Travel Program
2010
Belize: The Mayan Heartland & Tropical Reef, with an excursion to Tikal
January 2 – 9, 2010 – Join us on a magical trip through Belize, an adventurer’s paradise. In Belize we will see Maya temples towering above rainforest canopies and an incredibly colorful array of marine wildlife in Belize’s Great Barrier Reef. Belize is a small, English-speaking country on the Caribbean Coast. This former British Colony has one of the lowest population densities in the world, leaving lots of room for pristine landscapes and natural habitat. About 60% of the land is undeveloped with about 40% being under some version of official protection. The interior features Mayan ruins scattered throughout lush tropical rainforests. Its barrier reef, declared a World Heritage Site in 1997, is second in size only to Australia’s Great Barrier Reef and is blessed with powder-white sandy beaches.
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Arabia through the Looking Glass: Oman & Dubai
January 10 -22, 2010 with Peter Magee, associate professor, Archaeology. For thousands of years, the countries around the Arabian Sea have not only given birth to great cultures, but on their shores disparate flowerings of civilizations have met and mingled. What is now the Sultanate of Oman was historically the link between East and West, Arabia and Africa. Oman dominated the trade routes from Moorish Spain to Canton; her ships and seafares sailed into harbors worldwide; her merchants traded in the commodities of civilization, such as frankincenses, myrrh and silk, as well as gold spices and coffee. More Information »
Bangladesh and India: Beyond Caste and Poverty
January 10 – 25, 2010 – We are delighted to introduce the third trip in our program for distinguished alumnae titled Among Women: An International Dialogue. Barnard, Bryn Mawr, Mount Holyoke, Radcliffe, Smith, Vassar and Wellesley colleges are partnering on programs that provide opportunities for alumnae to engage with women in selected regions worldwide to explore women's issues that affect us all. Our third program, Beyond Caste, Family and Poverty: Bangladesh & India will include daily discussions and presentations by women leaders of Bangladesh & India in the fields of government, business, education, media and the arts.
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Australia & New Zealand
February 21 – March 6, 2010 – Join this extraordinary 14-day journey, providing a perfect introduction to the best natural and cultural treasures of the great Down Under. Admire the stunning beauty of New Zealand’s Southern Alps and revel in the English charm of Christchurch. Marvel at Sydney’s stunning skyline, snorkel the Great Barrier Reef and take in the breathtaking rainforests of Far North Queensland. . .
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The Silk Road of Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan
May 9 – 22, 2010 The incredible sky-blue tilework, woven brick constructions and brilliant fabrics of the Silk Road are among humankind’s greatest creative outpourings. Explore the UNESCO-listed Old Towns of the fabled Uzbek oases – Samarkand, Bukhara and Khiva – as well as Tamerlane’s hometown, Shakrisabze. Visit Uzbekistan’s capital city, Tashkent, to get a glimpse of modern life in the country’s biggest urban center. Admire graceful Registan Square in Samarkand, where Tamerlane assembled the greatest pool of artisans and craftsmen in the world. Visit a local carpet factory where vivid silk and wool carpets take shape on traditional looms. Meet with a talented Bukharan architect to discuss ongoing renovations to the ancient Ark Citadel in Bukhara. Spend a day walking the museum town of Khiva, looking much as it did as the weary caravans arrived from the harsh desert; and browse one of Central Asia’s most exciting open-air bazaars, the Tolkuchka Sunday Market near Ashkhabad, Turkmenistan’s capital. More Information »
The Amalfi Coast
May 26 - June 3, 2010 Bella Italia beckons with la dolce vita. Along the coast of Campania, the sea sparkles with sunlight and pastel-colored towns cling to craggy cliffs. Delight in the scenic grandeur of the Amalfi Coast, with its varied architecture and and amazing vertical landscape. Nicknamed the Divine Coast, the serpentine Amalfi Drive winds around towering cliffs and sandy coves, past charming villages, brightly colored villas and cascading flower gardens. With Robert Wozniak, professsor, Psychology, and Jana Iverson '91, associate professor, Psychology and Linguistics, University of Pittsburg
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Discovering Eastern Europe
June 8 - June 24, 2010 Whether you are seeking to recapture your ancestral heritage or simply discover a beautiful and poignant part of the world, this tour offers ample opportunity for enrichment, enlightenment, and enjoyment. Both leisurely and comprehensive, this itinerary provides a generous overview of five distinctly different – and fascinating nations: Poland, Czech Republic, Austria, Slovakia and Hungary. The major cities of Eastern Europe make perfect travel destinations. Marked by history, evolving with the times, the major cities of Eastern Europe offer magnificent sites, shopping, food, entertainment, and so much more. With Sharton Ullman, associate professor, History
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Land of the Ice Bears: An in-Depth Exploration of the Arctic Svalbard
July 23, 2010 - August 2, 2010 A remote archipelago situated just over 350 miles north of Norway's North Cape, Svalbard is a place of deep fjords, mountains and massive sheets of ice. During summer, when the sun never sets, the tundra experiences a warm awakening. It is carpeted with wildflowers. Ice-peppered fjords ring with the thunderous sound of glacial ice crashing to the sea. Walrus raise their sleepy heads to observe us. And everyone holds their breath as a polar bear is spotted and cameras click wildly. Experience nature in its purest form in the High Arctic. With Don Barber, associate professor, Geology
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Tarrazu: Sustainable Coffee Farming in Costa Rica, a Community Service Trip
August 14 – 21, 2010 Join Bryn Mawr alumnae and undergraduate students as they participate in the first Bryn Mawr Alumnae Association international service trip next summer to Costa Rica. Discover the impact of your consumer choices first hand while helping coffee farmers and scientists create coffee farms that are better for the environment and their communities.
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River Life in Burgundy and Provence
Co-Sponsored by Bryn Mawr and Haverford College
September 25 – October 3, 2010 Join the alumnae/i of Bryn Mawr and Haverford Colleges as we cruise through the picturesque landscapes in Burgunday and Provence. Accompanied by Catherine Lafarge, Professor Emeritus of French at Bryn Mawr College, we will explore the cultural treasures of medieval Avignon and the ancient monumets of Arles while we savor the world-renowned cuisine of Provence and Lyon.. Capture the essence of the people, traditions and history of provincial France through cultural enhancements and gatherings with Bryn Mawr and Haverford alumnae/i.
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Autumn Sojourn in the Pacific Northwest
October 8 -12, 2010
Join us as we navigate the flowing waters of the Columbia River, all the while kayaking, hiking or bicycling for further exploration. The highlights of the voyage are accentuated by a focus on the wines, cheeses and fresh seafood of the region. As one of the most prodigious wine growing regions outside of the Napa Valley, home to a legendary American expedition and volcanic eruption, a region saturated with stunning beauty, the Pacific Northwest is tailor made for an autumn sojourn.
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Mali- Exploring the Ancient Caravan Route
October 10 – 18, 2010
For centuries, Mali has been the cross-roads of the Saharan trade routes and popularly known as the Jewel in the Crown of West Africa; it is culturally and historically rich with influences from North Africa and Europe and the rest of Africa. Join us as we travel Mali, from Bamako to Timbuktu, a real city inhabited by generations of traders who crisscrossed the mighty Sahara.
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