After spending several months in China getting to know the country, trying to learn the language, it's strange to be back at square one. Like Chinese, Vietnamese is a tonal language. Rather than five tones, it has seven, plus the pronunciation is totally different. Fortunately, the scrip is Latin based, so it's possible to 'read' street signs, menus, hotel names, etc. More important is that the tourist industry here is very built up so English is widely spoken by touts and locals in tourist cities are well acquainted with the ghost face.
My first week here was a series of meetings with new and old friends. It was great to see familiar faces, and it's always different to experience the pace of other travelers. I had friends from LA who only had a limited time in the country, so after landing in Saigon, I found the first bus possible to meet them in the mountain town of Dalat. It was pleasant enough, and a good introduction to a new country. Nothing too crazy, just nice scenery and it's share of coffee shops. It was my first experience of Vietnamese markets, which believe it or not was very similar to other markets except with Vietnamese people and slightly different food. I sampled a variety of local fruits, made eyes with cute vendors....typical backpacker stuff. The coffee here is widely touted as being excellent, at least that's what the shopkeepers kept saying. I think this is hard to determine since it is often served with more milk/water than actual coffee, meaning the taste is usually diluted. It's watered down to a greater extent if you happen to be of the fairer sex. In many shops the ratio of coffee to milk will be adjusted based upon the gender of the customer. Us men, apparently like a stronger coffee flavor, while ladies just can't handle it.
From Dalat it was a sticky, bumpy bus ride over to the beach in Mui Ne. I imagine Mui Ne to be a pretty typical Vietnamese tourist beach town. Beaches, resorts, restaurants, and lots of tourists. For whatever reason this town was mostly traveled by Russians, no idea why. The beach was nice, nothing to get overly excited about, but it was good to chill for a couple of days with some friends. We spent a day going to some local sand dunes and walking along the 'Fairy Stream,' which I think is a bit of a joke. The only reason I can think why people go on this walk is because it's something different to do after spending days lounging. It's a tiny stream, that's populated by an equal amount of cows and hustling kids, both annoying. The cows because they pollute the stream with their waste. The kids because they're constantly harassing you to serve as your guide- naturally in the hope of earning a dollar. On our way back from this little thirty minute walk, multiple kids came up to us asking for money. I explained to them that I also wanted money, but they looked perplexed. My friend took pity on them and offered some anti-bacterial soap, which had them jumping up and down with joy, strange.
Biker Crazy
From the beach it was back to Saigon for a couple of days, where I met a friend visiting from China. My Angeleno friends went back home and I tagged along with my Chinese buddy and her friends. She and her friends are actually American of Caucasian descent but since I met them in China (Shanghai), they're my China friends. We spent a day going to a Cao Dai temple and to the Cu Ci Tunnels. I generally dislike tours. It seems the tour operates have a knack for finding the worst restaurants in the whole country, and chartering particularly bad drivers. It was no different in this case but still worth going to. I can't say that I heard of the Cao Dai religion before coming out here. It seems to be a strange agglomeration of multiple religions, but mostly rooted in Buddhism. Watching them pray was interesting, if not strangely voyeuristic and their temple was right out of a fairy tale. With very bright colors, a painted blue sky on the ceiling, and kitsch galore, I really wonder about their artistic influences. Perhaps it's inspired by a dream, or maybe designed by a third grader. In either case, it's not the typical temple. The tunnels were fascinating for their ingenuity and simple perseverance. i couldn't imagine living and fighting in those conditions (I probably couldn't fit in most of the tunnels also) or being a GI trying to find them out (must have been nearly impossible). How could we have expected to win a war where thousands of people where willing to live for years underground and wage war from there. If that's not dedication, what is? In the evening we went to a funny bar/club called Apocalypse Now. It was weird mix of travelers, western locals, prostitutes, and Anglophiles. Watching the tourist/local interaction was hilarious and stomach turning at the same time. Surely true love was found that night, amidst the pumping beats, dim lights and general humidity.
I spent a couple of days on my own checking out the other sites, like Reconciliation Palace and the War Crimes Museum. The War Crimes museum isn't the easiest place to visit. It's always difficult to see acts of such extreme violence, even harder when they were propagated by your country. It's funny that being here I haven't been too challenged with issues of the War. It's understandable since it's two generations ago. But by simple word association, when I (and this is probably true with most Americans) think of Vietnam, it conjures up images of the war, but I haven't had much discussions about it. Now that I've been here I want to revisit some of my favorite Vietnam War movies (Full Metal Jacket, Apocalypse Now) and McNamara's great commentary in the Fog of War.
