I just got back from Athens and updated my blog!
Start at "The Oracle at Delphi" and work up to "Dangerous Dogs". Enjoy!
Wednesday, December 5, 2007
Monday, December 3, 2007
Dangerous Dogs
Trysha and I spent the morning and afternoon at “the center”, the program office and classrooms for her study abroad program here in Athens. I worked on my final journal entry submission for OSAP, as Trysha does not have Internet access in he apartment. That is one thing that I have taken for granted this semester. While Trysha lives just down the street from the center, many of the other students live several blocks away and have to walk to use Internet.
After her classes finished and I emailed in my journal entries, we stopped by a corner bakery to buy tiropita, a flakey pastry filled with feta cheese. The Greek version of feta is much stronger than it is in America, so I had to try some. I haven’t eaten Greek salad since I have been here, which kind of disappoints me as I love feta, tomatoes, and cucumbers.
From lunch, we walked past the Stadium, the Olympieon, and Hadrian’s Arch to Plaka, a shopping area of narrow streets and small storefronts filled with jewelry, pashminas, artwork, and gifts from Athens. On our way, we unintentionally picked up two of the many stray dogs in the city. Apparently the dogs in Athens are very territorial. They are incredibly sweet and friendly, and Trysha informed me that they often adopt people to protect, especially girls. As we walked down the street, the two dogs followed us and sometimes ran out in front. If we stopped, they waited for us, and when we turned corners, they came too. This wouldn’t be so problematic if they weren’t so protective. As we passed a woman on the street, the dogs started barking at her and one even jumped up on her and nipped at the sleeve of her jacket. Trysha yelled at him, and he eventually backed down as we continued down the street. When we passed an old woman, the same thing happened. The dogs nipped at a young woman’s arm as Trysha yelled “no” in Greek. We stayed to the side at Hadrian’s Arch, trying to avoid leading the dogs closer to other pedestrians. As we needed to cross a street, we waited at a light, and the dogs affectionately leaned up against our legs. Trysha rubbed one dog’s head, and I did the same. I was slightly terrified of the dogs and worried that they would turn on us, but they continued to sweetly nuzzle against us. As afraid as I was, I figured it was better to keep them happy and stay in their favor than have them attack us as well. When we crossed the street, we were unable to shake the dogs as they ran across too. The first person we met was a businessman in a suit. The dogs attacked him as well, knocking him to the ground. He scrambled back up and yelled at them, stomping his foot. Trysha and I kept walking to try to get the dogs away from the man, and eventually they followed us again. By this time, Trysha and I were completely distraught, knowing that each person we passed was going to get attacked! Thankfully they didn’t bite anyone badly, but it was still a traumatic experience. When we reached a row of stores, we rushed into a camera shop, and the dogs tried to follow us inside. The men outside saw our trouble and tried to chase them away. When we exited, they were waiting, so we crossed the street and ducked into another store. We peered outside after a few minutes, and as they were a tad bit away, we quickly rushed out and down the sidewalk in the opposite direction. The dogs slowly started to follow, so as soon as we turned the corner we ran as fast as we could down the street. We turned another corner and didn’t see them behind us, but we ran to the next corner just to make sure. By this time we were well within Plaka, so we started our shopping as we waited for our hearts to stop racing!
Plaka was a wonderful area of shops. I would tell more, but as I bought a few gifts there, I will have to remain silent. Trysha and I walked back through Athens and to her program center for a murder mystery dinner! Clue is one of my favorite board games, so I enjoyed playing and meeting the other students in her program. As the story was set in Monaco, everyone used French accents, some better than others. We spent a good deal of time laughing and had a fun time. Trysha and I walked back to her apartment and fell asleep watching “Love Actually”, one of our favorite holiday movies and one I have been wanting to watch abroad as it is set in London.
At a temple to Athena on top of the Acropolis. Notice the dog sleeping in the sun. They are everywhere in Athens!
Two more stray dogs on the steps of the archeological museum
Hadrian's Arch with the Acropolis underneath
Standing under Hadrian's Arch
After her classes finished and I emailed in my journal entries, we stopped by a corner bakery to buy tiropita, a flakey pastry filled with feta cheese. The Greek version of feta is much stronger than it is in America, so I had to try some. I haven’t eaten Greek salad since I have been here, which kind of disappoints me as I love feta, tomatoes, and cucumbers.
From lunch, we walked past the Stadium, the Olympieon, and Hadrian’s Arch to Plaka, a shopping area of narrow streets and small storefronts filled with jewelry, pashminas, artwork, and gifts from Athens. On our way, we unintentionally picked up two of the many stray dogs in the city. Apparently the dogs in Athens are very territorial. They are incredibly sweet and friendly, and Trysha informed me that they often adopt people to protect, especially girls. As we walked down the street, the two dogs followed us and sometimes ran out in front. If we stopped, they waited for us, and when we turned corners, they came too. This wouldn’t be so problematic if they weren’t so protective. As we passed a woman on the street, the dogs started barking at her and one even jumped up on her and nipped at the sleeve of her jacket. Trysha yelled at him, and he eventually backed down as we continued down the street. When we passed an old woman, the same thing happened. The dogs nipped at a young woman’s arm as Trysha yelled “no” in Greek. We stayed to the side at Hadrian’s Arch, trying to avoid leading the dogs closer to other pedestrians. As we needed to cross a street, we waited at a light, and the dogs affectionately leaned up against our legs. Trysha rubbed one dog’s head, and I did the same. I was slightly terrified of the dogs and worried that they would turn on us, but they continued to sweetly nuzzle against us. As afraid as I was, I figured it was better to keep them happy and stay in their favor than have them attack us as well. When we crossed the street, we were unable to shake the dogs as they ran across too. The first person we met was a businessman in a suit. The dogs attacked him as well, knocking him to the ground. He scrambled back up and yelled at them, stomping his foot. Trysha and I kept walking to try to get the dogs away from the man, and eventually they followed us again. By this time, Trysha and I were completely distraught, knowing that each person we passed was going to get attacked! Thankfully they didn’t bite anyone badly, but it was still a traumatic experience. When we reached a row of stores, we rushed into a camera shop, and the dogs tried to follow us inside. The men outside saw our trouble and tried to chase them away. When we exited, they were waiting, so we crossed the street and ducked into another store. We peered outside after a few minutes, and as they were a tad bit away, we quickly rushed out and down the sidewalk in the opposite direction. The dogs slowly started to follow, so as soon as we turned the corner we ran as fast as we could down the street. We turned another corner and didn’t see them behind us, but we ran to the next corner just to make sure. By this time we were well within Plaka, so we started our shopping as we waited for our hearts to stop racing!
Plaka was a wonderful area of shops. I would tell more, but as I bought a few gifts there, I will have to remain silent. Trysha and I walked back through Athens and to her program center for a murder mystery dinner! Clue is one of my favorite board games, so I enjoyed playing and meeting the other students in her program. As the story was set in Monaco, everyone used French accents, some better than others. We spent a good deal of time laughing and had a fun time. Trysha and I walked back to her apartment and fell asleep watching “Love Actually”, one of our favorite holiday movies and one I have been wanting to watch abroad as it is set in London.
At a temple to Athena on top of the Acropolis. Notice the dog sleeping in the sun. They are everywhere in Athens!
Two more stray dogs on the steps of the archeological museum
Hadrian's Arch with the Acropolis underneath
Standing under Hadrian's Arch
Sunday, December 2, 2007
Ancient Athens
I have fallen absolutely in love with Greece. This time here is exactly what I needed as my time in Europe ends. Trysha and I have responded to studying abroad in very similar ways, and it was so good to discuss out time abroad and find commonalities and understanding.
