Stowaway Fall 2015 by Brigham Young University Editing Students

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FALL 2015

On the cover: Intricate details of a wind-powered mill in Kommern openair museum, near Mechernich, Germany Photo by Heribert Pohl

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Happenings: Autumn Storytelling Across America Escapades: Making the Most of Your Bazaar Experience Staff Essay: GlaÇons Parting Shot: Yosemite National Park, California

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24 Not Your Mother’s Museum

Little England: A Ferry Ride Away 48 Hours and $250 in New York City North Meets South: Diversity in Marseille The Sea of Galilee: A Holy Land Oasis

Features

Editor’s Note: Spots of Time

Getaways

X Marks the Spot: Adventure and Gold in the Rocky Mountains Searching for Darkness Weihnachtsmärkte: Christmas in Germany

Not Very Long Ago in a Galaxy Not So Far Away

Connecting with the Past

Culture

Photo by Alan Szalwinski

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Going Fur Crazy: How Russians Stay Warm Fashion Fusion: Japanese Street Style with Western Influences Mamma Mia: Exploring the World of Pizza Back to the Future of Cinema Four Corners of the Kitchen: Coconut

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Of Fungi and Tundras

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Adventures on Australia’s Great Ocean Road Extreme Commuting, Philippines Style Venerating Volunteerism Photo Contest Tales from the Trip

Insider

Endurance and Rediscovery: the Royal Ballet of Cambodia

Field Notes

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Hostels: Do’s and Don’ts When in Rain Done Deal: 6 Tips for a Successful Bargain Flying Red-eye Travel Appropriately Pick-less Pockets Knowing Where You Stand Around and Back Again: My Vacation in Middle Earth

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Shane Peterson

Sara Bitterman

Shanna Clayton

Rachel Gessel

Sam Wright

Hannah Chudleigh

Managing Editor

Assistant Managing Editor

Associate Editor

Copyeditor

Amber Monson

Sarah Decker

Katelyn Bean

Cherie Stewart

Kiersten Cowan

Heather Moon

Copyeditor

Senior Editor

Art Director

Assistant Art Director

Lauren McCombs

Paige Torgerson

Amelia Wallace

Natalie Browning

Erin Willder

Senior Designer

Design Advisor

Editorial Advisor

Editor in Chief

Web Team: *Rachel Gessel, Lauren McCombs, Heather Moon Social Media Team: *Sam Wright, Amber Monson, Paige Torgerson, Katelyn Bean Advertising Team: *Sarah Decker, Hannah Chudleigh, Kiersten Cowan *Team Leader Publisher: Marvin K. Gardner

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Stowaway is produced as a project for English Language 430R, Editing for Publication, the capstone class of the editing minor at Brigham Young University. All staff m embers contributed to planning, writing, editing, designing, and advertising. The views expressed in this publication are solely the views of the authors and do not represent the views or opinions of BYU. Stowaway takes inspiration from the words of Mark Twain: “Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”

editor’s note

Spots of Time that spot more than two hundred years ago and would have seen Wordsworth walking by, muttering his poetry under his breath. Looking back now, I’m surprised I even made the trip, living and working where Wordsworth wrote his immortal verses. I always felt like I was in a perpetual dream state, suspended in time and space. The famous lines from “Ode to the Intimations of Immortality” kept coming to mind: There was a time when meadow, grove, and stream, The earth, and every common sight, To me did seem Apparelled in celestial light, The glory and the freshness of a dream. When I came home and stepped off the plane into the desert sun, I wondered if I had even left at all. It was as though I had only dreamt the trip in a prolonged sleep. After my journey to and from England I realized that traveling doesn’t just involve space or

Photo by Shane Peterson

Last summer, while living in the green and beautiful valley of Grasmere, I felt like I had stepped into the past. I first arrived to this small village in northern England for a summer internship and saw more nature untouched by man or time than I thought possible. In addition to its vibrant color and overabundance of life, everything about Grasmere and the entire Lake District exuded a sense of timelessness that the Romantic poet William Wordsworth tried to capture in his poems. Dove Cottage, the little house he lived in for a time, was still standing, allowing visitors to come and explore life in early eighteenth-century England. Even the church he’s buried at, St. Oswald’s, still holds regular Sunday services. All the while, the forests, streams, trees, ferns, and fells surrounding the little village have an ancient feel to them that seemed entirely undisturbed. The past and the present seemed intertwined: I could have just as easily been visiting

The annual parade for the Rushbearing festival at Grasmere, an ancient tradition where the villagers gather the rushes from around the lake or river, make ornaments out of them, and carry them in a procession to St. Oswald’s chapel.

distance but also time—whether it is taking the time to go and experience something new or to engage yourself with a place, a people, an artifact, or any other facet of another era. Exploring nature can become a journey in time by helping the traveler realize nature’s endlessness. At the same time, places like museums or ancient ruins can educate visitors about the past and the possibilities of the future. In any case, traveling or experiencing something new and foreign can help people discover aspects of history or their time on earth that they had never considered before. In this latest issue of Stowaway, we hope to give you a sense of that love that only comes through traveling and experiencing the past, such as seeing remnants of the ancient Middle East near the the Sea of Galilee (20), visiting dark sky reservations to see the light of old stars finally reaching Earth (28), or experiencing traditional German Christmas markets (34). For those currently unable to go abroad, we have some tips and suggestions for bringing other cultures to your home, from understanding Japanese street fashion (52) to making foreign pizzas (54). Thanks to all the hard work from everyone on the Stowaway staff. Working on this issue has helped us all further understand what it truly means to travel. Travel makes you lose your sense of time, causing you to look back and ask, “Did I really do that? Did that really happen?” I feel the same way having published this the magazine you now hold in your hands.

— Shane Peterson Managing Editor

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happenings

Autumn

Storytel ing Across America

The next time you’re traveling across the United States, consider making a sidestop at the local storytelling festival, and help preserve the oldest form of oral tradition. — Amber Monson

Timpanogos Storytelling Festival

Where: Orem, Utah When: September 3–5 This festival is one of the largest storytelling fesivals in the West. In addition to the festival, Timpanogos Storytelling sponsors several storytelling retreats and conferences. This festival grew at an incredible rate in only 25 years. ▶▶

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timpfest.org

Mural done by Norman Rockwell

Storytelling is no longer limited to campfire circles or children’s reading time at the library. The oral tradition of storytelling lives on in festivals across America. Whether you’re looking for a humorous tall tale, a mystical folk story, or a musical travelogue, storytelling festivals will fill your niche and leave you yearning for more. You can even follow your favorite storytellers across the country. Professional storytellers—including Donald Davis, Clare Murphy, Bil Lepp, Carmen Deedy, Andy Offutt Irwin, and Kevin Kling—attend these storytelling events and often make repeat appearances at various festivals.

happenings

National Storytelling Festival

Where: Jonesborough, Tennessee When: October 2–4 National Storytelling festival is celebrating 43 years of storytelling this year. Although some people believe storytelling is outdated, the storytelling community of Tennessee know there is something inspiring about sharing adventures together. ▶▶

storytellingcenter.net/festival

Storytelling Festival of Carolina Four Corners Storytelling Festival

Where: Farmington, New Mexico When: October 9–10 This storytelling festival specializes in stories about the Old West. Four Corners Storytelling Festival is a great chance to experience the Navajo and Hispanic cultures while getting a glimpse of the past. ▶▶

infoway.org/storytelling/index.asp

Athens Storytelling Festival

Where: Athens, Alabama When: October 21–25 Storytelling invades downtown Athens, Alabama. Athens Storytelling Festival is located in the courthouse square. Visitors can easily appreciate the lost art of storytelling while exploring the differents shops just a block away. ▶▶

Where: Laurinburg, North Carolina When: October 16–18 Performing and visual arts thrive in North Carolina as the community works to create a cultural rich environment through storytelling. Storytelling is a perfect way for children and adults to spend a beautiful autumn night. ▶▶

storyartscenter.org

athensstorytellingfestival.com

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Getaways 10

Not Your Motherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Museum

Little England: A Ferry Ride Away

48 Hours and $250 in New York City

North Meets South: Diversity in Marseille

The Sea of Galilee: A Holy Land Oasis

Get lost in this one-of-a-kind museum in St. Louis, Missouri.

Instead of spending thousands of dollars and taking weeks off to visit England, spend a weekend in Victoria, Canada, for a fraction of the price.

What can you do in the Big Apple in 48 hours with $250?

Experience French-African synthesis in a sunny city three hours from Paris.

Relax and get away from the crowds and visit this scenic and relaxing side of the Holy Land.

Williamsburg Bridge, New York City, New York Photo by Thomas Hawk

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Not Your Mother’s Museum “That’ll be twenty-four dollars, please,” said the worker at the City Museum. “Great, thanks. Can I have a map?”

My husband and I were taking a cross-country drive from Provo, Utah, to Boston, Massachusetts. To break up the trip, we were encouraged to make a stop at the City Museum in St. Louis, Missouri. We’d never been, but visitors likened the City Museum to Disneyland (or better than!), and we were curious to see if this “museum” was worth the hype. The City Museum opened in 1997. Artist Bob Cassilly purchased

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what was once an International Shoe Company factory and warehouse in 1983, and he and his team built many of the sculptures and caverns inside the museum from repurposed parts of the city, including the Sabreliner airplanes, a school bus, and construction cranes. At first glance, we saw a tangled mass of wires suspended from a ten-story building that looked like an exposed anthill. Dubbed

MonstroCity, the interconnected combination of two Sabreliner 40 aircraft fuselages, a castle turret, a fire engine, some slides, and a couple of ball pits filled with dodge balls makes for a great time—and that’s only on the outside of the museum! We passed under the metal anthill, massive ball pits, and an Egyptian revival sculpture that looked like it came from a 1920s movie set at the entrance. After getting our

Center: photography by Eric Allix Rogers; From left to right: photography by Kiersten Cowan and Rachel Dale

“Nope. No maps—but don’t worry, we send out workers a half hour before closing time to find lost souls. Have fun!”

getaways

750 North 16th Street Saint Louis, Missouri 63103 314-231-2489 Open Monday through Thursday 9 am till 5 pm Friday and Saturday 9 am till Midnight Sunday 11 am till 5 pm ▶▶

Entrance fee is $12 + tax, parking is $5

▶▶

Admission is $10 on Fridays and Saturdays after 5 pm

▶▶

The roof is closed during snow season (+ $5 when open)

▶▶

Top attractions: MonstroCity, the Skateless Park, Toddler Town, Architecture Museum, the Shoelace Factory, and the Enchanted Caves

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citymuseum.org

Left: The repurposed ten-story slide used to be a way for workers to get the shoes from one level to another. Bottom left to right: A neo-Egyptian relief sculpture greets visitors at the entrance to the museum; a view from the bottom of the ten-story slide captures the undulating waves created from the building’s infrastructure; a monstrous praying mantis adorns the roof along with a bus, Ferris wheel, and water fountain; the airplane, bus, and rebar jungle-gym welcome visitors to the City Museum.

in the distance. What is this place? we thought. “Down the rabbit hole” became our mantra for the three hours we were there. We crawled and climbed for hours, coming across a creepy basement with a vertical drop, the world’s largest pencil, the world’s largest underwear, a live circus act, a tenstory slide, a curio of oddities, the Skateless Park, and a four-story Ferris

wheel on the roof. Intermingled with everything are slides, mosaics, random tunnels and holes that beg for exploration, and even an aquarium. Cassilly once said, “City Museum makes you want to know.” And with a million things to do, see, touch, and learn, this positively overwhelming tactile-sensory experience is a place of its own class.

—Kiersten Cowan

Photos left to right by XP13 Beqy and Chad Williamson/SLU.

wristbands, veteran visitors suggested wandering until we see a dark hole and then follow it. We saw people sliding down a three-story assemblyline-turned-slide. Several kids were disappearing up a slinky-style tunnel dripping with insulated fiberglass icicles, into a network of tunnels hanging from the ceiling, and others were crawling up rebar jungle gyms. We heard a massive waterfall crash

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Little England

A Ferry Ride Away

After a short ride on the ferry, I stepped onto the street to face a neo-baroque castle. Turning left, I spotted a large, Victorian mansion half-covered in ivy, and then I started to wonder, “Am I in England?”

famous Queen Victoria of England, and this city on the southwestern tip of Canada stays true to its namesake. Along with its architecture, this tourist destination is starkly reminiscent of England, emitting a foreign and historic energy. With the pictureperfect waterfront, the horse-drawn carriage rides, and the pervading Victorian style, it’s hard to remember that you are less than two hours away from the United States. Victoria is a perfect weekend getaway to escape without spending thousands.

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Victoria Day

If you’re planning a weekend to Victoria, May Long Weekend is the perfect choice. The Monday before May 24 is Victoria Day, a national Canadian holiday celebrating Queen Victoria’s birthday (actually on the 24th). Victoria boasts the most prominent parade, celebrating its namesake with food, music, and fireworks. For many, Victoria Day is a happily anticipated long weekend and a symbol of the beginning of summer. Darri Guinto, a recent visitor, described Victoria as “quaint and picturesque.” She particularly

remembers the numerous flowers that cover the city, adding to its beauty and charm. Guinto said that instead of lampposts, Victoria has hanging baskets of flowers that line the streets.

Butchart Gardens

Victoria is also home to the internationally renowned Butchart Gardens, located just beyond the city limits. Converted from an old stone quarry, the family-owned garden is open year-round, continuously displaying blooming gardens from the original “Sunken Garden” of the old

Photo by David Baron

Victoria, Canada, was named after the

getaways

quarry, Japanese gardens, and large rose gardens. Guinto said that she has gone during different times of the year, and it always looks different, but the gardens are always gorgeous. If you ever visit Victoria, she said Butchart Gardens is a “must-do.”

Chinatown

From Top: Photos by Daryl Mitchell, Evan Leeson, and Bryn Garnett-Law

Another “must” is to stroll through Chinatown, an official National Historical Site of Canada. If you walk down Government Street in Downtown Victoria, you will reach the Gate of Harmonious Interest, the iconic entrance to Chinatown. In 1858, the Fraser Valley Gold Rush brought many Chinese immigrants to Canada, and Victoria was a main port of entry. This influx of immigrants helped create the oldest Chinatown in Canada and the second-oldest

Chinatown in North America. It is a key tourist area for the artistic and those interested in Chinese-Canadian history—or anyone in the mood for good Chinese food. Whether you see the Victoria Day parade, take a stroll in Butchart Gardens, or peruse historical Chinatown, Victoria can appeal to

anyone. Guinto said, “each time we go, we do something we didn’t do before,” reflecting on her trips to lighthouses, butterfly museums, and always, Butchart Gardens. Quaint and family friendly, Victoria is a delightful weekend getaway just a ferry ride away.

—Katelyn Bean

Top left: The Gate of Harmonious Interest is a symbol of unity between the Chinese and Canadians in Victoria. Top right: Victoria’s Parliament building is home to the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia. Bottom: Jennie Butchart used top soil brought in by horsedrawn carts to line the old limestone quarry to slowly create Butchart Garden’s first garden, the Sunken Garden.

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48 Hours and $250 in

NewYorkCity With a population pushing eight million, Manhattan is a vibrant collection of histories, peoples, and cultures. To a newcomer, the city can be overwhelming, and rightly so. With an intense network of underground travel and constant crowds, it can be easy for someone to get turned around. But don’t let the large population dissuade a visit. In this article, we will show you where to stay, play, eat, and travel to get the best bite out of the Big Apple in less than 48 hours and with only $250.

Stay

A decent hostel with high ratings and rewards is NY Moore Hostel in Brooklyn. For $35 a night, visitors can comfortably sleep in a private room, mixed dorm, or femaleonly dorm. The hostel comes with complimentary towels, linens, Wi-Fi, and a fully equipped kitchen. It’s clean, safe, and close to the subway, which gets visitors into Manhattan faster (about a half-hour trip). Some neat and inexpensive places to check out in Brooklyn include the Brooklyn Museum and Brooklyn Bridge. ▶▶

nymoorehostel.com

Play

New York has something for everyone. People-watchers should head to Central Park; museum lovers can hit up the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Museum of Modern Art,* the American Museum of Natural History,† and the Guggenheim Museum,‡ to name a few. Some museums have a “suggested donation price,” but they won’t kick visitors out if they don’t pay. However, it’s always nice to donate a few dollars to each

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museum because they are nonprofit organizations. If visitors crave a more wild excitement, check out Luna Park on Coney Island.‡ It’s a 45–60 minute ride from mid-town Manhattan and is filled with fun things to see like a Ferris wheel and some roller coasters. Admission is free into the park, but getting onto or into the amusements will cost some money. For visitors who want a taste of Broadway without the high prices, check out Off-Broadway shows—just as entertaining for a quarter of the price. TKTS is the best source for ticket prices. Visitors can find a show for as low as $35 a ticket! Or visitors can try their hand at Broadway lotteries, where they can enter a drawing the morning of a show for two tickets to great seats in the house (which may only be applicable to highprofile shows).

Eat

If you aren’t a foodie, and all you care about is fueling up to see the sights, then Two Bros. Pizza is your best bet. For a dollar a slice and a grab-and-run style, these New York–style pizzas are what the locals eat in a rush. They

aren’t glamorous restaurants; people stand at bar-height counters to eat their pizza on cheap paper plates or fold the big slice in half and eat on the go. For more variety, head to the food trucks: you can find a filling meal of just about any type of cuisine for under $7—a quick search on your phone or asking a local will point you in the right direction. The other great part is that Two Bros. and food trucks are all over Manhattan; however, some places only take cash, so make sure to keep a couple bills on hand.

