Wednesday, February 24, 2016
Blog, February 25, 2016
Hello, My Faithful Readers
22
Months Served/4 Months to Go!
Photographs are posted at the bottom of the blog......The Envoy Hostel is usually where I stay while in Tbilisi (if not with friends at their flats). A slice of life here.
I am now back, full time, to life here in Georgia.
My travels are behind me and I have been concentrating on living out the final
months of my Peace Corps Service. Life here (in so many ways) is very hard.
One aspect that has been consistent throughout is
the how my back has hurt throughout my service. The reason for this is that I
am constantly stooped over. There are many reasons for this; one being that
there is not much shelf or closet space to store things on; so, most items need
to be placed on the floor. Another reason is always being bent over watching
where I walk so that I don’t trip or fall and one more; that is, there are very
few comfortable places to sit. Most of the furniture is exhausted from use. The
furniture/bedding has varying levels of sinkage which does not lend
support. I imagine another reason is the
walk up and down my mountain. Especially when I am going up; I feel bent over
making my way up. I sometimes feel like a skier as I try to fold in on myself
to make my body less of a drag. Maybe, I don’t know…all I know if that I mostly
feel bent over living here in Georgia.
One of the comforts I miss tremendously is something
comfortable to sit on. My bones hurt at times and I know I have spoken of this
before; but, I’ve sat on rocks more comfortable than some of the furniture. I often wonder if it is the cold here in
Georgia that makes my bones hurt. Often, it is the kind of cold that just gets
into the bones. Or, and here is an idea…it’s a result of age. Heavens, could it
be J!
My mind thinks it is 20-something (ok, maybe 30-something); but my body is push
70 (which is approaching). These last 22 months have felt like years and
years..I often think Peace Corps could be the antidote for stopping time (or at
least it feels that way). Deep thoughts
(HA)! – Being in service has certainly made me (or has given me the time) to
reflect on so many things that would have just gone over my head in my old
life.
I only have (1) annual leave day left. We are given
(24) days for each year of service here in-country; so a total of (48) annual
leave days. Since we need to count weekends as annual leave time when we leave
the country; I won’t be traveling outside of Georgia while still in-service. I
need to use this (1) day before March 30th; as we must take all
annual leave 3-months before we leave service. So, what am I to do. I really
don’t have any burning desire to travel within Georgia; well, maybe out to the
coast on the Black Sea; but, I don’t know if I want to travel that far. I still
have time to figure something out.
We had a snow storm back at the end of January. Here
in Georgia, at least here in Sagarejo, snow removal is not something that is
done. They rely to the sun (when it comes out) to do the job. As a result,
melted snow turns into ice which just adds to the challenge of getting around. The
area in front of the school is one large sheet of ice. The kids just love it as
they glide into school; but, it is a nightmare for me. I walk at such a slow
pace; fearful all the time of slipping. It does not seem to bother anyone else;
or they are just used to it. The locals tell me that unlike America where we
must clear the sidewalks; here in Georgia they have no such rule. They don’t
worry if someone falls on their property as no legal action can be taken if
that happens. And, the locals tell me they like it this way. Safety is not
priority.
About 400 schools were closed during January due to
heavy snow and also because there were some deaths from the “swine flu.”
Washing hands here, at least in Sagarejo, is something that most times does not
happen as very often we do not have water. If we do have water, it is not hot.
I use my tea kettle to boil water so that I can wash my face and hands. But, I
can only do this once a day and not when I am in school. I use wet-wipes and hand gel but these items
sure don’t replace good old fashion soap and water.
I remembered an interesting fact when I was
traveling in Switzerland. On the tour bus in Switzerland, all the cities
require that passengers wear seatbelts on the bus. If the bus is boarded by
police checking to see seat belt status; the passenger would be responsible for
the fine (If they would not be wearing the seat belt). The bus company is not
responsible. This announcement is made
when the bus begins in journey and needless to say, we all buckled up!
Ok, back to Georgia. One of the methods that is/was
used to combat the spread of Swine Flu is that the Director of the School
requires that the windows be open. I was so upset about this. The school just
does not have enough heat; and in addition since Georgians don’t close doors we
all wear layers of clothing and/or our winter coats, hats, boots and gloves
during class time. So, when the Director also wanted to window open – well I
drew the line. In the rooms I was teaching in I closed the window. I would
really wish they would concentrate on getting the water/hot water flowing
(along with supplying soap) and tissues to cough into or blow nose – but, those
items are just not a priority.
When it is really cold the classes are cut short.
They go from 45 minutes to 35 minutes for each class. In this way school gets
out a little earlier than usual. Also, at times during the winter the classes
have a start time later than 9:00am. Because we don’t have daylight savings
time; it is usually still dark (or just getting light) at 8:00am. So, starting
classes at 9:30am or even 10:00am allows students/teachers to travel to school
in the day light. It is all very confusing to me as most times no one tells me
that the times are changing. I end up going to the school at the normal time
and then standing outside in the cold waiting for the school to open.
One of my big issues here is when I have to do
things that don’t make any sense. Maybe it is just because I am coming to the
end of my service here in Georgia that I am just getting a little tired of the
nonsense. For example; If children don’t show up for classes for any number of
reasons (cold, snow, religious holiday) and the ministry has not officially closed
the schools; well, the teachers must show up or they won’t be paid. So, we end
up sitting around all day as because there are no students so there is no one
to teach. In addition, when this happens the teachers ring the bell for the
start and end of classes even though there are no classes being taught. This
just does not make sense.
