Kelsea and Mallory are doing "fine" in Bangkok, despite the turmoil. They are sticking with their original flight and are enjoying their final day in Asia. Mallory says that the leader of the protest has publicly stated that there is no intent to interfere with the airports.
The following article is the latest update from CBC:
http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2010/03/16/thailand-red-shirt-protest-bangkok.html
The following article is a good synopsis of the civil unrest in Thailand.
http://www.economist.com/displayStory.cfm?story_id=15706487&source=hptextfeature
Monday, March 15, 2010
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Phnom Penh, Now and Then - Feb 22/2010
(PLEASE NOTE: this is the second blog entry to be posted in the last two days. The other recent entry immediately follows this one.)
It took us the whole day to cross the boarder into Cambodia - it felt like the final frontier. I didn't know much about Cambodia at the time and I was unsure what to expect. From what I'd heard, it was kinda like the wild wild west of Asia - a lawless country where anything goes.
We reached Phnom Penh by mid afternoon - stepping off the bus and into the scorching heat. After a crazy tuk-tuk ride to the hotel, we freshened up and set about exploring the city with our new leader Komphak. To our surprise, the city was quite westernized with scores of other tourists milling about the streets. All the bars and restaurants had English menus and "happy hours" were advertized from every corner. Although the city was teaming with tourists, there was still plenty of original culture and uniqueness to balance it out.
The royal palace was first on our list. We needed to be fully covered so as not to offend the royal family - who funnily enough, live full time in Switzerland. The architecture of the buildings was vastly different from what we had encountered in China and Vietnam. The grounds were kept emmaculate and flowers of every colour and variety filled meticulously planted flower beds. The buildings were in golds, whites and reds and the outsides were just as intricately detailed as the insides. Sharp spires pierced the sky with the face of Buddah as their bases. The golden swan, a very important symbol in Cambodia culture, adorned each building. Beautifully carved stuppas decorated the garden and images of Zen Buddahs were all around us.
Monks in their brightly coloured orange robes stood out against the lush green background. They were very curious about us and a group of them wanted to take several photos with Kelsea and I. To be honest, we were just as taken with them.
Later in the afternoon we visited one of the bustling local markets. It was the Cambodian version of Walmart. Anything you could possibly want was available and at bargain prices. It was extremely hot in the covered maze-like arrangement of stalls. We managed to escape to open air with our wallets still intact.
Looking at the city today, one would never guess that Cambodia's past was one of the most gruesome and war torn in all of Asia. It was an incredible feat of strength, courage, and faith for the people to rebuild their country after each war. First, there was the Indo-China war against the French where the Cambodians fought for their independence. Then in the 1960s, Cambodia was part of the war which involved the Americans and Vietnamese. The Americans left over two million tons of land mines across their country. And finally, into the late 1980s, there were the horrific crimes and genocide committed by Pol Pot and the regime of the Khemer Rouge.
On our last day we visited the Genocide museum (formerly the S-21 prison) and the Killing Fields. During his reign, Pol Pot abolished all educational, monetary, and feudal systems, and ordered the mass evacuation of Phnom Penh. He categorized all Cambodian people into one of two groups: workers or farmers. Each person was rationed out only a few spoonfuls of rice a day and so mass starvation ensued. Many died during this time due to the lack of food and poor working conditions. All peoples of higher educations (lawyers, doctors, businessmen, etc. ) were seen as traitors and sent to S-21 for torture, interrogation, and eventual death.
S-21, a former high school, was later transformed into a prison. In total 20,000 people, not including children, were tortured and killed here. It is now the Genocide museum. The Khemer Rouge kept their activities well documented - taking photos of each of the prisoners and also of their death. Included in these are pictures of hundreds of children as well as people who died during torture.
Those that didn't die from torture were taken to the Killing Fields - mass graves that lie just outside the city. Pol Pot thought that it was a waste to use valuable and expensive bullets on prisoners; instead he preferred they suffer slow and painful deaths. So the majority of the prisoners died by being bashed in the head repeatedly by shovels or their heads were cut off with dull serraded saws.
There was also a killing tree where they would take the babies and murder them by bashing their bodies against the trunk until they were dead. Sometimes they would toss them in the air and use them as target practice.
Although what I'm writing is more gruesome and horrifying then you would like to read about in a light-hearted blog, it's a story that needs to be told. I first fell at odds about visiting such a dark place on my vacation, however, I also felt that it was my duty to bear witness to the atrocities committed by human kind. I felt compelled to see it - to know the truth. The death and suffering of the Cambodian people must not be forgotten or swept under the rug.
I think that many of the tourists who enjoy the culture and warm weather here forget about Cambodia's past and how recently these events occurred. As a North American it is easy to feel removed and unaware of what's affecting our world and the people in it. I'm glad that I was able to see this side of Cambodia, even if it was incredibly difficult and painful for me. I feel as though I have gained yet another new perspective and awareness of the world.
This trip is not just a vacation - it truly is one of the most eye-opening experiences of my life.
It took us the whole day to cross the boarder into Cambodia - it felt like the final frontier. I didn't know much about Cambodia at the time and I was unsure what to expect. From what I'd heard, it was kinda like the wild wild west of Asia - a lawless country where anything goes.
We reached Phnom Penh by mid afternoon - stepping off the bus and into the scorching heat. After a crazy tuk-tuk ride to the hotel, we freshened up and set about exploring the city with our new leader Komphak. To our surprise, the city was quite westernized with scores of other tourists milling about the streets. All the bars and restaurants had English menus and "happy hours" were advertized from every corner. Although the city was teaming with tourists, there was still plenty of original culture and uniqueness to balance it out.
The royal palace was first on our list. We needed to be fully covered so as not to offend the royal family - who funnily enough, live full time in Switzerland. The architecture of the buildings was vastly different from what we had encountered in China and Vietnam. The grounds were kept emmaculate and flowers of every colour and variety filled meticulously planted flower beds. The buildings were in golds, whites and reds and the outsides were just as intricately detailed as the insides. Sharp spires pierced the sky with the face of Buddah as their bases. The golden swan, a very important symbol in Cambodia culture, adorned each building. Beautifully carved stuppas decorated the garden and images of Zen Buddahs were all around us.
Monks in their brightly coloured orange robes stood out against the lush green background. They were very curious about us and a group of them wanted to take several photos with Kelsea and I. To be honest, we were just as taken with them.
Later in the afternoon we visited one of the bustling local markets. It was the Cambodian version of Walmart. Anything you could possibly want was available and at bargain prices. It was extremely hot in the covered maze-like arrangement of stalls. We managed to escape to open air with our wallets still intact.
Looking at the city today, one would never guess that Cambodia's past was one of the most gruesome and war torn in all of Asia. It was an incredible feat of strength, courage, and faith for the people to rebuild their country after each war. First, there was the Indo-China war against the French where the Cambodians fought for their independence. Then in the 1960s, Cambodia was part of the war which involved the Americans and Vietnamese. The Americans left over two million tons of land mines across their country. And finally, into the late 1980s, there were the horrific crimes and genocide committed by Pol Pot and the regime of the Khemer Rouge.
On our last day we visited the Genocide museum (formerly the S-21 prison) and the Killing Fields. During his reign, Pol Pot abolished all educational, monetary, and feudal systems, and ordered the mass evacuation of Phnom Penh. He categorized all Cambodian people into one of two groups: workers or farmers. Each person was rationed out only a few spoonfuls of rice a day and so mass starvation ensued. Many died during this time due to the lack of food and poor working conditions. All peoples of higher educations (lawyers, doctors, businessmen, etc. ) were seen as traitors and sent to S-21 for torture, interrogation, and eventual death.
S-21, a former high school, was later transformed into a prison. In total 20,000 people, not including children, were tortured and killed here. It is now the Genocide museum. The Khemer Rouge kept their activities well documented - taking photos of each of the prisoners and also of their death. Included in these are pictures of hundreds of children as well as people who died during torture.
Those that didn't die from torture were taken to the Killing Fields - mass graves that lie just outside the city. Pol Pot thought that it was a waste to use valuable and expensive bullets on prisoners; instead he preferred they suffer slow and painful deaths. So the majority of the prisoners died by being bashed in the head repeatedly by shovels or their heads were cut off with dull serraded saws.
There was also a killing tree where they would take the babies and murder them by bashing their bodies against the trunk until they were dead. Sometimes they would toss them in the air and use them as target practice.
Although what I'm writing is more gruesome and horrifying then you would like to read about in a light-hearted blog, it's a story that needs to be told. I first fell at odds about visiting such a dark place on my vacation, however, I also felt that it was my duty to bear witness to the atrocities committed by human kind. I felt compelled to see it - to know the truth. The death and suffering of the Cambodian people must not be forgotten or swept under the rug.
I think that many of the tourists who enjoy the culture and warm weather here forget about Cambodia's past and how recently these events occurred. As a North American it is easy to feel removed and unaware of what's affecting our world and the people in it. I'm glad that I was able to see this side of Cambodia, even if it was incredibly difficult and painful for me. I feel as though I have gained yet another new perspective and awareness of the world.
This trip is not just a vacation - it truly is one of the most eye-opening experiences of my life.
Monday, March 8, 2010
Welcome to Saigon - Feb 19/2010
We departed Nha Trang for our final destination in Vietnam: Ho Chi Minh City. It's former name was Saigon, and still called that by the locals. It was changed to Ho Chi Minh in honour of their beloved leader before he died. This was to be our last overnight train - the Reunification Express. The name made it sound very appealing but names can be deceiving. When we mentioned it to some other back packers they're only response was "good luck!" What's that supposed to mean? We soon found out.
It was worse then all of the horrific trains in China combined. There were six berths to a cabin that seemed to fit only four comfortably. I was at the very top and barely had enough space to lie down. I felt like a contortionist trying to wriggle my way off the ladder and into a lying position. It reminded me a little of a coffin. The worst part was that every time the train hit a bump in the track - which was often - I would smash my forehead on the ceiling. The hygeneic state was no better - the sheets hadn't been changed in god knows how long and there was food garbage every where! Thank God we were getting off at 4:30 am - I didn't know how long I was going to last in here. Needless to say, I didn't sleep a wink.
Finally when 4:30 rolled around we all grabbed our bags and got the hell outta there! I felt an urgent need to disinfect my body with some antiseptic soap. We arived at our hotel by five am and of course they wouldn't let us check in until after 12. We had a tour arranged for 7am, but that was still two hours away. So the hotel manager crammed us and all ouir bags into his back storage room to wait because he and his buddies had taken up all the space in the lobby doing some serious gambling. Give me a break! Wonderful customer service here.
By seven we were all on our way to the notorious Chu Chi tunnels. The tunnnels were built and used by the Viet Cong during the war with the Americans. The massive network of tunnels stretches all the way to the Cambodian boarder and it made up of three levels containing hospitals, weapons factories, and living quarters. The entrances to the tunnels were well hidden and camoflaged by the surrounding Vietnamese jungle. The Vietnamese could change their postitions and "pop out" any where they wanted while the Americans were none the wiser. The Vietnamese were also experts at setting the most horrific boobie-traps, which they laid through out the dense jungle. Some of them were right out of "Indiana Jones." As we walked through the area, the guards would throw fire crackers - which sounded like gun shots - a little too close to our feet.
We had the opportunity to enter one of the tunnels. It was pitch black and so low and narrow that you almost had to crawl - not for the claustrophobic. I made my way through the tunnel by feel alone until I saw a speck of light at the end of the tunnel, which I followed like a beacon. I poped out abouit 100 metres from where I had started. The tunnels seemed to be very efficient - the trick was not getting lost in their labryth-like construction. The tunnels were a key factor in the success the Vietnamese had against the American troops. When we returned to the hotel - we spent most of the afternoon recovering from the night before.
