Hello America

Yes that is correct I have finally rested my feet on American soil once again. But I have to say I have been thinking that it is a bit strange and foreign to be back. I am sure in time things will fall back into place as they are supposed to, but it was disconcerting to be greeted at the airport by my mom and my dog, Gatsby. The problem was that Gatsby did not seem to recognize me fully. He growled and huffed a bit at me and then sort of warmed to my presence in the car. When we got home I gave him a treat and rubbed his belly like old times, but it just did not seem to have the same impact as it used to, perhaps over time it will change?? It is bizarre coming back to a country I have known for most of my life and feeling a little out of place, of course it does not help when the airlines misplace your luggage in your home cities airport....I am hoping it comes tomorrow, apparently it never made it on my plane and was coming later. HA HA oh the joys of traveling home, who knew?? But overall the trip was unbelievable, and a learning experience of culture and life and friendship. In the end I know things will get back to normal and they will fall into place as they are supposed to, so I am not worried about that. For now I am more worried about physically adjusting to the time difference and the jet lag....as I sit here typing this my body thinks it is 3 pm in the afternoon, as that would be the time in Beijing, and also I have come from a 35 hour day of flying and layovers....so really m y body does not know what to do....tired, awake, middle of the night or middle of the day ???

Cast of Characters (Appearing In Order)

Leading Characters
Me: Chicago based, born in St. Louis
David Baldwin AKA the Program Manager: Chicago based, born in Ohio
John Di Tecco: Canadian, through and through.....EHH?

Supporting Cast
Jared Evans: Australian born, joined us in Thailand, was friends with David in Beijing prior to the trip
Fran: Currently resides in Milan... Italian
Mirjam: Milan, Originally from Slovania
THE PENGUIN: Travels everywhere that Fran goes....rode the horns of a goat on this trip
Dan and Susie: Newlywed couple, traveling around the world.....appeared in the Xi'an train station and then followed us to Lhasa.....currently somewhere in Nepal???
Tsetan: Tour Guide in Lhasa
Taschi: Driver in Lhasa
Kate: John's friend in Chengdu, they had met for all of an hour in Beijing during the games, she played host to us in Chengdu, originally from the US
Drew: Gave us the idea in Chengdu to go to the Sichuan Province and to Mt. Emei
Yogi: Kate's awesome dog
Michael and Rob: Law Students we met on Mt. Emei who were on their way to Beijing to study chinese for six months
Freddy: Australian who we met on the island of Ko Samed


I would like to thank all of those who made it possible for us to tour Southeast Asia.....special thanks to the tour agencies, expedia, elong, and of course all of our faithful readers at home in the states and Canada!!!!

David Daldwin Tours- Asian Adventure
Beijing, Xian, Lhasa, Chengdu,Emei, Leshan,Chengdu, Guangxou, Bangkok, Ko Samet, Beijing

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Ko Samed to Bangkok to Beijing

We are back where it all began two and four months ago.....Beijing, China. The four of us flew in exactly 2 months to the day to begin working for the Olympics and since then have meshed as a group of traveling buddies and friends. We have had the experience of a lifetime. To try and recap some of this, in case you need the short version, we worked the Olympics in Beijing for 40 days, well David was working for longer than that. Nevertheless, we worked for the Olympics, and following that we left via overnight train for Xi'an for a one day stop over, where we were told it would be impossible to get a train ticket to Lhasa. Somehow, we managed to accomplish what no one said we could (later we would find that it was only in an effort to make more money from us) and after touring Xi'An and the Terra Cotta Warriors for a day we boarded a 36 hour train to Lhasa. On the train, we read, slept, chatted, watched movies and took in te scenery. This is also where we met Dan and Susie, the husband and wife who were traveling around the world for a year. UPon arriving in Lhasa, it was sensory overload, the mountains, the Buddhism, the monastary, the simple way of life, the YAK....everything was perfect and for five days we were in Lhasa with Fran and Mirjam. We departed ways with Fran and MIrjam from here and then took a flight to Chengdu, in the SIchuan Province, where we would meet up with Johns friend Kate, whom David and I had never formally met. After 3 days in Chengdu and much discussion about our next destination, we decided upon Mt. Emei, and Leshan. Traveling via bus through the Sichuan Province was a learning experience in both travel customs and purchasing tickets through certified travel companies. But we survived a two day climb up a mountain, an attack by crazy monkeys and a night sleeping in a monastary in the mountains. FOllowing this we headed back to Chengdu in order to catch a flight to Guangxou and then another flight to Bangkok. Bangkok was also a learning experience and a first for all three of us. Three days later it was off to the island of Ko Samed for a week of relaxation. It rained a lot as it is rainy season ut overall it was a very very pleasant experience. FOllowing Ko Samed, we took a boat back to mainland Thailand and then a bus to Bangkok for an overnight stay and then a flight to Beijing, where it all began. As i sit here on the final night of David Daldwin advuenture tours, I think back to all of the unbelievable times we shared, the memories, the craziness and most of all the friendships we formed. It will be tough for us to all part ways but i know this is not goodbye, it is see you later.....David Daldwin Tours or DDT Inc. will reconvene again at some point in time......to be continued!!!! Thank you all for following along on the crazy adventures of two midwestern USA boys, one Canadian, and the random cast of characters that completed this trip. I wish everyone the best in their next chapters, safe travels and good luck...

