Journey With Janelle

Happy Holidays from Journey with Janelle!!!

As you snuggle in for the end of 2009, I want to wish you and your families peace and love. It's been an incredible year for me, with many opportunities coming my way that I never expected. I'm so appreciative and thank you all so much for following along on these journeys.

I am extremely excited to note that this current site and layout will take a short hiatus while the BRAND NEW Journey with Janelle website is created. Early in January 2010, we'll be coming at you with the new website.

Keep checking out www.journeywithjanelle.com in the mean time for the official date release and you'll be automatically redirected to the new site. You can also sign up for the email newsletter and be notified as soon as the conversion is complete!

Here's to an amazing 2010!

There is a small town outside of Prague (Czech Republic), reachable by train, called "Kutná Hora." At one point in its history, this small neighbor competed with Prague economically. Still part of "Bohemia" and now the Czech Republic, this lesser famous town is only worth the visit if you've got the time. I certainly wouldn't recommend missing part of Prague in order to see it.

The main reason to visit this quaint little town is that it has some amazing photo opportunities. In November, which is when I visited, the streets were deserted. It felt like a ghost town, but the absence of humans made the layers of fog and chill seem more crisp and made the glossy streets and multi-colored trees seem like a painting you were magically given permission to walk through.

The site I particularly came to see was the Sedlec Ostuary, called Kostnice Sedlec in Czech. For our part, we call it "The Bone Church." With an exciting history that includes ties to "Black Death" and thousands of graves, If you're not freaked out by piles of bones, then this place is a spooky yet fascinating display for you to see.

Church workers infamously constructed piles of bones from the many bodies originally buried in the area as well as a family coat of arms (ironic?) and a chandelier. This leaves the place looking like permanent Halloween art installation.

Just a short walk from the train station you arrive at, you'll need to ask one of the station staff for a small map to tell you how to get to the Church. It's about a mile or so walk, with small town charm to feast your eyes on as you stroll. The train to get back to Prague comes every two hours, and since you don't need a reservation to ride in either direction, you can peruse at your leisure.

If I'm being honest, I will say that the church is much smaller than you think it would be. The information cards they give you (translated into many languages) are not particularly well-written or informative, but give you some context for what you're looking at. The tell-tale souvenir skulls that you can purchase as well as the "flatten a penny" machines made the church feel less than holy. But the pictures you get... they can't be beat.

The surrounding graveyard is also rather picturesque as it is quite small and surrounded by fields of colorful trees. I was impressed by the local devotion to making sure that no grave was flowerless or forgotten.

Overall, I enjoyed (but was underwhelmed by) my extremely brief visit to the small town of Kutná Hora. It was a cheap & fast train (about 1 hour & US $20 from Prague), an extremely picturesque view along the way, and a wonderful treat for my camera's lens when I arrived. I was lucky enough to have plenty of free time, otherwise I would have passed.

To see more pictures from this interesting locale, check out my FlickR page: HERE

It has been difficult to express to people how beautiful I think the country of Nepal is. The land and the beautiful people are indescribable to me. I've attempted to share with my words just how wonderful I think this magical place is, and though even this does not capture it- I want to share some of the best views.

I've created a new "Journey with Janelle" video- this one without words. Set to music that could easily be heard playing in the streets of Bhaktapur, these images were shot during October 2009 in multiple cities in Nepal.



I hope this video inspires you to pay attention to this exciting region of the world and to continue to stay involved with my own work in the region.

Namaste!

SCROLL DOWN FOR THE LATEST POSTS, This one won't move for a while!

Hey visitors! As you know, I am a world traveler who wants to keep traveling. Especially if someone else is going to pay for it! Well there is an opportunity for this to happen as I am in contention for "The Big Trip" (learn more at www.thebigtrip.com).

You can help me by watching this YouTube video, heading to THIS LINK and rating it 5 stars and leaving comments about why you think I'd be great for the job!

Thanks for the support!!

