I've heard before of the 'Paris Syndrome'. This is a recognized illness in Japan, where Japanese tourists actually become mentally distressed from the shock and disappointment of their visit to Paris. I'm not feeling all that great about my trip to Athens. We had such a great time in Rhodes and we only left because it seemed like we needed to give at least a couple days to Athens.
This city is unattractive at best. As we entered the city by train, we had to exit because the city workers were on strike. We were then put on a bus and sent off somewhere in the city. We found our way eventually, but that's not even the point; the city is just ugly. Sure there are a few ruins lying around and we had a few nice Amstels in the city square followed by some juicy gyros, but it's just not enough to save this city. It feels more dangerous than central Java in Indonesia. Police on most corners, sketchy people roaming abandoned streets littered with low-grade graffiti.
I woke up today in our hostel from a nap and I didn't even know where I was. In my head, Athens was always some magical place, now it just seems like a dirty, sweaty city with gyros. I'm sure that the other cities in Europe have more to offer than this, if not I will be even more disillusioned than now, I guess.
In fact, I'm not really feeling too bad. I predicted that this would happen. We had a few warnings from other tourists about Athens, so I'm not so shocked. It's also comforting to know that we'll be flying to Rome in 2 days.
We will keep on truckin'!
chad
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Monday, April 26, 2010
Day 40 - Mediterranean Sea
Sue and I find ourselves in the middle of the Mediterranean sea on a large ferry cruising towards Athens. I may be reading the most appropriate book imaginable, ‘Lord Jim’ by Joseph Conrad. If you don’t know the story, it’s about a young man who escapes from a sinking ship. A challenging read at the beginning turns into a manageable narrative that keeps you spellbound. I’m only reading the classics now, and loving every page.
Rhodes, Greece is easily one of the most romantic places on earth. I would say that we've been to a wide variety of places throughout Asia and none of them matches the splendor of Rhodes. Nevertheless, we were frightened at first that we had chosen a deserted island. We arrived at the pier of the old city and quickly moved onto an area of Rhodes knows as Faliraki. This area is known for its nightlife and beaches. Although the beach was nice (we’ve been to beaches in Malaysia that buckle your knees; tough critics we be), the town was nearly abandoned. Even the fast food places were closed. So we headed back to the old city.
It turned out to be a blessing. We met a man, Nasos and he invited us to stay at his guesthouse up on the hill of the old city. From there we visited the supermarket and bought nice deli meats, cheeses, vegetables and beer for a pleasant afternoon staring at ancient churches, mosques and castle walls. We didn’t even sit down at a restaurant for a meal our whole time there. We just made simple dishes from the groceries we bought and kicked back in gardens chatting with new friends.
We also rented a vehicle for the first time this trip. We rented a jeep for 50 Euros. It was a little expensive, but well worth the investment. Such a glorious time it was weaving through the hills of Greece overlooking beaches and staring out into the deep blue of the Mediterranean. A road trip through Rhodes under sunny skies is nothing less than epic.
Off to Athens now, we heard it might be chaotic there with the political and economic situation. We’ll have to see for ourselves.
chad
Rhodes, Greece is easily one of the most romantic places on earth. I would say that we've been to a wide variety of places throughout Asia and none of them matches the splendor of Rhodes. Nevertheless, we were frightened at first that we had chosen a deserted island. We arrived at the pier of the old city and quickly moved onto an area of Rhodes knows as Faliraki. This area is known for its nightlife and beaches. Although the beach was nice (we’ve been to beaches in Malaysia that buckle your knees; tough critics we be), the town was nearly abandoned. Even the fast food places were closed. So we headed back to the old city.
It turned out to be a blessing. We met a man, Nasos and he invited us to stay at his guesthouse up on the hill of the old city. From there we visited the supermarket and bought nice deli meats, cheeses, vegetables and beer for a pleasant afternoon staring at ancient churches, mosques and castle walls. We didn’t even sit down at a restaurant for a meal our whole time there. We just made simple dishes from the groceries we bought and kicked back in gardens chatting with new friends.
We also rented a vehicle for the first time this trip. We rented a jeep for 50 Euros. It was a little expensive, but well worth the investment. Such a glorious time it was weaving through the hills of Greece overlooking beaches and staring out into the deep blue of the Mediterranean. A road trip through Rhodes under sunny skies is nothing less than epic.
Off to Athens now, we heard it might be chaotic there with the political and economic situation. We’ll have to see for ourselves.
chad
Friday, April 23, 2010
Day 37 - Alanya, Turkey
Getting ready for another day on the road. We're going to take the 9 hour bus ride to Marmaris where we are going to catch a ferry to Rhodes, Greece.
I got to get something off my chest. Having spent the last 5 weeks in Islamic countries (Thailand is somewhat Islamic), I have really come to have strong opinions on the religion. Firstly, I am not a fan of any religion. Secondly, I was raised as a Christian, so I've been in the system. Most of my family is still Christian and I love them all, as I do my Muslim friends; they are tremendous people.
