Sleeping in someone else's dream

Good evening S!

It's Sunday, April 12th and I should be writing my take home final!

Once again I am sucked into the world of blogging by my best friends T & S. I seems to me that finding a topic is very easy (travel interests me, that's why I have the blog in the first place), it's just finding the time to write about it... I found something.I'm writing about it. I hope you're happy.

Upon another recent search of the Digg travel section, I came across a very interesting story about hotel rooms. When I think hotel room, the first thing that comes to mind is the scratchy comforter. Then comes the crappy carpet, followed closely by the textured wallpaper (always in a beige colour) and the sterilized bathrooms with neatly point-fold toilet paper rolls. This image that is currently glued in my mind is probably due to the fact that when my family went anywhere on a trip, we would not stay in luxury hotels, but instead at the generic chain hotels (that decided on a colour scheme for each room plan and stuck with it, nation wide). This way, it wouldn't matter if you were waking up in Vermont or San Diego - your blackout window treatments would still be drawn, and you'd still want to punch the person on the other end of the white, large digit touch-tone phone that is delivering a wake up call at your request.

see that carpet? eugh.

This, apparently, is no longer the way to vacation, dear readers. Family vacations do not include a night's rest at the Best Western, oh no. They are now replaced with all inclusive, deluxe rock star suites in spa hotels. I would not be surprised if they had personal star-fruiters; that is, people who come into your room at your beck and call to cut up star fruit for you, stick it with a tooth pick and put it in your mouth (probably even going so far as moving your jaw up and down for you so that you don't have to chew it yourself). 

who needs family time when you have a nanny?

... ok S. I'll admit it. I *MAY* be a little upset that T is going all the way down to Florida for a week to fetch you, while I am stuck vacation-less at home. I miss going places that aren't a half hour bus ride away! I want to feast on moderately edible airplane food and get headaches from hours in a car too! Life, sadly, is not fair.

Alas.

The story that I was mentioning before my tirade about star fruit was concierge.com's "The World's 11 Most Amazing Hotel Beds" by Josey Miller. She goes on about how these hotel beds will make you "kick up your feet, rest your travel-weary self, and stare at much more than just the ceiling. These beds think outside the box springs—and they're what dreams are really made of." The article goes all out in conducting tests at various hotels and providing observations on the likeliness you'll get some sleep to the best time of year to go. It even go so far as offering contact information to those who want stay at the fabulous hotels and resorts, as well as revealing the cost per night for the amazing sleep you'll surely get. Although prices per night vary, these beautiful pictures are the closest I'm going to get to these places anytime soon (thank you minimum wage), but I can dream ; )

Check out the link above if you want to be forever jealous.

Naladhu Maldives
Ocean Houses from $2,000

Have a great Easter T.

I'll see you soon S!

Don't forget to be awesome!

-xo

**If the owners of these pictures or information would like me to remove them, please feel free to contact me.

you know its flipping freezing when...

Australian Tourism Board Boasts "Best Job In The World"

Good Morning, S!

It is January 13th, 2009, and I haven't been on this blog in awhile.

One of my resolutions for the new year is to spend time doing what I love to do, and enjoy my life instead of stressing out over it. This includes this blog, but it also includes taking a step back from school and realizing that I went into Classical Studies because it is something I love, not something I fear or stress over. My 'u' button isn't working properly today. *sigh* Anywho, I am please to inform you good readers (and 'random' button visitors) that this blog does actually have a subject, which I will be announcing shortly.

The Australian government is launching a new tourism campaign "to protect the state's 18 billion Australian dollar a year tourism industry during the tough economic climate caused by the global financial meltdown." The government is offering out a vacation in a 3 bedroom beach home on Hamilton Island on the Great Barrier Reef. Here are the rules:

1. You have to stay on this island, rent free, for six months.
2. You will be expected to laze around said island, snorkle and explore the Reef and do a few care-taking chores.
3. You have to be a good communicator, as you will be talking and writing about your experiences for the media while you are there.
4. You have to be willing to be paid150,000 Australian dollars (105,000 US dollars) for your time, not including the airfare from your home country to the island and back.

Interested?

