It’s Thursday evening, and we are now in Dalat, a really nice hilly town in the Central Highlands of South Vietnam. We recently returned from QUITE the whirlwind tour of the area with a group of guides, called the “Easy Riders” who drive you around the countryside on motorcycles and tell you all about things here, but I'll get back to that in a minute...
So, we got here from Mui Ne, our last stop, via an experience that will for sure be one of our most memorable (read: awful) transportation memories! Imagine the following:
1. Friday morning - we are sitting in a little tourist office waiting for "Big Sitting Bus" to arrive at 1pm. It is hot, VERY hot, and we are sweating bullets.
2. A mini bus (“this can’t be the bus, right?” we think) arrives around 1:30pm, JAM PACKED with Vietnamese people and 2 shouting drivers beckon for us to come over.
3. The drivers take our big bags and proceed to CRAM them mercilessly under the back seats of the van.
4. We climb over the back seat from the trunk to get in because there is absolutely no other way.
5. We stop 10 minutes later for one more large Irish man (that's it we think...right?). We exchange knowing glances (Yep, this is THE bus).
6. We stop to pick up another Vietnamese couple who sit in our back seat with us, and Arati has to hold the man's luggage over the back seat while the driver slams the trunk closed.
7. We get onto the very bumpy, windy road for our (supposedly) 4 hr. journey to Dalat.
8. The van overheats on its way up a hill.
9. We all kindly donate our water bottles to remedy the problem...and we get to drive about 100 more meters up the hill as a result of our donations.
10. We find a stream and proceed to fill plastic bottles with water and dump them on the engine to cool it off. It works (fingers crossed). We leave again.
11. The drivers turn on the loudest, Vietnamese/Western pop music on for the remainder of the now 5+ hour ride and the speaker is pretty much in my left ear.
12. We get to Dalat just as the sun is setting.
13. We haul our bags and check into our hotel. Its name? The Peace Hotel J
BUT, we are, once again, safe and sound...with memories and more memories.
ANYWAY, the town of Dalat itself is very different from Mui Ne, where we thoroughly enjoyed the beach and most of all sledding on the plastic sleds down the sand dunes. What great fun! We also got to go to the "Fairy Stream" there where you seemingly walk on water because it's so shallow (see the picture at the right)...it actually was a big tourist trap/sight in our opinions, but it was still really pretty even though I did not feel like a fairy at all. Oh well.
Dalat is much cooler and crisper than Mui Ne because of the altitude change. Yesterday, I went for a long trek up 3 peaks with 2 awesome Vietnamese guides and 2 other Dutch travelers who were on a 3 week trip here. The 5 of us started by ascending the tallest peak, which is 2,169 m tall, and it was a REALLY steep, muddy climb, but lots of fun of course. There were really gorgeous views of all the terraces of farmland, horses all over the place, coffee plantations, and a big lake off in the distance. There were also many different kinds of plant life, from really tall pine trees at first to jungle plants and trees later on, and there were hardly any other people there, which made things very peaceful. After the first peak, we had a lunch of bread, cheese, and as many different fruits as you can imagine (bananas, pineapples (with chili powder!), dragon fruit, lychee, mandarin oranges, cucumbers, etc.) - yummmm. Then, we went up the other 2 (easier to climb) peaks before going all the way back to the bottom.
Our guides were 2 Vietnamese tourism students who were about 24 years old also. It might be an obvious thing to say, but, as we travel, I especially love getting to know people my age from the countries we're visiting. It just makes it much easier to compare cultures and then imagine things like what your life would be like if you lived in another country.
So, all in all, it was a great first day here, and the fresh mountain air felt incredible (particularly after the terrible bus ride!). Arati and I crashed really early though, and barely made it to our beds before passing out!
Today, as I mentioned at the beginning, we got a whirlwind tour of the area and a much closer look at some of the countryside I’d seen from the mountain tops. It's not really a town that you can explore adequately on foot or with bicycles even because the "good stuff" is all really spread out. Our "Easy Rider" motorcycle guides were so great, and, unlike my trekking guides, our two fearless leaders, Tue and Hip ("like Hip Hop" he noted) were more around grandpa age - which made for a nice contrast with my previous day. These 2 men have been a part of this tour group from its foundation in 1992, and were so knowledgeable about everything we saw and much more. They clearly love both their town and country, and they were more than willing to give us some of the best hands-on history and culture lessons that I've ever had.
Together, the four of us went all around and visited the following places/sights:
1. The first Buddhist Pagoda in Dalat, built in 1921.
2. Flower farms with Gerber daisies and roses - interestingly, the techniques for flower farming here were adapted from the Dutch methods a few decades ago. Hip told us that it wasn't until the embargo from the US was lifted and the economy started to improve that "peoples' bellies were full so they could then appreciate flowers"
3. A small coffee plantation - did you know that Vietnam is #2 for coffee production? (Brazil is #1, Colombia is #3, followed by Mexico and then Indonesia). I didn’t know that.
4. Small homes where people were: basket weaving, making brooms, and making rice wine to sell at the markets
5. A silk factory - It was so cool to see the whole process from start to finish, AND I ate a dried silk worm larva! It tasted like a peanut :)
6. Elephant Falls – a really pretty, and quite big, set of waterfalls.
7. The Crazy House - a hotel created by a Vietnamese woman and architect with really unique themed rooms (i.e. the bear room, pheasant room, kangaroo room, and termite room!) and staircases and walls that are skinny and twisty and topsy turvy. You have to look this place up to see some photos! We felt like we were in Alice in Wonderland.
8. A cable car across the hills and farms
PHEW! Long day! But definitely exhilarating too - I'm a little worn out though, and I'm looking forward to a slow and relaxed night.
After 2 great days here, we are leaving on a bus (cross your fingers for a real BIG BUS this time!) tomorrow morning to head back toward the coast to a town called Na Trang, where it should be warmer and there is supposed to be some good snorkeling.
After that, we are going to really start working our way up this long skinny country, which has a coastline of about 3,000 km (1,864 miles). They say it's only a little longer than California though if you are not following the coastline exactly (or just over 1,000 miles), so HOPEFULLY, we won't feel the miles add up too quickly! Arati is definitely better at being zen-like on the long bus rides than I am. I'm still working on that skill and usually just read, do tons of crossword puzzles, and stare out the window with some music...I'm trying to tame the "antsy-ness" gene as much as I can :) I just love moving OUTSIDE the bus so much more… but I guess it’s inevitable that you have to travel to get TO the places. Not a terrible downside of this whole adventure if there must be a couple.
Anyway,
that's all for now.
Hopefully you all can see some of the new pictures I was able to put up from some random times during the last 8 weeks. I'll keep trying to get more up.
Also, sorry if there are lots of misspellings. The spell check feature no longer works it seems and I can't catch all my mistakes when I'm trying to keep my internet time and fees minimal - hopefully they aren't too bad!
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Ho Chi Minh City - don't get hit by a motorbike!
The (slightly shabby) sign at the border reads: Welcome to Vietnam!
It was QUITE a 12 hour bus ride from Siem Reap to Ho Chi Minh City on Friday (with only a couple very short bathroom stops along the way), BUT, 1. we made it, 2. there were definitely some great views of the countryside out the window, and 3. I got lots of reading and reflecting done on the ride - always a bonus.
