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.
Monday, April 30, 2007
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?
Tuesday, April 10, 2007
Some Answers!
I love getting questions and comments, though I’m not able to check for them nor respond very often. So I’ll respond all at once for anyone interested. Also, I would love to know who is looking at this – just leave a quick comment saying that you are tuning in.
Hi Nancy, NR – What is my day like. Well, I get up and scarf some breakfast so I can go to the gym and ride a bike for 30 minutes. Sometimes I run on the treadmill but that can be tricky when the ship is moving. We then have the Global Studies class which everyone attends. After that I have about 90 minutes in which I can meet with students if necessary, do paperwork, etc.
Then we have our Student Life meeting. The Director of Student Life, me, the Resident Directors, Conduct Officer (cop), Lifelong Learner coord., and Dependent Children coord. (teacher) meet DAILY for about 90 minutes to keep up with everything. Sounds a bit intense but it’s really necessary in this environment. After that, after a port stay, some of us meet with the Staff Captain and ship security to review the security incidents during port time.
Typically, I use the 2:30 – 5 time to meet in individual appointments with students who have been documented. I borrow the small Counseling Office for these meetings, which is of course shared with 2 real counselors. We juggle schedules to make it work. Time and space can be limited; if I need to meet with students at other times, sometimes I use the dining hall, even my own cabin.
Dinner is after, and I try to eat out on the deck as often as possible. As we hang out around the equator, it can be a bit warm, and on the ocean, a bit humid. But how great to sit out, look at the ocean, watch the sunset? Last night we ramped up the speed to avoid pirates in the Strait of Malacca. None were reported but it was cautionary.
In the evening there are meetings of various student groups and organizations, programs, movies, and AFT-er hours which is the alcoholic beverage service on the AFT deck (get it?) When I have deck duty I hang out there from about 9 – 1130 after I’ve done everything else. Last night we had Post Port in which people can speak of their experiences, read poetry, etc. There was also a movie about Cambodia. Movies also run on the TV, documentaries and such. As we approach Vietnam, they’ll run Apocalypse Now, Good Morning Vietnam, etc.
In terms of large programs, there has been Neptune Day, in which I lost my hair, the Sea Olympics all day (my group got 2nd of 9!), talent shows, concerts, College Bowl, readings, Sea Socials, lectures, Community College nightly (interest classes), religious services, take-offs of reality shows, lip syncs, a drag show is coming up, captain’s dinners, bridge tours; it’s just a massive amount of stuff, and amazingly so as all this was created from scratch since early Feb.
Hot off the presses, we are having a formal Banquet in a few weeks, and guess who will be at the table with Archbishop Tutu! Right, me – I won a drawing. What a hoot. Bought a new shirt in Penang for the occasion. It will be quite the event all around.
What I actually do is review the incident reports written on student behavior, investigate, meet with them, decide, and apply sanctions. A common sanction is Dock Time – a student must remain on the ship for a set number of hours or return to the ship early. It’s an administrative challenge as I try to work around trips, etc. Students hilariously think they can arrange this for their convenience – no, it is a SANCTION which means I decide. I also pull their alcohol privileges, assign them to counseling or alcohol education, send them to Beth to call their parents, and so forth. I won’t go into great detail, as I hear these blogs are studied by a variety of folks. Ask me when I get home. Suffice it to say we use a Breathalyzer and get some very interesting readings. Alcohol is the main problem/issue. Surprise.
I also do the deck duty during alcohol service, sub in for overnight duty in ports, lead some trips in the ports (I led the safari), meet with others as needed, kind of advise some student groups, help out where I can. My days are typically full. The evenings when I’m not at a program or event I’m doing letters or paperwork. It’s administratively very complex and moves VERY quickly.
OK, that’s that for now, on to other questions. Hi Kristen Happy – I knew it was you. I still love disco and funk and brought an IPod full with me. The music in Brazil for Carnaval was loud and repetitive in the larger venues, more unique along the small streets, samba beat, danceable. Actually we have an ethnomusicologist on board to speak with us about different musical traditions. The strangest thing is that most countries have some degree of hip-hop culture in them, reflected in the music. So there is a growing homogeneity in music, losing some of the traditional sounds. Africa was notable with influence of the tribal musical forms. We saw a Zulu dance at our safari camp, and I have long been a fan of Ladysmith Black Mambazo, and they remain an influence. Indian music is heavy on the sitar and those unusual vocalizations. Then there is the Bollywood Musical with large production numbers. Malaysia has become more Asian influenced, with flute-ish sounds, and I’m thinking Vietnam will be similar and traditional, less modern. One of our RDs stumbled on a Linkin Park poster signing in Kuala Lumpur with hundreds of screaming Malaysian girls. US culture is ubiquitous.
