Ok, he's my last post from Asia... I can't believe my time here is already coming to an end. And it might get cut short... I only have 26 minutes left. If I go over the 30 minute mark I have to pay 2 more Ringgit (about 66 cents and might not have enough for the cab to the train station in the morning).
It seemed like so long ago that we arrive, but it was just over 48 hours ago on Sunday. After our 1 our bus ride into the city we took the monorail to the 'Golden Triangle' to look for a hotel - we didn't want to go stay in Chinatown (a cheaper location) since the Lonely Planet says many of the places there have bedbugs. We left the first place since not all of us wanted to stay in a dorm room. The second place we stopped at seemed good.. The Lonely Planet had recommended it, there were spacious lounges on each floor with tvs and couches and breakfast was included in the approximately $8/night/person cost. It sounded great!!! We quickly dropped our bags in the room and headed out to a night market.
My first impression of Kuala Lumpur was amazing. There you are, walking down the street and you can see a KFC, a Malaysian food street vender, a woman wearing a burkah, a buddish monk and an Indian woman dressed in a sari. All with 10 feet of each other. This city seems to take multi-cultural to a new level! And, it blends the old with the new well, yet seemlessly. A Sony billboard hangs over a street market, an old mosque is overshadowed by a modern skyscraper and you don't think twice about it.
When we got back to go to sleep, though, our impressions of the hotel room suddenly changed. The beds lack sheets (besides the basic one covering the mattress) and blankets, the window (overlooking a main street) is as thin as paper and the AC fights a loosing battle all night long. It was too late to change our minds, though. We told ourselves that we would survive. The first night I slept using my towel as a blanket. The night I used a scarf I had bought. Neither worked all two well. You know its bad when you dream of the US Embassy giving you a clean towel, sheets and a blanket to use in the hostel (I know, weird dream). We managed to sleep well none-the-less, though.
Monday we explored the city. The first thing I learned was the city is a lot smaller than you might think. I was guiding with the map and when we could cover an inch (on the map) in 1 block I knew we would not be needing to use the public transport. We visited the national mosque (you forget that Malaysia is a Muslim country) and the National museum (learning about the countries diverse roots!) before we split up and I headed to the Islamic Arts Museum.
Today we headed to the PETRONAS Twin Towers to get tickets to go up on the sky bridge. We ended up being a lot farther back in the line than we had expected and got tickets for 6:15 PM in the afternoon... This completely threw a wrench in our plans since we had been planning to get out of the city in the afternoon. I went to the visitors desk and asked for any suggestions on things to do in the city. Before I knew it they were waving us in to go up to the sky bridge so we could use our tickets then and then be able to use the rest of our day (it was 10 AM). In the afternoon we headed to caves that contain a Hindu temple.
We have definitely been getting tired. I bumped into a group from Texas today and was talking to them about our trip. I said that if we weren't headed home tomorrow we would need a couple of days of R&R at the beach. Traveling for this long wears you down. I think I'm starting to get sick and definitely need a couple of days to sleep in. Because of this, we decided to go to the movies last night. We saw Killers.. Not what I would consider a good movie at all, but it was a break in an air conditioned place. I'm looking forward to a day when I don't WANT to take a cold shower simply because its my one time all day that I actually get to be cold.
So, here I sit with 13.30 Ringgit (about $4) left in my wallet (excluding the amount I'm about to pay for the internet) and getting ready to catch a cab at 5:30 AM to the train station so we can get on a bus to the airport where we'll get on a flight to England. I don't think we'll be concocting any crazy travel plans at camp again this year, but who knows..
Oh, and just to show how cheap this hotel is... I asked if they could call a cab for us at 5:30 AM tomorrow. The guys said they had no numbers of any taxi companies. I asked if I could look some numbers up online. He said ok. I asked if I would have to pay. He said 'of course'. I gave him a look. He let me use his computer. I looked up the numbers. I gave them to him. He said staff aren't allowed to use the telephone. I had to go use the payphone outside. AND THEN I cut my foot on a piece of glass in the stairwell. I told the guy that he needed to clean it up if they were going to ask people to take their shoes off inside. He said the cleaning lady would come in the morning. I stared at him again. He went to get the broom.
Anyways, I've used 33 minutes. They better not ask for the 2 ringgit (60 cents) more.. I'm not going to pay. If you're reading, check back in a couple of days. I think I might do one more post, and I promise it will be interesting!!
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Sunday, June 13, 2010
Saigon, Mekong Delta and Cambodia
So, this is going to be a blog post on steroids. I'm catching up with 2 countries and countless miles travelled - all in the next 20 minutes. I would have updated it a couple of nights ago, but... The hotel we were at 2 hotels ago charged 25 cents for each 15 minutes of internet use (We are getting stingy, but we mostly didn't use it out of stubborness) and the internet browser at the our last hotel crashed every 2 minutes (or so it seemed). Here goes!
I loved Saigon, but not the first hotel we stayed in. We got in late and, therefore, had called the hotel in advance and arranged to get picked up by them from the airport. We checked in. The bathroom window was broken so hot air was pouring in. The sink leaked. The beds were hard. There was a stain on my pillow. The AC was literally 6 inches from my feet and I still couldn't feel it. I lay in bed, failing in my attempts to go to sleep. I thought I felt bed bugs crawling on my legs. We fled in the morning to a cheaper (and much nicer hotel only a block away).
The first day we just walked around the city, saw the sites and visited museums. Our second stop was the War Remnants Museum. This was probably the most sobering Vietnam War experience we had. The pictures gave everything a vividness so often missing. The stories were incredibly moving. At the end we got to see a remake of a South Vietnamese prison. It showed something called a tiger cage. It was a barbed wire cage 18 inches tall, 6 feet long and maybe 2 feet wide with the ground acting as the bottom. I thought it would be painful with one person inside. It was intended for 3 POWs. We left. We were all speechless.
We went to the main night market in town. A couple of students approached us to practice their English. One of the was a Geography major!!! Talk about a small world. I was also beginning to remember how much I loved bartering. It's dangerous. I bought a shirt I didn't really want because the lady met my ridiculously low price as I walked away (I was getting more than 75% off on some items I bartered for). Another lady looked like she might accept my low price. I left as fast as I could. Or I at least tried to. She called me back. She met my price. I came up with an excuse not to buy it ("the fabric was too thin").
