till the end almost, malaysia and japan not done

April 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 2007

Woke up at 630 am to watch us sail up the Saigon river. We were the first off the ship an were escorted directly to the airport by bus for our flight to Phnom Penh Cambodia. Straight from the airport we went straight to lunch and had some form of Cambodian food, which was really good noodles, and all that fun stuff with some sort of fish curry, which was kind of crazy. Then we went to the Royal Palace and Silver Pagoda the royal palace was closed because the king had just come back from Beijing and had some meeting of sorts, the people elect their king. So we just toured the silver pagoda and then headed to the Mekong River for a sunset cruise. We sailed by a floating village, which was amazing to see so up close. Then we headed to the hotel which was right across the street from the US Embassy and 8 of us went off on our own to the Palm Tree Foundation Orphanage which is funded by a couple on the ship. So we had tons of stuff to deliver there. We were there for about 4.5 hrs. It was amazing we were just in the courtyard with about 80 kids of all ages they had music playing so we just danced. Then one little boy did some form of a cartwheel and asked me if I could, so I did a few things for him then every little boy wanted to walk on their hands, so I spent about 1.5 hrs helping little boys walk on their hands which was a lot more me carrying them by their feet while they walked on their hands. And it was extremely hot outside but so worth it. We were all covered in sweat, mainly from having one kid on my shoulders one my back and two on my arms at all times. It was exhausting but so worth it, some kids at first were hesitant to talk to us but by they end they didn’t want to be put down. Then they all lined up and we handed out the stuff we had brought from the ship to them. And every time we gave them an item they would bow and thank us, and were so great full of every little thing we did for them. Then we just danced and played with the kids, then around 930 which was past their bed time the kids who had taken a bus to Ho Chi Minh to perform on the ship were back, and their were about 12 full suitcases of stuff for the kids which Terry brought with him. So we unloaded that stuff from the vans, and then the bus dropped us off at a bar restaurant were we met Terry and had a bite to eat and then headed back to the hotel in a tuk tuk I think that’s how you spell it, and crashed around 1230. We got up at 5 the next morning, had breakfast and then left around 630 to start the day. We started our day at the Tuol Sleng Museum here are a few exerts from it, it was once a hit school and during the genocide it was run by kids and thousands of people were killed here. In the past “Tuol Sleng” Museum was one of the secondary schools in the capital, called “Tuol Svay Prey” high-School. After the 17th, April 1975 Pol Pot Clique had transformed it into a prison called “S.21” (Security office 21) which was the biggest in Kampuchea Democratic (Cambodia). It was surrounded with the double wall of corrugated iron, surmounted by dense barbed wires. The classrooms on the ground and the first floors were pierced and divided into individual cells, whereas the ones ont eh second floor used for mass detention. Several thousand of victims (peasants, workers, technicians, engineers, doctors, teachers, students, Buddhist monks, ministers, Pol Pot’s Cadres, Soldiers of all ranks, the Camodian Diplomatic corps, foreigners, etc..) were imprisoned and exterminated with their wives and their children… There are a lot of evidences here proving the atrocities of Pol Pot clique: cells, instrument of torture, dossiers and documents, list of prisoners names, mugshoots of victims, their clothes and their belongings. We founded the mass graves surroudind, and in particular, the most ones situated 15km in the southwest of Phnom penh, in the village of Chhoeung Ek, District Dangkor, Kandal Province.

The Victims Grave
The 14 victims corpses have been found by, the army forces of the Front Union of Salvage National Kampuchea, through the building “A” and carried its to bury in this place. Among of those corpses there was a woman victim. These victims were the last ones who had been killed by the agent of S.21 before their fugitive.

The Security of Regulation
1. You must answer accordingly to my question-Don’t turn them away.
2. Don’t try to hide the facts by making pretexts this and that You are strictly prohibited to contest me.
3. Don’t be a fool for you are a chap who dare to thwart the revolution.
4. You must immediately answer my questions without wasting time to reflect.
5. Don’t tell me either about your immoralities or the essence of the revolution.
6. While getting lashes or electrification you must not cry at all.
7. Do nothing, sit still and wait for my orders. If there is no order, keep quiet. When I ask you to do something, you must do it right away without protesting.
8. Don’t make pretext about Kampuchea Krom in order to hide your secret or traitor.
9. If you don’t follow the above rules, you shall get many many lashes of electric wire.
10. If you disobey any point of my regulations you shall get either ten lashes or five shocks of electric discharge.

