Shanghai!

Shanghai was such an amazing place. It's so large and there were so many places to go to. It was pretty easy to get lost in too if you didn't know where you were going. I need to back up and tell a pretty entertaining story about my passport and visas while I was heading into Shanghai so I need to start this at the Hong Kong (HK) airport. So I am checking in at the HK airport and I went to the desk for HK airlines so I could check in and get my tickets for my flight. The guy behind the counter looks at my visas for a moment and then looked at my passport. My hair was up at the time with a loose curl in front of my face. I realized after a few moments he was staring at my hair and I asked him if there was a problem. He finally tells me that apparently I don't look like my picture. Ok, I must've had a stupid look on my face or something because he seemed to fidget nervously or something. I was still trying to figure out how I don't look like my picture in the passport. Did I need to give the same mug shot look? I finally out of pure annoyance went to adjust my hair and as I let my hair loose, he suddenly approves me and thanks me. I tied my hair up right then and looked at him. "Wait, you just told me that…" He interrupted my sentence with this answer. "Your hair made you look like the picture when you let it down." I didn't even know how to answer this. It was irritating at the time because it happened 3 more times after that, one in security, one at immigration in Shanghai and the last at the Okura Hotel which I will tell that funny story next. Anyways, I have to say that Hong Kong Airlines was such a nice airline. We got meals and free drinks if we wanted them. On the seats were these touch screen computers where we could watch movies, play games, listen to music, and many other things. It pretty much kept me entertained for the 1.5 hour flight to Pudong airport in Shanghai.

                Ok after getting into shanghai at 1am and going through everything and getting a taxi to the Okura Garden Hotel, I arrive at the hotel safely. Now here comes the odd but funny story of me checking in. I walked into the hotel with my stuff and the guy sitting behind the information desk stares at me like he had never seen a foreigner in his life. I am wondering how that is possible when several Caucasian individuals were just in front of me. I looked over at the empty check in desk and I asked the guy. "I need to check in." He looks at me and simply says that they didn't do check ins this late. I wondered how that could be since my mother had told them that I would be very late. Another woman came out and greeted me by name and checked me in right then. She said to not mind him so I didn't bother. My room at the Okura hotel was incredible and can I say something? THEY GIVE YOU JUST ABOUT EVERYTHING! This hotel puts all American hotels to shame. The room was just amazing and had such an amazing view of Shanghai. I loved my stay there.

My first day in Shanghai was spent museum hopping, going to the people's square, and going to the site of the 2010 Expo. I had such a good time doing all of these in such a short time so I didn't get to stay long enough to write complete detailed things on them or take all the pictures I wanted but I definitely would go back to these places to learn about them when I come back to China someday. I didn't do much else thanks to me spraining my ankle when I got back to the hotel (due to my own clumsiness as always) but it was amazing plus the food was so good!

(Left: Shanghai Museum, Middle: Building at the Expo, Right: Shanghai Urban Planning Museum)

My 2^nd day in Shanghai was spent at the Oriental Pearl Tower which I could rave about for hours. I loved this place. It was so amazing. The view of Shanghai from the top at around 360 meters above the ground was absolutely stunning and I could have so gone back for the rotating restaurant that was at 259 meters or so. The view of Shanghai was just amazing and loved it so much. There are three levels. The top is the space cabin. The middle has the restaurant and sightseeing area and the bottom is its own arcade with a roller coaster inside. The main floor has cafes and a mini mall inside. I love this place and could have at least spent another day. My only note to those who are clausterphobics, you get crowded in an elevator going up but it's a quick elevator ride so don't freak out about it and go visit this place. It's so worth it!

My 3^rd day in Shanghai was spent in bed on board thanks to the ship not telling us that they were moved to a new berth and so I had to walk 2 miles to heavy luggage and bags to the ship after being turned around 6 times which was ridiculous. It was a bit crazy and shame on SAS for not contacting us and telling us where they got moved to and it was stupid for a while. We weren't near any metro stations either so I couldn't really travel that much without always taking a taxi so I didn't bother for the day plus I was pretty sore across my back and legs. Oh but I do have something to say about where our ship is located. We have a spectacular view of this!

Yes the night lights were something to see from our ship and I couldn't say too much more because it was the most amazing thing ever! You had to be there to see the absolute amazing view of what our ship had here in Shanghai and I think Japan will not top this one for sure.