According to Yahoo!News: "Applications are open until February 22. Eleven shortlisted candidates will be flown to Hamilton Island in early May for the final selection process and the six month contract will commence on July 1."

Job-seekers can apply on: Islandreefjob.com

Warning: the traffic on this site is ridiculous right now, so only a lot of patience will get you on it.

I know that you're going back to Florida in a couple of weeks, S, but I still wouldn't mind taking the Aussie's offer...

Have a good Tuesday, S!

Don't forget to be awesome,

-xo

Ps: T, we're totally roadtripping somewhere on reading week. I do not care if we don't have money - if it is an imaginary road trip, that's fine with me.

Passendaele

Good Morning, S!
It's Saturday, November 8th, and I've got a bone to pick.

I strongly hope that you remember to take a minute at 11 o'clock this Tuesday to remember the fallen soldiers in all the wars that Canada has participated in.

Last night, I went and saw a Canadian made movie called Passchendaele, whose plot was obviously based on the very battle for which it was titled. Like most horrific historical events, the screenplay has a romantic thread to lighten it up a bit (think Titanic, but less cheesy). Let it be known to you and to all you random blog buttoners (I think I'm going to shorten that to RBB) out there that I was terrified and disgusted of this movie. I don't pretend to understand the minds of men and women as they enlist themselves for war - but holy hell, what is wrong with these people? There were young men sitting waist deep in a mud trench, trying to concentrate on erradicating the Axis while a dead body of a fellow soldier - A FRIEND, was right beside him, bobbing in the water with a bullet through his head. The fact that people still want to war, and believe that it's just the bee's knees to fight for our country is beyond me. Don't get me wrong RBBs - I'm terribly proud of our soldiers, and their sacrifice for our country! There is no job that is harder - that is what I'm trying to get at here, than killing people for the sheer will of their country's leaders. It all seems so random to me...

"Why do we need to take this hill?"
"Because it will allow our fronts to move up 10 inches."
"We'll still be sitting in muddy trenches for days at end though...?"
"Oh yes, most definitely!"
"When is it going to end, then?"
"Umm..."


It's kind of an abstract idea, isn't it? The end of a war is no farther off than when the leaders, sitting far off from the battle lines, decide it's going to be. It's honestly a game of chicken!


"Oh yes. We've defeated the Germans now!"
"But how do we know? We've probably lost more soldiers than them..."
"Well we have more land than them."
"But before, they had more land than us. Had we stopped the war then, they would have won."
"Yes... but we didn't, so we win."
"Umm..."


I completely break down when studying "recent" war because I can put myself in the shoes of enlisting young men, triage nurses and soldiers in the trenches. I know I can't imagine what it would actually be like, but it's heartbreaking and terrifying for me to even think about. That many men didn't even really know what they were getting into- that they thought killing Germans would be a laugh and then they could come home and be a hero just kills me. Not only that, but these men and women had to come home from the wars they fought and suddenly they were outcasts. People who didn't fit in to the social norm - people who were broken. War is disgusting and useless and a ridiculous exploitation of citizens who just want to do right by their country.

I completely digressed from what I wanted this post to be about. I wanted to explain the movie, and then tie it in with a little tour of the famous European battle grounds that are marked today as Canadian victories for the Allies. I forgot about my complete disbelief of war, and the way it sparks something in me. I'm sure many people have different opinions of war, and the reasons for war, and now you know mine.

"War is a calculated and condoned slaughter of human beings." - Harry Patch, last british surviver WW1

I'll write about the famous Canadian battles on Rememberance Day, S.
Sorry for all the links!
Don't forget to be awesome.
-xo

Ps: footage that you probably don't want to see, but I'll make you watch anyways.

A brief view of Holland's awesome.

EDIT: I apparently have an awesome boy from the Zeals now... wtf?

Things to do in Florida (that are not maintained by Disney)

Good morning, S!

And giant heaps of welcome to T, who has recently started a blog as well!

It's Thursday, October 30th, and I've been wondering what else you can do in the lovely state of Florida, S, that isn't owned by Disney!

I realize you probably won't have a lot of time down there, and/or the time you have will be spent with Mo (your lovely pony) anyway. I thought I'd make this for fun anyway, and let me tell you - it turned bad pretty quick. It seems that Disney somehow owns the state of Florida, and no other landmark is allowed to be put up there... But I tried my best regardless.

