Saigon (Ho Chih Minh City)

While Hanoi is the quiet big city in Vietnam, Saigon is definitely the crazy older brother (in a good brilliant way).  My first impression on arriving in here was lights, lights and more lights. Cousin David and myself were greeted by the guys that run the Christinas Guesthouse/hotel.  This place is absolutely brilliant.  A common room, a kitchen in each spacious room and enough fruit to feed a small army.  Food stalls and restaurants litter this area, so going hungry here is not an option.  Bars, Clubs are throughout District One area where the Guesthouse is located.  If you want a good atmosphere with great people, then stay here.  I promise you will not be disappointed.  IF YOU LOVE FOOD, THEN LATE NIGHT FOOD STALLS WILL INDULGE YOUR EVERY SENSES…..THE ONE BELOW IS ONE OF THE BEST ONES!!!!

PICS FROM CHRISTINAS SAIGON

I jumped on a free motorbike tour done by university students here that the Guesthouse can arrange and they will take you anywhere you want to go.  I went to the Reunification Palace, War Remnants Museum (one of the better Museums I have been to in the world), the first post office in Indo China, and the Basillica of Notre Dame.  As you can see on the video below, the streets are what i call “ORGANIZED CHAOS.”  The website of these tours both in and out of the city is listed here and they work pretty much all on donations for the in city tours-ONE TRIP VIETNAM.

Jump to:

 

 

• Hanoi
• Mai Chau
• Ha Long Bay
• Viet Cong Cu Chi Tunnels
• Hue
• DMZ and HCM trail by motorbike
• Hoi An
• The Vietnamese Motorbike Diaries and people
• The food

 

 

 

 

 

Hanoi

This is a beautiful and vibrant city. I enjoyed ten days basing in and out of here on my way to such places as Mai Chau and also Halong Bay.

The city is organized chaos with people coming at you everywhere on bikes and cars which makes for sometimes a very frustrating experience if you are walking along the streets as a tourist. However you must walk with a purpose in order to get to a place and not make eye contact with moving vehicles.

The Old Quarters is the central part of the city, with many restaurants and bars for locals and tourists alike. There is place known by the westerners as “Beer Corner”, in which they put many stools outside and you just order beers and finger foods. When the police show up, they just move all of the stools inside and everyone stands and drinks.

The link below will enable you to meet up with a local university student. They have different types of tours and are all free of charge. A great way to see the city with a little bit of history.  The two tours I did was just walking around to the HCM Mausoleum and then a street food tour on a scooter, which gave me a taste of the crazy life of a scooter.

Free walking or motorbike tours done by university students

Where to stay?  Eclipse Legend Hotel

A great tour company to use while staying in Hanoi is Evan Journey:

Evan Journey Facebook Page

Evan Journey Website

It is owned by a girl named Mien who I met while staying at the hotel below.  Her command of English is excellent and will always work to find you the best deals on different tours you can take.  They can accommodate your whole trip in any part of Vietnam and will always be happy to assist you with a friendly smile.  If you are pushed for time while staying in Vietnam or just do not feel like booking stuff yourself, please feel free to click on the above links and you will be helped with anything your heart desires!!!!!

My review of Eclipse Legend Hotel on Booking and Trip Advisor:

Jump to:

 

 

• Mai Chau
• Ha Long Bay
• Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
• Viet Cong Cu Chi Tunnels
• Hue
• DMZ and HCM trail by motorbike
• Hoi An
• The Vietnamese Motorbike Diaries and people
• The food

 

 

 

At first glace this place looked like it would be very boring.  After a day, I quickly changed my disposition. This was the old Imperial Capital of Vietnam and the structures of the Emperors just outside of the city are amazing…..Couple that with the countryside and a quiet beach with all the seafood you can possibly eat….This makes for a very fun time.

The food was equally as good as as I ate at a Class A Restaurant that was cheap called Risottos.  This place has just about anything you want to eat from American, to Italian, to Traditional Vietnamese at a very affordable price.

Other food I ate was at the beach, which cost me a whopping 24 dollars with 8 beers included and a bucket of ice:

Also I went to a little known restaurant with some local friends that had goat cooked every which way you can imagine.  Truly heaven on earth!!!!!

Four Seasons Hotel

The hotel I stayed at was very small (11 Rooms), but honestly, do you want a big fancy hotel?  Or rather a hotel that makes you feel at home bringing you a fresh wet cloth when you enter from being in the sweltering heat and greeting you with a glass of fresh fruit juice?  Couple that with great and kind service of the staff, this was a hotel that was amazing and that I would actually live at!!!!!!

The best and finniest guide!!!!!! His name is simply TY

This guy who has his company listed below took me around to site after site including the DMZ area overnight and too me out to eat (see seafood and goat above), and then took me into his house to have dinner.  His website and email are listed below, and if you come to the Hue area, his English is awesome, he is funny, and very patient.  he may very well be your man to book your motorcycle trek!!!!!!  I can honestly now call him and his girlfriend my new friends!!!!!

