Part of my reason for getting up so early this morning was to see the exercisers. Now this isn't a bunch of old people in a park in CHina doing tai chi, this is EVERYONE.
Kids sprinting along the water's edge, groups of people (mostly older) moving in unison to tinny old tape recorders barking out orders. SOme groups were doing their exercises with sticks, while others had live leaders.
Badminton nets are set up and people play, but some just play on the beach without a net. A few people were een playing a quick game of soccer. Then of course there are the joggers and wal;kers doing their thing on the road or along the the shore. And of course some people out for a swim.
The greatest thing though is the warmups. These are basically whatever moves you feel like, and for some people are the entirety of the exercise. Wiggle your hips, lift your arms, stretch your legs (with a 90 degree bend at the knee of course, but why should that matter?) It's all very fun to watch.
This goes on until the sun comes up and then most of the people head home to get ready for their day, a few keep going (or arrive) to do their thing, but by the time I walked back to my hotel the formerly fairly empty streets were rocking with all sorts of vehicles.
It was funny to see a whit guy in his pink shorts out at around 630, but while at home he'd be early, here he was exercising at the tail end of things.
People are skinnier over here...sure. Diet is surely a part of this, but the fact that sooo many people get up every morning to get some exercise in must play a roll as well. It was very good to see the kids out sprinting. If there're any fat kids reading this GET OFF YOUR LAZY ASS and SPRINT ALONG THE BEACH or something.
Wednesday, January 26, 2005
I'm a big nerd
My favourite part of travel isn't the actual travelling bit. Well it is, but I also take a lot of pleasure from this other area.
The whole budgeting and figuriong out well in advance where I'll be on certain dates, it just gives me the giggles. I know it's a lame way to travel and the reason I do it is simply because I have so much I'm trying to fit in in 5 months and on a limited budget, but I may as well enjoy it if I have to do it anyway. I'm quite good at this budgeting game, and if it wasn't for the odd snake or robbery I'd be doing even better.
Some day I'll come here with oodles of money and oodles of time, and when that day comes THEN I will be in less need of a budget. Even then though, I think I'll still take more pleasure from the noodles with fish balls (like meatballs) for 5000 dong because I'm eating cleverly and not getting sucked into all those fancy restaurants with their chairs and tables. There's something great about scoring a filling and delicious meal on the cheap, especially when so many others are unwilling to give it a try.
I'm not saying I'm superior because that's always when someone kicks me in the ass, I'm just saying I'm a big geek who takes pride in what he does. So there.
The whole budgeting and figuriong out well in advance where I'll be on certain dates, it just gives me the giggles. I know it's a lame way to travel and the reason I do it is simply because I have so much I'm trying to fit in in 5 months and on a limited budget, but I may as well enjoy it if I have to do it anyway. I'm quite good at this budgeting game, and if it wasn't for the odd snake or robbery I'd be doing even better.
Some day I'll come here with oodles of money and oodles of time, and when that day comes THEN I will be in less need of a budget. Even then though, I think I'll still take more pleasure from the noodles with fish balls (like meatballs) for 5000 dong because I'm eating cleverly and not getting sucked into all those fancy restaurants with their chairs and tables. There's something great about scoring a filling and delicious meal on the cheap, especially when so many others are unwilling to give it a try.
I'm not saying I'm superior because that's always when someone kicks me in the ass, I'm just saying I'm a big geek who takes pride in what he does. So there.
My brilliant plan and observations
My previously mentioned scheme I was developing turned into nothing because I deci9ded against it. I was thinking of wandering over to where all the fishermen live and trying to pay for myself to go out with them for their fishing one night. I read somewhere about someone doing it for about 100000 dong. I decided against it for a number of reasons...the cost was one, but more importantly it was a full moon. Part of the reason I would want to go out there would be the stars, and a full moon would kill that. ANother reason is the tour agents are actually offering night fishing trips. I assume that'd be similar to what I wanted to do and if it's already becoming a mass market thing I may as well just do it at home. I'm sure some BC salmon boys would be happy to take me out and about. And when they offered to give me a try at the various gear (something I'm sure the Vietnamese would think I wanted) at least I'd be able to explain I'm just here for the ride.
Trucks here make a noise when backing up. No the beep-beep-beep we all know and love. Instead they play songs, yesterday I heard a Christmas carol (I don't know which one but a bit more obscure than say silent night). I wonder if the trucks come with those or you buy them to personalize your truck, like a cell phone ring. There's a truck outside the cafe right now with a normal ping, so those exist too.
I know people go on a bout full moons and sunrises all the time, but there really is something to the whole rigamarole. Here in Nha Trang the beach is just great and sitting on it last ni9ght with the moon, ther eflection and the rolling waves, it really is all that. Then this morning I got up at 5 AM (5AM...the things you can do when TV isn't keeping you up) and watched all the people exercising (more on that l;ater) and the sun come up. Again, when poets and artists harp on these things there are good reasons. ONe if you're a crap poet or artist it's tough to mess up a perfect sunrise, and two they really are that great.
Ya, so Nha Trang (the town I'm in for one more night) really is great. Lots of stuff to do, and a fairly bumping bar/night scene. I'm a penny pincher though so none of that for me.
Trucks here make a noise when backing up. No the beep-beep-beep we all know and love. Instead they play songs, yesterday I heard a Christmas carol (I don't know which one but a bit more obscure than say silent night). I wonder if the trucks come with those or you buy them to personalize your truck, like a cell phone ring. There's a truck outside the cafe right now with a normal ping, so those exist too.
I know people go on a bout full moons and sunrises all the time, but there really is something to the whole rigamarole. Here in Nha Trang the beach is just great and sitting on it last ni9ght with the moon, ther eflection and the rolling waves, it really is all that. Then this morning I got up at 5 AM (5AM...the things you can do when TV isn't keeping you up) and watched all the people exercising (more on that l;ater) and the sun come up. Again, when poets and artists harp on these things there are good reasons. ONe if you're a crap poet or artist it's tough to mess up a perfect sunrise, and two they really are that great.
Ya, so Nha Trang (the town I'm in for one more night) really is great. Lots of stuff to do, and a fairly bumping bar/night scene. I'm a penny pincher though so none of that for me.
Spy Thriller
No I didn't steal any documents by accident but I did just come up with a pretty sweet premise for a book. Now all I need is that whole plot thing and I'll be on my way.
Without giving away too much I will say that my background in international economics and my oveflowing knowledge of backdoor global politics will make it a must read...hmmm...maybe I should do some research.
China, United States, and Vietnam...the book almost writes itself. It came to me while I was walking past an airport where a few jets were taking off from. EXCITING!
In airport lounge bookstores next fall!
Without giving away too much I will say that my background in international economics and my oveflowing knowledge of backdoor global politics will make it a must read...hmmm...maybe I should do some research.
China, United States, and Vietnam...the book almost writes itself. It came to me while I was walking past an airport where a few jets were taking off from. EXCITING!
In airport lounge bookstores next fall!
handsome
Some lady in a travel agancy, after helping me book my ticket, asked where I was from then informed me I was handsome.
I tell you, I've been saying it into the mirror for years and it's great to get some international recognition to the fact.
I tell you, I've been saying it into the mirror for years and it's great to get some international recognition to the fact.
girl in my dorm
I had a chat with a girl who was staying in my dorm and it made me realize a few things. She has been travelling since he end of December, and what she had been planning on as a ten month trip had in her mind already dropped to one. SHe seems to be perhaps a little homesick...
Anyway, what was interesting was the fact that she had all sorts of things to say about Cambodia that I hadn't notcied at all. I'm not going into the details because unless you've seen it for yourself it's just a matter of he said she said. Suffice it to say, I looked upon Cambodians more positively. Well one thing that bugged me, "Why don't they find something else to do to make money" about the beggars, which I also found irritating, and apparently she hasn't seen any in Vietnam.
ANyway, I think her negative experience might have been connected to the fact it was the first place she landed. When you land and are jetlagged (I know from Bangkok) everything just sucks. This negative outlook can influence how you see things, and can make a whole country look bad. (I know when I went back to Bangkok for go round number 2 I liked it a lot more) That and while she complained about tiring of all the moving around (part of the reason she wasn't enjoying travel) she went through the entirity of Cambodia in about three weeks...that's tooo fast, so of course she didn't like it.
I think the first point has more relevance to me.
When I arrived in Vietnam I was travelling alone and was therefore lonely for the first time. That and being tired from Bangkok and cold from Hanoi gave me a negative intial outlook of Vietnam. Although my time here has been spent fairly positively I still hold a certain grudge against the country. Vietnam is my least favourite country, but I am still trying to look upon it positively because that's just a relative statement.
I'm sure if I came here again with 46 good friends it would seem much better.
Did that make sense? No? TOO BAD. I'm sorting out a close personal relationship I have with the country of Vietnam. Whoever's reading this can muck through it (or not) at their own peril. if you want clarification on anything feel free to ask and I'll do my best to help.
And to the girl in my dorm...yes, if you move every 3 days it WILL feel like you're always moving. She was a bit out of it.
Anyway, what was interesting was the fact that she had all sorts of things to say about Cambodia that I hadn't notcied at all. I'm not going into the details because unless you've seen it for yourself it's just a matter of he said she said. Suffice it to say, I looked upon Cambodians more positively. Well one thing that bugged me, "Why don't they find something else to do to make money" about the beggars, which I also found irritating, and apparently she hasn't seen any in Vietnam.
ANyway, I think her negative experience might have been connected to the fact it was the first place she landed. When you land and are jetlagged (I know from Bangkok) everything just sucks. This negative outlook can influence how you see things, and can make a whole country look bad. (I know when I went back to Bangkok for go round number 2 I liked it a lot more) That and while she complained about tiring of all the moving around (part of the reason she wasn't enjoying travel) she went through the entirity of Cambodia in about three weeks...that's tooo fast, so of course she didn't like it.
I think the first point has more relevance to me.
When I arrived in Vietnam I was travelling alone and was therefore lonely for the first time. That and being tired from Bangkok and cold from Hanoi gave me a negative intial outlook of Vietnam. Although my time here has been spent fairly positively I still hold a certain grudge against the country. Vietnam is my least favourite country, but I am still trying to look upon it positively because that's just a relative statement.
I'm sure if I came here again with 46 good friends it would seem much better.
Did that make sense? No? TOO BAD. I'm sorting out a close personal relationship I have with the country of Vietnam. Whoever's reading this can muck through it (or not) at their own peril. if you want clarification on anything feel free to ask and I'll do my best to help.
And to the girl in my dorm...yes, if you move every 3 days it WILL feel like you're always moving. She was a bit out of it.
Sunday, January 23, 2005
Hue to Hoi An
I did it on a bus, and we went through the mountains.
These mountains are some kind of amazing, let me tell you. Driving south they approach teh coast in a mencaing way, slowly shutting down the gap until eventually all that's left is mountains and water. That's when the bus starts going up.
At a pass at the topwe stopped for 15 minutes and let me tell you, AWESOME! The view was top notch, looking back on the road snaking its way around teh sides of mountains, the mist and clouds flowing around you and hyropylons stringing their wires into the distance. Then if you looked WAY down you could see golden sandy beaches and teh whitecaps reaking against them. On top of that, there was a bunch of pillboxes up top and some kind of cool old gate (I'm going to assume it's ancient just to make it cooler). The vendors didn't even bother me, probably because I was running around trying to take it all in and they couldn't keep up.