The Gallows
This pole with cables attached to it had been used for the student to conduct their exercise. The Khmer rouge utilized this place as interrogation room. The interrogators tied both hands of the prisoners to the back by a rope and lift the prisoners upside down. They did like this until the prisoners lost consciousness. Then they dipped the prisoners head into a jar of smelly, filthy, water, which they normally used as fetilizer for the crops in the terrace outside. By doing so, the victims quickly regain consciousness, and that the interrogators could continued their interrogation.

Building C
Groundflloor – single cells made of brick
First floor- single cells made of wood
Second floor- mass detention
The braid of barbed wires prevents the desperate victims from committing suicide.

After the high school museum we went to the killing fields, here are exerts from their.
Truck Stop
Here was the place where a trucks transporting victims to exterminated from Tuol Sleng Prison and other places in the coun. Try stopped. Trucks would arrive 2 or 3 times a month or every 3 weeks. Each truck held 20 to 30 frightened blindfolded and silent prisoners. When the trucks arrived, the victims were led directly to be executed at the ditches and pits or were sent to be detained in the darken and gloomy prison nearby. After January 07, 1979, one truck remained but it has since been taken away.
The Dark and Gloomy Detention
Here was the place where victims transported from Tuol Sleng and other places in the country were detained. Usually when the truck arrived, the victims were executed immediately. However as the number of victims to be executed was increased up to over 300 per day executioners failed in attempt to kill them within a day. That is why they were detained for execution the next day. The detention was constructed from wood with galvanized steel roof. Its wall was built with two layers of flat wood were to darken and also prevent prisoners seeing each other. Unfortunately the dart and gloomy detention was dismantled in 1979.

The executioners working office
Here was the place where executioners stationed permanently at choeung ek worked. The office as well as the killing fileds were equipped with electric power which enabled them to conduct executions and to read and sign the rosters that accompanied the victims to the site at the night time.

The Chemical Substances Storage Room
Here was the place where chemical substances such as DDT etc. was kept. Executioners scattered these substances over dead bodies of the victims at once after execution. This action had two purposes: Firstly to eliminate the stench from the dead bodies which could potentially raise suspicion among people working near by the killing fields and secondly was to kill off victims who were buried alive.

The Killing Tools Storage Room
Here was the place where the killing tools such as shackles, leg irons, and hatchet, knifes hoes, digging hoes, shoves, iron ox. Cart axles were stored. This instrument was lost in 1979. The storage room was constructed from wood with a galvanized steel foor.

The Most Tragic
Even in this 20th century, on Kampuchean soil the clique of pol pot criminals had committed a heinous genocidal act. They massacred the population with atrocity in a large scale, it was more cruel than the genocidal act commited by the Hitler fascists, which the world has never met. With the commemorative stupa in front of us we imagine that we are hearing the grievous voice of the vitims, who were beaten by Pol Pot men with canes, bamboo stumps or head of hoes. Who were stabbed with knives or swords we seem to be looking at the horrifying scenes and the panic stricken faces of the people who were dying of starvation, forced labour or torture without mercy upon the skinny body, they died without giving the last words to their kith and kin. How hurtful those victims were when they got beaten with cnes heads of hoes and stabbed with knives or swords before their last breath went out. How bitter they were when seeing their beloved children wives husbands brothers or sisters being taken to the mass grave! While they were waiting for their turn to come and share the same tragic lot. The method of massacre which the clique of pol pot criminals was carried upon the innocent people of Kampuchea cannot be described fully and clearly in words because the invention fo this killing method was strangely cruel so it is difficult for us to determine who they are for: they have the human form but their hearts are demons hearts, they have got the khmer face but their activities are purely reactionary. They wanted to transform campuchean people into a group of persons without reason or a group who kenw and understood nothing who always bent their heads to carry out ankars orders blindly they had educated and transformed young people and the adolescent whose hearts are pure, gentle and modest into odious executioners who dared to kill the innocent and even their owen parents, relatives or friends. They had burnt the market place, abolished monetary ststem, eliminated books of rules and principles of national culture, destroyed schools, hospitals, pagodas and beautiful monuments such as Angkor wat temple which is the source of pure national pride and bears the genius, knowldegs and intelligence of our nation. They were trying hard to get rid of kemer character and transform the sol and waters of Kampuchea into a sea of blood and tears which was deprive of cultural infrastructure, civilization and national character, became a desert of great dextruction that overturned the Kampuchean society and drove it back on the stone age.

