I was walking in Van City to meet a friend,
My bag was so heavy, I wanted it to end,
Two shoes tied on the back and two pillows too
High enders looking at me through and through.
Then this guy on a bicycle said to me
You can sleep on Granville Island if you want it's free
We used to sleep in the park after dark
But the police kicked us out, this is what they'd shout:
"You're homeless and unwanted a big disgrace,
You've got five minutes to vacate this place."
So we rolled up our blankets picked up our pillows,
Nudged our drunken friends asleep under the willows.
We're homeless and unwanted by society
What they don't know is in fact we're free,
We watch out for our own and will unite,
In a way we're standing up for our rights.
I said gee thanks for the offer that's really nice,
If I wasn't meeting my friend I wouldn't think twice.
I asked do you need some pillows or food,
He said no our community has quite a few.
The homeless yet again have proved a point.
It's not whether you drink or smoke a joint,
legal or illegal, legitimate or illegetimate,
Shedding greed and being kind is non of it.
Why can those who own the least give the most?
Why are the poverty stricken the best hosts?
Our culture of materialism and technology
Has imprisoned our souls never to be set free.
Caged birds we sing our unhappy songs,
Trying to buy our way out of the wrong.
If the doors of the cage were opened,
Could we work towards change to stop the end?
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
ONEincredibleCLOUDYday
One Incredible Cloudy Day...
April 22nd-23rd
Pheriche- Phortse
The White Yak hotel in Pheriche had offered us a refuge of warmth and happiness after our two biggest days of hiking on the trip, Everest Base camp and Kallapathar. Last night, the girls in our group; Pamela, Theresa, Ruby, Renata, Sarah, Lhakpa and I, were singing in delirious joy around the fire place, which is typically set in the middle of these cold teahouses. Yak and Dso Dso (pronounced Jok Jok) dung that was burned to keep us warm didn’t smell at all, and our songs and laughter roared through the lodge. There were only two groups in this lodge, one was our group of Canadians and two Kiwis and the other, was a group of Americans. A few of the younger men in the American group were looking over and smiling at the ‘Canadian babes,’ singing away, and likewise we received a few glares, namely from an aggressive looking middle aged woman with short hair. She was probably just surprised that she wasn’t the only ‘babe’ in the lodge this time, well, that, or she was annoyed with the loud singing from the women and the boisterous laughter of the men in our group who were already quite a few beers in. No matters, this was a night to celebrate!!
After a good night’s sleep in Pheriche, on the big comfortable soft mattresses which Lhakpa and I had pushed together and shared, like we had been doing the whole trip, Lhakpa is my new best-friend in Nepal, or my Sherpa hot water bottle, Big Pete and Goat the Kiwis liked to tease, we ate breakfast, a muesli and hot milk for me and we were once again off on our adventures. Outside while waiting for the group to start we watched Pasang our cow herder and Asuk our cute and incredibly shy twenty year old Sherpa porter, load the cows with our luggage. One particular cow kept resting his head on our bags while waiting for our porters to load him up, he looked at me as if to say ‘What?,’ and I can’t blame him since he has a long day of walking like us, but he’s carrying all of our heavy gear.
To get to the high-perched village of Phortse, we had to hike up a mountain all day. The first leg of our uphill hike, I clicked into wrestling mode, which I did on various and randomn occasion annoying my fellow hikers since I was usually at the back, kicking up dust balls in my efforts, and couldn’t stop myself from going faster and faster until I was all but running up the mountain, just wanting to get to my goal, the top. In the end, Sarah and I, an old team mate from university wrestling, booked it to the top.
We stopped at a teahouse at the apparent, top of this mountain and drank some lemon tea as per usual on our hikes. From outside we could hear Al, the magician of the group, doing a magic show for a large group of Indian hikers. There was such a big commotion coming from outside, as there always is when Al gets going, and I was tempted to go to see which trick he was doing, ‘the disappearing pen?’ maybe ‘the reappearing coins?’ but even the notion of standing up and walking a few steps was so tiring that I remained inside listening to the laughter and applaud, while I drank my lemon tea. Junior, or Greg the youngest member of our expedition, provided some entertainment inside, by eating a bag of sour sugar. His face in this single moment said it all, the pain, the anguish, the intensity of his poor taste buds. Needless to say, all inside were thoroughly impressed.
On the second half of our hike, Jim, the new group leader since Papa left who was soon to be demoted to assistant, assistant group leader but that is another story, Theresa, my best-friend Lhakpa and I took the rear. We ended up behind a group of Indian hikers who were singing crazily and dancing, stopping to take pictures every few steps while also trying to hike this steep ragged trail. Lhakpa, though Sherpa knew a few Hindi songs and soon she joined in singing familiar songs with the Indians. It was cool to see her jump in with them and just as crazily as our activities last night around the central fire, belt out some tunes.
The trail ahead of us was engulfed by the grey misty cloud covered sky, and most people in the group would agree that it did indeed rise into the high sky above us. Though in the back of the pack, I could hear the unanimous groans coming from the group, ‘Why?,’ was echoed in the hollow wind, I heard their cries ‘Why?,’ it bounded off the high raw stone cliffs on our right falling down thousands of feet into the deep gorge on our left before plummeting into the cool river below us like Gaia’s tears. Why is this path still going uphill? Jim would tell Theresa and I, ‘This is the last one,’ only to reach the top the rocky hill, turn a sharp corner and be faced with another uphill jaunt. Jim would then say ‘Oh, no this is it, this is the last one,’ and when he was wrong would continue ‘well, it has been a few years since I hiked this trail,’ no worries Jim, if we were all your age we’d be losing our minds too.
The jagged rocks below me were in the shape of witches sharp fingernails or the devil’s crooked, twisting spirals, that lead to his most dark and isolated lair, had my imagination spinning and twirling in delight. The wind blowing mist and cloud by me in such a fury, I forgot that I was standing on the edge of this deep gorge, rooted to the earth and felt, that I was actually a free bird flying through the highest and most mysterious places of the world.
A few hours later, we reached Phortse, it was nothing too special, rock stone walls as usual, and a few scattered guest houses lay below us in this quiet mountain village.
The next morning Jim asked who had honestly enjoyed our hike up the unessecarily steep mountain trail. I can’t remember if I raised my hand, but hope to always remember this one particular cloudy day.
April 22nd-23rd
Pheriche- Phortse
The White Yak hotel in Pheriche had offered us a refuge of warmth and happiness after our two biggest days of hiking on the trip, Everest Base camp and Kallapathar. Last night, the girls in our group; Pamela, Theresa, Ruby, Renata, Sarah, Lhakpa and I, were singing in delirious joy around the fire place, which is typically set in the middle of these cold teahouses. Yak and Dso Dso (pronounced Jok Jok) dung that was burned to keep us warm didn’t smell at all, and our songs and laughter roared through the lodge. There were only two groups in this lodge, one was our group of Canadians and two Kiwis and the other, was a group of Americans. A few of the younger men in the American group were looking over and smiling at the ‘Canadian babes,’ singing away, and likewise we received a few glares, namely from an aggressive looking middle aged woman with short hair. She was probably just surprised that she wasn’t the only ‘babe’ in the lodge this time, well, that, or she was annoyed with the loud singing from the women and the boisterous laughter of the men in our group who were already quite a few beers in. No matters, this was a night to celebrate!!
After a good night’s sleep in Pheriche, on the big comfortable soft mattresses which Lhakpa and I had pushed together and shared, like we had been doing the whole trip, Lhakpa is my new best-friend in Nepal, or my Sherpa hot water bottle, Big Pete and Goat the Kiwis liked to tease, we ate breakfast, a muesli and hot milk for me and we were once again off on our adventures. Outside while waiting for the group to start we watched Pasang our cow herder and Asuk our cute and incredibly shy twenty year old Sherpa porter, load the cows with our luggage. One particular cow kept resting his head on our bags while waiting for our porters to load him up, he looked at me as if to say ‘What?,’ and I can’t blame him since he has a long day of walking like us, but he’s carrying all of our heavy gear.
To get to the high-perched village of Phortse, we had to hike up a mountain all day. The first leg of our uphill hike, I clicked into wrestling mode, which I did on various and randomn occasion annoying my fellow hikers since I was usually at the back, kicking up dust balls in my efforts, and couldn’t stop myself from going faster and faster until I was all but running up the mountain, just wanting to get to my goal, the top. In the end, Sarah and I, an old team mate from university wrestling, booked it to the top.
We stopped at a teahouse at the apparent, top of this mountain and drank some lemon tea as per usual on our hikes. From outside we could hear Al, the magician of the group, doing a magic show for a large group of Indian hikers. There was such a big commotion coming from outside, as there always is when Al gets going, and I was tempted to go to see which trick he was doing, ‘the disappearing pen?’ maybe ‘the reappearing coins?’ but even the notion of standing up and walking a few steps was so tiring that I remained inside listening to the laughter and applaud, while I drank my lemon tea. Junior, or Greg the youngest member of our expedition, provided some entertainment inside, by eating a bag of sour sugar. His face in this single moment said it all, the pain, the anguish, the intensity of his poor taste buds. Needless to say, all inside were thoroughly impressed.
On the second half of our hike, Jim, the new group leader since Papa left who was soon to be demoted to assistant, assistant group leader but that is another story, Theresa, my best-friend Lhakpa and I took the rear. We ended up behind a group of Indian hikers who were singing crazily and dancing, stopping to take pictures every few steps while also trying to hike this steep ragged trail. Lhakpa, though Sherpa knew a few Hindi songs and soon she joined in singing familiar songs with the Indians. It was cool to see her jump in with them and just as crazily as our activities last night around the central fire, belt out some tunes.
The trail ahead of us was engulfed by the grey misty cloud covered sky, and most people in the group would agree that it did indeed rise into the high sky above us. Though in the back of the pack, I could hear the unanimous groans coming from the group, ‘Why?,’ was echoed in the hollow wind, I heard their cries ‘Why?,’ it bounded off the high raw stone cliffs on our right falling down thousands of feet into the deep gorge on our left before plummeting into the cool river below us like Gaia’s tears. Why is this path still going uphill? Jim would tell Theresa and I, ‘This is the last one,’ only to reach the top the rocky hill, turn a sharp corner and be faced with another uphill jaunt. Jim would then say ‘Oh, no this is it, this is the last one,’ and when he was wrong would continue ‘well, it has been a few years since I hiked this trail,’ no worries Jim, if we were all your age we’d be losing our minds too.
The jagged rocks below me were in the shape of witches sharp fingernails or the devil’s crooked, twisting spirals, that lead to his most dark and isolated lair, had my imagination spinning and twirling in delight. The wind blowing mist and cloud by me in such a fury, I forgot that I was standing on the edge of this deep gorge, rooted to the earth and felt, that I was actually a free bird flying through the highest and most mysterious places of the world.
A few hours later, we reached Phortse, it was nothing too special, rock stone walls as usual, and a few scattered guest houses lay below us in this quiet mountain village.
The next morning Jim asked who had honestly enjoyed our hike up the unessecarily steep mountain trail. I can’t remember if I raised my hand, but hope to always remember this one particular cloudy day.
Sunday, May 4, 2008
Kallapathar 5550m
Gorakshep-Pheriche
April 21st
We followed a small slow moving creek that was surrounded by shrubs and foliage the colour of autumn, that lead the way down the small slope to the village named Pheriche. Pheriche is nestled in a valley, between one high ridge on the South and one small mountain in the North. It's a bit different than the other villages because the land rolls up and down in small hills giving our eyes a break from the monotonous stone walls set on flat grounds. Cows, yaks and dso dso's (pronounced jok jok) are attempting to eat the grass, that actually isn't growing long enough for them. Walking into Pheriche around sunset, the glowing embers of the floating snow-covered mountains which are surrounded by white clouds stop my forward movement and put me into a state of awe.
Kallapathar
I hiked Kallapathar in the morning, it was supposed to be a real challenge, but I found it to be the easier climb when compared to Everest Base camp. The only part that could be considered difficult is the steepness of the all-uphill climb to reach the peak at 5550m, the highest I've ever been on land in my life. However, with a stomach full of muesli and hot milk, my two red hiking poles in hand that Goat(Pete the Kiwi) lent me and no altitude problems today, I was feeling very good. At the top I took a few pictures on the peak and a few shots with Everest in the background. I was feeling so good and exhilarated that I ran down most of the mountain. Though, I had to stop a few times to catch my breath, remembering that I was, after all, at over 5000m of altitude and there is less oxygen to breathe.
Saturday, May 3, 2008
Everest Base camp
April 20th
Lobuche-Gorakshep
Gorakshep-Everest Base Camp-Gorakshep
I didn't have as romantic a time at base camp as hoped. I was disappointed, I thought I'd spend all day talking to everyone at the camp, but as it was I was feeling tired. We'd already hiked from Lobuche to Gorakshep which took at least a few hours and then after less than an hour break we started the 2.5 hr hike from Gorakshep to base camp, so altogether we hiked for around 6-7 hours at the highest altitudes we've ever hiked. Base-camp is a maze of tents set up in no particular order. We walked through half of the camp looking for the Canadian West team that apparently existed but we couldn't find it. We met some girls, one from USA and one from New Zealand who were doing research on how altitude affected the brains of the climbers and they got to stay at base camp for 7 weeks. Lucky girls, I am incredibly envious. If I come to base camp again I want to stay there for at least a few days instead of 1 hour. Base camp is at the bottom of this glacier and the ground is actually melting ice, gravel and rocks. There is a river that flows through the center of the tents separating each city of tents. I thought that there would be snow everywhere and maybe a blizzard outside but it was a bright sunny day walking on melting ice. I figured that I'd be invited from tent to tent walking through the blizzard, sharing stories and life, sipping on hot chocolate hour after hour. What really happened it that there were no flags put up to identify countries since the Olympic Torch is being brought to Everest, also, Nepal is scared of "Free Tibet," flags being put up so we never did find the Canadian team that we were looking for. Strange enough, the only flag that we saw flying was the American flag. Well, we never did end up finding the Canada-West team like we wanted to, I did talk to a man from Calgary though who had just come back from Camp 2, but didn't talk to him long. As well, I met a Vietnamese boy who was not a climber but a good looker. He spoke some english so we chatted for a few minutes. He said that he climbs mountains in Vietnam and applied for his job in response to an ad in a newspaper. Lhakpa was visiting with the Vietnamese team since one of them was her co-worker. I walked back from Gorak Shep with Sarah and Renata but started to feel sick 3/4 of the way through and was just following their feet by the end, leaning on my walking stick and trying to ignore the fact that my head was throbbing with pain.
"Hell hill number one"
April 19th '08
Dingboche-Lobuche
Today we left Dingboche and hiked up to the same ridge that we did yesterday. I took a picture with my sherpa friends Furi, Jimmi and Lhakpa. There was a big hill that Jim, our new group leader since Papa had to leave, called the first of two "Hell hills". I didn't find it that hard though and pumped up my music, singing and dancing away. "How does it feel," Lauryn's "Killing me Softly," and Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody are some of the songs that helped me dance my way to the top of this 'Hell hill" I had a lot of fun with Numa Numa by O-Zone too. Haha some Indian hikers stopped to dance with me a bit as well.
We got to the top of 'Hell hill number one' and there were memorials there to fallen climbers from over the years. One of the first ones that I saw was that of Scott Fischer, I remember him from the book by John Krakaar "Into Thin Air," about the 1996 expeditions. I saw one of a fallen Japanese climber and one of a Nepali climber. The sun was shining bright and hot all day. Dustballs blew up over the dry landscape and sand deserts we crossed. Huge boulders were placed along the sherpa flats that we crossed. I wore my shredded wrap around my mouth and nose and Lhakpa had a matching one. We had a picture taken by some stone houses that were in between the high ridge and 'Hell Hill,' that are inhabited during the monsoon season so that the jok joks, cows and yaks can eat the grass up here that grows in the wet season. Tonight we'll sleep in Lobuche.
Reality is what you choose to make it.
April 18th '08
Today we had a rest day in Dingboche 4360m. I woke up early though because, me and Lhakpa always think that we're late since we don't have watches. Papa, or Eoin or coach White had to leave today since he had an Olympic Committee meeting to go to. Eoin is the team leader for the Canadian wrestling team at the Beijing Olympics this year. He has to fly out to Beijing in a couple days.
I was charged 1700 rupees to charge my camera batteries so I didn't order lunch or dinner, but Lhakpa shared with me. After breakfast, a few of us went for a walk up to some stupas on a high ridge that looked down on the village. The views from the ridge were beautiful, especially since we had a panoramic view of mountains in each direction.
Later in the evening Lhakpa and I went and played pool. We met up with some of her Sherpa friends and joined in on some pool with them. They all say "Eh Hanay" when they make a good shot. It's funny saying from a Nepali video apparently. I met this sherpa named Funero and he's really loud, obnoxious and fun. We went to another tea house where there were only Sherpas and played some cards with another Sherpa named Jimmi. Tonight we're supposed to go out and play pool again and meet up with more sherpa friends but I' felling a little tired and mush because I have my period, and I think that I'm getting less oxygen to my brain now. I wonder if I'll read this later and it won't make any sense.
LAst night was beautiful!! A clear sky filled with stars, the moon and mountains on all sides of me. I sat on a wall built of stones and I sang a few songs to the jok joks who were munching on hay, clanging their bells. I love seeing the wind blowing the prayer flags, the highest mountains in the world in view. The moon is almost full now, I looked up at it and wonder if Alek is doing the same. I hope that him and Tchye are okay. I think that if I try hard enough he'll get my message through telepathy, although I tried with Jason once and it didn't work.
I sat on the wall made of rocks looking at the snow covered mountain in front of me. The sound of the flowing stream behind me was completely separated from what I was seeing in front of me. The feeling of the rough stones beneath my finger tips replicate the rough lives that the mountain Nepalis live. These stones in the wall that I'm sitting on are the same ones that take a man one full day to chip into 1 bloc for building tea houses. I moved off of my wall perch and walked to the small stream flowing downhill. I felt like a Goddess looking down a whole mountain, a rushing river going down the mountain beneath me, a rushing river of silver In this moment shining in the moonlight like a second sky. In this moment, I feel that the world is so connected to the universe, like a never ending spiral, intertwined with colourful people, events and landscapes, that everything is in the world for a reason. We seem to get caught up in our daily lives and forget to take in what is our fascinating surroundings, our mysterious mythical and non-sensible sides. that really in the end make me feel more grounded than " so called reality," as Herman Hesse would say. Reality is what you choose to make it.
Today we had a rest day in Dingboche 4360m. I woke up early though because, me and Lhakpa always think that we're late since we don't have watches. Papa, or Eoin or coach White had to leave today since he had an Olympic Committee meeting to go to. Eoin is the team leader for the Canadian wrestling team at the Beijing Olympics this year. He has to fly out to Beijing in a couple days.
I was charged 1700 rupees to charge my camera batteries so I didn't order lunch or dinner, but Lhakpa shared with me. After breakfast, a few of us went for a walk up to some stupas on a high ridge that looked down on the village. The views from the ridge were beautiful, especially since we had a panoramic view of mountains in each direction.
Later in the evening Lhakpa and I went and played pool. We met up with some of her Sherpa friends and joined in on some pool with them. They all say "Eh Hanay" when they make a good shot. It's funny saying from a Nepali video apparently. I met this sherpa named Funero and he's really loud, obnoxious and fun. We went to another tea house where there were only Sherpas and played some cards with another Sherpa named Jimmi. Tonight we're supposed to go out and play pool again and meet up with more sherpa friends but I' felling a little tired and mush because I have my period, and I think that I'm getting less oxygen to my brain now. I wonder if I'll read this later and it won't make any sense.
LAst night was beautiful!! A clear sky filled with stars, the moon and mountains on all sides of me. I sat on a wall built of stones and I sang a few songs to the jok joks who were munching on hay, clanging their bells. I love seeing the wind blowing the prayer flags, the highest mountains in the world in view. The moon is almost full now, I looked up at it and wonder if Alek is doing the same. I hope that him and Tchye are okay. I think that if I try hard enough he'll get my message through telepathy, although I tried with Jason once and it didn't work.
I sat on the wall made of rocks looking at the snow covered mountain in front of me. The sound of the flowing stream behind me was completely separated from what I was seeing in front of me. The feeling of the rough stones beneath my finger tips replicate the rough lives that the mountain Nepalis live. These stones in the wall that I'm sitting on are the same ones that take a man one full day to chip into 1 bloc for building tea houses. I moved off of my wall perch and walked to the small stream flowing downhill. I felt like a Goddess looking down a whole mountain, a rushing river going down the mountain beneath me, a rushing river of silver In this moment shining in the moonlight like a second sky. In this moment, I feel that the world is so connected to the universe, like a never ending spiral, intertwined with colourful people, events and landscapes, that everything is in the world for a reason. We seem to get caught up in our daily lives and forget to take in what is our fascinating surroundings, our mysterious mythical and non-sensible sides. that really in the end make me feel more grounded than " so called reality," as Herman Hesse would say. Reality is what you choose to make it.
Thinking at 4360m is slow to come
April 17th '08
I woke up this morning and there was snow on the ground outside. It must have snowed last night after I went to sleep. It's so nice to look out the window of the teahouse seeing snow covered stone walls, melting water falling off the roof shining in the sun light, shredded prayer flags blowing in the wind. The sun is shining down ht and the snow covered mountains light up so bright. Each crack and crag of the nearby mountains stand out, each minor peak a pinnacle leading to the ultimate height. A mountain to the south of me has a glacier or big pile of snow, it's smaller than the Comox Glacier back home though. The snow blowing off of Island Peak curls like the waves of the ocean, a grand high spiral curling all of the secrets of the world into it's reaches before blowing it all away to be dispersed among the people and beings of the world.
Now, we're at a place in Dingboche 4360m called Everest Resort. The landscape here is breathtaking, we're above the tree-line now, big boulders are in the valleys, low alpine shrubs grow here and rolling hills fill in the space before the mountains rise up to the clouds.
Angie, the woman who owned the tea house in Pangboche was very cold and business like, the opposite of mama Tashi where we stayed two nights ago in Kyangjuma. Mama Tashi was so kind and friendly, the tea house had such a good atmosphere to it. I'm finding it quite hard to remember the days and what we did since we're constantly walking from village to village and we only spend one day or less in each place. They're kind of blending into one continuance instead of separate time spent in each place. Also, I find that because of the elevation, spelling, remembering, or thinking in general is slow and difficult to come. I write in the morning, afternoon and sometimes at night because if not I'll forget everything.
Stone Walls
April 16th '08
I woke up, opened my window to five big glorious mountains not yet lit up by the morning sun. There is wind blowing off the one in front of me, making it look like a mango flavoured cloud with the first bits of sun lighting the snow. I hear jok jok bells below me clanging as the animals walk by the tea house. I tried yak steak last night, but it wasn't the same as my Christmas yak steak in Litang, China. This yak steak wasn't yak steak at all but buffalo steak. The meat was lighter in colour, the patty thicker, more chewy and grisoly and it wasn't as nice of a taste. Apparently, yaks are sacred animals here in the Khumbu region and the Buddhists don't kill them. It's strange, the Buddists can't kill animals even if it's to eat but they can order some meat from the butcher if they turn a blind eye to the animal being killed.
I watched the sun rise slowly from behind a Taboche Peak 6495m and Cholatse 6335m, the rays lighting up the valley that's below me and the peaks to my right.
We stopped in Tengboche and visited a colourful monastery, with an ornate gate in front that was carved with various gods and godesses. It's similar to a huge monastery village (1600's) that I visited in Shangri-La, China, but in this one there are only 40 monks who live here. This small monastery had to be re-built twenty years ago due to a fire, and so most of the artifacts and sculptures inside are new.
Later, at a teahouse near the monastery nearly all of our group had rara noodles which are 'same same' as instant noodles with a few slivers of vegetables in it and some spices.
We're sleeping in Pengboche 3989m tonight, which is about a two hour hike from Tengboche. In the outskirts of Tengboche there are many stone walls which separate the farmland into small sections. I wondered why, such small fields and so many of them? Maybe, it was to keep the sandy dirt that the potatoes grow in from blowing away? Pete, one of two Pete's who joined our group from New Zealand guessed that the walls were to separate the land that people owned, or to keep the animals out. Eoin, (my old wrestling coach and the man in charge of the trek) said that when the villagers were clearing the land, they made the walls instead of carrying thousands of rocks and stones further distances.
Big Pete one of the two kiwis named Pete who joined our group and goat (little Pete), (they later joked that they were lepers and made up a handshake), told me that the South part of New Zealand can get snow and temperatures go as low as -15! That's nuts, it only get's to maybe -5 on Vancouver island in the winter and we're from the legendary igloo country of the world. Anywhere on the island you're no more than 15 miles from the sea and most people own a boat.
Me and Lhakpa were sharing a smoke when lightning and thunder broke out outside. Unfortunately it wasn't a big storm like I was hoping for, only last ing a few minutes but I was so excited! Lhakpa said to me "Why are you laughing now? ". The storm made me think of Alek. I wish that he could hold me tonight. Even though we fought a lot I still miss his extreme personality. Everyone that I'm traveling with now it seems that they readily accept Canadian society. I miss sleeping in a tent and cuddling, having conversations where I don't have to hold my opinions or views for risk of offending the people in the group. Maybe, I'll just say them anyways. I feel so guilty for getting to eat better food than our porters and Kami our sherpa guide. I guess it's just reality that everyone isn't in the same economic level, but I don't like reality. On the up side, I'm bonding well with the girls in our group namely, Lhakpa (sherpa), Renata and PAm. Renata shared her life with me and so did Pam. Sarah is a hard shell to crack, in a way she's like Stacie Anaka, not very open to people about their emotions and quiet. Theresa is a sweet heart but we haven't talked much.
I woke up, opened my window to five big glorious mountains not yet lit up by the morning sun. There is wind blowing off the one in front of me, making it look like a mango flavoured cloud with the first bits of sun lighting the snow. I hear jok jok bells below me clanging as the animals walk by the tea house. I tried yak steak last night, but it wasn't the same as my Christmas yak steak in Litang, China. This yak steak wasn't yak steak at all but buffalo steak. The meat was lighter in colour, the patty thicker, more chewy and grisoly and it wasn't as nice of a taste. Apparently, yaks are sacred animals here in the Khumbu region and the Buddhists don't kill them. It's strange, the Buddists can't kill animals even if it's to eat but they can order some meat from the butcher if they turn a blind eye to the animal being killed.
I watched the sun rise slowly from behind a Taboche Peak 6495m and Cholatse 6335m, the rays lighting up the valley that's below me and the peaks to my right.
We stopped in Tengboche and visited a colourful monastery, with an ornate gate in front that was carved with various gods and godesses. It's similar to a huge monastery village (1600's) that I visited in Shangri-La, China, but in this one there are only 40 monks who live here. This small monastery had to be re-built twenty years ago due to a fire, and so most of the artifacts and sculptures inside are new.
Later, at a teahouse near the monastery nearly all of our group had rara noodles which are 'same same' as instant noodles with a few slivers of vegetables in it and some spices.
We're sleeping in Pengboche 3989m tonight, which is about a two hour hike from Tengboche. In the outskirts of Tengboche there are many stone walls which separate the farmland into small sections. I wondered why, such small fields and so many of them? Maybe, it was to keep the sandy dirt that the potatoes grow in from blowing away? Pete, one of two Pete's who joined our group from New Zealand guessed that the walls were to separate the land that people owned, or to keep the animals out. Eoin, (my old wrestling coach and the man in charge of the trek) said that when the villagers were clearing the land, they made the walls instead of carrying thousands of rocks and stones further distances.
