Wednesday, November 28, 2007

More Kathmandu...

So, the next morning we woke up to an alarm at 5:30. You might ask why, but if you refer to the previous post, you will see that Matt and I had spoken to a travel agent and arranged some exciting adventures which were not detailed on that post. The most important was a flight around THE TOPS OF THE HIMALAYAS!!!



I thought it was pretty neat. I won't bore you with the whole early morning, delayed flight boredom, but will jump straight to the experience, which you can see a piece of here. It was a standard and very short flight except for the incredible scenery and the fact that they let us look out of the cockpit and take pictures of the pilots. We flew along the whole line of the Himalayas to Everest and back. (the pictures are all a bit hazy since they're out of windows)

After our incredible morning, we came back and got another great breakfast at Helena's (grilled bananas!!) before heading back to the old part of town and wandering for a while. I must confess that I spent at least a couple hours this day shopping. We topped off the amazing day with a slideshow and talk by Chris Beal about trekking in the Annapurna region where we found out what we're missing (Nepal is well known for its scenic treks but they don't fit into our schedule) and learned about a couple nice day hikes we might be able to do out of Pokhara. Then dinner > internet > bed.

The following morning, we got up early and headed to Bhaktapur which is one of the other two (besides Kathmandu) cities in the Kathmandu Valley. The oldest part of this city is off limits to most vehicles and had retained alot of its old ways so it's a great place to spend a day.


Before we could start our walk though, we bought coffee from two English-speaking Nepali guys with whom we discussed the importance of good barristos, the 'interesting' (explicit) carvings on some of the nearby buildings, and bad American movies (I also used this occasion to get splashed by the juice of a nearby animal carcass that was being carved up).


We had a great walk around the old city before we stopped for lunch at Fire Fast Food where we were blindsided by the strength of the local liquor (Raksi) and made a young friend who taught us a little Nepali language then showed us briefly around town. The local museum was closed for the day so we headed home for our normal evening routine.

The following day, we got up early and took a taxi to Bodhnath which is a Buddhist stupa frequented by many Tibetan exiles who live in Nepal. We walked the Kora (clockwise circumabulation) around the stupa while spinning all the prayer wheels (about 500) before finding a MASSIVE prayer wheel (about 8 feet tall and probably 6 feet in diameter) which we ran around several times.


Then we set off to find the gompas (basically schools for the mini-monks) which we had quite a difficult time located and eventually postponed the search for lunch. We ate at a Tibetan place where we met an interesting American guy who has been living in Nepal and studying Tibetan language for two years now. After lunch, he set us in the direction of the gompas which we admired then walked to Pashupatinath (quite an interesting 20-minute walk through little neighborhoods) which is another temple. The first thing that struck us about Pashupati was how ancient and empty the place was as it crawled with monkeys.

This is another picture from the same area of Sadhus (or dreadlocked holy men) at the same compound. Unfortunately, we weren't allowed access to the interior of the temples since we're not Hindu, but the place was fascinating nonetheless.


The temple area was interesting to begin with, but when we stumbled across a funeral ceremony, things really got weird. I'm going to leave out the details, suffice to say that it was fairly gruesome and after watching more than we should have, we left. Normal evening procedure... eat, blog, bed.

This morning we got up and had alot on our plate. We dropped off laundry, contacted a friend of a friend, scheduled stuff with a travel agent then headed to Patan, the third of the three cities in the valley.

The internet cafe is closing and I have to go... can't blog for a couple days.
I have a bunch of pictures that I haven't put up, so please leave comments, or email me about any that you want to see. Love to everyone. -ell

Tuesday, November 27, 2007

I'm Going to Kathmandu!

Ok, so the drive into Nepal held some of the most beautiful scenery I've ever laid eyes upon.

Imagine little rural villages in the Caribbean or Central America nestled into rolling hills. Now add in terraced crops and Indian faces. Top it off with giant, snow-capped mountains towering over it all. My picture doesn't do it justice, but you can imagine. Try to blow up the picture, maybe that will give you a better idea.


