Florence (10/27-28)

From masterpieces by Michelangelo to the Ponte Vecchio - the Medici Family brought the best to Firenze or 'Florence' making it a fantastic stop for beautiful art and architecture (along with great food and a little shopping).

For photos, click here.

Florence

Daniel

We stayed a little ways outside of the city center at Hotel Ungherese. (With the traffic laws in Florence, it is actually illegal to actually drive/park in the city center) The hotel was warm & pet friendly. Plus, they made some of the best cappuccinos we have ever had. Zookie made quick friends with the hotel owner, and she shared stories about her "puppy" which she pronounced "poopy." It was too funny to correct the tiny mistake.

Trying to see Florence in two days, especially if you haven't been there before, is just exhausting. In addition to all the sights, described below, we did have some authentic travel experiences--mostly thanks to Zookie!

Traveling with a dog in Europe is great because it gives you the opportunity to interact with people that you never would otherwise. All during our trip, old Italian men, little Italian children, and locals and tourists of all ages wanted to meet our fabulous pup! Unfortunately, we don't speak Italian, so we couldn't really communicate with most people, but we knew that Kane means dog, and besides, we can tell when Zookie has an admirer that wants to make friends with him. (We did learn to say "Posso potare mi Kane destra?" which means "Can I bring my dog inside?"...invaluable when we were trying to bring Zookie to dinner, in shops, or on buses--where he was technically not supposed to go.)

No where in Italy was this Zookie fan club more apparent than in Florence. There was the old man in Piazza della Republica, who kept tricking Zookie by whistling. Zookie couldn't figure out where the funny noise was coming from and kept looking around to find its source. Then, there was the Italian family with the toddler who really wanted to pet the doggy, but was still a little afraid. And the funniest experience was when three old Italian women actually stole Zookie from Dan when they were riding on the bus into Florence. Dan was trying to keep Zookie from investigating these women's shopping bags, when, suddenly, one of the women just took his leash and brought him over to their seats! Hilarious, especially because neither party could communicate with each other!

We visited a lot of sites in and around Florence so listed below are some of the major highlights. Each day we jumped on a bus that took us right to the heart of town where the Duomo towered over the central piazza. Day or night the scenary was beautiful.

Bargello Museum - full of Renaissance sculpture including two versions of David by Donatello and Verrocchio, stark contrasts to the more famous interpretation by Michelangelo. We spent a morning checking out the highlights before we hit the ultimate in Italian painting, the Uffizi Gallery.

The Uffizi Gallery - Florence was at the heart of the Renaissance and the Uffizi can take you on a walk through history as realistic art evolved during the Renaissance. Some of the best Italian paintings are found within the 'U-shaped building, including the Madonna and Child by Gioto (example of flat art during medival times) and Birth of Venus by Botticelli (Epitome of the exploding realism in art).

Ponte Vecchio - the famous bridge over the Arno River. While touring the Uffizi, we caught a glimpse of the secret passage that the Medicis used. We also took a stroll with Zookie on the bridge covered with small traditional shops that still sell gold and silver.

Accademia - a fantastic collection of sculpture including Michelangelo's masterpieces. We stared in awe at just how beautifully he carved David out of a block of marble. This statue is amazing to see in person (unfortunately they don't allow photos in the museum). They also have a interesting collection of the The Prisoners. These massive statues still remain from the unfinished commission for Pope Julius II (he also commissioned Michelangelo for the Sistine Chapel). The statues look as though they are coming to life, trying to break free from the marble they are still encased within. The most impressive part of these marble rocks is that Michelangelo was known to work completely freehand and chipped away at the stone from front to back until he was satisfied.

Baptistery - Known for its famous bronze doors whose panels were sculpted by Ghiberti who won a contest to earn the project. Brunelleschi lost the competions, fortunately since he went on to design and build the dome that covers the Duomo.

Duomo (Santa Maria del Fiore) - beautiful architecture and impressive science behind the facade. The structure that sits atop the dome is about the size of the Baptistery building, which gives you a sense of scale. The Duomo was actually built with a hole awaiting a dome in its roof...nevermind that this was before the techonology was available to span such an area. Brunelleschi solved that problem, and many others copied this first Renaissance dome in years to come.

