Armchair traveling with Nikki

Biking through Algarve

2012-02-22T23:55:00.002-08:00

First off, this post is ABSOLUTELY dedicated to my dad. If I ever had the money to make this happen, I absolutely would do this with him!

I was reading up on Portugal on the Lonely Planet website and I came across an itinerary for a bike tour through Portugal's famed Algarve region. Located on the southwestern coast of Portugal, this area is a mecca for tourists, but much can be said for the quaint way of life continuing in some of the towns outside the tourist areas. I looked up some images to coincide with the bike tour itinerary. Read on and drool....

Day 1 - arrive in Algarve and transfer to the rustic town of Monchique, known for its historic buildings like the ruins of a 17th century monastery, Nossa Senhora do Desterro. The town is quaint, with narrow cobblestoned streets and shops selling ceramics and their famous local apertif "medronho".

Cafe scene in Monchique

The convent of Nossa Senhora do Desterro

A cocktail made with the famous "medronho"

Day 2 - Go on a ride through the foothills of Picota and Foia along with the old spa town of Caldas de Monchique. The waters of Caldas de Monchique have been lauded as having healing powers since antiquity, and the small town features some hotels and spas where you can have treatments that feature the town's claim to fame. Also, the town has a few restaurants that feature beautiful views of the surrounding hills.

La capilla de São José in Picota

Wow...what a view....

Some of the scenery in Caldas de Monchique

Day 3 - Cycle west to the small coastal town of Odeceixe, a sleepy little coastal town, nestled amongst hills (one of which topped with an iconic windmill), that is known for its laidback charm and popular surf breaks. here the itinerary provides two possible routes - cycling along the Riviera de Seixe valley, or across the serra to the Alentejo border.

Day 4 - choice of riding through the countryside to Rogil to visit the Esteveira nature preserve, or to ride to the beautiful beach village of Zambujeira and the cliffs of Cabo Sardo.....tough decision, but I think I'm leaning toward Zambujeira:)

Rogil

Esteveira

A church in Zambujeira

Zambujeira cafe

Zambujeira nature

Zambujeira beach

The cliffs of Cabo Sardo

Day 5 - Transfer south, and cycle to Carrapateira, a small village popular with surfers, to make a circular tour of the Pontal headland. Continue along to Vila do Bispo, a small town with typical Algarvean houses clustered around a 16th century church and a reputation for great seafood restaurants. Then the ride continues along the Sagres peninsula to Cape St. Vincent and the fishing port of Sagres, the most western point of Europe.

Carrapateira Beach - what a nice walkway!

Pontal headland

O Tiago restaurant in Vila do Bispo

Vila do Bispo

The interior of the church in Vila do Bispo

local seafood feast!

Sagres

Lighthouse of St. Cape Vincent in Sagres

Day 6 - Head east from Sagres toward Montes des Amantes, which the itinerary states is famous for its "standing stones," but I could not find any pictures of them online! Then head on to the beaches of Ingrina and Zavial (where I would want to take a break to enjoy their snorkelling!)before passing through the quiet countryside to the fishing village of Salema.

beach at Ingrina

Zavial

Salema

Oh man. I want to go on this trip!!!!!!!!!!!! I want to add in an extra day in each place to not be on my bike and instead walk around, eat and do some sunbathing!!! One day......

If you are interested in the Lonely Planet itinerary, check out http://www.lonelyplanet.com/portugal/tours/self-guided-cycle/algarve-cycle?lpaffil=fbta1#ixzz1nET6CqUu

Off to Portugal!

2012-02-14T16:19:00.000-08:00

Well, my longtime readers may have noticed that my posts have been dwindling a bit. My new years resolution 2011 was to learn about cultures from around the world, and as such, I was really dedicated to the blog that year. I'm not willing to give up on my blog, but I do have a new set of goals for this year that are taking some of my attention. I do plan to keep up this blog, but won't be updating quite as much, and will probably spend longer than a month on each country so I have ample opportunity to learn about each region before moving on.

Speaking of moving on, time to pack up from Turkey, and head toward Portugal! Here's some pix to whet your appetite:

Port produced in the Douro Valley was once shipped downriver to the city of Porto in sailboats called barcos rabelos, anchored here along the Douro River.


The facades of buildings reveal Porto's faded grandeur.


A night view of the city of Porto shows the Igreja dos Grilos, a church built in the 17th century.


At the Barrigodos bakery in the village of Favaois, "huge bundles of pine needles are used as kindling," says writer Rachel Howard, "giving their bread a delicious smoky flavor."


Ponta de Piedade, located near Lagos, Algarve. It is a fantasy landscape of caves, grottoes and sea arches. The best way to appreciate the beauty of Ponta de Piedade is from the boat.


This is a view from one of the famous squares in the historic center of Guimarães , The S. Tiago Square	.

The beach of Melides is situated in the municipality of Grândola, the District of Setúbal is a very extensive undulating sand beach, surrounded by dunes, pine forests and a pond.

