The Temples of Angkor

The morning following what could only be described as the bus ride from hell, we put our trust in the tuk-tuk, a small, open-air cart pulled by a motobike to transfer our battered and weakened selves to the Temples of Angkor. However, in all honesty, after the bus ride, being scammed, and knowing a bit of Cambodia’s turbulent history, our optimism had turned weary and I think it is fair to say that we were not really sure what to expect. Landmines and a country torn to shreds through communism, war, and disruption illuminated itself like a 1000 watt bulb through the ravaged towns, despite efforts of repair merely acting as thin fabric covering the scars of the tattered country.  Needless to say, my expectations for temples lay, as most do, with my previous perceptions. From the very first temple, Bayon, I realized how wrong I was… theTemples of Angkor revealed themselves as islands in a sea of torment and anguish.The most famous of the temples is Angkor Wat, the central and most extravagant of the temples dedicated to the Hindu God Vishnu, and built by Jayavarman II. Every inch of Angkor is covered with intricate, beautiful bas-relief carvings while the temple itself is surrounded by a moat 570 feet wide and about four miles long…and vicious, snicker-eating monkeys. 

Perhaps the most stunning part of the Angkor temples is, in my opinion, Ta Prohm. While all spectacular, this temple bares its unique characteristics acquired only with age. Giant silk cottonwood and strangler fig trees enveloping the ruins emerge in, around, and on top of the temples while toppled bricks, denoting the condition of the relatively un-restored temple, lay about the jungle arena.

The Bus Scam

"If you arrive battered, exhausted, and in the dark, you're more likely to succumb to pressure and just collapse at their chosen guesthouse." This was warning that our trusty Lonely Planet guide gave to us before we embarked on the journey from Bangkok to Siem Reap, Cambodia via the only way known- Th Khao San. This road is a dusty, bumpy, dirty road reminiscent of something you would see horse-drawn carts traveling on in Little House on the Prairie. Fulfilling the description of the bus scam's goal to "make the journey as long and uncomfortable as humanly possible" it lasted fourteen grueling hours starting at 6:30 am. After booking the seemingly convenient tickets (insuring that they would provide transportation across the border) we woke up the next morning only to be shoved to the back of a mini-bus, which would take us to the border town of Aranya Prathet in Thailand. After getting our visas (which is a story in itself) we arrived at the Cambodian border town of Poipet. Of what is described as the cesspool of Cambodia, Poipet made it very clear the atmospheric change we were about to experience. After waiting 3 hours in  sweltering heat, it was to our excitement (pure sarcasm) that our next bus was not air-conditioned. I know, I know, suck it up- right? Wrong- because when the vinyl seats stick to any uncovered skin and make the covered skin sweat like you were in plastic wrap, the dust from Khao San road piercing your eyes from the opened windows (its either open or a sauna), and backpacks stacked through the aisles to the point that would be considered a safety hazard anywhere else in the world, driving on a road that any professional dirtbike rider would salivate over, all for 6 hours in a seat meant for someone 5''2', our only thoughts were that those damn temples better be worth it- and they were. (read on)

Beijing

So you know how "they" say everything is bigger in Texas? Well, I have one word for them- Beijing. From an ancient wall thousands of miles long, an urban square hundreds of acres in area, and a palace that makes Biltmore look like a small townhouse, Beijing has been taking the "bigger is better" mantra a little too seriously. 

When we first arrived in Beijing, it was a bit of a shock- amidst

 the polluted air which gave way to a persistent sun-shielding smog lay a city ridden with- yes, I know this is a double standard, but- monolingual natives making it hard to communicate, even for a fried coconut treat at McDonald's.  Our first stop was the Forbidden City- and might I add it is a very fitting name- as it may have been its own city. Still considered by the locals as the center of Beijing, we walked around this palace, which once housed the emperor, for roughly two and a half hours and maybe covered ten percent of it. I am seriously at a lost for words to say how big it was. After exiting through the south gates, we walked to the other side- past all the surviving 980 buildings that used to hide the emperor during times of strife- i'm sure 50, even 100 would have been enough but hey, whatever tickles your pickle. Anyways, this took us over 45 minutes of solid walking to get to the north gate. Most people know it by the iconic image of Mao Zedong's picture posted on the north gates of the palace. Most often it is seen from Tiananmen Square. Tiananmen square is....well, its a square- a very large one. And while the historic symbolism bears monumental turn in Chinese culture, there's not much to the huge slab of concrete. However, placed in the middle is the mausoleum of Mao himself as well as being surrounded bu the olympic countdown clock, the National Museum of China, the Great Hall of People, and, of course, the Forbidden City.