Ride

One word: subway. The signs are easy to follow, but having Google Maps on a smartphone makes it even easier to navigate. A seven-day unlimited pass costs $29, but for a visitor traveling around Manhattan and between Brooklyn in a 48 hour period, getting on the subway at least twelve times is guaranteed (the cost of a one-way ride is $2.50). The subway is faster than buses, cheaper than a taxi, and more fun than either option. (Remember: subway surfing.)

—Kiersten Cowan

getaways

Price Breakdown $70 for two nights @ hostel $29 subway pass $10–40 for food $10 for museum donations $35–60 for Off-Broadway tickets $–$$$ for Coney Island $30–40 extra dollars Up to $250 total

Central Park

Tips to Save $$ ▶▶

Carry and refill a water bottle at a nearby Starbucks for free.

▶▶

Stock up on snacks by visiting a local market or grocer’s to keep you fueled during your day so that you don’t find yourself in that mid-afternoon slump.

▶▶

Splurge on a rechargeable battery for your phone

*Except the MoMa—but visit their Design and Book store off 11 West and 53 Street, which is free and fun. †$14 for a student with ID ‡Open durivng the warmer weather months, April to September

★ Hostels

Illustrations by Kiersten Cowan. Map is not to scale.

★ Museums

★ Amusements

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getaways

North Meets South Diversity in Marseille

Just three hours from Paris by train lies Marseille, an unusual French city warmed by the Mediterranean sun and flavored by a distinctly North African feel. Marseille is France’s biggest port city and has served for centuries as a gateway between Europe and the Maghreb (Algeria, Tunisia, and Morocco). While all of France has a large percentage of Maghrebi immigrants and their descendants, Marseille’s population is especially diverse. The city’s vibrant blend of cultures makes it unlike any other place in France.

Le Panier

The oldest neighborhood in Marseille, le Panier, is also its most charming. It’s a vibrant collection of homes, restaurants, art galleries, people, and cultures. At the Atelier Arterra, visitors can watch painters add color to hand-made nativity miniatures known as santons. Le Glacier du Roi features beautiful ice cream desserts, keeping with the French adage that “presentation is half of the taste.” At her store, “Adjanas,” a Togolese woman named Adjara Nassiki sells her own line of unique, colorful clothing for women that has been described as “a mix of cultures.” Jared Rutman, a Californian who interned in Marseille, got lost in le Panier on the way to visit an old, blind woman. Watching the Marseillais (a term for the local people) playing pétanque and taking their lunches slowly at outdoor cafés, he marveled that this was real life for those people. When at last he found the woman’s house, to Jared’s surprise, she gave him a tour of the area. “You tell me what street we’re on, and I’ll tell you which way to turn,” she said. Then she showed

When the Nazis occupied France during WWII, resistance fighters and Jews hid in the mazelike neighborhood called le Panier.

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Street Art

Especially around the cours Julien, a neighborhood that the city’s tourism website calls famous for its “artists, rebels, musicians, and bobos [hipsters],” a stroll through Marseille’s streets can be like a trip to a museum—a street art museum. Last July, to celebrate its street art, the cours Julien hosted Marseille’s first street art festival. Spectators flocked to the sixth arrondissement to see performances by professional street artists, who were invited to create new works of art using spray paint, stencils, collage, wire, and photo projections. Between 6:30 and midnight one evening, nine different galleries spiced up their street-art exhibitions with music, dancing, him landmarks like her favorite grocery store and the bar where she always goes to drink with her friends. Marseille “became a real place for me,” Jared remembered.

Bordered by tiny tea shops and oriental bakeries, a market called the Marché des Capucins (more commonly known as Marché de Noailles, after its metro stop) is the first place visitors should go to experience the blending of cultures that is Marseille. The booths stretching along the rue Longue des Capucins offer every exotic spice and herb you can imagine. Native Marseillais and native Algerians alike agree that this market, which also sells produce, fish, spicy sausage, North African pastilla, oriental flatbread, and French baguettes, seems to come straight out of North Africa. Its vegetables are the cheapest, its mid-morning sales are promising, and its popularity never wanes— the market is always bustling with French, Africans, and tourists alike.

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Above: The Marché de Noailles is a cultural synthesis where French baguettes and oriental flatbread are sold side by side. Top left: Residents of Marseille barter for fresh fish at the Marché de Noailles.

A Detour to Algeria

getaways

Touristy But Not Overrated These attractions are popular, but no trip to Marseille would be complete without them. ▶▶

Massif des Calanques: An

invigorating hike or a scenic boat ride can get you to this incredible coastline, where limestone valleys descend directly into the sea. Beneath the Calanque de Morgiou is the Cosquer Cave, accessible only by scuba diving. Paleolithic people painted and engraved 177 animals, 65 hand stencils, and 216 geometric figures on the walls of the vast chamber that today’s present sea level has left intact. ▶▶

Notre Dame de la Garde: A

unique cathedral decorated in red and white stone and strung with miniature sailboats, Notre Dame de la Garde is also the highest point in Marseille, affording an incredible view of the city and the sea. ▶▶

Vieux Port: Marseille’s main

harbor is the perfect place for people-watching, outdoor dining (try “moules frites”—mussels with french fries), and admiring both

sea and sailboats.

▶▶

Savon de Marseille: The city

has been producing high-quality

The limestone coastline drops straight into the Mediterranean Sea at the calanques.

and drinks. This event was typical of Marseille’s vibrant nightlife, and further street art festivals are sure to come. Atelier Juxtapoz provides a twohour walking tour through Marseille with a guide who specializes in art history. The tour is geared toward youth ages ten and up, as are Juxtapoz’s graffiti workshops, which allow youth to collaborate on a new piece of street art.

hard soap for over 600 years. It is 72% oil and comes in a rainbow of colors and scents.

Throughout the year, average temperatures range from 45 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit. In southern fashion, the atmosphere of Marseille is more relaxed than that of Paris, and the beaches are always full. But aside from the pull of its coastal location, Marseille attracts visitors with its promise of a rich blend of cultures and a glimpse into what happens when North Africa meets France.

—Lauren McCombs

Synthesis

It’s hard to be in Marseille and not feel like you’re on vacation.

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A Holy Land Oasis

When I envisioned my trip to the Holy Land, I pictured walking Jerusalem’s cobblestone streets amongst throngs of tourists all pressing to see the most popular holy sites in the city and surrounding desert. While I did spend plenty of time experiencing the many sights and sounds of the Holy City, I didn’t expect that I would also be lying in a hammock in paradise, listening to the waves crash, and soaking up the summer sun. If you’re looking to stow away to the more-scenic and less-busy side of the Holy Land, get away for a week to one of the many hotel resorts on the Sea of Galilee. Locally known as the Kinneret, the Sea of Galilee and its environs offer opportunities to see both well-known and lesser-known holy sites and tourist spots of the Galilee region in Israel. 20 ▶ fall 2015

Photography by Ziva & Amar

Find paradise at 700 feet below sea level.

getaways

Here you can see the basalt foundation of the synagogue at Capernaum. It was here at the synagogue that Jesus healed the centurion’s servant (see Matthew 8:5–6). The foundation dates back to the first century ad.

Capernaum

One Christian holy site worth visiting is the ancient city of Capernaum, which lies on the north side of the Sea of Galilee. The apostle Peter made his living as a fisherman in this famous city. There, one can see Peter’s limestone house that was later expanded into a church where

the early Christians held meetings. Also notable in Capernaum are the ruins of a Byzantine church that stands on the basalt foundation of the city’s first-century synagogue. By going to see this ancient foundation, you can stand in one of the only places that the New Testament specifies as a location where Jesus stood (see Mark 1:21).

Yardenit

Another holy site you can’t miss is Yardenit, one of the traditional sites for Jesus’s baptism at the Jordan River. You can enjoy the quiet serenity of the river by dipping your toes into the water. You can also enjoy a cozy cafe meal at the Manna Restaurant that overlooks the river. Yardenit will also allow patrons to perform baptisms in the Jordan River here.

Photography by Rachel Gessel

Gamla

Yardenit is thought to be one of the possible sites of Bethany beyond Jordan where Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist.

To get away from the other overcrowded attractions, take a hike up to the ancient Jewish city of Gamla. This Jewish historical site is the location where many Jews threw themselves off of the cliffs in order to avoid surrendering to the Romans during the First Jewish Revolt in 70 ad. Gamla, which means “camel,” is appropriately named because the city lies on the top of a mountain that is shaped like a camel’s hump. The smaller mountain rests between two other large mountains. At the top,

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Keeping Kosher: A Guide to the Israeli Dining Experience If you plan on staying in the Galilee, you have to be willing to eat kosher food. Most people are unfamiliar with the specifics of what eating kosher really means. Here are a few of the kosher practices you can expect to see at a Jewish eating establishment: ▶▶ No dairy and meat

products together This is perhaps the most notable practice of eating kosher. You’ll only find meatless pizzas and cheeseless hamburgers. ▶▶ No pork

Save your cravings for

bacon, pork loin, and ribs for when you get home. ▶▶ No shellfish

Postpone that fancy

seafood meal. Lobster,

shrimp, crab, and mussels are considered unclean. ▶▶ No rare meat

No pink center here.

Expect your steaks to be

well done because all the blood is either drained

you can survey the ancient ruins of a first-century Jewish synagogue and enjoy a breathtaking view of the Sea of Galilee to the west and the majestic Golan Heights in the east.

Sailing on the Sea

Another activity not to miss out on is taking a boat ride on the beautiful Sea of Galilee itself. This body of water that sits 700 feet below sea level resembles a lake in the morning but becomes an ocean in the afternoon. This lake has allowed the Jewish residents to develop a large fishing industry. The Sea of Galilee is also the noteworthy setting where Jesus fished with his apostles and walked on the water.

Resorts

Finally, a getaway to the Galilee region would not be complete without a seaside resort to retreat to at the end of each day. If you are looking for a very quiet and relaxing place to lodge, stay at the Ein-Gev Holiday Resort. Ein-Gev is a kibbutz (a small village)

located on the southeastern side of the Sea of Galilee. The resort there has many different styles of rooms, including independent family units located near the beach. Grabbing a bite to eat is easy with its on-site kosher restaurant. Or, if you are looking for something closer to the bustling city of Tiberias, check in to the Ron Beach Hotel. Complete with an impressive dining room, a large swimming pool, an outdoor basketball court, and beautiful gardens, this great resort is only a ten-minute walk to the boardwalk and pier in Tiberias. At the Ron Beach Hotel, you can have all the fun of a getaway resort and be near the city, where many restaurants and souvenir shops await to be explored. But no matter where you stay, be sure to get away to the Sea of Galilee, where you can still visit some eminent holy sites without encountering the usual pilgrimage hubbub that often accompanies a visit to the Holy Land.

—Rachel I. Gessel

or broiled out prior to serving.

▶▶ High-quality produce

guaranteed. It isn’t kosher

to eat bugs, so all produce is carefully examined before being sold.

Top: A Panoramic view from the top of Gamla facing the beautiful Golan Heights. Bottom: Gamla may be the “city that is set on a hill [that] cannot be hid.” (Matthew 5:14).

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Photography by Rachel Gessel

No worms in your apples—

Features 24

X Marks the Spot: Adventure and Gold in the Rocky Mountains Looking to strike it rich? One man’s hidden treasure leads to a unique kind of wealth.

Searching for Darkness

Weihnachtsmärkte: Christmas in Germany

Not Very Long Ago in a Galaxy Not So Far Away . . .

Appreciate the beauty of starlight in the disappearing night skies of Arizona and southern Utah.

Step into the past and experience the centuries-old tradition of the German Christmas market.

In honor of the seventh episode coming out this year, this article explores locations used in the filming of the Star Wars movies.

Connecting with the Past

Experience history by visiting period events and open-air museums around the world.

Vermillion Cliffs, Arizona Photo by Jared Warren

www.stowawaymag.com ◀ 23

Marks the Spot

Adventure and Gold in the Rocky Mountains

An Invitation from Forrest Fenn

So how did this treasure end up in the Rockies? Forrest Fenn, an eighty-four-year-old currently residing in Santa Fe, New Mexico, has the answer. Back in 1988, Forrest was diagnosed with cancer. His prognosis? Less than a 20 percent

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chance of living for three years. Forrest decided that he wanted a way to leave a legacy behind if he was going to die. Additionally, he wanted to encourage children and adults to go out, get into the mountains, and explore the outdoors. He aimed to “give a man and his wife a reason to get the kids out.” So he planned a treasure hunt.

However, it took Forrest fifteen years (well past his projected threeyear allotment) to actually bury the treasure. He had to purchase the chest, collect the gold to put into the chest, and make the trip to bury the chest once it was full. And, most importantly, Forrest had to set up clues. He wrote the book The Thrill of the Chase, which talks about much

Photo by Andrew E. Russell

We all dreamed about hunting for treasure when we were little. We would get on the playground and pretend we were sailing on the deep-blue sea, searching for lost islands full of unimaginable riches. Somehow treasure hunts were fascinating to us as kids, and even as we grow older we seem to find excitement in discovering hidden goods. Yet we tell ourselves that we will never actually come across a chest deep in a cave, that there is no buried gold on the bottom of the ocean floor, that there is no red x marking the spot where we will uncover a lifetime of wealth. But what if, somewhere in a mountain range, there really is a treasure chest waiting to be discovered? Anyone visiting the Rocky Mountains really could end up walking away with a chest full of gold.

by Shanna Clayton

of his life growing up and some of the experiences he had as a kid. Forrest also included a poem written specifically for the purpose of aiding interested readers in finding his hidden treasure.

An Unsolved Puzzle

Forrest hid the treasure in 2010, in the Rocky Mountains somewhere between Santa Fe and the Canadian border. He said that he hid it in a place that is very important to him and that it only took him about two seconds to decide where to hide the chest. He then published the poem, which will supposedly lead readers straight to the treasure, assuming they interpret the clues correctly. However, previous searchers have looked extensively throughout the Rockies over the past five years, and the

“The mountains are full of excitement . . . and every place you look there’s something to be learned.” treasure still has not been found to Forrest’s or anyone else’s knowledge. (Yellowstone National Park seems to be a popular site for hunters.)

But to Forrest Fenn, the treasure hunt isn’t about somebody lucky finding a chest full of gold. The hunt is about enjoying nature, seeking adventure, and getting into the mountains with the possibility— though no guarantee—of a huge reward. Forrest says that “we’re a sedentary people today” and that the most rewarding part of the treasure hunt for him is when people contact him and tell him about the great experiences they’ve had getting out into the mountains searching for the treasure, especially when it involves their kids. He likes the idea that his book is impacting people’s lives and that people are seeking entertainment from the outdoors rather than from television screens and gaming systems. He added that he hopes his book will “give people a reason to do something different with their lives.”

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A Guide for Searchers

Excerpt from “The Thrill of The Chase” As I have gone alone in there And with my treasures bold, I can keep my secret where, And hint of riches new and old. Begin it where warm waters halt And take it in the canyon down, Not far, but too far to walk. Put in below the home of Brown. From there it’s no place for the meek, The end is ever drawing nigh; There’ll be no paddle up your creek,

While adventure and fun await hunters in the mountains, the treasure itself seems to be much more enticing to searchers. So how can interested parties seek the treasure? Obviously there is no sure answer, or else the chest would have been found by now. However, there are some ways that individuals can increase their chances of locating the mysterious chest. Forrest suggests that before searching for the treasure, those interested in looking should read his book The Thrill of the Chase, especially his poem that goes with it. He has also written “scrapbooks” (similar to blog posts) and another book, Too Far to Walk, both of which may be helpful in providing readers with additional clues about the treasure’s location. His scrapbooks can be found at dalneitzel.com. Additionally, Forrest recommends that those wanting to look for the treasure be prepared both mentally and physically. He said that searchers

should have a definite plan in mind and know what they’re doing and where they’re going rather than looking blindly for the treasure. Searchers should have a map, proper clothing, food, water, and any other equipment that may be necessary or useful on a trek through the Rocky Mountains. Reminding readers that this hunt can be packed full of adventure, Forrest advises searchers to be prepared for everything “from grizzly bears to fast running water and bluffs that drop off a thousand feet.” Forrest also emphasized that anyone wishing to find the treasure has to be motivated. Nobody is going to just happen upon the treasure chest. Searchers should do their research and study potential locations before attempting to locate the treasure. Finally, Forrest’s treasure hunt is not for the faint of heart. Rather, it is for anyone wishing to find excitement and adventure in the beautiful and historic Rocky Mountains. Forrest points out that “the mountains are full of excitement . . . and every place you look there’s something to be learned.”

Just heavy loads and water high. If you’ve been wise and found the blaze, Look quickly down, your quest to cease, But tarry scant with marvel gaze,

So why is it that I must go And leave my trove for all to seek? The answer I already know, I’ve done it tired, and now I’m weak. So hear me all and listen good, Your effort will be worth the cold. If you are brave and in the wood I give you title to the gold.

▶▶

oldsantafetradingco.com/ the-thrill-resource-page It took Forrest fifteen years to gather all of the gold and jewels to put in his treasure chest before hiding it in the Rockies.

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Top: photo by Lee Morley; Bottom: photo by Mykl Roventine

Just take the chest and go in peace.

