BEIJING - HOME TO 22 MILLION???

BEIJING

     August in Beijing, not my idea of fun.  Actually Beijing is not my idea of fun.  Beijing outgrew its infrastructure about 20 million people ago.  The roads are congested, the air is polluted.  It is now the capital of China, so an important city, and the Great Wall needed to be climbed, the Forbidden City needed to be explored and Tiananmen Square needed to be visited.

     My guide in Beijing was a 25-year old Chinese girl from "Inner Mongolia" named Alice

.  We began our sightseeing with the Great Wall, or I should say the portion nearest Beijing since the Great Wall is around 5500 miles in length (according to Wikipedia) and sections were begun in the 7th C. BC.  It is an awesome sight and the long, hot climb (steps) took over an hour but provided

breathtaking views from the top with glimpses of other portions of the wall trailing off the horizon.  

     The Forbidden City was beautiful but crowded and a bit dirty. It is hard to keep an historic site pristine with hundreds of thousands of people milling around weekly. This seems surprising in retrospect, as it doesn't fit my preconceived notions about the Chinese.

     My guide then took me to Tiananmen Square where armed guards stand about,  I guess to make sure that nothing happens like what happened back in 1989.  As we walked around the Square I asked my guide, Alice, about the student uprising of 1989, and she was shocked to know that I had heard about it as there is no information available in China concerning what the West calls the "Tiananmen Square massacre."    There is total suppression of this information in China, so today no one knows for sure if the number of dead was  in the hundreds or the thousands.

Birds Nest from the Olympics

     I had planned to fly to Tibet from Beijing.  When I asked Alice to assist me in getting to  Tibet she said, "Oh, Chinese Tibet."  Hard to argue about that with a Chinese person.  Turned out that Tibet had been closed for the month of July to any outsiders because of the anniversary of the Chinese take-over, so my visitor's pass had not been taken care of in a timely manner and there was no way for me to get to Tibet.  That bummed me out as I have wanted to visit Nepal and Tibet since I was a child.  Maybe there will be another chance down the road.
     Beijing was not one of my favorite places, although I am always interested in seeing and experiencing other cultures and countries.  It was educational and that sometimes has to be enough.  You probably could attribute my lack of true appreciation of Beijing to my preference for nature, adventure, and kayaking!

PART II THE NARROW ROADWAYS OF IRELAND

Westport, County Mayo

     Westport was a great little town where we had lunch in a little pub then shopped!  This was actually the only time we girls shopped.  I still carry the lovely turquoise bag I bought in Westport, Ireland.

     We headed south from Westport towards the Cliffs of Mohr, a grand tourist attraction that is way out on the western coast.  There are some real highways in Ireland where you can drive in the 65 mph zone (of course it's kilometers there, so about 80k).  We were able to take advantage of the highway for most of this drive, quite the exciting time.  The Cliffs are spectacular, with a trail that follows the coast and eventually heads inland to connect many of the small towns in the area.  The tourists all clomp along this trail for about one-half mile.

Ennis, Clare County

     Back on the road we needed a cappuccino break and found the adorable town of Ennis in County Clare.  County designation is very important in Ireland - I never asked why, but it's probably helpful information to have.

   
      We were now headed for the town of Adare to the Dunraven Arms Hotel.  Adare is one of the most charming Irish towns we visited. The highlight for me was finding the scone of my dreams at the Dunraven Arms.*  Breakfast was a grand affair with tiered baskets of breads, friendly waiters and a sunlit dining room, reserved for breakfasts.  Adare has a block (btw do not ask directions in blocks - they do not know what you're talking about) of thatched-roofed buildings that are very "fairy-tale'ish" and obviously a gimmick for the tourists.  I was completely captivated. 

*Okay, back to the scones.  Everyone knows that the very best scone in the world can be found at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art in Kansas City.  I had been trying to get that recipe for about 10 years, and made it a point to always sample other scones, wherever and whenever, just in case.  Well the scones at the Dunraven Arms were the same recipe!  I'm sure of it.  I called the manager over and asked if I could possibly get the recipe and he happily agreed to email it to me.  Well, lo and behold, a few weeks after returning I received the recipe, written in code, unfortunately, with symbols like 3kg flour and 550g of caster sugar?  Guess I'll just go to the Nelson.

My favorite sign ever.  Found in Adare.

     From Adare we headed to Dingle, and lunched in a pub near the water.  We were definitely on a mission at this point, making quick ins and outs to the "must see" spots.  

The only photo I have from the Dingle Peninsula is of some kayakers.