Duomo Mueseum - contains Ghiberti's original (and Bruno's) panels submitted for the Baptistery door competition. It also showcases a Pieta statue that Michaelangelo originally carved for his own tomb and a unique Donatello statue of Mary Magdalene carved from wood.

Medici Chapels - You can almost see into the mind of Michelangelo while visiting here. He had free reign on the architecture, sculpture, and subject matter. These partly unfinished chapels/tombs celebrate the Medici family patrons who supported M through numerous commissions during his lifetime. You can even see the sketches and scribbling of Michelangelo and his assistants as they filled in the architectural space with sculpture and paintings.

Church of Santa Maria Novella - filled with beautiful frescoes as well as signs of the growing Renassaince. The inside of the Church was built to magnify the visual impression - the floor is slanted upwards as you work towards the altar. Also, the collonade narrows as you appoach the altar making the Chruch seem longer, taller, and more grandiose.

Eating in Florence

We also had some fantastic cuisine. Our favorite dinner meal in Florence was at Il Cibreo. Rich, filling Tuscan plates made this place a winner. We actually ate at the Trattoria, which does not accept reservations, has equally good food, and lower prices. (Via Andrea del Verrocchio 8r. 055-2341100)

We also dined at Filipepe, which has a more upscale Mediteranian menu. (Via de San Niccolo 39r 055-2001397)

We also enjoyed a great meal at Osteria de Benci a well known trattoria with great desserts (Via de Benci 13r 055-234-4923)

We did not make it to Acqua al Due on this trip, because we did not make a reservation in time. This was a favorite places from one of Kim's previous trips here. And, they surprisingly opened a second location in San Diego, which we have been to. Great pasta. (Via della Vigna Vecchia 40/r 055-284170)

Oh yes, and we did some shoping for leather goods. Kim found a good deal on purses while Dan finally bought another pair of shoes (at least they are Italian and stylish). We also spent a few hours touring the many street markets as we walked around the city.

Lucca & Pisa (10/26-27)

Lucca and Pisa introduced us to the Romanesque remains and Renaissance glory that endured in Italy. And Zookie had a good time too, running around the ramparts of Lucca and riding in bicycle baskets...

Daniel

For photos, click here.

Lucca & Pisa

Our first stop in Italy was Lucca, a town known for it's surrounding ramparts and Romanesque style within the town walls. Since we arrived in the evening, we spent our first night wandering the town. The old churches, cathedral, and medieval walls were all dramatically illuminated, making the architecture tower above. Although, the town within the walls was relatively quiet, we came across many couples and locals enjoying the tranquility.

The next day, we explored more of the town streets - narrow and picturesque under the sun. We got a light breakfast at Caffe di Simo, where Puccini is said to have frequented. Since Zookie was with us, he got a lot of attention from the proprietor - she eventually insisted on a piece of Parmesan cheese for Zookie. (He earned his treat by performing some tricks of course!)

Food was consistently amazing--you know we enjoy eating through our travels. One highlight was Locanda Di Bacco, Via San Giorgio 36, where we had a fantastic lunch. Zookie won the heart of our waitress (yet,again). So while we were enjoying our fine cuisine, Zookie got a fresh bowl of water to keep him occupied.

One of the best parts of Lucca, were the Ramparts. During Lucca's history, they invested nearly a third of their income in these protective walls, which today serve as parks and running/bicycling paths. We took advantage well maintained walkways atop the ramparts and rented bicycles for the day to enjoy the views. Zookie came along and ran alongside as we biked the ramparts.

The next day we set out for Pisa - yep the one one with the original leaning tower. Because Pisa is so over run with tourists and the sights are concentrated in a small area - we planned to just spend a few hours there on our way to Florence. The very touristy center of Pisa, the Campo dei Miracoli (Field of Miracles) is scenic array of grand Romanique buildings: The Leaning Tower, Duomo or Cathedral, and the Baptistry are the stand outs.

We spent time exploring the Duomo/Cathedral and the Baptistry. Each building shows just how powerful Pisa was during the 1200's. The Cathedral contained a masterpiece marble podium sculpted by Giovanni Pisano (his father, a fellow sculptor, carved the pulpit in the nearby Baptistry). Finally we made that long and very slanted climb up the leaning tower. Structural improvements in recent years has opened the tower up to tons of tourists clambering to the top.

