http://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/trippin-out/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from trippin out en-us Thu, 23 May 2013 17:40:30 +0000 Thu, 23 May 2013 17:40:30 +0000 I have arrived... Kind of.CalgarygtEdmontongtWinnipeggtThunder BaygtTorontogtMontrealgtTorontogtFrankfurtgtCape Town.It's been almost two weeks and I have finally physically arrived at my destination in downtown Cape Town. I say physically because mentally who knows where I am. After my 7.5 flight to Frankfurt 12 hours awake in Frankfurt and then 12 hours dead t http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/South-Africa/Western-Cape/Cape-Town/blog-582681.html Hola de CubaDays in Cuba 2Diego Luna spotted not as of yet. But hope still remains.Ah the balmy balmy weather of an island nation. I look outside and well... yeah not much sun to be had. We in Varadero are currently experiencing an unmistakeable amount of Rain. We're not talking a drizzle here this morning started off with a monsoonlike sheet of wa http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Cuba/Oeste/Varadero/blog-477536.html I'm Deliriously Tired.So Brad and I both puked on what was a 15 hour bus journey with three transfers back from the Mediterranean to Istanbul. Turns out we got a little too cocky four days of drinking random spring water in the middle of nowhere no problem but drinking tap water back in what seemed to be civilization STORES Tourists where the hell are we got us both relatively ill.We http://www.travelblog.org/Middle-East/Turkey/Mediterranean/Olympos/blog-428707.html Brad and Sally on their adventure in Hebron while I had my adventure of finding my passport met probably the coolest guy I've ever even heard of in my travels.He was Italian and his name was Phillipo. Brad asked him So what do you do for a livingHis answer I walk.Dude apparently is a pilgrim. A Pilgrim. And that's what he does for a living he just chills and walks from place to p http://www.travelblog.org/Middle-East/Turkey/Mediterranean/Kas/blog-427109.html Observations by day three in Turkey1 My brother and I know next to nothing about this country. This is good yet horrible as we are bopping around pretty much blind on what there is to see what there is to do and how far everything is from one another.2 We are in Europe. Turkish people consider themselves European. Brad and I couldn't stop staring at the trams. 'Trains fully functionin http://www.travelblog.org/Middle-East/blog-426667.html Oh good lord. I am getting so behind on this I hardly know what to do with myself. This trip is especially emphasizing what I already knew on the road a day feels like a week and a week feels like a monthSO. I might just have to cut my losses and write about what happened since Sally Bub and I parted ways. So I spent a ridiculously delirious night involving mooching off of a giant greekm http://www.travelblog.org/Middle-East/Israel/Tel-Aviv-District/Tel-Aviv/blog-426664.html I haven't posted in ages as my mom has pointed out and it's because I have been on a veritable traveling marathon and literally this is the second time in 10 days I've been able to go on the internet.It's been a crazy ridiculous amazing adventure.The themes of the trip we decided are We love to wait at areas of transport without actually going anywhere and GOOD WORDIt involves doing http://www.travelblog.org/Middle-East/Israel/blog-424548.html Im looking back on my past two months here in Nablus and I am simply stunned by how quickly time passed. I look back on former doubts I almost stayed in Canada and then I almost got sent Back to Canada when I arrived I have a hard time believing that I almost threw it all out the window. The minute I arrived in Nablus I was completely embraced by the locals. The minute I arrived at the http://www.travelblog.org/Middle-East/Israel/West-Bank/Nablus/blog-421338.html Yesterday was MADNESS. Literally the most dangerous event that has occurred to me thus far in Palestine. And it had nothing to do with anything political economic not about human rights or civil society.It had to do with Dessert.Nablus is famous for its Kunafa a ridiculously rich dish that as my roommate and I have determined is both sweet and savoury insanely delicious but also kind of http://www.travelblog.org/Middle-East/Israel/West-Bank/Nablus/blog-420601.html So I woke up this morning and took a service to work as per the norm. The routine kind of subconsciously sinks in making you feel incredibly settled and content. However one should realize Routine can be boring. Nablus and the CSC for that matter