Big Pete one of the two kiwis named Pete who joined our group and goat (little Pete), (they later joked that they were lepers and made up a handshake), told me that the South part of New Zealand can get snow and temperatures go as low as -15! That's nuts, it only get's to maybe -5 on Vancouver island in the winter and we're from the legendary igloo country of the world. Anywhere on the island you're no more than 15 miles from the sea and most people own a boat.
Me and Lhakpa were sharing a smoke when lightning and thunder broke out outside. Unfortunately it wasn't a big storm like I was hoping for, only last ing a few minutes but I was so excited! Lhakpa said to me "Why are you laughing now? ". The storm made me think of Alek. I wish that he could hold me tonight. Even though we fought a lot I still miss his extreme personality. Everyone that I'm traveling with now it seems that they readily accept Canadian society. I miss sleeping in a tent and cuddling, having conversations where I don't have to hold my opinions or views for risk of offending the people in the group. Maybe, I'll just say them anyways. I feel so guilty for getting to eat better food than our porters and Kami our sherpa guide. I guess it's just reality that everyone isn't in the same economic level, but I don't like reality. On the up side, I'm bonding well with the girls in our group namely, Lhakpa (sherpa), Renata and PAm. Renata shared her life with me and so did Pam. Sarah is a hard shell to crack, in a way she's like Stacie Anaka, not very open to people about their emotions and quiet. Theresa is a sweet heart but we haven't talked much.
Monday, April 28, 2008
five glorious mountains
April 16th
I woke up, opened my window to 5 big glorious mountains. Wind is blowing snow off of one of the mountains making it look like a mango flavoured cloud since the sun is lighting the snow so intimitely. I hear Juk Juk bells ringing below me, clanging away. I tried the yak steak last night but it wasn't the same as my Christmas Yak steak in China. This yak was lighter in colour, more fatty texture and tasted distinctly different. Kami, our Sherpa guide told me that it was a Buffulo steak. It's funny because Buddhists can't kill animals even it it's to eat but they can buy meat from a butcher and close their eyes while he kills the animal. Well, apparently Yaks are sacred animals and so that's why I ate Buffalo instead. I watched the sunrise up from behind a mountain this morning, the rays lighting up the valley below me and the mountain peaks to the right. I think that the sun rose from behind Cholatse6335m and Taboche 6495m.
We stopped in TEngboche and visited a monastery. It's similar to the one I visited in Shangri-La(Zhondian) in China. This one was built in the 1600's , was much smaller and only 40 monks live here. It was rebuild 20 years ago because of a fire and many of the ornaments inside were brand new. Next,we went to a teahouse in Tengboche close to the monastery. Almost all of our group had rara noodles which are a lot like instant noodles with a few slivers of vegetables in it.
Pengboche 3989m has a lot of rock walls that separate the fields. I wondered why? the fields were so small and there were so many of them. I thought they were to keep the dark sandy dirt that the potatos grow in from blowing away in the wind. ONe of the two Pete's from New Zealand that was trekking with our group guessed that it was to separate all of the pieces of land that different people owned or to keep the animals out. Papa, as I've come to call my old Coach Eoin, the man who is in charge of the trek said that the ground is so rocky here that in order to plant crops the locals need to clear the fields of rocks, and where to carry them all? So they pile the rocks into walls.
Pete, who's from New Zealand told me that the South part of New Zealand can get as cold as -15! That's nuts. Also, from anywhere on the island you're no more than 15 miles from the sea.
Porter Life
April 15th
I had so much fun dancing with the girls last night! It'd been such a long time. Last night while watching the moon I thought of my time with Alex. I miss him. Sometimes I feel really upset that I have to go along with the group and what they want. I saw a campsiote today in Khunde and I felt a heavy regret of not having my tent on this trek. Also, there are trees all oiver and posts where I ciould have set up my hammock, but again , it's not really a group thing. It'd like to be with Alex.
Today we hiked up a big hill after Naamche Bazaar, psasing prayer flags and Stupas alike. The mountains in the backround icy blues, cold whites and fluffly clouds against the blue canvas of the sky.
I don't feel any altitude sickness which is such a relief. Lhakpa Dackey listened to my i-pod today. Like me, one of her favorites is 'Voyage, Voyage'. Half yak, half cow animals that the Sherpas call Juk Juks are contantly blocking up the trail, loaded with trekkers bags. Their horns are curved and intimidating but these hairy animals are in reality very tame.
Sherpa porters go by carrying huge loads piled into bskets on their backs. Many of the porters also carry little wooden sticks with them to help them walk uphill and also to rest their bags on when there is no rock perch. I see mostly men porters but there are a few women as well. Most of the women here in the Khumbu region wear golden nose rings and colourful clothing. We hiked over a high metal suspension bridge looking down on clear blue silty river water. I love watching the fresh water flowing over the huge boulders, it's mesmorizing. Again, I'm reminded of laying on river rocks tanning in the summer time with Yvette, Erica and Sylvie in the Oyster River. It's funny how home never leaves me, it comes with me everywhere.
While we were walking through the pine trees on a soft dirt trail, Pam and I were discussing how it reminded us of home, after an expensive tea at Everest View Lodge3859m. Mitch( an old wrestling coach of mine) was saying that some big rocks and wind blown trees looked like Southern Ontario where he's from, and I thought that it looked like the islands off the West coast of Vancouver Island. We visited Khumjung, where school had been founded by Edmund Hillary. There were paintings for sale and I liked one of a Stupa and Prayer flags at sunset with a golden Everest in the backround. Next, we went to visit a hospital in Khunde. Surprisingly it's funded by Canadians. We got to learn about the types of diseases that are common in this area. Apparently it's not just foreigners who get altitude sickness. Many locals get treated for it as well. Khunde if you can imagine, is surrounded by mountains, and rough dirt and rock paths that lead the way to other villages through the mountains. This small hospital serves around 7000 people from this region. Women, most or 1/3 of them give birth at home. They do not hike for 1,2 or 3 hours through the mountains while pregnant just to give birth at the hospital. What helps to keep the women and their babies healthy are monthly check-ups which have been promoted by the hospital. The local Sherpa doctor said that foreign doctors occassionaly come and volunteer for a few months, but that the hospital is run by locals the majority of the time. It's really clean in the hospital even though it's small. I was impressed both by the equipment that was available to the doctors and the warm home-like feeling that I got here. The Sherpa doctor had eyes like the inner mongolians, grey-blue which contrasted his dark skin and spoke english well.
Lhakpa and I moved our beds together because now that we're in Kyangjuma 3780m it's colder. All of the other people brought sleeping bags, but I'm just using the blankets provided by the tea houses that we stay at. I like not having a sleepnig bag because most of the porters don't have any, some even sleep in caves along the trail. If I come on a hike in Nepal again I'll stay in the caves and sleep in my tent. Lhakpa's laugh is so funny, she giggles then adds in a WOO HaHA WOooo HA HA it's so full and contagious.
I had so much fun dancing with the girls last night! It'd been such a long time. Last night while watching the moon I thought of my time with Alex. I miss him. Sometimes I feel really upset that I have to go along with the group and what they want. I saw a campsiote today in Khunde and I felt a heavy regret of not having my tent on this trek. Also, there are trees all oiver and posts where I ciould have set up my hammock, but again , it's not really a group thing. It'd like to be with Alex.
Today we hiked up a big hill after Naamche Bazaar, psasing prayer flags and Stupas alike. The mountains in the backround icy blues, cold whites and fluffly clouds against the blue canvas of the sky.
I don't feel any altitude sickness which is such a relief. Lhakpa Dackey listened to my i-pod today. Like me, one of her favorites is 'Voyage, Voyage'. Half yak, half cow animals that the Sherpas call Juk Juks are contantly blocking up the trail, loaded with trekkers bags. Their horns are curved and intimidating but these hairy animals are in reality very tame.
Sherpa porters go by carrying huge loads piled into bskets on their backs. Many of the porters also carry little wooden sticks with them to help them walk uphill and also to rest their bags on when there is no rock perch. I see mostly men porters but there are a few women as well. Most of the women here in the Khumbu region wear golden nose rings and colourful clothing. We hiked over a high metal suspension bridge looking down on clear blue silty river water. I love watching the fresh water flowing over the huge boulders, it's mesmorizing. Again, I'm reminded of laying on river rocks tanning in the summer time with Yvette, Erica and Sylvie in the Oyster River. It's funny how home never leaves me, it comes with me everywhere.
While we were walking through the pine trees on a soft dirt trail, Pam and I were discussing how it reminded us of home, after an expensive tea at Everest View Lodge3859m. Mitch( an old wrestling coach of mine) was saying that some big rocks and wind blown trees looked like Southern Ontario where he's from, and I thought that it looked like the islands off the West coast of Vancouver Island. We visited Khumjung, where school had been founded by Edmund Hillary. There were paintings for sale and I liked one of a Stupa and Prayer flags at sunset with a golden Everest in the backround. Next, we went to visit a hospital in Khunde. Surprisingly it's funded by Canadians. We got to learn about the types of diseases that are common in this area. Apparently it's not just foreigners who get altitude sickness. Many locals get treated for it as well. Khunde if you can imagine, is surrounded by mountains, and rough dirt and rock paths that lead the way to other villages through the mountains. This small hospital serves around 7000 people from this region. Women, most or 1/3 of them give birth at home. They do not hike for 1,2 or 3 hours through the mountains while pregnant just to give birth at the hospital. What helps to keep the women and their babies healthy are monthly check-ups which have been promoted by the hospital. The local Sherpa doctor said that foreign doctors occassionaly come and volunteer for a few months, but that the hospital is run by locals the majority of the time. It's really clean in the hospital even though it's small. I was impressed both by the equipment that was available to the doctors and the warm home-like feeling that I got here. The Sherpa doctor had eyes like the inner mongolians, grey-blue which contrasted his dark skin and spoke english well.
Lhakpa and I moved our beds together because now that we're in Kyangjuma 3780m it's colder. All of the other people brought sleeping bags, but I'm just using the blankets provided by the tea houses that we stay at. I like not having a sleepnig bag because most of the porters don't have any, some even sleep in caves along the trail. If I come on a hike in Nepal again I'll stay in the caves and sleep in my tent. Lhakpa's laugh is so funny, she giggles then adds in a WOO HaHA WOooo HA HA it's so full and contagious.
Saturday, April 26, 2008
First View of Everest
First view of Mount Everest.
Monjo
April 14th
We hiked for 3 hrs today. I saw Everest for the first time. Unfortunately, I didn't get any spectacular feelings about it. I've been waiting for that crazy-imaginary fantasy feeling. Tonight, I got that long anticipated moment of peace. After dinner in Naamche Bazzar, Lhakpa, Pam, Theresa and I went to one of Lhakpas friend's bars and had a few drinks and danced. I went outside to the hole in the ground toilet and after coming out I sat outside on some stones that were going to be used to build a house. I felt the roughness of the stone under my fingers, the cool fresh mountain air against my face. I looked up at the big dipper and illuminated stars above me. In the distance stood a grand mountain, just visible in the moonlight, all of it's snow lit up. I listened to the cold flowing stream behind me and to the Hindi-Nepali music playing behind me in the bar. This is travelling I thought to myself. There, my first unscathed, pure happiness on this trpi. I have started my journey now.
Bonding with the girls
Tonight, Pam, Theresa, Lhakpa and me are sharing a room. It was like a sleepover in middle school. We pushed all of our beds together and cuddled. Pam is Indian and her parents were from Fiji. Theresa is Filippino and recently went to visit there. Lhakpa is Sherpa and I'm half-Chinese so we taught each other how to count in our languages. I thought that Filippino was spelt Phillipino, Theresa was after me for butchering her ethnic country. Pam dances an ancient style of Indian dancing, the type that are in most Bollywood movies. Pam really loves music which is inspiring to see, and she's pretty open-minded which is refreshing. We all went out dancing tonight and Theresa who is generally more shy was the first one out on the dance floor. Theresa works in Victoria fixing machinery. They're both 24 soon 25 but I don't feel much younger than them most of the time. Earlier tonight me and Renata played backgammon and she was so cute, giggling like crazy, she's 26.
Day one of our hike from Lukla-Everest Base Camp in the Khumbu region(North East) of Nepal
April 12th
We caught the 7:30am flight to Lukla but because of fog we had to stop in a village called Fablu. There are army men all over carrying guns. Our flight attendant said that they're still here from the elections. The farmland that we're flying over is on the top of mountains, now that we're out of the Kathmandu valley. Between some farms are deep gorges with rushing rivers deep below them. I see the winding yellow dirt roads on the tops of these foothills and I want to get back on my bike and live these roads, meet the locals, sweating while biking up the mountains, smiling like crazy while going downhill. Now we're flying not above but between huge mountains. They don't have snow on them yet though. Numbu mountain is in front of us now, it's bigger and covered in snow.
Lukla
I'm sitting in a tea-house with the group and we're re-sorting our bags so that the Sherpas can carry them. I don't have much stuff but Coach White insisted that we use sherpa porters. The reasons being that 1. our bodies are not accustomed to climbing in such high altitudes. 2. It is the Sherpas lifeline. I still feel guilty for not carrying my own bag though. Lukla is at 2700m. When I spent Christmas in Litang, Sichuan province in China I was at 4012m but had a massive headache and altitude sickness. Anna and I climbed a glacier in Moxi, Sichuan province earlier and went up to 3000m but again it was tough going, less air, more tired than usual and a headache.
Now I have burps that smell like eggs and acid. Coach White gave me some pills called Tiniba to take. Hopefully I won't have another round of 'Soup Ass' like in Beijing.
Lhakpa Dackey
April 13th
Phakding
Me and our sherpa guide Lhakpa Dackey really bonded last night. We stayed in the same room and she's pretty cool. We're the same age, 21, she's actually 1 month older than me. We both smoke once in a while and can't let papa(coach white) see us do it so we sneak off like teenagers together. Lhakpa taught me how to say I like you so much in Nepali.
'Malai timi deraii man parcha'
Me and Lhakpa went and played pool at a couple of bars in the village called Phakding where we're staying. It was pouring rain and we were running through the village from pool house to the next pool house.
Friday, April 11, 2008
Bhaktapur
April 11th
Today we went to Baktapur with B and AK our local guides. it was really nice and I got some great shots of the place.
I've been getting to know the other Canadians that I'm hiking with and it's a pretty good mix of people. There are about 9 of us. Pam and Theresa have been best friends since elementary school and they're in their mid 20's. Pam is a little Indian girl, she knows how to speak Hindi and so it's awesome listening to her speak with the locals. She, like me wanted to learn more about her roots and so is in Nepal a lot closer to India than Canada, where some customs are similar, language, beliefs, food and clothing. Now, I'm going to spend some time with Bibek, a local that I met yesterday but, I have to go to bed early since we fly out of here at 5am to start our trek.
cheers.
ELECTIONDAY
April 10th
Elecions
What a special time to be in Nepal! Today is their first election in a long time. Nepal was a monarchy a few years ago but was replaced with a temporary government after so much unrest in the country. The King then just became a symbolic head of state I think. This morning I went for a long walk at 6:30. One of the first things that I saw was a UN jeep going by, followed by a UN motorcyclist. After that I saw a huge truck full of soldiers(maybe 40) go by dressed in their blue camoflage, maybe they were local police. I was feeling overwhelmed with emotion, overjoyed to be in this country on this day, in this time of such importance and significance, a time of change. Also, it reminded me of 'Hotel Rwanda', and how that movie made me want to work for the peace corps. , and to learn more about difficulties in different countries. I was really in a dream today. We didn't know what would happen today, some tourists taking many precautions and not leaving the guesthouse all day. I am far too restless for these type of sensibilities. The streets are unusually empty since most locals had to go to their hometowns to vote. I havn't seen any problems anywhere so far, here in Kathmandu today. Pigeons are keeping me company in this quiet square, flying from the top of a big white and gold stupa to small temple roofs. They swarm together flying in one direction, then quickly changing directions for no particular reason. Red, yellow, green, blue and white prayer flags are strung high in the sky attached to the top of the stupa. They wind fly's in between them making them alive. I saw the people at their voting posts lining up patiently to make their secret ballad and choose their candidate. I saw a few observers go by me, one T-shirt said Ca observer and at first I thought Canada but this wasn't the case they had Nepali writing on their car, then a UK observer. I wonder why they observe. I guess just to make sure things are done properly. Political party posters and flags are hung in the main streets, like the prayer flags in the square.
Aneil
The people here are not so interested in tourists as in China. I want to spend my days here talking to them and sharing ideas but a lot just want my money here in Kathmandu. This being said, yesterday after meeting Krishna I walked out into the outskirts of Kathmandu and after a while asked the way back to Kathmandu Guesthouse. Aneil, a local here walked me to the centre and bought me some momo's, a local food here. He told me that because of the elections most restaurants are closed but that he knew one that would be open since the owners couldn't afford a flight home. The momo's were delicious, like chinese dumplings with more meat and pinched differently. Aneil told me that it used to be a Tibetan food but the Nepalis like it as well and so they incorporated momo's into their diet.
This morning I bought milk in a bag, it was 3%, what a treat!! In China dairy products are so expensive but here in Nepal they're common and cheap. 500ml only cost me 14rupees which is 14/60. I also ate curd which is the local name for yogurt. It's really sour and somwhat enjoyable. Then I bought a bunch of fried sweets, fried samosas with sweet red stuff inside and sugar on the outside, sweet cookie things that looked like mini chocolate longjohn doughbnuts but had sweet juice inside them, and fried sweet doughnuts.
We, Coach White and the Canadian group that I'm going to do the hike with had a meeting today. We're going to hike to Everest base camp and even higher, in around 18 days. Take it nice and slow:). My hands started to shake in excitement near the end of the meeting. I am so excited to get "Into Thin Air," sorry for the pun. I still remember how exhilirated I felt when reading that book by John Krakaar. It made me want to take up ice climbing. I was so into the book, as if I were the one crossing deep icy crevases on long shaky ladders. This adventure does not compare to their attempt up Everest, but I am nonetheless thrilled to be starting soon. I want to set foot on these sared, majestic and legendary mountains of my dreams.
Now two little boys are sitting on either side of me listening to Bob Marley on my ipod. Green snot coming out of their noses, sniffeling non stop, holes in their clothes and dirt all over them, I feel so happy to share my music with them and to have some company. They're my brothers. They're watching me write now, not knowing that it's about them. Subas just introduced himself, he's 12 and his brother Sagam is 8. They live behind the steps that I've been sitting on for the past 2 hours. We're all eating some bananas now.My little friends just left now, goodbye little guys!
There is really intricate carving on the temples here, doors and windows. So much more wood carvings here than in China.
I bought a book called 'Journey to self', written by Luna Shrestha Thakur about her life as a young Nepali woman and how South East Asian women are suppressed. I'm excited to read it. I also bought a book that captures Tibetan elder's stories and wisdom, so they'll both be a good read.
firstdayinKATHMANDU
April 9th '08
Kathmandu's roads are similar to village and countrside roads in China. They're not anywhere as developed as the cities in China, even the small cities in China. Walking down the streets, I can small incense, hear hinu and Nepali and see Nepali writing which is so neat to see. A local boy named Bibek, showed me how to write my name in Nepali and it's similar to arabic writing I think. while the corner stores, the gardens, the women and men using buckets to bathe and wash their clothes are 'same, same' there is something distinctly different here. Nepal does not try to hide their poverty, they do not try to build up the city, or maybe it actually is more poor here than in China. Hindu women wear read dots between their eyes in red and shimmering golds called tikas. The married women wear red going into their parts of their hair as well as the one on their foreheads. Unmarried women and married women wear different clothing than each other. Surprisingly, married women wear more revealing clothes than their counterpart as well as more gold jewellery.
I spent a couple of hours talking to Krishna, a artist that worked at the top of Monkey temple. He has dark skin and long hair, looking a lot like my cousin Mickey. Krishna looks more Mongolian or Chinese than Indian. His art is inspired by buddhism as well as celtic art. He said that celtics also believed in eternal cirlce in life like the buddhists, until enlightenment anyways. He plays the flute both bamboo and classical. He was telling me some stories about underground heavy metal bands and shows that were held at police underground places. The musicians just paid off the cops and the shows had to be 'clean', so no drugs and no alcohol but hella dancing and loud music. He said that there are a lot of bands in Kathmandu and I want to check some music out.
Amit and Bijaya(pronounced Bizana) are two Nepalis from Baktapur. Bijaya is 21 and her and Amit want to get married. The problem being that they're from different castes. Amit if Brahmen(the highest Nepali caste) and Bijaya is Newari. They've been together for 6 years but their parents don't know. Amit's parents wouldn't approve of a marriage to a lower caste.
onmywaytoNepal
April 8th
I"m on the flight to Nepal now from Hong Kong. Michelle a Chinese flight attendant is having her first flight right now working with the airline. I used to think that working as a flight attendant would be great to travel and see the world. I think that most of the time you"re inside the plane and airports though, and they're crowded machines, the work involving the same duties and speaches. Too monotonous I think. I can't stop looking at the attendants, they're really beautiful. they have square faces, pale white skin, big smiles and asian eyes. Their eyes so big, looking kind and innocent, maybe cartoon like, but I know that behind those eyes there are many thoughts, some innocent some not. Their dark shining hair is done in neat ballet buns. I'm cherishing my last moments in China, I'll miss seeing the Chinese. I wonder why my skin is so much darker than most Chinese, maybe my ancestors originated in Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia or even India, Indonesia, it would be inteteresting to find out. Someone said that the Ukrainians tan really well and so it's actually my caucasian side but I may never truly know. There were so many foreigners in the Hong Kong airport, more than I've seen in a very long while I've been in China. It almost feels like I'm in Canada and not China. Here on the airplane there are some Nepalis, the men wearing cute little hats and a young boy with long hair like the Tibetans I met in Litang earlier in my travels. I don't feel so excited about Nepal. I've heard that it's been destroyed by all of the tourists, that in fact it's not so isolated or untouched as I had always dreamt of. I hope that the mountains will not let me down and will strip me of this negative attitude. There are a couple of French women sitting across from me in the plane. They complained because the airline ran out of chicken meals and only beef was left. They were so shocked and perturbed saying "How is this even possible? Could you not have just served us sooner?" I like listening to french, it's beautiful, but I don't want to hear these idiots say anything more. Please, please please, don't let me be surrounded by people like this in Kathmandu. We're half an hour from Kathmandu now and I had my first jitter of excitement in my stomach. Eveline, a girl that I met last year in my Women's Studies class sent me a message, "I hope that you find a piece of soul in your travels." I hope so too. Nepal, don't let me down, share your secrets with me like China did.
I"m on the flight to Nepal now from Hong Kong. Michelle a Chinese flight attendant is having her first flight right now working with the airline. I used to think that working as a flight attendant would be great to travel and see the world. I think that most of the time you"re inside the plane and airports though, and they're crowded machines, the work involving the same duties and speaches. Too monotonous I think. I can't stop looking at the attendants, they're really beautiful. they have square faces, pale white skin, big smiles and asian eyes. Their eyes so big, looking kind and innocent, maybe cartoon like, but I know that behind those eyes there are many thoughts, some innocent some not. Their dark shining hair is done in neat ballet buns. I'm cherishing my last moments in China, I'll miss seeing the Chinese. I wonder why my skin is so much darker than most Chinese, maybe my ancestors originated in Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia or even India, Indonesia, it would be inteteresting to find out. Someone said that the Ukrainians tan really well and so it's actually my caucasian side but I may never truly know. There were so many foreigners in the Hong Kong airport, more than I've seen in a very long while I've been in China. It almost feels like I'm in Canada and not China. Here on the airplane there are some Nepalis, the men wearing cute little hats and a young boy with long hair like the Tibetans I met in Litang earlier in my travels. I don't feel so excited about Nepal. I've heard that it's been destroyed by all of the tourists, that in fact it's not so isolated or untouched as I had always dreamt of. I hope that the mountains will not let me down and will strip me of this negative attitude. There are a couple of French women sitting across from me in the plane. They complained because the airline ran out of chicken meals and only beef was left. They were so shocked and perturbed saying "How is this even possible? Could you not have just served us sooner?" I like listening to french, it's beautiful, but I don't want to hear these idiots say anything more. Please, please please, don't let me be surrounded by people like this in Kathmandu. We're half an hour from Kathmandu now and I had my first jitter of excitement in my stomach. Eveline, a girl that I met last year in my Women's Studies class sent me a message, "I hope that you find a piece of soul in your travels." I hope so too. Nepal, don't let me down, share your secrets with me like China did.
Sunday, April 6, 2008
BeijingOlympics
'Impossible is Nothing' Beijing Olympics
It's too bad that there are so many problems being caused in China by the Beijing Olympics. From what I've seen though in the local people that I've met whether they're Dai minority, Han, Haini, Naxi, Cantonese, from Beijing...most Chinese are excited to have the Olympics and proud of their country, but, A lot of Chinese don't even have time to think more about the Olympics. They're working in their crops, washing their clothes, making dinner or generally filling their time in other ways. China is a communist-socialist-capitalist country and I've seen signs of all three systems-ideals since I've been here. I don't generally think about politics incredibly in depth, but since there is so much negative news about China-Tibet it has me thinking. China is not a bad place. I've spent the past 5 months here and most people can live a comfortable life. Yes, they're paid less than us Canadians or Westerners but the price of everything matches up pretty nicely I believe. I read so many posts of people hating China because their government system is different than ours. People are scared of the unknown..I've even met local Hong Kong people who think that China is a dangerous place, that the people are bad. These people though, have never left Hong Kong, have never traveled to the countryside or even deeply into their own country. It's interesting for me to see some opinions from the West and in Westernized Hong Kong metropolis, about China now that I know both regions intimately. It's not democratic here in China, there is no monarch, there is no Queen as symbolic head of state(pretty useless in Canada anyways) but I've seen just as many people living on the streets of Vancouver though as I have in China. How does that make any sense? There are 30 million Canadians and 1.3billion Chinese. How is it that China can manage to create more jobs for it's people? Any government would have a hard time dealing with that huge population! En plus, I have never once felt that I was in a dangerous situation, I've never been assaulted, attacked by a Chinese citizen. At all hours of the night I was safe to walk the streets of China. Can this be said even of France, Britain, USA or Canada? I feel defensive of this beautiful country filled with beautiful people that I have come to love as my second home.
Saturday, April 5, 2008
'I left my baby on a pretty blue train...'
Kunming in the morning
I woke up early today 7am. I had a nice luke warm shower, the only shower I've had since Simao half a month ago. 'What a luxe'! I packed my bag then we left. There were people selling food in the street everywhere since we stayed in a CHinese hotel for 40kwai altogether for our own room instead of staying at a hostel for 20kwai each to stay in a 8 bed room dorm. I bought some mantao which is Chinese steamed buns that are always for sale in the streets in the morning. I bought them filled with mushroom, vegetables and chicken, spicy-pickled vegetables and sweet bean-paste. I got some hot soy milk that the lady ladled out of a big pot into plastic bags for us to drink. It only cost 8 jiao(10 jiao/kwai or yuan or rmb) as compared to a tea i bought last night in a foreigner cafe for 6 kwai, which is less than a dollar but you can see the difference in price for foreigners and locals!! Last night we were in the foreigner part of town but I just wasn't in the mood to talk to anyone, felt a bit sick but also it's my last time in China and the last thing I want is to talk to other foreigners. I won't be able to be completely surrounded by Chinese at home, listening to the language, watching the people... We went to a sports shop and I bought a new tent for 380 kwai, a hammock for 150kwai, a compass 8kwai and a set of cooking pots for 208kwai, a special bag for my mp3 and camera for 66kwai and a plastic waterproof bag 12kwai good for tree planting. Such good prices compared to at home, expensive for in China though. I'm really leaving China! I can't believe it! I don't like shopping in general though, it's annoying, tiring and irritating.