Another confusion is (and this seems like it is
across the board) is that children don’t go to bed at a decent hour. I am told,
and I witness this here in my house, that sometimes children are up until 12:00am
on a school night. As a result, many times during the day the children are
laying their heads down and trying to sleep. When I wake them up they are not
happy with me. Sometimes after eating, around 4pm or so, Georgian’s lay down
and take a nap. I would imagine this allows them to stay up late. This cycle
just continues and continues…..no one seems to think these practices are
unusual (and especially since they are done on a regular basis).
My skin feels like sand paper and I think the
reasons are multiple. For example, showering happens for me on a weekly basis
and the remainder of the time I have multiple layers of clothing on to combat
the cold. Routinely I have long underwear on underneath my clothing. I mostly sleep
in my regular clothes because it is just too cold to wear Pj’s to bed. I wear a
hoodie and scarf to bed, and sometimes gloves; however, with all this clothing
and my sleeping bag and blanket I do sleep very warm; it is just getting out of
bed that is a problem.
So often living here in the village many things just
feel like a “big effort.” Sometimes even
when I get to Tbilisi to take a shower; and that is weekly or beyond, I often
have this debate about if I really want to take a shower. It is a lot of work
and that is because I don’t do it very often; however, when I get to stand
under the wonderful, streaming hot water – it is truly fabulous. It is just
getting myself under the water that is the issue (at times). The water
situation here in Sagarejo has been an on again/off again thing. When we do
have water it is so cold; I often think that ice is coming out of the faucet. I
know some folks that don’t brush their teeth as the water is so cold; and then,
they end up at the dentist. The normal, daily things that I used to take for
granted now often become a long conversation as to whether I want to do it or
not. It just all feels like work.
Recently I was in Tbilisi and spent some time doing
one of my favorite things; that is, going on and off buses and marsh’s to just
see where they are going. I like to get lost and then found; and I’ve
discovered that more often than not I actually know where I am. I don’t get
lost as often any more. Even sitting on transportation is an effort. There are
so many people on the vehicles that no matter where you sit someone is pushing
or bumping into you. The bus stops are designated stops; however, the marsh
will stop anywhere someone flags it down. So, very often we are stopping
numerous times on the same block.
The drivers accelerate so fast only to stop short
when someone flags them down. So, it is a back and forth thing (a body in
motion) when the driver stops quickly. I don’t eat before I use transportation
as I know I would feel sick to my stomach with so much motion in the vehicle. Each
passenger either pays with a metro card or cash; so the driver is usually
making change as people get off the marsh. I don’t know when to pay. Some folks
say you pay when you get on and others say you pay when you get off….I still
have no idea. I think one time I actually forgot to pay…..sorry, Georgia.
My school has submitted an application to request
another Peace Corps Volunteer for July 2016 (after I leave service). As a
result, a meeting was conducted with the PC program manager, my School
Director, my counter-part teachers to discuss the possibility of having a new
volunteer. It was an almost two hour meeting. So many questions; like, what
would be the goal of having another volunteer; how would a new volunteer
integrate into the community. The list goes on. I hope that they do get another
volunteer; as I feel it would be beneficial for the school and the community.
One of the downsides to this is that the teachers submitted the application
late. I sometimes feel like a nag as often Georgian’s don’t really take kindly
to deadlines. The school was lucky to get an interview as usually late
applications are just set aside.
So, my final entry to this blog is about my day
recently that I went to the US Embassy. I had to have a couple of forms
notarized; so, away I went to the Embassy. This journey was not easy. It took me
2-hours to get myself to Tbilisi and then another hour of travel (once I get
the marsh) to get to the Tbilisi Mall. At that time I need to get a taxi as I
don’t know the bus/marsh route to get to the embassy (need to figure that out).
Getting the taxi was more trouble than I thought; as the drivers didn’t know
where the Embassy way. This surprised me as the US Embassy looks like a city unto
itself. It is on one of the main roads; so another period was spent trying to
find the Embassy. Total, of 4+ hours in-transit.
One thing I want my family and friends to know about
Georgia is…..that nothing is easy in this country.
Once at the embassy, I had
to stand in line-outside
to wait for 2pm (as that is when they open the doors for appointments). Going
through Security was another adventure. Finally, I get to where I need to have
the forms notarized. I felt like I was back in the United States. I stood at a
window with the assistant on the other side of a window that I don’t think a
cannon would have put a dent in.
Conversation was through an intercom; so, everyone
in the room heard not only my responses but also the questions of the
assistant. I was not happy about this as some of the information was private.
The topping of the cake was that after all this I was told that maybe I didn’t
need to do what I was told that I needed to do (whew…that is a mouthful).
However, since I made the effort I insisted we take care of the business that I
was there for so that at a later date someone could not say I needed to do
it…and then, back I go to begin the process all over again.
I keep saying finally, but finally – my business was
complete and now to find my way back. I had to walk many blocks (and not safely
as there were no sidewalks so I was walking very close to traffic to finally
find a crosswalk) – The crosswalk is an endangered entity in Georgia….even so,
I still pray and swivel my head around constantly so see if a car or whatever
may be heading my way. Got on a bus that I thought would take me to where I was
going to go; but, had to get off and get on another marsh and then onto the
metro and finally, the marsh to get back to my home. Just writing about this
makes me exhausted…..but finally, I was home. Another four hours and then I
went and bought a beer and cookies….and slept.
