One Last Hurrah

Guys,
This will be my last post from Asia, and hopefully I can make it quick because I need to study for exams. I appreciate having a reason to procrastinate though. I have three finals left in the next couple of days, and then I fly home to New York. From the airport, I go straight to the hotel and then I will be working the next morning at 6am. It's going to be a rough start to a very demanding summer. But, I'm really excited to give this whole Investment Banking gig a shot.
After my last class finished here at UST, Chris and I joined our local buddy, Kitman, to go to Shenzhen, China. Kitman's brother lives in Shenzhen and we have been planning this trip for weeks now. I was really excited to explore the city with a local- not to mention the fact that he had his own car.
A typhoon was blowing through the area which made the journey to Shenzhen longer than anticipated. We were greeted by Kitman's brother, Benny, and his Buick. We hopped in the back seat and were taken to Benny's house, where we enjoyed a lovely feast that they prepared for us. The meal was composed of various shellfish and other traditional Chinese dishes. Needless to say, we ate until we couldn't move- literally. It took us a few hours and a few rounds of tea to recover from our enormous dinner. Eventually, we motivated ourselves out the door and back into the car.
Benny drove us around the city for a while to show us the sites before we settled in at a spa. We had talked about getting a famous Shenzhen massage, and this is the spot Benny recommended. Walking into this place, I knew I was in over my head. I am notused to being pampered, so this experience was new to me (but something I could definitely get used to). Here is the sequence of how our time at the spa went.

1. We were greeted by men who escorted us to our personal lockers, where we derobed. For the first time in my life, somebody helped me through this process. I'm not sure how I feel about that.

2. We threw on a new set of clothes and headed to the shower room. Here, we lathered up under 6 or 7 different streams of water. It was very difficult to convince me to leave. If I had known what was still in store, I would not have had been so hesitant.

3. We made our ways from the showers to the dry sauna, where we spent 5 minutes sweating out everything that our bodies disagreed with. Very cleansing...

4. Straight to the steam room, which was quite a nice contrast to the dry sauna.

5. We walked out into a large heated pool. Each section of the pool featured its own aqua-system that did masterful things. There were jet chairs to sit or lay in, full body streams of water that you could lie under, etc. The possibilities were endless.

6. Back to the dry sauna for five more minutes or internal cleansing.

7. We went into the cold bath, which mystified my senses. My body went numb for about 5 minutes before I regained feeling in my extremities.

8. When my legs became functional again, we rolled over the edge and back into the hot pool for a few more minutes.

9. After quickly wading through the cold pool, we exited and retired to the shower room, where I experienced the aqua thrill for one final time before stepping into my chinese plastic underwear (like a shower cap) and other loose garments.

10. We walked downstairs and were delighted to find huge individual electronic recliners that each featured their own televisions and waitresses. They brought us watermelon and tea and anything else that we requested. We stayed in these chairs until the European Champions League Finals (Barcelona vs. Arsenal) came onto the tube.

11. Back upstairs and into our massage room. There were four beds, one for each of us. When I lied down on that bed, I might as well have signed my death wish. The woman asked me if I minded a hard massage, and my competetive spirit invited all the strength that she had before I considered it. The next two hours of my life, I bit my lip and held in the tears as the woman danced on my back and legs while grasping the metal bar that hung from the ceiling. I was in serious pain, but I could not breathe, let alone object to her methods.

12. The massage ended as the second half was beginning, and we remained paralysed in our massage beds for the second half. Did I mention that there was a flatscreen tv for us to enjoy...

We finally left the spa at 5 am (we arrived at 11:30 pm the previous night). The bed was calling us all.

The next morning we rose to the smell of leftovers from the night before. A tasty breakfast was just the beginning of a beautiful day of shopping and exploring. I picked up a couple neat things for my sister and mother (and selfishly, for myself).

The highlights of the day were more cultural than anything else. Kitman's brother was eager to show us some of the local delights, like Szechuan noodle and Guilin rice noodle. Also, he took us to his friend's tea shop, where we spent a few hours enjoying various teas and listening to traditional Chinese music. His friend was the woman that performed for us. Unfortunately, we stayed way too long at the tea shop and had to rush to the railway station afterward. We were convinced that we would have to stay another night in Shenzhen since the border closed at midnight, but we made it just in the nick of time in what Kitman referred to as "Mission Impossible IV." It was a fitting title, since we had seen Mission Impossible III with Kitman the week before.

Anyway, there are a lot of other things that I'd love to discuss, but cannot because I don't have time. For instance, we witnessed the China police raid a fake Louis Vuitton store and arrest the proprietor, and we were taken to a "golf club factory" that was stocked with tons of fake or stolen merchandise. Things in China are crazy and I can't wait to share the stories with you.

One thing that I did learn a lot about in China was the art of hospitality. Regardless of how much money you have, it is expected that you take care of your guests. I think this concept is really neat, and one that I will consciously implement into my own life. Ok, really I have to run, but I will be back in the States soon. Take care.

The Tale of the Twenty-Ones

Hey Guys,

This is the home stretch. I will be leaving Hong Kong in nine days to go to work in New York. It is going to be a wild transition... but I'm excited.

Yesterday capped what was a series of some young American lads turning the big two-one. It's one of those milestone birthdays back in the States, when a boy becomes a... well- a legally drunk boy.

Chris Cote, my roommate, celebrated his special day on May 5th. Coincidentally, that is the same birthday as the Buddha. Chris' parents were in town, and we spent the day visiting Daniel, Chris' and my local tailor. We all made some fine purchases and left the tailor-friend of ours quite satisfied.

That night, I joined Chris and his family for an incredible sushi feast at the Shangri-La Hotel. The food was amazing, and we ended up spending a good couple of hours eating and hanging out in the restaurant- which was a lot of fun. I really enjoyed getting to know his family a little better.

After leaving, we headed into Lan Kwai Fong to meet up with three of our others buddies that I invited down. I had arranged to take everyone to an exclusive members bar named Volar, but we decided to grab a drink at The Keg before wandering in. As I was enjoying a delicious Palm beer with the guys, Mr. Cote came back to the table with Cohiba cigars for all. They were a fun way to celebrate.