Please email Ty for a tour:

Email Ty

Website of tours they do.  Or custom made tours if you please:

www.vietnammotortrail.com

Jump to:

 

• Hanoi
• Mai Chau
• Ha Long Bay
• Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
• Viet Cong Cu Chi Tunnels
• DMZ and HCM trail by motorbike
• Hoi An
• The Vietnamese Motorbike Diaries and people
• The food

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The best and finniest guide!!!!!! His name is simply TY

This guy who has his company listed below took me around to site after site including the DMZ area overnight and too me out to eat (see seafood and goat above), and then took me into his house to have dinner.  His website and email are listed below, and if you come to the Hue area, his English is awesome, he is funny, and very patient.  he may very well be your man to book your motorcycle trek!!!!!!  I can honestly now call him and his girlfriend my new friends!!!!!

Please email Ty for a tour:

Email Ty

Website of tours they do.  Or custom made tours if you please:

www.vietnammotortrail.com

THE DMZ!!!!

I decided to go off on a limb and stay an extra day around Hue in order to view all of the sites around the DMZ and more.

We started off on our 390 KM on a motorbike journey heading out of Hue and going to the Vịnh Mốc Tunnels.  Why did I find these tunnels interesting?  They had a small hospital to deliver babies along with family rooms where people lived for long periods of time.

We then headed toward where the DMZ between the north and south was and I got to see the bridge that became so popular with different colors for the two sides.  Brothers were fighting against brothers, whole families separated in the blink of an eye.  The museum here was small but entertaining and the reunification monument is wonderful.   We then headed toward the cemetery to see where hundreds of soldiers are buried (this was a well kept cemetery.) As we drove up the mountain, i noticed how luscious and green this countryside was and how friendly the people were.  It makes me sad to realize what went on here 40 years ago and what the people endured.  We finally in the late afternoon arrived in Khe Sahn were the famous US military post was, where we spent the night, had some great chicken and rice fried and prepared for the Ho Chi Minh Trail the next day!!!!!

The next day was a lot of driving as we went to the Khe Sahn was memorial followed by heading onto the highway which once occupied the Ho Chi Minh Trail.  Pictures are worth a thousand words here as the countryside was amazing and we stopped once to talk to some villagers from a small village.  It makes me happy to realize that even without a lot of material goods and simple living, these people are still very happy and the kids are even more happier.  Thank you Ty…this was a great trip!!!!

Jump to:

 

• Hanoi
• Mai Chau
• Ha Long Bay
• Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
• Viet Cong Cu Chi Tunnels
• Hue
• Hoi An
• The Vietnamese Motorbike Diaries and people
• The food

 

 

 

COULD VIETNAM RIVAL OTHER COUNTRIES FOR BEST FOOD?

The answer is a resounding YES!!!!  As with Ecuador you have mountains and oceans and farmland all within a few hours drive from each other which makes for a variety of dishes!!!!  My top countries rarely ever change for my like of dood!!!! In no particular order:   Greece, South Korea , Ecuador, Argentina, Mexico, Japan, Hungary, Macedonia, Lithuania, Germany.  I think it is safe to say that Vietnam has moved into this list and may even be the best of all these countries (purely in my opinion but many will agree.).  Why?  You got a mix of everything, Pork, Beef, Seafood, Goat, Lamb, Spices, Salad, Appetizer, Soups, etc all rolled into one (and dont forget the spring rolls).  To top it off, you have many different local beers to choose from as well as wines and liquors.   No wonder why I ate four or five times a day!!!!!!  At the same time it rarely ever gets you totally waistline full unless you gorge yourself!!!!!!  This is a gastronomical delight!!!!!  FOR SOME REASON I LOST 9 LBS WHILE HERE, EATING EVERYTHING IN SITE.  MUST BE ALL THE CHEMICALS AND FROZEN FOOD IN THE REST OF THE WORLD!!!

PICTURES SPEAK LOUDER THAN WORDS!!!!

 

Jump to:

 

• Hanoi
• Mai Chau
• Ha Long Bay
• Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
• Viet Cong Cu Chi Tunnels
• Hue
• DMZ and HCM trail by motorbike
• Hoi An
• The Vietnamese Motorbike Diaries and people

 

 

 

Motorbikes are a big part of this culture as most families own at least one if not two or three.  The streets are jam packed with them zooming past you all the time.  If you dont watch out, you may just get hit by one!!!!

This society somehow functions on the organized chaos of motorbikes and cars, with different beeps to let people know when to pass or to get out of the way.  This organized chaos works perfectly as people are extremely polite to one another (unlike Cairo where they are malicious).

I even got to ride one a little which I saw just how easy it was (in somewhat of a controlled open road).  Organized Chaos does work here, but if you insert this in many other cultures it would turn into just plain chaos far being removed form organized!!!!

I loved the people here, as they were friendly, hardworking, polite and always there when you needed them.  There were so many different types of faces and people doing work that i ran across that it was hard to choose.  But here are some of the best pictures that I took.  Notice the hard working nature and/or happy faces.  They know how to balance out everything here!!!!

