tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-83759136207439535502024-03-05T14:01:11.663-08:00360 Degrees in 360 Days<b>After finally taking the plunge and deciding to take a year off <br>to travel around the world, we are documenting our trip as we go. <br>
From the initial planning stages to the trip home, this is our journey.</b>Elissa and Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16232138608795741265noreply@blogger.comBlogger70125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8375913620743953550.post-842379048229967282012-12-23T02:38:00.001-08:002012-12-23T02:38:54.843-08:00When It Ends<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US">So, I’m
working on a new theory.</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US">To be fair,
I actually stole the theory from Newton and just applied it to things that don’t
involve math because, let's face it: math's the worst<span style="font-size: small;">. B</span>ut I think I'm onto something.</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US">You’ve all
heard of Newton’s Princi<span style="font-size: small;">ple</span> of Inertia, right? <span style="font-size: small;">Y</span>ou know, </span></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-size: small;">"</span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-size: small;">the resistance of any physical object to a change in its state of motion
or rest, or the tendency of an object to resist any change in its
motion."</span> </span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US">Or for my fe<span style="font-size: small;">ll<span style="font-size: small;">ow<span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span>Communications majors out there, the catchier (and easier to understand)</span><span style="font-size: small;">: </span></span></span></span></span></span></span>“Objects in motion tend to stay
in motion, objects at rest tend to stay at rest<span style="font-size: small;">."</span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US"></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US">Well I say
this theory applies to more than just physics. I think it applies to emotions and
lifestyles as well. </span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US">I call it “Emotional Inertia.”</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US">Take us for
example (because everything, even the laws of physics, comes back to me): before we left for our year-long trip, we
were “at rest” in Switzerland. We had a good life, a comfortable life, and it
was really hard to leave it. We were at rest, and despite our excitement about traveling
the world, there was a part of us that tended towards remaining at rest.</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US">It took us
a little extra force to get going -an emotional shove out the door, if you will-
but once we got “in motion,” we were set. Like a marble on a slanted surface,
we started out slowly, but built momentum as we went. As the trip wore on, we
were rolling faster and faster: the more we traveled, the more we wanted to
travel. The more we talked about a nomadic life, the more we talked about
living abroad, about living in a van, etc. etc. etc.</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US">Then,
towards the end of the trip, as we were rolling the fastest, we saw something up ahead: The Wall. Our return flight. Our stopping point. There was no removing it, no pushing it back
(believe me, we tried; we even called the airline to extend our trip but our
ticket <span style="font-size: small;">had a fixed return date</span>.) The closer we approached that wall, the more
we dreaded it. We didn’t want to stop rolling, to stop traveling. We were
happy “in motion,” and never wanted it to end.</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US">Then we ran
into the wall. </span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US">We stopped. We had to. The stopping point was exactly as you
would expect: a slamming halt. A violent, emotional crash.</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US">At first,
the crash was slightly softened: we were welcomed at the Marseille airport by
Vincent’s entire family, yelling and laughing and crying, holding up signs and
drawing curious stares from passersby. That night, the blow was softened
further by a wonderful meal with the family, during which we ate all of the
products we had missed during the past year and told stories about our trip late
into the night. Imagine our marble slamming into the wall and bouncing
backwards from the force of impact. That evening was the slow roll back down to the wall.</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US">The next
morning though, the wall was still there, and we were stopped at the base of
it. We woke up in Vincent’s childhood bedroom and looked around at all of our
belongings that we hadn’t seen in a year: my books piled high on the shelves,
our clothes hanging in the closet, our wedding rings in a box on the desk. Then
we looked at our backpacks, still unpacked on the floor, slumped against a wall
in the corner.</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US">And then I
started crying. Deep, shuddering sobs of mourning and loss, my head buried
against Vincent’s chest as he rested his chin on the back of my head,
struggling with his emotions in silence.</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US">We were
both overwhelmed: how do we reconcile all of these things, these objects of our
past, with the dirty, crumpled backpacks on the floor? More importantly, how to
we reconcile the two worlds they represent?</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US">But, as all
emotions do, the fear passed. After a day or so of bewilderment and anxiety, we
finally worked up the courage to start unpacking our backpacks, organizing our
belongings, getting ready to start over. We both put on a pair of jeans for the
first time in a year. I wore leather boots, and a real bra, marveling at <span style="font-size: small;">th<span style="font-size: small;">e unfamiliar reflection in the mirror</span></span>. Slowly, we were
getting back to normal.</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US">That was a
week ago. Today, we are more or less “at rest.” We are starting to think about
what we are going to do next, starting to think about the future. We are easing
ourselves into it all by planning to travel around a lot in the next few weeks
to visit friends and family, but we are beginning to accept that that too has
to end. We have to stay at rest for a while.</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US">And, as
Newton predicted, now that we are at rest, we are ok being at rest. We still want
to get back into motion again in the future: we are already talking about doing
another big trip in a few years. But first we need to settle down for a while, at least long
enough to save up for the next adventure. And now, <span style="font-size: small;">for the first time since we left for the trip, settling down</span>
doesn’t sound so bad. To our surprise, there’s a small part of us that looks
forward to being in one place for a little while. It looks forward to having a
home again, to resume building our lives together. We are at rest and we will stay at
rest.</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US">Until the
next trip.</span></span></span></div>
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<![endif]-->Elissa and Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16232138608795741265noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8375913620743953550.post-10546170179223497422012-12-20T14:15:00.003-08:002012-12-20T14:15:36.126-08:00A Provençal Road Trip... in South Africa<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<![endif]--><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">As I sipped
my glass of crisp Chenin Blanc on the terrace of a local winery and looked out
over rows of vines, blue lavender and olive trees to the low, rocky mountains
beyond, I found myself thinking:</span>
<br />
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">“This is
Africa?”</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Where were
the lions, the elephants, the giraffes? Where were the Masai tribes and the
head dresses? I should be eating mashed lentils with my hands in the bush
somewhere, not eating fresh oysters and Camembert cheese on a sunny terrace.
This wasn’t the Africa from the pages of my dad’s National Geographic magazines.
Hell, if it wasn’t for the language, I’d think we were in Provence!</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">But, you
know, maybe it was a blessing in disguise that the area we explored in South
Africa, the wine and coastal regions east of Cape Town, so closely resembled
the region of France that we would be returning to within days. Maybe it eased
the transition between traveling and being back in Provence. Maybe that two week
road trip helped us to mentally prepare ourselves for Europe.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">It
certainly helped us prepare our stomachs.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Two weeks
in South Africa’s most fertile region, not to mention a visit to its famed
Winelands, was enough to help us gain back all of the weight we had lost during
our trek in Nepal. We gorged ourselves on lovely French-style cheeses,
home-made ostrich stew, fresh Knynsa oysters, barbequed sausages, our first
sushi meal in a year. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">And wine. Obscene,
embarrassing, disgusting amounts of wine. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyPskljxTRr2XShe8U-1aY98OT_nFVeM4YOIbhFktNbAzytIyOisJaKLTq3Def5JRVRf7aAZ69fCkU670KKcloRcj1LVzU5JhNFzAoQub6K4vEq6dPJ_YAJObEV2_P9VFDr8SdtmopdG4/s1600/Oysters.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyPskljxTRr2XShe8U-1aY98OT_nFVeM4YOIbhFktNbAzytIyOisJaKLTq3Def5JRVRf7aAZ69fCkU670KKcloRcj1LVzU5JhNFzAoQub6K4vEq6dPJ_YAJObEV2_P9VFDr8SdtmopdG4/s400/Oysters.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj8gZDymD9nkY6O9TSw_3m8DrRqEzfsN1mYRQCGgunmUpAX3cn4rsQB72_9V_5ZglT0uCG3C76BLDtptEDXrM22pg_szm0LWE5GXywK2v8UL9wXRAE_wgQW4BtH5pTrAjTHvtjDwPxlfY/s1600/v+oysters.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj8gZDymD9nkY6O9TSw_3m8DrRqEzfsN1mYRQCGgunmUpAX3cn4rsQB72_9V_5ZglT0uCG3C76BLDtptEDXrM22pg_szm0LWE5GXywK2v8UL9wXRAE_wgQW4BtH5pTrAjTHvtjDwPxlfY/s400/v+oysters.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Although it
felt like it sometimes, we didn’t spend the whole two weeks just eating and drinking.
We drove a bit, first along gorgeous winding coastal roads with stunning views
on the Atlantic and Indian Oceans, then through dry, rocky mountains further inland,
and finally, through lush green farmland covered in grape vines and blooming lavender. We didn’t have to drive far out of Cape Town for landscapes that were at
once varied and beautiful. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn-2_Po0KnSyAFa9GfGsyCQsUVxdElBwuFwdKzTUyeH9XVPnml5mNDqJ9vDFH58Yq23uZtZFA8wCJAhD6-MgSh10n-fNfewPrIpI4CysoCWIvZGmUW_2P52iYxTL2pjHGEDuOA4ZFYu3M/s1600/countryside.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="278" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn-2_Po0KnSyAFa9GfGsyCQsUVxdElBwuFwdKzTUyeH9XVPnml5mNDqJ9vDFH58Yq23uZtZFA8wCJAhD6-MgSh10n-fNfewPrIpI4CysoCWIvZGmUW_2P52iYxTL2pjHGEDuOA4ZFYu3M/s400/countryside.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5GZ4cCni_M_UZBXRR40FzOHjhgqdLe5Yy6oSSwCzr_hrMz5cOfdmwjiRF3tRCTDnLBptsAb1PVVMNjXTj2O7b_n7hQToNHt9WaJ6k-ACOSmnRv8ctTtmIqtbXbx_Lp9XdJEZpOpP6BbE/s1600/flowers+hike.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5GZ4cCni_M_UZBXRR40FzOHjhgqdLe5Yy6oSSwCzr_hrMz5cOfdmwjiRF3tRCTDnLBptsAb1PVVMNjXTj2O7b_n7hQToNHt9WaJ6k-ACOSmnRv8ctTtmIqtbXbx_Lp9XdJEZpOpP6BbE/s400/flowers+hike.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZIe1gwj6LT7f_U95EOTB0w4LzC-AfIAjQlogIUOFOj4VI9n8XFo5tnsPo7evhHJQ2jtvwId6iMStzQV_B-vg6be9AKxpDqb95-HGs5UnS49H85r3tO8tPHW2Jid-F8mPQ0teC-egB2cA/s1600/flowers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="277" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZIe1gwj6LT7f_U95EOTB0w4LzC-AfIAjQlogIUOFOj4VI9n8XFo5tnsPo7evhHJQ2jtvwId6iMStzQV_B-vg6be9AKxpDqb95-HGs5UnS49H85r3tO8tPHW2Jid-F8mPQ0teC-egB2cA/s400/flowers.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-pwShuW48OYnJs7TxZJYvLOAiOeFHHWRBaa3ionRDxillUh03C9mModVXw3B7h_RBb57XP_sygYHEvZsC1-rncLMS4LFMxAe084jmSfW2Pw_XZ7BPZ3lhr_4l6y7EPxDddacc8C_rneI/s1600/hike+view.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-pwShuW48OYnJs7TxZJYvLOAiOeFHHWRBaa3ionRDxillUh03C9mModVXw3B7h_RBb57XP_sygYHEvZsC1-rncLMS4LFMxAe084jmSfW2Pw_XZ7BPZ3lhr_4l6y7EPxDddacc8C_rneI/s400/hike+view.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjshD-3sLZVazPVsLwjiffjZyPn7vtGN3-A3bzEiGsLdPM-lh27JKjZhV9mCGClkIj2gf-cK7RmVMZwU3dStSN-nNcMyrfbsdLSWI6lZKuO8j98GlwGce0Xkm2wlV0EFmrr5XAxTzKwDKk/s1600/sunset.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="293" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjshD-3sLZVazPVsLwjiffjZyPn7vtGN3-A3bzEiGsLdPM-lh27JKjZhV9mCGClkIj2gf-cK7RmVMZwU3dStSN-nNcMyrfbsdLSWI6lZKuO8j98GlwGce0Xkm2wlV0EFmrr5XAxTzKwDKk/s400/sunset.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> </span>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"></span><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">We also did
several day-hikes, during which I insisted that we both carry “baboon sticks”
in case we came across any baboons during our walk. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You laugh, but those things were everywhere
and I wasn’t about to risk getting attacked by an aggressive, disease-infested,
red-bottomed baboon during the last week of our trip. No, thank you, no nasty-ass
baboons for this girl.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ2gnKEXzKIs4FEGxcZuti-wTIRbcV_NlrVHzEYA4wv2wYWRixs4nFrNfvuufh61nbKNHO0GapZWwRnRm7xPIu4QuMjASaM43aQ0aeHl7_z3tvIVpyttgwQfMJJQoja523dbHoH56ELyc/s1600/Baboons.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="277" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ2gnKEXzKIs4FEGxcZuti-wTIRbcV_NlrVHzEYA4wv2wYWRixs4nFrNfvuufh61nbKNHO0GapZWwRnRm7xPIu4QuMjASaM43aQ0aeHl7_z3tvIVpyttgwQfMJJQoja523dbHoH56ELyc/s400/Baboons.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3NDtGJu2-USxQYKzlxKwDbydtZNIamXCoIFm9WsIpfyz2c29qu7T4GdxNRNKbN2OavMBfP55emBqr8K0nQjdZSAoYoA-u53pauVIPSz3KYSE1We60-pMDqjwGlgz8lWWsHlWZtBOfMvg/s1600/hiking.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3NDtGJu2-USxQYKzlxKwDbydtZNIamXCoIFm9WsIpfyz2c29qu7T4GdxNRNKbN2OavMBfP55emBqr8K0nQjdZSAoYoA-u53pauVIPSz3KYSE1We60-pMDqjwGlgz8lWWsHlWZtBOfMvg/s400/hiking.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Those baboons better not f- with me, I got my Baboon Stick.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-yhi_PuxbAgD4wry5VUKtV4ERnttCcVX99dZejotOTUzw7JiuqLLepzU_h5OjsA0_M7QhNpeWam6bKxAmuuzaWYRiGGFV7G8K71UUW2rWxA9QKMrN-sAw0975XOxyjDEIy8xOmobX1aU/s1600/Coastal+hike.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-yhi_PuxbAgD4wry5VUKtV4ERnttCcVX99dZejotOTUzw7JiuqLLepzU_h5OjsA0_M7QhNpeWam6bKxAmuuzaWYRiGGFV7G8K71UUW2rWxA9QKMrN-sAw0975XOxyjDEIy8xOmobX1aU/s400/Coastal+hike.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A baboon-free hike along the coast</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"></span><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"></span><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Baboons
weren’t the only wildlife we saw during our road trip; we also got up close and personal with a colony of penguins and
some ostriches. True, it isn’t exactly Discovery Channel material, but we were still
pretty excited. That is, until one of our guesthouse hosts told us that ostriches are
really mean and will use their claws to rip open your stomach and eat your
intestines while you are still alive. Charming lady, really…</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmav4qJIZGMHuS_nPd4pKDj5x_FxodnbxajFzRoc7iMaC8TcvC_FhFjuweOTdxlAgbHP42XVB3kW4j_4L-S8HLvT-_tj0HO8nuBxX7bKqQ3FW_T6XTs9oCenmu3bOYr9s-8TPWRJ2-ywM/s1600/Ostriches!.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmav4qJIZGMHuS_nPd4pKDj5x_FxodnbxajFzRoc7iMaC8TcvC_FhFjuweOTdxlAgbHP42XVB3kW4j_4L-S8HLvT-_tj0HO8nuBxX7bKqQ3FW_T6XTs9oCenmu3bOYr9s-8TPWRJ2-ywM/s400/Ostriches!.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinxtzS9Kv5zam3QPte4i-opZVJcGQsWxzXRgv-fgc649pmNHygE1o_nX6qNbMaMyFYyvvkYkuzlDzlbdmfPhTkvG9hzkR3XU_tFBbp7Dnw5Ps-6hmYdMjjN9xxvKQlaxDiVKP9FC3N_tw/s1600/penguins+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinxtzS9Kv5zam3QPte4i-opZVJcGQsWxzXRgv-fgc649pmNHygE1o_nX6qNbMaMyFYyvvkYkuzlDzlbdmfPhTkvG9hzkR3XU_tFBbp7Dnw5Ps-6hmYdMjjN9xxvKQlaxDiVKP9FC3N_tw/s400/penguins+1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA7zHtPIckHkX3bDc7WnfhWysW5IxAfA_MlwtXu9n1mhrzgr5IDWASe5x4dzlT6hADqchVKyeamBYiyDAgsGL6i4t2mdVWA5yK7UbFhyeGR4DHDU6l7IuHrGZuSh7TAqYzaLsOsDY8ik4/s1600/penguins+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA7zHtPIckHkX3bDc7WnfhWysW5IxAfA_MlwtXu9n1mhrzgr5IDWASe5x4dzlT6hADqchVKyeamBYiyDAgsGL6i4t2mdVWA5yK7UbFhyeGR4DHDU6l7IuHrGZuSh7TAqYzaLsOsDY8ik4/s400/penguins+2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSzifH1UqzozW84M1JpFTT9viAdURdSfRpxDRKeEax2SGszKlg77256L61TYOs_6cm_bn-01RODJ0ZoFQAlT51Bx4B84GAyBwx1EIqQgszCRfg9M1xtCgxsH0D5MZ2C00_sT8HVQPwPbI/s1600/Penguin+3.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSzifH1UqzozW84M1JpFTT9viAdURdSfRpxDRKeEax2SGszKlg77256L61TYOs_6cm_bn-01RODJ0ZoFQAlT51Bx4B84GAyBwx1EIqQgszCRfg9M1xtCgxsH0D5MZ2C00_sT8HVQPwPbI/s400/Penguin+3.jpg" width="338" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At least <i>he</i> won't try to eat my innards</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> </span>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"></span><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">When we had
had enough nature in all of its threatening, organ-eating forms, we hightailed
it back to Cape Town, with a two-day detour in the wine region to do tastings
and essentially make our bodies hate us. Imagine my liver giving me the finger
before packing up its things and jumping in a taxi- that’s what two consecutive days of
wine “tasting” did to us.</span>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">In Cape
Town, we did what we always do in a new city: we got lost. We wondered around
aimlessly until we eventually found ourselves in the adorable neighborhood of
Bo Kaap, known for its candy-colored houses. Every home was painted a different
bright color, every street looked like Disneyland, everywhere we looked was
another photo opportunity. It was fuckin’ adorable.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhny1nQ9aW_tMUT9TmJzcXQWUq6QrYv8H_FvQfxoJasLa3RVFmAtkYwZc5rmM1FmDkj_x5P0t-QcGHw59LaDt2rTZeuI5ftscIGOWFpA8CuN7o7CL0QT2cB9-t7N0mN_InEkelU9jM9vRY/s1600/color+house+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="287" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhny1nQ9aW_tMUT9TmJzcXQWUq6QrYv8H_FvQfxoJasLa3RVFmAtkYwZc5rmM1FmDkj_x5P0t-QcGHw59LaDt2rTZeuI5ftscIGOWFpA8CuN7o7CL0QT2cB9-t7N0mN_InEkelU9jM9vRY/s400/color+house+1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimrcwJiNQyQFdeo0VElh6oPNNeWzSDdcG9peJ6tsrP-y3Zov0F2e6Nrllc-D-gHXTqThCWGDOLaXB6xuawaa2_5J3_eqtqmSoGUGyH2m6B4FE590-f8A1mbcx7m4a4BFkf_jwu6nMKA0A/s1600/color+house+v.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimrcwJiNQyQFdeo0VElh6oPNNeWzSDdcG9peJ6tsrP-y3Zov0F2e6Nrllc-D-gHXTqThCWGDOLaXB6xuawaa2_5J3_eqtqmSoGUGyH2m6B4FE590-f8A1mbcx7m4a4BFkf_jwu6nMKA0A/s400/color+house+v.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"></span><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">On our last
night in Cape Town, the last of our year-long adventure, we went to an
Ethiopian restaurant in the hope of finally feeling like we were in Africa, even
if just for one meal. </span><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Everything was going well: w</span>e had Ethiopian honey wine to drink and we ate with our
hands. There were even mashed lentils on the table. After two weeks in “Provence,”
we were finally in Africa. We finished our typical Ethiopian meal and were
about to congratulate ourselves on this authentic experience when our waiter
came to our table.</span>
</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">“And now,
for dessert,” he said with a flourish, as we eagerly strained to see what
Ethiopian sweet would finish the meal. “Mediterranean baklava with ice cream.
Enjoy.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
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<div class="MsoNormal">
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Elissa and Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16232138608795741265noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8375913620743953550.post-61808859131517932112012-12-11T12:55:00.001-08:002012-12-11T13:12:25.458-08:00Game Over<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<![endif]--><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">It’s almost
over. </span>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">One more
day before we fly home. In 36 hours, we’ll be in the plane heading back to
France. The trip, our year-long adventure, a project that has been in the works
for over two years, is almost finished.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">This year
has flown by at an incomprehensible speed. The trip has gone so fast. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Too fast. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">We don’t
fully realize that it’s over. It just hasn’t hit us yet. What’s weird is that
almost exactly a year ago, I was saying the same thing about leaving for the
trip: that it hadn’t hit us, that we weren’t emotionally prepared, that we were
scared, and excited, and a little sad. Now, that familiar, bittersweet mix of
emotions is back; only this time, instead of it being the beginning, it’s the
end. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Funny how life
can be so perfectly symmetrical.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">But maybe
it isn’t the end. Maybe we have such a strong sense of déja vu because we are
on yet another brink, about to embark on yet another adventure. It <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">is</i> the end of the trip, but it is also the
start of whatever comes next.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">What that
is, exactly, is a little more unclear.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">You see, when
we were planning this journey, we expected to come back with clarity, with life
goals. We expected to come back with a plan. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">As you
might have noticed from the glaring lack of any blog posts about our future, we
don’t have a plan. At best, we have a vague idea of next steps that we hope might
eventually evolve into a plan, but as for where we will be and what we will be
doing in two months’ time, well, your guess is as good as mine.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">But maybe
that’s a good thing. I really believe that part of our anticipation and
excitement about this new chapter in our lives is a direct result of the fact
that we have no idea what that chapter will look like. If we knew for sure what we
would be doing and where, if we were already looking for apartments or organizing
job interviews, maybe the end of the trip would be hitting us much harder than
it is.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Not that it’s
not hitting us at all. We are both really, really sad to end this adventure. I
can’t think of a better word for how we are feeling: we are just sad. Sad that
this incredible journey is over: a journey that has consumed the last two years of our lives and
has shown us the most interesting, enlightening, challenging, educational- and just
the most fun, damnit- times we’ve ever had. Of course we are sad. We
have <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">loved</i> this trip. Loved every
part of it. Even the parts we hated. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Throughout
the trip, we have tried to make sure we always appreciate what we are doing and to never let
our frustration or discomfort cloud our gratitude for this unique experience.
We’ve never gotten sick of the trip, or wished time would speed up. We never looked
forward to it being over or to going back home. In the past year, neither of us
has felt even a fleeting moment of resentment, even a twinge of regret, that we
made this decision. As we start realizing that the trip is ending, our
affection for and attachment to this journey only grows stronger. We just don’t
want it to end.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">But it has
to end, and we accept that. Our dismay about the trip being over is partnered with
a sort of resignation that there’s nothing we can do about it. It’s going to
end whether we want it to or not, so we better just accept it and try to have a
good attitude about it.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">And it’s
not all tears. We are excited to see our families and friends. Excited to spend
Christmas in France and then fly to the States (and London, and Amsterdam, and
Switzerland- we have a lot of people to see.) We are excited to see how much
all of our friends’ babies have grown and hear about everything we’ve missed in
the last twelve months. We have been lucky enough to have this incredible
experience and are lucky enough to return to a lot of love and support. So, sad
or not, we have nothing- and I mean <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">nothing</i>-
to complain about.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">It’s still
too early to say how this trip has changed us. We know it has, but it’s all
still so fresh that we don’t know what is temporary and what will have a
lasting effect. We need time from it, time to take some distance from traveling
and let everything we’ve experienced sink in.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">And I also
need time to catch up on the blog. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Even though
this is the end of the trip, it’s not quite the end of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">360 Degrees in 360 Days.</i> Over the next few weeks, I will be posting
about our time in South Africa, and our return to Europe. As my thoughts about
the trip and its effects on us start to clarify, I’ll share those with you as
well. There will be a lot to reflect on in the near future. A lot of things to
do, to think about, to plan.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">But before
all of that, we still have one more day left on this trip; a day I'm not going to waste worrying about the future. </span><br />
<br />
It's one of the many lessons I've learned from this experience<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">, one that I hope stays with me forever. W</span>e should never<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> let the anticipation about </span>what’s next distract us from the enjoyment of what is now.</span><br />
<br /></div>
Elissa and Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16232138608795741265noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8375913620743953550.post-19076101582145185482012-12-04T13:22:00.002-08:002012-12-05T05:56:15.985-08:00Into Thin… Crust Pizza<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
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<![endif]-->T<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">here we
were: Annapurna Base Camp, altitude 4,130m (13,549 ft). </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> </span>
</div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">A five-day walk
from the nearest road. Surrounded on all sides by enormous mountain peaks, each
one of them higher than any mountain in the US or Europe. The tallest in the
area, Annapurna I, still jealously hoards the frozen bodies of victims who have
died trying to summit her. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">And we were
eating a pizza.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">“Pizza at
4,000 meters” might as well have been the motto of our 10-day trek in the
Annapurna mountain range in Nepal. Don’t get me wrong, the trek to Annapurna
Base Camp (or ABC, as it’s called by trekkers too lazy to say the full name,
yet somehow motivated enough to hike to it) is not a walk in the park. It’s a
pretty strenuous endeavor: 10 days of hiking 5-7 hours a day over mountains and
down deep valleys until finally going up, up, up to above 4,000 meters. It’s not
for the light-hearted or unfit.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">That said,
it’s not inaccessible either. We saw all types on the trail: young, old, in-shape,
flabby. Tanned, fit Germans in full trekking gear flew past us in a blur of
Gortex and trail mix right before we passed a group of 15 senior citizens from
Russia who were moving so sluggishly that if they had been going any slower,
they would have been going backwards. A group of Japanese teenagers, all trendy
sunglasses and neon colors. A horde of Korean tourists- so many that the
trekking lodges served kimchi and Korean noodle soup on their breakfast menus.
Really, we saw everyone. I even met two kids from Missouri!</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Despite the
diversity and sheer number of people on the trail, it wasn’t difficult to
escape the crowds and have time to ourselves as we walked. We planned our itinerary
and walking rhythm to do just that: avoid the guided tours. While the vast
majority of other trekkers - probably 90%- were doing the trail with a guide
and porters to carry their bags, we decided to go at it alone. </span><br />
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">And we never
regretted that decision.</span> While others
had groups to wait for and guides to plan their departure time, V and I were
able to go at our own rhythm and beat the crowds. </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">A typical
day was as follows:</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">5:45am--
Wake-up call. At the first alarm, I would stretch out of my cozy, warm sleeping
bag into the cold room to retrieve my trekking clothes, which I would put in my
sleeping bag to warm up while I snoozed another 10 minutes</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">6:00am--
Snooze on the alarm goes off. We both do our best to change into our now-toasty
trekking gear while still in our sleeping bags. Once up and dressed, we pack up
our stuff and shove everything into our backpacks, which each weigh around 20
lbs. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">6:30am--
Breakfast. We carried our own breakfast items to avoid paying the high prices
(and understandably so- everything is brought up by porters) at the lodges. We
would order a small pot of hot water and enjoy our Breakfast of Champions:
oatmeal with peanut butter and honey, instant coffee and a glass of water with vitamins. AARP card not included.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">7:00/7:30am--
Departure. As most groups didn’t leave before 8:00am, we always had the trail to ourselves
for the first few hours of the day. You can just imagine how proud of ourselves
we were for being so clever.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">7:00-11:30--
In the mornings, we would walk for 4ish hours at a pretty good pace with small snack and water breaks. We would carry
2-3 liters of water each, which we purified with iodine tablets, along with
trail mix and dried fruit.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">11:00/11:30am--
Lunch break. We would stop in little villages or lodges, of which there are
many along the trail, for a hot tea and a typically Nepalese lunch of Dal Bhat:
hot lentil soup poured over rice and mixed with curried vegetables and spicy
pickles. Delicious, nutritious and filling. Just like our oatmeal. Huzzah!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">12:30-2:00pm--
More walking (and, let’s be honest, farting. Dal Bhat does that to you…) We
usually arrived at our stopping point for the day around 2:00 or 3:00pm so as
to be sure to find a free room before the groups arrived. We never had a
problem finding accommodation and managed to find places that were always very
cozy and comfortable.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">2:30-5:00pm—Shower
(sometimes even hot ones!), laundry, reading, generally relaxing. The thing
that amazed us about the lodges along the trail was just how comfortable they
were: private rooms, often Western toilets (aka, ones you actually sit on, as
opposed to squat over), sometimes even hot showers. Most of the treks we have
done in other parts of the world have had accommodation that included camping
and sleeping in communal rooms on the floor. This was completely unexpected
luxury. And I haven’t even told you about the food…</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">5:00-7:00pm—Food!
We would generally order dinner around 5:00 and eat within the following hour or so.
And this is where we were really shocked. They had pizza. And pasta. And, I kid
you not, enchiladas. In a tiny lodge in the Himalayas at 4,000 meters above sea
level where the food was cooked over a wood fire and brought up on the backs of
porters wearing flip flops, I could order a burrito. It was insane. We really,
honestly expected that the only food available for 10 days would be dal bhat
and curry. We were almost disappointed to realize that that was no longer the
case. Of course, that disappointment vanished as soon as we got our pizza.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">7:00-8:00pm—Talking
to other trekkers, playing cards and -just to make sure we were well within the
Nepal cliché- reading Jon Krakauer’s <i>Into Thin Air</i> about a disastrous expedition
on Everest. Mind you, Annapurna Base Camp is not Everest. It’s not even half of
Everest. But you better believe that as we hiked up to ABC on our well-defined
path with the sun shining, we were both imagining ourselves slogging through
waist-deep snow during a blizzard at 8,000 meters. I think I even referred to
our arrival at the base camp as “summiting.” Yup, I’m a douche.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">8:00pm—In bed.
Lights out. I’m not even kidding.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">So that was
what we did, day in, day out, for ten days. There were the occasional
unscheduled surprises in our itinerary: a few half-days with long lunches in
the sunshine, some natural thermal baths, stopping to talk to farmers and peasants
working on the millet harvest, a village celebration during which we danced in
the streets with a bunch of old ladies drunk on local rum. </span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_VarEohDDzjQvBPkuqnGCID-94zZXjNSEQqWzJr7E6uHy5bPjtwIGMw7XrKzfoHUHI4f6ilriO4Goj5TBzlVj1fznhR7evweSErFpwVw5o5QPdZT3zrUk7_oUV9dqmnqNaVGfaFs89qQ/s1600/millet+2.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_VarEohDDzjQvBPkuqnGCID-94zZXjNSEQqWzJr7E6uHy5bPjtwIGMw7XrKzfoHUHI4f6ilriO4Goj5TBzlVj1fznhR7evweSErFpwVw5o5QPdZT3zrUk7_oUV9dqmnqNaVGfaFs89qQ/s400/millet+2.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A nice old lady we met who explained to me with hand gestures what she was doing with the newly-harvested millet</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7EQ-E-pBOFtbwUpyAPWZ3muD4cvtf04n6rZq-ennaFNF7lMyWo2qrNel9yzApJmdhBRD3o5MNmbbe_rxLTcGfr61GXYlpiN_MglNW4kfqtsHOU-chDAFyjkfy8Ncq4BmP0kVNED6CW_s/s1600/Ghorepani+dancing+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7EQ-E-pBOFtbwUpyAPWZ3muD4cvtf04n6rZq-ennaFNF7lMyWo2qrNel9yzApJmdhBRD3o5MNmbbe_rxLTcGfr61GXYlpiN_MglNW4kfqtsHOU-chDAFyjkfy8Ncq4BmP0kVNED6CW_s/s400/Ghorepani+dancing+2.jpg" width="330" /></a></td><td style="text-align: center;"></td><td style="text-align: center;"></td><td style="text-align: center;"></td><td style="text-align: center;"></td><td style="text-align: center;"></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This woman was a dancing machine! And probably wasted...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjJs38RjKj1p7ofwalwvZTBWtTAF-bIDDz9fl2uDqyrD-A0PNSHWUhSnOMQ-Yg_XDhIg8uzY8r7dpxRHkZLBF1hK2_Ovr1LwqTSxT7sDB4lW9a83U_zN5jr4lPPzk5yBJpOADdKGP4ih4/s1600/Ghorepani+dancing.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="310" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjJs38RjKj1p7ofwalwvZTBWtTAF-bIDDz9fl2uDqyrD-A0PNSHWUhSnOMQ-Yg_XDhIg8uzY8r7dpxRHkZLBF1hK2_Ovr1LwqTSxT7sDB4lW9a83U_zN5jr4lPPzk5yBJpOADdKGP4ih4/s400/Ghorepani+dancing.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8-TIQFjS1G89tiUkbWQihgwwf04EvqXn23sclCEV29MKTnoOwdhn_YXEdr5X0H8zM6coXYXb2zzbOLdpCG28s78JSeivweEJX4Nme5pdIF8ytY2YFcGE6l1jiUziiyqSNjbaEfgh8cNM/s1600/Ghorepani+men+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8-TIQFjS1G89tiUkbWQihgwwf04EvqXn23sclCEV29MKTnoOwdhn_YXEdr5X0H8zM6coXYXb2zzbOLdpCG28s78JSeivweEJX4Nme5pdIF8ytY2YFcGE6l1jiUziiyqSNjbaEfgh8cNM/s400/Ghorepani+men+2.jpg" width="295" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">OMG!!: Taking time out from the party to text</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDeiDiFSqISbdHRFzJezgSkQkYyLz65fPVF1RAi4VKHOB9-2NoT0fQjP3fpypiaGyWNd5PmkR14TlUnHnjd1-ssa9dNGeuKOlPGTRQhhOrQkni3g_qgLX80Xd1a2pOFDmGnKREZ8jp2wI/s1600/Ghorepani+men.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDeiDiFSqISbdHRFzJezgSkQkYyLz65fPVF1RAi4VKHOB9-2NoT0fQjP3fpypiaGyWNd5PmkR14TlUnHnjd1-ssa9dNGeuKOlPGTRQhhOrQkni3g_qgLX80Xd1a2pOFDmGnKREZ8jp2wI/s400/Ghorepani+men.jpg" width="247" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR7aGLoyzIVvi2nFaewTVC4clzdSJxjhhmwDqpvJ0FVtqplgk4NFMP9gXulGszwszR1aXOPHlenqo5kNgNLL5Ks5VOyAemwX69Zij6z9TPRF-x0OI0ylVrNEt7wkfd7MSHKc0CsQ1Hc94/s1600/Ghorepani+woman+baby.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR7aGLoyzIVvi2nFaewTVC4clzdSJxjhhmwDqpvJ0FVtqplgk4NFMP9gXulGszwszR1aXOPHlenqo5kNgNLL5Ks5VOyAemwX69Zij6z9TPRF-x0OI0ylVrNEt7wkfd7MSHKc0CsQ1Hc94/s400/Ghorepani+woman+baby.jpg" width="322" /></a></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKHM2hdd7h-KeR2T_HDiq6fo9OWbxJJ5YGzZapN0bpsdtcBlFHIRW-gHzmtGzJUk3Vsv9dFDOiqdKM1uJzrMNlWOzEsuPf2O7SIhdvZ6uhOpP-uUhxqyL5JlQKnlY9dl1MJTEXG0apFxk/s1600/Ghorepani+women+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="327" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKHM2hdd7h-KeR2T_HDiq6fo9OWbxJJ5YGzZapN0bpsdtcBlFHIRW-gHzmtGzJUk3Vsv9dFDOiqdKM1uJzrMNlWOzEsuPf2O7SIhdvZ6uhOpP-uUhxqyL5JlQKnlY9dl1MJTEXG0apFxk/s400/Ghorepani+women+2.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">These ladies were hilarious: just cozied up on the street, drinking and laughing.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">But mostly,
it was just lots and lots of walking.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">And we
loved it. Absolutely loved it. The scenery, as you would expect, was
incredible. You know how much I love describing landscapes with all sorts of
quasi-poetic, flowery nonsense, but I’ll spare you the adjectives and instead
show you the pictures. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">But before
I do (you should have known you wouldn’t get off that easy…), let me tell you
how impressed and awed we were not just by the beauty of our surroundings, but
also by their diversity. We walked
through terraced rice paddies and drying millet fields, through picturesque
villages with stone houses (oh no, here come the adjectives!), through sub-tropical
rainforest complete with ferns and monkeys, on to temperate forests blanketed
in warm, autumnal colors (Blanketed? Really, Elissa?), then up through
bush-covered mountainsides until finally reaching soaring snow-covered peaks.
