Beijing in a Blur

Four days. That is what we estimated we would need to truly enjoy China's capital city. The Forbidden City, Tienanmen Square, The Great Wall of China, and Mao's corpse...at LEAST four days.

Well...we are going to try to do it in two. After three hours and eight train station/ticket agent desks we found out that the trains to Ulaan Bataar only leave on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays. The former is too early, the latter is too late, which means the middle is juuuussssst right. What does that mean?

Well, we did the Forbidden City and the Square yesterday and, somehow, was able to buy our train tickets to Mongolia, see the corpse, and visit the Great Wall of China. Kyle and I joked that if we were able to do all these things in less than 48 hours it would be a miracle. Well, based on the following photos, we made the miracle happen.






Final thoughts on Beijing...I don't have much to say. It isn't a bad place. It definitely has more character than Shanghai, but still maintains the cosmopolitan feel of a capital city. Add a dash of its Imperial past, a spoonful of its communist present, and a helping of the West, and you have what the world is about to be exposed to in August.

That's Beijing!

Let's see...what else...ahhh, Xi'an. Right...that ended well. The Terracotta Army was fascinating, highlighted by the 70's era film showed just prior to entering the statue pits. The fight scenes from the film were phenomenal...which is what you get when there are 1.2 billion potential actors to choose from.



In terms of China, that is about it. I suppose our story in China deserves an epilogue of some sort...so here goes: since arriving in Hong Kong I have traveled nearly 3,000 miles by train. That is clear across the United States. Really though that is just the start. Kyle and I purchased a Eastern Europe Lonely Planet today. We marveled at the fact that in a little over a month, assuming all goes well, we will be cruising the streets of Eastern, and, likely, Western Europe. That is a LOOONNNGGG way from China. But it is exciting to think of what lies ahead.

Anyhow, back to China. I have enjoyed it here. I have find myself giddy on a daily basis thinking of what I am presently experiencing and what I have before me. It is a great day when one wakes up knowing that the next few hours will consist of the best of Beijing and the Great Wall of China. Even the train rides have been wonderful. Watching the countryside roll by really is a great way to travel. Have the spaces been cramped? Sure. Have the miles gotten long? A bit...but it is ok. I just laugh when I think about how wonderful this opportunity to travel through this part of the world at this moment in time. There is a lot I will miss about China. The obvious being dumplings and steamed buns. However, I will also miss the genuine smiles and the juxtaposition between the country's rich history and its current aspirations. Are there things I won't miss? Yes. Surging crowds. There are times when it has been more than evident that there are 1.2 billion people in this country. I also won't miss the coughing, hacking, or spitting. If you know what I am talking about you can sympathize.

A few final notes:
1.) A quick story: I am trying to collect all of my train tickets from Hong Kong to Europe. Everything was going great until yesterday morning when the guard demanded to see my ticket on the way out of Beijing. One should note that hoards of Chinese and westerners were pouring from the exits, so her singling me out was a surprise. What was even a greater surprise was that, despite my pleas, she took my ticket, tore it up, smiled, and then motioned for me to swiftly move along. For that, I would say Communism won the battle. However, judging by the number of McDonalds', Starbucks, and KFCs there are in this country, I would say Capitalism is winning the war.

2.) The translation errors between Chinese and English are hilarious. The phrase 'lost in translation' aptly applies to China. I could have taken dozens of photos of all the misspellings and weird translations I have come across over the past couple weeks...but I didn't. I figure my Mandarin isn't much better.

3.) In nine hours I will board a train to Mongolia. Crazy. I have been a lot of places, but Mongolia is waaayyyy out there. It will take us more than a day on the train to reach Ulaan Bataar...but once we are there, it is going to be amazing.

Stay tuned and look for more jumping photos throughout the journey.

Knocking on Heaven's Door and other hits from mainland China

I really only travel for a few reasons. One is because I like collecting ink stamps on paper. Another is my love of plane, train, bus, and ferry tickets. Yet another is because it gives me an excuse not to work, rather filling my day with taking photos and meandering through foreign cities. And finally, it is because every once in awhile I stumble into a situation that leaves me speechless. These moments and events are serendipitous in nature and are those I tend to recount years later.

