This week's travel recap: China

I have already taken time to write up on 2 out of the 3 places Zach and I went for our honeymoon.  So, now for the 3rd place we visited, which was stop #2 on our adventure.  It should have been our first stop so that we didn't have anything to compare it to.  Japan set the bar high and Bora Bora was to follow.  Maybe China just didn't stand a chance.
I would say Zach and I are pretty adventurous in our travels and completely love to embrace the culture.  That means trying most foods, entertaining interesting lodging ideas, exploring local hangouts.  We are not the kind that are freaked out by yucky smells of restaurants, though we don't flock to them. However we will give them a try if they are recommended.  We are not standoffish to other country's ways.  We are not offended by locals' behavior as we know that it is just different from home.  We do not take in our surroundings and think how home is so much better, nicer, etc.  We are intrigued by it.  Fascinated.  We want to see what makes them, their country, their food.  Having said all that....welcome to China.
First of all, we had a private driver pick us up who immediately introduced himself as our friend.  His whole focus was to make us comfortable with the country and give some interesting tid bits about Beijing on our way to the hotel.  We were watching out our windows through the SMOG, LOTS of it, as he pointed out different points of interest.  The pollution didn't immediately put a bad taste in our mouths as this was the most foreign country we had been to at that point and were giddy just knowing we were 13 plane hours away from home.  We were antsy wondering what this city would hold for us.  He soon told us that we weren't quite going to our hotel.  He first wanted to take us to a "friend's" and let us see how the locals liked to drink their tea.  Now, you've heard of this in foreign countries right.?  It's not usually dangerous, just a scam to get out of towners, especially those "Americans" to fall into their money hungry trap.  We knew that's what was probably going on, but since we were leisurely making our way, we didn't mind it.  We passed by the future sight of the Olympics on the way. 

Once arriving to the tea house, it was actually pretty neat.  Surprise!  It was a tea house where Chinese women explained the diverse teas they drank, for what occasions, and from the origin they came from.  There were intricate ways that you were to taste the teas.  Using the different styles allowed them to open up more and the tea drinker to enjoy the flavors.  I liked the rose one the best.  It actually was rose petals that she crushed in front of us and after drinking it with the techniques explained, it really did just fill my throat, lungs, chest with a rich, aromatic taste.  We enjoyed this part, even though they tried to push buying the teas on us.

We arrived to the hotel (famished) and giggled at how cheap the private driver was.  China was extremely affordable, it felt like we were merely paying in pennies.  After checking in and getting settled at our hotel, we went in search of some food.   We decided to see some of the sights on the way so we were going to find food on the way to Tiannamen Square.  We sure found something.  First of all, we were staying at a nice hotel, in a good area.  But right upon setting foot out of our door, we started passing people who were spitting, sweating profusely with their shirts off....over food they were cooking....FOR THEIR CUSTOMERS....at their restaurant.  EWWWW!, people stick thin missing eyes, or limbs sweating just as bad and getting extremely close to us with a horrendous smell.  They didn't understand personal space at all.  Not to mention all of this is framed with the beautiful back drop of heavy pollution.  Ok, not off to the greatest start in finding ourselves an edible meal.  Though we are adventurous in our food tastings, I couldn't wrap my brain around eating at a restaurant who's cooks cook outside in the hot pollution while clearing their lungs of whatever nasty illness they have and dripping sweat into my meat...of whatever kind it may be....rat?  cat?  Who's to say.  I normally LOVE hole in the walls, but already having an uneasy tummy with the potential that I could be eating some kind of rodent for dinner, I needed to stick with a more main stream kind of restaurant....or at least clean.  Sooo, after sticking our heads into a handful of places, we settled on a crowded restaurant who's cook still cooked outside but at least looked like they wanted their customers to return after this meal.  His sweat at least seemed to be given a detour to hit the road rather than the food.  So we dug in...I can't remember what it was...I seemed to have blocked it out of my mind - on purpose.  All I know is that Zach and I both found ourselves sick after that little treat. 
But, we pressed on and wanted to get to Tianammen Square before the evening was over.  We got there. 

