macau.

After being in Hong Kong, I expected Macau to be something similar. Maybe even a little more. It is about an hour ferry ride from Hong Kong Island. Sometimes I wish the subways, airplanes, and ferries were all transparent, because it don't think we realize the ways and means of which we travel. I can take the subway to Hong Kong Island. And island. I don't know anything about how that works but I imagine myself being shot through a hollow tube at high speeds under water. Can you imagine the reality of it? Or flying? We are in a chamber, MILES above the Earth's surface where the temperatures are well below freezing at high speeds. But we go about our business, reading, watching movies and the like, only to hear the deadened hum of the violent torrents from which it came.

So to get to Macau, I have to be shot through a tube underwater to get to an island, from which I then ride a boat out on a turbulant and bottomless ocean before I get to Macau. The ferry to Macau was pleasant, a bit rough but I found the undulation of the ocean relaxing. The other passengers didn't seem to think so. To my surprise a good many had motion sickness. So periodically, you could hear the coughing, spitting, and dry heaves (now and then hearing the contents hitting the bag) of some very miserable seafarers.

The first thing I noticed is that everything is written in at least Chinese and Portuguese. I was rather relieved to be able to recognize an alphabet and read it. The second thing I realized is that not everyone speaks Portuguese. I believe the more educated people can, because I sat through Mass that was conducted in Portuguese. The Portuguese were the first Europeans to "setup shop" in China, so I was under the impression that there would be beautiful European architecture everywhere. I was dropped of in a very run down part of town. It was a residential area by the docks and it reeked of petrol and fish. The map that I was provided wasn't a detailed map, leaving out road names, and I was forced to go by intuition. But if I had to do anything before I left, I had to go see the Ruinas de Sao Paulo--the Ruins of Saint Paul. One of the oldest churches in Macau, it was burned to the ground and only the facade remains.

I walked through the narrowing streets for a while, taking my time. The streets started to become speckled with stones instead of pavement. I was coming up an inclined street when I came upon pastel painted apartments, clearly not of Chinese design. And in the void, where the apartments and street met, there was a stone structure. It looked like a building with no walls. I continued to walk toward it and what unfolded before me was what I was looking for, As Ruinas de Sao Paulo!

It was the only church that I visited that wasn't painted in pastels. St. Anthony's and St. Lawerence Church were both painted in pastels. Inside was adorned with Spanish tile of intricate designs on the floor and ceiling. All to be contrasted with dark-stained pews and altar. Every once and a while, among the tattered buildings, you with find a little piece of Europe. Government buildings and churches all of Portuguese architecture. But they are all spread out. But where the Ruins of Sao Paulo were, the streets and buildings were all European-esque. Adjacent to the Ruins are a museum and a fortress so I was able to do much more than I expected without traveling too far. I also stumbled upon the Real Senado. It was well-kept, with its cobblestone streets and pastel buildings. There were doing some renovation to some of the old governments buildings so I couldn't see the Senado in all its glory.

I wish I could go back and do more. I didn't get to see the other islands that are a part of Macau because I was pressed for time and money. But I don't have any regrets. I did want I set out to do, and that was see the Ruins of Sao Paulo. And though I usually don't have set plans, I like it like that. Because the best thing about not knowing where you are going next is that all roads lead there.

china.

I originally planned to make a runnnig blog of my travels but because of the fact that the Chinese government blocked my blog site, I was unable to write about my accounts until now.

For the past two and a half weeks, I have been exploring China. I started in Dalian, and via Beijing, Nanjing, Shanghai, and Xi'an, I finally arrived here, in Hong Kong. There really is an art to travel. And it isn't something that comes naturally. Its takes a couple of uncomfortable trips, stupid mistakes, and losing money to really learn how to be a skilled, smart traveler. I, just like any, have made such mistakes. And my motto in preparation for this trip as been semper preparatus: always prepared. But I think I was overly prepared. I was too prepared. I was preparing for everything but the plague, it seemed like. What I should have done, was to prepare for the most likely mishaps. But then again, one could argue that anything could really happen.

China is different, this is for sure. The one thing I have been thinking about is if courtesy is a cultural characteristic rathar than a innately human characteristic. Because the Chinese have not, by my definition of courtesy, been very courteous. It is by all means every-man-for-himself mentality. I say this from my experiences in mainland China. But I don't know. I don't know if it is simply that they aren't courteous or they don't know any better. I can only hypothesize that maybe it was due to the communist regime. Living in a society where hard work isn't merited by some sort of reward, such as increase pay or a better job suited for your wants and needs, it seems understandable that the masses do things to be one step ahead of everyone else. If the government doesnt recognize the hard work and sacrifice, you have to find other means to get ahead. It it seems to have seeped into their very etiquette towards each other.

