tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-50429376358252917812024-03-19T01:01:45.195-07:00The Crack of Don: It´s Addicting!My South America Backpacking BlogDon Nguyenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05638630492337138394noreply@blogger.comBlogger19125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5042937635825291781.post-68555925543686325992012-11-14T16:44:00.001-08:002012-11-14T16:44:41.557-08:00A Thousand Wats of Light<br /><br /><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=12/11/14/1974.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/12/11/14/s_1974.jpg' border='0' width='281' height='210' align='left' style='margin:5px'></a><br />It must have been the tenth or so temple I'd seen during my 3 day Angkor Wat temple tour in Siem Reap, Cambodia. Naturally, being part of a complex and built by the same hands, the temples, individually, felt fairly similar to one another, but this one was a little different. There were fewer tourists here -- and the visitors that were there were not there for photo opportunities, but to pray. This put me at ease. <br /><br /><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=12/11/14/1975.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/12/11/14/s_1975.jpg' border='0' width='210' height='281' align='right' style='margin:5px'></a><br />I strolled its grounds as unobrusively as I could. The smell of incense seemed to reach into me today more than in the past. The silence felt not lonely, but holy. I made my way to the temple's heart which was easy enough to find -- it was at its precise center and was marked by a large buddha statue. When I arrived, I marveled at the precision of the temple's engineering. From this spot, I could see that the doors lined up with such incredible precision that I had a clear line of sight to each of the temple's four entryways, an impressive feat for a temple built at least 800 years ago without the aid of computers or other sophisticated construction tools that we have today -- just the hands, ingenuity and patience of men. <br /><br />I stood in the bowels of this temple with another man who looked like he belonged there. I told him how impressed I was with the precision of the temple's construction and he concurred. He went on to tell me bit about the history of the temple. I donated some money in a donation box at the foot of the buddha and thanked the man. <br /><br /><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=12/11/14/1976.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/12/11/14/s_1976.jpg' border='0' width='281' height='210' align='left' style='margin:5px'></a><br />As I turned to continue my exploration, I spied an old, plainly dressed woman hunched over a cane and carrying a basket. She looked at me and gestured at a tapestry that I was holding in my hand -- a red blanket with a gold pattern of Angkor Wat. After admiring it for a second, she approved of its beauty and then returned the tapestry to me and proceeded to give me a blessing. The man tells me the old woman was a nun. I stood there, watching the nun tie on colored string to my wrist, absorbing the silent serenity of the grounds, the chill of the frigid stone surrounding me, the cosmic scent of the incense. It was a singularly perfect moment -- like something out of a Richard Linklater movie. <br /><br /><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=12/11/14/1977.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/12/11/14/s_1977.jpg' border='0' width='281' height='210' align='right' style='margin:5px'></a><br />In fact, a lot of my visit to Siem Reap felt surreal, like I was a third person watching myself experience it all -- right from the very start when Pheak, my tuk-tuk driver for the entire trip, picked me up from the airport. A dutiful, knowledgeable, and capable man of 28, after a few hours with Pheak, it was clear to me just where the inspiration for The Green Hornet's Kato was drawn from. <br /><br />He was sent from the hotel, but was also the driver on my tour as well. The tour allowed me three days to visit Angkor Wat and its surrounding temples and it would be broken up into three heats, dessert first. I'd would see Angkor Wat, the most famous temple, and Angkor Thom, the second most famous attraction, the remains of the main city in Angkor. I purchased my ticket, but had not planned to begin my tour until my first full day in Siem Reap. But Pheak wasted no time. I left my bags in my hotel room and Pheak whisked me off to catch the sunset at Angkor Wat. Like I said, dessert first. <br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=12/11/14/1978.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/12/11/14/s_1978.jpg' border='0' width='281' height='210' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br />The grounds of Angkor Wat were still brimming with activity when I arrived. There were others like me who were scurrying to catch the sun set at Angkor. But frankly, I could barely tear my eyes from the magnificence of the temple to see the sunset. There would be other sunsets I told myself. <br /><br /><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=12/11/14/1979.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/12/11/14/s_1979.jpg' border='0' width='210' height='281' align='left' style='margin:5px'></a><br />Though the attraction would soon be closed to the public, the festivities continued. The buskers continued to play, the dancers continued to dance. I would make it past the temple's outer gate to its front doors before I was turned around and asked to leave -- the temple was now closed. But it was a mouthful of a first taste of what was to me clearly one of the great wonders of our world. <br /><br />Pheak was waiting for me early the next morning to return me to Angkor Wat for a real visit and then to take me to nearby Angkor Thom. Angkor was beautiful during the day. I had only hours to experience its magnificence, and in the day, I could more clearly see its details, of which there were very very many. Architecture was not then like it is now -- fairly minimalist, and functional -- at least that was not my experience with the temples I saw throughout Southeast Asia. Like all of the cathedrals I've seen, temples are exquisitely ornate with details covering every last inch of the structure. Each temple is a veritable feast for the eyes. It could take a lifetime to appreciate every detail of any single temple in Angkor. I tried the best I could with the time that I had. <br /><br />It was here that I realized how much photography can enhance one's appreciation for architecture -- maybe this is a commonly known thing, but I never quite got it until now. Taking photos forces you to look for the best angles, best details and to appreciate the lines. And all of the beauty you can spot at a temple is all the more impressive when you consider that it was most likely deliberate and intended by the designer. Taking photos gets you inside the mind of the architect. <br /><br /><br /><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=12/11/14/1981.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/12/11/14/s_1981.jpg' border='0' width='210' height='281' align='right' style='margin:5px'></a><br />Angkor Wat was as impressive as I had heard, rivaling the majesty of Machu Picchu which I visited in 2009. It was surprisingly well preserved considering its age. It's restoration was impressive as well. But what surprised me the most was the level of access enjoyed by its visitors. We were practically able to access any part of the temple that we could physically reach, no matter how dangerous. <br /><br />But I would say I enjoyed the remnants of Angkor Thom even more than Angkor Wat. Angkor Thom is a collection of sites, actually, but are grouped together because they once belonged to a city. It's remnants include the arches where visitors come and go, and a few temple ruins. Being a bit more spread out, it had the same number of visitors as Angkor Wat, but in less concetration. There were no lines like we saw at Angkor Wat. And the din of the crowd was much more muted here. It was more peaceful. <br /><br />I was to walk the entire grounds of Angkor Thom. Pheak dropped me off at one site and we arranged to meet again about 2 - 3 miles away on the other side of the city at my leisure; he would be waiting. I actually really loved how this tour was set up. There was no guide getting in the way of my enjoyment of the temples -- I was free to enjoy the temples as I saw fit. <br /><br />One of the things I thought about a lot was how all of these ruins fit into the lives of the locals before its tourism boom. Angkor Wat really only exploded in popularity as a tourist attraction after the Tomb Raider movies were filmed here. But the temples have been known to the people for time immemorial. I asked Pheak what the sites were like before Angkor became a major tourist attraction. As I understand it, most of the sites were hidden from view and access since they were overrun by forest. Still, they were known to the people. Pheak himself would often trek through the poisonous snake infested forests as a child to explore the temples against the wishes of his parents. The temples, he explained were actually still in use before they were all restored since they were all still considered holy sites by the monks. I asked him how the people felt about all the visitors. "Not so good" he replied; I appreciated his honesty. But he went on to say that tourism has been good for the economy bringing a lot of money into the area which has been good, so the locals are learning to appreciate the tourists. <br /><br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=12/11/14/1982.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/12/11/14/s_1982.jpg' border='0' width='400' height='422' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br />Part of me wished that the temples had not been restored; I would have much enjoyed exploring the temples in their unrestored, snake-infested condition. But being a snake-fearing man, that was just fantasy. Were the temples not restored, I would probably not have visited for fear of my life. <br /><br />The remainder of the tour was great. We caught the sunrise at Angkor Wat early in the morning and then went out to see more ruins. The surrounding temples, though less impressive than Angkor Wat and Thom, were much less visited and therefore, more peaceful and soulful like I tried to portray at the top of this blog entry. But what I enjoyed the most about the remainder of the tour was just getting to know Pheak. There were long drives and naturally, we talked a lot. I learned about his family, a new wife and a young daughter. His stage fright despite having just had a wedding with 700 attendees. We talked about religion and the impacts of colonization on Cambodia. We even talked about the elephant in the room -- the strained relationship between Cambodia and Vietnam. <br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=12/11/14/1983.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/12/11/14/s_1983.jpg' border='0' width='281' height='210' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br />This part of our conversation was a bit cathartic for me. I had always heard that Cambodians and Vietnamese were not exactly friendly, but never quite understood why. Pheak broke all down for me -- the most important detail being there is no longer any tension between Cambodians and Vietnamese. The two countries have a long history of invasion and war, but the last century has been particularly tumultuous for the two neighboring countries. The early part of the last century saw the two countries fighting side by side against a common foe. Both countries were colonized by the French but yearned for independence. After successfully ridding themselves of their French colonizers, the Vietnamese came to Cambodia to help their friends achieve their own independence. It worked! As I understand it, with the presence of the Vietnamese there, the French agreed to leave without a fight much to the delight of the Cambodian people. But with a new relationship forged in peace and friendship, many Vietnamese decided to remain in Cambodia, even marrying and starting families, so there is a lot of Vietnamese blood in Cambodia even to this day -- Pheak was himself 1/4th Vietnamese. <br /><br />Having just recovered from rule by outsiders, it's understandable that there were Cambodians who were suspicious of the Vietnamese who were living in Cambodia and feared another attempt for colonization. But how they dealt with it was an atrocity that is mourned by Cambodians, Vietnamese and the world at large. It was this fear that lead to the rise of Pol Pot and his Khmer Rouge and their infamous Killing Fields of Vietnamese and their accused sympathizers. <br /><br /><br /><br /><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=12/11/14/1984.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/12/11/14/s_1984.jpg' border='0' width='210' height='281' align='right' style='margin:5px'></a><br />Pheak assured that once the Khmer Rouge was toppled and Pol Pot removed from power, the remaining Cambodian people held no ill will to their Vietnamese neighbors and in fact, there was quite a bit of interaction between the two neighbors in the forms of commerce and tourism. But Pheak and I made one last pilgrimage before retiring to the Hotel that night: we visited a monument to the victims of Pol Pot located at the site of one of many Killing Fields used by the Khmer Rouge. <br /><br />Angkor Wat proved to be one of the Crown Jewels of Asia; it offered me more than just a visual experience, but a spiritual one as well. Its history, the serenity of its temples, the magnificence of its ruins -- any one of its Wats would justify a visit to this little city in Northwestern Cambodia, but there were dozens of sites to visit; I didn't even get to see half of them in the time that I had. But my main takeaway from my visit to Siem Reap was not what I expected -- I'll mostly remember it for the kindness of its people. For the old nun who took the time to pray for my health and wellbeing asking nothing in return. For Pheak who treated me like family even though he barely knew me. For Phem, the girl at the front counter who came to my rescue after my travel arrangements through Kayak.com fell apart. It was a kindness that can't be described adequately; it can only be experienced. <br /><p class='blogpress_location'>Location:<a href='http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Siem%20Reap,%20Cambodia&z=10'>Siem Reap, Cambodia</a></p>Don Nguyenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05638630492337138394noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5042937635825291781.post-76343468059266660562012-11-05T02:51:00.001-08:002012-11-05T02:51:51.892-08:00Home Away From Home(Note: This was written 11/02/12 but not posted due to a combination of laziness and dissatisfaction with my writing -- I've been in Cambodia since 11/03... Anyway, I've decided to get over it and post the sucker, so here you are...)<br /><br /><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=12/11/05/252.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/12/11/05/s_252.jpg' border='0' width='210' height='281' align='left' style='margin:5px'></a><br />Sawasdee Khap! <br /><br />It's the common greeting in Thailand and you'll hear it at most businesses you visit... But its just a bit different when you hear it in Chiang Mai. It's said a bit more earnestly by the shop keepers here. Chiang Mai is much more welcoming, relaxing and friendly than Bangkok. And their sincerity and politeness doesn't just end with that greeting at their front door.<br /><br />It was the first thing Jacky, the owner of Cat House Cafe said to me when I stepped into her restaurant on Tuesday afternoon, my first full day in Chiang Mai. Sawasdee Khap! I smiled and sat down. <br /><br /><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=12/11/05/253.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/12/11/05/s_253.jpg' border='0' width='281' height='210' align='right' style='margin:5px'></a><br />Jacky is full of passion about her restaurant and her food and it shows. With her restaurant being situated near guest houses (it was about 30 meters from mine), her clientele primarily consists of backpackers like me. Her menu, naturally, is a reflection of this -- a heavily western influenced menu infused with the flavors of Thailand that she grew up with, along with other SE Asian flourishes that she picked up during her own travels. She happily shared all of her cooking secrets with me (though I'll never remember them or be able to replicate her dishes in my own kitchen) as she served me each order. There are many great restaurants in the area, but I was hooked from my first meal here and ended up eating just about all of my meals in Chiang Mai at her restaurant. From her home baked rolls (which were the best I've ever had), to her zucchini, eggplant, and pumpkin fries, to the mango-pumpkin mustard she served as a dipping sauce, I was impressed and surprised with every plate of food I ate here. There was simply no reason to eat anywhere else... <br /><br /><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=12/11/05/254.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/12/11/05/s_254.jpg' border='0' width='210' height='281' align='left' style='margin:5px'></a><br />But Cat House was more than just a place that I ate. It became my base of operations -- my home away from home. In fact, I'm writing this blog entry at Cat House. Jacky was so welcoming, that within a couple of minutes of talking to her, I felt like she was an old friend. Actively avoiding tours, I'd been planning on making my own arrangements to see Chiang Mai's treasures. One of the sites I'd planned on seeing was a Temple in the mountains, Wat Phrathat Doi Suthep, but I had not yet figured out how I would get there. Jacky was planning to go to the mountains too to get some coffee from an obscure cafe deep in the mountains, so before the end of my first visit to Cat House, we cut a deal -- I would rent the scooter and she would scoot us both to the mountains where I could see my temple and she could get her coffee. One hour, and one scooter later, we were off like the wind. <br /><br />Doi Suthep was just lovely. Like most temples, we were greeted by vendors selling flowers, candles and incense for visitors to offer at the temple's alter. I always feel a bit like a tourist doing this, so I was happy to be with an actual Buddhist this time. I made my offering, but was more interested to see what Jacky would do. Her offering was made with the same passion she applies to her cooking. Despite the din of the temple's visitors, she prayed, bowed and made her offering of incense and flowers as if she was only person there. <br /><br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=12/11/05/255.