Sunday, January 10, 2010
Reflections
It seems like the end of a decade is a good time to reflect on where we’ve been and what we’ve done with our lives. Chris and I, it seems, have gotten around.
2000 was ushered in at a house in the suburbs, surrounded by friends we had known and loved for years. We played pool and drank champagne. We were in college and not sure what our 20’s were going to bring with them.
2005 was welcomed from a tiny house in the bush on a little island in Ha’apai. This time, we were with new friends and fellow Peace Corps volunteers. We were hiding from the hours of sitting in church that accompanies most folks New Year’s Eve in Tonga. We drank ‘Ikale beer and set off firecrackers on the fence post under palm trees. It was hot and sticky, the air thick with the smell of mosquito coils.
We rang in 2010 standing in the snow. No trees this time, just the frozen tundra. We played a little Wii and drank fancy soda with our friends and teaching colleagues. Midnight brought the sound of gunfire. A bonfire was lit on the ice. Adults and students came out on snow machines and 4-wheelers and parked in a semi-circle around the rim of the lake. Soon, fireworks lit the sky over our village in the Alaskan bush.
I wonder where we will spend the New Years of our 30’s. Will we continue to move and travel to more and more remote locations? Or will settling down be the next adventure?
2000 was ushered in at a house in the suburbs, surrounded by friends we had known and loved for years. We played pool and drank champagne. We were in college and not sure what our 20’s were going to bring with them.
2005 was welcomed from a tiny house in the bush on a little island in Ha’apai. This time, we were with new friends and fellow Peace Corps volunteers. We were hiding from the hours of sitting in church that accompanies most folks New Year’s Eve in Tonga. We drank ‘Ikale beer and set off firecrackers on the fence post under palm trees. It was hot and sticky, the air thick with the smell of mosquito coils.
We rang in 2010 standing in the snow. No trees this time, just the frozen tundra. We played a little Wii and drank fancy soda with our friends and teaching colleagues. Midnight brought the sound of gunfire. A bonfire was lit on the ice. Adults and students came out on snow machines and 4-wheelers and parked in a semi-circle around the rim of the lake. Soon, fireworks lit the sky over our village in the Alaskan bush.
I wonder where we will spend the New Years of our 30’s. Will we continue to move and travel to more and more remote locations? Or will settling down be the next adventure?
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Saturday, May 30, 2009
Bangkok - Day 1 (continued)
Ahhhhhh....Coffee and free WiFi...how I love thee....
So, after trekking through another neighborhood and trying to follow our maps, we finally made it to the block that is the Grand Palace grounds. Now, at the Grand Palace, they are very strict about dress code - no shorts, no tank tops, and nothing that the sorority-set wears for "Girls Gone Wild." So, of course, Chris was out of compliance. But, no fear, we knew that they would let you borrow clothes inside. What we hadn't counted on was the local scam artists dressed in official looking clothes standing on the corner and trying to force you to go to their tailor shops to purchase another outfit OR yelling at you that the Grand Palace was closed but they could take you to this amazing standing Buddha. Thankfully, we knew enough to just keep walking to the actual entrance. We figured if there was really a problem the men with machine guns would let us know.
We got in, Chris borrowed some pants, and we began exploring the amazing complex. For anyone who has never been, it is impossible to imagine just how big and shiny this place is. The biggest draw for most people is the Emerald Buddha. I really appreciated how peaceful the temple here was, despite being full of tourists and practitioners. We wandered for quite awhile before deciding it was time for lunch and a dose of a/c. Thankfully, there was an Au Bon Pair across the street. I realize that it sounds crazy to eat at an american chain while in Bangkok, but you can never underestimate the draw of a/c on a sweltering day. (OK - time for breakfast...I'll finish later :-)
So, after trekking through another neighborhood and trying to follow our maps, we finally made it to the block that is the Grand Palace grounds. Now, at the Grand Palace, they are very strict about dress code - no shorts, no tank tops, and nothing that the sorority-set wears for "Girls Gone Wild." So, of course, Chris was out of compliance. But, no fear, we knew that they would let you borrow clothes inside. What we hadn't counted on was the local scam artists dressed in official looking clothes standing on the corner and trying to force you to go to their tailor shops to purchase another outfit OR yelling at you that the Grand Palace was closed but they could take you to this amazing standing Buddha. Thankfully, we knew enough to just keep walking to the actual entrance. We figured if there was really a problem the men with machine guns would let us know.
We got in, Chris borrowed some pants, and we began exploring the amazing complex. For anyone who has never been, it is impossible to imagine just how big and shiny this place is. The biggest draw for most people is the Emerald Buddha. I really appreciated how peaceful the temple here was, despite being full of tourists and practitioners. We wandered for quite awhile before deciding it was time for lunch and a dose of a/c. Thankfully, there was an Au Bon Pair across the street. I realize that it sounds crazy to eat at an american chain while in Bangkok, but you can never underestimate the draw of a/c on a sweltering day. (OK - time for breakfast...I'll finish later :-)
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