'I left my baby on a pretty blue train and I sang mý song to the cold and the rain... I've got the wandering blues...' -Be Good Tanyas
April 1st
I just made the train, it's moving now, right after I sat down and pulled out my journal. Alex and I said a quick good-bye and I'm glad that it was that way. I had tears running down my face while we hugged good-bye and the taxi drove me away. I waved good-bye from the taxi. The last thing that he said to me was 'Thank-you'. I had such a good time with Alex and Tchye. Suddenly, after a few months of being together for every moment of every day it's goodbye, in one single and surprising moment we were apart. I hope that I can meet him and Tchye again. Our goodbye was so fast, we were shopping and then I saw my watch and it was 11:30, I had to catch the 11:50 train in this city of 8 million people(maybe). I jumped through the garden and waved down a cab and was gone. So fast. Not thinking that these were our last moments together.
I want to thank you too Alex. I think that it's true that the society that you grow up in really affects the way that you think, even molding your mind. I think that although I think of myself as an original being who is trying to fight society's ways , really a lot of my thinking is rooted deeply to Canada, US and Britain. I'm not so wise or worldy like I would like to think. -Now the train is going through famland. I see the green grass, the rows of plants and the trees. Before I just saw the land, now I this land, my home. I know the feeling of the grass and soil under my feet, the bumps of the crops when I'm pushing my bicycle through them, the smell of the flowers, the vibrancy of the fuscia flowers that grow everywhere in the south, I know the feeling of the cool lake water against my naked skin. I remember the feeling of sleeping on soft hay, the bumpy dusty rock roads shooting dust into the air. The sound of the big blue commercial trucks driving by, their tires as big as me the drivers speeding as if it were a small toyota truck. I know the tracker vehicles with their noisy open air engines, belts spinning so fast that I thought they would break and wack me in the head. The 'Hellos' called at us from all angles of every street. The kids laughing and running when they saw Alex's bike and Tchye in the basket behind him.
I'll miss hearing Alex's big horn and telling him that I'm 'waiting for you' in imitation of our Chinese friends who said this in high pitched voices. I'll miss watching Tchye meet new friends in every household, village or city that we passed. A brave little girl, who went up to the biggest dogs to play. I'll miss putting her on the back of my bike saying 'Opa' and up she jumped. I'll miss seeing her little ears so alert and soft, moving around at every sound, standing on the top of her little black head. I'll miss holding her whole face in my hand, watching her jump out of the tent window like an Olympic athlete.
I'll miss Alex.
I want to cry so loudly but I am stuffed on a train with more than 100 people just on this cart. So I cry softly. Everything outside the train in the countryside reminds me of him and our time together.
Stone Park
The train went through the stone park. All of a sudden there were thousands of Stones everywhere as if a mountain had exploded and left millions and millions of jagged pieces of rock in the soil. They could be crystals growing for a unicorn's horn, jutting up out of the ground. Some are tall, s huge giant's foot next to a human, some are smaller the size of a cow. They're white and light grey, maybe limestone? next we passed mountains that jut tall and steep out of the ground, karst mountains they're called. We must be in Guanxi province now. My next visit to China I'll come here. There are lakes of bright green and slight fog outside near the mountain tops.
I woke up early today 7am. I had a nice luke warm shower, the only shower I've had since Simao half a month ago. 'What a luxe'! I packed my bag then we left. There were people selling food in the street everywhere since we stayed in a CHinese hotel for 40kwai altogether for our own room instead of staying at a hostel for 20kwai each to stay in a 8 bed room dorm. I bought some mantao which is Chinese steamed buns that are always for sale in the streets in the morning. I bought them filled with mushroom, vegetables and chicken, spicy-pickled vegetables and sweet bean-paste. I got some hot soy milk that the lady ladled out of a big pot into plastic bags for us to drink. It only cost 8 jiao(10 jiao/kwai or yuan or rmb) as compared to a tea i bought last night in a foreigner cafe for 6 kwai, which is less than a dollar but you can see the difference in price for foreigners and locals!! Last night we were in the foreigner part of town but I just wasn't in the mood to talk to anyone, felt a bit sick but also it's my last time in China and the last thing I want is to talk to other foreigners. I won't be able to be completely surrounded by Chinese at home, listening to the language, watching the people... We went to a sports shop and I bought a new tent for 380 kwai, a hammock for 150kwai, a compass 8kwai and a set of cooking pots for 208kwai, a special bag for my mp3 and camera for 66kwai and a plastic waterproof bag 12kwai good for tree planting. Such good prices compared to at home, expensive for in China though. I'm really leaving China! I can't believe it! I don't like shopping in general though, it's annoying, tiring and irritating.
'I left my baby on a pretty blue train and I sang mý song to the cold and the rain... I've got the wandering blues...' -Be Good Tanyas
April 1st
I just made the train, it's moving now, right after I sat down and pulled out my journal. Alex and I said a quick good-bye and I'm glad that it was that way. I had tears running down my face while we hugged good-bye and the taxi drove me away. I waved good-bye from the taxi. The last thing that he said to me was 'Thank-you'. I had such a good time with Alex and Tchye. Suddenly, after a few months of being together for every moment of every day it's goodbye, in one single and surprising moment we were apart. I hope that I can meet him and Tchye again. Our goodbye was so fast, we were shopping and then I saw my watch and it was 11:30, I had to catch the 11:50 train in this city of 8 million people(maybe). I jumped through the garden and waved down a cab and was gone. So fast. Not thinking that these were our last moments together.
I want to thank you too Alex. I think that it's true that the society that you grow up in really affects the way that you think, even molding your mind. I think that although I think of myself as an original being who is trying to fight society's ways , really a lot of my thinking is rooted deeply to Canada, US and Britain. I'm not so wise or worldy like I would like to think. -Now the train is going through famland. I see the green grass, the rows of plants and the trees. Before I just saw the land, now I this land, my home. I know the feeling of the grass and soil under my feet, the bumps of the crops when I'm pushing my bicycle through them, the smell of the flowers, the vibrancy of the fuscia flowers that grow everywhere in the south, I know the feeling of the cool lake water against my naked skin. I remember the feeling of sleeping on soft hay, the bumpy dusty rock roads shooting dust into the air. The sound of the big blue commercial trucks driving by, their tires as big as me the drivers speeding as if it were a small toyota truck. I know the tracker vehicles with their noisy open air engines, belts spinning so fast that I thought they would break and wack me in the head. The 'Hellos' called at us from all angles of every street. The kids laughing and running when they saw Alex's bike and Tchye in the basket behind him.
I'll miss hearing Alex's big horn and telling him that I'm 'waiting for you' in imitation of our Chinese friends who said this in high pitched voices. I'll miss watching Tchye meet new friends in every household, village or city that we passed. A brave little girl, who went up to the biggest dogs to play. I'll miss putting her on the back of my bike saying 'Opa' and up she jumped. I'll miss seeing her little ears so alert and soft, moving around at every sound, standing on the top of her little black head. I'll miss holding her whole face in my hand, watching her jump out of the tent window like an Olympic athlete.
I'll miss Alex.
I want to cry so loudly but I am stuffed on a train with more than 100 people just on this cart. So I cry softly. Everything outside the train in the countryside reminds me of him and our time together.
Stone Park
The train went through the stone park. All of a sudden there were thousands of Stones everywhere as if a mountain had exploded and left millions and millions of jagged pieces of rock in the soil. They could be crystals growing for a unicorn's horn, jutting up out of the ground. Some are tall, s huge giant's foot next to a human, some are smaller the size of a cow. They're white and light grey, maybe limestone? next we passed mountains that jut tall and steep out of the ground, karst mountains they're called. We must be in Guanxi province now. My next visit to China I'll come here. There are lakes of bright green and slight fog outside near the mountain tops.
reading signs
March 30th
Morning?
We woke up really early 7am, early for us anyways. Most of the trip I had no morning because we slept through it. We took down camp in only 30mins, 'On the road again'. We stopped for breakfast (hot noodles with toppings)in a small town only 5km away. I could read the sign!! small-xiao, middle-jong and Big-da posted on the wall!! I always look at the chinese signs and ads and see how many characters I recognize. It's going to be weird to be able to read all of the signs in Canada and understand everyone. I'm not ready for that.
Kunming (capital city of Yunnan province)
Buying a train ticket in Kunming...not so easy
We got to Kunming, it didn't take that long to find the train station and bus station. I thought that since I spoke more Chinese now it would be easier t buy a ticket but no...I lined up 3 times before I was in the right line-up. I asked people in front of me if it was the line to buy a ticket to Guangzhou and they just nodded. Ha I got to the front the first time to ask how much, when, and if I could take my bicycle with me. The dude told me that there was no train to Guangzhou but that my bicycle was free in very broken English like my broken Chinese. I lined up again in the next line-up and the lady sold me a ticket to Guangdezhou or something...so i refunded my ticket. Finally someone told me to go to line 2 to buy a ticket to Guangzhou. Then I had a lot of difficulty asking about bringing my bike with me. So I just bought the ticket. Alex figured out a way for me to bring my bicycle with me yay! It cost 55 kwai. I bought about 90 gloves for tree planting, man they're bulky but they only cost me less than 1 kwai each and in Canada they would cost 42kwai each at least which is about 6$ CAD. We shopped for some boots for Alex but didn't find any.
Morning?
We woke up really early 7am, early for us anyways. Most of the trip I had no morning because we slept through it. We took down camp in only 30mins, 'On the road again'. We stopped for breakfast (hot noodles with toppings)in a small town only 5km away. I could read the sign!! small-xiao, middle-jong and Big-da posted on the wall!! I always look at the chinese signs and ads and see how many characters I recognize. It's going to be weird to be able to read all of the signs in Canada and understand everyone. I'm not ready for that.
Kunming (capital city of Yunnan province)
Buying a train ticket in Kunming...not so easy
We got to Kunming, it didn't take that long to find the train station and bus station. I thought that since I spoke more Chinese now it would be easier t buy a ticket but no...I lined up 3 times before I was in the right line-up. I asked people in front of me if it was the line to buy a ticket to Guangzhou and they just nodded. Ha I got to the front the first time to ask how much, when, and if I could take my bicycle with me. The dude told me that there was no train to Guangzhou but that my bicycle was free in very broken English like my broken Chinese. I lined up again in the next line-up and the lady sold me a ticket to Guangdezhou or something...so i refunded my ticket. Finally someone told me to go to line 2 to buy a ticket to Guangzhou. Then I had a lot of difficulty asking about bringing my bike with me. So I just bought the ticket. Alex figured out a way for me to bring my bicycle with me yay! It cost 55 kwai. I bought about 90 gloves for tree planting, man they're bulky but they only cost me less than 1 kwai each and in Canada they would cost 42kwai each at least which is about 6$ CAD. We shopped for some boots for Alex but didn't find any.
Friday, April 4, 2008
Gateway to Hell
March 30th
Our very own wake-up call!
The lady who owned the land woke us up the next morning by shaking the outside of our tent. When she saw that we were foreigners though she left us be and was smiling at us. We packed up our things and left. I was so happy to wake up to fresh morning air, a blue sunny sky, a breeze, my feet landed on fresh soil and surrounded by green and yellow crops, plus white and pink flowering trees. Hard to describe the feelings that took over my body, and that have almost this whole trip. How I love China's countryside, that actually is most of China.
A special visitor
We didn't bike far before stopping for breakfast. I made some incredible crispy and unmanageably salty chapatees and Alex made some tea as usual. One time he told me that he almost died of thirst in a desert from lack of water but it wasn't true or I misunderstood. We met a Chinese biker from Beijing and he reminded me of my uncle Bob. He was short and stocky, a very strong man , always smiling. He was so happy to meet Alex because he loves Brazilian soccer. Alex doesn't like soccer though, he told me that in Brazil they play a really violent soccer and are actually tying to hurt each other. He doesn't have a very good view of Brazil. This man that we met had biked across china and had started in Beijing, ended up in Jinghong, was headed north to Sichuan, then to Xian to Hebai and back to Beijing. I did all of this in the other direction and by bus and train!! Good on him. Alex has done similar travels but slowly with his yacht of a bicycle. He came to check out our spot and we were well set up. Speakers attached to mp3 playing some music, natural grass seats surrounding our fire...nice. He said goodbye after a short time and gave both Alex and I a big hug. Nice guy.
Brick Houses
The houses for the past few days have changed. Now they're made of red brick or red mud. They're more hecticly placed, attaching to each other in no particular order. Some houses only fit one person, there are tall brick towers too maybe for storing hay or drying food? It's pretty cool that the colours of the houses change in each area to match the colour of the soil...yellow, red, and where there's less soil they're made of stone.
Speedier biking
We figured out what day it is and that we have to get to Kunming soon since I want to see Estelle and Christina, my first two Chinese friends that I met 5 months ago at a hostel in Hong Kong. My Chinese Visa expires on the 2nd and I'm 3 provinces away from the border to Hong Kong. We went far today biking into the night, though there's no full moon tonight and there are big scary trucks passing us on this small country road at top speed all the time. Too bad. We passed a flame coming out of a factory that was burning so hot and orange, like a piece of hell on earth, or a gateway to Hell...
Our very own wake-up call!
The lady who owned the land woke us up the next morning by shaking the outside of our tent. When she saw that we were foreigners though she left us be and was smiling at us. We packed up our things and left. I was so happy to wake up to fresh morning air, a blue sunny sky, a breeze, my feet landed on fresh soil and surrounded by green and yellow crops, plus white and pink flowering trees. Hard to describe the feelings that took over my body, and that have almost this whole trip. How I love China's countryside, that actually is most of China.
A special visitor
We didn't bike far before stopping for breakfast. I made some incredible crispy and unmanageably salty chapatees and Alex made some tea as usual. One time he told me that he almost died of thirst in a desert from lack of water but it wasn't true or I misunderstood. We met a Chinese biker from Beijing and he reminded me of my uncle Bob. He was short and stocky, a very strong man , always smiling. He was so happy to meet Alex because he loves Brazilian soccer. Alex doesn't like soccer though, he told me that in Brazil they play a really violent soccer and are actually tying to hurt each other. He doesn't have a very good view of Brazil. This man that we met had biked across china and had started in Beijing, ended up in Jinghong, was headed north to Sichuan, then to Xian to Hebai and back to Beijing. I did all of this in the other direction and by bus and train!! Good on him. Alex has done similar travels but slowly with his yacht of a bicycle. He came to check out our spot and we were well set up. Speakers attached to mp3 playing some music, natural grass seats surrounding our fire...nice. He said goodbye after a short time and gave both Alex and I a big hug. Nice guy.
Brick Houses
The houses for the past few days have changed. Now they're made of red brick or red mud. They're more hecticly placed, attaching to each other in no particular order. Some houses only fit one person, there are tall brick towers too maybe for storing hay or drying food? It's pretty cool that the colours of the houses change in each area to match the colour of the soil...yellow, red, and where there's less soil they're made of stone.
Speedier biking
We figured out what day it is and that we have to get to Kunming soon since I want to see Estelle and Christina, my first two Chinese friends that I met 5 months ago at a hostel in Hong Kong. My Chinese Visa expires on the 2nd and I'm 3 provinces away from the border to Hong Kong. We went far today biking into the night, though there's no full moon tonight and there are big scary trucks passing us on this small country road at top speed all the time. Too bad. We passed a flame coming out of a factory that was burning so hot and orange, like a piece of hell on earth, or a gateway to Hell...
Tchye
March 29th
Yuxi big City-stayed in a Chinese hotel
We slept in Yuxi last night in a chinese hotel. Chinese hotels are different than hotels for Westerners or Hostels/Guesthouses. The chinese call it a sleeping place. They're cheaper for starters, pretty simple places and actually I would rather stay there than at a hostel for foreigners because you're more immersed in the culture. There were no showers but somewhere to wash our face in the communal centre of the rooms, an outdoor courtyard. Actually, this place reminded me of where I stayed in Pingyao when I first met Anna but so freezing cold. Alex was so hyper, high off of our stop to the bike shop maybe he said 'what a luxe!'. This morning Tchye got lost. We looked for her for 45 mins, I was screaming the whole time and now my throat is sore. We left Yuxi and just outside of the city centre we stopped to rest. I went to a Chinese bakery and it reminded me of when Serenne took me to the Chinese bakery in Vancouver in China town for my first time. I always think of Serenne when I go to the bakery here in China...I remember eating these gooey things that looked so gross last year, now I drool even thinking of a Chinese bakery and everything looks so delicious.
Bike Shop
We found another bike shop and I bought new tires for my bike and new shiny metal pedals. It's cute how excited Alex gets when we go to a bike shop. He usually says of cities 'shit place, shit people' but bike shops are his serenity. §§§It reminds me of my first few days in Hong Kong, when I went to Kowlook Mong Kok and was so overwhelmed by all of the people. I found a music store though, with pianos, violins and this chinese man played me a traditional violin song. I felt so peaceful even though outside the doors were hectic streets full of busy, strange, strangers. ha.§§§
Meat tonight!!! Wow!
We biked a bit out of Yuxi and then found a spot where there were blooming trees of pink and white. We cooked dinner and it turned out so good! I think it's because today we had a big piece of meat to put in our soup. We made carrot, tomato, potato, tomato, ginger, onion, garlic, chive, cauliflower and meat soup. I have been cooking this whole time in a big black charcoaled pot that I bought second hand in Jinghong and using the small pocket knife that Anna gave me for Christmas toc cut up and peel all of our vegetables. Alex lays down the fly and it becomes our kitchen. My cutting board is his plastic took box.
Market food
March 28th
E-Shan Market
We went to wangba last night and watched a movie called Sid and Nancy that was about the Sex pistols. The sex pistols were these young boys in Britain who were pro-Anarchists. It reminded me of a book I read about the red hot chillipeppers lead singer anthony that i read. drugs, sex, random stuff. We camped in E-Shan(locals pronounced it WoShan) last night in a park next to a stream. Across the street was the town market so that was perfect, we didn't have to go far to buy our food. we've each been spending 10 kwai a day on food. Alex brought me a breakfast of bananas, strawberries and sweetened condensed milk on top. What a treat!! Then I went to the market and bought the vegetables for the next few days. Alex wanted me to go because the chinese think that I'm a local sometimes. I love going to the markets. They're so fresh and full of colourful, fresh food. I don't like walking through the meat
section because there are dog heads, cow heads, pig feet and all types of horrible things. Toads in baskets, swimming eels, snakes in baskets, chickens in small cages piled on top of each other... but this was the first time I bought raw meat in China and it's an experience in itself.
Shock of a city
We're in Yuxi now. It's way bigger than I imagined it would be. It reminds me of Vancouver, but more dirty. It's been so long since I've been in a big city. Maybe Jinghong had 1 million people living it, and we were there 24 days ago. We've been biking through countryside, hitting the occasional small village or small town on our way. Nothing like this. It's so different, there are so many nice cars, shopping stores with nice tempting clothes, nice shoes, so many people. I don't like being tempted to buy clothes, it makes me feel guilty and a bit sad. The city reality and mindset is so different than in the countryside. I could spend all of my money on pretty dresses and shoes...but I'd rather travel...necessities...it has a better feeling to it.
Alex's playground
We stopped at a bike shop and the owners were so nice. They had a daughter my age and I spent the time talking to her and exchanging music with the computer and my mp3. Alex is always so happy to find a bike shop, like a kid on a playground. The street that the shop was on was so busy, everyone going everywhere, noisy, small like an alleyway, and so many little shops...a real 'China town'. I bought used handle bars that go up vertically for 10 kwai(yuan) and , a gold plastic mud guard for 3 kwai and they gave me a free kickstand which Alex installed but it's really shit, oh and I bought a little red lock for my bike that is really just there for looking at than protecting it for 8 kwai.
E-Shan Market
We went to wangba last night and watched a movie called Sid and Nancy that was about the Sex pistols. The sex pistols were these young boys in Britain who were pro-Anarchists. It reminded me of a book I read about the red hot chillipeppers lead singer anthony that i read. drugs, sex, random stuff. We camped in E-Shan(locals pronounced it WoShan) last night in a park next to a stream. Across the street was the town market so that was perfect, we didn't have to go far to buy our food. we've each been spending 10 kwai a day on food. Alex brought me a breakfast of bananas, strawberries and sweetened condensed milk on top. What a treat!! Then I went to the market and bought the vegetables for the next few days. Alex wanted me to go because the chinese think that I'm a local sometimes. I love going to the markets. They're so fresh and full of colourful, fresh food. I don't like walking through the meat
section because there are dog heads, cow heads, pig feet and all types of horrible things. Toads in baskets, swimming eels, snakes in baskets, chickens in small cages piled on top of each other... but this was the first time I bought raw meat in China and it's an experience in itself.
Shock of a city
We're in Yuxi now. It's way bigger than I imagined it would be. It reminds me of Vancouver, but more dirty. It's been so long since I've been in a big city. Maybe Jinghong had 1 million people living it, and we were there 24 days ago. We've been biking through countryside, hitting the occasional small village or small town on our way. Nothing like this. It's so different, there are so many nice cars, shopping stores with nice tempting clothes, nice shoes, so many people. I don't like being tempted to buy clothes, it makes me feel guilty and a bit sad. The city reality and mindset is so different than in the countryside. I could spend all of my money on pretty dresses and shoes...but I'd rather travel...necessities...it has a better feeling to it.
Alex's playground
We stopped at a bike shop and the owners were so nice. They had a daughter my age and I spent the time talking to her and exchanging music with the computer and my mp3. Alex is always so happy to find a bike shop, like a kid on a playground. The street that the shop was on was so busy, everyone going everywhere, noisy, small like an alleyway, and so many little shops...a real 'China town'. I bought used handle bars that go up vertically for 10 kwai(yuan) and , a gold plastic mud guard for 3 kwai and they gave me a free kickstand which Alex installed but it's really shit, oh and I bought a little red lock for my bike that is really just there for looking at than protecting it for 8 kwai.
Wednesday, April 2, 2008
Windy Day
March 27th
Hand Washing my clothes in the morning sun
We found a nice spot last night at the bottom of a small dirt road hill off the main road. There's a creek with cool fresh water flowing. I woke up at 8:30 and started to wash clothes. The sun was so hot, beading down on my back and face too. It turned out to be a really windy day and I strung the clothes out from a line going across this small bridge. The wind kept blowing my dry clothes in the water below.
Free internet from it's limitations.
-Last night we stopped to have some tea and then cooked dinner too. We sat on the side of the road exchanging our views of life. They are really different and this is something that has made our trip both incredibly interesting and knowledgeable as well as somewhat difficult to say the least. Alex refuses to accept or be a part of Western Cultures and is always pointing out the negative sides of the people living there. I have a car and so in a way am contributing to the war in Iraq, Iran. I've been realizing how littleI actually know about the world. My geography is off. Traveling in the East, my geography and knowledge on this side of the world has improved so much but, I can only name a handful of countries in Africa. Also, Alex was saying that the internet is made for rich people from rich countries. Most websites are for rich countries, made by rich people. Most people in the world don't even have access to internet or any other electronic devices. Most people in the world can't afford internet, it costs money to make a website and time to maintain it. So many people are excluded from having the opportunity to learn, the access to information, stopped by money. He thinks that internet should be free.
Hand Washing my clothes in the morning sun
We found a nice spot last night at the bottom of a small dirt road hill off the main road. There's a creek with cool fresh water flowing. I woke up at 8:30 and started to wash clothes. The sun was so hot, beading down on my back and face too. It turned out to be a really windy day and I strung the clothes out from a line going across this small bridge. The wind kept blowing my dry clothes in the water below.
Free internet from it's limitations.
-Last night we stopped to have some tea and then cooked dinner too. We sat on the side of the road exchanging our views of life. They are really different and this is something that has made our trip both incredibly interesting and knowledgeable as well as somewhat difficult to say the least. Alex refuses to accept or be a part of Western Cultures and is always pointing out the negative sides of the people living there. I have a car and so in a way am contributing to the war in Iraq, Iran. I've been realizing how littleI actually know about the world. My geography is off. Traveling in the East, my geography and knowledge on this side of the world has improved so much but, I can only name a handful of countries in Africa. Also, Alex was saying that the internet is made for rich people from rich countries. Most websites are for rich countries, made by rich people. Most people in the world don't even have access to internet or any other electronic devices. Most people in the world can't afford internet, it costs money to make a website and time to maintain it. So many people are excluded from having the opportunity to learn, the access to information, stopped by money. He thinks that internet should be free.
Stressed
March 26th
Right now I am feeling so tired, sitting next to our cooking fire and keeping warm, while Alex makes some tea. We just passed a paving crew and I felt happy to see that I recognized all of the machinery and process and also that there were almost as many women working as men. My students Jung Xiao Dong and Fee(Fan) told me that in 1949 there was a law made that women in China should have equal rights as men. Contruction work in China is not limited to men and from what I can see they are not discriminated against in any aspect of the job. I always feel happy to see women driving heavy machinery here, working in the mountains as road side crews, or paving crews, also as cityworkers. It's true though that contruction workers are paid very little in China because there are so many people. -I felt a bit stressed out today because I'm leaving China in a few days, my Visa expiring on the 2nd of April. I want to visit my friends Estelle and Christina from Guangzhou again and then I'm headed to HK again. To end my circuit around China. There are still so many places in CYHina to explore, so many people to meet and things to learn. I'm not ready to leave China. I think that I'll be back one day soon.
Nepal
I'm going to Nepal on the 7th of April and am excited for it. I'm a bit worried that I won't get what I'm looking for though because I'm going on a long hike maybe 20 days which is great! But it's with my old wrestling coach's company and everyone with us will be Canadians. There will be a few Sherpas with us but maybe they're so accustomed to tourists that they won't be intereszted in talking to me. I want to learn about Nepali customs and people, yet, I'll be there in a world of Canadians. I hope that I can stay away from the Canadian reality while I'm on the other side of the world, in a country of my dreams. I'm not goig to Nepal to have to talk about Canada. We'll wait and see.
Right now I am feeling so tired, sitting next to our cooking fire and keeping warm, while Alex makes some tea. We just passed a paving crew and I felt happy to see that I recognized all of the machinery and process and also that there were almost as many women working as men. My students Jung Xiao Dong and Fee(Fan) told me that in 1949 there was a law made that women in China should have equal rights as men. Contruction work in China is not limited to men and from what I can see they are not discriminated against in any aspect of the job. I always feel happy to see women driving heavy machinery here, working in the mountains as road side crews, or paving crews, also as cityworkers. It's true though that contruction workers are paid very little in China because there are so many people. -I felt a bit stressed out today because I'm leaving China in a few days, my Visa expiring on the 2nd of April. I want to visit my friends Estelle and Christina from Guangzhou again and then I'm headed to HK again. To end my circuit around China. There are still so many places in CYHina to explore, so many people to meet and things to learn. I'm not ready to leave China. I think that I'll be back one day soon.
Nepal
I'm going to Nepal on the 7th of April and am excited for it. I'm a bit worried that I won't get what I'm looking for though because I'm going on a long hike maybe 20 days which is great! But it's with my old wrestling coach's company and everyone with us will be Canadians. There will be a few Sherpas with us but maybe they're so accustomed to tourists that they won't be intereszted in talking to me. I want to learn about Nepali customs and people, yet, I'll be there in a world of Canadians. I hope that I can stay away from the Canadian reality while I'm on the other side of the world, in a country of my dreams. I'm not goig to Nepal to have to talk about Canada. We'll wait and see.
panama canal
March 25th
We slept close to the road last night and I couldn't sleep well because there were too many big trucks trying to kill me! Big, loud, ground shaking trucks were zooming by us all night. I as scared seeing their headlights through the tent. We stopped to eat dinner in the night after duskj while we waited for the moonlight. It was so windy and cold and we were stopped on a dusty toad so we changed places to eat. The sky looked cool today. Bright blue, pink on the bottom of grey clouds, a tangerine and peach sunset. There were so many starts tonight, O'rion had a lot more company than usual. We stopped to watch a travelling cloud that looked like a spaceship a scorpian, a crab's stomach and fish bones. It was in a rush , headed behind the mountain we were climbing. We found a place to camp on a dirt road, just off the main road. There was a rock cliff across from us and I stopped to sing a few songs to the wonderful natural auditorium. It echoed nicely, like a microphone's open speakers on stage. The rock face itself would have been nice to climb if I knew more about climbing. Our camping spot is surrounded by white flowers that glow in the moonlight, it's quite magical. Alex told me about the Panama Canal and Fransico de Magellanas.