We finally made it to Volar, and the venue lived up to expectations. We brought out a couple of bottles of Johnnie Walker Black Label, and took Chris into his twenty-first year in grand style. Chris' parents left at around 1AM, but the rest of us didn't wander home until 4:30AM. A famous Frech DJ named Miss Kitty was headlining the event. I think Chris had a really good time, and that is all that matters...

Tom's birthday came next, and his friends came out in full force. On a Wednesday night, a group of thirty exchange students joined Tom at the Brazilian bar ba que spot in TST. They basically come around with huge pieces of meat that they shear onto your plate and they keep filling your glass with beer. It is all you can eat/drink, so we were in heaven.

Afterward, the vast majority of us went to the local Kareoke Bar and rented a room. It was a lot of fun, and we ended up staying until the early hours of the morning. We had some interesting interactions with the management of the place, who successfully obtained a credit card deposit from one of the girls. We later learned that they charged us $680 Hong Kong Dollars (nearly $100 US) for a couple of bags of peanuts that some guys assumed were complimentary. Since they had the credit card, there was nothing we could do. Tom was having a great time, and didn't realize the dispute was going on, so everything was ok...

That brings me to my birthday. When the clock struck midnight on the morning of the 14th, I brought in the special day with a couple of cold Carlsburgs. Chris and I 'dueled' once in the hallway, but the result was less then optimal- my pitching arm failed me. That would be the last duel of the night.

The next morning, Chris and I headed to Macau. Although it's only a couple hours from campus, we had yet to make the trip to the former Portuguese colony known for its casinos. We spent the whole day wandering the island in search of a cheap casino. None of them offered a low enough minimum bet, so we opted not to test our luck in blackjack. I would have loved to have played, but it did not make sense financially. We did find a roulette table to play for six spins. But once I was back down at what I started with, I decided to walk away with what I had. Breaking even there on a minimal bankroll was not a bad way to go out.

We came back to Hong Kong and tried to touch base with a couple of friends from HKUST. A lot of them had work to do and group meetings, so nobody really wanted to come out downtown with us. Chris treated me to one of the best meals I've had in Hong Kong at a nice Mexican place in Soho, called I Carumba. The food was brillient, and we both ate until we nearly had to give some back.

Finally twenty-one, I will return to the States a new... boy who can legally drink. I'm excited to get home, and hope you will join me for a cold one soon. All the best.

Kevin

**- Two days later, I celebrated my birthday the way it should be celebrated with some really "goodfellows" after some "oriental" bar.

I just hope I don't have any "Romanian" sushi from "Fukinawa" on my credit card.

Spring Break (Part III) - Siem Reap,Cambodia

Home, sweet home... or at least back in the familiar Hong Kong. It's great to be back, although the trip was everything I hoped for and more. It's going to take a long time for these experiences to really sink in.
Last time I posted, I was about to embark on a kayaking adventure down to Viantiane, the capital of Laos. As I had anticipated, my arms were a more comfortable mode of transportation than any of the buses I have ridden on. The views along the way were magnificent, and highlights of the trip included a great bar-b-que and cliff diving. The dive caused my ear to hurt for the rest of the day, but the pain was well worth the exhileration of the leap.
Our time in Vientiane was short-lived, as we were quickly on our way to Siem Reap, Cambodia- the final leg of the journey. Having read up on Cambodia, I was expecting to find some great Khmer food in Siem Reap. The local cuisine has gained increasing recognition among Southeast Asian countries. My tastebuds were delighted by a local spot called the Khmer Kitchen, a restaurant that came highly recommended by every guidebook that I flipped through. One night I had a Khmer Sour and Spicy Soup with Shrimp, and the next day I tried another dish that was fantastic. Aside from the Khmer Kitchen, I also had the local Amox (a vegetable) Curry with pork around the temples. Overall, the food was delicious, and brought closure to a trip that was filled with lots of culinary experimentation. Any uncomfort was well rewarded with some amazing meals.
While the food was delicious, it was by no means the highlight of our trip to Siem Reap. The Angkor Temples were the main attraction, and have worked to singlehandedly put Cambodia on the world tourism map. In trying to explain one of the seven "wonders of the world," I am at a loss for words. That is why I intend on posting a lot of the pictures from the Angkor Temples. They were uniquely awesome, and I constantly found myself second guessing the laws of Newtonian Physics. The temples were primarily constructed of huge rocks, often weighing over 1 ton each. As I stood witness to these humbling structures, I constantly had to remind myself to trust my senses; in no way did they seem real. I felt like my mind must have been playing tricks on me. Construction of these temples seemed impossible.
The temples were marked with ornate stonework and were enormous. The most famous of the temples, Angkor Wat, is believed to be the largest religious structure ever to have been built. Chris and I spent over two and a half hours exploring this temple alone. Around the perimeter of the Wat, the walls are adorned with "bass reliefs"- essentially, these are 8 meter x 100 meter murals of carved stones that portrayed different Gods and mythological characters in various stories. We were dumbfounded by the consecutive series of these 8 reliefs: In particular, we were amazed to see the intricate details that were on each of the chizled characters (whether they be Gods, or simply one of the hundred thousand infantry). Equally amazing was the way the stonework was continuous over interlaid stones. The patterns were never interupted. It was incredible. I'll let the pictures explain more about these temples. I really can't do them proper justice.
We spent two days roaming and exploring these temples, witnessing both the sunset and the sunrise within the confines of the park. Although we didn't sleep- there was no reason to. It was simple enough to work off the energy that the temples radiated. Climbing freely through some of the world's most incredible man-made offerings (unobstructed by queues, restricted areas, or paths for tourists) dwarfed any other somewhat comparible experience I have ever had. In trying to explain this adventure to others, Chris and I adopted another favorite phrase of ours: "you think you know, but you have no idea."
Our time between sunset and sunrise was marked by a final massage. Chris and I were being pressured into the "ten-hour massage" by the employees, but we remained steadfast in our desire to stay only one hour. That was plenty for both our bodies, and our peace of mind. The body massages were fabulous, helping us recover from a long day and prepare for sunrise.
The following day, we jumped in a taxi to head for the Thai border. Accompanied by two others, the cab was the best way to make the 100 or so km trek to the border. Although the terrain was completely flat, the journey takes about 4 hours by taxi, and up to 11 hours by bus. This is not due to traffic either. The roads are simply that bad. Mostly dirt and plagued by potholes, it is often a struggle to stay on one's seat. After 4 hours, and one flat tire, we arrived at the border bruised and battered. The supposed "three hour" bus ride into Bangkok then took us 6 hours, but we eventually made it in time to do the one thing I regretted not doing in my other trips to Bangkok (no comment- feel free to ask about it in person).
The journey was finally complete. I boarded the plane back to Hong Kong, and spent my entire journey home in a daze. While I was trying to bring clarity to my experience, I simply could not. Everything was still too fresh, and I was unsure how I would be affected by what I had seen. This process will continue for the next several weeks I am sure. In retrospect, I am still overwhelmed by what I saw, tasted, and lived through. The only thing that I do know is that I am no longer the same person as I was before the trip. Despite my withering body (I ate 6 times a day and still lost weight), my mind has been enriched with invaluable lessons. I look forward to trying to explain to you what this trip was all about, but I think this will be impossible. I hope you are openminded enough and adventurous enough to take the trip out here on your own. Until then, "you think you know, but you have no idea..."
Signing off,
Kevin