Tiannamen Square

Again, we saw the same hygiene and thoughtful (less?) ness among the people but were slowly growing calloused to it.  I mean we were to be here for a bit, so might as well enjoy what we could of it.  (Can you tell this wasn't our favorite place to have visited?)  We were quickly approached by a young, early 20's male who excitedly asked where we were from and jumped into a million questions for us, at the same time telling us how thrilled he was to meet us and that he wanted to practice his English with us.  "Please, let's just talk."  So, being the interested people we were, we started conversing.  After a few moments, he began asking, then insisting, then pushing us to go to his Mom's restaurant.  "It's the best food Beijing has to offer."  Being caught off guard, we initially agreed.  Plus, we love seeing where the locals go and know that they have the best, most authentic recommendations for food.  He had told us it was right around the corner, but as we began walking, and I began realizing we were leaving the crowded areas and heading into the roads less traveled, I became more and more uneasy.  I whispered to Zach that I didn't want to go and that we needed to turn around.  He agreed.  We told our new "friend", as he called himself - wow, we sure made a lot of friends in China quickly -  and he began refuting it, becoming more and more desperate.  He insisted we come, told us endless reasons why we should. This confirmed my negative feelings toward the situation and made me want to get the heck out of there quickly. We held strong, stopped conversation and got away from him without looking back as he followed us still making his demands.  When we got back to the hotel and pulled out our ol' trusty travel guide book, we read that this was a common scam and that they get you to their family house and after having a tea or small bite to eat, charge boocoo bucks.  You are forced to pay because they threaten telling that you have stolen.  And NO ONE wants to end up in a Chinese jail.  Let's remind my dear Zach that as I recap one of my next favorite meemories.
The Great Wall of China.  A must see when in Beijing.  Because of the cost of everything in China being so cheap, we decided to rent our own private taxi to spend the entire day taking us where we wanted to go and waiting for us in between.  We negotiated before we got in the taxi and settled on a price. He drove us the 2 hours up to the Wall and waited outside for us as we hiked up. It's disappointing because it could be very beautiful, but the nasty pollution takes away from this too.  It was still an extremely neat thing to see though and I am glad that we were able to experience this in our lives.  There are different sections to the Wall and we hiked the Badaling portion.  The views from the high points were expansive of mountains and more of the wall snaked through the mountains.  It was fascinating to see such a huge structure that expanded so far. 

 When we completed the Wall, we made our way back to our driver who then took us to the Summer Palace.  We got out, in front of the Chinese police, and the driver asked for an amount differing from what we settled on.  Zach reminded him, kindly, that we already agreed on a price and that's what he would pay.  The driver argued, no, you will pay more.  This escalated until they both were screaming at eachother, really not knowing what the other was saying what with the driver's extremely broken English.  All they knew was that they disagreed and someone was going to lose.  The driver started screaming and pointing to the police and flagged them over, big ol' guns and all.  Zach, calmly once again, tried to explain to the police what happened.  NO use here!  We should have known.  Basically, it came down to Zach would have to pay or end up being escorted by the police to their, I'm sure, very lovely and accomadating criminal facilities.  This ego battle (or battle for justice) wasn't worth it.  I'm glad I got to leave China with my very new husband still. 
The Palace was like all of our other tourist spots in China.  It had the potential to be beautiful, but the beauty that tried to poke it's head through the pollution was squashed by that as well as extreme heat and humidity.  Again, temperatures and climates do not normally change our opinion on a place, but it was just the icing on the cake to be sweating profusely - aaaaaaa, just like the locals - while being taken advantage of and coughing like crazy because our (cue violin playing) poor pure lungs weren't used to such conditions.  Needless to say, we embraced what we were looking at for what it was and tried to remain in the most excited moods we could.  Luckily, because we DO love traveling so much and this WAS our honeymoon, nothing could take away from our joy.  I'm just recalling all the memories that JUMP out at me, but interlaced in all of this we really enjoyed ourselves.  Literally.  We enjoyed eachother's company and the back drop of where we were was simply that.  And it was allowing us to make more memories together.  
Though we were sick from the pollution, coughing like crazy, and eating every meal at Starbucks or our 5 star restaurant, which we rarely do, we loved our adventure.  The Palace was pretty.


