Getting to Know Sleepy Vientiane

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Vientiane (pronounced Viang-chan; literally “City of Sandalwood”) is the capital city of Laos, situated in the Mekong Valley. It is also Laos’s largest city. The estimated population of the city is 200,000 (2005). Vientiane is a 45-minute flight from Hanoi, so one would expect the flight to be economically priced; however, we paid more than $300 for the return trip…unbelievable! In spite of the relatively expensive flight to neighboring Laos, we were able to negotiate a great rate at the loveliest hotel in Vientiane (the name escapes me now). Our bungalow was nestled among lush greens and our balcony overlooked the beautiful blue waters of the swimming pool. We were not only determined to enjoy the hotel amenities, we also wanted to take in some of the inviting natural landscapes outside of Vientiane. Our group of four deciding to join a day-long adventure trip that consisted of mountain biking through rough jungle passages (and I mean rough!), hiking toward a pristine waterfall, and kayaking down a river. I must admit, some of us were more capable of the physical challenge than others. The oldest member of our group (I won’t name names or ages here, but she’s just a few years younger than my mom) fared the best in all aspects of the adventure. She was the only one that stayed on the mountain bike for the duration of the trail, while myself, my husband and Justin (a PSI colleague) opted to get on the ‘sad bus’ after the second incline (there were a total of 12 steep inclines, so thank God for the bus that was trailing us on the bikes). The hiking bit was a bit easier and we all did quite well on that 2-hour segment of our trip, except when the lot of us walked right into a swarming buzz of microscopic wasps that stung the living c**p out of us. The stings were so painful that our local guide had to pull out the first aid kit and soothe us with alcohol swabs, tiger balm and plasters. The kayaking was perhaps the funniest of all segments because we were given ‘blow up’ kayaks that were steadily deflating throughout our journey down river. The local guide had to pump air into the kayaks as we drifted, and some of us kept kayaking in circles despite our attempts to go south. Someone who shall remain nameless ended up tipping over in her kayak and was submerged in the shallow river for a few seconds while the rest of us laughed out loud (sorry, it was funny!). We were all really glad when the day ended and we were offered buffalo skin chunks as a nice post-adventure treat.

Although we had planned other out-of-Vientiane outings, we were so exhausted by the adventurous biking-hiking-kayaking trip that we decided to wine and dine in style at several French restaurants in town and spend the rest of our days shuttling between the hotel’s fabulous swimming pool and the nearby spa (enjoying full body massages and relaxing facials). I am likely a biased subject because I live in the region, but I dare to say that South East Asia is one of the most interesting and enjoyable regions on Earth (coming from someone who has lived on 6 continents…that’s right, I’ve not lived in Antarctica…yet!).

Vietnamese Heaven!

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The Mai Chau Lodge, our host for two days, provides a good description of this town on its website and brochures:

Mai Chau is located 135 km south-west of Hanoi in the Northern province of Hoa Binh which is bordered by Son La in the West, Phu Tho and Ha Tay in the North, Ha Nam and Ninh Binh in the East, and Thanh Hoa in the South. Mai Chau has a population of about 47,500 inhabitants that belong to different ethnic minority groups such as the White Thai, H’mong, Zao, Muong, Tay, Hoa and Viet. The Mai Chau hill tribes are warm and welcoming, and famous for their handicrafts – in particular for their skills in embroidering clothes. Mai Chau offers a most splendid vista of the Valley which is surrounded by lush greens and stilt houses inhabited mainly by the White Thai ethnic group. The Sunday market brings a lot of people into town where traditional Thai dishes are made and revel in traditional dances.

Not only did we find the vista of the Valley splendid, we felt like we were in an ecological heaven. Mai Chau is certainly one of the most beautiful valleys I’ve visited in Vietnam. Although the camera was able to capture some of the impressive green tones in the rice fields during our trip, our eyes were captivated by scenes that just could not be replicated by the lens of a camera. As we walked along the dirt paths along the rice paddies all of us were compelled to stop in our tracks because the beauty around us was spectacular. Our gang of 10 friends from Hanoi was equally amazed at the shear sense of raw nature all around us. We were particularly impressed by how ecologically sound the livelihoods of the ethnic communities were and by how long the community members work their fields and rear their animals. We met one woman who was tender and dear, and who shied away from our camera, who was sitting peacefully at the edge of one of the large rice fields waiting for her buffalo to return from grazing. Our local guide translated our questions to her, one of which was, “what if your buffalo doesn’t return?” The woman just laughed unassumingly, showing off her betel-stained mouth and few remaining teeth, “of course he’ll come back, he always comes back.” Our second question was more intrusive, but she was still happy to answer, “I’m 76 years old,” she said casually. Our group was astounded at her beauty and radiance. We all agreed that she did not look like a 76 year-old woman!

To see Vietnam the way it must have been before the “American” War, one must travel to the beautiful villages that are left untouched by the new “capitalist ways”. So get away from the air pollution and traffic congestion of the big cities (mainly Hai Phong, Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi), one must wander out into the rural corners of Vietnam (and there are many!) to see people working their fields, tending to their animals, raising their fields, and chatting away with each other…all of these things carried out in beautifully peaceful environments! Us city folks felt a tinge of regret for pursuing the achievement of some-what materialist goals, living fast-paced, busy lives; while the ethnic minorities in Mai Chau seemed to have it all!

Studying Down Under…Again!

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Since I enjoyed my Master’s program at the University of Sydney so much, I decided to embark upon the distinction of attempting to earn a doctoral degree from Flinders University of South Australia. I love Sydney, there’s no doubt about that, but Adelaide offered two very important things: 1) a flexible program for professionals employed full-time, and 2) a whole host of in-laws (ranging from aunties and uncles to a drove of cousins) that help to make me feel at home even when I have tons of studying to do!

