Cebu

RL had business in Cebu City, Philippines so we decided to travel there from Hong Kong for a long weekend prior to his Monday meetings.

Cebu is a province of the Philippines, and consists of several islands. The largest is the island of Cebu. Lexmark has a large presence there, and is currently erecting Cebu City’s largest building.

The first thing I noticed was the colorful jeepneys. Jeepneys are a popular means of public transportation in the Philippines. They were originally made from US military jeeps left over from World War II and are well known for their creative decoration and crowded seating. When American troops began to leave the Philippines at the end of World War II, hundreds of surplus jeeps were sold or given to local Filipinos. Locals stripped down the jeeps to accommodate several passengers, added metal roofs for shade, and decorated the vehicles with bright colors and shiny chrome hood ornaments. I saw a Jeepney with a church steeple on top, for example. They get terrible gas mileage and cause a lot of traffic congestion, but they are sure fun to see. I believe they will hold about 20 people, including those that hang on to the sides. They are not air conditioned, either. Not a seat belt in sight.

RL and I stayed at a beautiful resort, The Shangri-La Mactan Resort (www.shangri-la.com/en/property/cebu/mactanresort) . Security was extremely tight, there. We had to wait to check in, so we decided to grab a bite at one of the restaurants by the beach. One of the guards stepped forward on our way down asking if we were guests. After explaining to him what we wanted to do, he notified the other guards to let us pass. We also traveled with a driver and a security guard. The guard did not enter the resort, but everywhere we went outside of the resort, he tailed us. Too weird.

We spent three beautiful days there, relaxing and reading. The most memorable event was the couple’s massage. Fabulous. It was RL’s first massage and I have never seen him more relaxed.
Hope we can return someday. The Filipinos are very friendly and fun folks who love their music and the islands are gorgeous.

The Temples of Angkor

Angkor Wat is the largest temple complex in the world. RL and I consider ourselves so fortunate to have had the opportunity to visit this site as well as the many other temples in the surrounding area. One of these temples, Ta Prohm, was featured in the movie "Tomb Raider".


The temples are a photographer's dream with the magnificence and intricate details of the structures coupled with the ever changing effects of light.



We spent three hot, dusty days exploring the temples, built to worship the gods (mostly Hindu or Buddhist). We climbed to dizzying heights on steps so steep and narrow that I am thankful we left the country unhurt. We used flashlights to poke around in dark chambers. We stood in awe of the jungle that ever encroaches on the ruins. It was all worth it. The temples are pure rock that arise out of the dust with mystery and grandeur. They have been left alone for centuries. But that is not for much longer. The hotels are rapidly being built in Siem Reap, the town closest to Angkor Wat. Tourism is on the rise.

Our stay in Siem Reap was also fun. At night, we walked down to a district filled with bars, cafes, and restaurants. Angelina Jolie is a hero there. We ate one night at supposedly her favorite spot when she is in town, The Red Piano.

Here is a web site that will give you more information:

http://www.nationalgeographic.com/media/traveler/angkor.html

Beijing-Day 3

Beijing Day 3:

Silk Factory

Hutong Tour via rickshaw

Prince Gong's Palace

Lunch

Back to Hong Kong

The silk factory was very interesting and we purchased a silk bed coverlet for an excellent price.

The Hutongs are the traditional alleys and homes of old Beijing. Interesting, but not my favorite.

Bejing Day 2

Beijing Day 2:

Ming Tombs/Sacred Way

Cloisonne Factory

Tianamen Square

The Forbidden City

Jingshan Park

Summer Palace

Acrobatic Show

Beijing-Day 1

Day 1:

Arrival Beijing Peninsula Hotel
Temple of Heaven
Peking Duck Dinner

Kung Fu Show

Finally, after living in Asia/HK for over a year, RL and I visited Beijing. We arrived around noon and were met at the airport by our English speaking guide, Ellen Fan (pronounced Fawn) and our non-English speaking driver.

Our first site to visit was the Temple of Heaven. This is a temple complex where the emperor made prayers and burnt offerings to the gods and his ancestors during the winter solstice. The emperor, after all, was considered the son of the gods. This was very important to the people as it was believed it affected whether the coming year had a good harvest. The temple was off limits to common people and all women.

Before entering the gate to the complex, you first walk along a covered walkway where today local people, particularly the retirees, gather to practice tai chi, play musical instruments, sing or fly kites. It is extremely long and even makes a 90 degree turn.

