dinsdag 30 april 2013

Let's go swimming in the water

Hello everybody and welcome back to our blog !

With only one week and a half to go , our so far magical trip is unfortunately almost coming to it's end .
We have already seen so many things you never hear or see of , things i will never forget !

The boattrip we made yesterday was really nice too ! No worries , just enjoying the good things in life . And some fresh fish , not the junk we get offered in the stores .

With only 2 more days to go in Congo we decided to enjoy some more of the good weather and the beautiful surroundings this country has to offer.
A local at the hotel told us that we should really visit the Zongo Falls , so this is where we are heading to later on . With a 5 hours drive ahead we will arrive there around 10 , which gives us just enough time to set up our tent , enjoy a nice barbecue and get ready for a visit to the falls tomorrow .
We're not quite sure yet if we are going to sleep in tents or not . We were told that there was a nice lodge called the ' seli safari ' , which is positioned right next to the falls . We should be able to hear the water coming down from our rooms ! A hotel bed will definitely be a lot more comfortable , and will prevent me from having to scratch my back the whole day thanks to the mosquitos .

I can't wait untill it is tomorrow : i just feel like waking up , putting on my swimmingpants and going straight to the falls for a refreshing dip . Hopefully the water isn't to cold !

See you later guys !

Wouter De Weerdt

A boat trip in the Democratic Republic of the Congo!


Hello Everybody!

After our adventures in the Central African Republic, we took the jeep and drove until we reached the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which is a Francophone country. Because it is such a big country, it became difficult to decide where we would go. After discussing a bit, we decided to go to Kinshasa, the capital. Because it is almost the end of our trip, we went to the Grand Hotel Kinshasa. It is a 5 Star hotel in the center of Kinshasa.
In the hotel, we had a beautiful view over the river Congo.

After we had unpacked, we went to the Yacht Club Kinshasa. There, we rented a boat with a driver for the rest of the day and this only for 150$! On the boat, there were tables, chairs, a suntent and also a barbecue. It is obvious that this became a great and relaxing afternoon.
In the evening we barbecued on bord with the fishes we had caught in the afternoon. It was very delicous and above all, it was an unforgettable experience.

After our boat trip, we went to some bars, first we went to ‘the Standing’. This is a small western-style bar and disco. It was very nice but there was not that much people. So after ‘the Standing’, we went to the ‘VIP Bar’. It is also a western-style disco but larger. There was also a mirror and a disco-ball on the ceiling, it was a really nice place where we had some drinks of the local beer ‘Turbo King’. Around midnight, we ended up in our bedrooms and fell asleep.

Greetings!!!
Lanneer Wout
2MA05

woensdag 24 april 2013

The Central African Republic, what's going on?

Hi everybody!

After some days of fun, it was time to develop something more about the economy, the education and the health of the Central African Republic.
First of all, in the Central African Republic, they dispense the CFA franc, which is accepted in six states in central Africa namely Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea and Gabon. One euro has here the same value as 676,13 CFA franc.
In the Central African Republic, the annual real GDP growth rate is 3%. Their import partners are South Korea, which is good for 45.8%, after South Korea comes the Netherlands, France and Cameroon. Remarkable are their export partners because their largest export partner is Belgium, with 30.4%, followed by China, the Democratic Republic of Congo, France, Indonesia and Marocco.
The income per capita per year is around the $300 which is very low when you compare it with the income in Europe. We learned that their income is one of the lowest in the world.
It became obvious that because of this income, the education is not that good and the health is very bad.
In 2012, the life expectancy was 50 years old. This is very low because in Europe the life expectancy is around 80 years old. Another notable figure is the HIV/AIDS prevalence rate is about 4.7% of the adult population. But, this is not the only illness, there are a lot of diseases in the Central African Republic such as malaria, tuberculosis, ...; way too many to mention them all.
Now, when we know all the problems here, it is clear that sometimes, we make us too busy for nothing. So it is obvious that we have to be lucky that we did not born here.

Greetings from the Central African Republic!
Lanneer Wout (2MA05)

maandag 22 april 2013

picture time

Hello everybody !

Here i am with the pictures i took at the safari .

We really had an amazing time . We arrived at site and were welcomed warmly by Steve and his staff .  Before we could leave we had to put on our gear  and fill our backpacks with water.  It was extremely hot that day so the 4 liters of water we were carrying each wasn't that much . We were very lucky that day since we saw a lot of animals.

 After  a 2 hours drive we arrived at a river . We already noticed from a few minutes away that something special was going on over there since there was a lot of noise and a lot of dust in the air . Once arrived we could finally see what this dust and noise was coming from. There was a massive herd of wildebeest crossing the river . From left to right , all we could see was wildebeest. According to our guide there were around 1 million of them . They didn't all make it to the other side of the river tough , crocodiles were hiding in the water waiting for some food to come by. And i wanted some wilderbeest meat too . After the guides chose out an animal i could shoot it was time to take in our positions and get ready to fire . Once they gave me green light to shoot , i went for it.  What a rush .

