancies in Romania end in abortion. The average Romanian woman has around 8 abortions. That makes my heart ache.

-I haven't been around so many Americans in a long time! We were 9 people staying in a two-bedroom flat (dining room converted into a third bedroom), and it was cozy. Americans talk so much more than Finns, and while they can be loud, the opportunity to share meaningful conversation arrives more quickly. Stories are meant to be told.

-I visited a charming castle built at the end of the 1800s. It was the summer home of the Romanian royals, nestled in the mountains. Romania only had 4 generations of royalty. The castle, like all proper castles should, has a secret passageway. It also had a water fountain built into the wall in the Arabic reception room!

-I realized that I feel at home when I'm not at "home" and in constantly changing situations.

-Back in Finland now, I carry with me the feeling that I was at the right place at the right time. I'm also encouraged by conversations and prayers shared, new acquaintances and by being part of important moments in friends' lives.

The Way of St. James

A beautiful summer is slowly coming to an end, I can feel it in the cooling evenings and by the fact that I can see stars in the night sky. My summer job is over and the only thing I really know about the future is that I will be walking through northern Spain for four weeks. Sonja and I leave tomorrow.

We are going to trek along the 1000-year-old pilgrimage route known as the Way of St. James, or the Camino de Santiago. Our journey first takes us to Paris for a few days. Then we will take a train to the Spanish border where we will begin the 800 km walk to Santiago de Compostela. We've figured that it will take us about 32 days, walking an average of 30 km per day. Of course, blisters and any manner of unexpected occurrences could impede this goal. But for us the journey is what matters.

Our journey has been known throughout history as a pilgrimage. The word pilgrim usually means one who makes a journey to a sacred or holy place, or is on a quest for something considered sacred. A pilgrim is also a traveler or wayfarer. I don't believe the tomb of St. James is somehow holy or will bless me. My quest is not the blessing of a city, but a closer journey with God. It is a time to get away from everything that constitutes my normal living, and to take time to reflect and pray. The exertion of walking such a long distance, the beauty of the scenery and the many people we will meet along the way are part of what makes me look forward to the next weeks. And the fact that it is an adventure.

I will try to blog here as often as I can. I don't know when and where I will have internet access, but I do hope to keep you posted about our Camino experience.

3 days, 3 cities

Tere! I have returned. I ate my way through Estonia in three days, then had to be rolled back to the ship like one of those Finnish tourists' carts bursting with crates upon crates of alcohol. Ok, so that's a slight exaggeration about being roly-poly, but I'm not exaggerating about the amounts of alcohol that Finns bring back, it's embarrassing! With such reputation for being the drunkards that go to Tallinn for cheap booze, my friends and I made a point to speak English instead of Finnish amongst us during our trip!

And what a trip it was! We spent the nights at my friend's grandmother's place in the middle of the countryside, so far from anything that you could only hear the crickets whirring and chickens squawking. Our first day included a visit to Pärnu in the south. The windiness of the seaside city didn't keep (some of) us from taking a swim in the Baltic waters which were surprisingly warm! Lots of bodies roasting in the sun, beach volleyball and women in high-heels! A particularly fun invention was a swing-see-saw contraption where you hang instead of sit and let the other person's weight throw you up! The sense of being on vacation permeated our schedule as we wandered around, not only in Pärnu, but throughout our whole time in Estonia.

Day Two was for exploring Tartu, the beautiful university city to the east. After a late start and directions that contained a detour, we finally arrived and visited the KGB Museum, which is in a nondescript gray office building that used to incarcerate "enemies of the public" in its basement during Soviet times. It was a dark place, a physical container where the most evil inclinations of humanity became reality. But the rest of the city was charming, nicer than Tallinn, we agreed.