Chadi and I traveled to Adelaide for one week in March 2009, so that I could attend my first doctoral seminar and so that he could spend time with his family (and time on the beach and in the hotel’s jacuzzi…lucky chap!). Although I spend most of my days in lectures, seminars, and small discussion groups, Chadi and I did enjoy the warm South Australia summer since we set up camp in a beach front one bedroom apartment in Glenelg (a neat little beach side community in Adelaide). The beach was amazing, the cuisine options were impressive, the in-laws were especially welcoming and warm, and the week just flew by too quickly! Not to worry, I’m slated to return for my second doctoral seminar (this time for two weeks) in August 2009. As can be imagined, I will be staying beach front…in spite of the cold winter conditions that await my return!

Enjoying the Tet Holiday in South East Asia

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Why stay in gloomy, cold, cloudy Hanoi for Tet when we can immerse ourselves in tropical warmth by taking a 3 hour flight to Singapore? Chadi and me decided to spend our 7-day Tet holiday in a warmer part of the region: Singapore and Malaysia’s Langkawi Island. We arrived in Singapore for the Lunar New Year, so not much was open for business, but we managed to have a great time anyway. We stayed at a marvelous hotel next to the winding river that cuts across Singapore, and we were just steps away from the water front’s plethora of pubs and restaurants; these, we found out, did remain open to the wee hours of the night. For those who have never been to Singapore, it’s really an amazing example of rigid development for the benefits of the social unit as opposed to the individual. What does that mean, in practical terms? Well, for one, there are no bad neighborhoods, there is very little crime, and the city-state is incredibly clean. The Singapore government limits many activities that may imply negative consequences to the whole of society. An example would be the law that prohibits the chewing of gum in public spheres. Singapore is a modern metropolis, which imports and produces just about every electrical gadget found in the world. It’s certainly a must-see country.

We spent our last four days of holiday in a beach-front resort in Langkawi Island, just off the western shore of peninsular Malaysia. Although quite a small island, it provides travelers with an array of accommodation and dining options. We were in such a “relax” mode while in Langkawi, that we only signed up for two excursions, choosing to spend most of our free time lounging under palm trees on the beach. For fun, we went on a trekking expedition in Langkawi’s rain forest which proved to be more of an ecological expedition, which was fair enough. The last and more interesting trip we took was on a sail boat, which sailed on the green waters of the Andaman Sea. From the sail boat, we were able to do a bit of kayaking, swimming, and we enjoyed the “drag” Jacuzzi. Not sure most people have experienced this, as we were led to believe it is a truly Langkawi invention. The sail boat we were on basically had a thick fishing net that dragged along in the water as we sailed, and Chadi and me sat in the net, with Jacuzzi effect, drinking our cold beer as the boat sailed along at moderate speed. Good times!

Back to New York City

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One bitterly cold early November morning, two old girlfriends from college (Jen and me) rushed through the Embassy Circle Guest House (just about the best B&B in DC), followed by the dear, sweet owner who had gone out earlier than usual to bring us back some warm pastries for our big trip north. With cups of hot herbal tea and pastries in our hands, we hurried down the concrete steps to meet another one of our old college friends (Ruby), who was on-time and ready to drive us to DC’s China Town. After so many years of annual trips to New York during college, as diligent Model United Nations delegates and subsequently, staff members, the three of us were heading to New York once again. There were some key folks missing, of course, like our fearless leader, Kevin, and our guardian angel, John, both of whom are now married with children (and somewhat unavailable to drop everything and fly to New York on a whim).

As usual, New York was fantastic. As soon as we saw the skyline as we drove north from New Jersey, we were inspired, yet again. I had seen the NYC skyline one hundred times, but the rush of emotions and great memories made it feel like the first time. I organized to meet another old friend from slightly post-college days, Amy, who I worked with in DC for many, many years. It had been at least four years since I last saw Amy, so it was a lovely reunion!

We spent the day doing the very classic NYC things we used to do back in the late 90’s when we were college students and Model UN delegates. We had a fancy Italian lunch, enjoying some Chianti with friends. We rushed off to a Broadway show, Spring Awakening, which was both comical and sobering. We then ventured to one of our favorite dive bars in mid-town. Anyone ever involved with Model UN (there were about 3,000 of us) would remember the Irish pub around the corner from the Grand Hyatt on 42nd Street…Muldoon’s. For five years in a row, we spent some of our best Spring nights at Muldoon’s…good times! Before heading back to China town to catch our bus back to DC, we had to spend some time at the best jazz club in down-town NYC, Arthur’s Tavern where Sweet Georgia Brown’s voice conjures up images of endless nights of dancing in crowded spaces. We, of course, owe all of our insider knowledge of NYC to our intellectual, yet incredibly hip Model UN advisor, the esteemed and well-published Dr. John Moore, who year after year, blessed us with his sharp intellect, incredible stories, and love of the arts and the good life.

Thanks to Jen for flying out to DC just to hang out with Ruby and me for a weekend! Thanks to Sean who joined the four ladies in NYC, and who didn’t feel like a fish out of water. And thanks to Amy for taking the train into the city from Long Island to spend time with an old friend.