The next day four of us (Hannah, Sandy, Kelsea and I) decided to branch off from the group and we went on our own full day tour of the mighty Mekong River. The waters were very rough that day and bounced our little boat from side to side like a bath tub toy. It felt more like crossing an ocean than a river. We made it safely to several islands where we were able to visit fruit and coconut plantations along with many local villages. The villages, however, had been frequented by tourists for so long that they had lost their original charm and lacked real Vietnamese culture. It was still fun and very beautiful. One of the highlights of the day was getting to ride in a traditional san pan boat down a narrow channel where the exotic ferns hung over, creating a green tunnel. At the end of the tour, Kelsea and I took a speed boat back to Saigon. It took three hours and we got to see more of the real side to the Mekong River. It was the end of the day and I sat in the open air on the back of the boat. The sun was setting and I watched as it melted into the waters of the river.
It was worse then all of the horrific trains in China combined. There were six berths to a cabin that seemed to fit only four comfortably. I was at the very top and barely had enough space to lie down. I felt like a contortionist trying to wriggle my way off the ladder and into a lying position. It reminded me a little of a coffin. The worst part was that every time the train hit a bump in the track - which was often - I would smash my forehead on the ceiling. The hygeneic state was no better - the sheets hadn't been changed in god knows how long and there was food garbage every where! Thank God we were getting off at 4:30 am - I didn't know how long I was going to last in here. Needless to say, I didn't sleep a wink.
Finally when 4:30 rolled around we all grabbed our bags and got the hell outta there! I felt an urgent need to disinfect my body with some antiseptic soap. We arived at our hotel by five am and of course they wouldn't let us check in until after 12. We had a tour arranged for 7am, but that was still two hours away. So the hotel manager crammed us and all ouir bags into his back storage room to wait because he and his buddies had taken up all the space in the lobby doing some serious gambling. Give me a break! Wonderful customer service here.
By seven we were all on our way to the notorious Chu Chi tunnels. The tunnnels were built and used by the Viet Cong during the war with the Americans. The massive network of tunnels stretches all the way to the Cambodian boarder and it made up of three levels containing hospitals, weapons factories, and living quarters. The entrances to the tunnels were well hidden and camoflaged by the surrounding Vietnamese jungle. The Vietnamese could change their postitions and "pop out" any where they wanted while the Americans were none the wiser. The Vietnamese were also experts at setting the most horrific boobie-traps, which they laid through out the dense jungle. Some of them were right out of "Indiana Jones." As we walked through the area, the guards would throw fire crackers - which sounded like gun shots - a little too close to our feet.
We had the opportunity to enter one of the tunnels. It was pitch black and so low and narrow that you almost had to crawl - not for the claustrophobic. I made my way through the tunnel by feel alone until I saw a speck of light at the end of the tunnel, which I followed like a beacon. I poped out abouit 100 metres from where I had started. The tunnels seemed to be very efficient - the trick was not getting lost in their labryth-like construction. The tunnels were a key factor in the success the Vietnamese had against the American troops. When we returned to the hotel - we spent most of the afternoon recovering from the night before.
The next day four of us (Hannah, Sandy, Kelsea and I) decided to branch off from the group and we went on our own full day tour of the mighty Mekong River. The waters were very rough that day and bounced our little boat from side to side like a bath tub toy. It felt more like crossing an ocean than a river. We made it safely to several islands where we were able to visit fruit and coconut plantations along with many local villages. The villages, however, had been frequented by tourists for so long that they had lost their original charm and lacked real Vietnamese culture. It was still fun and very beautiful. One of the highlights of the day was getting to ride in a traditional san pan boat down a narrow channel where the exotic ferns hung over, creating a green tunnel. At the end of the tour, Kelsea and I took a speed boat back to Saigon. It took three hours and we got to see more of the real side to the Mekong River. It was the end of the day and I sat in the open air on the back of the boat. The sun was setting and I watched as it melted into the waters of the river.
Saturday, February 27, 2010
Which way to the beach? Hoi An/Nha Trang - Feb 16/2010
Our last day in Hue we caught a bus to Hoi An - a quaint little beach/resort town. We were all very eager to explore the first tropical beach of our journey. However, the beach would have to wait - for now - as we didn't arrive until later in the afternoon and the sun was already starting to go down. Our quide suggested that we occupy our time by visiting one of the very talented tailors that Hoi An is known for. We had passed several shops on our initial orientation walk and after longingly gazing in at the beautiful flowing dresses we just couldn't resist. They can make ANYTHING and are very talented seamstresses. We browsed the racks for patterns we liked before choosing the fabric and colour. We had our measurements taken and told to come in for our first fitting the next morning - everyone got something made.
So here comes the fun part. The seamstresses and other shop ladies were so interested with our light skin, curves, and breasts that they just couldn't keep their hands off us! When we came in for our fittings we were assulted from all sides! There was no real change room and they certainly weren't shy so it felt pretty much like a free for all. It was all in good fun though, and no one was actually offended. The manager was particularly taken with my breasts and took any opportunity to cop a feel. She would smile and giggle then give me a little pinch. My breasts are pretty fabulous.
The next day our guide had arranged for us to take a tour through the countryside on bicycles followed by a picnic dinner on a boat. The scenery was of course fantastic and we were able to catch a quick glimpse of the real Vietnamese lifestyle. We rode through a few rural neighborhoods, along the river, and through coconut plantations - everyone was preparing for Tet celebrations with their families. People are incredibly friendly here and love westeners. They would wave and smile and shout new year's greetings as we cycled past.
We came to the river's edge and a small fishing boat. This rough and scruffy old Vietnamese skipper was waiting for us - our captain and our cook. He took the fishng equipment out of his boat and set up benches for us to sit on. He took us around the river and finally settled on the most perfect private beach for our picnic. We all helped unload the food and seats. Our captain went to work straight away, cooking us possibly the most delicious meal of our entire trip. Appearances are decieving - this man was warm and gracious and a phenominal cook. We dinned on bbq shimp, tuna, chicken, beef and pork. Good thing I'm not a vegetarian! It was incredible. We stayed to watch the sun set before packing up and heading back into town.
That night was the Tet celebrations. Lucky for us, there were five other Intrepid groups in town for the festivities and we all arranged to meet at a restaurant/bar to celebrate together. We swapped stories and tips - it was really nice to hang out with some fellow backpackers and gain perspectives from all their different viewpoints. The evening started heating up and before we knew it the booze was flowing and we were dancing on tables! At 12 o'clock everyone raced down to the riverside where hundreds of multi-coloured candle laterns were floating down the river, which were meant for making wishes. The streets and shops were adorned with thousands of lanterns and lights, setting the whole town aglow. We waited eagerly for the fireworks to start. They were also fantastic, and they far surpassed the calibre of Canadian fireworks. The sky was on fire. We ended the night with one more drink before walking back to the hotel - the smell of incense filled the night air.
Our last day was spent at the tailors for our final fittings on the beautiful dresses they had prepared for us. Even though everything was fine we didn't want to leave them empty handed - wink wink. So one more tushy grab was in oder. We changed into our new clothes and went for drinks at a riverside open-air restaurant. The beer was less then 20 cents for a pint. I can see why people like it here.
The next day we headed for a new destination - Nha Trang. It's similar to Hoi An, but much more modern. The beach is very popular and usually crowded. Nevertheless, that was our first stop. We packed up our towels and sunglasses and headed for the ocean. We grabbed a couple of loungers and ordered some fruity drinks before proceding to slather on sunscreen and start our baking session. Little did we know, we were in for more then just a little tan. While we were in Hoi An, Kels and I were duped into buying fake sunscreen from some women with a roadside shop. It was right after Tet, so she went on and on about how lucky we were for her because we were her first customers of the new year. She totally over-charged us, but we were desparate. She even offered us a ride to the beach on here motorbike - which we accepted. I think she was laughing the whole way. So now, after hours on the beach, our friend Hannah looks over and says "I reckon those Canadians are looking a little sun slapped." Indeed we were - slapped silly. We dragged our lobster bodies back to the hotel - cursing the sunscreen women the whole way and attracting many stares and shaking heads. Well, beach-day done. We stayed undercover and inside for the rest of the stay in Nha Trang. We did do some shopping - you know - to help with the pain.
We were coming closer to the end of our trip in Vietnam; soon we would be leaving for Cambodia. Our next and last stop before crossing the boarder was Saigon (Ho Chi Minh city).
I have found the Vietnamese to be some of the friendliest and most gracious people (other then Sunscreen Lady), and I can't even begin to express how much I enjoyed my time here. I recommend Vietnam to any traveller looking for a little adventure or some down time in a tropical paradise. It was one of the best experiences of my life and I hope one day I'll get to do it all over again.
So here comes the fun part. The seamstresses and other shop ladies were so interested with our light skin, curves, and breasts that they just couldn't keep their hands off us! When we came in for our fittings we were assulted from all sides! There was no real change room and they certainly weren't shy so it felt pretty much like a free for all. It was all in good fun though, and no one was actually offended. The manager was particularly taken with my breasts and took any opportunity to cop a feel. She would smile and giggle then give me a little pinch. My breasts are pretty fabulous.
The next day our guide had arranged for us to take a tour through the countryside on bicycles followed by a picnic dinner on a boat. The scenery was of course fantastic and we were able to catch a quick glimpse of the real Vietnamese lifestyle. We rode through a few rural neighborhoods, along the river, and through coconut plantations - everyone was preparing for Tet celebrations with their families. People are incredibly friendly here and love westeners. They would wave and smile and shout new year's greetings as we cycled past.
We came to the river's edge and a small fishing boat. This rough and scruffy old Vietnamese skipper was waiting for us - our captain and our cook. He took the fishng equipment out of his boat and set up benches for us to sit on. He took us around the river and finally settled on the most perfect private beach for our picnic. We all helped unload the food and seats. Our captain went to work straight away, cooking us possibly the most delicious meal of our entire trip. Appearances are decieving - this man was warm and gracious and a phenominal cook. We dinned on bbq shimp, tuna, chicken, beef and pork. Good thing I'm not a vegetarian! It was incredible. We stayed to watch the sun set before packing up and heading back into town.
That night was the Tet celebrations. Lucky for us, there were five other Intrepid groups in town for the festivities and we all arranged to meet at a restaurant/bar to celebrate together. We swapped stories and tips - it was really nice to hang out with some fellow backpackers and gain perspectives from all their different viewpoints. The evening started heating up and before we knew it the booze was flowing and we were dancing on tables! At 12 o'clock everyone raced down to the riverside where hundreds of multi-coloured candle laterns were floating down the river, which were meant for making wishes. The streets and shops were adorned with thousands of lanterns and lights, setting the whole town aglow. We waited eagerly for the fireworks to start. They were also fantastic, and they far surpassed the calibre of Canadian fireworks. The sky was on fire. We ended the night with one more drink before walking back to the hotel - the smell of incense filled the night air.
Our last day was spent at the tailors for our final fittings on the beautiful dresses they had prepared for us. Even though everything was fine we didn't want to leave them empty handed - wink wink. So one more tushy grab was in oder. We changed into our new clothes and went for drinks at a riverside open-air restaurant. The beer was less then 20 cents for a pint. I can see why people like it here.
The next day we headed for a new destination - Nha Trang. It's similar to Hoi An, but much more modern. The beach is very popular and usually crowded. Nevertheless, that was our first stop. We packed up our towels and sunglasses and headed for the ocean. We grabbed a couple of loungers and ordered some fruity drinks before proceding to slather on sunscreen and start our baking session. Little did we know, we were in for more then just a little tan. While we were in Hoi An, Kels and I were duped into buying fake sunscreen from some women with a roadside shop. It was right after Tet, so she went on and on about how lucky we were for her because we were her first customers of the new year. She totally over-charged us, but we were desparate. She even offered us a ride to the beach on here motorbike - which we accepted. I think she was laughing the whole way. So now, after hours on the beach, our friend Hannah looks over and says "I reckon those Canadians are looking a little sun slapped." Indeed we were - slapped silly. We dragged our lobster bodies back to the hotel - cursing the sunscreen women the whole way and attracting many stares and shaking heads. Well, beach-day done. We stayed undercover and inside for the rest of the stay in Nha Trang. We did do some shopping - you know - to help with the pain.