There is not one building or temple that is the Temple of Heaven, instead, it is a walled-off area with the main buildings all connected on a north-south axis elevated pathway. It was believed that the north direction was associated with heaven and the gods. The main entrance would be through the south gate and you walk north, allowing the emperor to get closer to the gods and his ancestors. The Forbidden City is laid out like this as well.

By the way, the emperor never walked, he was always carried. Also, usually there would be three or more openings or three or more bridges, or three or more steps-- get the picture?--and only the emperor was allowed to use the center one... always. No one else. The one exception is the entrance to the Forbidden City. The empress was allowed through the center gate on her wedding day.

That evening, we were taken to a restaurant famous for Peking duck-- supposedly a must when you go to Beijing. It was really good, but I think I like the Peking duck better in Hong Kong or Shenzhen. BTW, the Chinese that work with RL agree with us.

And then, to finish the night, we attended the Beijing Kung Fu Show. A must see! Fantastic!

The Modern Toilet

RL and I were in busy Mong Kok (a neighborhood in Kowloon) one Saturday and I noticed this billboard on the side of a building:

Yes, your eyes are not deceiving you-- that is food in bathroom fixtures! "Digest" that for a moment.

Strange, but this is an advertisement for a Taiwanese restaurant...no kidding! It is a chain restaurant, too. (McDonald's watch out for the competition.)

This is the sign for the restaurant which is located on Portland Street.

To say the least, the restaurant offers a very unique dining experience.

You are seated at a bathtub for a table, sit on life-size toilets, and your food is served in miniature toilet bowls and urinals.

How's that for appetizing! Makes my mouth water, or is that nausea?

They even serve a little "poop" on the side...

One of their specialities is "Hot Pot in Milk Broth, Toilet #3" Yum Yum!

Perhaps Karl Crase, our friend who owns Hall's on the River should look into bring this franchise to KY. "Out house" booths could be a hit!

Bon appetite!

Martha and Charlie On Their Morning Run...By R.L.

For those of you who know Martha, she is the poster child for perseverance. She has been running daily for many years and Dillon our black lab was her first great running buddy. Now she has Charlie....and he is probably the best running companion Martha could ever have.

Mart and Charlie get up every morning around 5:00 am to go out for their run. There is a reason for this time of day.....(refer to earlier blog about Hong Kong residents and their fear of dogs!) The security guards in our complex and all the early walkers know them very well!

Anyway, this is not like running at the Champions (Martha really misses that so much) but city running with hills and cars. Early morning relieves the car problem but not the hills. It is quite special for me seeing them run everyday. Who would have thought they would be in Hong Kong running together. They are the best of buddies.

I have attached a slideshow of Mart and Charlie. You can click on the picture to take control, then movie cursor to the top of the picture to read a few of the headers and to control the show. Enjoy......R.L.


Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

Since arriving in HK, I have discovered that I have broken many rules on the use of chopsticks. There are Japanese rules and rules that apply to the Chinese. .. . and there are lots of rules. So here is what I have discovered.

The Chinese invented chopsticks for eating, and they have been around a lot longer than spoons and forks. The knife is older but it was used as a weapon, not for eating. Chopstick use got a further boost when Confucius considered the knife and fork to be violent and chopsticks to reflect gentleness and benevolence. So, the belief in Confucianism pretty much banned instruments used for killing from the dining table. That also explains why Chinese/Japanese food is always chopped into bite size before it reaches the table. (Of course, that does not explain why the chopped chicken pieces still have bones. I pretty much avoid those dishes. I just can't get used to the idea of spitting out bones. There are times when a knife would make it so much easier!)

One of the mistakes I recently made was drinking the hot tea when it was first brought to the table. You’re saying right now, what’s was wrong with that? Well, when a large empty bowl is set in the middle of the table, you are suppose to first “clean” your tea cup, plate, rice bowl, and chopsticks with the tea by rinsing/pouring tea over these items and discarding the tea in that large bowl. RL told me too late that I was committing a faux pas. I bet the waiter had a good laugh!

Here are more rules---
Don’t use your chopsticks to shift dishes around.

Don’t wave your chopsticks about in the air while trying to decide what to eat next or as gesture during talking. Don’t lift your index finger off of the chopsticks either. Just generally understand that pointing is bad.

