Bangkok in the daylight

While well-known for it's nightly entertainment, Bangkok offered a lot in the daylight too. Leaving our poolside paradise on the second day, Craig and I took to the city's bustling streets. Our first stop was the city's Grand Palace and dazzling Wat Phra Kaew (Temple of the Emerald Buddha). Be advised that men and women must be wearing long pants and covered shoulders. If you aren't prepared, they do provide clothing inside the gates for a refundable 100 Baht deposit so no need to purchase something from the hawkers outside. Craig got to wear some scrub-like pants for the visit. For more on the palace visit http://www.bangkok.com/attraction-palace/grand-palace.html. The temple's glass mosaic walls reflect the sun at every step and the gold painted spires were remarkable against the clear blue sky. Inside the temple's sanctuary sits the emerald Buddha, dressed to suit the current season. We enjoyed the calm and serenity of the sanctuary, as well as, the respite it provided from the day's sun.

The palace itself was official looking but didn't impress us nearly as much as the temple. You'll find the national symbol of luck and happiness, the elephant, guarding the building instead of lions in Thailand.

Outside the palace we wandered through some of the city's older streets, taking in the smells, sounds and sights. Street-side food stalls are nestled all around the city; some offering curb-side seating. Day markets are not hard to find either. We stopped for some of the best Tom Yum soup at a local eatery. Tuk Tuks are a popular form of transportation in the city and can be heard from blocks away as they sputter through traffic. They remind me of a decked-out dune buggy. From the Tuk Tuks to the brightly-colored taxis I have to say that Bangkok has some of the most colorful traffic.

An easy, fun and cheap way to see the city and more local life is to ride along the river taxis. Several routes take commuters up and down the river and from bank to bank. For a fraction of a dollar we road the water taxis with the locals and took in the views of several other temples along the river's edge. The routes can be a little confusing as signs are written mostly in Thai. At one stop we didn't realize we had to disembark until a guard kicked us off because the route only shuttles people between the river banks. We just did a quick transfer to a faster boat that sped down the river. Cruising down the river also gives you a look at some of the life that exists at the water's edge. Wooden houses and house boats line parts of the shore.

After a day of sight-seeing we enjoyed a traditional Thai massage. Thai massage involves a lot of stretching and therapists use their entire body to aid relaxation. At times you may have to tolerate a little of discomfort but the benefits are well worth it!

We originally planned to leave Bangkok on the next day but, my travel companion and I swapped on the illness. Note that it is important to stay well hydrated in the Thai heat! You pay dearly if you don't; Craig can attest to that. As Craig convalesced at the hotel, I headed to Lumpini Park. Melting away a few pounds on the walk, I arrived at the city's largest park. What most intrigued me were the hundreds of joggers making their way along the paths. Having lived in China for a year I hadn't seen much running as a form of exercise in Asia. Locals and tourists were out exercising, playing and lounging. I watched some men playing a game using a rattan ball like a hackey sack that is kicked back and forth over a net like volley ball. The park proved to be a nice break from the Bangkok's noise and pollution.

Three nights in Bangkok

Who could forget the 80s one-hit-wonder, One Night in Bangkok? So my question was, how humble could three nights in the vibrant, bustling city make me? Answer: quite a bit when you start with a stomach bug.

My traveling companion, Craig, and I arrived in the early morning and the city was still steaming and alive. On the drive to our hotel, there were people dining on late-night snacks at street side eateries that line many of the city's streets. People greeted us with wide smiles and the melodic sounds of their customary "Sa wa di" greeting.

We pampered ourselves by splurging on a couple nights at the Swissotel, mainly because I fell in love with the pool. Wouldn't you?

After a day recovering from jet lag at the pool, we headed to the Suan Lum Night Bazaar. The market, a calm environment compared to the city's other night market (see below), has everything a tourist can imagine. Knock-offs, Thai clothing, silks, wood carvings, bootleg DVDs are just some of the wares up for haggling. Given my illness, I couldn't stomach much weaving in and out of the heated aisles. Instead, we opted to relax in the open-air food court and beer garden. Food stalls line the perimeter and serve a variety of Thai and Asian food. The beer is several times more expensive than the food, which is pricey by Thai standards. We do give the local Chang beer an endorsement.




