tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-66998830489727209312024-03-05T10:49:31.867-08:00Matkablogi Sillä välin maailmalla - Travel Blog In the meanwhile, somewhere around the world...Kaksikielinen matkablogi naisparin expat-elämästä Maltalla sekä matkailusta sinne sun tänne. Bi-lingual travel blog about our expat life in Malta and travelling all over the world.
Nomadihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02526178789320131836noreply@blogger.comBlogger236125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6699883048972720931.post-27706340704025024912019-10-03T02:40:00.000-07:002019-10-03T02:40:09.884-07:00Vapaaehtoistyötä Guatemalassa - Volunteering in Guatemala<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Pieni mustatukkainen lapsi likaisissa vaatteissaan juoksee suoraan syliini huudahtaen iloisesti "buenas tardes!" Halaan häntä takaisin hieman hämmentyneenä - en ole tottunut tällaiseen välittömyyteen pieneltä ihmiseltä, jota en ole ikinä edes tavannut. Pian tulisin tähän kuitenkin tottumaan; nämä lapset hyväksyvät uudet aikuiset elämäänsä saman tien kyselemättä, ainakin tässä turvallisessa paikassa. Tämä on ensimmäinen päiväni vapaaehtoistöissä Guatemalassa järjestössä, joka tukee alueen köyhimpiä perheitä.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The school and the yard where kids can play during free games</td></tr>
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<i><span style="color: #990000;">A small child with jet-black hair and dirty clothes runs straight into my arms exclaiming happily "buenas tardes!" I hug her back, feeling a little overwhelmed - I am not used to such spontaneous affection from a little person I have never even met. Soon I would get used to it though; these children accept new adults into their lives instantly, no questions asked, at least in this safe place. This is my first day of volunteer work in Guatemala in an organization that supports the poorest families in the area. </span></i><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZAji1rWuv4TMB5v8MBt9DlDVZ-HMOdrbocEOtcX06tNdXHhdz15HJRenhsKVDHhaOcJ8V7rWyOVowUPRM5PrFyAUO08OdRahk7ZHjF1hhVgmM5cF61NuJSwAr-u-RJdQAZRznzDR9GOk/s1600/P1140769.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZAji1rWuv4TMB5v8MBt9DlDVZ-HMOdrbocEOtcX06tNdXHhdz15HJRenhsKVDHhaOcJ8V7rWyOVowUPRM5PrFyAUO08OdRahk7ZHjF1hhVgmM5cF61NuJSwAr-u-RJdQAZRznzDR9GOk/s640/P1140769.JPG" width="426" /></a></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tortilla with guacamole, heavenly!</td></tr>
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Maailmanympärysmatkamme oli vienyt meidät jo lukuisiin Aasian maihin (kuten esimerkiksi <a href="http://sillavalinmaailmalla.blogspot.com/2019/03/ensitunnelmia-sri-lankasta-first.html" target="_blank">Sri Lankaan</a>, <a href="http://sillavalinmaailmalla.blogspot.com/2019/06/luzon-subic-bay-mt-pinatubo-manila.html" target="_blank">Filippiineille</a> ja <a href="http://sillavalinmaailmalla.blogspot.com/2019/07/historiallisia-kaupunkeja-ja.html" target="_blank">Japaniin</a>), <a href="http://sillavalinmaailmalla.blogspot.com/2019/08/alohaa-honolulussa-aloha-in-honolulu.html" target="_blank">Havaijille</a> ja <a href="http://sillavalinmaailmalla.blogspot.com/2019/09/teksasin-road-trip-road-trip-in-texas.html" target="_blank">Teksasiin</a>, mutta viimeisen kuukautemme halusimme viettää ihan erilaisissa tunnelmissa. Paikasta toiseen rinkan kanssa säntäilyn sijaan halusimme pysytellä paikoillamme ja yrittää tehdä jotain hyvää, ja parantaa samalla ruosteessa olevaa espanjankielentaitoamme. Toteutimme siis pitkäaikaisen haaveemme vapaaehtoistyöstä Väli-Amerikassa, ja kohteeksemme valikoitui Guatemala, jossa emme olleet aiemmin käyneet.<br />
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<i><span style="color: #990000;">Our round-the-world trip had already taken us to several countries in Asia (such as <a href="http://sillavalinmaailmalla.blogspot.com/2019/03/ensitunnelmia-sri-lankasta-first.html" target="_blank">Sri Lanka</a>, <a href="http://sillavalinmaailmalla.blogspot.com/2019/06/luzon-subic-bay-mt-pinatubo-manila.html" target="_blank">Philippines</a> and <a href="http://sillavalinmaailmalla.blogspot.com/2019/07/historiallisia-kaupunkeja-ja.html" target="_blank">Japan</a>) as well as <a href="http://sillavalinmaailmalla.blogspot.com/2019/08/alohaa-honolulussa-aloha-in-honolulu.html" target="_blank">Hawaii</a> and <a href="http://sillavalinmaailmalla.blogspot.com/2019/09/teksasin-road-trip-road-trip-in-texas.html" target="_blank">Texas</a>, but for the last month of the trip we wanted to do something completely different. Instead of dashing from one place to another with our backpacks we were looking to stay put and try to give something back, as well as improving our rusty Spanish. Therefore we finally fulfilled our long-lived dream of doing volunteer work in Central America, and we chose as our destination Guatemala, where we hadn't visited before.</span></i><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Streets of Quetzaltenango</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTg9f8hdNYPyXmJvI4WDLTZaeupsbxvCGPThi_UbKxQwr1-rvDMXHvNx4BxR5D3OJYRgQwU4mNNkzNjqJ8LlIawbsreacmt9aqOfhmibGthkTiYkhtcP1JGy-g5tcgP_cUjnP_K5g3u3Y/s1600/P1140771.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTg9f8hdNYPyXmJvI4WDLTZaeupsbxvCGPThi_UbKxQwr1-rvDMXHvNx4BxR5D3OJYRgQwU4mNNkzNjqJ8LlIawbsreacmt9aqOfhmibGthkTiYkhtcP1JGy-g5tcgP_cUjnP_K5g3u3Y/s640/P1140771.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Vapaaehtoistyöprojekteja ulkomailta etsiessä täytyy ottaa huomioon paljon asioita, sillä tässäkään asiassa kaikki ei ole aina sitä, miltä näyttää. Ensiksikin halusimme varmistua siitä, että kyseessä on asiallinen järjestö, joka oikeasti pyrkii auttamaan esimerkiksi paikallista väestöä tai suojelemaan luontoa, eikä vain käärimään rahaa hyväuskoisilta vapaaehtoisilta. Monet järjestöt itse asiassa perivät rahaa siitä, että sinne saa mennä ilmaiseksi töihin, ja maksut voivat olla suuriakin - olen kuullut jopa tuhansista euroista. Osa näistä organisaatioista voi olla ihan oikealla asialla, ja järjestö vaan yksinkertaisesti tarvitsee enemmän rahaa kuin ilmaista työvoimaa, mutta osa on ihan silkkaa huijausta. Pahimmassa tapauksessa luodaan jopa valeorpokoteja vapaaehtoisia varten.<br />
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<i><span style="color: #660000;">When looking for volunteer work abroad you need to do your research, as everything is not as it seems. First of all, we wanted to ensure that the NGO we choose is a legitimate organization that genuinely aims at helping the local community or the environment, instead of just generating profit from gullible volunteers. It is quite common to have to pay for the privilege to go work for free, and the costs can be pretty high - I have even heard of some organizations charging thousands of euros. Some of these organizations may be legit, and the truth is that they simply need money more than they really need free labour, but some are pure scams. In the worst case they may even create fake orphanages just to get volunteers (and their money) in. </span></i><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtaVwH1sWNN2XTw4PJnZXdJ6ItzsqIm6MyYFAlTssPd3Q3xSbZ7_GjewnaZrzgYCvYt-wVYnQvhA1tueMtkY2JFaWQnFRFsk0-qjDWVuCKtO98iE428_qViSQIg2pTB9NCqra-boa04cA/s1600/P1140778.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtaVwH1sWNN2XTw4PJnZXdJ6ItzsqIm6MyYFAlTssPd3Q3xSbZ7_GjewnaZrzgYCvYt-wVYnQvhA1tueMtkY2JFaWQnFRFsk0-qjDWVuCKtO98iE428_qViSQIg2pTB9NCqra-boa04cA/s640/P1140778.JPG" width="426" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKJYdSGvL9HHuDxZqLacSNIii5MnH_hEmlEVYALk6bCYwoJjboAuXmxaj45H_GMDLZU6ZQwK_WcAOBQhgkBj4YaCxwN66KwchIWrt3JxaHz4n7iJNIP_bghwQgvVbrm54hPy0HDTirs40/s1600/P1140784.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKJYdSGvL9HHuDxZqLacSNIii5MnH_hEmlEVYALk6bCYwoJjboAuXmxaj45H_GMDLZU6ZQwK_WcAOBQhgkBj4YaCxwN66KwchIWrt3JxaHz4n7iJNIP_bghwQgvVbrm54hPy0HDTirs40/s640/P1140784.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Rekisteröidyin <a href="https://www.volunteerlatinamerica.com/" target="_blank">Volunteer Latin America -sivustolle</a>, jossa pientä maksua (10 GBP 2 vuoden jäsenyydestä) vastaan saa tietoa ilmaisista tai hyvin pienen maksun pyytävistä järjestöistä, joiden taustat on tutkittu ja ne on todettu eettisiksi ja kestäviksi organisaatioiksi. Sieltä löysin järjestön nimeltään <a href="http://carasalegres.org/" target="_blank">Caras Alegres</a>, joka sijaitsee yhdellä Quetzaltenangon kaupungin köyhimmistä alueista. Järjestö tarjoaa ilmaisen lounaan ja iltapäiväkerhon läheisen koulun lapsille, ja he tarvitsevat aina vapaaehtoisia auttamaan lapsia esimerkiksi läksyissä, erilaisissa taideaktiviteeteissa ja leikeissä. Otimme heihin yhteyttä sähköpostilla ja saimme heti asiallisen täyden tietopaketin järjestön toiminnasta ja mitä he odottavat vapaaehtoisilta. Parin viikon kommunikaation jälkeen vakuutuimme siitä, että Caras Alegres on meille oikea paikka, ja varasimme liput Guatemalaan.<br />
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<i><span style="color: #990000;">I signed up on <a href="https://www.volunteerlatinamerica.com/" target="_blank">Volunteer Latin America</a>, where for a small fee (10 GBP for 2 years' membership) you get information on reliable NGO's that offer volunteering opportunities either for free or for a very small fee. This is where I found a non-profit organization called <a href="http://carasalegres.org/" target="_blank">Caras Alegres</a> which is located in one of the poorest neighbourhoods of the city of Quetzaltenango. The organization offers a free lunch and after school programme for the children of the nearby school, and they always need volunteers to help the kids with home work, in different sort of educational and artistic activities and games. We contacted them by email and got a speedy response with a comprehensive information package about what they do and what they expect from volunteers. After communicating back and forth for a couple of weeks, we were convinced Caras Alegres is the place for us, and we booked our tickets to Guatemala. </span></i><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Helping with home work</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Time for free games!</td></tr>
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Joillain organisaatioilla voi olla mahdollisuus tarjota vapaaehtoisilleen ruoka ja majoitus, mutta Caras Alegresilla tätä mahdollisuutta ei ole. Järjestimme siis itse majoituksemme vuokraamalla pienen asunnon yhdessä kaupungin monista kielikouluista, ja hoidimme myös ruokailut itse. Järjestö pyytää pienen, noin 23 euron lahjoituksen vapaaehtoisiltaan, ja sillä saa töissä käytettävän T-paidan. Kyseessä on pieni operaatio, jossa on kolme täysiaikaista palkallista työntekijää, sekä kaksi osa-aikaista työntekijää keittiössä valmistamassa lounasta lapsille. Kaikki palkalliset työntekijät ovat paikallisia ihmisiä, kun taas vapaaehtoiset ovat tavallisesti ulkomaalaisia. Koko organisaation pyörittäminen maksaa noin 40 000 USD vuodessa, joka tulee kaikki lahjoituksista joko yksityisiltä ihmisiltä tai apujärjestöiltä. Lahjoitetut varat eivät siis mene ison organisaation pyörittämiseen tai toimitusjohtajien palkkoihin, vaan suoraan lasten auttamiseen.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKdoSSIUnDygmVxp48ZIqfDPhUnGNkBosXoQvOAxd6XXvofsxT1hZ7ZeMV4CYA11CNJ7qW-OWXacUZq-kyET_-9zGTEKr98uNmGo7N9gyLq6jXsYyA6R2PiaNeUOyQIjwqEHNBeBCMGzk/s1600/67171869_10157605525778578_2407675846283231232_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKdoSSIUnDygmVxp48ZIqfDPhUnGNkBosXoQvOAxd6XXvofsxT1hZ7ZeMV4CYA11CNJ7qW-OWXacUZq-kyET_-9zGTEKr98uNmGo7N9gyLq6jXsYyA6R2PiaNeUOyQIjwqEHNBeBCMGzk/s640/67171869_10157605525778578_2407675846283231232_n.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<i><span style="color: #990000;">Some organizations might be in the position to offer food and accommodation to their volunteers, but Caras Alegres does not have this possibility. We organized our own accommodation by renting a small apartment in one of the many language schools in the city, and also took care of our own food. The NGO asks for a small donation of about 23 euros from their volunteers, and with that you also get the T-shirt you can wear while working. This is a small operation with three full-time employees and two part-time workers in the kitchen preparing the lunch for the kids. All the paid employees are local people, while the volunteers are typically foreigners. Running of the whole organization costs around 40 000 USD per year, which is all donations from either private people or foundations. The donations don't pay for running a large organization, or big salaries of some CEO's, but they go straight to helping the children. </span></i><br />
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Millaista työskentely vapaaehtoisena sitten oli? Kokemuksemme oli ehdottomasti positiviinen, vaikka eihän lasten kanssa työskentely koskaan helppoa ole - etenkään, kun minulla ei ole juurikaan kokemusta lapsista, enkä ole koskaan ollut mitenkään erikoisen hyvä lasten kanssa. Espanjan puhuminen tuotti omat haasteensa, emmekä suinkaan aina ymmärtäneet mitä lapset selittivät.<br />
