Christmas Cheer

We spent this past weekend putting up Devien's first Christmas tree.  Less than one week and Mijo can see Abuelo, Abuela, and his tias!  We're all very excited.

Hong Kong Thanksgiving

At just four days old, Devien celebrated his first holiday with Mama and Papa--Thanksgiving.  We've been recovering at our serviced apartment connected to the Matilda Hospital.  The accommodations are very spacious with living room, bedroom, bathroom, kitchenette, and terrace (see the view below!).

As for the meal, well we did what we could.  We purchased gourmet turkey and cranberry sauce sandwiches for the main course,  while dessert was pumpkin and pecan pie.  

Maybe not the most elaborate celebration, but for sure our most memorable one. 

Three's Company

It's been a while since our last entry, however we've been very busy.  The first order of  business will be to change the name of this blog because it's no longer the two of us, but three!  Yes, our baby boy Devien Romeo De La Paz was born on November 20, 2011 in Hong Kong at the Matilda International Hospital on Victoria's Peak.  In case you're wondering about how the delivery went, let us share...

Devien's original due date was December 9.  Pazi's doctor, Dr. Mok, recommended that at 37 weeks she cease working and began her short-term stay in Hong Kong.  This meant that around November 14, Pazi reached "full-term" with the baby.  Adan tried to convince Pazi to stay in Hong Kong with a good friend, but she was stubborn and resisted.  Finally, as Pazi began to dramatically tire as each day passed, she decided to stop working on Friday, November 18.  We made arrangements to go down for a doctor's visit the following day, and then have Pazi stay Sunday on until delivery.  Adan was to go back to work and be "on call" for when the labor started.

Baby Devien wasn't going to have it happen this way.  The next morning Pazi's water broke at 5:15am.  She remained very calm as she prepared for the delivery.  She gave Adan, who was still asleep, a kiss on the cheek to wake him and share the news.  Adan got up and asked, "Is it time?"  Of course, he was referring to waking up since he knew nothing that had happened yet.  Pazi responded, "Yes."  However, she said it with a half smile.  Adan knew something was up so he asked again, "Is it time?"  She responded with a full smile, "Yes."  At that moment, Adan jumped out of bed so fast Pazi thought for sure he was going to run out the door and leave her behind.

Since we were planning already to go to Hong Kong, we added a few more things to our packs and called to get a new driver.  We had been given two numbers of two reputable companies for driving clients across from China to HK, however when we tried to call them it turned up empty.  One man told us that he was already booked, while the other said it would take him nearly three hours to reach our apartment.  Adan began to get nervous.  Pazi kept her composure.  Finally, it was decided that our school's private driver, Mr. Peng, would arrange a car to take us to the Huanggang Border.  From here we would flag one of the dozens of taxis stationed here.

It worked.  The drive from our apartment to the border was 58 minutes.  Since it was 6:30am, the traffic was light.  We did then have to walk across the border going through immigration and customs.  Pazi did great.  In fact, no one even suspected that she was already in the very early stages of labor.  Less than 10 minutes and we cleared.  Finally, we hired a taxi and for 230 HK dollars (about $30 bucks) and reached Central in 34 minutes.  It was just over an hour and a half to get to the island from home!  That's great time.  At this point Pazi was feeling good.  She decided it was best to just go to the doctor's office since she had an appointment scheduled.  Pazi's doctor was running behind due to another surgery she was performing that morning.  One of her colleagues, Dr. Doo, saw Pazi and performed some tests.  He informed us that the labor had indeed began and that we had a few hours to go get brunch and then make our way up to the hospital where Dr. Mok would meet us later.

At close to noon, Pazi began to have sharp pains--contractions.  They were sporadic and several minutes apart.  At this point, we decided it was best to go to the hospital.  The Matilda is very quaint as it dates back to 1907 and is located in a very peaceful area of Victoria Peak.  However, it does take a few minutes going up windy roads to reach its location.  Pazi had little trouble taking the journey up to check in.

From noon until six in the evening, Pazi was having mild contractions.  They started over ten minutes apart and ended at four minutes. She was exhausted and finally agreed to have the epidural to help ease the pain.  The labor lasted another eight hours, but finally at 2:37am Devien was born.  He weighed 3.005 kg (6.6 lbs) and was 50cm (19.7 in) long.  This is pretty good for arriving three weeks early. 

What an experience.  We feel so blessed for Pazi and Devien's good health and quick recovery.

Fall Festival Fun

Happy Halloween!  Our school recently had a fall festival to celebrate school community.  Students and staff dressed up in costumes.  Pazi played it safe as a witch and Adan was Zorro. 

Also, the teaching staff used their classrooms to host carnival games for the kids.  Pazi did the M&M Challenge.  In this game she tested the students' chopstick skills by having them pick up M&M candy pieces, trying to avoid dropping any.  It was a fun game that really challenged the kids, especially the younger ones.  Adan and his colleague Mr. Jun did a obstacle course where kids needed to crawl under a long table, jump on stepping stones without falling, walk carefully carrying a spoon and egg (made of wood), and finally cross a balance beam to the finish line.  This activity was really popular with the 6 and 7 year olds.

We can't believe it's already November.  The baby is nearly 8 months!

Vibrant Vietnam Pt. 2

Change of Plans
The next morning the Grants and us were scheduled to leave for central Vietnam. However, Pazi wasn't feeling well and thought it was best to avoid flying. Although, Adan didn't like the idea of leaving Pazi behind, he knew it was best for her to do what her instincts told her. Pazi would end up spending the next four days traveling in and around Hanoi. She would see the Tay Ho (West Lake) district, all the wonderful restaurants and French bakeries in the area, several museums about Vietnamese history and culture, and of course the QSI Hanoi school.

As for Grants and Adan, it was off to Hue.  Hue is located in central Vietnam and played a significant role during the imperial Nguyen Dynasty (1802-1945).  Many questions marks led up to this part of the vacation because of weather conditions.  Since Typhoon Nalgae had hit Hainan Island in China, reports were saying that it would make its way to central Vietnam.  When the plane arrived late morning on Tuesday, it was wet.  After checking into the hotel, the Grants and Adan had lunch there to wait out the rain.

Finally, when it appeared that things weren't going to improve much, the three headed out to explore the city.  In no time Terese bought a rain poncho from a street vendor.  She was content and when the rain picked up again, Warren and Adan had not choice but to buy rain ponchos as well.  They only cost a couple of bucks and ended up being very useful during the first day.

After everyone was protected against the rain, the march continued on towards the Hue's most famous landmark--The Citadel.  This sprawling UNSECO site was the former imperials seat of the Vietnamese government.  It's massive in size and includes several temples, pavilions, walls, gates, a theatre, and much more.  The complex is two kilometers wide by two kilometers long and is surrounded by a moat.  It was called the Imperial City, and further inside was referred to as the Purple Forbidden city.  The name was taken from the Chinese Forbidden City in Beijing and was reserved for the Nguyen imperial family.

The Grants and Adan spent about three hours exploring the grounds.  Much of the remains are only partially intact.  This is due to US air attacks during the Vietnam War in the 60's.  The government is working feverishly to renovate the facilities, but the process appeared to be going slowly.  Additionally, during the visit, about half a dozen beauty pageant winners were doing photo shoots modeling traditional gowns at the Imperial City.  This was a nice bonus.

At the conclusion of viewing the Citadel, Terese was feeling fatigued and had a sore ankle, so she chose to go back to the hotel and rest.  Warren and Adan decided to go look for some pagoda that the guide books talked about just west of the Citadel.  Along the way, the two stopped for drinks and ended up shooting pictures of locals at a busy street corner in the process.  Finally, after searching and searching the two found the pagodas they were looking for.  They were very small and nothing like pagodas of China.  In fact, the Vietnamese pagodas were maybe four meters high as opposed to forty.

Eventually, the two made their way back to the hotel after another hour and a half of taking photos in various neighborhoods.  After washing up, everyone went down to the tourist street for dinner at a traditional Vietnamese restaurant.

