Testing the Rule of Threes

Wanted: One exorcist. Specialty: Travel jinxes, transport curses, transit tribulations, etc.

This is no joke. These past few years I have been plagued by an unexplainable force which has prevented me from traveling via airplane in a timely manner. Usually this just involves a casual delay of an hour or so. On my way to China this past fall, it caused me and my fellow travelers to be delayed 8 hours in O’Hare before embarking on our 14 hour plane ride west. One time in college my plane even caught fire while in the air and we were forced to emergency land. I can count on one hand the number of times my flights have arrived without incident. And I’m very serious about warranting advise on how to rid myself of this jinx. While at first it was funny, it has now become extremely agitating and stressful. Like hiccuping for too long.

After many weeks of only slightly delayed flights with Deb, she returned home, leaving me alone and vulnerable, easy prey for the ravenous travel beast. It has struck twice now — first, I found out I was unable to change my flight home, leaving me in China for another 2 weeks. Then when I tried to leave the mainland to travel with some friends in Malaysia, my ticket was mysteriously cancelled. My name wasn’t even found in the airline’s system… Really???

After recuperating from the these two gruesome battles, I’m testing my flight curse one final time. On the bus to Hangzhou now… Then on to Malaysia, Thailand, and Cambodia. Considering stopping in a traditional Chinese medicine shop in Hangzhou to see if they know anyone who can help blight this curse. Or at least if they have some sort of sedative tea I can brew up if the Rule of Threes follows its course…

I also want to apologize for the neglect of this blog as of late and for my inability to appropriately document my travels this year. I swear a blogging marathon is going to happen on the plane ride home… Things to look forward to: Handpickin tea and swimming in the sacred West Lake of Hangzhou. Coming face to face with the (ancient) Chinese army in Xi’an. Rocking out to some Super Junior and comparing sojus in Seoul. Spotting ladyboys, cooking up pad thai, and bathing elephants in Thailand. Late nights at Philipino police stations. Racing dragon boats in Hong Kong. And of course, karaoke. There is always karaoke…

Pray to the airport gods that I arrive safely in Kuala Lumpur!

Three of a Kind

Hong Kong

I’ve rarely met a place I don’t like…

but I think I may be in love with Hong Kong.

More to come…

Suzhou4Two

This past weekend marked the first sign of spring-like weather in Shanghai, and we decided to take the fast train out to my old study abroad stomping ground, the beautiful city of Suzhou. My year teaching here in Shanghai has been beyond incredible. Last living in a small southern town of 300,000 people, transitioning to a quickly developing Asian metropolis of approx 19,213,200 people has been a crazy whirlwind of an experience. Shoving my way into the tightly packed metro during rush hour or having to pick out of a glorious multitude of restaurants for our Saturday night dinner are constant reminders of this change in situation. But returning to Suzhou for the weekend was definitely a nice break from the fast pace of Shanghai. Being able to lazily saunter down the old canal lanes without care for time or direction as well as reuniting with my old Chinese roommate, Sophia, actually made me miss my old temporary residence a bit.

We spent the first day in Suzhou strolling down Pingjiang Lu, an old canal lane recently developed into a walking street with artsy jewelry shops, gelaterias, cute bookstores and hostels. We tried out a Chinese specialty that I have never ventured to try before — 臭豆腐, stinky tofu. You can smell this pungent street snack being fried up for miles around, and the bad news is that it tastes exactly like it smells… straight up nasty. I would compare it with eating cardboard that had been left outside to slowly mold for a few weeks and then poorly fried. But the dank smell did oddly blend well with the experience of wandering along the old lanes in the warm weather, watching young Chinese engaging in photo-shoots, and laughing at local children involuntarily having their hair washed over the side of the canal.

