My return to Canada could have been easier. Because of all the snow storms, my flight was delayed by more than five hours. Waiting for the departure of my flight, I actually slept for some time on the carpet of the waiting room in which I was at the Honolulu airport.
Then, upon arriving in Vancouver, I was shocked to see all the snow and feel the cold. It felt more like Montreal than Vancouver. After spending months in hot climates, I was confronted with the results of the worst weather in over a decade.
But that was nothing compared to what was to come. When I was in Hawaii, I had the choice to fly to San Francisco or to Vancouver. A friend had agreed to let me stay at his place south of San Fran while he's in Montreal visiting friends and family. My ex-girlfriend also told me I could stay at her place (or even the place of one of her friends) in Vancouver while she was away for the holidays with her new boyfriend. Since the plane ticket to Vancouver was half the price of that to San Francisco and since I needed to go to Vancouver to get my things back and tie some loose ends before moving out of that city, I opted to fly to Vancouver.
But, when I got to her place, my ex-girlfriend quickly came back to me with the encounters I had with bedbugs while abroad. She told me that because there was a risk that my bags were carrying bedbugs, I could not stay at her place nor at her friend's place. She seemed very upset. That I had washed most of my things; gotten rid of the others and placed all the items I had brought back with me from my trip in a sealed garbage bag didn't reassure her. Nor did the facts that I had not been bitten and had not seen a single bedbug (despite multiple inspections of my luggage) since leaving the infested hotel in Australia.
My ex-girlfriend sometimes panics or blows things out of proportion, especially when she is stressed or upset. Rather than try to convince her that my things in the garbage bag did not pose a threat to the salubrity of her apartment, I offered to simply get rid of the bag (or store it outside on one of my friends' balcony).
But, the issue wasn't really about bedbugs. It was about me being around. In a very emotional scene, she told me how my presence reminds her of the past and how she is tired of me being closer than she is comfortable with despite her efforts to push me away by being abrupt or even mean with me. There is something I don't understand in all of this. Then, she went on telling me that my presence was jeopardizing her relationship with her new boyfriend (after all, who likes ex'es hanging around?) and she seemed very distressed. I then told her I would leave rather than cause her strife. She took her keys back and I found myself homeless in Vancouver without my things in the middle of the snow.
Fortunately, a friend of mine was downtown at one of her friends' place who is renting a room. The room happened to be free until January and I found myself a place to stay. The next day, I thought my ex-girlfriend would have calmed down, but I got an email from her telling me that I couldn't stay at her or her friend's place; that she would have a common friend meet me while she was gone so that I could get my things and that I should no longer contact her.
All of this is enough to mess up one's Christmas. All I wanted was to peacefully go about doing my own things in Vancouver before leaving for Montreal in January. Why did she feel compelled to do this to me (and in such a rough manner)? Why was she so emotional during that whole episode? Why end the remaining friendship when I was days from leaving Vancouver? As I mentioned before, there is something I don't understand about all this. I likely never will.
2008-12-27
2008-12-23
Last Day in Hawaii
Today, I went skydiving.
I made a tandem dive with a professional skydiver so I didn't need to know much. It all seemed unreal up until the moment we jumped off the plane and I looked down. The plane provided a reference point which made me realize I was falling fast into a void. For a few seconds, that was pretty scary. Then, it was just falling, but felt more like flying since nothing is close around and by just looking at the faraway horizon and landscape, it didn't feel like I was going down. The wind was pretty intense at that point.
Then, the parachute opened, which gave a considerable jolt. When the parachute was open, I felt a lot safer. Looking down and around, I could see for miles and miles. Turning made me feel queasy. Before I knew it, I was back on the ground and it was over.
Equally enjoyable was talking to the shuttle driver who brought me to the skydiving site. He's some kind of guy on a mission to illuminate people by making them more conscious of their own being.
When I came back from my dive, I made myself more conscious of my own belly by filling it with lots of Hawaiian food.
I'm minutes away from going to the airport to catch my flight back to Vancouver. My flight is delayed because of all the snow back in Canada. I can't believe my trip is ending.
I made a tandem dive with a professional skydiver so I didn't need to know much. It all seemed unreal up until the moment we jumped off the plane and I looked down. The plane provided a reference point which made me realize I was falling fast into a void. For a few seconds, that was pretty scary. Then, it was just falling, but felt more like flying since nothing is close around and by just looking at the faraway horizon and landscape, it didn't feel like I was going down. The wind was pretty intense at that point.
Then, the parachute opened, which gave a considerable jolt. When the parachute was open, I felt a lot safer. Looking down and around, I could see for miles and miles. Turning made me feel queasy. Before I knew it, I was back on the ground and it was over.
Equally enjoyable was talking to the shuttle driver who brought me to the skydiving site. He's some kind of guy on a mission to illuminate people by making them more conscious of their own being.
When I came back from my dive, I made myself more conscious of my own belly by filling it with lots of Hawaiian food.
I'm minutes away from going to the airport to catch my flight back to Vancouver. My flight is delayed because of all the snow back in Canada. I can't believe my trip is ending.
2008-12-22
Hawaii
From the moment I got at the Honolulu airport, I noticed a clear vibe change from Australia and New Zealand. The number of freaks per capita is WAY higher in the USA than in any other First World countries I've ever visited. It comes as no surprise to see so many police officers all over the place in the US. Crime is comparable to what you'd expect from a Second World nation.
Despite being richer than other First World countries, the USA has a noticeably lower quality of life than these other countries. Much of this statement is based on subjective impressions and non-statistically-significant observations on the number of homeless people, junkies and sick people. However, the UN has published a report that seems to go somewhat in the same direction as my feelings.
I spent my first night in Honolulu in a hotel. The second night, I decided to go to a hostel to lower my costs and possibly meet some people. When I saw the freaks in the hostel, I opted against a dorm bed and for a private room instead. Destitute junkies actually live in hostels here because it's cheaper than having an apartment. Some hostels require their guests to be travelers (from at least out of the state) so as to keep indesirable individuals from their premises. However, these hostels are almost always fully booked.
On the street next to the shore of Waikiki beach, I met some Chileans who needed some help to make a phone call. They are in Hawaii on a working holiday visa and had just gotten there when I met them. After I helped them, we exchanged emails. It turned out beneficial for me because two of them went on the island of Kauai and hosted me for two nights in their newfound flat when I visited that island again. Although the room where they are staying is in a nice house, the people with whom they share the place are a bit shady. The owner of the house is a bisexual man with a penchant for young men and also turned out to be a drug dealer. The other people in the house are weed-heads whose relationship with the landlord I dared not find too much about. I hope the Chileans won't get to go through any crap because of the people in the flat where they live.
After visiting Kauai, I flew to the Big Island. There, I went to see the lava flow and went to a thermal oceanic pond where you can swim in naturally warm water (a bit like I did in New Zealand). I also went up a 14000 feet tall snow-capped, extinct volcano. At that height, the atmosphere contains about half the amount of oxygen found at sea level. Mental and physical effort becomes more strenuous.
I also went on the island of Maui. I rented an SUV with the intention of sleeping in it. It wasn't comfortable and I spent a bad night trying to find an acceptable position; trying to ignore people around and breathing increasingly humid and stale air. In the morning, I went to the town of Lahaina where many tried to get me to start the process of acquiring a time-share in Hawaii. Many tour desks will give you free tours or activities if you accept to attend a presentation on time-shares. But, all I wanted was to visit Molokini.
Molokini is a volcanic cinder cone that has eroded over the ages into a moon-shaped island:
Although it looks better on the picture above than when I saw it with my own eyes, it is still one of the best place on this planet to snorkel. On the way to Molokini, many dolphins came to play with the boat I was on. Also, whales swam towards and under the boat. That was pretty cool.
The crater is brimming with fish of all kinds and is carpeted with coral. I wanted to compare the inside of the crater to the outside so I swam up to its edge. Doing so brought me out of the sight of the crew of my boat. That would not be too bad if it weren't for the fact that, once I was outside the crater, strong oceanic currents starting sweeping me away. As hard and fast as I tried to swim in the direction of my boat, I could not fight the currents. For a few seconds, the germ of panic was growing inside me. I felt very small in the huge ocean. Then, instead of trying in a futile and brainless manner to just swim towards my boat and just wasting my energy, I decided to swim perpendicularly to the currents and reach the crater. From there, I could wait much longer than in the ocean for people to come for me. However, I was lucky enough that I didn't have time to reach the crater before a boat came to pick me up. Its captain said he saw me and thought I was in trouble. He also told me a few people never made it back after pulling similar stunts. I was quite grateful for his lift to my own boat.
Back on my boat, I ate some candy to get some energy back. I was exhausted. I didn't feel too freaked out by the whole situation. Even if the boat that came to get me had not been there, I'm confident I would have made it just fine. Still, I thought to myself that there has to be safer ways to brave death. That's when I decided to go skydiving. I'm jumping from a plane tomorrow at an altitude of 14000'.
Despite being richer than other First World countries, the USA has a noticeably lower quality of life than these other countries. Much of this statement is based on subjective impressions and non-statistically-significant observations on the number of homeless people, junkies and sick people. However, the UN has published a report that seems to go somewhat in the same direction as my feelings.
I spent my first night in Honolulu in a hotel. The second night, I decided to go to a hostel to lower my costs and possibly meet some people. When I saw the freaks in the hostel, I opted against a dorm bed and for a private room instead. Destitute junkies actually live in hostels here because it's cheaper than having an apartment. Some hostels require their guests to be travelers (from at least out of the state) so as to keep indesirable individuals from their premises. However, these hostels are almost always fully booked.
On the street next to the shore of Waikiki beach, I met some Chileans who needed some help to make a phone call. They are in Hawaii on a working holiday visa and had just gotten there when I met them. After I helped them, we exchanged emails. It turned out beneficial for me because two of them went on the island of Kauai and hosted me for two nights in their newfound flat when I visited that island again. Although the room where they are staying is in a nice house, the people with whom they share the place are a bit shady. The owner of the house is a bisexual man with a penchant for young men and also turned out to be a drug dealer. The other people in the house are weed-heads whose relationship with the landlord I dared not find too much about. I hope the Chileans won't get to go through any crap because of the people in the flat where they live.
After visiting Kauai, I flew to the Big Island. There, I went to see the lava flow and went to a thermal oceanic pond where you can swim in naturally warm water (a bit like I did in New Zealand). I also went up a 14000 feet tall snow-capped, extinct volcano. At that height, the atmosphere contains about half the amount of oxygen found at sea level. Mental and physical effort becomes more strenuous.
I also went on the island of Maui. I rented an SUV with the intention of sleeping in it. It wasn't comfortable and I spent a bad night trying to find an acceptable position; trying to ignore people around and breathing increasingly humid and stale air. In the morning, I went to the town of Lahaina where many tried to get me to start the process of acquiring a time-share in Hawaii. Many tour desks will give you free tours or activities if you accept to attend a presentation on time-shares. But, all I wanted was to visit Molokini.
Molokini is a volcanic cinder cone that has eroded over the ages into a moon-shaped island:
Although it looks better on the picture above than when I saw it with my own eyes, it is still one of the best place on this planet to snorkel. On the way to Molokini, many dolphins came to play with the boat I was on. Also, whales swam towards and under the boat. That was pretty cool.
The crater is brimming with fish of all kinds and is carpeted with coral. I wanted to compare the inside of the crater to the outside so I swam up to its edge. Doing so brought me out of the sight of the crew of my boat. That would not be too bad if it weren't for the fact that, once I was outside the crater, strong oceanic currents starting sweeping me away. As hard and fast as I tried to swim in the direction of my boat, I could not fight the currents. For a few seconds, the germ of panic was growing inside me. I felt very small in the huge ocean. Then, instead of trying in a futile and brainless manner to just swim towards my boat and just wasting my energy, I decided to swim perpendicularly to the currents and reach the crater. From there, I could wait much longer than in the ocean for people to come for me. However, I was lucky enough that I didn't have time to reach the crater before a boat came to pick me up. Its captain said he saw me and thought I was in trouble. He also told me a few people never made it back after pulling similar stunts. I was quite grateful for his lift to my own boat.
Back on my boat, I ate some candy to get some energy back. I was exhausted. I didn't feel too freaked out by the whole situation. Even if the boat that came to get me had not been there, I'm confident I would have made it just fine. Still, I thought to myself that there has to be safer ways to brave death. That's when I decided to go skydiving. I'm jumping from a plane tomorrow at an altitude of 14000'.
2008-12-13
New Zealand is Boring
New Zealand is a beautiful, but sleepy country. It's like a colder, quieter version of Hawaii. People are friendly and the quality of life is good. But, I'd never be able to live there: it's too boring for me. I need big cities, action and a faster pace of life.
However, I did try to make the most out of my time there. After arriving in the South Island, I proceeded to the North Island. First, I visited Wellington, the capital. Then, I moved on further north to Rotorua.
The scenery on the South Island reminds me of what I imagine the Scottish Highlands to be like. The scenery on the North Island is somewhat similar to that of Hawaii, but looks a bit less tropical. One could say New Zealand is a bit like British Columbia too, because of the weather.
In Rotorua, I saw sites of geothermal activity such as erupting mud pools, geysers, steams vents and a village that has been buried in ashes and lava over a hundred year ago. I also had some wine with a friendly German girl I met that day.
After that, I moved a bit West and rented a car. It was the first time I drove on the left side of the road. It wasn't too bad, but often, I had fractions of seconds when I was thinking to myself "that guy's on the wrong side of the road" or when I felt I should move to the right lane. Fortunately, I never did so. However, I did freak out an old lady who was driving straight from the opposite direction when I turned right without giving her right of way. Basically, what I did is the North American equivalent of turning left onto a perpendicular street when someone's coming at you from the opposite direction. Two-lane roundabouts and the way to deal with them were new to me too.
Anyway, I drove to a beach where thermal springs spew out hot water from under the sand. So, if you dig into the beach, you create your own hot thermal bath. After benefiting from the hot water, I had to find a place to stay the night and found a B&B on a farm.
The next day, I visited a cave complex that has glowworms illuminating its ceiling in a way that makes it look like an underground night sky. Then, I returned the rental car and took a bus to Auckland, New Zealand's biggest city (which is still only about as big as Ottawa). There's not much to see or do in that city, so I decided to fly out of there pretty quickly.
However, I did try to make the most out of my time there. After arriving in the South Island, I proceeded to the North Island. First, I visited Wellington, the capital. Then, I moved on further north to Rotorua.
The scenery on the South Island reminds me of what I imagine the Scottish Highlands to be like. The scenery on the North Island is somewhat similar to that of Hawaii, but looks a bit less tropical. One could say New Zealand is a bit like British Columbia too, because of the weather.
In Rotorua, I saw sites of geothermal activity such as erupting mud pools, geysers, steams vents and a village that has been buried in ashes and lava over a hundred year ago. I also had some wine with a friendly German girl I met that day.
After that, I moved a bit West and rented a car. It was the first time I drove on the left side of the road. It wasn't too bad, but often, I had fractions of seconds when I was thinking to myself "that guy's on the wrong side of the road" or when I felt I should move to the right lane. Fortunately, I never did so. However, I did freak out an old lady who was driving straight from the opposite direction when I turned right without giving her right of way. Basically, what I did is the North American equivalent of turning left onto a perpendicular street when someone's coming at you from the opposite direction. Two-lane roundabouts and the way to deal with them were new to me too.
Anyway, I drove to a beach where thermal springs spew out hot water from under the sand. So, if you dig into the beach, you create your own hot thermal bath. After benefiting from the hot water, I had to find a place to stay the night and found a B&B on a farm.
The next day, I visited a cave complex that has glowworms illuminating its ceiling in a way that makes it look like an underground night sky. Then, I returned the rental car and took a bus to Auckland, New Zealand's biggest city (which is still only about as big as Ottawa). There's not much to see or do in that city, so I decided to fly out of there pretty quickly.
2008-12-07
New Zealand
I arrived in New Zealand last night.
It's a pretty sleepy, quiet place. It's perfect for fans of nature. Urbanites won't find what they are looking for, though. The whole country has a population of about four million people. That's less than the population of Toronto or Sydney.
For 37$ US, I stayed the night at a super cool boutique hotel called Hotel SO that reminded me a lot of the "W" chain of hotels. That's value!
I'm now on the Southern Island. I'm moving up north today.
I toyed around with Google Maps and quickly drew the itinerary of my trip so far. It's fun to visualize the journey like this.
It's a pretty sleepy, quiet place. It's perfect for fans of nature. Urbanites won't find what they are looking for, though. The whole country has a population of about four million people. That's less than the population of Toronto or Sydney.