I could never say that life here is boring; and yes,
that is important to me. In my old life I could predict what would happen
(mostly) every day/sometimes every hour and here in Georgia – that is not the
case. It does get tiring at times as I need to be on guard or alert all the
time while traveling. Really, sometimes I wish I had an extra set of eyes
(HA)……
So ends 22 months of service. Thank you for spending
your time, my Faithful Readers, to ride along with me.
All
the best, Catherine Lawrence, G14
Peace Corps Volunteer/Georgia – 2/25/16
The
contents of this blog are mine personally and do not reflect any position of
the U.S. Government or the Peace Corps.
Saturday, January 23, 2016
January 24th, 2016
Hello, My Faithful Readers
21
Months Served/5 Months to go
I
have placed some photographs at the bottom of the blog!
So, you may be wondering why the numbers don’t add
up to the 27 months that I am committed to as a Peace Corps Volunteer. My official COS (Close of Service) date is
July 15th; however, we can apply for early release (sounds like
prison). J
In any event, I
requested that my COS date be June 30th, 2016 so that means I have 5
more months of service. I don’t know if I will get the date I asked for, hope I
do; but, I will know officially in March when we have the COS conference. At
the conference all will be revealed.
Before I begin with Part 2 of my travels in Western
Europe; I wanted to share some events happening here in Georgia.
The last time I looked the currency was 2.50 Lari
for 1 US Dollar. My US purchasing power here in Georgia is very high; but, I
don’t think it is good for the Georgia people and economy.
January 14th is “Old New Year” – so, of
course, January 13th is “Old New Years Eve.” It is the Orthodox New Year and the folks
here (at least in Sagarejo) take this very serious. Fireworks and gun fire can
be heard at midnight (and beyond) and on
January 14th family and friends gather with a feast of food to
celebrate the New Year. Of course, wine is in abundance. It just does not seem
that the holidays will ever be over J https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_New_Year
January 19th is yet another
holiday but of the religious kind. It is Epiphany. The link below will provide
more information; and the good news is that everything is closed (including the
schools). Even though school officially started on January 15th;
because of the holiday nothing really starts until January 20th. http://agenda.ge/news/28246/eng
And yet another tradition that I had no
knowledge of and that is something called “The First Footer.” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First-foot.
This tradition is very much alive here in Georgia;
as well as other places around the world and yet it is all new to me.
"First footing" (or the "first foot" in the house after
midnight) is still common across Scotland. To ensure good luck for the house
the first foot should be a dark male, and he
should bring with him symbolic pieces of coal, shortbread, salt, black bun and
a wee dram of whisky.
Ok,
so now I begin with Part 2 of my trip on the Rhine River:
When I last left you I was boarding the river boat,
AMACERTO, in Basel, Switzerland. I was upgraded from the dungeon (what I call
the lower level) to a stateroom on the top level. It was a wonderful surprise.
(pictures below blog). No matter where you are on the ship; it
is all wonderful. The lower level does not have a balcony; but, the rooms are
basically the same. I would have been very happy in the dungeon (smiles) but
the upgrade was a real treat.
There are 12 locks on the Rhine River and the link
below will give you a Utube video of another cruise line that went through one
of the locks. If nothing else; I would go on river cruises just to witness the
engineering of going through a lock. One morning I woke to the sound of what I
thought was someone singing. I was going to call to the reception desk and ask
that whoever was singing to please stop and then I realized we were going
through a lock. The sound that I heard was that of the equipment that was being
used to get it through the locks. It was really funny at the time; and I can
say, if someone was singing they were pretty bad!
I really did not know much
about the Rhine River before the cruise; and probably even at this point after
the cruise I don’t know that much more; but, the cruise felt like a history
lesson. During our time on the ship the Cruise Manager gave a couple of
mini-lectures on the areas we were traveling through. The Rhine River was also
such a part of WW2. Again, it was a learning experience for me. Details will be
given as I move us through the cities we visited during the cruise.
The first evening on
the ship the Captain invited me and others to have dinner with him. The dinner
guests (all 12 of us) were the single travelers on the ship. There were name
tags indicating where we would sit and I was seated next to the Captain. What a
character he was. Easy to talk to and shared pictures of his wife, children and
grandchildren with me and the group. He works 4-weeks and then has 2-weeks off.
The meal, I think 5-courses (maybe more) went on forever; but it was a nice way
to start the cruise.
One of the great things
about a river cruise, or any cruise for that matter, is that once you unpack
you are done. No more placing luggage outside the room or worrying if something
was left in the hotel as you were leaving. Another reason is the food. As you
know, my Faithful Readers, food here in Georgia is not really in abundance and
what food there is available is not really to my liking; so having the food on
the ship is one of the magnificent benefits. I think we had (6 or7) food events
during the day. In addition to the traditional breakfast, lunch, dinner; there
was also early lunch and afternoon tea and late night fare. I felt like a baby
that was eating every (2) hours. I loved every minute. Of course, since my body is just not used to
eating so much and such good food; so, I was not feeling so great at times; but
that didn’t stop me. I felt like a bear trying to garnish calories to store in
preparation for winter (and that winter translates into going back to Georgia)
- J.
