Back to Banaue

Woke up to loud crowing of roosters, rested and ready for our hike out of Batad. Wrote blog posts from the porch and watched the sun creep down the terraces.

We hiked out single file together with the French, bookended on either end by our respective guides. Our 2.5 hour hike back to our tricycle took us past more villages and terraces. We ascended a particularly good example of the stairs built sideways into the walls of the terraces. The extended blocks serving as steps vanish into the wall when viewed head-on. 

Every 45 minutes we stopped to take in the view and take a water break, which was appreciated in the already-significant morning heat. 

Upon reaching the road, we bid adieu to the French in their waiting tricycle while we hiked along a little further. We came across Bangaan village and terraces, which seemed even more picturesque than those before. 

Graham hopped on top of our tricycle to get a good picture of Aaron and me against Bangaan. I thought our view summed up our adventurous guide and daring driver. 

Last stop on the way back to Banaue was a walk across a suspension bridge leading to town. For some reason Aaron wasn't too enthused about the soundness of the structure. I was too excited because I recognized the floorboards as Marsden matting--steel planks used to quickly prepare airfields in WWII. Also the gaping holes in the planks allow you to conveniently determine how high up you are when crossing the river!

Now we just relax outside in the fresh air before another overnight bus ride back to Manila. Banaue and surrounding towns were a great trip!

Batad Rice Terraces, Luzon

As soon as Aaron and I started out descent to Manila airport, things got interesting. 300 feet off the ground, the pilot suddenly threw the throttle forward and pulled up sharply. We didn't get an explanation until a few confused minutes later: the runway was full and we had to circle around. Once we pulled up to the terminal, we waited another 20 minutes for the previous airplane to pull out of our gate. Combined with the delays in our plane coming to Tacloban to pick us up, we were an hour and a half behind schedule. This should be a good challenge. 

We got to the taxi stand which was understandably back logged due to the evening rush hour. Touts all around us offered four times the going rate, but locals (and we) knew better than to take them up. We befriended a Frenchwoman at the front of the line heading to the same bus terminal bound for Banaue. Skipping a half hour or more of waiting would be critical if we wanted to get out there ourselves. 

The Frenchwoman had her ticket already squared away, but Aaron had for four days been trying to secure a bus trip for us. Ohayami bus didn't have any openings. Florida bus never picked up on any of the four business phones.  So arriving at the terminals, we were simply hoping for any cancellations. 

Though they never responded, Florida was truly fully booked. Their ticket office was closed and a friendly security guard pointed us back towards Ohayami. As we were only 45 minutes from the 10PM departure, it was either Banaue via Ohayami or we would have to change plans to hike Mt. Pinatubo. 

As luck would have it, we grabbed two last tickets at their posted price and were soon on our way in well-padded and reclining though disproportionate seats. The trip would last 14 hours, so we had scarfed a couple hot dogs and pork skewers and bought Chinese apples and an unidenified white fruit at the terminal. It was small and needed peeling like a lychee. The color and texture of the skin and flesh were also same. Differences started when we found six sections that split like an orange, and a flavor like a grapefruit's. The seeds were horrendously bitter and became disguised in the sections, as Aaron and I each found.

Upon our arrival the next morning in Banaue, we secured a return bus to Manila and found a guide and tricycle to get us to the famous rice terraces. 

At an overlook above Banaue, a plaque from the Philippine Institute & American Society of Civil Engineers celebrated the terrace's engineering marvel and estimated their construction at 1000 BC--crazy. 

After this we took the tricycle over to a saddle in the mountains before hiking through forest to Batad, home of the amphitheater-shaped rice terraces on the the money. Might be the $200, don't know because I don't have any. 

As soon as we dropped off our packs, our guide Graham took us on a day hike to the Tappia waterfall across the terraces. The water was chilly but the mist made intricate patterns in the sunlight. While we were resting in the shade--and unbeknownst to us--Graham dove into the spray to save a kid that had been pulled under by the currents. 

After cooling off, we hiked to the highest point in the terraces before cutting back horizontally towards our hotel on the hill. 

 We got back at 3 and ate our well-deserved lunch with San Miguel beer. Relaxed the rest of the afternoon and watched from the veranda as rainstorms blew through. At night after dinner with a pair of French exchange students on spring break from school in Taiwan, we heard drumming and singing down the hill. After a little local rice wine passed around, we turned in early. 

Tacloban, Leyte, Philippines

Made all the connections with Cebu Pacific air, touching down in Tacloban in the late afternoon. Aaron was at the airport to greet me before we took a tricycle (that's a motorcycle with a 1.5-person-wide sidecar, more maneuverable but slower than Indian or Thai autorickshaws or tuk tuks).  

We had enough time that evening to plan the next day over pork adobo and San Miguel's before heading for the local/NGO watering hole run out of a truck. It was the only bar in town after Haiyan/Yolanda and has a special place in everyone's hearts. Fancy looking burgers too. They should open a franchise in Seattle. 