Hoi An is a lovely town. At least the old town is, the rest is lovely but the same shit you'd find in most other Vietnamese towns, perhaps more hotels though. There are certain museums, old houses, temples and other sites you can visit, and to do that you pay 75000 dong and get to pick one from each of 5 sections on the ticket (ie one old house, one museum etc). Looking at the options I wasn't to impressed, so I gve the ticket a skip and saw what I wanted to see...just wandering the streets was pretty good and you can peer in places before they know you're there.
Today I went to more UESCO fun, this time at My Son, a set of old Cham ruins. It was a religious site, and quite lovely, but after Ankor, what can you do? They haev 7 or so sites, some closed for preservation work, and only one in really good shape (American bombs have something to say about that).
So all in all some interestig stuff. I'm heading down to Nha Trang on an overnight bus tomorrow, and won't be there long. I'm beginning to formulate a scheme for an adventure when I'm there. But it may come to nothing so I won't give it away just yet.
These mountains are some kind of amazing, let me tell you. Driving south they approach teh coast in a mencaing way, slowly shutting down the gap until eventually all that's left is mountains and water. That's when the bus starts going up.
At a pass at the topwe stopped for 15 minutes and let me tell you, AWESOME! The view was top notch, looking back on the road snaking its way around teh sides of mountains, the mist and clouds flowing around you and hyropylons stringing their wires into the distance. Then if you looked WAY down you could see golden sandy beaches and teh whitecaps reaking against them. On top of that, there was a bunch of pillboxes up top and some kind of cool old gate (I'm going to assume it's ancient just to make it cooler). The vendors didn't even bother me, probably because I was running around trying to take it all in and they couldn't keep up.
Hoi An is a lovely town. At least the old town is, the rest is lovely but the same shit you'd find in most other Vietnamese towns, perhaps more hotels though. There are certain museums, old houses, temples and other sites you can visit, and to do that you pay 75000 dong and get to pick one from each of 5 sections on the ticket (ie one old house, one museum etc). Looking at the options I wasn't to impressed, so I gve the ticket a skip and saw what I wanted to see...just wandering the streets was pretty good and you can peer in places before they know you're there.
Today I went to more UESCO fun, this time at My Son, a set of old Cham ruins. It was a religious site, and quite lovely, but after Ankor, what can you do? They haev 7 or so sites, some closed for preservation work, and only one in really good shape (American bombs have something to say about that).
So all in all some interestig stuff. I'm heading down to Nha Trang on an overnight bus tomorrow, and won't be there long. I'm beginning to formulate a scheme for an adventure when I'm there. But it may come to nothing so I won't give it away just yet.
adventures with the common folks
I've been having some deep seeded emotional issues with the Vietnamese people. I've been trying to sort out why I feel a bit more disconected from the Vietnamese than I have with other people. Maybe it's as simple as just enjoying other places more, rather than here less. Maybe it's the fear I managed to work up about here before arriving and finding it isn't that bad, or maybe it's latent hostility from losing a few bucks to someone's sticky fingers. Perhaps it's the way vendors seem to want to make money (and lots of it) 5X the price on soe things because I'm so pretty. Or maybe the odd looks I get when I refuse to tip someone for 15 minutes of unwanted service. the kids who have been leared to ask for coins as a first intinct (not beggars just kids I say hi to) when they meet a tourist. Perhaps it haas something to do with the fact Vietnam is my first solo trvel place so they get any negativity from that afixed to them. Maybe some of this.
But I'm also having good things too so I shouldn't focus on the negative.
Yesterday for instance. Walking around and I happened upon some young boys (James and young boys in close proximity? UH-OH). They were playing a game that basically involved throwing a bunched up piece of fabric onto the roof and trying to get it stuck in the gutter. Then you pull on a string attached to the fabric and get it really stuck, but do it gently because the string is many small bits of string collected over months I'm sure and tied together. When I arrived I saw the two sitting on the sidewalk holding the string taught to forma triangle, and not nknowing the rules of the game thought they might need some help getting their fabric down. They thought the fact that I could stretch and reach the roof was very amusing. One was too stuck so I had to lift one of the little fellers to get it down. After retying one of the strings and rejecting their offers to help me carrry any coins I had I was off, looking back in time to see them throw the wad up again (I finally understood the game). Later I walked by and on had stuck his wad on an unfinishe pole and had to go to an upstair window to get it.
Story #2
Coming across another one of the bridges here a lady with her bike loaded down with recycling (bottles ostly) was struggling. Things just weren't balanced and she was teetering. After trying to hlp her push, then lifting off some bottle so she could balance her bike we realized that things weren't going to work. So I ended up carrying her flat of fithy old scrounged up bottles across the bridge for her. She couldn't leave them there, big money! So there I was me carrying dirty bottles and my Vietnamese gal with conical hat and face mask pushing her dirty old bike with dirty bags of dirty bottles hung everywhere. I think she felt bad becuse she was moving really quick, tryiong to get us to our destiation with no delay.There were two types of response that I received as I walked. The Vietnamese would do a double take and shock then laughter would come across their faces. White people on the other hand. They were just stupid, pretending they didn't see it at all. now to me that is DUMB, what can be funnier and weirder than me carrying recycling with a Vietnamese lady in Vietnam, it isn't something that is seen and it will be talked about later so why not laugh at the time (sorry whispered about after I've passed). I was smiling and enjoying the absurdity, silly white folks. Turns out the recycling depot was just across the bridge, adn I got a bit of bicep excercise out of the whole thing, pretty sweet.
Just wish I could have understood what my gal was saying to her friend. "Look what I did!" I'm sure.
So Vietnamese aren't my favourite ut I'm still having a grand old time.
I think I'm forgetting something so you'll likely be getting another quick blog later.
But I'm also having good things too so I shouldn't focus on the negative.
Yesterday for instance. Walking around and I happened upon some young boys (James and young boys in close proximity? UH-OH). They were playing a game that basically involved throwing a bunched up piece of fabric onto the roof and trying to get it stuck in the gutter. Then you pull on a string attached to the fabric and get it really stuck, but do it gently because the string is many small bits of string collected over months I'm sure and tied together. When I arrived I saw the two sitting on the sidewalk holding the string taught to forma triangle, and not nknowing the rules of the game thought they might need some help getting their fabric down. They thought the fact that I could stretch and reach the roof was very amusing. One was too stuck so I had to lift one of the little fellers to get it down. After retying one of the strings and rejecting their offers to help me carrry any coins I had I was off, looking back in time to see them throw the wad up again (I finally understood the game). Later I walked by and on had stuck his wad on an unfinishe pole and had to go to an upstair window to get it.
Story #2
Coming across another one of the bridges here a lady with her bike loaded down with recycling (bottles ostly) was struggling. Things just weren't balanced and she was teetering. After trying to hlp her push, then lifting off some bottle so she could balance her bike we realized that things weren't going to work. So I ended up carrying her flat of fithy old scrounged up bottles across the bridge for her. She couldn't leave them there, big money! So there I was me carrying dirty bottles and my Vietnamese gal with conical hat and face mask pushing her dirty old bike with dirty bags of dirty bottles hung everywhere. I think she felt bad becuse she was moving really quick, tryiong to get us to our destiation with no delay.There were two types of response that I received as I walked. The Vietnamese would do a double take and shock then laughter would come across their faces. White people on the other hand. They were just stupid, pretending they didn't see it at all. now to me that is DUMB, what can be funnier and weirder than me carrying recycling with a Vietnamese lady in Vietnam, it isn't something that is seen and it will be talked about later so why not laugh at the time (sorry whispered about after I've passed). I was smiling and enjoying the absurdity, silly white folks. Turns out the recycling depot was just across the bridge, adn I got a bit of bicep excercise out of the whole thing, pretty sweet.
Just wish I could have understood what my gal was saying to her friend. "Look what I did!" I'm sure.
So Vietnamese aren't my favourite ut I'm still having a grand old time.
I think I'm forgetting something so you'll likely be getting another quick blog later.
Thursday, January 20, 2005
Hue and stuff
Hueisa lovely town. I saw the citadel yesterday and was on a river cruise today. Iwas going to give moredetails, but have decided not to bother. Really not that interesting. I will say, now that I'm travelling alone I make a lot more friends who want to take me to see cheap whores. They say "lovely lady very cheap" but I know what they mean.
I'm going to Hoi An tomorrow. I was going to stay longer here, but my room is really damp, and I did laundry which is now having trouble drying. Why that is a reason for me to change cities, even I'm not sure, but that's the one I'm using, so there.
Also. No more chicken and noodles for me. I didn't know eating the meat could lead to infection,but now I do. Just bo (beef) and maybe some pork, but no chickens (or fowl of any kind just to be safe).
I'm going to Hoi An tomorrow. I was going to stay longer here, but my room is really damp, and I did laundry which is now having trouble drying. Why that is a reason for me to change cities, even I'm not sure, but that's the one I'm using, so there.
Also. No more chicken and noodles for me. I didn't know eating the meat could lead to infection,but now I do. Just bo (beef) and maybe some pork, but no chickens (or fowl of any kind just to be safe).
We were robbed
Or at least I was, I think. If I was it was probably about $10 American, and a few hundred thousand dong. Oh well. I guess I'll just be pleased it wasn't too much and use it as an excuse to redouble my paranoia.
I think it happened when I left some money on a tour bus when I went biking. But it might have been when I went swimming off the boat.
I was lying in my berth as my train to Hue pulled out of the station, trying to be less grumpy. I was almost there, then I had a conversation with a girl named Jan. She's at Hanoi's school of economics, which a lot of students in communist countries seem to take, and was just a very pleasant person to talk to. Not ALL Vietnamese are bad. In fact when they aren't screeching at you to buy something or giving you a price 8 times what locals pay I'm sure they're lovely people.
I know I'm here for a while longer, but so far, my least favourite country. (but it isn't too bad)
I think it happened when I left some money on a tour bus when I went biking. But it might have been when I went swimming off the boat.
I was lying in my berth as my train to Hue pulled out of the station, trying to be less grumpy. I was almost there, then I had a conversation with a girl named Jan. She's at Hanoi's school of economics, which a lot of students in communist countries seem to take, and was just a very pleasant person to talk to. Not ALL Vietnamese are bad. In fact when they aren't screeching at you to buy something or giving you a price 8 times what locals pay I'm sure they're lovely people.
I know I'm here for a while longer, but so far, my least favourite country. (but it isn't too bad)
Tuesday, January 18, 2005
Back from the ocean, errr, sea, err bay. Ride on a boat
Just returned from my adventures over Halong Bay way. Very nice, very nice indeed. The food was really good, except for breakfast. The meal doesn't seem to be a big deal, requiring nothing more than some bread and eggs. Well listen Vietnam, I like substantial breakfasts, so straighten up.
Ya.
Halong Bay is of course a lovely place. All the big limestone...things, rising out of the emerald blue waters like some kind of...large rocky structures. A sight to behold. I'll let you find pics for yourself.
