Well I am officially back on the North American continent, arrived home Tuesday evening. The weather here is alot better than in Germany, but that's about it.
It's hard to believe that my summer of travelling and experiences are over, and that real life is about to start again. I don't want to fall back into the mundane swing of things, but it is so hard in a place like this. I met so many cool people this summer on the two continents I travelled that familiar faces are not as sweet as they should be.
A little part of me was ready to come home, but a big part of me isn't. It's hard to please the entirety that is my soul. Wow that was poetic.
I think I am suffering from mild exhaustion, or else something else is up because I feel off... not jet lag off, but weird off. I am going to give it a couple days and see. I have already ran my errands pretty much that I needed to run and did what I needed to do, and now it is time to relax a little (if that is possible).
When I look back on everything that happened this summer and all the experiences, struggles, triumphs and learning I have encountered, it seems surreal. I can't believe half the stuff I did, it seems like someone elses life. I am so happy I did what I did this summer and went where I went, I feel like these experiences have really helped me to come into my own and get a better grasp on my own identity.
I had some real trying moments where my resolve and strength were faltering, but I pushed through. I didn't let anything take me down, and I did what I wanted to when I wanted to for as long as I wanted to. I lived this summer completely my way, with no real responsibilities or promises. That in itself helped me to focus on me.
It is hard to reflect on such a period in a document that is freely accesible to anyone and everyone, so this is where I shall end.
For those of you that read my blog faithfully, thanks for keeping pace with me! I hope I didn't bore you, and hopefully you had a little fun reading this as I definately had fun writing this!
Until my next trip...
Krystle
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Sunday, July 19, 2009
Munich is awesome!
I have been having an amazing time here in Munich... so much so that I have not been on the internet for 3 days, which speaks for itself.
We arrived here Friday afternoon and immediately hit the ground. If you noticed I said 'we' instead of 'I' give yourself a pat on the back for attention well paid; at my hostel in Berlin I made quick friends with a guy from Aus and he tagged along to Munich as he had no set plans for anything else. Pretty cool, but after travelling alone for so long I forgot how annoying people are when travelling with them. He is a nice enough guy but is starting to get under my skin. Tomorrow we part ways, so that is good.
I am trying to decide whether to stay in Munich an extra day or go to Nuremberg as originally planned... I think I will head to Nuremberg.
Anyway, my thoughts are a jumbled mass right now. Upon arrival in Munich we went and walked around the Englischer Gardens, which were really nice - green and beautiful. That evening was a fairly early one, as we were both wiped, surprising as a 6 hour train ride doesn't really constitute enough to 'wipe' me out generally, but oh well.
Saturday morning I awoke to find it pouring rain. Absolutely showering - reminiscent of the rains witnessed in Ghana, particularly in the rainforest. It was miserable! I didn't want to sit around and waste time, so in the morning I awoke and went to the Deutsches Museum, which is a HUGE science museum in Munich. I was super excited for it and had been looking forward to it, but was shocked to see that most of the exhibits I found interesting were only in German, so I had to salvage what I could. There were some really cool exhibits, but I didn't have much time there, only about an hour and a half, and to thouroughly enjoy everything and see it all would require at least 6-8 hours. After that we took a walking tour, in the pouring rain. Quite miserable really, but these tours are such a great way to get to see the city and know the history that it couldn't be missed. And then the beer challenge.
Yes you read it right, a beer challenge. We were suppose to go to 3 beer halls and sing songs and learn the history of beer making, and at the end of the night the person deemed 'most fun' or most valued to the group wins the beer challenge. The purpose was not to get as drunk as you can, but just have fun.
But, because of the massive downpour that was still going on, all the beer gardens that are usually flowing with people were all closed, and so everyone was in the beer halls. The places usually reserved for this group were overrun with people and full - definately unable to accomodate 50 people. We walked around trying to find somewhere, and finally we did. I was quite irritated to begin with, but then I loosened up and met some awesome people and had a really great time. Such a great time in fact that I WON the beer challenge!
Out of 50 people I was deemed most fun, and was quite drunk as well. It was better than winning prom queen, and I acted it hahaha I was totally like the miss Universe contestants that get all teary and thank everyone. It was hysterical. It was a very interesting night. Luckily the 'after party' was at our hostel so I didn't have to stumble far.
Today I went to Dachau. Quite another experience in itself. It was similar to Sauchsenhausen, but also very different. There is also the only gas chamber left in Germany there, which I walked through and nearly broke down. It was another emotionally trying day, but so worth it and so full of learning I had a really good time.
Tonight I am not doing too much as I am taking an early train to Nuremberg (if I decide to go for sure) so I am just going to head to the Hofbrauhaus, which is the world's most famous beer hall, and the place where the Nazi party held its first meeting. I hope to only have one beer, but this is Munich and one beer is never enough.
My time in Germany is coming to a close, and it really sucks. I love this country and the things I have seen and learnt here. I feel like I need another 2 weeks or more to be able to be content with leaving. It feels like I am cheating myself out of so much by going home. There are a few things I will be thrilled about once getting home
1. Manners. I swear people in Germany have none and it is starting to really irk me
2. Peeing for free. Yes you read that right - everything in this country is expensive and they charge for the bathrooms. Even at a restarant you just ate at. Really annoying.
3. Laundry. My clothes are in a state of utter chaos
4. Quiet
5. Sleep
I could go on, but there are so many things I am missing here that I am focusing on.
Anyways, I must get going and try to figure out what I am doing for the next day and half.
Hope all is well!
Krystle
We arrived here Friday afternoon and immediately hit the ground. If you noticed I said 'we' instead of 'I' give yourself a pat on the back for attention well paid; at my hostel in Berlin I made quick friends with a guy from Aus and he tagged along to Munich as he had no set plans for anything else. Pretty cool, but after travelling alone for so long I forgot how annoying people are when travelling with them. He is a nice enough guy but is starting to get under my skin. Tomorrow we part ways, so that is good.
I am trying to decide whether to stay in Munich an extra day or go to Nuremberg as originally planned... I think I will head to Nuremberg.
Anyway, my thoughts are a jumbled mass right now. Upon arrival in Munich we went and walked around the Englischer Gardens, which were really nice - green and beautiful. That evening was a fairly early one, as we were both wiped, surprising as a 6 hour train ride doesn't really constitute enough to 'wipe' me out generally, but oh well.
Saturday morning I awoke to find it pouring rain. Absolutely showering - reminiscent of the rains witnessed in Ghana, particularly in the rainforest. It was miserable! I didn't want to sit around and waste time, so in the morning I awoke and went to the Deutsches Museum, which is a HUGE science museum in Munich. I was super excited for it and had been looking forward to it, but was shocked to see that most of the exhibits I found interesting were only in German, so I had to salvage what I could. There were some really cool exhibits, but I didn't have much time there, only about an hour and a half, and to thouroughly enjoy everything and see it all would require at least 6-8 hours. After that we took a walking tour, in the pouring rain. Quite miserable really, but these tours are such a great way to get to see the city and know the history that it couldn't be missed. And then the beer challenge.
