Good morning from Lhasa!

Well folks, it's 9am here on the World,'s Rooftop, and I'm drinking green tea in the chilly outdoor restaurant on the roof of my hostel. The decor is bright and reminds me of Mexico. The walls are canvas and have little windows cut out of them, through which I can see the morning sun just above the misty mountains over yonder. The mountains here are like big rock piles...guess not much vegetation grows at these altitudes, although there are some nice flower gardens below. It's chilly...reminds me of fall, but I'm happy for that after the humidity and heat of Korea. The weather is sunny and rainy, chilly and warm.

There is so much poverty here; it's really heartbreaking. It's so hard not to give money to everyone who asks; they all need it. Tiny, dirty children who know only a few English words, usually, "Hello! Please give me money!" Old crinkled people, sitting on the sidewalk. The monks. But worst of all for me, was last night. Me and my friends were about to go into a restaurant, when my friend was approached by a young mother with a baby strapped to her back. I was about to give her money as well, when I felt a hand on my arm, and there stood another young mom, indescribably beautiful with her giant eyes and dark hair. On her back was a very tiny baby with black dirt matted into its dark hair, and dirt running out of its nose. I felt like crying, and when I gave her a small note, yet another mother appeared. We had to run up the steps to the restaurant, because they were all clutching at us. I feel so bad! And I don't know what the right thing to do is.

The people here are incredibly friendly...I get huge smiles from children and old people alike, especially yesterday, as I walked around a temple with hundreds of pilgrims, many of whom are not from Lhasa. They love to get their photos taken as well, but will speedily ask you for money once its taken. ;) The monks are especially beautiful, with their long, deep red robes. Some are sitting and chanting; begging for money, others walking, arms around each other. Many are very young, and all are good-natured.

So tomorrow morning we head out to Everest...and this time I'm not lying when I say I truly doubt you will hear from me til I get back. I've heard electricity and running water are sometimes hard to come by out there in the countryside, let alone internet! haha! So I'll be gone for 5 days. Oh, in case you're wondering, I will tell you about altitude sickness. It has been much much milder than I anticipated, but everyone reacts differently. So far the biggest symptom for me has been an unquenchable thirst. I can't drink enough! Last night, during the night, I drank 2L of water! And I'm still going strong. :) As we walk down the streets, I'm always looking for juice and water (and occasionally bathrooms...although not as often as you might think what with how much I'm drinking). My friends don't have this thirst though. Other than that, just a couple of very mild headaches, a little shortness of breath, some stinging in my eyes, and cuts that don't heal as fast. No problem!! (Suppose I shouldn't speak too fast, seeing as I AM heading up to the mountains soon). teehee The sun is also very bright, and will burn you before you notice, and make your eyes a little bloodshot if you don't wear sunglasses.

Anyway, I must go, my hour is up. Love to you all from the Roof of the World! I promise some pictures when I get back, as long as my battery holds out... *cross fingers* XOXOXO

Tibet

Oh friends!! I've landed on Heaven's Doorstep. It was quite a rigamaroll to get here...we got on the plane at 6am, flew all the way here, only to turn around because of bad weather and go back to Chengdu. We were then hearded on to another plane, upon which we sat for over an hour before leaving again. When we arrived, there was no guide to meet us, so we hopped on a bus to Lhasa and found our way to the hostel, only to be told there was no room. The people who were supposed to have arranged our guide and hostel from Chengdu had forgotten. Hahaaa! Ah well, all's well that ends well, and folks, I am in paradise. Stone buildings line the cracked and dirty streets, filled with shops selling traditional clothing, jewelry, and hiking gear. Beautiful Tibetan people roam the streets and smile at us as we pass. Old, brown, wrinkled men sit and talk with each other, while the rickshaw drivers whistle and will knock you over if you're not careful!

This morning we managed to move into the hostel we were supposed to stay in orginally, which is great because the other place (Yak Hotel) had no locks. So far I did try Yak Butter Tea, and nearly vomited. ;) Other than that, the food is great and the people friendly and wonderful, and on Wednesday, the plan is to get in a jeep for 5 days and go to Everest Base Camp. So, I'm happy, so happy. If I could live here forever, I would.

Hi from China!

Heya folks!

Well I guess I lied...it hasn't even been 2 days since you heard from me, let alone 2 weeks! haha!

I hope this post works...I'm hitting all the buttons from memory, because everything on this webpage is in Chinese! haha!

So ya, I'm in China with my 2 friends, we've all arrived safely and are staying at THE cutest hostel ever for a bit. It's 3 stories, with a foyer/open area at the bottom that you can look down into from the 2 other floors. Sorry, hard to describe! It's wood and stone, and has the best backpacker feel to it. Lots of westerners here from all over the world, and paper Chinese lanterns hanging everywhere. Man, if I could stay here forever, I'd be happy.

