Monday, July 30, 2012

Posh Corps Vacation (Part 2: Turkey)

After bidding farewell to Sidian early Sunday morning we hopped on our flight to Istanbul, found our shuttle bus, and arrived in Taksim Square a few hours later. We were able to check-in to our hostel for the night and from there we worked on figuring out how to get in to the historic center from our positioning in the new district. I was pretty grumpy from our early morning flight, our less than appealing 6 person dorm room at the hostel, and my empty stomach. Thank goodness Sam is good with maps and was able to eventually navigate our way to where we needed to be. After getting some food and water into our systems we both were feeling much more chipper and we headed to the Basilica Cistern to view the famous pillared water reservoir. Later we went to Topkapi Palace, where generations of Sultans lived. It was massive, with sumptuous gardens and vistas overlooking the strait. After we got our fill at the palace we found our way to the famous Galta Bridge with its restaurant and pedestrian underpass and its daily fisherman bobbing and dangling their poles over the side of the upper-level of the bridge where proper traffic can cross. We grabbed a couple of fresh fish sandwiches at one of the cheaper options, with a sandwich for a mere 5TL (Turkish Lira) about $3USD. After getting our fill of the sights in the old district for the day we hopped on public transport back to Taksim Square and the new district, where our hostels were located. Of course I had to get my daily dose of rice pudding (a common dish in Turkey and one of my favorites!). We strolled down the ever hectic main street in the new district before calling it an early night.

The next morning we woke up and checked out of our first hostel (we only had one night there as our plans had changed from when we had orginally booked so; this was merely a stop over before the hostel we had booked for a number of nights). To both of our delights the new hostel, with the private room and bathroom, was much more to our liking. After a couple cups of coffee we headed out to the famous Grand Bazaar. This place is a site to see. Thousands of people flow in and out of the little lanes that make up the network of the massive Grand Bazaar. Hawkers come up with clever ways of rousing their potential customer. Sam and I heard such lines as; "I need the money." "Come in, I have bad things. Oh no, I mean good! Good! Wait, it's good!" "Have I see you before?"...and on and on they went. We had fun exploring, it's so colorful with fabrics, and glass lanterns, and of course rugs. The only thing in our budget was taking pictures, but that was enough for the both of us. From the Grand Bazaar we made our way down to the Spice Market. It was interesting to see the in-between space, a newer market had emereded that sold the same goods as in the Bazaar at a fraction of the price. I can't help but admit I did find myelsf a few lovely little trinkets to take home with me, mainly dried apricots and a pretty blue scarf (which I successfully haggled down to a price I thought was reasonable). It was such a fun day, the people, the sounds, the smells; it was a feast for the senses. The Spice Market was just as interesting; piles of colorful spices lined the stalls. People promising their products integrity, "would you like a try?". After all of this window shopping we were both exhausted and found a few moments of rest in the courtyard of a beautiful mosque. Later we enjoyed a glass of local brew, Efes, before grabbing another fish sandwich and high tailing it back to our hostel for some much needed rest.

Our third day in Istanbul we decided to go on a cruise down the Bosphorus Strait. After reading our guide book we got to the docks early and scoped out the best seats up on the top deck. We spent the day lazily winding our way up the Bosphorus take pictures of the coastline and enjoying each others company. The boat docked on the Asian side of Turkey just in time for lunch. The pushy wait-staff turned us both off, and we instead decided to forgo lunch and hike up the hill and get a view of where the strait empties into the Black Sea. It was really beautiful, and we were both glad we had made the hike. At this point we were getting quite hungry and after we did a little reading in the guidebook, realized there was a bakery where we could pick up some cheap eats. We got a traditional corn bread with sardines and leeks baked in, it was delicious and even better, no one was standing outside yelling at us to 'come-in and get a special deal'! A while later and it was time to get our boat back in to Istanbul. It was a lovely day trip, and definitely a fun way to get my first glimpse of Asia. The boat ride back was just as pleasant and we were deposited back at the dock in Istanbul in the late afternoon. We got a couple of fish sandwiches (see a trend?) before heading back to the hostel for some rest. Later in the evening we both got hungry and picked up some lahmacun, a flat bread dish with ground meat and seasoning. Sam and I both decided fresh lemon juice makes almost anything taste better, and almost every restaurant and street cart offers a fresh squeeze of lemon to its dishes, we approve.