It is embarrassing that Americans are not forced to learn more languages. Leaving U.S. soil and heading any place that does not list English as its national language will show you that. It is relatively easy for a United States (or United Kingdom) resident to get around the world, specifically because English is spoken so often. I think it does a disservice to ourselves to therefore rely on this convenience rather than force ourselves to expand options by diversifying our communication options.

In Belgium, you can't get a job with the government unless you speak four languages. Almost everyone in Europe and Asia, especially of the younger generations, knows at least two. Though I studied Hebrew as a student for my Bat Mitzvah, I've never used it conversationally. I took more than four years of Spanish classes, but rarely take the opportunity to speak with the multitude of people around me in Southern California who could help me keep the words fresh in my memory bank. I'd really like to change that.

Though I was already experiencing the self-deprecation of being an influent American traveler in Europe, a man on a train decided to grind in just how unfortunate my lack of ability is. We were headed by train to a portion of the picturesque (see right) Czech countryside called Kutna Hora while reading aloud (In English) from our Kindle. The man passed by us on the way to his seat and attempted to speak to us in Czech, which we do not speak. When we explain this to him, he grew very frustrated.

In very broken English, he growled "When I go to America, I must speak English. You are in Czech Republic. You should speak Czech. " I apologized to the man on behalf of the American educational system. He grumbled away and left my travel partner and I dumbfounded and feeling bad. I wanted to visit him at his seat and explain that I too wish for that. That the reason I don't speak Czech is not that I think my language is better, or that I shouldn't have to learn it- but that I've never had the opportunity. Then I remembered that we don't speak the same language and that an explanation (said, "excuse") would not fix the problem.

After 2 months of being in countries where English is not the primary language, I'd like to say that treating a foreigner differently because s/he speaks a different language is inappropriate. No matter how frustrating the miscommunication(s) may be, it's important to recognize that somewhere in the world- you can't be understood either.

To bridge this gap, I highly recommend trying while traveling. Learn key phrases such as "Please" and "Thank You." Even starting and ending with these small attempts fills the space around your conversation with attempts at meeting in the middle. And even better- go learn another language- or two. And then travel to a country that speaks that language. And then use it. The pride you feel for the accomplishment and the respect that you give to the native speakers has the capacity to make a real difference.

After all, wouldn't it be amazing if we could all actually talk to one another?

There were 9 high schools in my hometown of Fremont, CA. Good ole' American High School (home of the proud Eagles) happened to be the farthest from the only Jewish Temple in town. This meant that all the Jewish kids I hung out with all went to different schools than me, and I was one of only two practicing Jews at AHS. By day I was Varsity Head Cheerleader (I know...) and by night or the weekend, I rejoined "The Jew Crew" at Temple Beth Torah, just a short 20 minute drive from my house. At a young age, I was already used to living two separate lives.

Living this "double life" gets rather exhausting. Being a Jew in a predominantly Christian community forced me to become an expert at explaining to my teachers that I couldn't be present in class because of the High Holy days, or declining a Friday night get-together with school friends because it was Shabbat and my parents were singing in the choir.

As a result of having to constantly explain to people why I was different, I fully endorse public educational systems being forced to recognize all holidays from all religions/faiths. Having others understand that I celebrated something different made my life easier and made me not feel like such an outsider.

Besides, even though I was Jewish, I celebrated many Christmases and Easters (and even Kwanzaa!); I even went to midnight mass when I was dating a Catholic. I can sing any Christmas carol and many a gospel song without needing the lyrics written down. Jesus has been my literary homeboy since having to read "A Tale of Two Cities" in high school and learning what a "Christ-like" figure was. I'm used to being surrounded by a religion and its parts that is not my own. It gets overwhelming during the holidays, but I'm used to it.

Because I lived as a minority amongst my peers, I recognize that I have a bit of a complex. When given the opportunity to unite with fellow Jews (or those who love us), I flock wholeheartedly to my peeps. Being around other Jews has the addictive effect of making me feel part of a community.

Imagine my enthusiasm when at the age of 14, I traveled with 118 of my young Jewish peers from the San Francisco Bay Area to the Holy Land of Israel(pictured RIGHT). I was surrounded by Jews in a land full of Jews. The ooey-Jewey goodness of it all was overwhelming to say the least. Suddenly having my Jewishness make me part of a majority was alarming. It felt weird to not have the fact that I am Jewish make me weird.

