We arrived in Varanasi at 5 a.m. yesterday morning after a short overnight train trip. Varanasi is situated along the Ganges River, and is THE most holy Hindu city. Hindus from all over come to the more than 100 ghats to bathe on the steps of the Ganges River to cleanse their souls. Hindu or not, this is a very spiritual city.
Still bleary-eyed from the train trip, I sip masala chai on the rooftop of the hotel and watch as the waters turn from black to grey to pinkish-grey as the red morning sun rises over the mystic waters. The city is waking up to the sound of a woman's lilting voice, singing praises to the mother river. Our guide takes us on a walk along the waterfront to see the ghats and ritualistic cleansing, past black bulls with curly horns, goats perched on the steep ghat steps, puppies snug under the warmth of their mother, colorful bedsheets and clothes laid out to dry on the sandy banks, men stooped over the skeleton of new wooden boats, dull metal tools by their side, and then we see it. A circle of men around a stretcher, first dipping the bundle wrapped in white cloth into the Ganges and then placing it carefully on a crosshatching of logs, and then it is set afire. Hindus believe that the fire cleanses their souls, prepares their loved ones for a better afterlife. Holy men, pregnant women, and children are considered pure and just tossed into the river.
I won't go into any more details, but needless to say, I did not stay to watch for very long, for it is a bit overwhelming, and a bit embarrassing that this is such a tourist attraction. Later that afternoon, I ran into a 10-year old boy who asked if I wanted to see the "dead body fire." I said no, and he says some tourists like it, others don't, and explains that there are two "burning" ghats, one of which burns for 24 hours a day. I note his matter-of-fact calmness in which he says this. He tells me that he like to fly kites and invites me and my travelmate over to play kites. We climb up to the rooftop of his family's courtyard house, and soon his friend comes with new paper and bamboo kites purchased from the market. I watch as he skillfully launches the purple and white striped kite, adding a splash of color to the blue sky, pulling and tugging, letting go, making the kite jump, dance, and loop. There are dozens of other kites in the sky, and I see many children with their spools of string on the rooftops, looking up at their splotch of colorful paper. The boy and his friend talk to each other in excited Hindi, transfixing their gazes in the sky, every once in a while shouting to a child on another rooftop. He "cuts" a kite, and relishes in his booty. Does he get mad when someone cuts his kite? "Why should I get mad? I cut his today, he cut me tomorrow." But there's more than that. Only certain kites could be cut, others are left alone. It is an active sport that demands one's full attention, it's how kids play, compete, and learn to take life in stride.
Thursday, December 27, 2007
Monday, December 24, 2007
A boa, monkeys, and the Taj Mahal
Keoleteo National Park in Bharatpur is a joy on bike. The park also holds the record for the most birds killed in one day by some bloodthirsty English nobleman, bagging around 4200 birds. Birds migrate the the park during the cold northern winters, taking advantage of th 520 species of water plants and rich habitat. Monkeys gawked at us as we rode through the narrow paved trail, we spotted a boa constrictor sunning itself before retreating back into its dark underground den, a jackal who doesn't yet know it is dinner for the boa, ducks that glow like gold in the sun, a turtle lurking in the mossy green lake, antelopes with red horns, owls and baby owlettes (?), a cute pony who kept poking its nose at a man's butt, birds whose bright yellow and blue tails fan out when in flight, and families of wild deer who come here to graze and get a peek at the tourists.
We arrived in Agra today and will be visiting India's most recognizable landmark, the Taj Mahal. Leaving tomorrow night for Varanasi, the holiest city in India. It is Christmas Eve, and 81 degrees fahrenheit. It is weird for me to have a warm Christmas, but not for my fellow travelmates who come from down under (Australia and New Zealand), where Christmas has always been associated with warm weather.
Our tour guide warns us that we will probably get hassled much more in Agra than in the previous cities we've visited. It always saddens me when a young child, barely older than a toddler, comes and holds their empty hands up to me. It is equally sad when this young child grows up to be the one trying to sell me postcards or some trinket on the street while other children dressed in neat woolen uniforms and shiny shoes are going off to school. India is a land full of contradictions.
We arrived in Agra today and will be visiting India's most recognizable landmark, the Taj Mahal. Leaving tomorrow night for Varanasi, the holiest city in India. It is Christmas Eve, and 81 degrees fahrenheit. It is weird for me to have a warm Christmas, but not for my fellow travelmates who come from down under (Australia and New Zealand), where Christmas has always been associated with warm weather.
Our tour guide warns us that we will probably get hassled much more in Agra than in the previous cities we've visited. It always saddens me when a young child, barely older than a toddler, comes and holds their empty hands up to me. It is equally sad when this young child grows up to be the one trying to sell me postcards or some trinket on the street while other children dressed in neat woolen uniforms and shiny shoes are going off to school. India is a land full of contradictions.
Saturday, December 22, 2007
The Pink City
Jaipur is nicknamed the "pink city" for how they painted the buildings pink as a sign of welcome to the Prince of Wales ages ago. The city is no longer predominantly pink, but there is the Hawa Mahal, which is made of pink standstone carved with honeycombs of screens, built by the maharaja to allow the women of the palace to gaze into the outside world. Yesterday, a couple of us rode elephants, whose trunks and foreheads were decorated in pastel designs, up the steep hill to the city's old fort. Today, we explored the Jantar Mantar observatory and its extraordinary collection of outdoor astrological "tools" used to tell time (it has the largest sundial in the world, accurate to 2 seconds), and the location of the sun. We're heading to Bharatpur tomorrow.
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
Camel Safari in Jaisalmer
We sped away in jeeps, about an hour outside of Jaisalmer, and turned onto a dirt road. Not too far in the distance, a herd of camels and their drivers awaited us and helped us mount onto our camels. These desert wayfarers travel slowly, at a walking pace, and we city slickers marvel at the occassional antelope, lost dog, and thristy cow. I get the sense that we have not strayed very far from civilazation, as we can track power lines not too far from 0ur trail. We arrive at camp after two hours of trodding in the warm afternoon sun, greeted by wild dogs, and desert tribesmen who were hand kneading the dough and stirring the curry for our supper. I play in the sand, find a handy bush, sip beer as I watch the golden sun descend into the horizon, casting a warm orange and pink glow into the skies.
Our camel guides bake bread in the ashes of cow patties, where fat patties of dough are first dropped into the fire, and after about 20 minutes, covered in the ashes, a delicacy I call "poopy bread." They serve us a vegetarian thali dinner of desert beans, cauliflower curry, rice, chapati (unleavened flatbread), poopy bread (without the ashes), and a sweet milky-tasting dessert. After dinner, we all sit by the campfire and listen to our guides as they bang on empty plastic containers like drums and sing traditional Rajastani songs. Two members of our travelling tribe regaled us with a native Maori (New Zealand) dance and war chant called the Hakka.
But the best is yet to come...the stars, I've never seen so many STARS!! We camp out under the stars, and I marvel as I lie on my cot watching as two stars shoot across the blue night sky. We brave the cold desert night underneath the heavy blankets, and in the morning, we are greeted with hot chai tea in tin cups. We ride for another hour and a half back into civilization.
If it is hard to live a life in the desert, leading camels and entertaining silly tourists, I wouldn't have known. The people seem very happy at living at a leisurely pace and there are no traces of the worries that riddle our lives in the urban jungle. I am missing the poopy bread.
Our camel guides bake bread in the ashes of cow patties, where fat patties of dough are first dropped into the fire, and after about 20 minutes, covered in the ashes, a delicacy I call "poopy bread." They serve us a vegetarian thali dinner of desert beans, cauliflower curry, rice, chapati (unleavened flatbread), poopy bread (without the ashes), and a sweet milky-tasting dessert. After dinner, we all sit by the campfire and listen to our guides as they bang on empty plastic containers like drums and sing traditional Rajastani songs. Two members of our travelling tribe regaled us with a native Maori (New Zealand) dance and war chant called the Hakka.
But the best is yet to come...the stars, I've never seen so many STARS!! We camp out under the stars, and I marvel as I lie on my cot watching as two stars shoot across the blue night sky. We brave the cold desert night underneath the heavy blankets, and in the morning, we are greeted with hot chai tea in tin cups. We ride for another hour and a half back into civilization.
If it is hard to live a life in the desert, leading camels and entertaining silly tourists, I wouldn't have known. The people seem very happy at living at a leisurely pace and there are no traces of the worries that riddle our lives in the urban jungle. I am missing the poopy bread.
Rasmalai, hunting for Pringles, and Chapati
I've been bugging our guide about getting some rasmalai, which is this super delicious Indian dessert made of cottage cheese (paneer) soaked in sweet milk spiced with cardomom and other mild spices. It is sublime. Yesterday, he took me and a fellow traveler on a rickshaw in search of rasmalai and Pringles potato chips. We left the old city and into the new part of the city outside the city walls, which has much wider streets with traffic circles, plain buildings, and lots and lots of dirt. First stop was the Indian sweets shop where I got half a kilogram of rasmalai...yummy! Next, we went to a supermarket where they sold, amongst other things, men's underwear and hair dye, but no Pringles. We went across the street to smaller mini marts, and still no Pringles. We drive to Vodaphone (cell phone service provider), where me and the other traveller chatted with our rickshaw driver while our guide yelled at the Vodaphone people for providing poor service. We continue on the trail for Pringles and arrive at yet another slightly larger supermarket where, once again, there were rampant signs for men's underwear, but sadly no Pringles. We finally give up and head back into the old city, and on the way to the hotel we spot a tiny little hole in the wall shop that had Pringles displayed along with rolls of toilet paper and bottled water.
For those who haven't ventured into this part of the world, true Indians do not use toilet paper. There is a reason they eat with their right hands only, as the left is reserved for less savory duties. As a result, it is necessary to carry your own toilet paper at public toilets. Toilet paper is the hot touristy commodity in all the quickie marts, and are often prominently displayed. Some have it in cute pastel colors, like pink, purple, and light green. Others carry traditional white. Indian toilets are squatters. Another type of toilet that I am getting more and more comfortable with is finding a good bush by the side of the road, but make sure the ground is properly sloped, and watch out for splashback.
Ok, enough poo poo talk. We had a great cooking class this morning, where I learned to make Indian favorites like chai tea, chapati bread, and gobhi paneer (cauliflower with cheese). Chapati bread is traditional bread eaten for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. It is unleavened like tortillas, but thinner, smaller, and lighter. One takes a small piece of dough, rolls it flat and round with a rolling pin, dip it in some flour, roll it some more, and then cook it in a curved chapati pan over the stove. The bread will collect hot air that will make it blow up like a balloon, and then it is done. Cool, eh? We ate the food we cooked with some fruit chutney and pickled mangoes, and had gulab jamun for dessert.
Heading off to the birthday party for our group leader now. Will be drinking lots of Indian rum. Tomorrow, we are leaving Udaipur for Pushkar, lots of camel spittin' fun!
Sorry I haven't been better about posting, but the days go by so quickly. I'd love to hear from you, so please leave comments or email me.
For those who haven't ventured into this part of the world, true Indians do not use toilet paper. There is a reason they eat with their right hands only, as the left is reserved for less savory duties. As a result, it is necessary to carry your own toilet paper at public toilets. Toilet paper is the hot touristy commodity in all the quickie marts, and are often prominently displayed. Some have it in cute pastel colors, like pink, purple, and light green. Others carry traditional white. Indian toilets are squatters. Another type of toilet that I am getting more and more comfortable with is finding a good bush by the side of the road, but make sure the ground is properly sloped, and watch out for splashback.