The cruise includes all
the excursions; however, in order to order transportation and such we are
asking to let them know what events we want to participate in. Although we
didn’t go into the Black Forrest we did get to see it in the distance
(Southerwestern Germany). Black Forrest cake originated from this region. Wood
carving, including cuckoo clocks date back to 1740; however, the idea of a
cuckoo clock did not originate in the Black Forrest. It is said that the name
was the result of the forrest being so dense that no light, or very little
light, was available in the Forrest…thereby making the area “black.”
The choices for
excursions were Breisach, Germany; Freiburg, Germany or Riquewihr, France. I chose France. At this point on the Rhine River
- Germany is on one side and France is
on the other. Many of the houses in Riquewihr date back to the 16th
& 17th Centuries. It was lovely to walk around; however, so much
is dedicated to shopping. The main village street was all shops. The area has
largely remained unchanged and escaped damage during WW2. As a result, it does have a unique feel and
charm from a period back in time.
Coming back to the ship
from France to Germany we did see the French police checking cars wanting to
come into France (over the bridge) – as France was still under siege as a
result of the recent terror attacks. As we were in France going back to Germany
we didn’t have to deal with it; but, it was a reality check of what was
happening in the world.
Some interesting facts
about Christmas: In Germany, Heiligabend or
Christmas Eve is said to be a magical time when the pure of heart can hear
animals talking. The earliest known Christmas decorations were apples. It is
said that during the twelve days of Christmas spirits, good and evil, were
active. These spirits evolved into Santa’s elves. Ah, more useless information
you cannot use is the fact that after the Swiss are done with their military
service they get to keep their rifle and that women can finally vote in
Switzerland in 1978. Basel is a city of drugs; that is, pharmaceutical
companies in abundance and you can get a beer at any hospital in Germany (beer
is very important).
As we started the
cruise from Basel, the coastline of the Rhine River was devoid of anything but
vegetation. I was surprised, the Cruise Manager said as we move up the river
towards Amsterdam we will see more construction on the Rhine.
The next day we had options
of Kehl, Germany; Alsace, France or Strasbourg, France. So, if I was going to
go I would have gone to Strasbourg; however, since I was not feeling so good I
just camped out on the ship and reveled in the luxury that surrounded me. Some
interesting things; however, about Strasbourg:
The
city’s main sight is the Cathedral of Notre Dame with its famous astronomical
clock. The city center is classified as a world heritage site by UNESCO and its
medieval cityscapes includes the black and white timber-framed building. The Christmas market is BIG - called Christkindelmarik, previously called “Saint Nicholas Market”. I heard from
the folks who went on the tour that it was really cold and windy and that the
clock was up so high it was really hard to make any sense of what it was doing.
Back on the ship; we
were treated (in the evening) to some traditional French music by a group
called “Armand & Sabrina”. Sabrina was the singer and Armand playing the
accordion in the wonderful tradition of the French Cabaret. A wine growers
dinner was featured and then off to the luxury of my stateroom.
Something
to think about: Author, Khaled Hosseini
“Love will free you or squeeze you into something smaller than
yourself”
New
Year’s Eve on the River is really something special. However, the day was spent
touring Mannheim, Germany; Speyer, Germany and Heidelberg. Heidelberg has the
oldest University in Germany; founded in 1386. It overlooks the Neckar River
and of there is the Heidelberg Castle. The Heidelberg Kiss is a candy
consisting of chocolate praline nougat and thin wafers covered with chocolate.
Back in the day men and women were not encouraged to meet; however, this
chocolate kiss given to women who caught the attention of a young man was
chaste but delicious. It is all very romantic.
Shopping
once again is so prominent throughout touring and Heidelberg is no exception.
It has one of the longest shopping streets in all of Germany. The street named Hauptstrasse is over 1km from one end
to the other. Even if you don’t want to shop; cafes are abundant and it is in
the heart of the city.
New
Year’s Eve is party time. The ship is decorated and a DJ comes aboard to dance
the night away. A feast of all kinds of food; seafood, oriental, French and
German is made available. On the top deck of the ship we wait for the
fireworks. They start about 30 before midnight and go on way after 12:30am. I
get dizzy turning around in order to see the 360 view of fireworks. We did have
some kids shooting fireworks at the ship; but, the Captain took care and made
the kids stop. Last year when I was on the Danube we had the same kind of
fireworks display; so I guess this is a European thing. The States we watch the
fireworks head on; only in front of us; but, here in Europe the fireworks
surround you.
This
bridge, Remagen Bridge (also known as Ludendorff) shortened the Second World
War. It has been said that the bridge was worth its weight in gold. The bridge
is no longer; however, there is a memorial to honor how the bridge was
instrumental to US Allied Forces.
Ludendorff
Bridge during
the closing weeks of World War II and were very surprised to see that the
railroad bridge was still standing. It was the last of 22 road and railroad
bridges over the Rhine still standing after German defenders failed to demolish
it. U.S. forces were able to capture the bridge. The unexpected availability of
the first major crossing of the Rhine, Germany's last major natural barrier and
line of defense, caused Allied high commander Dwight Eisenhower to alter his plans to end
the war and possibly shortened the war in Europe.
New Year’s Day morning was spent in the town of
Rudensheim.
