tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-112222952024-03-08T08:20:32.256+09:00blog o vfowlerI started work in a new environment in April 2005. I wanted somewhere I could write down my thoughts and observations of the experiences. Welcome to you and enjoy this personal narrative.Vernonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07416954711214457199noreply@blogger.comBlogger161125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11222295.post-68671129609019370602006-06-05T14:30:00.000+09:002007-11-09T08:25:27.322+09:00mates muster and matsuri 祭り<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vfowler/159069352/in/set-72057594139731231/" target="_blank" title="sleep now..."><img src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/45/159069352_3c1a87f58e_t.jpg" alt="sleep now..." style="margin: 5px 0pt 2px 5px; float: right;" height="75" width="100" /></a>Calling on <b>mates</b> for a favour, they saved my sorry arse, and I am ever grateful. In fact, things only got better once <b>back in Hiroshima</b>. Nikki, Rod, Colin and Joe lend me a couch, feed me, and take care of me. After a wee nap, once more it was rocking time.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vfowler/159031816/" title="Toukasan street dancer" target="_blank"><img src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/60/159031816_86e2603fdc_s.jpg" alt="Toukasan street dancer" style="margin: 5px 5px 5px 0pt; float: left;" width="75" /></a><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vfowler/159027096/in/set-72057594139731231/" title="Colin and Toukasan masks" target="_blank"><img style="margin: 5px 0pt 5px 5px; float: right;" src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/60/159027096_ca18765fe2_s.jpg" alt="Colin and Toukasan masks" height="75" width="75" /></a><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vfowler/161749960/in/set-72057594139731231/" title="Asahi beer chick"><img src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/78/161749960_f495bd71e1_s.jpg" alt="Asahi beer chick" style="margin: 5px 0pt 5px 5px; float: right; clear: right;" height="75" width="75" /></a><a target="_blank" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vfowler/160596991/in/set-72057594139731231" title="Reese, Greg and fairy floss"><img src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/71/160596991_825f440ec3_s.jpg" alt="Reese, Greg and fairy floss" style="margin: 5px 5px 5px 0pt; float: left; clear: left;" height="75" width="75" /></a>More friends massing and with miraculous timing, the <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vfowler/archives/date-taken/2006/06/02/">2006 summer Toukasan festival</a> kicked into full swing. Nothing short of a full scale parade, complete with <a href="http://vimeo.com/78594/l:embed_78594">street dancers</a>, blaring megaphones, sizzling fresh snack foods, <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vfowler/159027398/in/datetaken/">various game stalls</a>, dressing gowns - I mean yukata - and of course Kirin and Asahi beers on tap! The carnival days and bender nights went on, punctuated with <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vfowler/159020615/in/set-72057594139731231/">reviving Vietnam coffee</a>.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vfowler/167069954/in/set-72057594139731231/" title="Nozomi bullet train" target="_blank"><img style="margin: 5px 5px 75px 0pt; float: left;" src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/73/167069954_4cd5bf176c_s.jpg" alt="Nozomi (on Vimeo)" height="75" width="75" /></a><a href="http://vimeo.com/74473" target="_blank" title="5-stream mayonnaise"><img src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/54/150187568_d38a9555dc_s.jpg" alt="5-stream mayonnaise" style="margin: 5px 0pt 5px 5px; float: right;" border="0" /></a><a href="http://vimeo.com/76725" target="_blank" title="international language for idiots"><img src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/77/155131179_16d58c63e6_s.jpg" style="margin: 5px 0pt 5px 5px; float: right; clear: right;" /></a>Like a fire fading in the night, the festivity wound down. I thanked my <b>cherished friends</b>, bid farewell and sayonara. The Nozomi bullet train pulled away, bound for Tokyo once again, while I contemplated. My geographical destination was fixed, but what of my soul? Is home really a place to hang your hat? Will I ever meet these kinds of friends again...?<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vfowler/160597074/" title="yukata clad Emma Small and Kate" target="_blank"><img src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/44/160597074_94bc70342f_m.jpg" alt="yukata clad Emma Small and Kate" style="margin: 5px 5px 5px 0pt;" height="180" width="240" /></a>Vernonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07416954711214457199noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11222295.post-80728393990448200002006-05-27T22:10:00.000+09:002007-08-26T22:53:26.696+09:00Kamakura karmaWe'd <a href="http://vfowler.blogspot.com/2006/05/mountains-of-porn.html">failed Fuji</a>... Heather deserted our trio. Back in Tokyo, an unresponsive Eriko missed our calls. In desperation, we slept in an internet cafe - <small>can't find it on the <a href="http://www.lonelyplanet.com/worldguide/destinations/asia/japan/tokyo/sleep">Tokyo sleep list</a></small>. Why Eriko reneged on promised hospitality I'll probably never understand. There's irony to feeling lonely in a rather populous <a target="_blank" href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0017136/">metropolis</a>. James had to return to Hiroshima, leaving me to contemplate my karma.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vfowler/153608549/"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;" src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/58/153608549_06aaafb7a6_m.jpg" border="0" alt="giant Buddha - daibutsu" /></a><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vfowler/153607514/"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;" src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/56/153607514_a4fca77998_t.jpg" border="0" alt="surf board halves" /></a>I need to get out of the city. A coastal town has gotta have surf somewhere. So off I go to check out the sea air, some salty waves, and cash in my chips with one <em>super size me</em> statue of Buddha, <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vfowler/153608404/in/set-72157594145742399/">the Daibutsu</a>.<br /><br />The garden gnomes kept staring at me. The little tykes have no respect while <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vfowler/153607968/in/set-72157594145742399/">under the protection of their beanies</a>. <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0082971/" target="_blank"><img style="float:right; margin:5px 0 5px 10px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTlZZj2NUe8v6EughChFPkj86HyEuR-KSl97R7A9EwWeXmgANIStB5Ok6sPkxrtuFWGRdIrjr0TrRiEhKwhMwF-QLI9MMkjX4i9SfoxK9DvHxomVVMPjX7JiNrB7BlQ3ZVok26/s200/Raiders_runner.jpg" border="0" alt="Raiders of the lost ark" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5102960594796442994" /></a>I contemplated knocking one off, but my almost lost luggage is already overweight. Besides, I'm sure lightning bolts would blaze out of Buddha's blaring eyes the minute I lay a finger on one. Like Indiana Jones about to swap the golden idol for a bag of sand with death looming overhead.<br /><br />So I pray for some good fortune instead... Have <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vfowler/153608516/in/set-72157594145742399">a look inside Buddha's head</a>. <em>Great minds think alike.</em> And some decent company wouldn't go astray. So I pray...<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vfowler/153608590/in/set-72157594145742399"><img style="float:left; margin:0px 10px 5px 0;" src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/55/153608590_d0a80b8ba1_s.jpg" border="0" alt="modelling at the Daibutsu" /></a>A crowd gathered and came my way. Some <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vfowler/153608623/in/set-72157594145742399/">super star sexy babe</a> stood beside me, posing for her paparazzi squad. With my pea-sized camera, I joined in the foray. Suddenly it turned into a nice day.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vfowler/153596523/in/set-643546/" title="Asaka and her little sis'"><img src="http://static.flickr.com/48/153596523_94f9302d97_s.jpg" title="Asaka and her little sis'" alt="Asaka and her little sis'" style="float:right; margin:5px 0 5px 10px;" width="75" height="75" /></a>Eriko's friend, the very attractive <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vfowler/153596523/in/set-643546/">Asaka</a>, proves a good mate, providing an overnight crash pad on this derailed and absurd odyssey. With my flight from Tokyo still weeks away, Asaka kindly stores my baggage while I splash some cash on a bullet train back to Hiroshima. Calling on reliable old friends...Vernonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07416954711214457199noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11222295.post-1149306349786499412006-05-25T12:45:00.000+09:002007-09-17T09:07:03.690+09:00mountains of porn<div style="margin: 0px 5px 1px 0pt; float: left;text-align:center;"><a title="bus window view of Fuji-san" target="_blank" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vfowler/153592728/in/set-72157594145718001/"><img src="http://static.flickr.com/60/153592728_62d3a4ac0b_m.jpg" height="180" width="240" /></a></div>A few mad days of posting the excesses of a year's accumulation and <a href="http://qantas.com/yourbooking/" target="_blank" title="qantas.com">booking</a> my flight home. It was time to attempt the <span style="font-weight: bold;">biggest mountain</span> in the country: <a target="_blank" href="http://www.yamanashi-kankou.jp/english/index.html">Mount Fuji</a>. Was it a disaster at the outset? If you had your heart set on the summit, it was impending doom. Of course it would have been cool to get there but we had a few mishaps on the way.<br /><br />In fact we had troubles from the outset. Our team lost one before we even got started as Sachiko had to bail for work reasons. James and Heather missed the booked bus out of Hiroshima, despite my fruitless efforts <span style="font-size:85%;">(with abundant luggage)</span> to stall the driver - no, Japanese buses wait for no passenger, they have a schedule to beat! I have the loaned hiking boots for Heather in my hot little hands and I am going to <a href="http://www.fujikyu.co.jp/" target="_blank">Fuji</a> alone??<br /><br />After a flurry of text messages, Heather and James are on the next bus to Yokahama and we arrange to meet the next morning somewhere in downtown Tokyo. With all my luggage I arrived at Eriko's, alas <span style="font-weight: bold;">too late</span>. She'd already left and gone to work - <q>FUCK!</q> James and Heather came out and shared in my shit soup situation. Stranded in a strange city with more baggage than you think, I call the only other person I know in the vicinity. <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vfowler/97057400/in/set-72057594060629194/">Asaka</a> who I'd met at my birthday, saved my soul a dozen times over the coming weeks, starting with taking care of our luggage at her family home.<br /><br />We got to Yoshida, one of the two base towns, without further predicament - a miracle. Transport to the 5<sup>th</sup> station is finished for the day. Basically in the off months the conspiracy is such that it's impossible to dawn summit via the shortest path. Plan C is to get a good night's sleep and set off walking from base town at 5am. Heather decided the hostel was too expensive and wouldn't accept our offers to pay. So after dinner in a cosy restaurant full of country music, she took to the street while James and I slumbered in the hostel.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vfowler/153592740/" title="Photo Sharing" target="_blank"><img style="margin: 0pt 5px 5px 0pt; float: left;" src="http://static.flickr.com/61/153592740_86a5ca13e5_t.jpg" alt="IMG_1896" height="100" width="75" /></a><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vfowler/153592842/" title="Photo Sharing" target="_blank"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 5px 5px; float: right;" src="http://static.flickr.com/57/153592842_56df36d513_t.jpg" alt="IMG_1902" height="100" width="75" /></a>At the crack of dawn we started hiking. Past the coffee vending machines and through the torii gate, we wound our way to the junction of track and road. Time for a banana and chocolate breakfast. It was here while munching on a bit of choco that I noticed a plastic bag in the roadside ditch full of porn <span style="font-style: italic;">manga</span> <span style="font-size:85%;">(Japanese style of cartoon)</span> magazines. I reefed one out to take a gawk at what this phenomena is all about. The magazines were all in mint condition and I imagine how they came here. Perhaps some poor guy's female companion got a bit upset at his regular purchase of the propaganda and decided to chuck this month's subscriptions before he noticed... Who knows?<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vfowler/153593420/" title="5th station" target="_blank"><img style="margin: 0pt 5px 5px 0pt; float: left;" src="http://static.flickr.com/54/153593420_00ad200917_m.jpg" alt="fake 5th station" height="180" width="240" /></a><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vfowler/153593467/" title="nasty clouds" target="_blank"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 5px 5px; float: right;" src="http://static.flickr.com/75/153593467_72a85be9bb_t.jpg" alt="nasty clouds" height="75" width="100" /></a>Last night's dinner didn't agree with me and the public toilets marked on the map were nowhere to be found. After diarrorhea in the woods, my strength was sapped for the remainder of the day. Heather wasn't exactly bright-eyed and bushy-tailed either after a night spent on the street. James on the other hand was soldiering on with a military mission in mind. We made the 5<sup>th</sup> station before the weather closed in then caught the last buses down the mount. This time it was <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vfowler/sets/72157594145718001/">Fuji a no go</a>.