Spring Break (Part II)- Vientiene, Luang Probang, and Vang Vieng, Laos

Hey Guys,
About three quarters of the way through spring break, and I'll still alive. I have to tell you though, there have been a number of close calls. This trip has been ridiculous, and I hope I can start to put into words what it has been like.
After meeting up with Chris in Bankok, we messed around in the city until our flight to Vientiene, Laos. The flight experience was somewhat archaic. Flying on Lao Airlines, we were escorted onto a propeller plane, with wings that were above the fusilage. The ride was quite smooth, as you can imagine...
Upon touching down, we made our way to the Mekong, and had our first meal in Laos. With our backpacks in hand, we sat down at one of the riverside restaurants. Local set-ups lined the river, many of which served the exact same thing. The food offerings are not diverse in Laos, and there are really only 8 or 9 dishes that are eaten. This made our decision pretty easy.
After sitting down with our first 660 mL BeerLao, Chris was served some great spring rolls, and I got the noodle soup. The soup was brougt out in a boiling pot atop a basket of flaming coals that remained lit throughout my meal. All of the ingredients for the soup were served to me raw on the side. It was my job to mix all of the meats and veggies in the flaming basket. Luckily, a local Laos man took pity on me and gave me a hand.
The next morning, Chris and I took to the roads of Vientiene on motorbike. We had a couple of spots that we wanted to see, but mainly wanted to cruise around and enjoy ourselves. The New Year had not ended, meaning that many of the shops and attractions were closed. However, we found a very cool herbal sauna and traditional Laos Massage at one of the cities major temples. This consumed our entire afternoon, and proved to be well worth our time.
Completely rejuvinated, we got back on the motorbikes. We were prepared to return the bike, get a bite to eat, and head to the bus station to get on the overnight bus to Luang Probang. Our simple plan was complicated by the fact that the entire Lao population lined the street determined to soak us for the New Year. While their intentions were good, neither Chris nor I were happy to ride a ten hour bus soaking wet. Our contentment was not important.
Our bus left Vientiene at 7:30 PM and pulled into a bus station at around 4:30 AM. Although we could not see much in the night's darkness, any hope of sleep that night was disrupted by the constant bumps and turns of the switchbacks through the unpaved roads of Laos. To give you a sense, the trip was only 250ish km, but took 10 hours- that's how good the roads were.
When we pulled into the bus station at 4:30 AM, we were told that we were staying the night and driving to Luang Probang the next day. This was unacceptable, and we soon learned that we were only about 10 km outside of the city. Chris and I luckily found a tuk-tuk to drag us into the city. We were met by some drunken foreigners who wer stumbling back to their guesthouse. We were informed that all of the guesthouses in town were full for the New Year's festivities, but we followed them anyway. We claimed the last two beds in town in the basement of some guesthouse for $2/ night. Granted, we were sleeping in a room with eight other stangers, and we had no bathroom or shower, but Chris and I were happy as can be.
The next day, we explored the Pak Ou caves. We made friendly with a local tuk tuk driver named Sit, and he agreed to choufeur us around the city for the next two days. The Pak Ou caves were pretty neat. After a scenic journey 28 km north of town, we explored the caves that were decorated with over 4000 buddha statues, many of which had been destroyed. The caves had religious importance to the local people who flocked after New Year to get good luck for the year ahead. Initially, the caves had been built to honor the River God, but after the Chinese brought Buddhism to the territory, the River God was replaced with Buddha.
On the way back, we stopped at one of the local villages that used to be well known for its jarmaking. These days, those famous jars have been filled with Laos rice whisky and various reptiles. Needless to say, the locals poured us drinks of the 45% alcohol concoction, and our throats burned us the entire ride home.
The night market in Luang Probang offered a tremendous array of cool textiles and handicrafts, most of which were impossible for us to carry around with us the rest of the trip. For that reason, we were content trying the local food (especially the dried spiced beef and the Mekong rivermoss) and drinking the local brew before heading to our basement dormitory for an early night.
We rose with the sun, and met Sit to go to the Tat Kuang Si Waterfalls. I had great expectations going into this trip, and the waterfalls surpassed all of them. These were unquestionably the most spectacular flows of water I have ever seen. The falls were much more impressive than the warring black bears and tiger that we saw on the hike up. I will attach photos when I get back to Hong Kong because words cannot describe the natural insanity of these falls. We trekked all the way to the top, to places where locals would be nervous to venture. A thrillride to say the least- many memories were built at those falls.
That afternoon, we made the executive decision to hop on a bus and head to Vang Vieng. I feel like everytime I decide to take a bus I regret it. This was no different. Chris and I were the last people on the bus, and we were rewarded with no air conditioning, no luggage room, and a copious amount of local people crowding onto plastic stools in the aisle. Of course, there were numerous unanticipated stops and many uncomfortable situations. The only entertainment was the 13 year old monk that sat two rows in front of us. At one point, we mistook his cell phone call for meditation- our mistake. Around the seven hour mark, we were getting nervous that our six hour bus trip should have ended. We stood up at a sign of civilization, and our timing could not have been better. We were in Vang Vieng, and the bus was prepared to continue on. We were the only ones to get off the bus. Apparantly, the bus was headed all the way to Vientiene- no wonder we were overcharged.
A women greeted us at the bus station offering us accomodation. For $4/night, we were rewarded with a double room with two twin matresses and our own bathroom. Unwilling to bargain, and eager to get some rest, we accepted her invitation with open arms, and settled into a good night's sleep.
Rising early, we met up with Tom and Chase for breakfast at one of the renoun TV Bars. These venues have episodes of Friends playing on repeat, and the Rembrants theme song has since become permanantly lodged in my memory. Another unique aspect of the restaurants here are the "happy" and "ecstatic" items, that have been laced with either marijuana or ecstacy. I steered clear from those, but some others apparantly did not.
After breakfast, we went out onto the Lazy River, and made a day of cruising down on intertubes and sipping on BeerLao. The scenery was tremendous, and it could not have been more relaxing (or lazy for that matter).
Feeling a little guilty and needing transportation down to Vientiene, we booked a kayaking trip all the way down, set to depart tomorrow at 8:30 am. I feel like we have a long day of paddling in store, but it should be a really good time. I would have paid any amount of money, and expended any amount of energy to keep myself off another one of those buses. I will let you know how it goes.
I'm off for now, and I'm sorry for the narration. Sometime soon, we'll be face to face, and I can tell you these stories in a more entertaining format. Talk to you soon. Off to Cambodia and the famous Angkor Wat- One of the seven wonders of the world.