Yes you read it right, a beer challenge. We were suppose to go to 3 beer halls and sing songs and learn the history of beer making, and at the end of the night the person deemed 'most fun' or most valued to the group wins the beer challenge. The purpose was not to get as drunk as you can, but just have fun.
But, because of the massive downpour that was still going on, all the beer gardens that are usually flowing with people were all closed, and so everyone was in the beer halls. The places usually reserved for this group were overrun with people and full - definately unable to accomodate 50 people. We walked around trying to find somewhere, and finally we did. I was quite irritated to begin with, but then I loosened up and met some awesome people and had a really great time. Such a great time in fact that I WON the beer challenge!
Out of 50 people I was deemed most fun, and was quite drunk as well. It was better than winning prom queen, and I acted it hahaha I was totally like the miss Universe contestants that get all teary and thank everyone. It was hysterical. It was a very interesting night. Luckily the 'after party' was at our hostel so I didn't have to stumble far.
Today I went to Dachau. Quite another experience in itself. It was similar to Sauchsenhausen, but also very different. There is also the only gas chamber left in Germany there, which I walked through and nearly broke down. It was another emotionally trying day, but so worth it and so full of learning I had a really good time.
Tonight I am not doing too much as I am taking an early train to Nuremberg (if I decide to go for sure) so I am just going to head to the Hofbrauhaus, which is the world's most famous beer hall, and the place where the Nazi party held its first meeting. I hope to only have one beer, but this is Munich and one beer is never enough.
My time in Germany is coming to a close, and it really sucks. I love this country and the things I have seen and learnt here. I feel like I need another 2 weeks or more to be able to be content with leaving. It feels like I am cheating myself out of so much by going home. There are a few things I will be thrilled about once getting home
1. Manners. I swear people in Germany have none and it is starting to really irk me
2. Peeing for free. Yes you read that right - everything in this country is expensive and they charge for the bathrooms. Even at a restarant you just ate at. Really annoying.
3. Laundry. My clothes are in a state of utter chaos
4. Quiet
5. Sleep
I could go on, but there are so many things I am missing here that I am focusing on.
Anyways, I must get going and try to figure out what I am doing for the next day and half.
Hope all is well!
Krystle
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Wow.
Today has been one of the most horrifying yet human days of my life. I went to Saschenhausen concentration camp today, where over 50,000 people were killed 1936-1945. It was a very grim day, a stark contrast to the gorgeous weather we had today. It has suppose to have rained the last couple days, but instead has been gorgeous. I won't go into too much about the camp, I am sure you all can picture it.
Berlin has shocked and wowwed me, all at the same time. I have never been in such a place of polar opposites and sheer knowledge. I have been on the go nonstop since I got here, and still haven't seen nearly a tenth of what I wanted to. There is just not enough time. I have met and made some really interesting and awesome friends here and feel like I will be leaving the city with so much more than I expected to get out of it. It has really changed me, for the better.
Last night I went on a pub crawl with a Canadian couple I had met and my roommates from the hostel, and it was amazing. So much fun. Berlin really does know how to party, and it lasts forever. I tried to pace myself and not drink that much to stay up late, but by 1 or 2 I was dead to the world. Thank God for the protective boys in my room that took care of me haha.
I leave tomorrow morning for Munich, which is going to be amazing. It is sad because my trip is coming to a close and I am just starting to feel at home in this country. The Mexicans in my room left to go to Amsterdam this morning, and I was about to join them, but I withheld my free spirit and thought of my responsibilities at home (boooo).
Well, not much more to say today, I am emotionally drained from the events of the day and need to really reflect on them.
Hope all is well!
Krystle
Berlin has shocked and wowwed me, all at the same time. I have never been in such a place of polar opposites and sheer knowledge. I have been on the go nonstop since I got here, and still haven't seen nearly a tenth of what I wanted to. There is just not enough time. I have met and made some really interesting and awesome friends here and feel like I will be leaving the city with so much more than I expected to get out of it. It has really changed me, for the better.
Last night I went on a pub crawl with a Canadian couple I had met and my roommates from the hostel, and it was amazing. So much fun. Berlin really does know how to party, and it lasts forever. I tried to pace myself and not drink that much to stay up late, but by 1 or 2 I was dead to the world. Thank God for the protective boys in my room that took care of me haha.
I leave tomorrow morning for Munich, which is going to be amazing. It is sad because my trip is coming to a close and I am just starting to feel at home in this country. The Mexicans in my room left to go to Amsterdam this morning, and I was about to join them, but I withheld my free spirit and thought of my responsibilities at home (boooo).
Well, not much more to say today, I am emotionally drained from the events of the day and need to really reflect on them.
Hope all is well!
Krystle
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Just another day of history...
So today I decided to take it easy, and by easy I mean only spend about 6 hours walking haha.
I headed off this morning around 930ish and headed to this market area to walk around slowly and just enjoy myself. It was suppose to rain today, but instead we were blessed with a gorgeous sunny day of 24 degrees. It almost felt like Ghana haha.
The walking and aimless wandering paid off, around 10 or so I found a little alleyway that led to an Anne Frank exhibition that housed a bunch of items on loan from the Anne Frank exhibit/museum in Amsterdam. Beside it was Otto Weidt's workshop for the blind, which during the 2nd world war he employed blind and deaf Jews to work for him, and bribed the Gestapo to allow them to carry out their work. He eventually hid a bunch of people in the actual workshop to avoid persecution, and through his bribes and contacts he was able to smuggle 'care packages' to some people in concentration camps, saving their lives. It was amazing. Neither of these museums were listed in the guidebooks, so to not have wandered would have cost me these experiences. After this I went to a Berlin Wall Memorial, which was located in a very interesting spot, where the wall once stood but in this location the sidewalk in front of the apartments which were there at the time belonged to West Berlin, but their apartments were in East Berlin. The people were completely cut off from everzthing they knew, and there were many horrible escape attempts by jumping from the windows of the building... they had a tape playing of all this. It was crazy to see.
Then I went to the East Side Gallery, which is the longest preserved stretch of the Berlin Wall, and has been painted by artists, first time in 1990 and now this year a bunch of them are back to recreate their original painting (destroyed by vandals and weathering/erosion). It was amazing to see. Some of the art appeared meaningless, but others had such deep striking emotions conveyed from it it was hard to keep from crying.
When I came here my main interest was WW2 and the Nazis, but the Berlin Wall has done so much damage to the people here it is unbelievable. I didn't know much about it before I came, but now I am fascinated.
Tomorrow I am going to the concentration camp memorial Sauchsenhausen which should be interesting, and hopefully I will have time to hit a few more museums when I return, but I am going pub crawl tonight so who knows how up for life I will be.
Tomorrow is my last day in Berlin, Friday morning I leave early for Munich. I will be back to this city for sure. There is so much going on its hard to leave. There is a certain vibe here, a melody within the city that is so addicting.
Wow I am poetic today.
Anyways, time to get hopping.
Krystle
I headed off this morning around 930ish and headed to this market area to walk around slowly and just enjoy myself. It was suppose to rain today, but instead we were blessed with a gorgeous sunny day of 24 degrees. It almost felt like Ghana haha.
