Getting High in Cameron...Highlands :)

Hi All,

No, Mom, I didn't really get high in Cameron Highlands. Or anywhere, for that matter. I was geographically high (Cameron is on top of a mountain) but not chemically high. Look, it's really late and I am tired and I couldn't come up with a good title, okay?

Anyway, like I said, I was none too sorry to leave Kuala Lumpur. We took the bus, which was of course late, and arrived in Cameron around 1pm. Upon arrival, we were informed by the lovely woman at the guesthouse desk that the tea plantations were closed that day due to (say it with me) Chinese New Year! Also, all of the buses out of Cameron back to Singapore the next day were also all booked up. At this point, even saintly-patient Lisa was a bit kerfluffled. So, we made it all the way here, but there's nothing to do and no way home? We begged, not very prettily, for some help. Fortunately, the woman working the desk was very kind and made several phone calls back to KL and managed to find us a bus. We would leave the next day at 1pm instead of 10am, and we'd have to switch buses in KL instead of going direct to Singapore, but we should be home by about midnight. It was an iffy proposition (especially since we could not reserve the ticket from KL-->Singapore until we made it to KL) but we went with it. The few hours we'd have in the morning allowed us to go see the tea plantation the following morning, when it would be open. So, not entirely what we'd sought, but it would do.

Cameron is very, very beautiful. It's quiet, relatively undeveloped (no McDonald's! Although there is a Starbucks) and delightfully cool. By cool I mean chilly. After baking in the Malaysia sun, it was a relief to don a sweater up in the mountains. It actually reminded me a lot of Chiriqui, the cloud forest I spent some time at in Panama. (Man, I have had a lucky life, no?) The big attraction in Cameron is the numerous tea planations. 70% of SE Asia's tea is grown there. There are also a number of big produce farms. We stayed at this AMAZING place, called Father's Guesthouse. I highly recommend it. A)it's gorgeous and B)the staff is amazingly helpful and kind. It's a former church which has been converted into a hostel. It was so pretty, with big lush gardens and everything. The only drawback was the epic non-railing-line staircase you had to traverse to reach it.

Pictured: top of epic staircase. The part with a railing. All notions of drinking were quashed when I realized we had to climb back up after dinner.

Not able to see the tea plantation until tomorrow (7am, no less) Lisa and I headed off to the Big Red Strawberry farm. The strawberry farms in the area are good for one thing: the cafes. There are tons of delicious strawberry things to be eaten after a quick tour of the fields. Luckily, just as we arrived, it started to rain, so Lisa and I had no compunction about going directly to the FOOD. I had fried strawberry ice cream, Lisa had a strawberry waffle, and we had two strawberry muffins to go for breakfast the next day. All in all, a successful jaunt. We were quite a ways out from Tana Rata (the main area where our hostel was), and we were worried about finding a bus back. We didn't. So we walked. 8km. It was long. But, we worked off our desserts, that's for sure :)

the glorious menu





Lisa so did not want to take this picture. I made her.

Back at the hostel, we met some fellow NUS students who were also German (like Lisa). We all went down to town for dinner to try Malaysian celup, or steamboat. It's like fondue, but with soup and meat. It's a big boiling pot of soup in which you toss raw meat, fish, veggies, noodles, etc, and then eat it. It was way too messy for me. I am a bit OCD about my food; I like to know what I'm eating. Just gnawing on bits of mystery meat is not my style. However, I did enjoy the company (although they frequently lapsed into German: Lisa did an excellent job of translating for me!) and the novelty of an authentic cultural experience. Everything about Cameron felt more real than the rest of Malaysia. I was enchanted.


steamboat: pre-eating. Note the mountains of food.

After dinner, we all retired back to the guesthouse (the gang was kind enough to wait as I attempted to use the one payphone in the village to call Tom) and had some beers out on the verandah. We discussed traveling and politics and it was just great. Everyone was respectful and smart and it was really the cat's meow. For some reason, everyone wanted to know about living in NYC and I was a temporary star. Strange to think I had something to offer the Europeans in the way of culture but I did :) I trundled off to bed, snuggling under the blankets, anxious for my 7am wakeup call (by Lisa).

When morning came, we walked down the stairs to the main bus station in town, looking for a ride out to Boh tea plantation. The local bus went there, but not back. We would have to figure it out once we got there. We hopped on the bus with all the locals headed to the golf course. Boh plantation was about 45 min away and I began to get a bit worried about making our bus back to KL at 1. However, the luscious scenery soon overtook my conscious mind. It. was. stunning. The rolling hills wrapped in mist, smelling faintly of tea, dotted with workers harvesting tea leaves, was about as idyllic as it gets. I almost wished the sun would never come all the way up so that we could remain ensconced in the cozy predawn fog forever. We arrived at the plantation (at the end of a 5km walk uphill) just as it opened. There was a factory tour starting, so we tagged along (we think it was a paid tour, but nobody asked us for money so we just went with it). I learned all about how tea is made, which was really cool. Plus the air was redolent with the aroma of tea. All this learning was making us thirsty, so we retired to the cafe for tea and scones. I felt so calm and carefree that I was almost giddy. Here I was, breakfasting with a great friend, amidst the splendor of a place many people don't even know where it is on a map! How great is my life! The tea (tarik, the local tea made with condensed milk-very sweet but sooo delicious) was splendid, the scone divine, and I nearly floated back down the mountain.

