On the move

Fist days of the year 2012

2012-01-01T15:14:00.003+02:00

Usually the first day of the is the quiet one, this is how the life is in one of the markets in Rizhao today afternoon (January the 1st).

Eye on the meat. Usually it is not a problem to drive the motorbike right to the meat stalls to pick up the best piece of meat.

Sausages hanging in the wind

Selling fish

Some fish sold directly on the street.

Vegetable guy

Local leek & onion pizza shaping up

Another vegetable guy.

Coming from shopping

January 1, 2012. The big holiday in China - Chinese New Year, also called Spring Festival, will be only in 3 weeks time. Then is possible to see something what National Geographic called as the biggest yearly human migration on planet.

Places around Rizhao - Lianyungang

2011-10-04T15:41:00.001+03:00

Mid-Autumn festival has been traditionally important holiday in China, its exact time is determined by lunar calendar. Usually it is somewhere around beginning of October, often the birthday of Communist China (October 1st) and mid-autumn festival overlap and extend the holiday time up to 1.5weeks long.
2011 is the sad year when mid-autumn festival was already on September 12 - way too early to have it combined with PRC birthday celebrations - and giving for the working forces only 1 day off.

For me Mid-Autumn festival gave an opportunity to take a bus 2 hours South from Rizhao to a city called Lianyungang. To see and feel the place in 1.5 days.

Lianyungang (population ~4 million) is a typical fast developing city with hundreds of high-rises being constructed, many blocks of newly completed high-rises standing there with all windows dark, wide straight lined streets connecting these blocks of buildings. In other words a typical new Chinese city looking exactly the same as hundred others.

The city has a small island that is connected nowadays with 8km long causeway. The island is being developed as a top tourist trap (rated: AAAA), but on one corner of it there is still an old fishermen village with all the boats and colourful life.

Restaurant offering fresh poultry for 38, 28 or 20 RMB. Knock off the head yourself.

Harbor, dust created by unloading and the city behind it.

Being alone with all the big reds

Water park never being opened. The sliding tubes are ending against the concrete wall (the blue wall loosing paint), making it impossible to be used for sliding down.

The island is a popular place for wedding shoots

Architecture for European taste, from distance these buildings looked very interesting, beautifully placed on hill side, nice green lush around and at the background higher rocky hill top. Windows pointing towards the harbour & city at the other side of the water. Sadly all of the houses were empty, and by the way paint was pealing off, they had been empty already for few years.

Small fishermen village hidden at one edge of the island.

These big pots are used to boil small shrimp into mass. All the harbour was totted with these kind of coal and wood heated boiling pots.

Unloading

Here we go again... not with this suitcase.

Places in Estonia

2011-08-14T17:59:00.004+03:00

Inside lighthouse (Tallinn Upper Lighthouse)

Lighthouse (Tallinn Upper Lighthouse)

Fountain for the shadows from the other side in the park built in old graveyard. Place where the idea fits with the location 100% (Kopli, Tallinn)

New that looks just fine (Rotermanni, Tallinn)

Old getting new life (Rotermanni, Tallinn)

Farms and dinners with boiled potatoes (Muti, Pärnumaa)

flowers on beach, weed (Topu, near Haapsalu)

Touch of tourists (Tallinn)

Interiors new, old everything (Solaris, Tallinn)

Restaurant with touch (Pärnu)

Faces of Estonia

2011-08-09T17:22:00.003+03:00

Some of the beautiful faces from 2011 2.5 week trip to Estonia

Face Liina and her wedding shoot spot (Tallinn)

Face of flowers (Muti)

Old lady (Haapsalu)

Face Robin under the candy tree (Kaberneeme)

Face Kristjan pumping (near Pärnu)

Face Margus&Jane around the kitchen table(Tallinn)

Face Martin sweat and pain (near Matsalu)

Face Martin and sauna towel (Varbla)

Face bikers in cherry garden (near Matsalu)

Face from an old drawing I had made 2001(drawing Tallinn)

Face Liina, Kristjan, Jane (Tallinn)

Face Jüri and Põltsamaa Kuldne (Tallinn)

Face Dag (somewhere in Estonia)

Back on wheels

2011-05-25T15:26:00.003+03:00

Last year in Shanghai there were moments I really missed bicycling, whenever finishing up in any shop selling bicycles I went for a little test ride on the shop floor. Didn't take the bike out from the shop. Rizhao is a different place - just perfect for getting to the beach on 2 wheels or to work in 20 minutes.

JinShi 747196, around 12 or 20 years old (didn't capture every single detail of the long history, as the previous owner had a rather heavy local dialect)

Actually all the Rizhao streets are not that traditional, it was just a planned act to have photoshoot in the old alleys.

747196 and Tarvi

Beijing - Great Wall from one more angle

2011-04-22T14:09:00.009+03:00

April 1st trip to Beijing to welcome my brother in China. Besides catching up with my brother after 7 months, Beijing offered once again many ways of getting lost (though after each time there are more and more stable points where I can 'put myself back on the map'). Bicycling in Beijing is still the best thing to do, especially if finding the narrowest Hutong streets. And of course going to the next wild hike on the Great Wall. Discovered this thrilling way of hiking last year November, post about it here.

Eager passenger taking his last cigarette before bus is headsing off. Smoking in public places is getting under control, if lucky it is possible even to take a long distance bus trip without smelling smoke not a single time. Still very common to have little cigarette moments in sports halls between sets of badminton, sometimes have to go to happy smokers and point on the non-smoking sign and smile encouragingly into their big confused eyes.

Hiking on the Great Wall. Previous night rain in Beijing had fallen off in mountains (around 1000m high) as a thin layer of snow. 2nd time to touch snow this winter!

Man made landscape, even the highest peaks are carved into tiny terraces, no high plantation. Fresh snow brought out the zebra views.

On the way to the wall, it took some 1.5h walking to actually reach it.

Lonely tree

Sections of wall can be very different, in this place there were only 2-3 wall towers that hadn't survived over the time, the top of the wall was opened to the winds without the classical teeth zig-zag. This wall was built as an exemplary defence section, so called model wall :)

Lunch break

Starbucks on the wall, US-China close cooperation

Beijing TV tower

Part of the TV tower complex

New Beijing

Old Beijing

To the sun of Bohol island, Philippines

2011-03-24T13:14:00.004+02:00

Detours in trip - initial plan had dedicated for Bohol only 1.5 days, finally stayed nearly a week till the end of the holiday. The original idea was to check out if the main sightseeing site Chocolate Hills are edible or not. Were not.

Virgin island, thin island with few trees and a long circular sandbar.

Rest time between the dives, right in front and under the coral reef. Wall diving spot.

Day trip to the centre of island with a goal to taste the Chocolate Hills. On the way met also the mascot of Bohol, tarsier primates.

Typical buses - no windows, people on the roof.

Recruitment processes' last round - the candidates' photo is posted on the town market wall for final enquiry

Once again caught by monsoon, not a nice option if being 70km from hotel on motorbike, evening is getting closer and there is something dodgy with the front light.

Panglao island paradise

The best job in the world - securing the ocean, shot gun resting in lap

Fishermen

Guitar heroes

Philippines people are the happiest folk ever, at the tiny crowded airport gate singing old cover songs.

Fishing, Philippines

2011-03-08T16:37:00.004+02:00

Going fishing on Camiguin. Not a part of the initial plan, but really exciting addition, actually one of the highlights of the trip.

On the trip around the island noticed bunch of fishermen on the beach by the road. They were busy getting the net in, this was a good opportunity to join them in "tourist"-way: while raining made photos from under shelter; while it was again sunny joined for pulling out the net.

Fishing in the rain. The net is dragged with boat in U-shape from one spot of beach to other, when this is done the slow process of pulling it out starts. Here still 1.5 hours to go.

Rounding up the net and making sure nothing will escape

Bubble fish, the main catch this time

One devil fish with horns

The star of this catch.

Bubble fish, some still full of air, others already inflated.

From Manila to volcanoes, Philippines

2011-02-25T12:35:00.005+02:00

When there are 7000 islands to be discovered, there is no desire to get stuck in the capital of Philippines, Manila, for too long. Even though it has an interesting history, Manila used to be the Pearl Of the Orient, until Shanghai or Singapore or Hong Kong started to use this name (one at a time or all at the same time).
Puzzling day and night life with street bars still going full speed at 4 in the morning.

After a brief investigation of the old city Intramuros, Chinatown and evening streets the time was to move towards the volcanoes.

First stop in Cagayan De Oro on Mindanao Island with a purpose to get boat trip to tiny volcano island Camiguin.

Old streets of Manila

Intramuros, the old part of Manila. Manila's unique architecture influenced by early settlers and traders from different corners of the world got a heavy hit during WWII bombings.

In the jungle paradise, the Cagayan De Oro Airport on Mindano Island. Planes lining up in front of the building, so that people can wonder relaxedly to the terminal, which had a baggage conveyor (on the picture) and then already at the other side into the jungle. Not the place for aircons, long walkways and duty free shops.

The Volcano island Camiguin. Somewhere in the clouds the great Hibok-Hibok volcano itself. It didn't reveal itself during the week.

Camiguin is a small island between Mindanao and Bohol islands. To get a circle around the island is about 60km, just suitable for a motorbike trip. Or to be honest full day goes for 35 kilometres and the last 25 will go in dark looking the ray made by the front light. On the way: small fishing villages, a cemetery that sunk into the sea after one of the volcano eruptions, fishermen, hot springs, cold springs, rooster fights if travelling on Sunday... and of course many happy people who all want to say Hello.

Fix the Fixers! All Fixers watch out in Camiguin! Mambajao, the capital of Camiguin.

At the rooster fight. Fighter and its owner, The Sunday rooster fighting.

Getting the cutting blade

The Rooster Fight arena, bets are made, loud shouting...

The fight, inside the cage fighters and a referee, The owners are locked into small cages. The fight itself is rather short, in first rounds roosters jump together and after some jumping fall down from exhaustion. Then referee has to pick both up, get roosters' peaks together and drop them on the ground, this gets roosters active and they jump one or two times and fall down again. Later on referee has to put them together by peaks after every attack jump.

Some fights were quicker, in one fight one of the roosters managed to cut with the blade other rooster's wing and this finished the fight in few seconds.

This rooster didn't win.

As Camiguin island is volcanic island all its beaches are coverd with black sand, with one exception of a small strech of white sand in south corner of the island.
If wanting to get this good experience of blue water and white sand have to take a boat to a small sand bar called White Island, some 10 minutes by a boat.
On the island there is an administrative building (left side on the photo) collecting visiting fee. And then it is possible to walk around, go swimming-snorkelling or watch the mysterious dark Camiguin island with its Hibok-Hibok volcano in clouds.

Leaving the island. The guest house garden had turned into a pool due to monsoon rains. Hopes are high.

Not leaving the island. The monsoon had stopped all boat traffic, only navigation was happening on the streets of island's main town Mambajao. Though still with wheeled vehicles. Locals were mentioning about a typhoon hitting the island in upcoming days.

Three-wheeler cutting the waves.

Floods

Jeepney, Philippines

2011-02-19T05:53:00.005+02:00

Every country is as crazy as the craziest designers/architects/engineers it has. Manila got the mouth wide open seeing the creation of Jeepney - an old US army Jeep cut in 2 and then welded back together with 4-5m extension in the middle, making it look like a long dachshund (taksi) dog on wheels. And after that the body painting, all kind of slogans, and of course at the top of the cabin the name of the beauty in big letters, all of it hand painted - true master pieces!

