I've realized its really time for me to return to this blog. Not only to recount my travels and finish putting my photos together, but also because I've begun reverting to the New York lifestyle I chose to avoid upon returning. I've been walking fast, getting annoyed with slow moving people, avoiding eye contact, and becoming less open to possibility in life. I want to bring the positive energy I accessed within myself in Southeast Asia, back into the New York Rebecca. So, I'm starting by continuing with my travel journal. Here it goes...
July 10
I took a ten hour bus from Phnom Penh to Stung Treng, a small town in the north of Cambodia. Stung Treng basically acts as an overnight stop for tourists before crossing into Laos. On the bus I met a couple from Russia and a couple from Belgium and we all decided to stay in Stung Treng for the night and hopefully meet up again at the border to Laos.
There is really only one thing for tourists to do in Stung Treng, and that is to walk to the river front for beers and dinner at a hip guest house. As many of you know, my sense of direction is less than perfect, so as I set out to find said guest house I actually started walking away from the river. This turned out to be a very good mistake. At first I spent time walking through the dirt roads of the village, accepting surprised greetings from unsuspecting locals and chasing full grown pigs from lot to lot. Figuring I should probably head back to "my" side of town, I moved in a direction which I thought would get me home. It was in fact the proper direction, but before getting back to my hotel I noticed a group of kids playing basketball outside of what looked like a school. The court was half size and was next to a sand volleyball court. I watched the boys play for a while and then asked if I could join. That was a gutsy move- it's been such a long time since I've played ball - they totally wore me out (not very hard to do I must point out)! We played three on three and I had a hard time just getting across the court! But I played for a while longer- the guys said I was a good player- and then I had to tell them I was done. I sat out and watched for a while and then saw a tall white lady come cycling into the yard. She sat down with some of the kids and spot to them in Khmer. I asked her what the place was, and it turned out to be a church. She's been there for 12 years I think. They call her sister.
The idea that the play yard was a church immediately made me uncomfortable, but I decided to stick around and find out some more about it. The church is like a youth center, it's a place the kids can always go to play and study. They take English and Bible class, it's free, and it's totally voluntary to join.
I ended up staying for quite some time and had a conversation with about five boys ranging in age from 15 - 25. Their English was impressive and they seemed to have high aspirations. One 18 year old told me he wants to become a doctor. It was clear that joining the church community gave these kids access to better education and bigger ideas. (There were also girls at the church but they all seemed to disappear after I got there, none of them wanted to play ball with us) It's a little strange though- as we were talking the kids asked me if I was a Christian. I chose to tell them that I was not, I am Jewish, and they were intent on accepting Judaism because it believes in one God. Same went for Islam. I asked them about their families and the religion they grew up with (mostly Buddhist), and they relayed that not everyone in their community is happy about the Church. Some of the kids chose to go to the church and become Christian even though their families remain Buddhist. It's a difficult situation. Obviously the church is bringing positive things to the community, but it's also completely brainwashing these kids into thinking Jesus is the only way to go. They were saying things like, I'm sad my family doesn't believe in Jesus, I do what Jesus says, He's the one for me. It saddens me that this kind of community center was very much built upon proselytizing and not just humanitarian goals.
I learned that there is a youth house that many of the boys live in communally. Many of them go there because their parents have too many children to take care of. They cook and clean for themselves, etc. By the time I left it was 8pm and dark. Most of the kids had to be back for dinner and were also concerned that I had not eaten yet! The experience gave me much insight into their small community. I hope they learned from me as well.
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Saturday, August 16, 2008
Videos from Bali
The scene at the temporary camp on Gunung Agung
Dancing the Ramayana and men chanting the story
Thursday, August 14, 2008
Phnom Penh
July 8-9
Phnom Penh was actually one of the most difficult places for me. Not because it was hard to get around and not because I felt pressure to cover the city from top to bottom, but because of the nature of the tourists there. There are so many large groups that I found it difficult to connect with individual travelers. I took the city very casually- more interested in walking around than seeing all the sites. My main purpose there was to get a Lao Visa and despite the unfriendly visa office (which is a stark contrast to the rest of Laos) I did manage to get my visa in one day.
Upon arriving at the Okay Guest House in Phnom Penh I quickly became attached to a driver who shuttled me back and forth between the Laotian Embassy, a travel agency, and various sites around the city. I spent my first evening exploring a small arts district and found a very interesting gallery called the Reyum Institute. It's a non-profit, non-governmental organization devoted to serving, documenting and enriching Cambodian art and culture. There was an exhibition of framed dried leaves with gold paintings on them. I believe the artist's idea was to collect leaves from all over the area surrounding the greater Mekong and paint his/her understanding of Buddhist attributes. It was quite beautiful.
After spending some time there and purchasing a wood cut made by one of the students, I went to Friends, a restaurant run by an NGO. The restaurant gives former street children experience in the hospitality industry. They cook, wait, and clean. A combination of students and teachers run the place. My appetite was so small at that point, maybe just because of the heat, that I couldn't even finish a small greek salad. I spent the rest of the evening walking along the river front amidst various couples, people selling snacks, and what looked like Las Vegas style Buddhist shrines. Its so interesting to see the difference between city life and rural life in Cambodia. The people I met in small villages maintain traditional practices of modesty. Relationships are not made public, and there is certainly no pecking in the street. Because the food supply is so limited, the rural population is so much smaller than locals in Phnom Penh. In the city I saw unabashed displays of affection and tall men and women.
The next morning I went directly to Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum. Tuol Sleng is the former Khmer Rouge S-21 (Security Office 21) Prison where the Democratic Kampuchea regime detained individuals accused of opposing them. Lead by Pol Pot (Big Brother Number 1), the Khmer Rouge was a communist political party that wanted to return Cambodia to an agrarian society without commerce, intellectualism, and classism. In order to do this the Khmer Rouge recruited mostly young rural children between the ages of 10-15 to act as soldiers in the revolution. Some older young people joined the ranks as well and were basically brainwashed into believing that what they were doing was good. They evacuated all intellectuals, doctors, public officials and business men from the cities and sent them out into the fields. The city of Phnom Penh was completely evacuated and destroyed. Between 1975 and 1979 Cambodia experienced a genocide of its own people. The devastation was tragic and is still a very present part of life there today. An estimated 1.5 million people were killed, families were separated and the national infrastructure was completely obliterated (of course the nation still has its king and until he dies, there is no way the country will have a chance for democracy).
So, this museum is one of the prisons where people were detained, kept in small cells with no lavatory, interrogated, tortured and murdered. I went through the museum without taking pictures. I felt like it was improper or perverse to photograph the cells where empty cots and blood stains still remain. In hindsight, I wish I had taken pictures. As documentation, to make the genocide more public.