Friday we went to the Chu Chi tunnels in the morning. They are located northwest of Saigon and were a VC stronghold during the war (The zone was so uncontrolled that American planes returning from combat missions were allowed to drop their unused bombs anywhere in the area. With no permission necessary.). We saw a propaganda video that talked about killing Americans. We saw some of the traps into which American and South Vietnamese troops would fall. It brought the war to life yet again. It made me think a lot.
That afternoon we went to the 'Reunification Palace' - the building that was the presidential palace during the war. Interestingly enough, the one standing today is different than the one first built. It was bombed during the war, but, not as you would guess, by the North Vietnamese. It was bombed by the South Vietnamese leaders own air force. He survived but he was later forced from power.
Over the weekend we worked our way to Cambodia by going through the Mekong Delta. Sadly, we didn't have much time to actually explore the delta, we spent most of the time in a bus or on a boat. When we finally got to the Cambodian border on Sunday afternoon I realized that I had lost the passport photo that I would need to get my visa at the border crossing. I told our guide. He said it would cost one extra dollar. I'm not sure if that was an 'administrative fee' or a bribe. I didn't ask. But we did know for sure that we had paid $22 for our visas. The stamp that went on our visas said "Cost - $20". We don't know where or to whom that 2 extra dollars went.
Sunday night we took a bus from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap, the city right next to Angkor Wat. All I can say is that the bus was freezing. ABSOLUTELY FREEZING. Somebody said that either the AC isn't working here or the people want to show it off. Well, they showed it off all right. The man across from me covered his head/upper body with a towel. A couple behind him were using a curtain to deflect the AC. I just sat there. Freezing to death. I was SO happy to get off that bus.
But, the tuc-tuc (sitting cart pulled by a motorbike) ride to the hotel was even more interesting. 2 guys from the hotel came to pick us up from the bus station for free. One of them was constantly apologizing for being late. The other one was driving... Well sort of. He was swerving. A lot. He was trying to follow the line that marked the edge of the road. A couple of times I seriously thought we were going to cross that line and go OFF the road. I don't think I've ever held onto a handle bar so tight. I thought I knew why this was happening... We arrived at the hotel. I shook the drivers hand and got my face as close to his as a I could without being too obvious. I could smell the alcohol on his breath...
Monday through Wednesday spent in Angkor Wat. I don't have too much time to describe it, but saying that it's incredible doesn't do it justice! The first day when we got off the tuc-tuc in front of the main temple (Angkor Wat) it left me in awe. Cambodia has gone through a lot recently (genocide less than 35 years ago), but they've never lost their pride in Angkor Wat. Seeing all of the different temples was truly spectacular.
Wednesday afternoon we went to Battambang (Cambodia's second largest city). Thursday we took a cooking class (Cambodian/Thai food is really good!!!) and then went to a nearby killing cave in the afternoon (Used during the genocide committed by Pol Pot in the 1970's). The cave is now next to a buddist temple. Hopefully those who were killed can now find peace. Again, it really made me think. It took my breath away seeing a shrine full of human skulls and bones.
Friday morning we took a bus to Phnom Penh. We left at 6 AM. We didn't think that it would be that long of a bus ride - the distance between the two cities isn't that great. As we got closer to Phnom Penh the roads got worse. Think of it this way.. Take a speed bump from the US. Now drive over it at 30 miles an hour. That's what it felt like. Yet the roads looked perfectly flat. I have no idea how they do it!!! We didn't arrive in the capital until noon. It had been a 6 hour bus ride.
Friday afternoon and Saturday we explored the city. We went to the national museum. Saturday morning we went to the killing fields (One site right outside of the city where a large number of people were killed) and to a prison from during the Pol Pot regime. Again, another harrowing experience. And this genocide happened less than 35 years ago.
The best part, though? We went to a pool Saturday afternoon. We were all tired from the travelling. We needed a break. We swam and read and slept. It was the best $4 I've spent all trip. We left feeling recharged. Ready to go.
Today we flew from Cambodia to Kuala Lumpur. We found a 'guest house' and around. It's definitely different from Cambodia!!! Stay tuned! And thanks to those who have let me know what they think about the blog. It's nice to hear that people are actually reading it.
I loved Saigon, but not the first hotel we stayed in. We got in late and, therefore, had called the hotel in advance and arranged to get picked up by them from the airport. We checked in. The bathroom window was broken so hot air was pouring in. The sink leaked. The beds were hard. There was a stain on my pillow. The AC was literally 6 inches from my feet and I still couldn't feel it. I lay in bed, failing in my attempts to go to sleep. I thought I felt bed bugs crawling on my legs. We fled in the morning to a cheaper (and much nicer hotel only a block away).
The first day we just walked around the city, saw the sites and visited museums. Our second stop was the War Remnants Museum. This was probably the most sobering Vietnam War experience we had. The pictures gave everything a vividness so often missing. The stories were incredibly moving. At the end we got to see a remake of a South Vietnamese prison. It showed something called a tiger cage. It was a barbed wire cage 18 inches tall, 6 feet long and maybe 2 feet wide with the ground acting as the bottom. I thought it would be painful with one person inside. It was intended for 3 POWs. We left. We were all speechless.
We went to the main night market in town. A couple of students approached us to practice their English. One of the was a Geography major!!! Talk about a small world. I was also beginning to remember how much I loved bartering. It's dangerous. I bought a shirt I didn't really want because the lady met my ridiculously low price as I walked away (I was getting more than 75% off on some items I bartered for). Another lady looked like she might accept my low price. I left as fast as I could. Or I at least tried to. She called me back. She met my price. I came up with an excuse not to buy it ("the fabric was too thin").
Friday we went to the Chu Chi tunnels in the morning. They are located northwest of Saigon and were a VC stronghold during the war (The zone was so uncontrolled that American planes returning from combat missions were allowed to drop their unused bombs anywhere in the area. With no permission necessary.). We saw a propaganda video that talked about killing Americans. We saw some of the traps into which American and South Vietnamese troops would fall. It brought the war to life yet again. It made me think a lot.
