We arrived in Auckland this afternoon on an inexpensive Emirates flight. We're huge fans of Emirates Air because of their on-demand entertainment with over 500 channels, meal menus and seats with plenty of leg room. I even got a chance to play their electronic solitaire game, which I still am unable to win. I haven't successfully played a game of solitaire, without cheating, ever. I think there's a rule that I'm not privy to that's preventing me from making any headway.
We're planning on staying a while here in NZ, looking for work. Possibilities include bike shops, BMW dealerships, health clubs or America's Cup operations. Speaking of sailing, we're bummed that we are missing the Sydney to Hobart sailboat race that starts on the 26th of December. Well, at least we're in a country that appreciates sailing as a sport. We'll be following it, and here's the link if you want to as well.
Cheers!
~S
Thursday, December 13, 2007
A moving building?
So I saw the coolest building the other day in Melbourne, Australia. I found Melbourne to be a very visually appealing city, with a mix of older and modern buildings, tons of weird sculptures and a harbor.
The only downside is the flies. Locals would walk around with leafy branches to swat at flies. Tourists would use the pamphlets from the information centers to keep the flies at bay.
Anyhow, back to the building - this building actually had moving parts to it. Check out this movie to see how it moved. Very cool!
~S
PS: I attribute the title of this blog to Aussie, Rupert Murdoch's, FOX news network's influence. Everything they put in headlines across the screen is a question, which allows them to make outrageous claims w/o actually having to defend them.
The only downside is the flies. Locals would walk around with leafy branches to swat at flies. Tourists would use the pamphlets from the information centers to keep the flies at bay.
Anyhow, back to the building - this building actually had moving parts to it. Check out this movie to see how it moved. Very cool!
~S
PS: I attribute the title of this blog to Aussie, Rupert Murdoch's, FOX news network's influence. Everything they put in headlines across the screen is a question, which allows them to make outrageous claims w/o actually having to defend them.
Thursday, November 22, 2007
Happy Thanksgiving
Hello family and friends, we wanted to wish you all a Happy Thanksgiving. Although we miss everyone this holiday, we certainly are thankful for all the love and support that you've given us in the 5 months (can you believe it?) it's been since we've been in a place where we don't need a passport. We're safe and sound in Tanunda, Australia, and have big plans for tasting the wines of the Barossa Valley region.
As a token of our gratitude, we thought we'd give you a look into what we cooked for our Thanksgiving feast. It might come in handy to suggest to those who are always late for the celebration, because their "dish was still cooking." Now they have no excuse.
Steve & Jesse's Upside Down Sausage Stuffing (aptly named because everything in the deep southern hemisphere is upside down. It's like walking on the ceiling):
Ingredients (feeds 4, or 2 for 2 meals in a row):
4 Italian Sausage Links
1 Package Stuffing mix
1 Can of Green Beans
1 Cup of Water
In the first pot (you only have two), pour the contents of the green bean can (water n' all). In the second pot, chunk up the sausage, squeezing it out of its casing and brown it. Once it's finished cooking, drain some of the grease if you like, but not all of it. Pour the contents of the hot green bean pot into the sausage pot and add stuffing mix. Stir and cover. Let sit for 5 minutes. If there's still dry parts to your stuffing mix, add more water and cover. Enjoy.
This dish goes extremely well with a side of fresh broccoli and a bottle of Barossa Valley Shiraz.
May all of your celebrations go as smoothly as ours did!
As a token of our gratitude, we thought we'd give you a look into what we cooked for our Thanksgiving feast. It might come in handy to suggest to those who are always late for the celebration, because their "dish was still cooking." Now they have no excuse.
Steve & Jesse's Upside Down Sausage Stuffing (aptly named because everything in the deep southern hemisphere is upside down. It's like walking on the ceiling):
Ingredients (feeds 4, or 2 for 2 meals in a row):
4 Italian Sausage Links
1 Package Stuffing mix
1 Can of Green Beans
1 Cup of Water
In the first pot (you only have two), pour the contents of the green bean can (water n' all). In the second pot, chunk up the sausage, squeezing it out of its casing and brown it. Once it's finished cooking, drain some of the grease if you like, but not all of it. Pour the contents of the hot green bean pot into the sausage pot and add stuffing mix. Stir and cover. Let sit for 5 minutes. If there's still dry parts to your stuffing mix, add more water and cover. Enjoy.
This dish goes extremely well with a side of fresh broccoli and a bottle of Barossa Valley Shiraz.
May all of your celebrations go as smoothly as ours did!
Saturday, November 17, 2007
Buying Fish, Japanese Style
So we're in the basement of the Seibu department store tonight, looking for our next pigout on sushi and all of a sudden we hear this yelling in Japanese and witness a crowd forming.
What's happening is the nightly fish auction. You've got at least one, if not two people working the crowd, calling a play by play as to how the guy behind the counter is hacking up a fish (tonight's example, a 50lb tuna). The commentators have wireless microphones so that everyone who's gathered to watch the spectacle can hear what's going on. As the fish is cut into sections by the butcher using an extremely sharp knife (cuts bone like butter, or maybe the fish had already been deboned), the part of fish being cut is wrapped in plastic, weighed, labeled and then placed in the freezer case for purchase. Those interested in that particular cut of fish, then rush over to the freezer case and grab the piece they want.
I sat there in awe tonight over the happenings, wishing that the seafood that we normally purchased was THAT fresh. Our sushi dinner, was, again, fantastic, complemented with a bottle of Saki that contained no English print. I had to guess (we do that a lot here in Japan with food and drink) that it was Saki, and based on price, I'd say it was a mid range example. Not too shabby.
One other food related note... we'd read somewhere that the Japanese don't really much care for sweets, but after seeing the endless rows of confectioners in the food basements of the grocery stores, I declare that claim utter horsepuckey...
~S
What's happening is the nightly fish auction. You've got at least one, if not two people working the crowd, calling a play by play as to how the guy behind the counter is hacking up a fish (tonight's example, a 50lb tuna). The commentators have wireless microphones so that everyone who's gathered to watch the spectacle can hear what's going on. As the fish is cut into sections by the butcher using an extremely sharp knife (cuts bone like butter, or maybe the fish had already been deboned), the part of fish being cut is wrapped in plastic, weighed, labeled and then placed in the freezer case for purchase. Those interested in that particular cut of fish, then rush over to the freezer case and grab the piece they want.
I sat there in awe tonight over the happenings, wishing that the seafood that we normally purchased was THAT fresh. Our sushi dinner, was, again, fantastic, complemented with a bottle of Saki that contained no English print. I had to guess (we do that a lot here in Japan with food and drink) that it was Saki, and based on price, I'd say it was a mid range example. Not too shabby.
One other food related note... we'd read somewhere that the Japanese don't really much care for sweets, but after seeing the endless rows of confectioners in the food basements of the grocery stores, I declare that claim utter horsepuckey...
~S
Friday, November 16, 2007
28 Years and Still Smokin...
Honestly, I don't smoke and I really don't intend to ever start... but when I was thinking of a title for this blog, all that came to mind was an old Camel Cigarette ad that I saw about 20 years ago. I thought it was the stupidest ad then, and I still think so now, yet it's stuck in my mind. And they say we're not affected by advertising...
Anyhow, we're in Tokyo now, the Akasaka district to be exact. We spent my birthday traveling, and I wouldn't have it any other way. Traveling really exposes you to what the world has to offer, as you come into contact with all the different cultures out there. I also have been marveling at the technology and good/bad/smart/dumb ways of doing business that we've come across today. More on that in a minute.
The day started out normally, although I may have been over served last night in the executive lounge because they were "featuring" a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc. I'm pretty sure that Jesse and I consumed most of their stock and took the rest of a bottle back to our room. We first headed up to the executive lounge for breakfast at 6am, which consisted of my standard "milk 'em for all their worth" smoked salmon bagel sandwich, which included brie cheese, capers, onions all on a whole wheat bagel. Upon checking out of the JW Marriot in Hong Kong, they gave me a free bottle of wine (unfortunately, not the Sauvignon Blanc, but a nice Cab/Merlot mix from Australia) and a birthday card. Nice touch Marriot, I'd stay with you again in a heart beat. Too bad we can't afford you very often.
We were then transfered by free shuttle bus to the Airport Express train station. Now here's a smart way of doing business: The train terminal is essentially an extension of the airport, allowing you to check in BEFORE your train ride from down town Hong Kong, thereby saving you the hassle of lugging your bags on and off the train, queuing up at the airport, being late/missing your flight, etc... Because you're checked in already, after the 20 minute train ride (and this train really moves and is silent), you head straight through security, customs, immigration and right to your gate. If you needed to, you could be from downtown Hong Kong to your gate in 30 minutes. So you're probably thinking, big deal... but here's the rub. Downtown Hong Kong isn't even on the same island as the airport, it's about 30 km away.
We had no trouble finding our Northwest (go figure, right, is this the same NWA that's based out of Detroit?) flight to Tokyo and boarded our plane. Now normally, I'd think "ooh, we're flying a 747, the one with two stories, very cool," however, this is where NWA really let me down. Because the 747 is a really outdated aircraft now (I don't think you'll find one in Emirates' fleet) it lacks the niceties (read: personal entertainment in every seat and legroom) that the newer jets (Airbus A330/A340) have. NWA had made no attempt to update their plane with new equipment or spread out the seats. I felt sorry for the people who had to fly this thing on to LA or Detroit. When we landed in Tokyo, I did see NWA using some 747's as cargo planes, and I certainly hope that they plan on putting the other ones out to pasture some time soon. But who am I to complain. We got here safely, on time and at a reasonable price.
Upon landing in Tokyo, we cleared customs, immigration, and found bus tickets for the 66km ride to Tokyo. Who puts an airport 60km from downtown? Oh, yeah, Baltimore has effectively done that. After being spoiled by Hong Kong's airport express train, a luxury bus liner would HAVE (extreme sarcasm) to do.
The bus dropped us off at the Intercontinental Hotel here in Akasaka, but since we're not in the market to be spending $2000/night on a hotel room for 5 nights, we found a taxi to take us to our hotel near by. Good idea: this cab driver had a nav system which enabled him to input the exact address we were looking for and it led him right to our hotel's door.
I'm very pleased with our hotel room at The "B" Hotel. Now all we've got to do is figure out the toilet. I'm sure there's a card here somewhere with directions to help you avoid spraying scalding hot or ice cold water on your rear... Wish me luck!
Oh, another thing, it's actually fall weather here. Today's high was in the 50's and the leaves are changing. I wonder if their Starbucks has a pumpkin spice (soy) latte?
Much love to everyone back home. Thanks to everyone who's written me.
~Esteban
Anyhow, we're in Tokyo now, the Akasaka district to be exact. We spent my birthday traveling, and I wouldn't have it any other way. Traveling really exposes you to what the world has to offer, as you come into contact with all the different cultures out there. I also have been marveling at the technology and good/bad/smart/dumb ways of doing business that we've come across today. More on that in a minute.
The day started out normally, although I may have been over served last night in the executive lounge because they were "featuring" a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc. I'm pretty sure that Jesse and I consumed most of their stock and took the rest of a bottle back to our room. We first headed up to the executive lounge for breakfast at 6am, which consisted of my standard "milk 'em for all their worth" smoked salmon bagel sandwich, which included brie cheese, capers, onions all on a whole wheat bagel. Upon checking out of the JW Marriot in Hong Kong, they gave me a free bottle of wine (unfortunately, not the Sauvignon Blanc, but a nice Cab/Merlot mix from Australia) and a birthday card. Nice touch Marriot, I'd stay with you again in a heart beat. Too bad we can't afford you very often.
We were then transfered by free shuttle bus to the Airport Express train station. Now here's a smart way of doing business: The train terminal is essentially an extension of the airport, allowing you to check in BEFORE your train ride from down town Hong Kong, thereby saving you the hassle of lugging your bags on and off the train, queuing up at the airport, being late/missing your flight, etc... Because you're checked in already, after the 20 minute train ride (and this train really moves and is silent), you head straight through security, customs, immigration and right to your gate. If you needed to, you could be from downtown Hong Kong to your gate in 30 minutes. So you're probably thinking, big deal... but here's the rub. Downtown Hong Kong isn't even on the same island as the airport, it's about 30 km away.
We had no trouble finding our Northwest (go figure, right, is this the same NWA that's based out of Detroit?) flight to Tokyo and boarded our plane. Now normally, I'd think "ooh, we're flying a 747, the one with two stories, very cool," however, this is where NWA really let me down. Because the 747 is a really outdated aircraft now (I don't think you'll find one in Emirates' fleet) it lacks the niceties (read: personal entertainment in every seat and legroom) that the newer jets (Airbus A330/A340) have. NWA had made no attempt to update their plane with new equipment or spread out the seats. I felt sorry for the people who had to fly this thing on to LA or Detroit. When we landed in Tokyo, I did see NWA using some 747's as cargo planes, and I certainly hope that they plan on putting the other ones out to pasture some time soon. But who am I to complain. We got here safely, on time and at a reasonable price.
Upon landing in Tokyo, we cleared customs, immigration, and found bus tickets for the 66km ride to Tokyo. Who puts an airport 60km from downtown? Oh, yeah, Baltimore has effectively done that. After being spoiled by Hong Kong's airport express train, a luxury bus liner would HAVE (extreme sarcasm) to do.
The bus dropped us off at the Intercontinental Hotel here in Akasaka, but since we're not in the market to be spending $2000/night on a hotel room for 5 nights, we found a taxi to take us to our hotel near by. Good idea: this cab driver had a nav system which enabled him to input the exact address we were looking for and it led him right to our hotel's door.
I'm very pleased with our hotel room at The "B" Hotel. Now all we've got to do is figure out the toilet. I'm sure there's a card here somewhere with directions to help you avoid spraying scalding hot or ice cold water on your rear... Wish me luck!
Oh, another thing, it's actually fall weather here. Today's high was in the 50's and the leaves are changing. I wonder if their Starbucks has a pumpkin spice (soy) latte?
Much love to everyone back home. Thanks to everyone who's written me.
~Esteban
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
Crazy photo op
Today we had the craziest experience I've had so far and that is saying alot! Hong Kong has been a wonderful city to wander around in since it is clean, quiet, and virtually free of touts. Occasionally, if you are in a hot tourist spot you will get a Buddhist "monk" trying to sell you a peace card but that is minor compared to the rest of the world.
Anyhow, we walked to the HK Convention and Exhibition Centre. The architecture is akin to the Sydney Opera hall and is right on the waterfront. The weather was beautiful with clear skies and temp around 75 deg. F. We took some pics and then sat down and enjoyed the breeze by the water.
