Eureka!

Ourika valley lays tucked away in mid-Morocco. After a whirlwind of changing buses and directions, I found my way to this arid strip of land and water. Lots of surprises were strewn about along the way.

For our first stop, we got to see exactly how berber pottery is made. They have a hand-spun stick on which two-day old clay of dough consistency was placed. The spinning wheel was foot operated, and the clay formed by hand and cut using string. Afterwards, 100 kilograms of wood per day fuelled the wood kiln, in which 300 pieces per day were baked for four hours to harden. Herbs and spices such as alfalfa and saffron provided the natural dye for the intricate designs as well. In the shop, various fossils and geodes from the Atlas mountains (housing the second highest mountain in Africa) also sat on display.

On the way down into the valley, we stopped for photos along the intersection between the Ourika river and the Atlas mountains. A quick stretch break, and we were off to an Argan Souad to learn how their precious oils are made by hand in a female cooperative (put in place to give mothers jobs because family obligations prevent moving to the city). The Argan tree fruit, also consumed by tree-climbing goats (link here) are hand crushed, ground, and milled to extract oil with water, and some Argan almonds are roasted to make "berber nutella".

We then saw a Berber house and mill wheel run by waterflow, which grounds grains archaically into flour. A woman cooked a tagine over a fire, and the valley brought water in next to her for dishwashing. In a spare room, there were pots full of oil and flour, and a hanging cask filled with milk to shake for 40 minutes at a time for making buttermilk.

Lots of bits and pieces used for various occasions such as marriages also laid about.

I became friends with the Germans on the tour, and we discussed visiting each other at some point if time allows. The three of them were working in finance, business, and industry respectively. We then went off to the Ourika Valley's starting point: a huge waterfall. 

Setti Fatma was the waterfall we went to, and arrived at after an hour hike uphill. The waterfall itself was beautiful and gave way to many beautiful sights the higher up the mountainside I hiked.

From here, my new friends and I watched monkeys run across logs abreast the river, listened to musicians playing their one string fiddle, and on the way back to town, even saw a man chasing downhill after his donkey. African animals are definitely independent thinkers.

After a long travel, and much anxiety from street vendors, i haggled a cheap taxi and got to the airport for my flight back to London. I got home at three in the morning and promptly crashed. Good night, and see you all again soon!

Out of the Desert

We woke up to the sound of drums and the sun rising over the Saharan mountains. Jam bread, strong tea, and warm coffee greeted us on the cold morning, and we once again braced our camels to head back to the main road.

I soaked in the beauty of the surrounding landscape, knowing that if my camel took off and I plummeted to the ground, I would die a happy person. Just as we hit the halfway point, we saw three dogs barking and chasing after two mortified camels, and two berber men in turn running after the camels. It was comedy gold that I had to miss recording so as to not fall off of camelback. We reached the road, tipped the berbers, wished them farewell, and hit the road for Casbah on Hill, Ourzazate.

This berber town of migrants was built in the 17th century from traded over Yemenese adobe clay and straw.

The Berbers have no written language, so all of their thoughts were expressed in artwork. Although the high walls were once built to fend off attackers, the city is no longer dangerous- caravans pass through here safely for gold and silver trade under government administration. In 1956 the last official governor ruler helped them out in this regard. Lots of movies are sho in this town, and our tour guide Mohamed was an extra soldier and interpreter in Cleopatra. Of all the labguages he speaks, he prefers English because of listening to hip hop.

Because of what it is, anyone could buy land for for 300€ before movies were shot here. Now the land cost is closer to 40,000€. Jean Claude Van Damme shot a movie here and the people gave him whatever he and his cast needed. However, Moroccans would blast music to hustle them for money before police would cone, since begging was otherwise illegal.

Concerning these houses, people dig deeper cellars to stay cool in 50C summers. Modern houses have come in since 1917 for new people. They continue to use straw to prevent cracks in adobe during the adobe heat.

We were then shown various Ghilim and glawa carpets done by one woman to close off doors in tents. We had tea and browsed wares, and I walked away with a less-than-cheap tea set and oil lamp. We had lunch, i finally managed to withdraw money, and I saw more of the beautiful Moroccan landscape as I held deep conversation with another traveler all the way back down to Marrakech.

When I returned, I actually managed to overcome my anxieties of unfamiliarity and find my way back to my Riad without getting haggles and without getting lost. I left for my next Riad, unpacked, had more Moroccan Mint Tea, and left for a familiar sight: Northern Europeans.

