It's hot over here....

[EtUL]

This thread needs moron pruning.

Way too overgrown to prune, need a chainsaw

[Ryoki]

Sounds and looks good Obsidian, moar pics of stuff please

[obsidian]

Sorry, been a bit busy exploring all day and exhausted by the time I get to the apartment to really copy photos to laptop, scale them down, upload, post them here. I'll get around to it eventually. Plus, it's fucking hot around here and I just want to stick my head in front of the AC and my ass in the fridge. I'll edit posts with photos when I am able.


Day 2 (Updated):

Random picture of bamboo. They use bamboo to build construction scaffolding, it worked for centuries, why change with modern equivalents?
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Yesterday, I went to the harbourfront and checked out the HK skyline. You can see all the individual districts, business, industrial, shipping (impressive because they have a million of those containers and huge rows of massive cranes to load them all onto cargo ships), etc. HK is made up of a number of islands. Took a farry from Hong Kong Island where my apartment is to the south across to Kowloon.
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Then spent the afternoon exploring the maze of shops set up on the streets in a bazaar. It's strange because the bazaars are split up in sections, so you have a whole street full of shops selling the same stuff and all competing against each other. For example they have a full street just selling womens clothing, another for mens clothing, even a long one dedicated to aquarium fish and pet supplies. Checked out some cool bike shops, but sadly can't exactly fit one into my luggage.
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Then explored a high end mall with shops by all the name brand and designer labels. Cool to look around, but prices aren't cheap.
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[obsidian]

Day 3: Hong Kong - Ocean Park and Nighttime Streetcar Ride

Today I went to Ocean Park. It's like SeaWorld and Disney World and Universal Studios mixed up into one. The place is massive and divided in two by a mountain which you take an aerial tram across. Who's idea was it to put an amusement park on either side of a mountain? You had to wait forever in line just to get in a tram to take you to the other side of the park. The aquatic/zoo stuff is on one side of the park, the rides are on the other side having taken the tram across.

It's the hottest day that I've been here in Hong Kong so far. It was mostly cloudless so there was no escape from the constant baking sun. Plus Hong Kong is always busy even on a Monday (when everyone should be at work), so line ups snaked back and forth for every ride and show. Not much could be done about that, but the place is pretty amazing all the same.

Starfish on a glass ceiling:
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Cleaning the glass under watchful eye of a shark:
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Crab, stingrays and seals:
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PANDA! FUCK YEAH!
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Taking the tram. I do rock climbing so I'm not exactly scared of heights, but this is a tram high off the ground built on the side of a mountain, I got a bit of vertigo at first. The weird bounce after crossing one of the pylons didn't help:
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"Old Hong Kong" is an exhibit showcasing HK a generation ago before its crazy financial boom. You'll still see stuff like this in older parts of the city if you venture out away from the touristy places or the heavily developed downtown core:
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This is an old streetcar sitting in the Old Hong Kong exhibit. I had thought that these would be obsolete having been replaced by newer streetcars, but as I found out later that evening, these streetcars are still very much in service throughout Hong Kong island. Go see the real thing in action.
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TRAM LANE: I've discovered that a great way of seeing Hong Kong is by taking an old fashioned streetcar across the city at night and just watching the city go by. It's cooler at night so you're not melting under the sun and humidity. There aren't as many people riding the streetcars at night so it's not as crowded but streetcars are just as plentiful to find. All public buses and streetcars are double-deckers so jump on one from the back (like Gene Kelly) hop on the second level along the front of the bus, drop the window, and enjoy the view.

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TRAVEL TIP: The streetcars have a cheap fixed rate, HK $2.30 (~$0.30 CDN). Make sure you grab a rechargable "Octopus" card (got mine right after stepping off the plane in the airport), HK $50 and you add on credit at any subway station - saves you from having to dig up change when hopping on any public transport, especially since they still charge you for cents when they have little value anywhere else. Plus, you can use it with various retailers like 7-11 (I have at least three 7-11's within maybe 200 metres from my apartment). Any remaining credit and the $50 card are refundable at the airport when you leave.


Tomorrow is more of a personal day, I'm meeting with a friend and then going to the airport for my 3PM flight to Penang, Malaysia. I'm not sure about wifi at my accomodations there, so there might be a bit of a blackout until I get to Cambodia/Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

[Ryoki]

Wifi connections are found everywhere in Asia, they're really ahead with that stuff (of us Euro's anyway)

PS order kopi in Malaysia

[4days]

thanks for posting Obs, sounds like a great trip - am very jealous looking forward to the LEM pics.

and what Ryoki said, if there's no wifi in your hotel then you should be able to pick up a few free networks just standing out on the street.

and also the bit about the coffee, bit of a gimmick but it really is tasty.