Its interesting that when I was in the death camps in Poland I took lots of pictures, but here, I felt like they weren't my pictures to take. The suffering here didn't happen to my people, how could I have any right to photograph the remains? This issue comes up for me because I curated a show about this very topic-- using photographs taken by US college students of the concentration camps in Poland. I set up the device of the camera and the object of the photograph as tools for mediating overwhelming experiences. I also described the photograph as a possession, a badge of one's experience. I didn't want to take photographs of Tuol Sleng because I didn't want to possess them, I didn't want a badge to wear that I could show off to others. Now I realize I could have documented my experience not as a badge, but as a message. As a way to preserve the memory and publicize the tragedy, as a warning to prevent history from happening again.
So, I saw the three floors of the prison- the first had large rooms with a single cot, shackles and blood stains. The second was made of wood with small cells. The third had shackles connected to long bars which prevented anyone from moving without the others. They would be tortured by being beaten, strung upside down and lowered into a jar of human excrement, starved, many women were raped. The Khmer Rouge even began executing their own soldiers. Everyone who entered the prison was photographed and these photographs are displayed in the museum. Many foreigners were also executed- Australians, French, Indians, Pakistanis, British, Americans, Canadians etc.
After leaving the museum I went to the Killing Fields where most of these prisoners were taken after interrogation. There are massive graves there where hundreds of skeletons were dug up. They were usually separated by gender and age. I did take one photograph of the memorial stupa which holds more than 8000 skulls arranged by sex and age. I did feel like I needed to provide evidence for the existence of the place.
Another interesting experience I had in Phnom Pehn was going to the National Museum of Cambodia. Many of the sculptures excavated at Siem Reap are kept here. What bothers me about my experience there is that once I saw these fragments of Buddhist and Hindu deities displayed in a museum, I was more interested in them than I had been while actually at Siem Reap. Why do I do this? Have I become so influenced by the "sanctity" of the museum that I can only appreciate the "greatness" of a piece of art if it has been deemed worthy of a museum? This is something that I need to reflect upon.
and so much more...
Phnom Penh was actually one of the most difficult places for me. Not because it was hard to get around and not because I felt pressure to cover the city from top to bottom, but because of the nature of the tourists there. There are so many large groups that I found it difficult to connect with individual travelers. I took the city very casually- more interested in walking around than seeing all the sites. My main purpose there was to get a Lao Visa and despite the unfriendly visa office (which is a stark contrast to the rest of Laos) I did manage to get my visa in one day.
Upon arriving at the Okay Guest House in Phnom Penh I quickly became attached to a driver who shuttled me back and forth between the Laotian Embassy, a travel agency, and various sites around the city. I spent my first evening exploring a small arts district and found a very interesting gallery called the Reyum Institute. It's a non-profit, non-governmental organization devoted to serving, documenting and enriching Cambodian art and culture. There was an exhibition of framed dried leaves with gold paintings on them. I believe the artist's idea was to collect leaves from all over the area surrounding the greater Mekong and paint his/her understanding of Buddhist attributes. It was quite beautiful.
After spending some time there and purchasing a wood cut made by one of the students, I went to Friends, a restaurant run by an NGO. The restaurant gives former street children experience in the hospitality industry. They cook, wait, and clean. A combination of students and teachers run the place. My appetite was so small at that point, maybe just because of the heat, that I couldn't even finish a small greek salad. I spent the rest of the evening walking along the river front amidst various couples, people selling snacks, and what looked like Las Vegas style Buddhist shrines. Its so interesting to see the difference between city life and rural life in Cambodia. The people I met in small villages maintain traditional practices of modesty. Relationships are not made public, and there is certainly no pecking in the street. Because the food supply is so limited, the rural population is so much smaller than locals in Phnom Penh. In the city I saw unabashed displays of affection and tall men and women.
The next morning I went directly to Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum. Tuol Sleng is the former Khmer Rouge S-21 (Security Office 21) Prison where the Democratic Kampuchea regime detained individuals accused of opposing them. Lead by Pol Pot (Big Brother Number 1), the Khmer Rouge was a communist political party that wanted to return Cambodia to an agrarian society without commerce, intellectualism, and classism. In order to do this the Khmer Rouge recruited mostly young rural children between the ages of 10-15 to act as soldiers in the revolution. Some older young people joined the ranks as well and were basically brainwashed into believing that what they were doing was good. They evacuated all intellectuals, doctors, public officials and business men from the cities and sent them out into the fields. The city of Phnom Penh was completely evacuated and destroyed. Between 1975 and 1979 Cambodia experienced a genocide of its own people. The devastation was tragic and is still a very present part of life there today. An estimated 1.5 million people were killed, families were separated and the national infrastructure was completely obliterated (of course the nation still has its king and until he dies, there is no way the country will have a chance for democracy).
So, this museum is one of the prisons where people were detained, kept in small cells with no lavatory, interrogated, tortured and murdered. I went through the museum without taking pictures. I felt like it was improper or perverse to photograph the cells where empty cots and blood stains still remain. In hindsight, I wish I had taken pictures. As documentation, to make the genocide more public.
Its interesting that when I was in the death camps in Poland I took lots of pictures, but here, I felt like they weren't my pictures to take. The suffering here didn't happen to my people, how could I have any right to photograph the remains? This issue comes up for me because I curated a show about this very topic-- using photographs taken by US college students of the concentration camps in Poland. I set up the device of the camera and the object of the photograph as tools for mediating overwhelming experiences. I also described the photograph as a possession, a badge of one's experience. I didn't want to take photographs of Tuol Sleng because I didn't want to possess them, I didn't want a badge to wear that I could show off to others. Now I realize I could have documented my experience not as a badge, but as a message. As a way to preserve the memory and publicize the tragedy, as a warning to prevent history from happening again.
So, I saw the three floors of the prison- the first had large rooms with a single cot, shackles and blood stains. The second was made of wood with small cells. The third had shackles connected to long bars which prevented anyone from moving without the others. They would be tortured by being beaten, strung upside down and lowered into a jar of human excrement, starved, many women were raped. The Khmer Rouge even began executing their own soldiers. Everyone who entered the prison was photographed and these photographs are displayed in the museum. Many foreigners were also executed- Australians, French, Indians, Pakistanis, British, Americans, Canadians etc.
After leaving the museum I went to the Killing Fields where most of these prisoners were taken after interrogation. There are massive graves there where hundreds of skeletons were dug up. They were usually separated by gender and age. I did take one photograph of the memorial stupa which holds more than 8000 skulls arranged by sex and age. I did feel like I needed to provide evidence for the existence of the place.
Another interesting experience I had in Phnom Pehn was going to the National Museum of Cambodia. Many of the sculptures excavated at Siem Reap are kept here. What bothers me about my experience there is that once I saw these fragments of Buddhist and Hindu deities displayed in a museum, I was more interested in them than I had been while actually at Siem Reap. Why do I do this? Have I become so influenced by the "sanctity" of the museum that I can only appreciate the "greatness" of a piece of art if it has been deemed worthy of a museum? This is something that I need to reflect upon.
and so much more...
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
and another thing
Why did it take me so long to find a chilled out coffee shop with free wireless, power outlets, and employees that actually cater to their patrons?
