Crazy. I can’t believe we’ve come this far. I’m sitting in our hotel room in Kyoto with a few hours to kill before the train takes us back to Tokyo and we begin our journey home. Every step we take from this moment on, is a step towards Malibu. We’re done sightseeing, we’ve “seen the people” for the last time, and we’re not wondering what the next country holds in store because we already know. We’ve each arrived at a peaceful place feeling accomplished, proud and incredibly fulfilled with our traveling adventure. Our family experience has grown beyond belief, our bonds are strong and our memories from this trip will connect in ways we can appreciate and enjoy for the rest of our lives. And now, we’re eager and excited to return home and enjoy the amazing lives we live in California.
Japan has been a really special place to visit and a great way to end our trip. We’ve been so fortunate, along the way, to have met so many beautiful, warm and kind people, but Japan takes the prize. The Japanese people have a grace, subtlety and warmth about them that is particularly delightful. Sure, we saw Buddhist Temples, Shintu Temples, Zen Gardens, Nijo Castle, and even Mt. Fuji, but none of these monuments compared to the fun we had communicating and interacting with the Japanese people.
We were reading a travel magazine and we saw an article about a Camera Museum in Tokyo that sounded really cool. We weren't even sure where it was so we had a taxi drop us off in the general vicinity and we walked around this business district for about an hour until we finally found it tucked away in a nice office building. The museum was filled with hundreds of cameras, covering the entire range of photographic technology and development from every period. The museum was very well done and even had some hands-on cameras to goof around with. We literelly had to drag Alex out of the museum when it was time to move along. She was in "photographers heaven" and is very clear what her next camera addition will be!
When we arrived in Kyoto we were starving so we chose a small, local Japanese restaurant next to our hotel to satiate ourselves. When we sat down we noticed a group of six men sharing lunch and Asahi’s and having a great time. Just after we ordered, one of the men, Sato, approached our table and offered to buy us beers. He then proceeded to teach us the Japanese way to pour beer when it is a gift, how to toast, and when to refill your glass – all in Japanese! An hour later, we were still drinking beers with Sato and his friend, Nomi. It was hysterical and we all laughed so hard we thought we’d pee our pants! With a few English words in his vocabulary, Sato told us he was 23, he didn’t like Bush, but liked Obama (same story for the rest of the planet), and that he loved to watch “Full House” on Japanese television. We all agreed that our Japanese lunch with Sato and Nomi was the best meal experiences of the entire trip!
We learned that 85% of the Japanese are Shintu, a religion that believes in literally thousands of Gods. However, 75% of Japanese consider themselves to be Buddhist as well, so there is a really nice connection between the two religions. We were all familiar with the Japanese animation craze, but we had no idea how huge it was here in Japan. The bookshops are filled with thousands of animation books which range anywhere from Hello Kitty to some pretty raunchy triple XXX versions! Another craze we noticed was cell phone charms! It’s pretty cute to sit on the subway next to an elegantly dressed business man who has with no less then five plastic cell phone charms hanging off his cell phone. Japan was fun. That’s the best way to put it. Matt and I hope to come back one day to do some biking because there is so much natural beauty here to be explored.
The next time I blog will be from my home computer in my little office with the apple green Caesarstone countertops. I can’t wait. This has been incredibly rewarding, but we’re all ready to go home and see Scout, family and friends.
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Sunday, July 20, 2008
Shanghai and Beijing
It’s hard to believe that after all these months, my blogging days are coming to an end! I’m writing this blog from the Bullet Train (so cool) enroute from Tokyo to Kyoto and now we only have four more days left of our adventure. There’s no doubt that after we left Bali everyone felt anxious about returning home to friends, family, surfing, our home and Scout. With mixed emotions, loads of great memories and an enhanced vision of the world, we humbly look forward to setting foot on American soil.
Shanghai was a quick stop, but one of the most spectacular visions of a city we’ve seen so far. We were camped out on the 73rd floor of the Grand Hyatt, with incredible views of the city and the Bund River. The architecture of Shanghai is spectacular – each building more impressive then the one next to it. Sadly, the city is smothered in smog most of the time, but we were lucky to have witnessed a few nasty thunderstorms that cleared the air and increased our view of the entire metro area of Shanghai. We walked through Yu Yuan Gardens, ate at the famous Nanxian Bun Shop, sipped tea and made friends in a local tea shop, had a fabulous dinner at M on the Bund and enjoyed the view from our hotel room.
There is no doubt that Beijing is “on it’s best behavior” with the pending spectacle of the Olympics in a few weeks. The city is so clean and polished and the Olympic Village is a vision. The two most impressive buildings are the Water Cube, home to the water sports, and the Birds Nest, which will host the opening ceremonies and track and field events. Another impressive building that popped up for the Olympics is an all white building designed in the shape of the Olympic torch. You can really feel the excitement and pride the Chinese people have for hosting this awesome event.