Well, until we realized that it was a long way down. And the sun was up now. When tea truck offered to give us a ride down, we hopped into the bed without a thought. (I know, I know, hitchhiking is dangerous. I went round and round about whether to even put this in. But, this blog is a record of my travels. And I did this. Everyone does it in Malaysia. And we were in a truck bed, together, in broad daylight. The road was very busy and there was no place to drive off and rape us. It's just one long path down the mountain.) Anyway, I will never hitchhike again, but my God, with the tea-scented wind whipping through my hair as I perched on a tea chest in the back of a pickup, I felt alive. I thought, someday I'll tell my kids this story and they won't believe their mom ever did anything so cool. But I did. I hitchhiked in Malaysia and I freakin loved it.

We did make our bus, on time. The bus wasn't on time, it was an hour late. And then we sat in traffic for three hours. We missed our KL connecting bus and sat in KL for two hours, paid double to get on the last bus out, and hit Singapore at 5:30am. I swear, I cannot get out of a SE Asian country without difficulty. Lisa keeps teasing me about Vietnam and how I should make sure to bring a long book since my flight will almost surely be delayed. But, despite all the mishaps and woes, it was a really great trip. I got to see "real" Asia, eat some delicious food, and spend some quality time with my homegirl/soul sister, Lisa!

In conclusion: here is a list of things one ought to take to Malaysia (that I did not)

1. toilet paper

2. a flashlight

3. a towel (something to use both as a towel and as a blanket-many hostels are fitted sheet and pillowcase only)

4. a good phrasebook (not everyone speaks English like they do in Singapore)

5. a sense of humor (see above)

6. an open heart and mind (because some really awesome things can happen if you're open to them!)

Well, that's all. I leave for Vietnam in the morning and I have not started to pack. I will not be updating for a week, but be prepared for some major-league awesome when I get back! Until then, this is Singapore Sue saying, sayonara suckers! Love you all.



No Koalas in Kuala Lumpur

Hi All,


My dad sent me an email today notifying me that it's been 3 days since my last blog post, so I am dutifully posting the rest of my Malaysian adventure today. At least I know I have ONE faithful reader! I need to get all caught up before I leave for VIETNAM/CAMBODIA on Friday. Spring Break baby! I am going for the week with my two girlfriends, Mei and Adhiti. It's going to be awesome! So, here's the rest of Malaysia. Don't worry, my memory has not dimmed-I took notes! (yes, I am a huge dork, I know.)


First impression of KL was that it was very dirty. It's a big city, like any big city in the world, and there are piles of garbage in the street. Pretty gross. It was also really hot, like sticky-big city-exhaust fumes-and-grit hot, which is not so pleasant. Immediately upon arriving, I wished we had gone straight to Cameron Highlands and skipped KL altogether. When I voiced this to Lisa, she gave me a look that said "I am ignoring you for your own sake" and I decided not to be so grumpy. Something I have learned about myself-I tend to be a bit of a grump when I haven't been adequately fed, and my fuse is much shorter than the average person. I'm lucky that Tom and I have approximately the same boiling point, because I felt pretty crappy throwing a tantrum while Lisa was smiling like Buddha. I resolved to be less cranky, which is hard when you're in a country WITH NO TOILET PAPER! But I digress.


The big thrill in KL is the Petronas towers. They are the tallest twin towers in the entire world. They are very shiny and futuristic looking. They're so big it's hard to get them in a single picture. Here's my best shot-

Neato, huh? There's a big shopping mall in the basement, where Lisa and I duly purchased enormous quantities of sorbet. There's a fruit here called soursop, and despite the really lame name, it's DELICIOUS and I had soursop gelato. Lisa is a great roomie for many reasons, but one important one is that she loves sweets as much as I do. No "no thanks, no dessert for me!" from Lisa.

Our hostel was right in the middle of the city, and it was a bit bizarre. It was called Wheeler's Guesthouse, and we picked it because it has a free friday night barbecue. What we did not know was that it also had a huge aquarium in the lobby. Pictured here:

Only in SE Asia. It was a weird but ultimately charming place. And the lady who runs the place was very helpful, considering LONELY PLANET WAS WRONG! I guess things have changed in KL recently, because the information about the bus depot was flat-out wrong. It was not where LP said it was. Lisa and I set out on foot, thinking our hostel was nearby, when we were in fact across town at the bus station NOT on the LP map. I was crushed. How could LP fail me? But, the lady set us right so we could make our next journey on time. And the barbecue was delicious. You have to, as a Texan, realize that it is not in any way actually barbecue, but it's meat nonetheless. Then it's okay.

