RIDING IN AN OX CART & EXPLORING TONLE SAP LAKE BY BOAT

Saturday, April 7, 2007 CAMBODIA

At breakfast this morning we all announced to Nang that we all wanted to ride the elephants and would willing pay the $10.00 fee and forgo the Silk Farm in order to ride the elephants. He has reluctantly agreed to our request and will make arrangements for us to ride the elephants tomorrow. By 7:30 am we were on the bus and headed for our first adventure of the day. I asked Nang to confirm the temperatures yesterday and he said that in Cambodia you only ask if it is “hot” or “cold”; nothing more! But when pushed agreed that Jim was correct on the temperature that I gave you for yesterday. It was a “warm” day! Today it is much more comfortable; seems to be cooler and maybe only a two or three shower day.

As we passed streets full of markets, Nang said that these were rice fields just a few years ago. We noticed many little houses outside the front doors; they are “spirit” houses for the ancestors and offerings of fruit and incense are made regularly by the family.

As we continued the area became much more primitive; especially as we went along the river and into the farming area and we noticed that well pumps served the neighborhoods as there is no running water in the homes. Suddenly we pulled over and started walking. As we passed one home we noticed that the owner was butchering a dog. He was cutting off the head as we passed by; reminding us that dog is considered a meat much as we consider a cow as meat.

We were assigned two to an Oxen Cart and headed off with our driver through the farming community. Table after table was loaded with filleted fish laid out to dry in the sun before taking it to market. Many toddlers were running naked in their yards. Nearly all of the houses were built on stilts as this entire area floods during the monsoon season. Suddenly we each went a different way and found that we were being taken to our individual driver’s homes. There we took off our shoes and entered their home where we met the other members of the family and visited for a brief time. Our family had a large marker board on the wall with English words written on it and when we asked about the board they told us that they are using this to learn the English language. Afterwards we were invited to stroll through the village with the farmer, our ox cart driver, to visit his rice field. What an unexpected and unique experience. He even stopped to pull some lemon grass so that we could smell the lemon flavor; they use this in this cooking extensively for the flavor.

We’d had such a good time that we were the last to arrive back at the bus to continue our journey. Soon we were passing through an area with extremely small grass huts built on stilts that had no water and no electricity! But, we could see TV antennas; they have batteries to run the televisions for a few hours a day. They only get two channels but enjoy learning about the outside world, Nang said. Later we saw some of these houses being moved…they put them on the back of a pickup truck and move then regularly depending on where the river is flowing. Most of the residents are fishermen and as the weather changes so does the location of their home. Eventually we reached the boat area and boarded a boat for the trip out to the floating village on Tonle Sap Lake. This is the largest freshwater lake in Southeast Asia and the lifeblood of this area of Cambodia; it is home to hundreds of people living in thatched-roof houses on hollow bamboo poles. Everything they need is out there; beauty parlors, small markets, clothing, fruits and vegetables and more regularly float by sooner or later. The people who live on the water are constantly on the move as the water level rises or recedes depending on the time of year. On the way back we nearly got broadsided by a boatload of Japanese tourist who’s driver had lost control of his boat…our driver jumped to the side of our boat and prevented the pending crash and was back at the steering wheel before we could react and take photos. We all decided to increase his tip for saving our buns!

The school boats are also used as hospitals if necessary. Several of them have been donated by different countries; one of the newest and largest was donated by Japan. At this time of the year the water level is very low and they use motors with very long props that extend out behind their boat about ten feet. They have to clean the props often because of the debris in the water.

We got off our boat and boarded a floating restaurant/souvenir shop where they also had crocodiles penned where we could see them. After a short stay, just enough time for photos and Jim to get “taken” on one of his negotiated bargains. He bought a map of Cambodia and after we left on our boat we discovered that the one they gave him was dirty and torn. I think we’ll look for a new one before we leave.

On the way back into town, Nang pointed out his home and on our request agreed to stop so that we could meet his family. His wife and two small children were very gracious. His home is on government land along the river and they will be forced to leave in a few years as this land is being cleared to create a park along the river. He has purchased a small plot of land and plans to build a home on that land. For now he has planted it with fruit trees and vegetables for his family. We all enjoyed our extra “discovery” and the fact that he was willing to give us a glimpse into his family life.

Arriving back into the city center we stopped at Les Artisans D’Angkor School where they teach students the art of stone carving, woodcarving, lacquering, gilding and silk painting. Very interesting and beautiful things for sale in the showroom but we all left empty handed. Our lunch today was at Carnets D’Asie Restaurant, a French restaurant in Angkor; very classic and beautifully served. There were seven courses served at our round table in a covered courtyard. Just as we were finishing the workers who are constructing a building next door returned; the noise level was rather intense and we were glad that it happened during the dessert. Back to the hotel for a rest and swimming by 1:30 pm.

At 3:30 we headed out again for our tethered balloon ride to see the views from on high. When we arrived we found that the winds were such that they were not flying right now so we headed over to the War Museum while we waited to see if the wind would dry down enough for the balloon.

The War Museum was an old mine field where they had gathered rusted hulks of tanks, machine guns, anti-aircraft guns, a MIG airplane, a Russian helicopter, several American made things that were left over from the Korean War before they used them during their wars. Our guide was a career army soldier who had lost one leg and was wounded several other times. Lots of displays of land mines and he gave us a great demonstration on the different types and how they worked. We were all surprised when we realized that Cambodia was at war for thirty years. Their last war only ended in 1999. With that in mind we all changed some of our opinions about the conditions that we are finding in this country.

The balloon was still not flying so we drove over to the King’s residence which is across the street from the Golden Spirit of Shrine Preah Ang Chewck and Preah Ang Chorm; two golden Buddha’s. One of the unusual things located here are the fruit bats that live in the trees above the Temple. They are very big and were flying in and out of the trees. We were able to snap photos of them both flying and hanging from the tree limbs.

We returned to the hotel about 5:30 pm and at 7:00 we met in the lobby to go to dinner at a local restaurant. We rode the remoks (rickshaws pulled by motorbikes) again through the town…it’s Saturday night and the traffic was wild! Arrived at the Bayon I Restaurant and enjoyed dinner along with a shadow puppet show performed and narrated by teenagers. Another very nice evening that concluded with a short bus ride back to the hotel.

Some interesting notes:

Scaffolding is generally bamboo tied together with ropes on even very tall building projects.