Our crew of six returned to Helsinki on Day Three, via Tallinn where we reluctantly joined the swarms of 8000 tourists who had arrived on six cruise ships! The day was gloriously sunny and warm, perfect for visiting the Kardriorg Palace and then people watching from beneath the opaque umbrellas of a cafe in Old Town. I have neglected to mention that we ate plenty in each city, and plenty on the road in between, and then at "home" in the countryside! I have an appreciation for the varied bread selection, cheese sausage and pelmeni. On the non-culinary side, I appreciate the bright colors of homes, the architecture that somehow hints at Germanic influences, tended gardens, funny street names, the sense of "wild" that pervades in a way that is absent here, and lower prices!

I'm looking forward to the next time our crew gets together for an adventure! But before that day comes, a jaunt over to England is in store. I'm headed to see friends and attend a conference in the south. I'm very much anticipating what God has in store for my time there!

grand tour

Where does the time go?! I think that in the recent days, it has neatly disappeared into our mileage meter as we have navigated the freeways of the South. We drove through five states during our ten day stay there. I already mentioned we were in Georgia, but here are some moments from the others:

NC
I tasted some of the best coffee I have had at the Crooked Door Coffee House in a small town called Marion. I forget the name of the process for this coffee, but it involves making a coffee concentrate by pouring a gallon of water through a pound of ground coffee and allowing it to soak for ten to twelve hours. The result is a soft chocolaty flavored liquid best served iced! After trying a tiny blue cupful of it, the regular coffee flavor tasted second rate. Apart from the friendly huge windows overlooking Main St., the wi-fi connection, the fireplace room with tall green velvet armchairs, the hardwood floors, the friendly barista and the redbrick walls, it also had an attached art gallery that made me wish I lived in a house with plenty of empty wall space.

VA
"If you could have anything for dessert, what would it be?" Uncle Gary asked first my sister, then me. We both answered promptly, "Flan!" But realizing such a wish was probably a bit unrealistic for the afternoon barbecue moment, we also added that chocolate would also be good. But some wishes just come true, and our taste buds were happily surprised by delicious caramelized flan! (My favorite!!) It was a small moment, but it captures in my mind the essence of the friendship, hospitality and surprise element that was part of our time in Virginia. A lazy day on the lake, a movie, cute dogs, a surprise birthday party for my dad, reconnecting with friends we hadn't seen in years....aaaah!

SC
Panera: not only your neighborhood soup and sandwich hangout where you can meet Spanish-German men with tropical-sea-colored eyes planning to sail in the South Pacific for six years, but it is also the tasty intersection for friends who knew each other way back when Alosta Place at APU was called home. In this case, it was Abbey from California, and her beautiful children. It is the people, you know, that make travel worth its while. And their smiling faces certainly made the stop in Anderson worth its while!

AL
The Toomers' home has a backyard view toward a jungle much like the one in our beloved Shell, although the foliage is somewhat tamer since Auburn is not quite the Amazon. I think the fact that it was raining only made the comparison more appropriate. I love surprises. So does my family. So we successfully surprised Aunt Trish by showing up at her coffee shop in the university town of Auburn where we enjoyed catching up and tasting some good southern barbecue!

Our road tripping continued upon our return to California, but now we are helping my sister pack her five years worth of belongings in too few suitcases. Condensing drawer-fulls of books, photos, cards, memories, backpacks, shoes and clothes into a space that fits within the airline allowances is no small task! My parents leave tomorrow. Perhaps they will need another vacation to recover from this vacation! I know I could probably sleep for a week straight through. But how else would we have gotten to see all the incredible people and places that we have!?

the south

My favorite war to read about in US history is the Civil War. I am reminded of the division between the North and South whenever I come to the East Coast, away from the completely different dimension of California (that carries its own fascination with its Spanish history). I've always liked the South, perhaps because I have not visited the North yet, or perhaps it is due to my romanticized imaginations of sprawling plantation homes and gently rocking chairs on verandas that overlook green lawns with huge old leafy trees. Here in Monroe, we've driven by amazing old homes with tall pillars framing painted front doors and homes hidden behind tall trees and vibrant flowerbeds, very Sweet Home Alabama-ish. It is humid. People drink sweetened iced tea and stretch one-syllable words into two-syllable words. Life seems slower here.

