your man on the ground

Beijing (Peking) Hotel Tip

If you're planning to visit China's capital city (Beijing / Peking), and are on a tight budget, or are simply interested in a more authentic experience than luxury 4 and 5 star hotels can offer, you should contact Renny Wei (rennywei@yahoo.com) and make reservations at the Beijing Kai Hua Hotel (aka Beijing Yongdingmen Hotel).

Renny is the super friendy, super helpful manager of the Yongdingmen. He will pick you up at the airport in his private car and set you up with everything you need in order to enjoy beautiful, exotic Beijing. Rates are very reasonable. The rooms are a bit spartan, but the hotel is near the center of the city (Tiananmen Square). There is an authentic (and pretty dirty) Chinese Internet cafe in the hotel - populated 24 hours a day with young Beijing residents playing various online games and chatting.

We spent close to a week in the Yongdingmen hotel. Renny set us up with maps, directions, a crash course in Han Yuan (Mandarin). He will drive you out to a well-maintained, almost tourist-free section of the Great Wall  for a very reasonable price, with an authentic lunch along the way.

Renny will also help you arrange transport out of Beijing. Just tell him where you're headed -- he will drive you to the train station and help you arrange tickets. Renny recommended that we travel 2nd class on the trains. It's cheaper, and you get to mingle with lots of Chinese citizens, who are genuinely happy and intrigued to have foreigners travelling with them (in my experience, anyway).

Last Bangkok Photos

Well, folks, we've come to the end of the Bangkok pictures. I took most of these pictures on my last day in Bangkok. Paul and Virginia were on their way to Cambodia, and I had the day to myself again.

This statue was right out in front of the Royal Hotel, where we stayed.

I had some lunch outside on Khao San Road - I think this dish was Tom Yam Gai, but I know it was delicious.

Bridge on the River Kwai Photos

Paul, Virginia and I took a day tour in Kanchanaburi, a northern Thai state bordering Burma. The tour included a visit to the famous Bridge on the River Kwai, a train ride along the river, a bamboo raft ride, lunch, an elephant tour and a visit to some nice waterfalls. The tour was a little cheesy, but enjoyable, nonetheless.

Here are a few of the photos I took that afternoon:

In this cemetary mostly British and Australian POW's who died maintaining the Bridge on the River Kwai are buried.

I ambushed the Japanese guard mannequins at the cheesy museum display beside the bridge. I defeated an entire squadron of puppet guards in a matter of minutes. Suprisingly, the POW mannequins didn't seem too appreciative of my efforts. Here I'm executing a deadly high kick after springing out of a crafty, makeshift hiding place.

Miscellaneous Bangkok Photos

After 5 months, I'm finally getting around to putting some of my Thailand photos online. To recap, I went to Thailand in May (2004). I planned to travel around for 3 weeks, but I only ended up staying for 4 days, after which I spent the rest of my Summer vacation at home in Texas.

On to the photos:

View froma Tuk-Tuk. Loud, obnoxious, stinky and unsafe, tuk-tuks are falling out of fashion in Bangkok.

The Rama VIII Bridge over the Chao Phraya River.

Muay Thai Photos (Bangkok)

Paul, Virginia and I watched a few Muay Thai matches, seated at ringside. The matches were exciting enough, but we were all worn out after a long, hot day walking around Bangkok.

Royal Grand Palace Photos (Bangkok)

A few pictures from the Royal Grand Palace complex.

We walked almost all the way around the palace complex before finding the entrance. Paul and Virginia are demonstrating what not to wear when visiting the Royal Grand Palace: short pants and sandals. You can rent shoes and pants at the Palace entrance, but I recommend wearing your own appropriate clothes.

The palace has an army of groundskeepers. I like these guys' bamboo ladder.

Wat Po Photos (Bangkok)

A few photos from the Wat Po temple complex in Bangkok, Thailand:

The famous Reclining Buddha of Wat Pho. I wish I could get famous for something as simple as lying around all day. Some guys have all the luck.

Big Buddha, tiny Texan.

Bangkok Bound

The time is finally upon me. I'm flying from Vienna to Paris tomorrow afternoon. After a short layover and plane change in Paris (not a bad place for a layover), I will be en route to Bangkok and three weeks of vacation in Southeast Asia.

I'm looking forward to this vacation for several reasons, chiefly:
1. Angkor Wat
2. I love to travel
3. I really need a break from work

On the other hand... I have so many positive things going on in Vienna right now, and the weather here is so perfect, that I will leave Austria with a bittersweet feeling. Try not to feel sorry for me :-)