Hello Blogging World!

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After more than three months of silence, I have emerged once more to offer up a post! Mostly a result of personal frustrations in dealing with the Chinese Internet, I decided (somewhat randomly) one day to abandon Beyond Backpacking — nonetheless, a few months later, here I am!  I’ve found that my desire to write about my travel experiences tends to ebb and flow, depending largely on where I am, whether I’ve been doing anything interesting, and most importantly, how painfully slow my Internet connection is.  It may not sound that difficult, but blogging from the Chinese mainland is not an easy task to manage!

Wordpress: Blocked in China

As you may or may not know (depending on whether you’re interested in the state of current affairs in the PRC), many forms of social media are blocked in China.  Most of the mainstream Internet shut-downs occurred as a direct result of the summer 2009 riots in the northwestern province of Xinjiang, after which the CCP decided that social networking sites were a risk to national security.  Since then, not only have Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube been blocked, but all WordPress blogs and the websites of many human rights organizations have been banned (or, as the Chinese government says, “harmonized”) as well.  That means that if I want to post to my blog while living in China, I have to use a VPN client server to bypass the formidable Great Firewall of China.

So if I take a little blogging hiatus every now and then, don’t fret — it’s just because I’m fed up with the Chinese system of Internet controls.  I’ll be back sooner or later!

Photos: Bangkok, Thailand

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After concluding my whirlwind tour of Vietnam this past summer, I traveled next to the backpackers’ mecca that is Thailand.  The following are a couple of my favorite shots from Bangkok:

Thailand's Largest Reclining Buddha, Bangkok

Wat Pho is the oldest temple in Bangkok, and also the biggest.  It dates back to the 16th century and houses the country’s largest reclining Buddha, as well as the grandest collection of Buddha statues in all of Thailand.  Plated in gold and adorned at the eyes and feet by mother-of-pearl, this statue weighs in at over 15 meters tall and 46 meters long.

Temple of the Emerald Buddha, Bangkok

Wat Phra Kaew, known also as the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, is housed in the same complex as the Thai Grand Palace.  At a staggering 350 baht, the admissions fee is quite expensive in comparison with the general cost of backpacking in Bangkok; for US $12, though, it would be an enormous mistake to skip out on the breathtaking architecture that awaits within the temple’s main gates.  Wat Phra Kaew is considered to be the most sacred Buddhist temple in all of Thailand.

Lily Pads, Bangkok

Thailand is home to over 12,000 species of plants, as well as nearly 1,000 species of birds, 400 species of mammals, and 2,800 species of fish.  While not one of the world’s megadiverse countries, its biodiversity is nonetheless astounding.

For humorous anecdotes on traveling in Thailand and life in Bangkok, check out this blog, which I stumbled upon yesterday and have been obsessing over since.

Experiencing Chinese Village Life in Ma’an

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During the annual Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival, friends and family gather to celebrate the fall harvest and anticipate the arrival of the autumn equinox, when the moon is typically at its fullest and brightest.  This year, a few friends and I gathered in the Dong minority village of Ma’an to eat moon cakes and experience the true meaning of Mid-Autumn Festival alongside the local population.  From enjoying Dong song and dance to sampling minority specialty dishes, we were certainly fortunate to take part in such a unique cultural opportunity.

In addition to celebrating the Mid-Autumn Festival, we had the privilege of lodging in a traditional Dong long house, typically constructed from timber by local Dong villagers and often requiring months – or even years – of labor.  Though the weather was less-than-ideal, we enjoyed a clear panoramic view of Ma’an from a nearby mountaintop and spent a few late nights chatting over steaming cups of tea.

The village of Ma’an is home to the Chengyang Wind and Rain Bridge, a wooden bridge that took local Dong residents over 12 years to build.  Completed at the turn of the last century, it stands as a symbol of the distinctiveness of Chinese minority architecture.

Conveniently, Ma’an is located only a few hours by bus from Guilin, and makes for an easy overnight trip outside the city:

Ma'an Village, Guangxi Province

Chengyang Wind and Rain Bridge, Ma'an Village

Dong Long House, Ma'an Village

Seeing that I will no longer be residing in the Middle Kingdom when the next Mid-Autumn Festival rolls around, I felt very much at peace knowing that my second and last Mid-Autumn Festival celebration was spent in the company of Chinese locals.  Who knows what next autumn will bring?

Sunbathing and Climbing Dunes in Mui Ne

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Mui Ne Coastline, Vietnam

Seeking to escape from the hustle and bustle of Ho Chi Minh City and without much time left to spare in Vietnam, I headed to Mui Ne for a couple of days of relaxation by the beach.  Mui Ne does not offer the waves of Bali, nor the translucent blue water of the southern Thai islands – nonetheless, my experience there was decidedly peaceful and charmingly fulfilling.  I deeply appreciated the fact that, while appealing in its own right, Mui Ne lacks the stunning natural landscape that attracts tourists to the legendary coasts of Southeast Asia; though it means that the local economy has not prospered from tourism to the same degree that other locations throughout the region have, it also means that travelers seeking an off-the-beaten-path experience are still able to enjoy the quaint beauty that once characterized some of Southeast Asia’s more fabled destinations.