Every day the scenery changed completely, which made ten days of walking and
oatmeal a lot less tedious than it sounds.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Now here
are the pictures:</span></div>
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJtSF6EOf3_vpQdmaqtUBYGLpuAt4B5eQ-4qxiaCEd40roapjiiEcjqREadtapeYJam7fuCcu3hY0HMF6l44azZR7evnB0-QcM8ldXA-AbGVjioJQWWdHhTwv2fJ_goWfafQaA4ZrXoDA/s1600/monkeys.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJtSF6EOf3_vpQdmaqtUBYGLpuAt4B5eQ-4qxiaCEd40roapjiiEcjqREadtapeYJam7fuCcu3hY0HMF6l44azZR7evnB0-QcM8ldXA-AbGVjioJQWWdHhTwv2fJ_goWfafQaA4ZrXoDA/s400/monkeys.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWO6e2VhpXkG292mtoPA65fpe5pylOgzt1XJ8096aVSQg0JYY9boax0AzCaT7QLxSbb9ZmCMEMFHAdbrv_TSHglGuJRkYPZeAma9hR6R9hm4uP10Cev7VRt-wVvDrQt80KltISyTnW-EE/s1600/bridge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWO6e2VhpXkG292mtoPA65fpe5pylOgzt1XJ8096aVSQg0JYY9boax0AzCaT7QLxSbb9ZmCMEMFHAdbrv_TSHglGuJRkYPZeAma9hR6R9hm4uP10Cev7VRt-wVvDrQt80KltISyTnW-EE/s400/bridge.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhImoynHBissqYGfJaZBfgwfviwaRVirbaIOt-8KTib170B0ja_JFOXYKRRv7RWvb9ZIwJlrolq-zVeWguwtRZioHBnylD1NaVW0Tll8VKUX8Vb0BreJYp6Zh-XZw_BzOjtOemSTrbsvvg/s1600/fall+colors+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhImoynHBissqYGfJaZBfgwfviwaRVirbaIOt-8KTib170B0ja_JFOXYKRRv7RWvb9ZIwJlrolq-zVeWguwtRZioHBnylD1NaVW0Tll8VKUX8Vb0BreJYp6Zh-XZw_BzOjtOemSTrbsvvg/s400/fall+colors+2.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBwQ-65IMOFA1018U40jJb-3HxnuxYno0y8IYGEXvhkTicVp967tHsmCrUdQYvT61TqldLHOvMizwOjEuNG5ir4nTj7_LyHeE6vtYC0MFZwj_Q9-KG4hgeZQZEyty6Ei49pzUhf3EcHvc/s1600/V+hiking.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBwQ-65IMOFA1018U40jJb-3HxnuxYno0y8IYGEXvhkTicVp967tHsmCrUdQYvT61TqldLHOvMizwOjEuNG5ir4nTj7_LyHeE6vtYC0MFZwj_Q9-KG4hgeZQZEyty6Ei49pzUhf3EcHvc/s400/V+hiking.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6bGEfSuX7ljbyeormxlE8cPTV9mu5e9__knNbErfBWeqgUQD1_NileBSxtm10qqjg470GVU2dl2NecLZxbhUC5ZUy5Lh6_RK-hvzufuSfSie9DWo0IxAuvRfI8A8l1hl3hWQ7Oj1dQ2M/s1600/poon+hill+sunrise.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6bGEfSuX7ljbyeormxlE8cPTV9mu5e9__knNbErfBWeqgUQD1_NileBSxtm10qqjg470GVU2dl2NecLZxbhUC5ZUy5Lh6_RK-hvzufuSfSie9DWo0IxAuvRfI8A8l1hl3hWQ7Oj1dQ2M/s400/poon+hill+sunrise.jpg" width="400" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3id9xoswpmffcJYkxoCT34DIp6dgKY__3YT9qVfyN9hHty79VKUCNWAxSwl4LX-xftrxDczOZh265iXkCEUPmQmxFh2vZoLhWSygsYVVpiR5-0lHB8Kt6RP8aDoqefz0IaDfizM8L5bM/s1600/frost.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqCx3Iu9L5O2Kx9OA14GG-41iF3uctL5EGupZ6ZmQKTBcAWD38YkYkyAX4WjBYQS9ySAp3EQa6zH4mVtqvhprr64CJxcKv3UDyk5VwnjBO022BHSfjuHM9NDH6oGVXeKooei78zGBK-GU/s1600/cairn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqCx3Iu9L5O2Kx9OA14GG-41iF3uctL5EGupZ6ZmQKTBcAWD38YkYkyAX4WjBYQS9ySAp3EQa6zH4mVtqvhprr64CJxcKv3UDyk5VwnjBO022BHSfjuHM9NDH6oGVXeKooei78zGBK-GU/s400/cairn.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Adding a rock to a cairn and asking the mountain for safe passage</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtUZQr90lU-Q_cmCbVE_svGyCuodobLCg5AmX-RTpUAuaskqCqxS-yMjVLA31Dtx_l4cvhkW_rtSbfybVBS6kna-gAvqvlh0aadrF5d2ucITsUTiMzhrRbKJSQGFco0yJUI4sY9e0KSM4/s1600/kids+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="306" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtUZQr90lU-Q_cmCbVE_svGyCuodobLCg5AmX-RTpUAuaskqCqxS-yMjVLA31Dtx_l4cvhkW_rtSbfybVBS6kna-gAvqvlh0aadrF5d2ucITsUTiMzhrRbKJSQGFco0yJUI4sY9e0KSM4/s400/kids+2.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And what trek in an Asian country would be complete without adorable little kids?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUAxh-xqmPpCi1RW_1iuH6C7Oyvmb_vFTEIOzeCuCF9fBoPrR8Q3viaXRth61DT_kxDQQr4WZXQ7Lk4O3F_oMU1lKw5XUBIZIC_B1DgQ3LAE3cwK5or2mOfTBFpv8K4TpsT2Jkbfo_nBw/s1600/kids.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUAxh-xqmPpCi1RW_1iuH6C7Oyvmb_vFTEIOzeCuCF9fBoPrR8Q3viaXRth61DT_kxDQQr4WZXQ7Lk4O3F_oMU1lKw5XUBIZIC_B1DgQ3LAE3cwK5or2mOfTBFpv8K4TpsT2Jkbfo_nBw/s400/kids.jpg" width="333" /></a></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPeKhs6XZV7sUm3Tsyud3j84Ct8ae2PO1JEO4bteWUBeL4kLGM5oLcVYSQ_6HppT_6rDqGBu5pfwgjhlVmObyL-fIqil63rIzp7IeO8NzQcTq28PKGNLNCiZxk0QJ2TcUBj2p95F7wGnU/s1600/porters.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="368" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPeKhs6XZV7sUm3Tsyud3j84Ct8ae2PO1JEO4bteWUBeL4kLGM5oLcVYSQ_6HppT_6rDqGBu5pfwgjhlVmObyL-fIqil63rIzp7IeO8NzQcTq28PKGNLNCiZxk0QJ2TcUBj2p95F7wGnU/s400/porters.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Porters carrying the weight of our enchilidadas with a strap over their foreheads</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The crown
jewel of the trek was, of course, the Annapurna Base Camp, which is set in a
stunning “sanctuary” surrounded on all sides by enormous, snow-capped
mountains. </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Amazing Annapurna Base Camp Heartly!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Awestruck at Annapurna I</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Showing Krakauer how it's done.</td></tr>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">It was humbling to look in every direction and see such powerful,
and such beautiful, forces of nature, knowing that several of those mountains had
claimed the lives of many, many people who tried to conquer them. The camp sits
at the base of Annapurna I, which, at 8,091m (26,545 ft), is not only the
tallest mountain in the Annapurna Range, but also holds the macabre honor of
being the most dangerous mountain in the world. The mountain’s ratio of number
of deaths (56, as of 2005) to number of successful summit attempts (103) is the
highest of any other mountain. Into Thin Air, indeed. </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Buddhist prayer flags in front of Annapurna I</td></tr>
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<br />
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Standing at
the foot of that giant, knowing that the majority of its victims were still up
there, buried under the snow and ice, gave us the chills. </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Or maybe we
were just cold. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Forget those doomed souls,
we’re gonna go get a pizza.</span></div>
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Elissa and Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16232138608795741265noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8375913620743953550.post-36773916747836344322012-11-25T05:56:00.000-08:002012-11-25T07:02:49.478-08:00Colors of Kathmandu: An Intro to Nepal<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I'm feeling a little nostalgic.</div>
<br />
Our trip is winding down- only two more weeks left before we fly back to France- and I'm thinking about how things used to be. Back at the beginning. Back when it was all fresh and new.<br />
<br />
Back when I was taking this blog thing seriously.<br />
<br />
You don't have to tell me (although some of you already have), lately, I've been a worthless blogger. Back in the good old days, it was a blog post a week- sometimes more. These days? Well, let's just say that, even after a decade with the same person, I'm having sex more often than I'm blogging.<br />
<br />
And what's my excuse? I have the time: I was on a tropical island for an entire month doing absolutely nothing except making a few drinks. I have the motivation: many of you have been following this blog for nearly two years (for those of you who have- THANK YOU!). I have the material: these last few months have been some of the most interesting and eye-opening of the entire trip.<br />
<br />
No, it seems that, as the trip slowly comes to a close, there's a part of me that is finding it harder and harder to share this part of my life. Like I don't want it to end so much that I'm kidding myself into believing that keeping my experiences to myself will make the trip last longer. Like taking the time to document it is taking away from the experience itself.<br />
<br />
The thing is, I <i>like </i>blogging. I love sharing this with people who are interested in something that is so important to me. I'm doing this for myself as much as anyone else. It's just that lately, I've been wanting to savor every second <i>living</i> these last few weeks, not writing about it.<br />
<br />
But that's not fair. You, who have followed me throughout this adventure, deserve more. So, once again, I owe you an apology. And, more importantly, I owe you a timely blog post.<br />
<br />
So let's get to it.<br />
<br />
We have just finished a two week whirlwind tour of Nepal, which included a 10-day trek, a two day rafting trip and one day exploring Kathmandu. I'll get to the outdoorsy stuff in a later post (but hopefully not too much later!), so for now, I want to give you a little taste of a country that we adored, by way of a photographic love letter to it's capital city, Kathmandu.<br />
<br />
This post is going to be picture-heavy, as Nepal was seriously a feast for the eyes. The incredible natural beauty of the mountains was breathtaking, and I'll give it the gushing review it deserves in due time, but it was Kathmandu that really gave us a feel for the colorful, multi-cultural assault on the mind and senses that is Nepal.<br />
<br />
The very first thing we said to each other upon arriving in the city was, "It looks like India."<br />
<br />
We had always thought of Nepal as nothing but the Himalayas, Sherpas and Buddhist prayer flags, but here, in the lowland city, we could have been in Delhi.<br />
<br />
Granted, neither of us have ever actually been to India, but, you know, we've seen <i>Slumdog Millionaire</i>- that has to count for something, right? (Kinda like how <i>Forrest Gump</i> gave me a feel for Vietnam. I'm so internationally aware...) But lame cultural assumptions aside, Kathmandu really did look like what I imagine India to be: a riotous explosion of colors, religion, smells and sounds, albeit with a fraction of the people. Women in flowing saris of warm reds, oranges, purples and pinks, men in sweater vests that would make even the oldest, whitest golfer jealous; spicy curries, sacred cows roaming the city streets, speeding buses and trucks decorated like Christmas trees, complete with blinking lights and garland. The dusty, polluted streets, the cacophony of horns and street vendors, the Hindu temples tucked away down hidden streets and sidewalk stalls selling everything under the sun.<br />
<br />
We f-cking loved it.<br />
<br />
It was La Paz all over again: crazy, colorful, chaotic. Only this time, the food was better.<br />
<br />
As much as I want to, I can't possibly do it justice in words, so here are the pictures.<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoBXV0DjPJjVSRbwbhbHgor4o3wmosVBy5zYlJN3I_97uI42ODL0jkFbQHWHVGkx4_WWInRsBIiUehOFLL3Dqa9D_tk1SiKWenxQSiKPbhPpU-xURaR5uwPkbOY-V1Xp5AFRnQp7AL13c/s1600/family.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoBXV0DjPJjVSRbwbhbHgor4o3wmosVBy5zYlJN3I_97uI42ODL0jkFbQHWHVGkx4_WWInRsBIiUehOFLL3Dqa9D_tk1SiKWenxQSiKPbhPpU-xURaR5uwPkbOY-V1Xp5AFRnQp7AL13c/s400/family.jpg" width="303" /> </a></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Typically colorful Nepalese architecture outside of Kathmandu</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFfFY8_pnunT6z8p5f82NF7XFMA-YAwqBhO3Ph-6o7kauFdMRKb5HVhOH7MW4-R834zJQ0rhH1rFv7PHq1ru5EiwsxloIKnpa8Dm35vHEXbn9L_xXI9zkDkmnGOEH-h7vk8065J9FWUhQ/s1600/Eyes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFfFY8_pnunT6z8p5f82NF7XFMA-YAwqBhO3Ph-6o7kauFdMRKb5HVhOH7MW4-R834zJQ0rhH1rFv7PHq1ru5EiwsxloIKnpa8Dm35vHEXbn9L_xXI9zkDkmnGOEH-h7vk8065J9FWUhQ/s400/Eyes.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sacred or not, cows are not supposed to eat plastic bags...</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRV1ir6W-_heSYi_HiVh9KImEfL7Hd3PT9at3Pa9V30lbw29WSKRoLUqpsOLYuVhFIjUt6-CHo3_CgICbGcOICAc1VzDpZi3ZjaKFrMT31-bsodGTYDtrI3IZSSrESFcB3-dqHXsaiGlE/s1600/prayer+wheels.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRV1ir6W-_heSYi_HiVh9KImEfL7Hd3PT9at3Pa9V30lbw29WSKRoLUqpsOLYuVhFIjUt6-CHo3_CgICbGcOICAc1VzDpZi3ZjaKFrMT31-bsodGTYDtrI3IZSSrESFcB3-dqHXsaiGlE/s400/prayer+wheels.jpg" width="280" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A toddler playing with the prayer wheels at a temple</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDu7bNhbUXY80iyGPIcy_0uOHbvCf3VPEV5KyFFFKhhkZShwvPYIU_fyxiAkkMl8fb45iSzaazblsjhO4BEIsHZfwQdPv35hZhVCUM-LQloTMM8NzI9QQogVyegN52Etm3Ht9aL2UEpVw/s1600/rickshaw.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDu7bNhbUXY80iyGPIcy_0uOHbvCf3VPEV5KyFFFKhhkZShwvPYIU_fyxiAkkMl8fb45iSzaazblsjhO4BEIsHZfwQdPv35hZhVCUM-LQloTMM8NzI9QQogVyegN52Etm3Ht9aL2UEpVw/s400/rickshaw.jpg" width="326" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rickshaw parking</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
So, after all my explanation and ass-kissing about how I owe my audience more, I'm leaving you with that: a half-written post and a bunch of pictures that do the hard work for me. </div>
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I'm a blogging legend.</div>
<br />Elissa and Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16232138608795741265noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8375913620743953550.post-14513031713218565052012-11-21T06:14:00.002-08:002012-11-26T00:38:00.123-08:00From One Island to Another<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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</xml><![endif]--><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: FR-CH;">"Ten dollars on number six," I slur, smacking a bill on the
bookie's counter. Weaving back through the crowd with a beer in hand, I have
finally, for the first time in three days, forgotten about The Beach.</span>
<br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: FR-CH;">I’ve written and then immediately deleted three different introductions
to a post about our month working at <a href="http://360degrees360days.blogspot.com/2012/08/in-defense-of-bragging.html" target="_blank">The Beach</a>. But I'm done. I give up. I
simply can’t find a way to explain our time there and how the experience
affected us without sounding cheesy and cliché. To give you an idea in as few
words as possible: I cried when we said goodbye to the people we worked with on
the island, and cried a second time when we reached the mainland. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: FR-CH;">And now, </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: FR-CH;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: FR-CH;">on another island, the completely- and I do mean <i>completely</i>- different island of Hong Kong,</span> I'm drowning my sorrows about leaving our
beautiful, tranquil, intimate paradise with a combination of German beer and gambling. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: FR-CH;">Only</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: FR-CH;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: FR-CH;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: FR-CH;"> </span>a three hour flight from The Beach, yet a world away: Hong Kong</span> was a blast. </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: FR-CH;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: FR-CH;">A luxurious, expensive blast,</span> which we loved for
the exact opposite reasons we loved the beach. We adored its craziness, its anonymity,
its worldliness. Adored its cosmopolitan mix of cultures and people, the way it was at once totally international, yet undeniably Asian.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: FR-CH;">In order to be able to afford a couple of days in the notoriously
expensive city, we used a hotel voucher that my ex-coworkers generously gave me
when I left my job in Switzerland. As a result, we were able to stay, for
nearly free, at a very nice hotel, complete with complimentary slippers. Fancy
stuff indeed.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: FR-CH;">We were so proud to be </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: FR-CH;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: FR-CH;">living the high life while </span>staying within our backpackers’ budget. That
is, until we celebrated our cleverness by going to Happy Valley, Hong Kong’s
famous horse racing track, and blowing two days-worth of expenses on beer and betting.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: FR-CH;">You know, because we are such responsible adults.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: FR-CH;">But you can’t blame us. We were enjoying our first day in Hong Kong when
we saw an advertisement for “Oktoberfest at the Races.” How could we resist?
Within a few hours, we were eating German sausages, drinking ridiculous amounts
of Hefeweizen and betting on "lucky" horses. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: FR-CH;">Of course we didn’t win anything. Of course we spent way too much money. Of
course we got drunk and celebrated our losses with complete strangers, staggering
home at 2:00am, a grease-soaked bag of McDonald's in hand. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: FR-CH;">But we had fun. And really, isn’t that the point of this whole trip?</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipW5cpcjilfuwO9i2bAP0tEGbUgajkWPgf_ysXeaVb-Jaf_9cH7-0PaUsIO0f6RLt7CSaqIB6aE47scmhhSXcqMpOc9VX79gBQpxrrXqT4zhb6d9q1uwQ2MCOHsRPDgOm669N7WPdEVJU/s1600/horses+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipW5cpcjilfuwO9i2bAP0tEGbUgajkWPgf_ysXeaVb-Jaf_9cH7-0PaUsIO0f6RLt7CSaqIB6aE47scmhhSXcqMpOc9VX79gBQpxrrXqT4zhb6d9q1uwQ2MCOHsRPDgOm669N7WPdEVJU/s400/horses+1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDWjEbBCTjtIOkVbxrVDxC3VKBiml_2Kfcy_vRVn5BEy7It5AfXdlagxMjoZIRK50MNWZWd-tA3yhN-fBb1OK0rCSuyBQxFiTQKBKp_9dH-r327azvNuu493XxqjzsVhhzf8QRrX9hppY/s1600/horses+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDWjEbBCTjtIOkVbxrVDxC3VKBiml_2Kfcy_vRVn5BEy7It5AfXdlagxMjoZIRK50MNWZWd-tA3yhN-fBb1OK0rCSuyBQxFiTQKBKp_9dH-r327azvNuu493XxqjzsVhhzf8QRrX9hppY/s400/horses+2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSyIdT5opj5EGQ3VIHDfgbWn-9fGv3LtRuwqrf5aK-6ZPdQGp_pw-HNXWR9PBJ0Ow1wG0VIOIlFbQLfbU_ZqULft-E4nZ2MF80-bmCd3jixyRRGLcsxDkq3Cz_KcqvzVTtSXiT_DzsEvY/s1600/hk+people+2.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSyIdT5opj5EGQ3VIHDfgbWn-9fGv3LtRuwqrf5aK-6ZPdQGp_pw-HNXWR9PBJ0Ow1wG0VIOIlFbQLfbU_ZqULft-E4nZ2MF80-bmCd3jixyRRGLcsxDkq3Cz_KcqvzVTtSXiT_DzsEvY/s400/hk+people+2.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We definitely don't know these people</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: FR-CH;"></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: FR-CH;">When we weren’t drinking and gambling, we were exploring Hong Kong’s
diverse neighborhoods, mostly by way of their restaurants. To get a taste of the local flavor-
literally- we stopped into one of the city’s typical old-school dim sum
restaurants, where customers squeeze around communal tables and order mystery
dumplings and buns from women pushing carts of steaming bamboo baskets through
the crowded room.</span>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: FR-CH;">It was chaos. When a cart with a more popular item- like BBQ pork buns
or shrimp dumplings- would emerge from the kitchen, people would jump up from
their seats and run across the dining room, pushing each other aside to be
first in line to order from the cart. We had no idea what was going on, no idea
what we were ordering and even less of an idea of whether or not we were doing
any of it correctly. But did we care? Hell no. A little confusion is a small
price to pay for a plateful of pork products. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqJ_Zx8Ga9te3B7ndWL2M3r1gohifq6Yy6NKiZNAqB32AZWiEnEGyVY5G_kGz2xnWUsATGnfzonPBKieP08Mclu7uMFuhwYRIThI-tODsZwb3XkpS-6aTDDNJmV3T6DEgjSTDeUW0TNw0/s1600/dimsum.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqJ_Zx8Ga9te3B7ndWL2M3r1gohifq6Yy6NKiZNAqB32AZWiEnEGyVY5G_kGz2xnWUsATGnfzonPBKieP08Mclu7uMFuhwYRIThI-tODsZwb3XkpS-6aTDDNJmV3T6DEgjSTDeUW0TNw0/s400/dimsum.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Confused and amused at dim sum</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: FR-CH;"></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: FR-CH;">We also made sure to indulge in Hong Kong’s famous international dining
scene. One day, we had an incredible pizza in the neighborhood of SoHo, which wouldn’t
have been out of place in any big Western city, and that night, we ate a
mind-blowing bowl of Japanese ramen noodles with pork neck, the broth thick and
glistening with fat from the meat. Hong Kong is one of the most international
cities in the world, and we took full advantage of that fact with our stomachs.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3trEEn4JYcExuO8zRAN1YbY588KAygSscc6vdIboUxhypZEgkkNYdAPADl5Xm-RUPfwHd3XG4VqaocROCf1nPsdcoY2cyTIxcLvdOtS3YY2TFmzbg332y87536nrJpjA30VY8tdTQXOo/s1600/me+eating.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3trEEn4JYcExuO8zRAN1YbY588KAygSscc6vdIboUxhypZEgkkNYdAPADl5Xm-RUPfwHd3XG4VqaocROCf1nPsdcoY2cyTIxcLvdOtS3YY2TFmzbg332y87536nrJpjA30VY8tdTQXOo/s400/me+eating.jpg" width="335" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is Asia?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: FR-CH;"> </span>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: FR-CH;">On our last day in the city, before an evening flight to Nepal, we took a
cable car up to The Peak, one of the steep hills that overlooks the city and
the rest of Hong Kong Island. From high up, we could see the expansive cityscape
on one side of the hill, and, even more impressively, the undeveloped, forested
hills and sandy beaches of the south side of the island. We had always thought
of HK as just a city when in fact, a vast part of it is wooded countryside
and long stretches of peaceful beach. We were only fifteen minutes from the
center of one of the world’s most populous cities, but up here on the peak, we
were able to stroll along a wooded path in complete solitude, with nothing but
the sound of the birds for company.</span></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaUtYkFaxFObZoajrTjBhE4ioCZxZTNs3ZWgDqBAsbiecTOXRUBQFyLpP5oYzH49eDhA9BRtXYbJmmdmdUZvqBQr4JcosR2EjrMIIRnJbPyuFMSwBOdYVsv-i-NPCl8RbPSsUgtjZb0V8/s1600/cityscape+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaUtYkFaxFObZoajrTjBhE4ioCZxZTNs3ZWgDqBAsbiecTOXRUBQFyLpP5oYzH49eDhA9BRtXYbJmmdmdUZvqBQr4JcosR2EjrMIIRnJbPyuFMSwBOdYVsv-i-NPCl8RbPSsUgtjZb0V8/s400/cityscape+1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpF_MZZHEBUh2ngOqm6KpPN8LXxgNasVRkeA6eMDATDNfoL6L2Z1whCbWjYyqyeDYw0y5K8q3Hp_R79cPHArblIVXcar5gSfv6sVrSdX3EGbZ0JANVKJ8cIqhO84iu6Tlw7HZyu3e_x1E/s1600/cityscape+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="271" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpF_MZZHEBUh2ngOqm6KpPN8LXxgNasVRkeA6eMDATDNfoL6L2Z1whCbWjYyqyeDYw0y5K8q3Hp_R79cPHArblIVXcar5gSfv6sVrSdX3EGbZ0JANVKJ8cIqhO84iu6Tlw7HZyu3e_x1E/s400/cityscape+2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: FR-CH;"> </span>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: FR-CH;"></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: FR-CH;">To top off our afternoon high above the craziness of the city, we had a
romantic little picnic of paté, French cheese, fresh bread and red wine-
products that we hadn’t been able to easily find for the four months we had
been in Asia, but that were readily available in the local grocery store next
to our hotel. </span>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: FR-CH;">Dim sum one day, cheese and wine the next- all within a three-hour flight of our favorite place in the world? </span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: FR-CH;">This might just be our new city.</span></div>
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Elissa and Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16232138608795741265noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8375913620743953550.post-51483762187181668132012-11-03T10:45:00.000-07:002012-11-03T10:48:45.112-07:00Rock and Roll in Hoi An <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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</xml><![endif]--><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">“F-ck you,
take it easy.”</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">We had only
been at our guesthouse on the beach outside of Hoi An for an hour, but there we
were, sitting at a beer bottle-littered lunch table with our host, Hoa, who was
regaling us with stories from the years he fought in the war with the Marines
and imploring us to “take it easy”. In the North of Vietnam, the US was the
enemy, but here, in the South, it was different. Hoa had joined the Marines
when he was not much older than a child and had grown up surrounded by war and
soldiers, as evidenced by his deep love of four-lettered words.</span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">“In the
Marines, we were f-cking rock and roll,” explains Hoa, as he nods to me to
refill his beer glass. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">“People ask
me: Hoa, what does it mean, Rock and Roll? I say, ‘Rock and Roll, it means
f-cking take it easy.’ We didn’t give a shit- we just wanted to have a good
time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What does it mean, the Marines? It
means rock and roll.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">I'll admit that before coming to Vietnam, I didn’t know anything about what
the Vietnamese refer to as “the American War.” It was an important
event in cultural history that defined my parents’ generation, but the only stuff I knew about it was what I had learned from watching <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Forrest Gump</i>. Not <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Apocalypse
Now</i>, not <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Platoon</i>. Forrest Gump. Now
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">that’s</i> rock and roll.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Sitting
with Hoa, hearing him talk about his “brothers” from the Marines, some of which
have come back to Vietnam to visit him, drove home not only how pervasive the
war was in this country, but also how much has been forgiven. I asked Hoa the
same question I had asked a moto driver that morning: Are you angry? Are the
Vietnamese still angry at us? </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">And the
answer was no. Maybe I would have received a different answer in the North, but
here, the popular opinion seemed to be that what’s done is done. It’s the past.
Let’s move on. Which, for someone who comes from a country where a good portion
of the population still thinks that France “owes us for saving their asses in
World War Two,” this willingness to forgive and forget is refreshing.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">I’d be
lying if I let you believe that our stay in Hoi An, which is on the coast in
the center of Vietnam, was all cultural understanding and appreciation for
history. It wasn’t. The vast majority of our time was spent on an endeavor that
was decidedly less politically charged: Shopping. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">You see,
while Hoi An is a mandatory tourist stop for its lovely colonial architecture and
charming old town, it is also renowned for its tailoring industry. There are
literally thousands of tailors and dressmakers in the city, offering a relapsed
anti-consumerist unlimited opportunities to have clothes custom made on the
cheap.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">I was a
woman possessed. It had been such a long time- 10 months to be exact- that I
hadn’t shopped or thought about shopping, that once I was confronted with this
abundance of fabrics and patterns providing countless combinations to create
exactly what I wanted, I just couldn’t get enough. I went from stopping my
clothes addiction cold turkey to what was essentially a four-day shopping
bender.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaoF-5nYu8AKLa1HweI-ydlOLjgXPKOtuTEA_Jjc92cEqYxoanhyphenhypheniY7iG6z9jQWe1l5bgD57MLA4pp2oDI6y9rb62rX7LAICyZDxShdKeKaW_kY3mjFSs30yoOAUMPdbLmAwC6_4tZRj8/s1600/beard+suit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaoF-5nYu8AKLa1HweI-ydlOLjgXPKOtuTEA_Jjc92cEqYxoanhyphenhypheniY7iG6z9jQWe1l5bgD57MLA4pp2oDI6y9rb62rX7LAICyZDxShdKeKaW_kY3mjFSs30yoOAUMPdbLmAwC6_4tZRj8/s400/beard+suit.jpg" width="287" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Vincent looking like a homeless guy in a stolen suit (and a technical t-shirt)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2lHnyG6jXuzwaoLpMZOeggcRect5UDOz3gl4jUTRilM8OFQ5U8AEt9Y2lQaRGcS6GhMHKARTqqt9G_GIH94cawFCMbYvnVZqK0KdaxFp612Zlgu2AiZQimXsoVyZDbhxu-sLOgTifT_Q/s1600/me+dress.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2lHnyG6jXuzwaoLpMZOeggcRect5UDOz3gl4jUTRilM8OFQ5U8AEt9Y2lQaRGcS6GhMHKARTqqt9G_GIH94cawFCMbYvnVZqK0KdaxFp612Zlgu2AiZQimXsoVyZDbhxu-sLOgTifT_Q/s400/me+dress.jpg" width="285" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">That look on my face? Thinkin' about ALL THE DRESSES!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">We did do <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">some</i> other activities while in Hoi An: we rented motorbikes, took a
cooking class, ate a bunch of street food, explored the winding little streets of the
old town that were lined with colorful stucco houses, got our ears cleaned
at a local barber shop (huh?). </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlHwnz-9_yOg7lEwGcQXbJt2QVRvZgs3qocZ0H5O4kqsy9ks8s0eyG_jvRVt0PLfIO2BI73gD-yYh5e1E8CCp97NTyxnHa9fR9JU9ihzEjQjGU_MayYnLoneao6RJyJMXNUT_zkTFmmzQ/s1600/v+me+market.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="332" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlHwnz-9_yOg7lEwGcQXbJt2QVRvZgs3qocZ0H5O4kqsy9ks8s0eyG_jvRVt0PLfIO2BI73gD-yYh5e1E8CCp97NTyxnHa9fR9JU9ihzEjQjGU_MayYnLoneao6RJyJMXNUT_zkTFmmzQ/s400/v+me+market.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Attacking banh xeo- crispy filled pancakes wrapped with greens, chili and rice paper- at the market</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFqdPxYTexyhm5u9BJGoyZ_AuNSxADSsxUrpynoTRdwlwoNK5IwDMOvKakmkr3TcALJ7TIGkmmr8a7MUdWiRhcW8YOe66_eNzuqATRSWTt8-6XPOEAW91sdA6BEPlIQSEhqbDS5F4zaRg/s1600/didi+street+food.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="333" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFqdPxYTexyhm5u9BJGoyZ_AuNSxADSsxUrpynoTRdwlwoNK5IwDMOvKakmkr3TcALJ7TIGkmmr8a7MUdWiRhcW8YOe66_eNzuqATRSWTt8-6XPOEAW91sdA6BEPlIQSEhqbDS5F4zaRg/s400/didi+street+food.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Elodie and I found the perfect appetizer on the sidewalk</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ9cJghS28JLUNK7zfLt7G4z5AfTZWNMk_W9TUhYlbmK4KNXwve_XxM-L0LjmnL51zxEDW0Yi30inu1_aFOjkLUFWU19tS4198sTkZADLj0Gr1ucvuddMa30vGwyUx610vAXbaoUl7nPE/s1600/scooter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ9cJghS28JLUNK7zfLt7G4z5AfTZWNMk_W9TUhYlbmK4KNXwve_XxM-L0LjmnL51zxEDW0Yi30inu1_aFOjkLUFWU19tS4198sTkZADLj0Gr1ucvuddMa30vGwyUx610vAXbaoUl7nPE/s400/scooter.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">But all of these escapades were basically just
time fillers between fittings at the tailor. I won’t go into the details of our
purchases, but I’ll just say that when we left the shop for the last
time with our new goodies, the tailor actually gave us each a free gift to
thank us for our substantial business. </span><br />
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Beyond the
frenzied consumerism, Hoi An was a wonderful place to end our time in Vietnam.
Its colorful historic quarter was truly lovely, providing a tranquil, aesthetically
pleasing place to wander around and get lost. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR5fCmJCZNjFIchiA3cdZtB4aCmXOfXRevRotFnckPdX4sxSLd_WZYNnTZsiyL1ye0uL_sE1BBE-lL3C5c4_wxLVayUQhTMHn2uHMOY9cYCcmBDYtmHJIDV6-XXO9AxlNcucXCDEQs-QQ/s1600/street+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="372" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR5fCmJCZNjFIchiA3cdZtB4aCmXOfXRevRotFnckPdX4sxSLd_WZYNnTZsiyL1ye0uL_sE1BBE-lL3C5c4_wxLVayUQhTMHn2uHMOY9cYCcmBDYtmHJIDV6-XXO9AxlNcucXCDEQs-QQ/s400/street+1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The town has one of the best
culinary scenes in a country known worldwide for its cuisine, so we indulged
as much as we could (keeping in mind that we still had to fit into the clothes
we were having made for us). We ate some incredible street and market food and
learned to make some of those same dishes during a private evening cooking
class we took at one of Hoi An’s restaurants.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The cooking
class was excellent: we had a great time learning to make, and subsequently
devour, several delicious regional dishes. Our teacher, a hilarious fast-talking Vietnamese
lady, taught us the ins and outs of dishes like beef and papaya salad, shrimp spring
rolls, and fish baked in banana leaf. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In
addition to learning to make these dishes, we also learned that if something
tastes good in Vietnam, you should say “yummy,” not “yumm,” as the latter
apparently means that you are horny. I kept peering into the dish that our
teacher was making and saying, “Yumm,” until the little woman finally turned to me and exclaimed,
“Stop doing that- it’s makin’ me nervous!”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The course
ended with a meal of the dishes we had learned to make, as well as others that
were equally amazing. We left the class with full bellies and the recipes of
the dishes we made so that we can recreate them when we get home. Wherever “home”
is going to be…</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Hoi An’s
history-seeped architecture was stunning during the day, but it was at night
that the old town really came alive. We were fortunate enough to be in the city
during the annual moon festival- a celebration that I can’t even begin to
explain simply because I never figured out what it was all about. Although the
religious background of the fete is beyond me, I could easily appreciate the
party aspect. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">In the
evenings during the festival, Hoi An’s streets were completely dark save for
hundreds of colorful lanterns that hung from every doorway and balcony. Street
lights were darkened, restaurants were lit by candle light, the narrow streets
were closed off to traffic. But don’t think for a second that it was a peaceful
scene: the streets were positively packed with people. The entire population
seemed to be out enjoying the atmosphere. Along the river, bridges were
lined with lanterns that reflected colorful light off the water, while children
sold little paper boats with candles in them to float down the current. The
scene was breath-taking, if slightly frenetic.</span></div>
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The
lanterns weren’t the only indication of the celebration. Weaving through the
crowded streets were gangs of young boys dressed in Chinese dragon costumes and
beating drums. The dragons comprised of two guys: the head and front legs, and
the backside, moving in synch to create a beast that jumped and danced to the
beat of the percussion. It was very cool to see, so much so that we didn’t even
mind when they came to ask us for money after their performance.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRDv7eHQ4VD6uEENVpptICIem7vQ6A3-zWASmSOjSpv3DoiHP6fMiuUUFxNpllTgLIr1R8ulcHqW2Y2BxAZ6T3fpiw2_VIQcP9URXMIC6xGWtX_IIiCuhyCK5S1QxIoVvyQb2hx5JN-W8/s1600/dragon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRDv7eHQ4VD6uEENVpptICIem7vQ6A3-zWASmSOjSpv3DoiHP6fMiuUUFxNpllTgLIr1R8ulcHqW2Y2BxAZ6T3fpiw2_VIQcP9URXMIC6xGWtX_IIiCuhyCK5S1QxIoVvyQb2hx5JN-W8/s400/dragon.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<object height="315" width="420"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/DEFf1xYWzW8?version=3&hl=en_US&rel=0"></param>
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</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">I’ve spent
a good ten minutes trying to think of an appropriate segue to this next bit,
but nothing I can think of can take me from lanterns and dragons to ear
cleaning and Vincent’s beard. There really isn’t even that much to say about
either, except that Vincent grew a pretty impressive beard over the span of two
months and finally shaved it off, along with all of his hair, in Hoi An. The difference
after he shaved was so shocking that when I first saw him I freaked out and
wouldn’t touch him. Sounds harsh, but the dude went from Tom Hanks in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Castaway</i> to Tom Hanks in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Philadelphia</i> in one afternoon! As our
cooking coach would say, he was “makin’ me nervous!”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">I don’t
have a good “after” picture of Vincent, but here’s one he took during his
shave. </span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhivFn1YK2sE3i9bUunq7X81smEusRTMx12vqb7_kJZj-7O3TOvxxZietw3cbbPYdNNBQa9oY2RqYkPJWqEds2lKDFWUchvCLyax5uppXZ9edPc_BgvGVgwoK_EG7iZJcTSvzedPOgm9DE/s1600/beard+shave.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhivFn1YK2sE3i9bUunq7X81smEusRTMx12vqb7_kJZj-7O3TOvxxZietw3cbbPYdNNBQa9oY2RqYkPJWqEds2lKDFWUchvCLyax5uppXZ9edPc_BgvGVgwoK_EG7iZJcTSvzedPOgm9DE/s400/beard+shave.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">That is one serious beard</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The
barber shop responsible for Vincent’s transformation also offered ear
cleaning, which involved a (hopefully) trained professional who dug in our ears
with various metal tools, poking and scraping out any offending wax. Think of a
trip to the dentist, but for your ears. It was pretty uncomfortable and I felt
a little jipped because there was hardly anything to pull out of my ears anyway.
Vincent, on the other hand, was a veritable gold mine of ear gunk. The guy
cleaning his ears would use long, pointed tweezers to pull out a hunk of
something gross and would wave it around proudly to anyone willing to look.
While seeing what lurks within my husband’s ears is quite possibly the last
thing my marriage needs, I humored the man with appreciative “oohs” and “aahs” at every new discovery.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLYREECeZ_BKsmBztBTyy7YnL6ncprGgzP9hDSAhcSELeDHXIQXp8tHG2iLTxoVlOkYl0j6SqLitQgcPfc-jsQno-OByhrXu2IXBsqBdvc8XU2oheTkkV7PY7HixvWNfXmJ6IwpcXjokk/s1600/ear+clean.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLYREECeZ_BKsmBztBTyy7YnL6ncprGgzP9hDSAhcSELeDHXIQXp8tHG2iLTxoVlOkYl0j6SqLitQgcPfc-jsQno-OByhrXu2IXBsqBdvc8XU2oheTkkV7PY7HixvWNfXmJ6IwpcXjokk/s400/ear+clean.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pretty miserable during my ear cleaning</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">After Hoi
An, it was time to say goodbye to Vietnam, and by extension, to Elodie. The
three of us flew to Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon) where Elodie took a
plane on to Singapore and V and I stayed a night before heading back to The
Beach in Cambodia to work for a month. We only spent one night in Saigon and
didn’t take any pictures, so I really don’t have a lot to say about the city. The
main highlight was that we celebrated our 10 year anniversary (over one third
of my life! AUGH!) at a wonderful French restaurant where the chef, who was
appropriately from a small town near where V and I met in France, makes his own
cheese and serves unabashed French specialties like scallops in lobster cream
sauce and wild venison with home-grown vanilla. The food was
punch-yourself-in-the-face good and the chef had an awesome mustache, so it
was a pretty great night.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">How this
blog went from traveling in Vietnam to all things facial hair, I will never know...</span><br />
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><br /></span></div>
Elissa and Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16232138608795741265noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8375913620743953550.post-29097881532547487962012-10-24T08:14:00.000-07:002012-10-24T08:16:52.854-07:00Trash and Trekking<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">I hated
Sapa.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">We had only
been there about 45 minutes and already I was fed up.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">“This is
AW-ful,” I moaned, head fogged with sleep deprivation as I flipped through our
trusty Lonely Planet, trying to find another place, any place, to escape to.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">Admittedly,
I may have been jumping the gun a little bit. We had arrived in Sapa at 5:30am
via an overnight bus on which I wasn’t able to sleep at all. Staggering off the
bus exhausted and grumpy, I was emotionally unequipped to deal with the hostel
touts who were yelling at us, pulling at our arms, doing everything possible to
harass us into coming to their guesthouse. I know touts are a part of
traveling, especially in this part of the world, but that morning I was so
tired and miserable that I wished death- or at least grave personal injury- on
each and every one of them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">We thought
that we would have some respite once we had chosen a guesthouse, but it didn’t
stop there. Instead of hostel touts, we were surrounded and subsequently followed
by three women from the Hmong hill tribe, who tried to convince us to hire them
as tour guides to visit their village. At any other time, on just a bit more
sleep, this wouldn’t have bothered me so much, but I was <i>not</i> in the mood. Their attempts to engage us (“Where are you from?
Is that your husband? Very handsome.”) seemed sinister and deceitful, their
colorful traditional costumes came across as a plot constructed solely for the
purpose of ensnaring naïve tourists. Normally, I am not this jaded, but that
morning, I had had enough.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">However,
like most things, my bad attitude was nothing that a good nap couldn’t fix.
After a few hours of sleep and a coffee, the little black cloud that had
followed me since arriving in Sapa had cleared. My world was bright and sunny again.
And Sapa wasn’t so bad after all.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">We had come
to Sapa to trek through the terraced rice paddies and hill tribe villages that
are tucked away in the mountains surrounding the town. Before arriving, Vincent
learned about a Sapa-based organization called Sapa-O-Chau (</span><a href="http://www.sapaochau.org/">www.sapaochau.org</a>) that educates
disadvantaged youth from the hill tribes and trains many of them to be trekking
guides; so we headed to their offices to get information about trekking. While
we were discussing various trekking options with the manager, he mentioned that
things were busy for him at the moment because he was organizing a big event
the next day during which the school’s students would walk from village to
village picking up trash and raising awareness about responsible and
sustainable waste disposal.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">“Can we
help?” I asked, unthinking, and without consulting Vincent and Elodie, who were
immediately implicated by my offer. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">Luckily,
they were just as keen to get involved and the next day, we found ourselves in
rubber gloves with a few other volunteers and around 30 students, picking up
trash along the road. It was a gorgeous day, sunny and warm. We had a great
time talking to the students and other volunteers and feeling like we were a
part of something helpful and important. It was fascinating to see this group
of students from various villages, many dressed in their tribe’s traditional
costume, coming together to lead an effort that would benefit the whole community.