The walking and aimless wandering paid off, around 10 or so I found a little alleyway that led to an Anne Frank exhibition that housed a bunch of items on loan from the Anne Frank exhibit/museum in Amsterdam. Beside it was Otto Weidt's workshop for the blind, which during the 2nd world war he employed blind and deaf Jews to work for him, and bribed the Gestapo to allow them to carry out their work. He eventually hid a bunch of people in the actual workshop to avoid persecution, and through his bribes and contacts he was able to smuggle 'care packages' to some people in concentration camps, saving their lives. It was amazing. Neither of these museums were listed in the guidebooks, so to not have wandered would have cost me these experiences. After this I went to a Berlin Wall Memorial, which was located in a very interesting spot, where the wall once stood but in this location the sidewalk in front of the apartments which were there at the time belonged to West Berlin, but their apartments were in East Berlin. The people were completely cut off from everzthing they knew, and there were many horrible escape attempts by jumping from the windows of the building... they had a tape playing of all this. It was crazy to see.
Then I went to the East Side Gallery, which is the longest preserved stretch of the Berlin Wall, and has been painted by artists, first time in 1990 and now this year a bunch of them are back to recreate their original painting (destroyed by vandals and weathering/erosion). It was amazing to see. Some of the art appeared meaningless, but others had such deep striking emotions conveyed from it it was hard to keep from crying.
When I came here my main interest was WW2 and the Nazis, but the Berlin Wall has done so much damage to the people here it is unbelievable. I didn't know much about it before I came, but now I am fascinated.
Tomorrow I am going to the concentration camp memorial Sauchsenhausen which should be interesting, and hopefully I will have time to hit a few more museums when I return, but I am going pub crawl tonight so who knows how up for life I will be.
Tomorrow is my last day in Berlin, Friday morning I leave early for Munich. I will be back to this city for sure. There is so much going on its hard to leave. There is a certain vibe here, a melody within the city that is so addicting.
Wow I am poetic today.
Anyways, time to get hopping.
Krystle
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Third Reich
Well today was an incredibly draining day. The hostel room last night saw its share of crazy with one Mexican girl that was out of it and kept us all up all night, and today I spent another good 6 hours`or more walking.
It was a great day though. I met a really awesome couple from the Toronto area and we are going on a pubcrawl tomorrow night, which should be awesome! The roomates are switched up, but now I am in a room with 4 guys and myself, so it is a little awkward but should be ok, two are from Greece, one from Montreal and the other I have not met. Seem nice and normal enough.
So today I took another walking tour, this time called the 'Third Reich' where we went to many important sites of that time and I learnt a ton from the tour guide. We went to the Nazi air force headquarters (now the tax building), the SS and Gestapo headquarters, Goebbel's propaganda ministry, the Soviet memorial, the Neue Synagogue (one of six to survive Kristallnacht), the old Jeiwsh district and the Jewish cemetary. It was really awesome. I learnt so much today that I didn't know before, and have noticed a few patterns within the history of Germany I cannot wait to research once home. There is so much to see and experience in Berlin it is a shame I have only two more full days here and need to do human things that take up time, like eat and sleep.
Tomorrow I was going to go to Saucheshausen but I think I might take it easy tomorrow and do a little shopping instead, maybe see some more museums and the like, try not to walk as much... my body is pretty angry and run down from all the go-go-go, but I hate to waste time. I will go to Sauchenhausen on Thursday during the day, as I leave Friday morning for Munich.
I also went to the German Historical Museum this morning and saw German history basically from the beginning of time, which was pretty fantastic. I am in love with the vibe of this city, and will definately be back.
Anyways, I have nothing more to add, must get going and see more!
Love you all,
Krystle
It was a great day though. I met a really awesome couple from the Toronto area and we are going on a pubcrawl tomorrow night, which should be awesome! The roomates are switched up, but now I am in a room with 4 guys and myself, so it is a little awkward but should be ok, two are from Greece, one from Montreal and the other I have not met. Seem nice and normal enough.
So today I took another walking tour, this time called the 'Third Reich' where we went to many important sites of that time and I learnt a ton from the tour guide. We went to the Nazi air force headquarters (now the tax building), the SS and Gestapo headquarters, Goebbel's propaganda ministry, the Soviet memorial, the Neue Synagogue (one of six to survive Kristallnacht), the old Jeiwsh district and the Jewish cemetary. It was really awesome. I learnt so much today that I didn't know before, and have noticed a few patterns within the history of Germany I cannot wait to research once home. There is so much to see and experience in Berlin it is a shame I have only two more full days here and need to do human things that take up time, like eat and sleep.
Tomorrow I was going to go to Saucheshausen but I think I might take it easy tomorrow and do a little shopping instead, maybe see some more museums and the like, try not to walk as much... my body is pretty angry and run down from all the go-go-go, but I hate to waste time. I will go to Sauchenhausen on Thursday during the day, as I leave Friday morning for Munich.
I also went to the German Historical Museum this morning and saw German history basically from the beginning of time, which was pretty fantastic. I am in love with the vibe of this city, and will definately be back.
Anyways, I have nothing more to add, must get going and see more!
Love you all,
Krystle
Monday, July 13, 2009
Two posts...one day?
In my hasty retreat this morning I forgot to mention my extremely exciting last night in Cologne... I thought I would be going back to the hostel and sleeping, but a new girl in my room and I became fast friends and learnt of the 'Kölner Lichter' which is a huge outdoor celebration in Cologne once a year with fireworks and copious amounts of beer, so we decided to go. She had an early train the next morning so wouldn't be out too late, which was good as I was really tired.
It was so much fun! There were tons of people, but everyone was in a crazy German party mode that was unstoppable. At one point I got asked if I liked cheese, so I responded with a hestitant yes, and along came a dancing cheese man wearing a removable cheese costume that doubled as a mini bar. It was hilarious.
We stayed for the fireworks, which were not that great but were along the Rhine so it was quite magical. We headed back to the hostel around 1AM. The next morning (yesterday) I headed to Berlin.
Today has been another whirlwind day... I can't believe how much I am walking! I am spending an average of 6-8 hours per day walking! I went on the Berlin walking tour this morning, and it was pretty awesome, it went for about 3 1/2 hours, covering tons of the major sites; Brandenburg Gate, the Reichstag, above Hitler's bunker (where he committed suicide April 30), Holocaust Memorial, The Nazi book burning memorial, Checkpoint Charlie, Postsdamer Platz, SS Headquarters, The Berlin Wall, Pariser PLatz, Bebelplatz, and a few others. It was pretty amazing. After that I went to the Altes Museum, which houses a huge inventory of European history, fairly impressive, but I had seen many like it in Cologne. After that I went back to Checkpoint Charlie to actually visit the museum, as we just went to the area on the tour. It was a sobering experience as within the museum there are many personal stories of escape, murder and loss. Very much an experience to remember. From there I went to Topography of Terror, which was the SS and Gestapo headquarters in Berlin, and where many people were innocently killed and detained, tortured and maimed. It was an outdoor exhibit as they are working on the construction of the museum, but was a gorgeous day so I was thankful to be outside.
