Thoughts: Surviving in Non-English Speaking Countries

My survival guide which I guarded zealously as if it's my passport.

 

     Before I went to Taiwan, people I know were asking me how would I survive in a non-English speaking country.  It baffled me, too, to be honest.  I realized that I went to Thailand and not everybody there speaks English but I got along just fine.  So, what's the fuss in the going to Taiwan where the main language is Mandarin?  And now that I'm going to Beijing in November, people are once again wondering how could I survive without knowing how to speak and understand their language.

     
     Well, in my case, I just thoroughly researched ALL the places I wanted to see in Taiwan before actually going there.  My main concern then was directions to and from those places, so, to minimize asking the locals for directions, I used google maps to scout the area I wanted to visit.  With the street view offered by google maps, I became well-acquainted not only how to get from one place to another but also how the area looks like.  Moreover, google maps in Taiwan also provides information how to get by through public transportation.

     Of course, I was aware that I'll have to ask someone about something sometime.  So, I asked the hotel receptionist to translate useful words and phrases for me in my notebook which I could show to people in case I really needed to say something.  These range from food allergies,  money changer to asking someone to marry me.  Needless to say, the hotel receptionist was laughing so hard translating my list.  You never know when asking someone to marry you comes in handy.  Hahaha.  If I had my way, I would even ask the receptionist to translate this, "Police! I've been raped!" ala-Nodame (Nodame Cantabile anime/manga).

     In real life, the sentences which proved very useful for me are: "I'm allergic to shellfish," and "Today is my birthday."  And yes, I was not able to use, "Will you marry me?"  I didn't see Vic Zhou, Jerry Yan, Mike He, Ethan Ruan, or Joe Cheng, so I had no one to say it to. Heehee.  Perhaps, some other time.  In Beijing, maybe.

     Speaking of Beijing, this time, I will try my hardest to be able to speak even a little of the basic Mandarin phrases.  I don't know if I can do it, but I'll definitely try it.

   

Thoughts: Mooncake Festival

     When I was in Hong Kong early this month, I noticed that there were a lot of posters for mooncakes; at the MTRs, malls, everywhere.  I was wondering why.  Then, I realized, the mooncake festival was about to come. 

     Last week, I received mooncakes from a Chinese acquaintance I met a few years back.  I helped her with some matters concerning her citizenship, and now, she doesn't fail in giving me gifts every Christmas, Chinese new year and mooncake festival.  One Chinese new year, she even gave a red envelope with some cash inside.  Well, she's older than me by some 15 years or so, and she wouldn't take the envelope back, insisting it's tradition, so I just imagined it came from my aunt.  Heehee.

     This year, she sent a box of mooncakes and some yogurt treats for the mooncake, or mid-autumn, festival. Yay! 

   

   

Hong Kong Adventure: Day 3 - City Tour from the Avenue of Stars to Aberdeen

     This is the day we'd waited for, a tour in Shenzhen, China!  Yipee!  But first things first. We had a morning city tour of Hong Kong and this was the second time I joined this tour.  It was a repeat of last year's tour, but one stop was new: picture-taking at the tail-end of the Avenue of Stars, or something.  As always, I was not paying attention to our tour guide when he spoke about the place.  Heehee.  Nonetheless, we had a very picturesque view of the harbor bathed in mid-morning light.  However, the dark, ominous clouds were foreboding; I thought it was going to rain but the temperature remained hot.

     We proceeded to Aberdeen pier, and we had the option to ride a boat going around the harbor to see sampans floating, but the fare was relatively high.  We just took pictures around and the colorful boat stations were striking.  I was thirsty and I saw a vending machine but dang it, it only accepts coins, which I didn't have at the time.

      Of course, we were shuffled to a jewelry factory.  The tour was non-compulsory, so the agency had to make some money, right?  Well, it'll not take long, around 30 minutes,  if no one from your group window shops or panic buys.

     Then, off we go to Hung Hom Station, gateway to Shenzhen, China!  The tour guide led us to the station, bought our one-way ticket to the Lowu border costing HKD 33.00 per person.  The guide made sure we were safely through the turnstiles before bidding us adieu.  And we hopped on to the train!

     Up next, Shenzhen, China adventures!

    
Credits:  I used the Painterly Effect 2 for the texture in "Postcard perfect memories."  Most webframes on this blog were from The Coffeeshop Blog.

