Tokyo Swan 19: Shin Kawasaki Zoo

When I had arrived in Japan, did I ever think there would be penguins in my backyard? After a few months of living in the quiet area of Shin Kawasaki, I noticed a path that led up a very large hill that was just five minutes down the road from my dorm. I eventually ventured up the hill with a friend only to find a free local zoo!

Imagine my surprise to see zebra, penguins, goats, deer, monkeys, and all sorts of birds and smaller animals! It was really an eyebrow raising experience to find so many different animals so close to where I had been living. I had walked past the hill where the zoo was on so many times just to get to the train station, so it really was a shocker when I did go up the hill and found the zoo.

This is a pretty laid back episode, but it's nice to just focus on the interesting local surroundings, since who knows, perhaps other study abroad students will also have the pleasure of discovering such great local environments to spend their time in.

Besancon, France: Monoprix, Galéries Lafayette, and more!

Where to go when you need your essentials is important for every traveler. If you're staying in Besak, you'll quickly learn the route to Monoprix, the "everything-in-one" store, where you can get a bottle of wine for two Euros or an umbrella (which you'll most certainly need if you've forgotten to pack one) or a new jar of Nutella, which, probably won't last very long if you're at all like me or my roommates. Peanut butter will cost you upwards of 4 Euros for a small jar (about half the size of your average American Jif jar) which gets expensive if you're an addict. Pack a few jars on the plane, and you'll be okay for the first few weeks. Do the same with Mac 'n Cheese, becuase you won't find it in stores.

The Galéries Lafayette is a large department store on Grande Rue, with three levels of everything from designer clothing to groceries, but bring a little bit more money if you go here, especially for food. There is also Intermarché, which is a convenient trek à pied if you live in the dorms, and it's relatively inexpensive. Last but not least is Casino. You'll find these throughout the city- Petit Casinos are located everywhere, but there is a Grande Casino a little further down on bus line 1 (Chateaufarine) and if you stay until the very last stop (which is close to a 40-minute bus ride, but maybe worth it to some) you'll find a Casino Géant, a few clothing stores, a Décathlon (sporting goods store where I bought a Yoga mat for 4 Euro and a Soccer ball for the same!), and a few restaurants. It's worth making the long trip at least once or twice, becuase you can find things in the Casino Géant you didn't even know existed in France. I, being a fan of dried fruit for its convenience and tast, became a fan of dried bananas, which they sell in packages that are perfect for carrying around in your backpack or purse when hiking or just lolly-gagging around town.

There is, however, nothing compared to the meals prepared by your host family. Take advantage of trying new things while you're in France (my host mom served my friends Foie Gras [goose liver] on crackers- not exactly an everyday thing here in the States!). Offer to cook at least once, so you can amaze them with your famous American recipes and dazzle them with your cooking skills (or lack thereof). I baked fresh bread for my host mom, and she adored it! Don't get me wrong, the fresh bread at the boulangeries cannot be beat, but don't hesitate to experiment in the kitchen while you're there, and give your host family a taste of the city you come from!

Tokyo Swan 18: Ice Cream City

Tucked away in the mega popular Sunshine City shopping mall of the bustling Ikebukuro section of Tokyo, Ice Cream City is perhaps one of the most fascinating places I have ever been to. I had initially heard of its greatness via some other youtube users had previously gone there to taste the varied and interesting ice cream flavors. Squid? Snake? Octopus? Curry? Garlic? Baskin Robbins has got nothing on Ice Cream City.

Ice Cream City is found in Sunshine City, which is a mega popular mall in Ikebukuro. There are plenty of shops and places to eat there, and I've gone there many times becuase it is such a fun place to be. The ice cream itself is located in a strange area of the mall called 'namjya town' which is a huge indoor amusement park. I had never been anywhere so off the wall before in my life, and it really is a unique experience to just walk around the fake forests and mine shafts of the indoor park.

So how does something like octopus ice cream taste? With real octopus chunks in the ice cream, I couldn't believe what I was eating... but it actually tasted pretty good! Oddly enough, I enjoyed the snake ice cream better (which I had on a return trip back). I strongly encourage anyone in the Tokyo area to scope out Ikebukuro's Sunshine City mall to catch a glimpse of the world's most talked about ice cream parlour!

Queretaro, Mexico: Sierra Gorda/ Mr. Calderon Goes to Queretaro

Wow, so this past week has been pretty busy and I haven't had a chance to update with my weekend trip to the Sierra Gorda (which was Jan. 30-Feb 2). In all honesty, I cannot describe all of the things I saw in the Sierra Gorda because words do not do justice for nature's beauty here in Queretaro. Nevertheless, I'll share a few anecdotes to go with the pictures and talk about a few other things that have been going on recently as well.