If you look through the fog, you can see the Summer Palace

 We also made our way to the Sacred Way, which they believe is the road leading to heaven.  This is part of the Ming Tombs and is a long path that has statues of government officials and animals.  It was fun to take cheesy pictures with the statues. 

We made it back and were ready to let the fun in China begin.  Our next adventure would be visiting the Pearl Markets.  Where bargaining is defined. 
The Markets were in two words: hilarious chaos.  They are a million little kiosks lining endless rows selling anything you could possibly imagine.  Walking by, the owners of each kiosk literally reaches out to pull you in and tell you "You buy, how much?"  Before you even show an interest.  Not to mention if you decide to show an interest....then watch out.  The games begin.  Oh, "you pretty lady, you buy what?  Prada?  Gucci?  You want Fendi?  I have.  How much?"  Now to play the game fairly, you throw an extremely LOW number out.  With a contorted, squished up face, they toss out phrases like "Nooooo, you make-a me cry.  How much you pay?"  This goes on and on until you have to pry every single finger they have latched onto your arm off and sprint down the aisle to get far away out of their sight as you get lost in the crowd.  The mental game you have to play is whether or not you truly want to go down the bargaining road with them.  And knowing what you really will pay.  It actually is extremely fun and curious.  It's a whole different way to go shopping.  Most of their items- the Coach, Prada, etc is fake, however some is real. But you don't go there thinking you are buying beautiful Designer items at a great deal.  You have got to go with the intention to buy the best you can and have fun doing it!  I came back with new purses, Gucci sunglasses,  and a D&G jacket.  I think that the only thing real - or possibly - was the Prada purse.

Zach had 12 custom shirts made!!!  He sure made out too.  We had to buy extra luggage to take everything home in.  Oh, I also bought black pearl earrings, knowing this is Bora Bora's main high price sell.  I decided since I was heading to Bora Bora I could simply pretend that;s where I got them!  ;)  It's the bargain shopper blood in me I suppose.  :)
In the end, Zach and I are so glad we went because otherwise it'd be on our list still.  But we don't think it's a place we'd go back to.  Thanks for the entertainment Beijing!

Bora Bora: Untouched Beauty

Beautiful Bora Bora

The weather is changing, along with that, my mood!  I am a sunny day kind of girl.  The sunshine with a slight breeze fills me with a renewed energy.  The last few weeks in Texas, God has given us a lot of that!  With of course the thurderstorms mixed in here and there.  But, I live for those sunny days.  Carter and I started our morning on the patio checking the weather (beautiful sunny 60's so far) looking at the city and planning our day.  This kind of weather always makes me think of that one place we all want to be in the sun...the Beach!!!  I've been on a whole lot of beach trips.  But I'll tell you, none more beautiful than the secluded, tiny oasis of Bora Bora.
Zach and I are travel fanatics!  We always choose to plan a trip rather than buy eachother gifts for holidays.  It's memories made, experiences had, bonding deepening,  and therefore, money well spent.  That being said, we can also be over indulgent in our travels. (Sheepish smile).  But we think, while we can, we should.  So, for our honeymoor in 2007 we spent three weeks going to China, Japan, and finishing in Bora Bora. 