The negative aspect is that it seems people have no clue of the outside world. There is a whole planet out there, and some people are just not curious about it, or feel that it does not touch them in any way. I have to say that some places exude a red-neck mentality that strikes me as bizarre. I realize that everywhere on the planet people have localized thinking, because what is in one's immediate context is what takes up most of daily life, and that's normal. But to expect that the whole world should (or does) live the way you do or think the way you do is to forfeit the opportunity to learn something new or expand your world.

(Stepping off my soapbox now...) Our journeys take us up to North Carolina and then Virginia in the coming days and I am looking forward to visiting with dear friends I have not seen for many years! I have been enjoying my stay here in the US so far, and am having a blast with my family. We are at the Charles' home, and they have a precious grand-baby named Cidney (affectionately nicknamed Chivito). My mum has a grandma glint in her eye....uh oh! :)

moving

I used to move on a yearly basis when I went to college in the US. It was a handy way of keeping all the amounts of clutter in check. Regardless of my intents, I still left the US with four suitcases instead of the two I arrived with way back in 2001. My last college roommate in California studied Chinese, and her term for all the "stuff" was dongxi. I thought of that word as I moved a few days ago, piling my boxes of books, my suitcases of winter clothes and bags of odds and ends into a car, contemplating the need for a dongxi diet! I suppose that on the grand scale of things, it is still not a lot of stuff, since it doesn't even fill an eighth of the storage shed where I left it for the duration of my travels, but it still made me wonder how much of it all I actually need. Really, not much.

But I am on the move again, having finished the packing and errands of the crazy last days in Helsinki and having left that part of world for a month and a half. As I write this, I am at my friend Crystal's house in Michigan, with another high school friend across the dining table from me writing letters to the world on her laptop. My coffee cup is empty, the sun shines brightly outside and a tree in the corner of the back yard is waiting for our limbs to scamper onto it and perch in its branches. I am excited for all that the coming month will contain! Dear faces and places, memories that are both pleasant and sad, perhaps a meeting with my past self that will result in greater awareness and growth.

In terms of some first impressions, I had forgotten the views of suburbia and strip malls with stores like Kroger's and Wal-Mart and Starbucks. One of my first whiffs was of fabric softener from clothes out of a dryer, which might not seem so remarkable, but in Finland we usually line-dry clothing. I haven't missed much in terms of food, but now that I think about it, I would really like some chocolate chip cookie dough! I am back in a world where we drive conveniently around everywhere in a car (public transportation like buses is not available here) and the homes have whole-floor carpets and air-conditioning that requires the use of a sweater inside the house. And one thing I find extremely favorable is the exchange rate of the dollar and euro! But in spite of my great buying power, just remind me along the way that I don't need to buy more dongxi to take back home! :)

adventuring

Last week I meandered my way through the drizzly nighttime streets and public transportation of Prague. Then I traveled the next day to the Czech border by train where Essy met me! Her part of the world is really beautiful! We spent a lot of time at her church for a conference that was very encouraging and edifying regarding our purpose in life. Let's just say it hit home, and validated something I already knew about myself: I have a heart for adventure. You might say that that's self-evident, but it was nonetheless reassuring in the context of the prayer.

Along with her brother and her boyfriend, Essy and I also adventured out onto a ropes course one day! I have always wanted to go on one, and it was a first for all of us! We zip-lined in the trees and swung our awkward way through strange obstacles many meters above the ground, from one platform to another until we all completed it successfully! We hiked up into the mountains surrounding her fair city and enjoyed the leafless early spring views and relaxed with card games and good discussions. The time flew by so quickly that I almost can't believe I'm home again. (Apparently my luggage wasn't ready to end the trip and decided to extend its stay. When it arrives with my missing camera cable, I will post pictorial evidence of my journeys!)