These “under-privileged” kids were an inspiration: their motivation to make
their surroundings healthier and more beautiful was both humbling and
encouraging.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="text-align: center;">The amount
of garbage was staggering and it was impossible to collect all of it, but we quickly
realized that the day was more about awareness than trash collection. All along
the way, villagers and tourists alike would ask us what we were doing and were
interested in our effort. Some bystanders even joined in and helped us pick up
trash as we passed, including small children who would make a game out of the
pick-up, challenging each other to see who could collect the most candy
wrappers.</span><br />
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<span lang="EN-US">The walk
through the villages also gave us a sneak peak of the region’s unique scenery that
would dominate our trek the following day. We had signed up for a two-day trek
with a Sapa-O-Chau guide along with two other volunteers from South Africa that
we had met during the trash pick-up. We were six people in all with our
adorable 19-year-old guide Lan, who had a quick smile and an infectious barking
laugh. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">The
landscapes we passed through were incredibly stunning: several times we would
round a bend and all just stop, speechless, as we were hit with the view in
front of us. Dramatic, green hills puncturing a low-hanging haze and then
plummeting into deep valleys. Terraced rice paddies that climbed up the side of
mountains, army-green and gold with late-harvest rice stalks. We were
incredibly lucky to be in the area during the two-week harvest period: the paddies were alive with activity. We
watched whole families cutting the rice grass by hand while eight-year-old boys
herded the water buffalo that would till the cut terraces with their hooves. We
passed groups of people picnicking in the fields, taking a break from the
difficult labor, and children playing in the bins used to collect the rice. The
soundtrack of our trek was the deep, muted, drum-like rhythm of the farmers
beating fist-fulls of dry grass against a wooden bin to loosen the grains. It
was fascinating and we were grateful to be able to witness these ancient local
rituals that were so integral to the region’s culture. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfVa5b90J-gxf6s1tErZjqyDn0gj3_KsUDGK93IFkLNlcuvbByjCoUMvWL5GWFCsAvthcI9OzTTour5lvqRd3uaiUHK-6EImVnmCqYoOIvI9WgU6GkyKy4B3QyvoluYHJfRZBNZmQJZDE/s1600/Boy+buff+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfVa5b90J-gxf6s1tErZjqyDn0gj3_KsUDGK93IFkLNlcuvbByjCoUMvWL5GWFCsAvthcI9OzTTour5lvqRd3uaiUHK-6EImVnmCqYoOIvI9WgU6GkyKy4B3QyvoluYHJfRZBNZmQJZDE/s400/Boy+buff+2.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A young water buffalo shepherd</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx9LaBihJ3iqu6-vcz1ryqLya_9l_hHj2eoFJcMFYuyO3_O4h-GX501DT1h0qxYDOzHLRKwjbTWVM8c0vXjDLwm-245f55i5-2moxnP8j2hvwbBeZh-ZMiLgK9qOX5qMQoObI5ipA0OoM/s1600/girl+buff.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx9LaBihJ3iqu6-vcz1ryqLya_9l_hHj2eoFJcMFYuyO3_O4h-GX501DT1h0qxYDOzHLRKwjbTWVM8c0vXjDLwm-245f55i5-2moxnP8j2hvwbBeZh-ZMiLgK9qOX5qMQoObI5ipA0OoM/s400/girl+buff.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijuWEnixwe0zFMhWchXkMgUVERJrEVkB2PaSImgJOwUxzzbRBhpToVTU0qHzMOfoOjToj1vU1gpLXqr4LCP1-j2yD5a0z0-wLJU28BEyrL0M8oZbAL3_Cg3aAXIe0QYaHZHGPuEoDGrWA/s1600/sapa+v.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="310" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijuWEnixwe0zFMhWchXkMgUVERJrEVkB2PaSImgJOwUxzzbRBhpToVTU0qHzMOfoOjToj1vU1gpLXqr4LCP1-j2yD5a0z0-wLJU28BEyrL0M8oZbAL3_Cg3aAXIe0QYaHZHGPuEoDGrWA/s400/sapa+v.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A Hmong woman looks on while Vincent gets rabies</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLEJvhFNEhHEV5BpgOlA3TV2al-AS0YsdC9AdzWmC9Af8iWbz1wXO6qcC1wwxrIKnj4s6bshBqxkShu57IDLr_0uRQ58B_HdAgb5ypIFPKqRoTVMJVx42PCfyYR-rJz_Xjloz1BstR4JU/s1600/water+buff.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLEJvhFNEhHEV5BpgOlA3TV2al-AS0YsdC9AdzWmC9Af8iWbz1wXO6qcC1wwxrIKnj4s6bshBqxkShu57IDLr_0uRQ58B_HdAgb5ypIFPKqRoTVMJVx42PCfyYR-rJz_Xjloz1BstR4JU/s400/water+buff.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_HvIGaGhATe_5lFQVOVeSIL2R4pTnA0ipXn4uHEIwb4e1ETqkELCSNNgR0YbKCjx0RWrWAXaE4iPv6KZz8W89Am2YkajBK8VJUHibY5UY6wc9yUqgRYtEUo74zNUBR_-Tnccg22iEtm4/s1600/baby+knife.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="333" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_HvIGaGhATe_5lFQVOVeSIL2R4pTnA0ipXn4uHEIwb4e1ETqkELCSNNgR0YbKCjx0RWrWAXaE4iPv6KZz8W89Am2YkajBK8VJUHibY5UY6wc9yUqgRYtEUo74zNUBR_-Tnccg22iEtm4/s400/baby+knife.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Look closely and you will see the 10-inch knife in the little boy's hand. Who needs toys when you have sharp objects? (Photo by Elodie)</td></tr>
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At one
point we passed a group of children playing under the supervision of an elderly
man. We were taking photos of the kids and laughing as we showed them the result
in the camera’s viewfinder when the old man started gesticulating wildly, pointing
at our cameras and speaking animatedly to Lan. We were concerned that the man
was angry at us for taking pictures of the kids, but Lan explained that no, he
wasn’t upset: he simply wanted his picture taken as well. The man posed, grinning as Leslie, the South
African girl in our group, took a portrait of him. He was simply beside himself
with excitement to see the picture and laughed with abandon when Leslie showed
it to him. His mirth was contagious and soon all of us- the children, Lan, the
old man, our little group of tourists- were laughing together, sharing a simple
moment of joy that needed no translation.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKnDvQ8plcqoegkNQB-tOkmR2plKTyBKalDK76WMkc2lq0mS202Vz4x_JqO8vBz9h5BNP2rpAdd6SB03RmBBw23_66jAoeUhC2URRlMao1TepgFmxG1s8dOt59WiYvUmF-HMFWaiJ5J0o/s1600/children.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKnDvQ8plcqoegkNQB-tOkmR2plKTyBKalDK76WMkc2lq0mS202Vz4x_JqO8vBz9h5BNP2rpAdd6SB03RmBBw23_66jAoeUhC2URRlMao1TepgFmxG1s8dOt59WiYvUmF-HMFWaiJ5J0o/s400/children.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwkjg8pd1D_y_7EANVUbDEjhQnQC7vrPriUmcgfSdVd87ouR-yORRgfee1XVyASBjY0U4R-Ecv8nS8h_4zWJU_QvkCQdsNg9FFf9PGH7hqhZ0YWv1CLNO8XZsoAZXcebs84w3q7T5OKJs/s1600/kids+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwkjg8pd1D_y_7EANVUbDEjhQnQC7vrPriUmcgfSdVd87ouR-yORRgfee1XVyASBjY0U4R-Ecv8nS8h_4zWJU_QvkCQdsNg9FFf9PGH7hqhZ0YWv1CLNO8XZsoAZXcebs84w3q7T5OKJs/s400/kids+2.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our new buddy and his charges</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="265" src="https://fbcdn-sphotos-f-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/282273_10152136934210417_694021322_n.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Quite possibly the two cutest kids in Vietnam (Photo by Shaun Children)</td></tr>
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Our trek
included an overnight homestay with a family, who were part of the Red Dzao
tribe. While the Hmong people are known for their colorful indigo-dyed
outfits, complete with woolen gaiters on their legs, the Red Dzao tribe are
distinguished by their bright red head-dresses. The head-dresses are striking,
however some women opt for red fabric lined with white, which, if I’m honest, looks
uncannily like a Santa Claus hat. I
know, my cultural sensitivity is inspiring…</div>
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<span lang="EN-US">The
homestay was not only a great time (excellent home-cooked food, awesome
company), but it was also extremely comfortable. During every other trek we
have done, the beds in the homestays are mats or thick blankets on the floor,
but here, we had massive beds with pillows and mosquito nets! It was an
unexpected, and extremely appreciated, luxury. To top it off, we were also
treated to a Red Dzao tradition: hot, herb-infused baths. Our hosts boiled
locally-grown medicinal herbs in a massive cast-iron pot and then mixed the
scalding water with fresh water in wooden barrels for us to sit in and soak
away our aches and pains. I don’t know if there is anything in this world that
feels better after a 6-hour trek than a beer, a delicious meal and a hot herbal
bath.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSSoqDu0wRyXjb7gPctbpD8BFkE1khlyXrQJG74CEKTZ9qFztVjCYqnHv1yERdslzj7Q99-CdQeGXMEez4DPOx-2WOOyuztXlIEww0z8bHyjg1RJzgR_SELkZDjvE3C_M2U28Jwdm7jPQ/s1600/cooking.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSSoqDu0wRyXjb7gPctbpD8BFkE1khlyXrQJG74CEKTZ9qFztVjCYqnHv1yERdslzj7Q99-CdQeGXMEez4DPOx-2WOOyuztXlIEww0z8bHyjg1RJzgR_SELkZDjvE3C_M2U28Jwdm7jPQ/s400/cooking.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Helping Lan make spring rolls for dinner</td></tr>
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZXAS_BbrsyhwznEj0bLPdH2tyG4-3DLQz67NU4kW1KNiBi94Bfb-zcF5ixvaUEvp2vQmAFTk8M-PISej1lZQGRhk5tBddTajd7qU2f_8uZ1_px9fJb2LUvF-_RZm5aUMnGtkLI71o4iA/s1600/homestay.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZXAS_BbrsyhwznEj0bLPdH2tyG4-3DLQz67NU4kW1KNiBi94Bfb-zcF5ixvaUEvp2vQmAFTk8M-PISej1lZQGRhk5tBddTajd7qU2f_8uZ1_px9fJb2LUvF-_RZm5aUMnGtkLI71o4iA/s400/homestay.jpg" width="282" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">Our host, making dinner in her "Santa Hat"</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijjyQ0LYGJ58a44Y-Xsc1Y-Y0SqHbPDp0ZeoKD0UPBa0gR01H_T_nLoZ94zUt3qTjnxCsZ2-hi8IWtBraxoqCpoThrgICk3_RjD9wFfWfV_dY02_6LkaqOg3PPGMYckZDYjvWTPJ5eCFQ/s1600/v+bath.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijjyQ0LYGJ58a44Y-Xsc1Y-Y0SqHbPDp0ZeoKD0UPBa0gR01H_T_nLoZ94zUt3qTjnxCsZ2-hi8IWtBraxoqCpoThrgICk3_RjD9wFfWfV_dY02_6LkaqOg3PPGMYckZDYjvWTPJ5eCFQ/s400/v+bath.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Soaking away his worries (except the one about his wife taking pictures of him at bath time...)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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And now for
the obligatory social commentary portion of this blog post. Our homestay was interesting, but not in the
way we expected. What surprised us was just how similar the family was to any
other family in any other place in the world. Yes, the mother had on her Santa Claus hat and
the children were all dressed in traditional tribal dress, but that’s where the
differences ended. While the mom cooked dinner (over the kitchen’s open fire on
the ground), the kids did their homework. During dinner, as we tourists raved
over the tasty spread of dishes in front of us and chatted about our day, the
whole family ate silently, eyes fixed on the TV, where a Chinese program
dubbing into Vietnamese was playing. They all started out at the table, until
one by one, they turned their chairs towards the TV with apologetic smiles,
taking their plates in their laps. It was the normalcy of the situation and the
family that struck us. When we travel, we always focus on how things, and
people, are different from where we come from, when in fact we should be
looking at what we all have in common. Of course there are massive cultural
differences, but beyond the superficial, we really aren’t all that different.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">And with
that cloyingly clichéd observation, let’s jump to our next destination: Ninh
Binh, a smallish city a few hours south of Hanoi. We took the blissfully
comfortable overnight train from Sapa and arrived in Ninh Binh with two days to
explore. The city is a bit off the main tourist track, which was its biggest
draw for us. Although we loved our trek in Sapa, we were becoming concerned
that Vietnam was so firmly on the tourist trail that we would never get to know
the “real” side of the country. Thankfully, we saw it in Ninh Binh, where
strangers still waved to us in the streets and vendors didn’t try to add a
couple thousand extra dong to the prices of meals. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">The
countryside surrounding Ninh Binh is known as the “terrestrial Halong Bay” due
to its soaring green karst cliffs and rock formations that protrude from the
otherwise-flat ground. We rented scooters to explore the area (Vincent and
Elodie on one and me bringing up the rear on the other) and zoomed through
country roads and small towns that rarely see tourists. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP3Zkh883YeMHjU1YIPhuZDsgN8-v-5sUfreQFcND3I9WzFG7NXmQBPoU6jv8BGJ1SDgThe2nah9B1TXpdGKD42313btv-rSuCov_0cI5HjwxN-a_nzIBh1iEfUaj2sROMW6VAlCJo_4M/s1600/NB+boat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP3Zkh883YeMHjU1YIPhuZDsgN8-v-5sUfreQFcND3I9WzFG7NXmQBPoU6jv8BGJ1SDgThe2nah9B1TXpdGKD42313btv-rSuCov_0cI5HjwxN-a_nzIBh1iEfUaj2sROMW6VAlCJo_4M/s400/NB+boat.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVEklwfm97nCtpDcWU8k_pYdKJjstA-jttCaumkQNrqXSLj6y3_KH5BywG5fQT0syBn5coy5WME5hxsQ-99BuAjgSy1dV4rfON9CWYjkYSdR_3UNeS8GWAv-wT8lzK-iJGVrM6Emsb_Hg/s1600/NB+scooter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVEklwfm97nCtpDcWU8k_pYdKJjstA-jttCaumkQNrqXSLj6y3_KH5BywG5fQT0syBn5coy5WME5hxsQ-99BuAjgSy1dV4rfON9CWYjkYSdR_3UNeS8GWAv-wT8lzK-iJGVrM6Emsb_Hg/s400/NB+scooter.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizRFLVIAygJgwVE_TX72iFYf49FE5_7syMZioXXLPQt016isOz1Vmgcv-YNb8IzIjpm9lWGHDjNuwPsQbFprwUQYhUwg89NMJ6jGdVF9A1UJD_Cspb61c_73OasxKWFZAPmYvpUkGP5b8/s1600/graves+NB.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizRFLVIAygJgwVE_TX72iFYf49FE5_7syMZioXXLPQt016isOz1Vmgcv-YNb8IzIjpm9lWGHDjNuwPsQbFprwUQYhUwg89NMJ6jGdVF9A1UJD_Cspb61c_73OasxKWFZAPmYvpUkGP5b8/s400/graves+NB.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A flooded graveyard outside Ninh Binh</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="text-align: center;">We culminated
the adventure with a boat trip in a protected flood area during which a sweet
young woman rowed us in a cramped wooden sampan along the base of the towering
cliffs and through a cave. </span><br />
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<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP69q7g0fUo44MSnjp5FZHMi6S9iAZlob5XXvmHlOoSeSbg5Mmazz4MR86GIy6_PMzmKq1qMJPsTtjJBMZFrlcQpfdzxt-oDmIUO0WKcN_FZP_tyvc2mzdZlNxv2NRf0-1mPsQcc50Ino/s1600/me+e+boat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP69q7g0fUo44MSnjp5FZHMi6S9iAZlob5XXvmHlOoSeSbg5Mmazz4MR86GIy6_PMzmKq1qMJPsTtjJBMZFrlcQpfdzxt-oDmIUO0WKcN_FZP_tyvc2mzdZlNxv2NRf0-1mPsQcc50Ino/s400/me+e+boat.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">On our way
back to Ninh Binh, we passed through a tiny village whose narrow winding
streets wouldn’t have been out of place in Italy. Between the scooter and my giant
sunglasses, I felt like a trendy Italian, zipping through the back streets of
Rome. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">That is,
until I remembered that I was wearing convertible pants… <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqDkYjBm6a7cM8puNEmNCgiaBCOn-twsj_mCbcY2S9_dZEwjDtiQLyull01sLiIHk8HGNN-jFq1s7f5LRqz2zqfLglbYjgkNs7lEevMPTWS74Riw7c-i7MjIz_SbTX31-0bRc5UMI_ATk/s1600/models.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqDkYjBm6a7cM8puNEmNCgiaBCOn-twsj_mCbcY2S9_dZEwjDtiQLyull01sLiIHk8HGNN-jFq1s7f5LRqz2zqfLglbYjgkNs7lEevMPTWS74Riw7c-i7MjIz_SbTX31-0bRc5UMI_ATk/s400/models.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"></span></div>
Elissa and Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16232138608795741265noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8375913620743953550.post-67650807279562458232012-10-06T08:33:00.001-07:002012-10-20T09:26:52.012-07:00Good Morning, Vietnam<span style="background-color: #d9ead3; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">It’s
5:30 in the morning and I’m on the back of a complete stranger’s motorbike,
zipping through the streets of Hanoi. The early morning air is still blessedly
cool, the growing light still dim. In almost any other city in the world this
time of day would be quiet, peaceful even.</span><br />
<div style="background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="background-color: #d9ead3; color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="background-color: #d9ead3; color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">But
this is Vietnam. And at 5:30am in Hanoi, it is madness.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="background-color: #d9ead3; color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="background-color: #d9ead3; color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">Motorbikes
buzz by us like a swarm of bees, grazing my elbows as they pass. The traffic of
bikes, cars and roaring trucks flows like a river through intersections; the
lack of traffic lights transforming every side street into a tributary. There
is constant honking on all sides of us as the sidewalks, alive with activity,
speed by in a blur. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: #d9ead3; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: #d9ead3; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">A man
on a motorbike passes us, straddling two freshly butchered pigs, their lifeless
hooved legs bouncing as the bike flies over the pavement. We zoom past a woman
on a bicycle, a conical hat tied with a red checkered bow under her chin. On
the handlebars of her bike hangs a live chicken, its legs tied together over the
metal bar so that it sways upside down like a feathered handbag. On every side
of us people pass on their motorbikes, most wearing surgical face masks to
protect them from pollution. I vaguely wonder why I don’t have a face mask when
we are cut off by a scooter driven by a young women who deftly steers her bike
with one hand. With the other hand she is holding a tiny baby on her knee like
a sack of groceries as she weaves through the traffic.</span></div>
<div style="background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="background-color: #d9ead3; color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="background-color: #d9ead3; color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">We pass
a lakeside park where crowds of people are doing their morning exercises.
There are countless joggers around the lake and groups of 50 people doing Tai
Chi or following an instructor in an open-air aerobics class. Old men in
sandals stretch against a tree trunk. Several people are playing badminton on
sidewalk courts, while others kick around a soccer ball. It’s incredible: the
sun has just risen, the shops are still shut tight behind metal grates, the
office buildings won’t open for hours, but the streets are positively packed
with people. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="background-color: #d9ead3; color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="background-color: #d9ead3; color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">Crazy-busy
streets seem to be the norm in Hanoi, regardless of the time of day. The narrow
streets are a constant stream of motorbikes, making the city a veritable obstacle course for pedestrians. We quickly learned that if you wait for a break in
traffic to cross a street, you will wait forever; so we did what the locals do:
take a deep breath, close your eyes and just walk, letting the traffic go
around you. Any hesitation or back step will throw off the timing of the
endeavor and is the best way to get hit by a bike. You just have to walk with confidence and
trust that the drivers hurdling towards you are paying attention.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span lang="EN-US" style="background-color: #d9ead3; color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMQL8n97GxhJ57NT1vY99BIG8-5GodAJPvWsqbfNYSYoDx5aU-kF6wGHggVJmmm7TYCdo8XLYPRcWtB7Jzo1APE42Vg265PGitAwaqjHKVUUrYvtUdq9YkmveHY5glyCS9t7V_AfWJADQ/s1600/motos.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: #d9ead3; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="278" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMQL8n97GxhJ57NT1vY99BIG8-5GodAJPvWsqbfNYSYoDx5aU-kF6wGHggVJmmm7TYCdo8XLYPRcWtB7Jzo1APE42Vg265PGitAwaqjHKVUUrYvtUdq9YkmveHY5glyCS9t7V_AfWJADQ/s400/motos.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG8ObblDOcfPFuxRnN5w0ehosq_zgSOoj8wWdGsBY84utL42ZbEDr_5aN44maIuMx6qnn7O4C9KKSdR2YHrIdAWwDDwHyAgFpIn8ysWokgjHwUGpoh4Z1qCyWPYlT_XYJG-QbjqkxNhx4/s1600/scooters.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: #d9ead3; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="277" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG8ObblDOcfPFuxRnN5w0ehosq_zgSOoj8wWdGsBY84utL42ZbEDr_5aN44maIuMx6qnn7O4C9KKSdR2YHrIdAWwDDwHyAgFpIn8ysWokgjHwUGpoh4Z1qCyWPYlT_XYJG-QbjqkxNhx4/s400/scooters.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="background-color: #d9ead3;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
<span style="background-color: #d9ead3;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">Hanoi
is crazy and dynamic, and seems to be the most Asian of the cities we have
visited. Communism has left its mark and while there are a few
Western chain restaurants and shops, the city is largely resistant to
mass tourism and globalization. Yes, there is the typical tourist ghetto that
one finds in nearly every big city, but it only comprises of a street or two
and is easy to avoid. Just a block or so</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"> from the tourist center and
one finds local bars serving 40-cent beers and market stands selling dog meat.
It’s authentic, frenetic and fascinating. And it hit us like a punch in the face after the laid-back
tranquility of Laos.</span></span><br />
<span lang="EN-US" style="background-color: #d9ead3; color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGjgPAuwls1W8dMdQnLiCcErIu_9boWbZVkDNPvEtR2aRIkulQzN0QgGj2UAUASu8XqiTcrKMVRLCeK-1FvmG7T2yYm25gTDGaGDHsTcSWFBksZYLYmcsjbYKYqQM70cBBVQpMIold-2I/s1600/Dog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: #d9ead3; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGjgPAuwls1W8dMdQnLiCcErIu_9boWbZVkDNPvEtR2aRIkulQzN0QgGj2UAUASu8XqiTcrKMVRLCeK-1FvmG7T2yYm25gTDGaGDHsTcSWFBksZYLYmcsjbYKYqQM70cBBVQpMIold-2I/s400/Dog.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: #d9ead3;">A dog meat stand in the market</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOB91QF2kcssZGyYhQ8yXWKFXhS9uKunLbIsO9Ot065pzJrz5rX-bGl1iJ3j303KCUnI_3l9-VKjfan5RBUQoim6VQOeE-vZ7hwtdBHfNm3ghF1LiROehCzsVNQu1lubZq5ydK-qjqtO0/s1600/commie+prop+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: #d9ead3; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOB91QF2kcssZGyYhQ8yXWKFXhS9uKunLbIsO9Ot065pzJrz5rX-bGl1iJ3j303KCUnI_3l9-VKjfan5RBUQoim6VQOeE-vZ7hwtdBHfNm3ghF1LiROehCzsVNQu1lubZq5ydK-qjqtO0/s400/commie+prop+2.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: #d9ead3;">Commie propaganda </span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpZPHFggn9E6KSqX7MkaG4aCO8Kx72NjPlJYx9tQeHoGm_x9KU8DF0K6RLU_jI6U1NxkX-As84vv1VftFalhQP6LVIeiCn2ceOnDRMerqb8YFUALnW1ZSWSoWKFO1vkOSMDMZf8yT1B0E/s1600/commie+prop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: #d9ead3; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpZPHFggn9E6KSqX7MkaG4aCO8Kx72NjPlJYx9tQeHoGm_x9KU8DF0K6RLU_jI6U1NxkX-As84vv1VftFalhQP6LVIeiCn2ceOnDRMerqb8YFUALnW1ZSWSoWKFO1vkOSMDMZf8yT1B0E/s400/commie+prop.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaqcN00Qryc0gVkXfivhO6aEMGMhtRi3y73JDKHEhyphenhyphenHaKZ-KjIiyPj-O9vL3rKGh7KJOKS1fKendwpTUWf5aYtC9_RCUUvogKCUun_shKAe_JiZycphviEkngealgIc7B-q2ZyOPZqPxo/s1600/ma+jong.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: #d9ead3; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaqcN00Qryc0gVkXfivhO6aEMGMhtRi3y73JDKHEhyphenhyphenHaKZ-KjIiyPj-O9vL3rKGh7KJOKS1fKendwpTUWf5aYtC9_RCUUvogKCUun_shKAe_JiZycphviEkngealgIc7B-q2ZyOPZqPxo/s400/ma+jong.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: #d9ead3;">Men playing Mah Jong outside of a temple</span></td></tr>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background-color: #d9ead3; color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">We had
a couple days to kill before we were to meet Vincent’s sister Elodie in Hanoi,
so we headed out to Cat Ba Island via a bus-boat-bus-bus combo that sounded
way more complicated than it actually was. Cat Ba Island is one of the larger
islands (or possibly the largest, I'm too lazy to Google it) in Lan Ha Bay, which connects to the famed (and overly-touristic) Halong
Bay. Both bays are famous for their striking natural beauty: tall karst cliffs
blanketed in green trees that jut out of turquoise waters. It really is an
incredible area and Cat Ba Island ended up being a perfect jump-off point to
explore it. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background-color: #d9ead3; color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background-color: #d9ead3; color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">To get
a feel for the bays, we took a one day/one night boat trip through Lan Ha and
Halong Bay, passing through floating fishing villages and stopping to swim in
the clear blue water and kayak in hidden coves among the towering rock formations.
That night, we slept on the roof of our boat, which was docked in one of the
protected natural harbors in Lan Ha Bay. We enjoyed a delicious meal as the sun
dropped behind the cliffs and woke up with the sun as it rose again, bathing
the harbor in soft, pink light.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijjZYreCOfnQl86CdFUYMWk83RcOLOH54YF5rDTiY1ZzGcHPL_fc6MS9XETqELnIUumGsDTcJrZDEmzquMyXpwSXvrxES2qS5lVN4AiICJe_tB0TQDKUFPORud2FmuQnG6bwldQ1D6R4c/s1600/Bay+6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: #d9ead3; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijjZYreCOfnQl86CdFUYMWk83RcOLOH54YF5rDTiY1ZzGcHPL_fc6MS9XETqELnIUumGsDTcJrZDEmzquMyXpwSXvrxES2qS5lVN4AiICJe_tB0TQDKUFPORud2FmuQnG6bwldQ1D6R4c/s400/Bay+6.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: #d9ead3;">Vincent and his beard on a boat</span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii3XVrXJu2TZgQMkqVw-XX0Qyr_QPZJzVukkIVdUqaZDiE8TYfwn13o0ngzuVjaBKRFuzS797J66s_fBHTEQqUm7LzeIfGDLyrb2pkPdayvx8o8j3fSDbpA_J4HVaiUVymspWfke4MhlM/s1600/Bay+7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: #d9ead3; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="345" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii3XVrXJu2TZgQMkqVw-XX0Qyr_QPZJzVukkIVdUqaZDiE8TYfwn13o0ngzuVjaBKRFuzS797J66s_fBHTEQqUm7LzeIfGDLyrb2pkPdayvx8o8j3fSDbpA_J4HVaiUVymspWfke4MhlM/s400/Bay+7.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwhZYZL_ehTvqnqPoyx3Zi7ur3DLZVo-WTuoGVlKaswfd7ijvuCHB_Aldy9yj9QbFAxolUAnOn_cZNb73Hsqtkw8AKxvTmkBqLCOeBMdxC5HYNkSmd0uhQCo7kMnj8ePKzEBbBzul8DEo/s1600/Bay+sleeping.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: #d9ead3; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwhZYZL_ehTvqnqPoyx3Zi7ur3DLZVo-WTuoGVlKaswfd7ijvuCHB_Aldy9yj9QbFAxolUAnOn_cZNb73Hsqtkw8AKxvTmkBqLCOeBMdxC5HYNkSmd0uhQCo7kMnj8ePKzEBbBzul8DEo/s400/Bay+sleeping.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: #d9ead3;">Sleeping on the roof of the boat at dawn</span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLnt7ySdsvlUt05fXxPeo3Sq0_POSw6ej3Qiquy5aCcd_qblSOeV_9fO7HdrCRtrQ5jGV6zYe9xQ6wevyOnZOnV1mjRpYwaGmTsFD5I8cXNly8XSqNtCCYQcKXro_XBrmuvG5cpRRSueQ/s1600/bay+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: #d9ead3; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLnt7ySdsvlUt05fXxPeo3Sq0_POSw6ej3Qiquy5aCcd_qblSOeV_9fO7HdrCRtrQ5jGV6zYe9xQ6wevyOnZOnV1mjRpYwaGmTsFD5I8cXNly8XSqNtCCYQcKXro_XBrmuvG5cpRRSueQ/s400/bay+1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD3H371bPCWEvwRRjKHuALQRT68BC7797XMIgKk8IAzDCaVmIYlSQL4x4rqOOi_yXBL_8rtWLS1j3rZ7QT8dpWxle7mYhIljRI27QU2kPcIqqzptEzFdDP-mf425FygZqcdadIFaQuyRw/s1600/bay+village.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: #d9ead3; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD3H371bPCWEvwRRjKHuALQRT68BC7797XMIgKk8IAzDCaVmIYlSQL4x4rqOOi_yXBL_8rtWLS1j3rZ7QT8dpWxle7mYhIljRI27QU2kPcIqqzptEzFdDP-mf425FygZqcdadIFaQuyRw/s400/bay+village.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: #d9ead3;">One of Halong Bay's floating villages</span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl1NfKjipIJjpSum4nIGFQkitYxg8d6mUDNfF1rprsUNVnPw5FVhBNWoAm4tp-tAONdGxJZ9M6C1ibOGVFeQs0YvqwDrf4z9-Wm6lFBI_WwonY-v7FuFI0K5C-acci2Mz8I5pfWqJguUQ/s1600/bay+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: #d9ead3; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl1NfKjipIJjpSum4nIGFQkitYxg8d6mUDNfF1rprsUNVnPw5FVhBNWoAm4tp-tAONdGxJZ9M6C1ibOGVFeQs0YvqwDrf4z9-Wm6lFBI_WwonY-v7FuFI0K5C-acci2Mz8I5pfWqJguUQ/s400/bay+2.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdcy8PGxnMDMwVqa6ww4N2A2MMiSGPSF6E1pXusI83xb4NFRy3Pz694TkYAuNFTg7Mdnb1360Xs29uDIWhKWUEG8PxTJS1_o74kFaS2YSvA6LFBb0Ceu-xuN70kOw4OX3VYita5HYU1xk/s1600/bay+5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: #d9ead3; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdcy8PGxnMDMwVqa6ww4N2A2MMiSGPSF6E1pXusI83xb4NFRy3Pz694TkYAuNFTg7Mdnb1360Xs29uDIWhKWUEG8PxTJS1_o74kFaS2YSvA6LFBb0Ceu-xuN70kOw4OX3VYita5HYU1xk/s400/bay+5.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: #d9ead3; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">The
next day we decided to do something a little more adventurous: free climbing on
the cliffs over the bay. We piled with two other climbers and a climbing guide
into a small dinghy and headed to a slightly over-hanging cliff which dropped
off into deep water. The boat would bring us up the the cliff face, where we
would climb onto the rock. Once we were on, the boat would back away, leaving
nothing below us but our safety net: the water. With no ropes or harnesses to
hold us, we climbed until we couldn’t go any further or until we got tired
(which, honestly, wasn’t all that high- we are relative beginners when it comes
to rock climbing). When we were ready to drop, we would let go of the rock, pushing off slightly to clear anything jutting out below us and falling around 30 feet (10 meters) into the water below.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #d9ead3; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: #d9ead3; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">It was a blast. And, if I'm honest, we felt pretty badass telling people we had free climbed in Halong Bay, like we were a couple of extreme sports enthusiasts instead of complete beginners.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background-color: #d9ead3; color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">We
could have stayed longer in Cat Ba, but we had a date to make: we had to meet Elodie
in Hanoi. It was so strange and wonderful to meet up with family on the other
side of the world. The first five minutes were quite surreal, but then we all
fell back into our normal ways and before we knew it, we felt like Elodie had
been traveling with us the whole time. We spent another couple days in Hanoi
shopping, getting a massage and eating some delicious food from street vendors
and beer houses, where we enjoyed our meals elbow to elbow with locals who were
all too happy to explain to us just how incorrectly we were eating specialties
like dried beef and green papaya salad, fried tofu with tomato and garlic
sauce, and noodles with beef and fresh mint.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background-color: #d9ead3; color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #d9ead3;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">After
several days in Hanoi, we were ready for something a little more peaceful, a
slower pace. </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">We were ready for Sapa, Vietnam’s trekking capital. <o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: #d9ead3; color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: #d9ead3; color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">But that is another post entirely. Laos and Cambodia kind of got the shaft on this blog, what with all the rushing and the lumping, so I'm not about to make the same mistake with Vietnam. If history has taught me anything, it's this: </span><br />
<span style="background-color: #d9ead3; color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">You don't f-ck with Vietnam.</span></div>
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Elissa and Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16232138608795741265noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8375913620743953550.post-88018888621278897182012-09-22T09:35:00.000-07:002013-01-19T14:26:35.973-08:00Race Against Time: Cambodia and Laos<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">In my last post I promised to stop with the proselytizing about how evil American military policy is and get back to the travel stories- particularly those that are funny, miserable, disgusting, or preferably all three. And I intend to keep that promise. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">For the past three weeks, we have raced through 13 destinations, taking in the rest of Cambodia and all of Laos in a hectic, conical-hatted blur. We were racing for a cause: we needed to be in Hanoi by September 18th to meet up with Vincent's sister (and my beloved sister in law) Elodie, who is going to travel with us through Vietnam for two weeks. Even though we had a good reason to rush, thirteen places in 21 days is a lot. Like, bordering on travel fatigue a lot.</span><br />
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">As exhausting as it's been to be constantly on the move, we have had some crazy experiences: some crazy good, and some crazy bad. Let's start with the good, but be forewarned: this is one long-ass post.</span><br />
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">From our beach paradise, we headed to the sister towns of Kampot, a small river town in southern Cambodia, and Kep, an even smaller beach town an hour away. Both were pleasant enough, but we weren't there for the sights. We were there for the food.</span><br />
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Kampot is home to the famous Kampot peppercorns: fresh, spicy pepper berries served still on the stem that burst with flavor when you bite into them. These delicious little wonders are best showcased when cooked with and served over the equally famous Kep blue crab. We had the dish in each town to compare the awesomeness. The Kampot version was decent, but the one we had in Kep- with a view of the local fishmongers bringing our lunch in from the water- was almost good enough to make us forget how much we missed the beach. Almost.</span><br />
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Even better than eating the crab was visiting the Kep crap market, where the crustaceans are haggled over, sold, cooked and eaten by locals and visitors alike. The market is chaotic- as every good market should be- and we were enthralled as we passed from stand to stand, basket to basket of screamingly fresh seafood.</span><br />
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Next stop: the Mekong. </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A Mekong motorbike ferry</td></tr>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">We had our first glimpses of the mythic river in the small, relatively undeveloped Cambodian river settlement of Kratie and the more modern Lao equivalent, Pakse, across the border. Kratie was charming in its dusty simplicity and ended up being the only town in Cambodia that we visited where the people seemed unspoiled- unconcerned even- by tourism.</span><br />
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We started our time in Laos- which we ended up loving- in Pakse, a former French colonial town situated at the confluence of the Mekong and Se Don rivers. Pakse was beautiful and the more laid-back Lao attitude towards tourists was a welcome change from Cambodia.</div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">In Pakse, we rented a motorbike for a day and zoomed around the mountainous countryside outside of the town, passing coffee plantations and bamboo houses along the way. We stopped at a lovely waterfall and spent the afternoon relaxing with our feet in one of the cool, refreshing pools while watching local kids spear fish and splash in the water.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beers by the waterfall (and yes, I <i>am</i> rocking a shirt-turban)</td></tr>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">From Pakse we took an overnight bus up north to Vientiane, Laos' modern capital city, also built on the banks of the Mekong. Throughout the past nine months of traveling, we have taken several overnight buses, all with varying degrees of comfort. But this one took the cake.</span><br />
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">We had a bed. </span><br />
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">An actual full-length, surprisingly comfortable twin mattress, complete with pillows and a duvet. It was heavenly enough that the flashing, multicolored neon lights that lined the aisle floor seemed fun and exciting, rather than cheesy and obnoxious. Our only regret was that the trip wasn't longer.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our party bus</td></tr>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">We arrived in Vientiane well-rested, but with low expectations of the city about which we hadn't heard great things. Our experience ended up being better than expected: we had a few excellent meals and thoroughly enjoyed strolling along the city's river-side esplanade at sunset. As the sun goes down, all of Vientiane comes out to walk by the water front and socialize, making it the perfect place to people watch. </span><br />
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">After a couple days in Vientiane, we took yet another overnight bus to Luang Prabang, a gorgeous little city on the Mekong and Nam Ou rivers that boasts the best colonial architecture and cosmopolitan atmosphere in the country. In Luang Prabang we rented <i>another</i> motorbike to visit <i>another </i>comely waterfall where we hiked, picnicked, swam and visited a sun bear sanctuary.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This was exactly what Vincent and I looked like at Lazy Beach</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Aside from interesting colonial architecture and a budding culinary scene, Luang Prabang is most famous among tourists for its Buddhist Alms ceremony, when the monks from the town's monasteries walk the streets each morning at sunrise to collect donations of rice and fruit from pious villagers who line the sidewalks. The monks shuffle slowly in a long, silent procession of flowing, bright orange robes in the soft morning light. </span><br />
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The ceremony is peaceful and moving to watch, if one can ignore the throngs of tourists who yell and push each other aside, shoving their cameras right in the monks' faces to get the best picture. It is disgusting to see and made us feel dirty and ashamed to be in the same category of people as these uncultured sub-humans.</span><br />
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">When we had had enough of judging misbehaving tourists, we walked over to Luang Prabang's morning market, which was fascinating. It was early enough in the morning that the market was blessedly devoid of other tourists, who were all presumably too occupied with harassing monks to bother with market-going. We walked by women sitting on the pavement behind spread-out blankets that were covered with fresh greens and colorful produce. There were tables piled high with everything from spices, Lao coffee and flowers to water buffalo tails, live grubs and baskets of rats for grilling. Live toads with their legs tied together wriggled and croaked next to a heap of their less fortunate counterparts, who had been split open to show their freshness, their insides spilling out onto the table. We loved every minute of the market, but our stomachs needed a little down time before we were able to tackle breakfast.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Live grubs and dead frogs at the market</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Water buffalo parts anyone?</td></tr>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Luang Prabang also served as the base of another highlight in Laos: the Elephant Conservation Center, or the ECC (</span><a href="http://www.elephantconservationcenter.com/" target="_blank"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">www.elephantconservationcenter.com/</span></a><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">).</span><br />
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">When we were planning our trip around the world, I desperately wanted to visit some place where I could ride an elephant, preferably through a remote, undeveloped Asian jungle. Unfortunately, the reality of elephant tourism in SE Asia is much less romantic. Often the elephants are horribly mistreated, beaten and under-fed. They are made to carry three or four people for up to eight hours at a time- far more than they can healthily do without serious damage to their backs. Adult Asian elephants require around 300 pounds (135 kg) of food and over 100 liters of water a day to thrive, and unfortunately, most of the budget elephant tour operators in SE Asia don't have access to that amount of sustenance.</span><br />
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Having read about the problems associated with elephant tourism, I had all but given up on the idea of having an elephant experience when we came across an advertisement for the Elephant Conservation Center in Sayaboury, Laos. The ECC is first and foremost a sanctuary and veterinary hospital for domesticated elephants, which are still used in the logging industry throughout SE Asia. The center is part of a larger conservation program through the organization ElephantAsia, which aims to slow down the rapidly declining numbers of these endangered animals.</span><br />
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">To help fund the project,the ECC has recently started welcoming paying visitors to the center to learn more about the elephants and the conservation efforts surrounding them. We spent three peaceful, informative and fun days at the center, interacting with the elephants, watching them walk, feed and bathe in the lake, and yes, even riding them for a few minutes. </span><br />
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<br />
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">A short ride ended up being plenty of time, as riding an elephant might just be the most uncomfortable form of transportation there is. And believe me, I've experienced some uncomfortable transportation these past nine months.</span><br />
<br />
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Which is a perfect segue to the next leg of our Lao journey. This time, we took a bus further north from Luang Prabang to the lovely little river town of Nong Khiaw in the mountains, and then from there to the unremarkable transit village of Mong Khua via a seven hour boat ride up the Nam Ou river. We were quite excited to travel by waterway, especially on a small boat up a river lined with wild jungle and remote bamboo villages only accessible by water. What we didn't anticipate was just how uncomfortable seven hours on a hard wooden bench would be, particularly when our company on the little eight-person vessel included a hyper-active five-year-old who took a special liking to Vincent and refused to leave us in peace throughout the entire trip. If seven hours in a confined space with a five-year-old isn’t an effective advertisement for birth control, I don’t know what is.</span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzHy9rKL-4bjNpsJya2J_KnsRQHFgl9IBJxIpVI67DtLb8TJj-TpwjQGyamONDjiYN87PGnBh9_AbdXzfVj8_JN2FS3NzxRxaV7J5aHpEzDTKaVPNTWe2fb85Ki3Oal6bKijoTCTqR0vg/s1600/5+yr+old.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzHy9rKL-4bjNpsJya2J_KnsRQHFgl9IBJxIpVI67DtLb8TJj-TpwjQGyamONDjiYN87PGnBh9_AbdXzfVj8_JN2FS3NzxRxaV7J5aHpEzDTKaVPNTWe2fb85Ki3Oal6bKijoTCTqR0vg/s400/5+yr+old.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The reason our dads aren't getting grand kids any time soon</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<br />
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Aside from causing my ovaries to go on strike for the foreseeable future, the boat ride was more or less bearable. Unlike our minibus ride from Cambodia to Laos.</span><br />
<br />
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Duh duh duuuuh!</span><br />
<br />
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">This, my friends, is the puke story I promised you in my last post. You see, when we booked our trip from Kratie to the Lao border, we were promised a "VIP minibus."</span><br />
<br />
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">VIP my ass.</span><br />
<br />
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">What we got instead was 18 people shoved between backpacks and bags of rice in a vehicle built for 11 passengers. I was smashed with four other people in a seat made for three, with the left side of my bum on top of Vincent's right leg and a little old Khmer lady on my lap. </span><br />
<br />
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">All of this might have been tolerable had we been on a normal, paved highway. But this was no normal road. This was Cambodia, where the highways have so many potholes that navigating around them feels like a real life game of Mario Kart. Where cars that are already dodging foot-deep trenches in the asphalt must also swerve around packs of dogs, groups of chickens, skinny cows, lumbering water buffalo, people on bikes, people on foot, people on motorbikes, tractors, horses and every other form of transportation imaginable. Trucks loaded high with goods speed by, honking like mad, usually with a family of five sitting on top of the pile, clinging for dear life to the ropes holding the whole operation together.</span><br />
<br />
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Well, as I've already given away, this endeavor proved too much for some of my fellow passengers. Two kids, a brother and a sister, had been looking progressively greener as the trip wore on. Luckily, they were by an open window so that they could both hang their heads out to get fresh air. Unluckily, the boy, with no warning or additional movement at all, opened his mouth halfway out the window and proceeded to projectile vomit straight into the wind, which promptly blew the entire ordeal directly back into the face of his sister. </span><br />
<br />
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">And I mean, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">directly</i>. </span><br />
<br />
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">His sister, although understandably shocked, was quick enough to avoid the second onslaught. This batch, however, flew all over the side of the van, and back into the window on the poor German girl sitting next to Vincent. So there we were, wedged together, half the car dripping in child vomit (which, let's be honest, is the worst kind of vomit), speeding around obstacle after obstacle for the three-hour ride to Laos.</span><br />
<br />
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Now you might be thinking, "Wow, that sounds miserable." And it was. But, unfortunately, that was not our worst bus ride of the past three weeks.</span><br />
<br />
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">That honor goes to another "VIP" bus ride we took overnight from Vientiane to Luang Prabang. The trip started out ok: we had another single bed, albeit this time without the disco lights, and we settled in quite comfortably. However, about an hour into the trip, the bus pulled over on the side of the dark highway. </span><br />
<br />
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">And stayed there. For an hour. </span><br />
<br />
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">At first, we thought nothing of it- buses often stop for no apparent reason. But we soon realized by the smell of gasoline and the sounds of clanging metal coming from somewhere around the engine, that there was a mechanical problem with the bus.</span><br />
<br />
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">"No worries," we told each other. "The delay just gives us more time to sleep." </span><br />
<br />
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">After an hour and a half, we started moving again, only this time, we noticed that the driver had stopped the air conditioning. </span><br />
<br />
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">"Not a problem!" we chuckled. "In this mountain air, it won't be too hot at night anyway."</span><br />
<br />
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">An hour later, we stopped again. Sometime during this second stop, it started to rain and we soon realized that the bus leaked. </span><br />
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Right onto our bed.</span><br />
<br />
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">"No need to panic," we tried to convince ourselves. "The wet sheets will keep us cool, since it's starting to get warm in the bus."</span><br />
<br />
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The bus started up again and we continued in much the same way, stopping for an hour every hour to let the engine cool off. The rain had stopped, but the temperature in the bus was continuing to rise, causing everything to smell of damp socks. </span><br />
<br />
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">So the night continued. </span><br />
<br />
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Normally, the journey would have us arrive at 7:00am after eight hours on the road, but since we had been stopped for as long as we had been moving, we were only half way through the journey by the time the sun came up. </span><br />
<br />
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">And that's when things got really bad. </span><br />
<br />
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The temperature in the bus spiked with the rising sun, turning the bus into an air-tight mobile sauna. No air con, no fan, no windows that could be opened. It was easily 90 degrees in that f-cking bus and getting hotter every minute. </span><br />
<br />
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">As the bus continued its torturous one-hour-on-one-hour-off pattern, we lay dripping with sweat in our single bed, our wet sheets clinging to our roasting, sticky bodies, trying not to touch anything- including each other- and breathing through our mouths so as not to smell the sickening body odor of 60 perspiring passengers.</span><br />
<br />
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">It was at around the 12th hour of the trip that the first person threw up. </span><br />
<br />
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">I can't blame them, of course: 100 degree heat, no air circulation, winding mountain roads and a bus full of sweaty, stinking people is a recipe for disaster. But this one person, this poor, nauseated individual, started what can only be described as the most disgusting chain reaction in history. Person after person started getting sick- loudly- into plastic bags, filling the stifling, humid air with miserable retches and a horrid smell. </span><br />
<br />
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Just imagine this for a second: an inescapable, unrelenting heat, the unmistakable sound of people throwing up all around you, the smell of hot vomit mixing with the stench of a sweaty, unwashed hoard of people who are now on their 16th hour of what was supposed to be an eight-hour VIP bus.</span><br />
<br />
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Dear god, it was horrible.</span><br />
<br />
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">After more than 17 hours of this hell, we finally, <i>finally</i>, pulled into the bus station in Luang Prabang, where it was a violent stampede to get out of the cesspit that was our bus and into fresh air. </span><br />
<br />
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">But, you know, it's the journey- not the destination- that matters, right?</span><br />
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<br />Elissa and Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16232138608795741265noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8375913620743953550.post-23927130812901810692012-09-12T00:12:00.000-07:002013-01-19T14:10:08.557-08:00Unfair Lumping: Cambodia and Laos <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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and Laos deserve more than this.</span><br />
<br />
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Each country
rightly deserves its own glowing review in which I introduce the country, give
you a little background and then delve into the good stuff, like how we saw a
kid sitting in front of us in a mini-bus puke in his sister’s face.
