Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Pictures of cadiz and sevilla
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry
Pictures of cadiz and sevilla
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry
Cadiz y Sevilla
Hey guys,
I found out that there is free wifi internet in the plazas of Cadiz.
We arrived in Spain 4 days ago now and it has been quite incredible. My first day started out pretty tame. We got a large group of people together and walked the streets of Cadiz. We visited the Cathedral, the roman theater, and many other things. It was a fairly simple day with some pretty great sightseeing.
The next day we decided to head up to Sevilla by train. It was only a few hours by train and the rickety beat down train was actually quite comfortable. We arrived in Sevilla with way too many people in tow and had to split up. Our next goal was to find a hostal in order to spend the night. We found this really cool little hostal who's name I can't remember but it cost only 17 Euro a night per person. We then began to explore the old city of Sevilla. The Cathedral was exquisite and the streets were beautiful. We heard a rumor that there was a Spanish Cup match going on that night and went to get tickets. This was the best experience I have had yet. We got 30 Euro tickets behind the goal with all the crazy fans. It has always been a dream of mine to see a European soccer match and Sevilla won. They were playing Valencia and it was amazing. Sevilla scored in the 90th minute at the death and the eruption of the crowd was one of the craziest things I have ever seen. Seats were torn from the stadium, people were thrown, and a general ruckus ensued.
The next day we finished our tour of Sevilla in a very chill fashion. Just went and finished walking around the old town. We then returned to Cadiz because we needed a nap really bad. I'm currently sitting across from the Cathedral of Cadiz with Sangria in my hand and loving it. We have to leave tonight and it's going to be awesome.
To be honest, the country is beautiful, but the best part of this whole trip has been the food. The Spanish ham, cheese, sausage, wine, and ice cream are things that cannot be missed. I had so many great meals of Tapas and sandwiches. It's amazing here. The food was so fresh, so naturally preserved it was just so good.
Tomorrow I turn 21 and I'm stoked for that. The only problem is that I can't drink on my 21st birthday. That makes me very sad, but I'm sure I won't regret it when I get to Morocco the following day.
Love,
SAS
I found out that there is free wifi internet in the plazas of Cadiz.
We arrived in Spain 4 days ago now and it has been quite incredible. My first day started out pretty tame. We got a large group of people together and walked the streets of Cadiz. We visited the Cathedral, the roman theater, and many other things. It was a fairly simple day with some pretty great sightseeing.
The next day we decided to head up to Sevilla by train. It was only a few hours by train and the rickety beat down train was actually quite comfortable. We arrived in Sevilla with way too many people in tow and had to split up. Our next goal was to find a hostal in order to spend the night. We found this really cool little hostal who's name I can't remember but it cost only 17 Euro a night per person. We then began to explore the old city of Sevilla. The Cathedral was exquisite and the streets were beautiful. We heard a rumor that there was a Spanish Cup match going on that night and went to get tickets. This was the best experience I have had yet. We got 30 Euro tickets behind the goal with all the crazy fans. It has always been a dream of mine to see a European soccer match and Sevilla won. They were playing Valencia and it was amazing. Sevilla scored in the 90th minute at the death and the eruption of the crowd was one of the craziest things I have ever seen. Seats were torn from the stadium, people were thrown, and a general ruckus ensued.
The next day we finished our tour of Sevilla in a very chill fashion. Just went and finished walking around the old town. We then returned to Cadiz because we needed a nap really bad. I'm currently sitting across from the Cathedral of Cadiz with Sangria in my hand and loving it. We have to leave tonight and it's going to be awesome.
To be honest, the country is beautiful, but the best part of this whole trip has been the food. The Spanish ham, cheese, sausage, wine, and ice cream are things that cannot be missed. I had so many great meals of Tapas and sandwiches. It's amazing here. The food was so fresh, so naturally preserved it was just so good.
Tomorrow I turn 21 and I'm stoked for that. The only problem is that I can't drink on my 21st birthday. That makes me very sad, but I'm sure I won't regret it when I get to Morocco the following day.