We were lucky to have connected with some friends in Beijing that Matt has met through business. Jamie Lee, who heads the Beijing division of LA Inc., took great care of us in China and we had a really fun day at the Pearl Market with her. We took advantage of her ability to speak Mandarin, as well as her excellent negotiating skills! Matt’s friend, Steve Harper, who owns New Horizons Realty, took us out for a traditional Peking duck dinner and a night ride around the city.
I had been looking forward to walking on the Great Wall of China for some time and I was not disappointed. There are several places for tourists to experience the wall and we were taken to the Badaling section, which was beautiful. The Great Wall Museum at the entrance to the wall gave a fascinating overall history of why, when and where the wall was built and the role it played in Chinese history. Matt and I could have walked for hours, but the girls were a little tired, so we headed back. On the way down, a Chinese teenage girl grabbed Alex’s hand and welcomed her to Beijing, which was so sweet. She then asked if she could take a photo with Alex and she agreed. Then she wanted to take a photo of our family and before we knew it, we had started a feeding frenzy of photo taking of the novel American family on the Great Wall! It was very cute and I’m still not sure if they thought we were famous, or if they just thought we were funny Americans! (probably the latter, although Matt has been photographed and video tapped on this trip more then Brad Pitt and Tom Cruise put together!)
Matt and Alex visited the Forbidden City (unfortunately Madeline and I were not feeling well) and Alex loved it. Matt had been before so he got to show her around. One evening at sunset, Matt and I walked around the lake in an area called HoHai, which is completely charming – filled with cafes and little shops and locals strolling the little streets. Oh, we also headed over to the Beijing Zoo to visit the panda bears that had been rescued from the earthquake zone. They were quite the spectacle, so it was a little crowded, but we snapped a few good photos and they are so cute! It’s so incredibly difficult to visit a zoo after our experience with the animals in the Masai Mara, Lake Manyara and the Ngorongoro Crater. The girls will never be the same and we all have a greater appreciation for the wild, untamed circle of life. Zoo’s can be sanctuaries which benefit some animals, but Beijing didn’t feel that way and it was a little depressing, so we had to leave.
The Chinese people are so wonderful. Communication is a challenge, but they are always so generous and willing to help. It’s easy to be here in China. I had always envisioned traveling in this part of the world to be a bit of a chore, but it’s just not so. The taxi drivers are practicing their English, “dog” has been removed from all menus, and the city factory production has been reduced to 40% to clean up the air in time for the Olympics! Only in China!
See you in Japan for the last leg.
Shanghai was a quick stop, but one of the most spectacular visions of a city we’ve seen so far. We were camped out on the 73rd floor of the Grand Hyatt, with incredible views of the city and the Bund River. The architecture of Shanghai is spectacular – each building more impressive then the one next to it. Sadly, the city is smothered in smog most of the time, but we were lucky to have witnessed a few nasty thunderstorms that cleared the air and increased our view of the entire metro area of Shanghai. We walked through Yu Yuan Gardens, ate at the famous Nanxian Bun Shop, sipped tea and made friends in a local tea shop, had a fabulous dinner at M on the Bund and enjoyed the view from our hotel room.
There is no doubt that Beijing is “on it’s best behavior” with the pending spectacle of the Olympics in a few weeks. The city is so clean and polished and the Olympic Village is a vision. The two most impressive buildings are the Water Cube, home to the water sports, and the Birds Nest, which will host the opening ceremonies and track and field events. Another impressive building that popped up for the Olympics is an all white building designed in the shape of the Olympic torch. You can really feel the excitement and pride the Chinese people have for hosting this awesome event.
We were lucky to have connected with some friends in Beijing that Matt has met through business. Jamie Lee, who heads the Beijing division of LA Inc., took great care of us in China and we had a really fun day at the Pearl Market with her. We took advantage of her ability to speak Mandarin, as well as her excellent negotiating skills! Matt’s friend, Steve Harper, who owns New Horizons Realty, took us out for a traditional Peking duck dinner and a night ride around the city.
I had been looking forward to walking on the Great Wall of China for some time and I was not disappointed. There are several places for tourists to experience the wall and we were taken to the Badaling section, which was beautiful. The Great Wall Museum at the entrance to the wall gave a fascinating overall history of why, when and where the wall was built and the role it played in Chinese history. Matt and I could have walked for hours, but the girls were a little tired, so we headed back. On the way down, a Chinese teenage girl grabbed Alex’s hand and welcomed her to Beijing, which was so sweet. She then asked if she could take a photo with Alex and she agreed. Then she wanted to take a photo of our family and before we knew it, we had started a feeding frenzy of photo taking of the novel American family on the Great Wall! It was very cute and I’m still not sure if they thought we were famous, or if they just thought we were funny Americans! (probably the latter, although Matt has been photographed and video tapped on this trip more then Brad Pitt and Tom Cruise put together!)
