My China experience was different from that of many other folks. Many chose to travel in China between Hong Kong and Qingdao (pronounced Chin-dow or ching-dow), visiting Beijing, Shanghai, Xian (home of the terra-cotta soldiers), and other places. Well, I’m not made of money, so I passed on those experiences after my big-ticket safari and Borneo trip. I spent two days in Hong Kong then two days on ship to Qingdao. Those two days were nice, though – about 85 folks on ship, very leisurely, two FANTASTIC dinners (prime rib/cherries jubilee, steak/crème brulee), discount haircuts and massages, no other responsibilities. Now that would be the way to do the whole voyage…..
We arrived in Qingdao, and we ported in an industrial area, something we have become accustomed to. However, this was VERY industrial. We needed to walk about a quarter mile to get out to a street where we could even get a taxi. I think this was the most challenging port language-wise as well. I saw virtually no English on signs (until, are you ready for this, “Wal-Mart”!!) and very few folks spoke any English, far fewer than anywhere else. Then when everything is in characters, it further decreases one’s ability to try to decipher. Folks who took taxis took a copy of the ship’s port location written in characters to show taxi drivers. This produced mixed results – definitely no guarantee of success. We heard similar things from folks who took other trips within China.
I did a day trip which took us to a reflexology school and a traditional Chinese medicine center. Our guide was not very fluent either, so I got more of a visual tour of the city than an informational one. At the reflexology school, all 19 of us were given a reflexology massage. Of course, I was last one in the door and there 18 stations. So they dragged another station in and put it right in the front of the room. Always what I like. Then, I got the instructor. 18 women doing reflexology, and one male….he was providing a running commentary which was “translated” by the guide. I think he said a lot more than we heard. Plus he was sure to be very emphatic about everything he did. So, bottom line, it hurt like hell in some spots! People were laughing at me, because I was sweating! I didn’t want to be too much of a wuss, particularly since getting worked on by the instructor also meant getting your picture taken by the school’s photographer. Don’t mistake reflexology for a soothing foot massage; I was sore for days, plus the sole of my foot was bruised. I just hoped for some overall benefit.
We also visited a traditional Chinese medicine center. I was a bit familiar after working with Esther Stephens (now Cuellar?), Peter’s sister. They demonstrated some acupuncture, cupping, and some very specific massages for problem areas. It’s interesting in and of itself, as well as in the degree to which it is beginning to spread through the Western world. We in Seattle have Bastyr University which I believe offers a master’s in Chinese medicine; the school also widely integrates the separate components into their curriculum.
So that evening was my only chance to get out and have a local dinner, so I ventured forth with Marvel the counselor and Susan, spouse of the faculty member (who could have been one of my students at UT Austin). We barely got to the main street and were trying to hail a taxi when we were intercepted by a woman who spoke some English. Well, my dislike of entanglements and basic “trust no one” attitude would have led me to decline her offers of help, but the other two went with it – not enthusiastically, I must say, but more survivalistically. We were aiming for the Night Market, and she said she would help us get there. She helped us hail a taxi and explained our destination to the driver, then imagine our surprise when she hopped in the taxi with us!
Well, we did make it to the night market. Imagine our surprise again when she hopped out and came with us! See, entanglements. Susan was looking for a Beijing Olympics t-shirt, so this woman took us on a mission to find that. We had also mentioned that we were going to have dinner, and she said she knew a great restaurant. So we walk around looking for this shirt, no luck, and then we are hungry and plan to stop in some place to eat. Every place we look at, she says, “No good! Too expensive!” As we gradually, though quickly in the end, came to figure, she owned a restaurant near where she “ran into” us, and was trying to hustle us to go to her restaurant. We told her that we did not want to go all the way back almost to the ship to eat; for one thing, we had no idea what she was involved with, and secondly, if it didn’t work out, we wouldn’t have a place to eat as there were not any or many restaurants in that area (or we would have started with dinner).
She was getting increasing strident and I at least was getting increasingly determined to eat where we were. So finally we went in a noodle soup place – when we actually ordered and paid, she then got the idea that she was not going to be successful. Susan gave her 10 yuan to get a taxi and go away. Money well spent, we collectively decided. The noodle soup was great, with a side of cabbagey stuff like kim chee, and even a drink for very cheap. We chose the place because it had pictures on its menu – amazing what you can accomplish by pointing. I continued my chopstick practice on the noodles. Mine, however, came with a whole boiled egg, and that I must say thwarted me and my sticks. So I stabbed it.
Very luscious and I had no illness problems, with that or any food in any country. On our way back my companions each bought another giant suitcase in the Night Market to hold all their port loot. We got a taxi back, stuffed it with ourselves and two giant suitcases, and were fortunate that our taxi driver understood the written directions.
The next day, I was just not up to all the challenges, and was not alone in just remaining on the ship, relaxing, catching up, and looking forward to Japan. The Great Wall, Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City, and all the rest will have to wait until I can schedule a return visit to China.
Sunday, May 6, 2007
Wednesday, May 2, 2007
HONG KONG
Hong Kong was amazing. It was a forest of buildings surrounding the harbor on both sides. The side attached to the mainland is Kowloon near the harbor, turning into the “New Territories” farther inland. Across the water from that is what we think of as Hong Kong. We docked in Kowloon right near the famous Star Ferry, which crosses over to Hong Kong.
Where to start? Well, we were in a prime location in many ways, and it was easy to get around. The gangway from the ship led directly into a mall. What could be better? Mall understates it; it was a rabbit warren of connected malls, restaurants, hotels, and so on. Hundreds if not thousands of shops! Now, the bargains were not as they were in Vietnam. In fact, it was quite expensive, but the shopping lure of HK is the volume of stuff and the fact that it’s all the newest, most current – you name it, fashion, electronics, jewelry, and so on. I was swooning over the flat screen TVs.
We only had two days there. It could be worth a return visit, as it combined an interesting urban experience with a good deal of natural beauty, which I like. We did a city tour which took us up Victoria Peak. Unfortunately, it was completely socked in with fog. First, I felt very much at home – Seattle! Secondly, it was quite a welcome relief from the tropical temperatures we’d had for most of the voyage. The pictures were not great, but folks who went the second day had a clear view. I will try to pilfer some of their pics.
They had a great cable car which ran up and down the mountain, at about a 45 degree angle. We bussed up and cable-carred down, into the main park area, very pretty, and also visited the oldest building in HK, a church dating from the mid-1800s. The entire city is very clean, and really was not as congested as you would think given the population. The food was good and there was a Haagen Dazs right by the ship, offering table service and elaborate and expensive desserts. Yipee.
I walked the harbor walk up a ways, past their film star walk, complete with stars in the sidewalk. I have pictures of a few of the notables: Jackie Chan, Chow Yun Fat, Jet Li, and of course, complete with statue, Bruce Lee. Of course, we all know he is buried in Seattle, but this fact did not seem particularly salient in HK. I also walked up the main street, which was a nice tree-lined boulevard, also lined with shops. I came back via a big city park which had a bird display, a pond, etc. – very nice. Very safe feeling as well. I was still somewhat of a towering giant, although our Chinese tour guide, a woman, was about my height (!) and mentioned that some of the northern people, particularly around Qingdao, our next destination, were quite tall (she was correct).
What was a little more difficult to find in HK was more traditional art or crafts. The tourist stuff is out front, and the traditional stuff is in the smaller markets. I strolled through one, very interesting. There is a big market in jade and some antiques, but I did not end up with either, as I’m not very knowledgeable (nor rich). We glimpsed a food market on our tour, and I was very much reminded of Chinatown in Vancouver BC. We also had a brief tour through Aberdeen’s (!) floating fishing communities, boats at the south end of HK island where fishing folk live very traditionally; some, at least in the past, spent their entire lives on these boats, really never even setting foot on shore. They were a form of untouchables in their way. It was not unreminiscent of some of the floating homes in our fair city, with plants and sometimes gardens right on the boats, of course quite a bit more rustic.