Love,
SAS
Friday, January 30, 2009
Cadiz y Sevilla
Hey, I just got back from my sojourn to Sevilla. I will post a very long and detailed post tomorrow about it so be ready.
Adios amigos,
SAS
Monday, January 26, 2009
Almost There
We are only a few days away from our first port of Cadiz, Spain. The cabin feaver is palpable. People are itching to get off the ship and see what Spain has to offer. This coupled with the 23 hour days, I think people are getting tired. Going about 1 time zone every night is pretty brutal. That and the fact that breakfast is only served from 0730 to 0830 and the first class isn't until 0920. Getting up at 0745 every morning is tough for a kid who likes to sleep until 1400.
Classes are going. Physics is a pain, since the teacher tends to give a quiz every day. It's hard to get mad about that as I'm on a ship about to arrive in Spain. Global Studies has basically been a mix of Liberal propoganda and a little history about the Bahamas and Spain. I say Liberal Propoganda, because we haven't had a single day in the class without hearing about the dangers of Global Warming or the historical events of Obama's inauguration. It's like, comeon, just like the news shouldn't swing one way or the other, though it does, a class should not have an ideological tilt to it. I'm not saying I don't agree with some of the stuff they are saying, I just don't care to hear about it in a class that my family has paid a lot of money for.
Money and Banking is pretty standard, not much to report here.
MICE had its first performance yesterday. I wish I had taken a picture of it, but I was in the show, and I didn't trust anyone in the crowd with my camera. We played a peice called "Anemoi" in which we took the sounds of the wind, captured by a wind microphone and used them as ambient sounds in the peice. As larger gusts were produced, it would play pack spoken phrases of philosophers that were prerecorded. We then had a cello player, our teacher played the sax, I played a wacom board programed to manipulate the wind sounds into distinct notes, a mixing board to add beats to the song, and a guy to mix it all together and build the song up. It was a lot of fun. Hopefully I'll be able to post a video of it up on here soon. The show went very well and we got a lot of possitive feedback. Impromptu music is hard, and we pulled it off pretty well.
As for when I get to Spain, my roommate Graham, a bunch of our new friends, and I are going to travel around the southern part of Spain by train. We will be visiting, if time permits, Cordoba, Sevilla, and Grenada. Our goal is to hit all three, but time may cut us short. We will also be staying in hostels along the way. It is also very lucky that we have a few native Spanish speakers in our group. That should make communicating and traveling much easier.
That should be it for now,
Steven at Sea(SAS)
Saturday, January 24, 2009
Update from the Middle of the Atlantic
Hi guys,
We have just past the midway point on our trip across the Atlantic. We have been moving along at a really fast pace of about 20 knots and it has been quite bumpy as a consequence. Many people have been getti
ng seasick, I have been fortunate enough to not be effected just yet. Today we’ve slowed down to about 15 or 16 knots, so the bumpiness has subsided a bit which will lead to a much more lively ship. It really is amazingly beautiful outside. I wish the internet would let me upload more pictures; the ship’s internet just isn’t fast enough or strong enough. At some point I will have to find an internet café and put some up. All that we see around us is Blue Ocean and blue sky. There have been very few clouds as well. How often do you get to see something this amazing!?
Last night was the first open mic night on board. There are so many talented people on board it’s not even funny. We had people playing guitar and singing covers and originals, a cappella singers, piano players and singers, a melodophone player, a couple drum solos, and even some poetry. It was a great night. One of these days I’m going to have to get some guts and get up there myself. Maybe I’ll do some standup comedy, who knows. I think I’m funny, which is all that really matters.
Yes mother, I have been working out every day. I actually just finished my afternoon workout. They have ranged from riding the bike, which I do a lot because all the other machines are much more crowded, lifting weights, playing basketball, and running on the treadmill. I already feel like I’ve lost a couple pounds. This along with the small amount of tasty food aboard allows for me to slim up a bit.
