Get culture, and get out.

Those are two things you need to do if you live in a city such as Philadelphia.

As I have mentioned in previous posts, Philadelphia is full of culture. However, I can narrow that down even more, and say that the University of Pennsylvania is full of culture. To a large extent Penn consists of an upper middle class population. But everyone has a heritage and background. This past weekend I went to see a friend perform in Penn's South Asia Society Mini-Cultural Show. Eleven groups each performed one piece. Music, dance, even drama groups centered around the Indian culture, which I completely admire. Several of the groups are renowned on and off campus. Dhamaka is an all male Indian dance group. You can never overestimate the attractiveness of a man who can dance. Penn Masala is an all male a-cappella group. They go on tours doing their own renditions of well-known songs - with beautiful voices. Each cultural group has so much to offer. This free show provided a wonderful taste of South Asian culture.

Getting out of the city is a necessary part of living in it. All those stresses and fumes of city life can really get to your head. This past Sunday my dorm organized a trip to Linvilla Orchards for apple picking. Breathing fresh air and walking through the rows of apple trees was so relaxing. Taking a bite out of a freshly picked apple brought back simplicity. It is a great field-trip for your mental health. After apple-picking we wandered over to their pumpkin land. Pony rides, hay rides, mazes, farm animals, and of course a gift shop and country store were available for exploration. Fall has arrived, and it sure is beautiful (and deliciously fresh).

Green is my favorite color

With the start of a new school year, working as a Move-In Coordinator, and living in a dorm, I have had my share of interaction with freshmen. When asked what a freshman that she met was like, my friend responded simply with "he's so....green." I look at them - bright smiles of excitement and exploration, curiosity and bewilderment - and I wonder when I became so jaded. I am jealous of their naivety and their fresh start. It's sad really. I feel old saying "if I knew then what I know now..." but it is true. I have recently been talking to new people outside my "circle of friends" and I've realized that I can get along with a whole range of people. The friends we make freshmen year seem to be by chance. I see freshmen cling to each other just so that they are not alone. Little do they know that they will all make very good friends anyway. I guess my advice for future freshman is not to freak out about making new friends, meet as many people as possible, and see who you click with most. Good friends take time.

On another green note - a friend and I attended the Philly Green Fest this past Sunday on South Street. I was glad to see how many people were out checking out the various information booths on living green. I felt somewhat helpless living in a dorm and not having control over the environmental sustainability of my living situation. However, I took some comfort in the fact that I use Philly Car Share, they even have a large number of hybrid vehicles in their fleet. I highly recommend these car share deals. Flexcar is another option, and is operational nationwide. Solar Panels are also in my future. My super tall friend had fun dropping an egg on a spread of recycled tires used for playgrounds instead of bark dust. And we correctly answered three questions about littering/recycling to win a prize! A litterbug was walking around the festival for photo opportunities. One thing that disturbed me was a man making a food sculpture. It looked awesome, but it was such a waste of quality vegetables - potatoes, squash, carrots, eggplants. I couldn't help but think of the numerous homeless people I pass each day that would benefit from that food. It did not belong at the green fest.

At the Green Fest I also picked up a flyer for the Divine Bike Church. Awesome idea. Open Tues, Thurs, and Sundays from 6:30-9pm and Wednesday for women and transvestites only. They are located in the basement of St. Mary's Church right on Penn's campus. They mostly provide the tools to fix up your bikes, but they also sell used bikes and parts. I picked myself up a beautiful old bike with a basket named Sunshine (it is scratched on the frame) and they walked me through changing the brake cable, setting the gears, and changing a tire. A functioning bike - all from recycled parts - and all for $36.

Green is a beautiful thing.

Picture Perfect

"Isn't this just great" my dad kept repeating. He was right. Somehow the family (the four of us) was all together again for the first time in a year. We were sitting outdoors of a restaurant right on the beach in Pacific City, OR. The Ocean looked like a lake, next to still. Haystack rock was standing alone in the water, watching over the inlet. The dunes that we had climbed prior to dinner were gleaming off to the side, framing the ocean view. We felt as if we were looking at a piece of art. Toast and enjoy the moment.

Pink- Dear Mr President - Live

You'd never take a walk with me, would you?

The lyrics sung by Pink in her song "Dear Mr. President" are so beautifully put. Very different from her more popular songs, in which she tends to sound angry and loud, "Mr. President" sounds genuine and soft. After hearing this song for the first time and multiple times thereafter in Europe, I couldn't help but wonder: Why have I not heard this song, out since December 2006, in the country whose administration it refers to?

