Budapesting Elie

Budapest with Elie Pak
June 15 ~ 18th, 2011

July 1999. I'd quit my job at the PBS station in Lexington, KY and was driving solo west to San Francisco where I knew no one and had no cushy job waiting for me. Elie had an online posting for a room on Treasure Island and wanted me to confirm interest in the room while I was still in Lexington. Back then, I couldn't even decide which pair of running shoes to buy until I've tried them on a few times, on different days and comparing prices till my head reeled. A total stranger then, Elie agreed to let me come stay a couple of days upon hearing my move across country. I figured, how bad could a place like Treasure Island really be anyway?!

We ended up living together for a year and a half and have become great friends. To end up hanging out in Budapest a dozen years later would never have crossed either of our minds then. This would also be the trip where I got to fulfill a wish I'd made from my first trip to Budapest back in college with my college's concert choir...my wish to specifically visit the hot baths. What can I say? I love hot springs, hot tubs, pools, etc...and the one Elie took me to was absolutely divine! I was in pool heaven! Thermal baths of varying temperatures, outdoor pools that swirl you around, all amidst beautifully ornate structures.

Why hadn't I gone to such a bath house back on the trip with my singing crazy college friends? Largely because I was a whole lot more of a mousey person, and since it wasn't part of the 60-strong entourage's agenda, I hadn't dared diverged from the group. It wasnt too many years after that I learned not to wait around for anyone to do anything I have any interest in. While that has brought me to probably experience life more fully, it's also gotten me into a whole lot more trouble, like totalling my company car in Tahoe amongst a few other such adventures!

Hanging out with Elie in Budapest was, needless to say, super fun. Aside from the Szechenyi pools, we went on a lot of sight seeing trips...then of course we had the late and all night chats, which is the nectar of my life and I believe, of human relationships. I find myself once again such a fortunate gal! Thanks a million times, Elie! Love you a thousand times and more! ~m.

Auschwitz-Birkenau Nazi Concentration camp

Auschwitz was my one definite destination on this European tour. It is a relatively recent event of unimaginable atrocity that has altered European history and the lives of millions, even to this day. I had to come here to gain some insight as to how one man can cause such severe wrong to humanity in such shocking magnitude . He obviously had supporters and many followers. How did all these soldiers justify killing innocent people en masse? What drove Hitler and his followers?

At Auschwitz, it was certainly heart wrenching to see thousands of personal belongings of the decried Jewish families. Walking through one of the many buildings where they were inspected (like cows being herded for slaughter) or where they slept 6, 8, 10 people to a tiny bunk made my mind whirl. But it was out in the open fields where their ashes were dumped that stop me in my tracks, in my thoughts, where I just started crying. The fields are big. Barracks by the acres. Wide fields of strewn ashes. There is now an eerie peace and stillness.

On the guided tour, a tourist said in aghast that hopefully this was the last of genocide in modern human existence. Sadly, it is not. Khmer Rouge was in power less than 40 years ago! I'd like to think most of us know about the genocide happening today, in Rwanda, Somalia and probably a few other places. But like that tourist, many of us, including myself, tend to skip that part of news as it is quite depressing. And if like me, many probably wonder how one measly person can make any difference. I do not know. But the quote about knowing history so as not to let it be repeated comes to mind as well Pastor Martin Niemölle's oft quote poem on how one man didn't do anything when they came for others, and when they came for him, there was no one left to speak for him.

Am I to dedicate my life to human rights advocacy? I'm not sure. It is one reason why I've been interested in working at the UN. There seems much politicking controversies though within this international organization. I do believe however, that I can help promote world peace through yoga, even if one person at a time, starting with myself.

I'm not sure my questions were necessary answered on this visit to the concentration camp, nor was I expecting to find them. But it did make this piece of history a part of my being and contributed to my deep need to understand human nature. It is the same reason I went to Phnom Penh, Cambodia, two years ago. We learn most about ourselves in relation to others, and ultimately, we are all related. My search continues.

KrakoV but with a W

KRAKOW ~ June 11 - 15, 2011

These photos of Krakow still astound me. This city is one I knew nothing of, save the proximity to Auschwitz, which I'm saving to write on separately.

I arrived at KRK with instructions to take the train to the city. Upon arriving at what didn't even seem like a train station (a 10 minute walk from the airport,) I found a single taxi cab, probably waiting for the idiot tourist, ie. moi. He offered to take me to the downtown train station for 70 zlotys, and I managed to bargain him down to 50, which I later found out was a good deal! At my "apartamenty" I found the doors all locked but managed to call the manager and was promptly shown in the big obtrusive doors, given the key and asked for payment, pronto, by the kitchen hand. Having handed over 100 zlotys, I wondered if I should have asked for a receipt as I once again lugged 30kg of luggage up 3 flights of stairs so worn down there were deep, smooth dips in the center. I believe I was the only tenant in this very old building. If my mom happens to read this, it's a good thing this has all happened already and I turned out just fine, right, Mom?!