Island Life

Today we awoke to the sounds of the waves crashing against the shoreline and the pitter patter of rain on our Bungalow roof. We made it to the island of Ko Samet via a 3 hour bus ride from Bangkok and a 45 minute boat across the Gulf of Thailand. We are staying at Jep's Resort, a small beach front resort, where we have a Bungalow for four. All of our meals are beach front, and we even tried our luck at beach volleyball yesterday with a few of the locals. The water temperature has been great, we swam for about 2 hours yesterday, and the rain comes and goes as it is rainy season in Thailand. Nevertheless we are having an awesome time just relaxing and unwinding. I am sorry that I have not been able to post pictures as of late, but I will be sure to post more of them when I can. For now, back to my r and r on the beach!

Bangkok, Thailand

We arrived at 11 pm in the pouring rain. It was noticeably warmer and also more tropical feeling. Because we flew in at night, we really had no chance to acclimate to the city, but we grabbed a taxi from the airport and made our way to the hotel. We were booked at the Boonsiri Hotel in the older part of Bangkok. John had been in charge of the booking this leg of the trip, giving Program Manager David Daldwin a much needed break. As it turns out the hotel was perfect and we decided to stay the entire time.

Thailand is dubbed "The Land of the Smiles", but I feel as if they should change the name to "The Land of the Smiles and Swindlers." In China, it was very noticeable when someone was trying to pull a fast one on you or trying to get commission by taking you to a working factory for a "tour". But, in Thailand, the people are more crafty. The first morning we were here we were offered a Tuk Tuk ride, essentially a motorcycle with a covered back area for three. He assured us that it was a "Holy Day" and for only 30 Bot, we could see all the Buddhist sites. We knew that it would be a fun way to tsee the city and for the most part it was, but he did take us to two suit shops, and also one other non descript destination. Following this experience, we felt much the wiser and ignore al street requests, that seems to be the only way to solve the issue.

On the second day, we headed to the Grand Palace. Davids friend Jarod had arrived and so we wanted to see more of Bangkok.

The Grand Palace is a complex of buildings in Bangkok, Thailand. It served as the official residence of the king of Thailand from the 18th century to the mid-20th century. Construction of the palace complex began in 1782, during the reign of Rama I. The palace complex sits on the east bank of the Chao Phraya River. Th detail in the building was something that is indescribeable. The paintings, tile work and statues were all unbelievably ornate, and the architecture vastly different from that found in China. We found this to be a welcomed change.

Following our tour, our guide of course took us to her "friend" who had a boat tour she was offering for a "very very special price". "Looky, Looky" she said! After some brief discussion amongst ourselves, we decided that a boat was worth the "low price" and was one of the last missing links in our modes of transportation. We boarded the boat, a long narrow motorboat and were whisked through the canals of Bangkok. It was similar to being in an alley and we were able to see the lifestyles of the Thai families. There were children swimming along in the canals, doing back flips into the water and having a fantastic time. Our boat trip lasted approximatly one hour and we were dropped off on the other end of the river to go see the Temple of the Reclining Buddha (Wat Pho), a giant Buddha statue, laying down on his side!

Wat Pho is the one of the largest and oldest wat in Bangkok and is home to more than one thousand Buddha images, as well as one of the largest single Buddha images: the Reclining Buddha. Made as part of Rama III's restoration, the Reclining Buddha is forty-six metres long and fifteen metres high, decorated with gold plating on his body and mother of pearl on his eyes and the soles of his feet.

Another aspect of Bangkok that we have been enjoying, is the nightlife. We have mad plenty of time for great food, dancing and libations. Of course we always have to make time for napping the next day as we have found a few establishments that are open very late night. Today, we went to Khao San road, an area near our hotel. Khao San is, technically speaking, a small street about three blocks long located about a block from the Chao Phraya River in the Banglamphu district northwest of downtown Bangkok. Backpackers and budget tourists are drawn by some of the cheapest accommodation and travel deals in Thailand. We shopped to our hearts content and then I found a tattoo parlour, where I got my first tattoo. I always wanted to get something that had meaning for me, but I was always over thinking it. While in Tibet, I found a simple, yet striking symbol for longevity, and good health. It is called the Tibetan Never Ending Knot. I also decided that since Tibet was one of the most unbelievable experiences of my life that this would be a great remmberance for me. Here is a photo of the tattoo, well the outline I used for mine anyways. I will post pics when I get the chanc. I actually thought it would hurt more than it did, but I endured and the entire process took less than hour. Tomorrow, we leave for Ko Samet, an island off the coast of Thailand. Ko Samet is an island located in the Gulf of Thailand off the coastline of the Thai province of Rayong, approximately 220 km southeast of Bangkok of Rayong province. Here we come white sand beaches and crystal clear water!!!