For 37$ US, I stayed the night at a super cool boutique hotel called Hotel SO that reminded me a lot of the "W" chain of hotels. That's value!
I'm now on the Southern Island. I'm moving up north today.
I toyed around with Google Maps and quickly drew the itinerary of my trip so far. It's fun to visualize the journey like this.
2008-12-06
More on Sydney + Canberra + Melbourne
Since my last entry, I've explored Sydney more, then went to Canberra (Australia's capital) and Melbourne.
I rented a bike in Sydney to explore the inner suburbs of the city. They were all nice: clean neighborhoods with beautiful, liveable architecture. I didn't see any ghetto. I'm sure there are poor people in Australia, but you don't see as much as in Canada (which is a pretty good country to start with).
Australians are known for their sense of humor and business names reflect that. Many of them are clever puns such as "Hits & Myths" (a video rental shop), "Scent from Heaven" (a perfume shop), "Pleasure Chest" (a sex shop), "LawnOrder" (a lawn care business)...
Really, I don't have much to say against Sydney. The city could use one or two more light-rail lines and could be more bicycle-friendly (all the sewer caps are aligned so that bike tires can get stuck in them, there are almost no bike racks, you are not allowed to bike in many parks, you are legally obligated to wear a helmet when biking and the hills are annoying to ascend). Other than that, the only annoyance I've encountered is that the flies in Australia are very persistent. They'll follow you forever and try to enter your mouth and ears. But, when enumerating what's bad with a city, if you only come up with the small stuff I mentioned, it's a sign that the place is pretty good. In fact, I really wouldn't mind living there. The thing that would freak me out the most about living in Australia is that it's so far from the rest of the world and that it requires lots of money and time to get anywhere from there. Living in Australia is living on an island, literally and figuratively.
I had a fillet of kangaroo in Sydney. Pretty tasty meat. It's lean and is best when not cooked too much. I can add kangaroo to the ever-expanding list of animals I ate.
I took a 3 hour bus ride to Canberra. Canberra, like Brasilia in Brazil, is a city that was created from scratch to be the capital of its nation. As such, it's a pretty small and sleepy place. Personally, I think they should have let the capital remain Melbourne.
After spending a somewhat boring day in Canberra, I took another bus. This time to Melbourne. Melbourne is small than Sydney. Sydney is about the size of Toronto and Melbourne that of Montreal. The analogy goes further as Sydney is supposed to be more business-oriented and Melbourne more cultural. For both pairs of cities, that is arguable.
Melbourne reminds me of San Francisco (without the homeless junkies and the hills) because of its medley of architectures and the presence of tramways. It's a beautiful city with a good quality of life.
I still prefer Sydney because it's larger, warmer and has nicer beaches.
I had a second encounter with bedbugs. I went to a hotel and everything was fine for the night. In the morning, after taking my shower, I saw a bedbug crawl on the pair of pants I had put on a chair to wear that day. I caught the bug and showed it to the manager. That earned me 50% discount on my room. The problem is that I spent a whole night in that hotel and that I had left my bags open. Bedbugs are very sneaky and are usually carried on travelers' luggage. Once you get them, they are very difficult to get rid of. The last thing I want is to bring some to where I'm going to stay in Canada. So, I'll have to assume that my bags are infested and wrap them in tightly closed garbage bags once I get back home. To insure the bags and their contents is clear, I will need to place them in freezing temperature for a day. Montreal's weather will do the trick. Items from the bags that I want to use before that (clothes and such) will need to be washed with water hot enough to kill any potential bug.
All this is a pain. I was paying the big bucks in Australia to stay in hotels precisely to avoid exposure to bed bugs after my encounter in Singapore. Well, there is no point for that anymore. I'll go to backpacker hostels to save money from now on.
I'm flying to New Zealand in a few hours. All this traveling has exhausted me. I think I'll need a vacation to recover from this vacation. So, I'm likely to go to Hawaii on my way back to North America to relax and rest.
I rented a bike in Sydney to explore the inner suburbs of the city. They were all nice: clean neighborhoods with beautiful, liveable architecture. I didn't see any ghetto. I'm sure there are poor people in Australia, but you don't see as much as in Canada (which is a pretty good country to start with).
Australians are known for their sense of humor and business names reflect that. Many of them are clever puns such as "Hits & Myths" (a video rental shop), "Scent from Heaven" (a perfume shop), "Pleasure Chest" (a sex shop), "LawnOrder" (a lawn care business)...
Really, I don't have much to say against Sydney. The city could use one or two more light-rail lines and could be more bicycle-friendly (all the sewer caps are aligned so that bike tires can get stuck in them, there are almost no bike racks, you are not allowed to bike in many parks, you are legally obligated to wear a helmet when biking and the hills are annoying to ascend). Other than that, the only annoyance I've encountered is that the flies in Australia are very persistent. They'll follow you forever and try to enter your mouth and ears. But, when enumerating what's bad with a city, if you only come up with the small stuff I mentioned, it's a sign that the place is pretty good. In fact, I really wouldn't mind living there. The thing that would freak me out the most about living in Australia is that it's so far from the rest of the world and that it requires lots of money and time to get anywhere from there. Living in Australia is living on an island, literally and figuratively.
I had a fillet of kangaroo in Sydney. Pretty tasty meat. It's lean and is best when not cooked too much. I can add kangaroo to the ever-expanding list of animals I ate.
I took a 3 hour bus ride to Canberra. Canberra, like Brasilia in Brazil, is a city that was created from scratch to be the capital of its nation. As such, it's a pretty small and sleepy place. Personally, I think they should have let the capital remain Melbourne.
After spending a somewhat boring day in Canberra, I took another bus. This time to Melbourne. Melbourne is small than Sydney. Sydney is about the size of Toronto and Melbourne that of Montreal. The analogy goes further as Sydney is supposed to be more business-oriented and Melbourne more cultural. For both pairs of cities, that is arguable.
Melbourne reminds me of San Francisco (without the homeless junkies and the hills) because of its medley of architectures and the presence of tramways. It's a beautiful city with a good quality of life.
I still prefer Sydney because it's larger, warmer and has nicer beaches.
I had a second encounter with bedbugs. I went to a hotel and everything was fine for the night. In the morning, after taking my shower, I saw a bedbug crawl on the pair of pants I had put on a chair to wear that day. I caught the bug and showed it to the manager. That earned me 50% discount on my room. The problem is that I spent a whole night in that hotel and that I had left my bags open. Bedbugs are very sneaky and are usually carried on travelers' luggage. Once you get them, they are very difficult to get rid of. The last thing I want is to bring some to where I'm going to stay in Canada. So, I'll have to assume that my bags are infested and wrap them in tightly closed garbage bags once I get back home. To insure the bags and their contents is clear, I will need to place them in freezing temperature for a day. Montreal's weather will do the trick. Items from the bags that I want to use before that (clothes and such) will need to be washed with water hot enough to kill any potential bug.
All this is a pain. I was paying the big bucks in Australia to stay in hotels precisely to avoid exposure to bed bugs after my encounter in Singapore. Well, there is no point for that anymore. I'll go to backpacker hostels to save money from now on.
I'm flying to New Zealand in a few hours. All this traveling has exhausted me. I think I'll need a vacation to recover from this vacation. So, I'm likely to go to Hawaii on my way back to North America to relax and rest.
2008-11-30
Sydney
Sydney is AWESOME!
Its downtown core feels a bit like New York; the city as a whole feels a bit like London. You take that, shrink it down to the size of Toronto and add a zest of Northern California and you get Sydney.
The city has it all: great architecture, green spaces, big businesses (while keeping a laid-back atmosphere), history, beaches, a cosmopolitan population, ...
Physically, it's a very beautiful place. The streets are lively and the quality of life here has to be one of the best on the planet.
Its downtown core feels a bit like New York; the city as a whole feels a bit like London. You take that, shrink it down to the size of Toronto and add a zest of Northern California and you get Sydney.
The city has it all: great architecture, green spaces, big businesses (while keeping a laid-back atmosphere), history, beaches, a cosmopolitan population, ...
Physically, it's a very beautiful place. The streets are lively and the quality of life here has to be one of the best on the planet.
2008-11-28
Australia
I landed in Brisbane a few days ago. Although the temperature does go up to 30 C during the day, I find it temperate, almost cold (compared to South East Asia). Finally, I'm not sweating all the time anymore. I still drink lots of slurpees and slushes, though.
I was almost shocked when I landed in Australia: people are white! I'm the norm, not the exception anymore. I'm sure when I get to Sydney and Melbourne, I'll just be one of the many ethnies again (just like in Canada). However, as soon as I open my mouth, people know I'm a foreigner. Sometimes, I don't quite get what people are telling me.
Australia feels just like the UK, except with nice weather. The people look British and dress like the British. They also drive on the left side and speak with a similar accent.
Brisbane is comparable in size and vibrancy to Vancouver. It's pretty small and one day of that city was enough for me. After a while, seeing another new city doesn't really makes much a difference to me. I still enjoy my stroll around town and walking under fragrant fig trees.
I went to a koala sanctuary where I saw a bunch of these creatures. I also saw wombats, lizards, a Tasmanian devil, cassowaries and many other beasts. Of course, there were loads of kangaroos. I got to play with a few of them. They do jump fast when they want to get around.
Now, I'm in Surfers Paradise, a beach city a few kilometers south of Brisbane. It feels like Honolulu, only a bit more hardcore on the partying. Right now, it's "Schoolies Week". Australians have their summer vacation in December and January. They also graduate in December. When Australians graduate from high school, they go on a week-long trip (many of them to Surfers Paradise) and go mental.
Basically, the streets and buses are filled with drunken 17 year-olds being rowdy, merry and noisy. It's an interesting phenomenon to witness. In the past, the drunken kids would just be up to no good at night, so the city now organizes parties to keep an eye on them. I can't count the number of times young people hugged me and told me that "Your my brother, mate. Cheers. We're all together" and so on. Most of it is peaceful. I haven't really seen anyone breaking stuff or starting fights. I did see a drunken girl get naked right next to me on the beach, though. This whole thing is similar to the US' spring break deal.
Tonight, I'm flying to Sydney.
I was almost shocked when I landed in Australia: people are white! I'm the norm, not the exception anymore. I'm sure when I get to Sydney and Melbourne, I'll just be one of the many ethnies again (just like in Canada). However, as soon as I open my mouth, people know I'm a foreigner. Sometimes, I don't quite get what people are telling me.
Australia feels just like the UK, except with nice weather. The people look British and dress like the British. They also drive on the left side and speak with a similar accent.
Brisbane is comparable in size and vibrancy to Vancouver. It's pretty small and one day of that city was enough for me. After a while, seeing another new city doesn't really makes much a difference to me. I still enjoy my stroll around town and walking under fragrant fig trees.
I went to a koala sanctuary where I saw a bunch of these creatures. I also saw wombats, lizards, a Tasmanian devil, cassowaries and many other beasts. Of course, there were loads of kangaroos. I got to play with a few of them. They do jump fast when they want to get around.
Now, I'm in Surfers Paradise, a beach city a few kilometers south of Brisbane. It feels like Honolulu, only a bit more hardcore on the partying. Right now, it's "Schoolies Week". Australians have their summer vacation in December and January. They also graduate in December. When Australians graduate from high school, they go on a week-long trip (many of them to Surfers Paradise) and go mental.
Basically, the streets and buses are filled with drunken 17 year-olds being rowdy, merry and noisy. It's an interesting phenomenon to witness. In the past, the drunken kids would just be up to no good at night, so the city now organizes parties to keep an eye on them. I can't count the number of times young people hugged me and told me that "Your my brother, mate. Cheers. We're all together" and so on. Most of it is peaceful. I haven't really seen anyone breaking stuff or starting fights. I did see a drunken girl get naked right next to me on the beach, though. This whole thing is similar to the US' spring break deal.
Tonight, I'm flying to Sydney.
2008-11-26
Singapore
I've just spent a week in Singapore. I love the place. It's a breath of fresh air; an oasis of civilization in South East Asia. It's reminiscent of Britain at least as much as Hong Kong is.
It's the first time I'm in a First World country that is so hot (in terms of temperature). At least, I can drink tap water now and I don't have to worry about what I eat. And speaking of food, Singapore is a gastronome's paradise. It has Chinese food, Malaysian food, Indian food, its own kind of food and food from all over the world. For two or three dollars, you can get tasty noodles with minced beef, pieces of pork and vegetables. Everyday, I try some new food and I'm always satisfied with what I get.
The variety in foods can be explained by the variety of the people of Singapore. About 75% are of Chinese descent; then there are many Malays and Indians. This mix has a strong British influence binding the parts together.
I haven't seen abjectly poor people in Singapore, which was a refreshing change from the previous countries I visited on this trip.
There are so many shopping centers in Singapore, it feels like one big mall.
The women here are very pretty. Ranging from the sophisticated, well-dressed business women (my ex-girlfriend, from Singapore, is true to her roots) to the casual girls wearing very short shorts or skirts. Singapore presents Shanghai with some serious competition with regards to fashion and beauty.
But, not all is perfect in Singapore. Housing is expensive and some weird laws are in effect in this city-nation.
As a visitor, the expensive housing mainly means that I have to pay a lot to get a decent place to sleep here. I spent my first night in what I read on the Net was a cheap hotel. It cost me 159 S$ (about 106$ US). The room wasn't great and I don't feel I got value for my money. Also, I was getting used to get decent rooms for 10$ because of Vietnam and Cambodia!
The second night, I paid 73 S$ (about 49$ US) for a decent room in a indecent neighborhood. The room was clean and functional, but the hotel was located smack in the middle of Singapore's red-light district. I thought that with Singapore's stringent rules, I wouldn't be bothered too much by the "action" going around, but I was wrong.
Singapore has legalized prostitution. To practice that profession, a woman needs to have a special work permit and undergo bi-weekly medical exams to make sure she isn't carrying any diseases. Pimping is illegal and so is street prostitution. So far, everything is fine, commendable, even. However, a bunch of illegals flock around the legal working places and bother people on the street to provide their services. The problem isn't with the legal workers, who are discreet and controlled, but with the illegals, who are in your face and probably full of diseases.
I think both the Singapore government and the legal prostitution establishments should work harder to get rid of the illegal workers (who are often in Singapore only for a few months on a tourist visa from Thailand, Burma, China, ...). For the government, they represent an image and health problem. For the businesses, they represent competition that drives the prices down.
The way I'd fix the problem is by having "find-an-illegal" prizes. Customers finding a prostitute working without a permit would be entitled to a cash prize. Illegals would be scared to work as their next customer could simply turn them in. Customers would find a way to make money while having fun. Finally, the legal prostitution businesses would get more customers and could charge higher prices (part of which would be used to finance the whole scheme). I need to find out where I can register to be on the ballot to be the next mayor!
The third night, I decided to go to a hostel instead of paying for crap. The hostel was the worst place. It had no private bathroom. And, before I got into the bed, I noticed the place was full of bedbugs. I freaked out, got a refund and went to another hotel (this time in the middle of nowhere - not accessible by metro). I paid 85 S$ (about 57$ US) for a room so noisy I had to request a change. The new room had footsteps printed with dust on the sheets and had breaker problems and no hot water.
Finally, the fourth night, I found something "acceptable" for 90$ S$ (about 60$ US) in Chinatown. The hot water wasn't really hot in the shower, but I was just tired of running around to save a few bucks. I hope I'll have better luck with accommodations in Australia and New Zealand.
Other than high housing costs, Singapore also has weird laws or ways of making sure they are followed. For instance, chewing gum is illegal in Singapore. So are Malaysian newspapers and publications by the Jehovah's Witnesses. Despite legalized prostitution, porn (even soft-core) is illegal in Singapore. Despite hosting a gay parade, homosexual behavior is illegal. Also, oral sex which does not lead to intercourse is punishable by law (that law has been upheld in a 1997 ruling). Media are subject to censorship. I saw a park with a speaker's corner in the center of the city. If you want to speak publicly in that park to a crowd (even without amplifiers or sound equipment), you have to request permission to the government first! Drug trafficking carries a mandatory death penalty. Many offenses are punishable by caning.
Honestly, I must admit that none of these laws affected me personally. But, by principle, I have to object to them.
Nonetheless, Singapore is overall a great place and I wouldn't mind living here for a while. It is one of my favorite places in Asia. Maybe I'll be back here one day.
It's the first time I'm in a First World country that is so hot (in terms of temperature). At least, I can drink tap water now and I don't have to worry about what I eat. And speaking of food, Singapore is a gastronome's paradise. It has Chinese food, Malaysian food, Indian food, its own kind of food and food from all over the world. For two or three dollars, you can get tasty noodles with minced beef, pieces of pork and vegetables. Everyday, I try some new food and I'm always satisfied with what I get.