A Portuguese fisherman.

Some street art by Vhils, one of my favorite artists who happens to be from Portugal.

Contemporary Turkish Artists

2012-01-24T15:46:00.000-08:00

Turkish contemporary art has gained more notices in the last few decades as Istanbul began a biennial art exhibition, showcasing local artists as well as featuring some of the top names in international contemporary art. Here are some current Turkish artists to keep an eye on!
_____________________________________________________________________________
Serkan Özkaya

Portait of the artist in his gallery

"I sometimes think that ideas are like butterflies, as Feyerabend calls them. They circle around in the air and anyone with a seeing eye can see them and it’s just a matter of choice to decide to take the responsibility to execute and go for them. And then the artist is mostly an exhibitionist who wants to share or actually show them to others." - Serkan Özkaya

Baker's Apprentice (2006)

A Sudden Gust of Wind

_________________________________________________________________
Halil Altındere


portrait of the artists

My Mother Likes Pop Art Because Pop Art is Colorful (1998)

I had a hard time finding much out about this artists besides his work as a curator. I know he often explores particular subcultures and also manipulates official Turkish insignia like the bank note below. Much of what is written related to him is in Turkish....

Super Turk (2002)

________________________________________________________________
Cengiz Tekin

Natürmort (Still Life), 2007

"Unsurprisingly, this spirit and humor spills into Tekin’s art, where seemingly typical, unremarkable people, locations, and situations are staged and tweaked by the artist to reveal the underlying violence, trauma, instability, and uncertainty that remains the reality for the Kurds of southeastern Turkey. Often they capture moments just before or after a violent act has taken place, but it is never clear what exactly happened (or is about to happen), why the act took place, or the identity of the victim or perpetrator. For example, in Tekin’s 2007 photograph, Natürmort (Still Life), a man lies splayed in a field of wheat, his face obscured by the stalks. Dressed in blue, his attire mirrors the fiery sky that looms above the field, making him seem like a piece of the heavens dropped to the earth. The gun in his limp hand implies that a shoot-out or stand-off of some kind has just transpired–or could it be a suicide? Is the angle of the gun, still cocked and pointed up, a coincidence of the way he fell? Or is he still alive and playing dead in order to ambush his foe, or escape further fighting?" - http://blog.art21.org/2011/07/12/turkish-and-other-delights-cengiz-tekin/

Potlatch (2009)

"Similarly in the 2009 series of three photographs, Potlatch, a flow of bank notes streams from an unidentified man’s hands into the sky (again, that fiercely blue sky of southern Turkey!), into (or out of?) the gleeful hands of a group of young boys holding bags of toys, and the residential area that hugs the exterior of the ancient city walls of Diyarbakır, where many families, displaced by the fighting in the countryside during the 1980s and 1990s, resettled. In the manner of Tekin’s other works, these photographs present more questions than answers: from whose hands are these funds flowing? To what purposes is it being used? Are the children of Diyarbakir benefiting from this influx of funds in a way that is lasting and meaningful, or is it just providing fleeting distraction? Is it really going to those who are most in need, who suffered the most from the violence, or is it just passing them by?" - http://blog.art21.org/2011/07/12/turkish-and-other-delights-cengiz-tekin/

Turkey: Did you know........?

2012-01-19T10:54:00.000-08:00

These interesting facts are pulled from Turkey's official tourism website: www.goturkey.com

The only city in the world located on two continents is Istanbul, which has been the capital of three great empires, Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman for more than 2,000 years.

The world’s oldest known settlement is in Catalhoyuk in central Anatolia, Turkey, and dates back to 6,500 BC

The word "turquoise" derives from the French word for Turkish (Turquois), the beautiful colour of waters of the Mediterranean Sea on the southern Turkish coast.

St Nicolas – the original Santa Claus – was born in Patara in Turkey and has a church dedicated to him in Demre.

Julius Caesar proclaimed his celebrated words “Veni. Vedi, Vici” (I came, I saw, I conquered) in Turkey when he defeated Pontus, a formidable Kingdom in the Black Sea Region of Turkey

Aesop – famous for his fables and parables – was born in Anatolia.

Homer (Homeros) was born in Izmir on the west coast of Turkey and he depicted Troy, which is north of Izmir, in his Epic the Iliad

Part of Turkey’s south western shore was a wedding gift from Mark Antony to Cleopatra.

Many Biblical scholars believe that after the withdrawal of the waters, Noah's Ark landed on Mount Ağrı (Ararat) in eastern Anatolia.

Turkish Psych

2012-01-12T09:31:00.000-08:00

Who would've guessed Turkey had a big Psychadelic scene in the 60s/70s?