After wandering for a while, we ended up at Suzhou Museum, one of the standout museums I’ve visited in China. Not only do you get to gawk at ancient Chinese dings dating back to 3000 BC and ponder the logistics of history classes in Chinese schools, but you also get to check out the cool IM Pei-designed architecture. Its next door to the Humble Administrator’s Garden, a beautiful traditionally-styled Chinese garden, of which Suzhou is famous for. I didn’t get to visit these places too much while I was living here during college, which gives me yet another reason to be thankful I somehow made my way back to China.

Of course, I couldn’t come back without seeing my old Chinese roommate, Sophia. She’s as boisterous and strong-willed as ever, the only difference now being that she is now a boisterous, strong-willed vegetarian. Most of our dinner conversation focused on her pride in having lost 7 kg over the past few months by dropping meat (a tough thing to do in China) and how she was going to make her children pay for their own college education so she could spend her money traveling. She’s a funny, pretty girl and it was great to catch up with her. Hopefully her travels will eventually take her to visit me in America one day!

Before catching the train back, I had to revisit my favorite restaurant in Suzhou, 哑巴生煎 Ya Ba Sheng Jian. This place always seems to have a line stretching around the corner, but it is well worth the 20 minute wait and the fight for half a seat at a table. Their fried soupy ravioli dumplings gotta rank on my top 5 favorite Chinese eats. Sooo delicious. Check out the ole food blog for more!

Beijing and Strawberries

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Our long escape to Beijing was epic. Lots of concerts to be had. Two music festivals plus the normal amount of great Beijing music = tough decisions and way too much time on public transportation. Why can’t a music scene like this get going in Shanghai?? The political scientist in me wants to say it has something to do with the climate and the proximity to the seat of government. But either way Beijing this weekend was a wonderful place for music fans.

We stuck to Strawberry Festival all weekend. Bands we saw: Bigger Bang, Xiao He, AV Okubo, Queen Sea Big Shark, Carsick Cars, Guaili, Xiu Xiu, Gia, Reflector, Hedgehog, and some others here and there. Faves of the weekend? AV Okubo and Hedgehog. I give the first props for great music and apt use of megaphones. The second because I enjoy seeing people shorter than me. And the tiny girl in this band could rock out on the drums, play the accordion, belt some tunes, all under 4’10″. Thank you for giving short people a good name, miniature Hedgehog child. Other than great music, the festival was pure gold for people watching. The Chinese hipsters came out in full force and we got to laugh at their get-up, unnecessary camera accessories, and complete inability to mosh. Really, after about a minute of jumping into each other, the moshpit would form into one giant Ring-Around-the-Rosy style circle, with everyone holding hands and people spinning in circles in the middle. Adorable.

We managed to squeeze in a few touristy things while in BJ. Went to 798 Art District — cool modern art in Beijing. Saw some art that was interesting, and some that was just silly (Bearzilla?). We spent a morning biking through the hutongs of Beijing — tiny historic alleyways in the city that run maze-like around the native Beijinger’s traditional courtyards. We chased the hutong tourist rickshaws and watched the pollen fall snow-like around us, then stopped for some of the most amazing dumplings we’ve ever had. You haven’t had dumplings until you’ve had freshly made Beijing dumplings. To die for.

Also got to enjoy some KTVing and about a year’s supply of chuanr (street food kebabs). Hopefully I’ll be back soon to rediscover touristy Beijing — a Great Wall overnight perhaps? At least hoping to get a glimpse of Mao’s mausoleum like some other friends did. Did you know that they have this guy preserved and on display in Tiananmen? Now that’s something Samantha Brown wouldn’t show ya.

Until next time Beijing!

Crouching Tiger, Hipster Dragon

This weekend, we were aching for some time away from the 2 Fast 2 Furious 2 Polluted life of Shanghai. But instead of following the Chinese tourist route, aka heading out to the nearest holy mountain to climb up cement steps behind rows of fellow Chinese with the same brilliant idea, we went the expat route… Moganshan.