That afternoon we went to the 'Reunification Palace' - the building that was the presidential palace during the war. Interestingly enough, the one standing today is different than the one first built. It was bombed during the war, but, not as you would guess, by the North Vietnamese. It was bombed by the South Vietnamese leaders own air force. He survived but he was later forced from power.
Over the weekend we worked our way to Cambodia by going through the Mekong Delta. Sadly, we didn't have much time to actually explore the delta, we spent most of the time in a bus or on a boat. When we finally got to the Cambodian border on Sunday afternoon I realized that I had lost the passport photo that I would need to get my visa at the border crossing. I told our guide. He said it would cost one extra dollar. I'm not sure if that was an 'administrative fee' or a bribe. I didn't ask. But we did know for sure that we had paid $22 for our visas. The stamp that went on our visas said "Cost - $20". We don't know where or to whom that 2 extra dollars went.
Sunday night we took a bus from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap, the city right next to Angkor Wat. All I can say is that the bus was freezing. ABSOLUTELY FREEZING. Somebody said that either the AC isn't working here or the people want to show it off. Well, they showed it off all right. The man across from me covered his head/upper body with a towel. A couple behind him were using a curtain to deflect the AC. I just sat there. Freezing to death. I was SO happy to get off that bus.
But, the tuc-tuc (sitting cart pulled by a motorbike) ride to the hotel was even more interesting. 2 guys from the hotel came to pick us up from the bus station for free. One of them was constantly apologizing for being late. The other one was driving... Well sort of. He was swerving. A lot. He was trying to follow the line that marked the edge of the road. A couple of times I seriously thought we were going to cross that line and go OFF the road. I don't think I've ever held onto a handle bar so tight. I thought I knew why this was happening... We arrived at the hotel. I shook the drivers hand and got my face as close to his as a I could without being too obvious. I could smell the alcohol on his breath...
Monday through Wednesday spent in Angkor Wat. I don't have too much time to describe it, but saying that it's incredible doesn't do it justice! The first day when we got off the tuc-tuc in front of the main temple (Angkor Wat) it left me in awe. Cambodia has gone through a lot recently (genocide less than 35 years ago), but they've never lost their pride in Angkor Wat. Seeing all of the different temples was truly spectacular.
Wednesday afternoon we went to Battambang (Cambodia's second largest city). Thursday we took a cooking class (Cambodian/Thai food is really good!!!) and then went to a nearby killing cave in the afternoon (Used during the genocide committed by Pol Pot in the 1970's). The cave is now next to a buddist temple. Hopefully those who were killed can now find peace. Again, it really made me think. It took my breath away seeing a shrine full of human skulls and bones.
Friday morning we took a bus to Phnom Penh. We left at 6 AM. We didn't think that it would be that long of a bus ride - the distance between the two cities isn't that great. As we got closer to Phnom Penh the roads got worse. Think of it this way.. Take a speed bump from the US. Now drive over it at 30 miles an hour. That's what it felt like. Yet the roads looked perfectly flat. I have no idea how they do it!!! We didn't arrive in the capital until noon. It had been a 6 hour bus ride.
Friday afternoon and Saturday we explored the city. We went to the national museum. Saturday morning we went to the killing fields (One site right outside of the city where a large number of people were killed) and to a prison from during the Pol Pot regime. Again, another harrowing experience. And this genocide happened less than 35 years ago.
The best part, though? We went to a pool Saturday afternoon. We were all tired from the travelling. We needed a break. We swam and read and slept. It was the best $4 I've spent all trip. We left feeling recharged. Ready to go.
Today we flew from Cambodia to Kuala Lumpur. We found a 'guest house' and around. It's definitely different from Cambodia!!! Stay tuned! And thanks to those who have let me know what they think about the blog. It's nice to hear that people are actually reading it.
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
It's been a little while since I last updated the blog, so here goes.
We only got to spend one day in Hue, but it was enough time for me to fall in love with it. Before my visit the only reason I knew of Hue was because of the Vietnam war. In high school I we were studying the Tet Offensive and we saw this picture of the citadel in Hue after it had been recaptured by the Americans and the South Vietnamese. I'm not doing history any justice in this description, but think of it this way.. The fighting there was so intense during the North Vietnamese offensive and subsequent counter attack the 5,000 South Vietnamese troops were killed. As you can imagine, the city was pretty much leveled during the war, but a lot has been reconstructed since then. The spent the day going to the various sites around the city on motorbike (we didn't rent motorbikes, we just rode on the backs of them - we're not that crazy). My favorite part was definitely the Citadel. It's hard to describe, but its enormous. There you are walking down back roads and you just want to get lost amongst the colonial architecture (restored) and the many gardens.
The tour of the demilitarized zone the following day was... Well, it was a let down. The tour guide knew very little and his English wasn't that great. BUT, I was still happy to have visited it. It's one thing to visit the Vietnam War memorial in Washington DC with the names of the more than 58,000 American soldiers that died in the war. It's quite another thing to walk on the battlefields where those soldiers fought and died. Names like Khe Sanh which are being forgotten by more Americans each day are one thing when learned about in books. It was... I can't even think of the word. But it was, at the same time, an amazing and terrible experience walking to various bunkers and seeing the pictures in the accompanying museum. I definitely left the DMZ with a different outlook than the one with which I had started the day.
That night we took a night bus back to Hanoi so we could meet Drake's sister who was flying in from Taiwan. I thing about non-Western countries... Prescription medications are easy to come by. Even unknowingly!!! Knowing how much trouble I had had on the first night bus ride to Hue, I stopped in a pharmacy and asked for a sleeping pill. The lady gave me Diazapan - but under a different name. For those of you who don't know what that is, it is a heavy duty sleeping pill used in hospitals and can only be purchased with a prescription in the US. I got on the bus. Took one of the pills. Didn't fell tired. Suddenly I woke up and we were in Hanoi. And I was groggy all morning!
I'm not the biggest fan of Hanoi. I can't tell you exactly why. I just don't like it. We spent the day going to the Hanoi Hilton (another experience that's hard to explain), a church and some other sites. The neatest part was a water puppet show we went to that night. The stage is a pool of water. The puppeteers are hidden behind a screen, yet they still manage to move the water puppets (that can be seen by the audience) to the music and the plot of the skit. I have no idea how they do it.