Spring Break (Part I)- Koh Tao, Thailand

Hey Guys,
I'm writing to you from an Internet cafe in Bangkok, Thailand right now. I am huddled up inside, trying to recover from the full moon party last night (http://fullmoonparty-thailand.com/) and seeking refuge from the ongoing Songkran Festival (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thai_New_Year).
I got into Bangkok this morning, after spending last week in Koh Tao, Thailand scuba diving. My initial intention had been to go down there to obtain my PADI Open Water License. Koh Tao is regarded as being the best dive location in Thailand- one of the best in the world. After entering the water for the first time, I was hooked and I ended up pursuing my Advanced Open Water Certification as well. This meant that I had to surrender most of my alotted "beach time," but the benefits greatly outweighed the costs. I ended up doing 10 dives in the span of four days after doing a couple days of classroom learning. Now certified, I have the ability to go diving anywhere in the world. This privilage will open a lot of new doors as I travel for the rest of my life, and I am grateful that I took the time to acquaint myself with the underwater world.
I won't try and explain all of my dives to you because you'd be bored to tears and my Internet bill would skyrocket. However, there were two dives that I thought were particularly amazing. One of these was the "night dive." For this one, we didnt enter the water until it was pitch black. We were guided only by our underwater torches. It is quite a thrill to shield the light and experience completely alone in the water, unaware of all that is going on around you. It's also great because the color of the coral, the species of fish, and the underwater habits of the marine life differs from during the day. If you shield your light and flail your arms, you can experience "phospheresence," a pheonominon where the particles in the ocean glow a neon green. Very cool.
The other dive that I enjoyed most was the Fish Identification dive. If you aren't aware, an Advanced Open Water Certification requires a diver to complete five "adventure dives." There are about twenty options for these dives, 2 of which are compulsory (Deep Dive and Navigation Dive). Otherwise, I had freedom to pursue my interests. I chose to so this Fish Identification dive, and I learned a lot about the different families and classifications of fish. This was very useful.
Koh Tao is one of the most beautiful places that I have ever seen. The island is very remote, and I accessed it by a 15-hour bus/boat combination from Bangkok. It was not the best travel experience, but I'm living to tell about it. Unlike it's neighbors, Koh Samui and Koh Phangan, Koh Tao is relatively undeveloped. The only signs of development are on the small strip of beach. You can access any point on the island in twenty minutes by motorbike. Koh Tao is a quaint diver's paradise. All of the people live to dive, and the accomodations are set up accordingly.
I did my certification at Coral Grand Divers, the most reputable dive shop in Thailand. They have an operational alliance with the Coral Grand Resort, so I was able to split a room with a classmate for a special diver's rate. This turned out to be perfect.
In order to get anywhere on the Island, we just had to head to the beach. At least two or three times a day, we would take a left along the beach and window shop the incredible array of food options that were available on the beach. The Thai food (Tom Yam Soup, spicy glass noodle salad, curry...) was out of this world. It was the real deal- in addition to the flavor, the whole dining experience was unique. We would sit on the ground on special Thai cloth pads. It's hard for me to describe these chairs, but they are like soft mats that raise 30 degrees on one of the sides for comfort. My favorite thing to do was to enjoy a beer as the sun was going down at one of these beachfront venues. Singha was the brew of choice.
Another cool culinary aspect of Koh Tao were the Barbeques. Along the beach, freshly caught fish were on display in front of the barbaque pits. These fish were delicious, and I enjoyed tons of shrimp, snapper, garoupa, barracuda, and king mackeral. Heaven on Earth- I need to make it back to Koh Tao someday.
After finishing up my final two dives, I immediately headed to Koh Samui to meet with Chris and his girlfriend, Mia (fellow BC classmate and a great girl). We enjoyed a great dinner and drinks on Koh Samui before venturing out to the Full Moon Party on Koh Phangan. This party proved to be just as overwhelming as I imagined. People were doing absurd things, many times not the safest environment. I wasn't able to go crazy like some others because Chris, Mia, and I had to catch a 3am boat ride back to Koh Samui in order to make our 6am plane to Bangkok. Needless to say, it was a long night last night, and I am a little bit tired right now.
Being at the Full Moon Party was a really cool thing. The way it worked out, the full moon alligned perfectly with the Thai New Year. This only happens once every twenty years or so- we were lucky to experience both at once. The New year celebrations are fun as can be. For days, local people and foreigners line the street and throw water on passerbys. Literally, people would stop cars in the street with whistles, and just bombard them with water. There was no regard to the well-being of the soaked.... hysterical. Apparantly Chris and Mia tried renting a motorbike to explore Koh Samui. Chris tells me that he feared for his life as he navigated threw the streets, constantly getting doused while trying to focus on the road. I'm sure Mia loved being on the back. The local people also wipe some sort of clay on your face as you pass. While it often was a hassle trying to backpack through this environment, it was amazing to see the pure joy on the friendly faces of the Thai people as they enjoyed their festival.
So far, this trip has been nothing short of incredible. I know that's a word that I have used to describe many of my experiences, but I constantly find myself in complete awe of my surroundings. I cannot wait to begin the second half of my journey. I will talk to you soon.
Best,
Kevin