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Kosketti kuitenkin sydäntäni, miten luottavaisia ja avoimia suuri osa näistä lapsista oli. He ottivat heti kädestä kiinni, kiipesivät syliin, hyväksyivät uudet vapaaehtoiset heti ystävikseen ja ainakin suurin piirtein tottelivat meitä. Heillä oli varmasti omat haasteensa kodeissaan köyhyyden keskellä, ja huomasi kyllä, ettei heillä ollut paljon mitään materiaalista hyvää: monet lapset tulivat kerhoon päivä toisensa jälkeen samoissa resuisissa, likaisissa vaatteissa, jotkut ilman sukkia, toisilla hiukset täitä kuhisten. He osasivat kuitenkin hyvin jakaa niitä leluja, mitä Caras Alegresilla oli tarjota: vapaan leikkitunnin aikana he sopivat vuoroista, kuka käyttää mitäkin polkupyörää ja kenen vuoro oli nyt käyttää rullaluistimia, eikä tappeluita juurikaan ollut. Nämä lapset eivät kai ole tottuneet omimaan tavaroita.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kids just loved trying on my glasses...</td></tr>
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<i><span style="color: #990000;">So, what was working with them really like? We definitely had a positive experience, although working with children has its challenges - especially for someone like me, who has never been particularly great with them, nor do I have much experience with kids. Speaking Spanish with them added some more challenges, and there were certainly times when I had little idea what the kids were on about. </span></i><br />
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<i><span style="color: #990000;">However, it was really touching how trusting and open most of these children were. They would immediately take your hand, climb onto your lap, accept the new volunteers as their friends and, at least somewhat, obey us. They sure had some challenges in their own lives in abject poverty, and you could easily tell they didn't have much in the material sense; some of the kids came in day after day in the same dirty, broken clothes, some without socks, some with lice-infested hair. They were great at sharing, though: during free games they seemed content sharing the toys that Caras Alegres had to offer, agreed whose turn it was now to use this bike or those roller blades, and they didn't really argue much. I suppose these kids are not used to hogging things, as they don't own much. </span></i><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On our last day the kids made us these thank you cards!</td></tr>
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Caras Alegres tekee tärkeää työtä köyhien perheiden auttamiseksi. Ehkä näiden lasten tulevaisuus on ainakin piirun verran valoisampi tämän järjestön ansiosta. Ainakin juuri tällä hetkellä, kun he voivat olla kerhossa turvallisten aikuisten keskellä sen sijaan, että kulkisivat kaduilla omin päin vanhempien ollessa töissä, tämä järjestö on iso apu pienen ihmisen elämässä. Kuten yksi suosikeistani, viisivuotias Irma totesi istuessaan sylissäni "Caras Alegresissa on hauskaa. Haluaisin asua täällä ja olla täällä aina."<br />
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<i><span style="color: #990000;">Caras Alegres does important work to help out poor families in need. Maybe the future is at least a bit brighter for these kids, thanks to this NGO. At least right now, when they can be at Caras Alegres surrounded by safe adults, rather than roaming the streets by themselves while the parents are working, this organization is offering big help for a small person. As one of my favourites, 5-year-old Irma said one afternoon while sitting on my lap "I like being in Caras Alegres. I wish I could live here and always be here". </span></i><br />
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Haluatko auttaa? Pienetkin lahjoitukset auttavat tätä järjestöä paljon, ja esimerkiksi 35 euron lahjoituksella ostetaan perheelle perusruoat kuukaudeksi. Katso <a href="http://carasalegres.org/donate/" target="_blank">tästä,</a> miten voit tehdä lahjoituksen, joka menee taatusti hyvään tarkoitukseen.<br />
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<i><span style="color: #990000;">Do you want to help? Even the smallest donations are a big help for the organization, and for example 35 euro donation can buy a family basic food supplies for a month. See <a href="http://carasalegres.org/donate/" target="_blank">here</a> how you can make donation that will definitely make a difference. </span></i></div>
Nomadihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02526178789320131836noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6699883048972720931.post-5798300887600125582019-09-19T02:55:00.001-07:002019-09-19T02:55:37.782-07:00Saapuminen Guatemalaan - Arrival in Guatemala: Antigua & Lake Atitlan<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Teksasin <a href="https://sillavalinmaailmalla.blogspot.com/2019/09/teksasin-road-trip-road-trip-in-texas.html?showComment=1568879279032#c1976083511461049092" target="_blank">roadtripin</a> jälkeen suuntasimme siis tämän reissun viimeiseen varsinaiseen kohteeseemme: Guatemalaan. Olemme viettäneet vuosien varrella suht paljon aikaa Latinalaisessa Amerikassa, ja tämä maanosa pitää - ongelmistaan huolimatta - ihan erikoista paikkaa sydämessäni. Nyt olimme aikeissa viimein toteuttaa pitkäaikaisen haaveemme, ja tehdä kuukauden ajan vapaaehtoistyötä Guatemalassa!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">SUPin' it at Lake Atitlan</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Parque Central in Antigua</td></tr>
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<i><span style="color: #990000;">After our <a href="https://sillavalinmaailmalla.blogspot.com/2019/09/teksasin-road-trip-road-trip-in-texas.html?showComment=1568879279032#c1976083511461049092" target="_blank">road trip in Texas</a> we headed to the last actual destination on this trip: Guatemala. Over the years we have spent quite a bit of time in Latin America, and this part of the world holds a very special place in my heart - despite its problems. Now we were about to finally realize a long-term dream, and spend a month doing voluntary work in Guatemala!</span></i><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The two sides of the Arco de San Catalina in Antigua</td></tr>
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Ennen saapumistamme Quetzaltenangoon, eli kaupunkiin, jossa työpaikkamme odotteli, meillä oli kuitenkin viitisen päivää aikaa tutustua Guatemalan suosituimpiin matkakohteisiin: Antiguan vanhaan kaupunkiin ja kauniiseen Atitlan-järveen. Koska Guatemalan maine vaarallisena maana ei ole aivan tuulesta temmattu, ja meillä on omakohtaista kokemusta Latinalaisen Amerikan vaaroista, päätimme tehdä kaiken turvallisimmalla mahdollisella tavalla (toisin kuin yleensä halvimmalla mahdollisella tavalla). Varasimme siis majapaikastamme Antiguasta auton hakemaan meidät Guatemala Cityn lentokentältä (45 USD), ja matkasimme suoraan Antiguaan välttäen jengiväkivallan raateleman Guatemala Cityn kokonaan.<br />
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<i><span style="color: #990000;">Before arriving in Quetzaltenango, the city where we were going to be volunteering, we had about five days to get to know the most popular tourist spots in the country: the old city of Antigua and the beautiful Lake Atitlan. As Guatemala's reputation as a dangerous country is not all made up, and we have had some personal experience of the dangers in Latin America, we opted to do everything the safest possible way (unlike our usual MO, the cheapest possible way). Therefore we reserved a private transfer from our guest house in Antigua to pick us up from Guatemala City Airport (45 USD), and travelled straight to Antigua avoiding the gang violence-ridden Guatemala City altogether. </span></i><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Antigua</td></tr>
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Antigua, koko nimeltään Antigua Guatemala, oli aikoinaan Guatemalan kuningaskunnan pääkaupunki. Espanjalaiset valloittajat rakensivat kaupungin (tai rakennuttivat sen orjatyövoiman turvin) 1540-luvulla, ja kaupunki on vielä tänäkin päivänä todella hyvin säilynyt huolimatta lukuisista maanjäristyksistä ja levottomuuksista. Kaunis kaupunki onkin nimetty UNESCOn maailmanperintökohteeksi, ja se on suosituin turistikohde Guatemalassa. Antigua on suhteellisen turvallinen (vaikka lukemani mukaan sielläkin sattuu väkivaltaisia ryöstöjä, etenkin kaupunkia ympäröivillä patikkapoluilla) ja viihtyisä kaupunki, jonka ansiosta se on hyvä ensimmäinen kohde Guatemalassa.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Antigua</td></tr>
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<i><span style="color: #990000;"><br /></span></i>
<i><span style="color: #990000;">Antigua (full name Antigua Guatemala) used to be the capital of the Kingdom of Guatemala. The city was built by the Spanish conquistadores (or rather had it built by the enslaved indigenous people) in 1540s, and it remains remarkably well preserved despite numerous earthquakes and tumultuous past. The gorgeous city is now a UNESCO World Heritage site, and the most popular tourist destination in Guatemala. Antigua is relatively safe (although according to what I read, there are also violent robberies happening here, in particular in the remote hiking routes around the city) and pleasant city, which makes it a great starting point in Guatemala. </span></i><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Digital nomad life at our guest house in Antigua</td></tr>
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Upea arkkitehtuuri ja ympäröivät tulivuoret tekevät siitä todella kauniin ja viehättävän kaupungin, mutta samaan aikaan se tuntuu vähän keinotekoiselta ja tyhjältä - vanhassa kaupungissa ei oikeastaan asu juuri ketään, joten se on täynnä vain hotelleja, ravintoloita ja turistikauppoja, ja tietenkin turisteja. Koska Antigua oli ensimmäinen kohteemme Guatemalassa, emme voineet vertailla hintoja mihinkään, mutta ne tuntuivat melko korkeilta. Antigua on hyvä paikka viettää pari yötä, mutta ellei sieltä tee päiväretkiä mihinkään, itse vanhan kaupungin näkee helposti päivässä. Muuten siellä ei olekaan paljon muuta tekemistä kuin istua trendikkäissä baareissa tai kahviloissa, joita kyllä riittää joka puolella.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lake Atitlan</td></tr>
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<i><span style="color: #990000;">The stunning architecture and the surrounding volcanoes make Antigua a really beautiful and charming town, but at the same time it feels a little artificial and shallow - there is hardly anybody actually living in the old city, so it is full of just hotels, restaurants and touristy shops, and obviously other tourists. As Antigua was our first destination in Guatemala, we couldn't really compare the prices to anything, but they seemed rather high. Antigua is a fine place to spend a couple of nights, but unless you do some day trips out of the city, you can do pretty much everything in the old city in a day. Otherwise there is not much else left to do but sit in trendy bars or cafes, which abound around the town. </span></i><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Boats in the harbour of Panajachel</td></tr>
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Matkasimme Antiguasta shuttle busilla (75 quetzalia eli noin 9 euroa per henkilö) Atitlan-järvelle. Jälleen valitsimme shuttle busin tavallisen bussin sijaan turvallisuussyistä, sillä chicken buseiksi nimetyt paikalliset bussit (jotka ovat vanhoja amerikkalaisia koulubusseja) ovat tunnettuja sekä mekaanisista ongelmistaan, hulluista kuskeistaan että väkivaltaisista ryöstöistä. Noin sadan kilometrin matkaan meni reilusti yli 2 tuntia, joista osa mentiin sangen mutkikkailla ja jyrkillä vuoristoteillä.<br />
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<i><span style="color: #990000;">We travelled from Antigua to Lake Atitlan by shuttle bus (75 quetzals or about 9 euro per person). Again, we chose the shuttle bus instead of the local bus for security reasons, as the chicken buses (as the old converted American school buses are called) are known for mechanical problems, insane drivers as well as violent robberies. The distance of about 100 kilometres took well over 2 hours to cover, as part of the way went through some very windy and steep mountain roads. </span></i><br />
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Atitlan-järvi on Väli-Amerikan syvin järvi, jonka pinta-ala on noin 130 neliökilometriä. Järven rannalla sijaitseva Panajachelin kylä on tukikohta, josta voi matkata pienillä veneillä lukuisiin eri kyliin valtavan järven rannalla. Me olimme valinneet pienen ja erittäin rauhallisen Santa Cruzin kylän, jonne ei edes pääse autolla, ja se oli meille kerrassaan nappivalinta. Muutaman majatalon ja ravintolan lisäksi kylässä ei ollut paljon mitään muuta, ja saimme rauhassa lepäillä ja istuskella järven rannalla mietiskelemässä. Vuokrasimme SUP-laudat yhtenä kauniina aamuna, ja oli ihan mahtavaa suppailla valtavalla järvellä tulivuorien ympäröimänä. Aikamme Atitlan-järvellä oli hyvää pohjustusta vapaaehtoistyöhön, joka alkaisi seuraavana maananantaina - siitä lisää seuraavassa postauksessa!<br />
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<i><span style="color: #990000;">Lake Atitlan is the deepest lake in Central America, and its surface area covers about 130 square kilometres. The town of Panajachel on the lake shore serves as a transportation hub, where you can take little boats to several little towns or villages around the enormous lake. We had chosen the small and extremely quiet village of Santa Cruz, which proved to be the perfect choice for us. Apart from a couple of guest houses and restaurants there was practically nothing else in the village, and we got to relax just sitting by the lake contemplating. One beautiful morning we rented SUPs, and it was an amazing experience to paddle on the huge lake surrounded by volcanoes. Our time at Lake Atitlan was great preparation for the volunteering that was going to start the following Monday - more on that in the next post!</span></i></div>
Nomadihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02526178789320131836noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6699883048972720931.post-66670699282344056952019-09-08T10:37:00.000-07:002019-09-08T10:37:01.242-07:00Teksasin road trip - Road trip in Texas: Dallas, Austin & Houston<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Päädyimme Teksasiin puolivahingossa - tiesimme, että Havaijilta ei pääse varsinaiseen kohteeseemme (jonka pidän vielä yllätyksenä) suoraan, vaan pitää käydä joka tapauksessa manner-USA:n kautta. Halvimmat lennot löytyivät Houstonista, ja Konalta taas pääsi kohtuuhintaan Dallasiin, joten reitiksemme muodostui Dallas - Austin - Houston. Aikaa oli kuusi päivää, joten vietimme kussakin kaupungissa kaksi yötä sohvasurffailijoiden luona - käytännössä tämä tarkoitti, että meillä oli yksi kokonainen päivä itse kaupungissa. Täsmäiskuja meitä eniten kiinnostaviin kohteisiin siis!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Having a drink with an old friend</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Downtown Dallas</td></tr>
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<i><span style="color: #990000;">We ended up in Texas almost by coincidence - we knew that it was not possible to get to our next actual destination (which I shall still keep a secret at this stage) straight from Hawaii, so we would have to make our way to US mainland in any case. The cheapest flight we found was from Houston, and we also found a pretty reasonable flight from Kona to Dallas, so our road trip route became Dallas - Austin - Houston. We had six days, so we stayed two nights couchsurfing in each town - in effect having one actual day in each city. It meant we needed to be selective and concentrate on the must-sees!</span></i><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Downtown Dallas</td></tr>
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<b><u>Dallas</u></b><br />
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Jos olet tavallani 80-luvun lapsi, kaupungin nimi on synonyymi suosikkitv-sarjalle, joten sen kuvauspaikkaa piti toki käydä katsomassa. <a href="https://www.southforkranch.com/tours" target="_blank">Southfork Ranch</a> on tila, jossa Ewingit asuivat ja juonittelivat, ja se on nykyään avoinna turisteille. 16 USD:lla pääsee opastetulle kierrokselle, jossa innokas opas esittelee taloa, jossa suuri osa sarjan kohtauksista kuvattiin. Kierroksen jälkeen saa kierrellä omin päin maatilalla, jossa on longhorn-karjaa, hevosia, poneja ja paljon muuta nähtävää. Jos olet valmis siihen, että sarjan tunnusmusiikki soi päässä seuraavan viikon ajan, ja Dallas oli aikoinaan merkittävä osa perjantai-illan viettoasi, suosittelen lämpimästi visiittiä. Auto pitää toki olla alla, sillä mitään julkista liikennettähän alueelle ei ole - mutta tämä pätee melko lailla koko Teksasiin.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Familiar faces</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At the Ewings' house</td></tr>
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<i><span style="color: #990000;">If you grew up in the 80's like we did, you might also consider the name of the city synonymous with the iconic TV series (which, by the way, seems to be totally unknown to the Americans of the same age as us). Dallas was really big for both of us, so we definitely wanted to see where it was filmed. <a href="https://www.southforkranch.com/tours" target="_blank">Southfork Ranch</a> was the place the Ewings called home, and it is open to the public. 16 USD will get you on a tour led by an enthusiastic guide and you get to see the house where a lot of the scenes were filmed. After the tour you can walk around the ranch in your own time to see the longhorn cattle, horses and ponies, and lots more. If you don't mind having the theme song in your head for the following week, I highly recommend visiting Southfork Ranch. You need a car, as there is no public transport access - but then again, that's pretty much Texas for you. </span></i><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Southfork Ranch</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The unbearably cute mini ponies</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dipping our toes into the Ewings' swimming pool</td></tr>
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Toinen asia, josta Dallas tunnetaan, on se miten John F. Kennedylle siellä kävi. Kaupungin keskustassa (talossa, jossa ampujan oletetaan olleen) sijaitseva <a href="https://www.jfk.org/" target="_blank">The Sixth Floor Museum</a> on todella kiinnostava ja perusteellinen museo ei pelkästään JFK:n kuolemasta, vaan myös hänen elämästään ja siinä samalla vähän USA:n historiaa. Pääsymaksu tännekin on 16 USD, johon kuuluu audio-opas.<br />
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Dallasin "historiallinen kaupunginosa" eli historical district on hyvin pieni, ja sen läpi kävelee muutamassa minuutissa, mutta se oli ihan viehättävä paikka lähellä JFK:n museota. Ehdimme käväistä pikaisesti vielä ilmaisessa taidemuseossa, jossa olisi saanut kyllä menemään koko päivän - Dallas Museum of Art on yksi Yhdysvaltain suurimpia taidemuseoita, mutta me emme ehtineet kuin vilkaista nopeasti mielenkiintoisimpia osia.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Historical district</td></tr>
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<i><span style="color: #990000;">Dallas has another claim to fame as the place where John F. Kennedy got shot. <a href="https://www.jfk.org/" target="_blank">The Sixth Floor Museum</a>, located in downtown area in the building where the shooter was presumably situated, is a fascinating museum about the life and death of JFK, as well as a bit of history of the US. The entrance ticket cost 16 USD including an audio guide. </span></i><br />
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<i><span style="color: #990000;">The historical district of Dallas is a very small but pleasant area close to the JFK Museum. We just walked through it on our way to the Dallas Museum of Art, where we had a very brief but enjoyable visit. This is one of the largest art museums in the US, so we could have easily spent a day there, but this time we only had chance for a quick look at the most interesting parts. As the entrance is free, we figured it's better than nothing. </span></i><br />
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<u><b>Austin</b></u><br />
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Austin oli sellainen paikka, josta en olisi osannut nimetä etukäteen yhtään ainutta nähtävyyttä - tiesin vain, että siellä on paljon live musiikkia. Onneksi meillä oli ihan mahtavat CS-hostit, jotka esittelivät meille kaupunkia. Aloitimme visiitillä Capitoliin, eli Teksasin osavaltion parlamenttirakennukseen, jossa hostimme Mari työskentelee oppaana. Rakennus itsessään on hyvin vaikuttava ja ilmainen kierros on todella hyvä pikasukellus Teksasin ja Yhdysvaltain historiaan ja poliittiseen järjestelmään.<br />
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Kiertelimme omin päin vähän downtownia, jossa oli kivan näköistä baaria ja teatteria vieri vieressä. Paljon oli kyllä myös kodittomia ja kaduille sammuneita, mikä jätti aika ikävän maun suuhun, mutta tätähän Yhdysvalloissa näkee valitettavan paljon. Muuten kaupungissa oli kyllä kiva fiilis, ja ymmärrän miksi se on yksi USA:n nopeimmin kasvavia kaupunkeja.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Austin Capitol</td></tr>
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<i><span style="color: #990000;">Austin was such a place where I could not have named any sights beforehand - all I knew was that there are lots of live music venues. Luckily we had great CS hosts, who showed us around the city. We started by visiting the Capitol, where our host Mari works as a guide. The building itself is really impressive, and the free tour offers great quick introduction to the history and the political system of Texas and US.</span></i><br />
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<i><span style="color: #990000;">We wandered around downtown by foot for a while, and saw loads of really cool-looking music venues and theatres. Unfortunately there was also quite a lot of homeless people, some passed out on the street, which made our walk less pleasant, but this is what you see in a lot of the North American cities. Other than that the city had a really nice vibe, and I can understand why it is one of the fastest-growing cities in the US.</span></i><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Austin</td></tr>
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Seuraavan päivämme vietimme kokonaan Marin ja hänen miehensä CJ:n kanssa, ja olikin superhauska päivä. Vuokrasimme kajakit ja meloimme Colorado-joella ihan kaupungin kupeessa, ja illalla menimme katsomaan ilmaista Pieni merenneito -musikaalia läheiseen puistoon. Ennen kaupungista lähtöä ehdimme seuraavana aamuna vielä käydä Marin suosituksesta Austinin yliopiston kampuksen alueella, jonka viihtyisällä alueella oli myös paljon nähtävää; esimerkiksi Harry Ransom Center ilmaisine näyttelyineen.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Waiting for the show</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The show is on!</td></tr>
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<i><span style="color: #990000;">We spent the whole day with Mari and her husband CJ, and it was a super fun day. We rented kayaks to paddle along Colorado River right by downtown, and in the evening we went to see a free musical Little Mermaid in the nearby park. Before leaving the city the following day we still had time to visit the Austin university campus area, which is a pleasant area with lots to see; such as Harry Ransom Center with its free changing exhibitions. </span></i><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kayaking in Austin</td></tr>
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<b><u>Houston </u></b><br />
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Viimeisessä kohteessamme Teksasissa meillä oli vain yksi asia mielessä: <a href="https://spacecenter.org/" target="_blank">Space Center</a>. En noin yleensä ole mikään avaruusintoilija, mutta tämä paikka oli ihan huikea! Pääsymaksu oli 30 USD, mutta siellä voi helposti viettää koko päivän - nähtävää on niin paljon. Osa näyttelyistä ja esityksistä oli selvästi suunnattu lapsille, mutta aikuisillekin siellä riitti tekemistä ja näkemistä, emmekä kaikkea ehtineet edes nähdä. Oli ihan erikoisen mielenkiintoista nähdä komentokeskus, jossa avaruuslentojen kulkua tarkkaillaan ja ohjataan.<br />
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Mitään muuta emme olisi Houstonissa ehtineet näkemäänkään, mutta olimme todella tyytyväisiä avaruuskeskuksessa viettämäämme päivään. Sitten jätimmekin Yhdysvallat taakse ja suuntasimme seuraavaan kohteeseemme, jossa viettäisimme kuukaudet päivät tehden vapaaehtoistyötä. Mihin menimme ja mitä teimme? Se selviää seuraavassa postauksessa!<br />
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<i><span style="color: #990000;">When it came to our last destination in Texas, we only had one thing in mind: <a href="https://spacecenter.org/" target="_blank">Space Center</a>. I'm not particularly keen on space in general, but this was an absolutely amazing place! The entrance fee is 30 USD per person, but you can easily spend the whole day there, as there is so much to see. Some of the exhibitions and demonstrations were clearly meant for children, but there was also really a lot interesting things for adults as well, and we didn't even manage to see everything we wanted to. It was particularly fascinating to see the command centre, where they monitor and guide the space flights. </span></i><br />
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<i><span style="color: #990000;">We wouldn't have had time for anything else in Houston, but we were really happy with the time in Space Center. Then it was time to leave the US behind and head to our next destination, where we would spend the following month doing voluntary work. Where did we go and what did we do? Find out in the next post! </span></i><br />
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Nomadihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02526178789320131836noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6699883048972720931.post-88507095095017158832019-08-29T13:36:00.000-07:002019-08-29T13:41:22.855-07:00Joogaa ja rantaelämää - Life's a Beach (and Yoga) on Big Island<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Vietettyämme neljä ihanaa päivää <a href="http://sillavalinmaailmalla.blogspot.com/2019/08/alohaa-honolulussa-aloha-in-honolulu.html" target="_blank">Honolulussa</a> lensimme lyhyen matkan Big Islandille, joka on nimensä mukaisesti paljon Oahu-saarta suurempi. Big Islandilla tarvitsee välttämättä auton, sillä julkisilla liikennevälineillä siellä ei pitkälle pötki, joten mekin otimme heti lentokentältä auton päästäksemme Airbnb-majoitukseemme Konassa.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rainbow girls</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our trusty steed</td></tr>
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<i><span style="color: #990000;">After four lovely days in <a href="http://sillavalinmaailmalla.blogspot.com/2019/08/alohaa-honolulussa-aloha-in-honolulu.html" target="_blank">Honolulu</a> we took the short flight to Big Island, which earns its name by being considerably bigger than Oahu. You need a car in Big Island, as there is not much public transport, so we rented a car to get to our Airbnb accommodation. </span></i><br />