Hue cont'd and Hoi An
Second and final day in Hue was set up with a tour agency to visit the most famous imperial tombs.  For less than $10 US dollars the tour included the sites of Emperors Minh Mang, Tu Duc, and, Khai Dinh.  The royal tomb of Minh Mang was first.  This location was the biggest of the three and contained forty constructions of statues, temples, pavilions, and bridges.  All of these were done on a strict symmetric axis design starting at the main gate and continuing on until the Emperor's actual tomb at the back.  Moreover, it construction began in 1841, but Minh Mang died that year and his son, Thieu Tri, buried him here.  It wasn't until 1843 that the project was completely finished. 

The grounds at this tomb are very well maintained.  Being situated near the west bank of the Perfume River added to the aesthetics of the scenery.  Also, because the complex is so spacious, the environment is very peaceful and pleasant here.  Of course things do change when high season for tourism picks up. 

The second tomb was of  Khai Dinh.  This site is quite extravagant in comparison to the others.  Located in the Chau Chu mountains, construction of this tomb began in the early 1920's and lasted eleven years!  Khai Dinh chose to make a smaller resting place (just 117m x 48.5m), but have it be the most exquisite of all the royal tombs.  The design of this tomb is a mix between European and Asian architecture, both the exterior and interior.  The outside has a very mansion-like appearance, while the inside is full of incredible mosaics that cover the walls top to bottom.  Terese was very impressed with this complex and said it was her favorite.  It definitely lived up to the hype of being the most elaborate tomb of the bunch.

Lastly, the tour visited the tomb of Tu Duc.  This landmark is very large (12 hectares), unfortunately there wasn't enough time to see everything.  The makeup of this tomb is a boundless forest of pine trees.  Moreover, there is a lake and several wooden structures that show Tu Duc's emphasis on creating an atmosphere focused on nature and areas for pondering.  It took from 1864 until 1867 to complete.  Warren and Adan were very disappointed more time wasn't allotted to visit the many areas of this complex.  This was definitely one of those moments were the cons of a large tour group come into play.

The tour ended after visiting this last tomb, and with just enough time to get lunch before taking the long distance bus to Hoi An.  It took 4.5 hours to get to this next destination, however for $8 bucks a head it's hard to complain.  The scenery was said to be spectacular on the rout down the Vietnam coastline, however the bus took an alternate route away from the sea.  The most unique feature of the alternate route is the massive  Hai Van tunnel, 6.28 kilometers (nearly 4 miles) in length, said to be the longest in Southeast Asia.

Finally, after arriving in Hoi An, the Grants and Adan set out to find their hotel, Huy Hoang River Hotel.  It wasn't easy, but with the help of locals they found it.  The hotel is located along the Thuy Bon River.  Upon arriving the desk attendant gave the group great news.  She upgraded the rooms from deluxe to superior, meaning that private balconies and bigger rooms would be complimentary.  It was a nice gesture and made all the difference during the two night stay.

Hoi An, another UNESCO Heritage Site, is a very charming Vietnamese city full of history and culture.  Warren and Adan had a heyday here finding lots of photo ops.  This town, formerly called the "Old Town of Hoi An," was once a major international port during the 16th and 17th centuries.  Inevitably, foreign influences played a major role in the makeup of this community and it's most visible in the people and architecture.  Furthermore, it's no secret that Hoi An is a nice place to visit when vacationing in Vietnam and masses of foreigners are constantly in sight.

The entire two days here for the Grants and Adan was touring the city on foot and by bike.  The street blocks and neighborhoods make it so easy to navigate.  The tourism centers stationed around the city offer 5-Visit Passes that enable visitors to pay one fee and gain access to five unique tourist sites.  The majority of these locations were clan homes, museums, temples, and a famous bridge.  For 90,000 dong ($5 US), it was a fairly cost reasonable. 

The highlights of the visit, without a doubt, included seeing the Japanese Covered Bridge (built by Japanese settlers in the 1600s), Bach Dang Street's Central Market, Cantonese Assembly Hall (built by Chinese expats in 1885 with lots of ornate statuary), Hokien/Fujian Meeting Hall (established in 1757 by Chinese expats), and the amazing French colonial-style buildings that line the streets. 

Additionally, the food was excellent in Hoi An.  A noteworthy restaurant is called Hong Phuc Cafe Restaurant.  They served the best spring rolls and banana leaf steamed snapper!

*Fun fact about Hoi An:  It is said that some 400 hundred tailor shops do business in "Old Town."  Judging by the unbelievable number of shop fronts, this has to be true.

Back to Hanoi
After the two days of adventures in Hoi An, the Grants and Adan traveled a short 40 minute ride to the Danang Airport for a quick one hour and ten minute flight back to Hanoi.  At this point in the trip it was Friday.  It was time to get back to seeing the Porters and Pazi one last day before everyone needed to go their separate ways. 

The trip ended with all three couples having a magnificent Moroccan dinner together Friday night and a fabulous French breakfast Saturday morning before saying goodbye. 

The Porters were superb hosts and hanging out with them and the Grants made for a fantastic holiday week.

Vibrant Vietnam Pt. 1

It was a fabulous National Day 2011 vacation for us. We were able to spend time with two other inspiring couples that we taught with our first full year abroad. Even though Pazi was 31 weeks along, she was still able to join in on most of the fun!

First, we need to say that getting all three couples together for this vacation was no easy task, however the stars did align for us on this holiday. Warren and Terese Grant, our good friends from Iowa, decided this past summer to take a half-way around the world trip this year during "retirement." The idea was for them to start in China and then continue on to other parts of southeast Asia. Our other dear friends, Prentis and Sue Porter, recently moved from Italy back to Asia. They transferred to a QSI school in Hanoi, Vietnam. Once we started talking via Skype and e-mail, it looked like our school vacation would be at a perfect time to join Warren and Terese in visiting Prentis and Sue. How could we pass up the opportunity to reunite?

Our Arrival
Prentis and Sue recommended that we arrive late on Friday night after work because they planned a weekend getaway outside of Hanoi for all of us. Since their school doesn't follow the same calendar as us, they were scheduled to work the following Monday. Arriving Friday night would allow us to get up early Saturday morning. We spent the whole weekend together sightseeing.

We found out that traveling in China with a pregnant woman thirty plus weeks along has its perks. China Southern gave us the VIP treatment. We were able to skip the long lines to check in, use their private lounge with food and beverages, and even fly first class. All this on just a regular economy ticket! The flight was less than two hours so it didn't last too long.

There wasn't many flight options so we needed to travel closer to ten o'clock at night. Unfortunately, because of tropical storm Nalgae (it was a typhoon days before), we had our flight delayed. This storm would eventually hover around us the entire trip. When we finally arrived in Hanoi, it was midnight. We hired a driver to take us to the QSI school, which happens to also be where our friends live. After about 45 minutes we arrived in Tay Ho district, the expat community where the school is located. It was dark and drizzly outside. It was obvious that our driver was lost and losing patience. He barely knew any English, and likewise us with Vietnamese. In the end, he dropped us off near a sign that had the QSI logo.

In the rain, now at 1:15am, we wandered for the next ten minutes down the dark alley-like roads to find the school.In search of a restaurant or gas station, every direction was without lights. Finally, when all hope seemed lost, Pazi said, "Look that building has a light on. Let's ask for help." It was practically pitch black, except for this one establishment. We walked up and to our delight it was the school! The night guard let us in and gave us hand signals to wait in the lobby. Within two minutes, Prentis came down in his pajamas to get us. He took us up to the sixth floor (the school operates out of floors 1-5). We told him about our little adventure getting there. He was amazed we made it given the circumstances. Then we went off to bed.

Ninh Binh
On short sleep, we woke up, showered, and had breakfast. By 8:00am we headed downstairs to meet our tour guide and private van. The Porters booked us a two-day tour with an agency they've had success with. Our first destination was Kenh Ga, a small water village deep in the countryside amongst beautiful limestone karsts.