From the river we drove towards a more bushy area fom where on we had to continue by foot .This isnt a pleasure at 40 degrees Celsius i can tell you that.
The area was full of life : colourful birds , monkeys , huge spiders , lizards , .. we saw it all . I'm going to let the images do the talking .

bye !

Wouter De Weerdt





zaterdag 20 april 2013

Falls of Baoli

Hello guys,

When we wake up, we need to consider which clothes we’re going to wear, because we’re April and as we all know, it could be hot.
File:Republique Centrafricaine - Boali - Chutes de Boali.jpg
But at the same time, we need to take in mind that the Harmattan could be present. The Harmattan is dry and dusty West African trade wind. We’re lucky because the Harmattan doesn’t block the sun, so we’re able to enjoy the sunshine. After our breakfast, we’re taking the highway towards Baoli.

After our first 2 days in the Central African Republic, we decided to see some nature. We’re going to Baoli which is situated 100 km of the national capital, Bangui. Why are we visiting Baoli? Well, because it’s well-known for his waterfalls and for his hydroelectric works. We need to make sure that we’re putting on our hiking boots and we leave our sandals in our luggage.

Once we see the waterfalls, we’re amazed about the view. It’s incredible! Although it’s a lot of noise because you hear the water falling, but we’re still open-eyed when we see the waterfalls.

After a day full of hiking, we’re not surprised we’re hungry. That’s why we’re visiting Tropicana. We found this restaurant by searching on the internet, because it was recommended. The cuisines are French, Pizza and international, so it’s perfect for students like us. We’ve all taken a large piece of Pizza because we’re familiar with this food. Later on, we’re too tired to do something outside so we decided to stay in and go to bed on time.

Greetings from the national hotel in Bangui!

Stefanie Vanhoele 2MA05 

Sources:
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g293777-d1233137-Reviews-Tropicana-Bangui.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transport_in_the_Central_African_Republic 
x

vrijdag 19 april 2013

In to the bush !

Hi everybody and welcome back to our blog !

So yesterday we entered the Central African Republic , the heart of Africa ! Time to put on our shorts and sandals and enjoy the beauty this country has to offer .

We're heading to the remote area's in the east of the CAR where we will go on a jeepsafari . The domain we're going to is property of Erik Mararv and his wife . Together with their staff they run their safari company called ' Central African Wildlife Adventures ' .  5 different camps have been put up on different locations along the terrain which stretches over two million hectares of land ,  covered with wildlife and wilderness . Let's hope we don't get lost .

We won't just be driving around in a jeep and taking pictures . The activities Erik and his crew offer are a bit more adventurous , and include guns . Yes people ,we are going hunting ! I hope i shoot myself a buffalo , can't taste bad right ? I have been told there is a wide range of animals out there : buffalo's , deer , hogs , bucks , baboons but also lions and leopards . Shall be fun , really can't wait !

I will make some pictures of the wildlife and upload them later on . Fingers crossed we get back in one piece !

Warm greetings from the team .

Wouter De Weerdt

donderdag 18 april 2013

A shocking welcome!

Dear followers!

After our experiences in Libya, we needed to cross Chad to get to the
Central African Republic. Because of the tropical climate, we decided to reach our destination by jeep, which was much more fun than travelling by plane!
 
When we arrived at our hotel ‘the national hotel’, located in the capital Bangui, we needed to ask all our information in French. The Central African Republic used to be a colony of France, that’s why they still use French as one of their main languages.
 
The hotel wasn’t luxurious at all, we’ve made the best of it, but the whole hotel can definitely use some renovations! There weren’t any towel racks, we couldn’t get clean towels, the air-conditioning didn’t work and the ventilation in the bathroom was also broke. Despite of the bad experiences with the hotel, we continued our trip, because we didn’t want to screw up our trip because of that.

For the first day here in the Central African Republic, we decided to discover Bangui. The capital rests beside the River Ubangi. On the bank of the river, we had a nice picnic in the sun. By walking through the city, we discovered the university of Bangui and the international university, which are the two institutions of higher education in the Central African Republic. We found out that the country is one of the world’s least developed countries, that’s why half of the adult population are illiterate, despite the free and compulsory public education from ages 6 to 14.

In the evening we haven’t done a lot of activities, because we were a bit afraid. We stayed in our hotel rooms and we played some old-school games, which was really very amusing!

See you next time! Greetings, Taika De Volder.

maandag 15 april 2013

The Red Castle!