Moving on to the fourth day. I spent it on an FDP going here:

Yes the coca cola factory and I had a good time learning about their bottling process which was very intriguing and fascinating to watch as mainly machines do the work here with about 4000 employees watching and working to insure that everything is taken care of.

My 5^th day in Shanghai I went to the Longhua Temple and the Jade Buddha Temple. We observed people burning incents and praying to the Buddha for good fortune of any sort. It was interesting to see all the artwork in these two temples but I think the picture says more than what I can ever convey so plenty to show.

Longhua Temple

 

Jade Buddha Temple (The reclining Buddha on left is marble. We could not take pictures of the actual Jade Buddhas)

Hong Kong and Macau

So my first day in Hong Kong, I thought it was a pretty hilarious idea to go get lost around the city and actually it ended up being the best thing that I ever did as I hit all the museums in a single day J (GO ME!!) I went to the Hong Kong Museum of Art, the Culture Center, the Science & Tech Museum and history museum. I liked the Science and Tech Museum the best but it was fascinating to wander around, get food and enjoy the sights of Hong Kong for the single day that I was able to spend there so I found myself feeling pretty successful in what I did. I had a lot of food well I tried lots of soups (I honestly don't know why I did but I wanted to try a bunch of soups and it was really good except I forgot to ask the names of the soups but oh well China is in the back of my mind to note that I will be coming back next year or a little later J Still working on the logistics. Lights show in Hong Kong. So spectacular that I forgot to take pictures or video tape it lol. I loved the experience oh and FYI, there is a Disney resort on Lantau island near the airport for those who want a Disney entertainment in another country. J (I wanted to go so badly.)

My second day, I spent a total of two hours in Macau exploring on my FDP before I had to head back so I could catch my flight to Shanghai. It was so much fun and YES IT IS THE CHINESE VERSION OF LAS VEGAS! For example, MGM Grand and the Wynn both have hotels there. Shock! I wish I had actually stayed there and then left to the mainland but there is so much to do there. I wish I could have so spent more time at Macau. It would have been amazing but I went to the Maritime museum and had a good time there learning about the spice trade and Europeans colonizing the entire areas.

Change of plans

Hey everyone!

I have 5 quick things i want to say before i head into Hong Kong.

1. The Vietnam War post is being postponed until Japan.

2. For Dr. Sun: I am not heading to Beijing due to time constraints, changes and finances so i will be in Shanghai for about 5 days total. 2 of the days i will be doing class related trips and the other 3 will be on my own. Email me with suggestions

3. Japan plans have been changed and i will update with a new plan

4. All posts on China will not be put up until Japan

5. All Japan posts will be delayed because of school work.

 

Thats all folks!

Vietnam Day 4 & 5

Day 4:

It was amazing this morning as we went to a disabled school in one of the poorer areas of Ho Chi Minh City. The school had mainly deaf students who were really lively and reciprocated to us so well. It was such an amazing experience to be able to hand them pencils, pens, crayons and other things but the biggest reward was seeing a smile on their faces when you gave them something. The school works with these children and even assists in teaching the parents of how to deal with the children and some sign language so that they can communicate with the children better. I loved being able to play catch with them and just see their faces.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Day 5:

Today I went to the Mekong Delta and it was such an amazing experience and the food was so good (minus the coconut juice. sorry everyone, I normally don't like coconuts and I got a stomach ache from it)

We stopped at the markets on our way there and saw so much fruits, vegetables, chicken, meat, fish and tons of rice of all different types. Just an amazing sight to see so much food being sold in the area. J

(Above: These were how many types of rice? O.O Can you count them? Below: Eel it is! Good eating tonight! Ha ha!)

After the market we went on a boat across the delta and then rode on a horse carriage down the streets then went on several other boats and just for the record, I wore the hat! Proof!

We stopped at several places along the way and I enjoyed the time trying so many fruits and foods until I couldn't eat anymore! I loved the experience.

I had amazing tea with honey and Kumquat fruit which made it taste like apple cider along with other fruits.

 (Top: Pinapple, Jack Fruit (top left), Grapefruit (Top right), Mango(bottom left), Dragonfruit(bottom right) )

Yeah I ate this guy down here with vegetables, rice mixed with squid and shrimp, prawns, chicken and noodles plus soup.

