Tonight is my last night in Tokyo, the last night of my one month vacation. I've been staying in the No Legroom Suite at the Over-priced Hotel, but that's how things are here. Expensive and often small. But I don't want to overstate things: It might be cheaper here than Europe nowadays.
Tokyo confirms for me that I prefer to travel in small towns or the countryside, where it's easier to meet and talk with people. This city is big and crowded and confusing, so I've often felt lost. And since I have no interest in shopping, I've found myself at wit's end as to what to do with myself other than walk around looking at everything that looks like everwhere else here.
But last night I happened to fall in with a great group of people when I stopped at a bar for a drink. I ended up spending all my money on a round of drinks, then going to a club, then walking home with the help of convenience store clerks who somehow gave me directions. Fortunately it wasn't really that far.
It was a nice last adventure and sums up what I'll miss when I'm back home: meeting many new people, making new friends, and having new adventures every single day.
Saturday, March 29, 2008
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Kyoto
I arrived at Osaka-Kansai airport yesterday with no hotels booked -- and was rescued by the kind women at the tourist help desk. They spent over an hour phoning around and were able to book me 3 hotels, one for each night of my stay here. Kyoto is a popular town.
The Japanese are back in the 90s when it comes to doing things over the internet. It's very odd and surprising. I was also having trouble finding a hotel in Tokyo, so just a few minutes ago I walked into a major Japanese chain hotel (APA) to see if they could book me a room at one of their Tokyo hotels. I expected them to just look it up on a computer. But no. The young lady who helped me took a hotel brochure and started calling them individually. Fortunately, she found one on the second call, thus saving me hours on the internet, paying a fortune, or showing up in Tokyo with no room at all.
First observations in Kyoto: Lots of Pachinko parlors, there are coin-operated drink dispensers absolutely everywhere, and it's hard to know what is a restaurant and what is not. And then there's the women's fashions... The young women here like mini skirts, mini-mini skirts, Daisy-Duke-style short shorts, and wearing their nighties in public, leggings and tights optional in every case. It's kind of a high-class prostitute look that sometimes makes you feel like a pervert, sometimes makes you want to say "halleluyah", and sometimes both at the same time. It's a little odd, especially since the nightie look seems to be most common among teenage girls walking around with their parents.
For some reason, Japan is very confusing. Or maybe it just seems confusing after China. Everything feels familiar, contemporary and normal on the one hand, but completely strange on the other. I have the vague sense that the Japanese generally do the opposite of what we think is right. For better or worse, the Chinese as a people seem a lot like we Americans. Better: Easy-going, casual, friendly, short on ceremony, practical, straightforward, liking noise and fun. Worse: Idiotic politics, stubborn, uncouth, uncultured, accepting of ugliness.
I remember the realization I had in Yangshuo when bicycling around and trying to figure out how the traffic worked: You can basically do whatever you feel like and everyone else just has to deal with it. That seems rather American, too. And anti-Japanese.
The Japanese are back in the 90s when it comes to doing things over the internet. It's very odd and surprising. I was also having trouble finding a hotel in Tokyo, so just a few minutes ago I walked into a major Japanese chain hotel (APA) to see if they could book me a room at one of their Tokyo hotels. I expected them to just look it up on a computer. But no. The young lady who helped me took a hotel brochure and started calling them individually. Fortunately, she found one on the second call, thus saving me hours on the internet, paying a fortune, or showing up in Tokyo with no room at all.
First observations in Kyoto: Lots of Pachinko parlors, there are coin-operated drink dispensers absolutely everywhere, and it's hard to know what is a restaurant and what is not. And then there's the women's fashions... The young women here like mini skirts, mini-mini skirts, Daisy-Duke-style short shorts, and wearing their nighties in public, leggings and tights optional in every case. It's kind of a high-class prostitute look that sometimes makes you feel like a pervert, sometimes makes you want to say "halleluyah", and sometimes both at the same time. It's a little odd, especially since the nightie look seems to be most common among teenage girls walking around with their parents.