The variety in foods can be explained by the variety of the people of Singapore. About 75% are of Chinese descent; then there are many Malays and Indians. This mix has a strong British influence binding the parts together.
I haven't seen abjectly poor people in Singapore, which was a refreshing change from the previous countries I visited on this trip.
There are so many shopping centers in Singapore, it feels like one big mall.
The women here are very pretty. Ranging from the sophisticated, well-dressed business women (my ex-girlfriend, from Singapore, is true to her roots) to the casual girls wearing very short shorts or skirts. Singapore presents Shanghai with some serious competition with regards to fashion and beauty.
But, not all is perfect in Singapore. Housing is expensive and some weird laws are in effect in this city-nation.
As a visitor, the expensive housing mainly means that I have to pay a lot to get a decent place to sleep here. I spent my first night in what I read on the Net was a cheap hotel. It cost me 159 S$ (about 106$ US). The room wasn't great and I don't feel I got value for my money. Also, I was getting used to get decent rooms for 10$ because of Vietnam and Cambodia!
The second night, I paid 73 S$ (about 49$ US) for a decent room in a indecent neighborhood. The room was clean and functional, but the hotel was located smack in the middle of Singapore's red-light district. I thought that with Singapore's stringent rules, I wouldn't be bothered too much by the "action" going around, but I was wrong.
Singapore has legalized prostitution. To practice that profession, a woman needs to have a special work permit and undergo bi-weekly medical exams to make sure she isn't carrying any diseases. Pimping is illegal and so is street prostitution. So far, everything is fine, commendable, even. However, a bunch of illegals flock around the legal working places and bother people on the street to provide their services. The problem isn't with the legal workers, who are discreet and controlled, but with the illegals, who are in your face and probably full of diseases.
I think both the Singapore government and the legal prostitution establishments should work harder to get rid of the illegal workers (who are often in Singapore only for a few months on a tourist visa from Thailand, Burma, China, ...). For the government, they represent an image and health problem. For the businesses, they represent competition that drives the prices down.
The way I'd fix the problem is by having "find-an-illegal" prizes. Customers finding a prostitute working without a permit would be entitled to a cash prize. Illegals would be scared to work as their next customer could simply turn them in. Customers would find a way to make money while having fun. Finally, the legal prostitution businesses would get more customers and could charge higher prices (part of which would be used to finance the whole scheme). I need to find out where I can register to be on the ballot to be the next mayor!
The third night, I decided to go to a hostel instead of paying for crap. The hostel was the worst place. It had no private bathroom. And, before I got into the bed, I noticed the place was full of bedbugs. I freaked out, got a refund and went to another hotel (this time in the middle of nowhere - not accessible by metro). I paid 85 S$ (about 57$ US) for a room so noisy I had to request a change. The new room had footsteps printed with dust on the sheets and had breaker problems and no hot water.
Finally, the fourth night, I found something "acceptable" for 90$ S$ (about 60$ US) in Chinatown. The hot water wasn't really hot in the shower, but I was just tired of running around to save a few bucks. I hope I'll have better luck with accommodations in Australia and New Zealand.
Other than high housing costs, Singapore also has weird laws or ways of making sure they are followed. For instance, chewing gum is illegal in Singapore. So are Malaysian newspapers and publications by the Jehovah's Witnesses. Despite legalized prostitution, porn (even soft-core) is illegal in Singapore. Despite hosting a gay parade, homosexual behavior is illegal. Also, oral sex which does not lead to intercourse is punishable by law (that law has been upheld in a 1997 ruling). Media are subject to censorship. I saw a park with a speaker's corner in the center of the city. If you want to speak publicly in that park to a crowd (even without amplifiers or sound equipment), you have to request permission to the government first! Drug trafficking carries a mandatory death penalty. Many offenses are punishable by caning.
Honestly, I must admit that none of these laws affected me personally. But, by principle, I have to object to them.
Nonetheless, Singapore is overall a great place and I wouldn't mind living here for a while. It is one of my favorite places in Asia. Maybe I'll be back here one day.
2008-11-19
Malaysia
After trying with a third plane, I finally was able to fly from Bangkok to Kuala Lumpur. Shit happens and one can conceive that a two hour flight ends up taking 8 or 9 instead. But, the attitude of the Air Asia people throughout was less than commendable. Never fly Air Asia unless the price difference REALLY justifies it.
Malaysia is a mix of Malay, Indian and Chinese people with a strong Islamic influence which is reflected in the architecture and the values of the locals. Many times a day, you actually hear the imams calling from their minarets. I find it eery.
I don't like religions. Islam has to be one the religions I dislike the most. Hence, I didn't feel at home in a country where Islam takes on an importance such as in Malaysia. Also, the cab drivers (yes, them again) insist on not using the meter when they pick up Westerners.
Malaysia is not as developped as its Petronas towers might lead one to believe. It's a country with a GDP per capita almost twice as high as Thailand's. However, it doesn't look as developped as Thailand. Go figure. Anyway, it's not a country I like.
One thing came to brighten my stay in Kuala Lumpur, though. I went to the tour desk at my hotel to enquire about day-trips to Putrajaya (the country's new, built-from-scratch model capital). The girl at the desk then asked me why I wanted to go there. I thought her reaction was strange for someone who's supposed to try to sell me trips. It turns out she didn't work there and just came to visit some friends who did. Then, we struck up a conversation; ended up eating with each other and then basically being a couple for the day.
Malaysia is a mix of Malay, Indian and Chinese people with a strong Islamic influence which is reflected in the architecture and the values of the locals. Many times a day, you actually hear the imams calling from their minarets. I find it eery.
I don't like religions. Islam has to be one the religions I dislike the most. Hence, I didn't feel at home in a country where Islam takes on an importance such as in Malaysia. Also, the cab drivers (yes, them again) insist on not using the meter when they pick up Westerners.
Malaysia is not as developped as its Petronas towers might lead one to believe. It's a country with a GDP per capita almost twice as high as Thailand's. However, it doesn't look as developped as Thailand. Go figure. Anyway, it's not a country I like.
One thing came to brighten my stay in Kuala Lumpur, though. I went to the tour desk at my hotel to enquire about day-trips to Putrajaya (the country's new, built-from-scratch model capital). The girl at the desk then asked me why I wanted to go there. I thought her reaction was strange for someone who's supposed to try to sell me trips. It turns out she didn't work there and just came to visit some friends who did. Then, we struck up a conversation; ended up eating with each other and then basically being a couple for the day.
2008-11-13
Got Super Sick in Bangkok
I guess I truly was in a weakened state lately: yesterday, I got so sick. I don't remember the last time I go this sick. Being weakened and eating something that didn't agree with me made me gush everything that was in my gastro-intestinal tract from both of its ends.
Thankfully, I brought some Cipro (an anti-biotic) and took it to help my body fight any bacteria that might have been causing my sickness. Still, by the time I got better, I was so de-hydrated I could barely function. I had to drink liters and liters of drinks with electrolytes (Gatorade, Powerade, ...) to re-balance myself.
It's the first time I ever get sick on a trip, but it was a solid bout of sickness. I think tomorrow I'm moving on to Kuala Lumpur. I've had enough of Bangkok.
Thankfully, I brought some Cipro (an anti-biotic) and took it to help my body fight any bacteria that might have been causing my sickness. Still, by the time I got better, I was so de-hydrated I could barely function. I had to drink liters and liters of drinks with electrolytes (Gatorade, Powerade, ...) to re-balance myself.
It's the first time I ever get sick on a trip, but it was a solid bout of sickness. I think tomorrow I'm moving on to Kuala Lumpur. I've had enough of Bangkok.
2008-11-12
Calming Down and Getting Out of Cambodia
I don't know what got into me when I had the incident with the tuk-tuk driver in Siem Reap the other day. I had the right to be irritated and angry, but I should have settled things in a more rational and logical manner. Because I didn't, everybody involved lost time. Thankfully, everything ended up all right.
I think the weeks of constant irritation by the hawkers and drivers; the humid heat; my long days of walking and my skipping meals got me tired and that, in such a state, having a few unpleasant events happen in a row made me snap.
At any rate, I'm now in Bangkok where I'm just taking it easy for a few days and taking some time to figure out what's next (both in my trip and in my life).
I think the weeks of constant irritation by the hawkers and drivers; the humid heat; my long days of walking and my skipping meals got me tired and that, in such a state, having a few unpleasant events happen in a row made me snap.
At any rate, I'm now in Bangkok where I'm just taking it easy for a few days and taking some time to figure out what's next (both in my trip and in my life).
2008-11-09
Blood, Money and Action in Cambodia
Up until yesterday, I pitied the Cambodian people. Having gone through so much hardships and having to live in such poor conditions...
Then, I visited the Angkor region (including Angkor Wat and countless other temples in the jungle). The Angkor archaeological site is awe-inspiring. Just Angkor Wat (the most famous of the Angkor temples) is enough to keep you busy for many hours. But then there are so many other marvels including a walled inner city; artificial lakes; pond systems; temples overrun by jungle, etc.
One problem is all the hawkers. They are REALLY annoying. One tactic used is to send the children after the tourists. They look more vulnerable and many people will feel pity or compassion for them and buy some of their stuff. Some of the children are pretty clever. They speak better English than most mainland Chinese people in the tourist industry and many speak another language or two as well (French, Spanish, Japanese, Korean, ...). They'll often ask you where you come from and then name half a dozen cities in that country and ask you from which city you are. Others will give you free items that they crafted from simple material and ask you to consider buying from them (say, a soft drink) on your way back from the temple you are about to visit.
So far, everything is all right. But, others will use deceitful tactics to extort some money from you. It can be children saying they'd like you to take a picture of them and then ask you for some money for having had the privilege to photograph them. Other people will look happy to explain features of the temple and then demand to be paid for their services. Even the police officers do that! Did I mention the police can't be trusted in Cambodia? Never trust anyone here.
Two kids around 5 years of age wanted me to take pictures of them. Of course, I declined. Seeing I wasn't going to pay them for a picture, they asked me if I wanted to "boom boom". I was caught off guard; a 5 year old was trying to pimp a fuck to me!!! I smiled (because the situation was funny in a twisted way) and just walked away. Then, I starting thinking... Was the little boy trying to pimp a woman he knows to me or was he trying to pimp himself out? Cambodia is well known as a destination of predilection for pedophiles since it has so many homeless or piss-poor children that will do anything they need to in order to survive. The smile was gone from my face.
The whole day was spent enjoying the ruins and fending off hawkers. A couple of hours before the archaeological park closed, my tuk-tuk driver was trying to convince me that the day was over and that we should go back to my hotel. I had to threaten to pay only half the agreed sum of money to stay until the end of the park closure. Angkor is so huge, I didn't feel like losing precious hours. Anyway, at the last temple I visited that day, a 11 or 12 year old deaf and dumb boy wearing large woman's hearings and trying to be feminine started following me and insisted to be under my umbrella (it was raining by then). He was trying to beg some money from me and/or sell his ass to me. I wanted nothing to do with a dirty transvestite child, so I walked faster from him. Still, he'd follow me. I didn't have the heart to push him away forcefully just yet, so I started running away from him, figuring he'd get the message. However, the temple's stones had become quite slippery because of the rain and, trying to circumvent the kid, I slipped and badly hurt both my hands. That was the final straw.
At that point, I didn't care that he was poor as can be and that he had to beg and sell his body to disgusting old men to survive. I just had enough of all this. Feeling the pain in my hands and looking at the blood dripping from them made me snap. I looked at him and I told him that I would beat the fuck out of him if he stayed. He was paralyzed by fear. I took a step towards him and told him again to get away fast or face a serious beating. This time, he fled. After that event, I became a lot firmer with touts and hawkers. I'm usually quite good at making them go away (by ignoring them), but some of the kids I saw that day were kind of fun and made me warm up a bit too much.
Today, I hired a car to explore the sites. I went to Angkor Wat again as it is quite a wonderful piece of architecture. I just wanted to take a few more snapshots before moving on to temples and palaces I had not seen yet. When I came back, I couldn't find my car and driver. The cars are all Toyota Camri's (go figure why) and all the drivers look similar (same shade of skin, same hair color, same approximate build, same kind of crappy clothing). I was greatly annoyed and, since I was to pay AFTER the day was over, I figured just leaving him to rot there without any revenue for his day was punishment enough for him and I hired a tuk-tuk to complete the rest of my day.
Things went on pretty well that day up until I was done will the last temple that I wanted to see on the main site. My plan was to get back to town where there is plenty of drivers competing against each other to get another driver to take me to another group of temples. So, I tell the driver we're done and we can go back to town. "So, you'll pay me 20$ when we get there?", the driver asked. We had agreed on 10$. I was already pretty close to the edge because of the events of the previous day and because of the fact that my original driver for the day had disappeared, so I busted a fuse. I got so angry. And, remember, I still have this fantasy of making a dishonest taxi driver pay dearly for his ways.
So, I just walked out from the tuk-tuk and told him to get lost. I wanted to hire another driver without paying the first one. I figured that would make him and his family starve for a few days and that's precisely what I wanted at that point. I was really and the driver saw it and saw that I was serious about leaving without paying so he agreed on the original 10$. But, I was so angry at him that I didn't care at that point. I just wanted him to lose the 10$ to make him suffer. None of the other drivers would take me since I looked like I was about to kill someone and they knew I was leaving the first one without a penny. I know the rational thing to do would have been to go with the original plan and hop on his tuk-tuk and pay the agreed price. But, all the irritation I had accumulated during my week in Cambodia was exploding out of me at that moment. During all this time, a police officer was sitting on a log with his shirt off and was smiling at the scene with no intention whatsoever to do anything about it.
So, I just walked away with a big stick with nails stuck into it (in case things got nasty). The driver then alerted other people and I was starting to feel that I might soon need the stick. When I felt that too many people were closing in on me from the road, I dashed into the jungle. That was a pretty intense adrenaline rush. It's not everyday that you are on the run from a group of starving tuk-tuk drivers with an account to settle in the middle of the Cambodian jungle. I felt like I was in a movie. I saw many weird things in the jungle: strange bugs; millions of termites running along paths; people living in shacks in the middle of nowhere, ...
On a few occasions, I saw the road, but I also saw some of the driver's acolytes waiting for me (in case I'd find another driver). This was getting way out of hand for a mere 10$. What kept me going in the jungle on muddy paths for over an hour was that it wasn't about the 10$ anymore, but rather about saving my pretty face.
Then, things got fucked up.
I was intercepted by two officers with machine guns. 10$ is a lot of money for the average Cambodian, so the driver contacted the authorities and many armed Cambodians were looking for me! At that point, I was really nervous. The Cambodian police is known for being corrupt and they could use this whole story to extort a lot more than 10$ from me. I was taken to the tourist police where I gave my version of the story. The tuk-tuk driver was called in. The man at the tourist police office (I never got to know his name or title) eventually told me to just give the driver the 10$ and everything would be over. A man with the police would take me back to my hotel. I was very unhappy: I was trapped and the driver would not starve this week.
I was then forced to sign a document written in Khmer only. It was some kind of police report. I was told it was just a formality and that the line or two of notes written in the explanation field were just a statement in which I agreed to give 10$ to the driver. I said I would sign the statement after it was translated in English. The officers then all came around me and told me to sign it WITHOUT translation. Furthermore, I had to "sign" not in the usual way, but rather by applying my thumb's print on the document. I was feeling trouble closing in on me. I protested. For all I know, I was asked to sign a "confession" that would give them all the leverage they need to put me in deeper mud. In the end, a guy told me I could just sign with a pen if I preferred. Which I did, but not before writing a one-liner saying that I was settling the matter by paying 10$.
I'm worried now. The police knows where I'm staying, has my passport number and has no one to answer to. I won't have complete peace of mind until I have left the country. I won't stick around too long...
Then, I visited the Angkor region (including Angkor Wat and countless other temples in the jungle). The Angkor archaeological site is awe-inspiring. Just Angkor Wat (the most famous of the Angkor temples) is enough to keep you busy for many hours. But then there are so many other marvels including a walled inner city; artificial lakes; pond systems; temples overrun by jungle, etc.
One problem is all the hawkers. They are REALLY annoying. One tactic used is to send the children after the tourists. They look more vulnerable and many people will feel pity or compassion for them and buy some of their stuff. Some of the children are pretty clever. They speak better English than most mainland Chinese people in the tourist industry and many speak another language or two as well (French, Spanish, Japanese, Korean, ...). They'll often ask you where you come from and then name half a dozen cities in that country and ask you from which city you are. Others will give you free items that they crafted from simple material and ask you to consider buying from them (say, a soft drink) on your way back from the temple you are about to visit.