Okay Temiz - Denizalti Ruzgarlan Yesilcam

Troy's illustrious history

2012-01-05T17:01:00.000-08:00

One of the reasons I chose to profile Turkey in my blog is because I'm a bit of a history junkie, and I knew I'd have a lot of topics to pick from (early neolithic paintings at Catal Hoyuk, Mt. Ararat - where many Biblical scholars believe Noah's ark rested, a stopover for Alexander the Great during his military exploits, endpoint of the Orient Express....the list goes on and on), however I felt there was no way I could not talk about factual and legendary city of Troy. Best known as the setting of the Trojan War as described in Homer's Iliad, Troy has become a small tourist city today, that unfortunately is often not highly recommended in tour books as it has not been as well preserved as some of its neighboring cities.

ruins of Troy

Troy has quite a history though - literally the stuff of legends. The city was destroyed and rebuilt nine times, and there are remnants from each of the nine layers still left today. The layer scholars most associate with the Troy of Homer's Iliad is likely the seventh layer, of which a portion of the legendary walls are still intact. Greek historians have difficulty placing the exact date of the Trojan War, which gave Troy such legendary status, debating whether it took place in the 12th, 13th or 14th centuries BCE. It is interesting to note that for many years, up until the mid 1800s, it was generally agreed that the Trojan War had never happened, nor had Troy existed. Only in the 1860s and 1870s were archological remains of the area excavated and credence given to the war which had been merely legend according to many scholars up until then. Today, many scholars agree that the Trojan War is based on a Greek expedition against the city of Illium, although few if any would argue that Homer painted an accurate view of the battle in his poems.

Edward Burne-Jones' The Feast of Peleus

According to Homer, the Trojan War has its roots in the marriage of Peleus, son of the King of the island of Aegina, and Thetis, a sea-goddess. Eris, the goddess of discord, was angry that she was not invited, and crashed their wedding, throwing a golden apple onto the table. Eris then stated that the apple belonged to whoever was fairest, knowing this would start a heated debate amongst the gods and mortals present at the wedding, and taking the focus from the bride and groom. Hera (wife of Zeus), Athena (goddess of wisdom and war) and Aphrodite (goddess of love and beauty) all reached for the apple, thinking themselves the fairest. Zeus proclaimed that Paris, the beautiful prince of Troy, would act as judge.

William Blake's Judgement of Paris

The goddesses felt they could sway Paris by offering him gifts - Hera promised power, Athena promised wealth, and Aphrodite promised to give him the most beautiful woman in the world.....an offer Paris could not refuse. Aphrodite promised him that Helen, the wife of the King of Sparta - Menelaus, would be his wife, and Paris set off to Sparta, where he abducted Helen, stole much of Menelaus' wealth, and then brought Helen back to Troy and married her.

Fra Angelico's Abduction of Helen

Obviously, this did not sit well with Menelaus, who gathered armies, assembled a fleet, and set off to attack Troy. The first attempt to reach Troy didn't go so well, but after returning to Greece and regrouping, Meneleus set sail again, along with Odysseus, and set off again to wage war. The war was long and arduous, with the Greeks first having to defeat neighboring kingdoms which were supplying Troy, however even after securing the neighboring areas, the Greeks faced the inpenetrable walls of Troy.

Tiepolo's The Procession of the Trojan Horse in Troy

Clever Odysseus (possibly with aid from Athena) ordered that a large, hollow wooden horse be built, with space inside to hide many soldiers. I'm sure you know the story from here - Greek soldiers loaded into the horse, the rest of the Greek fleet sailed away to give the impression of retreating, and the Trojans came out to admire the huge creation. The Trojans assumed the horse was a token of their victory, brought it into the city and began to celebrate. Once most of the city was asleep (or in a drunken stupor), the Greek warriors sprang from the horse and slaughtered the Trojans.

After, the story of a Trojan prince who survived (Aeneas) was written by Virgil in Aenid. Odysseus' return to Greece is chronicled in Homer's Odyssey. The journey home was said to be difficult and arduous. And as for Helen? Meneleus forgave her, despite being determined to kill her for her unfaithfulness, because he was so overcome again by her beauty:)

Ahhhh, this is where I want to be today.......oh, wait a minute......

2011-12-16T11:33:00.000-08:00

Patara, Turkey

Gocek, Turkey

Kale, Turkey

Orhaniye, Turkey

Gumusluk, Turkey

Oh wait.....

Weather for Gümüşlük, Turkey

45°F | °C

Fri

Sat

Sun

Mon

Partly Cloudy

Wind: N at 2 mph

Humidity: 100%

66°

54°

64°

57°

64°

55°

66°

55°

Turkish Baths....I'm not sure if I'm game.....

2011-12-12T01:03:00.000-08:00

As a huge fan of spas when I'm on vacation to Vegas, I felt I must check out what a Turkish bath is like....I'm intrigued, yet slightly frightened (especially from watching the Michael Palin movie linked at the end of the post).

