Shalom!

The Dome of the Rock and the Western Wall.

Ok, so a little later than "promised" (as my mother so kindly reminded me), but hey--it's midterm season here (yes, I do go to school)!

ISRAEL WAS AMAZING.

I feel like I can't even begin to do justice to what I regard as one of the most amazing trips of my life (it's up there on my list of favorite places along with Tokyo and Florence). I'll give it a shot though...

We (Alex, Alex, Ryan, Scott, Christina, and I) headed to the airport on Wednesday nite only to be met with the MOST INTENSE security I have ever experienced. I was warned about the system, but couldn't have dreamed about what was coming. We were all led to different kiosks where we were GRILLED by security from Elal Airlines. They wanted to know why we wanted to go to Israel, what exactly we were doing there, how we all knew each other, how long we had known each other, if we knew each other's majors, why we were studying in Prague, the EXACT contents of our bags, why we were going for such a short trip...it went on and on and on (literally). Luckily we all made it through, and set off for Israel...

We were greeted at the Tel Aviv Airport at 03:00 by Alex Katz's grandfather, Menachem. His grandparents moved to Israel from Boston in the 1980s and have been living in Jerusalem ever since. Menachem had prepared quite the itinerary for us (with very little sleep involved), but we were all a bit thrown off when he asked if we wanted to do a driving tour on our way home from the airport. Alex kindly explained to him that it would probably be better if we got in a nap (read: 2 hours) before we started our whirlwind tour.

After a quick nap and breakfast out on the patio (it was already in the 80s at 09:00--AMAZING!), we headed to Yad Vashem, the Holocaust Museum in Jerusalem. It was INCREDIBLE. Having read a lot about the Holocaust in my life (both in school and in my free time), I was very captivated and moved. I've seen various exhibits over the years (at the D.C. museum, Dachua, Terezin, etc.), but I had never seen anything quite so in-depth--we really could have spent all day there. We spent at least an hour and a half in the exhibit (a very comprehensive overview), and then explored the outside area, where we saw the Children's Memorial, the Synagogue, as well as some other memorial sites.

After the museum we made our way towards what I had been eagerly awaiting--FOOD. I could not have possibly been more pleased with the food we ate in Israel. It was HEAVENLY. I could blog a million entries just about it (but at my rate that would take years). Our first lunch was a fast food falafel stand...so so good. I thought I'd had good falafel before--no no. I would give anything for another Israeli meal right now. AND the Coca-cola really is better there.

After lunch we took a tour of the Supreme Court, and the Foreign Ministry. We met with David Saranga, the former Consul for Media and Public Affairs of Israel in the United States. VERY COOL GUY. He talked a lot about his various campaigns in the U.S. (he was the one behind the "Maxim" spread featuring the Israeli soldiers a few years ago), and about the perception of Israelis in the U.S. Plus, there was more Coca-cola involved...

After our tour we headed to the Old City. The area is divided into four quarters: the Jewish Quarter, the Muslim Quarter, the Christian Quarter, and the Armenian Quarter. We walked through what seemed like an endless maze of shops and food stands until we reached the gold at the end of the rainbow-HUMMUS!

The Food Tour of Israel continues...

With very full stomachs, we headed to the Church of the Holy Sepulchure, what many Christians consider to be Golgatha, where Jesus was buried. It was a BEAUTIFUL church and the richness of the history there was literally palpable. We caught a few traditional women praying while we were inside which was also very cool.

Once a deep food coma set in, we make the trek to the Western Wall. I really never have seen anything quite like it. We hit it at a bustling time; one of Alex's family friends was being sworn into the Israeli Army as a Navy Seal along with hundreds of other 18-year-olds. It felt like a big high school graduation, except at the end of the ceremony there were no diplomas, but big guns instead. Such a different world.

Scott, Alex, Christina, Katherine, Alex, Ryan

The City of David.

The madness of the ceremony.

The Western Wall up close.

After the ceremony we took a tour of the tunnels underneath the Western Wall (we were all EXHAUSTED by this point) and stopped for yet another meal (the eating tour continues). We all passed out as soon as we got home for a ...