I'm not quite sure how to summarize the event or make an overgeneralizing statement about New Yorkers, as I would obviously love to do, so I think I'll just describe the situation.
My friend Lauren generously offered to give me her copy of Mac OS X Tiger so I can more easily add pictures to my picasa albums and my blog. Thus, I planned on spending this lovely Tuesday at a coffee shop doing just that. Choosing to be a conscious citizen of local New York establishments, I sought out a neighborhood coffee shop instead of going to one of the many chain stores that are all over the East Village. I set up shop in Cafe Pick Me Up on 9th Street and Avenue A. My first problem was finding an outlet to plug my computer into (you know how quickly Mac batteries burn out- I'm on my second battery and third extension cord...). I asked a fellow Mac user if he would mind plugging his power cord into the outlet behind him so I could plug mine into the one in front of him and run the cord along the floor to my table. No problem there. Then, the owner of the shop promptly approached me with an exasperated voice and anxious manner and said "you can not run your cord along the floor because if some trips I am responsible for it." This is a completely reasonable request, one which I have no problem accommodating. In fact, I calmly said "of course" not problem. And found another seat that allowed for a less intrusive stringing of the cord (and I checked with her before doing so to make sure it was ok). I was just annoyed or rather, taken aback, by the way she approached me. Really, is the situation so dire that you have to use such a worried and burdened tone? Can't you just say "excuse me, I'm afraid someone will trip over your cord, would you mind finding another place to sit that's less intrusive, here let me show you some options."
So, I spent my $7.10 on an iced chai and coconut blondie and settled in to start my work. But of course, in order to get an internet connection I had to pay $4 for two hours. Really? Didn't I just spend a whole weeks Laotian salary on a beverage and snack? You want me to pay for internet too? Why do you advertise internet if you're gonna make me pay for it- can you be more clear please? Anyway- as I was hot, frustrated, and unable to get online, I decided to leave Cafe Pick Me Up and try out the more commercial THINK on Bowery and Bleecker. Ah yes, free internet, exorbitant prices, but only one single power outlet in the whole place. Wonderful, thanks.
So here I am, finally writing my blog. Where am I you ask? Why I'm at 17 Bleecker. Gotta say, it's an oldie, but it's a goodie. Thanks 17 Bleecker for still being the same reliable cafe I sat in three years ago as I began the search for my very own East Village apartment. As I leave this pocket of Manhattan for the more spacious and less expensive enclave of Lefferts Gardens, Brooklyn I will remember your cool air, ample supply of power outlets, and free internet. Although your iced chai leaves a bit to be desired, I can always count on your supply of vitamin water.
I'm not quite sure how to summarize the event or make an overgeneralizing statement about New Yorkers, as I would obviously love to do, so I think I'll just describe the situation.
My friend Lauren generously offered to give me her copy of Mac OS X Tiger so I can more easily add pictures to my picasa albums and my blog. Thus, I planned on spending this lovely Tuesday at a coffee shop doing just that. Choosing to be a conscious citizen of local New York establishments, I sought out a neighborhood coffee shop instead of going to one of the many chain stores that are all over the East Village. I set up shop in Cafe Pick Me Up on 9th Street and Avenue A. My first problem was finding an outlet to plug my computer into (you know how quickly Mac batteries burn out- I'm on my second battery and third extension cord...). I asked a fellow Mac user if he would mind plugging his power cord into the outlet behind him so I could plug mine into the one in front of him and run the cord along the floor to my table. No problem there. Then, the owner of the shop promptly approached me with an exasperated voice and anxious manner and said "you can not run your cord along the floor because if some trips I am responsible for it." This is a completely reasonable request, one which I have no problem accommodating. In fact, I calmly said "of course" not problem. And found another seat that allowed for a less intrusive stringing of the cord (and I checked with her before doing so to make sure it was ok). I was just annoyed or rather, taken aback, by the way she approached me. Really, is the situation so dire that you have to use such a worried and burdened tone? Can't you just say "excuse me, I'm afraid someone will trip over your cord, would you mind finding another place to sit that's less intrusive, here let me show you some options."
So, I spent my $7.10 on an iced chai and coconut blondie and settled in to start my work. But of course, in order to get an internet connection I had to pay $4 for two hours. Really? Didn't I just spend a whole weeks Laotian salary on a beverage and snack? You want me to pay for internet too? Why do you advertise internet if you're gonna make me pay for it- can you be more clear please? Anyway- as I was hot, frustrated, and unable to get online, I decided to leave Cafe Pick Me Up and try out the more commercial THINK on Bowery and Bleecker. Ah yes, free internet, exorbitant prices, but only one single power outlet in the whole place. Wonderful, thanks.
So here I am, finally writing my blog. Where am I you ask? Why I'm at 17 Bleecker. Gotta say, it's an oldie, but it's a goodie. Thanks 17 Bleecker for still being the same reliable cafe I sat in three years ago as I began the search for my very own East Village apartment. As I leave this pocket of Manhattan for the more spacious and less expensive enclave of Lefferts Gardens, Brooklyn I will remember your cool air, ample supply of power outlets, and free internet. Although your iced chai leaves a bit to be desired, I can always count on your supply of vitamin water.
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Dealing with New York
I'm feeling frustrated with the sexism in New York City. Having just returned from five weeks in Southeast Asia, one would think I'd be glad to be back in an environment where women are supposed to be equal to men, qualified for the same jobs, empowered as thinkers and doers, independent, able to feel comfortable living and traveling alone... Then why is it that I'm feeling more objectified and more paranoid for my safety than I did anywhere in Southeast Asia? Why is it that I am the person labeled "out of control" when I respond in like manner to the man in the street who made an inappropriate comment to me? Why am I the one who is causing trouble? Why should I "know better"?
The hypocrisy of America is no different from the hypocrisy in the rest of the world.
The hypocrisy of America is no different from the hypocrisy in the rest of the world.
Thursday, July 24, 2008
And, I'm back...
Yep, I've arrived in NYC and am back in my East Village apartment. The next few weeks look like they will be filled with more joy, excitement, and reflection. But first- I'd like to fill in the details of the rest of my journey... Rewind your mind to the second week of July.
So, back in Kratie- one of the main things that made me uncomfortable was the sight of a man beating a puppy to death on the sidewalk. I know this isn't a usual occurrence, but the shock of it was tremendous. I was walking home from the internet cafe when i heard this yelping. At first I thought it was a child whining, but as I identified the location of the sound, I saw in the darkness, a man banging something limp against the pavement. From where I was it looked like a rag doll. As I put the sound and shape together I realized it was a puppy. From that moment I wanted to get out of Kratie. I rushed to where I was meeting a fellow traveler for dinner and told her about it. It was at that point that I decided to change my plans to go trekking in Laos instead of Cambodia.