With all that being said, the religious practices of the Muslims is extremely intrusive. I have been woken up for the past 3 days at 5:30 AM to a loud speaker that feels like it's in my ear, blasting the morning prayer. I know that many people cherish this prayer and it gives them great spiritual comfort, but I really question whether they care at all about the people who don't believe. Am I such a terrible person because I'm not convinced that there's a man in the sky? I help old ladies cross the street, I give chicken soup to my neighbours when they're sick. That damn prayer at 5:30 AM! Atheists don't blast Tool as the sun rises, we wait for alarm clocks and roosters! If you want to believe in a god, do it without alienating the good people around you.
My wife's also been the victim of some poor treatment by Muslim men. Of course I understand that this could happen anywhere and be done by anyone.
Sorry for the aggressive blog, but I don't think you just want sunshine and lollipops from me.
chad
I got to get something off my chest. Having spent the last 5 weeks in Islamic countries (Thailand is somewhat Islamic), I have really come to have strong opinions on the religion. Firstly, I am not a fan of any religion. Secondly, I was raised as a Christian, so I've been in the system. Most of my family is still Christian and I love them all, as I do my Muslim friends; they are tremendous people.
With all that being said, the religious practices of the Muslims is extremely intrusive. I have been woken up for the past 3 days at 5:30 AM to a loud speaker that feels like it's in my ear, blasting the morning prayer. I know that many people cherish this prayer and it gives them great spiritual comfort, but I really question whether they care at all about the people who don't believe. Am I such a terrible person because I'm not convinced that there's a man in the sky? I help old ladies cross the street, I give chicken soup to my neighbours when they're sick. That damn prayer at 5:30 AM! Atheists don't blast Tool as the sun rises, we wait for alarm clocks and roosters! If you want to believe in a god, do it without alienating the good people around you.
My wife's also been the victim of some poor treatment by Muslim men. Of course I understand that this could happen anywhere and be done by anyone.
Sorry for the aggressive blog, but I don't think you just want sunshine and lollipops from me.
chad
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Day 36 - Alanya, Turkey
It has been a wild 24 hours.
We woke up yesterday and checked out of our hostel. Our plane didn't depart until 7pm, so we had some time to kill. We went back to the cafe where we first got directions around the old city and had some coffee and drinks. The owners put on some Turkish birthday music for Sue and brought her some baklava! We had a great time just enjoying the early afternoon. We met a very nice retired couple. The man was German and his wife was from Dallas. I got to talk some basketball with them, about Dallas of course. They invited us to stay at their place in Germany for a few days after we arrive(they live near Dusseldorf). Nice! Sue also met a Turkish man who was celebrating his birthday as well. They got along famously, which led to me get jealous, which led to Sue and me fighting and getting grumpy. My fault, I hate jealousy, but I am guilty of being that husband sometimes.
We caught our flight which led us down to Antalya airport on the southern coast of Turkey. Initially, we were going to crash at a friends place through couchsurfing. However, when we arrived we couldn't get a hold of him or even find a bus that would take us to civilization. We found these two Kyrgystani immigrant workers who were looking to split a cab to some village. We didn't know the name of the village, whether it was north or east, or where we would stay for the night. It turns out that they were taking us to a house that was home to a group of Turkish, Ukrainian and Kyrgystani massage therapists. They cooked us some traditional Kygystani food and gave us a bed all for free. Incredible. When we awoke in the daylight we found ourselves right on the Mediterranean Sea. That's traveling.
Right now, we're trying to do some sightseeing. We're going to visit a travel agency and see what we can do with the rest of today. We have a couple days before we have to begin the journey through the Greek islands. To be honest, we're not even that excited for Greece because Turkey has been utterly magical.
Really miss you all, btw.
chad
We woke up yesterday and checked out of our hostel. Our plane didn't depart until 7pm, so we had some time to kill. We went back to the cafe where we first got directions around the old city and had some coffee and drinks. The owners put on some Turkish birthday music for Sue and brought her some baklava! We had a great time just enjoying the early afternoon. We met a very nice retired couple. The man was German and his wife was from Dallas. I got to talk some basketball with them, about Dallas of course. They invited us to stay at their place in Germany for a few days after we arrive(they live near Dusseldorf). Nice! Sue also met a Turkish man who was celebrating his birthday as well. They got along famously, which led to me get jealous, which led to Sue and me fighting and getting grumpy. My fault, I hate jealousy, but I am guilty of being that husband sometimes.
We caught our flight which led us down to Antalya airport on the southern coast of Turkey. Initially, we were going to crash at a friends place through couchsurfing. However, when we arrived we couldn't get a hold of him or even find a bus that would take us to civilization. We found these two Kyrgystani immigrant workers who were looking to split a cab to some village. We didn't know the name of the village, whether it was north or east, or where we would stay for the night. It turns out that they were taking us to a house that was home to a group of Turkish, Ukrainian and Kyrgystani massage therapists. They cooked us some traditional Kygystani food and gave us a bed all for free. Incredible. When we awoke in the daylight we found ourselves right on the Mediterranean Sea. That's traveling.
Right now, we're trying to do some sightseeing. We're going to visit a travel agency and see what we can do with the rest of today. We have a couple days before we have to begin the journey through the Greek islands. To be honest, we're not even that excited for Greece because Turkey has been utterly magical.