When we were ready to move on to find the Peak tram to the top of the Hong Kong island, we took a few last pictures of the monuments surrounding the center. I posed in front of an obelisk with Chinese lettering and when Steve finished taking the picture this girl came from nowhere and wanted a picture next to me. Steve was going to take a shot with our camera but then they motioned for him to join us. At this point the girl is hugging my waste very tight and giggling away. Steve stood to the left of me and then the other Asian girl tossed the camera to the guy in their group and ran to Steve and hung on to his waste. I was hugged so tightly that when we tried to move to get a good centering for the picture I thought I was going to fall over with the girl. I'm not sure how the photo turned out for them because I'm sure the look on my face was one of complete bewilderment and hilarity.
They bowed and managed a broken "thank you"...we all bowed and then we were on our way. I admit that it caused me to laugh out loud multiple times today as I remembered the scenario. I don't know where the girls were from but they didn't speak much English and were very bold. Overall, I would have to say we are now famous somewhere in somebody's circle of friends...oh the joy of being an American! :-)
Anyhow, we walked to the HK Convention and Exhibition Centre. The architecture is akin to the Sydney Opera hall and is right on the waterfront. The weather was beautiful with clear skies and temp around 75 deg. F. We took some pics and then sat down and enjoyed the breeze by the water.
When we were ready to move on to find the Peak tram to the top of the Hong Kong island, we took a few last pictures of the monuments surrounding the center. I posed in front of an obelisk with Chinese lettering and when Steve finished taking the picture this girl came from nowhere and wanted a picture next to me. Steve was going to take a shot with our camera but then they motioned for him to join us. At this point the girl is hugging my waste very tight and giggling away. Steve stood to the left of me and then the other Asian girl tossed the camera to the guy in their group and ran to Steve and hung on to his waste. I was hugged so tightly that when we tried to move to get a good centering for the picture I thought I was going to fall over with the girl. I'm not sure how the photo turned out for them because I'm sure the look on my face was one of complete bewilderment and hilarity.
They bowed and managed a broken "thank you"...we all bowed and then we were on our way. I admit that it caused me to laugh out loud multiple times today as I remembered the scenario. I don't know where the girls were from but they didn't speak much English and were very bold. Overall, I would have to say we are now famous somewhere in somebody's circle of friends...oh the joy of being an American! :-)
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
The wonders of Stardust
As you can see from our Bangkok photos, as we started feeling a little better we were out and about exploring the city before we headed out on our vineyard biking adventure. One of the days we explored the Siam Paragon which was a huge shopping "mall". Mall in a sense but larger than you've ever seen. It was multiple blocks and included 5 floors of stores including a basement Gourmet food market.
We wanted to watch a movie and checked out what was playing on the 6th floor cinema and decided upon a Stardust showing. When ordering the tickets we realized that it was pricier than expected but went ahead and bought 2 tickets. We killed the time until the show by walking around checking out all of the awesome electronics and perusing the bookstores.
About 20 minutes before the movie started we headed to the cinema figuring we would take advantage of the facilities as long as possible because of the high cost. At first we tried to go into the main entrance but they directed us to another area where we were escorted to a lounge waiting area. Now we understood why we paid so much ($15/person) and had free soda drinks and pastry cookies. Two minutes before the show started we stood up and immediately an attendant appeared at our table and personally walked us to our seats. We also had selected where we wanted to sit in the theatre...kind of like concert or broadway tickets.
Earlier I had worried about being cold since all of the stores were freezing and outside was hot and muggy. I didn't need to worry because at our seats we were given pillows and blankets to go along with our leather reclining seats in a private box for two. We snuggled under the blankets and waited for the show, only to be interrupted by a sudden airing of the King's song where everyone stood up until the end...the country is very patriotic!
The movie was excellent but left us with only 15 minutes before the mall closed and we still needed to buy dinner. We raced/hobbled (we were lame from lifting leg weights the previous day) to the basement floor and found sushi and spring roll bento boxes for dinner. It was an amazing dinner and we caught the skytrain back to our hotel ferry pickup location.
It was a wonderful evening with surprise twists!
We wanted to watch a movie and checked out what was playing on the 6th floor cinema and decided upon a Stardust showing. When ordering the tickets we realized that it was pricier than expected but went ahead and bought 2 tickets. We killed the time until the show by walking around checking out all of the awesome electronics and perusing the bookstores.
About 20 minutes before the movie started we headed to the cinema figuring we would take advantage of the facilities as long as possible because of the high cost. At first we tried to go into the main entrance but they directed us to another area where we were escorted to a lounge waiting area. Now we understood why we paid so much ($15/person) and had free soda drinks and pastry cookies. Two minutes before the show started we stood up and immediately an attendant appeared at our table and personally walked us to our seats. We also had selected where we wanted to sit in the theatre...kind of like concert or broadway tickets.
Earlier I had worried about being cold since all of the stores were freezing and outside was hot and muggy. I didn't need to worry because at our seats we were given pillows and blankets to go along with our leather reclining seats in a private box for two. We snuggled under the blankets and waited for the show, only to be interrupted by a sudden airing of the King's song where everyone stood up until the end...the country is very patriotic!
The movie was excellent but left us with only 15 minutes before the mall closed and we still needed to buy dinner. We raced/hobbled (we were lame from lifting leg weights the previous day) to the basement floor and found sushi and spring roll bento boxes for dinner. It was an amazing dinner and we caught the skytrain back to our hotel ferry pickup location.
It was a wonderful evening with surprise twists!
Tuesday, November 6, 2007
And finally a change of pace
After what seems forever we have moved on from Nepal and India to Bangkok. Before we left Bangalore, India decided to leave us with a parting gift of a good round of sickness. We managed to drag ourselves to the airport and then realized once we arrived at our new destination that it was time to call in the Doc's help. We are now recuperating nicely and have enjoyed seeing a bit of the city.
It is a welcome change to not hear any horns honking or constantly dodging car, human, and animal traffic. After spending a while in the 3rd world atmosphere you stop taking simple life niceties for granted...cleanliness, respect for others, abiding by global societal rules, etc.
We found a Starbucks today and gleefully went in for our first cup of good joe in a long while. What we did not expect was to see all of the Christmas flavors and decorations displayed! It's kind of like Florida where you know it's the right time of year for the holidays but the weather says opposite.
It is a welcome change to not hear any horns honking or constantly dodging car, human, and animal traffic. After spending a while in the 3rd world atmosphere you stop taking simple life niceties for granted...cleanliness, respect for others, abiding by global societal rules, etc.
We found a Starbucks today and gleefully went in for our first cup of good joe in a long while. What we did not expect was to see all of the Christmas flavors and decorations displayed! It's kind of like Florida where you know it's the right time of year for the holidays but the weather says opposite.
Thursday, November 1, 2007
Chillin' Out on MG Road
Well, we've officially been in Bangalore for a week now and have used our down time productively. We've found a reasonably priced and clean hotel with wi-fi to allow us to stay connected with the world and make the second round of our flight plans.
The MG Road area in Bangalore is the most western area that we've seen so far, with a McDonalds, KFC, and tons of pubs, glorious pubs. They also sell beer in the grocery stores for a way better price than you can find at even the best happy hour here in town.
This down time has also allowed us to read a bunch of books, mainly tour guides, for Bangkok, Hong Kong and Tokyo, but I also got a chance to read a book by the author of the Tipping Point, Malcom Gladwell. This book is called Blink and it's about that ever-so-telling feeling you get within 2 seconds of experiencing something.
Being that I often act based on the intuition that I get within the first 2 seconds of a new situation, I found this book especially apropos. It talks about the part of the brain that is used to process a situation, and how it effectively "thin slices" every situation to take visual clues that we aren't even consciously aware of. It's the reason why, when playing Beruit, you know the second the ping pong ball leaves your hand that it's going to land in a cup. A very interesting read...
Now I'm onto another book called The Power of Persuasion, by Robert Levine. It's aim is to talk about how we're affected by the incessant barrage of advertising in our world. It also talks about how the smoothest salesmen (or women) gain our trust and then swindle us further. I'm curious to see how many of the things he talks about in this book are tactics used by the touts that we've faced around the world... "Hello Friend"
~S
The MG Road area in Bangalore is the most western area that we've seen so far, with a McDonalds, KFC, and tons of pubs, glorious pubs. They also sell beer in the grocery stores for a way better price than you can find at even the best happy hour here in town.
This down time has also allowed us to read a bunch of books, mainly tour guides, for Bangkok, Hong Kong and Tokyo, but I also got a chance to read a book by the author of the Tipping Point, Malcom Gladwell. This book is called Blink and it's about that ever-so-telling feeling you get within 2 seconds of experiencing something.
Being that I often act based on the intuition that I get within the first 2 seconds of a new situation, I found this book especially apropos. It talks about the part of the brain that is used to process a situation, and how it effectively "thin slices" every situation to take visual clues that we aren't even consciously aware of. It's the reason why, when playing Beruit, you know the second the ping pong ball leaves your hand that it's going to land in a cup. A very interesting read...
Now I'm onto another book called The Power of Persuasion, by Robert Levine. It's aim is to talk about how we're affected by the incessant barrage of advertising in our world. It also talks about how the smoothest salesmen (or women) gain our trust and then swindle us further. I'm curious to see how many of the things he talks about in this book are tactics used by the touts that we've faced around the world... "Hello Friend"
~S
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
That's it, I'm not following any more sports
Formula 1's drama filled 2007 season has finally come to an end. Although I'm appalled at the behavior of some of the teams this season (cough...Mercedes McLaren... cough), I am happy that Kimi and Ferrari ended up on top. Not that Ferrari doesn't have the biggest budget (pure speculation) for their F1 teams, but they at least weren't caught outright cheating.
But the "boys behaving badly" fest is not over yet. As if they hadn't completely disgraced themselves already, McLaren lodged one last protest to attempt to place their own Lewis Hamilton atop the points standing.
Don't get me wrong, Hamilton did a great job this season, especially since he was a rookie, but when a top team like McLaren gets caught stealing design secrets from their main rival, Ferrari, it tarnishes even the most valiant efforts.
McLaren is protesting the temperature of the fuel that was used in the Williams and BMW cars, saying it was too cool (ultimately making it more dense and allowing more fuel into the tank...). If the FIA decides to grant them this protest and disqualify the Williams and BMW entries, Lewis Hamilton would ultimately triumph in the points standings. As a side note, McLaren lost the team competition after being disqualified, stripped of all its constructors points and being fined $100 million.
This begs the question in my mind, has racing always been wrought with cheating? I remember reading a book about racing in the era of Mark Donahue when everyone cheated in little ways. Specifically, there was a certain story where he and his team erected a 30 foot fueling tower that used a gravity feed to fuel his race car quicker than other teams... or where they acid dipped their chassis to make it lighter than the competitors. When the race officials caught on to either tactic, they quickly adapted the rules to outlaw said behaviors, yet the racing continued. As technology increases, the rules get tighter, budgets increase, the cheating gets more and more "clever." But stealing another team's design book? That's neither inventive nor original. It's flat out cheating. Come on Ron Dennis, are you out of ideas?
In other news, the Spiker team has been sold to some Indian Billionaires, and will be renamed Team "Force India". Good luck gentlemen with the ex Jordan-Midland-Spiker cars. May the Force of Shah Rukh Kahn's rock hard abs and ad-nausium dance sequences be with you.
Friday, October 19, 2007
The $2 Haircut
As it goes, one will need haircuts throughout the year to maintain some resemblance to a kempt human being. With all the emphasis on screening out terrorists at the airport checkpoints these days, I figured it's best to stay well shaved and groomed when passing through customs. With my last haircut in Dubai 2.5 months ago, it was high time for another one.
We booked a hotel in Varanasi that, without being a 5 star dripping opulence resort, had a nice array of massage and salon services. Upon checking in, I was handed the salon services menu and noticed that a "gentleman's haircut" was 50 Rupees ($1.25). For that price, how could you go wrong? (I also noticed that a "gentleman's head shave was 60 Rupees) I thought the guy would take out the clippers, put on the #2 attachment and go to town. I was slightly mistaken.
As with most services that we encounter, you first must resist the up sell. When requesting the haircut, you're made aware of "this package deal" and "that special deal" which tries to lump in massages, facials, leg waxing, etc along with your basic haircut. Once they got the point that I was interested only in a hair cut, we had to clarify the issue of hair cut vs. head shave. To make sure they were on the same page with me, I pointed to my existing hair and made a shortening gesture with my fingers. I then pointed to my bald forehead and said "NO, not like this" They all laughed and we got down to business.
I sat down in the chair and the barber put the cloth on me, tucking it into my collar like they do in the states. He then proceeded to pull out the biggest, rustiest pair of scissors that I'd ever seen. These scissors were like those craft scissors everyone used in grade school, you know, the metal ones with the black painted handle that hurt your hand if you cut for extended periods of time. (If he missed, I was going to lose and ear or need a tetnus shot.) With the aid of two combs, he managed to work the hair shorter on one side of my head then the other, never stopping the cutting motion of the scissors, even when he wasn't cutting hair. It was like someone had plugged in his hand and not until the hair cut was over did he stop the "swish swish" of the scissors.
For the crudeness of tools he had to use, I got a dy-no-mite haircut. For the edges of my hairline, no electric trimmers were needed, he had a straight razor for that. The hair continued to come off as he finished a rough cut, then proceeded to go back and touch up certain areas he wasn't happy with. A true professional, I thought. When he finished up, I almost jumped out of the chair, but hesitated for a second. I'm glad I did, because he then proceeded to massage my scalp, face, shoulders, arms and hands for the next 15 minutes. Last, but not least, he picked up the scissors again and trimmed my ear hair. I chuckled, beacause that's what Zef used to do as the last part of a haircut back in Michigan. Zef also charges $25, this guy $1.25.
I tipped him and hopped down, pleased as punch at the bargain I'd found on my haircut. I might not be shopping for bargains on goods to take back with us to the states, but I felt like I'd found the bargain of the century on my haircut.
~S
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Out of the Frying Pan, Into the Fire
Well, we've been able to leave Nepal and are now in India, New Delhi to be exact. We took a flight to Varanasi, the most holy Hindu city in India, and briefly saw the Ganges river (well beyond gross), then flew to Delhi. For the past couple days we've been bumming around Delhi, seeing the sites, avoiding the touts and figuring out ways to make our money last.
At first glance, from where we're staying up in the Karol Bagh district, Delhi looks like any other 3rd world city - trash in the streets, open air markets, tons of car horns, three wheeled auto rickshaws, and tons of people going about daily life. However, on our adventures today, we found another side to Delhi, a much prettier side.
For starters, Delhi has just installed a mass transit system. This half above ground, half subway system is fast, efficient, affordable, and CLEAN. There are tons of people riding it at all hours of the day and night and it's not even completed yet. There's 4 more stages of installation to go before it's scheduled to be completed.
There's a road that goes between the Parliament House and the India Gate (see photo album for exact pictures) that's got grassy areas on each side of it. This makes for great picnicking areas for locals and also a great place to play a pick up game of Cricket.
They've really done a nice job of preserving the forests and gardens of Delhi. You'll be walking around and come upon a very green piece of land, right in the middle of the city.