Ok, enough poo poo talk. We had a great cooking class this morning, where I learned to make Indian favorites like chai tea, chapati bread, and gobhi paneer (cauliflower with cheese). Chapati bread is traditional bread eaten for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. It is unleavened like tortillas, but thinner, smaller, and lighter. One takes a small piece of dough, rolls it flat and round with a rolling pin, dip it in some flour, roll it some more, and then cook it in a curved chapati pan over the stove. The bread will collect hot air that will make it blow up like a balloon, and then it is done. Cool, eh? We ate the food we cooked with some fruit chutney and pickled mangoes, and had gulab jamun for dessert.
Heading off to the birthday party for our group leader now. Will be drinking lots of Indian rum. Tomorrow, we are leaving Udaipur for Pushkar, lots of camel spittin' fun!
Sorry I haven't been better about posting, but the days go by so quickly. I'd love to hear from you, so please leave comments or email me.
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
Castle in the desert
After 17 grueling hours on an overnight train from Delhi, we arrived in Jaisalmer, and one look and I knew it was well worth the journey. The city is like a dream, carved out of the creamy limestone, it is a fort city where they still keep round boulders atop the fort walls, to roll down at the first sign of an enemy invasion. Nowadays, only tourists invade this desert oasis. Strutted down the streets in a purple sari with silver embroidery, with a bindi on my forehead today. I'm off to an overnight camel safari tomorrow.
Friday, December 7, 2007
"Hi Jean!" and the other side of the tracks
Lest you think India is all about about ear cleaning and spitting, let me clear something first. India does not cease to amaze and surprise me. I went to the other side of the train tracks and saw a completely different Delhi.
Yesterday: I was at Connaught Place, which was still asleep at 9 a.m., so I ducked into a posh coffee shop and had some breakfast. It was there that I had a chance to talk to some Indians who for once were just curious and weren't trying to hassle me. We swapped cultural tales and they told me about Indian culture, about this one very spry 64 year old Indian movie legend who looked like Willie Nelson, about the song and dance in Bollywood movies, travels in northern India, and arranged marriages and how they work. It was great, I don't think I could have had this type of laid back conversation on the streets. Plus, it was then that I learned that I lived in a part of Delhi that many Indians would rather avoid, the Paharganj district where they have the Main Bazaar, because it is too busy and loud.
I went to the market and park in the Hauz Khas neighborhood, which is supposed to be where the middle-and upper-class Delhi-ites live -- the streets were much calmer and cleaner, there isn't the constant din of horns and bells as there is in my 'hood, and even the air quality seemed much improved. I was so happy to see price tags on merchandise and shopkeepers who don't stand outside to hassle you as you walk by. Price tags, I will not take them for granted again! You see, in my 'hood, you have to ask for the prices because they vary depending on what you look like. For an Asian-looking American tourist like myself, the prices are through the roof and I have to haggle like crazy. In general, I avoid shopping in my neighborhood, but I do enjoy the restaurants and internet cafes. In Hauz Khas, the prices may be a bit higher, but I can put the haggling aside and shop knowing that the prices are fair.
I took the bus to the Qutub Minar, a tomb and tower complex that was constructed by the Muslims starting around the 1100's (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qutub_Minar), despite warnings from a rickshaw driver that a woman like me should not be on a bus where there are pickpockets everywhere, and that I would be better off in a rickshaw. Luckily, a very nice young man told me which bus to take and where to go, even going part of the trip with me. On the bus, there were two small children, a brother and sister, I'd guess about 6 to 9 years old, who were adorable and could not stop staring at me. I found it amusing, but realized that they should be in school rather than riding the bus in midday on their own. Apparently, these children are quite poor, and cannot afford to go to school, which is not free. That explains the small children who sometimes come up to the rickshaw on the streets, selling flashlights or begging for money. It breaks my heart to see them on the streets like that. Often their mother is close by, maybe holding another baby. I wonder why the mothers would allow their small children to roam around a busy, and often dangerous street like that.
A man had asked me to pose for a picture with his wife at the Qutub Minar. It reminded me of how while on my China trip, one of the guys in my tour group who was African-American was often asked by the locals to pose for a picture with them. I was amused by their curiosity. Then three young girls who were with a school group came up to me, and then some boys, and before I knew it I was surrounded by schoolchildren, all scrambling to get my attention, as if I was the main attraction instead of the 900 year old tower that is the marvel of Islamic engineering just 300 feet away. It was fun. They learned my name and I took some pictures of them. I went on to the Baha'i Lotus Temple later in the afternoon, and I hear my name. It was one of the kids and they recognized me from before, and they all started calling out "Hi Jean!" It was a wonderfully unexpected surprise to see them again.
Today: It is 10 a.m. and I'm livid. I was supposed to meet at the rail station to join a walking tour led by a former street urchin this morning, but when I arrived someone pretending to be a station agent directed me away, telling me that the ticket counter was being renovated and that there is temporary counter open. I wasn't going there to buy tickets, I just needed to meet the group there and I was running late, so desperate for directions, I followed him a little ways to one end of the station. He then proceeded to tell me to go to Connaught Place to the Delhi Tourism and Transport Development Corporation, which he claims is where I need to get my ticket. The place sounds official, but I knew that it was just a private travel agency, and at that point I knew I was being hoodwinked. I was livid. Normally, I wouldn't mind the slight delay and would have been amused by the guy's failed attempt to part me with my money, but this morning's antics made me late and I missed my tour. Arrrgggghhh!
Ok, I've vented now. I'm much more comfortable in the city now, and am starting to enjoy talking to the people, the pace of life, marvel at the beauty of the art and ancient sites, and appreciate the culture, and having a pretty good time. I wish the air quality wasn't quite so bad and that people didn't honk half as much as they do, but I suppose that's part of Delhi's unique charm.
Yesterday: I was at Connaught Place, which was still asleep at 9 a.m., so I ducked into a posh coffee shop and had some breakfast. It was there that I had a chance to talk to some Indians who for once were just curious and weren't trying to hassle me. We swapped cultural tales and they told me about Indian culture, about this one very spry 64 year old Indian movie legend who looked like Willie Nelson, about the song and dance in Bollywood movies, travels in northern India, and arranged marriages and how they work. It was great, I don't think I could have had this type of laid back conversation on the streets. Plus, it was then that I learned that I lived in a part of Delhi that many Indians would rather avoid, the Paharganj district where they have the Main Bazaar, because it is too busy and loud.
I went to the market and park in the Hauz Khas neighborhood, which is supposed to be where the middle-and upper-class Delhi-ites live -- the streets were much calmer and cleaner, there isn't the constant din of horns and bells as there is in my 'hood, and even the air quality seemed much improved. I was so happy to see price tags on merchandise and shopkeepers who don't stand outside to hassle you as you walk by. Price tags, I will not take them for granted again! You see, in my 'hood, you have to ask for the prices because they vary depending on what you look like. For an Asian-looking American tourist like myself, the prices are through the roof and I have to haggle like crazy. In general, I avoid shopping in my neighborhood, but I do enjoy the restaurants and internet cafes. In Hauz Khas, the prices may be a bit higher, but I can put the haggling aside and shop knowing that the prices are fair.
I took the bus to the Qutub Minar, a tomb and tower complex that was constructed by the Muslims starting around the 1100's (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qutub_Minar), despite warnings from a rickshaw driver that a woman like me should not be on a bus where there are pickpockets everywhere, and that I would be better off in a rickshaw. Luckily, a very nice young man told me which bus to take and where to go, even going part of the trip with me. On the bus, there were two small children, a brother and sister, I'd guess about 6 to 9 years old, who were adorable and could not stop staring at me. I found it amusing, but realized that they should be in school rather than riding the bus in midday on their own. Apparently, these children are quite poor, and cannot afford to go to school, which is not free. That explains the small children who sometimes come up to the rickshaw on the streets, selling flashlights or begging for money. It breaks my heart to see them on the streets like that. Often their mother is close by, maybe holding another baby. I wonder why the mothers would allow their small children to roam around a busy, and often dangerous street like that.
A man had asked me to pose for a picture with his wife at the Qutub Minar. It reminded me of how while on my China trip, one of the guys in my tour group who was African-American was often asked by the locals to pose for a picture with them. I was amused by their curiosity. Then three young girls who were with a school group came up to me, and then some boys, and before I knew it I was surrounded by schoolchildren, all scrambling to get my attention, as if I was the main attraction instead of the 900 year old tower that is the marvel of Islamic engineering just 300 feet away. It was fun. They learned my name and I took some pictures of them. I went on to the Baha'i Lotus Temple later in the afternoon, and I hear my name. It was one of the kids and they recognized me from before, and they all started calling out "Hi Jean!" It was a wonderfully unexpected surprise to see them again.
Today: It is 10 a.m. and I'm livid. I was supposed to meet at the rail station to join a walking tour led by a former street urchin this morning, but when I arrived someone pretending to be a station agent directed me away, telling me that the ticket counter was being renovated and that there is temporary counter open. I wasn't going there to buy tickets, I just needed to meet the group there and I was running late, so desperate for directions, I followed him a little ways to one end of the station. He then proceeded to tell me to go to Connaught Place to the Delhi Tourism and Transport Development Corporation, which he claims is where I need to get my ticket. The place sounds official, but I knew that it was just a private travel agency, and at that point I knew I was being hoodwinked. I was livid. Normally, I wouldn't mind the slight delay and would have been amused by the guy's failed attempt to part me with my money, but this morning's antics made me late and I missed my tour. Arrrgggghhh!
Ok, I've vented now. I'm much more comfortable in the city now, and am starting to enjoy talking to the people, the pace of life, marvel at the beauty of the art and ancient sites, and appreciate the culture, and having a pretty good time. I wish the air quality wasn't quite so bad and that people didn't honk half as much as they do, but I suppose that's part of Delhi's unique charm.
Thursday, December 6, 2007
Rickshaw heaven and bindis galore
I had bought a lovely green linen blouse with embroidering and shiny things, so I put it on today, and already I am not attracting as much attention than yesterday's pink button-down top. I still get called on and hassled, but that has dropped considerably. But then again, it might be that the shocked look has disappered from my face, I feel a lot more confident navigating the streets now, and I can step around fresh ground spittle like a pro! Oh yeah, everyone empties their throats on the streets and sidewalks, about once every 30 minutes/person, so the path is always glistening. As a germophobe, I try not to think about it. I also bought a month's supply of colorful bindis for like 50 cents (but I think I overpaid), so tomorrow I will be sporting one on my forehead. If I keep pace with this progress, I too will be spitting on the sidewalks and mixing up chutneys by the end of the month.
So my sister, who's been living in India for a while, warned me about those auto rickshaws (or tuk-tuks, depending on where you are), and how they're moving death traps because they are likely to flip. Those things are everywhere, they weave in and out of traffic like eels in a school of fish. Despite the warning, I decide to give it a try.
Rickshaw ride #1: I'm walking to the metro station, determined to go to the National Museum, when this rickshaw driver pulls up beside me and tells me he could take me there for 10 rupees (or about 33 cents for you Yanks). I figure for a 2-3 mile ride, that's pretty decent. So I hop in, then he tells me that we will make one short stop along the way, a government emporium where I can do some shopping. I tell him I don't need to shop, but he says just look for 5 minutes, don't have to buy, then we go directly to the museum. That couldn't hurt, so I reluctantly agree. Besides, these government emporiums usually have products of much higher quality, prices are posted, and there is no hassle/haggling required. As we get closer to the emporium, he reassures me, and asks me to just go in and look for 10 minutes. He gets a cut for taking customers to the emporium I imagine, and is worried that a quick look won't be enough to give him the cut. I say that he only said 5 minutes earlier, then he says, ok 6-10 minutes, and I tell him that I will see. The shop is one of the nicest I've seen in Delhi - clean, and the staff is very helpful, respectful, and not at all pushy. They've got some beautiful fabrics, sculptures, and crafts. I'm tempted to buy a cotton sari, but I don't know how to put one on because it is just a large piece of cloth, and it will probably collect dust back home. But they did have a lot of very beautiful, shiny things.
