Happy end of 2005! I'm in sunny, a bit hot, Cape Town, South Africa with my sister. We arrived here two nights ago where we started off with staying at a backpacker. It was unique and all but unfortunatley we were in rickety bunk beds with what seemed like 5 other people in a dorm room and shared bath. Having a bar next door and me not having slept in 24 hours, we tossed and turned. The next morning we booked rooms at a luxury hotel.
Yesterday we went to the Waterfront where we enjoyed fresh sushi and oysters. Took a catamaran cruise out to the bay and saw table mountain and the city from the water. Ogled the racing sailing boats in the Volvo Ocean Race. All the teams are berthed in Capetown for the time being and are taking off on 2 Jan. Today we hiked up table mountain, it was pretty strenuous and hot. Opted to take the cable car down.
It doesn't really feel like I'm on the African continent. Capetown is super developed, I could be in any mediterranean cosmopolitan European city, or San Francisco. It is beautiful here though. Wish you all a Happy New Year!
Saturday, December 31, 2005
Wednesday, December 28, 2005
well crap
I had just written a beautiful post on the virtues of traveling with friends and family, and also the surprising virtues of traveling alone internationally ... and then blogger refreshed itself and erased my five thoughtfully written paragraphs. Oh well. Main point, when traveling alone, meet cool new people, have conversations I wouldn't have had with people I already know, and may lead to do doing new things, having cool new experiences. Don't worry, nothing crazy happened in Dubai. Just left the airport and found someone to discuss cinema with during the intermission of King Kong.
screening
I just tried to look up pictures posted on my Flickr! account in a public internet terminal in Dubai International Airport where I have a 9 hour layover (due to New Delhi flight being delayed taking off and then the airstrip in Dubai being temporarily shut down). None of the pics on the blog are working from this terminal. When I tried to go to my Flickr! account this is the message I got:
We apologize the site you are attempting to visit has been blocked due to its content being inconsistent with the religious, cultural, political and moral values of the United Arab Emirates. If you think this site should not be blocked, please visit the Feedback Form available on our website.
Tuesday, December 27, 2005
Prince
Yeah, what a darling, so much love. Glad to be recognized by my fellow primates. At Jagat Retreat outside of Udaipur, Rajasthan.
Bangles!
Colorful sparkly churris, worn with bright matching outfits on the first official day of wedding festivities in New Delhi. Mine are the gold and white ones.
Rajasthani Elephant
Just a sight you might see while on the road in India. This happened my first full day in Rajasthan.
Monday, December 26, 2005
kilometers
I'm back in Delhi now. Have a day and half left here before I take off again for another destination.
Last night we had Pizza Hut, it was the first time I had a western chain restaurant food in India. And I must say it was yummy, with chilies and lamb sausage. The dough was NOT soaked with nasty oil substitute like in the States, instead, the pan pizza was made with ghee (clarified butter). Today we're having McDonald's for lunch. I can't remember the last time I had MickeyD's in the States but I've been craving french fries, Big Macs, thick chocolate milkshakes, and soft serve sundaes.
Over the pizza we went over photographs taken while in Udaipur. There's a bunch of short videos of me partaking in camel abuse for the sake of tourism. For fun's sake I was convinced to take a camel ride down from Kumbulgarh fort. It was nice to see the view from up high on a camel's back but about part way through I felt the saddle listing to the side and thought I was gonna take a header down the stone path.
Today we're just relaxing, making some room for friends coming in tonight. Until later.
Last night we had Pizza Hut, it was the first time I had a western chain restaurant food in India. And I must say it was yummy, with chilies and lamb sausage. The dough was NOT soaked with nasty oil substitute like in the States, instead, the pan pizza was made with ghee (clarified butter). Today we're having McDonald's for lunch. I can't remember the last time I had MickeyD's in the States but I've been craving french fries, Big Macs, thick chocolate milkshakes, and soft serve sundaes.
Over the pizza we went over photographs taken while in Udaipur. There's a bunch of short videos of me partaking in camel abuse for the sake of tourism. For fun's sake I was convinced to take a camel ride down from Kumbulgarh fort. It was nice to see the view from up high on a camel's back but about part way through I felt the saddle listing to the side and thought I was gonna take a header down the stone path.
Today we're just relaxing, making some room for friends coming in tonight. Until later.
Friday, December 23, 2005
the land of the brave and warrior kind
I'm in Rajasthan now, specifically Udaipur, which is known as the 'Venice' of the East. Well truthfully I like Udaipur more than I like Venice. And the two are as different as night and day. In a backdrop of pointy hills like the kind I drew with my crayons as a child, lakes, and palaces by the water, it definitely harkens back to another era. I couldn't have asked for a better respite from New Delhi. It is quiet, the air is fresh, there are beautiful hills, clearer water. Definitely a good place to rejuvenate. Yesterday we visited the impenetrable fort, a structure that dates anywhere from 1000 to 500 years back. Only once taken by the great Mughal emperor Akbar but then only held for two days. Many many ancient temples, pre-Mughal era.