There's a ton of old building and monuments scattered around. One of the coolest ones, we can't figure out what it was. Walking around it, there were no signs, it was fenced off and looked like the crumbling remains of a old British Fort. It's not labeled on our map either. Anyone know what the ruins are right next to the Delhi High Court?
This city really comes alive when the sun goes down. There's lights and music playing in the streets, people are out eating, shopping or socializing. I felt completely safe walking around at night.
There's such diversity in Delhi, 5 Star hotels right next to the poorest slums. I guess when you cram 13 million of all different income levels into one geographical areas, it's bound to happen. It's got kind of a neat vibe to it.
~S
At first glance, from where we're staying up in the Karol Bagh district, Delhi looks like any other 3rd world city - trash in the streets, open air markets, tons of car horns, three wheeled auto rickshaws, and tons of people going about daily life. However, on our adventures today, we found another side to Delhi, a much prettier side.
For starters, Delhi has just installed a mass transit system. This half above ground, half subway system is fast, efficient, affordable, and CLEAN. There are tons of people riding it at all hours of the day and night and it's not even completed yet. There's 4 more stages of installation to go before it's scheduled to be completed.
There's a road that goes between the Parliament House and the India Gate (see photo album for exact pictures) that's got grassy areas on each side of it. This makes for great picnicking areas for locals and also a great place to play a pick up game of Cricket.
They've really done a nice job of preserving the forests and gardens of Delhi. You'll be walking around and come upon a very green piece of land, right in the middle of the city.
There's a ton of old building and monuments scattered around. One of the coolest ones, we can't figure out what it was. Walking around it, there were no signs, it was fenced off and looked like the crumbling remains of a old British Fort. It's not labeled on our map either. Anyone know what the ruins are right next to the Delhi High Court?
This city really comes alive when the sun goes down. There's lights and music playing in the streets, people are out eating, shopping or socializing. I felt completely safe walking around at night.
There's such diversity in Delhi, 5 Star hotels right next to the poorest slums. I guess when you cram 13 million of all different income levels into one geographical areas, it's bound to happen. It's got kind of a neat vibe to it.
~S
Monday, October 1, 2007
Still in Nepal
The beauty of a skeleton flight schedule is the flexibility in travel plans. We were able to hang around Kathmandu waiting for the political situation to settle down a bit before traveling to Western Nepal for our CARE project visits. And now are headed into a meditation retreat before moving on to India.
Just as the rest of the countries we have visited, Nepal teaches us something new each day. Despite the continuous flip-flop in the government status, you can see hope in everyone's eyes. I even venture to say that when you walk the streets you feel peace and happiness in the core of the nation.
Trekking seems to be the main tourist attraction here and I do think it would be a blast to reach the base camp at Mt. Everest but we'll have to wait until next time when we are properly prepared. That is if there is a next time considering the cost of traveling here if you're coming from the US with the sole purpose of trekking. We've observed the working of a "budget" trekking tour and believe that it is a miserable experience. Our suggestion to anyone considering a trek here in Nepal is to spend the extra cash for a reputable agency and have a chance at actually enjoying yourself.
~J
Just as the rest of the countries we have visited, Nepal teaches us something new each day. Despite the continuous flip-flop in the government status, you can see hope in everyone's eyes. I even venture to say that when you walk the streets you feel peace and happiness in the core of the nation.
Trekking seems to be the main tourist attraction here and I do think it would be a blast to reach the base camp at Mt. Everest but we'll have to wait until next time when we are properly prepared. That is if there is a next time considering the cost of traveling here if you're coming from the US with the sole purpose of trekking. We've observed the working of a "budget" trekking tour and believe that it is a miserable experience. Our suggestion to anyone considering a trek here in Nepal is to spend the extra cash for a reputable agency and have a chance at actually enjoying yourself.
~J
Monday, September 24, 2007
Global Traffic Report
Good afternoon folks, this is Steve in Global Traffic Chopper 4 (better than Chopper 2) with your evening rush hour traffic report from around the world.
Valencia, Spain - Well, things aren't looking too good from up here. Traffic is moving, but there's someone double parked in the main circle with their flashers on, yet they neglected to leave their car unlocked so locals could move it out of the way. That's snarling things up pretty good along the side streets, and people are just laying on their horns. I recommend you take the highway around the city, and if you're looking for parking, mind the electronic signs that give you real time information on the number of spots left in each of the city's main parking structures.
Eastern France - I don't recommend heading up into the French Alps this evening, because many of the roads are closed due to Tour de France race activity. We've got a couple of motor homes that have tried to, but have unsuccessfully pulled off the road, making it hard for traffic to get by. On the way up some of your steeper inclines, you've got a mix of slow moving motor homes, cyclists and people on foot that are keeping things below 5 KPH. On the highways, however, once you get through the ridiculously expensive tolls, it's smooth sailing at 130-150 KPH. Just mind the speed cameras and the slow moving semis.
Morocco - If you're planning on trying to drive in Casablanca, Marrakech, or Rabat, I highly suggest you make sure your horn is working. Also, you should take a extra dose of courage (or say a few extra prayers) this evening before flinging yourself into the traffic circles here. It's pure lawlessness out there, folks. Watch out for slow moving Mitsubishi vans painted in bright colors with Nike and Alpine stickers all over them. I'm not sure that these drivers can see out their windows with all the adornment. Also, traffic is pretty backed up at the random security check points, with all the plain clothes informants looking for people on their cell phones or bus drivers who don't have the proper speedometer calibration papers. Keep a keen eye for the trucks packed two and three times their height with payload. They're liable to tip on you at any second.
Dubai, UAE. - Traffic is gridlocked on the main highway this evening due to the exponential and unrestricted growth of this area. If at all possible, stay at the office until 11:30 PM, and at that time, you'll be able to creep home at 10 KPH. If you're A/C's not working, well, bring a towel because you're going to sweat your body weight while you sit in 130 degree heat this evening (after the sun's gone down).
Egypt - The word of the evening here, people is "movement" as in, keep moving. And use that horn. Traffic is completely jammed up but, miraculously, it keeps moving. Kind of like water through a pipe. The pipe is COMPLETELY full, yet the water seems to keep flowing through it. Keep a mindful eye for unlucky pedestrians who are forced to cross the road. They're most likely tourists who don't know how to cross the road and will step into on-coming traffic. On Ring Road, there's a bit of a back up due to a wedding procession that's weaving in and out of traffic, lighting off fire works from moving cars. I believe, yes, that's a camel on the highway. Tonight, if you're still in traffic, remember to not turn on your lights unless you get to a security check point, you don't want to unnecessarily blind people with your misaligned headlights. To keep traffic flowing, make sure to have your paperwork ready, especially if you're headed to the Sinai Peninsula.
South Africa - Traffic is moving slowly tonight from Jo'Burg to Pretoria. There's a Toyota Tazz in the right (passing) lane, and with 40 HP, it's not able to keep up the pace of the 14 BMW's, 3 AMG Mercedes, 1 Lambo and an Aston Martin behind it. Further towards the wine regions, there's some questionable driving from people who've obviously been tasting wine all day. In Cape Town, the parking attendants have gone on strike, causing people to forget how to park. But overall, most people are following traffic laws.
Kathmandu, Nepal - Things are a mess tonight. With the Maoists quitting the provisional government, traffic has come to a stand still because of the demonstrators. Oh, wait, no, this standstill could be due to the car sized pot holes. The motorcycles that continue to pass on the left, right and center aren't helping anything either. They're like the cement between bricks that keeps the bricks stationary. There's also a plethora of different sized vehlcles (TukTuks, small Suzuki Taxis, SUVs, Full sized trucks) crowding the streets because of the petrol shortage. The back roads aren't much better, where an SUV has tried to pass a pick up truck on a blind turn on a 1 way road. This one's going to take some time to sort out. Everyone's out of their car discussing how to get both vehicles through and it seems that they're being very amicable with each other.
Overall, despite the horrendous traffic, everyone is a very good driver for their conditions. Accidents, as car as I can see, are fairly minor and fairly infrequent. Have a wonderful commute everyone.
~S
Valencia, Spain - Well, things aren't looking too good from up here. Traffic is moving, but there's someone double parked in the main circle with their flashers on, yet they neglected to leave their car unlocked so locals could move it out of the way. That's snarling things up pretty good along the side streets, and people are just laying on their horns. I recommend you take the highway around the city, and if you're looking for parking, mind the electronic signs that give you real time information on the number of spots left in each of the city's main parking structures.
Eastern France - I don't recommend heading up into the French Alps this evening, because many of the roads are closed due to Tour de France race activity. We've got a couple of motor homes that have tried to, but have unsuccessfully pulled off the road, making it hard for traffic to get by. On the way up some of your steeper inclines, you've got a mix of slow moving motor homes, cyclists and people on foot that are keeping things below 5 KPH. On the highways, however, once you get through the ridiculously expensive tolls, it's smooth sailing at 130-150 KPH. Just mind the speed cameras and the slow moving semis.
Morocco - If you're planning on trying to drive in Casablanca, Marrakech, or Rabat, I highly suggest you make sure your horn is working. Also, you should take a extra dose of courage (or say a few extra prayers) this evening before flinging yourself into the traffic circles here. It's pure lawlessness out there, folks. Watch out for slow moving Mitsubishi vans painted in bright colors with Nike and Alpine stickers all over them. I'm not sure that these drivers can see out their windows with all the adornment. Also, traffic is pretty backed up at the random security check points, with all the plain clothes informants looking for people on their cell phones or bus drivers who don't have the proper speedometer calibration papers. Keep a keen eye for the trucks packed two and three times their height with payload. They're liable to tip on you at any second.
Dubai, UAE. - Traffic is gridlocked on the main highway this evening due to the exponential and unrestricted growth of this area. If at all possible, stay at the office until 11:30 PM, and at that time, you'll be able to creep home at 10 KPH. If you're A/C's not working, well, bring a towel because you're going to sweat your body weight while you sit in 130 degree heat this evening (after the sun's gone down).
Egypt - The word of the evening here, people is "movement" as in, keep moving. And use that horn. Traffic is completely jammed up but, miraculously, it keeps moving. Kind of like water through a pipe. The pipe is COMPLETELY full, yet the water seems to keep flowing through it. Keep a mindful eye for unlucky pedestrians who are forced to cross the road. They're most likely tourists who don't know how to cross the road and will step into on-coming traffic. On Ring Road, there's a bit of a back up due to a wedding procession that's weaving in and out of traffic, lighting off fire works from moving cars. I believe, yes, that's a camel on the highway. Tonight, if you're still in traffic, remember to not turn on your lights unless you get to a security check point, you don't want to unnecessarily blind people with your misaligned headlights. To keep traffic flowing, make sure to have your paperwork ready, especially if you're headed to the Sinai Peninsula.
South Africa - Traffic is moving slowly tonight from Jo'Burg to Pretoria. There's a Toyota Tazz in the right (passing) lane, and with 40 HP, it's not able to keep up the pace of the 14 BMW's, 3 AMG Mercedes, 1 Lambo and an Aston Martin behind it. Further towards the wine regions, there's some questionable driving from people who've obviously been tasting wine all day. In Cape Town, the parking attendants have gone on strike, causing people to forget how to park. But overall, most people are following traffic laws.
Kathmandu, Nepal - Things are a mess tonight. With the Maoists quitting the provisional government, traffic has come to a stand still because of the demonstrators. Oh, wait, no, this standstill could be due to the car sized pot holes. The motorcycles that continue to pass on the left, right and center aren't helping anything either. They're like the cement between bricks that keeps the bricks stationary. There's also a plethora of different sized vehlcles (TukTuks, small Suzuki Taxis, SUVs, Full sized trucks) crowding the streets because of the petrol shortage. The back roads aren't much better, where an SUV has tried to pass a pick up truck on a blind turn on a 1 way road. This one's going to take some time to sort out. Everyone's out of their car discussing how to get both vehicles through and it seems that they're being very amicable with each other.
Overall, despite the horrendous traffic, everyone is a very good driver for their conditions. Accidents, as car as I can see, are fairly minor and fairly infrequent. Have a wonderful commute everyone.
~S
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
South Africa - Almost Full Potential
I’m not sure how to spin this in the most positive way possible… so please forgive me if I offend anyone from SA (this is merely an observation). Like I stated before, I loved South Africa and would recommend it to anyone who would want to travel to possibly the most beautiful place on earth (NZ and SA are neck and neck in my book).
However, South Africa saddened me, as I’m sure it also does for many of the people living there. In this country there’s one big problem that hangs like a rain cloud over Table Mountain on an otherwise sunny day: crime. And I’m not just talking petty, take your wallet theft, but violent, “Smash and Grab” (and sometimes stab or shoot) crime. Most of the locals we spoke with had been “hijacked” once or twice, and most knew of someone who met a slightly more grizzly demise at the hands of a thief.
I suppose I was so sensitive to this, because after visiting places like Morocco and Egypt, South Africa had more money, infrastructure and “western” technological advances than they knew what to do with, but is unable to quell the rise of violent crime. It’s really sad to see a country like this with potential that many other countries around the world long for (ie tap water that you can drink in most cities) and see them struggle with the distribution of wealth, unemployment and crime. They say that apartheid ended back in the 1990’s officially, but the after-effects and separation of wealth are still very evident.
On a positive note, most everyone in SA is looking forward to the advances in security and clean up efforts associated with hosting the 2010 World Cup Football (Soccer – SA calls it soccer too…). There’s a ton of activity going on in Jo’burg, Durban and one other city (I think Cape Town, but don’t quote me on that) to make the cities ready for the influx of tourists in 2010.
Ed addition: Bill brings up a good point, look at all the progress that they've made in the last 20 years, with the end of apartheid, and where they are now. Let's hope that the rise in crime is only a pot hole on the road to unity.
~S
However, South Africa saddened me, as I’m sure it also does for many of the people living there. In this country there’s one big problem that hangs like a rain cloud over Table Mountain on an otherwise sunny day: crime. And I’m not just talking petty, take your wallet theft, but violent, “Smash and Grab” (and sometimes stab or shoot) crime. Most of the locals we spoke with had been “hijacked” once or twice, and most knew of someone who met a slightly more grizzly demise at the hands of a thief.
I suppose I was so sensitive to this, because after visiting places like Morocco and Egypt, South Africa had more money, infrastructure and “western” technological advances than they knew what to do with, but is unable to quell the rise of violent crime. It’s really sad to see a country like this with potential that many other countries around the world long for (ie tap water that you can drink in most cities) and see them struggle with the distribution of wealth, unemployment and crime. They say that apartheid ended back in the 1990’s officially, but the after-effects and separation of wealth are still very evident.
On a positive note, most everyone in SA is looking forward to the advances in security and clean up efforts associated with hosting the 2010 World Cup Football (Soccer – SA calls it soccer too…). There’s a ton of activity going on in Jo’burg, Durban and one other city (I think Cape Town, but don’t quote me on that) to make the cities ready for the influx of tourists in 2010.
Ed addition: Bill brings up a good point, look at all the progress that they've made in the last 20 years, with the end of apartheid, and where they are now. Let's hope that the rise in crime is only a pot hole on the road to unity.