We were coming closer to the end of our trip in Vietnam; soon we would be leaving for Cambodia. Our next and last stop before crossing the boarder was Saigon (Ho Chi Minh city).
I have found the Vietnamese to be some of the friendliest and most gracious people (other then Sunscreen Lady), and I can't even begin to express how much I enjoyed my time here. I recommend Vietnam to any traveller looking for a little adventure or some down time in a tropical paradise. It was one of the best experiences of my life and I hope one day I'll get to do it all over again.
Friday, February 19, 2010
Motorbikes and Mosquitos, Feb 12/2010
(Please note that another new post, which can be found below, was made just earlier today!)
We boarded yet another over night train to Hue - this time it wasn't as nice and suddenly reminded me of the horrifying moments I had on the Chinese trains. Oh well, "suck it up" I said to myself. I was really careful exiting this time. We had a little trouble getting a taxi so we had to stand in the blistering hot sun with all our packs for about half and hour. It seems that westerners are not the desired fare here. But finally we made it to our hotel which was lovely. After a nice group lunch, Mr Q took some of us on a tour of the city's citadel and Forbidden City (home to the former royal family.) Hue was the original capital of Vietnam and Hanoi is now the new capital.
It was hotter then hell, and just trying to stay cool drained most of our energy. The grouds of the Forbidden City were beautiful and desserted - on account of the heat. So we had the whole place to ourselves. I kept making comparisons with the Forbidden City in Beijing when we first arrived and it was -15 degrees. The royal grounds were made even more beautiful by all the colourful flowers that decorated every path for Tet (New Years) celebrations.
After we completed our tour the lot of us desparately needed to cool off. We searched out a hotel with a pool and paid to use the services for a day. We spent the rest of the afternoon hanging by the cool blue waters, sitting in soft white loungers, and sipping over priced fruity cocktails. It was divine.
One thing I must say, the bugs are freaking enormous here! I have never in my life seen bugs this big. It's like their super bugs ready to take over the planet. I think it has to do with the fertile landscape of Vietnam. And everyone knows that dealing with bugs is not one of my strengths. The butterflies are as big as birds and I saw a beetle that looked like a volkswagon with wings! I was using the toilet at the homestay in Sapa and I'm pretty sure that a cochroach said "hello" to me. It's also really bad for mosquitos here and I've been eaten alive - even though I'm using bugspray every day with 50% deet! I told you, super bugs. Thank god for all the friendly geckos who eat the insects in our rooms.
Our second day in Hue was one for the books. We were going out on motorbikes for the day. Now mom, don't worry. We had special drivers and helmets. It was totally safe...mostly. They picked us up in the morning and I carefully chose the most trustworthy-looking guy and hoped on the back of his bike. We were all in a row when suddenly all the drivers shouted out in unison "MO! Hai! Ba! Hiya!" (1,2,3, lets go!) and then reved their engins before taking off down the dusty road.
We rode all through the country side and rice paddies stopping at little villages here and there. The first village wad having their weekly farmers' market near an ancient bridge of some significence - I wasn't paying attention. On the bridge there was an old women, a fortune teller. And not just any fortune teller, a magical fortune teller. So we all had our fortunes read and my turns out pretty darn good - but I'm not sharing any details ;) We hopped back on the bikes and went to the Ming tombs. The tombs were discovered by a farmer and lie in jungle-like surroundings. After the tombs we visited some amputies who were making those funny cone hats that everyone wears here. We then went to another village and I got to take a crack at making incense - which is a lot harder then it looks by the way. Later we went to a spectacular view point high above the river and valley before heading to a monastery for lunch. The monks cooked us a delicious vegitarian feast, some of which they insisted on hand feeding us! Then they rolled out some bamboo mats and insisted that we take a little afternoon nap - I wasn't arguing! After our nap we left the bikes for awhile and took a dragon boat for a cruise on the river to a very special one tower pagoda. The scenic peaceful grounds that surrounded the pagoda were dotted with orchids and other exotic flowers. Thousands of butterflies and dragon flies filled the air as monks meditated in the back ground. It was very zen and I think that I must have centered my chi or something while I was there because I left in the most relaxed and blissful state. The boat returned us to our waiting motorbikes and the drivers collected us again and took us back to the hotel. We were absolutely covered head to toe in dirt but we were smiling from ear to ear. It had been a great day.
We boarded yet another over night train to Hue - this time it wasn't as nice and suddenly reminded me of the horrifying moments I had on the Chinese trains. Oh well, "suck it up" I said to myself. I was really careful exiting this time. We had a little trouble getting a taxi so we had to stand in the blistering hot sun with all our packs for about half and hour. It seems that westerners are not the desired fare here. But finally we made it to our hotel which was lovely. After a nice group lunch, Mr Q took some of us on a tour of the city's citadel and Forbidden City (home to the former royal family.) Hue was the original capital of Vietnam and Hanoi is now the new capital.
It was hotter then hell, and just trying to stay cool drained most of our energy. The grouds of the Forbidden City were beautiful and desserted - on account of the heat. So we had the whole place to ourselves. I kept making comparisons with the Forbidden City in Beijing when we first arrived and it was -15 degrees. The royal grounds were made even more beautiful by all the colourful flowers that decorated every path for Tet (New Years) celebrations.
After we completed our tour the lot of us desparately needed to cool off. We searched out a hotel with a pool and paid to use the services for a day. We spent the rest of the afternoon hanging by the cool blue waters, sitting in soft white loungers, and sipping over priced fruity cocktails. It was divine.
One thing I must say, the bugs are freaking enormous here! I have never in my life seen bugs this big. It's like their super bugs ready to take over the planet. I think it has to do with the fertile landscape of Vietnam. And everyone knows that dealing with bugs is not one of my strengths. The butterflies are as big as birds and I saw a beetle that looked like a volkswagon with wings! I was using the toilet at the homestay in Sapa and I'm pretty sure that a cochroach said "hello" to me. It's also really bad for mosquitos here and I've been eaten alive - even though I'm using bugspray every day with 50% deet! I told you, super bugs. Thank god for all the friendly geckos who eat the insects in our rooms.
Our second day in Hue was one for the books. We were going out on motorbikes for the day. Now mom, don't worry. We had special drivers and helmets. It was totally safe...mostly. They picked us up in the morning and I carefully chose the most trustworthy-looking guy and hoped on the back of his bike. We were all in a row when suddenly all the drivers shouted out in unison "MO! Hai! Ba! Hiya!" (1,2,3, lets go!) and then reved their engins before taking off down the dusty road.
We rode all through the country side and rice paddies stopping at little villages here and there. The first village wad having their weekly farmers' market near an ancient bridge of some significence - I wasn't paying attention. On the bridge there was an old women, a fortune teller. And not just any fortune teller, a magical fortune teller. So we all had our fortunes read and my turns out pretty darn good - but I'm not sharing any details ;) We hopped back on the bikes and went to the Ming tombs. The tombs were discovered by a farmer and lie in jungle-like surroundings. After the tombs we visited some amputies who were making those funny cone hats that everyone wears here. We then went to another village and I got to take a crack at making incense - which is a lot harder then it looks by the way. Later we went to a spectacular view point high above the river and valley before heading to a monastery for lunch. The monks cooked us a delicious vegitarian feast, some of which they insisted on hand feeding us! Then they rolled out some bamboo mats and insisted that we take a little afternoon nap - I wasn't arguing! After our nap we left the bikes for awhile and took a dragon boat for a cruise on the river to a very special one tower pagoda. The scenic peaceful grounds that surrounded the pagoda were dotted with orchids and other exotic flowers. Thousands of butterflies and dragon flies filled the air as monks meditated in the back ground. It was very zen and I think that I must have centered my chi or something while I was there because I left in the most relaxed and blissful state. The boat returned us to our waiting motorbikes and the drivers collected us again and took us back to the hotel. We were absolutely covered head to toe in dirt but we were smiling from ear to ear. It had been a great day.
Feb 10, 2010 - "When I was in 'Nam..." Hanoi to Halong
Feb 10, 2010
"When I was in 'Nam..." Hanoi to Halong
We departed sceneic Sapa for an overnight train to Hanoi. The train, surprisingly, was a lot nicer then some of the hotels that we had been staying in. It was an exotic night on the orient express! The train had been completely refurbished in attempt to improve tourism. Unfortuneately, we didn't get to enjoy it for too long as our stop was at 5 am. We woke at 4:45 and quickly gathered our things. Still groggy from a poor nights sleep and over loaded with way too much baggage, I had a little mishap...I fell out of the train. Now I'm not talking about some little spill. I literally flew out - ass over tea kettle - on to the cement platform five feet below. Several men rushed over to my aid and roughly hauled me up by my backpack and put me back on my feet. I was definitly injured; I had road rash all over one of my legs and had managed to twist my other ankle. Holding back tears and blood, I collected my things and limped to the waiting taxi. At the hotel I was able to get some ice, antibacterial cream and few hours sleep.
Going from Sapa to Hanoi was like going from zero to sixty. We were staying right smack dab in the old quatre which supposedly has one of the highest population densities in the world. The noise, people, signs, animals and shops was overwhelming and over stimulating - you just didn't know where to look. The atmosphere hits you right in the face the moment you set foot from the hotel doors. Plus, everyone and their dog has a motorbike so crossing the street can be a deadly endevour. There are three rules to remember: 1) you don't wait for a break in traffic (because there never is one), 2) Walk very very slowly, 3) the most important - whatever you do, don't stop. Never ever hesitate or you will be hit. The drivers will calculate your speed and will swerve aroiund you - but if you stop or hesitate it throws them off and you could get hit. That being said, stepping off the curb as hundreds of motorbikes go whizzing past you, with only a few inches to spare, kinda feels like going bungee jumping without the cord. It's quite a rush. But, like every other aspect of culture shock that we've come across, we learned to adapt and pretty soon we were all pros. I would say a little prayer each time. It really got the adrenaline pumping - especially at rush hour.
We spent most of our time in Hanoi dodging traffic and visiting some of the minor sights that the city had to offer. It was about 36 degrees so Kels and I shipped home all our warm clothes which lightened our load considerably.
During one of our free days, Kelsea and I decided to visit the infamous "Hanoi Hilton." Masion Centrale (later nick named the Hanoi Hilton by American soldiers) was a prison originally built by the French during Vietnam's war for independence against the colonization. The French used the prison to hold and torture Veitnamese revolutionaries. After Vietnam had won it's independence, the prison was abandonned but the later used by the Vietnamese in the 1960s to hold American POWs. It was refered to as the "Hilton" because of it's fair, if not luxurious, treatment of American prisoners.
Kelsea and I were tired of walking all day so we had the bright idea of taking a cyclo to the prison. We sauntered up to a row of eager cyclo operators and said "Hanoi Hilton please - 20,000 dong." One man snatched us up immediately and we climbed aboard. It was a really enjoyable ride, that is until he pulled up to the palatial gates of the actual Hilton Hotel! Oops! I guess I should have been more specific. Cheeks red with embarassment we hoped off and paid the man. Now what? We didn't even know where we were. Another cyclo, this time with an older man in a funny hat, pulled up beside us and was snickering at our predicament. Apparently this sorta thing happens all the time. He offered to take us to the prison and after haggling over price we agreed and got back on and finally made it to the right place.
The rest of Hanoi will just have to remain a mystery. I got food poisoning and had to spend the entire last day in bed. I was feeling better the next morning and we all hopped a bus to Halong Bay.
This was definitly one of the highlights of the trips so far. The scenery along was outstanding. We boarded our own private pleasure cruiser and enjoyed a massive seafood lunch and some white wine. On the top deck there were some lovely loungers where we drapped ourselves for the entire four hour blissful journey to Cat Ba Island - where we would be staying for the night. Check out the pictures - this place was fabulous.
We spent our times there eating all the wonderful seafood and drinking cold beers - everything was so cheap. We ran into some fellow Canadians and in true Canadian style we got drunk on cheap draft beer from the street corner and went down to the beach. I lost a flip flop in the surf and had to walk all the way back to the hotel with only one. Enough beer for me.