From here I just walked. I walked all the way back to my hostel, which was pretty freakin far, and downed the largest beer known to man. Pretty good beer, but not my favorite. It's so cool, every region here in Germany has their own special brews, today I tried the Berliner Pils, not as good as the Bitburger or Kölner Pils in Cologne. I moved from a private room into a dorm today, and was stuck with the crapiest bed... oh well, as soon as one of the others moves out I am jumping on their bed haha.
Tomorrow I think I am going to go to the Tiergarten, which is a lovely garden area and there are monuments and museums within it, and at 1PM I am going on a Third Reich tour, to see all the Nazi sites... I am pretty stoked. Wednesday I am going to Sauchenhausen, another concentration camp, which is exciting as I thought I was only going to see Dachau when in Munich.
Not much more to report here, Berlin has a bustling nightlife and the gorgeous reception boy is trying to talk me into going out tonight, so I just might end up going on a pub crawl organized through the hostel, but am undecided....
talk to you all soon...
Krystle
It was so much fun! There were tons of people, but everyone was in a crazy German party mode that was unstoppable. At one point I got asked if I liked cheese, so I responded with a hestitant yes, and along came a dancing cheese man wearing a removable cheese costume that doubled as a mini bar. It was hilarious.
We stayed for the fireworks, which were not that great but were along the Rhine so it was quite magical. We headed back to the hostel around 1AM. The next morning (yesterday) I headed to Berlin.
Today has been another whirlwind day... I can't believe how much I am walking! I am spending an average of 6-8 hours per day walking! I went on the Berlin walking tour this morning, and it was pretty awesome, it went for about 3 1/2 hours, covering tons of the major sites; Brandenburg Gate, the Reichstag, above Hitler's bunker (where he committed suicide April 30), Holocaust Memorial, The Nazi book burning memorial, Checkpoint Charlie, Postsdamer Platz, SS Headquarters, The Berlin Wall, Pariser PLatz, Bebelplatz, and a few others. It was pretty amazing. After that I went to the Altes Museum, which houses a huge inventory of European history, fairly impressive, but I had seen many like it in Cologne. After that I went back to Checkpoint Charlie to actually visit the museum, as we just went to the area on the tour. It was a sobering experience as within the museum there are many personal stories of escape, murder and loss. Very much an experience to remember. From there I went to Topography of Terror, which was the SS and Gestapo headquarters in Berlin, and where many people were innocently killed and detained, tortured and maimed. It was an outdoor exhibit as they are working on the construction of the museum, but was a gorgeous day so I was thankful to be outside.
From here I just walked. I walked all the way back to my hostel, which was pretty freakin far, and downed the largest beer known to man. Pretty good beer, but not my favorite. It's so cool, every region here in Germany has their own special brews, today I tried the Berliner Pils, not as good as the Bitburger or Kölner Pils in Cologne. I moved from a private room into a dorm today, and was stuck with the crapiest bed... oh well, as soon as one of the others moves out I am jumping on their bed haha.
Tomorrow I think I am going to go to the Tiergarten, which is a lovely garden area and there are monuments and museums within it, and at 1PM I am going on a Third Reich tour, to see all the Nazi sites... I am pretty stoked. Wednesday I am going to Sauchenhausen, another concentration camp, which is exciting as I thought I was only going to see Dachau when in Munich.
Not much more to report here, Berlin has a bustling nightlife and the gorgeous reception boy is trying to talk me into going out tonight, so I just might end up going on a pub crawl organized through the hostel, but am undecided....
talk to you all soon...
Krystle
It's Berlin... it's sunny...I've had 12 hours of sleep.... WATCH OUT!
Hello!
I only have a quick moment to write, but i am here in Berlin, and enjoying myself thus far. I arrived yesterday afternoon and decided to take the day off to beat this cold. I laid around and took a sleeping pill and was out by about 7 o'clock. It was lovely.
Today I am going on a walking tour of the city, so I hope it stays nice. It has been raining everyday except today!
Nothing much to write, except I am super surprised at my ability to navigate a country I don't know in a language I don't understand. I haven't gotten lost once!
I will write later!
Krystle
I only have a quick moment to write, but i am here in Berlin, and enjoying myself thus far. I arrived yesterday afternoon and decided to take the day off to beat this cold. I laid around and took a sleeping pill and was out by about 7 o'clock. It was lovely.
Today I am going on a walking tour of the city, so I hope it stays nice. It has been raining everyday except today!
Nothing much to write, except I am super surprised at my ability to navigate a country I don't know in a language I don't understand. I haven't gotten lost once!
I will write later!
Krystle
Saturday, July 11, 2009
Another crazy day in Cologne...
Here I am at dinnertime of another day, completley wiped. I should have known that this is what I would do, so a cheap hotel would have been better, as the roomates I have in my hostel are here for the nightlife, so they were getting ready to go out while I was trying to sleep last night, and came back super late... I was not impressed, but they were trying to be quiet so I didn't say anything. I am going to find some sleeping pills I think for tonight, as this morning I noticed they had a bag full of liquor, so tonight will probably be more of a bang than last night.
But I was up at 7:30 this morning, and made sure they knew it, to be fair haha.
Wow today was long, but started off kind of rocky. I was too early for anything I wanted to do, and had read the hours wrong on a couple museums, so I sat and ate pastries fo about an hour... one after the other. My taste buds were singing, but my waist was crying haha.
When I finally got the day started properly I made my way to St.Ursula cathedral, which had been built for St.Ursula, the patron saint apparently of Cologne... she was a big believer in celibacy and would not cave, even upon her bethrothal. She was the leader of a group of martyrs as well... I want to look up more, there was not much info available, and the info that was was in German... it was more of an off the beaten path type thing and away from the tourist zone, butz really cool. After that I went to the NS-Dokumentationszentrum, which is the documentation centre on national socialism. The building was the headquarters for the Gestapo in Cologne from 1935 to 1945, and had an underground 'interrogation' chamber, which were actually prison cells. There was a huge exhibition on the rise and fall of the Nazi party, with a fine tuned focus on the party here, in Cologne. It was really cool too, and hard to find, so not many people were there, which was nice.
After that I went to the Praetorium, which was the administrative centre and residence of the Roman governors, and is the most important building on the Rhine, the border of the Roman empire. The ehxibit itself was a bunch of ruins underground, but it was amazing. There were many signs and information boards, but none in English, so I will have to do my best with what my imagination tells me haha.
From there I went to the Wallraf-Richardz Museum & Fondation Carboud, which showcases European paintings from the 13th century through the 19th century, along with sculptures and impressionalist paintings. It was amazing to stand and look at something that is 700 years old, and just think of the way the world was back then. It was an opportunity for the mind to wander. There was a special exhibit called The Moon, which basically went through the 400 year history (from Galileo's first telescope) to current images of the moon, and how they have been portrayed in art. It was fantastic. I was speechless with the amount of delicacy in some of the paintings. It was awesome. I looked at a bunch of Rembrandt and Monet work, and realize I don't really like their work haha. I can add them to work of famous artists I have seen, now next to picasso. I think I read somewhere that this museum has the largest or one of the largest collections of art spanning this many years. It was seriously something else.
I went back to the cathedral (the Dom) again today, just the outside, and man oh man I am happy I went yesterday as there was about 35X the amount of people there than when I went, which definately takes away from the experience.