Sidenote: If anyone has some good book recommendations, I'd love some suggestions (just not anything TOO recently released because I think I'd have trouble finding them).
To backtrack a little bit, our final day in Siem Reap was awesome - possibly my favorite day of our time there.
We woke up, had some tea, bread and peanut butter, and re-rented our same bicycles (honestly the best bike I've rented EVER, and for only $1!). It was our last day at Angkor Wat, and we were excited/a little sad to use up our last day on our 3-day pass.
For our last big temple day, we chose to bike out to one of the most famous temples, Banteay Srei, which was about 40km from our hotel. It was a gorgeous ride (and for those of you that know how much biking kills my knee, it DIDN'T!). We also stopped at the Cambodian Landmine Museum on the way, which was really interesting and hit home. We have seen many disabled, landmine victims in town or begging on the streets, but this was the first time we had a chance to really learn and read about some of their stories and the history of landmine use in war, and especially in Cambodia in the 70s. It really is an atrocious practice and inhumane tactic to say the least--and the US, among other powerful countries, has not committed itself to not utilizing them in present or future wars. Read more about that if you're intrigued.
Anyway, the founder of this particular museum is a man, Aki Ra, who is a former Khmer Rouge Child Soldier. He created the museum right alongside the temples of Angkor Wat as a place to showcase many of the decomissioned mines, bombs, and other explosives from the war that he collected in his tremendous efforts to help make his country safer. Today the museum is a liscensed NGO and there is also a dormitory and education center for children affected by the war, many of whom have disabilities because they have been hit by landmines themselves. If this is a topic you have heard about, but not really understood or delved into, I'd definitely recommend reading the info on the website for this museum. Sorry to be "one of those people" who make you check out websites, but I'm going to anyway. It's cambodialandminemuseum.org.
After the Landmine Museum, we got back on the bikes and pedaled to the Banteay Srei temple, which was really beautiful. The most unique characteristic of this temple was the intricacy of the carvings and the ornate details on the walls, arches and doorframes (for lack of a better word!). This temple was also shorter in height and more sprawling than some of the others we'd seen, and it had grassy patches, rice fields, and a few ponds with lotus blooms around it - really pretty area.
After touring around the temple, we got back on the bikes for 12 more km to get to Kbal Spean - a waterfall temple up in a jungle area. We paused for a quick snack while the rain poured down, and then the sky cleared just in time for us to make it to the top of the small mountain. There were some really gorgeous panoramic views, and the carvings in the river and alongside the waterfall were really interesting. Luckily there were guides stationed at the top to show us where the carvings (of things like crocodiles, frogs, lingas, and other gods and goddesses) were loacated...we would have never found them on our own! We then got back on the bikes around 3 or 4pm to try and tackle the 60km back to town.
The countryside, rice paddies, and local people shouting and waving while I pedalled back were so surreal and exhilerating. One definite highlight--a Cambodian woman pedaled up beside me at one point and we rode together for a while, mostly in silence because she didn't speak any English and I still don't know much more than "Thank you" in Khmer...and then, just as she was about to turn off onto a side road, she handed me one of the items in her big basket. I had no clue as to what it could be, but it turned out to be a hollow sugar cane(?) husk with a mixture of sticky rice and beans packed inside. How adorable and kind was that?! Again, good people here. I have to agree with all the rave reviews people give Cambodian people--between our experiences in Phnom Penh, Sihanoukville at the school, and out in Angkor Wat, I have only great things to say about the people here. Maybe it is all the monks riding around on motorcycles...constant reminders to be zen-like? Well, maybe not. But, whatever it is, I like the vibe. So, back to the bike ride, I JUST made it back in time (though there was some very scary pitch black biking towards the end!). Needless to say, it was a muddy, sweaty, and wonderful day. And my body was VERY happy for dinner and the prospect of the next day being mostly sedentary on the bus!
This is getting to be a little long again (shocking...not), but I definitely want to write a little bit about Vietnam so far. We got here in the middle of a downpour on Friday night, and made our way to "Yellow House" hotel along with a new (Canadian-shout out to Abby!) friend we met on the bus. We immediately noticed the economic differences between Vietnam and Cambodia, with things like taller, cleaner buildings, fancy stores every once and a while, and shiny new cars on the road. Pretty crazy to think about it being a Communist country too... Anyway, we got settled, fed and tucked into our new "home".
Saturday was our first real day here, and we got up bright and early per usual. I started with a great morning run to get my bearings and some initial reactions to the bustling city that I've heard so much about. First of all, the traffic here is absolutely insatiable (I hope that word makes sense there!). It is absolutely intense, but at the same time, it is really organized and there seems to be no road rage to speak of. People cross the street while thousands of motorbikes are headed right at them, but no one gets hit. There are horns beeping warning once and a while, but I have not seen anything like an impending accident or disaster. I will not be renting a bicycle here - that is for sure! Anyway, I survived the run and street crossing without disaster, and I got to seem some pretty cool streets, buildings (like Notre Dame Cathedral and the Opera House) and views of the Saigon River.
Arati and I then ventured to the "War Remnants Museum," where we got a huge dose of history about the Vietnam War. I have always been interested in the Vietnam War, but never understood so much of what actually happened, and finding out at this museum was definitely an eye-opener. The placards were definitely not glossed over, and the American involvement was not referred to calmly to say the least ("external fascism" was used on one sign). There was also a whole section of the museum devoted to the use of toxins and Agent Orange, and, for me, that was one of the most insane things to process. One placard noted that a tabelspoon of dioxin could kill a whole city with a population of 8 million people, and there were tons of photographs of the horrific ways that people and their children were disabled from the poison. Awful.
From the museum, we went to the Reunification Palace (or Independence Palace), where there are (supposedly) still events held by the current president. The architecture of the building was really strange and boxy, and it looked like something out of the 60s I'd say (though I'm not really sure about decades for architecture). The decor in each room was focused on one color, like one room was all mustard yellow, one pea green, etc., and, for the most part, the furtniture was all very straight and stiff looking. Basically, you would NOT be able to snuggle up on a cozy couch at this place...but I'm not really sure that the government really wants to promote such warm and fuzzy feelings anyway. Just saying.
Our legs were a little tired by this point, but we split up for some solo wandering anyway, and I went to the big market for a little while. Much bigger (or at least taller) than the Cambodian or Malaysian markets that we visited, the market had everything from coffee and trinkets to "Adidas" shoes and silk robes. It was definitely fun to browse and I even bargained (not very well) and got some almonds and shampoo - 2 necessities, clearly. Dinner followed and consisted of a delicious, basic meal of veggies and red rice in a clay pot that I watched the women cook in front of me. For lunch I had ended up in a restaurant that had duck in every single dish...it was good, but a whole restaurant centered around duck? Really?! The food here is definitely cheaper than it was in Cambodia (which was suprisingly NOT that cheap!)...so that's been a nice relief. Fell asleep pretty soon after that, one big whirlwind of a first day in Saigon.