Chez Brahim is along Derb Dabachi, a busy off-street filled with both motorcycles and pedestrians everywhere. The restaurant itself is quaint, artsy, and extremely Berber. Here, bread and chili sauce are served together as an appetizer and garam masala replaces pepper as a table condiment (as it should be). I had some veggie berber tagine, tipped my hat to the restaurant's prompt service (and similarity to the actual berbers I stayed with), and headed home to rest up for an action-packed day ahead.

Next up: Ourika Valley!

The Crest of the World

On my first full day in Morocco, We drove into the Atlas and then into the Sahara. The drive started in Marrakech and eventually found us driving towards the Atlas mountains.

We eventually climbed so high that there was snow on the mountains and the faint promise of clouds below us, proud along the mountainous background. We were in Col de Kotchka's remit, 2 and a half kilometers above sea level. High in the Atlas mountains, it was here that I found myself lost in their visage.

And so, around 2.6 kilometers up, we came to an amazing vista. Mountains surrounded us on all sides, and the valley gave way to - you guessed it - even more mountains. It was as though time had stopped. I was breathless (and not just because of the altitude).

We passed through our first high-mountain village (which blew my mind to see anybody lived up there) and eventually arrived at our first location and lunch stop: Ksair Ait Ben Haddou (Castle Berbers of Haddou) Prince of Persia and Game of Thrones were shot here. The new part was built seven years prior to my coming for the muslim berbers- the surviving castle houses sixty five, mostly jewish berbers. The views from the top were the single best I had ever seen.

After being used as a scarf model, we were taken to the restaurant to soup up for our saharan adventure. I sat with a table full of French-speaking individuals, all of whom would become friends despite my lack of French language comprehension. It was also on this day that I learned that my lack of paper currency would complicate things wherever I went in this country, as almost everywhere only accepts cash.

And so we drove to Zagora, a little desert town, where we would use the toilet and head to the Sahara. Once at the Sahara, our five new Berber friends put us all on camels, and I got to ride an animal for the first time in nearly 15 years (the last being a pony). We had a simple dinner of tagine, soup, and fruit, after a Moroccan mint tea ceremony and cleaning the saharan sand out of our eyes.

The tents got rather cold that night, but after a long day of traveling and musical performances (where the Berbers catered to us Spanish speakers by performing Shakira and Juanes), we didn't care. My roommates were three girls from Seville, and by the end of the night, I could hardly remember any English. We chatted about everything under the sun, and I further developed my Spanish social skills.

Stay tuned for the following day!

Ana Atakalum Maroco

After returning from Wales, I almost immediately set out for Gatwick Airport to depart for Morocco. My best friend from elementary school recommended the city of Marrakech to me as a nice March getaway. So, I headed to the airport and boarded a plane to visit Africa for the first of hopefully many times.

When I arrived and sorted out my data usage, I stumbled blindly to the bus into town. I paid the bus driver using British Pounds, which otherwise do not work here (as my silly self had forgotten to withdraw local currency). That was fascinating. One thing's for sure: this country Definitely caters to tourists.

I quickly learned that money is money regardless. As I had my suitcase was on me, I was an easy target for ruffians. The first of which was a man who swindled me after leading me to the Riad I was staying at, nearly mugging me with his friend in tow. Fortunately, the Riad’s owner came to the rescue.

After my anxiety dropped, I met the Riad owner and had food and Moroccan mint tea that they had prepared for me. It was one of the finest feasts I had ever had in my entire life, here at Riad 107.

We sorted out the payment and went up to the terrace to talk more and for me to have my first real hookah experience. I have never really smoked tobacco before, so the headrush was immense and lovely.

I retired to bed and prepped myself for a nice getaway into the desert the next day. Stay tuned for more…

Bristol

As it was on my way home from Cardiff, I decided to pay Bristol a visit, where I would meet up with one of my university friends. She was up there visiting family and friends for our consolidation week.

After being stuck in traffic, we parked in a local shopping center and walked towards the harbor. She showed me several old churches and boats and told me about their backstories. I took in as much of it as i could with what time I had.

And so, We found a place for dinner and headed there. It was a dinner of desserts and coffee, which would be more than enough to fill me up before my voyage back to London.

And so in four hours, i got my first taste of Bristol. I will be back that way in the near future if time and money allow.