The next day we fled Hanoi (none of us really liked it) and went to HaLong Bay - considered one of the seven natural wonders of the world. It is a bay east of Hanoi that is marked thousands of rock formations jutting out of the water. It is truly an incredible sight. We also splurged on this part of the trip. You can get rock bottom rates on trips out to the bay. We decided to pay a little extra to ensure good quality. It definitely worked. The first day we drove there on the bus (the roads were so bumpy again I couldn't even read a book) before taking a bus towards a private island. On the way there we stopped and went sea kaying. That night we swam in the ocean off of the hotel's private island, ate a 5 course meal and slept - very well. The next day was the best part, though. We took a boat to the main town and went trekking and rock climbing through the only western certified climbing agency in the bay. The trek was.. Absolutely brutal. We hiked up and down hills. The sun was hot. Really hot. The rocks reminded me of spikes. I was very afraid of falling. But, the climbing in the afternoon definitely made up for it. There we were, climbing up these rock formations that we had been looking up at all day. The experience was incredible. But, the heat and humidity were killer. After every climb it looked like people had just jumped in a swimming pool. I tried to stay hydrated while climbing, but I think it was impossible. Afterwards I chugged 1.5 liters in less than 2 minutes. That night we slept VERY well.
The next morning we biked to a hospital cave (the North Vietnamese built a hospital in a cave during the war. Incredible), before heading back to Hanoi. But, no sooner had we arrived when we got on a plane headed for Saigon - hoping that that city would be more promising.
That get me through last Wednesday night. I'll try to do another blog entry tonight to catch up. Now I have to go get in a car for 4 hours.
We only got to spend one day in Hue, but it was enough time for me to fall in love with it. Before my visit the only reason I knew of Hue was because of the Vietnam war. In high school I we were studying the Tet Offensive and we saw this picture of the citadel in Hue after it had been recaptured by the Americans and the South Vietnamese. I'm not doing history any justice in this description, but think of it this way.. The fighting there was so intense during the North Vietnamese offensive and subsequent counter attack the 5,000 South Vietnamese troops were killed. As you can imagine, the city was pretty much leveled during the war, but a lot has been reconstructed since then. The spent the day going to the various sites around the city on motorbike (we didn't rent motorbikes, we just rode on the backs of them - we're not that crazy). My favorite part was definitely the Citadel. It's hard to describe, but its enormous. There you are walking down back roads and you just want to get lost amongst the colonial architecture (restored) and the many gardens.
The tour of the demilitarized zone the following day was... Well, it was a let down. The tour guide knew very little and his English wasn't that great. BUT, I was still happy to have visited it. It's one thing to visit the Vietnam War memorial in Washington DC with the names of the more than 58,000 American soldiers that died in the war. It's quite another thing to walk on the battlefields where those soldiers fought and died. Names like Khe Sanh which are being forgotten by more Americans each day are one thing when learned about in books. It was... I can't even think of the word. But it was, at the same time, an amazing and terrible experience walking to various bunkers and seeing the pictures in the accompanying museum. I definitely left the DMZ with a different outlook than the one with which I had started the day.
That night we took a night bus back to Hanoi so we could meet Drake's sister who was flying in from Taiwan. I thing about non-Western countries... Prescription medications are easy to come by. Even unknowingly!!! Knowing how much trouble I had had on the first night bus ride to Hue, I stopped in a pharmacy and asked for a sleeping pill. The lady gave me Diazapan - but under a different name. For those of you who don't know what that is, it is a heavy duty sleeping pill used in hospitals and can only be purchased with a prescription in the US. I got on the bus. Took one of the pills. Didn't fell tired. Suddenly I woke up and we were in Hanoi. And I was groggy all morning!
I'm not the biggest fan of Hanoi. I can't tell you exactly why. I just don't like it. We spent the day going to the Hanoi Hilton (another experience that's hard to explain), a church and some other sites. The neatest part was a water puppet show we went to that night. The stage is a pool of water. The puppeteers are hidden behind a screen, yet they still manage to move the water puppets (that can be seen by the audience) to the music and the plot of the skit. I have no idea how they do it.
The next day we fled Hanoi (none of us really liked it) and went to HaLong Bay - considered one of the seven natural wonders of the world. It is a bay east of Hanoi that is marked thousands of rock formations jutting out of the water. It is truly an incredible sight. We also splurged on this part of the trip. You can get rock bottom rates on trips out to the bay. We decided to pay a little extra to ensure good quality. It definitely worked. The first day we drove there on the bus (the roads were so bumpy again I couldn't even read a book) before taking a bus towards a private island. On the way there we stopped and went sea kaying. That night we swam in the ocean off of the hotel's private island, ate a 5 course meal and slept - very well. The next day was the best part, though. We took a boat to the main town and went trekking and rock climbing through the only western certified climbing agency in the bay. The trek was.. Absolutely brutal. We hiked up and down hills. The sun was hot. Really hot. The rocks reminded me of spikes. I was very afraid of falling. But, the climbing in the afternoon definitely made up for it. There we were, climbing up these rock formations that we had been looking up at all day. The experience was incredible. But, the heat and humidity were killer. After every climb it looked like people had just jumped in a swimming pool. I tried to stay hydrated while climbing, but I think it was impossible. Afterwards I chugged 1.5 liters in less than 2 minutes. That night we slept VERY well.
The next morning we biked to a hospital cave (the North Vietnamese built a hospital in a cave during the war. Incredible), before heading back to Hanoi. But, no sooner had we arrived when we got on a plane headed for Saigon - hoping that that city would be more promising.
That get me through last Wednesday night. I'll try to do another blog entry tonight to catch up. Now I have to go get in a car for 4 hours.
Friday, May 28, 2010
Pictures - Taiwan and Vietnam
Here are a couple of pictures from the trip so far.
- Hiking the 'crags' outside of Taipei, Taiwan
- An evening market outside of Taipei, Taiwan
- Sunset as we bike in Ninh Binh, Vietnam
- Hiking in Sapa, Vietnam with our Canadian friends
- Hiking the 'crags' outside of Taipei, Taiwan
- An evening market outside of Taipei, Taiwan
- Sunset as we bike in Ninh Binh, Vietnam
- Hiking in Sapa, Vietnam with our Canadian friends
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Vietnam, Part 2 - Sapa and Linh Binh
April 30,1975 was a day that the Vietnamese and most Americans won't forget. On that day North Vietnamese soldiers moved into the South Vietnamese capital of Saigon and the last of the American contingent in the country was evacuated from the country. Although I don't know much about the Vietnam war or the history of Vietnam directlyfollowing th war, I do know that most males over the age of 50 in this country probably fought in the war. Think about it, for most people my age that would mean that your parents or people just slightly older fought in Vietnam.