Saigon is a pretty active city and the most fun I had was simply walking around and stopping into random bakeries. I think my most exciting times were anytime I wanted to cross the street. I swear this is an adventure sport here, as motorbikes whiz by from every direction. When I finally learn how to drive a bike, I'm going to come back and test my ability, since Saigon is the major leagues of careless biking. But that will just have to wait.
I've met a fair number of travelers who did not have a good experience here. Largely that's because they perceived the locals were just trying to make a buck off them. I totally understand where this feeling comes from. When I explained to a local tour operator that a $60 bike day trip was just too much, she oscillated between being very upset for me that I wasn't going to experience this wonderful tour and upset for her that she wasn't going to make money off me. It's a little bit unsettling when you think that ever person is talking to you in the effort to make a dollar, but I think this is to be expected in a poor country, especially one with so many travelers. I've found that it's not so hard to get beyond this feeling, by avoiding tourist thrift markets, and getting out of the main tourist areas I find the reaction of the locals to be totally different.
So I'm going South again, spending the last couple of weeks in the Mekong Delta.
Friday, January 15, 2010
Sunday, January 10, 2010
Pictures
I finally posted some pictures. Lots of pictures actually, check them out on my picasa site. http://picasaweb.google.com/avinagel
Golden Triangle
Golden Triangle
It was much the same on Christmas day. Although by this time, Charles and I were better equipped having brought face masks and adorned hoods. For sure, there are kids in Dali having nightmares of me jumping up and down spraying them with shaving cream. The plan was to go to warmer weather, so we night bussed down to Jinghong. After a very bumpy ride, we arrived at our tropical destination half exhausted.
Fortunately, for us we were in the most laid back city in the most laid back province. Located at the Northern end of the notorious Golden Triangle, the pace of Jinghong was barely a crawl. And we loved it. Over the next four days we chilled at a local cafes, ate great Pad Thai (offered up by some adorable Thai girls) got a pair of blind massages(they let their fingers do the walking), and downed our fair share of fruit shakes and beers. This was my first taste of the lotus fruit known as SE Asia, and I liked it.
We had a particularly fun night at a bar/club where we were again treated like 'B' list celebrities. People bought us drinks, girls blew us kisses, we dj'd some songs, the owner offered us partial ownership, etc. normal royal treatment. The men, I should say boys at this club were a bit odd. Halfway through the night a contingent of them had taken off their shirts and dancing topless. It was hot, but not that hot. And at multiple points there would highly encourage us to dance with some of the girls. At points, they even forcibly grabbed our hands and tried to get us to touch the ladies. Pretty uncomfortable. I'll sexually harass women when I'm good and ready, thank you very much.
We went back up to Kunming for New Year's, which was a bit anti climatic, and I spent my last day in China wandering around eating street food and watching Avatar (very cool). Charles went to Shanghai, I was set to leave for Vietnam.
Personal China Highlights
With over three months in the country, I got to experience more than most. I saw enough cities and places to have some favorites. Beijing and Hong Kong really stood out for me. Beijing mainly because of it's many interesting expats, and dynamic vibe. There are a lot of changes taking place in China and those decisions are being made in the Capital. HK is a colonialists dream; comforts of the West, prices of the East. It's an interesting mix of two very different worlds. You can spend the day shopping in the craziness that is Mong Kok and go to the track at night. Plus the city is near some great hiking and beaches.
Xiahe, Dunhuang and Yangshou all stand out for their geographic beauty. On the Tibean plateau, Xiahe has the look and people of a different world. I met some interesting people (Chinese, Tibetans, Travelers) there and had a couple really great experience, including playing basketball with monks, being invited for tea at a locals home. All around good stuff.
Dunhuang is on the border of the Gobi and formerly past the point of known civilization (at least according to the Chinese). This was as far West as I made it in China and while it felt a bit out there, it had a lot more charm than other cities of it's size. The desert was screen saver perfect. A one-night camel trek and the following days were enough time for me to get my fill of crawling up the dunes (some of the highest in the world) and sprinting back down. Making it out there (and all the stops along the way) was a nice little accomplishment for me. Since getting around along the Silk Road was a test to my non-existent Chinese.
The only thing that Yangshou challenged was my ability to leave. The scenery there was bucolic, filled with Karst mountains. Rivers, mountains, discos, what more could you want? Wandering the countryside by day, floating down the rivers, biking on small roads, drinking cheap cheap beer (or oreo shakes) by night, it was such a great place to visit. So great in fact that the city is filled with it's share of backpacker burnouts (not for me) and it was important that I got out of there before I spent my last thirty day entry in that one little town.