The River Town

On my last day in Cardiff, I eat some leftover breakfast from the previous day, grab a coffee, and had it out for one last day of hiking and sightseeing in Cardiff before heading back down towards London.in the past two hours, I had gotten a free ride from an out of service bus back into town, and I sat close to somebody who was listening to drum Corps music.if you read my previous posts,you would know how happy that made me.

after I walked through Caeau and llandaff fields, walked along the Taff river, and then walked down through Bute Park following the river dart of the little bit of hiking I had done in Wales, I think this one actually probably took the cake. I can't wait to go up and hike the Brecon Beacons and Snowden as such.

I then walked to see the Welsh Royal College of Drama and Cardiff University, snapping pictures of these historical spots as I went. I checked out the National Museum, which was free of charge but reminded me exactly of the one in London. I grabbed lunch at Breatos, a student-run burrito shop that was painted by the same illustrator i'd met at the castell coch tea shop. From here I was back to my AirB&B and got ready to head home.

Next up on my journeys was Bristol. stay tuned for updates!

Welsh Castles

For my first day in Cardiff, I went to see three Welsh castles: Cardiff Castle, Castell Coch, and Caerphilly Castle. First on my list was the one right in town: Cardiff Castle. Lots of cool stuff was to be found inside.

I then went to the next stop, Castell Coch, which involved a short uber ride and was nestled along the Taff river in southern wales.

Fforest Fawr, right next to Castell Coch, was a perfect example of what I think of when I think of a medieval forest near a castle. I can definitely retrace their steps through this forest of people from past lives who may have struggled to get through the forest to get to the castle, even the castle was mainly for the third Marquess of Bute's partying.

I then sat down for a nice cup of Chai at the local Forest Tea Room. It is a quaint little spot in the middle of the forest that reminds me very much of a mom-and-pop's cabin, complete with a chicken and peacock coop. Although the peacocks did not embellish their feathers, I still enjoyed it all. Sounds of nature, crackling log fire, freshly grilled pancakes, the blooming lilacs on the trees, and the stillness of time in this place.

 The last stop of my day with me to Caerphilly Castle Castle that was built in the 12th century and has never been under any sort of successful siege. All I have tried all have failed.even though there was the least amount for substance here, this concentric castle definitely both of the best sites.I don't get on a train to Cefn Onn park, the pictures, missed the bus back to town and walked a half hour to grab some food.

The White Rose City

Once occupied by Vikings, conquered by Germans, and still containing way too many castle walls to walk upon, York Is one of the oldest towns in Europe that still stands. Sharing a name with my hometown in Pennsylvania, this city is definitely the most culturally infused between the 2.

I started my journey off by going to the merchant Hall, A medieval Guildhall dedicated to merchant adventurers. Just inside the castle walls that Still protect the inside city, it is the oldest surviving of its kind.

After this, I traveled all around the city seeing the oldest gates (bars) of the city, learning about their bloodiest war Thornton (akin to my York's Gettysburg), and exploring other things. I saw an exhibition on magic and sorcery, walked the castle walls, got dwarfed by a massive church, and enjoyed some monk brewed beer (whilst being a monk for a week myself: see 'The Zen Experience'). I even saw the university I could've stayed abroad at (St. John University).

Between you and me, York England was way better than York Pennsylvania. I will endeavor to return at some point in my future if time and financial status allows. Stay tuned, all!

My Personal Founding Father

For those of you that may not know, I am from a little state called Pennsylvania. He translates from Penn's Woods, and was founded in 1683 by William Penn. Originally, I never had no one or never would have guessed that the founder of my state was originally from a small town that I worked in for my first occupational therapy placement. At the end of the four week placement though, my educator took me to a pub called the Pennsylvanian that was named after him, and then to the local museum then had a detailed plan about his life.  I then found out where he was buried, set my sights on going to visit him.

To see the grave of William Penn, I had to walk through 20 minutes worth of British countryside near the Chilterns. There was no pavement to be found on the road, In certain parts there was no strip of grass or forest to walk here either, so it was incredibly terrifying.quickly enough, I went on a clear day in February where there were not a lot of people on the road, so I could print a long open sections of road if need be.

After walking a mile and crossing the road at least 13 times to avoid becoming road pancake, I finally found it, the small cemetery in which William Penn was buried. I had a brief chat with him and thank him for all that he had done in America to found the nation, and then I followed the footpath out of the cemetery and into the small town of Jordans, where his first Quaker community was settled.