 

FYI: The Vietnam War Piece will be up in a couple of days. Thanks and sorry about the delay!

Vietnam Day 2 & 3: Please Read the bottom for side announcements

Day 2 consisted of shopping and therefore I didn't take any pictures. I was having a good time and really enjoyed every moment of my time just walking about the city and enjoying the sights. Today I got up early to do my service visit at a government sponsored school in district 7 of Ho Chi Minh City or Saigon as most people still fondly remember it as. The school is for handicapped children and the ages range from 3 to 18 that are in this school. They were such an amazing set of children. Some of them had a lot of energy and one broke my card from around the key ring so my card is broken at one of the corners. I was a little surprised because I thought he was actually going to pull the camera bag from around my neck not the card. It was good to be able to interact with the children and play games as well as dance with them. One of the children, she was around 8 or 9 years old and she jumped on me and clung to my body. She wanted me to carry her but she was at least 85 pounds so I couldn't exactly carry her so I had to get her off of me. It was so much fun though but it ended so soon. I was glad to have had a great time though.

 

 

 

 

 

I went to the Notre Dame Cathedral which was a little bit north of city hall that I also took pictures of.

(Above: the City hall, Below: Notre Dame Catherdal)

FYI: I am not writing about Day 1 because it was all about the Vietnam War and I am still working on the whole thing. It might take me awhile so expect it to possibly not make it until the night before I get to China. J Miss everyone! BYE BYE!!

Singapore and some side notes

Sorry, but my relfection piece from Nassau to Cochin unfortunately will not get done because school is going to be crazy so it will not get posted so I will just do a huge piece at the end. I forgot to put the map and the flag up previously for you all for Singapore! So late as can be, here was everything I didn't put up prior coming here

Singapore was absolutely amazing from the subways to the history and all the rich culture within. You can seriously say that it is a land of immigrants but the religious tolerance there is so phenomenal that you can see a hindu temple straight across from a Christian church. The people themselves were so down to earth. I could so live here! J Singapore is very modernized as a country and to be frankly honest, more modernized than the US in respects to technology, architecture and transport systems. I practically wandered all over town in to areas such as Orchard Street, Chinatown, Little India and just the harbor front which was so amazing. I was pleased to have been able to come here. I loved it here and would love to come back here to eat food. There was nothing better than food here. Oh and FYI to everyone, Starbucks, Pizza Hut, Burger King, McDonalds, and Subway plus Seven Eleven all exist here too but if you want to try some awesome food, you have to go to Little India or China town. Amazing food! I love it! Most of the other ports we went to so far, immigration were done on board the ship. However here in Singapore, we actually had to take our passports with us and keep them around for the day as we traveled and then go through immigration with them later. I bought some really nice clothing here and it's so comfortable! This makes me so excited for Vietnam, China and Japan. Stay tuned for my next piece on the Vietnam War and surprise about my traveling in China J

 

 

Muslim Community

 

Architecture in Singapore J

 

Next up Vietnam!

Thank you for all the comments!!!! J Semester at Sea is an amazing experience and after Vietnam I will post a new thing on China and Japan together just because after China and Japan will be extremely exhausting for me. Love you all! A shout out to my parents and the staff at Aall Care! I miss you all!

India Day 5 and 6

Day 5: Alleppey Backwaters

I spent the day on a 2 hour bus ride that took us to the Alleppey village where we took a ferry for two hours across the backwaters. We saw how many of the people lived and what they did as part of their daily lives. It was mind opening to see how others lived simply compared to how we live in the US.

These were the types of house boats we saw. There were different varieties depending on if the house boats would be used for both homes and for tourist trips to go across the water. It was fascinating to watch.

This was a race boat that some of the villagers had to do the annual race across the backwaters. There were roughly about 34 of them in different shapes and sizes depending on what the families could afford to make but the races are a big deal around august when they happen. It's normally a big festival type event.

This was one of many hindu temples in the area. This temple according to what the guide told me was a Sivite (Shivite) temple.

