Hue way

After a long night train ride, we arrived. in Hue. It is situated along the coast, in central Vietnam. It is very close to what was the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), making Hue one of the areas heavily impacted by fighting due the Vietnam war (or the American War as the Vietnamese call it). Hue was the capital city until the end of Imperialism. When Ho Chi Minh declared communism he came to Hue to take control of the country from the last Emperor and then moved the capital to Hanoi.

We were greeted at the doors of our hotel by ladies with roses, cool refreshing hand towels and glasses of juice. All very civilized. I wonder if I can get my neighbours to take up that custom when I return home?

The afternoon was spent visiting the areas most famous pagoda, then a lovely ride down the Perfume River back to the city centre. We had a freshen up and then off to dinner at a restaurant still using recipes and cooking methods used for the emperors. We were treated a wonderful musical performance with local singers and traditional instruments. Each instrument is only capable of playing 5 notes, but it was very melodic. The two ladies were also playing cups. They places two small teacups in each hand and tinged them together. If any of us tried that we'd have broken the cups within two minutes.

The following day we had a morning trip to the Citadel (a walled city - I just learned that term on this trip). It is in fact three walled areas within each other. The innermost was the Forbidden City for the Imperial family, the next one out was for the Mandarins and Military leaders and finally the outpost area was for the regular folks. A lot of the areas were destroyed during the various wars

In the afternoon I found myself off to an Internet cafe to upload photos and catch up on mail. Read my separate entry for that experience.

The following day we were off to Hoi An by bus. Each place has had a similar flavour, but yet very distinctive qualities. To quote the famous Southeast Asian expression; Same, same but different.

Constitutional reports

Being on a tour has great advantages. You have all your hotels and transportation organized for you. You have a tour leader that can offer insights into local customs and direct you to the best spots around town. And, of course you get to know new people who have very similar interests to you in a short amount of time.



When the tour starts everyone gives their basic information; names, home towns, professions, number of children, etc. It is all polite surface level stuff.



Within a few days, the conversations develop into more opinion based discussions. It is hotel better or worse than the previous night or do you believe that certain world leaders are dealing with issues appropriately.



The next stage can emerge at different times depending on the part of the world you are in. This stage is started when the first person in the group falls ill. Then suddenly it is open season for everyone to inquire about your general well being, but with an emphasis on your bowels and stomach.



Every morning, at meal times and upon returning from daily tours there is a round of checks where everyone gives their physical update. Generally you get the all clear, weary but optimistic, wobbly and uncertain, or the going down fast reports.



The fascination with others health generally bounds a group. Once you have talked about poop other topics don't seem so taboo.

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Ha Long Bay Haven

Vietnamese mythology describes Ha Long Bay as the place where the dragons enter the sea. It is believed that when they ran down from the land they bashed apart the mountains with their tails creating enormous boulders that fell into the sea which are now the over 1000 islands with the Ha Long Bay area. When you see the scattered pattern of rounded tops mounds throughout the large bay, it is easy to imagine frolicking dragons.

We had a lovely 5 hour cruise around the islands in the morning. There was a stop at a cave that included enormous chambers. Hundreds of years ago, those caves would flood with sea water. This resulted in ceiling designs that look like sandy beaches - rubbed smooth with large pox marks. There were also many stalactites and stalacmites that can appear as interesting creatures if you use your imagination (or squint just right).

The highlight of the day was of course the surrounding vista. It is such a serene location. The misty sky fades gently into the island tops. It is like a living watercolor painting. You can't help but recognize the majestic simplicity of the area. Which makes me remember that in the grand scheme of things like is really simple. When I get home I will recall these quiet islands when I need to collect my thoughts in the seemingly chaotic world.

Ha Long Bay was designated a World Heritage site in the mid 80's.

Photos to follow soon.
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Big City Highlights

Feb 24

For this posting I am sitting on a small island in the middle of Hoan Kiem Lake, which sits in the middle of Hanoi city, Vietnam. It is a peaceful haven surrounded by a loud and vibrant city. My kind of place.

Vietnam has been so different from Laos so far, but a lot of fun just the same. To be fair, I am comparing Hanoi, a capital city with 5M people to sleepy towns and tiny cities of Laos.

Upon arriving in Hanoi, we were given some important tips to keep in mind.

1. When crossing the road, don't wait for a break in the traffic, there will never be one. Walk with determination at a steady pace and whatever you do, don't turn back. There are over 3M motorcycles in Hanoi, and you'd swear there are all baring down on you when you are seemingly trapped halfway across the road, but they all know how to zig and zag to avoid you, the other bikes, the cars, buses, and rickshaws (known as Cyclos). It is like a chaotic ballet. I was actually quite enjoying my strolls across the roads by the end of the day.