Matt and Alex visited the Forbidden City (unfortunately Madeline and I were not feeling well) and Alex loved it. Matt had been before so he got to show her around. One evening at sunset, Matt and I walked around the lake in an area called HoHai, which is completely charming – filled with cafes and little shops and locals strolling the little streets. Oh, we also headed over to the Beijing Zoo to visit the panda bears that had been rescued from the earthquake zone. They were quite the spectacle, so it was a little crowded, but we snapped a few good photos and they are so cute! It’s so incredibly difficult to visit a zoo after our experience with the animals in the Masai Mara, Lake Manyara and the Ngorongoro Crater. The girls will never be the same and we all have a greater appreciation for the wild, untamed circle of life. Zoo’s can be sanctuaries which benefit some animals, but Beijing didn’t feel that way and it was a little depressing, so we had to leave.
The Chinese people are so wonderful. Communication is a challenge, but they are always so generous and willing to help. It’s easy to be here in China. I had always envisioned traveling in this part of the world to be a bit of a chore, but it’s just not so. The taxi drivers are practicing their English, “dog” has been removed from all menus, and the city factory production has been reduced to 40% to clean up the air in time for the Olympics! Only in China!
See you in Japan for the last leg.
Sunday, July 13, 2008
Reading on the Road
One of the luxuries of traveling, for me anyway, has been the time it has afforded me to read. I’m always reading at home, but it’s been so nice to have blocks of time while moving from one place to the next, to really dig into a book. I’ve been trying to read books that are somewhat relevant to where we travel and others that are just pure entertainment. The best part of reading is sharing the books I’ve read with others so here are some of them worth mentioning:
Tales From a Female Nomad – by Rita Goldman Gelman – Madeline bought me this book for my birthday last year. The book is about a divorced woman in search of her self through traveling. I particularly enjoyed the chapters where she travels to Palenque, Mexico (one of our favorite places), Thailand, and Bali. Gelman immerses herself in the cultures of far-away places through cooking, local rituals, and by living with the native people. Her experience in Bali is particularly interesting.
Night – by Eli Weisel. We read this book as a family during our travels to Auschwitz. Weisel’s experience as a survivor of the Holocaust is poignant, heartbreaking and unforgettable. A must read.
The Diving Bell and The Butterfly – by Jean-Dominique Bauby. A beautifully poetic journey into the mind of a gifted man trapped inside his useless body.
Of Mice and Men – by John Steinbeck. Say no more – we all read this book, some of us for a second go around.
To Kill A Mockingbird – by Harper Lee. Scout and Atticus are our hero’s. The girls and I read this book and we loved it. Another must read. I can't believe it took me this long to read this book.
When Broken Glass Floats – by Chanrithy Han. The story of a survivor of the Cambodian genocide by the Khmer Rouge led by Pol Pot in the late 1970’s and early 1980’s. Incredibly heartbreaking and unbelievable. Well written and informative.
The Snow Leopard – by Peter Matthiesson. A soul-searching journey through the Himalayas of Nepal and Tibet. Beautiful.
The Girl In The Picture – by Denise Chong. We’ve all seen the photo of the little girl running from the napalm attack in Viet Nam. This is her story and it’s an astonishing look into her survival, the Viet Nam war, communism and her struggle for freedom.
Dante’s Inferno – by Dante. I got caught up in reading this again. It’s actually quite humorous and this time I spent more time reading the footnotes to understand the Italian politics and influential figures during Dante’s lifetime which gave me a better understanding of him as an exiled poet. Fascinating.
Water For Elephants – by Sara Gruen. I put off reading this book because I had no interest in a story about the circus, but I devoured it! The book was passed along to me from our friend Larry in Monterroso and I, in turn, passed it along to Sarah on the ferry to Patras. Loved this book.
The Bastard of Istanbul – by Elif Shafek. This book is a simplistic look into the story of a young woman living in America who is struggling with her Armenian and Turkish roots. The reality of the Turkish genocide of the Armenians is explored through this fictional story. I didn't love this book, but I'm glad I read it.
Frankenstein – by Mary Shelley. I love Shelly’s writing style. Man vs. God, Man vs. Nature Man vs. Himself – it’s all there.
Tortilla Curtain - by T.C. Boyle. This is my third Boyle novel and he is one of my all time favorite authors. He has an incredible way of intertwining his characters lives in unexpected ways. I loved this book and more so because it was set in Topanga Canyon and explores the struggles of Mexican immigrants in search of the “American dream.”
In Spite of The Gods – by Edward Luce. A very in-depth look into modern day India. Luce was a writer for The Financial Times and spent many years living in India. He was privy to interviews with politicians, humanitarians, religious leaders, business people and government employees and his research is a fascinating look into the underbelly of corruption, the reality of India’s caste system, the business climate and India’s emerging status as a global power. One of my favorite quotes about India comes from this book when Luce says “nothing is ever as bad, or as good, as you think it is in India.”
Enjoy!