There was free entertainment on the huge stage that seemed more suited for a much larger venue. We listened to Thai singers perform various pop, hip-hop and rock songs complete with back-up dancers. There was even a rendition of one of my favorite 80s classics, "Hey Mickey".

On our third night we ventured to the lively and colorful Pat Pong night market. Shopping is just one of the many past-times one can enjoy along the small streets in this part of Bangkok. The area is well-known for it's live entertainment which includes bikini clad go-go dancers and the renowned "ping-pong" shows. You can't walk more than a few feet before being approached by someone wanting to lure you into a show. Having traveled all that way, one really must take part in the obligatory tradition. You can negotiate your ticket which we did quite expertly. We went back to look for a particular hawker, Duck, because he was wearing an Obama t-shirt. Duck considers himself the President's brother. He's never seen him in Pat Pong though, I asked.

The show let me amazed, shocked and, at times, a little disturbed. I really think some improvements can be made in terms of stage presence and audience engagement. Most performers displayed little energy as they performed their feats. I guess we can all get a little bored with our routines and anatomically launching foreign objects could be mind-numbing as any job night after night. There was one artist that stood out from the rest with both her achievements and personality. Let's just say I will never look at a banana or a bottle of Coke in the same way. Bangkok---humbling indeed.

Zai Jian Shanghai

I've officially vacated my year-long residence on Beijing Xi Lu in Shanghai. It was a bitter sweet departure. I've met some amazing people in Shanghai and made friends that, while I know I'll see again, were hard to leave. I said farewell to people with dinners and outings throughout the week. Our final night out was Sunday starting at one of our favorite bars, Manifesto. If you're in Shanghai check this place out, (located on Julu Lu near Fumin Lu) especially on Sundays for half price cocktails. I especially recommend the Chinese's--a delicious blend of lychee and lemongrass.

As a result of a near chronic state of procrastination, my final day was a little hectic. At fifteen minutes before I was to turn in my keys to my landlord, my friend Claire and I were frantically running around my apartment with last minute packing and cleaning. This was happening as my landlord waited outside chatting with my adorable neighbor. I addressed my neighbor as A-yi, a respectful term used for elder females that translates to "Auntie". She's in her mid-70s and about 4'5''. As I learned more Mandarin our relationship strengthened. She would also study some English on her own and practice her sentences on me. One day she told me that she is Christian. So, on my last day she came to me and, in English, slowly and with determination said "God-bless-you". In the cold Shanghai winter, A-yi would always be dressed in her quilted suits making her look a little like the Pillsbury dough boy. She wore small round glasses with a crack on the left lens that she would peer up at me with during our conversations in the hallway. On my final day, she stood at the elevator and waved good-bye to me as I made my final descent from the building.

Outside I was greeted by another one of my building friends, a security guard. Our friendship started when he witnessed a small bicycle spill a friend and I took late one night in front of his guard stand. Since that day, he'd be waiting to greet me with a smile, wave and "hello". He was by far the friendliest of our security guards. On the night he'd be working he'd come out of the guard house and ask me, "Chi le ma?" Have you eaten? This is a common way of greeting friends and neighbors. I'd explain, with my broken Mandarin, how I was on my way to meet friends, go to the gym, or on my way to work. We took this picture together the day before I left and left me with his address in Chinese to post him a copy.


I watched Shanghai grow smaller and smaller from the back of the taxi window as I made my way to the airport. I thought back to the first night I arrived in the strange and daunting city. The year was filled with challenging and wonderful experiences and I leave Shanghai with a stronger character and a new perspective on our world. My time in Shanghai will influence the way I approach each new place I encounter on my next four months of travels throughout Asia. Zai jian Shanghai! Until we meet again.