Jean Jacques Francoise Lebarrier's A Female Turkish Hammam

Turkish baths (hammams) stem from Greek and Roman bath traditions, however they have largely gone out of fashion in recent years, although many historic hammams continue to operate today. Baths used to be places that people mingled, socialized and gossiped while fulfilling the Islamic precept of cleanliness. During the Ottoman Empire, the Sultan's harem (consisting of his wives, mother, offspring and other female relatives) would proceed to the hamam with great ceremony, accompanied by servants bearing delicacies to help the women pass several hours lounging in the steam. The women often brought along delicately embroidered towels and slippers inlaid with ivory. Hammams have consistently been exclusive to either men or women, and not mixed.

Bathing was part of social life, and amongst women many important occasions were celebrated at the bath, including festivities the day before weddings, "tear-drying baths" in which all the female relatives and friends of the deceased would mark the twentieth day after the death of a love one, and holiday baths on the eve of holy days.

Traditionally, bathers wrap themselves in a pestamal, a colorful, checked cloth. Although decorative clogs with tinkling bells were historically used, many wear flip flops in hammams today.

Bridal bath set with clogs

When entering historic hamams, one typically first step into the camekan, a square court with a fountain lined with small, private changing cubicles. Bathers spend a good chunk of their time in the hararet, a hot and steamy area with a raised marble platform (goebektas) in the center. The goebekta is positioned above the wood or coal furnace, and under the domed ceiling with bottle glass windows. Bathers often have a vigorous massage while lying on the warm platform. After treatments, which also typically include scrubs, bathers often have a cold drink and stretch out on reclining couches.

Check out this Michael Palin clip from his "Pole to Pole" series and see what you think of the Turkish bath experience. I'm a little freaked out.....I heard some of the five star hotels have a more "westernized" version that might be more up my alley....more like Ceasars Spa in Vegas!

What the heck is Turkish Delight?

2011-12-05T21:42:00.000-08:00

When I first heard of Turkish Delight in "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe," I thought it was some made up confection that the White Witch offered to unsuspecting children. It was only years later that I actually saw a dusty box of Turkish Delight in an ethnic food mart...but, as it didn't involve chocolate, I wasn't too interested, I must admit!

However, I'm intrigued as to what Turkish Delight actually is....candy? gummy? super sweet? nutty? fruity? gelatinous? What the heck is it?

Turkish Delight

Turkish Delight dates back to the Ottoman Empire (I'll definitely be talking about them in a future post) and is also known by it's Turkish name - "lokum". Supposedly a sultan in the 1700s was tired of hard candies and demanded a new dessert alternative. A man named Bekir Effendi, who moved to Istanbul from the coast of the Black Sea, took up the challenge and used honey and molasses as sweetners, water and flour as thickener, and rosewater for flavor. He mixed the ingredients together, heated them up, and then poured the concoction in a pan slicked with almond oil to cool. He sprinkled it with powdered sugar, cut it into bite-sized morsels, and began a Turkish sensation!

Ali Muhiddin Haci Bekir Confectioners shop

Bekir opened a shop has been in continuous operation in the Old City district of Istanbul for over 200 years. They have expanded to include several additional storefronts where they serve numerous Turkish sweets, as well as Turkish Delight in a variety of flavors: plain, rose, pistachio, hazelnut, walnut, almond, coconut and almond, cream, cream with cinnamon, mastic, mint, sourcherry, lemon, strawberry, orange, apricot, date, ginger, clove and coffee.

Turks are notorious for having a sweet tooth, and this is an incredibly popular treat. The confection is made of starch and sugar and is often flavored with rosewater, mastic (tree resin with a bitter/piney flavor), and lemon. The consistency is somewhat jelly like, and can be sticky at times. The candy is cut into cubes which are dusted with icing sugar or copra (coconut) and sometimes contain pieces of nuts like walnut, pistachio and hazelnut.

I just tried to find some Turkish restaurants in San Diego to no avail, but I did find a few Mediterranean shops and restaurants that have fresh made Turkish Delight and Turkish coffee on the menu - I'll check them out and update you all soon!

apologies for November - off and running for December!

2011-12-05T11:03:00.000-08:00

Apologies for my hiatus in November! I can't say anything in particular caused it - I think I just needed a little travel break and to focus on the homefront a bit more.

But, I'm back and ready to explore...Turkey! I don't know if it's all the talk of thanksgiving Turkey or what, but I'm inspired:) Here's what I know about Turkey to start with: kinda like Greece, used to be part of the Byzantine Empire, home to the Hagia Sophia - a beautiful church turned mosque, land of Turkish Delight. That's pretty much it:) I have a lot to learn!