Moganshan, a gorgeous mountain range covered in green bamboo forests and charmingly cozy Chinese villages, has been a hideaway for foreigners since colonial days. Would going out there make us the 21st-century equivalents of English capitalist roadsters? Probs. But it was worth it. Becky’s Quick Moganshan Itinerary…

Step One: Wait in ridiculously long lines for train tickets to Hangzhou. It’s your fault that you waited until the day before to buy tickets on the weekend of another arbitrary Chinese festival. So stand shoulder-to-shoulder with stressed-out Chinese citizens wanting to get home and ready to roll their eyes when they hear you butcher their language as you buy tickets.

Step Two: Take a scarringly fast cab ride from Hangzhou train station out to Moganshan. Yes, it’s pitch-dark. And yes, the road is curvier than Kim Kardashian’s bottom-half. But your cab driver says he’s been driving this road for 22 years and that he can drive this fast even with his eyes closed no problem. Encourage him not to close his eyes.

Step Three: Stop holding your breath when you arrive at your job-droppingly beautiful abode for the weekend. We suggest Prodigy Outdoor, an amazingly beautiful lodge complete with a warm stone fireplace, scrumptious local Chinese cooking, tons of friendly outdoor guides to take you out biking / climbing / hiking / swimming / moving in general, a tea terrace on which to do morning yoga, and their very own homemade grappa. Yes please!

(Or if on a less restricted budget stay in beautiful eco-friendly cabins at Naked Retreats. We’re intending to coax our parents into going here. And no it’s not a nudist colony.)

Step Four: Spend all day hiking or biking through the bamboo infested mountains. Don’t bother to follow the path. You’re gonna get lost anyways. But this way you’ll have time to take in the beautiful bamboo scenery, cheer on the characters of Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon fighting atop the canopy, and make up your own horror film trailer about zombie Chinese gymnasts attacking innocent foreign daytrippers after they get lost in a remote bamboo forest bum bum bum…

(S, about to confirm my long-kept assumption that, yes, she can fly.)

Step Five: Exhausted from a day of hiking, return to your beautiful lodge for a hearty Chinese village-style meal. Lots of veggies and chicken so good you’ll ignore the fact that you heard it bawking out its last desperate farewells an hour earlier.

Step Six: Retire to the fire pit for the night. Glass of red wine in one hand, young Chinese child in the chair next to you asking you to teach him English words, & a large group of inebriated hipster co-workers in front of you, awkwardly indie-dancing to the local London radio station blaring from their Macbooks. Couldn’t get much better… even for China.

Step Seven: Return home. Plan your return trip asap.

MMMWhatYouSeoul

Freedom. The sweet sweet taste of uncensored freedom. Yes folks, I have broken out of the confines of the Great Firewall to a more beautiful, cleaner, less densely populated place — Seoul. Out of an odd twist of fate it turns out my Dad had to come all the way over to Seoul for business this week. So, I decided to hop on over the Yellow Sea for the weekend to visit my parents and to take a gander at amazing South Korea, home of… well… you know, I’m not really sure. I realized as I was preparing to come over here that I have absolutely no idea what Korean culture is like. I know that their alphabet kind of looks like crop circles. I know that a lot of Korean girls get face lifts at the age of 20 because plastic surgery is so cheap here. I know of the phenomenon that is “kimchi.” But really, I have never in any way experienced Korean culture before. In fact, outside of China, I know almost nothing about the other East Asian countries. Living inside my Chinese “next big superpower, Olympics-hosting, panda-loving” bubble, I’ve never given too much thought to Korea or Japan. But here I am in Seoul. Ready to gain some new perspective. Unfortunately due to horrible jet lag, my parents have passed out early, leaving me nothing to do but eat Double Stuf Oreos and listen to Imogen Heap in my hotel room. But no worries! Because bright and early tomorrow morning, I will be able to embark out on my mission of finding a new non-Sinocentric view of Asian society. First stop? KFC. Korean Fried chicken.

PS: Another 10 RMB for whoever can come up with the best Seoul pun. Contenders so far: Seoul Sister. Seoul Train. Seoul-d Out. Seoul-ange Knowles. Crank that Seoul-jah Boy.