Today was day 2, and it has been a more chill day for me. I ran this morning through the park (did NOT cross nearly as many streets this time!) and then walked around a while before going to church at Notre Dame with tons of other Vietnamese and foreigners. It was a really cool experience, and it was probably the first really big church I've been to since travelling began. The priest was Vietnamese (I think), but spoke English, so that was also really nice for me! Then, I took a motorbike (I did NOT drive, only rode on the back!) to get to the Ho Chi Minh Museum, where I got to look at lots and lots of photos (and propoganda) from the former President. There was also a big series of portraits done of him all made out of buttons--like the ones you sew onto clothes--and sequins. Not sure whose idea that was, but they were really fun to look at! After that, I did some more wandering and browsing around, and now I'm in a cafe hanging out until our bus leaves for Mui Ne at 3pm.
Although we were only here for a short while, I definitley feel like I've gotten a good sense of Ho Chi Minh City/ Saigon, and while it is chaotic, I do think that the overwhelmingness would start to wear off with time. There are plenty of parks to get some respite in and there are lots of little side streets and small shops to duck into and get away from the pollution and traffic.
Mui Ne is a little town on the coast, about 4 hrs. away from here, where there are supposed to be lots of windsurfers and we should be able to "sled" down sanddunes...I'm excited!
On that note, I should get moving - the joy of repacking and hauling my big (and growing) backpack never fades. Ugggh!
Keep in touch - thanks for all the good updates and notes I've been getting from you all! I'm trying to absorb and suck up everything as much as I can, but I miss you all!
It was QUITE a 12 hour bus ride from Siem Reap to Ho Chi Minh City on Friday (with only a couple very short bathroom stops along the way), BUT, 1. we made it, 2. there were definitely some great views of the countryside out the window, and 3. I got lots of reading and reflecting done on the ride - always a bonus.
Sidenote: If anyone has some good book recommendations, I'd love some suggestions (just not anything TOO recently released because I think I'd have trouble finding them).
To backtrack a little bit, our final day in Siem Reap was awesome - possibly my favorite day of our time there.
We woke up, had some tea, bread and peanut butter, and re-rented our same bicycles (honestly the best bike I've rented EVER, and for only $1!). It was our last day at Angkor Wat, and we were excited/a little sad to use up our last day on our 3-day pass.
For our last big temple day, we chose to bike out to one of the most famous temples, Banteay Srei, which was about 40km from our hotel. It was a gorgeous ride (and for those of you that know how much biking kills my knee, it DIDN'T!). We also stopped at the Cambodian Landmine Museum on the way, which was really interesting and hit home. We have seen many disabled, landmine victims in town or begging on the streets, but this was the first time we had a chance to really learn and read about some of their stories and the history of landmine use in war, and especially in Cambodia in the 70s. It really is an atrocious practice and inhumane tactic to say the least--and the US, among other powerful countries, has not committed itself to not utilizing them in present or future wars. Read more about that if you're intrigued.
Anyway, the founder of this particular museum is a man, Aki Ra, who is a former Khmer Rouge Child Soldier. He created the museum right alongside the temples of Angkor Wat as a place to showcase many of the decomissioned mines, bombs, and other explosives from the war that he collected in his tremendous efforts to help make his country safer. Today the museum is a liscensed NGO and there is also a dormitory and education center for children affected by the war, many of whom have disabilities because they have been hit by landmines themselves. If this is a topic you have heard about, but not really understood or delved into, I'd definitely recommend reading the info on the website for this museum. Sorry to be "one of those people" who make you check out websites, but I'm going to anyway. It's cambodialandminemuseum.org.
After the Landmine Museum, we got back on the bikes and pedaled to the Banteay Srei temple, which was really beautiful. The most unique characteristic of this temple was the intricacy of the carvings and the ornate details on the walls, arches and doorframes (for lack of a better word!). This temple was also shorter in height and more sprawling than some of the others we'd seen, and it had grassy patches, rice fields, and a few ponds with lotus blooms around it - really pretty area.
After touring around the temple, we got back on the bikes for 12 more km to get to Kbal Spean - a waterfall temple up in a jungle area. We paused for a quick snack while the rain poured down, and then the sky cleared just in time for us to make it to the top of the small mountain. There were some really gorgeous panoramic views, and the carvings in the river and alongside the waterfall were really interesting. Luckily there were guides stationed at the top to show us where the carvings (of things like crocodiles, frogs, lingas, and other gods and goddesses) were loacated...we would have never found them on our own! We then got back on the bikes around 3 or 4pm to try and tackle the 60km back to town.
The countryside, rice paddies, and local people shouting and waving while I pedalled back were so surreal and exhilerating. One definite highlight--a Cambodian woman pedaled up beside me at one point and we rode together for a while, mostly in silence because she didn't speak any English and I still don't know much more than "Thank you" in Khmer...and then, just as she was about to turn off onto a side road, she handed me one of the items in her big basket. I had no clue as to what it could be, but it turned out to be a hollow sugar cane(?) husk with a mixture of sticky rice and beans packed inside. How adorable and kind was that?! Again, good people here. I have to agree with all the rave reviews people give Cambodian people--between our experiences in Phnom Penh, Sihanoukville at the school, and out in Angkor Wat, I have only great things to say about the people here. Maybe it is all the monks riding around on motorcycles...constant reminders to be zen-like? Well, maybe not. But, whatever it is, I like the vibe. So, back to the bike ride, I JUST made it back in time (though there was some very scary pitch black biking towards the end!). Needless to say, it was a muddy, sweaty, and wonderful day. And my body was VERY happy for dinner and the prospect of the next day being mostly sedentary on the bus!
This is getting to be a little long again (shocking...not), but I definitely want to write a little bit about Vietnam so far. We got here in the middle of a downpour on Friday night, and made our way to "Yellow House" hotel along with a new (Canadian-shout out to Abby!) friend we met on the bus. We immediately noticed the economic differences between Vietnam and Cambodia, with things like taller, cleaner buildings, fancy stores every once and a while, and shiny new cars on the road. Pretty crazy to think about it being a Communist country too... Anyway, we got settled, fed and tucked into our new "home".
Saturday was our first real day here, and we got up bright and early per usual. I started with a great morning run to get my bearings and some initial reactions to the bustling city that I've heard so much about. First of all, the traffic here is absolutely insatiable (I hope that word makes sense there!). It is absolutely intense, but at the same time, it is really organized and there seems to be no road rage to speak of. People cross the street while thousands of motorbikes are headed right at them, but no one gets hit. There are horns beeping warning once and a while, but I have not seen anything like an impending accident or disaster. I will not be renting a bicycle here - that is for sure! Anyway, I survived the run and street crossing without disaster, and I got to seem some pretty cool streets, buildings (like Notre Dame Cathedral and the Opera House) and views of the Saigon River.
Arati and I then ventured to the "War Remnants Museum," where we got a huge dose of history about the Vietnam War. I have always been interested in the Vietnam War, but never understood so much of what actually happened, and finding out at this museum was definitely an eye-opener. The placards were definitely not glossed over, and the American involvement was not referred to calmly to say the least ("external fascism" was used on one sign). There was also a whole section of the museum devoted to the use of toxins and Agent Orange, and, for me, that was one of the most insane things to process. One placard noted that a tabelspoon of dioxin could kill a whole city with a population of 8 million people, and there were tons of photographs of the horrific ways that people and their children were disabled from the poison. Awful.