Tales From a Female Nomad – by Rita Goldman Gelman – Madeline bought me this book for my birthday last year. The book is about a divorced woman in search of her self through traveling. I particularly enjoyed the chapters where she travels to Palenque, Mexico (one of our favorite places), Thailand, and Bali. Gelman immerses herself in the cultures of far-away places through cooking, local rituals, and by living with the native people. Her experience in Bali is particularly interesting.
Night – by Eli Weisel. We read this book as a family during our travels to Auschwitz. Weisel’s experience as a survivor of the Holocaust is poignant, heartbreaking and unforgettable. A must read.
The Diving Bell and The Butterfly – by Jean-Dominique Bauby. A beautifully poetic journey into the mind of a gifted man trapped inside his useless body.
Of Mice and Men – by John Steinbeck. Say no more – we all read this book, some of us for a second go around.
To Kill A Mockingbird – by Harper Lee. Scout and Atticus are our hero’s. The girls and I read this book and we loved it. Another must read. I can't believe it took me this long to read this book.
When Broken Glass Floats – by Chanrithy Han. The story of a survivor of the Cambodian genocide by the Khmer Rouge led by Pol Pot in the late 1970’s and early 1980’s. Incredibly heartbreaking and unbelievable. Well written and informative.
The Snow Leopard – by Peter Matthiesson. A soul-searching journey through the Himalayas of Nepal and Tibet. Beautiful.
The Girl In The Picture – by Denise Chong. We’ve all seen the photo of the little girl running from the napalm attack in Viet Nam. This is her story and it’s an astonishing look into her survival, the Viet Nam war, communism and her struggle for freedom.
Dante’s Inferno – by Dante. I got caught up in reading this again. It’s actually quite humorous and this time I spent more time reading the footnotes to understand the Italian politics and influential figures during Dante’s lifetime which gave me a better understanding of him as an exiled poet. Fascinating.
Water For Elephants – by Sara Gruen. I put off reading this book because I had no interest in a story about the circus, but I devoured it! The book was passed along to me from our friend Larry in Monterroso and I, in turn, passed it along to Sarah on the ferry to Patras. Loved this book.
The Bastard of Istanbul – by Elif Shafek. This book is a simplistic look into the story of a young woman living in America who is struggling with her Armenian and Turkish roots. The reality of the Turkish genocide of the Armenians is explored through this fictional story. I didn't love this book, but I'm glad I read it.
Frankenstein – by Mary Shelley. I love Shelly’s writing style. Man vs. God, Man vs. Nature Man vs. Himself – it’s all there.
Tortilla Curtain - by T.C. Boyle. This is my third Boyle novel and he is one of my all time favorite authors. He has an incredible way of intertwining his characters lives in unexpected ways. I loved this book and more so because it was set in Topanga Canyon and explores the struggles of Mexican immigrants in search of the “American dream.”
In Spite of The Gods – by Edward Luce. A very in-depth look into modern day India. Luce was a writer for The Financial Times and spent many years living in India. He was privy to interviews with politicians, humanitarians, religious leaders, business people and government employees and his research is a fascinating look into the underbelly of corruption, the reality of India’s caste system, the business climate and India’s emerging status as a global power. One of my favorite quotes about India comes from this book when Luce says “nothing is ever as bad, or as good, as you think it is in India.”
Enjoy!
Friday, July 11, 2008
Hong Kong
The best word to describe Hong Kong is “impeccable.” We loved visiting this towering city of lights, architecture, culture and beauty. We stayed on the 49th floor of the gorgeous Conrad Hotel and our room looked out across the harbor to the mainland. At night the skyline came to life in an impressive display of color and design. Matt and Alex took the ferry across the harbor one night to watch the light show and it was unbelievable. Hong Kong is immaculate! The city is clean, well-planned and a pleasure to move around in. We only had three days here so we really didn’t do too much, but we were happy to see movies, window shop and walk the streets. One day we took the subway (another remarkable aspect of the city) to see the giant Buddha at Po Lin Monastery in the mountains. As we rounded a corner along the water, suddenly we looked up and saw the 127 foot Buddha perched way on top of this lush, green hill. It was so magical. When we got to the top of the mountain, we climbed the stairs and walked around the Buddha grounds for a while. We were really glad we made the effort to go see him because he was so inspiring. Unfortunately, the pictures don’t really capture the magnificence of his presence. The people are extremely civil, kind and gentle. We loved Hong Kong and all agreed to return for another visit someday in the future. Off to Shanghai!
Monday, July 7, 2008
Ubud, Bali
Bali has been waiting patiently for us since we left in February. It seemed like an exotic, far-away place when we headed out of Malibu and the closer we got, the more excited we all were to experience it. We decided to stay in Ubud, the “soul” of Bali, and we were really happy we did because we had the opportunity to participate in local traditions, enjoy the beautiful landscapes of the rice paddie fields and have a chance to interact with the Balinese people. We stayed at the Honeymoon Guesthouse, which had been a suggestion of an Australian woman, named Fiona, whom we had met in Tanzania. It was a lovely suggestion because the Guesthouse has huge Balinese style rooms with verandahs for breakfast and napping, lush, tropical landscaping with moss covered stone walkways and planters, Hindu sculptures, and warm hospitality that made our eight day stay here blissful.