At home, Trysha and I were both known for being very bubbly, enthusiastic, positive, and outgoing. We have both been said to light up a room and bring sunshine with us wherever we go. Studying abroad has been very different, and have both experienced personality changes during our time away. We are less outwardly joyful, more reserved, and more inwardly focused. We both feel less need to be friends with everyone and don’t feel as friendly, overly kind, and people pleasing. Being so far from home and in another culture in some ways requires one to turn more inward and become self-sufficient and introverted. It is so easy to feel disconnected, isolated, and alone while abroad, and I feel that it is an important time for self-discovery and learning about oneself. We discussed our reactions to our terms in depth, and it was so wonderful to realize that I am not the only one who has reacted in this way. I was so worried, as I just don’t feel like I am as nice of a person as I was before I came. I thought that this was a flaw in personality, but the more I talked with Trysha and discovered commonalities, the more I realized that studying abroad has been more of a culture shock and will require more adjustment and processing when I return home than I had originally believed.
We woke up early today and walked to a Greek Orthodox Church down the street from Trysha’s apartment. The streets of Greece are lined with palm trees and orange trees, and I very much enjoyed the Mediterranean weather and climate. I had never been to a Greek Orthodox Church, and it was so different from any I have ever seen. Apparently the service is very long, and people come and go at different times. The church was filled with incense and icons, which the women stopped to kiss on their way in. The priests chanted from behind a screen, and the congregation constantly made the sign of the cross throughout the service. The men sat on one side and the women sat on the other. It was a very different experience, and I felt somewhat uncomfortable, as I had no idea how to behave.
From there we walked to see the changing of the guard at Syntagma and then up the Acropolis to the Parthenon. From the top of the Acropolis, we could see all of Athens, and it stretched on forever! Trysha was a very knowledgeable tour guide. She pointed out the Olympeion and Hadrian’s Arch, built under Emperor Hadrian, the same man who was responsible for Hadrian’s Wall in England. The Olympeion was a temple to Zeus and the largest in Athens. From there we walked to see the caves built into the side of the Acropolis and then walked to the Agora. It was so incredible to see buildings that have survived so long. As we walked down the Pantheonic Way, I was overwhelmed to know that some of the greatest minds of civilization walked down the exact path on the same stones.
On our way to lunch, Trysha also told me about the events of November 17, the Athens Polytechnic Uprising. On November 17, 1973, students at the Polytechnic University in Athens protested against the military regime in power. Unofficial accounts state that 24 students were killed, hundreds were injured, and almost a thousand were arrested during the uprising. The event is commemorated today with a demonstration that begins from the campus of the Polytechnic and ends at the United States embassy. The day involves a great deal of anti-U.S. sentiment, and during the early days of the march, students at Trysha’s American school in Greece were told to stay inside. I have never been anywhere that I have felt discriminated against due to my ethnicity or cultural background. Trysha often tells people in Greece that she is from Canada as so many Greeks feel animosity towards Americans.
After lunch we took a tram to Glyfada, Athens, Greece to walk on the beach and put our feet in the Agean Sea. The beach was very dirty and covered with garbage, but the sunset with the Greek Islands in the distance was incredible. Many beautiful pebbles and rocks had collected at the tide line, and I collected a few to take home to my young cousins as gifts from the Agean. Visiting the beach was the perfect way to end the day in Athens.
Trysha and me on the wall on top of the Acropolis. Athens stretches out as far as the eye can see...
In front of the Parthenon
Next to the Agora with the modern reconstruction of the stoa in the background
The Agora
Standing in the Agean Sea at sunset!
At home, Trysha and I were both known for being very bubbly, enthusiastic, positive, and outgoing. We have both been said to light up a room and bring sunshine with us wherever we go. Studying abroad has been very different, and have both experienced personality changes during our time away. We are less outwardly joyful, more reserved, and more inwardly focused. We both feel less need to be friends with everyone and don’t feel as friendly, overly kind, and people pleasing. Being so far from home and in another culture in some ways requires one to turn more inward and become self-sufficient and introverted. It is so easy to feel disconnected, isolated, and alone while abroad, and I feel that it is an important time for self-discovery and learning about oneself. We discussed our reactions to our terms in depth, and it was so wonderful to realize that I am not the only one who has reacted in this way. I was so worried, as I just don’t feel like I am as nice of a person as I was before I came. I thought that this was a flaw in personality, but the more I talked with Trysha and discovered commonalities, the more I realized that studying abroad has been more of a culture shock and will require more adjustment and processing when I return home than I had originally believed.
We woke up early today and walked to a Greek Orthodox Church down the street from Trysha’s apartment. The streets of Greece are lined with palm trees and orange trees, and I very much enjoyed the Mediterranean weather and climate. I had never been to a Greek Orthodox Church, and it was so different from any I have ever seen. Apparently the service is very long, and people come and go at different times. The church was filled with incense and icons, which the women stopped to kiss on their way in. The priests chanted from behind a screen, and the congregation constantly made the sign of the cross throughout the service. The men sat on one side and the women sat on the other. It was a very different experience, and I felt somewhat uncomfortable, as I had no idea how to behave.
From there we walked to see the changing of the guard at Syntagma and then up the Acropolis to the Parthenon. From the top of the Acropolis, we could see all of Athens, and it stretched on forever! Trysha was a very knowledgeable tour guide. She pointed out the Olympeion and Hadrian’s Arch, built under Emperor Hadrian, the same man who was responsible for Hadrian’s Wall in England. The Olympeion was a temple to Zeus and the largest in Athens. From there we walked to see the caves built into the side of the Acropolis and then walked to the Agora. It was so incredible to see buildings that have survived so long. As we walked down the Pantheonic Way, I was overwhelmed to know that some of the greatest minds of civilization walked down the exact path on the same stones.
On our way to lunch, Trysha also told me about the events of November 17, the Athens Polytechnic Uprising. On November 17, 1973, students at the Polytechnic University in Athens protested against the military regime in power. Unofficial accounts state that 24 students were killed, hundreds were injured, and almost a thousand were arrested during the uprising. The event is commemorated today with a demonstration that begins from the campus of the Polytechnic and ends at the United States embassy. The day involves a great deal of anti-U.S. sentiment, and during the early days of the march, students at Trysha’s American school in Greece were told to stay inside. I have never been anywhere that I have felt discriminated against due to my ethnicity or cultural background. Trysha often tells people in Greece that she is from Canada as so many Greeks feel animosity towards Americans.
After lunch we took a tram to Glyfada, Athens, Greece to walk on the beach and put our feet in the Agean Sea. The beach was very dirty and covered with garbage, but the sunset with the Greek Islands in the distance was incredible. Many beautiful pebbles and rocks had collected at the tide line, and I collected a few to take home to my young cousins as gifts from the Agean. Visiting the beach was the perfect way to end the day in Athens.
Trysha and me on the wall on top of the Acropolis. Athens stretches out as far as the eye can see...
In front of the Parthenon
Next to the Agora with the modern reconstruction of the stoa in the background
The Agora
Standing in the Agean Sea at sunset!
Saturday, December 1, 2007
The Oracle at Delphi
I feel so blessed to have friends studying abroad who I can visit. I met Trysha when she came to California to visit her best friend from high school in Colorado, Jenna, at APU during Spring Break of our freshman year. Jenna is also my best friend from college and is the friend who visited me in Oxford last week. Trysha and I are very similar in many ways, and she is one of the most encouraging, uplifting people I have ever met. Trysha is studying in Athens, and I was so excited to get to see her and spend time exploring the country that has been her home for the past three months.