So far, everything is all right. But, others will use deceitful tactics to extort some money from you. It can be children saying they'd like you to take a picture of them and then ask you for some money for having had the privilege to photograph them. Other people will look happy to explain features of the temple and then demand to be paid for their services. Even the police officers do that! Did I mention the police can't be trusted in Cambodia? Never trust anyone here.
Two kids around 5 years of age wanted me to take pictures of them. Of course, I declined. Seeing I wasn't going to pay them for a picture, they asked me if I wanted to "boom boom". I was caught off guard; a 5 year old was trying to pimp a fuck to me!!! I smiled (because the situation was funny in a twisted way) and just walked away. Then, I starting thinking... Was the little boy trying to pimp a woman he knows to me or was he trying to pimp himself out? Cambodia is well known as a destination of predilection for pedophiles since it has so many homeless or piss-poor children that will do anything they need to in order to survive. The smile was gone from my face.
The whole day was spent enjoying the ruins and fending off hawkers. A couple of hours before the archaeological park closed, my tuk-tuk driver was trying to convince me that the day was over and that we should go back to my hotel. I had to threaten to pay only half the agreed sum of money to stay until the end of the park closure. Angkor is so huge, I didn't feel like losing precious hours. Anyway, at the last temple I visited that day, a 11 or 12 year old deaf and dumb boy wearing large woman's hearings and trying to be feminine started following me and insisted to be under my umbrella (it was raining by then). He was trying to beg some money from me and/or sell his ass to me. I wanted nothing to do with a dirty transvestite child, so I walked faster from him. Still, he'd follow me. I didn't have the heart to push him away forcefully just yet, so I started running away from him, figuring he'd get the message. However, the temple's stones had become quite slippery because of the rain and, trying to circumvent the kid, I slipped and badly hurt both my hands. That was the final straw.
At that point, I didn't care that he was poor as can be and that he had to beg and sell his body to disgusting old men to survive. I just had enough of all this. Feeling the pain in my hands and looking at the blood dripping from them made me snap. I looked at him and I told him that I would beat the fuck out of him if he stayed. He was paralyzed by fear. I took a step towards him and told him again to get away fast or face a serious beating. This time, he fled. After that event, I became a lot firmer with touts and hawkers. I'm usually quite good at making them go away (by ignoring them), but some of the kids I saw that day were kind of fun and made me warm up a bit too much.
Today, I hired a car to explore the sites. I went to Angkor Wat again as it is quite a wonderful piece of architecture. I just wanted to take a few more snapshots before moving on to temples and palaces I had not seen yet. When I came back, I couldn't find my car and driver. The cars are all Toyota Camri's (go figure why) and all the drivers look similar (same shade of skin, same hair color, same approximate build, same kind of crappy clothing). I was greatly annoyed and, since I was to pay AFTER the day was over, I figured just leaving him to rot there without any revenue for his day was punishment enough for him and I hired a tuk-tuk to complete the rest of my day.
Things went on pretty well that day up until I was done will the last temple that I wanted to see on the main site. My plan was to get back to town where there is plenty of drivers competing against each other to get another driver to take me to another group of temples. So, I tell the driver we're done and we can go back to town. "So, you'll pay me 20$ when we get there?", the driver asked. We had agreed on 10$. I was already pretty close to the edge because of the events of the previous day and because of the fact that my original driver for the day had disappeared, so I busted a fuse. I got so angry. And, remember, I still have this fantasy of making a dishonest taxi driver pay dearly for his ways.
So, I just walked out from the tuk-tuk and told him to get lost. I wanted to hire another driver without paying the first one. I figured that would make him and his family starve for a few days and that's precisely what I wanted at that point. I was really and the driver saw it and saw that I was serious about leaving without paying so he agreed on the original 10$. But, I was so angry at him that I didn't care at that point. I just wanted him to lose the 10$ to make him suffer. None of the other drivers would take me since I looked like I was about to kill someone and they knew I was leaving the first one without a penny. I know the rational thing to do would have been to go with the original plan and hop on his tuk-tuk and pay the agreed price. But, all the irritation I had accumulated during my week in Cambodia was exploding out of me at that moment. During all this time, a police officer was sitting on a log with his shirt off and was smiling at the scene with no intention whatsoever to do anything about it.
So, I just walked away with a big stick with nails stuck into it (in case things got nasty). The driver then alerted other people and I was starting to feel that I might soon need the stick. When I felt that too many people were closing in on me from the road, I dashed into the jungle. That was a pretty intense adrenaline rush. It's not everyday that you are on the run from a group of starving tuk-tuk drivers with an account to settle in the middle of the Cambodian jungle. I felt like I was in a movie. I saw many weird things in the jungle: strange bugs; millions of termites running along paths; people living in shacks in the middle of nowhere, ...
On a few occasions, I saw the road, but I also saw some of the driver's acolytes waiting for me (in case I'd find another driver). This was getting way out of hand for a mere 10$. What kept me going in the jungle on muddy paths for over an hour was that it wasn't about the 10$ anymore, but rather about saving my pretty face.
Then, things got fucked up.
I was intercepted by two officers with machine guns. 10$ is a lot of money for the average Cambodian, so the driver contacted the authorities and many armed Cambodians were looking for me! At that point, I was really nervous. The Cambodian police is known for being corrupt and they could use this whole story to extort a lot more than 10$ from me. I was taken to the tourist police where I gave my version of the story. The tuk-tuk driver was called in. The man at the tourist police office (I never got to know his name or title) eventually told me to just give the driver the 10$ and everything would be over. A man with the police would take me back to my hotel. I was very unhappy: I was trapped and the driver would not starve this week.
I was then forced to sign a document written in Khmer only. It was some kind of police report. I was told it was just a formality and that the line or two of notes written in the explanation field were just a statement in which I agreed to give 10$ to the driver. I said I would sign the statement after it was translated in English. The officers then all came around me and told me to sign it WITHOUT translation. Furthermore, I had to "sign" not in the usual way, but rather by applying my thumb's print on the document. I was feeling trouble closing in on me. I protested. For all I know, I was asked to sign a "confession" that would give them all the leverage they need to put me in deeper mud. In the end, a guy told me I could just sign with a pen if I preferred. Which I did, but not before writing a one-liner saying that I was settling the matter by paying 10$.
I'm worried now. The police knows where I'm staying, has my passport number and has no one to answer to. I won't have complete peace of mind until I have left the country. I won't stick around too long...
2008-11-06
Phnom Penh
I got in Phnom Penh last night. The Vietnam/Cambodia border crossing is the most amateurish one I ever saw.
Phnom Penh is about as developed as Saigon. Some things are different though. In Saigon, there are some fast food chains (KFC, Lotteria and Pho 24), but not in PP. In PP, buildings seem more sturdy, but more people live on the streets. Also, although Saigon doesn't have decent convenience stores (such as 7-Eleven), PP does.
Today, I visited all there is to see in Phnom Penh in about three hours. Then, I proceeded to a high school that was converted into an interrogation/torture camp during the Pol Pot regime. Walking in the rooms where such events took place gave me a chill, even though the weather was really hot. In some of the rooms, thousands of victim mugshots taken by the Khmer Rouge are displayed. Half of them are of women and children since when a "traitor" was convicted (without trial) of not being in favor of the regime, he and his whole family were processed and then executed. Looking at all these faces staring at you from the past in the very place where they suffered before being taken to the killing fields was a very moving experience.
During wartime, Asians have historically been a lot more cruel than Westerners. Cambodians are no exception. If you thought the Nazis were bad; there was worst. The last place I visited today was the Phnom Penh killing field. Thousands of people perished there. Many mass graves were unearthed there. One of them was filled with headless bodies. Another one only with women and children. There is a stand where some bones that couldn't be matched with particular bodies are displayed. If you wish, you can touch them. If you have a twisted urge to bring some back home as a souvenir, no one seems to be there to prevent you from doing so.
Phnom Penh is about as developed as Saigon. Some things are different though. In Saigon, there are some fast food chains (KFC, Lotteria and Pho 24), but not in PP. In PP, buildings seem more sturdy, but more people live on the streets. Also, although Saigon doesn't have decent convenience stores (such as 7-Eleven), PP does.
Today, I visited all there is to see in Phnom Penh in about three hours. Then, I proceeded to a high school that was converted into an interrogation/torture camp during the Pol Pot regime. Walking in the rooms where such events took place gave me a chill, even though the weather was really hot. In some of the rooms, thousands of victim mugshots taken by the Khmer Rouge are displayed. Half of them are of women and children since when a "traitor" was convicted (without trial) of not being in favor of the regime, he and his whole family were processed and then executed. Looking at all these faces staring at you from the past in the very place where they suffered before being taken to the killing fields was a very moving experience.
During wartime, Asians have historically been a lot more cruel than Westerners. Cambodians are no exception. If you thought the Nazis were bad; there was worst. The last place I visited today was the Phnom Penh killing field. Thousands of people perished there. Many mass graves were unearthed there. One of them was filled with headless bodies. Another one only with women and children. There is a stand where some bones that couldn't be matched with particular bodies are displayed. If you wish, you can touch them. If you have a twisted urge to bring some back home as a souvenir, no one seems to be there to prevent you from doing so.
2008-11-04
Around and Out of Saigon
I still think Saigon is rather crappy, but I did see one supermarket (way out there) and ads for new exciting developments. It will take some time (say, 20 years) before it gets to where Bangkok is now, though.
I am told it was WAY worst just ten years ago when muggings were very frequent and there was a practical curfew imposed every night and people worked only to barely survive. Even though the Vietnamese aren't exactly jetsetters, at least they can afford cell phones and even computers now.
Anyway, if urban excitement is what you are looking for, avoid Vietnam. However, outside Saigon, the nature is pretty cool (especially when thinking about how all the Vietnam war movies).
I went to the Cu Chi tunnels. That place is pretty hardcore. During the war of independence against the French and the war against the Americans, the Vietnamese dug about 250km of tunnels underground to lead a (literally) underground resistance against the invaders. The tunnel network had secret entrances all over the place. Most of the tunnels are only large enough for the average Vietnamese man to crawl in. This has two advantages: less work is required to dig a given length of tunnel and it prevents many Westerners from entering the tunnels.
I am told it was WAY worst just ten years ago when muggings were very frequent and there was a practical curfew imposed every night and people worked only to barely survive. Even though the Vietnamese aren't exactly jetsetters, at least they can afford cell phones and even computers now.
Anyway, if urban excitement is what you are looking for, avoid Vietnam. However, outside Saigon, the nature is pretty cool (especially when thinking about how all the Vietnam war movies).
I went to the Cu Chi tunnels. That place is pretty hardcore. During the war of independence against the French and the war against the Americans, the Vietnamese dug about 250km of tunnels underground to lead a (literally) underground resistance against the invaders. The tunnel network had secret entrances all over the place. Most of the tunnels are only large enough for the average Vietnamese man to crawl in. This has two advantages: less work is required to dig a given length of tunnel and it prevents many Westerners from entering the tunnels.
The tunnels are dug in a way to make it hard for unauthorized people to navigate through them as they have many dead ends, booby traps and secrets junctions. I crawled through one that has been enlarged to three or four times its normal width and I was REALLY happy to get out of there after just 20 meters of crawling. The air is heavy and you see nothing (it's pitch dark in there). I can't even start to imagine what it must have been to live in there knowing people were out to get you.
The whole place is incredible. It's in a jungle setting complete with mean-looking bugs and fleeting reptiles. The jungle is pretty new (~30 years old), though, as the whole area has been pummeled with bombs, defoliant (Agent Orange) and napalm during the war with the Americans. Also, people visiting the area can now shoot AK-47's and other guns at a shooting range. So, one always hears gunshots in the distance. This combined with all the bomb craters and the war remnants around makes for a pretty intense experience.
The Cu Chi tunnels are what left the deepest impression in my mind while I was in Vietnam.
I also went on a short cruise on the Mekong River.
These day trips were cheap, but they were probably subsidized in part by kickbacks from the places the tour buses stopped at on the way to the desired destinations. Asking to go to one place and being taken to three or four is common in this part of the world. One of the places I was taken to was a factory where Agent Orange victims craft stuff to sell to tourists.
During my last night in Saigon, I met a few Aussies from Sydney and we shared our stories. One of theirs consisted in them being intimidated by 7 or 8 taxi drivers to pay more than double the agreed-upon price to their cab driver once they arrived at their destination.
On a totally different note, everyone I spoke to here is very happy that Obama won the election.
The Cu Chi tunnels are what left the deepest impression in my mind while I was in Vietnam.
I also went on a short cruise on the Mekong River.
These day trips were cheap, but they were probably subsidized in part by kickbacks from the places the tour buses stopped at on the way to the desired destinations. Asking to go to one place and being taken to three or four is common in this part of the world. One of the places I was taken to was a factory where Agent Orange victims craft stuff to sell to tourists.
During my last night in Saigon, I met a few Aussies from Sydney and we shared our stories. One of theirs consisted in them being intimidated by 7 or 8 taxi drivers to pay more than double the agreed-upon price to their cab driver once they arrived at their destination.
On a totally different note, everyone I spoke to here is very happy that Obama won the election.
2008-11-02
Saigon
Vietnam sucks.
No subway system, no supermarkets, no skyscrapers, no decent convenience stores, no advanced medical facilities. I think that so far, this is the crappiest country I've ever been in. It's on the lower end of the second world countries or the higher end of the third world countries.
I managed to see all that is worth seeing in Saigon (also know as Ho Chi Minh City) in about three hours. I'm not sticking around here too long. Tomorrow, I'll go in the tunnels the Viet Congs used to combat the Americans from. The day after that, I'll explore the Mekong river and a few of its swamps. That should satisfy my craving for Vietnam that was acquired through watching all these war movies as a child. Then, I'll move on to Cambodia.
I saw a certain amount of mutants of the streets. It turns out they are actual mutants who got birth defects due to the Americans' use of Agent Orange. I can't help but feel that the crappy state in which the country finds itself is due to the Americans. The communist government doesn't help either. Vietnam is decades behind Thailand or China.
Because of the poor state of development, everything is cheap here. I paid 20 cents to grab the bus from the airport to my downtown hotel. I got a haircut for 2$. I'm told I got screwed at that price as I could have gotten one for 1$. But, for me, 1$ or 2$ for a haircut makes no difference. I paid 5$ for my day tour tomorrow which includes round-trip air-conditioned bus ride, entry to the Viet Cong tunnels, lunch and service. Again, I could have gotten this for a dollar cheaper. But, in Vietnam, everything is so cheap that you simply don't even feel like bargaining. It would just be a waste of time.
No subway system, no supermarkets, no skyscrapers, no decent convenience stores, no advanced medical facilities. I think that so far, this is the crappiest country I've ever been in. It's on the lower end of the second world countries or the higher end of the third world countries.
I managed to see all that is worth seeing in Saigon (also know as Ho Chi Minh City) in about three hours. I'm not sticking around here too long. Tomorrow, I'll go in the tunnels the Viet Congs used to combat the Americans from. The day after that, I'll explore the Mekong river and a few of its swamps. That should satisfy my craving for Vietnam that was acquired through watching all these war movies as a child. Then, I'll move on to Cambodia.
I saw a certain amount of mutants of the streets. It turns out they are actual mutants who got birth defects due to the Americans' use of Agent Orange. I can't help but feel that the crappy state in which the country finds itself is due to the Americans. The communist government doesn't help either. Vietnam is decades behind Thailand or China.
Because of the poor state of development, everything is cheap here. I paid 20 cents to grab the bus from the airport to my downtown hotel. I got a haircut for 2$. I'm told I got screwed at that price as I could have gotten one for 1$. But, for me, 1$ or 2$ for a haircut makes no difference. I paid 5$ for my day tour tomorrow which includes round-trip air-conditioned bus ride, entry to the Viet Cong tunnels, lunch and service. Again, I could have gotten this for a dollar cheaper. But, in Vietnam, everything is so cheap that you simply don't even feel like bargaining. It would just be a waste of time.
Halloween in Hong Kong
I spent Halloween in Hong Kong, as planned.
I wanted to test my costume out before the actual Halloween night party in Lan Kwai Fong. So, I put my skeleton costume on in the night from the 30th to the 31st and just walked around Kowloon. I got quite the reactions! Some people were amused, other scared or just weirded out.
Then came the party night itself. When I got to Lan Kwai Fong (LKF for short), I got photographed hundreds and hundreds of times. It was crazy. The big thing to do for Halloween in Hong Kong (if you are a local) is to go to LKF and watch/take pictures of the costumed foreigners. Rarely have I got so much attention in my life. I think the costume was a pretty good one.