Today we went to the city palace and then had lunch and the lake palace, the white confection of a royal home-turned-hotel. Good stuff. Tomorrow planning to relax, go to a lake and to the Monsoon palace. After that, we are driving back to Delhi. Anyway, friends are waiting ... staying at a real nifty cool retreat, with real black panthers lurking in the woods.
Today we went to the city palace and then had lunch and the lake palace, the white confection of a royal home-turned-hotel. Good stuff. Tomorrow planning to relax, go to a lake and to the Monsoon palace. After that, we are driving back to Delhi. Anyway, friends are waiting ... staying at a real nifty cool retreat, with real black panthers lurking in the woods.
Sunday, December 18, 2005
hallo!
From New Delhi. Hmmm, international flights arrive at atrocious hours in New Delhi, so even though it meant a long a queue at immigrations, my flight was not the only one that arrived at 1:40 AM. The first day we shopped and went to various markets and I picked out all my outfits for the wedding and bought some presents. The second day was a beauty day. After the relaxing beautiful morning/early afternoon of getting a trim, hot oil treatment, massage, pedicure, manicure, and eyebrow threading, we visited Humayun's tomb, precursor to the Taj Mahal.
After that, I left a plastic bag filled with what seemed like a gallon of vomit on the side of the Indian highway. Welcome to India, gastranomically anyway. I seem to be the only person afflicted with stomach woes. And don't worry mom, I'm still taking Immodium AD, Pepto Bismol, vitamins, and drinking plenty of fluids. I've just progressed today to the extremely gassy phase.
For those of you worried about the dance that a bunch of non-Indians who had no experience dancing to bhangra who then would perform in a foreign country in front of one hundred fifty people, don't worry, we got to do it twice! And no, not because the first time people laughed so hysterically that they didn't pay attention the first time, but as an encore :)
Well, phew thank goodness that's over. Amazing how quickly my appetite returned. Although I still have the bhangra/hindi version of "Pretty Woman" stuck in my head and every now and then I find myself shrugging my shoulders to the beat.
Yesterday we went to Agra, home of the India's national monument, the Taj Mahal. Leaving early enough we managed to avoid a lot of traffic and saw camels traveling on the highway. I used to think driving DC streets was pretty bad with Virginia and Maryland plates running around, especially Maryland plates :) but India's a whole 'nother experience, three wheel rickshaws, bicycles, holiday processions during rush hour, people deliberately going up the wrong lane, cows, women carrying baskets on their head ... I mean utter chaos, usually the people move out of the way when you honk, but the cows take their time. The Taj Mahal was well the Taj Mahal, you've seen the pictures. It's still a sight to see. I was rather amazed that the whole thing is inlaid with semi-precious stones like carnelian, onyx, lapis lazuli, and the like. For a man who had a thousand or five hundred wives, he certainly had his favorite.
I've got two more full days left of Delhi really, and then I'm off to Udaipur for a few more days. Hopefully with less pollution. The guides claim that Delhi gets covered in fog, perhaps, but given the black snot we have been blowing, I think the more appropriate term is smog.
Right now I'm definitely taking it a half day at a time. I haven't quite come to grasp that I have already been on vacation for four days and still have three more weeks left. Work couldn't be farther from my mind :)
After that, I left a plastic bag filled with what seemed like a gallon of vomit on the side of the Indian highway. Welcome to India, gastranomically anyway. I seem to be the only person afflicted with stomach woes. And don't worry mom, I'm still taking Immodium AD, Pepto Bismol, vitamins, and drinking plenty of fluids. I've just progressed today to the extremely gassy phase.
For those of you worried about the dance that a bunch of non-Indians who had no experience dancing to bhangra who then would perform in a foreign country in front of one hundred fifty people, don't worry, we got to do it twice! And no, not because the first time people laughed so hysterically that they didn't pay attention the first time, but as an encore :)
Well, phew thank goodness that's over. Amazing how quickly my appetite returned. Although I still have the bhangra/hindi version of "Pretty Woman" stuck in my head and every now and then I find myself shrugging my shoulders to the beat.
Yesterday we went to Agra, home of the India's national monument, the Taj Mahal. Leaving early enough we managed to avoid a lot of traffic and saw camels traveling on the highway. I used to think driving DC streets was pretty bad with Virginia and Maryland plates running around, especially Maryland plates :) but India's a whole 'nother experience, three wheel rickshaws, bicycles, holiday processions during rush hour, people deliberately going up the wrong lane, cows, women carrying baskets on their head ... I mean utter chaos, usually the people move out of the way when you honk, but the cows take their time. The Taj Mahal was well the Taj Mahal, you've seen the pictures. It's still a sight to see. I was rather amazed that the whole thing is inlaid with semi-precious stones like carnelian, onyx, lapis lazuli, and the like. For a man who had a thousand or five hundred wives, he certainly had his favorite.