After flip-flopping between Mexico City, Guanajuato, and the beach, five of us (me, David, Jacob, and the other two Katies) decided to make a trek out into the Sierra Gorda of Queretaro. The Sierra Gorda is a pretty spectacular place, though it isn't necessarily just one place – it's a series of towns and natural wonders within the state of Queretaro (and stretching into a few other parts of Mexico as well). What is so incredibly amazing about the Sierra Gorda is that it really is a piece of land that has distinct ecosystems all next to each other – desert next to green, piney forests…piney forests next to the jungle. At first, I didn't believe our guide when he said that we would, out of nowhere, be in the middle of a forest after driving a couple hours through the desert, but low and behold, we could see the line between the desert and the forest driving on the mountain highway. It was breathtaking to suddenly leave behind the nothingness of the desert and stand smack dab in the middle of a forest without warning – the pictures really speak for themselves. During our trip through the Sierra Gorda, we stopped at Cuatro Palos (a pueblo of 60 people) to look at the view in the mountains, El Chuveje (a gorgeous waterfall in the middle of the forest), Las Adjuntas (the site where two rivers of different degrees of freezing join…we swam in both rivers at the same time!), the Millennium Tree (which is over 500 years old and looks it too), and 18th century Franciscan missions of Jalpan and Conca. I don't have the words or the space to even begin to describe, so check out the link to the pictures:
http://s439.photobucket.com/albums/qq119/katons8/?action=view¤t=408dc276.pbr

The ultimate destination of our trek through the Sierra Gorda was a small town called Jalpan, where there still stands to this day an 18th century mission built by the native Americans and the Franciscan monks who journeyed across the Sierra Gorda to evangelize. The most famous of these evangelical monks, and the one who did most of the work, was Fray Junípero Serra. Although I do get a little angry at how history unfolded in regards to the imposition of religion on indigenous peoples, the work of Fray Serra is something to be admired. Not only did Junípero Serra walk the entire distance from Mexico City to the Sierra Gorda, in the mountains and desert without the aid of any horses or carriages, but he also succeeded where the Jesuits and other missionaries failed – he peacefully converted thousands of native Mexicans to Christianity and with their help, built some of the most beautiful missionary churches the world has seen. The facades of the missions are truly a miracle because not only did the indigenous peoples have to create a material that could withstand the elements and still be easy to mold and sculpt, but they also created a structure akin to European cathedrals without any formal training in European art or architecture. As these pictures show, these facades are just as beautiful as the facades of the greatest cathedrals in Europe. As Katie R. put it, there is nothing quite like the man-made beauty of the missions and the natural beauty of the Sierra Gorda together.

The weekend trip came to an end too quickly, but such is life when you have tons of fun like that. I hope you all enjoy the pictures, I know I enjoyed taking them and experiencing the Sierra Gorda.

In other news, I had an exciting day last week when President Calderón visited Queretaro without my knowledge. After my Italian class, I went downtown with Katie and it looked like a revolution had started with the amount of security in the area. The entire downtown area was blocked off by hundreds of armed men (police and army) to protect the President, who was at an event in the Teatro de la República. I honestly couldn't believe that so many people were there to protect the president…it seemed like overkill to me, especially considering the entire downtown area was closed off for 4 or 5 blocks before and after the Teatro. Though, I suppose, if anyone had any doubts about the safety of Queretaro, those doubts can be laid to rest.

Other than that, life has been quiet here in Queretaro…the past two weeks, I've stuck to this city to explore it a little bit more with my friends. If I have some time later this weekend, I'll talk more about what I do on a day to day basis with the people I've met here. Hope all is well and you Michiganders are keeping warm! J



Kaitie

Tokyo Swan 17: The Mos Burger Boy.

Sometimes, it's the little things that really leave a lasting impression. Such is the case with this episode of Tokyo Swan. Many people are curious about burgers in Japan. While most know that Japan has McDonalds and Wendys everywhere (with a few burger kings popping up again here and there), there are also some major Japanese burger chains to be aware of. Two of the Japanese burger giants are Freshness Burger and Mos Burger (pronounced like the word 'most' without the final t sound.)

Personally, I think Mos Burger is fantastic. While not as common as McDonalds, I was lucky enough to have one just 20 minutes down the road from my dorm in a cool little area called Kashimada. It was just a little place with some shops, a few places to eat, and a cool arcade. I really enjoyed walking there, and more often than not I would find myself in the Mos Burger.

While it does cost a little bit more than McDonalds, the atmosphere is a bit classier and the food itself is great. Since coming home I've wanted to have a Mos Burger so bad, so I'm really hoping to find my way back to Japan in the fall. It may seem silly that something as simple as a burger joint can invoke such nostalgic emotions, but like I said earlier, it's the little things in life that sometimes leave the biggest impressions.