The next day we all got up nice and early - ugh! - for a kayak trip out to monkey island. The ocean was really rough and our little kayaks were going up and down, up and down, up and down in the swells. Not good for our hangovers. But our guide kept us safe and we made it to the island - and nobody threw up! We got to feed the wild monkeys there and they were adorable: the highlight of the day. Hangover or not, who doesn't like monkeys?
We made it back just in time to shower and head back to Hanoi for another day - which we were all dreading. It's way too overstimulating there.
"When I was in 'Nam..." Hanoi to Halong
We departed sceneic Sapa for an overnight train to Hanoi. The train, surprisingly, was a lot nicer then some of the hotels that we had been staying in. It was an exotic night on the orient express! The train had been completely refurbished in attempt to improve tourism. Unfortuneately, we didn't get to enjoy it for too long as our stop was at 5 am. We woke at 4:45 and quickly gathered our things. Still groggy from a poor nights sleep and over loaded with way too much baggage, I had a little mishap...I fell out of the train. Now I'm not talking about some little spill. I literally flew out - ass over tea kettle - on to the cement platform five feet below. Several men rushed over to my aid and roughly hauled me up by my backpack and put me back on my feet. I was definitly injured; I had road rash all over one of my legs and had managed to twist my other ankle. Holding back tears and blood, I collected my things and limped to the waiting taxi. At the hotel I was able to get some ice, antibacterial cream and few hours sleep.
Going from Sapa to Hanoi was like going from zero to sixty. We were staying right smack dab in the old quatre which supposedly has one of the highest population densities in the world. The noise, people, signs, animals and shops was overwhelming and over stimulating - you just didn't know where to look. The atmosphere hits you right in the face the moment you set foot from the hotel doors. Plus, everyone and their dog has a motorbike so crossing the street can be a deadly endevour. There are three rules to remember: 1) you don't wait for a break in traffic (because there never is one), 2) Walk very very slowly, 3) the most important - whatever you do, don't stop. Never ever hesitate or you will be hit. The drivers will calculate your speed and will swerve aroiund you - but if you stop or hesitate it throws them off and you could get hit. That being said, stepping off the curb as hundreds of motorbikes go whizzing past you, with only a few inches to spare, kinda feels like going bungee jumping without the cord. It's quite a rush. But, like every other aspect of culture shock that we've come across, we learned to adapt and pretty soon we were all pros. I would say a little prayer each time. It really got the adrenaline pumping - especially at rush hour.
We spent most of our time in Hanoi dodging traffic and visiting some of the minor sights that the city had to offer. It was about 36 degrees so Kels and I shipped home all our warm clothes which lightened our load considerably.
During one of our free days, Kelsea and I decided to visit the infamous "Hanoi Hilton." Masion Centrale (later nick named the Hanoi Hilton by American soldiers) was a prison originally built by the French during Vietnam's war for independence against the colonization. The French used the prison to hold and torture Veitnamese revolutionaries. After Vietnam had won it's independence, the prison was abandonned but the later used by the Vietnamese in the 1960s to hold American POWs. It was refered to as the "Hilton" because of it's fair, if not luxurious, treatment of American prisoners.
Kelsea and I were tired of walking all day so we had the bright idea of taking a cyclo to the prison. We sauntered up to a row of eager cyclo operators and said "Hanoi Hilton please - 20,000 dong." One man snatched us up immediately and we climbed aboard. It was a really enjoyable ride, that is until he pulled up to the palatial gates of the actual Hilton Hotel! Oops! I guess I should have been more specific. Cheeks red with embarassment we hoped off and paid the man. Now what? We didn't even know where we were. Another cyclo, this time with an older man in a funny hat, pulled up beside us and was snickering at our predicament. Apparently this sorta thing happens all the time. He offered to take us to the prison and after haggling over price we agreed and got back on and finally made it to the right place.
The rest of Hanoi will just have to remain a mystery. I got food poisoning and had to spend the entire last day in bed. I was feeling better the next morning and we all hopped a bus to Halong Bay.
This was definitly one of the highlights of the trips so far. The scenery along was outstanding. We boarded our own private pleasure cruiser and enjoyed a massive seafood lunch and some white wine. On the top deck there were some lovely loungers where we drapped ourselves for the entire four hour blissful journey to Cat Ba Island - where we would be staying for the night. Check out the pictures - this place was fabulous.
We spent our times there eating all the wonderful seafood and drinking cold beers - everything was so cheap. We ran into some fellow Canadians and in true Canadian style we got drunk on cheap draft beer from the street corner and went down to the beach. I lost a flip flop in the surf and had to walk all the way back to the hotel with only one. Enough beer for me.
The next day we all got up nice and early - ugh! - for a kayak trip out to monkey island. The ocean was really rough and our little kayaks were going up and down, up and down, up and down in the swells. Not good for our hangovers. But our guide kept us safe and we made it to the island - and nobody threw up! We got to feed the wild monkeys there and they were adorable: the highlight of the day. Hangover or not, who doesn't like monkeys?
We made it back just in time to shower and head back to Hanoi for another day - which we were all dreading. It's way too overstimulating there.
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Good Morning Vietnam! Feb 5, 2010
Sadly, we left our excellent group leader Phoebe in Kunming as we boarded the bus for the Vietnam boarder. There were some tears and we all chanted "Just do it!" which had become our new mantra for the trip. The bus was decent - kinda like being on a plane for 12 hours. After about an hour, however, we ended up in this massive traffic jam on a narrow dirt road in the middle of nowhere for about four hours. I couldn't figure out where all these cars had come from! There was literally nothing around for miles. Weird. The worst part of it was that Kelsea and I really had to pee. Practically bursting at the seams, we ran out and went behind a rock on the side of the road or "go to the nature" as the Chinese call it. Desparately, we tried to shield our parts from the prying eyes of the people in the passing cars. No room for shyness here - "Just do it!" Unfortunately, our bus had carried on with out us so we frantically scrambled up the road trying to catch up. We made it, but just barely - whew!
When we finally arrived at the boarder, Hue, our new leader, and a heat wave greeted us. We dragged our dishevelled and haggard selves through immigration and on to the bus to Sapa - our first Vietnamese destination.
The next morning I groggily parted the curtains and gasped. It was so beautiful! Driving up in the dark, we had hardly seen any of the scenery. Our hotel was perched on the edge of a mountain cliff and I was looking out across a lush, green, majestic mountain range; whisps of white cloud were rolling in and out of the deep valley below. Just stunning. We all had breakfast on the terrace with the view and the warm morning sun. I was finally feeling like I was on a real vacation.
We decided to hit the town early - eager to explore this lush paradise. Peering through the hotel's front doors were about 20 local minority girls - ready to pounce on the first tourist with their baskets full of handicrafts. Having just been to the ATM, Kelsea and I were prime targets. I braced myself as I set foot out the door. Surprisingly, they were quite friendly and had impecable english. They asked me my name, how old I was and where I was from. They followed us from place to place and we chatted about this and that. They offered fair prices on their goods so I couldn't resist buying a few hand made bracelets.
Kelsea, myself, and another girl, Hannah, had decided that today shall be the day of pampering. It was going to be epic. We were is desparate need of a little TLC after travelling through CHina for a month. We spent the morning shopping, went out for a nice lunch, then headed straight to the spa, which overlooked the beautiful mountains. We got foot and cuticle treatments, pedicures, and full body massages and all for only 14 dollars canadian! We had truely become "flashpackers" (flashpackers are backpackers who travel in style.) I left feeling a little bit like a noodle - in a blissful state of relaxation. We agreed that for the remainder of the trip this would become a regular activity.
The next morning we got up early for the last trek of the trip: six to eight hours through the Vietnamese jungle to our homestay. During the trek we had the priviledge of visiting an elementary school and four villages with four different minority groups. It was a very diverse area and the countryside was breath taking. We were boiling hot and dripping with sweat when we arrived at our homestay, so our leader took us down to the swimming hole for a quick dip to cool off. We jumped in with all out clothes and swam around the waterfall. Unfortunately, the bottom of the swimming hole was about four feet of squishy mud. So although we were cooler when we got out, we definitly weren't any cleaner!
This homestay was the Hilton compared with our last one. Our hosts cooked us a feast of delicious Vietnamese food - which we gobbled down appreciatively. We drank cold beer and sat out on the veranda playing cards as the sun set on the beautiful jungle. Once it was dark we went star gazing as it is really good and dark here. That night we slept upstairs on bamboo floors with mats. Layers of colourful fabrics and mosquito nets surrounded us in a protective tent. I dreamt of exotic places and things while the songs of the crickets serrenaded me through the night.
When we finally arrived at the boarder, Hue, our new leader, and a heat wave greeted us. We dragged our dishevelled and haggard selves through immigration and on to the bus to Sapa - our first Vietnamese destination.
The next morning I groggily parted the curtains and gasped. It was so beautiful! Driving up in the dark, we had hardly seen any of the scenery. Our hotel was perched on the edge of a mountain cliff and I was looking out across a lush, green, majestic mountain range; whisps of white cloud were rolling in and out of the deep valley below. Just stunning. We all had breakfast on the terrace with the view and the warm morning sun. I was finally feeling like I was on a real vacation.
We decided to hit the town early - eager to explore this lush paradise. Peering through the hotel's front doors were about 20 local minority girls - ready to pounce on the first tourist with their baskets full of handicrafts. Having just been to the ATM, Kelsea and I were prime targets. I braced myself as I set foot out the door. Surprisingly, they were quite friendly and had impecable english. They asked me my name, how old I was and where I was from. They followed us from place to place and we chatted about this and that. They offered fair prices on their goods so I couldn't resist buying a few hand made bracelets.
Kelsea, myself, and another girl, Hannah, had decided that today shall be the day of pampering. It was going to be epic. We were is desparate need of a little TLC after travelling through CHina for a month. We spent the morning shopping, went out for a nice lunch, then headed straight to the spa, which overlooked the beautiful mountains. We got foot and cuticle treatments, pedicures, and full body massages and all for only 14 dollars canadian! We had truely become "flashpackers" (flashpackers are backpackers who travel in style.) I left feeling a little bit like a noodle - in a blissful state of relaxation. We agreed that for the remainder of the trip this would become a regular activity.
The next morning we got up early for the last trek of the trip: six to eight hours through the Vietnamese jungle to our homestay. During the trek we had the priviledge of visiting an elementary school and four villages with four different minority groups. It was a very diverse area and the countryside was breath taking. We were boiling hot and dripping with sweat when we arrived at our homestay, so our leader took us down to the swimming hole for a quick dip to cool off. We jumped in with all out clothes and swam around the waterfall. Unfortunately, the bottom of the swimming hole was about four feet of squishy mud. So although we were cooler when we got out, we definitly weren't any cleaner!
This homestay was the Hilton compared with our last one. Our hosts cooked us a feast of delicious Vietnamese food - which we gobbled down appreciatively. We drank cold beer and sat out on the veranda playing cards as the sun set on the beautiful jungle. Once it was dark we went star gazing as it is really good and dark here. That night we slept upstairs on bamboo floors with mats. Layers of colourful fabrics and mosquito nets surrounded us in a protective tent. I dreamt of exotic places and things while the songs of the crickets serrenaded me through the night.
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Homestay Horror, Jan 31/2010
After leaving the modern metropolis of Hong Kong, we were plunged deep into the roots of rural China. We took an overnight train to Kaili, on which there was a crying baby all night long and it got me second thinking motherhood. Once we arrived we had just enough time to freshen up before boarding another bus that would take us to the local village.
The village, whose name I can't pronounce, consisted mostly of the Miao minority. According to legend, the first Miao people were born from the eggs of butterflies. Once we arrived, we were greeted by the head of cultural exchange, Mr. Pan. It was just our luck that we happened upon this village for it's market day, so Mr. Pan took us on a tour of the village.