Mt Emei, Stealing Monkeys and a Giant Buddha

What was initially an afterthought mentioned to us from a friend of Kate's, the friend we were staying with in Chengdu, became a reality. He suggested that instead of heading to Yanshuo and Guilin that we check out more of the Sichuan Province, due to proximity and also cost. After some talk and some investigation we found it would be cheaper for us to take a bus to Mt. Emei and then hike for 2 days to the summit and then visit the Giant Buddha in Leshan and then head back to Chengdu to await our flight to Thailand.
We awoke around 7 30 am in an attempt to catch a early bus to Emei. It was pouring down rain and we had to try to grab a taxi without getting out things too wet. After several feeble attempts we grabbed a hotel worker who swiftly hailed a taxi for us and we were on our way to the Chengdu bus station. About 15 or 20 minutes later we arrived, walked inside and purchased a one way bus fare to Emei. It would be abour a three hour ride, so we settled in to the back row assuming we could hold 5 seats for the three of us. As the bus began to fill we soon realized that the efficiency of the Chinese system would be our downfall. The entire bus filled from front to back and we were stuck with little leg room and noisy cell phone rings for the entire ride there. Luckily we had ipods and books to try and drone out the sound. The bus left the city behind and began on the trek to Emei, going through little mountain villages along the way. Kate had recommended us to check in and have lunch at the Teddy Bear hotel, a westernized hotel/cafe. There was some confusion on the bus, as to what or where we were supposed to go. Seeing as none of us spoke Chinese and a woman was telling us to pay more we had no idea what to do.
We paid her the additional 5 RMB and assumed she would lead us to our destination in safety. Very trusting Western travelers we have become!!
After another short ride we finally came to our destination in Emei Shan. We got off the bus and were immediatly greeted by a representative of the Teddy Bear hotel. They showed us to a table and we sat down and had lunch. David and I had a "Big Bear" burger, which assured us the sustenence we would need for fuel on our hike. From examining the map we decided we could begin hiking up the mountain and make it to the halfway point before dark, where we would stay in a monastary. After lunch we purchased another ticket up the mountain, so that we could shave about 15 km off of our hike, since we were on a short time schedule. THe bus took us to our destination and let us off. Seeing a ticket booth near the entrance, we headed for it. THe sign said that if you were a student you could pay a lesser entrance fee, and so I decided to try my Northwestern ID card. It worked, and I paid a little bit less than David. John showed a Canadian ID card, which also worked.
We entered the park, backpacks in tow and began our 2 day excursion up the mountain. A stream ran along the right side, it was crystal clear, and a river lay on the left. We followed the paved pave into the woods, hoping we were prepared for what lie ahead. The scenery was beautiful and the hike fairly easy. The weather a bit humid and damp, and the sky a misty grey. Certainly not ideal hiking conditions, but at this point we really had no say in the matter. We initially thought that the park was a bit amateur and disneyland esque, because there were vendors surrounding us and a paved path to follow, we certainly had no idea what lie ahead of us in the next two days.
On the map there was a zone called the Joking Monkey ZOne, and we had been warned ahead of time that the TIbetan Macaques Monkeys ran free and would bare their teeth at you, so we purchased what we called Monkey Sticks, which were actually large Bamboo walking sticks. I looked ahead and suddenly crossing the bridge I saw a foreign object. "Monkey", I shouted, and David and John quickly looked ahead and noticed it crossing the bridge. I saw a vendor selling monkey food and so I purchased a bag with the intention of kindly doling it out to the multiple monkeys. The monkey in front of me had other intentions and quickly ran towards me and intimidated me into giving him the entire bag. Content with his actions he ran off and opened the bag and hogged the entire thing for himself. I felt defeated and David and John certainly would not let me hear the end of it. So in an attempt to redeem myself I purchased another bag of Monkey food, and promptly handed it to David. He turned around and the monkeys already saw blood, or a sucker, I am not sure. They were on the prowl, they knew we had food and just as swiftly as they had taken it from me they snatched it from David. The greedy little monkeys were swift and smart. They ran across the bridge towards the other park visitors giving us an escape route, but first we had to cross the monkey bridge. The little monsters were running under the bridge and hanging on the sides. There were also baby monkeys and one particular mother had her baby monkey dangling underneath her. You would assume a mother would be innocent and caring but no she was sneaky as well and as soon as I turned my back she grabbed my water bottle from bag and pulled it out of it's place. She then turned and ran off with it. I again felt like the helpless victim, this time it was my water bottle, which she was attempting to bite into. These monkeys were ruthless. After making our way through the monkey zone we continued on our way and the path began to get more steep and arduous. Stair after stair, we continued to climb, and soon the path began to show noticeable age. Along the way we noticed strong Chinese workers lugging slabs on concrete on their backpacks. Day after day they would walk the length of the path dropping the slabs at certain points of the path and then returning back up the mountain for another round. They must have employed an entire village and from the looks of these guys calf muscles this was a daily task for them. We were winded, and certainly hungry so we stopped for a bite to eat. Along the route they had several noodle shops, and we had been warned that the last leg of our first day would be the toughest. Someone was not lying to us, as we continued our climb the path got steeper, the stairs more narrow and the inclines longer. Finally, we arrived at the Xianfeng Monastary, a dank damp spot in the mountains with very rustic lodging. We paid our small fee for a three bed bedroom and were shown up some old wooden stairs along the back of the temple. The woman showed us to our room which was a small dorm sized room complete with three beds, and one desk and a set of hooks from which we could hang wet clothes. We certainly had some damp clothes as it had been raining all day long and our clothes were a mixture of sweat and rain. We walked around a bit and then settled in for the night as we were exhausted.
The next day we awoke fairly early and began to make our way up the mountain. Again it was a misty foggy day so the scenery was a bit tough to see. You could tell it would be beautiful on a clear day, but it was actually more gothic feeling as we could barely see in front of us. We saw more of the workers and some rougher sections of the path that were in repair. On our way we met a couple of backpackers named ROb and Michael, who were recent law school grads from London who were on their way to Beijing to study Chinese for 6 months. They were extremely friendly and also good company to have. It was nice to see that other people were having as much difficutly as we were making it to the peak. After several hours of hiking we finally made our way to the summit, what they call the Golden Peak. At the top of the mountain, which was very touristy lay a large golden colored temple. We snapped a few photos and then headed back down to catch the last bus to Baguo, the village where the Teddy Bear hotel was. We decided a shower and a good meal were in order. The bus ride down took around 45 minutes, and we checked into the hotel and then ordered dinner. We were exhasuted so after a quick check of the emails we settled in for the night.
The next day we were up and ready and purchased a bus ticket to Leshan to see the Giant BUddha carved into the side of the rock cliff. An hour ride later we were there and purchasing tickets. I again used the student ID but this time was able to get a rate for all three of us. Our legs ached from the worlds largest stairmaster the 2 days prior but we walked slowly and steadily back to the GIant BUddha. After spending about 2 hours there we were ready to go so we made our way out and headed back for Chengdu. I am now in Thailand as yesterday was a travel day for us. We had a flight to Guangchou and then a flight to Bangkok last night. Today we wandered around and saw a few sights, and are awaiting Jareds arrival tonight from Beijing. We will be here for three nights and then heading out to Ko Samet, an island off the coast of Thailand. I will update with pictures as soon as I am able to.