For some reason, Japan is very confusing. Or maybe it just seems confusing after China. Everything feels familiar, contemporary and normal on the one hand, but completely strange on the other. I have the vague sense that the Japanese generally do the opposite of what we think is right. For better or worse, the Chinese as a people seem a lot like we Americans. Better: Easy-going, casual, friendly, short on ceremony, practical, straightforward, liking noise and fun. Worse: Idiotic politics, stubborn, uncouth, uncultured, accepting of ugliness.
I remember the realization I had in Yangshuo when bicycling around and trying to figure out how the traffic worked: You can basically do whatever you feel like and everyone else just has to deal with it. That seems rather American, too. And anti-Japanese.
Monday, March 17, 2008
Ni hao (hello)
It's time I update this, I guess... I'm in Dali, an easy-going, relaxed town beneath a range of snow-capped mountains, near to one of China's biggest lake. It's kind of a backpacker's town, so there's good western food and other conveniences--all of which is nice to have after roughing it the past few days.
We arrived here yesterday from Zhongdian (also known as Shangri-la; a feeble Chinese marketing ploy, that, sadly, seems to have worked). Zhongdian is up on the Tibetan plateau and feels different from China proper. The people are mostly tibetan and other ethnic groups. You see Tibetan-buddhist stupas draped with prayer flags.
It was very cold up there. Our hotel had no heat, in true Chinese style. The first day was fun. It was kind of warm and some of us took a bus out to a big Tibetan monastery.
The next day... Well, it was kind of miserable. After the car crash, getting hit by a truck just felt like an appropriate way to end the day. We went on a "tour" to a natural spring with lots of calcium formations, where a festival was taking place. It sounded like fun over dinner, but then the ride took 3 hours, all along narrow mountain roads that wound around and around up and down the mountains. The festival was okay.
Going back, dad and I were in the second of two vans (our group of 10 needed to be separated into two groups). Just like the getting there, it was taking forever. I took a nap, then David, one of the guys in the tour, pointed out the kilometer markers to me. So I was boringly counting down the markers one by one: 43, 42, missed one somehow, 40, 39, when all of a sudden I hear a shout and see the large blue grill of a truck right in front of the driver.
The truck smashed into us, cracking the glass and pushing in the driver's side of the front. We were pushed back a ways until we stopped. I looked back and saw dad okay but frightened, then saw Damien (a guy from Switerland), with blood running down his face. "Where are my glasses?" he said. But then I stopped paying attention to him, because I was worried that just like in a bad movie, we were hanging over the edge of a cliff.
There was frantic confusion with no one knowing what to do or how to get out. Then the driver got out--he could open the door on his side--and, paying us no attention, went out to argue with the truck driver. Our Tibetan guide, who was a very nice young man who sang us Tibetan songs earlier in the drive, saw to Damien, and then we got out somehow. We weren't over a cliff, although a rear tire was hanging over the edge of the road. Fortunately, they drive slowly along those roads, so we were probably going no more than 20 miles an hour on average--and both we and the truck were surely going slower than that when we hit.
Just to wrap all this up and leave out the boring details, everyone was okay, although all of us in the tour were shaken up. Damien got some stitches at the hospital, but was not hurt too badly. I had my left arm on the back of the driver's seat, and so my arm got shoved back and I've been a little sore from that. We spent the evening at the Raven, a nice, warm bar next to our awful hotel. We ordered in pizzas, partied with Tibetan students, and danced to cheesy 80s songs. It was a good way to wind down from the day. We need a little party, for sure!
Okay, I've had enough writing... Maybe I'll write about Tiger Leaping Gorge another time (it was awesome for me; less so for my never-hiked-before dad who didn't know that trails have rocks in them). The scenery was stunning and I had my first taste of yak butter tea.
We arrived here yesterday from Zhongdian (also known as Shangri-la; a feeble Chinese marketing ploy, that, sadly, seems to have worked). Zhongdian is up on the Tibetan plateau and feels different from China proper. The people are mostly tibetan and other ethnic groups. You see Tibetan-buddhist stupas draped with prayer flags.