There's so much more to say about China and my impressions there. Without a doubt the best thing about the country is the populace, which I have to admit came as a surprise to me. The warm reception that I received almost everywhere was really what kept me in the country longer. I do have more profound things to say about my experience. But that will just have to wait (maybe next time...we'll see) especially since I now find myself in a different country- Vietnam! Where the clock is ticking.
It was much the same on Christmas day. Although by this time, Charles and I were better equipped having brought face masks and adorned hoods. For sure, there are kids in Dali having nightmares of me jumping up and down spraying them with shaving cream. The plan was to go to warmer weather, so we night bussed down to Jinghong. After a very bumpy ride, we arrived at our tropical destination half exhausted.
Fortunately, for us we were in the most laid back city in the most laid back province. Located at the Northern end of the notorious Golden Triangle, the pace of Jinghong was barely a crawl. And we loved it. Over the next four days we chilled at a local cafes, ate great Pad Thai (offered up by some adorable Thai girls) got a pair of blind massages(they let their fingers do the walking), and downed our fair share of fruit shakes and beers. This was my first taste of the lotus fruit known as SE Asia, and I liked it.
We had a particularly fun night at a bar/club where we were again treated like 'B' list celebrities. People bought us drinks, girls blew us kisses, we dj'd some songs, the owner offered us partial ownership, etc. normal royal treatment. The men, I should say boys at this club were a bit odd. Halfway through the night a contingent of them had taken off their shirts and dancing topless. It was hot, but not that hot. And at multiple points there would highly encourage us to dance with some of the girls. At points, they even forcibly grabbed our hands and tried to get us to touch the ladies. Pretty uncomfortable. I'll sexually harass women when I'm good and ready, thank you very much.
We went back up to Kunming for New Year's, which was a bit anti climatic, and I spent my last day in China wandering around eating street food and watching Avatar (very cool). Charles went to Shanghai, I was set to leave for Vietnam.
Personal China Highlights
With over three months in the country, I got to experience more than most. I saw enough cities and places to have some favorites. Beijing and Hong Kong really stood out for me. Beijing mainly because of it's many interesting expats, and dynamic vibe. There are a lot of changes taking place in China and those decisions are being made in the Capital. HK is a colonialists dream; comforts of the West, prices of the East. It's an interesting mix of two very different worlds. You can spend the day shopping in the craziness that is Mong Kok and go to the track at night. Plus the city is near some great hiking and beaches.
Xiahe, Dunhuang and Yangshou all stand out for their geographic beauty. On the Tibean plateau, Xiahe has the look and people of a different world. I met some interesting people (Chinese, Tibetans, Travelers) there and had a couple really great experience, including playing basketball with monks, being invited for tea at a locals home. All around good stuff.
Dunhuang is on the border of the Gobi and formerly past the point of known civilization (at least according to the Chinese). This was as far West as I made it in China and while it felt a bit out there, it had a lot more charm than other cities of it's size. The desert was screen saver perfect. A one-night camel trek and the following days were enough time for me to get my fill of crawling up the dunes (some of the highest in the world) and sprinting back down. Making it out there (and all the stops along the way) was a nice little accomplishment for me. Since getting around along the Silk Road was a test to my non-existent Chinese.
The only thing that Yangshou challenged was my ability to leave. The scenery there was bucolic, filled with Karst mountains. Rivers, mountains, discos, what more could you want? Wandering the countryside by day, floating down the rivers, biking on small roads, drinking cheap cheap beer (or oreo shakes) by night, it was such a great place to visit. So great in fact that the city is filled with it's share of backpacker burnouts (not for me) and it was important that I got out of there before I spent my last thirty day entry in that one little town.
There's so much more to say about China and my impressions there. Without a doubt the best thing about the country is the populace, which I have to admit came as a surprise to me. The warm reception that I received almost everywhere was really what kept me in the country longer. I do have more profound things to say about my experience. But that will just have to wait (maybe next time...we'll see) especially since I now find myself in a different country- Vietnam! Where the clock is ticking.
Monday, January 4, 2010
Shaving Cream Fight
When I last wrote some two months ago, I was just getting my feet wet in China. My language skills have greatly improved in the meantime. Before, I wrote that I figured out how to order chicken- flapping my arms and constantly repeating the word ji (chicken). Since then, I've learned that jiji is a slang word for prostitute. So while I thought I was being clever in getting myself understood, I was likely just ordering a flying prostitute. Many such funny occurrences continue to take place here. Old men tell me that I'm beautiful because I have a beard, while children are just as likely to cower in fear at my appearance. China's great.