This morning we woke up early and traveled by bus from Athens to Delphi. I had never realized that Greece is a very mountainous country. I loved watching out the window and seeing the mountains rising up on both sides. The town of Delphi is breathtaking. It is built into the side of Mount Parnassus and overlooks the valley of Phocis with a river below that flows into an inlet from the sea. We could see the water below and large boats that had come into port. Words don’t begin to do justice to the sight.
We walked through Delphi and down the road to the ancient ruins. Our first stop was at the café at the archaeological museum. I was shocked to see cats everywhere! There were about twenty just in the outdoor table area of the café! Some were sitting on the tables and in the chairs, and I even held one of the adorable kittens who sat at my feet (don’t worry; I washed my hands). I hadn’t realized how many stray cats and dogs there are in Greece! Trysha told me that they are rarely put down by pest control and that many people are willing to feed the strays, so they thrive.
The ruins at Delphi were absolutely spectacular. Delphi is most well known as the location of the ancient oracle. From the 8th century BC until 393 BC, the Delphic Oracle was the most prestigious and authoritative oracle in the Greek world. According to mythology, the Greek god, Apollo, killed the Python who possessed Delphi and threw its body into a fissure. The Pythia, or priestess of the oracle of Apollo, sat on a tripod over a crack from which rose vapors from the body of the decomposing Python. The vapors sent the Pythia into a trance, allowing Apollo to possess her spirit. In this state, she prophesied in riddles. People came from across Greece to ask questions of the Pythia and the Oracle at Delphi. The oracle plays a prominent role in many Greek tales, including the Oedipus stories by Sophocles. The Oracle at Delphi is the source of the prophecy that the son of King Lauis and Queen Jocasta of Thebes, Oedipus, would murder his father and marry his mother. It is through later visits to the oracle that Oedipus discovers his true identity and realizes that the original prophecy did in fact come true. I had read Oedipus in high school and for my Honors Introduction to Literature course at APU last year, so it was amazing to visit the sight of the oracle.
The ruins at Delphi also include the Temple of Apollo, many treasuries, and an outdoor theater with 33 tiers of stone seats, capable of seating 5,000 people. Further up on the mountain is a stadium with seating for 7,000. The stadium was used for the Pythian Games, similar to the Olympic Games in Olympia, which were held at Delphi every four years. Unlike other ancient games, the Pythian Games also included competitions in music and theatre. I was completely in awe of the architecture and engineering of the buildings. It is hard to fathom that these structures were built without the use of modern machinery. The Greeks were amazingly advanced for such an ancient civilization.
Our day in Delphi ended with a walk through the town. There were so many sloping streets, quaint alleyways, and descending stone steps leading to beautiful houses, and we enjoyed leaving the main road to wander amongst the homes with brightly painted shutters, flower boxes on balconies, laundry hanging to dry in the wind, and goats and turkeys in the yards. I would love to return to stay in Delphi, as the town was completely charming.
We wandered back to the shops where I bought an eye charm. Trysha told me that the Evil Eye curse is one of the oldest and most widely believed Greek superstitions. Supposedly the glance of the Evil Eye is believed to cause illness, injury, or death for those upon whom it falls. Thoughts towards an individual may cause the eye to be turned towards them, but wearing an eye pendent is said to turn the Evil Eye away. The blue in the Evil Eye is believed to mirror back thoughts that can bring envy or harm. Receiving compliments is said to turn the eye upon an individual, so Greeks often spit upon a person after complimenting them to protect them from the Eye. It was so interesting to hear about Greek superstition!
We finished out day in Delphi with hot chocolate in a café as we watched the sun set over the mountains and the sea. On our bus ride back, we met two guys from Argentina who are studying in Germany. Their English was limited, but Trysha and I know a bit of Spanish, so between the two languages we were able to converse during the three hour bus ride back to Athens. I love meeting people from other countries, and it was wonderful to get to use some of the Spanish I learned in high school to learn about their country, culture, and time in Europe.
In front of the Amphitheater at Delphi
The ruins at Delphi
Trysha holding a kitten at the cafe in Delphi
This morning we woke up early and traveled by bus from Athens to Delphi. I had never realized that Greece is a very mountainous country. I loved watching out the window and seeing the mountains rising up on both sides. The town of Delphi is breathtaking. It is built into the side of Mount Parnassus and overlooks the valley of Phocis with a river below that flows into an inlet from the sea. We could see the water below and large boats that had come into port. Words don’t begin to do justice to the sight.
We walked through Delphi and down the road to the ancient ruins. Our first stop was at the café at the archaeological museum. I was shocked to see cats everywhere! There were about twenty just in the outdoor table area of the café! Some were sitting on the tables and in the chairs, and I even held one of the adorable kittens who sat at my feet (don’t worry; I washed my hands). I hadn’t realized how many stray cats and dogs there are in Greece! Trysha told me that they are rarely put down by pest control and that many people are willing to feed the strays, so they thrive.
The ruins at Delphi were absolutely spectacular. Delphi is most well known as the location of the ancient oracle. From the 8th century BC until 393 BC, the Delphic Oracle was the most prestigious and authoritative oracle in the Greek world. According to mythology, the Greek god, Apollo, killed the Python who possessed Delphi and threw its body into a fissure. The Pythia, or priestess of the oracle of Apollo, sat on a tripod over a crack from which rose vapors from the body of the decomposing Python. The vapors sent the Pythia into a trance, allowing Apollo to possess her spirit. In this state, she prophesied in riddles. People came from across Greece to ask questions of the Pythia and the Oracle at Delphi. The oracle plays a prominent role in many Greek tales, including the Oedipus stories by Sophocles. The Oracle at Delphi is the source of the prophecy that the son of King Lauis and Queen Jocasta of Thebes, Oedipus, would murder his father and marry his mother. It is through later visits to the oracle that Oedipus discovers his true identity and realizes that the original prophecy did in fact come true. I had read Oedipus in high school and for my Honors Introduction to Literature course at APU last year, so it was amazing to visit the sight of the oracle.
The ruins at Delphi also include the Temple of Apollo, many treasuries, and an outdoor theater with 33 tiers of stone seats, capable of seating 5,000 people. Further up on the mountain is a stadium with seating for 7,000. The stadium was used for the Pythian Games, similar to the Olympic Games in Olympia, which were held at Delphi every four years. Unlike other ancient games, the Pythian Games also included competitions in music and theatre. I was completely in awe of the architecture and engineering of the buildings. It is hard to fathom that these structures were built without the use of modern machinery. The Greeks were amazingly advanced for such an ancient civilization.
Our day in Delphi ended with a walk through the town. There were so many sloping streets, quaint alleyways, and descending stone steps leading to beautiful houses, and we enjoyed leaving the main road to wander amongst the homes with brightly painted shutters, flower boxes on balconies, laundry hanging to dry in the wind, and goats and turkeys in the yards. I would love to return to stay in Delphi, as the town was completely charming.
We wandered back to the shops where I bought an eye charm. Trysha told me that the Evil Eye curse is one of the oldest and most widely believed Greek superstitions. Supposedly the glance of the Evil Eye is believed to cause illness, injury, or death for those upon whom it falls. Thoughts towards an individual may cause the eye to be turned towards them, but wearing an eye pendent is said to turn the Evil Eye away. The blue in the Evil Eye is believed to mirror back thoughts that can bring envy or harm. Receiving compliments is said to turn the eye upon an individual, so Greeks often spit upon a person after complimenting them to protect them from the Eye. It was so interesting to hear about Greek superstition!
We finished out day in Delphi with hot chocolate in a café as we watched the sun set over the mountains and the sea. On our bus ride back, we met two guys from Argentina who are studying in Germany. Their English was limited, but Trysha and I know a bit of Spanish, so between the two languages we were able to converse during the three hour bus ride back to Athens. I love meeting people from other countries, and it was wonderful to get to use some of the Spanish I learned in high school to learn about their country, culture, and time in Europe.
