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4 septembre New SiteHey Y'all I finally worked out the kinks in my new spaces site!! And for the folks back home I set the security level to "public" so you showed be able to see it now. Didn't know I had to do that^^ So yes I am out of photo space on this one so check out the other one for newer updates! It's at
It should work now let me know if it doesn't!!! Nanning and Detian Waterfalls Nanning was a pretty un-descript Chinese city and after one night we decided to head to this waterfall that borders Vietnam and China. The book said it was a challenge to get to…..and YEP it definitely was. I had seen this waterfall on a travel show when I lived in China and knew it would be worth the difficulties. Taxis, buses, hired vans, and rickshaws later we made it to the Detian waterfall. Not a particularly high waterfall it is spread quite wide, falls in stages and in different directions. As I am a waterfall freak, I was impressed with this one. Behind the waterfall on a path that leads to Vietnam was a mix of Vietnamese and Chinese selling junk (of course) including colognes and t-shirts of Thailand?!? That night to celebrate Dave’s 30th birthday we feasted on a whole chicken and cheap Chinese beer. The next day we checked out the falls again in the morning and then made our way back to Nanning. We spent one more night there and got ready to catch the train early the next day en route to Vietnam.
After a long, crowded, uneventful train ride we arrived in the border town. We took another rickshaw 15km down to the crossing. Oh my god…..lucky we made it though that one. The road was rough and the guy barely let up on the accelerator. The border displays this massive gate that you pass under and into Vietnam. The customs were a bit of a joke and took forever. Swear it was the first time the customs guy had seen a non-Vietnamese, non-Chinese passport. It’s always harder with Dave, as I don’t think most of these people have ever seen an Irish passport……if they have even heard of Ireland.
Now I sit in my nice, comfortable, French colonial style, air-con’d room in Hanoi. Seems like a nice city so far. French baguettes and REAL coffee is in abundance here…..so yes Cal is going to like Vietnam. Dave’s off to the airport to pick up his two buddies. Me and three Irish for the next three weeks……could get messy! Well time to get off my ass and go check things out…..the adventure continues!!! Take care all! MacauAfter finding a room in Macau we took a little tour of a very un-Chinese looking square and the famous Sao Paulo church. All lit up at night, Sao Paulo looked very majestic. It was built in the early 1600’s, but all of it, except the façade, burnt down in 1835. Macau is quite an interesting city. Because it was only handed back to China from the Portuguese in 1999 (after two attempts….apparently China didn’t really want it back), Macau is a strange mix of China and Portugal. This is evident in its buildings, language, and especially the food (the African chicken was awesome…thanks Gareth!). Macau was once the biggest port, open to the west, in Asia. Well, that was before Singapore, Hong Kong, Shanghai, etc. It definitely doesn’t rival those cities any more, but does have its own charm that’s quite different then any other city in Asia. Unfortunately, under construction is like 5 massive casinos, as it seems Macau’s future is to be the Vegas of the East. After two buses and a strange little border crossing (being as Macau is supposed to be part of China) we made it into Guangzhou, which I have already told you about. Hong Kong I am sitting on a train (slightly cramped in the middle bunk) en route to Nanning, being forced to listen to a mix of Chinese opera and even worse….Chinese pop music. Thank god for this laptop and a library of music. Spent last night wandering Guangzhou’s streets, eating street food and drinking streets beers. Had to laugh at my buddy Dave after I said "yes spicy please" (la da in Chinese) to the lady selling meat sticks…..and then watching Dave running around trying to find milk, cursing my name!! Haha… good to learn these things about each other early I guess. So everything worked out with our Vietnam visa’s, after a little running around (they even pasted my visa on my observations page of my passport). We stayed in the old French/English concession area of Guangzhou. Kind of nice with old colonial style buildings, large Banyan trees, and relatively no people. It was a little funny though while sitting in the restaurant I asked Dave if he noticed anything strange about the restaurant’s cliental. Surrounding us was about 20 American couples with one or more little Chinese babies. Apparently Guangzhou, and particularly Shaimen, where we were, is popular for foreigners to come and adopt Chinese babies.