The local ladies were selling their hand embroidered texttiles. Their hair was swept up in the traditional style, held securly in place by a colourful comb. There were plenty of animals for sale: chickens, pigs, dogs, etc. Convienently, while shopping we could also visit the local dentist. He was hanging out on the street corner where he was meticulously yanking out the few teeth that an old man had left with a pair of rusty plyers! Cheap and efficient.
Eventually we started our short trek to the homestay - about 45-minute from the village centre. We were warmly greeted by our host family and even though they didn't speak any english, they had no trouble making us feel welcome. There was another minority group visiting at the same time as part of a cultural exchange program so it was a full house. The ladies of the house hurried off to prepare dinner, which would take a few hours, while the rest of us took part in some games. We played musical chairs and hot potato - whatever we could that didn't envolve language. Whenever some one lost they had to get up and do a song or dance. We had a grand ol'time (I just hope that I didn't embarrass myself too much :) We also had a traslator there for awhile as well, so we were able to ask some questions of each other.
Before we knew it dinner was ready and we all crowded around three round tables. Most of us stuck to the rice since the main dish was pig innerds and intestines. I had a few bites so as not to insult our host - it tasted just like I had imagined. Then the rice wine began to flow. We toasted every few minutes and no cup was left empty for more then a few seconds. We took turns again singing songs to eachother in english and chinese. The Chinese Loeto sing, especially at supper. We were then ushered outside were two huge bamboo instruments, called Lushungs, were played while the rest of us danced into the night. We learned and took part in the local dances, although we were terrible at it and a little tipsy from all the wine.
Now here comes the horror part. As the evening went on, everyone around me became more and more intoxicated. The men were insisting that we empty our cups every few minute and were relentlously in their persuit to get us smashed. I politely refused but they still pushed on. Eventually the question of our accomodation came up and the answer we got was not good. Apparently because of the visiting minority group, there was no more room at our host's house. So they had decided to separate us, one by one, into ten other houses. If the separation wasn't bad enough, then it got worse. They told us that we would have to sleep in the same bed as the local person! I asked Phoebe if it would just be with other women but she couldn't gaurentee anything. This was crossing the line in a big way. I was not about to crawl into bed with some stranger, by myself, with dozens of drunk men on the loose! We kept asking them and finally they agreed to let us have our own beds and after more begging they let us sleep in pairs. Crisis averted - sorta.
Now honestly, I don't think that they wanted to try anything funny. I think that maybe everyone was really excited to have some westerners in the village and so they each wanted to have one. But it was still way past all of our comfort levels.
Finally Kelsea and I were led away into the dark by one of the local women to her shed - I think it was her shed. I was aweful in every sense of the word. There was dirt and grime everywhere and great big logs stacked on one half. There were animal nests, gigantic webs, and spider eggs all over the place. The bed was okay: the comforter was nice but there was no mattress and just boards. There was no door on our room and I'm pretty sure that we were next to the outhouse/pig pen because it really really smelled. We dived into the bed, pulled the covers over our head, and didn't look out until morning. Our lady had guests over, and I'm pretty sure that she was bringing them into our room one by one so that they could have a look at the westerners in her house. I could here them sneaking around, whispering and giggling. Morning didn't come soon enough and I didn't sleep a wink. We thanked them with some gifts and then dashed of as soon as we could to meet with the rest of our group.
We had breakfast - rice congee, you don't want to know - and rehearted intestines for lunch. Then Mr. Pan, who was supposed to take us for a trek, ended up dragging us all over the village to visit four lushung makers. I swear, if I see another lushung... Finally, exhausted, we boarded the bus back to Kaili.
Now don't get me wrong, the locals were very sweet and nothing bad actually happened. We were just out of our element and frightened over the possibility of what could have happened. It was the culure clash of the century. I had a really good time with the locals and found it to be a very interesting and eye-opening experience. This cultural encounter is one that I will remember forever. Unfortunately, it was the poor planning on Inprepid's part that made the experience uncomfortable. We survived! And I got to see a side of China that few have the privlege to.
The village, whose name I can't pronounce, consisted mostly of the Miao minority. According to legend, the first Miao people were born from the eggs of butterflies. Once we arrived, we were greeted by the head of cultural exchange, Mr. Pan. It was just our luck that we happened upon this village for it's market day, so Mr. Pan took us on a tour of the village.
The local ladies were selling their hand embroidered texttiles. Their hair was swept up in the traditional style, held securly in place by a colourful comb. There were plenty of animals for sale: chickens, pigs, dogs, etc. Convienently, while shopping we could also visit the local dentist. He was hanging out on the street corner where he was meticulously yanking out the few teeth that an old man had left with a pair of rusty plyers! Cheap and efficient.
Eventually we started our short trek to the homestay - about 45-minute from the village centre. We were warmly greeted by our host family and even though they didn't speak any english, they had no trouble making us feel welcome. There was another minority group visiting at the same time as part of a cultural exchange program so it was a full house. The ladies of the house hurried off to prepare dinner, which would take a few hours, while the rest of us took part in some games. We played musical chairs and hot potato - whatever we could that didn't envolve language. Whenever some one lost they had to get up and do a song or dance. We had a grand ol'time (I just hope that I didn't embarrass myself too much :) We also had a traslator there for awhile as well, so we were able to ask some questions of each other.
Before we knew it dinner was ready and we all crowded around three round tables. Most of us stuck to the rice since the main dish was pig innerds and intestines. I had a few bites so as not to insult our host - it tasted just like I had imagined. Then the rice wine began to flow. We toasted every few minutes and no cup was left empty for more then a few seconds. We took turns again singing songs to eachother in english and chinese. The Chinese Loeto sing, especially at supper. We were then ushered outside were two huge bamboo instruments, called Lushungs, were played while the rest of us danced into the night. We learned and took part in the local dances, although we were terrible at it and a little tipsy from all the wine.
Now here comes the horror part. As the evening went on, everyone around me became more and more intoxicated. The men were insisting that we empty our cups every few minute and were relentlously in their persuit to get us smashed. I politely refused but they still pushed on. Eventually the question of our accomodation came up and the answer we got was not good. Apparently because of the visiting minority group, there was no more room at our host's house. So they had decided to separate us, one by one, into ten other houses. If the separation wasn't bad enough, then it got worse. They told us that we would have to sleep in the same bed as the local person! I asked Phoebe if it would just be with other women but she couldn't gaurentee anything. This was crossing the line in a big way. I was not about to crawl into bed with some stranger, by myself, with dozens of drunk men on the loose! We kept asking them and finally they agreed to let us have our own beds and after more begging they let us sleep in pairs. Crisis averted - sorta.
Now honestly, I don't think that they wanted to try anything funny. I think that maybe everyone was really excited to have some westerners in the village and so they each wanted to have one. But it was still way past all of our comfort levels.
Finally Kelsea and I were led away into the dark by one of the local women to her shed - I think it was her shed. I was aweful in every sense of the word. There was dirt and grime everywhere and great big logs stacked on one half. There were animal nests, gigantic webs, and spider eggs all over the place. The bed was okay: the comforter was nice but there was no mattress and just boards. There was no door on our room and I'm pretty sure that we were next to the outhouse/pig pen because it really really smelled. We dived into the bed, pulled the covers over our head, and didn't look out until morning. Our lady had guests over, and I'm pretty sure that she was bringing them into our room one by one so that they could have a look at the westerners in her house. I could here them sneaking around, whispering and giggling. Morning didn't come soon enough and I didn't sleep a wink. We thanked them with some gifts and then dashed of as soon as we could to meet with the rest of our group.
We had breakfast - rice congee, you don't want to know - and rehearted intestines for lunch. Then Mr. Pan, who was supposed to take us for a trek, ended up dragging us all over the village to visit four lushung makers. I swear, if I see another lushung... Finally, exhausted, we boarded the bus back to Kaili.
Now don't get me wrong, the locals were very sweet and nothing bad actually happened. We were just out of our element and frightened over the possibility of what could have happened. It was the culure clash of the century. I had a really good time with the locals and found it to be a very interesting and eye-opening experience. This cultural encounter is one that I will remember forever. Unfortunately, it was the poor planning on Inprepid's part that made the experience uncomfortable. We survived! And I got to see a side of China that few have the privlege to.
Monday, February 1, 2010
Ding dong we're in Hong Kong! Jan. 28/2010
After roughing it in rustic and rural conditions, it was nice to come to such a mondern and westernized city like Hong Kong. Originally a British colony, it was finally given back to the Chinese in 1997, but has still maintained it's western/English influence. The most noticeable differences were that all the toilets were normal, everyone spoke English and they all stood in line. Splendid!
We spent most of the first day making our way through customs and immigration, but we had time in the afternoon to catch the Peak Tram to the top of the mountain. From the top we were able to see all of Victoria Harbour in Kowloon and it's world-famous skyscrapers. Later in the evening we went to the other side of the harbour to watch the light and sound show. At precisly 8:00 every night the skyscrapers light up with multi-coloured lights and shoot lazer beams into the night sky while some hooky Chinese music plays in the background: The Symphony of Lights.
This was the night of our farwell dinner, only half of our group would be continuing on to Vietnam. Oddly, we've now become a group of all girls with the exception of one guy. Poor bloke. As sad as we were, we still mustered up the strength to seek out the Hong Kong bar district and danced the night away at one of its many clubs. Too bad a bottle of beer cost over ten dollars Canadian! I couldn't figure out where all my money went!
The next day we took this absolutely terrifying cable car ride - turns out that fear is a good cure for a hangover. Well, I was scared, but then again I'm a big baby when it comes to heights. After dangling precariously between two mountain peaks we finally arrived at our destination. At the top of the tallest peak there is a nice little tourist village along with it's main attraction: a 34 metre tall Buddha.
After climbing 268 steps we reached the world's tallest, outdoor, seated, bronze Buddha. It was really really big! After another equally terrifying cable car ride down, we celebrated that fact that we were still alive by blowing the rest of our Hong Kong money shopping. Apparently that's what you do in Hong Kong.
Later in the evening we went to the bussling and hectic Temple street night market. Packed full of souvenirs, clothing, and just about anything else you could possibly want. It was a shopaholic's paradise! I purchases a nice pair of Channel earings. I love China.
We spent most of the first day making our way through customs and immigration, but we had time in the afternoon to catch the Peak Tram to the top of the mountain. From the top we were able to see all of Victoria Harbour in Kowloon and it's world-famous skyscrapers. Later in the evening we went to the other side of the harbour to watch the light and sound show. At precisly 8:00 every night the skyscrapers light up with multi-coloured lights and shoot lazer beams into the night sky while some hooky Chinese music plays in the background: The Symphony of Lights.
This was the night of our farwell dinner, only half of our group would be continuing on to Vietnam. Oddly, we've now become a group of all girls with the exception of one guy. Poor bloke. As sad as we were, we still mustered up the strength to seek out the Hong Kong bar district and danced the night away at one of its many clubs. Too bad a bottle of beer cost over ten dollars Canadian! I couldn't figure out where all my money went!
The next day we took this absolutely terrifying cable car ride - turns out that fear is a good cure for a hangover. Well, I was scared, but then again I'm a big baby when it comes to heights. After dangling precariously between two mountain peaks we finally arrived at our destination. At the top of the tallest peak there is a nice little tourist village along with it's main attraction: a 34 metre tall Buddha.
After climbing 268 steps we reached the world's tallest, outdoor, seated, bronze Buddha. It was really really big! After another equally terrifying cable car ride down, we celebrated that fact that we were still alive by blowing the rest of our Hong Kong money shopping. Apparently that's what you do in Hong Kong.
Later in the evening we went to the bussling and hectic Temple street night market. Packed full of souvenirs, clothing, and just about anything else you could possibly want. It was a shopaholic's paradise! I purchases a nice pair of Channel earings. I love China.
Sunday, January 31, 2010
From Rivers to Rice - Jan. 25/2010
Well, there were no fatalities on the 24 hour train ride - we managed to find enough things to keep us all entertained. Ironically, after we had checked into our "hotel" in Yangshuo and seen the state of our rooms suddenly the train didn't look so bad any more. It was the thre D's: dirty, dark and damp. But we're backpackers so we just had to suck it up. This would be the part of the tour that Intrepid calls the "authentic, real life experience." We called it "saving a buck."