On our way, we noticed several cathedrals. Many of them appeared to be quite old. We learned from the guide that Ninh Binh province is home to several Christians. In fact, well over 10% of the population is Christian. They predominantly practice the Catholic faith. Portuguese first brought the church to Vietnam in the early 16th century. However, it wasn't until Jesuit missionaries from France came in the 17th and 18th centuries that Catholicism really took hold. They constructed many churches and our route showed great evidence of this powerful influence. We decided to stop and shoot some pictures at a random cathedral along the way. It was a great decision as we happened to arrive during womens' group luncheon. Warren and Adan hammed it up with them taking lots of photos while the rest of the group waited at the van. Even with a language barrier, the ladies showed amazing hospitality by offering us a meal. Of course we politely declined.

Another thirty minutes in the van and then we reached Kenh Ga. The location was very serene and picturesque. We were scheduled to take a two-hour boat ride in and around the water village. It was sprinkling out so our guide made sure to get us a boat with a top. The experience was actually worthwhile. All of us got some nice shots of the village and limestone scenery. The people in this village were very friendly and didn't mind us snapping photos as they fished with nets or washed clothes by the shore. The best part might have been the cute children that waved to us and smiled.

As we returned to the small dock we entered at, the tour called for us having lunch with a local family. The experience was interesting. The meal was primarily items--a weed-like vegetable and local fish. There was a small amount of chicken and a soup, but nothing special. We particularly liked that north Vietnamese use lemon and chile (very hot ones upon request) on almost everything they eat.

At this point in the trip, we made our way to the famous Phat Diem Cathedral. This is one of Vietnam's most famous churches. It was built some time between 1875-1899. When we arrived seeing the structure was an awesome sight. The influence of both Vietnamese and European architecture make this cathedral very unique. The main hall is 74 meters long, 21m wide, and 11m high. There are six massive ironwood pillars and several decorative carvings that are quite impressive. We spent about one hour here seeing the complex buildings and observing the local mass being held.

From here, we headed towards the next site, Tam Coc, where we would spend the night and spend half of our Sunday exploring. Along the way, we happened to stop and get some nice shots at a local market of the beautiful people and the foods they sell.

Tam Coc and Hoa Lu
The next morning we had a nice local breakfast before taking off on a two hour boat ride along the Tam Coc's scenic river. Each couple had their own private boat and rower. The views were amazing. The atmosphere was tranquil and relaxing. It reminded us a bit of Guilin, Guangxi province in China. The limestone karsts that surround the area really add to the beauty of the scenery. Additionally, there were three small grottoes along the scenic route that helped add to the experience.

Once we made it back to land, we took a short break and then went on a bicycle ride to explore the surrounding areas. Pazi was not feeling up to it, so she stayed at the hotel while the rest of the group went bicycling. The ride took us on a quite road with lots of farmland towards a small temple. Along the way we stopped to admire the homes the locals built, the wildlife--birds, water buffalo, etc. Ultimately, we made it to the temple that consisted of two main halls tucked away and protected by two small limestone peaks.

Finally, we had a nice lunch at a local restaurant. They had really good cha gio, Vietnamese fried spring rolls. We also had spicy goat meat, local greens, soup, and rice. Overall, the food was pretty good.

The last location to visit on our weekend trip was Hoa Lu, the ancient capital of various royal dynasties beginning in the late tenth century under King Ding Tien Hoang. At this location we visited the two remaining historical sites of Emperor Dinh Tien Hoang and Le Dai Hanh Temples. Each one had many artifacts on display and areas for worship. Built around mountains and waterways, this capital was a good strategic location from the 960's to the early 1200's.

This location also gave us a very fun moment when Sue posed for pictures with a Vietnamese man and his water buffalo before we went back to Hanoi. The locals enjoyed the scene just as much as us considering that a decent sized crowd gathered to watch the photo shoot unfold.

Hanoi's Old Quarter
Monday came and that meant Prentis and Sue needed to get back to classes. Although the weather outside was still off and on wet, we braved the weather and headed to Hanoi's Old Quarter--one of Vietnam's best kept areas of colonial and pre-colonial architecture. We began by visiting the Museum of Vietnamese Revolution as the rain picked up a bit when we arrived downtown. This museum takes visitors through modern Vietnamese history beginning with 1858 during the struggles for independence and going up through 1975 when the Vietnam War officially ended.

Seeing the 29 halls and some 3,000 exhibit pieces was very interesting to us. Since we were not alive during this time frame, it was nice to have Warren and Terese share with us their insight during this tumultuous time in American history. On a side note, the price of 10,000 dong (50 cents) definitely made this visit worth it.

The next building we wanted to visit was just across the intersection, the National Museum of Vietnamese History, however it was closed. There are a number of businesses that use Monday versus Sunday to take time off or have a resting day. Therefore, we took few photos of this beautiful structure that is a fusion of Asian and European design.

Next, Terese really wanted us to see Hanoi's opera house so we made our way there. Unfortunately, once again, it was Monday and it was closed. Nevertheless we got some more good photos and continued on. We spent the next five or six hours just wandering the streets of Hanoi's Old Quarter. Part of the time we shopped. In fact, Warren and Terese took us to a shop called, Vietnam Quilts, where we purchased a gorgeous handmade quilt of zoo animals for the baby. The prices for the items at the store are a bit high, but it's all done for a good cause and the quality is superior. The business employs over 300 women from poor rural regions of Vietnam to make the merchandise. The company trains and pays the women for their labor. Their story is very inspiring.

Later after work, Prentis and Sue met up with us. We visited a few more shops and Prentis, Sue, and Terese got foot massages. Pazi was tired so she rested at a local cafe and had a drink while Adan and Warren snapped photo after photo of the Vietnamese locals passing by. Eventually, we all met up again and had dinner at a very nice restaurant, Little Hanoi, specializing in Vietnamese main dishes and Western desserts. The Porters said it was a new restaurant they stumbled upon, but enjoyed their own time visiting. We had fabulous spring rolls, seasoned beef (Luc Lac), and fried rice. After all of this, we could choose a dessert of chocalate cake, apple pie and ice cream, or a lemon bar. Amazing!

Hot and Spicy

Having traveled to many locations in China, one place that we always wanted to visit was the province of Sichuan.  This area is considered to be the home to China's spiciest cuisine, Giant Pandas, and famous scenery.  Before beginning the 2011-12 school year, we decided to take a trip through Sichuan and visit nearby Chongqing while we were close by.

Our trip lasted only five and a half days, but it was memorable nonetheless.  It started with a flight from Guangzhou to Chengdu, the capital city of Sichuan with a population of around eight million people.  We arrived late at night and were lucky enough to locate a hotel near what is referred to as "old Chengdu."  Below is a quick recap of all the highlights from our time in Chengdu and surrounding areas.

It was fun exploring Chengdu's Jin Li Ancient Street.  This neighborhood is very relaxing and provides guest with the opportunity to see traditional Sichuan-style buildings.  Additionally, this is a great place to taste many of the famous traditional street snacks of Sichuan.  There is no admission to enter the enclosed area of Jin Li Street.  Here there are rows and rows of shops selling everything from traditional Chinese embroidery to Starbucks Coffee.  Adan was in the mood to eat something sweet, so he tried some famous Sichuan snacks.  One was called San Da Pao.  It is a distinctive snack made of sticky rice, brown sugar, sesame seeds, and beans.

Another destination that proved to be worthwhile was the Wenshu Temple.  Considered to be the most popular temple in all of Chengdu, this Buddhist worship site was impressive.  We happened to arrive during a spiritual ceremony and witnessed their unique costumes, music, and other traditions.  The temple dates back to the Tang Dynasty and houses over 450 unique Buddhas and other relics.  The grounds are abundant and include two tea houses and vegetarian restaurants.  The nicest part about this location is its great entry fee of five kuai (about 75 cents)!