It is a very small town and has a history that
dates back to the Romans. It is home to the “Reisling” wines. We went to the
town from the ship in a train like motor vehicle; kind of what Disney uses to
move people from the parking lots to the park entrance. First order of business
was to visit the Siegfried’s Music Cabinet Museum. I have listed the url below
to learn more; but such a charming and I am sure expensive collection of
mechanical music.
From the museum we went on a wine tasting tour
in a cave like dwelling. Now, I am not a fan of wine and honestly I liked the
German pretzels better (they were used to clear the pallet in-between the 3
different kinds of wine). I did find out;
However, that my favorite wines (red and sweet)
is more difficult to make because the grapes need to stay on the vines longer
than the white wines….one bottle of red sweet wine was 150 Euro….well, that was
not going to happen.
Another trade mark of Rudesheim is the
“Rudesheimer Coffee”. I didn’t get to experience this in the town as I did go
to the museum; and disappointed about that. Asbach brandy is a specialty of
Rudensheim and a key ingredient of the coffee. It is made as so – a sip of this brandy is poured into a
special mug and set on fire. Then doused with coffee and topped by whipped
cream and chocolate flakes.
We did have a version of the coffee on the
ship; but it was not like what my ship mates experienced in the town…..
The afternoon was spent
on the ship making our way through the Rhine River Gorge. This area is known
for its castles. It is said that no other river in the world has a greater
concentration of castles or castle ruins than the Rhine. While cruising we also
passed the famous Lorelei Rock which has a lot of folklore and myth attached to
it (link below to know more). The gorge was added to the UNESCO list of world
heritage sites in 2002.
The valley became a
core region of the Holy Roman Empire and during the Thirty Year was (1618-1648)
many of the castles were left in ruins. In the 19th century the
valley became part of Prussia and its landscapes became the hallmark image of
Germany. It is truly breathtaking to see the architecture and especially since
we are floating on a river boat and only have to divert our eyes upward to see
history pass by.
We continue onto
Cologne that is Germany’s fourth largest city. The Romans settled here in 50BC
because of its natural harbor. The city has a vibrant arts scene and the city’s
economy is primarily based on insurance and media industries. The Cologne’s
cathedral, a UNESCO World Heritage Site was built to house the reputed relics
of the three kings (Magi) and was the tallest building in Europe until the
Eiffel tower in Paris was constructed.
The city’s most famous
product is of course “Eau de Cologne” (water of cologne) better known by its
brand name “4711.” The fragrance is very popular; however, I’ve never heard of
it. The name came about from the house number that was given to the factor
producing it during the French occupation of the Rhineland in the early 19th
century.
We are heading towards
Amsterdam and spend many hours cruising the Dutch Waterways towards Amsterdam.
I sit in the lounge in the front of the ship just watching the shoreline. I am
in love with this kind of travel. I am always up early and usually the first in
line for breakfast; so, usually I have the restaurant and the lounge all to
myself (at least for a little while). I love the solitude and the peace of
seeing the river traffic going down the river as we sailing in the opposite
direction.
We dock in Amsterdam
very near the train station; and Dear Reader – I could write an entire blog
just on Amsterdam. I also liked this city very much; although, it is not a city
for pedestrians. There are so many bicycles; and the people riding them are
called “Psyco-paths on Cyclo-paths”. We are warned to stay out of the paths
that the bicycles ride on (and I absolutely take heed of that warning). It is
said, that there are 800,000 bikes in the Amsterdam. The bicycles have the
right of way! L
There are very few
single family homes in the city. Most of the houses are broken into apartments.
Amsterdam is the largest city in the Netherlands but not its capital.
However, it is the
commercial capital and one of the top financial centers in Europe. The canals,
the Rijksmuseum, the Hermitage, Anne Frank House and of course, the red light
district are some of the main attractions. In addition, there are many cannabis
coffee shops that draw almost 4million international visitors annually. It does
feel like a city of “tourists.” The
historic 17th century canals, located in the heart of Amsterdam,
were added to the UNESCO World Heritage list in 2010.
We did have a canal
cruise. At times I felt like I was in Venice; but, my mind kept going back to
how this city was during the occupation. Windmills are almost a thing of the
past. There used to be 10,000 and now there are barely 1,000 left and most
badly in need of repair. They are a protected class. While cruising the canal
we noticed large steel beams protruding from the very top of the house. This steel
beam is used to hoist furniture into the house through the windows; as the
stairs inside the houses are so narrow they cannot get anything up into the
upper floors. It is also noticed that the windows get smaller and smaller the
higher you go into the building.
We also had a bus tour
of the city and when we stopped for the shopping portion; well I went out on my
own. I just love walking in cities and getting lost and then getting myself
found. There were so many people with suitcase dragging behind them. I followed
a group of young people who I thought would be heading to the train station;
however, they got on a tram and I was left to figure out how to get myself
un-lost. Amsterdam does have a metro; however, there was just no time to figure
that out. I did take the train to the airport to catch my flight home; as that
cost 5Euro; whereas, a taxi to the airport would have cost 60Euro.
A side note about my
train trip to the airport. I had to stand as it was so crowded and I met a nice
young fella who just happened to be a drag queen (so he said). His nails and
ruby red polish gave it away. He was on tour in Europe and in the spring he
would be touring in the USA. I wish I would have written down his name or
gotten his cards; it was a great train ride.