The legend goes like this. When the Mongols were on Vietnam's doorstep this dragon showed up and took a shining to these Vietnamese, so helped them repulse the invaders. Afterwards teh dragon decided life on earth was better so rather than go home she went to ground so to speak. She chose Halong Bay (meaning the Bay where the dragon descends) and made a mess of the stone, but now it looks pretty so nobody minds.
Our boat was a big wooden jobby, sort of "junkish" in nature (by that I mean the traditional vessels of the area, not that the boat was a piece of crap). Lots of room, double cabins and en suite showers. Supposedly hot water COULD flow, but we never got it going. Meals were always these big multi plate festivals. Very good and focusing on surprisingly enough, seafood.
I'll say right now I'm a might tired, so if things look a little bit scrappier than normal...there's a small man beside me who keeps hitting my keys.
We saw teh Surprising Cave, apparently named that because the European who found it in 1911 kept being more and more surprised the further into the cave he went. It is very nice, and has all sorts of stane paths and stone bridges for the tourists to follow around. It also has all sorts of rock formation that our fearless leader (guide by the name of Thanh) would point at and say "what does that look like?" At one spot someone said a snake so the guide said "NO", it's a dragon, it looks like a snake but it's a dragon. Hmm, our fearless leader was okay for a few laughs, but not much in the way of guiding. My contribution of a polar bear mauling a walrus turned out to be a frog. I was close, and teh only reason it isn't known as a polar bear mauling a walrus is because the Vietnamese don't get to see it on a day to day basis like I do.
It was the polar bear line that broke the ice and got me talking to the English folks along on the trip. There were 5 of them and myself on for the three days, and we had a grand old time. Simon, Si (Simon), Iain, Emma and Rachel were fun indeed. They taught me the wondrous card game of shithead. A game in which nobody really wins, but one person REALLY loses and becomes the shithead. The game is basically designed to lay into your friends and call them shithead a lot. Good times.
We spent teh first night on the boat...nice, but would have been a touch nicer if we weren't parked in teh bay with all teh other tourist boats. It is quite a sight at the piers where all tehse big brown beasts rumble in and bump one another disgorging and embarking passengers. Then they all seemed to park in the same sheltered bay for the night.
We went for a swim...a bit moire than I was expecting but the English boys were so excited to have water they could jump into they just kept going over and over. I guess we're spoiled in Canada. Then we also did some kayaking including through some keen caves that put us into bays entirely surrounded by rock cliffs. FUN!
On land the second day we went to a cave used as a hospital and HQ during teh war adn had this old army vet sing us some kick ass songs. Apparently there's a path inside the cave that leads all the way to the top and outside. I wanted to take it of course but the bridge was out. Still though, it seems very Lord of the Rings with bridges and stuff inside a mountain. Then a lovely bike ride to the far end of teh island. Because none of us wanted to bike back they needed to find some time to kill and we ended up having tea with the family of the local english teacher.
The great thing about these English folks is tehyy were just so excited about everything even if I wasn't I got carried along.
That night we had a "few" drinks and played shithead into the wee hours. I was never the shithead for 12 straight games, an unheard of feat for a newcomer to the game. Yes I am that good. That evening we also had an extended chat with some American fellas who've been teaching economics at a Masters level in Korea for 5 years. Me being Canadian and dense I didn't pick up on the fact they were the first right leaning yanks I've met. The 2 Simons being themselves, by the end of the night had moved what had begun as a talk about sports to a talk about why America was ruining the world, and making these two fellas feel a bit silly. Mean you say? I don't think so when these two stereotypes were delivering all the lines that make people dislike the country.
"3 million years ago we couldn't get enough to eat, now we can, so I say get fat." Thanks chubby.
Then today it was just the boatride and bus trip back to Hanoi. Whew! Now I have to get me some supper and head over to the train station. Over night train to Hue tonight. I'll be sleeping the whole way!
Ya.
Halong Bay is of course a lovely place. All the big limestone...things, rising out of the emerald blue waters like some kind of...large rocky structures. A sight to behold. I'll let you find pics for yourself.
The legend goes like this. When the Mongols were on Vietnam's doorstep this dragon showed up and took a shining to these Vietnamese, so helped them repulse the invaders. Afterwards teh dragon decided life on earth was better so rather than go home she went to ground so to speak. She chose Halong Bay (meaning the Bay where the dragon descends) and made a mess of the stone, but now it looks pretty so nobody minds.
Our boat was a big wooden jobby, sort of "junkish" in nature (by that I mean the traditional vessels of the area, not that the boat was a piece of crap). Lots of room, double cabins and en suite showers. Supposedly hot water COULD flow, but we never got it going. Meals were always these big multi plate festivals. Very good and focusing on surprisingly enough, seafood.
I'll say right now I'm a might tired, so if things look a little bit scrappier than normal...there's a small man beside me who keeps hitting my keys.
We saw teh Surprising Cave, apparently named that because the European who found it in 1911 kept being more and more surprised the further into the cave he went. It is very nice, and has all sorts of stane paths and stone bridges for the tourists to follow around. It also has all sorts of rock formation that our fearless leader (guide by the name of Thanh) would point at and say "what does that look like?" At one spot someone said a snake so the guide said "NO", it's a dragon, it looks like a snake but it's a dragon. Hmm, our fearless leader was okay for a few laughs, but not much in the way of guiding. My contribution of a polar bear mauling a walrus turned out to be a frog. I was close, and teh only reason it isn't known as a polar bear mauling a walrus is because the Vietnamese don't get to see it on a day to day basis like I do.
It was the polar bear line that broke the ice and got me talking to the English folks along on the trip. There were 5 of them and myself on for the three days, and we had a grand old time. Simon, Si (Simon), Iain, Emma and Rachel were fun indeed. They taught me the wondrous card game of shithead. A game in which nobody really wins, but one person REALLY loses and becomes the shithead. The game is basically designed to lay into your friends and call them shithead a lot. Good times.
We spent teh first night on the boat...nice, but would have been a touch nicer if we weren't parked in teh bay with all teh other tourist boats. It is quite a sight at the piers where all tehse big brown beasts rumble in and bump one another disgorging and embarking passengers. Then they all seemed to park in the same sheltered bay for the night.
We went for a swim...a bit moire than I was expecting but the English boys were so excited to have water they could jump into they just kept going over and over. I guess we're spoiled in Canada. Then we also did some kayaking including through some keen caves that put us into bays entirely surrounded by rock cliffs. FUN!
On land the second day we went to a cave used as a hospital and HQ during teh war adn had this old army vet sing us some kick ass songs. Apparently there's a path inside the cave that leads all the way to the top and outside. I wanted to take it of course but the bridge was out. Still though, it seems very Lord of the Rings with bridges and stuff inside a mountain. Then a lovely bike ride to the far end of teh island. Because none of us wanted to bike back they needed to find some time to kill and we ended up having tea with the family of the local english teacher.
The great thing about these English folks is tehyy were just so excited about everything even if I wasn't I got carried along.
That night we had a "few" drinks and played shithead into the wee hours. I was never the shithead for 12 straight games, an unheard of feat for a newcomer to the game. Yes I am that good. That evening we also had an extended chat with some American fellas who've been teaching economics at a Masters level in Korea for 5 years. Me being Canadian and dense I didn't pick up on the fact they were the first right leaning yanks I've met. The 2 Simons being themselves, by the end of the night had moved what had begun as a talk about sports to a talk about why America was ruining the world, and making these two fellas feel a bit silly. Mean you say? I don't think so when these two stereotypes were delivering all the lines that make people dislike the country.
"3 million years ago we couldn't get enough to eat, now we can, so I say get fat." Thanks chubby.
Then today it was just the boatride and bus trip back to Hanoi. Whew! Now I have to get me some supper and head over to the train station. Over night train to Hue tonight. I'll be sleeping the whole way!
Friday, January 14, 2005
sun and warmth
While we were out on the boat the sun sort of came out.
Then when I was walking around looking for supper the air felt warmer. It's all very exciting because of how there's no such thing as indoor heating here.
Other than the hot baths and showers I took as a kid after falling into rivers, ponds, lakes, puddles, field puddles (bigger than normal puddles and they form at the downhill ends of farmers fields, and when the ice begins to melt you break big slabs off and try to ride them like a raft but you always end up getting wet) hydro pole holes full of water (holes dug for hydro poles that fill with water and when you stickyour foot in to see how deep it is you get wet, mainly because you're wearing rubber boots but still insist on pushing past the tops), creeks, seas, oceans, streams and so on. (I fell into water a lot)...sorry I lost myself. other than the hot baths and showers I took after those various incidents the one in my dorm here is the best.
You know what was always cool? No, that's not it, guess again (man I'm a tool). When you get water in your rubber boot and it's really cold, feels like icicles are stabbing you over and over, but you ignore it and keep walking and eventually it warms and you have like a foot jacuzzi going on...thgat's great.
Then when I was walking around looking for supper the air felt warmer. It's all very exciting because of how there's no such thing as indoor heating here.
Other than the hot baths and showers I took as a kid after falling into rivers, ponds, lakes, puddles, field puddles (bigger than normal puddles and they form at the downhill ends of farmers fields, and when the ice begins to melt you break big slabs off and try to ride them like a raft but you always end up getting wet) hydro pole holes full of water (holes dug for hydro poles that fill with water and when you stickyour foot in to see how deep it is you get wet, mainly because you're wearing rubber boots but still insist on pushing past the tops), creeks, seas, oceans, streams and so on. (I fell into water a lot)...sorry I lost myself. other than the hot baths and showers I took after those various incidents the one in my dorm here is the best.
You know what was always cool? No, that's not it, guess again (man I'm a tool). When you get water in your rubber boot and it's really cold, feels like icicles are stabbing you over and over, but you ignore it and keep walking and eventually it warms and you have like a foot jacuzzi going on...thgat's great.
me using this blog to organize my thoughts
Initially I wanted to be off somewhere not Hanoi tomorow. This would have likely been Ha Long Bay, but I couldn't decide on a tour. Then I was thinking i'd try and muddle my own way out there, but now I'm thinking tour again. I've decided to stay here one more day, decide, book it, and book my train ticket south for when I return.
I don't think there's internet on Cat Ba Island so if I don't come on here tomorrow I won't be saying anything online for three or fours days. Unless you here on the news that Vietnam exploded I'll be fine.
I don't think there's internet on Cat Ba Island so if I don't come on here tomorrow I won't be saying anything online for three or fours days. Unless you here on the news that Vietnam exploded I'll be fine.
Bird flu and chicken noodle soup
Don't worry. I do know about the bird flu going around and the only birds I plan on kissing anytime soon are English birds that live in London in the 60s. Note teh present tense, and since I lack a time machine...no birds for me.
On teh other hand I have been having some sweet SWEET pho ga lately. Pho meaning noodles and ga meaning chicken. It is in effect chicken noodle soup, but is GREAT. I hunker right in their with the locals and get plenty stared at by the non locals. have I mentioned the pho ga before? If so, it's only because it's so good.
On teh other hand I have been having some sweet SWEET pho ga lately. Pho meaning noodles and ga meaning chicken. It is in effect chicken noodle soup, but is GREAT. I hunker right in their with the locals and get plenty stared at by the non locals. have I mentioned the pho ga before? If so, it's only because it's so good.
