Winter 2020

Who knew a root crop could be a key dessert ingredient? Filipinos did. The Philippines is famous for its diverse and unique flavor combinations, especially when it comes to sweets. And one of the most-used flavors for desserts comes from a purple yam called ube (pronounced “ooh-bay”).Ube is a food native to Southeast Asia. It has a mild taste, somewhat like vanilla, and is definitely sweeter than other root crops. On the outside, however, it’s often confused with taro root. But there’s a pretty important distinction between the two: ube is bright purple all the time. Though some taro has a slightly purple coloring to it, ube is a much deeper, more luscious purple both as a root and as an ingredient.

Travel has been steadily increasing for the past several years. Whether it’s for business or pleasure, education or social media posts, travel seems to be a part of everyone’s lives nowadays. But should it be?

If you want to gain some perspective on your life, you need to spend some time in the Galilee.

Where did China get its first cup of tea? Who invented boomerangs in Australia? How did African leopards get their spots? Though there are plenty of factual answers to these questions, we can often learn more about a country from its bedtime stories than its history books. After all, humans have used stories to explain their surroundings for thousands of years, passing legends down from generation to generation. Through these legends, we learn about the gods our ancestors worshipped, the traditions they held dear, and their relationships with the world and the people around them.

I first saw the Danube River at night.

The elements can be ruthless. Whether it be fire, flood, tsunami, or earthquake, natural disasters have been known to thoroughly destroy the lives and livelihoods of people worldwide. Take the 7.5 earthquake and tsunami of December 2018 in Indonesia, in which more than a thousand people were injured, more than ten thousand people were displaced, and hundreds of homes and businesses were destroyed. When natural disasters ravage communities, many people want to know how to help, but the disaster seems so large, they feel limited by their own resources, the distance, and other factors. Here is a break-down of the various ways you can act in response to natural disasters.

It’s 2019, and there are more people traveling solo than ever. In fact, solo travelers proclaim that their individual adventures are some of their most treasured travel experiences. While there are many perks to traveling alone, the truth is that it’s not as safe as traveling with a group—especially for women.

Are you in for a ride? Then coast through history with us and discover some of the oldest amusement parks in the world.

Sometimes Instagram can get you down—especially the week of spring break, when your feed is filled with exotic photos from your friends’ vacations. For many college students, extravagant vacations just don’t fit in the budget. But there’s a new trend that may just put your travel envy to rest: alternative spring breaks.

Film, in a sense, is a form of magic. It has the power to transport us to new destinations, different time periods, and various situations—all from our seats. It’s no wonder that as humans we want a little more of this magic in our lives, so we travel to locations appearing in our favorite films. But what is the motivation behind the desire to travel to these places?

Looking for a place to go that’s historical but that can still party? Germany is that place, especially since this year, 2019, was the 30th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall.It came as a shock to even some of the Germans when the wall fell because the wall had lasted for over two decades. German teenagers and some young adults never knew anything different. The Berlin Wall divided a city and a country and prevented recovery from World War II after being erected basically overnight in 1961.Since the wall’s fall on November 9, 1989, celebrations and festivities have been held every year to commemorate the rise of democracy and freedom.Der Mauerfall, as the fall of the Berlin Wall is called in German, came as a surprise to Sandra Ehlert, a native German who was visiting both West and East Berlin about three weeks before the momentous Mauerfall.However, Laura Rawlins, an American working for a family as part of a Brigham Young University internship in Berlin before the Mauerfall, could see the inklings of protests.History of a Divided Berlin, the Wall, and Revolution Surrounding West Berlin, the Berlin Wall effectively kept Easterners, who occupied East Germany and East Berlin, from escaping the USSR to freedom in West Berlin, which was occupied by the United States, the United Kingdom, and France.The wall itself was made of concrete panels 3.6 meters high (about 12 feet), topped with barbed wire. There was a strip of land next to the Eastern Wall: a no-man’s-land that crawled with guards, police dogs, and alarms; as well as a second wall, the Western Wall, that people could walk right up to. However, the guard towers on the two walls easily made people wary.“A lot of people died trying to flee East Berlin,” Sandra said, confirming all the fears that one could have. Nearly 140 East Berliners died trying to cross. “They had to be really determined,” explained Laura regarding those that tried to cross.The wall was built in the midst of the Cold War between the USSR and the US as a way for the USSR to prevent fleeing, as well as to assert its dominance.In the June of 1948, the USSR closed all incoming roads, canals, and trains from West Germany into West Berlin, forcing the Berlin Airlift to commence. Nearly two years’ worth of airlifted food, supplies, and medicine—a total of more than 2.3 million tons (2.3 Tg)—was lifted into the allies’ sectors of the city.From Their View

They always say the bigger you are the harder you fall—but it should be the bigger you are, the prettier your city transit should be. We all have to get around—whether it be by foot, bike, car, train, or plane—and for the majority of people, that means taking public transit.

Dublin, the Blarney Stone, and the Cliffs of Moher are all spots in Ireland that everyone knows they need to go to. However, one place you should add to your itinerary is the Burren Perfumery.

