It's been snowing for 2 days now - so beautiful in the morning, the fresh cover of white over everything. We've gotten a good couple inches, although once I get on the street the gray slush becomes less appealing as the day wears on. Also sidewalks don't seem to get cleaned off here, the streets barely scraped as well, so it's treacherous walking. Oddly enough the paths in the park I cut through to get to my Saturday classes were perfectly clean with plows in view and everything. Also saw a cute little kid and his parents playing; they were some sort of Asian and it appeared to be his first snow, lots of pictures happening. Shaking the trees to make more fall, snowballs and laughter - brilliant.
The weather gives me then the perfect excuse to make banana bread and soup, not go out any more today but read instead. I've made a new American friend, Kate, who's Mennonite and doing volunteer work here for a year. She has friends who went to Earlham and we know at least one person in common - the world is way too small sometimes. But then again I never know who I'll meet when I do something like go to Urus's book group to talk about Poe. It was nice to just chat over tea and be all warm in the kitchen together.
Excited about Thanksgiving (although I need to find a pie plate) and my upcoming trip back home. But for now I think hot chocolate and a good book are in order; encourage you to do the same. Snow's good for this kinda thing.
Sunday, November 18, 2007
Saturday, November 10, 2007
Visoko or: Pyramids? In where?
We last saw our heroes deciding to embark on a harrowing journey (remember, no one could tell them return times, only departures) relying only on their strength, Turkish coffee, and wits to make it to their destination (ok, ok, and a bus as well): mysterious pyramids reportedly found in Bosnia a bit outside of Sarajevo. Yes, this has been a nail-biting and harrowing cliffhanger I know - rest assured that I did not continue this post from any lasting ill-effects of the journey but simply due to that most terrible of excuses: work picked up and I've not had time.
After getting ourselves to the bus station only 10 minutes before the bus left, Mike and I headed to this mysterious place with only Dino's assurance that it was something real to guide us (I can't shake off the adventure/thriller tone, bear with me). I asked the conductor when the return buses were and threw him completely off- turns out that he was training and so anything not according to script was, well, upsetting. An older gentleman behind us rattled off the bus times with the ease of someone who makes the journey often - I was thankful once again that at least I have enough language for numbers and ask questions like this (when I despair about ever making progress it's good to reflect on the practical side). Arrival in Visoko found us sitting in the first cafe we came to desperately needing a coffee for Mike - my sleep deprivation takes the form of perkiness (call it a throwback to camp counselor days) whereas he becomes more zombie-like, not a stellar combo. The town was bigger than I'd expected, there were actually signs with pyramids on them (good) although the tourist office was closed (irritating). We walked through city center, then out into countryside again, aiming for Pyramid of the Sun that didn't seem to be too terribly far. Eventually we found a road that headed up and ran into a man painting - Mike walked in front of him and he went as if to roller brush Mike! I used the opportunity to ask directions - we were indeed headed the right way, and continued up this HUGE hill. Steps lead us to the base of the pyramid itself and a woman materialized shortly thereafter, a guide who gave us a history and explanation of what's been going on and what they hope to do. She was fabulous, walked us through the site and showed excavation sites, explained how politics have hindered progress as well as doubt that it's actually a man-made structure.
A note about that now - the lead archaeologist wants to connect these sites to lost Atlantis and some other far-fetched ideas; thus understandably there's skepticism about his findings. But after looking at 2 of them it's really obvious that these are man-made structures with squared-off blocks. Also the stones are completely different - so even if it's natural it's still incredible. Egyptian pyramid experts have come out and said they're pyramids as well - they would know, wouldn't they?
Anywho, we enjoyed poking around the Pyramid of the Sun, then got shortcut directions to Pyramid of the Moon and trekked that way. There met some more lovely folks, Harris in particular who showed us a little but then sat us down and chatted for about an hour. Obvious that tourist season has slowed down and folks looking for someone else to talk to besides colleagues. This pyramid was cool because it's a big spiral with the little steps leading to a central drainage point. Sweet stuff. (More info here as well although site isn't as good in my opinion).
Walking back to town passed a tiny bakery and got amazing hot fresh bread that you usually get with fast food, solum. Incredibly good. Caught a bus mid-afternoon, headed back to Sarajevo with the days events swirling around us. Nearing the city traffic steadily worsened to a crawl, the conductor tried to give us a drawing he'd discovered tucked away in overhead storage, and we got off the bus before it go to the station. Plan was to get back to Baščcaršija (Turkish quarter) and find Dino, but we got there only to find the place locked and empty, the women across the street saying he'd be in tomorrow. Argh! Revisited lovely cake shop, I bought Turkish delight, then some dinner food and a little walk but rain made that not so much fun. At bus station (again out far from center) ran into two Swiss guys who'd been on the bus from Belgrade as well, had a drink with them to help them use up their currency and chatted. The night bus back was nothing fun (although was a double decker) - I almost killed a man playing with his cellphone, all the tones on, but instead plotted how to say something cutting but came up with "neću da slušam" instead ("I don't want to listen"). It worked even if not elegant. And the conductor gave us apple candy at the border. Woohoo! Unfortunately Mike was really sick by that point and remained so for a few days, but got better before heading back to the states. Whew!