 I got a bottle of water in the Jordans community store after a quick little hike up the road, I could still smell like stale smoke filling the air. it won an award in 2018 for the best kept village in Buckinghamshire. I introduced myself to the shopkeeper, and immediately, the rest of the customers started chatting to me as well.after all, it isn't every day that you meet an American from Pennsylvania.

I then went to a little pub called the jolly cricketers in Seer Green. it was a quaint location with a very small town and home vibe.I would recommend this pub to anyone who is able to make it up that way, although getting there from London isn't exactly easy if you don't have your own car or the money for an Uber.

And so march the day that I went to see the founder of my state. Stay tuned for more!

The Vegan House

On a gray weekend in March of 2019, I went to the "House of Vegan" for the first time. Expected to meet a bunch of vegan chefs and to have lunch. However, i did not expect a live DJ, several shops with extremely friendly staff, Philly "cheesesteaks", and a guy chopping sugar canes with a machete for squeeze fresh juice from them.

This place is open every weekend, with different personnel coming in with their kiosk every week. I had a jackfruit taco, some "lamb" curry, and some of that fresh-pressed cane juice. Although some asked me if I was vegan (i'm not), i felt right at home with everyone. Everyone was very welcoming and inviting, and everything looked incredible.

The prices may vary, you can find some dumplings for £3, sides for a similar price, and most main meals for £8 or so. Definitely come down to Liverpool Street and check it out sometime for yourself!

Wandering Lost

It is often times very easy to get lost in Copenhagen. There is so much to see and do, and it extends throughout all of the very flat and wide city. If you’re lucky, you’ll even get to walk or drive through “Thunder Mountain”, the highest point in Denmark just outside city limits. It’s an impressive 200 meters or so above sea level, and easy to miss.

Instead, I chose to seek out a wander through the forests and cemeteries around. Assistens cemetery and the nearby King’s Garden were filled with vibrance and life, even in the middle of January. They were fairly monotonous, so I didn’t spend a whole lot of time there.

Vestre Cemetery has the famous “tree tunnel” of Copenhagen, and after wandering through this massive kilometre-long cemetery, I finally found it. The resulting photo? Priceless.

The botanical garden in Copenhagen also houses the historic Rosenborg castle, which has burned down several times but is still used for important royal and political meetings to this day when not utilized for tour groups.

Following all of this wandering, I checked out the Absalon statue and the Little Mermaid statues, amazing German spectacles from centuries gone by. This was just after spending a few hours seeing the religious and historical artwork within the walls of Thordvaldsens museum and David’s Collection.

My day would not have been complete without touring around Christianshavn in the afternoon, followed by meeting with some hostel members and going to Christiania (Freetown) inside of Denmark.

Christianshavn was built on shallow and uneven land and prone to flooding, but was built during a housing crisis to encourage young families to move to Denmark. After several landslides (which caused several houses to now look like they’re “dancing” and “leaning”), an economic landslide also ensured, and houses here are now cheaper than ever. Some of these buildings still house retired fisherman, and one of them was home to Captain Thundershield of Norway (whom saved the country of Denmark in many military conflicts).

Christiania is a kilometre-long stretch of shops, bars, and marijuana stalls that consider themselves to be “adjunct” from the rest of the European Union. A bunch of old factories were converted into homeless housing, and now, there’s lots of reggae music, trashcan fires, and life here. Simply said, you have to check it out for yourself.

Another thing I did on another day was explore the local parks of Kastrup, have a smorgasbord (Danish buffet), walk around Kastillet, and see various old buildings along the canals and in Nyhavn. Copenhagen is a must see for any like-minded adventurer!

Homecoming

"I swear that I've gotta get out of here."

Jim Crocher sang these words after moving from the quiet Pennsylvanian countryside to the big apple. In my case, however, my New York was London. Even if Pennsylvania didn't necessarily feel homelike to me for many many years... it sure felt good to be back after being away for so long.

I arrived at 7PM on a Thursday, straight from the polar vortex of central Sweden.

I sat next to and Icelandic professor of Nordic languages on one plane, and next to an American vegetarian traveler much like myself on the other flight. I watched through all of Back to the Future and “Ready Player One”, and enjoyed very good conversations on the way home. I was beautifully surprised to see my mother again for the first time in four months, and I would soon come to learn was that I have grown closer to my family since leaving the country.