Travel Plans have changed

Our time in Chengdu has been really welcomed.  We have relaxed, seen the pandas, sang Karaoke and strolled in the park on a Sunday.  The park was beautiful, and the pandas really adorable.  As for our travel plans, we leave tomorrow for Emeishan, a mountain which we plan to hike up.  We have been told there are monastery's along the way to stay in.  We will be taking a bus in the morning from Chengdu to Emeishan, then hiking up to the peak.  Once we reach the peak ,about a two day hike, we will take a bus back down the mountain to Leishan to see the largest Buddha statue in the world.  Then we will return to Chengdu via bus and stay the night.  The next day we will fly to Guanghou, have a 4 hour layover and then fly on to Bangkok.  David's friend Jared will meet us in Bangkok and then we will head to Ko Samet, an island in Thailand, where we will stay for a week.  After that it is on to Shanghai and Beijing respectively.  I will update you all as much as possible.  Keep us in your thoughts!!!!! 

TIbet to Chengdu

The girls left us this morning for the airport and to embark on their own adventure.  We all woke up and had breakfast together and after they left for the airport, the three of us had some down time until 1 o’clock.  It was actually very welcomed because we had been running since Day 1 in Tibet.  We spent time on line, updating our blogs, contacting friends and family and just relaxing.  I was watching one of the worst movies in the world, “Hollow Man”, on HBO, simply because it was a relaxing day.  If “Hollow Man” is your favorite movie, then I am sorry I offended you!! 

Around 1 o’clock Tsedan and Taschi arrived at the hotel to pick us up and take us to Norbulinka, a summer palace for the Dalai Lama.   We rode through the town and listened as Tsetan explained the story behind the summer palace.  He told us that it had been the summer residence for the Dalai Lama, but now was a large park where people would come to picnic, watch Tibetan Opera, and pray for the safe return of the Dalai Lama.   As it was a beautiful day in Tibet, it was crowded with foreign and domestic tourists. 

We wandered around the park, ducking in and out of the former residences of the various Dalai Lama.  At one point we stopped and sat near a small pond and talked about this and that.  This was a day of leisure for all of us, decompressing and relaxing.  For this reason we had decided we wanted to get a massage before leaving town.  After stopping and taking in some of the Tibetan Opera, which at times sounds similar to cats screeching, we headed out to the van and then on to Tsetan favorite massage place. Here are some pictures from the Summer Palace in Lhasa. 

We arrived at what Tsetan said was partly an orphanage.  We pulled into the stone and grass parking lot and watched a man watering the stone.  I guess he wanted to have grass growing in addition to the stone.  We left the van and walked into the massage parlor.  The girls were very excited and set up our rooms accordingly.  John and I were in one room with Tsetan, and David and Taschi were in the other room. 

The girls began by bringing in a large wooden container for our feet.  The water was scalding hot, but they gently held our feet in the water in an effort to adjust to the temperature.  After soaking our feet and washing them the girls started in massaging the top and bottom of our feet.  She offered to clip our toenails, which I accepted, John and Tsetan declined their offer.  She pulled out this scalpel look thing and began using it to cut my nails.  I was a bit nervous, as it appeared to be a straight edge razor.  I watched her every move, convinced that with one slip my toe would be laying on the ground.  This of course did not happen and after clipping all of my nails delicately, she returned to massaging my feet.  This time she really dug in, which was welcomed due to all of the walking and hiking we had been doing.  While working on our feet they had placed hot stones on our stomachs and then placed a fleece “Winnie the Pooh” blanket over us.  John and I both thought it would be a great idea to place them behind our backs to warm the lower part.  This was not the best idea, because after a while the hot stones left marks.  Nevertheless, we were in heaven.  The girls were going to town on our feet, our back and then the most surprising, the pubic bone.  She worked her way up my legs and then pushed and applied pressure with both hands to my pubic bone.  This was the first time I have ever had a massage on the pubic bone and I have to say it was not unpleasant.  The direct pressure actually helped to loosen everything up.   She knew what she was doing, that is for sure.  After this, she asked me to turn over and began kneading my back.  This was the greatest “foot massage” ever.  After a one-hour massage I had zero desire to move, so I lay there for a s long as I possibly could.  By this time David had finished his massage, and John, Tsetan and I were putting our shoes on and getting ready.  We were all hungry and since it was the last night I asked Tsetan to show us one of the restaurants where the locals go to eat.  He knew just the place for us, and we headed out, after paying for our massage of course. 

Tsetan told us about a cave restaurant near the Potalla Palace that was one of his favorite places to visit.  We had heard of this place from Dan and Susie and were assured that we would be the only westerners.  We pulled into the lot just past the Potalla Palace and walked to the entrance of a cave.