HK has maintained its character even after reverting back to China. They refer to “Two systems, one country.” HK maintains its own currency, own postal system I believe (a good one), and most of the trappings of capitalism in a communist country. It’s economically pretty strong and quite attractive to other Chinese who wish to immigrate, which they control fairly strictly. One reason is that it’s quite populous, and they are expanding the land into the harbor to accommodate more, since most of the area is mountains (around 60% I think). The harbor shrinks, people build up the sides of mountains and in every available space, and there you are. One of the neat features was the nightly light show downtown. Buildings are equipped with colored neon/LED/laser lights and/or white spotlights, and every night at 8 they do a light show to music. I got some decent photos (and a bunch of crappy ones).
It was a very first-world area, complete with the ubiquitous KFC, pretty and fun. For shoppers, it’s a paradise, but there is also enough cultural interest as well as natural beauty to engage those who don’t shop till they drop. Besides, there’s that Asian size thing again…..
Where to start? Well, we were in a prime location in many ways, and it was easy to get around. The gangway from the ship led directly into a mall. What could be better? Mall understates it; it was a rabbit warren of connected malls, restaurants, hotels, and so on. Hundreds if not thousands of shops! Now, the bargains were not as they were in Vietnam. In fact, it was quite expensive, but the shopping lure of HK is the volume of stuff and the fact that it’s all the newest, most current – you name it, fashion, electronics, jewelry, and so on. I was swooning over the flat screen TVs.
We only had two days there. It could be worth a return visit, as it combined an interesting urban experience with a good deal of natural beauty, which I like. We did a city tour which took us up Victoria Peak. Unfortunately, it was completely socked in with fog. First, I felt very much at home – Seattle! Secondly, it was quite a welcome relief from the tropical temperatures we’d had for most of the voyage. The pictures were not great, but folks who went the second day had a clear view. I will try to pilfer some of their pics.
They had a great cable car which ran up and down the mountain, at about a 45 degree angle. We bussed up and cable-carred down, into the main park area, very pretty, and also visited the oldest building in HK, a church dating from the mid-1800s. The entire city is very clean, and really was not as congested as you would think given the population. The food was good and there was a Haagen Dazs right by the ship, offering table service and elaborate and expensive desserts. Yipee.
I walked the harbor walk up a ways, past their film star walk, complete with stars in the sidewalk. I have pictures of a few of the notables: Jackie Chan, Chow Yun Fat, Jet Li, and of course, complete with statue, Bruce Lee. Of course, we all know he is buried in Seattle, but this fact did not seem particularly salient in HK. I also walked up the main street, which was a nice tree-lined boulevard, also lined with shops. I came back via a big city park which had a bird display, a pond, etc. – very nice. Very safe feeling as well. I was still somewhat of a towering giant, although our Chinese tour guide, a woman, was about my height (!) and mentioned that some of the northern people, particularly around Qingdao, our next destination, were quite tall (she was correct).
What was a little more difficult to find in HK was more traditional art or crafts. The tourist stuff is out front, and the traditional stuff is in the smaller markets. I strolled through one, very interesting. There is a big market in jade and some antiques, but I did not end up with either, as I’m not very knowledgeable (nor rich). We glimpsed a food market on our tour, and I was very much reminded of Chinatown in Vancouver BC. We also had a brief tour through Aberdeen’s (!) floating fishing communities, boats at the south end of HK island where fishing folk live very traditionally; some, at least in the past, spent their entire lives on these boats, really never even setting foot on shore. They were a form of untouchables in their way. It was not unreminiscent of some of the floating homes in our fair city, with plants and sometimes gardens right on the boats, of course quite a bit more rustic.
HK has maintained its character even after reverting back to China. They refer to “Two systems, one country.” HK maintains its own currency, own postal system I believe (a good one), and most of the trappings of capitalism in a communist country. It’s economically pretty strong and quite attractive to other Chinese who wish to immigrate, which they control fairly strictly. One reason is that it’s quite populous, and they are expanding the land into the harbor to accommodate more, since most of the area is mountains (around 60% I think). The harbor shrinks, people build up the sides of mountains and in every available space, and there you are. One of the neat features was the nightly light show downtown. Buildings are equipped with colored neon/LED/laser lights and/or white spotlights, and every night at 8 they do a light show to music. I got some decent photos (and a bunch of crappy ones).
It was a very first-world area, complete with the ubiquitous KFC, pretty and fun. For shoppers, it’s a paradise, but there is also enough cultural interest as well as natural beauty to engage those who don’t shop till they drop. Besides, there’s that Asian size thing again…..
Tuesday, May 1, 2007
Thanks for Your Comments! - with a couple of additions on May 3rd
Greetings All!
I was able to respond to some comments and questions before, and I will do so again. One thing I’ve noticed is that people don’t necessarily post their comments in the most recent blog, so I am going back and reviewing all the entries periodically to make sure I don’t miss anyone.
I neglected to respond to an early question of Mrs. BG about my cabin and the food. First, the food is quite good, far above what I remember residence hall food to be, but of course below cruise ship food (though they do have their moments). The only problem is the repetitive nature of the food, as what they can get in each port is somewhat limited. Two examples: one, the lettuce is now yellow. We joke that it has been genetically modified since we left. Another is that all the milk is boxed. Now, I’ve never seen milk routinely sold like that (absent the little juice-box sizes of chocolate milk, which I would kill for now, incidentally….) and it just don’t taste right. So I’m off cereal which was a huge loss. Actually, I miss a lot of breakfasts, so it wasn’t really that huge. I have replaced cereal with yogurt, to help out probiotically with the large varieties of port food.
We run off ship to eat in port. Or maybe that’s just me. I didn’t eat on ship a single time while we were in Japan, again mostly to get more variety. (Maybe that’s why I spent so much money there). We also buy snacks and some grocery items since we have fridges in the room. That all said, during the sail from Hong Kong to Qingdao, we had spectacular dinners, all resembling the Captain’s Dinners to which faculty and staff get at least one invitation. There was a small shipboard population during that time; most folks were traveling within China, through Beijing, and joined the ship in Qingdao, so we only served about 85 folks. The first night was prime rib with cherries jubilee for dessert, and the second night was grilled sirloin with crème brulee, all served to the tables rather than through the buffet line (the mysterious “table service” that I have referred to).
My cabin is small and among student cabins, compared with the fairly luxurious suites some faculty and staff have. Not complaining!! The bathroom is larger and nicer than we had on our Alaska cruise. There are two small beds, one of which I use for storage and filing. Ample storage, and a table I use as a desk for the laptop, speakers, and phone. TV. All very nice! I do have some pictures. There are also pictures on the SAS website, which actually gives quite a bit of info about what we are doing.
Hello, Donna Devious! I certainly did not wish to miss or overlook YOUR comments! I’m so glad you are tuning in, as I sail with Beth Hellwig-Olson and Merna Jacobsen from the University of Northern Colorado. Did you ever encounter either of them? Merna in particular was very memorable – big red/orange hair, big presence. I am not much of a blogger, and I’m hoping Sheilagh has saved my emails and (email and regular) postcards as a record of my voyage. The picture thing (thang) is limited by our technology on-ship; I even had to get an emergency e-mail account in yahoo because our technology could not support hotmail. So I will have pictures available when I return, and I will either slide them into the blog later or do photo albums on-line. One of my excellent colleagues here hails from your state, though she is in Los Alamos. Maybe I’ll have to pass by NM soon.
And Jean S&M, it all goes back to you. You introduced us all to SAS during our collective time at UNC. I even interviewed at that time; obviously I was not selected, but all things come around when the time is right. I’m sure many things are the same about our voyages, as well as many things being different (the ship, for one – very luxurious!). Thanks for giving us all our first exposure to SAS. FYI Larry Singell is our Exec. Dean and Ron Wisner is our Asst. Dean.