After tolerating a six-hour, fairly bumpy bus ride from Ho Chi Minh City to Mui Ne, I checked into a budget guest house and dove head-first into a pirated copy of Henry Kissinger’s In Retrospect.  As a memoir of the former Secretary of State’s experiences in dealing with the Vietnam War and its devastating aftermath, I figured that there’s no better place to learn about the American war in Vietnam than Vietnam itself.  Needless to say, reading such a poignant and yet purposely disquieting reflection on the Vietnam War while sunbathing on the sands of Mui Ne proved memorable, if a bit unsettling.

The Vibrant Colors of the Vietnamese Desert, Mui Ne

After spending the night sipping Mai Tais by the beach and contemplating the travels that still lay ahead,  I awoke the next morning and set out to uncover the desert sands that lay not far from Mui Ne.  Seeing as I have spent a few weeks in the Peruvian capital, this was not my first time traveling to a coastal desert – nonetheless, the sands of Mui Ne turned out to be a far cry from those of Lima.  The deserts at Mui Ne comprise varying shades of gold, auburn, and copper, covering only a small area of land.  Because of their limited size and scope, there is not much to do at the dunes beyond admire their beauty.  That being said, the desert laying outside Mui Ne exists side-by-side with meandering rivers and patches of emerald grass; in that aspect, I have yet to see anything like it.

On the same day that I went dune hopping, I also seized the opportunity to spend a bit of time in a local fishing village.  Here are a few of my favorite photos from the occasion:

Old Fisherwoman, Mui Ne

Ox Cart Drivers, Mui Ne

Local Fishing Village, Mui Ne

All in all, it’s safe to say that my travels through Vietnam were beyond unforgettable.  Standing out in my memory as one of the most awe-inspiring and friendliest places I have ever visited, that more travelers don’t rank Vietnam among their top places to visit is both a shame and a blessing.  While they may never get the opportunity to revel in some of Asia’s most quintessential landscapes or marvel at the hospitality of its people, those who do journey to Vietnam can still find themselves capable of escaping the tourist hordes that have come to typify other locations throughout Southeast Asia.

Living the Fast-Paced Life: Ho Chi Minh City

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Concluding my journey through northern Vietnam, I next flew to Ho Chi Minh City to experience an entirely different face of Vietnamese society.  Lined with French boulevards and architecture just as it was during the colonial period and yet overgrown by skyscrapers all the same, the city is home to both the historic and the modern.  Fast-paced and hectic, it is a far reach from the countryside that characterizes much of the country – indeed, it is even quite unlike the Vietnamese capital city of Hanoi.

When traveling to foreign places, I try to prevent myself from declaring favorites – favorite cities, favorite restaurants, favorite anything.  Nonetheless, while in Saigon I couldn’t help but feel that I simply enjoyed Hanoi a bit more.  It’s not that there was anything in particular wrong with Ho Chi Minh City – it’s just that, for one reason or another, it wasn’t quite as enjoyable as Hanoi had been.  The traffic was more congested, the people weren’t as friendly, the weather was inclement, and everything seemed to be more expensive.  Castigating myself for being a critical traveler and yet unable to ignore my initial impressions of the city, I simply found that it wasn’t all that I had hoped it would be.  If I hadn’t learned before to appreciate each place for what it’s worth, Saigon surely reminded me of how important it is to keep an open mind when traveling.

Reunification Palace, Ho Chi Minh City

Nonetheless, Ho Chi Minh City does boast two sites which I feel to be of particular note.  The first of such places is the Reunification Palace.  Formerly known as the Independence Palace, the Reunification Palace marks the site where the Vietnam War ended – it was previously the home of the South Vietnamese president, and thus the headquarters of the South Vietnamese government.  It was eventually stormed in 1975, when Saigon finally fell to Northern Vietnamese forces, and is now simply a Ho Chi Minh City landmark.

American Tanks on Display at the War Remnants Museum, Ho Chi Minh City

The second site worth visiting while in Ho Chi Minh City is the War Remnants Museum, known varyingly since the Vietnam War as “The House for Displaying War Crimes of American Imperialism and the Puppet Government,” the Museum of American War Crimes and the War Crimes Museum.  Exhibits include graphic images of the effects of Agent Orange and napalm bombs on local populations, recreations of South Vietnamese and French torture techniques, and detailed illustrations of war atrocities committed against Vietnam by foreign occupying troops.  The most poignant exhibit on display at the War Remnants Museum is a requiem to native and international photographers killed during the violence of the Vietnam War, which showcases the war-related work they printed immediately prior to their deaths.

