Last Dinner

One of the great experiences of travel is trying all the different kinds of food. I just finished my last dinner of this great adventure. The sun is beginning to set and I'm off to get some last pictures of Istanbul. 

First Day in Istanbul

Well, I've finally reached my last stop before heading home.  I'm eager to get home but I still have two more days here in Istanbul. I was still a bit fatigued from the overnight train/bus ride from Provdiv but I went to the Blue Mosque, Grand Bazaar and the Spice Market today.  Istanbul has a population of about 20 million people so the streets and markets are very crowded. 

Roman Ruins in Provdiv

Provdiv, like Sofia is built upon Roman Ruins. I visited this mosque while in Provdiv but, I will soon be in Istanbul; where I will visit the famous Blue Mosque. 

Sofia

Sofia is a very interesting city. Modern buildings stand beside buildings dating back to the Roman Empire. This afternoon I took a walk down to the "Ladies" market where you can find all kinds of goods and produce. 

Magura Cave

We took a hike through the Magura cave today. The cool air was a nice break from the summer heat. 

In the Bulgarian Countryside

We arrived at the Xah Magona (Hotel Madona) yesterday. It's a little Bed and Breakfast-like Hotel about five miles from Belogradchik.  The innkeeper and a small girl greeted us at the door with a plate of bread which we dipped in a very salty seasoning and politely ate.  The little girl was cute; the salty bread was ?

A Hike Up the Mountainside

Marco and I took the long hike up the mountainside to get this view of Veliko Tarnovo.

Russian Car

As you know, Bulgaria is a former Soviet block country.  This and many other Russian built cars remain on the streets throughout Eastern Europe. 

Leaving for Veliko Tarnovo, Bulgaria

I will be leaving Bucharest this morning on a train to Veliko Tarnovo, Bulgaria. 

The picture below was taken at a monastery here in Bucharest. 

Meeting with Romanian Teacher

Today we had a meeting with a Romanian teacher. We compared and contrast educational issues in our two countries and shared our personal experiences. It was nice to see how much we have in common. 

Brasov

Brasov is a small Romanian town with a population of around 400,000. The "Old Town" section has typical narrow, cobblestone streets. 

Romanian Farm

Yesterday I visited a Romanian farm where, among other things, they milk sheep for cheese. 

There were also several working dogs. The herding dogs were very friendly.  There were also several guard dogs to protect the sheep from bears and wolves. They weren't quit so friendly. 

Romania and Bulgaria

From here on out, everything will be a lot more "laid back". Romania and Bulgaria are much more relaxed than the other countries I've visited so far. 

My train to Sighisoara has been delayed several hours. Access to wifi will also be limited so, I may not be able to make regular posts to my blog. 

Stormy Night in Romania

Our train arrived late in a small Romanian village. It's a dark stormy night but the inn keeper seems very nice. 

The Second Half Has Begun

I met a new group of travelers tonight. Tomorrow we will be taking an over night train to Romania. I'm told the Internet access will be limited in both Romania and Bulgaria. 

This is a picture of the Budapest Opera House. I'll have time for a little more site seeing before we leave tomorrow. I plan to visit Heroes Square and a couple of other places. 

Saying Goodbye

This morning I said goodbye to the travelers I met in Berlin. They are now either going home or continuing their journeys on a different path. I'll meet a new group of travelers and continue my travels after three nights here in Budapest. I'm staying here at the Cotton Club Hotel.

First Night in Budapest

After a late dinner I took a walk along the Danube. 

Bratislava

I walked around Bratislava, Slovakia today. We had lunch at the KGB Pub then walked by the Presidential Palace. 

Waiting for Train to Slovackia

I'm nearing the halfway point in this great adventure as we board our our train to Bratislava, Slovakia.  Technically, I'm returning to Slovakia. If you recall, I crossed the boarder from Poland to Slovakia while hiking the Carpathian Mountains. 

There are many ways to travel. Some people travel for business; others for pleasure. Just halfway through my journey, I've already covered five countries. 

I've traveled twice as a Fulbright scholar and once as a Toyota International Teacher.  Each of these programs were specifically for research and curriculum development and we tended to stay in one place for longer periods. This provided more of an opportunity to immerse myself into a new community. 

This year as well as last years adventure with Global Explorations for Educators (GEEO) has been as much about the trek as the destinations.  Both ways of travel are fun, educational and inspiring. 

Some of you may have already had the opportunity to do some traveling. Others will travel to other places as you pursue you education.  We are all proud to be from Oak Cliff and I am always glad to get home but, I think my travels make me appreciate home that much more. 

I still have another two and a half weeks in this great adventure and I'm eager to find what waits for me  in my further journeys from Budapest to Istanbul. For now I think I'll take a short nap as I sway with the train and listen to the clicking of the tracks.

Day Two in Vienne

I'm sitting at a sidewalk cafe after spending the morning at the Schoenbrunn Palace. 

First Day in Vienna

My first impression of Vienna is that it is very much like Prague. But the more I walked around It seemed little more relaxed. 

Like every where else in Europe, the public transportation was inexpensive and easy to use. 

Toured the Castle

I spent the morning walking around the Castle and gardens. Then we went rafting down the river. We leave tomorrow morning for Vienna. 

Cesky Krumlov

I just spent the evening walking down the streets of Cesky Krumlov.  Dating back to the 14th century the town has one of Europe's oldest castles along with Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque buildings and cobblestone streets.