2. Don't eat the street food. Only those people very local eat anything out of a basket or from a street vendor. Even those people from other parts of Vietnam don't have the constitution to manage things from unfamiliar parts. This idea was not a hard one for me to manage. I like local cuisine, but I am too fearful of getting really sick to risk too much. But in case I needed some extra encouragement, one of the first vendors I saw had pop and beer cans stuffed with whole young chickens. Only the bums and feet stuck out the top. I guess that is their version of Beer Can Chicken!

3. "Cum on" means "Thank you". And the locals giggle when you say it. I checked my pronunciation with our guide and he said it was fine. He said the locals realize what it means in English, so they think its funny when foreigners say it. The Vietnamese language has a lot of intonation elements so the same words can mean "hello" or "may I have a bowl of noodle soup".

We are heading to the World Heritage Site of Ha Long Bay this afternoon. I am really looking forward to the cruise we have plan there. I am a sucker for anything to do with boats and the water.

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Misty Mountains and the Mekong

My tour through Laos has been a spectacle of mountains and rivers. The landscape through the northern part of Laos is rounded mountains tops and rivers cutting their way through the rough terrain. This picturesque country also has some of the most delightful people. Although tourism has definitely taken hold, the Lao people are taking it in stride. They are not pushy or abrasive, even the Tuk Tuk drivers are very laid back.

On the way from Vang Vieng to Luang Prabang, my camera took a fatal bounce on the payment, so I was forced to simply admire the view instead of wondering if I had a good angle for my good for a shot. I think some how I was being taught a lesson in appreciating what was in front of me at the moment. Living in the moment is something I am really hoping to embrace this year.

In Luang Prabang our group was treated to a variety of temples, palaces and caves. I fear I have already had my fill of Buddhas. For me the two highlights were the boat trip up the Mekong River to some caves and the hike to the waterfalls where we were able to swim in the pools of cool mountain run off. No surprise that the two special points involved water. The rivers serve has major expressways for Laos, bringing goods into the country from China, Thailand and Vietnam, so being apart of that was really like being apart of this country's lifestyle.

Luang Prabang is also a hub in the north for crafts people to bring their wears into the city for sale. The is a "Night Market" everyday on the main street where you can buy all kinds of local crafts. Some of it looks authentic while some looks imported from China or Thailand. Nevertheless, I have picked up a shawl (lightweight for those days I go into the temples) and a small gift for my mother.

Today I am leaving Laos and heading for Vietnam. So on my last afternoon, I am sitting on a patio on main street, eating another bowl of Lao noodle soup and sipping on a Beerlao contemplating a way of life so different from my own. I am not likely to pack in my life in Canada and move to Laos, but there are aspect of this peaceful life that give me ideas of how to better enjoy what I have and forget those things that don't go the way you plan.

By the way, I picked up another camera in Luang Prabang so the photos will keep coming.
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From Vientiane to Vang Vieng

I am now on my way to Vang Vieng, leaving Vientiane behind. The capital was a lovely, albeit sleepy big city. There were plenty of monuments, temples and the Grand Stupor, which is the most prestigious monument in all of Laos. It contains the breast bone of Buddha. Every New Year there is a candle light procession around the stupor.

Given my intense need to be near water, being in a landlocked country always makes me a slightly uncomfortable. So it will come as no surprise that the most enjoyable place for me was sitting on the cushions of the river bank open air cafes with a cold BeerLao. I am very predictable.

The temples were also fascinating. There are many forms of Buddha to support anything you may need help with. Manish, you will be please that I made an offering to the Buddha of friendship health. I am doing what I can even from the middle of Asia.

My other luxury was to have an hour long foot massage last night. Wow - that was good. The man who took care of me had fingers and arms of iron. He could apply just the right amount of pressure so that you could feel it all the way up you leg. There were some sore spots, but it certainly felt good when it was all over. The grand total for an hour of massage was 43,000 Lao kip, equal to $5 US. I am going to have to talk to Tony (my massage therapist in Toronto) when I get home.

The tour group I am with is quite nice. I am one of twelve. All the rest are from England or Scotland. I am by far the youngest, but everyone seems lovely so far.

On the road to Vang Vieng I have seen several interesting sights that seem to typify life in Laos;

There were the two guys lounge on raised deck with laptops and printers. Laos has very good technology connections and most people seem very competent with Internet and software work. But they approach it all with a laid back feel that I would love to take with me back to Rogers.