<br /><hr /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">My Little Pussy</span> from <a target="_blank" href="http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=ja&u=http://www2s.biglobe.ne.jp/%7Ena_ga/home.htm&sa=X&oi=translate&resnum=3">Mujin Comics</a>, is the title of the horrid manifestation I have souvenired. It is so appalling and unbelievable that folks back home won't understand how so, without personally inspecting this trash. Is there a connection between this genre and the psyche of it's audience?<br /><br />Later in Akihabara, the Electric City where one finds all sorts of Japanese computer sales and boffins bargain hunting for their PC parts, I discovered a side of Japan I'd only heard whispers of in the past. James and I were shopping around for prices on laptops and checking out the specifications. A lot of the stores don't have English operating systems so we really had to try many different shops. In this wandering we discovered that the shops sell <span style="font-size:130%;">mountains of porn</span> rather than so much computers. It's hardly a taboo subject with customers forming very long neat queues for the checkout, waiting patiently to gorge into their several purchases. Depictions on the covers or a quick scan will soon disgust you I'm sure. Who writes / draws this stuff anyway and where do they get their ideas from? With the sheer volume of stock and sales it is undoubtedly a massive industry here in <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vfowler/sets/72057594060629194/" target="_blank">Tōkyō</a> alone. Scary stuff.Vernonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07416954711214457199noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11222295.post-1147860433582019942006-05-17T19:04:00.000+09:002006-05-21T13:03:13.896+09:00predicaments, fools and kindness<style type="text/css">.flickr-photo { }.flickr-frame { float: left; text-align: center; margin-right: 15px; margin-bottom: 15px; }.flickr-caption { font-size: 0.8em; margin-top: 0px; }</style><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" target="_blank" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/5390/901/1600/wg-china-704-400x300.gif"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/5390/901/200/wg-china-704-400x300.png" alt="" border="0" /></a><a target="_blank" href="http://www.lonelyplanet.com/worldguide/destinations/asia/china/shanghai">Shanghai</a> is destination of the month! <q>Shanghai - an industrious butterfly in a continual state of metamorphosis.</q> Most people arrive by regular transport in a normal state. Following is the <span style="font-weight: bold;">long story</span> of how I got there, and my return to Japan.<br /><br />A long time ago in the <span style="font-style: italic;">holy?</span> city of Lhasa, a few travel friends and I had just finished a 7 day jeep tour around Tibet. My ipod survived well over the <a target="_blank" href="http://www.apple.com/ipod/specs.html">guaranteed 3,000 metres</a>, but not unscathed. <a target="_blank" title="Acute Mountain Sickness" href="http://www.ismmed.org/np_altitude_tutorial.htm#AMS"><img style="margin: 5px 0pt 5px 5px; float: right;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/5390/901/200/HAMG_logo.jpg" alt="" border="0" />AMS</a> symptoms for ipods is forgetfulness: the alarm clock was fine but the chronometer reset itself during the night. Lucky for me there were plenty of noisy buggers in the alley to wake me in time to go to the airport.<br /><br />Due to timing, skipping breakfast was unfortunately part of my plan. Turning the corner, several taxi drivers pounced on me before I bit back. The bus beyond patiently waited for me to emerge past the gauntlet. These taxi drivers act like pack wolves, it'd have been like watching an episode of <a target="_blank" href="http://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/index.html">National Geographic</a>.<br /><br />There's the regular X-ray procedure to pass through before boarding. The staff waves her magic wand up and down my body, turns me around, then gives my wallet pocket a squeeze on the scale of sexual harassment.<br /><br />My window seat was occupied by a woman who insisted that I simply swap with her seat, next to Mr Elbows.<br /><br />There's a train ticket desk at <span style="font-weight: bold;">Xi'an</span> airport which is great because the staff speak English. According to them there's no hard-sleepers for 10 days. Nor is there any hard-seats for 5 days. The good news is she can sell me a standing-space ticket on tomorrow's train. The bad news: it's a 16-hour journey and the standing-space costs the same as hard-seat; also I've just realized I can't afford the hard-sleeper ticket anyway. Next she tried to sell me a 3-star hotel room, and another one, only Y100... Showing her my thin, almost empty wallet was all I could do to stop her.<br /><br />Next a taxi driver claimed it was cheaper to take his taxi downtown than by bus. I told him it's impossible as I showed him my bus ticket. Getting off the bus, a well dressed hotel tout accused me of not knowing how to get to the Youth Hostel, which I had visited last time. How many more numpties do I have to wade past today!<br /><br />Checking in at <span style="border-bottom: 1px dashed; font-weight: bold;" title="Courtyard 5 of QiXianZhuang, No.1 BeiXin street, Xi'an China">the best Youth Hostel in China</span> docked me Y25 <span style="font-size:85%;">(for the bed)</span> and another Y25 for the key deposit. That leaves me Y18 for the bus to Shanghai airport and Y1 in change. I already decided on the previous occasion that I stayed at the <a href="http://www.hostelz.com/hostel/43495-Xi'an-7-Sages-International-Youth-Hostel" target="_blank">7 Sages</a> that the atmosphere was comfortable and the place quite relaxing. Seeing my financial <a target="_blank" href="http://www.gracenote.com/music/artist.html?Art=Dire%20Straits&artcode=457b">dire straits</a>, the manager was kind enough to give me free dinner, a massive bowl of beef and noodles in a soup.<br /><br />Next morning I deliberately slept in to kill time before check-out. Having retrieved my Y25 deposit back, I called the airline to bring forward the Shanghai to Hiroshima flight date. Once again the manager kindly covered the cost of the phone call and he also offered me free lunch, this fried rice was better than all those we'd eaten in Tibet put together.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vfowler/sets/72057594139731231/" target="_blank"><img src="http://static.flickr.com/44/148093548_69c82ff64e_t.jpg" style="margin: 0pt 5px 5px 0pt; float: left;" /></a><a target="_blank" href="http://www.nabiscoworld.com/sensiblesnacking/"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/5390/901/200/oreos.png" alt="" border="0" /></a>6:45pm was the scheduled departure time. It was a good idea to show up early to join in the <span style="font-size:130%;">big squeeze</span> effect of doubling the train carriage population capacity. It seems there were more standing-room tickets sold than I expected. So much more that there wasn't even room for people to sit on the floor in the aisle. Standing-room literally means exactly that! Luckily I'd kept stock of a few goodies for the 16-hour stand: chewing gum, 1 packet of <a target="_blank" href="http://www.nabiscoworld.com/oreo/">Oreo cookies</a>, 1.5 litre bottle of water, and some peanuts. I was carefully rationing my water intake to save enough for the 21 hours wait in Shanghai's PuDong airport. About 2 hours out from Shanghai, a seat had been vacated and I took it. Less than 15 minutes later I was sound asleep. Just short of Shanghai station I woke up to the sight of the cleaners finishing their sweep and my water bottle gone!<br /><br />The bus to the airport was straightforward. All I had to do then is wait... My ipod played and played until the battery went dead. Using my remaining money I bought a bowl of 2-minute noodles. When I asked the information counter for their paper cups, I received a tiny paper cone, much like a coffee filter paper, that disintegrates after the 2nd refill. Later in the night some official airport hotel tout suggested I stay in a hotel. He asked if I had 100 US$, 100 Euros, Y100, a hundred anything; then warned me that the airport closes from 2:00am to 5:30am. Shanghai PuDong airport has rack metal seats which are quite hard to sleep on. Nevertheless I discovered a few cleaning staff <span style="font-size:85%;">(along with their snoring)</span> had joined me on adjacent benches by 3:00am.<br /><br /><div class="flickr-frame"> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vfowler/148093563/" title="photo sharing" target="_blank"><img src="http://static.flickr.com/54/148093563_4e3ea68a85_t.jpg" class="flickr-photo" alt="hours of entertainment" /></a><br /><span class="flickr-caption"> <a target="_blank" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vfowler/148093563/">hours of entertainment</a>,<br />originally uploaded by <a target="_blank" href="http://www.flickr.com/people/vfowler/">vfowler</a>. </span></div>Around 8:00am I started chatting with this groovy American guy, <a href="http://www.etimemachine.com/" target="_blank">Fred</a>, taking a flight later. He offered to get coffee. I said I would be in <span style="font-weight: bold;">Heaven</span> if he wanted to buy me one. Knocking back my long black and chatting away, I said bye to Fred then went to check in for my Hiroshima flight. I was 100% refused entry at 8:28am because check-in closes 45minutes prior flight time! Asking about next flights: tomorrow's flight was booked out; there was no flight the following day and there were available seats the day after that! In desperation I asked about flights to other Japanese cities TODAY. The staff gave me a flight to Osaka 6pm that evening, at no extra cost (just as well). More waiting... I played mind games with the electronic flight listings board...<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vfowler/149697804/" title="The lion" target="_blank"><img style="float: right; margin-left: 5px;" src="http://static.flickr.com/44/149697804_c9991b2b46_m.jpg" alt="Kate, souvenir and hair done" height="240" width="180" /></a>3:00pm check in started for this flight and I was 2nd in line. The duty free shops had no interesting booze stock at all. Flight to Osaka was good with a chat with the 2 lovely Japanese ladies in my row. Immigration gave me a hard time letting me in because I had finished my 2 working holiday visas and now I was entering on a tourist visa with only 5,000 yen. I rushed to buy a shinkansen ticket back to Hiroshima but it was too late for that. There was 1 night bus service left and it cost 7,000 yen. I ripped the extra cash out of the VISA account, paid, jumped on the first bus and then made it to the connecting bus with only a few minutes to spare. I sent an email to my friend Kate, announcing the bus arrival time of 6:10am. She asked me to loiter around and have a coffee, for her extra 2 hours sleep in. So, at the <span style="font-weight: bold;">Hiroshima</span> train station's <a href="http://www.mcdonalds.com/" target="_blank">McDonald's</a> branch I slowly put each bite into my stomach. I took not the first but the second street-car to Tokaichi just to further delay waking up <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vfowler/149697804/" title="The lion" target="_blank">the lion</a>.Vernonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07416954711214457199noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11222295.post-1154610810830451632006-05-07T23:37:00.000+09:002007-02-11T08:59:52.773+09:00base of the top<p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vfowler/archives/date-taken/2006/05/07/">Day 3 of our tour</a> took us to the base of highest mountain on the planet. The funny thing about this place is, once you are here, you are already well <span style="font-weight: bold;">past half-way</span> to the top! Still a far way off in the clouds, the death zone isn't the #1 tourist attraction. Why do we come here then? To brag to our mates? For our own personal exploration - bollocks! Yoga and astro-projection can take you anywhere. Then why? It is a desolate, cold and harsh pile of rocks in the sand. Not enough sand-castles at the beach as a child? My answer is: I'll let you know when we go there next time! Not a rhetorical question, however there are just as many answers as there are metres of altitude.</p><p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vfowler/148694065/" title="Everest,Cho-Oyu..." target="_blank"><img src="http://static.flickr.com/48/148694065_603b4c2c89_m.jpg" alt="Everest,Cho-Oyu..." style="float: left; margin-right: 5px;" height="65" width="240" /></a><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vfowler/144635070/" title="prayer flags and the big mountain" target="_blank"><img src="http://static.flickr.com/49/144635070_806e39e7bd_s.jpg" alt="prayer flags and the big mountain" style="float: right; margin-left: 5px;" height="75" width="75" /></a>Approaching the base camp had a few hurdles. The one that sticks to mind is the compulsory, no alternative, Chinese government bus service... There were dozens of small 2-wheel-drive <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vfowler/144637194/in/datetaken/">broken down buses</a> in a back parking lot. No such thing as a schedule here... Lots of prospective passengers were stranded in the middle of the desert, holding a ticket. I'm not sure if the word service is appropriate!