In Beijing, I got a phone. While I was reluctant to reenter the 20th century, I'm glad that I did. It's made meeting people and staying in touch much easier. I'm no longer strictly confined to the social scene provided by the hostels. After a couple moths here, I've met many people and made lots of friends- some of them even keepers.
I'm coming up on almost 100 days in this country. It sounds like a long time, but there's so much that I haven't seen and would love to explore. China being such a big country, it has pretty much everything a traveller could want. Fantastic scenery, ranging from rice terraces here in the South, the desert up North, the Tibetan plateau to the West and mountains all in between, interesting dynamic cities like Beijing and Hong Kong (I guess it's China), long proud history, colorful people, and of course many great foods.What's best is that it's all out in the open to see and experience, from hair cuts on the street, to morning tai-chi in the park. SE Asia is calling me, and I expect to continue my great time there. Although I wouldn't be surprised to return here when my travels are over.
Chinese Enthusiasm
It doesn't take a genius to notice the rapid changes taking place in China. This is clearly a very exciting time for the country and fascinating to watch. Some of the development is pulling the populace out of poverty and pushing the country into the 21st century, a remarkable accomplishment.
The next World Expo is taking place this Spring in Shanghai. I have no doubtt that it will be the biggest and most impressive of all time. They've estimated 70 million attendees, and as a planner for the Belgian exhibit said, if the people aren't showing up, the country will bus them in. If China says there will be 70million, then that's what there will be. The physical changes taking place in Shanghai are extraordinary, the number of subway lines doubled in five years and will double again in the next ten. Thr skyline which already boasts some of the largest buildings has plans for many more.
The ever present enthusiasm here scares me. Not because of the blustering nationalism, but because it stinks of hubris. The recent collapse of Dubai and our own problems are a reminder of what happens when the economic engine slows. Talk here of constant 10% growth and new forms of government/capitalism seem extremely naive.
Shaving Cream Fight!
During my last two weeks in China, I've been joined by my good friend Charles. As if that weren't present enough, he came bringing gift- my very own kindle. I've often lamented the difficulty of finding good books on the road. Hostels have a very limited book selection usually consisting of Dan Brown, Danielle Steele and War and Peace (not interested, no way, and already read it). Now I'm free from the random book exchanges. It's a great toy and it already holds a place in my heart.
Charles and I are doing a quick Yunan loop.We started in Kunming, went up to Lijiang to hike the Tiger Leaping Gorge and our now in Dali for Christmas. Like many Jews, I often spend Christmas eve in a Chinese restaurant, which is exactly what I did last night. From there, I entered uncharted traditional territory. Usually the food is followed by a movie, but that's not what happened last night. The street had a militant, festive atmosphere. Since it doesn't snow in Dali (still chilly though), the Chinese people create their own with shaving cream. In a giving spirit, it is appropriate to share some of this snow with your neighbor. Basically the streets turn into a giant shaving cream fight. Charles and I were unawares of this, fortunately you can purchase bottles at the side of the road. Between the two of us we must have unloaded more than 20 cans. While that may seem sufficient to ward off would be attackers, it was not. Upon seeing us, young and old would shout Laowei (foreigner) and a hoard would converge on us. We were often short of breath from chasing and being chased and more than once we found ourselves doubled over in laughter, doused in cream. Having battles with the little kids was the most fun, since they would giggle hysterically and never a threat for serious damage. Spraying teenage boys was often a disastrous decisions, as others would quickly come together to attack as one unit. It was all good fun, but by the time we tasted so much shaving cream our tongues became numb, we knew it was time to call it a night. Hopefully your holidays are filled with such joy and laughter.
Next Plans
Charles and I are headed to Xueshanbanna, the southern most (and warm) region of China. It's known for it's tropical scenery and laid back atmosphere. Being close to the Thai and Burmese border it's also home to a fair amount of illicit activity. We met a local the other day who stressed how cheap the prostitutes are ("cheaper than having a girlfriend"), but I think we'll leave the seedy the activities to other travelers. Next week I'll be flying to Vietnam, where in the South I'll be meeting some friends. From there I'll meet my parents in Thailand, and we'll go over to Cambodia together. So that's my plan for the next couple of months. After that I'll hopefully see some other country in SE before heading over to India, where I expect to find both spiritual enlightenment and stomach problems. Ah traveling.