I've got two more full days left of Delhi really, and then I'm off to Udaipur for a few more days. Hopefully with less pollution. The guides claim that Delhi gets covered in fog, perhaps, but given the black snot we have been blowing, I think the more appropriate term is smog.
Right now I'm definitely taking it a half day at a time. I haven't quite come to grasp that I have already been on vacation for four days and still have three more weeks left. Work couldn't be farther from my mind :)
Wednesday, December 07, 2005
a new chapter
Tonight's my last night of class, I'm finally turning in this pain-in-the-ass paper. Twelve footnoted pages on what I learned in PSC 248 National Security Policymaking Processes class. Did I mention it was primarily a theory class? Have one more final to go, and then a week from now I will be a grumpy cat at Heathrow airport awaiting my flight to NEW DELHI!!!!
In three weeks I will partying it up with backpackers in CAPETOWN!!! Hence the light blogging, I can't really write so much about what I've been doing (nothing really) when I feel as if I have so much more to look forward to in the next few weeks. And it's nice that I officially only have four more days of work, hopefully working my last weekend shift for years and will be returning to the 9-5 living since May... an end to shift work for now anyway.
In three weeks I will partying it up with backpackers in CAPETOWN!!! Hence the light blogging, I can't really write so much about what I've been doing (nothing really) when I feel as if I have so much more to look forward to in the next few weeks. And it's nice that I officially only have four more days of work, hopefully working my last weekend shift for years and will be returning to the 9-5 living since May... an end to shift work for now anyway.
freedom for my lungs
Hell ya! DC voted 12-1 to institute a smoking ban. I am really not crying. Phew, the relief of not smelling like garbage when I get home from a bar or club. Or spending the next day recovering and trying to feel like a normal human being after injesting stale concentrated exhalations of smokers. Not having to face this scenario again: my favorite tuxedo black shirt still crumpled on my closet floor because it costs $4.50 to dry clean it, from my last outing. I know other smokers will cry but NYC has instituted the same ban, and I haven't heard any rumblings about loss of business. And face it, DC has bars unlike VA, although Guarapo's and Eleventh can compete, you can't really find the same stuff in Arlington than you can in DC. Also I'm glad to hear they are seeking exemptions for hookah's, because they don't seem to bother me as much, lack of additives perhaps?
Monday, December 05, 2005
tube series
I'm not a t.v. person. It may come as a shock to you that I have a 32" flat LCD panel Philips television hanging on my wall. It looks quite pretty, and collects a lot of dust. I can't really take advantage of its HD capability because I do not have any type of home A/V system. In fact, I still have the Sony boombox my dad bought me from Costco, in the 8th grade, which hardly gets radio reception, won't play CD-R's, and the tape decks don't even work anymore. Really, it does nothing. I should get rid of it. But I get attached to things people give me for sentimental reasons.
Recently, I have gotten into a couple t.v. series. Usually my interest runs out on them after I realize they've disappointed me and that I'm getting fat sitting on the couch watching them when I could be making good use of my gym membership. The first is Six Feet Under, which I know already ended. But what an intriguing well-written show, I've seen the first five seasons and have yet to watch the 6th ... waiting for someone's HBO On Demand to come around. Seeing it before a bad Hollywood movie, specifically, The Notebook, comes to mind, reminds me that there is quality tv and very awful cinema.
The second is Lost, which I've commented on before. So far I REALLY like it. But I fear J.J. Abrams is going to disappoint me again by trying to make me suspend my willful disbelief far further than I'm capable of separating from it ... like he did in the 2nd and 3rd series of Alias, which used to be my favorite t.v. drama. I watched the entire first season in the past 48 hours ... yeah, it was awesome. I have about nine episodes to catch up on and I'm already hearing mixed reviews. From it's getting better with the character development and drama, to it's getting slower and dragging on further. Oh well, perhaps why I only like to commit two hours to a movie versus an hour every week for years.
Recently, I have gotten into a couple t.v. series. Usually my interest runs out on them after I realize they've disappointed me and that I'm getting fat sitting on the couch watching them when I could be making good use of my gym membership. The first is Six Feet Under, which I know already ended. But what an intriguing well-written show, I've seen the first five seasons and have yet to watch the 6th ... waiting for someone's HBO On Demand to come around. Seeing it before a bad Hollywood movie, specifically, The Notebook, comes to mind, reminds me that there is quality tv and very awful cinema.
The second is Lost, which I've commented on before. So far I REALLY like it. But I fear J.J. Abrams is going to disappoint me again by trying to make me suspend my willful disbelief far further than I'm capable of separating from it ... like he did in the 2nd and 3rd series of Alias, which used to be my favorite t.v. drama. I watched the entire first season in the past 48 hours ... yeah, it was awesome. I have about nine episodes to catch up on and I'm already hearing mixed reviews. From it's getting better with the character development and drama, to it's getting slower and dragging on further. Oh well, perhaps why I only like to commit two hours to a movie versus an hour every week for years.
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