The Worst Kind of Tourist

There is this tradition in Luang Prabang. Every morning, the monks from all the local temples walk along the street collecting alms, or their food for the day. Residents wake up early to give their respects as well as some rice to each monk as they pass by their house.

This is the Luang Prabang I came for...

This ritual is why I went to Laos. I really wanted to see this and I heard that tourists can even participate too. I know it may not be for everyone, but the chance to be a part of something like this was supposed to be really special. We planned around this specific tradition. We arrived early the day before, went to bed early, and made sure to wake up well before dawn to not miss what was arguably the only reason why we went to Laos. This even took precedent over tubing down the river in Vang Vieng.

It was awful.

It's not the monks' fault--they are semi-forced by the government to continue this facade. However, it is no longer the beautiful tradition that it once was. It is overrun with tourists... and not the good kind.

Do you know the tourist with an SLR around their neck, snapping "artistic" pictures, who claim to be a "world citizen?" That in itself is bad, but take that same person, put them inches away from a monk's face (often times children), flash on, taking picture after picture. The kind that has no shame. No remorse. No sense of dignity, and due to this lack of even the slightest strand of dignity, feels no need to respect the humanity anyone else.

He's so excited to shove his camera into these monks' faces, he can't even hold on to his umbrella.

It made me absolutely infuriated.

How can anyone treat another human being like that? It wasn't just European tourists or the Chinese tourists either... though they were admittedly the worst. But even at a zoo or aquarium, you turn off your flash for the animals. So why would you think it's ok to shove a camera into the face of another person? It's not a circus act. They aren't statues or artifacts. They are people. This is their home. You are a guest. Would you put a huge lens in front of a chef as they're cooking your dinner? At a respectful distance and as long as you aren't being distracting, it can be fine. But remember--you are NOT a professional photographer. These are NOT professional models. DO NOT treat another human being like an object. Why do I even have to say this? Don't most people from most countries claim their culture to be "civilized"? Don't most travelers love bragging about how "cultured" and "refined" they are? Have you no sense of decency or respect? Then, how can you turn around and do something so awful and heinous to a fellow human being?!? How can you wake up in the morning and look at your smug self in the mirror and feel good?

Me trying to keep up with the steady stream of monks

I did participate in giving alms, which made me thought, am I any better? Sure, I wasn't right in their face with my camera, but aren't I objectifying them just like these other tourists? Aren't I, by taking pictures to share, tweeting my thoughts, and eventually, writing this blog post, promoting the very thing that I hate? Won't more people come and in turn, perpetuate this shameful shadow of a once great tradition? Am I any better?

While we did had some great experiences while in Laos, this was not one of them. If you do decide to go and participate in this tradition, please remember to do so with respect. And if you go to Laos and decide to skip out on this, I would not blame you.

Here's to the monks. I'm so sorry.

At least I was able to get a Beerlao overlooking the Mekong River. One of the highlights of my trip was simply relaxing and reflecting while sipping on a cold beer. After this morning, I definitely needed it.

The Travel List Challenge

Let me be the first to say that I never do these lists. However, after seeing them pop up on Facebook enough times, I figured I'd look it over. The food list seemed pretty extensive, so I figured I'd try out the travel one. 

"How well traveled are you?"

See if you notice anything weird with this list.

