Nairobi, Kenya

Hey folks - Karalyn here, and I am so excited to tell you about my favorite stop so far, Kenya!

Tuesday, July 5th - Nairobi Day 1

Our flight landed around 7:30am in Nairobi. Once we were through passport control, we hopped into a van to head to our lodging. We stayed in 2 apartments about a 10 minute walk from each other. Upon arrival, most of us passed out in our new beds for an afternoon nap after a long night of travel. Others took the opportunity to walk around the city and get to know the area. Perhaps the most exciting feature of our apartment was the *drumroll please* washing machine!! The apartment that I stayed in was on the 13th floor, so we had a great view of the city!

Around 2pm, we headed to a performance at the US Embassy. We had the opportunity to hear about what its like to be in the foreign service from our host, Chris. And we got to collect another embassy pin to add to our collection!

After our performance, we headed off to our second performance of the day at a local jazz club called the Geco Café. It was a unique and personality-filled space. The seating was a combination of outdoor booths, indoor tables, and cars/vans/multi-person bikes turned into dining seating. The walls were covered in musical instruments and colorful art. We were graciously hosted for a delicious dinner and had the pleasure of listening to the band play some of the best jazz music I have ever had the pleasure of listening to. It was SO much fun!

Wednesday, July 6th - Nakuru Day 2

Much of today was spent acquiring visas for our upcoming trip to Japan. Once we (Jay Hong) got everything squared away with the Japanese embassy in Kenya, we hopped into 2 vans to head to Nakuru. The drive was one of the bumpiest, most ~lively~ drives I have ever been on. For those of you familiar with the Disney Parks, the drive is best described as “Test Track combined with Kilimanjaro Safaris, but with a 3 hour duration.” When we hit a bit of traffic, our driver veered off the road and drove along the side until we passed the slow down. From the back seat, I couldn’t help but giggle at the roller-coaster like ride.

We arrived to our accommodation, Ziwa Bush Lodge, around 10pm. It was already dark, so we didn’t get to see much of the area. The lodge served a dinner buffet, featuring Kenyan classics, including roasted goat and delicious fried potatoes. We stayed in pairs in individual villas, featuring thatched roofs and mosquito net-draped beds. Mattheus and my room had an additional guest, a slug lurking on the ceiling, which we kept a close eye on throughout the evening. Alarms set for bright and early, we drifted off to sleep to the sounds of the surrounding nature.

Thursday, July 7th - Nakuru / Nairobi Day 3

Today was such an exciting day!! We woke up around 6:30am for breakfast and then hopped into vans to head out on our game drive (aka safari) through Lake Nakuru National Park. The roofs of our vans opened up, and we stood to see the wildlife as we drove. We saw SO many animals - hundreds of zebras, thousands of flamingoes (so many that the shoreline looked pink!), buffalo, white rhinos, baboons, monkeys, a giraffe, and even a lion couple! It was truly an unforgettable experience. We then drove back to Nairobi, stopping by way of a local artisan market with a gorgeous view over fields and mountains.

When we got back, we showered and prepared for our evening performance with the Harvard Club of Kenya. The event was graced by a Harvard professor of African language, who spoke at length about the importance of language study of all of the hundreds of African languages and dialects. It was fascinating and informative. We enjoyed a delicious buffet dinner (especially the desserts!) before heading back for the night.

Friday, July 8th - Nairobi Day 4

Today we had a performance for teachers and principals of Nairobi schools, complete with a delicious buffet lunch. In the evening, we headed to Nairobi Street Kitchen, an eclectic collection of food stands, bars, live music and a dance floor, for dinner and drinks with some new friends from the Harvard Club of Kenya.