Now, I am sitting on my couch in Helsinki accompanied by the melodies of Anna Maria Jopek, missing Essy and remembering breakfasts, exchanged mugs, her wooden apartment with great views from every window, her friends and family, little winding paths along canals, the yellow house across the street, worship, and a general sense of tranquility. I am often amazed at the privilege I have to travel and see how friends and people live in other places, honored to be part of their everyday life for even a small moment! In my perusals through the airport duty free shops while waiting for my flights, I found a scent by Davidoff that made me smile with its irresistible name and its aptness for my journey: Adventure. It's just too bad they haven't made a version for women!

jumping into pictures

I have just visited the high snow peaks and verdant mountainsides of Nepal and checked out the luxurious interior of a train chugging through vast Siberia. I skipped the friendly elephants in Botswana, although I do like the big ears of this African species. I also considered the adventurous treehouse hotel in Connecticut, but thought that I could just settle for the icy swimming holes readily available right in this country. All this without leaving my cozy spot on the couch or my coffee cup! All this because some silver-tongued salesman persuaded me to order a year's subscription to MONDO, a brightly illustrated and tantalizing Finnish travel magazine. I have been living vicariously through it on this lazy and gray Saturday morning!

So if you were sitting next to me on the couch with your coffee, and after we had dreamed up our next journey to a new destination among the myriads of fascinating ones on the planet, we could continue to chat about actual travels. And I could perhaps ask you if you knew anyone in Prague I could stay with when I stop over in that romantic city on my way to Poland next month. If you answered negatively, I could consider finding a friendly stranger though the Hospitality Club or by Couchsurfing. Then before the topic turned to world news or the day's activities, and as we drained our mugs and stared out at the cold March day, I could ask,

so where are YOU going next (and can I fit into your suitcase, please)?!

mtns

a morning hike in the alps does a world of good.
pictures don't really do justice to it.
but that's where i was.
yesterday.

7 Wonders

As her most traveled friend, Gem tagged me a few months ago to share my realm of expertise by listing my Top 7 Must-See Destinations. So I will give you my seven, but with the stipulation that I have yet to see much of this vast world, and I can only tell you of the places I have been. Ask me again in 10 years and the list will contain some newcomers and revisions, which I hope will include more of Africa and Asia. But as of today, the "Seven Wonders of the World" that I think everyone should experience:

1. Cairo-Sinai, Egypt. No surprise there to any of you. You know my love affair with the place. But simply for its history and culture, it is a must-see for any cultured traveler, and nowhere else can you see the last Wonder of the Ancient World, the Great Pyramid, from camelback. The treasures of the Cairo Museum, the crowded traffic and local cuisine will leave a lasting impression on you, as will the hospitality of the Egyptians, because after all, a place is about the people. (This is assuming that you don't get a package deal at a 5-star hotel and then spend your days at the pool. That would be a waste of Egypt.) Please, go eat at someone's home, play with their children and buy at a local market. Take an "utubis" ride to your destination or spend the night at a Bedouin hotel in Sinai.
2. Summer Cottage, Finland. This is also an essential place I recommend for anyone. If you can't come to Finland and see it, get yourself to a lakeside cabin somewhere else. Let it be rustic and have a sauna and a rowboat. Here you will relax simply because you are in nature, away from the daily grind in a more rural setting where you can sit on the dock and watch the twilight reflect on a glassy lake. Play card games late into the night while eating plenty of candy, sleep in late in soft sheets and eat your breakfast in the morning wind. Some summer cottages (mökki) in Finland don't even have running water, but it must be brought in from a well, and electricity may not always be available either. Our summer cottage has both, but what we do still hold on to is an outhouse! And nothing beats having to pee on a crisp August night with a full moon to light your flight to the privy and back! :)

3. Tirol, Austria. This pick should not surprise you either, as I rank mountain landscapes as some of my favorites in the world. This is a place to rest and rejuvenate, to exert your muscles by climbing and feast your eyes on meadows of flowers flanked by snow-covered Alps. Go to the mountains I say! Spend a few days wandering from one mountain alm to another and get to know their keepers and other hikers passing through. And when you crave paved streets, visit the charming towns with mural-painted buildings, flea markets and local pubs with excellent food. I recommend the Johanesbeersaft (black currant juice)!