For five minutes Wednesday night I had another one of those moments.

Think Clapton...and Guns n' Roses. Think bright lights, big stage, and a live band. Think adoring fans. Now...think Paul...and Kyle. On a whim Kyle and I decided to leave the bright lights and KFCs of Shanghai for the equally bright lights but fewer KFCs of Hangzhou. Hangzhou is about an hour and a half by train outside of Shanghai. It is known for its beautiful lake and is a nice escape for many Shanghai citizens. And now, I do believe, it is known for the Kyle and Paul show. After dinner on Wednesday evening, Kyle and I decided to find a nice quiet bar to have a couple drinks. What we found was 1999, a new bar along the lake. We stepped in and were immediately greeted by an army of waiters and hostesses. Over the next few hours the following happened:
1.) We drank a lot of beer.
2.) Then we drank more.
3.) We were served a very fancy fruit bowl, mixed nuts, french fries, and more beer.
4.) We met some very nice Chinese people.
5.) We were asked to sing a song with the band.

That's right... What would you choose if you were asked to sing a song with a live Chinese band on a stage in a bar? We chose Clapton. But really, the choice was easy since the band mainly played Clapton, and for some reason a ton of Shania Twain. We were a hit. Sure, we were off key and (even though we had the words) we missed some of our cues, but we killed it. Oh, and we also gave a shoutout to all our Berkeley friends and those who couldn't be on stage with us.

The result of the evening:
1.) A story I am proud to share with my mother.
2.) A horrendous hangover (sorry Mom).

But it was worth it.

As I type I am sitting in Xian, which is a city in the middle-ish of China. Xian is known for many things, but two of them are most notable. The first is that it was the starting (and by default, ending) point of the Silk Road. The second is the Terracotta Army. The army is made up of thousands of unique statues said to guard the tomb of a really famous, really powerful, really rich old guy. (I would insert his name but I don't have it handy). So, tomorrow we are going to check out this army, which I am very excited about. However, today...well today was another great day. Let's just say there is nothing better than beating the Xi'an city wall land speed record while blaring Hall and Oates from the back of a tandem bike.



The road to this point has been an entertaining one. Last time I wrote I was in Shanghai and not impressed. Well, maybe now I am a little more impressed with the city. There are a few great things about Shanghai. First, it has been and will be the crossroads of international cultures in China. It gets points for that. Second, from the historical Bund to the newly developed Pudong area, the city boasts remarkable architecture. Third, they have the remarkable ability to straighten even straight hair...but you will pay for it. Finally, the tourist tunnel...enough said. So my thoughts on Shanghai...eh, I liked it. Would I say it is full of culture and history? No. But does it have good steamed buns and dumplings? Yes.



One more thing...Kyle and I met up with Edmond in Shanghai. He is there studying Mandarin. It was a lot of fun to sit on a city street eating dumplings with both my Berkeley roommates. 3128 Forever!



That is about it. Overall, I just have to say that Kyle and I are doing well. Now, I know it is early, but I think we are going to dominate Asia, Eurasia, and Europe.

PS - Kyle and I think we heard the official song of the Olympics. We think it is the official song because it was played (rather, blared) repeatedly on our sixteen hour train ride from Shanghai to Xian. Our thoughts: the single would probably not be the best iTunes purchase you have made this year.

Hi from Shanghai

Corny, I know.

Let's start with this: Shanghai is what China aspires to be. I do believe what China is building here is a model city. They have cultivated a a world-facing metropolis that mixes Chinese culture and tradition with high finance and trade. And, judging by the number of iPod toting teenagers, high rise shopping malls, and Buicks, they are doing a damn good job of it.

That is Shanghai.

As of right now I am not entirely impressed. Sure, I appreciate the excellent subway system, the wide boulevards, and the fast food chains, but for some reason the city seems to be lacking something. Now, before all you Shanghaiophiles call for my head let me mention one thing: I have only been here for two days. And of those two days, nearly all of it has been spent near Nanjing road and the Bund. I really haven't gotten out to see the city...but I will do so today. Who knows, maybe my Shanghai tune will change.