After checking out the sites of the city, we made our way to visit Da Fo in Leshan City.  This UNESCO landmark is a giant Buddha carved from stone measuring 233 feet (71m) and took 90 years to complete due to funding issues.  Legend has it that this massive statue was the idea of a Buddhist monk.  Near the location of the statue was a route for shipping vessels, however due to rough waters travel here was difficult.  The monk felt that if a Buddha was placed nearby, it would calm the water.  Coincidentally enough, because the massive project required so much stone removal, shipping routes calmed due largely in part to the deposits of stone that was put into the water from construction.  The statue was completed in 803.  The entrance fee here was a bit pricey--80RMB ($12.50).

One of the main reasons Pazi wanted to travel to Sichuan was to see the famous Chinese Pandas.  Just outside of the city, we visited the Chengdu Panda Research Base for Giant Panda Breeding.  It has an entry fee of 58RMB ($9 bucks).  We spent a good portion of our third day in Sichuan at this facility.  The weather was really starting to pick up on this day and did so for the rest of the trip.  It was about 34C degrees (93F).  The center had several areas where the Pandas lived.  Unfortunately, the heat outside required almost all the Pandas to go inside to caged areas rather than their enclosed living areas with trees and other vegetation.  The facility is layed out almost like a park.  There are five main  areas where the Pandas live.  The first area is for young adult Pandas.  The next one is for Panda "cubs."  The third area is for newborns, complete with incubators.  The fourth is devoted solely to the much smaller Red Panda.  Finally, the last area is for full grown adult bears.  Overall, we enjoyed the time we spent checking out the Pandas.  Our only recommendation to others would be to visit the park during the fall months.

Although we wanted to see more of Sichuan and its beautiful outdoor scenery, Pazi needed to limit her physical activity due to the pregnancy.  So we made the decision to visit nearby Chongqing.  Chongqing was originally part of Sichuan, but in 1997 the government decided to make it a municipality and broke off what has now become an area of 82,401 square kilometers (31,800 square miles) with a population of nearly 30 million people.  Nearly one-third of those people live within Chongqing's urban area.


The biggest surprise was not all those people crammed into Chongqing city, but its scorching weather.  When we arrived after a four hour bus ride from Chengdu, we quickly found out how unbearably hot the weather would be.  During our two and a half days in Chongqing it was 40C (104F)!!!

The first day was spent visiting the Yangtze River from the port and docks area referred to as Chaotianmen.  This river is Asia's longest at 3,988 miles (6,418km).  We really wanted to take a boat cruise down this river towards Shanghai to see the many incredible sites, including the (in)famous Three Gorges Dam.  Many of our friends have done this and say it's a spectacular experience.  Oh well.  We'll plan for it next time.

For the remainder of our time we visited Jie Fang Bei Pedestrian Street, Ci Qi Kou Ancient Town, and the Great Hall of the People.  The pedestrian street is a very upscale area of Chongqing.  Many stores, hotels, restaurants, and offices related to trade, finance, and telecommunications are here.  Ci Qi Kou is a nice small tourist spot to spend a few a hours.  We visited ancient dwellings dating back to the nineteenth century, bought spicy snacks, and wandered the many curio shops.  Lastly, the Great Hall is an architectural achievement for Chongqing in that its a structure that closely resembles the magnificent Temple of Heaven in Beijing.  It is considered by many to be one of the best constructed Chinese buildings during the twentieth century.  

Last, but not least, we wanted to share the culinary experience of spicy hot pot.  This style of dining is famous in both Sichuan and Chongqing.  Basically, you order a broth that can either spicy or not.  It is possible to have a pot brought to your table with a divider that allows you to enjoy both types.  That is what we ordered.  The spicy one is referred to as mal la, or numb and spicy.  Its unique ingredients are flower pepper and peppercorns to give it punch.  The other stock is more of a chicken broth flavor.  Additionally, you'll order individual plates of meat and vegetables and cook them in the boiling stock at your table.  We ordered Chinese cabbage, mushrooms, potatoes, cauliflower, broccoli, tofu, lamb, and beef for our pot.  It's quite the experience.  Everyone should try it at least once.       

Now, it's time to get ready for school.

SE Asia Summer Pt. 5

The last leg of our trip took us to Cambodia.  However, before we could get there, we needed to return to Vientiane for an overnight stay.  That meant we made our way back to the Intercity Hotel.  Definitely the highlight of that night was eating at the street market.  The street food was amazing.  We ate grilled fish, roasted chicken, fresh spring rolls, and a spicy papaya salad.  The meal cost about 160,000 kip or about $20 dollars.  After dinner we took a quick stroll around the neighborhood to let our food go down.  Finally, it was off to bed for an early flight the next morning.

The last city of  our summer vacation was Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia.  We arrived at their international airport around 11:00am.  From here we hired a tuk-tuk driver to take us to our hotel, City Centre Hotel, located in the heart of downtown Phnom Penh.  It was about a thirty minute ride weaving in and out of the heavy noon time traffic.  Once we reached our hotel we realized this area was in a prime location for touring the city by foot.

After checking in and freshening up, we took off to explore.  It didn't take us long to find Sisowath Quay, also referred to as "river street."  Here, dozens upon dozens of restaurants, bars, tour agencies, and other shops reside across from the famous Tonle Sap River.  Since it was just a bit after lunch time and we hadn't eat, we sat down for quick bite.  We ordered mainly finger food items and drinks since it was happy hour.  Our waitress was a very nice Cambodian girl who really took a liking to Pazi.  The two of them chatted for several minutes during our visit.

Next, we casually strolled the streets taking in all the sights and sounds of the local Cambodians for several hours.  As we were doing this, Pazi needed to send some e-mails so we decided to stop at an Internet cafe.  While she did this, Adan plotted out the activities for the following day.  Then the evening concluded with a nice dinner at an intimate Cambodian restaurant near the river.  Adan ordered a traditional meal of Loc Lak.  This is a dish centered on beef that is marinated in a sauce of soy, garlic, salt, black pepper, and even ketchup.  It also is served with a fried egg, diced tomatoes, and a side of white rice.  Pazi tried the Amok.  This is another popular and traditional Khmer style plate.  It's made of catfish in a coconut and turmeric sauce that is steamed to perfection in a banana leaf.   Tasty!

Day One
The first full day in Phnom Penh had us walking a lot.  We began with a nice continental breakfast at our hotel.  They offered the usual eggs, toast, and fresh fruit juices.  After eating we decided to visit the magnificent Royal Palace.  The facility's grounds are massive and exquisitely detailed but it was under construction.  However, at the time of our visit a good portion of it was off limits as it's the actual residence of the King.  The areas we were able to see didn't disappoint. 

The main pavilion, Chanchhaya, can be seen from outside the grounds and gives the palace a very distinctive look.  It appears that this area would be used by the royal family to sit and view festivities taking place below, however it is actually reserved for special, periodic moonlit dance performances.

Inside we paid about 15,000 riel ($4.00) to get inside.  The site's buildings are mainly a mix of wats, pavilions, halls, and stupas.  Each one sits like an island that floats above the pristine gardens that fill the entire complex.  During our visit there was only a few hundred other guests so it wasn't too crowded.  The palace was built about 1920, although the site has been used by Khmer royalty since the fifteenth century.

While the grounds are very traditional in Southeast Asian design, incorporating Buddhist architecture, there are touches of European flavor.  The best examples of this are the Throne Hall and the Pavilion of Napoleon III.  One is filled with ceiling frescoes and other is entirely constructed of iron.  We went on exploring the other dozen buildings on site for the next couple of hours.  Overall, the experience of visiting this landmark was definitely worthwhile. 

The rest of the day was spent wandering the city and visiting the many neighborhoods.  The next major site was Wat Phnom.  This Buddhist temple set on a hill overlooking the city and river, is often called the Temple of the Mountains or Mountain Pagoda.  It was originally built back in 1372 and stands 27 meters in height.  Currently the site of the temple is a city park where many locals go to hang out and stay cool under the many trees that provide shade during the hot days.