The Many Faces of India

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Many friends warned me about traveling to India; yet, there was the occasional acquaintance that raved about how amazing the Indian sub-continent was. My mom and I have had India on our “to visit” list for years, and we finally decided it was time to see what all the warning and rave was all about. Nothing, I mean nothing can prepare one for India. I consider myself a seasoned world traveler, and a global citizen (having lived on six continents in the last ten years), yet I was truly unprepared for my first contact with India. On the surface, India is colorful, vibrant, full of life, and incredibly diverse. Dig slightly deeper and one finds extreme poverty, high rates of morbidity and under/mal-nutrition, exploitation, dilapidated infrastructure, and extreme over-population. India’s government has not instituted a strict family planning policy limiting child births, as its neighbor China imposed decades ago when concerns about over-population arose. In several states, like Uttar Pradesh, the government has launched efforts to reduce fertility rates with impressive results; however, nation-wide India’s fertility rate remains dangerously high. Considering I only spent two weeks in India, my assessment of this vast and diverse country is only cursory and anecdotal at best. I’m not sure if I’ll visit India again, given that I saw more “death” and “dying” than in any other place I have visited or lived (keep in mind that I lived in Nigeria for over two years and only saw a total of two corpses on the roadside). There are certainly amazing historic places to visit in India, which are worthwhile and impressive, but it takes quite a bit of heartache to arrive at these sites. For instance, to visit the Brahma Temple in Pushkar (the only one of its kind in the world), we had to step over dying bodies, cattle dung, streams of raw sewage, and escape the hounding hawkers that do not take no for an answer. This is merely one example of many during our trip through Rajasthan, Goa, and New Delhi.

In spite of the heavy traffic, the incessant harassment of street vendors and hawkers, the crooked guides and drivers who cheat tourists by taking them to carpet factories with inflated prices, the cattle dung littered practically everywhere, the spewing raw sewage, the piles of decaying garbage, the sick, morbid, and dying people on the streets and in villages, and the plethora of stray dogs with mangled limbs, India is home to an amazing history. During my two weeks on the sub-continent, I had an unforgettable “wow” moment. Although this may sound cliché, I must say that when I finally found myself standing directly in front of the Taj Mahal my heart skipped a beat and I actually held my breath for a moment. My mom and I were both rendered speechless by the sheer magnificence of this pearl-white structure. Never have I been so impressed by a physical building. I’ve been fortunate enough to have visited many of the world’s wonders, but never has one left me speechless. Perhaps this was because I had just finished reading a 400+ page historical novel relating the Moghuls’ territorial gains in India, and Emperor Shah Jahan’s undying love for his second wife, who died bearing his 14th child, and his promise to erect a  tomb that would resemble “paradise on Earth” for his beloved Mumtaz Mahal. Fully understanding Emperor Shah Jahan’s loss and his dedication to building the most unique and beautiful tomb in the world for his beloved late wife, I was taken aback by the aura of this structure…words do not give justice to the beauty that is the Taj Mahal.

On Safari in Uganda

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After a 25-hour journey from Ha Noi, Viet Nam to Kampala, Uganda (three layovers later), four colleagues and I traveled eight hours by land to one of Uganda’s most well known reserves, Murchison Falls National Park. The ride was rough, mainly on red earth that had been hardened by years of human traffic. Our small van kicked up a great deal of dust as we drove by small villages, as small children waved feverishly at the “whites” passing by.

By the time we arrived at the lovely Paraa Lodge, overlooking the meandering crocodile and hippo-infested Nile River, we were wiped out from the long journey. Fortunately, the lodge had all the comforts of home: cold beer, comfortable beds, and great food! We rested well and woke up at the wee hours of the morning to venture out onto the lush grasslands on safari, searching for Africa’s big game. As luck would have it, we saw all big game that live in the immense national park. About an hour into the safari, one of my colleagues spotted a lion in the grassland. We were able to track the lion all the way to his den, where his pride rested with several cubs. Our group was absolutely mesmerized by the close encounter with the pride. We gazed with fascination for nearly 30 minutes.

In the afternoon, we took a lovely riverboat on the Nile and made it as close as possible to the famous Murchison Falls, where the water becomes white with froth from the intense force of the water fall. The scene was amazing! We saw elephants and cape buffalo grazing at the edge of the Nile, as crocodiles soaked in the sun meters away, and hippos propped their ears and eyes above the surface of the water. At one moment, I counted 11 crocodiles swimming in a V-shaped formation slighted under the surface of the water. The rickety riverboat did not appear to be very sea worthy and all I kept thinking was “If this things sinks, we are all croc meat.”

After three days of glorious nature, wild game, comfy lodges, and blue skies, we returned to Kampala for a 7-day conference. I won’t bore anyone with the summary of that meeting, since the highlight of our trip to Uganda was the safari at Murchison Falls.

Ha Long and Hoi An

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Two of the world’s new seven world wonders (as voted by the global population) are in Viet Nam. Lucky us! We had the opportunity to visit one of those two world wonders in May, with the excuse that my parents were coming to visit and of course, they would be interested in at least witnessing one of these great wonders. Out of the two, Sapa and Ha Long Bay, we chose to visit the latter. We really are “water” people, and although Sapa’s green valleys and terraces are misty, we were yearning to spend some time on the sea. The photographs will do much justice to our experience in Ha Long Bay, but a brief description of the luxurious junk we slept on for two nights is in order. The French owned and operated “Bhaya” Cruise is a replica of an Asian junk, except that inside you find exquisite colonial furniture, twenty small yet very romantic cabins, and a dining room with floor to ceiling windows, allowing the guests to take in the inspiring view composed of limestone mounds that jet out of the turquoise blue colored sea. Although the sea was full of very large (the size of a soccer ball) jellyfish, all of us did some night swimming while many guests, my dad included, fished for squid from the lower deck of the Bhaya.

On the second day of our lovely cruise in Ha Long Bay, we were transferred to a smaller day junk that toured us around the immense bay. While the crew prepared our lunch of fresh calamari, fish, and stuffed crab, we ventured out in the sea and parked our kayaks on the deserted white-sand beaches. Fortunately, the jellyfish were not much of a nuisance and we were able to swim through the turquoise water without any worries.