Saturday, July 9th - Nairobi Day 5

This morning, the Dins enjoyed breakfast at a nearby cafe before heading off to the Giraffe Center, which quickly became one of my favorite places we have visited over all of tour! The giraffes were all incredibly friendly (probably because we had yummy treats to feed them!) and walked up to the bridge we were standing on, tongues stretched out for treats. Then we headed to the Nairobi National Museum, which housed lots of fantastic exhibits about the native wildlife of Kenya and the historical tribal life of the region. The museum complex also had a reptile and snake center where we got to hold snakes and chameleons (!!).

We then headed off to Lava Latte with some Harvard Club of Kenya folks for a delicious lunch and fabulous conversation. The evening was spent relaxing. Noah and I decided to build a pillow fort and binge season 3 of Stranger Things.

Sunday, July 10th - Nairobi Day 6

Today was our last day in Kenya! :( We had brunch at CJ’s Restaurant with Harvard Club of Kenya friends. Afterwards, we headed back to our apartments to change for our afternoon performance at Bomb Blast Memorial Park. Upon arrival, we were shown into the transept of the memorial museum, walls covered in photos and descriptions of the explosion. The concert was a joint performance with us and a women’s choir, which we had the pleasure of watching (and they were fabulous!).

After our performance, Noah, Mattheus and I headed to the Maasai Market, an open air market packed with vendors selling handcrafted jewelry, clothing, art, and souvenirs. While the sheer number of stands and products being sold was a bit overwhelming, we had a fabulous time getting to know the folks there and even bought some items to bring back home! We found a restaurant the specialized in local dishes from southern Kenya which was delicious! Then, it was time to head back to finish packing for our travels to India tomorrow!

Monday, July 11th - Travel to India

Around 10am, we hopped into a van that took us to the airport. We had a bit of an adventure checking our bags, but eventually everything got worked out and we headed through immigration and security. Thankfully the flight wasn’t too full, so we were able to spread out. And the inflight meal was some of the best airplane food I’ve ever had! The first flight was 7 hours long, arriving at 10:30pm. We stayed on the plane while the staff cleaned and counted passengers, and a little while later, we took off to Delhi, a short flight of 1.5 hours. The Delhi airport was HUGE! It was a long walk until we got to immigration. We got our bags and headed off to our hotel, arriving around 2:30am and finally crashing into bed after a looooong day of travel.

Amman, Jordan

Hey folks! Karalyn here, and I can’t wait to tell you about our amazing time in Amman, Jordan!

Thursday, June 30th - Travel to Jordan

We woke up around 8am to depart from our Amsterdam “Botel” (aka our hotel that was on a boat!) and head to the airport. We took the ferry across the river to the train station, grabbed a quick breakfast, and jumped onto the train to the Schiphol airport. Schiphol is notorious for its extremely long lines, so we left ourselves about 4 hours to get from the entrance of the airport to our gate. Fortunately, that was just barely enough time. While the extremely long lines of people snaking through the airport made it difficult to navigate, we eventually found our way to the correct security line. Once through to the terminal, Mattheus, Elio and I headed off to find a post box to send our post cards! (If any of our family members are reading this, I hope they made it to you guys!). Thankfully, after a long and stressful airport experience, all Dins made it onto the plane.

This flight had quite possibly the most children under the age of 2 that I have ever seen on one plane. Noah and I sat next to the cutest 3-week-old baby (who was incredibly quiet for the entire flight!) We landed around 9:30pm and headed to purchase our visas, collect our baggage, and call a taxi. Unfortunately, Sam’s bag got lost in transit (but, *spoiler alert*, it was found in Turkey 5 days later!) We arrived at our beautiful hotel, the Landmark Amman Hotel, around 11pm. I was very excited to find that they had my favorite type of tea, English Breakfast, in each room and I promptly enjoyed 3 cups of it. Felix and I ordered a delivery of delicious falafels and enjoyed a much-needed night of longggg sleep.

