Help Yazidi Women Now!

Dear blogger readers, friends and family,

I started this blog about 2 years ago after freshly arriving to Germany to document my life as a student abroad. I never imagined that 2 years later life would take me down the road I find myself today.

About three weeks ago my boyfriend (Joel) and I stumbled upon a BBC documentary featuring Nareen Shammo, a female activist from Iraq. We learned about the horrors Yazidi women were and continue to experience in the hands of ISIS. We were moved to tears and knew we had to do something. After meeting with Nareen Shammo in Hamburg, we launched a crowdfunding campaign in order to raise money to help these women and girls in any way we could.

I can't start to describe to you what a roller coaster ride it has been. There were many obstacles set out in our way, from having someone on Facebook flag our links to unjustifiably being shut down by GoFundMe (which by the way is NOT a good platform to work with, if you ever decided to start a crowd funding campaign). There were times we even considered giving up, letting go of this cause which means so much to us, but we persevered and have overcome.

In only 5 days we have raised close to 5,000 dollars in donations for this cause! We have a couple of broadcasting companies interested in interviewing us, and have contacts in Iraq, including the Iraqi Red Cross, ready to help us move forward.

I am writing this post to forever thank all the people, friends and family members, who are fighting beside us to end these atrocious acts of terror. YOU are the reason these women and young girls will be saved and helped. I am deeply moved by the kindness that resides in all of you, and want you to know that I am forever grateful.

I also want to extend a special thank you to Jill Crosby, whom has helped us tremendously with our campaign. She shared our cause and story with over 100,000 of her clients at Spiritual Singles, boosting our exposure to another level.

We will be on the ground in Iraq to administer the funds and film the actual situation and stories of these women and other refugees. All of the footage, pictures and news will be sent to you as soon as it is edited.

I can't imagine a better way to end this blog than by sharing with you the beginnings of this new chapter. For all of you who have donated, thank you! For anyone new reading this letter, please join us in this cause by donating at https://fundrazr.com/campaigns/b12JM7/ab/b56Py4

Thank you all for fighting by our side to keep the hope alive for these victims.

Much love,
Gabby

Trappist Beer Tour

Hallo ihr lieben!

As of recently, Joel and I found ourselves in the lovely country of Belgium. The need for a short vacation coupled with Joel's upcoming birthday, prompted us to pack our bags and head west to taste some of the finest of the finest beers-- the Trappist!

Of all the beers in the world, only eleven beers may carry the name “Trappist”. The reason being that in order to bear this name, breweries must follow a strict set of criteria. First, Trappist beers must be brewed within the walls of a Trappist monastery, either by monks themselves or under their supervision. Secondly, the brewery itself must be of secondary importance within the monastery, and it should witness to the business practices proper to a monastic way of life. Lastly, the brewing of beers should not intend to become a profit-making machine, but rather any revenue collected should be allocated to the living expenses of monks, maintenance of the monastery, as well as charity work. 

Abbaye D’Aulne

Out of the eleven Trappist beers in the world, six can be found in Belgium--three in the north (Westmalle, Achel & Westvleteren) and three in the south (Orval, Chimay & Rochefort). We opted for touring the south in order to experience more of the rural areas, and we could not have chosen better. After a brief stop in Brussels, we rented a car and headed south towards Chimay. On our way there, we stumbled upon the Abbaye D’Aulne where we caught site of the beautiful medieval ruins that once framed the walls of this monastery. Although not a Trappist, this Abbay beer definitely hit top of my list. 

Chimay

Once in Chimay, we were pleasantly surprised by this charming and quaint little town. Not only do they carry some of the best beer in the world, the locals are just as magnificent. We were invited to a bar in town by a Harley Davidson gang, and spent the night listening to classic rock and roll and sipping on free Chimay’s (yes... free!). Needless to say the next morning’s hangover was totally worth it.

Ruins at Orval

As we moved towards Orval, we crossed over to the northern part of France, as well as squeezed in a one day trip to Luxembourg City. Once at The Abbaye Notre-Dame d'Orval we were sadly disappointment. Although a beautiful abbey, you quickly realize this brewery is run more like a business than a monastery. Their famous Orval beer though was the most unique of them all. A bit too bitter for my taste, yet nonetheless delicious!

Town of Rochefort

Lastly, unlike Orval, the Abbaye Notre-Dame de Saint-Remy - Rochefort definitely did not disappoint. A quiet and peaceful abbey surrounded by forest with birds chirping on a sunny day. Aaaaaahhh!! Although you can’t actually enter the monastery, you can take a stroll along the forest and visit some areas of the church while sipping on a Rochefort 10. What can be better than that!? ;-) 

Note to anyone wanting to do this trip for cheap:
It’s best that you rent a car. There are no hostels in most of these towns, and hotels run at around 80 euros or more per night. If you don’t mind a little discomfort, you can rent a 4 door car (approx. $20-25/day) with lots of space in the back and set up a blow up bed for the night. In the summer, you can head to the campsites which are available and pitch a tent if you like (approx. 8-10 euros/person). Gas is dirt cheap. For the entire 5 day trip we paid a grand total of 30 euros for gas. Just saying… it’s the way to go!