Here's some pix to get you excited:

Turkish Marina

Chora Museum

Turkish fisherman's wife knitting by the ocean

Greek ruins in Priene

Turkish Baths

Kaputas Cove and Beach

Lamb Kebob stall

Turkish rug-maker in the Grand Bazaar

Sheep grazing near Lake Van

Sulemaniye Mosque

Temple of Hadrian

Tombs of Amyntas

Turkish Delight

Waterfront Cafe at Kumbahce Bay

Knud Rasmussen and life in Greenland in the early 1900s

2011-11-06T20:25:00.000-08:00

Knud Rasmussen

Knud Johan Victor Rasmussen, "father of Eskimology" was a polar explorer who lived from 1879 - 1933. Rasmussen was born in Greenland and is of Inuit and Danish descent, but as Greenland had been colonized by Denmark, he is considered a Danish explorer. Although Rasmussen was eventually educated in Denmark, he spent much of his early life in Greenland, living among the Inuit, learning the essentials of living in harsh terrain of Greenland. Rasmussen knew the Inuit language and was familiar with hunting, kayaking, and driving dog sleds. Rasmussen was the first European to cross the Northwest Passage via dog sled. Rasmussen is quoted as saying "My playmates were native Greenlanders; from the earliest boyhood I played and worked with the hunters, so even the hardships of the most strenuous sledge-trips became pleasant routine for me."

Knud Rasmussen's house near Copenhagen

Before becoming a polar explorer, Rasmussen unsuccessfully pursued a career as an actor and opera singer, however he quickly moved on to begin numerous expeditions, examining Inuit culture, establishing trading bases, mapping little known areas, and collecting ethnographic data. Rasmussen made detailed notes and sketches during his travels, collecting artifacts, legends and songs from varied Inuit cultures. He spoke of the Inuit peoples saying "Their culture is a witness in itself to the strength and endurance and wild beauty of human life." Rasmussen would return to a house only a few hundred meters from the ocean, near Copenhagen, where he would work and write in between expeditions. Rasmussen eventually contracted pneumonia after an episode of food poisoning and died in Copenhagen at the age of 54.

Statue of Knud Rasmussen in Strandvejen, Denmark

There is a statue of Knud Rasmussen in Strandvejen, near Copenhagen, overlooking the sea, in an area with very clear water, perfect for diving and fishing. My dad alerted me to some controversy surrounding the statue - it currently memorializes Rasmussen looking out to sea toward Sweden and some are calling for it to be turned so his effigy would look out toward his native Greenland. Here's a link to a video featuring some nice footage of the sculpture and details of the movement to reposition the monument.

I stumbled across this archival footage of life in Northwest Greenland that shows some of what Rasmussen probably encountered in his travels. Man....I could not handle this way of life.....

Interview with Lene!

2011-10-31T17:30:00.000-07:00

My Danish friend, Lene, who is getting her associate degree in Graphic Design at the school I teach at, agreed to do an interview with my blog, and I'm excited to share her love of her country!

So, just how cold does it get in Denmark, and does the weather change dramatically throughout the year? Well, it can get pretty cold in the winter months - January and February can get very icy, which is not popular among the bicyclists in Denmark :) In the summer, however, it can be just like in San Diego - nice and warm. The only thing about the summer is, that you never know....You must come prepared, even though the weather channel promised a sunny and clear sky :)

Tivoli

I've noticed there are a lot of amusement parks in Denmark - is there a particular reason why? Is there one you visited the most while growing up?

Hmmmmm, that's a good question. My guess is that Tivoli has inspired many, as it is the oldest (1843) and one of the most popular amusement parks in Europe. Personally, Tivoli is also my favorite - there's just something about it - It has a soul. Just walking around in there is a great way to spend time - you don't even have to spend money on rides.

Julefrokost

What is your favorite Danish holiday?

Christmas - no doubt about it! My family has so many traditions and it's very important for us to stick with them. The day before christmas eve (Dec. 23) my mom prepares "ris a l'amande" (the dessert for christmas eve - and no, it's not french. They don't even know about this dish in France :)) This night we are mostly all gathered, waiting for the day to arrive. On the 24., it's all about the family - I go visit my closest family in the afternoon (where "the kids" always watch Disney's Christmas Show on TV), we eat homemade marcipan confections, and smell the duck or goose getting ready in the oven. And then, at six, we gather around the table, say a little thank-you-prayer (even though we're not particularly Christian), and then we eat (goose, cooked red cabbage, cooked white cabbage, tiny sugared potatoes, and of course, gravy). We eat the dessert. And then just sit and talk across the lit candles. THEN we gather around the tree to dance and sing. We typically sing 4-5 different christmas carols before we start distributing the presents underneath the tree. Around midnight, we go to midnight mass. Two days after christmas, the entire family gather for a big christmas lunch (julefrokost) with schnapps, pickled herring, rye bread, and much much more. Love it! :)

Frikadeller

Could you tell me about your favorite Danish meal?

Hmm...that's a hard one :) One of them is my grand mothers "frikadeller" with her homemade creamy cooked white cabbage. Not healthy, but SO good! My other favorite is seedy, chewy rye bread with toppings ( what we call Smørrebrød) - my favorite topping being cooked potatoes with mayo, chives and salt and pepper, OR smoked salmon OR "leverpostej" (a kind of paté) with cucumber OR fish fillets with "remoulade" (don't know how to explain the last one, haha)

Danish Danishes

Are the American pastries, Danishes, actually anything like authentic Danish pastries?