Once the cruise was
finished I had a full day in Amsterdam by myself before my trip home. The
weather was not that great; but, it was not pouring rain so that was a good
thing. I met up with a fellow PCV who was vacationing in Amsterdam and the
restaurant that was on the 1st floor of his apartment building was
kind enough to store my luggage so that I can walk around free of luggage.
My first order of
business was the “Red Light District.” I had to see this for myself. I still
have mixed feelings about what I saw. These women; and some looked like young
girls, seemed OK with standing in the window with very little clothing on. The
window is floor to ceiling with a red curtain that would cover the window if
the cord was pulled. The window spaces have a couch either to the left of the
window or behind them; or, there is a staircase (in some windows) (off to the side. Of course, there is a red
light on the outside of the building. The women flirt with people and motion
them to come in. I was in the area around lunch time which meant that not many
windows were open. I needed to come at night; but, since I was by myself I
didn’t want to do that. The women looked healthy and seemed like they were
having fun (maybe, I don’t know). The people walking by and looking were
laughing; as was I. In some capacity it almost felt “zoo” like; but, then we
put other products in windows…but these are human beings. Maybe the idea of
bringing this oldest profession “out of the closet” is just so foreign to me.
It was an experience.
Another fact about
Amsterdam is that on Monday you can get married for free; however the price
goes up as the week moves on. No one wants to get married on Saturday because
you have to pay overtime – as you must have a civil service (in addition to the
religious service). Most people get married in the middle of the week.
In June and July it is
light until 11pm in Amsterdam (nice!). In July and August there are no problems
with insects because of the temperature which is in the low 70’sF.
I walked around and
once again kept thinking about what it must have been like during the occupation.
I wanted to go to the Anne Frank house. That was a priority for me. It was very
special being in the area surrounding the building that hid the family for many
years. I waited in line a long time, 90 minutes (or thereabout). It was cold
and misty; but, I had no choice. This was absolutely something I had to do.
It appeared that they
built the museum around the house as everything was original as it had been
during the occupation. It was difficult to maneuver the steps going up through
the floors. The steps were very narrow and your foot had to be placed sideways.
It was very steep and my legs were feeling the pull. The rooms were all empty
(as requested by Anne’s fathers when the museum was being organized). However,
there were pictures on the walls showing what the rooms looked like during the
occupation. It was very quiet moving through the space. People spoke but almost
like they were in church. I tried to get my mind to think of how it could have
been living under these conditions; but, I could not come close. In my life,
this experience was one of the great moments.
I spent many hours
touring the museum. It was something I will not forget. I bought the book for
me and to also pass along to my granddaughter when I get back to the States.
I could write
more and
will add to my travels as I blog during the next couple of months; but, I think
for now I should close. It was a wonderful, relaxing adventure and I now feel a
special connection to the Rhine River. I would love to sail all the great
rivers of the world
Thank you for sharing
this with me.
Best,
Catherine Lawrence, G14
Peace Corps
Volunteer/Georgia – 1/24/16
The
contents of this blog are mine personally and do not reflect any position of
the U.S. Government or the Peace Corps.
Wednesday, January 13, 2016
Hello My Faithful Readers:
Blog: January 13th, 2016
I've posted a few pictures below this blog.
I have safely returned to Georgia after my fabulous
trip. As you know, I have been writing only one blog per month; however, so
much has happened since I last left you in December that one blog won’t be enough
– so I will also blog at the end of January. I will share in this blog my
travel adventures in Switzerland (part 1) and will continue with the Rhine
River Cruise (part 2) in the next blog.
So here we go the beginning of my last six months
here in Georgia as a Peace Corps Volunteer.
To begin, Christmas Day, December 25th,
is not the ONLY day that Christmas is celebrated. This is a strange sensation
for me to have Christmas good wishes offered on a day other than December 25th. The Georgian people celebrate Orthodox
Christmas on January 7th. I have listed the link below which will
provide information on Alilo.
I returned from my travels thinking that I would be
celebrating Christmas with my host family; however, I was surprised to learn
that my family was not at home in Sagarejo. All had gone, with the exception of
the grandmother, to the family of my host mother in Imerti (which is out west
in Georgia). This was a surprise as I had arranged my plans to make sure that I
was home to celebrate their Christmas with them; but, I could understand why
they wanted to go. My host grandmother and I muddled through together; but, it
was really quiet. Food was in limited supply; mostly potatoes and chicken broth
for the next few days. I had come home with a cold; so, it was nice to have a
very peaceful couple of days to recover. Neighbors hollered Christmas greetings
and of course the dogs in the neighbor barked and cried as usual.
So, this time of quiet gave me time to reflect on
the trip I had just returned from…and here is my story J
I arrived in Zurich Switzerland on Christmas Eve,
2015. My flights from Tbilisi to Istanbul and then from Istanbul to Zurich were
flawless. I really like Turkish Airlines and even more so; I know my way around
the Istanbul airport now like the back of my hand. I arranged for
transportation to the hotel and all went like clockwork. The hotel was OK. It
was the Hotel Continental (link below). It was very old world; in fact I thought
at first glance that maybe the keys would be on the board behind the reception
desk. That was not the case; but, I think you get the picture.
They had mulled wine in the lobby along with butter
cookies that I took full advantage of. I’ve never had mulled wine so this was a
new experience for me.
The first thing I wanted to do in Zurich was to open
up a numbered bank account; however, I was told it is not so easy to do that
any longer. The minimum amount to open an account is 100,000 Swiss Francs (as
Switzerland is not part of the EU they don’t use the euro). Since I was a
couple of Swiss Francs short; well, that ended that conversation.