Rickshaw ride #2: Uneventful. The driver agreed to turn on the meter, take me there for less fare than I thought, and drove safely without detours. I bet the other drivers make fun of him.
Rickshaw ride #3: I'm getting to be a pro at this. It is dark and I've just come out from the Humalayan's Tomb complex, which is far from any metro station. I talk to a driver parked outside the site, he won't turn on the meter and instead asks me if I want to go shopping. He can take me to the emporium and charge me very little for the ride. I tell him I'm not shopping, I just went to the emporium this morning, and I don't want to go back, even if he is willing to give me a very cheap ride. I don't trust this guy and walk on. I find another rickshaw, and the driver says his meter is broken (which is bullocks, I'm sure) but he offers me a fairly reasonable though still a little overpriced ride, and I take it because it is dark and I'm not about to quibble over a few rupees, especially if he isn't taking me shopping.
I read in the guide book not to shake hands with men. I shook three hands yesterday, but today I refrained and said "namaste" instead. I've found that namaste is a great way to decline people politely, it's the magic word for them to back off, and I'm happy for not having to be rude.
So my sister, who's been living in India for a while, warned me about those auto rickshaws (or tuk-tuks, depending on where you are), and how they're moving death traps because they are likely to flip. Those things are everywhere, they weave in and out of traffic like eels in a school of fish. Despite the warning, I decide to give it a try.
Rickshaw ride #1: I'm walking to the metro station, determined to go to the National Museum, when this rickshaw driver pulls up beside me and tells me he could take me there for 10 rupees (or about 33 cents for you Yanks). I figure for a 2-3 mile ride, that's pretty decent. So I hop in, then he tells me that we will make one short stop along the way, a government emporium where I can do some shopping. I tell him I don't need to shop, but he says just look for 5 minutes, don't have to buy, then we go directly to the museum. That couldn't hurt, so I reluctantly agree. Besides, these government emporiums usually have products of much higher quality, prices are posted, and there is no hassle/haggling required. As we get closer to the emporium, he reassures me, and asks me to just go in and look for 10 minutes. He gets a cut for taking customers to the emporium I imagine, and is worried that a quick look won't be enough to give him the cut. I say that he only said 5 minutes earlier, then he says, ok 6-10 minutes, and I tell him that I will see. The shop is one of the nicest I've seen in Delhi - clean, and the staff is very helpful, respectful, and not at all pushy. They've got some beautiful fabrics, sculptures, and crafts. I'm tempted to buy a cotton sari, but I don't know how to put one on because it is just a large piece of cloth, and it will probably collect dust back home. But they did have a lot of very beautiful, shiny things.
Rickshaw ride #2: Uneventful. The driver agreed to turn on the meter, take me there for less fare than I thought, and drove safely without detours. I bet the other drivers make fun of him.
Rickshaw ride #3: I'm getting to be a pro at this. It is dark and I've just come out from the Humalayan's Tomb complex, which is far from any metro station. I talk to a driver parked outside the site, he won't turn on the meter and instead asks me if I want to go shopping. He can take me to the emporium and charge me very little for the ride. I tell him I'm not shopping, I just went to the emporium this morning, and I don't want to go back, even if he is willing to give me a very cheap ride. I don't trust this guy and walk on. I find another rickshaw, and the driver says his meter is broken (which is bullocks, I'm sure) but he offers me a fairly reasonable though still a little overpriced ride, and I take it because it is dark and I'm not about to quibble over a few rupees, especially if he isn't taking me shopping.
I read in the guide book not to shake hands with men. I shook three hands yesterday, but today I refrained and said "namaste" instead. I've found that namaste is a great way to decline people politely, it's the magic word for them to back off, and I'm happy for not having to be rude.
Wednesday, December 5, 2007
Trippy
My first day in India, and I have to say that it's been trippy...
I arrive at the airport, and the guy from the hotel held out a sign to pick me up. There are some paved roads, and a lot of dirt sections that blows dirt to all the paved roads, so it all looks like a brown haze. He takes me to the hotel's shuttle, which is a rusted Peugeot minivan that looks like it was made in the former communist East Germany, because it was pretty bare with no padding on the sides or roof, and I can see the roof supports. I climbed into the back seat (and by the way, like the Brits, they too drive on the right side of the road). Within about 5 minutes of driving, we go too fast over a speed bump and I get flung forward, into the back of the front passenger "shotgun" seat, and that the shotgun seat comes off its hitch and pitches forward, leaving a huge whole in the floor where I can see clear to the road. Then the driver apologizes, gets out to check the side of the car for any damages, and then puts the shotgun seat back in its place. He tells me that the shocks for the rear bench is not very good, and that I might be better off sitting shotgun. I'm like, hell no I'm not sitting in the front, I'd be shot out through the window instead up there with that loose seat, so I tell him that I am perfectly happy in the back seat and I will hold on to the bars above the door. Ahh...those bars...I always thought they were for when you were tired of putting your hands on your lap so those bars were just another place from where arms can hang. Well, I tell you I clung on to the bar for dear life for the rest of the hour-long ride, and my fingers were a bit sore by the time we arrived at the hotel, but I was alive, which is all that mattered.
My observations on driving in Delhi: The lines on the road are pretty much decorative, at the most they are general guidelines, but actually using them is very optional. Horns of every tone, tenor, and volume can be heard on the streets. Those who don't have horns (like the bike rickshaws) will hiss at you. I almost feel as if I need a horn just walking the streets.
I unfortunately don't look like an Indian, and therefore get hassled a lot by people on the streets - vendors, beggars, people who just want to "practise English," and people yelling Japanese at me. So by the afternoon, I thought I'd have a little fun, and pretend to be French, because too many people know English, and I hoped that maybe the language barrier would keep hasslers at bay. So I'm sitting in Connaught Square, in Central Park just watching the locals picnic and hang out on the lawn, and I pick a spot at the top of the gentle hill to sit and just enjoy people watching for a while. A few minutes of peace, and then my first victim. He comes and starts talking to me in English, so I respond in French and tell him I'm from France. He knows a couple of French phrases, but then he pulls a small notebook from his pocket and turns to a page where someone wrote comments in French. I read the passage, it was about clean ears. After I finish reading that passage, he turns to another passage, and another, and two of the three talk about clean ears. So I look up perplexed and ask him why they talk about clean ears, and he tells me that he is a ear cleaner. By this time, three of his fellow colleagues have also popped up in front of me, all ready to clean my ears. Immediately, I cup my hands over my ears and tell try to tell them in French (because I'm still in character after all) that my ears are clean, they look a bit confused, and then I keep repeating "no" because they can certainly understand that! I thank them and tell them no repeatedly and start walking away, but one guy keeps following me. Long story short, I was able to shake him. Anyways, this was pretty much how the rest of my day went, more or less.
India is interesting. I must admit I was totally shocked, and then I realised that this is the essence of human civilization in its most raw form. I'm enjoying the show, but it can be a bit overwhelming at times. We'll see if I last for the rest of the month.
I arrive at the airport, and the guy from the hotel held out a sign to pick me up. There are some paved roads, and a lot of dirt sections that blows dirt to all the paved roads, so it all looks like a brown haze. He takes me to the hotel's shuttle, which is a rusted Peugeot minivan that looks like it was made in the former communist East Germany, because it was pretty bare with no padding on the sides or roof, and I can see the roof supports. I climbed into the back seat (and by the way, like the Brits, they too drive on the right side of the road). Within about 5 minutes of driving, we go too fast over a speed bump and I get flung forward, into the back of the front passenger "shotgun" seat, and that the shotgun seat comes off its hitch and pitches forward, leaving a huge whole in the floor where I can see clear to the road. Then the driver apologizes, gets out to check the side of the car for any damages, and then puts the shotgun seat back in its place. He tells me that the shocks for the rear bench is not very good, and that I might be better off sitting shotgun. I'm like, hell no I'm not sitting in the front, I'd be shot out through the window instead up there with that loose seat, so I tell him that I am perfectly happy in the back seat and I will hold on to the bars above the door. Ahh...those bars...I always thought they were for when you were tired of putting your hands on your lap so those bars were just another place from where arms can hang. Well, I tell you I clung on to the bar for dear life for the rest of the hour-long ride, and my fingers were a bit sore by the time we arrived at the hotel, but I was alive, which is all that mattered.
My observations on driving in Delhi: The lines on the road are pretty much decorative, at the most they are general guidelines, but actually using them is very optional. Horns of every tone, tenor, and volume can be heard on the streets. Those who don't have horns (like the bike rickshaws) will hiss at you. I almost feel as if I need a horn just walking the streets.
I unfortunately don't look like an Indian, and therefore get hassled a lot by people on the streets - vendors, beggars, people who just want to "practise English," and people yelling Japanese at me. So by the afternoon, I thought I'd have a little fun, and pretend to be French, because too many people know English, and I hoped that maybe the language barrier would keep hasslers at bay. So I'm sitting in Connaught Square, in Central Park just watching the locals picnic and hang out on the lawn, and I pick a spot at the top of the gentle hill to sit and just enjoy people watching for a while. A few minutes of peace, and then my first victim. He comes and starts talking to me in English, so I respond in French and tell him I'm from France. He knows a couple of French phrases, but then he pulls a small notebook from his pocket and turns to a page where someone wrote comments in French. I read the passage, it was about clean ears. After I finish reading that passage, he turns to another passage, and another, and two of the three talk about clean ears. So I look up perplexed and ask him why they talk about clean ears, and he tells me that he is a ear cleaner. By this time, three of his fellow colleagues have also popped up in front of me, all ready to clean my ears. Immediately, I cup my hands over my ears and tell try to tell them in French (because I'm still in character after all) that my ears are clean, they look a bit confused, and then I keep repeating "no" because they can certainly understand that! I thank them and tell them no repeatedly and start walking away, but one guy keeps following me. Long story short, I was able to shake him. Anyways, this was pretty much how the rest of my day went, more or less.
India is interesting. I must admit I was totally shocked, and then I realised that this is the essence of human civilization in its most raw form. I'm enjoying the show, but it can be a bit overwhelming at times. We'll see if I last for the rest of the month.
Monday, December 3, 2007
Last day in Europe
A month has gone by so quickly! Bath has been a joy, but I do not recommend drinking the 10,000 year old spring water, even if it is supposed to be super healthy. I had to take a breath mint afterwards to ward off the taste of rust.
Flying to Delhi tomorrow. Cheerio!
Flying to Delhi tomorrow. Cheerio!
Saturday, December 1, 2007
Photos (at last!)
Just a few pix from Paris and Brugge so you can see what I saw.
La Tour Eiffel et moi. Sorry it is so dark, it was a beautiful sunny morning and the I was posing with my back against the sun.
Some cute, but sad ponies on the Champ de Mars, near the Eiffel Tower.
Beautiful stained glass at one of the churches in Bruges.
One of many beautiful night scenes of Bruges all lit up. No camera tricks here, it IS that cute.
Me and two other hostel mates enjoying some fine Belgian beer last night. I think this was our second round. I had a banana beer first, which had a disappointing 3.5% alcohol content. I made sure my second one was stronger.
I'm off to Bath this afternoon, and will be leaving for India on December 4th, just in case you don't hear from me the next few days. Looking forward to jettisoning some of my winter clothes, don't think I'll need mittens or the hat with the pom in India.
La Tour Eiffel et moi. Sorry it is so dark, it was a beautiful sunny morning and the I was posing with my back against the sun.