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/12/11/05/s_255.jpg' border='0' width='281' height='210' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br />After this, she led me deeper into temple to receive a blessing from a monk. We scooted in, shoes off, on our knees. The monk said a prayer, splashed our heads with blessed water and then tied a string to our wrists which I am still wearing. Jacky tells me the blessing was for good luck, but truth be told, I felt in that moment that I had already received my good fortune having made a new friend. <br /><br />After the temple, we made our way further up the mountain and stopped at a Hmong village and took a stroll before pushing on to the coffee house, her purpose for our trip. <br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=12/11/05/256.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/12/11/05/s_256.jpg' border='0' width='281' height='210' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br />Situated about 40 minutes out of civilization, with absolutely no earthly reason for existing, the coffee house was one of the most beautiful, soulful places I've ever sat for a cup of coffee. As I understand it, the hillsides are home to Thailand's Royal Family's coffee crop and this cafe, also belonging to the Royal Family, sat atop one of these hillsides. It was built entirely from logs right down to its tables and chairs. We grabbed a table overlooking one of these coffee fields from which I snapped the below photo. <br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=12/11/05/257.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/12/11/05/s_257.jpg' border='0' width='281' height='210' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br />The ride back was interesting. The sun was setting as we made our way down the mountain's treacherous and winding roads. On the way, we discovered that the light on our rental scooter was out. So it was a race against time. Were we unable to get out of the unlit mountain roads to civilization, we might have had a problem. But luckily, we made it out of the mountains okay. <br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=12/11/05/258.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/12/11/05/s_258.jpg' border='0' width='281' height='210' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br />The next day, as I had lunch at Cat House, I saw a flyer for a Muay Thai event which was happening in the city. One of my reasons for coming to Thailand was to see a Muay Thai event, so I was excited to see it. I had heard these events were fixed, but I've seen a lot of fights and can say with some certainty that these fights were real. And the first fight was one of the most epic, back-and-forth fights I've ever seen. For your viewing pleasure, here's the last round of this exciting fight. <br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=12/11/05/259.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/12/11/05/s_259.jpg' border='0' width='200' height='150' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br />Yesterday, I visited Chiang Mai's Elephant Camp before heading out to check out it's famous Night Bazaar. I know I must be 'going native' since I am no longer any more suprised or excited to see elephants than I would be to see cows in Washington State... Although it was nice to see the elephants in a place where they appear to be treated well. <br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=12/11/05/260.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/12/11/05/s_260.jpg' border='0' width='281' height='210' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br /><br />The Night Bazaar:<br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=12/11/05/261.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/12/11/05/s_261.jpg' border='0' width='400' height='87' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br />But night bazaars, elephant camps, temples... These won't be the things I'll remember Chiang Mai for. <br /><br />I'll remember Chiang Mai as the first place during this trip where I felt like I was truly at home, even though I was on the other side of the world. I'll remember having Jacky, a good friend to share stories and experiences with. I'll remember meeting Glenn, the long time expat from Wisconsin, and talking to him about his travels and United States politics. I'll remember having a place I could retire each evening knowing that I would be welcomed with open arms. And I'll be welcomed back anytime I return to Chiang Mai. <br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=12/11/05/262.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/12/11/05/s_262.jpg' border='0' width='281' height='210' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br />It's experiences like this that beckon me to the open road. Meeting people... Hell -- meeting myself. As long as there Jackys, Glenns, or <a target="_blank" href="http://crackofdon.blogspot.com/2009/07/life-with-lopezes.html">Catherinas and Alexises (not to mention their kids)</a> out there in the world, I will be there to answer its call. <br /><p class='blogpress_location'>Location:<a href='http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Chiang%20Mai&z=10'>Chiang Mai</a></p>Don Nguyenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05638630492337138394noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5042937635825291781.post-24063023849627594382012-10-29T07:27:00.001-07:002012-10-29T07:27:47.374-07:00One Night in Bangkok Makes A Hard Man Humble<br /><br /><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=12/10/29/741.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/12/10/29/s_741.jpg' border='0' width='281' height='210' align='left' style='margin:5px'></a><br />One night in Bangkok makes a hard man humble, but three nights in Bangkok can harden the humble man, I'd say. I got a little spoiled in Singapore and Kuala Lumpur, a couple of tourist-friendly destinations. Bangkok is not for the naive or the faint of heart. <br /><br />It's not for the naive because, unless you plan to hide in restaurants and your hotel room, touts at most tourist attractions WILL take advantage of you in every way you can imagine if you let them, and sometimes, even if you don't. I don't hold it against them, and I don't think any other visitors should either -- it's a living -- but if you're going to be here, its better to be ready for it; someone will most likely try to scam you at some point -- many points -- during your trip. <br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=12/10/29/742.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/12/10/29/s_742.jpg' border='0' width='281' height='210' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br />It's not for the faint of heart because unlike Singapore and KL, you won't easily find comforts from home here. If you can't get down with eating things that will surely test your palate, you might get hungry at times. I've been ok and enjoyed most of what I ate, but I grew up eating tripe and boiled pig skin... Then again, there's definitely tamer stuff out there for those of you who can't stomach the gamier animal bits in their food. Rice with omelette is pretty much everywhere there is a food market and is suitable for any palate. <br /><br />Now, I know there are many of you out there who have visited and loved Thailand (I love it too) and you may disagree with my appraisal... But this blog is a place where I intend to be totally honest and this has been my experience. I don't know... Maybe it's because I am traveling alone and look like an easy target for the scammers... Maybe I haven't visited the districts where there is a McDonalds on every corner -- surely, I haven't seen all of Bangkok. <br /><br />In any case...<br /><br />If you're an adventurous traveler and can deal with stuff like this, then Bangkok will reward you. It's a strange blend of ancient and modern, like I've observed throughout my SE Asia travels so far, but in a much more overt way. There are centuries old temples nestled awkwardly into urban or residential areas. There are communities carrying on centuries old ways of living, modern only in their methods of transportation and communication. There are restaurants so intimate and romantic, and with breathtaking views, and yet, curiously, barely known to tourists -- I thought these only existed in books and movies. Bangkok is as exotic as you've probably imagined -- maybe even more than your mind can compute. It will truly sweep you away from your regular life in that way that probably lured you to the open road in the first place. <br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=12/10/29/744.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/12/10/29/s_744.jpg' border='0' width='400' height='300' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br />My first stop was Bangkok's Grand Palace which was home to the King of Siam and some government entities from 1782 until as recently as 1925, just a few years prior to the abolition of monarchies in Thailand. This is where I got my first taste of Thailand's less-than-legitimate touts. I was greeted across the street by one who was friendly enough and told me it was the wrong time of day to visit... There was a religious service that would be going on until 2:00 PM, 3 hours later and until then, tourists were not allowed to visit the grounds. Sounded reasonable enough. And he didn't try to sell me anything. So I took him at his word and began walking down the street as mulling over what exactly I would do to kill 3 hours before I could enter the site. <br /><br /><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=12/10/29/745.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/12/10/29/s_745.jpg' border='0' width='281' height='210' align='left' style='margin:5px'></a><br />I was stopped by another tout who reiterated what the earlier man said, and then promptly started telling me about other sites which she'd be happy to arrange a tour of for me for only $... I stopped her. I realized what was going on and walked away, but let me tell you, they are very persistent -- she followed me for about a half block before she finally realized I was not going to buy her tour. Before I reached the entrance, I saw another man standing at the gate and asked him of what they were saying was true, assuming he was an employee. He nodded yes, it was all true and waved me on signaling me not to enter, but something rang false about the man, so I entered anyway. No one stopped me, so I proceeded to the ticket booth. I stood in line and no one advised me to leave. Finally, I got up to the ticket lady and asked about the alleged religious service. She assured me they were lying, and I was welcome to buy a ticket and visit the grounds. <br /><br />I won't spend any more time talking about the "scams", but this one I thought was interesting because of the elaborateness... Multiple touts working together... It'd be almost deserving of my admiration were I not almost their mark. But bigger picture: the scams are harmless, designed only to part the naive with their money. At no point have I felt threatened or in any kind of danger -- I just want to be clear about that. <br /><p align='center'><object type="application/x-shockwave-flash" data="http://www.youtube.com/v/j8LmTTltFb0" width="400" height="300"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/j8LmTTltFb0" /><param name="quality" value="high" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><!-- Fallback content --><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j8LmTTltFb0"><img src="http://img.youtube.com/vi/j8LmTTltFb0/0.jpg" width="400" height="300" />YouTube Video</a></object></p>Anyway, it turned out they weren't exactly "lying". There WAS a religious service going on, but it didn't mean tourists weren't allowed to visit. If anything, the service added a lot to the experience. I felt a little bad about intruding, but they didn't seem to mind and mostly just ignored the visitors. We surely did not ignore them. Their chants filled the palace from end to end. They were really beautiful -- melodic, rhythmic, spiritual. They had me tingling just like I'm sure other visitors were tingling as well. It was really special. <br /><br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=12/10/29/749.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/12/10/29/s_749.jpg' border='0' width='400' height='300' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br />The palace, like most historical sites, was a delight. Thailand allows access to visitors on a level that I haven't seen often during my travels. It both excites me, and concerns me. While I don't love to be kept at a distance when I'm seeing ruins, I also understand that letting tourists like me walk all over the place will hasten their deterioration. <br /><br /><br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=12/10/29/750.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/12/10/29/s_750.jpg' border='0' width='400' height='300' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br />Later, I visited another temple -- Wat Arun. Built in the 17th Century, Wat Arun is impeccably preserved. It appears from a distance to be a massive stone structure, but upon closer inspection, almost every inch of the structure is covered by pieces of ceramic which I understand to have been recovered from pots, bowls, plates and other wares that were thrown out by Chinese traders. <br /><br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=12/10/29/751.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/12/10/29/s_751.jpg' border='0' width='400' height='300' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br />I toured the Khlongs (Thai canals) of Bangkok, still used by the locals to this day. I worried a bit about Malaria, but learned from the CDC website that Malaria is non-existent in Bangkok, so I'm in the clear. But even with Malaria on my mind, the experience of traversing the khlongs -- stilt-homes nestled closely along the banks of the river, locals commuting on the rivers on their boats packed with wares for the market place -- was otherworldly. <br /><br /><br /><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=12/10/29/752.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/12/10/29/s_752.jpg' border='0' width='281' height='210' align='right' style='margin:5px'></a><br />I talked a little about a intimate and romantic restaurant I ate at. My boat tour of the Khlongs ended at a pier on the bank of Chao Praya river which cuts through Bangkok. As I stepped off the boat, I looked up at a sign that read fresh coffee. Beneath it sat a couple quietly admiring the view. They looked so relaxed that I had to visit the restaurant. I made my way up to the second floor and seated myself at the open table with the best view, Wat Arun not far away on the other side of Chao Praya. I had heard that Wat Arun was absolutely breathtaking when lit up at night, so I ordered dinner and stayed for the sunset. It was worth the wait. <br /><br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=12/10/29/754.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/12/10/29/s_754.jpg' border='0' width='281' height='210' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br />This was my view as I dined on my Thai Curry Chicken, bones in -- actually one of my easier meals here... It was delicious. But what I most enjoyed was the intimacy and romance. I felt privileged to be sitting there... This amazing spot in the city -- unheralded by any guide books or Travel Channel shows. And for that moment, it was all mine to enjoy. It was one of my favorite moments of my trip so far, one in which I've had many wonderful moments. <br /><br />On the advice of my friend Mark who visited Thailand this time last year, I decided to visit nearby Ayutthaya, about an hour outside of Bangkok. I caught a third-class ticket for a train at Bangkok train station. 50 cents USD vs. about $15 USD for an air conditioned car. It actually wasn't so bad; the car stayed fairly cool since all of the windows were down and there are fans running throughout the car. <br /><br /><br /><br /><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=12/10/29/755.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/12/10/29/s_755.jpg' border='0' width='281' height='210' align='right' style='margin:5px'></a><br />Like I said, ruins are always a delight, and Ayutthaya has the most ruins I've ever seen in a single city (I've never been to Rome -- it's on my list). And it was nice to venture a bit further out into Thailand. Now, I do feel quite conflicted about this, but I rode an elephant in Ayutthura, pictured at the beginning of this blog post. But it was a uniquely Thailand experience, so I decided to go ahead and do the elephant ride. <br /><br />I visited a few more sites before catching a van pool back from Ayutthaya train station with some other travellers back to Bangkok. This is getting really long, so I'll just share the photos with you all and let you get on with your lives. :)<br /><br /><br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=12/10/29/756.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/12/10/29/s_756.jpg' border='0' width='400' height='300' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br /><br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=12/10/29/757.