I think I have most enjoyed Beijing, Shanghai, and now, Hong Kong. They are major cities in China and has a long history of interactions with the rest of the world. Nanjing was interesting because of the Nanjing Massacre Museum. If anyone doesn't know about it, I highly recommend you read about it. It doesn't receive enough recogition, I feel. The museum tells of the accounts of the Japanese occupation in 1937. They did absolutely atrocious acts against humanity through their brutality toward the Chinese. In the past, far removed from now, Japan has had a history of aggression on mainland Asia. Walking through the museum, it was heart wrenching for me because they were brutal and on a personal level, I feel that Korea and China share many of the same pain and sorrow caused by Japan. Thankfully the Japanese are not like that whatsoever but what it did start was a silent resentment that has been carried through the generations. Even now, I hear about blind prejudice against the Japanese from those who were never alive to witness what happened.

Hong Kong has a different feel than mainland China. I had the opportunity to take the famous Peak tram up to the top of a mountain and see a breathtaking site of Hong Kong. Hong Kong Island reminds me of Manhattan while Kowloon is Brooklyn. It is as multicultural as New York City with all races walking the streets. Hong Kong is a tropical island city like Hawaii with beautiful flora and green covered mountains. It has a romantic side to it, which I like. When I was in China, I didn't feel that any of the cities had a romantic feel to it. Shanghai could but doesn't compare with Hong Kong because Hong Kong has that organic beauty.

I hope to see what Macau is like. It shouldn't be too long now before I take the ferry there. I've always wanted to go to Macau because I told myself it will be the closest thing to Portugal I'll get for a long time.

travel jitters.

Tomorrow I'll leave for China. But in the mean time, I'm here in Atlanta with family friends. So I've had a good deal of time to think about what is going to happen. Besides the total euphoria I get about the fact I'll be exploring an ancient civilization, I also think about international hostility such as nuclear testing and imprisoned American journalists in North Korea, a brewing coup in Iran, terrorism, disappearing and hijacked planes. They are awful thoughts, I know, and certainly not something one wants to think about when you are about to be on a 13 hour flight. What about that movie "Taken" where the naive American tourists are abducted and then sold in an underground sex market. Fiction has be to be inspired by truth, right? I haven't had travel jitters like these when I traveled in the past because before, I went to western Europe. I was safe in a first-world country. Then again, in the movie "Taken" the Americans are in Paris...

When I go on trips I try not to have a list of things to do. It's such an arduous process trying to complete a "to do" list. There is no joy in that. It shouldn't be burdensome. Besides, there is no worse disappoint than not completing what you set out to do. I try to let the place and culture reveal itself to me. Walk around a city or town and let yourself discover things. It's amazing what you will find, or what will find you, if you let yourself get lost a little. Of course there are things I would like to see, such as the Shaolin Temple, Chin Woo School, and the Forbidden City, but this is not all of China. They are famous structures and things we associate when we think of China but it is definitely more than that. I hope to discover things that foreigners do not often do, something that hasn't been watered down by tourism. I hope to walk the road less traveled.

bienvenue en louisiaine.

I have been spending time in Louisiana to catch up with family and friends before I depart for China. The last time I was in Louisiana was last Thanksgiving. I usually average about 3 trips a year since 9 hours of driving is not very conducive to my time, wallet, and energy. I haven't lived in LA for the past 7 years and so when I visit, its always refreshing. I always reacquaint with my love for Louisiana though I never appreciated it when I lived there. To truly appreciate Louisiana, you have to know her history. I say this because I didn't start loving Louisiana until I understood where she came from. Louisiana is one of the most unique places in the US and it has a culture entirely its own.

You first have to realize that Louisiana is old. it was first explored by Europeans in the 16th century. That's 600 years ago. I can't fathom 150 years much less 600 years. I suppose you can argue that most of the New England areas are comparable in age. What makes Louisiana different is this: She has influences from the French, Spanish, English, Native Americans, and Africans and has retained those roots through culture and language. Lets take language--Besides English, There are three dialects of French spoken in Louisiana, most notably, Cajun French; Louisiana Creole French, Cajun English, and even Louisiana-Canarian Spanish spoken by Isleños. And then their is food--Cajun food which was influenced by the European French speakers (Acadians) and Creole which was heavily influenced by the Spanish and African peoples as well as French. My favorite dish would have to be gumbo. And if anyone knows how to make a great bowl of gumbo, they know the secret is in the roux. And roux can take hours to make but its well worth it. I call it a labor of love. And you can't be impatient when making roux. I usually try to make it when I know I have no plans for the rest of the day. I play some music to get my spirits high, maybe drink some wine, and I stir the flour into the oil and let it shimmer until its as dark as the Atchafalaya River.