Then there is the school ground we passed with rows and rows of neatly parked bicycles and motorbikes. Most transportation is done on two wheels. The surprising thing to me was how many women also drive motorbikes and just how many people wear helmets. You rarely see just one person on a bike or any sort. Communal driving seems to be most popular. In fact we also saw the tractor that doubles as a school bus every morning. There must have been about 15 kids on the back. The western world could learn a thing or two about car pooling from the Lao.

The billboards on the side of the road show only Asian people. This is a pleasant change from Japan or Hong Kong where you see lots on North American celebrities and various white smiling face are touting the benefits of energy drinks or shampoo. Even when I lived in Asia I was always amazed at how American actors like George Clooney, Catherine Zeta-Jones and Charlie Sheen could peddle cars, cigarettes and air conditioners in Asia without damaging their careers.

Finally the smoke seems to be lifting. All throughout Vientiane there was a smoky haze. Our leader told us it was the farmers in the surrounding areas burning off there farmer lands to get the soil ready for the next round of crops.

More notes from Laos to come...

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Latest Photos from the Road

Please check out my recent photo albums from Japan, Hong Kong and Laos.

And if anyone can tell me if there is a Blogger module that can read these in automatically, please pass on the secret. I have just can't seem to make it work.

Leaving for Laos

Today has been a long drawn out travel day. It started in Hong Kong and ended in Vientaine, Laos with a stopover in Bangkok. Thankfully, other than a 40 min delay in Bangkok the day was rather uneventful. Just the way you want it when planes, trains and automobiles are involved.

I have kept with a long held tradition of giving myself a an hour or so to sit quietly in a memorable spot in my departure city. This has always allowed me to reflect on my overall visit. I find it helps smooth out some of the rough spots of the journey and focus on the real jewels of the place. This morning I sat down at the Avenue of the Stars overlooking the Fragrant Harbour of Hong Kong. I have seen this harbour a lot in the past few days, I enjoy it more every time I experience it. This morning I was treated to a view of a Junk in full sail. It had a San Pan in tow so it was likely a working boat and not a tourist boat. That is one of the many things I love about this city. It has all the accommodations any tourist could ever need, but at its heart it is still a traditional city with commerce flowing with every direction and at every pace.

I opted for the fast commuter train to the airport but what I didn't bank on was the ability to check in right from the train station which left me without having to haul my enormous pack around with me. Whoo hoo - I am beginning to think a set of traveling wheels might be a good investment.

My last success was to use up all my HK coins in a purchase of Tic Tacs. Who doesn't love a Tic Tac!! Two packs for $8.40 - I even got to try Mango flavour. I can highly recommend it.

Once in Bangkok there wasn't much to do but wander aimlessly through the hundreds of Duty Free and souvenir shops. I am still not buying anything of substance. I don't have the space or budget. But I did pick up some bug spray and antibiotic cream. Better to be safe than sorry!

Upon arriving at the Vientaine airport, I was a little worried. In HK the Thai Airways check in lady had suggested that my tour ticket which includes a flight from Laos to Vietnam might not be sufficient to prove my ability to leave Laos. So when I approached the immigration counter it was with more anxiety than normal. I had my passport photo and $42 US dollars ready to purchase my visa, but would I be OK with just a tour voucher...

Not only was it OK, but the military looking guy who was issuing my visa never asked about how I would leave Laos. He just looked please to welcome me into the country. He wished me a blessed and joyous stay in his home. I think I am going to like Laos!!

Fatties is the place!

I am in the heart of Kowloon in a bar called Fatties. It is loud with chatter, the music is pumping out Beyonce, Mariah Carey, and JLo. There are only a few foreigners in the place. But everyone is keeping up with the lyrics. Even the Salary men are rockin it out. It is open to the street so you also get the vibe of the hustle and bustle going by. Which can include some rather spirited cab drivers and local drunks frequenting the snack shop on the corner where the menu consists of every organ meat you could ever imagine either boiled or fried.

At Fatties, on the back wall there is a list of "Your mother is so Fat..." jokes - like "I had to take a train and two buses just to get on her good side" and "Her driver's license says 'Picture continued on other side'". After my day of non stop walking, I am hoping I don't qualify for any of those comments.

This is a great place for anyone who is alone but wants to feel a part of the crowd. I had been feeling a bit lonely today since my Aussie mate, Murray left yesterday. But I am sure he'd approve of the respite here. He and I found this place the other night when we decided to have one last one for the road.

I hadn't expected to end up here tonight, but my other plans got a bit mixed up. I am glad I came. This place has got the vibe of hanging out with friends, even when my closest friends are thousands of miles away. I miss you guys!! I think I will have another beer in your honour. Cheers!

