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TIANANMEN SQUARE
BEIJING: Tiananmen Square October 2005 Tiananmen Square is the center of Beijing, and everyone in Beijing was flocking there for National Day. We expected some celebrations or entertainment on the square in honor of National Day, but there was nothing except masses and masses of people. Despite western connotations with a massacre, the square is …
HUTONGS Beijing
BEIJING: Hutongs October 2005 A hutong is one of the numerous alleyways of the Beijing courtyard neighborhoods. These neighborhoods are somewhat famous now that they are being gradually consumed by high rise apartments and new businesses. I had chosen our hotel particularly for this location, and I was not disappointed. Despite being in a city …
Seoul
SOUTH KOREA: Seoul May 2005 We emerged from the subway near to where our hostel was supposed to be. We glanced around, trying to get our bearings when immediately a man in a business suit, speaking English, asked if we were lost. Of course we were. We showed him the directions to our hostel, but …
Yangtze River Cruise
China: Yangtze River April 7-10, 2006 We took a 3-day 3-night cruise up the Yangtze River. Actually, we were on a pretty dilapidated ferry boat with a bunch of Chinese people, but it was the cheapest option and the views of the gorges are the same no matter what boat you’re on. We took one …
Phnom Penh
CAMBODIA: Phnom Penh April 30 – May 3 , 2006 In the capital, we visited the royal palace (Cambodia is a constitutional monarchy). Buddhist monks were a common sight in Phnom Penh discrimination against tourists A portable gas station kids play with a monkey in the park A cloth market in Phnom Penh the fruit …
Taman Negara
Malaysia: Taman Negara Rain Forest June 3-5 , 2006 Taman Negara was wonderful. The trees were amazingly tall and we hiked around enjoying the fresh air and lush greenery. The jungle was humid and hot, but surprisingly fully of life considering we were hiking the well-trodden paths near the resort. Taman Negara is said to …
Trip Summary
Malaysia: Melaka June 8 – 12, 2006 The last stop of our multi-nation journey was Melaka, back in Malaysia (after our brief trip to Singapore). It was a nice, normal town–a good place to end up. It encapsulated Malaysia because it was so diverse–it has Malay, Indian, Chinese, Portuguese and Dutch roots. Porta de Santiago, …
Cameron Highlands
Malaysia: Tana Ratah, Cameron Highlands May 24 -26, 2006 Because the Cameron Highlands were at a higher altitude, the weather was really cool and the fresh air was invigorating. We went “jungle trekking” and it was really beautiful. The jungle was dense and dark and we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. We only saw four other tourists …
TEMPLE OF HEAVEN Beijing
BEIJING: Temple of Heaven October 2005 On Tuesday we set out for the Temple of Heaven. It was a disappointment because, despite its celestial name, it was just another series of courtyards, gates, and pagodas. We had also made the mistake of buying only the “entrance” ticket and not the “through” ticket. Without the “through” …
BEIJING ACROBATS Beijing
BEIJING ACROBATS October 2005 No trip to Beijing would be complete without taking in a show of their famous acrobats. For one hour we were entertained by incredibly strong and talented individuals. They jumped through hoops, laid on top of spear points, did all sorts of contortions, carried ten people on one bicycle, flipped bowls …