The next morning we picked up another tricycle for a gas-powered tour of Tacloban and environs. Our first stop was a memorial commemorating the return of General MacArthur, thanks to whom US visitors to this day enjoy a friendly welcome in the Philippines. 

From there we checked the work sites and projects of three NGO's involved in the recovery from the hurricane. Aaron has been studying disaster response efforts and he made an excellent tour guide as we discussed everything from stakeholder participation to construction techniques. There was even a "makerspace" for individuals to check out tools from a "tool tree" to help them rebuild. I thoroughly enjoyed stepping into Aaron's role of observing and evaluating efforts after having volunteered multiple times myself with Engineers Without Borders. 

After this it was time to see firsthand the evidence of Yolanda's destructive power multiple ships had been dropped by the storm surge onto housing areas. Chilling. 

We continued slightly further north to the longest bridge in the Philippines, which connects Leyte and Samar islands. Aaron, a civil engineering PhD student was ever excited to show me this. 

Now since we did Aaron's thing, I convinced him to check out the local climbing gym and outdoor store. Our belayer kept us safe in between watching over his two young sons. Climbing barefoot in the heat and humidity definitely increased the challenge! 

 Now off to the airport for Manila via jeep bus. This involves a fun system of passing passengers' fares from one person to the next up the bench seats towards the driver, who makes change in between gear shifts and passes it back along the same chain. 

With a little luck tonight we will be on an overnight bus to Banaue and its beautiful rice terraces. 

Hong Kong Day 1

I started the day off walking the waterfront promenade. They have an outdoor display commemorating bygone glory days of Hong Kong film industry. Big tribute to Bruce Lee among many others.

 

From there I bopped over on the historic Star ferry to Central Hong Kong and immediately into the excellent maritime museum. Three stories of exhibits shed light on ancient ship design, trade, piracy, current shipping practices. I was there when it opened so I practically had the whole place to myself. Had to keep moving though, so much to learn!

By the time I got out it was lunch time. Fortunately Lonely Planet had a suggestion for lunch at Tim Ho Wan, where I made away with two excellent steamed dim sum dishes and pu er tea for less than US$5! The lines out front and crowd inside was testament to its value. Ate elbow to elbow with locals. Dessert was a weird flask of black soy milk, nutty and full bodied without much sweetness. Super good. 

Time to head up to The Peak (Victoria Peak), the highest point overlooking the harbor. This included a fun funicular leading to 6 storeys of stores including a Madame Tussaud's and Bubba Gump Shrimp Co because people will buy anything when it's 428 meters above sea level, apparently. Viewpoint was a little cheesy but the audio guide gave a great overview and history of the surrounding neighborhoods and buildings. Long story short, HSBC building has good fung shui,  China Central not so much. 

I walked off the schlock with a 3.5 km circuit around the peak and learned about native flora and fauna before diving back down into the hubbub of the city. 

As promised, I made it to the Golden Computer center. This was two levels of nice, nonchalant store owners in cramped spaces selling everything from motherboards to keyboards. Fun to browse, especially without a huge amount of pressure to buy. I did end up getting a much better car charger for my phone for way less than in the states. 

Rushed over to pick out a shoebox sized hotel room in the "shady" Chunking Mansion block. That's the one surrounded by all my favorite hashish peddlers and hotel touts  that seem to have followed me from India. Once I got to any upper floor to get away from the peskiness, a hotel owner offered a decent room at a quarter the price of last night's. I couldn't refuse. Inside, the place itself seems like a bunch of reputable budget boxes. They just need to work on their public image a little.

Rushed from there to Brickhouse in Central to meet a friend of a friend plus her friend and her friend's Tinder date. From the Mexican hipster bar in the back alley we went to Sevva, a 25th-floor patio bar next to all the shiny buildings and called it a night. 

Tomorrow I start with a waterfront Tai Chi lesson, move on to temples, and play it by ear from there. 

Leaving Hong Kong

I had a great time here. Everything is super safe, easy to navigate, and in English. The people are friendly enough for such a large metropolis. Also healthy. Despite their delicious and ubiquitous cuisine, I only saw two individuals out of the thousands that could be considered overweight.  Very health- and image-conscious. 

An unbelievable number of public works projects keeps everything ship-shape. Sweepers keep everything impeccable. Cameras almost everywhere. Government messages to stand aside on the subway and on elevators, hold handrails, don't spit, etc. are everywhere, and people follow them. What's more, I coughed a total of 3 times in 2 days and I remember each one because each time I received glances of mixed concern and repulsion. These people don face masks if they have so much as a sore throat.

Also they only look at their mobile phones. 50% of people on the metro, escalators, and as many walking in the streets as well. Thanks to the low crime rate there aren't any repercussions, but their slow pace adds obstacles to quick progress on foot. Also since everyone is openly flaunting the latest 6 plus or Galaxy, my lowly iPhone 5s doesn't get noticed at all when I pull it out to check the map. 

Time to grab breakfast in Hong Kong's amazing airport and its unparalleled food court: congee with century eggs and dried duck, chaa siu bao (bbq pork buns), and pork pastries. Also a flower and sweet chili jelly dessert and grapefruit juice. I was stuffed for my flight! 