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/12/10/29/s_757.jpg' border='0' width='210' height='281' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br /><br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=12/10/29/758.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/12/10/29/s_758.jpg' border='0' width='210' height='281' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br />Alright, y'all. I'm going to pack and go to bed now... I'm flying to Chiang Mai, Thailand tomorrow. Thanks to all of you have been following me and especially those of you who left comments. :) Keep them coming! I really love reading them. Talk to you again soon. <br /><p class='blogpress_location'>Location:<a href='http://maps.google.com/maps?q=%E0%B8%9E%E0%B8%B4%E0%B8%A9%E0%B8%93%E0%B8%B8%E0%B9%82%E0%B8%A5%E0%B8%81%202,Dusit,Thailand%4013.769101%2C100.507344&z=10'>พิษณุโลก 2,Dusit,Thailand</a></p>Don Nguyenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05638630492337138394noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5042937635825291781.post-65211248827923022842012-10-27T08:42:00.001-07:002012-10-27T08:42:05.228-07:00It's KL or Be KL'ed <br /><br /><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=12/10/27/800.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/12/10/27/s_800.jpg' border='0' width='210' height='281' align='left' style='margin:5px'></a><br />It's always the places you least expect to enjoy that surprise you. In 2009, it was <a target="_blank" href="http://crackofdon.blogspot.com/2009/07/life-with-lopezes.html">Santiago, Chile</a> that will stay in my heart despite having been told by some other backpackers that there wasn't much for travelers to do there. <br /><br />I had considered skipping Kuala Lumpur having heard there wasn't much to see there except for its famous Petronas Towers, but decided to pop in for a visit after seeing how cheap the plane ticket was -- $55. <br /><br />I bought my departure ticket immediately after landing. I decided to give myself two days to see the city. The first to see Petronas Towers to get that out of the way. The second, to explore the city, wherever the wind may take me. Cab fare to the hostel was about $100 RM (Malay Ringitt), equal to about $30 or so USD. This is an important point which I will explain later. <br /><br />On the way to the hostel, I struck up a conversation with the cab driver and eventually, negotiated a ride back to the airport for what I thought was a deal, $80 RM. The driver gave me his card and told me to call him the night before to arrange the pickup. Because of some confusion with the roads, he dropped me off about 2 blocks from the hostel with my 40 lb pack -- ugh.. <br /><br />But I found my new home eventually, and there, I met Tony. <br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=12/10/27/801.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/12/10/27/s_801.jpg' border='0' width='281' height='210' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br /><br />Tony's a good man to know KL. I wish there was a Tony at every hostel I stayed at, but there isn't. But he was super knowledgable about the city, knew exactly what he needed to tell me and the other travelers to help us get where we needed to go, and he did it with a smile. It was from Tony that I learned I paid way too much to get to the hostel. And he informed me of the very efficient and affordable subway and bus system in KL and where to find the closest station. <br /><br />So after locking up my gear, off I went to explore the city. My first destination was Petronas Towers. I snapped a photo of the subway map for reference. <br /><br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=12/10/27/802.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/12/10/27/s_802.jpg' border='0' width='281' height='210' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br /><br />I learned KLCC stands for Kuala Lumpur City Centre, and learned this was also where Petronas Towers was located. $1.60 RM later, and I was at the doorsteps of the Towers. At the base of the tower is a huge, luxurious mall. I purchased my ticket for the tower tour, but learned that my tour would not be until 7:00 that evening, giving me about 6 hours to kill. So I hung around the mall a while before remember a promise I had made to Karen Motiejunas, a friend, to help her daughter with a school project -- I'm to snap photos of landmarks throughout my travels that include a hand-drawn avatar of her. So dutifully, I took this picture -- my first with my little inanimate traveling companion, Flat Alena. <br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=12/10/27/803.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/12/10/27/s_803.jpg' border='0' width='210' height='281' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br />Tour time finally came. I'm not usually a fan of guided tours, but this one was really cool. There were two stops on the tour; the first was the Skybridge that connects the two towers. <br /><br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=12/10/27/804.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/12/10/27/s_804.jpg' border='0' width='281' height='210' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br />I was lucky to be on the skybridge during an electrical storm. I was able to capture a bolt of lightning right at the end of this video. <br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=12/10/27/805.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/12/10/27/s_805.jpg' border='0' width='200' height='150' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br />The second as the observation deck from the top of the tower which was really neat. <br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=12/10/27/806.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/12/10/27/s_806.jpg' border='0' width='210' height='281' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br />As you can see, Flat Alena photobombed me. Curses, that sneaky little girl! :)<br /><br />So anyway, not a whole lot to say about the tower except it's really high, gave me butterflies in my stomach, and it's pretty famous -- it's been in a few movies even. But it was a neat experience in any case. <br /><br /><br /><br /><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=12/10/27/807.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/12/10/27/s_807.jpg' border='0' width='281' height='210' align='right' style='margin:5px'></a><br />After Petronas Towers, I returned to the hostel and fed my internet addiction in the common room. There I met Selwyn, an Australian traveler who was stuck in Malaysia after his U.S. Visa ran out while he was in Chicago staying with his girlfriend. Poor guy. Not sure why he didn't go home to Australia. I'm guessing he just wasn't ready for his trip to end -- he's been on the road for 6 months so far. Then in my dorm, I met a couple of German nursing students who were in KL doing a 2 month internship, and another Aussie, Richenda who was just in town for a day and would be taking off the next night for Turkey, the first stop on a 4 month backpacking trip. I had read about a beautiful cave on the outskirts of KL where Hindus worship and had decided to check it out along with KL's Chinatown on my last day in town. <br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=12/10/27/810.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/12/10/27/s_810.jpg' border='0' width='281' height='210' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br />I saw Selwyn in the common room in the morning and invited him to come along -- I knew he was bored. I think he's stuck in Malaysia for like a month. Then I saw Richenda in the dorm as I was collecting my things -- I knew she had no agenda for her 1 full day in KL, so I invited her along as well. I'm glad I did. It was nice having a couple 'single serving friends' on my excursion. <br /> <br /><br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=12/10/27/812.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/12/10/27/s_812.jpg' border='0' width='210' height='281' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br />Tony gave me instructions on how to take KL's Metro bus to the site which was cheap and convenient. Batu Cave turned out to be pretty breathtaking. <br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=12/10/27/813.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/12/10/27/s_813.jpg' border='0' width='210' height='281' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br />It's said that if you make a wish, then ascend its 290 steps without stopping, your wish will be granted. On my way up, I was greeted by some friendly monkeys and wanted so badly to stop to take a photo, but I was determined to have my wish granted and pushed on. I made it to the top ok, where I found this. <br /><br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=12/10/27/814.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/12/10/27/s_814.jpg' border='0' width='210' height='281' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br />I stopped to enjoy the monkeys on the walk back down. The were so adorable, for the most part....<br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=12/10/27/815.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/12/10/27/s_815.jpg' border='0' width='200' height='150' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br />But you must remember these are wild animals and they will defend themselves when they feel threatened: <br /><br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=12/10/27/816.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/12/10/27/s_816.jpg' border='0' width='200' height='150' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br />So it was definitely a worthwhile trek out to Batu Cave. Afterwards, we decided to stop by a "fish spa" for some rest and relaxation. What's a "fish spa" you ask? It's this: <br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=12/10/27/817.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/12/10/27/s_817.jpg' border='0' width='200' height='150' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br />You may not be able to tell, but the fish are eating the dead flesh off of my feet. It sounds gross, I know, but I assure you, it is pretty terrific. <br /><br />Oh yeah, about paying too much for my ride to my hostel. After a couple subway rides, I felt pretty confident using KL's transit system to get to the airport. So I took a sub and a bus -- total cost? $11.00 RM (vs. $80 RM I was quoted by the cab driver). AND the bus was super comfortable, well air-conditioned and quicker. <br /><br />I'm in Bangkok now; just touched down this evening. I know a few of you out there have been here before, so if you have any suggestions on what I 'must see', please suggest away in the comments section. I allotted myself a couple of days in Bangkok, and plan to fly to Chiang Mai to ride some elephants on Tuesday... I'll give you another update in a couple of days. Thanks for all the comments! They're a great cure for homesickness which inevitably creeps up now and then when you're travelling alone... <br /><p class='blogpress_location'>Location:<a href='http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Kuala%20Lumpur,%20Malaysia%4013.769093%2C100.507352&z=10'>Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia</a></p>Don Nguyenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05638630492337138394noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5042937635825291781.post-51884008230699888952012-10-25T01:20:00.001-07:002012-10-25T01:37:07.206-07:00First of Nine Lives Used... <br /><br /><br /><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=12/10/25/96.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/12/10/25/s_96.jpg' border='0' width='400' height='400' align='left' style='margin:5px'></a><br /><br />Had my first near-brush with disaster this morning, but by sheer luck, I averted it. Well, I'm being a bit overdramatic... it would have been more of an inconvenience, not a disaster. But anyway, so I decided I was going to fly out from Singapore to Kuala Lumpur this morning and out of cheapness, I bought a ticket for a 5:55 AM flight... It was like $50 versus $120 for all the other flights throughout the day. Which was fine -- I would still be able to get a decent sleep, but it meant that I had to wake up at 4:00 AM to make my flight. Like the responsible kid that I am, I set a couple of alarms on my phone: 3:45 and 3:55... neither of which sounded for reasons I still am not sure of... Somehow, I naturally woke up that morning and had the sense to check my clock. It was exactly 4:00 AM. So I made it to the airport ok and was able to get out of SG and to Kuala Lumpur... Whew!<br /><br /><br /><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=12/10/25/97.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/12/10/25/s_97.jpg' border='0' width='281' height='210' align='right' style='margin:5px'></a><br /><br />But it wasn't without a little bit of sadness... I was having a LOT of fun hanging out with my sister, Melissa, my brother-in-law John and their kids (my nieces and nephews), Kirin and Lily. But, my experience has been that the joy of traveling is the feeling of being untethered -- disconnected from your life -- and the unpredictability. It's like being a pebble that was slung from a slingshot. So I had to leave, and fairly quickly. But I'm really glad I started my journey in Singapore. It's a great jumping off point for a SE Asia tour -- a perfect place to ease yourself into the foreign-ness that is SE Asia. And it was so wonderful to spend time with Melissa and her family. I missed them all so much... <br /><br /><br /><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=12/10/25/98.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/12/10/25/s_98.jpg' border='0' width='281' height='210' align='left' style='margin:5px'></a><br /><br />I got my first taste of Singapore on Monday afternoon. After I posted my first blog, I decided to strike out and see what I could find. Ruby was so kind as to loan me her gate key and Kirin's bus pass (which, like an idiot, I forgot to give back and have with me here in Malaysia... Sorry Ruby!). I'd heard Little India was a fairly fun an interesting place, so I chose that as my destination. Its always a little unnerving using a city's public transportation system. I searched for online resources to see if I could find a trip planner, but couldn't find out. After a while, I gave up and just jumped on a bus. Luckily, I was headed in the right direction. I stopped by a little market to check out their wares first and to ask around for directions. One of the shop owners was kind enough to give me instructions on how to get to Little India and I made it there before long. <br /><br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=12/10/25/99.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/12/10/25/s_99.jpg' border='0' width='281' height='210' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br /><br />Little India was cute, and fun, but what stuck with me the most about my first adventure was just how safe I felt the whole way. The strictness I had read about was nowhere to be found. No intimidating police milling around -- I think I saw one police car the whole day. In fact, throughout my experience, the only manifestation of this alleged 'strictness' was that I couldn't buy a pack of gum when I felt like chewing one. Gum can only be purchased at pharmacies and only the 'nicotine' and 'dental gum' varieties, legal because of their health benefits. <br /><br /><br /><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=12/10/25/100.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/12/10/25/s_100.jpg' border='0' width='281' height='210' align='left' style='margin:5px'></a><br /><br />On Tuesday, I met with Melissa and John for lunch (during their work day no less...). Melissa and I met first at Lau Pa Sat, a complex of street food stands rife with cheap but delicious eats, otherwise known as a 'hawker center'. There are many of these through out Singapore. SG is a global financial center now; these 'hawker centers' are sort of a throwback to its roots which were more similar to poorer SE Asian countries like Vietnam or Cambodia. But as I understand it, despite the bargain basement prices for food, hawker centers are highly regulated for cleanliness, even moreso than the surrounding restaurants. So not only can you find a bargain at these centers, but you'll also be eating some of the safest (and most delicious) food in Singapore. <br /><br /><br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=12/10/25/130.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/12/10/25/s_130.jpg' border='0' width='400' height='87' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br />I was able to find something there that was very similar to a food that I ate a lot as a child -- Penang Goreng, or "Banana Fritter". It's a slice of banana that is battered and deep-fried... and utterly delicious. The heat melts the banana into a warm pudding, and the batter is fairly neutral in flavor but adds a layer of crispness. It's dripping with grease, but it is a rich and decadent treat. <br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=12/10/25/102.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/12/10/25/s_102.jpg' border='0' width='281' height='210' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br /><br />After Lau Pa Sat, Melissa went back to work, and John walked me over to Chinatown, where I would spend the afternoon, before returning to work himself. He gave me a brief tour of Chinatown before dropping me off at the front of Ann Siang Hill Park which connects to two sides of Singapore's China town. The street that we stood on, shown here, was once the frontage to Singapore's harbor. All of the land beyond that was filled in -- man made -- and it's is now home to Singapore's financial district, a giant steel forest of skyscrapers. <br /><br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=12/10/25/103.