The city was really quiet as it was Christmas. I fell
in love with the city. The tour company arranged a Zurich City walking and bus
tour. Since there was little traffic we got to see a lot of the city. The city
was like a postcard. As all of Switzerland was untouched by WW2; so I could
feel myself drifting back in time absorbing the Limmat River and Lake Zurich.
The weather was excellent; in fact, at times we could have taken our coats off.
No snow, which was disappointing.
The train station, which was within walking distance
of my hotel, was tremendous. I spent a good bit of time there as I so enjoy
being a part of the comings and goings. I was told that the Zurich train station is
the world’s most frequently served railway stations with 2,915 trains every
day. The Christmas market was still in play; so it was a frantic experience
watching the shoppers as well as all the items for sale. I tried to use the
bathroom; however, it cost 2 Swiss Francs (which I thought was a lot). So, I’d
wait until I got back to the hotel J
During our walking tour a question came up that I
have wondered about; and that is, how did Switzerland remain neutral during the
war? According to our tour guide; there is a very simple answer. That is,
Hitler allowed it. The story goes that Hitler knew he could take the country
anytime he wanted. Hitler also thought that Switzerland was like a “safety
deposit box.” When the war was over and he would have access to all the assets
within Switzerland as well as have a country that would have been untouched by
the war. These are the reasons Switzerland was allowed to stay neutral. Now, I
don’t know what if anything I’ve written is true; but that is the way it was
explained…..
On Christmas Day I connected with a local family
that belongs to the SERVAS organization I belong to. What a wonderful
experience that was. A husband and wife picked me up at the hotel and off we
went, via the tram, to Grossmunster Church (link below) for a Christmas
afternoon concert. Full orchestra as well as choir performed for 90 minutes, or
more. The place was packed and since we arrived a little early we had terrific
seats.
Being the city gal that I am, my SERVAS family gave
me a day pass for the buses and trams. The transportation system is easy, clean
and fast. I just loved being a part of the crowds getting on and off public
transportation.
After the concert we went to a local coffee house to
have coffee and then headed out to their apartment; using first a tram and then
a bus. It took about 30minutes to get to their place. Their view is of the Alps
and they showed me in the distance where I would be the next day, Mount
Pilatus. The day was so clear so we could see for miles and miles. A dinner of
salad, fish and vegetables was served, along with wine and great conversation.
All in all – it was a Christmas I won’t soon forget. I spent about 10 hours
with this couple and it was like the blink of an eye.
I felt so comfortable in Zurich; I felt that I would
be able to navigate myself around without any problem. Most people in Zurich
speak English; so that was easy also. I could spend this entire blog writing
about Zurich; but it is time to move on.
But before I leave Zurich - a couple of items:
People do not use artificial Christmas Trees in
Switzerland, only real trees. Up until five years ago REAL candles were used on
the Christmas tree (how about that!). At the crosswalks all methods of
transportation STOP and allow passengers to cross. What a unique experience
that was as pedestrians are a privilege class in Switzerland (that alone would
make me move here). The church bells ring for 15 solid and continuous minutes
announcing that services will begin when the bells end. I just love hearing the
bells. It reminds me of England when a wedding is going to take place. I am
told that there is really no unemployment in Zurich and it has been ranked as a
city with the highest quality of life in the world.
We board the bus and will now travel to Lucerne,
which is to the south of Zurich.
Lucerne was very nice but didn’t have the impact of
Zurich, at least for me. However there were some tremendous moments.
We arrived in Lucerne by boat. It took about an hour
and I could not tell you where we boarded the boat from; but, when we left the
boat in Lucerne we were only about a five minute walk to our hotel in Lucerne.
It felt like we were in an industrial district as we were close to the water
front as well as to the train station – but the hotel was OK. The boat was covered so we were warm inside
watching as we floated by the houses that were on or near the river banks. The
futuristic Culture and Convention Center (KKL) was nearby the hotel. This
building is a landmark of Lucerne.
It was like a post card, the scenery along the banks
of the Lucerne River. The scenery was pristine and untouched, or so it seemed
from a distance. I love being on the water so I was in heaven, with my bottle
of beer, in the boat on Lake Lucerne.
The “Lion Monument” in Lucerne was discovered
literally as we were leaving the city to head towards Basel. I was just so-so
and complaining, “Why do I need to get off the bus to see this.” However, it
would have been my loss. I have never seen a sculpture convey such pain and
anguish in stone. The pictures don’t do it justice; but, try and get an
up-close view of this sculpture. Truly it is very moving. I wanted to get close
and touch it; but, there was a pool of water that blocked the way. The monument
is carved into the wall; so, it would have been a neat trick (without a ladder)
to get up there.
Another moment, or really a full day, was the trip
to Mount Pilatus. We had a perfect day for visibility and although it was cold
it was manageable. We took a four person gondola to the mid-point on the
mountain and then the aerial cable car (called Dragon Ride) to the top. The
Cable car held over 50 people (maybe more). It was a thrill to watch and feel this
Dragon inch its way to the landing on Mount Pilatus. I was holding on for dear
life; however, nothing really would have saved us if the Dragon decided
otherwise (smiles).