</p><br /><p><a title="clean yak near Everest Base Camp" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vfowler/144637308/in/datetaken/"><img style="float: right; margin-left: 5px;" src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/53/144637308_dd1b864d8e_t.jpg" height="100" width="75" /></a>The bus drove us up to the Rhongpu Monastery and dumped us there. We welcomed the opportunity to stretch our legs. Walking past this yak, we got our first glimpses of the giant mountain. Feels pretty good. Especially after <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vfowler/144637517/">stuffing our faces</a> with a Snickers. If you ever wondered why yaks and mountain goats spend a lot of time sitting on their arses, it's an altitude thing. You get into the swing of it. After walking up the morraine and past Hotel California, we soon arrived at a cosy Base Camp and filled up on hot drinks.</p><br /><p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vfowler/144652196/in/datetaken/"><img src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/52/144652196_a9ff552765_s.jpg" style="float: left; margin-right: 5px;" height="75" width="75" /></a>The cairn atop the nano-hill serves as a divider between the expeditionists and the tourists. It also makes for the perfect prop for taking some great photos. According to one of the Nepalese guides, this is the largest number of separate expeditions to ever exist in the Tibetan Base Camp. 30 separate parties will make the attempt this season - that's not counting the Nepal base camp!<br /></p><a title="So many tents..." href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vfowler/363017120/" target="_blank"><img src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/155/363017120_e6ab4ddee0_m.jpg"></a>Vernonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07416954711214457199noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11222295.post-1150984839980840222006-05-06T22:57:00.000+09:002006-08-03T21:34:58.160+09:007 days in Tibet - part 1 of 3<style type="text/css">.flickr-photo { }.flickr-frame { float: left; text-align: center; margin-right: 15px; margin-bottom: 15px; }.flickr-caption { font-size: 0.8em; margin-top: 0px; }</style><div class="flickr-frame"> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vfowler/144578026/" title="photo sharing" target="_blank"><img src="http://static.flickr.com/49/144578026_b5881b9b2d_t.jpg" class="flickr-photo" alt="best swing in Lhasa" /></a><br /><span class="flickr-caption"> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vfowler/144578026/" target="_blank">best swing in Lhasa</a>,<br />originally uploaded by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/people/vfowler/" target="_blank">vfowler</a>. </span></div>Touring for a week in a Landcruiser jeep with new-found friends is a great way to have a look at this amazing place and wonderful people. I won't kid you though, the Tibetan environment is harsh and the culture still has that magical buzz about it.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vfowler/144578058/" title="Photo Sharing" target="_blank"><img src="http://static.flickr.com/53/144578058_a3942edfb0_m.jpg" alt="become a vegetarian for a while" style="margin: 0pt 0pt 5px 5px; float: right;" height="180" width="240" /></a>I'd decided to go vegetarian for the week. Meat dumped on the filthy streets doesn't exactly pass my minimal hygiene standards. In a post-tour celebration, our gang discovered while eating the Italian gelato that <span style="font-weight: bold;">rats</span> live in most places throughout Tibet, even as residents romping around in the ice-cream shop while the staff are entertained by their antics! If rat shit on your pillow is too much for you, don't even bother making it to Lhasa, let alone the wilds beyond.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vfowler/144606010/" title="Photo Sharing" target="_blank"><img src="http://static.flickr.com/51/144606010_4833c974cd_t.jpg" alt="Jerome and the Cruiser" style="margin: 0pt 5px 5px 0pt; float: left;" height="100" width="75" /></a>Our <a target="_blank" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vfowler/archives/date-taken/2006/05/05/page2/">first day out</a> was great. All of them were actually, but I've got to start somewhere. We realised early on that Tibetan people, ie. people that don't live in Lhasa, are fairly poor. Any way to make a bit of money is a good way. Even standing at the top of <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vfowler/144590891/in/datetaken/" target="_blank">a 4990 metre pass</a> in knee-deep snow with a yak on a string, one can make a real killing when a bus loaded with camera-toting tourists rolls past.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vfowler/144606164/" title="Photo Sharing" target="_blank"><img style="margin: 0pt 5px 5px 0pt; float: left; clear: left;" src="http://static.flickr.com/53/144606164_23a5fb3cd6_t.jpg" alt="Yam drok tso (lake)" height="100" width="75" /></a>Yam drok tso (lake) is <a target="_blank" title="Yam drok tso (on Vimeo)" href="http://www.vimeo.com/clip:82718">this beautiful turquoise colour, even under overcast skies</a>. <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vfowler/144606323/in/datetaken/">Annina and Petri</a> who will remain forever known as The Finish Couple, had joined forces with <a target="_blank" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vfowler/144609441/in/datetaken/">Koichi</a> in another vehicle that caught up with ours at the lake. Their humour kept me reeling through our many meetings throughout the country.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vfowler/172326506/" title="Bente spins prayer wheels" target="_blank"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 5px 5px; float: right;" src="http://static.flickr.com/48/172326506_fef7daa6aa_t.jpg" alt="Bente spins prayer wheels MVI_1440 (on Vimeo)" height="75" width="100" /></a>These monasteries, such as Panchen Lama's Palchoi Monastery, are something everybody will see when visiting Tibet. The entrance fees will undoubtedly be higher than your guidebook says, so take some extra cash or don't visit them. Despite asking, there's no student discount either. <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vfowler/144616323/" title="flour man and Fowler man" target="_blank"><img style="margin: 0pt 5px 5px 0pt; float: left; clear: left;" src="http://static.flickr.com/52/144616323_3013513100_t.jpg" alt="flour man and Fowler man" height="100" width="75" /></a>Our driver decided to take us to a site that possibly no-one has ever visited before: a road-side flour mill. We were confused at first as to <span style="font-weight: bold;">why</span> we were stopping at... no-where in particular. A wash of fresh air woke us up and our curiosity was sparked. <span style="font-weight: bold;">Free</span> taste-testing on the grains and we witnessed <a href="http://www.vimeo.com/clip:72125">the grinding process</a>. Amazing! Michael Jackson said it doesn't matter if you're black or white, but this is true one-up-manship. The miller man was black and white all over!<br /><hr style="clear: both;"><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vfowler/144619197/" title="Petri reading financial signs" target="_blank"><img style="margin: 0pt 5px 5px 0pt; float: left;" src="http://static.flickr.com/53/144619197_82c9313b75_t.jpg" alt="Petri reading financial signs" height="100" width="75" /></a><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vfowler/144618931/" title="monk style" target="_blank"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 5px 5px; float: right;" src="http://static.flickr.com/56/144618931_51f30f1212_t.jpg" alt="monk style" height="100" width="75" /></a>On <a target="_blank" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vfowler/archives/date-taken/2006/05/06/">the second day</a> we spent longer at the Shigatse monastery than our driver hoped. We later learned that the shear distance of the afternoon drive all the way to Shekar and the condition of the road was draining to say the least. If you've ever seen the <a target="_blank" href="http://www.dakar.com/indexus.html">Paris to Dakar Rally</a> imagine something just as enduring!<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vfowler/147956077/" title="drowning, not waving" target="_blank"><img style="margin: 0pt 5px 5px 0pt; float: left; clear: left;" src="http://static.flickr.com/45/147956077_f5409062b3_m.jpg" alt="drowning, not waving" height="180" width="240" /></a>We are envious of our driver who sees these sights every week, whereas we might only ever visit this fascinating monastery <span style="font-weight: bold;">once in our lives</span>. The monks may choose to live in squalor conditions, but they all wear <a target="_blank" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vfowler/144619298/in/set-72057594125036733/">these trendy boots</a> and there is <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vfowler/144620612/in/set-72057594125036733/" target="_blank">money <span style="font-size:85%;">(perhaps some counterfeit too)</span> pasted to every nook</a> throughout the monastery.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vfowler/144625069/" title="bulldozer on the works" target="_blank"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 5px 5px; float: right;" src="http://static.flickr.com/55/144625069_a905b21d7f_s.jpg" alt="bulldozer on the works" height="75" width="75" /></a>The rally segment of our journey is supposed to be for 4-wheel-drive vehicles only but a few times we passed <a target="_blank" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vfowler/144625877/in/datetaken/">a Citroen blasting a way through</a> the construction site. Amongst the rubble here, <span style="font-weight: bold;">gender equality</span> is reality as Tibetan women work alongside their male counterparts in the dusty mess.<br /><br />Finally upon arrival at a crumby hotel, the place had the monopoly in town and made it hell for us to simply check in to the Spartan room. The hotel does have a restaurant though, with <a target="_blank" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vfowler/144631450/in/set-72057594125036733/">menu items</a> such as an individual singular vegetable, steamed bum and curd breast.Vernonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07416954711214457199noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11222295.post-1146734618582706682006-05-04T18:21:00.000+09:002006-05-04T19:01:24.053+09:00open your song book<style type="text/css">.flickr-photo { }.flickr-frame { float: left; text-align: center; margin-right: 15px; margin-bottom: 15px; }.flickr-caption { font-size: 0.8em; margin-top: 0px; }</style><div class="flickr-frame"> <a target="_blank" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vfowler/140139697/" title="photo sharing"><img src="http://static.flickr.com/47/140139697_e6bc5d3134_t.jpg" class="flickr-photo" alt="candle lighting" /></a><br /><span class="flickr-caption"> <a target="_blank" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vfowler/140139697/">candle lighting</a>,<br />originally uploaded by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/people/vfowler/" target="_blank">vfowler</a>. </span></div>The hostel staff were as helpful as they could be, making phone calls to the right people. The fact of the matter was that my fixer was just half-an-hour late. I doubt I could do very much with this standard issue receipt if he didn't show.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vfowler/140137380/" title="here we go" target="_blank"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 5px 5px; float: right;" src="http://static.flickr.com/51/140137380_7c69addaa6_t.jpg" alt="here we go" height="75" width="100" /></a>At DeQing airport <span style="font-size:85%;">(yet another naming dilemna)</span> my fixer tried lifting my backpack off my shoulders 4 times before asking me to check it in myself. His lifting effort was much the same as a wet fish hand-shake. Next he snatched up my ticket, passport and boarding pass and runs past the queue for security checking. Eventually his head pops out and he waves me down the line.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vfowler/140137500/" title="mountains to the horizon" target="_blank"><img style="margin: 0pt 5px 5px 0pt; float: left;" src="http://static.flickr.com/52/140137500_ca23ed8023_t.jpg" alt="wings flapping a bit" height="75" width="100" /></a>Before take off, I swear the stewardess said, <q>...seats in the upright position, and open your song book,</q> - I half expected everyone to start chanting or more likely perform bad karaoke. Snow capped mountain ranges fill to the horizon out my window, many peaks are higher than our plane!<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vfowler/140140659/" title="Potalal Palace" target="_blank"><img style="margin: 0pt 5px 5px 0pt; float: left;" src="http://static.flickr.com/49/140140659_986c11efb0_m.jpg" alt="Potala Palace" height="180" width="240" /></a><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vfowler/140139904/" title="need a blender for your trip?" target="_blank"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 5px 5px; float: right;" src="http://static.flickr.com/44/140139904_6a394df7d3_s.jpg" alt="need a blender for your trip?" height="75" width="75" /></a>The Potala Palace just pops up as the bus pulls into the city. Like a cancer, the consuming anti-culture is rapidly homogenising <a target="_blank" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vfowler/tags/lhasa/">Lhasa</a>. Still, plenty of prayer flags flapping in the breeze, dudes wearing the holy marone and orange robes pushing past me, golden-capping and replacement teeth for sale amongst other assorted souvenirs from the metre-by-metre markets lining the <a target="_blank" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vfowler/tags/barkhor/">Barkhor</a>.<br /><br /><a target="_blank" href="http://www.lonelyplanet.com/worldguide/destinations/asia/tibet"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/5390/901/200/1740595238_c.jpg" alt="Tibet" border="0" /></a>I've formed with a Danish and a French couple for our Land Cruiser trip starting tomorrow morning. I better cash myself up for the journey. On our return to Lhasa, hopefully Tibet will be quieter after the week of national holiday concludes, and visiting the sights <span style="font-weight: bold;">might</span> be less crowded...Vernonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07416954711214457199noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11222295.post-1146557919062975402006-04-30T23:18:00.001+09:002011-07-29T23:25:24.391+09:00scent of Shangri-la?