Hi Gretch. I promise I will post pictures when I return, both my digitals and film pics. I will also try for that sunrise service with the Archbishop, though I feel a little like a tourist in that environment.
Alrighty then! Must print some letters, collect sanction notices (we had 80 people late to the ship the other night – truly a nightMARE). Keep those questions coming as I will have some time in Vietnam to catch up again and I’m happy to satisfy your curiosities. Thanks for tuning in!
Hi Nancy, NR – What is my day like. Well, I get up and scarf some breakfast so I can go to the gym and ride a bike for 30 minutes. Sometimes I run on the treadmill but that can be tricky when the ship is moving. We then have the Global Studies class which everyone attends. After that I have about 90 minutes in which I can meet with students if necessary, do paperwork, etc.
Then we have our Student Life meeting. The Director of Student Life, me, the Resident Directors, Conduct Officer (cop), Lifelong Learner coord., and Dependent Children coord. (teacher) meet DAILY for about 90 minutes to keep up with everything. Sounds a bit intense but it’s really necessary in this environment. After that, after a port stay, some of us meet with the Staff Captain and ship security to review the security incidents during port time.
Typically, I use the 2:30 – 5 time to meet in individual appointments with students who have been documented. I borrow the small Counseling Office for these meetings, which is of course shared with 2 real counselors. We juggle schedules to make it work. Time and space can be limited; if I need to meet with students at other times, sometimes I use the dining hall, even my own cabin.
Dinner is after, and I try to eat out on the deck as often as possible. As we hang out around the equator, it can be a bit warm, and on the ocean, a bit humid. But how great to sit out, look at the ocean, watch the sunset? Last night we ramped up the speed to avoid pirates in the Strait of Malacca. None were reported but it was cautionary.
In the evening there are meetings of various student groups and organizations, programs, movies, and AFT-er hours which is the alcoholic beverage service on the AFT deck (get it?) When I have deck duty I hang out there from about 9 – 1130 after I’ve done everything else. Last night we had Post Port in which people can speak of their experiences, read poetry, etc. There was also a movie about Cambodia. Movies also run on the TV, documentaries and such. As we approach Vietnam, they’ll run Apocalypse Now, Good Morning Vietnam, etc.
In terms of large programs, there has been Neptune Day, in which I lost my hair, the Sea Olympics all day (my group got 2nd of 9!), talent shows, concerts, College Bowl, readings, Sea Socials, lectures, Community College nightly (interest classes), religious services, take-offs of reality shows, lip syncs, a drag show is coming up, captain’s dinners, bridge tours; it’s just a massive amount of stuff, and amazingly so as all this was created from scratch since early Feb.
Hot off the presses, we are having a formal Banquet in a few weeks, and guess who will be at the table with Archbishop Tutu! Right, me – I won a drawing. What a hoot. Bought a new shirt in Penang for the occasion. It will be quite the event all around.
What I actually do is review the incident reports written on student behavior, investigate, meet with them, decide, and apply sanctions. A common sanction is Dock Time – a student must remain on the ship for a set number of hours or return to the ship early. It’s an administrative challenge as I try to work around trips, etc. Students hilariously think they can arrange this for their convenience – no, it is a SANCTION which means I decide. I also pull their alcohol privileges, assign them to counseling or alcohol education, send them to Beth to call their parents, and so forth. I won’t go into great detail, as I hear these blogs are studied by a variety of folks. Ask me when I get home. Suffice it to say we use a Breathalyzer and get some very interesting readings. Alcohol is the main problem/issue. Surprise.
I also do the deck duty during alcohol service, sub in for overnight duty in ports, lead some trips in the ports (I led the safari), meet with others as needed, kind of advise some student groups, help out where I can. My days are typically full. The evenings when I’m not at a program or event I’m doing letters or paperwork. It’s administratively very complex and moves VERY quickly.