I went to Beijing and it was fun

Hey guys,
I apologize if this post is even more dull than my typical entries. It is nearly midnight and we got back to the dorms at two am this morning. I would have slept like a champion, except for the alarm that woke me up at 7 am for 9 hours of class. Needless to say, I've had my fair share of caffeine to get throughout the day.
Beijing was a tremendous city. The only complaint that I have is the pollution and the time constraints on our trip. I would have really enjoyed to have an extra day to see some more of the sites. I will have plenty of time to explore when I am back there in a couple of years (I will explain later).
Chris and I stayed with a BC classmate, Will Smith, who is currently studying at the Peking University. The University is ranked among the world's top twenty, and is readily considered to be the top in Asia. He was gracious enough to give Chris and I a place to stay- well, he tried to.
I arrived to Beijing on my own late on Thursday night. By the time my plane landed, it was already midnight, and I had to try and convince some of the taxi drivers to take me to the school. It's weird- they don't speak much English in Beijing. I finally got to the campus, but I soon realized that the campus was rather large, and I was about a 25 minute walk from Will's dorm. A local girl on a bike helped me to the dorm. She spoke broken English, and was in her final year of studying Chemistry. She has already been accepted to UPenn, UChicago, and UCLA in the States and is trying to decide where she wants to go to Graduate School. Tough Life...
Upon my arrival, Will passed out in preparation of his 8 1/2 hours of Friday class. While Will was working on his Mandarin, etc. I headed to the Silk Market with his roomate, Kelvin. Kelvin was born in China and has lived in Kansas City for quite a while. He is studying at Pomona College out in California. He ended up playing tour guide for a lot of the weekend. His knowledge of the language was an invaluable asset. Kelvin was quite impressed by my learned negotiating tactics, and even recruited me to buy a watch and some other items for him. I purchased four tailored shirts (for $10 each) and 5 silk ties ($1 each). We had a lot of fun.
The next day, Chris and I piggybacked on Will's exchange program's trip to the Great Wall. The group took us far out of the city to a remote section called Huanghuacheng. The lake was stunningly beautiful, and we all had a great time trekking around. There is usually a zip-line that can be taken across the lake, but there were a number of local guys doing work on the line and had closed it down. Maybe next time... Before heading back to campus, I bought some dried fruits from the local street vendors, and was pleasantly surprised.
When we finally got back to the University, my mood was quickly dampened as we watched the end of the Boston College vs. Villanova basketball game. If you didn't see, we lost in overtime by one point on a goaltending call. It was the right call, but a painful way to lose. It's a real shame that we lost- I think we would have had a great chance to beat Florida to make it to our first Final Four in school history. The way the the rest of the brackets played out, a National Championship was well within reach. I guess there is always next year.
To save our mood, we went to the supermarket on campus and went on a DVD binge. Seriously, it was ridiculous. Chris and I are working to build our DVD collections for when we have to move out of the house and set up shop on our own. We are more than well on our way.
Feeling exponentially better about life, we headed to have our Peking Duck meal. I couldn't have been more satisfied. Here is a little list about the stuff we (four guys and a vegetarian girl) ate:

1. Cooked Peanut Dish
2. Bean, Veggie, and Onion dish
3. Spiced Noodle Dish
4. Donkey meat- served sliced and cold on a platter
5. Ox Tongue- served sliced and cold on a platter
6. Snake, Turtle, and Scorpian Special- it ended us being a soup- we were slightly disappointed
7. 2 full ducks- served with homemade wraps and fixings too- phenomenal
8. ...and of course copious amounts of Yanjing 12 degree beer (Beijing's finest)

*This meal was delicious. I got a chance to try some other cool items the day before. For lunch, I had a rabbit stir-fry dish. The meat was incredibly tender and I really enjoyed it. Also, I ordered a shredded and spiced eel in beer sauce, which was pretty tasty. That night, Kelvin ordered a bunch of the specials at a local restaurant. The main attraction were the same wraps that the Peking Duck came in, but served with an enormous omelet and other fillings. The highlights of that meal were the great food, the awful service, and the manager who could open our bears with the back of a frail wooden chopstick. It was tight. But I digress...

After the Peking Duck dinner, we could hardly move from the meal. We waddled back (I think it was the duck influence) to Will's campus and spent the rest of the night testing the DVD's that we bought.
The alarm had us up and out on Sunday morning. There was way too much of the city that was unexplored, and not enough time to see it all. Unfortunately, because of the layout of the city and the location of the school, it took nearly an hour to make the 7 mile trip downtown. There was a lot of wasted time. We got to see the Summer Palace in the morning. The grounds were much larger than I thought they would be. Before lunch, we also made it down to see Tian'anmen Square and the entrance to the Forbidden City. At this point, we were feeling pressured for time. Chris and I decided that we would go see Lama Temple and, time permitting, the other side of the Forbidden City. Time was not on our side, but the Lama Temple was great. In fact, it plays host to the largest standing Buddha in the world. The Buddha was quite a sight, and Chris snapped a photo when the guard had his back turned.
Unfortunately, it was time to bid farewell to an incredible city. I know that next time I go back, things will be very different. The amount of construction that is being done in preparation for the 2008 Olympics is mind- boggling and the government is pressing hard for development (they can- they don't vote on things there). However, it is time that I let you in on a little secret.
I have decided that after graduating from Boston College, I will spend a year at Beijing Language and Culture University to enroll in an intensive Mandarin program. I'm documenting this decision now, because I want to hold myself accountable for this decision, and I want the people that are close to me to make sure that I do it. After spending this summer in New York, and next year in Boston, there will be plenty of reasons for me to abandon my plans, but I think that would be tragic. I'll be back to Beijing in a year and a half. I'll finish my DVD collection then. Signing off-