Friday, July 1st – Amman, Jordan Day 1

Most Dins spent today enjoying the comforts of our hotel and catching up on some much-needed rest. Felix and I went to do laundry at a nearby self-service laundromat, and it turns out, it was the only self-service laundromat in the entire country! Thankfully it was so close to our hotel! Personally, I enjoyed a day primarily spent chilling out in bed, knitting the Jordan flag, and watching Netflix. Other Dins explored the city a bit, checking out nearby historical sites, and enjoying some delicious nearby restaurants!

Saturday, July 2nd – Amman, Jordan Day 2

Today was an exploration and adventure day! Noah, Mattheus, Hannah, Elio, Felix and I hired a van service to take us to Petra, an archeologist’s (aka Noah’s) dreamland. We drove for about 3 hours, stopping every once in a while to look out at the desert scenery. When we arrived, we grabbed a quick bite (falafel sandwiches), found a tour hide, stocked up on water, and headed out! Dating to around 300 BC, Petra is a historic city carved entirely into rocky sandstone cliffs. It’s nickname is the “Rose City,” thanks to the pink coloring of the rocks. The city’s most popular façade is The Treasury, known for its astounding intricacy, towering beauty, and famed appearance in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade in 1989. It was mind-boggling to know that the exact stones we were walking on had be tread by our human predecessors nearly 2000 years ago. Our tour guide was fantastic and showed us all the small details that a novice eye would overlook. For example, he showed us the water pathways carved into the side of the rock used to bring fresh water to the city, complete with large troughs every few hundred feet that were used to clean the water by letting the sediment sink to the bottom before travelling onward.

At the conclusion of our excursion, we purchased some fruit popsicles (the mango-flavored ones were a huge hit!) and cold water to rejuvenate ourselves. We all slept very soundly on the van ride back. Our driver kindly brought us a watermelon, which he sliced and served to us overlooking a beautiful desert landscape on the side of the road. Back at the hotel, we ordered dinner via delivery from a local restaurant.

Sunday, July 3rd – Amman, Jordan Day 3

The Dins enjoyed another restful and relaxing day in Amman, primarily spent lounging at the hotel pool. Sam and Samson found a delicious Yemeni restaurant for dinner, which we all enjoyed immensely.

Monday, July 4th – Amman, Jordan Day 4

This morning, Samson, Mattheus and I headed to Jerash, a city in northern Jordan that is known for its ancient Greco-Roman ruins in the middle of the modern city. The ruins visible today date back to the Hellenistic Age, around 331 BC – they are perhaps the largest and most well-preserved sites of Roman architecture in the world, outside of Italy. The city was founded by Alexander the Great and was later absorbed into the Roman empire. The large archway entrance was built to honor Emperor Hadrian on his visit to the city in 129 AD. Some of the pillars were inscribed with writing, which Samson enjoyed deciphering. It was so fascinating to think that, even back in BC times, humans had such immense knowledge of engineering – arches that truly stood the test of time, circular drain covers (the only shape that, no matter it’s orientation, won’t ever fall into the hole it’s covering), and stadium-style seating to fit thousands of audience members. And it wasn’t a museum or a picture book – it was a real city with real pillars and stairs and streets that you could climb over, walk on, and explore. I have never experienced anything like it.

We arrived back at the hotel around 2pm, just in time to check out and head to the airport for our flight to Nairobi, Kenya. The terminal of the airport we were in was quite small, so we grabbed a quick bite to eat and boarded the plane. The first leg of the flight was short and easy, about 2 and a half hours to Doha. The second was a bit longer, about 6 hours from 2am to 8am. Luckily, most of us slept soundly through the flight and woke up to find ourselves in Kenya!

Amsterdam, the Netherlands

Tuesday, June 28th (Day One): Paris/Amsterdam

Today we reluctantly said goodbye to Paris and boarded the train for Amsterdam. Our hotel was unique—it was a floating hotel docked right on the harbor. (The name? “Botel.”) Today was mostly a travel day, but we did have the chance to grab some amazing falafel right next to the train station in Amsterdam. We closed out the evening with some sightseeing around the city.