Luckily the quaint and colourful town of Yangshuo along with the amazing countryside made up for the squalid conditions of our accomodation. In the area surrounding Yangshuo there are 1000s of these pristine limestone peaks jutting up from the earth. The locals call them the teeth of the dragon, reflecting their shape. The mountains' majestic presence made the landscape look just like those classic Chinese paintings - kinda like the Walt Disney version of China. The locals also refer to Yangshuo as the green lotus because several of the peaks shoot up around the town just like the petals of the lotus blossom.
The weather for the first two days was perfect; at night we went out in our t-shirts. There were several western style bars and restaurants which was a nice change from all the Chinese food we'd been consuming. Don't get me wrong, it's good stuff, but every now and then a girl just needs to sink her teeth into a big juicy burger. Sandwiched between all the bars and restaurants were souvenir venders selling everything from silk scarves, to Chairman Mao figurines, to a little "bang bang" from one of the local girls.
The weather took a turn for the worst and we were trapped in the middle of a classic Chinese downpour for two days straight! Absolutely everything I owned was soaked or damp. We hid out in this bar called Micky's - kinda like an episode of Cheers - because our rooms were too damp to stay in.
We did, however, try to make the best of it. We got the chance to go out to this massive labrynth-like cave system deep in the mountains. It was all lit up with colourful lights and had cathedral-like ceilings. Very beautiful. Later we also took a calligraphy class - which I sucked at - and a cooking class - which I rocked at. I learned some great traditional Chinese dishes that I can make back at home. Yum-o! We hiked up to a viewpoint of the city and watched the Chinese practice their ballroom dancing and Tai Chi in the park. My favorite excursion, however, was the bamboo rafting down the mighty Li River. We got even more wet, but it was well worth it and a lot of fun. The rest of our spare time was taken up by haggling with local shopkeepers for some souvenirs.
We departed Yangshuo early in the morning and took a four-hour bus up to the Longi rice terraces. There weren't enough seats for everyone so some people had to sit on the floor - another "authentic" experience as Intrepid would call it. The road into the mountains was narrow and very windy. There were sheer drops and no barriers. Luckily we had a sensible driver who took things nice and slow.
Halfway up we had to stop because a massive landslide had taken out the entire road. Phoebe our leader was determined not to give up and after a quick phone call she had arranged for a bus to pick us up from the other side. "Come on, just do it!" she cheered as we hoofed it up and over the massive heaps of rocks and rubble. In the end we made it safely to out destination where we hiked again up into the rice terrraces to out hostel for the night. It was pretty basic: the floor boards were creaking and I found a massive Chinese spider in my bathroom. My new Aussie friend took care of it for me - thank god!
In the morning a women from the indigenous Dong minority came to our hostel and was our guide for the four-hour hike to her village. She was dressed in the traditional clothes with brightly coloured embroidery. I was at the front of the group so I followed behind her. It was quite surreal having this women lead us through the thousands of stacked and multi-level rice paddies cut deep into the mountain side. The experience was made even more special when she serrenaded us with traditional songs about the beauty of Longi.
We passed through many villages on this trek. We met some very cute but very mischievious little boys at one. At first glance they seemed sweet and harmless, that was until they started hurling fire crackers in our path, trying to knock us off the trail. One would light and pass it to the other who threw them at our feet. Little punks. Phoebe made sure to give them a proper scolding.
The scenery was incredible and the view around each bend in the trail took my breath away. Definitely will be one of the more memorable moments of this adventure. When we stopped for lunch our guide undid her hair from its intricate pinning updo. The Dong women only cut their hair once: when they get married. Her hair was nearly down to her ankles and not a single grey! Apparently the secret is some kind of rice mixture and washing it in the natural river waters.
We made it to our hotel which was lovely with a great view. In the evening we were entertained by a group of local women who sang and danced for us. They let us participate is some of their traditional dances includeing the bamboo dance - a lot trickier then it first seems. Kelsea was married off to one of the Aussie boys in a traditional cerimony - don't worry I have video. Even though our hostel was surrounded with farm animals like chickens, pigs, goats, etc., it was nice and there were no spiders :)
Luckily the quaint and colourful town of Yangshuo along with the amazing countryside made up for the squalid conditions of our accomodation. In the area surrounding Yangshuo there are 1000s of these pristine limestone peaks jutting up from the earth. The locals call them the teeth of the dragon, reflecting their shape. The mountains' majestic presence made the landscape look just like those classic Chinese paintings - kinda like the Walt Disney version of China. The locals also refer to Yangshuo as the green lotus because several of the peaks shoot up around the town just like the petals of the lotus blossom.
The weather for the first two days was perfect; at night we went out in our t-shirts. There were several western style bars and restaurants which was a nice change from all the Chinese food we'd been consuming. Don't get me wrong, it's good stuff, but every now and then a girl just needs to sink her teeth into a big juicy burger. Sandwiched between all the bars and restaurants were souvenir venders selling everything from silk scarves, to Chairman Mao figurines, to a little "bang bang" from one of the local girls.
The weather took a turn for the worst and we were trapped in the middle of a classic Chinese downpour for two days straight! Absolutely everything I owned was soaked or damp. We hid out in this bar called Micky's - kinda like an episode of Cheers - because our rooms were too damp to stay in.
We did, however, try to make the best of it. We got the chance to go out to this massive labrynth-like cave system deep in the mountains. It was all lit up with colourful lights and had cathedral-like ceilings. Very beautiful. Later we also took a calligraphy class - which I sucked at - and a cooking class - which I rocked at. I learned some great traditional Chinese dishes that I can make back at home. Yum-o! We hiked up to a viewpoint of the city and watched the Chinese practice their ballroom dancing and Tai Chi in the park. My favorite excursion, however, was the bamboo rafting down the mighty Li River. We got even more wet, but it was well worth it and a lot of fun. The rest of our spare time was taken up by haggling with local shopkeepers for some souvenirs.
We departed Yangshuo early in the morning and took a four-hour bus up to the Longi rice terraces. There weren't enough seats for everyone so some people had to sit on the floor - another "authentic" experience as Intrepid would call it. The road into the mountains was narrow and very windy. There were sheer drops and no barriers. Luckily we had a sensible driver who took things nice and slow.
Halfway up we had to stop because a massive landslide had taken out the entire road. Phoebe our leader was determined not to give up and after a quick phone call she had arranged for a bus to pick us up from the other side. "Come on, just do it!" she cheered as we hoofed it up and over the massive heaps of rocks and rubble. In the end we made it safely to out destination where we hiked again up into the rice terrraces to out hostel for the night. It was pretty basic: the floor boards were creaking and I found a massive Chinese spider in my bathroom. My new Aussie friend took care of it for me - thank god!
In the morning a women from the indigenous Dong minority came to our hostel and was our guide for the four-hour hike to her village. She was dressed in the traditional clothes with brightly coloured embroidery. I was at the front of the group so I followed behind her. It was quite surreal having this women lead us through the thousands of stacked and multi-level rice paddies cut deep into the mountain side. The experience was made even more special when she serrenaded us with traditional songs about the beauty of Longi.
We passed through many villages on this trek. We met some very cute but very mischievious little boys at one. At first glance they seemed sweet and harmless, that was until they started hurling fire crackers in our path, trying to knock us off the trail. One would light and pass it to the other who threw them at our feet. Little punks. Phoebe made sure to give them a proper scolding.
The scenery was incredible and the view around each bend in the trail took my breath away. Definitely will be one of the more memorable moments of this adventure. When we stopped for lunch our guide undid her hair from its intricate pinning updo. The Dong women only cut their hair once: when they get married. Her hair was nearly down to her ankles and not a single grey! Apparently the secret is some kind of rice mixture and washing it in the natural river waters.
We made it to our hotel which was lovely with a great view. In the evening we were entertained by a group of local women who sang and danced for us. They let us participate is some of their traditional dances includeing the bamboo dance - a lot trickier then it first seems. Kelsea was married off to one of the Aussie boys in a traditional cerimony - don't worry I have video. Even though our hostel was surrounded with farm animals like chickens, pigs, goats, etc., it was nice and there were no spiders :)
Thursday, January 21, 2010
High noon in Shanghai - Jan 18/2010
Our second over night train was 19 hours and took us from the ancient capital of Xi'an to the modern wonder of Shanghai. We arrived around noon the next day. The berths in this train were a lot more open so it was less stuffy and suffocating. However, it was hard to change or do anything with out an audience. The beds in the trains are only about two and a half feet wide, so it's pretty tricky to sleep with out rolling out, especially with the train rocking and a rolling.
Once we arrived in Shanghai I was relieved to find that the air was much fresher then it was in Xi'an. Shanghai is China's largest city with a population of over 22 million. That's close to the population of Canada! It's also hosting the 2010 World Expo.
After we had checked into our hostel we began with the usual orientation walk. Even though there are so many people in Shanghai, the city is suprisingly clean with minimal pollution. Looking around at my surroundings I was feeling very small and insignificant amongst all the towering sky scrapers - the biggest and most elaborate I've seen in my entire life. Definitely not Vancouver. Most of them seemed to have some unique architectural feature. It was almost as though each one was trying to out do the next in their splendour and modernity.
If I thought the city was amazing during the day, then I was totally blown away when nightfall came and the entire place bacame this futuristic glowing metropolis. It was like Vegas on steroids. Club music thumped from every street corner and the arrays of twirling colourful lights lit up the night sky. Whole skyscrapers were covered in colour-changing lights like cameleons that put on their own light show.
The best way to view the city by night is to take one of the many equally brightly lit pleasure cruiser boats along the river. Our group hopped on one and, with beers in hand, we made our way to the top deck to watch the show from the best vantage point.
It was truely amazing. I felt as though I had walked on to some big buget sci-fi movie. I've never seen such a futuristic city-scape. I felt this great contrast between the ancient wonders I had visited earlier (The great Wall, and Terra Cotta Warriors) and this incredible modern wonder.
Unfortunately, my cold got the worst of me and I wasn't able to do much sight-seeing. We did however go to this great big Bazaar in a surprisingly ancient market place. It was fun at first but as the day went on it kept getting more and more crowded. Nudging turned to pushing and pushing turned to shoving and pretty soon I was right mad and ready to serioiusly injure the next person that touched me. There is no such thing as personal space in China. So we sought refuge in an old beautiful Chinese garden. It was very tranquil. The flowing water and swaying trees were very peaceful and I calmed down some.
Later in the evening we had the privledge to see the Shanghai acrobats. Such amazing little people... and they are actually little. They were very talented and the show was amazing. I was a little concerned about the state of some of their equipment however, it looked a little questionable and past it's prime.
At the end of our Shanghai adventure we prepared ourselves to board the longest train journey of our trip - 25 hours (uhg!) - to Yangshou. I'm sure that we'll all be the best of friends by the end...hopefully.
Once we arrived in Shanghai I was relieved to find that the air was much fresher then it was in Xi'an. Shanghai is China's largest city with a population of over 22 million. That's close to the population of Canada! It's also hosting the 2010 World Expo.
After we had checked into our hostel we began with the usual orientation walk. Even though there are so many people in Shanghai, the city is suprisingly clean with minimal pollution. Looking around at my surroundings I was feeling very small and insignificant amongst all the towering sky scrapers - the biggest and most elaborate I've seen in my entire life. Definitely not Vancouver. Most of them seemed to have some unique architectural feature. It was almost as though each one was trying to out do the next in their splendour and modernity.
If I thought the city was amazing during the day, then I was totally blown away when nightfall came and the entire place bacame this futuristic glowing metropolis. It was like Vegas on steroids. Club music thumped from every street corner and the arrays of twirling colourful lights lit up the night sky. Whole skyscrapers were covered in colour-changing lights like cameleons that put on their own light show.
The best way to view the city by night is to take one of the many equally brightly lit pleasure cruiser boats along the river. Our group hopped on one and, with beers in hand, we made our way to the top deck to watch the show from the best vantage point.
