ImagiNation: August 2006

Wednesday, August 16, 2006

At the beach- the nice one not the public one where dozens of people try to sell you things

Image outside a museum

You guessed it, a rice paddy

Fishing village

On the river in Hue

Display at the My Lai museum

River in Hue (people actually live in these boats)

In a fox hole at Khe Sanh

At the Ming tomb

Vietnamese water puppets

Hanoi

The view from our hotel in Hue

Picture time!!

In the mountains near Khe Sanh

See that bike thing- yeah, I was on one of those at the time of this pic

The Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur

The view from our hotel room in Hanoi- they do not waste any space

My Old Kentucky Home

August 13, 2006 was officially then longest day of my life. Due to the time different between Asia and the U.S. that day literally lasted 36 hours because you cross the international date line. I was at Bangkok's airport by about 6 am, was in Kuala Lumpur by 12 pm, there was a short stop in Tai pei (Taiwan) near 10 pm, then the 12 hour flight across the Pacific Ocean and was in L.A. around 7 pm. This is all happened in one day. I'm a little mad at myself for being so cheap and NOT taking a direct flight to Louisville from L.A. NO, I have to save a little cash and fly to St. Paul then to Detroit (where I almost miss the flight because I have 15 minutes to get from gate 11 to 73 and have to take a pit stop because of all that airplane food I've mentioned before) and finally to my beautiful, beautiful Louisville. Oh and because of all the new regulations, (which really aren't a problem for just domestic flights) I'm sure I smelled awful to whomever I was sitting next to. I couldn't have mouth wash or toothpaste, hand sanitizer, body spray or perfume, deodorant (because I use a gel kind) and they took away my lip gloss- dear god I have some nasty looking lips right now.
Hopefully I'll be able to post some pictures tomorrow!!

Saturday, August 12, 2006

Trains, boats, motorbikes, and tuk-tuks

So the last 3 days can be placed up there in that most sacred spot where only my bestest of best days can go. Thursday my friend took me shopping to malls and markets that can only be described as some of the most swank this Kentucky girl has ever seen. She also showed me how to use the Skytrain- awesome (I just love public transportation, any place where I don't have to worry about driving and finding a parking spot is a-okay with me). We shopped till we dropped, literally, I think I went to bed at about 9 that night.

Yesterday and today (Friday and Saturday) I explored Bangkok on my own! And let me just say this- sometimes there is nothing better than being alone. I saw everything I wanted to see. I ate where I wanted to eat. I think my days of group trips are over. So my friend's driver dropped me off at a pier on the Chao Praya river, when not only tourist but actual locals take express boats all over the city. I purchased a day pass so that I could come and go as I pleased. I went to the China Town area, saw some more incredible temples, checked out a fort, cruised the river a bit, walked aimlessly around mutiple streets and headed back to the swank mall for a late lunch and to take in a movie. I was hoping to see a Thai film, but the only one showing at that time was You, Me and Dupree (not too bad- but not that great ethier- cute). But it really wasn't the movie, but the theatre- holy moly! You would have thought that I was going to see a ballet or something this theatre was so nice. And before the movie begins everyone has to stand to show respect for the King. It was interesting to say the least. Today was more of the same- only this time I randomly got off at different stops on the Skytrain and walked around. I've also been eating some of the BEST food of my life! Everything is so fresh here. I've had Chinese, Indian, Sushi, Thai (of course) and all of is awesome. Since today was my last day I treated myself to a couple of beers (ahhh, nothing like a cold beer on a warm day) at lunch, which seemed to impress the owner of the Indian resturant. So he asked me to dinner- only I was suppose to have dinner with my friend and her family (and I wouldn't have gone anyway) but she isn't home yet- so I'm writing this.

Speaking of being at my friend's home, i got into a bit of trouble yesterday because I came home after dark (maybe 8 pm at the latest). They never said anything to before about having to come in a certain time and I'm 25. But they are letting me stay here and have really gone out of their way to my stay pleasant. So today I bust ass to get before 6 and no one is here. I just feel like there is so much I'm missing of Bangkok because I can't go out at night and this city is suppose to have an amazing night life.

I'm sad to be leaving tomorrow morning but I'm excited to give my friends and family the gifts that I got them and see my dog!!!

Wednesday, August 09, 2006

One Night in Bangkok

I said good-bye to everyone in my group yesterday. It was sad, but I've already made plans to visit them in Sandusky before I start class in September! Due to the time difference in Kuala Lumpur (that's where we flew to from Ho Chi Minh City) I only had a hour to catch my flight to Bangkok- I barely made as KL's airport is huge. Once in Bangkok, I call the girl I lived with all last year. She told me to take an airport "Limo" (because it is safer than a taxi at night) to a hotel and that they would pick me up there. Well the "limo" turned out to be a Mercedes! This girl was riding in class, plus it was still pretty cheap.
My friend's house is REALLY nice. To be honest, I feel a little out of place. Not because they are not super duper nice to be, but because they have a driver and "help"- as in maids, who clean and make all their food. It was like having dinner at a restaurant tonight, only in their home. This morning I went with her family to the Monk's hospital to pray for her great grandparents (who have passed). If you didn't know this, Buddhist monks in Thailand are not allowed to buy things for themselves, so it is up to the people to give them food and whatever else they may need. They had about 8 monks praying in a beautiful chant that was in harmony. My friend also took to a couple other temples and (I saw one big gold Buddha today). I also asked my friend, since she's Buddhist and all what she thought about American's purchasing Buddhas just for decoration. She was a little confused by it when she first saw it, after all, Thai's don't put pictures or figures of Jesus up in their homes for fun. In the end the only thing that really offended her are the Buddha heads that people display- she it would be like someone just showing Jesus' head as if it's be cut off. I really love Bangkok. It's much more modern than anything I saw in Vietnam- which may or may not be a good thing.
Oh yeah, today I got a traditional Thai massage! I didn't find until after that my friend told them to take it easy on me, because it didn't hurt at all. But it was cool because they used these hot small clay pots filled with something that smelled like Vick's Vapo rub and would wrap in cloth and use it to massage you.

