We had left the fertile Nfis valley a day ago, and have been riding ever since. The hot desert sun beats down on us, making us lethargic and sluggish. The ever durable camel below me is faltering in step, sliding in the sand, it carries the future of a city on its back. Just as … Continue reading A Pocket History of Marrakech
Category: Places and Cultures
The People and Places Along the Way
The Red City Goes Green
Walking through the streets of the Red City, Marrakech, for the first time in my life. I think to myself, yes, it is intense; the stories people have told me about the smells, the colours, the intensity of this playground of Marrakech are all true. But one thing I didn’t expect was the clean streets. … Continue reading The Red City Goes Green
Raising Climate Awareness Through Virtual Reality
Today I took my first journey to the COP22. We were granted access to the Green Zone after the "All ages All access" movement we lead became successful. The space was filled with booths of all sizes and subjects. I was especially drawn to this one booth that held virtual reality. I talked to the … Continue reading Raising Climate Awareness Through Virtual Reality
Conference of Youth 12: A Photographic Journey
Yesterday we arrived at the COY12 event in Marrakech Morocco! We networked, flash mobbed, and had a booth set up with GS Green Generation. Many people were interested in our program, and also the initiatives that our members are part of; Earthbound, Bye Bye Plastic Bags, Kids Cut Palm Oil, BioBus and GS Green Generation. … Continue reading Conference of Youth 12: A Photographic Journey
History Alive
Panting and sweaty, I try my hardest to refrain from collapsing upon the ancient marble of the Propylaea, a great marble gateway. I've climbed the steps to the Acropolis, the centre of Athens, and it's tallest point. My cheek resting on the marble stair, I look up and see the great Parthenon towering before me. I can … Continue reading History Alive
Grease in Greece
We haven’t exactly been looking at biofuels during our time in Greece, but after my first blog post about biogas in Bali and Pak Kyle’s (Green School’s Bio Bus founder) intrigue and love for all things biodiesel, I decided to do a little research on biodiesels in Greece. While the biodiesel scene here is a bit … Continue reading Grease in Greece
A Greek Standoff (of sorts)
I cannot stand olives. I’ve managed to dodge them for most of my life, sticking them on my sister's plate if I was ever served them; the smell alone keeping them far from my mouth. But we are in Greece, and there is no escaping the olive here. In Athens, we were taught how much … Continue reading A Greek Standoff (of sorts)
A Week in Athens: A Photographic Journey
Our first stop in Europe was Athens. We spent a week there and did tons of amazing things: from visiting museums; seeing ancient sites; and boxing clothes for the refugees and people of Greece. Take a look below for a sneak peak into our week in Athens. … Continue reading A Week in Athens: A Photographic Journey
How Athens Got It’s Name
It is widely known that Athens was, and still is, one of the most powerful and glorious towns in Greece. It has been inhabited for over 7000 years! In ancient Greece, Athens was one of the largest city-states that competed for power against Sparta, Corinth, and Thebes. Athens got its name from the Greek goddess Athena, … Continue reading How Athens Got It’s Name
The Greek Hero Atlanta
Atlanta is a Greek heroine, a huntress devoted to the god Artemis. At a young age, she was forsaken by her father in the forest but, rather than dying, she was suckled by a she-bear and later stolen by hunters. She pledged her virginity to the god Artemis and, when two centaurs broke into her grove … Continue reading The Greek Hero Atlanta
The Sounds and Sights of the Forest
Have you ever been to a rainforest? Well, I’m going to take you to one now. Imagine yourself in a beautiful, relaxing rainforest. You can hear the trees swaying and the birds chirping, monkeys swing overhead and bugs crawl beneath. Many people call the rainforest the lungs of the earth because of the clean fresh … Continue reading The Sounds and Sights of the Forest
A Breath of Fresh Air
It took eight hours to drive to Ketambe, a small village in Sumatra, from the airport. My fog-clouded mind, still numb from waking up at 4am, could barely take in the sights and sounds that accompanied us as we traveled. We drove through small cities covered in light and smoke that clung to my hair … Continue reading A Breath of Fresh Air
The History of Aceh: War, What is it Good For?
Ottoman traders yell out across the shipyard, as Acehnese merchants hustle back and forth along the port, selling their goods. A number of trading ships from the Dutch East Indies Company sit in the docks, being loaded with expensive and exotic spices to bring around Europe. This is the ancient Sultanate of Aceh, which was … Continue reading The History of Aceh: War, What is it Good For?
Traditional Heroes
We walked into this one a little blind, like a lot of things we’ve done on Earth Bound so far really. The only clue we had to what was about to unveil was that Sarita was giddy with excitement, but once again - a pretty regular thing. We were told it was called Saman Dance, … Continue reading Traditional Heroes
Mr. Trash Wheel
I was heartbroken to look down to see a river so repulsive; it had trash of all shapes and sizes flowing through the murky water. The voice of the river rang out clear and strong. It was not singing, it was screaming. People hunched over to pick up the garbage with their bare hands, then … Continue reading Mr. Trash Wheel
Wayang Kulit: History and Tradition
The deep thudding of drums boom in my ear, the clanging of gamelan strikes across the room. The voice of the dalang is ringing clear, as if the shadows on the screen are speaking directly to me. This was no ordinary puppet theatre; this was a rare occurence that you can only truly experience in … Continue reading Wayang Kulit: History and Tradition