Don’t rummage about in the food looking for the tastiest morsel.

Don’t pick up a dish with the hand that is holding the chopsticks.

Don’t lick them or spear food with the points. (Darn, my favorite trick eating with chopsticks!)

Don’t hold the chopsticks with your fist, since this appears as if they are being held as a weapon.

In situations where you are taking from a common food dish or if you are serving someone, serve using the opposite end of the chopsticks (the end which doesn't touch your mouth.) I find it is best just to ask for another set up chopsticks or a spoon and use them only for serving.

Don’t tap your chopsticks on the side of your rice bowl (it simulates a beggar asking for money).

Don’t tap your chopsticks on the table to even them up. Tap them in your palm.

When served a whole fish, do not turn it over. (RL says there is a way to do this, but I just wouldn't go there.)

You shouldn't hold your chopsticks too close to the food end. The further you can hold your chopsticks away from the picking up end the more "cultured and refined" you appear to be.

Don’t pull that stringy bok choy stalk out of your mouth with your fingers, use your chopsticks (easier said than done).

To eat noodles, pick them up with your chopsticks, bite down, then use your chopsticks to “capture” the remaining noodles and return them to your bowl.

Do not rub wooden chopsticks together to remove splinters. If you see a splinter, remove it with your fingers.

Raise your rice bowl close to your mouth and shovel the rice into your mouth with your chopsticks, don’t leave the bowl on the table.

Do not cross your chopsticks. (Crossed chopsticks are, however, permissible in a dim sum restaurant. The waiter will cross them to show that your bill has been settled, or you can do the same to show the waiter that you have finished and are ready to pay the bill.)

Do not lay your chopsticks parallel on top of your rice bowl—it sends the message that you are dissatisfied with your meal. It also is considered a sign of bad luck.

Several no-nos that have to do with death (not good for the digestion)--

Don’t stick your chopsticks upright into your bowl of rice (looks like the way incense is presented at a funeral and it also looks like a tombstone)

Don’t pass food from your chopsticks to another person's chopsticks. Place the food down on a plate to transfer. (This is like the passing of bones among the family after someone has been cremated. I guess they do that.)

When you lay your chopstick down, make sure they are even. If one appears longer than the other, it recalls a Chinese idiom “three longs and two shorts”, a reference to how traditional Chinese coffins are made.

Do not drop your chopstick on the floor. Ancestors sleep underground after death and dropping things like chopsticks could scare them and wake them up.

And finally, a very useful tip from RL’s China experience—if the chopsticks come in a paper sleeve, save it. You can fold it up and use it to rest your chopsticks on while eating so that your chopsticks don’t touch the table if you are not provided a "rest". When finished with your meal, you can return your used chopsticks back into the paper wrapper half way and then fold the end up…Voila! (oops, that's French..)

Example of a Cantonese Teen Daily Diet

Posted recently in the South China Morning Post was the typical daily diet of James Chim Wai-chiu, age 17:

Breakfast: Instant noodles; water

Lunch: Bowl of rice, half a bowl of vegetables, half a bowl of meat

Dinner: Bowl of rice, half a bowl of vegetables, half a bowl of meat

Eating out with friends: Cafe de Coral (Asian fast food)--baked pork chop with rice, red bean fleecy (an ice drink made with red beans)

It was recommended by the SCMP dietitian that he needed more fish, fruit, and dairy products. She suggested changing the instant noodles for udon, soba or rice noodles and adding left-over vegetables from dinner. Also he should add a glass of milk or calcium-fortified soy milk with a piece of fruit. That's it! A picture of James shows a very thin Asian kid. He must be doing something right....

Festival of the Hungry Ghost August 26, 2007

Chinese legend has it that a long time ago, there lived a young man, Mu Lian and his widowed mother. His mother was a wicked woman. She often turned away beggars who came to her door asking for food. She liked to jeer at the working poor and their dirty clothes; in essence, the only person she cared about was herself.

Mu Lian on the other hand was a kind soul. He was a gentle person and always willing to help anybody who was in need. One day he decided to become a monk and this did not please his mother. She scowled at him for being such a useless son; she wanted him to go out and work to earn more money for her. Wealth and materialistic things meant more to her than anything else.