After polling a few of my friends, I got one "I think I heard it once during spring break," one "I might have heard the concept of the song," and one response by a devil's advocate saying "it's an old song, why would it be playing now?" (By the way - I've only been hearing old songs on the radio lately - where is the new music?). The rest had never heard of it. And believe me, if my liberal group of friends has not heard this song, the vast majority of America has not either.

As I was snuggled all warm in my bed, visions of censorship danced in my head. I had to investigate...was this our government preventing the American population from hearing this song? Afraid it would put ideas of dislike of our president in the remaining 25% of people who still approve of him? Or is it just the patriotic loyalty through thick and thin causing Americans to not want to even hear the song?

I decided to email the program director of one of the local Portland, OR radio stations (105.1 The Buzz) and ask. I was pleased with the promptness and kindness of the response:

Thanks for your note. That's a good question because that's a good
song. I'm not sure if the music label might have had a different
marketing strategy for that song overseas than here, given the
difference in politics. Yours is the first request we've had for it, so
maybe other people will catch on to it and it'll become popular as time
goes on.

You may not be aware of this, but it is remarkably hard for us to just
pick music off of CDs and play it, hoping that it will become popular.
We certainly don't play what the record labels tell us to, but unless
the music labels are hyping music with videos on VH1, billboards and bus
signs, clips on "Grey's Anatomy" and etc, we have a hard time making a
song a hit if we are the only media outlet playing it. It's possible,
but harder than it would seem.

Anyway, please keep us in mind when you hear good music that we should
consider. I'll make sure that our music director knows that you like
that song!

Jeff McHugh
Program Director

I'm not sure why the music label would have different marketing strategies for different countries - or no marketing strategy for this one at all - but that is one world I know absolutely nothing about. I can only guess what is going on with Pink's brave practice of free speech (we all remember what happened to the Dixie Chicks when the spoke out against the president), but I really hope that people stand up for the rights that they still have.

Conclusion: Europe does a lot of things a lot better.

Back in the States

After 3 full, and I mean full, weeks of traveling with my sister around Europe I am back home in Oregon. Great trip, but good to be home and rest a bit.

Here is the rest of trip briefly:

Day 9: July 20, 2007
-Slept in...what an amazing concept.
** Went pedal boating on lake Lugano and jumped in the lake.
-Ate gelati and relaxed
-Saw free outdoor concert (popular hits band) in the center.
Day 10: July 21, 2007
-Walked around Lugano
-Saw sister's school
-Shopped
Day 11: July 22, 2007
-Laundry day
-Day trip to Como, Italy
-Went to Volta museum (guy who invented batteries and conducted experiments on frogs)
-Visited the Duomo
-Went on a boat trip across Lake Como
-Saw WWII Memorial
Day 12: July 23, 2007
-Train to Firenze, Italy (Florence).
-Stayed at beautiful hostel Villa Camarata set away from the city in nature.
-Walked around the city seeing the colorful Duomo, Michaelangelo's house, and Pointe Vecchio.
-Ate a lot of gelati.
-Rubbed the boar's nose to ensure our return to Firenze.
** Had dinner at a restaurant with live Jazz music on the river, and got free drinks from the handsome flirty waiter.
Day 13: July 24, 2007
-Day trip to Pisa, Italy.
-Went to outdoor market and bought exotic dried fruits (made me feel sick) and nougat.
-Walked around the Duomo, old city walls and Leaning tower of Pisa.
**Climbed to the top of the leaning tower!!! Very trippy and scary experience, but well worth it.
-Returned to Firenze and toured the city some more - saw lots of statues.
Day 14: July 25, 2007
-Left Firenze early for train to Milano, Italy.
** Climbed on top of the roof of the Duomo and wandered around. Awesome view and way to see the cathedral. Beautiful.
-Ate Gelati (see a trend here).
-Went to the Galleria with lots of expensive stores and a McDonalds Cafe - so upscale.
-Kicked the bull in the balls and spun on them for good luck.
-Took train back to Lugano.
Day 15: July 26, 2007
-Walked around Lake Lugano.
-Ate the "best Swiss Turkish Kabob".
- Watched sailboat races.
-Ran errands
-Took train to Balsthal, Switzerland and stayed with sister's friend.
Day 16: July 27, 2007
-Drove past Interlachen to the Swiss Alps village Grindewald and the top of Europe.
-Took train halfway up to little tourist village in Alps.
-Ate Cheese fondue.
-Listened to the Alp Horn.
** Hiked around area. Breathtaking view and lots of cows and mountain goats.
-Drove back to Balsthal and went to random birthday dinner party for sister's friend's student.
Day 17: July 28, 2007
-Took train to Frankfurt, Germany.
-Picked up and taken to distant relatives (4th cousins) house.
-Hung out with cousin and his friends watching tv, movies, and playing poker (I won one hand! yay!). They had a "whiskey fetish" with at least 12 different kinds of whiskey out on the table.
Day 18: July 29, 2007
-Raining.
-Took a boat trip on the Rhine river.
** Hiked up to explore 2 different castles.
-Had Bratwurst and Saurkraut for lunch on the boat.
Day 19: July 30, 2007
-Sister's last day.
-Walked around Massenheim, Germany - where the cousins live.
-Went into Frankfurt in the evening with whole big extended family.
-Went to top of 2nd highest skyscraper in Frankfurt (very modern-day city) for a great view for miles.
-Had drinks in a tavern that opened in the 1470s.
-Walked across pedestrian bridge over river to see the city by night.
Day 20: July 31, 2007
-Took sister to train station for a tearful goodbye.
-Sight-seeing trip to Weisbaden with 2 cousins and other American guest.
-Had the "Best German Turkish kabob".
-Hiked up hill for a good view.
-Walked around the city and stopped for coffee in a cafe to chat with cousin.
Day 21: Aug 1, 2007
-Flew home to Salem, Oregon.
** Read Harry Potter on the plane!