It was dimly lit, with benches running the length of the cave on both sides.  In front of the benches were tables, which sat around knee height for me.  Local Tibetans dotted both sides of the room and the wait staff greeted us kindly but gave a few quick glances in our direction.  The entire room took turns staring at us, but more in a quizzical, curious way.  Tsetan ordered from the menu for all of us.  Taschi had the fried noodles, Tsetan had Yak dumplings in broth, and John, David and I had Yak Dumplings, noodles, and potato curry.  Tsetan was correct in saying that the food was excellent.  Everything was very tasty and traditional Tibetan style.  Who knew that food in a cave could be so tasty?  After finishing our food Tsetan collected the check for us to pay the total.  The entire meal worked out to be around 3 us dollars each, our least expensive meal to date in China.  Tsetan said goodbye to us until the morning and we returned to the hotel to pack our things, and relax and get some rest before our flight the next day.  We had a scheduled flight to Chengdu at 11 am, a 2-hour flight, but we would have to leave for the airport around 8 am. 

W awoke the next morning, showered and met Tsetan downstairs for breakfast.  It was a brief, quick breakfast, but the Chinese breakfast is much different than the western version.  I had a fried egg with a piece of toast and a few pieces of bacon and a cup of coffee before departing for the airport.  The Lhasa airport is one hour’s drive from Lhasa and we had a flight to catch.  Taschi drove us through the winding mountain roads and through the tunnel through the middle of one of the mountains and after approximately one hours time we arrived at the Lhasa Airport. We had about an hour before our flight would depart so we hustled across the street after saying our goodbyes to Tsetan and Taschi.  We took our place in line, but it did not appear to be moving.  After a short time we went through security and entered the airport, just in time to board our flight. 

Our plane left the gate one minute early, and we were off to Chengdu to meet up with John’s friend Kate, who had booked an inexpensive hotel near her apartment for us.  We arrived in Chengdu two hours later, stepped off the plane, onto the tarmac and took a bus to the main terminal.  We waited for our luggage and watched infomercials about the Olympics and the Sichuan Province.  The three bags fell onto the belt, and we grabbed them and pushed our way out of the terminal. 

We grabbed a cab to the hotel that Johns friend Kate had booked for us.  The ride was around 35 minutes, with the cab driver weaving in and out of traffic.  Oh how I had forgotten about the driving styles in China. We arrived at our hotel and checked in and relaxed, after all we had accomplished much in just going from one city to the next.  After a short nap, John and I began to walk through the neighborhood to check it out.  Fairly non-descript, crowded and seemingly lacking an identity.  But over time I have come to find that Chengdu is down to earth and midwestern feeling.  It is a large city but the people have been incredibly down to earth.  IN our time here we have gone and visited the pandas, sang karaoke, gone to a dumpling party with friends and just taken it easy.  Exactly what we needed after TIbet.  Here are some photos of the Panda's from Chengdu.

 an adult panda

the red pandas

three adolescent panda's sharing nap time

playtime outside

just a picnic in the park!!

Just Another Day in Lhasa....

What began as an iffy day weather wise in Tibet, turned into another beautiful one.  It appeared as though it might pour down rain when we left our hotel.  The clouds came over the mountains near our hotel and thunder rolled.  We loaded into the van and headed to the Access Tibet office in order to pay the remainder of our tour fees.  It began to sprinkle lightly but never really turned into a significant rainfall.  After a short while we had paid our fees and were on our way to Yam Drak Lake, an hours drive up the mountains. 

We settled into our seats and made small talk as we wound our way through the mountains.  We passed over the second largest river in Tibet and began our ascent up the mountains.  Once again it tested my limits a bit as the winding road soon turned into hair-raising turns back and forth up the mountainside, with a steep drop off the side of the road.  As we approached our final landing point Tsedan informed us that the lake we were going to see was a holy lake.   The story says that it had been a small lake until Buddha number 5 threw a stick into the lake and it became salty and large.  Now it is one of the larger lakes in Tibet and is turquoise in color.  By this time the clouds had lifted a bit and the blue sky began shining through.  We have steadily become convinced that the sun is following us everywhere we go, and Tsedan agrees with us.  We finally arrived at our destination and climbed out of the van.  As we did so, several locals approached us and tried to sell us a variety of items.  David taught us to say,  “Wo bu yao” or “I don’t want it”, but this did not deter them.  They were very persistent but we resisted temptation and walked away as quickly as possible.  The locals also were offering Yak rides, and the opportunity to pet their Bernese mountain dogs.  This of course came for a small price so we also declined their offers. 

We walked over to the edge of the parking lot and took in the view.

It was magnificent with the lake below, the blue skies above and the mountains off in the distance.  Tsedan informed us that we were somewhere around 14,500 feet in altitude.  We were also instructed that we had thirty minutes to look around and hike if we would like to do so.  David, John and I set out for the top of the hill.  What appeared to be somewhat easy turned into a daunting task as the incline was much steeper than any of us anticipated.  After a few stops along the way we made it to the top and took in deep breaths.

Mind you, none of us are athletes in tiptop condition, but we are not out of shape by any means.  With our hearts racing, and our lungs gasping in the thinning air, we walked to the peak, which lies at around 15,000 feet.  It was noticeably cooler and much more windy at the top and I had an earache.  As we had guessed the view was even more spectacular from the top.  We could see for miles and miles, and we could see more of the clear blue lake.  We snapped a few photos, a video to show family and friends, and then began our descent.  As usual this was a less arduous task than the climbing had been.   After about 15 minutes we returned the parking, where we took a few more photos with Fran and Mirjam and then we headed back down the mountain. 

The van came to a stop after about fourty minutes of driving and we looked around, noticing we had stopped at a village outside of Lhasa.  Tsedan told us that he was going to ask one of the homeowners if we could come and have a look at a traditional Tibetan household.  As we climbed out of the van five little children, likely ranging in age from 1-5 or 6, greeted us.  The youngest was barefoot and wearing only a coat and nothing else.  They had smiles on their faces and seemed pleased and a little confused at seeing us.  Tsedan got the ok from the mother and we walked into her front garden area.