I'd say they are similar :) I'm no big pastry eater, but even I must admit that there's something about Danish pastries from the local bakery. Can't really explain what it is - you'll have to go and give it a taste :)

How do you feel about the recent Danish "Fat Tax"?

I think it's a good idea, but I hope people will keep buying all the great Danish cheeses - we're pretty good with cheese in Denmark. And many fear that artificial flavors will take over the food industry. SO we'll see. I just think it's too bad that it had to come to this. I would've preferred that people could figure out how to enjoy saturated fat in moderation.

What kinds of pets do Danish people tend to have? Are Great Danes really Danish?

I think the most popular dogs in Denmark are Labrador Retriever and Golden Retriever - both great family dogs. The Great Dane is supposedly Danish, some claim that it is German. It's an old breed, so it's hard to say:) But I love 'em!

Danish monarchy

What is your view of the Danish monarchy?

Hmm, another hard one... I like the Monarchy - without them Denmark wouldn't be Denmark anymore. They have a lot of value for us. However, I think they get a litle too much of our tax money. I definitely want to support the restoration of our castles and such, but they seem to get way more than that. But I'm no expert :)

Strøget

Could you describe Copenhagen a bit?

I love the fact, that if you have a bike, you can get everywhere downtown, and the public transportation is great. The lakes in central Copenhaven are beautiful and kinda keeps the city in balance - just like the many green areas. Strøget, which is the shopping street and its surrounding shopping streets make it easy to get to all the stores - you can walk from one end to another, to the third and fourth - way more charming than american malls, I must admit ;)

If you had to sum up the Danish people's outlook on life in just a few words, what would you say?

I can only speak for the people I know, of course, and generally their outlook is very positive - they work hard to balance work and family. They love seeing the world and love being inspired, but at the same time they love even more to come home :)

Danish Rye Bread

What have you missed the most about Denmark while you've been in America?

My family! Rye bread - real rye bread! ;) Getting all over town by bike (it just doesn't feel very safe here. I've also missed that you don't have to leave a tip everywhere you go - I never got used to that here in the US - I never knew how much to leave. In Denmark the price is higher, but it also includes tips, so you don't have to worry about that. Oh, and I miss the free health care, haha.

What will you miss most about America when you go back?

That it's so cheap to eat out (despite the tipping)! Steelcut oatmeal (we don't seem to have that in Denmark). All the organic stores! - Whole Foods, Trader Joe's. We need stores like that in Denmark. I'm gonna miss the people here too - they are all so open and welcoming. It's so easy to get to know people here! And of course, I am gonna miss the weather here in San Diego - it's SO NICE, and it's great to only need to buy for one wardrobe, haha. I'm gonna miss fish tacos and fish burritos, and the America BBQs :)

Tivoli Gardens

2011-10-24T18:03:00.000-07:00

In learning about Denmark, I've noticed that there are a ton of amusement parks there! I had heard of one before - Tivoli Gardens - because it was one of Walt Disney's inspirations in creating Disneyland, and one of my friends went there before and told me how much I'd love it...needless to say it is certainly on the top of my list if I ever make it to Denmark!

Tivoli is located in Copenhagen, and is actually the second oldest amusement park in the world, having opened in 1843. The park boasts 4.5 million annual visitors, is the most visited theme park in Scandinavia, and the second most visited park in Europe behind Disneyland Paris.

aerial view of Tivoli from the 1920s

Tivoli has many attractions, including a merry-go-round, wooden roller coaster, scenic railway and more, along with historic themed structures and beautiful landscaping.

During World War II, Nazi sympathizers burnt down many of Tivoli's buildings, including their famous concert hall. Undaunted, the Danes constructed temporary buildings in their place and had the park operational within a few weeks.

Moorish Palace

One of my favorite structures is the Moorish Palace, which was constructed in 1909 and now houses a 5 star boutique hotel and Michelin star awarded restaurant. I looked up the price for a one-night stay in the middle of January and it was over $450 bucks! If I ever have crazy money I'm going to go!!

a room in the Hotel Nimb

Restaurant Herman

With my budget, however, it's more likely I'll be staying elsewhere and dining at one of the park's other fine restaurants like Grøften, which has been providing traditional Danish food to park guests since 1874, and is known for its welcoming atmosphere and great service.

One day, I will definitely visit Tivoli!!! I can't wait to see the park that inspired Walt Disney!

Authentic Danish Crisp Bread!!!

2011-10-18T13:43:00.001-07:00

One of the teaching assistants, Lene, at my school is from Denmark and brought in some crisp bread she made so I could sample it as part of my armchair traveling! It was yummy- like a much more flavorful version of Wasa bread! She's gonna share that recipe and a few others with me- I'll post them soon!!!

Here's Lene, and me holding up the yummy crisp bread!