Nothing is more laced with life, love, and pain than Cajun music. If there is anyone who knows about the hardship of life, it would be the Acadians. Exiled from Canada by the British if they refused to pay allegiance to the British crown, they finally settled in Louisiana to live without prejudice. Their music is of melancholy and deliverance, pain and joy. And you hear their life story in their music. It is not surprising that this all sounds like a history lesson. Like I said, to appreciate Louisiana, you have to know where she came from. I feel like I do. I love Louisiana because I feel like I understand her. Despite her firey heat and her tumultuous weather, I still come back. The is something about her; she has mystery. You can see it when you watch the sun set over the cypress as the peat moss waves in the wind. You can see it when you see the reflection of the moon in the bayou with the sounds of frogs and crickets in the background. She dances her own dance, walks her own walk, talks her own talk, and I wouldn't have it any other way.

Wisdom.

Again, lost in moments of contemplation. I tend to write when it is raining. Especially rainstorms at night. Nothing seems to stimulate my thinking than the rhythm of falling rain and the rumbling thunder. Moments and images run through my head; old dreams and new hopes; people, places, experiences--all through a glance from my mind's eye.

I have been enjoying my summer so far. Interesting conversations with a variety of people as well as moving through those quirky moments Life tends to place in our path. When you go through your life, whether pleasant or unpleasant, you really can't ask for anything more than Experience. Our innocence is lost but wisdom gained.

So I've been to a couple of weddings. It is interesting that I am at a stage of life where my friends are getting married. Wow. Interesting where life takes us and who we end up with. When you go to weddings, reality really hits you in the face. This is real, this is actually happening. These individuals that you know so well are making a huge leap of the unknown. Its so eerie yet so perfect.

mind. heart. and everything in between.

"Love ceases to be a demon only when it ceases to be a god"

-Denis de Rougemont

I can't seem to get any sleep tonight because for one, my pillows are in the dryer, and I have so many thoughts buzzing around in my head. I have been recently thinking about how we tend to unknowingly entangle ourselves in emotional bondage. This can manifest itself as hanging on to someone's word or some hope stemming from a far-fetched reality. We become slaves to these false hopes and promises, compromising our good judgment on the improbable possibility or impossible probability. It can be devastating for sentient creatures such as ourselves. Longing, unmet expectations, pining, false hope--all these are descriptions of when our emotions go terribly wrong. I do believe emotions comes from something pure and good inside us, but when we live solely for our emotions is when it grows sour and perverse. When we exalt emotions above all else it drives us to do the most unreasonable things (think crimes of passion). It puts into perspective the shear power of our emotions. A mere crush grows into liking, into Eros, into infatuation, into dangerous obsession.

Our mental processes are a balancing act between reason and emotion, between the mind and the heart. It begs the question, "When the mind and heart agree can man truly can be happy? or at peace?" And I am sure we can agree, moments when our minds and hearts agree are far and few between. Too much reason makes you animatronic, dull, stoic; on the other hand, too much emotion makes you impulsive and reckless. It is really impossible to quantify how much reason and how much emotion we should utilize in our everyday lives. And to undergo such a task is ridiculous. So I think a sound, balanced mind can be better obtained by this simple maxim: "All things in moderation." For it is a fine line between a sound mind and total oblivion.

of things to come.

This summer I have one thing on my mind: China. Well, also finding a job (among other things) but mostly China. In the end of June I'll embark on my journey to the Far East. I'm actually going to visit my father who has been working there for quite some time now. I don't know why I never thought about visiting him before but I hope this will be one of many visits to see him. Besides, it will contribute to my pursuit to fill every page of my passport.

Usually when I travel, I don't plan where and what I want to do. I leave it to chance, I suppose. At the very least I want to taste the food and meet the people. But for this trip I would like to visit the Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture (연변 조선족 자치주/延邊朝鮮族自治州). The people that live in this area are ethnically Korean but live in China and speak both Korean and Chinese. I'm curious to see how these Koreans differ in dialect, food, and culture compared to the Korean culture that I am familiar with. There is no doubt that there will be a strong influence of Chinese culture and I'd like to see how this causes deviations in its Korean culture in this "Third Korea."

Something that I have noticed about myself is that though I enjoy traveling, I tend to get cold feet; I get nervous about leaving what I know. And I feel this is proof of how terribly conformed I can be with my life. But it only pushes me to want to see the world more. It is definitely courage of a different kind.

Listening to "A Vizinho do Lado" by Roberta Sá