There was a tractor, under which a barking dog was sitting, waiting to viciously attack us.  He was quite the guard dog, and did not take his eye off of us for less than a minute the entire time we were there.  The woman showed us around, into her dining room, which consisted of two sitting areas and a table.  There was also a TV on a stand in the corner and one of the cutest little kittens I have seen in some time.

The house was painted in traditional Tibetan style, with Buddhist markings throughout.  The detail of the paintings was very impressive as well.  After showing us to the dining room we walked back out to the porch and snapped a few more photos.  The dog of course resumed growling and barking at the invaders.  We thanked the woman, handed her some money and a few Olympic pins and began walking toward the van, which had parked across the street.  All of the children had gathered around and we more than willing to ham it up for a photo or two. The baby played a little patty cake with David and was thoroughly enjoying herself.  John was busy handing candy to the children who readily accepted it.  The children honestly made the day for all of us.

I really think we could have stayed and played with them for a much longer time, but we had to head back into town.

We climbed into the van and made our way to Barkhor Street for some final bargain shopping.   After a brief stop to purchase post cards, we decided it was time for some appetizers and an afternoon beer on the balcony of Ganki Restaurant. 

The five us were seated and ordered beers and a plate of potato momo, and began filling out the various post cards we had purchased for our friends back home.  In the background we noticed some familiar songs playing over the speakers.  We heard Eric Clapton, Phil Collins, and finally Celine Dion.  In the moment we began singing along and the local staff got quite the kick out of it.  They were staring and laughing at us, the Westerners who were performing in their restaurant.  As another familiar slow song came over the radio, John and Mirjam decided to have a slow dance in front of everyone.  This of course brought more laughter to the staff, as I am sure we were more raucous than their traditional clientele.   After finishing our drinks and momo, it was time for more bargain shopping.  Fran and Mirjam had some last minute gifts to purchase because they are set to leave in the morning.  David perhaps was the best bargain shopper of the day and returned with a bounty of gifts. 

At this point it was nearing 6:30 pm and we had made dinner plans for seven p.m. with our train buddies, Susie and Dan.  If you remember from my earlier blog, they were on our train to Xian, in Xian for one day and then on our train to Lhasa, where we met them.  They are from London and are in the midst of a yearlong trip around the world.  We decided upon the Lhasa Kitchen as a meeting point and sat and waited for their arrival.  Once they arrived, we ordered Lemon Ginsing hot tea to drink and a plethora of food.  Yak, as usual was the main item, as we ordered shabaleb bread, and steamed yak momo.  We also ordered mutton masala, Kathay momo, cheese momo, shomday with yogurt, sugar and butter, and yak barley soup, and vegetable barley soup.  The food in Lhasa has been amazingly tasty for all of us.  The food and the company were fantastic and the evening was a great success.  A nice send off for Mirjam and Fran and a nice welcome for Dan and Susie, who ironically will be leaving the same day that David, John and I depart for Chengdu.  Dan and Susie will have a much more difficult departure than us, as they are cycling through the mountains to Nepal.  We wish them the best in their journey, and are all very happy to have met them.  Throughout our time together, both on the train and at dinner, we have had the opportunity to share many great stories and experiences with one another.  As I mentioned, Fran and Mirjam will be departing tomorrow.  They have been great travel partners in Lhasa, and we are sad to see them go.  This group of five really has gelled well and I look forward to staying in touch with everyone.  

Day 2 in TIbet

Nestled somewhere between the heavens above and the earth below, lies a place called Lhasa, Tibet.  Simply put, it is one of the most beautiful places I have ever laid eyes upon.  The mountains rise into the sky, clouds roll over the peaks, and the sun smiles down upon you with intense pleasure.  David, John and I consider ourselves among the lucky few who have been fortunate enough to visit this Buddhist Mecca.  We truly believed that we could not possibly top the first day of touring in Tibet, but today was a once in a lifetime experience. 

It began fairly inauspiciously, and followed the pattern of our first day.  A tour of the Sera Monastery, just on the edge of town, was the first destination.  We arrived via our driver, Taschi and followed Tsedan up the walkway towards the monastery.  Following the stone walkway at a slight incline we spotted a few vendors dotting the path.  They were locals who were selling items to eat, drink, and to bring into the temple, such as Kada, a white silk holy scarf.  It was another day of clear blue skies and bright sunshine.  The temperature was noticeably cooler due to the rains from the night before.  It felt like fall, and we all came prepared wearing long sleeves and jackets. 

We followed along, taking in the sights of buildings that dated back to 1419, when the monastery had been founded.  Bright red doors with brass handles, dark black trim on the windows and white stonewalls were built into the side of caves at the foot of the mountains above.  Our first stop was a shop where a local worker was busy reprinting ancient Buddhist scripture with block printing, onto yellow and white fabrics. His work was diligent and repetitious, dip the ink, spread it onto the block, place the fabric on top and smooth it over.  Then repeat.   He was sitting on his knees and would only swing side-to-side, and forward.   The walls were lined with countless volumes of Buddhist scripture.  Tsedan informed us that in the Buddhist religion there are 222 volumes of the scripture in total. 