Some cute, but sad ponies on the Champ de Mars, near the Eiffel Tower.
Beautiful stained glass at one of the churches in Bruges.
One of many beautiful night scenes of Bruges all lit up. No camera tricks here, it IS that cute.
Me and two other hostel mates enjoying some fine Belgian beer last night. I think this was our second round. I had a banana beer first, which had a disappointing 3.5% alcohol content. I made sure my second one was stronger.
I'm off to Bath this afternoon, and will be leaving for India on December 4th, just in case you don't hear from me the next few days. Looking forward to jettisoning some of my winter clothes, don't think I'll need mittens or the hat with the pom in India.
Thursday, November 29, 2007
Get thee to a nunnery!!
I wanted to add Bruges to my "What's Cuter" survey, but it appears I cannot go back and modify it once someone has voted. I would have changed my vote from devil duckies to Bruges.
I went from the Begijnhof nunnery to the De Halve Maan brewery yesterday, the nuns would probably have had a fit had they known I intended to get drunk. The nunnery compound is accessed via a cute little pedestrian bridge paved with cobblestone (well, most of the city is paved with cobblestone actually) with the canal flowing underneath, and beautiful swans gracing the small pond in front of the walls. The De Halve Maan is the only one out of 28 still operating in Bruges. Beer is huge in Belgium, and they're proud of using all sorts of natural ingredients to flavor their brew, including coriander, seaweed, and many types of fruits. I had a cherry beer, it gave me a bit of a buzz, but then again, it was my third beer.
The city is getting all geared up for Christmas, and it is lovely to see the wreaths and lights strung over the streets, and the ice skating rink in the city center. Climbed yet another tower today, the belfry in the Markt square. My new motto is "A tower a day keeps the doctor away."
Towers climbed so far: 7
Steps: Thousands
Calories burned climbing tower: Gazillion
Went to the Chocolate Museum today as well (leave it to Belgians to build a temple to the almighty chocolate), and discovered that chocolate has a ton of medicinal properties, plus it is good for your teeth. So the next time you bite into a KitKat bar, remember that it's for medicinal purposes (and remember to share too).
I went from the Begijnhof nunnery to the De Halve Maan brewery yesterday, the nuns would probably have had a fit had they known I intended to get drunk. The nunnery compound is accessed via a cute little pedestrian bridge paved with cobblestone (well, most of the city is paved with cobblestone actually) with the canal flowing underneath, and beautiful swans gracing the small pond in front of the walls. The De Halve Maan is the only one out of 28 still operating in Bruges. Beer is huge in Belgium, and they're proud of using all sorts of natural ingredients to flavor their brew, including coriander, seaweed, and many types of fruits. I had a cherry beer, it gave me a bit of a buzz, but then again, it was my third beer.
The city is getting all geared up for Christmas, and it is lovely to see the wreaths and lights strung over the streets, and the ice skating rink in the city center. Climbed yet another tower today, the belfry in the Markt square. My new motto is "A tower a day keeps the doctor away."
Towers climbed so far: 7
Steps: Thousands
Calories burned climbing tower: Gazillion
Went to the Chocolate Museum today as well (leave it to Belgians to build a temple to the almighty chocolate), and discovered that chocolate has a ton of medicinal properties, plus it is good for your teeth. So the next time you bite into a KitKat bar, remember that it's for medicinal purposes (and remember to share too).
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
Don't throw stuff from the top of the Eiffel Tower
Went to the top of the Eiffel Tower tower, where there is actually a sign that tells you not to throw stuff from the tower (especially cigarettes). I guess some people are not aware of this little piece of social courtesy.
Arrived in Bruges, Belgium this evening, where I discovered the fun of trying to find my hostel in the dark, with crappy directions, and without a map. The hostel is on a tiny street and many locals didn't know where it was. Belgium, and Bruges, is famous for its beer. There's a pub here that has 300 varieties of beer...I'm soooo going there! They also have a chocolate museum, and make exquisite lace. The chocolate and lace connection? I don't know. And of coarse, the world famous waffle and fries (with mayonnaise, not ketchup for you Yanks).
Arrived in Bruges, Belgium this evening, where I discovered the fun of trying to find my hostel in the dark, with crappy directions, and without a map. The hostel is on a tiny street and many locals didn't know where it was. Belgium, and Bruges, is famous for its beer. There's a pub here that has 300 varieties of beer...I'm soooo going there! They also have a chocolate museum, and make exquisite lace. The chocolate and lace connection? I don't know. And of coarse, the world famous waffle and fries (with mayonnaise, not ketchup for you Yanks).
Sunday, November 25, 2007
Salut from the land of Fraternite, Egalite, Liberte
Sorry for not posting my adventures in Italy, I had a fabulous time which unfortunately left very little time to go online and share my adventures. Also, internet access was spotty and ridiculously expensive in some places, so I have not been able to enjoy as much time online as I would have liked.
The Cinque Terre was wet but still offered stunning coastline views and storybook quaint seaside villages perched on cliffs, just out of reach of the roaring ocean waves.
Tuscany (Florence and Siena) is a delight and parts of it reminded me of the vineyards in Napa and the agriculture in the central valley. Pisa was a bit disappointing though - other than the Leaning Tower, a church, and the old city walls all within the same square, there really isn't much to see. More entertaining than the tower itself was seeing tourists pose for silly pictures trying to push up the tower. For once, I did not pose for a silly picture.
The Cinque Terre was wet but still offered stunning coastline views and storybook quaint seaside villages perched on cliffs, just out of reach of the roaring ocean waves.
Tuscany (Florence and Siena) is a delight and parts of it reminded me of the vineyards in Napa and the agriculture in the central valley. Pisa was a bit disappointing though - other than the Leaning Tower, a church, and the old city walls all within the same square, there really isn't much to see. More entertaining than the tower itself was seeing tourists pose for silly pictures trying to push up the tower. For once, I did not pose for a silly picture.
It took me less than 3 hours to love being in Paris. To be fair, the first 1.5 hours were in transit. My hostel is in the Marais neighborhood, super cute, close to shopping and some of the best falafels in the world, packed so high that you need a fork to eat it. Lenny Kravitz even identified one of them as his favorite falafel place.
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
Roman Holiday
I completely missed writing about Roma while I was there, so I am trying to play catch up.
Rome is amazing. My favorite place has to be the ruins of the Roman Forum, Palantine Hill, and the Colosseum. It is mindboggling how an ancient civilization could be quite so advanced. Apparently, the Romans really liked their ceilings high, and I mean VERY high, so the first floor would be the equivalent to the height of roughly 3 stories in modern times. And the ruins, well, it was scattered with bits of broken and elaborately carved columns, some of the inscriptions still intact. I was hopping from one cracked marble to the next. It is amazing to see all the bits of polished marble here and there and call this a ruin. True, it is not what it used to be, but it does not take much imagination to reconstruct its grandeur. Plus, I do not think that any ruins from our century will look quite as graceful and advanced after 1500 years as this. Also, try to imagine if you will that these ruins have pretty much been picked clean, as the citizens of Rome quarried the marble, gold, and other precious metals that once graced the walls and floors of the Colosseum, and essentially recycled it for more modern projects, especially in the homes of the wealthy, being used as crown molding or other such mundane decoration.
Rome is amazing. My favorite place has to be the ruins of the Roman Forum, Palantine Hill, and the Colosseum. It is mindboggling how an ancient civilization could be quite so advanced. Apparently, the Romans really liked their ceilings high, and I mean VERY high, so the first floor would be the equivalent to the height of roughly 3 stories in modern times. And the ruins, well, it was scattered with bits of broken and elaborately carved columns, some of the inscriptions still intact. I was hopping from one cracked marble to the next. It is amazing to see all the bits of polished marble here and there and call this a ruin. True, it is not what it used to be, but it does not take much imagination to reconstruct its grandeur. Plus, I do not think that any ruins from our century will look quite as graceful and advanced after 1500 years as this. Also, try to imagine if you will that these ruins have pretty much been picked clean, as the citizens of Rome quarried the marble, gold, and other precious metals that once graced the walls and floors of the Colosseum, and essentially recycled it for more modern projects, especially in the homes of the wealthy, being used as crown molding or other such mundane decoration.
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
The Past 48 Hours
Here is a laundry list of the mischief I am up to in Wien (Vienna)...
Train from Prague was late by about 1.5 hours due to heavy snow, so I arrived in Wien in the cold and dark. Arrived at the hostel in one piece, and was greeted by a very unfriendly guy who speaks English like Ahhhnold. The hostel was pretty empty and dead, very institutional and sparse, and a bit creepy like The Shining. I murmured 'Redrum' as I rolled my luggage down the long corridor to my room. I was the only one in the 4 bed room, or so I thought. Despite having the room all to myself, I started craving for company because the place was just so empty. About an hour later, my roommate shows up. Turns out she is about my age and lives about 45 minutes away from me in California. We searched the streets for food, but Wien is very dead on a Sunday night, and later we discover that most places close quite early.
Next day, we do a tram tour (the announcer on the tram speaks German with a very funny, serious, and calculated voice, very different from the German I heard in Berlin) and walk around the center of town, then check out the Hofburg Palace, which was the home of the Habsburg rulers of the Austro Hungarian empire for hundreds of years. The sheer amount of kitchen utensils and silver plates used on a daily basis could make your head spin. This is probably where the notion of dining on a silver platter was derived from. Later on, we got tickets to see an Italian opera at the grand opera house, a real treat.
More walking today, then checked out an English mass at the Votive Church, and visited the Koonst Museum, which had a fabulous exhibit on Titian the Venetian's works. Interesting to learn that Titian replicated his own works in his studio, sometimes painting 3 of the same image at the same time with some minor modifications. He also kept changing things on his paintings, as revealed through x-rays. Had a decadent dessert at Demel Chocolatiers, which is THE chocolate shop in Vienna with some very lively window displays (sometimes with busts of famous people made with cake, lots of lights and bright ribbons), and they used to make chocolate for the royals. Their shop is filled with scrumptuous little sweets inside equally scrumptuous wrapping.
Off to Rome tomorrow!
Saturday, November 10, 2007
It's snowing!!
Woke up this morning to find beautiful soft snowflakes falling from the grey sky. First day of snow in Prague. I'm off to Vienna this morning.
Spires, towers, and other tall pointy things
Today's itinerary includes:
- Continuation of yesterday's tour of the Musuem of Communism. I arrived an hour before they closed, but they told me I can come back this morning. There was a video clip that showed the 1960's protests against the Stalinist regime, and the 1989 revolution that overthrew the Russians, both occurred in Wenceslas Square and a block from the museum. The musuem itself is wedged between a casino and Mc Donalds. Ironic.
- Climb tower #4 on Petrin Hill. My goal right now is to climb a tower a day, and so far I'm hitting that. I climbed the same tower in Old Town Square yesterday no less than 3 times - Climb #1: Once at the top, I saw a squished penny machine, but I did not have change and neither did people around me. Climb #2: So I went back down to ask the ticket booth if they can give me change, but they didn't have any either, so I thought I'd go back up and see if there are new tourists bulging with change and ended up teaching a group of Italian tourists how one of these machines worked, it was a masterpiece in mime I tell you. Still no change to be found, so I climbed back down. Climb #3: Once downstairs, I realised that I had lost my gloves, so I climb upstairs in search of my gloves. No gloves. I think it was pinched, but no big deal. I headed over to a department store on Wenceslas Square and bought myself a pair of soft, warm MITTENS. Hahahahahaha!!!! I shall have my mittens yet! Got a matching fuzzy hat while I was at it, a bit more stylish now sans pom.
- Walk through Gold Lane in the Castle Quarter, which I did not get to do because they were charging for admission and it is free after 4pm. Also looking forward to a nice stroll through Charles Bridge at dusk.