It was very cold up there. Our hotel had no heat, in true Chinese style. The first day was fun. It was kind of warm and some of us took a bus out to a big Tibetan monastery.
The next day... Well, it was kind of miserable. After the car crash, getting hit by a truck just felt like an appropriate way to end the day. We went on a "tour" to a natural spring with lots of calcium formations, where a festival was taking place. It sounded like fun over dinner, but then the ride took 3 hours, all along narrow mountain roads that wound around and around up and down the mountains. The festival was okay.
Going back, dad and I were in the second of two vans (our group of 10 needed to be separated into two groups). Just like the getting there, it was taking forever. I took a nap, then David, one of the guys in the tour, pointed out the kilometer markers to me. So I was boringly counting down the markers one by one: 43, 42, missed one somehow, 40, 39, when all of a sudden I hear a shout and see the large blue grill of a truck right in front of the driver.
The truck smashed into us, cracking the glass and pushing in the driver's side of the front. We were pushed back a ways until we stopped. I looked back and saw dad okay but frightened, then saw Damien (a guy from Switerland), with blood running down his face. "Where are my glasses?" he said. But then I stopped paying attention to him, because I was worried that just like in a bad movie, we were hanging over the edge of a cliff.
There was frantic confusion with no one knowing what to do or how to get out. Then the driver got out--he could open the door on his side--and, paying us no attention, went out to argue with the truck driver. Our Tibetan guide, who was a very nice young man who sang us Tibetan songs earlier in the drive, saw to Damien, and then we got out somehow. We weren't over a cliff, although a rear tire was hanging over the edge of the road. Fortunately, they drive slowly along those roads, so we were probably going no more than 20 miles an hour on average--and both we and the truck were surely going slower than that when we hit.
Just to wrap all this up and leave out the boring details, everyone was okay, although all of us in the tour were shaken up. Damien got some stitches at the hospital, but was not hurt too badly. I had my left arm on the back of the driver's seat, and so my arm got shoved back and I've been a little sore from that. We spent the evening at the Raven, a nice, warm bar next to our awful hotel. We ordered in pizzas, partied with Tibetan students, and danced to cheesy 80s songs. It was a good way to wind down from the day. We need a little party, for sure!
Okay, I've had enough writing... Maybe I'll write about Tiger Leaping Gorge another time (it was awesome for me; less so for my never-hiked-before dad who didn't know that trails have rocks in them). The scenery was stunning and I had my first taste of yak butter tea.
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
Lijiang
We're at the end of our stay in Lijiang. The old town is very charming, with old stone streets, wood buildings, and canals and waterways running throughout the town. It's also full of Chinese tourists, so the place is a bit of a tourist trap, too, with people dressed up in "traditional" costumes and lots of stores selling knick-knacks, jewelry, and leather goods. To the north, the Jade Snow Mountain rises above the other mountains, capped with snow. It's very beautiful.
We finally have perfect weather and clean air! That's been a big relief. We really like the Intrepid tour, too. We're having fun hanging out with our new Australian, Swiss, and English friends. One of the best things about Intrepid tours, I have to admit, is that not many Americans take them. I like that since I prefer meeting people from other countries.
Tommorrow we start the Tiger Leaping Gorge trek. Dad's been concerned, but I think he feels confident about it now. I have no worries for him at all now that I know more about the trek and have seen his capabilities. For me, I could probably do the whole two days worth of hiking in 3 hours or less. So I'm going to try to reign myself in, go slowly, and take it easy. It should be great fun!
We finally have perfect weather and clean air! That's been a big relief. We really like the Intrepid tour, too. We're having fun hanging out with our new Australian, Swiss, and English friends. One of the best things about Intrepid tours, I have to admit, is that not many Americans take them. I like that since I prefer meeting people from other countries.
Tommorrow we start the Tiger Leaping Gorge trek. Dad's been concerned, but I think he feels confident about it now. I have no worries for him at all now that I know more about the trek and have seen his capabilities. For me, I could probably do the whole two days worth of hiking in 3 hours or less. So I'm going to try to reign myself in, go slowly, and take it easy. It should be great fun!