Here are some things that I would want to do in Florida, that are not related to Disney:

1. Visit the oldest city in America. That has to be pretty awesome, right? St. Augustine was founded in the early 1500s. "North Florida boasts a year-round mild climate perfect for strolling Saint Augustine's delightful historic district, with its cobblestone streets, quaint cafes, bars, unique shops and bed-and-breakfast inns." Super pretty in the pictures!
2. Go on a pirate cruise in Panama City! "Come if you dare, and walk in a pirate's shoes. Look through a pirate's eyes aboard the panhandle's premier family adventure cruise."
   
3. Swim with Dolphins/Sharks/Manta Rays. There's so many spots all over the coast of Florida that offer awesome times swimming with some sort of marine animal (in captivity or no).
4. If you have a chance and you're in Orlando, you HAVE to go to Al Capone's. It's a dinner theatre show, based in the thirties when Capone ran the show. It isn't necessarily the best food in the entire state of Florida, however, it is a funny show, and a great way to spend a night after all that wonderful Disney commercialism. And if you'd rather spend a night in a medieval castle than in a 1930's speakeasy, go to Medieval Times in Kissimmee.
5. If you're in Fort Myers, check out the Edison museums. I'm almost positive there's not much else to do tourist wise in that town...
6. Go on a hot air balloon ride! I've always wanted to go up in a balloon, and so I'm sneakily adding this to my list. Trip Advisor suggests the Orange Blossom Balloons company, which takes you all over Orlando, Florida. You can also check out Warbird Adventures, which allow you to soar over Kissimmee in a two-seater WWII plane!
7. You can go three ways in Daytona: the beach, the races or the museum. Although I probably wouldn't mind a little of all three, I really suggest going to check out the Museum of Arts and Sciences. Moreover, I something especially for you, S... an absolutely FREE chocolate factory tour. Be your own Willy Wonka!
8. In Orlando you should check out Gatorland. It's a pretty lame-but-amusing way to spend an afternoon, and if you go at the right time, you can see the gators feeding.
9. I have to mention this, as I went here on my trip to Florida. Actually, let me amend that sentence by saying that I was trapped here on my twelfth birthday when we went to Fort Lauderdale. It actually turned out to be a pretty cool place to hang out, I guess, and there's fortunately lots to see. The kids will like the butterflies and cute little carnivorous owls, and the older folk will like the gardens and the cute little carnivorous owls. (This is where I first saw what adorable little owls actually ate, and it scarred me for life.)
10. Check out Universal - just to rub Disney's nose in it.

I know this list is short, S, but there's so much to do, and so much information to go through, that I picked things that were sort of lame-but-still-fun-for-everyone. Florida has all kinds of gorgeous beaches, golf courses, water parks, haunted walks, orange groves, nature paths, antique shops, b&bs, museums, brand name outlets, etc. that you can check out as well.

Here are some non-Disney-fying facts about Florida:

• Oh hai! Do you like hurricanes? You'd best, as Florida is the state that has the highest amount of hurricane attacks every year. Named tropical storms and hurricanes from this year only: Arthur, Bertha, Cristobal, Dolly, Genevieve, Edouard,
  Fay, Gustav, Hanna, Ike, Iselle, Josephine, Kyle & Omar.
• Florida was named by Ponce de Leon (you know, the rad Clone High character), who discovered it and claimed it for Spain while he was searching for the Fountain of Youth. 
• There's a coalition for the ban of smoking in public areas in Florida, much like the one we have here at home (so breathe easy, S). About 88 Floridians are estimated to die daily of tobacco use.
• Their state *saltwater* mammal is the porpoise, while their state *freshwater* mammal is the manatee.
•  "Florida is a prime area for international drug trafficking and money laundering organizations, and a principal thoroughfare for cocaine and heroin transiting to the northeastern United States and Canada."
• Suntan lotion was invented by a Floridian in 1944.
• It's violent crime rate in a national ranking is 2.
• In 2008, Florida is celebrating their state Lotto's 20th Anniversary! (ooo! the Platinum year!)

Have a great second week in the drug smuggling capital, S!