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Ensi töiksemme suuntasimme Airbnb-isännän suosituksen mukaisesti <a href="https://www.greenwellfarms.com/" target="_blank">Greenwell-kahvitilalle</a>, jossa järjestetään ilmaisia kierroksia, joiden päätteeksi saa nauttia maistiaisia monista kahvityypeistä. Havaijilainen Kona-kahvi on kuuluisaa, sillä tulivuorenpurkaukset tekevät maaperästä ravinteikasta ja seurauksena kahvin sanotaan kasvavan erikoisen hyvin. Kierros oli ihan kiva, joskaan ei mitenkään kovin perusteellinen, ja kahvi maistui hyvin niin ennen kierrosta kuin sen jälkeenkin.<br />
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<i><span style="color: #990000;">We started our first day following the recommendation of our Airbnb host and headed over to <a href="https://www.greenwellfarms.com/" target="_blank">Greenwell Coffee Farm</a>, where you can do a complimentary tour of the farm followed by tasters of their numerous coffee types. Kona coffee from Hawaii is famous, as the rich volcanic soil makes coffee grow particularly well. The tour was fine, although not particularly thorough, and the coffee tasted lovely both before and after the tour. </span></i><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On the coffee tour</td></tr>
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Vietimme iltapäivän <b>Kahaluu Beach Park</b> -rannalla, joka ei ollut mitenkään häikäisevän kaunis ranta tummine hiekkoineen ja kivikkoineen, mutta se oli hyvä snorklauspaikka. Porukkaa rannalla oli kuin pipoa, ja päätimme iltapäivän päätteeksi vielä etsiä vähän rauhallisempaa biitsiä suunnaten <b>Aiopio Fish Trap</b> -rannalle. Sinne piti kävellä pienen metsän läpi, ja rannalla saikin loikoilla ihan rauhassa ilman väkijoukkoja.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kahaluu Beach Park</td></tr>
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<i><span style="color: #990000;">We spent the afternoon on <b>Kahaluu Beach Park</b>, which was not exactly the most beautiful beach in the world with its dark sand and sharp rocks, but it was great for snorkling. It was crowded though, and we decided to head to a quieter beach called <b>Aiopio Fish Trap</b>. Getting to the beach required a little walk through a forest, and there we could enjoy the white sand beach without the crowds. </span></i><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Snorkling in Kahaluu</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kahaluu Beach Park</td></tr>
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Vietettyämme pari päivää Konassa jatkoimme kohti Pahoaa. Matkan varrella pysähdyimme <b>Volcanoes-luonnonpuistoon</b>, jonka keskellä on kaksi aktiivista tulivuorta: Mauna Kea ja Kilauea. Sää ei suosinut, sillä vettä tihutti jatkuvalla syötöllä, mutta minkäs teet - tämä oli ainoa tilaisuutemme patikoida tässä luonnonpuistossa. Volcanoes-puistossa voi halutessaan ajaa autolla Crater Rim Drive -reittiä pitkin tai käydä omin päin monilla lyhyillä patikkareiteillä. Kävimme kiertelemässä omin päin lyhyen kierroksen, ja sitten osallistuimme opastetulle kierrokselle Kilauean kraatterille, joka oli tosi mielenkiintoinen.<br />
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<i><span style="color: #990000;">After a couple of days in Kona we continued our way towards Pahoa. Along the way we stopped at the<b> Volcanoes National Park</b> with two active volcanoes: Mauna Kea and Kilauea. The weather was not on our side, as it was raining all the time, but what can you do - this was our only chance to visit this national park. In Volcanoes National Park you can drive along the Crater Rim Drive or do some of the numerous short hikes. We did a short walk by ourselves before joining a guided tour down the Kilauea caldera, which was super interesting.</span></i><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At the Volcanoes National Park</td></tr>
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<i><span style="color: #990000;"><br /></span></i>
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Seuraavat neljä päivää vietimmekin Pahoassa <a href="http://kmechawaii.org/" target="_blank">Kirpal Meditation and Ecological Center</a> -joogaleirillä, mikä oli juuri sitä mitä silloin tarvitsimmekin: lepoa, joogaa, rauhaa ja superterveellistä vegaaniruokaa. Joogakeskus sijaitsi lähellä laavavirtoja, jotka olivat vastikään katkaisseet useita teitä matkallaan kohti merta. Kävimme kävelyillä laavavirtojen tienoilla ja vietimme aikaa laavahiekkaisella Punalu'u-biitsillä, jonka valtavat aallot eivät tosin houkutelleet uimaan.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Room with a view at the yoga retreat</td></tr>
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<i><span style="color: #990000;">We spent the following four days in Pahoa doing a yoga retreat on <a href="http://kmechawaii.org/" target="_blank">Kirpal Meditation and Ecological Center</a> which was exactly what we needed at this point of the trip: peace and quiet, yoga and super healthy plant-based food. The yoga centre was located close to a lava flow which had recently cut off several roads on their way to the ocean. We walked around the lava flows and spent some time on the black sand beach of Punalu'u, although the huge waves deterred us from swimming. </span></i><br />
<i><span style="color: #990000;"><br /></span></i>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqqfMdPzRM9udTuHaGNiyohqMBS2VuIjhkbupt5fF9gQ_qoCziRgJLKSmhNquMkuBNKf6PuPMIH-n6s4PUzRXdJnzdgjHfbFbXLi1p3USfqsAzSCSb7He_kGq0VhdoiVBKSdJmazTHUkU/s1600/P1140161.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqqfMdPzRM9udTuHaGNiyohqMBS2VuIjhkbupt5fF9gQ_qoCziRgJLKSmhNquMkuBNKf6PuPMIH-n6s4PUzRXdJnzdgjHfbFbXLi1p3USfqsAzSCSb7He_kGq0VhdoiVBKSdJmazTHUkU/s640/P1140161.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">So, the road is like closed or something..?</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjplJt0jeUdH8kyeAwZ1FInnjM9TbS6epgy_jRP554WNbqdlY22dfv9VxXHq5evrXttqZ_YFESA-mknjbgSvocGHOPukn8by7z9ccAACoriXfm7EtbENuVKbi1dRUrob-YKKCbmiGzemN8/s1600/P1140153.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjplJt0jeUdH8kyeAwZ1FInnjM9TbS6epgy_jRP554WNbqdlY22dfv9VxXHq5evrXttqZ_YFESA-mknjbgSvocGHOPukn8by7z9ccAACoriXfm7EtbENuVKbi1dRUrob-YKKCbmiGzemN8/s640/P1140153.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Viimeinen etappimme Big Islandilla oli Hawin pikkuriikkinen kylä saaren pohjoisosassa. Matkan varrella oli kiva pysähtyä Hilon <b>Rainbow Falls </b>-vesiputouksilla ja <b>Waipio-laaksossa</b>. Alkuperäinen tarkoituksemme oli ollut patikoida Waipio-laaksossa, mutta sää heitteli kaatosateesta aurinkoiseen ja takaisin, joten päätimme jättää patikoinnin väliin ja tyydyimme ihailemaan maisemia näköalapaikalta. Viimeisen kokonaisen päivän Havaijilla nautimme saaren kauneimmasta rannasta nimeltään Hapuna, joka oli kieltämättä aivan ihana paikka, varmasti yksi parhaista näkemistäni rannoista.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhFRuyM2UoSS2IouwMwu70Qqa13rLafkRh9HxPpcQdRb0B5sXn400O7LsIuI4Ib1GSSPZt5CoUnl3io9p2gUgOd2_xJw9HR6ai3geUf0l2oWQE7UzNu3SykvvxB59fT5XuuakFzbACX5w/s1600/P1140202.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhFRuyM2UoSS2IouwMwu70Qqa13rLafkRh9HxPpcQdRb0B5sXn400O7LsIuI4Ib1GSSPZt5CoUnl3io9p2gUgOd2_xJw9HR6ai3geUf0l2oWQE7UzNu3SykvvxB59fT5XuuakFzbACX5w/s640/P1140202.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rainbow Falls</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz9SwOkpSJnCde68YU8hG805fjjsIHDL3vAyWlzHPiDK_MCxxsXOyf-D2z3qHYzGReD0sC0B8txe5dvcnAtoinzHFvxyilODnJ-Vl7Ag5kHRsnnSIKxit9AIinhLDWNhPzfZGwmGMkOKA/s1600/P1140218.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz9SwOkpSJnCde68YU8hG805fjjsIHDL3vAyWlzHPiDK_MCxxsXOyf-D2z3qHYzGReD0sC0B8txe5dvcnAtoinzHFvxyilODnJ-Vl7Ag5kHRsnnSIKxit9AIinhLDWNhPzfZGwmGMkOKA/s640/P1140218.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View from Waipio Valley view point</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_UIXvzxaLK3ExRgcDnfgl451hMgJChYjzt_c85OL5ia2Kch23fOAa3DGpw6SKDoUtw-e8OTC3d11nyu5GyEVjPrPY3-A1ptYEGFhh6IM5DEuvguoUjTxV3KQv2K8tXC5I7aBxgCVq8SQ/s1600/FHD0080.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="909" data-original-width="1600" height="362" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_UIXvzxaLK3ExRgcDnfgl451hMgJChYjzt_c85OL5ia2Kch23fOAa3DGpw6SKDoUtw-e8OTC3d11nyu5GyEVjPrPY3-A1ptYEGFhh6IM5DEuvguoUjTxV3KQv2K8tXC5I7aBxgCVq8SQ/s640/FHD0080.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On the Hapuna Beach</td></tr>
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<i><span style="color: #990000;">Our last haven on Big Island was the tiny village of Hawi in the north of the island. Along the way we enjoyed stopping at the <b>Rainbow Falls</b> in Hilo as well as the <b>Waipio Valley.</b> We had planned to do some hiking in the valley, but as the weather kept going from tropical downpours to sunshine and then back again, we decided to forego the hiking and just admired the scenery from the view point. Our last full day in Hawaii was spent on the most beautiful beach on the island, Hapuna, which was really lovely and definitely one of the best beaches I have ever seen. </span></i><br />
<i><span style="color: #990000;"><br /></span></i>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aiqxXrVkPlM/XWgxaVqz9MI/AAAAAAAAFtM/FiyXM4FG7Lw6D1sDF4Xxw3UHDxLIr8yRACEwYBhgL/s1600/P1140195.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aiqxXrVkPlM/XWgxaVqz9MI/AAAAAAAAFtM/FiyXM4FG7Lw6D1sDF4Xxw3UHDxLIr8yRACEwYBhgL/s640/P1140195.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUVfS7_Vs_eXqJN51L2TZNrUxGAoHR6D-Je5YPhme7aZGhMOjNKk-7jwtFoLaVREjzpAIMzj0STpUNNJ1NrQP2a6wFZ9QJq-06kOoAs6MjqI-_oMwjL2RXHqNrMWvceinipjccoRvq81g/s1600/P1140245.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUVfS7_Vs_eXqJN51L2TZNrUxGAoHR6D-Je5YPhme7aZGhMOjNKk-7jwtFoLaVREjzpAIMzj0STpUNNJ1NrQP2a6wFZ9QJq-06kOoAs6MjqI-_oMwjL2RXHqNrMWvceinipjccoRvq81g/s640/P1140245.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hapuna Beach</td></tr>
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<i><span style="color: #990000;"><br /></span></i>
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Vajaat pari viikkoa Havaijilla oli mahtava kokemus, ja tänne tulisi mielellään vielä uudestaan. Saimme nauttia saaresta vielä ylimääräiset 8 tuntia, sillä lentomme Texasiin oli sen verran myöhässä. Eihän siinä mitään, Alaska Airlines antoi meille kullekin pari ruokalippua, joten nälissään ei tarvinnut odotella. Ainoa ongelma oli se, että Konan lentokenttä on outo avonainen kenttä, jossa ei ollut kattoa eikä seiniä - eli ei ilmastointia, joten siellä oli suht kuuma odotella, etenkin kun olin pukeutunut lentoa varten (minusta koneissa on aina kylmä) enkä auringossa istuskelua varten. Parin päivän päästä Alaska Airlines lähetti meille molemmille omat parin sadan dollarin alennukset seuraavaa lentoa varten ihan pyytämättä ja odottamatta, joten korvaukset olivat ainakin ihan kohdallaan - pitää siis seuraavan vuoden aikana matkata taas USA:an käyttämään niitä alennuksia!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXv1EjziNbkN8oA_SkT3iO1RE0x7h6eIuG7x5nHI7Y5_L6L3JKHhyJDB6i0oJvNdB7oE8zgQkY2HHgZQAcqerhfiwH2RTqfavwD2I03QMhCgEBLmGA-aUstztG0T5EbQpb_fLck9lhV34/s1600/P1140247.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXv1EjziNbkN8oA_SkT3iO1RE0x7h6eIuG7x5nHI7Y5_L6L3JKHhyJDB6i0oJvNdB7oE8zgQkY2HHgZQAcqerhfiwH2RTqfavwD2I03QMhCgEBLmGA-aUstztG0T5EbQpb_fLck9lhV34/s640/P1140247.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The only open-air airport I have ever seen</td></tr>
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<i><span style="color: #990000;">Almost two weeks in Hawaii was an amazing experience, and I would gladly return one day. Actually we had the opportunity to enjoy the island extra eight hours, as our flight to Texas was that much delayed. Alaska Airlines gave us a couple of food vouchers each, so we didn't have to go hungry while waiting - the only problem was that Kona airport is a weird open-air sort of an airport, lacking a roof and walls and therefore lacking air-conditioning. It did get rather hot while waiting around, especially as we were dressed for a plane (I usually find planes freezing cold) and not for lounging around in the hot sun. However, a couple of days later Alaska Airlines sent us a discount code worth a couple of hundreds of dollars each for our next flight, so the compensation was pretty decent - it means we need to travel to US again within the next year to use our discount!</span></i><br />
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Nomadihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02526178789320131836noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6699883048972720931.post-47376983427642148752019-08-07T15:16:00.000-07:002019-08-07T15:16:02.244-07:00Alohaa Honolulussa - Aloha in Honolulu<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Havaiji herättää mielikuvia tuulessa huojuvista palmupuista, aalloilla ratsastavista surffareista ja letkeistä ukulele-rytmeistä. Meidän kokemuksemme Havaijista oli kaikkea tätä, ja paljon enemmän.<br />