https://www.listchallenges.com/100places/

1. Alamo San Antonio, Texas, USA
2. Alhambra Granada, Spain
3. Andros Island, Bahamas
4. Angel Falls, Venezuela
5. Angkor Wat, Angkor, Cambodia
6. Atlantic City Boardwalk, Atlantic City, New Jersey, USA
7. Ayers Rock, Australia
8. Big Ben, London, England
9. Bora Bora, Polynesia
10. British Museum London, England
11. Canals of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
12. Cathedral of Seville, Seville, Spain
13. Cave of Crystals, Mexico
14. Christ the Redeemer, Rio De Janeiro, Brazil
15. Cinque Terre National Park, Italy
16. Colloseum Rome, Italy
17. Crater Lake National Park Oregon, USA
18. Dead Sea, Israel/Jordan
19. Death Valley National Park, California, USA
20. Devil's Tower, Wyoming, USA
21. Dome of the Rock, Jerusalem, Israel
22. Easter Island Statues, Polynesia (Chilean)
23. Edinburgh Castle, Edinburgh, Scotland
24. Eiffel Tower, Paris, France
25. Empire State Building, New York City, New York, USA
26. Forbidden City, Beijing, China
27. French Quarter, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
28. Galapagos Islands, Ecuador
29. Gateway Arch, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
30. Gettysburg Battlefield, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, USA
31. Glacier Bay Basin, Alaska, USA
32. Glacier National Park, Montana, USA
33. Glowworm Cave, New Zealand
34. Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco, California, USA
35. Grand Canal, Venice, Italy
36. Grand Canyon, Arizona, USA
37. Grand Mosque in Mecca, Saudi Arabia
38. Great Barrier Reef, Queensland, Australia
39. Great Mosque of Córdoba, Córdoba, Spain
40. Great Wall of China, China
41. Hagia Sophia, Istanbul, Turkey
42. Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, Hawaii, USA
43. Hollywood Boulevard, Hollywood, Califonia, USA
44. Iguazu Falls, Argentina and Brazil
45. Kiyomizu-dera, Kyoto, Japan
46. Kremlin, Moscow, Russia
47. Lake Titicaca, Peru
48. Las Ramblas, Barcelona, Spain
49. Las Vegas Strip, Las Vegas, Nevada
50. Leaning Tower of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
51. Louvre Museum, Paris, France
52. Macchu Picchu, Peru
53. Matterhorn, Switzerland
54. Mayan Pyramids of Chichen, Itza Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico
55. Metropolitan Museum of Art New York City, New York, USA
56. Mount Everest, Nepal
57. Mount Fuji, Japan
58. Mount Kilimanjaro, Tanzania
59. Mount Rushmore Keystone, South Dakota, USA
60. Napa Valley, California, USA
61. Ngorongoro Crater, Tanzania
62. Niagara Falls, New York, USA
63. Notre Dame Cathedral, Paris, France
64. Pacific Rim National Park, British Columbia, Canada
65. Pebble Beaches of Nice, Nice, France
66. Petra, Jordan
67. Petronas Twin Towers, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
68. Portland Head Lighthouse, Portland, Maine, USA
69. Puerta Del Sol, Madrid, Spain
70. Pyramids of Giza, Egypt
71. Redwood National Park, California, USA
72. Rock of Gibraltar, Gibraltar
73. Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado, USA
74. Ruins of Athens, Athens, Greece
75. Ruins of Pompeii, Pompei, Italy
76. Sagrada Famila, Barcelona, Spain
77. Sears Tower Chicago, Illlinois, USA
78. Sedlec Ossuary, Czech Republic
79. Sistine Chapel, Vatican City, Italy
80. Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C., USA
81. Space Needle Seattle, Washington, USA
82. St. Peter's Basilica, Vatican City, Italy
83. Statue of Liberty, New York City, New York, USA
84. Stonehenge Wiltshire County, England
85. Sydney Opera House, Sydney, Australia
86. Taj Mahal, Agra, India
87. Temple of the Golden Pavilion, Kyoto, Japan
88. Teotihuacan, Mexico
89. Tian Tan Buddha, Hong Kong, China
90. Times Square New York City, New York, USA
91. Varanasi Uttar, Pradesh, India
92. Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe
93. Wailing Wall, Jerusalem, Israel
94. Walt Disney World Resort, Orlando, Florida, USA
95. Washington Monument, Washington, D.C., USA
96. White Cliffs of Dover, Dover, England
97. White House, Washington, D.C., USA
98. Winchester Cathedral, Hampshire, England
99. Yosemite National Park, California, USA
100. Zion National Park, Utah, USA

Did you notice it? 33 are in the United States. 33! Really? Since when does well traveled mean traveling to the United States? 3 places in Washington D.C. alone? And places like Gettysburg? Or Mt. Rushmore? How is that relevant to anyone not into American History, the Civil War, or the defacement of a once sacred Native American mountain?

There are 27 in Western Europe (being generous too, not using Europe as a whole by taking out The Czech Republic, Russia, Turkey, Gibraltar, Jordan, and Israel). So between the US and Western Europe, "How well traveled?" are you? 

60%. This challenge gives you 60% for just Western Europe and the US.

Let's break down this list even further. "Well-traveled" should mean places as well as objects, right? But is it well traveled if you went to Notre Dame, and then "traveled" all the way to the Eiffel Tower? It's a freaking metro away for crying out loud. And there's the Louvre on this list too? The Louvre? How is that well traveled? It should list, "Visited Paris."  You get 3 for Paris alone.