After purchasing a few prints we headed toward the temple, where we were to be blessed by a Buddhist monk.  The door to the temple was slightly ajar and we stepped through into the dark and dank building.  The entire place was lit by candle, giving it a bit of a romantic feel.  It smelled of Yak butter and burning incense, a combination of smells that we have become extremely accustomed to.  Local Tibetans waited in line to offer up their blessing and to say their prayers.  They were, as usual, extremely friendly and got a kick out of hearing us speak in their native tongue.  We had learned that “Tutiche” or “two-t-chey” was thank you and that “Taschshidelek” or “tash-e-dell-ek” was a formal greeting.  Honestly, their faces and their eyes are absolutely beautiful.  They show signs of harsh weather and intense sunlight, but they are always smiling, and look as if they are at inner peace with themselves. Some of the elder Tibetans are assisted by the younger children or by use of a cane in order to make their way into the temple. We took our Kada and made our way through the narrow and dim hallways of the temple, greeting the locals along the way.  I handed my scarf to the monk and he chanted a blessing and tapped my forehead with it.  I was informed that the blessing was intended for safety and health.  Following this ritual, a fresh Kada that had been blessed was placed over my head and around my neck and we continued on through the temple.  The walls were lined with gilded gold and ancient wall paintings, and the gods on display consisted of gilded gold, bronze, and fabric.  We also saw the dark, dank dwellings, where monks would go to chant and pray in peace.  This monastery was a bit smaller than the Potala Palace, which we had seen the day before. 

We made our way out of the temple and back to the stone walkway.  Greeted by intensely bright sunshine and deep blue skies, we took a picture in front of the temple.

We then continued on our way down the path and towards the van.  We stopped and used the restroom, it was a public restroom and very questionable.  The public bathrooms in Beijing had been a bit disgusting but this was even worse.  Concrete slabs, with an open drain and short stalls.  Nothing was private in this bathroom.  I exited the restroom quickly and made my way to our van, which was waiting to take us through the mountains and to another monastery, Drak Yerpa.  The drive would take approximately 45 minutes to an hour so we all settled back into our seats and took in our surroundings.  The van driver whisked us through Lhasa and into the countryside where we could clearly see the mountains above and river below.  The scenery was already stunning, however we had no clue what lay ahead.  We began our ascent on a paved road winding through the mountains, on a road just wide enough for two cars.  On occasion our driver would honk and pass a car in front of us, but I never felt unsafe.  Narrow mountain passes, while beautiful, often make me nervous and this was no exception.  Concrete blocks were the only barricade standing between the van, the edge of the road a steep plummet drop off. 

As we drove to our destination we decided that car games were in order.  David actually had the idea from some of his childhood automobile trips.  Our first game was to find all of the letters in the alphabet on license plates of passing cars.  This game did not go very far considering that Tibetan license plates do not seem to contain any letters beyond F.  Our next game began as David exclaimed, “I’m having a picnic and I am bringing dried bananas.”  I actually had no idea what, or where this statement came from but he announced to everyone that it was a game that we had to figure out.  Imagine that, having to use your brain on a vacation.  He continued on making statements about what he would bring on his picnic, and soon most everyone had figured it out.  John decided for his picnic he would bring Jack Daniels.  Finally, it dawned upon me that we had to bring one item that began with our first initial and one item that began with our last initial.  I.E. John Di Tecco, Jack Daniels, David Baldwin, Dried Bananas.  I thought about it and decided that I would bring Erykah Badu to my picnic.  Miriam still had not caught on, although I think she was more concerned with the scenery surrounding us.  We took her turn and decided that she should bring Michael Buble.  It continued and I decided I would also bring an electric bass to this suddenly rocking picnic.  This was the last game that we played because everyone’s attention had turned to taking as many pictures of mountain scenery as was humanly possible.  John, I think won the award for most photos coming in at just under 400 for the entire day.

 Windows were opening on the van, arms reaching out, flashes going off and people flipping from side to side as the van wound through the narrow laneways.  At one point, John was literally sitting on the floor of the van to capture the perfect picture.  We began to notice a change in the scenery surrounding us as little mountain villages popped up on the sides of the road.  We saw children walking down the street, yaks on the side of the road, along with lamb and cows.  The mountain stream was also rushing down the hillside.  Above us, we suddenly spotted a monastery built into the mountainside.  We also began to notice strand upon strand of prayer flags, strewn across the mountain.  John has a newfound obsession with the prayer flags, however I find them fascinating and beautiful as well.

We continued our climb into the sky, still taking pictures.  I told you, we all took a lot of pictures today, but anyone who has befriended us on Facebook, is already well aware of this fact. 

We arrived in the parking lot at the base of Drak Yerpa and climbed out of the van.  Tsedan led us to the head of the trail we would follow into the monastery and began telling us a bit of history about what we would see.  We were informed that the caves dated back to the 7^th century, when the monks would go and meditate.  The 14^th Dalai Lama was the last to teach at this monastery.  As we walked, local villagers, who were selling prayer flags to be hung on the mountain, approached us.  We each purchased a strand of flags and had Tsedan write our names according to the Tibetan alphabet.

We paid an additional 20 RMB to have one of the gentlemen carry the flags up the mountain and hang them on our behalf.  We continued on the path, immediately beginning our ascent.  At this point we stood around 14,000 feet in the air.  A few of us were experiencing a slight shortness of breath, but this was to be expected.  We wound our way through the mountain, attempting to capture everything we possibly could on camera.  As we walked we came across stupas, which we followed clockwise, as we had been instructed to do.

After about 15 minutes of climbing we came across our first cave.  A short man dressed in a maroon robe emerged from a little house like structure to greet us.

He was extremely friendly and allowed for a few photos to be taken.  Much to his delight, John sat with him and showed him the pictures.  We learned that he was a protector of the caves, and would sit and chant and read scriptures throughout the day, all the while he would greet visitors.