The weather was crap again today, raining on and off and cold. I am still battling this cold, which sucks and is super annoying, but I am hoping to kick it shortly (or give it to the partying roomates haha).
Anyways, I figure I have written enough for today, I haven't even included everything that happened, as my days have been crazy packed!
I leave for Berlin tomorrow morning, I catch a train around 10AM and the trip is about 5 hours, so luckily I can catch some sleep there if the roomates party too hard tonight. I am excited but nervous for Berlin, I am super psyched to see all the history and sites it has to offer.
I am thinking about eating at a South African restaraunt tonight, either that or Mexican, but I can't decide. Now I am just babbling... I will write again in a couple days when I am settled in Berlin!
Love Krystle
But I was up at 7:30 this morning, and made sure they knew it, to be fair haha.
Wow today was long, but started off kind of rocky. I was too early for anything I wanted to do, and had read the hours wrong on a couple museums, so I sat and ate pastries fo about an hour... one after the other. My taste buds were singing, but my waist was crying haha.
When I finally got the day started properly I made my way to St.Ursula cathedral, which had been built for St.Ursula, the patron saint apparently of Cologne... she was a big believer in celibacy and would not cave, even upon her bethrothal. She was the leader of a group of martyrs as well... I want to look up more, there was not much info available, and the info that was was in German... it was more of an off the beaten path type thing and away from the tourist zone, butz really cool. After that I went to the NS-Dokumentationszentrum, which is the documentation centre on national socialism. The building was the headquarters for the Gestapo in Cologne from 1935 to 1945, and had an underground 'interrogation' chamber, which were actually prison cells. There was a huge exhibition on the rise and fall of the Nazi party, with a fine tuned focus on the party here, in Cologne. It was really cool too, and hard to find, so not many people were there, which was nice.
After that I went to the Praetorium, which was the administrative centre and residence of the Roman governors, and is the most important building on the Rhine, the border of the Roman empire. The ehxibit itself was a bunch of ruins underground, but it was amazing. There were many signs and information boards, but none in English, so I will have to do my best with what my imagination tells me haha.
From there I went to the Wallraf-Richardz Museum & Fondation Carboud, which showcases European paintings from the 13th century through the 19th century, along with sculptures and impressionalist paintings. It was amazing to stand and look at something that is 700 years old, and just think of the way the world was back then. It was an opportunity for the mind to wander. There was a special exhibit called The Moon, which basically went through the 400 year history (from Galileo's first telescope) to current images of the moon, and how they have been portrayed in art. It was fantastic. I was speechless with the amount of delicacy in some of the paintings. It was awesome. I looked at a bunch of Rembrandt and Monet work, and realize I don't really like their work haha. I can add them to work of famous artists I have seen, now next to picasso. I think I read somewhere that this museum has the largest or one of the largest collections of art spanning this many years. It was seriously something else.
I went back to the cathedral (the Dom) again today, just the outside, and man oh man I am happy I went yesterday as there was about 35X the amount of people there than when I went, which definately takes away from the experience.
The weather was crap again today, raining on and off and cold. I am still battling this cold, which sucks and is super annoying, but I am hoping to kick it shortly (or give it to the partying roomates haha).
Anyways, I figure I have written enough for today, I haven't even included everything that happened, as my days have been crazy packed!
I leave for Berlin tomorrow morning, I catch a train around 10AM and the trip is about 5 hours, so luckily I can catch some sleep there if the roomates party too hard tonight. I am excited but nervous for Berlin, I am super psyched to see all the history and sites it has to offer.
I am thinking about eating at a South African restaraunt tonight, either that or Mexican, but I can't decide. Now I am just babbling... I will write again in a couple days when I am settled in Berlin!
Love Krystle
Friday, July 10, 2009
Whirlwind Cologne...
Wow it has been a lonnnnnnng day, but wonderful :)
I started it off around 9AM, leaving the hostel in a tank top and jeans, thinking it would warm up. WRONG. By the time I had gotten to my first destination, the Dom Cathedral, it had gotten super cold, windy and rainy, so I spent the next hour looking for somewhere open to buy a jacket, luckily finding a place around 10 and buying a jacket after receiving many disapproving glances from middle aged women and mothers with children.
From there I was off.... I first went to the Dom Cathedral, and let me tell you, I actually had to brace myself. There was so much intricate detail in one place I almost cried. The church itself is from the 13th century, but inside there were many treasures from much earlier, especially in the Treasury, which housed amazing things from the ages. I have little internet time today, so I wonät go into great detail, but google it and see for yourself. It is unbelievable.
From there I went to the Romisch-Germanisches museum, which housed prehistoric artefats and Roman and German ruins, treasures and amazing pieces of culture and history. There were pieces in there from the first century AD. I almost died when I sat there staring at things 2000 years old. It was amazing!
From there I decided I wanted to go to the Perfume Museum, as Cologne is where the first perfume was invented in 1709 by Johann Farina, an Italian who had emigrated here. It was amazing to see all the progress and hear the stories of how something we take so lightly came about... there was huge scandal and prestige associated with Eau de Cologne. I got a little bottle of the 'original' so I can remember it by.
After this I decided to go to the Schokoladenmuseum (Chocolate Museum) where I literally saw what happened once the cocoa arrived. This was super exciting as I saw the cocoa harvesting part back in Ghana, and now I got to see what actually happened to the crude product to make it into such a delight. I watched it being made in front of my eyes and took it all in. There were chocolate fountains and machines everywhere... honestly Willy Wonka would have been proud. Mom you will probably die of jealousy while reading this haha.
From here I decided it was time to head back to the hostel, but stopped at the Ludwig Museum instead and looked at art from the 20th and 21st centuries, and saw a plethora of Picasso's work - I didn't really like his work but it was cool to say I have seen in person. There were some really cool exhibits, but there were also some that were frankly quite frightening. There was a little room that was creaky and weird and had this weird moving broom with a speaker in a tube on the neck of it... there was weird German spewing out, I couldn't understand, but I hated it. It was so scary! It was a really cool museum to see though!
I am back at the hostel now, sorry I can't give better descriptions of what I did and saw today, but my internet time is limited and costs an arm and a leg here. Tomorrow should be just as busy, but I know my way around pretty well now, after nearly 8 hours of walking today. I have the train system down pretty well, and I am even able to recognize some German. When people speak it to me or I read it I can pick things out, but asking me to speak it will never happen.
I hope all is well at home,
I am fine - happy, healthy (well actually I have quite the cold, it is freezing here and has been raining since I got here, quite a difference from the weather I had the last 2 months. Today I went into a greenhouse just to feel normal hahahah) and enjoying myself immensely.
I will try to write again shortly.
Love Krystle
I started it off around 9AM, leaving the hostel in a tank top and jeans, thinking it would warm up. WRONG. By the time I had gotten to my first destination, the Dom Cathedral, it had gotten super cold, windy and rainy, so I spent the next hour looking for somewhere open to buy a jacket, luckily finding a place around 10 and buying a jacket after receiving many disapproving glances from middle aged women and mothers with children.