[seremtan]

Is it that coffee that's been shat out by a monkey? Civet coffee? Expensive but apparently it's to die for

[LawL]

Why would you need to be alerted for a Buddhist swastika, as opposed to a Nazi swastika? Critical thinking old man. Explaining all this to your Alzheimer's having old ass pretty much ruined it anyway. Why don't you go back to the nursing home and mind your own business.

This was you about ten years ago Randy, you're in no position to be calling anyone out on their age.

[DTS]

Is it that coffee that's been shat out by a monkey? Civet coffee? Expensive but apparently it's to die for

Civets are cats... ne questions...?

[4days]

Is it that coffee that's been shat out by a monkey? Civet coffee? Expensive but apparently it's to die for

aye and aye. only place i've had better was at kurunda in oz, fucking love that stuff, will have to look it up and see if they're doing mail order yet. was made extra-special by the fact that most australian restaurant/cafe coffee (the places we went anyway) is like bloody dishwater.

[obsidian]

PS order kopi in Malaysia

I'm not sure about that, but most Asian caffinated drinks are a must. I've had great Malay coffee before, but I want the fresh real deal (as opposed to made from beans that have been carried across the planet - there's a genuine Malay restaurant in Markham if anyone in Toronto is interested (Restauran Malay - I think near 16th street or somewhere north of the middle of nowhere). I believe Malay coffee isn't roasted beans but stir-fried in vats with butter. It's prepared brain-cell-killing strong.

Hong Kong tea is a must. It's super strong, great either hot with milk or cold with lemons. Have it with a dim sum brunch in a restaurant packed with Hong Kong senior citizens (that's how you know it's a good restaurant, it isn't good unless it's packed, and seniors and dim sum brunch is like a crack junkie and his pipe).

[obsidian]

So, it's monsoon season in Malaysia and Cambodia. Advantage is that it's nice weather when the sun is out and Cambodia when I get there should be perfectly scenic. Downside is the rain when it hits doesn't just fall, it roars with a deafening intensity. I haven't seen rain like this, it's currently pouring outside and I feel like this house is drenched under a waterfall, I can barely hear the TV in front of me and I have to shout at people to be heard over the rain.

Currently I'm in Penang, an old British colonial city scattered with old colonial inspired buildings with layered whitewashed walls and creeping mildew. Between these are built up shantytowns, walled off villas and malls. You really have to watch your step here, there are lots of open drains on the side of roads - fairly deep trenches which channels out the run-off from the torrentual rains, a wrong step could drop you down into a pit of knee-deep dirty water. Lane markers on roads and one way streets seem to be merely suggestions for drivers, coupled with a million scooters, motorcycles and mopeds weaving between the cars. Sidewalks (when there are any) aren't level and are a tripping hazard. Many of these sidewalks are concrete slabs that cover the rain sewers, sometimes one will crack and break leaving a gaping hole in the sidewalk that drops into dirty water.

Penang isn't a very beautiful city, it's old and poorly maintained. It looks as if the city is built with a complete lack of engineers and building standards, pipeworks are stuck together in the most inefficient of ways seemingly patched and repatched over decades. But what it lacks physically, it makes up in culture and food. Penang is a center where people of many different regions and religions have come together to live in harmony. There are Buddist monks wandering the streets amongst Hindu temples and Muslim women wearing hijabs picking up groceries. This multiculturalism has formed a unique fusion of foods that blends styles from the middle east, India, Thailand and China. Food here is amazingly cheap to buy, you can have a fantastic meal for only a few dollars.

I've spent the day exploring the bazaars and trying out various dishes. I can't remember the names of most of the stuff I tried, but there are lots of fresh seafood, noodles, rice flour pastries and other varieties of foods.

P.S. If you can find your way down to the main bus station by the Komtar tower near the center of town, you can hand the man in the booth your passport and for $30 RM ($10 CDN) you can get an unlimited 1 week pass for the bus system of Penang and a little fold out map showing you all the bus routes.

[MKJ]

i love monsoon season

[Doombrain]

I missed out of a trip to HK due to selfish baby wanting to be born.

Jel.

[LawL]

on

[Doombrain]

S3, bitch.

[LawL]

The two letters are nowhere near each other. Try again idiot.