Hong Kong Adventure: Day 2 - Shopping at Tsim Sha Tsui; Victoria Harbor, Star Ferry, and Mongkok

     For Day 2, we almost did nothing; when I mean nothing, it means that we basically shopped during the late morning till late afternoon, and only did the touristy stuff as the night drew near.  I didn't know how it happened that we went shopping.  Time flew by really fast.  Honestly, it was a day spent wasted, really.  I took a mental note and told myself to only go shopping after seeing the sites.  I don't mind walking great distances; but I do mind walking for hours seeing nothing but shopping malls.     

     From our hotel, we passed by a building with giant various sweets and desserts on a platform.  It can't be eaten, though, it's just a display but it looked so good...yummy!  It's beside Holiday Inn Hotel, near East Tsim Sha Tsui exit.

      After that, we went to the shops in Tsim Sha Tsui and spent considerable time in there.  Again, no more shopping next time.  I only had 3 days in Taiwan but I was able to see a lot of sites.  I had 4 days in Hong Kong and I couldn't remember what I actually did.  Probably because we did not do and see much.

     So, night was nearing and the Symphony of Lights was about to start, and I learned, again, another valuable lesson.  Never assume that someone who goes to Hong Kong frequently, at least 4 to 5 times a year, knows the tourist sites.  Yeah.  So, be ready to get lost if you go to a foreign country unprepared.  Never rely on someone; do your own homework.  It's my second time in Hong Kong but it was as if it was only my first time there.

     We rode the Star Ferry after getting our free one-hour wi-fi access card from the tourist information center near the terminal.  We were hoping to catch the Symphony of Lights and see the splendor of Victoria Harbor while on board the ferry.  When we reached Central, we just took the next ferry back to Tsim Sha Tsui just because we could.  The night was clear; the clouds huge, and the harbor was just amazing with all the lights.  It's a treat to see the show on water, but it's difficult to get a clear shot while moving.  But hey, the fare's more or less HKD 2.00, and the view's fantastic, so I should be more than thankful. 

     The free wi-fi card looks a lot similar to this:

     After our return trip, we went to see the Clock Tower, and climbed onto the viewing deck.  We walked to the bus stop to catch a bus going to Mongkok.  We went to the Ladies' Market and bought some souvenirs.  We had late dinner at Kanimizu along Nathan Road, and since they were already closing, food was 60% off (or was it 40%? I was too hungry to remember).  The food was great and cheap (because of the discount) and service was superb.  They serve free water, with lots of ice, and of course, unlimited tea.

    By the time we arrived back at the hotel, it was almost 11:30 p.m.  We were all tired walking but we needed to wake up early for our city tour the following morning.

Hong Kong Adventure: Day 1 - Airport, Central and Stanley Market

 

     Finally, we landed at the Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA), and just like the first time we were there, we walked quite a distance towards the train service going to the immigration counter.  I had with me my laptop so it made my long walk quite tedious.

     After passing through the immigration, we headed for our airport bus service at the arrival hall. We had to wait some 20 minutes or so before we had to depart, and the bus dropped off so many people in so many hotels within the Tsim Tsa Tsui area that when we finally reached ours, it was noon already.  

     Check-in was a breeze at our hotel in Kimberley Road.  After depositing our luggages at our room, we went out for lunch; the same place where we had lunch a year ago.  Then, we went to Central to see our overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) make a park out of Central.  It was an experience, really.  The OFWs were sitting contentedly on the pavements, stairs, and even on the road itself, playing cards or bingo, or just chilling out, chatting and eating. It was like a huge picnic, and everybody seemed to be happy like one, big family.

     We boarded a double-decker bus going to Stanley Market, and was amazed, yet again, at the driving skills of bus drivers plying the narrow, mountain-side route. Forgetting my hatred of heights, I bravely took a seat near the edge to take pictures.  It was not terrifying as I thought it would be: if you want to get a shot, you sometimes become unmindful of mundane fears.

     I think the bus ride lasted for about 40 or so minutes, and I had a blast looking at the sea, the repulse bay, the outlying islands and the gorgeous homes we passed along.  The last stop took us to Stanley Market and we shopped for souvenirs and gifts to bring back home.  It was already 5:00 p.m. when we got there and the vibe was laid-back; moreso when we reached the small plaza with a breathtaking view of the sea and the setting sun.  There's a boardwalk, some restaurants and a mall where locals, caucasians and other tourists mix.  There were families but the crowd was much younger, with children and teens milling around the area.