On another note: my traveling buddy Kyle arrived yesterday. It was great to see a familiar face walk through the doors of the hostel. For the next 9-10 weeks, Kyle will walk side-by-side in search of fun, adventure, and Coors Light. While the former two should be easy to find, the later may be more difficult. But we will not be detered fro accomplishing our goals. So stay tuned...

That is all I have for now. I imagine I will ammend this entry later today to reflect my cultural experiences and my consumption of dumplings and steamed buns.

High on Hong Kong...and Chemical Toilets

I have a headache. It could be from the jetlag. It could also be from the beer and scotch I drank last night. It is possible it is due to the fact I haven't had my caffeine for the day. But I doubt any of those are the real reason. I suspect the cause of this particular headache can be attributed to the fact I sat next to the airplane bathrooms for thirteen straight hours on my fight from SFO to Hong Kong. Even though I have been in HK for nearly 24 hours I can still smell the chemical toilets and United Airlines branded air freshener.



HK...I came here about a year ago to visit two of my friends, Tim and Dawn. That trip was fun, exciting, and documented in a posting called The Hong Kong Triad. Thus, for a rundown of what HK has to offer please feel free to read that post. Instead of rehashing the sights and sounds of HK, I am going to quickly discuss something else: what in the hell am I doing in HK? Good question.

The answer: Hong Kong is the starting point of what will be a two and a half month adventure across the Asia and Europe. Starting in Hong Kong, it is my plan to travel through China, Mongolia, Russia, and Eastern Europe, finally ending somewhere with a cheap flight back to the US. Right how those locations are looking like either Istanbul, Berlin, Frankfurt, or London. A few things should be noted:

1.) The trip will, as long as it is possible and practical, be completed overland. This means trains, buses, boats, horses, camels, and my own two feet will be used over the next ten or so weeks to get me from Hong Kong to Europe.

2.) I will be completing the trip with Kyle Sonnonstine, my roommate and fellow lover of the Graduate from Berkeley. James Platts, another Berkeleyan and the coolest Republican I know will also be traveling with us for awhile, mainly through Monglolia and Russia.

3.) There is a good chance we will end up in a jail somewhere.

Yes, I know it is a very long trip from the southern tip of Asia to the European continent. And yes, I also know that I don't speak Cantonese, Manderin, Mongolian, Russian, or any language in Eastern Europe. But it is ok. With a little patience, luck, and pointing to things, the trip should prove itself to be a grand adventure.



So that's it. I look forward to writing every once in awhile, and posting photos when I have the opportunity. Oh, and I look forward to staying out of various post-Soviet Bloc jails as well.

Guatemala: Small but Mighty

I am not sure what it is about blogging that makes it so easy to put off. "Oh, I am exhausted! I will just do it tomorrow," tends to be my most common excuse. But then tomorrow turns into next week and before I know it I stand on the precipice of returning home to the States. So goes my life as a blogger. But I am here now. And while I had no intention to blog when I sat down to check my e-mail twenty minutes ago, I have decided that it is time to do so. I am feeling good (and sentimental), I am full from lunch (and gummy bears), and I have nothing better to do in the medium-sized highland town of Coban, so here goes:

It has been a long trip. Both in distance covered and experiences had, these three weeks have proven to be some of the most exciting and challenging of my young travel career. As I mentioned in my last blog entry, I was welcomed to the country by some of Guatemala's finest. Finest thieves that is. Initially I was jaded and cynical; questioning whether or not Guatemala would redeem itself. But it has in fine fashion.

Since my last entry I have criss-crossed the country, taking in both mainstream sites and roads less traveled. I have found that each corner of Guatemala is different both geographically and culturally. However, good food, a warm smile, and flavorful culture seem to universally tie the country together.