However, when I got home, a very strange feeling swept over me. I knew that I was back in my mom's house, yes, and I made it home for Christmas, but yet I'm only felt like a visitor. Pennsylvania no longer felt much like home even though I spent the first 23 years of my life there. 

But so, I realized, as I was seeing my good friends again for the first time in several months, but it was almost as though nothing had changed and I had never left. But yet, I was calling a foreign country home for the next two years of my life. But the only thing that mattered is that in this moment, I was at home, where I was meant to be.

The Goat Rodeo

When things started getting chaotic, my cousin liked to say that things were turning into a goat Rodeo. Awkwardly enough, it was a very fitting table because he owned one of the last genetic offsprings of pure Swedish goats, insofar that he had the largest farm of them in the world. Things really started getting chaotic when I was trying to figure out how I was getting to and from places in northern Sweden.

My second morning in Bjästa, I met a liberal Christian pastor and talked to him about anything and everything. 

Visiting the kids at school, learning lessons in Swedish, having cultural studies for the first time in 12 years, and the homecooked feast that they had for lunch were the highlights of my daytime activities.

Later that night, in town, I noticed kids opening and drinking a six pack of beer just outside of the local ICA market. I shirked it off and went to Sibylla, a Nordic fast food restaurant, and got some more fast food.

My travels in Sweden were definitely crazy, but even with the goat rodeo that had occurred for some of the trip, I thoroughly enjoyed seeing what a Swedish school system looks like in the small-town countryside.

Bjästa, Not Pasta

When I visited my cousin, I also got some time to go and visit the neighbouring town he technically resides in.

There wasn't much going on in this small town, so I largely had to make my own fun. This started by waving hi to everybody that I saw who waved back and smiled as well, and turn on long walks in the snowy Tundra of Northern Sweden.

The only thing really to do in town was to go to the local church and nearby grounds. The modern church was built in the 1800s, they old one-room church building behind that was built in the fifteenth century, and the stone bruise behind that were from the 11th century. They were beautiful, and made the crazy weather worth it.

Going to ICA, the local market, was definitely worth it when I found pepper nut flavored dates and Swedish cinnamon rolls. There was lots of good food to be found there. Right next door to this was Sybilla, the Swedish fast food restaurant, where they nice servers gave me free French fries.

Aside from this, there wasn't much to do in the town. Seeing my cousin was the highlight of this journey, but I know I’ll be back to see the nearby Viking exhibitions.

A Scandinavian Winter

My cousin's cabin was about as rustic as you could get, with no running water and no electricity. We have to get extremely creative for sources of water andlLighting in the dark. It was a one-room cabin, with the bed Lofts being just above the kitchen.

In spite of this, I actually slept better in the cabin one night than I did in his girlfriend's apartment. But also made it worth it was seeing the mountains covered in snow, the beautiful Forest, is large Swedish goat farm. Another thing that made it work it was meeting by two young cousins, Aldo and Yrsa, and going to school with them the next two days.

When I wasn't bustling around town, I would nearly fall on my face trying to bike up the Frozen Swedish roads, get nibbled on when trying to sheep herd, and almost get knocked out by Falling spruce trees that we were cutting down for bedding for the Sheep (and firewood to keep ourselves warm). The mountain lake and all of the beautiful English-speaking people definitely made this trip worth it, and I will definitely be back in warmer weather.

Stocking Up

After an intense semester of coursework, before going home to America, I got to spend some time in Stockholm.  The city got its name because of its foundations, one fisherman came here and started stocking up water in the mid-1200s. A lot of great design, artwork, and technology also came out of this part of the world.

And all I can say is, for an originally Roman Catholic city marred by bloodshed and plague, what it has become now with its 30,000 islands is a true testament to its beauty.

My first grievance comes in the fact that tickets from Arlanda Airport to Stockholm Central are $46 by bus, one way only.

When I went to Galma Stan, I saw Hare Krishna monks chanting in the street. I also saw Glögg (mulled liqueur) for the first time, ate a Pressbyrån sandwich, and saw the Riggarskyrken, the most iconic church in Sweden.

Following this, I made small talk over coffee, added drumsticks to my Hard Rock Cafe drumsticks collection, and saw dozens of people ice skating to blasting 80s music in the center of Odenplan.