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/12/10/25/s_103.jpg' border='0' width='281' height='210' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br /><br />As John walked away, I turned and walked into Ann Siang Hill park, the city to my back. I nearly forgot it was there as I was absorbed into Chinatown's nostalgic architecture and decor. <br /><br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=12/10/25/104.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/12/10/25/s_104.jpg' border='0' width='281' height='210' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br /><br />But when I reached the top of Ann Siang Hill, I turned around and saw this... <br /><br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=12/10/25/105.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/12/10/25/s_105.jpg' border='0' width='281' height='210' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br /><br />A mass of old buildings with Chinese-style roofs huddled together against a backdrop of concrete and steel skyscrapers. In a way, I kind of feel like this sums up Singapore and a lot of booming SE Asian countries (including Malaysia) right now. Singapore only officially became a country after the Second World War, which makes it a virtual infant... Yet in that short time, it's matured into one of the worlds most vibrant economies. The same has happened in Malaysia, and yes, it's now happening to Vietnam as I understand it. Sights like this just serve as a living reminder of Singapore's rapid growth and the industriousness of its people.<br />Anyway, I'm heading out now. I'm about to head up to the observation deck and sky bridge of Malaysia's famous Petronas Towers, those round twin towers that you so often see in movies... But I had a bunch of video and pictures of Singapore I wanted to share with you all, so I just put them together in a video. Hope you enjoy it! I'll talk to you all again soon. <br /><br /><p align='center'><object type="application/x-shockwave-flash" data="http://www.youtube.com/v/BjMejZqAnRA" width="400" height="300"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/BjMejZqAnRA" /><param name="quality" value="high" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><!-- Fallback content --><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BjMejZqAnRA"><img src="http://img.youtube.com/vi/BjMejZqAnRA/0.jpg" width="400" height="300" />YouTube Video</a></object></p><br /><br /><br /><p class='blogpress_location'>Location:<a href='http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Singapore,%20SG&z=10'>Singapore, SG</a></p>Don Nguyenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05638630492337138394noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5042937635825291781.post-30716404943303610572012-10-21T22:18:00.001-07:002012-10-21T22:21:34.778-07:00On the Road Again - SE Asia... <br /><br /><br /><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=12/10/21/3162.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/12/10/21/s_3162.jpg' border='0' width='281' height='210' align='left' style='margin:5px'></a><br /><br />Boy, it didn't really sink in that I was traveling again until I typed the word "boy" at the beginning of this sentence... Right now I'm sitting at a Thai Restaurant on the grounds of my sister's building, the Thai Pan, which I understand from its Yelp reviews that it's quite tasty. I'm quite looking forward to a good meal. But it really hit home, to me, just how integral writing about my experiences is to my enjoyment of traveling as the experience itself. Hence the blog. <br /><br />For me, blogging and traveling go hand in hand. It forces me to reflect on my experiences and how they're affecting me from moment to moment. Not a moment passes that goes unanalyzed and unappreciated. And most importantly, not a single experience will go forgotten. <br /><br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=12/10/21/3163.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/12/10/21/s_3163.jpg' border='0' width='281' height='210' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br /><br />No even the 36 hours leading up to this moment which has been nothing but planes, airports, and sleeping, but I'm going to tell you all about it anyway. Deal with it. <br /><br />The first thing that struck me was how quickly I felt like I was out of Seattle. I felt like I was in another world as soon as I stepped up to the All Nippon Airlines (ANA) ticket counter to check in. Despite the feeling that I was running late, I actually arrived minutes before they opened at 10:15AM (for my 1:15PM flight). ANA is a Japanese airline, and it was immediately evident as they lined up their crew before about 3 or 4 waiting American travelers for a synchronized "Ohayoo Gozaimasu" (Hello) and a bow. It was like the Rockettes, but upside down and with their torsos instead of their legs.<br /><br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=12/10/21/3164.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/12/10/21/s_3164.jpg' border='0' width='281' height='61' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br /><br />The flight itself was actually very nice, like all trans-oceanic flights, I'm finding. Personal video monitors are standard along with a healthy selection of newer movies and old classics available free to the passenger, and even video games. Already having a healthy collection of games and video on my iPhone and iPad, I opted to save my stored content and enjoy their free movies. I saw Pixar's "Brave" which was cute and more touching than I was expecting (I probably should have expected it, being a Pixar movie and all), I saw "Safety Not Guaranteed" which was much more thoughful and layered than its trailer suggested, and I saw "In Search of a Friend for the End of the World", the only indie comedy about the Apocalypse that I think I've ever seen. Interesting, but I don't think I'd watch it again. Finally, I watched the old Robin Williams classic "Dead Poets Society", a great movie about living life, one that I'm really glad I saw right before I embark on this journey... Yes, it's at times corny, and at other times sad, but I like its message of living life outside the lines. <br /><br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=12/10/21/3165.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/12/10/21/s_3165.jpg' border='0' width='281' height='210' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br /><br />The in-flight meals always impress me. In fact, it's food I'd probably eat happily if served at a fast food restaurant. They're usually reasonably portioned (not too big), relatively non-fatty, and tasty meals... <br /><br />I had a 2 hour delay in Narita Airport which wouldn't have been so terrible except that it meant my arrival time to Singapore would be 3 AM instead of 1AM. But I had free wi-fi and was able to check Facebook and iMessage back and forth with a few friends while I was there, which was nice. My main concern was waking up John (my brother-in-law) and my niece and nephew at 3AM, but luckily the kids didn't stir when I arrived, and John was very gracious (albeit sleepy-eyed) when I arrived. <br /><br /><br /><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=12/10/21/3166.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/12/10/21/s_3166.jpg' border='0' width='100' height='133' align='left' style='margin:5px'></a><br /><br />The kids and he were already gone when I woke up this morning, but I got a chance to meet and get to know Ruby, my sister's friend and live-in caretaker. She is totally fantastic. She made me a couple cups of really fancy coffee and then took me down to the kids' school so I could say hello and give my niece and nephew a big hug. John and my sister are really lucky to have her!<br /><br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=12/10/21/3167.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/12/10/21/s_3167.jpg' border='0' width='281' height='210' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br /><br />So now that I've slept and showered, I am ready to see the world, but before I go, a couple of observations...<br /><br />One. I worried way more than I needed to. Things have actually gone very smoothly; things have a way of working out, in my experience. My first worry was not being able to vote, but luckily, my absentee ballot arrived literally the day before I left for Asia, so I was able to drop my ballot the morning I left and cast my vote -- so I'm happy to have done my duty as an American. <br /><br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=12/10/21/3171.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/12/10/21/s_3171.jpg' border='0' width='281' height='146' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br />Second. I worried a lot about having 'everything I needed' for entry into a foreign country. But so far, things have been pretty easy. Even Singapore, known for its strict customs was a piece of cake. The customs lady was really informative, friendly and very chatty. I rather enjoyed my customs experience, oddly. But I think being a worry wart is good thing in a lot of ways. Yes customs was easy, but probably because I checked and triple checked the entry requirements before stepping on the plane. <br /><br />Third. Boy, the world has changed technologically since my 2009 trip to S. America. Back then, it was just me and my iPhone 3g and I needed to check into an Internet cafe everytime I wanted to post a blog. It's really nice to have my iPad with me this time around, allowing me to write a little whenever I get the opportunity. Now, I won't need to interrupt my trip to write, and I'll always be able to write when I feel inspired to. And I know Panorama has been around for a while, but I love the way iOS 6 has it integrated into the camera -- it's something I'll actually use, and have already used a lot. <br /><br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=12/10/21/3172.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/12/10/21/s_3172.jpg' border='0' width='281' height='119' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br />Anyway, I'm almost done with my lunch, so I'm off. I'll check back with you all again soon, when I have more interesting stuff to talk about.... <br /><p class='blogpress_location'>Location:<a href='http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Singapore%401.306593%2C103.923867&z=10'>Singapore</a></p>Don Nguyenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05638630492337138394noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5042937635825291781.post-2338194105227854392010-03-18T22:01:00.001-07:002010-03-18T22:20:41.473-07:00From Cuzco to Machu PicchuThis is just a little video I edited together some time back. The song is "Naked As We Came" by Iron and Wine. Enjoy!<br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzAWnL5LWL2l-Nv5wt5zIKRR6ABibc-Yedy9niI6aoiC1uWQmSLVrqoT8ORNEx6YUlzeA8sZz5GCsvycl5vlQ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe><div><br /></div><div>Or you can watch it in higher quality <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vUXBT-wkM7I">here</a>. </div>Don Nguyenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05638630492337138394noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5042937635825291781.post-1785853101903396532009-09-08T20:11:00.000-07:002009-09-08T20:43:48.106-07:00Funny Stuff<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4Yp0cPql93GC_k3njDidMRxh6U_kjpVY0EWFlp23WtXKIL-obBxQAGrASW3JRowjZXWt2ODowPEcXjHh1IlDTjwb0g_2-IQVAhWWKgoT6StMxsZBtln1RFBLLmUPfhZmAm3JByYEy3qbY/s1600-h/iPhone+Pictures+164.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5379306219787083186" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4Yp0cPql93GC_k3njDidMRxh6U_kjpVY0EWFlp23WtXKIL-obBxQAGrASW3JRowjZXWt2ODowPEcXjHh1IlDTjwb0g_2-IQVAhWWKgoT6StMxsZBtln1RFBLLmUPfhZmAm3JByYEy3qbY/s320/iPhone+Pictures+164.JPG" /></a><br /><div><div>Here are some funny things I saw while travelling. Looks like I have a puerile streak in me that cannot be squashed...</div><div> </div><div> </div><div></div><div>I saw this sign at a bus station on my trip from San Pedro de Atacama, Chile to Santiago. I couldn't resist...</div><div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5379303260051652050" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPJFab71MMJhB94PD6fWU5i11PpfrEbDWa_npQ4SKZRfvLiWh3g_nIbgaO-TP41Qsprl4tA86FoZ70x8F-iFY1NzAvPG4bAQIV8yojPiAwY_2zAw5_svy7OWaGNSnS68z4ArMvNdPHhOqv/s320/iPhone+Pictures+135.JPG" /><br /><div></div>By far, one of the funniest things I have ever seen is pictured below. Alexis and Catherina's son was doing homework as we chatted in their office when he saw something on his assignment that puzzled him. He came in and showed us this:<br /><br /><p><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5379302518060958722" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtGn7pNfdNfeRYqxEab2sNV_4XEitCEKE9Aqc4F08nk6DHHZSI581yV-dv1hEIdgwmnvYwD_5sM4J3wocjE1Fcp1eqXKo7v6NsiU6Ei36T2uYDsX9qChr6QzLI_WY6hJ0dbRCOnEkQx8vr/s400/Robbie's+Homework.JPG" />The assignment was a letter to word association using pictures. Look closely and you'll see that the letter "T" is for... well... "tata." Yes that means what it sounds like as illustrated by the picture. Only in Chile... We had a great laugh over this. </p><p>Now here is sign I saw while I was at an archaeological site in San Pedro de Atacama...</p></div><p><br /><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dyoHA5fPKgUYD12fPBWwnlX5xmklLhhmdec7qTP4ZcpA-98ylosL6raWoNPpSlOKF9ABR9_cDMsBxv880aCog' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></p><p>More stuff to come! </p><p>Don</p></div>Don Nguyenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05638630492337138394noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5042937635825291781.post-9139901311870585082009-08-18T14:57:00.000-07:002009-08-19T11:45:11.660-07:00Chapter 30<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSS0DYBDNX-V5VpZ0-miYrcSDs0KTFpGkLuy2VkybNzhBUd-dLnkrQMCGK5jggW96iebFBJ3kvZlcW_CQrM2YUgFr3CAROwxcPNUvycSoCL-yjG_8Vl5sj5gz1ec4GyyHb4qVXb2P_cnQF/s1600-h/iPhone+Pictures+084.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5371427742284915954" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSS0DYBDNX-V5VpZ0-miYrcSDs0KTFpGkLuy2VkybNzhBUd-dLnkrQMCGK5jggW96iebFBJ3kvZlcW_CQrM2YUgFr3CAROwxcPNUvycSoCL-yjG_8Vl5sj5gz1ec4GyyHb4qVXb2P_cnQF/s400/iPhone+Pictures+084.JPG" border="0" /></a> I took this photo the day before I left. Hair freshly cut... Beard and 'stache neatly trimmed. I expected it'd be the one of last times I'd be able to groom myself for 10 days, not wanting to take my electric razor with me and expecting creature comforts to be scarce and difficult to attain.<br /><br />I remember taking this picture and all of the things that were running through my head. I thought about all of the difficult changes that I had been through in my 30th year of life; besides turning 30, I'd lost my mother and then lost my job. I thought about how I was soon to embark on a trip without someone there to take care of me for the first time in my life. I thought about how terrifying it would be to get to Peru only to find out that Albert, my travelling partner, missed his flight; I would be stuck alone in a foreign country. What would I do? I thought about how much I would change and grow. I prayed that I would come back as that thing that has eluded me all these years: a man.<br /><br />Thirty was a year of profound changes in my life. South America was really just the climax and conclusion to a storied year that I will credit with finally ushering me into true adulthood. The story begins with the passing of my dear mother. Talking about it still makes me cry.<br /><br />In the years leading up to that event, I was coasting. Throughout my childhood and young adulthood, I was full of promise, but devoid of ambition. This defined me. Maybe I felt content just simply being full of promise; like it was enough for me to simply be a question that would forever remain unanswered. What I've come to learn is that it was a defense mechanism. You see, had I chosen to be ambitious, it would have forced me to answer the question, and frankly, I was too terrified to know; too scared to find out that the promise was one I could not fulfill. And it was this that set the course of my life. I would spend it somewhere in the middle. Not poor and suffering, but not happy either; just happy that no one was worrying about my well-being and maintaning that status quo. If I made no effort to reach my potential, then it would never be known what I could have been.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXqaNNKINyTjlH4aYewbASXeiCsED9r8BAT1x3phESFR8Ec3iLDm9qWpQVifraEl8WxBEkytGdiLm4AOLJ_FidvT8fahy92DZxEz7HQEdhkNmRDeKDQDe0IJHjApr6mR_gKq4ODXqtpkPD/s1600-h/Binh+at+3+months.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5371433704690407538" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 316px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXqaNNKINyTjlH4aYewbASXeiCsED9r8BAT1x3phESFR8Ec3iLDm9qWpQVifraEl8WxBEkytGdiLm4AOLJ_FidvT8fahy92DZxEz7HQEdhkNmRDeKDQDe0IJHjApr6mR_gKq4ODXqtpkPD/s320/Binh+at+3+months.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />I was devastated when my mother passed away. I was her baby; her youngest. Even in the final years before we lost her, as my body grew large, and eyes began to sag - as I began to show the signs of aging - when I saw her, she would still look at me with doe eyes like I was the baby in this picture of mom and me. At times, I hated her for it; I felt like she was holding me back -- keeping me from becoming a man. At other times, looking into her eyes, I <em>was</em> that baby again, as if no time had passed.<br /><br />I remember standing at her bedside, her hand clutching mine; she couldn't speak because of the stroke she suffered, but despite the pain and fear she must have been experiencing, almost as if out of instinct, she looked me in my eyes with her big doe eyes, smiled and squeezed my hands. Even in her final moments, she could still find joy in looking at the face of her littlest one, now an aging man. It wasn't long after that that she was gone. I think in some way, that part of me left with her; the baby boy from the picture was gone too.