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"Me täällä elämme elämää alohan kanssa. Ihmiset luulevat, että aloha on vain tervehdys, mutta aloha tarkoittaa rakkautta. Meidän elämämme on täynnä alohaa", Lyft-kuskimme, sympaattinen vanhempi nainen opasti meitä matkalla lentokentältä CS-hostimme luokse. On helppo ymmärtää, miksi Havaiji viehättää ihmisiä niin paljon - vaikkei se toki olekaan pelkkä paratiisi. Kuten missä tahansa Amerikan kaupungissa, myös Honolulussa näkee kohtuullisen paljon (usein mielenterveysongelmaisia) kodittomia. Hostimme Tamran mukaan turismi Airbnb-majoituksineen on pahentanut tilannetta täälläkin, sillä hintojen nousun myötä monet pienituloiset päätyvät kaduille.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNR4cmDQD7AELTQMAHdWm-rK9SuQmqB-jKNObnNWTY2R2VzNkvL9yhHDuSr6JsXB74_4IYUtD1ftYbLEWusWQNzzyWhgsITudA-bIfGrCanVE8GDJyKA4wkOS0VUYtIOlC1vSS0La85nw/s1600/P1130998.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNR4cmDQD7AELTQMAHdWm-rK9SuQmqB-jKNObnNWTY2R2VzNkvL9yhHDuSr6JsXB74_4IYUtD1ftYbLEWusWQNzzyWhgsITudA-bIfGrCanVE8GDJyKA4wkOS0VUYtIOlC1vSS0La85nw/s640/P1130998.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Views from Diamond Head</td></tr>
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<i><span style="color: #990000;">Hawaii evokes ideas of palm trees swaying in the breeze, surfers riding the waves and laid-back rhythms of ukulele. Our experience of Hawaii was all that, and more.</span></i><br />
<i><span style="color: #990000;"><br /></span></i>
<i><span style="color: #990000;">"We live our lives with aloha. People think aloha just means hello, but aloha means love. Our lives are full of aloha", we were told by our Lyft driver, a sweet older lady, on our way from the airport to our CS host's place. It is easy to see the appeal of Hawaii, although it is not all paradise. Like in any American city, also in Honolulu you see relatively many homeless people, often with mental health issues. According to our host Tamra tourism and Airbnb business has made the situation worse also in here, as the prices have spiked even higher and a lot of low-income people end up on the street. </span></i><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dramatic sunset</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mongoose are introduced pests, yet so cute!</td></tr>
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Vietimme neljä yötä Honolulussa ja käytimme Oahu-saaren tutkailuun yllättävän toimivaa ja edullista julkista liikennettä, eli bussia. Useimmissa USA:n kohteissa koemme autonvuokrauksen lähes pakolliseksi, mutta Oahulla pärjäsi ilmankin. Päivälippu maksoi 5,5 USD per henkilö, ja sillä sai huristella saaren ympäri niin monta kertaa kuin huvitti. Bussit kulkivat kohtuullisen usein ja luotettavasti.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Diamond Head Crater</td></tr>
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<i><span style="color: #990000;">We spent four nights in Honolulu and explored the Oahu Island with the surprisingly affordable and well-functioning bus system. In most places in the US we feel car hire is practically obligatory, but on Oahu we were fine without a car. The day pass for the bus cost 5,5 USD per person, and you got an unlimited number of rides all around the island. The buses were relatively frequent and reliable. </span></i><br />
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Siitä oli aikaa, kun olimme viimeksi olleet biitsillä - Japanissa ja Taiwanissa emme olleet ollenkaan rantakohteissa, joten Filippiinien <a href="http://sillavalinmaailmalla.blogspot.com/2019/06/adrenaliinihumalaa-ja-kummituselaimia.html" target="_blank">Panglea</a> oli edellinen rantakohteemme. Niinpä omistimmekin pari päivää hengailuun Honolulun kuuluisilla biitseillä, etenkin <b>Waikiki</b>-rannalla. Kun kyseessä on Havaijin kaltaisen rantaturistikohteen kuuluisin biitsi, ei pitäisi yllättyä siitä miten suosittu se on. Oli silti ihan hienoinen shokki löytää niin täyteen ahdettu rantakaistale, että oli vaikeuksia löytää paikkaa pyyhkeellemme. Huolimatta väenpaljoudesta Waikiki oli silti uskomattoman kaunis häikäisevän turkoosin vetensä ansiosta. Lisäksi surffareiden ja rentojen rantaleijonien määrä loi omanlaisensa viehättävän tunnelman. Honolulun rantojen lisäksi matkasimme bussilla <b>Lanikai</b>-rannalle, joka oli hiljaisempi ja ihan yhtä kaunis.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Busy but pretty Waikiki</td></tr>
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<i><span style="color: #990000;">It had been a while since we had any beach time - in Japan and Taiwan we didn't visit any beach destinations, so <a href="http://sillavalinmaailmalla.blogspot.com/2019/06/adrenaliinihumalaa-ja-kummituselaimia.html" target="_blank">Panglea</a> in the Phillippines was the last time we spent time on any beach. So we dedicated a couple of days to the famous beaches of Honolulu, in particular <b>Waikiki Beach</b>. When talking about the most famous beach of a popular beach destination, it shouldn't come as a surprise that it's crowded. Still, it was a bit of a shock to find the beach so full that we had trouble finding a place to lay down our towels. Despite the crowds Waikiki was still incredibly beautiful with its sparkling turquoise water. Besides, the amount of surfers and chilled beach bums gave it a charming atmosphere. Apart from the beaches in Honolulu we also took the bus to <b>Lanikai Beach</b>, which was somewhat more quiet and just as beautiful.</span></i><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Way to Lanikai</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lanikai Beach</td></tr>
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Rantaelämän lisäksi kävimme parilla pienellä patikointiretkellä, jonne pääsi helposti bussilla. <b>Diamond Head Crater</b> on sammuneen tulivuoren kraatterissa sijaitseva patikointipolku, jonka huipulta saa ihailla Honolulun pilvenpiirtäjiä ja rantaa koko komeudessaan. Tämä on todella suosittu helppo reitti, ja siellä onkin porukkaa kuin pipoa. Kävimme myös <b>Manoa Falls</b> -vesiputoukselle johtavalla lyhyellä patikkamatkalla, joka kulkee huikean ikivanhan metsikön läpi. Ei ihme, että osa Jurassic Parkista kuvattiin täällä - tuntui, että millä hetkellä tahansa kimppuun saattaa hyökätä velociraptor jonkun puskan takaa. Täälläkin oli yllättävän paljon porukkaa, eli mistään hiljaisesta vaelluksesta luonnon keskellä ei ollut kyse. Yritimme käydä myös kiipeämässä <b>Koko Headin</b> huipulle, mutta sinne menevää polkua ei jostain syystä löytynyt. Kävimme siis ihailemassa lähellä olevaa upeaa <b>Hanauma Bay</b> -lahtea sen sijaan.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Trail going up to Diamond Head</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcyVA3po92dckZ50JWdy20W2gpfUpb0T-DmMlYkP6WVVeYHucLV4ti0wGVzWMv5f3CO8thFUG1o9P_imy9y2d9dr0rrFn0gK3NtVUVvORH7stZ7f3cDnfUMXDQElPBIUCp1vLrrFNh38A/s1600/P1140006.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcyVA3po92dckZ50JWdy20W2gpfUpb0T-DmMlYkP6WVVeYHucLV4ti0wGVzWMv5f3CO8thFUG1o9P_imy9y2d9dr0rrFn0gK3NtVUVvORH7stZ7f3cDnfUMXDQElPBIUCp1vLrrFNh38A/s640/P1140006.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tunnel into the crater</td></tr>
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<i><span style="color: #990000;">Apart from beach time, we also did a couple of little hikes that were easy to reach by bus. <b>Diamond Head Crater </b>has a hiking trail inside the crater of an extinct volcano with spectacular views over the skyscapers of Honolulu at the top. This is a really popular easy hike, and it was rather busy with all sorts of holiday makers. We also did the short hike leading up to <b>Manoa Falls</b>, which goes through some amazing ancient forest. It's no wonder they filmed some scenes of Jurassic Park here - I expected a velociraptor charging at me any moment. Also this was a pretty crowded route, not really a quiet stroll in the nature. We also made an attempt to climb up to <b>Koko Head,</b> but for some reason we didn't manage to find the trail - so we headed to admire the nearby <b>Hanauma Bay</b>, which is just amazingly beautiful. </span></i><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Manoa Falls</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hanauma Bay</td></tr>
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Lyhyt lentohypähdys vei meidät Big Island -saarelle, jossa vietimme seuraavat 8 päivää. Siitä lisää seuraavassa postauksessa!<br />
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<span style="color: #990000;"><i>A short flight took us to Big Island, where we spent the following 8 days. More about that in the next post!</i></span><br />
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Nomadihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02526178789320131836noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6699883048972720931.post-42408679144675512382019-07-31T16:41:00.001-07:002019-07-31T16:41:11.785-07:00Japanin huippukaupungit - The Highlights of Japan: Kioto & Osaka<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Japani oli tarjonnut meille jo lukuisia huippukohtia, kuten huumaavan <a href="http://sillavalinmaailmalla.blogspot.com/2019/07/saapuminen-japaniin-tokio-hakone.html" target="_blank">Tokion</a> ja saaren keskiosan hurmaavat kaupungit <a href="http://sillavalinmaailmalla.blogspot.com/2019/07/historiallisia-kaupunkeja-ja.html" target="_blank">Matsumoton, Takayaman ja Kanazawan</a>. Japanin suosituin matkakohde odotti meitä kuitenkin vielä kaikessa komeudessaan: Kioto, jossa vietimme kolme väsyttävää, mutta todella palkitsevaa päivää.<br />
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<i><span style="color: #990000;">Japan had already offered us several highlights, such as the intoxicating <a href="http://sillavalinmaailmalla.blogspot.com/2019/07/saapuminen-japaniin-tokio-hakone.html" target="_blank">Tokyo</a> and the lovely towns of <a href="http://sillavalinmaailmalla.blogspot.com/2019/07/historiallisia-kaupunkeja-ja.html" target="_blank">Matsumoto, Takayama and Kanazawa</a> in the middle of the island. However, the most popular tourist destination of Japan awaited us with all its glory: Kyoto, where we spent three tiring, but totally rewarding days. </span></i><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gina with the local delicacy: takoyaki or octopus balls</td></tr>
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Kioto on niin täyteen tupattu huikeita nähtävyyksiä, että sen kokemiseen tarvitaan jonkinlainen suunnitelma. Me jaoimme nähtävyydet suunnilleen ilmansuuntien mukaan, jotta pääsimme kohtalaisen vähäisellä vaivalla paikasta toiseen kohtuuhintaisella bussipäivälipulla (600 jeniä eli alle viisi euroa per päivä). Aloitimme keskikaupungilta, läheltä hotelliamme, vierailemalla <a href="https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3918.html" target="_blank">Nijo-linnassa</a> (pääsymaksu 600 jeniä per henkilö) ja keisarillisen palatsin puistossa, jossa sai samoilla ilmaiseksi. Nijon linna oli todella hieno, harmi vain ettei sisätiloissa saanut ottaa kuvia.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nijo Castle</td></tr>
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<i><span style="color: #990000;">Kyoto is so full of amazing sights, that you really need a game plan to make the most of it. We divided the sights by the direction, so that we could get relatively easily from one place to another with the help of the great-value bus pass (600 yens or less than 5 euro per day). We started off at downtown, close to our hotel, by visiting the <a href="https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3918.html" target="_blank">Nijo Castle</a> (600 yens per person) and the imperial palace and park, where you could visit for free. Nijo Castle was really impressive, it's a shame you cannot take pictures inside. </span></i><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Imperial Palace</td></tr>
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Kaupungin eteläpuolella suuntasimme ensimmäiseksi Fushimi Inari -pyhättöön, joka tunnetaan erityisesti tuhansista torii-porteistaan. Pyhätön alueelle pääsee ilmaiseksi, ja sieltä voi lähteä kävelemään porttien reunustamaa polkua pitkin metsän keskelle. Paikka on todella kaunis ja vaikuttava, ainoa ongelma oli valtavat ihmismassat, jotka parveilivat joka puolella. Mitä pitemmälle polkua pitkin etenimme, sitä vähemmän porukkaa siellä oli, joten loppuvaiheessa pystyi jo ottamaan joitain kuvia ilman muita ihmisiä. Kohtuullisen lähellä oli seuraava kohteemme, <a href="https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3930.html" target="_blank">Tofukuji-temppeli</a> (400 jenin pääsymaksu). Tämä on yksi Kioton vanhimmista ja tunnetuimmista temppeleistä, joka on suosittu käyntikohde etenkin syksyllä ruskan aikaan - temppelin puutarhan vaahterapuut nimittäin näyttävät mahtavilta ruskan aikaan. Me olimme siellä keskikesällä, joten ruskasta ei tietoakaan - joka tapauksessa temppelin alue oli kaunis ja huomattavasti Fushimi Inarin aluetta rauhallisempi.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Attempt to control the crowds</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Alone at last!</td></tr>
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<i><span style="color: #990000;">On the South side of the town we headed first to the Fushimi Inari Shrine, which is particularly famous for its thousands of torii gates. You can enter the shrine area for free, and keep walking along the path lined by the gates through the forest. It's a wonderful place, the only problem was the enormous crowds that took over the whole area. The further up the path we walked, the less people there were, so finally we were able to take some pictures without other people in them. Our next destination, <a href="https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3930.html" target="_blank">Tofukuji Temple</a> (entrance fee 400 yens) was relatively close by. This is one of the oldest and most famous temples in Kyoto, which is particularly popular in the autumn - the maple trees of the garden look amazing in their autumn foliage. We were there in the middle of the summer, so no sign of autumn foliage, but in any case the temple area was beautiful and considerably more quiet than the Fushimi Inari. </span></i><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tofukuji Temple</td></tr>