Really miss you all, btw.
chad
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Day 34 - Istanbul, Turkey
Whoa! Joey Lawrence style, Whoa!
Istanbul is kicking our asses! What a city!
We couldn't have asked for a better time here. Our hostel is unbelievable. For 30 Euros a night, we're sleeping at a place with a view of the harbour situated about a 3 minute walk from the Blue Mosque. All the food we've had has been so tasty. Plus, Sue and I got to be in a Turkish movie!!!
Okay, I won't hog any of the glory. It was basically Sue in the movie. We were shopping in the center of the city near Taksim square and she was spotted by some talent agents. I was outside the shop waiting(because I hate shopping more than neo-nazis) and talking to some restaurant owner about his business when I decided to go into the store to check in on her progress. When I walked in, there were 5 or 6 people looking at Sue, pointing and whispering. She didn't notice and kept on shopping away. Strangely, my first impression was that they wanted her to do some photo shoot or something. Then when Sue approached the group they grabbed her and asked her if she spoke Turkish or German. There were six people in the group and none of them could speak English well. Through fragmented sentences, we realized that they wanted us to be in a Turkish movie!
Originally, they just wanted her, but then they told me that I could be used as well. So they took us to some night club and sat us down in chairs. We had to wait a couple hours for them to set up. Just before they started shooting the scene, the director saw Sue and asked her to be in the scene....with lines! Well, he told her to just speak Korean on a mobile phone. So the scene is Sue, sitting between Turkish, Dutch and Ukraine models talking on a phone in a low-cut dress! Sexy! By the way, the Dutch girl kept giving sexy winks to Sue, but she wouldn't take the bait.....
They told me to sit on the side and pretend I was drinking....
Anyway, we got paid 50 Lira! Not too much, but a great experience! Enough money for Sue to go out and buy some high heels.
Then we spent the rest of the evening downtown, eating stuffed potatoes, riding street cars, and holding hands while walking through this magnificent city.
chad
Istanbul is kicking our asses! What a city!
We couldn't have asked for a better time here. Our hostel is unbelievable. For 30 Euros a night, we're sleeping at a place with a view of the harbour situated about a 3 minute walk from the Blue Mosque. All the food we've had has been so tasty. Plus, Sue and I got to be in a Turkish movie!!!
Okay, I won't hog any of the glory. It was basically Sue in the movie. We were shopping in the center of the city near Taksim square and she was spotted by some talent agents. I was outside the shop waiting(because I hate shopping more than neo-nazis) and talking to some restaurant owner about his business when I decided to go into the store to check in on her progress. When I walked in, there were 5 or 6 people looking at Sue, pointing and whispering. She didn't notice and kept on shopping away. Strangely, my first impression was that they wanted her to do some photo shoot or something. Then when Sue approached the group they grabbed her and asked her if she spoke Turkish or German. There were six people in the group and none of them could speak English well. Through fragmented sentences, we realized that they wanted us to be in a Turkish movie!
Originally, they just wanted her, but then they told me that I could be used as well. So they took us to some night club and sat us down in chairs. We had to wait a couple hours for them to set up. Just before they started shooting the scene, the director saw Sue and asked her to be in the scene....with lines! Well, he told her to just speak Korean on a mobile phone. So the scene is Sue, sitting between Turkish, Dutch and Ukraine models talking on a phone in a low-cut dress! Sexy! By the way, the Dutch girl kept giving sexy winks to Sue, but she wouldn't take the bait.....
They told me to sit on the side and pretend I was drinking....
Anyway, we got paid 50 Lira! Not too much, but a great experience! Enough money for Sue to go out and buy some high heels.
Then we spent the rest of the evening downtown, eating stuffed potatoes, riding street cars, and holding hands while walking through this magnificent city.
chad
Monday, April 19, 2010
Day 33 - Istanbul, Turkey
We have arrived mofo!
SE Asia was very up and down, which was fine. We had tremendous experiences and really learned a lot about what we want in the future. With that being said, the trip seems to have really started!
The flight to Istanbul was excellent. Great service from Malaysia Airlines. They had the video screens in the back of the chairs. I watched Crazy Heart, one episode of the Office,(American version) and one episode of 30 Rock. I love Tracey Morgan!
The flight was so unusual because I would wake up and look at the flight tracker and we would be flying over really crazy places like India, Pakistan, Iran, and an area a little north of Iraq!
From the airport we took the metro into the 'old city'. As soon as we got out of the train, we were both so stunned. The old city surrounds you with giant mosques, cobble stone roads, ancient statues, cafes, bars, art galleries, bakeries, kebab stands! We quickly went to one of the cafes to get some breakfast. Our breakfast was feta cheese, tomato, olives, baguettes and hummus! Also, when we sat down the owner of the cafe asked me where I was from. When I told him I was from Toronto, he was like, 'what happened to the Raptors?'
Fuck that team. What a sad, sad group of players. By the way, there is a very famous Turkish player on the Raptors. If they didn't miss the playoffs by one fucking game, I'd be watching them play LeBron James in a pub in Istanbul!!!!!!!! A sore spot for me. I really hope that team isn't cursed or something. I don't know how on earth they didn't make the playoffs with that lineup. So sad.