<style type="text/css">.flickr-photo { }.flickr-frame { float: left; text-align: center; margin-right: 25px; margin-bottom: 15px; }.flickr-caption { font-size: 0.8em; margin-top: 0px; }</style><div class="flickr-frame"> <a target="_blank" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vfowler/137395839/" title="photo sharing"><img src="http://static.flickr.com/49/137395839_aa4891c784_m.jpg" class="flickr-photo" alt="let's go" /></a><br /><span class="flickr-caption"> <a target="_blank" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vfowler/137395839/">let's go</a>,<br />originally uploaded by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/people/vfowler/" target="_blank">vfowler</a>. </span></div>Standing around a couple of stone lion statues, perhaps a little too relaxed, thinking the buses would stop here.<br /><br />Eventually the Nescafe kicked in and we realized two things:<br /><ol style="clear: left;"><li>Zhongdian <span style="font-weight: bold;">is</span> the destination, but you want a bus to Shangri-la.</li><li>Buses going to Shangri-la often don't display their destination signboard and only stop in Qiaotou if they feel like it.<br /></li></ol>The centre seat in the back row was the last available. I sat between 2 pairs of Chinese boys falling asleep all over each other and ignoring the snowy mountain-scape. The mild stench of rotten humanity permeated throughout the bus, save for whenever someone lit up.<br /><br />Investigating the options for travel to <a target="_blank" href="http://www.lonelyplanet.com/worldguide/destinations/asia/tibet">Tibet</a>:<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vfowler/137405163/" title="welcome to Tibet Tourism Bureau" target="_blank"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 5px 5px; float: right;" src="http://static.flickr.com/45/137405163_22ae5fa25f_t.jpg" alt="welcome to Tibet Tourism Bureau" height="100" width="75" /></a><ul><li>overland would be awesome if you went with plenty of time, stacks of cash, and a handful of indestructible friendships;</li><li>Waiting 8 days in this nowhere land, for an agency to organize the mythed permit is not on;</li><li>The TTB can fly us in for 2570 yuan each, but the earliest is Wednesday because the next 2 national holidays are booked solid.<br /></li></ul>Back to the Shangri-La Travellers Club (hostel) I calculated that I have enough cash to get there, back to Shanghai, and little else! I would have to sacrifice all other China travels... Merche and Javier are out - instead their journey will head along the 2,140km southern route of the Sichuan-Tibet highway, an adventure itself.<br /><br />The expected Lhasa train completion is soon, and also the consequential effects on the region; and the fact that I am now closer than ever to a long desired destination; I bought the ticket.<br /><br />Samosas and momo in a cosy Indian/Nepali/Tibetan/Chinese restaurant, we say our farewells from the edge of old town.Vernonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07416954711214457199noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11222295.post-1145969887075542372006-04-29T21:56:00.000+09:002006-05-02T19:53:03.263+09:00tiger leaping<img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/5390/901/200/leapingtiger.jpg" alt="" border="0" /><q>On the tenth day of Christmas...</q> Okay, wrong lyrics. This is <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vfowler/tags/tigerleapinggorge/" target="_blank">Tiger Leaping Gorge</a>, not 10 lords leaping.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vfowler/137386522/" title="Photo Sharing" target="_blank"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 5px 5px; float: right;" src="http://static.flickr.com/48/137386522_36bedb28cb_t.jpg" alt="IMG_1316" height="100" width="75" /></a>A saksushka omelette sounded different... and tasted great. With Javier and Merche, we walked down the road then up the trail behind Tina's GuestHouse. Listening to their Spanish banter, I gradually remembered words from years ago.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vfowler/137388513/" title="Photo Sharing" target="_blank"><img style="margin: 0pt 5px 5px 0pt; float: left;clear:left;" src="http://static.flickr.com/45/137388513_1573ba81c7_t.jpg" alt="Tina's GuestHouse is where it all starts" height="100" width="75" /></a>A morning tea break at the Half-Way GuestHouse I shared out the Nescafe sachets - compared to the freshly ground Yunnan coffees I'd been having all week, this <span style="font-weight: bold;">tastes pretty bad</span>.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vfowler/137399639/" title="Spanish companions" target="_blank"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 5px 5px; float: right;" src="http://static.flickr.com/50/137399639_d2360d2445_t.jpg" alt="Javier and Merche" height="100" width="75" /></a>Next stop was lunch at the Tea Horse. The food here was pretty good and with views of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain from every bed, it certainly rivals others around for a place to stay.<br /><br />At the high point of the track, a man will offer you views from 5 metres down his sidetrack for 8 yuan. Honestly it can't be the best viewpoint because the gutsy mountain finishes around here. So tell that entrepreneur he can shove it.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vfowler/137397977/" title="Photo Sharing" target="_blank"><img style="margin: 0pt 5px 5px 0pt; float: left;" src="http://static.flickr.com/49/137397977_0c175ec2e0_t.jpg" alt="IMG_1344" height="100" width="75" /></a>Down the 28 Bends, we are glad to be hiking in the opposite direction. These suckers hiking in the common direction look exhausted - except the mum who rented a horse. (<a href="http://www.tigerleapinggorge.com/images/maph.jpg" target="_blank">see Sean's map</a>)<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vfowler/137400719/" title="Naxi family guest house" target="_blank"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 5px 5px; float: right;" src="http://static.flickr.com/52/137400719_db030ebbfd_t.jpg" alt="Naxi family guest house" height="75" width="100" /></a>We pulled into the Naxi Family GuestHouse and knocked back a couple of <a href="http://www.dalibeer.com" target="_blank">Dali beers</a> before carrying on out merry way.<br /><br />No ticket gate / entry fee man could be found so we marched into Margo's Gorged Tiger Cafe. A fantastic hike all ended with a great meal and a nice shower.Vernonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07416954711214457199noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11222295.post-1146132734865750932006-04-26T21:12:00.000+09:002006-05-21T13:43:28.016+09:00old towns<style type="text/css">.flickr-photo { }.flickr-frame { text-align: center;}.flickr-caption { font-size: 0.8em; margin-top: 0px; }</style><div class="flickr-frame" style="margin: 0pt 0pt 5px 15px; float: right;"> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vfowler/135377736/" title="getting around in old town" target="_blank"><img src="http://static.flickr.com/46/135377736_22f1a5b4d8_m.jpg" class="flickr-photo" alt="getting around in old town" /></a><br /><span class="flickr-caption"> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vfowler/135377736/" target="_blank">getting around in old town</a>,<br />originally uploaded by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/people/vfowler/" target="_blank">vfowler</a>. </span></div><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vfowler/135375079/" title="Jin and Yak cruisin" target="_blank"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 5px 5px; float: right;" src="http://static.flickr.com/44/135375079_b90f771e87_t.jpg" alt="Jin and Yak cruisin'" height="75" width="100" /></a>Was it <a target="_blank" href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0007U8XHU/qid=1146132216/sr=2-3/ref=pd_bbs_b_2_3/102-0749883-3192136?s=music&v=glance&n=5174#moreAboutThisProduct">The Pogues</a> or some other Celtic band who wrote <i>Dirty Old Town</i>? Jin, Yak and I rented some cool dragster? style bikes and free-wheeled it to <span style="font-style: italic;">Shuhe Old Town</span>. The only thing dirty about it is the scoundrel entry fee. Luckily for us, Yak has a knack of finding a way around some barriers.<br /><br />Just 4 kilometres from Lijiang's old city area, this more humble version is barely touristed. Somehow <a target="_blank" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vfowler/tags/shuhe/">Shuhe</a>'s look and feel is more <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vfowler/135375503/" title="Chinese version of Mad Max" target="_blank"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 5px 5px; float: right;" src="http://static.flickr.com/56/135375503_544384f8e2_t.jpg" alt="Chinese version of Mad Max" height="75" width="100" /></a>authentic - it's more rustic. If you're ever down in this neck of the woods, you owe it to yourself to spend an afternoon there.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vfowler/135367341/" title="metalwork artisan" target="_blank"><img style="margin: 0pt 5px 5px 0pt; float: left;" src="http://static.flickr.com/54/135367341_c2d530b28f_s.jpg" alt="metalwork artisan" height="75" width="75" /></a><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vfowler/135381155/" title="hot artist" target="_blank"><img style="margin: 0pt 5px 5px 0pt; float: left;" src="http://static.flickr.com/51/135381155_0cf1484a03_s.jpg" alt="hot artist" height="75" width="75" /></a><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vfowler/135376101/" title="cafe / bar / restaurant / lodging all-in-1" target="_blank"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 5px 5px; float: right; clear: right;" src="http://static.flickr.com/46/135376101_4b8d4f5ee8_t.jpg" alt="cafe / bar / restaurant / lodging all-in-1" height="100" width="75" /></a>Artists, artisans, crafts and markets line every corner along with cafes and more lodging, all set with the Yulong Xueshan (Jade Dragon Snow Mountain) poking into the clouds in the background.<br /><br /><a title="prayer flags" target="_blank" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vfowler/135390872/in/datetaken/"><img src="http://static.flickr.com/45/135390872_6fe450feca_s.jpg" style="margin: 0pt 5px 5px 0pt;" height="75" width="75" /></a><a title="hay cart in Shuhe old town" target="_blank" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vfowler/135380291/in/datetaken/"><img style="margin: 0pt 5px 5px 0pt;" src="http://static.flickr.com/51/135380291_897d543bbd_s.jpg" height="75" width="75" /></a><a title="Shuhe to Jade Dragon Snow Mountain" target="_blank" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vfowler/135394727/in/datetaken/"><img style="margin: 0pt 5px 5px 0pt;" src="http://static.flickr.com/51/135394727_f5d4e74675_s.jpg" height="75" width="75" /></a><a title="the man on the path" target="_blank" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vfowler/135392450/in/datetaken/"><img style="margin: 0pt 5px 5px 0pt;" src="http://static.flickr.com/49/135392450_12394f3a68_s.jpg" height="75" width="75" /></a><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vfowler/135388972/" title="boy playing ball in the old town" target="_blank"><img style="margin: 0pt 5px 5px 0pt;" src="http://static.flickr.com/46/135388972_1e6784aeb9_s.jpg" alt="boy playing ball in the old town" height="75" width="75" /></a><a title="Shuhe stall fruit and vegetables" target="_blank" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vfowler/135381528/in/datetaken/"><img style="margin: 0pt 5px 5px 0pt;" src="http://static.flickr.com/55/135381528_20ddad8ba0_s.jpg" height="75" width="75" /></a><a title="not vegetarian in any way" target="_blank" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vfowler/135390626/in/datetaken/"><img style="margin: 0pt 5px 5px 0pt;" src="http://static.flickr.com/49/135390626_a3d66185c6_s.jpg" height="75" width="75" /></a><a title="say " hello="" target="_blank" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vfowler/135378397/in/datetaken/"><img src="http://static.flickr.com/53/135378397_473a1a9de3_s.jpg" style="margin: 0pt 5px 5px 0pt;" height="75" width="75" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vfowler/135399626/" title="evening view from the hostel" target="_blank"><img style="margin: 0pt 5px 5px 0pt; float: left; clear: left;" src="http://static.flickr.com/55/135399626_0e99c894f1_t.jpg" alt="evening view from the hostel" height="75" width="100" /></a>It's back to <a target="_blank" href="http://www.vimeo.com/clip:74470">Lijiang for the hustle and bustle</a> and the beautiful <a target="_blank" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vfowler/148681875/in/set-72057594098609751/">view of rooftop lights after sundown</a>. Also in the hostel, now that I have just polished off a <a target="_blank" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vfowler/135411279/in/set-72057594098609751/">roasted spaghetti</a>, absolutely scrumptuous, I believe I have eaten everything on the menu.Vernonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07416954711214457199noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11222295.post-1146130912002140592006-04-25T23:30:00.000+09:002006-05-01T21:59:36.363+09:00temptations to Tibet<a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0210727/" target="_blank"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/5390/901/200/B00005ARD8.01._AA240_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg" alt="Himalaya" border="0" /></a>My sunburn has not yet subsided. Yunnan coffee is awesome. The hash brown, scrambled eggs, super-thick toast, vegetable salad and sauces, even the funky salt and pepper shakers make for one of the best breakfasts I've had in China. The atmosphere here in <a target="_blank" href="http://www.virtualtourist.com/hotels/Asia/China/Yunnan_Sheng/Lijiang-1011249/Hotels_and_Accommodations-Lijiang-BR-3.html">Ancient Town Youth Hostel</a> is the sort I dream of. In fact this whole town kicks arse over Dali.