The next day Laura and myself (she's a Finnish woman that works for Unesco and has been traveling for about 8 months) got on the back of some motorbikes and took a tour of the sites around Kratie. We went to Phnom Sombok, a small hill with an active Wat. The views from the top were pretty great. A number of elderly nuns still live there and seem to look after the cackle of cats, dogs and monkeys that hand out around their temple. It was really a sight to see the monkeys chasing after the dogs and pulling their legs! I have some good pictures. The wat in Phnom Sombok was the first i had scene that incorporated a Christian kind of pictorial narration of the life of Buddha. Brightly painted panels adorned the walls and ceiling of the temple in a serial manner. Kind of like Giotto's Arena Chapel in Padua. I wonder when it became the norm for monks and nuns to decorate their Wats like this. I wonder if it was learned from an interaction with Christian missionaries. Of course Wats were decorated before this. Wats from the 19th century portray painted walls in the manner of Chinese and Indian wall paintings. a continuous scene that shows repeating characters and does not demarcate space according to rules of western perspective. It does make sense that the artistic traditions would follow from the dominant Chinese and Indian type to the more Christian western type. This region of the world was called Indochina and did evolve into a predominantly Buddhist region through the influences of India and China. Once Western powers invaded the area they brought with them the idioms of western culture and representation.
Anyway- after climbing the hill we went a bit more north to Kampi to try to see some Irrawaddy river dolphins. We were successful!!! Really! Although there are only 70 left out of the 1000 that once made the area of the Tonle Sap lake in the Mekong River their home- we saw a good amount of them! They have long round noses rather than the typical pointy snout you think of when remembering the dolphin show at Sea World. They are a dark blue/gray color and have large flippers and small dorsal fins. I got a few good pictures of their fins and a nice splashing tail shot!! Mostly- I chose to watch the dolphins with my eyes, rather than through the lens of my camera. That was how I operated through most of my trip...
After that we went Sambo and saw the largest Wat in Cambodia with 108 columns. Again, the interior was brightly painted with scenes from Buddha's life. This wat is also famous for the story of the Crocodile and the Princess. I couldn't tell you what that story is now- But I did see a painting of it in an adjacent pavilion. Within the main Wat there were a number of old men who spoke French. They handed me a book that was published by a Cambodian student who investigated the paintings of the crocodile and princess story. Very interesting- well, what i remember of it anyway.
I think that was it for my stay in Kratie. We drove by the requisite rice paddies and farmers. Wooden houses built up on stakes, poor children and families selling sugarcane on the side of the road- and I booked a ticket for Phnom Penh.
So, back in Kratie- one of the main things that made me uncomfortable was the sight of a man beating a puppy to death on the sidewalk. I know this isn't a usual occurrence, but the shock of it was tremendous. I was walking home from the internet cafe when i heard this yelping. At first I thought it was a child whining, but as I identified the location of the sound, I saw in the darkness, a man banging something limp against the pavement. From where I was it looked like a rag doll. As I put the sound and shape together I realized it was a puppy. From that moment I wanted to get out of Kratie. I rushed to where I was meeting a fellow traveler for dinner and told her about it. It was at that point that I decided to change my plans to go trekking in Laos instead of Cambodia.
The next day Laura and myself (she's a Finnish woman that works for Unesco and has been traveling for about 8 months) got on the back of some motorbikes and took a tour of the sites around Kratie. We went to Phnom Sombok, a small hill with an active Wat. The views from the top were pretty great. A number of elderly nuns still live there and seem to look after the cackle of cats, dogs and monkeys that hand out around their temple. It was really a sight to see the monkeys chasing after the dogs and pulling their legs! I have some good pictures. The wat in Phnom Sombok was the first i had scene that incorporated a Christian kind of pictorial narration of the life of Buddha. Brightly painted panels adorned the walls and ceiling of the temple in a serial manner. Kind of like Giotto's Arena Chapel in Padua. I wonder when it became the norm for monks and nuns to decorate their Wats like this. I wonder if it was learned from an interaction with Christian missionaries. Of course Wats were decorated before this. Wats from the 19th century portray painted walls in the manner of Chinese and Indian wall paintings. a continuous scene that shows repeating characters and does not demarcate space according to rules of western perspective. It does make sense that the artistic traditions would follow from the dominant Chinese and Indian type to the more Christian western type. This region of the world was called Indochina and did evolve into a predominantly Buddhist region through the influences of India and China. Once Western powers invaded the area they brought with them the idioms of western culture and representation.
Anyway- after climbing the hill we went a bit more north to Kampi to try to see some Irrawaddy river dolphins. We were successful!!! Really! Although there are only 70 left out of the 1000 that once made the area of the Tonle Sap lake in the Mekong River their home- we saw a good amount of them! They have long round noses rather than the typical pointy snout you think of when remembering the dolphin show at Sea World. They are a dark blue/gray color and have large flippers and small dorsal fins. I got a few good pictures of their fins and a nice splashing tail shot!! Mostly- I chose to watch the dolphins with my eyes, rather than through the lens of my camera. That was how I operated through most of my trip...
After that we went Sambo and saw the largest Wat in Cambodia with 108 columns. Again, the interior was brightly painted with scenes from Buddha's life. This wat is also famous for the story of the Crocodile and the Princess. I couldn't tell you what that story is now- But I did see a painting of it in an adjacent pavilion. Within the main Wat there were a number of old men who spoke French. They handed me a book that was published by a Cambodian student who investigated the paintings of the crocodile and princess story. Very interesting- well, what i remember of it anyway.
I think that was it for my stay in Kratie. We drove by the requisite rice paddies and farmers. Wooden houses built up on stakes, poor children and families selling sugarcane on the side of the road- and I booked a ticket for Phnom Penh.
Thursday, July 10, 2008
Change of Plans
So I was in Kratie thinking about going to the Ratana Kiri province in Cambodia but then decided to scrap that, go down south to Phnom Penh and get a Visa for Laos. Tomorrow morning I will take a 10 hour bus ride to the Cambodian border, stay over night, and then enter Laos in the morning of July 12th. I plan to spend two days relaxing on an Island in the Mekong River. From there I have to get to Pakse because I booked a flight to Luang Prabang in the north where I will once again attempt to book a trek into the forest. Cambodia is an interesting place. Although they maintain the facade of having a democratic government since 1999, they most certainly do not. I'm looking forward to Lao and curious as to how its government will enter into my experience there.
Monday, July 7, 2008
Kratie
I've just arrived in Kratie, a town on the east bank of the cambodian mekong river. The conditions here are the most shocking I have seen yet. The main street looks normal with the usual motorbikes and fruit sellers, but turn down one side street and your path is hindered by heaps of trash, rotting food, and people sitting and eating in it. The smell is quite bad. My initial instinct was to immediately turn back, but I think it's good to get used to this and see the reality of cambodia. I've seen people living on the side of the road surrounded by rice fields, but this is the city and people are just piled ontop of each other. Its really humid here and makes me think its about time i started taking my malarone. I took it one day but it made me feel sick to my stomach. i'll try again tomorrow and hope it goes better. So far, no mosquito problems (knock on wood).