Sidenote: Having grown up in Evanston, IL, I often drove by the Leaning Tower of Niles - now I can say that I experienced the real thing.

After a few hours in Pisa we grabbed a mediocre, but not horribly overpriced, gelato and hit the road again: destination Florence.

Burgundy, France (10/24 & 11/6)

After three hard weeks of work, we had our first vacation...got to love the French working system! For the "Vacances de Toussaint" we spent two weeks in Italy, but rather than fly or take the train, we decided to take a more leisurely pace and drive. We stopped in Burgundy both on our way to and back from Italia. Read below for our culinary and wine tasting (oh, and historical) adventures. And don't miss the photos...Zookie went to a classy restaurant and ordered of the "Menu Toutou pour les chiens!"

Kimberly

For photos, click here.

Burgundy

Lyon

We got a late start out of Paris on Friday night, so it was a race to make it to Lyon before Restaurant Paul Bocuse closed for the evening. After having watched the "Bocuse D'Or" cooking competition (think Olympics for chefs) on the Food Network, we have always wanted to eat at Paul Bocuse's restaurant in Lyon. And driving to Italy was our perfect chance! M. Bocuse is one of the most famous chefs in the world, widely credited with being one of the first chefs to emerge from the kitchen and to enter public life. He is also known for creating the "Nouvelle Cuisine" movement in France: a focus on fresh ingredients of highest quality over heavy sauces. Needless to say, dinner was superb! The dessert cart and cheese course (during both of which we could choose as many items as we wanted) were the definite highlights.

The next day, we had just the morning to spend in Lyon before heading off on our six hour drive through the Alps to Italy. Although we spent only a short time in the city of Lyon, we really enjoyed it and would like to return some day. The Roman ruins (in both the Amphitheatre and Museum) are spectacular. And the Basilique Notre -Dame de Fourvière is one of the most delightful churches I have visited. Our favorite part of the town was the "vielle ville" where traditional architecture remains, including the famous "traboules" or connective passageways.

The layout of Vieux Lyon is such that there are very few connecting streets running perpendicular to the river. These shortcuts thus allowed workmen and craftsmen to transport clothes and other textiles through the city while remaining sheltered from inclement weather. However, they served other purposes throughout history too...especially for the resistance during WWII. The traboules of Lyon are often credited as one of the reasons why the occupying Nazis were unable to take complete control of these areas.

After purchasing the necessary picnic supplies for our drive to Italy, we set off on the road. The drive was just as beautiful as we could hope for. The leaves were changing colors, so all the hills were different shades of green, yellow, orange, and red. All the way to Lucca, we truly enjoyed the scenery.

Beaune

On our way back to Paris, we stopped this time in a different part of Burgundy, near the celebrated wine village of Beaune. Since we were driving, we booked ourselves at a chateau in a small town of Auxey-Duresses just a ten minute drive outside of Beaune. Yes, you heard right, a chateau! It was Chateau de Melin and was absolutely beautiful. We were the only guests, since it was low season. Our room was enormous and beautifully furnished...and there is just something amazing about staying in a chateau in France.

During the day, we drove around the beautiful countryside and visited some tasting rooms. Unlike in Napa or Sonoma, it is quite unusual to visit the wineries themselves (and you must make reservations in advance). But you can stop in the tasting rooms in many of the small towns where they will offer you several glasses of different wines from the region, and the option to purchase your favorites. We also visited the Hotel Dieu (Charity Hospital) in Beaune. The highlight of the trip was certainly our dinner at Le Relais de la Diligence...and most certainly the highlight of Zookie's entire European experience thus far. They actually have a "Menu Toutou" pour les chiens (for the dogs)...so he feasted on ground beef, pasta, and doggie biscuits, while we had venison and steak. If anything, it made for some hilarious photos!

Bilbao (10/16)

With friends all over the world, I guess it's only natural that we might be attending a wedding in Bilbao, Spain....but I never would have guessed it! Read below about our quick weekend Spanish getaway.

Kimberly

For photos, click here.