OK, that’s that for now, on to other questions. Hi Kristen Happy – I knew it was you. I still love disco and funk and brought an IPod full with me. The music in Brazil for Carnaval was loud and repetitive in the larger venues, more unique along the small streets, samba beat, danceable. Actually we have an ethnomusicologist on board to speak with us about different musical traditions. The strangest thing is that most countries have some degree of hip-hop culture in them, reflected in the music. So there is a growing homogeneity in music, losing some of the traditional sounds. Africa was notable with influence of the tribal musical forms. We saw a Zulu dance at our safari camp, and I have long been a fan of Ladysmith Black Mambazo, and they remain an influence. Indian music is heavy on the sitar and those unusual vocalizations. Then there is the Bollywood Musical with large production numbers. Malaysia has become more Asian influenced, with flute-ish sounds, and I’m thinking Vietnam will be similar and traditional, less modern. One of our RDs stumbled on a Linkin Park poster signing in Kuala Lumpur with hundreds of screaming Malaysian girls. US culture is ubiquitous.
Hi Gretch. I promise I will post pictures when I return, both my digitals and film pics. I will also try for that sunrise service with the Archbishop, though I feel a little like a tourist in that environment.
Alrighty then! Must print some letters, collect sanction notices (we had 80 people late to the ship the other night – truly a nightMARE). Keep those questions coming as I will have some time in Vietnam to catch up again and I’m happy to satisfy your curiosities. Thanks for tuning in!
India
Again, we were given the worst case scenario. One of the features of the voyage is what are referred to as Interport Lecturers – academics from the next country we will visit. So a couple of Indian scholars joined us in Mauritius and sailed with us to India, teaching about the country, answering questions, etc. As well, there are usually a couple of students from the next country who fill a similar role. I began to wonder what these folks think about us describing their country as filthy, with odors that will sicken you, foods that do the same, disease, primitive sanitation, etc. Somehow I think there is more to it.
Perhaps this is geared toward folks who don’t get out much, or students from such wealth and privilege that anything different qualifies as culture shock. Human waste and the smell of urine? Go downtown in any major city, including Seattle, and you can find that, given our homeless populations. Odors and filth are relative, and apparently a lot of that owes to the fact that India still burns a lot of coal. Our carpets in entry and public areas have been covered with plastic and cardboard to keep the soot and whatever else off and out. Food? First, who hasn’t sampled some form of Indian cuisine? It’s not as if we are visiting another planet, for heaven’s (!) sake. And I bet the food in the US sickens a great number of people around the world, and in our own country, for a variety of reasons.
OK, enough of that, because that said, I did not spend any time in the city of Chennai (formerly Madras). What I did was to go out to a “heritage village,” Dakshina Chitra, for two nights to do a workshop, “The Art of Living.” The bus ride out was interesting. We passed mile upon mile of small shops, businesses, some dwellings, just crammed in together surrounded by hordes of people. That is probably the salient feature of India, and calls for a little deeper discussion than “the country smells.” India itself has passed the BILLION mark in population, and Chennai itself is a city of 7 million. And it’s only the fourth largest in the country. You want to see people crammed in, try Mumbai (formerly Bombay) or especially Kolkata (Calcutta – I think they are trying to rid themselves of vestiges of colonialism by renaming). In all, there are 4 times the number of people in the US in one-third the space. One of the great contradictions is that the poorer some people are, the more children they have….a seemingly endless cycle of despair. One thing I had been prepared for, that I did not see much of, was pervasive physical disability. We did, however, see plenty of homelessness and poverty. At the same time, everyone has a cell phone. Even if you live in a cardboard shack, you have a cell phone. Seemingly another contradiction, but certainly there is more to it than meets the eye.
The image is accurate – there are cows everywhere. Kind of neat, actually. Definitely different and interesting. Lots of dogs also, more on that in a minute. There was a lot to see in our ride, both directions, actually, as street life did not seem to diminish much at 10 or 11 at night. In some cases it picked up as we saw a few little festivals as we returned to the ship. On the way we stopped at some notable landmarks in the area and got some history and such. The village we stayed at is a non-profit which preserves examples of ways of life of the people of the region, so has examples of houses, crafts, temples, and so on. It was enclosed and housed some of the artisans as well as being open as a kind of living history museum.