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<i><span style="color: #990000;"><br /></span></i>
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Kioton pohjoispuolelta löytyy Kultainen paviljonki eli <a href="https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3908.html" target="_blank">Kinkakuji-temppeli</a>, joka on kerrassaan huikea näky lammen yli katsottuna. 400 jenin pääsymaksulla saa kierrellä temppelin aluetta, joka oli viehättävä - joskin täynnä ihmisiä. Kivipuutarhastaan tunnettu <a href="https://jw-webmagazine.com/kyotos-best-zen-rock-garden-ryoanji-temple-710587b56ef9/" target="_blank">Ryoanji-temppeli</a> (500 jenin pääsymaksu) sen sijaan jätti meidät vähän kylmäksi - olihan kivinen puutarha ihan jännä, mutta ei mielestäni läheskään yhtä vaikuttava kuin muut tähän asti näkemäni Kioton nähtävyydet. <a href="https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3910.html" target="_blank">Daitokujin</a> temppelialueelle ehdimme sen verran myöhään iltapäivällä, että kaikki temppelit olivat jo kiinni. Ei se mitään, se tarkoitti, että saimme kuljeskella ihan kahdestaan tunnelmallisella alueella, ilman Kioton joka nurkkaa vaivaavia väkimassoja.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kinkakuji Temple</td></tr>
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<i><span style="color: #990000;">The North side of Kyoto is where you find the Golden Pavillion or <a href="https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3908.html" target="_blank">Kinkakuji Temple</a>, which is an absolutely magnificent sight reflected on a large pond. The entrance ticket of 400 yens gets you in to walk around the temple area, which is lovely - although very crowded. However, our next destination - Ryoanji Temple (entrance ticket 500 yens) known for its rock garden - left us a little underwhelmed. Sure, the rock garden was pretty neat, but in my opinion not nearly as impressive as the other sights we had so far seen in Kyoto. We only made it to the <a href="https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3910.html" target="_blank">Daitokuji Temple Complex</a> in the late afternoon, when all the temples had closed already. That was fine though, as this way we could be strolling the atmospheric area by ourselves without the crowds that otherwise plagued every corner of Kyoto. </span></i><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ryoanji Temple and the underwhelming rock garden</td></tr>
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<i><span style="color: #990000;"><br /></span></i>
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Kaupungin länsiosassa on huikea <a href="https://www.insidekyoto.com/arashiyama-bamboo-grove" target="_blank">Arashiyaman bambumetsikkö</a>, jonka upeutta on vaikea sanoin kuvata, eivätkä kuvatkaan tee sille oikein oikeutta. Bambujen lomassa saa kuljeskella ihan ilmaiseksi, mutta mitään rauhaa ja hiljaisuutta ei kannata odottaa - väkimassoja on nimittäin täälläkin ihan kiusaksi asti.<br />
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<i><span style="color: #990000;">On the West side of the town there is the incredible Arashiyama Bamboo Grove, which is difficult to describe and even the pictures don't really do justice to this amazing place. You can visit the bamboo grove for free, but you cannot expect much peace and quiet though - also this place is very, very crowded. </span></i><br />
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Vielä ehdimme Kioton itäpuolelle tutustumaan pariin temppeliin: <a href="https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3907.html" target="_blank">Ginkakuji-temppeliin</a>, joka tunnetaan myös Hopeisena paviljonkina (vaikkei se olekaan hopeinen). Pääsymaksu oli 500 jeniä, ja sillä sai kierrellä temppelirakennusten alueella. Kohokohtia olivat sammalpuutarha ja huikea hiekkapuutarha, jossa hiekasta muotoillut tötteröt pysyvät koossa jonkinlaisen ihmeen avulla. Viimeinen temppelimme oli <a href="https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3905.html" target="_blank">Nanzenji-temppeli</a>, jonka alueelle pääsi ilmaiseksi, ja halutessaan saattoi maksaa pääsymaksun erillisiin temppelirakennuksiin.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ginkakuji Temple</td></tr>
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<i><span style="color: #990000;">We still had time to visit the East side of Kyoto to see a couple more temples: Ginkakuji Temple, also known as Silver Pavillion (despite the fact that it is not made of silver). By paying the entrance fee of 500 yens you could visit the whole temple area. The highlights included a moss garden and the amazing dry sand garden, where cones made of sand seemed to be held together by some sort of a miracle. The last temple we visited in Kyoto was <a href="https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3905.html" target="_blank">Nanzenji Temple</a>, whose grounds are free to enter, and you can pay separate entrance fees to individual temples. </span></i><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At the Nanzenji Temple grounds</td></tr>
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Kiotossa vietetyt päivät olivat siis yhtä intensiivisista nähtävyyskierrosta, joten Osakassa otimmekin huomattavasti iisimmin. Vierailimme kauniissa <a href="https://www.osakacastle.net/english/" target="_blank">Osakan linnassa</a> (pääsymaksu 600 jeniä) ja teimme päiväretken junalla <a href="https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2165.html" target="_blank">Naraan,</a> jonka kesyt peurat ovat yksi vetonaula. Lisäksi kaupungista löytyy toki buddhalaisia temppeleitä, kuten valtavasta Buddha-patsaastaan tunnettu Todaiji-temppeli. Harmi sinänsä, että koko päivän satoi kaatamalla vettä, mikä teki puistossa kulkemisesta vähemmän mukavaa. Muuten Nara oli kyllä kiva paikka, ja ehdottomasti käymisen arvoinen!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gina and Osaka Castle</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Views over Osaka</td></tr>
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<i><span style="color: #990000;">As our days in Kyoto were filled with rather intensive sightseeing, we took it a lot easier in Osaka. We did visit the lovely <a href="https://www.osakacastle.net/english/" target="_blank">Osaka Castle</a> (entrance fee of 600 yens) and did a day trip to <a href="https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2165.html" target="_blank">Nara</a>, known for its tame deer. Apart from the deer, there are of course Buddhist temples, for example the Todaiji Temple, famous for its huge Buddha statue. Unfortunately it was raining absolutely all day while we were in Nara, which made strolling in the park less pleasant. Otherwise Nara was really lovely though, and definitely worth a visit!</span></i><br />
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Osakasta lensimmekin sitten seuraavaan kohteeseemme - jätimme viimein Aasian taaksemme ja suuntasimme maailman kaukaisimpaan kolkkaan eli Havaijille!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Popular pastime: pachinko!</td></tr>
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<i><span style="color: #990000;">Osaka was our last destination in Japan, and from here we flew to our next destination - we were finally leaving Asia behind and heading to the most remote island group on Earth: Hawaii!</span></i><br />
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Nomadihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02526178789320131836noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6699883048972720931.post-12890538754486067012019-07-26T13:23:00.001-07:002019-07-26T13:23:01.782-07:00Historiallisia kaupunkeja ja liftausseikkailuja Japanissa - Historical Towns and Hitchhiking in Japan: Matsumoto, Takayama & Kanazawa<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Huikean <a href="http://sillavalinmaailmalla.blogspot.com/2019/07/saapuminen-japaniin-tokio-hakone.html" target="_blank">Tokion</a> jälkeen hyppäsimme bussiin kohti seuraavaa kohdettamme <a href="https://visitmatsumoto.com/en/coverstory/the-historical-castle-town/" target="_blank">Matsumotoa</a>, joka tunnetaan erikoisesti <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matsumoto_Castle" target="_blank">mustasta puisesta linnastaan</a>. Matsumoto oli muutenkin viehättävä, huomattavasti Tokiota rauhallisempi kaupunki, jossa oli kiva kuljeskella. Matsumoton linna rakennettiin 1500-luvulla, ja se on yksi Japanin tärkeimpiä linnanähtävyyksiä. Me olimme onnekkaita, eikä paikalla ollut meidän visiittimme aikana mitään ihmismassoja - saimme tallustella linnan alueella ihan rauhassa. Pääsylippu maksoi 610 jeniä, eli noin viitisen euroa, per henkilö, ja halutessaan olisi saanut myös ilmaisen opastuksen. Matsumoton linna oli todella vaikuttava niin sisältä kuin ulkoakin, mutta etenkin vallihaudan yli katsottuna koristeellinen linna oli hieno näky.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Matsumoto Castle</td></tr>
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<i><span style="color: #990000;">After an overwhelmingly impressive stay in <a href="http://sillavalinmaailmalla.blogspot.com/2019/07/saapuminen-japaniin-tokio-hakone.html" target="_blank">Tokyo</a> we got on the bus to travel to our next destination <a href="https://visitmatsumoto.com/en/coverstory/the-historical-castle-town/" target="_blank">Matsumoto</a>, particularly known for its <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matsumoto_Castle" target="_blank">black wooden castle</a>. Matsumoto is a lovely town to wander around, considerably calmer than high-paced Tokyo. The Matsumoto castle was built in the 16th century, and it is among the most important castles in Japan nowadays. We were lucky, and there were not a lot of crowds - we got to enjoy the castle grounds in peace. The entrance ticket costs 610 yen, or around 5 euro, and you could also avail yourself of a free guiding if you wanted to - we opted to look around by ourselves. Matsumoto Castle was really impressive both from inside and outside, and especially the view of the castle over the moat was amazing. </span></i><br />
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Muuten emme onnistuneet näkemään juurikaan nähtävyyksiä Matsumotossa, sillä meitä kiinnostavat kohteet olivat auki VAIN viikonloppuisin tai pyhäpäivinä - esimerkiksi <a href="https://en.japantravel.com/nagano/matsumoto-takahashi-samurai-house/52050" target="_blank">Takahashi Samurai House</a>, joka esittelee miten samurait elivät 1800-luvulla, sekä historiallinen <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaichi_School_Museum" target="_blank">Kaichi-koulu</a>. Ei se mitään, vietimme aikaamme kuljeskellen ympäri kaupunkia nauttien perinteisten Nawake- ja Nakamachi-katujen tunnelmasta.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Former Kaichi School </td></tr>
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<span style="color: #990000;"><i>Other than the castle we didn't manage to catch any actual sights in Matsumoto, as the sights that interested us in particular were open ONLY on weekends or public holidays - so we couldn't visit the <a href="https://en.japantravel.com/nagano/matsumoto-takahashi-samurai-house/52050" target="_blank">Takahashi Samurai House</a> or the historical <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaichi_School_Museum" target="_blank">Kaichi School</a>. However, we had lovely time strolling around the town, enjoying the special atmosphere of the traditional Nawake and Nakamachi streets. </i></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sakura-green tea ice cream!</td></tr>
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Kun tuli aika jatkaa matkaa kohti <a href="https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e5900.html" target="_blank">Takayaman</a> vuoristokylää Gifussa, päätimme kokeilla liftaamista ensimmäistä kertaa Japanissa. Olimme kuulleet, että liftaaminen Japanissa on erittäin turvallista ja helppoa, koska ihmiset ovat niin ystävällisiä ja avuliaita. Ensi alkuun liftaaminen ei tosin tuntunut niin helpolta, koska ensimmäisen kyytimme saamisessa kesti lähes puolitoista tuntia, mutta lopulta saimme taitettua 85 km matkan kahdella kyydillä, josta viimeinen vei meidät majatalon ovelle asti. Loppu hyvin, kaikki hyvin!<br />
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<span style="color: #990000;"><i>When it was time to continue our journey towards the alpine village of <a href="https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e5900.html" target="_blank">Takayama</a> in Gifu, we decided to try out hitchhiking for the first time in Japan. We had heard that hitchhiking in Japan is very safe and easy, as the people are so friendly and helpful. In the beginning it didn't feel quite that easy, as it took us nearly 1,5 hours to get our first ride, but finally it only took 2 rides to cover the distance of 85 kilometres, and our last driver took us all the way to the door of the guest house. All's well that ends well!</i></span><br />