[Ryoki]

Gah, seeing those pics and hearing those stories makes me want to go back there very, very badly... and i just got back 2 weeks ago

Will you be going to Birma you think? I heard some really good stories about it from different people i talked to in Thailand... really made me want to go there, but there just was no time Haven't been to Combodia, but that's also a place i'd really like to see. Not for a while though, the next vacation plan is Indonesia i think.

How are you travelling btw, alone or with friend(s)? And did you think of things you want to see back home or are you just kind of doing whatever you like?

[obsidian]

Burma? Isn't there a lot of political unrest in the country at the moment?

I'm travelling with friends, we have a rough idea of where we want to go but are playing things by ear, especially since the weather is rather unpredictable this time of year.


Today, I went to a couple of Buddist temples, each across the street from one another. One was Thai, the other Burmaese, very different styles (photos pending - also will update with more info, running low on battery on laptop).


Tomorrow, I will ride on a scooter and try not to die in this city where people drive like maniacs. FUUUUUUU.... I'm nervous.

[SoM]

don't drive then.

you'll end up on ync

[Ryoki]

Burma? Isn't there a lot of political unrest in the country at the moment?

Nope, it's really opening up, the regime is loosening it's strictness. You can safely travel around i've been told, though apparently there's still a few large areas where tourists are not allowed to go to. The culture aspect is supposed to be one of the best in the region, stunning wats everywhere and so on. Food is excellent as well and the people generally friendlier than the Thai, which is saying something. We met two couples who'd been there for two, three weeks and they were both full of praise. What i found an exciting idea was the fact that it's been such a hermit state for so long, must be fascinating to travel around there and talk to folks.

Anyways, if you decide to go make sure to bring lots of American dollars, they prefer those above their own desperately weak currency (and the concept of an ATM is new to them).

[obsidian]

Just checking in to say that I haven't been crushed under a truck. I spent the morning riding through Georgetown (the old British colonial town of Penang) on a motorcycle. I'm used to going pretty fast on road bikes but I've never been on a motorcycle, this was a very different experience. I had to stay very alert and watch for other vehicles and pedestrians weaving around and spotting potholes.

It was a nice scenic ride, but unfortunately I couldn't take photos of it since I was already fully focused on not getting myself killed. Wish I brought my Contour camera. One thing I found interesting along my ride is that there is one street near Georgetown where they have a Muslim mosque, a Buddhist monestary, a Hindu temple and a Catholic church all on the same stretch.

The rest of the day, I spent out in the rural part of the city in the mountains and checked out a temple, Kek Lok Si. There for lunch, I had "Laksa" from a street vendor who is famous for serving the dish. Laksa is a rice noodle soup, spicy with lots of herbs, onions and fish, cooked into a thick broth. Following lunch, I climbed up the winding stairs that lead to the top of Kek Lok Si, both sides flanked with vendors selling miscellaneous trinkets and clothes.

(Photos pending)

P.S. I spent the last half hour trying to photograph two very elusive geckos that are hiding behind a painting that hangs in the living room of the place I'm staying at. They poke their heads out when I'm not looking and disappear as soon as I try to point my camera at them. Smart little buggers.

[GONNAFISTYA]

Take a photo of yourself with some locals in the background. I want to see how they react to a crazy black man in dreds invading their country and fucking their women.

[plained]

Just checking in to say that I haven't been crushed under a truck. I spent the morning riding through Georgetown (the old British colonial town of Penang) on a motorcycle. I'm used to going pretty fast on road bikes but I've never been on a motorcycle, this was a very different experience. I had to stay very alert and watch for other vehicles and pedestrians weaving around and spotting potholes.

It was a nice scenic ride, but unfortunately I couldn't take photos of it since I was already fully focused on not getting myself killed. Wish I brought my Contour camera. One thing I found interesting along my ride is that there is one street near Georgetown where they have a Muslim mosque, a Buddhist monestary, a Hindu temple and a Catholic church all on the same stretch.

The rest of the day, I spent out in the rural part of the city in the mountains and checked out a temple, Kek Lok Si. There for lunch, I had "Laksa" from a street vendor who is famous for serving the dish. Laksa is a rice noodle soup, spicy with lots of herbs, onions and fish, cooked into a thick broth. Following lunch, I climbed up the winding stairs that lead to the top of Kek Lok Si, both sides flanked with vendors selling miscellaneous trinkets and clothes.

(Photos pending)

P.S. I spent the last half hour trying to photograph two very elusive geckos that are hiding behind a painting that hangs in the living room of the place I'm staying at. They poke their heads out when I'm not looking and disappear as soon as I try to point my camera at them. Smart little buggers.

sound great thanks for the play by play!

be safe have fun!

[obsidian]

BUMP: Updated post with photos:

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