From the museum, we went to the Reunification Palace (or Independence Palace), where there are (supposedly) still events held by the current president. The architecture of the building was really strange and boxy, and it looked like something out of the 60s I'd say (though I'm not really sure about decades for architecture). The decor in each room was focused on one color, like one room was all mustard yellow, one pea green, etc., and, for the most part, the furtniture was all very straight and stiff looking. Basically, you would NOT be able to snuggle up on a cozy couch at this place...but I'm not really sure that the government really wants to promote such warm and fuzzy feelings anyway. Just saying.
Our legs were a little tired by this point, but we split up for some solo wandering anyway, and I went to the big market for a little while. Much bigger (or at least taller) than the Cambodian or Malaysian markets that we visited, the market had everything from coffee and trinkets to "Adidas" shoes and silk robes. It was definitely fun to browse and I even bargained (not very well) and got some almonds and shampoo - 2 necessities, clearly. Dinner followed and consisted of a delicious, basic meal of veggies and red rice in a clay pot that I watched the women cook in front of me. For lunch I had ended up in a restaurant that had duck in every single dish...it was good, but a whole restaurant centered around duck? Really?! The food here is definitely cheaper than it was in Cambodia (which was suprisingly NOT that cheap!)...so that's been a nice relief. Fell asleep pretty soon after that, one big whirlwind of a first day in Saigon.
Today was day 2, and it has been a more chill day for me. I ran this morning through the park (did NOT cross nearly as many streets this time!) and then walked around a while before going to church at Notre Dame with tons of other Vietnamese and foreigners. It was a really cool experience, and it was probably the first really big church I've been to since travelling began. The priest was Vietnamese (I think), but spoke English, so that was also really nice for me! Then, I took a motorbike (I did NOT drive, only rode on the back!) to get to the Ho Chi Minh Museum, where I got to look at lots and lots of photos (and propoganda) from the former President. There was also a big series of portraits done of him all made out of buttons--like the ones you sew onto clothes--and sequins. Not sure whose idea that was, but they were really fun to look at! After that, I did some more wandering and browsing around, and now I'm in a cafe hanging out until our bus leaves for Mui Ne at 3pm.
Although we were only here for a short while, I definitley feel like I've gotten a good sense of Ho Chi Minh City/ Saigon, and while it is chaotic, I do think that the overwhelmingness would start to wear off with time. There are plenty of parks to get some respite in and there are lots of little side streets and small shops to duck into and get away from the pollution and traffic.
Mui Ne is a little town on the coast, about 4 hrs. away from here, where there are supposed to be lots of windsurfers and we should be able to "sled" down sanddunes...I'm excited!
On that note, I should get moving - the joy of repacking and hauling my big (and growing) backpack never fades. Ugggh!
Keep in touch - thanks for all the good updates and notes I've been getting from you all! I'm trying to absorb and suck up everything as much as I can, but I miss you all!
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Angkor What?
Sorry, I know it's a little cliche for a title...but I couldn't help it :)
Arati and I are now in Siem Reap have spent the last 2 days exploring as many temples as possible in this absolutely incredible place. Before I get into that though, let me back up a little bit to when I last wrote.
After we left Sihanoukville, we took the bus (Mekong Express ROCKS!) back to Phnom Penh. At first, we were both a little angsty about getting back to the hustle, bustle, smog, and smells that encase the city, but we slowly found our groove again and laid out what we wanted to make sure and see during our last time in the city.
Our first afternoon, Friday, we went to see the Royal Palace and the Tuol Sleng Museum--two completely different sights that evoked two completely different reactions.
First, the Royal Palace is really big, impressive, fancy and fun to walk around and explore like a small child. Similar in many ways to the Thai Royal Palace, the compound had beautiful gardens, really intricate pagodas, and lots and lots (and lots) of Buddha statues with incense. One marked difference was the large amount of mirrors everywhere "for good luck." Unfortunately, the mirrors meant that you couldn't easily hide from your haggard, disheveled traveler appearance, BUT it's good to stay humble, right?! The other highlights of the Royal Palace for me were the ornate elephant mounts that the King rides on for different occasions, the "typical Cambodian house" with Cambodian musicians playing traditional instruments and a weaver working on her silk loom - really cool to watch.
After the Royal Palace, we went to the VERY sobering Tuol Sleng Museum. What is now a museum used to be a high school that became a prison and torture center during the Khmer Occupation in the late 70s. It was incredibly eerie and intense to enter, look around, and imagine the atrocities that went on in what used to be classrooms. There were many, many photographs of some of the 2 million people that died under the Khmer Rouge, many which depicted children, women, and babies. There were also many pictures that showed the torture techniques, skulls of victims, etc. and the explanations printed for visitors to read did not "gloss over" anything at all. It definitely shed a new light on Cambodia's (very recent) history, and gave me a lot of insight as to why the country is still so young and in many ways in recovery mode even now. The next day we went to the Killing Fields, where many of the prisoners from this place were taken to be tortured, executed, and dumped into mass graves. Again, really intense, firsthand history lessons. I'm still trying to wrap my head around it all.
After these experiences, we added one more bout with children to our time in Cambodia, and we volunteered at an NGO-run orphanage for street kids. We went for 2 hours to visit, play lots of "monkey ball" and just talk with the kids who live there. There are 29 kids who live there all the time, and the majority are between 10 and 16 years old. There were also 3 very young kids, maybe 3 or 4 years old. The kids were really great, and we had a blast with them. It was also really great to see how well some of the NGOs are succeeding in their endeavors, as these kids had definitely been given access to many opportunities that they wouldn't have otherwise had. For example, they take Japanese, English, and dance lessons on a regular basis, and they had been taken on a group trip to Singapore! While there are certainly millions of other street kids who need to be helped, our time at this orphanage was really inspiring and my heart goes out to them and the people that look after them. I only hope that they continue to thrive and do well...and that I am correct in saying that their orphanage is doing so much good. I really do think that it is.
After a morning at the Killing Fields, some wandering/shopping at the famous "Russian Market" with lots of sub par brand-name clothing, watching fisherman on the banks of the Mekong, and then our nice afternoon with the kids, I went to mass in French to top off my experience in Phnom Penh. There was definitely an upswing at the end, and I left with a pretty good feeling about the city. OH WAIT! I almost forgot! One of the BEST things ever about the city. There are these little areas, usually small parks, or in the Olympic Stadium, where tons of people cluster to exercise.
BUT, the types of exercise are the best part.
Imagine throngs of people doing strange, impromptu aerobics moves (with OR without music), alongside tai chi, badminton, all kinds of calisthenics, soccer, hackey sac, you name it.
Plus, Phnom Penh gets up super early, so all this excitement starts before the sun comes up.
I went for a few runs in these areas, and there was not a moment that I wasn't entertained watching the "athleticism" all around. Some of the guys definitely have more sway in their hips than I do - that's for sure.
Okay, so on to Siem Reap.
We arrived in Siem Reap after a 6 hr. bus ride on Sunday. Since this post is getting a little long, I will conclude today by saying that it has been utterly amazing and breathtaking.