These Jeepneys are operating in Manila and rest of the Philippines as regular wave down & hop on-off buses. This is not the place to talk about EURO IV, EURO V etc. emission norms for engine, there is a always a big puff of black smoke going up when these boys race of from the traffic light.

First day in Manila the main cultural sightings were Jeepneys, getting us to the street crossings to grasp all of the new type of industrial art.

Looking the map of Philippines, the destination of this trip was almost to the center of the 7000 islands of Philippines.
From Manila flying to Cagayan de Oro on Mindanao Island. From there to volcanic Camiguin Island. When the monsoon was defeated further to Bohol Island, that turned out to be so relaxing that Negros island got taken out from the travel plan.

The glory of learning guitar

2011-01-23T16:28:00.002+02:00

From December 2010 the new passion of learning guitar struck me, though for the moment it seems easier to make photos than actually to get any music out of the instrument.

Perfect placement of candies (in the future: my fingers) to play the perfect song.

Autumn in Beijing

2010-12-19T03:29:00.004+02:00

Re-discovering Beijing again.

Mask show. As for most of the people in modern days Beijing opera would be something way too much, original operas used to be 4+ hours long. Nowadays it is possible to catch the best of all of it during the dinner - Beijing opera, mask changing show, acrobatic show - and at the same time fill yourself with roast duck. This is part of the re-discovering Beijing, had already been in that restaurant and had already seen the show...

... this time got one step further by participating in the show. The same barrel was one moment later spinning around on the legs of this lady, me "happily" sitting inside. Better no photo of it!

Lamp art. Re-discovering 798 Art District, one of the best places to wonder around if not into silk market shopping.

Crystal Chandelier Don't mess with Russia

798 District is an old factory district, some of the old buildings themselves are pieces of art. A workshop shark-fin roof inspired by German Bauhaus style.

The little red book, compulsory reading at one moment of time.

2 men

Modern architecture in Soho. There are at least 3 areas in Beijing where the houses have Soho written on. Seems this is the cool way of calling artistic house complexes. Beijing modern architecture is not always aiming for extreme heights, often keeps it little lower, but the structures and spaces seem to be worked out in more interesting and unique ways.

Re-discovering Sanlitun. Sanlitun is one of the bar areas in Beijing, from previous trips, I had labelled it as a place-not-to-go. The places-not-to-go are actually on the main street, but there are amazing places to be discovered in back corners of Sanlitun. A book cafe called Bookworm.

Re-discovering the Great Wall. The first visit of the Great Wall was to the official sightseeing spots with tickets and cable cars to the wall. This time tested the theory, that the best places to see have no tickets, the theory got proved once again.

There is a small team of people going for a hike on the wall every week, I had the opportunity to join them this time, thank you K>.

In some places it was hand-to-the-dirt climbing

Hiker

and hikers

Hike finished in a very small village, by the road a mill for making corn flour

Villager not believing his eyes.

Mount Tai (TaiShan)

2010-12-11T10:43:00.006+02:00

This year we have been joking that some of the trips could be divided under 2 kinds of themes:

1. The AAAAA Trips. China National Tourism Administration has selected the best tourist destinations in China, the absolute best of them have received AAAAA (5A) ranking. Read more about it from here. Over the almost 2 year time I have finished up in quite some of them.

2. Other trip can be called the Chinese Yuan Trips. On the front side of every Chinese Yuan is always smiley Mao, but on the back side there are different landscape or important building views.
100 Yuan has the congress building in Beijing
20 Yuan comes with Yangshuo karst hills motives.
5 Yuan has the top of mount Tai

So by visiting mount Tai would give a good advancement in both theme trips :). If visiting China for first time and there are only 2 weeks to see all of it, this place for sure shouldn't make it to the list of places to visit, but as currently my home is just 3-7h bus trip from Tai, then it is definitely a must.

Mount Tai is one of the 5 holy hill tops in China. In past the emperors were making their pilgrim to this mountain, the saying goes that if mountain didn't let the emperor on top of it, then he is not the man for the job.
Today Mount Tai is 5A tourist location with about 10 million people visiting each year. The main front stairway is full of different famous rocks with wise sayings engraved in them. On the way there are different gates to pass: Midway Gate to Heaven, South Gate to Heaven, Archway to Immortality, etc. On top are the spots for watching sunrise, restaurants and some mountain hotels.

Sunrise, the reason for millions to climb the mountain.

Passage gate on the back side of the mountain

Same passage

On the way up. We had decided to climb the whole way up and down. Each direction took 4 hours of hard core stair climbing. For the people not in their pilgrimage, cable cars can make the whole trip, including sightseeing at the top, in 2 hours.

Sunset on top of the mountain

Waiting for the sunrise 1

Waiting for the sunrise 2

Waiting for the sunrise 3

Rabbit waiting for the sunrise. On this morning the sun rose unfortunately into the clouds

Gate keeper preparing his tea

In the cloud one pancake is being made, we can say that this is made by using the cloud technology.

Temple walls

Rizhao - street life investigation

2010-12-01T17:18:00.002+02:00

Child terror in one of the compounds.

Actually Rizhao is also one of these new cities in China with all the high rises (though 50% empty). But for capturing the real life the old streets with market life are the places to stroll around. Man after shopping.

Some barbecued meat maybe? Dog paws

Guilin - Walk in the Park

2010-11-06T05:18:00.005+02:00

When September is about to end, almost all the China goes on holiday mode. Starting from 28 September with continuous holiday events. The big celebration starts on 1st of October, when China celebrates its National Day. The following week goes with firecrackers waking you at 6 in the morning, masses travelling, big dinners, etc.

In 2009 October holiday (to be precise, actually 1 week earlier) was for legendary horse trekking in Langmusi

2010 the plan was to trick the holiday masses once again by going for holiday just at the moment when most people were returning from their holidays.
Just a short (2,5h) Rizhao-Qingdao bus trip and a short (~2h) flight Qingdao-Hangzhou and another short flight (~2h) Hangzhou-Guilin. Total door-to-door traveling time ~11h and the holiday could start.

Guilin (Guangxi province) somewhere far South in China is the midpoint for 2 places to visit:
Longsheng rice terraces - fields engineered on the sides of mountains
Yangshuo karst hills

Local lady from the minority group sharing a bus with us, later on we actually stayed our first night in her house.

Longsheng terraces in fog.

Life is still very traditional, no high rising houses, many houses near village can be reached only by foot on small tracks.

Food, not served yet

Soon to be harvested

Morning fog

Not for everybody! Dog being prepared, burning of the last fur. Other dogs waiting their destiny in cages.
Market in Yangshuo town

Karst hills and rice fields

Lady walking her watercows

... or more like swimming them

One-eye, this model is still in production and very popular. With a nicely noisy and polluting 2-stroke engine.

Bamboo rafting. Most Chinese tourist groups come only for this attraction, not bothering to get to know the actual country life in this gorgeous corner of China.
This gave us actually an opportunity to get to see the place very undisturbed.

River scene with karst hills

Infrastructure scene with karst hills

Cannot wait to get exploring again....

Confucius rise and fall

2010-10-03T06:53:00.002+03:00

Now it is the time to get to know everything in and around Rizhao. Qufu town (3h by bus) is the place where the thinker and philosopher Confucius lived few thousand years ago.
Most of Confucius wisdom is nowadays an important part of Chinese people' daily life (or at least it is good to refer to it), also most of Mao's doctrine was built on the same principles, even though Mao was against Confucius philosophy and tried to wipe it out during the Cultural Revolution.

Qufu is a rather small town, with its main tourist attractions - Confucius tomb, Confucius mansion, Confucius temple and the square shape city wall - freshly re-built /renovated. The other places inside the city wall still enjoy traditional lifestyle.

The graveyard, though the Confucius tomb itself is a busy place, all the rest of it is quiet with no hordes of tourist.
For some reason Chinese burial procedure tradition has been hidden - till now I have seen only Tibetan sky burial and some big tombs of emperors (Terracotta warriors) - but no real overview of Han Chinese traditions. This cemetery, still in use for Confucius family members, brings some light.

Small roof statues in cemetery

Big trees, something not that usual.

Street life, brothels

... and crickets sold right next to human flesh

West wall of Qufu, the brothels area

Some wise words on the wall in Confucius mansion, or maybe just "Littering prohibited"

RiZhao - home town nr 2

2010-09-19T14:52:00.003+03:00

... after Shanghai.
If putting things on a timeline, then RiZhao became my home town already in July, 3 weeks before making the trip back to Estonia.
Though, the weeks in July and first week of August my home was a hotel. The hunt for an apartment started only after returning from Estonia. The long way of looking so-called fully furnished apartments (1 bed, 1 TV (usually enormous), 1 table) to finally finding a place that looked like a place to live, was not the shortest.
The contract negotiations even longer, but unfortunately Rizhao landlords like to make their (and of course mine) lives hard.
Finally on 9th of September managed to move into the new place.
Place is good:
- the main crossing of the town and only 7-8 min to work, if not getting stuck in traffic jams.
- No problem of early waking, car horns are taking care of this already at 6AM.
- Right down the stairs is a rather good bar, next to it a bar for billiard
- 5 min walk a fair market, at the entrance is a place to get your dog (fur and inner organs already removed)
- 5 min same direction is a local red lantern street.

July 1st, Packing in Shanghai. Finally (2nd week of Sept) all the boxes have arrived from Shanghai. At one moment it seemed already mission impossible, as due to EXPO there are additional rules for packages that transportation companies can carry - no batteries, no liquids, no powders - not so easy to remember what and where exactly is packed after 2 months and arranging this investigation remotely from Rizhao:)

Shanghai to Rizhao

Rizhao (Sun Shine City), the far one is the beach, closest water stripe is the man made lake for water sports, and the green is botanical garden that seems to be making space for new constructions.
Roads are wide and straight, as typical for newly developed Chinese cities.

Another view from the hotel

Walking on the wall - performance art in the factory

Main reason for relocating to Rizhao is the new factory. Small part of it on the picture. On a clear day the harbour can also be seen.

Back to Estonia 8-20 August

2010-09-05T15:25:00.007+03:00

August was the month of being back to Estonia, something that was not really planned, but as Taivo took this sudden decision (or maybe just a late announcement) of taking Kerli as his wife, I got a good reason to get a reload in cool and hot Estonia.

Overview of the excellent time in Estonia with a short delay - moving back to China, search for apartment but mostly the tricky and blocked internet in hotel made accessing blogspot impossible till today.

As all this flying to Estonia was last minute decision, the most convenient option Finnair was not available with reasonable price. I got a opportunity to try Aeroflot and put my leg first time on ground in Moscow, even though according to plan only for 1h15min.
Photo in Beijing airport, the paper print under the screen is announcing a delay of boarding. Check-in told immediately that making to my connecting flight in Moscow will be impossible, but they can put me in hotel in Moscow for 24h to wait for next flight to Helsinki.

Moscow airport with forest fires, flight delayed, outside +37 degrees, inside no aircons.
Getting to hotel took a bit more time, even though I landed around 5PM, finally I was escorted with special security forces (as I had no Russian visa) to hotel at 1AM

Moscow airport

Forests in fire around Moscow

After the hot and smoky 24h in Moscow, Helsinki felt like homey Estonia.
The August 8 storm getting over Helsinki-Tallinn ferry.

Flying chairs on the ship deck

Viru Hotel and skyscrapers

All beautiful Tallinn from Viru Hotel roof. Never knew that Linnahall was planned to align exactly with Viru Hotel, impressive urban planning.