The climate is incredible here. Down in the low valleys, you have bananas and oranges growing and behind them are these massive snowy mountains. The contrast is incredible. Where we are is really quite warm (especially coming from Tibet) but you can see over 8000m mountains. Ok, I clearly don't have enough variation in words to drive home my description, so I'll try to throw in a bunch of pictures.




When we reached the outskirts of the Kathmandu Valley (actually composed of three cities), things began to get hectic. After coming from rural Tibet, I was a bit terrified at first. There were all shapes and sizes of vehicles driving recklessly in all directions while honking their horns. See video here. As we entered further into the city of Kathmandu, the roads began more narrow and twisty, but we never slowed down. Eventually, we came to an area with was full of appealing shops, with tourists (it was obvious) walking around. That's the area of Thamel where we are spending our nights. I was really put-off at first by the "foreigner facade" that covered everything, but I was soon to realize that it's easy to get out of that area (and it's very useful for internet cafes, laundry by the kilo, and a variety of restaurants).


That evening was spent getting used to Thamel and catching up on Tibet blogs. The following day was much more interesting. We had to change hotels then took several hours to explore the area of Kathmandu between Drubar Square and Thamel, which was loads of fun. While we walked, we were sure to check out all the statuesand temples of religious symbolism which were liberally scattered aroun the area. We spent most of the evening wandering around with grins about the excitement of the market and frequently got lost despite the constant checking of our map.
The local markets are very bustling and exciting, and I quickly became used to cars and motorcycles whipping closely by. Everything is for sale in the markets, just like at any big city. Here, some of the more interesting sights were a line of small shops selling adhesive tikas (forehead dots), several stores entirely full of gleaming copper (pots, religious figures, hardware) and a man with dozens of bamboo recorders (the instrument) stuck into a bamboo pole like a tree. That night we had a great dinner at an Indian restaurant and went to bed tired and happy.

The following day, we had a great breakfast on the 8th floor of a building. We looked out over the entire city as we drank our coffee and basked in the warm sun. After the brekky, we talked to a travel agent and scheduled some events, then hopped into a taxi that carried us to Swayambuhnath or "The Monkey Temple." Apparently, I hadn't given any thought to the name, because I was quite surprised to find the place crawling with monkeys.

It was fun to explore the place because it was up on a hill that offered great views of Kathmandu. Additionally, the monkeys are quite used to people, so they feel free to run around right near you. I'll put pics of monkeys in some later shots.


After the temple, we walked down the hill to find the National Museum. We didn't know where we were going, the vast majority of locals in the area didn't speak any English, and those who did thought we were trying to find a different museum. Eventually, we found our way to the general area of the place and then we were able to ask for directions. After about an hour of searching, we found the National Museum and it was closed for the day. Ahh!!! Luckily, there was a (free) Military Museum across the street and we had fun checking out uniforms, weapons, and inaccurate paintings for 15 minutes (I know the paintings aren't accurate because all the wars looked the same). Then we hopped a cab back to Thamel where we had dinner at The Old Tashi Deleg Restaurant (which will become one of our favorites for its cheap Tibetan food) before the internet and bed. (note: EVERYONE should get Skype with video. Do it!!)

The pictures in this post are: the view from the drive into Nepal (note Himalayas), overhead view of Kathmandu Valley, Nepali boys vying for attention from the camera, the market between Durbar Square and Thamel, and the main stupa at Swayambuhnath.

Friday, November 23, 2007

Last day in Tibet

So, after seeing Everest, we went to a tiny town called Old Tingri. It was a typically quaint country town.
We checked into a hotel called the Snow Leopard equipped with no power, no heat and no running water. I foolishly tried to bathe. I know it sounds stupid and senseless, but I hadn't bathed in days and was filthy.
Anyway, after that mishap, Matt and I went to check out the town. We ended up playing cards, eating, and lounging at the Lhasa Restaurant for hours. These little restaurants have stoves (in the middle of the room for warmth) and couches, and as a result, they end up becoming popular hangouts. Eventually, we left left the restaurant and walked in the cold back to our hotel where we shivered ourselves to sleep.