Today (man isn't cheap internet great?)
Went to Hoa Lu today. It's the old capital of Vietnam for those who DON'T know. Just saw some temples and climbed a mountain named something that when translated into English means Saddle Mountain (it looks like a saddle for those who DON'T know). The area termed teh citadel is about 3km squared and is on the flat ground (hence citadel I guess). It's still a pretty defensible spot though, as it's amongst all these big limestone cliffs that jut out of the ground. Connect thwe cliffs with walls and you're gravy.
Why did they move the capital? Emperor went out for a walk one day and saw a dragon in a cloud (like the cloud was dragon shaped). So the emperor being the guy that he is was all like, looks like a better spot for a capital. Worked out okay because in the year 2010 Hanoi is 1000 years old...now that ought to be a party.
After that we were off to Tam Coc. I don't know how this industry started, but you go to Tam Coc (aka Halong Bay on teh Rice Paddies and if you don't know Halong Bay look it up online) and you buy a ticket get in a little tin boat and get your ass rowed for two hours by some little old ladies. You go through rice paddies and under cliffs and there are three tunnels you go through. Very cool. Unfortunately because the rice isn't in season instead of a narrow river winding through bright green rice we had a narrow river winding through empty brown rice paddies. Oh well. Still nice. I also saw a very defensible position on this tour (except this time you'd need a stilt house because your position would be on the paddies).
The best part of the trip for me was how they work the tourists. Other than handiong me a paddle at the start (which I think they did because they figured I'd want to do it) they did nothing out of the ordinary on the outward leg. On the way back though they pull up along side some other ladies in boats laden with snacks, pop etc. We didn't buy anything, but then the food ladioes started suggesting we should buy some pops for our rowers as a tip "teep teep!" Of course if you do this and don't open it, the pop simply gets sold back to the vendors at half price, pretty sweet.
Then, since you're stuck on the boat they try to sell you hankies and tshirts that they've embroidered. They probably didn't even do it, probably really made in some sweatshop in Canada. Since we were big scrooges with the pop, they gave up quickly on teh textiles.
Then at the end of the ride they started asking for a teep, screeching teh word a dn rubbing thumb and forefinger (good thing that gesture made it over here). WHen we turned them down the one woman started cursing me out. At least that's my guess because I couldn't understand her, but she covered her mouth and mumbled it...I felt like swearing at her just to prove we were both oblivious but didn't. We ended up giving 1000 dong to each lady and they then proceeded to be startled at the paltry amount. But then one of their friends on shore had received a similar tip and it became a laugh fest.
It's a shame that they have received the concept of tipping without actually learning that a tip is earned, not automatic. If they're really THAT hard up for cash, they should have the government raise the ticket prices.
Also, how do they talk for an entire two hour trip? I'm assuming they're friends that row together daily, but they never let up once. Crazy.
Whenever I say we, I am referring to myself and a fine Aussie gal named Suzy who was also on the tour.
Oh, and they also have guys going around with digital cams that they use then rush back to the starting point. By the time you get back they've printed the photo onto paper and have laminated. I bought one after bringing down the price a bit. For 30 cents who wouldn't want a picture of themselves rowing vigorously up some Vietnamese river. HIGH HO! And looking as sharp as I do in my krama (cambodian scarf) ...well no need to brag.
Why did they move the capital? Emperor went out for a walk one day and saw a dragon in a cloud (like the cloud was dragon shaped). So the emperor being the guy that he is was all like, looks like a better spot for a capital. Worked out okay because in the year 2010 Hanoi is 1000 years old...now that ought to be a party.
After that we were off to Tam Coc. I don't know how this industry started, but you go to Tam Coc (aka Halong Bay on teh Rice Paddies and if you don't know Halong Bay look it up online) and you buy a ticket get in a little tin boat and get your ass rowed for two hours by some little old ladies. You go through rice paddies and under cliffs and there are three tunnels you go through. Very cool. Unfortunately because the rice isn't in season instead of a narrow river winding through bright green rice we had a narrow river winding through empty brown rice paddies. Oh well. Still nice. I also saw a very defensible position on this tour (except this time you'd need a stilt house because your position would be on the paddies).
The best part of the trip for me was how they work the tourists. Other than handiong me a paddle at the start (which I think they did because they figured I'd want to do it) they did nothing out of the ordinary on the outward leg. On the way back though they pull up along side some other ladies in boats laden with snacks, pop etc. We didn't buy anything, but then the food ladioes started suggesting we should buy some pops for our rowers as a tip "teep teep!" Of course if you do this and don't open it, the pop simply gets sold back to the vendors at half price, pretty sweet.
Then, since you're stuck on the boat they try to sell you hankies and tshirts that they've embroidered. They probably didn't even do it, probably really made in some sweatshop in Canada. Since we were big scrooges with the pop, they gave up quickly on teh textiles.
Then at the end of the ride they started asking for a teep, screeching teh word a dn rubbing thumb and forefinger (good thing that gesture made it over here). WHen we turned them down the one woman started cursing me out. At least that's my guess because I couldn't understand her, but she covered her mouth and mumbled it...I felt like swearing at her just to prove we were both oblivious but didn't. We ended up giving 1000 dong to each lady and they then proceeded to be startled at the paltry amount. But then one of their friends on shore had received a similar tip and it became a laugh fest.
It's a shame that they have received the concept of tipping without actually learning that a tip is earned, not automatic. If they're really THAT hard up for cash, they should have the government raise the ticket prices.
Also, how do they talk for an entire two hour trip? I'm assuming they're friends that row together daily, but they never let up once. Crazy.
Whenever I say we, I am referring to myself and a fine Aussie gal named Suzy who was also on the tour.
Oh, and they also have guys going around with digital cams that they use then rush back to the starting point. By the time you get back they've printed the photo onto paper and have laminated. I bought one after bringing down the price a bit. For 30 cents who wouldn't want a picture of themselves rowing vigorously up some Vietnamese river. HIGH HO! And looking as sharp as I do in my krama (cambodian scarf) ...well no need to brag.
Thursday, January 13, 2005
Uncle Ho and so much mo'
I saw the corpse of one Ho Chi Minh today...heh. I guess if I was communist and Vietnamese it would have been a bit more awesinspiring.
I guess it was okay. After checking bags you collect in a big room watching a Vietnamese movie detailing the life of Ho. It went right up to the construiction of the mausoleum and they were sure to show the Vietnamese linging up to see him, the children to see him and of course tourists.
The body itself is lit oddly so his hands and face are pink...or maybe yellow, I've forgotten already.
After that I went to the name I can't remember museum. An old prison built by the french and then became the infamous Hanoi Hilton. INteresting enough, featuring guillotines that the french left behind. I understand the Vietnamese are going to make a big deal about how shittily they were treated, but the French were a touch harsh I think.
Then there were also displays about Americans that stayed there. All treated very nicely thank you...they even had John McCain's flight suit on display. YES the John McCain Us Senator from Arizona. WOW!
Snake adventure, then more wandering the streets. I ended the day with a lovely bowl of noodles, which in effect, wioth the broth and chicken included turned into the best bowl of chicken noodle soup I have ever had. mmm mmm good.
I guess it was okay. After checking bags you collect in a big room watching a Vietnamese movie detailing the life of Ho. It went right up to the construiction of the mausoleum and they were sure to show the Vietnamese linging up to see him, the children to see him and of course tourists.
The body itself is lit oddly so his hands and face are pink...or maybe yellow, I've forgotten already.
After that I went to the name I can't remember museum. An old prison built by the french and then became the infamous Hanoi Hilton. INteresting enough, featuring guillotines that the french left behind. I understand the Vietnamese are going to make a big deal about how shittily they were treated, but the French were a touch harsh I think.
Then there were also displays about Americans that stayed there. All treated very nicely thank you...they even had John McCain's flight suit on display. YES the John McCain Us Senator from Arizona. WOW!
Snake adventure, then more wandering the streets. I ended the day with a lovely bowl of noodles, which in effect, wioth the broth and chicken included turned into the best bowl of chicken noodle soup I have ever had. mmm mmm good.
Eating snakes
I decided I'd go to the village of Le Mat, about 7km from dowtown Hanoi...it's called a village but is part of the greater city.
I talked to anice moto driver, and told him what I would be paying him, although he never really qupted a price, always saying something about he has many friends whenever I asked, and telling me I could decide.
I also asked him roughly how much it would cost me to buy a snake and have it prepared different ways...again not even an estimate.
So we get out there, fortunately he took most of the cold cold rain that started pissing down, and I was shown a cobra and some mountain snake. How much to have a cobra killed just for me, and then having its flesh prepared 7 different ways? 1.4 milliong dong. Just under $50...Yikes! The mountain snake would have been 700000. Jeepers I said. The guidebook I read said $10, well I only said it to myself.
Eventually I paid 200000 dong and said give me what you can give me. That included two types of snake wine...although they both tasted like whiskey. One had actual beasties floating in the bottle, the other didn't. I tried to find out what the difference was, but they just kept pointing to their balls and back and heart, I think telling me that it would make my various body parts strong.
My dish was barbecued sanke...supposedly "king cobra". It was really tasty, and yes it did taste a bit like chicken. Because I didn't pay the big bucks and therefore did not get to witness the snakes execution and teh subsequent sipping of blood (good for your everything I believe), it might have been chicken for all I know. It did taste a little different so I'll assume it was cobra.
In the end, I of course wish I had just paid the 700000 dong. it works out to just under $50 and although it would have been something else for my budget I'm sure I could have made it up...I've really over budgeted for Vietnam I feel. It was a long wet ride and paying 200000 for one dish seemed pretty dumb afterwards.
I guess I'll have to go to some other sanke restaurant, suck it up and pay the big money, and maybe stop regretting not doing it this time. Curses!!!!
And when the moto guy dropped me off and I paid him, he asked if I could pay 20000 more. NOPE. He wasn't doing it aggresively, I just think he realized he should have said something when I told him what he'd be getting.
Writing this is really bugging me that I didn't go all out. Lots of time to eat snake some other time in my life...
I talked to anice moto driver, and told him what I would be paying him, although he never really qupted a price, always saying something about he has many friends whenever I asked, and telling me I could decide.
I also asked him roughly how much it would cost me to buy a snake and have it prepared different ways...again not even an estimate.
So we get out there, fortunately he took most of the cold cold rain that started pissing down, and I was shown a cobra and some mountain snake. How much to have a cobra killed just for me, and then having its flesh prepared 7 different ways? 1.4 milliong dong. Just under $50...Yikes! The mountain snake would have been 700000. Jeepers I said. The guidebook I read said $10, well I only said it to myself.
Eventually I paid 200000 dong and said give me what you can give me. That included two types of snake wine...although they both tasted like whiskey. One had actual beasties floating in the bottle, the other didn't. I tried to find out what the difference was, but they just kept pointing to their balls and back and heart, I think telling me that it would make my various body parts strong.
My dish was barbecued sanke...supposedly "king cobra". It was really tasty, and yes it did taste a bit like chicken. Because I didn't pay the big bucks and therefore did not get to witness the snakes execution and teh subsequent sipping of blood (good for your everything I believe), it might have been chicken for all I know. It did taste a little different so I'll assume it was cobra.