Motorbikes are used for transporting everything. No license needed, only have to be 18 years of age. We’ve seen husband, wife and three small kids on one bike. Many of the women ride side-saddle. Women ride their own bikes with high heeled shoes. Very few people wear helmets. We’ve seen up to 24 chickens on the back of one bike. Think about two dead pigs on the back of a motorcycle! Anything and everything is transported on these vehicles.

Large groups of Tourists from other parts of Cambodia, Thailand and Vietnam regularly arrive in a stake truck. They cram in and stand in some of them. Others have a tarp over the top and narrow wooden benches for them to sit on. They travel for hours in this manner.

Termite hills up to three feet tall are very common everywhere there is dirt and/or trees; many times there is a tree in the center of a hill.

Bathrooms or WC for water closets are generally very clean, regular toilets and always fully stocked with paper supplies; a nice change from China.

Trash: multitudes of trash is littered everywhere, the bulk seems to be plastic bags and bottles. Next to a beautiful hotel or home you will find a pile of trash burning and/or littering the ground. Most of the roads are red dirt and even the paved ones are very rough.

One corner has about a block of rugs set out every day with hundreds of black shoes; this is the flea market for second hand shoes. Another corner has a mirror propped on a table for an outdoors barbershop for one! This street is one of our shortcuts so we’ve seen them nearly every day of our stay. They are very ingenious in their ways to make a living.

Gasoline: there are gas stations and then in the countryside they sell gas in one and two liter bottles on the side of the road; the one litter bottles are old whiskey bottles and the two litter bottles are old soda bottles that they get from the recycle centers after the hotels and restaurants turn them in for cash.

The greeting in Cambodia is a bowed head and hands folded in prayer as opposed to a handshake; this means that they are showing you respect.

We see so much so fast that it’s sometimes hard to relate in these journals just how much information we are seeing and hearing. It really makes us all appreciate our lives in the good old USA!

Postscript: A reader asked what tour company we use when traveling in Europe...Grand Circle and their small group OAT is hard to beat but have also used Rick Steves and Trafalgar Tours. But must admit that when traveling in Europe we make our own plans and travel on our own by auto ninety nine percent of the time. With the Internet it's fun and a piece of cake!

EXPLORING THE ANCIENT TEMPLES OF ANGKOR WAT

Friday, April 6, 2007 CAMBODIA

Woke up at 6 am before the alarm went off, waited for our 6 am wake up call and when it didn’t happen realized that we’d forgotten to turn back the alarm clock! It was 5 am when we got up! Oh well, we’re awake and dressed so it’s too late to get an extra hour of sleep!

Had breakfast 6:30 after checking for emails on the lobby computer. We were all on the bus at 7:30 am for our morning tour. It was already getting very warm…it finally got up to 95 degrees with about 85 percent humidity. We’ve had three showers today! The bus driver has cold bottles of water and cold wipes ready for us each time we get back into the bus!

After driving through the modern city of Angkor for a brief glimpse of the emerging economy we arrived at the ancient holy city of Angkor. It was built somewhere back in the eighth century and then was lost for centuries under the jungle according to some reports and other just indicate that people knew about it.... they just didn’t go there. It was built by the Khmer aristocrats and covers an area roughly six by sixteen miles. The temples and monuments are based on their Hindu and Buddhist beliefs. A massive complex of structures built of stone and partially restored first by the French in the 1800’s and again after the wars. It took us over an hour to walk the Temples of Angkor: Thom, Bayon, Baphound, Elephants Terrace and Terrace of Leper King. We then drove to the Angkor Ta Prohm Temple that is covered with Banyon Trees that have intertwined under, over and surrounding the temple walls and buildings. Our guide Nang is very good with all the history and stories and very patient with the huge numbers of tourist in every venue that we visited.

By now it was after noon and we drove pass the Krovan Primary School that has been built by donations from the Grand Circle Foundation; the children are on holiday because of the New Year celebration so we couldn’t visit the school as we had in China. Our home hosted lunch was held in the village of Srah Srang. The house was built on stilts as it is located next to a large lake and the area floods during the monsoon season. The house was very rudimentary without windows or doors; they basically spend most of their time outside except in bad weather. We ate on the porch and enjoyed a wonderful home cooked Cambodian meal. She taught us how to make the dessert: sticky rice coconut balls with a piece of palm sugar inside and served on a banana leaf. We also enjoyed the hostess’ photo album of her son’s wedding that lasted for two days. Her niece, who helped to prepared and serve the meal, spoke excellent English.

We were all ready for a siesta and showers by this time and headed back to the hotel arriving about three. Christa and I decided to take a swim in the pool and then we showered and changed for the afternoon tour at 4:30 to see Angkor Wat for the sunset views. Lots of walking and climbing; four of us climbed all the way to the top for some fabulous views. At sunset we were all back to the moat where we enjoyed a nice wine and snacks provided by Nang as we talked with the children vendors and watched the final sunset before heading back to the hotel at six for another shower before dinner.

Our dinner was at the Angkor Mondial Restaurant; we enjoyed a traditional Cambodian buffet dinner and watched a Khmer Cultural Show. At the end of the show the dancers stayed on stage and willingly posed with customers for photos…that surprised us! Our trip back to the hotel was made on remoks; they’re a rickshaw pulled by a motorbike instead of a bicycle…very exciting on a very dark street full of other motorbikes, buses, cars and bicycles! Jim was glad when we were safely back at the hotel after our fifteen minute ride! Another day is finished and it’s early to bed after our final showers of the day as we have another early morning tomorrow.

A STOP IN BANGKOK ... THEN ON TO CAMBODIA....

Thursday, April 05, 2007 CAMBODIA

Jim was awake by 5 am and went downstairs to say goodbye to the first three of our group to head for home; their bus left at 5:30 am. By seven we were at breakfast, and then checked the Internet on the lobby computers before our bus left for the airport at 8:30 am. Seven of us are headed for five days in Cambodia. We stopped at the L’Hotel near the airport to leave our big pieces of luggage; we’ll stay there the last night of our trip before leaving for home from Hong Kong next week.

Arrived at the airport, checked in and found out that we all received passes to the China Airlines Hospitality Lounge. We were all surprised and delighted as we had an hour before the flight. Food, coffee and free wireless internet!

When we lined up for the boarding, Gene noticed that our tickets all said Dynasty Class and we had a separate line with the First Class passengers. Wow…we were all in Business Class! Big seats, individual screens, and when they served us drinks in stemware before the plane took off we knew we’d gone to heaven!

Our lunch was served with linens, crystal, real silverware, etc. etc. etc. What a meal…fit for a king and queen! Can you tell we’ve only been upgraded once in our lives! The meal ended with Haagen-Dazs ice cream. We lost one hour on our flight that took two and half hours of luxury….there was twenty-four of us with two attendants plus a steward in our section of the airplane.