Bilbao

I never would have guessed that I would be attending a wedding in Bilbao, Spain. And I certainly never would have imagined that 20 of my classmates (or their significant others) from the Stanford GSB would also be there with me. But I guess this is what happens when you go to business school, join a ski house where you are the only student from the U.S., and attend Jazz Fest in New Orleans with a Dutchman, Israeli, Japanese, and Spaniard. And that is where I got to know Jaime Rodriguez. To be fair, we actually met during the "Global Exchange" program during our first quarter at the GSB. We were matched up to meet for coffee and exchange perspectives. But we really got to know each other over the two years, most especially while touring the French Quarter of New Orleans and listening to some great Jazz at the festival.

The wedding was so beautiful, and a completely different experience (dinner wasn't served until 11pm...dancing started at 1am...and the night finished at 4:30am...) The wedding was held at the Casa de Misericordia and was a pretty traditional Catholic ceremony...except it was in Spanish, so who knows what we missed! And the reception was wonderful and held in a beautiful historical building called the Sociedad Bilbaina. Most of all though, it was so wonderful to have a mini-reunion with so many GSB classmates. All in told, there were 20 GSBers (and SOs) there from all over the world. (I'm not sure if Rio or Max wins the award for most miles flown to get to the wedding, from Tokyo v. Mexico City, respectively). Being with so many of our classmates made me realize how much I really miss the excitement of being around GSBers...I always knew it was a special experience, but I don't think I really appreciated how amazing it is when you put a group of us in the same room...something really magical happens.

Of course, we did a little sightseeing while we were in Bilbao. I mean, we couldn't possibly visit the city and not see the famous Guggenheim museum. I expected to hate the museum...really I did. But I found it incredibly intriguing and actually quite beautiful. The architecture really is something completely astonishing...and the art inside, well, lets just say that for modern art, it's actually not that bad.

We also wandered around the Casco Viejo, the old neighborhood of the city. We met a big group of GSB classmates for tapas is the Plaza Nueva...and then afterward, Dan and I decided we were still hungry, so we went for Jamon Iberico at Victor Montez. It was superb!

We got really lucky and snagged a last minute deal on Expedia to stay at the Hotel Carlton. It's still a place to see and be seen: Today you are likely to see such celebrities as Chelsea Clinton or Pierce Brosnan. In days of yore, it was Albert Einstein, Ernest Hemingway, or Ava Gardner. In the Civil War, the hotel was the seat of the Basque government.

The best part was that the hotel was apparently overbooked, so they upgraded us to a two-room suite! (Don't ask why they didn't upgrade someone else who was paying the rack rate...I'm not complaining!) And it made up for the fact that we had to pay twice for our plane tickets...yes, you read that correctly. Important tip for anyone flying in Europe: almost all airplane tickets are completely non-changeable. This means no standby too! So if you miss your flight (because you overslept and the RER was having mechanical problems), too bad for you. You must purchase an entirely new ticket...at the walk-up full-fare rate. (That is unless you cry and explain the situation...then they might let you buy entirely new tickets at a discounted rate...which will still be more than what you probably paid for your tickets in the first place.) Yes, I am dead serious. Be careful about this one!

Paris-our first month (09/21-10/24)

Our first month in Paris...what an adventure! If you haven't already read Stephen Clarke's "A Year in the Merde," you really should. It's great for a laugh, and should be required reading for anyone moving to the "City of Light." Yes, there really is that much bureaucracy in France...and yes, you do learn to be that patient...but, yes, life is good, the city is romantic, and the cheese is phenomenal.

For photos, click here.

Paris-Our First Month

Kimberly

We arrived in Paris on September 22nd, 2006. Miraculously, we all made it...including our 7 pieces of overweight luggage! Zookie didn't seem to upset by his experience in the cargo hold, except that I think he really needed to go to the bathroom....we think he actually held it the whole time! As Murphy's Law would have it - with all the documenting, certifying, microchiping, etc for Zookie to go to Europe. The security officer at the Paris airport simply gave Kim the crate, and we walked out the door with no more than a glance at Zookie's certificate.

We had already made arrangements to stay in an apartment in the 7th arrondissement, right near the "Bon Marche" department store for the first three weeks. The girl who lived there was going on vacation to Spain, and this provided us a place to stay while we found something more permanent. We knew it wasn't going to be easy because 1) We were looking for a short-term lease 2) We had a dog and 3) We're American. As it turned out, the first two didn't cause a problem at all...Paris seems to be set up for short-term furnished apartment rentals...and everyone LOVES dogs! The issue was our being American, not so much being American, but not being French. In addition to having no credit history in France, foreigners face this dilemma...you need to have a French bank account to rent an apartment, but you need to have an address to open a French bank account... such is the system of French bureaucracy!