Wednesday, June 29th (Day Two): Amsterdam/The Hague

We had a performance at the U.S. Embassy, The Hague. (Over the course of our trip, we’ve seen so many U.S. embassies! Embassy events are my favorite because the foreign service officers are always super interesting.) Luckily, The Hague is not far from Amsterdam. After a short train ride, we were greeted by a U.S. Embassy towncar who picked us up at the station. The embassy was hosting an early Independence Day celebration, and it was decked out in Americana. There were burgers and hot dogs; red, white and blue streamers; and lots of American expats. I felt at home. We performed the American and Dutch national anthems on top of our usual jazz repertoire (learning the Dutch anthem was both fun and a challenge).

 

Following the performance, it was back to Amsterdam. I went with a small group to a nice Indonesian restaurant for dinner. The food was phenomenal, and I’m excited to try more Southeast Asian food when we’re in Malaysia and Singapore. After dinner it was an early bedtime in preparation for our morning flight to Jordan.

Paris, France

Saturday, June 25th (Day One): Brussels/Paris

After arriving in Paris, we met up with Denis, our homestay host, at his beautiful flat in the 7th Arrondisement. Taking advantage of the amazing location, I decided to explore the neighborhood with Elio and Mattheus. The three of us grabbed dinner at an amazing brasserie (according to the menus, Ernest Hemingway once frequented the restaurant). Following dinner, we explored downtown Paris. We saw Ile de la Cité, the Notre Dame Cathedral, and stopped for crepes (of course). We arrived back to the flat tired after a long day.

 

Sunday, June 26th (Day Two): Paris

We started the morning early with a trip to the Louvre. Just a ten-minute walk from Denis’ apartment, the Louvre was hands-down the best museum I’ve visited. Knowing that we could not possibly see the entire thing, we decided to prioritize just a few exhibits. I spent quite a bit of time in the Ancient Egypt gallery and the Michelangelo statue hall. I never swung around to see the Mona Lisa or Venus de Milo—I suppose that means I’ll have to return!

 

Next, we hurried off to our first concert in Paris. There is an annual choral festival known as Voix sur Berges at which the Dins have long performed. This time, however, we got a special treat: the Dins were highlighted as the featured act of the whole festival. This was a great compliment, and it meant that a massive crowd gathered to hear us sing. It was a tremendously fun gig because the audience was lively, the hosts were great, and we sang on an outdoor stage overlooking the beautiful St. Martin Canal. Voix sur Berges treated all the performers to a post-event dinner—it was great to meet the local choirs. (Many folks came up to us, excited to meet “les americains.”)

 

Following dinner, the Dins split up for the evening. Sam’s homestay host had offered to host us for post-dinner conversation and drinks. Sam and I took up the offer, and had a great time discussing politics, art, and life advice with the host. After a couple of hours, we left and headed to a café for a late-night snack. (Funnily enough, this café also advertised itself as “Ernest Hemingway’s favorite spot.” Hemingway must have been a gourmand.) I had a fantastic serving of bone marrow on toast, while Sam adventurously tried the escargot. It was a great conclusion to a full day.

 

Monday, June 27th (Day Three): Paris

Today was busy: two performances! In the morning I headed to the U.S. Embassy, stopping for coffee and tarte flambée en route. The U.S. Embassy is a beautiful building adjacent to the Place de la Concorde. We were welcomed warmly by the embassy staff, shown around the complex, and invited to perform in the main atrium for the U.S. foreign service officers on their lunch break.

 

Following the gig we had a couple of free hours. We decided to take advantage of the free time by heading to the Eiffel Tower for a photoshoot (see pictures above!). Next, it was off to the Travellers’ Club.