From there I was off.... I first went to the Dom Cathedral, and let me tell you, I actually had to brace myself. There was so much intricate detail in one place I almost cried. The church itself is from the 13th century, but inside there were many treasures from much earlier, especially in the Treasury, which housed amazing things from the ages. I have little internet time today, so I wonät go into great detail, but google it and see for yourself. It is unbelievable.
From there I went to the Romisch-Germanisches museum, which housed prehistoric artefats and Roman and German ruins, treasures and amazing pieces of culture and history. There were pieces in there from the first century AD. I almost died when I sat there staring at things 2000 years old. It was amazing!
From there I decided I wanted to go to the Perfume Museum, as Cologne is where the first perfume was invented in 1709 by Johann Farina, an Italian who had emigrated here. It was amazing to see all the progress and hear the stories of how something we take so lightly came about... there was huge scandal and prestige associated with Eau de Cologne. I got a little bottle of the 'original' so I can remember it by.
After this I decided to go to the Schokoladenmuseum (Chocolate Museum) where I literally saw what happened once the cocoa arrived. This was super exciting as I saw the cocoa harvesting part back in Ghana, and now I got to see what actually happened to the crude product to make it into such a delight. I watched it being made in front of my eyes and took it all in. There were chocolate fountains and machines everywhere... honestly Willy Wonka would have been proud. Mom you will probably die of jealousy while reading this haha.
From here I decided it was time to head back to the hostel, but stopped at the Ludwig Museum instead and looked at art from the 20th and 21st centuries, and saw a plethora of Picasso's work - I didn't really like his work but it was cool to say I have seen in person. There were some really cool exhibits, but there were also some that were frankly quite frightening. There was a little room that was creaky and weird and had this weird moving broom with a speaker in a tube on the neck of it... there was weird German spewing out, I couldn't understand, but I hated it. It was so scary! It was a really cool museum to see though!
I am back at the hostel now, sorry I can't give better descriptions of what I did and saw today, but my internet time is limited and costs an arm and a leg here. Tomorrow should be just as busy, but I know my way around pretty well now, after nearly 8 hours of walking today. I have the train system down pretty well, and I am even able to recognize some German. When people speak it to me or I read it I can pick things out, but asking me to speak it will never happen.
I hope all is well at home,
I am fine - happy, healthy (well actually I have quite the cold, it is freezing here and has been raining since I got here, quite a difference from the weather I had the last 2 months. Today I went into a greenhouse just to feel normal hahahah) and enjoying myself immensely.
I will try to write again shortly.
Love Krystle
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Am I dreaming?
Wow is all I can say right now... I love this country!!!
Yesterday I took a day tour along the Rhine, where I was the only person under the age of at least 45, and went to two different German states and saw a bunch of the famous sites along the famous river, taking a cable car/chair lift thing down a mountain into Assmannshausen (adorable little city). From there was lunch at an eclectic little restaraunt, which was so stuffed with trinkets it was amaying we could fit inside. From there we then took a ferry ride from Rudesheim to St.Goarsheim (my spelling is probably off) where I saw the most beautiful castles and scenery imaginable. The area we were in was a UNESCO protected area for having the most castles in the world apparently. Absolutely breathtaking. I found a spot on the ferry at the very back on the deck where nobody was, and it was magic to sit there enjoying a beautiful German beer enjoying the world.
From there we went for wine tasting, and I got to enjoy some of the famous German wines, which were beautiful. I learnt a lot about the wining process, and the difference between all the wines, which I enjoyed a lot. After this it was time for a quick knick-knack stop and then onwards back to Frankfurt.
Upon arriving back to Frankfurt I decided I wanted to be adventurous and headed across the river the the Southern part of Frankfurt for dinner. I wanted an authentic German place to eat, and the hotel recommended a famous place that I headed, Adolf Wagner. I arrived to find the German scene so often portrayed in the movies; benches lined up with people elbow to elbow, laughing, drinking, talking... it was a little overwhelming. I was seated opposite a girl my age and handed a menu. I could not understand a single word of it... I decided that I was going to risk it and pick something off the menu that I thought sounded appetizing (knowing no German, that could have been rough) but the waiter seemed to notice my distress and came over after about 10 minutes, then I told him I could not read any of it, then he brought me an English menu. The girl opposite me started to laugh, and I got a little miffed as I thought she was laughing at me, but as it turned out, she was in the same predicament and had no idea what to do. We instantly became friends. She is from Turkey and left this morning to go to Paris, also travelling alone. We shared stories and ate together, and actually left the restaurant together as our hotels were super close to each others. I had the Frankfurt special shnitzel with 'green sauce' and apple wine - all a Frankfurt specialty according to my tour guide. I was a little apprhensive, but when I got it the food looked so good, and the portion was HUGE! I ate it and fell in love immediately. SOOOOOOO GOOD! She ordered the same thing and enjoyed it as well.
Today I am heading to Cologne, sometime soon here. I am super exhausted, still trying desperately to catch up on sleep from last week when I barely slept at all. I fell asleep at random intervals the last couple of days, which was easy when in a hotel room alone. From here on out I am sharing hostel rooms, so it should be interesting to say the least.
Anyways, time to get hopping and start the day properly.
Will write when I can!
Love Krystle
Yesterday I took a day tour along the Rhine, where I was the only person under the age of at least 45, and went to two different German states and saw a bunch of the famous sites along the famous river, taking a cable car/chair lift thing down a mountain into Assmannshausen (adorable little city). From there was lunch at an eclectic little restaraunt, which was so stuffed with trinkets it was amaying we could fit inside. From there we then took a ferry ride from Rudesheim to St.Goarsheim (my spelling is probably off) where I saw the most beautiful castles and scenery imaginable. The area we were in was a UNESCO protected area for having the most castles in the world apparently. Absolutely breathtaking. I found a spot on the ferry at the very back on the deck where nobody was, and it was magic to sit there enjoying a beautiful German beer enjoying the world.
From there we went for wine tasting, and I got to enjoy some of the famous German wines, which were beautiful. I learnt a lot about the wining process, and the difference between all the wines, which I enjoyed a lot. After this it was time for a quick knick-knack stop and then onwards back to Frankfurt.
Upon arriving back to Frankfurt I decided I wanted to be adventurous and headed across the river the the Southern part of Frankfurt for dinner. I wanted an authentic German place to eat, and the hotel recommended a famous place that I headed, Adolf Wagner. I arrived to find the German scene so often portrayed in the movies; benches lined up with people elbow to elbow, laughing, drinking, talking... it was a little overwhelming. I was seated opposite a girl my age and handed a menu. I could not understand a single word of it... I decided that I was going to risk it and pick something off the menu that I thought sounded appetizing (knowing no German, that could have been rough) but the waiter seemed to notice my distress and came over after about 10 minutes, then I told him I could not read any of it, then he brought me an English menu. The girl opposite me started to laugh, and I got a little miffed as I thought she was laughing at me, but as it turned out, she was in the same predicament and had no idea what to do. We instantly became friends. She is from Turkey and left this morning to go to Paris, also travelling alone. We shared stories and ate together, and actually left the restaurant together as our hotels were super close to each others. I had the Frankfurt special shnitzel with 'green sauce' and apple wine - all a Frankfurt specialty according to my tour guide. I was a little apprhensive, but when I got it the food looked so good, and the portion was HUGE! I ate it and fell in love immediately. SOOOOOOO GOOD! She ordered the same thing and enjoyed it as well.