Arrived in Bangkok and the fun began. We walked and walked and walked some more trying to find our connection. We were told that we were flying Bangkok Air to Cambodia. Stopping for directions only confused the issue…we went back and forth along a very long concourse several times before we finally figured it out when we were able to get a map instead of just verbal directions from an information booth. By this time Betty, who is 81 years young, was exhausted and we managed to hook a wheelchair attendant. We kept her in the wheelchair until she was loaded on the plane. We lost Betty and Howard between the check-in and the boarding area. The attendants who were pushing her wheelchair took them to the Airline Lounge area. We’d been told that we could go there but we’d all decided to go directly to the gate area. They showed up at the gate just before boarding; we were all concerned and Jim was walking the concourse looking for them for most of the hour that we waited. Gena checked at the counter and they assured her that if she was with airline attendants that they would have her at the gate before boarding; and they did.

Because of the wheelchair Betty and Howard were pre-boarded and had been given seats in the first row. We boarded the plane and found that Jim and I were at the very back of the plane and Gene, Gena and Christa were scattered in between. It was only an hour flight and went very fast; our meal was a boxed snack and yes, we were in Economy Class this time! We’re not sure why but who is to question the fact that we've discovered on our flight itinerary sheet that we are also going to fly from Bangkok back to Hong Kong on the Dynasty Flight again next week. We’re all eagerly anticipating being spoiled again by China Air.

We arrived an hour later than expected at 6:00 pm, our flight was delayed in Bangkok (we were happy about this as I’m not sure that we would have made the flight if it hadn't been delayed), and found our OAT Tour Guide, Samnang called Nang, was waiting for us outside of Customs to guide us to the bus and our driver by the name of Saron. We will be at the same hotel for the whole stay: Khemara Angkor Hotel in Siem Reap. It’s a very nice hotel with air conditioning and a very large and nicely appointed room. There is Internet access on two computers in the lobby for ten cents a minute. One nice thing is that we don’t have to change any money; they accept American Dollars as well as the local currency. But, it can not be old money or torn, we’ve been warned to check our change to make sure that we receive usable bills out on the street.

On the fifteen minute drive from the airport we saw many examples of why this is considered a “developing country”; but there are also many new large hotels as the tourist trade is expanding rapidly. We’re near the end of the dry season and it is very warm and humid during the day. The problem at night is misquotes; I think I’ll stay inside at night as much as possible. We did bring 100% deet lotion with us if we do go outside.

After a short briefing in the bar we headed to our rooms about 6:45 and came back downstairs for a wonderful dinner in the hotel at 7:15. For now I’m calling it a night at the alarm will go off early…we leave the hotel at 7:30 am for our morning tour.

VISITING THE MUSEUMS IN KOWLOON......

Wednesday, April 4, 2007 HONG KONG

Slept in this morning and met Gene and Gena for breakfast at 8 am; we’re going to the Museums in Kowloon together today. It’s a free day and some are going to Lanau Island to see the large Buddha on top of the mountain. They will have a much longer subway ride and then take a cable car to the top of the mountain before their hike.

We left the hotel at 9 am and walked across the street to the subway. Purchased our tickets at the machine and headed to the blue line towards Sheung Wan. We did the Chinese cram and managed to get on the first car. A very clean and efficient subway system! We’re all very impressed with Hong Kong; very clean, modern and much like visiting New York City. Our stop at Central was two before the end.

Leaving the subway at Central we were surprised when the exit machine kept our tickets; we’d planned to keep them for souvenirs. Somewhat lost we had a nice gentleman who stopped to give us directions to the ferry building. We thought the ferry was free for seniors but found we had to pay HK$3.20 each and then found that it was a different boat. But, we had a nice visit with a Chinese girl, here from Mainland China on business, who had on a running suit that said “Napoli” on the back. This gave the boys an opening and she was very open and everyone enjoyed conversing with her until the boat arrived.

When we landed we were not where we’d planned to be but as luck would have it we were closer to the Hong Kong Museum of History at this location. We arrived right at 10 am, opening time, and since Wednesdays are free admittance the place was packed with groups of school children of all ages. But, it was fun watching them as we worked our way through the museum. Many of them ran from exhibit to exhibit with their digital cameras and others were diligently taking notes. They were almost all in their school uniforms that made it easier for the teachers to keep track of their groups. This Museum opened in 2001 and has over 7000 sq ft of exhibit space. I learned more than I’ll ever use but it was very interesting. I think the best part was on the Japanese occupation during World War Two and the exhibit on the Opium Wars.

About 1:00 pm we stopped at the Museum Coffee Shop and tried to order sandwiches; they were on the posted menu on the wall but no such luck. We ended up with noodle soup; ours had a fried egg and two slices of ham on the top. Very tasty and filled the bill. Gene asked for a glass so he and Gena could share their drink; he was told to take two straws.

Afterwards we walked towards the Hong Kong Museum of Art with a stop along the way at the very old and elegant Peninsula Hotel. We strolled in and snapped a few photos before we were politely told that we were not allowed to take photos. Beautiful hotel and they were having high tea at the time complete with live classical music; but we were definitely not dressed to stay for tea!

The Hong Kong Museum of Art was built in 1991 but is also very modern and well laid out on four floors. We spent an hour there viewing their exhibits, Actually, I found a soft seat with views of the harbor and enjoyed my hour a bit differently from the others watching the boats, the view of Hong Kong and the people.

Our trip home to Hong Kong was rather uneventful except for minor problems getting Gena’s subway ticket to work; she had to take it to the Assistance Window to make it work. So nice that it was not crowded like this morning. By the way, we found the right ferry boat and yes, there was a special line for seniors and we rode back for free. On the ferry boat there was a group of students that kept turning around and taking photos of the strange looking tourists. We are definitely the minority here in China. Back at the hotel before 4 pm we had time to shower, pack the suitcases and rest before our farewell dinner tonight at 6:15 pm in the hotel. We’ve been told that we will not be able to take our water bottles to Cambodia with us as the rules at the Hong Kong International Airport are based on the European and American rules; liquids in a plastic bag, etc. It will be interesting to see if we have to remove our shoes. I haven’t had to take my shoes off or remove my computer from my carryon bag since we arrived in China. We’ve also been carrying our water bottles on the flights with us; even coming into Hong Kong. They did ask us not to carry sharp instruments, etc. in our carryon bags.