Unfortunately, the only thing still opened I came upon at 9:45pm was a McDonald's. But it was one of the biggest chicken wrap I've ever had. Later, I came across the livelier Rynek Glowny (central market; a huge medieval marketplace purportedly 2nd largest in Europe) where I found the Teatr all lit up as pictured below. It was only the next day when I returned that I realized the size of Rynek Glowny. It was a good thing I suppose, that my bags were pretty full and I couldn't actually buy a whole lot. There was MUCH to peruse and ogle at.

I changed apartment on the 2nd day to Marisha's lovely home in Kazimierz, the Jewish district where I got to learn a whole lot about the history of this land. Marisha, a lovely and intriguing Polish-Scottish lady, pointed me to a local restaurant, UtDorotea's, around the corner from her house where I ended up eating twice as the food was good and cheap! Can't beat that!

On another afternoon, I walked to the castle, around the corner from Marisha's. The trip to Wawel Castle was made so much more entertaining with an audio tour app I had downloaded on my now much cherished Ipad. {Without this iPad, I probably would've ended up in Uzbekistan or who knows where! GPS map is a wonderful thing!}

I also got to meet Iker, a friend of Ester's from Edinburgh. It was great fun getting to know him, who also hails from the Basque region in Spain. He is teaching Spanish in Krakow and absolutely loves being there, so it was awesome to hear another aspect of life in this city. Krakow has so much to offer, despite the dark ugly history. And even though I felt some disdain from some folks, maybe because I couldn't even muster any Polish words (try pronouncing Brzozowa!) I thoroughly enjoyed my visit and would return.

Hosteling in Dublin

Dublin, Ireland ~ June 8-11, 2011

It's also been about 10 days since I left Dublin, and I'm my way now to Venice, having just left Zurich. Maybe I can get caught up while on the remaining 2hr train ride!

Getting into Dublin, I hadn't worried about getting directions to my lodging since it was in a commercial area. It was to be my first adventure into hosteling, and the last, at least for this segment of my European journey. The first thing I discovered about Dublin was that I had a hard time understanding what they were saying and thus missed my stop for the hostel. No matter, it's just a short drag of my 30kg of luggage through busy streets. Upon finding Isaacs Hostel, tucked in an alleyway, I discovered I had to lug that same 30kg up to the third floor, but hey, I was getting my own room. Yes, kind of defeats the purpose of staying in a hostel I suppose. But at 38 years of age (and feeling it) I wasn't so much banking on making new friends by the drones while bunking with them on the cheap. I did however show up for the communal breakfast and met a fellow from the Bay Area, of all places! Mark who hails from Petaluma, about 30mins from San Francisco, is also on a discovery journey. We parted ways after breakfast only to run into each other outside of Nyonya, a Malaysian restaurant I was having lunch at. Yes, I ate there...and was quite amused there was another Malaysian restaurant across the street barely on the next block. Anyhow, Mark and I ended up perusing the Book of Kells exhibit at Trinity College. Beautiful stuff, for lack of better words. I also got to view the first book on anatomy written back in the 1500's (by Vesalius), which was amazingly awesome for me as I'd quite gotten interested in the human body from having to study it in my yoga teacher training.

I spent the rest of my 2.5 days walking around Dublin quite a bit. The Shakespeare festival was going on but I didn't feel quite like forking out 20 quids to freeze my ass, much as I'd love to see a live rendition of Romeo & Juliet. I did catch a student play of Two Gentlemen of Verona at St. Stephen's Green, now one of my favorite parks. The funny thing is, I chanced upon this play in the park whiling away some time before heading to the airport when in the prior days, I could not quite make my agenda when I'd tried to plan on catching other ones. This whole trip has been an exercise in going with the flow, while reconciling with the fact that most trains and planes have their own flow of schedules where I would likely "miss my boat" left to my own device of timing.

It is very interesting what the concept of time has become since I no longer have to adhere to anyone else's timelines and deadlines (save for trains and planes!) I've been "on the road" now for 6 weeks. Phew! No, I most definitely do not miss work. I do miss not doing anything sometimes though. I am quite tired from the constant moving around, which started almost right after I completed the yoga teacher training back in February and knew I was going on this trip. I do wish more friends are traveling with me. Though, MeiLi will be arriving in Venice in a couple of days...and I've actually mostly been with a friend, old and new, this whole 6 weeks. Now I just gotta figure out how I can bring San Francisco to me, and the rest of my friends! Oh, and the yoga community as well! While I've been able to put in my own practice regularly, I do miss group classes. In two weeks, I'll be back in Penang with my entire immediate family!

Anyway, back to Dublin! It was good fun. And certainly good experience at the nice hostel...I'll be posting a picture of the room. cheers!