When we first arrived we learned there were preparations in the center of Ubud for the largest cremation ceremony Bali has ever experienced. On July 15th (we missed it) Bali is cremating two of its royals in a ceremony to end all ceremonies. The funeral bier is unbelievably complex and grand, and every temple in town is filled with people working on costumes or decorations for the cremation. The “Bade”, which is the cremation tower that carries the bodies to the cremation fire, is made of bamboo, papier mache and cotton, is over 27 meters high. Since we first arrived we have watched the progress of the preparations and it’s quite remarkable how much effort and manpower is going in to this celebration of death. Too bad we’ll miss the festivities.
We knew we had to experience some Balinese dance so we headed to The Palace and watched a Bayrung traditional dance with elaborate costuming and make-up and beautiful live instrumentation. The storytelling, through eye and hand movements, is really exquisite and beautiful to watch. We also drove to Uluwatu, on the beach, to experience the Kecak performers and the Fire Dance at sunset at Uluwatu Temple. Kecak comes from the chattering cak-cak sounds the men make who serve as the chorus for the dancers. It’s a very unique experience and we’re happy we made the effort to go.
There’s great food in Ubud – everywhere. Matt and Madeline took a cooking class held at the Guesthouse and they loved it. They learned how to make chicken satay, corn fritter, bean salad with warm coconut dressing, peanut sauce, and yellow rice. In addition, the chef gave the class a detailed demonstration of local healing herbs and spices and how to prepare them. Matt and Madeline were soooo happy to be back in the kitchen where they belong! (Alex and I went shopping). The woman who owns the Guesthouse also owns an incredible restaurant, Casa Luna, where we enjoyed five great meals in eight days!
Matt and I took off one day and took a two hour walk around the outskirts of Ubud through some extraordinary rice paddie fields. We’ve all been very intrigued with the process of growing and harvesting rice and it’s been a constant theme in our travels since Nepal. The rice paddie landscape provides a Zen aesthetic that is so soothing. The paddies in Bali are extremely well organized and efficient. We’re hoping to experience a harvest in China or Japan.
I had the best birthday ever this year. We met a wonderful family from Australia, Anne and her daughter Annie and son Imre, and we celebrated my birthday by rafting down the Ayung River with them. What a fun day we had. We drove to the river, hiked down into the gorge, rafted, swam, jumped off rocks and stood in waterfalls, then hiked back up the gorge where a yummy lunch was waiting for us. Back at the hotel, I was treated to the best (and cheapest) massage I’ve ever had and we ended the night with dinner at Indus, another incredible restaurant in Ubud. I’ll never forget my 47th birthday!
The Monkey Forest in Ubud was mystical and hysterical. The forest is beautiful, with lush vegetation, walkways, huge trees and stone sculptures. Hundreds of monkeys swing from the vines, laze on the paths and chase each other around right under your feet. The environment is a bit unnatural because the monkeys are so accustomed to people so they’re a little nuts! They grab water bottles out of people’s hands, climb on their shoulders and bite people! (we later met a woman in our hotel pool that had been bitten in the hip by an angry monkey!) Bad monkey.
One of my absolute favorite things we did in Bali was visit the Bali Bird Park. The park is a combination of aviary environments and birds that naturally live in the park. The park is home to exotic birds from South America, Indonesia, Africa and Southeast Asia. They have a fantastic collection and we loved interacting with the cockatoos, hornbills and parrots. We walked into one aviary and were admiring the colorful birds when we all looked up and spotted two of the largest bats we’ve ever seen in our lives. They we’re hanging from the top net of the aviary and had their wings wrapped around their bodies with their little brown fuzzy head popping out of the top. The bats we’re at least 16 inches long and they had these very sinister looking long, pointy noses with very visible white sharp teeth! They were so creepy and now I completely understand how the imagination of Brams Stoker ran wild with the creation of Dracula!
Bali was everything we had hoped it would be and as we move into the last few days of our travels we are well-rested, strong of spirit and excited about exploring China and Japan. See you in Hong Kong.
When we first arrived we learned there were preparations in the center of Ubud for the largest cremation ceremony Bali has ever experienced. On July 15th (we missed it) Bali is cremating two of its royals in a ceremony to end all ceremonies. The funeral bier is unbelievably complex and grand, and every temple in town is filled with people working on costumes or decorations for the cremation. The “Bade”, which is the cremation tower that carries the bodies to the cremation fire, is made of bamboo, papier mache and cotton, is over 27 meters high. Since we first arrived we have watched the progress of the preparations and it’s quite remarkable how much effort and manpower is going in to this celebration of death. Too bad we’ll miss the festivities.