In front of the Amphitheater at Delphi
The ruins at Delphi
Trysha holding a kitten at the cafe in Delphi
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
Bittersweet Goodbyes
Yesterday, Jenna and I went to a Thai restaurant on High Street, owned by some men that we met at Copa, an Oxford pub, last night. They gave us their card and invited us to come, and as Jenna went to Thailand on a mission trip last Summer and loves the Thai culture, we decided to visit for lunch.
The restaurant was down a quaint alleyway between two High Street buildings. On the outside hung baskets of flowers. It was like walking to a hidden retreat away from the busyness of one of Oxford’s main streets. When we walked in, I had to catch my surprise at the odd juxtaposition of visiting a Thai restaurant in Oxford. The tables and décor were fitting for an Asian restaurant, but the building itself was very much English, with wood paneling and worn wooden stairs and a large fireplace against the wall. A single yellow rose decorated each table.
Our Thai friend welcomed us to his restaurant, and we ordered Jenna’s favorite Thai soup, Tom Ka Gai, a coconut soup with chicken and lemongrass. She also had a favorite dish, Pad See Ew, that the cook special made for us, as it wasn’t on the menu. A side of sticky white rice completed our meal, which was absolutely wonderful. It was so good to sit and talk with Jenna. My biggest regret of Oxford is that I haven’t made many friends with the British students, and I have missed conversations over lunch with close friends. After lunch, our Thai friend brought us complementary jasmine tea. He told us that we are his first American friends, and he was disappointed that Jenna was leaving that night. One of the cooks, who had purchased us drinks the night before, even came out from the kitchen to say hello and make sure that everything was good. It was so nice to make friends with locals, especially from another culture that Jenna loves so dearly.
From the restaurant, we walked down St. Aldate’s Street to the Head of the River Pub. We didn’t go inside, but its outdoor patio is the perfect place to view the beautiful Thames, or Isis as it is called in Oxford, and watch the ducks and swans that swim underneath its bridges. We crossed the bridge and wandered along the river. I’d only walked that Thames path once before, and both times it has been one of my favorite moments in Oxford. Leaving Jenna at the train station was so difficult, and I felt so incredibly homesick and alone as I returned to my flat. I wanted so badly to get on the train to London with her and steal away back to APU. I was more than a little jealous, as I miss my friends and campus life so much.
Today I woke up late and walked into town to visit the Radcliffe Camera, where I had books waiting that I had requested from the stacks. As I walked into town, I was acutely aware that I will be leaving Oxford soon. I walked down Walton Road, passing the shops and cafes that have become so familiar over the past three months. I will miss stopping for paninis at Meltz-to-Go, drinking mulled wine at Jude the Obscure, visiting my friend, Mark, the owner of Gastros Deli, for organic chicken baguettes, looking at the unique finds at the Minds charity shop, drooling over the beautiful dresses in the window at Posh Frocks, and late night trips to George and Danver’s for homemade ice cream. This town and these streets have become my home, and I can’t believe that I will be leaving.
As I walked through town and admired the beautiful buildings of Oxford, I had to hold back tears. I am currently sitting on a bench built into the stone on the side of the Radcliffe Camera, finishing my coffee before I go inside to research for my church history paper. The Camera is one of the most beautiful buildings I have ever seen, both inside and out. The sky is dark and grey with clouds threatening rain, but there is something so peaceful and refreshing in the soft breeze that is blowing my hair. This town has an indescribable charm and warmth, and it’s cobblestone streets and spires seem to hold secrets that beckon one to stay and explore. As much as I look forward to being back with family and friends, I will miss Oxford and hope to return soon.
Jenna at the Thai restuarant in Oxford, in front of the English fireplace
The Thames at dusk from the patio of Head of the River
Inside the lower Radcliffe Camera
The Radcliffe Camera at night
The restaurant was down a quaint alleyway between two High Street buildings. On the outside hung baskets of flowers. It was like walking to a hidden retreat away from the busyness of one of Oxford’s main streets. When we walked in, I had to catch my surprise at the odd juxtaposition of visiting a Thai restaurant in Oxford. The tables and décor were fitting for an Asian restaurant, but the building itself was very much English, with wood paneling and worn wooden stairs and a large fireplace against the wall. A single yellow rose decorated each table.
Our Thai friend welcomed us to his restaurant, and we ordered Jenna’s favorite Thai soup, Tom Ka Gai, a coconut soup with chicken and lemongrass. She also had a favorite dish, Pad See Ew, that the cook special made for us, as it wasn’t on the menu. A side of sticky white rice completed our meal, which was absolutely wonderful. It was so good to sit and talk with Jenna. My biggest regret of Oxford is that I haven’t made many friends with the British students, and I have missed conversations over lunch with close friends. After lunch, our Thai friend brought us complementary jasmine tea. He told us that we are his first American friends, and he was disappointed that Jenna was leaving that night. One of the cooks, who had purchased us drinks the night before, even came out from the kitchen to say hello and make sure that everything was good. It was so nice to make friends with locals, especially from another culture that Jenna loves so dearly.
From the restaurant, we walked down St. Aldate’s Street to the Head of the River Pub. We didn’t go inside, but its outdoor patio is the perfect place to view the beautiful Thames, or Isis as it is called in Oxford, and watch the ducks and swans that swim underneath its bridges. We crossed the bridge and wandered along the river. I’d only walked that Thames path once before, and both times it has been one of my favorite moments in Oxford. Leaving Jenna at the train station was so difficult, and I felt so incredibly homesick and alone as I returned to my flat. I wanted so badly to get on the train to London with her and steal away back to APU. I was more than a little jealous, as I miss my friends and campus life so much.
Today I woke up late and walked into town to visit the Radcliffe Camera, where I had books waiting that I had requested from the stacks. As I walked into town, I was acutely aware that I will be leaving Oxford soon. I walked down Walton Road, passing the shops and cafes that have become so familiar over the past three months. I will miss stopping for paninis at Meltz-to-Go, drinking mulled wine at Jude the Obscure, visiting my friend, Mark, the owner of Gastros Deli, for organic chicken baguettes, looking at the unique finds at the Minds charity shop, drooling over the beautiful dresses in the window at Posh Frocks, and late night trips to George and Danver’s for homemade ice cream. This town and these streets have become my home, and I can’t believe that I will be leaving.
As I walked through town and admired the beautiful buildings of Oxford, I had to hold back tears. I am currently sitting on a bench built into the stone on the side of the Radcliffe Camera, finishing my coffee before I go inside to research for my church history paper. The Camera is one of the most beautiful buildings I have ever seen, both inside and out. The sky is dark and grey with clouds threatening rain, but there is something so peaceful and refreshing in the soft breeze that is blowing my hair. This town has an indescribable charm and warmth, and it’s cobblestone streets and spires seem to hold secrets that beckon one to stay and explore. As much as I look forward to being back with family and friends, I will miss Oxford and hope to return soon.
Jenna at the Thai restuarant in Oxford, in front of the English fireplace
The Thames at dusk from the patio of Head of the River
Inside the lower Radcliffe Camera
The Radcliffe Camera at night
Sunday, November 25, 2007
A Taste of Home
My best friend from APU, Jenna, came to visit us in Oxford today. It was so wonderful to see her, as we haven't been together since school ended last May. I have missed her so much! I arrived back from the Merton College Narnia Ball at 4:00 AM, and we stayed up together until about 5:30 AM before falling asleep on the couches in my living room.