Kristel on her hunt for roofs of Tallinn

Viru Hotel roof floor was also hosting the special room for KGB agents to monitor and listen what was happening in hotel. Type writer still from that time.

Same type writer

Small roads, something to appreciate after 1,5 years of roads with many levels and neverending traffic jams.

Lakes with Pepsi color water Vanapagana Pühajärv

Potato paintings, the Kristel and GT art, though this particular is not from them.

Somewhere on the road from Türi to Tartu

Kerli&Taivo wedding in Viljandi

Kerli's name flying away

The man and his backbone

Metro Plaza - Tallinn developing, luckily old is also preserved. Nice result.

Modern metropol

Kopli, a place to go for a coffee! Not 3 year ago! :)

Interior of Boheem

Architecture of Kopli

Architecture of Kopli - red house in sunset light

Other interesting discovery - roof top cinema

Roof, cinema, headphones, silence, Madis

Tallinn

Life in Shanghai - spring 2010

2010-07-11T09:32:00.007+03:00

The exciting life of Shanghai. Mostly moments from Spring 2010
Now, after making the move and relocating from Shanghai to Rizhao, it is time to get some of the photos from Shanghai to this blog.

Sunday mass. Perfect place to learn standard Chinese, on streets everybody has its own dialect (Shangainese, Mandarin, etc.), but this guy's Mandarin was just perfect for beginner wannabes like me.

Little girl is taking the best out of Sunday Mass, already has the veil, only groom still missing

Just few weeks before opening the World EXPO, soldiers learning behind the desks how to do a security check to VW Santana.

Stairs

Cigar Ambassador

That must be a place to be, wonder what is happening behind the doors... measuring the size of their... favourite toys?! :)

First warm spring days in ZhongShan Park

Little Jackie Chan getting serious with soap bubbles

Fashion 1

Fashion 2

1000 Islands Lake

2010-07-07T02:20:00.006+03:00

1000 Island Lake (Qiandao Lake) made in 1959. In the process of making some old villages turned into underwater diving destinations and the peaks of hills turned into islands.
There are still some traditional villages nearby the lake. Though the lake was nice and touristy, the old villages were even more interesting to stroll around.

Ming or Qin dynasty pots in the river.

Lunch getting ready

The art of using chopsticks

House and meat storage

Pork drying. When the meat is "ready", it will be washed in the river stream running through the village and to pot it goes.

Close-up of the bone, tasty!

Of course the key attraction of pre-arranged group trips is the lunch and dinner feast with turning round tables, continuous flow of different dishes...

2,2 hours of my life for last 1,5 years...

2010-06-13T11:49:00.005+03:00

... this is about how long it takes almost every day in Shanghai metro to get to work and back. First line 1 to the final stop, then switch to line 5 and that one also to the last stop. Nice an cosy, last year in August it got so hot in the metro, that a new kind of cooling system was introduced (besides the regular air-con) - 200L waste bin with huge piece of ice in the middle of wagon.

Morning greetings. When the EXPO started on May 1st, each metro station exit in Shanghai got 2 soldiers in uniforms and one volunteer to welcome people. One example here.

Volunteer flagging people to take the escalator faster... maybe more efficient solution would be to have faster escalators.

Waiting for the next train.

Volunteer with a sign to encourage in a name of EXPO to let people first out of the train, before rushing in. The irony is that this station is the very first stop of the line and there are no people to come out.

China has a really unique bicycle fashion, last year when arriving here I was really impressed. There are so many ways to make the ultimate mini bicycle that could be packed almost to the size of a walking stick. Mostly because of making it easily transportable by metro... till March 1 2010... from that moment on also compact bicycles in metro got a ban.
This bicycle on the picture is by far the smallest (Photo taken before 1st of March) that can be seen.

Seems the ban has started to take effect: lately haven't seen these super small ones with rubber-belt chain and wheels just little bigger than roller-blade wheels on the streets any more. Luckily there are still some really interesting models around, that would deserve to be shown to Nordic-27gears-mountainbike-style lovers.

Easter in Fujian province, 2

2010-04-23T22:00:00.003+03:00

Tea plantation on the side of the hill. Mountains fading into magic mist.

On last day of tulous we finished up it super touristic viewing platform. The famous 2-finger hello!

Traditions and people still live in these old buildings.

Near Xiamen city, actually inside Xiamen city is a small Gulangyu Island. Hundred years ago it was a western paradise with English newspaper, western community, western architecture, etc. Today it has remained relaxed touristy spot, where is possible to get lost on some very Europe like small old streets.
Cars not allowed on the island, only some electric vehicles. Would be rather interesting to see ambulance without doors racing on the streets, inside doctors doing CPR, etc.

Gulanyu island tunnels for people who don't like climbing hills

Spring rain

Spring, but almost looks like autumn. Gulanyu Island

Easter in Fujian province, 1

2010-04-19T18:30:00.003+03:00

No eggs in this Easter!
Right next to our main door is a big map of China, that is collecting pins in different colour - the red and green are for places seen and been, at this moment 17. White for the places to be, at this moment 6.
This long weekend in Easter went with a goal to switching one of the white pins to green. Destination was neighboring province Fujian, 1000km south from Shanghai.

This region of China is famous for very old fortress-like round buildings made of mud - Tulous. To get there it took some effort, trip started with flight to Xiamen, there to get all the travel team together and head out by bus towards inland small villages, where these mysterious buildings could be spotted.

First look to the inside side of the Tulou. It had to be self sufficient - water supply, food, cattle - during the times when the building was under attack of hostile tribes. Usually one building has 3-5 floors and up to few hundred rooms - lower floor for animals, then storage and upper levels for people.

Night stay in Tulou, all you can dream of... even electricity provided. All this costs more than a cheap hotel.

Getting lost in circular streets inside the house.

Little girl at the door of her house

View from the 4th floor. In the center of this building was a small temple.

View from the 4th floor

The farmer and his machine. Though, the machine got scared, when noticed white people and refused to continue work.

Making sure the strange white human is not getting too close. Water cow

Hao Che - good food.

Older Tulous are square shape, but as people didn't like the dark corners of square buildings, gradually round buildings took over.

This is how big and massive actually these buildings are.

Our host and her small 2 room guesthouse for second night.

More from Tulou trip to Fujian in couple of days.

Mountain tribes in Vietnam (part 4)

2010-03-31T17:25:00.002+03:00

From the holiday triangle river-beach-mountain, the mountain needed still to be done. From Muine only 160km and 5 hours of hardcore pothole road is small town called Dalat. This was the goal and from there to get into small villages in mountains.

Crazy house in Dalat.

It is actually a hotel, but people rarely stay there.

View from the top of the Crazy house

One of the waterfalls near Dalat. When driving towards the fall, we thought of going for a swim, but unfortunately the civilization had arrived before us, and the garbage had taken the pole position. Though, the waterfall itself was nice.

French man Hugo, we met in Dalat, on his journey around the World. He should now be already in Australia.

Falling water

Local cat posing for the camera

Little passenger waiting for a bus

Lake Lak in mountains, around 6o'clock in the morning. Lak lake was the last stop before heading back to Saigon to catch the flight to Shanghai. The lake used to inhabit crocodiles, then the civilization arrived, and all crocodiles turned into purses.

... elephants are still there... for trips across the lake.

Lake lake area felt authentic, even though at the background there is a elephant transporting tourists, the village lived traditional life.

Small river and children. This is the place were children still are able to go swimming without lifeguards and safety nets...

One white skin in the water

Family by the house

Petrol station

Saigon, land price must be really high.

On the road again.

Happy Easter! Next trip is the Easter trip in 2 days, this time having a look around places not too far from Shanghai. Plan is to make it to Fujian province, 1000km south from Shanghai.

To the beach in Muine in Vietnam (part 3)

2010-03-30T17:50:00.002+03:00

10 hours of bus seat with a short stop over in Saigon and the murky Mekong Delta turned into crystal water beaches of Muine.

Morning on the beach, small part of the shade at that night. Night on the beach, even though Muine is a 10km beach stretch with hundreds of hotels and resorts, sometimes even this is not enough, especially if arriving to the beach on Chinese New Year holiday at 1 AM.
...can happen when spontaneous traveling inspires!
But once again got proven the truth that: the best things in life are for free!

Real estate still available, looks like dream place to live under palm trees

First of the basket boat series. These funny boats were used for net fishing near the beach. Might be this shape prevents the boat dipping over in coastal breaking waves

Muine fishing village

Basket boat in daily use

Basket boats 3

The red dirt from Australia. Felt also like Australia - hot, cloudless, red and no single car or motorbike on the road (usually not to common for Vietnam)

Amazing White Sand Dunes half a day trip from Muine by motorbike

Sand

4 different kinds of environment:
In front looks Australia, dry "bushland"
Beauty of lake
White sand dunes
Far back bigger mountains (didn't make it there)

Sunset

Cham tower ruins on the hill by the ocean

I have always wanted to have a small Estonian flag or a small blue-black-white cloth tag. Each time when making back to Estonia I have thought of getting them, and each time I have forgot to get it. Should make a short trip to Bangkok, last year I saw Estonian flags sold over there, closest place to buy it :)
And then to sew it on my rucksack.

This kind of small flag was the reasons why I met 2 Estonians wandering around on the street in Muine, both of them had it sewed on their bags. And by accident I turned to look back, when saw 2 persons passing and saw these small flags.
Came out Külli and Rudolf were on their trip around Asia.
Evening in the small beach bar.

Biking and boating in Vietnam (part 2)

2010-03-25T15:24:00.003+02:00

Fixing time! First in the row of three. Here fixing 3 holes at a time, luckily the tire went flat just few hundred meters from the repair shop. The same day also had to change the back wheel bearing. And week later had one more flat tire, again 3 holes, but then it included few kilometers of pushing the bike under the night sky.
These 3 repairs - 2 times tire and one bearing - cost together 4USD

Dirt road and small villages. Red flags to celebrate the Chinese New Year.

Taking a stop after every now and then to have a Pepsi with ice. Ice most probably made from river water, but still a good drink under the burning hot sun

Khmer temple, didn't see them too many in Vietnam. Even though Cambodia - all about old Khmer buildings - is just at the other side of the border.

Monk by the temple

Lot of tourist make to Mekong Delta for the floating markets. Vietnamese people are extremely early wakers, life is going in full speed already around 6 o'clock, at 9 in the morning the market is already closing. Early morning shopping.

Vegetable boat. From the mast it can be seen what is on the sale. Today carrots, onions, cabbage, potatoes and some other unidentified veggies.

Cabbage boat

Boating on the small channels.

The land price in Vietnam must be rather expensive, many houses were just one window wide but getting sometimes 6-7 floors into sky.

Next post already about beaches.

Motorbiking in Vietnam (part 1)

2010-03-21T15:53:00.003+02:00

When most of China was ready to face the biggest human migration on Earth (this is how National Geographic described Chinese tradition to travel home for Chinese New Year celebrations).
… And when discussions in newspapers were going hot about youngsters and their preference for this year - weather they choose visiting homes and parents or yapping the western culture to find a dark hideout for Valentine ’s Day celebration that was on the same time.
… And when the rest of the world was getting ready for the Vancouver Olympic TV-marathon.
... And this looked just like the right time to head off and see how Vietnam is doing. 1 year and 4 month ago I saw the neighbor Cambodia, travelled some small village roads and at one point made it only 20km from Vietnam border, this time started from inside.