Upon my return, I checked out a few museums, bought some stuff in Swedish, I trust myself that I knew Swedish, and then returns to the place I was going to stay that night through Couchsurfing. There was also a cute little Christmas tree in the center of town.

Needless to say, Stockholm is definitely a town worth seeing. Whenever you get the chance, try to find your way there, no matter the season. There's something there for everybody at every time of the year.

The Birthplace of Democracy

In 1215, an ageing King John came to the low marshy lands of Runnymede to make peace with rebel barons, reacquaint with his lost land, and negotiated freedom throughout the ages. The charter signed on this day would, without the intention at the time, free people internationally of tyranny forevermore. This document will be cut down later officially as the Magna Carta.

King John thought that after his death in 1916, when his land and liberty was transferred to his nine-year-old son, that the legacy it will be lost forever.800 years later, this couldnt be further from the truth.  Back in 1957, a section of state land in Egham, the land between Staines and Windsor, was dedicated to the cause. 

I took the bus down to the area, and shortly afterwards, set out for the art exhibits in the monuments. The first stop on the list was “The jurors”, a set of 12 chairs that had copper inscriptions of influential moments of history into people that were affirmed or protected under the Magna Carta. This powerful piece detailed things such as immigration, ecosystem and ability, gay rights, Nelson Mandela's trial, women's rights in India, and more.

And then, I came upon the John F. Kennedy memorial, with a short walk to reflect upon things that he had done for both America and the world. At the top, a quote on his inaugural address was inscribed on the stone, with an American scarlet oak hiding behind the monument to symbolise the protection from harm done just now it was dedicated to America in 1980s.

After another short walk through the woods, I arrived at the Magna Carta monument, they pinnacle of Runnymede. This monument was commissioned in 1957 to commemorate the examples of religious freedom and justice has brought the world ever since. 8 English oak trees line the area, which represent eight principles of the magna carta. Additional trees were planted later, with one coming from the Prime Minister of India 50 years after its liberation from British rule.

Written in Water Is a poetic piece in the middle of a stone circle, where clause 39 Is edged in stone upside down and backwards so that the reflection reads normally upon the water. Inspiration for this artwork arose from the fact that King John for his idea would be transient like water, and that his ideas would be lost after his death. I contemplated this piece, and then moved onwards for the last bit of this adventure.

At last, after an uphill hike through the woods, I came to the Air Forces Memorial. This Memorial was installed to remember all of the individuals that got lost or killed during WWII and have no marked grave.

If you ever find yourself taking a short day trip outside of London, and if you like history and democracy, definitely pay a visit to Runnymede. For an outdoor enthusiast like myself, it's one of the world's finest.

The town of fairy tales

Although I had to wake up around 5:30, before the sun rose, my day was quickly made worth it.

First I stopped in Antwerp. This fairy-tale place had so many beautiful sights, such as Het Steen and Groenplaats. I had my first bubbly waffle here, bantered with a bus driver for being too difficult to understand, and then headed off to Bruges.

Almost immediately as I steeped off the bus at Bruges bargeplein and headed into Minnewaterpark, and passed the Sahsuis and Begijnhuise, I was blown away by the sheer beauty of this capitalised-upon fairytale town. A further walk put me by Godshuis, the Bonifacus bridge, and the Groeningemuseum. The more I wandered through this beautiful little town, the more I fell in love.

After this, 

Sint-johnshospitaal

Archaeologiemuseum

Silt-salvatorskathedraal

Boottochen brugge

As my phone approached death, i asked a random shopkeep for directions to Le Trappiste, a dungeon-style bar with surprisingly few English speakers and astonishingly strong trappist beer. The bartenders charged my phone in the back of the restaurant for me as I happily sipped away.

De Halv Maan-  Since 2010 bottling is done elsewhere, but the wort is still fermented here since 1856. 6 generations later, they are still piping out (literally) 20,000 litres of beer, 5 days a week.

I was on my way to see the beautiful Basilica of the Holy Blood and the Arenthuis when my phone battery life ran out. As I chatted with my airbnb host to inform her of this mishap, Inpassed by the

Frietmuseum (the french fry museum),

Belfort van brugge (the belltower), and Provincaal Hof. 

I met my Airbnb host and her daughter later that night, after very confusedly figuring out the Dutch bus system. Her daughter, who had a developmental delay, was the biggest sweetheart I ever met. And so, after collapsing for a solid nine hours, I woke up, had some continental breakfast, a lovely conversation, and I was dropped off at the train station in Brugge to explore a bit more and take the bus home.