It's the eve of Sue's birthday, so we plan to hit the bars!
chad
SE Asia was very up and down, which was fine. We had tremendous experiences and really learned a lot about what we want in the future. With that being said, the trip seems to have really started!
The flight to Istanbul was excellent. Great service from Malaysia Airlines. They had the video screens in the back of the chairs. I watched Crazy Heart, one episode of the Office,(American version) and one episode of 30 Rock. I love Tracey Morgan!
The flight was so unusual because I would wake up and look at the flight tracker and we would be flying over really crazy places like India, Pakistan, Iran, and an area a little north of Iraq!
From the airport we took the metro into the 'old city'. As soon as we got out of the train, we were both so stunned. The old city surrounds you with giant mosques, cobble stone roads, ancient statues, cafes, bars, art galleries, bakeries, kebab stands! We quickly went to one of the cafes to get some breakfast. Our breakfast was feta cheese, tomato, olives, baguettes and hummus! Also, when we sat down the owner of the cafe asked me where I was from. When I told him I was from Toronto, he was like, 'what happened to the Raptors?'
Fuck that team. What a sad, sad group of players. By the way, there is a very famous Turkish player on the Raptors. If they didn't miss the playoffs by one fucking game, I'd be watching them play LeBron James in a pub in Istanbul!!!!!!!! A sore spot for me. I really hope that team isn't cursed or something. I don't know how on earth they didn't make the playoffs with that lineup. So sad.
It's the eve of Sue's birthday, so we plan to hit the bars!
chad
Saturday, April 17, 2010
Day 31 - Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Yes, back in KL again!
I like KL, it's very comfortable. Of all the places that we've gone over the past month, KL is probably the place that makes me feel most welcome. We also have a very nice guest house to come to. We met the owner on the street by chance this morning at 4:30 AM! He said, 'oh, just come by and you can have a room for 20RM.' Yeah, that's about $6!! Perfect place to just catch up on some sleep and get ready for a flight.
This might be a little too much information for some of you, but I am really constipated. I haven't had a decent shit for about 6 days. The scary thing is that I've been eating like a fat kid that fell into a pool of chocolate sauce. I've got some huge build-up! I'll wait another day or two, then I'll at least go to the pharmacy to get something. Not painful at the moment, but I've gone to the bathroom and struck-out about 30 times over the past 4 days.
Our time in SE Asia has been an adventure, but to be honest we were more than a little frustrated on countless occassions. I just don't like being put in situations where you have to be on-guard because you're going to get scammed if you're not. For instance, last night we needed a taxi at 4am. They said 30RM, we said 'no way' and sat down on a bench. 5 minutes later some guy comes over and says, 'okay, 20RM'. We agreed, then we start driving and he says, there is a 10RM service charge for 'safety'. Devil, devil, devilish! I only gave him about 22RM, so it wasn't so bad.
I guess we've been spoiled living in Canada and South Korea. I took about 10 000 taxi rides in Seoul and got ripped off maybe twice! And in Canada, I can barely remember a handful of times where I had to negotiate for a cheaper price. That may change now. I'm still a softy when it comes to bartering, but I can be quite good. Sue and I are a good team, kinda good cop/bad cop.
Yes, I'm the good cop. Was there really any debate about that?
chad
I like KL, it's very comfortable. Of all the places that we've gone over the past month, KL is probably the place that makes me feel most welcome. We also have a very nice guest house to come to. We met the owner on the street by chance this morning at 4:30 AM! He said, 'oh, just come by and you can have a room for 20RM.' Yeah, that's about $6!! Perfect place to just catch up on some sleep and get ready for a flight.
This might be a little too much information for some of you, but I am really constipated. I haven't had a decent shit for about 6 days. The scary thing is that I've been eating like a fat kid that fell into a pool of chocolate sauce. I've got some huge build-up! I'll wait another day or two, then I'll at least go to the pharmacy to get something. Not painful at the moment, but I've gone to the bathroom and struck-out about 30 times over the past 4 days.
Our time in SE Asia has been an adventure, but to be honest we were more than a little frustrated on countless occassions. I just don't like being put in situations where you have to be on-guard because you're going to get scammed if you're not. For instance, last night we needed a taxi at 4am. They said 30RM, we said 'no way' and sat down on a bench. 5 minutes later some guy comes over and says, 'okay, 20RM'. We agreed, then we start driving and he says, there is a 10RM service charge for 'safety'. Devil, devil, devilish! I only gave him about 22RM, so it wasn't so bad.
I guess we've been spoiled living in Canada and South Korea. I took about 10 000 taxi rides in Seoul and got ripped off maybe twice! And in Canada, I can barely remember a handful of times where I had to negotiate for a cheaper price. That may change now. I'm still a softy when it comes to bartering, but I can be quite good. Sue and I are a good team, kinda good cop/bad cop.
Yes, I'm the good cop. Was there really any debate about that?
chad
Day 29 - Hat Yai, Thailand
Just a short stop-over in the deep south of Thailand. I don't know what to make of this city. There has been a few bombings aimed at tourists here over the past few years; one of the bombings, I believe, killed an acquantaince of mine who was a close friend with my cousin. I hate killing in the name of god. There will be no virgins awaiting you in the next life.