Lisa and I went, at my request, to the Islamic Museum. Much of Malaysia is Muslim, much more than Singapore. The museum was gorgeous. I was reminded of humanities and the love I'd had for the Islamic art back then. Everything is so ornate and just lovely. Looking at hand-calligraphed Qu'rans and seeing the exquisite love and care that went into them, I could not help but admire the people that made them. These people did not seem like the bloodthirsty terrorists that I've been made to believe Muslims are. There were many stories of Muslim rules that advanced science and international relations while they ruled. I was impressed with the lengthy and illustrious heritage, and I was deeply saddened to know that so many of my countrymen will never see or understand this side of Islam. It is complex and alien to us, yes, but these people love their God, as we love ours, and we are really not so different. It's devastating that so much beauty and wisdom can be spoiled by a few radical extremists.

We wandered around after that, taking a LP walking tour and seeing the sights. Not surprisingly, many things were closed for CNY. But, the architecture was cool. We went to a HUGE night market and wandered around, although without Priya to bargain we didn't buy much. Also, you have to be quick on your feet there. Converting money in and out of USD or SGD from RM is not so easy. We had plenty of fun, though. Saw some interesting mosques and buildings, soaked up the sun, and smelled some very intense smells. Word to the wise: Malaysia does not have Diet Coke. Epic. Fail.

One of the most interesting things we saw was a Hindu temple sandwiched in between two office buildings, tucked on an unassuming side street. Asia is overflowing with gorgeous temples, scattered haphazardly across the cities. It's always quite a surprise to discover a majestic work of art next to a starbucks, but it happens all the time. I have a shot up there of the temple against the tall modern building. If I had to pick an image to describe SE Asia, it would be this-ancient mysteries smashed uncomfortably against Western commercialism. I can;t help but feel that it's a battle, and it will be fascinating to see how it plays out in the coming years. Because I will definitely be back here :)

After the rooftop barbecue, Lisa, our new friend Rayann, and I went to a little bar across the street to have a drink. There we met some gals from Scotland and Sweden who had just started their travels in SE Asia. We traded tips: where to stay, where to avoid, what to buy in the big cities and what could be purchased out in the country, best foods to try, etc. Backpacking culture is so delightful-young people just starting out, determined to see the world before they settle down. You meet someone, swap stories, maybe ride as far as the next town with them, and then part, promising to visit if you ever make it to their home country. It's like I imagined the hippies might have been, except without all the sex and drugs. (So maybe not like hippies...) It's just very cool to sit in a bar in KL with girls from Scotland, discussing restaurants in Hong Kong. It's a real "pinch-me" moment, and I loved every second of it. If my old self could see me now! I think twelve-year-old me would approve of the woman I've become. And that is an awesome, awesome feeling.

After some souvenir shopping, Lisa and I turned in, ready for our big trip to Cameron Highlands the next day. Which I was going to post today, but it will just have to wait until tomorrow (sorry, Dad!). I have a midterm to write, after all! Until next time, this is Singapore Sue, saying, sayonara, suckers! (happy valentine's day to you all, especially my sweetheart <3 )

A Privilege to Pee, or, Malaysia

Hello All!

It’s POURING outside. Rainy season is no joke, y’all. So, rather than all the cool things I had planned on doing today, I shall be forced to work on my blog. I’ve been feeling a bit sick recently, and strep is going around, so I have been giving into my lazy urges to sleep for hours in hopes of warding off infection, strep-magnet that I am. In truth I am rather gloomy about upcoming valentine’s day festivities, being sans Tom and all, but I am trying mightily to shore up my spirits and make plans with my similarly-marooned girlfriends.  I also have judo on v-day, so the prospect of beating the crap out of someone on that day cheers me some. Anyway, Malaysia.

Lisa and I had planned a four day/three night jaunt around Malaysia, using the less-than-stellar bus system. It’s totally safe (don’t freak, Mom), just not entirely punctual. We were going SingaporeàMelaka, MelakaàKuala Lumpur (or KL, as the locals say), KLàCameron Highlands, and finally Cameron HighlandsàSingapore on Sunday, arriving home around 8pm that night to prepare for class the next day. And, to be fair, most of that did happen. So all in all, it wasn’t a bad trip. It just wasn’t AMAZING, like everything else has been so far. I have been debating on how honest to be about things that I don’t like here. Tom and I had a conversation the other day about who I was writing this blog for. He was concerned that I was working too hard on it and not having enough fun over here. I explained that this blog, although I enjoy having readers (boy, do I!) is really for me, as a chronicle of all that I did and saw here. I want to look at it years from now and remember all the things I did, the feelings I felt and the changes in my heart. It’s been a pretty tumultuous time, and I want to look back and say, oh, that’s when I first started respecting my body, or feeling free from self-judgment, etc. So it’s important to me that I am honest. I’m not writing travel brochures after all.

