Wacky Tokyo

Posted on May 13, 2013 by lisafindley

It’s been awhile since I’ve done a “look at the funny stuff I’m seeing” post, and yes, this one includes a funny anglicization or two. I’ve loved my time in Tokyo. I’ve been fortunate enough to stay with a generous host and her adorable child, and I’ve had great weather that makes every park, shrine, and neon-lit street a pleasure to explore. Also, I keep coming across the funny, wacky sights that every big city offers up. On Wednesday, I leave Tokyo for London–what weird and wonderful things will I see there?

That’s “Dragon Tacos” to you

This guy took all the symbols and letters that mean “internet” and decided that they needed to go on his car.

Rude!

Hipster distilled to a t-shirt

It’s a bakery, but really what they’re selling is the smell

Harajuku fashion shoot

Strolling with a rabbit, like ya do

Tea time with Darth & Leia on the subway

Sunrise, Sunset

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Sunset, Hue, Vietnam

Two Days in Bangkok

Posted on May 9, 2013 by lisafindley

If the title of this post put that awful song in your head, I apologize. My first night in Bangkok was as grating as that song, and the first day was kind of a wash, but things picked up for the latter half of my stay there. Including infuriating political discussions on a street full of escorts.

Wat Po

I arrived late at night and wandered around Khaosan Road, and the next day I moved across town to a quieter hostel. On the way, I stopped at the central train station to buy a ticket out of town, and not only was the ticket I wanted not available, but I had to change transit three times just to get to the train station and then twice to carry on to the new hostel. All with a 30-pound backpack on and the tropical heat making me dizzy. My mood didn’t improve when I checked in at the hostel and learned that the Grand Palace closes at 3:30pm and there’s no way I’d make it in time, so I’d have to try to go the next day, although I’d have to go early in the morning because I needed to leave town by noon so I could get my train out of Ayutthaya in the evening. Ugh, just writing about my poor planning and the inconvenience of the sprawling city is frustrating me all over again!

Buy coupons for your every need

I decided the solution to my bad mood was ice cream, so I went to the Magnum Bar downtown. I bought an electronics converter for $5 from one of those odds n ends stalls near the train station, the kind of stall probably entirely stocked with stuff that fell off a truck somewhere. But that converter is still working today, keeping my electronics from frying in the changing voltages in new countries, so I’m not asking any questions.

That night, I went out with two women I met at the hostel; H and K* are both teachers in China, in a “small” city about 2 hours west of Beijing. (“Small” in China means only a few million people, of course.) We thought we were going to a ladyboy cabaret, but K’s phone directed us to Soi Cowboy, which is a street that combines all the stereotypes about the seedier side of Thailand: neon everywhere, girls wearing next to nothing idling outside their clubs, lackluster table dancing inside the clubs, old white men at all the clubs, and a general sense that everyone is trying really hard to pretend it’s all normal and not sad.

Soi Cowboy

We walked the length of it–the only tourist women there except for a few middle-aged women we spotted with their husbands–and ended up on the patio of Cowboy, which had a cover band inside instead of dancing girls. H had a lot of uninformed things to say about gender and sex work, which frustrated me to no end. She kept asking about ladyboys: “What are they, women or men? What parts do they have? What are they, really?” Do your homework. Even a cursory glance at a guidebook will clarify for you that ladyboys (who usually refer to themselves in other terms, actually, like “kathoey” or “a second type of woman”) are usually biologically male, but their chosen gender expression is female. Asking what gender someone is “really” is hugely insulting, no matter the culture, but especially in a place like Thailand, where information is readily available on this prominent part of the population, it’s inexcusably ignorant.

Her other favorite topic for the evening was whether the women working here had chosen this life. She’d read all sorts of stories about the “white slave trade” in Southeast Asia, which… what. But she also thinks that some Thai girls, while not kidnapped for the sex slave trade like white girls from America (WHAT), are still forced into the job. If they chose the job, though, she was okay with it. I did a little “choosing from super limited options isn’t a true choice” (my main line when encountering “feminism is about choice” defenders), but mostly I was irritated that she insisted on talking about this while we were sitting right there. If this scene bothers you, that is perfectly understandable, but there’s no reason you have to stay here. As soon as we arrived, we could see it for what it was; babbling about how worried you are for these women as you drink cocktails they bring you is useless and almost insulting.