We slept close to the road last night and I couldn't sleep well because there were too many big trucks trying to kill me! Big, loud, ground shaking trucks were zooming by us all night. I as scared seeing their headlights through the tent. We stopped to eat dinner in the night after duskj while we waited for the moonlight. It was so windy and cold and we were stopped on a dusty toad so we changed places to eat. The sky looked cool today. Bright blue, pink on the bottom of grey clouds, a tangerine and peach sunset. There were so many starts tonight, O'rion had a lot more company than usual. We stopped to watch a travelling cloud that looked like a spaceship a scorpian, a crab's stomach and fish bones. It was in a rush , headed behind the mountain we were climbing. We found a place to camp on a dirt road, just off the main road. There was a rock cliff across from us and I stopped to sing a few songs to the wonderful natural auditorium. It echoed nicely, like a microphone's open speakers on stage. The rock face itself would have been nice to climb if I knew more about climbing. Our camping spot is surrounded by white flowers that glow in the moonlight, it's quite magical. Alex told me about the Panama Canal and Fransico de Magellanas.
Poo Face
March 24th
I woke up early and made brunch. Last night there was a full moon and so we biked until mid-night, then found a spot on some grass high up on the mountain. Tchye has been biking across China with Alex her whole 1year life. He has a basket attached to the back of his bike and when he says "Opa" Tchye jumps up.We strapped my red MEC bag onto the back of my purple chinese bike. So metimes I say "Opa" and Tchye jumps onto my bag and bites my arm, ears face or licks my face. I call her Poo-Face because she eats shit. My puppy Pepper used to eat poo too and so I called her Pepper poo. I love both of these little pups a lot. Now "Poo face" is a continuation of this love and Erica and I have adopted signing our E-mails POO. I want to get a dog and bring her tree-planting, not only that, I wan to have a dog in the future too. - The river that we were looking at last night was shimmering silver from our mountain perch. Today we can see that it's in a dried up river bed that we saw this morning. In the wet season it must be really big.- Since we crossed the tropic of Canver on the 18th, the land has changed. It's not wolr jungle any more but drier land. There are much less tea0tree plantations, maybe none, but other types of crops. It's refreshig to see the land being used for growing sugar canes, wheat and larger tea trees,vegetables.- Last night we passed a crop that was burning and it was magical. I felt like I was in a circus, magic show or gypsey caravan. The moon not yet risen, the starts not so bright, this smoke and bright fire light leading our way...into the midieval times, into an open time gateway...where would we end up? - Today we saw 2 men pushing a bike loaded with recycling up the same mountain we were pushing our loads. 4 travellers sharing similar experiences and the same winding road. They were working so hard to push this bike backwards so that the handle bars were in behind and the recycling in the front. They made me smile.
I woke up early and made brunch. Last night there was a full moon and so we biked until mid-night, then found a spot on some grass high up on the mountain. Tchye has been biking across China with Alex her whole 1year life. He has a basket attached to the back of his bike and when he says "Opa" Tchye jumps up.We strapped my red MEC bag onto the back of my purple chinese bike. So metimes I say "Opa" and Tchye jumps onto my bag and bites my arm, ears face or licks my face. I call her Poo-Face because she eats shit. My puppy Pepper used to eat poo too and so I called her Pepper poo. I love both of these little pups a lot. Now "Poo face" is a continuation of this love and Erica and I have adopted signing our E-mails POO. I want to get a dog and bring her tree-planting, not only that, I wan to have a dog in the future too. - The river that we were looking at last night was shimmering silver from our mountain perch. Today we can see that it's in a dried up river bed that we saw this morning. In the wet season it must be really big.- Since we crossed the tropic of Canver on the 18th, the land has changed. It's not wolr jungle any more but drier land. There are much less tea0tree plantations, maybe none, but other types of crops. It's refreshig to see the land being used for growing sugar canes, wheat and larger tea trees,vegetables.- Last night we passed a crop that was burning and it was magical. I felt like I was in a circus, magic show or gypsey caravan. The moon not yet risen, the starts not so bright, this smoke and bright fire light leading our way...into the midieval times, into an open time gateway...where would we end up? - Today we saw 2 men pushing a bike loaded with recycling up the same mountain we were pushing our loads. 4 travellers sharing similar experiences and the same winding road. They were working so hard to push this bike backwards so that the handle bars were in behind and the recycling in the front. They made me smile.
Living
March 22nd
Guaguan. Nice people. A kid that reminded me of my cousin Brandon helped me to find new brakes for my purple chinese 1 speed bike. We camped in a cemetary. A group of young girls from the school across the street helped to cook dinner. They were all so curious and eager to help in any way. Alex was sick so the help was great!
March 23rd
We stopped to rest in an orchard. We ate a big breakfast mm. Bought a new bell for my bike and it has a BIG ring. I love my new bell! Finally my bike has her own, loud, cheerful voice. - There are pink flowers above me, weeping grass hanging over a steep ledge. Above me there is a green tree against a canvas of bright blue. Below me is a meadow filled with little purple flowers and green grass. Orange flowers growing between dry grass tuffs and rocks. I feel alive, my senses aware again after a hot-dry afternoon. It's Spring season now in China and the heat is increasing. Tchye is trying to eat grass, Alex is reading his dictionary. He picked me a small bud from the flowering orange bushes. They look like the flowers from traditional chinese paintings. Elegant and colourful, holding this bud in my hand makes me hope that my lie can be as vibrant as this small single bud. Alex is yelling/singing to a brazilian song"Bolla Bolla Bolla Hay Hay Hay"...I'm sad that soon I'll leave China. I'm not ready for reality. Not now, not ever? My mind flies between present, past and mostly future. I don't want to think about it though. I'd like to enjoy my last week in China in the present moment. Sitting here on the side of the road, holding my flower bud, watching the motos and trucks carrying sugar canes going by. It's amazing to me how many people can fit on one moto. I've seen up to 6 people, whole families on 2 people motos! Oh!, China, I never knew that I would love you so! [I think that life can be as beautiful as now if I take my time. Living in the present moment. Not only using each of my senses but appreciating them. " Not just existing, but living" as Alex has said before.
Guaguan. Nice people. A kid that reminded me of my cousin Brandon helped me to find new brakes for my purple chinese 1 speed bike. We camped in a cemetary. A group of young girls from the school across the street helped to cook dinner. They were all so curious and eager to help in any way. Alex was sick so the help was great!
March 23rd
We stopped to rest in an orchard. We ate a big breakfast mm. Bought a new bell for my bike and it has a BIG ring. I love my new bell! Finally my bike has her own, loud, cheerful voice. - There are pink flowers above me, weeping grass hanging over a steep ledge. Above me there is a green tree against a canvas of bright blue. Below me is a meadow filled with little purple flowers and green grass. Orange flowers growing between dry grass tuffs and rocks. I feel alive, my senses aware again after a hot-dry afternoon. It's Spring season now in China and the heat is increasing. Tchye is trying to eat grass, Alex is reading his dictionary. He picked me a small bud from the flowering orange bushes. They look like the flowers from traditional chinese paintings. Elegant and colourful, holding this bud in my hand makes me hope that my lie can be as vibrant as this small single bud. Alex is yelling/singing to a brazilian song"Bolla Bolla Bolla Hay Hay Hay"...I'm sad that soon I'll leave China. I'm not ready for reality. Not now, not ever? My mind flies between present, past and mostly future. I don't want to think about it though. I'd like to enjoy my last week in China in the present moment. Sitting here on the side of the road, holding my flower bud, watching the motos and trucks carrying sugar canes going by. It's amazing to me how many people can fit on one moto. I've seen up to 6 people, whole families on 2 people motos! Oh!, China, I never knew that I would love you so! [I think that life can be as beautiful as now if I take my time. Living in the present moment. Not only using each of my senses but appreciating them. " Not just existing, but living" as Alex has said before.
Friday, March 21, 2008
numa numa
Dragostea din tei (AKA Numa Numa)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Original romanian
Ma-ia-hii
Ma-ia-huu
Ma-ia-hoo
Ma-ia-haa
Alo, salut, sunt eu, un haiduc,
Si te rog, iubirea mea, primeste fericirea.
Alo, alo, sunt eu Picasso,
Ti-am dat beep, si sunt voinic,
Dar sa stii nu-ti cer nimic.
Refrain:
Vrei sa pleci dar nu ma, nu ma iei,
Nu ma, nu ma iei, nu ma, nu ma, nu ma iei.
Chipul tau si dragostea din tei,
Mi-amintesc de ochii tai.
Te sun, sa-ti spun, ce simt acum,
Alo, iubirea mea, sunt eu, fericirea.
Alo, alo, sunt iarasi eu, Picasso,
Ti-am dat beep, si sunt voinic,
Dar sa stii nu-ti cer nimic.
(Refrain)
Ma-ia-hii
Ma-ia-huu
Ma-ia-hoo
Ma-ia-haa
-----------------------------------------------------------------
English (strict translation)
Ma-ia-hii
Ma-ia-huu
Ma-ia-hoo
Ma-ia-haa
Hello, it's me, a haiduc*
And I pray, my love, embrace the happiness
Hello, hello, it's me - Picasso!
I gave you beep, and i'm neat
But know that I'm not asking you anything.
Refrain:
You want to go, but you don't take me, no
You don't take me, no, you don't take me noo..
Your face and the love under the linden trees
Remind me of your eyes.
I'm calling you, to say, what I'm feeling now
Hello, my love, it's me - happiness!
Hello, hello, it's me again, Picasso,
I gave you a beep, and I'm neat
But know that I'm not asking you anything.
(Refrain)
Ma-ia-hii
Ma-ia-huu
Ma-ia-hoo
Ma-ia-haa
----------------------------------------------------------------
English
Ma-ia-hii
Ma-ia-huu
Ma-ia-hoo
Ma-ia-haa
Hello, 'salut', it's me - your Robin Hood
And I pray: My lovelyness, please embrace this happiness!
Hello, hello, it's me - Picasso!
You got my beep, it's me - I'm neat.
And be sure I'm altruistic.
Refrain:
You wanna leave, but you don't take away
You don't take away, don't you take awaaay...
Your face and eyes I keep in memory
Beside the love under a linden tree.
'just called to reveal the feels I bear
Hello, my loveliness, it's me - happiness!
Hello, hello, it's me (again) - Picasso!
You got my beep, I'm really neat
And be sure I'm altruistic.
(Refrain)
Ma-ia-hii
Ma-ia-huu
Ma-ia-hoo
Ma-ia-haa
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Original romanian
Ma-ia-hii
Ma-ia-huu
Ma-ia-hoo
Ma-ia-haa
Alo, salut, sunt eu, un haiduc,
Si te rog, iubirea mea, primeste fericirea.
Alo, alo, sunt eu Picasso,
Ti-am dat beep, si sunt voinic,
Dar sa stii nu-ti cer nimic.
Refrain:
Vrei sa pleci dar nu ma, nu ma iei,
Nu ma, nu ma iei, nu ma, nu ma, nu ma iei.
Chipul tau si dragostea din tei,
Mi-amintesc de ochii tai.
Te sun, sa-ti spun, ce simt acum,
Alo, iubirea mea, sunt eu, fericirea.
Alo, alo, sunt iarasi eu, Picasso,
Ti-am dat beep, si sunt voinic,
Dar sa stii nu-ti cer nimic.
(Refrain)
Ma-ia-hii
Ma-ia-huu
Ma-ia-hoo
Ma-ia-haa
-----------------------------------------------------------------
English (strict translation)
Ma-ia-hii
Ma-ia-huu
Ma-ia-hoo
Ma-ia-haa
Hello, it's me, a haiduc*
And I pray, my love, embrace the happiness
Hello, hello, it's me - Picasso!
I gave you beep, and i'm neat
But know that I'm not asking you anything.
Refrain:
You want to go, but you don't take me, no
You don't take me, no, you don't take me noo..
Your face and the love under the linden trees
Remind me of your eyes.
I'm calling you, to say, what I'm feeling now
Hello, my love, it's me - happiness!
Hello, hello, it's me again, Picasso,
I gave you a beep, and I'm neat
But know that I'm not asking you anything.
(Refrain)
Ma-ia-hii
Ma-ia-huu
Ma-ia-hoo
Ma-ia-haa
----------------------------------------------------------------
English
Ma-ia-hii
Ma-ia-huu
Ma-ia-hoo
Ma-ia-haa
Hello, 'salut', it's me - your Robin Hood
And I pray: My lovelyness, please embrace this happiness!
Hello, hello, it's me - Picasso!
You got my beep, it's me - I'm neat.
And be sure I'm altruistic.
Refrain:
You wanna leave, but you don't take away
You don't take away, don't you take awaaay...
Your face and eyes I keep in memory
Beside the love under a linden tree.
'just called to reveal the feels I bear
Hello, my loveliness, it's me - happiness!
Hello, hello, it's me (again) - Picasso!
You got my beep, I'm really neat
And be sure I'm altruistic.
(Refrain)
Ma-ia-hii
Ma-ia-huu
Ma-ia-hoo
Ma-ia-haa
Thursday, March 20, 2008
Yue Liang
Marc 18th
Fries, downhill. Wangba. Tropic of Cancer. Park. MAGIC. Bubble people. moon. fall down, fly down, cut finger, break rim.
March 19th
Heat, hot day, good food. happiness, fix bike rim. Yue Liang(moon light). bike through night till dawn. mountain shadows, shin shin(stars) dream-like. crossed a metal hanging bridge, peaceful morning stillness. found spot near creek. swimming-sleeping.
March 20th
Swimming, Creek, dansing, Tchye(dog).
March 21st
YuanJiang.
Fries, downhill. Wangba. Tropic of Cancer. Park. MAGIC. Bubble people. moon. fall down, fly down, cut finger, break rim.
March 19th
Heat, hot day, good food. happiness, fix bike rim. Yue Liang(moon light). bike through night till dawn. mountain shadows, shin shin(stars) dream-like. crossed a metal hanging bridge, peaceful morning stillness. found spot near creek. swimming-sleeping.
March 20th
Swimming, Creek, dansing, Tchye(dog).
March 21st
YuanJiang.
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Voyage Voyage
Au dessus des vieux volcans,
Glisse des ailes sous les tapis du vent,
Voyage, voyage,
Eternellement.
De nuages en marécages,
De vent d'Espagne en pluie d'équateur,
Voyage, voyage,
Vole dans les hauteurs
Au dessus des capitales,
Des idées fatales,
Regarde l'océan...
Voyage, voyage
Plus loin que la nuit et le jour, (voyage voyage)
Voyage (voyage)
Dans l'espace inouï de l'amour.
Voyage, voyage
Sur l'eau sacrée d'un fleuve indien, (voyage voyage)
Voyage (voyage)
Et jamais ne revient.
Sur le Gange ou l'Amazone,
Chez les blacks, chez les sikhs, chez les jaunes,
Voyage, voyage
Dans tout le royaume.
Sur les dunes du Sahara,
Des iles Fidji au Fujiyama,
Voyage, voyage,
Ne t'arrêtes pas.
Au dessus des barbelés,
Des coeurs bombardés,
Regarde l'océan.
Voyage, voyage
Plus loin que la nuit et le jour, (voyage voyage)
Voyage (voyage)
Dans l'espace inouï de l'amour.
Voyage, voyage
Sur l'eau sacrée d'un fleuve indien, (voyage voyage)
Voyage (voyage)
Et jamais ne revient.
Au dessus des capitales,
Des idées fatales,
Regarde l'océan.
Voyage, voyage
Plus loin que la nuit et le jour, (voyage voyage)
Voyage (voyage)
Dans l'espace inouï de l'amour.
Voyage, voyage
Sur l'eau sacrée d'un fleuve indien, (voyage voyage)
Voyage (voyage)
Et jamais ne revient
Glisse des ailes sous les tapis du vent,
Voyage, voyage,
Eternellement.
De nuages en marécages,
De vent d'Espagne en pluie d'équateur,
Voyage, voyage,
Vole dans les hauteurs
Au dessus des capitales,
Des idées fatales,
Regarde l'océan...
Voyage, voyage
Plus loin que la nuit et le jour, (voyage voyage)
Voyage (voyage)
Dans l'espace inouï de l'amour.
Voyage, voyage
Sur l'eau sacrée d'un fleuve indien, (voyage voyage)
Voyage (voyage)
Et jamais ne revient.
Sur le Gange ou l'Amazone,
Chez les blacks, chez les sikhs, chez les jaunes,
Voyage, voyage
Dans tout le royaume.
Sur les dunes du Sahara,
Des iles Fidji au Fujiyama,
Voyage, voyage,
Ne t'arrêtes pas.
Au dessus des barbelés,
Des coeurs bombardés,
Regarde l'océan.
Voyage, voyage
Plus loin que la nuit et le jour, (voyage voyage)
Voyage (voyage)
Dans l'espace inouï de l'amour.
Voyage, voyage
Sur l'eau sacrée d'un fleuve indien, (voyage voyage)
Voyage (voyage)
Et jamais ne revient.
Au dessus des capitales,
Des idées fatales,
Regarde l'océan.
Voyage, voyage
Plus loin que la nuit et le jour, (voyage voyage)
Voyage (voyage)
Dans l'espace inouï de l'amour.
Voyage, voyage
Sur l'eau sacrée d'un fleuve indien, (voyage voyage)
Voyage (voyage)
Et jamais ne revient
Monday, March 17, 2008
Bamboo trees
March 15th
This morning we cooked fried eggs with Chapotees. Alek is making some coffee and then we're on the road again. We biked all day without a break. We were exhausted by the time we found a spot to stop in the evening. We biked through a small village and some ladies actually everyone ripped me off. I wanted to buy some fruit but it was 2 times too much, same as some cookies. Oh well, what can you do? We found a nice place to sleep in a tea tree plantation again. we were in between bamboo trees and by a small stream. WE saw some people leaving the plantation from work but none of them said anything about us camping there.
March 16th
WE went downhill for a long time in the morning. I stopped in a riverside village to wash some clothes and myself. I've developed a rash all over my upper torso so every chance that I get I wash myself. It's all of the dirt and sweat that comes with this biking/camping lifestlye. We ate a big dinner and Alek cooked tonight wich was nice. I couldn't sleep because I was so itchy though and so in the middle of the night I biked downhill a few kilometres with Tchye's company and the bright half-moon lit my way to a small creek that I saw before we set up our tent. I had to go by a house and two dogs but wasn't scared because Tchye was with me. The creek was in a gorge and I'm surprised I didn't tumble down the steep side in the dark. The water was so fresh and cool, the moon was dancing in the moving water. I felt so good afterwards. Alek was waiting for me and had made some hot tea. We stayed up all night talking.
March 17th
We left at 11 and by 11:45 we stopped again because we were so tired. Right now Alek and Tchye are sleeping on the ground. I'm looking out at the layered mountains in the distance overlapping each other and at the vally walls scattered with farmland and countryside houses. Also, I'm reminiscing of my time in Jinghong. Jason, Sarah's boyfriend just texted me and told me he's headed to Guangzhou to work in a factory for a couple years, so maybe I'll see him when I'm there again. Christina is going to be in Kunming where me and Alek are biking to on the 26th this month so maybe I'll get to see her again too! That would be great. It's so nice to think tha tI have friends scattered across this country. Many places I could go to and see the people that I've met. It makes me feel so happy. China is no longer such a foreign place to me, it feels more like home. I"m comfortable here and happy.
March 18th
Now I'm in Mojiang. We'll buy more vegetables from a marketplace here and be on our way again. I"m always excited to hit a town though, so that I can use the wangba(internet) and eat chocolate, look at the people...
This morning we cooked fried eggs with Chapotees. Alek is making some coffee and then we're on the road again. We biked all day without a break. We were exhausted by the time we found a spot to stop in the evening. We biked through a small village and some ladies actually everyone ripped me off. I wanted to buy some fruit but it was 2 times too much, same as some cookies. Oh well, what can you do? We found a nice place to sleep in a tea tree plantation again. we were in between bamboo trees and by a small stream. WE saw some people leaving the plantation from work but none of them said anything about us camping there.
March 16th
WE went downhill for a long time in the morning. I stopped in a riverside village to wash some clothes and myself. I've developed a rash all over my upper torso so every chance that I get I wash myself. It's all of the dirt and sweat that comes with this biking/camping lifestlye. We ate a big dinner and Alek cooked tonight wich was nice. I couldn't sleep because I was so itchy though and so in the middle of the night I biked downhill a few kilometres with Tchye's company and the bright half-moon lit my way to a small creek that I saw before we set up our tent. I had to go by a house and two dogs but wasn't scared because Tchye was with me. The creek was in a gorge and I'm surprised I didn't tumble down the steep side in the dark. The water was so fresh and cool, the moon was dancing in the moving water. I felt so good afterwards. Alek was waiting for me and had made some hot tea. We stayed up all night talking.
March 17th
We left at 11 and by 11:45 we stopped again because we were so tired. Right now Alek and Tchye are sleeping on the ground. I'm looking out at the layered mountains in the distance overlapping each other and at the vally walls scattered with farmland and countryside houses. Also, I'm reminiscing of my time in Jinghong. Jason, Sarah's boyfriend just texted me and told me he's headed to Guangzhou to work in a factory for a couple years, so maybe I'll see him when I'm there again. Christina is going to be in Kunming where me and Alek are biking to on the 26th this month so maybe I'll get to see her again too! That would be great. It's so nice to think tha tI have friends scattered across this country. Many places I could go to and see the people that I've met. It makes me feel so happy. China is no longer such a foreign place to me, it feels more like home. I"m comfortable here and happy.
March 18th
Now I'm in Mojiang. We'll buy more vegetables from a marketplace here and be on our way again. I"m always excited to hit a town though, so that I can use the wangba(internet) and eat chocolate, look at the people...
This could be your shower
March 14th -Jen's Birthday
The farmland is divided into hundreds of small sections, each one growing something different. We are surrounded by every green imaginable; Green apple, army green, neon green, pine green, seaweed green, green grass, light cabbage green, green___.... On the mountains the farmland is Mayan Temple steps leading to a great ancient secret that only the farmers remember, forgotten wisdom. The rich red-copper of the soil, the yellow dirt roads, the greens of the crops and the muddle coloured rice-fields reflecting the blue sky make a feist for the eyes that we could enjoy from the top of our mountain perch. We did 20 km downhyill, I love the wind flying in my hair, my mp3 pumped and a huge grin on my face thinking " This is travelling!". Yesterday, I saw a sleeper bus go by, those dreaded things. I took one from Lijiang to Kunming, the lady behind me was spilling her guts out the whole time behind me, and not without loud sound effects. The 8hr trip from Kunming to Jinghong was a little more bearable on a normal bus, but the road was so twisted and the bus was going so fast, it was almost me with an inside out stomach. Yes, I am so pleased to be biking. Later just before dark, we found a waterfall and took some refreshing showers. The water was just right. We found a small bambo hut that was at the bottom of a tea tree plantation. One wall was dirt and the ground was dirt. Alek said that we should check for spiders, scorpians and other crawling warriors that might attack during the night. I made him sleep beside the wall. hehehe.
The farmland is divided into hundreds of small sections, each one growing something different. We are surrounded by every green imaginable; Green apple, army green, neon green, pine green, seaweed green, green grass, light cabbage green, green___.... On the mountains the farmland is Mayan Temple steps leading to a great ancient secret that only the farmers remember, forgotten wisdom. The rich red-copper of the soil, the yellow dirt roads, the greens of the crops and the muddle coloured rice-fields reflecting the blue sky make a feist for the eyes that we could enjoy from the top of our mountain perch. We did 20 km downhyill, I love the wind flying in my hair, my mp3 pumped and a huge grin on my face thinking " This is travelling!". Yesterday, I saw a sleeper bus go by, those dreaded things. I took one from Lijiang to Kunming, the lady behind me was spilling her guts out the whole time behind me, and not without loud sound effects. The 8hr trip from Kunming to Jinghong was a little more bearable on a normal bus, but the road was so twisted and the bus was going so fast, it was almost me with an inside out stomach. Yes, I am so pleased to be biking. Later just before dark, we found a waterfall and took some refreshing showers. The water was just right. We found a small bambo hut that was at the bottom of a tea tree plantation. One wall was dirt and the ground was dirt. Alek said that we should check for spiders, scorpians and other crawling warriors that might attack during the night. I made him sleep beside the wall. hehehe.
On the old Road again
March 13th
We took the old road from Simao to Ning'Er. It was gorgeous. I remember chocolate flavoured rivers, tea tree plantations on mountains that looked like corn rows. I saw a group of boys coming home from work covered in soot head to toe. They yelled "Hello!!" to Alek and then giggled, hopped and jumped down the road, playing with each other like children at recess. It was like watching lively clay figures! So happily dirty. We stopped for a mid-day break after 10km up a mountain and we finally got to try out Alek's orange flowered Brazilian Hammock. I cooked one of my favourites: vegetable omellette on the fire. Alek cooked some chapotees: (flour, salt and water). After our break we had 20km downhill! It was great after such a heavy lunch. When the old road ended we were immediately surrounded by big noisy trucks, horns and pollution for 13km of slow uphill. I was itchy in the night from a mixture of pollution and swet on my skin.
March 12th -My B-day
We stayed in Simao for another relaxing day, just hanging out in the park. I added more songs to my mp3. When we were at the market a group of people surrounded us. I talked to this big boy with a butterfly tattoo on his wrist and a rose tattoo on his left hand's middle finger. He said that he was from Hubei province in the North East. Shop keepers were taking pictures of Alek while I talked to my new friend and ate the watermelon that sellers were giving me. mmm. One gap toothed shop keeper was so happy when Alek gave her his bike helmet. Another girl, gave us a coca cola each for the road. So nice.
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
"Like a Rolling Stone "
Once upon a time you dressed so fine
You threw the bums a dime in your prime, didn't you?
People'd call, say, "Beware doll, you're bound to fall"
You thought they were all kiddin' you
You used to laugh about
Everybody that was hangin' out
Now you don't talk so loud
Now you don't seem so proud
About having to be scrounging for your next meal.
How does it feel
How does it feel
To be without a home
Like a complete unknown
Like a rolling stone?
You've gone to the finest school all right, Miss Lonely
But you know you only used to get juiced in it
And nobody has ever taught you how to live on the street
And now you find out you're gonna have to get used to it
You said you'd never compromise
With the mystery tramp, but now you realize
He's not selling any alibis
As you stare into the vacuum of his eyes
And ask him do you want to make a deal?
How does it feel
How does it feel
To be on your own
With no direction home
Like a complete unknown
Like a rolling stone?
You never turned around to see the frowns on the jugglers and the clowns
When they all come down and did tricks for you
You never understood that it ain't no good
You shouldn't let other people get your kicks for you
You used to ride on the chrome horse with your diplomat
Who carried on his shoulder a Siamese cat
Ain't it hard when you discover that
He really wasn't where it's at
After he took from you everything he could steal.
How does it feel
How does it feel
To be on your own
With no direction home
Like a complete unknown
Like a rolling stone?
Princess on the steeple and all the pretty people
They're drinkin', thinkin' that they got it made
Exchanging all kinds of precious gifts and things
But you'd better lift your diamond ring, you'd better pawn it babe
You used to be so amused
At Napoleon in rags and the language that he used
Go to him now, he calls you, you can't refuse
When you got nothing, you got nothing to lose
You're invisible now, you got no secrets to conceal.
