Part 3, btw Fawk Russia! | 23:00 min

Well, it’s finally here! Podcast 3 from Russia. Yvonne and Eddy tell some very funny stories…Victory Day…Chinese Pimps…Used Car Capital…Water Going Everywhere…Bad Restaurants…oh and btw…Fawk Russia!

Download mp3: Ay-Ya Podcast 03 - btw Fawk Russia!

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We arrived in Beijing on Tuesday. (By the way a big, big thanks to the Fabian’s, the Sattler’s, Kurt and Diana for their wonderful hospitality in Vienna - we miss you guys!). We’re done vacationing in Europe now it’s back to traveling. The weather is really hot in Beijing, the temperature has been hovering in the 90’s! We’re staying at a budget hotel in the Chaoyang district. The room is decent, expect for the cockroaches! It’s not so bad they’re only hanging out in the bathroom. You know the saying “You get what you pay for” (about $25 per night). At least our room has air-conditioning.
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The food in Beijing is excellent…and cheap. For example, there’s an excellent dumpling place across the street from our hotel, we paid $1 for 2 dozen dumplings! In most cases our drinks have costed more than our meal. We also ate at a restaurant serving imperial style food (not so cheap). Set menu featuring such dishes as camel hump (tasted like overcooked cow’s tongue - too chewy) and frog’s fat soup (delicious).
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Things that will be difficult to get use to while in China: (Most likely not)

Spitting aka Hacking Loogies - The Chinese spit like there’s no tomorrow. They spit everywhere…they spit while they’re walking, while they’re squatting, while they’re sitting on the bus! - on the floor or out the window…yuck. Spit, Spit, Spit all over the frickin place. Do they have to hack so loud!

Queues - Waiting in line is not an option in China. Start pushing and make your way through. I’ve learned to do what the Roman’s do (in this case the Chinese) start cutting people off and shove my way through.

Snot rockets - The art of pushing down on one nostril while shooting your booger out the other nostril. If I had a dollar for every flying booger I’ve seen I’d be a millionaire. I guess tissue must be scarce.
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Beijing is so chaotic. So many people! There’s so much body contact all the time. The traffic is horrible! - cars, buses, bicycles, pedi-cabs, rickshaws, scooters and motorcycles navigating the streets for that precious inch of space. Despite the constant chaos everyone seems to keep their cool. I’m impressed at the tolerance level of the Chinese. Especially in a big city such as Beijing, over 13 million people and I’ve yet to see a fight or a display of petty anger. Quite the contrast to Seoul, where people do fight because they got cut off or felt their personal space was violated.
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So far we’ve visited Tien’namen square, The Forbidden City, The Temple of Heaven’s park, Ming’s Tomb, and the Summer Palace. (Too much info on these places maybe I’ll talk about them in a podcast). Tomorrow we’ll take a bus over to The Great Wall at Simatai.
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Anyway it’s time to go. By the way internet cafes seem to be pretty hard to come by in Beijing. Apparantly the gov’t isn’t too keen on cyberspace and they get shut down all the time. Today’s internet cafe is located downstairs in the backroom of a pool hall. Tuesday morning we take off for Mongolia, spend a couple of weeks there then come back into China again. We’ll have a brief layover in Beijing then take a train over to Shanghai.

Pictures

Family friends in Beijing who helped us a great deal.

Eddy across from Tian Men Square with Mao’s photo in the background.

Summer Palace through the typical smoggy haze of Beijing.

Typical view of modern Beijing.

An imperial dinner at Beihei Park.

Eddy on the Great Wall at Simatai.

Eddy and Mao at the Wax Museum in Beijing.

Eddy seems to be doing plenty of blogging about Beijing, so I would like to reflect a little on the past. After our great stay with the Fabians, we stayed in the city with our friends Kurt and Diana. Which by the way was the reason we stopped in Austria. To help them celebrate their marriage that happened last year in the Yucatan and celebrated this year in Vienna.

All four of us were ready for a little down time. K & D had L.A. family to take care of for the last week and we needed a break. So the remaining days in Vienna were spent taking strolls around the city and seeing some historic sites then heading off to the farmer’s market to shop for dinner. We wanted to take advantage of their kitchen while we could. Since from that point on we would be able to cook for a while to come. We just made simple things that we missed such as Eddy’s mom’s soy sauce chicken, salad, spanish rice, etc. Then at the end of the week Diana had some time off work Friday afternoon and took us for a nice strolling tour of Vienna. We first stopped off at the Sacher Hotel to try their orignal recipe sacher torte. It wasn’t that great. So if you know of better, skip this expensive experience. Walked to and along the Danube for a bit. Then went home to make Korean BBQ. Not so great, I think we got the wrong cut of meat, too chewy.