I slept really well last night, but all I can say is Holy Rain Batman!! I have NEVER heard rain like I heard last night. Very much how you'd imagine a monsoon to sound like. Unlike Korea, where it has barely rained at all, despite it being "rainy season." It's nice and cool here too, which is truly a welcome relief from the ridiculous humidity of Korea!

So anyway, we'll be off to Tibet shortly, and if I can, I will post again. If not, do not worry about me. ;)

Love you all! Sending out some good vibes from China to you. XOXO

Two Weeks in Tibet

Well folks, I'm off to China. So you won't hear from me for over 2 weeks. My hope is to get into Tibet. Please keep your fingers crossed for me! China makes it more than a little difficult for foreigners to get to and travel within Tibet. This is because most foreigners sympathize with the Tibetan people, and not China, which has ruled Tibet for the better part of the last century and keeps its leader (the Dali Lama) in exile in India. It doesn't help matters any that some Americans staged a protest on the Tibetan side of Mt. Everest a few months ago. Sigh! Anyhoo, that's all I'll say on the matter for right now, until I get back.

Here's a map I pilfered from Wikipedia, which shows where I'm going. I'll be flying into Chengdu, that Chinese city on the right. Then I'll be heading into Lhasa, the main city of Tibet, which is there in the middle of the yellow region. I'll be happy to spend all my time in that gorgeous old city, but I may do some day trips to some nearby cities and monasteries. I'll decide once I get there. I may even get to see Mt. Everest.


So, I hope you all enjoy the start of August, and I'll be in touch when I get back! Love you all!! XOXOXO

Home.

Since I'm leaving my Korean home for 2 weeks, here's a nice picture of my area, including of course, my beloved Gyeyang Mountain:

Dinner

Dinner was the best meal I had in days. Oh how I adore Korean food!

So this is a big pot of beef and veggies in broth that is boiled in front of you. It's called bulgogi.
And on the big plate is "Korean pizza;" basically like fried pancakes with various ingredients. One of my favourites in Korea. And of course, no meal is complete without a ton of yummy side dishes, including kimchi (red dish on the left-basically fermented/pickled cabbage in spices):
And here's the gang:

Whew, what a great day! :)

Gyeongbokgung Palace

So, seeing as it was a public holiday last Tuesday and we were doing the whole tourist thing, we decided to go to Gyeongbokgung Palace, where the kings of Korea (and all their wives) used to live. Oh my, it was so beautiful and peaceful, and the grounds were quite extensive.

Here's the entrance:

The view from the entrance:

The king's throne room:



A lake with a kind of island in it (to the right). That building was used for hosting parties. How perfect would that have been!
Me and my friend in front of the party house:

Namsam Tower

The tallest structure in Seoul is called Namsam Tower, a definite tourist attraction that I hadn't seen until last Tuesday, which was a holiday. Me and some friends decided to be tourist-y that day, and this was our first stop.

So here's the tower itself:

And here we are (except the friend that's taking the pic) waiting for the gondola (instead of hiking our lazy behinds up the hill):
At the top is a circular room lined with windows. On each window are the names of various cities around the world, and the distance from here (Seoul tower) to there.
Of course, here's me and Toronto! There was Vancouver too, but TO's closer to my home:

My friend's home (NY):
My other friend's home (South Africa):

And my other friend who was with us is Korean, so I guess he doesn't get a sign. :)

Out on the street, another street sign. This way to Canada, that way to Africa:
And here's a wee bit of Seoul. There are lots of mountains, and in the centre of this picture at the base of the mountain (very difficult to see), is the Blue House, where the President lives:
I'm glad I finally went up this famous tower, and I even got to send a postcard to my baby brothers and grandparents at the top!! Cool eh??

The end of Japan

On Saturday night, we went up this tower called the "Floating Garden Observatory:"

There was no garden...we were a little confused, until the girl who couldn't speak English haltingly read from a script explaining the name choice. Is there an equivalent for squinting for your ears? Well, we squinted our ears to understand her, and she said something to the effect that they hoped you would feel as though you were "floating" while at the top, and that Osaka was the garden. Hm, well whatever. It was interesting anyway.
Here's my friend riding the futuristic escalator up to the top at night:
And here's sort of what we saw:
I say sort of, because it's really a bad picture. It was really cool, seeing the city lights from way up there.

And of course, here I am, happily eating a giant sundae at the end of a tiring, happy day:
Ok, so as promised, here are some comparisons of Japan and Korea. Take them for what they're worth though, seeing as I was only in a tiny part of Japan, for a very tiny amount of time.

1. In public, Japanese people are MUCH more polite. In Korea, it's every man for himself, and if you don't push and shover and elbow your way onto the subway, bus, elevator, then sorry, the boat's gonna sail without you! In Korea, people also butt in line in stores (assuming there is a line), and don't say sorry if they step on you or shove you. I found it really hard to get used to this. In Japan, I had to pick my jaw up off the floor when, as we waited for the subway, people actually que-ed up in 2 lines in front of every subway door and then waited for everyone to exit before filing on. I also noticed though, that the doors stay open a bit longer than in Korea. Once I actually got squashed in the subway doors in Korea. And they don't bounce back open either. My shoulders got smashed, and as I squealed and tried to get out, they bounced together on my foot!!! Hahahaaa! It was traumatic, but really funny too. In Japan, people also apologize for bumping you, and are generally very sweet to strangers. Imagine that.