So...the trip. A couple days after I arrived my friend Tayllor landed from Boston. While her luggage didn't quite make it at the same time, we found solace in a bucket of Gallo beers and the second half of the Colorado-Alabama football game. The next morning, bags in hand, we left Guatemala City for New Years in Antigua. What we found among the brightly colored colonial architecture and cobblestone streets was a party only a latin american country could throw. Endless fireworks (some fired from the bodies of men), live music, and the country's best street food helped us ring in the new year. Sometimes it is the unexpected that is the most exciting of all. For us, such an unexpected and vibrant party was a wonderful way to welcome 2008.

After Antigua the road through Guatemala was long, winding, and covered by various forms of public transportation. From brightly colored American school buses (also known as "Chicken Buses"), to dilapidated Greyhounds and water "collectivos," we moved from one beautiful locale to another nearly every other day. Panajachel along the banks of Lake Atitlan, Livingston on the Caribbean coast, Flores and the Mayan ruins of Tikal, and Semuc Champey, arguably the most beautiful location in Guatemala. Each of these stops were intriguing and exciting in their own way.

Since detailing each would be obnoxious and time consuming (for me to write and you to read), I am just going to list a few highlights from those locations.

- Fireworks, fireworks, fireworks, and more fireworks.
- Roasting marshmallows on lava flows along the flanks of Pacaya, one of Guatemala's active volcanos.
- Watching monkeys go crazy in Panajachel.
- Walking five kilometers along the Caribbean to the Seven Altars near Livingston, only to take a wrong turn 200 meters from the waterfalls. We continued walking for another half hour or so, eventually finding ourselves on some random farmer's land. Luckily for us he was more than willing to give us proper directions. In return he was able to laugh at a couple dumb gringos.
- Sitting alone atop Temple Five early in the morning at Tikal. Without another tourist in sight Tayllor and I were able to enjoy the haunting quiet of the Mayan ruins in the early morning.
- Being led by a fifteen year old through underground caves at Semuc Champey. Equiped with only a candle (and our guide's headlamp), we explored underground, water-filled caves. We climbed through waterfalls, jumped into underground lagoons, and tried to swim with our candles held above the water. It was one of my favorite experiences of the trip.
- Hitch hiking from near Semuc Champey to Lanquin in a food-filled delivery truck. The driver warned us that he had one stop to make. That stop turned into some very memorable manual labor. We completely unloaded the goods from a huge truck to a woman's house along the route. Rice, detergent, tomatoes, garlic, flour, cane alcohol...you name it we schleped it down a hill from the truck to the house. But we loved it. Not only did we get a free ride down the mountain, but we had a wonderful and memorable time along the way.
- Getting sick...because it isn't latin america without it.

Then Tayllor left.

A couple hours after we parted ways I headed for Xela, my original destination before being robbed. After ten hours of travel, during which I was miserably sick, I finally stumbled (literally) into the Black Cat Hostel. It was there that I recouperated from my two weeks of frantic travel and also met up with my friend Steve from Berkeley. Also, in a completely bizarre coincidence, I ran into Lisa Roberts, a friend from Fort Collins whom I hadn't seen since graduating from Rocky Mountain High School in 1998.

Xela was a wonderful place to relax and recharge. While there Steve and I took in a soccer game (during which we thought we won a raffle), climbed another volcano (a vertical mile up the side of Santa Maria), and threw a little impromptu jenga party at the hostel. But our feet got itchy and it was time to part ways again. Steve headed to Tikal and I decided to leave the gringo trail for a couple days. Thus, I did so by spending the past couple days micro-bus hopping from Huehuetenango through the central highlands to Coban. Along the route I was treated to some of the country's most beautiful scenary and a small town named Uspantan which I will never forget. Why will I never forget it? Mainly because it was idyllically set among fog shrouded hills and boasted live music and a small fireworks show which lit the small, community filled square in the middle of town. Neighbors chatting, kids laughing, food cooking, and music playing...words honestly can't describe how magical the evening was in that quaint village.

But now I am in Coban. I was here a few days ago, and am staying in the same place as then. Early tomorrow morning I will return to Guate to pick up my new passport and take in what little the capital has to offer. Then what? Home. I leave early Saturday morning for the States and will be home in time to drink beers at The Graduate for all those who are interested in doing so.