 

The Travellers’ Club is an exclusive social club in Paris. Our event that evening was physically at the clubhouse, but it was primarily attended by Harvard Club of France members. It was great to meet Harvard’s Paris-based alumni community—we met some really interesting folks, and had plenty of time to mingle after the performance. A smaller group of alumni generously hosted us for dinner at a fantastic Indian fusion restaurant on the Champs-Elysées. It was a great way to round out our time in France.

Switzerland

June 9th, Aarau Day 1

The Dins relished a homemade and robust breakfast of fruit, pastries, muesli, coffee, and crepes at the home of our Switzerland host, KJ. We then spent the afternoon touring Alte Kantonsschule Aarau (The Old Cantonal School, Aarau), which is a renowned institution that instructs students ages 16-20. After performing for the students, the Dins were introduced to their host families and students, and headed off to a beautiful garden party to enjoy some classic Swiss food and socialize with the host students. After that, it was off to our homestays for a well-deserved rest.

June 10th, Luzern & Zürich Day 2

KJ and a wonderful teacher from the Kantonsschule planned an incredible day full of sightseeing. The Dins began the day by boarding a train to Luzern, where they visited the Chapel Bridge and walked around the Old Town and its beautiful architecture. Then, Dins boarded a cruise boat to cross Lake Luzern, surrounded by bright teal waters and picturesque mountains. From there, Dins took a train car up Mount Rigi, relishing the stunning views overlooking the city and its surrounding natural beauty. Hiking the final stretch of the mountain, the Dins reached the peak and enjoyed a well-deserved snack. After a scenic journey to return to the base of the Rigi, Dins took a short train to Zürich and explored the city. In the evening, the Dins enjoyed an orchestral and choral concert at the newly-renovated Kongresshaus Theater.

June 11th, Aarau Day 3

The Dins spent today exploring Switzerland with their host families! Jay Hong, Samuel and a Mattheus went on an Alpine excursion to a lake called Oeschinensee. The water was startlingly clear (and they even managed to drink a little of it). WeTheylit a campfire and grilled some Swiss sausages, while sharing some chocolates too; then they went on a luge ride with some gorgeous scenery.

Other Dins remained closer to home. Hannah and her host ventured on a bike ride to a castle nearby. Elio and Samson went with their hosts on a local hike—the views were impeccable. Afterwards, Samson and Hannah met for drinks in charming downtown Aarau. Prices were not terribly expensive by Swiss standards—but the drinks °were° terribly good.

Meanwhile, AJ and their host went all the way to Basel. Their original plan was to visit the Kunstmuseum there, the oldest public art museum in the world, but a combination of sleeping in and accidentally getting on the wrong train left them a °tiny bit° strapped for time. Instead, they walked around the city and admired the architecture all around. There were two very cool art installations, too! After heading back to Aarau, Mila’s dad made three (!!!) different kinds of pasta for dinner. They ended off the day with a walk out to and along the Aare river, which, especially around golden hour, was quite picturesque.

June 12th, Unterlunkhofen Day 4

The day began with an early commute to KJ’s lovely home. There, we changed and prepared for our afternoon concert. KJ hosted a garden party for friends, family, and supporters of the Dins. It was an amazing event with beautiful hors d’oeuvres, good conversation and great vibes. The Dins performed for the crowd, which was great fun. We had the chance to say farewell to all our new Swiss friends—and we know we’ll remain in touch.

São Paulo, Brazil

June 6th, São Paulo Day 1

The Dins started off their stay in Jardins, São Paulo with a busy day! Some rose early for breakfast at a nearby cafe, which quickly became a favorite spot for many. Then, the Dins rode to St. Paul’s, a nearby British school, to do a singing workshop with kids ages 6-9, a performance for students, and a college information session with some of the older students and their parents. The homemade Brigadeiros provided by the parents were a big hit! The Dins then headed off to another performance in a beautiful space overlooking the city (see photos). The evening was spent enjoying dinner at Baretto, a famous jazz bar.