After our cruise in Ha Long Bay, we took my parents to one of our favorite places in Viet Nam…Hoi An. Chadi and I visited Da Nang and Hoi An, located on the central coast on what is known as “China Beach”, last November during the cyclone season. Now in May, the beaches of Hoi An and Da Nang were as gorgeous as we had seen in the travel magazines. We spent four days in the Swiss Belle Resort in Hoi An, swimming in their incredibly long (150 meters in length at least!) beach front swimming pool. My mom and I had some time to get several finely tailored dresses and coats in Hoi An town, while the boys drove around in rented motorcycles. It was very sad to say goodbye to the warm waters of China Beach, but alas, it was time to go back to Ha Noi and get back to work

Bali: Island of the Gods

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Ever wonder why Bali is referred to as the Island of the Gods? It’s quite simple. In Bali, there is a Hindu temple every 10 meters. There are more temples in Bali than people, it seems. Community temples, large and magnificent, as well as smaller, more humble family temples line all roads in Bali (except in the central district of Kuta, where there are more knock-off shops than people!).

Before arriving in Bali, a few travel mates and I stopped off in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia’s modern capital, for three days. Although I had been in KL before on a previous trip to Borneo, I was delighted to be back. KL is one of the most modern and lovely Asian cities, boasting upscale shopping malls, mega-theatres, lovely “walks”, gardens, street cafes, and cheap Indian and Malay eats. And of course, there is nothing as lovely as the Petronas Towers (or the “twin towers” as they are referred to by the locals) against the backdrop of the evening sky.

Although we had a lovely time in KL, I was eager to get to Bali, an island I had yet to discover. In contrast with the cold winter days of Ha Noi, Bali was a tropical wonderland. My body required no adjustment; it just reveled in the warmth of the Balinese weather. The first few days were spent in Kuta, a tourist trap of sorts, but a worthwhile visit. The resort we settled in was romantic, to say the least, and just doors down from a spectacular Balinese spa where some of us enjoyed a nice rubdown. After Kuta, we headed to the center of the island to the town of Ubud, a spectacular little place with lots of character and amazing energy. Ubud is home to the infamous Monkey Forest of Bali, a nature reserve where monkeys enjoy the wild, yet are protected from illegal activities that would decimate their populations (such as poaching). The monkeys here are incredibly friendly, and will even climb all over you if you allow it.

Ubud is really a cultural center where one can enjoy traditional Balinese dancing, influenced heavily by Hindi traditional dance. The costumes and makeup are elaborate, as well as the Hindu-heavy story lines. Garuda, the God of all birds, is a prominent figure in many traditional performances, as well as carvings and temple art.

After hanging out in Ubud for two days, we headed East to the coast where we spent four sun-soaked days at the low-key beach town of Sanur. My travel mate and I were able to negotiate a great two-story suite for a discounted price, so we felt like princesses in a white beachfront castle. In Sanur, I spent much of my time on the beach, in the pool, and on the beach again under a tree receiving massages, facials and pedicures from some of the local women. Apparently, since the bombings in Kuta, the tourism industry never quite picked up again. Many of these locals who once made a living off of the booming industry are now struggling to feed their children. I can’t say I didn’t want all of those massages and facials, but a big part of me visited these women on the beach every day because doing so provided them with some extra income.

Before leaving Bali and heading back to bitterly cold Ha Noi, I took the opportunity to go rafting. I must say, Bali is a magical place. Although I’ve rafted in beautiful places before, like Argentina, Australia, and the Grand Canyon, the landscape could not have been more gorgeous. The river winded down dense jungles and beautifully terraced rice paddies. Impressive waterfalls and black jagged rocks lined the river, and after section of rough water, came cool, transparent, cool flows of river.

Our last day in Bali was a sad one. The thought of leaving this lush, friendly island paradise and heading back to the cold days of Ha Noi was sobering, but I have to say, I love living in Viet Nam and I feel very fortunate to have been assigned to such an interesting and lively post.

Weekend in Thailand

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Although we only traveled to Bangkok to renew our Vietnamese business visas, we made it a point to enjoy our time in old Siam. As many of you know, Bangkok is truly a city that never sleeps. Chadi and I chose to stay right in the heart of town, near the triple-plex mall complex (MBK, Siam Discovery Centre, and the amazing Paragon). I’ve traveled extensively throughout the world, but I must admit, I have never seen such posh, glamorous shopping malls like the ones in Bangkok. The theatre in the Paragon Complex is absolutely spectacular and far exceeds anything you would find in Hollywood or even Beverly Hills. The theatre boasts a pleasant and cozy (yet incredibly spacious) lounge where folks meet, sit and chat, and just pass the time while they wait for their film to begin. There’s also an IMAX screen in the same theatre and a private club screen that is reserved for members only. In this “club” screening room, you find modern and very comfortable lounge sofas, coffee tables, and of course, a bar and bar man to refresh your drinks during the film screening. It’s absolutely one of the most impressive places I have ever visited.

Sure, Bangkok is much more than shopping malls, of course. We also took some time to leave the busy Thai capital and visit the Royal Summer Palace which is just gorgeous. The Bang Pa-in Palace is one of the country’s most famous attractions, located on the banks of the Chao Phraya River in Ayutthaya Province. The most striking feature of the palace is Phra Thinang Aisawan Thipha-at, a Thai pavilion in the middle of a lake, regarded as one of the finest examples of Thai architecture. Buildings scattered throughout the compound were constructed in a variety of contrasting modes, dominated by Chinese, Italian and Victorian architectural styles. The one building open to visitors is the Chinese-style Phra Thinang Wehat Chamrun, which houses the court.

On our day tour, we also visited one of Siam’s former capital cities. Founded in 1350 AD, Ayutthaya, Thailand’s former capital for 417 years, was home to 33 kings before being left in ruins following a Burmese invasion in 1767. The city boasted three palace complexes, and 400 temples along a 60-km stretch of canal. Art and architecture of the ancient city of Ayutthaya portrays a continuation of older Sukhothai Buddhist styles, blended with present-day Khmer-Hindu styles as revealed through several outstanding archeological sites, temples and museums.