Edinburgh with Ester

Yes, I am about three countries behind. And my recollection may now be so overcrowded with new sites and peeps, I'm trying mightily to pen them down as quickly as I can. It's actually been only 11 days ago that I was in Scotland, where I trained up from Birmingham. But am writing this now from Zurich...so, this is an especially expensive piece of writing you could say!

The 4hr train ride to Edinburgh was lovely, passing lots of green pastures spotted with little lambs...or maybe they just seemed little. Ester, my lovely Airbnb host was there to greet me at the train station on Haymarket, even after I had to retrieve my red carry-on bag left on the train. As we walked through Edinburgh to her apartment, me dragging my 20kg samsonite over some cobblestone, Ester gayfully pointed out sites around town as I kept wondering if I'd stepped back in time. A land of castles right in the middle of the city, brimstone houses and old rock bridges...I was waiting for gnomes and goblins to jump out from under Dean's Bridge!

My first day on my own in town, I went on a free walking tour along the Royal Mile, learning much of the history. I hadn't even known that one of my favorite authors hails from here and got to have a few cups of coffee (which has somehow become a reinstated lifestyle for me) in one of the purported cafes where Harry Potter was born. Ester had adviced against paying to go in to Edinburgh castle or hiking up Arthur's seat and instead walk up Calton Hill, which was absolutely lovely. The architecture of this whole city is just amazing, more so pronounced from the top of Calton, and never mind the rich history and stories. Definitely worth going back, especially to visit my new friend who hails from the Basque region of Spain. My favorite thing about Edinburgh, aside from getting a slice of Ester's passion for it, is the sun setting close to 10pm this time of year! Yes, 10pm! Too bad the museums don't stay open this late. On top of all this, I found a handful of yoga studios, one where I met a lovely instructor, Hailey.

I also got to spend a lovely lazy day putzing around Ester's neighborhood, Stockbridge, which is very close to the royal botanical gardens. It was a perfect afternoon even with the sporadic downpour. This was a city of UK I've hardly known about and have come to love and appreciate in the very short few days I got to spend there, and I keep thanking the universe for granting me the most awesome life, filled with such amazing experiences and wonderful people!

Stratford-upon-Avon

"Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou, Romeo? Deny thy father and refuse thy name" -- well, I can tell ya those lines have never worked for me since I learned them back in Form Five (11th Grade.) It was truly a royal treat to get to stroll around Stratford-upon-Avon, a short 45minute train ride (costing all of £6.50) and learn so much more of the bard's life.

Some of life's best events are those unplanned, as was this day trip I took, as has been the case for many, many other such occurrences on this journey. Maybe it's just a great excuse for my lack of planning abilities, but I am finding each day to come by chock full of delightful surprises. Or maybe I am just learning to find delight in all that I encounter?!

I visited Shakespeare's house where he was born (first picture on upper left) down right to his burial grounds, the house he'd bought and lived in after he'd made his riches in London and to his doctor son-in-law's beautiful house from which the manicured garden picture was taken. A splendid afternoon, by any other means would probably have been equally awesome!

Fook-Hung in Birmingham

Not Birmingham, Alabama...though I've never been! Visiting my childhood friend, FookHung, in Birmingham, England, was partly for some respite from crazy London sight seeing and largely to reconnect with an old friend who'd kind'a disappeared from my life suddenly back around Standard Five (5th Grade.) My sister, Josephine, and I used to have a blast playing badminton with FookHung and his brother, CheeHung. As I recall, the Khoo gals often beat the boy's asses! But hey, we were after all a badminton star's daughters! Never mind that these boys were younger than us, ages combined.

It was great fun getting to know FookHung again. His flat was in a quaint neighborhood south of this second largest city in England, which provided all the amenities I could need, even a choice of yoga studios! My time spent there was much like when I was in upstate New York in Nyack with Elizabeth. FookHung took me walking around downtown where there are considerable beautiful architecture. My favorite site was the canals with lazily floating barges, largely commercial as opposed to the homey Little Venice ones in London. In particular was the Book Barge as pictured - a cute little travelling bookshop!

FookHung was very concerned that I would be bored out of my mind for the week and constantly asked what else I could be doing. In reality, having nothing to do was what I was relishing in! The last few weeks, heck, years has all been about doing, doing, doing...I truly needed some time to just chill and contemplate some more on the meaning of life! Well, that and to also reorient my life so that it's not just all about doing, but living. One of my favorite yoga teachers, Janet Stone, often said in class, that if you keep on rushing and "doing" life, it will rush on by you as well. "Doing," in and of itself is not so much a bad or wrong thing per se, but I think oftentimes people tend to get into a mode of doing life without a moment of conscious thought to the reason or purpose behind. And I'm certainly writing from experience! I could go on for quite a bit more on this, but shall reserve that for another time!