Hello Kristen Happy! I will think of you when I arrive in Honolulu. Thanks for your kind words, particularly about class. I will actually do a couple of classes for faculty members while I’m here, so I’m never that far from the role. Congrats on your new job as well!! It’s great to work with smart folks, and news flash, you are one of those, as are all “my people.” I won’t be driving back through SF after all, so I won’t get a chance to see you (unless you are planning to be in San Diego around May 14). Darn. Have fun! (Hey to Gary – hope he isn’t still afraid of me…..)
Hi Aunt Gloria – you are one of the few family member I still claim (I think Ginger and Joe in Seattle are in that group too) – yes, world, I have family. I hope you can make it up our way soon this summer! I’ll be in touch when I get back.
Hello, Sarah (or Kris, I’m unclear) – I thought it fairly hilarious that you found my blog to see what was happening on your son’s voyage. Of course, if he and I had spoken “officially,” that would be our little secret; but I have interaction with lots of students through trips, clubs, meals, etc. whom I would never dream that I would see officially. And I even know another number by sight, so I may well know Marcus, and I’m sure he is as you describe. Perhaps he is keeping a written journal and you will get a full story later.
Hi Shon. Actually, sunburn is the least of my problems – some days at sea I never actually get out the door! It’s pretty scandalous, but we ARE working…..I tried for a little color in Vietnam, and perhaps between Japan and San Diego, though it’s a little brisk for the last couple of days. We are probably moving back in your direction, though probably not all the way to New York. I’ll keep you posted – did you start school at Brockport yet? My friend still chairs the English Dept. there. Get on it!
Hello Erin. Did you ever find an exclamation point that you didn’t like? Or three!!! We’ll catch up when I get back!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Megan, what a good question. There’s a lot of laudatory research about the current crop of “Millennial Generation” students. I read some initially, and I’ll read more, but this experience is giving me more of a balanced view – no group is unreservedly positive. Very different from the experiences I had with students at UNC in the 90’s, especially as you all were so special, to a person. I miss you all! These students are very concerned to be perceived as good people. It’s hard for me to make general comments as my role here as judicial person skews my perception.
As far as campus life, we have all the ingredients - about 100 different classes offered from 8-5 by about 35 faculty, a library and computer lab, plus a res life component, activities, counseling, health services, a good number of clubs and organizations, a judicial function, even a "cop," plus unique bits like the program for the elders and for the dependent children who are going to school while on board. There are classes every day at sea with stuff every night, with extensive lists of trips and activities in each port. So there are lots of similarities, but the differences would have to be first in the self-contained nature of the community in which faculty are in the environment with student's 24/7, which is usually a brand new and challenging experience for them. For us Student Life people, we are used to having such close contact with students, so it's nothing unique. There are some faculty who have no idea what students are like outside a classroom. Here they are getting a crash course. Also, we move very quickly here. Time is condensed; programs are planned and executed in days if not hours, appointments made no more than a day or two ahead, we all work on the fly and respond quickly to anything and everything. Lastly, there is a single course that everyone on ship participates in, as a way to unify the community; another difference would be that every course has an international dimension to it.
This topic does give me the excuse to blow our collective horn a bit – the administrators who have sailed multiple times, as well as the ship’s crew who have dealt with student behavior, have said REPEATEDLY AND EMPHATICALLY that this voyage is by far the best they have experienced in terms of student behavior, with the fewest and least serious incidents, etc. Our Student Life staff set a tone and created a system which held folks accountable and stressed how serious we were about behavior issues, in a caring way. I think we have been highly successful, and I’m pleased about my role in that.
And hi to Ginger and Joe! Thanks for reading about my adventure. I’ll have another gathering at the house to showcase my souvenirs and pictures. And if Gloria visits we can have our own reunion.
Well OK! I must run to dinner, having said that I want to have every remaining dinner out on the deck. More programs and activities this evening, as every evening, and I have deck duty during bar service, so it will be a long night particularly after you figure in another clock change ( with more to come, then the Dateline…) I will be back on the mainland in less than two weeks! Amazing. More to come, as fast as my little fingers can type. Bye, and thanks for visiting my THANG.
I was able to respond to some comments and questions before, and I will do so again. One thing I’ve noticed is that people don’t necessarily post their comments in the most recent blog, so I am going back and reviewing all the entries periodically to make sure I don’t miss anyone.
I neglected to respond to an early question of Mrs. BG about my cabin and the food. First, the food is quite good, far above what I remember residence hall food to be, but of course below cruise ship food (though they do have their moments). The only problem is the repetitive nature of the food, as what they can get in each port is somewhat limited. Two examples: one, the lettuce is now yellow. We joke that it has been genetically modified since we left. Another is that all the milk is boxed. Now, I’ve never seen milk routinely sold like that (absent the little juice-box sizes of chocolate milk, which I would kill for now, incidentally….) and it just don’t taste right. So I’m off cereal which was a huge loss. Actually, I miss a lot of breakfasts, so it wasn’t really that huge. I have replaced cereal with yogurt, to help out probiotically with the large varieties of port food.
We run off ship to eat in port. Or maybe that’s just me. I didn’t eat on ship a single time while we were in Japan, again mostly to get more variety. (Maybe that’s why I spent so much money there). We also buy snacks and some grocery items since we have fridges in the room. That all said, during the sail from Hong Kong to Qingdao, we had spectacular dinners, all resembling the Captain’s Dinners to which faculty and staff get at least one invitation. There was a small shipboard population during that time; most folks were traveling within China, through Beijing, and joined the ship in Qingdao, so we only served about 85 folks. The first night was prime rib with cherries jubilee for dessert, and the second night was grilled sirloin with crème brulee, all served to the tables rather than through the buffet line (the mysterious “table service” that I have referred to).
My cabin is small and among student cabins, compared with the fairly luxurious suites some faculty and staff have. Not complaining!! The bathroom is larger and nicer than we had on our Alaska cruise. There are two small beds, one of which I use for storage and filing. Ample storage, and a table I use as a desk for the laptop, speakers, and phone. TV. All very nice! I do have some pictures. There are also pictures on the SAS website, which actually gives quite a bit of info about what we are doing.
Hello, Donna Devious! I certainly did not wish to miss or overlook YOUR comments! I’m so glad you are tuning in, as I sail with Beth Hellwig-Olson and Merna Jacobsen from the University of Northern Colorado. Did you ever encounter either of them? Merna in particular was very memorable – big red/orange hair, big presence. I am not much of a blogger, and I’m hoping Sheilagh has saved my emails and (email and regular) postcards as a record of my voyage. The picture thing (thang) is limited by our technology on-ship; I even had to get an emergency e-mail account in yahoo because our technology could not support hotmail. So I will have pictures available when I return, and I will either slide them into the blog later or do photo albums on-line. One of my excellent colleagues here hails from your state, though she is in Los Alamos. Maybe I’ll have to pass by NM soon.
And Jean S&M, it all goes back to you. You introduced us all to SAS during our collective time at UNC. I even interviewed at that time; obviously I was not selected, but all things come around when the time is right. I’m sure many things are the same about our voyages, as well as many things being different (the ship, for one – very luxurious!). Thanks for giving us all our first exposure to SAS. FYI Larry Singell is our Exec. Dean and Ron Wisner is our Asst. Dean.
Hello Kristen Happy! I will think of you when I arrive in Honolulu. Thanks for your kind words, particularly about class. I will actually do a couple of classes for faculty members while I’m here, so I’m never that far from the role. Congrats on your new job as well!! It’s great to work with smart folks, and news flash, you are one of those, as are all “my people.” I won’t be driving back through SF after all, so I won’t get a chance to see you (unless you are planning to be in San Diego around May 14). Darn. Have fun! (Hey to Gary – hope he isn’t still afraid of me…..)
Hi Aunt Gloria – you are one of the few family member I still claim (I think Ginger and Joe in Seattle are in that group too) – yes, world, I have family. I hope you can make it up our way soon this summer! I’ll be in touch when I get back.
Hello, Sarah (or Kris, I’m unclear) – I thought it fairly hilarious that you found my blog to see what was happening on your son’s voyage. Of course, if he and I had spoken “officially,” that would be our little secret; but I have interaction with lots of students through trips, clubs, meals, etc. whom I would never dream that I would see officially. And I even know another number by sight, so I may well know Marcus, and I’m sure he is as you describe. Perhaps he is keeping a written journal and you will get a full story later.