June 7th, São Paulo Day 2

The Dins enjoyed a relaxed morning, rising late and having a slow lunch at our new favorite cafe in Jardin. Some Dins headed to Ibirapuera Park, a beautiful urban park filled with food stands, trees, museums, and art. In the evening, the Dins were honored to perform at Baretto jazz club.

June 8th, Travel Day

Immediately following the Baretto performance, the Dins leapt into Ubers and headed to the GRU airport to board a 12 hour red-eye flight to Frankfurt. Landing at 4:40pm (Central European Time), Dins caught a train (well … a few trains and two buses) to Switzerland, arriving in Aarau around 2:30am. After around 48 hours of consecutive travel, the Dins were warmly welcomed with snacks and comfortable beds by our incredible Switzerland host.

Paraty, Brazil

June 3rd, Paraty Day 1

The Dins traveled from the city of Rio to Paraty, a small historical town nestled between scenic beaches and beautiful, lush mountains. While the wake-up call was early and the bus ride was long, everyone slept deeply thanks to very comfortable plush, reclining bus seats. 

Paraty was like a blast from the past, with 1900’s architecture and building facades. After exploring the downtown area, the Dins enjoyed a boat ride through the lagoon and around several small islands, complete with swimming and, of course, silly singing! 

June 4th, Paraty Day 2 

Today was spent exploring the beautiful city and landscape of Paraty. Some Dins rose early and boarded a Jeep and headed into the rainforest to hike to some waterfalls and tour a Cachaça distillery, a local liquor made from sugar cane. Others enjoyed a relaxed morning and explored the town. Everyone met up for a delicious dinner, a local music festival, and a relaxing evening, complete with a surprise city-wide power outage. 

June 5th, Paraty Day 3

The Dins relished a late-rising morning, enjoying delicious breakfast at our Pousada (Inn). Some headed to a local cafe for coffee and breakfast, others explored Paraty via a jog, and others grabbed a snack of delicious açaí, a Brazilian classic. With suitcases in hand, the Dins boarded a bus bound for the city of São Paulo! 

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

May 31st, Rio Day 1

After roughly 30 hours of travel, including an 8 hour layover in Charlotte, the Dins arrived in Rio on May 31st, exhausted but hyped for tour! We checked into our AirBnb, which was right on the famous Copacabana Beach, and headed out to explore the city. At dinner we tried some Brazilian food staples: mandioca frita (fried cassava), farofa (toasted cassava flour), and caipirinha (a cocktail with our favorite fruit: limes!). We did some quick late-night rehearsing to prepare for our first tour gig the following morning.

June 1st, Rio Day 2

Bright and early the morning of June 1st, we donned our casual Dins attire and headed to an elementary/middle school in the neighborhood of Guadalupe: Instituto Bola Pra Frente. There, we had a lovely time performing for the students, witnessing the talent of our Brazilian peers in the Art and Social Transformation (an organization created to promote the arts as a means of uplifting the residents of Rio’s favelas), and experiencing the traditional martial art capoeira, which the students performed for us.

After saying goodbye to the kids in the afternoon, we headed back to our AirBnb for a quick change and ride to Christ Church Rio. We headlined an hour-long gig in the beautiful church with our friends from Art and Social Transformation and made some more Brazilian friends afterwards. Special thanks to Wainer, who made this day possible for us!

June 2nd, Rio Day 3

The Dins kicked off our final day in Rio with our very own van tour of the city. We visited Rio’s human-made and natural wonders—Christ the Redeemer, the Metropolitan Cathedral, Escadaria Selarón (the Selarón staircase, decorated with beautiful mosaics), Sugarloaf Mountain—and learned about its history and culture from our expert tour guide. In the afternoon we headed to Barbosa Müssnich Aragão (BMA), a law firm with a stunning view of Christ the Redeemer, for a gig and cocktail mixer. We enjoyed pão de queijo (bite-sized cheesy bread rolls), Guaraná soda, and delicious G&Ts made especially for us! 


Cart (0)