When we got to Melaka (a UNESCO World Heritage Site, although I can’t imagine why), first stop was the bathroom. #1-you have to pay to use it. #2-there are no toilets. There are holes in the floor. Granted, the holes are like toilet bowls that are set into the ground, so it’s not just a hole, but it’s close. And #3-there is no toilet paper. They (sometimes) sell tissues outside, which you can buy when you pay to pee, but they don’t tell you there’s no TP when you pay. So, in brief-eew. So not a fan. And there’s no soap in the bathroom, either. I was fbchatting with my friend Chris who’s in the Peace Corps in Latin America, and he was telling me about their hygiene issues there. But they live in huts in villages! Melaka is a developed city with running water and television and stuff! Get toilet paper already! It was super-gross. I thought, what a way to start off a trip, eh? But, it was new and real and not what general visitors get to see. In a way, I was thankful for it because it was authentically Malaysia, which is what I wanted, right? Right?

After the bathroom disaster, we hopped on the public city bus and rode into the town center. Something else I don’t like about Malaysia-the salesmen. Salesmen is a generous term. The second you hop off a bus (or walk past a store, or look at a store, whatever), someone accosts you, offering a nice price, good deal, you like? They follow you, never touching you but hard as hell to shake off. I tried saying no, thank you, I tried ignoring them, and finally  I ended up just shouting no and shaking my head vigorously (Lisa felt I was a little rude but whatever, I lived in NYC, I know how to handle shysters). It was really annoying and, if I’m honest with myself, sometimes a bit frightening. However, we managed to avoid them and get on the public bus heading into town.

We followed my LP map to our hotel, which was an ADORABLE hippy-dippy joint called Ringo’s Foyer. There were flowers painted on the wall, the obligatory Hostel Cat (you don’t have hostel street cred unless you have a cat. Preferably mangy), and lots of throw pillows in the cozy common room. When we walked in, a French girl with dreadlocks was playing “Blackbird” on the guitar. I was home.

We set out to explore Chinatown, which, due to  CNY, was closed. Like, everything was closed. Note to those traveling to SE Asia: CNY is not a typical Western holiday. People actually stay home and visit with family, so all stores/restaurants/etc. are closed. For the first three days of the holiday, at least.  Just don’t try to see a couple of places with “vibrant Chinatowns” during CNY. Because they’re not so vibrant.

Melaka is a very small city that was once a major trading port, in fact, one of the biggest. But, the Portuguese, the Arab world, and the Dutch took turns colonizing it and ultimately screwed it over. Holland had big plans for other ports further upstream, so they taxed everything in Melaka so much that nobody would land there anymore. And thus, Melaka has faded from prominence into obscurity. Now, there are a few cool museums, but that’s about it. Sad tale for a port that was founded by a pirate. No joke. Look it up J

One of the aforementioned cool museums is the Melaka Maritime Museum, aka A Pirate Museum on a Big Ship.  Lisa dutifully followed along as I scampered through the ship’s decks like the small child that I am. It was hard to see most of the exhibits because whole families, probably enticed inside by the air-conditioning (not as plentiful here as in SG), were having picnics on the floor, blocking my way. Not something that flies at home. I hoped that some of the information was absorbed by osmosis, at least. The ship’s silhouette was visible from most of the city, and it was at least comical to catch a glimpse of the pirate ship as we prowled the rest of the city.

There is an old fort on the top of a hill that is the remains of a church. Sad to say, common practice around here was to use churches as military barracks. Frequently, there were fires and the churches were destroyed (forgive me if I’ve already mentioned this. I know I saw it in Macao too). The ruins, despite being at the top of a VERY long staircase, were beautiful. Peaceful and serene. Even though I was in the midst of tons of tourists, I felt that God could hear my prayers clearly here. The late afternoon sun was filtering down on us, providing a lovely contrast against the cool, mossy stone of the church walls. The pictures sort of capture it, I’m happy to say. I feel more and more that life is stretches of time strung between moments like these: quiet, simple recharge-your-battery moments when you can clearly see everything in perspective.

Reluctantly, we left the ruins and saw the Melaka Museum. There were kites from around the world (it’s a big deal here, kiting), toys, and local customs and cuisines exhibits. It was really interesting. You appreciated the interesting mix of cultures here, due to the myriad of countries that colonized them. It’s Eastern, Western, Catholic, Muslim, and everything else. Which makes, if nothing else, for fantastic food.

Local delicacies here are vast and varied. Highlights are nyonya pineapple tarts (SO wish I had one right now), cendol (like a sno-cone but weirder), popiah, like an uber-spring roll. I searched for popiah in vain, but I have been told they are delicious. For dinner, we had Indian/Pakistani food, which was freakin’ delicious. And cheap. 14.50US is 50 Malaysian ringitt, so we were able to eat really well on the limited funds we had.  The restaurant was recommended, but a bit off the beaten path. Not for the first time, I was grateful to have lived in two big cities and the street smarts I gained there. A long street might look daunting, but I was able to size it up: how many streetlights? How many people are on the street? Do I see any idling cars or big groups of people standing around? Are there policemen? How long til the next major well-lit street? We got around big cities, Lisa and I, with confidence but most of all safety. Knowing what’s really dangerous and what’s just unfamiliar sets you free from the touristy-main street stuff. Fear can hold you captive-and for the most part, I’m not afraid. I am grateful for that. And the naan was DELICIOUS.