The next day we headed to the Hagia Sofia and the Blue Mosque; the most famous sites in Istanbul. We stood in a long line outside the Hagia Sofia and were approached by countless tour guides offering the 'best tour'. We patiently waited in the line and paid our entrance fee and enjoyed all the beauty of the Hagia Sofia has to offer. Once a Mosque, among many other things, it is now a museum. We took our time taking in the high ceilings, archways, painted and engraved artwork and the many other vast differences between this once-place of worship, as compared to all the other churches we have seen in other parts of Europe. After we had gotten our fill we meandered outside only to find the call-to-prayer had begun and the Blue Mosque would be closed for about an hour before would be closed for about an hour before we would be able to go in and view it. Later, when it was open we returned and were able to go in and view this working mosque. It was truly beautiful but, Sam and I both felt slightly out of place, and didn't want to over stay our welcome, so we took it in and left shortly after. We made our way down to the docks and hoped on a public ferry that brought us to the Asian side of Istanbul where we got off and looked for a restaurant we had read countess reviews for. We both got flustered and lost trying to find the restaurant and I finally went in and asked a hotel concierge to get directions. None of the workers knew English but, one of the men knew where the restaurant was and motioned for me and Sam to follow. Before we knew it he was walking down streets and turning corners and led us all the way to the doorstep of the restaurant. It was very sweet of him and Sam and I both thanked him before he turned around the headed back to the hotel, now that is customer service! We ate delicious meal of traditional Ottoman inspired dishes before we headed back to the European side, and on to our hostel. In the evening we sat on the roof top lounge and enjoyed a beer and a chat with a couple of travelers from Australia who were heading to the US in a couple of weeks. We were sure to share with them a few must-do's and must-sees while in America, including; buying gigantic 64oz slurpees at 7-eleven, going to baseball game, shopping at Super Wal-Mart, and eating at the Golden Corral buffet. It was fun evening, thinking about the rather awesomely disgusting American stereotypes they would have the pleasure of viewing, and in a weird way it made me homesick.

Our last full day in Istanbul, we took in at a slower pace. We found a coffee shop near our hostel and sipped on coffee and read for a couple of hours. Later we found some Turkish pizza, called pide, for lunch. After we headed in to the old district and went to the Islamic and Turkish art museum, yup another museum. We both agreed it didn't turn out worth the admission price but, 'you live and you learn'. The rest of the day we spent milling about. We meandered back through the bazaar and markets; we enjoed the Ramadan holiday market that had been set up in the main square next to the Blue Mosque. It was a carefree day, our final day together until Christmas.

The last morning was tough. I will never be good at 'goodbyes'. And, they are made tougher when you have to say it to someone that is loved so dearly. But, I have been reminded it is not goodbye forever, it is a see you soon.

The trip was amazing and the memories created will never be forgotten. This trip, traveled with the man I love, is just the beginning. And, I couldn't be more excited for whatever is next for us.

I am blessed and I am so stinkin' happy! I do recognize this, through my happiness, help others to see the happiness in their own lives.

Peace to you my friend ~

Monday, July 23, 2012

A Posh Corps Vacation (Part 1: Greece)

When I went to University I was no dummy. I knew I wanted to live in the international dorm, not just to enhance my own world view but, to meet new people and hopefully make meaningful friendships that would someday allow me to see the world in my favorite way, through the lives of my friends. And hopefully, I would be able to return the favor and they would be able to visit me wherever in the world I am. Because, in my mind there is nothing better than a familiar face in a far-off land. (Take my two previous blog posts as an example of that!)

One of the very lucky parts about serving as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Eastern Europe is the potential for some pretty sweet travel opportunities. One of the unlucky parts about this is the financial cost of visiting these places. This is where those international friends come in handy! One of my good friends and co-workers back at UNH is from Greece, and so when I was thinking about my summer travel plans I thought what better way to see Greece than whilst visiting an old friend. And so, a couple weeks ago my boyfriend Sam and I departed on our European adventure before he headed home (he completed his service and is now a RPCV, I'm so proud!). We left on a night bus to Bucharest, tickets flying out of Romania are nearly half the price as flying from Chisinau, and our early morning flight got us in to Athens around 9am. Sidian, my friend who lives in Greece, picked us up at the airport and drove us to his cousins apartment where we were staying for the week. The first day was leisurely, we had a lovely lunch with Sidian and his father at a restaurant in the center of Athens. After Sidi headed back to work and Sam and I headed out to explore the area a bit. We walked all around and saw Parliment with the guards and their funny pom-pom-ed shoes, we walked through the royal gardens and over to the modern historic Olympic stadium. It was a laid back day after all of our traveling. Later when Sidi got off work he took us to his friends coffee bar where we sat outside and enjoyed the atmosphere and sipped on ice tea. After Sidi took us to Lykavittos Hill, a big hill in the middle of Athens, with a pretty little chapel on top and some of the best views of the Athens skyline at night. It was so beautiful and definitely a 'I am so blessed' moment, I had countless moments like this on the trip.