Hi Shon. Actually, sunburn is the least of my problems – some days at sea I never actually get out the door! It’s pretty scandalous, but we ARE working…..I tried for a little color in Vietnam, and perhaps between Japan and San Diego, though it’s a little brisk for the last couple of days. We are probably moving back in your direction, though probably not all the way to New York. I’ll keep you posted – did you start school at Brockport yet? My friend still chairs the English Dept. there. Get on it!
Hello Erin. Did you ever find an exclamation point that you didn’t like? Or three!!! We’ll catch up when I get back!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Megan, what a good question. There’s a lot of laudatory research about the current crop of “Millennial Generation” students. I read some initially, and I’ll read more, but this experience is giving me more of a balanced view – no group is unreservedly positive. Very different from the experiences I had with students at UNC in the 90’s, especially as you all were so special, to a person. I miss you all! These students are very concerned to be perceived as good people. It’s hard for me to make general comments as my role here as judicial person skews my perception.
As far as campus life, we have all the ingredients - about 100 different classes offered from 8-5 by about 35 faculty, a library and computer lab, plus a res life component, activities, counseling, health services, a good number of clubs and organizations, a judicial function, even a "cop," plus unique bits like the program for the elders and for the dependent children who are going to school while on board. There are classes every day at sea with stuff every night, with extensive lists of trips and activities in each port. So there are lots of similarities, but the differences would have to be first in the self-contained nature of the community in which faculty are in the environment with student's 24/7, which is usually a brand new and challenging experience for them. For us Student Life people, we are used to having such close contact with students, so it's nothing unique. There are some faculty who have no idea what students are like outside a classroom. Here they are getting a crash course. Also, we move very quickly here. Time is condensed; programs are planned and executed in days if not hours, appointments made no more than a day or two ahead, we all work on the fly and respond quickly to anything and everything. Lastly, there is a single course that everyone on ship participates in, as a way to unify the community; another difference would be that every course has an international dimension to it.
This topic does give me the excuse to blow our collective horn a bit – the administrators who have sailed multiple times, as well as the ship’s crew who have dealt with student behavior, have said REPEATEDLY AND EMPHATICALLY that this voyage is by far the best they have experienced in terms of student behavior, with the fewest and least serious incidents, etc. Our Student Life staff set a tone and created a system which held folks accountable and stressed how serious we were about behavior issues, in a caring way. I think we have been highly successful, and I’m pleased about my role in that.
And hi to Ginger and Joe! Thanks for reading about my adventure. I’ll have another gathering at the house to showcase my souvenirs and pictures. And if Gloria visits we can have our own reunion.
Well OK! I must run to dinner, having said that I want to have every remaining dinner out on the deck. More programs and activities this evening, as every evening, and I have deck duty during bar service, so it will be a long night particularly after you figure in another clock change ( with more to come, then the Dateline…) I will be back on the mainland in less than two weeks! Amazing. More to come, as fast as my little fingers can type. Bye, and thanks for visiting my THANG.
Monday, April 30, 2007
Saigon 2
Now I will finish up with some more thoughts on Saigon. We traveled a significant distance up the Saigon River to dock in Saigon proper. It is very lush and tropical. I’ve noticed places do the tropics and jungle in different ways – Africa’s jungle is more bush, Borneo was different from Vietnam and from what you see on Mauritius, and Hong Kong even has its version. Then of course we will be able to compare all of them with Hawaii, as some have compared Vietnam with Hawaii (and the whole China Beach thing).
There was lots of hustle and bustle in Saigon, people constantly wanting you to buy their stuff from the stores and markets along the street. There was the big Ben Thanh market with hundreds of tiny stalls. They were very persistent. I ended up with a pair of “Nike” convertible pants (size XXXL, I think) plus Sheilagh’s Coach bag. Sturdy girls such as myself have had many reminders that we are not Asian size. Store clerks laughing, for one thing, and doing the international gesture for “boobs” (referring either to our anatomy, or noting that we were in facts boobs for going into the stores in the first place……..) However, even much smaller US women had the same experience there. Neener neener – welcome to our world. But the clothing and textiles were beautiful, as they were also in Hong Kong and Japan.
We did get to eat at the Pho 2000 where Bill Clinton had lunch on a recent visit. We heard about that many times; they were very proud to host him, Chelsea, and Hilary. We heard about where she shopped, too. All we had to do was ask where they ate and every taxi driver and person on the street knew exactly. Then at one point some guide said as an aside, “Oh by the way George W. Bush stayed in that hotel.” ‘Nuff said. Ha! The pho was good, and they had lots of fruit milkshakes. Yeah!
I walked to the zoo and the botanical garden for the afternoon. A little warm but doable. Unfortunately, the zoo was about 40 or more years behind what we are accustomed to in the US. I applaud their efforts and hope for progress. Pretty grounds, though. On the way back I stopped at the New York Diner for a burger (!). What a hoot – met the owner, a guy from Jersey, and his Vietnamese wife. Also there was a US faculty member from Saigon National U. there, an expert on SE Asia. We spoke a bit about the war – he had a very different perspective. I have never, and probably will never again, converse with so many strangers. Although when you see a Western or US person in these circumstances, it’s far more tempting than usual. In Japan, it was funny – we would all see one another, going to and from the ship, in front of the Portliner (elevated rail), and say hi or have a little chat. I mentioned that the Kobe folks must have thought that all Westerners knew each other.
The food was excellent in Saigon. We went out a lot and it was very reasonable, as were the costs in general, especially as people shopped. Many folks had clothing made, including one of our colleagues who had all her bridesmaids dresses and groomsmen’s shirts made during our stay. There were several Western-style restaurants, coffee places with a Viet twist, places available with menus in English, all very manageable. And if I haven’t asked you yet: what do you imagine to be the most prevalent US “restaurant” worldwide? No, not the ubiquitous McD’s – in fact it’s KFC, the Colonel himself, probably for reasons related to dietary laws in various places, the availability and cost of chicken everywhere, and so on. Near as I can remember 100% of the countries we visited had one. Seems that way.
We did, however, eat like millionaires as we spent a million dong (Viet money) on one of the dinners at the Rex. I did say that if I never hear the word “dong” ever again it would be too soon. You can imagine the jokes about dong: “I lost my dong in the Cu Chi tunnels.” “You can make your dong go a long way in Saigon.” “How did your dong get in my purse?” Yeah, yeah, yeah.
As so many places have been, Saigon was different and familiar at the same time. I enjoyed my time there. I may add to these narratives when I review the e-mails I’ve sent with even more details.
There was lots of hustle and bustle in Saigon, people constantly wanting you to buy their stuff from the stores and markets along the street. There was the big Ben Thanh market with hundreds of tiny stalls. They were very persistent. I ended up with a pair of “Nike” convertible pants (size XXXL, I think) plus Sheilagh’s Coach bag. Sturdy girls such as myself have had many reminders that we are not Asian size. Store clerks laughing, for one thing, and doing the international gesture for “boobs” (referring either to our anatomy, or noting that we were in facts boobs for going into the stores in the first place……..) However, even much smaller US women had the same experience there. Neener neener – welcome to our world. But the clothing and textiles were beautiful, as they were also in Hong Kong and Japan.
We did get to eat at the Pho 2000 where Bill Clinton had lunch on a recent visit. We heard about that many times; they were very proud to host him, Chelsea, and Hilary. We heard about where she shopped, too. All we had to do was ask where they ate and every taxi driver and person on the street knew exactly. Then at one point some guide said as an aside, “Oh by the way George W. Bush stayed in that hotel.” ‘Nuff said. Ha! The pho was good, and they had lots of fruit milkshakes. Yeah!