We, being the great trendsetters that we are, did the big KL craze BEFORE going to KL. This is the fish-spa! You dip your feet into a little tank and tiny fish nibble the dead skin off your feet. It's very bizarre and not entirely unpleasant. Lisa and I were squirming madly, but we did manage to last our whole 15 minutes. And I can't argue with the results. My feet are (well, were) silky-smooth. It was a good "pedicure", but I don't think I'll be doing it again soon. I'll stick to fungus-infected razor blades, please. The American way.

We rode in a trishaw, which is a bicycle strapped to a bench (and sometimes not so securely). These contraptions are wildly decorated and generally affixed with a giant speaker, booming bhangra beats. It’s tacky and touristy, but the trishaw drivers are trying to make an honest living, and it’s a great way to see the city. Lisa wanted one without a speaker, so we found one covered in flowers and hopped in. As our driver pointed out the sites, Lisa and I realized we’d seen most of the highlights already! We felt very good about our self-guided Melaka adventure. I already knew we made a good travel team, but now, it was cemented. She is so cool, very easygoing, and smart. We never run out of things to talk about. I am super lucky to have gotten a room mate that is also a friend.

Well, that’s Melaka, folks. Tune in tomorrow for KL/Cameron Highlands. I have a big school assignment coming up, so I have been busy working on that, but I will make sure to have a study break time so I can BLOG! Love you all, and until next time, Sayonara Suckers!!

Gong Xi Fa Chai!

 

Hello All,

As you know, I spent New Year’s Eve over the Atlantic, so I felt a bit cheated. Particularly when 2011 was going to be such a big year for me-studying abroad, graduating law school, taking the bar, and starting my first real job (actual job pending). Imagine my relief when I found out that Chinese New Year is in February, and it’s quite a big deal here in Singapore! I would get the fireworks and revelry that I had missed. Chinese New Year, or lunar new year, lasts twenty-two days with festivities throughout. There is a big celebration on New Year’s Eve, and although Lisa and I were leaving bright and early the next morning for Malaysia, we decided to brave the crowds and partake in the fun.

First, Lisa and I went to Chinatown, believing it to be the hotbed of activity. What it was turned out to be hot as hell, smelly, crowded, and uneventful. We were there for over an hour, in shoulder-to-shoulder traffic (or much worse-Asians as a rule seem not to understand personal space) waiting for something cool to happen. You’d think since we were standing in front of a stage something cool might happen, but it never did. I thought I was going to pass out from the heat, so we left, grabbing water at 7-11.

Upon our arrival at Marina Bay, we discovered it had started pouring, which meant that we were undoubtedly going to get soaking wet but also that the crowds would be thinner. I was worried that the fireworks might be cancelled, but we were assured by a security guard that would not happen. They’d be going off at 12:08. Eight is  lucky number because the Mandarin word for eight sounds like the Mandarin word for “luck” or “prosperity”. This is a big thing here: words that sound like other words that mean good things make those things lucky. I’m not explaining it well, but anyway look it up if you want to know more.

There’s a big carnival down by the water called Hong Bao, and we headed that way. Hong Bao are the red envelopes that Chinese married people give to children and unmarried adults at the New Year. They’ve full of money, from $5 or so to way more, depending on who’s giving them out. Other interesting CNY trivia-no getting haircuts during the holiday, and all debts held are cleared (I can only assume this is not taken literally.) Oranges are handed out for good luck, but I’m not really sure why.

Anyway, the carnival was pretty deserted, but we made our way over there to procure a spot for the fireworks. Afterwards, we decided that we maybe should have stayed on the bridge to get a better view, but if we had stayed on the bridge, we would have missed the bizarre spectacle that is the BOPI DANCERS! No, I don’t know anything about them. Nor can I explain them. I can only imagine they’re some kind of cartoonish spectacle, but they might be serious. The picture below gives you some idea about the weirdness I was dealing with. Yes, that is a quasi-sexy music video going on behind those creepy costumed dancers. Weird. Just, weird.

Anyway, the fireworks were very cool. Right before they went off, there was a short film played about a boy and his dad through the years. In the beginning, the boy gets a huge hong bao envelope from his dad so that he can fix his motorcycle. He vows the repay his father for his kindness. Flashforward twenty or so years and the boy is now a father himself, working maniacally to deliver his orange trees on time to get home for the CNY feast at home. Why is he working so hard? To earn the last bit of money he needs to repay his aged father of course! After an altercation (Dad doesn’t want to take the money), son slipsit into his father’s cashbox anyway. All is revealed by the adorable five year old grandson, who asks his father why he put money into grandpa’s cash box. After a tense money, grandfather chokes out “because he understands the meaning of filial piety.” Now, I imagine something got a bit lost in translation, and that this was just a cheesy government propaganda movie, but I had a hard time swallowing that. The movie ends in smiles as the kid gives his father his own hong bao envelope, presumably containing $3 or so. Despite the unbelievable corniness (and the cultural divide I felt-we just don’t really discuss filial piety in the West), I thought the movie was very sweet.  And the fireworks were super-cool, too. I guess they should be, given that fireworks were invented out here in the Far East. (A friend of mine fb’d me and said “enjoy the Far East” and I was like, dude, I AM in the Far East! That sounds so much more exotic than South East Asia! Sweet!) Tired, but glad we’d gone, Lisa and I made the long trek home, prepared to head to Malaysia very early the next morning. But for those exploits, you will have to wait for a few days. Blogging is hard work, you know. Until then, this is Singapore Sue, signing off and saying sayonara*, suckers! Love you all.