I hope there is a Fatties in every city I end up in.


A little blurry - it was my second one...

Hong Kong Crazy

I arrived in Hong Kong yesterday afternoon and spent the rest of the day getting my bearings and checking out the local sights near my hotel.

I am staying at the Guang Dong Hotel in Kowloon. I would only recommend the place to a seasoned traveler would just wants a clean quiet place to lay their head. The rooms a fine, quite spacious for Asian standards, but there is no service to speak of. No worries, I am not here to be waited on.

On a day two, I decided the best way to orient myself to the place was to take a guided city tour and then decide where to go from there. I had already chosen the Big Bus Tour company the night before, so I only needed to show up at the starting point at 10 am. When I arrived there was a bus, but no one will to sell me a ticket. I was working in concert with some Brits to get a ticket agent to appear. When they arrived at last we managed a small discount and we were off. The first part of the tour was on the Kowloon side, so for me it was quite interesting, as I wasn't that familiar with Kowloon. That portion last about 1 1/2 hours and dropped us off at he the Avenue of the stars with about a million other tourists, most of whom where Japanese. Now you'd think I would be use to the Japanese by now, and I am, but they turn into something completely different when they are on holiday and on tour together. This is when the stereotypical Japanese tourist rears their camera welding, pushy side. It is quite astounding to witness.

I decided to grab a bun and cold drink to take with me on the ferry over to the Hong Kong side of the harbour. For those of you unfamiliar with Hong Kong, the harbour divides the overall city into the island of Hong Kong and the mainland area of Kowloon. I lived on the Hong Kong side for 3 1/2 years as a child. I arrived when I was 7. Growing up here in some pretty formidable years gave me an unbelievable perspective on life and foreign cultures.

After a very nostalgic crossing on the Star Ferry, I was ready for another bus. As we swung around the Central, Wan Chai and Causeway Bay district memories kept flooding back. There was my father's old office building, the Swiss Cheese building (also known as the building of a thousand assholes), the Royal Hong Kong Yacht club, and the Peak. There was also an astounding number of new buildings. Hong Kong's cityscape never stays the same, which is one of the reasons why I love this place.

I hopped off the tour at the Peak stopping point and got chatting with an Aussie, Murray, just finishing his 5 month tour around Europe. He was leave the next day for home. We chatted quite a bit about his experiences and my plans. It actually seemed quite a lot like there was a torch being past. We ended up spending the rest of the day together. We got to see a few authentic markets in Central. I never did find the Bird Alley, but I think we covered a lot.

After dinner we caught the Guinness Book of Records for Continuously Playing Light and Sound Show in Hong Kong harbour. Then it was off the Temple Street Night market.

The next day, I caught up with Murray again and we made the trek back to my old neighbourhood of Repulse Bay. Standing on the beach looking up at the new building landscape was a bittersweet experience. I love to see the place where I have so made fond childhood memories, but my old apartment is horribly outdone by many new developments.

I was glad to see the small temple and Goddess of the Sea was still well entrenched on the beach. I even got to rub the local laughing Buddha statue for luck. Fingers crossed.

We also hit Stanley Market when we were on the south side of the island. The live fish and poultry stalls have been replaced with clothing and souvenir shops, but there is still a sense of the old Stanley there.

We ended the day at another one of my reminiscent spots - Jimmy's Kitchen. The pickled onions were fantastic as always. Murray wasn't so impressed, but he wasn't raised on them like I was. It was the perfect end to trip down memory lane. I don't know if I could ever come to Hong Kong and not cover off these historical locales. They defined my childhood and a big part of who I am today can be attributed to my years in Hong Kong. I am really glad I had the chance to come back.

Otsukare-sama Japan

For my non Japanese friends, that title means "Thank you for working so hard Japan". I feel like I have packed a whole lot into my time here in Japan. I saw a lot of friends, got back to my old haunts, and even saw a few new things too.

I am looking forward to my next leg of my journey. I am leaving in one hour for Hong Kong. I will even be arriving in style as I have been upgraded to business class and been given access to the lounge beforehand!! Whoo Hoo!

However, in my last post in Japan, I want to acknowledge all the amazing people who made my visit here so amazing. I have been fortunate to see so many great friends and have a chance to catch up on their lives.

Mina-sama, hontou ne arigato gozaimasu!! Watashi wa sugoii tanoshikata. Yoroshiku onegai tashimasu!!

Yokohama

I am sitting at a park overlooking Yokohama bay - it is fantastic. Yokohama is definitely one of my favourite cities. There is so much to do, but yet it has a very laid back feel.