In the end, I of course wish I had just paid the 700000 dong. it works out to just under $50 and although it would have been something else for my budget I'm sure I could have made it up...I've really over budgeted for Vietnam I feel. It was a long wet ride and paying 200000 for one dish seemed pretty dumb afterwards.
I guess I'll have to go to some other sanke restaurant, suck it up and pay the big money, and maybe stop regretting not doing it this time. Curses!!!!
And when the moto guy dropped me off and I paid him, he asked if I could pay 20000 more. NOPE. He wasn't doing it aggresively, I just think he realized he should have said something when I told him what he'd be getting.
Writing this is really bugging me that I didn't go all out. Lots of time to eat snake some other time in my life...
winter and travel agents
Don't, I repeat DON'T come to Hanoi in winter. The city itself is fine, but part of the north of Vietnam is all the outdoorsy things you can get up to in the countryside. There are lots of trekking opportunities in Sapa on the border with China, but I never intended to do that.
What I did and do intend to do is visit Halong Bay (on a cruise) and Cat Ba Island while I'm out there. All teh travel agents around town are selling tours and they all feature lines like "snorkelling" "relaxing beaches" "swimming". Well let me tell you, I'm not going swimming in the ocean when it's 10 degrees out. Whenever I ask them what we'd do instead, they don't really have an answer so to end teh awkward silence I usually throw in "read?" Then they nod enthusiatically.
So basically I am now just trying to decide exactly WHAT I want to do on my grand tour of the bay. I think something that has more land based activities makes a bit more sense.
Choosing is not as easy as you might think...travel agencies are, let's say available. Like every third storefront in some places. On top of this you get a lot of copycats...one of the agencies is called teh Sinh Cafe, I say one but in actual fact about 50% of all the cafes I've seen have Sinh Cafe on their signs. People worry about copyright infringement in ASia??? Well if you can't keep people from taking others store names, good luck telling them not to burn a CD...which they also do in abundance.
So I have to pick a tour that I like, then make sure I am at an agency that isn't going to totally mess me over. Uggh.
And back to the winter thing. When I was looking at some pictures today I noticed the brightness of everything, I guess sunlight has a tendency to do that. Everyone frolicking in the summer sun makes the whole trip that much more appealing. Oh well, I'm here now and it's winter, and I have been assured at least hot water is available wherever I'll be staying so I'll have to make do.
Speaking of the sun, it crept out from behind the clouds today. Maybe half crept, and it didn't stay around that long. Still the world became brighter, and everything in this city looked way nicer.
Come here, it's great, but come in summer...sure it's high season, but it isn't like I'm getting any kind of low season discounts so what's the point?
What I did and do intend to do is visit Halong Bay (on a cruise) and Cat Ba Island while I'm out there. All teh travel agents around town are selling tours and they all feature lines like "snorkelling" "relaxing beaches" "swimming". Well let me tell you, I'm not going swimming in the ocean when it's 10 degrees out. Whenever I ask them what we'd do instead, they don't really have an answer so to end teh awkward silence I usually throw in "read?" Then they nod enthusiatically.
So basically I am now just trying to decide exactly WHAT I want to do on my grand tour of the bay. I think something that has more land based activities makes a bit more sense.
Choosing is not as easy as you might think...travel agencies are, let's say available. Like every third storefront in some places. On top of this you get a lot of copycats...one of the agencies is called teh Sinh Cafe, I say one but in actual fact about 50% of all the cafes I've seen have Sinh Cafe on their signs. People worry about copyright infringement in ASia??? Well if you can't keep people from taking others store names, good luck telling them not to burn a CD...which they also do in abundance.
So I have to pick a tour that I like, then make sure I am at an agency that isn't going to totally mess me over. Uggh.
And back to the winter thing. When I was looking at some pictures today I noticed the brightness of everything, I guess sunlight has a tendency to do that. Everyone frolicking in the summer sun makes the whole trip that much more appealing. Oh well, I'm here now and it's winter, and I have been assured at least hot water is available wherever I'll be staying so I'll have to make do.
Speaking of the sun, it crept out from behind the clouds today. Maybe half crept, and it didn't stay around that long. Still the world became brighter, and everything in this city looked way nicer.
Come here, it's great, but come in summer...sure it's high season, but it isn't like I'm getting any kind of low season discounts so what's the point?
Wednesday, January 12, 2005
strawberries
There are a lot of them here.
It surprised me, so maybe it will you, or maybe not. Either way.
It surprised me, so maybe it will you, or maybe not. Either way.
showoff
This is just me showing off about what a cool guy I am.
I was eating supper tonight, in a local restaurant as I am wont to do. It saves tonnes of money and muddling through teh ordering process is way more fun. I try to learn names of things but who am I kidding.
ANyway, so there I sat and I loked up and a woman was staring at me. I smiled and waved from my little red stooland picked up some chopsticks, she smiled back and wandered off.
Then some tour group walked by. I looked up as rarely as possible but still, I could feel their eyes.
I think because I'm a non local eating in a local restaurant I'm as much of a unique sight as lots of other things. Now this isn't true for everywhere we go, but concentrated tourism like what goes on teh Old Quarter here yields packaged tours. Packaged tours concerned about hygeine and not concerned about cost.
The whole incident just made me proud of myself. I'm not (and when G was with me it was the same story with her) the nost hardcore "one with the people" kind of traveller but I do very well for myself. If you go travelling you should get into the trenches so to speak, otherwise you just aren't getting the real experience. I guess teh other way is okayt for some. Part of my new outlook (it's just begun) is to criticize traits I dislike less often, and promote things I think are good. By doing this I thing I will bring world peace about and also more jelly beans...the orange and green ones especially.
Same goes for transportation, get on a bus or train with the masses and their livestock. I'M AWESOME. WOOT WOOT.
Well maybe not, I've been on here so long I get the feeling the lights might be off in my dorm room. Hopefully I can find my way into bed and other my warm warm covers.
I was eating supper tonight, in a local restaurant as I am wont to do. It saves tonnes of money and muddling through teh ordering process is way more fun. I try to learn names of things but who am I kidding.
ANyway, so there I sat and I loked up and a woman was staring at me. I smiled and waved from my little red stooland picked up some chopsticks, she smiled back and wandered off.
Then some tour group walked by. I looked up as rarely as possible but still, I could feel their eyes.
I think because I'm a non local eating in a local restaurant I'm as much of a unique sight as lots of other things. Now this isn't true for everywhere we go, but concentrated tourism like what goes on teh Old Quarter here yields packaged tours. Packaged tours concerned about hygeine and not concerned about cost.
The whole incident just made me proud of myself. I'm not (and when G was with me it was the same story with her) the nost hardcore "one with the people" kind of traveller but I do very well for myself. If you go travelling you should get into the trenches so to speak, otherwise you just aren't getting the real experience. I guess teh other way is okayt for some. Part of my new outlook (it's just begun) is to criticize traits I dislike less often, and promote things I think are good. By doing this I thing I will bring world peace about and also more jelly beans...the orange and green ones especially.
Same goes for transportation, get on a bus or train with the masses and their livestock. I'M AWESOME. WOOT WOOT.
Well maybe not, I've been on here so long I get the feeling the lights might be off in my dorm room. Hopefully I can find my way into bed and other my warm warm covers.
Wanderings
I meandered around town today and here are a few things that happened. First off, Hanoi is great for wandering because everything I want to see (well most of it) is pretty close and very walkable so you can have the pleasure of breaking all the moto drivers' collective heart.
A slow wander over to the HoCHi MInh mausoleum resulted in disaster. Well not disaster, but it's only open from 8-11AM and all the accompanying buildings (HCM Museum, HCM Stilt house etc) were closing for lunch. So I'm going back tomorrow because there no point in coming here if you don't have a look at the shrivelled up corpse of a communist leader...then onto Lenin and who knows (is Mao embalmed?)
Wandering around in front of the mausoleum, I was of course not paying attention and got yelled at because I nearly stepped onto the sacred sidewalk (a sidewalk surrounded by blue signs telling me not to step on it).
The Canadian Embassy is about as close to UNcle Ho's Mausoleum as you can get. I find this oddly amusing for some reason. Go CANADA! cough cough. It also has a guard box out front wiht a coupke of those lovely Vietnamese soldiers. malaysia didn't have its own guard box...losers.
These guys are everywhere, or at least they have similar uniforms for them all. It's the same uni, but with different shade of green (or yellow, those guys SUCK) and various more or less tassles, ropes and ribbons.
After that I went to the Army Museum, but I didn't know it was that. I saw a big old tower and went looking, apparently I went in a way that wasn't the entrance. I was lookuing around the old guns and piles of crap (rocket engines, mortars, a tank) that they are in teh process of setting up when I heard a screech. The girl from the ticket booth had hunted me down to tell me it was 20000, but inb an hour because they were on lunch break (lunch break to them was shivering in their tiocket box but not eating food). I ended up not paying because it looked like shit and a guy I was talking to later confirmed this (you couldn't even go up the tower, so what would the point have been?)
While contemplating whether to go or not I had a conversation with a guy who at first was trying to sell me postcardsn and his moto friends. Pleasant enough, my favourite moment being when I told the guy who had one pound sterling a four quarters that the pund was worth about tqo dollars. He lost his mind and drove off to try and sell it or tell someone. People seem to get random coins (I've seen twoonies and loonies and US and british) but no banks will exchange them so whoewver gets them has to try and sell them to foreigners for the local whatever.
Temple of Literature. Cool place where you studied for the civil service exams (read chinese and Vietnamese government history). It was nice. I wish my university looked like this one\, with all its lovely gates and courtyards. Oh and if you get a doctorate you get a big cement slab that stands on teh back of a big cement tortoise and you get all your academic claims to fame written on it. That's way better than a diploma.
It was here I met my three friends. Vietnamese kids 8 years old I'd guess. We talked for a good 20 minutes and they had nothing beyond hello. They just prattled on regardless. I especially like the smallest one who was smiling while he was telling me some long and elaborate story about his pet donkey Ronaldo (or something)...every time I'd say something like "No idea what you're saying" he'd smile more. They weer really interested in my almost full notebook, so I had tehm all write their names, I t\aught them my finger tricks.,,it was a grand old tiem had by all.
Also saw the cathedral today. It's a big one. Sat at the back in the dark and listened to some woman's cconversation with God in Vietnamese. I think she was asking for a porsche.
What else did I do today?? Ate and stuff. I budgeted $23 a day here and spent $8 today, Heh, money in the bank for when I need to buy my way out of jail. ANd internet is cheaper than anywhere else we've been, which coincides nicely with my desire to write like afiend.
A slow wander over to the HoCHi MInh mausoleum resulted in disaster. Well not disaster, but it's only open from 8-11AM and all the accompanying buildings (HCM Museum, HCM Stilt house etc) were closing for lunch. So I'm going back tomorrow because there no point in coming here if you don't have a look at the shrivelled up corpse of a communist leader...then onto Lenin and who knows (is Mao embalmed?)
Wandering around in front of the mausoleum, I was of course not paying attention and got yelled at because I nearly stepped onto the sacred sidewalk (a sidewalk surrounded by blue signs telling me not to step on it).