Danish Fat Tax

2011-10-18T12:52:00.000-07:00

Just this month, Denmark instituted a "fat tax" of 16 Danish kroner per kilogram of saturated fat in a food (about $1.29 per pound of saturated fat) which is added to the price when the saturated fat content of a food item is greater than 2.3%. This tax will affect the price of foods like butter, milk, cheese, pizza, oils, and meats. Although this may seem like a particularly extreme measure in the fight against obesity and heart disease, this is in keeping with other regulations imposed by the country, including the banning of trans fats from all foods (which some researchers have credited with reducing rates of cardiovascular disease in the last few years by 30%) and increased taxes on sugary foods, alcohol, and tobacco.

Jakob Axel Nielsen, the health minister in 2009, stated “higher fees on sugar, fat and tobacco is an important step on the way toward a higher average life expectancy in Denmark.” Overall, the Danish parliament seemed to agree, with nearly 90% of the members in approval of the tax.

Not everyone outside of parliament is quite as supportive. Many organic dairy farmers are complaining that the increase in taxes will make it increasingly difficult for people to opt for organic products. The current tax makes no distinction between a product like organic milk and a BigMac. Organic farmers also fear that restaurants will opt to purchase cheaper, non-organic products to keep food prices stable in their eateries.

Tricky, huh? My first thought was "Of course this tax is a good idea - we should have it here in the U.S." but I certainly can see the argument on the side of the organic diary producers (although I myself abstain from a lot of dairy as I see it as a health threat)...but it does seem somewhat Orwellian to have the government come down like Big Brother and start stipulating what people should eat...then again if healthcare is through the government and health costs start to soar because of unhealthy eating habits that affects all of the people in that country....I suppose overall, I still think the fat tax is a good idea, but I don't think something like this could possibly take hold in America for generations, unfortunately:(

Fallulah - Another great Danish up and coming musician!

2011-10-12T12:27:00.000-07:00

FALLULAH (born 1985) is the stage name of the young pop music songwriter and singer Maria Apetri. Fallulah has been compared to British female singers, Florence & the Machine, Adele and Bat for Lashes. Her debut single ‘I Lay My Head’ was a massive hit in Denmark and was the prequel to the album ‘The Black Cat Neighbourhood’. She dominated the Danish pop charts in 2010 and the single ‘Bridges’ from the album was last year’s most played Danish-language single on radio. She describes her music as a mix between indie rock and Balkan beats with a hint of folklore.

Agnes Obel - popular Danish singer/songwriter

2011-10-12T12:23:00.000-07:00

I stumbled across this musician on the official Denmark website - here's their short bio of her and a youtube video

AGNES OBEL (born October 28, 1980) is a singer and songwriter who released her first debut solo album Philharmonics in September 2010. It received glowing reviews from both Danish and international music critics and has been described as an album of sombre folk classics. Philharmonics has so far peaked at number one in Denmark and Belgium and charted inside the top-ten in France and the Netherlands. The first single ‘Riverside’ recently won Best song of the year 2011 in Denmark.

Off to Denmark!!!

2011-10-12T12:21:00.000-07:00

Well, I'm wayyyyyy behind this month and am only writing my first post of the month on the on the 12th...yikes! However, I am excited to start on my online journey through the Kingdom of Denmark. Although it is the smallest of the Scandinavian countries, it has two autonomous provinces, the Faroe Islands and Greenland...which is actually 500x bigger than Denmark, but has 100x less people!

Denmark was named the Happiest Country in the World according to a 2010 Gallup poll! From checking out a few Danish websites, I noticed that there are all sorts of great family/vacation expriences available - lots of gardens, zoos, museums, castles and amusement parks to visit, as well as coastline that offers lots of water activities....I think that must contribute to the national happiness, as well as the strong national welfare programs.

Well, I'll be looking at some things more in depth in the posts to come, but here are some images to give you an idea of what to expect should you ever visit Denmark:

Egeskov Castle

Den Gamle By - an open air museum of urban history

Copenhagen

Yummmmmmm

Rosenborg Castle

Danish cuisine

Tivoli Gardens

Burmese Deliciousness!

2011-09-30T12:25:00.000-07:00

A couple years ago a guy at my church recommended that I try his favorite restaurant when I visited San Francisco - Burma Superstar. Besides having the coolest name ever, this restaurant boasts some of the finest food I have ever had in my entire life. If you are ever in SF, you gotta check it out!!!!

There's usually a line because it's SOOOOOO GOOOOOD!!!

The food is a sort of fusion of Asian flavors - Thai, Chinese, Indian - to create somewhat familiar yet striking flavor combinations unique to Burma. I've enjoyed some of their curry and noodle dishes as well as their salads, so I attempted their Rainbow Salad (although, I made mine veggie - no shrimp...they look like bugs, and no fish sauce - I used half and half soy sauce and worcestire...which technically has fish in it though, so I should have just got the fish sauce!!!)

