The Travel List 2015

Hello All and welcome again!  We’re officially in the last days of 2014 and 2015 will be here before you know it. Did you get everything that you wanted this past year? Did you meet, accomplish, or exceed your goals? Well, here’s hoping that the year ends on a positive note for you!

As for me, I had a great year and I’m looking forward to an even better one! While I haven’t figured out my professional or personal goals for the 2-0-1-5, I’ve already got some trips planned and in some cases, paid for (yeah…priorities). So, here is my travel list for 2015:

 1. Harbin, China

In exactly three weeks, I’ll be headed up north to Chinese Siberia for a weekend getaway. Now, extremely cold weather or better yet, cold weather is no friend of my mind; but, for the past three years I’ve wanted to make the very cold trek to Harbin to see this:

Photo Credit: Harbin Snow and Ice Festival Times of India

 That would be the Harbin Snow and Ice Festival, home to hundreds of ice sculptures. This event is held every winter in the capital of Heilongjiang province. People work for weeks in sub zero temperatures to create these magnificent works of ice art. Besides the ice sculptures, I plan on taking in some of the Russian architecture (the city is close to the Russian border and Russian influences can be seen around the city) and then the Tiger Park-an open air free space for Siberian tigers to roam. I also plan on wearing 10 layers of clothes…

Winter Break Plans

The good thing about being a school teacher, especially for a government-run school, is the ample amount of February vacation. For the Chinese Spring Festival, I’ll be off for a total of 25 days (including weekends) which are mostly paid! During my winter break, I plan on seeing three countries in southeast Asia: Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam.

    2. Thailand

Photo Credit: Thailand Crazyfunspot.com

 Thailand has been on my must-see list for over a year now and after some changes and setbacks, I will be officially landing in Bangkok by the end of January! Thailand for me will involve lots of sightseeing, eating, and finally some much needed beach relaxation. I plan on starting my 8 day tour in Bangkok and then heading southward to one of the islands or beach resorts (either Phuket or Ko Samui). Since I love, love, love Thai food, I plan on having four meals a day (with coconut mango sticky rice)! I’ve heard the food there is cheap, delicious and safe (even the street stalls which is the opposite of China)! I also hope to see some elephants since they are my favorite animals!

   3.  Cambodia

PHoto Credit: Wikipedia Cambodia

       After eating my way through Thailand, I plan on going eastward for tranquility and prayer in Cambodia. Now, Cambodia is special to me since my eldest nephew’s father is from there. He managed to escape the Khmer Rouge as a very young boy and found safety in America.

 From the moment that I landed in Asia, I knew that I needed to go to Cambodia; not just for me, but for family ties. I wanted to see this land for myself and then, pass the images, stories and moments along to my family, especially my nephew.

I don’t have a lot of travel plans for Cambodia. I plan on spending just two or three days in the capital city of Phnom Penh where there will be sight-seeing and museum visits. I will then move on to the beautiful city of Ankor Wat for three days to take in the temples and sights of the area. I hope to be up before sunrise during one of those days since the view is said to be magnificent.

      4. Vietnam

Photo Credit: Halong Bay, Vietnam Mr. Wallpaper.com

 After my time in Cambodia I will continue eastward to Vietnam. I’ve heard mixed reviews about Vietnam, but I’m the type of person who likes to see and experience things on my own. I plan on starting things off in the bustling city of Ho Chi Min and then moving northward all the way to the capital of Hanoi, stopping at other small cities and places along the way (including Halong Bay in the picture above). I plan on being in Vietnam for at least 7 days before I head back to the good ol’ P.R.C.

  

 5. Xi'An, China

Photo Credit: Terracotta Warriors Famouswonders.com

Photo credit: Xi'An hostelworld.com

Just like some of the other places mentioned above, Xi’An has been on my must-see list for a long time. Xi’An is home to the famous Terracotta Warriors which are hundreds of stone carved statues, each one made with intricate details of a solider from that time(apparently, no two are the same). The statues were made 2300 years ago and they were demanded by the emperor of that time, Qin Shihuang. The purpose of the statues was to protect the emperor after his death.

I plan on being there for just a weekend in the springtime. Besides the terracotta warriors, I would like to walk around the city and take in a museum or two before heading back late Sunday to Shanghai.

 

 6. America

Grand Central Station, New York City

Just like last year, I plan on going back to the U.S. for at least a month, or longer depending on how things go. I will probably be in my hometown the majority of the time and of course, a few days in good ol’ NYC. I also plan on going to another place or two to visit friends. I’m still weighing out my decision to stay in China for another year, so at this time, I’m not sure if this trip will be a vacation or repatriation. Stay tuned to find out my answer…

Other Tentative Plans

While the list above are places that I will definitely be going to, the following are places I would like to visit, but depending on time, and most importantly money, I may or may not see this year.

  7. Taiwan 

Photo Credit: Taipei 101 Tower taiwanholidays.au

Taiwan is a place that I never gave much thought too until earlier this year. A small island that is or isn’t part of the P.R.C  (A sensitive subject in China; however, the majority of the people I've met from there proudly view themselves as Taiwanese only), I decided to put this place on my travel list after hearing nothing but positive remarks from other travelers (and locals).

According to my sources, Taiwan is clean, efficient and many of the people speak English (I believe it’s a part of their school curriculum). I’ve also heard the food is to die for with loads of cheap, clean and delicious market stalls.

If I’m able to go to Taiwan, I plan on going for a week or maybe 9 days in the Summer (or the Fall if I return to China). Hopefully, I’ll be able to see this island paradise in all it’s glory!