~S
The Time Zone Thing - Nepal
So I thought that all time zones were based off of hourly differences from Greenwich Mean Time (GMT), where the East Coast of the US was behind by 5 hrs, Germany was ahead by 1, etc etc etc… However, I thought wrong. The local time here in Nepal seems to be about 5 hours and 45 minutes ahead of GMT. How does that work? I guess, if you think about it, it makes sense, because even with time zones, part of your time zone is getting darker earlier or later than other parts. Maybe Nepal decided that 5 hours ahead of GMT was too little (sun rose at 4 am or something) and 6 hours was too much (it wasn’t light until 9am). Strange. If anyone knows the real reason, please chime in.
~S
~S
Safely in Nepal, out of the comfort zone again
Interesting how easy it is to get comfortable in a place where they speak your language, look like you and obey the simplest of traffic rules – and South Africa was that place for me. We had an absolutely wonderful time in SA, Jo’burg, Soweto, Kruger, Cape Town, but the one thing that sticks out in my mind is the wine lands. Whichever region we visited, the people were extremely friendly, welcoming us into their homes (ok, they were guest houses and that was their job) and taking a vested interest in what we were doing. A number of the couples that ran the guest houses we stayed in were almost like “away from home” parents – doting over us when we had laundry to do, suggesting (but never pushing) places to visit and eat and helping us to organize activities. At the last place we stayed in Durbanville Hills, the owner, unbenounced to us, called Durbanville Hills Winery and arranged a private tour (and free tasting) for us with a contact she had out there. At another winery, we met the head wine master and chatted with him for an hour or so AFTER his wine workshop was over. He even recommended a contact that we should look up in New Zealand when we’re there. While I don’t expect this type of attitude everywhere we go, it was so nice for me to meet fellow wine enthusiasts who were helpful to us because they knew we loved wine, not because they wanted our money.
It’s this exact type of situation that makes it hard for me to return to a country where the focus is definitely back on us, not because of our general interest in Nepal, but because of our money. However, if I’ve learned anything in the past 3 and a half months of traveling, it’s that functioning outside of our comfort zone is a must for personal growth. For instance, worrying about meeting our basic needs on a day to day basis is not something that we do often in the States (or Europe or SA for that matter), and when you come out of an environment where you’ve been stretched, you’re so much more grateful for your current situation and have a more keen eye for helping those around you.
~S
It’s this exact type of situation that makes it hard for me to return to a country where the focus is definitely back on us, not because of our general interest in Nepal, but because of our money. However, if I’ve learned anything in the past 3 and a half months of traveling, it’s that functioning outside of our comfort zone is a must for personal growth. For instance, worrying about meeting our basic needs on a day to day basis is not something that we do often in the States (or Europe or SA for that matter), and when you come out of an environment where you’ve been stretched, you’re so much more grateful for your current situation and have a more keen eye for helping those around you.
~S
Thursday, September 13, 2007
Dinner Recipe - Self Catering Style
We thought we'd share a typical dinner recipe with ya'll - something that we found very enjoyable and very simple, since we're staying in "Self Catering" accommodations with limited cooking facilities.
It was a chilly Spring evening and kind of rainy, so a perfect night for, yes, Soup.
Ingredients:
1/2 an Onion, chopped
3 small green chilis, chopped
1 can of tomatoes
1 can of butter beans (no sugar added)
4 small zucchini, diced
1 small eggplant, diced
6 medium mushrooms, sliced
Your favorite seasoning
Olive Oil
Procedure:
1) Put the pot on your "all in 1" oven/cooktop/convection oven. Turn the burner on about 4 out of a possible 6.
2) Once the pot is hot put some olive oil in the bottom and "sweat" the onion. When it's almost done, add the chilis and cook them a bit. The oil reacts with the chili and adds the essential HEAT to your soup.
3) When you're about to burn the onion, add the can of tomatoes and butter beans. Turn the heat down to 3. Stir frequently, because your mixture is trying it's darndest to stick to the bottom of the pot (and you don't have the proper cleaning tools to clean burned tomato off the bottom of the pot)
4) Add the zucchini and simmer for 7 minutes. Stir once or twice.
5) Add a pinch of your favorite seasoning (we used a garlic, oregano, Parmesan, MSG mix)
6) Add the eggplant and mushrooms, simmer for another 10-20 minutes. This step all depends upon how hungry you are. If you just can't stand it, the soup can be eaten immediately, once all the veggies are hot.
7) Top with cheese, accompany with toast, whatever leftovers you may have. The goal is to eat EVERYTHING you've purchased, no waste.
Serve with your camping utensils because your self catering unit lacks a proper serving utensil.
Accompany your soup with a good Pinottage - we tried it with a chilled Sauvignon Blanc, but the conflict of hot and cold hurt our teeth.
Once you finish your dinner, soak your pot immediately to begin loosening the burned stuff from the bottom. Finish your wine while the pot soaks. Clean up the dishes with your "all in 1" rag and camp suds or dish soap.
Cheers!
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
A good read - Nelson Mandela's Long Walk to Freedom
I just finished reading the longest, but best book I've read in a long time. Nelson Mandela's Long Walk To Freedom. Reading it here in South Africa was especially apropos, because this man, along with others in the ANC has had such a hand in changing the recent history of this country. After reading the autobiography, I also seem to understand more of the daily news here, as many events that are reported on still refer to members of the ANC that went through the struggle to end apartheid with Mandela.
Nelson Mandela is a truly remarkable human being. Escaping from an arranged marriage in his late teens, his book details the twists and turns that his life of fighting for black's rights took in the time leading up to, during and immediately after his 27 year imprisonment. Keep in mind that he was jailed in his 40's, so some would argue that he'd already done enough for one lifetime. However, while in jail, he kept himself strong, alert and engaged with a combination of daily exercise, continued education and a network of contacts that kept him informed about the outside world.
Especially inspiring to me from this book are the following things:
1) His ability as a story teller: Not once during this highly political book did I think, "Oh gosh, I'll just skim the next couple of pages past all the political stuff." He managed to weave the complete story together in a way that had me turning pages like this was a Grisham novel.
2) His optimistic perspective: Spending 27 years in jail has got to be tough on the psyche, but somehow NM (at least in his book) always found the bright side. He kept himself alert and fighting for his rights throughout his whole time here. It paid off - conditions for him and his colleagues improved considerably by the time they were released. He also tried to see the best in his captors and frequently talked about the glimmers of humanity that they showed, rather than the racist SOB's that they were.
3) His diplomacy: NM never was silent about his perspective, but spoke his views in a way where even those who were against him would listen. More often than not, he got what he wanted.
4) His leadership skills: Especially in times of tension, he had an uncanny sense of when to let things blow over, to take passive action or to take full violent action. Not with out error, he usually realized when his ideas were wrong and learned from them. Seldom did he make the same mistake twice.
5) His listening skills: Just as many listened to his perspectives, NM listened politely to his opponents, hearing and trying to understand what they were trying to say. Very seldom did he crack under abusive, bullysome treatment. After they had spoken, NM was very adept at finding a win-win or middle ground on which all parties could agree.
6) His forgiveness: After 80+ years of apartheid in South Africa, he was able to forgive the whites here and try to work with them to achieve an end to apartheid. Even when publicly criticized by FW DeKlerk during the final negotiations, he'd speak his mind then try to continue negotiations without holding a grudge.
7) His humility: NM would usually state when he was wrong, learn from it and move on. He didn't seem to dwell on the fact or lose confidence in his decision making abilities when things didn't quite go the way he'd envisioned. He also freely admitted that his family life was sacrificed in choosing the life path that he did. It's a shame, because with all the above character traits, he'd also make a very good family man.
8) His network of contacts: Throughout the book he surrounded himself by very intelligent people of all races, and made alliances that would prove worthwhile in the ANC's struggle for freedom. This sometimes caused strife with organizations that wanted solely Black power for South Africa, but NM saw that this was everyone's country, and had alliances with Blacks, Indians, Coloreds, Whites, and communists.
Give it a read if you have a chance!
~S
Nelson Mandela is a truly remarkable human being. Escaping from an arranged marriage in his late teens, his book details the twists and turns that his life of fighting for black's rights took in the time leading up to, during and immediately after his 27 year imprisonment. Keep in mind that he was jailed in his 40's, so some would argue that he'd already done enough for one lifetime. However, while in jail, he kept himself strong, alert and engaged with a combination of daily exercise, continued education and a network of contacts that kept him informed about the outside world.
Especially inspiring to me from this book are the following things:
1) His ability as a story teller: Not once during this highly political book did I think, "Oh gosh, I'll just skim the next couple of pages past all the political stuff." He managed to weave the complete story together in a way that had me turning pages like this was a Grisham novel.
2) His optimistic perspective: Spending 27 years in jail has got to be tough on the psyche, but somehow NM (at least in his book) always found the bright side. He kept himself alert and fighting for his rights throughout his whole time here. It paid off - conditions for him and his colleagues improved considerably by the time they were released. He also tried to see the best in his captors and frequently talked about the glimmers of humanity that they showed, rather than the racist SOB's that they were.
3) His diplomacy: NM never was silent about his perspective, but spoke his views in a way where even those who were against him would listen. More often than not, he got what he wanted.
4) His leadership skills: Especially in times of tension, he had an uncanny sense of when to let things blow over, to take passive action or to take full violent action. Not with out error, he usually realized when his ideas were wrong and learned from them. Seldom did he make the same mistake twice.
5) His listening skills: Just as many listened to his perspectives, NM listened politely to his opponents, hearing and trying to understand what they were trying to say. Very seldom did he crack under abusive, bullysome treatment. After they had spoken, NM was very adept at finding a win-win or middle ground on which all parties could agree.
6) His forgiveness: After 80+ years of apartheid in South Africa, he was able to forgive the whites here and try to work with them to achieve an end to apartheid. Even when publicly criticized by FW DeKlerk during the final negotiations, he'd speak his mind then try to continue negotiations without holding a grudge.
7) His humility: NM would usually state when he was wrong, learn from it and move on. He didn't seem to dwell on the fact or lose confidence in his decision making abilities when things didn't quite go the way he'd envisioned. He also freely admitted that his family life was sacrificed in choosing the life path that he did. It's a shame, because with all the above character traits, he'd also make a very good family man.
8) His network of contacts: Throughout the book he surrounded himself by very intelligent people of all races, and made alliances that would prove worthwhile in the ANC's struggle for freedom. This sometimes caused strife with organizations that wanted solely Black power for South Africa, but NM saw that this was everyone's country, and had alliances with Blacks, Indians, Coloreds, Whites, and communists.
Give it a read if you have a chance!
~S
Thursday, September 6, 2007
Kruger NP - Rooooaaaarrrrrr!
I hope most of you have caught up on our pictures but the blog is trailing behind by a few days...
While we were on the East side of South Africa we took the opportunity to go to Kruger National Park. We were trying to plan this outing in Cairo while Steve was ill and there are so many options out there it's hard to know the best. Kruger really isn't the most economical place to visit especially if you pick a scheduled safari. Somehow we stumbled upon the absolute best option for us which was renting a car in Jo'burg and then booking lodging right outside the park.
So after exploring Jo'burg for a few days we headed to Kruger and checked-in to our lodge with the intentions of setting up some game drives with their guide. Thankfully the owner and guide upon hearing that we were on a budget, suggested that we drive ourselves into the park and see what we could find. If we felt like we weren't getting what we desired then we could book a drive with the guide.
The first day in the park we went at "the wrong time of the day" which was late morning through the afternoon. The best times reportedly were either first thing in the morning or very late afternoon. With that in mind we went to just cruise and enjoy the park. The guide pointed us to a good road to try out which was a dirt drive right off the main road at the Crocodile Bridge entrance. We crept down this dirt road at about 5 km/h, both hanging out the windows scanning the terrain for any signs of animals. We were rewarded with our patience and first off saw some rhino, then a few giraffe, zebras were also around, the never ending impalas, warthogs, kudu, and then some elephant (very close!)..oh, and I can't forget all the hippos, crocs, and various birds. As you can tell we were very lucky!! By the end of the day we had even seen a leopard far off in a tree eating its prey, a cheetah sitting on the banks of the river, and then a second leopard about 15 meters from our car walking along blending in and out of the brush. It was amazing!!!!
We ended the day with all this beginners luck and we started to fret that we would leave the park without seeing any lions. Although everyone we told about our findings said that even if we didn't see lions we had seen more in one day than some people do in weeks or even ever. I forgot to mention that the first day we also saw (cape) buffalo a variety of water buffalo.
The second day we went right when the gates opened at 6AM armed with a picnic basket of coffee and scones that the lodge prepared for us...completely roughing it as you can see. :-) It was neat to see the different kind of animal activity in the morning when it was still dusk and slighter cooler. We only had a few hours before we were going to head back for breakfast and saw nothing new until the very end when we turned around on the road and headed back to the gates. A lone lion was wandering along next to the road, she appeared and disappeared so quickly that I don't believe we even caught her on camera. But she completed our Big 5 sightings!
Once again later that day we went back into the park and from our photos you can see that we indeed did see more lion...I believe the total count for that day was 10 and they were soooo close! The cats were my favorite if you couldn't already tell. Our last sighting of the day was leopard who was napping close to the road. After we spotted him he decided to wake up, stretch, and then start his daily shower routine. Even though I wanted to just sit there and watch him for hours we had to high tail it down the dirt road to make it out of the Park before they closed the gates. Take note of our "safari machine" the Toyota Tazz and then imagine flying down a dirt road at 80km/h hoping that no animals decide to wander across your path because without power steering there wasn't much steering "feel", if you catch my drift (no pun intended).
While we were on the East side of South Africa we took the opportunity to go to Kruger National Park. We were trying to plan this outing in Cairo while Steve was ill and there are so many options out there it's hard to know the best. Kruger really isn't the most economical place to visit especially if you pick a scheduled safari. Somehow we stumbled upon the absolute best option for us which was renting a car in Jo'burg and then booking lodging right outside the park.
So after exploring Jo'burg for a few days we headed to Kruger and checked-in to our lodge with the intentions of setting up some game drives with their guide. Thankfully the owner and guide upon hearing that we were on a budget, suggested that we drive ourselves into the park and see what we could find. If we felt like we weren't getting what we desired then we could book a drive with the guide.
The first day in the park we went at "the wrong time of the day" which was late morning through the afternoon. The best times reportedly were either first thing in the morning or very late afternoon. With that in mind we went to just cruise and enjoy the park. The guide pointed us to a good road to try out which was a dirt drive right off the main road at the Crocodile Bridge entrance. We crept down this dirt road at about 5 km/h, both hanging out the windows scanning the terrain for any signs of animals. We were rewarded with our patience and first off saw some rhino, then a few giraffe, zebras were also around, the never ending impalas, warthogs, kudu, and then some elephant (very close!)..oh, and I can't forget all the hippos, crocs, and various birds. As you can tell we were very lucky!! By the end of the day we had even seen a leopard far off in a tree eating its prey, a cheetah sitting on the banks of the river, and then a second leopard about 15 meters from our car walking along blending in and out of the brush. It was amazing!!!!