After another couple of hours walking, we sat down for dinner at a restaurant that served good drinks and had Wimbledon tennis matches on a big screen television.  Unfortunately, we ordered pizzas to mix things up and it the food was disappointing.  Oh well, not all meals will be great.

Day Two
We began the day with more walking.  Then eventually we ended up at the Phsar Thmey, also referred to as Central Market.  This market is very unique in that its design is unlike any other market we had seen before.  It is constructed with a major dome in the center and then four arms that branch out creating huge areas for vendors and their stalls.  It was built in 1937 and is still a very a happening place.  During our visit we saw the gamut of typical market goods that included souvenirs, clothing, jewelry, shoes, handicrafts, and art to name a few.  Pazi really enjoyed buying inexpensive home decor items and Adan found some really neat paintings during the visit.

The food options were limited in this area so we found a shopping mall and decided to see what food they had available.  Inside we found a restaurant that served Korean style fried chicken.  It was a chain of some sort.  The sauce they used on it was great.  It was sweet, yet had a punch of hot pepper to it.  This food definitely made up for our poor dinner the night before.

Our afternoon was visiting the French influenced areas of old downtown PP and other smaller wats.  Additionally, we spent some time locating an adequate driver to get us to the genocide historical sites of Phnom Penh.  After all this was done, we sat down at a Khmer style restaurant had a simple meal of Samlor kari and spicy papaya salad.  The main dish was a spicy coconut curry with chicken, potatoes, and onions.  It was decent food.

Day Three
This day would be our last full day of vacationing.  We decided to spend it visiting the most important sites in the area.  We hired a tuk-tuk driver to take us to several locations related to the mass genocide of Cambodia.  We struck a deal of $13 dollars for an all day excursion.  This guy wanted US money and not riels.

After breakfast at the hotel, we set out for The Killing Fields.  The name is harsh, but true.  From 1975-79, immediately after the Cambodia Civil War, the Khmer Rouge regime took over the country .  Under the leadership of Pol Pot, the Khmer Rouge shut down all the major cities and forced everyone to evacuate.  In doing so the regime transported thousands and thousands of people to be killed and buried in fields in the surrounding areas of Phnom Penh.  Many innocent people were murdered when they were thought to have been connected with the former government or foreign governments against the regime.

It took us about 40 minutes to reach the site.  We spent about an hour viewing the location of such heinous actions.  At one point we were shocked to find teeth and bones protruding from the ground!  We learned why when we overheard one guide mentioned to another group that experts estimate over one million Cambodians died during the genocide and many of the remains of those who perished are still being unearthed.  This visit was a very powerful experience for us.

The next spot we wanted to see was the Tuel Sleng Genocide Museum, also call S-21 Prison.  It was another 45 minutes to reach this site by tuk-tuk.  This museum was a high school that the Khmer Rouge regime converted into a prison.  The site has five building that were set up to detain, interrogate, and torture.  It was said that during the Khmer Rouge's five years of power any where from 17,000-20,000 individuals were imprisoned at S-21. 

It was a very somber experience as we learned about the cruel and painful details of prison life at this location.  Exhibits were set up to explain individuals accounts of the prison, torture and interrogation techniques were discussed, and displays about the trials of the regime's leaders were outlined.

At this point our driver wanted to take us to us semi and automatic weapons that are completely accessible to the public for use in Cambodia, but we regretfully declined.  Since we had him at our service for another couple of hours, we decided to visit the Russian Market.  Located about 30 minutes away, we trekked on over to this shopping haven dedicated predominantly to foreigners.  It got its name after a huge 1980s boom of Russians visiting Phnom Penh and the name has stuck ever since.  The market is decent, but nothing spectacular.  The stalls are filled with souvenirs, curios, luggage, shoes, and much more.  We did happen to find a few knick-knacks, but found a small cafe with milk teas to be a better place for us to hang out and watch the crowds go by for a bit.

Ultimately, we headed back to our hotel and washed up to have dinner.  Adan really wanted to eat at a Vietnamese restaurant he had seen the previous day so Pazi agreed.  It was small and plain looking restaurant, however the food was excellent.  We ordered all the classic dishes- fried spring rolls with fish sauce, spicy chicken, and mixed vegetables with gravy.

Day Four
Our last day in PP was short.  Our flight to Guangzhou was scheduled for 1:30pm so we decided to visit the National Museum for a couple of hours before leaving to the airport.

The museum is located just one block over from the Royal Palace.  Unlike the palace's bright shiny gold and white colors, the museum is done in a very distinctive rust red color.  It was built around the same time as the palace, 1920, and holds the world's largest collection of Khmer art.  Inside there is an incredible amount of sculptures, ceramics, bronzes, statues, and other artifacts related to Cambodia's rich history.  Due to the fact that it was 9:00am when we arrived, the place was relatively empty and allowed us to wander and examine the museum's exhibits freely.

After about an hour and a half, we headed back to the hotel to gather up our things and make our one final flight back to China after another series of amazing cultural experiences in Southeast Asia.          

SE Asia Summer Pt. 4

The fourth installment of our summer vacation was the UNESCO world heritage city of Luang Prabang.  We left Vientiane late in the morning with the plan to arrive at our new destination around noon.  The flight was only 425 kilometers (264 miles) north.  It was raining when we arrived at the airport and knowing that there was a driver waiting for us was a relief.  Since the airport was very small, we grabbed our bags and quickly saw our driver.  He helped us put our things in his van and we were off. 

It was about a fifteen minute drive until we reached a guesthouse the travel agency recommended.  It was a nice area, close to the main street in the city center.  Since we saw many accommodations along the way, Adan asked for a discount and ultimately was able to get a clean room with air conditioning for 150,000 kip (under $20) a night.  We planned to stay in Luang Prabang just two nights so it seemed to be a good option.

After settling in at the guesthouse, we noticed the rain had stopped.  We decided to stroll around the city center by foot and check things out.  The first site we came across was Wat Mai.  This temple dates back to the 18th century and is considered the largest wat in all of Luang Prabang.  It's located right next to the Royal Palace Museum. The museum seemed like it might've been worthwhile, however due to inconvenient operating hours we chose not to visit here.  Instead we crossed the street and climbed Mount Phou Si to see Wat Phou.  The weather was humid and as the sun crept out, the climb got hot.  In fact, Pazi chose to only go up half way and rest while Adan finished reaching the peak.

At the top of the 100m tall hill , is a Buddhist shrine and small golden stupa.  Although devote Buddhists might make this trek for worship, others come for the view.  At the peak is a stunning overlook of the city with the center being a peninsula dividing the mighty Mekong River to one side and the Nam Khan River to the other.

From here we explored a good portion of the peninsula and its smaller wats before having dinner.  We ate at what seemed to be  a very popular restaurant of local food.  We ordered a meal of traditional grilled chicken, spicy papaya salad, and sticky rice.  The food was tasty, however we saw a couple next to us eating grilled fish and it really made our mouths water.  At that point we decided that before leaving Laos we needed to try the fish.

Lastly, before going to rest at the guesthouse we visited the night market.  Here, dozens upon dozens of vendors set up shop selling clothes, artwork, snacks, handicrafts, and so much more.  We spent about two hours browsing.  Eventually Pazi had to buy something.  She couldn't actually find what she wanted so she special ordered her items.  She really wanted a complete dining set of place mates and table runner done in dark hessian cloth with a gold elephant stitching.  The lady she hired agreed, but needed one day to finish the pieces.  Pazi gave a down payment of 50,000 kip (less than $7) and would pay the other 70,000 (less than $9) the next evening when she picked up the order.

Exploring the Outskirts of Luang Prabang       
Our second day took us in and around Luang Prabang.  The driver from the previous day took us to see the city's most popular temple.  Located at the northern end of the peninsula, Wat Xien Thong is extremely popular with tourists.  In fact, when we visited at 9:00am there was already two very large groups and half a dozen other people viewing the wat's grounds.  The temple dates back to 1560 and has separate halls, stupas and even a reclining Buddah sanctuary.