After hunting and hunting, we found a wonderful place through an agent that specializes in renting to expats (thus, no annoying French hoops to jump through). It is 40 square meters, which is rather large for a 1BR apartment by Parisian standards. (Yes, that is 400 square feet.) The location is unbeatable though, on the left bank, right near St. Michel, Notre Dame, and St. Germain de Pres...we are really in the heart of Paris, a short walk from almost everything!

We didn't start our teaching jobs until October, so that gave us some time to get settled and situated. We both teach just south of Paris: Kimberly in Montrouge, and Daniel in Bagneux. Kimberly is teaching at a Lycee (or high school) and Daniel splits his week between two different Colleges (or middle schools). Our first two weeks of teaching were actually just "observation"--so we had a chance to see how the classroom dynamic differs from the U.S. The classroom dynamic is much more formal: when a teacher walks into the room, all the students stand until they are told to sit (imagine a judge walking into a courtroom!). The kids all go home at lunchtime...in fact, it seems that they are not allowed to be at the school when they are not in class. So when the bell rings, they have five minutes to get out of the building. Oh, and at middle school, they have a very regimented system for how to take notes: three pens (red, blue, and black) and a ruler...Dan still hasn't figured out what is for what...

During my first few weeks, things went really well. My kids are great (almost all of them). I had only one class where the kids had no questions except 1) How old are you? 2) Are you married? and 3) Are you for or against the war in Iraq? Other than that class, the kids are all very engaged and really interested in talking with me about life in America. They do all ask about Iraq/President Bush within the first 5 minutes (there is only one correct answer to these questions if you live in France)...oh, and they want to know if I own a gun. Funny how a biased media can completely shape a nation's perception of another country....living over here has really made me wonder about how the media affects Americans' views of the world...

The other teachers are so nice and welcoming...I was shocked that my boss organized a welcome party for me and cooked all these crepes (all the other teachers brought cidre...which is my favorite!). I did not appreciate at all what the hardest part of the job might be for me...integrating with the other teachers. I have a whole newfound appreciation for how hard it must have been for all the international students at the GSB. Every time we had a coffee break, I dreaded going to the lunch room because I didn't know how to socialize with the other teachers...I mean my French is OK, but not great...and I wasn't exactly going to butt into any conversations where I only understood 30% of what was being said... It felt really overwhelming! And, like I said, the teachers were all SO nice and friendly, but still it was very intimidating. I'm sure that as I get to know a few of them more closely, friendships will develop and it will become easier.

Oh, and during the lunch hour on my first day (after my party), the teachers had a meeting to organize themselves for a possible strike because the government is proposing a new measure which would mandate the exact curriculum in all the classes, and the teachers would be observed to make sure they don't stray from the curriculum. It was fascinating to watch the "greve" process in action...on my first day of work!

My boss is really encouraging and very supportive. He spent a long time trying to sort out the classes I'm teaching so I have an easier work schedule...and he managed to arrange things so I have to work only on Thursdays and Fridays! Isn't that crazy?! I have 5 day weekends every week!!

Obviously, this leaves a lot of time for traveling and exploring Paris. We have been to most of the major museums and eaten in many wonderful (but awfully expensive) restaurants. We even took a weekend trip to Bilbao Spain, for the wedding of a Stanford classmate of mine! Oh, and after only three weeks of teaching, we were off on a two-week vacation for "Toussaint" holiday. (literally All Saints Day). We'll try to post photos soon from that trip through central France and in Italy.

In the meanwhile, here are some our favorites, The Best of Paris:

Best Cheese: St. Marcellin (a creamy cheese that melts as it reaches room temperature, so they serve it in a ramekin and you eat it with a spoon).

Best Restaurants:

La Litote
24, rue Bosquet - 75007 Paris - Tel: 01 45 51 78 82
http://www.la-litote-paris.com/
(An amazing little restaurant with surprisingly contemporary decor, warm service, and amazing Provence inspired food...and it is incredibly reasonably priced for Paris.)

Le P'tit Troquet
28, rue de l'Exposition - 75007 Paris Tel: 01 47 05 80 39
(Traditional French Bistro food at its best. The 30 Euro prix fixe for three courses is a steal!)