Sunday, March 9, 2008
Kunming
I think I last posted on our first day in Chengdu (I can't check, by the way; the site is blocked in China so I can only post). We arrived in Kunming yesterday afternoon and loved it right away. It's the first warmth and sunshine we've had! There are a lot of backpacker's hotels and restaurants here, so we've been able to enjoy some non-Chinese food. I had an Italian feast for lunch yesterday, while dad had a salad and a hamburger. Today we had burritos!
We've enjoyed lots of good food on this trip. In Chengdu we had Ma Po Dofu a couple times and tried the hot pot (at a restaurant where no one spoke any english, which was quite an adventure). The Sichuanese love very hot and spicy food, so the hot pot comes full of red peppers, cloves of garlic, chunks of ginger, and multitudes of various stuff you can only wonder about -- all in a big pot of red oil. The servers put it onto a burner which is built into the table and set it to boil. Then you pour your meats and vegetables into the broth and let them cook. You fish the goodies out with a ladle, dip them into a mixture of sesame oil, onions, and cilantro, then eat. Yum. I loved it. Dad found it too greasy; this might have just been the idea of all the grease rather than actually disliking the taste, I don't know. I found it very satisfying, and figure a load of grease every decade or two won't matter much.
Here in Kunming we've mostly just walked around and have taken it easy. There are some nice parks here and the Yunnan University area is very charming. It's been good to just relax. The next week will be much more difficult.
We meet up with the tour this evening, then get on a bus to Lijang early tomorrow morning.
We've enjoyed lots of good food on this trip. In Chengdu we had Ma Po Dofu a couple times and tried the hot pot (at a restaurant where no one spoke any english, which was quite an adventure). The Sichuanese love very hot and spicy food, so the hot pot comes full of red peppers, cloves of garlic, chunks of ginger, and multitudes of various stuff you can only wonder about -- all in a big pot of red oil. The servers put it onto a burner which is built into the table and set it to boil. Then you pour your meats and vegetables into the broth and let them cook. You fish the goodies out with a ladle, dip them into a mixture of sesame oil, onions, and cilantro, then eat. Yum. I loved it. Dad found it too greasy; this might have just been the idea of all the grease rather than actually disliking the taste, I don't know. I found it very satisfying, and figure a load of grease every decade or two won't matter much.
Here in Kunming we've mostly just walked around and have taken it easy. There are some nice parks here and the Yunnan University area is very charming. It's been good to just relax. The next week will be much more difficult.
We meet up with the tour this evening, then get on a bus to Lijang early tomorrow morning.
Thursday, March 6, 2008
People's Park
We arrived this afternoon in Chengdu and are having a great time. The people here are so genuine and friendly, and it's warmer here than it was in Beijing and Xi'an so there are leaves on trees and the city feels very pleasant.
The young people who run the hotel are very sweet and helpful -- and they speak great English, which has been great for us. If you google Wen Jun Mansion hotel I think you can find photos. Unlike other places we've stayed, this is an older place with more charm.
For lunch, we went across the street and had Ma Po Dofu -- a Thoren family favorite that I always like to try. But it's never as good as mom's! Today's was no exception. It was good, sure, but very spicy. Although when we asked our pretty waitress about the spiciness she told it that it was pretty mild as far as she was concerned. We also had a traditional Sichuan dish that turned out to be Kung Pao Chicken. That was super delicious. I don't think I've ever had Sichuan pepper before and I enjoyed how it numbed my tongue.
Afterwards, we walked to People's Park and enjoyed watching people sing, dance, exercise, and play music. It's lovely how they enjoy themselves outdoors. Then we had tea at a tea house next to a pond. Two elderly men were sitting in front of us and one turned around so he could watch us. We've had a fair bit of staring here in Chengdu. This city doesn't get as many tourists. Which is great, because the economy doesn't rely on tourism so people are just normal and act very genuine and friendly to us. They're not after anything. ...Except for the guys who want to clean out your ears at the teahouse, while giving you a massage and shining your shoes. They were a bit annoying.