4. "Shell Road," Ecuador. I had a hard time picking a place from this country, as the scenery ranges from gorgeous Andes mountains to warm beaches and rainy jungles (so basically, see the whole country). The road section I am recommending begins at Baños, which may well be my favorite "to-visit" city there, nestled dangerously under an active volcano. Stop here for breakfast at one of the many cafes, stay at hotels with jacuzzis, eat fresh taffy or buy "indian pants" as souvenirs for your loved ones. The place has an odd mixture of colonial atmosphere littered with adventure tourists and people who make their living off of them! The best way to see the "Shell Road" that leaves Baños toward the jungle town where I grew up is by bike. On one side you will have the dense foliage of the mountainside, and on the other, a 100 ft drop down to the Pastaza River. There are a few small towns along the route as well as some waterfalls to visit should your bum be numb from too much biking!
5. Madrid, Spain. This is a city of culture that is relatively easy to get around and has plenty to see. People actually spend time in the parks with their kites and kids, just lazing or running some laps. The busy downtown sector is easily accessible via the metro and bus systems, and bursts at the seams with shops and museums to suit city-sightseers. Be sure to stop in the local cafés for their delicious pastries and buy some "chucherías" (candy) to keep your energy up as you wander the winding streets. From Madrid it is also possible to visit the smaller towns on the outskirts, which are quaint and quiet compared to the capital. I would also add that perhaps Toledo is a particulary interesting city a few hours away, containing influences of Muslim, Jewish and Christian heritages in the architecture that lines the narrow and winding cobblestone streets.
6. National Parks of California, USA. I have not seen even close to all of the states in the US, but I pick these places because they are beautiful and the hiking is gorgeous: Yosemite, Ansel Adams Wilderness and Joshua Tree (Is it cheating to pick three places in one state? Heheh, they all fall under the same category though!). I spent 10 days backpacking through the terrain and would gladly do it again! Lakes, mountains, rock piles and forests are all yours for the wandering. The experience of backpacking in such a place is not to be missed, as you must carry all your wares with you, exhert your body to get to your destination, and sleep under the open skies. (And if the camp life is not for you, at least you will better appreciate a shower when you get home!) Please go rock climb in Joshua Tree and salute El Capitán as you hike the Panorama Trail through the Yosemite Valley and perhaps get lost along the trails of the wilderness!
7. Mumbai, India. India is place of interesting juxtapositions, and simply for that reason, I think you should go there. People are helpful, especially when you get used to the bobby-head technique and pick it up yourself! Please don't go there in monsoon season, and please see both the north and the south of the country, which are two regions very different from each other (I saw only the north). I think to understand the sheer masses of people living in India is difficult. It's hard to wrap your head around 1 billion people in one country, but here's the crux: 1 billion people eat their cornflakes with sugar and hot milk, would they be the trendsetters then? In India you see that the world is really not about the West.

Well, that concludes this round of wonders, subjectively selected by Yours Truly. The world contains so many interesting cultures and beautiful views to be experienced, so go out there and explore them!

India briefly:

H = heat that drenches with its humidity

O = overcrowded streets filled with rickshaws

S = spicy food: savoury and addicting

P = people and more people hungry for knowledge

I = interminable roads and shanty towns

T = terraced fields of red earth and towering trees

A = autographs given to village girls

L = lovely Indian bride who married my friend

I = incredible combinations of sari colors

T = teachings on the first century disciples

Y = young 'uns gathered to wave during a traffic jam

i is for india

i will be gone for a few weeks, seeing places and people that are now still unfamiliar.
can't wait.
bye!