We were hosted by a lovely woman and her husband who oversaw the accommodations and food. We were in a region, Tamil Nadu, of the darker-skinned Indians. Northerly Indians are much lighter skinned; another great commonality, that skin darkens closer to the equator in all sorts of nations and regions (and mysteriously translates into lower social status…). Indians are very beautiful as well, at least before poverty takes its toll. I was reminded of how I also find folks from Afghanistan and nearby areas to be exceptionally fine looking; I then was not surprised to find that there has been a significant influx of people from those same regions into India in centuries past. Everything is connected.
We had very serviceable accommodations; the bed was a little firm, but then I find most beds to be that way. I was lucky to be in a double room with a faculty member, and we had a private bath. Students were put 6 to a room, more dormitory-style. Joy of joys, there was a western toilet. A large part of the briefing was for the traditional pit toilet, and how to organize and arrange yourself to keep from falling over, falling in, messing up your clothes, and so on. At the same time, you can find western toilets and avoid the issue entirely, my preferred solution. No shower, but a system of running water into a bucket and kind of ladling it over yourself. Not bad! It worked for a couple of days. I sprayed so much bug spray into my hair that it became a helmet anyway…..
We had good vegetarian meals. Some of the students were just going ape over the food; again I wondered, had they never had any Indian food before? There were some new things, but a lot of familiar things as well. Just no tandoori; what’s the point with no meat? Only one person seemed to have any reaction to the food. I think by this time I can generally eat anything, though I do keep up with the precautions just in case. We even had ice cream one night! I thought that might not happen in India.
I also got to pet a dog in India, really didn’t think that would happen as the Doc cautioned that up to a third of the dogs, or some awful number, in India contract rabies. We were admonished, don’t pet the dogs. Like Mauritius. However, there was a dog in this compound, and I thought that this sort of museum would probably not keep a rabid dog around, what with tourists, children, and all. So I petted the dog. She was a mom, so on one of my walks around, I spotted her pups, and petted them also. The dogs are ubiquitous and in various states of care and nutrition. They also look a bit generic, as they have probably been interbreeding for generations. One thing I have found in virtually every country so far is that there is a MONUMENTAL need for spay/neuter and vaccination programs. I could spend the rest of my life doing this work in a single country or several (are you with me, Julia?) In fact, who knows. I did not see any cats, and that’s OK, because they would have been dicier in a rabies-prone area.
I won’t say much about the Art of Living course, as it was at least as much an excuse to get out of the city as anything. I was hoping for some insights from the traditional methods and techniques, including meditation, which I can never seem to catch on to; it tended toward to contemporary, and a bit too much chit-chat for my taste. First, if I never hear the word “like” ever again, it will be too soon. The speaking patterns of some of these students cause me to lose my mind. And differences in life experiences were greatly apparent. But it was OK, gave me a break, some good food without worry, and a dog and pups. What more could I hope for?
So my experience of India probably will not qualify as deep or cultural, but it worked for me. I certainly would have no aversion to returning, and I’m sure my experience would be different if I did.
We will have several ports in rapid succession, with little sailing time in between. Next stop is Malaysia, and I’m on my way to Borneo (who could pass that up?) to visit an orangutan rehabilitation center and do a 100-foot high forest canopy walk, among other things. After that is Vietnam.
Perhaps this is geared toward folks who don’t get out much, or students from such wealth and privilege that anything different qualifies as culture shock. Human waste and the smell of urine? Go downtown in any major city, including Seattle, and you can find that, given our homeless populations. Odors and filth are relative, and apparently a lot of that owes to the fact that India still burns a lot of coal. Our carpets in entry and public areas have been covered with plastic and cardboard to keep the soot and whatever else off and out. Food? First, who hasn’t sampled some form of Indian cuisine? It’s not as if we are visiting another planet, for heaven’s (!) sake. And I bet the food in the US sickens a great number of people around the world, and in our own country, for a variety of reasons.
OK, enough of that, because that said, I did not spend any time in the city of Chennai (formerly Madras). What I did was to go out to a “heritage village,” Dakshina Chitra, for two nights to do a workshop, “The Art of Living.” The bus ride out was interesting. We passed mile upon mile of small shops, businesses, some dwellings, just crammed in together surrounded by hordes of people. That is probably the salient feature of India, and calls for a little deeper discussion than “the country smells.” India itself has passed the BILLION mark in population, and Chennai itself is a city of 7 million. And it’s only the fourth largest in the country. You want to see people crammed in, try Mumbai (formerly Bombay) or especially Kolkata (Calcutta – I think they are trying to rid themselves of vestiges of colonialism by renaming). In all, there are 4 times the number of people in the US in one-third the space. One of the great contradictions is that the poorer some people are, the more children they have….a seemingly endless cycle of despair. One thing I had been prepared for, that I did not see much of, was pervasive physical disability. We did, however, see plenty of homelessness and poverty. At the same time, everyone has a cell phone. Even if you live in a cardboard shack, you have a cell phone. Seemingly another contradiction, but certainly there is more to it than meets the eye.