Some people were scared of me because of my costume, even though they were in LKF. I managed to make some kids shout and cry simply by looking in their direction. There even was one adult that couldn't look at me (and her friends laughed at her and kept insisting that I bug her).
I took pictures of other people with fun or cute costumes. Many girls went for sexy costumes like French maid outfits, latex nurse outfits, Playboy bunny outfits... I didn't feel like leaving, but I finally did at 5am.
But, before I went back to my room, I walked around Kowloon a bit where I scared shitless a few people who weren't expecting to see a skeleton walking in their neighborhood. Amongst them were two prostitutes and a potential costumer of theirs. It's funny how after the initial shock, one of them asked me if I wanted a "massage". Gotta love that entrepreneurial spirit!
I didn't sleep much as I was flying to Saigon in the afternoon.
I wanted to test my costume out before the actual Halloween night party in Lan Kwai Fong. So, I put my skeleton costume on in the night from the 30th to the 31st and just walked around Kowloon. I got quite the reactions! Some people were amused, other scared or just weirded out.
Then came the party night itself. When I got to Lan Kwai Fong (LKF for short), I got photographed hundreds and hundreds of times. It was crazy. The big thing to do for Halloween in Hong Kong (if you are a local) is to go to LKF and watch/take pictures of the costumed foreigners. Rarely have I got so much attention in my life. I think the costume was a pretty good one.
Some people were scared of me because of my costume, even though they were in LKF. I managed to make some kids shout and cry simply by looking in their direction. There even was one adult that couldn't look at me (and her friends laughed at her and kept insisting that I bug her).
I took pictures of other people with fun or cute costumes. Many girls went for sexy costumes like French maid outfits, latex nurse outfits, Playboy bunny outfits... I didn't feel like leaving, but I finally did at 5am.
But, before I went back to my room, I walked around Kowloon a bit where I scared shitless a few people who weren't expecting to see a skeleton walking in their neighborhood. Amongst them were two prostitutes and a potential costumer of theirs. It's funny how after the initial shock, one of them asked me if I wanted a "massage". Gotta love that entrepreneurial spirit!
I didn't sleep much as I was flying to Saigon in the afternoon.
2008-10-29
Macau
I went to Macau yesterday. For those of you who don't know, it used to be a Portuguese colony up until 1999 (much like Hong Kong was a UK colony up until 1997).
It's a bit cleaner than Hong Kong and felt less packed. Everything's written in both Chinese and Portuguese (and often English too), but no one speaks Portuguese. I saw some old Portuguese architecture and met a few Americans and a Canadian.
Macau is know as Asia's Las Vegas. So, I figured I might as well play a bit. I find that gambling is for mathematically challenged people. So, I don't know why I decided to play. Anyway, after losing 5$ (USD) in five minutes, I wanted revenge and got up to almost 100$ in gains. I thought to myself "Just one more win and I'm outta here". That's how I found myself short 50$ five hours later. What a fucking waste of time and money. I still can't figure out why I played.
Oh well. Today I got a skeleton costume for the Halloween bash in Lan Kwai Fong. Though, I never got any news from the girls I met there last week. *Sigh*
It's a bit cleaner than Hong Kong and felt less packed. Everything's written in both Chinese and Portuguese (and often English too), but no one speaks Portuguese. I saw some old Portuguese architecture and met a few Americans and a Canadian.
Macau is know as Asia's Las Vegas. So, I figured I might as well play a bit. I find that gambling is for mathematically challenged people. So, I don't know why I decided to play. Anyway, after losing 5$ (USD) in five minutes, I wanted revenge and got up to almost 100$ in gains. I thought to myself "Just one more win and I'm outta here". That's how I found myself short 50$ five hours later. What a fucking waste of time and money. I still can't figure out why I played.
Oh well. Today I got a skeleton costume for the Halloween bash in Lan Kwai Fong. Though, I never got any news from the girls I met there last week. *Sigh*
2008-10-26
Having a Blast in Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of the rare cities that can compare to New York. So, for me, being here is great.
I visited a few touristy places that I hadn't had the chance to see the last time I was here. But, I have to admit that I enjoy the sheer density of the metropolis more than any of its particular sights or attractions.
I am now staying in another flat. Not because the last one was too small or shabby, but because they insisted that I give them the key to my room back every time I would go out. I came back pretty late once and there was no one at the counter. I tried opening the door to my room and found out that they had left it unlocked for me to be able to come back in. Now, that whole deal pissed me off. First, I should be allowed to keep my key. But, the real problem is that they left my room unlocked with all my stuff inside (including my passport). I didn't find that funny.
Hong Kong is so far ahead of the mainland. People drive properly; don't spit; can express their opinions; have fast and uncensored Net access; are mostly free from hawkers; use bathrooms to urinate and defecate; ... All it needs is potable tap water and it would be a First World nation within China.
I agree with Salman Rushdie when he says that "[Pornography is] a kind of standard-bearer for freedom, even civilisation." So, it fills my heart with peaceful warmth when I see all the porn (including some gay stuff) being displayed and sold on the streets here.
In a similar train of thought, I am amazed to see the number of "message parlors" and "saunas" in HK. It seems to me that all the Asian countries are far more into prostitution than Western countries. I wonder what social factors contribute to that reality.
On a more legitimate level, I find the women of HK less attractive than Mainlanders, in general. It wasn't until I went to Lan Kwai Fong (a party district favored by expats) that I saw many cute HK girls. Lan Kwai Fong is super cool. It's filled mostly by expats drinking and being rowdy on the streets in a joyful, drunken manner. It also has many girls fond of Westerners. So, basically, it's an area of plentiful drinking and intense flirting.
Some people were already dressed up in costumes in anticipation for Halloween. I'm told Halloween will be even crazier than what I saw last night. To give you an idea of how crazy this place is, on 1993-01-01, 21 people died of asphyxia in a crowd crush incident. Now, the police monitors the area a lot more to avoid any repeats. Still, the streets are packed with people. I'm so spending Halloween there!
The party in Lan Kwai Fong is more on the streets than in the clubs and bars. The local 7-Eleven makes a fortune by selling alcohol to merry people who want to party. I bought some drinks from the convenience store and started mingling. I ended up entertaining four ladies until 3:30am. I gave them my email address and hope to see them again. It would be great to have some friends in Hong Kong (and lovely ones at that).
I need to figure out what my Halloween costume will be...
I visited a few touristy places that I hadn't had the chance to see the last time I was here. But, I have to admit that I enjoy the sheer density of the metropolis more than any of its particular sights or attractions.
I am now staying in another flat. Not because the last one was too small or shabby, but because they insisted that I give them the key to my room back every time I would go out. I came back pretty late once and there was no one at the counter. I tried opening the door to my room and found out that they had left it unlocked for me to be able to come back in. Now, that whole deal pissed me off. First, I should be allowed to keep my key. But, the real problem is that they left my room unlocked with all my stuff inside (including my passport). I didn't find that funny.
Hong Kong is so far ahead of the mainland. People drive properly; don't spit; can express their opinions; have fast and uncensored Net access; are mostly free from hawkers; use bathrooms to urinate and defecate; ... All it needs is potable tap water and it would be a First World nation within China.
I agree with Salman Rushdie when he says that "[Pornography is] a kind of standard-bearer for freedom, even civilisation." So, it fills my heart with peaceful warmth when I see all the porn (including some gay stuff) being displayed and sold on the streets here.
In a similar train of thought, I am amazed to see the number of "message parlors" and "saunas" in HK. It seems to me that all the Asian countries are far more into prostitution than Western countries. I wonder what social factors contribute to that reality.
On a more legitimate level, I find the women of HK less attractive than Mainlanders, in general. It wasn't until I went to Lan Kwai Fong (a party district favored by expats) that I saw many cute HK girls. Lan Kwai Fong is super cool. It's filled mostly by expats drinking and being rowdy on the streets in a joyful, drunken manner. It also has many girls fond of Westerners. So, basically, it's an area of plentiful drinking and intense flirting.
Some people were already dressed up in costumes in anticipation for Halloween. I'm told Halloween will be even crazier than what I saw last night. To give you an idea of how crazy this place is, on 1993-01-01, 21 people died of asphyxia in a crowd crush incident. Now, the police monitors the area a lot more to avoid any repeats. Still, the streets are packed with people. I'm so spending Halloween there!
The party in Lan Kwai Fong is more on the streets than in the clubs and bars. The local 7-Eleven makes a fortune by selling alcohol to merry people who want to party. I bought some drinks from the convenience store and started mingling. I ended up entertaining four ladies until 3:30am. I gave them my email address and hope to see them again. It would be great to have some friends in Hong Kong (and lovely ones at that).
I need to figure out what my Halloween costume will be...
2008-10-24
Hardcore in Asia
My last night in mainland China turned out to be quite the experience...
I flew from Guilin to Shenzhen in order to go to Hong Kong. Flights to Hong Kong are WAY more expensive than flights to Shenzhen from China as HK is not really considered a domestic destination and is priced accordingly. I got in Shenzhen at night and there was a problem with my booking. After some fussing around, I found out that there weren't any rooms left in the hotel nor in surrounding hotels. By that time (it was already 3:00 am), I decided I might just as well wait for the metro to re-open (a bit after 6:00 am) and take it to go to Hong Kong.
At the station, I saw people sleeping on the stairs. In the spirit of light-hearted adventure, I decided to do the same. While trying to catch some sleep outside on the concrete of a foreign city, I came to appreciate my luck. I don't HAVE to sleep outside. If I want, I can just go to a hotel or get an apartment. Many people (especially in China) aren't that fortunate. The night was hot and I appreciated the breeze when there was one. Shenzhen still has mosquitoes, which wasn't too cool. While getting some shut-eye, I was thinking of all these basic things that I don't normally ever have to worry about when I want to sleep: mosquitoes, weather, strangers walking by, being clean...
I was the first person in the metro this morning. I took it all the way up to the end of the line. There, I walked out of mainland China (went through immigration) and into Hong Kong (went through immigration again). Then, I took the metro to the middle of Kowloon, where people I met at the hostel told me I could find cheap accomodation. I did: about 30$ per night. When I saw the room, I was shocked. It's small. The whole place (room + bathroom) is smaller than many Western bathrooms. And, although I didn't see rats or roaches, it isn't a shining example of cleanliness. Still, I took it. Partly to save money, but also to live like Hong Kong people normally live. Since the only window I have opens to a wall of crumbling bricks and since I was exhausted from my lack of sleep, I slept like a king in that tiny place.
I took my shower using the rudimentary plumbing available (with not-so-consistent hot water). Again, I was thrilled by the whole experience. This was all new for me. I was really happy for two reasons: I got to appreciate a lot better what I have in Canada and I was discovering a way of life that I could choose to ameliorate whenever I wanted.
It's way easier for a rich man to live like a poor one than for a poor man to live like a rich one. I felt all the freedom I have by choosing to live like someone who doesn't have my luck. Someone in the same living conditions as me, but without the power to live better cannot feel what I felt.
It's strange how, to appreciate the things around me, I had to make them be substantially crappier than what I'm used to. But now, I'm happy even with my flat with am area insufficient to fit a queen bed.
After waking up, I went out to explore Hong Kong. Ah, Hong Kong! I love the place so much. It's like New York, but denser. It's like Tokyo, but dirtier. Just being here fills me with joy.
Today, I am happy.
I flew from Guilin to Shenzhen in order to go to Hong Kong. Flights to Hong Kong are WAY more expensive than flights to Shenzhen from China as HK is not really considered a domestic destination and is priced accordingly. I got in Shenzhen at night and there was a problem with my booking. After some fussing around, I found out that there weren't any rooms left in the hotel nor in surrounding hotels. By that time (it was already 3:00 am), I decided I might just as well wait for the metro to re-open (a bit after 6:00 am) and take it to go to Hong Kong.
At the station, I saw people sleeping on the stairs. In the spirit of light-hearted adventure, I decided to do the same. While trying to catch some sleep outside on the concrete of a foreign city, I came to appreciate my luck. I don't HAVE to sleep outside. If I want, I can just go to a hotel or get an apartment. Many people (especially in China) aren't that fortunate. The night was hot and I appreciated the breeze when there was one. Shenzhen still has mosquitoes, which wasn't too cool. While getting some shut-eye, I was thinking of all these basic things that I don't normally ever have to worry about when I want to sleep: mosquitoes, weather, strangers walking by, being clean...
I was the first person in the metro this morning. I took it all the way up to the end of the line. There, I walked out of mainland China (went through immigration) and into Hong Kong (went through immigration again). Then, I took the metro to the middle of Kowloon, where people I met at the hostel told me I could find cheap accomodation. I did: about 30$ per night. When I saw the room, I was shocked. It's small. The whole place (room + bathroom) is smaller than many Western bathrooms. And, although I didn't see rats or roaches, it isn't a shining example of cleanliness. Still, I took it. Partly to save money, but also to live like Hong Kong people normally live. Since the only window I have opens to a wall of crumbling bricks and since I was exhausted from my lack of sleep, I slept like a king in that tiny place.
I took my shower using the rudimentary plumbing available (with not-so-consistent hot water). Again, I was thrilled by the whole experience. This was all new for me. I was really happy for two reasons: I got to appreciate a lot better what I have in Canada and I was discovering a way of life that I could choose to ameliorate whenever I wanted.
It's way easier for a rich man to live like a poor one than for a poor man to live like a rich one. I felt all the freedom I have by choosing to live like someone who doesn't have my luck. Someone in the same living conditions as me, but without the power to live better cannot feel what I felt.
It's strange how, to appreciate the things around me, I had to make them be substantially crappier than what I'm used to. But now, I'm happy even with my flat with am area insufficient to fit a queen bed.
After waking up, I went out to explore Hong Kong. Ah, Hong Kong! I love the place so much. It's like New York, but denser. It's like Tokyo, but dirtier. Just being here fills me with joy.
Today, I am happy.
2008-10-23
Some Final Thoughts on China
As I'm about to leave mainland China to go to Hong Kong, I am getting my third day of rain in three weeks and thus have the time to spew my thoughts onto the Web...
Just walking on China's Great Wall is hard. I can't imagine having to build it! I don't know how many people died to build it. (2 to 3 million people is the number I read on Wikipedia) It may be impressive, but it is not a testament to man's genius, but rather to tyranny and slavery. Then again, most ancient buildings are.
In China, a lot of places will make you pay for the bag in which you bring your groceries back. It's a way of making only those who don't reuse bags pay and to reduce waste. On the other hand, it can annoy customers.
In China, there are shitloads of useless jobs. Since labor is so cheap, many jobs that could easily be done by machines are still done by people. Why have a paper dispenser in the bathroom when you can have a guy give the paper to you? Why have tractors plow the land when there are endless Chinese to do it?
Bottles of wine that sell for under 2$ are worth even less. Big bottles of beer that sell for under 45 cents are really great, though!
As mentioned before, there are lots of people in China. And they congregate densely, even in small cities. So, you never have enough space to feel comfortable.
Money-counting machines are used everywhere because there are lots of counterfeit bills out there.
All the foreigners I meet are freaking out because their stocks and currencies have gown down in the past weeks.
I went to stay at a Youth Hostel in Guilin. It was a great way to exchange information and stories with other travelers. For 13$, I got my own room (complete with shower and crouch-style toilet where you can't throw in toilet paper [that psychologically constipated me]). I was somewhat happy to hear that I'm not the only one who cracks every now and then and just goes to McDonald's to get some "real" food instead of Chinese stuff. Sanitized meat, bread and condiments is exactly what you crave after days of eating dodgy parts of animals that come from God knows where.
I went around Guilin and Yangshuo and saw many caves and karst rock formations. One night, a girl claiming to want to be my friend followed me around. Of course, she just wanted to take me to a commerce where she could get a cut from what I'd buy. I told her I'd go to a restaurant with her if she could find a place where I could eat dog or cat. That night, I had my most expensive meal in China, but I ate some dog. You could actually still tell what part used to be the paw. Just wait until I get the pictures on the Net!
Just walking on China's Great Wall is hard. I can't imagine having to build it! I don't know how many people died to build it. (2 to 3 million people is the number I read on Wikipedia) It may be impressive, but it is not a testament to man's genius, but rather to tyranny and slavery. Then again, most ancient buildings are.
In China, a lot of places will make you pay for the bag in which you bring your groceries back. It's a way of making only those who don't reuse bags pay and to reduce waste. On the other hand, it can annoy customers.
In China, there are shitloads of useless jobs. Since labor is so cheap, many jobs that could easily be done by machines are still done by people. Why have a paper dispenser in the bathroom when you can have a guy give the paper to you? Why have tractors plow the land when there are endless Chinese to do it?