Tonight we had our farewell dinner in the hotel. It was a first class buffet with seafood, beef, duck, chicken and vegetables of all types and preparations, salads; so much more than any of us expected. The desserts were a minefield of delights; tiny samples of multiple delicacies that melted in your mouth. And, the meal was served with style and a smile by a very attentive staff. It was sad to say goodbye and goodnight to half of our group, but they’ll be with us in spirit as we’ve really become a “unit” under mother Jo’s guidance and care.

I’m not sure what I’m going to find in Cambodia tomorrow. We fly out about 11 am, a stop in Bangkok, and then Cambodia before dinner. We’ve been told that Cambodia is a “developing country” and all we’ve been promised is a hotel room that has air-conditioning and a bathroom. We’re staying four nights in Siem Reap.

EXPLORING HONG KONG AND VICTORIA PEAK....

Tuesday, April 3, 2007 HONG KONG

The alarm woke us at 7 am giving us time for breakfast, taking in the laundry…only $5.00 for three pounds of clothing…and a quick go on the free Internet in the lobby. They have two computers and they are extremely fast. We checked emails for any problems at home and then on the bus by 8:45 am for our morning tour with Jo and Polly.

More history: The British were awarded the Hong Kong area at the end of the Opium Wars in 1842. They controlled it until 1997. The land had all been leased by the British who in turn leased to people to build on. In 1984 the British agreed to give back the land to China in 1997; this was also the year the ninety-nine year lease expired from an agreement to lease rather than colonize the area from China. Hong Kong is known as a financial power and also for services. Ninety-five percent of the population is Chinese.

We asked about earthquakes and Polly said “mama who who”: so – so…but they do have the skyscrapers built to withstand typhoons and high winds. Polly said that as a child her mother said to be careful when saying “so, so”….if she said “mama ho ho” it would mean that she was calling her mother a “horse”.

Our first stop was at the longest escalator in the world. Built in 1993 it is 800 meters long and is used like a subway for the people to get down from the residential section at the top of the mountain to the commercial area at the bottom. We started half way down and ended at the bottom in Chinatown. We had some free time and found many interesting shops that had roasted ducks complete with the heads still on; fresh fish being scaled and gutted on the street, flowers, and many small stores for everything you could imagine. The Chinese like to buy their foods fresh daily. We also saw a large ornate building called a “Memorial Building” where people may purchase a plaque for their loved ones and visit them regularly there as opposed to going to the cemetery. As in Europe, a burial plot is resold every ten years because of the scarcity of land.

We then drove to Hollywood Road; the first paved road in Hong Kong and is named after the bushes that grew along the road: Holly. There we visited the Daoist Man Mo Temple built in 1847 AD. The Daoist belief is based on “The Way” described in the “Book of Morals” and traces their history back 4700 years ago. They offer fruits and burn incense as offering much like the Buddhist. They believe in the Ying and Yang; Fung Shu; balance in life.

After a quick wash room stop (we all agreed that we’ve found the cleanest and best stocked rest rooms in China here in Hong Kong even if they are mostly squat type) we had a few minutes to shop. Norm found a small brass Opium Pipe and Jim got a small brown piece of jade.

Back on the bus and by the way…we’ve been having light sprinkles since our first stop this morning… we drove through the tunnel to the other side of the island to the Marina in Aberderen. There we boarded two Sanpan boats for a tour of the harbour (we’re very British today) around the houseboats, fishing boats and beautiful yachts. Nancy and Gena both purchased Chinese coolie straw hats from our boatman. Many of the fisherman families live in their boats in this bay.

Our last stop was at the Aberdeen Jewelry Factory for a quick demonstration on the making of jewelry and then an opportunity to purchase some of the exquisite pieces. Many were tempted but much to the delight of the husbands we all left empty handed and headed back to the hotel. We have the afternoon free for lunch; we ate our noodle soup in our room that we purchased yesterday at the grocery store. We’re hoping for no rain tonight on our evening tour. I think that we’re going to walk to Victoria Park this afternoon.

Yes, we walked to the park but I got cold and headed back to hotel after dropping Jim at the Hong Kong Public Library. I also had a toe that was beginning a blister. Walked in and found the free computers open so spend some time on that before heading to the room. Jim arrived back on schedule at 4 pm and we were ready for the evening tour that began at 5:30.

Polly does an excellent job with her running narrative. She told us her Chinese name is Fun Lin (at least that what it sounded like). Also the 2008 Olympic Event being held in Hong Kong is the Equestrian Venue. The name Hong Kong was named by fisherman who found a very fragrant flowering tree in the Harbor that smelled very good. So: Hong = fragrant and Kong = Harbor: fragrant harbor!

Our first stop was at a Malaysian Restaurant in Kowloon; an opportunity for a different type of food. Our tables were very old butcher tables that had been found in a scrap heap and reconditioned, two round cutouts that we think were for rendering pans had been filled in with newer wood; very unique and they’d put a plaque on the table that told the story. And you thought that I’d made that one up!

After dinner it was raining lightly as we made our way to the bus; by the way we’re a group of twenty tonight plus three guides. A small group from another OAT group joined us for the Optional Tour this evening. A short ride took us to the Asian Night Market where we wandered in the rain for forty minutes. A few small purchases: my umbrella gave out this evening so I got a new on for HK$39. (about $5) and Jim found a belt for another $5.; nothing to break the bank. Gene found his t-shirt from Hong Kong; Jo told him that it is a three generation shirt: it gets passed down each time you wash it.

Our next stop was at the Star Ferry Terminal for a walk along the waterfront with views of Hong Kong lights, Historical Clock Tower, and Museums. Then we rode the ferry across the bay from the Peninsula of Kowloon to the island of Hong Kong. The bus drove across the bridge and met us on the other side. We nearly fell over when the boat docked; it was a very rough landing.

Drove up Victoria Peak for the view of the Harbor and city at night; misting lightly so views were not as spectacular as on a clear night. Enjoyed the views for about half an hour and then most got ice cream before heading back to the bus and the trip down the mountain. By this time it was “raining” and we definitely had lost the view. But our stop at the bottom for a ride on the double decker trolly was fun even if a bit cold.

Our last discovery before the hotel was a drive down Suzy Wong Street…no stops…with girls standing in every doorway! We bid our goodbyes to Polly and headed the rooms; it was 11 pm….a late night for us old folks!

CITY OF LIGHTS…ARRIVING IIN HONG KONG….