Whew...that wasn't so bad. Now it is time to take off, grab some "street meat", drink a beer, read my book, and prepare for another bus ride through the country.

Until next time...

They stole my damn dental floss...

...and almost everything else of value that I own. Thus, my first day in Guatemala wasn´t spent admiring volcanos and talking with locals. Rather, it was spent at the American Embassy applying for a new passport, canceling credit cards, and grieving over the loss of all my camera equipment. Oh well, I was bound to happen sooner or later. I have covered way too many miles over the past several years not to have been robbed. I am just upset because it was aviodable and will prove to be extremely expensive. Live and learn. On the bright side, a number of gracious people helped me yesterday. The man and his family who offered me money and lunch was more than touching. The nice Guatemalan girl who gave me her e-mail address, phone number, and a recommendation for a place to stay proved very useful. And all the people at the Los Lagos Bed and Breakfast for trying to cheer me up. I thank all of them.

Now I find myself in the back room of a small paper store in "Chi Chi" Guatemala. I arrived here a couple hours ago via a chicken bus from Guatemala City. Chi Chi was my second choice, the first being Xela, which did not occur due to my stupidity on the bus yesterday. I would love to post pictures of this rough highland town, but I can´t, as my camera was lost in the fiasco. The bus ride was very memorable. Think elementary school bus, but with 3-4 adults to each seat and a driver who was trying to beat his own personal Guat City to Chi Chi land speed record. Did I think we were going to make it safely? Sort of. But did we? Yes.

Anyhow, this is going to be a short entry. As I write I realize it I am not really in the mood to do so. I will spend two nights here before heading back to Guatemala City to pick up my friend Tayllor. From there it will be off to Antigua, with many more stops throughout Guatemala to follow. I must say, while I have only been here for a couple days I am ready to see a familiar face.

Making Up for Lost Time

Jetlag is a funny thing. I should know. For the second time in as many weeks I am in the throes of being lagged. And while the negative aspects of a thirteen-hour time change done twice in a week are probably well documented, the positive attributes are more likely to be lost in the haze of time travel. One of those positive aspects is the remarkable productivity that occurs during the early morning hours of the workday. Always wanted to work out at dawn? Enjoy watching the sunrise? Ever felt the need to wake up at 1:30 in the morning to write a blog entry? Come to Singapore.

So I suppose I should note that yes, I have been extremely lazy over the past month in terms of updating my blog. While unfortunate, it was necessary. I needed to get out in the world and experience some things so that my entry didn't only consist of the mundane aspects of my daily life here in Singapore. Remember, for every two day trip I take beyond the shores of my little island state, there are five days in which I am forced to don business casual clothing and make presentations in Power Point. With that said, I have decided to productively use these unlit hours of the day to share some stories from the past month.

My last entry chronicled the adventures of the Hong Kong Triad as we explored that small, extra-special island of the People's Republic of China. What has happened since then? Well, in addition to working, doing laundry, and eating, I spent my weekends in the neighboring countries of Indonesia and Malaysia. Additionally, I made a brief, but extremely fulfilling trip back to the States.