Bottles of wine that sell for under 2$ are worth even less. Big bottles of beer that sell for under 45 cents are really great, though!
As mentioned before, there are lots of people in China. And they congregate densely, even in small cities. So, you never have enough space to feel comfortable.
Money-counting machines are used everywhere because there are lots of counterfeit bills out there.
All the foreigners I meet are freaking out because their stocks and currencies have gown down in the past weeks.
I went to stay at a Youth Hostel in Guilin. It was a great way to exchange information and stories with other travelers. For 13$, I got my own room (complete with shower and crouch-style toilet where you can't throw in toilet paper [that psychologically constipated me]). I was somewhat happy to hear that I'm not the only one who cracks every now and then and just goes to McDonald's to get some "real" food instead of Chinese stuff. Sanitized meat, bread and condiments is exactly what you crave after days of eating dodgy parts of animals that come from God knows where.
I went around Guilin and Yangshuo and saw many caves and karst rock formations. One night, a girl claiming to want to be my friend followed me around. Of course, she just wanted to take me to a commerce where she could get a cut from what I'd buy. I told her I'd go to a restaurant with her if she could find a place where I could eat dog or cat. That night, I had my most expensive meal in China, but I ate some dog. You could actually still tell what part used to be the paw. Just wait until I get the pictures on the Net!
2008-10-20
Some Final Thoughts on Shanghai
I heard that Shanghai is sometimes called the Whore of Asia. With the number of prostitutes there, it wouldn't be a misnomer. So many massage parlors look very shady (i.e., with scantely clad young ladies rubbing themselves on the windows when men walk by); so many "hair salons" are opened all night long and I've haven't been harassed so much by touts to get "lady massage", except maybe in Thailand. Well, overall, China seems to be quite a "pimping" place in general.
A weird episode occured in the elevator to my serviced apartment in Shanghai. There was this guy listening to a crap MP3 from the speaker of his cell phone (I hate losers who do that). He was also singing along. I could barely control myself from telling the guy to turn off his damn thing when all the other people on the elevator starting along in a cult-like manner.
I haggled a pair of shoes from 360RMB down to 70RMB. I think I bought the shoes more because I got the price down so much than because I really wanted them.
On my way out of Shanghai, I took the maglev train to go to the aiport. That train is pretty cool: it hovers over the tracks without touching them through magnetic levitation (hence its name). The peak velocity was 431km/h. Pretty sweet. Imagine having Montreal, Toronto, Boston and New York linked by something like that.
A weird episode occured in the elevator to my serviced apartment in Shanghai. There was this guy listening to a crap MP3 from the speaker of his cell phone (I hate losers who do that). He was also singing along. I could barely control myself from telling the guy to turn off his damn thing when all the other people on the elevator starting along in a cult-like manner.
I haggled a pair of shoes from 360RMB down to 70RMB. I think I bought the shoes more because I got the price down so much than because I really wanted them.
On my way out of Shanghai, I took the maglev train to go to the aiport. That train is pretty cool: it hovers over the tracks without touching them through magnetic levitation (hence its name). The peak velocity was 431km/h. Pretty sweet. Imagine having Montreal, Toronto, Boston and New York linked by something like that.
2008-10-14
Hangzhou & Observations on China
Today, I made a day-trip to Hangzhou. It's one of the top destinations for domestic tourists in China. Its most famous feature is the West Lake. The site is full of natural beauty enhanced by landscaping, temples, man-made islands and causeways. It's reminescent of Bei Hai and the Summer Palace in Beijing, except that it's way bigger. Even though I've nearly died of an overdose of Chinese gardens in Beijing, I still enjoyed my stroll around the West Lake today. The beauty of the place explains the hordes of couples taking their wedding pictures in the area.
Now, here are some miscellaneous observations I made in the past days...
1) Electric bikes
There are lots of bikes and scooters in China. Now, many of them are electric. No need to buy gas and no need to pollute. For both electric bikes and scooters, the driver can pedal to save the battery (and probably recharge it) and then use the electric engine for another while.
2) TV
TV sucks in China. Half the channels are from CCTV (China Central TeleVision), the government's TV organization. The news are subject to government censorship and the shows are boring. IPTV (TV sent over Internet) is very popular in China. Some hotels have IP setup boxes. The quality of the image is iffy, though, and the signal often chokes due to network congestion. However, these IPTV's find there way all over: in buses; at bus stops, ... In taxis, you can also find TV with digital content (mostly ads) to "entertain" the passengers.
3) Noise pollution
China is not unlike Japan in that is it a noisy country. TV's too often send you not only their images, but also their unwanted sounds. Music is often played on sound systems in historic places to create a mood (but only manage to turn the authentic in to the tackey). Car drivers honk not only to warn of danger, but also just to let others know of their presence.
4) Lots of people
We all know there are lots of Chinese. But, this really sunk in for me when I traveled from Shanghai to Hangzhou by train. The route is about 150km. At no point was there a lack of human settlements for the whole journey. Imagine going from Montreal to Ottawa and seeing houses and buildings all along the way.
Now, here are some miscellaneous observations I made in the past days...
1) Electric bikes
There are lots of bikes and scooters in China. Now, many of them are electric. No need to buy gas and no need to pollute. For both electric bikes and scooters, the driver can pedal to save the battery (and probably recharge it) and then use the electric engine for another while.
2) TV
TV sucks in China. Half the channels are from CCTV (China Central TeleVision), the government's TV organization. The news are subject to government censorship and the shows are boring. IPTV (TV sent over Internet) is very popular in China. Some hotels have IP setup boxes. The quality of the image is iffy, though, and the signal often chokes due to network congestion. However, these IPTV's find there way all over: in buses; at bus stops, ... In taxis, you can also find TV with digital content (mostly ads) to "entertain" the passengers.
3) Noise pollution
China is not unlike Japan in that is it a noisy country. TV's too often send you not only their images, but also their unwanted sounds. Music is often played on sound systems in historic places to create a mood (but only manage to turn the authentic in to the tackey). Car drivers honk not only to warn of danger, but also just to let others know of their presence.
4) Lots of people
We all know there are lots of Chinese. But, this really sunk in for me when I traveled from Shanghai to Hangzhou by train. The route is about 150km. At no point was there a lack of human settlements for the whole journey. Imagine going from Montreal to Ottawa and seeing houses and buildings all along the way.
2008-10-13
Shanghai is Cool
Let's make it official: Beijing sucks. It's full of peasants, savages and communists.
I was afraid to be disappointed with China until I came to Shanghai.
Shanghai redeemed China in my eyes.
I'd feel right at home here if it weren't for the fact that people spot me as a foreigner from a mile away and that I'm handicapped by not knowing the local languages.
One nasty thing, though, is that many touts try to sell me watches, bags or (when I'm not with my local female friend) "lady massages". I simply don't acknowledge their existence and they quickly lose interest in me. One insisted, though, and was grabbing me and violating my living space. I raised my hand instinctively. But, I pitied him and felt so sad for him. It must be a terrible existence to be lowered to being a nuisance like this to be able to subsist. Anyway, he left me alone without nothing bad happening. I look at all the people trying to sell useless stuff and I can't help but feel bad for them.
On Saturday, I moved from a simple hotel room to a serviced apartment. It's quite a nice place with an amazing view.
That night, I went out with my friend and a friend of hers. We went to a hip joint where the cover charge and the drinks are more expensive than in Montreal. They were playing American R&B, which is not my cup of tea. However, the women were amazingly beautiful. I'm talking model material.
Yesterday, after seeing panicking brokers on the front pages of newspapers for a week, I decided to check my stocks portfolio for the first time since I left Canada. I lost around 20 thousand dollars in two weeks. That got me in a depressed mood.
In the evening, I was in "my" apartment looking at "my" city with "my" girl and I felt happy for a moment... Just the time to realize that this is just an illusion; that I don't live in Shanghai (nor anywhere else at the moment); that I am not in a long-term relationship with any girl; that I don't have a job nor a place where I belong. It's freedom, but it's scary.
I was afraid to be disappointed with China until I came to Shanghai.
Shanghai redeemed China in my eyes.
I'd feel right at home here if it weren't for the fact that people spot me as a foreigner from a mile away and that I'm handicapped by not knowing the local languages.
One nasty thing, though, is that many touts try to sell me watches, bags or (when I'm not with my local female friend) "lady massages". I simply don't acknowledge their existence and they quickly lose interest in me. One insisted, though, and was grabbing me and violating my living space. I raised my hand instinctively. But, I pitied him and felt so sad for him. It must be a terrible existence to be lowered to being a nuisance like this to be able to subsist. Anyway, he left me alone without nothing bad happening. I look at all the people trying to sell useless stuff and I can't help but feel bad for them.
On Saturday, I moved from a simple hotel room to a serviced apartment. It's quite a nice place with an amazing view.
That night, I went out with my friend and a friend of hers. We went to a hip joint where the cover charge and the drinks are more expensive than in Montreal. They were playing American R&B, which is not my cup of tea. However, the women were amazingly beautiful. I'm talking model material.
Yesterday, after seeing panicking brokers on the front pages of newspapers for a week, I decided to check my stocks portfolio for the first time since I left Canada. I lost around 20 thousand dollars in two weeks. That got me in a depressed mood.
In the evening, I was in "my" apartment looking at "my" city with "my" girl and I felt happy for a moment... Just the time to realize that this is just an illusion; that I don't live in Shanghai (nor anywhere else at the moment); that I am not in a long-term relationship with any girl; that I don't have a job nor a place where I belong. It's freedom, but it's scary.
2008-10-10
Out with Xian; In with Shanghai
During my last night in Xian, while I was about to fall sleep in my hotel room, I got a call from a woman asking me if I wanted a massage. I said that I didn't want one and hung up. Then, I realized that no legitimate employee of the hotel would call patrons at this time of night for a massage and that I just had a call from a prostitute who was looking a customer. A few seconds later, I heard the phone in the next room ring. That's pretty aggressive marketing!
The next day, I did manage to get a flight to Shanghai at a local price.
Today, I spent the whole day exploring Shanghai. So far, it's the coolest city of my trip. This is what China should be. It's up there with Hong Kong in my opinion. It reminds me a bit of Hong Kong, Tokyo and New York all mixed together.
People nearly never spit here and their accent / dialect is more pleasant to the ear. Also, many people have a respectable sense of fashion here and I get a feeling that, in general, citizens of this city are more with it.
The skyline is nice to look at (especially at night when all the lights are shining, flashing and competing for your attention).
The next day, I did manage to get a flight to Shanghai at a local price.
Today, I spent the whole day exploring Shanghai. So far, it's the coolest city of my trip. This is what China should be. It's up there with Hong Kong in my opinion. It reminds me a bit of Hong Kong, Tokyo and New York all mixed together.
People nearly never spit here and their accent / dialect is more pleasant to the ear. Also, many people have a respectable sense of fashion here and I get a feeling that, in general, citizens of this city are more with it.
The skyline is nice to look at (especially at night when all the lights are shining, flashing and competing for your attention).
2008-10-08
Xian
I landed in Xian last night. Today, I visited the Terra-Cotta Warriors. I should be thrilled, but I've seen so many UNESCO World Heritage sites now that it's hard for me to care.
Other than that, I explored Xian a bit. I get a better feeling from this city than from Beijing. Xian seems more vibrant and happening even though it's smaller and further inland. People are more beautiful and fashionable here. The pollution isn't nearly as bad as in the capital and people even seem to spit less.
I'm trying to book a flight out of here for tomorrow. All the Chinese sites suck shit and either crap out or put up processes that make it prohibitive to book online. Travel agents don't speak English. I'm left with Western sites, which sell flights at double the local price... I'll try again with some Chinese sites that crapped out tomorrow. If that doesn't work, I'll go and try to mime to a travel agent that I want to go to Shanghai.
I miss being able to drink tap water.
Other than that, I explored Xian a bit. I get a better feeling from this city than from Beijing. Xian seems more vibrant and happening even though it's smaller and further inland. People are more beautiful and fashionable here. The pollution isn't nearly as bad as in the capital and people even seem to spit less.
I'm trying to book a flight out of here for tomorrow. All the Chinese sites suck shit and either crap out or put up processes that make it prohibitive to book online. Travel agents don't speak English. I'm left with Western sites, which sell flights at double the local price... I'll try again with some Chinese sites that crapped out tomorrow. If that doesn't work, I'll go and try to mime to a travel agent that I want to go to Shanghai.
I miss being able to drink tap water.
2008-10-06
Beijing Annoyances
Here are some things that annoy me about Beijing...
1) The smog
I had two days in my week-long stay where I could actually see the blue of the sky. The rest was smog and two days of rain. When it rains, you can actually see further than on a "clear" day of smog.
2) Transportation
The metro system is often overcrowded. Buses can be even worst. Tickets you buy for the metro are only good for the station where you bought them and only for the day you bought them. Thus, you always have to line up to get tickets (unless you buy a special card with a chip). Also, if you take a bag with you, you have to have it scanned in an X-ray machine before going in the subway stations. China is even worst than the USA in terms of invasion of privacy and government control over the population. Cars have many lanes to circulate, but traffic is dangerous and cars pollute the hell out of Beijing. Cars literally park on sidewalks and, although driving in China is insane, many drivers can't really drive (as I can gather from the all the "help the parker" sessions I saw). Taxis are almost always out to rob you. Pedicabs are worst and completely unlicensed and unregulated. I got in a ride with one who asked me "3 money" to go where I wanted. When I got there, he said "No! No! THREE MONEY! Three hundred yuan!". That's a 10000% difference from what I expected to pay. With 300 yuans, I could ride the train from Beijing to Shanghai. Since the dude has no license, there is no number I can call to denounce him. So, I just assumed a fighting position and told him he would need to come and get the money from my pockets. He was a bit surprised. Then I started shouting at him and telling him that my secret dream is to beat up a dishonest cab driver in Asia. He quickly told me "Okay! Okay! Give me what you want!". So I gave him 3 yuans. I thought that was pretty good bargaining on my part. Then, when he was gone, I realized I should have told him "Give you what I want to give you? I want to give you a kick in the teeth!". Maybe that way, I could have realized that dream of mine. Anyway, people on the street where the incident happened were all friendly with me after the pedicab disappeared.
3) The tourist infrastructure
Even for big common attractions, it's sometimes hard to find ways to get there. Nobody speaks English enough to be truly useful. Information is hard to get by. Tourist sites are often polluted by speakers that output crap music, signs that ruins the traditional feel and such... I think the government should leave more place for private enterprise in these matters. There is lots of money to be made in addressing these problems.
4) Spitting
What's up with all the spitting? Why do people spit all the time?
5) Mandarin
After a week of hearing almost only Mandarin, I realize just how bad it sounds. It's not musical or harmonious. Hell, I even find myself wishing I was surrounded by Japanese or German people instead. Even those languages would sound more poetic. Beijing Mandarin sounds either stupid or aggressive. It's at its worst when people are having stupid arguments.
6) Beauty, style and fashion
The women here are not as pretty as the Chinese ones we have in Canada. Many have bad skin, bad hair (I HATE permed hair) or bad clothes. A surprising number of them are fat too. That's all strange given that none of these seem to be major issues in Thailand, where people have less money. It might be a mix of nature and nurture. I think Beijing women just have a misguided sense of fashion.
7) Warm drinks
At breakfast, I wanted to get some orange juice. I got it, but steaming hot. What the fuck!? I asked for some water instead of tea during dinner, and they brought me hot water. I'm just not used to this. Once, I had lunch with a friend of a friend and had cold Sprite. The person I was with told me that the couple sitting next to us found me very strange because I was drinking something cold with my warm meal.
That's it for my peeves for now.
Other than that, I'm trying more strange food (with mixed results); another family took a picture with me because I'm white (this time, at my hotel) and I went to the Great Wall:
1) The smog
I had two days in my week-long stay where I could actually see the blue of the sky. The rest was smog and two days of rain. When it rains, you can actually see further than on a "clear" day of smog.