Unfortunately for Cambodia and Laos (and
anyone who loves a good puke story), time, convenience and word-count dictate
that I lump the introductions of the two countries together in one post and
then lump our personal trials and tribulations in both places in a later one. </span><br />
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Call it
unfair lumping. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Which, now that I think about it, perfectly describes my teenage years.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">So let me
tell you a little bit about these two countries, which are both very similar
and worlds apart. Cambodia
and Laos look a lot alike: the same rainy season-drenched
rolling green hills (which apparently are dusty brown during the dry-season),
the same foggy mountains, the same expansive rice paddies, the same rural villages of stilted bamboo
houses, often built on the banks of a muddy river. The same smiling, welcoming, kind people,
traffic-clogged streets, honking motorbikes, golden pagodas. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Both are exceedingly
beautiful. Both are exceedingly poor.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Both are Buddhist,
studded with temples and monasteries, full of shaved-headed monks in bright
orange robes, striking against hazy, rainy, green-gray backgrounds.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">On a more
sinister note, both countries were ravaged by carpet bombs dropped from American
planes during the US’s secret campaign against Vietnam. As a result, both
countries are full of inhabitants with missing limbs, dead parents and
displaced families. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>More bombs were
dropped on Laos and Cambodia, countries on which America never actually
declared war, than on Germany and Japan <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">combined</i>
during WWII. Today, while undetonated American bombs continue to maim and kill
Khmer and Lao people, neither country could easily be located on a map by most Americans.
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">On the
surface, Cambodia and Laos have a lot in common. Both countries live in the
cultural and economic shadow of their more advanced neighbors, with Cambodia
being more similar to Thailand, and Laos to Vietnam. But as you get further
into the culture of each country, you realize that the real difference between
them is in their national psyches. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">While both
countries have seen their share of tragedy, Cambodia’s story is much darker, and the terror more recent,
than Laos’. The Khmer (Cambodian) people endured years of civil war and
American bombs during our Vietnam War, only to have the violence worsen beyond
imagination when a revolution in 1975 put the militant Communist Khmer Rouge
regime into power. The goal of the Khmer Rouge was to turn Cambodia to a
peasant-dominated agrarian cooperation, and to this end, the regime began
slaughtering anyone considered to be cultured, educated or an “intellectual”
and therefore a threat to their ideal. This doomed demographic included
politicians, doctors, teachers, artists, academics and many others. Even people
who wore glasses were considered as intellectuals and consequentially executed.
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Their families- including the elderly
and children- were either killed alongside them (often in front of their eyes)
or sent to “labor camps,” where the vast majority of inmates starved to death
or were murdered. While the exact numbers remain unknown, it’s estimated that in
just three years, nearly two million Khmer civilians died at the hands of the
Khmer Rouge before the Vietnamese invaded Cambodia and overthrew the regime. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Although
the Khmer Rouge’s rule officially ended in 1979, they continued to rein terror
on Cambodia for two more decades from their hideouts in the hills near the Thai
border.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There they waged guerrilla
warfare, including attacks on villages, transport systems and civilians, and
planting countless landmines that, to this day, continue to claim the lives and
limbs of Cambodians- many of whom weren’t even born at the time of the conflict.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">What is
even more shocking than the fact that these horrific events took place less
than 35 years ago is the fact that most people outside of Cambodia know nothing
about them. The atrocities of the Khmer Rouge against their own people are one
of those horrors against humanity that remain largely ignored by the rest of
the world.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Kind of like
Korean pop music, only bloodier.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">You may be
wondering why I insist on sharing this depressing story with you, but I promise there is a good reason. Without the background, one can't even begin to understand present-day Cambodia: the country's difficult past is still
soul-crushingly evident, even today. The country is not only impoverished, it is also
culturally and emotionally damaged. The vast majority of the Khmer
people are smiley and resilient, kind and capable. They have lived through hell, had their culture, history and national pride destroyed, yet they remain stoically hopeful for the future. Their strength is truly inspiring. But behind that remains a significant portion of the population that seems, I don’t know… desperate,
like their nightmarish past has zapped all dignity out of them. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">I certainly
don’t blame them. I wouldn’t be skipping in the streets either if my entire
family was slaughtered in front of me. But in Cambodia, much more than in the
poorer countries of Laos and Myanmar, one sees many, many people begging.
Filthy toddlers dressed in rags stand in the streets of Phnom Penh with their
hands outstretched to passing tourists. Six-year-olds troll restaurant patios
begging people to buy bracelets or books. Young women with dirty babies
sleeping in shoulder slings wave baby bottles in our faces demanding money.
Double amputees scoot themselves around restaurant chairs on pieces of
cardboard, most so down-trodden that they dare not even ask directly for spare
change. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The vendors
too seem more desperate than in other places we’ve been, and more likely to use
their desperation as a sales tool. Everywhere in SE Asia we have been hassled
to buy things, to take tuk-tuk rides, to sign up for tours (I’ll cover this
phenomenon in another post), but only in Cambodia have we felt that even the
vendors are begging-- begging us to buy something, anything, not because we
need what they are selling but because they need the money. The most common
response to our replies of “No, thank you” is either “Pleeease, I need money,”
or “Why noooooot?!”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">In
contrast, the Lao people seem infinitely more independent from tourism. Of
course there are the vendors and the tuk-tuk drivers, but by and large they can
be deterred with one “no, thank you” instead of six, even in the most touristy
areas. In two weeks in Laos, we have only seen one guy begging, and he seemed
like the kind of run of the mill crazy drunk one sees everywhere else in the
world. I don’t know, maybe it’s the Communism, but the poorer Lao people seem
to be better off, if not economically than emotionally, than their richer (but
still incredibly poor) Khmer neighbors.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">That said, the Lao
people still have their own problems to deal with, albeit slightly less damaging
ones than internal genocide. I know I’m insisting on this America-bombed-the-hell-out-of-Laos
thing, but it is important for me as an American to understand how my country’s
war affected the beautiful place </span><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">that I’m traveling
in,</span> full of wonderful, welcoming people. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The answer
is that our war is still affecting Laos.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">In the
hopes of deterring the transport of Vietnamese troops and munitions through
Northern Laos during the war, the US Army dropped an estimated 260 <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">million</i> bombs on the country between
1964 and 1973. It’s reported that during those nine years, around 580,350
bombing missions were flown over Laos. To put it into perspective, that works
out to be one planeload of bombs dropped on the neutral country every <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">eight minutes</i> for nine years. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Believe me,
I did the math.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">As if that
isn’t unfortunate enough, it is thought that nearly 80 million (or 30%-- I did
the math again) of those bombs didn’t detonate and remain hidden in Lao soil,
needing nothing more than a hard strike of a shovel or tractor blade to explode.
Since 1964, more than 50,000 people have been victim to these hidden
“bombies,” not to mention all of those killed during the attacks themselves. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">There are
of course numerous organizations* in place trying to find and safely clear away
the “unexploded ordnance.” Unfortunately, given the slow and dangerous nature
of the work, it is believed that at the current rate of clearance, it will take
over 100 years to rid Laos completely of this deadly legacy. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">All of this
in a neutral country on which the US never officially declared war. I love my
country, but <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">damn</i>.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">And on that
cheery note, I’m going to end this rant. Puke stories are sounding pretty good
right about now, huh?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">* For more information about some of the organizations operating in Laos to clear the bombs and assist their victims, click <a href="http://www.copelaos.org/" target="_blank">here</a> and <a href="http://www.maginternational.org/laopdr#.UFAx9a4-iSo" target="_blank">here</a>.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><br /></span></div>
Elissa and Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16232138608795741265noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8375913620743953550.post-51190414759359828942012-08-31T22:16:00.000-07:002012-08-31T22:22:27.980-07:00In Defense of BraggingNo one
likes a braggart.<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">No one
really wants to hear how amazing your life is, how happy you are, how
incredible is whatever it is that you are doing. Good news is rarely
interesting.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">The
problem, of course, is that sometimes there is no bad news. Sometimes life is
just f-cking extraordinary and gives you one good thing after another.
Sometimes things are perfect. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">But no one
wants to hear about those times.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">No one
wants to hear about the tiny, undeveloped tropical island off the coast of
Cambodia, where we spent ten perfect, peaceful, relaxing days living in a
bungalow on the beach. No one wants to know that it was the paradise everyone
looks for- but rarely finds- when they book a holiday at a beach resort. They
don’t want to hear that ours was the only establishment on an island with no
cars, no crowds, no internet or TV- no distractions or disturbances of any
kind. That the resort, at capacity, only housed around 50 people at a time and
that we never shared the place with more than about 30 other guests, often half that. That the
only sound day and night was the crashing of waves and the wind rustling
through the palm and pine trees that lined the beach. No one wants to know that
the soft, golden sand of the same beach was nearly always empty, that the turquoise
water was as clear and warm as a kiddie pool, that when the sea wasn’t as
smooth and calm as glass, it had rolling waves that were perfect for body
surfing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm0fMwfFVMc0hwUmhjT17NAUxtxJzmgRwUOeRaTgSEjEQxyFeC2_WIO-zOOLFNrjkdrxWNn-mdFYgSDgO6E2kzIiAmOaVyjrUC4EcUkFSJOn1cq3cyGkipN3c3I8PQNnTQeoNuOQq7Ltc/s1600/beach.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="371" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm0fMwfFVMc0hwUmhjT17NAUxtxJzmgRwUOeRaTgSEjEQxyFeC2_WIO-zOOLFNrjkdrxWNn-mdFYgSDgO6E2kzIiAmOaVyjrUC4EcUkFSJOn1cq3cyGkipN3c3I8PQNnTQeoNuOQq7Ltc/s640/beach.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">
</span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd03rSqkeIgVR4JwCwQ8GkXF0uudY_fiDq4rih_Y_m_vPLXIDgQCmpl58sSknThYxXUf6bz_RSimxsty1HccpOmIwrXYtQscrTsBHVZ6kzUWTkRSqwGG9ZzEYdQyXu89u3QpOVayYky5o/s1600/Me+storm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="347" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd03rSqkeIgVR4JwCwQ8GkXF0uudY_fiDq4rih_Y_m_vPLXIDgQCmpl58sSknThYxXUf6bz_RSimxsty1HccpOmIwrXYtQscrTsBHVZ6kzUWTkRSqwGG9ZzEYdQyXu89u3QpOVayYky5o/s400/Me+storm.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rider on the storm...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
People
don’t want to hear that our rustic, private bungalow had a heart-stopping view
of the sea, which we would gaze at from the two hammocks on our porch. That we
shared the whole peaceful scene under our thatched roof with nothing more disruptive
than a few innocuous geckos. That we slept with our door open every night to
let in the sea breeze and woke up to that view, that postcard perfect view, at
our feet every morning. They are not interested to hear that day in and day
out, the most stressful thing we had to do was decide what to choose from the
menu of the impressive restaurant. That I didn’t put on a pair of shoes, or
pants, or a watch, for a week and a half. That it was easily the most perfect,
relaxing getaway I’ve ever experienced- positively luxurious in its simple,
uncomplicated rusticity.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiM8cyLEo1h5NH2uCbWma5iqlxQvJo99cNcwHn7FaewQv0-HZNSZPdD9BvDWgwYeJNdMwIf_3mNQHCjXrWjBK3k89ha_Mz9OS0DclWcDSgAxKBzehqkvvQ1XIvdJC-pp6DWyiaRIZIuq8/s1600/cabin+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiM8cyLEo1h5NH2uCbWma5iqlxQvJo99cNcwHn7FaewQv0-HZNSZPdD9BvDWgwYeJNdMwIf_3mNQHCjXrWjBK3k89ha_Mz9OS0DclWcDSgAxKBzehqkvvQ1XIvdJC-pp6DWyiaRIZIuq8/s400/cabin+1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLsMpS0GuyHtBnzvGqFyC9RHUCUe8pi-Y8Bio303dnsU5F0hyphenhyphenTdvape5IeoZFSpjCVZN4q-uhG4GICbETd5GlSXxMJ3EabGquYKoqR7c4u1yWKAJzo9j8AGEo-eyGY_BdcLv5JVHXeHSQ/s1600/cabin+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLsMpS0GuyHtBnzvGqFyC9RHUCUe8pi-Y8Bio303dnsU5F0hyphenhyphenTdvape5IeoZFSpjCVZN4q-uhG4GICbETd5GlSXxMJ3EabGquYKoqR7c4u1yWKAJzo9j8AGEo-eyGY_BdcLv5JVHXeHSQ/s400/cabin+2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAzvJ9ZZbS-CF9D3YrklCR-3zHVpXCNH3wn3vblnqzIlqOmxcPEdLcYmoRQnIh9O0ehtmNDr2ktwORZMOQ3DgCvBoE_R88s88o3lNmX6XgIbaogVX4yyWpEx2D0YeT7CeuS97vcarJoog/s1600/gecko+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAzvJ9ZZbS-CF9D3YrklCR-3zHVpXCNH3wn3vblnqzIlqOmxcPEdLcYmoRQnIh9O0ehtmNDr2ktwORZMOQ3DgCvBoE_R88s88o3lNmX6XgIbaogVX4yyWpEx2D0YeT7CeuS97vcarJoog/s400/gecko+2.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gary the Gecko, our bungalow's mascot</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyNvLHVvv43NBfytbmBKPKrt5XrL62utDbk-GnSoVPZcVhYVny0y9Z7AJG-StpOUEofadVejM99d4TW24v66FoBEEceUc1e0GkqzqJCtzK-gLCXB0wRDN2J2gWB89ehp-97brERPbZfBY/s1600/gecko.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyNvLHVvv43NBfytbmBKPKrt5XrL62utDbk-GnSoVPZcVhYVny0y9Z7AJG-StpOUEofadVejM99d4TW24v66FoBEEceUc1e0GkqzqJCtzK-gLCXB0wRDN2J2gWB89ehp-97brERPbZfBY/s400/gecko.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gary keeping me company in our bathroom</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtYLz2plKQXdwyWLdSufqqI4tqVuToc9RwEQDDGUs8SvGwWhHuy_0bpHKZzrV9EN51_07R94el2CUJPNJ79Uo0BeVNo_miqt22pJ_9AFRZcV2lOzbyhPWJkBPQR_1kpHor5vMy1w9xK3M/s1600/me+hammock.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtYLz2plKQXdwyWLdSufqqI4tqVuToc9RwEQDDGUs8SvGwWhHuy_0bpHKZzrV9EN51_07R94el2CUJPNJ79Uo0BeVNo_miqt22pJ_9AFRZcV2lOzbyhPWJkBPQR_1kpHor5vMy1w9xK3M/s400/me+hammock.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I pretty much didn't leave that spot for 10 days</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1qLi6x2TBAs6HSt4kRTBUYDEXtlWMuXBWls9V5_928SNn3Ddm-eXilbWw8WoRfXQZSOheSZi1otn4Lk4_3msIJ1H53CLnKJHSfpKtizcNtX5Q2ey5CxVthxWec2SkqQ1NX3t2eA9_WFk/s1600/me+smile.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1qLi6x2TBAs6HSt4kRTBUYDEXtlWMuXBWls9V5_928SNn3Ddm-eXilbWw8WoRfXQZSOheSZi1otn4Lk4_3msIJ1H53CLnKJHSfpKtizcNtX5Q2ey5CxVthxWec2SkqQ1NX3t2eA9_WFk/s400/me+smile.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHUZ8Ti53FC8ggMJAsRDIP8Mg32ia7mGWHvWOu-_fgAdkeVDO4ZZAsXhfmqMK_nQ-7mWAmG1tu3pQ0MB5BbwXRr-KyfPk9CxtLwjFtC7ZxlObnfem9TYf7-vKyKN_SAdL6LChcTsgo9hk/s1600/sunset.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHUZ8Ti53FC8ggMJAsRDIP8Mg32ia7mGWHvWOu-_fgAdkeVDO4ZZAsXhfmqMK_nQ-7mWAmG1tu3pQ0MB5BbwXRr-KyfPk9CxtLwjFtC7ZxlObnfem9TYf7-vKyKN_SAdL6LChcTsgo9hk/s400/sunset.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
A classic,
mostly ineffective, way to kid oneself into thinking one isn’t bragging is to
shift focus on the negative aspects of an experience to downplay the positive: “Yeah, I won the lottery,
but it was only 20 million, and you know, after taxes it’s really not that
much.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">So I’ll
give that tactic a try: our bungalow was very basic. Generator-powered
electricity only after 6:00pm, no hot water or fan, toilets you had to flush
manually with a bucket of water. The tap water came from a nearby stream, so
drinking water had to come from bottles (although we ended up drinking the filtered stream water that the local staff was drinking). The
wooden beams of the bungalow wall were spaced enough to let any number of bugs
in- we slept under a mosquito net and counted on our resident geckos to keep
our home spider-free. It rained a little bit, forcing us in off the beach to
drink wine, play Scrabble and wait for the clouds to pass. And at $40 a night, it was the most expensive place we have stayed in since arriving in Asia.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">So, you know, it
really wasn’t all that great.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">Only it
was.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">In a
previous post, I apologized for abruptly neglecting my blogging duties for a
week and a half without warning. Now you know why. We arrived on the island
with the plan to stay for four days. Four turned to five, which turned to
seven. On the sixth day, the manager offered us two free nights, so our four
day mini-vacation turned into ten days of languishing denial that we would
eventually have to leave. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">The same
manager has tentatively offered us a job there in October.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">Nepal or
Lazy Beach? We have a decision to make…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></div>
Elissa and Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16232138608795741265noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8375913620743953550.post-39667584221348899432012-08-29T16:49:00.002-07:002012-08-29T16:49:50.835-07:00Angkor...What?!<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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</xml><![endif]--><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">You’d think
that after several days exploring the pagoda-studded plains of Bagan, we would
be a little templed-out. Instead, we decided to test our threshold for
religious edifices by going straight from Myanmar to the famed temples of
Angkor in Cambodia. Actually, we didn’t go <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">straight</i>
there- we stopped for two temple-free days in Bangkok spent eating and drinking
with friends, but for the sake of my temple-to-temple narrative, let’s just
pretend that didn’t happen.</span><br />
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The temples
of Angkor, constructed between the 9<sup>th</sup> and 12<sup>th</sup>
centuries, are some of the most visited sites in Asia, while their crown jewel,
Angkor Wat, is considered to be the grandest, most important religious building
in the world, rivaled only by the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">As you can
imagine, our expectations were high.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Using the
surprisingly developed town of Siem Reap as our home base, we bought a
three-day pass to visit the various temples in the Angkor area. One could
easily spend a week exploring the temples, of which there are many in varying
degrees of preservation, but we thought a week of temples would be bordering on
overkill. Three days ended up being the perfect amount of time to leisurely
explore the main sites. We saved Angkor Wat for last, reasoning that it would
be the grand finale and that anything that came after it would seem
anti-climactic in comparison. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The first
day, we hired a tuk-tuk, which is essentially a carriage pulled by a motor
bike, and left at 4:30am in order to hike up a hill and catch the sunrise over
Angkor Wat and the surrounding jungle. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj76-5-53jXkP9UQPxKFuRrB9a8eeFTfojebusMQGZn5bj95BZsP8bHrGRW5ZilU1P_bWDgWCp_X7kbRgxAAqY4fVi3bgcdEwFoYc7SYYbavEypv3TC2lme2NP1CSu-6LrwC2hM8QB66WY/s1600/sunrise+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj76-5-53jXkP9UQPxKFuRrB9a8eeFTfojebusMQGZn5bj95BZsP8bHrGRW5ZilU1P_bWDgWCp_X7kbRgxAAqY4fVi3bgcdEwFoYc7SYYbavEypv3TC2lme2NP1CSu-6LrwC2hM8QB66WY/s400/sunrise+2.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0SfENSgeocp96GMchEaOFDsvEoCU9Jh5Ilq-Xp0-1N5YMAwAmfcfrUFCFdKKwvUXuu-5V3KQ7irfcunB6uaavfu5X_oid5bSpjdQQs1ydAjOz1dMhR9hb47WOBEM30gG-uRaTNP1664A/s1600/sunrise.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0SfENSgeocp96GMchEaOFDsvEoCU9Jh5Ilq-Xp0-1N5YMAwAmfcfrUFCFdKKwvUXuu-5V3KQ7irfcunB6uaavfu5X_oid5bSpjdQQs1ydAjOz1dMhR9hb47WOBEM30gG-uRaTNP1664A/s400/sunrise.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our first, hazy glimpse of Angkor Wat</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Once the
sun was up, we continued our tour, taking in several of the better-known
temples and trying to time our visits to avoid the oppressive tour groups of
Chinese and Japanese tourists that threatened to overtake us in a wave of
umbrellas, cameras and cheesy poses with the obligatory two-fingered peace
sign. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Despite the
hordes, the temples were incredibly impressive. While Bagan’s main draw was the
sheer number of temples in a relatively small area, Angkor boasts quality over
quantity. The main temples are massive, and although many are half in ruins,
they remain ornately detailed with religious carvings throughout. </span><br />
<br />
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">There was the
Bayon temple, with over two hundred enormous faces carved into its walls and
towers, looking down on visitors with blank, enigmatic stares. </span></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY02ziZ1Kx_PvV3q32ZqZLABy6EnV2x3HtwKBkVSK2aN436Ajd41ZRPVrahP3M_OrOqNe58mTIZDAwOWaWxmJgmBDcDoW6k5wsro20a3glQ6hS3uqD9MVxzxXlZchlhHf86_3j4CbJz6s/s1600/Angkor+thom+gates.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="291" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY02ziZ1Kx_PvV3q32ZqZLABy6EnV2x3HtwKBkVSK2aN436Ajd41ZRPVrahP3M_OrOqNe58mTIZDAwOWaWxmJgmBDcDoW6k5wsro20a3glQ6hS3uqD9MVxzxXlZchlhHf86_3j4CbJz6s/s400/Angkor+thom+gates.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuW1VLEZ3fMzYCgG5uyj9BvhtWGUQjibIKpvW31MQgbE3ktPXYQ7T7kTZeLIANvPMHDxGNm_qJFQ5L4HjbbaayxnmSqs0SjPUlEjKtlfDV1_nJuaHPbxXcU0MicHATzpQ8NUIArhIhEZQ/s1600/Bayon+face.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuW1VLEZ3fMzYCgG5uyj9BvhtWGUQjibIKpvW31MQgbE3ktPXYQ7T7kTZeLIANvPMHDxGNm_qJFQ5L4HjbbaayxnmSqs0SjPUlEjKtlfDV1_nJuaHPbxXcU0MicHATzpQ8NUIArhIhEZQ/s400/Bayon+face.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicosb4ECNH623ZjjVhILggeViB6SQgJqAo9TG8JcVXeTucCMfakLCj0SwUI4sqcqIey_CgF-Y5k6jFEisRtD8TK4lu_RQMUa381HASjjZXOazqRhVDtj7gW7bK836xzuEZVvmOovrKUUY/s1600/Bayon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicosb4ECNH623ZjjVhILggeViB6SQgJqAo9TG8JcVXeTucCMfakLCj0SwUI4sqcqIey_CgF-Y5k6jFEisRtD8TK4lu_RQMUa381HASjjZXOazqRhVDtj7gW7bK836xzuEZVvmOovrKUUY/s400/Bayon.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcJFOIZ-6mmrN5uZ7VKFnkYisHCsq0ss-UOpsfx1wTO7SiDn5AawL2ef9O-GKS3y2Uz-0GbSfqvR4RTsOsBkix5nqLNrn4vAza8trT9qJjfOyeudnu5o-J5YElJaNGJLXE5OAV9hpzxeA/s1600/bayon+face+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcJFOIZ-6mmrN5uZ7VKFnkYisHCsq0ss-UOpsfx1wTO7SiDn5AawL2ef9O-GKS3y2Uz-0GbSfqvR4RTsOsBkix5nqLNrn4vAza8trT9qJjfOyeudnu5o-J5YElJaNGJLXE5OAV9hpzxeA/s400/bayon+face+2.jpg" width="268" /></a></div>
<br />
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The alleyway in
Angkor Thom lined with image after image of intricately etched dancing deities. </span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6dvfE15X-bafh0w6bjyh6e0aGhyphenhyphen74mxJH2r38z7L-kHdjnkMqJUG4StnaGdSRLchXkwY5VAP2FnYTcrGLOAfpiBfAn9PVQM8PVyHDI-KCwzH6ID123KZDyJt3IMA2AhEm3uGIca0y1zQ/s1600/carving+1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6dvfE15X-bafh0w6bjyh6e0aGhyphenhyphen74mxJH2r38z7L-kHdjnkMqJUG4StnaGdSRLchXkwY5VAP2FnYTcrGLOAfpiBfAn9PVQM8PVyHDI-KCwzH6ID123KZDyJt3IMA2AhEm3uGIca0y1zQ/s400/carving+1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<br />
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The mysterious, inaccessible ruins of Preah Khan, the soaring terraces of Pre Rup and the mind-blowingly detailed carvings in the well-preserved art gallery that is Banteay Srei.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3lbcWfK0u0HIoF76d-LUunzFazYOpSJYjbFGirFuCQ7n6vSnkc90yUHpS2UcijbBzbzOQUl7HjVS8gWj6d7OTEu4pOj9-HvwIrC7HQ5C5SvZLIY3XKSAZ4DLC4I9hq8ya1SbUjwmDLP8/s1600/v+gargoyle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3lbcWfK0u0HIoF76d-LUunzFazYOpSJYjbFGirFuCQ7n6vSnkc90yUHpS2UcijbBzbzOQUl7HjVS8gWj6d7OTEu4pOj9-HvwIrC7HQ5C5SvZLIY3XKSAZ4DLC4I9hq8ya1SbUjwmDLP8/s320/v+gargoyle.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Can you spot the ridiculous Frenchman?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin7syTCyAeGTTlWvvGZjiTvUhEpv2Fk58q5xDNsKQkHuNvnQP7xZ6SK4MZe-IIxV2UtJUqOc4S5yTjqgwzpiQHdYFRjVffQt34EDt2TLnkwfS4M6g84akIsZL7O1rOpGl6Ahglrb7FFNE/s1600/carving+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin7syTCyAeGTTlWvvGZjiTvUhEpv2Fk58q5xDNsKQkHuNvnQP7xZ6SK4MZe-IIxV2UtJUqOc4S5yTjqgwzpiQHdYFRjVffQt34EDt2TLnkwfS4M6g84akIsZL7O1rOpGl6Ahglrb7FFNE/s400/carving+3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">While most of the temples
have been reclaimed from the jungle that overtook them many centuries ago, a
few, the best example of which is the eerie Ta Prohm, still have trees<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>growing from their walls, making the sites
feel like an Indiana Jones movie set. </span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLzPlw3358e9f1m_MQ1JCDujbr3gOTHVenOrPvRpn1pYAzijBN0ea37YYiK7Fu7KRIa_bdnWzzED5xbicm3EAH38L5KbKhnfcWwSj66S7ZUZihTMFJyx5ZMxtdjWtgU96NnpSuXARSCwI/s1600/tree+2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLzPlw3358e9f1m_MQ1JCDujbr3gOTHVenOrPvRpn1pYAzijBN0ea37YYiK7Fu7KRIa_bdnWzzED5xbicm3EAH38L5KbKhnfcWwSj66S7ZUZihTMFJyx5ZMxtdjWtgU96NnpSuXARSCwI/s400/tree+2.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2zVKbukaxDPM7kxyac5oxMpTlgnFnqw5_qyE7vdWjkR4AEaCuvsz0Bf2ggB6X86XRnwk_9ineNuU4Lk637c43X6oqNt2roflCmtY4mLPrEL7gr25Qa_TZVQs8lQY3eT9bDTPAJyt0gFI/s1600/tree+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2zVKbukaxDPM7kxyac5oxMpTlgnFnqw5_qyE7vdWjkR4AEaCuvsz0Bf2ggB6X86XRnwk_9ineNuU4Lk637c43X6oqNt2roflCmtY4mLPrEL7gr25Qa_TZVQs8lQY3eT9bDTPAJyt0gFI/s400/tree+1.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrJcRPqBQua3jwAoQ8PqwVsys1I09F0a2qnSVP16d8flxNqaAvo-RA5V-25sqq9uo4VAV8d0jZ7ui0HSlSZiwwVQBn0hepxYMFPJ0WpF9fffJla6uU3bfropQgaylkjf5P2Ja7zV64jP8/s1600/tree+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrJcRPqBQua3jwAoQ8PqwVsys1I09F0a2qnSVP16d8flxNqaAvo-RA5V-25sqq9uo4VAV8d0jZ7ui0HSlSZiwwVQBn0hepxYMFPJ0WpF9fffJla6uU3bfropQgaylkjf5P2Ja7zV64jP8/s400/tree+4.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Our second
day of sightseeing (which was actually our third day in the area: Day Two was
spent sleeping in, working out in our guest house’s rooftop gym, getting
Cambodian massages and eating. Pretty rough day, if you ask me…), we hired
another tuk-tuk to take us further afield to a site called the River of a
Thousand Lingas. The site is a sacred place where the Angkorian people carved
into a river bank hundreds of religious images, including <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">lingas</i>, or the ancient fertility symbols consisting of a phallic
form, or <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">linga</i>, set in a <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">yoni </i>shaped like the female equivalent.