Being a traveling Jew in Europe, I got overwhelmed by the beauty of the churches I saw. The frescoes on the dome of the Duomo in Florence are stunning. Stained glass has always been a secret obsession- so my eyes were spoiled by the splendor throughout Italy and particularly at St. Vitus Cathedral in Prague.

In Prague, I suddenly got to go on my first "Jewish" tour. This wasn't a tour for Jewish people, it was a tour about Jewish people. My people. We toured the streets of the Josefov region of Prague- where the Jewish ghetto "Terezin" once existed. I walked through temples laden with old Torah covers, yads (torah pointers), and siddur (prayer books). Hebrew was written on the walls and I could read it. Songs played over museum sound systems and I recognized the melodies. It seemed I was suddenly in a different world.

While I often reminisce about my trip to Israel 10 years ago, I forgot what it felt like to travel to a predominantly Jewish location. I forgot the sensational freedom that accompanies a relief that I don't have to fight to help someone understand me or my beliefs. That being Jewish just isn't an issue- it's an assumption. It was a rare and very welcome treat.

Back at our hostel, I heard a young Christian missionary complaining to another traveler about having to go into Temples. She said, "I don't even believe in that religion- so why go there?" I did not interject in her conversation, but instead thought about how beautiful the churches and mosques were that I had seen. I thought about how much I appreciated their religious and historical significance, though not specifically tied to my own.

I feel that history belongs to all of us. A true traveler embraces the opportunity to learn about other cultures and religions. After all, If I had had the same mentality as that young girl, I would have missed out on seeing most of Europe! Seeing as how I am rarely part of a majority, I'd rather humble myself and appreciate all the beauty that comes from different cultures/religions than my own. There's just too much to see that has nothing to do with Judaism and if growing up in a constant state of "otherness" has simultaneously imbued me with a capacity to appreciate what is not mine... then maybe it wasn't so bad after all.

Growing up in California, I have visited and lived in many "cities by the sea." As such, sunsets over the ocean are a Cali treasure that I happily don't take for granted. As a result, I get great satisfaction while traveling to places offering views of multicolored skylines kissing cool ocean blue. I love when the water and sky get together and make magic happen.

Italy is a peninsular country that has a rich history indelibly tied to its marine surroundings. Sea merchants from around the world have used Italian ports to do their business while adding to the culture of the region. Bridges have been constructed over the multitude of water ways and boats of innumerable fashion have been designed to carry a cargo through the waterways and canals.

All of these elements mean something extremely important to this traveler: Italy provides some of the most beautiful sunsets I've ever seen.

There are two particular sunset spots that come to mind when I think of this past week's journey through Florence and Venice; one in each city.

Ponte Vecchio is a bridge running over the River Arno in Florence. When standing in the middle of the bridge and looking NorthWest up the river while the sun sets, you get an incredible view of other Florentine bridges and the reflection of lights from the multitude of homes and hotels built right along the waterline. The cloud formations over the Italian peninsula look like you'd imagine a fairytale city would appear. The entire mise en scene is unanimous in its goal- to provide your eyes with splendor.

In Venice, there is water everywhere, so it would seem difficult to choose one spot from which to appreciate the sun setting on the grotto. Alas, I was fortunate enough to have the spot choose me instead of seeking it out myself. The visage appeared while I was returning to Venice aboard a water taxi from Murano (the smaller island famous for its Venetian glass factories). As we were waiting for the water taxi at the "Museo" taxi stand, we were flanked by two shores of gondolas, shops, and... wait for it... a lighthouse. A picture can't capture the beauty- so go see it for yourself.

In fact, use my Murano Sunset example as inspiration. Feel free to borrow these suggestions, but remember there are islands, seas, rivers, and oceans all around. Go find a spot that others haven't listed in a travel book already! In fact, if you've already got one that you know about... share it by leaving a comment below with details. I'd love to compile a list of alternative sunset spots around the world.

In the mean time, I'm off to watch the sunset in Prague!