Monday, August 07, 2006

Miss Saigon

To begin with my room mate and I have not spoken or been around the Professor for a couple of days now. We have all kept our distance and the guys on the trip are making sure he doesn't come close to any of the females. So please don't worry.
It is actually August 8 here at 10:30 in the morning and in a few hours we are leaving Vietnam. I will be heading to Bangkok, Thailand to visit with my old room mate. And even with all that has happened I will miss this place. The night before last my room mate and I went out dancing and ended up hanging out with some Dutch guys, who oddly enough, were staying in the same hotel as us! We really had too much fun. The club wasn't too different from ours in the states, but one nice change is that the guys don't get all up on you while you are dancing. Speaking of polite guys- the Dutch were rather cool, unlike many American males you meet in bars or clubs, once they found out we weren't putting out they didn't turn into jerks or stop talking to us.
Ho Chi Minh City is really great. It has been nice to stay in one spot long enough to explore on it our own. I've started to do a bit of shopping, but am waiting to do the majority of it in Bangkok. Vietnam has kept out all Western fast food places with the exception of KFC- where we have eaten, strictly for scientific purposes only, of course. I ate at Pho 2000 yesterday (its whree Bill Clinton ate when he was here). I also had my ao dai (the tradtional Vietnamese dress) made yesterday, though I must admit it was not made as good of quality as the dress I had made in China.

Sunday, August 06, 2006

The Young and the Restless

Can you hear the dramatic music yet? As I mentioned before things are rather interesting with this group. The bad thing is, is that it really has cut into the entire experience of being in Vietnam making it hard for me to write about all that I've seen and done. Here is the basics: We (as in all 8 students) are seriously considering charging our professor with sexual harassment. Let me tell you why-

He rearranges our hotel rooms at every stop so that his room is next to my room mates and mine room.
Then he would come into our room and sit on our beds WHILE we are still getting ready- I'm guessing to watch us put on our make-up or something. And while I know we could and should have said something, it is sometimes hard to say things to a person in a leadership role. Especially if you have a certain amount of respect for them
He would ALWAYS have to sit next to my room mate on the bus, where ever we ate, even when walking around a city or museum
I lost my respect for him when he asked just my roommate and I to go get drinks with the former Vietnamese director of the program. When a male student asked to join along he was told that private matters were going to be discussed (so why were asked to come along?) Then he and the other man, basically made us feel like escorts. We were videotaped.
My room mate was suppose to be his assistant, which is why he had her sit nex to him the entire time- which is why I sat next to her the entire time, because while we waiting for the rest of the group in the airport in L.A. she told me that the professors intentions may be questionable.
He got up and left us at dinner a few nights ago because my room mate was talking about her child and boyfriend and he felt it was not appropriate. He says because he was raised as a strict Catholic and it is right to speak of such matters with strangers! We are hardly strangers, it was because she was talking about her boyfriend and he is deillusional and thinks they are going to run off together.
Then a couple of nights ago he made a pass at another female student. She was checking her e-mail and he (while drinking) came up behind her and talked to her about my room mate and would keep dropping his key under her chair to get closer to her.
My room mate woke up on the bus to find him rubbing her hair and legs.
Basically he makes all the females feel uncomfortable- throughout the entire trip.

Saturday, August 05, 2006

Oh my, My Lai

So I promise that this will be my last depressing post about the war. We went to My Lai (sounds like Me Lie) about 5 or so days ago. On March 16, 1968 (two day before my Mom turned 18) a unit of the US Army basically murdered 504 innocent people who the majority were elderly, women and children. The museum there is filled with pictures taken by Army photographers as well as from Life and Time, etc..., capturing every moment of this horrible event. Images of mothers trying to protect their babies laying dead because the bullets would go through both of them. One soldier shot himself in the foot so that he would not have to participate. Apparently it all began because some one in leadership went nuts and thought it was a good idea because a couple of their fellow soldiers we killed the day or so before. Like I've said before, I've been to historic battle scenes before, but these bother me so much more because it could have been my Father out there doing these things.

Things are getting pretty interesting with my group- I'll tell more later. We are finally in Ho Chi Minh City now and there are internet cafes everywhere. Just to catch up a bit though, we have been to Da Lat (I think its my favorite place so far, it's in the mountains and was actually around 60 degrees). I got sun burnt laying around the pool in Hue- We stopped at a beautiful beach- I am unable upload picures because none of the computers around here seem to have USB ports- I love the food, but we have been getting the same things at almost every meal, so for the first time in my life I can say that I'm getiing tired of eating shrimp and rice.