2. Many people in Japan and Korea speak English. I'd say the public level is about the same, but as I mentioned before, for some reason, the Japanese use much funnier words. Not sure if their dictionaries were made by different people or what.

3. Japan is a lot more liberal than Korea. Korea is largely a mono-culture where conforming is very important, and everyone dresses and looks pretty much the same. Of course, you get some personality and style in big cities like Seoul, but for the most part, same-same is the norm. This is why I get stared at wherever I go, especially when not in Seoul. In Japan, however, WOW! Talk about individual style!! We saw everything! Funky hair and clothes were the norm. Small groups of teenage girls also liked to dress as animation characters or dolls. Very interesting! This is why I did not get stared at in Japan. ;) I loved it. Felt like I was in Montreal or something.

4. Japan is really expensive. Especially food and taxis. Korea is not.

5. Korean food is way better in my opinion, from what I saw there, although of course, as I said before, I didn't really try that much Japanese food. I LOVE Korean food, and it's really cheap to eat out in restaurants. Normally pay about $4-5 for a full meal. In Japan it was at least double that, if not more.

So, I really did love Japan, but I was happy to come back to my comfort zone, where I can read, ask questions if necessary, and find my way around without worrying about being lost and confused.

The Ubiquitous Bicycle

Japan is crazy about biking!! It's fabulous, because it seems like a great way to get round. EVERYONE rides these 80s-looking bikes...police, girls in high heels, businessmen...everyone! They also ride them to the subway and leave them there for the day, hobbled by the hundreds. Seems like a good system to me! In Korea, in the cities anyway, only the hard-core athletes bike, with tons of safety equipment I might add. I myself wouldn't chance it here unless I was wanting a close encounter with Heaven's gates.

Koreans Kidnapped

23 of my adopted countrymen were kidnapped by Taliban insurgents this past week. You can read about this sad story here. You can check The Globe and Mail's website for any updates this week. Koreans are a very kind and generous people, and those kidnapped were in the country aiding the Afghani people, so I ask you to please keep them in your thoughts these days. xo.

Gum-do

After walking around Osaka Castle, we were walking past an outbuilding when we heard the most frightening hollering and "Hiiiiii-yaaaa!"-ing coming from inside. Turns out it was a martial arts training centre. Visitors were welcome to stand at the entrance and watch the men and women practice a form of Gum-do. It was fascinating! I could've watched all day. They looked scary too, because their faces were covered with a black grill. I think they looked like characters in Super Mario Brothers. Take a look!

Takoyaki

So, while in Japan, I really only tried one true Japanese food: Takoyaki. Basically, balls of fried dough with a piece of octopus in the middle. Hey, I was feeling adventurous, and I thought anything involving fried dough really couldn't be that bad!

So here are the men, doing the most boring jobs ever...poking at cooking dough, and sprinkling bits of octopus in at just the right moment:

And here's my friend with the finished product. Looks yum-dummy-ummy!
And here I am, feeling hopeful! And...? And...? And.......?
.....No.
Nope, no thanks. Takoyaki was tako-yucky! Off we went to find some ice cream. ;)

Osaka Castle

The highlight of my trip was definitely Osaka Castle, originally built in the late 1500s by ruler Toyotomi Hideyoshi. Over the years it suffered quite a bit of damage in various squabbles and wars, most recently in 1945 during bombing raids. It's been completely reconstructed and was quite lovely (on the outside anyway...the inside was a bit too museum-ish). Surrounding the castle was a large moat and extensive park grounds. It was an exceedingly peaceful and happy place to be, in the middle of this huge city.

After walking through a beautiful park, we caught our first glimpse of the castle:

There were a few of these monks standing at various spots on the castle grounds. They stand motionless and silent, unless you give them a coin or two, in which case they look up and say a blessing for you:
Can you see me below?

At the top, we had some great views of Osaka:
Some more views of the park:
Refreshing and lovely. Have a great weekend my friends! xoxo

Engrish and other mysteries

Japan's Engrish is way funnier than Korea's for some reason. I only wish I had time to see more of it!

Here's part of a story that was written out along a pedestrian walkway. I think it was a Japanese legend, but I'm not sure!


Yep, gotta watch out for those monopolizing bogles and their preparedness margins!

In the bathroom:
And now for 2 things I like to categorize in the "Good Luck With That" section.

Number 1: Using a Japanese pay phone. Result: Unsuccessful.



Number 2: Using Japanese subways. Result: Triumph! Wow, are we smart or what? That's me trying out the "English" button.