Previously had heard different opinions about Vietnam, some liked but for more people it had been hustle, never ending scamming and no English experience. Maybe my acceptance level has already adjusted to some certain level, as for us it felt like an easy place to go travelling without prearranged tours and tourist guides. Latin alphabet made it even possible to identify street and town names or ordering Vietnamese traditional soup called Pho.

The plan for Vietnam was to travel around, rather than laying on the beach all time. But still to stop by beach for a day or two. And to travel around to see the country like local people do. Vietnam is the country of motorbikes, so we joined the crew on the crazy busy roads.

One week went in Mekong River Delta area. First idea: to go motor biking along the Mekong and then along the Cambodian border for 3 days. And to see the famous and also touristy Mekong River Floating Markets, where local farmers come sell fruits and vegetables with their boats.

I’ll post the photos from Vietnam in separate posts, starting here with photos from the motorbike trip in delta area.

Welcome to Saigon, before getting to the town had to get through this noisy mess to apply for visa. As time passed the most reasonable seemed to read the news paper. Other side of the border guards, inside Vietnam, was also getting crazy, as the magical 24 o'clock - the new year - had almost arrived.

Saigon electricians - good luck! Even though Saigon is a very nice place to be, it is not that famous for museums, remarkable buildings or statues. So looking the electrician made art while having a beer in street bar feels just right.

Being on the road was not that easy, there is a lot happening. During the 3 days on motorbike, saw and almost participated in 6 crashes.

Only one wrong turn and finishing up on Cambodian border. Behind me Cambodia.

People by the road celebrating the New Year Festival, the right thing seemed to do was rooster fighting

Roosters in fight. And this is how they stayed there - two bloody roosters and punch of locals around them.

Arriving to the sea... after the chilly winter in Shanghai

Swimming with local animals.

Hammocks are the nice things in Vietnam. Especially if you may have noticed from previous picture, the sand was not really inviting to put the beach towel on it

In the hammock

Fisherman and his nets

Next pictures from Mekong river discovering in couple of days...

Yunnan - February

2010-03-07T15:12:00.004+02:00

January and February in Shanghai is not really the place of sun and heat, more like rain and odd snow. In other words the place to escape from as far South as possible - to Yunnan province. One of the traditional corners of China with many different minorities, mountains and finally of course a lot warmer weather.

Initial plan Lijiang - Tiger Leaping Gorge - Lugu Lake - Kunming, went through radical modifications and one of the key destinations, Lugu Lake, is waiting for better times and better road conditions.

Rooftops of traditional Lijiang, the home town for Naxi people. The earthquake in 1996 took down the whole town and all these roofs are actually brand new. Unfortunately the restoration turned the town into Disneyland kind of theme-park - each house having a tourist shop or a cafeteria - for sure 15 years ago the shops were selling little different goods. Still it was a very relaxing place to wonder around, taking the first rays of morning sun from a little guesthouse looking over the "old" roofs.

Lijiang

News

Naxi traditional clothes

Naxi people

Yangtze River and terraces near Lijiang

Intruders in kitchen of a Naxi family house in a small village around Lijiang

Drying pig legs.

Naxi house with a inner courtyard.

Tiger Leaping Gorge - 3 days hiking (originally planned 2, but sometimes in remote areas everything cannot be predicted and the trip stretched longer) in mountains along the 30km gorge, somewhere down there Yangtze River making its first meters. After few thousands kilometers and a boosted by all kinds of wastes the same Yangtze will make its way to sea right in Shanghai.

Crazy Australian whose bag, for this trip, was the market bag bought from Prague or Budapest, considering our rucksacks, he really looked like being on the way home from market. Hiked with him for 1,5days.

Mountains and river

Walk on the edge

People in mountains

Waterfall on the way

The reason why our hiking trip stretched a day longer was that boat down there, on the other side. By the time we arrived it had finished operations for this day, next time tomorrow...
nothing else to do, than just to walk 1 hour in darkness to village and find the only guesthouse there.

Waiting for the boat, crossing 2 minutes, waiting for it 18 hours.

Lijiang street life

After the delay in crossing Yangtze, there was unfortunately no time to make it to rather remote Lugu Lake. Instead of this we headed to Dali, in Lonely Planet described as the fading alternative to Lijiang. Cannot really agree - Dali didn't suffer in earthquake, it has preserved more of its traditional inhabitants and looks less like an artificially created museum.

Noodle factory, fresh noodles taken into sun to dry.

Lake near Dali

Shanghai - December 2009

2010-02-11T15:33:00.004+02:00

Most of my trips in Shanghai start in this metro station - offering line 4 or line 1. And of course with one of the interesting job positions - this lady is encouraging (read: screaming) people to move faster on the moving escalator.

On the old streets again - my favorite place to stroll around in Shanghai. Chicken business, the guy can Sell, Kill and Clean a chicken... all this in matter of seconds.

Another chicken down

Street fellow

Lunch time smoke with a news update. Don't know about this newspaper, but seems the main English Newspaper in Shanghai wants to wash every single brain into EXPO2010 blue color.

Cosy bar in Taikang Street

New old streets for me, the market in Jewish Quarter. Crickets on sail - popular pets for Chinese men

Only few white people make to these streets, managed to get one on the picture

Young Artist and the art

Selling umbrellas and sharpening knifes

Old bicycle

Still hanging...

Even though old houses are more often on my pictures of Shanghai, the daily reality looks more like this... endless forest of cranes

Huaihai Street in Christmas madness

Moganshan 2

2010-01-01T05:29:00.003+02:00

Moganshan is the liberal artist area in Shanghai, built in old factory area. It consists of countless number of art galleries, graffiti on walls and couple of cafeterias

Lady biker

Pinhole camera and photos made with it, H-Space gallery

Buckets in space in H-Space

Buckets

10 bottles of wine, tomato, lasagna, coldrex - perfect fridge. Not the exhibit in the gallery but a daily diet.

Shy artist

Shanghai - November 2009

2009-12-14T17:02:00.003+02:00

New corners of Shanghai, it is always so easy to find some so bizarre places here. For example at some moment people in Shanghai got excited about England and made a very own London in suburbs of Shanghai, place is called Thames Town, same aswell could have been called Ghost Town. Life there is very clean and lifeless, or at other times finishing up on streets where live chickens are sold and to be killed in front of your eyes and get cleaned from feathers in less that a minute... voila, ready for the cooking pot at home. All nice and "sterile": the neck gets cracked in black bucket, slightly bloody from outside, you can see nothing only bucket will be shaking and jumping for a moment or two.

The place where nobody lives, but seems every weds dreams of getting their picture taken. Got the same feeling as in summer in Qhingdao, some massive wedding factory working here. Thames town in Shanghai

Only permanent inhabitants - plastic bears

Thames town - finally Fish&Chips! Or not, just a facade, the house is actually empty, even not a single piece of furniture in there.
All the real estate is on sail, waiting for new owners, already for some years. Would be kind of interesting to live in the place where having only facades of shops and eateries and only neighbors are plastic bears.

Another couple, another bear, another facade.

"Looka-looka, Buy 3 get a free ride!"
Near my home

The price of real estate is rising as fast as the new houses are being built, something to think about...

Who don't know yet, this blue guy is Haibo and it is the symbol of World EXPO2010 in Shanghai. The ones who are in China might have noticed, it is very hard to find a spot where there is no blue guy... daily cover story in news paper, news, walls of buildings, fences, parks, in my swimming pool... And of course they come usually with some good slogans... like this one.

Summer is gone

2009-11-13T20:21:00.003+02:00

Shanghai streets 2 weeks ago. Macho guy walking around with the cute teddy bear hanging on the belt. Seems last week the summer ended in Shanghai, over a night switched from shorts and t-shirt to autumn jacket, got even an idea of switching to winter jacket.

Kitty on the door

Old streets of Shanghai - October

2009-11-08T16:36:00.004+02:00

Drying clothes above the street

... and from the windows

Shikumen architecture

Everybody needs their daily dose of rice... also ducks.

New buildings making their way

Kitchen opened directly to the street

60 years of Communism in China

2009-10-24T05:00:00.004+03:00

During the first week of October China celebrated 60 years of communism, obviously this is bigger than anything else. The streets of every city in China had started to get red already in August - different statues with big 60, red flags, red Chinese flags, red Soviet Union flags (with hook and sledge hammer). The big culmination was 1st of October with a parade in Beijing lasting for 14hours.

So we did the crazy move and decided to visit Beijing during the celebration week. For future if you are planning to visit Beijing and especially interested of these famous must-see places Forbidden City, Summer Palace and pagodas, then definitely 1st week of October is not the time to go there.
In the Forbidden City fighting with the crowds didn't leave much time to see and visit actually the buildings. Well, that was not a problem, as I had seen enough of traditional Chinese architecture.

At the same time traditional old Hutong streets were very perfect to be discovered by bicycle.

Rehearsal for the big day, Shanghai

Shanghai-Beijing night train

9 million bicycles in Beijing

Fruits on the stick

National Theater

National Theater

Bird's Nest in the Olympic Area

Inside of Bird's Nest

Pan Gu

and Bird's Nest in the grass

China Wall in Mutianyu section

Rows of mountains

The Wall

This is how close I got to the Beijing Roast Duck this time. Even though it was just 11:30 in the morning the restaurant was so packed with people, and queue was 45minute just to get a seat.

Sunset in Summer Palace

Sunset

Streets in red

Street musician

In China it is a symbol of status to own a car, not everybody can do it, often it is years of saving to get one. And then to get a registration plate on the car costs around 4000EUR in Shanghai. And then all other kind of possible taxes. So finally when the owner can drive the long awaited vehicle he might get very excited when expressing the love.

The backside of the loved one

When Boeing has a hangover

Shanghai through new eyes

2009-10-24T04:32:00.005+03:00

Shanghais is one big city, even after 9 month of living here it is still so easy to discover places so different. Moganshan Street had been in the list of place to go already for long, finally we made it there with Kristel and GT.
This area is the place to go, if the interests towards art, especially modern art, are a bit deeper than the photos with silhouette of Shanghai and its TV-tower or EXPO2010 Haibo-art from commercial pedestrian streets.

Life still rolling in its old traditional routes, old man in the park

Every cup has its own place

Butterfly Bay

Getting closer to Moganshan street. Graffiti is not that common in China, most probably it is very serious crime and as there are everywhere very watchful eyes, it is seen rather rarely.

Moganshan art in gallery

Act on the door

Moganshan art in gallery

Hiking 2009 - Terracotta warriors

2009-10-17T05:09:00.003+03:00

My favorite breakfast - fruits and yogurt. When having it in non-home locations some of the ingredients can sometimes broaden the horizons. This one had oat flakes that I usually don't include to my daily selection, but nothing strange about it. But what popped my eyes wide open was the salad leaf.

Terracotta warriors

In China pomegranate grows already in plastic bag. No wonder plastic bags are so popular here :)

Pottery figures from Han Jingdi Tomb

Xian. Crossroad - delegation of 7 traffic officers - this must be the safest crossroad in the world. This was not any big special crossing, it was not any special celebration day - just a normal day, normal traffic.

Hiking 2009 - Xi'an

2009-10-16T13:19:00.003+03:00

Xi'an was not in the original plan, but after noticing how close we were (only 14h by night train) to this famous location, small modifications to our route were made.

Xi'an is the ancient capital of China, the capital for Han and Qin dynasties. 1976 local farmer discovered by accident an army of pottery warriors, known as a Terracotta warriors - around 6000 life size figures lined up to go for battle. Nowadays this city is one of the top touristic destinations of China.