Presentation of the Extermination Cmap Choeung Ek
The extermination camp Choeung Ek is about 15km from Phonm Penh in the south west. It implicated in the organzaiton of the biggest security centre of Kmapuchea democratic in Pol Pot regime under the name S.21. S21 had its head quarter at Tuol Sleng Prison. All the vicims detained and tortured during interrogating at Tuol Sleng were later sent to Choeung Ek for liquidation. A lot of population and pol pot soldiers of the eastern zone were also sent there sinc emay 1978 towards the end of 1980 86 out of 129 mass graves were unearthed in this extermination campu and 8985 corpses were found. A stupa has been erected to preserve their remains and also to commemorate the death of the Kampuchea people under pol pot regime.

Mass grave of 166 victimes with out heads.
Killing tree where executioners beat children
Magic tree- the tree was used as a tool to hang a loudspeaker which make sound louder to avoid the moan of victims while they were being executed

The conservatice dyke
This dyke was constructed in 2000 to be used as a conservation facility to prevent destruction of mass graves excavated from floods

After the killing fields we went to the Russian Market for a while where I found some sweet deals, then we headed to a nice restaurant for a Chinese Cambodian lunch. After lunch we went to the National Museum where we spent about an hour and then had some free time before we headed to the airport for our flight so Siem Reap. Our flight was barely worth it, it took us about 25 minutes, to get to Siem Reap. We instantly left the airport for Angkor Wat at sundown, it is rare cause it faces west so that is the best time to view it, most temples face east apparently. It was built by the Angkor’s in the early 13th century for the Vishnu. Then it became Buddhist and then both now of sorts I guess, it was lost for a periods because the Siams would invade the area and eventually forced the Angkor’s to the area of Phnom Penh to avoid war, and the monks took care of it for awhile, then it was lost you could say and the French found it in 1861. After sun down we headed to dinner and a cultural evening, we had some Cambodian dances. Then we headed to our hotel, which had a pool and everything, it was pretty rad, although the ceilings were definitely way nicer than the beds, which was bizarre. Then me Ben, Alex, Aleni, and Peter headed across the street to a Karaoke bar which was interesting, sort of, all the people singing got really dressed up and looked really nice, and I give them a lot of credit for getting up their, but a few of them hit a couple wrong notes, but for the most part it was cool. Then we headed back early for the next day was coming quicker than expected. We got up at 4am to head to Angkor Wat for sunrise. Which was awesome got to explore a lot of the temple with very few tourists. Took some rad photos, climbed as high as I could. Then we headed back to the hotel for breakfast and to get the people that didn’t wake up for the sunrise visit. Around 830 we headed out to another temple, cant recall the name right now, it’s the one that’s in tomb raider, and was not restored at all so it has the trees growing over it with their roots. It was super rad, I think I liked it more than Angkor Wat. It was the vision I had when I thought of Cambodia I guess you could say, their was this one room where when you beat your chest like a gorilla you could hear like the hollowness of your chest if it is even hollow. Hard to explain we had a good beat going with a few of us. A little on this temple.
Known today as Ta Prohm or “Old Brahma”, this monument was initially named “Rajavahara” meaning “royal monastery”. In 1186 AD Jayavarman VII consecrated several statues here, the most important of which was that of Prajnaparamita, the personification of the Perfection of Wisdom, a figure whom the King identified with his mother. Reflecting without doubt a religious ideology, it is only some years later that the king dedicated another temple, Preah Khan to his father whom he identified with Lokesvara. On an official level, this is clearly in the religious context of Buddhism of the Great Vehicle and, more specifically, in the context of a Khmer Buddhist atmosphere characteristic to Jayavarman VII’s reign. One must be wary of too quick understandings. The word vihara in its original use for example should not be understood with the Theravadin eye of the modern era. On the other hand, all things considered, the one kilometer by seven hundred meters area delimited by the exterior enclosing wall can perhaps be regarded somewhat as a Vat (modern Buddhist monastery). Within the walls, many people of diverse capacities made up a cult. Ordinarily the visitor approaches the monument from the west, that is they approach the heart of the complex. However one must not forget that the ritual entrance was to the east.