Sunday, July 6, 2008
Bangkok to Siem Reap and beyond...
Greetings for Siem Reap, Cambodia. My third full day here is coming to a close and I plan on heading to Northeast Cambodia tomorrow. The trek here was lengthy and full of memorable events. It began in the early hours of July 2nd upon my arrival in Bangkok. I got in at 2am and promptly headed towards the River Guest House near Chinatown. After a few hours of sleep I decided to check out my surroundings and came upon many colorful sights. Thailand is a Buddhist country and you can hardly walk ten feet without coming upon a Wat. Buddha is everywhere. I spent some time sitting in front of the laughing Buddha with his rotund belly and happy smile. I ventured through Chinatown trying to avoid the smell of dried squid, sea horses, and pigs. I found a number of really cute cellphone ornaments that I just had to purchase.
The city is really cramped and crowded. THere are parts that are more spacious and less dirty, but for the most part, its forever bustling. I was trying to go to a Wat outside the royal palace when a civil officer stopped me to offer some advice. He told me the temple was closing early because of a ceremony and suggested I head else where. He set me up with a tuk tuk driver that agreed to take me all around for 40 baht total. THa'ts about $1.05. Well, I thought I was getting a good deal at the time, but my wallet soon began to lose weight as I came to realize I had made a big mistake about the location of my guesthouse. My driver dropped me off in a location that was on the complete other side of town! I realized that the civil servant told the tuk tuk driver to drop me at a guest house with a very similar name, but not the one I was staying at! So- I had find another driver to take me back accross town. that was probably a four dollar ride. From there, I had to meet David and Laura at their hotel, where I would spent the next night, and had to flag down yet another tuk tuk to take me back accross town! In all, I got to see A Lot of Bangkok and in a very short while. Seeing aerobics in the park was certainly worth the extra four dollars!
Meeting up with Dov and Laura was so wonderful. IT was like a respit from my crazy day. I settled in to the room (we shared a large bed for the three of us, very cozy) and swapped stories. That night we went to a VIP screening of the movie Wanted. OMG! Reclining seats, a bar, surround sound, blanket, pillow! Yeah, they provide it all- but don't try to snap pictures or fit three in a double chair, they will catch you.
The next morning we began our 8 hour trek to Siem Reap. We first caught a bus from Bangkok to the Thai border which took about 4 hours. From there, we had to hire a tuk tuk to the Cambodian border and buy our visas on the way. Crossing over the border was quite easy, but it was very hot. It was interesting to see the workers that pass through everyday carring plastic bags, styrofoam containers and produce. They have a great hat and face mask combo that works wonders for keeping the flying dust out of your face. From the Cambodian border we took at 3 1/2 hour taxi to siem reap. The road is so bumpy and you pass rural families living in palm houses. There is a 6 dollar bus that you can take along the same route, but it takes so much longer and is way bumpier. We were happy with the taxi. SPlit three ways...
Siemp Reap is the portal to the ruins of Angkor Wat. There are an incredible amount of Hindu and Buddhist temples errected between the 10th and 13th centuries. We spent three days touring them with our tuk tuk driver "Flake." He is called that because he is "very fast."The temples themselves are incredibely well crafted. Carvings of the Ramayana and Buddha adorn every possilbe surface. The Cambodian government has done a pretty good job of joining forces with the governments of Japan, france, Canada, etc. to restore the temples. I have some epic pictures.
We have had a great time learning from Flake. We've asked him about the poverty here, the life of a monk, the struggle to get an education. He's been a tremendous friend. The people here are so small because of malnutrition. Children we thought were eight years old are actually 14. Eight year olds look 4. Its really hard to stop your mind from lingering on their poverty. That being said, the people here are beautiful. Such exquisite faces and delicate features.
Dov and Laura are heading to the south of Thailand tomorrow and I'm going to try and figure out how to get to the jungles in the northeast. Communication will probably be less accesible there, but i'll be in touch when i can. I've decided to spend the rest of my time in Cambodia and Laos instead of returning to Thailand. I plan on following the Mekong river north and hopefully finding the Chabad house in Luang Prabang, Laos. I''ve heard you can meet some cool ISraelis there!
OK- I better get cracking on my travel plans.
lia suhn hao-y
Rebecca
The city is really cramped and crowded. THere are parts that are more spacious and less dirty, but for the most part, its forever bustling. I was trying to go to a Wat outside the royal palace when a civil officer stopped me to offer some advice. He told me the temple was closing early because of a ceremony and suggested I head else where. He set me up with a tuk tuk driver that agreed to take me all around for 40 baht total. THa'ts about $1.05. Well, I thought I was getting a good deal at the time, but my wallet soon began to lose weight as I came to realize I had made a big mistake about the location of my guesthouse. My driver dropped me off in a location that was on the complete other side of town! I realized that the civil servant told the tuk tuk driver to drop me at a guest house with a very similar name, but not the one I was staying at! So- I had find another driver to take me back accross town. that was probably a four dollar ride. From there, I had to meet David and Laura at their hotel, where I would spent the next night, and had to flag down yet another tuk tuk to take me back accross town! In all, I got to see A Lot of Bangkok and in a very short while. Seeing aerobics in the park was certainly worth the extra four dollars!
Meeting up with Dov and Laura was so wonderful. IT was like a respit from my crazy day. I settled in to the room (we shared a large bed for the three of us, very cozy) and swapped stories. That night we went to a VIP screening of the movie Wanted. OMG! Reclining seats, a bar, surround sound, blanket, pillow! Yeah, they provide it all- but don't try to snap pictures or fit three in a double chair, they will catch you.
The next morning we began our 8 hour trek to Siem Reap. We first caught a bus from Bangkok to the Thai border which took about 4 hours. From there, we had to hire a tuk tuk to the Cambodian border and buy our visas on the way. Crossing over the border was quite easy, but it was very hot. It was interesting to see the workers that pass through everyday carring plastic bags, styrofoam containers and produce. They have a great hat and face mask combo that works wonders for keeping the flying dust out of your face. From the Cambodian border we took at 3 1/2 hour taxi to siem reap. The road is so bumpy and you pass rural families living in palm houses. There is a 6 dollar bus that you can take along the same route, but it takes so much longer and is way bumpier. We were happy with the taxi. SPlit three ways...
Siemp Reap is the portal to the ruins of Angkor Wat. There are an incredible amount of Hindu and Buddhist temples errected between the 10th and 13th centuries. We spent three days touring them with our tuk tuk driver "Flake." He is called that because he is "very fast."The temples themselves are incredibely well crafted. Carvings of the Ramayana and Buddha adorn every possilbe surface. The Cambodian government has done a pretty good job of joining forces with the governments of Japan, france, Canada, etc. to restore the temples. I have some epic pictures.
