One of the gladdest moments of human life, methinks, is the departure upon a distant journey into unknown lands. Shaking off with one mighty effort the fetters of habit, the leaden weight of routine, the cloak of many cares and the slavery of home, man feels once more happy.
Sir Richard Burton

Home » Archives » 13. December 2006

Cool Animals 1 - The Yeti Crab

December 13, 2006

 Its silky white looks may make it seem more at home in the Himalaya, but this unique creature was recently discovered in the deep darkness of the South Pacific some 900 miles (1,500 kilometers) south of Easter Island. The creature, dubbed the "yeti crab," is so unusual that a whole new family of animal had to be created to classify it. Its official name is Kiwa hirsuta, and even after a year of study scientists say there's still much about it they don't understand. One mystery is the purpose of the fine, hairlike filaments that coat the crab's arms and legs. The fibers trap bacteria, which the crab may use as food. But some scientists think the germs may filter out the toxic minerals that spew from the deep-sea vents.

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My journey in İran

İ'll enter İran by train at Razi and head to Tabriz. After long hours in the train İ'm sure İ'll be craving for a bed and a hot shower, so İ'll stay there for a night. The next stop will be in Zanjan, visiting the city and then trying to find a cheap way to get to Takt-e Soleiman a UNESCO World Heritage site in a scenic, pistoresque but remote landscape (no public transports). Generally, İ'll spend rather less time in western İran because the main attractions are best or only to be visited outside winter and rather quickly go to Teheran, spending some days in the museums and getting a good nose of daily smog.
The next stops will be along an imaginary curve from Teheran to Esfahan, Yazd, Shiraz, Persepolis, Kerman and Zahedan. This brings me to the Pakistan border which I'll cross at Mirjaveh - Taftan. Of course this is only a rough outline, the more detailed planning will be done on the train to İran and on the spot.

Posted by gaston at 4:39:00 | permalink | comments[1]

English lessons in Nevsehir

A few days ago, a spent a day in the Mihriban Emin Günel elementary school talking with the pupils during their english lessons. How come? When İ went to Cappadocia, İ met Sertif, an english teacher on the bus from Kayseri to Göreme. We started to talk and he asked me to come and visit him at school to talk english with his pupils if İ had some spare time. Of course I had - my visa for Turkey is still valid for more than two months and the one for İran way into 2007 and there is no other deadline.
So, a thursday morning İ went back to school as something like an assistant for english - İ never thought İ would do anything like that. But İ have to admit, as hard as it is, it was great fun. İ really had a good day - thats why İ stayed there from 10 o'clock in the morning until 4 o'clock in the afternoon. So there İ was, most of the time in front of more than 30 kids in the easy age of 13 to 14, telling them who İ was, where İ'm from, what İ'm doing and where İ'm going. And after that, İ answered questions. And they had a lot of questions. From my private life (Do you have a girlfriend?) to sport (The most important question in Turkey: Galatasaray or Fenerbahce?), my time in Turkey to politics (the whole EU-Turkey issue). They were very vivid, interested and participated a lot so time was flying and the bell (a monophone version of Beethoven's "Für Elise") for the end of the lesson came incredibly fast.
During the break, on the way back to the teachers room İ was surrounded by a pack of 30 kids, greeting me, shaking my hand, asking questions or offering me mandarines. İt was like beeing a star with his fans. İt was nice, but İ'm not narcistic enough to have this experience every day. Really not. The only thing missing were requests for autographs.
After the first two lessons İ agreed to stay for the rest of the day and shared lunch with some of the professors. İt was very oriental, with one big plate in the middle of the table and everybody eating with a piece of bread and his hands. The meal (chicken with vegetables and a lot of spices) was delicious and eating with the hands great fun.
The afternoon was more or less like the morning lessons with very similar questions and the same enthusiasm - although more for asking questions than asking them in english. The last lesson İ had? gave? was with younger pupils, aged seven years. Here, after a lot of questions, İ was given a improvised chant in english by some of the pupils which was very sweet. They only wanted me to sing to, a request İ had to deny - everybody who ever had the displesasure to hear me sing knows why. But the request for autographs İ could grant. İ also got a postcard from Ephesus together with the recommondation to go there.
I had six lessons this day and İ really enjoyed every one of them. Not the "beeing a star" part, this was rather not so much fun, although İ know it was meant nice and the expression of their exaltation that someone from a foreign coutry visits them at school. The good thing was that İ really had the impression I gave them pleasure, that they had a great and memorable day too. That İ could give something back to the country.

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