L'As du Falafel
34, Rue des Rosiers - 75004 Paris - Tel: 01 48 87 63 60
(Yes, this is THE famous falafel place in the Marais (the old Jewish Quarter)...and yes, it is Lenny Kravitz's favorite falafel place...and yes, I do think it's the best falafel in the world!)

A Priori The
35, Galerie Vivienne - 75002 Paris - Tel : 01 42 97 48 75
(Wonderful Salon du The (meaning open only in the afternoons for lunch and tea) that also serves a fabulous Sunday brunch. It is run by an American woman who makes what might be the best brownies and cheesecake I have ever had.)

Oh, and if you are hungry at any odd hour of the day or night, you cannot go wrong with any one of the following French staples, found all over the city.
-Crepe (Nutella)
-Panini (Mozarella et Tomates)
-Millefeuille
-Pain au Chocolat
-Macaroon
-Tarte framboise
....and the list goes on!

Kenya (8/28-8/31)

The Wildebeest Migration!!! Every summer over 1.4 million wildebeest and 200,000 zebra and gazelle, relentlessly tracked by Africa’s great predators, migrate from the Tanzanian Serengeti to Kenya's Masai Mara in search of rain ripened grass. And we were there to see it! Read below for amusing stories, watch incredible (and some rather graphic) videos, and see some amazing photos!

For photos, click here:

Masai Mara

Kimberly

I already explained that the concentration of wildlife in Ngorongoro made South Africa look like nothing special...well, the Masai Mara was in an even different league! We were there during the annual Wildebeest migration, which meant not only that there were lots of Wildebeest, but also many other herbivores who accompanied them on their journey (Zebra & Gazelles mostly)..not to mention the predators that follow closely looking for a tasty meal. The variety of wildlife was really just astonishing.

We had to transfer to the smaller Wilson airport for our "bush plane" flight to the Mara. We saw other planes leaving that were just tiny...so we were surprised when our plane arrived. It was a normal sized passenger jet. And we were really shocked to learn that we would be the forth stop in the Mara....meaning our giant plane took off and landed on the dirt "runway"in the middle of the Masai Mara reserve three times before we got to our stop!

On our first game drive that evening, our guide asked us what we wanted to see. I told him that we had seen everything except Cheetah, so if he could find us one, that would be great. Sure enough, in about twenty minutes he had found us, not one, but two Cheetah brothers! They were literally feet away from the safari vehicle and very undisturbed by our presence. Of all the animals we saw on our trip, I found these the most beautiful by far. There is something just so graceful about the way they walk and stand, surveying the territory. In fact, I think Dan and I both found them a little too enthralling...as, at one point, we were both unknowingly hanging out of the windows of the vehicle to get better vantage points for photos....Dan was videoing one Cheetah when, all of a sudden, he realized the other one was walking directly underneath him...yes, like within petting (or attacking) distance. Watch the video here, it's one of my favorites from the entire trip! Cheetah close encounter

We were staying at the Fig Tree Camp, which is located on the Talek river in the center of the park. Our deluxe "tent" was certainly the nicest tent I have ever stayed in. This place was nothing like the luxury safari resorts we stayed at in South Africa, but it was still quite nice. The tent is kind of like a tent built into a hotel bungalow. So there was a full bathroom attached, electricity, normal beds and closets...just a tent for a roof and a door. It was quite a nice way to experience the bush without actually camping. The hotel was fine, but nothing special. Meals were dreadful...really, just awful. The guides were O.K., but the big problem is that they just stick you in a car with a random group of people for every drive. We were told that we could go out for an extended drive and eat our breakfast or lunch in the bush (which is the only way you can get to the other parts of the park...where the wildebeest are, for example). However, they kept putting us with groups of people who were leaving that day, and thus couldn't take the extended game drive.

Finally, on our last day, we managed to put together a group so we could have breakfast in the bush. It was amazing! We sat on a log in the middle of the savannah and ate our yogurt with the chorus of nearby wildebeest in the background. Afterwards we continued on to the eastern part of the park where we found thousands of wildebeest frolicking with hundreds of other animals...at one point, we counted 12 giraffe, 30 zebra, 5 hartebeest, 6 topi, not to mention the thousands (yes, literally thousands) of wildebeest! And then came the real treat...we really lucked out...we managed to arrive at the Mara river at the same time as a herd of Wildebeest. This is the really famous crossing, where the animals hurl themselves off the cliff into the river and try to swim across before a crocodile, lion, or other predator gets to them first.