We ended the day with all this beginners luck and we started to fret that we would leave the park without seeing any lions. Although everyone we told about our findings said that even if we didn't see lions we had seen more in one day than some people do in weeks or even ever. I forgot to mention that the first day we also saw (cape) buffalo a variety of water buffalo.
The second day we went right when the gates opened at 6AM armed with a picnic basket of coffee and scones that the lodge prepared for us...completely roughing it as you can see. :-) It was neat to see the different kind of animal activity in the morning when it was still dusk and slighter cooler. We only had a few hours before we were going to head back for breakfast and saw nothing new until the very end when we turned around on the road and headed back to the gates. A lone lion was wandering along next to the road, she appeared and disappeared so quickly that I don't believe we even caught her on camera. But she completed our Big 5 sightings!
Once again later that day we went back into the park and from our photos you can see that we indeed did see more lion...I believe the total count for that day was 10 and they were soooo close! The cats were my favorite if you couldn't already tell. Our last sighting of the day was leopard who was napping close to the road. After we spotted him he decided to wake up, stretch, and then start his daily shower routine. Even though I wanted to just sit there and watch him for hours we had to high tail it down the dirt road to make it out of the Park before they closed the gates. Take note of our "safari machine" the Toyota Tazz and then imagine flying down a dirt road at 80km/h hoping that no animals decide to wander across your path because without power steering there wasn't much steering "feel", if you catch my drift (no pun intended).
Tuesday, September 4, 2007
Wine Tasting Results... Our picks now at a store near you!
We had a great time at the Franschhoek wine festival last Sunday, tasting wines from 7 or 8 different vineyards, which varied in quality and price. It was interesting to see the differences between wines that were essentially made with grapes grown in the same valley.
The Franschhoek valley grows mostly red grapes, and some vineyards here do their own bottling, while a majority (there are vineyards everywhere) sell their grapes to the bigger producers. Anyone selling a Sauvignon Blanc or Chardonnay is probably using grapes from the higher elevations and rockier climate closer towards Cape Town.
Our picks:
Graham Beck Pheasants Run Sauvignon Blanc 2006. Whereas most SB's hit you
with a strong floral bouquet right off the nose, this one is more subtle and "real" tasting with more mineral and grassy tones rather than an overwhelming floral or citrus bouquet. The other "regular" Graham Beck SB was just OK after the Pheasants Run bottle, as were all other SB's that we tried that day.
Graham Beck Varietal Shiraz 2003. Because this is a 2003 Shiraz that was just released this year, it's had some time to mature and its tannins to polymarize. To those who don't know (no worries, a wine tasting class gave me the explanation why), when a wine's tannins polymarize, they form long chains which give red wine that spice, bite or pop. A more mature red tends to linger on the pallet longer and is paired well with fattier, spicier meats. This wine also has a slightly figgy taste to it, says Jesse. It stood out in our minds compared with all the other Shirazs that we tried.
Graham Beck is imported into the States by "The Country Vineyard" based out of NY ( I think).
Our last vineyard, Lynx, was a relatively new vineyard started by an ex-solar engineer from South Africa. Fed up with the way things were going at this company, he quit and decided to start growing grapes. When asked how he acquired his knowledge of grapes and wine making, he replied that he "Read a book or two and talked with some locals, who were more than willing to share tips, tricks and pointers on how to grow grapes successfully." At first he sold his grapes to bigger producers, then decided to keep some for himself and try his hand at wine making. Two and a half years later, he's producing award winning wines. This was i
nspiring for Jesse and I to know that it is possible to completely switch careers, from engineering
to wine making and at least enjoy what you're doing. (Note: the question of being profitable didn't come up, so I can't say he was doing well).
Lynx Shiraz 2006: A very good young Shiraz. Because we tasted it at the end of the evening, our pallets were blown out from all the wine we'd tasted, however, when drinking a bottle last night, we weren't too far off the mark. This was a slightly sweeter, but still nicely spiced Shiraz. With another year or two on the shelf, this would be fantastic.
Lynx Xanache 2006: I'm not a fan usually of red blends of wine, but for some reason, this wine really appealed to my pallet. 50% Cab Souv, 40% Merlot and 10% Cab Franc grapes make for an extremely tasty red wine. I'd say that it could be easily overpowered by stronger meats (ie: lamb or SA dried meat, Biltong, as they call it) but when you're looking for a red that can be drank solo when you want a red, this one's a winner.
Lynx Port Year Unknown: We talked with the owner of Lynx for a couple hours after the official festival was over, but he was gracious enough to show us around his limited cellar. Toward the end of the evening he disappeared and came back with two glasses of "unknown" wine. First considering that he was serving us home made moonshine, he reassured me that this was an experimental wine that had been made from some shiraz grapes that his harvesters had "missed" harvesting at the right time. When the grapes had shrivled up into raisins, he harvested and pressed the grapes, making an extremely wonderful port wine. Mostly dry, with a hint of sweetness, he calls it his "raisin wine". The bottle that we bought from him is unlabeled, so I don't think you'll find it in the states, but look for a Lynx Port in years to come if you're looking for a good Dessert wine.
~S
The Franschhoek valley grows mostly red grapes, and some vineyards here do their own bottling, while a majority (there are vineyards everywhere) sell their grapes to the bigger producers. Anyone selling a Sauvignon Blanc or Chardonnay is probably using grapes from the higher elevations and rockier climate closer towards Cape Town.
Our picks:
Graham Beck Pheasants Run Sauvignon Blanc 2006. Whereas most SB's hit you
with a strong floral bouquet right off the nose, this one is more subtle and "real" tasting with more mineral and grassy tones rather than an overwhelming floral or citrus bouquet. The other "regular" Graham Beck SB was just OK after the Pheasants Run bottle, as were all other SB's that we tried that day.Graham Beck Varietal Shiraz 2003. Because this is a 2003 Shiraz that was just released this year, it's had some time to mature and its tannins to polymarize. To those who don't know (no worries, a wine tasting class gave me the explanation why), when a wine's tannins polymarize, they form long chains which give red wine that spice, bite or pop. A more mature red tends to linger on the pallet longer and is paired well with fattier, spicier meats. This wine also has a slightly figgy taste to it, says Jesse. It stood out in our minds compared with all the other Shirazs that we tried.
Graham Beck is imported into the States by "The Country Vineyard" based out of NY ( I think).
Our last vineyard, Lynx, was a relatively new vineyard started by an ex-solar engineer from South Africa. Fed up with the way things were going at this company, he quit and decided to start growing grapes. When asked how he acquired his knowledge of grapes and wine making, he replied that he "Read a book or two and talked with some locals, who were more than willing to share tips, tricks and pointers on how to grow grapes successfully." At first he sold his grapes to bigger producers, then decided to keep some for himself and try his hand at wine making. Two and a half years later, he's producing award winning wines. This was i
nspiring for Jesse and I to know that it is possible to completely switch careers, from engineeringto wine making and at least enjoy what you're doing. (Note: the question of being profitable didn't come up, so I can't say he was doing well).
Lynx Shiraz 2006: A very good young Shiraz. Because we tasted it at the end of the evening, our pallets were blown out from all the wine we'd tasted, however, when drinking a bottle last night, we weren't too far off the mark. This was a slightly sweeter, but still nicely spiced Shiraz. With another year or two on the shelf, this would be fantastic.
Lynx Xanache 2006: I'm not a fan usually of red blends of wine, but for some reason, this wine really appealed to my pallet. 50% Cab Souv, 40% Merlot and 10% Cab Franc grapes make for an extremely tasty red wine. I'd say that it could be easily overpowered by stronger meats (ie: lamb or SA dried meat, Biltong, as they call it) but when you're looking for a red that can be drank solo when you want a red, this one's a winner.
Lynx Port Year Unknown: We talked with the owner of Lynx for a couple hours after the official festival was over, but he was gracious enough to show us around his limited cellar. Toward the end of the evening he disappeared and came back with two glasses of "unknown" wine. First considering that he was serving us home made moonshine, he reassured me that this was an experimental wine that had been made from some shiraz grapes that his harvesters had "missed" harvesting at the right time. When the grapes had shrivled up into raisins, he harvested and pressed the grapes, making an extremely wonderful port wine. Mostly dry, with a hint of sweetness, he calls it his "raisin wine". The bottle that we bought from him is unlabeled, so I don't think you'll find it in the states, but look for a Lynx Port in years to come if you're looking for a good Dessert wine.
~S
Saturday, September 1, 2007
Winelands of SA - beautiful but no wi-fi
Macs hate South African Wi-fi. Whatever settings they use for their ADSL routers do not agree with our laptops. We end up plugging in using a hard line or using the standard computers that are provided. Coffee shops and places with "commercialized" wi-fi seem to work just fine, however home connections and Macs are like oil and water.
So we've made it through Jo'burg, without getting "hijacked" and went to Kruger National Park where we saw a ton of wildlife (all the big 5 multiple times and MORE) and now, we're in the Western Cape (Franschhoek) at a guest house, right in the middle of the winelands. The weather is quite cool and rainy here right now (a welcome change from Dubai, Morocco and Egypt) and hopefully tomorrow it will clear so we can go do some wine tasting. Actually, who am I kidding, you don't need sunny weather for wine tasting... at least we don't.
~S
So we've made it through Jo'burg, without getting "hijacked" and went to Kruger National Park where we saw a ton of wildlife (all the big 5 multiple times and MORE) and now, we're in the Western Cape (Franschhoek) at a guest house, right in the middle of the winelands. The weather is quite cool and rainy here right now (a welcome change from Dubai, Morocco and Egypt) and hopefully tomorrow it will clear so we can go do some wine tasting. Actually, who am I kidding, you don't need sunny weather for wine tasting... at least we don't.
~S
Monday, August 20, 2007
Steve's Food Poisoning Count = 2
Well, to those who are interested, I'm recovering today from a bout of nasty food poisoning that took me out of commission for all of yesterday. Although this one didn't have all of the nasty stomach and digestional issues... just a 102 fever, aches, chills, and the whole kettle of fish. For those of you concerned, my fever broke last night and I'm back to normal today, just feeling like someone kicked me between the eyes.
Round 1 happened while at a beach resort in Morocco, buffet food. I should have known better. Round 2 happened at a "upscale Western" coffee shop here in Cairo, after eating a boxed cold cut sandwich... you know, a sandwich in a triangular container, nicely packaged and sliced diagonally so as to look appealing and entice you with its 3-5 day old goodness. I have to say, my guard was down.
Today, we went looking for "safe" options for lunch and settled on, are you ready for
this, McDonalds. Considered upscale for this part of Cairo (your meal costs more than a dollar), they're supposed to observe different food handling practices. Their McArabia grilled chicken sandwich was kind of like a chicken Cesar flat bread sandwich, but with all the ear marks of McDonalds (over spiced).
So far, so good, but I'll follow up later with the final results.
~S
Round 1 happened while at a beach resort in Morocco, buffet food. I should have known better. Round 2 happened at a "upscale Western" coffee shop here in Cairo, after eating a boxed cold cut sandwich... you know, a sandwich in a triangular container, nicely packaged and sliced diagonally so as to look appealing and entice you with its 3-5 day old goodness. I have to say, my guard was down.
Today, we went looking for "safe" options for lunch and settled on, are you ready for
this, McDonalds. Considered upscale for this part of Cairo (your meal costs more than a dollar), they're supposed to observe different food handling practices. Their McArabia grilled chicken sandwich was kind of like a chicken Cesar flat bread sandwich, but with all the ear marks of McDonalds (over spiced).So far, so good, but I'll follow up later with the final results.
~S
Sunday, August 19, 2007
10 Things I admire about the Egyptians
Spending the last couple of weeks here in Egypt, I've had the chance to witness "a day in the life" of many Egyptians... Here are my favorite attributes:
1) Coolheadedness: Witness the sheer volume of traffic here in Cairo, and you'd want to rip your hair out. They do it day in and day out with a minimal amount of arguing or complaining.
2) They're happy: Take a glance around here in Cairo, and you'll see a lot of Egyptians smiling. Whether it's smoking the Sheesha, riding the bus, talking with friends or window shopping, they look happy.
3) They're hard workers: From the hotel staff in the resort towns (Gamal and Momo) to the touts in the streets, they're always ON, trying to make a buck, or a pound, in their case. They're always ready, willing and able to put on the hard sell, enter into deep negotiations and spend what we'd deem an eternity coming to a final offer for a good or service.
4) They're very patient: Along with 3, they'll wait their turn and then take a long as they need to accomplish what they want.
5) They think on their feet: Any of the touts has a story to keep you engaged, regardless of where you're from, what your name is, or what you're interested in. They'll adapt their story to direct you in one of many directions depending on where your interests lie.
6) They realize the value of customer service to westerners: To get the tip or western dollar, they'll cater to your needs and pretend to like you, even if they don't. I truly believe they do like us though, if for no other reason than they know we have money.
7) They're courteous: With 20 million people in Cairo alone, they realize that a certain level of human decency is necessary for co-existence. In traffic, they'll honk, let you cross the street (or do their best to miss you) and flash their lights to signal their intentions. Even the touts use "Welcome" and "Thank You, Enjoy Your Stay" frequently.
8) They have a vast social network: Everyone knows a guy who knows a guy... to you get you a deal on whatever you want. Plus everyone has the confidence in their network that it's the best around.
9) Most are devoutly religious: Many can be found at the Mosques multiple times a day or stopping what they're doing to do their devotions. With many different levels and interpretations of Islam around, the culture seems to be tolerant of how far you'd like to take your faith.
10) Best of all, they have humor: Their humor is subtle, quite dry and they'll frequently pull one over on you, only to bust out laughing at your reaction. You realize that they find our culture and all its idiosyncrasies very funny.
~S
1) Coolheadedness: Witness the sheer volume of traffic here in Cairo, and you'd want to rip your hair out. They do it day in and day out with a minimal amount of arguing or complaining.
2) They're happy: Take a glance around here in Cairo, and you'll see a lot of Egyptians smiling. Whether it's smoking the Sheesha, riding the bus, talking with friends or window shopping, they look happy.
3) They're hard workers: From the hotel staff in the resort towns (Gamal and Momo) to the touts in the streets, they're always ON, trying to make a buck, or a pound, in their case. They're always ready, willing and able to put on the hard sell, enter into deep negotiations and spend what we'd deem an eternity coming to a final offer for a good or service.
4) They're very patient: Along with 3, they'll wait their turn and then take a long as they need to accomplish what they want.
5) They think on their feet: Any of the touts has a story to keep you engaged, regardless of where you're from, what your name is, or what you're interested in. They'll adapt their story to direct you in one of many directions depending on where your interests lie.