    8.   Indonesia

Photo Credit: Bali, Indonesia Wikipedia

Another place I’ve heard mixed reviews, but mostly positive, Indonesia has been on my travel list for a few years now after reading and seeing “Eat, Pray, Love.” I hope to go for at least a week at the end of Summer, or during the October Holiday (Once again, depends on if I return and funds).

Well, it's time to get going/finish planning! Hope I inspired you to save and plan for a trip for the new year!

Adventures in China: Nanjing (Part 2)

***This is a two part post. Please click here for Part One***

Hello all, and welcome to my adventures in Nanjing part two. In part one, I blogged about transportation via train, sightseeing, and the nightlife I encountered.  I will now discuss how I spent my second day in the historical city of Nanjing....


Nanjing: Day Two

Even though I had went to bed early the previous night, I ended up sleeping in later than I had expected since I woke up in the middle of the night with a stomach ache (luckily I had brought some medication which me). Before going back to sleep, I changed my alarm clock and altered my schedule for all the sightseeing I had planned the next day. By the time my alarm went off the next morning, I quickly jumped out of bed and ran to my first stop, the Nanjing Massacre Memorial Hall...

The Nanjing Massacre Memorial Hall

A woman holding her dying child

Series of statues before entering

To the 300,000 victims

The Nanjing Massacre Memorial Hall (the full name is: Memorial for Compatriots Killed in the Nanjing Massacre by Japanese Forces of Aggression) is a memorial site commemorating the lives that were lost during the Nanjing Massacre of 1937.  Upon entering the memorial site, there were a series of statutes depicting various atrocities committed by the Japanese. The captions on the statue were very straightforward (for example one caption read: “Grandfather holding his teenage son who was just shot in the head”) and as I made my way to the entrance, somber music was playing from a loudspeaker.  Once I entered the site, there was a giant wall that stood before me stating the number of people who were murdered (300,000) in seven different languages.  After passing the memorial wall with all of the names of the people who had perished, I entered pit where the first bodies were discovered several decades ago. There was another larger pit that had bodies and artifacts of those that had perished very close to the first one as well as a beautiful quilt which was made to “never forget.” I entered a memorial hall with candles everywhere for visitors to pay their respects and then, I got to the exit which had large peace statue overlooking the entire site.  

Besides the memorial site, there was an incredible museum attached to it full of artifacts, documentaries and various exhibits chronicling the Nanjing massacre and the aftermath.  Since I was on a time crunch, I was unable to see as much as the museum as I would have liked, but overall, the Nanjing Massacre Memorial Site is a must-see for any tourist visiting the city of Nanjing. 

 

Zhongshan Men Wall

After visiting the Nanjing Massacre Memorial Site, I made my way to the second activity of the day which was Zhongshan Men (pronounced: jung shan men).  Zhonghan Men was part of a series of defense walls that were erected during the Ming dynasty many centuries ago.  A few parts of the wall are still up around Nanjing with Zhonghan Men, being one of the best preserved and one of the only two you can climb.  Once I arrived, I carefully made my way up via the small stone steps and what lied before me at the top was a breathtaking view of the city of Nanjing.  I paced up and down the wall for some time taking in the view of the city as well as, the view of the lake not too far from it.  After taking a few pictures and a few extra breaths, I made my descent back to street level since it was on to my third and fourth activities….

Zhongshan Men Wall

A view from the top

 

The Purple Mountains (Dr. Sun Yatsen Mausoleum and the Ming Tombs)

Dr. Sun Yatsen's Mausoleum

I heard from several people before my departure that the purple mountains and the sites there were one of the must do things while in Nanjing. Due to my time constraints, I was unsure if I was going to be able to fit them in, but I decided to try (Hey, you only live once).  The downside to this idea is that the purple mountains lie a bit beyond the city center and even though my guidebook said I could reach there by bus, I was unsure (okay scarred) to navigate the bus system so I decided my best bet was to get there by taxi.

Unfortunately, I could not get a cab to save my life. They were either full, or I was standing on the wrong side of the road. After walking up and down the street and crossing the road several times, I almost gave up, but then I saw an available cab and I jumped for joy when he stopped to let me in. I told him where I needed to go and we were off to the first site, Dr. Sun Yatsen’s mausoleum.

The mausoleum is located on a hill, with a series of steps to get to the stop (one of my coworkers said one must ‘climb to heaven’ to reach him). I walked up the steps as fast as I could and despite the number of steps, I made it to the top quite quickly.  I paid my respects and took in the moment (and I few breaths since I was winded) before making my way back down. 

Looking Down

After getting to the bottom, I continued onward to the Ming tombs, the burial place of the founder of the Ming dynasty. I only stayed for a short time since it was getting dark and I had no idea where the exit was.  After some more observations and walking, I found the exit, but once again, I had to wait some time for a cab.  I was getting scarred since time was of the essence and I still needed to get back to the city center, get my bags from the hotel, and make my way to the train station. I started to panic a bit about the possibility of missing my train, but I wouldn't have to worry too long since a taxi arrived to answer my prayers and we made the trek back to the city center.  I managed to get back to the hotel somewhat on schedule and thankfully, I made it to the train station with no problem. As soon as my train was called and I located my seat, I immediately passed out after an exhausting day of sightseeing.

Ming Tombs

All in all, my visit to Nanjing was great and it’s a city I would recommend to anyone spending some time in China! Thanks again for reading!