So got to tell ya about Hong Kong and Macau……especially before I forget! We got into Hong Kong in the afternoon on Friday, August 26th. After watching a discovery show on the building and land reclamation done on the Hong Kong airport it was kinda cool to see it and be there. Lucky Dave had been there before so he led the way to the subway into town. Just like in the movies, (or at least Kowloon, the poorer "Chinese" side) the streets were busy, bustling, slightly dirty, and stuffed with overhanging neon signs. Wicked I’m in Hong Kong, I kept thinking. After meeting our buddy, Gareth, (A guy we met at camp) we got accosted by a little lady renting rooms, "room room for you". After going though the redundant negotiating we decided to take a look at the room. I didn’t take a picture of our room but I wish I did, as it is hard to describe without cringing. It was about a big as a shoe box, grimy as the bathroom in Trainspotting, and as comfortable as sleeping on a park bench! And the shared bathroom and shower I won’t even get into. But in all fairness I didn’t see even one cockroach and the rent was 60 HKD (bout 7 US) each……and in Hong Kong that’s amazingly cheap. The area we were in is the Indian and African area…….definitely an interesting mix, especially when you pile about 6 of us into a 4 person elevator (I.e. an Irishmen, two Nigerians, two Indians, and a Canadian all speaking different languages).
After getting settled in we showered, changed and met Gareth and his parents at their apartment (super funny and nice people) for a drink. Then we headed across the star ferry into Hong Kong, the island. The night skyline in Hong Kong is amazing, they really put on a show with all the lights changing colours and patterns on the buildings. We walked up to Lan Kwan Fong, which is the premier party street for foreigners and Hong Kongnese alike. With all the people just roaming the streets, drinking, it reminded me a lot of Koh San in Bangkok……except everyone was better dressed. At an Irish pub we went to (yes Dave was in his glory) we met Gareth’s good buddy Eugene and his girl Jinny. Two awesome people who ended up being our tour guides for the next couple of days, showing us the locals side of Hong Kong. Nothing better then knowing people in a city that can show you around. Anyways a bit later in this soon to be messy night, we ended in another area that reminded me of Bangkok. An area similar to PatPong!!! haha. But don’t worry Cal was a good boy.
So after a late start the next day we headed into the New Territories (the larger island across from Hong Kong island) towards the massive (26 meter tall) bronze Buddha statue. Set on top of a mountain it is the largest sitting bronze statue and honestly pretty breathtaking. But for me the highlight was when I read this plaque inside the statue that started out by saying "the Chinese government has also allowed the people religious freedom…blah blah". I got a few stares as I stood there laughing at this plaque. For dinner Eugene took us to a great Cantonese restaurant where we ate these fabulous giant prawns (Dave says they’re Mantus prawns) and pigeons (which are delicious….so don’t let them annoy you anymore….eat them!!). That night Eugene borrowed his cousin’s car and we drove out to country, ocean side, and had mango pudding (also quite Cantonese). After, we went to a party at this place but everyone seemed to be pretty mellowed. But I did meet a couple of models there!! hehe. The next day was our last so I crammed in as much of the Hong Kong museum as I could. It was quite a good museum though, describing the ethic backgrounds of the Hong Kong people and then to the formation of Hong Kong, including the opium wars…..man the British were bastards! After a great lunch of authentic Dim Sum (I LOVE Dim Sum), Dave and I went across to Hong Kong to see one of the strangest things I have ever seen. In Hong Kong many of the people hire in-house Philippino cleaner/nannies. Well, every Sunday they swarm on to the street to sit in little groups, eat, play cards, and chat. Sounds quaint, but there are like 20,000 of them…..they are everywhere! They mainly congregate under the HSBC building (maybe like 5,000 there) but they are also at every subway station, street corners, park, etc. Truly a bizarre, unexpected sight. Onto another strange sight…..18 consecutive escalators! Because majority of Hong Kong city is up the side of a mountain, people use these escalators as a form of public transit. It took Dave and me 20 minutes to get to the top!
Finally, just before we took off Gareth wanted to show us this bar on top of the 6 star Pinnacle hotel in Kowloon. He said we had to see the bathroom of this place to get the full Hong Kong experience. He wasn’t lying! Basically it’s a big bay window with three urinals lined up so it feels like you are pissing on Hong Kong from like the 60th floor. Pretty fun, except I really didn’t have to go….hehe. That night after getting sent off from Gareth, his parents, Jinny, and Eugene (thanks for an awesome time guys!) we boarded a soon to be bumpy boat ride to Macau. 30 août Stage 1 - Tour de AsiaWell think it's prudent to start from now and work my way backwards, so........I am sitting in a guy's souviner shop (he let me use his computer, so nice) in the city of Guangzhou, Guangdong, China. My travel buddy Dave and I got in last night and are awaiting our Vietnam visas (Hopefully I'll get mine as I only have one free page left in my visa!! Way to leave it to the last minute Cal!!). We are staying at a pretty mellow, picturesque part of town. Which is a drastically different compared to the drab concrete jungle that is the rest of Guangzhou. It was an old French and English (clearly seperated) concession made after the one sided Nanjing Treaty was signed during the Opium wars (which I learned a lot about at the Hong Kong museum.....bloody English!haha). So the buildings are all old colonial style with tree lined streets and best of all no people and few cars. We just had lunch at a restaurant (I had a chicken burger....very Cantonese don't you think?) and the restaurant was filled with American people with 1, 2, or 3 little Chinese babies. This appartently is a big spot for foreign adoption. Definetly a good thing as these babies need homes but very strange to see in such high numbers (there was like 20 couples in the restaurant).