<br /><br />In her final moments, my mom gave me a gift: the inner strength, the courage and resolve that I have long sought. Since her passing, I found the strength I needed to leave behind the things that held me back, the resolve I needed to overcome life's difficulties like losing my job, and the courage I needed to pursue the adventure that I seek; I credit it to her. In fact, in my mind, on some level, it is a tribute to her.<br /><br />It has been a process. There was a lot of back and forth before I finally got the nerve to commit to going to Peru with Albert. In fact, we did not actually purchase the ticket until a week before we left. Some of the fears I had before leaving, in hindsight, seem a little silly. I remember a long conversation Albert and I had about when he would fly home. He was able to find two different return flights for himself: one that left a full day after my return date, and one that left ten hours before my return date. He was sympathetic to my anxiety about being alone in a foreign country and graciously offered to choose the later flight despite needing to come home earlier to prepare for a move from New York to San Francisco. After a good deal of thought, I told him to go ahead and fly back early rationalizing it as a good way for me to get a taste of solo travelling without too much risk. Had you told me then that I would end up travelling through South America alone for a month after splitting with Albert, I'd have told you to shove it. And yet, that is exactly what happened.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLYsqx1TfyhottbC-j7AHyO5KMN6Ukx9-OW7R8mvySp0RExegbcfoY7VJZg-4lbR_LzJpKGPMuOGDCEb4Mf9ajd6ulj8jn-Ae9uU4y-nXjIr2aG-GH4knsPviqAzLIIhbxj97pCxpdd2Hd/s1600-h/iPhone+Pictures+101.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5371479442725711554" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLYsqx1TfyhottbC-j7AHyO5KMN6Ukx9-OW7R8mvySp0RExegbcfoY7VJZg-4lbR_LzJpKGPMuOGDCEb4Mf9ajd6ulj8jn-Ae9uU4y-nXjIr2aG-GH4knsPviqAzLIIhbxj97pCxpdd2Hd/s320/iPhone+Pictures+101.JPG" border="0" /></a> Here I am on the day that Albert and I split up. Initially, Albert was just going to the airport to check prices and I had decided to go to the plaza to start my blog; we were scheduled to meet up here in this Plaza in Cuzco that evening. Albert found a fare that was leaving that night for the right price, so as it turned out, we ended up not meeting up again. But it was fine. I had made the decision to extend my trip already by this point and had already purchased the ticket change. Still, the look you see here on my face is saying "what did I just get myself into...?"<br /><br />Doubt frequently crept into my mind throughout my adventure and I suspect doubt and fear will be something that I will wrestle with my whole life. The difference now is that I feel strong enough to face those doubts and fears, and now I know the potential reward that lies out there if I can overcome them. Not long after I snapped this photo, I was on a bus driving across Peru to Lake Titicaca. The doubt and fear were quickly pulled off the stage for the next act: awe and amazement.<br /><br />I am home now. It has been just shy of two weeks since I returned; I am still getting used to not saying "si" and "gracias" to local vendors. The beard and 'stache are gone. As I begin the 31st year of my life, I am full of optimism. Thirty was a turning point in my life, a life with which I was growing increasingly dissatisfied. I sort of knew it as it was happening, but it is only in retrospect that I can say it for sure.<br /><br />As I reflect on this year of heartaches, joys, and growth, my mother is ever present on my mind. I miss her. In my mind, I like to pretend that when she left, and the little boy in me left too, they went together. I imagine that they are still together sitting in a chair -- just like in the picture. In this fantasy, she would never be lonely wherever she went, because I would always be with her.Don Nguyenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05638630492337138394noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5042937635825291781.post-34315389654810098522009-08-01T11:03:00.001-07:002009-08-04T07:23:07.033-07:00Buenos Aires, Buenos Noches...<div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFC_WwGR32E5N9aVwMTqP4_ev0p2KfEFLuUEu74xQLsbxpnSPGRCxt-8LxRh012kIMif67SJgqkQWPxHG4BCvtlljI2gJVIkt5AxPLZhLa8FUit2F6aRLTdqVPZGHNQD33K_sv0u8gRsp9/s1600-h/IMG_0732[1]"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5365841567599230834" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 300px; HEIGHT: 400px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFC_WwGR32E5N9aVwMTqP4_ev0p2KfEFLuUEu74xQLsbxpnSPGRCxt-8LxRh012kIMif67SJgqkQWPxHG4BCvtlljI2gJVIkt5AxPLZhLa8FUit2F6aRLTdqVPZGHNQD33K_sv0u8gRsp9/s400/IMG_0732%5B1%5D" border="0" /></a>I´m coming home.</div><br /><div><div>Tonight is my final night in South America. And as I sit and type in this internet cafe in Buenos Aires, I find that I could stay longer... much longer. One month at the time I made my decision to extend my trip seemed like an eternity, but I think I could keep at this for a much longer time. 4 months would have been a good length of time. </div><br /><div>But my responsibilities at home beckon and I miss my dad, so I am content with ending this trip tomorrow and am looking forward being back to the good ol´ U.S. of A. But not before enjoying a few last indulgences before I go. Pictured to the left is me smoking a fine Cuban cigar at "La Casa del Habano" on Av Reconquista earlier today. I am a cigar enthusiast and this was my very first Cuban. "Casa del Habano" only sells Cubans... Of the experience, all I can say is... believe the hype. It was a consistent, mellow, delicious smoke; one of the best I´ve ever had and it is not simply because it was a forbidden cigar. I am sure to endulge in another tomorrow before I finally board my plane. I don´t care if I stink. </div><br /><div>The final leg of my trip began when I arrived in Buenos Aires about 5 days ago. Thats also about when I stopped losing weight. For most of this trip, I have been eating like a bird (like a loon bird as my sister, T. would put it); I haven´t had much of an appetite. That all ended in BA where I discovered "Bonpler," a panini sandwich fast food place that is only in BA and that I am now hooked on. </div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5365846195950889154" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3uXVZ2ayXQsiR-HMqXqo-80aWLgyCdfipdbUgmKT-o_mFJ6nfJ27dhSew1V25C5aHGhfG07hUu4IbupxbB5WEyXdZjZ3IyusyF9NG5RmOieFg80ImNkq48hzPPJHlSTpgUIbex0vSTAH_/s320/IMG_0717%5B1%5D" border="0" />Unfortunately, it is exclusive to Argentina, so it is not something I can endulge on in the States. And actually, their portions and prices are very reasonable. This small drink and sandwich pictured above is a regular sized meal; so not exactly the super-sized fries you find at home. But... okay I confess.... there was also a McDonald´s that had free wi-fi across the street from my hostel. Curse you Ronald, your free internet and your hot fudge sundaes!</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR2KnwoZdt5gf7g3CQWP-NBLG918HcjFfJoANLuZTXLiIpMZWxdu7Hy-Znw7YMnQGcqOpwFZ7czgMKxDhqmCDRssOksnIIJblzWIOWxDraoFPTqaZzaFUQw7ygf9yqh1OYmwDUd41zH71X/s1600-h/IMG_0701[1]"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5365847554025740530" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 200px; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR2KnwoZdt5gf7g3CQWP-NBLG918HcjFfJoANLuZTXLiIpMZWxdu7Hy-Znw7YMnQGcqOpwFZ7czgMKxDhqmCDRssOksnIIJblzWIOWxDraoFPTqaZzaFUQw7ygf9yqh1OYmwDUd41zH71X/s200/IMG_0701%5B1%5D" border="0" /></a><br /><div>I was also tipped off by fellow travellers along the way that I would be able to find $10.00 USD steak dinners here, and as promised, I did. Here I am pictured right about to "enjoy" it. What I didn´t eat, I used to patch my shoes. It was disgusting. Rest assured, this is not one of the other indulgences I will be enjoying for the remainder of my trip.<br /></div><br /><div>Buenos Aires is a festive city, a sort of "Rio de Janiero lite" I imagine. I didn´t make it up to Brazil this time, but from what I have seen in magazines and t.v., it is sort of like Rio without the transvestites. But it is also a very liveable city and a thriving center for international business. Argentina suffered an economic collapse around the first part of this decade, but despite that, Buenos Aires still exudes the air of a major metropolis with its sky scrapers and streets filled with men and women in suits. </div><br /><div>It is also a city teeming with culture. On the street corners and walkways, during most hours of the day, you can find painters and performance artists with their crafts displayed for all to see. I have been on a hunt for art for most of my trip and have found very little art that I was compelled to buy, but in BA, on my first day here, I found a piece that I had to have. Meet the artist: Sergio Hernandez.</div><br /><div> <iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwMSfJYv6nB7py1bKPH8ZwglVU0-uCbnNhEW3HNruI0xBYT2jW3gRBZ6-JbDrlKzSFttag3CH0DEfgCQGGC1Q' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe><br /></div><div>Sergio´s fierce self reliance despite his disability was inspiring. I asked him first if it would be okay for me to post this video to my blog and offered to email him a link. He happily obliged and offered his email, but he didn´t even think to just say it to me to write myself. His first instinct was to just write it out <em>for</em> me. Carefully, he grabbed my paper bag with his feet, and with a pencil gripped firmly between his toes, he proceeded to write out his email address, @ symbol and all. Having met Sergio, I will never again in good conscience let myself believe that I have any kind of limitation, because he demonstrated to me that no limitation cannot be overcome. </div><br /><div>Buenos Aires is also a major center for Tango culture. Tango is everywhere here, from giant stages, to instructional centers, to street corners. I took in a tango demonstration while in downtown. It was beautiful. </div><div></div><br /><div><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxFkIZjsUp9FQBe3wrRQSOP2clkluMcNPCcRwtP16-FZSV-fkTdlV_aJC099kIEEu72TCdkqjenMsKBz5y8OQ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br /><div></div><div>I had planned to take some lessons while here, but I quickly realized two things upon seeing this: 1. I would need a partner, and 2. I was not going to be able to learn the steps in the few days I was here. So I decided to just enjoy it as an observer while here. Perhaps I will find a tango school in Seattle; it could be something I can do if I ever want to be back in South America without actually being here.</div><div></div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_T45zQx21pUbEI0bhq61tv409XcwwrVpsaZ-wCoH9lTcDlq2SoYDOIT0XtRjmv3854KZeTxWepWNLm7tIyvLd8dFaoaZ_duRlJBbyl3suuZLoSUB-kRdR3RIaEwHxzOoSDSJVfmqVVCtT/s1600-h/IMG_0702[1]"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5365856237991359794" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 200px; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_T45zQx21pUbEI0bhq61tv409XcwwrVpsaZ-wCoH9lTcDlq2SoYDOIT0XtRjmv3854KZeTxWepWNLm7tIyvLd8dFaoaZ_duRlJBbyl3suuZLoSUB-kRdR3RIaEwHxzOoSDSJVfmqVVCtT/s200/IMG_0702%5B1%5D" border="0" /></a>Buenos Aires has its share of sights to see. I decided to take a Lonely Planet suggested walking tour at one point. The tour began at a cemetary... Cemetario de la Recoleta. Recoleta is probably the wealthiest neighborhood in BA and it is home to the most important cemetary in Buenos Aires. Here, the wealthy and the elite are laid to rest and the rest of us can gawk at their mausoleums. All joking aside, it was really quite nice; each mausoleum was unique and exquisitely ornate. The cemetary was built in the early 1800's, so there were mausoleums dating back as early as the 1810's. I found one of a man born in 1788 and buried in 1888. </div><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5365857990257913938" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyoFx5W_GjR09o45ygXwRiHKYqp5VF0XhIu6qcOyZb5yq6VdZJUsPq3PkfRb17K_6dh8ps0nWweFCAZTKE43iEbv0EybQRzJGQS1HB6J0Figip0mHLhDLJJttx0LWOFYc0BOcfUO0a0wpI/s320/IMG_0709%5B1%5D" border="0" />He was born just over a decade after the birth of our nation; he was alive during the time of George Washington. And he lived through the American Civil War. He probably had little or no knowledge of these events while he was alive, but still... </div><div></div><div><br /></div><div>My next stop on the walking tour through Recoleta was this building for an engineering school as an example of Gothic architecture.<br /></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRvMRDrVKB9fOdabEH053cY7OLgFYramCeO3ZAM-4nQC8ZelXdrcj7SDi1UCLhkP6h7K7TKRoGDVxqhQ-5k1rU_itV-a18_DRylrU5DjDzi7sUv9f9gH-Z70UoIKeIENWZo5mIvmGNkOGh/s1600-h/IMG_0711[1]"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5365854986855698482" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRvMRDrVKB9fOdabEH053cY7OLgFYramCeO3ZAM-4nQC8ZelXdrcj7SDi1UCLhkP6h7K7TKRoGDVxqhQ-5k1rU_itV-a18_DRylrU5DjDzi7sUv9f9gH-Z70UoIKeIENWZo5mIvmGNkOGh/s320/IMG_0711%5B1%5D" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div><br /><br /><br /></div><div><br /><br /><br /></div><div><br /><br /><br /></div><div><br /><br /></div><div><br /><br /></div><div>The next stop was a mall of interior design which was not worth taking any video of. And finally the tour took me to a very nice art museum. The museum was established by a local artist and was built where this artist´s studio and home were once located. It housed art of South American artists, but mostly of European artists. There was some very nice stuff there; the most famous works that were displayed here were some pieces by Eduardo Manet. However, I was not allowed to take video or photos, so unfortunately, I cannot share any of it with you.<br /></div><div><br /></div><div></div><div>In my own exploration of Buenos Aires, I happened upon Plaza de Mayo at the end of the Av de Mayo.<br /><br /></div><div> <iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxzRIe5G50YXXFhW0x77Cn08jNLcQMtTiAJZMlT-yFrUdc5SM2N4zrp7HMG5rVVVfTn2WoZg1ylWU-9QFBmuA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div><br /></div><div></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ4wd0dB-VCyrScVxR_NdGRBoAgyys5x9qSHB7Q8f_fZI9ItKp_XYGafqSEDa8iE4j_45wf6cv8Sxch363anBp2IJYbNGio3rI1yqfBq7Q3Bt0_WLxdCq3R8X_AHzFirKBFmm1FUr-guXb/s1600-h/IMG_0722[1]"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5365867231404249298" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 240px; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ4wd0dB-VCyrScVxR_NdGRBoAgyys5x9qSHB7Q8f_fZI9ItKp_XYGafqSEDa8iE4j_45wf6cv8Sxch363anBp2IJYbNGio3rI1yqfBq7Q3Bt0_WLxdCq3R8X_AHzFirKBFmm1FUr-guXb/s320/IMG_0722%5B1%5D" border="0" /></a>There was a big church here that I had to go into. My church days are behind me, but I still find myself drawn to churches where I see them, especially Catholic cathedrals, each with opulence worthy of God. They are so ornate; transcendent of anything one man could accomplish. And <em>of course</em> it would be so, as a house built for God would necessarily be so. But what I really love about them is they each give you a sense of the omniscience that God might feel. When the cathedral is looked at as a whole, you are overcome by the magnificence of it all; but then you stop and take a look at each detail and you realize that, while its sum is magnificent, there is also magnificence in its details. You look at the pillars and see entire stories from the bible depicted in engravings. You look at the ceiling, and it is an array of frescoes that could fill a metropolitan museum. Then you look at the mosaics that make up the floor and you are overcome all over again when you see the precision and care it took to hand-make each individual tile. It´s what I imagine it must be like to be God and looking at humanity as a sum and then listening to their individual prayers. Cathedrals are all basically the same, but I still enjoy visiting wherever I encounter them. So I suppose South America was the right place for me...</div><br /><div> </div><div>Entry was saved and restarted 08/04:<br />The rest of my time in BA was spent just trekking around looking for interesting stuff, and I found quite a bit that I´d like to share, but internet here is not great, so I will have to wait until I get home to post the rest. In fact, over the next few days or weeks, I will be sifting through all of my videos and posting more from what I haven´t already posted to my blog. I´ll also have some final thoughts on my trip and life in general, so check back in a few days for some new content!</div><div> </div><div>Thanks again everyone who followed my blog. It was like I had you there at my side each step of the way. :) And now I am off to have one last Cuban! See you all soon!</div><div><br /> </div><div> </div>Don Nguyenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05638630492337138394noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5042937635825291781.post-55905347713036161062009-07-27T15:42:00.000-07:002009-07-27T19:52:17.724-07:00Life with the Lopezes<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh102eXQfGE36Re80_sDOsVBAjqP4aNP7Jtgm3TiJ31JvPruvKsDDbqERxzWns32nkbTIh_g3aGXOs5Papca05ZN4AxMpHX2lrS_ZwBwuk364lICF-1kpDqjCX64SbcAa2pIeCUPld1NdKH/s1600-h/IMG_0692%5B1%5D"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5363274514790944866" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh102eXQfGE36Re80_sDOsVBAjqP4aNP7Jtgm3TiJ31JvPruvKsDDbqERxzWns32nkbTIh_g3aGXOs5Papca05ZN4AxMpHX2lrS_ZwBwuk364lICF-1kpDqjCX64SbcAa2pIeCUPld1NdKH/s400/IMG_0692%5B1%5D" border="0" /></a> The further I get away from home, the more I feel like home is everywhere.