I walked to the zoo and the botanical garden for the afternoon. A little warm but doable. Unfortunately, the zoo was about 40 or more years behind what we are accustomed to in the US. I applaud their efforts and hope for progress. Pretty grounds, though. On the way back I stopped at the New York Diner for a burger (!). What a hoot – met the owner, a guy from Jersey, and his Vietnamese wife. Also there was a US faculty member from Saigon National U. there, an expert on SE Asia. We spoke a bit about the war – he had a very different perspective. I have never, and probably will never again, converse with so many strangers. Although when you see a Western or US person in these circumstances, it’s far more tempting than usual. In Japan, it was funny – we would all see one another, going to and from the ship, in front of the Portliner (elevated rail), and say hi or have a little chat. I mentioned that the Kobe folks must have thought that all Westerners knew each other.
The food was excellent in Saigon. We went out a lot and it was very reasonable, as were the costs in general, especially as people shopped. Many folks had clothing made, including one of our colleagues who had all her bridesmaids dresses and groomsmen’s shirts made during our stay. There were several Western-style restaurants, coffee places with a Viet twist, places available with menus in English, all very manageable. And if I haven’t asked you yet: what do you imagine to be the most prevalent US “restaurant” worldwide? No, not the ubiquitous McD’s – in fact it’s KFC, the Colonel himself, probably for reasons related to dietary laws in various places, the availability and cost of chicken everywhere, and so on. Near as I can remember 100% of the countries we visited had one. Seems that way.
We did, however, eat like millionaires as we spent a million dong (Viet money) on one of the dinners at the Rex. I did say that if I never hear the word “dong” ever again it would be too soon. You can imagine the jokes about dong: “I lost my dong in the Cu Chi tunnels.” “You can make your dong go a long way in Saigon.” “How did your dong get in my purse?” Yeah, yeah, yeah.
As so many places have been, Saigon was different and familiar at the same time. I enjoyed my time there. I may add to these narratives when I review the e-mails I’ve sent with even more details.
Sunday, April 22, 2007
Mekong Delta
One who grew up on the place names of Vietnam could not pass up a trip to the Mekong Delta. The river even upstream was huge in spots, with significant populated islands in it. We bused up to somewhere in the My Tho area, going south on the main highway that also leads up to Da Nang and Hanoi. A very busy highway indeed, with lots of roadside stands, bicyclists, the ever-present motorbikes, and cars. Also alongside the road was a lot of housing, explained to us by the fact that property taxes are lower close to the road. We also saw some quite new and modern housing a bit farther out. Most houses are only 14 feet wide as that is how land is zoned. They then may go up several stories, housing generations of family members. In the rice paddies that line the roads, there are often burial monuments – they like to keep their deceased relatives close by.
Alas, all my pictures from this trip somehow disappeared. Digital cameras have their limitations, for sure. We stopped at a large market, with live and dried fish, chicks and ducklings, meats (no refrigeration), all manner of fruits and vegetables, crafts, hardware, notions, whatever. I petted a cat there, as I am wont to do everywhere. We took a large boat (25 seats) into the river and up a canal in one of the islands. The islands still support very traditional existences, though they do have electricity and plumbing (at some point I will go into an extensive discussion of plumbing and sanitation around the world). Our first stop led us into a small “factory’’ where they made a chewy coconut candy, very addictive. We also had honey tea made with a local “longan” honey, very thin and tasty. We also had some of the royal jelly from the hive, what the workers feed the queen, supposedly very nutritious. Eat it, put it on your face, a multi-purpose substance.
We then boarded tiny boats of 4 of us with 2 drivers to go through true jungle. These narrow canals were lined with vegetation and little homes just off the water. We ended up at another little place at which we had some tea and fruit, including jackfruit and dragonfruit. Every place had some things for sale, and this was one of our first exposures to snake wine, in which a whole snake (varying sizes in various bottles) is pickled in a bottle of wine. Of course, students were not permitted to bring that on board, as they are not permitted to bring alcohol on, but at last count they were told the bottles contained: water; oil; vinegar; and benzoyl (sp?) peroxide. What a strange substance, and the scary part is that people actually drink it! In fact, we were told the snake is good for two refillings; after that, “Snake no good.”
I just thought what that jungle must have seemed like to 18 year old kids, soldiers in the 60s and 70s, fighting an invisible enemy in unbearable heat and awful conditions. I saw bamboo cut at angle along the river and canal banks, and flashed back to some of what my father’s letters had described of various weapons and booby-traps. I suppose this is the segue into our visit to the War Remembrance Museum, previously known as the Museum of American and Chinese War Crimes, then the Museum of War Atrocities. All seem to apply. The bottom line for me is that no group has cornered the market on wartime cruelties; even that terminology understates it. At the same time, no group was without sin, either. “We” gave as good as we got in many circumstances. Perhaps the longest-enduring legacy was the use of dioxin, “Agent Orange.” There’s still a great deal of denial going on even with folks in this country who were exposed as soldiers or otherwise in-country. The denial extends to Vietnam where the effects continue to be felt through generations. I saw the lush growth now and tried to imagine both what it was before the major burnings and deforestations, and also what that must have looked like.
I’m not one to lecture on this war; besides, we’ve go all sorts of new wars to lecture on! But I do try to read about it and develop some understanding, particularly since my father was here during that time. (I don’t think people have much understanding of it at all, and have a particularly difficult time with other perspectives of it, such as the Vietnam perspective; an important one, I feel, since it is their country). As some of you know, my father was here as a civilian contractor in support of the war effort, think Halliburton/Fluor/KBR and other now/again-familiar names along that line. He met and married a Vietnamese woman and brought her entire family over before the fall of Saigon, including her (!) daughter. Enough said about that; for one thing, that’s about all I know.
There’s yet more on Vietnam, but I’ll give it to you in small doses.
Alas, all my pictures from this trip somehow disappeared. Digital cameras have their limitations, for sure. We stopped at a large market, with live and dried fish, chicks and ducklings, meats (no refrigeration), all manner of fruits and vegetables, crafts, hardware, notions, whatever. I petted a cat there, as I am wont to do everywhere. We took a large boat (25 seats) into the river and up a canal in one of the islands. The islands still support very traditional existences, though they do have electricity and plumbing (at some point I will go into an extensive discussion of plumbing and sanitation around the world). Our first stop led us into a small “factory’’ where they made a chewy coconut candy, very addictive. We also had honey tea made with a local “longan” honey, very thin and tasty. We also had some of the royal jelly from the hive, what the workers feed the queen, supposedly very nutritious. Eat it, put it on your face, a multi-purpose substance.
We then boarded tiny boats of 4 of us with 2 drivers to go through true jungle. These narrow canals were lined with vegetation and little homes just off the water. We ended up at another little place at which we had some tea and fruit, including jackfruit and dragonfruit. Every place had some things for sale, and this was one of our first exposures to snake wine, in which a whole snake (varying sizes in various bottles) is pickled in a bottle of wine. Of course, students were not permitted to bring that on board, as they are not permitted to bring alcohol on, but at last count they were told the bottles contained: water; oil; vinegar; and benzoyl (sp?) peroxide. What a strange substance, and the scary part is that people actually drink it! In fact, we were told the snake is good for two refillings; after that, “Snake no good.”
I just thought what that jungle must have seemed like to 18 year old kids, soldiers in the 60s and 70s, fighting an invisible enemy in unbearable heat and awful conditions. I saw bamboo cut at angle along the river and canal banks, and flashed back to some of what my father’s letters had described of various weapons and booby-traps. I suppose this is the segue into our visit to the War Remembrance Museum, previously known as the Museum of American and Chinese War Crimes, then the Museum of War Atrocities. All seem to apply. The bottom line for me is that no group has cornered the market on wartime cruelties; even that terminology understates it. At the same time, no group was without sin, either. “We” gave as good as we got in many circumstances. Perhaps the longest-enduring legacy was the use of dioxin, “Agent Orange.” There’s still a great deal of denial going on even with folks in this country who were exposed as soldiers or otherwise in-country. The denial extends to Vietnam where the effects continue to be felt through generations. I saw the lush growth now and tried to imagine both what it was before the major burnings and deforestations, and also what that must have looked like.