Besancon, France- The Citadel (Part two) and more

I didn't get the chance this time around to go to the Musée de la Résistance, the section of the fort that serves as a memoir during the Nazi reign. It's got plenty of pictures, texts, and original documents dating back to WWII. There are also paintings, drawings and sculptures made by those who were imprisoned in the camps. Those students who had gone to see this part of the Citadel, noted that it was hard to walk through, and made them feel sick. Understandable. I do plan on trying to see it next time I'm in Besancon.

The rest of the day on mont Saint Etienne was pleasant, despite the clouds. We each made a silent vow to come back before leaving France so we could see the rest of what we missed this time. We got back to Centre Ville with time to spare. Some of us spent the rest of the day shopping and walking around Grande Rue, while the rest went back to Hotel du Nord to go online and catch up with their e-mail.

Before Dr. Running-Johnson left for the States, we checked out la Musée de Beaux-Arts in Place de la Revolution. It was free admission, being a Sunday, so we took advantage of the less-than-perfect weather by checking out some of the sculptures and modern art.

We didn't stay for very long, however- it was our first week and we were still too excited to stay confined in one building for a long period of time. We'd later find out that this was just one of many rainy days in Besancon to come- so it was soon time to dig out the umbrellas and make a trip to Monoprix, the "everything" shop downtown where you could find groceries, clothing, and most importantly, umbrellas.
(to be cont'd)

Tokyo Swan 16: Asakusa

Asakusa is one of the more traditionally cultural areas of Tokyo. Full of shrines and towering pagodas, it is clearly an area of Tokyo that all visitors should travel to at least once. Leading up to one of the main temples in the area, there are just so many different stalls and shops full of traditional goods and food. If one is looking for a good gift to get someone back home, Asakusa is always a good bet because there are so many unique Japanese items to buy there.

In the past, Asakusa was a hot spot for geisha, both of the legitimate and somewhat seedy kind, but today it’s a pretty popular spot for tourists and locals alike. I really liked some of the giant statues they had near the shrines, and as you can see in the video it’s a very beautiful location.

Over the course of my year in Tokyo, I visited Asakusa a number of times with my friends, because it is one of the areas of Tokyo that really makes you feel like you have stepped back into time, but it’s just a quick train ride away from central Tokyo. I’m looking forward to when I’ll be able to walk amongst the temples again!

Queretaro Mexico: Peña de Bernal

Hola amigos! It's been quite a long week and weekend, but very enjoyable. I have a lot to talk about and not a lot of time to type it all, so I will try to be somewhat brief.

Two weekends ago (so the 25th of January), I visited the lovely town of Bernal with three girls from the WMU group and two of our Mexican friends (Fa and Diego), which lies just outside of Queretaro (about 40 minutes by bus). Bernal is a very small town (pueblito) that has about 3,000 people, but it is one of the most fantastic sites in Mexico. Why? Because Bernal is the home of the third largest monolithic rock in the entire world, called the Peña de Bernal. Basically, the peña is a giant rock that formed milliones of years ago and it is said to give off some sort of energy, so much so that it was the sacred ground of the indigenous peoples who lived in the area before the Spanish conquest and currently, on the Spring Equinox, thousands of people flood the city in order to receie the peña's engery. I've been told by numerous people that most of the citizens of Bernal live into their 90s, so maybe there is something to the speculation. Here is a picture:



It is possible to climb the peña, but of course not all the way to the top because that would require special equipment and the government no longer allows people to climb to the very top because of past accidents. Even so, you can get about two thirds the way up the peña, though the rock does get very slick as you continue up. And yes, we did climb the peña and I must say, the view is indescribable and worth the effort of climbing for an hour.



Climbing the Peña was a once in a lifetime experience. Although I didn't climb to the highest point civilians can reach, I had a blast sitting on the side of the peña and talking with the Mexicans that rested with me. One group of Mexicans passed me and two decided to sit and chat with me for a while because they didn't want to finish the trek either. We talked about all sorts of things while I waited for my party to come find me, like school, the States, and what parts of Mexico I have to see. Eventually, they continued their path up the peña after their friends, who were above us, started singing and pestering them to keep climbing. One thing that did crack me up, though, was the graffiti we found on the side of the mountain, but just because where it was located:



Bernal is also home to the best gorditas in Mexico as well as this candy made from goats milk that tastes like caramel heaven. Mmm. If you ever get the chance to visit Bernal, do it. You won't regret it and if you're lucky, maybe you can pick up some positive vibes from the peña.

Later this week, after I upload pictures online, I will talk about my AMAZING trip to the Sierra Gorda. But for now, it's lunch time and I am more than ready to eat Chela's enchiladas verdes. ¡Hasta luego!