Monday, April 2, 2007 HONG KONG

The beds at the hotel in Wuhan were rock hard again….I’d gotten used to the softer beds and must have bruised a rib or something when I “hit the hay”….I’ve got pain on the right side of my chest that won’t go away and it started when I dove under the covers face down! Oh well…no pain no gain. The cold is staying under control with Nyquil at night and sud-a-fed during the day. Runny nose but not coughing. We woke up at 5 am and had plenty of time before breakfast and the departure at 7:15 am for the airport.

During our bus ride Jo talked to us about the importance of the evaluation form that would be in our mail boxes when we arrived home. The company puts a lot of emphasis on this report and we all assured her that she would get an “excellent” report from us. We all think that she’s done an outstanding job. Arrived at the International Terminal for our trip from Mainland China to Hong Kong; Hong Kong is still China but requires Jo to have special papers to travel there and is called a Special Administration Region. We needed Visas for China but not for Hong Kong. We passed through customs and then security without any problems. We were allowed to bring our water bottles on the flight with us. The timing was perfect; after a stop at the wash room we walked directly onto the airplane without stopping. The flight took less than two hours and we were met at the airport by our city guide Polly. She gave us a running narrative about her city during our ride to the hotel. There are seven million people living in Hong Kong. I was surprised by all the wild areas and the fact that there are so many islands that all together comprise the city of Hong Kong. Most people live in high rise buildings because of the value of the land. Kowloon is the oldest section of the city and that’s where Polly lives.

New words that Polly tried to teach us in Cantonese sound like:

Hello: Na Hoe

Good Morning: Josen

Thank you: Em Goin

The drive to the hotel took about an hour from the airport. We had a rough spot during the flight and I think that we flew through the storm from yesterday as it was heading towards Hong Kong. It arrived just as we unloaded the luggage at the hotel! Good timing as it continued to rain, sometimes very heavily, the rest of the day.

Jim and I went to the ATM in the subway station and obtained some HK Dollars. The value is about the same as the Yuan to the Dollar. The British influence is still very strong here; they drive on the right side of the road, more English signs, the languages are Cantonese and English as well as the official language of Mainland China: Manderin; plus we see the double decker buses!

We headed for the McDonald's and enjoyed Quarter Pounders and malts for lunch; then stopped by the grocery store for some drinks and snacks for the room. Arrived back at the hotel and found a group getting ready to take the bus to Stanley Market. Sounded like fun so we put our things in the room and headed out to the bus stop.

Norm was the tour director and determined which bus we were to take after a quick run back to the hotel for more directions. It took about half and hour before Bus 63 arrived. We were the only passengers for most of the forty-five minute ride.

We arrived just as it started to rain very hard again so we rushed into the first shop that we could find in the Market. Nancy found some things to purchase and Jim made one small purchase. Pat, Norm, Elisabeth and Deane did lots of window shopping but didn’t actually purchase anything. We took turns carrying the wet umbrella bag from shop to shop until we finally decided to eat something. Believe it or not we found a French restaurant by the name of Delifrance in the Yu Moon House that had fast food. We enjoyed sharing a Croque Monsieur, Pat had a Quiche Lorraine and the others had pizza. Some had ice cream for dessert but Nancy wanted to wait for a Shake from McDonalds across the street from our hotel where Jim and I had lunch.

We started for the bus stop, still raining, and spotted our bus arriving. We all took off running and made it to the stop before the driver left! By the way; we’re getting Senior Rates but always need to have the correct change before we get on. Settled in the back until Jim and Pat decided we should go upstairs as we’d gotten the double decker bus for the ride home. All but Norm and Nancy made the move upstairs and enjoyed the enhanced view of the bay as we headed back into the city. It was good that Norm and Nancy stayed downstairs; Jim had left his jacket on the seat and a very nice Chinese man who spoke perfect English picked up the jacket and handed it to Norm.

A fun day ending early enough to give us time to repack the large suitcases that we will be leaving behind when we go to our trip extension in Cambodia. We also sorted out the dirty laundry that we wanted for Cambodia. Jim washed the long pants in the bathroom and the rest we will take to the Chinese Laundry across the street in the morning.

VISITING THE THREE GORGE RIVER DAM........

Sunday, April 1, 2007 YANGTZE RIVER & WUHAN

Jim didn't feel too well last night but did join us for dinner and ate mostly bread. His back has been fine since the initial problems at the beginning of the trip; but he must have eaten something that disagreed with him for lunch yesterday. And it was a very special dinner complete with lemon pie for dessert. By the way; silverware was used by all unless you specifically requested chopsticks. After dinner he went to bed and I tried the Internet one last time, without any real success; and then watched the first two acts of the crew talent show. I heard this morning that it was really good; complete with costumes, magic tricks and more. Even our Gene got up and did a dance when it was time for the tourists to perform. But we both needed sleep more than party time.

Up early this morning with luggage in the hall by 7 am. We had a leisurely breakfast and then collected our hand luggage for the departure. By the time we left at 8:30 the rain had begun. Our luggage was transported up the hill by porters who carried two and sometimes more on the traditional pole over the shoulder up a rather steep incline to our waiting bus. We rode up the hill on a cable car.

On the bus and rolling; the rain began to come down in earnest as we headed over to see the Three Gorge River Dam Project. Difficult to take photos but after a view of the actual locks and dam we went to the building that houses a large model of the project and also has lots of souvenirs for sale. By this time it was lightening and thundering and then the wind began to whip the umbrellas inside out. Not the best day to see the dam project. We heard that Beijing has been having vicious sand storms from this same system; people are having trouble driving the storm is so severe in Beijing.

Everyone finished their shopping and then we were off on the road towards Wuhan. The road took us over and through the mountains; one of the many tunnels was over two miles long. Jim had some problems as the bus ceiling decided to leak right over his seat; fortunately he was sitting by himself and could move over. After about forty-five minutes we changed to a larger bus for the remainder of the six hour trip. The bus from Wuhan is not allowed to go to Maoping to pick us up….government regulations. At one of our bus stops the girls enjoyed a quick lesson from the experienced ones on how to use a “squat” toilet; some have been waiting in long lines for the western toilet and many times there are none to be had.

After the switch we ate our box lunches that the cruise ship had packed for us and dessert of candy from Jo’s bag of surprises. Then we napped and enjoyed the countryside as we drove to Wuhan; a large industrial city with a population of eight million that is ranked fourth among the cities with the most universities. There are many foreigners in this city as many different things are built here by foreign countries; for example the Citron automobile is built in this city by the French with cheap Chinese labor and nearly all of the taxi cabs are Citroen vehicles. By the time we’d arrived in Wuhan the rain had nearly stopped completely except for drizzles here and there. We are in a business hotel for the night and leave at 7:15 am in the morning for the airport and the flight to Hong Kong.