“ Everybody likes treasures, everybody likes gold, and everybody likes to read stories about pirates and Robin Hood, and to me it all ties into the same thing. It’s all being outdoors.” An Opportunity for Adventure

Top: photo by B. Jefferson Bolnder; Bottom: photo by Julie Falk

Whether searchers strike it rich or not, Forrest’s treasure hunt is

continually providing motivated people with an opportunity to experience nature. “You don’t have to ride a horse for four months to experience what’s out there,” Forrest

Above: One of Forrest Fenn’s main motivations for setting up this treasure hunt was to get people, especially kids, off their couches and out into nature. Yellowstone National Park has been a popular site for seekers of Fenn’s treasure. Top right: Turquoise beads are just one treasure to be discovered in the Rockies.

said. Planning a trip to the Rockies can be rewarding for individuals, couples, and families regardless of whether they locate the treasure or not. Forrest hopes that people, especially those who haven’t spent much time in nature before, take this chance to get outdoors and have fun, with the possibility of finding a chest full of gold. So do you think you have what it takes? Read Forrest’s poem, solve the puzzle, grab a map, and start looking! (However, Forrest also advises not searching in the winter, so maybe wait until spring.) “Everybody likes treasures, everybody likes gold, and everybody likes to read stories about pirates and Robin Hood, and to me it all ties into the same thing. It’s all being outdoors,” Forrest remarked. The hunt for Forrest Fenn’s treasure is a great, family-friendly opportunity to search for something worth more than its weight in gold—as valuable as the treasure is, the memories formed and the adventures found while searching for the treasure will be priceless.

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Darkness Searching for

by Cherie Stewart

28 â&#x2013;ś fall 2015

fter an hour-long drive up Parowan Canyon, Alina Standford (a hiking enthusiast and intrepid camper) turned onto a dirt road just west of Brian Head. The headlights of the car pushed through an ocean of dust with ease, but seemed to lose strength when put up against the looming dark of the night. A graveyard of pine trees stretched endlessly up on either side of the road and obstructed all view of the valley. The road winding up the mountain seemed to never end, but Alina continued with determination. Then, suddenly the tree line broke and gave way to a rocky, cold landscape. Stepping out of the car, Alina went to the edge of the peak—and looked up. Thousands of stars were splattered across the darkness. The Milky Way cut a hazy purple scar in the sky. There, 11,306 feet above sea level, Alina could see a parade of lights that rivaled those found in even the biggest cities around the world. The stars seemed to ignite against the black background. As Alina stood on the mountain, looking through the vast window to the universe, she couldn’t help but feel there was nothing quite so incredible as the night sky.

A Yellow Haze

The night sky has been inspiring people to dream and explore for thousands of years. Our sky has guided us through great distances and has taught us infinitely about our universe. But over the years, dark sky is getting harder and harder to find. The night sky is slowly disappearing in the yellowish haze of light pollution. This pollution develops from excessive artificial light found in every city. Street lamps and house lights are often misdirected and compete with the brilliance of the stars. As cities grow, the night sky is shrinking. By using the Bortle scale, a measurement used to observe the brightness of the night sky, astronomers are able to calculate the

looming effects of light pollution. On this scale, if the night sky is rated between a 1 and a 9 (9 being the lightest and 1 being the darkest); most people in the United States live in an area rated between a 5 and an 8 level night sky. Some people cannot imagine what a level 1 or even a level 3 night sky would look like. The International Dark-sky Association (IDA) works to raise awareness of the problems of light pollution by encouraging more cities to install energy-efficient streetlights. Finding cities and reserves that meet the requirements to be a “dark sky place” is challenging, but the IDA always works towards a world of clear darkness with less yellow fog. Currently, there are fifteen National Parks that meet the requirements the IDA assigned to be a dark sky park.

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While all are beautiful, nothing beats the dark desert skies of Arizona and southern Utah.

Desert Night

Utah and Arizona are famous for infinite red-rock beauty. Many people from around the world have endured the long drive through the desert to appreciate spectacular natural beauties of the earth such as the Grand Canyon or Natural Bridges National Monument. Through many centuries, wind and water have left

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their mark, carving beautiful canyons and structures into the rock face that stand as monuments in the unique landscape. But these states offer more than just beautiful rocks. A lesserknown beauty of the desert is the night sky. The dry night provides ideal conditions to see millions of twinkling pinpricks in a sea of black. On clear nights, the Milky Way can be seen ripping across the heavens. In beautiful, isolated places, stargazers can even spot the cloudy splotch of the Andromeda Galaxy: the furthest

object from the earth that can be viewed with the naked eye. There is perhaps nothing more beautiful than a starry night. In Carl Sagan’s book Pale Blue Dot: A Vision of the Human Future in Space, Sagan remarked, “Before we devised artificial lights and atmospheric pollution and modern forms of nocturnal entertainment we watched the stars. There were practical calendar reasons of course but there was more to it than that. Even today the most jaded city dweller can be unexpectedly moved

upon encountering a clear night sky studded with thousands of twinkling stars. When it happens to me after all these years it still takes my breath away.” Carl Sagan knew the importance of maintaining a starry sky, and Arizona and Utah are perfect places to remember this truth.

Arizona is the international headquarters for IDA. Travelers searching for the night sky can find it at the Paria Canyon-Vermillion Cliffs Wilderness. The Vermillion Cliffs are located at 3,100–7,100 feet above sea level in the remote corner of Northern Arizona. While there are many popular activities to do in the

daylight, the wilderness transforms every night under a spackled sky. On the other edge of Arizona in Tucson, visitors can get an even better look at the night sky at Flandrau Science Center. A sixteeninch telescope is open to the public, Wednesday through Saturday, 7:00– 10:00 PM. A star expert is always there

“Even today the most jaded city dweller can be unexpectedly moved upon encountering a clear night sky studded with thousands of twinkling stars.”

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The Los Angeles night sky is almost entirely washed away by an ocean of city lights.

5 Corners of Dark Sky The beauty of the night sky is not limited to Utah and Arizona. There are several national parks you can visit to see the incredible dark. Explore these 5 locations: ▶▶

California

Death Valley National Park

▶▶

Michigan

The Headlands

▶▶

New Mexico

Clayton Lake State Park

▶▶

Pennsylvania Cherry Springs State Park

▶▶

Texas

to help visitors interpret their view through the telescope.

Illuminated by Starlight

Utah has its own masterpieces of night sky in the remote southern corner. Canyonlands and Arches National Park are some of the more protected areas. There are numerous places to hike, camp, and gaze at the incredible night sky. The red-rock formations burn under the light of the stars. Dr. Michael Joner, director of the West Mountain Observatory and research

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professor of Physics and Astronomy at Brigham Young University, has had years of experience with Utah’s night sky. He has seen comets, meteorites, and even auroras from the solitude of the observatory. But the beauty that once engulfed most of Utah’s night sky is slowly changing. Dr. Joner remarked, “I start to see a lot of light from the southeast of the observatory and even from the west. I think in another ten or twenty years, if city planners have their way, more houses will be built out in the west and that will probably be the end of usefulness for West Mountain Observatory.”

Programs like the IDA are trying to save observatories like West Mountain, but without help from the local communities, their efforts will be in vain. Most people don’t realize that light pollution effects expand beyond astronomical research; the economy is hurting too. Every day cities use excess light that pours into the dark, and perhaps no one knows this better than Dr. Joner: “All of the light you see in the satellite pictures, that’s all wasted light, because it’s light going up into the sky. None of that is actually being used to light houses and streets. . . . Most places could

Photo by Konstantin Sutyagin

Big Bend National Park

The dark spots found on satellite images shrink every year as light pollution becomes a greater problem.

Photo courtsey of N.A.S.A.

use 50 percent less energy and get the same amount of lighting.” With the possibility of protecting astronomical research, maintaining the largest natural wonder, and

“All of the light you see in the satellite pictures, that’s all wasted light.”

saving money in electric bills, night sky protection seems to be well worth the effort. Still, some communities have feared that reducing light around their streets and houses will provide prowlers the perfect hiding conditions. However, this concern is misguided. Researchers have proved that most burglars prefer illuminated streets because they can hide undetected in the shadows from the street lamps. Nothing obstructs the eye’s view like the glare caused from misdirected light. Proper light fixtures reduce this glare and limit the number of shadowy corners available to burglars.

Out of the seven kinds of environmental pollutions, light pollution is one of the easiest to prevent. Unfortunately, this particular type of pollution is not a high priority for most cities. Places like Arizona and southern Utah are ideal if you want to see the night sky in its entire expanse, but even these remote skies are in danger. Light pollution is erasing our night sky, and in time we could forget the stars we once dreamed under . . . unless we choose to go searching for darkness.

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Weihnachtsmärkte Christmas in Germany

by Sara Bitterman

It’s dark and cold outside, but that doesn’t seem to bother the hundreds of people moving around in the open square, walking from stall to stall. Twinkling lights illuminate the Marktplatz as visitors drink mulled wine with friends, eat a bratwurst on Brötchen, or snack on some Mandeln. Others buy handmade gifts for loved ones, while parents take their children for rides on the Karussel. It’s Christmastime in Germany, and with the season comes the traditional Weihnachtsmarkt. of November until the week before Christmas. Small towns also have their own Christmas markets that span just one weekend. Christmas markets open everywhere, but which ones are the best to visit? One major difference between markets is size. The markets in small towns can take an hour or less to pass

through, while a larger one could take half a day. Smaller markets are put on by organizations in the community, while large markets have booths that are run by businesses. Dr. Ralf Grünke, a city councilman for the town of Nidderau, says that Christmas markets contribute to a sense of community in the smaller cities. He explains that citizens

Photo by Charlotte

German Christmas markets have been a tradition since the seventeenth century. Originally meant to entice churchgoers to attend services, the markets have since turned into a more commercial venture for businesses, restaurants, and entertainers. Many of the larger cities like Frankfurt, Berlin, and Leipzig run their Christmas markets from the end

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Photo by Rene Schwietzke

The merry-go-round in Dresden, Germany, is a key landmark during the Christmas season.

mark the event on their calendars in advance and that, in the town of Nidderau, many of the citizens are involved in contributing to one of the booths in some way. “Large markets are usually located by buildings and landmarks that tourists wouldn’t want to miss, anyway,” Dr. Grünke said. “Personally, I prefer smaller markets where booths are usually run by local schools, clubs, churches, or community groups. They often are very charming and have more character.” Charlotte Bauman, a resident of Büdingen, said that knowing what kind of market to go to depends on what you are looking for. Charlotte prefers the smaller markets because they have a lot more people, but she noted that larger markets might have better entertainment. When it comes to buying gifts, Charlotte said that the stalls will be similar no matter where you go, so it doesn’t matter too much if you visit a larger or smaller market; however, bigger markets might have a larger variety.

While the larger markets may have more variety for gifts, Charlotte said that Christmas markets, no matter the size, are a good date idea. She went on a date to a Christmas market in 2013 and remembers it fondly. “It was fun and romantic,” Charlotte said. “It’s cold and you are close to each other, even if you aren’t holding hands, sharing snacks . . . it was just short, but very fun.” Aileen Seeber, a resident of Nidderau, said she likes attending the smaller markets more than the larger ones, but that the smaller markets

These particular markets aren’t just a showcase of German culture, but a snapshot into its history.

have more stands devoted to food and drink rather than souvenir buying. “The problem with the small ones is that most of the stands are for food or the same kind of kitsch, so if you’ve seen one, you’ve seen them all,” Aileen said. “I like the small ones to meet friends and eat, but the big ones if you want to see some other stands.” But Aileen’s favorite markets are small markets that are themed like the medieval festival in Ronneburg. “The best ones are the small ones with a theme like the Middle Ages, because you can see fun ‘new’ stuff,” Aileen said. “It’s different and brings another flair.” At markets like the one in Ronneburg, the vendors all dress up in medieval garb, and the market is centered around the castle, as opposed to being located in a one of the town squares. These particular markets aren’t just a showcase of German culture, but a snapshot into its history. They have stands with vendors selling handmade candles and even a candy maker who

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Tips to Navigate a Christmas Market ▶▶

Bring cash: Germans mostly deal with cash. Booths at small markets will only accept payment in cash and so will many of the stalls at the larger markets. Come prepared!

▶▶ ▶▶

Take a bag: Bring something to carry the items you buy. There’s no guarantee that they will give you one to carry things in.

Watch your wallet: The crowded markets are the perfect place for pickpockets to take money because tourists get distracted. Keep your money in a safe place.

▶▶

Try the food: Bratwursts at the smaller markets are sometimes made from an animal a local hunting club has caught,

making it the best bratwurst you will ever have. Also, be sure to try the candied almonds (Mandeln), which are a staple of Christmas markets. ▶▶

Don’t eat the Lebkuchenherzen: While they are giant ginger cookies with writing on them, and they are edible, generally they are months old. They are more for decoration than eating.

▶▶

Have fun: Take in the atmosphere and take your time walking through the stalls. Many countries have copycat markets, but none are quite the same as attending the ones in Germany!

Lebkuchenherzen at a Christmas market in Germany. These inedible hanging decorations are gifts traditionally given to loved ones. They can even be custom made.

demonstrates how candy was made during the Middle Ages. However, unlike other Christmas markets that are usually free, these markets cost some money to attend and only run for one or two weekends. Aileen said that many people go to the regular Christmas markets for the food and the drinks, but if you go to a medieval Christmas market, you get a different experience. “In a medieval Christmas market, you also buy food, but it’s more like an adventure,” Aileen said. “You try different kinds of food and you go explore more stands,

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and don’t rush over the market. It’s another kind of atmosphere.” Aside from medieval markets, there are also markets that entertain a theme throughout like the Markt der Engel (The Angel Market) in the Neumarkt in Cologne, where most of the decorations center around angels and attendees even dress like angels, wings and all. The city of Nuremburg, Bavaria, holds a Christkindlesmarkt. “There you may run into the Christmas, an angellike figure who, in some parts of Germany, is the one who brings gifts

to children [instead of Santa],” said Dr. Grünke, who grew up in the town of Erlangen near Nuremburg. Despite the many Christmas market options, the important thing to do is to attend at least one. Aileen added that if you are looking to experience a little bit of German culture, it doesn’t matter what kind of Christmas market you go to since each town adds their own unique flair when they set up their market. Anywhere you go, you are sure to find delicious food and handmade gifts like nutcrackers or wooden nativity sets. “We went to a market and I can’t remember a lot, but what I remember is buying our pretty crib [nativity] figurines, and I was allowed to buy one sheep just for me,” Aileen said. “It was the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen!” No matter where you go, attending a German market will be a memory to last a lifetime. For those who live in Germany, it’s a memory they look forward to making every year. “Every year, I enjoy the moment when the lights on the Christmas tree in the middle of our medieval market square are turned on during the opening ceremony,” Dr. Grünke said. “What a view!”

Photo by fotoculus

For more information on the markets, visit www.germany-christmas-market.org.uk.

Not Very Long Ago Photo courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox

in a Galaxy Not

So Far Away By Hannah Chudleigh

Location, location, location. The backdrop of any movie is what sets the tone for the rest of the film. Locations are particularly important for the Star Wars films. Here are stories behind some of the unique settings that made this franchise so memorable. Considering that the ecstatically anticipated Star Wars VII will be released this year, here are some of the locations—past and future—of this landmark series.

Tunisia

Various places in this African country were used as the setting for the planet Tattooine. During filming for Episode IV: A New Hope, a brutal sandstorm nearly destroyed the filming equipment. This location has a special place in George Lucas’s heart. It’s where he came up with the name “Wookiee” to describe Chewbacca’s species. One day during filming, a friend named Bill Wookey was visiting the set. As George Lucas rode in a car with crew members, they hit a bump and the driver remarked, “I think I ran over a Wookey back there.” Recently, though, Lucasfilm confirmed that a new location is taking Tunisia’s place: Abu Dhabi has been reported as the new desert of choice for Episode VII: The Force Awakens.

movie, the R2 model was built entirely by fans, who created a droid that works even better than the one used in previous movies.

Mount Etna, Italy

There was excessive amount of CGI in Episode III: Revenge of the Sith. Surprisingly, though, the volcanoes erupting on the planet Mustafar are real! The filming crew was lucky enough to catch an eruption from Mount Etna to use as a natural and dramatic backdrop. The producers of the seventh installment were inspired by that filming.

Daniel Mindel, the cinematographer of Episode VII: The Force Awakens, promised to use real locations over CGI and set models. Even J. J. Abrams himself, who is the king of CGI, said that he would tone it down and use “practical, traditional effects.”

Palazzo Reale Caserta, Italy

This beautiful palace was used as Princess Amidala’s home on Naboo. Some of the shots in Episode II: Attack of the Clones show the

Tropical forests were the perfect location for the Massassi rebel base on the moon Yavin IV in Episode IV: A New Hope. The film crew took advantage of the existing architecture and used the ruins of a Mayan temple as the landing station for the ships. This episode is also where the audience meets R2-D2. In the seventh

38 ▶ fall 2015

Top: The AT-AT machines were actually only models that stood about 60 centimeters tall. Bottom: Mount Etna holds the world record for the longest continuous eruption.

Photo by Mike Gnuckx

Tikal, Guatemala

by Hannah Chudleigh

intricate interior of the palace. Interestingly, the battle scenes around the building in Episode I: The Phantom Menace and Episode II: Attack of the Clones were inspired by

actual history. During World War II, the palace was used as a recovery center for wounded Italian soldiers. As soon as the war ended, it’s also where Germany was forced to sign

an agreement to unconditionally surrender all troops in the country. Fun fact: It’s also where Samuel L. Jackson refused to play his role as Jedi Mace Windu unless he got a purple lightsaber.

Finse, Norway

Top: Photo by Pixelpiper; Bottom: Photo by Carlos Mejia

This was the setting for Hoth in Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back. The miserably cold temperatures occasionally caused the film tape to freeze and the camera lenses to fog up. Abrams won’t be returning to Norway, though: Lucasfilm announced that icy locations are being filmed in Iceland instead.

Buckinghamshire, England

The Palazzo Reale, which once housed generations of Italian royalty, contains over 1,500 priceless works of art within its sculpted halls.

Abrams confirmed that the movie is being produced in England’s Pinewood Studios. Although this is the first time Abrams has filmed outside the United States, it was a common location for many of the previous episodes. The place seems quiet and demure at first, but the crew has already had some adventures. Harrison Ford had a door fall on him during filming, which put him in the hospital for two weeks.