3:30 AM WAKE-UP CALL.

Looking back, catching the sunrise on Masada made it TOTALLY worth it, but at the time...wow that was rough! We grabbed Aroma Coffees (BEST ICED COFFEE IN THE WORLD), and headed south towards the Dead Sea. Incredible doesn't even do the morning justice, so I'll let the pictures try...

Sunrise over the Dead Sea.

Ok, picture overload, but it was amazing. Oh, may I repeat that ALL of these photos were before 7:15 AM? It was already scorching. Oh, and that Katz's 80-something-year-old grandparents also did the hike? AMAZING.

After some good old Gatorade and Nature Valley Granola Bar rejuvenation we headed for the Ein Gedi Spa for some "sulfur showers, a dip in the Dead Sea, and mud." Unsure of what to expect, we threw on our bathing suits and met the boys outside. I was unaware, however, that a sulfur shower literally smells like rotten eggs. Apparently it's good for you, so we took a deep breath and "indulged."

One rotten-egg shower later, we hopped on the tractor and made our way out to the Sea. Clad in shower shoes (the salt deposits at the bottom are very sharp!), we took our first steps in. At first it feels like any other body of water, except that it almost instantly burns anything you shaved in the past days (and we thought 3 days was playing it safe!). Once I was deep enough, I plopped in, and WOW! Unlike any sensation I've ever felt. I can't being to describe the floating feeling...it is incredibly unnatural, but SO cool.

Then came the mud...

And of course...how do you get the mud off? MORE SULFUR! Delicious. Again, all before 10:30 AM. MOST PRODUCTIVE MORNING I'VE EVER HAD.

Almost totally cleansed (I still had some mud on my neck later...oops), we headed to the Jerusalem YMCA (the most beautiful Y I've ever seen) for lunch with Aaron Heller, a reporter for the Jerusalem Associated Press. Katz and I kept him busy with journalism gab, although the boys got a baseball word in before we left. We also had some...well no one knew what it was exactly, but delicious apple dessert to celebrate Scott's 21st (which was the next day; Menachem was slightly confused, but hey--free dessert for us!).

We headed across the street to the King David Hotel (the nicest hotel in Jerusalem), for drinks on the patio (beautiful) before deciding to retire for the afternoon. We spent the rest of the day sitting on the porch of their house just relaxing, playing with their Samoa puppy, and listening to Menachem's stories. We were lucky to enjoy a delicious Shabbat meal that nite, prepared by Alex's aunt and grandmother. HOMECOOKED FOOD! Never been such a thrill. After dinner we headed into the city to enjoy a mellow taste of Jerusalem's nite life at a bar.

We departed for Tel Aviv the next morning (Saturday), but not after enjoying yet another Aroma Coffee and GIANT MEAL. Every time we went out, we'd go CRAZY over the salad dishes (beets, hummus, tabouleh, salsa, pita, etc.) only to realize there were still giant helpings of meat to come. Christina and I made the doggy bags from this meal last for a full day. We parted ways with Alex's grandparents, checked into our hostel, and sniffed out the froyo place across the street within minutes.

The next 24 hours were a delightful blur of relaxing on the beach, more hummus, swimming in the Mediterranean, birthday celebrations. The slow pace of our time in Tel Aviv was a sharp contrast to our Jerusalem tour, but both wonderful in their own special ways.

Toppings? Pomegranate seeds, mango, and persimmon. YUMMZ.

This post really couldn't possibly have done the trip justice, but if you read all the way through, I hope you enjoyed. I'd love to talk about it IN PERSON (well...in December) because I could literally go on forever.

I should pack, on account of I leave on a 10-day excursion in all of 26 hours.

Friday October 29-Monday November 1: Barcelona to visit Steph and reunite with Alexandra. AYEEEE!

November 1-November 4: Florence

November 4-November 7: Rome

After a long week of midterms, I am SO looking forward to this! Shoot me an e-mail (katherine.perry@u.northwestern.edu) if you have a chance--I'll have my phone and will have some down time during travels.

SO MUCH LOVE TO ALL.