The ancient wall of Xi'an - 14km long - actually not ancient, it has been almost 100% rebuilt as tourist attraction in its original location. Wall fading in Chinese fog-smog.

My very own tap... only I can use it... if I had the key

Getting ready

Backstreets

View from the restaurant window

Cooking food in front of an eating place. Flames bursting out from the fireplace.

Inside the eating place, next to our table fresh dumplings were made

Stolen photo from the photo shoot

Hiking 2009 - Qinghai lake

2009-10-12T14:07:00.004+03:00

Qinghai lake is the largest lake in China, it is salt water lake at 3.2km altitude. We were heading towards the lake not knowing what to expect and wondering if it was worth that long day in bus.
This place was something extraterrestrial, especially considering how crowded usually China is, last 10km were long straight stretch of road with no cars, at one side sand dunes at the other side somewhere far big lake glittering. Nothingness.
Taxi stopped in front of a single roadhouse by the highway and driver told we have arrived. Before we let him go we made sure that this is a place with any sign of life. Behind the road house were mongol tents it was possible to sleep there and only then let the taxi leave.
The friendly people of the place explained that they will make us food but before that we should go to the lake. How far is it, 3km. We noticed 1 house by the lake and started to walk towards it. It came out...

... the house very far left was Qinghai Lake Yachting Club

Shepherd's tent

The lonely yacht club waiting for the day when it is actually allowed to sail on the lake.

Qinghai lake

View to the lake from top of the sand dune, even the yacht club can be seen

Our tracks up and down and one happy face, author GT

Hiking 2009 - Xiahe

2009-10-11T18:31:00.004+03:00

Xiahe (also Labrang) is the second most important town for Tibetan Buddhists after Lhasa. The town hosts Labrang monastery with around 1200 Yellow Hat sect monks.

Sunglasses fashion

To get into Labrang

Temple and Institute of Medicine.

Statue made of yak butter. Monks are making new statues once a year during the Tibetan New Year Celebrations around February.
Nomads are often sacrificing yak butter either melted into candles or just in big chunks.

Prayers making the 3km pilgrim path - Kora - around the monastery.

Sunglasses fashion

Mountain people

Monks shopping

Grass

Traditional printshop in the monastery. Sanskrit print forms.

Cutting a new print form

Gelugpa (yellow hats sect) monks daily studies. Debate, the standing monk who is clapping is asking questions, each question is followed by a loud clap. That garden had many of these small groups of monks and a lot of clapping.

Showing/drawing the location of Norway.

Monk going to midday mass.

Labrang from the top.

Mountain people

Hiking 2009 - Horse Trekking 2nd and 3rd day

2009-10-11T06:42:00.004+03:00

Our guide and his 3 whiff pipe. Smoking one pipe load took less than 1 minute, then filling it up for next round.

Tibetan praying flags on sacred mountain. This was the moment when heavy storm caught us, these black objects are Kristel and GT looking for shade from wind and rain.

In the tent, neighbors visiting. The wooden box in the middle contains ingredients for making sampa (traditional sweet food). On the left is the pile of dry yak dung used for heating the oven. Left side of the tent was kitchen and working area and right side sleeping and sitting area with mats on the ground. In the evening when eating or later when just enjoying the evening, women always stayed at the left side.

Milking yaks in the morning

Milk, every day after milking the milk will be processed to yogurt, butter and cheese

Our "house" at the right, our hosts actually slept in the small white tent. Toilet with the view was at the right from the white tent, the small black pile, where 2 sheep are eating. Further away neighbors tents.

Books in temple, Langmusi

Tibetan architecture.

Traditional overcoat and the unique sunglasses fashion. Currently there is this fashion of big sunglasses in Western world, compared to the fashion we saw in mountains, Western world has a long way to go...

Streets of Langmusi

Corridor of praying wheels.

Hiking 2009 - Horse Trekking 1st day

2009-10-09T16:08:00.003+03:00

In Langmusi we jumped on horses to head for a 3-day horse trekking over nomad grasslands.
First we settled the riding order in the team. GT had the biggest horse, maybe for this reason it wanted to lead and to be in front. And as my horse started to hit with its back hoofs anyone who happened to be behind, I took the last position in the row. Kristel in the middle, in moments when her horse went wandering she was sometimes in left or right, usually on tracks that where right on the edge of steep cliffs, or somewhere in thick bushes. And our guide was here and there, of course most of the time having a smoke.

First day we walked over grasslands to reach nomad tents, where we would stay for the night, next day to go for a ride to the sacred mountain in the evening back to the tent, last day was for riding back to Langmusi.

And off we went to walk on the most incredible land.

At the beginning horse riding was not that easy, for example crossing rivers when horses were climbing down the steep banks and I had a feeling of splashing head front into the water.
Second day, the buttocks didn't really feel like getting on the saddle, but by then at least our skills had improved so we could fast canter through the heavy rain back to tents.

Taking care of our buttocks.

Getting ready to continue the trip

Around Langmusi

Marmot

Marmot enjoying a fine day under his very own "tree". Actually making sure that I am not dangerously close.

This grassland was called Ocean of Flowers. In front yaks, our destination is far in front, just where the mountain range is starting (maybe 1 hour from the place where the picture was taken).

On top of the mountain range.

Storm coming in

Yak

2nd morning, Tibetan tea and sampa (brown mass in left hand; barley flour, sugar, yak cheese, yak butter, yak milk. All this mixed together with hands that had been riding horses the whole day, sleeping night and having a smoke every 10 minutes, etc. Good way to clean the fingers :) ).
Night had been hard, almost the whole night went with dogs barking and gun shots around the tent. Wolves were attacking sheep, they managed to get one.

Hiking 2009 - Langmusi 2

2009-10-08T14:55:00.002+03:00

Neighbor up the street (or up the sewer) is having fresh meat tonight

Building a new temple

Estonian flag colours

Life at 3000 meters

Hot Springs, for some reason we thought this would be lonely water hole in mountains. But seems this is the most popular place for the local village people, I guess during the cold winter all the village is seeking warmth from here. After a while we were also sharing the bath with everybody, some elder ladies wearing only trousers, some with all clothes.

Building village

The village built around hot springs, 1 hour from Langmusi

Some small village where after a long working day all the women were gathering to have some meeting or just a gathering. Us stopping there caused a rather big sensation.

At one moment all the mothers started to line up their children to get a photo taken. The facial features of mountain people are very different from what is usually present in coastal areas.

Posing for camera

Sanskrit

Tavern in Langmusi, it always has a fire place in the middle with a teapot boiling on it.

Hiking 2009 - Langmusi 1

2009-10-07T18:06:00.003+03:00

The main reason for coming to small Langmusi was to continue the trip on the horse back. But Langmusi itself was a very relaxed mountain village at 3300m from the sea level. 2 Tibetan Buddhist temples and the place where nomadic people come for food shopping.

Main street

Monks, 1/4 of Langmusi inhabitants are monks

Roof decorations on regular house

Tourists spotting locals and locals spotting tourists

Praying wheels, all the wheels have the same pray written in Sanskrit. In the mornings and evenings these are rather frequently used. For worshiping people were also making circles around the holy buildings, always clockwise.

Waiting for the sunset.

With the praying papers

Buddhist making circles around a temple, for keeping track after each round they move one glass helm.

Praying flags on the hill. Some hills (not this) are used for Sky burials, this means that also the body should be taken to the sky. Birds will take care of taking the body parts to the sky.
Two days later we saw hawks circling around one of the hills, it had been a burial day.

Langmusi in the evening

Temple

Streets of Langmusi

Yak dung cakes drying on the wall

Praying wheels

Hiking 2009 - Lanzhou

2009-10-07T09:47:00.005+03:00

Vacation: 2 weeks travel to see Inland China. Lanzhou was the starting point, to meet up with Kristel and GT. Lanzhou it self was just starting point as it is easy to reach by air, no big plans there. But finally it was relatively interesting and kind of wild city with different religions, polluting industry.

The places we wanted to see during the trip: Shanghai-Lanzhou-Langmusi-Xiahe-Qinghai Lake-Zhangye-Shanghai and then Beijing.
Later on Zhangye was replaced with Xian, the ancient capital of China. Since 1976 it got World famous when a local farmer discovered the Army of Terracotta , 6000 full size pottery warriors.

Even though Lanzhou is just in the middle of China , it is still 2000km from Shanghai.

Mountains around Lanzhou, land seems to be very dry and all the flat parts are used for farming.

Muslim district in Lanzhou

Reading newspapers, Lanzhou

Muslim district, waiting for somebody who needs something to be transported somewhere.
This was on the way to the bus station the day before actually taking the bus. It was not possible to buy the tickets beforehand as foreigners need 2 copies of passport for going to Tibetian areas, I hand only copies of my passport. The next morning we were 6.30 in bus station with 2 copies of each passport, then came out that also 2 copies of the visa page are needed. Of course then came the race with taxi around Lanzhou to find a hotel with copy machine, bus station did not offer option of making copies. After a while we were in bus, so that by the sunset time we could already enjoy Langmusi.

How many lines are good?! Lanzhou, in brand new living district.

Night market, Lanzhou. Night markets are not the very best places for people with high requirements for hygiene (Hygiene in European understanding!). But apart from that this is a perfect place to taste local cuisine. During the meal it is possible to stare at the sheep heads you are eating.

Road checks, each time bus driver had to give some papers. Sometimes when Police noticed foreigners in bus, then they had to get out and fill also some papers.

From 60 years old Communist China with a better connection

2009-10-07T04:19:00.004+03:00

Just arrived back from Beijing, last 7 days Peoples Republic of China has been celebrating its 60th birthday.
Now some time to sort through the pictures of last 3 weeks of traveling and publish them here. Thanks brother for the secure connection, finally it is easier to access all those dangerous sites, like my blog etc. :)

Hiking holiday

2009-10-01T07:54:00.002+03:00

Two weeks of amazing hiking in inner parts of China got done.

This is how it went:
Langmusi, a small Tibetian village that was the starting point for horse
trekking trip.

Living with nomadic people in their tent on huge grass meadow. 3600 meters
from sea level.

The town of Xiahe, third of the town is the Labrang monastery. For
Tibetian Buddhists the 2nd holiest place after Lhasa.

Lake of Qinghai. Went there with not too high expectations but turned out
to be a place like from another planet. Place of almost no people! Behind
there the mountains covered with snow, at the left sand desert and dunes
and in front the salt water lake. And there was 1 house on the shore the
Qinghai Yacht Club, though the Chinese government doesn't allow any
sailing activity on the lake. But if it is allowed in one day, then the
club is alread waiting there.

Then we noticed that only 14 hour train trip would take us to the old
capital Xian and the terracotta warriors. Checked out also this crowded
tourist attraction.

Photos from the trip will be available after a short trip to Beijing, to
see how 60 years of Communism in China is being celebrated... and some
technical problems being solved, as it is still very problematic to access
blogspot.com in China.