We have had a great time learning from Flake. We've asked him about the poverty here, the life of a monk, the struggle to get an education. He's been a tremendous friend. The people here are so small because of malnutrition. Children we thought were eight years old are actually 14. Eight year olds look 4. Its really hard to stop your mind from lingering on their poverty. That being said, the people here are beautiful. Such exquisite faces and delicate features.
Dov and Laura are heading to the south of Thailand tomorrow and I'm going to try and figure out how to get to the jungles in the northeast. Communication will probably be less accesible there, but i'll be in touch when i can. I've decided to spend the rest of my time in Cambodia and Laos instead of returning to Thailand. I plan on following the Mekong river north and hopefully finding the Chabad house in Luang Prabang, Laos. I''ve heard you can meet some cool ISraelis there!
OK- I better get cracking on my travel plans.
lia suhn hao-y
Rebecca
Saturday, June 28, 2008
Lovin' Lovina
I just got back to Ubud after spending two days and two nights in Lovina. Its on the north coast and famous for its black sand beaches. Before telling you about the amazing time and people i met there, i first have to say how saddened I am by the tourist industry. Not that it's taking over, but rather that it hardly exists anymore. The main beach line in Lovina is covered with hotels. But for the most part, they remain empty. The people in this area are really struggling. It seems their thriving tourist industry, which is really their only means of income, has plummeted since the bombing in 2005. I hope my blog about the jewels i have found in Bali encourage some of you to come here. The people really need it.
I stayed a few km west of Lovina in a small fishing village called Anturan. Actually, every village in Bali is so small you are pretty much stepping from one into another every few feet... Anyway, I stayed at Gede Homestay. Gede is a very sweet man who turned his home into a guesthouse about 16 years ago. He and his family run the place. There weren't many guests but everyone was friendly. My first evening there I decided to walk down the beach headng east toward Singaraja. I after being solicited for more massages than one person could possible receive I turned down a road to head back to the main street. I came upon an old woman walking a pig. I said hello and we talked a bit. The pig will be used in the new moon ceremony in a few days. She invited me in for coffee and we spent a long time talking about where I am from, her family, and learning to count in Balinese. She then had me make dinner for her!! It was hilarious. She was like- you cook? Makan? I was like, sometimes. She said, ok, and proceeded to run to the store to buy some mie-goreng (noodles) for me to cook for her! I think I did a pretty good job. Just as I was finishing her son and daughter in law arrived and were a bit surprised by my presence. But we communicated and ate our food. We decided I had to come back the following day to practice English with Kisul's (the grandma) granddaughter (tutu means granddaughter).
That night I went back to Gede's and tried to take a nap with the intention of going out to Lovina to see the nightlife. I couldn't sleep however, because there was reggae music coming from next door. So, I decided to check it out. I spent the whole night there (well, from 9-11, cuz that's when they close) on stage with the band singing and playing the tambourine. I was the only tourist around. It was fun to exchange stories and make good music. It turned out that the man who works as Gede's driver is part of that group and joined in for the music! The people that run the restaurant have three children. Two girls and one boy. The girl is 11 and spent some time in sweeden. Her name is Maya. They also have an adorable little puppy. Dogs are everywhere here and its a little unusual to see clean a dog as a pet. I was happy to be able to play with it.
The next day I went dolphin watching and snorkeling. There were four of us on a fisherman's boat. Two New Zealanders and one Australian. I then went to chat with the old woman's family again and learned all about her children, in broken English. She made me take pictures of pictures of her children!! I gave her granddaughter a souvenir pen I brought from New York. It seemed to go over well. Then the grandmother told me to go back to Ubud and buy her an outfit... oh well...
The rest of the day I spent touring a Buddhist Ashram and sitting in a natural hotspring. Madi drove me all over on a motorbike. It was nice to see that the locals use the hot spring and its not just a tourist attraction.
I spent time talking with Gede and his family, went into Lovina proper and met some locals hanging out on the beach, and then returned to my reggae group for a last night of fun. It was lovely to seit on the beach and watch the stars. I learned so much from the people I met.
NOw I"m back in Ubud, and living the cosmopolitan life... well, sort of!
Check you later!!
Rebecca
I stayed a few km west of Lovina in a small fishing village called Anturan. Actually, every village in Bali is so small you are pretty much stepping from one into another every few feet... Anyway, I stayed at Gede Homestay. Gede is a very sweet man who turned his home into a guesthouse about 16 years ago. He and his family run the place. There weren't many guests but everyone was friendly. My first evening there I decided to walk down the beach headng east toward Singaraja. I after being solicited for more massages than one person could possible receive I turned down a road to head back to the main street. I came upon an old woman walking a pig. I said hello and we talked a bit. The pig will be used in the new moon ceremony in a few days. She invited me in for coffee and we spent a long time talking about where I am from, her family, and learning to count in Balinese. She then had me make dinner for her!! It was hilarious. She was like- you cook? Makan? I was like, sometimes. She said, ok, and proceeded to run to the store to buy some mie-goreng (noodles) for me to cook for her! I think I did a pretty good job. Just as I was finishing her son and daughter in law arrived and were a bit surprised by my presence. But we communicated and ate our food. We decided I had to come back the following day to practice English with Kisul's (the grandma) granddaughter (tutu means granddaughter).
That night I went back to Gede's and tried to take a nap with the intention of going out to Lovina to see the nightlife. I couldn't sleep however, because there was reggae music coming from next door. So, I decided to check it out. I spent the whole night there (well, from 9-11, cuz that's when they close) on stage with the band singing and playing the tambourine. I was the only tourist around. It was fun to exchange stories and make good music. It turned out that the man who works as Gede's driver is part of that group and joined in for the music! The people that run the restaurant have three children. Two girls and one boy. The girl is 11 and spent some time in sweeden. Her name is Maya. They also have an adorable little puppy. Dogs are everywhere here and its a little unusual to see clean a dog as a pet. I was happy to be able to play with it.
The next day I went dolphin watching and snorkeling. There were four of us on a fisherman's boat. Two New Zealanders and one Australian. I then went to chat with the old woman's family again and learned all about her children, in broken English. She made me take pictures of pictures of her children!! I gave her granddaughter a souvenir pen I brought from New York. It seemed to go over well. Then the grandmother told me to go back to Ubud and buy her an outfit... oh well...
The rest of the day I spent touring a Buddhist Ashram and sitting in a natural hotspring. Madi drove me all over on a motorbike. It was nice to see that the locals use the hot spring and its not just a tourist attraction.
I spent time talking with Gede and his family, went into Lovina proper and met some locals hanging out on the beach, and then returned to my reggae group for a last night of fun. It was lovely to seit on the beach and watch the stars. I learned so much from the people I met.
NOw I"m back in Ubud, and living the cosmopolitan life... well, sort of!
Check you later!!