Au revoir!
Gabriela

Le Pêcheur

On my way back from Perú to Germany, I decided to make a quick stop in Paris to finally pay a visit to the city of love. It was in this lovely city that to my delight I meet le pêcheur--the fisherman.

It was a typical Parisian summer day with lovers at every corner making out, the smell of coffee and baked goods in the air, and the sun shinning strong through a cleared blue sky. A scenery I had by now grown quite accustomed to. After 9 days of aimlessly walking every corner of this beautiful city, eating all the cheese and tarts I could muster, I decided to make way to the  Île Saint-Louis (the last destination on my list of places to visit) to watch the sunset from there with a bottle of wine.

As I unpacked my very, very, INCREDIBLY stinky triple cream goat brie, I noticed there was a little Chinese man to my right struggling with his line. My first thought was there is no way fish live in these waters. Think about it. The Seine! In the heart of Paris! How can anything live in these waters!? Well ladies and gentleman, to my astonishment this man not only caught a fish, he caught a 2 meter long catfish! That is 2 meters of fish mass (it even had really long whiskers!!). Being that the biggest fish I have ever caught is a mountain trout in the Sierras, this was a bit of a shocking business for your girl here. Yeah people, I was astonished!

He slowly reeled in that giant creature on to shore, and mind you it was not an easy task. The catfish put quite a fight all along the way. After many minutes of struggle, the catfish, left with no hope, finally gave in and was dragged to shore for all of us to watch. I must confess I felt an awful sense of sadness for this catfish. He seemed so old (he had to be for its size), tired, and defeated. He laid there submissive to his new captor struggling for air.

No one seemed happy with the sight of this catfish, until to my satisfaction, and that of all of the tourists that gathered at the bridge to watch the fisherman, after a quick measurement of its size, the catfish was carefully dragged back to its homely waters by the fisherman. Hurray! Like in the movies people crowded the fisherman shaking his hand and hugging him for what he had done. A beautiful day indeed.

        

Trekking the Santa Cruz Trail

This little gem nestled within the Cordillera Blanca in the Huascarán National Park is a definite mustie for any nature-loving peeps out there traveling to Perú.

The journey began in Cashapampa and covered 30+ miles of breathtaking scenery along the world’s highest tropical mountain range. Dramatic 18,000 - 23,000 feet glaciated peaks, turquoise lakes, and fairytale-like valleys with sheer walls of striated granite striped by flowing waterfalls are just a few of the many attractions we found along this spectacular 4 day hike in the Andes.

Joel and I started our journey in Huaraz where we geared up with food and clothes. That same day we caught a collectivo  for 6 soles to the town of Caraz, a charming little town with delicious peanut and banana ice cream! After acclimatizing overnight we left Caraz to Cashapampa and started our ascend along the Santa Cruz trail.

Day 1

It was a solid 5 hour trek up the Santa Cruz canyon to the first campsite Llamacorral (12,303 ft). We gained about 2,800 feet in elevation and spent most of the hike walking along small villages and some unusual landscapes. Luckily for us we found a wooded shelter where to crash and escape the really low temperatures at night.

Day 2

Its a fairly easy hike with FANTASTIC views!!! We caught sight of mountains like Santa Cruz, Quitaraju, Artesonraju, Alpamayo and walked along the Ichiccocha lake, which boasted some of the most spectacular views in Cordillera Blanca. After a good 5 - 6 hour hike we arrived to the second camp Taullipampa (13,940 ft) from where we contemplated the beautiful peaks of Taulliraju.

Day 3

Its the toughest yet most rewarding day. A 4 hour hike brought us to the Punta Union pass at 15,580 ft (highest point on the trail) where we had lunch and enjoyed the magnificent panoramic views of glaciated mountains, blue skies, and unique landscapes. We started our decent towards Vaqueria and camped some 30 minutes before the Paria campsite. A bonfire and some yummy spicy couscous kept us cozy and warm throughout the night.

Day 4

A solid 4 hour downhill walk to Vaqueria with more impressive views along the way. We passed through several villages with friendly Quechua people, experienced the explosion of some rocks, became besties with a 3 year old, and spend the night at a Peruvian family-run hostel in Vaqueria where we had the chance to meet some interesting political fellas that happened to stumbled at our door.

All in all, 4 days of pure beauty with my love. What more can a girl ask for? ;)

A Little Bit of Everything...