Our hotel was ridiculous. It was lacking in facilities and effort. Breakfast was included in the price of the room and consisted of an empty crepe and a hard-boiled egg. Since I don't eat eggs, I found the breakfast particularly disappointing. I know this sounds petty to whine about, but for $35, we should at least get one of the following: warmth, comfort, water, food, or power.

Anyway, after breakfast, Matt and I left with the driver to go pick up Lukdha a mile away since he had been staying with his family. We drove on the paved road to a point where a dirt road jutted off to a little village in the distance. After a phonecall and about 10 minutes of waiting, Lukdha came riding up on a horse like a real country boy.

It was great. He let Matt and I both hop on this incredibly patient and well-behaved horse and take pictures with Everest in the background before sending the horse home with a loud smack on the butt (and a little chasing, and maybe some rock throwing).

Following that amusing interlude, we hit the road and drove through mostly barren countryside until we were right up against the mountains. We reached a pass decorated with prayer flags welcoming us down into the valley of the Himalayas. We stopped to check out the pass and Lukdha pointed at a massive, snow-covered mountain. He said "Shishapangma."

It was the mountain where Alex Lowe passed away after an avalanche came down on top of his expedition party. I couldn't believe it. The mountain that killed the hero of my teenage years. I spent weeks making and selling dozens of cord necklaces to raise money for his family after the accident. And there was that massive peak in the distance un-moving, un-feeling all the pain that it has caused.

After a moment of prayer and some pretty deep thoughts, we hit the road again, driving into a deep valley. As we drove, the river that carved the valley became deeper and farther away. The ride was long and after several hours we were terribly high in the air. The road was made of dirt, under construction, and frequently punctuated with hairpin turns.

Our driver was a rather impatient man, prone to speeding. I thought I had gotten used to treacherous, third world roads in Jamaica, but this was far beyond anything I had experienced. No shoulder, no guardrails, and hundreds of feet straight down to a river. Oh, and no seatbelts (not that they would do any good at that height).

The picture I'm putting up doesn't do the road justice. Maybe if you open it, it'll give you an idea of the scale.



We continued on this road for hours until we began to see homes and businesses and wound down through a multitude of switchbacks to the border town of Zhangmo, where we stayed for our last night.

The pictures are: a typical Tibetan home (child in the doorway, teapot on the satellite dish sun heater, sheep in the yard), Mount Shishapangma, and the scary mountain road.

The reason that mountain looks so big is because it's Mount Everest

We left Shigatse the morning of the 20th. All we did all day was drive. In the early evening, we reached Shegar which was amost nothing except a street with a couple shops and homes. Matt and I checked into our hotel (the toilet didn't work and though the room looked clean, it smelled like there was poo hidden everywhere) and left to explore the town.

The exploring took about fifteen minutes after which we bought a Lhasa Beer and sat in the sun. Pretty soon, there were several children surrounding us, checking out our pictures and asking for pencils and money. We all kept each other mutually entertained for quite some time after which we took some pictures together in front of their tractor then headed back to our hotel.

The smell of the room proved tolerable only because the room itself was slightly warm. Warm is a relative term. At these temperatures, bathing is out of the question.

We woke up at 5:30 the next morning to head to Everest. It was a freezing ride. When the sun came up, we could see the landscape and it was incredible. Although we couldn't see Everest until we were almost on top of it, there were plenty of other views to keep us enthralled.



We saw the wildlife around dawn, which consisted of the usual (cows, sheep, goats, and yaks) plus mini-deer and arbres. I can't tell you much about the mini-deer except that that's not what they're really called, but I will tell you about the arbres. I MUST HAVE ONE. They are they cutest, fattest little furballs ever. Imagine a cross between a guinea pig and a fatmouse (space deliberately excluded to emphasize cuteness). When they hear you coming, they bound back into their little holes with a great display of speed and hoppiness. I feel that my life will not be complete until I have one as a pet. My foolish brother insists that my dog will not live with it in utter harmony and love (as I suspect) but instead will devour it instantly.