After this we went back to the hotel and had naptime for 2 hours, which I decided would do nothing for me so I chose to go swimming in the pool. I know I turned down a nap. The pool was very refreshing although it was pretty warm I don’t think they need to heat a pool in Cambodia. After the naptime we went to Angkor Tom I believe it is spelled which basically means Angkor City I think. It was once home to over a million people, it was pretty badass. There were a bunch of different temples, one to the elephants or something, one built by the Buddhists and they are just all so intricately designed. Every detail and their height its really fascinating. One temple just had these giants heads pointing in four directions just all over the place, and you just get lost in the temples wandering around. I would have loved to see what they looked like when they were first built. I mean they have a great look with the moss and stuff growing on the stone but the engraved art work must have been super sick. The details are so intricate. Oh on my way between temples their was this lady selling shirts but she had a really cool jacket hanging on a rack in the back of her stand so I asked her if it was for sale. She looked at me kinda funny not quit understanding what I was trying to ask and then set a price for it. I ended up after some good bargaining getting that jacket and three t-shirts for I think it was 40 Reel. After seeing the three different temples I was in a little art stand and with a friend check out a few cool pieces when I felt violent lashing at my feet oh yes I was being attacked by about 8000000 Cambodian red ants, they only hurt for about 72 hrs and then started itching. On our way back to the bus we saw that they were doing elephant rides which of course they failed to inform us about, and we didn’t have enough time to ride them which was disappointing but don’t you worry next time well ride elephants. They then hurried us on to the bus and we scurried on over to the Siam Reap airport. We decided it was a good idea to get Dairy Queen, which isn’t very Cambodian, but it was the only food option in the airport so we really had no choice. Then I realized I lost my landing card which they claim is super important but I never needed it once and we were supposed to turn them in or else we got dock time but I told them I lost it and they didn’t seem to care. So at this point we have been up since 4 am. And when we got on the plane most of us just knock out. So I am enjoying my nice little nap, when all of a sudden I am jarred awake along with the rest of my row, (I am on the isle) from this very loud noise, which is the flight attendant lady taking out my left knee with the food cart at about 80 mph. The dent is real nice. So I asked her for extra wafers, which were really good but never, got them oh well. So we made it back to Ho Chi Minh took the bus back to the ship waited in line for them to check everyone’s bags as we boarded the ship again and then we had a late dinner in the dinning hall then I believe I went and passed out after the longest day ever.
Got up the next morning at 7 for my trip to the Cu Chi Tunnels and the Cao Dai Temple. We took our 3 hour bus ride to a restaurant and then we went down the road to the Cao Dai Temple on the way their we passed some Oxen pulling a cart and working in the fields. We also passed an accident scene where there were lots of chalk drawings on the ground. The different things were numbered and there was a motorbike that had blood around it. Now back to Cao Dai. Cao Dai is a religion that encompasses all beliefs and religions basically. If not all then a lot of them. We were there for noon mass service whatever you want to call it. Their were about five or sic different levels in the temple, and depending on how long you have been practicing or whatever you were allowed to be closer or a higher level up towards the front of the temple. People were also in different colors I recall, blue, yellow, red, and white, I want to say green but I could be making that up. So after the temple we took an hour and a half bus ride to the Cu Chi Tunnels. We watched a movie on the tunnels and our guide explained about them how they were built and when and how big they were and how extensive of a tunnel system it was. Then we went threw some of the tunnels, which were widened so tourists can fit in them and still they are super small. And it doesn’t smell very nice down their. We saw a tiger pit trap thing where you step on what you think is ground and end up on spikes and we saw all the nasty traps and things they used during the war. Then we went to the firing range and im not sure what kind of gun it was but they call it the Rambo style gun, it was some kind of machine gun. Super fun. Then we filmed a little war scene super sick. Then we went threw more tunnels and then got back on the bus for our 2 hr bus ride back to Ho Chi Minh. On the bus ride back we played this movie and band game which was pretty entertaining its crazy what artist or movies come to mind when there’s pressure on. Once back in Ho Chi Minh we got dinner on the ship then I headed out to do some interneting before we went out that night. On our way out we left the port area and got on motorbikes, which is Vietnams version of the tuk tuk or rick, or taxi. So we each get on the back of one, and no motor bike driver in Vietnam has any clue where anything is so we said the seventeen saloon, so it took them about 15 minutes to get to one of the seventeen saloons apparently there’s two. So then we had to explain this wasn’t the right one and the eventually got us to the right one about 25 minutes later. So we spent a couple hours their just chilling, a lot of places close at midnight, so we left there a little after midnight and got on motorbikes again to go somewhere else. So we’ve been going for about five minutes now and my motorbike man stops cause or back tire was getting flat luckily all the other motorbikes in our motorcade stopped as well. So we get some more air and then move forward. So about five minutes later my motorbike man starts falling behind not letting any of the others now, cause our tire was flat again. This time though he didn’t stop for air just decides to kick me off, and tries to get me to pay him extra cause his tire was flat and I said sir I didn’t make your tire flat, at this point we are on some dark street there are five other motor bike drivers around me all yelling at me in Vietnamese no idea what they are saying so I paid less than what I was supposed considering I had no idea where I was and I had no friends and I wasn’t at my destination. So I start walking towards a main street hoping I could find a new motorbike driver to take me back to the ship. So one approaches me he speaks a little English. So I said just get me to the ship. So I get on with him and he lights up a joint, comforting, then tries to take me to get a massage, at 130 am, then tries to take me two or three other places and every time I have to say no sir just to the ship I don’t need anything I just want to go to the ship. So I made it back and in one piece. I got up early the next morning around 8 and headed to the internet to get some stuff done for a few hours, then back to the ship for lunch and then we headed out to the War Remnants Museum, which wasn’t open for another 15 minutes so I bought some Gucci glasses for 25000 dong, the guy wanted 150000 but I bargained down to 25000. That’s a dollar quarter. I know I am a pretty good bargainer. The museum was awesome. All of the photos and remnants where things that you could have seen in the states but the thing that was so different and very educational was the captions and the stories told. Just to see how some photos I have seen before have a completely different interpretation. After the museum we went to the Reunification Palace or something like that it has about five different names, it took us forever to get in cause we walked around the entire outside trying to find the entrance the grounds are like a square mile. There was some function going on and it was very uneventful, so we headed on to the market. After the market which was very hectic I went and got my rail pass then went to the rex hotel and used free Internet before meeting back up with people at a restaurant across the street from the palace. We also learned that in Vietnam they love to advertise things but never seem to have them or that service, everyone says they take credit cards but their machines are either broke, unexpectedly not working, or haven’t paid their phone bill so they cant be used its quit interesting. It was a really nice restaurant our guide recommended it, and it was the cheapest meal I have ever had. We each ordered a main dish, I had like three cokes, then we all got about 5 deserts cause we figured we might as well try one of everything cause each thing is only 75 cents. Then we headed back to catch some motor bikes but we had to cross rush hour traffic first and in Vietnam you just walk and they avoid you, so if there is more than one of you, you walk in a straight line so that it is easier for them to avoid you its quit clever. Then we caught motorbikes back to the ship and that ends Vietnam.