<br /><br />Lunch in the restaurant that has been frequented by China's first, and still most famous <span style="font-weight: bold;">rock star</span>. I can't read the menu, but I have my own hero, Yak, ordering for the 3 of us again.<br /><br />Yak and I walked to the <span style="font-style: italic;">Black Dragon Pool</span> and discovered yet another price hike. Basically we side-stepped the pay gate and crept through a hole in the fence a hundred metres up. I've since learned this is <span style="font-weight: bold;">a popular technique</span> for many of the sights throughout the country!<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vfowler/134773385/" title="It was once meat" target="_blank"><img style="margin: 0pt 5px 5px 0pt; float: left;" src="http://static.flickr.com/52/134773385_49f9d18b9b_t.jpg" alt="It was once meat" height="100" width="75" /></a>For 3 yuan I visited the <span style="font-style: italic;">Kanxue Tower</span> and wandered through its flowering garden, the empty card house, the dining hall with its working kitchen for the hotel - for some bizarre unimaginable reason 2 legs of meat have been hung on the wall and left to rot.<br /><br />Yak again comes through with exciting hopes. During a late dinner in the hostel, he presents me with an airfare quote 1-way to Lhasa. The man should be in politics pulling string like this, but let's see what extra fees I probably have to pay...<br /><br />Listening to the <a target="_blank" href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00005ARD8/ref=reg_hu-wl_item-added/102-0749883-3192136?%5Fencoding=UTF8&v=glance&n=5174">Himalaya soundtrack</a> makes me think of the region's pre-1950 past. A train line to Lhasa is due to open sometime in the next year. Travel restrictions for foreigners may be dismantled by 2007. I suspect big changes for Lhasa are imminent.Vernonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07416954711214457199noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11222295.post-1145971336487998512006-04-24T22:22:00.000+09:002006-04-27T00:46:53.896+09:00turning wheels<style type="text/css">.flickr-photo { }.flickr-frame { text-align: center; margin-right: 15px; margin-bottom: 15px; }.flickr-caption { font-size: 0.8em; margin-top: 0px; }</style><div class="flickr-frame" style="float: left;margin-left:0;"> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vfowler/134748799/" title="photo sharing" target="_blank"><img src="http://static.flickr.com/52/134748799_827806b643_m.jpg" class="flickr-photo" alt="boulder king" /></a><br /><span class="flickr-caption"> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vfowler/134748799/" target="_blank">boulder king</a>,<br />originally uploaded by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/people/vfowler/" target="_blank">vfowler</a>. </span></div>7am street noise pissed me off. Luck was on my side the rest of the day though. Yak helped me get the extra night's unused tariff back, and secured tickets on the last bus of the day to Lijiang.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vfowler/134744544/" title="good bikes, wrecked boat" target="_blank"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 5px 5px; float: right;" src="http://static.flickr.com/55/134744544_2bc6e89029_t.jpg" alt="good bikes, wrecked boat" height="75" width="100" /></a>On pretty good hard-tails, the 3 of us rode through dozens of hay piles spread on the road. The ferry ported us over <span style="font-style: italic;">Erhau Hu</span> (lake) and we clambered up the stairs before burning rubber down the shore-line road.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vfowler/134753305/" title="lunch - a local specialty" target="_blank"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 5px 5px; float: right; clear: right;" src="http://static.flickr.com/55/134753305_aad0b8ea53_t.jpg" alt="lunch, a local fish specialty" height="100" width="75" /></a>Past a small shipwreck, a rough downhill single-track made a mess of Yak's machine: 3 punctures! By the time the tyre was repaired and lunch was decimated, we had to bus it back to make the dock in time for the return voyage. Nothing short of the usual logistics nightmare in countries like this - several boats all work for the same company, but require 30 minutes of convincing before agreeing to take us back.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.goloka.com/docs/gallery/avatars/01incarnations/035-parashurama.html" target="_blank"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; clear: left;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/5390/901/200/035-parasurama.jpg" alt="Parashurama" border="0" /></a>The 6pm mini-bus gets out on the highway. I thought all the scary road trips were behind me after those in northern India and <span style="font-weight: bold;">that road</span> in Bolivia. How stupid of me to think that! I was watching our driver and I kept thinking of the multi-armed deity. He has one hand constantly flicking the high beam, another beeping the horn, one answering the mobile phone, another smoking, one hand changing the destination sign propped on the dashboard, change gears, steer, and of course talking to the conductor requires another 2 hands! I half admire the skill of these drivers for surviving, half wonder if they actually have a license.Vernonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07416954711214457199noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11222295.post-1145966122927762132006-04-23T23:55:00.000+09:002006-04-27T00:46:24.210+09:00want fries with that?<style type="text/css">.flickr-photo { }.flickr-frame { float: left; text-align: center; margin-right: 15px; margin-bottom: 15px; }.flickr-caption { font-size: 0.8em; margin-top: 0px; }</style><div class="flickr-frame" style="float: left;margin-left:0;"> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vfowler/134253100/" title="photo sharing"><img src="http://static.flickr.com/44/134253100_69bda8cf9f_m.jpg" class="flickr-photo" alt="dormitory accessories" /></a><br /><span class="flickr-caption"> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vfowler/134253100/">dormitory accessories</a>,<br />originally uploaded by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/people/vfowler/">vfowler</a>. </span></div>Among other surprises, our <b>hotel</b> dormitory has an advert for the <i>V-brator</i>! The lads washing dishes don't notice their cigarette ash landing in the wrong place... Don't think I give a shit whether breakfast is included or not. Carl (from Sweden), Shoko and I found a busy dumpling shop down the street and joined the hordes of diners there.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vfowler/134253876/" title="breakfast with Carl" target="_blank"><img style="margin: 0pt 5px 5px 0pt; float: left;clear:left;" src="http://static.flickr.com/49/134253876_e5ec5dcca7_t.jpg" alt="breakfast with Carl" height="75" width="100" /></a><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vfowler/134277561/" title="farmer in Dali" target="_blank"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 5px 5px; float: right;" src="http://static.flickr.com/54/134277561_b18ca4b4e4_t.jpg" alt="farmer in Dali" height="75" width="100" /></a>The first bus I climbed aboard in China gives a shining example of the growing gap between the nation's rich and poor. This is the most luxurious bus I've ever known: 2-person arm-chair suites left of the aisle and singles on the right. The steward doled out bottled water to everyone. At 100 km/h we cruise past farmers with low-tech tools busting a sweat to barely feed their own family, let alone educate or afford health care for them. Why do we always admire the colourful fashion of old cultures?<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vfowler/134276051/" title="typical local textile" target="_blank"><img style="margin: 0pt 5px 5px 0pt; float: left;" src="http://static.flickr.com/51/134276051_901abc40e5_m.jpg" alt="typical local textile" height="180" width="240" /></a>It was incredibly good timing when Yak rescued me at the bus stop in Dali new city, Xiguan. Feeling vulnerable before retrieving my backpack, a taxi driver jumped in my way shouting, <q>Y40 to Dali?</q> I was ready to punch him to get to my backpack. Yak sorted me out for catching the local bus (only Y1.5) and the hostel in Dali old city (18km north).<br /><br /><q>We have good service</q> is printed on the flyer but I'd like to re-phrase it to pretty bloody average for this hostel.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vfowler/134275562/" title="Dali old city" target="_blank"><img style="margin: 0pt 5px 5px 0pt; float: left; clear: left;" src="http://static.flickr.com/54/134275562_491d74b5a6_t.jpg" alt="Dali old city" height="100" width="75" /></a><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vfowler/134264214/" title="3 pagodas in Dali: 空气污染" target="_blank"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 5px 5px; float: right;" src="http://static.flickr.com/45/134264214_8fe09cb021_t.jpg" alt="3 pagodas in Dali: 空气污染" height="75" width="100" /></a>Y120 is a bit pricey when expecting to pay Y10 only to enter the temple at the rear, instead of freely visiting the 3 pagodas. Yak's wife Jin is ex-military and gets free entry. Yak and I jump in a horse-drawn cart to get just a distant view from up the hill.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vfowler/134274971/" title="Yak eating the cheesy thing in downtown Dali" target="_blank"><img style="margin: 0pt 5px 5px 0pt; float: left; clear: left;" src="http://static.flickr.com/48/134274971_e26a0db162_s.jpg" alt="Yak eating the cheesy thing in downtown Dali" height="75" width="75" /></a><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vfowler/134277024/" title="Michel dining in Dali" target="_blank"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 5px 5px; float: right;" src="http://static.flickr.com/54/134277024_14a043e610_t.jpg" alt="Michel dining in Dali" height="75" width="100" /></a>A wonderful dinner with the hostel neighbour from Neice (France).Vernonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07416954711214457199noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11222295.post-1145698348757402592006-04-22T17:58:00.000+09:002006-04-25T20:42:53.466+09:00revolutionaryThe landscape rolling by my train window has transformed from the urban congregations to distant misty mountains and nearby cliffs, winding rivers, rice paddies, ox and cymbal-hat-wearing farmers.<br /><br />In a city where one has nothing to do, <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vfowler/tags/kunming/" target="_blank" style="font-weight: bold;">Kunming</a> is modern'ish, has plenty of western touches, and sits at a higher altitude than most of Australia - 1,890 metres !<br /><br />I checked in to a hotel near the station. Also checking in, Shouko, a Japanese girl from Osaka, mentioned that the showers were dirty. At first I was shocked to meet a Japanese traveler in China, especially so far from the east coast business cities <span style="font-size:85%;">(like Shanghai)</span>. Next I realized how long I hadn't spoken any Japanese and how quickly I am losing the language basics! Finally I was shocked in the bathroom; not just at the fact that it was co-ed and lacking a door, but the common trough that I began shaving over is the exact same sink used by the kitchen staff to wash the dishes - mental note to self: <span style="font-weight: bold;">do not eat in this hotel's restaurant!</span><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vfowler/134252199/" title="clean air bikes" target="_blank"><img style="margin: 0pt 5px 5px 0pt; float: left;" src="http://static.flickr.com/53/134252199_4f0eeecc0d_t.jpg" alt="bikes and flowers - unusual mix" height="100" width="75" /></a><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/5390/901/200/che.jpg" title="Cuba's Che Guevara" border="0" />It's a sunny <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00004Z0LW/sr=8-1/qid=1145964008/ref=pd_bbs_1/102-0749883-3192136?%5Fencoding=UTF8#moreAboutThisProduct">beautiful day</a>. Shade and cleaner air courtesy of the trees lining the footpaths make for pleasant walking. I wandered into a restaurant / bar named <span style="font-style: italic;">Sakura</span> - good idea since I missed hanami in Hiroshima. Full of cheery rasta colours; Enya, Deep Forest and other enjoyable music; revolutionary characters (<a href="http://www.lonelyplanet.com/worldguide/destinations/caribbean/cuba/" target="_blank">Cuba</a>'s Che Guevara, Russia's Lenin, China's Mao); wood decor and <span style="font-weight: bold;">soft couches</span> <span style="font-size:130%;"><q>Wow!</q></span> I am quite <span style="font-weight: bold;">suspicious</span> that I am their only customer...<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vfowler/134251863/" title="best pizza I've ever eaten" target="_blank"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 5px 0pt; clear: left; float: left;" src="http://static.flickr.com/50/134251863_57892bc407_t.jpg" alt="best pizza I've ever eaten" height="75" width="100" /></a>Further tempting fate, I ordered a meat lover's pizza and an iced coffee. The <span style="font-weight: bold;">iced</span> coffee wasn't; it was pretty lame in fact. On the other hand, <span style="font-weight: bold;">this pizza supersedes</span> any I've ever had! After my 3 complete failure attempts in Japan, I was about to give up on pizza in Asia altogether. I could comfortably sit here all afternoon, but I should sort my onward travel. You can even order lamb chops from New Zealand here!Vernonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07416954711214457199noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11222295.post-1145953343452828372006-04-21T23:22:00.000+09:002006-04-27T00:49:13.086+09:00choo-chooing the distance<style type="text/css">.flickr-photo { }.flickr-frame { float: left; text-align: center; margin-right: 15px; margin-bottom: 15px; }.flickr-caption { font-size: 0.8em; margin-top: 0px; }</style>The <a href="http://www.ludaohotel.com/en_main.asp" target="_blank">Ludao Binguan</a> is coping well with the masses. After a needed shower, the news from the hotel travel agent is that I can take a soft-sleeper, but tomorrow night. I'm not surprised - a typical marketing tactic to eke one more night's tariff; also the staff are so occupied fielding stupid questions from dumb-arse tourists, they haven't much time for any ticketing service - in spite of their commission!