They opened the pool for the first time today. I was the only one brave enough to jump in and enjoy the cool water. It was very salty, but very worth it. It was very relaxing and cooling. Because of the saltiness you could float on top of the moving water and just relax, which is amazing.
That’s all for now,
Steven At Sea :)
Thursday, January 22, 2009
First Days at Sea
So many of you have probably been checking this blog pretty regularly, I apologize for not being more regular on my posting. The first week has been quite hectic and I haven’t had time to sit down and put my thoughts on paper.
The night I stayed in Nassau was pretty standard. Nothing too out of the ordinary happened, just hung out with some newfound friends at a bar and watched some football, stupid Steelers. The real fun began when we got on the ship the next day. Actually to be honest the “fun” began 2+ hours before I got on the ship, as the luggage machine had broken down and they had to figure out a way to get everyone’s bags on board. I waited in line for 2 hours, just to get my bags searched for paraphernalia, none of which was there to be found. I was fortunate enough to meet a few people in line and find out a few interesting facts about the Semester and the ship. As I waited in line, a father turned to me and asked me “how do you like your chances.” My response was one of “what do you mean?” He responded by telling me that the ship was going to be 73% female and only 27% male. This was an interesting experience to say the least.
After boarding the ship we had some time to hang out. I found that my roommates name is Graham Nott and he is from the University of Nebraska. He seems like a very nice guy and we are getting along swimmingly. Yes I used swimmingly in my blog, I found it only necessary as we are on a ship…
Then it was time to leave the Bahamas and head across the Atlantic Ocean on our way to Cadiz, Spain. We had a beautiful view of the islands as we left too.
The next day was Orientation. This was the longest orientation I have ever been a part of. It started at 8 AM and didn’t end until 9 at night. The ship was rocky, the material was dry, and I didn’t have time to meet other people. I was able to hang out at a jam session of about 5 musicians singing along. That was a lot of fun as it was just an impromptu jam session between newly acquainted friends.
Yesterday was my first taste of class. Global Studies was boring and long, but since it’s a required class for everyone on the ship, I really can’t do anything about it. Next came MICE. It was a lot of fun. We began to talk about music, how we like music and what MICE is. It is about the creation of impromptu music using laptops and other acoustic instruments to make new music. If you go to YouTube and search MICE Music or something to that effect, you should be able to see some past performances from the class at UVa. Then came The Theory and Practice of Money and Banking. This class was pretty dry as the professor is an older gentleman, but the material should get better as we go. Finally came Physics for Mariners. This should also be an interesting class, but since in our first class all we did was go over the syllabus so I’ll keep you updated on that.
That should be it for now. I’m enjoying myself and I can’t wait to post again.
The night I stayed in Nassau was pretty standard. Nothing too out of the ordinary happened, just hung out with some newfound friends at a bar and watched some football, stupid Steelers. The real fun began when we got on the ship the next day. Actually to be honest the “fun” began 2+ hours before I got on the ship, as the luggage machine had broken down and they had to figure out a way to get everyone’s bags on board. I waited in line for 2 hours, just to get my bags searched for paraphernalia, none of which was there to be found. I was fortunate enough to meet a few people in line and find out a few interesting facts about the Semester and the ship. As I waited in line, a father turned to me and asked me “how do you like your chances.” My response was one of “what do you mean?” He responded by telling me that the ship was going to be 73% female and only 27% male. This was an interesting experience to say the least.
After boarding the ship we had some time to hang out. I found that my roommates name is Graham Nott and he is from the University of Nebraska. He seems like a very nice guy and we are getting along swimmingly. Yes I used swimmingly in my blog, I found it only necessary as we are on a ship…
Then it was time to leave the Bahamas and head across the Atlantic Ocean on our way to Cadiz, Spain. We had a beautiful view of the islands as we left too.