As one of my 6 followers noted, I haven't been updating as frequently as I had been. Sorry about that. The last week was foggy at best. Just relaxing in Thailand on the beach; the infamous Ton Sai Beach to be exact. It is a place for professional procrastinators, but also offers some of the best rock climbing in the world, and great diving sites are only an hour away by long tail boat. Incredible food, of course. Just a magical place, where you will struggle to find a boring person. Maybe I've been called a bore before, but I have a story or two in my arcenal to keep you on your toes.
We have a long overnight bus ride back to KL. We have one more day there, then we fly out at midnight for Istanbul!! We've never been to Europe, so as you can imagine it's a little surreal.
Really missing home, both Canada and Korea. We have been realizing what we want out of life and are slowly developing a new 5 year plan. I'm trying to live in the moment, but traveling also gives you plenty of time to think about the future.
chad
As one of my 6 followers noted, I haven't been updating as frequently as I had been. Sorry about that. The last week was foggy at best. Just relaxing in Thailand on the beach; the infamous Ton Sai Beach to be exact. It is a place for professional procrastinators, but also offers some of the best rock climbing in the world, and great diving sites are only an hour away by long tail boat. Incredible food, of course. Just a magical place, where you will struggle to find a boring person. Maybe I've been called a bore before, but I have a story or two in my arcenal to keep you on your toes.
We have a long overnight bus ride back to KL. We have one more day there, then we fly out at midnight for Istanbul!! We've never been to Europe, so as you can imagine it's a little surreal.
Really missing home, both Canada and Korea. We have been realizing what we want out of life and are slowly developing a new 5 year plan. I'm trying to live in the moment, but traveling also gives you plenty of time to think about the future.
chad
Monday, April 12, 2010
Day 26 - Ton Sai Beach, Thailand
At our favorite place in Asia, Ton Sai!
We've been through Thailand twice before this trip, and because of this place we've failed to see much else of the country. I haven't been up to Chang Mai and I haven't been to any of the big Koh islands in the gulf simply because this place is exceptionally paradise-like.
A regular day in Ton Sai will look as good on paper as it feels in reality. Wake up in the morning whenever you want, go buy some fresh pineapple juice, go lie in the ocean, walk up to the bar and make a new friend while enjoying some cheap beer, and then repeat.
We were lucky enough to arrive in Thailand at the beginning of the Sokran festival. It's basically a water festival where everybody just throws water on each other and gets very drunk in the street. Actually, I'm just writing this now as I wait for my boat into Aonang, a small town a short longtail boatride away.
This trip has been a rollercoaster with plenty of intense moments. I guess if you'd asked me beforehand whether I wanted a rollercoaster for a trip or a pony ride around the village, I'd have to take the trip with extremes.
Just finished Hemingway's 'Fiesta: The Sun Also Rises'. Historic read for myself. I loved reading about the bull fights in Spain and all the exploits of the ex-pats situated in Paris, moving around Europe in the 1920's. One of the best things about traveling is all the time you get to read. Trying to get through as many classics as I can.
chad
We've been through Thailand twice before this trip, and because of this place we've failed to see much else of the country. I haven't been up to Chang Mai and I haven't been to any of the big Koh islands in the gulf simply because this place is exceptionally paradise-like.
A regular day in Ton Sai will look as good on paper as it feels in reality. Wake up in the morning whenever you want, go buy some fresh pineapple juice, go lie in the ocean, walk up to the bar and make a new friend while enjoying some cheap beer, and then repeat.
We were lucky enough to arrive in Thailand at the beginning of the Sokran festival. It's basically a water festival where everybody just throws water on each other and gets very drunk in the street. Actually, I'm just writing this now as I wait for my boat into Aonang, a small town a short longtail boatride away.
This trip has been a rollercoaster with plenty of intense moments. I guess if you'd asked me beforehand whether I wanted a rollercoaster for a trip or a pony ride around the village, I'd have to take the trip with extremes.
Just finished Hemingway's 'Fiesta: The Sun Also Rises'. Historic read for myself. I loved reading about the bull fights in Spain and all the exploits of the ex-pats situated in Paris, moving around Europe in the 1920's. One of the best things about traveling is all the time you get to read. Trying to get through as many classics as I can.
chad
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Day 20 - Bali, Indonesia
A few weeks back in Korea, I found myself in the south of South Korea visiting my good friend, Randy. Another gentleman joined us for the night, and he happened to be an American who served in the Vietnam War. This man told us stories of killing children, his nightmares and just how much he wanted to end his life. At one point he said, “Life will kick you in the butt every chance it gets.”
How true that is.
Just when it seemed that we couldn’t be any happier, Sue and I had a train wreck of a night. We were both on the wrong side of sobriety, and I had to hold onto the mast for dear life.
As she lies in bed and I write this beside her, I feel like I’ve learned more about myself in one night than I have in years. When the Vietnam vet spoke that line, I knew he wasn’t just talking about the war or his horrid memories, but just about everyday life.
I’ve been thinking for the past couple years about how mature I’ve become and how much I’ve grown as a man, but I still have all these foolish desires that creep around and lead me towards darkness.