     Onward to Killarney on the Kerry Peninsula.  We had reservations at the stately Lake Hotel that is situated beautifully on the Lakes of Killarney, a series of connecting lakes with names like Lough Lein, Muckross Lake, and Castlelough Bay.  The central portion of the hotel is original and most likely dates to the early 1900s.  It has been added onto in various directions, not as well planned as it could have been.  The hotel has been in the same family since the 1940s.
     We made friends with the bartender the first day and planned our excursions using the hotel concierge.

Ned, the bartender at the Lake Hotel

      There is much to do in Killarney but we only had one day so we chose to hike the Dunloe Gap,

about 7 miles, then take the little boats back to the ruins of Ross Castle.  It was a gray and windy day on the Gap, at times so windy you could stand at a slant and not fall over.  A few people chose to drive this narrow road, we had no respect for them at all.  The Gap is a rocky area with a stream running through it and some spectacular views as you reach elevation.

 You wind up at a little outdoor eatery where you catch the small boats.  The boat ride was chilly but lovely just the same.  The sun peeked out a few times, but we were quite happy to get to Ross Castle and head back to the hotel.

Tooling through Upper Lake which feeds into Middle Lake then Lower Lake (Lough Lien)

     One last tourist attraction we visited in Killarney was Mockross Castle, actually the gardens at the Castle.  Amazing gigantic hydrangeas and odd ferns.

Beautiful gardens and a pleasant morning before getting back in the, now beat-up, little rental car and heading for  Dublin.
     Back in Dublin we wanted to see the Book of Kells, which is kept in the Trinity Old Library,

Trinity College.  We stayed a few blocks from Trinity and walked the area known as Temple Bar.    A very wonderful time was had in Ireland.  I felt like I got to see the majority of the country, 10 days does not do it justice, but I'm not sure I could take the driving again.  There were times as trucks came barreling at us on the narrow roadway, that I just closed my eyes and hoped for the best.  One tip that our friend gave us became my mantra -- on the roundabouts -- keep left but turn right.   Buy the full coverage insurance.

Lovely  people, lovely time.

THE NARROW ROADWAYS OF IRELAND 2013

PART I

      Traveling with a girlfriend to Ireland in the spring of 2013, turned into an amazing road trip that took us over most of the countryside, west, central, and south but not Northern Ireland.  We had originally thought we could get to the north but  Ireland takes way longer to drive around than you would think!  The majority of roads in central, western, and southern Ireland are about the same width as our bike paths, with cars and trucks coming at you on your right side (the wrong side) and a lovely old stone wall on your left side, and only a determined driver can take the pressure.  Luckily we bought the full-deal insurance because in the end, we needed it.  Using maps, our typical forays into the countryside involved many U-turns, backtracking, driving in circles, looking for nonexistent street signs.  Any day spent driving was a mini-lesson in patience and fortitude.

     

Lovely old stone churches and ruins are found throughout the countryside.

Our goal was to see as much of Ireland as possible and have fun doing that.

Our trip was inspired by a mutual friend whose family owns a cottage in the middle of Ireland that has been in their family for 150 years and that had recently been renovated.  So after arriving in Dublin we rented our little car and drove to Glenamaddy, in central Ireland.  Almost too small to find on a map, but a sweet little town that boasts a grocery, a couple of pubs and a hardware store.

Our favorite pub in Glenamaddy

The cottage in Glenamaddy

Spooky house behind cottage

My favorite story from the cottage happened just as twilight was arriving  (it stays twilight until about 11 pm in the summer) when I decided to go investigate the spooky house behind the cottage.  As an historic preservationist I am always checking out old buildings, and I really wanted to see what had obviously been the 'big house" at one time.  I peeked in one window and saw old furniture, piled around; went to the front door and peeked in that window noticing a worn oriental runner going up the stairs, more old furniture and debris; then headed to the next window -- I jumped back as I realized the window was encased in a growing vine on the inside of the window.  I then ventured around the side of the house towards the barnyard area.  I noticed a sign on a fence that said, "Beware of bull,"  as I walked towards it trying to puzzle out what that could possibly mean......slowly to my right something began rising up from behind a fence. Eventually this GIANT white bull stood fiercely glaring at me.  He had a ring in his nose and began snorting and pawing the ground.  Sufficiently spooked by both the house and the bull, I decided to move back on up towards the cottage.

     Our first adventure (besides driving) was the zipline in Carrick on Shannon at Lough Key Park, about a two-hour drive away.  It wasn't the best day for ziplining, overcast and chilly, but when in Ireland, you go for it.  As a "seasoned" zipliner, I was taken by surprise by the laissez faire attitude in Ireland.  Basically, you are shown the "ropes" and then you are on your own.  No way would this happen in the US - everyone and their cousin would screw it up immediately and lawsuits would abound.  I loved it!  The system worked with two carabiners that both had to be moved to the next zip line - and only one would unlock at a time.  Actually, a very safe system.There were about 5 different courses - each one higher than the previous.  We stopped at level 3, as my friend had a slight case of acrophobia.