How does it feel
How does it feel
To be on your own
With no direction home
Like a complete unknown
Like a rolling stone?
Bob Dylan
You threw the bums a dime in your prime, didn't you?
People'd call, say, "Beware doll, you're bound to fall"
You thought they were all kiddin' you
You used to laugh about
Everybody that was hangin' out
Now you don't talk so loud
Now you don't seem so proud
About having to be scrounging for your next meal.
How does it feel
How does it feel
To be without a home
Like a complete unknown
Like a rolling stone?
You've gone to the finest school all right, Miss Lonely
But you know you only used to get juiced in it
And nobody has ever taught you how to live on the street
And now you find out you're gonna have to get used to it
You said you'd never compromise
With the mystery tramp, but now you realize
He's not selling any alibis
As you stare into the vacuum of his eyes
And ask him do you want to make a deal?
How does it feel
How does it feel
To be on your own
With no direction home
Like a complete unknown
Like a rolling stone?
You never turned around to see the frowns on the jugglers and the clowns
When they all come down and did tricks for you
You never understood that it ain't no good
You shouldn't let other people get your kicks for you
You used to ride on the chrome horse with your diplomat
Who carried on his shoulder a Siamese cat
Ain't it hard when you discover that
He really wasn't where it's at
After he took from you everything he could steal.
How does it feel
How does it feel
To be on your own
With no direction home
Like a complete unknown
Like a rolling stone?
Princess on the steeple and all the pretty people
They're drinkin', thinkin' that they got it made
Exchanging all kinds of precious gifts and things
But you'd better lift your diamond ring, you'd better pawn it babe
You used to be so amused
At Napoleon in rags and the language that he used
Go to him now, he calls you, you can't refuse
When you got nothing, you got nothing to lose
You're invisible now, you got no secrets to conceal.
How does it feel
How does it feel
To be on your own
With no direction home
Like a complete unknown
Like a rolling stone?
Bob Dylan
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
Day 8 (March 11th) "I see your true colours shining through"
We decided to stay in Simao for another day. an event struck me as Alek and I were walking down one of the city's streets. Two old, weathered women were fighting over money. One would give the money to another, the other wouldn't accept it and would hand it to their friend that was standing behind her. The first woman took the money from the third and handed it back to her friend that was sitting down. This circuit continued a few times over, one giving the money, the other refusing it until finally the other two ladies quickly left leaving the woman sitting down with the money. Me and some girls working in a shop were watching and giggling at the funny situation. It struck me though because it was what my mother and Jean Mah used to do after having dinner or lunch together. They'd fight over who would get to treat the other. In Chinese culture if you invite your friend to eat with you, you treat them. It was very moving as well because in the end I saw that they were fighting over 2 yuan. That's 7.5/2 = very little money. Today Simao is showing its true colours.
Monday, March 10, 2008
Day 7 "Journey to the East"
I had a great day today. We stayed at our camp all afternoon and it was so relaxing. I finished "Journey to the East" by Herman Hesse and was not let down by the ending. I really respect the guy, I want to read more of his books. He thought that his spiritual home was India and settled in Switzerland when he was 34, that's cool in itself but also when he was 69 he won a nobel prize for literature. The sun was strong all day so I washed some of our clothes in our cooking pot using some muddy creek water. The birds have been singing all morning and afternoon. Some of them sound like a human whistling. I feel tired because I ate a lump of concentrated suger made fresh from the sugar canes that grow here. Alek is talking in french to his dog as usual..."Chienne degolasse," "Couche toi"! He spent today fixing his bike, dancing and singing around to his music. He gave me a couple decorations for my bike and now it looks more like a travelling bike. Now we're in Simao and it's nothing special from what I've seen tonight.
Day 6 (March 9th) Our buddy Orion
We asked for some hot water at a house and were invit3ed for lunch with a middle aged couple. A Chinese man won a race on T.V., maybe it was a trial for the Olympics. He didn't look much older than me it seemed. He was so happy. It's strange to think I'll be 21 soon. Soccer was on next but Alek hates soccer event hough he's from Bosci(Brazil) and so he didn't watch. Pretty cool how sports are universal that way though, like music and dansing, no language barriers needed. Alek and I have been having a hard time getting along because we're both so stubborn. Tonight went really well though. We talked about books that we read him: a book about a young architect who challenges the old ways of doing things and sticks to his guns and passion; A girl going through the communist revolution of 1917 and how she lost everything, family riches...) We pondered what Orion's (Orion's Belt) voice would sound like, figured that he was Greek and had dark curly hair and dark skin. Maybe shooting stars are his arrow shots to warn his village of danger. It took a long time to cook dinner on the fire but it was well worth the wait. We ate stir-fry potatoes, carrots, onion, tomatoes, garlic and red, green and orange jalepeno peppers. A gourmet meal for us, after so many monotonous nights of potato, tomato, garlic and noodle soup.
Day 5 (March 8th) Illusions
In the morning we were visited by 2 people. First by the creepy boy who we'd seen before just walking from town to town with his walking stick and a casket of water. He wandered around the tent while Tchye barked at him. I thought that he was going to attack the tent with his stick or something and was glad that Tchye was with us. The second visit was more pleasant. A young biking boy about my age stopped by to check things out. He was really nice and took pictures of us and Tchye, Alek's bike and the tent. He was biking from Simao to Jinghong. In the afternoon we biked through a valley filled with banana trees and rice fields. Reflected in the rice fields was my original dream of what most of China would be like. I thought that I would find my relatives in a small dirt covered village and join them in the rice fields wearing the typical pointed Chinese hat...that actually isn't used so much, their hats are made of flower fabric or just round straw. Nevertheless,I couldn't stop looking in every direction except for watching the road. It was a hot sunny day. We slept in a tea tree plantation that night and were attacked by a vicious tropical storm. We're dry though thanks to a super camping spot between two spiky trees.
Day 4 -(March 7th )
Sun! We biked up a mountain and got to the top in time for the sunset, but there was too much jungle in the way to see it clearly. I find all of the houses interesting that we paass because they are more of a communist setting than in Canada. They have many red doors that lead to similar rooms all enclosed inside walls. I think that families all live together, maybe extended family too. It's not like in Canada where everyone has their own house. We passed by larger houses near huge tea tree plantations. Mountain after mountain of tea trees. I think that it's more beautiful when the mountains are covered in jungle, but when the workers were in the field their colourful clothes and big hats added something special to the scenery. We passed through a town called Dadugang...(we looked the meaning up in the dictionary but I forget other than Da=Big) I was mesmorized by a chinese bakery. MMMM ...Alek and I shared a long sweet bun filled with whipped cream and green and orange jelly dots. What sweet ecstacy. Going down the mountain I took my feet off the pedals and my bike became jelly like, as if it was an athlete and had run the 400m sprint. It couldn't run anymore and I wobbled to the left and to the right like a worn out athlete at the end of a race. At the bottom of the mountain in the valley I could see the montrous jungle towering above me in the dark. It could have been a Giant's limbs covered in furry clothing.
Day 3- Rain rain go away, come back another day
Alek talked forever. I feel heavy inside my body. Went for a walk to cool off my brain. Met some local and had a few smokes but there was such a language barrier and I wasn't in the mood to make a huge effort. The sky is glittering with stars and there is strange explosion of light in the sky behind a closeby mountain. I spend some time wondering what it is. It's like lightening only in one place.
Day 2- "See the Jungle when it's wet with rain"
I woke up last night to heavy rain, thunder and lightning. I woke up Aleshandro "Alek, it's raining," he ran outside naked in the rain and started fixing the fly. I love storms and the rain and was screaming and laughing for half an hour. It reminded me of tree planting and the time that our family and Alex(cousin) went hiking in the West coast of the island and it rained for 3 days straight, our canoe rolling down the beach in the rain like it was a piece of paper. We woke up later to puddles of water in our tent. My cell phone charger learned how to swim that fateful morning. This afternoon we saw elephants and monkeys in a park that was on the side of the road. I sang to the elephants and thought that they were dancing to my music, but really I think that their rooms were too small and they were stretching their legs. I saw one of them give another a kiss with his/her husks it was pretty cool because they were in different rooms and so "Pinkey" had to go on his hind legs. COOL an elephant! I'm so happy to be cycling and not bussing. I can smell the jungle sweetness, hear the frogs and the birds. Alek is shaving his beard with his bicycle mirror right now and all of our wet stuff is drying on a fence in the sun. A foreign biker man went speedily by and Alek was extremely dissapointed that he didn't take the time to visit with us, since we're fellow travelling bikers. He calls them "Foreigners" and "Sportsmen".
You Belong To Me -Bob Dylan
See the pyramids along the Nile
Watch the sunrise on a tropic isle
Just remember, darling, all the while
You belong to me
See the marketplace in old Algiers
Send me photographs and souvenirs
Just remember when a dream appears
You belong to me
I'll be so alone without you
Maybe you'll be lonesome too
Fly the ocean in a silver plane
See the jungle when it's wet with rain
Just remember 'til you're home again
You belong to me
I'll be so alone without you
Maybe you'll be lonesome too
Fly the ocean in a silver plane
See the jungle when it's wet with rain
Just remember 'til you're home again
You belong to me
You Belong To Me -Bob Dylan
See the pyramids along the Nile
Watch the sunrise on a tropic isle
Just remember, darling, all the while
You belong to me
See the marketplace in old Algiers
Send me photographs and souvenirs
Just remember when a dream appears
You belong to me
I'll be so alone without you
Maybe you'll be lonesome too
Fly the ocean in a silver plane
See the jungle when it's wet with rain
Just remember 'til you're home again
You belong to me
I'll be so alone without you
Maybe you'll be lonesome too
Fly the ocean in a silver plane
See the jungle when it's wet with rain
Just remember 'til you're home again
You belong to me
Day 1 -"The littlest birds"
Riding our bikes uphill. UGH. The jungle on our left and the mountains like in Laos on our right. The mountains are bald, with young tea trees soon to grow. A truck tire exploded and flew across the highway over our heads in a perfect slow-motion arc to the flowing stream below us. Tchye is sick and so Alex has to carry her in the basket on the back of his bike. The rain has stopped. I took a rest to eat a boiled egg and to look at the red white and bright orange flower trees that are level with me. Birds sit in the branches and are "singing the prettyiest songs"(The be good Tanyas). I felt like I was in a Traditional Chinese Painting, peaceful beauty.
Sunday, March 2, 2008
The Littlest Birds
Well I feel like an old hobo,
I'm sad lonesome and blue
I was fair as the summer day
Now the summer days are through
You pass through places
And places pass through you
But you carry 'em with you
On the souls of your travellin' shoes
Well I love you so dearly I love you so clearly
Wake you up in the mornin' so early
Just to tell you I got the wanderin' blues
I got the wanderin' blues
And i'm gonna quit these ramblin' ways one of
these days soon
And I'll sing
The littlest birds sing the prettiest songs...
Well it's times like these
I feel so small and wild
Like the ramblin' footsteps of a wanderin' child
And I'm lonesome as a lonesome whippoorwill
Singin these blues with a warble and a trill
But I'm not too blue to fly
No I'm not too blue to fly cause
The littlest birds sing the prettiest songs...
Well I love you so dearly
I love you so fearlessly
Wake you up in the mornin' so early
Just to tell you I got the wanderin' blues
I got the wanderin' blues
And I don't wanna leave you
I love you through and through
Oh I left my baby on a pretty blue train
And I sang my songs to the cold and the rain
I had the wanderin' blues
And I sang those wanderin' blues
And I'm gonna quit these ramblin' ways
One of these days soon
And I'll sing...
The littlest birds sing the prettiest songs....
[I don't care if the sun don't shine
I don't care if nothin' is mine
I don't care if I'm nervous with you
I'll do my lovin' in the wintertime] - Syd
Barrett
-The Be Good Tanyas
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Soon to leave this wonderful place and say farewell to these unforgettable characters
Jinghong is a strange and beautiful place that I have come to love. The people here are so incredible, both the lawai(foreigners) and the locals of which I have met many. I think of Jinghong as a magical place full of mystery and superstition... maybe that's just me and Alex. Soon I'll be leaving here since my teaching job is over now. Alex invited me to bike with him to Kunnming which we figure should take about 2 weeks with our slow lazy biking style pace, so we'll have a crazy wonderful adventure with Jiay his 1 year old black pup. Today I found a bike in a second hand market that's just right for the trip, but when I tried to find someone to pay there was no one around. So 1 free bike later I'm almost ready to go. I also found a big pot so that we can cook enough food to keep us energized.
I'm going to miss Sunny my first friend here who invited me to live with her in Banna College dorms. My first day back from Laos I had somewhere to stay with her. Sunny found me a job teaching with Jung Xiao Dong(my boss) at Zhou Nong Xiao(agricultural college). She's a spontaneous girl only 18, from Dali North of here. She works so hard everyday to pay for her education and I respect her so much. On Valentines Day a bunch of us went out to dinner and Alex offered all of my Chinese friends a drink of Baijo(56% alcohol) and me and Sunny were the only ones who had some.
I'll miss Vicky my other roomate for a week. She's a bit shy and has a bigger build than most Chinese girls but I'd say normal for in Canada. Vicky blushed easily and asked me to show her how to do make-up and what clothes to wear to a party. She doesn't like dancing like me and Sunny and is very methodical. She was so curious about foreingers though and really bright too. She learned english so quickly and eagerly. On Chinese New Years Vicky and Sunny cooked me a meal in their dorm room at 1AM because it was the only time that they had free after work and all. It was so sweet. Vicky is the same age as me, 20 so I gave her a year of the rabbit necklace and she gave me a vile with good luck pills in it that mean 'meet someone'.
I'll miss Sarah, we could spend more time together because she didn't work everyday. We'd go biking around Jinghong, eating ice-cream and sugar canes. Her boyfriend Jason would come with us, we'd exchange english and chinese, ideas and dreams. Sarah is so cute and girly, very patient. I'll remember the way that she spoke english, opening her mouth very wide and speaking so slowly. Her and Jason want to buy a boat and float down the Mekong River from Jinghong through Laos and then into Thailand after they're done school and can afford it. They said they'd give me a call and we could all go together maybe I can bring someone too.
Mark is a lawai from Britain but he lives here and has a local girlfriend named Yubu. He's a really nice guy and I want to keep in touch with him. Last night we went out to have a few drinks and then went back to his place and listened to music sharing our travelling experiences and looking at pics.
Fee my student is so nice. She'd bring me and Jung food that her mom would cook at the beginning of class sometimes. mmm so delicious! Fee wants to run her own Hotel one day and is really smart and devoted to getting her education. She's even more methodical than Vicky, and dresses clean and crisp. Something that's hard to do everyday in China. Fee invited me to her house for dinner a couple nights ago and I helped her Jo Jie(friend) and her mama to make Jiao-ze or dumplings. It was so nice because they made them especially for me and waited until I got back from a bike trip to Mengyang with Alex to have the dinner. It took us 3 hours at least to roll out all of the dough and make hundreds of dumpling circles then fill them and close them. Her mama was so good at it, me and Fee made a jumbled mess of the matter. Soo delicious though. mmm.
Jung Xiao Dong my boss, will be missed as well. He's a speedster, "let's go!!" when we're on a bike ride. He speaks a million miles a minute and all that he wants is to run his own successful business. He's studying Tai language and wants to go to Thailand to find work in a few years. His voice is pretty unforgettable, high pitched and airy sometimes. I wish I could record it, but my memories will have to be enough. They'll bring a smile to my face for certain. "No way", "No I don'ta think so"(with laughging in between), " Oh you must be crazy", "Where are you?", "Let's go baby", "What's the matter baby?", "How much it cost you?" He was always concerned with money and stuff. I brought Jung to a poker and pizza party at Mark's house and taught him Texas Hold'Em. He learned so quickly and won so many hands, we were there until 4AM and I left before him. I asked the next day who won and he told me the American. Mark told Alex that Jung won though. I"ll never really know, but Jung for sure is a trickster when it comes to business and money. I just think that it's funny really.
Christina, how could I forget Christina!! She's been so great, I met her through Alex because she was one of his students. She's so outgoing and hilarous! She has a dog that matches her completely. Christina is like a bubble of happy loud energy that I'll sincerely miss. We loved singing together, busting out to Whitney Houston while driving around town in her company car. Also, since she has her own place it was our home base for everything. :)
Goodbye Jinghong, until we meet again.
I'm going to miss Sunny my first friend here who invited me to live with her in Banna College dorms. My first day back from Laos I had somewhere to stay with her. Sunny found me a job teaching with Jung Xiao Dong(my boss) at Zhou Nong Xiao(agricultural college). She's a spontaneous girl only 18, from Dali North of here. She works so hard everyday to pay for her education and I respect her so much. On Valentines Day a bunch of us went out to dinner and Alex offered all of my Chinese friends a drink of Baijo(56% alcohol) and me and Sunny were the only ones who had some.
I'll miss Vicky my other roomate for a week. She's a bit shy and has a bigger build than most Chinese girls but I'd say normal for in Canada. Vicky blushed easily and asked me to show her how to do make-up and what clothes to wear to a party. She doesn't like dancing like me and Sunny and is very methodical. She was so curious about foreingers though and really bright too. She learned english so quickly and eagerly. On Chinese New Years Vicky and Sunny cooked me a meal in their dorm room at 1AM because it was the only time that they had free after work and all. It was so sweet. Vicky is the same age as me, 20 so I gave her a year of the rabbit necklace and she gave me a vile with good luck pills in it that mean 'meet someone'.
I'll miss Sarah, we could spend more time together because she didn't work everyday. We'd go biking around Jinghong, eating ice-cream and sugar canes. Her boyfriend Jason would come with us, we'd exchange english and chinese, ideas and dreams. Sarah is so cute and girly, very patient. I'll remember the way that she spoke english, opening her mouth very wide and speaking so slowly. Her and Jason want to buy a boat and float down the Mekong River from Jinghong through Laos and then into Thailand after they're done school and can afford it. They said they'd give me a call and we could all go together maybe I can bring someone too.
Mark is a lawai from Britain but he lives here and has a local girlfriend named Yubu. He's a really nice guy and I want to keep in touch with him. Last night we went out to have a few drinks and then went back to his place and listened to music sharing our travelling experiences and looking at pics.
Fee my student is so nice. She'd bring me and Jung food that her mom would cook at the beginning of class sometimes. mmm so delicious! Fee wants to run her own Hotel one day and is really smart and devoted to getting her education. She's even more methodical than Vicky, and dresses clean and crisp. Something that's hard to do everyday in China. Fee invited me to her house for dinner a couple nights ago and I helped her Jo Jie(friend) and her mama to make Jiao-ze or dumplings. It was so nice because they made them especially for me and waited until I got back from a bike trip to Mengyang with Alex to have the dinner. It took us 3 hours at least to roll out all of the dough and make hundreds of dumpling circles then fill them and close them. Her mama was so good at it, me and Fee made a jumbled mess of the matter. Soo delicious though. mmm.
Jung Xiao Dong my boss, will be missed as well. He's a speedster, "let's go!!" when we're on a bike ride. He speaks a million miles a minute and all that he wants is to run his own successful business. He's studying Tai language and wants to go to Thailand to find work in a few years. His voice is pretty unforgettable, high pitched and airy sometimes. I wish I could record it, but my memories will have to be enough. They'll bring a smile to my face for certain. "No way", "No I don'ta think so"(with laughging in between), " Oh you must be crazy", "Where are you?", "Let's go baby", "What's the matter baby?", "How much it cost you?" He was always concerned with money and stuff. I brought Jung to a poker and pizza party at Mark's house and taught him Texas Hold'Em. He learned so quickly and won so many hands, we were there until 4AM and I left before him. I asked the next day who won and he told me the American. Mark told Alex that Jung won though. I"ll never really know, but Jung for sure is a trickster when it comes to business and money. I just think that it's funny really.
Christina, how could I forget Christina!! She's been so great, I met her through Alex because she was one of his students. She's so outgoing and hilarous! She has a dog that matches her completely. Christina is like a bubble of happy loud energy that I'll sincerely miss. We loved singing together, busting out to Whitney Houston while driving around town in her company car. Also, since she has her own place it was our home base for everything. :)
Goodbye Jinghong, until we meet again.
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
A midnight poem
I woke up early a few days before Chinese New Years after having a dream about mom. I immediately set to writing this poem.
The moon illuminates my thoughts
It reflects your face on the river,
the stars shine bright like your soul
your enormous heart that filled the deepest crevases.
Your music that brought the dead sea to life,
your laugh now echoes between the Himalayan Mountains like
a yodler in all her glory.
Your wisdom is a secret whispered in the wind.
I feel my memories of you, senses electric.
Your love given to me so patiently
Will always be in this world, my heart.
The moon illuminates my thoughts
It reflects your face on the river,
the stars shine bright like your soul
your enormous heart that filled the deepest crevases.
Your music that brought the dead sea to life,
your laugh now echoes between the Himalayan Mountains like
a yodler in all her glory.
Your wisdom is a secret whispered in the wind.
I feel my memories of you, senses electric.
Your love given to me so patiently
Will always be in this world, my heart.
Wednesday, February 6, 2008
Chinese New Years
So today is the big day:).
I've been really lucky... in that last night Vicky and Sunny (my old roomates) cooked me a really nice meal and we had a sleepover at their dormroom. This morning they made me breakfast before work. At Zhou Nong Xiao, or the agricultural college where I stay, Jung Xiao Dong my boss and friend cooked up a huge lunch feast and we shared it with some friends. Then tonight for dinner, I was invited to my new friend Alexandro's(talk about him later)english student Christina's house! All of her (Christina's)family will be there and it will be a really delicious slice of culture. Also, tomorrow morning my other student Fee(I named her that) or Fan in Chinese invited Jung and I to have breakfast at her family's house and that will also be so much fun and so yummy! MMM. It's strange, but in China everyone knows how to cook. I think that they must have been taught from a young age and why not? It's such a fundamental skill in life. Plus, when there are big meals to be cooked, it's the men that cook them and not the women. Tonight Alexandro invited me and some friends to a New Years party that his friend Mark (a British bloke) is holding. I'm so excited! Vicky and Sunny will come with me and Jung as well. It was overly cute this morning because Vicky who doesn't get out much, asked me to show her how to put make-up on and asked me what she should wear. Vicky doesn't drink and doesn't dance, but Sunny and I do both and so I think that by the end of the night we'll all be dancing our worries away:).
Lifestyle:
Showers
Up until today I had been taking my showers by dumping warm water(the pipes heat up the water in the day) over my head while standing in between two squat toilets and trying to avoid floating toilet papter. Today though, I found out where the showers were and forced myself into freezing water for a quite refreshing shower actually.
Cooking
I cook with a wok and am learning quite a bit from Jung and Sarah about how to cook and what to cook and for how long, how much oil etc. The only thing is I occasionaly electrocute myself, and the heating pad has only one level EXTREMELY high. When I first started cooking a couple weeks ago, Jung said "Holly my God, if you lived in China and had to cook for yourself you would starve to death!" He was right, everything I cooked was burnt, one time I put in this mystery spice and my whole mouth went numb. Now though, I'm learning the secrets of Jalapeno peppers, ginger and of course garlic! I love making fried-rice, it's so delicious on of my favorites! Tomatoes work a wonder for that dish!
Chinese
Every day I learn at least a new word. I am still so horrible at Chinese but it's so satisfying when I understand a few words being spoken to me or between others. I had given up hope on learning Chinese, it just seemed so hard, but Laurent my french friend helped to rejuvinate my passion to learn some more and now almost all of my friends are Chinese and so they help me out as well:).
Alexandro
K so I met Alexandro a few days ago at Mei Mei Cafe on Manting Lu, the tourist street. He is a really interesting fellow. He is 40 years old and has been travelling for 20 years now. He started when he was 20, my age. He has been to about 135 countries and is originally from Brazil. He rides his bicycle everywhere which he made especially and has a basket in the back for his dog. Alexandro is really nice, and good to talk to. He's my only foreigner friend here in Jinghong now since Laurent left. He lived in Tibet for 2 years and has been in China for quite a few years now. He left his hotel the other day and is sleeping in this field in his tent with his dog now. I think that he's really good to talk to because he's chosen to live an alternative lifestyle and decided to go for what he wants in life even if it's not socially accepted, or what people usually do. Also, I can think about his life, is that really what I would want? I want to be able to afford to buy a sleeping bag if I want one, or a new shirt for New Years. What if my back hurts when I'm 40 and I don't want to sleep on the ground? So meeting him has been good for me to think about lifestyle choices and he tells me about his friends who lead alternative lives. This couple he met work for the REd Cross managing things and they get to move camp every year. They are together and they get to travel all over the place while doing their work. I think that that is pretty cool.
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Teaching English
I really enjoy teaching english. It's satisfying:). I'm starting to get my own possie of Chinese friends here in Jinghong. I can't remember their Chinese names and give them all English Nicknames, which probably sounds horrible, but Li and Jung are easy names...it get's really complicated afterwards. A few nights ago we went partying at KTV. We rented a room with 8 people and sang Kareoke, then we could go downstairs and dance in a Club. There, I met some other foreigners travelling here. I met this dude named Laurent and we met up yesterday for a date. It was really romantic actually, we walked around town and then when we were on the bridge at night, over looking the Mekong river, fireworks errupted in the sky and shared the night and the reflection on the river with the full moon. We had our first kiss while watching the fireworks and then each had an hour massage on the river side by this lady that had a bed set up:) and it only cost 10yuan! (7.5yuan=1dollar.) It's official, I have a weakness for frenchies. Laurent is from a french colony of France in the Carribean sea. His dad grew up on Reunion island off the South-East coast of Africa and his mom is black and originated from an island in the Carribean. It's so cute though, he has light skin and curly red hair that feels rough like black people's hair. Yesterday I also met a couple of Americans Sarah from Arkansas and Kirsten from Alabama, who are studying here in Jinghong. Right now though they're going travelling since it's Spring Festival, or Chinese New Years. We'll meet up in March when they're back:).
Friday, January 18, 2008
Jinghong
I hit Jinghong on my way to Laos and liked the place. Now, I'm here again on my way back to the rest of China, but I decided to stay here. I was soo sad to leave Lao for China again, but on my first night back in China Sunny, a local student, invited me to stay in her dorms. Her friend Jung said that he has work for me in half a month after Spring Festival, and amazingly one of the girls in Sunny's dorms is going home for Spring Festival and so her and Vicky said that I could live with them and sleep in the empty bed for free. Woot! I like it here because it's hot for one, the people laze around like it's a small place like Courtenay, not the 1 million that live here and not the 4 million in hazy Chengdu. The Mekong River runs through the East side of town and I was sitting in the shade on the sandy-red banks watching some locals on the other side washing their clothes. I feel a bit lonely being back in China without Anna, and it seems that Romain and I were just a thing of the moment, a NEw Years bliss which sucks. It's good though, the streets here are lined with palm trees and I am carving my way into the town. Tomorrow I'll make posters advertising for teaching english, and find some private schools in the phonebook. I tried to get work at the college that I'm staying at but told the administration that I was leaving in 3 months and am kicking myself, should have just lied and then gotten a job. Ohh well. The pay here is less than in Chengdu, Shanghai or Beijing, but I love the pace of this city, the sunny weather and the locals are so sweet. Plus, I can eat 3 meals a day for 1$ and have free accomodation for now. Today I bought some running shoes and went for a run in this lovely botanical garden accross from the college, I think I'll start going for a run every day:) it's so nice to have a way to be active. Maybe tomorrow I'll wake up early and see if the locals do Tai Chi here. The minority culture is DAi here and I don't know much about them. This region has an incredible amount of parks and one of them has wild elephants in it. There are also many small villages around so maybe I'll go visit some when I get things sorted out.