Day 2- Up at 4:40 to catch a taxi that would take us to the bus that took us to the Great Wall of China at Badaling. After listening to the chinese tour guide, sleeping a bit, and playing some mad games of charades with 

the chinese tourists in an effort to communicate, we arrived at Badaling after about an hour and a half. You know how you see the Great Wall in movies and on postcards and it seems to flow over the mountains in a rhythmic, picturesque way? Well, what they don't show you is the close up. While it is everything above, climbing it flat out sucks. The irregular steps make for a stadium workout fearful if Lisa ever had access to it. After a couple hours of what would make our legs sore for days, we trekked back down where our

bus was waiting. After driving past the Ming Tombs, touring a jade factory, and exploring a small market, we made it back

to the hotel in relatively unscathed fashion.

As for day three, we made the Summer Palace our premier

 stop. After seeing the olympic aquatic site, the olympic housing, and the stadium nicknamed "the bird's nest," we arrived at the entrance to the Summer Palace. What at first seemed like extensively adorned traditional Chinese buildings laid the path for a giant tiered palace set atop a steep mountain overlooking the calm Kunming laden with boats ranging from small gondolas like that in Italy to motorboats speeding off to different destinations. As if our legs didn't get enough of a workout from the Great Wall, we once again climbed, step after step, to reach the dominating resort and step inside to get a peek at the statue of a goddess bearing 8 arms- Durga. With our flight only a couple hours away, we grabbed the taxi we had waiting, drove to the hotel to grab our things, and drove to the airport. 

The Symphony of Lights

While we had already been to Victoria Peak to see the Skyline of Hong Kong, a must-see for the city is the skyline from across the harbor. But make sure to get there before 8 o'clock- way before 8 o'clock. Any later and pushy tourists will slowly encroach on your viewing area. Because at 8 o'clock starts the infamous Symphony of Lights. The various modern skyscrapers alternate flashing lights and lazers synchronized to some jamming tunes. asting about 20 minutes, this short stop should be on the list for anyone visiting Hong Kong.

Ocean Park

Nationwide celebrities Le Le, Ying Ying (pictured below), An An, and Jia Jia drew us to Ocean Park to get an upclose look at the famous Giant Pandas. There are only about 1,500 wild Pandas in existence in addition to only being found in three south-western provinces in China- Sichuan, Gansu and Shaanxi- which is what makes them so prominent as an attraction. Little did we know that the acclaimed Panda habitat was only a fraction of a giant theme park.

And yes, Chris, as you can see the pandas were eating bamboo, not making love. This could be why they are an endangered species. After watching the little fatties eat part of their 20 kg of bamboo for the day, we took a cable car to the other side of the mountain. After eating lunch at the Jelly Fish Restaurant (right above a Jelly Fish exhibit boasting Jelly Fish of every shape and size in uber-fluorescent colors) we arrived at our first roller coaster. 

Repaying Camila for taking us

 out of our comfort zone in Times Square, we did little less than drag her onto The Dragon- a plunging roller coaster that fringed the side of the mountain over the water- as if this thrill wasnt enough, it offered the most spectacular view of the outlaying islands of Hong Kong. After, with little time to spare, we toured the shark exhibit as well as the Atoll Reef aquarium. Although we couldn't get Camila on the last roller coaster because of its loop-de-loops, the view was equally impressive, and it was almost as if the end of the ride activated the rain. It started pouring just as we got off and boarded the cable cars back.