Seven months of planning

2009-09-10T19:08:00.003+03:00

Pretty much since arriving to China the idea of going to Putuoshan Island had been haunting me. It always looked little too complicated to get there, overnight boat idea sounded tempting, but getting the ticket, finding the wharf and facing the situation that always all the tickets are sold out... Anyway it is all possible, even if the tickets are sold out in the ticket office, then there is always a bunch of agents around the office offering the tickets...
Actually for the events and concerts getting tickets in this way has become one of the favorite options. There are just hundreds of "agents" offering tickets, first price as it is, but when the concert is already about to start, then the prices tend to fall fast. To keep it safe the best way is to hand the money over the fence only after passing through ticket checking and the ticket problem is solved. Though just this week there was a bigger failure with Cats musical, even though the prices came down from 1250 to 750, it still felt way too overpriced.
... and then making to the ship where modest 8 people cabins were promised, finally finishing up in the very bottom of the boat with open area with some 20+ bunk beds, straw mats on them. All worth the trouble.
Island itself turned out to be very nice especially if getting away from the more crowded tourist spots. Chinese tourists don't like to walk that much, so it is not that hard to find rather lonely but very beautiful spots, if willing to go somewhere the small tourist buses don't go.

Doing laundry and washing veggies in the center of the town.

Meal

Coming from work

Monster 1

Monster 2

Temple with no tourist bus stop nearby, not a single other tourist around.

Beautiful swimming spot. No need to worry about sharks, cause there were no security guys running and shouting to get you out from the sea cause there are no protective shark nets. I wonder how many sharks are in so crowded waters!? On one of the more crowded beaches twice my swimming was finished by one of those guys. Maybe the actual reason was that the official swimming beach was charging little entrance fee so obviously everywhere else it is not allowed to touch the water.
And imagine just 10 month ago in Malaysia seeking diving spots to swim together with sharks.... :)

In the temple

Menu in the sea food restaurant directly in front of the guest house.

Restaurant when the main rush hour is already over.

In the lower right corner is the only official swimming beach of the island packed with people standing in the water.

Second set of Wuxi

2009-09-07T18:27:00.004+03:00

This entry is to celebrate 100 posts in this blog. And of course happy birthday Esko!

Fish and flower life. If you want to see all kind of bonds full of colourful fishes then China is the place to visit.

Smoke candles in front of a pagoda.

The Grand Channel. Almost as busy as any other transport route on the land. It is amazing how (over)loaded the boats are, on some of them the main deck was constantly under under water.

Estonianization

2009-08-19T18:27:00.001+03:00

Last three weeks have given the opportunity to memorize how the Estonian language sounded.
It started with 2 Estonian colleagues with the project for factory, one of them also had a wife with him. Went for a dinner and I got an opportunity to taste some of that good Vana Tallinn.
Few days later went to discover with one of the guys YuYuan Gardens and managed to see the traditional local lifestyle even more closer.
Then when returning from a weekend trip to Wuxi I heard some good old Estonian swearing in the train. Of course immediately I went to search for the source of the coarse language and met 4 Estonian guys and a girl who were having a 2 week vacation in China.
And last weekend I got the opportunity to enjoy a dinner and drinks with translator Anneli, hotel manager Kristiina and footballer Andres.

No photos this time.

Weekends around Shanghai: Wuxi

2009-08-16T14:52:00.000+03:00

Sometimes it actually looks very nice during and after rain. Shanghai

Weekend trip to Wuxi, Turtle-Hear Pensisula Scenic Spot. For a moment I had a feeling like being back in Angkor Wat in Cambodia, the feeling lasted only till I tapped the old rocks with my fingers, it all sounded empty. All the statues are set up just few years ago to attract tourists.

Golden teacher for tourists to adore.

Like Angkor Wat, only built just few years ago

Guard of toes

Artificially created tourist town. At 5 PM the tourist town closes down, shops getting closed, people leaving… and the very traditional looking Chinese environment becomes very non-Chinese looking lifeless ghost town.

Where is the toilet?

A real working pagoda

One last candle in pagoda

Wuxi. Rain cleared the view and brought out the nice evening colours.

Lake Tai and its islands. Ghost town and Imitation of Angkor Wat was on the island with a tower.

Shower holes

2009-08-10T18:30:00.000+03:00

June and July – rainy months and August is to be the hot one, this was the initial information. Now, during the first days of August it seems a bit different. June and July were baking with heat, and last 2-3 weeks the rains have brought some coolness – now temperatures are down to ~32 degrees. But it is better to have umbrella always nearby.
This means that during the weekends it is getting important finding these small time windows between showers of rain. Week ago, on one of these moments, it was time to discover the Botanical garden, the destination that had been long time in the list of places to visit and finally, when the spring blossoming had made it far into the history, it was the time to go to check the place out – to see bamboos, magnolias, ferns. Bamboos were cool, magnolias ok and ferns were rather dead. All topped up with some nice bites from mosquitoes.

Street – during the slow moment.

Hardware store

Shanghai Botanical Garden, I lined up with locals to get the best shot. My catch for this time :)

The best for building houses and for food and now also just to enjoy watching it growing. Bamboo.

A plant

Lotus & bird

Gardener

Siesta

1st swim in China

2009-08-03T18:41:00.000+03:00

In the coastal city, like Shanghai is, it took me 7 month to make it to the sea… 600km north from Shanghai, city called QingDao. Of course one of the busy places especially the main beaches, as local people don’t swim that much it was kind of interesting to watch crowds of people standing in the knee-deep water and only few swimming. Anyway I was happy to find small piece of beach for swimming with rather few people a bit further away from shark nets.

Qingdao in sunset. Haze is always covering the far horizon. One old military submarine in museum. When we got excited and made few photos of some military petrol station with huge pillars and golden letters we almost got kicked by a passing lady, as it obviously can be no good if western people are making photos on streets towards petrol station.

How many new weds can you spot? Hard to say if it is like this every Saturday in Qingdao, but on that day there were hundreds of brides and grooms jumping from rock to rock to get the best photo. It left the impression that the most important part of wedding ceremony is actually the photo made in white dress and suite. Wedding clothes pulled just over the daily jeans and sneakers.

Han

3 fellas

Best seafood in town, just time to time a bit tight when buses were making their way by.

Wuzhen - one of the watertowns around Shanghai

2009-07-11T11:01:00.001+03:00

Who wants to spend entrance ticket for going to a town?! Sometimes some towns are actually museums. Not knowing that, instead of looking for a ticket, it fealt more reasonable climbing over a small fence at the shade of late evening to get into the town.
Only some 15 minutes later it came clear when looking for a guesthouse and meeting security guy, how this place operates.
Anyway this museum actually offered also accommodation... of course after getting kicked out by security and getting back in with a ticket.

Relaxed life in the museum, imitation of real town life.

Silk factory for tourists

Silk cocoon, thin threads coming from each cocoon that are floating in water

Silk factory

Streets less crowded, this dosn't really happen on real towns... but in museums everything is possible.

Time for wine

2009-06-24T18:23:00.000+03:00

Red wine, this time

When Barbies rule the world

2009-06-24T18:14:00.000+03:00

One day it will happen! I have seen a shop with 5 floors selling only Barbie dolls and accessories. Including a cafeteria with Barbie burgers.
Never ending pink dream!

Life in plastic

The true masters watching down at the 'puppets'

Life of parents

Pink dream

Hunt for the place to live

2009-06-24T17:44:00.000+03:00

Two last week of May went in a name of apartment hunt. After visiting some 50 different flats, I can be your very own real estate consultant :) This time it was really worth to visit all the different places, as for some strange reason over the time quality of apartment and overall price/quality ratio clearly improved.
There were temptations of selecting a studio style apartment with a big bath in the middle of bedroom in an old traditional Shanghai style house. But maybe having the open space toilet at the corner of the bedroom is not that convenient solution...
There were options of apartments with 3-4 bedrooms, several bathrooms etc. But always was something not matching with expectations... often the very strange understanding of luxurious interior design and furniture... code name 'prosperous style'.

Final selection is 1 bedroom , living room, kitchen solution. Liked it from the moment when stepped in from door. House is very small only 11 floors, I am on 5th (according to numbers on 6th, as number 4 is not a lucky number in China, in my house there is just no 4th floor). Main feature is big corner window with huge windowsill - this is the tea drinking and book reading area.

Dream houses of Shanghai - scratching the sky wherever you look

Shanghai in April

2009-06-17T17:16:00.000+03:00

At this moment the time in China (this week I will celebrate my first half year in China) can be divided the time before trip to Europe and the time after that.
So yes, at the beginning of May I had beautiful 1.5 week spring experience in Europe.
Of course when flying out from Shanghai airport, I managed almost to miss the plane. While putting my luggage on check-in conveyor there was already "Check-in closed" sign blinking on the counter. And this was not all, when handing over my passport the girl was looking the PC for long time and finally said there is no ticket for me. Not very pleasant feeling :)
This is the first time when Credit Card helped me out in big times, as there was still one seat available and I was able to reserve it over the phone! Then I had few minutes to realize that 3 hours of badminton per week are not enough to make me nr. 1 sprinter in airport. This time also 2nd fastest sprinter was allowed on the plane.

Some photos from the time before trip to Europe

Fancy old man

...and old house. Soon the house will make space for new road and new more prosperous building. Red bra reminding the life that used to be here

Local power taking a strong position

2009-06-10T17:57:00.000+03:00

Happy to be able to access my blog again :)
Not that the institutions in China have changed any policy or access rights by unblocked the blogs... just luckily there are always some ways to work around the problems :)

Soon few new photos

Shanghai Zoo

2009-04-28T18:39:00.002+03:00

Who said supervisors have an easy life?!

Shanghai Zoo - after visiting this place it feels like the next natural step is to become animal rights protector.

Back on the bicycle

2009-04-16T17:00:00.003+03:00

SuZhou - another small town near Shanghai gave the true feeling of spring - chance to take a bicycle for a spin.

Bike for a day.

Nature a la SuZhou

Fortification wall. SuZhou used to be important business town on the Grand Canal, there is some piece of fortification wall by the river. If talking about old constructions this is a little change from temples, that are usually the typical old buildings.

Passing the knowledge from father to son. Free day for fishing for males in the family...

... women will be busy also by the water, no fishing only laundry

The fast and the furious on street of SuZhou

Ghost

Old Shanghai

2009-04-06T18:08:00.004+03:00

Shanghai without skyscrapers (of course if not watching too much into the sky)

Eye on the game 1

Eye on the game 2

My house and never resting street.

My house in Urban Planning Exhibition Hall. Looks like a rather green district!

Pudong, Shanghai's business district. The tallest one at right should get ready 2014.

EXPO 2010. This bridge will not be built, if I remember correctly from French designers. Maybe a bit too fragile and romantic, as in reality the river is not that blue and it is full of black and smoky barges.

Hangzhou

2009-04-04T19:36:00.003+03:00

Small 6 million town Hangzhou around 150km from Shanghai.

Temple on top of the hill

Just like another small track in nature... not really. It is some art to find a places green and less crowded.

Two months in China

2009-03-22T14:49:00.003+02:00

Time is rushing, feels flick of a second but already more than one month since the last post. Meanwhile made it to Beijing, two photos taken from there will not make it to this blog. There was not really any time to look around, managed to see 2 meeting rooms, 1 factory, 1 restaurant, 1 hotel room and roads from the car window.

But during the weekends have seen already some places slightly further away from Shanghai. Week ago made it to small town (only 6 million inhabitants) called Hangzhou(about this in next post). One of the top tourist destinations in China.

Dreaming of paradise. Shanghai Aquarium. Even though Shanghai is a city by the sea I have not managed to see it and what I have heard it is not really a sandy beach with palms reaching over the water. ... so what else, back to the aquarium... :)

Zhujiajiao, suburbs of Shanghai. Advertised as Venice of China.

Zhujiajiao. Morning, everything is still calm and still, just few hours later is was a challenging task to navigate on the busy streets.