The image is accurate – there are cows everywhere. Kind of neat, actually. Definitely different and interesting. Lots of dogs also, more on that in a minute. There was a lot to see in our ride, both directions, actually, as street life did not seem to diminish much at 10 or 11 at night. In some cases it picked up as we saw a few little festivals as we returned to the ship. On the way we stopped at some notable landmarks in the area and got some history and such. The village we stayed at is a non-profit which preserves examples of ways of life of the people of the region, so has examples of houses, crafts, temples, and so on. It was enclosed and housed some of the artisans as well as being open as a kind of living history museum.
We were hosted by a lovely woman and her husband who oversaw the accommodations and food. We were in a region, Tamil Nadu, of the darker-skinned Indians. Northerly Indians are much lighter skinned; another great commonality, that skin darkens closer to the equator in all sorts of nations and regions (and mysteriously translates into lower social status…). Indians are very beautiful as well, at least before poverty takes its toll. I was reminded of how I also find folks from Afghanistan and nearby areas to be exceptionally fine looking; I then was not surprised to find that there has been a significant influx of people from those same regions into India in centuries past. Everything is connected.
We had very serviceable accommodations; the bed was a little firm, but then I find most beds to be that way. I was lucky to be in a double room with a faculty member, and we had a private bath. Students were put 6 to a room, more dormitory-style. Joy of joys, there was a western toilet. A large part of the briefing was for the traditional pit toilet, and how to organize and arrange yourself to keep from falling over, falling in, messing up your clothes, and so on. At the same time, you can find western toilets and avoid the issue entirely, my preferred solution. No shower, but a system of running water into a bucket and kind of ladling it over yourself. Not bad! It worked for a couple of days. I sprayed so much bug spray into my hair that it became a helmet anyway…..
We had good vegetarian meals. Some of the students were just going ape over the food; again I wondered, had they never had any Indian food before? There were some new things, but a lot of familiar things as well. Just no tandoori; what’s the point with no meat? Only one person seemed to have any reaction to the food. I think by this time I can generally eat anything, though I do keep up with the precautions just in case. We even had ice cream one night! I thought that might not happen in India.
I also got to pet a dog in India, really didn’t think that would happen as the Doc cautioned that up to a third of the dogs, or some awful number, in India contract rabies. We were admonished, don’t pet the dogs. Like Mauritius. However, there was a dog in this compound, and I thought that this sort of museum would probably not keep a rabid dog around, what with tourists, children, and all. So I petted the dog. She was a mom, so on one of my walks around, I spotted her pups, and petted them also. The dogs are ubiquitous and in various states of care and nutrition. They also look a bit generic, as they have probably been interbreeding for generations. One thing I have found in virtually every country so far is that there is a MONUMENTAL need for spay/neuter and vaccination programs. I could spend the rest of my life doing this work in a single country or several (are you with me, Julia?) In fact, who knows. I did not see any cats, and that’s OK, because they would have been dicier in a rabies-prone area.
I won’t say much about the Art of Living course, as it was at least as much an excuse to get out of the city as anything. I was hoping for some insights from the traditional methods and techniques, including meditation, which I can never seem to catch on to; it tended toward to contemporary, and a bit too much chit-chat for my taste. First, if I never hear the word “like” ever again, it will be too soon. The speaking patterns of some of these students cause me to lose my mind. And differences in life experiences were greatly apparent. But it was OK, gave me a break, some good food without worry, and a dog and pups. What more could I hope for?
So my experience of India probably will not qualify as deep or cultural, but it worked for me. I certainly would have no aversion to returning, and I’m sure my experience would be different if I did.
We will have several ports in rapid succession, with little sailing time in between. Next stop is Malaysia, and I’m on my way to Borneo (who could pass that up?) to visit an orangutan rehabilitation center and do a 100-foot high forest canopy walk, among other things. After that is Vietnam.
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