All in all, our 4-day jaunt through Bangkok and outskirts was absolutely pleasant. We will be returning in early March for a Health Manager’s Conference…and can’t wait!

“Retreating” in Danang

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After spending two and a half weeks settling down in Ha Noi, Chadi and I had the opportunity to spend 10 days in the resort town of Danang, just an our flight south of Ha Noi. Unfortunately, as CNN reported, the town of Danang and neighboring provinces were hard hit by cyclone/typhoon tropical depressions that has caused quite a bit of flooding. In fact, we arrived to see much of Danang under water. The rains did lessen after our arrival, but the dreary days continued. That, of course, did not stop us from enjoying ourselves.

Chadi, the lucky house husband, swam and strolled on the beach while I tried to keep my eyes open at the US Government retreat sessions. I was lucky to have spent my 30th Birthday in Danang with a great group of colleagues and friends. I was honored with a lovely birthday cake during one of the retreat sessions, then I spent much of the night enjoying ridiculously “home-made” music and dancing a bit of salsa. Not a bad way to begin the next decade of my life

Chadi and I look forward to returning to Danang, hopefully then we’ll find some sunny skies.

Making a New Home in Ha Noi

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Chadi and I arrived jet lagged and exhausted, but we were quickly welcomed by the staff at Ha Noi Tower who escorted us to our lovely two bedroom serviced apartment. Although it still feels like a hotel, we are finally starting to feel a bit settled.

We experienced our first adventure in Northern Viet Nam this weekend with a visit to the famed Perfume Pagoda complex. The weather was crisp and cool, and the conditions favorable. We were a bit tired after the 1.5 hour hike up some rugged terrain which led us to the Natural Cave Pagoda (as its name indicates, it is a cave that has been used as a Pagoda by the Buddhist monks for centuries…I think). Fortunately for us, we were able to take a fancy cable car back down the mountain.

The highlight of the trip, of course, was the amazing boat ride back to the banks of the river. We navigated on a small iron row boat, which was expertly captained by a young village woman. God only knows how such a dainty, fair skinned young lady could row a boat containing four grown adults for two hours without even taking a break.

We expect to have many more adventures to chronicle during our post in Viet Nam. Our next trip will take us to the coastal city of Danang, and by Christmas we should be making our way to Bangkok for some holiday fun and some great mango and sticky rice…yummy!

The Great Wall and Beyond…

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A nation of more than 5,000 years of cultural evolution…wow! Words do not give justice to the visual beauty of China’s capital, Beijing, or the country’s main fluvial artery (the Yangtze River), the wondrous Terra Cotta Warriors in X’ian, or even the mega-metropolis of Shanghai. Although I had traveled to Asia before, I was not prepared to encounter an incredibly developed China, with futuristic cities, and its incredibly well-landscaped and intelligently-planned capital. I first arrived in Beijing, a capital worth much praise. Unlike its rival neighbor to the South, Shanghai, Beijing is a green city with open spaces, parks, gardens, landscaped “islands” that divide the bike lane from the roads, imperial palaces, large squares (Tiananmen Square being the largest in the world!), and colorful flowers that sprout neatly just about everywhere. The city government has planned well for the Olympics, but it has also planned well for its inhabitants. People in Beijing zoom by on their bicycles, and on their electric motorbikes, on protected paths that are separated by park-like “islands” which keep traffic moving smoothly and safely. The avenues, streets, and boulevards are clean and laden with pedestrians walking busily from street to street. In the gardens and parks, couples whisper to each other, retired folk practice Tai Chi, sing in public choirs, or simply play board games or dominos with friends. Beijing is alive with the buzz of active people. I was in awe of this magnificent city. My immediate thought was, “why can’t I live in such a people-centered city?” I just imagined myself driving an electric moped to work, taking leisurely jogs at one of the many beautifully manicured gardens, and meeting friends at the local dim sum joint.

X’ian is the home to the famous Terra Cotta Warriors (nearly 8,000 of them!) which were commissioned by one of China’s Emperors (over 2,000 years ago!) to protect his grave site. Every single clay warrior is different. Each warrior was molded by hand, fired, and then hand painted…to resemble the Emperor’s real-life military warriors. Believe it or not, a farmer unearthed a piece of one of the warriors in the late 1970’s when digging a well, thus, “discovering” the buried Terra Cotta Warriors for the first time in modern history.

On the Yangtze River, we cruised for four days stopping here and there to visit historically significant sites, such as the White Emperor City. We were fortunate enough to ditch the large cruise for a few hours and sit in a small, handcrafted canoe which was propelled by local rowers. Drifting along the pristine waters of the Yangtze, we were able to enjoy the landscape: farmers working their terraced land, local rowers singing love songs, and “stupid” fish sitting still in the translucent waters. One of the most impressive man-made features along the Yangtze is the Three Gorges Dam which will be completed 1-year ahead of schedule. The project dispossesses thousands of villages upstream, while saving the lives of tens of thousands of people downstream. The government has a comprehensive plan which relocates entire villages. The water level will rise by 15 meters from the dam westward. The cruise concluded in the mega-city of Chongchin, which is a municipality of over 30 million inhabitants. This was the WWII capital of China, and the launching point of the Flying Tigers.

What about the city of lights? Shanghai boasts more skyscrapers than New York city, with more than 4,600 buildings above 125 meters. As far as skyline, Shanghai has the most breathtaking evening views I have ever seen in my entire life. The bund (German word for “canal”) is a hip and popular pedestrian walk that coasts the main canal that runs through the heart of Shanghai. It is from the bund where the best views of the city’s evening skyline can be enjoyed. Just a few hours from Shanghai is the city of Szouzu, or “the Venice of the East.” Szouzu is an industrial city that may rival Shanghai someday. Many of China’s manufacturing power houses are based in this city. But, it’s most visually and culturally attractive feature is the old city with its meandering canals. City dwellers still live in their small, stone homes with back doors that open to the canals. The grand canal was actually constructed during the time of the Great Wall construction…thousands of years ago!