Zhujiajiao. River navigation

Zhujiajiao. Enjoying a spring day. Still not very warm, but the spring sun is already out.

Zhujiajiao. Leaking tap

Zhujiajiao. Thinker on the tiny chair

Zhujiajiao. Hard work of doing laundry

Zhujiajiao. Laundry. A very common sight, whenever walking on streets there are always underwear hanging somewhere above or right next to you.

Zhujiajiao. News time

Even though Chinese culture is a lot about food and there are so many places to eat outside around the house, time to time it is good to have something at home. The Chinese kitchen is influencing ways of making food at home. Lately most of the food is boiled, more like a soup. Trying more different vegetables. Actually don't know if it is correct to call all these different leaves and mushrooms even vegetables. If I remember correctly this dish was made of 8 or 9 different veggies + shrimps.

Last night of Spring Festival or New Year Celebrations

2009-02-14T16:51:00.004+02:00

9th of February

People around Yuyuan Garden. Small fashion update: few weeks ago when the weather was colder the street sales hit were hats imitating animal heads, like bears, cats etc.Thousands wearing them. Last week and warmer weather brought the glowing horns fashion. Thousands wearing them.

Street near YuYuan Gardens just full of people

Night streets

Happy moments for the children

Screamer in the fog. Actually a man grilling meat on the grill that is built behind his bicycle.

Making sugar batting candy. Again the machine is built on a bicycle.

Last week's fashion

Living in Shanghai

2009-02-08T11:35:00.003+02:00

After 2.5 weeks of life in hotel this week it was time to move into apartment. Apartment offers a bit different bathroom approach, otherwise it is 2 bedroom 1 living room apartment in a 30 floor building, I am on 3rd floor. Well, there is also a second bathroom for the ones who don't fancy glass wall when taking a shower :)

Having a dinner is one important part of Chinese culture. Already ordering procedure is one long ritual. This picture might look like an exhibition in museum, but actually this is the biggest menu I have seen. Instead of a printed menu you can walk in this menu and just point with finger what you would like. Swallow nests, turtle soups, snakes, dog meat and then more regular dishes.

Waitress in the restaurant

Dinner around the rotating glass table

Search for traditions

2009-02-03T16:27:00.003+02:00

Shanghai is rather modern place having double the amount of New York's skyscrapers and almost every day there is a new one popping up. Few places I have managed to catch on picture without a skyscraper on the background.

Yuyuan Gardens. One of the place where locals like to go during the holiday. Decided to have look during the busy Chines New Year time.

Dumplings. Traditional food, and one of the best ones I have tasted.

And the skyscrapers

In Old Town of Qibao in suburbs of Shanghai

Home street for last 2 weeks. One of the few pedestrian areas, also the area where each time I go out there is minimum one happy fella following me with a offer to go check out his bar, massage, beautiful girls and loka-loka (haven't figured out is this is a modification of a word "look-look" or this is a key word for action)
That's a good street just opposite my hotel there is a shop selling a 0.5L bottle of local drink, price is 28 100EUR. Thought of getting a bottle or two :)

Less busy corner of Shanghai

2009-02-01T17:14:00.003+02:00

After being in Shanghai almost for 2 weeks I found a corner in the city that is a bit less busy and more relaxed, and it was just one metro stop from the place I had been living for the whole time...

Somewhere not far from XuHui district. Looked like a place where expats like to cruise around.
The 2 tall buildinga at the back looked rather interesting - similar houses but the right one had all the corners as round as possible, and the left one was opposing with exactly the same architecture but all the corners were made 90 degrees. Work was still in progress, have to wait when they are finished.

Tree lined streets in XuHui

Hieroglyphs. There are some hieroglyphs I can recognize, like "one", "hall", "ox", "human", "man", "big", "small" maybe few more. But non from the picture, luckily there was a translation... :)

XuHui

Happy New Ox Year

2009-01-31T16:51:00.003+02:00

On 26th of February Chines celebrated a New Year. This is the biggest celebration of the year, also called Spring Celebrations.

Fireworks, seems without this there is no New Year. During the week it sounded like there is war going on - explosions, smoke. This picture was taken 4 days after the new year eve for some reason there was a second firework attack happening. It went on for hours and started the next morning exactly at 8 o'clock again.

Exciting, even so exciting that there is no time for pee :)

China, Shanghai

2009-01-30T07:08:00.003+02:00

2nd week in China. As the reason to be in China is work, I might have a bit less time to travel in the far corners of the country.

Man made jungle and a man made fog. Picture from 35th floor in central Shanghai.

Back to the road

2008-12-25T15:46:00.005+02:00

Sorting out the last things from the trip and setting the future plans. I guess now this blog can go on hold for a little while till the travelling bag will be packed again... lets see when it will happen.

Meanwhile happy holidays!!!

The very last pics in this blog from the 2008 trip are from the departure from Bangkok. Beginning of Dec the protesters had closed down the Suvarnabhumi international airport and all air companies had to find creative ways of getting the people out from Thailand.

I got moving only 2 days after my initial flight date, by doing a check in Radisson Hotel lobby in Bangkok and flying out from military airport 3h from Bangkok.

Yippie, my flight is leaving. Check-in in Radisson Hotel lobby

Check-in in hotel, sitting on the ground, hundreds of people and piles of passports.

Day in the parking area of the military airport where some 20 buses full of people were lined up. Hours passed waiting for the flight. Finally after 6 in the evening we got in the plane.

Sunbathing.
Finally it took 11h from check-in till take off, but considering that all the papers were processed manually and airport located 3h from Bangkok it went very smooth. After many hours some passengers started to show up signs of impatience... but all in all these circumstances were really not ordinary and it is not common that military airport has to offer services for big passenger jumbo jets.

Bangkok

2008-12-11T14:35:00.003+02:00

(This post is posted already from Estonia even though you can see the pictures from Cambodia)

Bangkok was meant to be just the hub for flying out, but due to the protests and shut down of the airport my stay there turned out to be few days longer with an opportunity to see some of the city and experience departing via military airport.

The devil boat man

Crazy Khaosan street - my home for a week

Leaving Cambodia - NO

2008-12-11T14:22:00.002+02:00

(This post is posted already from Estonia even though you can see the pictures from Cambodia)

After Angkor temples I was planning to say good bye to Cambodia and enter Thailand. After some 4h taxi drive to Poipet border crossing I went to Thai borderguards to get my Visa on Arrival. Turned out that from this border crossing it was not possible to get it.
After some talking came out that in Battambang (2h by taxi) is Thai consul and I can get the visa there. So it took the taxi, of course in Battambang nobody knew anything about Thai consul.
It started to look I have to visit Phnom Penh for the 3rd time, but before going there decided to look around Battambang for few days.

Boys with snake and crabs near Battambang

Angkor tempels in Cambodia

2008-12-11T13:44:00.003+02:00

(This post is posted already from Estonia even though you can see the pictures from Cambodia)

Angkor temples is the main reason for most tourists to visit Cambodia. Ennormous buildings built between 9th-15th of century. And it is big - kilometers of walls in jungles, hug statues... and many tourists, me among them.

Ta Phrom temple, so called jungle temple as many trees have just grown in & on the temple

Old stones and sea shells

Angkor Wat in the morning

Banteay Samre

Banteay Samre

Pillars of Banteay Samre

Monk on old stones

Apsara dance - the art that was only meant for kings. The movement of hands is very important, each position has specific meaning

Kompong Cham

2008-12-11T13:22:00.003+02:00

(This post is posted already from Estonia even though you can see the pictures from Cambodia)

From Phnom Penh the road took me further to Kompong Cham town where I wanted to rent a dirt bike and travel to mountains for a week. Even though Kompong Cham is one of the big towns of Cambodia, there were no places to rent dirt bikes. So instead of making many kilometers in mountains I decided to look around in villages in Kompong Cham region.

Room for 3 dollars

Nāga

Monks like to decorate their temples as colourful as possible. Often there are statues of different animals, mythological creatures, Buddhas etc. Sometimes it looks like a theme park for children.

Time for food

Buddha

Crashing a wedding in Kompong Cham. Getting married is a hard work. Ceremony last 2 days, from 5 in the morning till late at night, during the time they wear 20+ different sets of clothes.

Boy and his pet

2nd time in Phnom Penh

2008-12-11T13:14:00.003+02:00

(This post is posted already from Estonia even though you can see the pictures from Cambodia)

So I was heading back to Phnom Penh with the idea of switching immediately buses and continuing going north.
But in the bus I got to know that in Phnom Penh is actually happening one of the biggest events of the year - Bonn Om Tuk - annual water festival. So I decided to change my plans and see the big event.

Longboat race on Tonle Sap river

People in Phnom Penh

Festival mood

3 day moto trip around Sihanoukville and Kep in Cambodia

2008-12-11T12:20:00.004+02:00

(This post is posted already from Estonia even though you can see the pictures from Cambodia)

At one moment I got enough of beach life and rented a moto to drive around, it turned out to be a 3 day trip that took me almost to Vietnam border. Lunch on the way. Food stall in a tiny village in the middle of rice fields. I was almost left without food, as my international language - pointing with finger to my belly and then pointing my mouth, were not known signs. The lady smiled and said just no. I think she thought I wanted a menu or something like this. But I was there to have their daily dish - rice, pork sauce, spices - and this of course they had.

Fishing on the rice field. The boy is walking in the channel and had some net and a basket.

Sunset in Kep.

Nāga - the ruler and protector of Mekong river. Nāga turned out to be one of my favorite Khmer architecture elements.

Hotel in Kep - old resort town of Cambodia. During the Khmer Rough times (1975-79) most of the houses got damaged. Today Kep is full of ghost villas with bullet holes in walls, no roofs, no doors, no windows.

Around Phnom Penh and Sihanoukville

2008-11-17T13:39:00.003+02:00

My tour in the the country famous for its temples started getting to know them around Phnom Penh.

Phnom Chisor with a view to the rice fields

I happened to be around when monks had their lunch. The thing what I cannot figure out is that all their food should come from begging. Usually they get plain rice.
But these monks there were having a very luxurious lunch.

First proposal! At Tonle Baty

Small bungalows for rent. Tonle Baty

Sunset dinner
Sihanoukville is the only sea resort in Cambodia. Crowded with western tourists, hard to find a moment when nobody is trying to sell you something.

Private beach. After a 15 minute walk from the busy main beach I finished up in this lovely spot where I managed to be half a day almost alone. Only the security guy from local guesthouse, one boy fishing and me. Perfect spot.

So far I have always valued to get the experience by having a food where also local people have it. So during the lunch time I headed to Sihanoukville main market. Have to admit there is still space for some development, didn't dare to eat there.

Still holding together

Welcome to Cambodia

2008-11-08T15:41:00.003+02:00

Well here Phnom Penh, capital of Cambodia, got me. Definitely it didn't leave me untouched.

For example traffic is really happening everywhere, I think number plates are not really needed in Cambodia. I haven't seen that many Lexus cars anywhere else, often these ones didn't have number plates, but almost always they had "Lexus" written with big shiny letters on both sides of the vehicle.
As the traffic was happening everywhere and in all directions at the same time, I noticed only on the second day that in Cambodia the traffic is back on the "correct" side of the road and the driver is sitting in the "correct" side of the car. Last time I saw traffic in this side was 2007 during the Christmas.

Litter bin made of old tyres, very environmental friendly approach

But not that much litter finishes up in the bin. Just another street in the center of the town.