*my spellcheck informs me I have been spelling sayonara wrong for a very long time. Did no one know this? Why didn’t you tell me? Anyway, fixed now. My defense is that Japanese characters don’t really translate into English well anyway, and you can spell things however you want.  Highly embarrassing.

Magic, of the Mystical and Commercial Variety

Hello All,

It's been a while since I've updated, and there are several reasons for this. #1-I've been bothered by an article I read recently about Julie Powell (of "Julie and Julia" fame) and how she was such a self-indulgent person. It vilified blogging and bloggers as whining children, forcing their diaries on the world. So, I've had to psych myself up to write (or more appropriately publish) again. #2-I've been travelling, out actually living my life instead of documenting it. Since I was thirteen, I've always empathized with Mark in "Rent" and his struggle to simultaneously witness and participate in life. "You pretend to create and observe when you really detach from being alive." For those of us who consider ourselves "artists", it can be hard to actually engage instead of composing narrative in our heads. It's an outside-looking-in feeling that I've dealt with all my life, and I'm happy to report that, for the most part, I'm kicking that feeling's ass right now. But, I do love blogging. :)

Anyway, here's what happened on the last day of my whirlwind Hong Kong trip, which from the safety of my bed, er, desk, here in Singapore, feels a million years away. But, I shall muster up the feelings and events of that trip, with the aid of the awesome pictures I took.

We got up early (or as early as we could, given the 6am in time from the club the night before) and headed out to Lantau Island to see the Giant Buddha. For reasons unknown to me, there is a giant Buddha statue on a small island on the outskirts of Hong Kong near the airport. You have to take a cable car to get up there and it's not a short trip. You are treated to some cool views on your way up though, which was fun. It was really cold up there. All of HK was cold, but this was the crisp-clean mountain air kind of cold, which I had been missing ardently since Santa Fe.

At the top, it was a long walk to Buddha, which was okay, because the view was Awesome. As in, full of awe. The sheer randomness of this huge bronze Buddha in the middle of nowhere somehow made it all the more beautiful. People expect religion in churches and temples, but not out on a windy mountaintop. It made me feel safe, this visual confirmation that God is everywhere. It was a bit cloudy, so some of my shots didn't come out well, but here they are. Again, as always, you had to be there.

As we descended from the realm of angels and spirits, we decided to delay our return to reality by making a detour to...Hong Kong Disneyland! I really, really, really wanted to go but desperately tried not to betray my enthusiasm. Jocelyn, Maleeka, and Priya are women of the world, not five-year olds like me. Would they run away when they saw the depths of my love for Mickey?

As always, I should not have worried. Maleeka had never been to Disney before and was enchanted, as were the other two. We all had a grand old time dashing from attraction to attraction, meeting Mickey, and generally being kids again. (Well, again implies that I ever stopped, so for me, just being a kid I guess.) Here is proof of how much fun we had-a candid shot mid-teacup ride by Jocelyn:

Visiting Hong Kong Disney was an exercise in same-but-different. Not thrilled with the level of customer service, I was gratified to see that Disney cast member courtesy was universal. The other girls remarked on their helpfulness as well. However, there's a bakery on Main Street at home (Disney World, FL) that makes the most delectable cookies (raspberry-white chocolate) and when I went into the sister bakery in HK, which was in the same spot, the food was all different. (Dad and PJ-there were still turkey legs. I was confused to see that no one was eating them. Apparently Asians only eat turkey legs at Disney in the US. They leave them alone in Hong Kong and eat noodles instead. Mystery still unsolved.)

I am glad to say that Disney magic is certainly alive and well all the way over in Hong Kong. Despite some wacky regional differences (no cookies, Buzz Lightyear Space Rangerettes, and Mickey et al. dressed in Chinese outfits) the place felt very much like home. I missed my sister, sharply and intensely. I am so proud of her for her work there, bringing joy to so many people. I made up for my sadness by buying her some sweet swag in the gift shop. That, at least, was exactly the same as in US.

To underscore the we're-all-special-but-also-similar theme,  we rode "It's a Small World". I was surprised how much joy I got out of it. Big difference from the US-Disney characters were in their respective countries! E.g., Peter Pan in England, Simba in Africa, Aladdin and Jasmine in Middle East, etc. It was really cool and I was pointing and waving like the other kids in the boat. 

I also found something that we don't have at home, a Belle statute. I cackled with glee and dashed across the sidewalk to embrace her. Note the rapturous expression of joy on my face. You can't fake that, folks. I remembered that I started this blog with a quote from Belle, and here I was, encountering her halfway across the world. Then I did cry a bit, which I had been fighting all day. It was all just too wonderful. Luckily no one noticed.