We have biked around and around for hours, and it never gets old or boring. It's not like walking around a huge museum for days at a time when everything starts to blur together...or at least that happens to some of us (obviously me). But here, that hazy feeling doesn't really takeover so easily...at least it hasn't yet - and we've seen a LOT of ancient ruins!
The temples make you feel like you are the size of an ant, and each one is completely unique. Each has its own architecture, carvings, overall shape and size, environment (types of plants, trees, water, etc), and colors. As a result, each one puts you in a totally different mood. One minute you feel like you are in The Secret Garden and the next you are in Indiana Jones or Tomb Raider. Get my drift?
So, we have 2 more days here before we board a VERY long bus all the way to Ho Chi Minh City (almost 12 hrs I think...ugggh), and perhaps I'll give a temple update before we leave. If not, please know that there is NO DOUBT why Angkor Wat is one of the Ancient Wonders of the World, and if you were hesitating about whether or not you should try to see it at some point in your life, stop wondering--it's definitely worth it!
Arati and I are now in Siem Reap have spent the last 2 days exploring as many temples as possible in this absolutely incredible place. Before I get into that though, let me back up a little bit to when I last wrote.
After we left Sihanoukville, we took the bus (Mekong Express ROCKS!) back to Phnom Penh. At first, we were both a little angsty about getting back to the hustle, bustle, smog, and smells that encase the city, but we slowly found our groove again and laid out what we wanted to make sure and see during our last time in the city.
Our first afternoon, Friday, we went to see the Royal Palace and the Tuol Sleng Museum--two completely different sights that evoked two completely different reactions.
First, the Royal Palace is really big, impressive, fancy and fun to walk around and explore like a small child. Similar in many ways to the Thai Royal Palace, the compound had beautiful gardens, really intricate pagodas, and lots and lots (and lots) of Buddha statues with incense. One marked difference was the large amount of mirrors everywhere "for good luck." Unfortunately, the mirrors meant that you couldn't easily hide from your haggard, disheveled traveler appearance, BUT it's good to stay humble, right?! The other highlights of the Royal Palace for me were the ornate elephant mounts that the King rides on for different occasions, the "typical Cambodian house" with Cambodian musicians playing traditional instruments and a weaver working on her silk loom - really cool to watch.
After the Royal Palace, we went to the VERY sobering Tuol Sleng Museum. What is now a museum used to be a high school that became a prison and torture center during the Khmer Occupation in the late 70s. It was incredibly eerie and intense to enter, look around, and imagine the atrocities that went on in what used to be classrooms. There were many, many photographs of some of the 2 million people that died under the Khmer Rouge, many which depicted children, women, and babies. There were also many pictures that showed the torture techniques, skulls of victims, etc. and the explanations printed for visitors to read did not "gloss over" anything at all. It definitely shed a new light on Cambodia's (very recent) history, and gave me a lot of insight as to why the country is still so young and in many ways in recovery mode even now. The next day we went to the Killing Fields, where many of the prisoners from this place were taken to be tortured, executed, and dumped into mass graves. Again, really intense, firsthand history lessons. I'm still trying to wrap my head around it all.
After these experiences, we added one more bout with children to our time in Cambodia, and we volunteered at an NGO-run orphanage for street kids. We went for 2 hours to visit, play lots of "monkey ball" and just talk with the kids who live there. There are 29 kids who live there all the time, and the majority are between 10 and 16 years old. There were also 3 very young kids, maybe 3 or 4 years old. The kids were really great, and we had a blast with them. It was also really great to see how well some of the NGOs are succeeding in their endeavors, as these kids had definitely been given access to many opportunities that they wouldn't have otherwise had. For example, they take Japanese, English, and dance lessons on a regular basis, and they had been taken on a group trip to Singapore! While there are certainly millions of other street kids who need to be helped, our time at this orphanage was really inspiring and my heart goes out to them and the people that look after them. I only hope that they continue to thrive and do well...and that I am correct in saying that their orphanage is doing so much good. I really do think that it is.
After a morning at the Killing Fields, some wandering/shopping at the famous "Russian Market" with lots of sub par brand-name clothing, watching fisherman on the banks of the Mekong, and then our nice afternoon with the kids, I went to mass in French to top off my experience in Phnom Penh. There was definitely an upswing at the end, and I left with a pretty good feeling about the city. OH WAIT! I almost forgot! One of the BEST things ever about the city. There are these little areas, usually small parks, or in the Olympic Stadium, where tons of people cluster to exercise.
BUT, the types of exercise are the best part.
Imagine throngs of people doing strange, impromptu aerobics moves (with OR without music), alongside tai chi, badminton, all kinds of calisthenics, soccer, hackey sac, you name it.
Plus, Phnom Penh gets up super early, so all this excitement starts before the sun comes up.
I went for a few runs in these areas, and there was not a moment that I wasn't entertained watching the "athleticism" all around. Some of the guys definitely have more sway in their hips than I do - that's for sure.
Okay, so on to Siem Reap.
We arrived in Siem Reap after a 6 hr. bus ride on Sunday. Since this post is getting a little long, I will conclude today by saying that it has been utterly amazing and breathtaking.
We have biked around and around for hours, and it never gets old or boring. It's not like walking around a huge museum for days at a time when everything starts to blur together...or at least that happens to some of us (obviously me). But here, that hazy feeling doesn't really takeover so easily...at least it hasn't yet - and we've seen a LOT of ancient ruins!
The temples make you feel like you are the size of an ant, and each one is completely unique. Each has its own architecture, carvings, overall shape and size, environment (types of plants, trees, water, etc), and colors. As a result, each one puts you in a totally different mood. One minute you feel like you are in The Secret Garden and the next you are in Indiana Jones or Tomb Raider. Get my drift?
So, we have 2 more days here before we board a VERY long bus all the way to Ho Chi Minh City (almost 12 hrs I think...ugggh), and perhaps I'll give a temple update before we leave. If not, please know that there is NO DOUBT why Angkor Wat is one of the Ancient Wonders of the World, and if you were hesitating about whether or not you should try to see it at some point in your life, stop wondering--it's definitely worth it!
Thursday, October 15, 2009
I'm a tea-CHA! Well, sort of...
We have been at the Home of English School in Sihanoukville, Cambodia (on the coast of the Gulf of Thailand) for about one week now, and I thought I'd give a brief update before we leave the area and my thoughts and impressions about this mini-experience begin to dissipate.
We have been really warmly welcomed into the school, and the teachers have let us sit in on and observe (and I've even gotten to teach a few classes!) the teachers and students here. We've also been living in an apartment AT the school, so that has been nice (and cheap!).
By the way, the reason for the title of this post is that, when you enter a classroom here, the students all stand and, in unison, greet you by saying, "Hello, TEACHER!" (Pronounced: TEA-CHA, with lots of emphasis and enthusiasm on the CHA!). Pretty great. Not to mention, you feel like a little bit of a celebrity, which never hurts...don't worry, I won't let it get to my head.