We knew we had to experience some Balinese dance so we headed to The Palace and watched a Bayrung traditional dance with elaborate costuming and make-up and beautiful live instrumentation. The storytelling, through eye and hand movements, is really exquisite and beautiful to watch. We also drove to Uluwatu, on the beach, to experience the Kecak performers and the Fire Dance at sunset at Uluwatu Temple. Kecak comes from the chattering cak-cak sounds the men make who serve as the chorus for the dancers. It’s a very unique experience and we’re happy we made the effort to go.
There’s great food in Ubud – everywhere. Matt and Madeline took a cooking class held at the Guesthouse and they loved it. They learned how to make chicken satay, corn fritter, bean salad with warm coconut dressing, peanut sauce, and yellow rice. In addition, the chef gave the class a detailed demonstration of local healing herbs and spices and how to prepare them. Matt and Madeline were soooo happy to be back in the kitchen where they belong! (Alex and I went shopping). The woman who owns the Guesthouse also owns an incredible restaurant, Casa Luna, where we enjoyed five great meals in eight days!
Matt and I took off one day and took a two hour walk around the outskirts of Ubud through some extraordinary rice paddie fields. We’ve all been very intrigued with the process of growing and harvesting rice and it’s been a constant theme in our travels since Nepal. The rice paddie landscape provides a Zen aesthetic that is so soothing. The paddies in Bali are extremely well organized and efficient. We’re hoping to experience a harvest in China or Japan.
I had the best birthday ever this year. We met a wonderful family from Australia, Anne and her daughter Annie and son Imre, and we celebrated my birthday by rafting down the Ayung River with them. What a fun day we had. We drove to the river, hiked down into the gorge, rafted, swam, jumped off rocks and stood in waterfalls, then hiked back up the gorge where a yummy lunch was waiting for us. Back at the hotel, I was treated to the best (and cheapest) massage I’ve ever had and we ended the night with dinner at Indus, another incredible restaurant in Ubud. I’ll never forget my 47th birthday!
The Monkey Forest in Ubud was mystical and hysterical. The forest is beautiful, with lush vegetation, walkways, huge trees and stone sculptures. Hundreds of monkeys swing from the vines, laze on the paths and chase each other around right under your feet. The environment is a bit unnatural because the monkeys are so accustomed to people so they’re a little nuts! They grab water bottles out of people’s hands, climb on their shoulders and bite people! (we later met a woman in our hotel pool that had been bitten in the hip by an angry monkey!) Bad monkey.
One of my absolute favorite things we did in Bali was visit the Bali Bird Park. The park is a combination of aviary environments and birds that naturally live in the park. The park is home to exotic birds from South America, Indonesia, Africa and Southeast Asia. They have a fantastic collection and we loved interacting with the cockatoos, hornbills and parrots. We walked into one aviary and were admiring the colorful birds when we all looked up and spotted two of the largest bats we’ve ever seen in our lives. They we’re hanging from the top net of the aviary and had their wings wrapped around their bodies with their little brown fuzzy head popping out of the top. The bats we’re at least 16 inches long and they had these very sinister looking long, pointy noses with very visible white sharp teeth! They were so creepy and now I completely understand how the imagination of Brams Stoker ran wild with the creation of Dracula!
Bali was everything we had hoped it would be and as we move into the last few days of our travels we are well-rested, strong of spirit and excited about exploring China and Japan. See you in Hong Kong.
Sunday, June 29, 2008
Viet Nam
We knew we wanted to travel through Viet Nam on this trip, but we weren’t exactly sure how to make the most of five days we had to spend there. Our airline tickets were from Phnom Penh to Ho Chi Minh City, but everyone we talked to kept saying “head north, head north!” So, that’s what we did. We bought another flight to Hanoi, spent the night there and then hired a car the next morning to drive us to Ha Long Bay, which we had heard was incredibly beautiful. Three and one half hours later we arrived in the bay and then boarded a wooden hotel boat which would take us out to Cat Ba Island. The boat we were put on turned out to be an overnight cruise for most of the passengers on board – we were just hitching a ride out to Cat Ba Island. What could have been a 45 minute boat ride, turned into a four hour leisurely cruise through the massive limestone islands, with a stop off on one of the island to tour some totally cool caves. It was hot, there was definitely a language challenge, and it was a long day of travel, but we were really glad we had the chance to cruise the bay because it was beautiful. Ha Long Bay is considered one of the many “wonders of the world” and it really deserves the distinction. As you cruise through the dramatic outcroppings of rock and vegetation, you get the feeling that there’s no end to the surroundings.
We arrived on Cat Ba Island and were dropped off at the pier, where we were supposed to call our hotel and have them come pick us up. They forgot to tell us there’s no cell phone service at the pier, so after a little negotiating and bribery, Matt communicated with one of the locals enough to convince him to drive on his motor scooter far enough to get cell reception so he could call us a taxi. About an hour later this little tiny blue car pulls up to the pier and we just all cracked up. By that time, it didn’t matter – we were bound and determined to pile into the car for the 30 minute drive across the island to our hotel! The island is something out of Jurassic Park and we fully expected to see a T-Rex nibbling on some tourists! Cat Ba is a national park and protected by UNESCO and it’s a really unique ecosystem. Needless to say, we were all ready for a swim in the South China Sea, a few beers and some decent food. We were pretty wiped out that night, but really happy to be on the island and in our nice hotel rooms which look out across the sea to some more stunning islands. Matt and I rented a tandem bike and cruised around town one day, but aside from that, we were pretty content to walk on the trails on the island, swim, read and watch movies at night.