Want an easy 6? Visit Spain (2 for Barcelona). 1 more for Gibraltar but don't worry about Portugal. 7 for Italy! But Germany? Nothing of interest there.

How is Asia represented? Japan? There are 2 for Kyoto. Basically, you can visit Kiyomizu Temple, spend the morning there, take the bus across town to the Golden Pavilion. Done. 2 checks. Next door Nara or Osaka? Too far for this list. With Mt. Fuji, you get 3 for Japan. But nearby countries? Korea, Taiwan, Vietnam, Thailand... you get the idea. Nothing there more important than the Washington Monument. Grand total for Asia (including Pacific Islands, and even Easter Island)--12.

Don't get me wrong--this challenge is a good start. For people who have never owned a passport or even left their home state or county, there are a lot of good trip ideas on here.

But you're not well-traveled if you've been to all 100 places on this this. Yes, you've seen a lot. You are not well-traveled if you have 14 from the East Coast (of the US), and 3 from your study abroad in Paris.

I know I'm not well-traveled. The thing is, the more places you visit, the less you've seen. You realize that the world is a much bigger place than you could have even imagined. Each time you meet a fellow traveler and hear new stories, places get added to your own, personal list, until your list gets out of control, and you realize: there is simply too much. Too many places, too many people, too many experiences to be had. Because you realize that traveling with different people, interacting with different locals, visiting at different times, everything factors into your trip. You can visit the same place 100 times and each experience will be different. It no longer matters to check off your bucket list because you know the best experiences and the best stories come from the times you didn't plan. The places you never heard of or read about in a book.

Maybe that's what it means to be well-traveled--well-lived.

...

Or maybe I'm just bitter that I've only been to 30.

Winter Break 2011-2012!

It's finally here! It's a few days before my Winter Vacation and I've compiled a list of things I want to do. So now I ask--What would you do in these locations?

So close...

Itinerary:

• December 21, Kokura-Osaka
• December 22, Osaka-Manila
• December 27, Manila-Boracay
• December 30, Boracay-Manila
• January 2, Manila-Macau
• January 3, Macau-Hong Kong
• January 8, Hong Kong-Seoul
• January 9, Seoul-Fukuoka

Things to do:

• Show off my Japanese to my friend in Osaka
• Eat lechon
• Go to at least 2 restaurants as seen on No Reservations (Travel Channel)
• Scuba Dive in Boracay (2 dives)
• Surf in Boracay (waves permitting)
• Get a cheap massage on the beach
• Find the smiling horse on a Red Horse
• Order food in Tagalog
• Gamble at the largest casino in the world, The Venetian, Macau
• Eat dim sum
• Eat until I'm full and keep eating
• Chow Fun, Roast Duck... did I mention dim sum?
• Get a "real" American Pizza (Pizza Hut or better)

The real reason I'm going to the Philippines...

What am I missing?

A Series of Unexpected Events

So there we were in Seomyeon, Busan, in South Korea. Being my second time, I didn't really care too much for the touristy aspect--for me, this was an inexpensive trip for drinking, eating, and shopping (in that order).

As such, we found ourselves outside on Saturday after an evening of drinking games at Thursday Party and Miller Time. While stumbling back to our hotel, someone suggested we go clubbing. Unsure of where to go, we ended up asking a random guy coming out of a bar. After failing to give us directions in Korean, he said (I'm guessing) that he'd show us where before heading off.

If only we had known what we were getting ourselves into...

All the neon should have been our first warning...

First thing that stood out to me--we had to buy a table. No choice. Even though we pointed to the dance floor to say we wanted to dance only, we were taken to a table and had to place an order. Thankfully, there was no cover (or rather, our $15 each for a beer, water, and snacks was our cover).

This leads to the second thing that was weird. Even though the club was huge, the dance floor was really small. Why were there so many tables throughout the club, and why were there so many hallways and doors leading to... karaoke rooms? VIP rooms?

No matter. We went out on the dance floor to do our thing. At least that would be normal, right?