We arrived at the Everest basecamp around 11am. It was freezing and the altitude is 5200m so I couldn't catch my breath. Even walking a few steps makes you huff and puff like you ran a mile. We climbed up the mound of rocks and admired the mountain. It was a rather spiritual experience, and we decided to add a line of prayer flags to the pile.



Because of the extreme temperature, we descended quickly back to the car and went to have some instant noodles and check out the monastery. It was nice but there was almost no one there. Apparently the vast majority of the monks go to their real homes during the winter because it's so cold.

An hour later, we were bumping along in the warm car and I was wondering why we didn't stay longer at basecamp to admire the giant. It only took one bathroom stop outside the car to remember.

The pictures on this post are the arbre, a nomad campsite (there's a tent with smoke rising up and a stone corral full of sheep) and me below Mount Everest.

hello again!!

Well, it's been a while since I've posted. I'll try to start from the beginning.

We traded our lovely home of Lhasa for a trip to Kathmandu. We left Lhasa the morning of the 18th and began our trip with a terrifying ride up a terribly winding and high road. The dropoff was probably over a thousand feet and I was rather certain we wouldn't survive the ride (this turned out to be a constant feeling). When we reached the top of the pass, there was a massive turquoise lake shining below us. After a brief spell of admiration and photo-taking, we descended back the same way we had come (no less terrifying) because the road around the lake was apparently blocked.

The road we ended up taking was gorgeous. We followed a river (I think it was the Brahmaputra) for hours taking in the scenic farmlands on the banks. Eventually, we turned off the main road onto a dirt road where we saw sand dunes, and the very rural lifestyle of the farmers. As we bumped along, we could see them tending their fields or picking brush to use in their stoves. We thought we had been taking a brief shortcut, but we didn't hit the main road again for over an hour.



The town we slept in that night was called Gyantse. We had a great dinner there and a nice walk around, but our room was FREEZING! Really. Matt and I both slept with food and water (to keep it tolerable to eat) and clothes (to keep them tolerable to wear) in our beds.



The next day, we checked out the Gyantse Monastery (where a small child briefly adopted me) then drove to Shigatse. When we arrived, we checked into our fancy hotel then had lunch and checked out another Monastery.



I'm posting video of the Shigatse market online. Check out "whiteyardy" on YouTube.

The pictures on this post are Matt, myself, and our guide, Lukdha at the Gyatse Monastery, yak dung drying on a wall (note the handprints; they stick it up to let it dry so they can then use it in their stoves as fuel), and a cute family at Shigatse Monastery who asked to have their picture taken.

Saturday, November 17, 2007

more pics




From: eldinneen@hotmail.com
To: laazylightning.ellie@blogger.com; eldinneen@hotmail.com
Subject: more pics
Date: Sat, 17 Nov 2007 09:22:25 -0500

Well hello! These are some pics of the past few days. I don't know what order they will come up in, so I'll just describe them randomly. Part of a sand painting in the Drepung Monestary. Yak butter for sale. A mommy with a baby strapped to her back, that's how they do it here.
 
So tomorrow we start heading southwest towards Nepal. We've got several nights at different towns in Tibet on our way there. It should be a beautiful trip. Today we had a free day and I got a synthetic yak fur wrap that all the nomads wear like a skirt over their pants. It's super warm and very furry. I'm thrilled about it. Anyway, time for bed, sleep well everyone...  

Friday, November 16, 2007

Drepung Monastery, Potala Palace, Norbulinka

The pictures are me in front of the Potala Palace, pilgrims near the palace spinning prayer wheels, and the Drepung Monastery. Also check out http://youtube.com/watch?v=5lulz20gRE0 for video of the pilgrims prostrating in front of Jokhang Temple. Yes, I feel sleazy about posting intimate religious expression on the internet.
 
OK! So, we got up this morning and went to the Drepung Monastery. It was beautiful and ancient and very steep. It still bears the scars of destruction during the Cultural Revolution. During it's height about 6,000 monks resided there, but now there are less than 600. As usual, it was full of places for the monks to study, eat and pray as well as beautiful statues, etc.
 