The trip back to Hanoi was another exciting adventure, but all in all, we were glad we made the effort (that’s the mild explanation) to get out to the Bay. We were really pleased to be back at the Bro and Sis Hotel in Hanoi where we were greeted like old friends. We cleaned up and headed out for dinner, only to find that the restaurant didn’t take VISA. Matt went in search of an ATM and after about an hour of trying several machines to no avail, he returned to the restaurant. We were cracking up because as we waited in the air conditioned restaurant, Matt was out there negotiating with a local who finally put him on the back of his scooter and drove him around the lake to a working ATM. It was quite comical and after a three day “Comedy of Errors”, we really just had to laugh. Matt returned victorious with cash in hand and the entire restaurant clapped and patted us on the backs as we left! There’s something about being in a place where it doesn’t matter what color your American Express is, or how much money is in your bank account, cash is cash. The great equalizer!
With full bellies and a few glasses of wine in us, we decided to walk for a while before returning to our hotel. We walked the busy streets, horns honking, motor scooters whizzing by, tiny plastic stools and tables set up in front of makeshift restaurants for serving food to the locals, trash piled in the streets, men smoking, kids playing and vendors selling their fruits and vegetables. In moments like this, you can either savor the sights, smells and chaos, or you can repel from it and hurry back to the sanctuary of your hotel room. I think the greatest gift this trip has given me is the ability to just take it all in – smell it, smile at it, feel it, engage it and burn it into the memory of my mind and soul.
We arrived on Cat Ba Island and were dropped off at the pier, where we were supposed to call our hotel and have them come pick us up. They forgot to tell us there’s no cell phone service at the pier, so after a little negotiating and bribery, Matt communicated with one of the locals enough to convince him to drive on his motor scooter far enough to get cell reception so he could call us a taxi. About an hour later this little tiny blue car pulls up to the pier and we just all cracked up. By that time, it didn’t matter – we were bound and determined to pile into the car for the 30 minute drive across the island to our hotel! The island is something out of Jurassic Park and we fully expected to see a T-Rex nibbling on some tourists! Cat Ba is a national park and protected by UNESCO and it’s a really unique ecosystem. Needless to say, we were all ready for a swim in the South China Sea, a few beers and some decent food. We were pretty wiped out that night, but really happy to be on the island and in our nice hotel rooms which look out across the sea to some more stunning islands. Matt and I rented a tandem bike and cruised around town one day, but aside from that, we were pretty content to walk on the trails on the island, swim, read and watch movies at night.
The trip back to Hanoi was another exciting adventure, but all in all, we were glad we made the effort (that’s the mild explanation) to get out to the Bay. We were really pleased to be back at the Bro and Sis Hotel in Hanoi where we were greeted like old friends. We cleaned up and headed out for dinner, only to find that the restaurant didn’t take VISA. Matt went in search of an ATM and after about an hour of trying several machines to no avail, he returned to the restaurant. We were cracking up because as we waited in the air conditioned restaurant, Matt was out there negotiating with a local who finally put him on the back of his scooter and drove him around the lake to a working ATM. It was quite comical and after a three day “Comedy of Errors”, we really just had to laugh. Matt returned victorious with cash in hand and the entire restaurant clapped and patted us on the backs as we left! There’s something about being in a place where it doesn’t matter what color your American Express is, or how much money is in your bank account, cash is cash. The great equalizer!
With full bellies and a few glasses of wine in us, we decided to walk for a while before returning to our hotel. We walked the busy streets, horns honking, motor scooters whizzing by, tiny plastic stools and tables set up in front of makeshift restaurants for serving food to the locals, trash piled in the streets, men smoking, kids playing and vendors selling their fruits and vegetables. In moments like this, you can either savor the sights, smells and chaos, or you can repel from it and hurry back to the sanctuary of your hotel room. I think the greatest gift this trip has given me is the ability to just take it all in – smell it, smile at it, feel it, engage it and burn it into the memory of my mind and soul.