This morning we woke up and walked with my friend, Jenn, who is also studying at Oxford and lives in my flat, into town to go to our church. Jenna, Jenn, and I climbed the tower for the best possible view of Oxford and stayed up above the city for a while talking and enjoying the view and the breeze.
Jenn and I took Jenna to New College where we walked through the gardens and cloisters, stopping to pose underneath stone arches and beneath the boughs of the old tree in one of the quads. After lunch in a sandwich shop on High Street, we walked to Magdalen College and followed Addison's Path along the college deer park, along the River Cherwell, and back out the main gate. It was the most idyllic afternoon, free from any agenda, characterized by good friendship and the exploration of a beautiful city and God's creation.
After resting back at our flat, we embarked on an Oxford tradition: the pub crawl. I had never pub crawled before, but Oxford is very much a pub culture, and it seemed like the thing to do during Jenna's visit. We started at the Eagle and Child, the pub in which C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, and the other Inklings met every Tuesday to share their work. We visited a few more pubs and enjoyed a wonderful evening of good conversation among good friends. We even participated in a quiz game at one pub and joined a team with a porter at Pembroke College. At another pub, we made friends with some Thai men who own a restaurant here in Oxford. As Jenna went on a mission trip to Thailand two Summers ago, she and the men shared a common experience and love of Thai culture, and it was great to discuss our varying societies. We made it back to our flat late at night after a visit to a kebab van, completely the full experience of a night pubbing in Oxford.
Jenna and I found this bridge on our walk along the River Cherwell inside Magdalen College
Jenna and me outside one of the Oxford pubs
Drinking our cocktail drinks at Copa
Disclaimer: I do not condone excessive or underage drinking. Breaking the law is bad. I'm in Oxford and 21. It's legal! ;o)
Jenn, Jenna, and me outside Copa at the end of the evening
This morning we woke up and walked with my friend, Jenn, who is also studying at Oxford and lives in my flat, into town to go to our church. Jenna, Jenn, and I climbed the tower for the best possible view of Oxford and stayed up above the city for a while talking and enjoying the view and the breeze.
Jenn and I took Jenna to New College where we walked through the gardens and cloisters, stopping to pose underneath stone arches and beneath the boughs of the old tree in one of the quads. After lunch in a sandwich shop on High Street, we walked to Magdalen College and followed Addison's Path along the college deer park, along the River Cherwell, and back out the main gate. It was the most idyllic afternoon, free from any agenda, characterized by good friendship and the exploration of a beautiful city and God's creation.
After resting back at our flat, we embarked on an Oxford tradition: the pub crawl. I had never pub crawled before, but Oxford is very much a pub culture, and it seemed like the thing to do during Jenna's visit. We started at the Eagle and Child, the pub in which C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, and the other Inklings met every Tuesday to share their work. We visited a few more pubs and enjoyed a wonderful evening of good conversation among good friends. We even participated in a quiz game at one pub and joined a team with a porter at Pembroke College. At another pub, we made friends with some Thai men who own a restaurant here in Oxford. As Jenna went on a mission trip to Thailand two Summers ago, she and the men shared a common experience and love of Thai culture, and it was great to discuss our varying societies. We made it back to our flat late at night after a visit to a kebab van, completely the full experience of a night pubbing in Oxford.
Jenna and I found this bridge on our walk along the River Cherwell inside Magdalen College
Jenna and me outside one of the Oxford pubs
Drinking our cocktail drinks at Copa
Disclaimer: I do not condone excessive or underage drinking. Breaking the law is bad. I'm in Oxford and 21. It's legal! ;o)
Jenn, Jenna, and me outside Copa at the end of the evening
Sunday, November 18, 2007
With a heavy heart...
This morning we woke up at 4:30 AM to catch a 6:05 AM train to Krakow. We had a nice train with compartments, and I rode with my head resting against the window, watching the Polish countryside roll by. It was so interesting to see small towns and villages, some that looked quite new, and others that looked like time had stood still for thirty years or so. I woke up from a motion-induced nap at one point to see snow! It wasn’t just a sprinkling of snow; the ground was covered about a foot deep in white. The cold when we stepped of the train was piercing, and my teeth instantly started chattering.
There was a mall attached to the train station, so we went inside and wandered around for an hour waiting for stores to open at 10:00 AM. The mall was four floors and, once again, larger than most I had visited in the U.S. We decided to buy lunch in the food court, and I ate at a salad and pasta restaurant. I ate salads at least three days per week in the U.S., but in England, salads are expensive and small. It is difficult to find an affordable, meal sized salad. This Polish restaurant, however, had salads in two sizes, small or large. Both were huge and more than I could finish, and I only paid 15 Zloty ($6 dollars) for a huge salad with lettuce, chicken, corn, canned peas, cucumbers, green peppers, walnuts, hazelnuts, golden raisins, and bright red pieces of chewy, candied something or other with a curry vinaigrette dressing. It was once of the oddest salad combinations I’d ever eaten.
To combat the chilly November air, Sam and I stopped at a vendor in the corridor of the train station to buy gloves, hats, and winter socks. I wasn’t expecting the snow, so I was wearing thin ballet flats, and my feet were quickly wet and numb. We walked up to the bus station and paid 7 Zloty ($2.75) for an hour bus ride to Auschwitz.
Visiting Auschwitz was such a surreal experience. The tour was not as intense as I had expected, but in some ways, it was more so. I didn’t cry at Auschwitz like I had at the U.S. Holocaust Museum in Washington DC this past summer. Auschwitz was oddly...peaceful. It was freezing cold, and everything was covered in snow. Really, it was just a bunch of brick buildings. It was so weird to walk through the camp now, knowing what it was 60 years ago. The buildings at Auschwitz were made of brick, many of which were taken from the homes of nearby townspeople who were kicked out and made to live across the river. They were nicer than I had imagined, though inside conditions were terrible.
Each building of the tour was dedicated to a specific aspect of the camp. One of the most interesting was the room that housed property collected from the prisoners when they arrived by train. Each person was told to bring a certain amount of luggage that they would use to start a new life in the East. The Nazis collected these possessions as soon as the prisoners arrived and sorted into storehouses. The museum had displays that included rooms piled to the ceiling with suitcases, combs and brushes, cookware, and shoes. I was struck by the variety in the 40,000 pairs of shoes in the mounds that walled both sides of the walkway. There were red espadrilles, white sandals, purple heels, blue loafers, wooden clogs, and tons of brown shoes of every size and shape. Though the shoes formed a collective sea of material, each pair was as unique as the individuals whose feet they had once protected. Some of the shoes were incredibly tiny, reminding viewers of the lives of innocent children that ended at Auschwitz. The same room had a case of baby clothes, including intricately woven and delicate white dresses and booties.
I was least prepared for the stories of torture and experimentation at Auschwitz, most of which are too gruesome to share in this journal. After touring Auschwitz, a bus took us to the Birkenau site, a short journey away. This is where the most killing took place, though much less remains as the Nazis tried to destroy the evidence of the camp when they realized that the Allies would be arriving soon. In all the stories I had heard about Auschwitz, I had never really connected the fact that Poland is cold. As I walked through Birkenau in cargo pants, a fleece sweater, a wool pea coat, a hat, gloves, and a scarf, I shivered and couldn’t wait to get back inside. I hadn’t expected snow in Krakow, so I was wearing thin canvas ballet flats, and my toes were incredibly numb after hours of walking in the snow. I can’t even imagine what it would have been like to live in the manufactured horse stables at Birkenau in the Winter, when the cold wind blew snow through the sizeable cracks in the wood construction.