Medical diagrams at Wat Pho

Anyway, when we steered clear of those conversations, we had a good time, and I was glad to have gone out for one night in Bangkok. (Oh no, I did it again.) The next day I went to the Grand Palace, but by the time I got there, every tour group in Thailand was shoving its way into the gates, and it was too overwhelming. I walked along the outer wall and crossed the street to Wat Pho instead.

Reclining Buddha in Wat Po

Wat Pho (or Po) is a beautiful complex. It contains the largest reclining Buddha in Thailand, covered in gold leaf and housed in a building barely big enough for it. Pillars hold up the roof and split up the view of the buddha, which is too bad for taking in its magnificence in one look, but did give intriguing glimpses as I walked down toward the feet. The soles of the buddha’s feet are covered in intricate mother-of-pearl decorations, which were lovely. The rest of the grounds contain a massage school, a shrine to a seated buddha, and small stupas. There was also a small display on President Obama’s visit to the temple in November 2012, including the gift he brought with him–a candle from Chesapeake Bay. A candle? Really? A candle is what you get someone when you don’t know them well enough to know what to get them. Surely someone on the team could’ve tried a little harder.

The feet of the reclining buddha

After I walked around the wat, I collected my luggage, spent far too long finding a minibus, and got to Ayutthaya for a few hours of sightseeing before headed farther north. A whirlwind trip to Bangkok.

*Usually I use full names in my stories, but since I dwell on the negative parts of my time with H, I thought that imprudent.

Where in the World Wednesday

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Hoi An, Vietnam; April 14, 2013

A Happy New Year in Singapore

Posted on May 7, 2013 by lisafindley

When I landed in Singapore, I realized I’d had it mixed up with Hong Kong in my mind. I pictured Singapore as a concrete jungle packed with skyscrapers, but actually the tall buildings part of the city is contained to a small part of the waterfront. The rest of the city is made up of the small shophouses of the colonial era and the large department stores of the modern age. I met up with my friend Emily and she took me on a walking tour of the Geylang Serai neighborhood (she plotted out the walk just for me–isn’t that sweet?). We walked when it was dry, and ducked into eateries each time the rain started up again. A lot of the rowhouses are a bright pastel, and we found a little alley with some houses in vibrant colors too.

Rowhouses of Singapore

We stopped in the Katong Antique House and looked at some Peranakan artifacts. The Peranakan are descendents of Chinese and Malay in Indonesia and Singapore; they have a particular style of dress and set of customs found only here.

That night, I joined up with my friend Mindy for more delicious street food and a quick walk around the Bugis neighborhood, which was pulsing with people shopping for the holiday and eating with their friends. We met up with Mindy’s husband Alan and went to the 70th floor of the Swissotel. We sat in the bar and admired the view through the rain-streaked windows while a singer serenaded us. Mindy and Alan generously treated me to a drink in this fancy place, and given my location, what could I choose but a Singapore Sling?

Oranges for luck at the Chinese New Year–with Alan and Mindy

On the eve of Chinese New Year, everyone has a family dinner. Many people travel long distances to make it home in time, and there are rituals to start the year off right. I was honored to be invited to dinner with Alan’s family. After they showed me Chinatown, Alan and Mindy took me to his mom’s high-rise apartment.

Auspicious phrases!

The dinner started with the stirring of the big fish dish. Alan’s sister sprinkled ingredients signifying certain things over the dish, and then we all used our chopsticks to stir the dish in the center of the table, while shouting out auspicious phrases. By the end, we were just yelling good things in whatever language came handy–“Success! Good relationships!” I added “good studies” for Mindy (she’s working on her PhD), and she added “safe travels” for me. Alan’s mom gave me two oranges–a traditional gift I’d meant to bring for her–and even a red packet! It was a great evening.