Though I came away from Ho Chi Minh City largely feeling that I hadn’t visited a place I would soon return to visit, I did take away some valuable learning experiences from it.  For one, I made sure to free myself of expectations before heading off to the rest of Southeast Asia.  When traveling, one of the simplest ways to restrict your mind and to disappoint yourself is to dream up preconceived expectations for any place that you plan to visit.  Second, I came away from Ho Chi Minh City having learned some valuable lessons about the Vietnam War and about my own feelings toward it.  While it’s popularly acknowledged that the Vietnam War ended in thousands of pointless casualties and untold amounts of suffering, my time spent in Ho Chi Minh City reminded me that the realities of war are often more complex than they seem.

Next, I travel to the desert coast of Mui Ne before heading to Thailand!  Join me as I climb the dunes and soak up the sun in southern Vietnam.

Paradise on Water: Cruising through Halong Bay

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Working my way past the sites of Tam Coc and Hoa Lu, I traveled next to the fabled Vietnamese tourist destination of Halong Bay for a chance to soak in the beauty of karst landscape once more, this time while seaside.  I spent the night of July 18 back in Hanoi, and woke up early the next morning to join an organized tour to the coast.  Located in the Gulf of Tonkin, Halong Bay comprises more than 3,000 islands and has earned the title of UNESCO World Heritage site.  Lucky for me, although travel to Halong Bay was suspended due to stormy weather the previous day, on the morning of July 19 I rose from bed to find that Mother Nature was feeling quite compliant – the sky could not have been any bluer, nor the sun any brighter. From Hanoi, the ride to Halong City takes about three hours; from the western side of the city, known as Bai Chay, it is possible to hop on one of many boat tours of the surrounding islands.  Most organized tours are all-inclusive and cost as low as US $15 – the trip I ultimately chose included bus and boat transportation, lunch, and admission to an impressively lit stalactite cave.

In a nutshell, here’s what you can expect from a day-long excursion to Halong Bay:

Karst Mountain Formations, Halong Bay

Tour Boats, Halong Bay

Roving Fruit Vendors, Halong Bay

Stalactites of Every Color, Halong Bay

My travels through northern Vietnam are officially over!  For some of my favorite memories from southern Vietnam and beyond, check back later this week!

Wandering Northern Vietnam: From Capital to Countryside

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After spending a day in Hanoi, on July 18 I headed for the nearby sites of Tam Coc and Hoa Lu, Vietnam.  Travel to minor northern Vietnamese tourist attractions is hindered by the lack of well-developed transportation networks – determined to visit the sites in a (relatively) short period of time, I hired a private driver for the day to show me around and recommend local points of interest.  Realistically, I could have taken a local bus to the nearby city of Ninh Binh, and from there attempted to find some mode of transportation to Tam Coc and Hoa Lu; when pressed for time, however, it’s not such a bad idea to avoid unnecessary travel complications, even if it costs a few extra bucks to do so.  This is especially true when your knowledge of the local language is beyond lacking!

Architectural Beauty at Hoa Lu, Vietnam

Needless to say, the natural scenery surrounding both Tam Coc and Hoa Lu is absolutely stunning.  Just like Guilin, Hanoi is encircled by countryside, and crowded city streets soon give way to shimmering rice paddies.  From 968 to 1009 AD, Hoa Lu was the capital of Vietnam, apparently due to the fact that it is protected by a sequence of karst mountain formations and lay not far from the Chinese border.  Though most of the ancient citadel that once stood there has been destroyed, Hoa Lu is nevertheless still home to a series of charming gardens and small temples.

Tam Coc provides an altogether unique view of the northern Vietnamese countryside, albeit a fairly touristy one.  Dubbed “Halong Bay on the Rice Paddies,” to me the mountain scenery to be witnessed at Tam Coc is not that far removed from what any traveler could expect when visiting southern China.  The Ngo Dong River flows through nearby rice fields, as well as a network of limestone caves – the recommended attraction at Tam Coc is, not surprisingly, to enjoy a boat ride down the river and soak in the surrounding natural landscape.

Streaming Down the Ngo Dong River, Tam Coc

Upon arriving at Tam Coc, I was quickly greeted by a middle-aged woman who offered to take me on my sightseeing journey downstream; soon after, her 80-something year-old father joined us for the ride, and soon began to row as well.  Much to my disbelief, he turned out to be much stronger than I have ever been, though I guess this shouldn’t have come as a surprise – after all, rowing tourists up and down the river has been his livelihood since who-knows-when.  Since I arrived at Tam Coc during the late afternoon, the sky had already begun to turn a shade of dusky yellow.  Not only that, but there were few tourists to be seen (which is, as far as I’m concerned, a delight in itself).

All in all, here are a few of my fondest memories from my trip to the northern Vietnamese countryside:

Rowboats for Hire, Tam Coc

Dragon Frescoe, Hoa Lu

Riverfront Abode, Tam Coc

Later this week, join me for the last leg of my journey through northern Vietnam!  As hard as it was to say goodbye, I soon found out that there was much, much more in southeast Asia simply waiting to be discovered.