Day 159 of the project,
Auckland, New Zealand
"One....two...three...AHHH!" After wading waist-deep into the glacier fed lake, I finally worked up enough courage to plunge underwater. My fellow walker, a lovely woman from Toulouse, France, had bravely gone first and pronounced it "refreshing." I don't know that I stayed in long enough to describe it as anything but "frigid."
New Zealand is famous for its stunning and diverse landscapes. Fans of The Lord of the Rings movie trilogy know it well (and often travel to tour the Hobbit homes). It is also famous for its series of nine Great Walks scattered throughout the numerous national parks. The Milford Track is one of the most famous of those walks. It is difficult to get a permit, as access is restricted to 40 people per day during high season. Trampers (Kiwi terminology for hikers) walk 33.5 miles over four days, tracing the river from Lake Te Anau through Mackennon Pass, past New Zealand's highest waterfall, Sutherland Falls and ending at Milford Sound.
Showing posts with label politics. Show all posts
Showing posts with label politics. Show all posts
December 10, 2014
December 4, 2014
Surface tension
Day 152 of the project,
Christchurch, NZ
"Why are you going to Singapore?" asked my Thai interviewer, with a touch of disdain in his voice. It was a common question, asked by many who dismiss it as a superficial shopping mall in the heart of rambunctious, gritty Southeast Asia. Singapore lacks fiscal accessibility and offers no real claim to fame to justify the expense. In the mind of most backpackers, it is no more than a stopover.
Yet my curiosity was piqued by this tiny nation and I purposefully added it to my itinerary. Originally a British colony that gained independence in 1965, Singapore is a microcosm of Asia. Ethnic Chinese are the majority, followed by Malay, Indian, Indonesian and Japanese. Not to mention the pinches of Thai, Cambodian and white expats in various corners. To borrow from Americana, it is a "salad bowl" of diversity.
Christchurch, NZ
"Why are you going to Singapore?" asked my Thai interviewer, with a touch of disdain in his voice. It was a common question, asked by many who dismiss it as a superficial shopping mall in the heart of rambunctious, gritty Southeast Asia. Singapore lacks fiscal accessibility and offers no real claim to fame to justify the expense. In the mind of most backpackers, it is no more than a stopover.
Yet my curiosity was piqued by this tiny nation and I purposefully added it to my itinerary. Originally a British colony that gained independence in 1965, Singapore is a microcosm of Asia. Ethnic Chinese are the majority, followed by Malay, Indian, Indonesian and Japanese. Not to mention the pinches of Thai, Cambodian and white expats in various corners. To borrow from Americana, it is a "salad bowl" of diversity.
November 20, 2014
Ghosts of the past
Day 138 of the project,
Krabi, Thailand
When someone brings up Cambodia, the first image that comes to mind is of the Angkor ruins. And rightfully so, as the sites in Angkor National Park are some of the most stunning in the ancient world. Angkor Wat is the most famous, but each site is distinct. My personal favorite was Banteay Srey. Translated to the Citadel of Women, the intricate carvings and pinkish-brown sandstone are absolutely sublime in the late afternoon sunlight.
However, Cambodia's more recent history is darker; its second claim to fame is genocide. Pol Pot came to power in 1975 with the aim of creating a perfect agrarian society. The Khmer Rouge drove everyone into extreme farming labor. Any intellectual--defined as anything from being a professional to wearing glasses--or opponent was arrested, tortured and killed. His regime was eventually pushed out in 1979 after war with the newly established Socialist Republic of Vietnam. It is worth mentioning the US government (along with the UN) recognized and supported the Khmer Rouge because of its opposition to the Vietnamese.
This darkness is clear in present-day Cambodia. There are over 300 sites of torture or mass graves in the country. In Phnom Penh, the most famous is known as the killing fields. No detail is left out in the audio guide. At the end, a memorial with glass walls reveals the bones of 8,000 people executed on site. The collection grows each year after the annual floods unearth new fragments. The experience is graphic, nauseating, enraging and heart-breaking. It must be seen and heard, though comprehension is virtually impossible.
Krabi, Thailand
When someone brings up Cambodia, the first image that comes to mind is of the Angkor ruins. And rightfully so, as the sites in Angkor National Park are some of the most stunning in the ancient world. Angkor Wat is the most famous, but each site is distinct. My personal favorite was Banteay Srey. Translated to the Citadel of Women, the intricate carvings and pinkish-brown sandstone are absolutely sublime in the late afternoon sunlight.