<br /><br />Given Xi'an has 1 of China's top 3 attractions, I can understand why the 7 Sages HI hostel is left out of guidebooks. A very hospitable respite from the riff-raff, and so cheap - in fact cheaper than the price listed on their flyer given to me from a hostel mate in Shanghai.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vfowler/134248283/" title="all aboard the night train" target="_blank"><img style="margin: 0pt 5px 5px 0pt; float: left;" src="http://static.flickr.com/45/134248283_b3c26118e6_t.jpg" alt="all aboard the night train" height="75" width="100" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">20th April</span>: I slept like a log and was a little dubious that I was the only person looking for breakfast at 9am. A cool, drizzly day spent eating and listening to some good music in the courtyard / restaurant / cafe / bar of the 7 Sages hostel.<br /><br /><div class="flickr-frame" style="clear: left;float:left;margin-left:0;"> <a target="_blank" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vfowler/134249449/" title="eating choo-choo food"><img src="http://static.flickr.com/53/134249449_1775e82805_m.jpg" class="flickr-photo" alt="eating choo-choo food" /></a><br /><span class="flickr-caption"> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vfowler/134249449/" target="_blank">eating choo-choo food</a>,<br />originally uploaded by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/people/vfowler/" target="_blank">vfowler</a>. </span></div>The day shift of hair-dressers / masseuses / prostitutes have shut their doors already as I walked to the station. My bag was X-ray scanned once again. Luckily there are mini-supermarkets inside the station. <a href="http://www.snickers.com/" target="_blank">Snickers</a>, Kit-Kat + coffee, bananas and water are the better purchases. Aboard the train an affectionate married couple and Mister Mobile Phone share compartment #7 with me.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vfowler/134248878/" title="part of 52,000 km of railway..." target="_blank"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 5px 5px; float: right;" src="http://static.flickr.com/46/134248878_c901157c3c_t.jpg" alt="part of 52,000 km of railway..." height="100" width="75" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">21st April</span>: Amazing to that back home I think of 2-minute and cup noodles as a waste of effort. Today at least, they formed my staple food! And why is it rude to <span style="font-weight: bold;">slurp</span> soups and noodles in our culture?<br /><br />At any given time over 10 million Chinese are travelling on 52,000 kilometres of railway lines. From Xi'an to Kunming it's only 1,942 kilometres.Vernonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07416954711214457199noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11222295.post-1145528315035178242006-04-19T20:18:00.000+09:002006-04-20T20:31:36.923+09:00stairway to triumph<div style="float: right; margin-left: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; text-align: center;"> <a target="_blank" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vfowler/131266961/" title="the crew and I, triumphant"><img class="flickr-photo" src="http://static.flickr.com/51/131266961_fee89967c9_m.jpg" alt="the crew and I, triumphant" /></a><br /><span style="margin-top: 0px;font-size:0.8em;" > <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vfowler/131266961/" target="_blank">the crew and I, triumphant</a><br />Originally uploaded by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/people/vfowler/" target="_blank">vfowler</a>. </span></div>With water, head-torch, and some clothes in my flash new day-pack, the <b>comical adventure</b> began. Practicing some back-of-<a target="_blank" href="http://shop.lonelyplanet.com/product_detail.cfm?productID=2737&seriesID=1&seriesname=Country%20Guides&">the-book</a> language on my bus buddy, coincidently this Chinese chap is also going to <a target="_blank" href="http://www.frommers.com/destinations/huashan/3352010001.html">Hua Shan</a>, a sacred Taoist mountain.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vfowler/131260098/" title="Cheers!" target="_blank"><img style="margin: 0pt 5px 5px 0pt; float: left;" src="http://static.flickr.com/53/131260098_ed5eb4d054_t.jpg" alt="Cheers!" height="75" width="100" /></a>The bus dropped us off outside a restaurant in Huashan village and my new friend, Youe, insisted that I stop in to eat - great idea! The entire bus load sat in the restaurant and listened to the <span style="font-size:85%;">(half-hour)</span> <b>mission briefing</b> from a guy equipped with an extendable pointing rod and wall map, a head-set microphone and a blairing PA system, a booming voice and a bit of Chinese humour. You might say he was a local crowd pleaser or a foreigner's ear-drum breaker.<br /><br />Over lunch, some extra last minute supplies and confusion about timing the ascent, I somehow had joined this clan of Youe + 8.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vfowler/131260857/" title="more stairs!" target="_blank"><img style="margin: 0pt 5px 5px 0pt; float: left;" src="http://static.flickr.com/49/131260857_56c479a88d_t.jpg" alt="more stairs!" height="100" width="75" /></a><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vfowler/131261652/" title="resting place" target="_blank"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 5px 5px; float: right;" src="http://static.flickr.com/51/131261652_362b91a67c_t.jpg" alt="let's rest here for a while..." height="75" width="100" /></a>The easy 4 kilometres was done when the team decided to stop and rest for a few hours in a ... dwelling. We ate seeds and crackers, listened to some pop music, danced around, chatted (via Chinese to Japanese to me and back in 3 broken languages), and crashed out.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vfowler/131261750/" title="steep steps" target="_blank"><img style="margin: 0pt 5px 5px 0pt; float: left; clear: left;" src="http://static.flickr.com/45/131261750_6b9df2a42f_t.jpg" alt="steep steps" height="100" width="75" /></a><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vfowler/131261809/" title="time to get on up" target="_blank"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 5px 5px; float: right;" src="http://static.flickr.com/53/131261809_69b2e63ca8_t.jpg" alt="time to get on up" height="100" width="75" /></a>We set off again at 1:30am. The occasional lamps and our torches lit the path, steeply up stairs. Giant black pits of darkness hid the dangerously <span style="font-weight: bold;">deep drops</span> to death.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vfowler/131266849/" title="incoming sunshine on East Peak" target="_blank"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 5px 5px; float: right; clear: right;" src="http://static.flickr.com/44/131266849_60e7ab7c5e_t.jpg" alt="incoming sunshine on East Peak" height="100" width="75" /></a>Dawn broke as we arrived at the East Peak and the sun emerged amidst a fog layer. Scarlet skies turned pale blue and what <span style="font-weight: bold;">a beautiful day</span> to spend in the mountains. Given my lack of fitness and the average Chinese punter's attire and equipment, to summit truly was triumphant.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vfowler/131268358/" title="The Changkong cliff footway" target="_blank"><img style="margin: 0pt 5px 5px 0pt; float: left;" src="http://static.flickr.com/54/131268358_fa14f66045_m.jpg" alt="The Changkong cliff footway" height="180" width="240" /></a><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vfowler/131268064/" title="'Ni hao' to the sun" target="_blank"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 5px 5px; float: right; clear: right;" src="http://static.flickr.com/56/131268064_9617e49c47_t.jpg" alt="'Ni hao' to the sun" height="100" width="75" /></a>Completing the circuit over the 2160-metre South Peak, along a cliff edge to West Peak and back down the Green Dragon Ridge, the scenery is jaw dropping and simply stunning.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vfowler/131272688/" title="escape via gondola, anyone?" target="_blank"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 5px 5px; float: right; clear: right;" src="http://static.flickr.com/46/131272688_adcf04c78b_t.jpg" alt="resting the weary legs for a sec" height="100" width="75" /></a>Escape via the gondola cable car was a fun, quick and easy way to descend and insure against any potential knee injuries. Sitting on a stool in the aisle, I fell asleep on the bus back to Xi'an, again missing the screening of <span style="font-style: italic;">Fearless</span> on the TV.Vernonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07416954711214457199noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11222295.post-1145292777679137332006-04-17T23:52:00.000+09:002006-05-17T13:47:24.773+09:00wild goose chase<style type="text/css">.flickr-photo { border: solid 1px #000000; }.flickr-frame { float: right; text-align: center; margin-left: 15px; margin-bottom: 15px; }.flickr-caption { font-size: 0.8em; margin-top: 0px; }</style><div class="flickr-frame" style="float: right;margin:0 0 15px 15px;"> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vfowler/130131279/" title="photo sharing" target="_blank"><img src="http://static.flickr.com/52/130131279_01a79eb79d_m.jpg" class="flickr-photo" alt="chef in the Muslim Quarter" /></a><br /><span class="flickr-caption"> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vfowler/130131279/" target="_blank">chef in the Muslim Quarter</a>,<br />originally uploaded by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/people/vfowler/" target="_blank">vfowler</a>. </span></div>Money comes and money goes and goes. Yesterday's tour put a dent in my <span style="font-style: italic;">budget</span>, so I skipped breakfast. Down <a target="_blank" href="http://www.vimeo.com/clip:71968">in the Muslim Quarter</a> I took up an English menu and ordered a garlic sauced meat dish which arrived as a spicy chilli dish! Perfect for <span style="font-weight: bold;">taste</span> and clearing the nasal passages, all without being too hot.<br /><br />Browsing the market, I needed a small day pack for lugging around the mass of the China guidebook and water carrying. A fake North Face one should do the job nicely.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vfowler/130137779/" title="prayer hall at the Great Mosque of Xi'an" target="_blank"><img src="http://static.flickr.com/46/130137779_5543e2ed48_t.jpg" alt="gathering at the prayer hall" style="margin: 0pt 5px 5px 0pt; float: left;" height="75" width="100" /></a>All 12yuan <span style="font-size:85%;">(AUD$2)</span> at the <a target="_blank" href="http://www.xaqzds.com/eng/main.asp">Great Mosque</a> was starting to sound a bit <span style="font-weight: bold;">stiff</span>. I struggled to find anything of interest. A bunch of Muslims were all gathered around the prayer hall, muttering in chorus. Then a woman started wailing and crying, spurring a chain reaction as they all followed a blanketed corpse out. I later bought some new sunglasses in case it ever happened again.<br /><br /><div class="flickr-frame" style="float: right;margin:0 0 15px 15px;"> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vfowler/130178134/" title="musical water fountain show" target="_blank"><img src="http://static.flickr.com/47/130178134_474f1c1f25_m.jpg" class="flickr-photo" alt="musical water fountain show" /></a><br /><span class="flickr-caption"> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vfowler/130178134/" target="_blank">musical water fountain show</a>,<br />originally uploaded by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/people/vfowler/" target="_blank">vfowler</a>. </span></div><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vfowler/130150164/" title="new friends" target="_blank"><img src="http://static.flickr.com/52/130150164_b9257310c6_t.jpg" alt="new friends" style="margin: 0pt 5px 5px 0pt; float: left;" height="100" width="75" /></a>Strolling past the <a target="_blank" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vfowler/130146803/in/set-72057594098609751/">Drum Tower</a>, I met Sally and Chris, some friendly Chinese people, who wanted their photo taken afront the Bell Tower. Together with Sally's brother, we taxied down to the <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vfowler/tags/bigwildgoosepagoda/" target="_blank">Big Wild Goose Pagoda</a>, ate some food, then took up a position for the musical water fountain show - apparently this is the biggest one in Asia! <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vfowler/archives/date-taken/2006/04/17/" target="_blank">A great day</a> spent random exploring in Xi'an.Vernonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07416954711214457199noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11222295.post-1145533467420214552006-04-16T23:44:00.000+09:002006-04-25T22:09:29.220+09:00a whole lot of holes<div style="float: left; text-align: center; margin-right: 10px; margin-bottom: 15px;"> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vfowler/129817243/" title="kneeling archer" target="_blank"><img src="http://static.flickr.com/1/129817243_40d6778ae2_m.jpg" alt="kneeling archer" /></a><br /><span style="margin-top: 0px;font-size:0.8em;" > <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vfowler/129817243/" target="_blank">kneeling archer</a><br />Originally uploaded by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/people/vfowler/" target="_blank">vfowler</a>. </span></div>The price of the Eastern Tour jumped faster than <span style="font-style: italic;">Jim Beam</span> could update his brochures. 