Indonesia. Fifty-five minutes from the coast of Singapore, by means of a luxurious high speed ferry, lies the northern tip of the Indonesian island of Bintan. There one can find five-star resorts, world-class golfing, palm-lined beaches, and a number of other hyphenated attractions (have I used that line before?). Apparently it is remarkable. I wouldn't know; I didn't go. Instead, I boarded a slightly more outdated ferry for the two and a half hour trip to Tanjung Pinang on the southern end of the island. While the northern end of Bintan is essentially an extension of Singapore's style and grace, the rest of the island is, well, developing. Now, keep in mind, I do not mean developing in a negative sense. Rather, I welcomed the chaotic streets, fragrant foods, and overall dusty nature of my point of disembarkation. As expected, and characteristic of every developing country I have ever been to, I was met by two things upon arrival: stray dogs and a throng of local 'tourist guides' seeking my attention. Well, a guide named Raymond finally earned my attention, but it wasn't easy. I suppose I am become a little bit more skeptical of people's intentions in my old age. When I was younger I would just toss my bag in the back of a car and head off to whatever hostel they claimed to represent. "Oh, you said it was called 'Mugandleavefordead Youth Hostel'? Sounds nice, let's go!" Now I actually ask questions. For Raymond, he earned my business by accompanying me from place to place while I ran various errands and concurrently asked inane questions about Bintan, Indonesia, and his life. I figured any would-be thief wouldn't have put up with such crap. So off we went to the east coast of Bintan, to a promised resort with huts on the beach where I could spend a couple of days relaxing. However, after an hours drive what we came to was a very shady shack-of-a resort with a old Englishman and a Malaysian prostitute playing cards on the front porch. Bad vibe. After promising Raymond that I would pay his commission in exchange for a less-than-shady place to stay, we hopped back in the truck and headed back along the coast to a number of less, well, brothel-like locales. So what did we find? A group of thatched-roof huts on stilts situated a few hundred yards out in the middle of the South China Sea. A slight upgrade, to say the least.


The weekend was full of reading and, well, reading. On Sunday Raymond returned to the east coast to pick me up and take me on a tour of Tanjung Pinang. There we found a fisherman whom we paid to take us around the Indonesian port town in his boat. For several hours I was able to visit mosques, temples, and churches before finally catching my ferry back to Singapore.


Whew...Indonesia. So, a week later I was off again, this time to the Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumpur. For some reason Kuala Lumpur, or KL, has always seemed like one of the more exotic cities on the planet. And it is, to an extent. The prevalence of very cheap luxury hotels and shopping malls is not necessarily exotic. However, as a Muslim country, both the people and the number of mosques made KL a unique destination. I should note that while Indonesia is a Muslim country, the island of Bintan isn't overtly so. However, Malaysia, as another Muslim country, was, which made it all the more interesting. It was the first country I had ever visited in my life where seeing a woman in a burqua was not uncommon whatsoever.


So...KL. I was pretty much on a Mosque hunt, trying to take in as many religious sites as possible In addition to the mosques, I spent a significant amount of time at the KL city centre, which includes the world famous Petronas Towers and a man who was adamant that I befriend his daughter and take her back to the states with me. My weekend was punctuated by a visit to a phenomenal Chinese restaurant in a local shop house. I had passed it many times on my way to the subway. While seemingly simple, consisting of a number of tables in what was essentially an open garage space, I noticed that it was always extremely busy. Following the travelers rule, which is that the best food is always found where the crowds are, I decided to visit for lunch. To say that I wasn't even remotely disappointed would be an understatement. The chicken curry rice that was recommended to me was phenomenal, as was the ice coffee and frenetic atmosphere of a local's hotspot. That restaurant was the highlight of my weekend.


And finally, my last week, which was spent working in suburban Chicago and celebrating with my best friends in the city. The work week was spent in meetings with people who prior only knew me as a voice on the phone. It culminated with a presentation to the executive group on the work that I have completed for the summer. The weekend was about fun. I was lucky enough to spend it with my best friends celebrating the upcoming marriage of Jonathan Greer. Debauchery? Yes. Fun? More so.

Of course, between these trips I have explored Singapore. I have found that beyond the seemingly sterile surface lies a flavorful mix of Asian culture. I suppose, to further explain, if my trip back to the States did anything for me it was that it made me realize how much I am really enjoying my time here in Singapore.

So, what's next? Friday morning I leave for a long weekend in Cambodia. Afterwards, in just a couple of weeks, this dream will come to an end. I am reaching the twilight of my summer, which means that I am on the precipice of my return to the real world. I suppose, if you think about it, graduate school isn't real at all. Did I pull the Golden Ticket for the summer? Yes. How? No clue, but I would be remiss to say that I wasn't grateful for it.

Looking at the clock I realize that it is 3:50 am. Over the past two-plus hours I have written my blog, ventured downstairs for some instant ramen and a beer, and become tired once again. Until next time...