The museum site closed at 4:00 PM, so everyone was waiting to take the 4:15 bus back to Krakow. The people in front of us took the last two seats, but we didn’t want to wait for the next bus at 5:30 PM. We ended up sitting on the cold, wet steps of the bus for the two hour ride back. I was sure that one of us was going to fall down the steps and crash through the door. On the bus we met two guys from Alaska who were backpacking through Europe for 2½ months. Since the bus ride back to Krakow took longer than we had expected, we didn’t have time for dinner at the traditional Polish restaurant we had planned on visiting. The Alaskan boys told us about a traditional restaurant that they had visited the night before, so we decided to go to dinner with them. Evidently, they were turned around when we all left the station, because they led us thirty minutes out of the way, and what should have been a 10 minute walk took four times as long. We finally arrived at the main square of old town Krakow, and I was able to see a bit of the beautiful buildings I had heard so much about, but it was difficult to see anything at night.
The restaurant met all of my expectations for a traditional Polish dinner. Inside were wooden tables and benches, shelves of ingredients lining the walls, and hanging swags of spices and wreathes of garlic. It felt like we’d stepped into someone’s kitchen. Our meal began with bread served with traditional Polish lard spread instead of butter. Sam wouldn’t touch it, but the boys raved about it, so I had to try some. It was actually quite good, though the idea of spreading fat onto my bread was a tad bit too much for me. For our main course, we had perogies.
We took a taxi back to the train station and were so disappointed to find out that the 8:00 PM train was full. We could have taken a 10:00 PM train, but it wouldn’t have arrived until 6:00 AM. The night train takes a full five hours longer than the day train, so we decided against that option. We bought standing tickets for the three hour train ride back to Warsaw and spent the journey sitting on the floor in the dining car. We were so happy to get off the train in Warsaw at 11:00 PM. After a day of freezing cold weather, I took full advantage of the wonderful Marriott bathtub and took probably the most wonderful bubble bath of my life. It may be the first time I’ve been completely warm in months!
There was a mall attached to the train station, so we went inside and wandered around for an hour waiting for stores to open at 10:00 AM. The mall was four floors and, once again, larger than most I had visited in the U.S. We decided to buy lunch in the food court, and I ate at a salad and pasta restaurant. I ate salads at least three days per week in the U.S., but in England, salads are expensive and small. It is difficult to find an affordable, meal sized salad. This Polish restaurant, however, had salads in two sizes, small or large. Both were huge and more than I could finish, and I only paid 15 Zloty ($6 dollars) for a huge salad with lettuce, chicken, corn, canned peas, cucumbers, green peppers, walnuts, hazelnuts, golden raisins, and bright red pieces of chewy, candied something or other with a curry vinaigrette dressing. It was once of the oddest salad combinations I’d ever eaten.
To combat the chilly November air, Sam and I stopped at a vendor in the corridor of the train station to buy gloves, hats, and winter socks. I wasn’t expecting the snow, so I was wearing thin ballet flats, and my feet were quickly wet and numb. We walked up to the bus station and paid 7 Zloty ($2.75) for an hour bus ride to Auschwitz.
Visiting Auschwitz was such a surreal experience. The tour was not as intense as I had expected, but in some ways, it was more so. I didn’t cry at Auschwitz like I had at the U.S. Holocaust Museum in Washington DC this past summer. Auschwitz was oddly...peaceful. It was freezing cold, and everything was covered in snow. Really, it was just a bunch of brick buildings. It was so weird to walk through the camp now, knowing what it was 60 years ago. The buildings at Auschwitz were made of brick, many of which were taken from the homes of nearby townspeople who were kicked out and made to live across the river. They were nicer than I had imagined, though inside conditions were terrible.
Each building of the tour was dedicated to a specific aspect of the camp. One of the most interesting was the room that housed property collected from the prisoners when they arrived by train. Each person was told to bring a certain amount of luggage that they would use to start a new life in the East. The Nazis collected these possessions as soon as the prisoners arrived and sorted into storehouses. The museum had displays that included rooms piled to the ceiling with suitcases, combs and brushes, cookware, and shoes. I was struck by the variety in the 40,000 pairs of shoes in the mounds that walled both sides of the walkway. There were red espadrilles, white sandals, purple heels, blue loafers, wooden clogs, and tons of brown shoes of every size and shape. Though the shoes formed a collective sea of material, each pair was as unique as the individuals whose feet they had once protected. Some of the shoes were incredibly tiny, reminding viewers of the lives of innocent children that ended at Auschwitz. The same room had a case of baby clothes, including intricately woven and delicate white dresses and booties.
I was least prepared for the stories of torture and experimentation at Auschwitz, most of which are too gruesome to share in this journal. After touring Auschwitz, a bus took us to the Birkenau site, a short journey away. This is where the most killing took place, though much less remains as the Nazis tried to destroy the evidence of the camp when they realized that the Allies would be arriving soon. In all the stories I had heard about Auschwitz, I had never really connected the fact that Poland is cold. As I walked through Birkenau in cargo pants, a fleece sweater, a wool pea coat, a hat, gloves, and a scarf, I shivered and couldn’t wait to get back inside. I hadn’t expected snow in Krakow, so I was wearing thin canvas ballet flats, and my toes were incredibly numb after hours of walking in the snow. I can’t even imagine what it would have been like to live in the manufactured horse stables at Birkenau in the Winter, when the cold wind blew snow through the sizeable cracks in the wood construction.
The museum site closed at 4:00 PM, so everyone was waiting to take the 4:15 bus back to Krakow. The people in front of us took the last two seats, but we didn’t want to wait for the next bus at 5:30 PM. We ended up sitting on the cold, wet steps of the bus for the two hour ride back. I was sure that one of us was going to fall down the steps and crash through the door. On the bus we met two guys from Alaska who were backpacking through Europe for 2½ months. Since the bus ride back to Krakow took longer than we had expected, we didn’t have time for dinner at the traditional Polish restaurant we had planned on visiting. The Alaskan boys told us about a traditional restaurant that they had visited the night before, so we decided to go to dinner with them. Evidently, they were turned around when we all left the station, because they led us thirty minutes out of the way, and what should have been a 10 minute walk took four times as long. We finally arrived at the main square of old town Krakow, and I was able to see a bit of the beautiful buildings I had heard so much about, but it was difficult to see anything at night.
The restaurant met all of my expectations for a traditional Polish dinner. Inside were wooden tables and benches, shelves of ingredients lining the walls, and hanging swags of spices and wreathes of garlic. It felt like we’d stepped into someone’s kitchen. Our meal began with bread served with traditional Polish lard spread instead of butter. Sam wouldn’t touch it, but the boys raved about it, so I had to try some. It was actually quite good, though the idea of spreading fat onto my bread was a tad bit too much for me. For our main course, we had perogies.
We took a taxi back to the train station and were so disappointed to find out that the 8:00 PM train was full. We could have taken a 10:00 PM train, but it wouldn’t have arrived until 6:00 AM. The night train takes a full five hours longer than the day train, so we decided against that option. We bought standing tickets for the three hour train ride back to Warsaw and spent the journey sitting on the floor in the dining car. We were so happy to get off the train in Warsaw at 11:00 PM. After a day of freezing cold weather, I took full advantage of the wonderful Marriott bathtub and took probably the most wonderful bubble bath of my life. It may be the first time I’ve been completely warm in months!
Saturday, November 17, 2007
Walking through Warsaw
My friend, Stacey Bry, who is also studying in Oxford, has a best friend from home in California named Sam. Sam is attending medical school in Łodz, Poland, so I went to visit her for a few days.
Sam and I woke up early to travel to the train station in Łodz to take a train to Warsaw. Since I had arrived at night yesterday, this was my first experience really seeing any part of Poland. This country is different than anywhere I have ever been. Prior to visiting Poland, I had been to Canada, England, France, Germany, Austria, Liechtenstein, and Switzerland. All of these countries are Western European or North American, while Poland was part of the Eastern Block. Communism reigned here until.