285 yuan is <a href="http://flickr.com/photos/vfowler/archives/date-taken/2006/04/16/" target="_blank">today</a>'s price for a bus load of tourists wanting to see thousands of statues. Ask yourself, why take a tour?<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vfowler/129763834/" title="Tang dynasty architecture" target="_blank"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 5px 5px; float: right;" src="http://static.flickr.com/46/129763834_d41b3b8f08_s.jpg" alt="Tang dynasty architecture" height="75" width="75" /></a><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vfowler/129764581/" title="old hot spring" target="_blank"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 5px 5px; float: right; clear: right;" src="http://static.flickr.com/46/129764581_2388b753f9_s.jpg" alt="old hot spring" height="75" width="75" /></a><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vfowler/129773736/" title="song and dance" target="_blank"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 5px 5px; float: right; clear: right;" src="http://static.flickr.com/55/129773736_07e85c9887_s.jpg" alt="song and dance" height="75" width="75" /></a>Elen, our tour guide, cut loose with her immense knowledge in a spiel that lasted all the way to... the first of the <span style="font-weight: bold;">morning attractions</span>. Some museum place inside an old Tang dynasty? architecture building with a pair of stone lions - <span style="font-size:85%;">that look more like dogs with fleas;</span> - patting various parts brings love, wealth, beauty, etcetera. The <span style="font-style: italic;">Huaqing</span> pools once were working hot springs. Nowadays they're <q>just a whole lot of holes!</q> Some crappy jade factory was next, followed by a stop at a tomb where we watched a song and dance. Then lunch in the rather bad service restaurant.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0299977/" target="_blank"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 5px 0pt; float: left; clear: left;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/5390/901/200/0209.jpg" alt="frame from Hero movie - go see it" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vfowler/129795208/" title="terracotta dudes - the front liners" target="_blank"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 5px 5px; float: right; clear: right;" src="http://static.flickr.com/50/129795208_b276fa5f94_t.jpg" alt="terracotta dudes - the front liners" height="100" width="75" /></a>Finally we arrived at the excavation pits of the army of terracotta warriors. If you paid attention in history class, watched the <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0299977/" target="_blank">Hero movie</a> or did any research on <a href="http://whc.unesco.org/en/statesparties/cn" target="_blank">UNESCO world heritage sites</a>, you'd find the <a href="http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/441" target="_blank">first emporer of a unified China</a> is the one and only Qin Shi Huang. Uniting the states, standardising the currency and the written script, and linking city walls (starting <a href="http://vfowler.blogspot.com/2006/04/i-climbed-great-wall.html">The Great Wall</a>), road and canal networks are some of the impressive feats acheived during the brief Qin dynasty.Vernonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07416954711214457199noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11222295.post-1145080293911192072006-04-15T14:48:00.000+09:002006-04-25T19:10:26.146+09:00wrecked Xi'an arrival<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vfowler/129825747/" title="Bell Tower of Xi'an at night" target="_blank"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 5px 5px; float: right;" src="http://static.flickr.com/47/129825747_c86da17df9_m.jpg" width="240" height="180" alt="Bell Tower of Xi'an at night" /></a><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vfowler/129828015/" title="no showing off your skills" target="_blank"><img style="margin: 0pt 5px 5px 0pt; float: left;" src="http://static.flickr.com/50/129828015_f089c1f117_t.jpg" alt="don't drink and drive like a maniac" height="100" width="75" /></a>Train station touts bore me at three in the morning. Some kind of sleep, then a shower and I feel like I have a bad hangover. My guess is over 15 hours of passive smoking is not healthy. That's my experience of hard-sleeper trains. A day of R&R : recovery and some research.Vernonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07416954711214457199noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11222295.post-1145079555503090652006-04-14T23:59:00.000+09:002006-04-17T11:35:41.026+09:00long track learning<style type="text/css">.flickr-photo { border: solid 1px #000000; }.flickr-frame { float: left; text-align: center; margin-right: 10px; margin-bottom: 15px; }.flickr-caption { font-size: 0.8em; margin-top: 0px; }</style><div class="flickr-frame"> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vfowler/128721234/" title="train talk" target="_blank"><img src="http://static.flickr.com/48/128721234_446377c080_t.jpg" class="flickr-photo" alt="train talk" /></a><br /><span class="flickr-caption" > <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vfowler/128721234/" target="_blank">train talk</a>,<br />originally uploaded by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/people/vfowler/" target="_blank">vfowler</a>. </span></div>Kyla helped again with the necessary language at the post office. After paying the <b>extortionate postage</b> for just a small, light box to nearby Japan, I have declared to post nothing more!<br /><br />I'm forming a bad habit of making it just in time for planes, trains and buses. <span style="font-size:85%;">It reminds me of Scott just making it in time for the ferry to Tasmania many years ago.</span> This time I'm riding <span style="font-weight: bold;">the hard sleeper</span>, which is cheaper, has 6 bunks instead of 4, lacks a door to the corridor where there are fold-down hard seats paired around little tables, smoking instead of air-con, and a great opportunity to mix with the locals.<br /><br />The train changed motion directions several times throughout the journey. This confused the hell out of me as to where we could actually be at any given time. Around midnight we must have reached a major station because a lot of people got off. Thankfully the ticket masteress woke me up before Xi'an, in good time to say <q title="good bye">Zaijian</q> to a travel companion.<br /><br />I have no idea about 99% of what this 19 year old girl from Zigong (near Chengdu in Sichuan province) was on about. I did appreciate her patience and insistance with crash-coursing me through some ridiculously fundamental Mandarin. I felt like a total <span style="font-weight: bold;">language moron</span> for hours. I managed to find out that she'd left Beijing and was taking the train home because her boyfriend of 2 years got together with another woman.<br /><br />I have a very long way to go with this tonal language... That's okay though. I'm sure to have plenty more opportunities to practice.<blockquote style="font-size: 85%;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" target="_blank" href="http://www.seat61.com/China.htm"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/5390/901/200/Seat61-sleeperlogo.jpg" alt="trains in China" title="Train travel in China - a beginner's guide" border="0" /></a>China has one of the biggest and busiest rail networks in the world, and trains link almost every town and city. The best Chinese trains are very safe, modern and comfortable.</blockquote>Vernonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07416954711214457199noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11222295.post-1144888996032364162006-04-12T22:37:00.000+09:002006-04-17T11:48:15.956+09:00I climbed The Great WallThat's what it says on my new T-shirt. As we discussed on the bus ride, it's great to give souvenirs to friends and family. However, at the end of the day, you can't give your experiences, and you certainly can't give such a T-shirt to any friend that hasn't had this experience.<br /><br />Given the postage cost is more than 8 times the postcards themselves, you'll be lucky to get them anytime soon. Sorry folks.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vfowler/127690645/" title="2 Parisiens, 2 Londoners, a Chinese driver and an Australian" target="_blank"><img src="http://static.flickr.com/46/127690645_cf180344c8_t.jpg" alt="2 Parisiens, 2 Londoners, a Chinese driver and an Australian" style="margin: 0pt 5px 5px 0pt; float: left;" height="75" width="100" /></a>Jessica and Kyla are the replacements for the Finnish guys in our dormitory. While I munched down breakfast, the weather forecast popped up on the big TV: <span style="font-style: italic;">sunny</span> - I gutsed the rest of my breakfast down, hoping to catch the girls before they left. Together we squeezed into a subway, onto the 980 bus to Miyun, packed another 2 French girls into a 4-speed sedan with our Chinese driver to <a href="http://www.simatai-greatwall.net/" target="_blank">Simatai</a>.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vfowler/127693343/" title="go by flying fox" target="_blank"><img style="margin: 0pt 5px 5px 0pt; float: left;" src="http://static.flickr.com/47/127693343_554fe1ae61_s.jpg" alt="go by flying fox" height="75" width="75" /></a><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vfowler/127697812/" title="This is my wall!" target="_blank"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 5px 5px; float: right;" src="http://static.flickr.com/51/127697812_777b960257_m.jpg" alt="This is my wall!" height="240" width="180" /></a>Simatai is definitely the less touristed and more adventurous of <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vfowler/tags/thegreatwall/" target="_blank" style="font-weight: bold;">The Great Wall</a> sites. The <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vfowler/127691406/in/set-72057594098609751/" target="_blank">actual flying fox</a> looked cool but it was located just a little too near the starting point. The section we visited was only 19km long but still could be seen stretching from horizon to horizon - totally <span style="font-weight: bold;">awesome</span>. A grand day out. Definitely the best I have had in China so far! <q style="font-style: italic;">W-hoo!</q><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vfowler/127702606/" title="Photo Sharing" target="_blank"><img src="http://static.flickr.com/49/127702606_38419cc637_t.jpg" alt="Jessica jumps in" style="margin: 0pt 0pt 5px 5px; clear: right; float: right;" height="100" width="75" /></a>From the #8 watch-tower, the options for our return were three-fold: back the same knee or ankle joint <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vfowler/127694721/" title="The fire is heartless!" target="_blank"><img src="http://static.flickr.com/53/127694721_5bc659975e_m.jpg" alt="The fire is heartless!" style="margin: 5px 5px 5px 0pt; float: left;" height="180" width="240" /></a>destroying way we came; walk down a path then via the personal open-air gondola cable-cars; or start with the mini-train, a useless and short distance down the hill all the way to the cable-car! It's not hard to choose, really...Vernonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07416954711214457199noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11222295.post-1144720468804747322006-04-11T10:52:00.000+09:002006-05-17T13:16:21.626+09:00culture cat and Peking duck<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vfowler/127877540/" title="Beijing goes modern" target="_blank"><img src="http://static.flickr.com/50/127877540_c4f0357363_t.jpg" alt="Beijing goes modern" style="margin: 0pt 5px 5px 0pt; float: left;" height="75" width="100" /></a>Alice showed me on my deteriorating map, where the Oriental Plaza is located. Passing off the usual array of cap selling, map toting, art dealing and tea stealing touts across Tiananmen Square, I found the western monstrosity. Inside the <span style="font-weight: bold;">materialism is oozing</span> from brand market goods shops that are... largely empty of customers...<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vfowler/126852990/" title="big car" target="_blank"><img style="margin: 0pt 5px 5px 0pt; float: left;" src="http://static.flickr.com/50/126852990_be7b8c83d0_s.jpg" alt="big car" height="75" width="75" /></a><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/5390/901/200/fearless1.0.jpg" alt="Fearless movie" border="0" />My mission was to try the <a target="_blank" href="http://www.tour-beijing.com/include/shownews.php?news_id=1434">local cinemas</a> on tight-arse-Tuesday in hope of catching <a href="http://fearlessthemovie.com/" target="_blank">Jet Li's final kung fu movie</a>, but much to my disappointment it wasn't showing! <span style="font-style: italic;">Harrison Ford</span> doesn't really cut it as Chinese cultural enlightenment, but <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0408345/" target="_blank">Firewall</a> was a good movie <span style="font-size:85%;">(and available in English)</span>.<br /><br />At 5pm a friend from the dorm, Dan, and I dined at a 2-star restaurant after walking out of a 5-star. For some reason Dan thought we could afford a luxury dinner - <q>Ha!</q> Instead we each invested Y50 in shear gluttony, including some <span style="font-weight: bold;">delicious Peking duck</span>.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vfowler/127686063/" title="finishing touches" target="_blank"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 5px 5px; float: right;" src="http://static.flickr.com/44/127686063_0001ac445c_t.jpg" alt="finishing touches" height="75" width="100" /></a><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vfowler/127686008/" title="make-up time" target="_blank"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 5px 5px; float: right;" src="http://static.flickr.com/56/127686008_5a3c9c5e02_t.jpg" alt="make-up time" height="75" width="100" /></a>We waddled to the nearby Qianmen Hotel and bought the cheapest tickets to <span style="font-weight: bold;">Beijing opera</span> at the <a href="http://www.qianmenhotel.com/english/tsjy.htm" target="_blank">Liyuan Theatre</a>. It was something very unique to say the least.