Last day in Spain

1. Plaza de Oriente 

2. Walking through La Latina

 

                                     

 3. In the plaza mayor standing in a square in Sol

 

 4. Our quiet walk in Sol Madrid 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Córdoba

  

We explored the famous Mosque-Cathedral in Córdoba and discussed its importance throughout history and today.

 

 

We enjoyed the beautiful Calle de las Flores.

On to Granada!

Our group spent the third day exploring Granada and visiting one of Spain's most famous attractions: La Alhambra!

This picture is from the gardens of the Alhambra and gives a perfect view of the fortress overlooking the city.

This picture is from one of the gardens in the summer house of the Alhambra and is interesting because it was only used a couple times each year. 

This is a great picture on an infinity pool in the Alhambra that reflects the tower and was a symbol left from the old Muslim empire.

The Art and Style of Storytelling in Japan - Day 6

A Story of Factories and Towers

Today we left the dorm around 8:30 am and made our way to the Noh Costume Factory. This factory was very small but extremely complex and it is the only factory of this kind in Japan and probably the world. We then had lunch at Kyoto Station where I had some exquisite and tender Wagyu beef with Sil and Dante. We then took the train to Osaka to visit the "Tower of the Sun" and actually went inside of it where they had a museum. Finally, we headed back to downtown Kyoto where we had some awesome Teppanyaki dinner in a small local place and visited some stores. -JP

Early morning, after a wonderful sleep, I came down to the dining room to have my cup noodle which I made yesterday. Overall, I would say it was pretty good! After everybody finished their meal, we headed straight to the Noh Costume Studio. The weather was not cold as much as the other days but it was a little rainy today. After a little walk, we finally arrived at the studio. One of the men in the studio told us that their studio was the only one in the world that creates costumes for noh performances. I was totally surprised after I heard that and even more when we went to the factory where they were creating stuff. I could see that it takes them a long time to set up all the machines before they start working. After the visit to the costume studio, we divided into different groups to have lunch and hang out in Kyoto. I would say Japanese food is awesome! We went to a restaurant which makes mostly omelets with other food then we went to a stationary store to buy some gifts for our friends. After that, we met back up with the group to go to the Tower Of The Sun. It was 41 meters high with lots of cool sculptures inside of it such as dinosaurs, a scorpion, and a gorilla. We spent an hour inside. After that, me, Eva and Marcus had dinner at a buffet restaurant which had all kinds of food. We went there before for dinner and we decided to go there one more time because the food was so good. -Tony

A master costume maker at the Noh Factory.

A worker at the factory preps the loom.

A master weaver at the Noh Costume Factory.

A close up look at one of the weavers working the loom.

Outside the incredible Noh Costume Factory!

Ordering lunch at Kyoto Station!

About to start our tour of the Tower of the Sun.

Outside the Tower of the Sun.

The amazing interior of the Tower of the Sun tells the story of evolution.

A great visit to the Tower of the Sun!

Eva had a blast on our trip to the Tower of the Sun.

The Art and Style of Storytelling in Japan - Day 5

A Story of Temples and Ramen

Today we had a lot of things happening. First, we went to the Cup Noodles Museum. There were were able to make our own Cup Noodles. I enjoyed decorating my cup, however, now I don't want to eat the noodles so I can save the cup for a long time! Later we went to some temples. I was able to take a lot of photos with my friend and we really enjoyed making memories together. My favorite thing about visiting the temples was the fact that I was able to see a lot of people in traditional Japanese clothing. The girls were all wearing different kinds of kimonos while posing at the historical buildings. The view created a special atmosphere which made me very inspired and happy. -Alex

Today we went to the Cup Noodles museum in Osaka where we had the opportunity to learn about Ramen history and also design our own cups of Cup Noodles. After the museum, we got some delicious ramen for lunch and then we went to the amazing Kenniji Temple. My favorite part of today was visiting the temples and learning more about Japanese culture and history and traditions. I also got to try some classic street food nearby one of the temples that was really good! -Lia

Exploring the gallery hall in the Cup Noodles Museum in Osaka.

Choosing your ingredients for custom Cup Noodles!

The ingredient station at the make-your-own-Cup-Noodles factory!

Outside the Cup Noodles Museum in Osaka by the statue of the founder of Cup Noodles, Momofuku Ando.

Enjoying some incredible ramen in Osaka!

Exploring the temples at Kenninji.

The zen garden at one of the temples.

Many visitors wore traditional attire to visit the temples.

A view of one of the shrines in the temple.

The incredible ceiling mural inside one of the temples.

Conscious Living, Day 5

Day 5, by far the sunniest day of our trip to the West Coast offered a high of 55 degrees.  Our hotel was just south of Embarcadero which held views of the Golden Gate Bridge, which we crossed the day before, and of course, Alcatraz.

Our morning started early, with an Uber ride to Marin County Food Bank for a brief tour and educational perspective on the needs in the area.  We learned that 1 in 4 residents in Marin County live without food security due to the high cost of living.  More people than ever are dependent on the Food Bank. 

Next, on to our work assignment.  We created NHS assembly lines and bagged over 840 pounds of frozen peas.  The girls scooped, weighed, sealed and labeled a LOT of peas.  The emotional temperature after a very chilly experience reported feelings of joy and gratitude after a job well done, knowing that they were making a difference for a lot of people.  An important part of living consciously is knowing that it is not all about us.  This was an important lesson we repeated over and over again though out the week.

The secret to a happy and healthy life is balance.  The girls finished their week, after their morning of service, with full body massages in the financial district.  Conscious Women are poised with Thecla, a gifted body worker based in San Francisco.

After massages and a little shopping, we were off to the airport for a red eye back to the east coast.   Note the conscious awareness of SFO, offering a yoga room for their guests!  

 13 women traveling together for a week, encountering flight delays, missed experiences and other disappointments, rain and wind, motion sickness, mud and joy and beauty and fun, animals and service, independence, lots of healthy food and mindful awareness of just how good we have it when we see others struggling with homelessness and mental illness... this is what conscious living is all about.  We ride the wave of life, knowing when to hold on and when to let go and move on.  Sometimes we did this with grace and ease, and sometimes we baulked.  But all of it, we did together!!!  

Sailing day 5

Today we woke up in Christmas Cove. We made pancakes and had to start packing to leave in the afternoon. After we got everything tied down and ready to go, we sailed back to St.Thomas. When we got back, we had to fuel up the catamaran. After that we then sailed the last bit back to Frenchtown Marina. When we got back on land we got some popsicles and got some snacks for the flight. We then took the taxi back to the airport where we waited for our flight.We first flew to Puerto Rico where we had a quick layover, and then flew back to Boston. When we got back we got picked up by the New Hampton bus and took quick stop at McDonalds for dinner. 

We workshopped and sent our work to Literati!

On Friday, students got together in a coffee shop in Plymouth to finalize a chosen piece to send to Literati for potential publication. They had a lovely time, with their lovely smiles, on a lovely day!

Working Hard or Hardly Working?
Humor Writing Connoisseurs
black & white 35mm

Mixtape Dropping Soon
Humor Writing Senseis
woodland items on chalkboard