KP

"I've Been One Poor Correspondent..."

"And I been too, too hard to find, but it doesn't mean you ain't been on my mind..."

Thank you to America for words to do my absence justice. First off, APOLOGIES! Two straight weekends of travel left me exhausted, trying to catch up on work, and absorbing the last bits of nice weather Prague may give us.

As we get ready to take off for ISRAEL in a mere 24 hours, I feel I should at least update you on Budapest, life in Prague, and Český Krumlov. For the sake of time, and ensuring that I don't forget things like a hostess gift (we're staying with Alex's grandparents), my passport, etc. I am going to utilize my good old friend the bullet-point.

BUDAPEST

• BEAUTIFUL CITY...if you can't tell.
• Stayed in the highly recommended Budapest Bubble (Thanks Max!)
• Found slides in the park on the way to the Citadel, and embraced our inner elementary school selves.

• Saw the Citadel, the Fisherman's Bastion, the Castle.
• Had the BEST lunch ever at Hummus Bar (needless to say I'd been craving it).
• Went to the Terror Museum, which documents the immense persecution the Hungarians faced at the hands of fascist and communist leaders. Very powerful.
• Went to the Hungarian Bathhouse. VERY different from my experience at a Japanese onsen, but delightful all the same.

Although this was reminiscent of being in Japan...

• And best of all? A stop in Bratislava, Slovakia! Just kidding. But hey, how many people can say they've been to Slovakia?

PRAGUE

• Ok so I don't have pictures, but it's been a great few weeks in Prague. It's really starting to feel like "home." It gets me everyday that if we're on a run and we're far out I can look towards the Prague Castle and say "as soon as I get there I'm almost home." THE PRAGUE CASTLE! Life is still surreal here...
• Classes are picking up on the workload--it's almost midterm time!
• It's FALL, and it's beautiful! I'll take a picture upon my return next week (the best glimpses are usually on our runs). The rich hues of the trees against the old architecture is stunning.
• Grace's 21st birthday! A self-planned pub crawl took place in her honor.
• FINALLY booked fall break: 
• October 29-November 1: BARCELONA to celebrate Steph's birthday/Halloween. And a special visit from Alexandra!
• November 1-November 4: FLORENCE...back to one of my favorite cities in the world. 
• November 4-November 7: ROME...Christina and Katherine's romantic Italian vacation continues.

ČESKY KRUMLOV

• That picture (my photo skills?) really doesn't do it justice...it was breathtaking.
• Jan (pronouced Yaan), our favorite Art History professor, took us on a mandatory field trip to this city in Southern Bohemia, renowned for it's architecture and historic old town.
• We toured the city for a few hours, stopping at famous cathedrals, town halls, etc.
• Had a WONDERFUL lunch on the river, complete with fresh tomato soup and mulled wine.
• Visited the historic Baroque Theatre, and had an incredibly funny tour-guide. 
• A stop for some Trdelnik, naturally. Our new favorite dessert is rolled dough wrapped around a stick, then grilled and topped with walnuts and sugar. YUM

Well, now that it's past midnite, I officially leave for ISRAEL today. WOW. I am incredibly excited. Alex Katz, Alex Spatt, Ryan Fazio, Scott Gaonkar (all Northwestern boys), Christina and I are departing from the Prague airport Wednesday at 11 PM for Tel Aviv. As I said, we are staying with Katz's grandparents in Jerusalem for a few days, and then spending Saturday (Scott's 21st!) in Tel Aviv before heading back to Prague on Sunday. We have a jam packed itinerary thanks to Katz's grandpa, which includes multiple tours of the city, trips to market, and a trek out to Masada and the Dead Sea, among other things. I CAN'T WAIT.

I should probably get back to my packing now (I promise I'm using tissue paper, Mom!), but I PROMISE an update very shortly after this weekend (unlike last time). In the meantime, there should be an album up soon with more Budapest/Český Krumlov pictures on Facebook.

PLEASE write to me (katherine.perry@u.northwestern.edu)...I miss all of you and would love to know how you're doing!

Love,

KP

The FEST, Vienna, and Back Again

WOW!