2) Transportation
The metro system is often overcrowded. Buses can be even worst. Tickets you buy for the metro are only good for the station where you bought them and only for the day you bought them. Thus, you always have to line up to get tickets (unless you buy a special card with a chip). Also, if you take a bag with you, you have to have it scanned in an X-ray machine before going in the subway stations. China is even worst than the USA in terms of invasion of privacy and government control over the population. Cars have many lanes to circulate, but traffic is dangerous and cars pollute the hell out of Beijing. Cars literally park on sidewalks and, although driving in China is insane, many drivers can't really drive (as I can gather from the all the "help the parker" sessions I saw). Taxis are almost always out to rob you. Pedicabs are worst and completely unlicensed and unregulated. I got in a ride with one who asked me "3 money" to go where I wanted. When I got there, he said "No! No! THREE MONEY! Three hundred yuan!". That's a 10000% difference from what I expected to pay. With 300 yuans, I could ride the train from Beijing to Shanghai. Since the dude has no license, there is no number I can call to denounce him. So, I just assumed a fighting position and told him he would need to come and get the money from my pockets. He was a bit surprised. Then I started shouting at him and telling him that my secret dream is to beat up a dishonest cab driver in Asia. He quickly told me "Okay! Okay! Give me what you want!". So I gave him 3 yuans. I thought that was pretty good bargaining on my part. Then, when he was gone, I realized I should have told him "Give you what I want to give you? I want to give you a kick in the teeth!". Maybe that way, I could have realized that dream of mine. Anyway, people on the street where the incident happened were all friendly with me after the pedicab disappeared.
3) The tourist infrastructure
Even for big common attractions, it's sometimes hard to find ways to get there. Nobody speaks English enough to be truly useful. Information is hard to get by. Tourist sites are often polluted by speakers that output crap music, signs that ruins the traditional feel and such... I think the government should leave more place for private enterprise in these matters. There is lots of money to be made in addressing these problems.
4) Spitting
What's up with all the spitting? Why do people spit all the time?
5) Mandarin
After a week of hearing almost only Mandarin, I realize just how bad it sounds. It's not musical or harmonious. Hell, I even find myself wishing I was surrounded by Japanese or German people instead. Even those languages would sound more poetic. Beijing Mandarin sounds either stupid or aggressive. It's at its worst when people are having stupid arguments.
6) Beauty, style and fashion
The women here are not as pretty as the Chinese ones we have in Canada. Many have bad skin, bad hair (I HATE permed hair) or bad clothes. A surprising number of them are fat too. That's all strange given that none of these seem to be major issues in Thailand, where people have less money. It might be a mix of nature and nurture. I think Beijing women just have a misguided sense of fashion.
7) Warm drinks
At breakfast, I wanted to get some orange juice. I got it, but steaming hot. What the fuck!? I asked for some water instead of tea during dinner, and they brought me hot water. I'm just not used to this. Once, I had lunch with a friend of a friend and had cold Sprite. The person I was with told me that the couple sitting next to us found me very strange because I was drinking something cold with my warm meal.
That's it for my peeves for now.
Other than that, I'm trying more strange food (with mixed results); another family took a picture with me because I'm white (this time, at my hotel) and I went to the Great Wall:
2008-10-02
Third Day in China
I went to the Forbidden City today. It's pretty huge. But, I'm now officially jaded of temples, palaces and other such venues. I also went to Tiananmen Square.
Chinese officials are really a bunch of dumbasses. Because it's a huge holiday in China, they close a bunch of metro stations and national places of interest and also start controlling pedestrian traffic in ridiculous ways at certain places. What they should do instead is extend the opening hours of the places of interest and make going about easier, not harder.
Today, I noticed that many people, especially girls, pretend to take pictures of something in my general direction so as to be able to take a picture of me. I "caught" two girls doing so near the Mao Mausoleum and they then started laughing in a shy way. Then, they showed me the picture they took of me.
I'm having a hard time finding good food. I can't read Chinese and it's hard for me to tell the people what I want to eat in a way they understand. When I go in restaurant with pictures of their food, it all looks disgusting to me. I'll have to get some help from one of my contacts to get some nice food.
Chinese officials are really a bunch of dumbasses. Because it's a huge holiday in China, they close a bunch of metro stations and national places of interest and also start controlling pedestrian traffic in ridiculous ways at certain places. What they should do instead is extend the opening hours of the places of interest and make going about easier, not harder.
Today, I noticed that many people, especially girls, pretend to take pictures of something in my general direction so as to be able to take a picture of me. I "caught" two girls doing so near the Mao Mausoleum and they then started laughing in a shy way. Then, they showed me the picture they took of me.
I'm having a hard time finding good food. I can't read Chinese and it's hard for me to tell the people what I want to eat in a way they understand. When I go in restaurant with pictures of their food, it all looks disgusting to me. I'll have to get some help from one of my contacts to get some nice food.
2008-10-01
Second Day in Beijing
After spending a bit more time in Beijing, some of the original glow has gone away. It's not as bad as some people might have you believe, but Beijing is still far from being a first-world country capital.
Despite government efforts to eliminate spitting, it remains a popular activity of the locals. Also, you will still sometimes see aberrations like a 3 or 4 year-old girl being told by her father not to be shy to take a piss on the sidewalk, right next to a metro station (I wish I could have taken a picture of that without the risk of ticking off the father).
The roads are not as orderly as they first seemed to me yesterday. I did see a moron with his motorcycle going the wrong way on a major road. Also, cars won't stop for pedestrians. Cars on two-way streets that want to turn left don't give right of way to traffic coming the other way. Everything just works by ad hoc reactions. Taxis hide seatbelt buckles under a sheet that's meant to protect the backseat from getting dirty.
A lot of people seem clueless. Just as Japan would be more efficient if it was less organized, China would be more efficient if it was more organized.
By far, the biggest problem in Beijing is smog. It's bad. Really bad. It's an order of magnitude worst than Mexico City (which is itself pretty bad to start with). It's so bad in fact that it's impossible for me to really get a big picture of the city as I can't ever see more than a few blocks away.
Today, I went to see a few temples (BORING!) and the olympic stadium. Many people utter the word laowai ("foreigner") when talking to each other around me. Children are more direct and will sometimes say to me stuff like "Ni hao, laowai" ("Hello, foreigner!") or show off their two or three words of English to me. One was particularly funny because after saying "Hello! How are you?" (and not understanding my reply), she had her family take a picture of me with her. It's interesting to be the subject of such fascination.
I met a Korean friend that I had last seen in Seoul two years ago. She now works here as an English teacher. I had quite a pain finding her place and went into a few wrong buildings before ringing the bell at her apartment. However, she was waiting for me somewhere else. So, I tried finding a phone to call her. There wasn't any around. Then, I asked a small gang of Sino-Koreans if they could help me. They lent me their cell phone. When I failed to reach her by phone, I asked if there was an Internet cafe where I could check my email. One of them took me several blocks away to show me where the Internet cafe is. Then, she helped me buy some online time and log on. She also offered her ID card at the Internet cafe. In China, you need to provide ID to gain access to the Internet. That way, if you rant against the government online, they can track you down. Before I actually got to go online, the two other Sino-Koreans joined us in the Internet cafe; they had gotten a call from my friend on their cell phone which I had used to try to reach her. Then, after giving me the chance to speak with her, they took me to her location. All this attention and care from total strangers! I love being white! :)
My friend, her boyfriend and I had a Korean dinner and talked about our lives and such. I learned from them that, in China, you pre-pay your electricity with cards. (A bit like you pre-pay pay-as-go cell phones in North America) They had forgotten to top-up their electricity credits and had just gotten cut off. I guess such a system makes sense in a market where many people would otherwise give late payments. In first-world countries, however, such a system would make electricity companies lose money because of absence of service to all the people who can pay on time but just forgot to top up their credits.
On my way back from seeing them, the taxi driver "made a mistake" in his route to my destination and wanted me to pay extra for his "mistake". This is the third time a cab driver tries to screw me in Asia. The two previous ones never got a penny from me. This one got the money he would have gotten if he had taken the normal route to my destination because he made it clear that he wanted me to forget about the whole thing when I took his driver ID and told him I would report him to the tourist police. One of my secret dreams is to bash the brains in of a dishonest taxi driver in Asia. Maybe next time.
Despite government efforts to eliminate spitting, it remains a popular activity of the locals. Also, you will still sometimes see aberrations like a 3 or 4 year-old girl being told by her father not to be shy to take a piss on the sidewalk, right next to a metro station (I wish I could have taken a picture of that without the risk of ticking off the father).
The roads are not as orderly as they first seemed to me yesterday. I did see a moron with his motorcycle going the wrong way on a major road. Also, cars won't stop for pedestrians. Cars on two-way streets that want to turn left don't give right of way to traffic coming the other way. Everything just works by ad hoc reactions. Taxis hide seatbelt buckles under a sheet that's meant to protect the backseat from getting dirty.
A lot of people seem clueless. Just as Japan would be more efficient if it was less organized, China would be more efficient if it was more organized.
By far, the biggest problem in Beijing is smog. It's bad. Really bad. It's an order of magnitude worst than Mexico City (which is itself pretty bad to start with). It's so bad in fact that it's impossible for me to really get a big picture of the city as I can't ever see more than a few blocks away.
Today, I went to see a few temples (BORING!) and the olympic stadium. Many people utter the word laowai ("foreigner") when talking to each other around me. Children are more direct and will sometimes say to me stuff like "Ni hao, laowai" ("Hello, foreigner!") or show off their two or three words of English to me. One was particularly funny because after saying "Hello! How are you?" (and not understanding my reply), she had her family take a picture of me with her. It's interesting to be the subject of such fascination.
I met a Korean friend that I had last seen in Seoul two years ago. She now works here as an English teacher. I had quite a pain finding her place and went into a few wrong buildings before ringing the bell at her apartment. However, she was waiting for me somewhere else. So, I tried finding a phone to call her. There wasn't any around. Then, I asked a small gang of Sino-Koreans if they could help me. They lent me their cell phone. When I failed to reach her by phone, I asked if there was an Internet cafe where I could check my email. One of them took me several blocks away to show me where the Internet cafe is. Then, she helped me buy some online time and log on. She also offered her ID card at the Internet cafe. In China, you need to provide ID to gain access to the Internet. That way, if you rant against the government online, they can track you down. Before I actually got to go online, the two other Sino-Koreans joined us in the Internet cafe; they had gotten a call from my friend on their cell phone which I had used to try to reach her. Then, after giving me the chance to speak with her, they took me to her location. All this attention and care from total strangers! I love being white! :)
My friend, her boyfriend and I had a Korean dinner and talked about our lives and such. I learned from them that, in China, you pre-pay your electricity with cards. (A bit like you pre-pay pay-as-go cell phones in North America) They had forgotten to top-up their electricity credits and had just gotten cut off. I guess such a system makes sense in a market where many people would otherwise give late payments. In first-world countries, however, such a system would make electricity companies lose money because of absence of service to all the people who can pay on time but just forgot to top up their credits.
On my way back from seeing them, the taxi driver "made a mistake" in his route to my destination and wanted me to pay extra for his "mistake". This is the third time a cab driver tries to screw me in Asia. The two previous ones never got a penny from me. This one got the money he would have gotten if he had taken the normal route to my destination because he made it clear that he wanted me to forget about the whole thing when I took his driver ID and told him I would report him to the tourist police. One of my secret dreams is to bash the brains in of a dishonest taxi driver in Asia. Maybe next time.
2008-09-30
First Day in China
I just got in Beijing. The flight from Vancouver took 10 hours, which is less than usual.
Looking out the plane's window, I could see countless buildings arranged in organized patterns. I guess that's due to the strong government planning and intervention in economic matters.
I was pleasantly surprised after landing: other than the smog, Beijing is cleaner than I expected. It's not as chaotic as I imagined and people are friendlier than I thought they would be.
My hotel room is pretty cool too. For 35$ a night, I have a clean place with no obvious problem. My room also has a desktop computer with Internet access. It's from this machine that I'm writing this entry right now.
Well, enough Internet for now: I'm going to explore the city!
Looking out the plane's window, I could see countless buildings arranged in organized patterns. I guess that's due to the strong government planning and intervention in economic matters.
I was pleasantly surprised after landing: other than the smog, Beijing is cleaner than I expected. It's not as chaotic as I imagined and people are friendlier than I thought they would be.
My hotel room is pretty cool too. For 35$ a night, I have a clean place with no obvious problem. My room also has a desktop computer with Internet access. It's from this machine that I'm writing this entry right now.
Well, enough Internet for now: I'm going to explore the city!
2008-09-20
Okanagan Valley
Last week, I went to the Okanagan Valley with Sylvia. I think both of us had some apprehensions because of all the fighting we had on our last trip together (Hawaii). However, other than her usual tendencies to freak out and be irritable, things went pretty well.
Our first morning in the Valley was spent in Canada's only "desert". It's technically a desert, but don't expect sand dunes. It feels more like northern Arizona (say, around Flagstaff). In this desert live a variety of animals not found elsewhere in Canada such as rattle snakes, scorpions and black widow spiders. At the Desert Center, I expected to see a bunch of bugs and animals (just as I did in Arizona's Desert Garden). But, we didn't see rattle snakes (they apparently are found on golf courses in the region) or anything of the sort. Actually, the Desert Center was a bit boring except for when we did see a yellow-bellied snake eat a praying mantis.
Then, up to the vineyards we went! We drank many varieties of wines and got the chance to walk around some vineyards. We were tipsy most of the day (especially Sylvia). We also took some peaches and apples fresh from the trees next to some vineyards.
That night, we spent the night in a private room in a hostel. It was a first time for both of us. I slept fine but wasn't too keen on the idea of cleaning myself in a shared shower the next morning. If I ever get over my desire for convenience and comfort, I could travel for much cheaper.
The next day we went to more vineyards. That whole week-end taught me a lot about wines. If I do end up back East, I'll try to visit the Niagara region for some more wine tourism.
This entry brings this blog up to date, which is a good thing considering that I'm about to embark on a mega-trip to Asia. Next week, I'm off to China.
More adventures to come...
Alberta
Right after coming back from Vancouver Island (August 2008), I flew out to Calgary for a few days of exploration in Alberta.
One cool thing about highways in Alberta is that the speed limit is at 110 km/h and that people actually drive more around 140 km/h. I still remember driving in the right lane at 140 km/h. Most of the time, it's not the speed limit that slowed me down, but rather my own fear when I was going too fast.
I first headed to the Rockies. By August, many mountains don't have snow left on their peaks. Also, I went there during days of record-high temperatures, so everything was somewhat hazy. Thus, I didn't get the optimal conditions to observe the natural beauty of the Rockies. I'd say the best time to go is late May / early June.
I went to Banff, to Lake Louise (with its surreal turquoise water) to Moraine Lake (with its crystal-clear water) and Peytoe Lake (another lake with awesome water color) on my first day.
I picked up a hitchhiking couple. The girl, Marie-Hélène, was a fellow Quebecker and her partner, Karsten, was a German who also speaks French and who is now doing his master's in articifial intelligence in Edmonton. Marie-Hélène is also doing a master's, but in piano interpretation. I didn't even know there were such master's! The pair was making its way up to the Yukon. They don't have much money, but compensate with their adventurous spirit and willingness to compromise on comfort. They've travelled all over the place, often sleeping outside or camping in order to preserve their little, precious money. Good thing I have money because I have led a sheltered existence so far that makes it unthinkable for me to not have my own bathroom and shower when I spend the night somewhere.
The next day, I back-tracked to the Columbia Icefield and drove back to Jasper again (this time during day-time, so that I could see the landscapes). I stopped at a very wide river (1 km?) that didn't get deeper than 50 cm. Many people were playing in the water there. Then, I drove shoeless all the way to Edmonton.
Edmonton deserves its nickname of Deadmonton. In the downtown core, only one street really feels downtownish. In the university area, Whyte street shows some life, even on Sunday nights. So, at least it's not clear that Edmonton is as boring as Seattle. Also, the West Edmonton Mall isn't that huge. It's just like a regular mall, but with an amusement park, a water amusement park and some themed areas. One thing I found funny in Edmonton is the presence of radars on some streets that make messages appear telling you to slow down when you drive too fast.
Next was Calgary. Again, not much to see here. Although, to be fair, Calgary is a bit bigger than Edmonton. I went up the Calgary Tower to take a good look at the city. I quickly exhausted my curiosity for this city and decided to fly back home two days earlier than planned. What I'd pay extra to change my flight, I'd save on car rental, gas and hotel.
At that point, I became pretty much saturated of all that nature stuff and of all that exploration of Canada. I think it's time for me to get back to what I normally like doing: visiting foreign mega-cities.
Victoria
About a month ago (in August 2008), I went to Vancouver Island.
I saw the Butchart Gardens and then headed to Victoria. Victoria, the capital of British Columbia is a pretty small town. It has an English feel to it, especially in some of its suburbs.
I went looking for killer whales. Our expedition saw one. We also saw a bunch of seals and sea lions.
Again, this is one of those trips that didn't change my life much but allows me to say "Been there, done that".
Montreal and Quebec
This summer, I went back to Montreal for a week to see people and places that had not been accessible to me in almost a year. It was my first time back since I had left on August 26 of the previous year.
Here's a summary of what happened on my trip back home...
June 27
I left work with my light luggage and went straight to the bus terminal. The lady at the counter there was a Quebecker. It felt strange to talk to her in French. A bit like a taste of things to come in Montreal.