For all of those who have never been to China, I highly recommend the adventure!

War and Peace

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When Love Meets War
by Erika Williams

A wedding celebration is something most couples plan down to the last perfectly executed detail. Things were no different for Chadi, from Lebanon, and Macarena Sarraf of Argentina — until the bombing began.
Chadi and Macarena met in Nigeria while they were both working for Catholic Relief Services, Chadi as a civil engineer in his family-owned construction company and Macarena as a CRS program manager. They were first married in Argentina and decided to have a second celebration in the Lebanese tradition in Chadi’s hometown of Juniyah. Both families made the long trip from their respective homes in Argentina and Nigeria to Lebanon, and the ceremonies went off without a hitch.
“We wanted to have the wedding in the summer,” says Macarena, “so all of my family decided to go to Lebanon for the wedding. When both of our families got together, we did everything from sightseeing to relaxing. It was very normal.” Their wedding was on July 8, the Saturday before the shelling began.
The area they were staying in, Juniyah, is about 15 miles north of Beirut, right on the sea. It is a picturesque place where the families could celebrate, safe from any of what Chadi refers to as “normal” shelling that takes place during the tourist season.
“Typically, there are bombs that go off that are meant to distract from the tourist season in Lebanon,” said Chadi. “To us, some shelling is normal. The attitude is like, ‘Life goes on.’ “

‘Life Goes On’
Because of this nonchalance, no one really paid attention when they heard the news that Israel had just begun shelling only hours into the day on July 12. When bombs started hitting the city infrastructure, and airports, everyone was shocked.
“No ship was allowed to enter and none were allowed to leave,” says Chadi. It became even more real when bombs began exploding near their hotel.
“We were resting by the pool and finally decided to go inside,” explains Macarena. “Soon after, we heard these great bangs so we ran to the window and saw the helicopters hovering over a hillside near us. Then it seemed that the helicopter turned toward us, and that’s when we all ran to the parking structure, which was located underground.”
“My feeling,” adds Chadi, “was one of hopelessness and emptiness. They destroyed everything: the infrastructure, civilian businesses and homes that have nothing to do with Hezbollah or the military.”

Honeymoon Over
Chadi and Macarena were soon evacuated to Cyprus, where they were encamped with some 1,000 other evacuees, whose numbers would fluctuate by the day. Both described a situation of chaos and panic.
“People were everywhere,” Macarena explains. “It was basically a sea of cots all around with women crying and children running around. The noise was incredible. Everything was dirty; as fast as something could be clean, it would be dirty again just as quickly.”
Everyone wanted to leave, but many didn’t the have passports or visas required to evacuate. This was Chadi’s situation.
“I wasn’t sure if I could leave because I didn’t have an American visa,” he says. “I had applied in Nigeria months earlier and it had not yet been approved. I was not sure if I would be granted one. Macarena had all of her papers together, but I didn’t want Macarena to have to stay behind in the conditions we were in. I told her that I would meet her in America, but she refused. She wanted to stay with me.”
After seven days of going back and forth to the U.S. Embassy in Cyprus, Chadi and Macarena finally got word that he was approved to leave for the United States. Still, their ordeal had not ended. Now came the time to wait for a flight out of Cyprus and to the United States. Several were promised and canceled until, finally, the couple boarded an old plane that they say looked less than airworthy.
“The passengers aboard were all very nervous and very anxious to get to the United States just because of the stress and sleep deprivation that many had endured,” says Chadi. At one point, when the plane was forced to land, a woman nearly jumped off the plane with her baby.
They reached Baltimore on July 31, tired but in good spirits. Macarena was looking forward to surprising her worried parents, who did not know of her safe passage back to the United States.

Erika Williams is a communications coordinator for CRS. She works in the Baltimore office.

On a Lebanese Night

In order to preserve the cultural traditions of my husband, Chadi and I decided to celebrate a church wedding in an old cloister up on a beautiful bluff overlooking the Mediterranean Sea located in Northern Lebanon. We chose July 8th as our wedding date, and went full speed ahead with the plans. Thanks to Chadi’s best friend Maris, who served as our trusted wedding planner, the wedding was a lovely success. Chadi’s parents and two brothers flew in from Nigeria for the special occasion. My parents too, with Cuban friend in tow also flew in from California for the Orthodox Christian wedding ceremony. The 8th of July was warm and sunny, with just a light sea breeze. Chadi and I were wedded inside a 500-year-old chapel inside of the conservative cloisters looked after by Christian monks. The view of the Mediterranean Sea was little less than spectacular. We celebrated our wedding the Lebanese tradition and held a reception at a seafood restaurant on the banks of the sea.

For a slideshow of the wedding, follow this link:
www.flickr.com/photos/macarena/sets/72157594397976247/show/

In the Holy Land

| View Show | Create Your OwnBefore celebrating my church wedding in Northern Lebanon on July 8th 2006, my parents and I decided to take a brief holiday in Jordan. It has been a dream of theirs to travel to Jordan and visit the lost city of Petra, featured so prominently in one of the many Indiana Jones’ films. A week before the wedding date, my parents, along with their Cuban friend, and I traveled to Amman, Jordan where we began our journey in the historical bible belt of the world. The journey took us to the great Roman and later Greek city-state of Jerash in Northern Jordan. We traveled across to the holy land, to the River Jordan where Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist. Our trip included a stop in the sacred Mount Nebo where God spoke to Moses and showed him the Promised Land, and later where Moses died. The highlight of our journey was the lost city of Petra, where we spent one entire day walking through its amazing rust red canyons, visiting its carved out temples, and finally taking a donkey ride up the 900 or so odd shaped stone steps that lead to the revered Monastery. After visiting Petra, we made our way to the south of Jordan, to the a valley called Wadi Rum – many would recognize Wadi Rum as the backdrop of the film “Lawrence of Arabia.” The sand dunes were endless, and the rock formations even more magnificent, as we rode in the back of a bumpy 4×4 vehicle in awe. Before heading to central Jordan and spending two days relaxing in a Dead Sea resort, we stopped in the resort town of Aqaba, where Jordan meets Israel and Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula. Finally, on our return to Lebanon, my husband and his family spent the last few days before our wedding taking us on various journeys through Northern Lebanon, from the magical caverns in Jeita to the most well-preserved ruins I have ever seen in Baal-Beck.