So, overall, everyone has been so gracious, welcoming, and forthcoming, and I will definitely not forget this part of our Cambodian experience. It has been a nice change of pace to really get to do something hands-on with the community and to meet some people on a very different level. The students are a little shy about speaking, but (especially the young ones) are a lot of fun to be around and very eager to do their best and get their work done well. The teachers use a lot of games, interactive activities, and recitation to help the students learn English, and overall, I'd say good things are happening. Also, the teachers are very interested and eager to hear about how they are doing, how they can improve, and how American teachers teach. It's been fun to share stories and to compare. A little weird to be in a classroom again too!
Other than our school experience, we did get to the beach here for a few hours as well, and it is another gem of a beach. We certainly have seen some diverse and beautiful coastlines on this trip. The water was VERY warm in the Gulf, and the sand makes a kind of squeak when you walk on it! I also went to the Catholic Church here, and it turns out that it was actually used as a prison during the Khmer occupation...a little eerie. Other than that, we've been pretty busy at our "classes" and nursing a few "bad stomachs" - I think we've had the most food "reactions" in this country so far...boo! (Luckily Arati and I seem to alternate the days we feel a little less than great, so that's good). BUT, we are both feeling good today, and we are going to try and see the coast one more time before we have to say good-bye to Sihanoukville in tomorrow.
Leah Sen Heuy (= Good-Bye in Khmer)
Until next time...
We have been really warmly welcomed into the school, and the teachers have let us sit in on and observe (and I've even gotten to teach a few classes!) the teachers and students here. We've also been living in an apartment AT the school, so that has been nice (and cheap!).
By the way, the reason for the title of this post is that, when you enter a classroom here, the students all stand and, in unison, greet you by saying, "Hello, TEACHER!" (Pronounced: TEA-CHA, with lots of emphasis and enthusiasm on the CHA!). Pretty great. Not to mention, you feel like a little bit of a celebrity, which never hurts...don't worry, I won't let it get to my head.
So, overall, everyone has been so gracious, welcoming, and forthcoming, and I will definitely not forget this part of our Cambodian experience. It has been a nice change of pace to really get to do something hands-on with the community and to meet some people on a very different level. The students are a little shy about speaking, but (especially the young ones) are a lot of fun to be around and very eager to do their best and get their work done well. The teachers use a lot of games, interactive activities, and recitation to help the students learn English, and overall, I'd say good things are happening. Also, the teachers are very interested and eager to hear about how they are doing, how they can improve, and how American teachers teach. It's been fun to share stories and to compare. A little weird to be in a classroom again too!
Other than our school experience, we did get to the beach here for a few hours as well, and it is another gem of a beach. We certainly have seen some diverse and beautiful coastlines on this trip. The water was VERY warm in the Gulf, and the sand makes a kind of squeak when you walk on it! I also went to the Catholic Church here, and it turns out that it was actually used as a prison during the Khmer occupation...a little eerie. Other than that, we've been pretty busy at our "classes" and nursing a few "bad stomachs" - I think we've had the most food "reactions" in this country so far...boo! (Luckily Arati and I seem to alternate the days we feel a little less than great, so that's good). BUT, we are both feeling good today, and we are going to try and see the coast one more time before we have to say good-bye to Sihanoukville in tomorrow.
Leah Sen Heuy (= Good-Bye in Khmer)
Until next time...
Monday, October 12, 2009
Cambodians like to wear Pajama Sets...in the daytime.
It's true. There are silky PJ sets, animal prints, cartoon characters, and florals on Cambodian women everywhere. And, no, it is not nighttime.
Anyway,
Arati and I got to Phnom Penh safely after a very long journey from Kuta in Bali to Cambodia on Thursday. The 6hr. layover in Kuala Lumpur was particularly exciting (not), but I did stock up on some good snacks as I tried to spend the last of my Malaysian ringgit leftover from our last time in Malaysia - score!
From the airport, we crammed into a tuk-tuk with our big bags and 2 other travellers (one young French art buyer, Farid, and one air force kid from Utah, Brook) and we were whisked away to the Angkor International Hotel, where we checked in. For $5 each, Arati and I got new toothbrushes and TP with the room...but there was a slight (okay, really gross) mold problem...I guess you win some, lose some, right?! Ughhh...
Anyway, after a quick face washing, we ventured out of the hotel and through some serious chaos and a big food market to get to the Mekong River area for dinner. On the way, we ended up getting our first big dose of the smells (seriously potent) and strange foods that are all over the place here. Skinned frogs, baby birds, spiders, snakes on a stick, HUGE animals on spits, etc. Basically whatever you can imagine was and is available for consumption.
Sidenote: While I definitely did try a wide array of random street baked goods while wandering over the next few days in the city (taro ice cream and pastries are at the top of the list!), I didn't go for anything with eyes or lungs...still not quite THAT adventurous (or just didn't want to pay for it later...).
The main impressions I have of Cambodia so far center around the definite contrasts that exist here. There are really nice/upscale/organic (mostly NGO-sponsored) shops and cafes, ornate architecture on the Royal Palace and National Museum, wide French boulevards, and decent places to stay...and then there are tons of begging street children, really poor and flooded neighborhoods along train tracks, people bathing, fishing, washing, and peeing basically beside each other in the Mekong River and the haunting Khmer history. There is a very weird and emotionally challenging element to the place to say the least. I'd say I've hit a few "walls" in the past few days, and I am fairly certain that this dichotomy that exists has played a role in those feelings.
Anyhow, once we settled into our hotel, most of the 2nd day (and 3rd too) was spent traipsing all over the city to talk to NGOs about short term volunteer options, as Arati and I decided that Cambodia might be our best bet at finding a place to do something like that. Needless to say, I walked a lot and talked to a LOT of people, but there is a lot of red tape and need for referral from the US and/or previously established NGO connections. HOWEVER, I did not give up, and I also asked the hotel for a Christian church (thinking that there might be a connection to some charities there), and I ended up at a big, Mormon (yes there are Mormon Cambodians) church in Phnom Pehn that actually led to something, yeah!
Long story short, Elder and Sister Nelson (very sweet couple on a mission from Utah) sent me to Steve's Steakhouse down the street because the owner, Steve, has many English schools for Cambodians...
We talked...
We bonded a little...
Then, Steve drove Arati and I with his wife and son to the Southwestern coastal city of Sihanoukville on Sunday...
He set us up in an apartment in the school building...
AND, we are staying at the school for the week and volunteering/observing/participating in child and adult English classes
It is certainly crazy how things transpire when your options are open and you talk to lots of people. Really good, genuine people seem to keep popping up for us along the road as well...
I'm still using lots of ellipses aren't I? Sorry...
Anyway, it's definitely been very interesting talking to Steve and his wife, hearing his story, and actually experiencing one of the MANY English schools that are sprouting up all over Cambodia. Teach for America, go global - they need you here! Today, I got to sit at a little desk and observe teachers and students today...oh how the tides have turned. I must say, I was not jealous of the teachers, but the kids are a million times more respectful, EVEN the teenagers!
We are staying here until the end of the week and then taking the bus back to Phnom Penh and then to Angkor Wat in Siem Reap (I'm so excited for that!). Also, exciting news, we got our Vietnam visas today (in a grand total of 7 minutes or so) at the embassy here...so in case you ever need to get that done, do it HERE.
More later...