Jump to:

 

• Hanoi
• Mai Chau
• Ha Long Bay
• Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
• Viet Cong Cu Chi Tunnels
• Hue
• DMZ and HCM trail by motorbike
• Hoi An
• The food

 

 

 

 

I stayed at the Aurora Riverside Hotel for three nights and was very impressed.  Not only did they change my reservation for me, but they upgraded me to a massive suite seen here:

This Suite coupled with 29 dollars a night, a restaurant, bar, pool, and overlooking a lovely rice field made this stay enjoyable.  They were also very efficient in getting all my stuff booked.  Please stay here if you come to Hoi An!!!

I pretty much just lounged around here the first day.  Met a friend at the beach as well as going to get something to eat and seeing the night market and the old quarters by night:

And then there are the local markets with fresh everything!!!!  No wonder why I lost weight here!!!!!

Another Cooking Class?  Yea I cant get enough of them.  This was at an herbal farm where they basically grow all their own crops.  I had a private tutor and I did not disappoint.  I made four dishes-Spring Rolls, Green Papaya Salad with Shrimp and Calamari, Mackerel with tomato sauce in banana leaf, and Vietnamese Pancake!!!!  I loved it!!!!  If you are ever in Hoi An, it would be to your benefit to click here Tra Que Water Wheel, and take one of their many excursions they offer. Where else will you get to hang out in a 300 year old village? I promise you will not be disappointed!!!

My Son is an old Hindu Temple that dates back to ancient times of The Champa Empire and was finally annexed into Vietnam during the French Colonial period.  It is a Unesco World Heritage site and suffered heavy damage during the Vietnam War….

The Marble Mountains is a series of Buddhist Caves and shrines.  Some of the most impressive I have ever seen (next to Myanmar).  All of the mountains in the area are made of marble and some of the most popular in the world and Vietnam as people send them back to wherever they live…..

 

Jump to:

 

• Hanoi
• Mai Chau
• Ha Long Bay
• Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
• Viet Cong Cu Chi Tunnels
• Hue
• DMZ and HCM trail by motorbike
• The Vietnamese Motorbike Diaries and people
• The food

 

 

 

 

Ha Long Bay

These set of islands that graze the north western part of Vietnam are covered by luscious vegetation. This landscape dots the ocean like pieces of a puzzle that once all fit together millions of years ago. We were on a boat for a night which was a rather luxurious boat (insert website of company), along with ten course meals and plenty of wine and buckets of mixed drinks. The night was complete with Karaoke for a few hours until we got cut off…..

The next day after visiting some caves, the boat dropped us off at what I call The Garden of Eden. It was a set of Bungalows perched into one of the islands and built into the mountain. It was simply a time of rest and relaxation. Playing Frisbee in the water and hunting for clams for dinner was the fun to be had, along with the rest and relaxation on the beach. The night was completed with a Vietnamese style Grill out with all fresh sea food and pork!!!!!!

Jump to:

 

• Hanoi
• Mai Chau
• Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
• Viet Cong Cu Chi Tunnels
• Hue
• DMZ and HCM trail by motorbike
• Hoi An
• The Vietnamese Motorbike Diaries and people
• The food

 

 

 

 

ONE TRIP VIETNAM-Does a great trip to the Cu Chi tunnels on motorbike with stops along the way.  The Cu Chi Tunnels are what the Viet Cong used to annihilate the Americans.  After being in this area for a couple hours crawling thru tunnels and looking at the traps they would hide, it is a miracle of how a bunch of peasant farmers would think of this.  But they are the ones used to living off the land and do not need machines to do anything.  Some of the most impressive were the women fighters who registered kill after kill.  Some girls probably no older than their late teens!!!!!  Humidity in the tunnels was over 90%.  Great Day!!!!!

Jump to:

 

• Hanoi
• Mai Chau
• Ha Long Bay
• Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
• Hue
• DMZ and HCM trail by motorbike
• Hoi An
• The Vietnamese Motorbike Diaries and people
• The food

 

 

 

Communist?Socialist?Capitalist?  It really does not matter because this country is beautiful, friendly and cheap!!!

Well from being here for an extended amount of time, one thing is certain and that is this place is one of the most friendliest countries I have ever been too in my life. Long forgotten are the days of the Vietnam War . This new era has brought in a feeling of tranquility, serenity, and hospitality for tourists and locals alike.

The cities are hectic, jammed with cars and motorbikes with impatient honking, but it is not the same as other big cities as there is not a feeling of hostility or anger. The honks are simply to let people know to be careful or to move a little faster.   People sit outside shops and enjoy each others company while having some coffee or tea and a bowl of noodles.   Some people refer to this country as “The Street Food Capital of the World.”

The countryside is teemed with green vegetation as far as the eyes can see. Shacks offer food for people passing by for less than a dollar for a giant bowl of duck or foul soup.   Some people may think it is dirty to have animals run around in the streets or around public places , but this is the sustenance that people live off of. Would you want your chicken locked up in a cage or running freely? Cows roaming freely on the side of the highway? No problem, they don’t need to be kept in a pen or cage….