Today I am heading to Cologne, sometime soon here. I am super exhausted, still trying desperately to catch up on sleep from last week when I barely slept at all. I fell asleep at random intervals the last couple of days, which was easy when in a hotel room alone. From here on out I am sharing hostel rooms, so it should be interesting to say the least.
Anyways, time to get hopping and start the day properly.
Will write when I can!
Love Krystle
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Hello from Frankfurt!!
So I have officially touched down on another continent for a new adventure!
I left Ghana at 11PM July 6, and got to Germany 730AM July 7, and here I am. I tried to figure myself out at the airport, but found it extremely difficult when everyone is speaking a different language and thinks I can too, everyone is speaking to me in German and I have no idea what they are saying!
I finally boarded the proper train away from the airport to the city center, and arrived at my hotel around 9AM, and luckily it is right outside the train station, so once I got to the proper train and station it was smooth sailing from there. The hotel is absolutely fantastic! I arrived early and they allowed me to check in 3 hours early, and have complementary buffet breakfast. My room is gorgeous as well... small but lovely. As soon as they told me I could eat I dove in - I had cheese and milk for the first time in two months so that was really exciting! I settled into my room and had a shower (not from a bucket... woo!) and was about to take a nap but the excitement of my surroundings was killing me, so I decided to check everything out. I left around 10 to find the shopping plaza that was nearby... I left like half my clothes in Africa, they were stained and stinky and gross, so I needed to buy a few things.
It is so weird not standing out like crazy, and being able to walk down the street without children running up to touch me. I miss it! Germany is gorgeous... the little I have seen thus far, but there are a few things that stand out right away; Germans smoke A LOT!!! In Ghana nearly nobody smoked, it was associated with fast living smelling but everyone smokes here it is disgusting. They are also pushy and don.t apologize when they smash into you... pretty annoying. Oh well.
Anyways I am having a hard time typing this out, I found a small internet cafe in the Turkish area downtown and the keyboard is messed up and has a bunch of funky characters and letters in different places, so I am signing off now. It is probably a good idea to maybe sleep a little, I am going on 36 hours with no sleep, and have slept minimal since Thursday, so I need to relax a litttle, but there is so much excitement to behold!
I hope I will have a chance for updates as I go.... I am in Frankfurt until Thursday, then off to Cologne then Berlin then Munich and finally Nuremburg before returning home. I am so excited!!
xo
Krystle
I left Ghana at 11PM July 6, and got to Germany 730AM July 7, and here I am. I tried to figure myself out at the airport, but found it extremely difficult when everyone is speaking a different language and thinks I can too, everyone is speaking to me in German and I have no idea what they are saying!
I finally boarded the proper train away from the airport to the city center, and arrived at my hotel around 9AM, and luckily it is right outside the train station, so once I got to the proper train and station it was smooth sailing from there. The hotel is absolutely fantastic! I arrived early and they allowed me to check in 3 hours early, and have complementary buffet breakfast. My room is gorgeous as well... small but lovely. As soon as they told me I could eat I dove in - I had cheese and milk for the first time in two months so that was really exciting! I settled into my room and had a shower (not from a bucket... woo!) and was about to take a nap but the excitement of my surroundings was killing me, so I decided to check everything out. I left around 10 to find the shopping plaza that was nearby... I left like half my clothes in Africa, they were stained and stinky and gross, so I needed to buy a few things.
It is so weird not standing out like crazy, and being able to walk down the street without children running up to touch me. I miss it! Germany is gorgeous... the little I have seen thus far, but there are a few things that stand out right away; Germans smoke A LOT!!! In Ghana nearly nobody smoked, it was associated with fast living smelling but everyone smokes here it is disgusting. They are also pushy and don.t apologize when they smash into you... pretty annoying. Oh well.
Anyways I am having a hard time typing this out, I found a small internet cafe in the Turkish area downtown and the keyboard is messed up and has a bunch of funky characters and letters in different places, so I am signing off now. It is probably a good idea to maybe sleep a little, I am going on 36 hours with no sleep, and have slept minimal since Thursday, so I need to relax a litttle, but there is so much excitement to behold!
I hope I will have a chance for updates as I go.... I am in Frankfurt until Thursday, then off to Cologne then Berlin then Munich and finally Nuremburg before returning home. I am so excited!!
xo
Krystle
Monday, July 6, 2009
My time on the African continent is coming to a close...
Wow, what a weekend.
Friday night a bunch of us volunteers (10 in total) headed into Accra for a night out at a karaoke bar type thing, sort of a sports bar called Champs. We got there around 10 and the drinking started immediately. The drinks were fairly expensive but so strong that you needed to give your head a shake when finished. I of course decided that my new name was Frank the Tank and took the drinking to a new level. The memories of this night are hazy, but I met a US Marine that stole my attention for the night, so it was enjoyable to say the least.
Saturday I went shopping with the girls all day, just having a nice time, taking in the little time I had left in Accra, Ghana's capital. The fellow said he would call around 9 that evening, and we had made plans to go out, but then 8PM rolls around, and I thought to myself; "what would happen if he didn't call, I didn't want to waste my last Saturday night in Ghana waiting for a boy" so I checked with the others and found another girl that wanted to go out. Out of 9 people she was the only one willing to be a trooper (she is Norweigan, so a viking) and we went out. He called and we made plans to meet up, eventually meeting him and some other marines at the same bar as the night before, after a few stops at various bars and clubs along the way - only this time there was a special on, 15 cedi (like 12 dollars) and drink all you can until 1 AM. This was like 10PM, so I looked at Monica, and we decided to go for it and took the challenge.
Needless to say it was another long night full of partying and lack of sleep, but amazing and so much fun, all at the same time!
I really enjoyed the company of the marine, but it would never happen realistically as he is actually stationed in Chad (kind of by Sudan) and was only here for a week anyways. He will be in Chad until the earliest of October, but doesn't know, and will be all over the place for a long time. I had to laugh a little at my luck, just the norm for me, and then we exchanged emails (so 21st century).
Sunday I spent with some other volunteers, we headed to Aburi botanical gardens and hit some arts markets along the way. It was a very nice day, and I thought, what better to do than meet up with the other hot American boy I had met previous (med school student). We had lunch, which was nice, but I was so tired I couldn't focus on life. I had slept a total of 2 hours in the last 2 nights, so I was dead.
I can't believe the partying that took place this weekend, it was totally out of character but awesome! I was shocked and thrilled at the same time with the events of the weekend, but am now nervous to head to Germany tonight to drink at the rowdiest beer loving country in the world. It could get messy real quick, but I look forward to the history and the impact the country has on me. I lucked out and got into contact with a friend who lives in Munich so she will show me around for the 3 days I am there, which is nice.