P.S. I also attempted Burmese Curry with noodles:

Recent News: Burma

2011-09-30T11:13:00.000-07:00

I usually sign up for Google Alerts for daily emails of top articles related to the country that I am researching each month. The articles from Burma have been more varied and related to really significant change compared to any other country I have virtually traveled to so far. I have a feeling that the people of Burma themselves are talking a great deal about some of these topics as it seems their country's status internationally is at a moment where it could go one of two ways - gaining respect from some of the peace-keeping/humanitarian allied countries, or drawing increasing criticism for the oppressive leadership and human rights issues.

A crowd of relatives and friends wait in front of Insein Prison in Rangoon on May 17, 2011, eagerly looking for their loved ones to appear as part of a general prisoner amnesty release.

Here's some recent articles if you want some more detailed info on recent events:

US and Burmese Diplomats Hold Rare Meeting in Washington

Bringing Burma's Nuclear Secrets to the Table

Rechecking the Number of Political Prisoners in Burma

Monastic Education the Only Choice for Burma's Poor

US Urges India to Wield Influence over Burma

Recent peaceful protest in Burma - sign of change to come?

2011-09-28T11:36:00.000-07:00

Protesters in Burma offer prayers at the Sule Pagoda after they agreed to call off a rally when asked by the authorities to do so, in downtown Rangoon on September 26, 2011

An article was just posted at Time.com that is worth a read - a great rundown of recent events:

Burma: Could a Small, Peaceful Protest Signal Real Reform?

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Padaung Women of Eastern Burma

2011-09-28T11:27:00.000-07:00

Eastern Burma has a lot of diversity with many ethnic minorities from neighboring regions, including the Padaung people who are a small subset of the Karen ethnic group. You are probably most familiar with the Padaung because of a particular accessory:

In Padaung culture, the tradition of neck rings being worn by girls starts young - around the age of 5 or 6 - and by the time they reach adulthood they usually have 20-30 rings that measure 10"-15" from top to bottom. They aren't actually rings that are added independently each time - instead it is a coil that is added to that wraps up around the woman's neck. The weight of the rings pushes down the collar bone and upper ribs, giving the illusion of a longer neck.

X-ray comparison of a typical woman's collarbone versus a Padaung "long-necked" woman's pushed down collarbone.

Although the accessories appear elegant and beautiful, they come at a cost. Women with neck rings often cannot drink from a cup because by tipping their head back they become unbalanced and can fall over - thus drinking out a straw becomes the only option.

I've not been able to ascertain exactly when this practice started, but it is a longstanding tradition linked with the tribal group's mythology. According to folklore, the rings were first a protective measure to keep tigers from breaking the necks of girls and women in the tribe. However, modern critics have put forth the idea that the rings make the women less attractive to slave traders, or conversely that they are a tribal sign of beauty and wealth that will attract a good husband. The neck rings play a pivotal role in some of the punishments of women in the tribe; adulturesses have their rings forcibly removed, and usually their neck muscles have atrophied to the point where the women can no longer hold their heads up and must spend the rest of their lives lying down or finding some alternate neck brace. As you might imagine, adultery and divorce rates are low.

Padaung woman driving a car!

In the last couple decades, many Padaung have left Burma while it was under oppressive military rule and fled across the border to Thailand, where many women have become a tourist attraction. Some visitors come to marvel at the women's elegance, while others find the practice to be an abomination and do not support tour operators that visit Padaung villages, likening them to "human zoos." I went to Thailand last year and didn't make it up to the area where the Padaung refugees are, and now I'm not quite sure how I feel about visiting them. I think the practice is both beautiful and horribly sexist, but I think that by boycotting the villages it takes away their main source of income...however it also encourages the practice to continue. Tricky tricky. What's worse is that the refugees have been offered resettlement land in New Zealand and Finland, but the Thai government won't issue them visas because they bring in tourist dollars. Awful!!! I tried to find a non-profit/charity that benefitted these women, providing education or support for not putting their daughters in the same position, but I couldn't find anything:( It would be great if there was a way for them to sell more of their traditional crafts or textiles instead to make money instead of having to suffer physical deformity to bring tourists in. Sad.

In the Quiet Land - a poem by Aung San Suu Kyi

2011-09-19T23:47:00.000-07:00

Shepard Fairey's portrait of Aung San Suu Kyi

In the Quiet Land, no one can tell
if there's someone who's listening
for secrets they can sell.
The informers are paid in the blood of the land
and no one dares speak what the tyrants won't stand.
In the quiet land of Burma,
no one laughs and no one thinks out loud.
In the quiet land of Burma,
you can hear it in the silence of the crowd
In the Quiet Land, no one can say
when the soldiers are coming
to carry them away.
The Chinese want a road; the French want the oil;
the Thais take the timber; and SLORC takes the spoils...
In the Quiet Land....
In the Quiet Land, no one can hear
what is silenced by murder
and covered up with fear.
But, despite what is forced, freedom's a sound
that liars can't fake and no shouting can drown.

Exposure Project: Burma {Art Activism} Voices From Exile

2011-09-19T23:36:00.000-07:00

US Envoy visits Burma

2011-09-19T23:21:00.000-07:00