Some interesting notes from our dam guide “Max” and Jo:

The Three Gorge River Dam will be the largest dam in the world when it is finished.

The city around the dam uses Camphor trees to help control misquotes in the summer.

This site was chosen because 1) ground is granite 2) the river is very wide here giving them more room to built the hydroelectric units and locks 3) there was an existing island in the center of the river that helped in the building of the coffer dam as the beginning of the project.

It takes approximately two and half hours for a ship to go through the series of five locks. It doesn’t handle ocean liners as they are too large.

More facts about China:

I found out the fourth city for the Olympics in 2008: Qingdao plus Beijing, Shanghai, and Hong Kong.

Chinese use several methods to fish: Nets, Cormorant Bird with a ring on it’s neck, and poles. Dynamic is sometimes used but that is dangerous.

How many cups of tea should you have: two……if they offer you a third one they are telling you that it’s time to leave.

Wuhan is known for raising turtles. Turtle meat is very popular in China and the wild turtle meat is considered the best and is very expensive. Even the farmed meat is about $5.00 a pound. They raise them in ponds with lights on to keep the water warm at night.

We heard some jokes from Max and Jo:

Why did the orange stop running down the hill? It ran out of juice

The Panda has two desires: 1) take a color photo and 2) get a good night’s sleep (to get rid of their black eyes)

And with that I’m going to close this journal with the final note that Jim purchased his paint brushes today at the souvenir stand overlooking the dam; remember when he negotiated himself out of getting them earlier in the trip.

BOARDING SMALL BOATS TO EXPLORE THE DANING RIVER.....

Saturday, March 31, 2007 YANGTZE RIVER

This morning we were up early as we entered the first gorge at 7 am. We all grabbed one cup of coffee and then headed to the top deck to watch. Rather cool and very foggy but we could see enough to take some photos. After breakfast they loaded us into a smaller boat and we head into the smallest of the three gorges known as the Daning River. The height of the river will reach 175 meters and is now nearly 150 meters, but on the water line one can tell that it is lower now by about ten feet from what it had reached before the beginning of the current drought. We went under a very tall bridge that will be destroyed in the next two years as it is too low for the final level of 175 meters. Before they started this project the bridge was twice as high; we were shown photos of the bridge before the Dam Project began. These photos showed us that this area was rather shallow and river rafting was a popular sport in this area. We spent at least an hour traveling upstream viewing the sights that included “hanging coffins”. Ancient burial customs in this area was to place the coffin in a cave as high up on the mountain as possible to place them closer to the spirits (or whatever they believed was the final resting place).

It was almost like Disneyland as they have hired people to play music at one spot and other area had a group of formally dressed people singing folk songs to us. Both of these occurred after we transferred to an even smaller boat for the final stretch of the river. We also noticed that along the bank were “rescue” people; our guide said that they had radios that could let the main boat know if we had problems and needed help.

Back the same way….still foggy but a bit brighter than earlier. We arrived back on the main cruise ship in time for lunch and another stab at the Internet. We stepped out on the forward deck to take photos of the “Goddess Statute” rock formation; the wind from the speed of the boat made our hair go wild but we stood out there anyway snapping away. We have continued down the main gorge heading towards Maoping where we will dock overnight. Tomorrow we leave the ship after breakfast, go by boat over to see the Three Gorge River Dam Project and then get on the bus for a six hour trip to Wuhan. Right now I’m typing as I enjoy the view from my balcony off the room. Birgitte and Christa have been helping me with information as they sit next door on their balcony; we’re all drinking our beer that we purchased at the supermarket before boarding the ship.

CRUISING ON THE YANGTZE RIVER....

Friday, March 30, 2007 YANGTZE RIVER CRUISE

Up about 6:30 am we went upstairs to the lounge and early coffee. Watched the energetic ones learning Tai Chi, while we enjoyed the view and wonderful coffee with a fresh roll. By 7:30 the dining room was open for a buffet breakfast followed by lectures and/or demonstrations every hour. At breakfast Gene and Gina told a story about a grandson that always wants to do the opposite of everyone else. Once while on a trip with them he shared his philosophy with them: Expect the worst, Hope for the best and Enjoy the rest….we all thought it was a pretty wise statement for travelers.

I found the Computers and signed on to the Internet. They are using satellite services and the speed is verrrrrry slow. But I was able to read messages and send a note to my kids. But will have to wait until Hong Kong to send this journal and more photos. I have to take my computer and camera batteries to the front desk for charging so will try to conserve as much as possible.

This morning we had lectures on the Yangtze River and Three Gorges Dam project. Then the ship’s doctor gave us a lecture on Chinese Medicine including acupuncture and pressure points. The last section was really informative and we all enjoyed learning the pressure points. The doctor understands English but doesn’t speak as well so he used a translator. Good to know that there is a doctor on board: yesterday Betty and Howard fell on the escalator at the airport in Lhasa. Her luggage pulled her backwards and he fell trying to catch her; Gena immediately told them to stop the escalator, Jim yelled for us to stop….a small group with Jo had gotten ahead of them….then Deane ran (not a wise move in Lhasa) towards us to get Jo. Jo took off running down the hall when she realized there was a problem; gave everyone a fright but bumps and bruises and a scraped elbow seem to be the jest of it. With Nancy and Elisabeth both being nurses they were well cared for until arriving at the ship and seeing the ship doctor with Jo after they boarded the ship. We do have our exciting moments on this tour.

Small world items: Howard (from California) and Norm (from Iowa) have discovered that they were born in the same hospital in California; abet many years apart. I’ve discovered that Kristen and I have a mutual friend; Priscilla who worked in our real estate office for the last seventeen years. She is Danish as is Priscilla and they both attend the Danish Church in Yorba Linda. Kristen lives in Los Angeles so doesn’t get out too often but the Danish Churches in Southern California are few and far between.

We’ve just finished lunch; I’ve written postcards to each of the grandchildren…that’s all I’m doing on this trip…and Jim is about to go to the class on Chinese painting. This afternoon we will have a shore excursion to visit a family that has been relocated because of the Three Gorge Dam project.