6) They realize the value of customer service to westerners: To get the tip or western dollar, they'll cater to your needs and pretend to like you, even if they don't. I truly believe they do like us though, if for no other reason than they know we have money.
7) They're courteous: With 20 million people in Cairo alone, they realize that a certain level of human decency is necessary for co-existence. In traffic, they'll honk, let you cross the street (or do their best to miss you) and flash their lights to signal their intentions. Even the touts use "Welcome" and "Thank You, Enjoy Your Stay" frequently.
8) They have a vast social network: Everyone knows a guy who knows a guy... to you get you a deal on whatever you want. Plus everyone has the confidence in their network that it's the best around.
9) Most are devoutly religious: Many can be found at the Mosques multiple times a day or stopping what they're doing to do their devotions. With many different levels and interpretations of Islam around, the culture seems to be tolerant of how far you'd like to take your faith.
10) Best of all, they have humor: Their humor is subtle, quite dry and they'll frequently pull one over on you, only to bust out laughing at your reaction. You realize that they find our culture and all its idiosyncrasies very funny.
~S
Saturday, August 18, 2007
Wedding Bells in Cairo
The Egyptian weddings are held on every night of the week. We flew in and there were weddings, we came back from the Pyramids and there were more weddings, we were falling asleep last night and another wedding party went by. How do we know this you may ask? The wedding parties travel together in huge car caravans constantly honking in a rhythm - - … - - … and everyone joins in honking, if not joining the caravan too! To help the large group keep track of where they were going, one wedding had some young guys in the back of a pickup light up some flairs and hold them high as they were weaving in and out of traffic.
Tinted glasses
It seems that some of our blogging may have sent an incorrect message that we weren't having fun on this trip. It is quite the contrary, as I could've never even imagined how much I would enjoy the experience and how much we'd learn...about other cultures, yes, but even more so about ourselves.
True, the snippets we post seem to highlight the things that have stuck out in our eyes as being different than what you would experience walking down the street in the US. Different does not mean bad and I even say, different is something that can teach us. Take for instance the act of haggling over prices. This is common practice and goes against my direct and to the point nature. But if you sit and observe the process it is done in a very friendly and respectful manner and the success comes in being patient and good-humored.
Everywhere you turn in Egypt you are shown the utter patience of the people and it is truly inspiring. In Cairo at any given time of the day you can have 20 million people walking and driving in the city yet it is said you rarely get a traffic jam that will come to a halt. Is this because they have figured out the trick to traffic lights? Haha, no, the first rule in driving in Egypt is that there are no rules. The fact is that people weave in and out of traffic on foot and the drivers communicate their location to walkers and other vehicles by honking. They don't use designated lanes but let each other merge in front or cut into the flow from a side street. It's like the city all pulses and flows as one.
The one battle we face is wearing the tourist skin but not wanting to be a tourist. We are indeed visiting the countries and taking in their sights as tourist and it may just be too much to ask to not be treated as such. And let's face it, we do not speak the local language and therefore we will always be an outsider and I can respect that.
This trip will continue to open our eyes and to everyone reading about our experiences...keep challenging us with thoughts, comments and questions!
~J
True, the snippets we post seem to highlight the things that have stuck out in our eyes as being different than what you would experience walking down the street in the US. Different does not mean bad and I even say, different is something that can teach us. Take for instance the act of haggling over prices. This is common practice and goes against my direct and to the point nature. But if you sit and observe the process it is done in a very friendly and respectful manner and the success comes in being patient and good-humored.
Everywhere you turn in Egypt you are shown the utter patience of the people and it is truly inspiring. In Cairo at any given time of the day you can have 20 million people walking and driving in the city yet it is said you rarely get a traffic jam that will come to a halt. Is this because they have figured out the trick to traffic lights? Haha, no, the first rule in driving in Egypt is that there are no rules. The fact is that people weave in and out of traffic on foot and the drivers communicate their location to walkers and other vehicles by honking. They don't use designated lanes but let each other merge in front or cut into the flow from a side street. It's like the city all pulses and flows as one.
The one battle we face is wearing the tourist skin but not wanting to be a tourist. We are indeed visiting the countries and taking in their sights as tourist and it may just be too much to ask to not be treated as such. And let's face it, we do not speak the local language and therefore we will always be an outsider and I can respect that.
This trip will continue to open our eyes and to everyone reading about our experiences...keep challenging us with thoughts, comments and questions!
~J
Friday, August 17, 2007
Camel, Camel, Camel pt. 2
Jesse and I raced camels in the desert just outside of the Pyramids last night at dusk. I find it amazing that such an awkward animal can carry so much. Everything they do, from the way they walk to the way they chew looks funny and I can't help but look at them and laugh.
Unlike the Bedouin and their donkeys, the Egyptians do name their camels. Mine was "Mickey Mouse" and Jesse's was "Ali Baba". Hers wanted to constantly go right, and probably would have gone in circles if she hadn't kept steering it left.
It's a punishing ride though, and I think I've bruised my butt and inner thighs. I was definitely sore walking around and sitting today.
~S
Egyptian Museum
So we went to the Egyptian Antiquities Museum this afternoon. All I have to say is wow... what a lot of well preserved artifacts from Egypt's past.
It makes me think that the commercialism of today's society isn't quite so bad, considering all the "stuff" that the Egyptian Royalty were buried with, not the least of which was King Tut. We saw his mask, sarcophagus, and copius amounts of jewelry, adornments that archaeologists found in his tomb.
Among the overwhelming amount of things in the museum, I managed to find carvings and figurines that proved the Egyptians brewed beer and had at least one dwarf king (let's hear it for diversity). I didn't find any evidence that they make sport of dwarf tossing though. They also complained about their work... in a very office space style. I found one painting humorously depicting a man's work of taming baboons, and hieroglyphics to suggest that this wasn't the career that he had dreamed of.
We weren't allowed to use a camera, so you won't get to see any of what we saw. There's so much stuff in that museum, 1 day isn't enough to cover any of it in depth... but then again an Egyptology degree would also be very useful.
~S
It makes me think that the commercialism of today's society isn't quite so bad, considering all the "stuff" that the Egyptian Royalty were buried with, not the least of which was King Tut. We saw his mask, sarcophagus, and copius amounts of jewelry, adornments that archaeologists found in his tomb.
Among the overwhelming amount of things in the museum, I managed to find carvings and figurines that proved the Egyptians brewed beer and had at least one dwarf king (let's hear it for diversity). I didn't find any evidence that they make sport of dwarf tossing though. They also complained about their work... in a very office space style. I found one painting humorously depicting a man's work of taming baboons, and hieroglyphics to suggest that this wasn't the career that he had dreamed of.
We weren't allowed to use a camera, so you won't get to see any of what we saw. There's so much stuff in that museum, 1 day isn't enough to cover any of it in depth... but then again an Egyptology degree would also be very useful.
~S
I'm tired of being a tourist.
Today at the Egyptian Antiquities (which are indeed ruins from Egypt's past) Museum, I realized that I was tired of being a tourist. I'm having an absolute blast exploring the world, meeting different types of people and experiencing new cultures, but the dollar sign that's been stamped on my forehead along with the word "Tourist" is wearing my patience thin.
I know that for every 1 person that approaches me with "welcome, please spend some money," there are a million others here that aren't interested in me or my money.
It did help staying in Dahab for an extended period of time though, so that the locals got to know us, and began to joke around.
I'm hoping that in India or Nepal we get the chance to visit a CARE project, and do some less touristy things.
~S
I know that for every 1 person that approaches me with "welcome, please spend some money," there are a million others here that aren't interested in me or my money.
It did help staying in Dahab for an extended period of time though, so that the locals got to know us, and began to joke around.
I'm hoping that in India or Nepal we get the chance to visit a CARE project, and do some less touristy things.
~S
Sunday, August 12, 2007
Camel, Camel, Camel, Camel. Camel make it easier.
Egypt is the land of 24 hour non-stop tourist activities. The busses run at night, so you can get places in the morning, spend a complete day there and then return on the bus that night. Next day, completely over-tired, you can do it all again.
That said, we've found it very hard to break from the tourist nature of this country and find the "real" Egypt. The places we've gone, people have been selling everything. So far, we've had the following offered to us :
1) Taxi rides. We took a short walk in Dahab here and in 30 minutes received over 40 offers for taxi rides. Apparently, people don't walk anywhere around here
2) Camel Rides. Climbing Mt. Sinai, camels and their owners were everywhere and trying to get you to take a ride. They'd repeat "Camel Camel Camel Camel, Camel make it easier, you want camel ride" over and over again. I spoke with some girls who did break down and get a camel ride and they actually got off early, because it was so freakishly high and tipsy. I actually had a camel follow me down the street here in Dahab, as if to solicit a ride from me
3) Restaurants. Here in Dahab, there's a boardwalkish thing that runs along the water. A lot of restaurants are off of this and the "Matre D" comes out to greet you as you walk by, actually impeding your progress, asking you to come check out his menu. Although he's got pretty much the same diverse menu as all the other restaurants in town, there's some unique selling point that makes his restaurant unique like "25% off" or "special price for you my friend" If you ask about their fish of the day, they won't just tell you, but take you over to the fish case and show you the fish, show that the gills are still pink, and the eyes are still clear. Overall though, I have no complaints about the food - it's been relatively fresh, edible (no digestive issues) and inexpensive.
4) Shops. People who run shops that sell tourist stuff like Hookas, pyramids, blankets, traditional clothing, t-shirts that have a ridiculous English phrase on them will take the same approach as the restaurants and actually come to block your path as you're walking by.
5) Bracelets, trinkets, marble eggs, geodes etc. Some of the most aggressive sellers are the kids as they walk along the beach here in Dahab and peddle their trinkets. The usual phrase is "BUY ONE!" with little regard to tact. When you tell them "La!" (no) they don't go away.
6) Blankets and Mattresses. Again, agressive kids were renting these at the top of Mt. Sinai. They couldn't understand why we didn't want any and continued to follow us while we looked for a spot to sit and watch the sun rise. At one point, I had to ask one boy to stop following us. They then proceeded to get us back by laying out blankets for others all around us.
7) Snorkel guide. So we're snorkeling off the coast of Dahab here, and some guy swims up and trys to "show us where the pretty fish are, special price". No thanks, I can look at a reef myself.
8) Bathroom attendant. This is something, I'll never understand. Why should I be charged for a bodily function that I really can't control. It's not like the bathrooms are even remotely clean. I feel for the females that might actually have to touch something in the bathroom.
I think this is effecting us so greatly because we're here to just observe (which is impossible without being heckled) and experience the "real culture" not the tourist culture. Maybe we need to rethink the places we visit.
~S
That said, we've found it very hard to break from the tourist nature of this country and find the "real" Egypt. The places we've gone, people have been selling everything. So far, we've had the following offered to us :
1) Taxi rides. We took a short walk in Dahab here and in 30 minutes received over 40 offers for taxi rides. Apparently, people don't walk anywhere around here
2) Camel Rides. Climbing Mt. Sinai, camels and their owners were everywhere and trying to get you to take a ride. They'd repeat "Camel Camel Camel Camel, Camel make it easier, you want camel ride" over and over again. I spoke with some girls who did break down and get a camel ride and they actually got off early, because it was so freakishly high and tipsy. I actually had a camel follow me down the street here in Dahab, as if to solicit a ride from me
3) Restaurants. Here in Dahab, there's a boardwalkish thing that runs along the water. A lot of restaurants are off of this and the "Matre D" comes out to greet you as you walk by, actually impeding your progress, asking you to come check out his menu. Although he's got pretty much the same diverse menu as all the other restaurants in town, there's some unique selling point that makes his restaurant unique like "25% off" or "special price for you my friend" If you ask about their fish of the day, they won't just tell you, but take you over to the fish case and show you the fish, show that the gills are still pink, and the eyes are still clear. Overall though, I have no complaints about the food - it's been relatively fresh, edible (no digestive issues) and inexpensive.
4) Shops. People who run shops that sell tourist stuff like Hookas, pyramids, blankets, traditional clothing, t-shirts that have a ridiculous English phrase on them will take the same approach as the restaurants and actually come to block your path as you're walking by.
5) Bracelets, trinkets, marble eggs, geodes etc. Some of the most aggressive sellers are the kids as they walk along the beach here in Dahab and peddle their trinkets. The usual phrase is "BUY ONE!" with little regard to tact. When you tell them "La!" (no) they don't go away.
6) Blankets and Mattresses. Again, agressive kids were renting these at the top of Mt. Sinai. They couldn't understand why we didn't want any and continued to follow us while we looked for a spot to sit and watch the sun rise. At one point, I had to ask one boy to stop following us. They then proceeded to get us back by laying out blankets for others all around us.
7) Snorkel guide. So we're snorkeling off the coast of Dahab here, and some guy swims up and trys to "show us where the pretty fish are, special price". No thanks, I can look at a reef myself.
8) Bathroom attendant. This is something, I'll never understand. Why should I be charged for a bodily function that I really can't control. It's not like the bathrooms are even remotely clean. I feel for the females that might actually have to touch something in the bathroom.
I think this is effecting us so greatly because we're here to just observe (which is impossible without being heckled) and experience the "real culture" not the tourist culture. Maybe we need to rethink the places we visit.
~S
Food
This is Part I of I'm sure many blogs to come from food we experience around the World.
Spain:
Spain’s olives were really good. The paella, which was the local rice dish, was tasty but like all the other food in Valencia it did not have any spicy kick.
France:
I think I already mentioned that I love crepes. Crepes were definitely the winning feature from France. There are two kinds of crepes. The buckwheat Gallete is served as a savory entrée crepe filled with veggies, meat, seafood, etc all typically tasty options. Then there is of course the dessert crepe filled with anything from Nutella to Apples and ice cream to flaming liquor. Everything else was kind of nondescript but always had a lot of butter either cooked in or served along side the meal.
Morocco:
The French breakfast of bread, butter, jam, and coffee carried over to Morocco as well. The specialty was Tajine (tagine) or couscous. Tajine happens also to be the name of the pot which the meal is cooked. It is clay with a flat dish bottom and a domed top. The meal is cooked covered and usually consists of a meat and some veggies or almonds or prunes in an oil base. Couscous is served as a Tajine side and the spices varied depending upon where we ate but they were very good. The Couscous dinners were basically a whole box of couscous and then your meat or veggies cooked and put on top.
So far, Morocco has the most refreshing drink we’ve come across which is mint tea. I know Steve journaled about the process of making mint tea, I don’t know if he’s posted it, but Hassan was our teacher so if you have any questions you’d have to ask him. Even when it was sweltering heat, the mint tea was always refreshing. Overall it was served with slightly too much sugar but if we’re not counting the calories from all the bread and butter I guess it doesn’t matter.
Dubai:
The food options were mainly hotel restaurants that catered foods from all over the world…kind of like restaurants in the US. We did not eat out except for the little café we walked to but we did find good canned Hummus at the market.