Travel III

This last entry, written from my very familiar work desk, will bring to a close this round of adventures. I will not even attempt to describe everything, but I did want to preserve two events by means of painted descriptions, not only for you, but for me too.

Egypt: Weddings are roudy affairs, full of lively music and lots of people clustered along a brightly lit street overhung with colored light bulbs. The women and men and children crowd on chairs and around the stage where the bridal couple sits on elegant thrones, like a king and queen presiding over their court entourage composed of happy relatives and guests. Sonja and I went with Asmaa' to the neighbor's brother's daughter's wedding (after making a guest appearance at another wedding down the street!) and immediately were ushered onto the stage for pictures with the happy couple, and in spite of our protests, danced with the bride and bride's family. By this time though, some of my reserve had worn off (as the initial shock of being thrust into the middle of a crowd of eager onlookers with camera phones had eased after some agonizingly uncertain moments of trying to "move to the Arabic groove" at the first wedding) and I enjoyed the festive atmosphere. Regardless of Asmaa's assurances, I felt very underdressed in my t-shirt and jeans as I danced around the flawlessly made-up and elegantly dressed bride. Her dress was dark pink, with golden glitter and a huge hem that I did my best not to step on! We left the wedding early, as we had an early morning wake-up for the next day's journey to Sinai.

Austria: We had a perfect day. After a few rainy days in the beginning, we welcomed the sunshine of our last full day in Leutasch. With most of the group gone, there were only four of us (and Bella the crazy mountain dog) that hiked up the mountain that day and made it to the summit where we toasted in the sun, ate the melting snow, and marveled at pretty flowers (ok, at least I did) and the breathtaking views of rugged mountains in every direction. Only two days previously we had hiked along the same path that was covered in snow, and now only the peaks had any! On our return we stopped at Wangalm, a mountain hütte where we had contentedly become regulars, addicted to their atmosphere, soup, coffee and schnaps. My sister's boyfriend was particularly taken with the three resident goats and the enormous pig that he dubbed Jumbo. As we ate delicious noodle soup, we watched the goats scrutinize a green motorcycle in the yard--I dare say they were most impressed with the backscratches they could get from the fenders. We were invited to drinks by the owner of the hütte, who took us down to the neighboring hütte with her friends, and we proceeded to have a cozy time even with the language barrier. (Here I must add that my three years of German studies have finally paid off, and I can communicate!!!! It is a thrill, I tell you!) With kisses and goodbyes, our time on the mountain ended with one more round of schnaps before heading down to the valley.

Thus ends the first tour of 2007. I heard many positive things from the students about it, and I do hope this means that they will be excited to go with Cubit Tours again next year! The outlook is definitely good; I know I'm in!!!

Travel II

Güße from Germany once more!!!

My last update was attempted in 6 minutes, so I apologize for the horrid spelling. But now I am back after an amazing time in Egypt, and can spend a bit more time to let you all know about the great trip we had.

With ten students, plus the leader and a few of us helpers, we have toured old sites in Cairo and Sinai. The group has been willing and ready for every adventure, whether horseback riding in the Sahara desert, taking camels to watch the sunset at the pyramids, hiking at Mt. Sinai at 2 am to watch the sunrise, to walking through museums and crazy street traffic. They have not given into complaining in spite of mosquito bites and stomach problems, and I am duly pleased.

The moments that are most special to me though, involve being with my Egyptian family. These moments have no camera recordings and so they live on in my memory only. One of my dreams came true, as I sat drinking the "best tea in the world" at grandmother´s place on a reed mat in the front yard surrounded by the geese and the cats and other relatives, and with my sister there to share the moment. I almost cried from happiness because I would not have expected it to come true! She can now imagine and know the places and smells and people that I talk about, and know how much they love her too. I will have to tell more stories about it all some other time, perhaps! :)

We are now headed for a few days to relax and wander about the Alps in Austria. I have been looking forward to this part of the trip too. Aaaaah, it does the soul good to be in the mountains.

May this find you well wherever on the planet you are, auf Wiedersehen!