Colorful new year

The next day, I met up with Emily at her great-aunt’s house. On the first day of the new year, you visit around to various family members, and Emily invited me along for this stop on her circuit. I was graciously received by a couple dozen relatives, given more red packets, and plied with so much food. This time I remembered to bring two oranges, which was a great success. I watched three generations play round after round of blackjack, which just about everyone was betting on. I talked with Emily’s teenaged cousins and elderly great-aunts, and I was glad I wore red, the lucky color of the day, because I could tell it made a good impression.

Emily and me

On my last day in Singapore, I saw a lion dance outside the converted shophouse apartment I was staying in, and then took the train to the Gardens by the Bay. I knew last year I wanted to check this place out, and I was lucky: it rained pretty much the whole weekend I was in Singapore, but for the few hours I was at the gardens, it was all sunshine. The supertrees were pleasingly imposing in person, and I liked the mini-gardens surrounding the central hub, which were all devoted to different styles–Malay, Chinese, colonial.

The shop owner hired these dancers (and musicians out of frame) to do the lion dance outside the shop. The kids dig it.

Supertrees!

For being a small island, there’s a lot to do and see in Singapore; I didn’t even get up to the pool at Marina Bay Sands, or out to Pulau Semakau or the Southern Ridges, as I’d planned. I know I keep saying it about everywhere I’ve been on this trip, but it’s true: I’ll have to come back.

Marina Bay at night (pretend it’s blurry because of the rain and not my lack of camera skill)

If Leslie Knope Ran an Airport

Posted on May 6, 2013 by lisafindley

The airport at Kuala Lumpur

Leslie Knope, from one of my favorite TV shows, Parks and Recreation, is famously fond of elaborate plans, overfull binders, and awkwardly worded acronyms. I chuckled when I saw this sign at the airport in Kuala Lumpur (en route from Hanoi to Tokyo) and thought this would fit right in at Pawnee City Hall.

“Humbly pleasant”!

Sunrise, Sunset

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Sunset, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Beautiful and Damaged: Hong Island and Railay

Posted on May 2, 2013 by lisafindley

I had a mixed experience in paradise. The islands of Thailand are gorgeous, no question, but they’re also woefully underprotected and poorly maintained. For as long as Thailand has been a vacation destination, you’d think there’d be more regulations in place to protect the delicate ecosystem that everyone’s excited to see. Unfortunately, that’s not the case. There are a few islands that are national parks, but those aren’t watched very carefully, and new (illegal) developments go up all the time.

Longtail boats in Thailand

Tons of tours go out to the islands every day, and there aren’t enough trash cans or port-a-potties for the number of tourists that tear through there. Trash literally piles up on the beach. Pools of motor oil form in the bays as longtail boats maneuver in and out of the tight spaces. Snorkeling reveals little in many places, as the water’s cloudy with pollution. Way too many people amass on each tiny beach and spoil the view and the experience. And of course, as I was always aware, I was part of the problem, just by being there.

I saw at least four Navy ships guarding the perimeter of the waters near the royal residence–we’d be shot on sight if we got too close!

And yet, it’s still beautiful, worth visiting and admiring. I went on a tour to Hong Island, which included stops in the shallows of Deng Island and the bay of Paradise Island, and a detour past some ships guarding the princess’s summer residence. Probably about 40 of us piled on to a longtail boat with a driver and a guide (whose name I forget, unfortunately) and off we went into the bright sunshine.

Tiny Deng Island

Deng Island was a tiny rock with some scrubby bush upon it, and we anchored next to it for a quick snorkeling session. But the sea was choppy and most people didn’t last long in the water. At one point, we heard a scream from a woman who, turns out, doesn’t know how to swim but had jumped in with her life jacket anyway; she found the rough waves too much to handle. Just before we got back in the boat, a huge school of yellow-white fish swirled up around us, causing everyone to exclaim that now would be a good time to snorkel. But when you’re on a tour you don’t have time to delay, so we carried on.

In the lagoon at Hong Island, pre-speedboats

Paradise Island turned me off initially with the piles of trash not far from shore and the tourists sweating sunscreen into the water, but once I swam a little away from the crowd, I liked it much more. I snorkeled in the space between the island and the rock form next to it, and found lots of interesting colored coral–waving red ferns, shocks of purple stalks. It was a nice little stop, although I’m sure it’s vastly different from what it was even five years ago.