However, Cambodia's more recent history is darker; its second claim to fame is genocide. Pol Pot came to power in 1975 with the aim of creating a perfect agrarian society. The Khmer Rouge drove everyone into extreme farming labor. Any intellectual--defined as anything from being a professional to wearing glasses--or opponent was arrested, tortured and killed. His regime was eventually pushed out in 1979 after war with the newly established Socialist Republic of Vietnam. It is worth mentioning the US government (along with the UN) recognized and supported the Khmer Rouge because of its opposition to the Vietnamese.
This darkness is clear in present-day Cambodia. There are over 300 sites of torture or mass graves in the country. In Phnom Penh, the most famous is known as the killing fields. No detail is left out in the audio guide. At the end, a memorial with glass walls reveals the bones of 8,000 people executed on site. The collection grows each year after the annual floods unearth new fragments. The experience is graphic, nauseating, enraging and heart-breaking. It must be seen and heard, though comprehension is virtually impossible.
September 23, 2014
Native tongue
Day 78 of the project,
on the ferry to Dubrovnik, Croatia
An American, an Englishman and an Australian sit in a hostel bar in Vienna, steins of beer in hand. Conversation ranges from travel to music to politics. Especially politics. There is nothing more entertaining than testing an American on his or her knowledge of world affairs. Gentle ribbing aside, their native language allowed the three drinkers to easily exchange and debate ideas well into the early morning hours.
Language is also a reflection of a person's worldview. As with most native English speakers, I enjoy orderly queues, on-time departures, formal education and relative privilege within the globalized 21st century world. Yet my American perspective is often as clear as my accent. It is as simple as wearing pants (not trousers), taking the elevator (not the lift), attending college (not uni or university) and having friends (not mates). It is as complex as not having a current attachment to monarchy or officially sharing a currency with other independent nations.
on the ferry to Dubrovnik, Croatia
An American, an Englishman and an Australian sit in a hostel bar in Vienna, steins of beer in hand. Conversation ranges from travel to music to politics. Especially politics. There is nothing more entertaining than testing an American on his or her knowledge of world affairs. Gentle ribbing aside, their native language allowed the three drinkers to easily exchange and debate ideas well into the early morning hours.
Language is also a reflection of a person's worldview. As with most native English speakers, I enjoy orderly queues, on-time departures, formal education and relative privilege within the globalized 21st century world. Yet my American perspective is often as clear as my accent. It is as simple as wearing pants (not trousers), taking the elevator (not the lift), attending college (not uni or university) and having friends (not mates). It is as complex as not having a current attachment to monarchy or officially sharing a currency with other independent nations.
September 10, 2014
Behind the name
Day 65 of the project,
somewhere between Bratislava and Budapest
In the United States, Gbur is not a typical last name. Its unusual combination of consonants and lack of vowels trouble the tongues of most English speakers. There is usually the inevitable pause while someone decides how to vocalize those four letters. I am used to it...after all, I have had thirty years of corrections, spelling examples and references to Zsa Zsa and Ava.
But what is in a name? Language? Ethnicity? Geography? Social class? It can be some, all or none of these. Above all, a family name conveys a history. An artifact of those who came before you and the foundations of those who will come after you. Some people are well versed in the background of their names--ties back to castles, crests and pride. Other histories have been buried in the shadows of war, poverty and xenophobia.
somewhere between Bratislava and Budapest
In the United States, Gbur is not a typical last name. Its unusual combination of consonants and lack of vowels trouble the tongues of most English speakers. There is usually the inevitable pause while someone decides how to vocalize those four letters. I am used to it...after all, I have had thirty years of corrections, spelling examples and references to Zsa Zsa and Ava.
But what is in a name? Language? Ethnicity? Geography? Social class? It can be some, all or none of these. Above all, a family name conveys a history. An artifact of those who came before you and the foundations of those who will come after you. Some people are well versed in the background of their names--ties back to castles, crests and pride. Other histories have been buried in the shadows of war, poverty and xenophobia.
August 18, 2014
#feminismo
Dia 42 del proyecto,
Madrid, Espana
I noticed the first stencil yesterday. Given the visual depiction of a woman and a priest along with the verbal content, the church wall placement couldn't be more appropriate. This morning, I passed others plastered to the side of a park wall. A guerrilla conversation about a woman's right to choose in Spain.
Madrid, Espana
I noticed the first stencil yesterday. Given the visual depiction of a woman and a priest along with the verbal content, the church wall placement couldn't be more appropriate. This morning, I passed others plastered to the side of a park wall. A guerrilla conversation about a woman's right to choose in Spain.
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