It was fascinating to watch the chaos and disorder of the whole thing. First there were a bunch of wildebeest on the far side of the river who seemed to want to cross. They came all the way down to the bank of the river to drink, but no one wanted to be the first in the water. But then, all of a sudden another herd of Wildebeest arrived from behind us and stood at the top of the cliff moaning. After about twenty minutes of the wildebeest running back and forth, probably encouraging each other to just jump in already, the wildebeest on our side of the river started plunging into the water and scrambling across to the other side. Here is a video of the crossing: Wildebeest Mara River crossing.

The other highlight of our trip was certainly the Hot Air Balloon flight we took over the Masai Mara one morning. I have never done a balloon flight before, but I think I have certainly been spoiled for life now! The view of the thousands of Wildebeest, often lined up in a single-file-line (don't ask why) moving slowly across the Mara plains...it was absolutely breathtaking. And every time our balloon pilot fired the torch, the animals would get startled and start stampeding...it was amazing! We landed the balloon only a few kilometers from the Tanzanian border, where a full champagne breakfast was waiting for us. No, I am not joking, they even had an omelet station! Here are some videos from our flight:
Hot air balloon inflating
Hot air balloon launch
Wildebeest migration from balloon
Wildebeest frolicking, view from Hot Air Balloon

The only thing that we did not see during our safari adventures was a hunt. Every time we found predators, we hoped they were hungry, because we really wanted to watch the chase. Unfortunately, no luck for us. We did manage to stumble upon a very fresh kill one afternoon though. A pack of Lions had just hunted a Wildebeest, and we were there to watch the last few moments of its life...followed by some very graphic meal-time. There was one point where one of the female lions had her head completely inside the Wildebeest's gut! If you are curious, here is some video from the meal: Lion dinner time. There was this one lion cub that was very enthusiastic about the process....he decided that he wanted to try to eat the Wildebeest's head. He started with the horn, but wasn't sure what to do with that...then he went for it's teeth and lips...he had positioned himself on top of its head, straddling its neck...and then he fell off. It was hilarious! We have a short video of the antics, Lion cub kissing wildebeest (But lots of pictures.)

If you are interested in other videos, here are some highlights from other parts of our trip.

Elephants bully Giraffe
Hyena breakfast (graphic)
Lion cub has an itch
Wildebeest playtime
Hakuna Matata, again
Masai Jumpers

Tanzania (8/25-8/27)

After relaxing in Zanzibar, we landed in mainland Tanzania for quick safari trip to Ngorongoro Crater, but not before first visiting a nearby village of Ng'iresi for a glimpse into the lifestyle of the semi-nomadic Tanzanian Maasai. It was just amazing.
For photos, click here.

Tanzania

Kimberly

For this portion of our trip, we had pre-booked everything with a safari operator. Yes, you can just show up and hope to find something...but that something may be really shoddy-and in August, there may be nothing available. And it is just a better idea to book your safari through a reputable operator. Should anyone be planning a trip to Africa, I cannot highly recommend our safari company and travel agent enough. They were both invaluable. In Tanzania, we booked with Roy's Safaris(http://www.roysafaris.com/), who provided us with a private car and driver (something we realized definitely had spoiled us when we arrived in Kenya right afterwards), took us on guided safaris and visits, and booked our lodging and food. It was certainly not cheap, but probably half the price of the "safari" packages most people book...and the quality was amazing. We booked both this safari and our Kenyan one through a travel agent in the U.S. named Susan Wood. http://www.awaytoafricasafaris.com/) She provided an incredible amount of support and guidance: from articles on the Crater and Wildebeest Migration, to tips on what to pack, to advising us on how to get our passports back from the Kenyan Embassy (who had seemed to have taken them hostage just before our trip!).