After Drepung, we headed to the Potala which was the full-time residence of almost all the Dalai Lamas. It's 13 stories tall and was constructed in the 700's. Quite a feat of engineering. We saw many tombs of various Dalai Lamas and beloved abbots. The tombs are interesting though since they hold very little of the actual bodies. Buddhists here have "sky burials," which consist of a designated person chopping up the entire body and leaving it out for vultures to consume. When the bones are picked clean, they dice them up and mix them with tsampa (barley flour) and yak butter and serve that to the vultures again out of the skull. Mostly, all you will find in the tomb is a bit of hair and/or some teeth. I know it might sound like a strange way to dispose of a body, but it is spiritual and sustainable.
 
Following the Potala, we had some lunch and headed to the Norbulinka, or Summer Palace of the 7th and 14th Dalai Lamas. It was pretty but unremarkable. The tour even showed the 14th Dalai Lama's bathroom, and I don't need to see that. However, there were bunnies hopping around the property which I enjoyed.
 
It was another great day in Lhasa. Tomorrow we have a free day (no tour guide) and I have a cold, so I'm planning to sleep in late and buy some warm clothes for Nepal (think yak fur). Love to everyone. -ell

pics

These are of the view of Lhasa from the top of the Potala Palace as well as a shot of the Brkhor Market outside of Jokhang Temple.

LHASA!!!! cont'd

Where was I? Somewhere inside the Jokhang Temple, right? I think so.
 
So we wandered around the temple. There were monks and pilgrims everywhere. Everyone was murmuring their prayers and touching all the sacred relics. In addition to the monetary and yak butter offerings (which they pour into lamps) there were also offerings of barley, food, and chang, which is a fermented barley beer which is very popular in Tibet. There was a group of female pilgrims standing outside one of the rooms chanting, singing, and drinking the barley beer and one of the women gave me her cup to try. Fermented sweetness with a taste of citrus. Not bad.
 
After Jokhang, we wandered around the market and got some lunch (yak meat is delicious but chewy). When we met up again with Luta, it was time to go to the Sera Monastery. More pilgrims, more statues, more praying (not that it wasn't fascinating, just tryin to save time). Some fascinating parts were the monk printing the prayer books by hand with ink, a roller, and wooden letter blocks, as well as the monks debating. Apparently, the monks debate daily. They quiz each other on aspects of the religion or discuss the meaning of the scriptures they read earlier in the day. Picture over a hundred monks in a courtyard all in red robes. They split up into pairs and while one monk stands and poses questions, the partner monk sits and tries to answer as best he can. When wrong answers are given, the standing monk responds by winding up his right arm like a softball pitcher and bringing his hand down to smack against the left in a loud burst. The courtyard was echoing with claps and excited dialogue as we watched. It was great fun to look on.
 
Notes to make:
1. Since I can only send emails to post on the blog, I can't edit typos or retract anything.
2. Everyone should download Skype. It's free and incredibly useful. (Read: I'm lonely)
 

Thursday, November 15, 2007

LHASA!!!!

Hey crew!! So I forgot the explain those pics on the train post. One of them is nomads hearding yaks, and the other is the largest/highest freshwater lake in the world.
 
The new pics are mini-monks (my own moniker, aren't they young?!) at Sera Monastery goofing around and Barkhor Square in front of Jokhang Temple (please note the Himalayas and Potala Palace ((the big white building to the top right)) in the background).
 
So, this place is FASCINATING. There's the whole Forbidden City, Roof of the World thing, which just makes the place sound amazing and mysterious without knowing anything else. Then you've got the whole Tibetan lifestyle; nomadic, yak-hearding Buddhists, I mean, how far away from suburban America can you get? And on top of that there's the Chinese power-play, cultural suppression thing. Wow. (If I can be more blocked than I already am, it's certainly going to happen now)
 
So, we woke up this morning and had a FREEZING breakfast on the roof of our hotel. Then we went out to find some mittens before our guide arrived and we got totally turned around in the market. We got back ok, and it's kind of fun to be lost when you're in a neat place. The guide then took us around the corner to the Jokhang Temple which is 1,300 years old. There were Buddhists out front prostrating themselves. They had mats and handguards and they're out there for who knows how long throwing themselves on the ground and then getting up again repeatedly while praying. The strength of this faith is incredible.
 