    

     By day 3 of life in the small town of Glenamaddy we decided to strike out for Galway and the Island of Inishmore.  Galway is a wonderful city with an Irish "big-city" feel, as in, still quaint and picturesque.  We did our usual drive, drive, drive, along a road that follows the coast on our way to the ferry that would take us to the Aran Island of Inishmore.  On Inishmore we toured the island and hiked to the ruins of the ancient fort of Dun Aengus.

The stone fort is situated on a high bluff with the Atlantic Ocean crashing far below.  Insihmore is one of the last strongholds for the old Celtic language which is taught in the schools on the island.

   


     Deciding that it was too far to drive back and forth to Glenamaddy we headed north towards the town of Westport.  The road we happened onto was quite narrow and eventually appeared to actually be a bike path.  Luckily there was no other traffic on this lovely little paved path, and we did pass a couple of homes, so maybe it really was a road.  We stopped at the high point and received a breathtaking view of green pastures and a sparkling lake. 

Sean the Bartender, view of the mountains behind

Delphi Mountain Resort

We had picked up a brochure for the Delphi Mountain Resort and Spa and we eventually found it.  This place was so special that we decided to spend two days and take a break from driving.  A spa, hiking trails, and a great bar with the very friendly Sean, bartender extraordinaire.  The food was also amazing. 

Beautifully presented, Irish beef is amazing.  You can imagine a few head  per acre, grazing in that luxuriant green grass.

Fall 2013

FALL COLORS OCT 2013

Oct 18 -- 71 degrees predicted for today with a slight breeze - BETTER KAYAK!

Beautiful, amazing day on the "river."  No one here but me, quiet with the birds and muffled sounds coming from the woods, woodpeckers?  Some target shooting when I arrived but they've either stopped or I'm far enough away to not hear them anymore.  Water is way down from two weeks ago, even though we've had some rain.  Maybe they let some water out at the damn.

Schools of little silvery fish, jumping like a flash, by the hundreds all around me, splashing sun-shimmering water as they disappear back into the murky Kansas water.  Last time here the giant carp rose up out of the water, as I moved into a group of 5 or 6.  A little scary at times because those suckers are at least three feet long.  The little silvery flashes are maybe 1-3" in length and must be the fall harvest for the turtles, blue heron, kingfishers and larger fish.  

People say don't kayak alone, but if you don't you will be missing one of the supreme experiences you can have.  Being in familiar water - I know this place very well - it's fairly shallow in most parts and I have a pump, life jacket and phone.  Kayaking alone allows you to be in the moment, you can completely experience what is around you.  Conversation almost always takes you to what happened in the past or what might happen in the future.

Just saw one of those giant carp -- almost come ashore!  This large scaly body nudged up to the muddy shore like a sea creature.  They evidently feed in the very shallow waters.  The turtles here come in all sizes from small green ones to big mud-covered snappers.  

I love having the luxury of about five hours free today.  Two of those hours will be spent loading and unloading my boat and driving to the water then home again.  Still that's three hours of bliss.  I feel so fortunate to be able to kayak -- physically it strengthens my shoulders, arms and core; my mind is lifted and thoughts are free to roam; my soul is renewed and my heart is filled with joy.

I must stop much sooner than normal on this little finger of water as it's too shallow to proceed.  This is the lowest I've ever seen it.  A little rocky beach exposed.  A perfect spot in the sun to sit and take a break.  The sun is very warm on my black leggings.  Makes me want to take a nap!

This is a blue-skied, perfect fall day in Kansas.  I'm sitting in my Lincoln, watching leaves fall into the stream, and listening to the wind rustle the leaves in the trees and the grasses along the shore.  There is really no place else I'd rather be.

INNER MONGOLIA OR OUTER MONGOLIA?

    Well as far as I'm concerned there really is not an Inner Mongolia; this color-coded spot on the map is within the borders of China and the people living there are Chinese.  So if you want to visit Mongolia, you are going to "Outer Mongolia," the land of Genghis Khaan.

     Who travels to Mongolia?  The majority of westerners you will run into are there to extract something from the ground.  Mongolia is almost an "untapped" reservoir of natural resources having been mined by the former USSR since the 1920s.  Today you will find mining operations owned by the major corporations from around the globe setting up shop in Mongolia.  This increased mining activity is one of the reasons I was in Mongolia in the summer of 2011.  The urgent need to identify archaeological resources was recognized just recently.  The country is a treasure trove of artifacts for archaeologists as well as being a major paleontological location for dinosaur bones.  