I don't bring this fact up to dwell on the Vietnam war. Actually, I mention it because it is incredible how much the country has changed in the last 35 years. The US only started a dialogue with the Vietnamese government in 1991, opened a consulate in 1994 and, finally, opened an embassy in 1995. However, the US dollar is now accepted in place of the Vietnamese Dong and, more importantly, everyone is exceptionally friendly. I find myself waving to most people in the countryside and when they find out that I am from the United States many say that they hope to visit my country one day. It is amazing how much can change in a generation.
Anyways, what have we been up to? Monday night we took a night train to a town called Sapa, which is famous for its scenic views. On the train we met two Canadians, both in their early twenties who are travelling after there semester abroad, who we would end up treking with while we were in Sapa. The two days we had there were fantastic, but also different from what I expected. After studying abroad in Ecuador I got extremely used to being able to talk with the locals. Here, the language divide is huge and basically impossible to surmount. For those of you who don't know, Asian languages tend to be very tonal. For example, 'ma' can be pronounced 7 different ways (depending on the accent) and each of those 7 pronunciations represents a different word. For a Westerner it is very hard to come to grips with!!!
On the other hand, though, it was great treking through a valley with rice paddies on both sides. It definitely gives me a new found respect for those who grow rice since they spend their time in the fields thigh deep in water and mud. It also made me aware of an ugly truth (I can't think of better words to describe it, but better words do exist). The Vietnames (as well as much of the world's population is dependent on rice as a staple in their diet. However, to grow rice the fields must be flooded and the water must be left standing for long periods of time. Consequently, there are tons of mosquitoes found in these rural areas. These mosquitoes can and do carry many diseases and the people of this part of the world seem to suffer disproportiantly when it comes to mosquitoe born diseases. What's the solution? I don't know. But we should at least be grateful that our society doesn't have the same health problems associated with agricultural production.
We got back to Hanoi this morning (Thursday morning), but only stayed long enough to repack our bags (we're leaving the majority of our belongings in storage at a hostel) and drop of dirty laundry before we caught a bus south to a town called Linh Binh. The bus ride... Unique to say the least. We were sitting in the back where there were 4 seats, yet 5 people were sitting there. Was it comfortable almost having a Vietnamese man sit in my lap? No. Could I sleep while the bus rocketed over speed bumps or the highway, the shape of which resembled that of a wave? No. But it definitely was an awesome and authentic experience.
In Linh Binh we rented bikes and biked south to a karst limestone formations. Basically, water had eroded the limestone so this river went through the mountains and we followed it on a boat. After the boat ride we biked through the rice paddies (I would say the most incredible experience so far) before we biked back to the hotel that was holding our packs. The bike ride seemed to take forever, though, since my tire was flat and, after I ran over enough rocks, the tire lost its circular shape.
Anyways, I have to go eat my fried rice. We leave to catch a night bus to Hue in 35 minutes. Sorry if my spelling isn't great. I don't have time to edit these posts.
I don't bring this fact up to dwell on the Vietnam war. Actually, I mention it because it is incredible how much the country has changed in the last 35 years. The US only started a dialogue with the Vietnamese government in 1991, opened a consulate in 1994 and, finally, opened an embassy in 1995. However, the US dollar is now accepted in place of the Vietnamese Dong and, more importantly, everyone is exceptionally friendly. I find myself waving to most people in the countryside and when they find out that I am from the United States many say that they hope to visit my country one day. It is amazing how much can change in a generation.
Anyways, what have we been up to? Monday night we took a night train to a town called Sapa, which is famous for its scenic views. On the train we met two Canadians, both in their early twenties who are travelling after there semester abroad, who we would end up treking with while we were in Sapa. The two days we had there were fantastic, but also different from what I expected. After studying abroad in Ecuador I got extremely used to being able to talk with the locals. Here, the language divide is huge and basically impossible to surmount. For those of you who don't know, Asian languages tend to be very tonal. For example, 'ma' can be pronounced 7 different ways (depending on the accent) and each of those 7 pronunciations represents a different word. For a Westerner it is very hard to come to grips with!!!
On the other hand, though, it was great treking through a valley with rice paddies on both sides. It definitely gives me a new found respect for those who grow rice since they spend their time in the fields thigh deep in water and mud. It also made me aware of an ugly truth (I can't think of better words to describe it, but better words do exist). The Vietnames (as well as much of the world's population is dependent on rice as a staple in their diet. However, to grow rice the fields must be flooded and the water must be left standing for long periods of time. Consequently, there are tons of mosquitoes found in these rural areas. These mosquitoes can and do carry many diseases and the people of this part of the world seem to suffer disproportiantly when it comes to mosquitoe born diseases. What's the solution? I don't know. But we should at least be grateful that our society doesn't have the same health problems associated with agricultural production.
We got back to Hanoi this morning (Thursday morning), but only stayed long enough to repack our bags (we're leaving the majority of our belongings in storage at a hostel) and drop of dirty laundry before we caught a bus south to a town called Linh Binh. The bus ride... Unique to say the least. We were sitting in the back where there were 4 seats, yet 5 people were sitting there. Was it comfortable almost having a Vietnamese man sit in my lap? No. Could I sleep while the bus rocketed over speed bumps or the highway, the shape of which resembled that of a wave? No. But it definitely was an awesome and authentic experience.
In Linh Binh we rented bikes and biked south to a karst limestone formations. Basically, water had eroded the limestone so this river went through the mountains and we followed it on a boat. After the boat ride we biked through the rice paddies (I would say the most incredible experience so far) before we biked back to the hotel that was holding our packs. The bike ride seemed to take forever, though, since my tire was flat and, after I ran over enough rocks, the tire lost its circular shape.
Anyways, I have to go eat my fried rice. We leave to catch a night bus to Hue in 35 minutes. Sorry if my spelling isn't great. I don't have time to edit these posts.