See you some time in the near future,T!

Don't forget to be awesome!

-xo

PS: here's a list of sources that I used for the list!

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attractions-g28930-Activities-Florida.html

http://www.lonelyplanet.com/bluelist/index.cfm?fa=main.viewList&list_id=7693

http://www.piratecruise.net/ (panama pirate cruise information)

http://www.oldcity.com/ (st.augustine information)

http://www.alcapones.com/ (restaurant information)

http://www.orangeblossomballoons.com/ (hot air balloon ride information)

http://www.warbirdadventures.com/ (WWII plane information)

http://www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com/ (DIS information)

http://www.moas.org/ (Museum of Arts and Sciences information)

http://www.angellandphelps.com/ (chocolate factory information)

http://www.gatorland.com/ (gatorland information)

http://www.butterflyworld.com/start.html (butterfly world information)

PPS: For all you "random blog" button clickers, check out S's Parelli blog for more information on what she's actually doing in Florida!

PPPS: I have nothing against Disney. Sorry!

About Microfinancing

Good evening, S!

It's Tuesday, October 28th and you're very far away right now.

IT IS ALSO SNOWING OUTSIDE! Ridiculous!

I'm not positive that you even still check to see if I've posted in this blog anymore, but I'm posting now, so hopefully you'll see it one day. As for the rest of you random people who mosey through my blog: this post is for you. You probably don't know this about me, but I am a nerdfighter.

I'm not going to get into what being a nerdfighter entails, however, I will put links below if you want to check it out (which I suggest you do)In the most basic terms, nerdfighters attempt to decrease worldsuck by doing awesome things. The vlogbrothers of youtube (links also below), created this concept back in 2007. One of their videos, entitled "How to be a micro-financier" (link!), talked a lot about an organisation called Kiva.

Kiva is a microfinancing website, that all of the paypal-slash-credit-card-community can contribute to. Basically, the site links you to various entrepreneurs all over the world who are seeking loans to alleviate their poverty and continue building their businesses. The trick is that whatever you loan out to these people, they will repay you that same amount in a set amount of time. You also aren't expected to give the full amount of a loan - only what you can afford at the time. For example, say you lent Ben of Cambodia $25.00 (of a $500.00 loan) through Kiva so that he could buy more chickens for his farming business. In 18 months, that twenty five dollars is returned to you to do with as you please - you can re-loan the money to someone else in need, or you can put it back onto your credit card. The choice is yours.

... If you don't understand my ridiculous explanation, dear readers (and S), allow the Kiva FAQ to enlighten you: "Kiva is the world's first person-to-person micro-lending website, empowering individuals to lend directly to unique entrepreneurs in the developing world...When you browse entrepreneurs' profiles on the site, choose someone to lend to, and then make a loan, you are helping a real person make great strides towards economic independence and improve life for themselves, their family, and their community. Throughout the course of the loan (usually 6-12 months), you can receive email journal updates and track repayments. Then, when you get your loan money back, you can re-lend to someone else in need."

Here is exactly how your money gets to the people you wish to donate to...

1) Lenders like you browse profiles of entrepreneurs in need, and choose someone to lend to. When they lend, using PayPal or their credit cards, Kiva collects the funds and then passes them along to one of our microfinance partners worldwide.

2) Kiva's microfinance partners distribute the loan funds to the selected entrepreneur. Often, our partners also provide training and other assistance to maximize the entrepreneur's chances of success.

3) Over time, the entrepreneur repays their loan. Repayment and other updates are posted on Kiva and emailed to lenders who wish to receive them.

4) When lenders get their money back, they can re-lend to someone else in need, donate their funds to Kiva (to cover operational expenses), or withdraw their funds.

Unlike some organisations, which take a little of your dollar-a-day money for profit in order to keep the business running, Kiva gives all money directly to the organisation which put the asking entrepreneur's profile online, who in tern gives it directly to the entrepreneur! What an awesome and simple way to make a huge difference in the lives of others! Not only are you helping people, but you're guaranteed return of your money after the loan term ends!