     You travel to Mongolia through Russia or China.  I chose to fly to  Beijing and tour that city on my way home.

     Through the international organization of EarthWatch, I was part of an expedition titled "Archaeology of the Mongolian Steppe. "  www.earthwatch.com

     Our project was based in the Nature Preserve, Ick Nart, located south and east of Ulaanbaatar, the capital, in the Gobi Desert.  From Ulaanbaatar we traveled seven hours by train, then jumped into beat-up Russian vans, and bumped over a  dirt track for several hours, to the camp of gers (the Mongolian name for what we refer to as "yurts") our home for the next two weeks.  

Nestled between rocky crags in a cut-away of a stream, the ger camp presented a picturesque scene.  This part of Ikh Nart has maze-like rocky outcroppings punctuating a stark desert-steppe landscape. 
     The prize wildlife creature is the argali, the largest mountain sheep in the world.  The argali can be spotted standing tall on the rocky outcroppings, their large extraordinary horns making giant curls back towards their faces.  Ikh Nart represents one of the last strongholds for the endangered argali.

Argali on a rocky outcropping

    

A Day in the Life of a Volunteer "Archaeologist"

     In addition to the archaeology team, the camp had a rotating group of biology students in residence.  The camp included a local cook and a handyman.  Breakfast was served around 8 am every morning, then at 9:00 we would meet to head out to the area we intended to map and survey.  Most often we did surface canvasing surveys, walking a grid with a team member every 10 meters, walking 500 meters slowly then turning enmass to walk back -- moving the grid by about 80 meters (depending on  how many of us were working the grid) searching the ground for any artifacts lying on the ground.  

     Because the ground is desert and scrubby, spotting anything unusual on the ground is relatively easy.  The interesting thing about the soil in this area, is its percolating characteristic.  Lithic (stone) tools such as scrapers and points, were lying on the surface.  We found literally hundreds of beautifully shaped lithic tools, made from beautiful stones such as chalcedony, quartzite, obsidian and other colorful stones - created the same way as the stone tools found throughout the Americas.

Camp baby argali

     Earthwatch expeditions are not for the wimpy traveler.  We collected our drinking water at the spring, carrying the heavy bladder full of water back to the ger daily.  The bladder filtered the spring water and we filled our water bottles from it.  We did have a hot shower every day.  Large sun shower bags are set out on rocks during the day to heat by the sun.  After returning from the hot, dusty field work, a mad dash was made to grab a hot bag of water and one of the two shower stalls.  The sun shower bag is lifted onto a pulley system and raised to your preferred height.  Water on, water off, soap up, water on, rinse, water off.  You then must refill the bag and place it on the rocks to heat up for the next day.
     A fun night out to the "tourist resort" at Halsen Hill was planned for a Friday night.  The resort was undoubtedly built by the Soviets, and you may be familiar with Soviet architecture.  The 1960ish buildings are primarily cinder block with a shower building and one-room "cabins."  The resort was built to take advantage of the mineral springs at the base of the hill and Mongolians visit to drink the mineral water.  A "disco" attracts locals looking for a night out.  Our group of Americans and one Aussie entered the disco to drink some beer and dance.  Most of the dancers were young men dancing in a circle, bumping chests.  A distinct cultural difference.  I made the mistake of accepting a dance with a Mongolian man and was soon hiding from him behind my American friends as he had gotten rather possessive.

Visit to a local family's ger,  playing with sheep's knuckles

     One of the local pasttimes is played with sheep's knuckles.  Children play a game that resembles building a train and adults play drinking games with sheep's knuckles.  There is also a divination set using sheeps knuckles.

Our cook and driver playing the drinking game with sheep's knuckles

     Before leaving Mongolia I'd like to address the bad press that Genghis Khaan has received through the ages.  History was written by the peoples conquered by the Mongols.  As always in wars of conquest, atrocities were carried out by all sides.   To the Mongols, Genghis is a national hero and he left behind an organized and well-equipped army, the Mongols' law code, the Ikh Zasag, as well as an integral administrative system.  The Mongols educated women and left religious institutions alone in the countries they invaded.  Genghis Khaan holds a very high status in Mongolia, he is revered, serving a spiritual role as well as giving national and personal pride.   
     Mongolia is still an unspoiled part of the world.  Westerners were rare in Mongolia for most of the 20th century.  Mongolia was a "kept" nation,  much like Cuba, by the USSR.  When the USSR collapsed Mongolia was left to figure out what kind of country it wanted to be.  After struggling since about 1991 between communism and democracy, Mongolia is now considered a democratic country.