The Canadian Embassy is about as close to UNcle Ho's Mausoleum as you can get. I find this oddly amusing for some reason. Go CANADA! cough cough. It also has a guard box out front wiht a coupke of those lovely Vietnamese soldiers. malaysia didn't have its own guard box...losers.
These guys are everywhere, or at least they have similar uniforms for them all. It's the same uni, but with different shade of green (or yellow, those guys SUCK) and various more or less tassles, ropes and ribbons.
After that I went to the Army Museum, but I didn't know it was that. I saw a big old tower and went looking, apparently I went in a way that wasn't the entrance. I was lookuing around the old guns and piles of crap (rocket engines, mortars, a tank) that they are in teh process of setting up when I heard a screech. The girl from the ticket booth had hunted me down to tell me it was 20000, but inb an hour because they were on lunch break (lunch break to them was shivering in their tiocket box but not eating food). I ended up not paying because it looked like shit and a guy I was talking to later confirmed this (you couldn't even go up the tower, so what would the point have been?)
While contemplating whether to go or not I had a conversation with a guy who at first was trying to sell me postcardsn and his moto friends. Pleasant enough, my favourite moment being when I told the guy who had one pound sterling a four quarters that the pund was worth about tqo dollars. He lost his mind and drove off to try and sell it or tell someone. People seem to get random coins (I've seen twoonies and loonies and US and british) but no banks will exchange them so whoewver gets them has to try and sell them to foreigners for the local whatever.
Temple of Literature. Cool place where you studied for the civil service exams (read chinese and Vietnamese government history). It was nice. I wish my university looked like this one\, with all its lovely gates and courtyards. Oh and if you get a doctorate you get a big cement slab that stands on teh back of a big cement tortoise and you get all your academic claims to fame written on it. That's way better than a diploma.
It was here I met my three friends. Vietnamese kids 8 years old I'd guess. We talked for a good 20 minutes and they had nothing beyond hello. They just prattled on regardless. I especially like the smallest one who was smiling while he was telling me some long and elaborate story about his pet donkey Ronaldo (or something)...every time I'd say something like "No idea what you're saying" he'd smile more. They weer really interested in my almost full notebook, so I had tehm all write their names, I t\aught them my finger tricks.,,it was a grand old tiem had by all.
Also saw the cathedral today. It's a big one. Sat at the back in the dark and listened to some woman's cconversation with God in Vietnamese. I think she was asking for a porsche.
What else did I do today?? Ate and stuff. I budgeted $23 a day here and spent $8 today, Heh, money in the bank for when I need to buy my way out of jail. ANd internet is cheaper than anywhere else we've been, which coincides nicely with my desire to write like afiend.
my bag cover
In order to make their bags a bit more secure a lot of people have an additional cover they put over it. Included in my bag was a rain cover, a nice white one. Of course the first time I put it on in Laos the bag got put IN the bus and got smeared in grease (who cares, just spots) and toen (only a little but a piss off). The cover fits into a little pocket on the bag and this means it must be quite thin...so easier to rip.
Anyway, I'm not going to put it on top protect my bag so guess what. I made my own cover. With pure James genius I found an old corn bag and cut it with my swiss army knife. I then taped edges and reinforced certain spots then strung it with some rope I happened to bring.
I now have a ridiculously awesome bag cover that camouflages my bag as a bag of corn, something very few people (maybe some donkeys) would want to steal.
I wore it for the first time this morning, and it was sharp. people stared and pointed...they weer all so jealous.
Anyway, I'm not going to put it on top protect my bag so guess what. I made my own cover. With pure James genius I found an old corn bag and cut it with my swiss army knife. I then taped edges and reinforced certain spots then strung it with some rope I happened to bring.
I now have a ridiculously awesome bag cover that camouflages my bag as a bag of corn, something very few people (maybe some donkeys) would want to steal.
I wore it for the first time this morning, and it was sharp. people stared and pointed...they weer all so jealous.
solo
So on January 10th 2005 Giuliana and I bid a tearful farewell (not me I'm a big man...and...oh jeepers get me a tissue).
For those not in the loop she is off to become famous for being the best English teacher in Japan. It isn't a very good reason to be famous, but it's only the first thing and she'll be famous for something better later in life.
I had originally planned to go with her for a week and then return to Canada. Instead I'm staying in SE asia for another 3 months. I just can't get enough of this spending next to nothing on life business.
I am lonely, that's for sure, but I'm getting over it already. And I'm taking all those proactive steps to meet people and not end up talking to my imaginary travel companion, Yellow Camelus. He's a yellow camel and a warrior from Japan, well he's real but he's a toy.
The hardest thing so far is having no one around to tell those little things to. Like I write a lot of crap here, but I see so much more. It was great having someone that you could tell whatever just popped into your head and then let it float away. Now I have to jot things down or my brain eventually bursts. And although I write a lot here, I don't tell you all the interesting things like how good a dumpling I ate was, or all the interactions I have with moto drivers ("Moto?" No thanks, next driver, 3 FEET AWAY "moto sir"..."umm no." and so on) ANyway, no more snide remarks from me.
I also have the unfortunate tendency of saying some stupid things. Giuliana was used to it so I could speak, but I have to be a bit careful with new friends.
Also if I don't speak to someone regularly, it builds up. When I do get to speak I'm very disorganized (jumping between subjects) and interrupt and speak to fast anbd am genereally MORE difficult than normal to follow.
I just need to learn a new way to travel, and I'll be fine.
For those not in the loop she is off to become famous for being the best English teacher in Japan. It isn't a very good reason to be famous, but it's only the first thing and she'll be famous for something better later in life.
I had originally planned to go with her for a week and then return to Canada. Instead I'm staying in SE asia for another 3 months. I just can't get enough of this spending next to nothing on life business.
I am lonely, that's for sure, but I'm getting over it already. And I'm taking all those proactive steps to meet people and not end up talking to my imaginary travel companion, Yellow Camelus. He's a yellow camel and a warrior from Japan, well he's real but he's a toy.
The hardest thing so far is having no one around to tell those little things to. Like I write a lot of crap here, but I see so much more. It was great having someone that you could tell whatever just popped into your head and then let it float away. Now I have to jot things down or my brain eventually bursts. And although I write a lot here, I don't tell you all the interesting things like how good a dumpling I ate was, or all the interactions I have with moto drivers ("Moto?" No thanks, next driver, 3 FEET AWAY "moto sir"..."umm no." and so on) ANyway, no more snide remarks from me.
I also have the unfortunate tendency of saying some stupid things. Giuliana was used to it so I could speak, but I have to be a bit careful with new friends.
Also if I don't speak to someone regularly, it builds up. When I do get to speak I'm very disorganized (jumping between subjects) and interrupt and speak to fast anbd am genereally MORE difficult than normal to follow.
I just need to learn a new way to travel, and I'll be fine.
Motos
Motorbikes have been crazy in Se Asia, but here, yikes! On teh drive in from the airport I noticed an aweful lot of side views. Like people cutting across traffic sideviews.
Lights change and there are always people still going through when others start moving. They aren't even gunning it, they just roll through and expect people to avoid them. A lot of honking accompanies all of this, but I'm not sure what good it does if everyone is doing it. If I ever drove here I would pick a speed and a straight line and not worry about too much else, other people could avoid me. Until I got used to the traffic then it's balls to the wall.
Cars, trucks etc. are all slowed because of the motorbikes, in fact so are the bikes. The way tehy are staggered across the road and there are no really fast or slow lanes, nobody can get up a head of steam. Work in bicycles, rickshaws and pedestrians and there's no chance to get speed up.
Today I saw a hummer. I think the hummer as a civilian vehicle is one of the stupidest ideas on the face of the planet. It's too big for real off road recreation and too big for a city and just dumb, especially wen you get a yellow one. ANyway, it's even stupider here, with more traffic and narrower streets.
STUPID!!!!!
Lights change and there are always people still going through when others start moving. They aren't even gunning it, they just roll through and expect people to avoid them. A lot of honking accompanies all of this, but I'm not sure what good it does if everyone is doing it. If I ever drove here I would pick a speed and a straight line and not worry about too much else, other people could avoid me. Until I got used to the traffic then it's balls to the wall.
Cars, trucks etc. are all slowed because of the motorbikes, in fact so are the bikes. The way tehy are staggered across the road and there are no really fast or slow lanes, nobody can get up a head of steam. Work in bicycles, rickshaws and pedestrians and there's no chance to get speed up.
Today I saw a hummer. I think the hummer as a civilian vehicle is one of the stupidest ideas on the face of the planet. It's too big for real off road recreation and too big for a city and just dumb, especially wen you get a yellow one. ANyway, it's even stupider here, with more traffic and narrower streets.
STUPID!!!!!
Vietnam and Hanoi
Flying in over the villages near the airport I thought Italian mountain towns. Seeing as they were on little hills above the Red River flood plain that makes absolutely no sense. With that in mind the following descriptions might not be all that accurate.
It's cold here. They're saying 11 degrees but it definitely gets colder at night, and it's a little drizzly...the dampness makes it feel colder or something. That and EVERYTHING here is built to keep people cool. There're no doors in teh fronts of buildings, and there are lots of holes for air flow. I don't know if this is a particularly cold winter or the people just suffer through this every year. Whatever the case my plans to miss winter this year are only barely holdiung together.
I'm just thankful that I'm not doing the moutains of Laos right now. I'd imagine they'd be mighty cold as well.
What to tell you...well I need to be more careful now that I don't have Giuliana around to stop me making stupid mistakes (more on that later). I got to teh airport and changed $10 cash into dong (a stock of dollars is important and crisp bills can be rare) then turned and saw a different booth taking traveller's cheques. Oh well.
Travel with American Express in Vietnam, Vietcong Bank cashes them to dong with no commission, if any of you care.
Into town and dropped at the wrong hotel. Now that isn't a big BIG deal, but the adventure that ensued was fun. They took me into their hotel and told me they had rooms as cheap as $8. I said that's too expensive, so they threw me on a motorbike and off we went to another place.
This ride featured me on teh back with pack on still and the criver weaving here and tehre and TURNING TO TALK TO ME. Nice.
Second place. "I need a cheap room" "$7" "I was think somthing for $3 a dorm" "Look first" I Looked it was nice room, but it still cost $7. So off we went.
The next place, similar conversation but $5. At this point I had no idea where I was and the Old Quarter of Hanoi...
The Old Quarter has streets, streets on different angles going here there and every. I guess that happens when you build around a lake in a limited area. It also has the unfortunate tendency of having street names that last a block then change. I guess tehy have a lot of heros and events to commemorate.
Anyway, I didn't know where I was...Then this guy walks up with a business card. It was from one of the hotels with dorm rooms, he said he worked there as well as the hotel I was in, unfortunately all the dorm beds were filled so I should stay in the $5 room one night then switch. I was tired so I said okay. He also said he would go and see if anyone was checking out tomorrow.
By the time I had soted myself out, he was out in the "lobby" watching TV. Unfortunately EVERY SINGLE PERSON was staying in the dorm, because of the rain he said. At this point the voives in the back of my head saying "why was his business card so shitty?" said "why would anyone want to to stay here in the cold and rain if it's sunny and warm down south?"