In religious ceremonies, water was poured over the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">linga</i> to pool in the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">yoni</i>,
creating holy water that represented the sexual energy of creation. </span><br />
<br />
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">If only
Catholic mass was that hot…</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The River
of a Thousand Lingas included a little hike through the jungle to a waterfall,
where we were able to cool off, while Japanese tourists pushed each other aside
to take pictures of us. Of course they did.</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKzYrsFI7PjMhH4p8qnpd0Mrdxq0sjd3XY2SLxYniqsApyoPIeIQV8KXoDBhgwm41a4oPJHnCSfl221bQBXvyqzYdgPF4TDWeqs05Ib5LRZZmZXU0WO3ca2f_7ZdSh0nDGzQmKrSxTDjA/s1600/me+waterfall.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKzYrsFI7PjMhH4p8qnpd0Mrdxq0sjd3XY2SLxYniqsApyoPIeIQV8KXoDBhgwm41a4oPJHnCSfl221bQBXvyqzYdgPF4TDWeqs05Ib5LRZZmZXU0WO3ca2f_7ZdSh0nDGzQmKrSxTDjA/s400/me+waterfall.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQjpBewdLukNEW04ipR-fnPafGSUdHELdQpjX9L9aTMhBUuGSogsjmsQddEOMWfJoU4o0bc5cHWsn6GwGoScOAKEz4D7k3Em5WTvbE_HbIVYSYGgRLbmSTOvl9d8nkH6Ee4-QsjCdVUJ0/s1600/river+carvings+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQjpBewdLukNEW04ipR-fnPafGSUdHELdQpjX9L9aTMhBUuGSogsjmsQddEOMWfJoU4o0bc5cHWsn6GwGoScOAKEz4D7k3Em5WTvbE_HbIVYSYGgRLbmSTOvl9d8nkH6Ee4-QsjCdVUJ0/s400/river+carvings+1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdkwNRazFB2rRy-50oiaPotq7yBnSWXMddIobqHS3YmN-M5Bg87YR5khfoQQsqO9Z6pMNB17glGE6bu7YDRYnv5KelLEiU0nefbZ_7dHJ4HS2XkFHrrgp2m02ir0kPQPU7ycds728HTzE/s1600/river+carvings+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdkwNRazFB2rRy-50oiaPotq7yBnSWXMddIobqHS3YmN-M5Bg87YR5khfoQQsqO9Z6pMNB17glGE6bu7YDRYnv5KelLEiU0nefbZ_7dHJ4HS2XkFHrrgp2m02ir0kPQPU7ycds728HTzE/s400/river+carvings+2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">On our last
day, we again woke up for the sunrise over Angkor Wat, only this time we went
by bicycle, peddling half asleep in the dark to the temple in time to see the
sun come up behind those three famously rounded towers. It really was an
awe-inspiring sight, despite the fact that we had to share it with about a
thousand other people, most of whom had arrived by tour bus. </span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQx6WH1qr7FaMBDuthRKTwOP-4Q_6o0Z61Caf7jHrxDnJsgaqHZCVZ9yiYedswNkk4JC4BqHXzZGbmkvtE5SrRv33k2ZUmXnIQfmVeakTLORxZU87v7T1JSjw6_5eTHs2KVty1cv09c38/s1600/IMG_1903.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQx6WH1qr7FaMBDuthRKTwOP-4Q_6o0Z61Caf7jHrxDnJsgaqHZCVZ9yiYedswNkk4JC4BqHXzZGbmkvtE5SrRv33k2ZUmXnIQfmVeakTLORxZU87v7T1JSjw6_5eTHs2KVty1cv09c38/s400/IMG_1903.png" width="303" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3ikjYitRSjMh0S6bV_RtktJmo-l_3duD1Tki3-0ZGrSyVSy_BWx8Dm-jg9GJ0ov6dNQOaP8hA5cnKF3SRhg1-YZZCL4kqOgVvSiIs8iNxzskhzNaV1Ff40mFHs4rTBq1-AZp6slyDu9E/s1600/angkor+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3ikjYitRSjMh0S6bV_RtktJmo-l_3duD1Tki3-0ZGrSyVSy_BWx8Dm-jg9GJ0ov6dNQOaP8hA5cnKF3SRhg1-YZZCL4kqOgVvSiIs8iNxzskhzNaV1Ff40mFHs4rTBq1-AZp6slyDu9E/s400/angkor+3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-Sr0G-O32EhDKVL3C9yLmK_PXn-SwgN01d2xJM64o2zFip5kDsNUYxZ1JPYRCI1ZkmGb1838dPysb92byWA1ve66l-7_5Xv2LgYdoYSPFETrEZp0eXIa7K0GIkHZHtkk5rfqbljOQkvo/s1600/angkor+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-Sr0G-O32EhDKVL3C9yLmK_PXn-SwgN01d2xJM64o2zFip5kDsNUYxZ1JPYRCI1ZkmGb1838dPysb92byWA1ve66l-7_5Xv2LgYdoYSPFETrEZp0eXIa7K0GIkHZHtkk5rfqbljOQkvo/s400/angkor+4.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Once the
sun was up, the mass of human bodies retreated, assumingly for breakfast as
part of their tour package, and we had Angkor Wat, the most important religious
building in Asia- if not the world, nearly to ourselves. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">And it was
every bit as amazing as we had expected. </span><br />
<br />
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">First off, it is enormous- much bigger
than it looks in pictures. Rivaling its impressive size are its painstakingly detailed carved frescoes and decorative carvings found on nearly every surface, which underscore
the dominance of Hinduism in Cambodia at the time of the building’s
construction. Scenes from Hindu epics line the outside walls, while more recent
statues of Buddha dominate an indoor courtyard. The structure has been
meticulously preserved and lovingly restored where necessary. The result is a
place that transports the visitor back in time. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">That is,
until the tour buses come back after breakfast.</span><br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlb9vPo9_PjbH9iaYYBesRJB1XeGV0RbpbvHbb4bq4ADIlwhAjkatSEWPHwKj4rjfYmI3R1kPt7lrHgZbtu0RQLHLdisHEoeFPIQObDUEmBqYQfsTTBGX0V2LizXtHYL-dLdn7BI8VKqU/s1600/amgkor+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlb9vPo9_PjbH9iaYYBesRJB1XeGV0RbpbvHbb4bq4ADIlwhAjkatSEWPHwKj4rjfYmI3R1kPt7lrHgZbtu0RQLHLdisHEoeFPIQObDUEmBqYQfsTTBGX0V2LizXtHYL-dLdn7BI8VKqU/s400/amgkor+2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJgpwSuQBHg0s_ZcJSWUXPwxQ2-Chlrmq0zST5H_482ptMPgT1asmDOLP-UtMliRJpulcCUcgjV1RdZVZUEtKs6HdUo2g-5LkJoorD1cGv477ur1sM802N37EMOa1Fg6TSMxhJIPHxl_Q/s1600/angkor+5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJgpwSuQBHg0s_ZcJSWUXPwxQ2-Chlrmq0zST5H_482ptMPgT1asmDOLP-UtMliRJpulcCUcgjV1RdZVZUEtKs6HdUo2g-5LkJoorD1cGv477ur1sM802N37EMOa1Fg6TSMxhJIPHxl_Q/s400/angkor+5.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYlOk7yuMiBo55K7JRHyGBWfexj8JgW2gaGPw2C5K2OTg4GYLLv-op8O6falyeNBXqrKXA_oQllQJGagUleMhrLZf_BawMR1kccCCBbyoRgqQOtJAuLYXhumnskMjDBpw7mrqK8QjbhXQ/s1600/angkor+carvings.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYlOk7yuMiBo55K7JRHyGBWfexj8JgW2gaGPw2C5K2OTg4GYLLv-op8O6falyeNBXqrKXA_oQllQJGagUleMhrLZf_BawMR1kccCCBbyoRgqQOtJAuLYXhumnskMjDBpw7mrqK8QjbhXQ/s400/angkor+carvings.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Just one scene from the extensive frescoes inside</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjml6RQj5CQIweDDcRV8wBqsVW1f2JznoBEstJRirwH5LOc71990GDhKt5SJ7V94GO_bsAaadBOLHWCYU6aURT9SjjFU3CVohrTBvA9dIGHndBTv3ZTwuTXE83uk5flVm0eMmtUBXvntMs/s1600/angkor+6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjml6RQj5CQIweDDcRV8wBqsVW1f2JznoBEstJRirwH5LOc71990GDhKt5SJ7V94GO_bsAaadBOLHWCYU6aURT9SjjFU3CVohrTBvA9dIGHndBTv3ZTwuTXE83uk5flVm0eMmtUBXvntMs/s400/angkor+6.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Although
Angkor Wat was a magnificent sight to behold, it was not the most memorable of
our time in Siem Reap: that honor falls to what happened during the massage we
got on our last day. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The massage
itself was relaxing and wonderful, but what raised it in our esteem from an
hour of bliss to a trip highlight all started with laundry day. You see, before
our massage, we had dropped off our laundry, which included all of Vincent’s
boxers, to be cleaned. Logic of deduction will tell you what Vincent had on
under his shorts for the massage. As we got undressed in our joint massage room,
Vincent took off his shirt, but kept his shorts on, assuming the masseuse could
work around them. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">How wrong
he was.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Vincent’s
masseuse, an adorable shy Cambodian girl of 25, asked him to remove his shorts
for the massage. Vincent explained that he couldn’t take off his shorts because
he wasn’t wearing any underwear. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">“No
underwear?” the girl frowned. She consulted with my masseuse in rapid-fire Khmer
(the language of Cambodia), apparently discussing what to do. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Finally,
she turned to Vincent, “Don’t worry, I have something you can wear.” <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">She stepped
out of the room and returned a moment later with something balled up in her
fist. Proudly, she handed Vincent her solution, which he held up to examine. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">It was a
pair of tiny, black mesh bikini briefs with white floral embroidery. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">“Are you
serious?” Vincent bleated, holding up the panties, which would have been snug
on me and downright lewd on him. “You want me to wear these?”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">“They have
been cleaned,” the masseuse replied, somewhat missing the reason behind
Vincent’s incredulousness. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">By this
point, I couldn’t even pretend to hide my laughter. The horrified look on
Vincent’s face was topped only by the sight of him once he finally acquiesced
and donned the shrunken, flowery briefs. I will spare you an actual photo of
the moment, but the mental image of Vincent in his miniscule panties would
haunt me throughout my massage, causing me to burst out into barking laughter at
random. My mirth would lead Vincent to start laughing, which would in turn make
our two masseuses giggle uncontrollably. The whole massage was a disaster, with
the four of us cracking up the entire time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We finally managed to pull it together until Vincent’s masseuse made his
bikini into a thong to massage his hips. It was game over after that.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">When the
massage was finally finished, we thanked our masseuses and apologized for acting
like children. As we were paying and getting ready to leave, Vincent’s masseuse
asked, without a hint of irony, if Vincent wanted to keep the briefs. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Sadly, he
decided against it under the guise that maybe one day they would bring as much
joy to someone else as they did to us. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In
reality, I think he just didn’t want any evidence of what was, for him, a
traumatizing experience.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">And since
I’m such a good wife, I’m supporting his recovery by immortalizing his
humiliation in my blog. Love you, honey.</span><br />
</div>
Elissa and Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16232138608795741265noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8375913620743953550.post-42719086018925637712012-08-25T03:07:00.002-07:002012-08-25T03:07:58.765-07:00Burma Diaries, Continued<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">But first,
I owe you an explanation. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">It has been
my goal since the beginning of the trip to try to post a blog update at least
once a week. It has now been a week and a half since my last post, and for
that, I apologize. You see, the problem with my first goal is that it is not
always conducive to my second goal, which is to never let my documentation of
the trip interfere with the adventure itself. For most of the trip those two
goals have lived in harmony, but this past month or so has made it clear that a
weekly post is not always possible. In a later blog post, I will explain why I
was MIA for 10 days (hint: it involves a bungalow on a paradisaical undeveloped
island with limited electricity and no internet), but please know that I
appreciate your patience and your readership despite my sporadic posting
schedule.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">When I left
off, we had returned from a fantastically miserable nine-hour hike in the rain,
half of the day spent lost and frustrated. We were relieved to finally return
to our guesthouse in Hsipaw and nurse our sore legs and wounded pride with an
indecent amount of beer.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Day 11:
Rain, aching legs and a nasty stomach bug (my first since leaving South
America) keep us on our guesthouse balcony the entire day: reading, chatting
with the other backpackers we had met during our hike and generally letting
ourselves relax. When I ask the adorable older lady who runs the hostel if she
can recommend something to take for an upset stomach, she tells me, “Wait
here.” She disappears and then returns two minutes later with a bowl of plain
rice, a pot of Chinese tea and a dose of her own supply of natural medicine,
which she will continue to share with me for the next two days. When I thank
her, somewhat profusely, for her help, she replies with a shrug, “I like to
take care of my children.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Day 12:
Overnight bus to Inle Lake. We board the bus and look for our seat numbers,
which are all the way to the back. As we approach, we find our seats completely
surrounded by luggage. There are not only suitcases blocking the aisle to our
seats, but they are also piled up on the seats next to ours, creating a little
enclosed fort where our seats are supposed to be. We are giggling about the
whole thing until we realize that there are also suitcases piled up behind our
seats, locking them into an upright position for the 13-hour overnight trip. We
scramble over the suitcases in the aisle by using other people’s armrests as
stepping stones and settle in to what we will from then on refer to as our
“nest.”</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVvWu_KlRGT3OeggvMtNCFd1_E_oGsQztkOxZoUa9PQySp99eW9mQEI6s5F11mySXepOvi2RxbY3yaZuaLXeocnkrrddZvD7qvNzc3qNPMkGjhYV1_LTSuVMSEJNaOZMPjzgmKb01Qqk4/s1600/nest.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVvWu_KlRGT3OeggvMtNCFd1_E_oGsQztkOxZoUa9PQySp99eW9mQEI6s5F11mySXepOvi2RxbY3yaZuaLXeocnkrrddZvD7qvNzc3qNPMkGjhYV1_LTSuVMSEJNaOZMPjzgmKb01Qqk4/s400/nest.jpg" width="391" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In our nest.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Day 13: The
bus pulls to a stop in the middle of the night and the lights go on. I check my
watch: 3:30am. The bus isn’t supposed to arrive at Inle Lake until 5:30 and the
people getting off the bus aren’t bringing their bags with them. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">It’s our
breakfast stop. At 3:30 in the morning.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">I shake
Vincent awake and, realizing that it is after midnight, wish him a happy 35<sup>th</sup>
birthday. We celebrate by sharing a truck stop pork bun and some sleep deprived
musings about how anyone, let alone most of the people on our bus, could
possibly eat the fish curry that was being served at this ungodly hour.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">After two
more hours of fitful, pork bun-haunted sleep on the bus, we arrive in the town
of Nyaungshwe on Inle Lake. We book a room at a hostel chosen at random from Lonely
Planet and go back to bed until midday. To have some semblance of a birthday
celebration for Vincent, we celebrate his milestone with dinner at Nyaungshwe’s
nicest restaurant. The meal alone is more than our daily budget in Myanmar, but
I guess 35 years of Vincent merits the cost.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieDt1kTwQwXPhGsYoUkAo3E0LKdZ7bSJsgW6_aTQ4lb3csT05EI5gIgrQ_UgaQl2AvZy1_QLDoGJW7Sg8yiuHumIs6pJEBuuW3G23vIqa7O3Igzf_xavkH5IFgT7Sljv68QBsSWMogXTs/s1600/v+bday.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="346" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieDt1kTwQwXPhGsYoUkAo3E0LKdZ7bSJsgW6_aTQ4lb3csT05EI5gIgrQ_UgaQl2AvZy1_QLDoGJW7Sg8yiuHumIs6pJEBuuW3G23vIqa7O3Igzf_xavkH5IFgT7Sljv68QBsSWMogXTs/s400/v+bday.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Day 14: We
take a boat tour of Inle Lake on a motorized longboat with two other people
from our guesthouse. We luck out and are randomly paired with French siblings,
a brother visiting his sister who lives in Yangon and speaks Burmese. First
stop, a village market, where we have coffee with a local family while our boat-mate
translates. It is a unique opportunity to be able to talk to these people, who
don’t speak any English and therefore don’t often get to talk to foreigners. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwkEixiSzpfEsVBTNDK3amCLoKz_Jb47YEVTrH8i8ALktIU7_1-w52azdSLurmWo_FYgmchVZibnVMoRQhwqaaWudbdghyphenhyphenDKxy9Aexp0ceEpzXNG-Z-D7BidT-fgN_jc0p-d-0fsOOj6I/s1600/village+women.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="273" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwkEixiSzpfEsVBTNDK3amCLoKz_Jb47YEVTrH8i8ALktIU7_1-w52azdSLurmWo_FYgmchVZibnVMoRQhwqaaWudbdghyphenhyphenDKxy9Aexp0ceEpzXNG-Z-D7BidT-fgN_jc0p-d-0fsOOj6I/s400/village+women.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">On the way
back to the boat, we pass some of the merchants loading their goods into their
sampans, or little elongated canoes. We stop to watch and Vincent decides to
offer to help, communicating by miming instead of words. Within five minutes,
he and a villager are carrying heavy loads on a bamboo pole back and forth
between the market and the boats as the locals stop what they are doing and
start pointing and laughing. They are getting a kick out of us helping them and
are wonderfully appreciative of our effort to interact with them in a more
meaningful way instead of just taking pictures of their difficult work. When we
finally board our own boat and pull away, we get applause and enthusiastic
waves from the villagers.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The rest of
the day is similarly interesting and engaging. We pass “floating villages,”
built on stilts above the lake. Each house has a sampan, or flat-bottomed
wooden boat, tied to a dock on the water for transportation, while some homes
even have floating gardens full of tomatoes or enclosures for pigs perched over
the water. It’s hard to imagine a lifestyle in which one needs to take a boat
to visit the neighbors. </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">We also
visit a small shop on the lake where village women hand roll cigars called
cheroots filled with a mix of light tobacco, spices, fruit like banana and
coconut, and various other flavorings. We sit and chat with the women, who
laugh and gossip and sing as they work, and we try the cigars. They are light
and flavorful and even I, a die-hard non-smoker, am hooked.<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Day 15:
There are certain days while backpacking that we do absolutely nothing. Today
is one of those days.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Day 16: We
leave early in the morning for a three day, two night trek in the mountains
around the lake. It’s just the two of us with our guide, who we call Dante
although I’m not entirely sure that’s his name. The first day is only a five
hour hike. The air cools considerably as we gain elevation and we pass through
idyllic country scenes: bamboo houses, waving children, extensive tea
plantations and mango groves, lush green farm land flanked by banana trees.
Water buffalo lounge in giant mud puddles. Oxen pull plows through rich
brown soil as a peasant in a conical hat looks on. </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">For lunch
we stop in a tiny village and are welcomed into a home belonging to some of
Dante’s friends. The house is a standard two-room bamboo structure, elevated
onto stilts with a sort of dirt-floored basement underneath. We eat in one room
while Dante, our cook and the host family eat in the kitchen room. Burmese tradition
dictates that guests eat before the hosts, so although we feel a little awkward
eating by ourselves, we follow the custom. A pack of local children
crowd in the doorway to watch us while we eat, whispering "calapiu", or "white Indian" in their tribal language. </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">After lunch
we hike a couple more hours, passing a village primary school as we go up. We
stop at the school and peek in on the children in the open classroom. Our
presence is soon detected and chaos ensues: the disciplined calm is abandoned
as the students wave to us, laughing and showing us their homework. One of the
classes is learning English, so the teacher asks me to lead the class in the
lesson. I read simple phrases off the chalk board and the class repeats after
me. The kids are too excited to have an English speaking teacher to actually
pay attention to what they are reciting, so my echo is just a sloppy mix of
sounds meant to sound like English words. It’s really quite adorable.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">We arrive
at our overnight stop: a Buddhist monastery tucked away on a wooded hill in the
mountains. It’s a small operation, only two young monks and four tiny novice
monks taught by one head monk, a venerable man of 65 with a mouth full of
betel, a bald head and spectacularly sporadic facial hair growth. The monk speaks
little English- and even when he does his mouth is so packed with betel nut
that he is incomprehensible- but he adores tourists and dotes over us like a
grandmother.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When we first arrive, he is
using a machete to cut thick stalks of bamboo. Within fifteen minutes, he has
constructed a little bamboo bench for us to sit on. Admittedly, it isn’t the
most comfortable place to sit, but we make sure to spend a lot of time on the
bench, and exclaim to each other how comfortable it is in loud voices every
time the monk passes by.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifWvi5WyuqYzTz-pXA0OePPgpDa3hOpOE4gttzWH2VNoqgckrM1Na1Cs_KFrGKYfmCy9ci0ts_cQIgl_pcRBd3TdBWZgOcyWvvTwHJh_EC6Nq0TTqNisIV94l7DYTLWtW4-k15VHqqKFg/s1600/little+monks+learning.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifWvi5WyuqYzTz-pXA0OePPgpDa3hOpOE4gttzWH2VNoqgckrM1Na1Cs_KFrGKYfmCy9ci0ts_cQIgl_pcRBd3TdBWZgOcyWvvTwHJh_EC6Nq0TTqNisIV94l7DYTLWtW4-k15VHqqKFg/s400/little+monks+learning.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of the younger monks teaching the novices the Buddhist chants</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZziUyBpAj-3YO3UhHewbo2XZKfVhhk6c1-vt7sr4V9Zx-5qnBxQtRaQARaTXt-SETCL8Fu_vtG6UXCTpkwNR61455qrOkm2XOar8c6FZ3lLjK-VqbGxmDcrSLQtp3LzUPxkBTQb2kW5o/s1600/us+monk.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZziUyBpAj-3YO3UhHewbo2XZKfVhhk6c1-vt7sr4V9Zx-5qnBxQtRaQARaTXt-SETCL8Fu_vtG6UXCTpkwNR61455qrOkm2XOar8c6FZ3lLjK-VqbGxmDcrSLQtp3LzUPxkBTQb2kW5o/s400/us+monk.jpg" width="356" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Don't be fooled by his betel-filled frown- that monk <i>loved</i> us</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Just as we are
feeling that we are in the most relaxing, spiritual place in the world, Dante calls
me to come into the shack that serves as a kitchen and try their rice liquor. I
am enjoying the sake-like drink when I spot something I never expected to find
in a monastery: there, hanging upside down on the wall from a rusted nail is a
massive bouquet of the most famous five-leaf plant in the world. While often
called an “herb,” it’s not something you expect to find in the kitchen,
especially a kitchen in such a spiritual place.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">“Wait, is
that…?”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Dante nods,
grinning over his glass.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">“Does the
monk…?”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">“No, but he
knows we do and he doesn’t care.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">That
evening our cook, imaginatively called “Mr. Cook” by our guide, makes us a
massive feast of delicious Burmese food, which is accompanied by rice liquor,
whiskey and what Dante refers to as “happy smokes.” We are a little hesitant to
take part in the more hedonistic parts of the meal out of respect for the
ever-present head monk, however he doesn’t seem to mind and simply sits there,
chewing his betel and watching us with mischievous smiling eyes. In the end,
the novelty of indulging in morally questionable activities at a monastery wins
out over our intentions to be respectable, upstanding adults. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Maturity has
never been our strong suit.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvuMzNn8N6Glsk3145tbcnATyhyoeasRTKKNvx_24xbHCwrz_1TcaXFgU3NmtIjvmMlmdkrIM5FAEtRtDzfpvYtDBp7nyXCad2rzTU6hYoh_Hy8p3Rj8_uzxvdB9_N9gpy1fofGNA6TRw/s1600/dinner+trekking.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvuMzNn8N6Glsk3145tbcnATyhyoeasRTKKNvx_24xbHCwrz_1TcaXFgU3NmtIjvmMlmdkrIM5FAEtRtDzfpvYtDBp7nyXCad2rzTU6hYoh_Hy8p3Rj8_uzxvdB9_N9gpy1fofGNA6TRw/s400/dinner+trekking.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our gut-busting trekking dinner, courtesy of Mr. Cook</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOkbQudQsL_l4UByv04jI_sYw6TYg9S3yiRABBZaGYH5TTX3loG66kuLCpEUgDmDcrQHUVOZ-yisa-0i5BIGvt0v_fUlCxWdsUXXzGSFOAiAHqgv0j_1imyI0mfSFMirQPT6JiH7nv1TA/s1600/me+turban.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOkbQudQsL_l4UByv04jI_sYw6TYg9S3yiRABBZaGYH5TTX3loG66kuLCpEUgDmDcrQHUVOZ-yisa-0i5BIGvt0v_fUlCxWdsUXXzGSFOAiAHqgv0j_1imyI0mfSFMirQPT6JiH7nv1TA/s400/me+turban.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The monk made me a turban in the fashion of the local tribal women. It goes perfectly with my happy smokes.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Day 17: In
theory, the second day of our trek would see us walking 6-8 hours through
remote hill tribe villages, one of which would house us in a home stay for the
night. Instead, we wake up to pouring rain, while our guide and cook wake up to
crippling hangovers: it’s not going to be a very productive trekking day. </span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">To Dante
and Mr. Cook’s credit, they both woke up far earlier than us and have a
gorgeous breakfast laid out on the table by the time we shuffle into the common
room. That day, we try to hike, but the rain has turned the paths into muddy,
slippery death traps, so the going is slow and arduous. Taking things from a
glacial crawl to a veritable standstill is that in each village we pass, we
find some of Dante’s friends urging us to come in out of the rain and join them
for a snack and a tea. We quickly learn that “tea” is code for “rice liquor”
and that it is considered quite rude to turn down the offer, even if it <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">is </i>9:30 am and we’ve only been walking
for 30 minutes. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">After only
a couple hours of walking (and many more sitting in village huts drinking rice
liquor), we decide to call it a day and head back to the monastery for the
night. There is a full moon celebration- an important Buddhist custom- at the
monastery and around 30 villagers have descended on the building to be led in
meditation by the monk. It is fascinating to watch how the villagers flock to
show their respects to the monk, the same one we smoked and drank in front of
the night before. They bring food and gifts to offer the monk and it is obvious
that they regard him as something between a father and a demi-god. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">At one
point in the evening, a sloppily drunk villager joins our dinner table and
tries to talk to us, slurring in his tribal tongue. The monk is not impressed:
apparently it is ok for the tourists and their guides to indulge in his
presence, but the same does not go for the locals. The monk stands up in front
of the man and shakes his finger at him, speaking calmly but tersely and making
it clear to everyone in the room that he is displeased with the man’s behavior.
He doesn’t even have to raise his voice but the effect is immediate: the
villager cowers, shoulders hunched and head down, like a dog being scolded for
doing his business on the carpet. The scene is uncomfortable yet telling: in
how many cultures does one man have such unquestioned, unchallenged respect
from another?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Day 18: Our
hike back to Nyaungshwe is long, but relatively easy and we arrive unscathed
back to our guesthouse. We’ve had a sufficient amount of Burmese culture in the
past few days, so we feel justified as we indulge in huge plates of pasta for
dinner.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Day 19:
After three days of trekking, I decide to splurge and get a Burmese massage. And
by splurge I mean I spend six dollars. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">My masseuse
even comes to my hotel room and spends the next hour pummeling me into euphoric
oblivion in my own bed. It is slightly less painful than my Thai massage,
despite the fact that the little woman is all but using my back as a
trampoline. At one point, she stands on my butt and does what feels like an
enthusiastic tap dance routine, but all I can do is sigh happily and wonder if
life could get any better than this.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Day 20
& 21: We take an overnight bus back to Yangon, which, while uncomfortable,
is largely uneventful. Our last day in Burma is spent avoiding Yangon’s
oppressive, interminable rain by spending hour after hour in tea houses. We go
back to our hostel around 4:00pm to find that there is a neighborhood-wide
power outage. I surrender to circumstance and go to bed, sleeping through the
night until we wake up for our flight back to Bangkok the next morning.</span><br />
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Our three
weeks in Myanmar were some of the most interesting and eye-opening we have had
since the beginning of our trip. Myanmar is not a comfortable or easy place to
travel on a budget: it still wants for the basic infrastructure necessary for
tourism on a large scale. To a visitor, however, this simplicity and perceived
naiveté are what make it unique. As I’ve written previously, Myanmar is on the
edge of a precipitous movement to modernize and change. Once it does, it will
no doubt become a top tourist destination: Bagan will be like Angkor, Inle Lake
like Lake Titicaca, the Western beaches like Thailand’s southern islands. The
Burmese will see more tourist dollars, which will allow them to catch up
technologically and economically to the rest of the world. Women will wear
make-up instead of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">tanaka</i> while men
will don trousers in the place of their <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">longyis</i>.
Who knows, maybe people will even stop chewing betel as they become more aware
of its health risks. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">These
changes will no doubt benefit the Burmese population and allow them to become
citizens of the world, rather than live in an isolated society cut off from
other cultural influences. People who have never left the villages they were
born in will be able to afford to leave the country. People who have lived
their entire lives without electricity will be introduced to the internet. Life
expectancies will increase, infant mortality will plummet. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Progress is
a good thing, right?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">But I’m
selfish. I don’t want Myanmar to change. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">I want to
go back in five or ten years and still see children run to the windows of their
homes to wave at us and yell, “Hallo!” or shyly hide behind their mothers’ legs
and stare at us in the streets. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I want
village leaders to still welcome foreigners into their humble bamboo shacks and
thank them for coming to their country, offering their guests tea and cake that
they themselves can hardly afford. I want old and young alike to still crowd
around the view screen of my camera and gasp in delight at pictures of the
temples in Bagan, a sight that they have never seen despite living within a
day’s travel from it. I want toothless elderly women to clap their hands
together in laughter as they echo the phrase the white girl in traditional
tribal dress has taught them: “Sank yew.” </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The white
girl wants to say so much more to these people, who have showed her such
warmth, such kindness, such sincere hospitality, but her lack of Burmese vocabulary
keeps her from expressing her gratitude any other way. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">So she only
repeats, over and over again, the words, “Thank you.”</span><br />
</div>
Elissa and Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16232138608795741265noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8375913620743953550.post-7734069207418232952012-08-15T09:00:00.001-07:002013-01-19T07:44:23.690-08:00Burma DiariesI racked my brain to think of an original way to share three weeks of experiences during our time in Myanmar in a cohesive, readable blog post. What I came up with is, in my opinion, neither original nor cohesive. You'll have to be the judge as to whether or not it's readable. <br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
<br />
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Day 1: We arrive
in Yangon, formerly Rangoon, on a rainy, dreary evening. After sloshing around for an
hour with our backpacks trying to find a hostel room (the country isn't quite ready for online bookings, seeing as there isn't reliable electricity, let alone internet), we are finally able to
drop our bags off and go grab something to eat. As we walk to find a
restaurant, we notice people in the street staring at us. We are uncomfortable
at first until we notice that the gawkers are smiling and waving at us: they
are simply curious and happy to see Westerners. This will be a recurring theme
throughout our stay in the country. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">On the way
back from dinner, we notice a group of people down a dark side street standing
around a huge pot of something cooking over a wood fire. One man stirs the
contents of the pot with a giant wooden paddle. Curious, we slow down to watch.
The man notices us and immediately waves us over to get a good look and offers
me the paddle. As the gathered crowd laughs, I take the paddle and start
stirring what turns out to be several kilos of chopped onions. The onlookers crack up to see this white girl happily doing their
cooking for them as Vincent snaps photos. They explain to us that the onions
are for a curry that they will offer the Buddhist monks the next morning. They
ask us where we are from, how long we will stay in Myanmar, and upon realizing
that we just arrived, they warmly welcome us to their country. I love these
people already.</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMPtl7ynS6mpWOl6VQjyqBrVFiwDY6wEKQrhBFnw7u77k5i4fqfxQUuechD5bnZrx9B7H4R0-oIPnc8mgm55CDYDO-Il7mE6QcJRYi3n8uNqHBk3W7bFXIcSL4FDB4qHKUVJw5L_q81no/s1600/onions.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="396" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMPtl7ynS6mpWOl6VQjyqBrVFiwDY6wEKQrhBFnw7u77k5i4fqfxQUuechD5bnZrx9B7H4R0-oIPnc8mgm55CDYDO-Il7mE6QcJRYi3n8uNqHBk3W7bFXIcSL4FDB4qHKUVJw5L_q81no/s400/onions.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Day 2: It’s
still raining as we walk, again with our bags, to find a better hostel. The one
from the night before was apparently entered into a competition for the World’s
Grossest Bathroom and we couldn’t leave quickly enough. As we trudge through
the rain, wet and miserable, a man approaches Vincent asking if we need help.
We assume he is trying to sell us a taxi ride (we did just come from Thailand,
remember, where everyone is always trying to sell you something), so we dismiss
him with a “no, thank you” and keep walking.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">“Wait!” he
says. “Take this!” And he hands Vincent his own umbrella.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Vincent
politely refuses, unsure if this is a gift or a sale, but the man is
undeterred.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">“No, I have
many others. Please take!”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">He shoves
the umbrella into Vincent’s hand and then he is gone.</span><br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Day 3: An
overnight bus from Yangon to Bagan. It’s still raining and the bus station,
which is just an enormous, confusing, open-air maze of stands, is a mud pit.
It’s chaos: snack vendors, bus representatives and taxi drivers all yell over
each other to sell their services. Eleven year olds try to direct buses around
each other while avoiding the mud puddles that threaten to take over the
parking area. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">We have a moment’s relief from the madness when we finally get on
the bus only to have that crash down around us when the driver turns on the TV,
and turns the volume all the way up. It’s a Burmese variety show that consists
of five guys yelling at each other and pretending to hit each other over the
head with various objects, interspersed with women doing traditional dance
routines to music that can only be described as a car accident for the ears. As
the sun goes down, the bus’s main lights dim and green moods lamps on the walls
turn on. Between the colored lighting, the insane music and the loud volume, we
feel like we are trapped in a moving nightclub.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Day 4: We
are shaken awake at 3:30am by the bus driver, who is yelling at us, “Bagan!
Bagan!” Trying to get our bearings and understand what is going on, we slowly
pack up our stuff and stagger off the bus only to be immediately surrounded by
taxi drivers asking us where we are going. We finally pick a guy, negotiate a
price and follow him out of the parking lot. He leads us, not to a car as we
had assumed, but to a horse-drawn buggy harnessed to a skinny pony that the
driver introduces as “MoMo.” Next thing I know, I am wedged in the back of a
buggy, bumping down a dirt road in the dark to our hostel. </span><br />
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Did I mention it is
3:30 in the morning? </span><br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Day 5: We
hire our buggy driver to take us around Bagan’s famed valley of temples for the
day. The valley in Bagan is studded with over 3000 Buddhist temples of
different styles and sizes, most built between the 11<sup>th</sup> and 13<sup>th</sup>
centuries. Many of the individual temples are little more than ruins, but to
climb one of the larger, better preserved temples and look out over the vast plain filled with
soaring <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">stupas</i> is one of the most
awe-inspiring sights imaginable.</span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9-UJSA3vh3UqeFw_Hk-nkYwu34YnEWCchoBKZ8Ho6Kua1EoiWmxHOgoIokHQSyKlO0CjY74mRiNPAScqni8IsIc8UCyH2gexL2aW3dT7MJymvkTsJXZsMGwGgqNkKKz3ejQIUQBl4dik/s1600/v+carriage.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9-UJSA3vh3UqeFw_Hk-nkYwu34YnEWCchoBKZ8Ho6Kua1EoiWmxHOgoIokHQSyKlO0CjY74mRiNPAScqni8IsIc8UCyH2gexL2aW3dT7MJymvkTsJXZsMGwGgqNkKKz3ejQIUQBl4dik/s400/v+carriage.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Vincent, our driver and Momo</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> </span><br />
<br />
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Day 5: We
rent bikes and continue to explore Bagan’s less-visited temples. It’s a nice
change of pace to be able to avoid the souvenir hawkers that swarm the
well-known temples, but we still get approached by random people trying to sell
us sand paintings and post cards. Special mention goes to the guy that pulls up
on his motor bike next to Vincent as he is pedaling up a hill and tries to
convince him to look at some paintings. There are also some kids who try to sell us home-made postcards, which are just children’s drawings of temples. I don’t buy any and now I wish I had.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDisR99ZXEAvZF-ce7PdWKyqb4kTKePL5F8P0bhtAYCzacuXXsa20KpfxKhDnBUJjjVuXA-s-l7NCzlr0PDd20rFp13QijkFjpqmOik1DQvzwGDZ_K70JzqJ5fKFhsAhsx_quwCyaGdys/s1600/me+bike+temple.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDisR99ZXEAvZF-ce7PdWKyqb4kTKePL5F8P0bhtAYCzacuXXsa20KpfxKhDnBUJjjVuXA-s-l7NCzlr0PDd20rFp13QijkFjpqmOik1DQvzwGDZ_K70JzqJ5fKFhsAhsx_quwCyaGdys/s400/me+bike+temple.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUcnIcyhE77Mnsch7mg11JPlCnJ_6uZy9kuCBS8efTG97AR6_0V3begmBWxnHFG30Swli1iK3YscEsGJ59UwXa0rWuOLzSqkv8GIGR7-PIhhpgt-tqN6s0LDnKrqpc5IG4DToXRyFkLxI/s1600/little+girl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="207" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUcnIcyhE77Mnsch7mg11JPlCnJ_6uZy9kuCBS8efTG97AR6_0V3begmBWxnHFG30Swli1iK3YscEsGJ59UwXa0rWuOLzSqkv8GIGR7-PIhhpgt-tqN6s0LDnKrqpc5IG4DToXRyFkLxI/s400/little+girl.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An adorable little girl who guided me throughout one of the temples</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9dAp3E09TiYvlxlGCgpH3cFCPTq4JZ6wQpAAI-URj9FId-9JWOidCdnQ3ZBi4qkjU51YgWYTYq4Ps5pI28k_EBlQzLZy6ZzsPLfG7EOLQOhL9afCwxmzQEYX7U_WxpwFC830irarnyRU/s1600/me+temple+kids.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="293" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9dAp3E09TiYvlxlGCgpH3cFCPTq4JZ6wQpAAI-URj9FId-9JWOidCdnQ3ZBi4qkjU51YgWYTYq4Ps5pI28k_EBlQzLZy6ZzsPLfG7EOLQOhL9afCwxmzQEYX7U_WxpwFC830irarnyRU/s400/me+temple+kids.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Contemplating a Buddha with a class of kids on a field trip</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Day 7: Day
bus from Bagan to Mandalay. It’s only supposed to be a six-hour trip, so we
aren’t too concerned about comfort. That changes when a bus the size of a small
school bus pulls up to the group of around 60 people waiting at the bus
station. V and I look at each other, surely all of these people aren’t getting
on the same bus? </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Oh, but
they are.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">There are
26 seats in the bus and around 60 people crammed into it, including us,
squashed in with baskets of food under our feet and our knees up around our
ears. There are three people to a seat, people sitting on plastic stools in the
aisles, people sitting on the floor, on each other’s laps, on the roof and even
a few hanging out the door. Apparently though, that isn’t enough because the
driver stops every 15 minutes or so to take more people. Every time he stops we
think, “Ok, this is it, there’s no way more people can fit in here.” And every
time, we are wrong.</span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6XHtLfEK94xDHUsbe660TK0QjCEHDwQpt3bUYRP1tRBdYf2oOGorpgz_Z5tGbidc-LAmpTiN0KObtoFH1y3XQJcW6UaOx-8sy5F155OVpEcJCM3d75qEnWn6zVDa2U2JVvCGgDqKU5rM/s1600/busy+bus.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6XHtLfEK94xDHUsbe660TK0QjCEHDwQpt3bUYRP1tRBdYf2oOGorpgz_Z5tGbidc-LAmpTiN0KObtoFH1y3XQJcW6UaOx-8sy5F155OVpEcJCM3d75qEnWn6zVDa2U2JVvCGgDqKU5rM/s400/busy+bus.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The packed bus, before they crammed another 15 people in it</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">We stop in
a village for a snack and bathroom break. The bus hasn’t even stopped moving
yet when it’s surrounded by a herd of vendors carrying baskets of everything
from chips to honey to fried baby birds on their heads, clamoring for a sale through
the door and windows of the bus. It is impossible to even get out to go to the
bathroom without physically pushing our way through the crowd. It is chaos, a
veritable mob of people yelling, waving and vying for space.</span><br />
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Day 8: Day
bus from Mandalay to Hsipaw. After the harrowing ordeal of yesterday’s bus, we
are apprehensive to get on another one, but the ride is largely uneventful
barring the ubiquitous TV playing Burmese music videos with the volume turned
all the way up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Day 9: We
decide to do a day hike from Hsipaw to a little village in the hills. Normally,
the hike is done as an overnight trek with a guide, but we heard that you can
hike up and then pay a villager to bring you back down on a motor bike. Plus,
we’re cheap and don’t want to spring for a guide. We have no map or directions
to help us get to the village, but we ask along the way and eventually make our
way up. We walk through rice paddies and lush farm land, passing monasteries
with tiny novice monks and small isolated villages, where little kids yell
out “Hallo!” as we approach and wave to us from the windows of their hut. </span><br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMfeJ7Y8QYuL2dAG8Q8ka4PjAJeYVEMGfIZv5ahb_epGNW1S7o5WETFx_84832bSfvyczQDcpb9QP6sg3zXudT6w5DCA4e5ei2QOmoq1aynFc6WGOSi4JqubM5uPjksoOzAeBK0wOAM5U/s1600/hats+v.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="345" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMfeJ7Y8QYuL2dAG8Q8ka4PjAJeYVEMGfIZv5ahb_epGNW1S7o5WETFx_84832bSfvyczQDcpb9QP6sg3zXudT6w5DCA4e5ei2QOmoq1aynFc6WGOSi4JqubM5uPjksoOzAeBK0wOAM5U/s400/hats+v.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2iQmm413RIEInrAHxH-jy0YDImWLdkybf1FsyQSnDKTgFIam-Fq5RtHB0ZbxaL55oObiK2h_PCc_jxptPDPcJDvDAsyRKmxYxKVE1ZDMGuM4znY8uLQ3CFzRIZD0IxbFa8h-dnpdbJl4/s1600/little+kids.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2iQmm413RIEInrAHxH-jy0YDImWLdkybf1FsyQSnDKTgFIam-Fq5RtHB0ZbxaL55oObiK2h_PCc_jxptPDPcJDvDAsyRKmxYxKVE1ZDMGuM4znY8uLQ3CFzRIZD0IxbFa8h-dnpdbJl4/s400/little+kids.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">We finally
reach the village and are immediately invited by a smiling village woman into her house, where she offers us food and a place to stay for the night. We explain that we can’t
stay, but gladly accept her offer of tea. There is another couple of
tourists there as well and as we settle in, the woman explains that there will be a big party in the village this evening and that many people from the
neighboring villages have come to this one to celebrate. </span><br />
<br />
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">As if on cue, an old
woman in a brightly colored traditional <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">longyi</i>
and head dress peeks her head through the open doorway of the hut and peers in
at us. We nod to her and say “<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Mingalaba</i>,”
or "hello" in Burmese, but we receive no response save for a cheerful grin that happens to be missing a spectacular amount of teeth. Our
host tells us that this woman comes from one of the more remote villages in the
area and doesn’t speak Burmese, only the tribal dialect of her village. The old
woman continues to stare at us, smiling.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">She is
joined by another woman in traditional dress, then another and another, until
soon the hut is filled with woman talking and gesticulating to each other while beaming at us. That’s when we realize it: these people never see foreigners.