Monday, May 24, 2010
Hanoi, Vietnam
So, I don't have much time for an update now. I am sitting at a desktop in a hostel in Hanoi, Vietnam and there is a line quickly forming behind me. A quick update, though..
The end of last week was a complete blur. It almost felt like we had been in Taipei for a month and we finished seeing everything that was on our list. Among the things we did were hike along a river outside of the city, visit the Chang Chi Shek (I know the spelling is probably wrong...), visit a couple of temples and go to a place called MTV - a movie place where you pick out your own movie to watch and get to watch it in a private room on a big screen.
Sunday, we finall had to say goodbye to Taiwan. Originally, our next destination was to be Thailand. However, with the warnings being issued by the US State Department and with a temporary curfew in effect, we decided to go to Vietnam instead. But, it was too expensive to re-route our tickets so we still flew into Bangkok on Sunday night. We arrived around 11 pm, cleared customs and camped out in the departures area where we would check into our flight to Hanoi at 4:15 the next morning. It was sort of funny, sort of sad, but as we cleared customs the lady looked at our 'address in Thailand' which said 'Airport' and asked me what that was about. I said I was leaving in 6 hours... She said she had thought I would be travelling into the city. I didn't have an answer I wanted to respond with.
Arriving in Hanoi we were tired, but happy to have moved on. Also, clearing customs was a lot easier than I ever thought it would be.. My pen broke as I filled out the entry for so I did not fill out the 'address in Vietnam' or 'passport number' fields and didn't sign the document. The customs agent looked at it, looked at me, didn't say a word and waved me through.
Taking a Vietnam airlines mini-van into the city made us think we were safe from the taxi scams that run rampant from the airport. However, we still managed to get dropped off at the wrong hotel (a hotel posing to be ours, but operating under a different name). I didn't give the man my name and only told him my name started with 'M'. We couldn't tell me my full name from their reservation book. We left. However, the second hotel looked fishy so we settled into a hostel dominated by westerners. Its a good place from which to get our feet on the ground and organize the rest of our trip here.
In a couple of hours we get on a night train headed to Sapa, a town to the north renowned for its treking. I'll let you know how that goes when I get back. The line's getting long. I have to let someone else on the computer.
The end of last week was a complete blur. It almost felt like we had been in Taipei for a month and we finished seeing everything that was on our list. Among the things we did were hike along a river outside of the city, visit the Chang Chi Shek (I know the spelling is probably wrong...), visit a couple of temples and go to a place called MTV - a movie place where you pick out your own movie to watch and get to watch it in a private room on a big screen.
Sunday, we finall had to say goodbye to Taiwan. Originally, our next destination was to be Thailand. However, with the warnings being issued by the US State Department and with a temporary curfew in effect, we decided to go to Vietnam instead. But, it was too expensive to re-route our tickets so we still flew into Bangkok on Sunday night. We arrived around 11 pm, cleared customs and camped out in the departures area where we would check into our flight to Hanoi at 4:15 the next morning. It was sort of funny, sort of sad, but as we cleared customs the lady looked at our 'address in Thailand' which said 'Airport' and asked me what that was about. I said I was leaving in 6 hours... She said she had thought I would be travelling into the city. I didn't have an answer I wanted to respond with.
Arriving in Hanoi we were tired, but happy to have moved on. Also, clearing customs was a lot easier than I ever thought it would be.. My pen broke as I filled out the entry for so I did not fill out the 'address in Vietnam' or 'passport number' fields and didn't sign the document. The customs agent looked at it, looked at me, didn't say a word and waved me through.
Taking a Vietnam airlines mini-van into the city made us think we were safe from the taxi scams that run rampant from the airport. However, we still managed to get dropped off at the wrong hotel (a hotel posing to be ours, but operating under a different name). I didn't give the man my name and only told him my name started with 'M'. We couldn't tell me my full name from their reservation book. We left. However, the second hotel looked fishy so we settled into a hostel dominated by westerners. Its a good place from which to get our feet on the ground and organize the rest of our trip here.
In a couple of hours we get on a night train headed to Sapa, a town to the north renowned for its treking. I'll let you know how that goes when I get back. The line's getting long. I have to let someone else on the computer.
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Week 1 - Taipei, Taiwan
It's hard to believe that I left Washington DC for Asia only a week ago. These past 7 days have definitely kept me busy exploring Taipei and, more generally, the country of Taiwan and also planning, mostly re-planning, the trip ahead of us as the political situation has deteriorated in Bangkok, Thailand. When we get home each night our feet our sore and we are tired. As a result, you guys are going to get the 'Asia Lite' version. I'll try to make posts when I can, but sleep just might take priority - I know, crazy idea.
I was actually planning on making this first post two nights ago. There I was, sitting at a computer as the internet loaded. As I went to type I noticed two problems, though. First, the key board stuck and the backspace didn't work. And second - but more importantly - the "Hello Kitty" stickers on the keyboard were so large that I couldn't make out the letters on each key. But, I digress...
I arrived in Taipei early Friday morning. I met my friend, Drake, in the airport several hours later before promptly getting lost on the way to Drake's sister's house (Maresa - she lives here). Why did we get lost so soon? I didn't fully appreciate just how different Mandarin (I'm just going to call it Chinese) is. I know, foolish me. In Europe and Latin America I could read the signs and decipher a little even if I did not know the language. I could show cab drivers the English names of museums and they would know what I was referring to. Here, however, I am completely illiterate. I can't understand a single symbol. I can communicate the quantity of something I want, but telling them what I want 'one' of is the difficult part. But what about all of those Asians that speak English, you ask. After all, they all have to take English in school. Well, two things. First, there is often a big difference between studying a language and being able to talk it. What about all of those American school children who study Spanish during middle and high school? But, this isn't entirely a fair point. Many of the students here study English much more intensively than we study any foreign languages. Many Universities have classes in which the text book is in English and, therefore, a high level of English is required. This leads to the second point, though. For, these people who speak conversational English aren't the same people driving taxis or, according to our luck so far, not the people we stop on the street looking completely lost.