The next day was Orientation. This was the longest orientation I have ever been a part of. It started at 8 AM and didn’t end until 9 at night. The ship was rocky, the material was dry, and I didn’t have time to meet other people. I was able to hang out at a jam session of about 5 musicians singing along. That was a lot of fun as it was just an impromptu jam session between newly acquainted friends.
Yesterday was my first taste of class. Global Studies was boring and long, but since it’s a required class for everyone on the ship, I really can’t do anything about it. Next came MICE. It was a lot of fun. We began to talk about music, how we like music and what MICE is. It is about the creation of impromptu music using laptops and other acoustic instruments to make new music. If you go to YouTube and search MICE Music or something to that effect, you should be able to see some past performances from the class at UVa. Then came The Theory and Practice of Money and Banking. This class was pretty dry as the professor is an older gentleman, but the material should get better as we go. Finally came Physics for Mariners. This should also be an interesting class, but since in our first class all we did was go over the syllabus so I’ll keep you updated on that.
That should be it for now. I’m enjoying myself and I can’t wait to post again.
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Classes
As January 19th gets closer and closer, the excitement is building! I thought it would be cool to list my classes and what they are all about.
The class I'm most excited for is MUSI 435Z: Mobile Interactive Computer Ensemble World Tour. It is a class about the creation and performance of digital music. We get to create music and perform it around the world. We will be picking up instruments at different stops around the world and incorporating them with our music. We will be performing in different spots around the world. One of them will be in South Africa, where we will be performing in the desert at night. I'll be trying my best to keep everyone updated on the music and performances along the way.
Next is PHYS 103Z: Physics for Mariners. This class is about the physics of boats, the ocean, and navigation. We will be studying how to chart stars, calculate speed, etc. This should be a lot of fun and will be worth the time.
SEMS 101: World Geography and the Human Mosaic (Global Studies) is a class that the entire ship is required to take. We learn about the places we are visiting before we visit them. We will also be learning about the migration of the human race throughout the world and how society changes as the migration occurs. This should be fun. This is considered one of the highlights of trip.
Lastly there is SEMS 480-1: Economics of Money, Banking and Financial Markets. I like economics because it gives me a clue as to what is going on with money in this world and how to best use mine. This class looks interesting because we get to take a trip to the Chinese stock exchange and many other places in order to learn about financial markets today.
All of these classes are going to be fun and I can't wait to start them. I will be keeping you updated on how the classes are going and what we are learning as I go.
For now
SAS
I'll also leave you with a funny video of me snowboarding during my trip to Vermont over the past week. Thanks to Jason Truwit and Merideth Weakley for their exquisite commentary!
| Course # | Credits | Title |
|---|---|---|
| MUSI 435Z | 3 | Mobile Interactive Computer Ensemble World Tour |
| PHYS 103Z | 3 | Physics for Mariners |
| SEMS 101 | 3 | World Geography and the Human Mosaic (Global Studies) |
| SEMS 480-1 | 3 | Economics of Money, Banking and Financial Markets |
The class I'm most excited for is MUSI 435Z: Mobile Interactive Computer Ensemble World Tour. It is a class about the creation and performance of digital music. We get to create music and perform it around the world. We will be picking up instruments at different stops around the world and incorporating them with our music. We will be performing in different spots around the world. One of them will be in South Africa, where we will be performing in the desert at night. I'll be trying my best to keep everyone updated on the music and performances along the way.
Next is PHYS 103Z: Physics for Mariners. This class is about the physics of boats, the ocean, and navigation. We will be studying how to chart stars, calculate speed, etc. This should be a lot of fun and will be worth the time.
SEMS 101: World Geography and the Human Mosaic (Global Studies) is a class that the entire ship is required to take. We learn about the places we are visiting before we visit them. We will also be learning about the migration of the human race throughout the world and how society changes as the migration occurs. This should be fun. This is considered one of the highlights of trip.
Lastly there is SEMS 480-1: Economics of Money, Banking and Financial Markets. I like economics because it gives me a clue as to what is going on with money in this world and how to best use mine. This class looks interesting because we get to take a trip to the Chinese stock exchange and many other places in order to learn about financial markets today.