When she saw that she could not dissuade her son, a plan began to hatch in her mind. She decided to play a trick on the monks just to get back at them for taking away her son. Now it was the custom to offer food to the monks (this custom still exists to this very day), but only vegetarian food. Mu Lian’s mother thought that it was nonsensical that these monks did not eat meat, so one day she offered food to some monks and slipped in some non-vegetarian items. The wicked woman was punished immediately and was sent to hell. Mu Lian wanted to save his mother’s soul because he knew her soul was suffering.

He set out and ventured deep into the bowels of hell. Soon he came upon his mother and he saw that she was sitting on a bed of very sharp pointy stakes and was holding on to a basin of blood.
Mu Lian tried feeding her some food but the food would either turn into fire or blood. It was hopeless: he couldn’t do anything for her so he left. He returned home and started to pray.
It is said that Buddha heard Mu Lian’s prayers and was touched by Mu Lian’s compassion. Thus Buddha decreed that once a year, the gates of hell be opened so that the lost souls will be able to roam the earth and be fed. This is why every year on the seventh day of the seventh month in the lunar calendar, the Chinese celebrate the festival of the hungry ghost. This is one of five major festivals in the Chinese culture.

Food and drink will be offered at night outside the gates of houses. This is so that the ghosts do not enter their houses and cause trouble. A traditional food made for this festival is steamed sweet bread. Lanterns are lit to help guide the ghosts to the feasts set out for them. Special paper money is also burned as offerings to these ghosts so that they can take it back to hell and spend it there. To make sure that these souls stay out of trouble, entertainment is set up round the clock, mainly Chinese operas performed on outdoor stages. No marriages or dangerous journeys, such as sea voyages, are embarked on, either.

Suzhou, China

On Monday, June 21, I traveled with RL on one of his business trips. Our first stop (of two) was Suzhou, China. We flew into Shanghai airport (3 hours) and then we were transported to our hotel via auto (2 hour trip). The entire way from the airport to Suzhou, all we passed were manufacturing plants and industrial parks. So much is manufactured here that the seaport of Shanghai is ranked, arguably, as the busiest port in the world. They just surpassed Singapore for that honor.

I guess every city in China ia massive. Suzhou has a population of 5.8 millon people, and I can believe it. Suzhou is called the “Garden City of China”. We were very fortunate as we were able to schedule some time to explore “The Humble Administrator’s Garden.” I don’t think I have seen so many Chinese pavilions in my life! The garden was built around 1500 A.D and is one of four of the most famous gardens in China. These gardens were created by retired officials and ancient scholars, and were privately owned. At the end of the blog, there is their web site should you want to see more.

Suzhou has also long been called the "Venice of China" because of the canals that run through the city. The canals, along with the remnants of a moat that once surrounded Suzhou, are linked to the Grand Canal (Da Yunhe), which is the world's longest artificial waterway, stretching from Beijing to Hangzhou. Da Yunhe was once the main transportation route for eastern China.

I thoroughly enjoyed my two day stay there. One thing for sure, I would never drive in China. Motorcycles, scooters, bikes, cars, trucks, and people—lots of them, too—and there are no rules. You just have to close your eyes.

http://www.szzzy.cn/en/home.cfm

Korea and the DMZ

Hi everyone, this blog entry is about a tragic part of history that continues to live on to this day… the division of North and South Korea.

While in Seoul, I convinced RL to take a half day and go to the DMZ (Demilitarized Zone) between North and South Korea. He did not have time for the full day tour, which would have taken us to the Joint Security Area (JSA). The JSA is the closest you can get to North Korea without being shot. I want to do that trip next time. Not sure, but I think if you are a South Korean you are not allowed to go to the JSA unless you have special permission.

Trip requirements:--You have to be a part of an official tour; otherwise you cannot get into the DMZ. There are dress restrictions: no open-back shoes, flip flops, etc. -- in case something happened and you have to run. You have to look nice, conservatively dressed in case the North Koreans decided to take any propaganda pictures. So, no tank tops, spaghetti straps, shorts or skirts above the knees are allowed. The South Koreans were pretty serious about that. You have to carry your passport and agree to behave as instructed throughout the tour by your guide. And finally, you sign an agreement absolving the UN and South Korea government of responsibility in case of any injuries due to “enemy action” while on the tour. Doesn’t it already sound scary??