Hong Kong Day 2

I started the day off right with tai chi on the waterfront. The old master beckoned for me to join and I overcame my self-consciousness at being the youngest one there. A trio of young tourists joined me immediately after. 

The hour-long lesson started with a routine whose repeating pattern I began to recognize and anticipate. I enjoyed it much more than yoga, which similarly  incorporates breathing into body movement. From tai chi we moved briefly into kung fu (much quicker) and qigong (meditatively slow). We finished by practicing tai chi with silk fans. The loud crack of the deploying fans stood out against the otherwise smooth routine, which was more fun than I expected. 

After tai chi I moved on to get breakfast in Central. On my way to Man Mo temple, I found a midtange cafe serving local breakfast fare. The first set on the menu was macaroni soup with ham strips and imitation abalone, along with two eggs and toast. What seemed to me like the end result of cleaning out one's refrigerator was a menu item that I started noticing more people eat regularly. Decent, mild flavor. The fake abalone was smoky and good. 

Man Mo temple is dedicated to the two gods after which it is named. Situated on Hollywood Road, this is the oldest temple in Hong Kong and served as a community meeting place during British times. It continues to be a relevant location for prayer and fortune telling. Incense coils hang from the ceiling. 

In the afternoon I took the metro over to the Kowloon's Hong Kong Museum of History, which came highly recommended from the tour book. Fantastic exhibits let visitors walk streets of old Hong Kong, rice paddies, Hoklo villages, and junks where the boat people (yes, that's their name) spent their entire lives. A chronological progression from prehistory through reunification with China made an excellent sequence for the exhibits. 

 Sik Sik Yuen Wong Tai Sin temple was next. If I rushed I could make it before it closed at 5:30PM. Fortunately it was immediately upstairs from the metro station and I made it with plenty of time to spare. This complex had more temples and shrines to look at, and many more younger (30's) worshippers. A cool lineup of animal-headed gods stood facing the main temple. 

After I was herded out at closing time, I hopped one more metro stop east to check out the Chi Lin nunnery. Though it was closed, the courtyard outside offered beautiful views of the architecture, bon  sai, and lily ponds agains a backdrop of high rises. Attention to detail and a focus on solid, simple designs reminded me very much of the temples in Japan. 

After the courtyard I made my way to the nearby Nan Lian garden, which was a huge sleeper hit for me. Not getting more than a sentence in my Lonely Planet, the immaculately kept garden included a rock museum, swanky vegetarian restaurant, and Chinese tea house, all of which benefitted the garden and the nunnery. 

I sat down for fantastic, strong Chinese tea--full ceremony, leaf washing, no shoes/cameras, and a remote controlled bird chirp to call the attendant in this very quiet, special tea place. Upon leaving, the sun had set and the lights were on in the garden. Amazing!

From there I hoofed it back to the train station to meet a friend of a friend for claypot dinner and Temple Street market walking. Cool stuff to see, though not particularly expansive. Not an 'everything under the sun' sort of place like Bangkok, just quintessentially Hong Kong. 

From there we headed to the highest bar in Asia, on the 113th storey or so in the tallest building in Hong Kong. They ushered us to the balcony, which was breezy and cold in the overcast weather. We snuck back in and squatted until we got a table among the eclectic, futuristic decor and sipped our watery, expensive drinks until it was time to go. Besides, witching hour comes early for those reliant on the Metro, which stops service at 12:20. 

I bid my new friend farewell in the station. I had a great time exploring the evening life and comparing travel and expat notes. Definitely a memorable experience, and I'll try to continue this on future travels. 

I have to make my way to the airport first thing tomorrow to head to Tacloban, Philippines.

Mariners Club, Kowloon

Arrived, found my way to the buses (no touts or taxis) and took one over the bridge to the mainland north of Hong Kong island. Known for its cheap hotels, Tsim Sha Tsui was my destination. After rounding the block 3 times looking for a hostel I returned to the Mariners Club down a side street. Nothing to do with the Seattle team, everything to do with those in the shipping industry. Though one dude at breakfast had a sweatshirt from the baseball team, I avoided giving a shout-out. 

Only caught a couple glimpses of the city, but the drive in under upward yawning apartment high rises late last night set the mood. Today's itinerary: check out the area's computer market, waterfront promenade before taking the famous star ferry to Hong Kong Island, hike around Victoria Peak, dim sum. Stoked

Heading to Hong Kong

Heading out to Hong Kong today. Just completed my first quarter of grad school, and decided to take an honest spring break trip. 

I'm most excited about the temples, the buildings, and of course the dim sum! It's been a hectic quarter to wrap up so I'm flying by the seat of my pants on research for destinations. Just got the lonely planet this morning, though I don't intend to rely on it. I have a couple friends to try and meet up with as well...fingers crossed. 

Also pretend the blog title says Hong Kong and not Patagonia. I'll change it soon. Welcome back to the blog! I hope you enjoy reading about the next week!