After spending about 45 minutes at Wat Xien Thong, We took a windy and muddy 25 kilometer journey towards Pak Ou Caves.   This is supposedly an excursion where you take a boat out to see caves where many Buddha images and statues are placed by worshippers through the years.  Unfortunately, due to the recent rainfall the trails were blocked off due to heavy rain and we were never able to see anything.

Instead, we ventured towards Kuang Si Waterfalls.  This location is a nature park for locals and tourists alike.  It's highlight is a three tiered waterfall where shallow pools atop a steep hillside feed a larger 50m high waterfall.  This site is well maintained with bridges and walkways that guide visitors.  It was a little disappointing because with such heavy rainfall occurring around our visit, the waterfalls were dumping too much water down into the lower pools making it a mess to walk around.  Nevertheless, it was evident that when the weather is nice in Luang Prabang, this is a place to go see.

Our last destination to visit before it began to get dark was Wat Visoun and That Makmo.  This temple is considered to be the oldest temple in Luang Prabang build during the 16th century.  It's most striking feature is the enormous lotus stupa, That Makmo.  The original design of this wat was made of wood, however it was set on fire in 1887 during the sacking of Luang Prabang.  It was later rebuilt with brick and stucco finish.

Pazi really was craving pizza so we ate at the highly touted Swedish Pizza House and Scandinavian Bakery.  Lonely Planet says it is one of the best joints for foreign food in Luang Prabang.  We tried it and felt that it was alright, but nothing special.  Pazi really enjoyed there lemon ice tea, which reminded her of home.  The bakery was rather impressive, although we didn't order anything.  They had a large assortment of cakes, cookies, and pastries.

To end our night, Pazi went to go pick up her special order.  We were a bit nervous when we didn't see the same lady around her area from the night before, however the woman's daughter noticed us and brought Pazi here items.  We shopped up and down the main drag buying a few more small items before heading back to rest for our early flight back to Vientiane the next morning.      

SE Asia Summer Pt. 3

After a nice visit to Yogyakarta, we were off to Laos.  Adan really wanted to visit here because it's off the beaten path.  Many foreigners love to go to places like Thailand and Vietnam, however Laos is not nearly as popular.  The plan was to visit the capital of Vientiane and Luang Prabang.

Our first day in Laos was ...wet.  We arrived at the airport late since we needed to go Yogyakarta to Kuala Lumpur, and then Vientiane.  It was after 6:00pm when we finally arrived to heavy rains at Wattay International Airport.  The airport was quite small and badly outdated.  However, Laos is known for its "laid back" style (taking a long time to get things done) and lack of congestion (less people needing to use facilities and resources).  Vientiane only has a population of around 850,000 people making it the second smallest capital in Southeast Asia.

After locating a taxi, we made our way to the InterCity Hotel.  The rain made it difficult to gain a good first impression of the city as we drove into city center.  The major draw of our hotel was its price at 280,000 kip ($35 bucks) and its location right across the street from the mighty Mekong River (Thailand is on the other side).  It was nothing fancy, but we did have decent beds and a buffet breakfast included.  Once we arrived it was now pushing 7:30 and we were hungry from traveling all day.

Of course eating required us to go outside and brave the rain showers.  Lucky for us we stumbled upon an awesome local restaurant hidden down an alley way just 800 meters from the InterCity.  Called Mak Phet, this establishment caught our attention by how packed it was.  In fact, they were about to turn us away when we offered to eat on the patio where rain was falling near the tables.  They finally agreed and we sat down and ordered.  As we looked at the menu we found out that this restaurant was actually a vocational center where homeless and at risk youth were trained in culinary arts by a non-profit organization.  The food choices were very exotic to us.  Finally we decided on homemade Laotian rice noodles with curry, Mekong River fish with macadamian nuts, and Pazi's new favorite--papaya salad.

Within five minutes of ordering the couple at a table better protected from the rain left and the waiters insisted we move.  We did and within another 15 minutes our food arrived.  Everything was outstanding.  The freshness coupled with bold and new flavors we weren't accustomed to created fireworks in our mouths.  We can't remember the exact prices for these meals, but they weren't too pricey, somewhere in the range of $7-9 per plate.  After enjoying our meal we stayed and relaxed for a few minutes.  Since it was getting late and the rain was not dying down much, we made our way back to the hotel in hopes that day two would bring us better weather.

Wat To Do
We woke up to better weather on our second day in Vientiane.  It was overcast with light rain off and on.  We decided to visit the many  temples located around our hotel's neighborhood.  These temples, also called wats, are scattered everywhere  in Vientiane due to the high concentrations of Buddhists.  In the vicinity of our area there are four minor wats.  Each one has its own unique qualities.  Some are on large parcels of land with tombs of those who passed away, some are jammed in tight locations, others focus on the gold and crimson paint of the exterior, while others put more emphasis on statues of Buddha or animals placed around the temple.

As the weather improved, we became more confident to explore further into the city.  Eventually we ended up at Wat Sisaket.  Built in 1818, this wat is considered to be the oldest functioning temple in all of Laos.  It is a unique temple in that it is not in traditional Laotian style, but rather Siamese (Thai) style.  It has a ornate five-tiered roof and a surrounding terrace.  This ironically saved it from being destroyed when Siam sacked Vientiane in 1828.  They used it as their base headquarters at the time.  Another interesting feature here is the nearly 2,000 Buddha images, mainly statues of silver and ceramic, were done in a cloister wall.

Once we finished, we wanted to visit Wat Ho Phakeo, however it was closed during a 2-3 hour lunch and rest period.  Seeing us confused and unsure of what to do next, a driver came to try and sell us on a deal.  This was odd for very few locals in Laos trying to push tourists into buying their goods or services (a rarity anywhere else in the world).  However, this man was persistent to make a sell.  Finally, being the bargainers that we are, we offered him over 50% less than what he offered for his services.  He said no, but as we walked away he quickly changed his mind.  We had just agreed to take his tuk-tuk to three locations that would last us the rest of the day for about $20 bucks.

Our first stop was Pa Tu Xai, also referred to as the Victory Gate.  This is a war monument built between 1957-1968 to commemorate Laos independence from France.  It's an interesting site because of the fusion of architecture.  It has many French qualities, even at times referred to as a Laotian version of the Arc de Triomphe in Paris.  While at the same time, the design is decorated with many Buddhist elements as well.  Additionally, the location is a hot spot with locals.  Restaurants and snack shops are located within the lower level of the gate and people can relax here with family and friends.  For tourists, there are to staircases that take you all the way up to the top where at each floor there are souvenirs for tourists.

Next, we made our way to Pha That Luang.  This sacred Buddhist monument is said to be Laos most important national monument and such a symbol of nationalism that its golden stupa is a part of the national seal.  Built in the 16th century, King Setthathirat ordered its construction when he relocated the capital from Luang Prabang to Vientiane.  Unfortunately, it has been heavily damaged through invasions of others and has needed several reconstructions.  The design of the stupa is done in three levels with a total height of 50 meters (over 147 feet).  For us the nicest part about visiting historical sites such as this in Laos is that we were not bombarded with tourists.  In fact, half of the dozen or so people at Pha That Luang were Buddhist monks.  Interestingly enough, a couple asked Adan for a photo.

Finally, our destination was Xieng Khuan, or Buddha Park.  The location for this attraction would be nearly 25 kilometers away and in the back of tuk-tuk it seemed like an eternity.  This was an especially burdensome journey when you factor in the number of potholes and unpaved roads we took to get here.  It was a rough ride.  However, after about 40 minutes we arrived at what locals call Spirit City.  It gets this name from the 200 Hindu and Buddhist statues that fill this government-run park.  The park dates back to 1958 and has a mix of human, god, animal, and demon sculptures.  The most interesting one is what appeared to be a huge pumpkin-shaped depiction of hell, earth, and heaven.  Each level has view areas and staircases.  This location was a bit odd and creepy, however according to local tourist magazines it ranks as a top ten "attraction."