Spotted: OFWs in  Central

These two boys who were staring out the sea were so cute.

Could not resist taking their pictures.

 

    

Hong Kong Adventures: View from the Skies

     Ever wondered how the world looks from the sky?  It's amazing; like a fantasy.  Huge islands and mountains appear to be smaller than the aircraft and everything else seems like miniature models.  The clouds look like cotton candy in the shape of cuddly animals: bears, dogs, pandas, elephants, depending on my imagination.

     When we went to Hong Kong, our flight was in the early morning  so I had the liberty to look outside the window and gaze at the world below me. I got pictures of mountains, ships and islands from the skies.  Not particularly great shots, as the clouds screened most of the view out, but these evoke the feeling that I am no longer seeing the world through myopic eyes.

     

A sea of clouds and mountains.

Shot somewhere within the Philippine area of responsibility.

Views a few minutes before landing in Hong Kong International Airport:

Ships ahoy!

Hong Kong and Shenzhen Adventures: Prelude

     Finally, I'll be able to write about my most recent travel to Hong Kong and Shenzhen, China.  Don't worry, I would not write at length about my experience in Hong Kong, like what I did for my Taiwan adventures, considering that many from our country have been there already, and data about Hong Kong are aplenty.  Truthfully, we did more of shopping than sightseeing in Hong Kong, but there are still interesting stories to tell.  However, since it was my first time in Mainland China, I'll focus more on Shenzhen.

     Details about my adventures would be posted sometime this week.

     Till then!

Taiwan Adventure: Wrap-up

  

     Finally, I've finished my Taiwan adventure chronicles.  A few observations and insights:

     First, the people of Taiwan are warm, helpful and hospitable.  They made me feel at home, and whenever I was on a bind, someone would lend a helping hand with a smile.

     Second, I've only seen a part of Taiwan but what I saw was just beautiful.  And the city is very green and very clean.

     Third, I like that Taipei, though a city, has plenty of parks and walking and/or hiking trails to offer.  And rest and relaxation can be had some 30 minutes away from the city, like in Beitou and Yangmingshan.

     Fourth, I love that beauty products from Japan are cheaper.  A huge bottle of Tsubaki shampoo is less than Php 400.00 at Cosmed.

     Fifth, Taiwanese people are stylish, and I felt so pedestrian with my Coach bag since a lot of people were carrying LVs and Guccis.

     Sixth, public transportation is efficient and orderly.  Almost no one takes the seats reserved for the pregnant, disabled, the old and the children at the MRTs, even if these are unoccupied.  And, the waiting lines at the MRTs are so organized, and people fall in line properly, with a good distance from the person in front of them.  Unlike here in my country, they don't push/pull people whenever the trains arrive.

     Seventh, I want to live in Taiwan, but that's next to impossible, unless I obtain a scholarship for Mandarin language studies.  And I might just do that, probably.

     Eighth, I want to return to Taiwan the soonest possible time.  Perhaps next year during spring.  I'll stay longer, not just for three days, and I'll visit Alishan, Kaohsiung, Sun Moon Lake, and other places of interest. I'm always in awe of the beauty of nature.

     Ninth, of course, Taiwan is a very beautiful country.  I love its mountains, I love its seas. I love its culture, I love its tea.  I love its people's warmth.  And of course, I love its food and Taiwan's love for Hello Kitty!

     And tenth, I love Taiwanese drama series.  I love Ariel Lin, Vic Zhou, Jerry Yan, Rainie Yang, Mike He, Joe Cheng, Ethan Ruan, Allan Luo.  The next time I visit Taiwan, I'll make sure I'll scout more places where their tv series were shot, like Meteor Garden and Black and White.  I understand Black and White was shot in Kaohsiung.

     There.  I think I've said it all, at least for now.

     Thank you Taiwan for those lovely memories! I'll be back to see you again soon!

Taiwan Travel Adventure: Day 3 - Yangmingshan National Park

     This was my last day in Taipei, and incidentally, this tour was just a waste of money. I should have traveled to Yangmingshan myself.  I felt cheated, really.  Not because of Yangminshan; you see, it's absolutely gorgeous and serene.  Rather, because of the tour guide who didn't show us much around the huge park.  I think we only stayed in the park for less than an hour, and the tour was supposed to be four hours! Sheesh!