It was wild getting out of town for just a few days and then I started teaching my first private classes, so the timing was right. Good to be reminded of the joys of travel though, hopefully I can get some more cool trips made out of border runs as they come up... already plotting a little. But that's nothing new eh?
After getting ourselves to the bus station only 10 minutes before the bus left, Mike and I headed to this mysterious place with only Dino's assurance that it was something real to guide us (I can't shake off the adventure/thriller tone, bear with me). I asked the conductor when the return buses were and threw him completely off- turns out that he was training and so anything not according to script was, well, upsetting. An older gentleman behind us rattled off the bus times with the ease of someone who makes the journey often - I was thankful once again that at least I have enough language for numbers and ask questions like this (when I despair about ever making progress it's good to reflect on the practical side). Arrival in Visoko found us sitting in the first cafe we came to desperately needing a coffee for Mike - my sleep deprivation takes the form of perkiness (call it a throwback to camp counselor days) whereas he becomes more zombie-like, not a stellar combo. The town was bigger than I'd expected, there were actually signs with pyramids on them (good) although the tourist office was closed (irritating). We walked through city center, then out into countryside again, aiming for Pyramid of the Sun that didn't seem to be too terribly far. Eventually we found a road that headed up and ran into a man painting - Mike walked in front of him and he went as if to roller brush Mike! I used the opportunity to ask directions - we were indeed headed the right way, and continued up this HUGE hill. Steps lead us to the base of the pyramid itself and a woman materialized shortly thereafter, a guide who gave us a history and explanation of what's been going on and what they hope to do. She was fabulous, walked us through the site and showed excavation sites, explained how politics have hindered progress as well as doubt that it's actually a man-made structure.
A note about that now - the lead archaeologist wants to connect these sites to lost Atlantis and some other far-fetched ideas; thus understandably there's skepticism about his findings. But after looking at 2 of them it's really obvious that these are man-made structures with squared-off blocks. Also the stones are completely different - so even if it's natural it's still incredible. Egyptian pyramid experts have come out and said they're pyramids as well - they would know, wouldn't they?
Anywho, we enjoyed poking around the Pyramid of the Sun, then got shortcut directions to Pyramid of the Moon and trekked that way. There met some more lovely folks, Harris in particular who showed us a little but then sat us down and chatted for about an hour. Obvious that tourist season has slowed down and folks looking for someone else to talk to besides colleagues. This pyramid was cool because it's a big spiral with the little steps leading to a central drainage point. Sweet stuff. (More info here as well although site isn't as good in my opinion).
Walking back to town passed a tiny bakery and got amazing hot fresh bread that you usually get with fast food, solum. Incredibly good. Caught a bus mid-afternoon, headed back to Sarajevo with the days events swirling around us. Nearing the city traffic steadily worsened to a crawl, the conductor tried to give us a drawing he'd discovered tucked away in overhead storage, and we got off the bus before it go to the station. Plan was to get back to Baščcaršija (Turkish quarter) and find Dino, but we got there only to find the place locked and empty, the women across the street saying he'd be in tomorrow. Argh! Revisited lovely cake shop, I bought Turkish delight, then some dinner food and a little walk but rain made that not so much fun. At bus station (again out far from center) ran into two Swiss guys who'd been on the bus from Belgrade as well, had a drink with them to help them use up their currency and chatted. The night bus back was nothing fun (although was a double decker) - I almost killed a man playing with his cellphone, all the tones on, but instead plotted how to say something cutting but came up with "neću da slušam" instead ("I don't want to listen"). It worked even if not elegant. And the conductor gave us apple candy at the border. Woohoo! Unfortunately Mike was really sick by that point and remained so for a few days, but got better before heading back to the states. Whew!
It was wild getting out of town for just a few days and then I started teaching my first private classes, so the timing was right. Good to be reminded of the joys of travel though, hopefully I can get some more cool trips made out of border runs as they come up... already plotting a little. But that's nothing new eh?
Yet more politics
Why shouldn't we go to war in Iraq? Cheney gave some great reasons... in 1994. Perhaps it's age, perhaps it's distance, perhaps it's the fact that politics appear to get worse whenever they bring themselves to my attention. Or perhaps it's because my country is locked in a war that I don't believe in. And yet I try also not to fall into the mire of those who fuss about politics and do nothing about them as well. I've got a new student who's the director and editor in chief of a newspaper here, stay tuned for a potentially more political Bethany returning to the US this winter. But I've always liked being informed.
And I learned that Colbert stopped his bid for presidency as well. Found this reaction. Another thread to watch in the unfolding drama in ye olde homeland.
And I learned that Colbert stopped his bid for presidency as well. Found this reaction. Another thread to watch in the unfolding drama in ye olde homeland.
Sunday, November 4, 2007
Words words words
So everyone should check this out - freerice.com You do a self-adjusting vocab quiz and the UN donates rice to the hungry. Brilliance.
Teaching's picked up some more, I met an author last week who was an interesting character, and I promise to do a real update soon. But for now go donate rice with addictive word play. And tell your friends!
Teaching's picked up some more, I met an author last week who was an interesting character, and I promise to do a real update soon. But for now go donate rice with addictive word play. And tell your friends!
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