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Takayama on aivan sietämättömän söpö pikkukylä, jonka historialliset kadut ovat nähtävyys itsessään. Nähtävyyksistä hienoin oli <a href="https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e5901.html#section_admission" target="_blank">Hida Folk Village</a> lyhyen bussimatkan päässä kaupungista. Tämä ulkoilmamuseo koostuu lukuisista muilta Japanin alueilta tuoduista vanhoista puurakennuksista kauniissa laaksossa, jonka ympärillä kohoaa upeat vuoristomaisemat. Museo oli todellakin pääsymaksunsa (700 jeniä, vajaat kuusi euroa) arvoinen, sillä siellä viettää helposti monta tuntia. Gifun alue tunnetaan myös <a href="http://www.hida.jp/english/localspeciality/food/4000195.html" target="_blank">Hida-naudanlihastaan</a>, joka ei tietenkään minulle kasvissyöjänä ollut mikään vetonaula, mutta Gina maistoi sitä ja oli kuulemma älyttömän hyvää. Suosittu tapa syödä tätä lihaa on Hoba Miso, jossa lihaa grillataan miso-tahnan kanssa magnolianlehden päällä, mikä antaa murealle lihalle ihan oman arominsa. Tämä ruokalaji oli onneksi tarjolla myös vegeversiona tofun kanssa, joten saimme molemmat nauttia tästä paikallisesta herkusta, jonka valmistaminen oli oma kokemuksensa!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Takayama</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At the Hida Folk Village</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hida beef </td></tr>
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<i><span style="color: #990000;">Takayama is an unbearably cute little town, whose historical streets are an experience in themselves. The greatest sight was the Hida Folk Village a short bus ride away from the town. This open-air museum consists of several old wooden buildings transported there from various parts of Japan, and is located in a beautiful valley surrounded by awe-inspiring mountain views. Museum was definitely worth the entrance cost of 700 yens (less than 6 euro), as you can easily spend several hours there. Gifu region is also known for its Hida beef, which of course for me as a vegetarian was not of any interest, but Gina did try it and said it was absolutely delicious. A popular way of preparing this beef is Hoba Miso, where you grill the meat together with miso paste on top of a magnolia leaf, which gives it a particular flavour. Luckily there was also a veggie version of this dish with tofu instead of meat, so we could both enjoy this local delicacy and the experience of preparing it!</span></i><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At the Hida Folk Village</td></tr>
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Pääsimme kokemaan Japanissa liftaamisen helppoutta vielä kerran, sillä reilun sadan kilometrin matkamme Takayamasta <a href="https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2167.html" target="_blank">Kanazawaan</a> sujui yhdellä kyydillä. Kanazawa on huomattavasti paria edellistä kohdettamme suurempi kaupunki, jonka vetonauloihin kuuluvat esimerkiksi <a href="https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e4200.html" target="_blank">Kenrokuen-puutarha</a>, jota pidetään Japanin kauneimpana ja puutarhan lähettyvillä sijaitseva <a href="https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e4202.html" target="_blank">linna</a>. Kenrokuen-puutarhaan ja Kanazawan linnaan saattoi ostaa hyvin edullisen yhteislipun hintaan 500 jeniä, eli reilun 4 euroa - todellakin hintansa arvoinen lippu. Ilmaisia käyntikohteita ovat Kanazawan historialliset kaupunginosat: geishojen kansoittama <a href="https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e4206.html" target="_blank">Higashi Chaya</a> ja samuraiden kaupunginosa <a href="https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e4204.html" target="_blank">Nagamachi</a>. Higashi Chayassa on paljon perinteisiä teekuppiloita, joissa geishat viihdyttivät vieraitaan. Vaikka geishoihin ei enää kaduilla törmääkään, alue on valtavan tunnelmallinen paikka etenkin iltaisin, kun aavemaisen autioilla kaduilla ei näy ristin sielua. Myös samuraiden entiset kotiseudut olivat kiinnostavia, joskin tässä vaiheessa aloimme jo vähän turtua perinteisiin japanilaisiin rakennuksiin, jotka alussa tekivät meihin niin suuren vaikutuksen.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The tea house district in the evening</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kanazawa Castle</td></tr>
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<i><span style="color: #990000;">We had another chance of experiencing the ease of hitchhiking in Japan, as we managed to cover the 100 km journey to our next destination <a href="https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2167.html" target="_blank">Kanazawa</a> with one ride only. Kanazawa is considerably larger of a city than our two previous destinations, and its attractions include the Kenrokuen Garden, considered to be the most beautiful in Japan, and the nearby castle. You can buy a very affordable combination ticket for the garden and the castle for 500 yens or 4 euro - definitely worth the price. Some lovely free activities in Kanazawa include wandering around the historical districts: the <a href="https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e4206.html" target="_blank">Higashi Chaya</a>, where the geishas entertained their guests in traditional tea houses, and<a href="https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e4204.html" target="_blank"> Nagamachi</a>, where the samurai used to live. Although you are not likely to run into any geishas nor samurais these days, both areas are very atmospheric - especially in the evenings, when it is very quiet and the streets are all but deserted. Truth was, however, that by this time we started to get a bit jaded and were less impressed with the traditional Japanese buildings, that made such an impression on us in the beginning of our stay. </span></i><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At Kenrokuen Garden</td></tr>
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Japanin matkamme odotettu huippukohta oli kuitenkin vielä edessä päin - seuraavaksi matkasimme Kiotoon!<br />
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<i><span style="color: #990000;">The most awaited highlight of our trip to Japan was still ahead though - next we headed to Kyoto!</span></i></div>
Nomadihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02526178789320131836noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6699883048972720931.post-31932012281432214212019-07-19T20:07:00.000-07:002019-07-19T20:07:04.378-07:00Saapuminen Japaniin: Tokio & Hakone - Arrival in Japan: Tokyo & Hakone<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Tokio, yksi maailman vilkkaimmista metropoleista, näytti meille intensiivisen elämänmenon kasvonsa heti saavuttuamme kaupunkiin iltaseitsemän pintaan <a href="https://sillavalinmaailmalla.blogspot.com/2019/07/taiwanin-lansirannikko-taiwans-west.html" target="_blank">Taiwanista</a>. Ensimmäinen haasteemme oli selvittää, miten lentokentältä pääsee julkisilla kulkuvälineillä CS-hostimme luo. Tokion julkinen liikenne vaikuttaa ensisilmäyksellä (ja ehkä vielä toisellakin silmäyksellä) valtavan monimutkaiselta järjestelmältä, jonka ymmärtämiseen tarvitaan varmaankin erikoinen tohtorintutkinto, mutta siellä navigointi ei loppujen lopuksi ollut niin hankalaa - kunhan ei yritä tajuta, miten paljon mikäkin matka tulee maksamaan. Arvoimme pitkään, pitäisikö ostaa metropassi Tokion ajallemme, ja JR-passi eli junapassi Japanin ajalle, mutta päädyimme jättämään molemmat ostamatta - JR-passi olisi varmasti eduksi, jos haluaa käyttää paljon nopeita junia, mutta päätimme käyttää hitaampien junien, bussien ja liftaamisen yhdistelmää, mikä tulee junia halvemmaksi. Metropassin käyttäminen Tokiossa vaatii taktikointia, koska sillä ei voi käyttää JR-linjoja eikä kaikkia muitakaan linjoja, sillä osa linjoista on yksityisessä omistuksessa. Osoittautui paljon helpommaksi käyttää <a href="https://www.pasmo.co.jp/en/" target="_blank">Pasmo-korttia</a>, jolla saattoi maksaa matkansa linjasta riippumatta. Halpaa lystiähän Tokiossa kulkeminen ei ole, mutta julkinen liikenne toimii erittäin hyvin. Näimme jo ensimmäisellä matkallamme vilauksen japanilaisesta työkulttuurista - iltakahdeksan pintaan metroissa näkyi vielä paljon pukumiehiä salkkuineen, ilmeisesti matkalla kotiin toimistosta. Yksi mies kirjaimellisesti nukahti seisaalleen metrossa ja romahti seinää vasten - mahtoi olla pitkä päivä toimistossa. Koimme seuraavina päivinä myös harvinaisen ahdistavat aamuruuhkat, sillä edes parin minuutin välein kulkevat junat eivät riitä valtaville ihmismassoille, ja tuloksena metrossa tuntee todellakin olevansa kuin sardiini purkissa. En suosittele ahtaan paikan kammosta kärsiville matkaajille! <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-2-QAwbSftKDZ4bwQsZwx8G217Uc2IJmvvskOTg_pHRHzUT0llvgIS1t2RCBIqTAy7pi8dEmYZn5gVvK80VFEM_-9k92Ax335Z075vYuwRoiVSHb9UWH68ZNeojGSsxVNXSQ1apGevGQ/s1600/FHD0956.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="909" data-original-width="1600" height="362" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-2-QAwbSftKDZ4bwQsZwx8G217Uc2IJmvvskOTg_pHRHzUT0llvgIS1t2RCBIqTAy7pi8dEmYZn5gVvK80VFEM_-9k92Ax335Z075vYuwRoiVSHb9UWH68ZNeojGSsxVNXSQ1apGevGQ/s640/FHD0956.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Spot the tourists in the rush hour of the Tokyo metro!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of the many oddities of Japan: plastic models of dishes outside any restaurant</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7UD_MLEu94trQlj0jK5mzuBZm1sGyslcS2HMn7uTO1bqc2vtd9sNmfGHvzznn0_tlWoU0VZBkgnDHOEIpU_IaPyf-iaKoDgQ_VEwqmoeKLajFbVUdWNXxHfls07iw5n_Lyyto84c4p5o/s1600/P1120830.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7UD_MLEu94trQlj0jK5mzuBZm1sGyslcS2HMn7uTO1bqc2vtd9sNmfGHvzznn0_tlWoU0VZBkgnDHOEIpU_IaPyf-iaKoDgQ_VEwqmoeKLajFbVUdWNXxHfls07iw5n_Lyyto84c4p5o/s640/P1120830.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<i><span style="color: #990000;">Tokyo, one of the most hectic mega cities in the world, showed us some aspects of its intensive life style as soon as we landed around 7pm from <a href="https://sillavalinmaailmalla.blogspot.com/2019/07/taiwanin-lansirannikko-taiwans-west.html" target="_blank">Taiwan</a>. Our first challenge was to find out how to make it to our CS hosts' place from the airport by public transport. At the first glance (and quite possibly at the second glance too) the public transport system of Tokyo appears an incredibly complicated system which requires a special PHD to decipher, but finally navigating it was not that hard - as long as you give up on trying to figure out how much each journey is going to cost you. We had debated for a while if we ought to get a metro pass for the time we spent in Tokyo, and / or a JR pass for the trains while in Japan, but finally we decided against both of them. JR pass would be great value for money if you are using the high-speed trains a lot, but we ended up doing a combination of slower trains, buses and hitch-hiking, which turned out to be a lot cheaper than the fast trains. Using the metro pass in Tokyo limits you somewhat as you cannot use the JR lines, nor some of the privately owned metro lines with it. It worked out a lot easier to just use the <a href="https://www.pasmo.co.jp/en/" target="_blank">Pasmo card</a>, with which you can pay for your trip regardless of the line. While not cheap, the public transport in Tokyo is extremely efficient. Already on our first trip we saw a glimpse of the Japanese working culture - at around 8pm- 9pm the trains were full of men in business suits with their briefcases, apparently on their way home from the office. One man literally fell asleep while standing in the metro and collapsed against the wall - must have been a long day in the office! The following mornings we also had the pleasure of experiencing the terrible rush hours, as even the vast number of trains is not enough to accommodate the endless masses of people, and as a result you really feel like a sardine in a can while travelling on the metro. I wouldn't recommend it for people suffering from claustrophobia!</span></i><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Everything in Japan is cute - including the road blocks!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Current craze: go-karting around the city dressed up as a character from Mario Bros!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQelVB9tmn2MPGsS4z4UUNYFnE8HUbGnpddOBCz3XBvjG5oS_kX-Wp86B1aQVfEnsb4-1JIyPlMVny7FFkHtzjEfUc4ade6nbdG7zvE5lKYnnlov9Z3ln-4i-vuJDhps_WQIXFPk_A6MM/s1600/P1120868.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQelVB9tmn2MPGsS4z4UUNYFnE8HUbGnpddOBCz3XBvjG5oS_kX-Wp86B1aQVfEnsb4-1JIyPlMVny7FFkHtzjEfUc4ade6nbdG7zvE5lKYnnlov9Z3ln-4i-vuJDhps_WQIXFPk_A6MM/s640/P1120868.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Japanese breakfast at our hosts' place</td></tr>