The countryside is similar to what it probably was hundreds of years ago, with villagers out in the rice fields all day long. Many houses have chickens, ducks, cows, water buffalo’s and pigs running around them all day long. There is always a certain feeling of a more relaxed lifestyle of these villagers, but as technology creeps in, so will the problems in the future…..

1. Hanoi
2. Mai Chau
3. Ha Long Bay
4. Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
5. Viet Cong Cu Chi Tunnels
6. Hue
7. DMZ and HCM trail by motorbike
8. Hoi An
9. The Vietnamese Motorbike Diaries and people
10. The food

 

Examples of what you will see:

 

 

As I am sitting here in KUL to meet up with my cousins, Zach, Kelly, and David, I thought I would write a quick blurb of why I am taking a year plus off from work…..my answer….why wouldnt anybody if they had the time and money?

“Why are you taking a year off to travel when you have a great job and get to travel enough already?” Is a question I have been asked in one form or another the last year plus.  It has come from students, friends, family, and especially my mom

Is this career execution for me? (Like Marie Antoinette and Louis XVI below)

Why are a lot of people surprised I am doing this? (Like Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette when the Third Estate started becoming powerful)

Why are people critical of me doing this? (Just like Josephine was critical of Napoleon all the time)

 

Yes it is hard to leave Cairo and my students, but it was three good years and I believe their historical understanding is higher than most students in high school from the United States.  They will give their history teachers next year a run for their money…..Cruz and Negrete, be prepared

There is no easy way to explain why I am taking 14 months off. But my question to anyone: Why wouldn’t you want to take 14 months off to travel if you could?  Take it I am from the USA and the holidays there are slim to none, plus cost of living is very high Wouldn’t this be a great way to divide up your professional career if you could?

Yes I was asked to be an Asst Principal next year at my school which is a major career step for me, but i turned it down.  I am sure I will get a chance at it again and this trip has been so important to me for so long……Money is not always everything!!!

So with money not being important, and me wanting a break…this is the perfect time to globe trot for a bit……

Divided into two legs:

LEG 1

June 19-July 30: Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Singapore

August 1-4: Greece

August 4-8: Eugene, Oregon

August 8-August 20: El Paso, Texas

August 20-August 24:  Knoxville, Tennessee

August 24-September 2- El Paso, Texas

September 2-6: Houston, Texas

September 6- September 21: Cairo, Egypt

September 21- September 26: Munich, Germany (Oktoberfest) and Salzburg, Austria

September 26-October 1: Cairo, Egypt

October 1-October 10:  Tunisia (Tunis and Djerba)

October 10-October 14:  Cairo, Egypt

October 14-October 25: Greece

October 25-November 12- Albania

November 12-Nov 15:  UK

LEG 2

 9 month trip overland around Africa (see below map for rough route I am taking).

Approximately Nov 15, 2016 to Aug 12, 2016.  This is an overland route in which I will have no tour guide, just a driver on a safari van.  Cooking our own meals and sleeping where we can.  The best part of this, a lot of it is off the beaten path!!!!!!

Will it be dangerous?  Yes!!!!  Is there a lot of preparation involved?  Oh hell yea…..Am I ready?  More than ever……ARISTOTLE ONCE SAID~THERE WAS NEVER A GENIUS WITHOUT A TINCTURE OF MADNESS…..GUESS THAT IS ME!!!!