- Classical music concert in the St. Martin of the Wall church this evening.
And then I take the train to Vienna tomorrow. Already am starting to miss Praha. boohoo.
Thursday, November 8, 2007
Ahoy Praha!
Ahoy Praha!
I feel like Prague is laid out like an E.M. Escher drawing, the more I walk, the more I walk in circles. Then there are moments when I discover the way, and it seems to have been there all along and it was so easy. I am pretty sure that the streets change places in the night, or maybe just the street signs.
No words, photograph, video, or mime can ever capture the essence and quintessential beauty that is part of everydaz Prague. It is the mother of all cities, and it took my breath away. I was trying to find the Jewish Quarter yesterday and stopped to ask an old Czech man who dreams of living in Malibu, visiting Las Vegas, and likes to pick wild mushrooms. He ended up spending the whole day showing me the unmissable sights, including Prague castle perched high on a hill overlooking the old town, climbed 288 steps up the gothic tower of the castle's cathedral to take in a million-dollar view of the city, looked through a secret window into the old Jewish cemetery with rows upon crooked rows of gravestones dating from the 14th century, a favorite bakery with cheerful orange walls that smells heavenly of sweet buttery bread and pastries with little cookies hanging in the large display window like Christmas ornaments. Then he took me on a short hike into Sharka Park just a 20 minute tram ride outside of the center but still within the city of Prague, to show me the rocky mountains and streams and lichen clinging on the trees, and breathe the fresh mountain air. As if that wasn't enough, he showed me his art collection that he has accumulated over all these years, which included numerous pieces from the Prague Castle that were auctioned off when the Communists took over, stamped with the royal coat of arms, and dazzling crystal and beautifully painted porcelains. Afterwards I walked circles around the Old Town Square to find this tasty little vegetarian restaurant and then walked circles again until I found my way home.
Today I hiked Petrin hill near the castle and took in another million-dollar view of the skyline from the hill. I randomly wandered into this church that is famous for a small infant Jesus statue. Apparently, Catholics from all over the world, especially South America, pilgrimage to this church to see and pray for miracles from this little statue. The church also had a museum, which displays some of the elaborate outfits that have been given to the statue over the years, including one from Empress Maria-Theresa, which had a thick velvety outfit embroidered in gold thread. There were outfits from the Chinese Catholics in Shanghai embroidered with birds and Chinese characters, Vietnam, and Columbia. This is certainly the best dressed statue I have ever encountered! Strolled across the famous Charles Bridge, taking in yet another breath-taking view from the river. The whole bridge is pedestrian only, and if there wasn't a river below, you'd think it was a carnival street scene -- packed with tourists, street artists, vendors selling prints of Prague and the bridge, and people snapping pictures left and right. Me, I had a picnic lunch while leisurely strolling the bridge. It's been cold and raining on and off, but the sun finally came out this afternoon, and I basked in its warm glow as I watched the hordes of tourists walk by, and then from atop one of the bridge's towers I caught another unbelieveable view of the city and the bridge. The bridge was built by King Charles, and it was a BIG deal to have a bridge built back then, and he had dedicated it to a saint. I learned more stuff about the bridge, but I cannot recollect anymore.
As for me, I'm certainly getting my steps in, no question about it! Europe has been a joy on foot, and I've regularly logged 20,000 steps, or roughly 7 to 8 miles, more in a walking city like Prague, less in a city like Berlin where I took the subway more because the city is so expansive. The weather - cold and wet. Fortunately, I'm decked out in my warmest ski wear, although I'm thinking of ditching my hat with the pom because I think I may be drawing attention to myself for being an American. But I love the pom, it's the reason I bought the hat. I do wish I had brought mittens, I prefer them to gloves. Europeans, especially those my age, do not wear mittens. Pity.
I feel like Prague is laid out like an E.M. Escher drawing, the more I walk, the more I walk in circles. Then there are moments when I discover the way, and it seems to have been there all along and it was so easy. I am pretty sure that the streets change places in the night, or maybe just the street signs.
No words, photograph, video, or mime can ever capture the essence and quintessential beauty that is part of everydaz Prague. It is the mother of all cities, and it took my breath away. I was trying to find the Jewish Quarter yesterday and stopped to ask an old Czech man who dreams of living in Malibu, visiting Las Vegas, and likes to pick wild mushrooms. He ended up spending the whole day showing me the unmissable sights, including Prague castle perched high on a hill overlooking the old town, climbed 288 steps up the gothic tower of the castle's cathedral to take in a million-dollar view of the city, looked through a secret window into the old Jewish cemetery with rows upon crooked rows of gravestones dating from the 14th century, a favorite bakery with cheerful orange walls that smells heavenly of sweet buttery bread and pastries with little cookies hanging in the large display window like Christmas ornaments. Then he took me on a short hike into Sharka Park just a 20 minute tram ride outside of the center but still within the city of Prague, to show me the rocky mountains and streams and lichen clinging on the trees, and breathe the fresh mountain air. As if that wasn't enough, he showed me his art collection that he has accumulated over all these years, which included numerous pieces from the Prague Castle that were auctioned off when the Communists took over, stamped with the royal coat of arms, and dazzling crystal and beautifully painted porcelains. Afterwards I walked circles around the Old Town Square to find this tasty little vegetarian restaurant and then walked circles again until I found my way home.
Today I hiked Petrin hill near the castle and took in another million-dollar view of the skyline from the hill. I randomly wandered into this church that is famous for a small infant Jesus statue. Apparently, Catholics from all over the world, especially South America, pilgrimage to this church to see and pray for miracles from this little statue. The church also had a museum, which displays some of the elaborate outfits that have been given to the statue over the years, including one from Empress Maria-Theresa, which had a thick velvety outfit embroidered in gold thread. There were outfits from the Chinese Catholics in Shanghai embroidered with birds and Chinese characters, Vietnam, and Columbia. This is certainly the best dressed statue I have ever encountered! Strolled across the famous Charles Bridge, taking in yet another breath-taking view from the river. The whole bridge is pedestrian only, and if there wasn't a river below, you'd think it was a carnival street scene -- packed with tourists, street artists, vendors selling prints of Prague and the bridge, and people snapping pictures left and right. Me, I had a picnic lunch while leisurely strolling the bridge. It's been cold and raining on and off, but the sun finally came out this afternoon, and I basked in its warm glow as I watched the hordes of tourists walk by, and then from atop one of the bridge's towers I caught another unbelieveable view of the city and the bridge. The bridge was built by King Charles, and it was a BIG deal to have a bridge built back then, and he had dedicated it to a saint. I learned more stuff about the bridge, but I cannot recollect anymore.
As for me, I'm certainly getting my steps in, no question about it! Europe has been a joy on foot, and I've regularly logged 20,000 steps, or roughly 7 to 8 miles, more in a walking city like Prague, less in a city like Berlin where I took the subway more because the city is so expansive. The weather - cold and wet. Fortunately, I'm decked out in my warmest ski wear, although I'm thinking of ditching my hat with the pom because I think I may be drawing attention to myself for being an American. But I love the pom, it's the reason I bought the hat. I do wish I had brought mittens, I prefer them to gloves. Europeans, especially those my age, do not wear mittens. Pity.
Tuesday, November 6, 2007
Berlin
Sorry this is going to be a very short post since I only have a few minutes of internet time left. Wish I could stay an extra daz in Berlin, but am fairlz satisfied that I have seen some of the best sights -- Berlin Wall and the Museum of the Wall at Checkpoint Charlie, the Reichstag, Brandenberg Gate, Pergamon Museum with a recreation of a real Greek temple, and Egyptian Musuem. Excuse the misspellings - German kezboards are verz wierd.
Off to Prague this afternoon.
Off to Prague this afternoon.
Friday, November 2, 2007
When in Rome (errr, Haarlem)
I arrived in Haarlem this morning without a hitch. Haarlem is a city about 15-20 minute train ride away from Amsterdam (and yes, the Dutch named Harlem in NYC is after this place), and has a very quaint, small town feel. Life (and traffic) moves a bit slower here, and people take their time to enjoy the little things in life.
I decide to finally take the plunge and join the denizens of Dutch by renting a bicycle at the train station. It took a few minutes to get used to the high handle bars (no wonder the Dutch have such good posture!) since I am used to hunching down on my mountain bike. Also, practically all the bikes here are one-speed road bikes, which works great because Holland is flatter than a pancake (really, it's been proven on a science show I saw a while back). Mine had the step-back-on-the-pedal brakes, which conjured up memories of my very first tricyle. No helmets, nobody wears a helmet, but then again with a one-speed and the Dutch's sensibility nobody rides like a speed demon.
With one very minor collision with an oncoming bike (they were going in the wrong direction), and one near miss with another one, but the ride generally went very smoothly. I snaked in and out of narrow neighborhood alleys, glided along the canals, and crossed and uncrossed bridges. When I had had my fill, I decided to head back to the train station. By this time, I was in the Grote Markt, the town square where my hotel and the old Grote Kerk church is. I had toured the church earlier in the day - airy vaulted ceilings with timbering and elaborate designs, creepy floors full of old dead Dutch people, and stunning stained glass windows. Judging from the tombs, the church has been there since at least the 1600s. And yes, I was playing hopscotch on the floors trying to find tiles that were NOT used for burial, but they apparently tried to use every square inch.
Back to the bike ride...so I set out from Grote Markt, which took me about 10 minutes to travel to by foot earlier, so I figured it would be less than 10 minutes by bike, maybe 5 minutes. I arrived 1 hour and 40 minutes later after a grand, self-inflicted detour (I was hopelessly lost), ended up at a train station in the next town (Aerdenhout), and slowly found my way back with the help of three kind strangers. I think I'll stick to walking from now on, I can't get too far or too lost that way.
I decide to finally take the plunge and join the denizens of Dutch by renting a bicycle at the train station. It took a few minutes to get used to the high handle bars (no wonder the Dutch have such good posture!) since I am used to hunching down on my mountain bike. Also, practically all the bikes here are one-speed road bikes, which works great because Holland is flatter than a pancake (really, it's been proven on a science show I saw a while back). Mine had the step-back-on-the-pedal brakes, which conjured up memories of my very first tricyle. No helmets, nobody wears a helmet, but then again with a one-speed and the Dutch's sensibility nobody rides like a speed demon.
With one very minor collision with an oncoming bike (they were going in the wrong direction), and one near miss with another one, but the ride generally went very smoothly. I snaked in and out of narrow neighborhood alleys, glided along the canals, and crossed and uncrossed bridges. When I had had my fill, I decided to head back to the train station. By this time, I was in the Grote Markt, the town square where my hotel and the old Grote Kerk church is. I had toured the church earlier in the day - airy vaulted ceilings with timbering and elaborate designs, creepy floors full of old dead Dutch people, and stunning stained glass windows. Judging from the tombs, the church has been there since at least the 1600s. And yes, I was playing hopscotch on the floors trying to find tiles that were NOT used for burial, but they apparently tried to use every square inch.
Back to the bike ride...so I set out from Grote Markt, which took me about 10 minutes to travel to by foot earlier, so I figured it would be less than 10 minutes by bike, maybe 5 minutes. I arrived 1 hour and 40 minutes later after a grand, self-inflicted detour (I was hopelessly lost), ended up at a train station in the next town (Aerdenhout), and slowly found my way back with the help of three kind strangers. I think I'll stick to walking from now on, I can't get too far or too lost that way.
Thursday, November 1, 2007
Amsterdam
There isn't enough I can say about this city. I am happy to be a temporary resident these past few days, and I will be very sad when I leave tomorrow.