Thinking of you all :)
Anyway,
Arati and I got to Phnom Penh safely after a very long journey from Kuta in Bali to Cambodia on Thursday. The 6hr. layover in Kuala Lumpur was particularly exciting (not), but I did stock up on some good snacks as I tried to spend the last of my Malaysian ringgit leftover from our last time in Malaysia - score!
From the airport, we crammed into a tuk-tuk with our big bags and 2 other travellers (one young French art buyer, Farid, and one air force kid from Utah, Brook) and we were whisked away to the Angkor International Hotel, where we checked in. For $5 each, Arati and I got new toothbrushes and TP with the room...but there was a slight (okay, really gross) mold problem...I guess you win some, lose some, right?! Ughhh...
Anyway, after a quick face washing, we ventured out of the hotel and through some serious chaos and a big food market to get to the Mekong River area for dinner. On the way, we ended up getting our first big dose of the smells (seriously potent) and strange foods that are all over the place here. Skinned frogs, baby birds, spiders, snakes on a stick, HUGE animals on spits, etc. Basically whatever you can imagine was and is available for consumption.
Sidenote: While I definitely did try a wide array of random street baked goods while wandering over the next few days in the city (taro ice cream and pastries are at the top of the list!), I didn't go for anything with eyes or lungs...still not quite THAT adventurous (or just didn't want to pay for it later...).
The main impressions I have of Cambodia so far center around the definite contrasts that exist here. There are really nice/upscale/organic (mostly NGO-sponsored) shops and cafes, ornate architecture on the Royal Palace and National Museum, wide French boulevards, and decent places to stay...and then there are tons of begging street children, really poor and flooded neighborhoods along train tracks, people bathing, fishing, washing, and peeing basically beside each other in the Mekong River and the haunting Khmer history. There is a very weird and emotionally challenging element to the place to say the least. I'd say I've hit a few "walls" in the past few days, and I am fairly certain that this dichotomy that exists has played a role in those feelings.
Anyhow, once we settled into our hotel, most of the 2nd day (and 3rd too) was spent traipsing all over the city to talk to NGOs about short term volunteer options, as Arati and I decided that Cambodia might be our best bet at finding a place to do something like that. Needless to say, I walked a lot and talked to a LOT of people, but there is a lot of red tape and need for referral from the US and/or previously established NGO connections. HOWEVER, I did not give up, and I also asked the hotel for a Christian church (thinking that there might be a connection to some charities there), and I ended up at a big, Mormon (yes there are Mormon Cambodians) church in Phnom Pehn that actually led to something, yeah!
Long story short, Elder and Sister Nelson (very sweet couple on a mission from Utah) sent me to Steve's Steakhouse down the street because the owner, Steve, has many English schools for Cambodians...
We talked...
We bonded a little...
Then, Steve drove Arati and I with his wife and son to the Southwestern coastal city of Sihanoukville on Sunday...
He set us up in an apartment in the school building...
AND, we are staying at the school for the week and volunteering/observing/participating in child and adult English classes
It is certainly crazy how things transpire when your options are open and you talk to lots of people. Really good, genuine people seem to keep popping up for us along the road as well...
I'm still using lots of ellipses aren't I? Sorry...
Anyway, it's definitely been very interesting talking to Steve and his wife, hearing his story, and actually experiencing one of the MANY English schools that are sprouting up all over Cambodia. Teach for America, go global - they need you here! Today, I got to sit at a little desk and observe teachers and students today...oh how the tides have turned. I must say, I was not jealous of the teachers, but the kids are a million times more respectful, EVEN the teenagers!
We are staying here until the end of the week and then taking the bus back to Phnom Penh and then to Angkor Wat in Siem Reap (I'm so excited for that!). Also, exciting news, we got our Vietnam visas today (in a grand total of 7 minutes or so) at the embassy here...so in case you ever need to get that done, do it HERE.
More later...
Thinking of you all :)
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Tomorrow = leaving on a jet plane....for Cambodia
As a very nice Indonesian boy played the Jewel version of "Leaving on a Jet Plane" for us on his Mp3 phone...oh Bali, I don't want to leave you!
It's Wednesday morning and we are back in Bali for one more big dose of Kuta Beach before we leave bright and early for Phenom Penh, Cambodia tomorrow morning. Things are still going really well travel-wise, though it seems like it's been a while since I last wrote. Partly, that's because our days are so long and packed. For one, Arati and I get up around 6 am pretty much every morning (I think our type A/carpe diem attitudes prevent us from ever truly becoming total backpacker bums!), and when you have to think about each meal, where you're sleeping, etc. everyday, nothing is very passive, and the days seem very full. Not a bad thing, just a different mindset and level of interaction with your day.
Since Senggigi beach, we ventured on a semi-sketchy shuttle bus ride up to a harbor city, and then we took a public "ferry" over to the Gili Islands, off the northwest tip of Lombok. There are 3 islands: Gili Air, Gili Meno, and Gili Trawangan. All three have their own "flavor," and none of them has cars, much electricity, or fresh water (well some nice hotels CLAIM they do, but frankly, we're skeptical). Anyway, we decided these islands were a must-see, and we chose to head for Gili Air first.
First of all, the boat to get there:
Oh man.
The boat was a big carved out wooded shell of sorts with benches running down the sides. There are tons of these brightly colored fishing boats around the islands and port cities, and they really are all unique and pretty to see. Not to mention, they have awesome names like "Hercules" and "Titanic."
Anyway, the boat was packed with all kinds of fruits, vegetables, and assorted other things that needed to get to the islands. There were 4 non-locals on the boat, Arati, me and 2 Dutch travellers, and we sat up front while our bags were loaded somewhere in between the cabbage, tomatoes, and ice cream cones. Then the boat filled itself with people way past capacity, and we took off. The ride was a little bumpy, but it was only about 30 minutes until we got to Gili Air.
Gili Air:
bungalow living
dirt road around the island (about 90 minutes to circumnavigate)
little buggies with horses for transport
really cute beach side restaurants with pillows and lap-tables
lots of music all over the place
salt water showers
mosquito nets
quiet, peaceful
windy
gorgeous sunsets
low key and relaxing
Our main adventures while on the island were several walks and runs around the island, talking to lots of locals once again, and an awesome snorkeling trip in a glass bottom boat. The snorkeling was absolutely incredible. The fish, corrals, and sea TURTLES (I TOUCHED ONE) were so beautiful and just right there. Another reminder that the world is SO big, and there is a whole other community and variety of life UNDER the water! Our boat "captain" was an Indonesian guy (about 18 years old), who went by "Ringo Star" and his 2 friends. They were great and found several turtles for us while we (Arati, me and 4 others) paddled around in the topaz waters. Great fun.
After 2 nights on Gili Air (by the way, "Air" means water in Bahasa...funny, huh?!), we went over to Gili Trawangan (we skipped over Gili Meno because it's really quiet, a little more pricey, and we had lunch there already during our snorkel trip).