I need to realize that entertainment is just that, and the only thing that really matters in life are family and friends.
chad
ps. very close to making the decision to live in St. Marys for a few years! we are excited about this prospect!
How true that is.
Just when it seemed that we couldn’t be any happier, Sue and I had a train wreck of a night. We were both on the wrong side of sobriety, and I had to hold onto the mast for dear life.
As she lies in bed and I write this beside her, I feel like I’ve learned more about myself in one night than I have in years. When the Vietnam vet spoke that line, I knew he wasn’t just talking about the war or his horrid memories, but just about everyday life.
I’ve been thinking for the past couple years about how mature I’ve become and how much I’ve grown as a man, but I still have all these foolish desires that creep around and lead me towards darkness.
I need to realize that entertainment is just that, and the only thing that really matters in life are family and friends.
chad
ps. very close to making the decision to live in St. Marys for a few years! we are excited about this prospect!
To Get to Bromo.
I had to look for our jeans and jackets for the first time since we left Seoul.
Travelling is tiring but we became more diligent and stronger than before.
It’s no problem to get up at 3 in the morning for us, even after hard core travel without an alarm clock. It’s easiest to wake up to see beautiful scenery.
To get to Bromo was the most dangerous trip in my life. When we got to the village under Bromo Mountain, we gave a sigh of relief. We were so happy to be alive from all Indonesians’ crazy driving.
Next morning, we rode an old Jeep but the engine was older.
The Jeep kept stopping while we climbed up the small path in the mountain in the dark without any light. When it goes down on the hill, I was just in panic. There aren’t any strong enough fences to prevent from accidents. Those wooden fences look like just decorations of the roads; it can’t do any function of safety. The mountain was really steep and high.
The driver drove the Jeep as in Mario cart. He doesn’t care about big puddles or stones.
Whenever he turned corners, we fell forward, backward and sideways in the car. There aren’t seat beats or handles in Indonesia cars. So we became a human-tumbler while he was driving.
I was trying my best to be positive, but it was hard when I was on the roller coaster without a seatbelt in the high mountain without fences. All of our fates were in his hands which made me fear about death while climbing up the mountain.
On the other hand, I felt relief because my husband was beside me.
At least we can die together and Chad told me that if something happened, he wanted me to remember he loves me.
When we go more up, my ears popped and felt like my body swelled. When we arrived to see the sunset at Bromo Mountain there were already a lot of people crowed ready for sunset. But like a Korean Ajumma, I wedged myself into the crowed to the front seat with Chad. I felt sorry to others but whatever as long as I can see the sunset without all those heads.
The sky was completely turquoise blue and becoming dyed orange-colored on Bromo. Because of the volcanoes’ smoke, the whole scene was even more magical. After that, we went to see more of the volcanoes close-up.
When we got there, I couldn’t believe my eyes, it looked like we are on another planet.
I could never think this place can exist in the world.
The black sands which made from the volcano activities were spread out endless and horses were running around the volcanoes. The smoke was sending out continuously from mountain.
We didn’t talk much in front of unreliable wide panorama spread out. We were just thankful to be here and already forgot about the wild drive. It was totally worth it to take all those risk and time to be here.
In Bromo, there is so much more to see. When I looked closely at the mountains, there were colorful unnamed flowers showing their face in dangerous places where the volcano could burst any day. On the side of mountain, people grow all kinds of crops for living.
Bromo is the most amazing thing ever I have seen, but life in Bromo is even more amazing.
Soon-mok
Travelling is tiring but we became more diligent and stronger than before.
It’s no problem to get up at 3 in the morning for us, even after hard core travel without an alarm clock. It’s easiest to wake up to see beautiful scenery.
To get to Bromo was the most dangerous trip in my life. When we got to the village under Bromo Mountain, we gave a sigh of relief. We were so happy to be alive from all Indonesians’ crazy driving.
Next morning, we rode an old Jeep but the engine was older.
The Jeep kept stopping while we climbed up the small path in the mountain in the dark without any light. When it goes down on the hill, I was just in panic. There aren’t any strong enough fences to prevent from accidents. Those wooden fences look like just decorations of the roads; it can’t do any function of safety. The mountain was really steep and high.
The driver drove the Jeep as in Mario cart. He doesn’t care about big puddles or stones.
Whenever he turned corners, we fell forward, backward and sideways in the car. There aren’t seat beats or handles in Indonesia cars. So we became a human-tumbler while he was driving.
I was trying my best to be positive, but it was hard when I was on the roller coaster without a seatbelt in the high mountain without fences. All of our fates were in his hands which made me fear about death while climbing up the mountain.
On the other hand, I felt relief because my husband was beside me.
At least we can die together and Chad told me that if something happened, he wanted me to remember he loves me.
When we go more up, my ears popped and felt like my body swelled. When we arrived to see the sunset at Bromo Mountain there were already a lot of people crowed ready for sunset. But like a Korean Ajumma, I wedged myself into the crowed to the front seat with Chad. I felt sorry to others but whatever as long as I can see the sunset without all those heads.
The sky was completely turquoise blue and becoming dyed orange-colored on Bromo. Because of the volcanoes’ smoke, the whole scene was even more magical. After that, we went to see more of the volcanoes close-up.