Rebecca
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Gunung Agung
I think I'm in love with Bali- the people, the culture, the environment. It is amazing how intentional and simple life is here. Simple is the word I choose to use not because there is little to do or consider, but rather because what is important, is very simply recognized. Everything on this Island seems to revolve around the Hindu religion. Ok- there are small Muslim and Christian populations here, but at least 80% of the population is Balinese Hindu. What makes it Balinese is that they believe there is only one god (an idea they had to adopt when being threatened by Muslim rulers who would only allow them to keep their religion if they "got rid" of their polytheism). So Rama, Vishnu, Shiva, etc. are not individual gods, but manifestations of the one god. Anyway- life pretty much revolves around making offerings to god. All day, everyday. I've already been here for the blessing for metals (which includes automobiles). They bless their money, clothing, food, things that i've purchased from them, etc. etc.etc. It seems their main concern is working to make enough money to refurbish their temples.Both for the community and for their family temples. I could go in to so much more detail, but I want to tell you about my amazing experience on Gunung Agung.
Gunung Agung is the highest and most holy mountain (and place) in Bali. Its highest summit reaches 3100 meters and making the upward trek is very difficult. Of course, I didn't really know this until already hiking...
Myself and Lisa, the woman i met at the cafe, arranged for a guide to hike the volcano. The plan was to meet the guide in Bekasih at 11pm and trek so that we'd see the sunrise on the summit. Well, already our trek was not what we expected. Our car from Ubud to Bekasih stalled about twenty minutes outside Ubud. And although the driver said we could push off the trek for the next day we decided we'd rather stick to our plan. The driver called his friend, traded cars, and got us to Bekasih around 11:30. Lisa and I met our guide, Putu, and began walking. We reached a small temple that is being repaired and made a praryer for a safe journey and also for permission to trek. A boy named Sabr joined us because he was bringing water up to a group that was camped out on the mountain.
Here is where the story gets really interesting. In December, 3 students from the University in Jakarta, Java decided to do teh Agung trek. As usual, they started out close to midnight hoping to reach the summit in the morning. The weather was awful and the police and guides said they should not go. But they did anyway. Four days after they left, the University called into Bali and said the students had not returned. Since then, for 6 months, there has been a search team on teh mountain looking for the bodies. One woman was found on the side of the cliff of the 2nd summit. The other man and woman still have not been found. The Balinese and Javanese are still looking for the bodies for two reasons. For the Balinese, they must clear the mountain of the bodies because they do not want any evil spirits remaining there. After the bodies are found they will begin a cleansing ceremony. For teh Javanese its a matter of returning the bodies to their families (they are Muslim and wish to bury their dead, teh Balinese have elaborate cremation ceremonies).
So, Putu, Sabr, Lisa and myself continued trekking on. It usually takes 6 hours to reach the top. By the fourth hour I was exhausted. It was 4 am, cold, rainy and the hike is incredibly hard! Don't get me wrong, I loved it- pulling myself up on roots and vines, trying to keep to the path with teh knowledge that to slip, meant to fall down the side of the mountain. Keep in mind we were doing this in the dark with headlamps. We got to the area where the search team was camping and Putu suggested we wait there till the morning. There was a fire, we had coffee and noodles, and watched the sunrise through the hazy mountain side. The search team rotates on a weekly basis. It is lead by local Balinese, usually 3, and then about 10 Javanese students are there at a time. The students woke up from under the one tarp, and greeted us with a loud Bule Bule! White Tourists! We got to know them well and asked them all sorts of questions. Putu asked if Lisa and I would like to get to the summit. Of course we did. But he suggested that we stay another night on the mountain in the simple camp. We though we could not pass up the opportunity so ended up hiking to the summit, took another 4 hours, and then met up with everyone else again. The night was spent either in a freezing uncomfortable supine position (they gave us some mat space under the tarp and a sleeping bag to share) or sitting cross-legged in front of the fire. Being awake and warm was preferable to being "asleep" and cold. So I stayed up most of the night. The second morning we headed back down the mountain- made it in two hours.
This has been one of the most incredible experiences of my life. There was no one else on that mountain except for us. no other trekkers, no other locals. We saw how the people of besakih live off of the land and how the students of jakarta have no lack of international phones and satellite radios. It was amazing! the view at teh summit allowed us to see as far as the island of Lombok. we were above the clouds. We were looking down into teh crater of a volcano. It was incredible. Putu, our guide, is also one of the most generous people I have ever met. I already miss him dearly. At the bottom of the mountain he invited us to his house to shower and eat. He has very little and was willing to share with us. He attached a tube to the faucet in teh bathroom to make a "western shower" so we would not have to use the basin and cup method. No hot water. He has a beautiful wife named Komang and an adorable daughter named Sri. I hope to keep in touch with them for a very long time. The experience is one I will never forget.
I have just arrived in Lovina and plan on spending the next two days roasting at the beach and watching dolphins. The drive here was beautiful. The north of the country before teh coast is full of enormous hills ciovered in rice paddies. There are monkeys lining the roads!!!
Alright- enough of this computer screen, I'm heading outside!!!
much love
Rebecca
Gunung Agung is the highest and most holy mountain (and place) in Bali. Its highest summit reaches 3100 meters and making the upward trek is very difficult. Of course, I didn't really know this until already hiking...
Myself and Lisa, the woman i met at the cafe, arranged for a guide to hike the volcano. The plan was to meet the guide in Bekasih at 11pm and trek so that we'd see the sunrise on the summit. Well, already our trek was not what we expected. Our car from Ubud to Bekasih stalled about twenty minutes outside Ubud. And although the driver said we could push off the trek for the next day we decided we'd rather stick to our plan. The driver called his friend, traded cars, and got us to Bekasih around 11:30. Lisa and I met our guide, Putu, and began walking. We reached a small temple that is being repaired and made a praryer for a safe journey and also for permission to trek. A boy named Sabr joined us because he was bringing water up to a group that was camped out on the mountain.
Here is where the story gets really interesting. In December, 3 students from the University in Jakarta, Java decided to do teh Agung trek. As usual, they started out close to midnight hoping to reach the summit in the morning. The weather was awful and the police and guides said they should not go. But they did anyway. Four days after they left, the University called into Bali and said the students had not returned. Since then, for 6 months, there has been a search team on teh mountain looking for the bodies. One woman was found on the side of the cliff of the 2nd summit. The other man and woman still have not been found. The Balinese and Javanese are still looking for the bodies for two reasons. For the Balinese, they must clear the mountain of the bodies because they do not want any evil spirits remaining there. After the bodies are found they will begin a cleansing ceremony. For teh Javanese its a matter of returning the bodies to their families (they are Muslim and wish to bury their dead, teh Balinese have elaborate cremation ceremonies).