Kelly, David, Zach……Im coming……

Instances of Euphoria: Italy
As humans, we choose to expose and unbury exquisite happenings and moments of frozen beauty in time. We choose to call to mind certain memories from our spans of life, from our instances of euphoria and jubilation in order to confront the distressing and harrowing truth about the pains of life. The moments of complete and utter happiness that take place of the past and hopefully the future are what relieve a little pain from the inevitable confrontation. We have a choice to bring about the instances of ecstasy and bliss rather than the agony and suffering, for it is those moments of complete and utter elation that provide us with a breath of air in our stressing conditions. For rather I live a life with such instances than drowning in such horrors. Italy being nothing but that. A blissful odyssey that has and will enable the worst of us to behold beauty and all it may offer. Whether it was the frozen time of Pompeii or the glistening waters of Capri, all are unarguably forever cherished behind lock and key in the mystery that is our mind. However, I am certain that when we all breathe our last breath and life is all but flashes of memories in our eyes, Italy is a happening we will most definitely behold in a flash.
In my 14 years of life never have I come across a place so psychologically peaceful. As odd as it may seem to praise a country for its psychological tranquility, I found simply walking through any narrow isolated street calming. Clearing my mind and unburdening my thoughts. I found Italy and the radiated nature and composure psychologically peaceful. For the iridescent trees and naturally architected mountains painted across Italy’s canvas would provide any soul with an infinite supply of inner harmony. The beauty of Italy’s ancient soul is its unspoken wisdom, for along a road’s gravel and a street’s walls; history is etched in it all. Time frozen in the narrow alleyways and cobblestone paths. No pebble and no stone left unhistorical. Never have I been so vulnerable to such a peace enduring landscape, a place where beauty was emanated at every turn your path took. No amount of words in any dictionary of the languages of the world could suffice in depicting the illustrated picture of profound tranquility in the nature of Italy.
Capri. The word simply captures the incredible heaven that lays surrounded by sapphire stones of water. The naturally architected isle isolated from the mainland for good reason, for such profound allure is to be kept unconnected, only evinced to those who dare expose themselves to the beauty of an earthly heaven. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Though it is island carved and chiseled by nature, each imperfect flaw was sought out as perfect imperfection. For even the most beautiful of entities acquire blemishes. Never before had I experienced such a spectacle. Levitating above clouds and simply stunned at the spontaneous beauty that existed in your world. The outburst of favorable emotion clouds your judgment, for the canvas portrayed has left you questioning your definitions of beauty. The sapphire jewels that met the azure heavens at the horizon that ceased to exist due to the lack of any evident differentiation. The tints and shades of green cracked open the sky with branches that slashed through without harm or mischief simply pulchritude and grace.
A city immune to transcending through time; paralyzed from a tragic year that has induced no pain or grief, for all were lost to oblivion and no one soul was left to mourn. The infamous tragedy that is Pompeii has witnessed its time and age perish before its eyes. Ashes drift and glide desperately awaiting to be put to rest and deprived from their prolonged purgatory, their undying torment. There is a certain beauty and horror to the tragedy. Never have I undergone both life and death; for humans tend to keep them distant. However, that is ground where the two aspects of our life cycles are balanced. Pompeii manifests the qualities that fabricate Life in Death. Such a fatal detonation left an entire city buried in time and unburied in spirit. As this city turned to black and white, the whole world was in screaming color.
Life has presented itself with many instances of haunting pain and aching torment. And many of us see life as nothing but that, endless misery. However, as cynical as I may be towards life and all its beauties and flaws, during the stages of desolation and distress, life provides us with a shot of ecstasy and elation injecting an end to pain. As humans, our lives are compiled by our choices. Our life is our choice. We have a choice to unbury bliss rather than agony. We have a choice to create flashes of happiness and jubilation for when we drown into oblivion. The inevitable confrontation that allows our hearts to fail and our death to rise is every bit more bearable when you finally fathom that mystery that is your mind and unlock your cherished instances. Complete and utter gratitude consumes me as I gaze back at my life and what I’ve made of it. Though I’ve condemned myself for quite some time about not truly living the miracle that is life, but it is these moments of frozen beauty in time that I cherish behind lock and key until all is fathomed. This odyssey, this excursion, this voyage, now serves as the epitome of my definition of an exquisite happening. It’s these moments of imperfect bliss that forge perfect memories. To Italy, my instance of euphoria.

Italia!!!! Can I handle another school trip with students?

Yes of course I can, although I am at times about to lose my mind, it is always an adventure as there is so many possibilities of what can happen….

However as I have grown tired of writing about my time with students on school trips, I decided to let selected students write about the Pros and Cons of their experiences on this trip to Italy……

PLEASE LEAVE FEEDBACK BELOW ON THESE STUDENTS WRITING:

Click here to see Reflections of Various Students from THEIR POINT OF VIEW

I thought this trip has beat out all other trips I have taken, not just from a sites point of view, but how well the students were able to move through 5 cities in 7 days with ease and how much they matured from an individualistic point of view during this time.  This defines a real trip in my opinion and will always be etched in my mind for years to come….. For the record it is not easy to monitor 50 students in hotels and on sites, even with other chaperones!!!!

Here are some pics of the trip:

The week when I ate enough pasta to last me a lifetime

This might just be the hardest assignment we’ve been given because I honestly cannot find the words to describe how absolutely wonderful this trip was. I had the time of my life. I made new friends and became closer with others. I had breathtaking experiences. I saw the most beautiful things and places. In a way, I even conquered my fear of heights. I made unbelievable memories. The whole trip was just so surreal.

I cannot conjure up one moment that I didn’t love. I can honestly say that it was the best week of my life. The only thing I didn’t love too much was the pasta. Don’t get me wrong; I love pasta as much as the next girl, but two times a day for 8 days is a bit much. The memories I made in Italy are ones I will never forget solely because they were defining moments for me. In all the books and shows, the characters have defining moments in their lives that make or break them. I had a few of those life-changing moments on this trip. I’ll never forget that day in Capri when we went up on the telepherique. I am proud to say that I conquered my severe fear of heights because I knew I would regret it for the rest of my life if I hadn’t sat down on that chair.

Rome truly was a magical city in my opinion. I’ve always waned to travel there and I still cannot believe that I actually did. I had very expectations for this trip and I can say that reality definitely beat the fantasy. I’m just extremely thankful that I had the chance to go on this trip because it was a gigantic if for a while there. Also, I feel very blessed because there are many people who live their whole life never leaving their country.