April 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 2007
Made it to Hong Kong after a really intense academic stretch between Vietnam and here way to much work due and not enough time to do and it recover from the intensity of Cambodia and Vietnam. First day in Hong Kong I went with a friend to find the apartment that their father grew up in. It happened to be right around the corner from where the ship was sort of so it wasn’t too hard to find. It was funny though it was this really old building with only five stories and it was only two apartments wide. These enormously tall buildings that were very extravagant surrounded it. So I guess its special since it has survived all these years. Then we stopped at a travel agency and I booked my flight to Beijing for the next day at 3 pm. Then we went on the metro they call it something else like MR or something but I can’t recall that right now. We had no idea where to go so we just chose a location and went for it. We ended up in Kawloon Bay which had this giant shopping area that we had to navigate threw to get out to the world so it took us a while and it ended up being a large residential area so we ate lunch their and then headed back to the ship to catch the ferry to Hong Kong Island. Once we got off the ferry on Hong Kong Island we headed for Hollywood Rd. which has lots antique shops and the area and its design and small winding narrow cobblestone roads seem to have a strong British influence I would say. Cruised around their until dark. All the shops were really expensive so no purchases were made I was hoping for more of pawn shop type of shops but oh well. It was still an awesome part of the city. Then we went back to the travel agency to pick up my airline ticket. Then we headed back to the ship to watch the light show from the back deck. The light show was pretty cool the bear claw building, which I believe is the tallest in Hong Kong, is my favorite. The skyline and just the city itself is very stunning. Then grabbed a bite to eat on the ship before heading back to Hong Kong Island for the night. Their was a carnival on the water that we attempted to go to but as soon as we got their it closed so we just walked around doing some night photography. Then headed back to try and get a descent nights sleep for once. Got up the next morning to look up a few things on the Internet before making the trek to the airport. It was going to be like $100 American to get to the airport by cab so I took the MR or whatever its called to one station, then to another where I had to buy another ticket, then had to transfer somewhere it was quit the process but I got their on time, we had to be their two hours ahead for some reason. Then just did some reading and chilled in the airport ran into some of the crew who were headed back to the Philippines. It is a very nice airport seems to be very efficient. I bet they try to get you their two hours early so you have lots of time to shop cause there are tons of shops their good marketing strategy. My flight to Beijing was pleasant they fed us some type of stir-fried noodles and then cookies and cream Haagen-Dazs ice cream. Some how between getting off the plane, baggage claim, and leaving the airport I lost the paper with the name of my hostel written on it. So I made up a name of what I thought my hostel was and had a cab driver take me their. That wasn’t the right one so I looked the one I had booked up online and had the man working their write it for me in mandarin. The first cab I got in spent five minutes making calls then kicked me out cause I don’t think he knew where it was. Then the second cab seemed pretty confident that he could get me their, but instead I got a 1.5 hr tour of the cities ins and outs. We made it their eventually after lots of stops for directions. He was nice enough to turn the meter off when he started getting lost so I paid if a bit extra since it took him so long and he was nice. I was convinced at one point that he was just going to tell me to get out and I was going to be stuck in the middle of late night really dark alleyway in Beijing. But it all worked out. I had three roommates in my room, two Japanese and one white, who looked like a sketchy smegel the creepy guy from Lord of the Rings. I slept for what felt like days but when I got up it was only 1030. Headed out towards T square and the Forbidden City. Met up with some people I knew from SAS in the Forbidden City and we headed to the Temple of Heaven. We hung out in the gardens their for sunset and watched these Chinese people play some game with things on string and some really interesting instruments. I tried to fly a kite I bought but it ended up in a tree but I have three more so it’s ok. Then as we were leaving to go meet up with friends the three of us got stopped by this Chinese student I forget her name, she asked us if we would edit her speech for her she was presenting it the next day for some Olympic committee. So we did out best and had some quality conversation with her. She emailed us the next day informing us how it went. I guess she didn’t win the award but it went well none the less, she was very appreciative and asked if she could take us to dinner and show us around, but we were leaving on a train in a few hours so we thanked her for her offer and kindness. After the Temple of Heaven we went to eat dinner at a local Chinese place, then we hurried back to the hostel to catch the bus to the Chinese opera. We were a few minutes late to the opera, which was quit interesting. Lots of very high octaves hit, and awesome scene titles, like the iridescent cloud. The last half and hour was awesome it was a fight scene so it involved lots of acrobatics and such pretty awesome. Then we headed back to the hostel and hit the sack. Got up early to leave for the great wall. It is usually a 2 hr ride or so but ours took about 3.5 because of an accident. We finally made it there and spent about 4 hrs exploring the wall. Little students stopped us about every 5 minutes because they wanted to take pictures with us. We are basically famous in China. After seeing the entire great wall we tobogganed back down to the base area where we boarded the bus back to the hostel in Beijing. Everyone went out to dinner and I joined them but was suddenly feeling horrible so I didn’t eat anything. Then headed back to the hostel to head to be since I wasn’t feeling good. Throughout the night I got sicker and sicker couldn’t make it out of bed in the morning or for that matter till early evening, around 5 pm I was feeling well enough to get out of bed for the first time and did some schoolwork on the internet in the hostel. Then just tried to pull myself together before making our way to the train station to catch our overnight train to Qingdao. The overnight train was a descent time; I was on the top bunk, which is the third from the ground with about 3 inches of headspace, fit somehow. It was pretty uneventful, still feeling pretty terrible, so once we arrived in Qingdao made our way back to the ship I took a nap till noon, then attempted to see Qingdao. I must have taken a wrong turn somewhere cause the street that I was on for about a mile and a half or so consisted of abandoned buildings, closed stores, hardware stores, sea men bars, hoar houses, and one shoe store. It was nice to not see any sasers for a few hours though. Got back to the ship and just collapsed. Straight up exhausted. Some history on the great wall the forbidden city and temple of heaven:
Construction on the Great Wall of China (GWC) was initiated by Qin Shi Huang the first Emperor of China between 220 and 200 BC. During the Ming Dynasty the current GWC was built much further south of the Qin Shi Huang GWC. Stretching 6500 km the Ming GWC extends from Shanhai Pass in the east to Lop Nur in the west while arcing along the southern edge of Inner Mongolia. The Qin wall was repaired, strengthened, and added on to in the Han, Sui, Northern and Jin Dynasties to aide in their defense against invasions from the north.
Depending on the dynasty the GWC had different uses and was edited to fit the Emperors needs and desires. During the Ming Dynasty bricks, tiles, and limestone were his choice of materials found widely throughout the wall. While during the Qin Shi Huang era compacted earth and less solid items were used. Showing advancement in technology during the Ming Dynasty and a need to have a more permanent sturdy wall.
The different sections added on to the wall in different areas signify were that dynasty was fighting wars or attempting to fend of intruders. The advancement of the wall also explains how war techniques and ways of breaching the wall developed.
The GWC and its history explain so much of the politics that went on for over 2000 years in different regions of China and surrounding areas of Asia. Today the wall visited by millions of tourists shows Chinas pride in an engineering marvel that has survived the test of time. It is also still being advanced and strengthened to sustain the wear and tear from all of the tourists.