Sunday, January 13, 2008
LAO
LAO is peaceful, laid back, fun and beautiful.
I have been here since the 3rd and am heading back to China in a few days. Lao reminds me of my childhood growing up on the island. Slow lazy summers spend laying by the river with Sylvie and Erica. Double biking with Erica, Alex and neighbourhood kids. Kayaking trips with my family. The kids here are so happy playing by the clear river water, swimming, padelling local made canoes, running laughing and biking around; they make me never want to grow up.
A couple days ago Ran(a cute Israeli boy) and myself bought a local canoe for $40Us and took off on our epic trip from Mong Gnoi to Nong Kiaow down the Nam Ou river. We padelled for 2 days but yesterday we hit some big rapids and hit a rock, putting a hole in the canoe which cut our trip short by 3days. It was really a lot of fun and Ran is a funny guy, the scenery both him and the landscape were great:). I knew what to do from our family kayak trips and Ran asked me if I had been in the army the way that I knew what we needed to do. It made me happy and It makes me wonder if being a guide is the job for me. Ran took off today and I was sad to see him go. I sang. "ALL by myself" and held back my tears.
Friday, January 4, 2008
First New Years kiss:)
New Years we were in Lijiang. But more importantly was that we spent New Years with a crew of awesome ppl and I met someone special, ;). I won't tell this blog much except that I really like him and his name is Romain from France. The rest of the people we had met in Qiatou where we did Tiger Leaping Gorge, a hike up some mountains following the Yangtse river which formed one of the deepest Gorges in the world.
Tiger Leaping Gorge
The first day of the hike I met a couple of Canadians, Jade who I got along with really well, she's from the interior of BC, grew up on an orchard and has done tree planting and another girl from North Van. Also, we met this self-named guy named 'Slick' who's 30 from Britain who was not very impressed with my au-naturel legs and armpits and kept exclaiming rude remarks out of pure shock.
'There aren't many of your type left in Britain!! Look at those legs!!'
The next day we met our New Years Crew: Yanis, a tall unsure but gorgeous guy with enticing blue eyes from Latvia, Harro his confident funny and quirky friend from Estonia who studied with him in Latvia but is an exchange student in Hong Kong, Maple a Chinese-kareoke singing stereotype (sorry to say), MAthew a tall fun-loving gangly bright blonde guy from Britain, Marion a subdued but very cool girl from France and Minca the most out-going-flirty and fun South Korean girl I've ever met! Tada=best New YEars EVER!!!After the hike we all headed to Lijiang where we stayed for a couple days until the night of the YEAR.
Biking
NEW YEARS
PARTY + Good company + FEAST + Singing + Dancing + Countdown & kiss = JOY:)
New Years we all sang in the jungle the boys did the bass a wimbawee and the girls the aweeeeeawimbawee, french( Romain and Marion) and english, we sang Capoeria songs from Brazil (this guy named Victor from Germany), Maple sang us a cantonese song, Minca a Mandarin song, Harro and Yanis sang some Borat quotes and ANNa whipped out Amazing Grace and Lean on Me which me notoriously sing. I learned a new Chinese drinking game that involves numbers, turns and punishments which were of course giving out kisses.
The following day Jan. 1st I enjoyed doing a full day of biking around with Harro and Yanis, learning as much as I could about The Baltic countries. Yanis studies in Kazhakstan with Minca and is always singing Borat's national anthem for Kazhakstan and quoting lines from the movie. My geography is so off, I never knew that Latvia existed or where Estonia was. I think that in the future it would be really neat to travel Eastern Europe. why? because it exists! WOw! Plus the boys have done a good job introducing me to their respectable countries. The weather was hot, we all got some red colour on our faces and our chinese bicycles held out surprisingly since we were on red bumpy dirt roads cylcing through rural villages and then on the cobble stone streets of Lijiang.
LAOS
It was SUCH a rush to get to the Laos boarder, and I am surprised I made it, but incredibly relieved since my multiple chinese visa expired yesterday January the Third, requiring me to exit the country beore re-entering for another 60 days.
LAOS is absolutely the perfect thing for me! It's so relaxing, laid back and hot! I left Anna in China but met up with her again in the small village that we're in called Nam Tha. Today we biked all around the village to a small waterfall and then spent a few hours swimming and lounging with some locals on the side of a river while enjoying a Beer Laos. So far the travellers here have been a bit strange and incredibly snooty so again I'm happy that Anna and I are together. Tomorrow we head to Luang Prabang on an early bus and I'm sooooo excited to get there and do some hiking, beer drinking, laying in the sun and having a good time before heading back to Chengdu to settle and find work. On the other hand, Romain is close to Chengdu, and so I'll be really happy to see him again. I think I"ll be in Laos for only 10-12 days.:)
Tiger Leaping Gorge
The first day of the hike I met a couple of Canadians, Jade who I got along with really well, she's from the interior of BC, grew up on an orchard and has done tree planting and another girl from North Van. Also, we met this self-named guy named 'Slick' who's 30 from Britain who was not very impressed with my au-naturel legs and armpits and kept exclaiming rude remarks out of pure shock.
'There aren't many of your type left in Britain!! Look at those legs!!'
The next day we met our New Years Crew: Yanis, a tall unsure but gorgeous guy with enticing blue eyes from Latvia, Harro his confident funny and quirky friend from Estonia who studied with him in Latvia but is an exchange student in Hong Kong, Maple a Chinese-kareoke singing stereotype (sorry to say), MAthew a tall fun-loving gangly bright blonde guy from Britain, Marion a subdued but very cool girl from France and Minca the most out-going-flirty and fun South Korean girl I've ever met! Tada=best New YEars EVER!!!After the hike we all headed to Lijiang where we stayed for a couple days until the night of the YEAR.
Biking
NEW YEARS
PARTY + Good company + FEAST + Singing + Dancing + Countdown & kiss = JOY:)
New Years we all sang in the jungle the boys did the bass a wimbawee and the girls the aweeeeeawimbawee, french( Romain and Marion) and english, we sang Capoeria songs from Brazil (this guy named Victor from Germany), Maple sang us a cantonese song, Minca a Mandarin song, Harro and Yanis sang some Borat quotes and ANNa whipped out Amazing Grace and Lean on Me which me notoriously sing. I learned a new Chinese drinking game that involves numbers, turns and punishments which were of course giving out kisses.
The following day Jan. 1st I enjoyed doing a full day of biking around with Harro and Yanis, learning as much as I could about The Baltic countries. Yanis studies in Kazhakstan with Minca and is always singing Borat's national anthem for Kazhakstan and quoting lines from the movie. My geography is so off, I never knew that Latvia existed or where Estonia was. I think that in the future it would be really neat to travel Eastern Europe. why? because it exists! WOw! Plus the boys have done a good job introducing me to their respectable countries. The weather was hot, we all got some red colour on our faces and our chinese bicycles held out surprisingly since we were on red bumpy dirt roads cylcing through rural villages and then on the cobble stone streets of Lijiang.
LAOS
It was SUCH a rush to get to the Laos boarder, and I am surprised I made it, but incredibly relieved since my multiple chinese visa expired yesterday January the Third, requiring me to exit the country beore re-entering for another 60 days.
LAOS is absolutely the perfect thing for me! It's so relaxing, laid back and hot! I left Anna in China but met up with her again in the small village that we're in called Nam Tha. Today we biked all around the village to a small waterfall and then spent a few hours swimming and lounging with some locals on the side of a river while enjoying a Beer Laos. So far the travellers here have been a bit strange and incredibly snooty so again I'm happy that Anna and I are together. Tomorrow we head to Luang Prabang on an early bus and I'm sooooo excited to get there and do some hiking, beer drinking, laying in the sun and having a good time before heading back to Chengdu to settle and find work. On the other hand, Romain is close to Chengdu, and so I'll be really happy to see him again. I think I"ll be in Laos for only 10-12 days.:)
Sunday, December 30, 2007
A poetic trip from Litang Dec. 26th
In a dry narrow boulder filled valley we stopped for a bathroom break. Our driver a Tibetan man clad in earthen tones and sporting a cowboy hat with a feather in it walked down the road. All of the plants are crispy and dry. I ran down to the the partially frozen creek that the small winding road follows to rinse my hands, and was refreshingly surprised by the temperature of the clear creek water. I spashed my face and felt sooo nice.
Blinkmiss
under thin layers of ice,
reflecting brilliant sun,
Fresh Creek water flows,
gurgling, whispering ecstacies
of a myterious world,
to the thoughtful ear only.
Blinkmiss
under thin layers of ice,
reflecting brilliant sun,
Fresh Creek water flows,
gurgling, whispering ecstacies
of a myterious world,
to the thoughtful ear only.
Tuesday, December 25, 2007
The breathtaking winding bus trips from Chengdu to Kanding
Chengdu
While we were in Chengdu Anna and I stayed at a really nice hostel and met this super nice guy named Keith who's from New Zealand. We were going to go and check out the pandas but we ended up sleeping in. Chengdu is a really nice city and I think that I'm going to go back there and work in January and February to save up some money so that I can spend March in Nepal and Tibet. It'll be hard to find work, but I'm going to do it, i know I will. The reason it'll be hard is that many schools only want white teachers from Briton or North America. Anna helped me buy a SIM card for my cell phone which I unfortunately needed to buy in order to find work and a guy at the hostel helped me change my cell from chinese to english.
Luding
Our bus trip out to Luding was only 5 hrs long instead of the anticipated 8hrs. The drive right out of Chengdu gave us views of steep farmland divided into small squares of vibrant green and darker greens. The next leg of the trip we found ourselves in a lush green jungle canyon. There were huge rock faces musky-orange in colour and fresh mountain water running down in small streams beneath us. Luding itself is very small just like all of the places we've been visiting lately. It reminds of me towns on the drive up to the interior of British-Colombia, like the trips that our family would take on the way to Quesnel. It's at the bottom of a valley, wedged in by mountains and beside a small river which reminds me of a smaller Fraser River.
Moxi
From Luding we went to Moxi, a small village that hosts China's biggest Glacier. Anna was really excited to see her first Glacier and after an hour hike through the Chinese forest, passing by small partially frozen creeks and slipping on the snow covered trail(being followed by men carrying chair like stretchers incase we decided that we were actually the Fat Westerners too lazy to carry our own body weight up the fairly easy hour hike that they thought we were) we reached the base of the Glacier. Anna, having never been on a Glacier before was very shy in her first attempts to climb up onto the jagged snow covered ice but, by the end of our few hours spent navigating this land of white mysteries she was sliding down and climbing up, exploring like a true pioneer expert. I've only been on one Glacier before, the comox Glacier, a little baby compared to this more complicated and massive piece of ancient ice. The old man that owned the hostel, Xin Fei in Moxi was incredibly kind and very enthusiastic in his game of communicative charades. Anna and I enjoyed looking in many of the jewelley stores and I took my time choosing some colourful jewellery(one of my weaknesses). We walked by a gathering and took a closer look, only to see that they were roasting two goats on rotating sticks. I like the way that the locals sing so freely, the music here is different than in the rest of China, it sounds almost arabic, indian. I really had to go pee, and so I walked down this dark alleyway following a store owner, then a dog started to bark echoing in the hallway and making me jump. Then he turned on the light, and to my surprise and maybe horror, there, where I had to squat down there were four HUge pig nostrils leaning in through a weakly barricated fence. When I was doing mything, the 2 PIgs disgusting noses were inches away from my right thigh. I ran out and grabbed Anna so tht she could experience the scariest toilet to this point of my trip.
Kanding
From Moxi we travelled West to Kanding. I was excited to be here because it is the first town that had Tibetan script, which looks like arabic writing. We had some butter tea, which tastes absolutely delicious and is made with goat milk. Our hostel had swinging seats which I thouroughly enjoyed. We walked around town, looking in shops as per usual. Anna's ankle was hurting and there was a wonderful hike up a steep mountain that passed by many temples and so we parted. There was an hour of daylight left and I figured I had time to go up and down as our hostess said it would take minimum 1 hr if hiked quickly. Unfortunately 1/4 of the way up I recalled what I had read in my Lonely PLanet Guide, which said that a German traveller had been killed on this hike. I was determined to finish the hike and so I picked up a sharp rock, and started sprinting up the mountain, sweating nervously, my head throbbing from the high altitude, on my toes ready for an attack. I though halfway through, 'Holly! You need to caml down!' , but it didn't stop me from looking around at every snap of a twig. I finally reached the top, there wasn't much of a view because then sun had set. I took a few victory pictures of my sweaty anxious face beside some of the Lions that were at the top and then left my weapon at the top and tried to calmly descend. This of course did not last long, and I found myself sprinting down the mountain, and then looking for Anna.
next post: Christmas in Litang, a true border town of Tibet.
... Here are some pictures from Litang. We spent an amazing Christmas together in a magical place. Christmas morning we watched a sky-burial...
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Now bring us some figgy pudding...
I'm in Chengdu right now in the Sichuan Province. It is the gateway to Tibet. I want to come back here and work later in January so that I can save up for Tibet and Nepal in late March and April. Anna and I met a dude named Keith who's from New Zealand and he reminds me of Trevor O. and my friend Hourann who I met in Beijing. Really cool fella.
Anna and I are going to Luding today a small little place west of here. We're then going to Moxi where Anna wants to see her first Glacier. We'll spend Christmas in Litang which is a small border village with Tibet. We'll be on our way South after that heading to Lijiang in Yunnan province, Dali, Tiger Leaping Gorge, Kunming and then to Laos for the 3rd of January.
After Pingyao, we went to Xian. We saw the Terracotta soldiers there and stayed with some of Anna's friends that she met in Shanghai.Chelsea who's from Regina Sask., and Ryan who's from South Africa. We met Jo who's from New Zealand, another one of their friends and had a good time going out to restaurants and pubs together. Ryan is gay and can dance like no one's business. Anna and I were to tired when we were in Xian that we stayed in Ryan and Chelsea's flat watching as much of Queer as Folk as we possibly could. I love that show!!!
Anna and I have been getting a along really well. I can be completely open with her and I can be my bush woman self with her.
Thursday, December 13, 2007
I was supposed to get off where? Oh no...
I have been on trains for the past few days. I slept through my stop on my third train which was from Beijing to Datong and ended up in Inner Mongolia again 200km west of Datong and in an entirely different Province. Some Chinese helped me to buy a ticket to Pingyao. I skipped Datong because I was pissed off. I have been taking hard-seater train trips which really suck and are uncomfortable and squished. 9-12 hours on a train seems like such a short trip to me now. Last train trip I caught myself leaning on a stanger's shoulder in my sleep and possibly drooling.
I'm in Pingyao now and it's Beautiful! It's a slow paced town that has ancient walls surrounding it. The streets are all cobble stone and the buildings' roofs have been put together by putting mud and shit on the top and then laying down tiles. I have been relaxing here and I met a girl named Anna from England. She's funny, the same
age as me and we're headed in the same direction and so we decided to travel together. Apparently the north east of China is not very popular with travellers and so I didn't meet anyone new in the past few days, or anyone at all. Tonight we're headed to Xi'an and we'll stay with one of her friends and then check out the Terracotta soldiers and move on. We'll spend Christmas together and head down to Laos eventually. I am sooo Happy to have some company for the long train trips, and we really hit it off. She's very independant, smart, outspoken and incredibly good with money and so she can help me not splurge and to be more of a budget mongler.
I met an old man from Sweden who is really into photography and adventuring. His dream is to do photography for natural geographic and his work is amazing. When he was younger he did a lot of ice climbing and rock climbing, sports that I want to get into. It has been really inspirational meeting him, because when I was 15 I wanted to work for the national geographic as well, and he said that he started his photography when he was 18 and is basically self-taught. He's lead an interesting life and many of his friends from his early years are dead because they fell from rock climbing and ice climbing which is why he stopped. He said too many good people die from the sports.
NILS SJOSTROM
www.brilliantpic.spaces.live.com
At this point in my trip I really miss you, my friends and family from Canada. I miss our beautiful country as well. As Christmas nears, I wish that we could be together:(.
I'm in Pingyao now and it's Beautiful! It's a slow paced town that has ancient walls surrounding it. The streets are all cobble stone and the buildings' roofs have been put together by putting mud and shit on the top and then laying down tiles. I have been relaxing here and I met a girl named Anna from England. She's funny, the same
age as me and we're headed in the same direction and so we decided to travel together. Apparently the north east of China is not very popular with travellers and so I didn't meet anyone new in the past few days, or anyone at all. Tonight we're headed to Xi'an and we'll stay with one of her friends and then check out the Terracotta soldiers and move on. We'll spend Christmas together and head down to Laos eventually. I am sooo Happy to have some company for the long train trips, and we really hit it off. She's very independant, smart, outspoken and incredibly good with money and so she can help me not splurge and to be more of a budget mongler.
I met an old man from Sweden who is really into photography and adventuring. His dream is to do photography for natural geographic and his work is amazing. When he was younger he did a lot of ice climbing and rock climbing, sports that I want to get into. It has been really inspirational meeting him, because when I was 15 I wanted to work for the national geographic as well, and he said that he started his photography when he was 18 and is basically self-taught. He's lead an interesting life and many of his friends from his early years are dead because they fell from rock climbing and ice climbing which is why he stopped. He said too many good people die from the sports.
NILS SJOSTROM
www.brilliantpic.spaces.live.com
At this point in my trip I really miss you, my friends and family from Canada. I miss our beautiful country as well. As Christmas nears, I wish that we could be together:(.
Thursday, December 6, 2007
To Russia I shall go?
Haerbin, Heilongjiang Province
I've spent the past couple of days in Haerbin, the capital city of Heilongjiang the most Eastern Province in China. Most of the city is not much different than anywhere else in North Eastern China, somewhat nondescript.
I did get the chance however to visit a Siberian tiger reserve that was located about 15km out of town. I didn't realize that tigers were such big animals! Three times, I had tigers run at me but I was inside a bus the first time and the others i was in a caged walkway. The times in the walkway I think they were just playing but the time on the bus I think it was hungry. we had just seen a bigger tiger walk up and take away it's dead bird no dispute, it was his to take. I found a food stall at the bottom of Zhongyang Dajie(street) a beautiful pedestrian street that sold the best frozen fruit I've had in China. It's usual to see vendors selling cold fruit on a stick covered in sweet sauce, kind of like candy apples back home. At this particular stall there was a huge variety of different fruit (most of which is available only in China) And a plus, the fruit had sesame seeds on the outside. MM it was sooo good. Also, they sold other food which was cooked in a typical Chinese street vendor fashion. Pieces of tofu, meat balls, bunches of noodles, greens, and other things unrecognizable are put on sticks and boiled in spicy water. You are given a plate and then you pick the sticks of food that you want and there is ground sesame sauce(looks like juicy peanut butter) and hot sauce that you can put on your plate to dip your food into. There was also my favorite; pieces of beef (or possibly it was dog who will ever really know?) on sticks that they will BBQ over a box of coals on the spot along with a type of round spicy garlic bread which this particular vendor sprinkled sugar onto as well. MM it was a delicious and incredibly cheap with all of dinner costing 12 yuan in total = 12/7.5... Zhongyang Street is beautiful because of its' coble stones and the old Russian architecture. There used to be a big Russian community that lived here in Haerbin and so any of the buildings here are done in that style. I had some coffee at a charming Russian coffee house, that was decorated with all types of ornaments and black and white photos of old Russian Haerbin. I enjoyed the cafe but the coffee didn't agree with my system and everything went right through me. Right now I have some time to wait until I take a train to Manzhouli a border city with Russia in the Inner Mongolia province of China. I want to go to this city because my handy 'ol Lonely Planet book says that it has more of a Russian feel to it than anything, and I didn't apply for a Russian visa. I think that it will be about -30 here so I hope that I don't die. Going to this town is about 26 hours out of my way because there is no link to the West (where I'm put putting back to) except back to Haerbin but I really wanted to check it out so here we go! Plus, I haven't seen snow since I accidently went to Jilin city before Changchun. It's not fair that I'm across the world looking for snow and CR and VAn just had a dumpload!
A map of Haerbin
Cities are alive, constantly changing,
When I look at this map I see streets full of people,
Bumping into each other on their way,
Moving quickly to their destinations.
Half a dot on the map has 10 bikes,
2 buses, 30 cars, 1 truck and 4 vans.
China
The Fun,The Weird and The Ridiculous.
1. Spitting.
Everyone spits but you hear it before you see it. Men will make the most disgusting ' I've got mucous stuck in my nose and throat and probably my left toe, and have to get it out' sound then spit their globs anywhere they please. I've only seen a few women spit and they don't make the noise just spit.
2. Sports
The Chinese LOVE Basketball and soccer even though internationally they're not good at either. Ping Pong or table tenis and badminton are their national sports.
3. Foreigners
Most of the Chinese are very curious about foreigners and are friendly. When I get lost I ask for directions and yesterday I had 30 men surrounding me trying to see what was going on. You'd think they'd never heard a native english speaker before...well I think that this was the case.
4. Bait
Also, as a foreigner you're bait for the awaiting sales prey. Many, not all of the Chinese will take complete advantage of you if you let your guard down. Today, a stall located next to the toilet tried to charge me for going pee but when the Chinese went in they didn't charge them. I told them I wasn't paying. I used the toilet and left, but not before they yelled at me and even the people at the next stalls were involved. Yesterday I bought 2 AA batteries for 5 Yuan. When they died I went to buy more and a girl about my age tried to charge me 20Yuan for 2. I Said NO! I took the batteries gave her 8 Yuan and left, she had a sly look on her face but knew that it was fair. I had to be aggressive , but by now I am not afraid to be aggressive or rude.
5. Trains
I meet a lot of people on the trains because of being a foreigner. If I speak to anyone on the train for any length of time it's not long before a large number of people in my car come over to listen and see what's going on. It's pretty funny.
6. Vehicles
There are so many different types of vehicles here! None of which look much like anything used back in Canada except for the city buses and few expensive cars.
a)There are mini-cars that only have 3 wheels and I'm pretty sure that they run by burning coal.
b)mini-vans that many residents use. They're shaped like boxes.
c)Big trucks for carrying goods that are like semi-trucks except they don't have roofs, instead they have a huge tarp over the back, and so it seems like things will topple over at any moment.
d)carts pulled by donkeys. carts pulled by people both walking and on bikes.
e)bikes of all sorts. It's not unusual to look out the bus window and to see 2 pedalbikers beside you at anytime. Then there's so many varieties of motorbikes which sweep out of everywhere at once.
7. Wo/man Power
I carry around my big travel bag on my back. Many Chinese carry huge bags that look like they might have rice in them on their shoulders. It never ceases to amaze me the amount that they can carry, or tow. On their carts there can be up to 30 bags (of rice?) loaded on and maybe they're towing it or sometimes taking it with motorized bikes.
Sunday, December 2, 2007
A week in Changchun, Jilin province
Learning
This past week I've been hanging out with Mark and some of his students who I befriended.
I've been learning from Mark how to become an English teacher, something which will be an asset once my funds get lower. ark let me stay at his place for a week which was really great, but his Chinese girlfriend was very jelous since she isn' allowed to stay at his house, and so last night I stayed in a hostel. Mark and I usually started our day out by watching a movie and then went shopping or else to school. After work we would watch another movie which I loved because I haven't had a chance to watch many films on the trip so far.
Bright
Last night I went out to dinner with this cute boy named Bright or Helongfe which means flying dragon. I kind of asked him on a date, but was really surprised when at dinner he said that he was in his last year of high school,since I met him at an adult night school. Ahhhh. I asked a youngin out. He's very handsome though, tall and a square jaw type thing you know. Well, later on I learned that he's actually 20, but in China when you're born you are 1 and when you've lived for a year you're 2 years old and so he's 19. After dinner Bright, his best guy friend and I went roller skating at this indoor place. The skates were so tall and the boys were falling all over the place it was hilarious!! Bright helped me to find a hostel and I gave him a smooch on the cheek.
Snowboarding!
Today I went snowboarding! A few days ago I was hanging out with this Chinese girl named Echo and found a burton snowboard shop. The owner said that they have a group of people who go snowboarding on the weekends and invited me to come. It cost $20 CAd to go, which is pretty reasonable since I had to rent everything and he gave us a ride out there. It was Freeeeezing and I didn't have the proper clothes to wear but I had a great time. I spent the time with a girl named Crystal. She told me that most Chinese spend all their time studying but she has a problem with her liver...and so she had extra time to come and snowboard lol. Didn't make much sense to me. Also, she said that school hours are from 7AM until 8PM and then after school there is homework to do until 12AM, plus they go to school 6 days a week!!!! Monday-SAt.Tonight, Bright and I are going to hang out again and I'm quite excited to see where things go. hehehe.
What to do?
I'm in the midst of trying to decide where to go next. I keep on changing my mind. I think that while I'm up north I may as well go through inner Mongolia on my way back West. I think that I want to spend my Christmas in Thailand or Laos and so I need to make my way West and South. I don't know if I want to go to Xian where the teracotta soldiers are because I heard it's not much of a city and the soldiers aren't all that. Well we'll see what happens. I think I'll stay in Changchun 1 or 2 more days. I had some business cards made up calling myself an 'English Consultant'. I think I want to set up either in Yunnan or Sichuan province and find myself some clientele after Christmas. Maybe tomorrow I'll make some Posters too.
Friday, November 23, 2007
The end of Soup Ass
Today was the end of Soup ass. Only me and Erica and maybe some rookie wrestlers who were at the restaurant after I weighed in at juniors understand what I mean. Soup ass is when my body can't differentiate between pee and poo and so it all just comes out as diarreah therefore giving me soup ass. On both occasions that I had soup ass there was also much puking involved.
Last night I took a train from Beijing to Jilin. I was happy to leave Beijing, if I hadn't of gotten sick i would have left sooner. It's a beautiful city in the night. When I was walking 2 nights ago and Tiannemen Square was lit up I felt quite peaceful. There were less people around than in the day and the crisp night air did us good. Yona, Shany(2girls from Israel) and I had spent the day at the Silk market bargaining with little aggressive chinese girls for presents. They weren't buying for Christmas as they're Jewish.
My last morning in Beijing Larissa (Swedish) and I woke up early and did Tai Chi in this Park behind The Forbidden City. I was surprised at how good of shape she was in. We ran quite a ways and more quickly than at a jogging pace. I think that Swedes are built strongly, that's my first impression of the girls for sure and that they really know how to appreciate nature. They are allowed to set up tents anywhere in their country, and to pick berries on anyones property as long as they don't cut down trees. I think that my next trip overseas may include Sweden it sounds lovely. We walked into the park and there was this group of maybe 80 women listening to chinese music on a boombox dancing around and doing arobics. It wasn't really tai chi but it was really fun and got our blood flowing.
Train Ticket Dillemas
So I bought my ticket it said that i left at 14:25 and arrived in Jilin at 7:30. I thought ok not bad, a 5 hour trip. OOPS. Nope, 21 hrs later I arrived in Jilin at 7:30 AM not PM silly me. I'm here to Visit Mark but I also realized while on the train that I had bought a ticket to Jilin City, Jilin Province not Changchun, Jilin province. So Today I'll hang out in Jilin City and then take a train later on to Changchun(2 hrs/10 yuan=2.5$CAD) and meet up with Mark.
While on the train I met a group of men and boys and asked them to teach me how to play chess. We had fun and could communicate with my english mandarin dictionnary with much effort. At 7:00 Am one of them woke me up and I felt like I was in a fairy tale. A Big and bright Fiery Orange sun was rising from behind a snowy mountain. Small half frozen streams were steaming and the snow covered trees looked spectacular. Here I am in the north, not too far from Mongolia, Russia and North Korea.
Today I think I'll see if I can rent some ice skates and skate on a frozen pond in a park.