     This time around, we had a new tour guide, who was also the driver, and he had a lady companion with him.  There were only three of us in the tour, a kid about 9 years old and her aunt, from Sabah, Indonesia, since the other tourists cancelled their trip.

     When we left the city, it was raining; but the rain hadn't caught up yet in the mountains.  However, the guide was so uninspired and our tour was so short, almost a rip-off.  Ah, and I wanted to visit Yangmingshan and explore those paths; I wanted to see silver grass gently swaying with the wind.  I wanted to do more...not just climb some steps and circle the park within less than a 500-meter radius.  Argh!  How I wish I had my previous tour guide with me.  And the new guide wasn't informative.  Not at all.  Well, he's kind and all, but must he wait for my tour companion to ask me if I wanted my picture taken before he shapes up and offers to take mine?  At least my aunt-and-nephew companions were pretty cool and nice; and they even pity me because I could not speak Mandarin and they could, and they knew I could not get lost by myself.

      Well, I paid more for this tour than the city tour because it came with a hot springs bath.  And the choice of hot springs was very cheap.  It was old and it was not pretty to look at in or outside, compared to its neighboring hot springs.  Again, we felt short-changed.  Then the tour guide dropped me the bomb:  I was supposed to go to the public hot springs while my companions get a private one for themselves since they're family and one's just a kid who needs adult supervision.  Gasp! Me, inside a public bath?  Yes, I love animes and such and I've always wondered how it'd feel like bathing in a public bath, but to do it?  Ha! I needed all the courage I could muster.  I was really shy.  I mean, I don't care if my boobies flash once in a while but naked? Yeah, right.  However, if I don't go inside the public bath, then my money would really come to waste.  So, I decided to make a go at it.

      I felt my hair was raising and my heartbeat rising...but when I got to the women's bath, there was only one person inside, an older lady around 40's, already washing and finishing up.  I was so happy that we're the only ones inside.  I asked her which dispenser has shampoo, and she helped me.  Thank God for helpful Taiwanese.  After 5 minutes, the lady left and I had the bath all to myself.  There were three baths of varying temperatures; two which are hot and one which has cold water.  And the water reeks of spoiled eggs because of the sulfur. Haha!  I dipped in the hot water for 15 minutes and then I'd dash for the cold water bath to tighten my skin.  I did this routine for three times or so.  We had less than an hour to take our bath.

     As for the experience, let's just say that it wasn't much different from what I usually see from animes and Japanese tv series; only the bath house was older and it looked so tired.  If I had more time, I would have opted to go to Villa 32, a hot springs resort in Beitou, reputedly one of the best in Taiwan.  I read about it in a New York Times article.

     After the bath, I saw the boy and his aunt waiting outside and we chatted for a while, and we all felt that the public bath house was not so good aesthetically.  From the deck, we could see its neighboring bath house which looked so Japanese with the wooden walls and floors, plus the decor, too.  And, the younger people were there.  We should have gone there.  I think only housewives and older people go to our bath house.  It was almost deserted.  Nonetheless, it was still an experience, right?

     Then after a while, the aunt started complaining that we've been waiting for so long already, like for almost 30 minutes now and the guide was nowhere to be found.  See, we wasted time, really.  When he came back, it was past 4:30 p.m., and we had to head back to the city.  Then it started raining.  I asked the tour guide if he could drop me off somewhere at the Taipei Main Station instead of the hotel since I wanted to buy some things from the nearby mall.  The rain was pouring hard by then and the guide felt really sorry for me, saying, oh you poor girl, over and over again.  For them, it was odd that a single lady like me would be travelling alone, and they thought I was a little young to be travelling by myself.  They thought I was around 25, tops.  You see, it's good to be taken for younger than my real age, but it's not so great to be called, poor girl.  Makes me want to feel helpless myself.  Hey, I'm much, much stronger you know.    

Taiwan Adventure: Day 3 - Taipei City Tour

     I know most people hate going on tours.  It's sort of restrictive in terms of mobility and time.  However, I booked for three (3) organized tours for my Taipei trip so I could maximize my time there.  If I'd be roaming the city of Taipei by myself, for sure I'd be sidetracked gazing at everything beautiful: a work of art, or an engaging edifice, a lovely temple, mountains, trees, flowers, clouds, and of course, a banging dress or  absolutely adorable shoes.  I'd waste my time being in awe of everything.  