Huang Shan--Sunrise and Hikes

We woke up early to see the sunrise although we didn't see much of the sun with the thick cloud cover. The granite peaks rising out from the sea of clouds is stunning and mystical. Looking towards the horizon I imagined watching waves crashing on a rocky shoreline, sending ocean mist into the air. The rain held off for the morning and as the day broke we could hear the morning howls of the Huang Shan monkeys off in the distance. From one of our viewing points we came across this view and I couldn't believe our luck to see a monkey sitting so peacefully gazing at the sea of clouds:

Turns out it was a rock formation but the name in fact
is "Monkey Gazing at Sea of Clouds"



We spent the rest of the morning and afternoon hiking around the summit area. We reached the highest point, Bright Summit. The Western Canyon was another place with beautiful views of the mountain and clouds that changed with each passing minute. When we first arrived at this spot the clouds completely covered our view. After a quick hike down to a cavern we returned and discovered what was behind the white curtain.

Huang Shan--On the mountain

We were spending the night on the mountain and decided to take the cable car up to the summit so we could spend the rest of the day hiking at a higher elevation. Our plan was foiled by the non-functioning cable car. Our only choice was to hike the 7.5 K up the eastern steps to our destination in the cold and rain. The branches and pine needles were encased in ice so the forests looked silver at a distance.



About 15 minutes into our hike we saw a warning sign: "Tourists do not throw your food at the monkeys and do not tease the monkeys." We figured the monkeys would be smarter than us and spending the day out of the rain. Ten minutes later a man heading down the mountain passed me and just as he did, I heard shrieking and howling coming from behind me. The man ran back up the stairs and I saw three monkeys racing after him out of the corner of my eye. They kept chasing him up the path and I saw one of the monkeys bare their teeth. I climbed as fast as I could not knowing what had set off their temper. Turns out the man had a bag of food and they were after him for the snacks inside!

The climb took us a little over three hours and we were soggy, cold and tired once we reached our hotel. The views around the hotel were spectacular, enough for Jay to blurt out "HOLY SH@*!" when he first saw the view.



That night we spent time recovering with hot showers, a big meal and foot massages. The hotel was rather cold but luckily they had big, red down jackets in the rooms for early morning sunrise viewing. That became part my staple wardrobe as almost all of my other clothing dried in the room.

Huang Shan--Getting there

With just over a week before I depart Shanghai I took a weekend trip to Huang Shan, Yellow Mountain. China has several important, sacred mountains. Although Huang Shan is not one of these, several Chinese poets and literary writers have written about it's beauty for centuries. Located in Anhui province, Huang Shan is about a six hour journey from Shanghai. I began the first leg by train, arriving in Hangzhou to meet my friend, Jay, who was in China for business.

From past experiences I knew that securing a taxi at the Hangzhou train station could sometimes be a chore. I had just over an hour to head across town to the bus station in rush hour traffic. Drivers at the station will ask you, "Zai nali?/Where are you going?" before you even open the door. The first driver told me it was too far. As I was talking to the second driver through the passenger window, a woman came up behind me and negotiated a fare; all while I was still bent over with my head in the window. It was a day where my patience was wearing a bit thin for the differences in Chinese etiquette. For a few minutes I just stared in amazement as the driver got out to help the woman put her bag in the trunk. Thinking she had hijacked my taxi, I gave the driver a look and he quickly motioned for me to get in the car. So the three of us headed out across town. After dropping off the other passenger I started chatting with the driver in Chinese. Traffic was horrible and I stressed that my bus was leaving in less than an hour. He used his trusty horn to navigate through the crowded streets to get me to the station with just a few minutes to spare.

Jay and I set out on a 3.5 hour bus ride to Tunxi, a small city about 35K from the mountain. The drive along the highway was complete darkness. There are no street lights to illuminate the roads which was probably better given the speed the driver was taking some curves. Once in Tunxi we negotiated a taxi ride to our the Koala Hostel. We were greeted by friendly staff who offered to keep the restaurant open for us. They cooked us great Chinese dishes so we were well fed for the night. The Koala hostel lobby and bar is brightly decorated with a pool table and Internet area. The stairwells leading up to the rooms are covered in graffiti and notes from past visitors. The rooms have air con although the heating wasn't working very well. This is fairly common for many places in Southern China. It was a fairly cold night so we slept in as much clothing as possible to keep warm.