Anyways, after being lost for more than an hour Drake's sister came to 'collect' us off of the side of the road and took us to her 'house' (I'll explain the quotes later). But, she wasn't just about to let us sit there tiredly as we tried to get over our jet lag. Nope. Instead, within the hour we were packing our smaller bags and getting ready to get on the train and head to Hualien, a coastal town two and a half hours southeast of Taipei. We got on the train as my 'jet lag' - or what would be better described as 'body clock confusion' caught up with me and I passed out. I woke up in Hualien where we rented a car (Maresa's Taiwanese boyfriend was with us), drove to the beach, set up our tents and went right back to sleep.
The next morning I woke up in a pool of my own sweat. The tent was acting as an oven and it was... ONLY 7 AM! That is another other thing. It is HOT here. It gets hot early in the mornings and then the humidity picks up throughout the day. By the afternoon it is like walking around with weights on your shoulders.
We spent most of Saturday at a nearby gorge driving and hiking. Taiwan is 70% mountain and the vast majority of mountains are deemed uninhabitable. As a result, a lot of the land in the interior of the country offers great outdoor opportunities such as hiking, biking, etc. Throughout the gorge were signs warning of falling rocks and telling visitors not 'to linger'. If I've ever seen unambiguous safety advice, that's it. As we got to thinking about bed we checked into a local hotel where we could use a room of 3 hours and, most importantly, shower. At the end of our three hours in the AIR CONDITIONED room Drake and I were lobbying to stay (for 13USD extra), but lost and we returned to our makeshift campground and fell asleep in our tents, only to be woken by the heat at 7 again.
Sunday we drove to a nearby lake and rented bikes. We also hiked into the nearby mountains where i was again struck by the foliage of Taiwan. I had just not realized how green this country would be, but I've definitely been reminded that Taiwan is comprised of hot and humid (during this time of the year) tropical rainforests. After a another full day of hiking and biking we got back in the car, drove to the train station and headed back to Taipei.
Monday we slept in and met up with Maresa and some of the other teachers from the English speaking school at which she teachers. As they told us the most recent news regarding the unrest in Thailand we decided on the spot to change our itinerary and go to Vietnam instead. How? We didn't yet know, but we would find a way.
That afternoon we went to the top of the 101, the world's tallest building until recently when it was outdone by the Burj Dubai in, you guessed it, Dubai. What stuck me the most wasn't the building itself or what I could see as I looked out from the observation deck, though. Instead, it was what I did NOT see. A couple of years back i saw a show on the 101 and assumed that the skyline of Taipei would consist of many tall buildings and be similar to that of another large city such as Hong Kong. Instead, though, the 101 stands alone. I don't mean to say that there are not other tall buildings to be found, but the buildings aren't that tall or that plentiful. Basically, Taipei is a city built closer to the ground. The skyline reminded me more of a Richmond rather than a New York.
Tuesday Drake and I went to the National Palace Museum which is regarded as on of the top 10 museums in the world. As the Republic of China was forced to retreat from mainland China to Taiwan the people took a great number of significant artifacts with them. As a result, the best collection of historical Chinese artifacts in the world is actually located in Taiwan. The National Palace Museum has a counterpart museum operated by the Chinese in Beijing and these two museums share collections with each other. But, the Taiwanese like to point out that it would take the sister museum in Beijing over 30 years to show all of the artifacts in the possession of the National Palace Museum while it would only take a fraction of that time for the National Palace Museum to display the artifacts not in its possession.
After that we headed over to the Vietnamese Office of Social and Economic Affairs (no country actually has an 'embassy' in Taiwan) in person to get out visas that we would need to enter Vietnam. We had started the search for the building that morning before our museum visit but had been thwarted by our illiteracy of the Chinese language until we found a man in a real estate office that spoke English. He gave us directions, but the building was closed for lunch. On our return, though, we went inside and began filling out the visa paperwork. I was a little nervous, though. I had always heard that Vietnam could be strict about issuing visas. I tried to fill out all of the necessary fields, but didn't have all of the information. I walked up to the window to talk to the Vietnamese representative and handed her my paper that was still missing my address in Vietnam, my date of exit and my signature. She looked at my paper for half a second, looked up and said, "I give you one month visa to my country." I nodded my head, said "ok", paid and was on my way. So much for a difficult process!
Today (finally, sorry this is so much writing in one post) we headed out of the city yet again to the 'crags'. One of the bodyguards of Sun Yat-sen (the father of the Republic of China) retired and decided to chisel staircases up several peaks. We hiked up these peaks and, from the tops, got some pretty incredible views. I wonder, though, what ever inspired this man to chisel these staircases into the rock. the most gradual incline was probably 45 degrees. There were parts where it was so steep that it was only safe because of the handropes on both sides of the stairs.
As we hiked down some of the rocks were slick. We took it slow though. As we approached the more modern (and safer) stairs, though, I lost my footing and fell. I only fell on the rock below me and reflexes turned me to my side, but I still landed on the outerside of my right thigh. After rolling on the ground for several minutes I was able to get up and we continued going down the mountain. The whole time, though, I could feel the burn of my thigh and knew I was going to have a major bruise.
So, here I sit. Back at 'home' on Maresa's laptop which, thankfully, is lacking in 'Hello Kitty' pictures on its key board, icing my thigh and just hoping that my limp isn't any worse tomorrow. Only the morning will tell, but I already know that they bruise is going to at least be the size of my palm. Hopefully I'll be able to post up here more often from here on out.
Oh, and sorry there aren't any pictures yet. I haven't been able to get out the cord to hook my camera up to the laptop. I'll see if I can change that soon. Night.
I was actually planning on making this first post two nights ago. There I was, sitting at a computer as the internet loaded. As I went to type I noticed two problems, though. First, the key board stuck and the backspace didn't work. And second - but more importantly - the "Hello Kitty" stickers on the keyboard were so large that I couldn't make out the letters on each key. But, I digress...