When we went in to the temple there were offerings of money and yak butter (for lamps and eating) everywhere. It's strange to see monetary bills littering the floor and instead of taking them, people are just throwing more on the pile. I mean, thousands of people and no one is taking a penny because it's an offering. So, we walked around inside while Luta (our guide) told us about his religion and the significance of the different statues and symbols. Will write more soon, have to switch computers w Matt........

Train Ride to Lhasa

Well hello. It's been a while. First of all, I'm in Tibet. Second of all, I've never done the email-to-blog post, but I hope it works (Blogger is blocked). Third of all, I'm back in the photo game again and I hope the pictures I attached come through.
 
Ok, so we're in Lhasa! Got in late last night and our tour guide picked us up at the train station. Those pictures are both shots out the window from the train. It was an amazing ride. 47 hours in a train. We spent most of our time between the dining car, where we frequently got kicked out for not eating and playing cards, and the "room," which was six tiny bunks crammed together in a 6' by 7' rectangle with three bunk stacked vertically on either side lengthwise. Our roomates seemed nice although they spoke Chinese, so we couldn't understand them. I really didn't mind the train ride, but I could have done without the overflowing toilets.
 
The train reaches altitudes over 5000 meters above sea level, so they pump oxygen into it at points which is very helpful to acclimatise. I've never been this high up before and it's interesting how easily one can get dizzy and winded. It was nice to be lazy for a while and I had fun reading "Seven Years in Tibet," which gave me an interesting point of view coming into the country.
 
I'm going to stop writing for now in case this doesn't post. Perhaps I'll add more later if it does. Otherwise, I'm pretty excited to post about Lhasa. Hugs to everyone. Feel free to email me comments as well as posting them. -Ell

Friday, November 9, 2007

Thoughts on Communicating

So, I feel like I'm trying to convey thoughts to other people in terms of Pictionary and charades. I can't understand a word anyone says to me and I can't read anything that's written. I can't order anything off a menu unless it's a picture menu. It's kind of entertaining, but it can be pretty inconvenient too. We're actually getting along pretty well with limited words and made-up sign language.

Lazy Day

Yesterday, we spent the whole morning laying around. It was fantastic because we've been on our feet so continuously. When we finally got up and out, we went to lunch with Tom Villalon! So good to see that kid. He's been in China for several years and really seems to know his way around the culture. We had alot of fun hanging out for several hours over plates of Chinese food. After we chatted for ages, we said goodbye to Tom and met Danny and some friends. After they had dinner, we all went out to this Dewars free whiskey tasting (I know, I'm really immersing myself culturally...) and met a ton of cool expats while we consumed free cocktails. After that, everyone headed over to Vic's which was a big, loud and fun nightclub. I was having a great time until a reggae song came on and I stopped dancing because the lyrics were saying chi chi man fi bun. Everybody else continued to dance because nobody else understood the lyrics. It's a shame that Jamaica's biggest export has to be infused with words about killing gay people.

Other Stuff

So, I can't see my own blog. I can publish posts, but I can't see the blog itself because I believe it's being censored from me much like BBC news which I'm unable to access on the web. So, that's not fun but there's nothing I can do about it. But I wanted to mention some other things that I've seen lately. We went to the Silk Market which was an incredible place. It was basically a multi-storey department store full of genuine-looking goods. The best knock-offs included. Nokia phones, ipods, D&G zip hoodies, Ray Ban shades, Polo button-downs, Breitling watches, Arc'Teryx jackets, etc. I've never seen anything remotely similar to it.

That same day we also saw the Lama Temple which was a sequence of buildings similar in layout to the Forbidden City but smaller. Every building was filled with incredibly ornate Buddhist sculptures, statues, and ornaments including an 18m tall Buddha! Everyone there was praying and burning incense. It was beautiful.