<br /><div></div><br /><div>As promised, Catherina and Alexis met with me yesterday to show me <em>their</em> Santiago. I will get into more detail about our day together later in this post, but in the interest of continuity, I´d like first to tell you a little about my solo exploration of Santiago which happened the day before yesterday. <em>But before I do anything, I just wanted to thank you, Catherina and Alexis for a truly wonderful day of joy and laughter with your family. I have never experienced the kind of hospitality your family has shown me from a total stranger before and it was both staggering and inspiring. </em></div><br /><div><em></em></div><div>On my first whole day in Santiago, I decided to brave the subway system having been told it was the cheapest and easiest mode of transportation in the city. There is also a comprehensive bus system in Santiago, but I decided to avoid it. Like in any city, I am always a little apprehensive before I step on its subway system. The image always flashes in my head of me standing in some far away burrough of the city with a bewildered look on my face. </div><div></div><div><br /><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwduDNEtoTNX-laVoeVNGbKAmePgYrbxt4SzZQUezzfUbJd_DOB6vHPCZhcuFMnJcZSe38FfO0XdYlYM_MWXg' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br /><p></p><br /><p>But the fear was unwarranted...</p><p><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dz8UipQ_G7SPnMd_cTrKEIzUJah8y0UhVYVSwFB1dkBx4qKOHNm_evri4C7y0_5oJ2s8vGRTose3m2-NyFRKw' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></p>Once I had the subway system figured out, I felt like I had the keys to the city and Santiago was opened up to me. My first stop was to the Plaza de Armas and Mercado Central. These are basically just the city centers but always promise to be somewhat interesting. They are also the heart of the city and visiting them is a nice way to get a feel for the place you are in.<br /><br />It is said that Chile is the first South American country to earn status as a first world country. I have not been to many South American countries, but it is not hard to believe this to be true. The infrastructure in my experience has been excellent. I could easily see myself living happily in Chile if I could speak Spanish. The type of shopping that is here seems suggest the people also have a lot of disposable income. I met a Chilean fellow on the bus ride down from San Pedro who did imply that to some degree, this is more perception than reality and there is a hidden poorer face of Chile, but even if this is the case, Chile is still a hop skip and a jump ahead of much of the world in terms of liveability.<br /><br /><p>Santiago´s Plaza de Armas had its share of shopping and cathedrals like most do. One feature I did enjoy that was unique to this Plaza de Armas was an outdoor art gallery. The gallery here in Santiago was much better than others I´ve seen in my travels. The art featured here was less "factory art" than I´ve seen. The artists here all had their own voice. </p><p><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxct8GahVNswVTJSUFqxUC60suOXaXk69tBhiLDlhbSOukKTuqmQFrseQ1eC9TCLY0MfmltnR-3LGtId_AsCw' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></p><p>I did meet one artist who had painted something that I liked very much. It was an unfinished painting of musicians who I recognized immediately as Charlie Parker and Miles Davis in one of their Blue Note sessions. <img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5363291362375211538" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF_cNBw94aLhyLzL1qeIMerJ7lbjjdie5A3kVzmOR3WvQhFZGKtJfRMnrjZ-RWr2i9NH1psY87Mm1gySGYn6ZdHSdrpPhN9mkpes1pYRikc7qRmelFgiuvfMmSgudBNLAdlDeL1mS5fvJV/s320/IMG_0681%5B1%5D" border="0" />He needed a day to finish and laquer the painting and I had made arrangements to meet with him to purchase the finished painting. Unfortunately, I was not able to make it to our arranged meeting time. I searched the plaza for him hoping to see him today, but he was not there. Such is life...</p><p>While wandering the Plaza, I stumbled on a group of buskers in the Subway like none I´ve ever seen and I enjoyed their music very much. The group was called Son de la Calle and it consisted of a hand drummer/lead singer, a sax player, guitar player, and an upright bass player. All of the players sang back up. The singer had an authenticity that I both admired and envied. His voice was totally unique, and it was perfect. No other voice could possibly have passed through that throat, past those teeth... No other voice could have risen from this man´s body and emanated from his weathered and suntanned face. This man could not have possibly existed anywhere other than where he was. He might as well have been carved from the stone upon which he sat. Just perfectly real, natural, and authentic... like a wild cactus in the desert.<br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxk-sabYs_qz5lOIEhM19m8fFucGhUvaa56oH3PVGkPwhwQzsfrGI7NVz484YEFVkekNjl6PI7lSvg7Vkj4wA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></p><p>Needless to say, I bought a C.D. and donated a few pesos more. Here were men who truly deserved to continue to play for a living. </p><p>Sunday came and I called spoke to Alexis just before noon. Alexis offered to pick me up at my hostel. Their home was not far from where I was staying. Our first stop was their beautiful home. They live in a large apartment in the middle of the city across the street from Santiago´s Metropolitan Park (like NY´s Central Park). Alexis and Catherina have a web technology company together that they run out of their home. Their office resembles that bridge of the Nebuchanezzar of the Matrix with their super computer and mulitple LCD screens arranged side by side. </p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQh9KJyNncLagQHj6QnElwNu62ln42fXD0R15dTfTe3-85eL-h8E3DRZx6z4AOOX_UaI8PS4ooNl-WwZrqz8GM3fFzyyc0qWUpq6f15KU0bpWmrZBuH0QGXvQuwwfMGGM7DNhfs_27JQIB/s1600-h/IMG_0687%5B1%5D"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5363301771355045586" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 150px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQh9KJyNncLagQHj6QnElwNu62ln42fXD0R15dTfTe3-85eL-h8E3DRZx6z4AOOX_UaI8PS4ooNl-WwZrqz8GM3fFzyyc0qWUpq6f15KU0bpWmrZBuH0QGXvQuwwfMGGM7DNhfs_27JQIB/s200/IMG_0687%5B1%5D" border="0" /></a>Alexis is a renaissance man of sorts. He is successful in his field, but his interests do not stop there. He took me on a guided tour of his inse<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_lv4Qjq9eI6VZcbXVvHmNQ919ZlcU1Ek_d84P5s10E5zX_YEfQ-ggnjOUteD7DpQHuKV9eN09h7lGxYESWlBUuNoe7ONEoYFM300mMRPWlR2VCEz92sRIbQiJOyHMxAl-_WMf00zcYcl2/s1600-h/IMG_0685%5B1%5D"></a>ct samples; on the side, he is an entymologist. His walls were covered with hundreds of samples of local insect species, some of which he collected and cataloged himself. </p><p>Alexis also has a keen interest in robotics which I´m sure his boys Roberto, Ricardo and Octavio have no problem with. I played with the boys in Alexis´s office with a robot for a little while until Alexis walked in with instructions for the boys to unhand the equipment; "it´s not a toy," he said. </p><p>In fact, the robot, despite being manufactured by Lego, was a quite sophisticated example of robotics. Alexis, showed me its sensors which operated on sonar and the software that he used to program the robot. </p><p>Soon, Catherina entered the office to greet me in her friendly, easygoing way. We chatted about friends, family, her travels to Seattle and other places, the friends she had made internationally in her travels. She showed me pictures from her Facebook profile of her Seattle visit. When we got to her photos of her visit to the Seattle aquarium, she showed me what I found to be a very clever thing she did: she tagged her photos of the fish to her friends. Specifically, she had shown me a fish she had tagged to link to her friend from India. I suggested that since her friend was Indian, and probably believed in reincarnation, the fish could actually have been him, just in a past life. Catherina and Alexis both had a hearty laugh and it was in this moment that I knew I was in good company. As the day passed, I felt a bit like the U.S. American boy in Bernardo Bertolucci´s <em>The Dreamers; </em>lonely in a foreign country, grateful to have been taken in by a local family, wide-eyed, envious, wanting nothing more than to be adopted into this wonderful family. </p><p>And adopt me, they did. For a day, I was a Lopez. I truly felt that I was like a brother or a cousin. Although they had known me only for a day, they treated me like one of their own, or like an old friend. It wasn´t only Catherina and Alexis who welcomed me into their lives. The boys and their oldest, a girl, Sophie, also welcomed me with open arms. I had flashes of my own nieces and nephews while playing with the kids. They were so fearless. There was no feeling out period for them; they reached out to play with me almost instantaneously like I was one of their relatives. </p><p>We headed off to a Chinese restaurant in their area, the Lung Fung, where I snapped the picture above. It is said to be the nicest Chinese restaurant in the area. Alexis explained that the Chinese actually have about a century of history in Chile since there were Chinese brought in a slaves in the 1800´s to build infrastructure, not unlike the railroad workers of the early United States. He explained the Chinese community of Chile has been there for generations, but they remain very isolated from the rest of Chilean society; despite the majority of the local Chinese being native born Chileans, their first language is still Chinese and they still speak Spanish with a Chinese accent. </p><p>Chinese food by way of Chile is much like Chinese food found in the States. The typical plates are there: Sweet and Sour meat, Mongolian Beef. Dinner is served family style where the courses are brought out on one plate to be shared by all in the family. If there is anything that is different, I would say the sweet dishes have less sugar in my estimation. </p><p>From there, the Lopezes took me to a couple of must see parks in Santiago. </p><br />Ste. Lucia Park:<br /><br /><p><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzPiL-gTEyFo5c-LA4F8kUDfWZa8lhOGwz3uu4D-gXDCqm3SBuReLprDq5sS-lgzj0jXkHuHvqJ3ul47C6Xiw' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></p><p>Japanese Garden:</p><p><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwY6ZUyUcMH0dMMt6VWoZTb2rGbsjUJKI3ElmDH4daRgbXNyXmOIPWH_UYPwo1JaaDpFZUGX9lxE80JaXC29g' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></p><p>Metropolitan Park:</p><p><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dy7DcHpOoaYcl_49sY9MPtc2QHD6ASEp60AGPOoSMqGDmM4CmJxsRcaeZTLdwuJYrLrt7G9_h0FPkfSAfoNOQ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></p><p>The sites were wonderful and I was grateful to have had a chance to visit them, but in truth, what I relished the most from my time with Catherina and Alexis´s family was something else. </p><p>I have spent my time in S. America looking for authentic experiences, and what they gave me could not have been more authentic. They gave me the real South America. The real S. America to me was sitting in the office of Chilean professionals talking. It was sharing food with the Lopezes in a Chinese restaurant in the city listening to Catherina tell me stories of the birth of her children. It was flipping through a poem book that her children had contributed their writing and art to that was published by their public school where they are educated. It was joining in on a chorus of laughter with the family when someone said something funny. It was sitting with Catherina and Alexis late in the evening and watching the season premiere of True Blood on HBO eating Chinese food leftover from lunch. It was, if only for a moment, being a member of this beautiful Chilean family. </p><p>The further I get away from home, the more I realize that home is everywhere.</p>Don Nguyenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05638630492337138394noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5042937635825291781.post-39950699394082591892009-07-27T09:11:00.000-07:002009-07-27T09:35:12.715-07:00Photos from Celeste´s School, Manos Unidas!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOsNrqEQOUmmZBsLePrXXNKtcHSK0ouBKYI5N0i3jEMMTVd5_OR53q8g7fp7c9SlwrTLyO4anjpQ5ANFkzClqAUcQ6mH-w7y0_SOCj81AJx4iSq2DGMEu_4uvcltBp9Nx1AShJuA5EGPhk/s1600-h/Manos+Unidas+5"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5363177672759927794" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOsNrqEQOUmmZBsLePrXXNKtcHSK0ouBKYI5N0i3jEMMTVd5_OR53q8g7fp7c9SlwrTLyO4anjpQ5ANFkzClqAUcQ6mH-w7y0_SOCj81AJx4iSq2DGMEu_4uvcltBp9Nx1AShJuA5EGPhk/s400/Manos+Unidas+5" border="0" /></a> I received photos from our visit to Celeste´s school, Manos Unidas (<a href="http://www.manosunidasperu.net/">http://www.manosunidasperu.net/</a>)! It is funny, it was only about 2 weeks ago, but it seems like a really long time ago... <div><div><div><br /><br /><div>1. After touring the school, Albert and I are invited to sit in on a cooking lesson with the students. </div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgbbGLoU6o1-lyy5HBJU_lN8Q8LL5qebKIYVSIrrJeOR_GIBX7pK2hPdfI-bG-pAgHumGMg14RXCVH_AzKjsV-UdoLkBDDyQSkajGmm0FNQCwUeMPKDzhFSk9nFXCaFVgPwJfPAte6RQ7t/s1600-h/Manos+Unidas+1"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5363173632288543442" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgbbGLoU6o1-lyy5HBJU_lN8Q8LL5qebKIYVSIrrJeOR_GIBX7pK2hPdfI-bG-pAgHumGMg14RXCVH_AzKjsV-UdoLkBDDyQSkajGmm0FNQCwUeMPKDzhFSk9nFXCaFVgPwJfPAte6RQ7t/s320/Manos+Unidas+1" border="0" /></a><br />2. I broke out the walkie talkies for them to play with. They really seemed to enjoy them quite a bit. Celeste agreed that they would be a good learning tool for the students, so the walkie talkies now belong to them... Celeste, if you are reading this, I will be giving them to your mother to bring down with her in August. :)<br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5363174762133327010" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_dkJ1N24OWlDGKrjGpNsNzyHXIbyXxapA9-fxfx1cRdfhym0dwxeaQg4o5eRnJ88R_VXHxLVqOZ4wHJj81JI38St4WdWNXUSOg0vlO_N8OF-zqUwcunT7zhyT-Q3Ys5XCAtC2atjcCPvJ/s320/Manos+Unidas+2" border="0" /> </div><br /><br /><div>3. Albert appears to be saying something important here, but I´m not sure what.<br /></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5363175886227860274" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2G-9falO3bCt-Hhx9R84s-q5CG-pySSRRoynZdfr-8Pjxd2nqQpuFbuarSdERewWzCuB804iFajW2dshptwS-3S7XN3eQO55elznxkyyRlBOdjrGQ3_RzK3JxT5cJNe5Z0A-iiSwjFKQZ/s320/Manos+Unidas+3" border="0" /> </div><br /><div>4. Celeste joins us for a group photo.<br /><br /><br /><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5363176808531355266" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0bZxE_JFi3CpU1i8r72ovqxWNdHU67cv-9o86nuLlsqNeP36kypDUvrQp7suc4mPZyVuZYgQt6A3-fq4-JKWDYjIo5fyIlWGUciuyrjPHsigV0dtW5xFJPfKRyWhwLBVC6hSlxxUMtqFX/s320/Manos+Unidas+4" border="0" /></div></div></div></div><br /><p>Thanks again, Celeste, for this wonderful experience. This day will surely be one that Albert and I remember forever. :)</p>Don Nguyenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05638630492337138394noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5042937635825291781.post-12832331909620632092009-07-24T14:42:00.000-07:002009-07-24T18:46:18.843-07:00Is It Chile In Here?<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFZd-9wQY83eVAaNuvKx0b0Yg3fYvO73AMiEG_iuLStRMJl3bx56vskraHdghaVMUBD70eBszr8IMcxxU2IK3eJiFlOk3fWXJmzCGfy4iN3wLGa0S3Oax3bmV_gYjU0xSqzOXz8DCe74og/s1600-h/IMG_0667%5B2%5D"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5362167371324172770" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFZd-9wQY83eVAaNuvKx0b0Yg3fYvO73AMiEG_iuLStRMJl3bx56vskraHdghaVMUBD70eBszr8IMcxxU2IK3eJiFlOk3fWXJmzCGfy4iN3wLGa0S3Oax3bmV_gYjU0xSqzOXz8DCe74og/s400/IMG_0667%5B2%5D" border="0" /></a> I´m back. Sorry for the blackout there. I haven´t been anywhere with a fast enough connection to upload video to my blog.<br /><br />Pictured above is a photo of me with some new friends I made along the way. This is us at lunch in San Pedro de Atacama, Chile. Immediately to my right in this photo (camera left) is Armelle, an acquisitions lawyer from Paris. Armelle is a year or two younger than me and this is also her first time backpacking solo.<br /><br />I was seated next to Armelle on the bus after I left Arequipa, Peru and heading to San Pedro. My original plan was to stop in Tacna, Peru, a border town, and staying the night, as the bus trip from the border to San Pedro was a very long 13 hrs, and I didn´t think I wanted to do the whole trip in one day as it would have been a total of about 20 hours of riding the bus. In Arequipa, I both purchased my bus ticket to Tacna and secured a hostel. Armelle was asleep for most of that first trip; my only contact with her was prodding her lightly when they brought our snack around. She did not awake until much later when we were all forced exit the bus to have our fruit inspected. My bananas were spared.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm68gugRlz93kmWIXtqG2hKbQG1R7LgPfjhidWiaL8U7p_HVk94HyCk-GOrJYwy3tUmUagOsPjh_MaQoBLUMcR2hJ0C-8AD-dv0kSf1s-RYMWNwvgnx7Zf_yM2PyYuRKfJJQPEtEEFBkzg/s1600-h/IMG_0664%5B1%5D"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5362185488293139186" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm68gugRlz93kmWIXtqG2hKbQG1R7LgPfjhidWiaL8U7p_HVk94HyCk-GOrJYwy3tUmUagOsPjh_MaQoBLUMcR2hJ0C-8AD-dv0kSf1s-RYMWNwvgnx7Zf_yM2PyYuRKfJJQPEtEEFBkzg/s320/IMG_0664%5B1%5D" border="0" /></a>For the rest of the trip, we chatted it up talking backpacking, our home cities and politics mainly. Armelle is a wonderfully open person who does not seem to observe any barriers between herself an others; exactly opposite from me and I appreciated it very much. She reminded me a lot of my dear friend, Christine Lugo, in that way. Armelle´s openness drew me in and before I knew it, my plans had changed; I would now be securing a colectivo (a car for 5 people) with her and a French couple she had met on the bus and we would be crossing the border together into Arica, Chile, where we would stay for the night before heading to San Pedro de Atacama, Chile. Arica, she told me, promised to be a more comfortable and entertaining city where we could see sights and relax on beaches.