Happy holidays and best wishes for a exciting, joy-filled 2010. I would love to hear from you and don't hesitate to fly out here and join me for some adventures.
In Beijing, I got a phone. While I was reluctant to reenter the 20th century, I'm glad that I did. It's made meeting people and staying in touch much easier. I'm no longer strictly confined to the social scene provided by the hostels. After a couple moths here, I've met many people and made lots of friends- some of them even keepers.
I'm coming up on almost 100 days in this country. It sounds like a long time, but there's so much that I haven't seen and would love to explore. China being such a big country, it has pretty much everything a traveller could want. Fantastic scenery, ranging from rice terraces here in the South, the desert up North, the Tibetan plateau to the West and mountains all in between, interesting dynamic cities like Beijing and Hong Kong (I guess it's China), long proud history, colorful people, and of course many great foods.What's best is that it's all out in the open to see and experience, from hair cuts on the street, to morning tai-chi in the park. SE Asia is calling me, and I expect to continue my great time there. Although I wouldn't be surprised to return here when my travels are over.
Chinese Enthusiasm
It doesn't take a genius to notice the rapid changes taking place in China. This is clearly a very exciting time for the country and fascinating to watch. Some of the development is pulling the populace out of poverty and pushing the country into the 21st century, a remarkable accomplishment.
The next World Expo is taking place this Spring in Shanghai. I have no doubtt that it will be the biggest and most impressive of all time. They've estimated 70 million attendees, and as a planner for the Belgian exhibit said, if the people aren't showing up, the country will bus them in. If China says there will be 70million, then that's what there will be. The physical changes taking place in Shanghai are extraordinary, the number of subway lines doubled in five years and will double again in the next ten. Thr skyline which already boasts some of the largest buildings has plans for many more.
The ever present enthusiasm here scares me. Not because of the blustering nationalism, but because it stinks of hubris. The recent collapse of Dubai and our own problems are a reminder of what happens when the economic engine slows. Talk here of constant 10% growth and new forms of government/capitalism seem extremely naive.
Shaving Cream Fight!
During my last two weeks in China, I've been joined by my good friend Charles. As if that weren't present enough, he came bringing gift- my very own kindle. I've often lamented the difficulty of finding good books on the road. Hostels have a very limited book selection usually consisting of Dan Brown, Danielle Steele and War and Peace (not interested, no way, and already read it). Now I'm free from the random book exchanges. It's a great toy and it already holds a place in my heart.
Charles and I are doing a quick Yunan loop.We started in Kunming, went up to Lijiang to hike the Tiger Leaping Gorge and our now in Dali for Christmas. Like many Jews, I often spend Christmas eve in a Chinese restaurant, which is exactly what I did last night. From there, I entered uncharted traditional territory. Usually the food is followed by a movie, but that's not what happened last night. The street had a militant, festive atmosphere. Since it doesn't snow in Dali (still chilly though), the Chinese people create their own with shaving cream. In a giving spirit, it is appropriate to share some of this snow with your neighbor. Basically the streets turn into a giant shaving cream fight. Charles and I were unawares of this, fortunately you can purchase bottles at the side of the road. Between the two of us we must have unloaded more than 20 cans. While that may seem sufficient to ward off would be attackers, it was not. Upon seeing us, young and old would shout Laowei (foreigner) and a hoard would converge on us. We were often short of breath from chasing and being chased and more than once we found ourselves doubled over in laughter, doused in cream. Having battles with the little kids was the most fun, since they would giggle hysterically and never a threat for serious damage. Spraying teenage boys was often a disastrous decisions, as others would quickly come together to attack as one unit. It was all good fun, but by the time we tasted so much shaving cream our tongues became numb, we knew it was time to call it a night. Hopefully your holidays are filled with such joy and laughter.
Next Plans
Charles and I are headed to Xueshanbanna, the southern most (and warm) region of China. It's known for it's tropical scenery and laid back atmosphere. Being close to the Thai and Burmese border it's also home to a fair amount of illicit activity. We met a local the other day who stressed how cheap the prostitutes are ("cheaper than having a girlfriend"), but I think we'll leave the seedy the activities to other travelers. Next week I'll be flying to Vietnam, where in the South I'll be meeting some friends. From there I'll meet my parents in Thailand, and we'll go over to Cambodia together. So that's my plan for the next couple of months. After that I'll hopefully see some other country in SE before heading over to India, where I expect to find both spiritual enlightenment and stomach problems. Ah traveling.
Happy holidays and best wishes for a exciting, joy-filled 2010. I would love to hear from you and don't hesitate to fly out here and join me for some adventures.
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