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40 â&#x2013;ś fall 2015

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Past

Connecting with the

by Shane Peterson and Erin Willder

Photo Credit: See style guide to review credit wording before writing this.

Fast-paced vacations to London, Paris, New York, and Tokyo have become common expectations for modern tourists with limited vacation days. Itineraries booked solid with important sights and eateries push the boundaries of what can honestly be referred to as a vacation. When tourists repeatedly return home feeling exhausted, a new type of vacation destination may be in order.

42 â&#x2013;ś fall 2015

Photo by Mobilus in Mobili

All around the world, there are plenty of tourist events and destinations that take visitors back to a simpler time when modern technology and bustling tourism could not even be imagined. These special openair experiences can be completely immersive, appealing to all the senses to create an atmosphere as close to a historical time and place as possible. These immersive experiences can vary in type and intensity of authenticity. A few categories that might appeal to stress-wary travelers include the following open-air museums and period festivals. Even among seasoned American travelers, open-air museums remain fairly unknown, but they offer many

different opportunities to connect with the past in ways that traditional museums cannot offer. Such locations typically consist of “villages” of historical buildings, modes of transportation, and scenery arranged to replicate locales and lifestyles from the past.

North America

In America, these types of historical attractions include Plimoth Plantation in Massachusetts and Colonial Williamsburg in Virginia. Both portray daily life in the early English colonies. Historians have painstakingly gathered information from books, letters, diaries, artifacts,

and other records to create what they hope to be an authentic encounter with history. One key element of these attractions is “historically correct” actors who portray various personalities, often playing actual individuals who lived at that time. When modern tourists ask questions, actors give answers that reflect the way a person hundreds of years ago would speak, including an appropriate dialect and a knowledge of the local customs. For example, at Plimoth Plantation a woman cooking a chicken over an open fire might scornfully reply, “Till it’s done!” when asked how long it has to cook. Other open-air museums also

Plimouth

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schedule exhibitions and seasonal events to showcase behaviors, skills and language appropriate to the time period. A later period in American history is portrayed at Greenfield Village, which is part of “The Henry Ford” museum complex outside of Detroit in Dearborn, Michigan. Greenfield Village consists of dozens of period homes and businesses organized into seven districts. These include many priceless buildings like the Wright brothers’ cycle workshop and several of Thomas Edison’s workplaces (e.g., a laboratory, glass shed, machine shop, office, and library). And these edifices are just the beginning. The museum also includes other attractions from the past like a working farm, a Weiser Railroad train ride, demonstrations in the glass-blowing factory, and rides in old Model T’s. In addition to the buildings and actors who bring the village to life, Greenfield Village also hosts many interactive activities, particularly on weekends during the spring and summer months, where visitors can see historic baseball games, attend

44 ▶ fall 2015

Top: Plimoth Plantation in Plymouth, Massachusetts, portrays authentic seventeenthcentury living conditions. Bottom: Henry Ford moved the 1876 Menlo Park, NJ, laboratory of Thomas Edison to Greenfield Village in the 1920s.

Civil War reenactments, or shop at a farmers’ market. With so much variety, Greenfield Village truly offers something for everyone.

Europe

Across Europe, open-air experiences showcasing more antiquated times take visitors even further into the past. Some are found in the aforementioned open-air museums,

and others come together in more rural locations for local festivals. A great deal of attention and capital have been directed toward preserving these ancient buildings and artifacts, which has resulted in a vast array of open-air attractions. In Germany, such a place is usually called a Freilichtmuseum. The secondlargest open-air museum in Germany, LVR-Freilichtmuseum Kommern, portrays a more medieval “village”

Top: photo by mccready; Bottom: photo by David Wilson

Open-air museums offer many different opportunities to connect with the past in ways that traditional museums cannot offer.

Top: photo by Cordes Lindow; Bottom: photo by Krystian Krystkowiak

Top: A traditional courtyard-style farm house at LVR-Freilichtmuseum Kommern, Germany. Bottom: Viking actors reenact epic sword-fighting at Gudvangen Viking Market in Norway.

with around 65 Rheinland houses and barns; the oldest date to the late 1300s. As with other open-air museums, buildings were transported from many different locations to set a pastoral scene. Various period implements also help paint a picture of medieval German life, including old farm tools and many types of farm animals like geese or cattle. The museum also gives guided tours and offers short hiking trails that visitors can walk along to see what the scenery would have been like hundreds of years ago. Along with the normal exhibits, the Kommern open-air museum also puts on various festivals such as the Fair of the Empire on Easter Sunday, which includes around seventy attractions such as carousels, exhibitions, and artist displays and is billed as â&#x20AC;&#x153;a journey through the

www.stowawaymag.com â&#x2014;&#x20AC; 45

history of popular amusement.” Many courses in period-appropriate skills are also offered on topics such as making historical longbows, baking bread in a stone oven, mowing with a scythe, or using ancient basketweaving techniques. In addition to events held at open-air museums, other historical festivals and events are held annually in less formal locations. One seasonal event that draws many visitors to a beautiful location in Norway is the Gudvangen Viking Market. Staged in mid-July of every year, this market recruits up to 500 “Vikings” to carry out various tasks during the market, such as cooking authentic Viking meals or rowing visitors down the fjord in a Viking-style boat. They will even take part in mock medieval battles to show visitors what Viking combat would have looked like. Anyone with an inclination toward Vikings will be drawn into the world that the market creates.

China

Many groups and governments around the world have worked to create open-air museums. However, some countries have preserved their own little towns from the past to preserve a spot of history for future generations to visit. In China, in the Zhejiang Province, the village of Xinye was founded around ad 1219, under the Southern Song Dynasty and has been preserved in its original state. Its founder, Ye Kun, and his family moved to the area and built the village, expanding it over the next several generations. Today, most of the villagers carry the surname Ye and can trace their ancestry to Ye Kun almost thirty generations back. Because of its remote mountain location and a strong sense of clanship among the community, the village has largely been preserved over so many centuries and has

46 ▶ fall 2015

China’s 800-year-old Xinye Village recently began hosting tourists and can be reached by bus.

become the largest open-air museum in China. Xinye is famous for its Ming- and Quing-era architecture, including more than a dozen ancestral halls, hundreds of whitewashed huts, and a Buddhist temple nearby. Visitors who came to Xinye Village can visit the Tuayun Pagoda and Wenchang Pavilion, see the mirror-like South Pond, or see the annual Shangsi Festival, which is an ancestor worship ceremony that is only practiced in a few communities throughout China. What’s more, visitors can stay in one of the ancient houses and become one with the scenery, immersing themselves in the life of the ancient Chinese people.

Other Immersive Open-air Historical Experiences Beamish Open Air Museum near Newcastle-upon-Tyne, UK, invites visitors to step into the past in northeast England. ▶▶

beamish.org.uk

Nazareth Village reconstructs life in ancient Nazareth, Israel, where visitors can “step into the Bible”. ▶▶

nazarethvillage.com

Latvian Ethnographic Open Air

The nature of museums is constantly evolving, particularly in creating a place of living history. For tourists who want a more immersive experience to learn about how the people of the past lived, there are plenty of open-air museums and live attractions across the world to choose from. Visiting one of these museums is perhaps the easiest and most realistic way to travel back in time and imagine oneself living life in another era.

Museum in Riga hosts exhibits and events portraying earlier life in Latvia. ▶▶

brivdabasmuzejs.lv

Árbæjarsafn Reykjavik City Museum, shows early settlement artifacts such as the Settlement Sagas, which dated to ad 900. ▶▶

minjasafnreykjavikur.is

Culture 48

Endurance and Rediscovery: The Royal Ballet of Cambodia

Despite the destruction of a mass genocide, traditional Khmer culture lives on through dance.

Going Fur Crazy: How Russians Keep Warm

Fashion Fusion: Japanese Street Style with Western Influences

Find out where the famous fur hats comes from and how to get one of your own.

Discover the meaning behind Tokyo’s eccentric clothing trends.

Mamma Mia! Exploring the World of Pizza

Back to the Future of Cinema

Four Corners of the Kitchen: Coconut

Don’t judge a pizza by its toppings—get to know pizzas from around the world!

Secret Cinema brings the film Back to the Future to life.

Explore four countries’ recipes for a tropical favorite.

A girl shows off her Lolita style Photo by Simon Hadleigh-Sparks

www.stowawaymag.com ◀ 47

Endurance and Rediscovery: The Royal Ballet of

Cambodia

Gilded costumes require extra hours of preparation. Some even have to be sewn directly onto the dancer.

48 ▶ fall 2015

are entrancing. The women arrive at center stage and gracefully lower themselves to their knees. In unison they slide one knee along the floor toward the back, the leg bent at ninety degrees and the foot flexed with toes bent toward the floor, leaving the other knee in front for support. Their backs are arched, and they watch with calm concentration as their curled fingers paint undulous brushstrokes in the air before them. Now they pull the back leg forward as they twist to the right to paint the next side of the stage. This is Tehum Poh, the welcome dance. Anciently, this type of performance was reserved for the

The Royal Ballet’s performances are no longer exlusive to the royalty at Angkor Wat.

Left: photo by A.J. Oswald; Right: photo by Jean-Pierre Dalbéra

The stage is backlit with a warm yellow glow. The musicians sit crosslegged in rows on either side, playing xylophones, drums, gongs, and finger cymbals. The voices of a woman and a man intertwine as they swoop in and out of nasal tones and between notes that are unfamiliar to the Western ear. From stage left, a line of women enters the scene in slow motion. They articulate every movement as the heel and then the ball of the foot rises from the ground and floats, dynamically flexed, to a new position. Their hands are flexed, the fingers twisting back toward the wrist in a beautiful, norm-defying curve. The dancers’ slow movements

culture

Top: photo courtesy of the U.S. National Archives; Bottom: photo courtesy of Jean-Pierre Dalbéra

Princess Buppha Devi, here at age twentytwo, performs a solo at the graduation ceremony of the School of the Royal Ballet of Cambodia in Phnom Penh in 1965.

royal courts of Cambodia, where it accompanied coronations, marriages, and funerals. Eventually the dancers of the Royal Ballet of Cambodia began to perform internationally, starting with the 1906 Colonial Exposition in France. The Ballet performed in Europe periodically until political unrest devastated the country in 1975. In April of that year, a violent, radical group called the Khmer Rouge took over Cambodia. In an effort to transform the country into a perfectly equal communist state, the Khmer Rouge abolished classes, money, religion, traditional Khmer culture, and even basic human rights. People associated with the arts were labeled “anti-revolutionary,” and approximately 90 percent of them were killed. Because classical Khmer dance had been passed on orally from artist to artist up to that point, and because the already scarce documentation of the art form had mostly been destroyed during the genocide, the artists’ deaths were devastating to Cambodian culture. The few dancers who survived were eager to reconstruct the traditional repertory. Notable among them was Her Royal Highness the Princess Norodom Buppha Devi, a gifted lifelong student of Khmer classical dance. As soon as the Khmer Rouge was ousted in 1979, Princess Buppha Devi devoted herself to reestablishing the Royal Ballet. She

reunited with the few dancers who had survived and has been working ever since to recreate forgotten choreography, protect the Ballet from extinction, and share its work with the world. In 2008, UNESCO inscribed the Royal Ballet on its Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, ensuring that the ballet company will be permanently safeguarded by various stakeholders. Thanks to Princess Buppha Devi, the Ballet has resumed its international tours, most recently to Mexico in October 2014 and various cities in the United States in November 2014. Its traditional repertoire is now not only complete but also expanding. “We have now reached the point where Cambodia

no longer is losing more of its cultural heritage,” Delphine Kassem, an activist for Cambodian arts, told the Phnom Penh Post in 1999. “Now, we finally know all the traditional arts and the crafts that are connected with every genre.” Choreographers— including the Princess herself, who is now in her seventies—are even adding new dances to the collection. The Ballet’s dances, gilded costumes, and music are being preserved digitally and shared around the world. Because of dedicated dancers and the rich cultural heritage of classical Khmer dance, the Ballet has proven itself to be both resilient and timeless. ▶▶

www.norodombupphadevi.com

—Lauren McCombs

“ We have now reached the point where Cambodia no longer is losing more of its cultural heritage.”

Classical Khmer dance is careful, hypnotic, and deceptively simple.

www.stowawaymag.com ◀ 49

Going Fur Crazy

How Russians Keep Warm

You see them all the time in movies: fur hats that look so comfortable and warm, which every Russian character seems to wear. But how accurate is that stereotype? Let’s take a look at the country that made fur hats famous: Russia. Fur hats have been popular in cold climates for millennia, but according to correspondent Darya Pushkova, the ushanka, or “ear-flap hat,” became an icon for the Soviet Union in the twentieth century. These hats were a mandatory part of the military uniform, due to the bitter Russian cold. Now the ushanka is part of the winter military uniform for the United States, Canada, and other Western countries. Ironically, the Russian military has changed their fur hat design to a rounder style with no flaps. Fur hats became popular after the fall of the Soviet Union, which

made imported fur hats available to the United States. Since then, the fashion world has grabbed hold of the ushanka for its versatility and practicality. Now there are many variations of the ushanka in the fashion world; some include earflaps, and others have the contemporary Russian round design. Today fur hats are a popular winter fashion all over the world, but mostly in Russia, Scandinavia, Norway, and other northern European countries. From the military to the runway, these hats have become essential to the Russian wardrobe. According to Nora Fitzgerald of The New York Times, an

impressive fur hat is sure to earn the respect of your fellow Russians, and it provides excellent protection against the cold. It’s a must-have for anyone visiting Russia. Modern Russian fur hats allow wearers to choose many types of furs and styles. Fur hats can be made from mink, fox, lynx, and even rabbit fur. Rabbit hats tend to be popular for tourists because they are often cheaper, but they will rarely impress a Russian. The styles of hats range small to large, and from having three flaps to none. With the wide variety, there’s a fur hat for everyone to fall in love with.

If you want to buy a fur hat but can’t make it to Russia anytime

If you want to save on cash, or don’t support wearing fur, faux

soon, there are websites where you can buy beautiful Russian

fur hats are a great option since they’re cheaper and more

fur hats.

easily available.

▶▶

Arcticstore.com: $180–300

▶▶

Aliexpress.com: $5–40

▶▶

Furhatworld.com: $80–300

▶▶

Polyvore.com: $10 –100

▶▶

Russianlegacy.com $100–300

▶▶

Fabulous furs.com: $30–50

▶▶

Ushanka.com Price: $30 –170

▶▶

Furhatworld.com: $10–50

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Photo courtesy of Let Ideas Compete

Online Shopping for Fur Hats

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But where do you get these hats? For tourists, try markets, vendor stalls, and department stores. If you’re traveling to St. Petersburg, there are many places to visit and browse for hats. The Gostiny Dvor department store houses various hat shops. If you’re looking for a market easily accessible to tourists, the Rynok Suvenirov is one of the more famous markets, known for friendly and hospitable English-speaking vendors.

Top: photo by Guian Bolisay; Bottom: photo by Petar Miloševic

Fur hats can be made from mink, fox, lynx, and even rabbit fur. If your travels take you to Moscow, there are wonderful boutiques and markets that sell fur hats. For a oneof-a-kind hat, visit the boutique of fashion design: Irina Tantsurina Russian Traditions. Street markets like the Red Square Market and the Izmailovo Market offer cheaper fur hats; however, the quality of their hats is more dubious, and the customer may not know where the fur came from. So whether you are looking for a fantastic souvenir to bring home from Russia or something new to wear for winter, a Russian fur ushanka could be a great addition to your wardrobe.

—By Heather Moon

Top: The emblems on ushankas reflect the different military groups in Russia. Opposite: Red Fox fur is the best known type of fox fur and can be found in North America, Europe, Asia, and Australia. Bottom: The strings that tie together the earflaps of the ushanka originally came from Scandinavia in the nineteenth century.

www.stowawaymag.com ◀ 51

Fashion Fusion Japanese Street Style with Western Influences other areas of Japan, are growing in popularity with pockets of fans worldwide. Each fashion expresses its own style, but some of them overlap in color scheme or the general outfit shape. It helps to learn the differences and similarities—after all, everyone appreciates a thoughtful compliment on their attire.

Lolita

Currently, Lolita is the prominent Japanese street fashion. What unites Lolita is its use of frills, lace, and numerous accessories; its emphasis on modesty; and its distinguished

skirt shapes. The two most common skirt styles are a bell shape (called a “cupcake” shape), and an A-line shape. Beyond these unifying factors, Lolita has many subsets, each of which has its own name and look. Classic Lolita emphasizes the Victorian, Regency, and Rococco roots of the fashion, while Gothic Lolita is similarly elegant with darker colors and motif accessories like crosses. Sweet Lolita showcases outfits with cute themes like sweets, fruit, animals, toys, and pastel colors. Other Lolita subsets derive from the use of specific colors, such as Kuro (black) Lolita and Shiro (white)

Left: Lolita outfits, also called “coords,” can be elaborate for special occasions or simple for everyday wear. Right: Mori Kei is often referred to as Mori Girl because more women are seen wearing the fashion than men, but men do also wear the fashion with pants in place of skirts.

52 ▶ fall 2015

Left: photo by Chau kar Man; Right: photo by Vincent Tam

“That is so cute! But there’s no way I could do that because I’m too tall.” Or so Wyoming native Valina Eckley thought when she encountered Lolita fashion in the Harajuku district of Tokyo, Japan. Despite her initial assumption, Valina began wearing Lolita. During the eight years she lived in Japan, she attained a job working for Baby the Stars Shine Bright, one of the biggest Lolita brands with over thirty stores in the country. By the time she left Japan in 2011, another fashion called Mori Kei was rising in popularity. Japanese street fashions, while mostly exclusive to Tokyo and a few

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Lolita. While Lolita initially drew inspiration from Victorian European fashion, most of its subsets have little resemblance to the original source. “Lolita just made me feel super cute, and it felt good to dress up, and it made me feel powerful,” says Valina. “It brings out the girly-girls in us that we didn’t know we had.”