<br /><br />Crossing the border was quite an experience; quick but nerve wracking. When we arrived in Arica, we followed the French couple to a hotel that they were booked at in hopes we would be able to secure a pair of rooms for ourselves. Alas, they were all booked, but the owner of the hostel was kind enough to walk us to another hostel where we were each able to secure private rooms with a shared bathroom. Perfecto.<br /><br />We were not able to secure a bus until the next night at 10:00 PM, so that gave us a full day to enjoy Arica. It was July 20th.<br /><br />Arica didn´t quite live up to Armelle´s expectations. Like Albert, she seems to always have an agenda of sites to see on a given day. I joined her for one: a church built by noneother than Gustave Eiffel of Eiffel Tower fame (and the Statue of Liberty).<br /><br /><br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwh5MhFL_u7fReWcGIteCUtq2X2RJGmppNzx6J2lpkpbvbq1cwPjl3BNvM6321a1q3EqFWzDE4dgGzDHqNvwg' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe><br /><br /><p>As you can see, it isn´t anything to write home about (which is ironic since I am in a way, writing home about it). </p><p>I think at some point during our bus conversation, I expressed my utter disdain for hiking, because she assumed I would not want to join her for a hike, so we made arrangements to meet up for dinner before heading off to the bus station to catch our San Pedro bus.</p><p>Unbeknownst to her, she joined me for my birthday dinner that night. We had a pair of "un Completos;" formally recommended by The Lonely Planet.<br /><br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dyvZPFt9LChqTK2iJCyog7AZVGxxwHJk9BARZrf9vUehVKsbDPBDK7EE3tDEztBpBIGl2osE-anY-GDre21cw' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></p><p>Aside from a scare involving losing my immigration paper (whew! found it!), the 13 hr bus trip was a piece of cake since it was overnight and I slept through it for the most part.</p><p>This is where we met up with the others in the photo. Furthest to the right (camera left) is another girl from France. I forget her name! But she was very interesting. I don´t think I can name a continent that she had not visited except Antarctica. Between her and Armelle is Beth. She is a med school student in Philly. We had a heart to heart about Philly Cheesesteaks. The two blonde girls on the right are, get this.... from Seattle! Audrey, second from the left (camera right) is actually a recent UW graduate and lives about 10 blocks from me in the U-District. I thought I recognized her and she thought she recognized me. It was all very odd... fly thousands of miles South and I meet someone who is basically my neighbor. I´m sure I will see her around town at some point and we will have a laugh.</p><p>San Pedro is a town that is at the center of several wonderful sites that include geysers and salt flats, but unfortunately, my time here was limited as I need to get to Buenos Aires. I know that I have a couple more weeks here, but let me tell you, transportation is so unreliable here in S. America that I cannot risk missing my plane by staying too long in one spot. </p><p>It is sort of like a resort town in that it is built for turistas. The ¨locals" travel in from outlying areas mainly for business. Still, the town is very cute: a dusty little town of restaurants, purveyors of tours, and hostels that are more like summer camp cabins. There were roads that lead to the surrounding sites; some near, some far. There were tour agencies that offered jeep trips to the sites, walking tours, bike tours and even horseback tours.</p><p>We tried to book tours for that day to see some sites, but unfortunately, there was a freak windstorm and all activities were cancelled for that day. We had lunch in the afternoon where I took the above photo and I did explore the town in the afternoon despite the windstorm. We all met up again that night for dinner at a great little restaurant.<br /><br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxEEbml1OUM5f0JjHyOEqHzw2jfVDfIyaZtUj_tonVY1gbh-j37gPnXA9a5UAYWSIPVkk2HSEJUqJIWox1yFQ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></p><br /><p>Dinner with the girls was a blast! We chatted, ate, watched the fire all to a soundtrack of late 90´s hip hop and pop music. I had mentioned to Beth that I intend to learn the tango in Argentina. She, having lived in Argentina for a few months at one point in her life took it upon herself to give me an introductory lesson on the tango with her fingers. I taught the Seattle girls how to conjugate Obama´s name: "Yo Obama... Tu Obamas... Nosotros Obamanos..." All in all, a very fun evening with some very fun girls. </p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0697FxIqjLGLcIk2wQ4BVC7qKb1jnoOXn2LTM3EShPaWuUaZfHkfBjWGJDBCUHmtUY2f0omCgZcnFWf7liF2khmC9_f_uq5t3yPSocEfsXIrXOKv0WLo1sX8WIOKoXlfTnYvAya5DXmYi/s1600-h/IMG_0671%5B1%5D"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5362162516080022514" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0697FxIqjLGLcIk2wQ4BVC7qKb1jnoOXn2LTM3EShPaWuUaZfHkfBjWGJDBCUHmtUY2f0omCgZcnFWf7liF2khmC9_f_uq5t3yPSocEfsXIrXOKv0WLo1sX8WIOKoXlfTnYvAya5DXmYi/s320/IMG_0671%5B1%5D" border="0" /></a>I didn´t end up booking a tour while in San Pedro, but I did walk out the next day to an amazing archaeological site called Pukara de Quitor, a fort built in the 12th Century. </p><p>I hiked up to the top of the fort and really let it sink in. I am fascinated by old things and this really fit the bill. I walked in and out of the rooms and imagined them occupied and in use in the 12th century. From the top, I surveyed the land around me. Since it wasn´t a famous site like Machu Picchu, I was one of very few visitors and it was nice. </p><br /><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpKNFdh2IrL56RFinWK9zkt6NDVhiZgLzskQLDP_SSEL6FOGJ6b69iMBOF-C95YmvJa3bfMyQrG5ryA9YEImnaSE7MyFpcAd89JY-5zN5BPVysQV1lpjKHn-GCvjgN4u0iEXhQ_6G_sqxJ/s1600-h/IMG_0672%5B1%5D"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuEw2ih06T2MNhaBoIchpCvvLRsHeBoVm3vLBb6Dr6p8UUkqWllWihD6QhPjqTirBq9jXdwfeyEbllSjVoy28BZPZK28w-LTwAAsP8lwtku0dvVAFuEeStL0TVQ3dzNHnbUGizF25xs0RM/s1600-h/IMG_0672%5B1%5D"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5362169829394287746" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuEw2ih06T2MNhaBoIchpCvvLRsHeBoVm3vLBb6Dr6p8UUkqWllWihD6QhPjqTirBq9jXdwfeyEbllSjVoy28BZPZK28w-LTwAAsP8lwtku0dvVAFuEeStL0TVQ3dzNHnbUGizF25xs0RM/s320/IMG_0672%5B1%5D" border="0" /></a>As I made my way back to San Pedro from the site, a nice man stopped his Jeep and offered me a ride back to town. In the back were his two adorable sons. The man´s name was Alexis and he is a Chilean businessman who was himself a visitor to San Pedro.</p><p>He was happy to hear that I was from Seattle as his wife, Catalina, had recently returned from a business trip to Seattle and he was sure she would love to meet me. He invited me to join his family for lunch and I was honored and happy to accept. </p><p>We discussed our careers, world politics, my travels, crazy Seattlites... Lunch was very nice. I learned that they are from Santiago where I was at the time headed next (I am there now). They gave me their phone number and offered to meet me while I was in Santiago on Sunday. I am really looking forward to that! They are such a beautiful family and it is my great fortune that they have offered to show me Santiago. I´m sure it will be an experience to remember. </p><p>I arrived in Santiago earlier today. The bus ride was 24 hours but it was a piece of cake. The buses are so comfortable. Thank you everyone for continuing to follow my blog. It is almost like I have all of you with me and it is really great. And don´t leave the blog without first leaving a comment! </p><p>Love, Don</p>Don Nguyenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05638630492337138394noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5042937635825291781.post-18000007245769852982009-07-20T10:22:00.000-07:002009-07-20T10:30:50.816-07:00A Historic Anniversary...The wheel. The Renaissance Era. The American Revolution. History is defined by events that carry humanity forward in its search for purpose and a higher calling. <div><br /><div></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5360595838387680754" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCH2TGZtjAK67qrtU8gJhLk0QUNxALxZjREcJMHbB6-IPSzfOyK4-8qvylOBzrnHfCztUt7UsPjF8RCoQeaAhO7gSUCDf7LhWvjq1J7f6HNqjM5wNpIKu2gObpbXaFLCr6gXraiJJIBRr-/s200/ShadowoftheMoon_filmstill_13.jpg" border="0" />Today marks a significant anniversary in this process, for it marks the 31st anniversary of the day I was born.<br /><div></div><br /><div>Congratulations, humankind, on your marvelous achievement.</div></div>Don Nguyenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05638630492337138394noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5042937635825291781.post-47599270282004173942009-07-18T09:12:00.001-07:002009-07-18T10:43:49.458-07:00Colca CanyonsOkay, it´s official. I hate tours. <div><br /><div>But before I get too much into that, I finally found more street food. Oddly, street food, which is generally common in developing countries is relatively scarce in Peru. I´ll take it where I can get it. This stand was outside of my favorite internet cafe in Arequipa. </div><div><br /><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzX9KxnHgr0FF0onlSBH3xXx5-rXhvFFtwThYNNHycockX3qVooOSkk1YGBhMhzX_XXm18bjKs8d6VRTKgQuw' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><p>I remember hearing on Bizarre Foods w Andrew Zimmern or No Reservations w Anthony Bourdain that street food is characteristically cheap and easy to make, and is always in the form of comfort food. This is a prime example. Ramen noodles, fried rice, a piece of fried chicken, all covered in ketchup and mustard. All in all, not bad, but I wouldn´t make this at home. My doctor would kill me!</p><p>Well, since I last blogged, I went to and returned from the Colca Canyons tour. Like I said before, I am really starting to hate tours. They have a way of getting in between you and connecting with that which you have come to experience. Unfortunately, in many cases, they are your only option if you want to see something without having to secure your own Jeep, insurance, international license, etc. So I will quit moaning. I would say I would not do another tour before the end of my adventure, but that would be silly talk. Larger cities can be enjoyed without interference of a tour guide and that will be enough for me for now. Next time I travel abroad, I will be more prepared with an international language (and some knowledge of the local language). </p><p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5359841014372889042" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 150px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 227px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheWH-My0mSO2FefBazWm1hcifGe-oxOKQ0Y1MWmSg7kiUKNv6Et-Se5-lgIsELxGFWeXJBI4jJOHucHma2HoEU5xU7aaiC16cQRgUoHAgiUMEoV-2ZIOrM_enk__mUafFAsjW14eEYg4_8/s200/IMG_0658%5B1%5D" border="0" />One thing that is nice about tours is that they pick you up where you are staying usually. My tour bus arrived bright and early at 8:45am having already picked up most of the other patrons. It was about 4 hours to Colca Canyons, but we made stops along the way to look at interesting stuff. <br /><br />Our first stop was to have some Coca tea and to see some very strange natural rock formations. I stood an marvelled at the formations seen behind me in this photograph for nearly the entire time I was there. Suffice it to say, I didn´t drink my tea. </p><p>This area of Peru, Colca Canyons and Arequipa is pretty breathtaking when you have a little silence and are able to really take it all in. Where I stood in this photo, I was surrounded by these fantastic rock formations, active volcanoes, and miles of desert. It was surreal. </p><p>There was a cute baby alpaca at one of our stops. I was tempted to take a photo with it, but not wanting to get infected with some kind of bacteria, I decided to just take some video of a fellow traveller holding it. Despite being a potential carrier of infectious disease, the baby alpaca was very cute. </p><p><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxS2HUjoRTDPoTvt55wiH2cco1Yx5dBfEYFFzvBdyBG_ToRIqN69NV3J-zDX6dPQSoUg2dM_iTyJyudKuZY7w' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></p><p>The trip was an overnighter. The drive there was beautiful and we stayed in a cabin at Chivay, the base camp for the Colca Canyon tour. We had dinner together at a Peruvian pizza shack. I was invited to join the a very nice Peruvian family who were touring their own country. We were treated to some live traditional Peruvian entertainment. </p><p><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dy0yFNtr2kZxdZSG_fNekDbgCaCJ-BYPJwupAlGdyfF6o2k-M4T-rhY10VJiSSSGSM178lOyqlezad6Jgc0kg' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe><br /><br />The next day, we continued our tour of the canyon. The climax of the tour was a visit to ¨Cruz de Condor," as stated in Wikipedia, "the pass where condors soar gracefully on the rising thermals occurring as the air warms." Seeing wild condor up close and personal was pretty cool; I did enjoy this quite a bit. </p><p><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxvu0T1zZ9sCPmZ2qtvQBQ7uNpQu_9ByceAoYeqft8swP-_VvuW54mvmSatRCf_xBxw8hbWaM4l83ZorEerYg' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></p><p>Today, I am off to purchase a ticket to San Pedro de Atacama in Chile. After that, I may just head straight to Buenos Aires. From what I hear, BA is a place that I want to give myself at least a week to enjoy. Thanks again for reading and the comments! </p></div>Don Nguyenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05638630492337138394noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5042937635825291781.post-27929967967319141702009-07-14T15:31:00.001-07:002009-07-14T16:50:09.713-07:00Arequipa, Peru´s Jewel... as in the singer, Jewel.So I left Puno early this morning. It was a six hour trip to my next stop Arequipa. Stupid me, I didn´t eat breakfast, but not to worry because:<br /><p><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dy6CXGOCOSNZx0uIHDV84ILl27aUIV3wDZbCZJ8bGK046sr6hsq6S6snTK2YxvVquBzQ-4e3C32NoPjUvdedw' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></p><p>The carne asada was actually really good and I haven´t gotten sick, so all in all, I´d say a pretty good buy. </p><p>By the way, for Corie, as I write this, "Boys Don´t Cry" is playing at the internet cafe. Robert Smith would be so proud!</p><p>Let me just say, you haven´t seen Peru until you have driven through it cross country on a bus. South America is at its most beautiful away from the city. Seeing it from a bus is kind of like Google Earth, only real! So far, this trip, I´ve been reading books looking for new natural wonders to see, but I realize now all of South America is a natural wonder. </p><p><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwiFR1BSSYv7vDkPTc4S8c-bVLRZpSnUdLeQG8YjJWc-QydTLlWHrDnjgWXUP-pbMKeF8f6zR1I1PgiiuGmHA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></p><p>So now I am in Arequipa. Originally just a stopover to Colca Canyons, Arequipa has proven to be the most interesting and beautiful city I´ve been to in Peru. The city is basically in the middle of the desert. I had heard about how sophisticated the city was, so as we made our approach, a feeling of dread came over me because, at its outskirts, Arequipa is miserable. There were parts of the city that I would swear were ghost towns except for the occasional evidence of life, like a clothesline, or a person. "How could anyone live here" I asked myself. </p><p>But oddly, at the center of this wasteland is the heart of Arequipa: a truly cosmopolitan city that rivals the most famous and historical cities. I have not yet been to Venice or Paris, but I imagine it to be much like this. The transition from the third world to the cosmopolitan as I made my way to the center of the city was startling. It´s as if all of the wealth of the city was focused into these 25 city blocks. </p><p>But Arequipa is not a ruse. The city is built around structures that were built in the 16th century, two centuries before the U.S. was born. The design of the city is clearly meant to mimic the architecture of the churches and monastaries, but it is done well and doesn´t feel forced. Sure, it is a glorified outdoor mall, but you know what? I don´t care; it´s beautiful.</p><p><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwDGaz6yI21j4xPj-F5CFvdaEwEfaRbMG1Z0tgSmw2LkqJjZ9nr4l42cW35LlTfSvve_goB0v23RWenLymAIA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></p><p>I´ll be going to Colca Canyons tomorrow, but will return to Arequipa Thursday. I think I may stay for a few days and try to check out some of the historical buildings. </p><p>I got a chance to explore the town a bit, and it is more than just its old buildings. I happened upon a little antique shop and was drawn in by the Spanish Colonial style paintings on the wall. The owner alleged that some of the art was in fact reproduction, but that some was authentic and as old as 8 centuries. I tend to be skeptical of such claims, but this shop felt a little different to me; like something out of a movie... yes a movie. Gremlins!</p><p><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzS_O5mx2-JSFRWmP9DM9zpDd0A7xFi24dFLu09iGEPKfpx-rIgTCFYKmHINdQL9IjzkutFF7ttV8nGxlvkkQ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></p><p> </p><p><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwMdnPDCaAX_6jt3eSfasLDzpXw5Dp648d1y40TJUNLZM2QOBQMbYq17hluY6Zy0xe050DzZlS18fjtMc8Teg' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></p><p>Anyway, That is all for now. Tomorrow it is off to Colca Canyons... :)</p><p>Love, Don</p>Don Nguyenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05638630492337138394noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5042937635825291781.post-12160445510872819142009-07-13T10:10:00.000-07:002009-07-14T15:23:30.112-07:00Inside Joke Between Albert and Me<p><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dyF4G90c5B3NH4-wK1gpaD0iTGWJYxh2hEoCPYgvbeodDKGlgV7OCvk7b1wqjOg_dkqtILSYQIzV9ESX_vfzQ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></p><p>This is for Albert specifically. This played at the McDonalds at Plaza de Armas on the night you left for Lima. Too too funny. </p><p>edit: This applies to Corie and KP too, come to think of it. I guess Sixpence is destined to be the butt of jokes for me and most of my friends.