I, myself have donated through Kiva, and will continue donating through Kiva for what I expect will be quite a while. I am a student, however, I find it fairly easy to put in $25.00 a month to someone who I think really deserves a chance at life, rather than go to the movies for an evening. It's amazing what this site is doing - allowing us to connect with people in need and really see them for more than a bunch of wide-eyed disease ridden hopeless people. They are people who are aware that their building a business will help them and also help their communities. They are educated, prepared and excited to work and have more than a poverty stricken life. I find that altogether an admirable quality in people. I wish I had drive like they do (although I'm thankful for what I have, and in no way am I saying that our situations are similar). I hope to have enlightened you today, and influenced you somehow to want to make a difference. :)

DFTBA, S!

I hope you're having fun at Parelli in Florida, while we're freezing our asses of here!

Can't wait for you to get my care package!!! XD

-xo

Quick! Link me to Kiva!

More about Nerdfighters/ Vlogbrothers:

www.nerdfighters.ning.com

www.brotherhood2.com

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brotherhood_2.0

www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=brotherhood%202.0

www.sparksflyup.com (John Green's website)

www.ecogeek.org (Hank Green's website)

www.twitter.com/ecogeek (Follow Hank!)

www.kiva.org/lender/crystal3160 (my Kiva page!)

An Apology For Writing So Much Upon This Post

Good evening, S!

It's almost Monday, September 22nd  and I totally know that I haven't posted in awhile!

Kick me in the head if you like, but I assure you it will not make me any more willing to update this blog. I feel like since I have recently started school, I haven't the time to worry about travel or adventures. As sad as this may be, I'm constantly thinking up different things to write about during my free time anyways. So coming up  soon is the continuation of the A-Z list of places I'd rather be, as well as a lovely post about fall/autumnal equinox customs worldwide and of course a mandatory Hallowe'en post (which not only includes Salem, but Trier and the United Kingdom)! YAY! So have no fear, S! You'll definitely be seeing more of my crappy writing style soon!

On a completely different note:

To all those who pass through my blog via the Random Blog button,

Welcome! If you are wondering why I start my posts with wishing "S" a good day, it is because it's a simple way to say hello to my one and only reader. If you know of the Vlogbrothers on Youtube (link in the sidebar), then you can understand my penchant for writing this. I hope you enjoyed perusing my blog! Have a great day! -C

... that was needed. I always click the random button on blogs, and there is always some kind of strange quirk in people's writing styles that is never quite explained. Hopefully I'll post tomorrow morning (or that would be this morning for you because you're at work right now)!

So I'll write to you soon!

Hope you have a good evening!

Don't forget to be awesome,

-C

ps: the title is a reference to one of my favourite poems, 'An apology for writing so much upon this book', by Margaret Cavendish

News Flash: Ruins of Villages Found Where They're Not Meant To Be!

Good afternoon, S!
It's Friday, August 29th and this is my second post this week!

"What in Bob Hope's name is going on?!" You exclaim.
"Well," I reply in a stitch, "I am in love with the Internet. I also have a tendency to share."

Before I even start this post, I'd like to formally apologize for the atrocious spelling and grammatical errors of Tuesday's post. I was abhorred to re-read the post and find many unfinished sentences. I think it scared me for life.

... Done? Yes? Ok? Alright, let's move on!

I've already show this link to you S, but you understand that I have a giant need to over-research all information that comes into my gabby little hands. Mental Floss posted a short story about the recent discovery of indigenous village ruins in the Amazon Rain forest. My reply to this was to sit there and feel bad for all the possible historic sites that the giant corporations are destroying along with millions of acres of trees each year. Yours, however, was more simple:

S says: that's so cool!
S says: the amazon is such a big giant secret really?
S says: no one really goes there?

This got the cogs in my mind on a path they have gone to many times before. I like to call this hazardous path: 'the way to Questionvilleton.' It's a path filled with awesome but completely useless facts which latch on to you as you pass by, so that they won't be forgotten in with the dregs of history; It's a sad, strange little place.


My thought process went as such:

"Yeah, why does no one go into the Amazon?
Is it the snakes? It must be the snakes.
Who knew so many people are afraid of snakes?
Snakes. Snakes. Indiana Jones. Harrison Ford. Calista Flockhart. Ally
McBeal. Fox. Fox is a stupid channel. Who watches Fox anyways? NBC. ABC. Grey's Anatomy. Tumors. My fear of one day having a tumor..."