Shanghai

Ni men Hau,
Just got back from Shanghai, and quickly watched BC dominate Montana on CBS Sportsline. This whole watching live college basketball games online from anywhere in the world is pretty amazing to me. But I digress...
Shanghai was a really cool city. I didn't really know what to expect, and did not have a lot of time to do research before heading up there. But, as soon as I entered the airport, I knew that the city was the product of rapid modernization.
We arrived in Shanghai the night of Saint Patrick's Day, so we were eager to get to the hotel and out to the bars as soon as possible. Luckily, we had the fastest train in teh world on our side. The Magnetic Levetation Train (Mag-Lev) hovers on magnetic plates and is ridiculously fast. The poles of the track change to propel the train forward. Within sixty seconds of departing the gate, we were traveling 431 km/hr. For all of you that can't do the conversion, that's about 270 MPH. Pretty ridiculous. That ride made the trip.
Before you knew it, we were out looking for a pub that had Guiness on tap. We satisfied our Guiness fix at a Chinese restaurant, and then went to a bar that one of my Professors had recommended, Beni Coffee. The place allowed the patrons to buy and store bottles of liquer, and my Professor had a bottle of Bailey's with his name on it. Literally. He told us that we could drink out of the bottle for free, but that we would have to replace it if we finished it. We each had a glass, and quickly moved on to 3 Liter Kegs of Carlsburg and an improv drinking game that borrowed dice from the Chinese Yatzee game that I had come to know and love. Saint Patties Day in Shanghai- God bless globalization.
In case you were unaware, Chris and my negotiating skills have exponentially improved as the semester has worn on. To be honest, we often do better than the locals. Kaleigh and Andrea took us to a fashion market that had a bunch of amazing stuff. Any brand name designer had his pseudo-gear on display. the negotiation process was a blast, and I don't want to reveal my secrets, but here's a summary about how we made out:

Chris and I bought a total of 60 DVD's:
Individual Movies: Syriana, Ocean's Twelve, Good Night and Good Luck
Boxed Sets: James Bond (all 20 of them), Sopranos (first five seasons-37 discs)
Initial Price: 1250 Yuan- very cheap (just over $150)
Our Final Price: 450 Yuan (under $65)

5 completely legit Ralph Lauren Polo's- knockoff's but barely:
Initial Price: 180 Yuan ($22.5)
Our Price: 25 Yuan ($3)
*we later found out that the manufacturing cost was 21 Yuan- they were not happy with us

1 "100% Cashmere Polo Sweater":
Initial Price: 680 Yuan ($85)
Our Price: 80 Yuan ($10)

and the most amazing bargaining job...

1 8 oz. stainless steel Jim Beam Flask:
Initial Price: 280 Yuan ($35)
Our Price: 20 Yuan ($2.50)

You get the idea... we were pretty much rockstars at this market, and many of the locals that were selling to us were openly impressed. Unfortunately for them, we were not contributing to their bottom line.

After a long day in the markets, we were exhausted and headed back to the hotel for an hour or so before dinner. By the time we finally got ourselves moving, it was getting pretty late. We headed down to the Bund, which is an area on the river that is beautiful at night. The night's sky is lit by the futuristic sky-scrapers, and it feels like the year 2015. We were so taken by the sights that all of the affordable restaurants around the Bund closed before we had a chance to eat anything. We cabbed it over to another district that we were told was "low on class, high on fun." Struggling to find places that would serve us food, we ducked into a local joint, where completely changed the locals opinions of Westerners. The guys that ran the place did not think we would be able to eat there, judging by the confused look on his face as we wondered in. While the girls tried to order a couple of more conventional dishes, Chris ordered the local hot pot, and I had the Boiled Ox Tripe (stomach) in chili sauce. When ordering, the owner tried to tell me that I wouldn't be able to handle the spice. After two enormaous Tsing Tao's, we both took our meals down like champions. The owners grew more and more receptive as we continued to eat and drink.
Our last day in Shanghai involved a lot more wondering. It was a beautiful day, so we enjoyed walking around the city. We stopped by the Shanghai Art Museum, which was a monumental dissapointment. The only interesting exhibit was a photo mural that portrayed the development of Shanghai. The gist of the exhibit was that Shanghai was surrendering all of it's culture to become modernized. The Chinese government can basically do whatever they want. Since they have put such a high priority on developing Shanghai, the local people have often been kicked out of their homes, and relocated out of the city center. The traditional houses have then been destroyed in order to erect things such as the Pearl Tower. The artist is trying to warn the world of what might happen if this trend continues, and the tragedy that is sapping the city of it's roots.
Walking around, there is a stark contrast between the developed and the undeveloped, the modern and the traditional...
We had lunch in a great French Park, that was home to a statue of Marx and Engels. How appropriate. I had my first western meal in weeks when we sat down at an Italian Restaurant at Park 97. Park 97 is acutally a building within the park that is owned and operated by the same genious that built Lan Kwai Fong in Hong Kong. This guy must be raking in a ton of capital, and we have made it our goal to learn more. I'll let you know.
The rest of the afternoon was filled with some good memories around the city, having tea and whatnot. Then, it was back to Hong Kong for another hectic week of class and catch-up. I should really stop traveling every weekend, but there is just too much to see and too little time. Sleep is no longer a priority.

Guilin and Yangsho- the cities

Now that you all know how I got back from my trip, I figure I should tell you a bit about it. Let me start by saying the New York Times was correct- this is one of the most amazing places that nobody has ever heard of.
Aaron and I had the entire first day to explore Guilin on our own, since Chris and Kelsey were not arriving until the evening. Upon making our sleeping arrangements at the Flowers Youth Hostel, Aaron and I rented bikes and took to the city. Guilin is located right on the Li River, with mountains emerging from the ground everywhere. It is hard for me to describe these mountains to you. They are sharp and independent, sticking out of the ground like spears pushed through the earth's surface. Very cool stuff. Pictures will be up soon- and they are each worth a thousand words.
For lunch, we sat down at a place that came recommended by the NYTimes for adventurous people. It was a local Guilin rice noodle shop that was described in the article simply by it's location. The local food was incredible, and we spent the rest of the trip seeking the rice noodles out. Every other house seemed to offer the stuff and I never paid more than 2 yuen (25 cents) for it.
The afternoon was spent in Seven Star Park, where we explored the limestone caves. In addition to some amazing pictures, I got a great understanding of the stalagmites and stalagtites from Aaron, who is a geology major (among other things). Also in Seven Star Park, we saw Camel Hill (a series of mountains that looked like a camel), a zoo (where animals were cruelly mistreated and no picture was free), and a swarm of loose monkeys eating all around where we sat. Our time watching the monkeys was rudely interupted when Aaron showed signs of trepidation. The monkeys, who caught wind of his shaken confidence, took over and nearly attacked us. We eventually got away, but not without losing our lunch, and our self respect.