Ouji

Often called “kodona” or “boystyle” by American fans, Ouji, says enthusiast Brittany Tryon, is “like a companion style. It’s what the boyfriends of Lolitas can wear.” Jessica Snyder, a wearer of both Lolita and Ouji from Utah, calls Ouji a subset of Lolita, but whether Ouji is a subset of Lolita or a companion style is debated. Both Lolita and Ouji have similar subsets, like Kuro and Sweet, that make the styles very compatible. Ouji draws inspiration from young boys’ Victorian-era clothing. “Shoes or boots, knee high socks, shorts, a shirt, vest, and maybe a jacket with some sort of necktie and a hat is pretty basic for an [Ouji] outfit,” Brittany affirmed. Jessica says, “With Lolita, I like the femininity, cuteness, uniqueness, innocence, and old-ish style to it, and Ouji, I like the ability of being able to appeal to my more boy-ish side while still upholding everything I love about Lolita.”

Photo courtesy of Kendall’s Photos

Fairy Kei

“I feel Fairy Kei is a nice mixture of decora, [another fashion with] lots of accessories, with a bit of Sweet Lolita, which tends to be pastel colors,” McCall Walgren said to describe Fairy Kei fashion. McCall owns an online shop called Kawaii Power Up Boutique, where she sells Fairy Kei accessories like jewelry and hair clips, and she wears Fairy Kei herself. Fairy Kei began as a unique style created by the owners of SPANK!, a secondhand shop located in Tokyo.

Fairy Kei stands out from other fashions with its use of pastels and numerous accessories.

The fashion relies on pastel colors. McCall also says Fairy Kei includes themed accessories such as “sweets, wings, hearts, stars, and items inspired by the ’80s, like Care Bears and My Little Pony.” Fluffy miniskirts with leg warmers or oversized sweaters are popular, but longer skirts or pastel shorts aren’t unheard of, either. McCall delved into Fairy Kei after discovering it through Lolita, and when comparing both fashions, she says, “I feel like there is more freedom with Fairy Kei [than Lolita] as long as you stay in the right color scheme.”

Mori Kei

“It’s like Japan’s version of hippies, or flower child,” Mori Girl Brittany Wilson of Orem, Utah, said to describe Mori Kei. “It’s kind of a rebellion against technology and a desire to go back to simpler times.” Mori Kei fans wear earth tones, like browns and greens, and emphasize their connection with nature through their accessories. Cardigans and scarves are commonly

paired with leggings over flowing skirts and dresses. Footwear consists of boots, sandals or flats, but never high heels. The point of Mori Kei, Wilson emphasizes, is to dress in a way that is harmonious with nature and suitable for living in the woods. “I’ve always been kind of an ‘earth child’, and I always loved being out in the woods,” Wilson reminisces. “[Mori Kei] appealed to that part of me.”

Fashionable Flexibility

“Some people like to make rules, but in fashion, are there really rules?” Valina Eckley asks. With Lolita, she says, “there’s a general image that we shoot for, but some people tend to put up really strict rules.” This applies to all Japanese street fashions, not just Lolita. Valina advises for those who wish to try one of these street fashions, “In the end you just have to do something for yourself.”

—Amber Monson www.stowawaymag.com ◀ 53

Exploring the World of Pizza Pizza has become a classic and quintessential American food. We eat pizza at birthday parties as kids, for late-night snacks as students, and for quick dinners as adults. The greasy, cheesy pizzas in flat, square boxes that stack so nicely are a comfortable and familiar sight to many Americans. But what about pizza outside of America? What about pizza in Asia, the Middle East, and South America? We know that, even across America, styles of pizza can vary dramatically, but that is nothing compared to the different styles of pizza across the globe. Many pizzas around the world are fairly traditional and similar. In Italy, the Neopolitan pizza consists of

54 ▶ fall 2015

a thin crust with mozzarella cheese and tomatoes. This lends itself to the American pizza and serves as a basis for most other pizzas. Like the Neopolitan, most pizzas start with a bread base. With France’s Tarte Flambé pizza, the crust is thin and crepe-like. Georgia’s Khachapuri pizza has a thicker, cheese-stuffed dough. In Lebanon, the Manakish pizza is basically a form of flatbread. The bread base is the most consistent ingredient of a pizza; almost every form of pizza around the world begins with some sort of bread. The bread base, though certainly important, is often overlooked because of the toppings, which

vary widely. Many countries use cheese as a topping (namely France, America, Italy, and India). However, some countries use toppings unique to their culture. In Japan, the Okonomiyaki pizza has a variety of seafood toppings, including squid and shrimp. Germany also uses seafood on their Thunfisch, or tuna fish, pizza. Both Sweden and India use curry flavor on their pizza: Indian pizzas often include tikka, a curried chicken, along with pickled ginger, paneer, and vegetables; whereas Swedish pizzas include lots of curry powder with pineapples and bananas. In Turkey, the Lahmacun pizza is primarily

Photography by Erin Willder

Not all pizzas are created equal. Delivered or picked up, gourmet or mass-produced, frozen or fresh—there’s a pizza out there for everyone.

just meat and dough. The various toppings and combinations reflect the cultures of various countries by using the foods that are readily available or popular in those places. There are too many unique and interesting pizzas to discuss, so try the local pizza of wherever you travel next. However, you don’t have to wait until your next trip to try a pizza from around the world. We didn’t want to teach you about all these different pizzas without also giving you (and ourselves) a little taste of some of them, so our staff got together and made a couple different pizzas, and here is what we found: 1.

Khachapuri (Georgia) ▶▶ Voted the favorite by the Stowaway staff! We loved the crumbly crust filled with a melted combination of cheeses. ▶▶ Delicious combination of cheeses and buttery crust.

Fugazza (Argentina) Sophisticated focaccia bread covered in caramelized onions. ▶▶ Not quite as flavorful as we were hoping for, but still delicious. ▶▶ Be sure to caramelize the onions, and don’t skimp on them! Banana Curry Pizza (Sweden) ▶▶ Be moderate in your use of bananas and liberal in your use of curry powder! ▶▶ Add anything else you have in your fridge or cupboards that you think would taste good (peppers, onions, mushrooms, etc.). Neapolitan (Italy) ▶▶ Of all the pizzas we made, this was the most like an American pizza. ▶▶ Looks beautiful, like it came straight from Italy! ▶▶

— Paige Torgerson

Staff Favorite: Khachapuri Crust:

3.6 oz plain yogurt 1 egg 1/3 tsp. salt 1/3 tsp. baking powder 1.7 oz. butter 7.8 oz. flour

Filling:

1.5 c. mozzarella cheese 1 c. feta cheese 8 oz. cream cheese 2 eggs

Servings: 2 Directions: Combine all dough ingredients until smooth dough forms. Let sit while you mix the three cheeses together. Take half of the dough and roll into an 8-inch circle, about 1/8 inch thick. Spread 1/4 of the cheese mixture onto the circle, leaving a 1/2 inch border. On opposite sides of the circle, roll the two edges of the dough toward

Photography by Keirsten Cowen

each other, leaving 2–3 inches

between the rolls. Pinch and twist the two ends to create a boat shape. Place another 1/4 of the cheese mixture in the boat. Repeat to make another pizza with the remaining ingredients. Bake pizzas at 400 degrees for 10–12 minutes or until golden brown. Crack an egg in the center of the boats and bake again for 3–4 minutes or until eggs are fairly set.

www.stowawaymag.com ◀ 55

Photo courtesy of Universal Studios

to the

Back Future

56 â&#x2013;ś fall2015

culture

Along the grass-lined streets, George McFly gets beat up by Biff again. Lorraine Baines gazes out the window admiringly at her son skateboarding down the road. Away from the square, the Tannen, McFly, Baines, and Brown houses line the street, waiting for tourists. No cell phones ring. Though opportunities abound, no one takes selfies. Instead, people take pictures with secondhand cameras, not smartphones. Is this the past? No, it’s the future—Back to the Future, that is—of movies with SecretCinema.

Secret Cinema

Photography courtesy of Secret Cinema by Will Cooper and Camilla Greenwell

Since 2005, SecretCinema, a UK-based company founded by Fabien Riggall, has reimagined the future of movie watching. With the tagline “Tell no one,” they send a secret location and time. Most of the time, the audience has no idea what film will be showing. SecretCinema gives classic movies like Top Gun, The Third Man, and One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest the themepark treatment. They recreate the set, hire hundreds of actors, and turn the audience into extras, informing them

beforehand of clothing to wear and giving them a character to play. At the end of the day, they show the film, and the actors act out the film while the film is showing. The experience isn’t cheap. A ticket usually costs £50, or about $77.

Preparations

Last summer, SecretCinema staged a production of Back to the Future in East London. They re-created the town, complete with the neighborhoods, the post office, the diner, and the famous clock tower.

Before the show, people swarmed thrift stores, dressing up in the sleek styles of the 50s. They left their cell phones at the front entrance, adding to the atmosphere of the decade. Audience members were given a character profile, a role to perfrom in the town. SecretCinema staged it as “The Hill Valley Town Fair,” bringing in a Ferris wheel, fair food, and different activities for the crowd to participate in. Actors and non-actors mixed together, and everyone becomes part of the film reenactment.

Lightning strikes in this iconic scene from both the movie and SecretCinema’s reenactment.

www.stowawaymag.com ◀ 57

shows the event will be momentous. On the website, secretcinema.org, tickets will be made available at an unknown date later this year.

Predictions

During the day, events from the movie could be seen throughout the town, from George McFly falling out of a tree to his son skateboarding down the street. And at night, for the grand event, the film itself was shown on the face of town hall. Stunts from the movie were acted out at the same time as the film, including Doc’s famous slide down the telephone wire from

the top of the building. The film ended about midnight, concluding an incredible day.

Summer 2015

This summer, in honor of Back to the Future 2’s depiction of 2015, and the thirtieth anniversary of the first movie, SecretCinema will bring the event to Los Angeles. Though details are still unknown, past experience

▶▶

secretcinema.org

—Sarah Decker

Top: A boy sticks his head out of the old fashioned car, enjoying the novelty of the event. Bottom: Spectators gather in a field, preparing for the main event.

58 ▶ fall2015

Photography courtesy of Secret Cinema by Will Cooper and Camilla Greenwell

The Event

In the Back to the Future 2 version of 2015, Marty McFly rides a hoverboard, wears automatically adjustable clothing, and is chomped by a giant 3D holographic shark from Jaws 19. These predictions, like so many others, have proven false. In 1989, when Back to the Future 2 was released, 3D was a new thing, and the fourth Jaws movie had just come out. Holographic sharks from a 19th movie may have seemed reasonable, or at least entertaining. In the real 2015, instead of sharks that come out of the screen to the audience, SecretCinema brings the audience into the movie through these interactive events. Back to the Future may have predicted the future wrong, but SecretCinema is trying to get it right.

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www.stowawaymag.com ◀ 59

Coconut Coconut was introduced to North America in the early 1800s and was very popular in baking and cooking products until the 1950s, when doctors blamed coconuts as a cause of high cholesterol. Thankfully, coconut products have experienced a resurgence in the new millennium, populating vending machines, health-food stores, and baking aisles. New studies show what common coconut consumers have long known intuitively: Consuming coconuts can help lower heart disease and cholesterol, reduce the effects of stress, and improve heart, brain, and gastrointestinal health. Overall, coconut has a host of health-boosting capabilities.

The recipes on the following page demonstrate the treatment and variations of coconuts. From North America, we have featured Coconut Ice Cream, an easy-to-assemble homemade ice cream that does not require an ice-cream maker or raw eggs. Beijinhos de Coco are small Brazilian candies that are easy to make and perfect for gatherings. Chicken Bhuna is a curry dish from Bengali that comes together quickly and smells divine. And finally, our variation of Coconut Mango Pudding comes from China—making it a simple and elegant dessert to celebrate the Chinese New Year. ▶▶

coconutresearchcenter.org

—Kiersten Cowan

▶▶

Despite its misleading name, the coconut is actually a drupe (other drupes include plums, cherries, and almonds).

▶▶

Early Spanish explorers dubbed the husky fruit as “coco,” which means “skull” or “goblin,” because the coconut looks like a skull or a monkey’s head.

▶▶

Coconuts can be used in more than just food! Coconut can be used as a beauty product, from lip balm to hair conditioner.

60 ▶ fall 2015

Photoo by John Revo Buno; Recipe images by Kiersten Cowan

Coconut, fruit of the “tree of life,” is a super food. Although coconut trees grow only in tropical and subtropical regions, this tasty treat has reached every corner of the globe. Coconut is sold in many forms, from fresh coconuts to pressed coconut oil to shredded coconut, and it tastes delicious in both sweet and savory dishes.

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Adapted from Daniel Chaves

Mix all ingredients in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil for 5 minutes, stirring often. Remove from heat and let it cool to room temperature. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for 20 minutes.

▶▶

Adapted from Ching’s Fast Food, The Food Network

To assemble, pour a tablespoon or two of the syrup over each pudding. Feel free to decorate with fresh fruits. Serve chilled.

In a blender, puree the mango with light syrup. Add the coconut milk and sugar. Blend well. Add prepared gelatin to the mixture. Blend for 5 seconds more. Pour the mixture into individual dishes. Cover, chill at least 1 hour, until set.

Instructions

▶▶

Used with permission from Vanessa from Our Thrifty Ideas, www.ourthriftyideas.com

Pour the heaving whipping cream into a freezer-safe bowl with a lid. Beat with a mixer on high until stiff peaks form. Add remaining ingredients to the bowl, except the coconut flakes, and combine on low speed until fully incorporated. Top with coconut flakes (optional) and put the lid on. Freeze the bowl for at least four hours or overnight. Serve frozen, topped with coconut flakes.

Instructions

1 can (15 oz.) full-fat coconut milk 1 pint heavy whipping cream 2 tsp. coconut extract 1/4 c. sweetened coconut flakes (optional)

Ingredients

1/4 c. golden syrup 1/4 c. freshly squeezed orange juice Juice of 1/2 lemon

1 can (15 oz.) mangos in light syrup 1 can (15 oz.) whole coconut milk 1/2 c. caster sugar 5 tsp. gelatin, prepared according to package instructions

Orange Syrup Ingredients

Pudding Ingredients

Adapted from Bioversity International

Coconut Ice Cream (North America)

▶▶

Combine everything, except coconut milk and water and marinate for 30 minutes to 2 hours in the refrigerator. In a pot, simmer the marinated chicken in the water. When water evaporates, add coconut milk and cook for an additional 10 minutes. Serve over hot rice.

Instructions

Coconut Mango Pudding (China)

▶▶

Heat milk and butter over medium-low heat, stirring often, until the milk has reduced and thickened to the consistency of caramel sauce, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in the coconut flakes; allow to cool. Pour into a buttered bowl and chill in refrigerator for at least 2 hours. With buttered or oiled hands, roll the chilled confection into tablespoon-sized balls, and roll in coconut flakes.

Instructions

2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken, diced in 1/2-inch pieces 2 yellow onions, finely diced 2 tbsp. fresh minced ginger 6 garlic cloves, minced 1 c. julienned carrots 1 tbsp. dried chili 1 c. yogurt 2 tbsp. soybean oil 1 tsp. salt 1 can (15 oz.) of coconut milk 11/2 c. water

Ingredients

1 can (14 oz.) sweetened condensed milk 1 tbsp. butter, plus more for bowl 1 c. sweetened coconut flakes, plus more for decorating

Chicken Bhuna (Bengali Chicken Curry)

Beijinhos de Coco (Brazilian Coconut Kisses)

Field Notes 64

Of Fungi and Tundras

Adventure on Australia’s Great Ocean Road

Extreme Commuting: Philippines Style

Venerating Volunteerism

Photo Contest Winners

Tales from the Trip

A conversation with author and voyager Lawrence Millman.

Explore 18 diverse Australian cities all along one road.

Tips on navigating the Philippines by trisikad, tricycle, or jeepney. International travelers discuss how to make the most of volunteering abroad.

Admire the winning entries from Stowaway’s photo contest. Top travel stories from other Stowaway readers.

The Twelve Apostles, Victoria, Australia Photo by Ben Houdjik

www.stowawaymag.com ◀ 63

A Talk with Lawrence Millman

Lawrence Millman has traveled far and wide, from the frozen tundras of Antarctica to the humid jungles of Ecuador, and has written every step of the way. He’s the author of sixteen books, including An Evening Among Headhunters and Lost in the Arctic, and his work has been published in such magazines as Sports Illustrated, National Geographic Adventure, and Smithsonian. Here’s what he had to say about the travel writer’s life.

A better question would be, “What’s become so unrewarding about travel nowadays?” Answer: globalization (i.e., Americanization, or what the Russians call snickersatsyn). I hate seeing place after place lose its identity. I’m currently in Bratislava in Slovakia, and half the signs are in English . . . American English.

64 ▶ fall 2015

What came first: the traveling or the writing?

Writing came first. I wrote a sixpage novel called Quivox and the Ghosts at age seven. The title character’s name had several obscure letters of the alphabet—a sign of my future interest in obscure places.

What’s the biggest mishap you’ve had on a trip?

I told an Inuk that his snoring was driving me crazy, whereupon he refused to guide me to a major Arctic petroglyph [rock engraving] site, a trip for which I’d gotten considerable funding. You can read about this in Hiking to Siberia as well.

Photo by Tom Rotger

What do you find most rewarding about travel?

field notes

“ When you screw up, interesting things happen. Competence is boring.” What’s the least glamorous aspect of travelling as much as you do? The least glamorous aspect of travel writing is editors. Increasingly, they know less and less about good prose and more and more about advertising.