is far from boring. Thus routine cannot exist in Nablus. To elaborate I get into the center and Im met by the directors daughter Fay http://www.travelblog.org/Middle-East/Israel/West-Bank/Nablus/blog-420591.html I don't have time for a comprehensive entry right now but let's leave it at the following1 I was in a parade.2 my brother got here and I'm realizing that the level of ridiculousness of our conversations has increased. or is at least well outside the norm3 we have been massively busy4 we went to Ramallah and went to a bar with a swimming pool in it5 we picked up my friend from Cairo and http://www.travelblog.org/Middle-East/Israel/West-Bank/Ramallah/blog-420348.html These are scant entries but I'm mad busy with work here.Water IssuesAmong other things the Israeli consumption of water is four to five times the Palestinian consumption rate. The settlements are seven to eight times the Palestinian consumptionAbout 25 of the local communities go completely without water.I read a statistic the other day saying that the average consumption among the Palestinia http://www.travelblog.org/Middle-East/Israel/West-Bank/Nablus/blog-416756.html I dont know exactly how much everyone out there knows about the history of what are now the occupied Palestinian territories. Whew let me think about this.The Palestinian issue is so freaking complex how to summarize it its kind of like well you know how every Christmas and this is a universal thing ha you excitedly unpack your decorations only to find your string of lights http://www.travelblog.org/Middle-East/Israel/West-Bank/Nablus/blog-415309.html I am exhausted mentally spent and extremely and utterly salty. I went to the Dead Sea and Jericho this weekend. I still cannot get over how CLOSE everything is here. Im having a hard time trying to remember everything that happened this weekend. So. One thing at a time. Jericho was cool. We made our way through Ramallah and checkpoints making sure to take advantage and pick up some bo http://www.travelblog.org/Middle-East/blog-415307.html Preface Enjoy the rarity of this nonpolitical entry while it lasts I've been taking a lot of notes from the workshop I've been doing and am ready to bombard you with tales of tear gas torture and tearing down the Apartheid wallThis time I didnt even try to take my camera out. See how Im adjusting to Palestinian culture And I held a full on well kind of conversation with this Pa http://www.travelblog.org/Middle-East/blog-414051.html An unfortunate but ubiquitous part of any school experience is the classic bullyloser situation. Guys might steal lunches topple books andor physically assault the poor victim. Girls refine it to an even greater degree backstabbing gossiping andor completely ostracizing a person for no discernible reason. The victim is either left to defend themselves which upon seeing the effect of http://www.travelblog.org/Middle-East/Israel/West-Bank/Nablus/blog-410715.html Chapter 2 The Actual MarriageWelcome to the longest. entry. ever.Its 1230am and I just came back from my first Palestinian wedding. Good style be damned Im just trying to retain every little thing about it.First the clothes. Sparkles sequins shiny fabric of every kind embroidery and elaborate coiffures. Even the hijab were arranged into little flowers or bunches as if hair. Apparen http://www.travelblog.org/Middle-East/Israel/West-Bank/Nablus/blog-409715.html Leadership Training Institute Proposed ScheduleDate Morning 1000am1200pm Afternoon 100pm400pm 21june2009 Introduction to the Summer Training ProgramWelcome event to get to know each other22june2009 Presentation Contemporary Political Geography of Palestine Guided tour of the Old City of Nablus and discussion on the 2nd Palestinian Intifada 23june2009 Presentation West Bank Land an http://www.travelblog.org/Middle-East/Israel/West-Bank/Nablus/blog-409725.html To perhaps counteract my verbosity on the last oneI'm really beginning to hate the fact that on this blog you have to select 'Israel' as the country in order to access the 'West Bank' region tab.Stacey http://www.travelblog.org/Middle-East/Israel/West-Bank/Nablus/blog-409408.html I'm sorry for how insanely long winded I was on this oneChapter 1 Relationships or lack thereofIve tried numerous times to try and do justice to the life of a young Palestinian here. Its very difficult I mean there are so many positive aspects but I feel like it must be seen and experienced to properly appreciate. The social problems of the West have been described but arent http://www.travelblog.org/Middle-East/Israel/West-Bank/Nablus/blog-409406.html