Today weve visited Lille, which is a city in northern France. Lille is known as a university and shopping city. There are also several interesting buildings to see, such as the belfry of the Chamber of Commerce which is located at the Plâce du théatre. It was really impressive to see this big detailed construction.
After this visit we went to the Place du Général-de-Gaulle, also known as La Grande Place , where we took a look atan old Exchange. It looks like a really big building from the outside but it is actually made of 24 small trading houses around a courtyard.
Than we thought that is was time for some culture so we went to the Musée des Beaux-Arts, which is the second most important museum in France. There you can find art of some well-known Flemish, French and Dutch painters like Rubens, Van Gogh and Monet. For 22 we visited the museum with a guide and we received a lunch at the nice restaurant of the museum. The next morning we went to the Basilica of Notre Dame de la Treille, a Roman Catholic cathedral and a national monument of France. The first stone of the cathedral was laid in 1854 but the construction has lasted more than 150 years because of several wars and financial grounds. In 1999 was the cathedral finally completed.
Last but not least we've visited 'La Porte de Paris' , which is a triumphal arch in honor of the celebration of the capture of the city by Louis XIV.The arch expresses the power and generosity of the Sun King. On the left side you can see March, the god of war, and on the right you can find Hercules and his club which represents strength.
We have arrived in my favorite city Paris, the city of love. The department Paris has been divided in twenty districts, which is subdivided in four districts. Paris counts in total 80 quarters. The mayor of Paris is Bertrand Delanoë. Confessed old-mayor are Jean Tiberi and Jaques Chirac.
When we arrived in Paris, it was clear what we should do for the whole day, namely shopping. We went to the Champs-Élysées. This is the most prestigious and broadest alley of Paris where you have pubs, luxury shops and cinema. In this street you have especially many well-known stylish brands because the boulevard of Champs Elysées accommodates all well-known French vogue names from Cartier to Louis Vuitton.
In the evening we took our new clothes and went to the bar Champs-Elysées Queen. It is a very famous club in Paris to go out. Many famous artists came to this club.
This morning we went to the Eiffel Tower. The Eiffel Tower is worldwide the symbol of Paris. From nine a.m. to twelve p.m. each hour for a couple of minutes the lamps of the Eiffel Tower blink. With the elevator, it is possible to go to the top of the Eiffel Tower. When you are on top of the building, you have an unique view about Paris. On the first flour there is an exhibition about the Eiffel Tower with pictures, paintings and information.
After visiting the Eiffel Tower, it was already midday and we had decided to go to the restaurant Au Petit Montmartre. In our guide we have red this is a very nice typical French restaurant that especially is known for his terrace. Inside it is very small so it is only possible to go to the toilet. The sun was shining today so we really enjoyed sitting at this terrace.
In the afternoon we went to Jardin des Plantes. This is the main botanical garden in France. The grounds of the Jardin des Plantes includes four galleries of the museum: the Grande Galerie de lEvolution, the Mineralogy Museum, the Paleontology Museum and the Entomology Museum. When we have visited this garden, they gave us a brochure where I have read red information about the past.
In 1635 Lodewijk XIII set up a botanic garden that was called Jardin du Roi. The vegetation of this garden was moored by Guy de la Brosse and in 1640 the garden was opened for the public. It was a very interesting visiting.
In the evening we went filming the Eiffel tower by night. We had a very beautiful view and filmed the building for 5 minutes long. The tower had all different kind of colours. After this we went to a trendy club in Paris that was located in 75 rue des Martyrs. It was an amazing bar. In general we really enjoyed Paris and now I know again why I love this city so much.
Finally we arrived in France, The most beautiful country. I was looking forward to visit it, because everything here seems so romantic and lovely. Because we were travelling already for a long time, we decided that it was time to take a break and visit a city. Tomorrow we are going to Paris, so we decided to stop in Dijon. It is located on the road that leads to Paris.
After putting our luggage in the hotel, we went to the reception to get some information about Dijon. A very friendly lady helped us and gave us a map. She told us that we really needed to visit the vineyards and have a taste of the famous mustard. So we started our trip once we were out of the hotel.
First we went to the famous vineyards. We took the 'route des grands crus' that passes through rivers, villages, vineyards and churches. It was very beautiful and we all enjoyed it very much. When we arrived at the vineyards, we got an introduction and learned about the different sorts of wine. After the introduction we had the chance to taste some. I tasted the Chardonnay and the Burgundy. I really liked the Chardonnay and the other girls too, so we bought some bottles as a souvenir and of course one to open this evening !
