Claudius.

     Claudius was born August 10 BC a to 13 October AD 54. He was an emperor form 41 to 54. He had two older siblings Germanicus and Livlla. Claudius worked on his history with the civil wars. His mother and grandmother put a stop to it.
     Claudius took several steps to legamtize his rule against potential usurpers. He adopted the name Caesar and the name still carried great weight with the populace but then he dropped it and went with Nero. He had switched his name plenty of times before he actually decided on one. He was the first Emperor who resorted to bribery which means to secure army loyalty.He remained grateful and issuing coins with tributes.
     In 43, Claudius sent Aulus Plautius with four legions to Britian. Britons were used in the capture of Cmaulodnum. The Senate granted him a trimph fo rhis efforts . Britian was an attarctive target for Rome. It was attractive because of it's wealth.
     Suetonius said that Cladius was extraordinarily fond of games. When Claudius had power he instituted games to be held in honor of his father.Claudius fought a killer whale which was trapped in the harbor and Piny the Elder was there to witness it. He rebilt Pompey's Theaer after the fire had destroyed it.
     Claudius was murdered by poison which ws eather on a feather or a mushroom. Some also say that hsi doctor was the reasoning fo rhis death he was known for doing this to people. After his death amny changes were done to rome. Claudius' temple was left unfnished after only some of hte foundation had been laid down which was eventually the site was overtaen by Nero's Golden Horse. He made a real difference in Rome after his death.

You are invited to Dinner at Dusk, be at my house before dusk. When: November 30,2011
Dress nice :)
Guest list:
Secunda Bibey
Claudia Wildman
Rufina Mason
Marcus Harris
Cornilus
Decima Strawder
Albina Truman
Quintia Ware
Appia Elmore

Seven Courses

                                              Starters

Course 1: Greek Salad, rough Country salad of juicy tomatoes, crisp cucumbers,green peppers,crumbly feta cheese and plump kalamata olives.
Course 2: Caesaer Salad with any side that you please, romaine lettuce,croutons, garlic cloves, lemon juice, pepper,egg yolks  and worecestershire sauce.

            Main Dish
Course 3:Shrimp with tomato and feta, marrying the flavors of sauteed shrimp with tomatos and feta cheese.
Course 4: Greek style baked Fish, a great Greek fish dinner.
Course 5: Beef Vegtible Soup, unmistakable flavor of sweet Trahana, a fine grain pasta made from semolina and milk.

                          Deserts
Course 6: Backlava and Ice Cream, and amazing combination. Backlava are sweet honey bread with nuts.
Course 7:Watermelon and Feta, if you like sweet and salty then this is perfect for you. Sweet watermelon with salty feta.

Education week.

   I will be doing Mexico on my International Education Week. Their education is just about the same as ours. They have a High School, Junior High and a Primary school. Primary Schools go from first grade to sixth grade. The ages are usually six to twelve. Half a day is spent in Spanish and the other half of a day in either English or French. Junior High School "middle school". Junior High is grades seventh through nineth. Ages twelve through fifteen and they are taught Physics, Chemistery and World History. High School is grades tenth through twelveth ages fifteen through eighteen. It consists three years of education, divided into six semesters. In those six semesters they do Physical Sciences ( electricty, chemistery, biology) or Social Sciences ( commerce, philosophy, law). The term preparatonoa is most commonly used for institutions that offer a three year education program that "prepares" the student with a general knowledge to contiue studying at a university. Higher Education usually follows the United States education model. So their collages or univerites are just like ours. They have to have a four year bacholor degree, two year masters degree and a three year doctoral degree. Undergraduate studies normally last four years. They do creidts like they do here. You have to have four creidts of English, three math creidts,three social studies, one physical education,one communication creidt and eight elective units.Their grading scale is about the same depending in how the teacher likes to grade is how the use it. 10 is excellent, 9 very good, 8 good, 7 average, 6 sufficient and 0-5.9 is pretty much a fail. But other teachers may like the grading scale that we have. There is noing differnt about the way they are taught there than they are here.

Christmas in Mexico

                                                Capirotada

This dessert is full of texture and flavor. Topped with whipped cream, it is absolutley decadent and rich with flavors of pecans and brown sugar.

Ingredients:

• 6 cups stale Mexican bread cut into large chunks
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1 1/4 cup water
• 3 cones of piloncillo (or 2 cups brown sugar)
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 teaspoon anise seeds
• 2/3 cup pecans, chopped
• 1 cup raisins soaked in warm water to soften
• 2 large, or 3 small apples, peeled, cored and chopped
• 1/2 cup queso fresco crumbled
• 1 tablespoon orange zest
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• 1/2 teaspoon cloves
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 4 egg yolks
• 4 cups milk
• 1 pinch salt
• 1/4 cup sherry

Preparation:

Melt the butter over medium heat in a large saute pan. Fry the bread pieces until golden. In a small saucepan, combine water, anise seeds, piloncillo and cinnamon stick. Boil gently until the liquid becomes syrupy, about 6 minutes.
In a large bowl, combine apples, pecans, raisins, zest and cheese. Sprinkle cloves and cinnamon over the top of the fruit mixture and toss to incorporate. Add in bread and carefully fold all ingredients together.
Pour half of the bread mixture into a large, buttered baking dish and pour half of the syrup over it. Add the remaining bread mixture and the remaining syrup.
Bake for 35 minutes in an oven pre-heated to 350 degrees.
Beat egg yoks until foamy and smooth. Add in milk, salt and 1/4 cup sherry. Combine until smooth. Pour over partially cooked bread and bake for another 35 minutes or until top is golden.