Here I go!

We had lunch at Hong Island and then split up; most people set up on the beach for some sunbathing, and about 15 of us who’d paid a bit extra got into kayaks. They were two-person kayaks, but the guide decided I was too heavy to share, so he had me sit in the middle and pilot one on my own. I could have shared no problem, but you do as your guide says. It was difficult to keep up, since I’ve never kayaked in the ocean before and I was doing the work of two people, but I’m proud to say I managed it. We followed the coast of the island around a couple of curves until we reached the lagoon on the other side. We paddled down a short, narrow passage that opened up into a large cove surrounded by limestone cliffs covered in foliage. The water was a bright, light green of the exact shade called “seafoam” on paint samples.

In the lagoon

We were in maybe 2 feet of water, and our guide reached down to the sand and pulled up large white starfish to show us. It was an idyllic spot, but almost the whole time we were there the serenity of the moment was broken by the speedboats that forced their way into the lagoon, despite being far too large for the shallow water; they’d noisily move around the lagoon, then get stuck in the sand and make even more noise revving their engines to get unstuck.

West Railay Beach

My other day trip out of Krabi Town was a visit to Railay. To get there, I took a songthaew to Ao Nang Beach (a small, uninspiring beach backed by an unrelenting strip of shops–I wouldn’t recommend it if you’re looking for a place to base yourself in the area), then a longtail around the coast to West Railay Beach. I think my expectations were a little high, because I was disappointed. Everything at Railay was overpriced (water was four times what it was anywhere else I’d been in Thailand), and there seemed to be few places to set yourself up on the beach since so much space was taken up by longtails. Also, it was super crowded. I walked around to Pra Nang, which was a small beach boasting a cave full of lingams and a pile of rocks to scramble on, and I was overwhelmed by the number of people packed into that tiny space.

Yes, lingams are phallic representations–you are seeing dozens of penises

I’ve talked to people who stayed at Railay, and they had a much better time; they were able to find hidden areas to sunbathe and swim, so they could focus on the undeniable beauty of the limestone cliffs and calm blue-green water without getting distracted by crowds and a need to catch a boat back before prices went up at sunset.

Impressive free climbing at Pra Nang Beach

I did get to see some monkeys on my walk to and from Pra Nang, including a baby! I also stopped by Tonsai, a popular climbing spot, and watched several people clip in and maneuver up and down those sheer cliffs. It looked terrifying, but they had smiles on their faces, so well done them.

Baby monkey!

I’m not sure what the solution is for the conservation-minded tourist who wants to visit the Thai islands. There are some tour groups out there making an effort to be eco-conscious, so you can give your dollars to them. You can also go to more out-of-the-way islands, although those are becoming harder and harder to find, so you’re not adding to the overcrowding of the popular ones–but does that mean you’re just speeding up the exploitation of an otherwise untouched place? You could just not go at all, but missing out on the beauty of this part of the world would be a shame. I took a visitor survey at the airport and made a big deal about the lack of conservation efforts, so maybe if enough tourists do that it’ll catch a government official’s eye. I don’t know–what are your thoughts?

See, I still had fun

Where in the World Wednesday

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Hoi An, Vietnam; April 12, 2013

Koh Lanta and Krabi Town

Posted on April 30, 2013 by lisafindley

After Phuket and Khao Lak, I took a ferry boat down to Koh Lanta. Let us not speak of that ferry ride, or at least not until a later post titled “Worst Transportation Experiences of the Trip.” Suffice it to say, when I arrived on Lanta Island (“koh”=”island” in Thai), I was soaking wet from ocean spray, my muscles were cramped from crouching on a crowded boat deck, and I was in no mood for the “island cleaning” charge I had to pay when I disembarked. Happily, things turned around once I got to my guesthouse, a stripped-down version of a hotel that populates all of Southeast Asia.