Hi followers!
The Red Castle

Today, we wanted to see more beautiful places. The first thing we visited was The Assaraya al-Hamra, or the Red Castle. 
This is a huge palace complex with multiple courtyards. This castle is located in the heart of Tripoli. In the castle, there are some statues and fountains that have been preserved from the past. Untill now, this is the best thing we have seen in this country.

The Jamahiriya Museum
While we were there, we also visited the Jamahiriya Museum, which is also known as the Red Castle Museum or Assaraya Alhamara Museum. It is the national museum of Libya and it is one of Tripoli’s most popular tourist attraction because as tourist, we learned here more about the history of the country. This is a vast museum with different floors.
On all these floors we could see several things such as the conversion from Romans through Christianity, Islamic ethnicity, daily chores and scenes of the Turkish kitchen, the Libyan chronology, … and there is also a wing dedicated to Libya’s fight for independence.
We can say that this museum is an example of the spontaneous beauty. 

After our visit, we went to our hotel to relax a little bit because it was already a tiring holiday.
Now, I have to go because we will look for something to eat.
But keep following us!
Lanneer Wout

zondag 14 april 2013

Tazirbu it is!

Hello!
Because of the danger in some cities like Benghazi, we are going to take it easy the next days and we will visit some safe places. Today we have visited Tazirbu, a city in the southern part of Libya. In contrast with Belgium, the weather is fantastic! Today it was 32 degrees and tomorrow we’re expecting 33 degrees. Great temperatures when you have nothing to do, but when you have to travel around, it’s really very hot!
Tazirbu is actually an oasis located in the Libyan Desert. The oasis is approximately 25 – 30 km long and 10 km wide. In the middle of the oasis runs a shallow valley with salt ponds. We discovered about ten villages when we crossed the oasis by motorbike.
Halfway the afternoon, we decided to go back to the capital, Tripoli. There we could find something to eat and search something to do in the evening. We picked out a restaurant where we could eat some local receipts. As appetizer, we ordered taboulé. Taboulé is a salad with bulgur, a grain product, tomatoes, parsley and onions. As main course, we decided to take hummus, a purée with chickpeas and olive oil. It was good, but it is certainly not my favourite kind of food.
Completely satisfied, we started to search a nice café or bar to talk about our day. Libya doesn’t have many facilities to do in the evening, but after a while, we found a local café. We spend our evening talking about our day. I wonder what we’ll do tomorrow and if you want to know it too, you have to keep on following us! ;-)
Sunny greetings,
Taika De Volder











zaterdag 13 april 2013

Not a nice view

Hi everybody !

We're finally in Libya , what a long way to go ! Really happy we were out of the airport and finally had some fresh air . All this travelling is getting to me .

Yesterday we visited the Benghazi Zoo which was really nice to see . We we're all suprised that the zoo was still there and the animals all still lived . Whilst driving to the zoo we did see some other things . Whole city quarters whiped away . Blown up cars , houses riddled with bullets , people just straying around and looking for food and water . You could really see the pain and the despair in their eyes. Whilst feeling a lot of compassion for these people , I didn't feel that comfortable myself at all. We knew that the authorities advised western tourists not to visit Bengazi since they were not safe there . You could really feel the tension in the air .

Here are some pictures i took yesterday .




We decided to get out of here and leave Benghazi for what is was . We are now heading to the more calm southern region of Libya . Hopefully see you when we get there !

Wouter De Weerdt

Benghazi Zoo


Hello everybody,
After Greece we’re ready to take our bags and go to Libya. Therefore we need to take the plain. Our departure is in Athene at 5 p.m. but we need to transfer in Caïro. Normally the trip wouldn’t take that long but we need to wait several hours in Caïro to take the plain towards Tripoli. That’s why we eventually arrive in Tripoli the next day.
File:Benghazi Tourist Park (Benghazi Zoo).JPGThe first city we’re going to visit in Libya is Benghazi. It’s the second largest city of Libya, next to Tripoli. We’re going to visit the Benghazi Zoo. It’s a combination of a zoo full with trees and a theme park.

It’s a pleasant alternation because you can see a lot of different animals but in the meantime you have also some electric rides in the park. You can see the goats, the elephants, lions, and so on. We’re amazed when we see the elephants because they’re so huge!

After the park we visit for our first time during our trip around the world a McDonalds. It isn’t local food but it’s nice to have some food you’re familiar with. It’s also handy because McDonalds isn’t expensive and that’s just what we need on our trip around the world.

If you’re curious about what my other travelers will say, you need to stay in touch with our blog and keep on reading it!
Stefanie Vanhoele

dinsdag 9 april 2013

The Underwater World Of Greece!