I would recomend finishing ANY trip in Bora Bora.  Easier said than done though.  It's a bit of a tough place to get to.  We flew back to LA from Japan to catch our flight on Air Tahiti Nui (excellent airline) to Tahiti where we would spend the night before heading on to Bora Bora.  Tahiti is beautiful.  We woke up and had a normal breakfast buffet-mine a continental breakfast....normal in all senses but the cost.  Here's where we felt like we swallowed a frog and choked on it.  The bill came for our breakfast: my fruit array, yogurt and granola, and wheat toast.  Zach's eggs, fruit, yogurt and granola.  Yep, $96!!  Pure shock!!!!  We thought they must have charged us for something else, but no....it was simply the cost of the buffet.  EEEEE.  But, that was just a small reality check.  Nothing could take away from the beauty surrounding us, and the most important fact that we were MARRIED and on our HONEYMOON!!!



Right after our breakfast- note: still smiling!

We swallowed that frog and headed to board our flight to Bora Bora.  This is an island that is 9 miles in diameter.  It is so secluded and small.  There is truly nothing to do there other than relax on the most beautiful beaches in the world, sip some island drinks, and enjoy the person you came with.  If you do not enjoy your travel partner, you will not like it here, because there are not any other distractions.  Sure there are water sports, but there is no night life, in fact the restaurants, for the most part, shut their lights off at 9:00.  Yes, even if you are sitting in one of their beach front tables with their plates and silverware and a full meal in front of you still.  I guess they figure you can't run off and steal their items because there is NO WHERE to run to!  Anyways, we boarded a TINY plane and landed at their TINY airport.

This is customs.  And the whole airport.  Once, at the airport, you board a boat that takes you to the actual island.  The airport is on a seperate island that houses....well, just the airport.  Here is what you see on the boat ride.  It's telling of the size of the island we will be approaching.

Zach and I splurged on our lodgings while there.  We chose an over water bungalow with a glass bottom floor...it IS our honeymoon after all!!  The glass floor was in the fashion of a table in front our couch.  The top of the table could be completely removed allowing access to reach down and truly touch the fish...or if you're lucky...sharks, swimming under the bungalow.  No, we never saw any swim under us! :)  There was a light that could be flipped on to illuminate the colorful ocean life and we drew them in by feeding them a piece of our bread (equaling $5/slice basically).  Outside our bungalow, on our balcony, there was a ladder that dropped down into the ocean and following a 4 second swim, dropped us off on (basically) our own private beach.  It was accessible to anyone who wanted it, but because of the exclusivity of the island, there was probably a total of 5 people besides us on "our" beachfront at all times.  Max that is. 

Our overwater bungalow!

The rainbow showcasing the picturesque view.



Our "private island" with our bungalow right behind us.

So,  with nothing to do there, what did we do?  Nothing.  We woke up with the sun, but layed in bed letting the breeze open and close our white linen drapes while listening to the sounds of the soft waves gently crashing outside our door.  Fading in and out of sleep, dreaming of what the day would hold.  We woke up, ate a breakfast ... yes we learned from our last experience and went to the island's only grocer to stock up on some yogurt, bread, meat, cheese, and alcohol.  We figured we would do some breakfasts and some lunches in our bungalow.  We'd eat out for all dinners and other meals that we just chose to.  So, our grocery store run for the food items---without the alcohol----$60.  Must be the finest cut (lunch) meat, and the freshest bread baked at the exact moment with foreign flavors, cheese so exotic we were only a handful of people who have had it-right?  NOPE!!  We're talking a grocery collection that would cost $10 at your local store. Oh well.  :)  After breakfast, we generally met our Italian friends who were also on their honeymoon, Ketty and Allesandro.  We met them on the ride to the hotel and became instant buds! 


Ketty and I soaking up the sun




Zach and Alle learning to crack a coconut--harder than it sounds

Cracking the coconuts was fun to watch the guys do.  It was pretty difficult believe it or not.  But, when they go it, it sure felt like a victory!
 One of the days, we took a small boat ride accompanied with ucalale music over to a private island where some of the local Polynesian people prepared us  an authentic meal for lunch.  We attempted to make our own island music as well, and quickly learned we should leave that to the trained! :)


The small boat we rode over in is directly behind the teenage boy.