I went for a stroll and they made their first mistake...they gave me their business card with a little map on the back!!! The map was essential so I could find my way back but it also let me find the hotel I wanted "We have many beds." The girl looked a little confused when I clarified that if I came tomorrow there would be a bed.
In teh morning I got all my stuff together pack on, then went to teh desk paid and left as teh girl there was asking why I didn't stay longer. I explained the cost AGAIN and was gone, to my cheaper and much more sociable dorm. The room I had been in while nice (and lacking a needed duvet) was in the back and there was no social area.
I don't blame them for doing what they did...it was kinda clever how everything worked. I think the issue at the start with the wrong hotel though arose because the place I wanted has changed its name.
It's cold here. They're saying 11 degrees but it definitely gets colder at night, and it's a little drizzly...the dampness makes it feel colder or something. That and EVERYTHING here is built to keep people cool. There're no doors in teh fronts of buildings, and there are lots of holes for air flow. I don't know if this is a particularly cold winter or the people just suffer through this every year. Whatever the case my plans to miss winter this year are only barely holdiung together.
I'm just thankful that I'm not doing the moutains of Laos right now. I'd imagine they'd be mighty cold as well.
What to tell you...well I need to be more careful now that I don't have Giuliana around to stop me making stupid mistakes (more on that later). I got to teh airport and changed $10 cash into dong (a stock of dollars is important and crisp bills can be rare) then turned and saw a different booth taking traveller's cheques. Oh well.
Travel with American Express in Vietnam, Vietcong Bank cashes them to dong with no commission, if any of you care.
Into town and dropped at the wrong hotel. Now that isn't a big BIG deal, but the adventure that ensued was fun. They took me into their hotel and told me they had rooms as cheap as $8. I said that's too expensive, so they threw me on a motorbike and off we went to another place.
This ride featured me on teh back with pack on still and the criver weaving here and tehre and TURNING TO TALK TO ME. Nice.
Second place. "I need a cheap room" "$7" "I was think somthing for $3 a dorm" "Look first" I Looked it was nice room, but it still cost $7. So off we went.
The next place, similar conversation but $5. At this point I had no idea where I was and the Old Quarter of Hanoi...
The Old Quarter has streets, streets on different angles going here there and every. I guess that happens when you build around a lake in a limited area. It also has the unfortunate tendency of having street names that last a block then change. I guess tehy have a lot of heros and events to commemorate.
Anyway, I didn't know where I was...Then this guy walks up with a business card. It was from one of the hotels with dorm rooms, he said he worked there as well as the hotel I was in, unfortunately all the dorm beds were filled so I should stay in the $5 room one night then switch. I was tired so I said okay. He also said he would go and see if anyone was checking out tomorrow.
By the time I had soted myself out, he was out in the "lobby" watching TV. Unfortunately EVERY SINGLE PERSON was staying in the dorm, because of the rain he said. At this point the voives in the back of my head saying "why was his business card so shitty?" said "why would anyone want to to stay here in the cold and rain if it's sunny and warm down south?"
I went for a stroll and they made their first mistake...they gave me their business card with a little map on the back!!! The map was essential so I could find my way back but it also let me find the hotel I wanted "We have many beds." The girl looked a little confused when I clarified that if I came tomorrow there would be a bed.
In teh morning I got all my stuff together pack on, then went to teh desk paid and left as teh girl there was asking why I didn't stay longer. I explained the cost AGAIN and was gone, to my cheaper and much more sociable dorm. The room I had been in while nice (and lacking a needed duvet) was in the back and there was no social area.
I don't blame them for doing what they did...it was kinda clever how everything worked. I think the issue at the start with the wrong hotel though arose because the place I wanted has changed its name.
Monday, January 10, 2005
high season
NO! It isn't what you think.
There are more tourists here at this time.
The weather is nicer, but the higher numbers mean guesthouses bump up prices, and there's no chance of negotiatiiong a discount, most fill up every night.
The vendors too seems to get more into it. They have more marked prices and haggling just isn't the same as when we were here before. If you ask to get a discount they give you some nasty looks. I guess they don't really need to worry about getting a reputation as a rude shop.
But they need to worry about me burning down their store...or do they? I've been on ehre too long. Next post from Vietnam.
There are more tourists here at this time.
The weather is nicer, but the higher numbers mean guesthouses bump up prices, and there's no chance of negotiatiiong a discount, most fill up every night.
The vendors too seems to get more into it. They have more marked prices and haggling just isn't the same as when we were here before. If you ask to get a discount they give you some nasty looks. I guess they don't really need to worry about getting a reputation as a rude shop.
But they need to worry about me burning down their store...or do they? I've been on ehre too long. Next post from Vietnam.
teh
Sorry I constantly write THE like that, but when my fingers start a' flyin'. That and these keyboards can get a little sticky (ewww). But mostly I'm so fast. I could edit them all but then I wouldn't have anything to tell you about because I would just sit here making blog entries carefully.
THE TEH close enough
THE TEH close enough
blood
Not sure why I felt a need to clarify this, but I gave blood at a children's hospital in Cambodia.
I did it for the kids. I hadbn't even thought of the blood needed for tsunami relief untilo I got to Thailand.
While I'm on teh subject the "give money to Tsunami relief" box on Kho SAn Road is geting weirder. People are taking pictures of the lists of people's names, and the posters that have been put up with people's pictures. Not only that, the organizers have printed pics taken from video I assume. It's a frame by frame thing of the wave's progression and each picture has the caption "It took 12 seconds".
Met a guy today, an American architect. who was going to travel up to Laos but now looks to be headding to the wave ravaged areas. His wife's a photojournalist, but more importantly he hsaid he may get put in charge of teh Habitat for Humnaity mission in Sri Lanka...they lost tonnes of people and from what I gathered he's built houses around theworld (from palaces in Arabia to $100 wonders in INdia) so he looks to be a fine fella for the job.
I did it for the kids. I hadbn't even thought of the blood needed for tsunami relief untilo I got to Thailand.
While I'm on teh subject the "give money to Tsunami relief" box on Kho SAn Road is geting weirder. People are taking pictures of the lists of people's names, and the posters that have been put up with people's pictures. Not only that, the organizers have printed pics taken from video I assume. It's a frame by frame thing of the wave's progression and each picture has the caption "It took 12 seconds".
Met a guy today, an American architect. who was going to travel up to Laos but now looks to be headding to the wave ravaged areas. His wife's a photojournalist, but more importantly he hsaid he may get put in charge of teh Habitat for Humnaity mission in Sri Lanka...they lost tonnes of people and from what I gathered he's built houses around theworld (from palaces in Arabia to $100 wonders in INdia) so he looks to be a fine fella for the job.
Giuliana
She is off to Japan. I bade her farewll on the airport bus, and I plan to miss her greatly. Who am I kidding I miss her tonnes already.
I'm off to Vietnam tomorrow with no one to stop me from making mistakes anymore. I thionk I'll be able to muddle through (I even photocopied some of her guidebook).
If anyone wants to assist send yourself to Hanoi, or give Giuliana some cash (lots of it) so she doesn't have to work in Japan and can come back to SE Asia.
I'm off to Vietnam tomorrow with no one to stop me from making mistakes anymore. I thionk I'll be able to muddle through (I even photocopied some of her guidebook).
If anyone wants to assist send yourself to Hanoi, or give Giuliana some cash (lots of it) so she doesn't have to work in Japan and can come back to SE Asia.
The tsunamis
Anyone who is planning a visit to Thailand, don't cancel. Not only is there lots more to see than the south...beaches and water...I'll dump some sand in your bathtub, but the south is actually fine.
Well, not all of it. There are signs all around Kho San Road talking about the situation on different islands. Apparently because of various geographical fortunate occurrences (not their words) their islands are fine.
The problems they're having now though is no one is down there because people think the whole region is a waste land.
In fact, not only should you not cancel...you should book a trip right now. Don't put the Thai people out of work!
Well, not all of it. There are signs all around Kho San Road talking about the situation on different islands. Apparently because of various geographical fortunate occurrences (not their words) their islands are fine.
The problems they're having now though is no one is down there because people think the whole region is a waste land.
In fact, not only should you not cancel...you should book a trip right now. Don't put the Thai people out of work!
Buddhism
I know I've taked about it a lot and I'm sure everyone reading this must be tired of it (all 5 of you) but I have to say something more on Buddhism.
I was walking in China Town and the only stores open on a Sunday were the ones selling Buddha statues. Covered in gold, or at least looking that way, they ranged in size from 6 inches and less to over 8 feet, sitting and standing, whatever you want.
They were all wrapped in plastic and there was 10 or more of these buddha stores on the street we were on. I just can't werap my head around how much of a commercialized belief system this is. From buying statues to shrines or all the vendors that set up outside teh main temples selling food incense or flowers. It just goes on and on.
I guess when you're concerned about karma, money seems a good way to accrue it, but that isn't a purely Buddhist thing of course. And I'm going to assume these Buddhas will go to people's homes, homes where they're just too busy to get to the temple regularly...so they need an 8 foot Buddha in the living room? Sure why not.
The way I ramble about this I think it's something I'll need to contemplate in depth back at home. You'd never guess I took a course on Buddhism at school. In all fairness to me though, the class was 3 hours long, ridiculously hot for the first 1.5 months and the prof was a bit of a flake. That and I didn't read much or try hard. But most importantly at no time in that class did the prof tell me about gaudy gold temples, vendors and tuk tuk drivers, statues by the boat load, and all sorts of sacred temple architecture and ornamentation being made out of cement that I watch getting poured.
Maybe because I assumed the tem,ples were ancient I only have myself to blame. I still really like some of teh old stuff, maybe it's new wave Buddhism that's getting me.
Or MAYBE I'm just seeing the superficialities at the surface and if I dug deeper I'd get a better understanding. Either way...ENOUGH.
I was walking in China Town and the only stores open on a Sunday were the ones selling Buddha statues. Covered in gold, or at least looking that way, they ranged in size from 6 inches and less to over 8 feet, sitting and standing, whatever you want.
They were all wrapped in plastic and there was 10 or more of these buddha stores on the street we were on. I just can't werap my head around how much of a commercialized belief system this is. From buying statues to shrines or all the vendors that set up outside teh main temples selling food incense or flowers. It just goes on and on.
I guess when you're concerned about karma, money seems a good way to accrue it, but that isn't a purely Buddhist thing of course. And I'm going to assume these Buddhas will go to people's homes, homes where they're just too busy to get to the temple regularly...so they need an 8 foot Buddha in the living room? Sure why not.
The way I ramble about this I think it's something I'll need to contemplate in depth back at home. You'd never guess I took a course on Buddhism at school. In all fairness to me though, the class was 3 hours long, ridiculously hot for the first 1.5 months and the prof was a bit of a flake. That and I didn't read much or try hard. But most importantly at no time in that class did the prof tell me about gaudy gold temples, vendors and tuk tuk drivers, statues by the boat load, and all sorts of sacred temple architecture and ornamentation being made out of cement that I watch getting poured.
Maybe because I assumed the tem,ples were ancient I only have myself to blame. I still really like some of teh old stuff, maybe it's new wave Buddhism that's getting me.