Victoria Peak

Last night we went to Victoria Peak- a tower reputable for having the best views of the city's skyline and harbour from the viewing terrace. To get there, take a tram from central to the peak. Although this is one of the city's most scenic transport routes, it is not for the faint of heart. The cable car creeps up a 45 degree slope for 1800ft. And while it has been in operation since 1888 and the view is incomparable, its a long way down and I advise not to look back. Once at the peak, we rode the seemingly endless escalators to reach the terrace where the city's symphony of lights can capture even the most unsuspecting viewer.

Wakeboarding at Tai Tam Tuk Village

A short taxi ride took us to Tai Tam, a local wakeboarding site. The quaint houses of the locals encompassed the launch site behind a scenic backdrop of lush green mountains. I don't think I could have dreamt up a cooler wakeboarding destination. The trek back to Stanely was another story. It felt remotely like a game of frogger, making mad dashes back and forth across the street to dodge the daytime traffic which congests Hong Kong's urban areas. Taking this to another level are the dillusional bus drivers daydreaming they are Mario Andretti competing for a Nascar title.

I may need the immodium for this one....just kidding. A staple street food, octopus tentacles on a stick (fried, sauted, or, my personal favorite, grilled and slathered w/ an asian BBQ sauce) are exceptionally good. While the chewy texture may be rather repulsive to some people, you cant ignore the taste that is good seafood- and for about a dollar, there is no reason to pass it up. As for the chicken/duck/mystery bird feet however....

Street Performance

Walking around what can only be described as Hong Kong's equivalent of times square, we saw a huge screen, much like New York's, on the side of a building broadcasting a street performance that we stumbled across a couple minutes later. Although we didn't understand a word they were saying, we stopped and watched only to get sucked into the skit minutes later after Camila insisted upon uninvitingly interjecting herself into the performance. Between a brazilian accent, two semesters of mandarin Chinese, and complete colloquial obliviousness, I'm positive the reputations of Western civilizations are at stake....

The Jade Market

Its been raining a lot here. I checked the forecast and it says rain for the next 10 days...ugh. It sucks because it really is gorgeous everywhere and I want to get some pictures that truly reflect what I am seeing. In the heart of the city lies the ladies market and the jade market. The ladies market offers fakes to the highly sought after labels that plague our society but, hey, sell what sells-I'm not opposed to that. However, it is slightly annoying that upon sighting westerners, the street vendors instinctively run up to give their offers for "copee watch," "lou vittone," etc. In spite of this slight annoyance, it's hard to pass up the opportunity to haggle with the incessantly persistent vendors even without the slightest intention of buying the item. By the time they see your back, you can pretty much name your price- including the 30 HKD I paid for this lime green Juicy clutch. Get exicited Nicole...it's heading your way!

This is perhaps the coolest looking fruit I have ever seen-this is also the sole reason I ate half of one. The white flesh on the inside, spotted with seeds resembling that of a kiwi, provide a stark contrast to the pinky purple sponge-like exterior-also adorned with yellow leaves (really just "leaf-like") that extend from all parts of the oval body. Its appearance made me think, time and again, even after each bite, that it would be good. In opposition to its vibrant appearance, it tastes very bland...

First stop...Hong Kong. Camila lives on the island of Stanley, which is about 10 minutes away from central Hong Kong. Right outside the door of her apartment complex begins Stanley Market-a New York style "China Town"(no pun intended) braided throughout the streets. It offers everything from clothing and jewelery to books, toys and magically heating gel packs (thats another story). Down the street there is a McDonalds, a Starbucks, a Gelato shop, a bakery, and what we have affectionatly come to know as "Tasty" (actually spelled Taste). We raided the bakery no less than 3 times on the first day. This modern grocery store offers intriguing combinations to every basic bread. For a dollar you can get a tuna and cheese roll, 

a corn, ham, and tomato bun, a sweet roll-thats a small loaf infused will a jelly-like coconut center, cheesy puff balls, and the list goes on. We even saw 3 types of the elusive special K (China is holding out on you, Nicole). Special K aside, even the produce is so abundant. There are fruits that I have never even heard of- I have yet to try the lychee but the dragonfruit seemed the most interesting (yeah....see the next post).

Stanley Market 

(taken from apartment roof)