On Saturday we got the true Viennese experience before leaving Vienna for Beijing the next day. We woke up and went to the Imperial Spanish riding school, saw the amazing horses practice their struts. Then we were off to the Turkish Farmer’s market, had food at the Lela, then walked around some more before heading back to apartment for our swimming gear. Spent a lazy afternoon laying by the beach off the old Danube on the recreational island. Saw a bunch of horny teenagers, topless girls, and drunk Austrians. It was nice. Finished reading Me Talk Pretty Some Day by David Sedaris. Got a tour of Donau City. Very nice. Walked along the New Danube. (Cutting through Vienna is four Danubes.) Took the subway across town to Tichy, good old ice cream parlor. Yummie! Then we were close to done. But it being our last night we went out to get our last spritzer at a Croatian restaurant. Very nice. Clemens came out to meet up with us. Nice ending to our trip in Austria.

Tempted to move there. They have everything we like to do almost all within the city limits. Windsurfing, good eating, public transportation that works, modern city, old city, culture, diversity (maybe without all the acceptance that would be ideal) and snowboarding a short drive away. Plus I love the cold weather. But maybe after one winter I will change my mind.

Thanks to the Robleto-Sattlers (I hope I got the order right) and the Fabians for a great time in Austria.

Picture

Our host and hostess in Vienna proper, the reason for our fabulous trip to Vienna, Kurt and Diana.

Vienna’s biggest hazzard - dog shit. I can’t tell you how many times I nearly stepped in the stuff. It’s everywhere! On the streets. On the sidewalks. In the Grass. Otherwise Vienna is such a clean city. Hardly any trash laying around. There are recycling bins all over the city. But when it comes to dog shit it’s a fecal obstacle course out there. (I hear it’s worse during the winter - it’s difficult telling the difference between dirty snow and Fido’s poo). I guess the Viennese don’t believe in pooper scoopers or walking around with plastic bags. I don’t get it, it’s okay to recycle but let’s ignore the poo.

So far every European country we’ve traveled through Yvonne and I have heard the sound of “ching chong, ching chong” from some smart ass(es). I’ve made it a point to teach them a little bit of English. So far they’ve learned “Fuck You” or “Fuck Off”. I’m also teaching them sign language, but these people are so bright they already know what the middle finger means. I can’t believe the amount of ignorant people we’ve encountered. I honestly cannot remember the last time I’ve heard “Ching Chong” or any sort of reference to my race back home. I guess if anybody pulls that shit back home, they risk having a gun pointed at them - “What did you say M-F’er!!” Not that I would shoot a gun at anyone, but I’ve been tempted to hurl objects at the Ching Chongers.. As our friend Stacy Smith mentioned that Ching Chong stuff is so old, so 80’s. It’s amazing the countries we have traveled through were once controlled by the Nazi’s. You’d figure these people would have learned something from the past.

We went and left Prague wihout time to blog. It is an extremely small city, at least the main part. We spent two days walking around and saw everything. Even had time to watch Star Wars Episode III. By far the best of the three. Then we went for a microbrew taste testing around the corner from our hostel. It would be better labeled as a drink fest. They gave us 7 full glasses of beer and two liquor shots. I barely skimmed the surface of the beers I got and was totally thrashed. Fo r all those that know me and drinking, it doesn’t take much. HA!

Then we were off on the noon train to Vienna. Where we were met by a confused Martin. Martin, our friend Kurt’s cousin, and Kurt both thought he would have no problem spotting two Asians on a train from Prague. Little did any of realize what a meca for all sorts of tourist Prague is. Half the people that got off the train were Asian. We had never seen Martin before so had no idea who to look for. We walked past him with the friends we had met in the hostel, but he looked so confused that I thought that might be him. So had Eddy approach him to see if it was. Luckily for all of us it was. Navigating the trains right away would of been challenging not to mention trying to find his parents house out in the hilly suburbs of Vienna. He had his brother, Clemens, pick us up at the train station so that we wouldn’t have to walk up the hill with our backpacks. So as you can see so far Vienna has been a vacation from travelling. We’ve been well taken care of by the Fabian family, especially Franz and Maria. We’ve been lead all over and shown the sites between breakfast and lunch. Of which they have supplied plentifully. Anything Kurt and Diana didn’t plan, Franz filled in. He drove us to see sites and then took us for a bike ride to the Danube dam. All the while showing us his childhood sites and where he and Maria met and married. It has been super. Not to mention the heaps of food and drinking. DRINKING! Oh my, this must be the most consecutive days of being drunk in my life!