Transylvania is home to over six million Romanians and one incredibly mythicized monster: Dracula. However, Dracula isn’t the only thing that makes Transylvania alluring. But it is a big factor in the region’s tourism. Interestingly enough, all of this hype started with a British novel.Vampire HistoryBram Stoker’s namesake character in his 1897 novel Dracula was likely based on the historical Romanian figure of Vlad Dracul, more commonly known as Vlad the Impaler, a 1400s vigilante who basically singlehandedly took back his principality, Wallachia, from the Turks.Vlad was famous for torturing his enemies and impaling thousands of their heads on spikes, namely his Turkish enemies. Dracula has since become immortalized in pop culture, and Transylvania definitely takes advantage of these myths and all the hype around the story to promote tourism. Now, when you hear “Transylvania,” vampires are what come to mind.Bran CastleIf you’re seeking to take part in the vampire craze, you’ll want to stop by Bran Castle, the designated tourist site for all things vampire in Braşov, Romania. Though not the main castle of Vlad the Impaler, the building still gives an impressive image for what Bram Stoker might have had in mind for his villain. One of the features of the castle is a creepy secret passageway. There is also a gift shop and several other shops along the streets outside the castle where you can buy Dracula-themed paraphernalia and scare yourself in a little haunted house.But there’s so much more to this Romanian region than the vampire stories. Along with Bran Castle, consider visiting some of the following sites on your trip to Transylvania that aren’t about vampires.BearsBelieve it or not, Transylvania’s Carpathian mountain range is filled with a not-so-mythical creature: the brown bear. In fact, at Braşov’s Libearty Bear Sanctuary in Zărneşti (just over thirty minutes from Bran Castle), you can observe these incredible creatures.The bears come from zoos or other caged environments. At the sanctuary, they are free to roam a much larger, more natural space. The sanctuary is comprised of 160 acres of forest, plenty for the bears to roam freely (though there are safety fences and security cameras throughout).It’s safe and comfortable for both bears and visitors and makes an amazing stop when touring the Transylvanian landscape. While the sanctuary is a great way to ensure you’ll actually see bears, you could also book a tour with a guide to take you to look for bears in their natural habitat—the forest.While the sanctuary is a great way to ensure you’ll actually see bears, you could also book a tour with a guide to take you to look for bears in their natural habitat—the forest.ASTRA Museum of Traditional Folk Civilization Photo by Andrei Dan SuciuTo the west of Zărneşti stands a pretty unique museum. Located in Sibiu, the ASTRA Museum of Traditional Folk Civilization is completely outside! With over 400 traditional folk buildings from times past, including the museum’s famous windmills, it may feel like you’re in an old Romanian village. There are even restaurants and activities you can try inside to help you latch onto that feeling even more.Salina Turda Photo by Robert AndersAt Salina Turda, you can find yourself exploring the depths of an ancient mine. Excavated with various wells, this salt mine has been remodeled as a museum depicting the history of salt mining (you can see the thick, natural salt on the walls), and as an amusement park-style attraction. There are several different spaces within the mine, but the craziest one of them all is what was once the Terezia Mine: now, it houses a UFO-shaped structure on top of a lake where guests can ride a ferris wheel, take boat rides on the lake, and play mini golf.Lake UrsuDespite Vlad Dracul’s notoriously destructive nature, Transylvania’s nature is remarkably reconstructive. Transylvania is known for its many health benefits—including its salt water. The most famous healing water is found at Lake Ursu, or Bear Lake, which gets its name from its bearskin shape. Part of the Sovata resort, the lake has a ginormous salt content and is able to absorb heat from the sun. In fact, it’s the largest heliotherm lake in the world. The lake has a layer of fresh water that acts as a barrier and keeps the warm sunlight in the salt-water layer below. (Supposedly, the salt water can help heal fertility issues.) While you relax in these sun-heated waters, you can also observe the luscious greenery surrounding the lake, courtesy of the rich volcanic soil. Patrons can swim between 10:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. and enjoy the other various spas the resort has to offer.High HighwaysIf you’re hankering for a road trip, Transylvania is home to some of the highest roads in the world. The Transfăgărăşan Road reaches the lofty altitude of 6,699 feet (2,042 meters) and spans a windy 60 miles (90 kilometers). The road includes dark tunnels and curves like a long snake along the mountainside.The best way to truly enjoy the Transfăgărăşan is to stop along it for adventure. You can take a hike in the Făgărăş mountains, view the Vidraru Dam, and go fishing at the gorgeous Bâlea Lake. During the winter, the lake can be accessed only by cable car, and because of the high elevation (6,673 feet or 2,034 meters), it is cold enough that every year an incredible hotel is built out of the area’s ice.The Transalpina Road is the highest road in Romania, reaching 7,037 feet (2,145 meters), and is about 92 miles (148 kilometers) long. Like the Transfăgărăşan, there are plenty of beautiful stops on this highway. You can explore Lake Galcescu, the biggest lake in the Parâng Mountains, wander around the historic Oasa Monastery, and enjoy the Ski Resort Transalpina. Both of these roads are so high that they are closed off during the winter months because of all the snow and ice, so be sure to take that into consideration when you plan your trip.Whichever road you choose to take, don’t forget to pack a lunch—you’re bound to enjoy the view.While you may still go see Bran Castle, hopefully when you make your visit to Transylvania, you’ll consider the other awesome places you can go as well. Be sure to check out as many as you can!—Laura Combrink