     So, for my second tour, I picked a city tour, and we passed by the usual sights: the Presidential building, the Martyrs' Shrine, CKS Hall, and the National  Palace Museum, among others, and got scorched by the burning sun.  Well, of course we had a van but we had to alight from it to see the sights  up close.  Nope, umbrellas were no good.  It was both hot and humid.  But I was grateful for the natural rosy, cheeks.

      For this tour, I had the same tour guide and the same American tourist as companion, plus two German couples, and a nice-looking Chinese lady from Shanghai.  Well, aside from the fact that the Chinese lady and I were the only Asians, we were also the only ones who were younger.  Since we're Asians, we looked really, really young compared to our tour companions who were definitely middle-aged already.  See, I believe group touring is usually for families with small children, and people who are older or not physically fit.  Me?  I had so little time and perhaps, I was just lazy, I guess.

      Our first stop: the Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall.  I love the color blue so I absolutely loved this building, but the walk from the gates to the building?  Not so much.  Heh.  Again, I found something to rave about touring with a guide; they know what you should see and how to get there the easiest.  We entered not through the main entrance, but from a smaller entrance; it was at the back, I guess.  This saved us the agony of climbing the monumental stairs to Chiang Kai Shek's colossal statue.  Why? There's an elevator in the lobby going up to the statue.  I'm not sure if there's one at the main entrance.  So, yay tour guide!

     Afterwards, we proceeded to the Martyrs' Shrine, and thanks again for the tour guide, we were just in time for the changing of the guards.  I was so lucky that I was able to take a video, a repository of how handsome the soldiers were.  They were so tall; I'm 5'6 and they were towering over me.  Ah...I so wanted to get a date from any of them.

     Aside from the dashing soldiers, I was so engrossed with the vivid colors of the hall.  The reds, the greens and the oranges were popping amidst the green mountains.  So picturesque.  I loved the gigantic red doors the most.  In fact, it's one of the pictures in my banner above.

     Ogling too much can be criminal, so we left and headed for a small temple, the name of which I forgot.  The tour guide gave us some quick information regarding their way of worship, and how they do it.  

     Then, it was time for the highlight of our tour, at least for me: the National  Palace Museum. I could stay inside it for a whole day and not complain.  Too bad that picture taking is not allowed inside the museum, but it's for good reasons.  They have to preserve the artifacts and works of art.  .                 

   

     Honestly, I wanted to smack people left and right inside the museum.  Tourists in droves were generally noisy.  This, despite the fact that the tour guides and their packs were given radios to minimize loud explanations to the group.  We were tuned in to a certain frequency so we could hear our guide.  It also helped us not to get lost.  Anyway, bring your own earphones if you're concerned with sanitation.  I happened to bring mine that time, so yay for me.

     Since the tour guide already knew which treasures or art pieces we should not miss, our tour inside the museum, though short, was full of information and we were able to see what we wanted to see.  Again, we took the elevator and started from the top going down.  But as the elevator was tiny, he politely asked the younger peeps, meaning me and the cute Chinese lady, to use the stairs.  We obliged, of course.  Ah, it's so good to be young; at least younger than our tour companions.

     The remarkable things we saw includes the jade cabbage, the miniature ivories, the emperor's toy boxes and many more.

     Somewhere in the middle of our city tour, the guide brought us to a gift shop, and I knew it was coming.  Good thing we stopped by the shop because the buttons of my blouse kept popping out and I kept flashing my brassiere to unsuspecting people; poor them.  The shop assistants helped me look for safety pins and they  helped me temporarily solve my button-problem.  Oh, I bought some Oriental tea from them.  I know, tea in Taiwan is expensive; they do have discerning tastes after all, but I wanted to try their tea.

     Here are some of the photos I took during our city tour:

Presidential Building:

CKS Memorial Hall

A rather long corridor.

The big man.

I'll call this photo, "From here to eternity."
I'll take an eternity to reach the top the memorial hall from the gates.

Martyrs' Shrine

The gorgeous officers that I was talking about?  Not in picture.
I have their video, though.

 The small temple we paid a visit to.

National Palace Museum

N.B.

I made a mistake in labeling.  It's the Martyrs' Shrine, and not the Dr. Sun Yat Sen Memorial Hall.  Sorry for the mistake; I realized it only when I was rechecking my entries.