Kaitie

Besancon, France- The Citadel (part one)

~The Citadel~ pt. 1
The day we went to the Citadel (http://www.citadelle.com) was slightly chilly and cloudy- we had our winter coats on but were anxious to see the famous fort at the top of the hill that lit up the city at night with its blazing lights. It was a beautiful, breathtaking view from below- the mossy walls constructed under Vauban left us with countless questions about this ancient-feeling fort and its history.
We met up at the Hotel du Nord that morning, waiting on the cobblestone road for everyone to craw out of bed. We started the trek up the hill that first took us to the Cathedrale St. Jean, one of the older cathedrals that overlook the city. Dr. Running-Johnson took us inside the church, which was mostly empty (except for one man who seemed to be “un peu fou/a little crazy”- shouting things about God and muttering under his breath. This echoed throughout the walls of the cathedral and gave us a bit of a chill during out short visit). I made a silent vow to try and visit during one of the Sunday masses so I could experience at least one mass in French during my stay.


From there, it was about a 15-minute hike up some numerous steps, who didn’t care in the least how in shape we were. A few of us took them at a run (just to get it over with). At the top, we ended up just outside the fort but were captivated by its size. Walking around the outer gate, you could look down and see rams nesting or walking around. Once we went through and bought our tickets, we headed first for the zoo, or “Jardin Zoologique”. We took pictures immediately upon seeing the Asian lions, the Siberian tigers, and the numerous kinds of birds and apes. All in all, there were about 300 animals in the zoo. We got very close to come curious llamas who trotted around behind their fence, and had an amazing view behind the glass while watching the lionesses pace their territory.

Walking to almost any edge of the fort gives a breathtaking view of the city below. The citadel provided countless spots where one could simply sit and gaze across the land for hours on end. Some of the famous photos of Besancon were taken from atop this fort, a few of which we found in the calendars in our host families’ homes. The fresh air is priceless up atop the peak of the city, and it makes the cost of the ticket in completely worth every penny.

Berlin - 2.2.09

My Pretty Plant! Bought at Ikea.

Hey all, time for another update! So, I think I’ll start with the most recent first. I entered my novel into a national competition for a publishing grant through Penguin Publishing inc. I’m certainly not expecting to win, but it will be a good way to familiarize my book with their corporation so maybe I can get it published with them later. It’s a fun and exciting experience either way! I’ll let everyone know when it’s up. Due to size issues, I only turned in my first and second book for the completion, but it’s not a big difference to me really. I’ll get it all out eventually!
So last night was rough! I didn’t get to sleep until around 6 AM. Why might you ask? I had a bloody eyelash stuck under my eyelid! Ironic that the worst thing to get stuck underneath there just so happens to be the closest thing to it… aside from fingernail clippings that is, which is what it felt like was in there from 2 to 4:30 AM. I didn’t know how much damage or anything like that could occur, plus I wasn’t sleeping at all, so I decided to go to the ER, since it’s free for me . Oh yeah… and I was reading all these scary stories on the internet about how you shouldn’t let things sit in your eye very long because it could cause permanent damage and all that as well…
I was explaining my situation to the nurse there and she told me she had to direct me to a special eye clinician in another clinic. She came around the corner to ask me another question. I was sitting, she standing, so I looked up at her at an extreme angle, and guess what happened? I felt this sudden wave of relief, and it was gone! I have to say that was a god-like nurse there who could save me without even touching my eye. She must have been one of those miracle spirits or something. Thanks random German nurse. So the story has a decent ending at least, aside from wandering around the suburbs for another hour taking buses back home, which is still just amazing that I can do at 5AM.
I feel like Santa this last week or so. I’ve been buying tons of presents upon request for people, and others out of good will and returning favors. Thing ranging from Gummies, to hats and… other things on my own inspiration :D. It’s fun though.
So last weekend was quite fun.

I got a chip for my camera, which enabled me to take many more photos. It’s amazing what kind of fun you can have with a camera going on these long train rides out to town and back.

I experimented with a bunch of different camera settings, and each one had certain lightings and angles that they tended to work better with, so it will just take some getting used to.
Ominous Photo of the TV tower... spooky!

We went all over the place on Friday night, and got quite lost. We were with a group of 15 initially, which got down to only 4 at one point, back up to six and eventually splitting up completely.

Just another crazy night! We were trying to find this secret party that you have to be a member of this real secretive face book group. They even put the location in code. Omg… We found this place, but the bouncers were pretty pretentious, and wouldn’t let one of our friends in, so we just went to Weekend, which was a generic club that we knew and loved well.

I think that’s about all I have to report for now… other than I downloaded doom 2 recently, and it’s super amazing! I beat it on normal mode already… brings back good memories. Anyway, that’s all for now. Peace all,