While the village we are staying in regularly hosts trekkers, the outlying
villages- the villages where these women are from- are well off the trekking
trail and are therefore completely unused to seeing people like us, that is,
white people.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Finished
with our tea and feeling a bit awkward to be the center of so much attention,
we step outside, unaware that news of our arrival has spread throughout the
village. A crowd of people has gathered in the street to get a glimpse of us.
The house across the way is housing visitors from
other villages for the night and its windows are filled with curious faces, pushing each other
aside to look at the foreigners. Whenever we return their stares or wave to
them, they all burst into laughter and point at us the way one does at the zoo
when an animal does a trick.</span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk2cFiWZPOifsd_aWTyIUHQASV3YrnE1HssKkfBhlVTqQirQnErQUhPWvJsnHpEZCh64Fi2jy4tx-PgGCPpoc9JDvk5Lzp6w4XlFeGJMqZSuxhbHYksDdBi9lGuDc0SZ4VBqMfy8NT26o/s1600/people+looking.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk2cFiWZPOifsd_aWTyIUHQASV3YrnE1HssKkfBhlVTqQirQnErQUhPWvJsnHpEZCh64Fi2jy4tx-PgGCPpoc9JDvk5Lzp6w4XlFeGJMqZSuxhbHYksDdBi9lGuDc0SZ4VBqMfy8NT26o/s400/people+looking.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The house across the path, full of spectators</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIoz4bHF_rcdc2KVrYE8dio1Nfuv6Ax88yHyl70cM_I6TU48Pmd1CYIlwwjO4LJDiNdoiga-ptc6NG5_ta-zXHfCqv84f8Wy2rnLaVWAAFz9ZJgBf0F-czDICAqoSiMlZaeqLbTi6SABY/s1600/little+monks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIoz4bHF_rcdc2KVrYE8dio1Nfuv6Ax88yHyl70cM_I6TU48Pmd1CYIlwwjO4LJDiNdoiga-ptc6NG5_ta-zXHfCqv84f8Wy2rnLaVWAAFz9ZJgBf0F-czDICAqoSiMlZaeqLbTi6SABY/s400/little+monks.jpg" width="247" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Even the novice monks were staring at us</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">It is
around this time that we decide to stay the night. Screw our hotel reservation.
Forget that we have absolutely nothing we need for an overnight trek. </span><br />
<br />
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">This is
way to cool to miss.</span></div>
<br />
Once we make the decision, we start to settle in and make ourselves comfortable. First order of business: a shower. This proves to be considerably more difficult than expected, first because the shower in question turns out to be a barrel of cold rainwater and a small bowl, and, more importantly, because the barrel is in front of the house where a crowd has gathered to watch the funny foreigners. If we want to wash ourselves, we are going to have an audience.<br />
<br />
If the day hadn't been quite so hot and I didn't smell quite so swampy, I might have abandoned the idea of a shower, but as it was, I was going to be a lot more offensive without a shower than with one, regardless of the group of children who had now gathered, snacks in hand, as if they were at the movie theater.<br />
<br />
If you have never tried to wash your nasties with a bowl of cold water while hiding yourself in a stranger's <i>longyi</i> in front of around 20 spectators who are not even pretending not to stare at you<i></i>, let me tell you, it is truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience. At least I hope it is.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh20ecWLBysxFA91ertFKmOna1pTE2lbgJyoYFdpcuGXv4k81Br71ssEzxPmXWW1cZFDDgpUVzFKG3SOQuiVpaxCd5_5VvvInm8gxA6BNE0-7hz_cDfGtBt64ABfCtNwTwXBkAnleLaULc/s1600/me+shower.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh20ecWLBysxFA91ertFKmOna1pTE2lbgJyoYFdpcuGXv4k81Br71ssEzxPmXWW1cZFDDgpUVzFKG3SOQuiVpaxCd5_5VvvInm8gxA6BNE0-7hz_cDfGtBt64ABfCtNwTwXBkAnleLaULc/s400/me+shower.jpg" width="250" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At least fifty people have already seen this, why not a couple hundred more?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Once clean- and thoroughly embarrassed- I am ushered back into the house where my host and around fifteen other village women are waiting to dress me up in the local costume. I'm a little hesitant about the whole endeavor, but who am I to say no to a mob of people who can't wait to use me as their life-size Barbie? The two other female tourists and I are robed in brightly-colored <i>longyis</i>, little velveteen bolero jackets and the requisite headdress. As a finishing touch, our faces are smeared with the ever-present <i>tanaka</i>. The village women are positively delighted to be sharing their traditions with us, and despite our discomfort in the restricting material, we are honored that they are including us in the ceremony.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipReR5SAatOJoFh-HuU9478u2h4RVtk0PQKTmhAPMtH7A3IOySbW_lzzpqtlk6Yx7eDIgL-SfCkL1Dw_jStDuWH_aX8dIpUkiWiTOfrZ049kSgEsBFxSUBAxizLnzIBLAGiruCosUrMp4/s1600/me+dress+group.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipReR5SAatOJoFh-HuU9478u2h4RVtk0PQKTmhAPMtH7A3IOySbW_lzzpqtlk6Yx7eDIgL-SfCkL1Dw_jStDuWH_aX8dIpUkiWiTOfrZ049kSgEsBFxSUBAxizLnzIBLAGiruCosUrMp4/s400/me+dress+group.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The tourists, our host (center) and our friend with the semi-toothy smile</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
We take millions of pictures. The villagers don't smile at the camera, but they love having their pictures taken and seeing themselves in our cameras. At one point, the woman with the charming lack of teeth teaches us the moves to a traditional dance that will be performed at the ceremony this evening so that we will be able to join in later. Our audience roars with laughter as we all repeatedly butcher the intricate gestures and we get the impression that this "lesson" is much more for their benefit than ours. It is great fun regardless, and although the dancing portion of the evening is cancelled due to rain, we are thrilled to know the moves.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCAmJiqu2ib8Ty4UW-PoivnzZKfJnnN4m9Hqhi5xWp_0KXBT3YiAGz574dCMLbK3OktrvGJVQr5FIY_mbGo0fCeTpKiTYM0h8W0d6NPQ9k_CBGtjIOK20Ia4NlgvV0hY0TaQDCYHnY1ww/s1600/Village.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCAmJiqu2ib8Ty4UW-PoivnzZKfJnnN4m9Hqhi5xWp_0KXBT3YiAGz574dCMLbK3OktrvGJVQr5FIY_mbGo0fCeTpKiTYM0h8W0d6NPQ9k_CBGtjIOK20Ia4NlgvV0hY0TaQDCYHnY1ww/s400/Village.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The main square in the village</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0P_q2_5LztyPqaRH17mAKekq42UxJsVqELN_7obIcJHySXa_pZ4Ki-4m1j7MhrSBxMjc7-RCrD9WdiADZM3bMOIIfQvPlaWPvbc81wd9JssvkGKL93fDApNrM4qOgb_xaL0LZ6N5WJBQ/s1600/me+dress+dancing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0P_q2_5LztyPqaRH17mAKekq42UxJsVqELN_7obIcJHySXa_pZ4Ki-4m1j7MhrSBxMjc7-RCrD9WdiADZM3bMOIIfQvPlaWPvbc81wd9JssvkGKL93fDApNrM4qOgb_xaL0LZ6N5WJBQ/s400/me+dress+dancing.jpg" width="323" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Learning some pretty serious moves</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJtRPVEUO_Iw1JaX7t3uEHfKgxikyJa5aqvbKaOog8qdZW8WO5sf_cDD4zczz-2CkM_FGVGToSOypXLujcvUtKt8lC60qqLmT0tw4Ugfpy1NQBvT9w19cAMGNDi5LZjOn2XpjD5Ezd038/s1600/me+dress+kids.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJtRPVEUO_Iw1JaX7t3uEHfKgxikyJa5aqvbKaOog8qdZW8WO5sf_cDD4zczz-2CkM_FGVGToSOypXLujcvUtKt8lC60qqLmT0tw4Ugfpy1NQBvT9w19cAMGNDi5LZjOn2XpjD5Ezd038/s400/me+dress+kids.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_8CZShZidNEr5i5iZivRHdidZvijUE14odJEAeY7raRi2PyC5Dlff3ENIJEzm1COGau5v3hc-AExW56FdEH-z-f69X-pUoqVgaqgZzY4DEhDPvPeKP25vx3BfKKTLUBzvXut0D7z2088/s1600/v+villagers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_8CZShZidNEr5i5iZivRHdidZvijUE14odJEAeY7raRi2PyC5Dlff3ENIJEzm1COGau5v3hc-AExW56FdEH-z-f69X-pUoqVgaqgZzY4DEhDPvPeKP25vx3BfKKTLUBzvXut0D7z2088/s400/v+villagers.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Children weren't the only ones who loved seeing themselves on camera</td></tr>
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We continue to be the main attraction throughout the evening and have a great time sharing a family-style dinner cooked by our host. Exhausted by the hike, the constant attention and the obligatory Myanmar beer, we file upstairs with the other four tourists staying at the house to sleep on bamboo mats on the wooden floor in the communal sleeping room.<br />
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Day 10: We are jolted awake at 4:30am by what sounds like Alvin and the Chipmunks reciting a Buddhist chant over the village loudspeaker, which happens to be right next door to our hut. This lasts an hour before a bizarre carnival music starts playing and continues throughout the morning.<br />
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So much for getting some rest before the hike back.<br />
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At breakfast, we are all groggy and sleep-deprived as our sweet host brings out dish after dish of a traditional Burmese breakfast: rice, stewed greens, noodle soup, onions and rice noodles, rice crackers and chilies. Any other time of the day I would have happily attacked a meal like that, but at 7:00am on three hours of sleep it's all I can do to choke back a rice cracker or two out of politeness. To my immense relief, Vincent eats two full bowls of food as our host beams with pride.<br />
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As we prepare for the four hour hike back to Hsipaw, our host suggests a shortcut, which in theory will cut the walking time in half. As it's pouring down rain and we are all exhausted, we readily accept her vague directions.<br />
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Four and a half hours later, we are back at her house after having spent the entire morning wandering completely lost in the jungle. Embarrassed, down-hearted and drenched from the rain, we go back down the path we came up the day before. After nine hours of walking in a downpour, we finally arrive at our hostel.<br />
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Day 11- 21: If you have ever read this blog before, you know damn well that I'm too long-winded to be able to fit everything into one post.<br />
To be continued....<br />
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<br />Elissa and Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16232138608795741265noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8375913620743953550.post-54862749497288363602012-08-13T08:51:00.000-07:002013-01-19T07:29:11.472-08:00An Introduction to Myanmar<br />
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">This blog is a lot of things: a travel journal, a backpacker resource, a food diary. An outlet for self-indulgent narcissism and questionable grammar. </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">But there is one thing this blog is not. </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">This blog is not Wikipedia. </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">As much as I would love to inform you all about Myanmar’s history, political situation and human rights controversies, I have neither the time, nor the energy, nor the knowledge to do it justice. If you know as much as I knew about Myanmar before going there- that is to say, nothing- I urge you to Google it to get a basic background.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">That said, I wouldn't be much of a travel blogger if I didn't give you at least some of the essentials on the country before diving into my personal observations. </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Myanmar, formerly the British colony of Burma, is still under the political control of a military dictatorship. While the country seems to be slowly moving towards a more open, global, democratic political model, there remains serious oppression of its people by the government, which inhibits free speech and dissident ideas, spies on its citizens and does little to ameliorate the severe economic disparity that is rampant throughout Myanmar. Some people even question whether it is ethical to travel to the country, fearing that tourist dollars only support the corrupt government. While I'm not an expert on the debate, I will say that in our experience, a conscientious tourist armed with a little knowledge and awareness on the issue can ensure that the vast majority of the money they spend in the country goes straight to the local population, rather than to the junta.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">It may be due to increased tourism or the small political advancements of the past few years, but after only three weeks in the country, one can plainly see that Myanmar is on the brink of massive change. You can feel it everywhere. Although the country has only been open to general tourism since the nineties, there are more and more tourists every year. Current economic sanctions and foreign investment restrictions have kept the country largely unspoiled by globalization, but that too is changing. There are not yet the 7-Elevens and McDonalds found in other Asian countries, however there are brand new hotels, shopping malls and cell phone stores sprouting up in the big cities. </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Despite recent development, tourism is still very limited in Myanmar, with certain areas completely closed off to foreigners unless they have a special permit and are traveling with an approved tour group. Members of foreign media are not given visas, and foreign bank cards and credit cards are not accepted anywherein the country. There are no ATMs for visitors: if you want to come to Myanmar, you must enter with all of the cash- in new, perfect condition US Dollars- that you will need for your entire stay. You cannot call into Myanmar from abroad, and international SIM cards are blocked while in the country. Power outages are extremely common, even in cities, and a decent internet connection is a rare luxury. This isn’t Thailand, with its beach resorts, pancake stands andcocktail bars. </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">This is Myanmar. And it is fascinating.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">When we travel, the first thing we notice about a new culture is how it is different from our own: how people look or dress, the different forms of transportation, the different habits. In terms of “differences,” Myanmar is in a category of its own; it’s by far the most “foreign” of the countries we have visited during this trip. </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">To take a superficial example, very few people outside of cities wear Western style clothing: here, men and women alike wear <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">longyis</i>, or long skirts of colorful fabric, instead of pants. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPzyAJ9DnZkfi6_Om_tXz3Q42LsKjYA1BxldZ5ohnmL0wvdtSClYQn-2RQGk6sYoE6HAQ60orwVjxnsmSDZeRLJVTin7bJ9MC7A7La3gIE59xKDxHgymVUtu6UaCpm8N5MeL-AuV-Dz48/s1600/abbey+road.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPzyAJ9DnZkfi6_Om_tXz3Q42LsKjYA1BxldZ5ohnmL0wvdtSClYQn-2RQGk6sYoE6HAQ60orwVjxnsmSDZeRLJVTin7bJ9MC7A7La3gIE59xKDxHgymVUtu6UaCpm8N5MeL-AuV-Dz48/s400/abbey+road.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicilARZiT_oxoLurMLzfJg6dogi5_mpOMb52iCI1pfagKpkje-WxactiYGVXSMq4HxBBQr3xXmELZqQU5yU8K3M-YoQ0gbljB0jAcrZalcTNOxIJnPWtSPgV5Oc7XZyxC4tSF5jeR71NM/s1600/longyi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="271" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicilARZiT_oxoLurMLzfJg6dogi5_mpOMb52iCI1pfagKpkje-WxactiYGVXSMq4HxBBQr3xXmELZqQU5yU8K3M-YoQ0gbljB0jAcrZalcTNOxIJnPWtSPgV5Oc7XZyxC4tSF5jeR71NM/s400/longyi.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Instead of make-up, women paint their faces with a pale yellow paste called <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">tanaka</i>, which is not only decorative, but also protects from the sun and nourishes the skin. Children also wear <i>tanaka</i>, however most boys abandon the practice when they become adults.</span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiakCE5fzO0R3sFeUOa3Yp1eWKet5deAfvMt6Kn5pgceEQXfUKKhYsyoUBvSZZK4so7xD0YHfefgQIUqsMX7sHUjxsAh9Aqs4a-rdPNOAaElTr9h_VYFalW71CJdrJLhENsRESg9NBNUU/s1600/tanaka+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiakCE5fzO0R3sFeUOa3Yp1eWKet5deAfvMt6Kn5pgceEQXfUKKhYsyoUBvSZZK4so7xD0YHfefgQIUqsMX7sHUjxsAh9Aqs4a-rdPNOAaElTr9h_VYFalW71CJdrJLhENsRESg9NBNUU/s400/tanaka+1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Getting my tanaka done by a woman we met in Bagan</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBePS1TGHpssA2SW7ZJ2t8hqJoO0ao4VdoZtgIxR5NoT6CVZ5qUxXx7XETrTqBYE2zewECy_AerOruhR4Dy5wWfxcr3TceCQUth3a-cAeUDae5jl8bEDYQk14lQgX2VNataNbnq5foLHM/s1600/tanaka+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBePS1TGHpssA2SW7ZJ2t8hqJoO0ao4VdoZtgIxR5NoT6CVZ5qUxXx7XETrTqBYE2zewECy_AerOruhR4Dy5wWfxcr3TceCQUth3a-cAeUDae5jl8bEDYQk14lQgX2VNataNbnq5foLHM/s400/tanaka+2.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The finished product</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheTjo27gI7KLJ7gbK3EMW3awxdtHMy01bxnUz9EMVPsi3WPZt0YGcAq5mHYN4SU_Us4DTEzinN_WCf_PQQtVOvQnH6s_AtUWt993ps40mG_9k2zT1kKypI-3_V5oahjUsxnT-3yvmuhmc/s1600/tanaka+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="340" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheTjo27gI7KLJ7gbK3EMW3awxdtHMy01bxnUz9EMVPsi3WPZt0YGcAq5mHYN4SU_Us4DTEzinN_WCf_PQQtVOvQnH6s_AtUWt993ps40mG_9k2zT1kKypI-3_V5oahjUsxnT-3yvmuhmc/s400/tanaka+3.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Even though men generally don't wear tanaka, Vincent couldn't get out of trying it</td></tr>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The population is devoutly Buddhist and we saw red-robed monks, as well as nuns cloaked in </span><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">pink and orange, </span>walking the streets and riding on the back of motorbikes everywhere we went. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">In the countryside, all agricultural work is done by livestock rather than farm equipment. Men carry heavy loads across their shoulders on bamboo sticks, while women balance their loads on their heads.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The transportation, too, is unique. During the British colonial period, traffic drove on the left side of the road in British-style cars, with the driver on the right side of the car. Then, in an effort to distance the country from British rule, the military junta decided that all cars would drive on the right side of the road. This change happened in the span of one day: at exactly midnight, all of the traffic changed to the other side of the road. The cars remained the same, the crazy driving style too, only now those cars weren’t adapted to the flow of traffic. They still aren’t. Since most of the cars are from the seventies and newer models are from Japan, the driver still sits on the right side of the car. It’s insane, especially when you see the drivers trying to pass on the highway, with no idea if there is oncoming traffic before pulling into the other lane. We even witnessed a car driving down the wrongside of the road as if it was completely normal- o</span>n the <i>highway</i>.</div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">To make the road even more hectic, the lanes are clogged with a hodge podge of other, even less traffic-friendly vehicles: ancient trucks and buses; scooters, usually carrying entire families; bicycles and trishaws (a kind of rickshaw/ sidecar hybrid); carts pulled by oxen; even a sort of tractor with the engine on the outside. </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">It’s chaos.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGWWeqLhVvyp6ndIhePJJuyc0A53YMLrS7pnCBm1_aV5I3USM1pngsVz1BoaWfRkU-zUEBd6-n0MvddPladGG86qQUG2aUcNHYXf41nROJIOahnTdX19xM9QkU_GtOH_wn7diUbqNPpqU/s1600/woman+scooter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="277" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGWWeqLhVvyp6ndIhePJJuyc0A53YMLrS7pnCBm1_aV5I3USM1pngsVz1BoaWfRkU-zUEBd6-n0MvddPladGG86qQUG2aUcNHYXf41nROJIOahnTdX19xM9QkU_GtOH_wn7diUbqNPpqU/s400/woman+scooter.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">There are other distinct cultural particularities that we noticed immediately. In no particular order of importance, the following are random things we learned about Myanmar over the three weeks we spent there.</span></div>
<ul>
<li><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Most men and some women chew betel nut, which has a slight narcotic effect and produces a bright red juice which is then spit indiscriminately onto the ground. The telltale red stains of betel juice are splashed all over the streets, as well as on the population’s red mouths and rotten teeth. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In restaurants and tea houses, each table has a little metal pail on the ground next to it for the patrons to spit into.</span></li>
</ul>
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"></span><br />
<ul>
<li><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Symbol; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"></span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">There is a bizarre (to me anyway) prevalence of throwing up in public. People, it seemed, were always puking. I just can’t get over it. We were taken aback in other Asian countries by the amount of loogie-hawking we hear- seriously, SE Asians are always loudly clearing their nasal passages in public by hawking loogies- but it seems the Burmese take it a step further and are prone to throwing up in public in a way that I have never seen before (and hope to never see again). </span></li>
</ul>
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"></span><br />
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<li><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Myanmar is LOUD. Between the constant honking of traffic, the pollution spewing diesel trucks from the 70’s, the Buddhist prayer recited for hours over loudspeakers, the recorded chiming of bells that is played every hour, the packs of homeless dogs barking, and the Burmese music videos, soap operas and variety shows that are turned up to maximum volume on every TV, life in Myanmar is an assault on the ears, no matter what the hour.</span></li>
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<li><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Symbol; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"></span></span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">While men and women are relatively equal in Myanmar, there is still a strong men-only culture in tea houses and bars.There were times when we would step into a smoky, dimly lit bar to find a table of shirtless men in nothing but their <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">longyis </i>drinking whiskey and water at 4:00pm. As soon as I was spotted, everyone in the bar would go quiet and stare at me before sullenly putting their shirts back on. Although children seem to be a regular fixture at Burmese drinking establishments- we were often served beers by twelve-year-olds- I never saw another young woman in a bar.</span></li>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The last, most powerful impression we had about Myanmar was the people. </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">In over seven months of traveling in more than ten countries, we have never met a population as kind and welcoming as that of Myanmar. The people there are incredible. Everyone we met, or even saw on the streets, was smiling and curious and happy to see us. We had several people thank us just for being there. When we would walk on the street, random people would wave to us, smiling shyly; children would yell “Hallo!” from windows, hoping to catch our attention; street vendors would nod their heads to us as we walked by; the younger generation would approach us to practice the few words of English they knew. </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">True, in the more touristic areas of the country we were seen as tourists and treated accordingly, but mostly we felt like we were guests and the entire population were our gracious hosts. For the first time in our trip, we felt like we were in a place so isolated and unfrequented by tourism that the locals were more curious than jaded, more happy to have us than resentful. People often stared at us as we walked by, but it was obvious that they are doing it out of curiosity rather than malice. We had a truly memorable experience getting to know the wonderful people of Myanmar and our interactions with them will remain one of the highlights of our trip.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqOciE0Bq3BtDm3LrRnWv7I_2ukRNqvQzEyYTxp_2vM8CeUyxnrWwIcx8Mc5swwjkG6tQ7ssM2jLd0rygYM4wPjt9ycy4sm_Pt4hZJ35kY3HPzPX6OaFO3jnM-0Gc0TBMomny1kKRVJ1w/s1600/family.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqOciE0Bq3BtDm3LrRnWv7I_2ukRNqvQzEyYTxp_2vM8CeUyxnrWwIcx8Mc5swwjkG6tQ7ssM2jLd0rygYM4wPjt9ycy4sm_Pt4hZJ35kY3HPzPX6OaFO3jnM-0Gc0TBMomny1kKRVJ1w/s400/family.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A random family that asked to take a picture with me</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKkODRSve-8SzT-7MRxDyDEXrS4MY5iLlVuHdBJW2sIYAgoAqDoKb8NJFZrIzUEHcRxgbG9MY2VMUmpB61IT84QLOXSe7gz4XWXok6Ggu4yO2oSXHHZXhwl357cgFYAf-OV6Kl2GtNDQA/s1600/little+boy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKkODRSve-8SzT-7MRxDyDEXrS4MY5iLlVuHdBJW2sIYAgoAqDoKb8NJFZrIzUEHcRxgbG9MY2VMUmpB61IT84QLOXSe7gz4XWXok6Ggu4yO2oSXHHZXhwl357cgFYAf-OV6Kl2GtNDQA/s400/little+boy.jpg" width="370" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1M3kYIJ14RNomWyrowtMBZdc5QQZdVZwKMbT8NqOFEJp227SzllxIbVQXZUnVv23n9QFho8JtnOEiRl7J8BE5so2vJvECfBdVm2zajoREUs3mu7-197pzI3Pjhgme_eK8uGDDVa3kq5Y/s1600/kids+school.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1M3kYIJ14RNomWyrowtMBZdc5QQZdVZwKMbT8NqOFEJp227SzllxIbVQXZUnVv23n9QFho8JtnOEiRl7J8BE5so2vJvECfBdVm2zajoREUs3mu7-197pzI3Pjhgme_eK8uGDDVa3kq5Y/s400/kids+school.jpg" width="386" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib5yfgl7mqqnXh3_hDwEEkXkRHsqIRNyqXjJarn-YecKWVJ8v4B0N5oondAQ4CMeBmPur8AWkzhzU3OHV85n8giIngbeu6k6f88o_rmMQ4gbeN6lyz-iV8y0B_sb26Oo_0CDHDZa05f4I/s1600/me+old+lady.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib5yfgl7mqqnXh3_hDwEEkXkRHsqIRNyqXjJarn-YecKWVJ8v4B0N5oondAQ4CMeBmPur8AWkzhzU3OHV85n8giIngbeu6k6f88o_rmMQ4gbeN6lyz-iV8y0B_sb26Oo_0CDHDZa05f4I/s400/me+old+lady.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A random woman who didn't speak a word of English, but who wanted me to take a picture with her</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhleK8ZO6Us-AMfF30-KqQZ80CU0EzPw1cMMM_60WO_LY_n02HymdInQyERvyeQcnqjrMoCf5RbYVyuLXHANy4O7ytK368mMVw4pMqBDkJgQikcbDxjeTerS4G5n-8UpEc9WDhHKSq8slo/s1600/me+old+lady+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhleK8ZO6Us-AMfF30-KqQZ80CU0EzPw1cMMM_60WO_LY_n02HymdInQyERvyeQcnqjrMoCf5RbYVyuLXHANy4O7ytK368mMVw4pMqBDkJgQikcbDxjeTerS4G5n-8UpEc9WDhHKSq8slo/s400/me+old+lady+2.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Checking out the pictures we took together. I also showed her pictures of other places I had been.</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc-aJm0zSBr3_8hpAyJwwkNbhKXBKJxBh-ReSFiYobM-25LWfSt30izWRP9888SiT0LQYHZYvBNj7X8QtoRnKGG2fRbbATnZhasgcq0g7sfWaMCvJGqil0Vgt7z3LF5p3GHc8emgv6Zg0/s1600/me+old+lady+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc-aJm0zSBr3_8hpAyJwwkNbhKXBKJxBh-ReSFiYobM-25LWfSt30izWRP9888SiT0LQYHZYvBNj7X8QtoRnKGG2fRbbATnZhasgcq0g7sfWaMCvJGqil0Vgt7z3LF5p3GHc8emgv6Zg0/s400/me+old+lady+3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqTcHwv8GpAI3WK1CzhYhv9VlbPEK7NsncoJ0pFnXKABPW_K97uxEPSv2-De0fxBy16R2MUpwjS9gEb9is3DFhgNmIQoshZ9dbAeMecfNr8koMKYp1sYKKzDtZus2uyDpkooZqeQSelZc/s1600/v+kids.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqTcHwv8GpAI3WK1CzhYhv9VlbPEK7NsncoJ0pFnXKABPW_K97uxEPSv2-De0fxBy16R2MUpwjS9gEb9is3DFhgNmIQoshZ9dbAeMecfNr8koMKYp1sYKKzDtZus2uyDpkooZqeQSelZc/s400/v+kids.jpg" width="333" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The little kids we met loved seeing themselves on camera</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg0RER_YtBBrQFHZbytq6WyMZzD_VSKk65Cr6TxVeAWUENNqfp8BImkpXty5c4K6qgGOu4G-P50VAALwbaQNbtg5hzlNGICWRLTGKu0LUQYS4oQkc0OThleeh3NY4YFXGgLFsYr8zD064/s1600/me+kids.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg0RER_YtBBrQFHZbytq6WyMZzD_VSKk65Cr6TxVeAWUENNqfp8BImkpXty5c4K6qgGOu4G-P50VAALwbaQNbtg5hzlNGICWRLTGKu0LUQYS4oQkc0OThleeh3NY4YFXGgLFsYr8zD064/s400/me+kids.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">And with that belated Wiki-esque introduction, I will leave you, but rest assured that this isn’t my only Myanmar post. Three weeks in such a beguiling country can’t possibly be satisfactorily explained in just one blog post. </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Or two posts, for that matter, but I’m not promising anything…</span></div>
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Elissa and Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16232138608795741265noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8375913620743953550.post-32817958998230997262012-08-07T02:53:00.001-07:002012-08-07T02:53:33.916-07:00Bugs, Boxing and a Bikini Wax in Bangkok<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Oh yeah,
I’m going there.</span><br />
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">While I am
usually shameless when it comes to over-sharing, I do realize that coming back
after a three week hiatus to tell you about a bikini wax is not the most subtle
of moves. But trust me on this one, it's hilarious. And yes, I’m
trying to convince myself of it every bit as much as I’m trying to convince
you.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">But before
we get to the awkward TMI section of the blog, let’s first cover the more
appetizing stuff, like how we ate bugs.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">I could
fill an entire post about all of the delicious things we ate while in Bangkok,
but I pretty well beat that dead horse in my last post about Singapore and
Malaysia. Yes, we ate well, but I’m sure you are far more interested about the
one time we didn’t. </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">But first,
let me be honest: the average Thai does not eat bugs. We didn’t see them on any
restaurant menus and have witnessed the act of eating bugs far more in travel
shows than we did on the streets of Bangkok. However, at one of the markets we
visited, there was a lady who sold all sorts of deep-fried nasties from her
cart on the side walk. Grasshoppers, cockroaches, crickets, grubs, tree
frogs and whole baby birds. Now, I will eat a lot of things, but I will not eat
a whole baby bird: eyes, bones, beak and all. Ew.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Instead, we
opted for the grubs and the manageably-sized crickets (the grasshoppers had a
lot of stringy leg that I wasn’t keen on having stuck in my teeth). First up,
the grubs. Since Vincent’s gastronomic limits are essentially nonexistent- one
time he made a stir-fry with fishing bait, realized his mistake and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">ate it anyway</i>- he was the grub guinea
pig.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">“Hmm, they
are actually really good! Try one, it tastes like shrimp.”</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">That, dear
readers, was a lie. It most pointedly did not taste like shrimp. It tasted like
bug, complete with gooey interior. I gagged and almost lost the contents of my
stomach right there on the sidewalk. Meanwhile, Vincent was throwing back his
bag of grubs like popcorn, oblivious to the crowd of people who had gathered to
watch him in a sort of fascinated disgust. Some of the locals even took pictures
of the big white guy happily eating a bag of grubs.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBdnesg1SWFaT2tSruCTFHL_2Y-0sybCadTpuP829gFpCZZnys2DyCWKJR0LQKNXlH1U8RgcRT_VyOkE1mHiFQHfWHMtQSVdnX_l5IeXMR6Xa3vqQq357BudiHBWo8TICcdwWSzYcugHE/s1600/grubs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBdnesg1SWFaT2tSruCTFHL_2Y-0sybCadTpuP829gFpCZZnys2DyCWKJR0LQKNXlH1U8RgcRT_VyOkE1mHiFQHfWHMtQSVdnX_l5IeXMR6Xa3vqQq357BudiHBWo8TICcdwWSzYcugHE/s400/grubs.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Next, the crickets.
Despite his affinity for grubs, Vincent was a little more skeptical about the
bigger bugs and was uncertain if he wanted to commit to a whole bag. As we
contemplated what to do, a Thai lady bought a bag of crickets that the vendor
sprayed with chili oil. Obviously sensing that we were staring at her, waiting
for her to eat one of them, the woman offered to let us try some of her
crickets to see if we liked them. And, surprisingly, we did!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdMaMhUzSLpwPaDT1FelKJcfvqkyCT1zi8p1aRZBptlER0eV-7E5FtwJRhr7yNzjHs2mIFiaTt_LdI_ssa-n9JfVSHLOItcSY5YnKRy5lRYlczhzeprXmqUcGLYfaF2imD1ZKXO9NU7lA/s1600/e+cricket.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdMaMhUzSLpwPaDT1FelKJcfvqkyCT1zi8p1aRZBptlER0eV-7E5FtwJRhr7yNzjHs2mIFiaTt_LdI_ssa-n9JfVSHLOItcSY5YnKRy5lRYlczhzeprXmqUcGLYfaF2imD1ZKXO9NU7lA/s400/e+cricket.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Unlike the
gooey grubs, the crickets were all grease and crunch and tasted more like pork
cracklins than bugs. I was happy to have tried one but wasn’t about to make a
meal out of it, but Vincent immediately bought a bag. </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Of course
he did.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Eating bugs
wasn’t the only adventure we had in Bangkok, we also attended a Thai Boxing,
or Muay Thai, match at a local arena. In Bangkok, there are several boxing
arenas that gear more towards tourists, but the guy who ran our hostel (who
happened to have a mystifying, yet hilariously over-the-top man crush on
Vincent) told us to go to a local arena out of town, where entry was free and
we’d likely be the only tourists there. </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">We arrived
around an hour before the matches began to an already-full arena. I guess arena
is a big word, this was more like an over-sized garage with an elevated ring in
the middle and a few wooden risers lining the walls. Between those two
structures, there was an area to sit on the concrete floor that was packed with
Thais. We squeezed in, knee-to-knee with a mass of strangers who were just
thrilled to count us among them. I’m not being sarcastic, they seriously were
so excited. Three people even asked to take a picture with me. I guess a white
girl at a Muay Thai match is somewhat of a commodity.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ_JgN0mYYWpsY_dRjjWcItKzONSWj_7agHNCuFNd0HOFiMFsAi0Cv7p4V58FrkIi49zGuVFazbPuxOvXPx_Eqo-AFcKSIuObyhWygIEsxnXqsBfzdY8fJKRWrIJM7G5Om41OwVNyNOjA/s1600/me+floor.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ_JgN0mYYWpsY_dRjjWcItKzONSWj_7agHNCuFNd0HOFiMFsAi0Cv7p4V58FrkIi49zGuVFazbPuxOvXPx_Eqo-AFcKSIuObyhWygIEsxnXqsBfzdY8fJKRWrIJM7G5Om41OwVNyNOjA/s400/me+floor.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Now, I’m
not at all one for violence: boxing, wrestling, even hockey games put me off.
So before the match, I was a little concerned that I wouldn’t like the hyped-up
machismo and testosterone-fueled frenzy that comes with a fighting match. But,
as usual, my anxieties were for nothing.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">I loved it.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The fight
itself was only one part of the match. First, there was the ceremony before
each fight where the boxers walked around the ring, praying to each corner post
before doing this little dance in the middle. I can’t do it justice with words,
so here’s a <a href="http://youtu.be/5nBkCsb1DYg" target="_blank">video</a>. </span><br />
<br />
</div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Then,
during the fight itself, while the two opponents are pummeling each other with
fists, elbows, knees and feet, a trio of musicians plays a rhythmic, hypnotic
melody on their instruments, turning the match into a kind of highly physical
ballroom dance. The fighters sway side to side with the music as they plan
their attacks and the whole thing is actually very beautiful to watch. We did
witness a KO, which terrified me because the victim didn’t move for a good
twenty seconds and I was convinced I had just witnessed someone’s death, but
other than that, there wasn’t too much excessive violence and only minimal amounts
of blood.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYETROao6ehmTjd_aWg41CFMNFITaZpNVMJ4aRNXhz4vXn2hQTWtAeVfPFO8XDYhSkcxNTgGAi7lVvoFTZzvwolQrtT8vfCC_VoRB123SQR1fkPBM61p20vUjZu5KQtUQBvITuT72_iOg/s1600/boxing+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYETROao6ehmTjd_aWg41CFMNFITaZpNVMJ4aRNXhz4vXn2hQTWtAeVfPFO8XDYhSkcxNTgGAi7lVvoFTZzvwolQrtT8vfCC_VoRB123SQR1fkPBM61p20vUjZu5KQtUQBvITuT72_iOg/s400/boxing+1.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg4w9cGdzyuvvnDCnuNSvhFErEM9_eruNXwFo9KdBdiaMZx9xcWYZJj6Yu9CcPkbBfDEHXFxiHTC0kasXev9ttEx7uR2GKcNXG1rO_tMqJJrxqqZQ822RRT2WE68a2MvL_le4QyHpMOUI/s1600/boxing+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg4w9cGdzyuvvnDCnuNSvhFErEM9_eruNXwFo9KdBdiaMZx9xcWYZJj6Yu9CcPkbBfDEHXFxiHTC0kasXev9ttEx7uR2GKcNXG1rO_tMqJJrxqqZQ822RRT2WE68a2MvL_le4QyHpMOUI/s400/boxing+3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXkJUmlEZkruBAJSqDEx42SI-zU_rU56oL4av7qt5f_GZ9qZLOKJRiZlJ_zqVMvtRFYc-sTJZqMj434zOYwivMWqYc6Lyvt9PeUGx0iqgYootktLBwEL_xx3bpUwNLnbW1hDL_TQoJLhQ/s1600/ko.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXkJUmlEZkruBAJSqDEx42SI-zU_rU56oL4av7qt5f_GZ9qZLOKJRiZlJ_zqVMvtRFYc-sTJZqMj434zOYwivMWqYc6Lyvt9PeUGx0iqgYootktLBwEL_xx3bpUwNLnbW1hDL_TQoJLhQ/s400/ko.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Taking the
match from sporting event to cultural spectacle was the crowd, who yelled and
groaned and clapped and screamed throughout each fight. Even more interesting
though was the betting. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Everyone-</i>
man, woman, child- was betting with an intensity that rivaled that of the
boxers in the ring. At first, we didn’t understand at all what they were doing:
people yelling abstractly to the rest of the crowd, making rapid-fire hand
gestures, talking into head pieces with their mouths covered by sheets of
paper. Then we realized that each person was betting against other people in
the crowd, not against a bookie. They would yell their bet while motioning with
their hand the amount and then wait to make eye contact with someone who wanted
to bet against them. It was complete chaos, with money being passed through the
crowd after each match, but it was fascinating to watch. We were so enthralled
with the antics of the gambling crowd that we almost forgot about the two guys
in the ring beating the hell out of each other.</span><br />
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Speaking of
beating the hell out of someone, I got a Thai massage. And not a “massage,” I
got an actual, traditional Thai massage. And it <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">hurt</i>. </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">You see,
unlike most Western massages that are meant to relax you, the Thai massage is intensely
physical. You lay down in your silk pajamas expecting to be gently kneaded into
a drooling, blissed out stupor only to be pummeled ruthlessly for nearly an
hour. It’s a lot like Muay Thai, actually, where your assailant can use her
fists, elbows, knees and feet, but instead of having your ass kicked by a fit,
hard-faced boxer, you are pleading for mercy from an unassuming little old lady
who only a few minutes ago was washing your feet and offering you tea. It is
intense. After my massage, it was all I could do to stagger back to our hostel
and collapse face-down on the bed, completely exhausted by someone else’s
physical effort.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The next
day I was a human again and was able to see a few of the many tourist sites
that Bangkok has to offer. The city gets a bad rap, not undeservedly, for the
whole sex tourism thing, but it also has a surprising amount of attractions of
a less hedonistic nature. It really is a lovely city, with long boats floating
down picturesque canals and numerous temples, palaces and pagodas.</span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgda0fbuHMYZLpCdpfuq6aZ3ryicZTb5jMGkuYJp2hOONb_F-AKuGje2bSTCK394JBIsDBkspVopxGnP5hGxxI9WCWOqWT-aEzB5AFi2I_RGTyEMzx655HKC4kR8r3wCo_F-nDwr4eDazE/s1600/street+food.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgda0fbuHMYZLpCdpfuq6aZ3ryicZTb5jMGkuYJp2hOONb_F-AKuGje2bSTCK394JBIsDBkspVopxGnP5hGxxI9WCWOqWT-aEzB5AFi2I_RGTyEMzx655HKC4kR8r3wCo_F-nDwr4eDazE/s400/street+food.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Come on, one picture of street food...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">I can’t
think of an appropriate segue from Buddhist temples to a bikini wax, so I’m
just going to jump into it. If this is way too much information for your
delicate sensibilities (and really, who could blame you?), stop reading now.
