It's a plane? A bird? No, it's the Leaning Tower of Pisa... sort of...

Location?  Somewhere on the road about 7 -8 hours away from Grafenwohr, Germany on the way to Southern France or maybe we were on the way to northern Italy?  No, I think it was France.  Actually, now that I think about it... I'm sure of it.

 

What is it?  It's a public bathroom... somewhere at a rest stop 'somewhere'... Last  year, while still living in Germany, I had gone on a Military bus tour to southern France and we'd gotten on the bus sometime around midnight and this was probably about 7am?   Everyone got a kick out of the unusual bathroom.

I really liked this sign:  Local Technique.  No one wanted to open that door.   We didn't want to know.  Some things are best left 'un-known.'  Know what I mean? 

Anyway, it gave everyone a chance to stretch our legs, laugh a bit, and there were several photos taken.  At least this time, I wasn't the ONLY ONE taking photos of the bathroom.  

I was going through some of my old photo memory sticks and I thought that I'd share these 'bathroom' photos with you.

Transportation in Viet Nam

Before I left my job in Asia a few years ago for my move to Europe.   I went to Vietnam.  I had lived in Asia 4 different times and I really had never had an interest in going there.   Finally, I went and I have to say that it was one of the most interesting places that I have ever visited.  The people were so nice and seemed to have such an inner serenity about them while maneuvering in a crowded city full of crazy traffic of such vast differences.  It was almost impossible to just walk across the street and I really don't know how they managed to get anywhere; especially all the people riding the bicycles hauling a large assortment of wares.

The buildings had a French influence.  In a way, it looked a lot like the beautiful buildings in New Orleans.   The area had a French history and it really did show in the buildings.

Most of the buildings were looking old and faded... as if... they had been abandoned.   Except that people still lived in them.  Many people.  The look was more of an not even the simplest upkeep, painting or cleaning of the outsides of the buildings had gone on for many years.   The buildings seemed so sad to me.   It was like they were trying to hold their heads high even if they no longer had their old grandeur, style, beauty, and mystic.

WHO?

Who?  For everyone... it's a... How 'to' sign in a bathroom 'somewhere' in Cambodia.


Let's see:

1.  No smoking
2.  Don't stand/squat on the toilet seat
3.  Don't wash your feet
4.  Don't take a shower

I managed to not to break any of the 'bathroom rules'... 

 Yes, I still take photos of unusual bathrooms found throughout my world travels.   I can't resist.

How?

Much did this bottle of water cost???????

Eat, Pray, Love

Some of you might have read the book or have watched the movie based on the book: Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert

When my friends and I went to Bali in April 2008, they had both read the book- but, I hadn't (shhh, I still haven't) read it at that time. They were determined that we would find the Medicine Man/ guru that was mentioned in the book so that we could get our fortunes told.

We hired a local guy to help us find this man and drive us to see him. Our tour guy had to ask around a lot and he finally got a lead and off we went. We did manage to find him. He was quite charming. It was a fun adventure and he liked that we were all 3 teachers. He told us that teachers were very important.

Oh my fortune? He told me that I would marry a good man, a man with enough money that we would never have to worry, and he would be a man would would always love me. He did seem to mention something about this man being a good lover too!

All I can say is, "Hey, Ketut, (the medicine man/guru that gave us our fortunes) I'm still waiting."

I guess that I should have asked him WHEN??? ha ha

I think that I might have accidently driven to the Czech Republic on my way home yesterday

But, I'm not completely sure... However, I clearly was experiencing a 'Toto, we're not in Kansas moment' so, it is indeed possible that I could have crossed a border or two?

Why you ask? Well, as I was driving home.. There was a detour and being an obedient driver and there was no other option- I followed the detour and eventually found a sign leading to the little 'village' (ok, it is a place with 5 houses) that is less than 2 miles from my house. The detour was some road construction and it looks like they are widening the roads by about 18 inches. That's going to be a pretty narrow shoulder on our 'shoulder-less' roads.

Look you can see how close I was.. that's my town/village to the right. Not a side road to be found either.




Well, my 'self' pat on the back for finding my way home through a detour.. faded quickly as I approached the road .. only 2 miles away from the right turn to my ... there was another 'road detour'.. and I had to turn LEFT away from my home.. I eventually drove around this mountain.. I never saw the name of any town that I recognized.

OF course, all of the towns were little mountain villages... that looked just like those photos that you see on the 1,000 puzzle piece boxes.. maybe even a few looked like some of Heidi's cousins could have herded cattle and sheep in the big grassy fields.

AS in.. on the back and opposite side of this mountain.. and then the detour kept leading me way, way past the mountain to the north. This could be when I entered the Czech Republic by accident.

SEE THIS mountain? I was so far past it to the north (your right as you look at the photo) that the mountain looked so far away...and the side facing you in the photo is where my house is located.
Let's just say this... it took almost an hour and half to get home and it usually takes me 15 minutes to get home.