I’m not one to lecture on this war; besides, we’ve go all sorts of new wars to lecture on! But I do try to read about it and develop some understanding, particularly since my father was here during that time. (I don’t think people have much understanding of it at all, and have a particularly difficult time with other perspectives of it, such as the Vietnam perspective; an important one, I feel, since it is their country). As some of you know, my father was here as a civilian contractor in support of the war effort, think Halliburton/Fluor/KBR and other now/again-familiar names along that line. He met and married a Vietnamese woman and brought her entire family over before the fall of Saigon, including her (!) daughter. Enough said about that; for one thing, that’s about all I know.
There’s yet more on Vietnam, but I’ll give it to you in small doses.
Saigon
Saigon would qualify as one of the most interesting places we have been. If you get a chance to visit, take it, for lots of reasons. First and foremost is the amazing traffic. Apparently there are about 4 million motorbikes in the city of about 8 million people, and believe me they are all on the street at once. Far fewer cars, buses, bicycles, pedestrians. We decided that all forms of traffic control are merely suggestions in Saigon – traffic lights (VERY few), lanes, directional orientations and one-way streets, even sidewalks. Crossing any street is surreal. You literally just go for it at any time, and literally the motorbikes will serpentine around you as you walk a steady pace. It’s not a habit you can import to any other country, but it was WILD there. I loved it!
I felt very comfortable there. Part of me was thinking/wondering if my father had in fact walked the same streets or had gone to the same places 35-40 years ago. A place we hit more than once was the Rex Hotel, which was famous for having been appropriated during the war by journalists as sort of a headquarters. Interesting, I took a picture of it before I even knew what it was – perhaps I intuited that it had relevant history, one that I may even be tied in to. Who knows.
The first day we had a city tour. Those are always good because they give you the lay of the land and highlight things and places one may wish to return to later. Also, they are popular with staff and faculty. So we toured; allow me to mention touring in Asian countries. These guides brook no lollygagging. One must STEP LIVELY to keep up, or get left behind. In fact, at one point some of us (including Merna) climbed a set of stairs from the basement of a building we were touring, and our group was nowhere in sight. We went in to a film showing in another room, thinking that’s where they went – no. So we were lost, but fortunately here comes the guide saying the rest of the group was already on the bus (!) Well, how mortifying. I had to enter the bus and announce that I was giving myself dock time for being late (the students loved that). Fortunately, I was also able to hear my own appeal, and I was relieved to find that I had in fact granted my appeal and canceled my punishment.
We got a 5-minute history of Vietnam since the 1000s (I tell you, these Asian tours move fast) and a water puppet show, which was actually very charming. The puppets do their show atop a small pond. They are operated by sticks under the water which lead to puppeteers behind a curtain in the water themselves. We also visited a temple with these giant incense coils, probably 3 feet across, which burn for a month.
A highlight was the visit to the Presidential Palace, which in 1975 had the tanks of the North Vietnamese crash through the front gates, go up the steps and into the building to overthrow the South Vietnamese government. It’s still largely intact, and very interesting. In one of the rooms was a stuffed leopard or some such; one of our darling faculty members was there with her children, and one of them was a little distressed about this animal. Toni (now she’s famous!), replied, “I think he died of natural causes, honey.” Again, thought I would bust a gut. I hear some of the greatest one-liners on this trip, funny largely because they are not meant to be. I can’t even print one of Merna’s…..
So on one little leg of this trip, as we were scurrying back to the bus (!), I passed a hotel with a sign out front. Imagine my surprise when I saw, “WELCOME SEATTLE CENTRAL COMMUNITY COLLEGE.” Didn’t have time to explore that right then, but what a weird thing! Some of us walked back up to that area from the ship (about a 10-15 minute walk, felt totally safe, perhaps because I was a TOWERING GIANT among the Vietnamese) to go to dinner at the Rex. Incidentally, Merna did not walk with us. I believe walking is against her religion. God created taxis, after all. So she met us there. Anyway, I went back to this other hotel, and in fact what was happening was a recruiting meeting held by Dr. Andrea Insley from Seattle Central. What are the odds? Well, I met her and we chatted for a while, got her card. How about that?
I’ll back up for a little perspective on the city. It was renamed Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) by the communist government in ’75, I think. However, Saigon is still in common usage. One of the reasons is that the city is divided into districts, and District 1, which houses much of the central city including many landmarks, gov’t buildings, etc., is still referred to as Saigon. So you can really get away with using that name, and of course many of us grew up hearing that, some more than others, me since that’s where my father lived for most of a decade, so it’s difficult to think of it any other way.
There’s lots of English, on signs and spoken. People were very receptive to us; one of the explanations is that so many Vietnamese are young, born after ’75, that for them the war is history, literally. Even the older folks look at U.S. folks more as welcome tourists (with money) than as symbols of the war. More on the war in the next installment, as well as the rest of my visit.
I felt very comfortable there. Part of me was thinking/wondering if my father had in fact walked the same streets or had gone to the same places 35-40 years ago. A place we hit more than once was the Rex Hotel, which was famous for having been appropriated during the war by journalists as sort of a headquarters. Interesting, I took a picture of it before I even knew what it was – perhaps I intuited that it had relevant history, one that I may even be tied in to. Who knows.
The first day we had a city tour. Those are always good because they give you the lay of the land and highlight things and places one may wish to return to later. Also, they are popular with staff and faculty. So we toured; allow me to mention touring in Asian countries. These guides brook no lollygagging. One must STEP LIVELY to keep up, or get left behind. In fact, at one point some of us (including Merna) climbed a set of stairs from the basement of a building we were touring, and our group was nowhere in sight. We went in to a film showing in another room, thinking that’s where they went – no. So we were lost, but fortunately here comes the guide saying the rest of the group was already on the bus (!) Well, how mortifying. I had to enter the bus and announce that I was giving myself dock time for being late (the students loved that). Fortunately, I was also able to hear my own appeal, and I was relieved to find that I had in fact granted my appeal and canceled my punishment.
We got a 5-minute history of Vietnam since the 1000s (I tell you, these Asian tours move fast) and a water puppet show, which was actually very charming. The puppets do their show atop a small pond. They are operated by sticks under the water which lead to puppeteers behind a curtain in the water themselves. We also visited a temple with these giant incense coils, probably 3 feet across, which burn for a month.
A highlight was the visit to the Presidential Palace, which in 1975 had the tanks of the North Vietnamese crash through the front gates, go up the steps and into the building to overthrow the South Vietnamese government. It’s still largely intact, and very interesting. In one of the rooms was a stuffed leopard or some such; one of our darling faculty members was there with her children, and one of them was a little distressed about this animal. Toni (now she’s famous!), replied, “I think he died of natural causes, honey.” Again, thought I would bust a gut. I hear some of the greatest one-liners on this trip, funny largely because they are not meant to be. I can’t even print one of Merna’s…..
So on one little leg of this trip, as we were scurrying back to the bus (!), I passed a hotel with a sign out front. Imagine my surprise when I saw, “WELCOME SEATTLE CENTRAL COMMUNITY COLLEGE.” Didn’t have time to explore that right then, but what a weird thing! Some of us walked back up to that area from the ship (about a 10-15 minute walk, felt totally safe, perhaps because I was a TOWERING GIANT among the Vietnamese) to go to dinner at the Rex. Incidentally, Merna did not walk with us. I believe walking is against her religion. God created taxis, after all. So she met us there. Anyway, I went back to this other hotel, and in fact what was happening was a recruiting meeting held by Dr. Andrea Insley from Seattle Central. What are the odds? Well, I met her and we chatted for a while, got her card. How about that?
I’ll back up for a little perspective on the city. It was renamed Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) by the communist government in ’75, I think. However, Saigon is still in common usage. One of the reasons is that the city is divided into districts, and District 1, which houses much of the central city including many landmarks, gov’t buildings, etc., is still referred to as Saigon. So you can really get away with using that name, and of course many of us grew up hearing that, some more than others, me since that’s where my father lived for most of a decade, so it’s difficult to think of it any other way.