 



Lunch is being prepared in that shack.

We spent a day snorkeling with manta rays and sharks before doing a scuba diving trip.  We were told when swimming with the rays to take off all jewelry because they are attracted to the shinyness. I left my ring on and because the guide (and Zach) were putting the fish all around me so that I was swarmed by the creatures, I had a whole lot of rays flapping around me.  One of them confused my ring for fish and sure enough---I got BIT by a ray!!  That just doesn't happen!!!  It scratched my nail and scuffed it but didn't hurt me, just frazzled me.  I leapt out of that water as though I just saw a great white shark.  I was done for the day.  :)  The rest of the boat sure thought that was funny. 

We are now avid scuba divers, and we have Bora Bora to thank for that.  I tried it out for the first time here-Zach had done so before- and loved it!  Because of the experience, I decided to get certified--which has led to the endless scuba trips we have taken since then.  

Clear waters of Bora Bora

We also thought we would do something simple....canoe.  HA!  Not that simple in the ocean.  With a storm approaching.  And a wife freaking out about the way down deep that we couldn't see with the possibility of a shark sneaking up on us and tipping our teeny tiny canoe.  So, we ventured out and were having fun, then we noticed the storm clouds coming, and the skies darkening, and darkening, I started mentioning heading back.  Our canoe didn't want to head back though.  It was going against the motion and therefore made it quite challenging.  With that becoming increasingly hard, I started becoming increasingly worried about the possibility of getting stranded out in the middle of the ocean and realizing that when I looked down, I could no longer see the bottom.....that sure does let the mind wander, and not for the better.  Ever see Jaws/?  Luckily, we made it back right before the clouds opened up, and I went into cardiac arrest!  :)


Zach did all the work, my arms started hurting!! ;)

We both like relaxing, but we are much more "go" people.  So in the midst of laying on the beach, we found activities to do.  One day we rented bikes and rode around the whole island, finding little restaurants that we'd want to try later.  We went to Bora Bora's pearl farm, where they are famous for the black pearl.  We toured it and looked in the expensive gift shop at the beautiful black pearl jewelry.

As in any travels, at least for us, one of the best things to do is indulge in the local cuisine.  And if so lucky, join both locals and other travelers.  Like I mentioned, we were pretty much glued at the hip with Ketty and Alle, so we had most meals together.  As I started talking about, one night the 4 of us were eating dinner on the beach when the lights around us went completely out.  We had our full meals still and full glasses of wine.  The restaurant closed down and the employees left, before we even finished up.  It really did help set the mood for this relaxing, low key island though.  We got a laugh out of it.  We had dinners with other honeymooners as well and really met some great people.  We still travel with Ketty and Alle to this day.  In fact, they had their son, Frederico just 1 1/2 months after we had Carter.  We love talking to them and learning their funny phrases that translate wrong for us and vice versa.  In fact, one day we were talking about dinner and what to eat and Alle, in his heavy Italian accent, said..."Uhhh, it's not, uh, my Amburrrger (hamburger)."  We weren't sure what he meant at first, but as he explained "I do not like tea" but I like hamburgers, so it's not my amburrger.  We realized he was saying he didn't like what we were going to order, "It's not his cup of tea".  We sure had/have a blast with them.

Ketty and Alle on the left, our other Italian friends on the right

Lunch time with our faves

Exploring the local food!

  One of our favorites was Bloody Mary's where many celebrities are sure to go when in town.

Zach even got to shake his hips Polynesian style, over and over again as they kept picking him to be their dance partner.

Overall, it was romantic, isolated, relaxing, rewarding in creating new friendships.  It was a vacation worth celebrating!  And that's just what we did.

The only thing we didn't like was leaving.  But it was beautiful on the way out.  However, we had just heard that one of the tiny planes that are the only ways you can get in or out, had just crashed right before our departing.  NOT so comforting to leave on that note....but as you guessed, we were safe and sound. 

Checking out :(

Made so many memories with them!