My favorite monument was the Colosseum . It was the only one that actually intrigued me. Honestly I didn’t pay attention on any of the tour guides except for that one. I don’t know why I found it so interesting, but I just couldn’t tear my attention from the newfound information. I also really enjoyed the bus rides. I know that’s a pretty weird thing to remember, but it wasn’t about the bus ride itself. It was about the time spent with the people on that bus. The friendships built that I hope will last twice as long as the memories. To me, those are the real things to remember about this trip.

My mother was quite reluctant to let me go on this trip, and God knows the odds weren’t exactly in my favor, but by some miracle I got on that plane. I went to Italy, and I fell in love with the beauty and the history. I hope I wont ever forget a single detail of this trip or the feelings flowing through me every step of the way, but sadly I know that cannot be true. You know what, though? Maybe Italy was worth all that pasta.

Reflective time in Italy

During the Italy trip, I really liked the tours and the hotels and it is my second favorite school trip. The tour was sometimes hot because of the weather and how the museums were packed with people making it more hotter, other then that it was amazing because I got to feel what Italy was like long time ago and I learned things that I didn’t know because from the books I have read doesn’t say. The negatives of the trip was the food. The food was mostly the same pasta and chicken. The food was mostly the same and that gave everyone stomach problems. The food wasn’t healthy enough. Other than the food problems, everything was fun and memorable. During the entire trip, we had some good times and some bad times. The good times were when us students tried hard to keep our manners because our school has a bad reputation in Italy thanks to the current 9th graders and we also didn’t want to disrespect the Italian culture and not let Mr. Yenshaw and Mr. Roy down because it’s Mr. Yenshaw’s last year with us and it’s our last trip with him, and we didn’t want let Mr. Roy down because he has been on so many bad school trips where students were like animals and last we wanted Mr. Roy and Mr. Yenshaw to have fun because it’s their last year seeing each other and it’s our last year seeing Mr. Yenshaw and last year of Mr. Roy teaching us. The other good times were when we got to see Mr. Neeno sleep with a huge smile on his face, walking around town and feeling the architecture that was built during the Renaissance, and we found out how each student behave differently inside and outside of school, learning new things, and last being with our teachers. The hotels that we stayed at in Florence was decent but I liked the view a lot because right outside the balcony were nature. The hotel in Rome was the best hotel I have ever been to in my 14 years of life because the room was very clean, there were no problems with the bathroom, and it felt like home. The last hotel in Naples was the Holiday Inn, in that hotel, the paintings always scared the Jesus out of me because right above the bed were two paintings of cupid looking in a weird angle and the painting was also dark. The Holiday Inn was OK. I really had fun in Pisa, Rome, and in Capri because that’s where I took lots of photos and Adam R’s jokes that cracked me up. I really miss the sarcastic tour guide in Pisa, Ricardo because he tried so hard to keep us awake and not fall asleep during the tour. In Capri, there are four events I will always remember till I die. The first one is when Bakary said ciao to random strangers, the second is Bakary and the playful waiter Franco becoming friends and how Franco made Bakary pay for everyone’s food, third Mr. Yenshaw smiling like a kid when looking at the beautiful view of Capri, and four, Franco accusing Adam ELW and Selina are boyfriend and girlfriend and shouts out to the entire people of Capri that they are dating. During the trip there some things that I didn’t really like, and those were the food which I already explained why and not being able to see more of the historic sites we have been to because I really wanted to see more, and not visiting Venice. And that’s my reflection about Italy. I wish I could revisit Italy with my family, Mr. Roy, Mr. Yenshaw, Adam T and Adam W, Ali M, Selina, Bakary, Farida AB, and AbuKhare.

 And Mr. Yenshaw this is you as a character when you smile:

Sorry Mr. Yenshaw I had to take these photos:

 

 

 Scuzi, Italy Coming through

From my point of view, the Italy trip was without a doubt the best trip I had ever been on. It wasn’t just one of those trips that you’ll forget but rather something that will really stay with you. Not only did we visit some of the most beautiful sights in the world, we experienced them in the funniest way possible; with friends and teachers. Florence and its gorgeous landscape, Sorrento and its breathtaking view, and of course Ana Capri with its feeling of being above the clouds are some of the many things that made the trip so special. When we were in Rome, I really enjoyed going to the Pantheon. The open ceiling lights cascaded down the walls brightening up the room and pouring light. It was hands down one of the most inventive monuments I had ever seen. We were able to do 5 cities in 7 days, Florence, Rome, Vatican City, Sorrento, Naples, and Pompeii. I really enjoyed driving by Sorrento because the scenery and the natural beauty put me in such ease. For a few minutes I was in peace with myself and all the stress slipped away from my body. That should probably be a world record.