I decided I would finally get my first real Belgian waffle, and much to my amazement, everybody in the stores boat three languages fluently - English, Flemish Dutch, and French.

 When I went to buy souvenirs, The shopkeepers on my bankcard from the UK and we talked about how he lived there for five years studying at Hall college and visiting Cambridge College. I told him some of the better part of America to visit, and we had a beautiful conversation.

I then visited Burg and Markt to listen to some songs as performed by the Belfry of Bruges. Played several songs from musicals like Phantom of the Opera in the bells of Notre Dame, complete with key changes.

After a beautiful two days in Belgium, I took a five hour bus ride back to London, experiencing the Eurotunnel and meeting a new Dutch friend in the process.

Stay tuned for more travels!

Bus through darkened woods

In the middle of November, followed one day after my trip to Bruges, I found myself heading to visit a friend who lived in Northern Finland. It would be a great way for me to disconnect, despite the general populace not speaking very good English, and me not speaking any Finish except for hello and thank you. I bought an expensive uber and went to crash out for a night.

The next morning, every uber was busy - except one. Thank goodness my bus (OnniBus, specifically,) was late by five minutes, or I would have surely missed it. But, the journey ahead, and a bus with free wifi, I had plenty of time to catch up on studies and blogging. And, wishing I knew more of the crazy language.

And somehow it would come to pass, that the sun would set at 3:30 in the afternoon. I was on a bus for right around 10 hours (stopping only for food in Vaasa that i needed to translate the title of), speeding towards Kemi, a small coastal town just below Lapland in North Finland.

Architecture in Helsinki

After waking up at a couchsurfing spot hosted by four individuals from Finland, Sudan, Canada, and Spain respectively, I sprinted to the bus station to try and figure out how their bus system worked.

Before I knew it, I was on a bus for nine hours once again. I missed my stop on purpose and ended up in Helsinki, the country's capital.

Besides not being able to speak a drop of Finnish, Helsinki reminded me almost exactly of a colder and darker London. Old beautiful buildings, lovely cafes, the unfortunate issue of homeless beggars, and so many things to do in a five-mile radius. I had to catch a train back to the Airport, so I didn't stay long. However, the beautiful introverted people of Finland made a lasting impression on me that may have me coming back one day.

Central London

From here on out, many of my travel notes are scattered.

Although the day before class started was cold, rainy, and otherwise miserable, There was still some enjoyment to be had. I was to meet with friends for an exciting day in Central London and see the beauty of the National Gallery.

And so, after getting off the train at Trafalgar Square, I did just that. I met up with my friends and set my sights on the gallery, where I saw some of the most beautiful religious and renaissance work that I have ever seen.

After this, we took a stroll in the park that lead us to see the outskirts of Buckingham Palace. We then had gelato in Picadilly Circus from Grom and saw an extremely good street band. After this epic conclusion, we headed home.

One of the most impressive aspects of London is that you can see everything you want practically for free. For instance, Bar 31 in The Shard provides a lovey view of the entire city, and the historic Tower area is full of photo opportunities. The British Museum was free as well and also well worth the visit.

So whatever you do, make sure you visit London at some point!

A Ticket to Paradise

In mid-July, I booked my one-way ticket to London. I had just applied for my Visa, as I would be needing this if I wanted to have any chance at ever becoming a citizen of Europe. although I spent the entire day of summer working and making preparations to say my final farewell, the fateful September day still came far sooner than I had anticipated. this would be the day that I would depart for the better part of 2 years, save the occasional visit to friends and family. Call a trial separation, if you will, from the land that I had called home for the first 23 years of my life. 

Waiting in the airport for several hours leading up to the flight was enough to drive anybody mad. However, I would soon arrive in England for the first time, after a six-hour long sleep-deprived layover in Reykjavik, and nearly forty hours of sleeplessness. Ten hours and five time zones later, I would be landing in Heathrow Airport for the first time ever, to begin the beginning of the rest of my life.

I met my first roommate, Austin, barely an hour into my first journey in Europe’s third biggest city (right behind St. Petersburg and Istanbul). He was happy to see me, and we embraced for a solid minute. We had no idea how to navigate public transport at this time, though, so we ended up taking whatever bus we Thought would get us to campus in a decent enough fashion.