A short summary of events so far in Vienna will show you that we have been living the life!

Day 1 - summarized briefly above. Once settled at house, Eddy gets his first two shots of Franz’s self made schnapps. Then we are off to meet up with Diana and Kurt for dinner and drinks. Great cheeseburger and a beer. Then off to next bar for some red wine. (We took it easy the first day.)
Day 2 - Woke to huge breakfast spread (Thank you Maria!). Then Franz took us for a driving tour of his area and great view of Vienna. Before going home for lunch, we stop at a heuriger (wine tavern) for an appertif. A glass of white wine. Then home for a fabulous salmon lunch with Franz’s homemade alcoholic apple cider. By now it’s maybe 3 PM. By 5 would be off to K & D’s wedding celebrations. Full buffet spread and endless supply of Sattler wines, red and white. Plus Champagne. Didn’t stop drinking until about 2 AM. (technically day 3)
Day 3 - Started early, but then we woke to another amazing breakfast. Afterwhich we went for the bike ride to build up our appetite for the weinerschitzel lunch that Maria was going to make. Biked to the dam watched the boats move transfer from one side to the other. Bike back but then Franz decide to stop for an appertif at Martin and Regina’s place. They were not home, so her parent’s served us the appertif. And off we went. Let’s just say I had to walk up the hill, drinking, asthma, bike and hill just don’t mix for me. Lunch was great. I passed on the beer. We went around 7 to meet the wedding party at a fancier heuriger for more drinks and food. Spritzer! Wine and bubbly water. Ended the evening in Vienna at Palmenhaus, for more drinks. (BTW for all my SCI-Arc people, guess who I saw there, Karl Chiu!) (No, I did not say hi, I realized it’s been 15 years! what are the chances he would actually remember!)
Day 4 - Off to the Sattler winery. Woke up to same amazing breakfast. Then drove out with Clemens, Franz and Maria to Tadten where the Sattler winery is located. (BTW, you can get their wine at the Wine House in West LA, very good, try the whites or St. Laurent for red.) We ate BBQ and drank all afternoon. Didn’t leave until 8 or so. White wine really is not the drink for me if I want to last through the night. Had an early evening. Poor Maria was the only one awake, luckily she was the one driving.
Day 5 - Off to the Danube wine valley area, Kerms. Nice slow day, walked around the village then went for a boat ride up to Spitz. Only had one or two spritzers. Got home and relaxed while Franz and Maria got ready for their super long biking tour of the lakes by Basil, Switzerland the next day. What a great life. After their packing we had a farewell drink with them. We’re hoping they will join us in South Africa.
Day 6 - REHAB! We’re at long last in Vienna staying with Diana and Kurt. We plan to do very little drinking. Instead we are going to turn into cooks and make dinner for them every night. It’ll probably be one of the last kitchens we’ll have access to and know how to use for quite a while. We went with Diana to the farmer’s market and made our first dinner.
Day 7 - It’s Wednesday and we are now trying to figure tonight’s menu. Friday is set for Korean BBQ. The challenge is to find a butcher who will humor us and give us the right cut of beef. We’ll see…

Pictures

Prague.

The brother’s, Clemens and Martin, with Grandma and sister to mother of groom.

Kurt’s Grandmother.

Eddy and Franz.

Maria on the way to fancy heuriger.

Us and Clemens in back seat on the way to fancy heuriger.

View of Vienna at night.

Drunken subway ride to Palmenhaus.

Clemens and I at the the Palmenhaus.

Franz and Clemens helping with the BBQ lunch at Sattler Winery.

Lunch at winery winds down.

Clemens in lederhosen.