It's been a whirlwind of a few days, and we're only getting started. Tomorrow afternoon we leave for a weekend in Budapest! But before I go, here's a quick roundup of last weekend's AMAZING events...

Maybe bullets would be the best way to go about this...

• Christina and I took an early morning bus to Munich on Friday, Porters (oversized backpacking packs) in tow. We arrived in the afternoon, trekked out to our campsite (yes, we camped ALL weekend) and had a lovely reunion with Steph.
• Dropped our belongings off in "Wiesn Camp," and headed into the city for a lovely dinner of sausages, sauerkraut, and our first German beers. As promised, the rain set in soon after dinner. We headed back to the campsite and had what was possibly the coldest sleeps of our lives.
• Woke up at 5:30, headed back to the city and had a wonderful reunion with Elizabeth, Caity, and Hayley and staked out a table in Hofbrau House.
• Reunited with what felt like half of the Northwestern Class of 2012--SO FUN! So great to see so many people (at least 50) from school. All of us sought refuge from the rain in Hofbrau for most of the day. It cleared up in the late afternoon, and we headed outside for more sausage and candied nuts. YUMM. Had a lovely dinner with the Theta girls at their hotel and then made one last trek out to Wiesn. Another frigid nite, but we survived!
• Woke up early to take in some of the actual Munich culture. Took the Porters on a climb up the Munich Tower (not the best idea), but WOW the views were pretty!

• After saying goodbye to Steph at the train station, Christina and I headed back out to Oktoberfest to meet Zach and Jared and see the fairgrounds on a nicer day. It was beautiful! We checked out some other tents--they had a much more authentic German feel which was fun.

Zach, Jared, Christina, and I.

• Met up with our Vienna travel group (9 Prague kids) at the Paulaner Tent. We had hours to kill (our train wasn't until 11:45 PM!), which we spent soaking up every last bit of Oktoberfest. We met some very nice Brazilians and Germans!

Alex introduces Christina to the crowd: (and I quote) "EVERYBODY! THIS IS PABSCHT! VUNDERBAR!"


• After a couple of hours at (one of the many) Munich McDonalds, we hopped on an overnite train to Vienna at 11:45 PM. Rolled into Vienna at 5:45 and went on a journey to find our hostel. Unfortunately (but not unexpectedly), check-in wouldn't happen for a few hours so we passed out on the hostel couches.

• After getting cleaned-up and checked-in, Carley, Christina, and I headed out to explore (the boys apparently needed more primping time). Vienna is absolutely BEAUTIFUL. We went to the Modern Art Museum while we waited for the boys.
• After soaking up some much needed "high-culture" post-Oktoberfest, we met up with the boys to venture to Old Town. There we saw the Parliament, City Hall, the University, and various other landmarks. ABSOLUTELY GORGEOUS.

• After a much need cup of coffee we headed out to the famous Schönbrunn Palace, the residence of the Hapsburg rulers. I'll let the pictures do the talking...

The boys outside in the gardens.

Waiting for us to complete the hedge maze...we never did. SHAMEFUL!

• The next day we got up early (Christina and I FINALLY got to run!) and headed to the Sigmund Freud Museum. It was in his old house in Vienna--very cool! Ryan tried to lead us to the Viennese Stock Exchange, although that didn't go too well, so we opted to try to famous Sacher Torte instead. YUM.

• We ended our trip in Vienna with lunch at the Nashmarkt, a famous open-air market in the city. Best part? I found HUMMUS!

We got back on a Student Agency Bus (they give you free hot chocolate AND they played "Friends"!), and aside from a flat tire issue, had a smooth ride back to Prague. It was SO COOL to "come home" to Prague; we were all ready to get back to the comfort of our own rooms and a city we're familiar with.

BUT I can't wait to go to Budapest! I've heard amazing things about the city...things which I will share with you on Monday. We're staying at the Budapest Bubble, a hostel highly recommended by my good friend Max who studied in Prague over the summer. I'm hoping to explore the Hungarian natural baths--after a long weekend I could definitely use one!