After taking the bumpy ride back, we decided to have a nice Turkish dinner at a restaurant down the road from our hotel.  The food was actually pretty good.  We ordered fresh bread with hummus, doner kebab, and chicken kebab.  After we ate we noticed that the main drag was having a decent sized night market.  We strolled up and down the sidewalks checking out handicrafts and other items for a couple hours before going back to the hotel.  Adan was proud of Pazi.  She resisted the temptation to buy anything that night.         

Lazy Last Day
Our next day in Vientiane was pretty low key.  We needed to work with a travel agency to get the right plane ticket to our next destination--Luang Prabang.  We wanted to leave the following day so we made it a priority to book tickets first thing that morning.  It took us about one hour, but we got everything resolved.  We even decided to get a driver in advance because of the deal we got from the agency. 

We had been wanting to visit Talat Sao, Morning Market, to see what it had to offer.  It was a decent walk from the hotel's neighborhood, however we decided to explore a bit.  Along the way we made stops at wats and other interesting buildings.  Eventually we made it to the market.  The setup for shopping here is quite interesting.  There is a traditional outdoor area with individuals selling from stalls.  Then right next door to this area is a newer building that houses all air conditioned shops on four levels.  It seems that slowly the more traditional outdoor market here is withering away as newer generations opt for what is more or less a mall.

For the next three hours we browsed both areas.  We purchased a few shirts and small souvenirs.  The highlight for us was eating lunch at the food court.  Adan was really wanting to try Laotian pho noodles.  We enjoyed them and noticed how they shared obvious commonalities with Vietnamese pho.  In case you're wondering, the meal is basically rice noodles in a broth served with meat, basil, lime, and bean sprouts.

We still needed to see one last temple--Wat Ho Phakeo.  This temple was constructed in 1565 with the main duty of housing the Emerald Buddha for the king.  Siam in the 18th century eventually seized Vientiane and took the Buddha to present day Thailand.  A number of years later the temple was completely destroyed during the Thai sacking.  In the following years leading up to present day, the wat has been rebuilt three times.  Now, it houses a museum and no longer serves as a temple of practice.  During our visit we really liked the tranquility of its location and the beautiful upkeep of the grounds.  Definitely worth an hour of any one's time to visit.

Our last piece of business before leaving Vientiane was to have a French dinner.  Every guide book talks about the French influence in Vientiane and how there's no better example than the food.  Since French cuisine can be rather costly we decided to give it a try--at least Adan did.  At the Le Terasse, Adan ordered a steak in red wine sauce with potatoes and vegetables.  Pazi wimped out and decided to have the four seasons pizza.  The food was fairly good.  The ingredients were fresh and service was good.  For the price of $22 dollars, we were happy to give it a try, but not impressed enough to crave it again.

SE Asia Summer Pt. 2

After visiting beautiful Bali, we hopped on a Garuda Airlines flight from Denpasar to Yogyakarta.  The trip was only about one hour long as it took us west from Bali to Java island.  The airport was small and unassuming.  We hired a taxi driver just oustide the airport parking lot at a lower rate and headed to city center.  The driver's name was Joko.  He was a native of Jogja (as they say and spell it).  You could tell he liked working with foreigners.  In fact, he showed us his notebook filled with testimonials from driving other tourists from around the globe.

Borobudur
We found a decent little guesthouse to stay at for about 180,00 rupiahs (about $20).  It was tucked away in a small alley just off the main drag of Malioboro Street.  We freshened up, and then quickly were off on our first excursion--Borobudur.  Joko recommended we see the most visited site in all of Indonesia the very first day because it was Wednesday, a work day for most, and the weather was ideal.

In around one hour we reached the town of Magelang, some 40 kilometers outside of Yogyakarta.  Here is were the 8th century Mahayana Buddhist monument Borobudur is located.  We entered the site park at the "Foreigners Entrance" area.  Here we paid a whopping 135,000 rupiah ($15) entrance fee when you consider the price of our hotel.  However, they did happen to have complimentary Internet, coffee, and bottled water here.

It was about a 10 minute walk from the gate to the actual candi, or temple.  After ascending a large staircase, the awesome sight of this renowned UNESCO world heritage site comes into view.  Dating back to roughly 800 AD, Borobudur was built as a single stupa and when seen from high above gives the appearance of giant mandala.  Each side of the massive square foundation at the bottom level is 118 meters (387 feet) long.  In total there are nine platforms, six lower square shaped and three higher circular shaped.  There are 2,672 relief panels and 504 Buddha statues carved as decoration.  The hallmark site of the monument is the top level where a main dome with 72 Buddhas inside stupas are located.

Borobudur was built as a shrine and place for Buddhist pilgrimage.  The idea was to walk around the sacred monument using a series of passageways and staircases viewing the relief panels' narratives at each of the nine platforms.  Since Indonesia converted to Islam some time in the around the 13th or 14th century, Borobudur was abandoned and left relatively alone for some time.  It wasn't until 1814 that a rediscovery of the incredible site was given worldwide attention.  Interestingly enough, it was lead by Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles who happened to be the British ruler of Java at the time.  This is the same Raffles who founded modern day Singapore.

We spent a good four hours marveling at the site.  Pazi also spent a fair amount of time taking pictures with Muslim Indonesian women.  For some reason, high school students to elderly women, all wanted to snap a shot with Pazi.  At first it was no big deal, however it did get a bit out of hand and then finally the people calmed down as it got into the late afternoon.  We stayed until sunset to take pictures.  As we were getting ready to leave a German guy named Jans came up to us desperate for help.  It turns out he just graduated from college.  He was traveling in Asia on a shoestring budget and got trapped out at Borobudur when he found out he missed the last city bus back to Yogyakarta.  Knowing it could cost him over $20 bucks to get to his hostel, we offered him a ride in our van with Joko.  Joko didn't mind at all and in fact picked Jans' brain the whole ride about German culture.  We learned that Jans was madly in love with an Italian grad student living with him in Berlin.  He decided after graduating from school to take a wild "road trip" as a way to reward himself.  He was a nice guy and was very appreciative when we dropped him off because we wouldn't accept any money from him.

Prambanan
Our second day in Jogja would be much different than our first.  Instead of hiring a driver, we decided to rough it by walking and taking local transportation.  Pazi said she was feeling good to walk since she was still in the early stages of pregnancy.

We had breakfast at a cafe close to our guesthouse and then found an Internet cafe to figure out how we would be getting to Laos in the next few days.  Ahh, thank goodness there's Air Asia.  We then spent a few hours wandering the streets seeing the local life and stopping to shop a bit a long the way.  The highlights were buying some really neat batik items and watching a young Indonesian boy jam out to the music of a street band.  Ultimately, the big attraction for us on day two was visiting the Prambanan Candi.  We learned that if we took the city bus it would only cost us 3,000 rupiahs ( $.35) for the 18 kilometer journey.  It was about a 40 minute bus ride but we were able to sit part of the way.

Prambanan Temple is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site.  The archaeological park dates back to the 9th century and is the largest Hindu temple in Indonesia.  The first thing we noticed was that the complex was much less occupied than Borobudur.  The entrance fee here cost us only 90,000 rupiahs (around $11).  Although not revered to the same level as Borobudur, we personally liked the feel of Prambanan much more.

The park had many temple sites that were obviously in different stages of both excavation and restoration.  The main temple was a towering 47 meters high and done in a traditional Hindu pointed-top architecture.  Unfortunately, it was closed off due to restoration.  Nevertheless, we were able to tour over half a dozen smaller temples and the freedom to wander so freely was great.  With almost no security in sight, it reminded us of Siem Reap in Cambodia.  The fact that crowds were so small made the experience even better.  Once again we stayed until sunset to take those beautiful shots of the temples.

Taman Sari, Kraton, and Beringharjo
This was our last day in Jogja.  We decided to hit a few tourist sites close by, then have a nice lunch, and finish our day with shopping at the markets.