It was truely amazing. I felt as though I had walked on to some big buget sci-fi movie. I've never seen such a futuristic city-scape. I felt this great contrast between the ancient wonders I had visited earlier (The great Wall, and Terra Cotta Warriors) and this incredible modern wonder.
Unfortunately, my cold got the worst of me and I wasn't able to do much sight-seeing. We did however go to this great big Bazaar in a surprisingly ancient market place. It was fun at first but as the day went on it kept getting more and more crowded. Nudging turned to pushing and pushing turned to shoving and pretty soon I was right mad and ready to serioiusly injure the next person that touched me. There is no such thing as personal space in China. So we sought refuge in an old beautiful Chinese garden. It was very tranquil. The flowing water and swaying trees were very peaceful and I calmed down some.
Later in the evening we had the privledge to see the Shanghai acrobats. Such amazing little people... and they are actually little. They were very talented and the show was amazing. I was a little concerned about the state of some of their equipment however, it looked a little questionable and past it's prime.
At the end of our Shanghai adventure we prepared ourselves to board the longest train journey of our trip - 25 hours (uhg!) - to Yangshou. I'm sure that we'll all be the best of friends by the end...hopefully.
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Walls and Warriors, January 13/2010
On the morning of the 11th we packed our bags and boarded a bus for the Great Wall; the group was eager with anticipation despite the early hour. After three hours of hectic driving, we were able to catch glimpses of the Wall's towers dotted along the mountain range. Finally we arrived and it was freezing! About 5-7 degrees colder then Beijing. We had to shuffle our feet and rub our hands together in order to keep warm while we waited for our guide, Jerry.
I was worried about my knee giving me problems, but I took a gamble and decided to do the grueling four hour hike anyways. There was no way that I would be passing up the experience of a lifetime! As we started the climb, the temperature seemed to rise as well. Before we knew it, we were sweating and shedding as much clothing as possible. Climbing over 3000 steps is hard work! The weather was wonderful: blue skies and not a cloud in sight. Great for pictures. A group of local farmers had chased us up the wall and continued on the hike with us for about and hour and a half. They were experienced climbers and would offer their assistence on the tricky bits in hopes that we would buy one of the souvenirs that they pushed in our faces. Nice people mostly.
Other then the farmers, the Wall was completely deserted and all our own. The hike was over the Simatai part of the Wall, which was built during the famous Qing Dynasty (pronounced Ching). It is completely in it's original state and hasn't been restored, keeping the hoards of tourists away. There were quite a few crumbling and treacherous bits, but this just added to its mystique. Very authentic. Stretching thousands of miles, this world wonder snaked its way accross the mountain ranges before us. The passage of time and history leaving its marks along the way. In fact, I felt as though I had travelled back in time to when the Qing Chinese ruthlessly defended their kindom against the surging and relentless Mongolian army. Shooting arrows and throwing rocks from their stony fortress at the notoriously vicious warriors.
This had to be one of the most authentic and life-defining moments that I've experienced - standing on the Great Wall. Words can't desribe how beautiful and ancient it was. I only hope that the hundreds of pictures I took will do it justice.
Unfortuneately, Kelsea was unable to participate in the hike due to the problems she's been having with her knees as of late. She took the bus straight to the hostel on the other side, where we would be arriving at the end of the hike. She did, however, climb to the top of a few towers there, and was able to see one of the most scenic sections of the Wall. I thought it was one of the best views and a great representation of the Wall, so she wasn't totally left out.
The night dropped to minus twenty and we struggled to keep warm in our simple and rustic hostel, but you couldn't beat the views! The next morning, kelsea and I and some other girls hiked to the top again to watch the sun rise over the Wall. It was magical. Great Wall of China....check!
After returning from the Great Wall we caught a overnight train to Xi'an, the old capital of China for 2000 years. The train was decent enough, however it was pretty cramped - six of us to a very narrow cabin. We were all best friends by morning! And there was no curtain or door to the cabins so in the middle of the night I woke up to find an older Chinese gentleman staring at me in my bed...awkward. It was also super hot and stuffy so I didn't really sleep.
Once we arrived in Xi'an, we went straight to our hostel, which was in the very traditional style and the nicest so far. Our bed for the night consisted of mud and bricks stacked high with bedding on top. It's not as bad as it sounds, it's very clean and quite warm. Big improvement over the train beds. This is the traditional style of Chinese beds.
Xi'an is a very authentic Chinese city. It is not as modern as Beijing and quite a bit smaller. The markets are overrun with locals and tourists are more rare. Birds sing from their cages as spicy mixed aromas invade your nose from the various food stands. You have to be careful where you walk as tuk-tuks and mopeds speed past honking their horns at you. The Chinese are also very curious about westerners. They will stare and take pictures of you. They ask really personal questions like how much money you make and what you do for a living. It takes a little bit to get used to, but nice to chat with someone who knows English. The smog is really bad here. You can barely see more then a few blocks in front of you and all the buildings have a brownish grime on them.
The second day we headed out to visit Xi'an's premier attraction: the Terracotta Warriors. The warriors were created for the tomb of Emperor Qing (also the one who built the Wall). He was the first emperor of China and was very influencial in his time: unifying the country, creating formal currency and measurements, etc. When he died he wanted to take all the comforts of his kingdom with him in his afterlife. Originally, he wanted to burry his entire army alive with him but decided against it as so many had already died in the wars. So he decided to have an exact replica of each soldier made out of terracotta. Each statue is a different size, height, and with different faces. There are 8000 in total and we were able to see 6000 of them. The emperor also burried with him many animals, and also 1000 of his live concubines. Very impressive. We were awed; there they were row upon row upon row, and all different. His entire amry was immortalized for all eternity. The family names of the soldiers are inscribed on them as well so many Chinese can trace their ancestory here. It was truely amazing. I loved every minute of it. The carved horses were also very beautiful. Definitely worth the trip and another big check on the life's todo list.
The rest of the day went by quickly and before we knew it we were back at the hostel. Tonight we are going out for Chinese buffet followed by some wild Kareoke. Should be fun....or embarrassing, we'll see.
I was worried about my knee giving me problems, but I took a gamble and decided to do the grueling four hour hike anyways. There was no way that I would be passing up the experience of a lifetime! As we started the climb, the temperature seemed to rise as well. Before we knew it, we were sweating and shedding as much clothing as possible. Climbing over 3000 steps is hard work! The weather was wonderful: blue skies and not a cloud in sight. Great for pictures. A group of local farmers had chased us up the wall and continued on the hike with us for about and hour and a half. They were experienced climbers and would offer their assistence on the tricky bits in hopes that we would buy one of the souvenirs that they pushed in our faces. Nice people mostly.
Other then the farmers, the Wall was completely deserted and all our own. The hike was over the Simatai part of the Wall, which was built during the famous Qing Dynasty (pronounced Ching). It is completely in it's original state and hasn't been restored, keeping the hoards of tourists away. There were quite a few crumbling and treacherous bits, but this just added to its mystique. Very authentic. Stretching thousands of miles, this world wonder snaked its way accross the mountain ranges before us. The passage of time and history leaving its marks along the way. In fact, I felt as though I had travelled back in time to when the Qing Chinese ruthlessly defended their kindom against the surging and relentless Mongolian army. Shooting arrows and throwing rocks from their stony fortress at the notoriously vicious warriors.
This had to be one of the most authentic and life-defining moments that I've experienced - standing on the Great Wall. Words can't desribe how beautiful and ancient it was. I only hope that the hundreds of pictures I took will do it justice.
Unfortuneately, Kelsea was unable to participate in the hike due to the problems she's been having with her knees as of late. She took the bus straight to the hostel on the other side, where we would be arriving at the end of the hike. She did, however, climb to the top of a few towers there, and was able to see one of the most scenic sections of the Wall. I thought it was one of the best views and a great representation of the Wall, so she wasn't totally left out.
The night dropped to minus twenty and we struggled to keep warm in our simple and rustic hostel, but you couldn't beat the views! The next morning, kelsea and I and some other girls hiked to the top again to watch the sun rise over the Wall. It was magical. Great Wall of China....check!
After returning from the Great Wall we caught a overnight train to Xi'an, the old capital of China for 2000 years. The train was decent enough, however it was pretty cramped - six of us to a very narrow cabin. We were all best friends by morning! And there was no curtain or door to the cabins so in the middle of the night I woke up to find an older Chinese gentleman staring at me in my bed...awkward. It was also super hot and stuffy so I didn't really sleep.
Once we arrived in Xi'an, we went straight to our hostel, which was in the very traditional style and the nicest so far. Our bed for the night consisted of mud and bricks stacked high with bedding on top. It's not as bad as it sounds, it's very clean and quite warm. Big improvement over the train beds. This is the traditional style of Chinese beds.
Xi'an is a very authentic Chinese city. It is not as modern as Beijing and quite a bit smaller. The markets are overrun with locals and tourists are more rare. Birds sing from their cages as spicy mixed aromas invade your nose from the various food stands. You have to be careful where you walk as tuk-tuks and mopeds speed past honking their horns at you. The Chinese are also very curious about westerners. They will stare and take pictures of you. They ask really personal questions like how much money you make and what you do for a living. It takes a little bit to get used to, but nice to chat with someone who knows English. The smog is really bad here. You can barely see more then a few blocks in front of you and all the buildings have a brownish grime on them.
The second day we headed out to visit Xi'an's premier attraction: the Terracotta Warriors. The warriors were created for the tomb of Emperor Qing (also the one who built the Wall). He was the first emperor of China and was very influencial in his time: unifying the country, creating formal currency and measurements, etc. When he died he wanted to take all the comforts of his kingdom with him in his afterlife. Originally, he wanted to burry his entire army alive with him but decided against it as so many had already died in the wars. So he decided to have an exact replica of each soldier made out of terracotta. Each statue is a different size, height, and with different faces. There are 8000 in total and we were able to see 6000 of them. The emperor also burried with him many animals, and also 1000 of his live concubines. Very impressive. We were awed; there they were row upon row upon row, and all different. His entire amry was immortalized for all eternity. The family names of the soldiers are inscribed on them as well so many Chinese can trace their ancestory here. It was truely amazing. I loved every minute of it. The carved horses were also very beautiful. Definitely worth the trip and another big check on the life's todo list.
The rest of the day went by quickly and before we knew it we were back at the hostel. Tonight we are going out for Chinese buffet followed by some wild Kareoke. Should be fun....or embarrassing, we'll see.
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Beijing, January 10, 2010
Beijing is a wonderful Asian city. It may take a few days to get used to, but certainly worth the effort. The last couple of days have produced some interesting (but fun) moments. We visited the Tibetan Lama Temple which was very beautiful and serene. We watched as Buddhist worshipers weaved their way through each of the intricately decorated shrines; the smell of incense filled the air as curls of smoke drifted from the brightly coloured sticks that they carried. We stood in the peaceful presence of six golden Buddhas - with our feet respectfully pointed away from his image. Monks, dressed in their robes, walked the grounds and encouraged us to spin the Tibetan prayer wheels for some luck. The last shrine in the series housed an 18 metre high golden Buddha; it's said that he was carved from a single piece of wood. We stood in his glorious and knowing presence, letting the calm wash over us. It was quite spectacular.
After we left the Lama Temple we felt at ease and one with the universe. However, a short visit to the chaotic stands at the Silk Market quickly abolished all of our inner peace. With the best brand-name and fashion label knock-offs, it was just too hard to resist. We wove through the maze-like aisles of this six-floor emporium. Purses, boots, bags and much more were thrust into our hands all with the promises of "special price" and "special sale." There was Louis Vouton, Gucci, Prada, Coach, Channel and so much more. We were grabbed, pushed and prodded into the vender's stalls - apparently "no" really doesn't mean "no" at the silk market. As traumatizing as the experience was, we were able to sharpen our haggling skills and wound up getting quite a few bargains... at least we thought they were bargains. There are three important things to remember when haggling over price 1) never seem too interested, 2) always start really low so that you have some room to adjust, and 3) walk away; the minute that you walk away you're gauranteed that they will drop the price by half. It's always important to remember that the "right price" is the price you pay. It is a suitable agreement between you and the vender. I wonder if any of these techniques will work back home in Canada?