After getting off at a random stop, still a twenty-minute walk from campus, we decided to call an Uber. It was dark out, and somebody had thrown an egg in our direction (which shattered against the bus stop’s window), so we wanted to get out of there fast. Security had no idea who we were upon arrival, but we were able to get a spare room until ours were ready in the morning. Austin crashed on the floor with his sheets, and I passed out for nine straight hours on my bed.

When I woke, I realized that I would be beginning the next step in the journey I call my life – I now spent the first night in my new home base for at least the next two years.

It's a long way from Clare to Here

On my last night, we went to the Merry Ploughboy for dinner. We sang a lot of traditional folk songs whilst participating with the stage, had wonderful dinner with dessert and coffee, and i discovered the magical sound of the Uilleann Pipes. 

I had little supply of clean clothes, so i washed a set in the hotel sink and dried them with the hand dryer and overnight. quite an experience. After resting up, I ate a quick breakfast and headed home.

Ireland was the adventure of a lifetime, especially for  a musician. I can't wait to visit Europe once more. I've reviewed my Hotel and Apartment stays, and I have seen a fair bit of stuff. Stay tuned for the next adventure!

In the name of Dublin

The name of the city comes from the Irish word for Dark Water, dou'vlen, in referendum to the river that runs through the city and its banks of Pete. Here are some pictures and notes about the city.

In 1916 there was a rebellion in which 1500 people took over post office, and the irish reformation of literature occurred. Then, in 1974, the national theatre burned down and was rebuilt. St. Patrick's church was built it in 1191, and the Christ Church was built much earlier in 1038 by Vikings who were ready to integrate with Ireland's Catholicism.

The Palestina performed at the provisional Irish church every morning. two methadone clinic nearby. This area never really recovered from the rebellion, though it is getting there since transportation improved. streets in this area are lined with churches and Old buildings. Eastern Dublin is as well full of Victorian architecture, both big and small. It is also the home of the first maternity hospital. Handel write his Messiah as a charity piece for this hospital and raised 200 pounds (a fortune back then).

Near the immigration museum lies the statue memorial to Huhullen , the Hound of auster, whom often went into battle naked and in war paint. celtics were the last tribe in Europe. in the 4th century, they traded women as slaves for cows, with cows being the currency. Alot of buildings around this area were destroyed by the Independence and Civil wars, and the ship that traveled up the Helga river and shelled the city.

In the 18th century, the aristocratic sofiety built a lot of beautiful buildings that became customs houses, their version of the EPA, government, and so forth. The old warehouses had become financial and commerce centers.

John McBride has an eternal flame surrounded by a sphere of barbed wire lit in his memory, as he tried to unite the  world by founding Amnesty International.

Daylight robbery was a term for a tax on light, that existed untilact of union in 1800 that abolished the parliament.

This parliament building was built in 1712, and is now Bank of Ireland, with the House of Lords still remaining intact.

Alot of German and Dutch have come here because of the Presbyterian movement, farming, labor, and above all, their Green approach to life. they are very eco-conscious. The country equally shares profits between all responsible parties.

There are also model replicas of coffin ships sitting in the bay, with one known as the Jenny Johnston. The people sat for 6 weeks in close proximity which lead to lots of disease spreading. This is where the namesake comes from.

As we crossed the Rosie Hackett bridge and viewed the harp bridge, we learned about her scholarship. The Rosie Hackett scholarship is awarded to a nursing student who finishes second in the class. This was because rosie acknowledged that very few people ever remember the second place victor. Rosie was a 15 year old girl who ran post during the time of war. She later unioned with a woman and became a midwife. 

Trinity college was built in 1512 and is a testament to history. King Henry came here to dissolve the church into several churches and form the Church of England. The book of Kells is housed here and exists within the walls of this still-intact and functioning church paved with cobblestobe walkways.

The national gallery was built by William Dargon, the man who also built the first European railroad. The Queen visited there a lot. She also asked all of Ireland to paint their doors black when her lover died, and being nice and polite people, they did exactly the opposite.

Dublinia used to be a meetinghouse for government officials, but has now been turned into an exhibit on vikings and city expansion.

Not too far off is thr Guinness Storehouse, where the 80 Acres of factory have been sourcing Guinness to the world since 1759. It's a simple recipe and ingredients, water, hops, barley, and yeast. Getting to pull my own Guinness at their academy was an otherworldly experience.

Check out Dublin Today!