So tomorrow its the beginning of my last month in Peru (yes, time flies!), which leaves me with nearly 4 months of my life down south going undocumented. Oh well haha, there is so much to say but rarely enough time to write it down, but here's a few things I consider to be the highlights of my stay in Peru thus far:

LIMA:

Big ol' grey Lima. Oh will I... sort of not miss you. And I say this in a semi-jokingly way for Lima and I have a love-hate relationship. On the one hand, there's the people, los amigos :). The friendly, loving extrovert Limeños that I hold so dear to me. Always ready to show you a good time and welcome you to their lives. There's also the nightlife, the concerts, the free cultural events, not to mention lots of really good fruits and veggies, and of course endless supply of ceviche and pisco sour. Perfecto. But then there is also the never-ending traffic, the smog, the constant honking and yelling, and the weather the horrible, horrible weather of Lima well known for its obnoxious levels of humidity. Not so bueno. So yeah tho I have thoroughly enjoyed my time in Lima, I must confess, I am also very much looking forward to heading back to my German paradise pronto.

SELVA CENTRAL:

Cuenca Rio Tambo

My 17 day stay in the jungle was without doubt an unforgettable experience. Living among the Asháninka people definitely opened my eyes to a simpler yet happier way of life. I visited a total of 4 communities along the Tambo river, which we mostly navigated by peque peque--small canoes with motors that can carry about 4-6 people. It was a long journey from Lima. 10-14 hours by road, then 3-4 hours by boat to the first community. Upon arrival, most natives would gather at the community assembly to receive us. Since I went there to gather information about their cacao production for my research project, I spent most days interviewing farmers, visiting their homes and farms, and learning about their way of life. Some of my favorite things included: masato (a kassava-based drink), suri (a palm tree worm that they roast and eat), the festivities for Father's day and community anniversaries, which I was very lucky to presence while staying there, and the streams and rivers, where I spent many mornings and afternoons either showering or escaping the heat.

LAGUNA RAPAGANA

Laguna Rapagna

My most recent adventure as of a couple of days. A beautiful mountain lake at 4575 meters in elevation. An easy trip from Lima that you can fit in 3 days. Started the hike from Rio Blanco a small town near San Mateo de Huanchor, where I spent the night at a hostel. Because of the elevation and the constant uphill climb, it took me a good 5 hours to reach the lake. It was a tough hike, the kind that leaves you breathless multiple times, where the recurring thought is "screw this!" But oh man was it worth it! A beautiful pristine lake surrounded by rocky mountains slightly covered by snow. Blissful.

Canta encanta!

Hola desde el sur mis queridos!

Two weekends ago the urgent need to escape the city kicked in and me and my friend Lennart decided to pack a bag and head to the nearby towns of Canta y Obrajillo. These quintessential campestre towns are a mere 3 hours from the city of Lima by bus. For those of you new to the city or planning to visit Lima, this is a perfect weekend trip that you can easily fit in 2 days.

Canta is a peaceful and picturesque town with narrow and steep streets, large old houses, and beautifully framed by the green sierras. From the moment you set foot in this little town you are transported back in time to a place where people trust each other enough to leave their doors unlock and invite strangers to their dinner table. Amazing. Locals go about their lives without much stress, and the feeling of tranquility is so contagious that you can't help but sit back and soak up the peace and happiness that surrounds you. 

As for me and Lennart, after eating some delicious trucha (this is the local staple in Canta) we headed out by foot to the nearby town of Obrajillos (a 20 minute walk from Canta). Here the main attraction is the several waterfalls you can hike to along the hills. The first waterfall was a beauty hidden between the hills and a bit hard to get to. We were lucky tho to meet a sweet local boy that decided to guide our way. After taking a dip in the fresh cold water we navigated ourselves through several more trails and waterfalls. We ended up spending the night at a grungy hostel that smelled of nothing but mold ha, but to our luck, near one of the only 2 cantinas in town where we got to sip pisco, and strike up conversations with the locals.

Here some photos:

Yoga in the Park

Peace Revolution and
Caleidoscopio Yoga Comunitario 

A quick note before I head out tonight to dance some Peruvian cumbia with my new patitas (a los Puertorros: esto acá significa amigazos no mas ;) ).

Yesterday, my new favorite person in Lima, Daniela, hit me up at work and invited me to a yogi gathering at a park in Miraflores. It's a pretty small group of yoga-lovers and meditators. They get together every Thursday at night and together work through yoga exercises with the help of an instructor. Then after everyone is loosened up and feeling good, one of the girls guides the group through a meditation session.

Head scratchies before meditation :) 

Now, let me tell you about my experience with meditation. I have none. I have tried left and right, stayed in monasteries, read books, and sipped milk tea with monks, all with the hope to extract some insight on how to enter the state of stillness but nada. So not only was I pleased, but also, utterly surprised when in a park near a main street in one of the busiest parts of town in Lima, I was able to successfully meditate. My mind went quiet, and I felt how my face softened, how the pressure at the back of my neck released. I lost sensation in my fingers, and my legs, they slowly synced with the grass down below. The air which felt cold before no longer did, and two images prevailed in my mind of a very special place of my childhood. It was beautiful. I left feeling pretty darn good and definitely excited for the next meditation session.

Highly recommended if you are new to the city. Here's their facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/peacerevolutionperu

Now off to la fiesta! ;)