Today, I started off in the underground labyrinth of Yokohama station. I was determined to get from side to the other without getting lost once. I succeeded in a sense ... I got lost twice! Not to worry, there is always an information desk to be found in the many department stores so I was able to be directed back to a central point to start all over again.



Once I had mastered the station's underground city of shops, restaurants and department stores, I made my way to the train and subway area. I decided to go to the Minatomirai area to wander around the Queen's Mall and Landmark Tower. More window shopping since my backpack is already so full. You would never know that there was an economic crisis in this country with the amount of shopping going on.



I have to admit to a slip in culinary disposition. I have had quite a lot of authentic Japanese food since I have been here, but today I was craving something a bit more familiar. I had KFC for lunch!! But before anyone condemns me for passing up Japanese bento boxes or donburi bowls (those were the choices on either side), please know that I ordered the Kirin special which included a half pint of beer with my chicken and fries. So I might have fallen for some North American grease, but I washed it down with Japanese beer.



I finished my bayside walk at Yamashita Park which as an amazing view of the harbour, Bay bridge and surrounding area. If you don't like crowds or busy cities Japan might not be ideal, but even in the middle of all the craziness there is still a lot of natural beauty and open spaces.

See all my photos from Japan

Volcanic panic

Over the last day or so, I have received many emails and messages from friends and family asking me if I am OK and whether or not the Volcano eruption has caused any difficulty for me.

The only problem is that I had no idea what everyone was talking about. I had not heard about the volcano eruption. I haven't been staying up to date on a lot of news, but I was sure that I would have heard about something so dire.

In checking into things this morning, I was alarmed to see headlines like "Volcano erupts near Tokyo raining ash down on city". I quickly read a few stories and then decided to check with the master source... my Japanese father, Funabashi-sama.

He confirmed there had been a small eruption, but couldn't understand why I was asking about it. It was completely expected and the area was evacuated before it all began. That is how the Japanese take care of things. When I explained the stories to him he was quite surprised at all the fuss.

I guess this is another lesson in perspective for me. What appears to be dire to some, is commonplace to others. Plus it is a good lesson in media awareness. Disasters sell better than good news stories. I appreciate all the concerned messages I received and want everyone to know that I am absolutely fine. Not even a sneeze from the ash.

What you may be interested in hearing is that since I arrived, I have experienced two small earthquakes. Again, these are pretty commonplace and nothing to get too excited about. Everyone here says that it is just Japan's way of welcoming me home!

Reunion

I worked in Japan for two years at an English conversation school called GEOS. At the time it was a good company for native English speaking teachers and afforded me the opportunity to make good money and fabulous friends. Yesterday I had a reunion with some of those friends. It has been 15 years since I worked with any of them. And they haven't changed a bit!!

They look the same - the Japanese have a remarkable way of staying youthful. They sound the same - we were laughing at old jokes and memories within minutes. And they all have the same generous hearts as before. I am really lucky to know them and still be connected to them.

I was here on vacation 10 years ago and we all came together for a reunion then too. For many of them, yesterday was the first time to see each since that last lunch. It is amazing how well we all fall back into our old patterns. There are the same jokes, the same targets for teasing and the same stories recounted from different perspectives. We all had very different experiences with GEOS. The native English teachers were definitely treated better and paid more than the local Japanese teachers. I knew this at the time, but more details always come out during these reunion sessions. As with any work experience, there are people who can work with the system and those that can't, or more likely don't see the need to compromise their time for a job they don't agree with. Yesterday we had people who had stayed with the company for 13 years, right down to someone that moved on after three months.

In reliving some of the stories and hearing about other successes after GEOS it was a good reminder for me that what I am doing this year is maybe unusual, but bound to leave a new appreciation for all the work I have done in the past. My resume has a lot of variety in it - from door-to-door encyclopedia sales person (I am not kidding - I did that in Australia for 6 weeks) to bartender to English teacher to Alliance Director. I haven't always appreciated every job I had - some were just a clock to be punched - but I have always had great people to work with. I am still in contact with many people whom I grinded out working hours with. They made the jobs we had to do more than just tolerable. But more importantly they added so much to my views of the world.

In leaving Rogers after 10 years, I was again struck by how little I missed the actual work but how deeply I miss the people that made the time there more enjoyable. I don't know the difference between colleague and friend. In my experience the first generally leads to the second.

So to Kimiko, Taeko, Tomoko, Kyoko, Yoko and Yasuko, I thank you for reminding me that it is not really the work you do, but the people who show up everyday along side you that make it worthwhile.