Or MAYBE I'm just seeing the superficialities at the surface and if I dug deeper I'd get a better understanding. Either way...ENOUGH.
Thursday, January 06, 2005
Bangkok once again
After a little delay at the border...they needed two fewer people and somehow Giuliana and I got bumped to an hour later bus, we made it back to Bangkok.
I have to say, Bangkok (and Thailand as a whole) is something different than what I remember. Much of that has to do with the jet lag on our first go around.
The first thing you notice, well the first thing I noticed because you weren't there, was teh smooth roads. The road from Siem Reap to Poipet is just super, if by super I mean bumpy as all hell. Like spine jarring, ass numbing bumpiness that just doesn't want to stop. Maybe I don't mean super. Then you do all the at the border junk, including having a digital photo taken...I assume so they can put out a WANTED poster really fast if someone checks out of Cambodia but forgets to cross the bridge.
Crossing the bridge, HUGE casinos I must assume cater to a Thai crowd (minimum $2500 bets) and beggars. Ah Cambodia. Then onto the sweet roads of Thailand. Our bus from there to bangkok had a WASHROOM, all the seats weren't even full and well bumps just weren't. The roads and buses of Laos and Cambodia were quickly forgotten.
As we neared Bangkok I began to reminisce about thefirst time I arrived there. The hot hot hot humidity. AIr so thick you could cut it into bricks and make a humidity block igloo that would be warm... damn, metaphors aren't my forte. Anywho, got off teh bus and 23 degrees? I dunno, I'm just guessing. But it was comfortable, so nice. And one of the bus guys just said "winter" and I thought well this is splendid.
Unfortunately with winter comes the high season. ANd guest houses have higher rates and more bookings. We should have gone straight to the place we stayed at the first time...Ranee's and got our lovely 200baht a night double, but we endedf up at a 250 instead and Ranee's is now booked. Oh well.
Walking around on the streets, I couldn't honestly tell you if there are more people, and I dsoubt you even care. We'll have to trust the hotels on this one.
The result of all this. I love Bangkok. Walking around all the happy people, the pirated CD vendors pumping all kinds of music (new, old, etchno, folk, rap, rock and anything else...yes Gill even drum beats played on a stretched cow's stomach), bars out the sides of vans and all teh food vendors.
That's another thing, last time we jsut followed the guidebook a bit too much. Oooh this restaurant is supposed to be scheap, let's go there. Our vendoring consisted of fruit buys. N9ot this time, nuts and fried chicken and sdquids on sticks and yum yum yum yum yum. YUM.
So not to bore you with this anymore. bangkok is WAY better when you aren't jet lagged and you kinda know the city and it isn't 36 degrees constantly, even at night. GREAT!
And for those with interest, in Bangkok the main results of the tsunami are lots of signs asking for blood donations, a benefit concert going on right now, a big charity box at Kho San road and sheets of paper hung on a fence. The papers are updated daily and have details on people missing, dead or injured. There are even a few not so nice pictures of corpses they are trying to identify.
I have to say, Bangkok (and Thailand as a whole) is something different than what I remember. Much of that has to do with the jet lag on our first go around.
The first thing you notice, well the first thing I noticed because you weren't there, was teh smooth roads. The road from Siem Reap to Poipet is just super, if by super I mean bumpy as all hell. Like spine jarring, ass numbing bumpiness that just doesn't want to stop. Maybe I don't mean super. Then you do all the at the border junk, including having a digital photo taken...I assume so they can put out a WANTED poster really fast if someone checks out of Cambodia but forgets to cross the bridge.
Crossing the bridge, HUGE casinos I must assume cater to a Thai crowd (minimum $2500 bets) and beggars. Ah Cambodia. Then onto the sweet roads of Thailand. Our bus from there to bangkok had a WASHROOM, all the seats weren't even full and well bumps just weren't. The roads and buses of Laos and Cambodia were quickly forgotten.
As we neared Bangkok I began to reminisce about thefirst time I arrived there. The hot hot hot humidity. AIr so thick you could cut it into bricks and make a humidity block igloo that would be warm... damn, metaphors aren't my forte. Anywho, got off teh bus and 23 degrees? I dunno, I'm just guessing. But it was comfortable, so nice. And one of the bus guys just said "winter" and I thought well this is splendid.
Unfortunately with winter comes the high season. ANd guest houses have higher rates and more bookings. We should have gone straight to the place we stayed at the first time...Ranee's and got our lovely 200baht a night double, but we endedf up at a 250 instead and Ranee's is now booked. Oh well.
Walking around on the streets, I couldn't honestly tell you if there are more people, and I dsoubt you even care. We'll have to trust the hotels on this one.
The result of all this. I love Bangkok. Walking around all the happy people, the pirated CD vendors pumping all kinds of music (new, old, etchno, folk, rap, rock and anything else...yes Gill even drum beats played on a stretched cow's stomach), bars out the sides of vans and all teh food vendors.
That's another thing, last time we jsut followed the guidebook a bit too much. Oooh this restaurant is supposed to be scheap, let's go there. Our vendoring consisted of fruit buys. N9ot this time, nuts and fried chicken and sdquids on sticks and yum yum yum yum yum. YUM.
So not to bore you with this anymore. bangkok is WAY better when you aren't jet lagged and you kinda know the city and it isn't 36 degrees constantly, even at night. GREAT!
And for those with interest, in Bangkok the main results of the tsunami are lots of signs asking for blood donations, a benefit concert going on right now, a big charity box at Kho San road and sheets of paper hung on a fence. The papers are updated daily and have details on people missing, dead or injured. There are even a few not so nice pictures of corpses they are trying to identify.
Goodmorning Vietnam, and other such cliches
IBuying my ticket tomorrow. I will be leaving here on January 11, and landing in Hanoi. I will tehn work my way down that wonderful (here's hoping) nation and depart from Saigon (aka Ho Chi Minh City aka HCMC) on about February 3. I haven't decided yet.
But here's the catch! I was going to return to Bangkok, but now...ooooohh now, I'm going straight to Kuala Lampur. That's in Malaysia. Fun fun fun. From tehre I explore that country, and will dip into Singapore for a bit. Singapore being a wee bit mroe expensive than elsewhere, a dip is all I can afford.
I may head down to Indonesia. I haven't decided yet. I assure EVERYONE, if I do go to Indonesia my adventures will be restricted to teh island of Java. Unaffected by the quake and tsunami, except indirectly of course. As far as I know, and I'll be doing some research on this, I won't take any resources away from any rescue efforts. By research I mean check the Indonesian government web pages and make sure they don't say anything subtle like "don't come here and take away from our efforts."
And after that's all done, back up through Malaysia and it's various other attractions before re-entering Thailand.
Right now departure is PENCILED in for March 22, but I'm holding out hope for an April 3rd (or thereabouts) flight to reveal itself.
But here's the catch! I was going to return to Bangkok, but now...ooooohh now, I'm going straight to Kuala Lampur. That's in Malaysia. Fun fun fun. From tehre I explore that country, and will dip into Singapore for a bit. Singapore being a wee bit mroe expensive than elsewhere, a dip is all I can afford.
I may head down to Indonesia. I haven't decided yet. I assure EVERYONE, if I do go to Indonesia my adventures will be restricted to teh island of Java. Unaffected by the quake and tsunami, except indirectly of course. As far as I know, and I'll be doing some research on this, I won't take any resources away from any rescue efforts. By research I mean check the Indonesian government web pages and make sure they don't say anything subtle like "don't come here and take away from our efforts."
And after that's all done, back up through Malaysia and it's various other attractions before re-entering Thailand.
Right now departure is PENCILED in for March 22, but I'm holding out hope for an April 3rd (or thereabouts) flight to reveal itself.
Monday, January 03, 2005
Fresh Prince of Bel Air
My favourite episode has to be the one where Will gets himself in trouble down at the pool hall. He's playing and having fun, but then falls into trouble when he gets suckered into a money game against someone who was MUCH better than him.
Eventually UNcle Phil comes down to straighten things out, and after losing money to the same guy they bump up the odds to like $1000 a ball or something crazy. Suddenly Uncle Phil changes from a bumbling judge in over his head into a pool demon. He turns to Jeffrey and says "Jeffrey, break out Big Bertha" and Jeffrey pulls this sweet assed pool cue from his pants and screws it together.
Turns out that UNcle Phil is awesome, and he beats the pool shrak BIG TIME. Then at the end he tells Will he didn't want to ruin his fun by saying he shouldn't go to those places, just that he knows what goes on there. A good message I feel.
I also like the one where it turns out Jeffrey (whose last name is Butler, and he is a butler) thought he was bringing shame onto the Banks family when Philip was running for some post. Jeffrey used to run marathons for Britain and at some big one he hopped in a cab. "Disgrace of a nation".
Now I keep thinking of other episodes...or just every time Jazz got thrown out of the house...or whenever Carlton danced. Too sweet all around.
Eventually UNcle Phil comes down to straighten things out, and after losing money to the same guy they bump up the odds to like $1000 a ball or something crazy. Suddenly Uncle Phil changes from a bumbling judge in over his head into a pool demon. He turns to Jeffrey and says "Jeffrey, break out Big Bertha" and Jeffrey pulls this sweet assed pool cue from his pants and screws it together.
Turns out that UNcle Phil is awesome, and he beats the pool shrak BIG TIME. Then at the end he tells Will he didn't want to ruin his fun by saying he shouldn't go to those places, just that he knows what goes on there. A good message I feel.
I also like the one where it turns out Jeffrey (whose last name is Butler, and he is a butler) thought he was bringing shame onto the Banks family when Philip was running for some post. Jeffrey used to run marathons for Britain and at some big one he hopped in a cab. "Disgrace of a nation".
Now I keep thinking of other episodes...or just every time Jazz got thrown out of the house...or whenever Carlton danced. Too sweet all around.
Jodge Nam Tmoy
That is Khmer for Happy New Year.
I asked someone how to say it, then began repeating to anyone and everyone, for one day at least and it made me realize something. We all know that when travelling people appreciate that you at least try to learn the language, and everywhere we have gone so far we've picked up the basics (very basic).
In other places in Cambodia we were a novelty just by being there, but in Siem Reap, a place that gets a lot of tourists, only here for a week, who never go elsewhere in Cambodia we became a novelty because we could say thank you in Khmer. When I said thanks after using the internet last, the guy got a HUGE smile on his face. When I was wishing people a Happy New Year there was much merriment on both sides.
Maybe this is just a congratulatory post, me saying to myself, 'well done' and if it is who cares. Little things can make such a big difference so why not do them?
I asked someone how to say it, then began repeating to anyone and everyone, for one day at least and it made me realize something. We all know that when travelling people appreciate that you at least try to learn the language, and everywhere we have gone so far we've picked up the basics (very basic).
In other places in Cambodia we were a novelty just by being there, but in Siem Reap, a place that gets a lot of tourists, only here for a week, who never go elsewhere in Cambodia we became a novelty because we could say thank you in Khmer. When I said thanks after using the internet last, the guy got a HUGE smile on his face. When I was wishing people a Happy New Year there was much merriment on both sides.
Maybe this is just a congratulatory post, me saying to myself, 'well done' and if it is who cares. Little things can make such a big difference so why not do them?
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