So, if you don't hear from me for a few days... they might have extended the detour and I really did have to detour all the way to the Czech Republic.

IS running into a detour and not knowing how to get to work

any other way... an valid excuse to miss work?

Ring, ring... (pretending that I have my cell phone charged, with me, and have put in my work phone number)

"Hello work?" "Yes, this is: iwouldratherbeknitting.... and I was on my way to work and saw this sign in German... you do remember that I can't read German, right?"

"Well, I finally figured out that the word must have meant DETOUR." "Oh, no.. I'm a pretty quick study.. the road lane barrier was a dead give away." "Ok, the second road lane barrier was the dead give away."

"ANYWAY, this UNEXPECTED detour in the early morning darkness... on a major road- blocked off the ONLY TWO ways that I know how to get to work."

"I just wanted you to know that I don't know where I am... but, I hope that I'm not on the CEZCH border." "No, I don't think that I've gone as far as Northern Italy- I don't see the Italian Alps anywhere." "Yes, if I get as far as Italy.. I will buy a wheel of real parmesan cheese and we'll split it."

"Oh, wait.. my cell phone is dying... I hope that I'll be at work tomorrow... if I can make it home that is. And, my sub plans are........."

You're craving: A Big Mac or maybe some fries and a small McDonald's Cheeseburger...

But, you don't live close to a McDonald's, or maybe your car is in the shop... or maybe you don't have a car? Ok, maybe you are too lazy to get in your car and drive to the local McDonald's drive-thru window... what is a person to do?







How could they get McDonald's quickly?


Without making any effort?




How???






Apparently, call... McDonald's for delivery... of course... that would work if you lived in SINGAPORE!!!



Check out all the little pockets on the sides... I think that they might be for the cold drinks?


Photo shot from the TAXI WINDOW as we were on our way from the airport to the hotel. I wonder if the milkshakes would just be chocolate milk by the time they arrived by motorcycle delivery?


Other news:
School (teaching the children part- we've already been working a week- and I've worked longer than that to get my classroom ready) starts on Monday... as in: TOMORROW!!

Yes, I did buy some new underwear, notebooks, pencil sharpener, and pencils. I am READY! Maybe, I should wear my new sneakers too? :D

THE RICE TERRACES OF 'BALI'

I just realized with my move to Germany and how busy that I was as soon as I returned from my trip- getting ready for a move and ending a school year--that I had failed to post some of my photos from my vacation to Bali, Cambodia, Vietnam and Singapore.

Here are the rice terraces in Bali. I know that the Philippines has an amazing area of rice terraces- but, I was unaware, until my visit, that Bali also had some rice terraces. If you look closely- you can see the different ages of the rice plants that are planted between the terraced areas. They walk on the little earthen dams to tend to their crops and this also helps to hold the water for the growth of the rice plants.







After we stopped and took some photos- a group of people selling their 'wares' had gathered. I loved the lady that was selling the hats. She reminded me of the children's book with all the hats stacked on one of the character's head. Of course, I won't mention that she held out her hand for some $$$ after I had taken her photo. :D

Greetings from 'Bali'

We arrived this morning... it is hot and steamy.. much more so than it was in Singapore.

We
are staying at the Hard Rock Hotel... yes, of the Hard Rock Cafe fame.
It's a huge and very confusing to find anything in it hotel. I am not
kidding... we went out earlier to get a 'lay of the land' of the
hotel... and let's just say... I hope that I can find where my hotel
room is located after I finish posting here.

We went walking to
find a restaurant for dinner (we had seen it on the taxi ride from the
airport) and the hotel had told us.. to just go out and it would be on
our left and about 5 minutes away.

Well, we had walked for about
10-15 minutes and nothing was looking like we were in the right
direction-- and we finally after trying a few other streets to see if
we could get to the area that we needed to be... found a taxi to take
us to the restaurant. We were close-- but, would have never found it
where we were either.

Oh, the taxi ride from the airport??? ha
ha... We had stopped at the information desk at the airport-- to see if
there was a hotel shuttle to take us to our hotel. No. Then, a man
sitting on the floor of the airport- told us that he was a taxi and
would take us to the hotel. So, I asked the lady in the 'information'
how much 'should' it cost us to ride from the airport to the hotel... (truthfully,
that is a question that she could have answered w/out any problems)
Instead... she spoke to him in 'BALI'... and he quoted her 50,000 (bali money) so, we said ok...

He grabbed my wheely
suitcase and started walking ahead of us... we were following him as
close as we could... and finally managed to get to the parking lot to
where he was with my suitcase... (in some countries when they grab your
suitcase... you might not ever see it again) When, we were all loaded
in this 'rough and tumble, no AC van'.... he told us that it would be
50,000 for each of us.. instead of the one flat fee of 50,000 per ride.
I told him that we'd just take our bags out and find another taxi.. 'no
problem'... then, his offer went down to 100,000 and I repeated it
againadn told him to stop so that we could get our bags out. He finally agreed to the original 50,000 for the ride.