** = My favorites

As my sister said, "This isn't vacation, this is travel."

The cradle of civilization - as one might call it

I feel the need to jot down what I have done in Europe thus far - before I forget. It has been a busy busy first week.

Day 1: July 12, 2007
-Reunited with friend and sister.
-Walked aimlessly in Paris, France w/ sister, saw Arc de Triumph had coffee at a cafe, got lost, found our way again.
** Had dinner on the Eiffel tower. Amazing view, atmosphere, and company.
-Sat on steps outside Eiffel tower and watched fire dancers.
Day 2: July 13th, 2007
-Walked down Champs de Elysees to the Touilerees.
-Sat by the Seine.
-Went to Notre Dame - it is way too touristy and loud. I mean, I am not religious at all, but I can respect and be quiet in a cathedral.
-Got into the Louvre for free (under 26 after 6pm on fridays).
** Had dinner on Monmarte - very cute area. Sat on the hill overlooking Paris watching fireworks set off by boys in the street, as well as bigger ones all over the city.
-Walked to Moulin Rouge/Red light district.
-Had a drink in the lively Latin Quarter.
Day 3: July 14th, 2007
-Bastille Day! Woke up to watch the parade down the Champs de Elysees complete with the president, french army, music, and the air brigade. Mostly just saw bobbing heads through the crowd.
-Took train to Brussels, Belgium to stay with forementioned friend and his family.
Day 4: July 15th, 2007
-Saw Brussels, its Plaza, important buildings, Mantequin Pis (statue/fountain of a boy peeing), etc.
-Learned about the divisions of Belgium (French, Flemish, and German/ Catholic and atheist) and the 3 things that make it famous (chocolate, waffles, and lace).
Day 5: July 16th, 2007
-Took train to Brugge.
-Went on Canal trip through Brugge - cute town.
-Saw Harry Potter movie.
Day 6: July 17th, 2007
-Went to Museum of Musical Instruments in Brussels - most entertaining museum have been to in a while, because they give you headphones that play music when you stand in front of certain instruments.
** Walked around Brussels with sister being touristy, touched statue to give me good luck, had famous Belgian waffle and chocolate.
-Ate the famous mussels in Brussels at the famous Chez Leon restaurant.
-Drove to Waterloo to see the battlefields and mound.
Day 7: July 18th, 2007
** Left Brussels and friend for Amsterdam. I am going to live there, everyone was riding bikes with baskets all over the place.
-Took the hop on hop off canal boat trip to various sites.
-Walked through the Van Gogh museum.
-Saw outside of Anne Frank's house - difficult to determine what exactly was her house, because it all looked very modern, and the line was over an hour long to get inside (we couldn't wait, because we had a train to catch).
-Wandered around the city and saw cool buildings.
-Took the night train to Zurich, shared a sleeper car with 5 other people, one of who snored.
Day 8: July 19th, 2007
-Arrived in Zurich, Switzerland in the morning.
** Walked along the beautiful lake for hours.
-Ate the pretzels filled with meat.
-Went inside churches with stiking stained glass windows.
-Climbed up hill to park with good view, swang.
-Saw part of kindercircus show.
-Took train to Lugano, Switzerland, where sister currently lives.

Summary: having an amazing time!!!