Last night I took a train from Beijing to Jilin. I was happy to leave Beijing, if I hadn't of gotten sick i would have left sooner. It's a beautiful city in the night. When I was walking 2 nights ago and Tiannemen Square was lit up I felt quite peaceful. There were less people around than in the day and the crisp night air did us good. Yona, Shany(2girls from Israel) and I had spent the day at the Silk market bargaining with little aggressive chinese girls for presents. They weren't buying for Christmas as they're Jewish.
My last morning in Beijing Larissa (Swedish) and I woke up early and did Tai Chi in this Park behind The Forbidden City. I was surprised at how good of shape she was in. We ran quite a ways and more quickly than at a jogging pace. I think that Swedes are built strongly, that's my first impression of the girls for sure and that they really know how to appreciate nature. They are allowed to set up tents anywhere in their country, and to pick berries on anyones property as long as they don't cut down trees. I think that my next trip overseas may include Sweden it sounds lovely. We walked into the park and there was this group of maybe 80 women listening to chinese music on a boombox dancing around and doing arobics. It wasn't really tai chi but it was really fun and got our blood flowing.
Train Ticket Dillemas
So I bought my ticket it said that i left at 14:25 and arrived in Jilin at 7:30. I thought ok not bad, a 5 hour trip. OOPS. Nope, 21 hrs later I arrived in Jilin at 7:30 AM not PM silly me. I'm here to Visit Mark but I also realized while on the train that I had bought a ticket to Jilin City, Jilin Province not Changchun, Jilin province. So Today I'll hang out in Jilin City and then take a train later on to Changchun(2 hrs/10 yuan=2.5$CAD) and meet up with Mark.
While on the train I met a group of men and boys and asked them to teach me how to play chess. We had fun and could communicate with my english mandarin dictionnary with much effort. At 7:00 Am one of them woke me up and I felt like I was in a fairy tale. A Big and bright Fiery Orange sun was rising from behind a snowy mountain. Small half frozen streams were steaming and the snow covered trees looked spectacular. Here I am in the north, not too far from Mongolia, Russia and North Korea.
Today I think I'll see if I can rent some ice skates and skate on a frozen pond in a park.
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
Biking, Summer Palace, Night out, Sick
My first night at this hostel I met a few girls who took the trans-siberian train from Russia and they invited me to hang out with them. The next day we went biking 2hrs there to the Summer Palace and then 2 hrs back. It was ridiculous because on our tourist map it told us where all of the McDonalds were and so we used them as landmarks. At first biking in Beijing was frightening but the bikers have a whole huge lane to themselves and we learned that there is safety in numbers so we stuck with other bikers. Carrie is from England and she's 22, she already has her career underway pretty much. She is a sports event manager and so she works closely with Britains soccer teams and makes sure that the events run smoothly. Apparently Britain has a lot of issues with violence at soccer games. She pretty cool and strong minded. Then there's Johanna who is from sweden and is quite a tall gal. I didn't talk to her a whole lot but she seems pretty cool and has 2 older brothers so she's pretty sporty. Then there is Larissa who's the same age as me and she likes hiking and the outdoors and is also from Sweden. Larissa also likes salsa dancing which is pretty sweet and has like 3 other siblings.
In the evening I went out partying with this randomn crew of ppl from my hostel. I really liked some of them. There was this chick named Fiona who is from Scotland and has red hair. Her personality is quite fiery like one might expect from a Scotswoman. We ended up down some back alley with our multitude of nationalities including, Japanese, Brasilian, New Zealand, Norweigian, British, Scottish, Canadian and then we met some Nigerians and hung out with them. Some of the boys we were with were buying some weed from the Nigerians. THey were pretty nice. THen Bob Marley came on and we danced the night away. I was surprised that the Japanese boy could dance.
Last night, the day after going out I was quite sick. My stomach did not agree with anything that was in it and refused to keep anything in it. I always hate puking because I cry too, it's a nasty feeling. Well this girl Jana from Israel that I had met earlier in the day totally took care of me. She has 8 siblings back home and she's the second oldest and so she knew what to do. She brought me water and tea, an extra blanket and some pills. I was so grateful because the worst feeling ever is needing help but not having anyone who you can ask.
Today I'm taking it easy, seeing what my stomach will take and then maybe tonight I'll go to the Silk Market to buy some Christmas presents and a sweater since I lost one a few nights ago. Carrie, Larissa and Johanna are going out tonight so maybe I will too, though we'll see how I feel.
In the evening I went out partying with this randomn crew of ppl from my hostel. I really liked some of them. There was this chick named Fiona who is from Scotland and has red hair. Her personality is quite fiery like one might expect from a Scotswoman. We ended up down some back alley with our multitude of nationalities including, Japanese, Brasilian, New Zealand, Norweigian, British, Scottish, Canadian and then we met some Nigerians and hung out with them. Some of the boys we were with were buying some weed from the Nigerians. THey were pretty nice. THen Bob Marley came on and we danced the night away. I was surprised that the Japanese boy could dance.
Last night, the day after going out I was quite sick. My stomach did not agree with anything that was in it and refused to keep anything in it. I always hate puking because I cry too, it's a nasty feeling. Well this girl Jana from Israel that I had met earlier in the day totally took care of me. She has 8 siblings back home and she's the second oldest and so she knew what to do. She brought me water and tea, an extra blanket and some pills. I was so grateful because the worst feeling ever is needing help but not having anyone who you can ask.
Today I'm taking it easy, seeing what my stomach will take and then maybe tonight I'll go to the Silk Market to buy some Christmas presents and a sweater since I lost one a few nights ago. Carrie, Larissa and Johanna are going out tonight so maybe I will too, though we'll see how I feel.
Sunday, November 18, 2007
Clubbing
Last night Linus, Amy (Hourann's Aussie friend), Hourann and I went out to the famous Sanlitun bar street. Linus and I climbed a tree and then had a few wrestling matches because he'd trained in jujitsu. He was pretty good, and since we were wrestling on cement I got a bit of a bang on my forehead and scratches on my face. Ridiculous! ...ly fun. I really started to like Linus, but I didn't think he liked me as much. I definately got the impression that he was somewhat interested but we're both going separate ways and have our own lives to develop. School etc. But yeah... WE found this really fun dance place and it reminded me of a place that me and Erica went to in Mehico. It was much fun and there was a lot of people there and a lot of salsa as well as western music.
Today me and Hourann switched hostels, we started out as three Linus was with us but then he decided that it was too much effort because we kept on getting lost and he went back to the old hostel to hang out with some other Swedes. I was pretty sad to see him go, that's when I realized how much I actually liked him. I almost cried and we didn't even kiss. It's sad but hey, that's the way that traveling is.
The hostel that we're at now has a much better atmosphere, more like home. The ohter hostel was more like a hotel. We went to a Kung Fu show tonight and it was really artistic. I like it here better but i'll miss Linus.
Today me and Hourann switched hostels, we started out as three Linus was with us but then he decided that it was too much effort because we kept on getting lost and he went back to the old hostel to hang out with some other Swedes. I was pretty sad to see him go, that's when I realized how much I actually liked him. I almost cried and we didn't even kiss. It's sad but hey, that's the way that traveling is.
The hostel that we're at now has a much better atmosphere, more like home. The ohter hostel was more like a hotel. We went to a Kung Fu show tonight and it was really artistic. I like it here better but i'll miss Linus.
Saturday, November 17, 2007
The Forbidden City
I explored the Forbidden City with Lioness. We had a really nice day, the sky was bright the sun was out and the city was grand. We rented an audio set and it only had one ear phone and so we sometimes ended up standing too close than we had to and I enjoyed every minute of it. I really have taken a liking to Lioness but then ended up missing dinner with Annie who had invited me and felt really horrible about it. Yesterday she insisted that I should stay at the hostel until 2pm but I didn't want to go to dinner and didn't want to stay in the hostel all day but she insisted and there is a slight language barrier between us and so it was unclear. I told her that I would call her today but when I called her at 2 from Lioness's cell phone she wouldn't answer. In the end we didn't have dinner and I feel really guilty for not doing what she said, but I wanted to explore today and I felt like spending my time with Lioness as we'll both be going our separate ways soon enough. Tonight Lioness and I might go out clubbing, it should be fun. He's really interesting and thinks a lot different than me. He's quite rational and logical haha. He get's mad when the Chinese overcharge us for breakfast or lunch. He's studying energy engineering which is pretty cool and really enjoys nature.
Friday, November 16, 2007
Enlightenment at the Great Wall
The golden Chinese sun was setting across the crisp autumn air, I could see my breath and feel the ancient cold stone wall beneath my fingers. The solidity of the snow covered walkway high up on this desolate mountain ridge lit up by the last moment of the setting sun rays offered me strength. Something in the depths of my soul felt at immediate peace and everything seemed to be in place, as it should be.
I knew that mom was with me in that single moment and always will be.
May the road rise up to meet you
May the wind be always at your back,
May the sun shine warm upon your face
And the rains fall soft upon your fields
Until we meet again, we meet again
May God hold you in the palm of his hand.
I knew that mom was with me in that single moment and always will be.
May the road rise up to meet you
May the wind be always at your back,
May the sun shine warm upon your face
And the rains fall soft upon your fields
Until we meet again, we meet again
May God hold you in the palm of his hand.
Thursday, November 15, 2007
Conned by the artists.
Today I tried to sleep in but to no avail. I met lionel and Haaron though which is great. Lionel is quite attractive and is from Sweden, he's not very tall but has funky, sexy I just rolled out of bed and have awesome brown hair going on. His style is pretty good and he seems like a really nice guy. Haaron and I spent the day together as Lionel had an upset stomach, and it turned out to be quite interesting.
We went to this pedestrians only shopping lane in Beijing which was quite pricy in Chinese Renminibi but reasonable in Canadian dollars. I tried on a few toques but most of them were a pricy $200-250 renminibi or $30 Canadian. Some were pretty funky though. I ended up buying an unstylish toque and pair of gloves for $80 renminibi though which worked out to $6 Can a piece, not bad.
We ate lunch at this small little hole in the wall where there happened to be judo on the TV. I was so excited because I thought it was wrestling, but they're quite similar and I could understand everything that was going on anyways. I taught Haaron some of the tactics and he was pretty surprised. Haaron is quite tall and slim with brown horrible hair and glasses. I think that he's been studying quite hard in school most of his life he's 23, and didn't have much of a chance for a social life outside of it. He's quite kind, easy going and has a strange, unexpected laugh that kind of grows on you.
We walked through a beautiful and peaceful garden with one of those really steep chinese bridges in it, my first one! But let's skip to the end of our time together today.
I was taking pictures of Mao Zedong's Picture on the opening gate to the Forbidden City, when I turned around and Haaron was talking to three cute Chinese girls. I came back to join in on the fun and see what was going on. The girls seemed genuinely excited and really wanted to hang out with us. They suggested seeing the gate together and then going for some hot chocolate or tea afterwards. After seeing the gate for a bit, we walked arm in arm to a small tea shop. The girls ordered for us since we had no idea what type of tea to order. The next thing we knew some tea came and a few plates of food. I was a bit suspicious of these girls though, they were very friendly in a fake kind of way and I didn't trust them. The whole time that we were at the tea house I had my arm on my wallet pouch, and they noticed too. I felt that they were trying to pick pocket me maybe. They made conversation that was actually quite rude I thought. When the bill came 45 mins later I was quite relieved. I couldn't wait to leave their company. But when I looked at the bill it was 1460 RNB which worked out to about $40 Can for each person and there were 5 of us so about a $200 tea. I couldn't believe it but just payed so that we could leave that place. When we were walking away Haaron and I realized that we had just been conned. The whole teahouse was in on it!!! Maybe 5 people were involved in it!! There are more details to the story, but I learned to go with my instincts. I had a weird feeling about them from the start I just couldn't quite put it all together in time. Oh well, next time I'll know better.
Lionel is feeling better tonight and we might go to the Great Wall tomorrow. He's quite cute and so I hope that it will be romantic...hahhaha He's talking about maybe trying to find the wall ourselves an hour bus ride or so out of town. Oh...afterthought...that sounds dangerous...but I'm starting to trust my gut instinct more and more, and I get a good vibe from him.
We went to this pedestrians only shopping lane in Beijing which was quite pricy in Chinese Renminibi but reasonable in Canadian dollars. I tried on a few toques but most of them were a pricy $200-250 renminibi or $30 Canadian. Some were pretty funky though. I ended up buying an unstylish toque and pair of gloves for $80 renminibi though which worked out to $6 Can a piece, not bad.
We ate lunch at this small little hole in the wall where there happened to be judo on the TV. I was so excited because I thought it was wrestling, but they're quite similar and I could understand everything that was going on anyways. I taught Haaron some of the tactics and he was pretty surprised. Haaron is quite tall and slim with brown horrible hair and glasses. I think that he's been studying quite hard in school most of his life he's 23, and didn't have much of a chance for a social life outside of it. He's quite kind, easy going and has a strange, unexpected laugh that kind of grows on you.
We walked through a beautiful and peaceful garden with one of those really steep chinese bridges in it, my first one! But let's skip to the end of our time together today.
I was taking pictures of Mao Zedong's Picture on the opening gate to the Forbidden City, when I turned around and Haaron was talking to three cute Chinese girls. I came back to join in on the fun and see what was going on. The girls seemed genuinely excited and really wanted to hang out with us. They suggested seeing the gate together and then going for some hot chocolate or tea afterwards. After seeing the gate for a bit, we walked arm in arm to a small tea shop. The girls ordered for us since we had no idea what type of tea to order. The next thing we knew some tea came and a few plates of food. I was a bit suspicious of these girls though, they were very friendly in a fake kind of way and I didn't trust them. The whole time that we were at the tea house I had my arm on my wallet pouch, and they noticed too. I felt that they were trying to pick pocket me maybe. They made conversation that was actually quite rude I thought. When the bill came 45 mins later I was quite relieved. I couldn't wait to leave their company. But when I looked at the bill it was 1460 RNB which worked out to about $40 Can for each person and there were 5 of us so about a $200 tea. I couldn't believe it but just payed so that we could leave that place. When we were walking away Haaron and I realized that we had just been conned. The whole teahouse was in on it!!! Maybe 5 people were involved in it!! There are more details to the story, but I learned to go with my instincts. I had a weird feeling about them from the start I just couldn't quite put it all together in time. Oh well, next time I'll know better.
Lionel is feeling better tonight and we might go to the Great Wall tomorrow. He's quite cute and so I hope that it will be romantic...hahhaha He's talking about maybe trying to find the wall ourselves an hour bus ride or so out of town. Oh...afterthought...that sounds dangerous...but I'm starting to trust my gut instinct more and more, and I get a good vibe from him.
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
China's North Capital
Bei= North
Jing=Capital
The train trip was about 21 hrs long. My first train trip that I really remember and it was not tedious at all. I met 2 women who helped me learn all the names of the pieces in the Chinese Chess game I had bought. I want to learn how to play it before I leave China. I met a man from Nigeria and asked him if he knew Daniel Igali but he didn't. for the most of the time I slept though. It was a much needed sleep too. I could see farmers and villagers working in their fields, cows grazing and small villages passed by.
WHen I got to the Beijing trainstation Ling Annie Shen's assistant met me. The two girls on the train helped me to find Ling and then we were on our way. Ling had prepared me breakfast as I arrived at 7am this morning. She even fried an egg and salted it just for me. There was much too much salt on the egg but it was obvious she had made it just for me and so I ate it with a very pleased looking face, which I was. Ling lives with her aunt and her younger cousin, and her house is not as rich and glamorous as Christina's in Guangzhou. In Canada, Ling's house might be described as justttttt livable. After breakfast we had a nap and then we went to meet Annie at her office. Annie is a lawyer and has a 5 year old son and a husband. She is quite beautiful, with short wavy hair, rosy cheeks and a big smile. She calls me her baby, which might normally be considered condescending but for me it's just comforting. In Hong Kong when I would wear my pink pyjamas outside she said 'like a baby' hahaha. I just thought it was funny. Ling is 24 and has just finished 4 years of Law school and after her 3 months of internship working with Annie will go back to school for 1-2 more years. Ling looks very chinese and I think is also very beautiful. She has long wavy-curly hair that's more manageable than mine, is quite tall and slim but not a toothpick.
Annie Shen called up Sun Xiao, (her last name Sun then her first name Xiao in the true chinese way, Annie's name is an english name so that I can pronounce it) another girl that I met at the hostel in Hong Kong who lives in Beijing and we met up for lunch. The restaurant was incredibly ornate even more so than the one that I went to with Christina's family. We ordered many dishes, and the peking duck that Beijing is famous for was cooked whole then cut on a cart right in front of our table. The food here in Beijing, the North capital is much more tasty than in Guangzhou in the South. I enjoyed the Beijing food, much more fully as the taste practically explodes in your mouth. We had these big beans half the size of your thumb covered in sweet sauce, these weird mushrooms that look like seaweed that tasted almost pickled with small slices of onions, thick noodles with the sauce that came in a dish on the side that you mixed in when it came, then the duck pieces that we wrapped with cucumber, chives and thick soya sauce in these little thin circle breads and also the duck soup that they said had been broiling for 3 days and so was very high in nutrience. Duck soup tastes quite different than chicken soup surprisingly, less salty. Sun Xiao's english is even more limited than Annie Shen's and so it was quite difficult for us to communicate. Annie Shen treated us to lunch which was very kind! I'm learning a lot from being in China, mostly about how to treat foreigners haha. It seems that they go out of their way for me.
Ling helped me to find my hostel and took a bus 45mins out of her way. I think that Annie asked her to help me but I still really appreciate it. Ling also gave me a butterfly ring and a pretty mirror covered in red on the outsides and which folds up like a change purse. She said to call her for dinner if I didn't like the restaurant's food. I think I'll call her on the weekend maybe to see a movie and to treat her to dinner.
Now I am at my hostel called the Jade Beijing youth hostel or something but as my lonely planet travellor guide of China said, the atmosphere is like a rich hotel. There are 8 ppl in a room, but the floors are tile, the beds are made of light wood and it is quite new looking inside. There is a travellor's bar, restaurant and internet cafe attached which is where I am at the moment. English music is playing and it's nice to recognize some music. Tomorrow I don't know excactly what I'll do, but on my way here I passed Tiannamen Square and the Forbidden Palace which are quite near to me. I also need to buy some more clothes, it is a little chilly here, maybe 0 degrees celcius as compared with 22-25 in Guangzhou. The weather reminds me of back home which I am starting to appreciate more and more as I explore more of China. Well there are plenty of foreigners here and so maybe I'll meet someone to hang out with tomorrow.
Jing=Capital
The train trip was about 21 hrs long. My first train trip that I really remember and it was not tedious at all. I met 2 women who helped me learn all the names of the pieces in the Chinese Chess game I had bought. I want to learn how to play it before I leave China. I met a man from Nigeria and asked him if he knew Daniel Igali but he didn't. for the most of the time I slept though. It was a much needed sleep too. I could see farmers and villagers working in their fields, cows grazing and small villages passed by.
WHen I got to the Beijing trainstation Ling Annie Shen's assistant met me. The two girls on the train helped me to find Ling and then we were on our way. Ling had prepared me breakfast as I arrived at 7am this morning. She even fried an egg and salted it just for me. There was much too much salt on the egg but it was obvious she had made it just for me and so I ate it with a very pleased looking face, which I was. Ling lives with her aunt and her younger cousin, and her house is not as rich and glamorous as Christina's in Guangzhou. In Canada, Ling's house might be described as justttttt livable. After breakfast we had a nap and then we went to meet Annie at her office. Annie is a lawyer and has a 5 year old son and a husband. She is quite beautiful, with short wavy hair, rosy cheeks and a big smile. She calls me her baby, which might normally be considered condescending but for me it's just comforting. In Hong Kong when I would wear my pink pyjamas outside she said 'like a baby' hahaha. I just thought it was funny. Ling is 24 and has just finished 4 years of Law school and after her 3 months of internship working with Annie will go back to school for 1-2 more years. Ling looks very chinese and I think is also very beautiful. She has long wavy-curly hair that's more manageable than mine, is quite tall and slim but not a toothpick.
Annie Shen called up Sun Xiao, (her last name Sun then her first name Xiao in the true chinese way, Annie's name is an english name so that I can pronounce it) another girl that I met at the hostel in Hong Kong who lives in Beijing and we met up for lunch. The restaurant was incredibly ornate even more so than the one that I went to with Christina's family. We ordered many dishes, and the peking duck that Beijing is famous for was cooked whole then cut on a cart right in front of our table. The food here in Beijing, the North capital is much more tasty than in Guangzhou in the South. I enjoyed the Beijing food, much more fully as the taste practically explodes in your mouth. We had these big beans half the size of your thumb covered in sweet sauce, these weird mushrooms that look like seaweed that tasted almost pickled with small slices of onions, thick noodles with the sauce that came in a dish on the side that you mixed in when it came, then the duck pieces that we wrapped with cucumber, chives and thick soya sauce in these little thin circle breads and also the duck soup that they said had been broiling for 3 days and so was very high in nutrience. Duck soup tastes quite different than chicken soup surprisingly, less salty. Sun Xiao's english is even more limited than Annie Shen's and so it was quite difficult for us to communicate. Annie Shen treated us to lunch which was very kind! I'm learning a lot from being in China, mostly about how to treat foreigners haha. It seems that they go out of their way for me.
Ling helped me to find my hostel and took a bus 45mins out of her way. I think that Annie asked her to help me but I still really appreciate it. Ling also gave me a butterfly ring and a pretty mirror covered in red on the outsides and which folds up like a change purse. She said to call her for dinner if I didn't like the restaurant's food. I think I'll call her on the weekend maybe to see a movie and to treat her to dinner.
Now I am at my hostel called the Jade Beijing youth hostel or something but as my lonely planet travellor guide of China said, the atmosphere is like a rich hotel. There are 8 ppl in a room, but the floors are tile, the beds are made of light wood and it is quite new looking inside. There is a travellor's bar, restaurant and internet cafe attached which is where I am at the moment. English music is playing and it's nice to recognize some music. Tomorrow I don't know excactly what I'll do, but on my way here I passed Tiannamen Square and the Forbidden Palace which are quite near to me. I also need to buy some more clothes, it is a little chilly here, maybe 0 degrees celcius as compared with 22-25 in Guangzhou. The weather reminds me of back home which I am starting to appreciate more and more as I explore more of China. Well there are plenty of foreigners here and so maybe I'll meet someone to hang out with tomorrow.
Monday, November 12, 2007
The past week: Concert, Vanessa, Majong, Serenaded...
A few nights ago Estelle and I went to see a Finnish A cappello group. They were quite amazing and very entertaining. Their sound effects were so neat. Making percussion and instruments like trumpets, trombones, electric guitars with just their voices.
So I met this chick named VAnessa at my hostel and she's a pretty sweet gal from Australia. She's going to study mandarin in Shanghai for 6 weeks, and we spent a day together. at the park we got serenaded by this middle aged fella who loved to sing. He sang to us a brasilian folk song about a man who falls in love sung in mandarin. Me and him sang a few english songs together that he had been practicing and he invited us both to his son's wedding next year. Vanessa is going to Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia in a bit and so we might try to meet up.
In the evening we went to Christina's house for dinner and a game of Majong. Her mom works as a doctor in the military and she was wearing a dope ass military outfit, looked quite sharp. Her house was gorgeous and I felt really cool being in such a traditional looking chinese house. There was chinese furnature and paintings inside. WE ate frog and snake for dinner along with my favorite mushrooms in soup. It was quite delicious and the snake didn't have any bones in it unlike when Estelle and I ate it for dinner that one night.
It's said of the CAntonese that they eat everything.
"They eat anything that fly's except planes, anything that swims except boats and anything with four legs except chairs and tables..."
I'm quickly coming to learn that this is true with the help of my two cantonese friends.
Today I've justbeen resting b/c I was feeling a bit down after the accident last night. Also I have a damn cold and I think that it might be because I order juice in restaurants and eat from food stalls, so maybe my system is mad at me.
Tomorrow I'm headed to Beijing by train and Annie's assistant Ling is going to pick me up at the train station. She said that I can come to her office and rest as I'm arriving at 6AM. I'm also going to call up Sun Xiao who I met at my first hostel as well in Hong Kong. They all want to practice their english and so they said they'd show me around. I contacted Mark too in Jilin and he said I could stay at his place and to some of his english classes so that I can learn how to teach.
I can't believe how nice everyone has been to me here in Guangzhou! I wrote my relative Wen Li a letter a few days ago and I know that she recieved it b/c she signed for it. I was hoping that she would write me and e-mail and contact me, but even though she didn't yet I've had the opportunity to live a few days as if I were a local here in Guangzhou. I've enjoyed my stay here but am so ready to move onto Beijing.
So I met this chick named VAnessa at my hostel and she's a pretty sweet gal from Australia. She's going to study mandarin in Shanghai for 6 weeks, and we spent a day together. at the park we got serenaded by this middle aged fella who loved to sing. He sang to us a brasilian folk song about a man who falls in love sung in mandarin. Me and him sang a few english songs together that he had been practicing and he invited us both to his son's wedding next year. Vanessa is going to Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia in a bit and so we might try to meet up.
In the evening we went to Christina's house for dinner and a game of Majong. Her mom works as a doctor in the military and she was wearing a dope ass military outfit, looked quite sharp. Her house was gorgeous and I felt really cool being in such a traditional looking chinese house. There was chinese furnature and paintings inside. WE ate frog and snake for dinner along with my favorite mushrooms in soup. It was quite delicious and the snake didn't have any bones in it unlike when Estelle and I ate it for dinner that one night.
It's said of the CAntonese that they eat everything.
"They eat anything that fly's except planes, anything that swims except boats and anything with four legs except chairs and tables..."
I'm quickly coming to learn that this is true with the help of my two cantonese friends.
Today I've justbeen resting b/c I was feeling a bit down after the accident last night. Also I have a damn cold and I think that it might be because I order juice in restaurants and eat from food stalls, so maybe my system is mad at me.
Tomorrow I'm headed to Beijing by train and Annie's assistant Ling is going to pick me up at the train station. She said that I can come to her office and rest as I'm arriving at 6AM. I'm also going to call up Sun Xiao who I met at my first hostel as well in Hong Kong. They all want to practice their english and so they said they'd show me around. I contacted Mark too in Jilin and he said I could stay at his place and to some of his english classes so that I can learn how to teach.
I can't believe how nice everyone has been to me here in Guangzhou! I wrote my relative Wen Li a letter a few days ago and I know that she recieved it b/c she signed for it. I was hoping that she would write me and e-mail and contact me, but even though she didn't yet I've had the opportunity to live a few days as if I were a local here in Guangzhou. I've enjoyed my stay here but am so ready to move onto Beijing.
Sunday, November 11, 2007
contemplating what means the most in life
Today was a strange day. I've had a wonderful few days but I'll write about today.
I went to Christina's in the morning and we went to visit her extended family an hour and a half out of town. Her dad was driving and driving in China is so hectic! Christina's dad honked at ppl all the time and I thought that, I'm a good driver in Canada but in China I wouldn't get anywhere because there are buses, cars, bikes, motor bikes and pedestrians that come out of no where in no particular order. Street lights are somewhat optional, yellow road lines mean even less.
When we got to Christina's aunts house, I met her relatives, tons of them! her aunt, uncle and two cousins were celebrating moving into a new house. It was on the 12th floor of this tall building in a brand new community. Her little cousin named Si Si who was 11 years old, took quite a liking to me and me to her and she felt like a little sister( I miss Erica ).
Si Si showed me some of her written homework that was done in Ancient Chinese and a few sentences really aught my attention. They said that 'all people die and that all plants lives come to an end...that things do not last forever' I said to Christina that that was a good thing for young people to learn. But I wondered if the 11 year olds (grade 6) actually grasped the concepts they were writting out or if they just copied out the words.