Except there was something off about the dance floor as well... why were guys and girls awkwardly segregated like a middle school dance? And why did two male dancers appear on stage, start taking off their clothes, and make me question what kind of club we were at? Furthermore, why did everyone seem to know each song and dance in unison like a music video? And why was it that every 20 minutes, the DJ would play a slow song, the lights would dim, and instead of couples pairing up to slow dance, the dance floor would completely empty?

Moments before clothes start coming off... 

Back at our table during one of those random drinking breaks (as we decided to call them), we pondered the answer to all of these questions. And then we noticed something else that was weird. There were an unusually large number of hosts or servers leading girls around to the VIP rooms. As in, they were taking them by the arm or hand, and then dropping them off to meet whoever was inside.

Again, this caused us to question the kind of... establishment we were in. Did these seemingly innocent girls actually work for the club? Did we accidentally stumble across a hostess club? An escort bar? An underground brothel?

It turned out (we asked the owner of our hostel later), this was actually a certain kind of Korean nightclub. You dance with the friends you came with, but groups don't really mingle. There are occasionally performers as entertainment onstage. In our case, the exotic male dancers were actually a pretty famous hip-hop team (they could have fooled me). The reason for the slow song breaks? It's a chance for you to go back to your room, and you ask the hosts to bring you some girls you'd like to meet. If the girls don't like the room, they can always leave (though we did see one girl being chased by a guy as she stormed out of a room). This also explained why some girls would leave a room, only to be snatched immediately by a host to be taken to another. It's like speed-dating Korean-style.

So it was no wonder why all the girls were totally checking my friends and I out. They wanted us to invite them to our (non-existent) VIP room for some... stimulating conversation.

Well, that, or they were staring at our ridiculous attempt at copying their dance moves.

Now just imagine the entire dance floor doing this. (Starts around 4:25)

And not just the girls...

The Refill

The Refill is a Fukuoka E-Zine that comes out every two months. It's written and published by JET's for JET's and covers topics such as travel, upcoming local events, and life in Fukuoka Prefecture. This past issue, I wrote an article (guess what it's about), so check it out!

Click Here

Spam, Eggs, and Rice

Hawaiian culture is like Spam, eggs, and rice.

The American culture present in Hawaii would be the eggs. It is, after all, the 50th state. What makes it American? Well, besides the fact that English is spoken and the dollar is accepted, it still feels like the mainland. You have burger joints, pizzerias, and taco trucks all on the same block. People across all races and cultures mix together creating a melting pot.

Want some pizza with that ramen?

Unlike the mainland, though, there is a stronger Asian influence that is apparent in everyday life. Most noticeable is Japanese culture. Since Hawaii caters to Japanese tourists, many stores and restaurants will have signs in Japanese. Some malls and stores won't even bother English at all. Moreover, Japanese is commonly heard on the street, particularly in more touristy areas. 

However, you can't say it's only the flocks of Japanese tourists that make Hawaii seem like Japan. For example, for you Hawaiians out there, how do you say 'yakiniku' in English? This influence of Japanese culture is not limited to the language either. Hawaii may be lacking the ever present コンビニ, but at least in Waikiki, how far do you have to walk to find an ABC store? (Answer: 1 block) They sell everything from beach gear to gifts to booze to... spam musubi? It's like a Hawaiian Famima

So in our breakfast analogy, this part of Hawaiian culture is the rice.

"Wait, Hawaii isn't it's own country?" -Common Japanese Misconception

Yet even with these two cultures, Oahu has managed to maintain its own, well, Hawaiian-ness. The Spam, so to speak. Locals use the 'hang loose' sign to mean chill out. When you don't hear English or Japanese, you'll hear 'Pigeon,' a pidgin English and Hawaiian mix. And even if you don't understand a word of it, you pick up aloha and mohalo pretty quick--from the moment you step off the plane, you hear them used constantly.

Put them all together and we create the perfect breakfast that is uniquely Hawaii.

Spam, eggs, and rice--even at McDonalds

The result is a destination that may be touristy, but it's touristy for a reason. Its amazing weather, friendly locals, and scenic beauty notwithstanding, Hawaii's blend of mainland, Asian, and Pacific Island influences provides a cultural experience that is unparalleled anywhere else in the world.

So to Hawaii, I say Aloha for now, maholo for a great trip, and a hui hou!