In the late afternoon we went to a shop that only sells mustard of Dijon. I'm not so fond of it, but I tasted a spoon. Very special about the mustard is that it is made with verjuice in stead of vinegar. It's a liquid that is made from unripe grapes.
To end our trip, we went to a local restaurant to eat some French food. We ate some escargots and some beef bourguignon. It was very delicious. After our dinner we went to the hotel to drink our bottle of wine and to have some fun together.
After visiting the beautiful Rome we went
straight to Milan. Visiting the city of fashion was a must for us girls. Everything
was so impressive there. Milan is the capital of Lombardy, a region of Italy. A
guide who showed us the city said that Milan is the second largest city of
Italy, after Rome. There are living 1,295,705 people there and 2,724,347
in Rome.
The most famous designers are established in
Milan: D&G, Versace, Chanel etcetera. Because of the high prices we could
only afford watching the shopping windows. The guide knew we studied marketing
and showed us Milans Bocconi University. The university is one of the 20 best business
schools in the world. It would have been nice if we could follow one lesson
there, but that wasnt possible.
We also went to see some culture. The Milan
Cathedral is one of the biggest Roman Catholic cathedrals in the world. This
isnt surprising because almost 90% of the Italian population is Roman Catholic.
I liked the interior a lot. Inside we could see numerous monuments and
artworks. Afterwards we went to a opera house, Teatro alla Scala, more known as
La Scala. The theatre is one of the leading opera and ballet theatres in the
world. The most famous singers have performed there. Unfortunately we couldnt
see a performance because tickets are always sold-out months in advance.
Because of the really nice weather we went to
the most beautiful Park in Milan, Parco Sempione. We had a little picnic there
and enjoyed the sun.
It was a pity we couldnt stay long in Milan
because we had to move forward to France.
we have visited Rome, the capital of Italy. The first day we saw the Colosseum which is the largest amphitheater in the Roman Empire. Capable of seating 50,000 spectators, it was used for public spectacles and gladiator contests.There was a separated lodge for the emperor and he had his own entrance. Other people were sitting according to their social position near the arena or farther away. Unfortunately the Colosseum is damaged by earthquakes and looting but it is still worth to visit. It was overwhelming and beautiful.When you visit Rome it is a must to go to the Colosseum.
After that, we went to Forum Romanum which was the ancient center of Rome. You can see the remains of that center. The city was used as marketplace and the inhabitants called it the Forum Magnum , or simply Forum.It was for centuries the center of Roman public life. We were a little bit disappointed because there was not much to see. The next day weve visited the Panteon which is the most famous panteon of the world. It is a temple that has been used as a tomb. Today it is used as a Roman Catholic basilica. In front of the Panteon youll find the Piazza della Rontonda, one of the most visited squares in Rome. In the middle of the square is a fountain, the Panteon Fountain. Rome has an extensive nightlife. There are not many cafés as in Belgium but there are a lot of typical Italian coffee bars. There are also many restaurants, discos and clubs. We went to Trastevere were we had a few drink in a lovely bar.
We would really recommend Rome. It is a lovely city!
Yesterday we arrived in the country Sicily. We have visited for the last two days the city Palermo. Palermo is the capital of Sicily.
When we arrived in Palermo it was already afternoon. We decided to eat something in a nice typical restaurant. Sicily is especially known for his pasta and pizza. They drink also much coffee and wine. I ordered something that we dont know in Belgium namely the Granita. In Sicily they can use ice cream for differentdishes. They serve an aqueous ice cream with bread and then you have to dip the bread in the ice cream. Some people eat it in the morning as breakfast. It was very good.
After eating something, we have visited the Quattro Canti. This is a square in the historical center of Palermo and it is built by the Spanish viceroy Vigliena. Quattro Canti is one of the finest squares in the city. People in Sicily also speak about Teatro del Sole. They give this name to the square because throughout the day the sunlight falls on one of the facades.
The people in Sicily are very friendly. They speak Italian but also Sicilian. Sicilian is considered as a separate language.
Today we went to the port in Palermo. Many ships are leaving to several destinations. In this port the people also catch many fish which they will use in restaurants.
In the evening we went to the Teatro Massimo Vittorio Emanuele located on the Piazza Verdi. This is an opera house in Palermo. This opera is the biggest in Italy and one of the largest of Europe. It is famous for its perfect acoustics. The opera house is dedicated to King Victor Emanuel II. We really enjoyed it and had a lot of fun.
