Asia Pictures And Videos

 Below are links to some 700 + pictures and twelve videos. I apologize for the shots of my thumb, the ground, and utter blackness, but hopefully there aren't too many of those. I hope you find a few images that convey to you the moments of wonder and astonishment, of horror and joy and the undeniable resiliency of the human spirit that I experienced .

Most especially let me thank you for letting me share this journey with you. The encouragement I have received from so many people means a lot to me.

My best wishes to you and your families.

Have yourself a merry little Christmas Day.

http://www.goyestoeverything.com
 



VIDEOS ARE  here


PICTURES (click the text link to see album)

Bangkok

Siem Reap and Temples

Tuol Sleng and The Killing Fields of Phnom Penh

Phnom Penh To Saigon

Saigon To Hanoi

Halong Bay

The Temple Of Literature

Image via Wikipedia

Today was my last day in Hanoi. Taking my cue from the Lonely Planet guide, I decide to head out to the Temple Of Literature. Built around 1070, the temple is dedicated to Confucius.

I grab a moto from the Old Quarter, put on my helmet, hop aboard and close my eyes for the death ride across town.

As we arrive, I pull out some money to pay the driver, plus a generous tip for not killing me along the way. As I am paying him a small crowd suddenly envelopes us. It seems that I have dropped a small amount of money (at most $3) and one person has lunged forward to step on the wayward bill, acting as if he is just hanging around. Another man explains to me what has happened, and I thank him and the others who have gathered for their honesty.

I turn to the culprit and tell him to move while assessing the situation. Obviously, there is a lot of downside here, with the only upside being that I get my $1-$3 back. Clearly not worth it. I turn to the man and suggest he do something physically impossible involving one of his relatives. I then tell him he is a fine human being and wish him luck in his life. I then pull $10 out of my wallet and give it to the guy who first defended me.

As I shake his hand and walk away, a minor scuffle develops behind me over my misplaced lucre. Sometimes it takes one jerk to make us realise how lovely everyone else is.

Once inside I am again mesmerized by the timelessness of another place. Names of graduates are inscribed in stone dating back through the centuries. Sometimes when I am in places like this my mind boggles as I try and picture the people who walked on this same ground through the ages. I feel a lightning bolt rip through me and the ground pushing up at my feet as I shake my head in wonder.

Indeed, there is more to life than money.

http://www.goyestoeverything.com

Yes Siam

Image via Wikipedia

Greetings from the Kingdom of Thailand It is Sunday, my second full day in Thailand, and I am starting to feel myself again after the long journey.

The flight was horrible, though less horrible than I had anticipated, given that I had moved the expectation bar to absolute zero. I was also blessed with seatmates who were cordial, but had no inclination to share their life story with me.

It turned out that I had a ninety minute layover in Tokyo, and I was eternally grateful to find a little bar with a smoking room inside the terminal. It was a refreshing change from the relentless march of behavioral fascism that permeates the gaping maw of North American "culture". Plus, I was really dying for a smoke.

After that, it was back on the plane for the "short" hop from Tokyo to Bangkok, only six hours or so.

From the airport I grab an overpriced limo to my hotel, aware of the taxi scam that "mistakenly" takes you to the wrong hotel to coerce you to stay at that location. I am simply too tired to play that game. I pay the extra and arrive at the White Orchid Hotel in the heart of Chinatown.

As I check in I glance at the hotel bar to my left. Loud music blares and a gaggle of young ladies dance and laugh among themselves. Strangely, they are the only people in the bar, save for one young man who seems to know them. Curious, I think to myself. I had specifically chosen a Chinatown location to avoid the annoyances of the infamous Bangkok sex trade. Easier said than done, apparently.

The next morning I wake up in a daze, unsure of where I am. After a few moments, my head begins to Grok my newfound reality. Oh thats right, I'm on the other side of the world for some reason.

I look at my watch, remembering that I have a breakfast voucher that expires at 10am. I had last changed the time in Japan, but having no idea of the time difference between Thailand and Japan, I was clueless. The only thing that I knew for sure was that I had missed breakfast in Japan.

I shake off the cobwebs, shower, and head off to the hotel dining room on spec, pink voucher clutched in hand. Luckily, I am golden with three minutes to spare. It is a pedestrian buffet, but I am grateful to be eating anything not served by a stewardess.

Now it is time to venture out into the great bustling unknown.

 http://www.goyestoeverything.com