When
we drove up in our 'taxi' I did notice that the hotel security men and
the 'bell men' were looking at our vehicle wondering why we were in it.

Oh, the food was great at the restaurant- we went to: BUBBA GUMP (yes, from the Forrest Gump
movie fame) and before we went in... there was a security guy who
scanned our bags w/ one of those airport metal detector scanners.
Interesting... but, then again.. in the Philippines... the 'security
guards' in front of stores and banks... have M16 rifles.
iwouldratherbeknitting out...

Greetings from Singapore

We have been here for 2 days .... beautiful clean place. I had this trip planned before I found out about the transfer to Germany.. so, I kept the reservations--- even though I DID NOT HAVE TIME TO SPEND 7 days away from my 'errands and packing stuff'...

It's been nice to just get away- my trip to Vietnam and Cambodia in April and this trip is the first time that I've gone anywhere on vacation in 4 years.

Here are some first impressions... (sorry, can't add any photos right now):

I'm using a coin operated computer in the hotel lobby.. the first time that I've ever seen a coin operated computer too.

English signs, English speakers, etc.. everywhere

Beautifully landscaped and I mean the entire city...

It has one of the most beautiful harbors that I've ever seen

The zoo that we went to today was the best zoo that I've ever seen in a foreign country.

They drive on the 'other side' of the road... left-over from being under British rule



We had 'high tea' at Raffles Hotel yesterday... that was so funny... that I'll have to go into more detail with some photos at a later date... let's just say... our waiter will remember us... lol

Don't forget to post comments.. to enter the contest.. to any of the blogs.. (after the contest was announced) for more details.

Seacrest out... (oh, wait.. that should be: iwouldratherbeknitting out...)

you don't always get what you ask for.. sort of..

One hot, hot, hot, day of 98*F, while on vacation, in the temples of Cambodia.. which seemed like a hot, steamy day of 128*F to a person who had just left 'cooler than usual' spring temps of 58*F.. a few of our group 'opted' out of looking at anymore temples or.. what I called: STACKED ROCKS...

and decided to sit in the hot sun.. but, under a canopy, at the small food snack place, so, it was a little less hot. One thing that hot, tropical, steamy locations do have is.. wonderful tropical fruits. So, I noticed on the menu of selected drinks and fresh fruits to purchase.. fresh coconut

I haven't had fresh coconut out of the shell in years... so, a friend and I decided to share the order- I was the only one of us with some $$, in my pocket, as my friend's money and the rest of my money was locked in the tour guide's van.

The long awaited coconut arrived after a flurry of chopping and preparation and I immediately knew it wasn't what I remembered eating when I lived in the Philippines.. oh no.. this coconut was so fresh it was still green. which was also found in the Philippines-- but, the type of coconut that I avoided when I lived there.

I had had 'green coconut' in the past.. once.. and it was enough to let me know that I didn't like it at all- it's slimy, barely tastes like coconut.. sigh.. I had spent all the money that I had in my pocket and it was useless to think of the fresh mango, or papaya that we could be eating instead.



Oh, I might add that they also gave us the fresh green 'coconut milk' in a glass that was on the inside(which you can see the full glasses behind the coconut in the photo)... which does not taste anything like the coconut milk from a 'mature' coconut or even less like what 'coconut milk' sold in a can in the grocery store tastes like.

So, there we were.. waiting for another 2 hours, for the others in our group to return,... with the green coconut staring at us like it was a rejected orphan or something. And there we were with no more money to buy an alternate drink or fruit snack.

It did give us something to laugh about...

Apparently, I am easily amused..

Because when I saw these in the little grocery store (shopping for water) on my last day in Siem Reap, Cambodia.. I snickered out loud.. dug out my camera and 'YES, I took a photo with others (locals, I might add) around me.. just doing my part to keep the 'American tourist impression' going.. :D



I didn't buy them.. but, so wanted to.. to see what they tasted like. I was running out of money (had to save money for lunch and the departure fee of $25.00) and I was also running out of room in my over packed 20 kilo (about 40 pound) one suitcase that we were allowed to have on the plane.. and little did I know that it would be about 5 hours before the next chance for a bathroom break.. so, in retrospect, it was a good thing that I didn't buy both of them to sample. I mean after all- how could you DECIDE which one to buy?

Where there is a will .. there is a way...

We saw so many unusual things being hauled on the bicycles and motorcycles in both Vietnam and Cambodia. Often, we'd be in the van with our tour guide.. and didn't have enough time to dig the camera out, turn it on, and focus in time...