I leave tonight at 11PM and arrive tomorrow at Frankfurt at 730AM (1130PM your time the day before). I am so excited but so torn on how I feel, I thought I would be happy to leave here, but I look back on all the craziness of the past two months, and it was all worth it, and every trying experience was worth its weight in gold. The things I thought I hated here I now realize they are some of the things I love the most. This experience has done so much to change me as a person, it is shocking to look back on the inner transformation that has taken place. I can't even begin to describe the things that have meant the most and have had the strangest impact on me, every experience from climbing a mountain to a conversation with a stranger to being pooped on have shaken me to the core in different ways and have done a lot to strengthen my faith in myself and my abilities as a person. I feel like I am leaving with regret in that my time here was short, but I feel that the experiences and memories have made me a better person.
I am not sure how often I will post in Europe, depending on the cost to use the internet, but I will try to keep you all updated on my current travels!
Germany here I come!
Friday night a bunch of us volunteers (10 in total) headed into Accra for a night out at a karaoke bar type thing, sort of a sports bar called Champs. We got there around 10 and the drinking started immediately. The drinks were fairly expensive but so strong that you needed to give your head a shake when finished. I of course decided that my new name was Frank the Tank and took the drinking to a new level. The memories of this night are hazy, but I met a US Marine that stole my attention for the night, so it was enjoyable to say the least.
Saturday I went shopping with the girls all day, just having a nice time, taking in the little time I had left in Accra, Ghana's capital. The fellow said he would call around 9 that evening, and we had made plans to go out, but then 8PM rolls around, and I thought to myself; "what would happen if he didn't call, I didn't want to waste my last Saturday night in Ghana waiting for a boy" so I checked with the others and found another girl that wanted to go out. Out of 9 people she was the only one willing to be a trooper (she is Norweigan, so a viking) and we went out. He called and we made plans to meet up, eventually meeting him and some other marines at the same bar as the night before, after a few stops at various bars and clubs along the way - only this time there was a special on, 15 cedi (like 12 dollars) and drink all you can until 1 AM. This was like 10PM, so I looked at Monica, and we decided to go for it and took the challenge.
Needless to say it was another long night full of partying and lack of sleep, but amazing and so much fun, all at the same time!
I really enjoyed the company of the marine, but it would never happen realistically as he is actually stationed in Chad (kind of by Sudan) and was only here for a week anyways. He will be in Chad until the earliest of October, but doesn't know, and will be all over the place for a long time. I had to laugh a little at my luck, just the norm for me, and then we exchanged emails (so 21st century).
Sunday I spent with some other volunteers, we headed to Aburi botanical gardens and hit some arts markets along the way. It was a very nice day, and I thought, what better to do than meet up with the other hot American boy I had met previous (med school student). We had lunch, which was nice, but I was so tired I couldn't focus on life. I had slept a total of 2 hours in the last 2 nights, so I was dead.
I can't believe the partying that took place this weekend, it was totally out of character but awesome! I was shocked and thrilled at the same time with the events of the weekend, but am now nervous to head to Germany tonight to drink at the rowdiest beer loving country in the world. It could get messy real quick, but I look forward to the history and the impact the country has on me. I lucked out and got into contact with a friend who lives in Munich so she will show me around for the 3 days I am there, which is nice.
I leave tonight at 11PM and arrive tomorrow at Frankfurt at 730AM (1130PM your time the day before). I am so excited but so torn on how I feel, I thought I would be happy to leave here, but I look back on all the craziness of the past two months, and it was all worth it, and every trying experience was worth its weight in gold. The things I thought I hated here I now realize they are some of the things I love the most. This experience has done so much to change me as a person, it is shocking to look back on the inner transformation that has taken place. I can't even begin to describe the things that have meant the most and have had the strangest impact on me, every experience from climbing a mountain to a conversation with a stranger to being pooped on have shaken me to the core in different ways and have done a lot to strengthen my faith in myself and my abilities as a person. I feel like I am leaving with regret in that my time here was short, but I feel that the experiences and memories have made me a better person.
I am not sure how often I will post in Europe, depending on the cost to use the internet, but I will try to keep you all updated on my current travels!
Germany here I come!
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Just a few more days...
So my time here in Ghana is coming to a close... I leave in 4 days for Europe. It almost feels unreal to be leaving... I have made some wonderful friends and feel completely comfortable and integrated into society. On the one hand I am comfortable and enjoy it here, but on the other hand I do feel ready to leave and begin my next adventure. I am getting a tad stir crazy and am starting to get really sick of being conned and cheated because of the color of my skin. Really annoying.
The scenery is gorgeous however, but Germany will be as well.
Yesterday we went to Cape Coast to see another slave castle, the Cape Coast Castle. It is smaller and younger than Elmina, but depressing just the same. The others went to Kakum National Park (I have already been) so I just parked it on the beach (in the cleanest place I could find) and read for awhile. I finally have found some sort of travel guide for Germany - from 2004, but a start to hold me off until I get there on Tuesday. I had a beer and actually found a spot where I wasn't bothered very much, so it was a really great day.
Today I should be at the oprphanage, but I am sick again (probably from the kids) so am staying away from there for the day. I have been working with the creche kids (aged 3-5 ish) and it is a sheer hell in a sense, but at the end of the day there is a true sense of accomplishment from keeping 30 of them in line (somewhat) and actually engaging their minds into something, whether it be sleep or reading haha.
The weather is a little nicer again, still raining every other day, but a little warmer.
There is not much to report, this weekend we are spending the night (Friday) in Accra apparently at a karaoke bar (oh dear) and the rest of the weekend in Aburi, visiting the botanical gardens, picking up last minute souveneirs and things like that. My flight leaves Accra 11PM (5PM your time) and gets into Frankfurt at 730AM. I am super excited!
I am off to try and find a pharmacy as this sickness willl take me down soon I think, and I think I have developed some sort of acid-reflux issue here, so I have been living on antacids... time to get more.
Hope all is well!
Love Krystle
The scenery is gorgeous however, but Germany will be as well.
Yesterday we went to Cape Coast to see another slave castle, the Cape Coast Castle. It is smaller and younger than Elmina, but depressing just the same. The others went to Kakum National Park (I have already been) so I just parked it on the beach (in the cleanest place I could find) and read for awhile. I finally have found some sort of travel guide for Germany - from 2004, but a start to hold me off until I get there on Tuesday. I had a beer and actually found a spot where I wasn't bothered very much, so it was a really great day.
Today I should be at the oprphanage, but I am sick again (probably from the kids) so am staying away from there for the day. I have been working with the creche kids (aged 3-5 ish) and it is a sheer hell in a sense, but at the end of the day there is a true sense of accomplishment from keeping 30 of them in line (somewhat) and actually engaging their minds into something, whether it be sleep or reading haha.
The weather is a little nicer again, still raining every other day, but a little warmer.
There is not much to report, this weekend we are spending the night (Friday) in Accra apparently at a karaoke bar (oh dear) and the rest of the weekend in Aburi, visiting the botanical gardens, picking up last minute souveneirs and things like that. My flight leaves Accra 11PM (5PM your time) and gets into Frankfurt at 730AM. I am super excited!
I am off to try and find a pharmacy as this sickness willl take me down soon I think, and I think I have developed some sort of acid-reflux issue here, so I have been living on antacids... time to get more.
Hope all is well!
Love Krystle
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