What is one skill every aspiring traveler should develop?

Left: photo by Matthew Kirkland. Right: photo by Edward Faulkner

Better to have basic lack of skills. When you screw up, interesting things happen. Competence is boring.

Why mushrooms?

Why mushrooms? Because searching for them returns me to my timehonored hunter-gatherer self.

When writing about a trip, how do you choose which experiences to highlight? The experience chooses me; I don’t choose it.

You’ve discovered a previously unknown lake in Borneo as well as a thought-to-be extinct species of fungus. Which for you was the more exciting experience?

Neither was as exciting as finding a totally botanized human skeleton in a burial cairn in Hudson Strait. You can read about this find in my book Hiking to Siberia.

There’s a mountain named after you in eastern Greenland. How did that happen?

The mountain was named after me because I made the first ascent of it. The ascent was non-technical and no more difficult than climbing, for example, Mt. Washington in New Hampshire.

Is there anywhere you’ve yet to visit that you would like to? The one place I’d still like to visit is Tristan da Cunha in the South Atlantic—but not on a cruise ship! ▶▶

lawrencemillman.com

—Samuel Wright

Left: Millman is an accomplished mycologist and has built an inventory of fungi numbering 490 species. Right: Millman is a member of the prestigious Explorer’s Club, an organization that promotes field research.

www.stowawaymag.com ◀ 65

Adventure on Australia’s

Great Ocean Road Between the beaches of Torquay and the riverbanks of Allansford, the Great Ocean Road teeters on Australia’s edge. This famous highway snakes through 18 diverse cities, all with different adventures to be had. This road offers the best route to see all sides of Australia’s culture. Whether you are exploring the Otways Forest or catching rays at Apollo Bay, the scenic views will take your breath away. The city of Warrnambool is found along Shipwreck Coast. Shipwreck Coast received its name because of the 50 known ships that disappeared under the waves at this rocky coastline. The Twelve Apostles rock formations create dangerous conditions for local ships. Visitors can learn about the haunting history of these ships on the Historic Shipwreck Trail. A

66 ▶ fall 2015

map reveals the location of each of the known shipwrecks and the suspected cause of the ship’s demise. For those tourists wanting a closer view, they can scuba dive 250 meters outside of Warrnambool’s breakwater to investigate the haunting underwater ruins of the ship La Bella, which sank in 1905 but is still mostly intact. The helm of La Bella is the ultimate place for high adventurers.

Go Back in Time

The Great Ocean Road is not only about high adventure places. Visitors can appreciate a relaxing atmosphere on the streets of Port Fairy, a fishing village on the west end of the Great Ocean Road. This historic town is populated with boutiques, art galleries, and antique stores at every turn. The nineteenth-century cottages transport every visitor to another time.

Photo by Jim Hoffman

Explore the Coast

From left: photos by Hadi Zaher, Jupiter Firelyte, and henkrup

field notes

Opposite: The jagged limestone rock formations create a choppy coastline worthy of Shipwreck Coast’s name. Left: Australia’s iconic animals like the kangaroo can be found up and down the coastline and inland of the Great Ocean Road. Middle: “The White Queen” is one of three famous lighthouses on the Great Ocean Road. Right: An hour-long stroll on Tree Top Walk provides visitors with a unique aerial view.

Visit the Local Market

There are many markets in the Ballarine Peninsula, but none so expansive and popular as Point Lonsdale Market. On the second Sunday of each month, over 150 stalls are open for business, selling crafts, artwork, jams, produce, and more. Stopping at the market not only is the perfect time to pick up souvenirs, but it is also a great way to be immersed in the Australian culture. The variety found in this market is perfect for travelers of all ages and all personalities.

Follow a Guiding Light

Split Point Lighthouse is a stunning attraction for any tourist. Also known as “The White Queen,” Split Point stands proudly on Aireys Inlet’s shores. Although the lighthouse has been guiding ships back to her shores since 1891, Split Point

Lighthouse only recently opened to tourists in 2013. Visitors can now take a forty-five-minute tour of this striking monument. The top of the lighthouse reveals a dramatic view of the coastline; it is a must-see on the Great Ocean Road.

Soar Through the Trees Australia is famous for its seaside adventures, but this continent

holds just as much beauty inland. The Otway Rainforest is the perfect destination to appreciate a different side of Australia. Visitors can see the rainforest thirty meters above on the Tree Top Walk, a steel walkway that stretches a mile through the forest. This walkway reaches the height of forty-seven meters at the spiral tower, the focal point of the floating trail. For those hoping for a bit more excitement, they can sightsee the forest on a zip line tour with

Relaxing on the Great Ocean Road With all the outdoor adventures in Australia, visitors can get tuckered out. Put your feet up at one of the many spas along the Great Ocean Road. ▶▶

Deep Water Geothermal Baths & Spa, Warrnambool

▶▶

Endota Spa, Geelong

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Moyne Mobile Massage, Port Fairy

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Mud Day Spa, Point Lonsdale

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Saltair Day Spa, Torquay

▶▶

Seahorse Natural Therapies, Apollo Bay

www.stowawaymag.com ◀ 67

While driving on the Great Ocean Road, don’t forget to make stops to appreciate the scenic beauty of Australia’s beachfont. Whether near Apollo Bay as seen in the above photo, or at a different location, the Great Ocean Road’s pristine coast is worth the stop.

Explore the Museum

The last stop on this Australian road trip is in the small town of Queenscliff. Packed with history, Queenscliff is the best place to get a glimpse of the past. The Queenscliff Historical Museum attracts people from all around the world with a vast number of paintings, newspapers, photographs, and documents that capture the culture of Australia. But Queenscliff isn’t limited to its history on the land; it has a history in the sea as well. Visitors can experience this at the Queenscliff Maritime Museum. This museum is home to shipwreck artifacts, early diving equipment, and

68 ▶ fall 2015

various models of the underwater landscapes. These are just some of the ideal city stops to make while riding the Great Ocean Road, but every city has its unique flavor. The entire stretch of the Great Ocean Road is less than a 7-hour road trip, which offers plenty

of time for visitors to investigate the cities. Whether you are an adventurous explorer or a down-toearth sightseer, the Great Ocean Road has a city just for you. Take a trip to see every bit of Australia’s landscape and culture all on one highway.

—Cherie Stewart

Dining in Australia Visitors can’t get the full Australian experience without tasting Australian food. Stop at some of the most popular restaurants in the Great Ocean Road region. ▶▶

Alto Cucina Lounge and Bar, Highton

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Brae, Birregurra

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Black Salt Resaurant, Geelong

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The Beach Hotel, Jan Juc

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The Iluka Motel & Restaurant, Apollo Bay

▶▶

Uber Mama, Anglesea

Photo by danwalker90

six different flights. Either path you choose, there is no denying the Otway Rainforest is the perfect place to see how exquisitely green Australia can be.

www.stowawaymag.com ◀ 69

Extreme Commuting Philippines Style

Once we squish together inside, the driver asks me for the address. “Diin?” (Where?) “Sa Oton.” (To Oton.) “Pitumpu.” (Seventy pisos.) He sees that I am Kana, or American; he would never try that price with a Philippina. “Hindi ah! Pito lang!” (No way! Just seven!) “Sige.” (Okay.) As we wait, some men climb on top, holding plastic bags on top of their heads to keep off the rain. My knees knock against the legs of the woman sitting across from me. She has a baby in her lap, and she’s

70 ▶ fall 2015

holding her daughter tightly next to her. Each of us clutches the closest edge, letting in some of the water through the plastic coverings and shivering from the rain. Two more girls sit on the motorcycle at my back, shivering from the wet.

Getting Started

The driver starts the motorcycle attached to the cart. It chokes a bit, not liking the weather any more than we do. As we speed out, I lean in multiple directions at once against the back of the tricycle and against my missionary companion next to

me, pressing my feet against the front of the opposite seat. I almost laugh. At this point, there are twelve people on the tricycle: five on the inside, two sitting behind the driver, the driver himself, one holding on to the opposite side, and three on the roof. Once the tricycle is full, the driver takes off. This is not some kind of circus trick. We are just all trying to get somewhere, and this is the best way of doing it in the Philippines. Getting somewhere becomes an ordinary adventure in the Philippines, in all three forms of transportation: trisikads, tricycles, and Jeepneys.

Photo by Daniel Y. Go

Rain pours down the sides of the umbrella protecting my missionary companion and me. We huddle together, walking over to the tricycles parked at the side of the parking lot waiting for passengers. Each tricycle has a particular destination, and we want one headed to a nicer part of town. We find a promising one with few people and struggle into what serves as the cab.

field notes

one open door in the back, and each person bends in half to crawl in. Once inside, each person has to find a spot squished beside all the other people and their spots.

Everyday Adventure

Trisikad drivers like this one take children, adults, and animals on short distances.

Trisikad

Top: photo by Mr. Leeds; Bottom: photo by Klaus Stiefel

A trisikad (or sikad) is a bike with a cab attached to the right side. These are only used for short distances— distances you could walk, but you just don’t want to, either because you aren’t feeling well, you’re carrying something, or you’re just tired. Because it is man-powered, it can only carry two people, or once in a while, three.

You can fit twelve people on one if you’re lucky.

side of the road and holding up a couple fingers.

Jeepney

Jeepneys are the biggest and most common form of transportation in the Philippines. Jeepneys were originally made-over US Jeeps from WWII. Now, they are very long vans with long plastic-covered bench seats running along each side. A metal bar is available on the ceiling to grab on around tight corners. There is

After getting situated, the adventure really begins. Between holding on to one’s bag, leaning against everyone, holding on the bar, and praying very hard, it’s surprising anyone goes anywhere. Keep in mind that this isn’t just an adventure for the idle traveler; it’s life in the Philippines. “Lugar Lang,” calls out someone from the top of the tricycle, and the driver comes to an abrupt stop, causing all of us to jerk against each other and strain not to fall off. I press my head at an awkward angle against the metal corner and hold myself in position waiting for the next move. Every day it’s the same, and every day it’s an adventure. Once we reach our destination, we pay with pisos and struggle out of the contraption back into the rain.

—Sarah Decker

Tricycle

Tricycles have a familiar name but are anything but familiar. They are similar to trisikads, but bigger and with a motorcycle instead of a bike. You can fit twelve people on one if you’re lucky. These go further distances (a couple miles) for halfhour or hour rides. Some have designated routes, and others are stopped like taxis by standing by the

Colorful Jeepneys like this one travel the cities of Manila, Baguio, and Iloilo.

www.stowawaymag.com ◀ 71

Venerating Volunteerism

How to be an Efficient Volunteer in a Foreign Country More than 1.6 million people volunteer internationally every year. With so many helping hands, humanitarian work is progressing all around the world. However, being unprepared for the culture shock can ruin what could be an inspiring experience. Stowaway researched suggestions for those who aspire to volunteer abroad by interviewing three of these 1.6 million selfless workers. Each shared both joys and sorrows. Here are their stories and advice regarding international volunteerism.

Abby volunteered to teach English in China with her husband during the winter of 2013. Then, over summer 2014, Abby spent a month in Africa as part of an internship to learn more about how nonprofit organizations work in Uganda and its surrounding countries.

Invest in something long-term. You can make the biggest difference if you invest in something longterm. Most volunteer trips only last a week or two, and that’s okay. Any help given is always needed. But if you can stay longer, do so. Staying longer—at least a month—gives you a different perspective. “It gives you a better feel for the people and gives you more

cultural context,” Abby said. Your extended stay also allows you to see more progress. By understanding the needs of the culture, you can identify ways to make the volunteer efforts more efficient. Investing for longer is more efficient for the organization as well, because less time is lost by constantly training new recruits. If you can’t stay for very long, then you

Ugandan men take a break while constructing a hut. Volunteers frequently help with building huts like this one, unwittingly wasting time and resources because volunteers don’t have the necessary construction skills.

72 ▶ fall 2015

Photo by Paul-W

Abby Christiansen

field notes

An old castle in the city of Iasi is part of the beautiful scenery of rural Romania. Naturally, visiting sites is part of the international experience!

Photo by Gaspar Serrano

can spend your time more wisely by investing in something that will be meaningful to the people in the long run. At one point, Abby helped build mud huts in a village outside Kampala. The idea was nice, but the Ugandans didn’t need help with that— they were far more experienced at construction than the volunteers were. “It was frustrating because I didn’t feel like I was making a difference,” Abby explained. Instead, she recommends teaching English. It’s a skill that will last a long time and will help the students get a better education and a better job. Choose your program carefully. It’s cheaper and safer to go with an organization than it is to go on your own, but choose wisely who you go with. Carefully research the organization. Specifically, look for how much of their money is spent on their own expenses and how much money actually gets to the people. Abby recommends going with local companies rather than

international organizations. Local ones understand the needs of the people better and usually cost less.

Olivia Bergen

Olivia worked in Romania for the summer of 2014. She taught English in an elementary school, volunteered at an orphanage for disabled children, and helped in a children’s hospital. About her experience, she said, “It gave me a totally different view of the world and how I want to live in that world, and I wanted to have an impact that I think is meaningful.” Research what you will be doing. Olivia knew that working in a special-needs orphanage would bring unique challenges. However, there were some of the children that had conditions that she wasn’t prepared to deal with. Olivia said she really wishes that she “would have learned more about the disabilities of the kids in the orphanage. Sometimes they have abandonment issues, medical problems, or other severe maladies.”

She would have researched more about these disabilities so that she was “more prepared to understand the kids.” Don’t judge the culture. In Romania, tourists are warned of a stigma against gypsies. They have a reputation for being thieves and criminals. However, Olivia found that the more she reacted to that, the more she made herself a target. Keeping her distance, clutching her purse, and other signs of fear marked her as a foreigner and invited catcalls and pickpocketing. But by acting like the people around her, Olivia saw the gypsies in a different light. They are people with families, interests, and personalities. By letting go of the prejudices of the culture, not only was she safer from assault, but she was also more open to new people. Choose how to spend your energy. Volunteering is a delicate experience. It can be emotionally draining because you are always giving and get little thanks back. Long days of effort

www.stowawaymag.com ◀ 73

Sarah Pusey In 2013, Sarah spent a semester teaching English in Mexico. She lived with a host family while she was there. During the mornings, she taught children at an elementary school, and then she was free in the afternoons to experience the culture. This trip was especially meaningful to her because it solidified her resolve to become a Spanish teacher. Go with a tour guide. Tour guides know all sorts of handy facts. They know good places to eat, they know which neighborhoods are safe and which ones are not, and they know about cultural gems that don’t appear in travel pamphlets. During their free time, Sarah and other volunteers sometimes traveled with a guide, especially when they were going somewhere unfamiliar. “The tour guide helped make the experience better, and it’s safer to go with one,” she suggested. Find things in common with the people. Sarah could have focused on

the differences between her culture

more experienced teacher, better

and Mexican culture, but she had a

equipped to work with culturally

better time building relationships

diverse students. “Embrace the

when she found common ground.

culture!” she said.

Sarah found that both she and her host mom loved ice cream, so they would go out for ice cream once a week. Family was also important in both cultures: Sarah is close with

Becoming a Volunteer Wherever you are and however you help, we thank all volunteers! We know it’s hard work, and it

her immediate family and extended

can be overwhelming if you’re not

relatives, and her host family held

prepared. The advice in this article

similar values. The host grandma

is from volunteers who have already

came over for lunch every day.

worked abroad. If you’re thinking

Everyone went to church together

about helping in a foreign country,

on Sundays. These similarities

these tips can prepare you to have

built friendships and enriched

the best time possible.

Sarah’s experience. By noting the

▶▶

similarities between teaching

blog.movingworlds.org/9-factsabout-international-volunteering

children there and children in the United States, Sarah also became a

—Hannah Chudleigh

Volunteering isn’t all work. There is plenty of play, because volunteering is all about building relationships! Sarah loved spending time with the kids outside of school.

Volunteer Programs We Recommend ▶▶

Bates Development Project

▶▶

Brigham Young University

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China Horizons

▶▶

Council on International Educational Exchange

▶▶

Global Volunteer Network

▶▶

Global Volunteers

▶▶

74 ▶ fall 2015

International Language Programs International Volunteer HQ Projects Abroad Travel to Teach

UBELONG Volunteer Abroad Volunteer Uganda

Photo courtesy of UBELONG Volunteer Abroad

sometimes don’t seem to make a difference. To combat discouragement, Olivia suggests prioritizing. “Choose what you’re going to work on, identify what you’re worrying about, and organize your energy accordingly,” she advised.

photo contest

First Place Laughing Lakshmi

The spirit of the Indian people is captured in Lakshmi’s face. Sitting outside her dirt floored home, she couldn’t help but beam. I was the first white person she had ever seen in real life and just stared the whole hour I was there with her. When I asked to take her photo, she laughed in embarrassment and I snapped this before she could react and give me a staged smile.

—Taylor Ottesen

www.stowawaymag.com ◀ 75

photo contest

Second Place Fiji

As I approached with my camera, this lizard eyed me warily as if to make sure I was not a threat. This wary, noble attitude made this guy the perfect Fijian model.

—James Voss

Third Place Neuschwanstein Castle Because of the crowds, I wasn’t able to get the picture I wanted of Neuschwanstein Castle so a couple of friends and I decided to hike further up the mountain. We had to go back in to a small canyon so we lost sight of the castle until we came around a bend and were able to get the perfect view of Neuschwanstein and the surrounding valley.