You have been warned (but don't worry, there are no pictures.)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">For my
appointment at a tiny local beauty salon, I was led to the back of the actual
salon, up a dark, creaky wooden staircase, through someone’s kitchen and into
what looked like a bedroom without any furniture except a bare mattress on the
wooden floor. At the foot of the mattress, also on the floor, was a thin
blanket: my waxing table. The idea was to lay on the blanket leaning against
the mattress in my underwear in a position that can only be described as “the
Frog,” while a tiny Thai woman sat cross-legged on the floor between my legs
and ripped out any unwanted hair. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">And I was
paying for this.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">In the
beautician’s defense, she at least talked to me during this torture, trying to
take my mind off the fact that this was probably the most uncomfortable-
physically and emotionally- I had ever been. During the course of our
conversation, I absentmindedly asked her if Western women were hairier than
Thai women. To answer my question, she told me that when she first started
working, she only waxed local women, but then when she moved to this salon, she
started working on Westerners as well. One of her first Western bikini wax
clients was a tourist who apparently had been traveling for a while and had
neglected that particular grooming habit. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">At this
point in the story, the little Thai lady between my knees stopped what she was
doing and looked up at me, her eyes wide with awe-struck earnestness. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Then she
whispered, “I had never seen so much hair in my life.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>Elissa and Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16232138608795741265noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8375913620743953550.post-11355847786384268262012-07-17T22:25:00.000-07:002012-07-17T22:25:17.817-07:00Service Interruption: Myanmar EditionI hoped I wouldn't have to do this, but my hands are tied.<br />
<br />
The good news is that we finally got our visas to Myanmar after considerable stress when the visa agency temporarily lost our passports (!). All's well that ends well though, and we are currently in Yangon (Rangoon). We will travel in Myanmar for the next three weeks before returning to Bangkok on the 7th of August.<br />
<br />
So that's the good news.<br />
<br />
The bad news is that a decent internet connection is nearly impossible to find in Myanmar, especially outside of Yangon, so unfortunately, I won't be able to blog for the next few weeks.<br />
<br />
I am really sorry for the interruption, but be assured knowing that this hurts me more than it hurts you. We will still take loads of pictures and I'll be documenting our experiences offline so that come August 7th, the blog will explode with new entries (not really, but I need to offer some consolation, don't I?).<br />
<br />
Thanks as always for your readership and this time, thanks in particular for your patience. I promise that I will cover both Bangkok and Myanmar as soon as I can.<br />
<br />
See you August 7th! <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Elissa and Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16232138608795741265noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8375913620743953550.post-58274554003247465612012-07-13T09:08:00.001-07:002012-07-13T09:08:23.923-07:00Asia 101We’re back at it. <br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">After the
first world comfort of Australia and New Zealand (and Chile and Argentina, for
that matter) and the privacy and freedom of camping, we are back to backpacking
in the developing world, with all of the craziness that goes with it.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">And, even
better, we’re in Asia.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">I’ve been
ridiculously excited about going to Asia since we started planning this trip.
It was the last continent that I’d never been to (except Antarctica, but I’ll
get there one of these days) and the culture is of course unlike anything I’ve
ever seen. I couldn’t wait to experience the people, the colors, the religions,
all of it. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">But there
was one reason above all others that made the continent particularly enticing;
a reason that can be summed up in two words:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">Street Food.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">Now, if
you’ve been reading this blog for a while (and if so, thank you!), you know
just how much I adore street food. I love that food is the only focus,
unimpaired by the rest of the stuff that usually comes with a dining
experience. At a food stall on the sidewalk, there are no decorations, no mood
music, no friendly wait staff to distract you. There is nothing for the food to
hide behind, which is why street food is often the best food. I would even go
as far as to say that often the best dishes you can find while travelling will
be eaten either standing up or sitting on a plastic stool on a sidewalk. When
you see someone, usually an older someone, making their living serving only one
dish that they have probably been serving for years, you know it’s not going to
suck. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">Illustrating
just how deeply I adhere to this belief, you should know that we were in
Singapore and Malaysia for six days and did not step foot in a restaurant even once.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">We started
our Asian adventure in Singapore, which, I think I can now safely say, is one
of the best places to eat in the world. Singapore’s vast mix of cultures-
Chinese, Malaysian, Indian, Thai, Vietnamese, Korean and so on- make it the
perfect introduction to Asia, and, of course, Asian cuisine. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">Singapore
is a country, a city and an island all in one, and its cultural diversity is
evidenced everywhere you look. While it remains very Asian, its official
language is English (a throw-back to the old days of the British Empire) and
it’s an international economic powerhouse. The country is very clean and
famously rigid with its rules: drug smuggling carries a mandatory death penalty
and chewing gum is outlawed. There are
bustling cultural enclaves- Chinatown, Little India, Arab Street and the like-
but its cosmopolitan culture extends beyond the East. American and European
chain stores crowd out local shops in the giant air-conditioned shopping malls
that seem to be on every corner and skyscrapers tower over the city in every
direction. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDdjFaBAHGorPmq1e1QZ5TFt5DXNJExeGRfMem86-j144O-gLWUf4g60yhwqVJaPIxa2mGCthwAXbsUzGJghW7Ca2ZLTzDr7C_kHSjIrVoNp8odrnee0Fb3d6Jjwht3yBYFB20Xp_doD0/s1600/sing+building+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDdjFaBAHGorPmq1e1QZ5TFt5DXNJExeGRfMem86-j144O-gLWUf4g60yhwqVJaPIxa2mGCthwAXbsUzGJghW7Ca2ZLTzDr7C_kHSjIrVoNp8odrnee0Fb3d6Jjwht3yBYFB20Xp_doD0/s400/sing+building+2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRBLagXthsqE-bVrRDYl2ak5RM2GH-3zvwnhcXARVB2vHlQ6e2X0wL8cVASByiJtKWqryNw2qmqk0rQDEBaKYlB1Fj4GPzpYi9RK2vuKfgAUm9P4WovqWhGxh8nhtYXJhNrWbjqhydqN8/s1600/no+durians.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRBLagXthsqE-bVrRDYl2ak5RM2GH-3zvwnhcXARVB2vHlQ6e2X0wL8cVASByiJtKWqryNw2qmqk0rQDEBaKYlB1Fj4GPzpYi9RK2vuKfgAUm9P4WovqWhGxh8nhtYXJhNrWbjqhydqN8/s400/no+durians.jpg" width="297" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Just a few of Singapore's many rules on its Metro. No stinky durians is my personal fave.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLSfzKv9TnqJUJnU_QoZs2WonpP8KHlT51bkphH_l68NscezU10G-ASf0B3Oinkf5qCIlRtE60zWpVQKyFWA7d1BAIb6TVXtkp2P8R4SgbH0EePm3ZpEmtSS20R0In3y5jTx33mDr2Q4k/s1600/root.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLSfzKv9TnqJUJnU_QoZs2WonpP8KHlT51bkphH_l68NscezU10G-ASf0B3Oinkf5qCIlRtE60zWpVQKyFWA7d1BAIb6TVXtkp2P8R4SgbH0EePm3ZpEmtSS20R0In3y5jTx33mDr2Q4k/s400/root.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Really? The root of ALL evils???</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
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<br />
<span lang="EN-US">Yet despite
its obvious globalization and modernity, Singapore was a delight to visit. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">And by
visit, I mean eat in.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Years ago,
as in the rest of Asia, Singapore’s food vendors operated out of carts on the
streets. Then, in a stroke of visionary genius, the city officials moved all of
the vendors, or hawkers, into indoor food courts called hawker centers. With
this one controversial move, the city managed to clean up the congested
streets, raise the level of food hygiene among the hawker stalls and create temples of eating where you can find any food your heart desires. From experience, I can say that the result is
glorious.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">Imagine
walking into a food court with immeasurable eating options, only instead of
McDonalds, Taco Bell and Sparro’s, you have stall after stall of specialty
dishes from the best cooks in the area. Everything is fresh and flavorful and
made by someone who has been perfecting those dishes for decades. And since it
is all in the same place, you can mix and match as you please to create a
diverse, delicious multi-course meal without ever leaving the food court. And lest you be thinking that the hawker centers are just sterilized, colorless bastardizations of real eating communities, please see below.</span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxfxFJE30TVHmh68-wHmMiTkdu1blT1Nayfy9k4V2AHf1_CBK1c1xpabPsbvNyFK0XwKDAkib4qPuQS69-8B4mA5ucxXyCrgQ8VokCOhV7s6QnKD3CQ4vsc8b5YQChfI4DFn3-sp1lcNI/s1600/hawker+center.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="232" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxfxFJE30TVHmh68-wHmMiTkdu1blT1Nayfy9k4V2AHf1_CBK1c1xpabPsbvNyFK0XwKDAkib4qPuQS69-8B4mA5ucxXyCrgQ8VokCOhV7s6QnKD3CQ4vsc8b5YQChfI4DFn3-sp1lcNI/s400/hawker+center.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hawker center in Little India with people lining up 10-deep for delicious Mutton Biryani</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji0Lr0o-u3eu2ehZbGW7hz-7oz8nBdOCrAC9w_t0eKx6AnlTDKzRuz30GQtBqaU3wanTpe0imZFHBBZk4v2unyOCapEnakC7nn349AQzrlczlrMhQTWGkHAYisJ6JOGDwc-YQAf1j52O0/s1600/sharing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji0Lr0o-u3eu2ehZbGW7hz-7oz8nBdOCrAC9w_t0eKx6AnlTDKzRuz30GQtBqaU3wanTpe0imZFHBBZk4v2unyOCapEnakC7nn349AQzrlczlrMhQTWGkHAYisJ6JOGDwc-YQAf1j52O0/s400/sharing.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">No chance of getting our own table in the busy centers, so we needed to share</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1uOzsBcZlUZJX26JATRYImbL7qL5Fu58DuVc0mzBt1JcY1Rw4ajZGXTV_jJoBrOzUh3B6RJ0D67G1158nDE4K5O3x3O_Ts6CoyFYUa_MWx5BlpnIDxV02_oZufFv3orBxQdCqM2ecuqk/s1600/v+chicken+rice.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1uOzsBcZlUZJX26JATRYImbL7qL5Fu58DuVc0mzBt1JcY1Rw4ajZGXTV_jJoBrOzUh3B6RJ0D67G1158nDE4K5O3x3O_Ts6CoyFYUa_MWx5BlpnIDxV02_oZufFv3orBxQdCqM2ecuqk/s400/v+chicken+rice.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Can you spot the white guy who is super excited about his chicken rice?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiclEgNdr8Jy10SNWclam2WXze5APRsYescPlYHKZTqkKz9R8BUQ9b4WWCChKpHv3XQifyhfZ3AECR-AUldrl-DhakvhgRVBJYvyFufVqA4OYOsE1ijXO6hsE4et_cKSpyQwylnpyGcNBQ/s1600/wonton+stand.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiclEgNdr8Jy10SNWclam2WXze5APRsYescPlYHKZTqkKz9R8BUQ9b4WWCChKpHv3XQifyhfZ3AECR-AUldrl-DhakvhgRVBJYvyFufVqA4OYOsE1ijXO6hsE4et_cKSpyQwylnpyGcNBQ/s400/wonton+stand.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My wonton noodle stand</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<span lang="EN-US">I was a
hawker center convert. That is, until we went to Malaysia.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">While one
can find a food court here and there, Malaysia’s food vendors are still in the
streets with their carts, and, as we found out, are still making awesome food. I
could go on and on describing all of the incredible things we have been eating
in the past six days, but this is a travel blog, not a food blog, so I’ll
restrain myself. If you do like to dabble in food porn every once in a while,
visit our <b><a href="http://360degrees360days.blogspot.com/p/eating.html" target="_blank">Eating</a></b> page to get your fix.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">I may have
spared you the food play by play, but I won’t stop myself from indulging in pictures of the places we have been eating and the people who have been
feeding us in Singapore and</span><span lang="EN-US"> the
Malaysian cities of Kuala Lumpur and Georgetown in Penang</span><span lang="EN-US">.</span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0t_P0P5s__IXW2zCurs_IzTsZ0xyG_YtUVDfitl8aqoASRflZEkhBnEGFDt5biweZpb4u5e3WEcmk8hEiRTtPe9P4Lk3Y7zxY05r4VbWR2xJMA9ZOrcOHhASCv0z-I6Mr12RRMpHNBss/s1600/corn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0t_P0P5s__IXW2zCurs_IzTsZ0xyG_YtUVDfitl8aqoASRflZEkhBnEGFDt5biweZpb4u5e3WEcmk8hEiRTtPe9P4Lk3Y7zxY05r4VbWR2xJMA9ZOrcOHhASCv0z-I6Mr12RRMpHNBss/s400/corn.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Waiting patiently for my coconut curry grilled corn</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2EbPTmtk-XBiGxdOMFLrYNmpKB4ebRVoPjKGPJ5tTfc-bKLponusH899tdjR1_gbbKykm6Cbi1MqQ_hreUJ_-qTOq9C-8eFLT0GKK85xpUTpzAoJ2RUBNsjFQBnbh2PgXEtMCgZKrd0A/s1600/durians.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2EbPTmtk-XBiGxdOMFLrYNmpKB4ebRVoPjKGPJ5tTfc-bKLponusH899tdjR1_gbbKykm6Cbi1MqQ_hreUJ_-qTOq9C-8eFLT0GKK85xpUTpzAoJ2RUBNsjFQBnbh2PgXEtMCgZKrd0A/s400/durians.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Durians, the famously stinky SE Asian fruit. They are so smelly that they are banned from confined public spaces!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_bYevvPcg8PW26pTKLogi1H8reKPnfhp7kqZad2FVI0S-Anhso_SFRGqpJXRSeS4AeDSdi3g7xk1qpZ6GeLzb-EeITEzEnQ0lZIu7RNnaXnIYxwknoH3n3gdaddUHqcpQpGZCQ68lhI4/s1600/rojak+lady.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_bYevvPcg8PW26pTKLogi1H8reKPnfhp7kqZad2FVI0S-Anhso_SFRGqpJXRSeS4AeDSdi3g7xk1qpZ6GeLzb-EeITEzEnQ0lZIu7RNnaXnIYxwknoH3n3gdaddUHqcpQpGZCQ68lhI4/s400/rojak+lady.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The adorable little lady who made our <i>rojak</i>, a salad of fried tofu, cucumbers and pineapple tossed in a sweet soy and shrimp sauce and topped with crushed peanuts, lime juice and scallions. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8CsiSLFzevPw5XHW7AUvCGi3zY4BS6a0ZOnQ-tNFkWBr3AbvrNJ93stGTw_CQ2NGg9eKeajaDhyphenhyphenrMlzqfyHqoWjHiREsdzwspYQZdc2Rp6fGXEfFDr-ROG4ryfO-CkUo9c4mSLjdB7YA/s1600/street+eats+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8CsiSLFzevPw5XHW7AUvCGi3zY4BS6a0ZOnQ-tNFkWBr3AbvrNJ93stGTw_CQ2NGg9eKeajaDhyphenhyphenrMlzqfyHqoWjHiREsdzwspYQZdc2Rp6fGXEfFDr-ROG4ryfO-CkUo9c4mSLjdB7YA/s400/street+eats+2.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The chef of an amazing fish dish we had with spicy black bean, chili, garlic and ginger sauce.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7ci39Tzq_pg1PwSaBzQR9zKiDS8WH8PT9PE1h-EYERFTSqi6G_ois_UTkChIrXCmy1vCSIuXZyU05gO0PitQXwW1ZqV3RKc3mENU41dRTQeeIXGsig9GaOarUx-LxxsdU5ljWSNGz_ew/s1600/street+eats.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7ci39Tzq_pg1PwSaBzQR9zKiDS8WH8PT9PE1h-EYERFTSqi6G_ois_UTkChIrXCmy1vCSIuXZyU05gO0PitQXwW1ZqV3RKc3mENU41dRTQeeIXGsig9GaOarUx-LxxsdU5ljWSNGz_ew/s400/street+eats.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">328 Katong Laksa, home of the best laksa in Singapore (and that's our <i>rojak</i> lady behind the stall to the left!)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2zbE2CD_m2bGc2fEyDal5SSTuXaHjAOTRYSNtre_QOp_6-eFLN3eXgDc5z0SO5qmcti-2PSEBcWckRpeWJNzCh7KFFOwmX7-MUnAoUKWd33lwLGaK6lsQE1cfWmN28lvpq-YLCWwjiXQ/s1600/v+briyani.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2zbE2CD_m2bGc2fEyDal5SSTuXaHjAOTRYSNtre_QOp_6-eFLN3eXgDc5z0SO5qmcti-2PSEBcWckRpeWJNzCh7KFFOwmX7-MUnAoUKWd33lwLGaK6lsQE1cfWmN28lvpq-YLCWwjiXQ/s400/v+briyani.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Loving his hawker stall mutton biryani.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span lang="EN-US">Malaysia,
like Singapore, is extremely ethnically diverse: only about 55% of the
population is Malay, while the rest is Chinese, Indian and others. The result
is a crazy cohabitation of religion, culture and cuisine.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTNUdSkWiGEhST0r7WRtHfmUyGP9LHMfXPWHd-TbeNQ5PU_FXAsyEDlWg-4Zrbjsl1rHz-hQDVld9R2sBQuvcAzar0plTEH-_oHE3QqUMhGsr6pqCen92vxu5aiNm_lY5S1KpnKZKqQR8/s1600/buddhist+temple+2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">In both Singapore and Malaysia, Buddhist and Hindu temples sit side by side on the
same street, as if competing for the architectural awe of passersby. An <i>adhan</i>, or Islamic
call to prayer, rings out from the loud speaker of a minaret, while across the
street, I kid you not, a Thai streetwalker shimmies to the melodic chanting. </span><br />
<br />
<span lang="EN-US">Apart from the occasional blaspheming hooker, all of these cultures coexist in a fascinating, colorful, mashed-up harmony. It's incredible.</span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4q5WUqfMj7RAMcJnR7ARGeF4k5_pLRpGjggtYzTgXydStgPEhtFzEKzCX9_EsBjXcQJWV1J4wXOdnVvfBLlAobZbLs1vPJ2A4GbfiGSsrmz_ErWa9ty6vRbuLTAqdy9H701N0rc2R3I8/s1600/buddhist+temple+3.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4q5WUqfMj7RAMcJnR7ARGeF4k5_pLRpGjggtYzTgXydStgPEhtFzEKzCX9_EsBjXcQJWV1J4wXOdnVvfBLlAobZbLs1vPJ2A4GbfiGSsrmz_ErWa9ty6vRbuLTAqdy9H701N0rc2R3I8/s400/buddhist+temple+3.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We awkwardly stumbled into a Buddhist ceremony at a temple in Singapore</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpoq97pdZuxFc1Kv2fllZJ_omMrUOcPr2bjnNeP09v0FUqzx9BKhA4AFEgDEvzdtii6aUxDvL9drdBFaGO_62BK7EalZ8WekjbiWgR-Qal-FUGnwN0ptmqdsRCuM4UTF7uk4LaMZqGdBU/s1600/100+buddhas.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpoq97pdZuxFc1Kv2fllZJ_omMrUOcPr2bjnNeP09v0FUqzx9BKhA4AFEgDEvzdtii6aUxDvL9drdBFaGO_62BK7EalZ8WekjbiWgR-Qal-FUGnwN0ptmqdsRCuM4UTF7uk4LaMZqGdBU/s400/100+buddhas.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A wall of the Buddhist temple lined with hundreds of Buddha statues, all of them unique.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTNUdSkWiGEhST0r7WRtHfmUyGP9LHMfXPWHd-TbeNQ5PU_FXAsyEDlWg-4Zrbjsl1rHz-hQDVld9R2sBQuvcAzar0plTEH-_oHE3QqUMhGsr6pqCen92vxu5aiNm_lY5S1KpnKZKqQR8/s1600/buddhist+temple+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTNUdSkWiGEhST0r7WRtHfmUyGP9LHMfXPWHd-TbeNQ5PU_FXAsyEDlWg-4Zrbjsl1rHz-hQDVld9R2sBQuvcAzar0plTEH-_oHE3QqUMhGsr6pqCen92vxu5aiNm_lY5S1KpnKZKqQR8/s400/buddhist+temple+2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjysqZXDV7w4Zp9pJPLiu8Mh3P7w5mQORqJhh7WBg_HPXnIxxoW5zgM_nvHxBiKJHX7vrmvYfqmIrA_WBImVwetSDLPggcN1nyJKHhGi5-LqHgnpKVoIBe57S3qbrIIKtOPZGNmjWL2O3o/s1600/buddhist+temple.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjysqZXDV7w4Zp9pJPLiu8Mh3P7w5mQORqJhh7WBg_HPXnIxxoW5zgM_nvHxBiKJHX7vrmvYfqmIrA_WBImVwetSDLPggcN1nyJKHhGi5-LqHgnpKVoIBe57S3qbrIIKtOPZGNmjWL2O3o/s400/buddhist+temple.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The temple's exterior</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYf0jGQ-IbsteCBcy2pHvDXIoRP6AxbSI49TuIQhqX8EePDQi3Cf6IIAVWdOHn9f7oz5oBhzHQxE3wzZupWvIrNlNfW9ye0Gbql4SNf_0xNQwAwn6l2g974xNLuh8G1pgQ5ZZgQwmPj8Y/s1600/china+town+market.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYf0jGQ-IbsteCBcy2pHvDXIoRP6AxbSI49TuIQhqX8EePDQi3Cf6IIAVWdOHn9f7oz5oBhzHQxE3wzZupWvIrNlNfW9ye0Gbql4SNf_0xNQwAwn6l2g974xNLuh8G1pgQ5ZZgQwmPj8Y/s400/china+town+market.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dried sea creatures at the Chinatown market in Singapore</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidcy9DhD2lt9M1LgXjz9HR5KmYcttEpW0bGKAgeTpw6eYFEePz9l3CHH2MO0Mqqkep1HTJvZ3UzQWgaaPcOsNdFdyS2LP5MvLNqy0govjRIyWLp94Zau4ZAl103upO1W_UbbGu3Ya1GQc/s1600/dance+group.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="311" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidcy9DhD2lt9M1LgXjz9HR5KmYcttEpW0bGKAgeTpw6eYFEePz9l3CHH2MO0Mqqkep1HTJvZ3UzQWgaaPcOsNdFdyS2LP5MvLNqy0govjRIyWLp94Zau4ZAl103upO1W_UbbGu3Ya1GQc/s400/dance+group.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A dance group at a Malay heritage celebration in Singapore <br />
</td></tr>
</tbody>
</table>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsAGFPlrtv16R3aOsHnQ6Kj7C6ATeLln1rqEPj-ab1tJVmcKJGfXIWTBTasDyw_ThI1pxyqqY4jsKXSvXAf4PT8yjdRvwNRk4RpzPYd0veb9UT1DnUyKCdgElQroAjHkXG3jYcv2LjvG8/s1600/hindu+temple+5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXGKsJ0OMsqYY7T0S3ZOJJQ5-AyCvlPFhXDTTKqYh1t3kpw21LUL0jYq4YmXhgw5_cTuJo_VJNR-932JOLBJi7UOuwJjI0XN5VMDYSdTysGYvZfweGZkto0LfE1TXRVnGyBzXK3Cz67Uc/s1600/hindu+temple+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXGKsJ0OMsqYY7T0S3ZOJJQ5-AyCvlPFhXDTTKqYh1t3kpw21LUL0jYq4YmXhgw5_cTuJo_VJNR-932JOLBJi7UOuwJjI0XN5VMDYSdTysGYvZfweGZkto0LfE1TXRVnGyBzXK3Cz67Uc/s400/hindu+temple+2.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A Hindu temple in Singapore</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg10MLCD3o1UCiBaYoqt5f0ktqLEUB-RdamzuOTaNqjsR9vSQJKdGz3vwFPr6pt65XYLcmQv9NuDxmLHN2L3GrMKh-l7UKZkXuyru4Oaq1Nb5tF4Q-r8a6i9rIfc57rG1x5SxvsRjKZvfQ/s1600/hindu+temple+1a.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg10MLCD3o1UCiBaYoqt5f0ktqLEUB-RdamzuOTaNqjsR9vSQJKdGz3vwFPr6pt65XYLcmQv9NuDxmLHN2L3GrMKh-l7UKZkXuyru4Oaq1Nb5tF4Q-r8a6i9rIfc57rG1x5SxvsRjKZvfQ/s400/hindu+temple+1a.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQO7orN0NqivE7xrhPqsUMvls_2zA9cnXFeJF3e06rmGfQmSbOLkzVlr-Z4zcQQtE9LobMQQWU8tAR2SD_Un5G6i5UdlX-2ytcoWumaVi6siIQQ-Ap4OmdTr4fTz3Pecu7KfPM4cadv64/s1600/hindu+temple+3a.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQO7orN0NqivE7xrhPqsUMvls_2zA9cnXFeJF3e06rmGfQmSbOLkzVlr-Z4zcQQtE9LobMQQWU8tAR2SD_Un5G6i5UdlX-2ytcoWumaVi6siIQQ-Ap4OmdTr4fTz3Pecu7KfPM4cadv64/s400/hindu+temple+3a.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The heavily-adorned roof of a Hindu temple</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"> </td><td style="text-align: center;"> </td><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4bMvaL7Je8PfV-NC8TRzr0Gx0ZO7wfoXbyj64ler-j_7F80M2iJq58ibWxUpFa2Ipqka5l8rqFG5AnU89tVgnJzEZSYuvDlCBTnOD_Zcq2KPa57vISqD7Qgd0pDTJ4t-USw0LgibjuaA/s1600/hindu+temple+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4bMvaL7Je8PfV-NC8TRzr0Gx0ZO7wfoXbyj64ler-j_7F80M2iJq58ibWxUpFa2Ipqka5l8rqFG5AnU89tVgnJzEZSYuvDlCBTnOD_Zcq2KPa57vISqD7Qgd0pDTJ4t-USw0LgibjuaA/s400/hindu+temple+4.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">More Hindu deities</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6P5bYZ2OMSddcSduuzs0Ivekv4dUXgr4I4OZLFo0IVvfgnIZ44Mg7o0y14I_MDB823qWJt40iXYyO2Krx7VxyZjYox-rGar3PuqfP20ulajg_kWyQY6cDLFZhTB11-QZHGM52yIPXlXw/s1600/little+India.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6P5bYZ2OMSddcSduuzs0Ivekv4dUXgr4I4OZLFo0IVvfgnIZ44Mg7o0y14I_MDB823qWJt40iXYyO2Krx7VxyZjYox-rGar3PuqfP20ulajg_kWyQY6cDLFZhTB11-QZHGM52yIPXlXw/s400/little+India.jpg" width="265" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif9siZ0XGFCAnaYu55JhyDlhScZ_JgkgfjY6Wk-8_Jx1G8NU5dcGRBvdfBlO1i1Einu6YlqzXcCIZurOhTJDL_oRon8MMvHesePXMOq2nuMzUFySG9VTOMxVPtlpTF_usr5OvX3KI6Njs/s1600/little+girls.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="301" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif9siZ0XGFCAnaYu55JhyDlhScZ_JgkgfjY6Wk-8_Jx1G8NU5dcGRBvdfBlO1i1Einu6YlqzXcCIZurOhTJDL_oRon8MMvHesePXMOq2nuMzUFySG9VTOMxVPtlpTF_usr5OvX3KI6Njs/s400/little+girls.jpg" width="400" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsAGFPlrtv16R3aOsHnQ6Kj7C6ATeLln1rqEPj-ab1tJVmcKJGfXIWTBTasDyw_ThI1pxyqqY4jsKXSvXAf4PT8yjdRvwNRk4RpzPYd0veb9UT1DnUyKCdgElQroAjHkXG3jYcv2LjvG8/s1600/hindu+temple+5.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="311" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsAGFPlrtv16R3aOsHnQ6Kj7C6ATeLln1rqEPj-ab1tJVmcKJGfXIWTBTasDyw_ThI1pxyqqY4jsKXSvXAf4PT8yjdRvwNRk4RpzPYd0veb9UT1DnUyKCdgElQroAjHkXG3jYcv2LjvG8/s400/hindu+temple+5.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdo7M3-PRshF9mUvG5bMvtRA5-iGadeaM3-EiSS8XjdnYY39Nf5KmLKcDPccfPJ6RiQSgYcjuop0OAS8dMH7XBzgYT4nAtaP6q5fPEAamYMfUJW-lVTpa3UDEHEjolJAmd418rc-NEGI8/s1600/mosque.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="287" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdo7M3-PRshF9mUvG5bMvtRA5-iGadeaM3-EiSS8XjdnYY39Nf5KmLKcDPccfPJ6RiQSgYcjuop0OAS8dMH7XBzgYT4nAtaP6q5fPEAamYMfUJW-lVTpa3UDEHEjolJAmd418rc-NEGI8/s400/mosque.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A mosque in Singapore</td></tr>
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<br />
<span lang="EN-US">Despite the
undeniable <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Asian-ness</i> of both
countries, Singapore and Malaysia remain very modern, developed and Westernized. There are 7/11’s
on the corners and KFC’s in the shopping malls. This is still Asia 101.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Next up, Intermediate
Asia.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">From Penang,
we took an overnight train to Bangkok, which, as long as you stay well away from the tourist ghetto, is much more of a culture shock than any of the Asian cities we've been to so far. After Bangkok, we hope to head to Advanced Asia: Myanmar (formerly
Burma), Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam, pending visas and monsoons. </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Now if you
would excuse me, there’s some street food outside with my name on it.</span><br />
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Elissa and Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16232138608795741265noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8375913620743953550.post-19445314028906663742012-07-08T08:44:00.001-07:002012-07-08T08:44:37.962-07:00My Apologies to Australia<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I feel bad.<br />
<br />
Looking back at my blog posts during our Australian road trip, I realized that we kind-of gave Australia the shaft. In two posts about the experience, there is a grand total of <i>one</i> picture of something other than our van or me being creeped out by possums.<br />
<br />
I am not impressed with myself.<br />
<br />
Since my last few posts have been pretty text heavy, this post will be dedicated to a sad little group of pictures that do no justice at all to the great time we had, but which happen to be the only pictures we took.<br />
<br />
First up, the Aussie wildlife we encountered. You will notice that we did finally see a few kangaroos who weren't cold and lifeless on the side of the highway. It was a nice surprise since I was starting to think live kangaroos were a myth.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5NyINwOldQ176cmvA8ahIjx3edPV96MW6i4m3QSpt2cvhDYyQI7lXgWUzC1OBNw6vfPXvfPR3xWl07X40kb1lBNUDzdhmgeWVqZDwtFFovvDNBGa_HqOtGZSwRLzPpfM4NU5TXzkMwuA/s1600/Parakeet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5NyINwOldQ176cmvA8ahIjx3edPV96MW6i4m3QSpt2cvhDYyQI7lXgWUzC1OBNw6vfPXvfPR3xWl07X40kb1lBNUDzdhmgeWVqZDwtFFovvDNBGa_HqOtGZSwRLzPpfM4NU5TXzkMwuA/s400/Parakeet.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">These wild parakeets were everywhere. They may be beautiful, but their call is like fingernails on a chalkboard.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLqtCjK-B0ogxFepdqd14ifMYHv8HXncJneBgr0vhZUYceiyVmWHj_79mhCbwkYrplGbjdp_CJ5n_PmvQiZ1zCwwyxU5KFpsoluqPE2GCgoxp6Pd_ZuwXaUwtvoedfeF3rhEK8O2XGWII/s1600/sleep.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6I1hnJiiVsVR6wEI7vkRkdZVugnwhFovuQRJkUbY8aWtb7NY3Vb3E55WkSGH57thvT4zUOA2HcbiN18U2tywmXHatiZi3ze9L32cXVhem7flT_BrER8pltaCzvybkg61aw_oUnbKolZs/s1600/Goana.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6I1hnJiiVsVR6wEI7vkRkdZVugnwhFovuQRJkUbY8aWtb7NY3Vb3E55WkSGH57thvT4zUOA2HcbiN18U2tywmXHatiZi3ze9L32cXVhem7flT_BrER8pltaCzvybkg61aw_oUnbKolZs/s400/Goana.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A large (around one meter long) Monitor Lizard</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAsXI2XuP8sIMrstaDCljPLjF4rvGGqcS8qn8jHgacUXqlRDburByWshcGVtp_Zdjh765jz44V-Vu1u-uwP-UXfY56sip4ZtizbmzP2oPg-rPs-lcN_Sn8d7i6G7UsY6WAjsvrU4f0lSk/s1600/croc+sign.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAsXI2XuP8sIMrstaDCljPLjF4rvGGqcS8qn8jHgacUXqlRDburByWshcGVtp_Zdjh765jz44V-Vu1u-uwP-UXfY56sip4ZtizbmzP2oPg-rPs-lcN_Sn8d7i6G7UsY6WAjsvrU4f0lSk/s400/croc+sign.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fun-hating beach crocodiles (granted, we didn't actually <i>see</i> any of them)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgczNr_aMDz4RbrOLay-EPDnflqxRS3hfWNnekj_MhJ9C0wVgnGvx5-7TxHbbYORPfYh_EGDvJO8yMkWV2sMwgZ6jUsFB_a6LyfcQso3bMg7UVznYUs9IIKpxz4Ovin80Us0it_U1hugtE/s1600/kanga+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="311" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgczNr_aMDz4RbrOLay-EPDnflqxRS3hfWNnekj_MhJ9C0wVgnGvx5-7TxHbbYORPfYh_EGDvJO8yMkWV2sMwgZ6jUsFB_a6LyfcQso3bMg7UVznYUs9IIKpxz4Ovin80Us0it_U1hugtE/s400/kanga+2.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our first (living) kangaroo sighting!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5Yff-7ibvFl2Zm6xp3TnZJH2GhI6AAbHCZ3rN4TCu9judeZeIznjiG7xINgJjg7iSRXFuUCJ_wVgTQkSrAFrLO-GosgT5fBUONQwforcR9pLkkNnwkjyWI8DFmODtacspzJvL2nUGFBw/s1600/kanga+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5Yff-7ibvFl2Zm6xp3TnZJH2GhI6AAbHCZ3rN4TCu9judeZeIznjiG7xINgJjg7iSRXFuUCJ_wVgTQkSrAFrLO-GosgT5fBUONQwforcR9pLkkNnwkjyWI8DFmODtacspzJvL2nUGFBw/s400/kanga+1.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2YTZyu0IeymE-t7SSeLRy6LOGrekjtfwojtczz5KgWqBc145DbHdq2GoB0sb4L0kwX2hmJz7JK7JKeVy18WgznJhTpXTmvQ6IzRKM6V00G7TfCM5Q7i_F6EzyiAZBBeP46CHbmagvzUA/s1600/kanga.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></div>
And now, the landscapes! You have already seen my one picture of the bush, here now are the beaches and rainforest! (The exclamation points make it more exciting!!!)<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisZHneCCo4stnduXP8eSlM2eAwm8kIBMJ_PYyIKy9FLlzE-UdU9JFD02SGnqvaMQZrtAVvdrZpF8H4pEfXilpf40AhkLW3VyJ4RNz214CQNDiQNhZjSAqhCxSOTYkpgNPddlelvWHNwF0/s1600/sailboats.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisZHneCCo4stnduXP8eSlM2eAwm8kIBMJ_PYyIKy9FLlzE-UdU9JFD02SGnqvaMQZrtAVvdrZpF8H4pEfXilpf40AhkLW3VyJ4RNz214CQNDiQNhZjSAqhCxSOTYkpgNPddlelvWHNwF0/s400/sailboats.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsI6nudY037rbjeq-ActRax3ma0G1D24QrO8Wq_N8qAAaKkEqvecmrDNwA_36q1v-sTna17Xz41rRD1kF4AJYXhudBat_A6UBpNV1RVU-K1eOPfDeU18OM0UXl3aopn3aU7MgXlPMK2p8/s1600/beach.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsI6nudY037rbjeq-ActRax3ma0G1D24QrO8Wq_N8qAAaKkEqvecmrDNwA_36q1v-sTna17Xz41rRD1kF4AJYXhudBat_A6UBpNV1RVU-K1eOPfDeU18OM0UXl3aopn3aU7MgXlPMK2p8/s400/beach.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvep5zEVCTkoQg7VRupTkvXzXvdrjHptmhqRtZ0EVlBk5IoDbJA2q3zSwS8W2Nmo60WKBX9Bli1emeAzHdnjeppR4OTh5MQAgKifhUBNQSQBZLDHtKa3dQh55D6T7c2b6xTK7qi0pbusY/s1600/v+binocs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvep5zEVCTkoQg7VRupTkvXzXvdrjHptmhqRtZ0EVlBk5IoDbJA2q3zSwS8W2Nmo60WKBX9Bli1emeAzHdnjeppR4OTh5MQAgKifhUBNQSQBZLDHtKa3dQh55D6T7c2b6xTK7qi0pbusY/s400/v+binocs.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibD297iQd3JuqYFZm0LdfGUsJFvwfKmEa9CW9SAe94WrAwzdOl62FkHUXbghABd8HDYDhDDDzHLEX5kC6oPNZ_wCF8M5M42Z5zoh-8mTzV_UuEcmRVZzo9HTUP0L_KciTVgJV9pfUnnIM/s1600/v+jungle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibD297iQd3JuqYFZm0LdfGUsJFvwfKmEa9CW9SAe94WrAwzdOl62FkHUXbghABd8HDYDhDDDzHLEX5kC6oPNZ_wCF8M5M42Z5zoh-8mTzV_UuEcmRVZzo9HTUP0L_KciTVgJV9pfUnnIM/s400/v+jungle.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My little bush man</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Aaaand, that's all I got. We have nothing else to show for ourselves after two and a half weeks of travelling around one of Australia's most beautiful and diverse regions. Now, you may be wondering how we managed to so utterly and completely drop the ball on such a wonderful country.<br />
<br />
As explanation, may I present to you Exhibits A and B:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS5bef0mfc_0C67TXsY-P7MUjyuQ0kXTIRrH6Khvj7GT755LMbVb3Wy6Nhe824urHtYOe6SdJGFucXPgFHbpaD7DDDs_nKRdL2XX33a1rjxih3PHSH8X27qUEeCFo1WFQWMD5lOdI6lQs/s1600/v+beach.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS5bef0mfc_0C67TXsY-P7MUjyuQ0kXTIRrH6Khvj7GT755LMbVb3Wy6Nhe824urHtYOe6SdJGFucXPgFHbpaD7DDDs_nKRdL2XX33a1rjxih3PHSH8X27qUEeCFo1WFQWMD5lOdI6lQs/s400/v+beach.jpg" width="366" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLqtCjK-B0ogxFepdqd14ifMYHv8HXncJneBgr0vhZUYceiyVmWHj_79mhCbwkYrplGbjdp_CJ5n_PmvQiZ1zCwwyxU5KFpsoluqPE2GCgoxp6Pd_ZuwXaUwtvoedfeF3rhEK8O2XGWII/s1600/sleep.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="347" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLqtCjK-B0ogxFepdqd14ifMYHv8HXncJneBgr0vhZUYceiyVmWHj_79mhCbwkYrplGbjdp_CJ5n_PmvQiZ1zCwwyxU5KFpsoluqPE2GCgoxp6Pd_ZuwXaUwtvoedfeF3rhEK8O2XGWII/s400/sleep.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
Sorry, Australia.<br />
<br />
<br />Elissa and Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16232138608795741265noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8375913620743953550.post-46448869583241504522012-07-01T21:35:00.001-07:002012-07-01T21:35:53.652-07:00Camping Culture<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">You know, maybe
being homeless wouldn’t be that bad.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">I don’t
mean sleeping-on-the-street homeless, but rather living without a house or an
apartment. Living as a nomad. Living on the road. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Living out of a van. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Two
months ago, that would have sounded like my personal hell, but it’s amazing
what some nice weather and a few good personal encounters can do to a girl.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">As you may
have guessed, we are still travelling around Australia in our camper van and
are continuing to enjoy it immensely. What has changed, however, is that we
have recently become aware of just how spoiled we are with our nice home on
wheels, complete with standing room, electricity and running water. We were
feeling pretty adventurous indeed until we met some <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">real</i> campers, ones who put our perceived discomfort to shame. These guys weren’t camping for a week or two, or even a month or two; they were camping
for a year. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">And get this: they- the two of them- were living out of a hatchback
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">car</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">That, my
friends, is some badass homelessness.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">If their
lifestyle was out of necessity, I probably wouldn’t be waxing poetic about
their life choices, but this couple was choosing to live extremely simply (and
cheaply) so that they could travel indefinitely. Two web designers with their
own company, they tour around Australia with their laptops and a wireless modem
so as to work remotely along the way. They stay at free campsites or wild camp
in the bush and only spend money on gas and food, the expense of which is
minimal as they often fish or gather wild produce for meals.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As a result of their simple lifestyle, they
are actually <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">saving </i>money while they
travel. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Needless to say, we want to be them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">True, they
live in a car, but since they essentially follow the warm season, their converted car only
serves as a bed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Their kitchen is a
beach-side barbeque pit or a camp fire in the bush, their living room is
whatever naturally fetching place they decide to call home for a few days. (For
the more practically-minded, rest assured that there are plenty of public
bathrooms and showers available for those who look for them.) Some days, they
work for their business, but often their time is spent fishing, hiking, reading
and cooking- all outdoors.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Tell me
that doesn’t sound like the life.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Now, if
they were the only ones living that way, we might not feel so pampered in our
big van (yes, the same one that I complained was uncomfortably cramped a week
ago), but they are by no means an anomaly. At the same campsite where we met
these guys, we also met not one, not two, but <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">three</i> different couples- who, coincidentally, were all French- who
were doing long-term camping stints out of a van. And not a camper van. A van
van.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">And what,
you may ask, did we, the embarrassingly non-adventurous, painfully pampered
quasi-campers do when confronted with the real thing?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">We faked
it, of course.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Basically,
we pretended to be way more hardcore then we actually are, or in truth, will
probably ever be. While the others were comparing stories about sneaking into
hostels to shower, lamenting about being stuck in the bush for ten days after a
flood and sharing which public sports complex was best to camp in, Vincent and
I were nodding gravely and sharing knowing looks, while silently making a
mental note never to complain about the capacity of our camper’s water tank ever
again.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">But you
can’t blame us, these people were awesome. We would have renounced our giant
camper van Chunk just to be part of their little camping community. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">That’s
another thing we loved about pretending to be homeless: the sense of
camaraderie among the campers in the free sites. You see, at the expensive ($30
a night!) caravan parks, we see only vacationers and rich retirees: hardly the
most interesting of the camping world. I guess that’s the price you pay for hot
showers and laundry facilities. But at the free campsites, you get the lifers,
the gray nomads, the homeless. All of those who literally <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">live</i>, full time, out of their vehicles.