I think that some of the most unusual items hauled were:

About 5-6 huge hogs with legs tied together.. stacked behind and in front of the motorcycle driver like stacks of big whitish pink wood.

And, speaking of wood.. I did see a huge wood pile being hauled too.

Here are some of the ones that I did manage to take a photo.. of.. Enjoy..

*To appreciate the images better.. Click on photos for a larger view..


A Ladder???

Wanna see more photos of Vietnam??

I bought some post-cards from this guy. I liked his 'resourceful' mode of transportation. I'm sure that he lost his limbs from a mine or the previous occupation of Vietnam and Cambodia.
*Click on the photos for a larger image..


Click on the photo and check out the name of the store.. pink and white sign.. I loved the 'pronounce it out' spelling.


Fancy dress version of the 'traditional dress'.. of Vietnam



I found Vietnam such an interesting place.. The next two photos are in front of the temple that was on the island that the red bridge led to in the previous posting.



Aren't these doors beautiful? I wish that I could have bought something like this and turned them into screens for my living room. Of course, even if I could find them-- they wouldn't fit in my one 40 pound suitcase that we were allowed to have..


A postal drop box. I tend to take photos of local phone booths or postal drops. I didn't see too many phone booths- and wasn't on the street so that I could take a photo of them when I did see them.


Hanoi was such a bustling, busy city, full of life. You could see the poverty, the sadness, but at the same time the reliance of the people too.

Interesting tidbit: Prices were quoted in American dollars... even on menus. No coins were given as change. They had small 'local' paper money that was given for change if the amount was less than one USA dollar.

My favorite bridge

This is in Hanoi, Vietnam. It is on a lake that is a spiritual and special place to the Vietnamese people. There are two small islands in the lake. The red bridge leads to one and there is a old white temple on another one. One of the photos shown (it looks all grey and misty) does have this temple.

The water was this amazing Kelly green.. so cool looking with the vivid red bridge. They have a legend that a giant sea turtle lives in this lake.. and guess what was just in the news yesterday? THIS IS THE SAME LAKE!! Neat, huh?

They had a sign explaining the legend of the lake with an acutal (but, dead and stuffed) giant turtle on display.
-----------------------------------------------------------

Cleveland zoo researchers find rare giant turtle in Vietnam
Wed Apr 16, 11:01 PM ET


CLEVELAND - Researchers from the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo have discovered a rare giant turtle in northern Vietnam — a find that carries great scientific and cultural significance. Swinhoe's soft-shell turtle was previously thought to be extinct in the wild. Three other turtles of the species are in captivity, said experts from the Zoo's Asian turtle program.

The discovery represents hope for the species, said Doug Hendrie, the Vietnam-based coordinator of the zoo program.

Turtle expert Peter Pritchard, president of the Chelonian Research Institute, confirmed the find based on a photo Hendrie showed him.

"It looked like pretty solid evidence. The animal has a pretty distinctive head," Pritchard said.

There have been rumors for years of a mythical creature living deep in the waters of a northern Vietnam lake. Some in a village west of Hanoi claimed to be blessed by catching a glimpse of it's concave shell as it crested above the surface of their lake.

A national legend tells of a giant golden turtle that bestowed upon the Vietnamese people a magic sword and victory over Chinese invaders in the 16th century. Whether that sacred turtle has materialized in the 21st century will be a matter of cultural debate among the Vietnamese.

"This is one of those mythical species that people always talked about but no one ever saw," said Geoff Hall, zoo general curator.

Of the other three Swinhoe's soft-shell turtles in captivity, two are in Chinese zoos and the other is cared for in the Hoan Kiem ("Returned Sword") Lake in downtown Hanoi — the lake in which the legendary turtle appeared to reclaim the sword from the emperor.

Pritchard said an amateur photographed a Swinhoe's soft-shell turtle in southern China about six months ago that he believes was legitimate.

"It's on the very brink of extinction, so every one counts," Pritchard said.

The Cleveland Metroparks Zoo began its effort to preserve and protect Asian turtles in 2003 amid reports of increased killings for food or to make traditional medicine from their bones. Development and pollution also led to loss of nesting habitats along rivers, zoo officials said.

The zoo has put more than $275,000 into Asian turtle conservation efforts since 2000 and has supported Hendrie since 2003, officials said.

His team and scientists from Education for Nature-Vietnam had searched lakes and wetlands along the Red River for three years before hearing about the creature living outside Hanoi.

The turtle remains in the lake and researchers have notified the Vietnamese government of its existence, Hendrie said.


*Click on the photo for a larger view...


This is the view on the bridge of the little temple on it's own little island. (click on the photo so you can see it better.)


The water was so amazing.. and strange at the same time. I think that this looks like a piece of marble or a painting. However, if you click on the photo-- you can see either a bug or a spider on the water.


This is the same island, but from the opposite side of the lake.