Here are some reasons the Dutch are a really cool bunch:
Here are some reasons the Dutch are a really cool bunch:
- They LOVE to bike. Everyone bikes everywhere, even when it rains they're still biking, and why not? There are very clear and often grade separated bike lanes that can access more places than cars. There are even separate traffic lights for the bike lanes, soooo cute! Ironically, I have not gotten on a bike yet, as I've been perfectly happy using my limbs and other modes of public transit to get around.
- There's a casino near my hostel in the center of the city, and yes, it is near resiential areas. While they are a Protestant country, they are not as uptight as other WASP nations. Gotta love the liberal Dutch!
- They have a Hemp Musuem, with a whole shopping district dedicated to "coffee shops" and specialty stores. The flower market along the canal even sells "Grow Your Own Cannibis" kits. I would bring some home, except that I'm heading to Taipei towards the end of the trip and smuggling or using illegal substances like marijuana is punishable by death. Tis a bit harsh, but even if I were able to convince the authorities that it is just a plant, I still can't bring it into the U.S. Anyways, it wasn't like I was contemplating it or anything, I'm just saying...
- They all speak English, and they speak it really well. They don't give you a bad look if you can't speak Dutch, they can transition seamlessly to English. I've always thought it was a pity that Americans only know one language, but at least English is useful the world over.
- The City is great at giving directions, there are signs that point you to ANY place worth going to, however, more than once I've had to look high and low for some indication of which street I'm on. I'm getting pretty good with the guessing, but even so, not very fun.
- Love the trams and metro system! The public transportation system is very easy to navigate, and the trams are especially efficient.
- Very low rates of obesity, eventhough stands selling fries are everywhere and they pile their hot chocolates high with thick, rich whipped cream. This is probably because everyone bikes and walks everywhere.
Friday, October 26, 2007
Whirlwind World Tour
Here's the current world tour line-up...
Europe, generally clockwise around Western Europe (and Prague) in this order:
- Amsterdam
- Berlin
- Prague
- Vienna
- Rome
- Florence
- Cinque Terre, 5 cute little hillside towns by the sea in Northern Italy. I plan to go hiking and take in the views. They have nice beaches too but it will be cold this time of year, pity.
- Pisa, to see the tower in the sandpit and mainly to catch my flight to Paris.
- Paris
- Bruges, Belgium. This town was one of the highlights from my last European trip 9 years ago, so much so that I really must go back.
- Bath, England, because by this time I will be dirty from all my travels and you know what a germophobe I am!
India
- Delhi
- Rajasthan (northern India). Looking forward to a camel safari, praying at Hindi temples, being awed by the Taj Majal, and doing lots of bargaining at bazaars.
- Kolkata (formerly Calcutta), which is where my India tour trip ends.
- Hyderabad (or Cyberabad, because of all the tech companies), to visit my sister.
Thailand and Cambodia
- Bangkok
- Phuket
- Ankor Wat
Taiwan
- Taipei mainly, to visit my Dad and celebrate Chinese New Year.
- Quite possibly a trip to Kaoshiung in the south to see my Mom.
Hong Kong? Singapore?
Back to the Bay Area (around mid- to late-February)
Europe, generally clockwise around Western Europe (and Prague) in this order:
- Amsterdam
- Berlin
- Prague
- Vienna
- Rome
- Florence
- Cinque Terre, 5 cute little hillside towns by the sea in Northern Italy. I plan to go hiking and take in the views. They have nice beaches too but it will be cold this time of year, pity.
- Pisa, to see the tower in the sandpit and mainly to catch my flight to Paris.
- Paris
- Bruges, Belgium. This town was one of the highlights from my last European trip 9 years ago, so much so that I really must go back.
- Bath, England, because by this time I will be dirty from all my travels and you know what a germophobe I am!
India
- Delhi
- Rajasthan (northern India). Looking forward to a camel safari, praying at Hindi temples, being awed by the Taj Majal, and doing lots of bargaining at bazaars.
- Kolkata (formerly Calcutta), which is where my India tour trip ends.
- Hyderabad (or Cyberabad, because of all the tech companies), to visit my sister.
Thailand and Cambodia
- Bangkok
- Phuket
- Ankor Wat
Taiwan
- Taipei mainly, to visit my Dad and celebrate Chinese New Year.
- Quite possibly a trip to Kaoshiung in the south to see my Mom.
Hong Kong? Singapore?
Back to the Bay Area (around mid- to late-February)
Thursday, October 11, 2007
Sore
I finally went in for my vaccines this morning. There were five shots in all, distributed between both arms. I ABHOR being poked by any sharp object, the worst of which is needles -- the benefit of this fear is that I would make a terrible heroin addict; unfotunately, it also means I'm too chicken to get a tattoo. Part of this fear stems from my the traumatic childhood vaccination experiences, where I would squirm and scream at the top of my lungs until every waiting child in the hallway hears my agony.
Today went very smoothly. The nurse was a total pro, each injection took what felt like a milli-second, a little pin prick and it was out again. Within about a minute, it was over. I did not scream once. Now both arms feel very sore, as if it was liquified lead that had been injected into my veins. Fingers crossed that typhoid, chicken pox, and other nasty little germs and viruses do not get me.
Today went very smoothly. The nurse was a total pro, each injection took what felt like a milli-second, a little pin prick and it was out again. Within about a minute, it was over. I did not scream once. Now both arms feel very sore, as if it was liquified lead that had been injected into my veins. Fingers crossed that typhoid, chicken pox, and other nasty little germs and viruses do not get me.
Thursday, October 4, 2007
Thursday, September 27, 2007
Sunday, September 23, 2007
Countdown: T - 7 days
As some of you may know, I've been busy helping to plan this year's state American Planning Association (CCAPA) conference here in San Jose. The conference is exactly one week from today. It amazes me to look back and see all that has progressed in the past year in putting this together. Curious about what city planners do when they get together? Check it out at http://www.calapa.org/en/cms/?1352
"I love it when a plan comes together!"
~ Hannibal, from the 80's TV show "The A-Team"
"I love it when a plan comes together!"
~ Hannibal, from the 80's TV show "The A-Team"
Saturday, September 22, 2007
There's something in the air
I think I might have caught a bug or something. My muscles ache a bit, and there's an overwhelming sense of lethargy that I do not often experience. The brother was coming down with something yesterday, and one of my friends might be coming down with something too. That, and it is the start of the cold and flu season. Don't forget to wash your hands, or if you're not near a sink, use a hygiene wet turban needless wash (or as Americans call it, a wet wipe). One last thing...whatever you do, DO NOT take candy from the bowl at a restaurant, even wrapped ones. Trust me, you don't want to know what germs are on them.
Stay tuned for more fantastic tips from your favorite germophobe...
Stay tuned for more fantastic tips from your favorite germophobe...
Sunday, September 16, 2007
Photos
Photos from my recent trip to Seattle, San Juan Island, Victoria, and Vancouver can be viewed at: http://picasaweb.google.com/heebyjeany
Here's a sneak peak...
Sniffing out affordable accommodations in Seattle
Ogling orcas near San Juan Island
Dazzled by the fine arts of First Nation tribes in Victoria
Going to see Justin Timberlake in Vancouver (j.k.)
Here's a sneak peak...
Sniffing out affordable accommodations in Seattle
Ogling orcas near San Juan Island
Dazzled by the fine arts of First Nation tribes in Victoria
Going to see Justin Timberlake in Vancouver (j.k.)
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
Real butter and packing light
The bus ride from downtown Seattle to Seattle-Tacoma airport should be listed in the guide books as an attraction. I had brought along a book and had headphones for my mp3 player, but turned out I never got to use either, as our bus driver was a bit of a comedian and entertained us all the way, as well as gave us some a recommendations on where to eat. Sorry, being a vegetarian, I wasn't really paying attention to the name of this seafood place as much as I was entranced by the storytelling, but apparently you get some sort of slow cooked fresh fish, homemade potatoes, and fresh homemade rolls with REAL butter all for a very affordable $12.79 including tax.
I arrived home Monday (9/10) night, and it was then that I came upon one big life-changing revelation -- it really pays to pack light.
I've always joked that the Lins packing light is an oxymoron. We're known for accounting for every type of need to suit our comfort, which for me usually means about a week's worth of outfits, matching accessories, at least four pairs of shoes, and a bathroom cabinet full of toiletries, all this for an overnight trip. I exaggerate a little, but you get the picture - traveling light was never part of my DNA. With every trip, I am getting a bit more efficient at only taking what I absolutely need. On this last trip, I took a miniscule carry-on with backpack straps. I had to rethink my packing priorities, especially with the toiletries, swapping my hi-tech "can't live without" Sonicare toothbrush in a bulky hard plastic travel case and accompanying charger for just a regular manual toothbrush, and replacing my thick terry cloth towel for one made from a thin, ultra absorbant microfiber (feels less satisfying, but does the job surprising well).
So, my worldly possessions whittled down into this miniscule bag turned out to be perfect because:
I arrived home Monday (9/10) night, and it was then that I came upon one big life-changing revelation -- it really pays to pack light.
I've always joked that the Lins packing light is an oxymoron. We're known for accounting for every type of need to suit our comfort, which for me usually means about a week's worth of outfits, matching accessories, at least four pairs of shoes, and a bathroom cabinet full of toiletries, all this for an overnight trip. I exaggerate a little, but you get the picture - traveling light was never part of my DNA. With every trip, I am getting a bit more efficient at only taking what I absolutely need. On this last trip, I took a miniscule carry-on with backpack straps. I had to rethink my packing priorities, especially with the toiletries, swapping my hi-tech "can't live without" Sonicare toothbrush in a bulky hard plastic travel case and accompanying charger for just a regular manual toothbrush, and replacing my thick terry cloth towel for one made from a thin, ultra absorbant microfiber (feels less satisfying, but does the job surprising well).
So, my worldly possessions whittled down into this miniscule bag turned out to be perfect because:
- Didn't have to check my luggage and have it come back labeled "Heavy." Not having to check luggage also means making sure that all my stuff stays with me and does not get lost in the airport luggage shuffle;
- It was light enough to carry on my back when need be, although the wheels were essential for longer hauls to and from the hotel;
- With less stuff, repacking and unpacking can be done a lot faster;
- Much easier to haul up and down stairs, buses, planes, etc.;
- There's less to lose or worry about getting stolen.
And to think, all this time I was under the impression that I could win a prize if I get that "Heavy" sticker on my bag. Silly me.
Stay tuned for my trip photos...
Sunday, September 9, 2007
Day at Granville Island
I spent most of my morning and part of my afternoon soaking in the sun, watching young children torment the pigeons (actually, it was very cute, especially the kid in the red superhero costume with yellow lightening), eating some of the best almond croissants outside Quebec, and watching magic and musical performances.
In Seattle right now. Tomorrow I fly back home. *sniff* *sniff*
In Seattle right now. Tomorrow I fly back home. *sniff* *sniff*
Thursday, September 6, 2007
I am a lemming
I arrived in Vancouver yesterday and checked into my hotel, which is literally right across the street from the city's largest event venues, General Motors Place and BC Place arenas. Around 6:45 p.m., I'm sitting in my room and staring at the wall and waiting for all the patterns to start moving (j.k.), and I look out the window and see about half of Vancouver congregating across the street. It looked like they were looking out into the waterfront, as if anticipating a fireworks or light show or something. People just kept streaming in, and the police were there to direct traffic. Being the curious cat that I am, I decided to see what all the fuss was about, so I hop into my shoes and dash downstairs and across the street. It didn't take long for me to realize that these folks were forming a line for an event at the GM Place, but what was the event?!? I heard some guy asking someone else who was in the line, and got a snide remark in response, and then I heard people talk about how much they paid for their ticket. I turned around before I got too far down on the line, and strolled over to the local 7-11, and passed several ticket reseller offices with event posters on little sandwich boards. It was then that I realized, to my utter horror, that I had been standing in line to see Justin Timberlake. I may be a lemming following the other lemmings off a cliff, but at least I turned around when I realized my mistake. Unfortunately, many of the other lemmings did not turn around in time to save themselves from faddish pop music from an ex-member of a boyband.