Reverse Culture Shock

Don't get me wrong. I still have my American tendencies. I'm loud when I laugh. I like standing out when the occasion calls for it. I love my McDonalds. However, I have had a bit of reverse culture shock coming back to the states. I noticed it right away, and in just these few days, I've accumulated a short list of... things I appreciate about Japan. Below are some of my observations after living abroad for over half a year.

--Price of soft drinks
In Japan, I can be sure that a bottle of soda will cost 150 yen and a can 120 yen. Anything less (like a 100 yen vending machine or buying a bottle of soda for 88 yen at a grocery store) is a steal. However, most of the time, I can be assured that I will get ripped off no matter where I go. It's sort of nice to know--no matter what I do, which Lawson or 7/11 I go to, the price is uniformly expensive. Everyone is equally screwed.

In Hawaii/USA, the price varies depending on where you go. Some stores will sell it for a lot more (like an ABC store versus a Longs Drugs). It may still be cheaper than getting a drink in Japan, but it sucks to buy a 20 oz. soda for $2 only to find a vending machine down the street that sells it for $1.25. It's not the price. It's the principle.

--Being able to cuss/use slang without being understood
Don't lie--you do it too. When you can use words that would make a sailor blush because you know people around you don't understand... it's sort of natural to let loose. English in Japan is spoken somewhat (though less so in my area), but when you use slang and other colorful language, most people won't understand (with the exception of the F-word).

In other words, I have to watch my mouth in front here. I mean, think of the kids.

--Talking on your cell phone on public transportation
I know it's really not that big of a deal, and I used to do it too. But seriously? If you're going to talk on the phone on a bus, use an indoor voice. Your cell phone microphone picks up your voice fine, so there's no reason to raise your voice as if you're talking on a Nokia brick from the 90's.

In Japan, I've gotten scolded by an obachan only once for answering my phone on a bus. That was enough.

--Driving on the right side of the street
Not too much to say about this one, except that I've had my life flash before my eyes a few times because I now look the wrong way for oncoming traffic.

--Really obese people
Definitely rude of me to say, but I gotta say it--some of us Americans are monstrous. I definitely caught myself staring at someone the size of 4 fully-grown Japanese girls.

Even with my reverse culture shock, I must admit, it is nice being back in the states. It's comforting. I've forgotten how much I've missed the little things, like being able to read signs perfectly, seeing ethnic diversity, or even getting unlimited refills on soda.

Being that it's Hawaii definitely helps, too.

Waikiki Beach, Honolulu, Hawaii

A Different Kind of Tourism

I have traveled to my fair share of cities. As such, I've found that in more touristy areas, the industry is designed to serve a diverse group of people, particularly when it comes to foreign languages. For example, many restaurants I visited in Vietnam had menus outside in English, French, and Japanese, with signs in Russian and Chinese (indicating they can speak them as well, I'm assuming). However, all the places I've been to in the world have catered to some sort of English speaking population. Whether it's geared towards British tourists in France, Australians in South-East Asia, or Americans in Mexico, if a place is touristy, it'll have a decent English speaking ability.

That's not to say that everywhere can (and should) speak English. When you travel off the beaten path, you'll discover that the simplest act such as ordering food becomes an adventure if you can't speak the local language. That being said, if you stay on the main drag and visit the places meant for tourists, English is your best bet.

Haedong Yonggungsa Temple, Busan, South Korea

Busan is the exception.

We went out one night to an international party. It was hosted at a cafe that during the day, offers a language exchange of sorts with local university students and foreigners. On Friday nights, though, it turns into a party. Thanks to its prime location between two Universities, its proximity to our hostel, and the all-you-can-drink beer for about $12, it was the perfect chance to meet some locals.

Our table was mostly Koreans. There were a few guys who were in the Air Force. They spoke Korean and some knew a bit of English. The girls, though, were all Japanese majors at one of the universities and spoke fluent Japanese... but no English. Guess what language we were speaking in most of the night?

In all seriousness, though, it was the best Japanese practice I've had during my time in Japan (well, in Asia). When the common language is no one's first language, there's no cheating by switching into your first. It also matters less when you make mistakes. Since neither of you are native speakers, you understand the other's difficulty with learning the language and feel less pressured to be perfect.

No joke--I spoke more Japanese in Korea than in Japan

Throughout the trip, Japanese trumped English numerous times. At Jagalchi fish market, we gorged on Korean sashimi. Our server started taking our order in English, but as soon as he realized that we spoke Japanese, he switched over since it was more comfortable for him.