We ate a huge lunch at christina's auntie's house and it was absolutely delicious, the food all cooked cantonese style. Whole fish, fish balls, shrimp, mushroom dishes, squid, soup, vegetables, buns...Then we went shopping and I bought a coat for in Beijing where I'm going on tuesday. Anyways, then we went to dinner that was more like a feast at a beautiful restaurant. There must have been 60 relatives there and I couldn't help thinking about our big family dinners in Quesnel. They were similar to this one in that Christina didn't even know all of her relatives there.
Christina's dad got a bit into the drink. Christina said that 'He is impatient even with his drink'.
I met Christina's grandma and we got along great! she didn't speak anything but cantonese but she gave me some food to take back after dinner and we took a picture together. She only has 2 teeth left and She's somewhere in her mid 80's. I think she looked a lot older. I was so happy to meet her though and to be able to share this special celebration with Christina and her family. It touched me deeply that they were so kind. I think that mom and grandma would have been really happy for me and also gracious to these people.
The next part of my night was not good.
Christina's dad was driving too fast and we hit a woman and her toddler child. I ran out of the car to the accident scene and the woman was laying on the ground moaning and her child was crying. This was the second accident scene I had been to in the past 3 months. I remembered some training from lifeguarding and knew excactly waht to do. I checked the woman for blood and the child as well. then Christina translated while I told her mom to stabalize the woman's head and spine. The woman was not bleeding profusely from anywhere, nor the child but she started to shake a lot. I told Christina that we needed to keep the woman and her child warm because they were going into shock and gave them the coat i had just bought and my sweater. We tried to comfort the woman and I wish that I could speak her language, but I told Christina to tell her that her baby was okay, that she was okay and that the ambulance was on it's way. Just anything to make her less scared. We were in the middle of the street and cars were still going by. I can't believe how dangerous the roads are in China for pedestrians!! Anyways...then the ambulance finally arrived and me christina and her boyfriend went to the hospital with the woman while her mother and father stayed with the police officer to deal with that side of it.
When the ambulance finally arrived I was APPALLED! they didn't stabalize the womans head or spine when putting her onto the stretcher. When we were driving along the bumpy road christina was trying to stabalize the woman's head and shoulders but didn't know how. I didn't say anything because there were 5 ppl dressed in white who apparently were there to help...the nurses or whatever but they completely ignored the woman! her head was bouncing around in the ambulance and the attendants were indifferent. I asked Coffin and Christina what the attendants were talking about and apparently one girl was complaining that she didn't have a seat and the others were talking about where they got their name tags!!!!!! I was so sincerely upset, angry and just disappointed. I felt like I knew more than them, and I was much more empathetic for sure which is understandable since they do this all the time...but What the FUCK! they did absolutely nothing for her. when we got to the hospital it was only me and christina and Coffin who were looking after the woman. The woman's bf was there but he wouldn't hold her hand. Christina did the whole time and she said that the woman complained that she was scared and in pain.
So my thoughts are that life is not finite and that some people take it for granted. I had intense emotions today in being invited to spend quality time with Christina's family, it meant so much to me. Plus, if family means so much to me it's those people that I should tell that I love everyday because you never know what will happen. I feel like calling home tonight just to tell Erica and Dad that I love them.
Also, on the other spectrum I think that This proves that patience is a true virtue. If Christina's father had been a little more patient these people would not be hurt. This woman and baby could have died. This accident was completely his fault. People are so dumb sometimes, they think that it won't happen to them. I actually thought this tonight as well, nah it won't happen to me what are the chances and poof there i was in an accident. But it's important to try to learn from others and not just our own experiences. Everyone can't wait for an accident to happen to them to slow down and pay more attention.
I think that tonight was very important. I have this feeling that it means more than nothing. It feels like an epiphany. I still think that there is so much more to think about but, I'm getting kicked out of the lounge room.
Love Holly
I went to Christina's in the morning and we went to visit her extended family an hour and a half out of town. Her dad was driving and driving in China is so hectic! Christina's dad honked at ppl all the time and I thought that, I'm a good driver in Canada but in China I wouldn't get anywhere because there are buses, cars, bikes, motor bikes and pedestrians that come out of no where in no particular order. Street lights are somewhat optional, yellow road lines mean even less.
When we got to Christina's aunts house, I met her relatives, tons of them! her aunt, uncle and two cousins were celebrating moving into a new house. It was on the 12th floor of this tall building in a brand new community. Her little cousin named Si Si who was 11 years old, took quite a liking to me and me to her and she felt like a little sister( I miss Erica ).
Si Si showed me some of her written homework that was done in Ancient Chinese and a few sentences really aught my attention. They said that 'all people die and that all plants lives come to an end...that things do not last forever' I said to Christina that that was a good thing for young people to learn. But I wondered if the 11 year olds (grade 6) actually grasped the concepts they were writting out or if they just copied out the words.
We ate a huge lunch at christina's auntie's house and it was absolutely delicious, the food all cooked cantonese style. Whole fish, fish balls, shrimp, mushroom dishes, squid, soup, vegetables, buns...Then we went shopping and I bought a coat for in Beijing where I'm going on tuesday. Anyways, then we went to dinner that was more like a feast at a beautiful restaurant. There must have been 60 relatives there and I couldn't help thinking about our big family dinners in Quesnel. They were similar to this one in that Christina didn't even know all of her relatives there.
Christina's dad got a bit into the drink. Christina said that 'He is impatient even with his drink'.
I met Christina's grandma and we got along great! she didn't speak anything but cantonese but she gave me some food to take back after dinner and we took a picture together. She only has 2 teeth left and She's somewhere in her mid 80's. I think she looked a lot older. I was so happy to meet her though and to be able to share this special celebration with Christina and her family. It touched me deeply that they were so kind. I think that mom and grandma would have been really happy for me and also gracious to these people.
The next part of my night was not good.
Christina's dad was driving too fast and we hit a woman and her toddler child. I ran out of the car to the accident scene and the woman was laying on the ground moaning and her child was crying. This was the second accident scene I had been to in the past 3 months. I remembered some training from lifeguarding and knew excactly waht to do. I checked the woman for blood and the child as well. then Christina translated while I told her mom to stabalize the woman's head and spine. The woman was not bleeding profusely from anywhere, nor the child but she started to shake a lot. I told Christina that we needed to keep the woman and her child warm because they were going into shock and gave them the coat i had just bought and my sweater. We tried to comfort the woman and I wish that I could speak her language, but I told Christina to tell her that her baby was okay, that she was okay and that the ambulance was on it's way. Just anything to make her less scared. We were in the middle of the street and cars were still going by. I can't believe how dangerous the roads are in China for pedestrians!! Anyways...then the ambulance finally arrived and me christina and her boyfriend went to the hospital with the woman while her mother and father stayed with the police officer to deal with that side of it.
When the ambulance finally arrived I was APPALLED! they didn't stabalize the womans head or spine when putting her onto the stretcher. When we were driving along the bumpy road christina was trying to stabalize the woman's head and shoulders but didn't know how. I didn't say anything because there were 5 ppl dressed in white who apparently were there to help...the nurses or whatever but they completely ignored the woman! her head was bouncing around in the ambulance and the attendants were indifferent. I asked Coffin and Christina what the attendants were talking about and apparently one girl was complaining that she didn't have a seat and the others were talking about where they got their name tags!!!!!! I was so sincerely upset, angry and just disappointed. I felt like I knew more than them, and I was much more empathetic for sure which is understandable since they do this all the time...but What the FUCK! they did absolutely nothing for her. when we got to the hospital it was only me and christina and Coffin who were looking after the woman. The woman's bf was there but he wouldn't hold her hand. Christina did the whole time and she said that the woman complained that she was scared and in pain.
So my thoughts are that life is not finite and that some people take it for granted. I had intense emotions today in being invited to spend quality time with Christina's family, it meant so much to me. Plus, if family means so much to me it's those people that I should tell that I love everyday because you never know what will happen. I feel like calling home tonight just to tell Erica and Dad that I love them.
Also, on the other spectrum I think that This proves that patience is a true virtue. If Christina's father had been a little more patient these people would not be hurt. This woman and baby could have died. This accident was completely his fault. People are so dumb sometimes, they think that it won't happen to them. I actually thought this tonight as well, nah it won't happen to me what are the chances and poof there i was in an accident. But it's important to try to learn from others and not just our own experiences. Everyone can't wait for an accident to happen to them to slow down and pay more attention.
I think that tonight was very important. I have this feeling that it means more than nothing. It feels like an epiphany. I still think that there is so much more to think about but, I'm getting kicked out of the lounge room.
Love Holly
Thursday, November 8, 2007
Clubbing in Guangzhou
Last night Estelle invited me to come out and party at this club with some of her colleagues from her internship. I had a really great time! It was only Estelle's 2nd time to a Club and i think she only went because she knew that I liked partying. I can't get over how nice she is. Today she helped me exchange my travellor's cheques at the Bank of China and buy a train ticket for Beijing. The club is known for it's shows and it was really entertaining. There was a guy swalling a sword and a metal ball, lots of dancers in sparkly cabaret clothes, a kung fu performance, a monk who wrote a big sign in calligraphy... I learned a new chinese drinking game with dice. There were lasers, smoke and lots of glowsticks. The dance floor bounced and we all got pretty drunk and had a good time. After the club we went to get some early morning breaky at 3 AM and had some chinese food and drove speeding around Guangzhou in one of the guys cars. There was a sunroof and we made good use of it down the highway. All of Etelle's friends spoke madarin and no english but I don't think that language is always a barrier. The club was so loud and even if we all spoke the same language we wouldn't hear each other. They dropped me off this morning and I gave them all a kiss on the cheek. Unfortunately my camera ran out of batteries, but It was a really great night.
Wednesday, November 7, 2007
Nov. 5th
Estelle and I went out to dinner before meeting up with Christina and Henry at the mall. We ate Snake cooked in tasty peanut butter bean sauce and also fish head. Christina gave me the honour of eating the fish eyeball and brains. I was scared to eat it at first but I knew it'd be alright. It exploded in my mouth like a grape and the lens felt a bit like a pumpkin seed. It tasted of fresh seafood. In the night Henry and I went to a club across the pearl River from out Hostel. I had a great time and the latino or Philipino girl who was singing was really energetic and fun. We sang a song together and she got everyone up dancing. The next day Henry and I hung out all day. I was hungover though and he got on my nerves. I'm so happy that he had to leave. He got all creepy saying things like 'I like sitting here so that I can see your pretty smile' and also was really chauvinistic. He said to me 'be a good obediant girl and I'll buy you dinner'. I was so mad at him I didn't even know what to do with myself. But, I'll never see him again and if I did I wouldn't hang out with him. Funny thing is that when I was with him in Hong Kong the very first day we hung out, I got a vibe from him that I thought maybe he was annoying. I wish I had gone with my initial gut feeling.
Sunday, November 4, 2007
Guangzhou
Different than Canada:
1. Oldies=Troopers
When I was in HK I saw this old man in a store and he looked like a living skeleton, but hey, he was at work not laying in bed. I see old people taking the bus, wandering around town and just doing their own business and all I can think is 'Wow these ppl are really tough!'
2. I feel tall.
I can actually see over people's heads and sometimes have to duck down to get into places!:)
3. HK/Mainland China
In HK they handed all of the money and business cards to you with two hands out of respect. In Mainland China people throw money back at you indiferrently. In HK all of the signs have english underneath them. In Guangzhou it's much harder. I can't read bus stop signs or anything really.
4. Hacky Sack.
It's not for the young hippies like in Canada. Most people who hackey sack(in the evening) are middle aged women and men.
5. Mornings. (8 AM)
You can see people doing Tai Chi and also dancing around with flags or swords. Old women and Men, middle aged people but not very many young people. I guess they're at university or sleeping.
I met a girl named Estelle at my first hostel in HK. I called her up yesterday because she lives in Guangzhou and she took me on a cruise on the Pearl River last night. She translated all of the explanations for me and we had dinner included in the VIp section. I didn't realize how nice it is to have someone show you around. I was frustrated yesterday after trying in vain to find a payphone and then to use it properly with my chinese phone card and chinese prompts. The cruise was just beautiful and Estelle and I talked about how her grandpa and mom used to swim in the river (before all of the pollution) and how my great grandparents must have sailed down the river when they emmigrated from Canton(Guangzhou) for Canada. Estelle made up her name because she studied french in university. Her chinese name is hard for english people to pronounce and most chinese make up an english name for foreigners. Estelle wants to come to Canada or the US to study next year. If she comes to Canada I would show her around for sure. Tomorrow we're going to hang out and meet up with Christina, another girl that I met at the hostel and one of Estelle's childhood friends. We might go and visit both of their universities and hit up some bars later on in the night. There is a classical music concert hall as well that would be nice to check out.
Friday, November 2, 2007
Tai-O, Buddha, Cute boys:)
Yesterday I went to Lantau island to see the biggest Buddha in the world! IT was spectacular. I took so many pictures that I went through 6 batteries yesterday...I think that my camera isn't the best.
Then I went to this village called Tai-O, my favorite part of HK. It's nicknamed HK's Venice but is probably one of the poorest parts of HK. It's incredible! I took some videos and LOTS of pictures. I'll post them when I get the chance.
When I was on my way back to the hostel I met a couple of German boys. They were totally cute and around my age. This one guy named Grishka has been travelling for 2 years and has 1 more to go as is tradition with carpenters in his country. He has to wear the traditional pants and shirt practically the whole time and only carries with him a small bag of things. He's showing around his friend philippe (i think that was his name) in HK who is also a carpenter but for furniture.
TODAY
I am travelling to Guangzhou, the area where my great grandfather and grandmother emmigrated from. I haven't contacted my relative WEn Li yet. Maybe I will send her a letter before I leave China though. I know 3 ppl in Guangzhou, Henry, Christina and Estelle and so I'll give them a call and they said they'd show me around. Woot. Anyways, HK is too expensive so I'm excited to get to Mainland China and see the real deal.
Muah -Holly
Then I went to this village called Tai-O, my favorite part of HK. It's nicknamed HK's Venice but is probably one of the poorest parts of HK. It's incredible! I took some videos and LOTS of pictures. I'll post them when I get the chance.
When I was on my way back to the hostel I met a couple of German boys. They were totally cute and around my age. This one guy named Grishka has been travelling for 2 years and has 1 more to go as is tradition with carpenters in his country. He has to wear the traditional pants and shirt practically the whole time and only carries with him a small bag of things. He's showing around his friend philippe (i think that was his name) in HK who is also a carpenter but for furniture.
TODAY
I am travelling to Guangzhou, the area where my great grandfather and grandmother emmigrated from. I haven't contacted my relative WEn Li yet. Maybe I will send her a letter before I leave China though. I know 3 ppl in Guangzhou, Henry, Christina and Estelle and so I'll give them a call and they said they'd show me around. Woot. Anyways, HK is too expensive so I'm excited to get to Mainland China and see the real deal.
Muah -Holly
Thursday, November 1, 2007
Aberdeen, Stanley and the Bank.
Today I went to the South side of Hong Kong island. I slept in quite late b/c i've been feeling pretty crappy the past couple of days. I got lost on my way to Stanley Market and ended up in this residential area called Aberdeen.
In Aberdeen, I happened to stumble upon this magical temple that wasn't much from the outside but was so pristine on the inside. There were these huge coiled incense burning on the inside and hanging down from the roof. Rich and colourful fabrics mostly in Gold and Red were draped over these Buddha shrines and fruit and Lai see were offered to the God. It was smoky inside and smelled of incense and although there was noise from the busy streets just outside the doors, I felt peaceful, relaxed and was so happy and excited to be in my first Chinese Temple. There were doors (circle holes in the wall) on each side of me and these areas had no roof and so it was bright looking through the smoke into the rooms that they lead into.
on the way to Stanley I took a 15 passenger 'light bus' I saw a Chinese cemetery. It was so incredible! There must have been a thousand buried in it lined up right next to each other and kind of stacked like a logo castle. The only reason I could see it was because it was on the other side of a very steep valley wall. I didn't get a picture but it surprised me to say the least.
Stanley market was alright, a bit too touristy kind of reminded me of Disneyland. I bought some earrings that are made of two Mah-Jong blocks. I'm quite happy with them:). they remind me of playing the Chinese game with Grandma and mom.
I've been practicing my Cantonese but it is so hard! It's a tonal language and so not only are the words new and foreign but they have a special way that you have to say them. It's very much like music. Some words go up and some go down, some start high then go lower then go high again. J's are pronounced Ch but not really more of an S with an Sh...anyways, the waitresses all get a kick out of me and my Cantonese phrases book. It takes me like 10 mins to plan out what I'm going to try to say. And using the right tone takes a hell of a lot of guts because I feel absolutely ridiculous!
Around 7:30 I was back in Central HK. The buildings were all lit up and the architecture here is so different than in Vancouver. I took my time( I have to here anyways b/c i get lost so much) and took a lot of pictures of these massive neon buildings. While I was taking pictures this hobbling cripple guy who was really nice, gave me tips about HK. He gave me directions without me asking him then told me about how all of the buildings light up at 8 and there is a light show! He was so helpful and friendly. A few minutes later this EAst Indian guy asked me if I wanted to go up in the bank he worked in for a drink. I agreed b/c I thought it would be really cool to go into this HUGe building i couldn't even count how many stories. Well he was really pushy, insisting that we had a lot in common and wanting to travel with me. He even suggested me going to India with him in a couple weeks. He wanted me to drink a lot too and said that he lived nearby. The light show started and I missed it because he wanted to sit there and drink. Anyways, I got creeped out and left politely afterwards.
In Aberdeen, I happened to stumble upon this magical temple that wasn't much from the outside but was so pristine on the inside. There were these huge coiled incense burning on the inside and hanging down from the roof. Rich and colourful fabrics mostly in Gold and Red were draped over these Buddha shrines and fruit and Lai see were offered to the God. It was smoky inside and smelled of incense and although there was noise from the busy streets just outside the doors, I felt peaceful, relaxed and was so happy and excited to be in my first Chinese Temple. There were doors (circle holes in the wall) on each side of me and these areas had no roof and so it was bright looking through the smoke into the rooms that they lead into.
on the way to Stanley I took a 15 passenger 'light bus' I saw a Chinese cemetery. It was so incredible! There must have been a thousand buried in it lined up right next to each other and kind of stacked like a logo castle. The only reason I could see it was because it was on the other side of a very steep valley wall. I didn't get a picture but it surprised me to say the least.
Stanley market was alright, a bit too touristy kind of reminded me of Disneyland. I bought some earrings that are made of two Mah-Jong blocks. I'm quite happy with them:). they remind me of playing the Chinese game with Grandma and mom.
I've been practicing my Cantonese but it is so hard! It's a tonal language and so not only are the words new and foreign but they have a special way that you have to say them. It's very much like music. Some words go up and some go down, some start high then go lower then go high again. J's are pronounced Ch but not really more of an S with an Sh...anyways, the waitresses all get a kick out of me and my Cantonese phrases book. It takes me like 10 mins to plan out what I'm going to try to say. And using the right tone takes a hell of a lot of guts because I feel absolutely ridiculous!
Around 7:30 I was back in Central HK. The buildings were all lit up and the architecture here is so different than in Vancouver. I took my time( I have to here anyways b/c i get lost so much) and took a lot of pictures of these massive neon buildings. While I was taking pictures this hobbling cripple guy who was really nice, gave me tips about HK. He gave me directions without me asking him then told me about how all of the buildings light up at 8 and there is a light show! He was so helpful and friendly. A few minutes later this EAst Indian guy asked me if I wanted to go up in the bank he worked in for a drink. I agreed b/c I thought it would be really cool to go into this HUGe building i couldn't even count how many stories. Well he was really pushy, insisting that we had a lot in common and wanting to travel with me. He even suggested me going to India with him in a couple weeks. He wanted me to drink a lot too and said that he lived nearby. The light show started and I missed it because he wanted to sit there and drink. Anyways, I got creeped out and left politely afterwards.
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Oct. 31st
This morning some girls in my dorm woke me up at 6AM to take a picture with them because they were leaving the Hostel that day. Last night we all stayed up late and they all welcomed me to stay at their houses in Guangzhou and in Beijing. It was fun because they taught me some mandarin pronounciations and I taught them some English:). Man is Chinese hard!
I went and wandered around today to nowhere in particular in and saw a lot cooler things than yesterday. I think I just felt more free to wander aimlessly b/c i was by myself and also not really aiming to go anywhere. I went in this Elegent pompous dress shop with 2000$ CAD dresses! I've never seen or touched any dresses that nice in my whole life.
I saw weird weird food that street vendors had. fried chicken feet, small whole octopuses on a stick, and something that looked like fish or i don't know whale intestines on a stick.
I bought a Southern Chinese newspaper and read it. I felt like a local. lol. except it was written in English. I saw a posting for a pre-school teacher in English and saw that there are really cheap tickets to Bangkok and Vietnam:)....hmmm. interesting who knows eh?
I took a star Ferry from HK Central to Kowloon later in the night. It was nice to have the ocean breeze on my face and to be on the light blue-grey water of the South China Sea. While in Kowloon I got lost and found a music store. I went in and played a YAMAHA stand up piano and then asked this guy to play me a song on the violin. He played a CAntonese song and it was Breathtakingly beautiful. In the midst of this Hectic side of HK (even more busy than HK island) I found something that really was precious to me:).
In Kowloon I bought a camera for HKD $1038 which is about $133. It came with a tripod, 2 sets of batteries, a case, a 2GB memory card and a memory Key thing. not bad. This area is notorious for all of its' new technology. It wasn't hard to run between a few stores to compare prices b/c there were so many so close by.
It was Halloween but I didn't celebrate b/c I want to try to integrate into this culture. Out of the million People that I must have seen tonight there were probably only 10 people dressed up for Halloween. It was strange, but I'm excited for Chinese New Year on Feb. 7th.-9th:).
Then I came home and had a quarter hot shower before the hostel ran out of hot water. lol.
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
First day in HK
SOoooooo I am quite delerious at the moment. I flew From Vancouver on a Sunday and arrived in HK and it was a Tuesday today! WHERE DID MONDAY GO???
Well, my first impression of ppl in HK is that they are really friendly and helpful. I slept in the airport last night, then took the metro system and a bus to my hostel at 5 am. Mount Davis Jockey club my hostel happens to be on the top of this small mountain. I thought, oh yeah a few minutes of hiking, but no! 30 mins later after some intense altitude climbing with my huge travellor bag stuffed with 5 months of my life...I got to the top. There were a bunch of ppl doing Tai Chi and it's jungle like atmosphere on the mountain and in HK too( where the buildings aren't there anyways...).
I haven't decided if I hate HK or like it yet. It's mysterious and busy, but there is way too much space dedicated to POwer shopping. It makes me sick. Actually i am feeling quite sick at the moment, I just caught the bus back up the mountain after a days worth of walking around with my new friend Henry who's from Malaysia and I definetely need to take it a little slower tomorrow.
I also met a girl named Sabina from Holland, Annie from Beijing, Anthony from Guangzhou and there are some Germans sitting across from me right now that I'm sure I'll talk to tomorrow. This place is full of travelers of all ages and from all places of the world.
Today me and Henry ate Dim Sung for Brunch, then we went to see a monument that China gave to HK after it was decolonized, then we went to a Buddhist inspired art gallery, went to the zoo and watched grey cranes, very small monkeys jump and play and laughed at a Fat gorilla/ape that was eating too much at once and dropping it all over. WE went up Mt. Victoria on a trolley ride, really steep. Then I ate a big disgusting hot dog, and then we went to dinner and Anthony joined us.
The sidewalks are so weird here because they're not even on the ground half the time. There are walkways everywhere connecting into buildings and on the sides of them at the 2nd and 3rd stories because they're so damn tall. The skyscrapers redeem their names here, as compared to the ones in VAncouver and tonight I went to a market on the street and bought groceries (all fruit) for breakfast tomorrow morning.
The streets are so lit up it's amazing. Too bad I was feeling queezy. It Is expensive here though. More so than in Vancouver I think. I want to give HK a chance though, and so I'll stay here a week and check out the outdoor sights too. shopping shlopping who cares? Well, tomorrow if it's nice i might go to Lantau island with Henry and if not, all of the Museums in the province are free on Wednesdays ! WOOT! Ciao for now.
Well, my first impression of ppl in HK is that they are really friendly and helpful. I slept in the airport last night, then took the metro system and a bus to my hostel at 5 am. Mount Davis Jockey club my hostel happens to be on the top of this small mountain. I thought, oh yeah a few minutes of hiking, but no! 30 mins later after some intense altitude climbing with my huge travellor bag stuffed with 5 months of my life...I got to the top. There were a bunch of ppl doing Tai Chi and it's jungle like atmosphere on the mountain and in HK too( where the buildings aren't there anyways...).
I haven't decided if I hate HK or like it yet. It's mysterious and busy, but there is way too much space dedicated to POwer shopping. It makes me sick. Actually i am feeling quite sick at the moment, I just caught the bus back up the mountain after a days worth of walking around with my new friend Henry who's from Malaysia and I definetely need to take it a little slower tomorrow.
I also met a girl named Sabina from Holland, Annie from Beijing, Anthony from Guangzhou and there are some Germans sitting across from me right now that I'm sure I'll talk to tomorrow. This place is full of travelers of all ages and from all places of the world.
Today me and Henry ate Dim Sung for Brunch, then we went to see a monument that China gave to HK after it was decolonized, then we went to a Buddhist inspired art gallery, went to the zoo and watched grey cranes, very small monkeys jump and play and laughed at a Fat gorilla/ape that was eating too much at once and dropping it all over. WE went up Mt. Victoria on a trolley ride, really steep. Then I ate a big disgusting hot dog, and then we went to dinner and Anthony joined us.
The sidewalks are so weird here because they're not even on the ground half the time. There are walkways everywhere connecting into buildings and on the sides of them at the 2nd and 3rd stories because they're so damn tall. The skyscrapers redeem their names here, as compared to the ones in VAncouver and tonight I went to a market on the street and bought groceries (all fruit) for breakfast tomorrow morning.
The streets are so lit up it's amazing. Too bad I was feeling queezy. It Is expensive here though. More so than in Vancouver I think. I want to give HK a chance though, and so I'll stay here a week and check out the outdoor sights too. shopping shlopping who cares? Well, tomorrow if it's nice i might go to Lantau island with Henry and if not, all of the Museums in the province are free on Wednesdays ! WOOT! Ciao for now.
Sunday, October 28, 2007
bar fight...
I told dad that I wouldn't get in any fights in CHina so I guess I kept my promise. Last night at the pub crawl in Vancouver this chick was all up in Gabrielle and her friend Erins face like yelling at them and going to fight them because she got pushed. So I told her to back off and this chick went crazy. I grabbed her to keep her away from the other girls and she f-ing threw me off the stage! I was not concentrating on my stance or anything, she just went crazy out of the blue!! I can't fight girls b/c I'm never mad enough to start a fight, and then I don't want to hurt the other girl. well needless to say I have a huge bruise on my butt, but at least she never touched my friends....
Thursday, October 25, 2007
Alexandra
I had a really nice dinner with my neighbour Maja. We had good conversation as usual, and I found out where Alex(her daughter) was adopted from in China. It's called Yiyang City in the Hunan province which is just above Guangzhou. Maja picked her up from Changcha as it's the capital of the province. I want to find the city and spend some time volunteering in the orphanage she was from. It'd be hard though since they probably don't speak any English.
Monday, October 22, 2007
6 days till la Chine!!
I have no idea what to pack. Its a hard job. its 35 degrees celcius in HK right now, but in northern China where Mark lives there is probably 2 feet of snow. I dont really have a plan after my first 6 days in HK staying at a hostel. Thailand is so close and i dont need a visa...Yunnan province in China will be just sitting there waiting for me as well, with its magical scenery and its mountain hikes...hmm. well i guess we ll just have to wait and see what happens eh. haha.
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