After the opera we closed our night with a nice cocktail. Now were going to bed because tomorrow we are leaving to Italy and our flight is in the morning. The airport is 30 kilometer from the city and names Falcone-Borsselino. It is named after two judges,who prerecording in the 90s against the notorious mafia in Sicily. In the airport there is a statue for the memory of the two judges.
So after we visited Hammamet, we went to the capital of Tunisia, Tunis. We didn't go to the heart of Tunis, because a month ago, there were some heavy protests there. People came out on the streets because they were not satisfied with the prime minister and his regime. A lot of people died there. They were shot or burned themselves out of anger. A week later, Ben ali and his family left the country for reasons of personal safety.
Because of all the protests, the economy in Tunisia is at its lowest point. Shops were destroyed during the protests and a lot of poor people have stolen food in the shops. The government promised some reforms. Now, the people here don't get enough money to survive. They have to live in very bad conditions. I hope that one day, they will have a good government that looks after them and make sure that they can live the life they dream of.
After all this misery, we decided to go to Medina. A lovely place in Tunis. Medina exist out of 2 parts. You have the old Medina, where you can find a lot of charming streets and squares, and you have the other part that was built by the French people in the 19th century. Medina is also a member of the UNESCO world heritage.
Tourists may think that Tunisia is a very beautiful country, but when you look deeper, you can see that it is a country with a lot of poverty and problems. I hope they will have a better life when all of their problems are gone.
After visiting Algeria we moved on to Hammamet. When we arrived in Tunisia, it looked like a rich and prosperous country. But we had to change our opinion quickly when we decided to make a round trip of two days through the country.
The first day we took a taxi towards a local market. The taxi was so old that it could collapse any moment. After the hellish taxi ride, we arrived to the market place. The donkeys were walking on the street, the fruit was sold from a car and fish was exposed in the heat. There was not a single tourist in sight. Because of that the local vendors tried to persuade us to buy something. The market left a strong impression on us!
After the visit we left with a whole group with a bus to the Sahara. Along the way we first made a stop to enjoy the endless views of the salt desert. There we saw for the first time in our lives a mirage, which happens a lot in the salt desert. After that visit we moved towards the Sahara. The scenery en route was monotonous, earth and olive trees with occasional decrepit houses. Along the road we saw numerous stalls selling fruit and illegal filling stations where petrol was sold in bottles.
After a long drive we arrived in the Sahara. The dromedaries were ready to carry us through the desert. Armed with special clothing against the sun and sand, we left for a scenic drive through the desert. It was e great experience and a very special feeling. After a ride of an hour we went all sleeping.
The next morning we were ready for our new adventure. We had a jeep safari through the Atlas Mountains. It was a hot day but the jeeps were well equipped with air conditioning. The ride was very bumpy but really cool. After the jeep had driven into the mountains, we went on foot. It was such a beautiful view which well never forget!
The last thing we had to visit was Matmata. This is a city where people live in a kind of caves. Many people asked the question whether they are really living there or that it is just a tourist attraction. It was a great experience to take a close look to those special homes and way of living. It was very hotbut we had a lot of fun.
After this round trip we had seen a lot of poverty.Tunisia is a poor country where there is a large difference between rich and poor. It has fascinated us and we have enjoyed it!
After we visited Algiers, we went to
Constantine. Because the city is on a plateau at 640 metres above sea level, it
is surrounded by a deep ravine. The city is very picturesque with a lot of
bridges and a viaduct crossing the ravine. This was very impressive to see. In Constantine
they produce textiles, wool, linen and leather, which they sell in the rest of
Algeria and Tunisia. In my opinion, Constantine is as developed as Algiers. We
walked through the city and also visited some mosques here. I think they are
amazing.
Because Algeria is a former colony of Algeria,
some people could speak French. This was very interesting for us because the
other languages there are Arabic and Berber, languages we cant speak at all.
In 1962, the French president Charles de Gaulle allowed Algeria to become
independent and it became a republic.
The current president is Abdelaziz Bouteflika, he was chosen by the army. Somebody
there told us that there have been many demonstrations for political reform,
but the police always intervened. Indeed, there was a state of emergency in
Algeria where it was forbidden to protest, but recently, the 19-year-old state
of emergency has ended. We ourselves havent seen a demonstration at all.
Tomorrow we are heading forward to Tunisia, the
last country we will visit in Africa.