Best PSA, down to the black line through the brand name on the bottle of booze

I repeated my formula from Khao Lak at Koh Lanta; I slept in, moseyed on down to the beach (more of a walk here than at Khao Lak, but that meant a six-minute walk instead of two), found food along the waterfront, read, sunbathed, floated in the ocean, found food along the water or up on the road, watched the English language titles on Thai TV (“Psych” and “Law and Order” seem to be popular), and slept. Foolproof formula. There’s more to see and do on Koh Lanta, and maybe on another visit I’ll work up the courage to rent a motorbike and take a tour, but this time, I was content to work on nothing but my tan.

Lazy days at Long Beach, Koh Lanta

Once again, this part of the world was very popular with vacationing Scandinavians. I invited myself to dinner with an older Norwegian lady so we’d both have company for the meal, and she chatted excitedly about all the places she’s visited with her daughter. The next night, I moved to a cheaper guesthouse, which wasn’t a good move in terms of sleep (the number of mosquitoes in that place was astonishing), but was a good move in terms of meeting people. A delightful Swedish couple invited me out to the porch for a drink and a chat, and we ended up staying out til 3.

The restaurant scene on Koh Lanta

After a few days, I took a minibus up to Krabi Town (which, like Phuket Town, is part of a larger region known by dropping the “Town”). The minibus was cramped and at least an hour longer than I’d been told when I’d bought my ticket, but I made it in one piece. After a few weeks of hearing nothing but syrupy Thai ballads on the radio, I was pleased to find that my hostel was owned by a classic rock fan, and I registered to the sweet, sweet sounds of the Stones.

Cooking up quail eggs–which are then sprinkled with pepper and soy sauce, yum

That evening, I went to the weekly night market just a few blocks away. I’d been shamefully unadventurous in my food choices down in the islands, so I sampled lots of street food here. Pork satay, quail eggs, crispy roti, and little sweet pancakes folded up with whipped cream and sprinkles inside.

It was heartening to see this sign; Krabi is the only place I saw in all of Thailand that made a concerted effort not to use sytrofoam in its many street food stalls.

It was heartening to see this sign–Krabi is the only place I saw in all of Thailand that made a concerted effort not to use styrofoam in its many street food stalls.

I had my first real brush with Thai patriotism when the national anthem played over loudspeakers and every person stood still out of respect. A few people leaned over to slightly adjust their goods during the latter half of the song, but basically for the whole 45 seconds, anyone who was sitting got to their feet and anyone moving stopped in their tracks.

Wat Kaew

The next day, I went to Wat Kaew, a newer Buddhist temple built in the center of town. (There’s a more famous “Tiger Temple” outside of town, which involves climbing a lot of stairs, that I chose to skip.) The exterior of Wat Kaew is mostly white, with no exterior murals.

Spot the demons from different times and places.

Inside, the painting on the back wall, around the door you just entered, depicts demons of all races engaged in battle using various weapons. The chaos of the battle takes place around a buddha seated serenely in the center. Apparently, this is meant to depict the battles we have within ourselves, against the desires that tie us to this world.There are also scenes of people engaged in daily life–lovers holding hands, friends sharing a laugh, monks holding out begging bowls, etc.

Asparas winging their way to the buddha up front

The side walls are lined with images of what I believe are asparas, dancing feminine spirits, who are meant to show your spirit’s improvement as you move toward enlightenment (and toward the altar). Finally, the wall behind the buddha’s altar contains images from the Buddha’s life (like the bodhi tree) and other religious symbols. This general progression of demons-asparas-buddhas is found in wats all over the country. (I hope I’m giving you the right basic idea on their significance; I’m cobbling together what I learned from memory, and my notoriously poor googling skills aren’t helping me any.)

Partially completed park

The main feature of the wat that sticks out is the little park attached to it. The wat sits atop a hill, and down one side of it, they seem to be in the middle of building a small park. There’s a pond, a short path, and several wonderfully fake-looking statues of large wildlife, including an elephant and a cave full of a regal tiger and her suckling cubs. I saw a group of monks posing for photos by the elephant, their orange robes bright against the dull gray paint of the hollow statue. I tripped over garden hoses, two by fours, and a partially completed stone staircase that led me to conclude this park isn’t quite finished.

This sight surprised me as I rounded a corner

And that was it! I did spend a couple days exploring the beach areas of Krabi, and I’ll write about those in later posts, but for the most part my time in the Andaman Sea was delightfully lazy.