The second day in Athens, Sam and I decided to sleep in a tad and rise at 9 am to catch up on the sleep we had lost from our overnight travel ordeal. When we finally got in to town we explored the central market and, I was able to pick up a half kilo of apricots to munch on for only .25 euro. ( I can't help but succumb to a deal like that.) Lunch was lamb kebabs from a famous kebab restaurant, but the key is to order on the street that way you can take them away and its only 2 euro, rather than sitting where they jack-up the price by more than triple. I'll happily sit on a curb and eat those kebabs any day of the week. After lunch we made our way to the Archeological museum. Now, I wish I were the kind of person to take great pleasure in museums but, after years of trying to pretend like I am moved by clay pots I know who I am, and I am not a person to ogle over old clay anything. Sam, on the other hand, loves museums and the kid could honestly spend days staring at those damn pots. So, I tried my best to be upbeat about the whole museum situation, after all I was in a new place to learn, an afternoon learning about a collection of 16th century clay pots was the least I could do. I know what you are thinking, spoiled American, I know I kind of think it too. But, to be honest I would be just as happy sitting on a park bench people watching for hours so, to each his own, right? That night Sam and I prepared salad and spaghetti with homemade tomato sauce (that I made from scratch, thank you very much). Everyone seemed to enjoy it, or they were all real good pretenders.

The third day was our big 'tourist day' we woke up early and headed out to the Acropolis before it got too busy and too hot. We spent the morning exploring the Agora, the Acropolis, Dionysus theater and the temple of the Olympian Zeus. We again ate delicious gyros for lunch before hitting a strategically placed visit to the AC-ed Acropolis museum in the afternoon. That evening we had a Chinese food feast at Sidi's father and step mothers apartment it was delicious, after we hiked up a hill in Sidi's neighborhood that gave us a unique view of the Athens skyline through the trees.

Our fourth day in Athens we decided it was time to hit the beach. We got some traditional Greek pies for breakfast before heading to the coast via the public tram. The beach was busy but we were able to find a spot. It was ridiculously hot out and Sam and I spent most of our time in the water just trying to stay cool. In our mind the beach was pretty great, later talking with Sidi and his friends we were told that this is the 'worst beach in all of Greece', I guess ignorance was bliss for us. Although the day resulted in some pretty pink sun-burns for Sam and I, guess the sunscreen wasn't waterproof. In the evening Sidi took us to a museum that had free admittance on Thursdays. Here is my abridged version of what I understand the museum to be, a collection of a bunch of old junk some disgustingly rich old dude had and turned into a fancy-pants museum when he died. Was that an offensive enough summary for you? I think I was just disappointed in seeing more damn clay pots, although some of them had some pretty erotic scenes etched on them so that was entertaining. Sam was annoyed when he caught me giggling and taking pictures of a vase with just a guy standing in the nude with his mass at full salute (What? I need to entertain myself somehow, while he is educating himself).  I have to give it to him though, the old dude had some pretty nice jewelry in his massive collection of junk, bravo for his wife.

The fifth day in Athens we headed off to the island of Aegina. About an hour off the coast of Athens it is lesser known than the island of Hydra and half the ferry price, but, I would like to think boasts many of the same quaint island qualities. We got to the island in the morning and found ourselves some coffee before we milled about the island exploring the little cobblestone lanes. It really was beautiful and had an entirely different feel from Athens. We enjoyed the 'island time' lifestyle for the day and sat out at a nearly deserted beach right next to some Greek ruins before finding our way back in to town for a delicious seafood lunch. I am still daydreaming about the mussels. Aegina is the island known as the birth place of pistachios so in the afternoon Sam and I found ourselves relaxing, sipping a couple of local brews, munching on pistachios, smelling the sea air and reading. Absolute bliss. In the evening we hopped on our high-speed ferry back to Athens and met up with Sidi and his friends for a few drinks at a local bar.

The final day in Athens was another relatively lazy day. We took our time getting up and heading in to the center. We got coffee and sat out planning our next leg of the trip. We walked down the touristy streets and I picked up a few things for people. We walked around the Plaka, an area up around the Acropolis that is especially pretty, after we had a bite to eat before heading back to the apartment to wait for Sidi to get off work. When Sidian got home he drove us out to one of his friends homes on the coast outside of Athens. We went to the beach and it was so amazing. The water was crystal clear and the sun was beginning to set. It was refreshing getting a couple more hours floating in the salty sea water. His friend, Pavos, made us a delicious dinner and we spent the rest of the evening hanging out on the roof patio of the house. When the sun had fully set, and the sky was dark for the night it was time for us to head home. We thanked Sidi's family that night before bed, our flight the next morning was far too early to naturally be awake. They were some of the most wonderful and gracious hosts I have ever had the pleasure of staying with. They truly made our visit all the more special and invited us back whenever we please.

The next morning, we awoke early and Sidi generously woke up on his one day-off to drive us to the airport.

We were off to Turkey, for the final leg of our amazing trip.


  

Meg's Visit!