The first night, we were playing beer pong with a Korean couple. We struggled to communicate with them in English as the guy only spoke a little, but his girlfriend couldn't at all. After one disastrous turn, Yannick and I were cursing at each other in Japanese. Instantly, they both switched to Japanese, and after that point, the conversation flowed smoothly.

At Burger King, the cashier struggled to understand my order of a cheeseburger and fries but as soon as Yannick ask for his order of フライドポテト, she took his order perfectly, even though the menu is written in Korean... and English.

It was such an eye-opening experience. Don't get me wrong--I've always believed that foreign languages are important. It shows interest in the country's culture to speak their language. However, I never thought that knowing any foreign language (foreign to them, not to me) could be more useful than English. For example, if I went somewhere, I wouldn't get by with French. Outside of countries that used French as an official language, the chances to use French decrease dramatically. English is much more likely to be spoken (ex. Take Vietnam, a former French colony. The only time I found French useful was talking to a French guy once. It never once helped me speak to a local).

Yet, Busan proved me wrong. It was the first place that English lost to another foreign language in terms of practicality and number of speakers. As I continue traveling, I'm sure it won't be my last.

And though I hate the idea of returning to the same place more than once, Busan may have to be the exception...

Face Death And Drink It

"Wanna drive?"

"No thanks... maybe if it was an automatic, but not a manual."

We were leaving the hostel to go to a "Snake Village" just outside of Hanoi. Since it was just us two, we were taking her motorcycle instead of a taxi or a bus. Normally, it's a tour for 5 people or more. However, no one else in the entire hostel was down to go so, I went by myself. I had to do it--it's why I came to Vietnam.

Instead of the usual guide, the receptionist at the hostel was going to take me. I had decided too last minute for a guided tour, but since it was my last night in Hanoi, I had no other choice. After I told her my story, she said she'd take me herself.

Which brings us to her asking me if I wanted to drive her bike. It was cold out, and riding passenger is warmer since it's protected by the driver. Being a gentleman, I should have driven us...

Except for the fact that I've never ridden, much less driven one. The closest thing I had done was ride a Go-Ped. It's actually pretty embarrassing, and I couldn't outright admit to this cute local that I didn't even know how to sit on the back of her motorcycle.

So I lied. It couldn't be that bad, right?

It was terrifying. Let me describe Hanoi traffic. Streets lines are pure decoration, traffic signals are mere suggestions, and one-way streets... well, you can make it a two-way street if you feel so inclined. I've never seen anything like it. (Not exactly true. Imagine the game Crazy Taxi but with motorcycles and everyone is playing at the same time. It's like that.)

Needless to say, I was a bit shaken after the most (well, first) exhilarating ride of my life. And then, there was a cobra.

Dinner anyone?

I'll admit that some things scare me. I have a healthy respect for heights and a bit of claustrophobia. Normally, though, fear is something I can overcome with a bit of determination. I mean, I proved it to myself while weaving through traffic only moments before.

This was different. It wasn't just any fear. It was pure, unadulterated terror. My conscious brain was thinking, "Damn, this is cool. Let's get closer." My unconscious brain said... well, nothing. It froze with terror. So though I wanted to get closer, my body literally froze.

After sizing up our meal, we walked across the street to the actual restaurant and sat down. The server brought the snake over with a few glasses and a knife. Looking back on it, this was the time to pick it up, pet it, or at the very least, get a picture with it. I didn't. Or better put, it didn't even cross my mind. I was still shaking from the insane amount of adrenaline coursing through my veins.

I watched as he forced the snake to release it's venom into a glass. Once finished, he cut open the chest, slit a main artery, and bled it into a second glass. Then, he reached in, pulled out its beating heart, and plopped it into a third glass.

This last glass was handed to me. Topped with a splash of vodka, I was motioned to drink it.

No time for hesitation. You must drink it (eat it?) while it's still beating. And it was, after all, what I had come for.

In one gulp, I swallowed it whole. A second later, a shot glass with a blood and vodka mix was procured in front of me. I drank that too. The venom, a greenish-yellow mixture, followed soon after. (Note: Venom is poisonous if it enters your bloodstream. Otherwise, it's safe to drink... though there is a slight risk if you have a cut in your mouth or a stomach ulcer.)

