So, my next stop on this summer vacation is Portugal. It is the 3rd time I have been here, and it seems that I am developing a pattern of coming back every 4-5 years! Each time, I venture a little farther. This trip, however, did not start off well. Continue reading Portugal – I just can’t get enough
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Zanzibar- The Spice Island
So, with summer holidays beginning, and a few extra days before I head out to Portugal, I decided to visit the tropical island haven of Zanzibar. Zanzibar is situated off the coast of Tanzania, and is a semi-autonomous part of the East African country. It has a long and complicated history, being colonized and controlled by many different countries, including Persia, Portugal, Oman, Germany (briefly), the British and finally part of the Republic of Tanzania. While under Omani rule, different spices, such as cloves, were introduced, and the island was used primarily for the slave trade. There is even a small island outside of Stone Town known as Prison Island. Continue reading Zanzibar- The Spice Island
Turtle Mania- Oman trip
This past weekend, I joined a tour group called Trekkup Dubai for a turtle themed adventure to Oman.
We flew out from DXB T2 on Salam Air. It was a bit hectic to get there, with rush hour traffic and unfinished lessons (for Sunday). Our flight was delayed, and I managed to finish writing the rubrics for the lab we were starting!
Upon our arrival, we were taken by bus to the Holiday Inn Al Seeb, where we had a short night in a very comfortable hotel! Their breakfast was a fantastic buffet, which was especially useful, as lunch wasn’t scheduled until 4pm… Continue reading Turtle Mania- Oman trip
Essaouira
After returning from my nomadic trek (blog post to come soon), I spent a couple of days in Marrakesh with Kathryn N (former colleague from Colombia), before making my way to Essaouira for a couple of days. Pronounced more like Swera, this popular seaside town (especially with the Moroccans) was an excellent choice for relaxation before returning to working life. My original plan had been to go to Fez, not Essaouira, but after talking with others from my Berber tour, and our guide, Abdoul, I changed directions (mentally and physically) and hopped on the bus 3 hours southwest. (I was advised that Fez is not very safe, especially after dark, whereas Essaouira is perfectly fine for wandering the medina). Continue reading Essaouira
Morocco- Off to meet our Berber family
So, some of you know, but I am in Morocco for spring break. I am going on a nomadic trek with a Berber family, organized through Intrepid. The trek is a semi-annual migration through the valley, moving the herds from the winter pastures to the summer pastures. I am excited to be doing what I consider a once in a lifetime experience. We are only the 3rd group to do this with the nomads. Not as hard core as Mark does, but pretty awesome, nonetheless. Continue reading Morocco- Off to meet our Berber family
London – A comedy of errors
So this week I embarked on a new adventure with 2 other teachers: taking 26 seventh and eighth graders on a week long trip to London, England. Our trip was planned with a performance arts emphasis. When I was told that I was going to London, I didn’t realize that as teachers, we would be an active participant in what became a Shakespeare worthy comedy of errors! I mean, we expected to deal with the typical things like colds, homesickness, some group issues etc, but my goodness, we all got more than we bargained for. Continue reading London – A comedy of errors
Pyeongchang Olympics 2018 Opening Ceremonies
After an overnight flight from Dubai, I landed at Incheon international airport. Other than being pricey, Korean Air is a fantastic airline. Excellent service, slightly more space between seats and (given that everyone aside from myself and 2 others were Korean) polite passengers. I was sleeping when they first came around with food, and they placed a sticker on the seat back. And, when it is meal time, everyone has to put their seat backs up, so that the person behind can eat properly. I tried bibimbap, a Korean rice dish with beef, that came with instructions on how to put it together. It was very tasty. In the morning, I had the rice porridge. And even though I was stuck in the middle seat, I managed to drift off a bit. Continue reading Pyeongchang Olympics 2018 Opening Ceremonies
Al Ain- The Garden City
I decided that it was time to venture out of the city of Dubai and explore some of what the UAE has to offer. So, this morning, Teresa, Cecil and I went on a mini road trip 1.5 hours down the highway to the city of Al Ain, in the emirate of Abu Dhabi.
Al Ain is situated right on the border of UAE and Oman, and is known as the garden city, since it has a huge palm tree oasis and much more greenery than Dubai. It is the only place in the UAE that is a UNESCO World Heritage site, with tombs and artifacts dating back as far as 3000 BC. There are many forts in the area, although we were only able to see one of them (from the outside). Continue reading Al Ain- The Garden City
Welcome to the UAE!
Well, I have been here for 2 weeks now, and there has been a ton of info that has entered my brain. It has caused one sleepless night (just couldn’t shut off my mind), but otherwise, I am back to waking up around 5:30-6 am with the sunrise. And at that time, I can also hear the call to prayer from the nearby mosque. (*Update: I am back to my Canadian hours of midnight to 8:30-9 am, which is not so good when school starts at 7:40…) Continue reading Welcome to the UAE!
On muddy waters
Yesterday (July 12, 2017), I took the opportunity to go Tidal Bore Rafting on the Shubenacadie river, off Cobequid Bay, at the upper end of the Bay of Fundy. If that’s a lot of places you have never heard of, it is about an hours drive northeast of Halifax, or 30 minutes west of Truro, Nova Scotia. I had wanted to do this the last time I was in Nova Scotia, but as it is based on the tides, the timing didn’t work for my trip. I am very happy that it worked out this time! Continue reading On muddy waters
Curious Julie's Colourful Adventures 