Walking back we bought some bananas, canned coffee (one of my favorite Asia drinks, oddly), pastries, and a couple baozis (rolls filled with meat). It was such a nice afternoon. I felt "at home" again for the first time this trip.
Gotta run. We're going to an "opera" which I'm sure will just be a tourist show. But it'll be nice to get out and do something.
The young people who run the hotel are very sweet and helpful -- and they speak great English, which has been great for us. If you google Wen Jun Mansion hotel I think you can find photos. Unlike other places we've stayed, this is an older place with more charm.
For lunch, we went across the street and had Ma Po Dofu -- a Thoren family favorite that I always like to try. But it's never as good as mom's! Today's was no exception. It was good, sure, but very spicy. Although when we asked our pretty waitress about the spiciness she told it that it was pretty mild as far as she was concerned. We also had a traditional Sichuan dish that turned out to be Kung Pao Chicken. That was super delicious. I don't think I've ever had Sichuan pepper before and I enjoyed how it numbed my tongue.
Afterwards, we walked to People's Park and enjoyed watching people sing, dance, exercise, and play music. It's lovely how they enjoy themselves outdoors. Then we had tea at a tea house next to a pond. Two elderly men were sitting in front of us and one turned around so he could watch us. We've had a fair bit of staring here in Chengdu. This city doesn't get as many tourists. Which is great, because the economy doesn't rely on tourism so people are just normal and act very genuine and friendly to us. They're not after anything. ...Except for the guys who want to clean out your ears at the teahouse, while giving you a massage and shining your shoes. They were a bit annoying.
Walking back we bought some bananas, canned coffee (one of my favorite Asia drinks, oddly), pastries, and a couple baozis (rolls filled with meat). It was such a nice afternoon. I felt "at home" again for the first time this trip.
Gotta run. We're going to an "opera" which I'm sure will just be a tourist show. But it'll be nice to get out and do something.
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
Xi'an
We're finishing up our stay in Xi'an. We arrived yesterday morning after an overnight train from Beijing, then had a quiet day wandering the Muslim Quarter and napping. Today we took a tour to the Terracotta Warriors and a couple other places. We've learned the hard way that these tours will always take you to a couple "factories" for shopping opportunities, which has been very frustrating. Dad spoke out today and we were able to skip the silk factory tour at the end of the day.
I got sick during our last day in Beijing. Naturally, I blame the office rather than, say, the pollution, jet lag, cold, germ laden environment, etc. I just don't see how they could have caused it. Fortunately, I seem to be almost better this evening.
I had grand notions of how I was going to use this blog to write down all the funny things that happen, but I'm finding out that I just don't have the time. I'm sure I'll have lots of funny incidents to talk about when I get back. Things like being served hot orange juice at breakfast this morning. I burned my thumb when I reached for the glass! You really wonder where people here got their notions about what Westerners like.
Dad's doing great. With me being flu-ridden, he's been the strong, healthy one, which seems kind of ironic. He's been very patient with my slow pace, moaning, groaning, and (now) coughing. The pollution really bothers him. He handled being in the top bunk on the train without a problem.
Okay, gotta get going...
I got sick during our last day in Beijing. Naturally, I blame the office rather than, say, the pollution, jet lag, cold, germ laden environment, etc. I just don't see how they could have caused it. Fortunately, I seem to be almost better this evening.
I had grand notions of how I was going to use this blog to write down all the funny things that happen, but I'm finding out that I just don't have the time. I'm sure I'll have lots of funny incidents to talk about when I get back. Things like being served hot orange juice at breakfast this morning. I burned my thumb when I reached for the glass! You really wonder where people here got their notions about what Westerners like.
Dad's doing great. With me being flu-ridden, he's been the strong, healthy one, which seems kind of ironic. He's been very patient with my slow pace, moaning, groaning, and (now) coughing. The pollution really bothers him. He handled being in the top bunk on the train without a problem.