The tour for the rest of the ship was of the Ghost Temple but our group, Overseas Adventure Travel, traveled by bus into the city of Fengdu and had an opportunity to sit down with a family that has been relocated due to the building of the dam. We spoke, with Jo as our interpreter, with the grandmother who stays home and manages a store that they have built on the first floor of their three story home. They were given 10,000 Yuan for each of the family members and they added to this amount to build a three story stone building for two families and three generations. She has three sons and two of them live with her. She was very gracious and answered all of our questions. Then we were allowed to tour the house and take photos. There is a basement that houses an extra kitchen, storage rooms and three huge pigs. The main floor has the store, a kitchen and more workrooms.

The living quarters are on the second and third floors. Very nice bedrooms and sitting rooms, actually the whole structure was much larger than we’d expected. The two bathrooms had squat toilets, and one had an open shower plus the washing machine. The second floor had a patio and was used to also hang the laundry. Chinese people definitely like to air dry their clothes. On the bus trip into town I saw one tree that had clothing draped on every branch. Our family had their socks draped over the cactus plants in the center of the patio. Most of the clothes are on hangers and then put on the line or wherever they find a place to put them where they will have sunshine to dry them. The weather is quite humid so it takes longer to dry things as opposed to Tibet where things dried in hours even in the shade.

After we left our host family we drove into the center of town and spent half an hour walking through a very authentic bazaar. The types of food were varied and unusual for westerners. We were a main attraction and they gathered in groups to watch us and continued to say hello to us. We are known as “hello” and/or “big noses” to the Chinese. At the end of the tour of the bazaar we found a small store that had a freezer and many of us enjoyed an ice cream bar snack. It was a challenge to make them understand what we were looking for until Jo arrived and talked with them. She told the clerk that “it’s ok if you charges us one Yuan more than usual but just tell us how much!” All said in a very firm and authoritative voice. It definitely helps to have a guide with you in China.

Our evening back at the boat consisted of getting batteries charged; dressing up a bit…none of us brought very dressy clothes…for the Captain’s Welcome Cocktail Party before dinner. They also sang happy birthday and happy anniversary to those that are celebrating; we had Betty and Howard’s anniversary and Betty, Birgette and Barney’s birthdays. After dinner I headed to bed as I have apparently, along with several others, caught the cold virus from our orphans. Jim attended the Chinese fashion show which was very nice and then also hit the hay instead of joining the Karaoke singing.

I did manage to sign on to the Internet twice during the day. To say it was slow was an understatement….it took me an hour once to send one short message; but nice to have the opportunity to read emails.

FROM THE LHASA TO THE YANGTZE RIVER.....

March 29, 2007 TIBET – CHENGDU – CHONGQING – YANGTZE RIVER

Had a good nights sleep due to both taking Nyquil and also we heated water in the hot water pot off and on during the night to add some moisture to the dry air; consequently we were better prepared for our long travel day. I felt fine except for the stuffy head but Jim was finally having his “Tibet” day and felt like he was moving in slow motion most of the day.

Our bus left Lhasa about 8:30 am and headed for the airport. Before entering the long tunnel we stopped along the highway for a photo opportunity at the large orange Buddha painted on the side of a mountain in the seventeenth century. People wrap their gifts to the Buddha in a while silk scarf (like the ones that were given to us by Tassi as we arrived and again by the hotel as we were leaving this morning) and toss them on the mountain. The higher up it lands the better the prayer; the entire mountainside was covered with them.

The flight back to Chengdu was a bit shorter and the weather was clear all the way for more fantastic views of the Himalayan Mountains; as we neared the city the pollution became heavier again. But, we could all breathe again with the lower altitude. Most of us are still suffering from either stuffy sinus conditions and/or beginning of colds caught from the orphan children. Nearly all of them had runny noses; but who could refuse to take their hands while they lead us around their home? Time will tell what our problems are as we adjust to the changing altitude.

We met our bus at the airport and began our five plus hours trip to Chongqing where we boarded the river boat for our cruise down the Yangtze River. I had prepared for this ride by bringing our First Class Sleeper cushions and a small pillow for Jim to sit on. It really helped our backs to survive the trip. We will have another long one at the end of the cruise so we’re really getting our monies worth out of the sleeper pillows that I purchased at the travel show. Jo provided us with snacks of rice cakes and peanut butter based cookies; Elisabeth contributed fruit for our enjoyment. We were well nourished after enjoying our meal served on the airplane plus the snack in lieu of stopping for lunch. The food was much more appetizing than the one they served on the flight over to Tibet.

Jo gave us more information and answered our questions; especially those involving the issues of whether or not the changes made by China have been good or bad for Tibet. One question we asked was about the registration as either a farmer or city person and when and how that can change. It seldom changes and I also realized that when they said that seventy percent of the Chinese are farmers; it means that seventy percent are registered as farmers. Probably less than thirty percent still actually farm the land. For example because her parents are registered as farmers she is considered a farmer. Many things such as schooling is tied to your registration and it is very difficult to change from a farmer to a city registration. Population numbers are also tied to the city that you are registered in; so there are probably many more people in the large cities than the census figures show.

I also asked again about the cars not being more than fifteen years old. She said that yes, they will not registered them after they reach the age of fifteen; but some people sell them to people who are in the countryside where they will drive them only in their villages and not on the highway because otherwise the government does not pay you anything when they stop registering them.

The drive was long but interesting to see the countryside. The highway could have been located in California, most was on a toll road; but the condition of the road was not as smooth as we’re used to. Very bumpy in spots; we passed many rice fields and saw the farmers in their shorts working in the rice paddies. Again, in the cities as well as in the countryside we saw laundry hanging from the balconies, trees and many other unusual places. They definitely like to dry things in the open sun light.

Arrived in Chongqing about 7 pm; the largest city in China population wise at seventy million inhabitants. It is also one of three cities called Kiln Cities in China because of the weather; very hot and dry most of the year. We dropped the shoppers off at the local supermarket to purchase snacks for the cruise and they walked to the restaurant where we had dinner. Nice to see the chopsticks again! And yes, lazy susan was back in our lives again. From there we drove about fifteen minutes to the river boat: The Victoria Cruise Line. The ship can hold about two hundred passengers and we’re in a group of about one hundred twenty-five. It has five levels and we are on the third deck. Nice sized rooms with sooooooft beds, a good sized bathroom and all the comforts of home except that the power is such that all battery charging has to be done at the front desk. Each room has a balcony that we can sit on as we cruise down the river. By 9:30 we’d showered, washed our hair and gathered in the lounge for the general information meeting. Afterwards we went up to the top deck to see the boat depart from Chongquing and then off to bed and I must say one of the best night’s sleep I’ve had for some time. Must be that soft bed and the gentle rocking of the boat.

VISITNG THE POTALA PALACE.....