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Cambodia - Siem Reap and Phnom Penh
Cambodia has been high on my list of places I’ve wanted to travel to for quite some time. From the photos I’d seen, I’d always been intrigued with Angkor Wat and the beauty of the natural environment of Cambodia. We were treated to the most vigorous downpour of monsoon rain as we landed in the Siem Reap airport, but the skies were blue by the time we reached our hotel, which was lovely. Cambodia is a country still recovering from an incredibly painful period of genocide that virtually left no one in the country unscathed. Our tour, guide, Bun Rath, shared with us how he had lost his mother, father, sister and brother during the Khmer Rouge regime. He was very young and remembers very little – just that he grew up without his family. The town of Siem Reap is slow paced, simple, calm and thriving off tourism generated by Angkor Wat. We spent four days touring the surrounding temples (which I had no idea existed!) of Angkor Thom, Preah Khan, Ta Phrom, Banteay Srei, Bayon and the Elephant Terrace and Leper King Terrace. Of course, the highlight was Angkor Wat which was just beautiful, magical and impressive. I was really taken with Angkor Thom, the temple with the smiling Buddha faces on the towers. You could just feel the happy spirits all around you. Bayon temple was draped with banyon trees that have literally climbed on top of the temple walls and spill down from the wall edges as their roots reach for the ground. It’s quite alien and mysterious. Most of the temples were originally built as Buddhist temples, then at some point, as leadership changed, converted to Hindu temples. There are hundreds, if not thousands, of Buddha images and carvings that have been removed and replaced with Hindu Aspara dancers. But, Buddha lives on in Angkor Wat and even though the temple is originally Hindu, you can stop and give offerings to Buddha in a stupa in the middle of the temple. Alex had a really special experience when a sweet, elder Buddhist monk took her hand and invited her to pray with him. He gave her incense and had her kneel with him as he chanted a prayer for her. She placed her offering in the sand in front of Buddha then the monk invited her to sit with him for a while as he read her good fortune and tied a red string bracelet around her wrist as he chanted another prayer of protection and good luck. It was so cool to watch and the two of them have obviously connected before in some other lifetime. Very sweet and moving.
We also took a boat tour out on the Tonle Sap Lake, the largest freshwater lake in Southeast Asia. It was fascinating to observe “life on the lake”. There’s quite a bit of poverty and it was incredible to see how resourceful people can be when they have so little. Families live on small wooden fishing boats, covered with tree branches and palm fronds and most of them sleep in hammocks. They have so little, but we were amazed by how many boat huts were equipped with modern day TV’s! Pretty crazy. Sadly, the lake is used for every part of their daily life – washing, cooking, fishing, and eliminating. Very sad.
We loved the Cambodian people – especially the children. We all noticed how easy it was to catch someone’s eye and get a huge, warm grin from them as they passed you on their motor scooters, or just walking down the streets. The kids are playful and generous and very smart and engaging. It’s a sad reality that so many Cambodian’s are missing limbs due to the millions of landmines that were planted during Pol Pot’s regime, but it doesn’t stop them from playing music, selling books and being productive. It’s pretty inspiring and another reminder of our own good fortune.
We only spent two nights in Phnom Penh, but we managed to get out to the Killing Fields with the Bones Memorial, S-21 which was the high school turned into an interrogation center, the Grand Palace and Independence Memorial. Again, it’s hard to comprehend the senseless killing of approximately 4 million Cambodian men, women and children – and to think it all happened while I was going to the drive-in movies, playing soccer and finishing high school. I read another great book called “When Broken Glass Floats”, by Chanrithy Han, which is the story of a Cambodian girl’s survival of the Khmer Rouge. It’s a really well written account of what the Cambodian people were experiencing during this time. Very sad, but very enlightening.
Cambodia has so much to offer, but I’d have to say, its greatest asset is its people. I’d return to Cambodia just to visit the people.
We also took a boat tour out on the Tonle Sap Lake, the largest freshwater lake in Southeast Asia. It was fascinating to observe “life on the lake”. There’s quite a bit of poverty and it was incredible to see how resourceful people can be when they have so little. Families live on small wooden fishing boats, covered with tree branches and palm fronds and most of them sleep in hammocks. They have so little, but we were amazed by how many boat huts were equipped with modern day TV’s! Pretty crazy. Sadly, the lake is used for every part of their daily life – washing, cooking, fishing, and eliminating. Very sad.
We loved the Cambodian people – especially the children. We all noticed how easy it was to catch someone’s eye and get a huge, warm grin from them as they passed you on their motor scooters, or just walking down the streets. The kids are playful and generous and very smart and engaging. It’s a sad reality that so many Cambodian’s are missing limbs due to the millions of landmines that were planted during Pol Pot’s regime, but it doesn’t stop them from playing music, selling books and being productive. It’s pretty inspiring and another reminder of our own good fortune.
We only spent two nights in Phnom Penh, but we managed to get out to the Killing Fields with the Bones Memorial, S-21 which was the high school turned into an interrogation center, the Grand Palace and Independence Memorial. Again, it’s hard to comprehend the senseless killing of approximately 4 million Cambodian men, women and children – and to think it all happened while I was going to the drive-in movies, playing soccer and finishing high school. I read another great book called “When Broken Glass Floats”, by Chanrithy Han, which is the story of a Cambodian girl’s survival of the Khmer Rouge. It’s a really well written account of what the Cambodian people were experiencing during this time. Very sad, but very enlightening.
Cambodia has so much to offer, but I’d have to say, its greatest asset is its people. I’d return to Cambodia just to visit the people.
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