Most of what I saw in Łodz this morning was a bit run down, graffitied, and dated. City buses were from the 1970s. Somehow the biting cold and grey skies added to the feeling of desolation. One of the most interesting things I noticed about Łodz is its colors. Buildings are painted with a palette of blues, yellows, greens, and oranges, often times with many colors on one building. We drove by the most beautiful church that looked like a massive mosaic. The colors seem to contrast the cold, grayness almost defiantly.
When we arrived in Warsaw, I noticed that none of the signs were in English. Most of the other countries I had visited had signs in both languages, but the train station in Warsaw had nothing. If I hadn’t been with Sam, I don’t know how I would have found my way out. The station was underground and a maze of stores selling baked goods, kebabs, convenience goods, books, scarves and hats, and clothing. Sam booked us discounted reservations at the Marriott Warsaw, which was conveniently located next to the train station. We didn’t even have to go outside, as the underground walkways went straight to the hotel.
The opulence of the Marriott Warsaw was a welcomed treat after living in my cold, dark, decaying flat in England for the past two months. I was definitely tempted to crawl under the plush covers of the soft, fluffy bed and stay there all day. On a prior trip to Warsaw, Sam and her father met a man, Mark, who works as a driver for Marriott. Sam had arranged for Mark to meet us at the hotel, so we went downstairs where he was waiting with his very nice car to give us a tour of the city.
It was so wonderful to visit the city with a local. As we drove, Mark pointed out buildings of interest, such as the largest cemetery in Warsaw, the row of embassies, technical schools, and particularly interesting parks. Warsaw has one of the only Muslim mosques in the world without a tower, as the surrounding residents protested its construction. Apparently they didn’t want to hear 5 AM prayers every day. The streets of Warsaw were lined with people selling wares from carts and stalls. We even drove past the largest bazaar in Europe. Its stalls stretched for such a long distance! Mark informed us that it is possible to buy fake identification and even fake university diplomas at the bazaar. Why am I at university then? I should have just stopped at the bazaar to buy a degree!
Our first stop was Wilanow Palace, built for Polish King Jan III Sobieski in the 1600s. One source called it the Polish Versailles. When Mark parked the car, a man came up and asked if he could “guard” the car. While homeless men and women sell “Big Issue” magazines in Oxford, guarding cars seems to be a popular way of earning money on the street in Warsaw. As we walked up to the palace, I realized how little I knew about Poland. I knew nothing of its history, culture, or language, and this fact made me sad. Once again, I was struck by the beautiful colors. The palace was white with yellow, red, and blue trim, and recessed statues decorated its walls and adorned the roofs.
From the palace, we drove to the 200-acre Łazienki Park with the beautiful “water palace”, surrounded by water on all sides. There were so many beautiful sculptures, statues, and buildings in the park, and I enjoyed watching the peacocks walk along the paths. For such a cold day, the park was surprisingly busy. At the top of the park, we saw the memorial to the composer, Chopin. A short walk took us to a statue of Józef Piłsudski, Poland's first chief of state, who is considered largely responsible for Poland having regained her independence in 1918. It was next to Belweder Palace, essentially the former version of the U.S. White House, as it housed several presidents and a chief of state, including Józef Piłsudski. It now serves as a residence for visiting heads of state.
We got back in the car and drove to Old Town Warsaw. About 85% of the buildings in Warsaw were destroyed during World War II, including 25% by the German forces during the Warsaw Uprising in 1944. Thankfully, much of Old Town has been rebuilt, with squares surrounded by buildings of the most amazing colors. Many are adorned with painted or carved embellishments, and restaurants are covered with flowers and decorative lights.
From Old Town, we drove to see the last remaining wall from the Warsaw ghetto. In 1940, 440,000 people, about 37% of Warsaw, were crowded into less than 3 square miles, or 2.3% of Warsaw's area. Food rations inside the ghetto were around 200 calories per day. I had to hold back tears and the desire to be sick as we drove through a park that used to be inside the ghetto. The conditions are just unimaginable.
Poland is a country that is still very much in need of rebuilding. Sam told me that she views Poland as a diamond waiting to be pressed from coal. Though the government is now a democracy, the people still feel the effects of the former Communist rule, and many are unsure as to how to adjust to the new administration. Łodz is campaigning to be the European Capital of Culture in 2016, and a great amount of work is going into revitalizing the city. It will be interesting to see where Poland goes in the next ten years!
Sam and I woke up early to travel to the train station in Łodz to take a train to Warsaw. Since I had arrived at night yesterday, this was my first experience really seeing any part of Poland. This country is different than anywhere I have ever been. Prior to visiting Poland, I had been to Canada, England, France, Germany, Austria, Liechtenstein, and Switzerland. All of these countries are Western European or North American, while Poland was part of the Eastern Block. Communism reigned here until.
Most of what I saw in Łodz this morning was a bit run down, graffitied, and dated. City buses were from the 1970s. Somehow the biting cold and grey skies added to the feeling of desolation. One of the most interesting things I noticed about Łodz is its colors. Buildings are painted with a palette of blues, yellows, greens, and oranges, often times with many colors on one building. We drove by the most beautiful church that looked like a massive mosaic. The colors seem to contrast the cold, grayness almost defiantly.
When we arrived in Warsaw, I noticed that none of the signs were in English. Most of the other countries I had visited had signs in both languages, but the train station in Warsaw had nothing. If I hadn’t been with Sam, I don’t know how I would have found my way out. The station was underground and a maze of stores selling baked goods, kebabs, convenience goods, books, scarves and hats, and clothing. Sam booked us discounted reservations at the Marriott Warsaw, which was conveniently located next to the train station. We didn’t even have to go outside, as the underground walkways went straight to the hotel.
The opulence of the Marriott Warsaw was a welcomed treat after living in my cold, dark, decaying flat in England for the past two months. I was definitely tempted to crawl under the plush covers of the soft, fluffy bed and stay there all day. On a prior trip to Warsaw, Sam and her father met a man, Mark, who works as a driver for Marriott. Sam had arranged for Mark to meet us at the hotel, so we went downstairs where he was waiting with his very nice car to give us a tour of the city.
It was so wonderful to visit the city with a local. As we drove, Mark pointed out buildings of interest, such as the largest cemetery in Warsaw, the row of embassies, technical schools, and particularly interesting parks. Warsaw has one of the only Muslim mosques in the world without a tower, as the surrounding residents protested its construction. Apparently they didn’t want to hear 5 AM prayers every day. The streets of Warsaw were lined with people selling wares from carts and stalls. We even drove past the largest bazaar in Europe. Its stalls stretched for such a long distance! Mark informed us that it is possible to buy fake identification and even fake university diplomas at the bazaar. Why am I at university then? I should have just stopped at the bazaar to buy a degree!
Our first stop was Wilanow Palace, built for Polish King Jan III Sobieski in the 1600s. One source called it the Polish Versailles. When Mark parked the car, a man came up and asked if he could “guard” the car. While homeless men and women sell “Big Issue” magazines in Oxford, guarding cars seems to be a popular way of earning money on the street in Warsaw. As we walked up to the palace, I realized how little I knew about Poland. I knew nothing of its history, culture, or language, and this fact made me sad. Once again, I was struck by the beautiful colors. The palace was white with yellow, red, and blue trim, and recessed statues decorated its walls and adorned the roofs.