Day 6: The Ghazal concert

I only did a simple thing on the last day that was to watch the ghazal concert on board the ship. It was a trio of musicians who played music and the middle singer sang songs in Hindu from Urdu poetry that was written from 1300s to present. It was nice to hear the different sounds from the instruments. The Pakistani drums, a guitar and another instrument that i could not get the name of offhand. It was a pleasant experience to be able to be in India and experience it.  

I will be working on a reflection on everything up until this point from leaving Nassau to going to India. I then plan to work on a final one just for the ports from Singapore to Japan after i finish them. the crazy end reflection will come after i get off the ship and am able to process what just happened this semester! I am glad that i am getting so many comments for my blog! thank you!

India Day 4

Today was a simple day in that I took a harbor cruise that took us to see the Chinese nets and other villages that lay on separate islands of Cochin. There was a group of about 10 to 15 of us on a little ferry that spent about 4 hours of our time showing us what the normal person lives on daily and the apartments of the new Cochin. Oh I forgot to mention on the first day that there is an old Cochin and a new Cochin and they are separated by an island that is where our ship is docked. There are a number of other sporadic islands throughout the canal area. The small cruise itself was an eye opener as to the widening gap between the rich and the poor as well as what differences you saw in lifestyles. I learned that India, like the US is going through its troubles of higher than usual unemployment rates and trying to accommodate its market for the average of nearly 12 million workers who prepare to enter the workforce each year. It was a bit interesting to think about everything and put it more into perspective.

(Above) These are the Chinese fishing nets. There were a lot of these spread out in between the islands

Anyways, I hope you are enjoying the blogs! Email me if you have questions!

miranda.denny.s12@semesteratsea.org

India Day 2 and Note about Day 3

Oh my god such good food! It's a bit spicy though and didn't set too well with my stomach. We went to the home of Nalini Verma who teaches Kerala Cuisine in Cochin and other places in India. She is an amazing cook and her food was simply delicious! She showed us a few of the dishes  which included Fish Mappas, Cabbage Thoran and Avial.

This was our main food dish below which consisted of many items. Some of which were the following:

Fish Mappas, Meat Ularthiyathu, Pachadi, Cabbage Thoran, Sambar, Avial, Pulleshery, Masala Potato, Kochi chicken masala, Kerala Mutton Pulao, carrot and mango pickle,Vermicily Payasam and rice

If you want the recipes, email me at miranda.denny.s12@semesteratsea.org

www.keralacuisine.in or email nalini@keralacuisine.in

 

As far as day 3 is concerned, due to exhaustion and illness, I spent the third day in bed sleeping and resting to regain strength for the last three days of craziness in India. I am looking forward to everything coming up.

India Day 1

I woke up super exhausted this morning from getting sick off the food the previous night and immigration took a long time so all the morning trips left really late. I really spent the time resting on board from lack of sleep the last three days until my FDP this afternoon with my art history teacher, Professor Wilkinson. We went to the original palace of the Cochin king and the jewish synagogue in the older part of Cochin and then got to look at the spices in the newer city area.

I could not take pictures in any of these areas because they are still considered very important sights to the locals but the experience of going into the palace and seeing the entire paintings of Krishna, Shiva and Vishnu were just amazing. The walls in some of the rooms were entirely painted with scenes from the Veda texts describing items like the family of Krishna and Rama. I saw vibrant colors along the walls even though some had faded or been destroyed from the Portugese around the 16^th century. The Synagogue was something different. We could not go into the place without our shoes being taken off and we had to leave our bags with the people outside so that we could go in. Inside this synagogue, if you look at the floor, the art on the floor were depictions of nature and buildings which appeared to be Japanese homes which was an odd contrast to all the colors and gold in the room. These tiles were all white with the blue paint what I described. On the ceiling, the items hanging were almost chandelier like, but are made of what I remember him mentioning to be crystal. The way they were made was adopted from the Italians which was completely fascinating. I wish I could take pictures. It was truly amazing to go and just be able to sit in the synagogue and admire the work in the place.

Going to the spice market was an experience in itself because of just how you had to cross the streets and it could be difficult because the cars did not always stop for you. We went to several spice shops and I was just enthralled with how the spices smelled. It was just divine. Different types of cinnamon, cloves, pepper, and numerous other spices. I would love to just buy out that shop but I did not buy anything and I really just want to experience India and learn as much as possible.

Email me with questions!!! miranda.denny.s12@semesteratsea.org J