So yesterday, we checked out the Summer Palace which was stunning. Acres and acres of beautifully landscaped park dotted with gorgeous buildings and walkways. The lake in the center was massive and had an island in the middle with a bridge out to it. There was also a large hill dominated by the "Fragrance of the Buddha Temple." It was stunning.

I'm not going to put up a picture of that because they're not my pics, but hopefully soon, I'll have up some more. Also, Matt and I picked up a cellphone at the Silk Market and we managed to get it working yesterday. So now if you have an international phonecard, you can call us. As we travel to other countries, we'll keep getting sim cards and we should be able to take this phone with us around the world.

Catching Up



Well hello everyone. So the most amazing thing happened the other day. Our friend Ali got us a taxi to the Great Wall and when we got there we were confronted by this gorgeous mountain with the wall at the peak. We hauled ourselves up the mountain which was a beautiful two and a half hour climb. The last bit was more or less vertical with a wooden ladder at the very end. Eventually, we reached the wall, clambered up the side and ran up to a high point. It was one of the most incredible experiences I've had in my whole life.

Standing at a high point on the wall and watching it stretch as far as you can see behind and in front of you. You could see it meandering over mountain tops for miles all around. The view was so amazing I can't even describe it. Unfortunately I lost my camera so I can't show you the shots I took. (Don't tell Matt, they're better than his :) Going to try to pick up a new camera today.

Wednesday, November 7, 2007

Ponderings

These are a few cultural differences between here and home that I've been noticing:

- Outdoor public exercise equipment (picture a playground for adults)
- Butt-less baby pants (kids are bundled up and wearing jackets but somehow there's a conspicuous lack of anything to cover up their heinies)
- People squating to rest their legs or have a conversation
- Incredibly inexpensive knock-off clothes, electronics, sunglasses, golf clubs, watches, anything
- Amusing Chinglish translations (protect the relics, protect the railings)
- Hole-in-the-floor toilets
- Identical buildings constructed right next to each other
- Smog that some days limits visibility to a block and a half

I'll continue to add to this list...

Tuesday, November 6, 2007

I'm really here!!


So, we got into Beijing the night of the 5th and somehow managed to successfully get a taxi to Matt's friend, Gabe's apartment. It was great. He and his girlfriend Ali are super-welcoming and kind. It's nice to be in a home since we're so far away from ours. They took us out for dinner with another American friend, Danny, and we all had a great time. The food is amazing.

The following day, Matt and I navigated the subway system and arrived at the Forbidden City which we spent several hours exploring. The scale of the place is enormous. It's a giant walled in maze of impressive buildings made for previous Emperors. Then we checked out Tiananmen Square and went out a misguided hunt for "Wangfujing Snack Street" which found found out later is only open at night. After that failed detour (my idea), we took the subway to Temple of Heaven which is a series of temples surrounded by a beautiful park. We practically ran through the thing because it was getting dark.

Then we took the subway home and met up with Ali and Gabe and all went out to dinner with a bunch of their friends. It was quite fun except by the end of the meal, my jetlag was catching up with me and I was falling asleep at the table. Somehow, Mattie has miraculously escaped any sign of jetlag.

It's great here and the city of Beijing is fascinating. You can't see far because of the smog but it's amazing anyway. I'll write more soon and I send my love to everyone. Hugs. -Ell

P.S. Sorry guys, you're just going to have to turn sideways if you want to look at the picture. I'll try to post them upright from now on :)

Friday, November 2, 2007

Day Before

So we're leaving tomorrow. I'm trying to get all my stuff together and make sure that I've got my whole To-Do List polished off. Do we have enough Immodium? Are the clothes I'm bringing going to be sufficient? I don't know. I'm ready to just go and not worry about anything else. A little panicky about leaving everyone and everything with no safety net except my little brother. Help! I figured it out, it's like I'm about to take a test. Because if I'm missing any THINGS, I can get them in other countries, but if there's something I'm not aware of that could pose a problem, I'm in trouble. So instead of studying, I'm writing on the blog. Typical, huh? Better get to work...

Tripod at Lime Cay