There’s lots of English, on signs and spoken. People were very receptive to us; one of the explanations is that so many Vietnamese are young, born after ’75, that for them the war is history, literally. Even the older folks look at U.S. folks more as welcome tourists (with money) than as symbols of the war. More on the war in the next installment, as well as the rest of my visit.
Friday, April 20, 2007
Borneo!!
Borneo!
Who could pass up a chance to visit Borneo? Just the sound of it. So I was thrilled to get that trip, especially since it included the orang utans.
We pulled into the harbor of Georgetown on Penang Island, one of the Malaysian states. We didn’t actually dock, due I think to depth issues, but used tenders (small boats to ferry passengers between the ship and the dock). We used the lifeboats, so around 70 people at a time could go one way or another. Generally worked well, except right at the end of our stay.
I didn’t see any of Georgetown except to and from the airport. We left immediately our first day in, and returned late the last day. Our Borneo excursion involved 6 flights in 4 days, and could have been a logistical nightmare. Fortunately one of our counselors (Mental Health Professionals), Marvel, was trip leader so dealt with all the issues. We flew into Kuala Lumpur first. Do you remember the last time you had a real meal, and a good one, on a plane? Try Malaysia Air! Oh my – this airline could be one of the world’s top 10, particularly as they are trying to keep up with their competition including Singapore Air. Check it out.
So a little secret about Malaysia (pronounced by the locals as Ma – lay – SEE – uh) is that it is chocolate heaven. The airport in KL (as we took to calling it) had these massive chocolate stores with chocolate from all over the world – Cadbury, which actually rules the world, Nestle (which OWNS the world), Godiva, and many others. Not only did I stock up, but I got pictures as well. In fact, all 3 airports we were in had extensive selections of chocolate.
We flew from Penang to Kota Kinabalu, or the City at Mount Kinabalu in Sabah. Geography lesson – most of Malaysia is Peninsular Malaysia at the tip of Thailand. There are two Malaysian states on the island of Borneo, Sabah and Sarawak, with Brunei (as in the Sultan Of) stuck in the middle. The rest of Borneo is Indonesia. We had our first evening in - wait for it – KK, as we called it. Do you see a trend emerging? It was a slightly odd little hotel, the Berjaya Palace, next to a giant mall full of electronics. So we trotted over to the mall for lack of anything else to do that night. Looking at clothing in the mall was my first indication that I am not Asian size. I really never noticed (!). However, I was able to pick up a shirt in the men’s department that I will wear for my dinner with Archbishop Tutu.
Back at the hotel we ran into a woman in the elevator, apologized (ha ha), and had a conversation. She noticed us as our little hotel did not attract many tourists or Americans. So that’s how we met Nan from SOS Rhinos. She was a US vet specializing in rhino reproduction for Save Our Sumatran Rhinos! There are only about 600 left in the wild. HOW FASCINATING! I was grilling her about what she was doing, hanging on every word. Of course Marvel :-) the MHP made some comment about my interest in her versus her work, to which I replied that animals always trump people in my world (even members of the church, get it? OK) – I must keep this a family publication.
So we were out the door at 5:30 am to fly to Sandakan on the other side of Sabah. I sat next to some Aussies on the plane; turns out they live a few kilometers from the Australia Zoo, Steve Irwin’s (the Crocodile Hunter) place. They also know Lauren Jackson from the Seattle Storm. So we were friends. Those of you who know me know the likelihood of me striking up a conversation with strangers on a plane. I mention this because I then saw these folks all day long at every stop we made! They also enquired if I was Canadian – that’s the worldwide ploy to give us a graceful out.
We went first to the Sepilok Orang Utan Rehabilitation Centre. Orangs are often orphaned or captured for pets, and this centre, mainly run by the Brits, transitions them back into the wild. So if you ever get a gift of an orang utan from me, adopted in your name, you’ll understand. Orang Utan means Man of the Forest. Utan is man. We can go with Orange Man as well, I suppose. We walked into the jungle about a half mile to a feeding platform where the orangs can come for food to supplement their foraging. I was as hot as I’ve ever been, I think – it was over 90 in both temp and humidity – I was standing still and streaming sweat. But we were riveted by the orangs swinging in for some bananas. There were also a lot of macaques around as well. I got lots of photos. Watching the two groups of primates interact was fun as well. Saw the Aussies.
We were supposed to return to the airport at that time to go back to KK, but they had put us on the wrong flight, not leaving till 9 pm. So it fell to the tour guide to make up an entire experience until our flight departed. It actually turned out great, as we first visited a big Buddhist/Tao temple up on a mountain then went to the Sabah Hotel for lunch. Saw the Aussies again. We then went to the house of some Brit woman author prominent in Borneo – didn’t really catch all that as I napped on the bus. I think the Aussies were there too.
We then went to a memorial for one of the original Death Marches of WWII. We are familiar with the one at Bataan, but the ones in Borneo predated that and involved Brit and Aussie soldiers – only 6 men survived out of nearly 500 who began the march into the interior of Borneo. There are so many little bits of history to be found everywhere. Men’s inhumanities, and I use the language deliberately.
There was also a cat there and I petted it. I am starting to get a reputation for finding and petting the cats and dogs at each place. Of course, the doc says stay away, and of course I dutifully report to him after each port that I petted a cat or petted a dog. Or two. Hey, most times you can really tell if a cat or dog is going to bite your face off. So far so good, still got my face and other appendages. No rabies. But saw the Aussies.
We went to a local market with giant mountains of dried shrimp and other fish, a huge fresh fish market, lots of produce and other things. Not much English spoken, this was the real deal. Saw another cat with a leg deformity chomping on fish heads. I figure he could have a worse life. One of the things we see a lot is miniature bananas – I bought a bunch for the bus for about a dollar. They are very sweet, as sometimes smaller fruits concentrate the sweetness and flavor more.
Dinner at the Indian King Seafood Restaurant was fabulous! Mayo prawns, baked snapper with cilantro, fried calamari, lemon chicken; we mixed up a condiment of fresh chilis, garlic, and kumquat juice to hot it up. Yum yum. Fresh papaya for dessert. We watched the moon rise over the ocean from our patio. In Borneo. What could be better?
So back to the airport, saw the Aussies. Saw them one last time as buses to the respective hotels pulled out. The next day was full again as we went to Mount Kinabalu, a 13,000+ mountain, the tallest in SE Asia. We went up high enough for some welcome cool temperatures. We then proceeded to our canopy walk in which we climbed a ways up a mountain to walk on suspended bridges. Well, on the way we crossed a stream on a suspended bridge, about 3-4 feet wide, piece of cake! However……up in the canopy of trees, this bridge was 8 INCHES wide, a single board held up by a web of ropes 100 feet in the air. Oh my. And of course one of my secrets is that I have a touch of acrophobia (Sheilagh can tell you about me driving the Going To The Sun road in Glacier Park). I stuck by the previously mentioned Mental Health Professional just in case. It was a bit of a challenge – stick to the middle of the board, get a rhythm as you walk and advance your grip, and KEEP GOING. I survived, most do, and I have pictures. We got to finish that experience by doing a short hike (FINALLY!! a good walk) into the jungle and visiting a pool and waterfall for a swim. Perfect.
We ended the day by stopping at a village market in the village our guide was from. I tried the durian – “stinky fruit,” the one that smells like rot but tastes great. Well…..the smell was no big deal but I did not care for the taste. In fact it made me somewhat ill. But I tried it, and since, I have had candies flavored with durian, no big deal. We loaded up on snacks, a tapioca flatbread, mini strawberries (not usually a strawberry fan, but after that durian…..) and such, and feasted on our way back. The next day was a travel day. I had a little stomach upset, maybe that damn durian, but just as likely the sodas of which I had way more than usual. The lesson is that if you are buying anyway, just make it water!! I have not bought so much bottled water in my entire life, and in fact have a collection of water bottles from all sorts of countries.