After eating a quick meal close to the guesthouse, we headed over to see Taman Sari, Water Castle.  This attraction, recently renovated in 2004, was actually nice considering we stumbled upon it.  Our guide books didn't talk much about it so we really weren't sure what to expect.  It was funny that we even got inside.  Since we had no idea what was inside, we really didn't want to pay to go in.  Eventually an older man caught on to our uncertainty of wanting to pay and gave us a hint that around a small jalan, street, we could see everything.  We decided to take his recommendation considering that it was daylight and the area was probably the nicest in all of the inner city.

Sure enough, we ended up see the entire complex using his suggestion.  The site is a former royal garden of the Sultanate.  It's located just under two kilometers away from the Kraton, Sultan's Palace.  It was built in the 18th century and is made up of four main areas.  There is an artificial lake complete with islands and pavilions.  A bathing complex sits in the center.  Lastly, there is a smaller lake on the south side.  The attraction is consider a "tentative" world heritage site.  Although small, it was worth the peak given to us by our local friend.

From here we continued on to the Sultan's Palace, the kraton.  Located at the center of the city, this 200 year old complex is kind of like a city within the city.  It does indeed house the Sultan's living quarters, however it also serves as a historical museum of Yogyakarta history.  We walked through the areas open to the public and viewed photos of previous sultan's and their families, gifts from foreign dignitaries, and royal chambers.  Our time here was around one hour and thirty minutes.  Not bad considering we paid 3000 rupiah (under $.40).

Next, Adan wanted to take Pazi out for a nice lunch.  He had read about a neat restaurant in a different tourist area of Jogja named Jalan Prawirotaman.  We took a cylo taxi to the location since it was about 4 kilometers away.  The restaurant was called Via Via Cafe and it didn't disappoint.  The building it was in was a simple two story design with a white exterior.  Inside minimal earth tone interior decorating was done.  Locally handcrafted tables and chairs filled the dining area.  Several foreigners were  having their lunch and taking advantage of the free WiFi.  The service was good and the food was even better.  We both decided to have fabulous organic chicken burgers.  The ingredients were very fresh and tasty.  We enjoyed the atmosphere here so much we decided to order drinks afterward eating and simply relax for another 30 minutes.  By doing so we learned that the cafe was actually an establishment of 12 restaurants on 4 continents started by a group of Belgian friends.  Their mission is to showcase local culture and arts while at the same time promote eco-friendly tourism.

Our last spot to visit before leaving Jogja was the massive Pasar Beringharjo.  At this site is the ever popular people's market that dates back to 1758.  It name means "place of the Banyan trees."  This has historical significance in that before the actual building for the market was constructed in the early 20th century, the people of Yogyakarta used the shade of the trees to allow them to trade and buy goods during hot days.  Now, a few Banyan trees still remain at the back of the market as a reminder of days past.

We decided to conquer the market from the back and work our way to the front.  This strategy would eventually take us to Jalan Malioboro the area near our guesthouse.  Much like other world markets, Beringharjo sells just about everything:  meat, vegetables, snacks, houseware, hardware, souvenirs, and clothes to name a few.  Jogja is famous for its batik of brilliant colors such as maroons matched with golds so we shopped for these articles the most.  Pazi found very nice shirts, dress, and skirts for low prices.  They ranged from about 40,000-170,000 rupiahs ($5-20 dollars).  Most of the vendors were very nice and worked with us even with the language barriers.  We new a few numbers in the Bahasa language, but not much else.

By the time we finished shopping we were exhausted.  We relaxed on the street near our guesthouse by having a simple dinner. Later, we packed up our things and went to bed early in preparation for a 7:00am  flight to Laos the next morning.    

SE Asia Summer Pt. 1

One of the best perks we have as teachers in south China is our proximity to Southeast Asia.  This past summer vacation we decided to take full advantage of this benefit (especially since it was early in the pregnancy).  After much thought, we chose visiting Indonesia, Laos, and Cambodia.

The trip did not start on a real high note.  First, our flight to Kuala Lumpur was delayed over an hour.  Then the connecting flight from KL to Bali was delayed three hours.  Between all of these delays, Pazi's laptop crashed!  We had barely started day two and things weren't look great.  Funny how getting to your resort and the beach in Bali can make you forget all about everything else.

This trip to Bali was short and sweet.  It was planned this way by design.  We decided to spend three plus days here for our fourth wedding anniversary--summer solstice, June 21.  Since we arrived at the hotel a bit later than intended, we spent a couple hours at the beach until sunset and then went out for a nice Indian dinner.  It was a very laid back and relaxing time.  In many ways, Bali reminds us of Hawaii.  From the culture to the food to the hang loose mentality, many things are common between the islands.

Our second day was overcast so we decided to do a bit of shopping.  Bali has some of the best souvenir shops and they're dirt cheap, so we casually browsed for much of the morning.  We remembered missing out on an extremely popular rib shack next door at our hotel from a previous trip and made sure to have lunch here.  The food was excellent.  We shared baby back ribs and chicken with a homemade barbecue sauce, corn on the cob, mashed potatoes, and green salad.  All this grub and for around 150,000 Indonesian Rupiahs (well under $20 bucks).

After lunch the weather had improved and we were ready to hit the beach.  Since our hotel was right across the street from Legian's main beachfront, we spent the next four or five hours between the two spots.  As nightfall approached we washed up and headed out for dinner.  This time Adan noticed a Turkish/Greek restaurant and was really in the mood for kebabs and gyros.  The food was excellent.  Adan ordered lamb and Pazi had her usual chicken.  We also tried their hummus and pita.  The meals did not disappoint.

For the last day, Adan wanted to take an excursion to see the town of Ubud.  Located amongst rice paddies and steep ravines, Ubud has a certain charm that draws in tourists.  The city center is comprised of art galleries and handicraft shops.  Unfortunately, because so many tourists have started to flock here, the prices are quite high in most areas.  However, we hired Mogan, our driver from a previous trip, to be our guide.  He recommended that we stroll around town and eventually take a visit to the Ubud Market.  Here we could purchase good quality art and handicrafts for lower prices than at the street shops.  He was right, but it still required us to haggle and negotiate.  Pazi found paintings, table runners, place mates, and many other things to take home. 

After all this shopping we told Mogan to take us to his favorite eating spot for Babi Guling.  We crave this famous Balinese dish because of its similarities to chicharones, carnitas, and tripas.  The suckling pig is brought in three different types.  First, you have the crispy skin.  Then there's the tender meat. Lastly, you have intestines.  Each plate also consists of white rice and a local green vegetable called Lawar.  What an amazing dish and great way to end out our time in Bali.

Big Announcement

It's official!  We're expecting.  We'll find out if it's a boy or girl in July!  Stay tuned...

The Days are Packed

The end of the 2010-11 school year flew by!   
We wrapped up spring with middle school basketball, Spanish club, end of the year school program, secondary sports banquet, and senior graduation.  Wow, were we busy.  Although these things took a lot of time and effort, we enjoyed them and they helped us reach summer vacation.

Pazi's class had their annual end of the year program at a very nice international hotel in downtown Dongguan.  The event was a time for the kids to showcase all their talents--singing, dancing and even acting.  Pazi's 5 year old class did a great job performing to the song Reflections from the Disney movie Mulan.  Several of her students also played in a violin number that kicked off the evening.  Very talented group!

Another big event to share was the secondary sports banquet.  This was an event that Adan and another teacher had envisioned putting together for several months.  The idea was to recognize student athletes that demonstrated, throughout the school year and sports seasons, both athletic and academic achievement.  It took place at a brand new Brazilian restaurant near our school campus.  It was a formal affair and trophies were presented for awards such as Team MVPs, Most Improved, and Hustle.  For being a first annual, the awards dinner went quite well.

Lastly,  we celebrated the third graduating class in our school's short history.  The group consisted of eight.  The event went very well.  The students planned the entire program agenda.  The evening began with the graduates singing a musical number.  Later, half of the group gave graduation speeches, and they even asked Dr. Johnson, our science teacher, to be their keynote. 

Watch for our summer travels next!