There is a story that goes along with why this
mountain is called Mount Pilatus. It was named for Pontius Pilate, famous for
washing his hands of the death of Jesus Christ. I am not sure I can do the
story justice; but something about no one wanted to have the bones of Pilate in
their land/country. The corpse moved around quite a bit (of course not on its
own) before it settled on Mount Pilatus. Again, something about each Easter he
rises up from the grave and tries to wash the blood from his hands. I wish I
would have written more of the story down, but it could be just a “Tall Tale.”
But, if you are interested do some research….
I could never say enough about being on Mount
Pilatus. It was breathtaking. At almost 7,000 feet elevation our questions were
how they were able to build a hotel and tourist center in this location? There
were many young people parasailing off the mountain. My heart was racing
watching them get air under their parachute and then have to bank left very
hard in order not to crash into the mountain. What a thrill to watch this. We
had a tremendous view of the Alps in the distance as we were told that Mount
Pilatus is not really part of the mountain Alps chain; but, I didn’t care. I
was overwhelmed with experience.
I had another great experience with another SERVAS
family in Lucerne. These folks (mom, dad and two children – 9 and 11) took me
out to dinner at a local restaurant near the hotel. We talked for hours about
my life, their life, what it is like to live in Switzerland (they are both
Swiss), working in Switzerland and all things pertaining to their children.
There was not an empty moment during dinner. We were all, including the
children, trying to share and ask questions – saying, I’m sorry” for
interrupting (smiles). They all spoke English as most people do in Switzerland.
We talked about how expensive it is to live in Switzerland and how privileged
they felt to live where they do. (They live about an hour outside of Lucerne).
I am so glad that I made prior arrangements to meet them; my experience with
them absolutely made me richer for getting to meet them; as well as, the couple
I met in Zurich.
We did some walking in Lucerne and a group of us had
dinner at a local restaurant. I had a
“rosti” – explanation below. It was OK; but, I was told that there are other
places that make it better.
Rösti
A
flat, hot cake made of grated, cooked jacket or raw potatoes and fried in hot
butter or fat. The dish is bound by nothing apart from the starch contained in
the potatoes.
As we were touring the city a conversation developed
about taxes in Switzerland. Our tour guide said there is a “religious
tax”. You can be catholic, protestant,
or nothing and you pay accordingly. Now, I’ve never heard of something like
that. I asked what would happen if you lied and said nothing (which means you
don’t have any tax to pay). Well, if you lied and then needed the Catholic Church,
say to get married or something, then you would be denied access.
There were many, many churches that I avoided as I
had enough of the ABC tour (Another bloody Church), and shopping and stores
were in abundance - Chocolate, bakeries,
watches, clothing, etc., etc. I am not much for shopping while touring so all
these stores really did nothing for me.
We were surprised to learn of “Carnival” in Lucerne.
Towards the end of winter Carnival breaks out in the streets and squares of old
town. It is an outdoor party where chaos and merriment reign and nothing is as
it normally is. Thousands of bizarrely clad people sign and dance away the
winter….it sure sounds like Mardi Gras…
Another conversation that I found interested was the
distinction between “tourist and traveler.’ Back in the day, people who
traveled were call “Travelers” and today, in modern times we are called
“Tourist.” Is there a difference between the meanings of these words? These are the kinds of mental gymnastics my
head goes into while I sit on buses moving between cities. I will ponder this
some more.
As we left Lucerne and traveled to Basel (as that is
where we would connect with the river boat on the Rhine River), we stopped at a
store on the highway. Interesting way they handle the bathrooms. It seems that
people need to pay 1 Swiss Franc in order to use the facilities. Once paid, the
machine gives you a ticket and you can then use the ticket to decrease the cost
of any items that you are buying. Interesting way to get you to separate from
your money….
We arrived in Basel on the Rhine River. This is
where we were to pickup our River Boat. However, before we did that we had a
walking tour and also some free time to explore the city on our own.
Basel was OK. There were lots of stores as we were
in the old part of the city. My friends and I spotted the hot dog shop. Our
tour guide told us that this was a noted attraction in Basel; so of course, we
had to have one. I didn’t measure the hot dog but it was long and it was
wrapped in a large pretzels. Of course, we had to have the mustard that goes
along with us and then, ta da! We were eating lunch out in the street. I
spotted the chestnut vendor and had to have some, so I made my way over with
the loose Swiss Francs I had and purchased all that my money would buy me. I
have never had such big and evenly cooked chestnuts. It was a moment, at least
for me.
The weather was very mild so it was nice to just sit
and watch people, trams, dogs and tourists walk by. The city again felt like a
post card. I thought that Walt Disney did his homework when he recreated Swiss
architecture in his theme parks. The entire experience was peaceful and calm.
We ended our time in Basel, got on the bus and
headed for the ship. I felt like I was in Switzerland for a long time but we
were all looking forward to going to the ship (AMACERTO) and sail the Rhine
River from Basel to Amsterdam.
My next blog (part 2) will begin as I arrive at the
ship and I’m told that I have been upgraded to a stateroom on the top level. I
had my very own balcony (for the first time).
Thank you, My Faithful Readers for sharing my
adventure. I hope that your New Year celebrations were excellent and look
forward to all that is to come in 2016.
Best,
Catherine Lawrence, G14
Peace Corps Volunteer/Georgia – 1/13/16
The
contents of this blog are mine personally and do not reflect any position of
the U.S. Government or the Peace Corps.
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