Ryan

We stuffed ourselves silly here, and absolutely loved it. We drank Dawa’s and tried so many different meats for the first time, and I found out that camel tastes exactly like you’d think it tastes (think: old saddle) It is a really great time that you would be pitied to miss.

I spent a month in Kenya in 2005, and I am about ready to return in December 2007 with my family for another month of adventure. Kenya is so beautiful, it’s an experience everyone should have at least once. My visit there has affected me for life, it changed me, the land, the animals, the people, they just got into my heart and created this magic inside of me. I was so enchanted by Kenya, from the white sand coast to the wild western Masai Mara game park, it is truly a unique and unmatched destination. My best time was sitting on the coast, at a resort in Diani Beach, and having a cocktail at night while a cool breeze blew the palm trees and carried the smell of the Indian Ocean. It was one of those moments where you know that that moment is going to be with you for the rest of your life, it was phenomenal. Kenya is phenomenal. Go there no matter what it takes.

I read Anne Franks Diary when I was a little girl, and I always promised myself that I would someday go and see the place where she spent the last days of her young life. I was overjoyed to have finally made it. Her house sits on a street halved by a canal, and it’s a very unremarkable house. You’d miss it easily if you were walking by and not paying attention. It’s an important place to go simply because you can bear witness to another piece of history and the reality of the holocaust. Inside the house is a very simple museum that takes you through the home and into the secret attic where the Frank family hid. It’s not a place that is going to entertain you and really be a fun thing to do, it’s sad but it brings a simple book to life, and gives you a chance to see a part of the life of Anne Frank.

I have been very reluctant to say anything about this place because to me, it is perfect. I had the best time of my life on this island, and got to vacation there for a month a few summers ago. I love this place and can’t wait to go back, and I honestly hope that it doesn’t get picked up and become a touristy destination for Americans. The thatched reed rooftops, the whale bone fences, the Danish ice cream, and the very distinct preservation of culture on this island is amazing. They still very much stick to tradition and I enjoyed that a lot. I was lucky and got to spend time with the locals and got to really know the island, and it was one of the best times of my life. I loved mostly spending my evenings alone of the western beach watching the sun go down, listening to music and enjoying a good bottle of wine. I hope to own a vacation home here someday, it’s that special.

I lived in Germany for a few years, and got to spend some time on the north sea islands, Juist was my least favorite. One thing I will say Juist has in its favor are seals, lots of seals, but otherwise there is very little to do. I had a really bad time because I had some kind of strange reaction after swimming in the sea, and 30 minutes after I got out of the water, my feet and legs swelled. I couldn’t wear shoes for a month and could barely walk, and nobody had an answer for me as to what it was, and since cars aren’t allowed, I had to walk 2 miles to the only town on the island.
I won’t bash Juist, because the people were all mostly nice (except the evil witch that runs the youth hostel and hates youths) and the wattwanderung is a lot of fun, they take you out when the tide recedes and show you all the sea life that was left behind. You get to see a lot of crabs and happy seagulls, and the best is when they take out the mussels that are as big as a fist. It’s informative, but fun.

Just be careful in the water!

The first time I saw the Citadel was from afar, and it looked like something out of a fairy tale. The huge fortress sits alone, surrounded by a high stone wall, towers, and looks like a painting. Once inside, you can walk around, shop for trinkets and eat at the many restaurants inside.

We have a home very near Condom (about 12km) Condom has a funny name, and they have a good sense of humor about it, but otherwise it’s a very quaint little town. I wouldn’t go out of my way to visit, but if you end up there it’s not so bad. Be sure to stop by L’Origan, our favorite pizza restaurant, where they have a huge brick oven where they fire the pizzas. Intermache, the grocery, has a spectacular millefeuille- one of the best pastries France has to offer (I say better than the croissant) Condom is also very near the Armagnac distilleries, and if you have a love for brandy and cognac, I wouldn’t miss it.

I would really love to live here someday (San Diego, Long Beach or somewhere in between) I have a lot of friends and a sister there, so it seems to call me even more. There is something so spectacular about California, it offers so much and there is never a dull moment. You can have a fast paced crazy city life, or something far more peaceful and quiet.