The “Forbidden” part of Forbidden City comes from the emperor having the power to control when people could leave or enter the palace; it was not possible for either without their permission. The construction of the Forbidden City began in 1406 for the Yongle Emperor in Beijing, which was made a secondary capital of the Ming Empire. It took fourteen years and 200,000 men to erect the palace. Whole logs were brought north form the jungles of southwestern China. Today’s pillars were implemented during the Qing Dynasty and were compiled of pieces of pinewood.
The Forbidden City was the home of 25 emperors fourteen from the Ming Dynasty, one from the Shun Dynasty, and ten from the Qing Dynasty. After the fall of the last Emperor of China Puyi, the new Republic of China government required that he live in the Forbidden City while control of the outer court was taken over by the Republican authorities. The Forbidden City then went threw many different stages during the Republic of China period with all artifacts being evacuated, having the Japanese invade, and fires occurring. Today the Forbidden City is used to tell the story of the emperors and their elaborate imperial palace.
The symbolism of the Forbidden City was designed to reflect philosophical and religious principles and mainly to symbolize the majesty of Imperial power. It also shows the Chinese eye for intricate architecture, engineering and design. The massive amount of Chinese visiting the site also says that they take great pride in what their history has left behind. The restoration is a sign that they take pride in their country and want to show it off to the world for the Olympics and the future.