... then after a long, long time of thoughts like those, I started pondering the remote villages in the Amazon, the ruins and the cultures that used to live there. Here is a summary of what I found, plus some sites to visit:


It turns out that there are all kinds of ruins and villages placed all over the Amazonian Rain Forest and, thankfully, its not just the tree-killing cooperations that are visiting them. There are all kinds of tours and excursions that incooperate seeing the rain forest into their planned activities (see below).

Moreover, the 'lost villages' that Mental_Floss was talking about are a vast series of villages in a secluded region of Brazilian rain forest, known as the the Upper Xingu area, which were probably inhabited by the Kuikuro Indians. The exciting things about these villages are that they are comparable to those of Greek and Roman rural villages, complete will defense walls and roads connecting the villages in a kind of grid. Moreover, the settlements employed agricultural and food gathering tactics similar to those that nationalistic European colonies did. And all of this was found in a forest that everyone thought to be too young to hold any kind of cultural significance!

What happened to these poor villages, and why didn't we find them sooner? They've been over run with miles of green forestry for hundreds of years, of course! According to the BBC article on the subject: "the people who once lived in the settlements are thought to have been wiped out by European colonists and the diseases they brought with them."

Hope you enjoyed the (albeit, short) history lesson, S!
DFTBA this weekend!
Always remember: internet is the shiz.
Especially when you can post from home!

-xo

PS: Here are two lists. The first contains links to articles about the Brazilian village, and the second contains links about vacations to Amazonian areas and fun things to do there.

List one:
* BBC: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7586860.stm
* The economist: http://www.economist.com/science/displaystory.cfm?story_id=12001815#top
*Associated Press: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26440219/
* Reuters: http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N28350657.htm
* The guy who found the villages: http://www.clas.ufl.edu/users/mheckenb/
* The people who reside there: http://socioambiental.org/pib/epienglish/xingu/exped.shtm

List two:
* http://www.discoverbrazil.com/
* http://www.amazonvacation.com/amazon_cruise_map.cfm
* http://www.how2vacation.com/VacationPackages/location/Amazon.aspx
* http://www.travbuddy.com/Amazon-travel-guide-1320100

PPS: Upon doing a little after-post reading, I discovered that the government is considering what to do with land that rightfully belongs to the indigenous peoples of Brazil. Way back in 2005, the leader of Brazil, Luiz Inácio da Silva, decided to create settlements that would manage and house the native populations of their country, much like reservations do here in Canada and the United States. There has been a lot of uproar over the settlement, especially when the government tried to evict all non-indigenous peoples from the land. Some are blaming outside-forces for the interests in settlements. In the article I read (which you too should read), one man who was being evicted said: "History will show who is selling Brazil and who is defending the nation." The Supreme Court is currently ruling on whether the settlement should be reduced in size or not.

Personally, I just wish they wouldn't seclude the natives into one area. It honestly hasn't helped anyone here, as far as I am concerned, and has only induced a little bit more discrimination and stereotypes to a minority population.

Lets Bowl! Lets Bowl! Lets Rock And Roll! Hey Common Lets Get The Show On The Road!

Good Afternoon S!
It's Tuesday, August 26th - your sister's birthday!

This post combines my two favourite things which I wish I did more: seeing museums and traveling. It kind of makes my feelings hurt a bit, you see. Luckily, I obtained an interview for an animator postion at a museum downtown, so hopefully that will be remedied!

Therefore, in honour of some of my favourite things (but not the seven things I like about you.. which is a horrible song, seriously), I present to you the following link! These are all recently remodeled museums that turned out adorble, inspiring, and . Fittingly, these places that house some of the most gorgeous paintings and artifacts in the world have now become conversation pieces themselves. Also, this link is in slide show form, which is always fun!

This may seem like a short post and a little not worth it, but when digg gives me a link that I oogle over and re-read (or in this case, watch) over and over, I share!

Don't forget to be awesome, S.
I'll see you tonight for cake!
-xo

Oh! 'And what of the title,' I hear you asking. Well, it may seem random, but its not. Especially for T, on her birthday (but a little for me too):