Egypt:
The Egyptian falafel, Ta’miyya, has been our favorite right along side the Baba ghanouj. Tahini is also used a lot in the food, as a side, or dressing. The local drink options have been a Hibiscus tea, Karkady, and a couple brown drinks that the server said he didn’t know what were the ingredients. We tried one and it tasted fermented which could either mean it was bad or it was made from some sort of fermented bean. I’ll look it up online if I remember the name.
Milkshakes are also very popular in Dahab. Everyone serves milkshakes and advertises that theirs is the best. Steve’s form of “milkshake” is the Lassies they prepare with fruit and yogurt blended into a smoothie.
Spain:
Spain’s olives were really good. The paella, which was the local rice dish, was tasty but like all the other food in Valencia it did not have any spicy kick.
France:
I think I already mentioned that I love crepes. Crepes were definitely the winning feature from France. There are two kinds of crepes. The buckwheat Gallete is served as a savory entrée crepe filled with veggies, meat, seafood, etc all typically tasty options. Then there is of course the dessert crepe filled with anything from Nutella to Apples and ice cream to flaming liquor. Everything else was kind of nondescript but always had a lot of butter either cooked in or served along side the meal.
Morocco:
The French breakfast of bread, butter, jam, and coffee carried over to Morocco as well. The specialty was Tajine (tagine) or couscous. Tajine happens also to be the name of the pot which the meal is cooked. It is clay with a flat dish bottom and a domed top. The meal is cooked covered and usually consists of a meat and some veggies or almonds or prunes in an oil base. Couscous is served as a Tajine side and the spices varied depending upon where we ate but they were very good. The Couscous dinners were basically a whole box of couscous and then your meat or veggies cooked and put on top.
So far, Morocco has the most refreshing drink we’ve come across which is mint tea. I know Steve journaled about the process of making mint tea, I don’t know if he’s posted it, but Hassan was our teacher so if you have any questions you’d have to ask him. Even when it was sweltering heat, the mint tea was always refreshing. Overall it was served with slightly too much sugar but if we’re not counting the calories from all the bread and butter I guess it doesn’t matter.
Dubai:
The food options were mainly hotel restaurants that catered foods from all over the world…kind of like restaurants in the US. We did not eat out except for the little café we walked to but we did find good canned Hummus at the market.
Egypt:
The Egyptian falafel, Ta’miyya, has been our favorite right along side the Baba ghanouj. Tahini is also used a lot in the food, as a side, or dressing. The local drink options have been a Hibiscus tea, Karkady, and a couple brown drinks that the server said he didn’t know what were the ingredients. We tried one and it tasted fermented which could either mean it was bad or it was made from some sort of fermented bean. I’ll look it up online if I remember the name.
Milkshakes are also very popular in Dahab. Everyone serves milkshakes and advertises that theirs is the best. Steve’s form of “milkshake” is the Lassies they prepare with fruit and yogurt blended into a smoothie.
You only need 2 things to survive
Those two things are toilet paper and ear plugs. When traveling you have to always be on watch for the chance to use the restroom…that is if you are trying to still stay hydrated in the heat of the Summer. Most places are not clean but you can feel much better if you have toilet paper on hand. This is because either you are asked to pay for it or it does not exist at all. I’m mainly writing for my female readers on the above subject.
The next item that will save you is a pair of earplugs. I consider myself a very good sleeper and there’s not many places I can’t fall asleep and have a good nights rest…that is if there isn’t some odd noise coming through the room walls or from within the room when you are sharing with strangers. Even on long airplane rides they can be a blessing when the smattering of young kids decide to start up a chorus of crying for hours.
So there you go…on your next trip don’t forget to bring a roll of toilet paper and some earplugs.
The next item that will save you is a pair of earplugs. I consider myself a very good sleeper and there’s not many places I can’t fall asleep and have a good nights rest…that is if there isn’t some odd noise coming through the room walls or from within the room when you are sharing with strangers. Even on long airplane rides they can be a blessing when the smattering of young kids decide to start up a chorus of crying for hours.
So there you go…on your next trip don’t forget to bring a roll of toilet paper and some earplugs.
Sunday, August 5, 2007
Tons of new pictures posted!
Hey everyone, using our internet here in Dubai, we've uploaded all of our pictures to date. Check them out in the Picture Gallery Link on the right.
Dubai - Dare to dream big
Dubai has me fascinated...
It's a town that dares it's creators to dream big and then finances their creations. Here we've found...
1) An indoor ski hill, complete with slope side Chalets at the attached hotel.
2) A replica of the canals of Venice
3) A replica of many old Arabic buildings on the outside, while inside, it's a 5 star hotel.
Seed money from oil has financed the rapid creation of Dubai as we know it, and there's no signs of it slowing down at all.
We went to the Dubai history museum the other day and it's a pretty short exhibit. While civilization has existed here for many centuries, the current history of Dubai goes back to about the 1950's when the ruling powers here decided to bring this city online and make it a center for tax free shopping and tourism.
Talking to the taxi drivers has revealed that there's a slightly darker side to the rapid development of Dubai. They've alluded to the fact that Dubai opens its borders to immigrants from Pakistan, India, Asia and uses these people to work the construction jobs. They don't offer the workers citizenship, pay them incredibly low wages (~500 dirhams/month) and don't help them out with any costs of living here. Workers choose to come here because there ARE jobs, unlike in their home countries, but they can't afford to bring their families here, and can't afford to send much money home. Most of all, they have a hard time finding some place to live. One taxi driver we spoke with said that he was sharing a room with 4 other guys, and none of them could afford to bring their families. It's sad.
~S
It's a town that dares it's creators to dream big and then finances their creations. Here we've found...
1) An indoor ski hill, complete with slope side Chalets at the attached hotel.
2) A replica of the canals of Venice
3) A replica of many old Arabic buildings on the outside, while inside, it's a 5 star hotel.
Seed money from oil has financed the rapid creation of Dubai as we know it, and there's no signs of it slowing down at all.
We went to the Dubai history museum the other day and it's a pretty short exhibit. While civilization has existed here for many centuries, the current history of Dubai goes back to about the 1950's when the ruling powers here decided to bring this city online and make it a center for tax free shopping and tourism.
Talking to the taxi drivers has revealed that there's a slightly darker side to the rapid development of Dubai. They've alluded to the fact that Dubai opens its borders to immigrants from Pakistan, India, Asia and uses these people to work the construction jobs. They don't offer the workers citizenship, pay them incredibly low wages (~500 dirhams/month) and don't help them out with any costs of living here. Workers choose to come here because there ARE jobs, unlike in their home countries, but they can't afford to bring their families here, and can't afford to send much money home. Most of all, they have a hard time finding some place to live. One taxi driver we spoke with said that he was sharing a room with 4 other guys, and none of them could afford to bring their families. It's sad.
~S
Sony Digital SLR - Drooool
While waiting for Jesse to get her haircut last night at the mall, I wandered into one of the many electronics stores here in Dubai (I'd say there's as many to rival Tokyo, if my memory serves me correctly) and played around with the newest Sony Digital SLR camera.
I'm really happy to see that Sony's stepped up to the plate with a full SLR camera. The menus were pretty self explanatory, the picture quality was phenomenal and the camera felt good in my hands. Not having used the Canon or Nikon D-SLRs, I can't compare, but it's something that I'd definitely check into when I get back to the states. That's assuming that I get a job again, and begin to make some disposable income.
Our current ultra portable Sony is holding up well, churning out pictures left and right, as you can see on our Picassa site. Check them out!
~S
I'm really happy to see that Sony's stepped up to the plate with a full SLR camera. The menus were pretty self explanatory, the picture quality was phenomenal and the camera felt good in my hands. Not having used the Canon or Nikon D-SLRs, I can't compare, but it's something that I'd definitely check into when I get back to the states. That's assuming that I get a job again, and begin to make some disposable income.
Our current ultra portable Sony is holding up well, churning out pictures left and right, as you can see on our Picassa site. Check them out!
~S
Dubai and its two faces
Inconsistent would be the best way to describe Dubai. Everything has gone smoothly for us and being here is like being in the US...there's really nothing to overcome except for trying to understand where the Emirates truly stand. First, you read that you need to be mindful of the religious beliefs and customs of the land in how you act and dress, etc. Then you arrive here and all they cater to is the opposite of the beliefs. The city revolves around tourism and the consumerist nature of those visiting. The places to visit are either over-the-top resorts or malls that have ever brand name you little hear could ever desire. Of course these places are selling the same merchandise that you would see in America or Europe. So what gives? How can you encourage visitors by building this city yet judge them for their style or habits? The real kicker is that we went out today to walk to Jumeirah where there was supposed to be a good cafe and a trendy area right on the coast. So we are walking in the most intense heat we've ever experienced. It's definitely over 100 deg F and humid to boot. We were both wearing our white travel shirts which are long sleeved, pants that are rolled up and buttoned in a capri length, and Teva sandals. I'm only mentioning this because it wasn't the coolest thing you could pick for this weather but it is respectful of the culture. Needless to say we were drenched by the time we reached Lime Tree Cafe, it was really good food though and had a refreshing Lime Mint drink which was like a Mojito without the rum. Their Carrot cake was phenomenal although still not as good as the one I make. :-) Anyhow, then we took a cab to the Emirate Towers where there was a bar on the 51st floor where you could look over the city and enjoy a cold drink. We made it all the way to the elevators before being turned away by our dress ie. our pants were rolled up and we had on sandals. Granted the guy said it was better when we rolled down our pants but our shoes weren't appropriate. Are you kidding me? We walked away without a fuss but I was not happy. Any girl dressed in a very skimpy outfit with open toe high heels would've been waltzed right to the top but we were discriminated against for being more modest but I suppose not classy enough because my shoes were Tevas (with toe covers). If you want to visit for the amazing shopping and don't mind the hypocrisy, I would say Dubai would be a fine place to visit (best in the Winter though) but I can't see that I would search it out again as a destination other than the curiosity of seeing the Burj (tallest building in the world when it is finished) and the man made Palm and World islands. We have enjoyed our taxi rides though as you learn more of whats going on in the working level of the city from the very talkative drivers. Best of all I enjoy that everyone has been friendly!
Saying Goodbye to Morocco
After two weeks of experiences we could have never dreamed up, we have left Morocco and landed in Dubai. Each city in Morocco had a different flair. When we landed in Casablanca I wasn't quite comfortable with knowing when to bargain, when we were getting a fair price, and when and where to be out walking around the streets at night. Two weeks later after being to Marakech, the Berber villages, Agadir, and Rabat, we were back in Casablanca and it was a different experience since we understood a little more of the culture. For me it wasn't immediately comfortable because I like my space and if I want something I will approach the person selling but this is a world that is entirely opposite. Not only that but I've never stuck out so badly in my life. There is no blending in when you are obviously a foreigner and don't speak the native languages. But what I really enjoyed was seeing a different way of life. Everyone seems to know everyone else walking along the street. The networking seems to be a vital role in existence as does arguing. I feel that Morocco was a perfect stepping block in my journey into the rest of the World.
Thursday, July 26, 2007
Tour de France - Bad News
So after all the fun we had watching the TDF, it turns out that Rasmussen got booted from the tour last night for lying about his wherabouts in the last month as he was training for the tour. Vinakorov also got booted two days ago for doping as well. Do these guys not learn?
At first, I didn't want to believe it - it seems like every time we root for someone like Rasmussen or Landis, and they're winning, next thing we know they get booted for some doping related activities.
I don't really know what to think at this point - cycling certainly has out done itself time and time again with swearing that they're now clean and then another scandal comes out. I'm not sure anyone is telling the truth - cyclists, teams, testers, anyone involved.
As a fan of the sport, I'm hurt - crushed in fact - that the lesson about not doping hasn't been learned. The whole system needs to be examined, from the demands placed on the cyclists where they feel like they need to dope, to the testing procedures, to the training procedures.
Bicycling magazine has good coverage, if you're interested. Read it here.
But I really don't blame you if you just sit back and watch the whole thing go to hell.
~S
At first, I didn't want to believe it - it seems like every time we root for someone like Rasmussen or Landis, and they're winning, next thing we know they get booted for some doping related activities.
I don't really know what to think at this point - cycling certainly has out done itself time and time again with swearing that they're now clean and then another scandal comes out. I'm not sure anyone is telling the truth - cyclists, teams, testers, anyone involved.
As a fan of the sport, I'm hurt - crushed in fact - that the lesson about not doping hasn't been learned. The whole system needs to be examined, from the demands placed on the cyclists where they feel like they need to dope, to the testing procedures, to the training procedures.
Bicycling magazine has good coverage, if you're interested. Read it here.
But I really don't blame you if you just sit back and watch the whole thing go to hell.
~S
Mt. Toubkal - 13,671 ft Summit
Earlier this week, Jesse and I climbed the second highest mountain in Africa, Mt. Toubkal, in the Atlas Mountains. Funny, everyone here calls them the "High Atlas" mountains, but everywhere on the internet, they're just the "Atlas." I'm not sure of the real name.
Anyhow, we signed up to take a guided two day trek up to the summit of this mountain at a regular tourist office that books camel tours, beach excursions, and other touristy things to do. Seeing their other offerings, I thought that this "hike" would be no sweat, especially when the only thing they told us we had to bring was a sleeping bag. Part of me was skeptical about the equipment really needed, so we tended to over pack.
On Monday morning, we were picked up at our hotel early in the morning and taken to the base of the mountain trails in a city called Imlil. This is where the road ends. Any supplies needed further up the mountain are taken by donkey. (A donkey took our pack up the mountain as well, except for a few bottles of water, which we carried. Does this make me any less hard core?).
We started hiking mid morning and within 30 minutes, had stopped for tea. Although the mountains were looming, I was still convinced this was a "cake walk". After tea, we continued to hike for another hour and a half to lunch. Yes, the trails were getting steeper, but the stops were well placed and made it bearable. At this point, (around 1pm), I felt that it was too hot for a hat and put my hat in my pack that the donkey was carrying. I blame the altitude for this lapse in judgment.
After lunch, we continued to hike for another 2.5 hours up to base camp in the French Mountaineering Club's "Refuge." The hiking was getting much tougher. Once we got to the refuge, we learned that we'd use this for our base camp for our ascent to the summit the next day. Base camp was at 3200 meters, the summit was at 4167, and that we'd start hiking tomorrow morning, early. The rest of the afternoon, we rested, read and enjoyed the scenery. When the sun went down, it got wicked cold up there.
The next morning, we woke up at 4:30am, had breakfast at 5 and hit the trails at 5:30. The sun was just starting to come up at that point and it was still very cold out. It was great climbing weather, and Jesse and I summited by 7:20am, passing most of the groups that were climbing as well. Try as we might, we couldn't get our guide, Hassan, to break a sweat. I guess doing this every couple days, like he does, puts you in very good shape.
We spent about 20 minutes at the summit, taking in the beautiful views and feeling the rush associated with being the absolutely highest thing around (no thunderstorms thank you), and headed down.