July has turned out to be quite a busy month. Between friends visiting, traveling and a summer camp to assist at my days have filled up quite nicely. But, before I get too ahead of myself I will jump back a few weeks to the very beginning of July when one of my oldest and dearest friends came to visit.

Meaghan had been studying and working all year in Germany and before she headed back home we both decided it was too good of an opportunity for her to miss, so she simply had to come visit me all the way over here in Moldova.

So, on the evening of June 30 I hopped on a rutiera and was off to the airport to pick-up Meg. Of course like a blubbering fool I cried when I saw her and we shared a big hug before I welcomed her to my new home, Moldova. We both hurried outside to catch a rutiera back in to the center of the city and only ran into a few scoffs and scuddles with the patrons on the rutiera who were unfamiliar with people speaking in English. That evening we took things slow, we went out to dinner and we headed back to a friends apartment in the city.

The following morning I had a meeting to attend for the summer camp I will be working at later this week. Unfortunately for Meg that meant she was dragged around with me to the meeting and got to listen in on all the insightful information sharing that played out. After the meeting we headed out into the city to do a bit of exploring. I showed her 'the sites' which takes surprisingly less time than one might think. After we picked up a snack and headed back to the PC Office to hangout before it was time to head out to watch the final game of the Euro Cup.

The next day we headed out to visit the most famous monastery in Moldova, Orheiul Veche. I had been once before with my training group but, I figured it would make for a good day trip for the two of us. So we went to the station and were directed to a rutiera that would be driving by the monastery that we could hitch a ride with. An hour later we were dropped in a field near the monastery and we were off to exploring the caves carved into the hills and the cows grazing in the fields. Now, if I had been a more prepared host I would have realized that getting to the monastery would be a lot simpler than getting back to the capital where we needed to pick up our rutiera to head to my site. So, after milling about the monastery for awhile I pitched the scenarios to Meaghan.
1. We could wait until the evening when the rutiera would be coming back through and could flag it down and hop on. This option would have us getting back to my site well after dinner time, and I still needed to get grocery's.
2. We could hitch-hike. Anyone in the US reading this is probably disturbed by the thought of this, and I was initially too. However, in Moldova it is common practice and completely safe, you even pay the driver who picks you up. It truly is a fair and square deal. But, after giving it a little thought I knew Meaghan's mom, the notorious Mrs. Britain would probably chop my head off if she found out I took her daughter hitch-hiking in Eastern Europe (Oh hey, Mrs. Britain!).
So, I opted for option 3. Ask the people at the monastery if they had space in the car to bring our sorry-bums back to a main street so we could hail a passing rutiera.
After conversing with a Moldovan family with a full car I began to think hitch-hiking might be the only option but, luckily enough for Meg and I, a family that was quite clearly tourists walked up the path. After some slight hesitation I asked them if they spoke English, which they did, and awkwardly explained our situation. "We are just visiting the monastery for a couple hours and had hoped to catch a public transport vehicle back to the capital, but we were told when we arrived it won't be coming until this evening. I know this is a bizarre question to ask but, if you have space in your car would you mind giving us a lift to a main road on the way to where ever you are headed? We are both American and would be happy to give you some gas money for the ride?" To our delight they gave us a slightly hesitant yes. The Swedish family, mom, dad and daughter were all very pleasant. Meg and I found it funny, the mom sat in the back seat with us while the daughter sat up-front. We know how that conversation went "I am NOT sitting next to them, mom." The car ride was quick and we were dropped at one of the main traffic circles only a few kilometers outside the city. Of course they wouldn't accept any money and wished us well as we left. We both wondered if our families would do the same if the scenario had played out differently, we both agreed our families would help out a couple of strangers in our position. After all, we are two pretty harmless looking girls. Moments later we were on a rutiera headed in to the city. Back at my site we cooked up some burritos for dinner, that I later shared with host mom and host aunt. We watched a bit of online tv before we nodded off to sleep. It had been quite an adventurous day.

The next morning we took our time getting ready and headed in to the center of Nisporeni town just after noon. I showed her the dance studio project I am currently working on, and my office. She was very patient while I worked for a couple of hours at the office. Later we picked up supplies for dinner and were able to get a lift back to the house by host moms work partner. That evening host mom cooked us some delicious placinta (homemade cheese-filled pastry) as always it was superb! We had another lazy night in Nisporeni, filled with picking apricots of the sparse tree in the chickens coop and stuffing our faces with delicious food.

The final day Meaghan was in town was the fourth of July. Unfortunately the celebrations were slightly underwhelming for her. But, we had a good last day. After a couple of hiccups we were able to get her bus ticket to the airport in Bucharest and she was on her way that evening.

It was such a fun visit, I'm so happy she was able to come and see my little life here in Moldova. I know it is something special that she and I will remember for many years to come.

So, when are you coming to visit? I'm patiently waiting for my next visitor! :)

Peace