Send me an e-mail (katherine.perry@u.northwestern.edu) to let me know how you're doing! I miss you all and look forward to hearing from you.

Off to study for a Czech quiz...uff!

Much Love,

KP

And Away We Go!

Off to Munich for OKTOBERFEST in the morning.

Christina, Steph, and I will be camping outside the city with some friends from UCLA. Reunion in Zee Homeland here we come! Almost all of our fellow NU-Europe-Study Abroad friends will be in Munich this weekend as well.

On Sunday we're (Christina, Carley, 6 Northwestern boys and I) taking an overnite train to Vienna. I can't wait to embrace my inner Von Trapp child.

We've already been practicing the hairstyles (and the songs obviously).

I promise a long post on Wednesday detailing our adventures.

Until then, Dobrou Noc (Czech)/Gute Nacht (German)!

KP

Zmrzlina, prosim!

Clearly, "ice cream, please."

This has quickly become a favorite phrase (pronounced more like "zimmerzleena"), and we have come to exercise it...probably a bit too often.

Yesterday we got zmrzzz (as we endearingly call it) on our way to a professional soccer game.

Our Czech teacher (love ya Jitka!) told us that some of her "friends" from the University wanted to show

us what real Czech 20-somethings do for fun. On Saturday they took us to a local pub they go to often. After about 30 minutes we realized that Tomas was not Jitka's "friend," but her son! After we hung out with them for a while they invited us to go to an AC Sparta Praha soccer game. 

SO FUN! They beat an Italian team 3-2, AND we sat next to the "hooligans." These guys (I don't think I saw a single woman) are definitely separated by a fence for a reason.

Sorry for my lack of posting in the last week--it was a bit busy. On Saturday we went to Terezin, a military camp used during WWII as a prison by the Nazis. We explored the town (which felt oddly like a ghost town) and visited two museums. I was extremely interested by the prisoners (mostly Jews or members of the resistance in Prague) art, specifically that of the children who lived in Terezin. It was definitely a moving experience.

To clear our heads, Christina and I went on a nice long run along the river upon our return to Prague on Sunday. GORGEOUS. We ended our run at our favorite veggie and fruit stand/market on the other side of the river (Mala Strana) and bought the cheapest box of wine we could find and sat in a park by the river for hours talking. It's funny that even though we haven't been apart for more than 6 days since March we still find loads to talk about. I guess that's what good friends are for! After that we cooked a lovely dinner of grilled cheese and veggies, and met the Czech students at the Pub.

Later we ventured to Karlovy Lazne, the "largest club in Central Europe." It's Prague's famous 5-story club right on the river. I had been there before on my high school trip in June 2008, and let me say not much has changed--still full of creepy European men and the oldies floor is still as good as ever. GREAT NITE. We're thinking about making it a Saturday tradition, although the touristy aspect makes us feel a bit pathetic. We'll see how long it lasts!

Sunday was a GORGEOUS day. Christina and I "studied" in my windowsill in bikinis for the majority of the day, soaking up some much needed sun. Best part of the day? WE BOOKED TICKETS TO JERUSALEM. Yup, you read that right. Alex Katz, a friend from Northwestern (and Cherubs!) invited us to join him and a few other of the boys on a trip to visit his grandparents. I literally cannot wait. This is such a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and I am so excited to take advantage of it. We're going October 13-17. More on that to come later.

I'll stop my rambling, as the next few days consisted of quizzes/Czech Oral Tests (yikes!). But we had our official Welcome Dinner on Tuesday nite, and regular classes started Wednesday. I'll blog about my individual classes once they get going--very excited though (Economics, Reading Prague, Baroque Art and the required Czech course).

I'm off to the Prague Wine Festival, but HAPPY WEEKEND! Tomorrow we're planning on making blueberry chocolate chip pancakes, paddle-boating on the river, going to a Beer Garden in this beautiful park that overlooks the city, and probably hitting up good old Karlovy (much funnier said in a British accent, if you were wondering).

Much love to you all!

KP

Pictures from the last week or so:

PIGS! At the old Communist Housing Compounds.

And then my camera was stolen...