Be it a hatchback or a converted bus, these people are at once perplexing and
inspiring. We kinda wish we were that cool.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwqnSakKSl-5zLZXCuifCKBL5_CVwCPrABhfaLHrNAiMVeNUQytJoSu43ptwnD1dsqS_AXxuEYSVF5zuu-uv6MAwzEH7FR13OSnHlhuwinuaYhwUCLvqkwr9NJWRI7qImYHY0N4D2L6SQ/s1600/campsite.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="202" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwqnSakKSl-5zLZXCuifCKBL5_CVwCPrABhfaLHrNAiMVeNUQytJoSu43ptwnD1dsqS_AXxuEYSVF5zuu-uv6MAwzEH7FR13OSnHlhuwinuaYhwUCLvqkwr9NJWRI7qImYHY0N4D2L6SQ/s400/campsite.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The homes of the homeless</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
But, alas,
we are not. At least not on this trip.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">It does
make you think though. We’ve met several couples of all ages, even some
families with kids, who own nothing but what they can fit in their mobile home
and live a nomadic life in the truest sense of the word. They travel around
Australia in complete freedom, going wherever they please, spending the days
how they want, stopping when the view is good and creating new friendships at
each campsite.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When you consider all of
that, even living in a bus sounds oddly tempting. We have <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">loved</i> travelling around in a camper van, maybe living out of one
wouldn’t be all that bad.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhq7VcB0Iu5SBriOR3GgZE0ucr-KQOX2dcN2E84YZuuME9j7y2IQMKUHyi66LhKWUE5QK_GqwXRJnOCa-8tqT85GHqZ1i0wmmrAQo09IU2sU2jhsvIsdnqo2YMIdVN2CN15CQ7cBFP-F4/s1600/v+camping.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhq7VcB0Iu5SBriOR3GgZE0ucr-KQOX2dcN2E84YZuuME9j7y2IQMKUHyi66LhKWUE5QK_GqwXRJnOCa-8tqT85GHqZ1i0wmmrAQo09IU2sU2jhsvIsdnqo2YMIdVN2CN15CQ7cBFP-F4/s400/v+camping.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sorry Vincent, a Crocodile Dundee hat does not make you a real camper.<br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">But before you start thinking that we are going to give up all of our worldly possessions and live in a van down by the river, let it be known that we just dropped a small fortune (by backpacking standards, at least) on Aboriginal art to send back home.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
You know, for our van.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><br /></span></div>Elissa and Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16232138608795741265noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8375913620743953550.post-45162901739887142282012-06-22T05:58:00.000-07:002012-07-05T00:15:22.638-07:00Into the Bush<span lang="EN-US">And no,
that isn’t a TMI reference to our woefully inept grooming habits these days…</span>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">We are
currently on yet another road trip in yet another camper van, only this time in
what the Australians somewhat dismissively called “the bush,” that is, any even
remotely rural area that isn’t the Outback. This particular “bush” refers to the
forests, fields and small towns that line Australia’s East Coast. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">We started
in Brisbane and are slowly but surely making our way up the coast in a camper
that pales in comparison to our trusty Chunk from New Zealand. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJwbkuR4URHUGxTcfaLwHqVqqa05jzUpzGAIgmtT5pUqzPLFAYtCFAiUy9fzWabCTkX3mtlpsooPvOBcOAweLr11Pum6kdHk6j77vgbBg1-usnPoHZXdDv7Xaagb-FrAEOzGR24nquMMM/s1600/v+van.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJwbkuR4URHUGxTcfaLwHqVqqa05jzUpzGAIgmtT5pUqzPLFAYtCFAiUy9fzWabCTkX3mtlpsooPvOBcOAweLr11Pum6kdHk6j77vgbBg1-usnPoHZXdDv7Xaagb-FrAEOzGR24nquMMM/s400/v+van.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sad little Vincent in our sad little camper</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">It looks spacious, but that is an illusion, my friend.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">We are getting
by regardless, largely because in the place of the below-freezing temperatures in
New Zealand, we have the positively summery weather of northern Australia.
Instead of retreating to Chunk as soon as the sun goes down to burrow under our
covers and eat hot soup, we can spend the evenings sitting outside in our
wobbly camping chairs, drinking local rum from plastic cups and enjoying the
stunning views of all of the mobile-homing retirees (they call them the “gray
nomads”) in our camp sites. Very romantic, as you can imagine.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">We have
only been at it for a few days, but already we have learned a valuable lesson: </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">Australia is
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">big</i>. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">This isn’t
snug New Zealand, where every bend in the road hides another unique, usually breathtaking,
landscape. Where we could average two hours of driving a day and still manage
to see most of the country in three weeks. No, this is a massive country- all
of Western and Central Europe fits easily within its borders- and that simple
fact has serious implications for the road trip-inclined.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_uMll9pT19UlE9VjeBd4jtJZ8chPEqdGCHQtWc5SjD2EGbqLPFzply7YEwFaPJSrFTgX3jWkgHZk6dXauHYS8DWcALUdIeao1vdeJOmCAWvcNvli_XVKFU1PrXRJdGdNIzffbiGY7rqE/s1600/europe.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_uMll9pT19UlE9VjeBd4jtJZ8chPEqdGCHQtWc5SjD2EGbqLPFzply7YEwFaPJSrFTgX3jWkgHZk6dXauHYS8DWcALUdIeao1vdeJOmCAWvcNvli_XVKFU1PrXRJdGdNIzffbiGY7rqE/s400/europe.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Isn't little Europe adorable?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">Basically,
we have to accept that given the limited time we have (two-ish weeks), we are able to see only a tiny fraction of the country:
no Outback, no Uluru, no West Coast, no Melbourne. But that doesn’t mean we
aren’t covering some serious ground. In two weeks, we will have driven well
over 1,200 miles, which doesn’t seem enormous until you consider that the entire
drive is on a curvy, congested, two-lane highway, which is the only kind
available north of Brisbane. For all of the noise made about the veritable menagerie of lethal beasties in Australia- the country famously has more
creatures that can kill you than anywhere else on earth- it is the roads here
that have us quaking in our Crocs.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBfqlkW6tlZKRjPn0Ex2TYy8qMC29_2kSnDti2tCLkPMUbyIaXoYIs_P_5v3mce3C-vKvaBjV2U_R5dTtyxTtRfGsTrcE4x9wX68uSb0OoUP060XErdS7IOl-pJLkGSiCAayat_N3kEmg/s1600/road+trip.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBfqlkW6tlZKRjPn0Ex2TYy8qMC29_2kSnDti2tCLkPMUbyIaXoYIs_P_5v3mce3C-vKvaBjV2U_R5dTtyxTtRfGsTrcE4x9wX68uSb0OoUP060XErdS7IOl-pJLkGSiCAayat_N3kEmg/s400/road+trip.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Vincent ain't scared.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">Luckily,
Australia’s beauty and singularity make up for the long driving times. Despite the fact that we have managed to take exactly one picture in the last five days, the
views out our camper windows are very often lovely, in a bushy kind
of way. What's more, the tropical, northern weather is a delight and we are able to spend our non-driving hours hanging out on one of the East Coast’s
long, sandy beaches. Granted, our beach time is usually spent doing weird little
exercises to ward off the chub (think awkward leg lifts and arm rotations), but
hey, it’s still beach time.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR8_okVOx_Fw6GX1EVMLJe1VsDxstHTspFGUnoXfrQ_FgwX6ymPooHhMppvyfyF5l3nyzMblhip9IY_-84cIIMcuvCUr60_X7s00-JVa_z-2znaP7qmBEEam3bliXudmwF0dhHnKkpa8U/s1600/bush.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR8_okVOx_Fw6GX1EVMLJe1VsDxstHTspFGUnoXfrQ_FgwX6ymPooHhMppvyfyF5l3nyzMblhip9IY_-84cIIMcuvCUr60_X7s00-JVa_z-2znaP7qmBEEam3bliXudmwF0dhHnKkpa8U/s400/bush.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Bush, aka a bunch of Eucalyptus trees</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">In addition to the wonderful coastal scenery, our drive has also allowed us the opportunity to
view some of Australia’s iconic flora and fauna, namely, more Eucalyptus
trees than you can shake a koala at and a few kangaroos. Admittedly, the only kangaroos we saw were dead on
the side of the highway, but that small detail didn’t damper our excitement in
the least. On the contrary, actually. You can see live kangaroos in zoos all
over the world, but only in Australia can you see them dead on the side of the
road.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">You see, kangaroos
to Australians are a little like deer to Missourians: an over-populated, if
lovable, road hazard. They are everywhere, especially at night when they are
most active, and their habit of jumping out into the road the moment they see
oncoming headlights borders on suicidal (or homicidal, if you consider the
traffic statistics.) The danger they present is so prevalent that most
insurance companies won’t ensure collisions with the bouncy marsupials after
nightfall. Since I don’t have a picture of a live kangaroo- or a dead one, for
that matter- here’s a picture of me being creeped out by some aggressive
possums. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtIudogvXs26qTqikPq6ywbiW8JTD3DXeKONx8SompttS-Xh4xzZJ6pcaSNNjLyB1Rb7aKLwzZNzoP7prdPLfyBJu4hEf6KvI6Q66u8Wqrw8ShPcJfPfS57ep8hNLkNoIpKADz8KI0vJI/s1600/possoms.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtIudogvXs26qTqikPq6ywbiW8JTD3DXeKONx8SompttS-Xh4xzZJ6pcaSNNjLyB1Rb7aKLwzZNzoP7prdPLfyBJu4hEf6KvI6Q66u8Wqrw8ShPcJfPfS57ep8hNLkNoIpKADz8KI0vJI/s400/possoms.jpg" width="323" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">So until we
actually see a live kangaroo, we will entertain ourselves with some of the
other, lesser-known wonders of Australian life. The following, in no particular
order, is a list of some of the more fascinating things we’ve learned about the
Land Down Under in the past few weeks.</span></div>
<ul>
<li><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Symbol;"><span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span><span lang="EN-US">Australians
make a damn good coffee. Seriously, here and in New Zealand we have found the
best coffee we’ve both ever had. Sorry France and Italy, but the Aussies have
you beat with the combination of excellent quality and an almost American
regard for variety and personal preference.
It took us a few tries to figure out how to order: long or short black,
flat white, skinny, baby-cino, etc. - but once we got the hang of it, we have managed
to find consistently great coffee everywhere we go (barring the instant shit we
are drinking in our camper van, which doesn’t even come equipped with what the
Australians call a “plunger,” or what the rest of the world calls a French press.)</span></li>
</ul>
<span lang="EN-US"></span><span lang="EN-US"></span><br />
<ul>
<li><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Symbol;"><span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span><span lang="EN-US">Australians
really do say “mate.” Like, in every sentence. And “g’day”! Also, let the
record show that I have seen several men wearing wide-brimmed, leather bush
hats and even one guy wearing one with work boots and shorts, like some bad-ass love
child of Crocodile Dundee and Steve Erwin. Nice one, mate.</span> </li>
</ul>
<span lang="EN-US"></span><br />
<ul>
<li><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Symbol;"><span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span><span lang="EN-US">Aside
from the mind-bogglingly ancient Aboriginal culture, Australia’s history is
really recent. This, coming from an American whose own country is essentially
an over-achieving teenager compared to Europe or Asia, should give you an idea
of how obvious Oz’s newness is. Consider that the country’s very first
settlement (Sydney) was started in 1788 (by a bunch of convicts sent from
England, no less), that its constitution dates back only to 1901, and that its largest
wave of immigration has been just in the past fifty or so years, and you
realize that Australia’s modern history really isn’t that extensive. That’s not
to say it isn’t important or interesting, it’s just a shock when we talk to
people who mention their “ancestors” from England or Ireland only to find out
that they are actually referring to their grandparents. </span></li>
</ul>
<span lang="EN-US"></span><span lang="EN-US"></span><br />
<ul>
<li><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Symbol;"><span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span><span lang="EN-US">Australia
is surprisingly cosmopolitan- well, surprising to me anyway. It’s a country of
immigrants, much like the US, but the newness of that immigration, coupled with
the fact that Australia is closer geographically to Asia than anywhere else,
makes the country a really interesting mix of backgrounds and cultures. There’s
definitely a distinct Australian culture (see: “bush hats” above), but the
Aussies are also admirably open to other cultures. Asian take-aways are as
prevalent as the ubiquitous, and undeniably English, fish and chips shops,
while American films compete with <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">le
cinema Français</i> in the movie theaters. It’s an inspiring mix and gives the
country more layers of culture than we expected.</span> </li>
</ul>
<span lang="EN-US"></span><br />
<ul>
<li><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Symbol;"><span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span><span lang="EN-US">Australia
isn’t all dry, barren Outback! I don’t know, I guess with the whole “Red Continent” thing,
I expected Australia to be an only slightly more habitable version of Mars. But in fact, the north part of the country, including
where we are now, is positively tropical! I’m talking exotic fruits,
rainforests and sugar cane plantations- which just so happens to also mean locally
made rum. High five.</span> </li>
</ul>
<span lang="EN-US"></span><br />
<ul>
<li><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Symbol;"><span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span><span lang="EN-US">Lastly-
and this comes as a surprise to absolutely no one- the Australians are <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">so</i> nice. Really, they are. Outside of
New Zealand and the American Midwest, you won’t find a more friendly, open, willing-to-start-a-conversation-with-strangers
people than the Aussies. It’s not only wonderfully comforting and helpful, but
it’s also from them that we learned all of the above.</span></li>
</ul>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">So, thanks mates. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>Elissa and Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16232138608795741265noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8375913620743953550.post-40189066553598791062012-06-15T04:40:00.001-07:002012-06-15T04:42:24.796-07:00Half-Time<span lang="EN-US"></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: inherit;">Yesterday was the day I had been dreading.</span><br />
<div style="font-family: inherit;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit;">
I started anticipating its approach about a month ago,
bracing myself against its onslaught. I expected the realization of its
significance to hit me like a ton of bricks, forcing me with its arrival to
acknowledge my deepest feelings and doubts.</div>
<div style="font-family: inherit;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit;">
Well, none of that came to pass. Like a minor birthday
or anniversary, this seemingly-important day came and went with an
anti-climactic "wah waaaaah".</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">Yesterday, you see,
was the half-way point of our trip. In exactly six months, we will have taken the
last flight of our round the world ticket. In six months we’ll be back in Europe.
Back home.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">In six months, it will
all be over.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">So you can imagine
that we expected to feel some profound emotion about the passing of that
milestone: pride, dread, relief, I don’t know, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">something. </i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">But really, the only
thing we felt was acceptance. We realize
that we have as much time ahead of us as we do behind us; that there is as much
opportunity to experience the world as we have already experienced in the last
six months. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">And we can accept
that.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">We have no regrets, no
bad feelings about the passing of time, no real desire to slow down or speed up
the clock. Looking back, we have done <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">a
lot</i> since the start of the trip. On one hand, it feels like the time has
flown by, but on the other hand, we feel like the start of our trip was years
ago. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">For example, I was
thinking about our jungle tour the other day and what we were wearing during
certain parts of it. It was an unexpected shock to realize that the clothes in
our backpacks back then are the exact same clothes that are still in our
backpacks almost six months later. The jungle feels like another trip
completely, something far off in our pasts. It’s as if traveling has become our
normal, everyday life, and each new place we go is a separate mini-vacation that has nothing to do with the previous destination.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">People keep asking us
how we are feeling now that we are half way through our trip: Are we still
liking it? Are we sick of travelling? Have we started thinking about what we
will do when it’s over? The short answer is yes, no and kinda.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">The long answer is
that we are (still) <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">loving</i> this trip.
Seriously, I don’t know how better to express it. This has been the best
decision of our lives and we are having an absolute blast. Every new place we
go and new experience we have teaches us more about the world, about each other
and about ourselves. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">And it’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">fun</i>. Whether we are visiting a chaotic market
in Bolivia with dead sheep opened up on the sidewalk, having a heated political
discussion with one of our volunteering hosts or road-tripping around New
Zealand in a giant camper van singing George Michael songs, we are having a fantastic
time and making memories that we will never forget. I don’t know how better to
explain it without sounding like a Hallmark card.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">And no, we are not
sick of travelling. For that, I thank our decision to volunteer along the way. Staying
in one place to work for a few weeks every three months or so gives us a
much-needed break from the little stresses and discomforts of backpacking that
can wear on you after a while. Volunteering gives us a break from hostels and
bus rides, from spending money and constantly being on the move. By the time we
are finished with a volunteering assignment, we are ready, excited even, to get
back on the road. This little respite, in addition to the invaluable learning opportunity
working abroad provides us, makes volunteering one of the best parts of the trip.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">Before we started this year-long adventure, we were worried about the things that we would have to live without, the
comforts of “normal” life that we would miss along the way. Highest on that
list was our own space: our own glorious, comfortable, solitary place that we
could call our own. Surprisingly though, we haven’t really had a problem finding that,
even on the road. We had it in our tiny cabin on the farm when we were
volunteering in Argentina, when we rented an apartment in Chile, when we had
our camper van in New Zealand. Sure, it’s not our own couch in our cozy
apartment in Switzerland, but we quickly adapted and realized that it is
possible to find our own little space in the world, no matter where we are.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">There are a few
things, however, that we do miss. Before I get into them, let me preface it by
saying that these are tiny, insignificant little holes in our comfort. They are
puny nothings and do not hinder our enjoyment of the trip in the least. I always
feel like the biggest a-hole complaining or talking about what I don’t have
when I am in the middle, literally, of an incredible life experience that few
people are lucky enough to have. So, please, take this with a grain of salt and
forgive me for being an insolent, unappreciative brat, especially after you hear what I'm about to say.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">I miss looking good.
There, I said it. It’s lame, I know, but it’s true. I miss dressing up and
wearing heels. I miss picking out an
outfit, doing my make-up and then looking in the mirror and loving what I see
(and yes, I said that too: <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">loving </i>it).
It’s been over six months since I have used a hair dryer, since I’ve worn heels
or perfume or lipstick. It’s been six months since I’ve worn <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">jeans</i> for god’s sake. And I actually
miss all of that. I find myself looking at pictures Vincent took of me to test
his camera before the trip with a kind of nostalgic longing that one normally
reserves for a someone who has passed away. I mean, look at the “before”
pictures:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTX0Of5qnBB4aY5ngXWmI5zHw0A9nmm9rh4sS4IZZhJOCxGZli5iXx-eVj3YiOQo3FGR0myI7r-yl5GNopkaTiwPNI4xpi4-jZck9Sxz6IDEP4g4Q43ApKGsq8CMmI5a-xC_p9_rdOogo/s1600/me+cute+small.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTX0Of5qnBB4aY5ngXWmI5zHw0A9nmm9rh4sS4IZZhJOCxGZli5iXx-eVj3YiOQo3FGR0myI7r-yl5GNopkaTiwPNI4xpi4-jZck9Sxz6IDEP4g4Q43ApKGsq8CMmI5a-xC_p9_rdOogo/s400/me+cute+small.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">RIP, hot stuff.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">And now look at what I’ve
been reduced to after six months of zip-off pants and sports bras.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjmTjLvr-JB2qIf8Vs0jLFwDcQ8IbaqcnFesZykCmBDj2tgEyn8N5kfVOnJIcVklvSDBmtjo_Fv0L0F_BEAEvMq2M3qicPIkTmE9rhc-FTQiZBlln__eZ56RfwxsiumFsKd-DRG3njO0Q/s1600/Dork+bike.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjmTjLvr-JB2qIf8Vs0jLFwDcQ8IbaqcnFesZykCmBDj2tgEyn8N5kfVOnJIcVklvSDBmtjo_Fv0L0F_BEAEvMq2M3qicPIkTmE9rhc-FTQiZBlln__eZ56RfwxsiumFsKd-DRG3njO0Q/s400/Dork+bike.jpg" width="310" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">Oh, the androgyny!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">At first, having a
minimalist beauty routine and wardrobe was liberating. It felt good not to
care. But, damnit, I do care. And I’m not the only one. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">Vincent has admitted
as well that he’s fed up wearing the same convertible pants every day. He’s
sick of having only one option when he wants to dress up, which happens to be exactly what he wears when he dresses down. He too longs for his old
wardrobe of nice clothes and something other than hiking shoes to put on when we go out. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">And it’s not just us.
Other long-term travelers we talk to say the same thing. I remember one Swiss
guy we met who had been traveling for five months and said that he couldn’t
wait to get back to work simply because he wanted to wear a suit again. I
wouldn’t go that far, but I do understand the sentiment.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">Beyond our wardrobes-
and this too will induce serious eye rolls- we also miss working out and having
a routine for staying in shape. Yep, we are <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">those</i>
assholes, the kind who actually <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">miss</i> exercising.
True, we do quite a bit of walking and hiking, but I miss running so bad it
hurts and Vincent yearns for his daily (well, every other day) hour at the gym.
Yes, we can do make-shift exercises in our hostel room or I could run in my
hiking shoes, but it’s not the same. Neither of us miss having any other
routine- our jobs can suck it, for example- but not working out, really working
out, has been much more difficult than we expected. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">And it shows. As
Vincent says, we are both a little “soft” these days…</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">But other than those
two tiny complaints, we really don’t miss anything else. Sorry, that sounded douchey:
of course we miss our friends and families too, but we expected that. And honestly, with our friends and family
spread out all over the world, we often go six months without seeing many of our loved
ones anyway. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">The last question we
get- do you know what you are going to do after the trip?- is one that I can’t
even begin to answer in any way that isn’t flaky and noncommittal and confusing.
But of course I’ll try anyway, mostly because I love the sound of my own voice.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">We have had <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">a lot</i> to consider between the different
places we have been and the kinds of volunteer work we have been doing. I
personally have driven Vincent crazy with my repetitive assertion nearly every
place we go that “I could live here.” It drives him insane, but it’s true!
Buenos Aires, Auckland, Sydney, the countryside inland from Byron Bay; I could
totally live in any of those places. Or I could happily go back to Switzerland.
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">See why this makes
Vincent want to throw things? </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">Really, we are still
so open that the only tentative plan we have for when the trip is over is that
we are going to look for jobs in any of the places mentioned above (and any
other we love in the coming six months) and see what comes up. If that's not flaky and non-committal, I don't know what is.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">So that is our
half-way checkup: what’s good (pretty much everything), what’s bad (lookin’
like a dude all the time) and what’s to come (most likely more places I’ll want
to live in).</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">To wrap this up, I’ll tell
you a little story to illustrate my previously expressed woes. I was looking
through the “cute” pictures of me from before the trip when Vincent asked me
what I was doing.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">“Oh, I’m looking at
pictures of myself before the trip.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">“Back when you were
skinny and tan?” Vincent asked. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">With a look that I hoped would turn my husband into a smoldering pile of ash, I responded, “<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Back</i> when I was
skinny?!”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">As if correcting me, Vincent added, “And tan." </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />Elissa and Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16232138608795741265noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8375913620743953550.post-84290301195088767222012-06-10T20:02:00.000-07:002012-06-14T00:54:53.962-07:00Do You Come from the Land Down Under?<span lang="EN-US">Oh yeah, that's a "Men at Work" reference. </span><br />
<br />
<span lang="EN-US">I do have a good excuse for it though: we are currently in the Land Down Under. (“Where women glow and men
plunder”- seriously, what does that even
mean?)</span>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">Bad 80’s
music aside, our first week(ish) in Oz has been a great introduction to the country. We started
our stay with a weekend in Sydney, where we stayed at our friend and generous
host Maura’s apartment. The great thing about staying with friends is that you
have a fun, comfortable welcome in a new place and someone to explain Aussie
Rules Football to you. The downside is that you spend most of the weekend
eating and drinking and hanging out with friends instead of being tourists and
actually seeing the city.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">We did
manage to tear ourselves away from the cozy, wine-filled apartment long enough
to walk along Sydney Harbor one afternoon, take a few pictures of the world's most recognized opera house and eat a famous meat pie from
Harry’s Café de Wheels, one of Sydney’s oldest culinary institutions. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_BzHBGmlOILir3HS0pmAzBbHRvgtZAROk_-q2Hzg7yAPSoNKvND9-xF6f1NGqggpcUpflGnuUuvnJf_Ozwg-ISMI1rya0hUudE4xANHWB9KjQbf9V2WZNQ3fKWTsQE6YlMefqZCeKorI/s1600/Sydney+Opera+bridge+2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_BzHBGmlOILir3HS0pmAzBbHRvgtZAROk_-q2Hzg7yAPSoNKvND9-xF6f1NGqggpcUpflGnuUuvnJf_Ozwg-ISMI1rya0hUudE4xANHWB9KjQbf9V2WZNQ3fKWTsQE6YlMefqZCeKorI/s400/Sydney+Opera+bridge+2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrZBl20Q3SKtdWGVJUl-PiysG3V2Vdr34E74edzsWZxAC_morLGnC6-z6Aw69IA-btAGI6elGGfwng3mxO4eSGKntYgacsHNiuEaGI6PQp4FDWSH5LSztBIWILe9Cj_fwfp54dvh9Pojc/s1600/Opera.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="283" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrZBl20Q3SKtdWGVJUl-PiysG3V2Vdr34E74edzsWZxAC_morLGnC6-z6Aw69IA-btAGI6elGGfwng3mxO4eSGKntYgacsHNiuEaGI6PQp4FDWSH5LSztBIWILe9Cj_fwfp54dvh9Pojc/s400/Opera.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSvs-_QuutNsC4UnwNtWyOfF-NBpNv8sxSuvoN3aUeWaMqqn4VxWSZiG3YPmMqVn_PK6ggElYcB0RtJwvqgIISA_gGHMNb2DUig3ro-OpagwZRrT3UVrQQR3PVY_dpm44fbYIPdwJprK0/s1600/Color+vivid.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="365" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSvs-_QuutNsC4UnwNtWyOfF-NBpNv8sxSuvoN3aUeWaMqqn4VxWSZiG3YPmMqVn_PK6ggElYcB0RtJwvqgIISA_gGHMNb2DUig3ro-OpagwZRrT3UVrQQR3PVY_dpm44fbYIPdwJprK0/s400/Color+vivid.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Phantom of the Opera House</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2pkoGvWA6IZYzCrwD_kfniLl6d8lX0fmX8P0EfUCccaCpMB6N2MK20EW7DZAR3olswrNYGMHvtmKh8uk9wCv-3bINvqt4zai69d03ue4Wfo1kuMnKMei4ZjzcTBut3TPTKKLU84WP9EI/s1600/Harrys.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2pkoGvWA6IZYzCrwD_kfniLl6d8lX0fmX8P0EfUCccaCpMB6N2MK20EW7DZAR3olswrNYGMHvtmKh8uk9wCv-3bINvqt4zai69d03ue4Wfo1kuMnKMei4ZjzcTBut3TPTKKLU84WP9EI/s400/Harrys.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtQ2YAZjQr-0J42oirraGuUh-4uNFwtTaxWeTZLAiRsWlaLhnnvAPkwWURZfLrgucLbVKvEJeB6a8l0I3PYSkwDTP0H9Jt7SjlKACT08dwj5ZDvXsKgezovZLp7TWhfkKY_n-fBUmaI4k/s1600/pie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtQ2YAZjQr-0J42oirraGuUh-4uNFwtTaxWeTZLAiRsWlaLhnnvAPkwWURZfLrgucLbVKvEJeB6a8l0I3PYSkwDTP0H9Jt7SjlKACT08dwj5ZDvXsKgezovZLp7TWhfkKY_n-fBUmaI4k/s400/pie.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Harry's Famous Tiger Pie: a steak and gravy-filled pie topped with mashed potatoes and peas. Delicious.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">We were
also lucky enough to be invited by Maura to an Aussie Rules Football (AFL)
match, where we struggled to follow the chaos that was happening on the field.
36 players, eight referees, two message runners, and a massive round field with
four goal posts at each end. Even without all of the wine from the night
before, I still would have had difficulty understanding what was going on.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJwcvkFFSi20Q0hjqIZZwpxNxKP4k2_l1Xxx2_AiahTTAcwQ7_-Oe16WotGv770xq0e_dwbywT_id4dDUllGHoEGFDo9TBCDkaYHi8Xmlv6p2AVTDbK3wbBd3n5rr6Y5Saf0S0y-m6w9Y/s1600/afl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJwcvkFFSi20Q0hjqIZZwpxNxKP4k2_l1Xxx2_AiahTTAcwQ7_-Oe16WotGv770xq0e_dwbywT_id4dDUllGHoEGFDo9TBCDkaYHi8Xmlv6p2AVTDbK3wbBd3n5rr6Y5Saf0S0y-m6w9Y/s400/afl.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">As a last
hurrah in Sydney before taking our plane out, we visited the Sydney Vivid
Festival, which is a celebration of art through the colorful lighting up of
Sydney monuments at night. It was spectacular and original: the perfect temporary good-bye to a city that we can't wait to explore more in a few weeks.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTvUOskv3jc36-uEn8DrPH0T-B3XAcyzyuri68hQs9evA-8mtXniQskYzxw-YoEYtG2cktnUsPWJOiQop0o7XAfaRL31qRKp9-DZ_LC3VO0quLd5yl7Uj0Ts-wXr1bEMeNJcOqBi7YrP8/s1600/Syd+night.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTvUOskv3jc36-uEn8DrPH0T-B3XAcyzyuri68hQs9evA-8mtXniQskYzxw-YoEYtG2cktnUsPWJOiQop0o7XAfaRL31qRKp9-DZ_LC3VO0quLd5yl7Uj0Ts-wXr1bEMeNJcOqBi7YrP8/s400/Syd+night.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sydney by Night, as seen from Maura's balcony</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2_Tm1HMUN3Pwpq3K4W3IN5I04jhMcebJ7b8V66CJKxWbIltcqi9fEbF7DOEa44Yx32jThfJttTY7Uk2yinxE_GVZCepKJMh65jmbBqw2RSesgdyqzZdJOqnfSdfNG1SoPRZMhOZKdbj0/s1600/opera+vivid.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="271" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2_Tm1HMUN3Pwpq3K4W3IN5I04jhMcebJ7b8V66CJKxWbIltcqi9fEbF7DOEa44Yx32jThfJttTY7Uk2yinxE_GVZCepKJMh65jmbBqw2RSesgdyqzZdJOqnfSdfNG1SoPRZMhOZKdbj0/s400/opera+vivid.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Vivid light show on the Opera House</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOZ4JzV0Zek7h8D2ADKrqrCYFsrdS6ICxD_l4iZFXZcEWX1cRxfKztQKaFxPAoM8XJwo0xx2_15tWmSX2iU0r2PTFUYi0JneIQrzW5uUXSfeHLwXceIUhgfPbeSfSljYxPX7-b4DIGYZw/s1600/vivid.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="486" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOZ4JzV0Zek7h8D2ADKrqrCYFsrdS6ICxD_l4iZFXZcEWX1cRxfKztQKaFxPAoM8XJwo0xx2_15tWmSX2iU0r2PTFUYi0JneIQrzW5uUXSfeHLwXceIUhgfPbeSfSljYxPX7-b4DIGYZw/s640/vivid.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Light show on the Modern Art Museum</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">From
Sydney, we took a plane up the East Coast to Brisbane in order to catch a bus
to Byron Bay, where we are spending two weeks working in the countryside on a
pecan farm. It’s a similar deal to the farm we were working on in Argentina:
five hours of work a day in exchange for room and board. We are living with a
lovely Aussie couple who run the farm along with a pecan factory and a little
country café. (A side note- they also have a hilarious teenage daughter who
runs to her room and blares the opening guitar riff of “Smoke on the Water” whenever
she’s mad at her parents. It’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">awesome</i>.)
The area is beautiful and our hosts are great fun, which makes five hours a day of
picking and sorting pecans a little more tolerable. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">Don’t get
me wrong, I’ve nothing against a pecan or two, but after a full week of dedicating my life to the nut, I’m a little pecaned-out. The actual work tasks
aren’t mind-blowingly exciting, however it has been really interesting to learn
about the operation and understand all of the work that goes into growing,
harvesting and processing the nuts. We’ve worked at nearly every stage of the
supply chain, from shaking the trees and collecting the nuts, to working in the
factory to separate, crack, sort, grind and package them. </span><br />
<br />
<span lang="EN-US">Another up-side is that we've had endless opportunities to giggle over juvenile "nuts" jokes, i.e. "Your nuts are huge!", "These nuts are old and wrinkly," "Stop playing with your nuts," or my personal favorite: </span><span lang="EN-US">"Can you hold my nut sack?"</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihF2xuqRtBXqhgVsKHUbZdJZLTCQH1R3XAiP_N-zkHRhgD5BXL-Hzg49lbARN8fyE3tTZfwfoLwtXM_zlzdi417WnytSa6Ag9h-f0C1l-40G98DgIavhi3mbC7IufENE1zKajwEkwU8Xk/s1600/pecans.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihF2xuqRtBXqhgVsKHUbZdJZLTCQH1R3XAiP_N-zkHRhgD5BXL-Hzg49lbARN8fyE3tTZfwfoLwtXM_zlzdi417WnytSa6Ag9h-f0C1l-40G98DgIavhi3mbC7IufENE1zKajwEkwU8Xk/s400/pecans.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fondling my nuts</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">And I have
to admit, I feel kind of badass working the line in a factory, like I’m some tough
worker from the Industrial Revolution or something, enduring grueling
conditions just to make a wage. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVI7c9DkTNWLg-eDDNoiednW9-fkWmxhO6bfvEj7Uf1Ds_InaoTe2f9B0EKHvlif7ajTsxa_aFSBN733Ugqc_IO_4TPsNiNDyOJU5XLbwnSFAfkCEnmg-jgTRbwdmiwhCCj6BmwFhu1XA/s1600/factory.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVI7c9DkTNWLg-eDDNoiednW9-fkWmxhO6bfvEj7Uf1Ds_InaoTe2f9B0EKHvlif7ajTsxa_aFSBN733Ugqc_IO_4TPsNiNDyOJU5XLbwnSFAfkCEnmg-jgTRbwdmiwhCCj6BmwFhu1XA/s400/factory.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Workin' the line...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">Aaaand then
I remember that I’m a middle class, college-educated white girl who’s choosing
to volunteer in Australia for fun. Not exactly Rosie the Riveter, ya know?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">When we
aren’t working, we have been have a great time hanging out with our hosts: watching
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Priscilla, Queen of the Desert</i> (it
doesn’t get more Aussie than that!), going to the pub for Thursday Trivia Night
and attending yet another AFL match. After seeing a second match and having the
rules re-explained by die-hard fans, we’re finally starting to understand the game.
Kind of. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
On a totally unrelated note, today is Vincent's and my fifth wedding anniversary. It's also our day off, so we are celebrating our special milestone by spending a rainy day lazing around on someone else's couch. I know, the romance is overwhelming.<br />
<br />
So that's the summary of us volunteering in Australia: spending our days off being immobile sub-humans and spending our work days playing with our nuts.<br />
<br /></div>Elissa and Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16232138608795741265noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8375913620743953550.post-36180781776550316652012-06-04T03:52:00.001-07:002012-06-04T04:07:36.919-07:00Snapshot: The World's Ugliest Llama<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKL0GauEBD7uBAntyRjm-k79jTWDMHGWCtoVsTAVuxGiedIw9fQgSUb_lOuRQWqrr-OD8ESp3nyLArX4aTW-EXMz3wQHu0ki8qIcEOUbNUItdnSLt9po3jMNM6om4EYdR29WvijvGsdKg/s1600/llama.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKL0GauEBD7uBAntyRjm-k79jTWDMHGWCtoVsTAVuxGiedIw9fQgSUb_lOuRQWqrr-OD8ESp3nyLArX4aTW-EXMz3wQHu0ki8qIcEOUbNUItdnSLt9po3jMNM6om4EYdR29WvijvGsdKg/s640/llama.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cafayate, Argentina</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
*Don't know what a Snapshot is? See <b><a href="http://360degrees360days.blogspot.com/2012/02/its-my-birthday-and-i-can-randomly.html" target="_blank">this post</a></b>.Elissa and Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16232138608795741265noreply@blogger.com0