Tsedan prompted us to move along, as there was still plenty more to see on our day hike.  We saw a few more of the cave houses, and met a few more of the monks who lived there, and while we were there to see the monastery there was so much more going on all around us.

As we walked the path toward the top of the mountain we paused to taste a wild strawberry.  It was a bit grainy and not as sweet as I might have expected.  It actually left a bit of a aftertaste in my mouth.  Around this time, David made a new friend.  I looked up and saw him seated away from the group next to a very tame goat.  He was scratching the goat’s ears, and petting him as if he were a dog.  The most amazing part about all of this was that the goat was very receptive to the friendly treatment he was receiving.  The goat leaned his head into David and essentially laid his head on David’s lap as he received a thorough ear scratching.  What occurred following this was the most surprising part of all; the goat raised one paw and shook hands with David.

It held this pose for 30 seconds and then returned its paw to the ground.  Of course all of this activity drew a crowd and we were all quick to snap photos. We also decided that this “circus” goat needed even more attention so we placed David’s sunglasses on the goat and snapped more photos.  The goat was not as receptive to this but after some slight resistance it went along with our plan.  Following the sunglasses we placed the stuffed penguin that Fran carries with her everywhere in between its antlers and snapped one more photo.

We decided perhaps we had put the goat through too many of our crazy antics so we shook hands and parted ways.  Later, we learned that this goat was actually one of the monk’s pets, and would never be put to slaughter. 

Typically, one would think that a “circus” goat, the mountains, a seventh century cave dwelling and prayer flags would be a full day.  Apparently, not when you are in Tibet.  We made our way across the mountain terrain and into a little temple.  Upon entering, we were greeted by hanging dead animals that had been stuffed and had money attached to them as offerings.  There was a goat, a meerkat, and a coyote, all hanging by cahins from the ceiling of the entryway of the temple.  Even Tsedan was a bit surprised by this and told us that he would acquire additional information concerning this.   As we left the temple we were completely unprepared for our next stop.  We wandered across the grassy hillside and passed a local family picnicking in the mountains.  Much to our surprise they invite, no I should say insisted that we join them.  Essentially, they shoved homemade foods into our face and would not take no for an answer.  They were all retired Eastern Tibetan friends who were living in Lhasa for the time being.  Along with the elder folk were two of the most adorable kids.

The family had everything from breads and crackers, to Yak butter tea and candy.  We thought we had been offered everything they had to offer until the older gentleman of the group began shoving shots of Baijio, a Chinese grain alcohol, and cigarettes in our faces.  Mind you, John does not smoke or drink and David does not smoke but we could not refuse.   The man was throwing them at us left and right.  So here we are, three guys from North America, and two European woman sitting on the side of a mountain with an Eastern Tibetan family taking shots of alcohol and smoking cigarettes at around 14,000 feet.

You almost had to be there to believe that it was even occurring.  The older gentlemen who had offered us the libations seemed fascinated that we were from USA and Canada and he kept repeating Canada over and over.  He informed us through our translator that he had a friend in Toronto, and John invited him to come and stay, although I am not so sure whether or not that will actually happen.  Also, we were told that the Tibetan word for Cheers is Shopta, and so we all said shopta and took another shot.  By this point I was getting a bit concerned for Johns’ wellbeing, seeing as though we were at a high altitude and he was not a huge drinker or smoker.  Around this time John, David and I decided we wanted to head to the peak of the mountain and so we turned and started walking toward the pass at the top.  We were determined to get an unobstructed view of the mountain valley below and the peaks in the distance.  When we reached the pass there was a yak lying on the ground and a few locals were offering for us to take a picture seated on it.  I thought to myself “why the hell not, I have never ridden a yak before.”  I paid the 5 RMB and walked to the other side of the yak.  I stepped into the holster, swung my leg cautiously over the animal and sat onto the yak!!

I pet it, and it was very furry.  David joined me, standing next to the Yak and we had our photo taken.  After stepping off of the yak David, John and I thanked the man who took the picture and then followed the path around the side of the mountain.  We passed several baby yak grazing along the way and finally reached our desired spot overlooking the entire valley, several hundred feet above where we had been earlier in the day.  The view was absolutely stunning, not a cloud in the sky and you could see for miles upon miles in every direction.  WE truly felt like we were at the top of the world.

After snapping a few choice photos we made our way back to the family picnic on the hillside.  It was truly amazing how this group welcomed us, as if we were one of their friends or family members.  WE had a few more snacks and then the real treat was presented to us all.  YAK BUTTER TEA.  I was warned beforehand that it may not be all that tasty but I had to try this Tibetan tradition.  Mustering up all of my courage I slowly sipped the tea.  As it went down there was a buttery salty taste, and actually it did not taste bad at all. If taken in small doses it was rather pleasant.  It certainly cleared the taste buds of anything else we had nibbled on that day.  Following this we said our goodbyes and thanked them all for their kind hospitality.  The descent was much faster than our ascent had been and we stopped at a spring fed stream of holy water.  We all took turns washing our hands and faces and drinking from the cold mountain stream.  The water was crisp and pure, as pure as any mineral water I have tasted.

We returned to the van and settled in for our long jaunt back to Lhasa.  As I sunk into my seat, a bit nervous about our treacherous descent I was lost in my thoughts.   In one day I had been blessed by a monk, seen seventh century cave dwellings, sat on a yak, and picnicked with an Eastern Tibetan family.  Now that Is what I would call a complete day.  Tomorrow it is off to Yam Druk Lake, where the water is said to be turquoise in color.  I am not sure we can top this day, but I am anxious and ready to see what else will lie ahead for all of us.