After picking up some great Jimmy Choo and Marc Jacobs, we were side tracked by two sweet-looking girls at a silk scarf stall...or at least we thought they were sweet. They ended up physically holding us hostage in their stall with death grips on our arms and bags. They were trying to physically intimidate us and take our money. Things got ugly and I had to physically force them off us. They shouted curses and obsenities as we fled to a safer floor. It was pretty aweful, but we weren't gonna let it ruin our experience.
The next day we felt like visisting the modern side of Beijing which is equally if not more impressive. We began at the Bird's Nest Stadium and it's counter part the Water Cube. Very nice, and it reminded us of the upcoming Olympics in Vancouver that we will have to miss :( Next we went to see the CCTV building which is brand new and controversal. It looks like a giant pair of pants. Some Chinese find it offensive because it was built so close to the Forbidden City. I thought it was amazing - google it.
We were feeling a little peckish so we decided to head to the famous Snack Market where various Chinese delicacies are served by outdoor venders. The fare ranged from delicious and tolerable dumplings to seahorse, starfish, and scorpion kabobs. We tried quite a few things, those that looked somewhat edible, and found it to be quite nice. Tasty even!
Later in the evening our group had the opportunity to make our own dumplings for dinner. It is tradition to put a coin inside one of the dumpling so that whoever finds it will have good luck.
Unfortunately, I may have twisted my knee a little so I've been up in the room icing it - I didn't find the coin.
(FYI: We have made it safely to Xian! Stay tuned for coming posts.)
After we left the Lama Temple we felt at ease and one with the universe. However, a short visit to the chaotic stands at the Silk Market quickly abolished all of our inner peace. With the best brand-name and fashion label knock-offs, it was just too hard to resist. We wove through the maze-like aisles of this six-floor emporium. Purses, boots, bags and much more were thrust into our hands all with the promises of "special price" and "special sale." There was Louis Vouton, Gucci, Prada, Coach, Channel and so much more. We were grabbed, pushed and prodded into the vender's stalls - apparently "no" really doesn't mean "no" at the silk market. As traumatizing as the experience was, we were able to sharpen our haggling skills and wound up getting quite a few bargains... at least we thought they were bargains. There are three important things to remember when haggling over price 1) never seem too interested, 2) always start really low so that you have some room to adjust, and 3) walk away; the minute that you walk away you're gauranteed that they will drop the price by half. It's always important to remember that the "right price" is the price you pay. It is a suitable agreement between you and the vender. I wonder if any of these techniques will work back home in Canada?
After picking up some great Jimmy Choo and Marc Jacobs, we were side tracked by two sweet-looking girls at a silk scarf stall...or at least we thought they were sweet. They ended up physically holding us hostage in their stall with death grips on our arms and bags. They were trying to physically intimidate us and take our money. Things got ugly and I had to physically force them off us. They shouted curses and obsenities as we fled to a safer floor. It was pretty aweful, but we weren't gonna let it ruin our experience.
The next day we felt like visisting the modern side of Beijing which is equally if not more impressive. We began at the Bird's Nest Stadium and it's counter part the Water Cube. Very nice, and it reminded us of the upcoming Olympics in Vancouver that we will have to miss :( Next we went to see the CCTV building which is brand new and controversal. It looks like a giant pair of pants. Some Chinese find it offensive because it was built so close to the Forbidden City. I thought it was amazing - google it.
We were feeling a little peckish so we decided to head to the famous Snack Market where various Chinese delicacies are served by outdoor venders. The fare ranged from delicious and tolerable dumplings to seahorse, starfish, and scorpion kabobs. We tried quite a few things, those that looked somewhat edible, and found it to be quite nice. Tasty even!
Later in the evening our group had the opportunity to make our own dumplings for dinner. It is tradition to put a coin inside one of the dumpling so that whoever finds it will have good luck.
Unfortunately, I may have twisted my knee a little so I've been up in the room icing it - I didn't find the coin.
(FYI: We have made it safely to Xian! Stay tuned for coming posts.)
Saturday, January 9, 2010
Ni Hao! Jan 7/10, Beijing
The last two days have gone by in a whirl wind! We've been doing our duty as tourists and cramming way too much sight-seeing into each day. One our first day, Kelsea and I went to visit Tian An Men Square and the Forbidden City. What a sight! There's definitely a certain feeling of satisfaction and accomplishment when you get to see such an iconic part of the world and history. I'm sure we'll feel the same next week when we visit the Great Wall.
Entering the square, at first, was a little on the confusing side. Amidst the hoards of tourists and locals hawking their wares, we managed to make our way through. Once out in the open, we were able to take in the sheer vastness of the complex. Tian An Mean Square is the biggest public square in the world. The thousands of tourists looked like little ants in comparison. The size of it is almost too much to comprehend.
Another noticeable element was the police presence, which seemed to be in full force. I swear there was one policeman for every two tourists, and those were just the ones that you could see. Apparently, there are even more who are undercover in plain clothes. This high security has been in place since the 1989 pro-democracy student demonstrations that took place in the square.
At the head of the square is the entrence to the Forbidden City, crowned by an enormous portrait of Chairman Mao. Walking through the entrence gates led us into the pristine and palatial palace grounds, which was covered in beautiful sparkling snow. The Palace was first built between 1406 and 1420, contains over 800 buildings, and served as the residence to 24 Chinese emperors. Needless to say, it's pretty impressive. With history seeping from every corner, we wound our way through the imperial stomping grounds.
Being winter, there were very few tourists. The snow was an excellent backdrop to the elaborately tiled roofs and colourfully painted columns. What a wonderful and mystic place: walking in the footsteps of Chinese emperors.
On the second day we were able to check off a few other major sights. In the morning we climbed to the top of a small mountain in Jingshan Park. The mountain was dotted with several Buddist temples and offered and excellent bird's-eye-view of the rooftops of the Forbidden City as well as the rest of Beijing. We were tempted to join in with the many tai chi groups that were scattered through out the park.
Later we took a gamble on the subway that paid off and went to the Temple of Heaven. This is where the emperors came to worship their ancestors. It was equally as beautiful as the Forbidden City and nearly as big.
And finally, to cap off this wonderful day we decided to participate in a true Beijing tradition: Pekking Duck. We went to the best restaurant for duck in the city. Greeted by finely dressed maitridees, we were led to a glamourous dinning hall. We felt a little out of place in our grubby backpacker clothes; the wait staff definitely gave us the once over. However the duck was incredible and well worth the embarassment. The flesh was juicy and suculent and the skin was crispy and salty-sweet. Roll it up in a pancake with some cucumber, green onion, and sauce! Yum-oh! Duck must be like turkey because by the time we were finished this elaborate four course meal we were exhausted.
Back at the hostel, we fell asleep almost instantly. Our bellies were content as we dreamt about luxurious palaces and mystic temples.
(Please note: we are having difficulty gaining access to our blog in Beijing. Internet access in China is censored. Our updates may not be regular while we are here. However, we will do our best to keep you posted.)
The last two days have gone by in a whirl wind! We've been doing our duty as tourists and cramming way too much sight-seeing into each day. One our first day, Kelsea and I went to visit Tian An Men Square and the Forbidden City. What a sight! There's definitely a certain feeling of satisfaction and accomplishment when you get to see such an iconic part of the world and history. I'm sure we'll feel the same next week when we visit the Great Wall.
Entering the square, at first, was a little on the confusing side. Amidst the hoards of tourists and locals hawking their wares, we managed to make our way through. Once out in the open, we were able to take in the sheer vastness of the complex. Tian An Mean Square is the biggest public square in the world. The thousands of tourists looked like little ants in comparison. The size of it is almost too much to comprehend.
Another noticeable element was the police presence, which seemed to be in full force. I swear there was one policeman for every two tourists, and those were just the ones that you could see. Apparently, there are even more who are undercover in plain clothes. This high security has been in place since the 1989 pro-democracy student demonstrations that took place in the square.
At the head of the square is the entrence to the Forbidden City, crowned by an enormous portrait of Chairman Mao. Walking through the entrence gates led us into the pristine and palatial palace grounds, which was covered in beautiful sparkling snow. The Palace was first built between 1406 and 1420, contains over 800 buildings, and served as the residence to 24 Chinese emperors. Needless to say, it's pretty impressive. With history seeping from every corner, we wound our way through the imperial stomping grounds.
Being winter, there were very few tourists. The snow was an excellent backdrop to the elaborately tiled roofs and colourfully painted columns. What a wonderful and mystic place: walking in the footsteps of Chinese emperors.
On the second day we were able to check off a few other major sights. In the morning we climbed to the top of a small mountain in Jingshan Park. The mountain was dotted with several Buddist temples and offered and excellent bird's-eye-view of the rooftops of the Forbidden City as well as the rest of Beijing. We were tempted to join in with the many tai chi groups that were scattered through out the park.
Later we took a gamble on the subway that paid off and went to the Temple of Heaven. This is where the emperors came to worship their ancestors. It was equally as beautiful as the Forbidden City and nearly as big.
And finally, to cap off this wonderful day we decided to participate in a true Beijing tradition: Pekking Duck. We went to the best restaurant for duck in the city. Greeted by finely dressed maitridees, we were led to a glamourous dinning hall. We felt a little out of place in our grubby backpacker clothes; the wait staff definitely gave us the once over. However the duck was incredible and well worth the embarassment. The flesh was juicy and suculent and the skin was crispy and salty-sweet. Roll it up in a pancake with some cucumber, green onion, and sauce! Yum-oh! Duck must be like turkey because by the time we were finished this elaborate four course meal we were exhausted.
Back at the hostel, we fell asleep almost instantly. Our bellies were content as we dreamt about luxurious palaces and mystic temples.
(Please note: we are having difficulty gaining access to our blog in Beijing. Internet access in China is censored. Our updates may not be regular while we are here. However, we will do our best to keep you posted.)
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Arriving in Bejing
Well, this week didn't get off to a good start. First of all, some terrorist decides to try and blow up a plane in the states, creating a security nightmare! And secondly, a freak of a snow blizzard strikes Beijing, leaving the city in a stand still. The combination of these two events seemed potentially disastrous: canceled flights, hours in security, lost luggage, etc. Needless to say I was feeling a little anxious and perturbed. I did manage to succeed in driving my mother and boyfriend completely nuts when I entered crisis mode and starting forming contingency plans and obsessing over every little detail. Hey, if there was one thing that I learned from Girl Guides it was to "always be prepared."
Luckily, everything went surprisingly smoothly. I even found myself enjoying the grueling 13 hour flight from San Fran to Bejing. They fed us, gave us snacks, let us watch movies, and then they gave us blankets and pillows and turned down the lights for nap time. Delightful! Of course once we got to Bejing we would need all our energy to get through quarantine, immigration, and customs...oh my! Then we had to wait for a taxi cab in the brisk -11 air, which had no seat belts! Of course the cabbie's driving skills were top notch....not.
In the end we arrived safely to our little hostel next to the Forbidden City. It's not bad and it was cheap - 13 bucks a night for our own room! That being said, I'll be taking a shower over top of a toilet tonight!
Luckily, everything went surprisingly smoothly. I even found myself enjoying the grueling 13 hour flight from San Fran to Bejing. They fed us, gave us snacks, let us watch movies, and then they gave us blankets and pillows and turned down the lights for nap time. Delightful! Of course once we got to Bejing we would need all our energy to get through quarantine, immigration, and customs...oh my! Then we had to wait for a taxi cab in the brisk -11 air, which had no seat belts! Of course the cabbie's driving skills were top notch....not.
In the end we arrived safely to our little hostel next to the Forbidden City. It's not bad and it was cheap - 13 bucks a night for our own room! That being said, I'll be taking a shower over top of a toilet tonight!
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