We left Disney reluctantly and made our way to the airport, where we waited for our flight, which was delayed SIX HOURS! But that is another story altogether. So, I will leave you with some pictures, including the Space Rangerettes. You know, life is funny, sometimes halfway across the world you can find home again. Except now it's better because you know what it's like to leave it. Anyway, sionara suckers! Love you all.

the infamous Rangerettes. Why can't we have these in the US?



Sleeping Beauty's castle. Yes, it's small, but it makes sense with Asian architecture.



Hong Kong Sing-Along

Hello All,

Well, I promised I'd put Hong Kong up today so I am going to do it. I'm a bit overwhelmed with job search etc. at the moment so my heart's not in it. I miss my family and I hate the fact that trying to communicate love over the phone often gets twisted and frustrating. I just need hugs sometimes, and phone hugs suck. But, perhaps reminiscing about Hong Kong will cheer me up!

We arrived via ferry from Macau rather later than we had planned due to our unexpected bungee run (see previous post). Once in Hong Kong, we took a cab to our hotel, which was a lot harder than it sounds due to the fact that many (if not all) cab drivers in Hong Kong speak only Cantonese. Even though we had the address written out, it was written in English, not Cantonese characters, so Jocelyn had to talk to the cab driver's friend over the phone and spell out the address. We were not at all certain that we were going to end up in the right place, but we were stoked when we did. Our hostel was right in the heart of Nathan Street, the busiest thoroughfare in Kowloon. Here were the bright lights and throngs of people I had imagined for Hong Kong! It was exhilarating, despite our exhaustion, and we snapped lots of pictures straightaway.

Yes, that's a twenty-four hour McDonalds. They are EVERYWHERE. I swear, when I find the one country without McDonald's, I don't know what I'll do. Laugh? Cry? Starve? Hard to say. Maleeka, one of my travel buddies, is a big Fillet-o-fish fan. She had about six of them over the weekend, which Jocelyn dutifully photographed. Jocelyn has a really fancy camera that she uses to take incredible pictures. I was really glad she did, because now I have her whole album via the wonders of facebook!

How did people travel before the internet? I remember not having a cell phone as a kid, or internet. My brother doesn't. My kids certainly won't. The world seems smaller now that I can skype home and blog about my adventures, but I'm not entirely sure that it's good. Yes, I look forward to my skypedate with Tom every night, but my endless facebook checking does seem to keep me from being fully present here. What, if anything, is the solution? I was just about to make a statement about the good old days blah blah blah but I read an article yesterday about how "the good old days" are statistically full of crap in many ways (i.e. food was not actually cheaper, people were not actually smarter, music was not actually better, etc.) so I will abstain. And I do love my blog. I just wonder sometimes about the life I am accustomed to (reading blogs, posting youtube videos on facebook, sending long emails) and wonder if we're not slowly turning into Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451. And if you haven't read F451, what are you doing reading my stupid blog? Get your ass to a library (they do still exist) and grab a copy!

Anyway, we grabbed some dinner and decided that we had to partake in the quintessential Asian experience: karaoke. What we Americans percieve as a slightly kooky diversion akin to bowling, Asians take deadly seriously. We had to rent a private room for the four of us, which we had until 5:45am (we contemplated canceling our hostel and just hanging out there instead). The room was a bunch of padded sofas, the karaoke system, the huge tv, and four wireless mics. And a phone which we could pick up and order drinks, which we did :) At some point, we had some shots that were caught on fire. I remember thinking, "this is something that I will tell my kids that I did and they will not believe me. They'll be like, Mom? In Hong Kong? Doing flaming shots? No way." And I will smile mysteriously. Oh no, something I just realized is that my facebook will probably outlive me. That is, my teenage kids will someday be able to google me and find pictures of me doing naked mudwrestling (or something) and be totally mortified. How will we as a nation deal with this? Would you block your own kids? Or abandon facebook as you age? I am the first generation whose adolescence (well, end of adolescence) was captured digitally. Scary. Very scary. I want to ask Mark Zuckerberg what's going to happen in the future, but I hear he's a jerkface. At least he was on "The Social Network".

So karaoke was super duper fun. We got to control our own song choices and do whatever we wanted. I was kind of hogging the machine but the gals informed me I was a great DJ. We sang our hearts out to Madonna, Britney Spears, Ace of Base, Celine Dion...the works. The highlight of the night was surely Priya's rendition of "Touch My Bum", by the Cheeky Girls, which was apparently #1 in Britain for about a month. Youtube it. I dare you. We rolled out of there around 3:30am and hit the sack, ready for another wild day. What else could we experience?

Next morning we got a bit of a late start (see above) but started out on an awesome walking tour of Hong Kong, this one also courtesy of LP. (Are you listening, LP? Why do you never return my calls? We could be so good together...) We saw the sights of Hong Kong Island, which are...big buildings. Central Hongun-feng-shui), there were a ton of skyscrapers, and at least we were There. Here are some pics from the morning.

