Rila Monastery, Bulgaria

The Rila Monastery is about 90 minutes drive from Sofia.  It's a functioning monastery, with rooms for pilgrims who can spend time there in contemplation and study.  It's in the middle of a gorgeous area, and we got a very sunny and beautiful day to wander.

Historical Wedding Dresses!

The Center for Visual and Arts and Research had a fascinating exhibit on Cypriot wedding dresses, 1750-present.  Here are some of my favorites:

1910

1890

18th Century Turkish Cypriot gown

1967- I love the hand made silk flowers

1965

1964

1978

1983- straight out of an 80s film

2011 (but we think this is more of a fashion piece than an actual dress)

Athens

My friend Ashley spent a week relaxing at a yoga retreat in the Greek countryside.  She stayed for the weekend, and I flew over to Athens to meet her.  It was a great city break (as the Brits say), and it was so good to spend the weekend with a Chicago friend.

The Acropolis

The Temple of Zeus

it looks a lot like Cyprus

me, Ashley, and a corner of the Acropolis

antiquities everywhere

part of the best meal we ate in Athens- an outstanding salad, these
fresh made chips, and Greek yogurt mousse for dessert

European Youth Parliament

The European Youth Parliament is an amazing program.  Teambuilding, games, policy debates, and so many laughs.  I made a lot of new teacher friends, and my students had a great time.  We spent four days in the middle of nowhere Cyprus at a university.

it was so rural, there were herds of goats

and sheep

Me, Cristina, and Andry out to a meze dinner

EYP teachers- such a fun group!

Like Ellen Degeneres with the celebrities?

My EYP students on conference day

Lausanne

After Berlin, I spent four days in Lausanne, Switzerland.  Kim and Rob had been to Cyprus, so I was going to visit them.  We had a great time, doing all kinds of fun touristy stuff.  And eating a lot.  

Watching the gruyere cheese production is so much better than
watching sausage made

It's a cheese turning robot!  The cheese ages for 6-9 months,
and the robots turn each on a rotating schedule. 

This was our museum entrance ticket to the Gruyere factory.  As I said on FB,
after this, paper museum tickets are dead to me.  

Castle Chillon- a 12th century medieval French castle, right
on Lake Geneva.  It was a fascinating place.  

Coats of arms of the various Sheriffs of the Palace

pathway to the dungeons

for my birthday, we went on a dinner cruise of Lake Geneva, and
there were even fireworks for me!  Or, to celebrate the liberation
of Evian from Nazi troops in 1944...

Sunset on my birthday

Thanks Switzerland!  Kim and Rob were gracious hosts, the chocolate and
cheese were great, and it was a great birthday trip.  

Berlin

I spent 10 days in Berlin this summer, and it wasn't enough.  I luuuuuved this city.  Great food, great people, great history, great public transport, and so many activities.  I can't wait to go back.

dome on top of the Bundestag- pretty and very environmentally sound

Marx and Engels.  Represent. 

A kilometer stretch of the Berlin Wall is still standing, and it's become an
amazing art gallery

Isn't Kraut  a slur against Germans?  

The TV Tower- on the former East Berlin side, it was built
by the Soviets to transmit broadcasts from Moscow

Memorial Plaque at the site of the 1933
Nazi book burnings.  It is a quote from
Heinrich Hesse in the 1820s, saying
"Where they burn books, they will
inevitably end up burning humans."

Friends!

It was such a great summer.  I didn't get pictures with everyone that I saw, but we definitely got pictures with the reunions:  5 years since I'd seen Heather and 7 years since Amber, Beth, and I were all together.  Next summer I will get pictures with everyone I see, because I love all of my friends.  I had a great summer.

Hanging out in LA with Heather

Starbucks giftcards with Renee

There was one where we all smiled, but I like this one
better- 

Vienna Reunion!  Reflections in the Bean with Beth and Amber.  

Julia came to Chicago, and we went to Too Much Light

homemade ice cream sandwiches
in Berlin with Nara

With Rob (and Kim) on the fanciest train in Switzerland