Jersey- More than Cows

Jersey- not the US state New Jersey, but “old” Jersey- is one of the UK Channel Islands. It is actually closer to France (you can see the coast of France on a clear day!) than to the UK. I think it was Victor Hugo who said the Channel Islands were “Bits of Europe dropped by France and picked up by England.” Jersey (like the cow- renowned for its high milk yield and amazing taste, note the photo), Guernsey (also a breed of cow), Herm, Sark and Alderney are the Channel Islands (Herm and Sark seen here). Here’s a nice shot of the market in downtown St. Hélier, the capital.

Fun in Jersey

Jersey, while very small, has a very diverse coastline. It was very much like the Oregon coast: sand on some beaches, rocks on others, and others with straight cliffs. There are a few places (like Corbière lighthouse and Elizabeth Castle) that you can walk to at low tide. But be careful- don’t get stuck as the tide comes in! The tide can reach 38 feet. One of me on one of the rare sunny days that we saw. The other sunny day Monty and I rode a tandem bike along the cycle path by the ocean front. So fun!

Guernsey and Victor Hugo

We took a day trip to Guernsey to see Victor Hugo’s house. He lived there while in exile. He was much more than an author- painter, decorator, philosopher. A real renaissance man, only during the mid-late1800s. Photo with flowers is the view from Hugo’s bedroom. Also, the view from the apartment I stayed in. Right on the water.

Buda and Pest

We spent the following week relaxing in beautiful Budapest. It is actually two cities (Buda and Pest- pronounced Pesht by Hungarians) divided by the Danube. The parliament building is probably the most recognizable- stunning architecture! Budapest is known for its thermal baths- many of which are in buildings from Ottoman days. We went to 2 Turkish spas, the famous Gellért (gorgeous mosaic tile decorate the inside) and the more recent Széchenyi, with phenomenal outside pools. Both were beautiful and relaxing.

Brief Bratislava

Bratislava, Slovakia, and Vienna, Austria, are Europe’s closest capitals. Bratislava is a lovely little town that is slowly emerging from the Iron Curtain of not-so-long-ago. We spent a day there before moving on to Budapest. This is a photo of a church and a standard menu at most restaurants.

Off to Vienna!

All I did in Vienna was eat cake. I ate cake in cute little konditterei, before and after the opera (Die Fledermaus), at intermission at “Much Ado About Nothing” in German and at piano concerts, and here at Shoenbrunn, the Habsburg palace. We went to the Belvedere to see the Klimt- pretty sure there was cake involved. Vienna is a beautiful, clean city full of history and culture. Monty and I spent a fabulous week there enjoying the sun, lilacs, and of course, the cake!

Next Stop: France

After leaving la Réunion on April 7, I spent time with Morgane and Monty in Paris. Here are Morgane and I at Giverny, Monet’s home and gardens.

Volcano Eruption

My last week in la Réunion saw the pretty substantial eruption of Piton de la Fournaise, the very much active volcano on the island. Here you can see the lava flow down the hillside and into the ocean, producing an enormous column of steam as it hits the sea. The lava that flowed out that it crossed the national highway blocking it in 2 places. In fact, there was so much lava that it significantly increased the land area of the eastern side of the island. Crazy! Also, the lava that spilled into the ocean heated up the water so much that it killed a lot of fish. Many new species were recently discovered (found floating on the ocean surface!). The next photo shows the eruption spewing lava. Lastly, the eruption, steam column, and viewers. I love this photo. It reminds me a bit of Close Encounters of the Third Kind. And, of course, there’s me loving my first volcano erupting experience.

Madagascar

Madagascar is perhaps the most fascinating place I have ever been. It is one of the world’s poorest nations, yet the people do not seem to feel sorry for themselves. Instead they work hard, rebuild after tragedy (i.e. cyclones and flooding) and are friendly and generous of foreigners (the Malagasy word for foreigner is vasa). I was amazed that everyone in Madagascar smiles. Perhaps this was the contrast of living in la Réunion. Spending 3 weeks (early-late March 2007) was a real lesson in humility and gratitude.

These photos (and those to follow) give you a very brief overview of the beauty in nature and people that I experienced. 1- View of Antananarivo, the capital city. Called “Tana” by locals and foreigners who have a hard time saying “Antananarivo.” 3- The church on a hillside of Tana. Reminiscent of Eastern European architecture. 4- Monty admiring the stained-glass window light shining through in the church.

Madagascar

Madagascar is perhaps the most fascinating place I have ever been. It is one of the world’s poorest nations, yet the people do not seem to feel sorry for themselves. Instead they work hard, rebuild after tragedy (i.e. cyclones and flooding) and are friendly and generous of foreigners (vasa). I was amazed that everyone in Madagascar smiles. Perhaps this was the contrast of living in la Réunion. Spending 3 weeks (early-late March 2007) was a real lesson in humility and gratitude.

The following photos give you a very brief overview of the beauty in nature and people that I experienced. Photos (not necessarily in this order- they load funny…) 1- View of Antananarivo, the capital city. Called “Tana” by locals and foreigners who have a hard time saying “Antananarivo.” 2- Me and my travel partner (and honey) Monty. We were both assistants at the same school in la Réunion. 3- The church on a hillside of Tana. Reminiscent of Eastern European architecture. 4- Monty admiring the stained-glass window light shining through in the church.

Outside Tana

1-Taxi brousse. The best way to get around Madagascar. They don’t really have roads (they have what I call “not roads”), so you’ve got to risk it on sketchy roads in a van filled to the brim with other passengers. You throw your stuff on top, hope it makes the journey, and ride for hours in cramped quarters.

2- Another mode of transportation, the Pousse-Pousse. Probably my least favorite. They’re basically a type of rickshaw- you sit in it and you are pulled by the “driver.” I wasn’t really comfortable with the idea of being pulled around town by another human being seeing as I am perfectly capable of walking. Had to do it a couple times under duress.

3- View of some houses in the central-east Tana.

4- We biked 7km to this lake one day. Can you see the fishermen?

5- Madagascar produces lots of sugar and rice. Sadly and ironically, they export so much rice that many of their people are starving.

The Faces of Madagascar

1-Children playing in the street. No kids that we saw had shoes.
2- A boy by some greenery in Tana. Adorable.
3- The Malagasy are amazing- they carry EVERYTHING on their heads! I maybe saw 3 people the whole time I was there carrying stuff in their hands- and that’s only because they already had stuff on their head.

A Walk On The Wild Side

1- Black and White Ruffed Lemur. My favorite! Look at his little beard… he’s ruffed!
2- The Safika- if you see a furry guy with gold legs, this is the Safika. Refuses to eat bananas offered to him, only likes the goyavier. Oh la la.
3- The largest of the lemur species, the Indri. Like a 4-year-old in a panda suit!
4- Rrribbit! A frog on our night walk.
5- Katie with a Brown Lemur on her shoulders. Check out his little hands. Proof enough for evolution in my mind.