Γεια σου οπαδοί
(Hi followers)

After some wonderful days with a lot of fun. Today it was time to visit an Historic place, The Olympia, a place that is known from the ancient Olympic Games. While visiting this place, it became obvious that this is one of the most well-known destinations in Greece. It was still so early but it was already full with tourists there.
Overwhelmed by the other tourists, we walked through the ruins of the area. It was impressive!
Yet I must tell that it wasn’t as spectacular as we thought because the site is a little bit destroyed by several earthquakes and the time that passed by. But it was still breath-taking!
Another notable building that we went to see today was the Temple of Zeus.
It was really great to see, but the weather was way too hot. 
Therefore we decided to go scuba diving because we already heard a lot of positive comments on it. We certainly have to say the money was worth it: The water was clear and we could explore the underwater world of Greece. We never thought it could be so beautiful under the water. The places we have seen there were spectacular.
Now we understand why scuba diving is so popular in Greece: It prints beautiful images in your memory, which you will never forget.
After the scuba diving we were all tired. We decided to order a pizza and went directly sleeping. 


μείνετε συντονισμένοι
(stay tuned!)


Lanneer Wout 2MA5 

donderdag 4 april 2013

The coastal road of Greece.

Hello followers!
Fully equipped from yesterday, we were ready for a new day in Greece! It’s really very relaxing to stay a couple of days in a hot area like here! The temperature fluctuates between 20 and 30 degrees. Finally we could leave all our warm clothes and jackets in the hotel!

We decided to take the tram, which rides along the coastal road. It’s an easy way to cross the city. Because of the high temperatures, stopping at organized and non-organized beaches nearest the city, is the most popular reason of transport with all those people who want to enjoy a swim without having to worry about driving. We decided to go swimming in the sea. Afterwards, we stopped for a coffee at Trocadero.


In the afternoon, we wanted to visit some culture. We explored the most picturesque, romantic and nostalgic neighbourhood, Anafiótika, which is situated under the north section of the Acropolis. The place is distinguished by white-washed houses with blue doors, stone walls and small gardens. I loved this place of its special charisma and cosy houses. We took some beautiful pictures of our visits to make it easier for you to imagine the country.

On our way back, we found a café-restaurant where we could have a snack. We ordered two spaghettis, a salad with salmon and a macaroni dish. Afterwards, we had some drinks in the bar of our hotel before we went to bed.
Greetings, Taika De Volder.


Sources:
http://www.visitgreece.gr/

http://www.essential-greece.be/

Let's go visit the fishes!



Hellow followers,

Our next stop is in Corfu. It’s known for his bays and therefore we’ll go snorkeling. It’s 20 degrees, a little bit cold for snorkeling, but it’s a once in a lifetime opportunity and that’s why we decide to do it. We go to our rooms, change our clothes into swimming suits and go to the beach. On the beach we get a diving goggles and a snorkel. It’s for everybody the first time and that’s why we’re so excited!

2 hours later, we finished our snorkeling. It was exhausting but in the same time amazing. It was definitely worth doing it. After the snorkeling, we go to the Pandokrator. It’s the highest mountain on the island of Corfu. Here you can see the entire island. When you finally reach the top, you have a pub where you can have a drink. So we did.

Now, you can imagine everybody is hungry and therefore we go back to our hotel. Our hotel is called “Hotel Park”.  The picture you’re looking at is one from the pool. I can imagine you’re jealous when you see the picture, because it looks like paradise!

After our meal, we unpack our luggage in our rooms and we end our day by watching the sunset on the beach. It’s a perfect closure for our fantastic day in Corfu. We hope you enjoy reading our blogs and you keep continuing.

Greetings,
Stefanie Vanhoele

woensdag 3 april 2013

How to grow fat in greece !

γειά σου !

Welcome back and sunny greetings from Greece !

What an outstanding weather it is over here . Feels so good  just walking around and enjoying the sun on your face .

Yesterday afternoon we were all a bit hungry and thirsty so we started looking for something to eat and drink. We found ourselves a table on this cozy restaurant terrace where we were greeted by this very friendly greek guy.

There were a whole lot of tasty-looking things on the menu , which made it quite hard for us to choose. But if there's one thing you have got to eat when you go to Greece than it's the ' meze '.  This is not a single dish , but more like a traditional menu . When you order a meze you got around 10 plates of food from which everybody can eat . It is not really ment as a meal  , but more as a snack whilst drinking a traditional drink like ouzo or raki and having a talk with friends. This does not mean you will leave the table with a empty stomach . We got all kinds of dishes like bread with tzatziki ,  rice stuffed wine leaves called dolma , calamari , tasty meatballs , fresh fish ... Really too much to sum up , but i can tell you one thing : it was delicious !
The greek food is so honest and simple , but still so finger-licking good !

After finishing the plates of food we were all to lazy to get up. It felt like we had eaten for 2 days non stop . Unable to move ourselves we decided to stay put a bit longer and to enjoy some more , the greek way , with a nice bottle of wine !

see you later !

Wouter