When we got there, I couldn’t believe my eyes, it looked like we are on another planet.
I could never think this place can exist in the world.
The black sands which made from the volcano activities were spread out endless and horses were running around the volcanoes. The smoke was sending out continuously from mountain.
We didn’t talk much in front of unreliable wide panorama spread out. We were just thankful to be here and already forgot about the wild drive. It was totally worth it to take all those risk and time to be here.
In Bromo, there is so much more to see. When I looked closely at the mountains, there were colorful unnamed flowers showing their face in dangerous places where the volcano could burst any day. On the side of mountain, people grow all kinds of crops for living.
Bromo is the most amazing thing ever I have seen, but life in Bromo is even more amazing.
Soon-mok
Muslim Women.
Muslim Women.
I don’t know about Islam very much and all I know is what I hear from friends and other people. I’d like to write down my thoughts about Islam, if you don’t mind.
I have my Muslim friends who are the sweetest in the world.
60% of the people are Muslim in Malaysia and this is the same in some other countries too.
More than half of the population are supporting and following their god Allah for ethics and law in their life every day.
They pray for him in the morning and late afternoon to give thanks. When the sun goes down, I can hear the prayer sounds from every small street, those sounds join together and sounds like one harmony.
I think as humans, it’s hard to control and cut down some pleasures which we enjoy in life, so I respect Muslims about their temperate living. For example, Muslim women can’t smoke or drink. It’s not strictly prohibited but they shouldn’t.
My friend said, today some young Muslim girls smoke and drink but not in public.
Only close friends know the fact but they usually keep it a secret from them. But this behavior is dropping the intrinsic value of Islam and is a shameful thing to do.
Of course, South Asia is more liberal than Africa where people support Islam.
Like in Sudan, they even can’t love before married. If man wants to go out with some woman, he has to ask her father to marry her. Then they can go out in public together.
South Asia and Africa are so hot but women have to wear hijab to hiding their beautiful hair and neck. They can only show their hands and feet. Young Muslim girls wear jean and shirts with muffs. But older women and more strict countries women are still wear traditional clothes which look like wrapping clothes to me.
How hot it must be in this weather? I don’t want to imagine it.
It’s respectful that they keep their faith and ethics to control themselves.
In my opinion, no matter what country you were born in or what religion you have, women.
have endless desire to be beautiful. They can’t wear skirts or shining dresses outside.
Even if they wear jewelry, they are inside the Hijab.
And Friday Nights, they are not allowed to go clubbing or drinking to enjoy music.
That’s the saddest part for me, because I like to dress up and go out Friday’s nights with my friends and husband.
I was wondering when I saw this little girl wearing a hijab.
Do they even have a choice to be a Muslim?
-soon mok-
I don’t know about Islam very much and all I know is what I hear from friends and other people. I’d like to write down my thoughts about Islam, if you don’t mind.
I have my Muslim friends who are the sweetest in the world.
60% of the people are Muslim in Malaysia and this is the same in some other countries too.
More than half of the population are supporting and following their god Allah for ethics and law in their life every day.
They pray for him in the morning and late afternoon to give thanks. When the sun goes down, I can hear the prayer sounds from every small street, those sounds join together and sounds like one harmony.
I think as humans, it’s hard to control and cut down some pleasures which we enjoy in life, so I respect Muslims about their temperate living. For example, Muslim women can’t smoke or drink. It’s not strictly prohibited but they shouldn’t.
My friend said, today some young Muslim girls smoke and drink but not in public.
Only close friends know the fact but they usually keep it a secret from them. But this behavior is dropping the intrinsic value of Islam and is a shameful thing to do.
Of course, South Asia is more liberal than Africa where people support Islam.
Like in Sudan, they even can’t love before married. If man wants to go out with some woman, he has to ask her father to marry her. Then they can go out in public together.
South Asia and Africa are so hot but women have to wear hijab to hiding their beautiful hair and neck. They can only show their hands and feet. Young Muslim girls wear jean and shirts with muffs. But older women and more strict countries women are still wear traditional clothes which look like wrapping clothes to me.
How hot it must be in this weather? I don’t want to imagine it.
It’s respectful that they keep their faith and ethics to control themselves.
In my opinion, no matter what country you were born in or what religion you have, women.
have endless desire to be beautiful. They can’t wear skirts or shining dresses outside.
Even if they wear jewelry, they are inside the Hijab.
And Friday Nights, they are not allowed to go clubbing or drinking to enjoy music.
That’s the saddest part for me, because I like to dress up and go out Friday’s nights with my friends and husband.
I was wondering when I saw this little girl wearing a hijab.
Do they even have a choice to be a Muslim?
-soon mok-
Monday, April 5, 2010
Saturday, April 3, 2010
Day 17 - Bali, Indonesia
Bali!
Well, it's a beautiful place, but if you've ever been to SE Asia you know that it's not exactly at the top of paradise hideaways anymore.
We had a hell of a trip to get here! We left Yogyakarta at 8:30 AM on Friday, took the 12 hour bus ride to the village outside of Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park. I used to complain about the drivers in Korea; never again! Riding in a mini-bus through Java was the most dangerous thing I'd ever done. To top things off they switched our driver for the last part of the journey which took us up this winding road through the mountains; yes, they switched the suicidial maniac for the guy with one eye!
