Category Archives: Random musings

The Rocking Chair

“Every man dies. Not every man really lives.” ~ William Wallace

Someday, God willing, I’ll grow old.

I wonder what I’ll remember most… What will be something(s) I accomplished that I’ll be proud of? What kind of lasting impact was made on others as a result of my mere existence?

When I retire, sitting in this rocking chair looking out at the beauty of the world, will my reflections of the life passed leave a smile on my face? Will my time on this planet have been lived to its fullest? Will I have loved life (because, after all, what else is there)?

For consideration: http://www.inspirationandchai.com/Regrets-of-the-Dying.html

These rocking chairs are a reminder that life is but a fleeting moment in time. It is worth turning off the TV and the computer and doing something worth remembering.

Go forth and live today with tomorrow in mind.

“To laugh often and much; to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children; to earn the appreciation of honest critics and to endure the betrayal of false friends. To appreciate beauty; to find the best in others; to leave the world a bit better whether by a healthy child, a garden patch, or a redeemed social condition; to know that even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded.”  ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

The Moon is Upside Down!

Today the sun crosses the celestial equator meaning IT’S THE FIRST DAY OF SPRING! At least in Chicago this is the case.  For my friends south of the equator, today is the first day of fall. While I get excited for the upcoming days of flowers and sunshine, those in Argentina are getting ready for days that are just a bit shorter and have that crisp air that only seems to come in autumn. I have suffered through another Chicago winter and typically spring is my favorite time of year, but for some reason today I am thinking about my time in Argentina and one particularly fantastic and bewildering thing I saw while there.

When I traveled to Buenos Aires during their summer, one of the most astonishing things I saw was up in the sky. My husband and I were at the Velez Sarsfield stadium watching an Argentine football match between Velez and Caracas. He was chatting it up with our friend, Pablo, and I was staring up at the sky in amazement. I expected to see stars I had never seen, but I never knew that, when in the Southern Hemisphere, the moon appears to be upside down.

I had more fun at this soccer game watching the sky and the people around me than actually watching the match (typical for an American?). Endlessly curious as I am, I pulled out a piece of paper to work this out. To this day, I am certain my husband doesn’t understand why this fascinated me so much.

A rough drawing explaining why the moon appears to be upside down - simply viewing the sky from different angles.

View of the moon from the Northern Hemisphere

Here was my conclusion: when you travel from the Northern Hemisphere to the Southern Hemisphere, you are technically standing upside down from those in your originating city. This is why the Man in the Moon I had gazed at so many times before didn’t seem to be there.

A view of the moon from the southern hemisphere

The moon also appears to MOVE differently. In the North, all heavenly bodies move from left to right across the sky, however in the Southern Hemisphere, just the opposite is true. With the Argentine perspective, the moon, sun and stars travel from right to left. Even the shadow of a sundial will move counterclockwise in the Southern Hemisphere (opposite of that in the North).

This unexpected new view of the heavens above was a highlight of my time in Argentina. Whenever and wherever you travel, look up. You never know what you might discover.

“For my part I know nothing with any certainty, but the sight of the stars makes me dream.”

- Vincent van Gogh

An Immersion in Thai Consumer Behavior

On my final day in Southeast Asia, I was lucky enough to have a flight leaving at 11pm, allowing me a whole day in Bangkok to literally get lost. With a hotel business card (to give to a taxi or tuk-tuk driver to get me back) and a map in hand, I ventured out alone to explore the city and find the last few items I still needed to buy.

MBK Shopping Center

I rode in a tuk-tuk to the MBK center, a large shopping mall only similar to those in the US. when comparing size. Eight floors are packed with hundreds of stores, most of which are vastly different from anything you’d see in the states. I’m pretty sure there was a floor dedicated only to shoes and purses.

Outside each McDonalds in Thailand you'll find Ronald giving a wai greeting

While having lunch at a little Japanese restaurant I noticed my Pepsi can was in English and wondered why Pepsi and Coca-Cola chose different language/packaging strategies…did they discover different preferences among their Thai target market? Random, I know.

While browsing through an accessory store I struck up a conversation with an older gentleman, Simon, from Perth. Having regularly traveled to and done business in Bangkok, he shared with me some interesting thoughts about the Thais. As strange (and creepy) as this may sound, I remember most him mentioning “Asian women are obsessed with bras”. I had noticed that there seemed to be an overabundance of places to buy ladies underwear, especially at the street markets, but didn’t think too much of it until he mentioned it. I’ve been wondering ever since why Victoria’s Secret doesn’t have a presence in Southeast Asia…especially since many of their items are manufactured in Vietnam. HEY VICKY’S – OPPORTUNITY!!!

Simon and I must have talked for 20 minutes about this city, our respective country’s economic situation, and what’s currently happening in American politics. I always find it interesting how knowledgeable people on the other side of the world are about the U.S. political landscape. Sadly, I’d bet half of Americans couldn’t point Perth out on a globe, let alone discuss whats happening in, say, the Eurozone.

By his suggestion, I left the MBK market and walked further down the road to the ritzy Siam Paragon, the largest, and most impressive shopping center in all of Southeast Asia (think of all of Michigan Avenue shops rolled into a single building complex). This is where all the top-notch designer boutiques like Louis Vuitton, Gucci, and Versace are found. Seeing this place was like seeing Vietnam’s future 20 years down the road – Dr. Shultz had taken us to see a brand new shopping center in Ho Chi Minh City that was such a big deal to the locals that there was a wedding taking place there.