—Kevin Allen 76 ▶ fall 2015

field notes

Trip

London There’s a soft pattering on my window as the sun breaks through low-hanging clouds. It’s evening now, and a golden haze sets over Londontown. My little flat has large dormer windows that filter the soft evening light that spills onto my wooden floors. The rain trickles down the glass in meandering paths, falling heavier and softer in turn; first it is a fury, then it dims to a mere whisper. My life is a watercolor painting that drip-drip-drips into reality. It bleeds down the stairs and into cobblestone streets, pulling me along. Tread softly now, feet. Don’t make too much noise. I wander London, through mad and meandering streets lined with flats and shops stuffed together—they are books on an overcrowded shelf. To the left is a Gothic romance, its spire rising to pierce the moon; outside my

window is a Dickens serial, settled unassumingly between a modern history of London and a collection of T.S. Eliot poetry. Between these covers exist worlds and stories, and I am only afforded a glimpse through cloudypaned windows. There will never be enough time to read them all. My feet carry me on. London is fresh baked pain au chocolat at the corner patisserie. It is the sour scent of rubbish on collection day. It is cigarette smoke and petrol clinging to your clothes well after you leave the tube stop behind. It is gelato, running sticky down your fingers and staining your shirt. It is the suffocating press of too many people on the tube, hedging you in on every side like a tidy English garden. It is standing, surrounded by people, and feeling completely alone.

London is a temple of glass, a skyscraper rising up to the sky. It is a displaced man sitting at the steps of a synagogue and rattling a cup, saying, Change, miss? Got any change? London is that pit in your stomach as you take in the man’s soiled clothes and fraying blanket. It is realizing that, despite all the movies you’ve seen and research you’ve done, you are not prepared for what London really is. Change, miss? Got any change? Come along, feet, and tread softly—back down wandering cobblestone, back to the familiar bookshelf where a little flat rests snugly between Eliot and Dickens. I am here for a moment and then I am gone, but London is.

—Lauren Heperi

www.stowawaymag.com ◀ 77

Photo by David Merrigan

Tales from the

Mishaps on the Surgical Floor in Honduras Families gathered in the hospital hallway like the bunches of bananas on the trees I’d seen everywhere, ripe for news from the American doctors and peeling away layers of clothing amid the heat of the hustle and bustle. I pushed through the crowd. Although I was just a novice surgical aide, the sight of my scrubs and surgical cap made all the patients at the rural Honduran hospital treat me like an angel. Their faces lit up as I walked the halls fumbling with my three-phrase Spanish vocabulary. Turns out that buenos dias, gracias, and lo siento (I’m sorry) can actually get you pretty far. In fact, I got both a teenage translator and an adolescent soccer player to fall in love with me, but those are tales for another time. My dad had invited me to join him on a week-long medical mission. Having had no previous medical

experience, I didn’t know at all how to help. Although the Hondurans may have thought I was sent to cure and to heal, my feeble-handed contributions were more to infect, to torture, and to suffocate. Take these cases: “Where should I put this towel?” I had just scrubbed in and dried off my hands. “No, no, no, not right th—oh man, that was right on the surgical tray.” The conditions at the hospital being sub-par to the United States’ standards for sterilization, we went ahead and used those instruments “contaminated” by the towel to carve out someone’s bunion. After this fiasco, I thought I would improve. But the next day: “Hold that leg still!” “I can’t; it’s wiggling!” Ckkkk. The intern, Dave, sliced through one too many layers of

gastrocnemius muscle—my fault for being too weak to hold up a twelveyear-old’s leg. (For the record, the patient had also not received enough anesthesia and had actually been feeling the pain.) Finally, however, one of the mishaps was not my fault. Juan wasn’t waking up. The anesthesia was supposed to be working, and he wasn’t waking up. He was just gasping for air, suffocating. Julia and Barb, the recovery room nurses, began flying at top speed to get him hooked up to the breathing machines. I stood at the threshold of the room, the door ajar, watching in horror and in awe at the scene unfolding. Coughing, sputtering, choking, Juan finally caught a breath. I took one, too.

—Leah Davis

My London Coat Hanger It’s a weirdly intimate experience traveling halfway around the world, sitting two millimeters away from strangers trying to sleep without touching them. The ladies in my row were middle-aged roller coaster enthusiasts from London. We started talking and they asked what I would do during my twelvehour layover in London. I told them I wasn’t sure. Which is weird because I actually had a specific plan laid out. But, as actual Londoners, I asked for their opinion. It was the middle of the night, the women had just finished another cup of wine, and the barriers came down between us. Ideas bubbled forth. The result was a masterpiece of step-by-step instructions leading me from the airport to the underground’s Central Line to St. Paul’s to the

78 ▶ fall 2015

Millennium Bridge to the Tate Modern and beyond. The women emphasized that I wouldn’t be able to do it all. One turned to me saying, “See, a plan is like a coat hanger. It’s just a structure to try things on and take things off of. Nothing permanent.” And then she drew a picture of a little hanger, added squiggles for wire and wrote, “your London coat hanger” next to it. Brilliant. There were logistics like the hour long ride into the city. There were minor setbacks like the incessant rain. There was the fact that I found myself sitting in a window alcove of St Paul’s, popping my malaria pills with my hair frizzing out around me and my thick glasses sliding down my nose; I looked like a hobo. There was the rain giving my tired feet blisters as

I walked for hours and there was, oh yes, the fact that it was the middle of the night for my inner clock. But I followed my treasure hunt, and my Londoners didn’t let me down. I interacted with a Free Palestine Rally. I admired the Tate Modern. I walked past the London Eye, and finally, finally, I was at Parliament! At this point, I had a choice to make. I could follow the directions towards Downing Street . . . or I could defect to Oxford Street which was part of my original plan. Embracing the image of the coat hanger I decided that it was time to try my coat on. I headed to the underground and caught the train to Oxford Street. The coat fit perfectly.

—Jennifer Hurst

Insider 80

Hostels: Do’s and Don’ts

When in Rain

Done Deal: 6 Tips to for a Successful Bargain

Flying Red-Eye

Travel Appropriately

Pick-Less Pockets

Making the Most of Your Bazaar Experience

Knowing Where You Stand

What to do to make the most out of your hostel-staying experience.

Learn how to stay dry from the natives of the wettest state in the United States, the Washingtonians.

Learn how to navigate the marketplace with savviness with these tips for the beginner bargainer.

Trying to decide whether or not to take a red-eye flight? Here are some helpful tips.

Here are some free apps to help you plan your itinerary, find cool places to go, and understand the language.

Planning your next trip? Keep your money safe with these cool gadgets!

Find that perfect souvenir for that perfect price at large markets known as bazaars around the world.

History is inseparably connected to geography. See how knowing the history of Dublin molded one traveler’s experience in Ireland.

Survive wet weather this fall Photo by Garry Knight

www.stowawaymag.com ◀ 79

Hostels: Do’s and Don’ts

Don’ts

Don’t leave your valuables lying around. Always keep your valuables out of sight. If the hostel you’re staying in has lockers, use them rather than locking your valuables in your suitcase. Depending on the hostel, lockers come either with the admittance fee or with an extra charge. ▶▶ Don’t carry too much cash with you. Split up where you store you money in case one of your suitcases, or your wallet gets lost or stolen. For example, you can keep your bank cards in your wallet and some emergency cash tucked away in your suitcase. ▶▶

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Don’t pick the top bunk. Sleeping in the bottom bunk will make it easier to get in and out of your bed. Keep your luggage close, and use any outlets close to the floor to recharge your electronics. ▶▶ Don’t be shy. All of your roommates are fellow travelers, just like you. If you can, find out more about them—who they are, where they came from, and where they’re going. You may end up making some friends you can keep in touch with. ▶▶

Do’s ▶▶

Do your research beforehand. Websites like hostel.com can help you find a hostel that’s within your price range, close to your travel destinations, and accommodating to your personal travel needs. You can also schedule the nights of your stay beforehand, but do this early; bunks tend to fill up fast. Also, if you get the chance, talk to the owners of the hostel to find out everything you should know about the area.

Do dress appropriately depending on the time of year. Hostels can get cold during the winter months, so put on some layers to stay warm. ▶▶ Do travel in groups if you can. Traveling with friends is always much safer and more enjoyable. Use the buddy system to your advantage. ▶▶ Do pick the type of room you want wisely. You’ll have different options ranging from room size to number of roommates. If you’re a female, consider getting a womenonly room. Also, think carefully about your price range and the value of your purchase. Cheap hostel rooms can be low quality and crowded with other travelers, whereas more expensive rooms may be higher quality but also more costly. ▶▶ Do relax, have fun, and enjoy the experience. No matter how good or bad your hostel experience is, try to have a good attitude about it. At the very least, your stay there will be memorable. ▶▶

—Shane Peterson

Photo by Buck Lewis

Sure, hostels are a great way to travel. They’re cheap, easy to find, and safer than couch surfing. But hostels can also be shady—there’s no knowing who’ll be sleeping in the bunk next to yours. That being said, staying at a hostel can still be an enjoyable, comfortable, cheap, and safe experience if you consider these simple do’s and don’ts.

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Do as the Washingtonians Do While traveling, not everyone remembers to bring an umbrella for the unexpected rainstorm. And locals in wet climates sometimes feel that umbrellas can prove annoying, cumbersome, and hard to dry out. So what can you do to stay dry without an umbrella? Well, when in rain, do as the Washingtonians do! There is a littleknown fact that true Washingtonians don’t use umbrellas; they claim that not using umbrellas makes life easier. They have developed various strategies to stay dry without umbrellas. So if you’re heading to a rainy place, keep these helpful tips in mind.

Photo by Scooter Lowrimore

Raincoats

Obvious, right? But here are some tips that you may not know: 1. If you’re traveling long distances or in the cold, choose a lighter rain jacket so that you can layer underneath and remove layers as needed. 2. Buy a raincoat with an adjustable drawstring around the bottom. The drawstring helps prevent water from blowing in and body heat from leaking out. 3. Look for waterproof items. While water-resistant or water-repellent gear will prevent water from seeping through clothes, they cannot stop all moisture from passing through the fabric. Waterproof items are sure to keep you dry no matter how much it rains.

Rain Boots

Whether they are old-fashioned yellow rubber boots, or fashionable, flexible Hunter footwear, keeping your feet dry is a must. Socks do not dry quickly, and it is uncomfortable to be walking in your own personal puddle. So don’t be embarrassed— break out those rain boots!

No Cotton

Planning a hiking trip? Whatever you do, do not wear 100 percent cotton. In fact, try to avoid wearing cotton at all. Cotton loses all of its insulating properties when wet and lowers your body temperature when it sticks

to your body, increasing the risk of hypothermia. Synthetic materials dry quicker and are recommended for hiking in wet climates, rain or shine.

Ponchos

Ponchos may look goofy, but a good poncho can be a lifesaver on a very rainy day when you will be out for a while. They are easy to carry and can also cover your backpack to keep it safe from the rain. Whether you dress up for the rain or break out your handy umbrella, make sure to stay dry and enjoy the rain!

—Katelyn Bean

Washingtonian kids don’t mind the rain. They just slip into their rain boots and splash away!

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Done Deal

6 Tips for a Successful Bargain To a first-time tourist, bargaining can be intimidating, especially with a language barrier. Here are six techniques and tips to remember when bargaining.

Some countries frown upon bargaining, while others embrace it. It also depends on the location and type of stores. In places like supermarkets, food markets, and department stores, bargaining usually isn’t allowed. Places where bargaining is acceptable are flea markets, outdoor markets, street vendors, and areas designated by signs for bargaining.

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Don’t settle for the initial price Many vendors raise the initial price mainly because they either expect you to bargain it down, or they’re trying to get more money out of foreigners. Either way, don’t settle for the first price, or even the second or third. Ninety percent of the time, you will be able to lower the price.

Talk to the vendor

Particularly in China and Indonesia, vendors will be more likely to lower the price of the item you want if you have a conversation with them first. Part of the bargaining process is to enjoy each other’s company. If you show the vendor that you understand the culture, you will likely get a better price than if you just haggle prices.

Photo by Shreyans Bhansali

Know when bargaining is appropriate

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Bargaining in Different Countries ▶▶

North America: It’s not very common and is usually done only in some flea markets.

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Europe: Some markets allow bargaining, but others prefer fixed prices; vendors at street and flea markets are the most likely to bargain.

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Indonesia: Bargaining is very common and even expected in most markets.

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street vendors expect bar-

Above: Flea markets offer everything from jewelry to electronic speakers. There’s something for everyone! Left: Be sure to check out the exchange rate of money since some things may be less expensive, depending on how the local money compares to the dollar.

Use the“walk-away” method This method is a very good one because it will cause the vendor to panic. If the vendor gives you a price and you feel like the price could go lower, make a move to walk away. The vendor will usually lower the price in an effort to keep you interested. Remember, the vendor’s goal is a completed sale.

5 Photo by Sumori

Learn some of the language Bargaining can be more difficult in a country with a foreign language. In this case, making conversation isn’t likely, but learn how to say the numbers. This will help you bargain.

China: Many markets and gaining, but department stores tend to fix prices. Watch for signs that say “fixed prices.”

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Vendors will be more receptive to your bargaining attempt if you can speak even a few words in their language—and will probably give you a lower price and a smile.

Relax and have fun Bargaining may seem frightening at first, but the biggest trick is to simply give it a try. Developing your bargaining skill is like developing any other skill: it takes practice. You may mess up a few times and you may end up paying more for something the first couple of times, but it becomes easier, and you may even have fun.

—Heather Moon

Japan: The Japanese don’t bargain and will be offended if you try.

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Middle East: Bargaining is common in free markets where prices tend to change a lot.

Common things to bargain for: ▶▶

Clothing

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Souvenirs

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Accessories

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Paintings

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Jewelry

Do NOT bargain for: ▶▶

Food

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Services

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Flying Red-eye Let’s be honest: red-eye flights are awful. Who wants to sit in an airplane all night when you could be sleeping at home or in a hotel room? However, even though flying red-eye does have its cons, it also has its share of pros.

Pros ▶▶

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Cons ▶▶

Staying up late. To board a red-eye flight, you’ll have to wait at the airport late at night, sometimes past midnight. Airports are depressing enough as it is, especially when you’re tired. Also,

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if you don’t sleep very well in in the air, then the flight could keep you up all night. The morning after. Along those same lines, if you absolutely cannot sleep at on an airplane, then you’ll arrive at your destination earlier in the morning than you would like, making the first day of your long-awaited vacation a miserable experience.

What this debate comes down to is whether or not you are willing to sacrifice much-needed rest for a cheaper flight and if you are one of the many who can’t sleep while up in the sky. If the pros out-weigh the cons, then taking a red-eye flight may be the best option for you.

—Shane Peterson

Photo by Shawn Picasa

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They’re cheaper. One of the main reasons people choose to fly redeye is the cost. These flights tend to be much cheaper than flights during regular day hours. By that same token, people can save on a hotel by just sleeping on the plane rather than staying at a hotel. Faster check-in. If you hate standing in line while getting your boarding pass or going through security, then you’ll save time by booking red-eye flights. It will also be easier to claim your luggage when you land. Late night passengers are more tired and less disruptive. If you hate sitting next to annoying passengers, then flying red-eye is one way to shut them up. Like you, your fellow passengers will be

tired and would rather sleep. Also, if you’re flying with kids, they’ll be more likely to sleep, instead of fussing the whole time. More time for your vacation. Think of it this way: By taking a red-eye flight, you’ll have more time for vacationing once you get to your destination. You’ll arrive there early in the morning and have the whole day to explore and have fun (if you are not too tired, of course).

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Travel Appropriately Trips don’t need to be chaotic and frustrating. Make your travels easier with the use of these free and helpful apps!

Roadtrippers

Road trips can be complicated. What if there were an app that simplified the entire process? Roadtrippers does just that—for free! Whether your trip is short and local or extensive across hundreds of miles, the Roadtrippers app will help you designate certain spots to stop along the way. You can add URLs, phone numbers, and addresses to help you organize your trip. Roadtrippers has teamed up with Google Maps to navigate your journey, and you can share your trip with others who travel with you or want to follow your progress. Cass Hawkins, an avid road tripper from Redlands, California, says she wishes she had this app on every trip she’s ever taken: “I love having all of my stops listed in one place and on one map! I want to use this app everyday!”

Top: Photography courtesy of Roadtrippers; Bottom: Photography courtesy of Google Translate

Google Translate

There are few things scarier than feeling completely alone and confused, especially when you are in a foreign country and can’t figure out where you are or where you’re going because you don’t know the language. If you ever find yourself in this situation, the Google Translate app can help you read signs, menus, and anything else written in a foreign language. You can translate languages using voice, type, or camera. Just take a picture of the text you want translated, highlight the section you want to read, and the foreign words will turn into English! This app is free, and it translates a variety of languages. The camera function only works if one of the languages you’re translating between is English; however, if you type in the words yourself, you can translate between dozens of different languages. This app even works without Wi-Fi, and glitches are rapidly being fixed. Rachel Curtis, from Alamo, California, found the app useful while she was in Europe for a study abroad: “It was especially helpful with menus, so I knew what I was ordering without having to individually translate every word. It made my travels so much easier!”

—Paige Torgerson

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Pick-Less Pockets Money: Let’s face it, we need it to survive, especially when we are traveling away from home. Unfortunately, thieves like to pick tourists’ pockets, which are easy targets. Traveling with the right gear can help you hold on to your money and still enjoy yourself.

Money Belts

These belts have a pocket on the inside with a zipper and are great for stowing cash, particularly emergency cash. You can open up the pocket and stash a few hundred-dollar bills inside. This is great for emergencies, since you will have spare bills on hand (or in your belt!).

Passport Pouches

Your passport is your most valuable possession when traveling—a person without a passport is a person without a country. These pouches are good for carrying your passport, but never wear them outside your clothes. It labels you as a tourist and makes it easy for the thief to just grab it and run. Wear the passport underneath your clothes, either under your shirt, or on your hip under your pants. Never put your passport in a bag or a backpack. You can usually find these pouches at places like Walmart and Target.