Once again, we were reminded that coming down is the roughest part of mountain climbing - sliding down the skree field, we both went down a couple of times, nothing major, but we were sore the next day. All in all, we were down at the refuge by 9:45 and took a well deserved siesta while waiting for the other groups to come down.
We had lunch at the Refuge and then headed back to Imlil, sliding and stumbling down the mountain. I really enjoyed the hike down because Jesse and I got spend some quality time talking. Traveling together has allowed us to get to know each other better. After 3 years of marriage, I frequently learn something new about her. :-)
I also had some time to think about donkeys. Strange thing to think about, but watching them and their "drivers" as they went up the mountain, I was reminded of different theories of management. I started to craft a parable to explain these different methods of motivation/leadership. Once I work it out fully, I'll post my "Tale of Two Donkeys."
Marrakech, Morocco
Yes, we're in Morocco now - have been for about a week now. The blog has been strangely silent, because, well, internet isn't easy to come by here. Luckily, we've found a great cafe that has wi-fi. This cafe is so close to our hotel that we can get wi-fi in our courtyard (stealing again!).
We're staying at Hotel Toulousain, which is owned by the sister and brother in law of a friend in Michigan. It's a wonderful place, with a very helpful and friendly staff. No complaints about the price of the rooms either.
We've really enjoyed talking in depth with the family who owns the hotel about Morocco, Marrakech and life in a foreign country (outside the comfort of the US). They've been most gracious to us, treating us like family. Their kids are a hoot as well, captivated with our digital watches and camera, putting on puppet shows for us, and playing futbol (soccer) in the alley.
I'll go into more depth about this in another post, but earlier this week, we climbed the second highest mountain in Africa, Mt. Toubkal and are still recovering from the stiffness that accompanies an ascent and descent of a ~13,000 foot summit.
Tomorrow, we'll head to Agadir, a beach town on the west coast of Morocco for some good sun (yeah, like we need more of this... it's been 100 degrees + for the last week here in Marrakech) and swimming. I'm always fascinated with how each country "does" the beach. Growing up visiting the Jersey shore, I know the diversity that can be associated with a beach town (LBI vs. Seaside Heights, for instance), and I'm always curious to experience another beach dynamic.
Until next time,
~S
We're staying at Hotel Toulousain, which is owned by the sister and brother in law of a friend in Michigan. It's a wonderful place, with a very helpful and friendly staff. No complaints about the price of the rooms either.
We've really enjoyed talking in depth with the family who owns the hotel about Morocco, Marrakech and life in a foreign country (outside the comfort of the US). They've been most gracious to us, treating us like family. Their kids are a hoot as well, captivated with our digital watches and camera, putting on puppet shows for us, and playing futbol (soccer) in the alley.
I'll go into more depth about this in another post, but earlier this week, we climbed the second highest mountain in Africa, Mt. Toubkal and are still recovering from the stiffness that accompanies an ascent and descent of a ~13,000 foot summit.
Tomorrow, we'll head to Agadir, a beach town on the west coast of Morocco for some good sun (yeah, like we need more of this... it's been 100 degrees + for the last week here in Marrakech) and swimming. I'm always fascinated with how each country "does" the beach. Growing up visiting the Jersey shore, I know the diversity that can be associated with a beach town (LBI vs. Seaside Heights, for instance), and I'm always curious to experience another beach dynamic.
Until next time,
~S
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
I got a fever...
And the only cure is MORE COWBELL!
The French cows have it made. They get the choicest pastures, most picturesque views and the dopest cowbells. As we were camping, all you'd hear in the in the background was the sound of a few dozen clanking cowbells. I'm sure like change in your pocket, a cattle farmer can tell if his heard is all there by the symphony of cowbells that he hears.
Off to Morocco
Well,
It's been a whirlwind tour of France for the past week (plus) following The Tour and now we're back in Paris, ready to fly to Morocco tomorrow. It'll be an interesting change of pace, and I'm not really sure what to expect, but that's the exciting part.
We woke up in Briancon this morning, packed up camp and hopped in the car to drive back to Paris. It took us 3 hrs to go the first 100km, out of the mountains, with traffic hopelessly backed up behind Caravan, cyclist, or small car towing large trailer. Once we made it to the freeways though, it was smooth sailing at 130-150kph...
One thing I don't understand is France's lack of public restrooms.... Do these people not have to pee? McDonalds was the only place that we could count on a public restroom. So today, when the 3rd grocery store in a row didn't have a public restroom, we tromped off into the
woods and peed. Apparently, we weren't the first people to do so, as a small clearing just out of sight of the front of the grocery store was littered with toilet paper. ~S
It's been a whirlwind tour of France for the past week (plus) following The Tour and now we're back in Paris, ready to fly to Morocco tomorrow. It'll be an interesting change of pace, and I'm not really sure what to expect, but that's the exciting part.
We woke up in Briancon this morning, packed up camp and hopped in the car to drive back to Paris. It took us 3 hrs to go the first 100km, out of the mountains, with traffic hopelessly backed up behind Caravan, cyclist, or small car towing large trailer. Once we made it to the freeways though, it was smooth sailing at 130-150kph...
One thing I don't understand is France's lack of public restrooms.... Do these people not have to pee? McDonalds was the only place that we could count on a public restroom. So today, when the 3rd grocery store in a row didn't have a public restroom, we tromped off into the
woods and peed. Apparently, we weren't the first people to do so, as a small clearing just out of sight of the front of the grocery store was littered with toilet paper. ~S
Sunday, July 15, 2007
SC From Le Grand Bournand
Bike racing rules. Europeans are completely psychotic about this whole Tour De France thing. They'll dress up like Borat (you know the yellow thong) or paint themselves like their country's flag and come from far and wide to support their team or their riders.
The riders themselves look very young and posess a body mass index equivalent to that of an anorexic 13 year old. I can't imagine it's healthy, but when you ride 6% grades every day for months on end and pedal up them like there's nothing to it, your body's got to respond.
What they don't show you on TV is the procession of sponsor vehicles that goes before the peloton, a 25km stretch of advertising, throwing chotchkies to the fans, whipping them into a salivating frenzy with hats, tshirts, coupons, coffee, foam hands, etc. I can imagine this is how the pesants felt in the middle ages as they lined the streets waiting to catch a glimpse (and maybe some handouts) from the king or queen.
We hitchhiked yesterday for the first time. Kind of liberating actually and caught a ride from a local gentleman who was trying to make his way off the mountain in a car, where were were on foot. He graciously offered us a ride and sped up our down hill journey until he got caught in traffic. At that point we jumped out and in no time, we were down. ~S
3 Ducks Hostel - Paris
I don’t think any amount of preparation could have prepared me for the variety that awaited me at the 3 Ducks. Tip: don’t choose a hostel that doubles as a bar. At first we thought that it’d be cool to have a bar at the Hostel, but it turns out that it just attracted the younger (read, I think some of these kids still needed babysitters…) crowd. The first night, our mixed dorm contained a bunch of Spanish girls who gave me the evil, dirty pervert, eye for staying in the room that ajoined theirs. They gossiped like the school girls they were until they passed out from the Pot they were smoking around 3 in the morning. Luckily the next day they moved on.
The next night, there was a bit more subdued crowd in the hostel, a bunch of Aussies that had just come into town and were beat tired. The hostel had overbooked itself, so people were sleeping on mattresses thrown on the floor. Someone welcomed us back from our day out by puking in the trash can and all over the bathroom. Something tells me that I've grown up slightly from my college days. I'm not sure whether this is good or not.
Ear plugs are a god send.
The next night, there was a bit more subdued crowd in the hostel, a bunch of Aussies that had just come into town and were beat tired. The hostel had overbooked itself, so people were sleeping on mattresses thrown on the floor. Someone welcomed us back from our day out by puking in the trash can and all over the bathroom. Something tells me that I've grown up slightly from my college days. I'm not sure whether this is good or not.
Ear plugs are a god send.
Eating Tips - Paris
Best places to eat / eating tips:
1) Find the grocery stores far away from the Eiffel Tower. A liter of water is 14 euro cents. Stinky cheese is abundant and a decent bottle of Bordeaux is 5 euro.
2) Eat where the locals do: The best meal we had was a little Craperie joint on Rue Granelle. We waited for a table (which Parisans don’t seem to do, they continue on) and ate an authentic French meal for a reasonable price.
3) Stand at the bar while drinking espresso (café). There’s one price for a coffee at the counter, a higher price for table seating and an even still higher price for outside service. With the $ to Euro exchange rate being in the toilet currently, you can guess where we drank our café.
~S
1) Find the grocery stores far away from the Eiffel Tower. A liter of water is 14 euro cents. Stinky cheese is abundant and a decent bottle of Bordeaux is 5 euro.
2) Eat where the locals do: The best meal we had was a little Craperie joint on Rue Granelle. We waited for a table (which Parisans don’t seem to do, they continue on) and ate an authentic French meal for a reasonable price.
3) Stand at the bar while drinking espresso (café). There’s one price for a coffee at the counter, a higher price for table seating and an even still higher price for outside service. With the $ to Euro exchange rate being in the toilet currently, you can guess where we drank our café.
~S
Notre Dame
I do have to say though, that the shear size of Notre Dame is just friggin impressive. I don’t think they build churches that large or ornate anymore. It’s probably because people are now educated and would realize where the church was allocating their offerings. I can just hear the minister addressing his congregation, “Good morning people, today we’ll need you to donate no less than $700,000. Yes, I realize this is the 3rd year in a row that we’ve needed this level of financial stewardship, but come on people, we’ve got to pay for the 5000 uniquely carved faces in the ceiling of the new church. BTW: who did the purchasing for a church like that? ~S
Tourists vs. Locals - Paris
There’s just a yucky feeling I get from areas of tourism. I know that when we decided to go to Paris, I wanted to see the Eiffel Tower, Louvre, Arc de Triumph and Notre Dame. After enduring the crowds at the Eiffel, I definitely enjoyed our random walking through the interior of the city – not on roads where there was a ton of tourist things. ~S
The Corner Bar "Open All Night"- Paris
Looking for some food and drink after checking in to HVM, we passed the houses of burlesque and stopped in at the corner bar – I don’t remember what the name of this establishment was, but the sign on the outside said something about being open 24 hours… After 4 beers and a cheese sandwich, we realized that if on a budget, you do not come to Paris and drink beer. If you must have a beer, be prepared to pay dearly for it. Wine’s where it’s at in Paris, probably the rest of France too. The rest of the time there we drank decent wine for less than 5 euro a bottle, rather than 8.50 euro for a “gran” beer.
Hotel Victor Masse - Paris
Despite my wife’s best efforts to pick a reasonably priced (there are no “cheap” hotels in Paris, period. Or if there are, you probably don’t want to stay in them) hotel for our first night, we were rebooked anyways at hotel Victor Masse in Paris. It was a cozy place, right next to “Club 31” and “Le Diam”, interesting bars with a plethora of dim, red lighting. The bars also seemed to be occupied by a certain type of woman. Any guesses? Needless to say, we slept in our silk sleep sacks at HVM that evening. ;-)
SC From Geneva - 7-7-07
Well, we’ve made it to Geneva from Paris and it seems like we just left Valencia the other day. I think I’m still picking Paella out of my teeth. Valencians are famous for their Paella, which is a rice dish, originally conceived as a peasant dish – spiced rice, and whatever meat, veggies and other protein sources are available at the time. Traditional Valencian paella is rice with some big wide white beans, rabbit (duck too?) and some green beans. We had a “Paella Langostina” which was rice, lobster and chunks of calamari.
Our trip to Paris was a relatively smooth one, even though our 50 euro flight was delayed a bit. Traveling between countries in the EU is a lot like traveling between different states in the US. It’s so easy, no customs, no passport checks, and lots of cheap flights. I wonder if the rise of discount carriers (Ryan Air, Vueling, Click.com, etc) through out Europe can be attributed to the EU? I believe it’s only a matter of time before the non-EU countries, like the UK and Switzerland join (not if those that control their currency have anything to do with it…) but that’s just my Americanized, uneducated opinion.
Our trip to Paris was a relatively smooth one, even though our 50 euro flight was delayed a bit. Traveling between countries in the EU is a lot like traveling between different states in the US. It’s so easy, no customs, no passport checks, and lots of cheap flights. I wonder if the rise of discount carriers (Ryan Air, Vueling, Click.com, etc) through out Europe can be attributed to the EU? I believe it’s only a matter of time before the non-EU countries, like the UK and Switzerland join (not if those that control their currency have anything to do with it…) but that’s just my Americanized, uneducated opinion.
Friday, July 13, 2007
Random JC Thoughts
Here are a few run-on thoughts that I’d like to remember:
➢ Tour de France following is a cyclist’s dream!
➢ There are an amazing amount of fan’s parked on the route up and down the Col de la Columbiere climb way in advance. Most of these are all campers and you wouldn’t have guessed the people were big cycling fans, they were more like old geezers, no offense meant.
➢ An incredible physical feat of biking the climb was taken on by tons of fans. I was thoroughly impressed and felt very weak in their presence
➢ The atmosphere of the ski town (Le Grand Bornand – French Alps) makes us want to work internationally at a town like this during the Winter season (being bilingual is necessary)
➢ Camping is popular in France but they don’t know how to keep their tents dry
➢ Waking up to the sound of the dairy cow’s cowbells on the Alps was surreal
➢ Can’t find a decent in expensive wine…rouge or blanc (time to learn the region I suppose)
➢ L’Escale camping on "international row" included a French family, 2 Aussie guys, 7 Dutch guys, Us, and one French girl, Elodie, who works for the French embassy in accounting after being at the border for a while where she learned some English from the Swiss
➢ No one sells White gas for our stove!
➢ Left my Livestrong bracelet at home not wanting to stand out as an American but a tons of fans are wearing them…good to see that Lance is an international sport hero/star
➢ Men wear short shorts!
➢ Tour de France following is a cyclist’s dream!
➢ There are an amazing amount of fan’s parked on the route up and down the Col de la Columbiere climb way in advance. Most of these are all campers and you wouldn’t have guessed the people were big cycling fans, they were more like old geezers, no offense meant.
➢ An incredible physical feat of biking the climb was taken on by tons of fans. I was thoroughly impressed and felt very weak in their presence
➢ The atmosphere of the ski town (Le Grand Bornand – French Alps) makes us want to work internationally at a town like this during the Winter season (being bilingual is necessary)
➢ Camping is popular in France but they don’t know how to keep their tents dry
➢ Waking up to the sound of the dairy cow’s cowbells on the Alps was surreal
➢ Can’t find a decent in expensive wine…rouge or blanc (time to learn the region I suppose)
➢ L’Escale camping on "international row" included a French family, 2 Aussie guys, 7 Dutch guys, Us, and one French girl, Elodie, who works for the French embassy in accounting after being at the border for a while where she learned some English from the Swiss
➢ No one sells White gas for our stove!
➢ Left my Livestrong bracelet at home not wanting to stand out as an American but a tons of fans are wearing them…good to see that Lance is an international sport hero/star
➢ Men wear short shorts!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)