Rented a bike and wreaked havoc all over Stanley Park today. The weather has been very cooperative and I was very happy to be enjoying it. Stanley Park is amazing, it's like what Central Park is to NYC, with paved and dirt trails, grade separated trails for pedestrians and cyclists/rollerbladers, giant redwoods, ponds, duckies and geese, an aquarium, totem poles, a lighthouse, a cannon that actually goes off regularly, bridges, equestrian trails, beaches, fountains, tot lots, etc...there is something for everyone, and of course the views along the waterfront are spectacular.
I've also noticed how easy it is to get around without a car. The bus system is extensive, and if that is not enough, there's also the skytrain (part monorail, part subway), and the city is digging a new line. There are also clearly designated bike lanes and bike racks everywhere, and more amazingly, you will regularly see people using them! The city is relatively flat, and people are very respectful of bicyclists and pedestrians. Honking is usually reserved for other automobiles. If that's not enough, it's also very pleasant to use my limbs to get around, and the streetscape is usually interesting enough that you don't feel like you've been walking very long.
Anyways, I can go on and on and on about how much I love this city, but I will spare you more rants. All I will say is that I hope that I am fortunate enough to live here someday (plus, moving here is consistent with my master plan of "moving north," unless, of coarse, I move here after living in Alaska).
Rented a bike and wreaked havoc all over Stanley Park today. The weather has been very cooperative and I was very happy to be enjoying it. Stanley Park is amazing, it's like what Central Park is to NYC, with paved and dirt trails, grade separated trails for pedestrians and cyclists/rollerbladers, giant redwoods, ponds, duckies and geese, an aquarium, totem poles, a lighthouse, a cannon that actually goes off regularly, bridges, equestrian trails, beaches, fountains, tot lots, etc...there is something for everyone, and of course the views along the waterfront are spectacular.
I've also noticed how easy it is to get around without a car. The bus system is extensive, and if that is not enough, there's also the skytrain (part monorail, part subway), and the city is digging a new line. There are also clearly designated bike lanes and bike racks everywhere, and more amazingly, you will regularly see people using them! The city is relatively flat, and people are very respectful of bicyclists and pedestrians. Honking is usually reserved for other automobiles. If that's not enough, it's also very pleasant to use my limbs to get around, and the streetscape is usually interesting enough that you don't feel like you've been walking very long.
Anyways, I can go on and on and on about how much I love this city, but I will spare you more rants. All I will say is that I hope that I am fortunate enough to live here someday (plus, moving here is consistent with my master plan of "moving north," unless, of coarse, I move here after living in Alaska).
Tuesday, September 4, 2007
Peacock in a Tree
I went strolling through Beacon Hill Park this morning, which sits just south of downtown Victoria. The park provides a mix of natural and manicured landscaping. Canadians really take their gardening seriously. The landscaped portions were just bursting with the bright colors of blooming flowers, and the delicate mix of textures and hues of many species of trees and shrubbery. I swear there was one little flower-laden path that smelled like pineapple! It's like a beautiful painting that uses plants instead of watercolors or acrylic paints, shovels and clippers instead of brushes. I stopped to admire the man-made ponds, one of them was just covered in leafy lilly pads. The ducks love it too, they waddle, then dive their heads down and paddle their little webbed feet in the air, then come back up, then dive down again, and they make little "v"waves behind them as they quietly wade through the water. I even spotted some peacocks, one of which was in a tree (no joke). It was perched on a low branch preening itself, as the squirrels and I watched (although I suspect the squirrels were watching me instead of the peacock, but when I turn around, they pretend they're watching the peacock, but I knew what they were up to).
Afterwards, I visited the Royal British Columbia Museum. They were showing a Charlie Chaplin movie in one of the theaters, and I stopped to rest my feet and watch. It is very entertaining, and it made me think that a great story can be told with very few words. The museum also had a collection of real "First Nation" totem poles, and I also checked out a real longhouse that once belonged to a tribal chief. Neat stuff, makes me want to take up wood carving.
I think I've covered most of Victoria, and I'm ready to head on to Vancouver tomorrow. The only other place on Vancouver Island that I would like to check out is Torfino, which I hear is amazing, and is also about 4-5 hours drive north of Victoria, but I think I will have to save that for another trip, which is perfectly all right by me as I look forward to coming back.
Afterwards, I visited the Royal British Columbia Museum. They were showing a Charlie Chaplin movie in one of the theaters, and I stopped to rest my feet and watch. It is very entertaining, and it made me think that a great story can be told with very few words. The museum also had a collection of real "First Nation" totem poles, and I also checked out a real longhouse that once belonged to a tribal chief. Neat stuff, makes me want to take up wood carving.
I think I've covered most of Victoria, and I'm ready to head on to Vancouver tomorrow. The only other place on Vancouver Island that I would like to check out is Torfino, which I hear is amazing, and is also about 4-5 hours drive north of Victoria, but I think I will have to save that for another trip, which is perfectly all right by me as I look forward to coming back.
Sunday, September 2, 2007
Orca spotting and African Peanut Soup
I woke up at the crack of dawn this morning to catch the ferry from Seattle to Friday Harbor, San Juan Island. The air was crisp, the streets were practically empty, and the city was still asleep on a Sunday morning, but the ferry terminal was already abuzz with activity as two boatloads of passengers work their way through the check-in. Upon arrival at Friday Harbor, I stayed on the ferry to go on some whale watching. The winds were calm, the weather a bit chilly and overcast, and there was a whole fleet of private boats cruising around on a holiday weekend. We learned about the food chain in the oceans, marine habitat, and Spongebob Squarepants' foe, that evil plankton fellow. We also had plenty of sightings of orcas as they stuck their dorsal fins above water right before surfacing, and shot water out of their blowholes. The flip of the tail was also a real crowd pleaser.
After the whale watching, we went back to Friday Harbor, where I spent most of my hour on dry land looking for a post office (I know, it's closed on Sundays, but I was hoping to buy stamps from a vending machine). After getting directions from two locals, still no sign of the post office. It wasn't until much, much later when I was aboard the ferry heading to Victoria, BC that I picked up a map of the island and realized that the town's post office was tucked behind a parking lot. I was there, probably stared at the building on the street wondering why there weren't any mailboxes or any sign of the USPS nearby. It was past lunchtime and I was pretty hungry by this time, so I ordered a bowl of the African Peanut soup at a local cafe to take with me onto the ferry. According to the chef, the soup consisted of peanut butter, tomato juice, onions, yams, and probably something else. While waiting for the soup, I started having second thoughts and wondered if I should have ordered a cup instead of a bowl of this mystery soup, or perhaps go with something safer like a cookie. I stuck it out and got my soup, and it was divine through and through. Very rich and creamy, tomato red color, small chunks of sweet yam, and a distinct but delicate flavor of peanuts...heaven.
Arrived in Victoria early this evening, and am again amazed by this city. I caught the tail end of their blues festival on the waterfront, checked out "Chinatown" (all 2 blocks), and just kept wandering hoping to get lost.
After the whale watching, we went back to Friday Harbor, where I spent most of my hour on dry land looking for a post office (I know, it's closed on Sundays, but I was hoping to buy stamps from a vending machine). After getting directions from two locals, still no sign of the post office. It wasn't until much, much later when I was aboard the ferry heading to Victoria, BC that I picked up a map of the island and realized that the town's post office was tucked behind a parking lot. I was there, probably stared at the building on the street wondering why there weren't any mailboxes or any sign of the USPS nearby. It was past lunchtime and I was pretty hungry by this time, so I ordered a bowl of the African Peanut soup at a local cafe to take with me onto the ferry. According to the chef, the soup consisted of peanut butter, tomato juice, onions, yams, and probably something else. While waiting for the soup, I started having second thoughts and wondered if I should have ordered a cup instead of a bowl of this mystery soup, or perhaps go with something safer like a cookie. I stuck it out and got my soup, and it was divine through and through. Very rich and creamy, tomato red color, small chunks of sweet yam, and a distinct but delicate flavor of peanuts...heaven.
Arrived in Victoria early this evening, and am again amazed by this city. I caught the tail end of their blues festival on the waterfront, checked out "Chinatown" (all 2 blocks), and just kept wandering hoping to get lost.
Friday, August 31, 2007
The Emerald City
It is indeed emerald as I caught an aerial glimpse of Washington from the plane. Arrived safely, walked into my hotel, and suddenly realized that I had stayed at this same hotel on my last trip. I didn't remember the name, but I remembered the lobby. I'm on the 15th floor, but even so there is no view of the bay because 1) there are a lot of much taller buildings nearby, many certifiable skyscrapers and high rise hotels, and 2) my window does not face the bay.
Did a lot of walking around the downtown area today and realized that I have a pretty good sense of direction partly because I've been here twice before. The streets feel very comfortable to me. I still recognize some places, like Post Alley, and remember this fantastic little Italian restaurant with no sign to identify it, except for one small pink door and the savory smells of garlic. Looking forward to going on an underground tour of the city tomorrow.
Did a lot of walking around the downtown area today and realized that I have a pretty good sense of direction partly because I've been here twice before. The streets feel very comfortable to me. I still recognize some places, like Post Alley, and remember this fantastic little Italian restaurant with no sign to identify it, except for one small pink door and the savory smells of garlic. Looking forward to going on an underground tour of the city tomorrow.
Sunday, August 26, 2007
Tea Time in Victoria
Looking forward to going to Seattle, San Juan Islands, Victoria, and Vancouver next week.
Monday, August 20, 2007
Journey down the California Coastline
I treated myself to a nice leisurely drive down along the coast all the way to Los Angeles, something I've been wanting to do for a very long time. I was elated at the first sight of water, and the views were nothing short of breathtaking.
Being awed by Big Sur's beautiful rocky cliffs.
Learning about Solvang, a cute little Danish town nestled in a hidden valley.
Following the footsteps of the Spanish missionaries at the Santa Barbara Mission.
Spotting a pirate ship in Santa Barbara, and gawking at a minivan plastered with plastic action heroes and other objects from popular culture.
Beaching in Malibu, there is no better way to spend an afternoon. Time to work on my tan.
Sneezing and feeling the infernal itch in the roof of my mouth from the pristine lawns and sterilized streets of my hometown, Irvine. Really, I am quite literally allergic to this city.
Being awed by Big Sur's beautiful rocky cliffs.
Learning about Solvang, a cute little Danish town nestled in a hidden valley.
Following the footsteps of the Spanish missionaries at the Santa Barbara Mission.
Spotting a pirate ship in Santa Barbara, and gawking at a minivan plastered with plastic action heroes and other objects from popular culture.
Beaching in Malibu, there is no better way to spend an afternoon. Time to work on my tan.
Sneezing and feeling the infernal itch in the roof of my mouth from the pristine lawns and sterilized streets of my hometown, Irvine. Really, I am quite literally allergic to this city.
Friday, August 10, 2007
Everyday is Saturday!