That afternoon, we decided to grab a bite to eat/learn stuff at the Tea Museum. It's in the middle of a garden and very pretty. The Chinese word for special tea is "gongkfu" which means "laborious and confusing". (I have decided to hijack this word for my own purposes, e.g. that instruction manual is a bit too gongkfu for me! Any takers?) As we watched the woman fix our tea, pouring water into several cups and performing a delicate ritual not unlike a dance, we were mesmerized. America is a wonderful place, but we are a bit bereft in the traditions department. By traditions I mean things we've been doing for THOUSANDS of years. I was trying to think of anything that we do that's so lovingly intricate...maybe restore antique cars? I know people are going to tell me all sorts of things, but at that moment I was just awed by the majesty of the production and honored to be able to witness it, an upstart kid way too far from home.

From there, it was off to the Star Ferry, aka You Haven't Seen Hong Kong if you Miss This. It's a ride (a short one at that) across the bay from Hong Kong Island to Kowloon and back. We embarked just as it was starting to rain and the sun was setting. I did manage to take some passable shots of the skyline, featured below. The feeling I had was hard to describe-dizzy with the things I'd seen, intoxicated with the promise of the rest of the evening, every possibility laid out before me in this unfamiliar place.

Once we arrived in Kowloon, we grabbed a seat at a waterside bar to witness the Symphony of the Stars, which is a must-see light show that we...missed. From what we could see from our LP-recommended bar (aka Best Bar Ever), it was not much to look at. An odd missed note on this trip of harmony, but we passed an hour sipping cocktails and people watching. Not a loss at all. Perhaps the bad weather made the light show impossible? I guess we'll never know...

Our penultimate stop of the night was the Temple Street Night Market, an infamous bazaar that stretches for miles...if you know where to look. When we arrived, we were like "is this it?" Fortunately, it was not. You have to cross the street. We saw people selling tea, telling fortunes, designer bags (knockoffs obvi), watches, religious icons, jade, original art, perfume, clothing...almost anything you can think of. Priya bargained like a fiend and got some incredible steals. I got a few things, the most important being a Chairman Mao watch that a)has a waving hand that moves constantly and b)glows in the dark. It's the tackiest thing ever/coolest thing ever and it was less than $5 American dollars. I can't post a pic because it can't capture the grandeur that is this watch. No, I am not a Communist and I don't support totalitarian regimes, but seriously, if you saw this watch, you'd understand. It's hilarious. All night, when someone asked me what time it was, I said, "let's ask the Chairman" which did not get old at all. We had a blast and left with our hearts and wallets a bit lighter.

Finally, we went out to Lan Kwai Fong, the clubbing district of Hong Kong. We had some tips from friends to hit the Bejing Club, but with a $50 cover we said no thanks and moved on. Lan Kwai Fong is as close to martial law as I'd ever like to get. There were drunk people everywhere. The streets were full of people (many places cars could not get so it was pedestrians only) just talking, walking, flirting, yelling, kissing, harassing...just a huge morass of people doing their best impression of Sodom and Gomorrah with a healthy dose of Babel mixed in. It was like the world's biggest frat party and for some reason I did not feel threatened like I usually do. In college, when there were big parties at the Lodge (Johnnies know) or even in suites, if I attended, it was a heads-down-duck-through-the-crowd-avoid-eye-contact-while-sipping-diet-coke affair. I never had any fun (with the exception of a notable Mr. Hoffmann encounter senior year) and I always cursed myself fo being so socially awkward. I wanted so badly to feel like Us instead of Them but I always felt like I was on the outside and didn't even know how to get inside.

Not so here. I strode down the street confidently with my new friends, dodging puddles of puke with elan and feeling like a million bucks. Was it the foreign locale, a chance to be anyone I wanted for one night? The safety in knowing I was not looking to spark an emotional connection (my best one was shoveling snow in New Hampshire)? Or have I just grown into myself at last? I may never know. No matter, because Zinc looked inviting, and we made our way to the bar.

Hong Kong bar/clubs are weird. I wish I could describe it better but I can't. I had...a good time? We stayed too long for my liking, but my friends were the soul of courtesy and kept making sure I was just whiny and not actually distressed. We all danced together and that part was definitely fun. The music here-I could write a whole different post about the music here. It's Western, but it's really random. Right now, Rihanna-Only Girl in the World, Katy Perry-Firework, Shakira-Waka Waka, and Black Eyed Peas-I've Got a Feeling are HUGE. I don't think I will ever hear any of those songs again without thinking of Asia. Which is good, because I don't want to ever forget my time here.

At 6am, we tumbled, giggling, into bed. And right now, I have to do the same. I will do my last day in Hong Kong tomorrow. I just can't go on any further, I'm too tired. Blogging is exhausting! Tomorrow is Chinese New Year's Eve, so I think I'll go down to Chinatown and fight the throngs of people to see the fireworks. Then early Thursday Lisa and I are going on a jaunt around Malaysia. So it might be a while before you hear from me again. What can I say? I have lots of the world to see! But, I promise I am missing you all and thinking of you and home often. But, until later, this is Singapore Sue, saying Sionara Suckers!