The next morning the hostel arranged a minibus to take us to the mountain, a 70 minute drive. Like all the minibuses there, they only depart once the bus is full. We had about a 30 minute wait which hawkers know how to use to their advantage. The weather was cold with constant drizzling rain. A woman with a huge smile and small shoulder bag boarded our bus immediately. Jay and I were the only ones on board and she did her best to sell us ever item she had. Rain ponchos, pants, maps, plastic shoe covers and gloves were among the goodies that emerged from the bag. She was friendly and talkative giving me a great opportunity to practice my Chinese.

Once on the road, we were again reminded about the use of horns in China. They are used to let a driver, pedestrian and sometimes no one at all, know that the bus is approaching. The shrill bus horn would send a warning about every three minutes. Most of the passengers were tourists except for two other woman who lived near closer to the mountain and were going home or to visit family. A woman in her early sixties got on with shopping bags full of food and decorations and situated herself in the front seat. Another young woman with an LV suitcase sat behind her. The minibus arrived in Tangkou, the closest town to the mountain's base. A woman on the minibus who helped to lure passengers on the bus told me we needed to take a taxi from the town to the mountain's base. As we got off the bus we were greeted by a man who introduced himself as Mr. Hu. I had just been reading about him in my Lonely Planet guide, which he included as part of his introduction. Mr. Hu is very famous in the city for English speaking travelers. He drove us past his restaurant, suggesting we may want to have a meal sometime that weekend and also informed us of his travel arrangement services for buses back to Shanghai and Hangzhou.

We piled into Mr. Hu's black, shiny car with leather interior. I imagined his lucrative business and excellent marketing helped to finance his upscale vehicle. Like many Chinese that I've met, Mr. Hu is a savvy, successful entrepreneur. Two French travelers who were on our minibus also joined us. Mr. Hu took us to yet another taxi whose driver took us up the winding roads to the hiking paths and cable cars of Huang Shan.

Here's a photo of Mr. Hu, Jay and me in front of his restaurant and car.

Yuanxiao Jie--Lantern Festival

February 15^th was Yuanxiao Jie, Lantern Festival, which celebrates the first full moon of the lunar calendar. I joined friends to take in the lights and lanterns in Shanghai’s old town, Yu Yuan. Lanterns of different shapes and sizes were strung across the walking paths that wind through the old city center that's been transformed into a main tourist attraction. Some lanterns had poems and riddles written on the outside. Crowds of people would stand gazing upwards to decipher their clues. Large illuminated displays were floating in the small pond celebrating the four seasons.

Yu Yuan is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Shanghai, made evident by all the souvenir shops and endless number of tour groups. I've visited a few times but, the Lantern Festival was the most crowded I’ve ever seen it. Local Shanghainese far outweighed the number of foreigners out to celebrate the festival. Most Shanghainese eat yet another traditional dumpling, known in Shanghai as tang yuan. They are made from sticky, rice flour and filled with sweetened black sesame. Served in a steaming bowl of hot water they really aren't aesthetically appealing but, very tasty.

There’s a famous zig-zag bridge that leads up to the actual garden. It is tradition for people to walk the bridge with its nine turns to bring wealth and luck in the New Year. We joined the hoards of people eager to claim their wealth during the financial crisis. That must have been the reason for the pushing. Okay, maybe not but, this is a common occurrence in certain places. Trying to stop to take pictures was always risky. Most times I just needed to stand still and allow the human waves to carry me along. These situations still test my patience and I realize I only tolerate it, I'm not quite up to acceptance. This was most apparent to me as I watched my Chinese friend throwing her head back and laughing as the wall of people would charge at us. Other times we were in complete gridlock and she'd only giggle, knowing that in only a few seconds the crowds would get her moving again.

We also came across a parade with people dressed in traditional outfits and pulling a large Ox, the Chinese zodiac symbol for this year. Everyone reached out to touch it for good luck. The “money god”, Cai Shen Ye , was also parading around with a plastic mold of gold coins. He walked up to me and, mesmerized by his long hair, beard and face mask, I wasn't quite sure what the customary greeting for a money god was. He helped me out by grabbing my hand and guiding it to touch the lucky pot of money he held. Now, I just have to wait for the influx of cash that should be coming my way.