Outdoor exercise bikes and a Coke bottle tree

I have to admit, I really hate shopping, so much so that I order most everything I wear online. Despite this, wandering around and seeing all the Thai advertisements and Asian shoppers was just, well, it was cool! Even the little things which are totally common in Thailand I found amazing, like the elaborate spirit house outside the Siam Center.

Spirit house or san phra phum

These spirit houses are basically shrines intended to provide a shelter for spirits which could cause problems for the business if not appeased. As seen in the picture of the Siam Paragon’s spirit house, offerings of flowers and/or incense are left to propitiate the spirits.

Even the license plates deserve notice

After leaving the “designer mall”, I wandered the sidewalk shops, snacked on street food, and had one last 2 hour Thai massage. Bangkok is an interesting and exotic place to wander, I’m just glad I had a whole day to myself to do so!

A Dichotomy of Contradicting Realities

The thing about big cities like Bangkok (population 12 million) is that concessions are hardly made for tourists. Much like in Chicago, or New York City, you’re expected to immediately fall into the city’s rhythm. Unlike in Saigon and Siem Reap, no priority was given to us as new arrivals and nothing but the local currency was accepted (the baht).

Grand Palace entrance

Bangkok is a phenomenon I was hardly prepared for. On one hand, I was impressed by the variety and incredible opulence of the temples…Some buildings are covered in gold, others are decorated with thousands of finely detailed tiles and jeweled mirrors. On the gorgeous days I was there, every building seemed to sparkle and glitter under the tropical sun. On the other hand, I was surprised to see the abject poverty of ramshackle shacks right along side shrines and houses of the rich. The realities of rich and poor, of cleanliness and pollution, of friendliness and sketchiness, and other such dichotomies were everywhere.

House on the Chao Phraya River in Bangkok

Luckily, we were sure to study up on the customs to ensure we didn’t unintentionally offend anyone; Thailand is very different from the U.S.! When a local graces you with a wai (a Thai greeting…slight bow, with the palms pressed together in a prayer-like fashion) it is appropriate to return it. I really loved this custom, and the clear sign it gave of mutual respect.

The wai greeting is said to resemble a closed Lotus flower. Photo by Anthony Ewing.

On the street, you really can experience almost anything – ostentatious shopping malls, eclectic markets, lady boy shows, famous (and at times somewhat scary) night life, tuk-tuk rides, hot-pink taxis, Muay Thai matches, ancient Thai massage, street food a-plenty, and so on.

Prohibited outfits at the Grand Palace - although we took special care to dress appropriately, two girls in our group still had to purchase additional cover-ups.

The only real complaint I had during my couple weeks in Southeast Asia was my experience with the Thai cab drivers – none of whom seemed willing to turn on a meter and tried to scam 3-5 times the cost of a typical ride to or from our hotel.

Thai cabs

I felt as though, in general, Thai people are polite to the point of reverence, however between drivers trying to make extra money, and endlessly being offered “Ping Pong shows” at the Patpong night market (which, in all fairness, is right in the heart of the Red-light district), for the first time on this trip I felt unsafe. I was asked by my professor what exactly I was afraid of…nothing really, it’s just that intuition you suddenly get that isn’t easily explained. I had a heightened sense of awareness that I trusted was necessary.

Patpong night market in the middle of the red-light district

I both loved the city and hated it at the same time. The sheer size of Bangkok can be very overwhelming, however with all there is to do and see, it really is a spectacular place to visit. Overall, Bangkok is very affordable, and with 2 hour Thai massages only costing 400 baht (roughly $14 USD), it is easy to become spoiled.

Look Up and See a Sign

How cool are these? First, in Chicago there are plenty of deer crossing signs. What you’d have to go to Cambodia to see…an Elephant crossing sign.

Our first night in Siem Reap, a group of us walked down to Pub Street to check out the nightlife and noticed that the cross walk signal suggested how fast you should be moving to get to the other side of the street. We definitely didn’t see anything as safe as this when we were in Ho Chi Minh City…

Saigon to Siem Reap

The flight from Ho Chi Minh City to Siem Reap is only about 1 hour on a little prop plane via Cambodia Angkor Air. We caught it early in the morning so that we could be at the famous Angkor Wat temple by lunch time.

My expectations of Cambodia were blown almost immediately, when we arrived at the airport. I have never been in airport that looked so much like a 4 or 5 star hotel. This was just a foreshadowing of the rest of my time in this wonderful, and yet tragic, country.

This is an Airport?

Welcome!

Siem Reap Airport Art

Wandering Alone in Ho Chi Minh City

I love wandering alone in new places. Mostly because it affords me the opportunity to move at my own pace and follow my instincts on where to turn, who to speak to, etc. Ho Chi Minh City is a bustling, colorful and exotic place that can be dizzying with its endless frenetic activity. Just working up the courage to cross the street could easily take the average traveler a few days.

On this last day in Vietnam, I took the opportunity to wake early and spend an hour roaming the streets.  Here are just a few things that captured my attention…

No cyclos allowed

Zzzzzzzzzzzz

This elderly woman has some strength

The average house has 5 wires running from it - all above ground

The Longest Day I’ve Ever Known

Mount Fuji from 20,000 feet above Tokyo

Flying due west from Chicago at 10:45 am (well sort of…we had to fly north as well, over the Aleutian Islands and the Bering Sea) took over 13 hours and me into a time warp both long & short. As if I was racing the sun, playing a childhood game, yelling “catch me if you can”, I was somewhat astounded I beat my bright friend to the finish line on the other side of the Pacific. If not for the pain in my back, I’d swear only a few hours had passed, not more than half a day.

The sun caught up to me, however, on my 6 hour flight down to Ho Chi Minh City.