Beautiful people in Malaysia, a great airline, chocolate everywhere. Lots of modern architecture sometimes mixed with the Asian influence. What’s not to like? I’ll have to return and visit KL (actually leave the airport) as well as spend more time in Borneo. Who’s with me?
Who could pass up a chance to visit Borneo? Just the sound of it. So I was thrilled to get that trip, especially since it included the orang utans.
We pulled into the harbor of Georgetown on Penang Island, one of the Malaysian states. We didn’t actually dock, due I think to depth issues, but used tenders (small boats to ferry passengers between the ship and the dock). We used the lifeboats, so around 70 people at a time could go one way or another. Generally worked well, except right at the end of our stay.
I didn’t see any of Georgetown except to and from the airport. We left immediately our first day in, and returned late the last day. Our Borneo excursion involved 6 flights in 4 days, and could have been a logistical nightmare. Fortunately one of our counselors (Mental Health Professionals), Marvel, was trip leader so dealt with all the issues. We flew into Kuala Lumpur first. Do you remember the last time you had a real meal, and a good one, on a plane? Try Malaysia Air! Oh my – this airline could be one of the world’s top 10, particularly as they are trying to keep up with their competition including Singapore Air. Check it out.
So a little secret about Malaysia (pronounced by the locals as Ma – lay – SEE – uh) is that it is chocolate heaven. The airport in KL (as we took to calling it) had these massive chocolate stores with chocolate from all over the world – Cadbury, which actually rules the world, Nestle (which OWNS the world), Godiva, and many others. Not only did I stock up, but I got pictures as well. In fact, all 3 airports we were in had extensive selections of chocolate.
We flew from Penang to Kota Kinabalu, or the City at Mount Kinabalu in Sabah. Geography lesson – most of Malaysia is Peninsular Malaysia at the tip of Thailand. There are two Malaysian states on the island of Borneo, Sabah and Sarawak, with Brunei (as in the Sultan Of) stuck in the middle. The rest of Borneo is Indonesia. We had our first evening in - wait for it – KK, as we called it. Do you see a trend emerging? It was a slightly odd little hotel, the Berjaya Palace, next to a giant mall full of electronics. So we trotted over to the mall for lack of anything else to do that night. Looking at clothing in the mall was my first indication that I am not Asian size. I really never noticed (!). However, I was able to pick up a shirt in the men’s department that I will wear for my dinner with Archbishop Tutu.
Back at the hotel we ran into a woman in the elevator, apologized (ha ha), and had a conversation. She noticed us as our little hotel did not attract many tourists or Americans. So that’s how we met Nan from SOS Rhinos. She was a US vet specializing in rhino reproduction for Save Our Sumatran Rhinos! There are only about 600 left in the wild. HOW FASCINATING! I was grilling her about what she was doing, hanging on every word. Of course Marvel :-) the MHP made some comment about my interest in her versus her work, to which I replied that animals always trump people in my world (even members of the church, get it? OK) – I must keep this a family publication.
So we were out the door at 5:30 am to fly to Sandakan on the other side of Sabah. I sat next to some Aussies on the plane; turns out they live a few kilometers from the Australia Zoo, Steve Irwin’s (the Crocodile Hunter) place. They also know Lauren Jackson from the Seattle Storm. So we were friends. Those of you who know me know the likelihood of me striking up a conversation with strangers on a plane. I mention this because I then saw these folks all day long at every stop we made! They also enquired if I was Canadian – that’s the worldwide ploy to give us a graceful out.
We went first to the Sepilok Orang Utan Rehabilitation Centre. Orangs are often orphaned or captured for pets, and this centre, mainly run by the Brits, transitions them back into the wild. So if you ever get a gift of an orang utan from me, adopted in your name, you’ll understand. Orang Utan means Man of the Forest. Utan is man. We can go with Orange Man as well, I suppose. We walked into the jungle about a half mile to a feeding platform where the orangs can come for food to supplement their foraging. I was as hot as I’ve ever been, I think – it was over 90 in both temp and humidity – I was standing still and streaming sweat. But we were riveted by the orangs swinging in for some bananas. There were also a lot of macaques around as well. I got lots of photos. Watching the two groups of primates interact was fun as well. Saw the Aussies.
We were supposed to return to the airport at that time to go back to KK, but they had put us on the wrong flight, not leaving till 9 pm. So it fell to the tour guide to make up an entire experience until our flight departed. It actually turned out great, as we first visited a big Buddhist/Tao temple up on a mountain then went to the Sabah Hotel for lunch. Saw the Aussies again. We then went to the house of some Brit woman author prominent in Borneo – didn’t really catch all that as I napped on the bus. I think the Aussies were there too.
We then went to a memorial for one of the original Death Marches of WWII. We are familiar with the one at Bataan, but the ones in Borneo predated that and involved Brit and Aussie soldiers – only 6 men survived out of nearly 500 who began the march into the interior of Borneo. There are so many little bits of history to be found everywhere. Men’s inhumanities, and I use the language deliberately.
There was also a cat there and I petted it. I am starting to get a reputation for finding and petting the cats and dogs at each place. Of course, the doc says stay away, and of course I dutifully report to him after each port that I petted a cat or petted a dog. Or two. Hey, most times you can really tell if a cat or dog is going to bite your face off. So far so good, still got my face and other appendages. No rabies. But saw the Aussies.
We went to a local market with giant mountains of dried shrimp and other fish, a huge fresh fish market, lots of produce and other things. Not much English spoken, this was the real deal. Saw another cat with a leg deformity chomping on fish heads. I figure he could have a worse life. One of the things we see a lot is miniature bananas – I bought a bunch for the bus for about a dollar. They are very sweet, as sometimes smaller fruits concentrate the sweetness and flavor more.
Dinner at the Indian King Seafood Restaurant was fabulous! Mayo prawns, baked snapper with cilantro, fried calamari, lemon chicken; we mixed up a condiment of fresh chilis, garlic, and kumquat juice to hot it up. Yum yum. Fresh papaya for dessert. We watched the moon rise over the ocean from our patio. In Borneo. What could be better?
So back to the airport, saw the Aussies. Saw them one last time as buses to the respective hotels pulled out. The next day was full again as we went to Mount Kinabalu, a 13,000+ mountain, the tallest in SE Asia. We went up high enough for some welcome cool temperatures. We then proceeded to our canopy walk in which we climbed a ways up a mountain to walk on suspended bridges. Well, on the way we crossed a stream on a suspended bridge, about 3-4 feet wide, piece of cake! However……up in the canopy of trees, this bridge was 8 INCHES wide, a single board held up by a web of ropes 100 feet in the air. Oh my. And of course one of my secrets is that I have a touch of acrophobia (Sheilagh can tell you about me driving the Going To The Sun road in Glacier Park). I stuck by the previously mentioned Mental Health Professional just in case. It was a bit of a challenge – stick to the middle of the board, get a rhythm as you walk and advance your grip, and KEEP GOING. I survived, most do, and I have pictures. We got to finish that experience by doing a short hike (FINALLY!! a good walk) into the jungle and visiting a pool and waterfall for a swim. Perfect.
We ended the day by stopping at a village market in the village our guide was from. I tried the durian – “stinky fruit,” the one that smells like rot but tastes great. Well…..the smell was no big deal but I did not care for the taste. In fact it made me somewhat ill. But I tried it, and since, I have had candies flavored with durian, no big deal. We loaded up on snacks, a tapioca flatbread, mini strawberries (not usually a strawberry fan, but after that durian…..) and such, and feasted on our way back. The next day was a travel day. I had a little stomach upset, maybe that damn durian, but just as likely the sodas of which I had way more than usual. The lesson is that if you are buying anyway, just make it water!! I have not bought so much bottled water in my entire life, and in fact have a collection of water bottles from all sorts of countries.
Beautiful people in Malaysia, a great airline, chocolate everywhere. Lots of modern architecture sometimes mixed with the Asian influence. What’s not to like? I’ll have to return and visit KL (actually leave the airport) as well as spend more time in Borneo. Who’s with me?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)