Photos from our trip to Asia - December/January 2007/08

Dec 12: San Juan

Dec 12: Los Angeles

Dec 13: En route to Japan - lost day due to International Date Line

Tokyo, Japan: Tokyo was much less expensive, easier to get around and much friendlier than I expected... I've avoided it for years thinking its too crazy - but Billy wants to go back soon to eat everything he can find in the food courts... Highlight: Kabuki    Culture Clash: English language Christmas carols in every store and the hallways of our hotel - they've adopted Christmas as a shopping holiday..

Dec 14: Arrive by Airport Bus to Shinjuku Station - Hotel Sinjuku Prince

Dec 15: Area Orientation - Shinjuku

Dec 16: Grey Line Tour of Tokyo by Bus

Dec 17: Kabuki Theater & Ginza Shopping District (Food Courts)

Dec 18: Depart Tokyo - Japan Airlines to Bali

Bali, Indonesia: Bali - looks like Puerto Rico with rice paddies - and getting very overdeveloped, especially in Ubud where the boutiques and outlet stores are at the point of getting to be too much.... But the cultural aspect is wonderful... Still hurting from the lack of Australians who still have an official warning after the bombings in Kuta, but the Japanese are making up for much of it... Highlight: Cremation Ceremony for the King of Ubud who died while we were there.... Culture Clash: Tourists in Sarongs and street vendors hawking batik and postcards at the King's cremation... Half party, Half shopping arcade and totally unique....

Dec 18: Arrive Bali - Hotel Rooms (Semanyak and Ubud)

Dec 19: Bali West Tour

Dec 19: Bali Coast Fishing

Dec 20: Bali Volcano and Artisans

Dec 21: Bali Water Temple

Dec 21: Ubud and King's Cremation Ceremony

Dec 21: Bali Countryside

Dec 22: Depart Bali vial Kuala Lumpur Malaysia for Bangkok, Thailand

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia: Easy airline transfers with Air Asia - you have to clear customs/immigration at the new 'low cost terminal' that's about 20 Km from the main international terminal, but it was easy and I could have made an earlier connection than I booked (fearing a slow airport experience)... Cheap tickets, but had to pay lots for baggage.  Culture Clash: Airline food - couldn't serve beef since we flew from Hindu Bali, couldn't serve pork since Moslem Malaysia, so chicken was smushed into every form it could be...

Siem Reap, Cambodia: Angkor Wat is amazing... and everyone should go... which is the biggest problem... already too many tourists and they are building hotels like crazy... The new land connection to the Thai border will drop airfares and increase bus tours to the point where clients better go soon before they turn it into Disneyland....  Culture Clash: No middle-aged people. An entire generation was exterminated by the Khmer Rouge.....

Dec 24: Arrive Siem Reap - Shinta Mani Hotel & Hospitality Training Institute

Dec 24: Angkor Tom

Dec 24: Angkor Wat

Dec 25: Valley of the 1,000 Linga

Dec 25: Siem Reap

Dec 26: The Killing Fields Memorial

Dec 26: Jungle Temple

Bangkok, Thailand: Even more crazy, confusing and wonderful than expected... After a day or two of 'what am I doing here'... the madness gives way to fascination and you want to book your flight to come back again as soon as possible.... Culture Clash: Night market selling fake luxury knock-offs and sex clubs co-exist happily on the same street... Billy had problems with the hot chilies they put in everything...

Dec 22: Arrive Bangkok - Hotel

Dec 28: Kick Boxing

Dec 29: River Boat

Dec 30: Silom Cooking School

Hong Kong, China

Vancouver, British Colombia, Canada: The only place we saw dirty streets, homeless people, beggars and graffiti. Combine this with rain and cold weather and it was a let down...

Jan 2 - Jan 5, 2008

Los Angeles, CA

San Juan, PR