Wednesday, March 28, 2007 LHASA, TIBET

The dancers last night were great except that I’d had beer with my dinner and between that and the medication I was taking.... I was really feeling under the weather. But the dinner was special in that we had a choice of a Yak Burger or Veggie Burger with French fries. We had the Yak Burger and it was really good. Dessert was candied bananas.

After another sleepless night; everyone is having problems because of the dryness of the air along with the altitude. Our sinuses are giving all of us problems. At 6 am I sure didn’t feel like hiking up 400 ft this morning. But, after two cups of coffee and bread, the Motrin and Sinus medication kicked in and I was good to go.

We left at 9:30 am by bus for the short drive to the Potala Palace and our scheduled visit. They require reservations for large groups to control the number of people. Wednesday is an especially popular day as the current Dalai Lama was born on a Wednesday. In Tibet it is against the law to have a photograph of the current Dalai Lama since 1989; but he is still much revered as he is still considered the spiritual leader even though he has been in exile in India since 1959.

All but three of our group of sixteen made the climb together; weather was cold but the sun was very bright and not a cloud in the sky. Yesterday was cloudy so we were glad that our appointment was today. We were allowed to take photos outside as we climbed but once inside the cameras had to be put away. Our guide Tassi was very knowledgeable and explained everything as we walked through. Got to see where the Dalai Lama lived when the Potala Palace was his home from the time he was designated as a small boy until he left in 1959. Also saw many tombs of previous Dalai Lamas and enough Buddhas to fill a lifetime. Tassi is especially good as his brother has been a monk since he was a small child and is now a Lama. He’s allowed to come home once a year to visit his family and it is considered a great honor for the family to claim a Lama as a member of their family.

After completing the tour of the Potala Palace we drove to a restaurant near our hotel where we each ordered our own lunch and dessert. Walked to the hotel afterwards for a rest before heading out again on the bus.

Our first stop was at a private home located in the city. Four generations live in this home and make their living from sewing. Much better than the farmer’s house that we visited unannounced yesterday; but standards are still very low. Interestingly, they had a photo of the Dalai Lama in the Buddha Room; it is allowed because he is seated next to Chairman Mao in the photo. The host family had prepared several Tibetan foods: Hot Yak Tea, Tibetan Beer and a selection of about ten different things, many of them from Yak butter that we all shared.

From there we drove in the bus to a private orphanage called the De Ji Orphanage that is supported by the Grand Circle Foundation. There are eighty-two orphans living in very poor conditions: two children to a bed and eight plus beds to a room. No heat. There were about two dozen younger children there during our visit. They sang us several songs and then each took our hand and some of us had one on each hand while they showed us their home. All of the children are being taught three languages including English. My charge took me to the classroom and using the one piece of chalk that was about a quarter of an inch wrote the alphabet for me. Makes one really think about how fortunate our children are in America. We asked about adoptions and Tibet does not allow foreigners to adopt Tibetan children. And, in this particular orphanage the children are being raised as a unit by the founder and her family and there are no plans to offer them for adoption. Many of the children had runny noses but they did carefully wash their hands as we arrived.

We’re back at the hotel now. Dinner will be at 6 pm and then at 8:15 tomorrow morning we head for the airport and back into Central China and our three day boat trip down the Yangtze.

VISITING JOKHANG TEMPLE AND A FARMER'S HOME

Tuesday, March 27, 2007 LHASA, TIBET

Slept pretty good; still have a slight headache from the altitude but am able to be up and about and even climbed the five flights to the roof to see the views after breakfast. Two of our group are spending the morning in bed because of problems with the altitude.

After breakfast we walked to the Jokhang Temple for a visit among the Tibetan people who were prostrating themselves in front of the temple and others who were spinning their prayer wheels, chanting as they used their beads to keep track of their mantras. The smell of yak butter permeates the air and the floor is sticky with it; they all carry thermos full of the hot butter to add to the tubs with candles burning in them as an offering to the Buddha; and there is Buddha after Buddha. Also they put money everywhere; there was even a large tub full of money for them to change their large bills on their own. Tasssi said that no one steals because if you steal from the Temple you will have to pay ten thousand for every one that you take in your next life. These offerings are what support the monks and the temples.

We were not allowed to photograph anything inside. It was very interesting in that after the hour’s worth of prayer in the morning the monks fold their robes in this Temple and place them on the bench so that they looked like miniature monks in prayer. This is not necessarily the same in every Temple.

The Barhor Bazaar surrounds the Temple and is full of vendors selling everything imaginable. Some are bargains and some are rip offs. The guides took us to a Tibetan Carpet and Tang Ka Factory shop where most of us made our purchases with some degree of safety. Jim negotiated from $48. down to $25. and was happy with his prayer wheel memento for Tibet. While we were there we walked to the roof and had another great view of the Potala Palace and an added discovery; they heat water by sitting a kettle above a aluminum foil reflector for solar power. Seems to work well as the kettle was steaming. We had lunch at a nearby local restaurant; some traditional Tibetan food and others that we just enjoyed such as a vegetable pizza.

After lunch Jim cruised the Bazaar again and found his Cowrie shell that was the first form on any kind of money in ancient China. Back to the hotel for a rest and tried the hotel Internet. Not the fastest but sent a quick email to the family to let them know we’re okay; we were all surprised to find that we had access to one.

Our Optional Tour this afternoon was a bus trip about twenty minutes out of town to the Sera Temple where we visited another Temple, saw prayer scripture being prepared (they put them inside of their prayer wheels), witnessed the monks debating with each other and saw a beautiful sand mandala that had been created by the monks. Tassi pointed out that all of the doors and windows are framed by a foot wide black border to keep the evil spirits out. He also told us that if a small child is having bad dreams the grandparents, not the parents, take the child to visit the Lama who painted a black dot on their nose to keep the evil spirits out of their dreams.

The second part of our tour was to a farmer’s village. We strolled through and our guide chose a door to knock on and asked if we could come inside. They were very gracious and allowed us to take photos and she even offered some bread for us to eat. They wanted to know if we were the same people that he had brought with him last year as it’d been a year since he’d been to this village with a tour group. They select different villages and homes for each group. The yak dung was stacked outside the front door just like cords of wood as they burn it for cooking and heat. I don’t think any of us would have agreed to stay overnight in this house. But, they did have two television sets in the house!

Back to the hotel to a dinner at 6 pm (we asked Jo if we could have dinner earlier than the 7 pm scheduled time and she arranged it for us with the hotel). Then at 8 pm we enjoyed a hour of entertainment by Tibetan dancers.