Something I really enjoyed was getting closer to some people and seeing the true sides of my teachers. I think we all developed some sort of bond towards one another, which caused an enjoyable and lasting memory. On the 7th day, we took a ferry and went on an island called Capri. There was a place we could swim there, so we decided to go and check it out. It turned out that the water was freezing but we all decided to go in and enjoy it since the trip was nearly over. Later on we took this thing all a chair lift that was a 12-minute ride to Anna Capri. Anna Capri was extremely beautiful and even cooler because of its height. It was past cloud level and the view looking down put me in awe. We also learned some Italian, and by that I mean 1 or 2 words. The most used words we said were “Scuzi and Grazzi, ” which some of us didn’t even pronounce correctly. The teachers all played a special role in the trip. Mr. Roy on the bus rides making fun of Mr. Yenshaw, Ms. Brandt with her funny looking hair when she came knocking on our doors, Mr. Neeno and his creepy smile while sleeping, Ms. Debra always being the one we complained to about things, and Mr. Yenshaw being his same old self, taking pictures or being stressed out about stuff. I think one of the most memorable moments was when we finally saw the School of Athens. Everyone got so excited because we had finally seen something we understood and we didn’t feel completely stupid. Obviously the thing we complained about the most was always having freaking pasta day and night, but that was a big part of the trip as well. Thanks to Italy, pasta is now considered “Haram”(fordibbed) in both Christianity and Islam for the people who went. I’m pretty sure everyone hated those Walkie Talkies we had to put in our ears to listen to the tour guides. I would’ve liked to stay a little more because as soon as we came back everyone was completely out of it and depressed, but I don’t think I would’ve changed a thing.

Compared to last years trip in Greece, I would have to say that nothing can come close to beating this Italy trip. This trip had much less drama, there was so much more to see, and we had such an unforgettable time. Besides the fact that we should enjoy the time we have with each other as much as we possibly can, my experience in Italy taught me how to be more independent and responsible. It also brought out a very peaceful side of me and it taught me how to live in the moment such as swimming in very cold waters and conquering my fear of heights.

 The Trip to Paradise

In my opinion this was currently the best trip I have ever attended. Even though with the ups and downs,Italy left smiles in our faces for us to Remember for the rest of our lives. In this essay, I’ll name the negatives and positives we had in this trip. To me, the three negatives had to be the food and our first hotel, and how some chaperones treated others Better. While on the other hand, the positives was our freedom, getting to know others, and of course to be rated my favorite island, Capri.
Even though everything was great In Italy, the only thing that just made problems was the food. For the Muslim students in our grade, it mostly gave them problems. For it limited the different types of food we could eat since they were mostly pork. I know that this is none of the teachers fault, because this country is basically covered with Christianity. We might have ate a lot of pasta, chicken, and potatoes but at the end we had to get used to their culture.
The second negative thing in This trip, had to be our first hotel, delta Florence hotel. This hotel wasn’t that bad, but it created some problems before we even go there. As there was electricity problems in most of the rooms, Mr. Yenshaw had to go find for us all new rooms. this day was truly tiring l, as everyone wished they could lay down on their bed.
Last but not least, was how others chaperones treated students differently. Though This trip was perfectly planned, that was a big annoyance for many of us. For example, our friend received the blame for anything and everything that happened during the trip. It wasn’t really their fault because our teachers never had the chance to understand, or never took time to fully understand what was happening in the first place. If our teachers ever gave us a chance to understand the problem, the sneaky people wouldn’t be easily getting away.
Finished with negatives, everything else was great. Now here, the first positive was more free time. This trip was absolutely amazing, for the amount of Free time our teachers gave us. As the teachers gave us about 5 hours free time alone on an island. Now this shows how much our teachers trust us. Also due to our behavior,r we were give more free time for us to enjoy.
Another positive point that really made us enjoy This trip, was how others got close to each other. Before we even traveled to Italy, basically there were several of people who I never talked to.
Finally, for the last positive was the island of Capri. Capri was the best day in this trip as everyone enjoyed it the most. As I said before, we got a lot of free time for us to enjoy for us to enjoy the best day in Italy. It also is the best day, since we got to swim while the waves were crawling gently to the shore.Also the teleferico was unbelievable as I thought I was climbing the mountain to heaven.

In my opinion, never will I remember the negatives, because I still know this was the best trip ever. Even though our teachers worked hard for this trip we should start giving them a round of applause. The Italy trip was supposed to be the best trip ever now it’s the greatest. I hope Mr. Yenshaw and the remaining AISE staff that chaperoned us will feel the same since it might be their last year in the school.

Florence’s Gypsies

long skirts and wandering eyes
chasing after it prey likes flies
a cup In hand
and a planned procedure
Kisses in exchange for money
funny how far they’d go for a euro or two
you got no clue
whether it’s all an act of greed
or a need to feed their families
your pocket is their target
among them is an argot
secret communication through the eyes
a different disguise
every single day
and they might act friendly
but you’re wallet is their only interest
never trust their words
for it’s all a trap
they go and leave like birds
from one place to another
both with different faces
and unstable traces

5 Cities, 7 Days

That feeling in the pit of you’re stomach when you’re up among those clouds is something I will never get used to. The butterflies swimming and the constant flow of adrenaline in you’re body is what I crave, and that’s exactly what I got while in Italy.