There will be pictures up on Facebook shortly. I can't even begin to describe Bromo park. It was the most mystical landscape I'd ever seen. If you ever want to see some nature that will leave you stunned, Bromo will not dissapoint.
The day before that we visited an ancient Buddhist temple and an ancient Hindu Temple. They were exceptional as well, but when I'm siteseeing, even the most amazing architecture can only hold my attention for 30 minutes max.
I think we're just going to chill in Bali for the next 6 days or so. We've had too many boat, bus, car, taxi, rickshaw and airplane rides over the past 2 weeks. Time for some serious downtime.
chad.
Well, it's a beautiful place, but if you've ever been to SE Asia you know that it's not exactly at the top of paradise hideaways anymore.
We had a hell of a trip to get here! We left Yogyakarta at 8:30 AM on Friday, took the 12 hour bus ride to the village outside of Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park. I used to complain about the drivers in Korea; never again! Riding in a mini-bus through Java was the most dangerous thing I'd ever done. To top things off they switched our driver for the last part of the journey which took us up this winding road through the mountains; yes, they switched the suicidial maniac for the guy with one eye!
There will be pictures up on Facebook shortly. I can't even begin to describe Bromo park. It was the most mystical landscape I'd ever seen. If you ever want to see some nature that will leave you stunned, Bromo will not dissapoint.
The day before that we visited an ancient Buddhist temple and an ancient Hindu Temple. They were exceptional as well, but when I'm siteseeing, even the most amazing architecture can only hold my attention for 30 minutes max.
I think we're just going to chill in Bali for the next 6 days or so. We've had too many boat, bus, car, taxi, rickshaw and airplane rides over the past 2 weeks. Time for some serious downtime.
chad.
Thursday, April 1, 2010
My Best Friend.
My Best Friend.
As we were trying to leave the islands in Malaysia, we missed the last ship.
I was frustrated because I really wanted to get out from this island asap after I had a bad experience in the bungalow.
We are getting better at handling under bad situations day by day.
I took a deep breath and started to be positive to accept all these little stresses from this trip.
And we sat in the café when the sun was going down between the mountains, it was breath taking.
The sun light reflected the water and the ocean was even more sparkling and shining in the dark than the day; I realized again that I can’t be stressful in this gorgeous place.
We are so different.
My partner came to Korea from Canada which took over 12 hours by airplane.
We grew up under different environments, culture and language too..
I always travelled by myself till I met this perfect man.
He used to be so clumsy just like me.
Luckily he is a responsible man.
Since he met me, he realized how clumsy I am and he fixed himself to look after me.
Think about it. Two clumsy people meet. It would be a disaster!
Besides, I am weak at numbers and direction.
Whenever we plan to go aboard, he always takes all the responsibility for our trip himself.
So he did this time, too.
I always wanted be a single to have more fun to enjoy my life.
But after I met him, I learned how to get love and how to love someone else.
Now I have the strongest supporter in my life who is my best friend.
My close people think he is a sweetie. Yes he is
But he sometimes can be rude to bad people, too.
And he is one who has full responsibility for our future and himself..
In freezing winter, it’s so hard to get out from bed
He got up early and always kisses on my forehead and leave home really quietly.
All his hard work can bring us here in south Asia.
I ‘m a lucky woman to spend whole my life with him.
I am happy that I have him who can share with me the most important memories in my life and talk about it with a smile together when we get old.
I am a lucky bitch.
As we were trying to leave the islands in Malaysia, we missed the last ship.
I was frustrated because I really wanted to get out from this island asap after I had a bad experience in the bungalow.
We are getting better at handling under bad situations day by day.
I took a deep breath and started to be positive to accept all these little stresses from this trip.
And we sat in the café when the sun was going down between the mountains, it was breath taking.
The sun light reflected the water and the ocean was even more sparkling and shining in the dark than the day; I realized again that I can’t be stressful in this gorgeous place.
We are so different.
My partner came to Korea from Canada which took over 12 hours by airplane.
We grew up under different environments, culture and language too..
I always travelled by myself till I met this perfect man.
He used to be so clumsy just like me.
Luckily he is a responsible man.
Since he met me, he realized how clumsy I am and he fixed himself to look after me.
Think about it. Two clumsy people meet. It would be a disaster!
Besides, I am weak at numbers and direction.
Whenever we plan to go aboard, he always takes all the responsibility for our trip himself.
So he did this time, too.
I always wanted be a single to have more fun to enjoy my life.
But after I met him, I learned how to get love and how to love someone else.
Now I have the strongest supporter in my life who is my best friend.
My close people think he is a sweetie. Yes he is
But he sometimes can be rude to bad people, too.
And he is one who has full responsibility for our future and himself..
In freezing winter, it’s so hard to get out from bed
He got up early and always kisses on my forehead and leave home really quietly.
All his hard work can bring us here in south Asia.
I ‘m a lucky woman to spend whole my life with him.
I am happy that I have him who can share with me the most important memories in my life and talk about it with a smile together when we get old.
I am a lucky bitch.
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