The last of the 3 Gili Islands, Trawangan, is the most equipped with technology - Internet cafes, albeit expensive and slow, are available for use, and the horses pulling the carts were markedly larger and faster! This one also has the reputation for being the "party island," but lucky for us it was low season and still relatively quiet and not swarming in tourists. The main adventures for us on Gili Trawangan were some more snorkeling, exploring the roads and pathways around the island, and searching for gorgeous sunsets, more photo-ops, and friendly Indonesians to chat with. Some delicious Indonesian food was eaten: gado-gado and chop chay are my personal favorite dishes...the red snapper I ate will NOT be repeated soon (my stomach insists).
After our last day of semi-deserted island adventuring, we were happy but quite grimy, and pretty happy to get back to fresh water showers and laundry facilities. We opted for the "fast boat" back to Bali (because the slow route would have taken almost 10 hours total!), and this boat was crazy. It was a speed boat that could have probably fit 20 people max, and the water was REALLY choppy! There were a couple of Hail Mary moments for sure. BUT, we made it in 3 hours, and nobody lost their lunch. Success!
Our last days in Bali are being spent back in Kuta, where we had our awesome surf lessons a week or so ago. The surf is still gorgeous and the beach so wide and flat - perfect. The sunsets here are also unlike anywhere we've seen (and I'm pretty sure there are fewer roosters than any other place we've been in Indonesia...seriously, the roosters crow incessantly at ALL hours here).
We continue to be in good spirits and are healthy and full of energy.
The goal is to continue to suck up as MUCH as I can out of everyday and to continuously reflect upon and be grateful for these experiences and adventures (which this blog is great for!).
Although I'm definitely a little sad to leave Bali (I MUST COME BACK!), I am also excited to get to Cambodia - a place I've definitely been intrigued by for a long time. I am also excited to hopefully find some structured (or unstructured!) volunteer options there, as we have a more extended amount of time in the country, and there seem to be more options for that sort of thing there. Fingers crossed.
Thinking of you all lots!! I promise I'll try to use fewer parentheses, dashes, and ellipses next time...we'll see how that works out...
Thursday, October 1, 2009
Lombok
We are safe and sound in the town of Senggigi, which is on the island of Lombok - far from the earthquake in Sumatra.
This is a very, very quiet town, particularly since there are no tourists here at the moment. We arrived yesterday after a very long ferry ride from Padangbai in Bali, and got to our place, Sonya House, around 4pm. It's PRETTY rough around the edges, i.e. mosquito netting, a big hole for water to pour down on you from, and frequent power outages, BUT it's cheap and has awesome banana pancakes (I'm becoming quite the connosieur of banana pancakes).
Today was a pretty slow one, and we especially felt the change in pace after our hectic, whirlwind days in Bali. I eased into the day with a sunrise run and prayer call in the distance, and the lack of things to do plus an overcast sky meant that Arati and I both got lots of reading in, which was nice. There are tons of locals who love to try out their English more than I'd noticed before getting to this island. "Hello," "How are you?" "Where are you from?" "Obama!" and "Where are you going?" are the standards, but there have also been a few "I want to be your boyfriend"s and the like. Overall people love to talk and try to sell you things, but it is never offensive or too pushy. There is very little business for the people who make a living selling their crafts and sarongs and things, and the poverty here is much more noticeable...so I've caved and purchased a few things here and there. Mostly though, a smile and some conversation is all people are really looking for.
I mostly just wanted to post today so that everyone would know that we were safe from the natural disasters happening in the country and region, but since I'm typing, I'll mention one big highlight from today. While I was aimlessly wandering a little (because you all know I can't sit still for very long), a few really cute little boys who I had taken a picture of at the beach earlier in the day saw me on a side street and started leading me to their village. I followed them through some little streets, far away from the touristy main street, shops and restaurants, past the mosque, and up into the hills. The boys, around 10-11 yrs. old and led by the most precocious in the bunch, took me to say hello to many families and tried to teach me some Indonesian words along the way. We ended up at one of their families houses (a little hut made of bamboo) and the kids knocked a mango out of a tree for me to eat. The parents at the house warmly welcomed me, had me sit down to eat an icee out of a bag, and plopped a grimy baby with no pants in my lap. Awesome.
The father spoke pretty good English, and he told me about the area and his family. The kids all go to a school in the village very near by, and they all begin officially learning English in high school. Also, because a lot of tourists come to the beaches, the beach bum kids end up with lots more catch phrases and charming little English sayings. It was definitely a fun adventure for the afternoon, and I now have a place to come crash if I ever visit here again (with my newfound young friends). Again, the poverty is apparent, but the smiles are even more evident. People seem to care about each other here and they take the time to smile and greet you -a little thing that truly goes a long way.
On that note,
my thoughts are with the people near the earthquake.
All is well here.
Leaving on a boat to the Gili Islands tomorrow...
This is a very, very quiet town, particularly since there are no tourists here at the moment. We arrived yesterday after a very long ferry ride from Padangbai in Bali, and got to our place, Sonya House, around 4pm. It's PRETTY rough around the edges, i.e. mosquito netting, a big hole for water to pour down on you from, and frequent power outages, BUT it's cheap and has awesome banana pancakes (I'm becoming quite the connosieur of banana pancakes).
Today was a pretty slow one, and we especially felt the change in pace after our hectic, whirlwind days in Bali. I eased into the day with a sunrise run and prayer call in the distance, and the lack of things to do plus an overcast sky meant that Arati and I both got lots of reading in, which was nice. There are tons of locals who love to try out their English more than I'd noticed before getting to this island. "Hello," "How are you?" "Where are you from?" "Obama!" and "Where are you going?" are the standards, but there have also been a few "I want to be your boyfriend"s and the like. Overall people love to talk and try to sell you things, but it is never offensive or too pushy. There is very little business for the people who make a living selling their crafts and sarongs and things, and the poverty here is much more noticeable...so I've caved and purchased a few things here and there. Mostly though, a smile and some conversation is all people are really looking for.
I mostly just wanted to post today so that everyone would know that we were safe from the natural disasters happening in the country and region, but since I'm typing, I'll mention one big highlight from today. While I was aimlessly wandering a little (because you all know I can't sit still for very long), a few really cute little boys who I had taken a picture of at the beach earlier in the day saw me on a side street and started leading me to their village. I followed them through some little streets, far away from the touristy main street, shops and restaurants, past the mosque, and up into the hills. The boys, around 10-11 yrs. old and led by the most precocious in the bunch, took me to say hello to many families and tried to teach me some Indonesian words along the way. We ended up at one of their families houses (a little hut made of bamboo) and the kids knocked a mango out of a tree for me to eat. The parents at the house warmly welcomed me, had me sit down to eat an icee out of a bag, and plopped a grimy baby with no pants in my lap. Awesome.
The father spoke pretty good English, and he told me about the area and his family. The kids all go to a school in the village very near by, and they all begin officially learning English in high school. Also, because a lot of tourists come to the beaches, the beach bum kids end up with lots more catch phrases and charming little English sayings. It was definitely a fun adventure for the afternoon, and I now have a place to come crash if I ever visit here again (with my newfound young friends). Again, the poverty is apparent, but the smiles are even more evident. People seem to care about each other here and they take the time to smile and greet you -a little thing that truly goes a long way.
On that note,
my thoughts are with the people near the earthquake.
All is well here.
Leaving on a boat to the Gili Islands tomorrow...
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