On the bus to Seattle (from where I would fly to Montreal on a ticket I had not used the previous year), I started thinking about all the events that lead me to be where I was at that precise moment. Everything started, almost to the day, a year before. I was going back where my story with Sylvia, cities, jobs, apartments and all these major changes started. I was going to the places that were part of these changes in reverser order (Vancouver, Seattle, Montreal).
Looking at everything, I felt depressed. Back when I was in Montreal, I had a job I liked; I was in a good city; I liked my apartment and I had a girlfriend I truly loved. I was happy. I had everything I wanted; I just didn't know it. And now, what did I have? A job that didn't correspond to my aspirations and in which the team dynamics were quite poor; an apartment I didn't like going for 2.5 times the rent I paid in Montreal; no lover and rain and gray skies in a city even smaller than Montreal.
All of this for some more money and the chance to live in a city other than Montreal... For the job, there was not much I could have done; Motorola was closing its center in Montreal. For the city, I could always go back to Montreal. For the apartment, I could always find something if I looked around. For Sylvia, I just had severely fucked up and losing her was what left me with the most bitter feeling.
It's in such a brooding mood that I arrived in Seattle. When I got there, I had to go through the neighborhood where I used to live and work. I felt a powerful mix of anxiety and sadness that amounted almost to a panic attack. My emotions from all the events surrounding my departure from Montreal were surfacing.
Then, I noticed how empty the streets were and how everything was closed and also how everyone I saw was ugly and trashy.
The city bus ride to SeaTac was like a zoo revealing many types of subhuman individuals that characterize Seattle so much.
As if the mutants weren't enough, Americans are so much bigger (read fatter) than Canadians.
Leaving Seattle was truly the right decision.
June 28
I took the good old 211 bus to get downtown from Dorval (where the airport is located). On the bus was this pale young electro/punk/whatever redhead with her blouse open so much you could see all her black bra covering her small breasts. Arriving downtown, the bus driver drove through a red light. Welcome to Montreal!
Walking on Lionel-Groulx avenue (where I used to live) made me very emotional. Was it the feeling of finding back a cherished place or was it the feeling of having made a grave, unrepairable mistake by leaving?
Half of my week in Montreal, I slept in the two adjacent houses where I used to live. It truly was a return to my roots. I spent the first night at Luc's place (where I used to live a while back).
Before going to bed, I met a friend and we walked her dog on Ste-Catherine, through the Jazz Festival, on St-Laurent and on Prince-Arthur. Things somewhat felt familiar and foreign at the same time. I noticed how the people in Montreal are not aligned with my preferences. I like the composition of the population in Vancouver more.
I also went to the SAT. It wasn't SAT's best night. It was full of young, fat, ugly people and the music sucked. At least, some people were doing drugs and lesbian shit.
June 29
I noticed how very little has changed in Montreal since last year. I only noticed one new building. In Vancouver, new buildings pop up every week. The infrastructure is old and poorly maintained in Montreal. Vancouver is much cleaner and newer. The feeling in Vancouver is one of growth. The feeling in Montreal is one of stagnation.
I went to the tam-tams and took a look at the medieval fighters there.
June 30
I went to the West Island to see my parents. On the way to their place, I met the parents of a few people I use to hang out with when I was younger. Nothing much's changed with my parents. I spent the night at an old friend's place.
July 01
I walked around Montreal some more. I had heard many times that people in Montreal look and dress better than people in Vancouver. I didn't find so. I think people in Vancouver are fitter in general, too.
Had dinner with some friends in a Spanish restaurant. We later met up with other friends and went to see Bran Van 3000's show. It was packed. I got introduced to a few ex-Vancouverites who now live in Montreal and are also in the gaming industry. We ended the night at the St-Sulpice, Montreal's largest terrace.
July 02
Had some açaí. I went for a stroll in Westmount Park. Had a BBQ on Louise's patio.
Here's a summary of what happened on my trip back home...
June 27
I left work with my light luggage and went straight to the bus terminal. The lady at the counter there was a Quebecker. It felt strange to talk to her in French. A bit like a taste of things to come in Montreal.
On the bus to Seattle (from where I would fly to Montreal on a ticket I had not used the previous year), I started thinking about all the events that lead me to be where I was at that precise moment. Everything started, almost to the day, a year before. I was going back where my story with Sylvia, cities, jobs, apartments and all these major changes started. I was going to the places that were part of these changes in reverser order (Vancouver, Seattle, Montreal).
Looking at everything, I felt depressed. Back when I was in Montreal, I had a job I liked; I was in a good city; I liked my apartment and I had a girlfriend I truly loved. I was happy. I had everything I wanted; I just didn't know it. And now, what did I have? A job that didn't correspond to my aspirations and in which the team dynamics were quite poor; an apartment I didn't like going for 2.5 times the rent I paid in Montreal; no lover and rain and gray skies in a city even smaller than Montreal.
All of this for some more money and the chance to live in a city other than Montreal... For the job, there was not much I could have done; Motorola was closing its center in Montreal. For the city, I could always go back to Montreal. For the apartment, I could always find something if I looked around. For Sylvia, I just had severely fucked up and losing her was what left me with the most bitter feeling.
It's in such a brooding mood that I arrived in Seattle. When I got there, I had to go through the neighborhood where I used to live and work. I felt a powerful mix of anxiety and sadness that amounted almost to a panic attack. My emotions from all the events surrounding my departure from Montreal were surfacing.
Then, I noticed how empty the streets were and how everything was closed and also how everyone I saw was ugly and trashy.
The city bus ride to SeaTac was like a zoo revealing many types of subhuman individuals that characterize Seattle so much.
As if the mutants weren't enough, Americans are so much bigger (read fatter) than Canadians.
Leaving Seattle was truly the right decision.
June 28
I took the good old 211 bus to get downtown from Dorval (where the airport is located). On the bus was this pale young electro/punk/whatever redhead with her blouse open so much you could see all her black bra covering her small breasts. Arriving downtown, the bus driver drove through a red light. Welcome to Montreal!
Walking on Lionel-Groulx avenue (where I used to live) made me very emotional. Was it the feeling of finding back a cherished place or was it the feeling of having made a grave, unrepairable mistake by leaving?
Half of my week in Montreal, I slept in the two adjacent houses where I used to live. It truly was a return to my roots. I spent the first night at Luc's place (where I used to live a while back).
Before going to bed, I met a friend and we walked her dog on Ste-Catherine, through the Jazz Festival, on St-Laurent and on Prince-Arthur. Things somewhat felt familiar and foreign at the same time. I noticed how the people in Montreal are not aligned with my preferences. I like the composition of the population in Vancouver more.
I also went to the SAT. It wasn't SAT's best night. It was full of young, fat, ugly people and the music sucked. At least, some people were doing drugs and lesbian shit.
June 29
I noticed how very little has changed in Montreal since last year. I only noticed one new building. In Vancouver, new buildings pop up every week. The infrastructure is old and poorly maintained in Montreal. Vancouver is much cleaner and newer. The feeling in Vancouver is one of growth. The feeling in Montreal is one of stagnation.
I went to the tam-tams and took a look at the medieval fighters there.
June 30
I went to the West Island to see my parents. On the way to their place, I met the parents of a few people I use to hang out with when I was younger. Nothing much's changed with my parents. I spent the night at an old friend's place.
July 01
I walked around Montreal some more. I had heard many times that people in Montreal look and dress better than people in Vancouver. I didn't find so. I think people in Vancouver are fitter in general, too.
Had dinner with some friends in a Spanish restaurant. We later met up with other friends and went to see Bran Van 3000's show. It was packed. I got introduced to a few ex-Vancouverites who now live in Montreal and are also in the gaming industry. We ended the night at the St-Sulpice, Montreal's largest terrace.
July 02
Had some açaí. I went for a stroll in Westmount Park. Had a BBQ on Louise's patio.
July 03
I drove to Quebec City. I met my cousin there and we walked a few hours through the city. The city was officially 400 years old that day and many people came into town to be part of the festivities and see the mega fireworks. We didn't stay long enough to see the fireworks as my cousin really didn't feel like hanging around. My cousin now owns his own house and is thinking of joining the special forces as being in regular infantry is not hardcore enough for him.
July 04
Drove back to Montreal. I slowed down just in time to avoid getting caught by cops monitoring the traffic with radars. Half an hour later, I saw a cop behind me with his lights flashing. I thought this time it was it: I had been caught speeding. I slowed down and was about to pull over. But, then the cop was waving with his hands for me to get out of the way. He actually was going to the scene of an accident. I had escaped getting a ticket twice.
Back in Montreal, I met a bunch of ex Motorola co-workers at our traditional watering hole. From what I gathered, no one seemed quite as happy about their jobs as when they were at Motorola.
Already drunk, I left my ex co-workers to join other people for some more drinks. One of the people I was with ended barfing. That's Montreal for you.
July 05
I saw Sylvia's mother to get stuff for her back to Vancouver. I also went to where Sylvia used to live to get mail from her brother, to see her cat and for memories' sake.
I went to see the fireworks that night. I also had some St-Hubert. I missed their rotisserie chicken.
July 06
Had breakfast at Cora's, which is (sadly) not located on Stanley anymore.
Went to Piknic électronik. Had to leave quickly as I had to catch my flight back to Vancouver.
All in all, it was a good trip. It made me lose my homesickness. I did pretty much all the things I would normally want to do in the summer in Montreal in one week. When I came back to Vancouver, my new city felt a bit more like home and I didn't mind living in Vancouver anymore.
I think I had been idealizing Montreal and my old apartment and that I what I truly missed were not the places, but rather the moments I had there.
In a weird way, I was a bit disappointed that I didn't fall in love with Montreal. It would have made things easier as I would have known where I belong. Thus, I'm still wondering where my true home is...
2008-09-19
Whistler
In May 2008, I went to Whistler. It's a nice place and I saw a wild bear there. However, it didn't change my life. I guess you have to be a skier or snowboarder in order to truly appreciate the place. Since I'm neither, I'm just happy to say that I've been there.
Hawaii
This post relates events that occurred in April of 2008.
After living for a few months in Vancouver, I went on a short vacation to Hawaii. I took Sylvia along with me as a thank-you gesture for hosting me when I first got to Vancouver.
We went to the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park (on the Big Island) and saw volcanic fumes and an active volcano. We also traversed acres of land covered by solidified lava. We went snorkeling with manta rays at night. Still on the Big Island, we saw sea turtles, beaches with black sand, incredible scenery and an abundance of sea creatures.
Later, we went on the Island of Kauai and visited "The Grand Canyon of the Pacific" and the Na Pali Cliffs.
Finally, we explored Oahu. We went to Pearl Harbor and visited the USS Arizona memorial, where hundreds of men still remain in the sunken battleship's wreck. We also saw an ancient Hawaiian temple and beautiful landscapes when we circled around the island.
The trip was too short. I hope one day to go a third time to Hawaii.
The only thing that wasn't great is the fact that Sylvia and I had some frictions and nearly killed each other many times. At one point, I was so upset by her that I inadvertently locked the rental car's keys inside the car. That did nothing to relax the already tense atmosphere!
After living for a few months in Vancouver, I went on a short vacation to Hawaii. I took Sylvia along with me as a thank-you gesture for hosting me when I first got to Vancouver.
We went to the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park (on the Big Island) and saw volcanic fumes and an active volcano. We also traversed acres of land covered by solidified lava. We went snorkeling with manta rays at night. Still on the Big Island, we saw sea turtles, beaches with black sand, incredible scenery and an abundance of sea creatures.
Later, we went on the Island of Kauai and visited "The Grand Canyon of the Pacific" and the Na Pali Cliffs.
Finally, we explored Oahu. We went to Pearl Harbor and visited the USS Arizona memorial, where hundreds of men still remain in the sunken battleship's wreck. We also saw an ancient Hawaiian temple and beautiful landscapes when we circled around the island.
The trip was too short. I hope one day to go a third time to Hawaii.
The only thing that wasn't great is the fact that Sylvia and I had some frictions and nearly killed each other many times. At one point, I was so upset by her that I inadvertently locked the rental car's keys inside the car. That did nothing to relax the already tense atmosphere!
2008-09-01
Hong Kong
On my way back from Thailand, I stopped for a few days in Hong Kong. Again, this blog entry is over half a year late. Life's been keeping me busy in the past few months.
Hong Kong is a bit like Asia's New York: lots of people, lots of capital, lots of skyscrapers. People in Hong Kong are colder than in New York: even those who are supposed to be courteous to you (e.g., clerks in commerces where you buy things) don't give a shit about you. That impression might partially be due to the language barrier. Also, people in Hong Kong don't seem to have the same level of cultural, fashion and educational sophistication that you would find in Manhattan.
In Hong Kong, I saw long line-ups to get in stores such as Louis Vuitton and Gucci. I'd personally go in one of the street markets and buy rip-offs if I wanted such items. One nice thing I saw were Wi-Fi enabled phone booths. Another thing I'd never seen before was currency bills printed by private corporations. The first time I withdrew money from an (HSBC) ATM, I got HSBC bills. At first, I was wondering what kind of funny money I got. It turns out that money issued by private banks is common here. I wonder how the monetary policies work at a macro-economic level in Hong Kong.
In Hong Kong, there are tons of people from the Philippines and Indonesia. They come to work as maids and nannies. They get way better salaries this way than degree-bearing professionals would in their home countries.
During my second night, I met up with Alex (a guy I went to college with). We went out to a couple of pubs. This is where I noticed another phenomenon that was new to me. In pubs and bars, Filipinas are hired to dance and socialize with patrons. The logic is that if patrons are having fun, they'll stay longer and buy more drinks. The ladies will be all friendly with you and subtly make you buy drinks. They'll then drink some, flirt with you and might give some of their drinks to the more sober men in order to get them to become better customers. Some women even go in bars where they don't work, start talking to men and tell them they want to go with them to this super cool place (which happens to be where they are working) in order to get more commissions. I found the whole thing very interesting. It's a bit reminiscent of hostesses in Japanese hostess bars.
After drinking a bit, Alex and I went to his apartment to sleep. His place was basically a single room, not bigger or nicer than what's you'd get in, say, a Holiday Inn. Yet, the place went for roughly 3000$ a month! That's way more expensive than Vancouver or even New York. One funny thing about apartments in Hong Kong: they don't have heating. Since their winters are short and mild, they simply don't bother with the expense of putting in heating systems. I was sleeping on the floor in a sleeping bag that night and I found it pretty cold, though!
Hong Kong is a bit like Asia's New York: lots of people, lots of capital, lots of skyscrapers. People in Hong Kong are colder than in New York: even those who are supposed to be courteous to you (e.g., clerks in commerces where you buy things) don't give a shit about you. That impression might partially be due to the language barrier. Also, people in Hong Kong don't seem to have the same level of cultural, fashion and educational sophistication that you would find in Manhattan.
In Hong Kong, I saw long line-ups to get in stores such as Louis Vuitton and Gucci. I'd personally go in one of the street markets and buy rip-offs if I wanted such items. One nice thing I saw were Wi-Fi enabled phone booths. Another thing I'd never seen before was currency bills printed by private corporations. The first time I withdrew money from an (HSBC) ATM, I got HSBC bills. At first, I was wondering what kind of funny money I got. It turns out that money issued by private banks is common here. I wonder how the monetary policies work at a macro-economic level in Hong Kong.
In Hong Kong, there are tons of people from the Philippines and Indonesia. They come to work as maids and nannies. They get way better salaries this way than degree-bearing professionals would in their home countries.
During my second night, I met up with Alex (a guy I went to college with). We went out to a couple of pubs. This is where I noticed another phenomenon that was new to me. In pubs and bars, Filipinas are hired to dance and socialize with patrons. The logic is that if patrons are having fun, they'll stay longer and buy more drinks. The ladies will be all friendly with you and subtly make you buy drinks. They'll then drink some, flirt with you and might give some of their drinks to the more sober men in order to get them to become better customers. Some women even go in bars where they don't work, start talking to men and tell them they want to go with them to this super cool place (which happens to be where they are working) in order to get more commissions. I found the whole thing very interesting. It's a bit reminiscent of hostesses in Japanese hostess bars.
After drinking a bit, Alex and I went to his apartment to sleep. His place was basically a single room, not bigger or nicer than what's you'd get in, say, a Holiday Inn. Yet, the place went for roughly 3000$ a month! That's way more expensive than Vancouver or even New York. One funny thing about apartments in Hong Kong: they don't have heating. Since their winters are short and mild, they simply don't bother with the expense of putting in heating systems. I was sleeping on the floor in a sleeping bag that night and I found it pretty cold, though!
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