It is said that a snake (particularly the blood, heart, and venom) is good for "male" health... Vietnamese people have straight forward thinking. If you eat feet, your feet will get better. If you eat eyes, your eyesight improves. And if you eat snake, well... it's good for men.

I'm not too sure about that last part for myself, but it was a rush all the same--as trite as it sounds, I've never felt more alive in my life. It invoked in me such an instinctual, primal fear that I didn't even know existed.

Simply put, it was the best experience I had in Vietnam.

After the craziness of the beginning, the rest of the evening was quite pleasant. We had dinner--snake, of course. Every part of the cobra was prepared in a variety of ways so that nothing was wasted.

Snake skin in the front, the upper left is mashed bones

Barbecued Cobra Hood 

But honestly, in the end, words and pictures are just that--words and pictures. To truly understand, you have to be there and experience it yourself.

So if you do end up going to Hanoi and find yourself craving cobra, let me know. I'm down to go. I still have to get a picture of me holding the snake. And if you really want it, I'll even let you have the heart, as long as we split the venom...

It's missing the first shots of blood and venom, but it has round 2.

From Recreational to Addiction

"Well... we might as well, even if it's only for 2 hours."


Stephen, Ali, and I were mulling over our itinerary for Tous Saints Week. Since we were all studying abroad at L'Université de Bordeaux, we had the same holidays as French students. This holiday meant a full week off to do whatever we wanted at the end of October. For the French, it's a week to sit in a café, nurse an espresso, chain-smoke some cigarettes, and people watch. In other words, exactly what they would do anyway, except now they could relax all day instead of just most of the day. However, for us, les américans, it was a prime chance to see the rest of Europe. With our Eurail Pass in hand, France, Germany, Switzerland, and Benelux (BElgium, NEtherlands, and LUxembourg) were all within reach. We had already paid for unlimited travel in these 4 regions for a set number of days. Now all it would take to go to any of these countries was a train schedule and the time it took to get there.


"I mean, it is 3 hours out of the way. Plus we'd have to backtrack after..." 
"Yeah... but we could get up early and sleep on the train..."


Partway through out trip, we found ourselves in Brussels, Belgium. We were discussing a possible change in our travel plans over a few Trappist beers. Maybe it's the fault of that 12% beer we drank. (Side story: While we were drinking outside, a hobo saw us drinking it. He taught us it's called 'douze' and seemed to applaud our alcoholism.) The more likely cause--at this point, we were all already addicted to traveling. We just weren't fully aware of it yet. 


The question was simple enough: whether or not we should go to Luxembourg. We were planning on going to Amsterdam the following day. However, with our pass, we could go to Luxembourg as well. From Brussels, Luxembourg would be three hours away by train. Our final destination for the day (and our hostel), Amsterdam, was also three hours away from Brussels... but in the opposite direction. Changing our plans would mean a total of 9 hours spent on a train: three to get to Luxembourg, three to go back to Brussels, and then three more to get to Amsterdam.


"Well, if we were to go... according to the timetable... if we arrive in Luxembourg at 11, leave by 1, and then take the train to Amsterdam, we could still make it there in time for dinner..."


In hindsight, this was the tipping point, the moment when a recreational pastime became a full-fledged addiction. We were only in France for about three months. After the innocent, occasional day trip to various French cities (wine tasting in St. Emillion, the fortified city of Carcassonne, or sipping Cognac in Cognac), we spent a full weekend in Barcelona. This was harmless enough, but then it grew out of control--a week-long, whirlwind tour through France, Brussels, Brugges, Amsterdam, Berlin, and Munich. And now, perhaps Luxembourg--just because it's there and we could.


Were we really going to travel to an entire country just because it's there? Really? Did Luxembourg have any cool, must-see monuments or attractions? Well... not really. Any specialty food that we had to try? Nope. Is their culture any different than France? Not particularly. Do they speak a different language? Well, technically yes (Luxembourgish), but everyone (99% of people*) speaks French.

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*This is a made-up statistic, but probably true...

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Yet, as soon as it became the possibility to visit a new country, the opportunity to check off another place on the map, and the chance to say later on, "Luxembourg? Yeah I've been there," the decision was already made subconsciously by all of us. All we were doing at this point was trying to justify it to ourselves.


"So... the train leaves at 8? I'll set my alarm."
"I'll set mine too. We're going to be tired."