YOUPOST 4

Hello Guys,

How are you doing today?

Are you ready to travel a bit more with me ?

Today, I'm going to talk about Budapest. I was there from December 20th till December 22th and I had a wonderful time. I would really advise you to go visit this city.

We travelled from Vienna with my boyfriend and we took a bus of the Orangeways company. It is way cheaper than the train and you arrive in the center of the city after only 2 hours and half. Don't forget to exchange your money when you get there, Hungarian people still don't use Euro.



There are some beautiful places to visit there. Between the splendid Hungarian Parliament, the royal palace, St. Stephen's basilica, the Chain Bridge, you have a lot to discover. I would recommend you the free walking tour that takes place every day at 10.30am. A Hungarian guy will explain to you what is so typical about the city, you'll go inside some of the famous buildings, you'll get to know the history of BUDA and PEST, and even know some funny stories about the city.

After the walking tour, you can't miss the famous baths of the city. I've been to the Széchenyi bath. It is unbelievable, the perfect place to be when it's winter time and you want some relaxation! Funny story: you can even play chess in the water!


Night time is also great in Budapest! The Hungarian pubs are cheap and full of students wanting to party with you! You must try "Palinka", it's the traditional Hungarian drink ( fruit brandy). But pay attention, it is strong alcohol, you might not drink too much!

Budapest is a great city and affordable for students! So go ahead and ENJOY :)

YOUPOST 3

Are you ready to explore the American West with me? 

Last week, I booked a wonderful trip in the United States with my brother! It's going to be a lifetime memory. We will be travelling for 2 weeks from April 25th till May 9th throughout all the American West. It seems to be the best moment to travel because the weather is nice and not too warm!  

We went to a famous travel agency " Connection" in Belgium and we found great deals over there. My brother being more than 26, we decided to rent a camping car for two weeks. We wanted a trip full of adventures and beautiful sceneries. We will cross five different States: California, Nevada,Utah, Arizona and Wyoming. Landing in San Francisco, we will stay there for 3 nights. We will have the chance to walk through the Fisherman’s Wharf, the Golden Gate Bridge, the Union Square or even discover Chinatown. After that, we will go to Las Vegas for 2 nights. I'm really excited to see this supernatural city, be able to gamble in the casinos and go out with my brother till the end of the night. Afterwards, we will drive till Salt lake city for 1 night to arrive the day after in Yellowstone for 2 nights. I have never been to Wyoming, it's a new State to discover. It's also the oldest National Park of the world. Monument Valley will be the next stop for 2 nights. When I was younger, I always watched western films with my family. A great deal of  movies have the Monument Valley as backgrounds. We will then have 4 nights left: we will spend 2 nights in Lake Powell, 1 night in Grand Canyon and finally 1 night in Phoenix to end our beautiful trip.

Costs :

1) Flights (Lufthansa): Brussels--> San Francisco ( with one stop in Frankfurt)

            Phoenix--> Brussels ( with one stop in Frankfurt)

Cost per person: 885 euros per person

2) Camping car ( 2 persons) + fuel+ several camping places

Connection booked a camping car with Authentik USA , departure San Francisco- Arrival San Francisco

Cost:

a) Camping car for 2 weeks ( with the special promotion) + fuel ( around 4000 kms)+ insurance+ free gps: +/- 1460 euros ( for 2 people)

b) Camping: Only 5 nights in a camping, there are many possibilities to park for free ( Walmart for example).

There is a small fee because we drop the camping car in Phoenix and not in San Francisco

All: +/- 1700 euros for 2 people = 850 euros per person

3)Activities:

A) San Francisco, California

 Alcatraz Island cruise and tour : a visit of one of the most famous Prison islands of the world. You will start the tour with a boat tour to reach the island. Then, you will have a visit of the prison.

Price : 35 euros/person

B) Antelope canyon, Arizona (Near Lake Powell)

Antelope canyon: You can visit the slot canyon sections, created by the wind, water and sand. It is possible to rent a jeep car to reach the canyon. Once you are there, you can walk inside along the high walls (40 meters). Around Midday, the daylight and the colors of the landscapes are the most beautiful.

Price: Departure 11h30 : 39 euros/person

C) Monument Valley (at the border between Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico and Utah = four corners)

Monument valley tour: After the demonstrations of carpet weaving at Navajo, you will be able to see the most spectacular views from the famous Monument valley you see in the films . Several stops will be planned during the visit: John Ford’s Point, The Mittens, Three Sisters, North Window.

