Budapest

David gave me Budapest for Christmas. You can't help loving a man like that. He gave it to me on a snowy weekend in January, and I loved it. It came with hummus, goulash, and some of the best Italian food I have every had...and the entire first season of The Number One Ladies' Detective Agency watched on our laptop in our snug and swealteringly warm apartment.

I have decided that cities with an impressive river are the most romantic. Think Paris, Washington, D.C., Prague, Venice, Dallas...OK, that may be a stretch.

Budapest also plays the relic game with the big boys as evidenced by this description:

And this picture:

If you look really hard in the center of all the reflection, you can see Mr. Saint Stephen's hand all shriveled up and bedecked with diamonds and stuff. You had to put a euro in a little machine to make the lights come on, but it was a euro well spent.

More proof that river plus city equals pretty cool pictures. We went to see Puccini's Tosca in the fabulously cool Opera house that rivals Vienna and Paris and opted for the super cheapo seats ($2 each) as part of the experience. We changed seats three times and were eventually able to see most of the stage. Anyway, we got to see Tosca kill herself which is the best part, so we fell like we got our money's worth.

I love Budapest--one of my favorite Christmas presents ever.

French Immersion

I can tell that Anna and Benjamin have really embraced the French language. I can tell this because they have begun to fight in French. Not real nasty fighting, but the kind of fighting that starts around 9:30 pm and lasts until they are winded and laughing. It is pretty entertaining. Benjamin pulls out his Tex-French accent and hams it up. Anna plays along and only occasionally draws blood. I happened to catch the action the other night and thought I would share it with you. I hope you are not shocked by the violence. They really do love each other. Benj offered to provide the translation, but I think you can get the gist.

Thursday Morning

I am, at this very moment, listening to an older Scottish gentleman in a tweed jacket, jeans, bright red tie, red pocket square, and an amazingly garish dress shirt emblazoned with red chrysanthemums reading the Robert Burns poem "Tam O'Shanter." Burns sounds really good in an authentic Scottish accent. Plus we get the translation...
It is International Community Morning here at ISB.
Jens is wearing an orange feather boa in honor of the Netherlands.
There are Israeli flags all over the room, and we are now off to the Hall of Nations for Greek dancing lessons.
Top of the morning to you.

Bummer...

Benj and Dave went to Rome for a dudes trip. They had a great time. From what I hear they walked each other to exhaustion, ate good but cheap food, used some pretty sketchy bathrooms, were disappointed in finding the Sistine Chapel closed, discovered some amazing churches, saw the very spot were Tom Hanks saves the last cardinal from drowning, went shopping (by far the biggest shocker), got very familiar with public transportation, swore undying allegiance to Rick Steves, and came home tired but happy. They took exactly one picture.

They took the old little camera that has great portability but bad batteries. Exactly.

Bummer.

Happy New Year!

Wishing you a delightful 2010!

Vacation Time is Catch-up Time

Yesterday, Sarah was the guest blogger. I am trying to persuade David to take a turn. Actually, I would like everyone to take a turn. So maybe I'll work on that. In the mean time, turn the clock back eight months to Spring Break. While Sarah was in Ghana making bricks and David was in Kazakhstan eating wild horses, the rest of us plus my mom and dad were exploring Northern France.

I give you Normandy, Brittany, and the Loire Valley:This is the fishing village of Honfleur--one of the most charming villages in Northern France

The kids posing on one of the German 155mm guns guarding Normandy beach at Pointe du Hoc.

Mont Saint Michel--an amazing monestary built during the 12th century on a stone outcropping off the coast of Brittany.

The Chateau Chambord built by King Francois in the 16th century as a hunting lodge. He only lived here for a total of six months. It would take longer than that to find your way around the place...all those turrets.This staircase at Blois is attributed to Leonardo DaVinci -- nice place for prom pictures.

Our favorite Chateau--Chenonceau. Amazing gardens, amazing kitchens, amazing love triangle...

The archictecturally odd Chartes Cathedral--strange towers but fabulous carvings, and a mammoth maze tiled into the floor. Matthew loves his mazes.

The French countryside is blanketed by field of field of bright yellow rapeseed. Last stop: Monet's Garden. Wow, that is just about all I can say, wow!

Chocolate Rain

Hey everyone this is Sarah. I am here to finally report about Ghana ... only 8 months late (:

€ 1,700, lots of muffins, and a couple painful shots down, 21 students and 4 teachers packed up for 2 weeks of spring break and traveled to ghana to work with Habitat for Humanity. Our goal was to build three Habitat houses for African families in need.

The destroyed hut belonging one of the families we built a new house for.

After a layover in Casablanca, a 3 a.m. arrival in Accra, and a 10 hour bus ride, we were greeted enthusiastically by the members of the Kofiase village, some of the happiest and cutest people I have ever seen.

I spent an amazing 13 days working with the people, learning about the culture, and playing with the children.

Our favorite little girl, Adjwa, who we nicknamed Chocolate Rain ... for a reference check the youtube link.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EwTZ2xpQwpA

Over the 2 weeks I was in Ghana, we built bricks and made mortar

Went into the village to watch a crazy Chelsea FC vs. Liverpool soccer game (most of the locals are die-hard Chelsea fans because they have a Ghanaian player, their enthusiasm is obvious from the picture below)

Participated in dance and drumming nights with the Ghanaians

Ate LOTS of the most disgusting rice I've ever had and visited the King's Palace

Attended a Sunday church service and met the village chief

Played a soccer and volleyball match against local teams

Attended local schools to donate books and school supplies

Explored the Cape Coast Slave castle

Went on a tree canopy walk through the Ghanaian rain forest

But most importantly, loved and served people in need.

Definitely one of the best experiences of my life and I hope to have the opportunity to return someday!

Oh and Brennan -- here's your shoutout, thanks for surviving Malaria!