The Temple of Heave was the place where the emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties would worship heaven and pray for bumper crops. The northern part of the outer surrounding wall is semi circular in shape while the southern part square, a pattern symbolic of the ancient belief that Heaven was round and the earth square. The double surrounding wall separates the temple in two parts. The inner and outer temples with the main structures in the inner one, covering a space of 273 hectares in all. The inner temple is also partitioned by a wall into two groups of buildings. The north structure is the Altar Harvests as the principal building used to pray in spring for bumper harvest in the year. The south structure is the Circular Mound Altar used to worship Heaven at the winter solstice where the principal construction is a large round marble terrace named the Circular Mound. The two altars connected by a 360 meter long raised walk called the Red Step Bridge, are arranged in a line forming a north south axis 1200 meters long and flanked by century old cypresses in a spacious area. To the inner south of the West Celestial Gate is the Abstinence Hall where the feudal emperors observed abstention before the rituals. In the western part of the outer temple is located the Divine Music Office, which was in charge of the teaching and performance of the ritual music. In the Temple of Heaven are situated such main buildings as the Hall of Prayer for Good harvests, the Hall of Heavenly Emperor, the Circular Mound, the Imperial Vault of Heaven, the Abstinence Hall, the Beamless Hall, the Long Corridor, the Longevity Pavilion in a double ring shape as well as the Echo Wall, the Three Echo Stones, and the Seven Meteoric Stones. Built in 1420 (the 18th year of Emperor Yongles reign of the Ming Dynasty), and then expanded and reconstructed during the Ming Emperor Jiajings reign and Qing Emperor Qianlongs reign the Temple of Heaven is a grand and magnificent masterpiece of architecture with a formal and solemn environment. Since the founding of New China, the government has allotted a great sum of money to protect and restore the cultural monuments there. The Temple of Heaven with its long history, deep cultural content and magnificent architectural style mirrors the ancient culture of the Orient. A masterpiece of the Ming and Qing architectural art and a precious example of Chinas ancient architecture the Temple of Heaven is the largest architectural group for worshipping Heaven in the world.