All of these classes are going to be fun and I can't wait to start them. I will be keeping you updated on how the classes are going and what we are learning as I go.
For now
SAS
I'll also leave you with a funny video of me snowboarding during my trip to Vermont over the past week. Thanks to Jason Truwit and Merideth Weakley for their exquisite commentary!
Saturday, January 3, 2009
The Schedule and Itinerary
As launch day approaches, I am getting more and more excited about the trip. The schedule is daunting but exciting. This opportunity to see the world is amazing and I am extremely thankful for it. Each day the excitement builds and I've begun to look at the schedule and think how lucky I am. The schedule is as follows:
Each place is different and is exciting. The places I'm most looking forward to are Japan, China, and Morocco. Japan and China each have a unique culture that is different from everywhere else in the world. Each has its own identity. I'm excited to experience them. Morocco sounds so interesting. I hear there is nowhere in the world quite like Casablanca.
I am sure each and every one will be amazing and I'm really looking forward to sharing them with you!
Which place are you most excited to hear about? Let me know!
-SAS
Destination | Day | Date | Time | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nassau, Bahamas | Depart | Monday | 19 January | 1700 |
| Cadiz, Spain | Arrive Depart | Wednesday Saturday | 28 January 31 January | 0800 2000 |
| Casablanca, Morocco | Arrive Depart | Monday Thursday | 02 February 05 February | 0800 2000 |
| Walvis Bay, Namibia | Arrive Depart | Saturday Monday | 14 February 16 February | 0800 2000 |
| Cape Town, South Africa | Arrive Depart | Wednesday Sunday | 18 February 22 February | 0800 2000 |
| Port Louis, Mauritius | Arrive Depart | Friday Friday | 27 February 27 February | 0800 2200 |
| Chennai, India | Arrive Depart | Thursday Monday | 05 March 09 March | 0800 2000 |
| Laem Chabang (Bangkok), Thailand | Arrive Depart | Sunday Thursday | 15 March 19 March | 0800 2000 |
| Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam | Arrive Depart | Sunday Friday | 22 March 27 March | 0800 0600 |
| Hong Kong/Shanghai, China | Arrive Depart | Sunday Friday | 29 March 03 April | 0800 2000 |
| Kobe/Yokohama, Japan | Arrive Depart | Monday Friday | 06 April 10 April | 0800 2100 |
(Cross International dateline, add one day) | ||||
| Honolulu, Hawaii, USA | Arrive Depart | Sunday Monday | 19 April 20 April | 0600 2000 |
| Puerto Quetzal, Guatemala (Antigua, Guatemala City) | Arrive Depart | Tuesday Thursday | 28 April 30 April | 1100 2000 |
(Transit Panama Canal - Sunday, 03 May) | ||||
| Fort Lauderdale, Florida, USA | Arrive | Wednesday | 06 May | 0800 |
Each place is different and is exciting. The places I'm most looking forward to are Japan, China, and Morocco. Japan and China each have a unique culture that is different from everywhere else in the world. Each has its own identity. I'm excited to experience them. Morocco sounds so interesting. I hear there is nowhere in the world quite like Casablanca.
I am sure each and every one will be amazing and I'm really looking forward to sharing them with you!
Which place are you most excited to hear about? Let me know!
-SAS
Friday, January 2, 2009
My Introduction
Hi there! My name is Steven Trombetta. I am a third year student at the University of Virginia. Starting on January 18th, 2009 I will be traveling around the world on the Semester at Sea. This blog is for my family, friends, and anyone curious about Semester at Sea and the Spring 2009 voyage. I'm excited to post pictures of my experience and let people know how the trip is going. I'll also keep you updated on classes I am taking, where I am around the world, and people that I meet. I also got a brand new high definition video camera for Christmas, so I'll hopefully be putting up videos from time to time. This is the trip of a lifetime and I hope to share it with all of you.
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