From the palace, we drove to the 200-acre Łazienki Park with the beautiful “water palace”, surrounded by water on all sides. There were so many beautiful sculptures, statues, and buildings in the park, and I enjoyed watching the peacocks walk along the paths. For such a cold day, the park was surprisingly busy. At the top of the park, we saw the memorial to the composer, Chopin. A short walk took us to a statue of Józef Piłsudski, Poland's first chief of state, who is considered largely responsible for Poland having regained her independence in 1918. It was next to Belweder Palace, essentially the former version of the U.S. White House, as it housed several presidents and a chief of state, including Józef Piłsudski. It now serves as a residence for visiting heads of state.
We got back in the car and drove to Old Town Warsaw. About 85% of the buildings in Warsaw were destroyed during World War II, including 25% by the German forces during the Warsaw Uprising in 1944. Thankfully, much of Old Town has been rebuilt, with squares surrounded by buildings of the most amazing colors. Many are adorned with painted or carved embellishments, and restaurants are covered with flowers and decorative lights.
From Old Town, we drove to see the last remaining wall from the Warsaw ghetto. In 1940, 440,000 people, about 37% of Warsaw, were crowded into less than 3 square miles, or 2.3% of Warsaw's area. Food rations inside the ghetto were around 200 calories per day. I had to hold back tears and the desire to be sick as we drove through a park that used to be inside the ghetto. The conditions are just unimaginable.
Poland is a country that is still very much in need of rebuilding. Sam told me that she views Poland as a diamond waiting to be pressed from coal. Though the government is now a democracy, the people still feel the effects of the former Communist rule, and many are unsure as to how to adjust to the new administration. Łodz is campaigning to be the European Capital of Culture in 2016, and a great amount of work is going into revitalizing the city. It will be interesting to see where Poland goes in the next ten years!
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
Updates
Thank you so much to those of you who read my blog! I'm so glad that you enjoy it!
I've written several new posts, but I always backdate them to the day that they actually took place. As such, new posts aren't always at the top of the blog. If you scroll down, you can see new posts that I published today from:
Saturday, November 10, 2007: "Warwick Castle"
Friday, November 9, 2007: "Sleeping Beauty"
Thursday, November 8, 2007: "Onto a New Plane"
Thursday, November 1, 2007: "The Snow Queen"
Thursday, November 1, 2007: "Exhilarating Academics"
I hope you enjoy them!
I've also started linking some words if you want more information on the things I talk about in my posts. Anything that is underlined is a link to another page.
Don't forget that you can enlarge pictures by clicking on them!
Love and best wishes,
Kimberly
I've written several new posts, but I always backdate them to the day that they actually took place. As such, new posts aren't always at the top of the blog. If you scroll down, you can see new posts that I published today from:
Saturday, November 10, 2007: "Warwick Castle"
Friday, November 9, 2007: "Sleeping Beauty"
Thursday, November 8, 2007: "Onto a New Plane"
Thursday, November 1, 2007: "The Snow Queen"
Thursday, November 1, 2007: "Exhilarating Academics"
I hope you enjoy them!
I've also started linking some words if you want more information on the things I talk about in my posts. Anything that is underlined is a link to another page.
Don't forget that you can enlarge pictures by clicking on them!
Love and best wishes,
Kimberly
Saturday, November 10, 2007
Warwick Castle
I love castles. There is something about them that is so permanent, so strong, so unchanging throughout history that makes me feel so connected to the past. I love walking through their corridors and around their grounds and imagining the countless individuals who have also wandered the earth upon which these great castles stand.
Today we visited Warwick Castle. It stands on the edge of the town of Warwick in Central England on the River Avon. Before we went, our program brought in a guest lecturer to tell us more about Warwick Castle and castle life in general. He emphasized the fact that private castles such as Warwick were, above all else, homes. People lived in them. They had babies in them, raised their children in them, had weddings in them, and even died in them. What struck me the most was his depiction of castles as ever changing. Each new era, each new family, each new individual adds something to the castle and takes something away. Castles are always undergoing additions and renovations, so in many ways, the castles of a thousand years ago don’t exist. This was especially noticeable in the staterooms exhibit in Warwick. A section of the castle was decorated as it would have been in 1898, when Daisy, Countess of Warwick, hosted a weekend party at the castle. The principle guest was the Prince of Wales, later Edward VII. The rooms were beautiful, with much of the original décor still in place, yet the Victorian rooms look nothing like what one would imagine to be inside a castle.
We also learned about the way that castles were attacked. The easiest way was, of course, to storm the castle gate. At Warwick, however, the main gate leads into a small entryway before a second gate. The attackers are then trapped in the passageway as arrows rain down from all directions from slots in the walls above. Another option was to dig underneath a tower or wall until it toppled. It was easier to topple square towers, which is why many towers were later built with circular bases. So interesting!
Warwick Castle had wonderful opportunities for interaction with history. The staterooms had wax figures created by Madam Tussauds. One tower told of the murder of a previous owner as a ghost story. It was dimly lit with actors who, along with telling the tale in bloody make-up, snarled, shouted, and thoroughly scared us all to pieces! I screamed more than once. The Kingmaker exhibit depicted peasant and knight life, and we were able to try on helmets, armor, and clothing. Another exhibit allowed us to share in the dreams of a young pageboy of the castle on the night before entering his first battle. Visiting Warwick Castle opened my eyes more to the true story of castles, their purpose, their functions, actual castle life, and the impact of time upon their stories.
The town of Warwick. I also visited that church.
A view of the castle from the top of the castle mound
These lamp posts reminded us of Narnia...
Frilly hats and frocks!
Why don't girls still wear dresses like this?
The River Avon flows right along the castle...the English countryside is so beautiful!
Today we visited Warwick Castle. It stands on the edge of the town of Warwick in Central England on the River Avon. Before we went, our program brought in a guest lecturer to tell us more about Warwick Castle and castle life in general. He emphasized the fact that private castles such as Warwick were, above all else, homes. People lived in them. They had babies in them, raised their children in them, had weddings in them, and even died in them. What struck me the most was his depiction of castles as ever changing. Each new era, each new family, each new individual adds something to the castle and takes something away. Castles are always undergoing additions and renovations, so in many ways, the castles of a thousand years ago don’t exist. This was especially noticeable in the staterooms exhibit in Warwick. A section of the castle was decorated as it would have been in 1898, when Daisy, Countess of Warwick, hosted a weekend party at the castle. The principle guest was the Prince of Wales, later Edward VII. The rooms were beautiful, with much of the original décor still in place, yet the Victorian rooms look nothing like what one would imagine to be inside a castle.
We also learned about the way that castles were attacked. The easiest way was, of course, to storm the castle gate. At Warwick, however, the main gate leads into a small entryway before a second gate. The attackers are then trapped in the passageway as arrows rain down from all directions from slots in the walls above. Another option was to dig underneath a tower or wall until it toppled. It was easier to topple square towers, which is why many towers were later built with circular bases. So interesting!
Warwick Castle had wonderful opportunities for interaction with history. The staterooms had wax figures created by Madam Tussauds. One tower told of the murder of a previous owner as a ghost story. It was dimly lit with actors who, along with telling the tale in bloody make-up, snarled, shouted, and thoroughly scared us all to pieces! I screamed more than once. The Kingmaker exhibit depicted peasant and knight life, and we were able to try on helmets, armor, and clothing. Another exhibit allowed us to share in the dreams of a young pageboy of the castle on the night before entering his first battle. Visiting Warwick Castle opened my eyes more to the true story of castles, their purpose, their functions, actual castle life, and the impact of time upon their stories.
The town of Warwick. I also visited that church.
A view of the castle from the top of the castle mound
These lamp posts reminded us of Narnia...
Frilly hats and frocks!
Why don't girls still wear dresses like this?
The River Avon flows right along the castle...the English countryside is so beautiful!
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