The next morning, we woke up at six AM to take a boat tour down the Li River to Yangsho. The trip was gorgeous, and we met a South African named John who was exploring Mainland on his own. John is a great contact, and he helped me learn some new tricks on my camera. We had a lot of fun with him, and may be meeting him in Shanghai next weekend.
The boat trip ended abruptly, and we were escorted to the shore of the river. We were pointed down a path to get to our bus, and we were on our way. The path apparantly brought us onto a thirty-minute trek into some remote town, where no bus was clearly identified to us. After a great struggle, and a lot of communication barriers, we made our way onto a bus to downtown Yangsho. Interestingly enough, the boat trip was arranged by the same guy that organized my bus home- and we all know how that story goes.
As we got off the bus in city center, we were greeted by a guy named Bin Bin, who seemed like a helpful guy. He brought us to an International Youth Hostel, where he arranged our stay and tried to take advantage of us. We were saved by another group of HKUST students who exposed him before he could collect our money. I did not appreciate trying to be ripped off.
After lunch, we rented bikes again and set off to see Moon Hill. This was supposed to be one of the most amazing places around, and we were excited to see it. There were two routes to Moon Hill- by highway or on the country roads. We decided to take the country roads, which came highly acclaimed for their beauty.
The next five hours were spent on the mountain bikes, pedeling through the backwoods of Yangsho on a dirt path for construction vehicles. In fact, it appeared that local workers were in the process of building a multi-laned highway. In any case, no road had been laid, and the journey was unforgettable. We must have rode for over 30 miles, with tourists continuously telling us to turn back because the route was not passable, and locals waving and screaming "Ni hau" like they had never seen white people before. Our decision to keep going was a classic example of "escalation of commitment" error, where humans are inclined to stick to a decision even when evidence suggests that it is a bad one. The adventure through the country roads was incredible, and I don't want to focus on anything but the possitives. So I won't mention our time stuck in the mud or Aaron's rear axle coming off. Needless to say, we never made it up Moon Hill that day.
Instead, we biked directly into town and made the mistake of having Kelsey choose a dinner location. Already a picky eater, Kelsey was not turned on by the dogmeat, a local delicacy. We finally settled over by West St., a backpackers paradise filled with bars and restaraunts. We were all starving and exhausted, but we weren't patient enough to let the waitress take our orders before sending her for our beer. That was the top priority.
As dinner came to a close, I got asked by a local girl who wandered into the restaurant if I could take a picture with her. One picture suddenly turned into a photo-shoot, with different local girls taking turns with me. This was one of the funniest things I had ever witnessed. I was a genuine celebrity- just for being white. What a feeling.
Finally, the lights were turned off and the set was broken down: the photo shoot was over. It was time to start bargaining. I was on a monster roll negotiating prices. I ended up buying three items- two jade pieces, and a Chinese scroll painting. The prices for them were 490, 450, and 320 RMB, respectively. After some hard lining, I paid 100, 60, and 35. I spent a solid 5 minutes refusing to pay a dime more than 35, when the woman was offering it for 38. I outlasted her and it felt great. Then, I realized I was arguing over 40 cents.
The next day, we hung out around the city in some pretty crappy weather. We were all exhausted from the ride before, and struggled to get out of bed. My rockstar image was confirmed, as I was asked to pose for a bunch more pictures. If i ever get depressed, or am having self-esteem issues, I'm going to Yangsho, where I can get my fifteen minutes of fame.

You Think You Know, But You Have No Idea...

Hey Guys,
I spent the weekend in Guilin and Yangsho, two Chinese cities that captured the essence of the word 'beauty.' Unfortunately, my image of both dreamlands has been somewhat tainted by my experience home on the bus that Hades built. Let me tell you a little bit about that so I can revisit the Chinese wonderlands with a proper perspective.
As you may or may not know, I have a whole lot of class each Monday, starting with a three- hour Understanding Culture in Modern Society course at 8 am. This timeslot has been the bain of my existence since the local students took a liking to Sunday-Night screamfests that resonate through my earplugs and keep me up each and every weekend. Here's to a fresh start to the week.
Anyway, participation in class is a significant portion of my grades here, so I have made a concerted effort to be present at all of them. To get home from Yangsho on an overnight bus for a morning class demanded meticulous planning. I had done my homework, and I had a solution. The plan was to depart Yangsho at 5 pm on an 11-hour journey, bringing me into Shenzen at 4am. That would give me plenty of time to get back to HKUST for my 8 o'clock class. Having lived in America my entire life, I budgeted a couple of extra hours into the schedule. You never know- some traffic or a wrong turn could easily add an hour onto the trip. That was wishful thinking...
After what I thought was a flawless negotiating exhibition, my travel mate Aaron and I had arranged to meet a new sleeper bus outside of the Happy Hotel in Yangsho on Sunday at 5pm. We had all our reciepts and documentation ready to go, and we waited on the street with our friend John- a South African mate we met on the boat trip from Guilin and I will tell you more about. Sleeper buses kept passing by, and we would be sure to give a wave at each of them. While it was hard to miss the only white faces in the city, we did not want to risk being left. All of our efforts were wasted as the buses continued to drive right past us.
Eventually, a woman working at the Happy Hotel and told us in her best English/Mandarin/sign language that the bus was running a little bit late. It would pick us up at six instead. No problem. We went and grabbed some Guilin rice noodles from a street vender and made it back to the Happy Hotel by six. Forty more minutes ticked by, and still no sign of a bus. Until...
Out of nowhere a motorbike pulled up and the women on the back screamed "Shenzen." Aaron and I nodded and before I could wet my pants, we were piled on the back of the bike, motoring in and out of city traffic.
Eventually, the driver swirved off to the side of the road and pointed at a bus waiting there. Finally, the coveted sleeper-bus that would take us home. We were instructed to take our shoes off upon entering the bus. I was feeling great. If they were going to make us take our shoes off, the bus had to be relatively clean- right?
I walked up the stairs and peered to my left. I could not have been less prepared for what I saw. The bus was the avevage width of a bus, except there were three rows of bunks with aisles in between. How the hell does one fit three rows of beds into that narrow of a space. Luckily, the beds were proportionately long (around 4 ft in length), with half of the bed tilted at 30 degrees. Having to sit in a bed this size for eleven hours would have been torturous, but the tale was just beginning. Lined in each of the aisles were local Chinese men, women and children packed like sardines. Their positions on the floor, in conjunction with their facial features, reminded me of the first scene in Amistad on the slave ships. I noticed one empty bed on the left hand side. The man at the front pointed to it and Aaron hopped on after navigating through the sea of people lining the floor. He pointed to the me and then to a bed next to Aaron. I was convinced that he wanted me to claim the bed, but there was one problem- there was already a woman on my bed. The man pushed the lady off the bed and instructed me to sit. The bus started moving, I could not have been less comfortable, and the women next to me had cultivated a deep-rooted hatred for me in under twenty seconds. Perfect.
The bus trip consistantly provided tales of horror. A few of the highlights are as outlined below:

The woman next to me decided to play a little game of Command and Conquer on my bed. From her perch to my immediate left, the Chinese woman who I had ousted from her "bed" made herself comfortable on my lap. Honestly, it was a no-holds-barred struggle between us. When she thought I wasn't flexing my legs, she would maneuver her body in between my legs, on top of my knees- you name it. Finally, I settled with her head on my knee and her arm extending underneath my buckled kneecaps (try to visualize it)

Aaron got in a heated smoking debate with the front of the bus. Despite being in undoubtably cramped quarters, the local people still had the urge to light up. Aaron, in a last ditch effort to breath, opened his window. The man in front of Aaron did not appreciate this move as much as my lungs did. Back-and-forth they went; when the cigarettes came out, Aaron opened the window, prompting the man in front of him to slam it shut. It was quite amusing.

At one in the morning, our bus came to a halt on the side of the road. We were stopped for two hours as a construction crew decided they wanted to close the road. That's when Aaron and I started to speak Spanish. As confident as we were that nobody on the bus spoke English, we were even more certain that they didn't have Spanish in their language repitoir. After two hours, the bus started the engine, and we were back on the road. I guess that's pretty standard operating procedure.

Once in Shenzen, the bus turned into a jungle gym for the passengers. Constant hollers to the driver and asses in my face summarized the experience of locals climbing out of this clown bus. What I found intriguing was the fact that people would get out anywhere. I don't mean on the side of the road anywhere; people were getting out in the middle of ten lane highways and running to the side. Which reminds me- there was one point when our bus was traveling in the wrong direction of a ten-lane highway.

The icing on the cake. Upon exiting the bus, we soon realized that we weren't at the bus station we were familiar with. Instead, we got dropped off at a bus station forty minutes away from the railway station. Luckily, the city was bigger than New York and nobody speaks English.

I got back onto campus around noon. My name is Kevin Slemp, and that was the longest day of my life.

Pops and the sisters came to Hong Kong (part 2)

So we made it to Vietnam, and our visas granted us entry into the country. Twenty four hours earlier, without that documentation, we would have been quarantined and directed back to Hong Kong.
We traveled by bus to the New World Hotel- a beatuiful hotel located in the middle of backpack country. The hotel could not have looked more lost. My father and I ventured out into the streets of Ho Chi Minh at around midnight on a quest for food. On the street, we were soon engulfed by the local motorbike traffic. The streets of Ho Chi Minh rival the seven wonders of the world with their appeal. Apparantly, there are zero traffic laws. Everyone weaves in and out of others as they please. In order to cross the street, one must close their eyes, say their prayers, and simply walk. The local bikers swerve around you like a school of fish navigating around a pillar in the sea.
My father and I could not stop laughing; questions were being generated uncontrollably. Where sis all of these people come from? Why were they on the streets at midnight? How did they all get motorbikes? Was there any method behind this madness? For the duration of the trip, these questions remained unanswered.
The next morning we traveled by bus to the Mekong Delta. While my father and I were wandering the streets the night before, we found a travel agent arranging the trip for seven USD. This was compared to the fifty that the New World Hotel was charging. While I thought we might be sacrificing certain services, but I simply was unaware of how far the USD goes in Vietnam. Our seven dollar expenditure entitled us to:

1. Round-trip bus service to the Mekong Delta- a two hour trip each way.
2. An english-speaking Vietnamese tour guide who both informed and entertained throughout the journey (10 hours).
3. A series of boat cruises on the Mekong: we travelled on five or six different vessels, each of which was a different size and piloted by different local villagers.
4. A local meal prepared on one of the islands.
5. A tasting session of coconut candy and banana wine.
6. A private traditional Vietnamese music performance by a local band and singers.

I'm sure there are a number of other things that I am leaving out, but seven dollars is a lot of money, and remebering all that it can buy can sometimes be a struggle. In America, you might be able to get a McDonald's Value Meal (I wouldn't know, since I have boycotted that garbage for years).

The trip to the Mekong was incredible. Weaving in and out of the web-like waterways got me thinking about the war. I looked around at the scenery and had a very difficult time imagining it as the backdrop for a war... or a conflict. I had always the Mekong Delta as a murky place, characterized by lots of rain and brisk winds. My preconceptions could not have been more wrong. As I bathed shirtless in what seemed to be a tropical paradise, I tried to imagine local gunsman ransacking boats from the trees that surrounded me. It was a crazy, crazy experience.

The next day we spent around Ho Chi Minh, seeing the War Remnants Museum and the Reunification Palace. Both of these sites were cool to see, but there isn't much to tell about either. However, there was a significant Anti-American theme going on at the War Remnants Museum. In fact, there was Anti-American Propaganda in multiple languages on display. Having heard stories from my friends that went to the Cu Chi Tunnels, the Anti-American sentiment was widespread.

That evening, we had an amazing dinner at one of the best restaurants in Vietnam, Mandarine. My dad treated my friends and I to one of the best meals of our life, before heading to Apacalypse Now, a happening night club. Aaron and I ordered a bottle of wine that we thought everyone was interested in. Apparantly, they were more interested in soft drinks, so we had the monumental task of finishing it all in front of us. We stepped up.

The next morning marked our departure for Hong Kong, and my families continuing journey to the States. Our stay in Vietnam was a lot of fun- but more than that, it was a shared experience. I made reference in my last post about how much it meant to spent some time with the family. We haven't had the opportunity to travel together, and I have not been good about reaching out to them. Being on the other side of the world, in an unfamiliar environment, forced us to interact and enjoy each other's comapany. While the trip was short-lived, the memories will last a lifetime, and the relationships that were forged will bring us closer as a family. Thanks for coming out to visit guys.