Shoes

The brand Slotflops has designed shoes that have a secret compartment that pops out of the bottom of the heel, letting you carry your credit card and even a little cash. This brand only does flip flops, but the website Stashvault.com offers other styles of shoes with compartments. These shoes are useful particularly for emergencies and when bags are inconvenient. The prices range between $26–30. ▶▶

slotflops.com

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stashvault.com

Secret Pockets

Whether you buy clothes and bags that have them or make them yourself, having a hidden pocket somewhere on your clothing is a great trick to store credit cards and cash. Avoid putting a hidden pocket right behind a real one though, to avoid it being discovered in a potential

mugging. Having secret pockets in backpacks are good to store your more valuable items.

Credit Card Protective Covering

With the popularity of credit cards, robbers have stepped up their game. Some thieves carry devices that can scan your credit card to get the number, just by getting close to you. The trick to combat this is to get a protective covering. The covering repels the frequencies that the scanners use, keeping your card and money safe. Amazon.com offers these covers for only $5, a good investment. No matter where you travel, you’ll want to keep your money safe. The gear here can help you keep your money close and help you have a wonderful, worry-free vacation.

—Heather Moon

Gear to Avoid ▶▶

Shoulder bags: The bags that have the strap go across the shoulder

Purses: These are just so easy for a thief to grab and run. If you must get a purse, get one that has a short strap and that hangs close to the body.

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Backpacks: Unless you’re doing some backpacking and need it, avoid using a backpack since it’s really easy for thieves take things out

without you knowing. Get a backpack that has a pocket on the inside, near your back to store your money in.

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Image Courtesy of TransLink

aren’t very effective since thieves can just use a razor to cut the strap. ▶▶

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Places to Hide Money on Your Body Shirt

Hide things under your shirt. This method keeps your valuables close to your body and out of sight.

Coat

Have a secret pocket inside your coat to store money. It’s a less obvious place and gives you better access to your money.

Underwear

Hide money in the waistband of your underwear. And ladies, even though it may feel awkward, hiding cash in your bra works really well too. Pickpockets are much less likely to target these areas.

Pants

Sew a secret pocket here to store credit cards and emergency money. It’s a harder for pickpockets to target them.

Image by Heather Moon

Socks

Store an extra twenty down in your socks, but this method is less ideal if you don’t want your money smelling like feet.

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Making the Most of Your

Bazaar Experience One of the hardest decisions to make when traveling is how to remember your trip once you get home. The perfect souvenir can help to rekindle the experiences of your trip long after your sunburn has faded and you have recovered from jet lag. However, finding that perfect souvenir can be tricky. One place many people wouldn’t think to look for amazing deals is large markets, commonly known as bazaars. Found in every corner of the globe, bazaars can be indoor or outdoor, open seasonally or year-round. Each bazaar sells authentic specialty products for very low prices that tourists often pass over because they don’t know what to look for or what constitutes a good deal. Check out what a few bazaars around the world are selling to see where you can find high-quality items for economical prices.

La Feria de San Pedro Telmo Buenos Aires, Argentina

Scores of clothing items at La Feria de San Pedro Telmo await to be purchased by shoppers.

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Next time you take a trip down south, don’t forget to stop at the bazaar of La Feria de San Pedro Telmo in Buenos Aires, Argentina. This large open-air market takes place every Sunday from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm in one of the oldest neighborhoods of the city. After visiting this extensive market in La Plaza Dorrego, you will need to take an extra suitcase home because you will encounter scarves, brass pots, antiques (including old telephones and gramophones), dinette sets, knives, and much more. But some of the best bargains here are for genuine leather goods. The leather belts, bags, and purses you will find here are high quality, often made locally, and very inexpensive. As an added bonus, while shopping for that perfect souvenir, you might be entertained by a couple dancing the tango or puppeteers performing a show with their marionettes. And if you get hungry while shopping, have no fear—La Feria de San Pedro Telmo has an abundant supply of delicious eateries and cafes. This is a bazaar you cannot afford to miss out on if you are in the area. ▶▶

feriadesantelmo.com

Top: Photo by Richard Lemarchand; Bottom: Photo by Bjørn Giesenbauer

—Rachel I. Gessel

escapades

Grand Bazaar Istanbul, Turkey

Find jewelry for all occasions at the Grand Bazaar, whether it be fashionable costume jewelry or everyday-wear jewelry.

If you’re ever in Istanbul, you can’t miss shopping at the Grand Bazaar. Originally built in 1461, it is the world’s largest covered market, with 60 streets and 5,000 shops. Located at the heart of the city, this bazaar is open from 9:00 am to 7:00 pm every day but Sunday. You can buy anything here from t-shirts, genie pants, and scarves, to carpets, antiques, and evil-eye trinkets. There is even an entire part of the market dedicated to food where you can find delicious Turkish delight and authentic spices. However, at the Grand Bazaar, the real steal is inexpensive custom-made jewelry. The precious metals and jewels cost just a fraction of the price of similar items in US jewelry stores. It will be well worth your while to get lost in this extensive bazaar in order to shop for your new favorite pair of earrings. ▶▶

grandbazaaristanbul.org/Grand_Bazaar_Istanbul.html

Jaffa Flea Market Tel Aviv, Israel

Jaffa was the ancient name of the port that is now the city of Tel Aviv in Israel. When visiting Tel Aviv, you will find the wonderful bazaar known as the Jaffa Flea Market (Shuk Hapishpishim in Hebrew). Open 8:00 am to 5:00 pm Sunday through Thursday, the Jaffa Flea Market contains all sorts of treasures, from Holy Land souvenirs—like rosary beads and menorahs—to jewelry and brass wares. Authentic items you can buy here inexpensively include hand-painted ceramics, such as decorative tiles and dishes. Made locally, these ornate ceramic products often have intricate designs and can really give a special touch to your home decor. So take some time to meander through the streets of the old city of Jaffa. You just might find some hidden treasures.

Top: Photo by dyanaso; Bottom: Photo by Luca

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touristisrael.com/huk-hapishpishim-jaffa-flea-market/1577

Discover many exotic fruits and vegetables unique to Thailand at the Taling Chan Floating Market.

Typical designs for hand-painted ceramics include this dark blue with accent colors on white ceramic.

Taling Chan Floating Market Bangkok, Thailand

If you head to the Far East, you will have a unique consumer experience. Imagine rowing a boat through a mall, and you’ll have a good idea of what a shopping excursion is like at the floating market of Taling Chan. Located twelve kilometers outside of Bangkok, at this bazaar you can explore one of the many floating markets of Thailand where rowboats ferry goods up and down the waterways. This market is open each day during business hours. While this market is famous for its fresh produce and gardening supplies, you can find many hidden treasures, such as getting a foot massage for 200 baht (US $6) and the authentic experience of sitting on the floor while eating traditional Thai food. Because this is mostly a food market, be sure to grab some authentic Thai spices to take home with you, such as saffron, green peppercorns, galangal, dried coriander, lemongrass, and tumeric, just to name a few. So if you are ever in Thailand, put shopping at a floating market on your to-do list. ▶▶

bangkok.com/magazine/taling-chan.htm

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Cara’s

Confections Fun with cake, creating custom cake balls, cakes and more!

• wedding cakes • birthday cakes • cake balls • cupcakes

Photography by Marielle Hayes

• made to order • endless flavors & colors CONTACT

• cara@funwithcake.com • 801-867-5447 • find us on Facebook

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Stand

Photo courtesy of the National Library of Ireland

Knowing Where You

was twelve when my parents took me to Washington, DC, for the first time. It was the first stop on a family vacation where we would be attending the funerals of two of my grandparents. Washington, DC, was the first major historical place any of us had visited. My father connected easily with the heritage we found there. I wouldn’t have a similar connection with history until a decade later. My father loves history and wanted to see everything that he found interesting. As a result, we

went to the newer National Air and Space Museum near Dulles International airport, as well as the World War II memorial that was being dedicated that weekend— things that a twelve-year-old girl wouldn’t be interested in. Then we took one whole day to drive to Gettysburg to visit the battlefield. I wasn’t pleased when I realized that we had traveled half a day to see a field of grass. The day was overcast with a slight drizzle, making the humidity unbearable. It was also the year

that the cicadas had emerged from their seven-year slumber, and they were chirping in the woods, making the experience as creepy as it was miserable. To add to all that, my dad stopped at every little statue and monument to read its plaque. I thought it would never end. In hindsight, I can see that my dad wasn’t just seeing the same field or monument I was seeing. He was seeing the men who fought on that battlefield during the Civil War. He knew the history of Gettysburg, and his experience was shaped by

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the knowledge he had of the events that took place there, and he knew that where he stood was hallowed ground. I didn’t have that kind of connection with a place until I went to Dublin, Ireland. While doing a semester-long internship in Germany, I decided to take a weekend trip to visit a friend of mine who lived in Dublin. Since she had school and work, I was left to my own devices for most of the weekend, and I spent my time wandering. On the first day, I walked up and down O’Connell Street in the heart of Dublin, not sure what to do with

would love this!” The exhibit had a whole section dedicated to the 1916 Easter Rising in Dublin, so named because it occurred over the week following Easter. The rebellion was organized to declare independence from Britain, and when it was over, 450 people were killed, 2,614 were injured, and 9 were missing. Of those killed, 254 were civilians. The leaders of the insurrection were taken to Kilmainham Gaol and were later executed by firing squad. As I walked through the exhibit, looking at pictures and artifacts, I

I found myself wondering how much passion people need to feel in order to die for their cause. myself and oblivious to the history that had marred the ground I was walking on. The next day, I decided to get on a hop-on, hop-off tour so that I could see more of the city. The tour took me past sites such as Dublin Castle, St. Patrick’s Cathedral, the Dublin Zoo, Kilmainham Gaol, and the Guinness Storehouse. Before I reached the end of the line, I got off the bus at an unexpected stop: Collins Barracks. Collins Barracks was formerly a military barracks, but it now houses the National Museum of Ireland. The bus driver mentioned that they had an exhibit called “Soldiers and Chiefs—The Irish at War at Home and Abroad,” and I felt like I should stop. My thought when I made the decision to get off the bus was, “Dad

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felt a deep sense of grief for the price people pay for freedom—for the price people are willing to pay. As I looked at pictures of the leaders of the insurgents, I found myself wondering how much passion people need to feel in order to die for their cause. As I walked back to the stop to board the next bus, a portion of the Irish lament “The Foggy Dew” came to my mind: “Right proudly high over Dublin Town they hung out the flag of war, ‘Twas better to die ‘neath an Irish sky than at Sulva or Sud-El-Bar.” After thinking about that song (which is about the Easter Rising), I began to understand why those rebels were willing to fight for their freedom. Suvla and Sedd el Bahr were battlefields in Turkey where Irish men fought for the British during World War I. Irish husbands, brothers, sons,

and neighbors were giving their lives fighting for an empire they didn’t even want to be a part of. Many of the Irish opposed the Acts of Union in 1800 that united Great Britain and Ireland. After trying twice to establish home rule in Ireland with two Home Rule Bills (in 1886 and 1893), British Parliament passed a third bill in 1912 under the Parliament act. It was expected to go into effect in 1914, but didn’t because of the start of World War I. After the bill was shelved, extremists planned to hold an uprising while the British were at war with Germany. In understanding Ireland’s fight for independence, I began to understand and be grateful for those who fight for those liberties. At the end of the day, I ended up back on O’Connell Street, where most of the fighting in the rebellion occurred. I watched as people walked up and down the street and wondered if they knew where they stood or if they understood the sacrifices that occurred where they were walking almost one hundred years earlier. I wondered if they also ran their hand along the bullet holes in the O’Connell Monument and had to hold back their tears. My experiences in Dublin opened my eyes, not just to the differences in culture, but also the feelings that mankind shares. Not just the desire for freedom, but also the need for it. It helped me understand that knowing history and empathizing with people from other cultures allows for a richer experience. Even a twelveyear-old girl visiting Gettysburg can understand the world at a deeper level, as her father does, if she knows where she stands.

—Sara Bitterman

staff essay

Glaçons

When seventy-year-old Grandma Lynn visited Paris for the first time, she chose to learn only one word in French: glaçon. Somehow the lack of glaçons even spoiled Grandma Lynn’s desire for the paragon of French pastries, the macaron. A few days later, my mom and I left a disgruntled Grandma Lynn at a cafe while we made a mad dash to Pierre Hermé’s macaron shop in the minutes before it closed. Grandma had had enough of stairs that day, so she was less than enthused about the idea of sprinting in and out of metro stations. She stayed behind to drink lukewarm soda with mint syrup. When my mom and I returned triumphantly with the cookies in hand, a sweaty Grandma Lynn greeted us with feeble congratulations. Unabated, I insisted we take the metro back to the hotel; taxis cost at least fourteen macarons, or twelve crepes, or twenty-three baguettes, and that was valuable money. Besides, I was a metro master. But as my mom and I dragged Grandma Lynn to the nearest stop, it began to rain, flattening her delicate fluff. That was the last straw. Desperate and angry, Grandma Lynn flagged down the first taxi she saw and hurled enough euros at the man’s dashboard for our ride back to the hotel. We

rode the whole way in silence. As we entered the hotel room, puff askew and mouth agape, Grandma Lynn lay down to die, steaming despite the rain. I gingerly crept down to the front desk and asked in my best French for des glaçons. The clerk cocked her head, hesitated, then transferred me to another clerk, who called someone else in via walkie-talkie. The third clerk took me down the hall to the kitchen and told me to wait outside. Feeling like I was completing a drug deal, I glanced around nervously until she emerged with the biggest bucket of glaçons I’ve ever seen. Clearly, the only use Parisians have for glaçons is keeping wine cool. I delivered the bucket to Grandma Lynn in our hotel room. She hadn’t been so thrilled since she saw the Eiffel Tower. “Ice!” she cried, and stuck her whole face in it. My mom, grandma, and I sat on the bed and had a small feast: macarons of every flavor and color, Diet Coke, and glaçons—lots of glaçons.

—Lauren McCombs

Photo by Patrick Brosset

Each day, my mother and I were electric with excitement to see the sights of Paris, but instead, my fluffyhaired grandmother dragged us through every cafe along the Seine. Worse, none were able to provide glaçons for her Diet Cokes and Oranginas. “And can I have ice in it?” she would always ask the waiter after ordering. “Oui, oui,” he would reply, bowing out of our presence. But when he would come back a few minutes later, three soda bottles and three glasses balanced on his tray, there would be no ice in sight. “But wait, where is the ice?” Grandma Lynn would plead, clasping her hands. The waiter would think, then respond, “We do not have ice.” “It’s just a cultural difference,” I explained once. “It’s not tradition for them; think about all the centuries French people spent enjoying wine and other drinks before they had ice. It’s more natural without it.” “That’s goofy. Don’t they have freezers?” Grandma Lynn insisted. “It’s not hard to make ice! Glaçon!”

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Around and Back Again My Vacation in Middle Earth

I thought the best way to start my vacation was with a week in the picturesque Shire. Dwalin, son of Balin (and my travel agent), had alerted me to a last-minute opening for a timeshare in a quaint little district called Hobbiton. I’ve always had a weak spot for hobbit architecture, so I jumped at the opportunity. I was ready for a nice, relaxing week in the coziest hole ever dug into a hill. Instead, I found a complete disaster. The previous occupant had left after throwing the biggest dinner party the house had seen in years. The kitchen and dining room were in shambles, with smashed pots and plates lying on the floor and smears of what I could only hope was food covering the walls. My first night in Hobbiton was spent cleaning and restoring the place to the condition it had been advertised as. I mentioned that I was a fan of the architecture. Unfortunately, I was completely ignorant of the scale. Hobbits, I learned, measure on average 31/2 feet tall, and the home was built to scale. By the end of the week, I had a number of bruises all over my head from collisions with the too-close ceiling, and my back was fixed at a 45-degree angle.

Rivendell Nightlife

I left the quiet countryside of the Shire and made my way to the high-rolling city of Rivendell. The city boasts symphonies, open-air theatre, dance halls, and some of the best-reviewed restaurants on

94 ▶ fall 2015

this side of the Misty Mountains. All that and everyone in the city is beautiful, its occupants dressed in the latest fashions. It’s a shame I couldn’t speak a lick of Elvish, and if any of the locals understood me, then they certainly didn’t let on. I ended up eating in the first restaurant I found and ate something chosen at random from the menu. I spent the next two days in my hotel bathroom with food poisoning, chewing on lembas bread to settle my stomach.

Spelunking in Moria

Dwalin next directed me to the Misty Mountains, where I was to meet up with a spelunking team. Just as in the Shire, I was the tallest of the group, but now I was the least hairy as well— even among the women. Our guide led us into the mountain and down into the Mines of Moria. While Bag End had left me feeling claustrophobic, the mines were anything but confining. The dwarven forefathers built impressive halls with enormous, intricately engraved pillars. Some rooms had ceilings so high that it was like staring at a starless night sky. It was a shame to see such impressive work lying in ruin. Balin, a member of our party, mentioned something about moving in to renovate the place. I only wish I could have had more time to admire the fine masonry. As it was, two of the

younger dwarves in the group made a commotion, and our party was chased out by the indigenous orc population.

Hiking into Mordor

One does not simply hike into Mordor. It is a barren wasteland, riddled with fire, ash, and dust. The very air you breathe is a poisonous fume. All around you, the terrain is scorched and littered with the remains of those who have gone before. This is not a day trip for casual hikers in loafers and camelbacks. This trek should only ever be undertaken by seasoned mountaineers with years of experience under their belts and only after weeks of intense, specialized training—something that my travel agent should have brought to my attention before I started off. As it was, I spent most of the trip suffering from heat exhaustion and hallucinations, and my guide was forced to carry me up the final incline on his back. My gear was left behind for the orcs because he couldn’t carry it for me.

—Samuel Wright

Illustration by Christian Schmutz

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