Petrol station

My tuk-tuk

Kuala Lumpur

2008-11-08T15:22:00.002+02:00

The reason I finished up in the capital of Malaysia was that there was no direct way from Borneo island to Cambodia, even if on the map they are not that far from each other.
One of the so called must do things in Kuala Lumpur is to go on top of the famous Petronas Twin Towers. Actually not even the top of it but somewhere in the middle there is the sky walk bridge. Well, this is what I didn't do.

Actually I even didn't plan to go hanging around there. But finally I am clad that I still went to walk around there in the evening. They looked rather impressive from underneath, though as they are conic they don't look very high (even if they are almost half a kilometer tall)

After almost a month in Borneo island - poorest region of Malaysia - Kuala Lumpur with its toll highways, skyscrapers etc felt a bit too busy... well then I still hadn't any idea about Phonm Penh, capital of Cambodia :)

Memorial sites, skyscrapers, fountains. Not many of them on Borneo island

White in white

Silhouette of Kuala Lumpur

Petronas Twin Towers

Diving town Semporna

2008-11-08T15:02:00.003+02:00

Every day is not a diving day, especially as I got the licence to go diving in Sipadan for the next day.
So I was wondering around in Semporna

On the boat ramp

Family in front of their house.

It was kind of tricky to walk on these streets built on water as at one moment I got all these children following me. We played the came "What is your name?", simple game, they asked my name and then I asked their name. At one moment the noise we were making in the village was getting a bit too loud and anyway I was thinking how to get further on, preferably not taking the children with me. So then I started the game "Good Bye", that included shaking the hand of each child and then saying God Bye in Malaysian. They got so carried on by the game that the next step of the game of going back to their homes came naturally and one by one all of them headed that way :)

Village. All the waste goes directly to the sea. And then all the foreign tourists are paying thousands to go diving in these waters :)

One of the mates around the hostel

Sipadan

2008-10-28T15:03:00.003+02:00

At one moment I reached to the point that there was time to get the open water diving papers, as Sipadan is one of the top 10 dive locations in the World and there are no introduction dive (as in Cairs to The Great Barrier Reef). Last 3 days I have been back behind the school table (1 day of theory and 2 days in the water) to get PADI open water papers. And tomorrow I will have 3 dives around Sipadan island.

Just from around the corner the boats are departing to Sipadan, isn't that view inviting to dive?! :)

Sepilok orang utan sanctuary

2008-10-28T14:51:00.002+02:00

One of the 4 orang utan sanctuaries in the World. The orang utans live in wild but some of them come to the feeding platforms for food.

Mother and son

Besides orang utans there are also some other fellas and actually this time orang utans got kicked out from the feeding platform.

Kota Kinabalu

2008-10-28T14:42:00.003+02:00

"Can I have.... tuna, please" Fishmarket in Kota Kinabalu

Rays. Fishmarket in Kota Kinabalu

Fishmarket in Kota Kinabalu

Life on the Rajang river vol.2

2008-10-21T19:02:00.006+03:00

Getting up the river on the top of the boat. During the 3 hours trip it was rather cool to observe the life on the river and the longhouses by the river.

Lidi fishing, she was rather good - by putting the basket down the stream and then turning around some rocks she managed to be one of the best fishermen of our group.

Killing chicken for dinner, chicken in lower right corner; killer in upper left corner

Iban tribe longhouse

Iban tribe longhouse

Little town called Belaga

Further up the river

Belaga

Miri and view from the hostel window, local night life is not far

Already next destination Mulu National Park, mostly famous for its huge caves, biggest ones in the world - 159km. I managed to visit 5 caves. Also went for so called exploration tour, then spent some 3 hours doing underground climbing and getting to know the life down there (spiders, bats and snakes).

Bats from Deer cave. Going for a food, around 2-3 mil of them

Caves

Caves

Caves

Don't ask the name of this insect, but when it noticed danger - in this case us coming - it rolled itself nicely up

One of my favorite models

The mighty Deer Cave

Not a stick, but stick insect

Mulu National Park

Life on the Rajang river, vol 1

2008-10-16T20:28:00.004+03:00

Finally got the see the life on the river. After 5 hours on Kuching-Sibu boat life started to sound like in Jack London's books, next boat from Sibu to Kapit was full but we were offered a place on the roof of the boat. Beautiful day, so threw myself and the bag there and off we went. During the trip wind blew few items of luggage in the river (luckily not mine) but otherwise the trip was pure fun.

Market day in Kapit, a small town on the bank of Rajang river

Iban longhouse

Fishing

Hyperactive Iban girl, my host's daughter
(I'll post more pics from Iban longhouse in upcoming days)

Arrival to Borneo Island

2008-10-09T08:16:00.004+03:00

Actually Malaysian part of Borneo island.
First stopover in a town called Kuching to listen the ground a bit before heading to the road (well here it is also often "heading to the water"). First place to visit was Bako National Park not far from Kuching - an hour by bus and then 20min by boat.

Next places Kapit with a plan of visiting local tribes living in longhouses (houses built on the river). For getting to Kapit I need to take a fast boat for 5h to Sibu and then swap over to riverboat to Kapit, some 2-4h more.
In Kapit I might need few days, cause it is needed to be invited to longhouse. For this I need to listen around in the town and in local taverns. There is also option of going to longhouse with organised tour, but if possible I'd like to leave this as the last option.

Seems that whenever there is a market around, then I will be around aswell. Pictures from Kuching Sunday market. All the farmers and fishermen are coming to town already Saturday evening to be ready to start the business day already at around 5 in the next morning.

Kuching market

Preparing the fish for sale

Soft drinks in plastic bags. Seems the recycling system in Malaysia is working rather efficiently. For example if getting a Coke, they will pour it to plastic bag with ice and a straw and the can is kept in the store. The bags on the picture are filled with fresh juice.

Dreaming of his very first fish

Arriving to Bako National Park

Proboscis monkey (long nose monkey), Bako National Park

One of the beaches in Bako NP

A viper right next to the place where I stayed

Leaving Bako

Singapore 2

2008-10-09T08:05:00.003+03:00

Life goes round and round and round, but you need to have one stable point in the middle

One more photo from Singapore Art Biennale

Carrots in Little India.

Weighting

Singapore

2008-10-03T23:29:00.003+03:00

First set of pictures from Singapore. I hope in upcoming days I will still find some Internet to put up the rest of the photos.

Old traditions ...

... and modern traditions hand in hand

It is all about the lips, all the rest doesn't really matter :-()

Little India district in Singapore

Canned order

In the temple

One of the tourist traps in Singapore - Sentosa island. Well actually, Singapore itself is one big tourist trap

Sentosa island

Honest deal - you buy one and you will get one. Sometimes you need to make a poster to let people know about it.

Locked away rain

Works from Singapore Art Biennale 1

Works from Singapore Art Biennale 2 - mini plants, the dark side

Works from Singapore Art Biennale 3 - mini plants, the bright side

Works from Singapore Art Biennale 4 - book in the water

Works from Singapore Art Biennale 5 - invasion

Works from Singapore Art Biennale 6 - snails crawling to justice

Coming from work

View from my hostel window in Little India district

Little wonderer in Little India

Darwin, here I come again

2008-10-03T23:22:00.003+03:00

Already second time to be in Darwin.

Waiting for the sunset. Mindil Beach Market

White man playing aboriginal music

And here my posts about Australia came to the end.

Work in Kununurra

2008-09-27T05:57:00.003+03:00

Kimberley region, Western Australia - red, dry and hot

Life through the windscreen

me, machine & mountains

180 degrees - left and middle section already ploughed, right side still to go

Sports in Kununurra

2008-09-01T13:45:00.005+03:00

In small places there is not that much to do. On Wednesdays there is Karaoke night, Friday is just the evening to go out. And that is about it. This is why events like the races, agricultural expo and couple more are very important and everybody will not miss these events.
Lets say that after 2 months all the faces are getting very familiar and I have more and more local people to share a beer or just to say "How is it going, mate"

The big event - Horse Race's Ladies Day

Betting office

Ladies

Besides ladies there were also horses. Notice the smoke at the background

When Friday is getting out of hand.

This is the place I live. And the red glow is the bushfire that was visible from the race course. We were very lucky not to be burnt down. Few kms further down the road one camp site got burnt down

Life around Kununurra

2008-09-01T13:22:00.003+03:00

Mulching down bush. Luckily this work is over, as the day when the tractor didn't break down was a good one. Like being in war - sticks from bush flying around, coming through the fuel tank, front radiator, through the tyres etc. So there she is out there with a flat front tyre.

Lake Argyle - the biggest man made lake in Southern Hemisphere

The Dam of Lake Argyle

Landscape in Kimberley region

One reason why people in Australia actually need 4WD vehicles, yes yes, i know the side walks in Tallinn are soooooo high, that we also just cannot live without 4WD vehicles :) Would be nice to see this crossing during the wet season.

Kununurra

2008-08-01T14:04:00.002+03:00

Boab trees at night around the place I live.

This could be one good reason to have a working 4 wheel drive. As you see from the picture our 4WD didn't have it working :)

UTE dog

Where there are no roads or tracks or nothing...

Big machines

2008-08-01T14:00:00.002+03:00

84 tons of metal. The biggest machine I have ever driven.

Me and the machine Catepillar D10N

Her little sister. After D10 handling this was like playing with a Lego

Darwin

2008-06-25T05:34:00.002+03:00

Jaanipäev sunset it Darwin

So I have asked why there are not that many pictures of me in the blog. Yeah, I have only few pics where I am actually on. So here they are :)
Sunset in Darwin

Australian Zoo near Brisbane.

2 mates in Australian Zoo

Northern Territory

2008-06-25T05:13:00.002+03:00

Some pictures from the 3000km drive from Cairns to Darwin. Crossing the empty land with straight roads and a petrol station in every few hundred kilometers.

Border of Queensland and Northern Territory

Pub in the Three Ways road crossing. Pictures of Road Train drivers over the years.

A tool for marking cattle (this is only my guess). You know heating it up and then burning the sign on cow's skin

Swimming in hot water creek (small river). There was also signes that freshwater crocodiles live in the area, but still it was one excellent experience.

Rodeo in Pine Creek. This was no show for tourists, this was the true race where Northern Territory was selecting the best cowboy for Australian Championship

49 years old cowboy. When he fell besides his hat also his boots came off.

Yeah, I have loads of pictures of different fallings and how they got ran over by bulls or horses

... and down he is

Magnetic termites always align their homes according to the sun.

Termites

The Great Barrier Reef

2008-06-25T05:04:00.002+03:00

This is how the reef looks: 30km from the coast, these lighter spots are the reefs about half a meter under water (depends if it is high or low tide). At the far back is the outer edge of the reef where the waves are breaking.

Our home for 2 days

Topics 1

Topics 2

Tropics 3

Tropics 4 - different plants tightly together

Airlie beach & Townsville

2008-06-12T13:10:00.003+03:00

Self portrait

'Jätka liikumist Tee' :) No we are not lost... just looking the way to & from coal mines

Whitsundays islands in the rain

Townsville

By some strange reason we finished up in Townsville Reef HQ cafe entering from backdoor and from there we somehow got in to aquarium... :)

Heeee drive in bottleshop, only in Australia! You know getting out of car is not so easy :)

Town of 1770

2008-06-12T13:03:00.003+03:00

Isn't it a cool name for a town?! :)

Small crabs in Town of 1770

And the small balls they like to make around their home holes

Australian Zoo

2008-06-03T07:29:00.004+03:00

Few pics from Australian Zoo.

Koala 1

Koala 2, this one in action = looking around.

Wombat and his house