<img style="margin: 0pt 5px 5px 0pt; float: left;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/5390/901/200/1683185-Beijing_opera_China-Asia.jpg" title="Beijing opera actress" border="0" /> The <a href="http://www.vimeo.com/clip:64506" target="_blank">melodic English speech introduced the show</a>, then the first act launched with a singing story about an empress and her emporer. Playing the empress was an actress with a rather intriguing vocal ability. She sang with 2 distinct voices: one sounded like <a target="_blank" href="http://www.vimeo.com/clip:64507">a Chinese version of Mickey Mouse; the other like a cat</a>.<br /><br /><img style="margin: 0pt 5px 5px 0pt; float: left; clear: left;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/5390/901/200/beijing_opera.jpg" title="cheeky monkey king" border="0" />Finally some more <span style="font-weight: bold;">martial arts</span>, the second act was about a cheeky monkey king that gets away from the authorities, performed entirely through gesture and acrobatic action. A great night of entertainment. There'll be no need for the Adult Toys from the <a href="http://www.fareastyh.com/ecyylbei.htm">Fear East International hotel's coffee bar</a> tonight!Vernonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07416954711214457199noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11222295.post-1144663664461324692006-04-10T18:59:00.000+09:002006-05-17T13:00:52.870+09:00living lungs go to HeavenSo <span style="font-weight: bold;">everyone spits</span> on the ground, no big deal... Until everyone in this city counts over <a href="http://www.lonelyplanet.com/worldguide/destinations/asia/china/beijing?a=facts" target="_blank">13 million people</a>. Can you blame them? Well, let's see... Even I had to blow my nose for the first time today. Beijing is said to be making an attempt to stamp out this habit of everyday life before the Olympics comes to town. Good luck! Is it really a problem? Well if you're on the street you <span style="font-weight: bold;">are</span> standing in spit, it's just a question of how fresh.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vfowler/126287608/" title="roof tile decorative creature" target="_blank"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 5px 5px; float: right;" src="http://static.flickr.com/52/126287608_7a041bfb4d_t.jpg" alt="roof tile decorative creature" height="100" width="75" /></a>More of a problem for me is the chain smoking phenomenon. I was grateful to spend today in <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vfowler/tags/templeofheaven/" style="font-style: italic;" target="_blank">Temple of Heaven</a> park where I could breathe clean air for a few hours without choking at all. It was fantastic, a much needed relief from the everywhere every moment cloud of crap filling me with cancerous filth. Which is probably one contributor to the spitting habit.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vfowler/126285173/" title="what's this sport / activity called?" target="_blank"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 5px 5px; float: right;" src="http://static.flickr.com/43/126285173_e3d1f7a5a9_t.jpg" alt="what's this sport / activity called?" height="100" width="75" /></a><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vfowler/126285665/" title="Janette tries the spinning top" target="_blank"><img style="margin: 0pt 5px 5px 0pt; float: left;" src="http://static.flickr.com/53/126285665_582439cfbb_m.jpg" alt="Janette tries the spinning top" height="240" width="180" /></a>For just Y15 you can get into some clean air and even some trees and grass in TianTan Park. Forget about the historic and religious aspects (the main building is under-going renovation anyway) this park is loaded with active citizens of Beijing. Ballroom dance practice amongst the trees (sounds rather hippy); flowers blooming; artists painting; Chinese style violin practice with vocal accompaniment; <a href="http://www.vimeo.com/clip:62421" target="_blank">racquet and tail ball swirly</a>; <a target="_blank" href="http://www.vimeo.com/clip:62420">harmonica, singing and dancing impromptu jam session</a>; stringed top spinning; feathered kind of hacky-sack; it's all on!<br /><br />I met Kitty and her daughter Janette in the middle of it all. Living in Boston, Janette speaks less Mandarin than me! Kitty translates while they are here in Beijing visiting her parents.<br /><br />Plugging in to the network of street vendor food stalls gives a fresh new experience every time. I tried a couple on my walk back to the hotel: <span style="font-weight: bold;">spicy sausage on a stick</span> and something like a baked pita bread stuffed with... stuffing - simply scrumptious!<br /><br /><a target="_blank" href="http://www.piao.com.cn/en_piao/zhongjiye.asp?623"><img style="margin: 0pt 5px 5px 0pt; float: left;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/5390/901/200/readimg.jpg" alt="Kung Fu show" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vfowler/126852926/" title="The Legend of Kung Fu show" target="_blank"><img src="http://static.flickr.com/56/126852926_d444a1b452_t.jpg" alt="Chun Yi, The Legend of Kung Fu show" style="margin: 0pt 0pt 5px 5px; float: right;" /></a>Alice, a tour guide who works at the hotel, took me to the <span style="font-style: italic;">Kung Fu</span> show at the <a href="http://www.piao.com.cn/en_piao/xinxicontent.asp?piao_id=623&news_id=782">Red Theater</a>. Wow! A spectacular presentation of a simple story, with an excellent atmosphere and great acting. Probably the most exciting theater production I'll ever see. It wasn't expensive which made it all the more enjoyable <a target="_blank" href="http://www.vimeo.com/clip:64504">watching from the top tier</a> in my front row seat.Vernonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07416954711214457199noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11222295.post-1145095321890148422006-04-09T23:02:00.000+09:002006-04-17T11:33:26.706+09:00losing my religion<img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 5px 5px; float: right;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/5390/901/200/ch-buddhism.jpg" alt="Buddhism in China" border="0" /><style type="text/css">.flickr-photo { border: solid 1px #000000; }.flickr-frame { float: left; text-align: center; margin-right: 10px; margin-bottom: 15px; }.flickr-caption { font-size: 0.8em; margin-top: 0px; }</style>The <a target="_blank" href="http://www.buddhistchannel.tv/index.php?id=1,2484,0,0,1,0">first world buddhist forum</a> was recently held in Beijing. Is China opening up to the world or is it a temporary diversion from the introspective past? Since 1982 the Chinese government ammended its constitution to allow freedom of religion.<br /><br />Since it is reputed to be the most colourful temple in Beijing, a visit to the <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vfowler/tags/lamatemple/">Lama Temple</a> was on. Inside each of the halls are various massive Buddha images, however no photography is allowed.<br /><br /><div class="flickr-frame"> <a target="_blank" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vfowler/125584531/" title="photo sharing"><img src="http://static.flickr.com/56/125584531_39ec08100e_m.jpg" class="flickr-photo" alt="monks hanging out" /></a><br /><span class="flickr-caption" > <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vfowler/125584531/" target="_blank">monks hanging out</a>,<br />originally uploaded by <a target="_blank" href="http://www.flickr.com/people/vfowler/">vfowler</a>. </span></div><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vfowler/125584922/" title="Photo Sharing" target="_blank"><img src="http://static.flickr.com/48/125584922_dc9ce89136_t.jpg" alt="temple architecture" style="margin: 0pt 0pt 5px 5px; clear: right; float: right;" height="100" width="75" /></a>To be honest I find it difficult to believe it is the most colourful temple in the city. One thing that did strike me as interesting though were the small male and female figure statues in the museum hall: they were shagging! I've always maintained that if I ever take up a religion, that Buddhism sounds the best.<br /><br />Reading this, you probably know that the Internet is making more of a global impression than any single religion. I haven't attended church / temple for a service other than tourism and friends' weddings. <q>China will have 300-million internet users by 2005.</q> For China however, the catch is <a target="_blank" href="http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/C/CHINA_INTERNET?SITE=FLTAM&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2006-04-13-09-24-48">censorship</a>.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vfowler/125583955/" title="Photo Sharing" target="_blank"><img style="margin: 0pt 5px 5px 0pt; float: left;" src="http://static.flickr.com/54/125583955_75e259fbd0_s.jpg" alt="flowering tree and me" height="75" width="75" /></a><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vfowler/125582324/" title="Photo Sharing" target="_blank"><img src="http://static.flickr.com/39/125582324_b7470675fe_s.jpg" alt="near the front of Lama Temple" style="margin: 0pt 0pt 5px 5px; float: right;" height="75" width="75" /></a>If you are a fan of incense, at the Lama Temple there are many decent bins full of the firey sticks burning away and kneeling prayers afront each. Breathe it in!Vernonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07416954711214457199noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11222295.post-1144575308538681622006-04-07T23:32:00.000+09:002006-04-19T18:31:18.096+09:00Forbidden places<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/5390/901/1600/053382H1.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/5390/901/200/053382H1.jpg" alt="Fearless - Jet Li" border="0" /></a>From the hotel door, through the <span style="font-style: italic;">hutong</span>, then the commercial district, to Tiananmen Square, I marched right up to Mao Zedong's fresh mural and snapped <a href="http://flickr.com/photos/vfowler/124688736/in/set-72057594098609751/">a picture of the 2 of us</a>. Then got shoved aside. I'd had my chance. More than just a few others want the same photo. Not much point in acting tough in front of <span style="font-weight: bold;">the world's largest population</span>. Especially now that Jet Li is <a style="font-style: italic;" target="_blank" href="http://www.fearlessthemovie.com/">Fearless</a>!<br /><br />Even on a weekday, it seems like the whole world wants to go through the Gate of Heavenly Peace. There's a pair of stone lions here that didn't manage to keep the peace so well - <a href="http://flickr.com/photos/vfowler/124688300/in/set-72057594098609751/">one has a bullet wound</a> in his belly.<br /><br />Visiting the <a href="http://www.dpm.org.cn" target="_blank">Forbidden City</a>, yes that's right it's no longer forbidden, they should change the name to <span style="font-style: italic;">The Unforbidden City</span> or something like that. <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vfowler/124690396/in/set-72057594098609751/" title="bikin' about" target="_blank"><img src="http://static.flickr.com/53/124690396_ef95423d3a_s.jpg" alt="bikin' about" style="margin: 0pt 0pt 5px 5px; float: right; clear: right;" height="75" width="75" /></a>Both the Ming and the Qing dynasties of emporers hung out here most of their entire lives. I must say that I am impressed at the shear size of the place. In fact it's so big at the <a target="_blank" href="http://flickr.com/photos/vfowler/124691184/in/set-72057594098609751/">Meridian Gate</a>, that it's impossible to stitch just one row of photos together into a panorama.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vfowler/124691915/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://static.flickr.com/48/124691915_4528678458_t.jpg" alt="Golden Stream" style="margin: 0pt 5px 5px 0pt; float: left;" height="100" width="75" /></a><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vfowler/124693962/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://static.flickr.com/53/124693962_1dca740df1_t.jpg" alt="say " hi="" to="" the="" people="" of="" china="" style="margin: 0pt 5px 5px 0pt; float: left;" height="100" width="75" /></a><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vfowler/124700525/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://static.flickr.com/37/124700525_c5f3f7d6c4_t.jpg" alt="Kiss of the Dragon" style="margin: 0pt 5px 5px 0pt; float: left;" height="100" width="75" /></a><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vfowler/124697812/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://static.flickr.com/49/124697812_012dfe7350_t.jpg" alt="IMG_0602" style="margin: 0pt 5px 5px 0pt; float: left;" height="100" width="75" /></a><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vfowler/124735924/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://static.flickr.com/51/124735924_6221c6f016_t.jpg" alt="bronze bruiser snarls" style="margin: 0pt 5px 5px 0pt; float: left;" height="100" width="75" /></a>After taking too many photos, my camera battery died just on closing time. Two kindergarten teachers walked me to the camera shop and got the standard discount for me. In a Chinese style tea ceremony, we tried half a dozen different teas. Next door the ladies showed me through a big Chinese herbal medicine shop - I didn't realise until I checked later, that it is the famous <span style="font-style: italic;">Beijing Tong Ren Tang Pharmacy</span> <span style="font-size:85%;">(from 1669 A.D.)</span> - the remedies inside were being sold by the gram!Vernonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07416954711214457199noreply@blogger.com0