From Seoul, our tour bus drove along a flat, straight highway named the Freedom Road. That takes about 45 minutes. (This means if you live in Seoul, the enemy is practically in your back yard.) The bus was halted at a military check point once we reached the Imjingang River. This is the end of the line if you are not apart of a tour. The bus was boarded by military from the UN and they examined everyone’s passport VERY closely. No one was turned away on our bus, thank goodness. We then crossed the bridge over the river, known as the Unification Bridge, and entered into the Civilian Limit Zone. Barbed wire lines the wide, deserted highway to keep people away from the land mines.

The Korean DMZ is often referred to as the most dangerous place on earth. It is really strange. On both sides of the 2 ½ mile wide, 155 mile long strip of land separating the countries you have troops, guard posts, tanks, gun emplacements, and missiles. You are honestly scared, who knows when it could all blow up? But on the other hand, the land within the strip is peaceful and tranquil. Human contact has been limited since 1950 and because of this, the most heavily armed border in the world has become one of Asia’s greatest nature preserves. Talk about irony.

Underground had its exciting moments, too. Four tunnels were found in the 1970's on evidence provided by a North Korean engineer who defected to the South. These tunnels were a part of a North Korean invasion strategy. We were allowed to tour the 3rd infiltration tunnel, which would have allowed 30,000 invading soldiers to pass through per hour into South Korea. WOW! The tunnel was dug by prisoners using dynamite and took about 6 years to construct. The tunnel walls were painted black so that they could say they were just mining for coal. Pretty lame excuse, don’t you think? In actuality, the tunnel walls are granite. If you live in North Korea, you are told that the South Koreans dug the tunnels.

Loaded back on the bus, we were next taken to Dorasan Station. In an act of "Field of Dreams" optimism, this modern, spacious train station has been constructed in preparation for the day that trains can run freely from Seoul in the South to Pyeongyang in the North. The platform signs already direct passengers to the "Track for Seoul/Pyeongyang". This huge, modern deserted building makes you feel like you are in a ghost town. You can see behind glass doors lines for customs and baggage checks. They even have a stamp on hand for passports. We had our passports stamped and also some postcards.

One other point of interest, which we could see in the distance on North Korean soil, is an industrial complex erected by South Korea that employs North Korean labor. It is expected that more than 300 South Korean factories will be operating within this special zone in the near future. South Korea even pays for the electricity. It is South Korea’s hope that this will lead to more cooperation between the two countries and eventually a more open border.

Some other interesting facts:
--The town of Tae Sung Dong, or “Freedom Village,” exists entirely within the DMZ. About 250 people live in this farming village, pay no taxes and earn an average of about $80,000 a year per person. Each resident must live there 240 days out of the year. Women can marry into the village but men cannot.

--A South Korean quick-reaction force is housed within the DMZ. Its record time for arriving at the JSA in full battle gear, about a mile away, is 42 seconds.

--Officers of the 8th Army U.N. Command Security Battalion are nicknamed “The Monks” for their work habits and isolation from other units.

Our Garden

The Bandy Garden... or Charlie's private loo.........

This is the view of our small garden from the closet, oh, sorry, middle bedroom of our flat. Is it not just beautiful?

Actually, our garden has only looked like this since May 3rd...it was my birthday present from RL! Hugs and kisses, sweetheart! You sure know how to put a dozen roses to shame.

Charlie put his four paws into this decision too, as his dirty feet coming in from playing was also a motivating factor.

The next two pictures are of the garden before the "upgrade." This was taken in October, 2006. The one below was taken in early 2007, when we had had no rain. Actually, it has been very dry here from October through May.

So, how does a bath tub fit into this story? The builders did not provide for an outside water spigot. This would have been so easy...pipes here don't have to be underground because nothing freezes.

To water our grass, we snake a hose from our guest bathroom, down the hall, and then out the "middle bedroom" patio door. Thank goodness it has begun to rain!

Our garden offers us something most unusual in this city, private green space. It is priceless. Thank you, again, RL. I will never forget this birthday present.

Martha's Birthday

May 5th this year was quite the day. It was Derby Day, Cinco de Mayo, and the day we celebrated my first birthday in Asia. What better excuse to have a party..

At about 5 pm, Lexmarkers and spouses arrived for a real cook-out. We are the only ones with a yard and grill, so everyone was really excited.

Here are some pictures. Thanks, too, to my friends and family that phoned or sent cards, presents, and emails. I truly feel very blessed.