Traveling Diary: March 2010 Archives

Occasionally we are blessed with someone who enters our lives for the sole purpose to rekindle our faith - faith in the human race; in destiny; in ourselves; in the power of thoughts; in the strength of laughing - in anything we need at that moment. Sebastian has been just that for me, and so it was with more than a buzzing thrill and eerie calmness that I welcomed him back to Beijing a few weeks ago for some exploring, fun, serendipity, and vessels...yep, that's right (there are 6 meanings for the word vessel based on our google search).

He allowed me to 'squire him about town' in a manner such that I laughed so hard I cried, sorted out my life, and remembered that you can teach an old dog new tricks... "Baxter, is that you!?! Baxter, bark twice if you're in Milwawkee!"

We went to the odd ancient town in Sichuan province.

Waxed philosophically with the pandas.
Me: do you want to hold a baby panda?
Bastian: maybe
Me: wrong answer
Bastian: um... yes?
Me: wha? Wrong answer!
Bastian: oh, uh no?
Me: Hm. Right answer.


And prayed with the Tibetans under their flags and gave thanks with their prayer wheels.
"Be mindful of your thoughts as they turn into words; be weary of your words as they become your actions; be aware of your actions as they become your habits - and it is your habits which ultimately form your destiny."


During our multiple (read: double digit) hour bus rides (some planned, others not-so-planned) we staved off boredom by speaking French, reading, listening to music,  and I learned some basic, yet essential Finnish.  
I will give you a preview:
Hei, mittä kuuluu?
"hi, how are you?"
Anteeksi saesinko kaksi olutta kiitos.
"excuse me, can I please have 2 beers"
Hyvää yötä
"good night"
Oh, and there were others, I tell you there were! But this selective memory of mine only chooses to remember that which I believe I will need.

Note: yes, the previous 4 picture in this post were altered in an attempt to be creative. But I swear on my mp3 sunglasses (the only thing i own these days of value that is not broken or lost) that have done nothing to alter the following pics. This one here is from the window of the chicken bus we took through the Gansu mountains. I was neither a fan of the dust nor the smoke but we managed to keep sane with a lot of humor and a little bijiu.

Aside from the company, the highlight was certainly JiuZhaiGou 九寨沟 which now rests permanently at the top of my long list of amazing places to go in China. HuangShan is now a strong number 2. And the great wall, Simatai would have to be #3.

Aside from the stupendous scenery in the form of teal green crystal clear lakes, white mossy waterfalls, and flooded forests, the Tibetans with their yak butter tea, amulets and 10%/vol. barley beer also seared into our minds memories we will never forget. Wait, I just realized I am writing in the 'we' form. When in Rome.....

I had almost a full week alone before Cat arrived from a business/pleasure trip in Australia. I tried very hard to relax and I think I might have actually succeeded a bit (a first!?). My general daily routine went along the lines of: get up at 6; run; walk to the beach; coffee on the beach; study and/or read; swim; beachcomb at low tide; read more; another coffee; study more; swim again; feel sunned-out; walk home; drive to internet café for emails; eat street food; drive home sleepily; read in bed; fall into a deep sleep at 10. Quite a healthy little routine, I'd say...which was slightly but not fully changed upon Cats' arrival... Mere trivial things such as an addition of about 6 or 7 beers and 4 or 5 hours of work each day were added - what was deducted from the previous schedule I couldn't tell you, but it somehow worked out.

Our first day and night together after a long year apart of course involved beach time, hugs, tears, laughs, beers, and we had to go to none other than the fateful spot we'd met years earlier...and watch a famous unbeatable Uluwatu sunset.

After a few days of catching up with Cat, I'd run into Brad, a Calgarian who was headed up to Lovina (Northern Bali) with a local for some Hindu sacrifices and prayer. I am pretty sure it is a universal law to have to accept invitations such as this. So of course not wanting to break important laws, I conceded. Bradly and I spent the next 30 hours or so learning all about Hinduism and balancing that with doing some ridiculously touristy things (do not go on the dolphin tour!). During this short period we also managed to (in chronological order): see a sun set; see a MOON set; become groupies in a band; watch the sun rise; have a dolphin do a triple-sow-cow two feet away; get invited to a cock fight; get drunk; and get sunburned beyond belief...then just to punctuate the time that this all took place in, at this point in the chronological list, our friend came back from Temple, and picked us up...it was 11 am.

Moon set

Sun rise

Him: you want see cock fight?
Me: Whoa, dude,  it's not even 10am!
Him: cock fight!?!?
Me: Well at least let me get a picture of this.



Upon return I had a bit of work to do. Monday we went to our tailor and made a big order for all the stores in Australia. And we had a lot of meetings about our first year in business and plans for next year.

But of course no matter how much we worked during the day, it was essential to end it with a Bintang and a sunset on the beach. After a few Bintang one night at the beach by our house, I got a little artsy with these three boys who were playing in the waves as the sun set.
 



After a week or so of work, Cat and I were ready for a break. So Cat decided to take me on an 8-hour-3rd-world-boat-ride to the land of Muslims and Malaria: Lombok.



I will underexaggerate my dislike for this place by showing some great pictures and holding back the few near death, near mugging, full on chase, stuck cars, and true vandalism stories. But I will say I felt unsafe the entire time, and unfortunately have a new view on Muslims in general that I never wanted but I hope will one day soon be changed.

The Sunday market

Of course I would never miss an opportunity to embarrass myself at the expense of making you laugh, so I will, red faced, tell you briefly that we did a photo shoot in the back alleys of Kuta for the new Winter 2011 line. (a very special thanks to Alex Pekar for his exceptional photography skill!) And since we could neither find on short notice nor afford a real model, Cat and I made do.
She is a natural... I, on the other hand, am a natural nerd!