Time to go as this man seems to be interested in using his computer again.......but have no fear there is plenty of bedtime reading yet to come.....haven't even told you bout Hong Kong yet....amazing!! Plan is to get our visas this afternoon and then on to Nanning (near the Vietnam border) this evening.....nice 18 hour train ride! So I'll write something on buddy Dave's computer and update soon! Love you all.....wish me luck! 14 août Camp Korea!!!Well after telling you the hair raising story about immigration I thought I would brighten your mood with something a little more positive!
Camp has been great this time round. My first two week students were absolutely awsome. Truely one of the best classes I have had.....just cool kids! They set the camp up so that the lesson plans are ready prepared for us and they have made the CC's (koreans) do more work (those poor CC's). So yeah pretty sweet job this time! From swimming day to movie day, I'm telling I just don't paid enough to do this crap!! haha!
So not sure what most of you know about my future plans (hell sometimes I don't even know) but I was going to go a trip with my buddy Keith, through China, Tibet, Nepal, India, and then back here for winter camp. Well (as the have the tendency to do) plans have changed. Keith is going to stay here and run a bar for awhile, something he's always wanted to do so good on him. And as luck would have it a friend here at camp was doing a similar trip anyways. So its me and Irish Dave tackling the world for the next few months. Really excited about the trip and company, as Dave's a great lad. We plan on going first to Hong Kong to meet a friend from this camp. (his parents live there) and then a slow train through southern China into Vietnam. Cool. Next will be Cambodia, which is great as I will finally get to see Angkor Wat, something I have missed too many times. Then if time/budget permits Laos to chill in a hammok for a bit. Then its on a plane in Bangkok heading for Kalcutta, India. Dave says wait till you see India....your first question will be "when we leaving" but then he says you'll always want to go back. After India it's a bus en route to Nepal and Mt. Everest. Hopefully I'll lose some weight on the 21 day trek up to base camp. After Nepal we'll go into Tibet and Lhasa. Excited about that, I've always wanted to see Tibet. Then its a slow route through western and northern China to get back here for winter camp. Sounds good, eh! Definetly excited, will keep up you all updated along the way! Love ya, miss ya, take care Wait till u hear this!Well always thought I was untouchable.......but learned my lesson this time! Was a regular camp day, playing games with the kids, when round 11 o'clock I recieved a phone call from my boss. "Hello Jay, whats up?" "How is your class Cal" "Oh fine" "ahhh Cal 5 immigration officers are here at camp and they are looking for you......so I think maybe you should get out now" Saying all this in an extremely calm voice. "Um OK Jay, ah, ah, ah......where should I go??" "not too sure but you should probably go fast"
So out the back door I go. While waiting in the PC cafe I run into the other illiegal teacher, so at least I had someone else to run over the worst case scenarios with. Eventually after they had given up questioning all the students and teachers about our whereabouts (how embarassing) we got the call to return.
Eventually Jay (my boss) drove in from Seoul and went into the immigration office to "talk". In the meantime I am a wreck thinking I should start packing and hiding my money in my shoes. Luckily Jay had a friend at the head immigration office whom he placed a call with on his way here. So aparentlly I had made my way on the immigration black list......thank you thank you very presigious I know. This is because I had been to Korea three times under a tourist visa and stayed the entire 6 months allowed. I guess it looks suspicious as no one really comes here as tourist and especially not for more then a week!
So their plan for me was to pick me up, drive me to the airport, fine me 20 million won (about 20,000 US), ban me from Korea for 3-5 years, and then deport me. How they figured I could pay 20 million won I don't kn.........oh wait a minute I just realized it probably would have meant jail if I couldn't pay....oh my god, even scarier. So while Jay is in this meeting the phone rings and the friend comes through. (I now love corrupt countries....especially when it works in my favour) After getting off the phone the officers were much more negotiable. Still got a fine, but a much more managable 500 bucks, can stay and finish camp, but I must leave the country within two weeks, and I can come back anytime!
So thats the deal.......or at least I hope to god it is. I still have to go into the immigration office on Tuesday to sign some papers.....can't even tell you the different scenarios that are running through my head about what could happen.
Just thought some of you might have wanted to hear that one. Crazy stuff, eh? bit like being in a movie myself. Embarassing though as everyone's constantly asking me about it and its kind of hard finding peoples rooms now (they tore down all the name cards in the dorm and classes to help confuse the poor immigration officers..haha) |
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