</p>Don Nguyenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05638630492337138394noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5042937635825291781.post-26696911683638987132009-07-12T17:24:00.000-07:002009-07-13T14:05:23.624-07:00Lake Titicaca and Its Islands<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaOJcvsdx7GELMHAD2ywuqbk-qMltryD9OzlszcTvZySh1iFekS4jpnhAd7ueGQI_KhmgdOsXVlHm6LtzNT2JCsBa4DqevcvPceBkYfD3P0Ly9URYbDZh_5nqSIpUN4gzCVCwHOu-oCkOa/s1600-h/IMG_0646.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 240px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5357740546568850114" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaOJcvsdx7GELMHAD2ywuqbk-qMltryD9OzlszcTvZySh1iFekS4jpnhAd7ueGQI_KhmgdOsXVlHm6LtzNT2JCsBa4DqevcvPceBkYfD3P0Ly9URYbDZh_5nqSIpUN4gzCVCwHOu-oCkOa/s320/IMG_0646.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br />Thanks for the comments everyone! I get a little homesick every now and then and reading the comments really helps with that. :)<br /><br />So the last few days have been interesting. First, I´ll tell you about Lake Titicaca and the islands of Amantani and Tequile.<br />Lake Titicaca was beautiful. A veritable paradise for water sports enthusiasts. It boasts the distinction of being the highest navigable body of water and several thousand feet above sea level. Still, pristine; as beautiful as I´d dreamed it would be.<br /><br />Naturally, Titicaca was near the top of the list of places I wanted to see. Albert had gotten wind of an opportunity for outsiders to stay with families on the islands of Amantani and Tequile, both located in the middle of the lake. Being an Anthropology major, I am always looking for new authentic experiences from other cultures, so this really appealed to me. Since this was going to be my first outing on my own, I decided to play it safe and booked a tour with a travel agency.<br /><br />The tour promised three meals, and two days and one night in Amantani. On the way to Amantani, there was a stop at a man-made island made out of a type of shoot that is native to the area. The second day included a stop by Tequile, the other inhabited island in Lake Titicaca.<br /><br />My bus departed at 10:00 PM on 07/11 and I arrived in Puno at 4:00 AM. They agency allowed us to rest at their office which was furnished like a house until the boat was scheduled to leave at 7:30am; this would mark the start of our tour. Basically, I got no sleep before starting the tour.<br /><br />At some point, I decided it would be a good idea to start taking pictures of all of those involved with the tours, for a couple of reasons.<br /><br />1. So I could remember their faces if I lost them<br />2. So I could hold them accountable if someone tried to pull a fast one on me<br />3. To include in my blog. :)<br /><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 240px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 307px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5357995705311619074" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5id51VmUxvuv_ih082iFCOuCFn5LynUs6-77N9RKnmfdikKnv_cjjtxeGEntSUTjV-2XExGONVPTqv9ccMAQ-_c53KYRVcZ0PnJWz2ZVyXkOxzC4mrJI2n4nvjW4tOim-DQ6kjbP8LFHW/s320/photo.jpg" /><br />Meet Alvaro, the coordinator... the Lucius Fox of my tour. Alvaro met me bright and early at 4 AM and made sure I got to my boat on time. A very sweet man; he also got me a deal on my hostel; $10.00 U.S. for my room which includes cable tv, free internet, hot water... He also booked a Bolivia bus ticket for me ($15.00 U.S.). Suffice it to say, a good man to know when you are a foreigner in Puno.<br /><br />It hasn´t always been easy to coordinate with him since he speaks very little English, but he has come through for me every step of the way. There were moments when I thought I was going to be taken on a ride, but I have been able to count on him, and in a place like this, that means a lot.<br /><br />Alvaro showed me to the boat and I headed off for our first stop on the tour: Uros, the man made island.<br /><p><br /><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxfRMX_HC7X78RclOecSyIw7lEtUveAVQLuBnf2dEjH9JpkEc3I-RkGFtO7IpXGsceZicyb6uZ_Cqvk6fuSHw' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></p><p>I think it was right around this moment that I knew I was not going to enjoy the tour. It all seemed very Epcot Center to me and not at all authentic. To tell you a bit more about the island, this method of living is a tradition that these people have carried on for 4 centuries. It truly is impressive, but the presentation was all very.... ugh.. The people of the island were very kind, and I knew their very existence probably counted a lot on the money they made off of tourists, so I donated some money to them, but couldn´t bring myself to buy any of the wares they were peddling to the tourists. They were kind enough to let me explore their island beyond the roped off area, and what I found there I thought was more interesting.</p><p><br /><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzksHGQBwPILhwB4V3s_UsIGCk1It0zZmWVIy7jwMwHKOv2RTSPA4zpO7dPEfYqX2uqLOgEqzgTptxx7H-nqw' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></p><p>We left for Amantani after spending about 45 minutes on Uros. Now being abroad, I´ve become very obsessive compulsive about checking my bags and my pockets often; you never know. On the way to Amantani, I checked my pockets and found that my keys were not there. I started pulling my things out of my bag to see if I had stuck them in the pockets of one of my other pants or jackets. I pulled my jacket out of my bag and set it on the ground of the boat I was on. All of a sudden... "thwoop, rattle-rattle-rattle, pffff." My jacket was sucked in to the turbines of the engine and caused it to stall. *cold sweat* At that moment, I realized that I had put my Bose In-Ear Headphones and my iPod Nano with all of my music for this trip in the breast pocket.</p><p>Luckily, we were able to get the jacket out and the engine started up again just fine. The electronics were not so lucky and I will be without music for the rest of this trip. Actually, I have some music on my iPhone, but just some original stuff I am working on with my friend, Marko. I also have Barack Obama´s "The Audacity of Hope," so I guess this will give me a chance to relisten to it. :)</p><p>The rest of the tour was fairly uneventful. I got the meals with the local family as promised. I have pictures and vids, but I don´t want to waste the time posting them. I´ll put them up on youtube when I get back. There was a hike which I skipped because I didn´t want to do it simply to see some more ruins that couldn´t have possibly compared to Machu Picchu anyway. </p><p>Tequile was nice. We had a nice lunch prepared for us by a local family with a very nice view of Lake Titicaca. Truth be told, I was happy to return to Puno last night. </p><p>My plan was to push on to Bolivia today, but I found out that my Lonely Planet guide which indicated there was no Visa fee charged was printed in 2007, and there was a law passed in 2008 requiring Visa for U.S. citizens to enter Bolivia. I will not be paying the $135.00 Visa charge and will instead pass through Chile to Argentina. It´s a shame as I really wanted to see the Salar de Uyuni which is a salt flat in Bolivia and allegedly quite the sight to see. 80% of this flat lies in Bolivia. Luckily, 20% of it lies in Chile, so I will get to see a portion of it, albeit not the best part. Still, I´m sure it will be quite nice. </p><p>Oddly, I had one of my most authentic South American experiences today in Puno, simply running errands. It´s hard being in a foreign country and not speaking the local language, but I have adapted well I think. After I returned to my hostel, I decided since I was not going to be heading to Bolivia, I would take care of some important things, like fixing my suspenders which were falling apart at the seams, getting nail clippers to aleve the pressure on an ingrown nail I have on my toe (yuck, I know...), and to do laundry. Where does one go to find the tools needed to accomplish these tasks in a country where there are no superstores like Fred Meyer? Not an easy task to solve. </p><p>Not speaking the native language and not having an English to Spanish dictionary but having chores that desperately needed to be done, a memory flashed in my head of an experience I once had playing Cranium with friends. The challenge was that I had to draw something blindfolded for my partner to guess. The word to guess was "stickshift"; I think we won the challenge in something like 15 seconds. It occurred to me that I may not be able to talk to people, but I can draw exactly what I need to say with relative ease. </p><p>At the front desk, I scrawled images of a pair of tweezers, nail clippers, and a needle and thread. I opened up a rudimentary map for the concierge who looked at my drawing and then circled the market on the map explaining to me that I could purchase those items there. I walked outside and waiting for me (or anyone else who needed to get around) was a bike taxi. I showed him the map and asked "cuanto cuesta." "Un sol" he replied. That´s about $0.30 U.S. So off I went.</p><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dyfNBiGD0jXtSrrMTE7RiiStCJzV4chLKS_JUXtsDMlH_LNQLn2zed5P4tjx1c4paZkPtX5lC6MYypcJOi-tg' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe><br /><p>When I got off the taxi, I found myself in a shopping center where I counted a total of zero other foreigners. I must admit, I got a little excited. I was able to communicate well enough to find all of the items on my shopping list as well as a card reader which I purchased so that I didn´t have to keep burning CD´s to post vids to my blog. This all sounds easier than it actually is. I purchased a little notebook too so I could continue doing this drawing to communicate thing as it is working very well for me.</p><p>At the market, I had my first Andrew Zimmern moment:</p><p><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dyZf3R7__BJ9cOsH2kzswbFRHxbO59e5VN84POVsoD3pSvIcINr3VZQWJaljSb9BNl16f0fkiyAzyLpGZJHxw' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe><br /></p><p>So that´s my adventure so far, in a nutshell. I am having a blast! Since Bolivia has fallen through, I have decided to stay in Peru just a little longer since there are some canyons I´d like to see before I head into Chile. I did book a tour again. I think the problem with the last tour is that I was going to see a people. Tours can´t be that bad for natural wonders or sites like Machu Picchu, so I think this should be fine. Anyway, the sites in my opinion are just an excuse to move around. The real adventure for me is everything that happens in between. </p><br /><p>Love, Don. </p><br /><p></p>Don Nguyenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05638630492337138394noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5042937635825291781.post-57749059953503164022009-07-10T11:45:00.000-07:002009-07-10T17:39:27.712-07:00Greetings from South America!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibmtx5OASLFpaZQwLvCshVlhFoYG4vRISu682rAxMrRRfLMrzTcLy4BVYpiPMdy52vcoLICS-Ubf13Q3LE3mlb_fqoHiJ2t187mfgk-SceJrqpkv0vm8DbCMGKdSTka5B1FwT4hhaNcyMY/s1600-h/photo.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5356925137019094802" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibmtx5OASLFpaZQwLvCshVlhFoYG4vRISu682rAxMrRRfLMrzTcLy4BVYpiPMdy52vcoLICS-Ubf13Q3LE3mlb_fqoHiJ2t187mfgk-SceJrqpkv0vm8DbCMGKdSTka5B1FwT4hhaNcyMY/s320/photo.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Well, I´m in South America and have pictures and videos I´d like to share with everyone, so I figure it´s a good time to start a blog! Just to get this out of the way, if you see UFC 100, please do not comment on the fight results as I intend to watch it when I get back and do not want any spoilers. ;)<br /><br />So, most of you should know by now that I decided to take a 10 day trip to Peru with my best friend, Albert. Our original plan was to start in Cuzco and Macchu Pichu and work our way back to Lima on the 15th where we would catch our flight home. As luck would have it, there was a transportation strike in Peru that put the kibosh on our plan. We got to see MP, but given our short schedule and the unreliable bus availability due to the strike, we had to do away with the rest of our plan.<br /><br />Since I am not beholden to a job right now, I decided to extend my trip from the 10 days to a month and now I will be flying out of Buenos Aires. Albert will be returning to work as scheduled, so I will be solo. On the way to catch my flight home on 08/04, I will be traveling through Bolivia and Argentina and may stop by Paraguay or Chile on the way.<br /><br />We have spent all of our time in Peru up to this point, mostly in Cuzco. We were fortunate to have an American contact in Cuzco through my friend from Safeco; her name is Celeste Marion. Let me tell you... after meeting her, I can safely say I have not done enough with my life; she is quite an impressive person; not yet 30, Celeste is the founder of Manos Unidas, a school in Cuzco for children with disabilities.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.manosunidasperu.net/">http://www.manosunidasperu.net/</a><br /><br />On our first day in Peru, she was gracious enough to meet with us in Peru and give us the insider´s scoop on Cuzco. Today, she welcomed us into her school to meet some of the children and staff. It was a really special experience. In Peru, children who face challenges like the children of Manos Unidas Peru do are typically marginalized and neglected. Celeste´s school to my knowledge is the first of its kind in Peru; a haven for these children where they can receive an education that understands their learning abilities and provides an environment where they are treated with dignity.<br /><br />Please visit her website and sponsor a teacher. Here is a truly great cause that can really benefit from your donations. I am sure to do so myself.<br /><br />Our trip also took us to Machu Picchu, a 15th century fortress built by the Incas but lost in history until it was discovered again in 1911. The site is accessible by train or by bus. Since we waited until the last minute to book our tour, our options were limited, so our trip consisted of a 6 hour bus ride up to a train station where we boarded a train that took us to Agua Caliente (named for their hot springs), the base camp for the trip up to the archaeological site.<br /><br />Our bus driver, Sergio... Let me tell you about this man. A man of few words (and it wasn´t because of a language barrier. Most of the travellers were spanish speakers but few knew what was going on at any given time), but this man... this man could drive a space shuttle through a doorway and not cause a scratch. He was a steely-eyed dynamo of a bus driver. I was terrified most of the time given that we were in a bus filled with 13 travellers and a driver and navigating roads that were on mountainsides, thousands of feet up and with no kind of protection keeping us from driving off the side of the mountain. The roads were also covered with rubble from the side of the mountain. I felt like at any time, the combination of his speed and the rubble would cause us to careen off the side of the mountain. By the time we were on our ride home though, I was ready to trust this man with my first born. If I were ever to become a touring musician, I would find this man and would beg him to drive our bus...<br /><p><br /><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dyHUTP7z1WaVInoRWStDvjB0sUbSf67J03Q_PblsQYXfePEsLpdhBkcjbgweCwO0gxmHI9I5p6GN9HJw2DdvQ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe><br /></p><p>Besides my constant refrain of ¨Machu, Machu Picchu/ I wanna see / a Machu Picchu,¨ Machu Picchu was a mind blowing and soulful experience. Just being up in the mountains overlooking this mammoth of a fortress built by the hands of men with access to limited technology... I had an out of body experience. Actually, that was more likely because I was exausted from the hike up and the thin mountain air. But it was great!<br /></p><p><br /><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dySITFDaq5j26flsQbRx1xlGFycWU3u77aM2fL4TSXn5-2jCo0MfYB9Z0X331Zli66Bk2r-G048eC_vA6ba' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe><br /></p><p>I will post more video of Machu Picchu on youtube when I get home.</p><p>So... remember that transportation strike I mentioned? Well, it was in full force on Wednesday, the 7th of July, the day we were scheduled to return to Cuzco. Now, it didn´t exactly mean that we were stranded, but it did mean that we had to walk the train leg of the trip with our 120 lb packs on our back. Albert, the speed demon finished the trip in 2hours and 20 minutes approximately. I finished it in just about 3 hours. It was miserable but you know what? I´m glad I did it.</p><p><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxveKH7sUkDqgjee-Y0XRA3ErlgoYSkSy-uZOBz9Y3WQmR6zZp-4OIJnBohh23qZiK35Z7d5etMesDYfaoz2Q' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></p><p><br />Anyway, I´m up to about S./9.00 (soles) in internet charges (which equals about $3.00, but hey, I am unemployed and backpacking so get off my back!), so I must wrap up. Tonight, I go to Puno and an island on Lake Titicaca called Tequile; google it. More to come, I promise. Please stay tuned!</p><p><br />Love, Don</p><p></p><p></p>Don Nguyenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05638630492337138394noreply@blogger.com11