JAPAN

We arrived at the Himeji station and set forth to find a map of the area, since we had no idea where the castle was. So we found a map and then just needed to figure out how to get there. So we get directions and we are pointed straight down the main road of the city. A few minutes later Himeji Castle came into view towering over the city straight down the main road of the city from where we were. We make our way up the street to the castle, and threw the first entrance and set of gates across the moat. The first thing I notice is the massive amount of Japanese flocking into the castle gates as we are, this observation just confirms to me that the castle and its great stature was the right place to come. If the people who live here are coming to see it so should we right? On our way to get up to the entrance to the castle building itself, we heard some music beckoning us to follow its sound. Once we got to the sounds it was some form of a dance competition. It encompassed men and women dancing, the music seemed to be traditional Japanese, but the occasional tune had a country tone to it but still had Japanese lyrics. It was interesting that their system and story is told differently now due to globalization, and even though it is still viewed as traditional it has a sort of country twist to it. So we then proceeded on towards the entrance up winding stairs and sidewalks past many over looks to the city over extensive castle walls. We were surrounded by groups of school kids, We stopped by the long building which is behind the Main Tower and is not only for protecting the rear of the Main Tower but also for storing salt and rice during wars. The record books show that at one time 1300 bags of salt where stored here, each bag holding 54 liters. There are traces of salt remaining in the building to this day. We then scurried along with the bunch of school kids to our next stop was on the north side of the main tower in the Waist Quarter, it is the waist of the castle grounds. The building is built on the edge of a hill with a gentle curve and due to this the eaves of the building have a gentle curve. This area is a weak point in the castle and so the design of the castle prevents attacks from the north side. Then we headed towards an area where coffins stones were built into the castle walls. The have since been removed and replaced with different stones so they can study the coffins and their remains. It says something that the castle was so prestigious and people so dedicated to its grounds that they would use the wall as there resting place. It said that the coffins dated back to 500 AD much before the present castle was built. I wonder if the people resting in the walls were viewed as guardians to the castle. We are now at a beautiful viewpoint of the city and we can see directly down the street that we walked up from the train station. It is so clear now how the city was built around the castle, it being the focal point. Now we have spiraled our way around the castle making our way up the main floor and entrance to the actual castle building. As we entered the building the doorway peaked at my shoulders so I had to take a major duck to get in and the Japanese all pulled out their cameras to take photos of me not fitting in the door way. Now inside we had to take our shoes off to put on these slipper like shoes, and my shoes didn’t fit in the bag they gave us so I had one bag for each shoe which the lady thought was hilarious and she also went to the back to get me bigger slipper shoes but they still were pretty small, entertaining to walk in though. We charged up the flight of stairs to the first of five floors. The Castle is in immaculate condition for its age and for being built out of wood primarily, at least the interior. I believe it underwent restoration in the 50’s but that still a while ago. In the interior the architecture reflects many different ways of defending the castle from intruders. From foot holes for warriors to see out of high windows to the confusion of getting between levels to by them time to protect their beloved castle. Going back to the exterior architecture it the gates baileys and outer walls of the complex are organized so as to cause an approaching force the task of traveling in a spiral pattern around the castle on their way into the keep, facing many dead ends. This allowed the intruders to be watched and fired upon from the keep during their entire approach. Himeji however was never attacked this way so we probably will never know if the system ever truly works. As we made our way down the spiraling sets of walk ways and out the front entrance over the moat we ran into a gang of guys dressed in all black like ninjas. When people approached them they would do some martial art moves, and then ask if people wanted to hold their swords. It intrigued me that even the Japanese were approaching them wanting to speak to them. It made me wonder what the presence of martial arts in their society is.
The construction of Himeji came in a few different waves. During the Nanboku-cho era of the Muromachi period the castle was conceived and constructed. In 1580 a three-story tower was built after Toyotomi Hideyoshi gained control of the castle. In 1601 Tokugawa Ieyasu granted the Castle too Ikeda Terumasa, which spent nine years expanding the castle. The state that Ikeda expanded the castle to is, basically what is present today. The last major update to the castle was in 1618, which was the addition of the Western Circle. Himeji has not just withstood the test of time but also the shelling of the castle with blank cartridges at an attempt to drive its occupiers out as well as two bombs dropped on Himeji during the Second World War. It was only ever sold once during an auction in 1871 for 23 yen. The castle displays the Japanese way of life, which is very orderly and precise.