Today we arrived in our third country Algeria. Because of the quick arrival, we visited Algiers today. Algiers is the capital and very attractive for tourists. But is has not always been so save. In the past, if you wanted to visit Algiers by boat, you had to make sure the pirates didn't get you. Once arrived in the capital, you were not allowed to eat in front of the people there, because of their religion.
Knowing that, I didn't felt so save in Algiers. But while we were walking through the capital, my fear dissapeared. I've seen beautiful things, like the Mosque of Djemaa Djedid, the Bay of Algiers and the mountains.
Algeria is divided in two different parts, the Sahara and the Maghreb. The Maghreb is formed by the countries Algeria, Lybia, Morocco, Mauritania and Tunisia. It is a sort of economic union.
I hope we will see a lot of beautiful things too tomorrow on our trip through Algeria. I'll post some picture of Algiers, so you can see how beautiful it is here.
Greetings, Julie
Here you can see a picture of the Mosque and a picture of the Bay of Algiers.
Today we have arrived in Agadez. Agadez is the largest city in northern Niger. We have visited several things today.
First we went to Agadez Grand Mosque. In the tourist guide they say the Mosque was originally built in 1515 and is restored in 1844.
After visiting the Agadez Grand Mosque we went to the central marked in Agadez. The walking was very exhausting because it was very hot. While we were walking, there were some little children that were dancing on the street. It was very cute to see and we have filmed it for a short part. At the marked we walked around and bought some food, drinks and took a little break.
After visiting the central marked we went to the palace of Sultan. This is an important tourist attraction in Agadez. The palace is very beautiful and we visited it for two hours.
Since the time we have been in Niger we ate many rice, millet, beans and cassava. I heard this is because the most part of the population works in the agriculture and these are the major food crops of Niger. Agadez is also known for its camel market and its silver and leatherwork.
We finally arrived in Niger. Niger has experienced a lot of political instability and the country is confronted with coups.
We have visited the city Zinder. The locals call this city Damagaram. It is the second largest city of Niger. We have chosen to visit Zinder because it has a lot to offer.
First we went to Birni. This is a very old town where we visited a Mosque and the Sultans palace. It was really beautiful and interesting. After our first visit we already noticed that Niger is a very poor country.
We also went to Sabon Gari. It is the commercial center know for its large market. When we arrived at the market we immediately smelled the local herbs and of course we bought some typical local products.
Today we are leaving Nigeria and heading forward to Niger. We have planned to visit Kano in the late afternoon. Kano is known as the ancient commercial city. We were very interested in the city,because it attracts a lot of business people. It is hard to imagine that. Yesterday, we didn't see anything else but poverty and farmers...
In Kano you see a lot of men on the street. They are looking for food or money. You can't find any women on the street. Their place is in the house. They are not allowed to go outside, due to the strong subservience.
while we were in Kano, we visited the palace of the Emir. It was very beautiful, so we spent two hours watching the palace. When we left, we saw the central mosque. unfortunatelywe couldn't visit it, because you may not enter it when you are a christen. Here in Nigeria, 40% of the people are christen and 50% are Muslim.
After visiting Kano, we were transported to Katsina. Through rough and small paths we saw the poverty for the last time.
Welcome to the first post on our blog of our exciting trip from Nigeria to Norway!
Monday, the 14th of February Julie, Delphine,
Anouk and I met each other at the airport in Zaventem. First we had to fly to
London because there was no direct flight to Nigeria from Belgium. The flight took about 7 hours and it was already
5 a.m. when we arrived at the airport in Abuja, the capital of Nigeria. The
official language here is English, so we dont have any problems to express
ourselves.
In Abuja, I saw how poor people were. Ive heard that 34%
of the people in Nigeria live below the poverty line. They live in little huts.
We took an old bus to the small town. When we were there all the little
children just kept following us, it was really sweet. When we left they kept on
running with our bus. We made a little video of it.
Nigeria has a very tropical climate. We were in the
centre of Nigeria, so it was really dry. It practically doesnt rain at all
from November till April. We didnt mind because we were happy we could escape
from the awful Belgian weather, but it isnt that good for the farmers there.
Nigeria is a democracy and the current president is
Jonathan Goodluck. He is a member from the Peoples Democratic Party. A nice
fact about Goodluck is that he has a Facebookpage. He makes daily updates and
currently has over 490.000 fans. Before we went to Nigeria, I tried to read his
messages as much as possible.