So, Putu, Sabr, Lisa and myself continued trekking on. It usually takes 6 hours to reach the top. By the fourth hour I was exhausted. It was 4 am, cold, rainy and the hike is incredibly hard! Don't get me wrong, I loved it- pulling myself up on roots and vines, trying to keep to the path with teh knowledge that to slip, meant to fall down the side of the mountain. Keep in mind we were doing this in the dark with headlamps. We got to the area where the search team was camping and Putu suggested we wait there till the morning. There was a fire, we had coffee and noodles, and watched the sunrise through the hazy mountain side. The search team rotates on a weekly basis. It is lead by local Balinese, usually 3, and then about 10 Javanese students are there at a time. The students woke up from under the one tarp, and greeted us with a loud Bule Bule! White Tourists! We got to know them well and asked them all sorts of questions. Putu asked if Lisa and I would like to get to the summit. Of course we did. But he suggested that we stay another night on the mountain in the simple camp. We though we could not pass up the opportunity so ended up hiking to the summit, took another 4 hours, and then met up with everyone else again. The night was spent either in a freezing uncomfortable supine position (they gave us some mat space under the tarp and a sleeping bag to share) or sitting cross-legged in front of the fire. Being awake and warm was preferable to being "asleep" and cold. So I stayed up most of the night. The second morning we headed back down the mountain- made it in two hours.
This has been one of the most incredible experiences of my life. There was no one else on that mountain except for us. no other trekkers, no other locals. We saw how the people of besakih live off of the land and how the students of jakarta have no lack of international phones and satellite radios. It was amazing! the view at teh summit allowed us to see as far as the island of Lombok. we were above the clouds. We were looking down into teh crater of a volcano. It was incredible. Putu, our guide, is also one of the most generous people I have ever met. I already miss him dearly. At the bottom of the mountain he invited us to his house to shower and eat. He has very little and was willing to share with us. He attached a tube to the faucet in teh bathroom to make a "western shower" so we would not have to use the basin and cup method. No hot water. He has a beautiful wife named Komang and an adorable daughter named Sri. I hope to keep in touch with them for a very long time. The experience is one I will never forget.
I have just arrived in Lovina and plan on spending the next two days roasting at the beach and watching dolphins. The drive here was beautiful. The north of the country before teh coast is full of enormous hills ciovered in rice paddies. There are monkeys lining the roads!!!
Alright- enough of this computer screen, I'm heading outside!!!
much love
Rebecca
Saturday, June 21, 2008
The Beginning
Hello friends and family,
This here is a blog on my travels in Southeast Asia. I'll be here for about 5 weeks. It' has started off well. I'm in Ubud, Bali staying at the Budi Shady Gully Guest House. If any of you come to Bali, you have to stay there. I told Budi (the owner) that I'd send all my friends to him (he gave me a good price...). My total travel time to arrive here was something like 30 hours. Crossing the international date line is pretty trippy. It was Friday when I got here, not Thursday...
I flew through Tokyo and had time to eat a mushroom and fried rice omlette and take pictures of all their weird candy and chocolate covered potato chips. Upon my arrival in Denpasar, Bali I got a cab for $17.50 to take me an hour north to Ubud. The driver was clever in his maneuvering. When we came to a red light he would turn left (they drive on the right side of the road here), drive around the median of the perpendicular street, and take another left to continue heading north on the street that still had a red light. Really cute. There are tons of stray dogs here. Some people do have them as pets, I met an adorable puppy today who decided he was my best friend. Seriously, couldn't stop jumping on me. Don't worry- he doesn't have rabies. There are chickens all over the place. Walking the streets, chilling in flower pots. Leah, my friend who has been living here for 6 months. Has shown me the lay of the town. We've walked the main streets and I've gotten a pretty good sense of direction. I purchased a pair of Prada sunglasses yesterday for $5 bucks. Pretty sweet!! Leah is on a spiritual and physical journey over here and has befriended many healers/yogis/masueses/raw food chefs. I'm meeting them and learning from them. Its all about believing in your potential and accepting your fears so that you can move past them. Really cool stuff. I already feel more relaxed. We took a great yoga class yesterday looking out onto the rice patty fields. We also got foot reflexology... I'm hoping to head north tomorrow to tackle the Island's largest volcano and then hopefully head to the black sand beaches. I met a physical therapist from Hawaii who is here in Bali for three weeks. Actually, I noticed her at breakfast and realized she had been in my visa line upon arrival in Denpasar, so I decided to chat her up. We may make the trek north together. I'll prob do a 5 day thing and then head back to Ubud to finish my stay here with Leah. We'll visit the monkey forest, walk through the surrounding rice patties and villages and maybe take a short trip south. She has a motor bike which has been very useful. Not that you need it for the immediate town of Ubud. Don't worry mom, I have a helmet.
That's it for now. I'll report more as I continue to explore. Its so wonderful to be here and I look forward to the people and cultures that I may come upon. Its all a blessing!!
Much Love,
Rebecca
This here is a blog on my travels in Southeast Asia. I'll be here for about 5 weeks. It' has started off well. I'm in Ubud, Bali staying at the Budi Shady Gully Guest House. If any of you come to Bali, you have to stay there. I told Budi (the owner) that I'd send all my friends to him (he gave me a good price...). My total travel time to arrive here was something like 30 hours. Crossing the international date line is pretty trippy. It was Friday when I got here, not Thursday...
I flew through Tokyo and had time to eat a mushroom and fried rice omlette and take pictures of all their weird candy and chocolate covered potato chips. Upon my arrival in Denpasar, Bali I got a cab for $17.50 to take me an hour north to Ubud. The driver was clever in his maneuvering. When we came to a red light he would turn left (they drive on the right side of the road here), drive around the median of the perpendicular street, and take another left to continue heading north on the street that still had a red light. Really cute. There are tons of stray dogs here. Some people do have them as pets, I met an adorable puppy today who decided he was my best friend. Seriously, couldn't stop jumping on me. Don't worry- he doesn't have rabies. There are chickens all over the place. Walking the streets, chilling in flower pots. Leah, my friend who has been living here for 6 months. Has shown me the lay of the town. We've walked the main streets and I've gotten a pretty good sense of direction. I purchased a pair of Prada sunglasses yesterday for $5 bucks. Pretty sweet!! Leah is on a spiritual and physical journey over here and has befriended many healers/yogis/masueses/raw food chefs. I'm meeting them and learning from them. Its all about believing in your potential and accepting your fears so that you can move past them. Really cool stuff. I already feel more relaxed. We took a great yoga class yesterday looking out onto the rice patty fields. We also got foot reflexology... I'm hoping to head north tomorrow to tackle the Island's largest volcano and then hopefully head to the black sand beaches. I met a physical therapist from Hawaii who is here in Bali for three weeks. Actually, I noticed her at breakfast and realized she had been in my visa line upon arrival in Denpasar, so I decided to chat her up. We may make the trek north together. I'll prob do a 5 day thing and then head back to Ubud to finish my stay here with Leah. We'll visit the monkey forest, walk through the surrounding rice patties and villages and maybe take a short trip south. She has a motor bike which has been very useful. Not that you need it for the immediate town of Ubud. Don't worry mom, I have a helmet.
That's it for now. I'll report more as I continue to explore. Its so wonderful to be here and I look forward to the people and cultures that I may come upon. Its all a blessing!!
Much Love,
Rebecca
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