Argentine Wedding

Although I never thought it would happen, and much less take place during my whirl wind 20’s, on December 28th 2005 I was married in Buenos Aires, Argentina to an adorable (and very handsome) young man who I met (of all places) in Abuja, Nigeria. I hate to sound so cliché, and all of those who really know me understand that romantic clichés are so unlike me, but it was love at first site. From the day I met Chadi Sarraf, I had an overwhelming feeling that this man would one day become my husband. We did not wait long, just over a year from our meeting and we were pronounced husband and wife. The occasion was festive, warm, and filled with family and friends. We had a simple civil ceremony in Argentina, to accommodate the needs of my family. However, on July 8th 2006, Chadi and I will celebrate our church wedding in Beirut, Lebanon so that his family and friends will have the opportunity to celebrate as well.

If you would like to see a slide show of our civil ceremony and dinner party, you can find it at the following link:
www.flickr.com/photos/macarena/sets/72057594061665465/show/

You can also access a slideshow of pictures taken during our holiday in Argentina in Dec 2005- Jan 2006:
www.flickr.com/photos/macarena/sets/72057594060736678/show/

East African Safari

After spending just over one year working in Nigeria as an HIV/AIDS Program Manager with Catholic Relief Services, I was ready to experience the Africa of my past. Years ago, I worked in East Africa and Southern Africa, two regions of Africa with an emphasis on conservation and protected areas. Unfortunately, Nigeria has experienced such a turbulent existence, and has housed nearly one fifth of all of the continent’s population, protected areas are scarce and wild life even more so. Additionally, Nigeria has not developed its tourist industry, roads are unsafe not only for expatriate travel, but also for locals, and recently domestic flight travel has become increasingly unsafe, as aviation safeguards are rarely updated and/or inspected. I missed the acacia trees, the untouched savanna lands, the clear streams, the pristine rivers, crocodiles, gazelle, elephants, I can go on and on. It was time to relive my African experience. That which inspires and motivates me to work in the developing world stems from human suffering, however, there is a selfish element as well…experiencing and taking in the beauty of these lands!

My mother is also a big adventurer, like myself, and we often travel and explore together. Since I had not seen her in about 7 months, we decided to plan a trip to East Africa so that she could live her dream of visiting the Serengeti national park in Tanzania. Also, we included a 5-day visit to the island of Zanzibar.

My mom and I flew directly to Nairobi from Lagos. I can honestly say, it was a great relief to arrive in Nairobi, as Kenya is a relatively developed country with somewhat adequate infrastructure and great cuisine. From Nairobi, we headed off South to the Tanzanian border. The trip was lengthy, and we drove on for about seven hours until arriving at the summit of the Ngorongoro Crater, where our lodge was nestled. The view was breathtaking, the accommodation exceptionally cozy, and the food delectable. The first few days were spend traveling from the Lake Manyara reserve to the summit of the Ngorongoro Crater, where the remains of Lucy (our ancient human ancestor) were originally found. I cannot recount or quantify the sheer size of the crater, but it is suffice to say that we drove from the summit to the base of the crater and then drove for kilometers and kilometers inside the crater viewing the varied amount of game, such as the rare black mane lion, which only exists in the crater environment. Lake Manyara on the other hand, was a lush reserve, with streams, and a salt bed which fills with water during the rainy season. In Lake Manyara we viewed much game, however, the most abundant of animals were the elephants; beautiful, intelligent, graceful elephants with their young bathing in the streams, playing, and enjoying the sun.

The Serengeti was the highlight, of course, as its expansive savannah lands extend for tens and hundreds of kilometers, home of the big five and the massive annual wildebeest migration. For three days, we drove with an expert local guide through the Serengeti, getting up close to the big 5 which roam the national park. During the first day, we saw lions, wildebeest, gazelle, elephants, white rhinos, a leopard with its kill hanging from an acacia tree, a cheetah with her five cubs, plenty of hyena including a lethal attack on a wildebeest and a baby gazelle, wart hogs, ostriches, and a hand full of East African birds. Words cannot describe the feeling, the adrenalin that rushes through your body when you encounter a pride of wild lions three feet away from your vehicle (wow!). The Serengeti is the pride of Tanzania, a seriously protected national park that is visited by millions of international groups every year.

Our Serengeti safari concluded after 6 days of game viewing and we were transported to Arusha, the gateway town to Mount Kilimanjaro. My mom and I boarded a small propeller plain with Stone Town, Zanzibar as our destination. After spending 6 days in a 4×4 vehicle roaming vast natural protected areas, my mom and I were interested in relaxing on the crystal clear beaches of Zanzibar, and autonomous island which is part of the Republic of Tanzania. Our first two nights were spend in a beach front hotel in Stone Town, which is the capital city of the main island of Zanzibar. As we took a walking tour of Stone Town, our local guide mentioned that he personally had been chosen to escort President Bill Clinton on a walking tour just a few months ago. In other words, this young man was alluding to the fact that he was the best guide on the island. His allusion turned out to be quite true, as he provided a lovely and informative tour of this historical and culturally, religiously, and ethnically diverse city.