After arriving in Arusha, we met our guide, Thomas, who took us to the village of Ng'iresi for a cultural visit. Set on the slopes of Mt. Meru, near Kilimanjaro, the village is home to a group of semi-nomadic Maasi...meaning that they no longer wander the country with herds of hundreds of cattle (used for dowries) and now work primarily in agriculture. We were quite surprised at the incredibly lush landscape--it looked just like the coffee and banana plantations I had visited in Honduras...I had to keep reminding myself we were in Africa. We first met with person who runs the project, who explained how all the proceeds from the "cultural tourism" program go into the community to build schools. Robert, a village resident showed us around, first taking us to the school that was built with the first proceeds of the program. We had the opportunity to meet with a teacher and ask him about the curriculum at the school. We also talked with a few students who were studying for the big test that allows entrance to secondary school. Afterward, we visited a family's home, which was actually a circular hut with a metal roof. The mother and her three daughters all sleep in one smoky room. Her two sons that have already gone through the right/ritual of circumcision live in a brick hut next door. In many ways it felt similar to the villages we had visited in Sapa in Northern Vietnam, but somehow more peaceful and tranquil.

After a good night's sleep at the Impala Hotel, we were awoken to a lone man answering the 5am call to prayer. It was really quite beautiful, if not a bit startling of a wake-up call. We rose for an early breakfast as we had a pretty long drive ahead of us to Ngorongoro Crater. All along the road we saw different Maasai settlements and many nomadic Maasai herding their cattle. We tried to snap some photos, but at 100 km/hour it was a bit challenging.

Ngorongoro Crater is often described as one of the natural "wonders of the world"--and I have to agree. It is simply breathtaking. Much larger than I had imagined, the caldera measures 10-12 miles across and has an area of 102 miles sq. The rim, which rises a whopping 2,000 feet, is comprised of surprisingly dense forest and usually is hugged by a misty fog. As we drove into the crater and reached the floor, the fog lifted, and it was suddenly was warm and bright...and then we saw the animals: hundreds of them. Zebra, Wildebeest, Cape Buffalo, Grant's & Thompson's Gazelles, Warthogs, and many birds, all grazing together in an open pastures. The concentration of wildlife was just staggering. It is estimated that there are over 10,000 wildebeest and 5,000 zebra in the crater alone! Take the number of animals we photographed in Kruger, South Africa...I think there were at least 10-20 times as many animals that we did NOT photograph in Ngorongoro!

The crater floor supposedly has the densest concentration of predators in Africa...and from our experience, we can't argue with that statement! In two drives we saw three different entire prides of lions...and some of them more than once! One of the highlights was watching a pride of lions sleeping only a few meters away from our Landrover. All the adults were fast asleep, but two little cubs were up and hungry. We sat and watched them feed, going around from one lioness to another (It's apparently quite common for lionesses to nurse others' young in the same pride--they share the responsibility.) And then there was yet another pride of lions that barely woke from their afternoon nap to lazily watch an entire herd of Cape Buffalo cross their path. We kept hoping for some National Geographic-worthy footage of a lion hunt, but they had apparently feasted enough the night before.

We stayed just on the edge of the crater at the Ngorongoro Sopa Lodge. All the hotel rooms are these enormous individual "huts" with large windows overlooking the crater. At night time we took our flashlight and shined it outside to see if we had any visitors and were surprised to find the reflection of the light on an animal's eyes not to far away. The continual crying and howling gave us the clue that our visitor was a hyena...that was enough to keep us inside!

In the morning, we took another game drive on the floor of the crater. Again, we saw hundreds of animals: lions, zebra, buffalo, jackals, hyenas eating their early morning snack.... The real treat of the day was just before we left though. It is actually rather uncommon to find entire herds of elephants in the crater, usually just a few old bull elephants live on the crater floor all alone. So it was an amazing treat to see a whole pack of elephants walking along the crater wall in a single file line. There were two baby elephants who would keep up with the rest of the group by holding onto the adults' tails with their trunks!

Our time was made even more memorable by the great rapport we developed with our guide, Thomas. He was incredibly knowledgeable about both Tanzania and all the wildlife. But more, he was wonderfully personable. On the drive back to Arusha we talked about our recent marriage on our hopes for the future. He shared with us his personal story, about how grew up in Kilimanjaro and why he had become a guide. He even told us about the hardship he faced last year when his wife suffered an eptopic pregnancy. They were planning to try again this year and hoping to start a family soon. We really hope the best for them, as Thomas was a wonderful ambassador to such a beautiful country.