I arrived in Taipei early Friday morning. I met my friend, Drake, in the airport several hours later before promptly getting lost on the way to Drake's sister's house (Maresa - she lives here). Why did we get lost so soon? I didn't fully appreciate just how different Mandarin (I'm just going to call it Chinese) is. I know, foolish me. In Europe and Latin America I could read the signs and decipher a little even if I did not know the language. I could show cab drivers the English names of museums and they would know what I was referring to. Here, however, I am completely illiterate. I can't understand a single symbol. I can communicate the quantity of something I want, but telling them what I want 'one' of is the difficult part. But what about all of those Asians that speak English, you ask. After all, they all have to take English in school. Well, two things. First, there is often a big difference between studying a language and being able to talk it. What about all of those American school children who study Spanish during middle and high school? But, this isn't entirely a fair point. Many of the students here study English much more intensively than we study any foreign languages. Many Universities have classes in which the text book is in English and, therefore, a high level of English is required. This leads to the second point, though. For, these people who speak conversational English aren't the same people driving taxis or, according to our luck so far, not the people we stop on the street looking completely lost.
Anyways, after being lost for more than an hour Drake's sister came to 'collect' us off of the side of the road and took us to her 'house' (I'll explain the quotes later). But, she wasn't just about to let us sit there tiredly as we tried to get over our jet lag. Nope. Instead, within the hour we were packing our smaller bags and getting ready to get on the train and head to Hualien, a coastal town two and a half hours southeast of Taipei. We got on the train as my 'jet lag' - or what would be better described as 'body clock confusion' caught up with me and I passed out. I woke up in Hualien where we rented a car (Maresa's Taiwanese boyfriend was with us), drove to the beach, set up our tents and went right back to sleep.
The next morning I woke up in a pool of my own sweat. The tent was acting as an oven and it was... ONLY 7 AM! That is another other thing. It is HOT here. It gets hot early in the mornings and then the humidity picks up throughout the day. By the afternoon it is like walking around with weights on your shoulders.
We spent most of Saturday at a nearby gorge driving and hiking. Taiwan is 70% mountain and the vast majority of mountains are deemed uninhabitable. As a result, a lot of the land in the interior of the country offers great outdoor opportunities such as hiking, biking, etc. Throughout the gorge were signs warning of falling rocks and telling visitors not 'to linger'. If I've ever seen unambiguous safety advice, that's it. As we got to thinking about bed we checked into a local hotel where we could use a room of 3 hours and, most importantly, shower. At the end of our three hours in the AIR CONDITIONED room Drake and I were lobbying to stay (for 13USD extra), but lost and we returned to our makeshift campground and fell asleep in our tents, only to be woken by the heat at 7 again.
Sunday we drove to a nearby lake and rented bikes. We also hiked into the nearby mountains where i was again struck by the foliage of Taiwan. I had just not realized how green this country would be, but I've definitely been reminded that Taiwan is comprised of hot and humid (during this time of the year) tropical rainforests. After a another full day of hiking and biking we got back in the car, drove to the train station and headed back to Taipei.
Monday we slept in and met up with Maresa and some of the other teachers from the English speaking school at which she teachers. As they told us the most recent news regarding the unrest in Thailand we decided on the spot to change our itinerary and go to Vietnam instead. How? We didn't yet know, but we would find a way.
That afternoon we went to the top of the 101, the world's tallest building until recently when it was outdone by the Burj Dubai in, you guessed it, Dubai. What stuck me the most wasn't the building itself or what I could see as I looked out from the observation deck, though. Instead, it was what I did NOT see. A couple of years back i saw a show on the 101 and assumed that the skyline of Taipei would consist of many tall buildings and be similar to that of another large city such as Hong Kong. Instead, though, the 101 stands alone. I don't mean to say that there are not other tall buildings to be found, but the buildings aren't that tall or that plentiful. Basically, Taipei is a city built closer to the ground. The skyline reminded me more of a Richmond rather than a New York.
Tuesday Drake and I went to the National Palace Museum which is regarded as on of the top 10 museums in the world. As the Republic of China was forced to retreat from mainland China to Taiwan the people took a great number of significant artifacts with them. As a result, the best collection of historical Chinese artifacts in the world is actually located in Taiwan. The National Palace Museum has a counterpart museum operated by the Chinese in Beijing and these two museums share collections with each other. But, the Taiwanese like to point out that it would take the sister museum in Beijing over 30 years to show all of the artifacts in the possession of the National Palace Museum while it would only take a fraction of that time for the National Palace Museum to display the artifacts not in its possession.
After that we headed over to the Vietnamese Office of Social and Economic Affairs (no country actually has an 'embassy' in Taiwan) in person to get out visas that we would need to enter Vietnam. We had started the search for the building that morning before our museum visit but had been thwarted by our illiteracy of the Chinese language until we found a man in a real estate office that spoke English. He gave us directions, but the building was closed for lunch. On our return, though, we went inside and began filling out the visa paperwork. I was a little nervous, though. I had always heard that Vietnam could be strict about issuing visas. I tried to fill out all of the necessary fields, but didn't have all of the information. I walked up to the window to talk to the Vietnamese representative and handed her my paper that was still missing my address in Vietnam, my date of exit and my signature. She looked at my paper for half a second, looked up and said, "I give you one month visa to my country." I nodded my head, said "ok", paid and was on my way. So much for a difficult process!
Today (finally, sorry this is so much writing in one post) we headed out of the city yet again to the 'crags'. One of the bodyguards of Sun Yat-sen (the father of the Republic of China) retired and decided to chisel staircases up several peaks. We hiked up these peaks and, from the tops, got some pretty incredible views. I wonder, though, what ever inspired this man to chisel these staircases into the rock. the most gradual incline was probably 45 degrees. There were parts where it was so steep that it was only safe because of the handropes on both sides of the stairs.
As we hiked down some of the rocks were slick. We took it slow though. As we approached the more modern (and safer) stairs, though, I lost my footing and fell. I only fell on the rock below me and reflexes turned me to my side, but I still landed on the outerside of my right thigh. After rolling on the ground for several minutes I was able to get up and we continued going down the mountain. The whole time, though, I could feel the burn of my thigh and knew I was going to have a major bruise.
So, here I sit. Back at 'home' on Maresa's laptop which, thankfully, is lacking in 'Hello Kitty' pictures on its key board, icing my thigh and just hoping that my limp isn't any worse tomorrow. Only the morning will tell, but I already know that they bruise is going to at least be the size of my palm. Hopefully I'll be able to post up here more often from here on out.
Oh, and sorry there aren't any pictures yet. I haven't been able to get out the cord to hook my camera up to the laptop. I'll see if I can change that soon. Night.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)
.jpg){kind=small}