  5 facts
- It's a celebration of he Natvity, birthday of the Lord Jesus
-La Posada, which is a religious procession that reenacts the search for shelter by Joseph and Mary before the birth of Jesus. People go hose to house with pictures of Joseph and Mary.
- Santa Claus is predominant, but the red suit is represented in the tradional flower.
-Mexican childrean recive gifts by busting open a clay pinata.
- mexicans attend a midnight mass service which is called la Misa Del Gallo ot  "the rooter's mass," and at the mass  the sing lullabis to Jesus.

Map

Budget

Airfare roundtrip from Pittsburgh to Mexico City  $515.00
Car Rental for the week $143.00

Day 1 Mexico City
Hotel-$114.39
Palace of Fine Arts-$10.00

Day 2-Cabo
Cabo Villas-$275.00
Underwater Adventure $100.00
Lunch-$15.00

Day 3-Cancun
Hotel-$274.00
Swam with Dolphins-$135.00
Tour-$13.00

Day 4 -Cozumel
Hotel-$109.00
Scuba Diving-$29.00
ATV Tour-$65.00

Day 5-Acapulco
Hotel-$158.00
Lunch-$14.59
La Quebrada-Free
El Fuerte de San Diego-$2.19
Isla La Roqueta-$7.00

Day 6-Puerto Vallerta
Hotel-$110.00
Kayak rentals-$50.00
Restaurant- $24.59

Day 7-Playa del Carmen
Hotel-$109.00
Rancho El Charro-$61.50
Parasailing-$50.00

Total Expenses: $2384.26
Total Budget: $3000.00

9-3-11 last day :(

 Today is my last day in Mexico. This was a really fun experince and I can tell other people to travel there and maybe they will have as much fun. Puerto Vallarta is my last destination on my wonderful Mexico trip. Im going to Rancho El Charco to take a horse back ride threw threw the forest. Beautiful peaceful place to take a horse back ride. Then I'm going to Meramesphosis Day Spa. That felt amazing to my back. I got the Swedish Massage. Then I spent the rest of my day packing to go home wich was really depressing. I hate saying good-byes to anything. Now im going to travel back to Mexcio City to catch my flight. I learned ver many things about Mexcio traveling there there cultures are very differnt from ours. But there food is great.

9-2-11 Day 6

    Yesturday was a fun and exiting to watch people jump off cliffs. But now I'm headed to Playa del Carmen. This was a really fun trip. I went kyaking, para-sailing, and swimming. Swimming was just so relaxing. Just leatting the waves take you. Kayaking was intersting and fun.I really liked it and decided that I should star doing that more often. Para-sailing was amazing. I always have dreamed of doing that. And when i got the chance to i took it. I ate a Señor Frogs I had the cocunt shrimp with the umbeliveable sauce. Today was really a easy day I really just wanted to relax and take everything in that i have done on this trip. It was amazing and I love everthing i have done and i dont wanna leave this place.138: I stayed at Club Akumal Caribe Hotel that's pretty nice for one person to stay at. Nice clean little place. I had fun.

9-1-11 day5

  Woke up this morning and decided to head to Acapulco. I'm going to stay at Quinta Real Acapulco. This hotel was built into an 80 foot cliff.  Beautiful and peaceful place it is. The hotel was located away from the crowds and the view of the ocean was amazing. For breakfast I ate at the hotel some fresh fuit and eggs. I went to La Quebrada to watch the cliff divers jump off the huge cliffs into the ocean.  I ate lunch at the restaurant La Perla where I could eat and still watch the cliff divers.  I enjoyed a enchilada and a soda.  Then I traveled to El Fuerte de San Diego to enjoy the museum.  It showed about how soliders lived and you could view videos about the history of the museum.  The fort was intended to protect the main port of the western coast of Mexico.  Then I went to Isla La Roqueta to enjoy the small island and to I took a glass bottom boat ride.  It was a great experience.  The island was nice for taking hikes and sightseeing. 