From Stone Town we transferred to a lovely 5-star resort two hours away from any recognizable settlement, to a retreat from city life, and to the paradise of crystal clear waters and white sands. My mom and I spent some time relaxing on the beach and exploring the long, white sand beaches, taking long walks, catching up, and simply enjoying life. The resort itself was spectacular, with a range of activities, and a large and accommodating salt water swimming pool, complete with a wet bar. The atmosphere was adult (child free) and some what international. Apparently, Zanzibar is commercially dominated by Italians. Although I made several attempts to understand why Italians dominated the tourist industry and owned commercial property in Zanzibar, all I was able to extract from local guides was that Italians have historically dominated commercial life on the island (???). So, not only do Italians own most of the tourist outlets in Zanzibar, but they are also the main group that visits the island. The resort was dominated by Italian tourists; fortunately, as Spanish speakers, my mom and I were able to understand most of what was going on at the resort. We wined and dined, enjoyed fresh shell fish, and enjoyed the local brews as well. On our final afternoon on the island, we hired a local fisherman to take us to the other end of the island and escort us on his hand-crafted sail boat on a sunset cruise of the bay. The afternoon sail on the bay was beautiful, we enjoyed it to the fullest. Upon disembarking the sail boat, a chilled champagne bottle and shrimp canapés await

For pictures of my trip to east africa in september 2005, please click on the following link:
www.flickr.com/photos/macarena/sets/72057594060747018/show/

The Land of the Phoenicians

In the fall of 1999, fourteen University students from the California Sate Polytechnic University in Pomona were selected to represent the University at the National Model United Nations Conference in New York City. Half of the individuals selected had already served on the 1998 team which received honored recognition for its work at the Conference. After we were all selected in 1999, we were finally informed that we would be representing a Middle Eastern country at the NMUN conference, Lebanon. We were all very excited due to the simple fact that in 1998 we represented Norway, a nation that is nearly perfect and has an impressive and very pacific foreign policy record. In 1999, we were all ready for conflict and the unfolding of some international drama. We studied, learned about, and practically breathed Lebanon for five months as we prepared for the conference. The team sought out Lebanese restaurants out, and we even paraded around with Lebanese lapel flags. We were absolutely immersed in Lebanon. The only thing we were missing was first hand experience in-country. The funds available for our training did not cover such excessive expenses as round trip air tickets from Los Angeles to Beirut. So we did the next best thing, we watched Lebanese films, we read documentaries about the civil war, we invited Lebanese lecturers to our discussions, and we even visited the Lebanese consulate.

I am proud to say that after 6 years, I finally walked on Lebanese soil. I am the first person from my team to travel to Lebanon and thus took on the responsibility of documenting my trip with photographs and journal entries. To be honest, I did not travel to Lebanon for professional and/or political reasons. Upon arriving in Nigeria for a two-year professional assignment, I met a young, attractive, and well-rounded Lebanese man. It was love at first sight (if that is believable!), and within months I was invited to his home country. My current fiancé (and husband-to-be…we will be married on 28 December 2005) took me to every corner of Lebanon: from the chic and trendy streets of Beirut to the ruins of Ba’al Beck. The trip was long awaited and it gave me the opportunity to compare Lebanon to its Middle Eastern neighbors. Years back I went on a 3 week backpacking trip through Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Israel, and Turkey and what I found in Lebanon was anything but similar to the sights from my former journey to the Middle East. Lebanon is a modern country, ravaged by a long and deep seeded civil war, but comparatively developed. Christian churches are erected across from mosques in every town. Political instability has recently rocked Lebanon and some say that the country will delve back into religious tension and possibly conflict. Lebanon is a complex land of diverse peoples, an enchanting land that will never be forgotten.

For a slide show of select photographs from my trip to Lebanon, please click on the following link:
www.flickr.com/photos/macarena/sets/1039558/show/

Posted to Nigeria

| View Show | Create Your Own

Many of those who have received news from me during my time in Nigeria know just how challenging this country can be. On many occasions I have complained, whined, and just flat out resigned myself over e-mail to many of my good friends (thanks for listening!). However, the absolute truth is that Nigeria, with all of its violence, corruption, and great disparities, has proven to be a complex and intriguing nation to work in. This country is home to some of the kindest, warmest, and most hospitable human beings on this earth. Nigerians are resilient people who excel in the face of despair and hardship. Nigeria has taught me many difficult lessons, one of which is that the human spirit can survive and overcome the most difficult of human, social, and economic hardships. At every corner you witness a social transaction that is kind and just in its own communal way. However, let us not forget the fact that Nigeria continues to be one of the most corrupt nations, ranking among the top ten most corrupt countries in the world (Transparency International, 2005). The average Nigerian deserves much more than what its country is offering him/her at this period in history, while the affluent Nigerian has cut corners to live a life of opulence. The disparities are obvious and yet, they do not make it into the public debate. While many of Nigeria’s decision-makers continue to live in their fortress mansions in the affluent districts of Abuja and form policy based on their own realities, the rest of Nigeria suffers from malnutrition, poverty, unemployment, ill health, and the ever-increasing spread of HIV/AIDS which is leaving a devastating impact on the family unit (the orphan population is estimated to greatly increase in the upcoming years). What I have learned as an outsider living inside Nigeria is that this nation of proud people has within its borders all of the natural and human resources necessary to re-develop Nigeria into one of the powerhouse nations of the African continent. My time in this culturally rich nation has been marked by periods of great frustration, but the ever-redeeming quality of the avarage Nigerian has given me great hope and strength. The spirit of Nigeria is present in every state, in every village, and in every heart of the average Nigerian, and I have been witness to the great strength of this spirit and the heights that it has the potential to reach. I have high hopes for this nation of over 135 million, but for now, I will continue to do my small part to contribute to Nigeria’s development for the sake of all of those infected with HIV in this land.