The flight experience can have me talking for days, for it had me staring out the window. Gazing at the clouds that I was among and grinning like a kid on a Christmas morning. it was a sleepless flight, full of mocking those who are sleeping with their jaws hanging missing out on this captivating experience. The only downfall of the flight was the menacing and unsightly flight attendants, along with their false cheeriness.

Even the enduring 3 hour long bus rides have managed to be memorable. Full of unharmonized singing and sleeping among the bus. It was bizarre how enjoyable a 3 hour bus ride has been, for it felt like taking a tour across Italy. Usually the bus rides have managed to feel much shorter than 3 hours, I also am filled with gratitude towards those extended bus rides, for they have been full of catching up on the dissipated sleep. One day I will write a book about how to handle being In a room with the same person for 7 days, The room was drowned with imbecile arguments and scattered clothes. I am still surprised as to how my roommate and I have managed to forget only 4 pieces of clothes. Being two unorganized people in a room, has left a hefty load of cleaning to do on the last days. I have never been introduced to such thing as a human alarm until this trip, and it surely has me filled with gratitude towards my roommate. She had to endure responding to the wake-up calls and to turning into an alarm. I can only imagine the exhaustion of waking up a heavy sleeper at 7 in the morning.

I think I can say that I have experienced a famous part of every day life of moving from one place to another, and lengthy bus rides. We have been moving from one place to another like birds, picking up our bags, hoping on a bus. and leaving to our next destination. We’ve been to the enchanting city of Florence, full of those who would chase after you for money and the delectable frozen yogurts. We’ve also visited the educative city of Rome which holds one of the most historical and educative sights in the world, and it was also full of countless shopping bags. My most favored day was when we went to the mind-blowing and lively island of Capri. Walking around the island, and the floating carelessness and happiness in the air has been the most captivating part of the day. We have also managed to pass the difficulty of swimming in freezing water, for it has gotten to the point where our numbed bodies has felt warmth. Puzzling right?

Through the many unnecessary arguments and the appearance of the many grumpy people to the shared laughter and jokes. I wouldn’t thing about changing a thing about this indelible trip. We’ve had those who have gotten sick and homesick, to those who were in tears while going back home. There were times were the air could have been slashed with a knife from how thick the tension was to the times were it was full of smiles and carefree. We’ve been able to get to know our teachers as people and not just regarding the subject they teach and for that I am more than thankful. I’ve also been grateful to see the pleasant-looking Italian men. I returned to Egypt with a feeling of emptiness and a vigorous hate towards pasta.

Fun Times and Beautiful Scenery-Capri
How would you feel flying across one of the most beautiful islands in the world? Day 7, which was the day we visited Capri was the day I most enjoyed. The island is split into two parts Capri and Anacapri. Ana means “above” and Anacapri is above Capri, that’s how it got its name. It was first colonized by the Greeks, but now it is a part of Naples. The breathtaking view was something worth seeing, and one the most beautiful sights I have seen. The island wasn’t massive, but it is something definitely not worth missing. We toured the island and got to experience both Capri and Anacapri, than we had about 4 hours on our own to do as we choose.

We rode a ferry off the coast of Naples, and the ride was an hour long. As the island was closer in sight, everyone’s eyes were beaming of excitement because this was the Island of Capri that we have heard about, and we have been eager since we heard that we would get an opportunity to visit. It isn’t just a typical island, even contains legends from ancient Greek writings. It is the perfect destination for any type of trip. The Island was not bowdlerized in any shape or form; it was as if it was the type of view was that only heard of in fairy tales.
When we were in Anacapri, we took a tour and got to endure a chair lift ride to reach the top. From the top of Anacapri, you can see the entire island and get a panoramic view; it was the ideal place for pictures. The ride up to Anacapri was about 12 minutes long, and it was filled with peace and beauty. When ascending though the clouds, I could see myself getting further and further away from the water and low land, yet getting closer and closer to the greenery. I could hear the birds chirping, feel the sea breeze, and smell the fresh intoxicating air and really sense and get a feel and see nature at its finest. Joyfulness and peace flushed through my skin. It was as if all worries were taken away because the beauty was all I had left to see, I could appreciate what is around.

After the tour of Anacapri, a choice was given to either stay at Anacapri or going down to Capri, but everyone chose to go to Capri. In Capri, we could swim at the beach, take a tour with a boat of the grottoes, or walk around, and I decided to swim at the beach. It was a very gorgeous. Seas were emerging from deep below and the water was crystal clear. The vast landscape sparkled in the sun.
On the contrary, even though the time we had was greatly appreciated and well spent, spending more time there would have been preferred because than we could have a chance to ride the boat too see the grottos, take a swim, and see more allowing us to get a full experience of the Island since it is such a wonderful opportunity to get a chance to visit one of the most magnificent Islands. Therefore, spending more time there would give you a chance to get to fully see it because for many people this is a once in a life time opportunity that should be taken full advantage of.