+/- 2,5 hours, 48 euros/person

D) Las Vegas-Grand Canyon- Las Vegas

 Helicopter tour from Las Vegas to the Grand Canyon: great opportunity to fly over the grand canyon and land down the valley.

Price : 222 euros/person

Don’t miss it, it’s a great opportunity

Total of the trip ( per person) : 885 + 850+35+39+48+222= 2079 euros + the food and souvenirs to add !

Don't hesitate to do this trip ! Others did it before us and they all seemed to be enthusiastic about it !!!

YOUPOST 2

Hello Followers,

How are you doing today?

If I tell you "United States", what comes first to your mind? What are the stereotypes and the preconceived ideas that you have?

Personally, I have many that I could mention:
- Americans are very patriotic.
- Americans don't know much about the history, languages and geography of other countries.
- Americans are obese.
- American football players always date cheerleaders.
- Americans are really conservative and religious.
- Americans carry guns on them all the time.
And many others...

But are all those stereotypes true? I'm going to develop one in particular and try to reveal the origin and the truth of it:


1) Americans are very patriotic:

Many Americans claim themselves as very patriotic and proud to be American. According to a survey led by the Pew Research Centre (an American think tank based in Washington DC), around 83 pourcent of Americans are proud of their nationality.
This patriotism is noticeable in different ways. First
of all, the American flag is everywhere, it is hanging in front of schools and inside the classrooms, in front of many houses' façades, on the back of many cars and even drawn on T-shirts. It is a symbol for liberty and democracy guaranteed by the Constitution.
As I was in America for my senior year in High School, I had to recite every morning "the Pledge of Allegiance" before starting class. And every time I had a sport competition with my swimming or soccer team, the anthem was always played before starting it. I always thought it was cool; it gave us spirit and motivation to win the competition.

Secondly, American people always thank their troops for the sacrifice they make for their country. They often honor their troops, particularly on Veteran Days. As I lived next to a military post on Fort Carson in Colorado, I went to see the "Welcome back from Afghanistan" of the troops. It was a very formal and emotional moment where the soldiers could see  their family again after 9 months-1 year deployment. During this ceremony, they usually play this song "I'm proud to be an American" (youtube video), showing their patriotism and their respect to the Nation.


All those elements show that this stereotype is true. This solidarity has lasted since the unification of the 13 founding States ( which are also the 13 stripes of the American flag) and the Independence of the United States in 1776.




Do you have other stereotypes about Americans that you could share with me? Any funny ones? If yes, don't hesitate to write comments! I would be happy to read you !

Hope you enjoyed this article, and I can't wait to discover more things and write you about my adventures!



Sources: Military post Fort Carson
               http://www.lefigaro.fr/international/2010/07/05/01003-20100705ARTFIG00653-les-americains-                cultivent-leur-patriotisme.php
                http://www.pewresearch.org/2010/07/01/proud-patriots-and-harsh-critics-of-government/
               http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Declaration_of_Independence

YOUPOST 1

D-1, people!!!  Are you ready to celebrate this crazy and terrifying night which is Halloween?

I definitely am! Ever since I was little, I've never missed an opportunity to celebrate Halloween. When I was younger, I always dressed up with my friends to go trick-or-treating in my neighborhood. Whilst growing up, I changed it a bit. I now go to Halloween parties and watch horror movies till the end of the night.

 Yet, have you wondered how Halloween ever started? I always thought that Halloween was created in the United States to entertain children and make business out of it… but  after some research, this is what I found…

Halloween actually dates back to the Celtic times. 3000 years ago, the Celts celebrated New-Year during the night of the 31^st of October. During that night, they celebrated the Festival of Samhain  (= summer's end), which is a religious celebration that marked the end of the harvest season and the beginning of the winter season ( mainly for the farmers). It was symbolized by the extinction and the relighting of all the households. The Celts would gather around a bonfire set by a druid in the forest; they would dance and sing till nights'end. Believing that the dead could return to earth and mingle with the living, the druids dressed up and gesticulated in order to communicate with the spirits and ward off the demons. Indeed, the druids were known for appeasing the souls and protecting the people.

Later in the VIIIth century, the Pope, Gregory III, established the “All Hallows ‘day” on the 1^st of November to celebrate All Saints ‘Day. Then, the immigrants of Ireland and Scotland imported the event with them to the United States in the XIXth century. It was then called “all Hallows ‘Eve” which means "the night before All-Saints ‘Day".

Don't you find it surprising that Halloween has existed for so long and doesn't, in fact, come from the United States?

One thing is for sure: every Halloween, I'll remain a child and whatever its origins, I find it amusing and will always dress up and party!