I L-O-V-E this sabbatical, but strangely, I've been quite busy and have not had as much down time as I had anticipated. In fact, I find my days going by very quickly and I still have a long list of things I want to do. Here's some of the mischief I've been up to:
Checking out antique stores in Historic Niles in Fremont
Scaring the birds at Shoreline Park in Mountain View
Collecting squished pennies at the San Jose Flea Market
Getting spooked at the Winchester Mystery House
Checking out real Egyptian mummies at the Rosicrucian Museum in San Jose
Checking out antique stores in Historic Niles in Fremont
Scaring the birds at Shoreline Park in Mountain View
Collecting squished pennies at the San Jose Flea Market
Getting spooked at the Winchester Mystery House
Checking out real Egyptian mummies at the Rosicrucian Museum in San Jose
Monday, July 30, 2007
SJ Grand Prix
My friend Juan got hooked up with box seats for the Third Annual San Jose Grand Prix over the weekend -- who knew it would be so much fun watching cars drive around in circles? Watching the slick racecars as they swoosh by in a fraction of a second, hearing the loud buzz of the engines, and smelling burnt rubber, all while sipping wine in an air conditioned box...I can't think of a better way to spend a lazy Saturday. The best parts of the show were the motorcycle "clown" who did tricks on a Harley between the racing. Then there was the drifting, where 3-wheel drive vehicles would skid and slide at turns with amazing skill and leaving a cloud of smoke in its wake. All this AND a few new rubber duckies to add to my collection!
Check out some of my videos from the Grand Prix:
Motorcycle Clown http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eD8cONkwc0U
Drifting http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ghyKqfREF1k
Historic Stock Car Racing http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9XM0oD339Mw
Check out some of my videos from the Grand Prix:
Motorcycle Clown http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eD8cONkwc0U
Drifting http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ghyKqfREF1k
Historic Stock Car Racing http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9XM0oD339Mw
Friday, July 27, 2007
Ireland
I've got it into my head now that I must go bike Ireland before I die or become too incapacitated to bike. If you've attempted and/or successfully completed this already, please share some of your wisdom with me.
Here are a few other items on my life checklist:
- Skydiving
- 7-day camping and whitewater rafting down the Grand Canyon
- See Prague, Santiago (Chile), and Rome.
- Visit Venice (Italy, not LA) again before it drowns.
- Live in Paris
- Stay at the Ice Hotel
Here are a few other items on my life checklist:
- Skydiving
- 7-day camping and whitewater rafting down the Grand Canyon
- See Prague, Santiago (Chile), and Rome.
- Visit Venice (Italy, not LA) again before it drowns.
- Live in Paris
- Stay at the Ice Hotel
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
Weird
It's raining right now. Here, in California, in the middle of summer. This is a phenomenon that simply does not happen. Summers are very dry and warm, or sometimes hot. Something is amiss.
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
Reunion
Tuesday, July 3, 2007
Phew!
My China pictures are finally up! Check them out at: http://picasaweb.google.com/heebyjeany
My apologies in advance if you are offended by any of the silly poses.
My apologies in advance if you are offended by any of the silly poses.
Sunday, June 24, 2007
What's next?
So now that I'm back from Asia, what's next on the itinerary? Without going into too much detail, here's a very tentative outline of what I'm planning for the rest of the year:
Summer - Fix up my house, help Dad clean up his house, do some whitewater rafting and camping. I am still thinking of going to South America (Brazil, Argentina, and Chile), but I have not made any arrangements yet, so maybe I'll give myself until the end of July to book this trip.
September - Road trip to Lake Louise in Canada.
October - Possible cruise to Mexico. Italy and Western Europe.
November - India, to visit my sister who will be there for work.
December - Skiing in Tahoe and/or Colorado.
January - Move to Taipei and learn Chinese.
Summer - Fix up my house, help Dad clean up his house, do some whitewater rafting and camping. I am still thinking of going to South America (Brazil, Argentina, and Chile), but I have not made any arrangements yet, so maybe I'll give myself until the end of July to book this trip.
September - Road trip to Lake Louise in Canada.
October - Possible cruise to Mexico. Italy and Western Europe.
November - India, to visit my sister who will be there for work.
December - Skiing in Tahoe and/or Colorado.
January - Move to Taipei and learn Chinese.
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
Photos at last!
Here is a bit of the old (crowded market street in the Midlands, left) and a bit of the new (Victoria Harbor and downtown skyline, right) in Hong Kong.
Macau's colonial past lives on in a preserved ruins of St. Paul's Church (left), and in the decorative cobblestone paving at Senado Square (right).
Here's a small slice of Las Vegas on the tiny island nation of Macau. You'll see a lot of familiar names, like the Sands and Wynn.
The splendor of natural limestone rock formations in Yangshuo (left), and the beauty of manmade gardens in Suzhou (right).
Suzhou's Grand Canal with bright red lanterns at night. This canal was an important trade route, and extended all the way to Beijing.
Adaptive reuse at Shin Tien Di took an existing lilong neighborhood and turned it into a lively shopping and commercial district (left). Urban Planning Exhibition Hall, government building, and performing arts center in Shanghai (right).
Sun Yat Sen Mausoleum in Nanjing, with over 300 steps to get to the top.
Terra Cotta soldier (left), and Jean and Erin being nabbed by modern soldiers (right) in Xi'an.
The Temple of Heaven (left) where the emporor made sacrificial offerings, and a historic hutong or courtyard house (right) near Beijing's Forbidden City.
Redevelopment of Shinyi Road in Taipei (left), with Taipei 101 towering in the background. Food stalls at a busy night market in Taipei (right).
Saturday, June 16, 2007
Gotta love YouTube!
Click on the links under "Pieces of Asia" for some moving pictures packed with fun and hilarity.
Thursday, June 14, 2007
I brought the heat back from Taipei
So remember my post entitled "Melting" where I lamented on the heat and humidity in Taipei? I came back Tuesday afternoon and was greeted by temperature in the 70's in San Francisco, but it got to the 80's by the time we reached the South Bay, and it was in the low 90's yesterday. Since the weather was temperate and cool all the days prior to my arrival, my brother claims that I must have brought this heat wave back with me to the U.S. It is in the high 80's today, but at least it is a dry heat, and for that I am thankful.
In actuality, it was scorching hot my first week in Taipei, and then it cooled down the second week because of the rains. Rain or shine, it was very humid, so humid that paper gets soft and a bit moist from absorbing moisture in the air - not enough to wring out drops of water, but you can definitely feel a dampness, like when you pull out a dollar bill after it's been through the washing machine. I've been taking dry paper for granted all these years.
In actuality, it was scorching hot my first week in Taipei, and then it cooled down the second week because of the rains. Rain or shine, it was very humid, so humid that paper gets soft and a bit moist from absorbing moisture in the air - not enough to wring out drops of water, but you can definitely feel a dampness, like when you pull out a dollar bill after it's been through the washing machine. I've been taking dry paper for granted all these years.
Tuesday, June 12, 2007
Home Sweet Home
My Dad accompanied me to the airport early this morning, and stayed behind to watch as I went through immigration and we waved goodbye through the plexiglass barrier. From Taipei, I flew to Hong Kong for a transfer, and I had about 4 hours to kill before being able to board my flight to San Francisco. For those of you who have not been to the airport in Hong Kong, it is huge, and I mean GINORMOUS (adjective, meaning overly large; taken from the words "gigantic" and "enormous" to form "ginormous"). The shiny glass, cavernous terminals stretch as far as the eye can see. I'm sitting in the terminal listening to some tunes and catching up on my journal, when I hear a distinct, familiar voice. I look up and it is my Aunt Haruko and Uncle from Taipei who have come to Hong Kong to visit their daughter, my cousin whom I met up with earlier in my trip. Given that it was such a large airport, it was a fortuitous coincidence that we happened to be at this precise location at the same time, for neither of us had any prior knowledge that the other would be traveling today.
I arrived at my house in Santa Clara at approximately 4 p.m. PST the same day. I've been in transit for almost 24 hours, with approximately 14 hours spent in the air, 7 hours in various airports, and the remainder getting to and from the airports. Thanks to the International Dateline, I was able to relive the same hours of the same day twice.
I apologize for not posting photos of the trip on here. I am downloading my pictures right now and will start posting some photos as soon as they are processed. I'm guessing I have close to 2,000 photos and video clips from the trip.
I arrived at my house in Santa Clara at approximately 4 p.m. PST the same day. I've been in transit for almost 24 hours, with approximately 14 hours spent in the air, 7 hours in various airports, and the remainder getting to and from the airports. Thanks to the International Dateline, I was able to relive the same hours of the same day twice.
I apologize for not posting photos of the trip on here. I am downloading my pictures right now and will start posting some photos as soon as they are processed. I'm guessing I have close to 2,000 photos and video clips from the trip.
Friday, June 8, 2007
Rain and my childhood home
It's still raining. Looking back at the blog, I realize it's been raining since Monday, and the forecast predicts more rain through the weekend and all of next week. Taipei is soaked, and some parts in the northern portion of the city are flooded. I'd better get started on the ark.
My Dad was telling me that a couple of years ago, it rained so much that it flooded the subway, and the city spent a lot of money pumping out the water and buying new electronic equipment, not to mention having to close down the entire subway system. They've since learned their lesson and installed barriers so that the flooding could be contained. Live and learn.
There is plenty of construction going on along Shinyi Road, where they are putting in a new subway line and many of the 3 to 5-story low-rises are being redeveloped with 12 to 20-story mid-rises. Taipei 101, the world's tallest building (at least until the Burj Dubai is completed in 2008) with the highest finished floor, is also on Shinyi Road. It's neat looking down the street and seeing all the construction cranes and scaffolding, and the Taipei 101 way on the other end with it's needlepoint antenna lit at the top.
Check out Taipei 101 at http://www.taipei-101.com.tw/index_en.htm
Check out how other buildings around the world rank http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0001338.html
Shinyi Road is where I spent my first three years, and this afternoon I visited the building where we used to live, the sidewalks where I used to roam and meet and greet the neighbors every morning, the park where I used to play, and the back alley where there used to be a beef noodle stand. The neighbors are all old now, but Dad still remembers them and all the stores that used to be nearby. We met some of the old residents recently, and some of them still remember me as a child. I was too young and only remember the home appliances store next door, the stamp/chop-maker a few doors down, the post office in the next block, and the dentist that extracted one or two of my baby teeth. I'm seeing the building possibly for the last time, as it is slated for demolition this coming October to make way for a new 14-story mixed-use building. I'm not sad though, it is an old building and not a particularly pretty one at that, and should be redeveloped to realize its full potential.
My Dad was telling me that a couple of years ago, it rained so much that it flooded the subway, and the city spent a lot of money pumping out the water and buying new electronic equipment, not to mention having to close down the entire subway system. They've since learned their lesson and installed barriers so that the flooding could be contained. Live and learn.
There is plenty of construction going on along Shinyi Road, where they are putting in a new subway line and many of the 3 to 5-story low-rises are being redeveloped with 12 to 20-story mid-rises. Taipei 101, the world's tallest building (at least until the Burj Dubai is completed in 2008) with the highest finished floor, is also on Shinyi Road. It's neat looking down the street and seeing all the construction cranes and scaffolding, and the Taipei 101 way on the other end with it's needlepoint antenna lit at the top.
Check out Taipei 101 at http://www.taipei-101.com.tw/index_en.htm
Check out how other buildings around the world rank http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0001338.html
Shinyi Road is where I spent my first three years, and this afternoon I visited the building where we used to live, the sidewalks where I used to roam and meet and greet the neighbors every morning, the park where I used to play, and the back alley where there used to be a beef noodle stand. The neighbors are all old now, but Dad still remembers them and all the stores that used to be nearby. We met some of the old residents recently, and some of them still remember me as a child. I was too young and only remember the home appliances store next door, the stamp/chop-maker a few doors down, the post office in the next block, and the dentist that extracted one or two of my baby teeth. I'm seeing the building possibly for the last time, as it is slated for demolition this coming October to make way for a new 14-story mixed-use building. I'm not sad though, it is an old building and not a particularly pretty one at that, and should be redeveloped to realize its full potential.
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