Okay, gotta get going...
Sunday, March 2, 2008
Where have all the spitters gone?
It's Sunday evening here in Beijing, the end of our second full day here. We both arrived without any real problems (my flight in Tokyo was delayed an hour and a half, but so what). Yesterday was gloomy and hazy and we walked down to Tianamen Square, then up through the Forbidden City. It was certainly less exciting for me to see it all a second time--and I find the vast spaces kind of uninteresting anyway. I think dad felt the same way.
When we went for coffee in a cafe, I asked for a Cafe Americano with some milk and the waitress let me know in no uncertain terms that Cafe Americanos are black coffee and that was that. We had a good laugh at how she taught the dumb American what a Cafe Americano is. But when another waitress brought the coffee I was able to ask for some milk and she brought it. After that, I did my best to make sure the first waitress had a good view of the small glass of milk next to my coffee cup. Showed her.
Later, we went up to the Lotus Lane area and had lunch, then walked around the lakes. Nothing eventful happened the rest of the day. We were mostly just tired. I was thrilled to go to bed around 10 and I think I passed out in a minute.
Today we both feel much less jet lagged. We took a tour up to the Ming tombs and the Baoling section of the Great Wall. Part of the tour was a scam; we were taken to a jade factory and store where we got a "tour" and then were given plenty of time to look at jade stuff before lunch. Dad and I went and had a cappucino. Then we went to the Great Wall. This part of the Great Wall is the most touristy access point, so it was packed with busses and people. We went up to the top in some sort of train thing that was really more like go-karts on tracks. It was kind of odd. Up on top, a girl wanted to be photographed with dad "for good luck." Her boyfriend got his picture taken with him, too.
Coming back into Beijing, we drove past the Olympic Village, so we got to see the "bird's nest" stadium and the swimming pavilion. They're both really cool. Then we were taken to a silk factory for more shopping... Dad and I were deadset against this so we refused and left and took a taxi back to the hotel.
All in all, we're having a good time, though it's a bit colder than we'd like. But everything's going smoothly. The hotel is really nice and they've been very helpful. One pleasant surprise is that there's a lot less public spitting than I remember from two years ago. I guess the government's anti-spitting campaign (and the fines) is working. I guess there are some advantages to totalitarianism.
When we went for coffee in a cafe, I asked for a Cafe Americano with some milk and the waitress let me know in no uncertain terms that Cafe Americanos are black coffee and that was that. We had a good laugh at how she taught the dumb American what a Cafe Americano is. But when another waitress brought the coffee I was able to ask for some milk and she brought it. After that, I did my best to make sure the first waitress had a good view of the small glass of milk next to my coffee cup. Showed her.
Later, we went up to the Lotus Lane area and had lunch, then walked around the lakes. Nothing eventful happened the rest of the day. We were mostly just tired. I was thrilled to go to bed around 10 and I think I passed out in a minute.
Today we both feel much less jet lagged. We took a tour up to the Ming tombs and the Baoling section of the Great Wall. Part of the tour was a scam; we were taken to a jade factory and store where we got a "tour" and then were given plenty of time to look at jade stuff before lunch. Dad and I went and had a cappucino. Then we went to the Great Wall. This part of the Great Wall is the most touristy access point, so it was packed with busses and people. We went up to the top in some sort of train thing that was really more like go-karts on tracks. It was kind of odd. Up on top, a girl wanted to be photographed with dad "for good luck." Her boyfriend got his picture taken with him, too.
Coming back into Beijing, we drove past the Olympic Village, so we got to see the "bird's nest" stadium and the swimming pavilion. They're both really cool. Then we were taken to a silk factory for more shopping... Dad and I were deadset against this so we refused and left and took a taxi back to the hotel.
All in all, we're having a good time, though it's a bit colder than we'd like. But everything's going smoothly. The hotel is really nice and they've been very helpful. One pleasant surprise is that there's a lot less public spitting than I remember from two years ago. I guess the government's anti-spitting campaign (and the fines) is working. I guess there are some advantages to totalitarianism.
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