Saying Goodbye to Prague

We're getting ready to catch a train to Cesky Krumlov. I had a great time in Prague and it was nice spending some time with my old friend Luzy.  Prague is amazing. 

Meeting Lucy in front of the National Museum

I have a few minutes before I meet Lucy for another day in Prague so, I thought it would be nice to post another entry. 

I just ate a sandwich from a sidewalk vender. I ate it on a bench in the middle of the avenue. 

It's a nice day with clouds rolling by overhead. One of them dropped a few large, welcome drops of rain on me as I ate. Now the sun is back and it seems to be a nice lazy Saturday afternoon in Prague. 

First Day in Prague

The over night train to Prague was very hot and hard to sleep. We got to our hotel a bit after 9am and I was supposed to meet my friend, Lucy, in a cafe at ten. So, I quickly figured out the subway system and got there just a few minutes late. The two of us spent the whole day together. She was born in Prague and knows the history of the city quite well. Our first stop was one of her favorite pubs where we had some "root beer". 

Happy 4th of July!

I know I'm a day late but we had to rush to catch the over night train to Prague so I didn't get a chance to post this pic of me in krakow on the 4th of July. 

Auschwitz

I visited Auschwitz today.  I know most of you have studied extensively about Auschwitz in your History classes.   As an art teacher, one of my jobs is to help my students find a personal connection and relevance to such content. How might I do that with a subject like this?

In my previous blog about the Warsaw Uprising Museum, I asked about how each of us might define our own character and how we might respond during one of those character defining moments. I also suggested that the regret we experience when we make poor choices can be used as a type of vaccine; to strengthen our character for the day we might face an even more significant test of character.  

One of my first stings of regret came to me when I was in third grade. My mother, sister and I moved a lot and it was difficult for me to make the transitions from school to school.  But, in third grade I made a good friend named Bobby who would help me with my lessons and was also a great teammate when we played baseball. Bobby lived about a block from me and when I first moved into the neighborhood he was my only friend. 

I eventually became friends with Ricky, whose home was behind mine. Ricky also had an older brother named Larry. Larry was in 8th grade so, all of us younger boys looked to him as a role model and source of what was "cool". 

One day Ricky and I were roaming the neighborhood with Larry and decided to sneak into the backyard of an older man and woman who had just moved into a home on our block. We were hiding in the bushes when the old man ran out of his back door; shouting for us to go away. The three of us ran quickly to Larry and Ricky's home.  Out of breath and laughing, Larry said, "that old Jew can't catch us."  

I had never heard that word before. I had no idea what a Jew was but, if Larry had said it, it had to be something cool to say.

The next Saturday morning, Ricky and I and every other boy in the neighborhood headed to the open lot to play baseball.  Bobby was there too as Ricky began telling the story of our narrow escape from the new neighbors' backyard. I quickly chimed in, "Yeah, those old Jews couldn't catch us."

A few days later I was playing with Ricky and some of the other boys and asked where Bobby was.  I was told Bobby didn't want to play with me because I had called him a Jew.  

Too late, I learned what a Jew was and that Bobby was Jewish.  Bobby never spoke to me again and we soon moved to another neighborhood but I still feel the sting of my regret for that thoughtless moment when I foolishly followed the lead of someone else.

Bobby probably doesn't even remember me. But, I will always remember him and feel the sting of regret for my thoughtless words. I feel shamed as I share this story but, I also know that I can chose to use this memory of my missteps as a corner stone for the building of a stronger character.  Yes, I will always remember Bobby and though my words offended him, he will be a source of humanity and strength to me. 

A Beautiful Day

We spent the day in the Carpathian Mountains yesterday. We had a nice long hike and a gondola ride to the top. 

Today we visit Auschwitz. 

The Human Spirit

The tragedy of WWII and the Cold War Culture were major themes of my Berlin site-seeing. Visiting the Berlin Wall and Checkpoint Charlie was very nostalgic. I have also visited many monuments and museums and it is there that the sight-seeing begins to transcend into a deeper reflection. 

We visited the Warsaw Uprising Museum this morning. It is a small, interactive museum documenting Polish resistance during the WWII and Communist periods. The many displays present poignant, personal stories of ordinary people doing extraordinary things; many of them were but children assuming the roles of heroes. It's hard to imagine how these men, women and children could do what they did; occupying sewers while maintaining a love for their country and a resilient spirit.

We often talk about character at Molina. It the testing of our character that often defines exactly who we are as a person.  But, our twenty-first century lives in Oak Cliff are quite different from the lives of these Polish people in the midst of the twentieth century. 

How would you respond under such extreme conditions? 

We often complain about very minor conflicts or difficulties in our lives that would be no more than a minor annoyance to the heroic people memorialized in these museums. 

As you walk the halls of Molina, do you see any heroes?  

Could you rise above adversity while hiding in the sewer?  

Here's what I think:

Our character is tested every day and we often don't know how we will respond to each of these minor little quizzes. Sometimes we are disappointed by our responses but maybe it's the sting of this disappointment in ourselves that we might use as an important steppingstone to our true character when that defining moment finds us.  

So, yes.  As I walk the halls of Molina High School, I do see some heroes and I am confident that humanity will surely rise. 

Getting to Know One Another

As day five of my adventure begins, many of us are getting to know one another. As usual, I am traveling with fellow teachers from Alabama to Alaska and New York to New Mexico. While we come from different part of the country, we all have a spirit of adventure. We love learning about the cultures of other countries and appreciate our own cultural diversities. That always seems to be the theme of everywhere I travel; we are all so amazingly different while being fundamentally the same.