We took a bus ride from Krakow to the small town of Zakopane. It’s a mountain town, similar to Mammoth, skiing in the winter and hiking in the spring/summer. We stayed one night at Zakopane then took a quick bus ride over to Kunize to begin our hike up the Tantry mountains. We first hiked an hour and a half to the mountain retreat called Hali Kondratowej. It’s basically a small wooden cabin situated at the base of the mountains. Since camping is prohibited in the Tatrys’ our only option was to stay at the cabin. The retreat is owned by a friendly old gentleman named Jan and his loyal dog Gala. We dropped off our backpacks into our bunk room and continued our hike up the mountain. The scenery is amazing! Large, open, green fields as we’re slowly beginning our hike up. Tall, skinny pine trees everywhere. A little bit of snow left on the mountains. It felt like the Sound of Music….”The Hills are Alive…yada yada..!!!”…you know very European. Since I’m from California desert terrain, it’s great having a new change of scenery. So we hiked up to a peak called Kopa Kondracka - elevation 2005 meters. We thought it would be fun to hike up to 2005 meters in 2005 Along the top of the ridge borders Poland and Slovakia. So for several meters one can hike in Poland and Slovakia at the same time - no Visa required. Although it’s big trouble if you hike down to Slovakia. We hiked back down to Hali Kondratowej and met our bunk mates for the night, Jrek and Agnes (very nice couple from Warsaw) and a young kid (don’t know name he was kinda shy). After our hike we just lounged around the cabin eating Polish food and drinking Polish Beer and getting to know the couple from Warsaw. We are now back in Zakopane, will take a bus back to Krakow and take the evening train for Prague tonight.

Pictures

The border of Poland and Slovakia via Eddy’s ass.

View at the top of Kopa.

Tatry Mountains.

Janek’s cabin.

Us and our bunk mates.

Janek and Gala.

Today we took a 1 1/2 hour bus ride to Auschwitz from Krakow. Initially we had no intention of seeing the Nazi concentration camps, but our neighbor from home, Al e-mailed us and felt it was an important place for us to visit. We arrived at Auschwitz and it was extremely crowded. 2005 is the 60th anniversary of the liberation so there are many visitors this year. What can I say it was very disturbing. One of the most shocking exhibits was a large pile of human hair, piled so high it looked like a mini landfill. Before execution the Nazi’s would shave off everyones head. The hair was then used to make fabric for Nazi uniforms!! So disgusting….Later we were taken by our tour guide to Birkenbau, the site of the mass cremations and killings….Anyway I could go one but we all know took place here. It’s astonishing that the Nazi’s had built this large infrastruture for such a heinous cause.

My main observation of Auschwitz is the crazy amount of money they must have had to build two such enormous camps and to have slaughtered so many in such a clean and precise fashion. When we went to see the Killing Fields of Cambodia, that was all it was. Fields of ditches where people were battered to death to save bullets for combat. They did not bother building crematoriums and gas chambers. They didn’t have the resources. These two atrosities had almost the same number of murders. Cambodia if I remember correctly actually had more. The Nazi’s even had the technology to reuse the hairs of the women to make cloth for soldier uniforms! Insane! It only takes the insanity of one to kill over a million people. Bush you better watch out, you may be the next one.

Picture

Birkenau.

We’ve just spent three very relaxing days in “the forest” as our host called his home town of Zalesie Gornie, just south of Warsaw. We were able to meet up with Rafal, a friend of Malgosia’s, the day after we arrived. He immediately invited us to stay at the forest, we said no at first because we had already booked another night at the hostel. But after hanging out with him for a little while, we decide to screw the city and head to the forest. It was great! Spent the first day shopping around his little town for food and drinks we would need. As we walked along, he asked if I knew how to make any cakes. Apparently he has quite the sweet tooth, as I later found out from his wife, Agata. The only thing I can remember to make on the run is Nancy’s flan recipe. So we did. It actually turned out fine (believe it or not, Nancy), even though what I thought might have been evaporated milk was more like thick cream. It was all fine. They seemed to like it, it kept getting eaten. I hope it was not out of courtesy. We spent the next day helping with the house, which is a work in progress. A great heavy timber home, similar to a log house made in 1970. (BTW we are camping in our tent in their backyard. Can hear birds all night long. Quite nice.) Next day was Poland’s Child day so their daughters were not required to be a school. The oldest, Anyila, expressed a desired to come with us to visit Warsaw so we took her with us. We had a nice leisurely day walking around. Saw a great art exhibit of Kantor’s work. Had pizza as that was her choice of meal for the day. Unfortunately, I think we were becoming a burden on their very busy lifes, so we decided the following day, today, we should leave the forest for the rest of our travels. So now we are here in Krakow. Will stay for a couple of days then we head to Zakopane and the Tatra mountains. We will hike up and stay in a cabin and spend two days up there. Then we head straight to Prague. The last stretch will find us within 24 hours at the top of Poland and then hopefully in the heart of Czech. See you along the way…

Pictures

House in the forest.

Rafal’s swimming pool.

Kefir in our tent.

Anyila with us in Warsaw.

Leaving the forest.