8-31-11 day 4

 Cancun was a blast and now i'm gonna go to Cozumel also knowen as heaven on Earth. As soon as I got there i checked in right away. I went scubba diving, golfing, and on a wild tour. You had a bunch of choices to chose from to go in this tour. I picked the atv tour. That was really fun and I dont even like that type of stuff. Golfing was really fun. Having all that fun makes you really hungry after a while. I ate at the Plaza Lenza. I had the Chicken Fajitas which they was good. I plan on staying at Playa Azul ocean view. Beautiful can't wait till in the morning to wake up and see the beautiful sunrise and for tonight so see the sunset. Only two more days and I don't wanna leave Mexico. This place is to beautiful to leave behind.

Day 3 8-30-11

   Today is my birthday and I'm taking myself to Cancun Mexico. Some of my family has went there and none of them regret it. They love it and someday hope to go back. They also say it's gorgeous well i guess that i will have to find out for myself. I got up this morning and did the usual and got to Cancun and went sight seeing as soon as I could. Shopping was the first thing on my mind.Took a tour and that was awesome. Then I went and swam with the dolphins. That was the best thing that could happen to me. It was so relaxing. It was a wonderful experince. After all that I went and ate at the crab house. The crab houe was the best place I have at in a long time. I also went to the Aqurium right after swimming with the dolphins. I plan on staying somewhere nice for my birthday as a gift to me. It's called Fesia Americana Condes. A beautiful place to stay at. Has a nice veiw of the ocean. Cancun is a place that I would wanna come back to.

8-29-11 day 2

Woke up this morning and decided to go to Cabo San Lucas. Also knowen as party heven. They have good beaches and food. Many years ago pirates used to use this little island as a hide out spot. And over the past forty years people have used this place as a hang out spot. The beaches are beautiful the waters are really blue you can see your feet on the ocean floor. While I'm there I plan on taking a boat ride, underwater nature perserve and a tour of the Lands end rock. It is also really famous for fishing. Who would have guessed fishing really? You don't even know how many fishermen I have seen just walking the beaches. Theres is lots of partying along beaches and in the village. I had a blast at Cabo San Lucas. I plan on staying at Cabo Villas. Nice place right along the ocean I have a beautiful view.

day 1 8-28-11

8-28-11 day 1 in Mexico
  Today i'm headed to Mexico and my first stop will be Mexico City. I will be getting there bright and early in the morning and their breakfasts are not like ours at all they have dinner for breakfast pretty much. They have huge dishes full of everyday stuff. I ate breakfast at EI Cardenal they served sweet rolls and chocolate. That was tasty. I plan on going to the Chapultepec Park, Palace of Fine Arts and Shrine of Guadalupe. The Chapultepec Park is the largest park in the world and I enjoyed a nice quiet day there just walking the paths and looking at the ponds and buildings that were near by. Beautiful ponds surrounded it all threw the walk. Considered one of the most beautiful buildings in Mexico. It was filled with beautiful statues and murals.The Shrine of Guadalupe was very Catholic. People ask her to help them with their relationships or cancer. I will be staying at  Nápoles, Benito Juárez, Mexico City at Holiday Inn.

Mexican Dish: Birria

This traditional Mexican dish is often sold by street vendors in Mexico. Birria can be made with beef, veal, pork, goat or lamb making it quite versatile. Many people will use more than one type of meat, combining one, two or three kinds in one dish. Poultry is not traditionally used in this dish. You will need a Dutch oven or large casserole dish with a tight fitting lid and a rack that sits inside.

Prep Time: 24 hours

Cook Time: 4 hours

Total Time: 28 hours

Ingredients:

• 3-4 lbs meat with or without bones
• 4 guajillo chiles
• 3 ancho chiles

The camps were horrible i never want to see the outside i'm scared for life. They made it to were it was a prision. We had 45 total tents built for us the Boers.There was 28,000 of us men who was trapped in that prision. 25,30 of us was sent over seas the remainder was usually women and children. Our camps was not healthy for us. The food was bad, some was givin small amounts, poor diet and bad diseases. Most of my men died because of all this. It lead to many deaths which ment we lost some good ones which ment we had to add more which ment more familes was devistated. 27,927 Boers had died to starvation. Just over 22,000 was either 16 and under. 12,000 of my men died in this war. And there was a total of 55,000 of us out there fighting.Although the Transvaal was controlled by the Boer majority, many British settlers had established communities within its borders. 27,000 who died in the 31 consentration camps. In  Aliwal North concentration camp had 1 toilet for every 170 people.Us Beors lost 7,000 troops. The treaty ended on May 31 1902. No country holds the blame for cauing this war but it was a tuff battle and lots were killed.

second boer war

The Second Boer War was on October 11th 1899.Australia was still a collection of separate British colonies with a total population of less than 4 million on a land mass nearly as large as the United States. Shiploads of solders and horses was sent over for the Cape God of Hope. The first contingents arrived in South Africa in November 1899. Not just any soldiers just training up to 36 to 80 hours and then sent off. They arrived in small units since the British did that spilt them into groups. The Boers were fighting an unconventional war, one to which the Australians adapted easily and in which they were able to make a contribution quite out of proportion to their numbers.

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