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Meillä oli kaksi kokonaista päivää Tokiossa ja teimme suositun ensikertalaisten reitin, jossa yhtenä päivänä kierretään kaupungin länsipuolella sijaitsevia moderneja kaupunginosia ja toisena päivänä keskitytään itäpuolen perinteisiin kohteisiin. Tokio on ihmeellisen outo ja hurmaavan hämmentävä paikka, jossa pelkkä kaduilla kuljeskelu käy viihteestä - onhan yksi kaupungin kuuluisista nähtävyyksistä maailman vilkkain jalankulkijoiden risteys <a href="https://en.japantravel.com/tokyo/shibuya-crossing/3016" target="_blank">Shibuyan suojatie</a>, jonka vilinää turistit käyvät ihmettelemässä nelikulmaisen risteyksen ympärillä sijaitsevissa kahviloissa. Yläkerrassa sijaitseva Starbuck on suosituin Shibuyan tuijottelupaikka, ja siellä mekin kävimme aamukahvilla katsomassa ihmisvilinää (joka ei muuten näyttänyt ollenkaan niin vaikuttavalta kuin kuvissa - ehkä olimme siellä huonoon aikaan). Kävelimme sieltä luksusputiikkien reunustamaa Omotesando-katua pitkin kohti valtavaa Yoyogi-puistoa, joka oli vaikuttava luontokohde keskellä kiireistä kaupunkia. Puistosta löytyy Meiji-keisarille omistettu <a href="https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3002.html" target="_blank">pyhättö</a>, jossa paikalliset käyvät palvomassa edesmenneen keisarin henkeä. Turisteillekin se on ilmainen ja todella mielenkiintoinen käyntikohde.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlXKgvi8FJPDMrIvtPh7Bo8fhufM8PqOrmQI-MzXE_lev_zpB3VbfDH-iHEO5_fgOeKLnmW5uOE5vDDiQ-2LxXeCDnjWpNC5lwoGPqLEz59ZphzG3CLjK_5_4bB-3nJqHKuhNwBgRNUkE/s1600/P1120799.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlXKgvi8FJPDMrIvtPh7Bo8fhufM8PqOrmQI-MzXE_lev_zpB3VbfDH-iHEO5_fgOeKLnmW5uOE5vDDiQ-2LxXeCDnjWpNC5lwoGPqLEz59ZphzG3CLjK_5_4bB-3nJqHKuhNwBgRNUkE/s640/P1120799.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Pilvenpiirtäjien keskellä tallustelu herätti halun nähdä kaupunki yläilmoista käsin. Tokiossa on lukuisia näköalatorneja, jotka voivat olla melko hintavia, mutta <a href="http://www.metro.tokyo.jp/english/offices/observat.html" target="_blank">Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building</a> -rakennuksen näköalatornissa samat maisemat voi käydä ihailemassa ihan ilmaiseksi 202 metrin korkeudesta. Siellä sai vieläpä nauttia ilmaisesta musiikista, kun toinen toistaan lahjakkaammat vierailijat kävivät soittamassa pianoa muiden vierailijoiden iloksi. Iltapäivän vietimme kuljeskellen Harajukun hämmentävällä alueella ihmetellen japanilaista pop-kulttuuria, erikoisia kauppoja ja vielä erikoisemman näköistä nuorisoa.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCQzayQQkBHvy4FSxTVsk3LsiXrDWJJZY1hIhdOv0B611BBnenJshHHXBD8_36juVV9_Md6j1xHJHCgm1NbCzfBmj9cM6UZxBmsdyi6b4cA7yD2ZzZ2REPl8MMwllsi2Zb1sMgQvEglqY/s1600/P1120839.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCQzayQQkBHvy4FSxTVsk3LsiXrDWJJZY1hIhdOv0B611BBnenJshHHXBD8_36juVV9_Md6j1xHJHCgm1NbCzfBmj9cM6UZxBmsdyi6b4cA7yD2ZzZ2REPl8MMwllsi2Zb1sMgQvEglqY/s640/P1120839.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Harajuku after dark</td></tr>
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<i><span style="color: #990000;">We had two full days in Tokyo, and we followed the popular itinerary for the first-timers in the city: concentrating on the modern West side of the city one day, and continuing to the traditional East side on the second day. Tokyo is a wonderfully weird and charmingly baffling city, where just walking around the streets is a form of entertainment. A good example of this is one of the city's most famous sights, <a href="https://en.japantravel.com/tokyo/shibuya-crossing/3016" target="_blank">Shibuya crossing</a>, which is famed to be the busiest pedestrian crossing in the world. The tourists typically find a seat in one of the several cafes surrounding the crossing, and sit there watching the human masses cross the street. That is basically it. The most popular place to watch this show is upstairs of Starbucks, which is where we also participated in this ritual while sipping our over-priced coffee (by the way, it didn't even look all that busy - maybe we were not there at the right time). From Shibuya we walked along the Omotesando street, surrounded by luxury boutiques, towards the humongous Yoyogi Park, which is an impressive bit of nature in the middle of a busy city. The park is where you find the <a href="https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3002.html" target="_blank">Meiji Shrine</a>, dedicated to the late emperor Meiji. This is where both tourists and locals meet, the former mainly for the interesting architecture while the latter come to show respect to Meiji. </span></i><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZBPlBdYlUDWU1bU_8Qgw7sF82-d13Q3rRvSdjoPZgSqtsrlSu27vp3w320UyntogPL27TLJjIg2VlaPrZ6kQ1PlXULxqtTao53uXiLs3HCS0Tk9UizduNuXZvYnuLkP-sahTqQxadCc0/s1600/P1120802.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZBPlBdYlUDWU1bU_8Qgw7sF82-d13Q3rRvSdjoPZgSqtsrlSu27vp3w320UyntogPL27TLJjIg2VlaPrZ6kQ1PlXULxqtTao53uXiLs3HCS0Tk9UizduNuXZvYnuLkP-sahTqQxadCc0/s640/P1120802.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At the Meiji Shrine</td></tr>
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<i><span style="color: #990000;">Walking among the skyscrapers made us want to see the city from high up. There are several viewing towers in Tokyo, most of which are pretty pricey, but you can see the same views for free from the observation deck of <a href="http://www.metro.tokyo.jp/english/offices/observat.html" target="_blank">Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building</a>. We could even enjoy a free concert while admiring the cityscape, as several talented visitors were playing the piano in the middle of the room. We spent our late afternoon strolling around the jaw-droppingly weird area of Harajuku, wondering about the Japanese pop culture, novelty shops and rather eccentric-looking youngsters. </span></i><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">How about a crepe filled with matcha ice cream?</td></tr>
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Toisena päivänämme keskityimme siis kaupungin itäpuolen kohteisiin aloittaen hienosta <a href="https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3054_tokyo.html" target="_blank">Tokion Kansallismuseosta</a>, joka on hyvä tapa tutustua maan historiaan ja taiteeseen. Museo sijaitsee Ueno-puistossa, joka on itsessään mukava paikka kuljeskella, mikäli aikaa ja energiaa riittää. Sieltä suuntasimme <a href="https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3001.html" target="_blank">Senso-Jin buddhalaiseen temppeliin</a> Asakusan alueelle. Temppeliin pääsee ilmaiseksi ja Asakusa on viehättävä perinteisen kauppojen ja teehuoneiden hallitsema alue, jossa paikalliset tytöt vuokraavat usein kimonoja ja laittautuvat kaikin puolin perinteisten geishojen tavoin kuvaussessioita varten. Tämä lisää muutenkin pittoreskin alueen viehätystä. Päivän viimeinen kohteemme oli <a href="https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3018.html" target="_blank">Keisarillisen palatsin puutarha</a>, jonne turistit saavat mennä kuljeskelemaan ilmaiseksi katsomassa puutarhan lisäksi vanhan Edon linnan jäljelle jääneitä muureja, vallihautaa sekä portteja.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tokyo National Museum</td></tr>
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<i><span style="color: #990000;">On our second day in Tokyo we concentrated on the Eastern side of the city, starting with the brilliant <a href="https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3054_tokyo.html" target="_blank">Tokyo National Museum</a>, which is a great way to get a taste of the history and art of Japan. The museum is located in the Ueno Park, a lovely place in itself to stroll around, should you have the time and energy for that. From there we headed to Asakusa to see the Buddhist <a href="https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3001.html" target="_blank">Senso-Ji Temple</a>. The temple is free to enter and Asakusa is a lovely area dominated by traditional shops and tea houses, offering a beautiful backdrop for local girls dressed up in kimonos and full geisha-gear for photoshoots. The gorgeous girls in their kimonos add to the charm of this picturesque area. The last destination of our day was the <a href="https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3018.html" target="_blank">East Gardens of the Imperial Palace</a>, where you can visit for free to see the remains of the old Edo Castle: walls, gates and the moat.</span></i><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Senso-Ji Temple</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhdwpzHpg1LL785o9YGQXSBUMNFG8jKYOFVFNgseIvqI8Ygh_EJ7sUnznc9rCxZIQY7wHkKO5g2uT4zpZHbnD4B-dXMB72Fbmv3jMKPD4OZpiTxa-gg3UXy0ZVWsmXMfMg-T7H7C35Ohc/s1600/P1120965.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhdwpzHpg1LL785o9YGQXSBUMNFG8jKYOFVFNgseIvqI8Ygh_EJ7sUnznc9rCxZIQY7wHkKO5g2uT4zpZHbnD4B-dXMB72Fbmv3jMKPD4OZpiTxa-gg3UXy0ZVWsmXMfMg-T7H7C35Ohc/s640/P1120965.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Asakusa</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">East Gardens of the Imperial Palace</td></tr>
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Kun kerran Tokiossa ollaan, piti tietenkin käydä katsomassa myös Mt. Fujia. Emme voineet kiivetä sille, koska olimme paikalla kesäkuun puolessa välissä ja kiipeilykausi alkaa vasta heinäkuussa, mutta vietimme yhden yön Hakonessa toivoen näkevämme tuon vuoren ainakin kaukaisuudessa. Hankimme kahden päivän <a href="https://www.odakyu.jp/english/passes/hakone/" target="_blank">Hakone Freepass -lipun</a>, johon kuului edestakainen junamatka Tokiosta (hitaalla paikallisella junalla) sekä kaikki julkinen liikenne Hakonen alueella, mukaan lukien risteily järvellä sekä funicular-vuoristojuna (köysiratakin olisi kuulunut, mutta se on tällä hetkellä suljettu). Lippu maksoi 5 700 jeniä eli noin 47 euroa per henkilö, mikä ei ole halpaa lystiä, mutta Japanin hintatasoon suhteutettuna se oli ihan ok. Saapuessamme Hakoneen, joka on söpö joskin hyvin turistinen pikkukylä, kuulimme että seuraavana päivänä sataa koko päivän, joten meidän piti tehdä kaikki haluamamme aktiviteetit sinä samana päivänä. Aloitimme järviristeilystä, joka on yksi parhaita näköalapaikkoja Mt. Fujin ihailua varten. Näkyihän se vuori sieltä osittain, mutta suurin osa siitä oli pilvien peitossa. Kiersimme sitten kaikki lippuun kuuluvat bussimatkat ja vuoristojunat, sekä Gora-puiston - kaikki oli ihan kivaa ja nättiä, mutta mieltä vähän kaihersi ettei sitä Fujia oikein näkynyt kunnolla. Päätimme sitten palata järvelle vielä kerran, josko Fuji suvaitsisi näyttää itsensä paremmin, ja kyllä kannatti! Pilvet haihtuivat näköalan edestä, ja lumihuippuinen vuori näkyi koko komeudessaan. Istuimme järven rannalla pitkät tovit take away -kahvia nautiskellen ja tuota upeaa näkyä ihaillen. Sitten saattoi käydä hyvillä mielin katsomassa myös järven rannalta löytyvää <a href="https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e5204.html" target="_blank">pyhäkköä</a>.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hakone Shrine at the lake</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A glimpse of Mt. Fuji among the clouds</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gora Park</td></tr>
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Säätiedotus piti kutinsa ja seuraavana päivänä satoi kaatamalla ihan koko päivän, mutta ei se mitään - me vietimme päivän ihanassa onsenissa, eli kuumien lähteiden ympärille rakennetussa kylpylässä. Sieltä ei valitettavasti ole yhtään kuvia, sillä onsenissa ollaan ilkosen alasti, eikä näin ollen kuvien ottaminen ole sallittua. Se oli joka tapauksessa äärimmäisen tunnelmallinen ja rentouttava paikka, josta nautimme täysin siemauksin.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_lDy0apZo0wzO5vkIChvRBmEQakVuvaIbNc5EIcpVT783f7hJnP2oht0SLwscX0jZuY2YraJY_D0BBMbh6y6cSIB3pCsybewOZj3xSMJTG5DuouuiCmZe0BpePu9cPcVX9eLQqA5KakA/s1600/P1130045.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_lDy0apZo0wzO5vkIChvRBmEQakVuvaIbNc5EIcpVT783f7hJnP2oht0SLwscX0jZuY2YraJY_D0BBMbh6y6cSIB3pCsybewOZj3xSMJTG5DuouuiCmZe0BpePu9cPcVX9eLQqA5KakA/s640/P1130045.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mt Fuji!</td></tr>
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<i><span style="color: #990000;">Since we were in Tokyo, of course we also wanted to go and see Mt. Fuji. We couldn't climb it, as we were in Japan in mid-June and the climbing season only starts in July, but we spent one night in nearby Hakone hoping to see at least distant views of the mountain. We bought a two-day <a href="https://www.odakyu.jp/english/passes/hakone/" target="_blank">Hakone Freepass</a> which includes return ticket from Tokyo (on a slow local train) as well as all the public transport in Hakone, including a cruise on the lake and funicular train ride (also ropeway would have been included, only it's closed at the moment). The pass cost 5 700 yen or about 47 euro per person, which is not cheap but for Japan it's reasonable value. On arrival to Hakone, which is a cute albeit very touristy little town, we were told that the following day it will be raining all day long, so we had to get all the activities done that same day. We started with a cruise on the lake, which is meant to be one of the best view points for Mt. Fuji. We did see a bit of it, but most of the mountain was shrouded in clouds. We did all the train and bus rides included in our ticket, as well as the nice Gore Park, and while everything was pretty nice and beautiful, we were a bit disappointed that we hadn't seen Mt. Fuji properly. Finally we decided to return to the lake once more, hoping for a better view this time, and it certainly paid off! The clouds disappeared and the snow-capped mountain was visible in all its glory. We sat by the lake for a good while sipping our take away coffee and enjoying the magnificent view. Then we could happily go and see also the <a href="https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e5204.html" target="_blank">Hakone Shrine</a> by the lake. </span></i><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-q32pgN-LRe0F95zelj2I4vv8hzNDt1omFtl1O4uU7RblgOwBWl8CS1KyilRtGi2d7JHXGzi3NGpOPhDI3wSmAEjcrQ-34jD8XT4EM1ZeTaN77huu_lKW21WRzcpzF5DPriQ42acEN8k/s1600/P1120989.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-q32pgN-LRe0F95zelj2I4vv8hzNDt1omFtl1O4uU7RblgOwBWl8CS1KyilRtGi2d7JHXGzi3NGpOPhDI3wSmAEjcrQ-34jD8XT4EM1ZeTaN77huu_lKW21WRzcpzF5DPriQ42acEN8k/s640/P1120989.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<i><span style="color: #990000;">The weather forecast was correct, and it poured down all day the following day, but we didn't mind - we spent the day in a lovely onsen, or hot springs spa. Unfortunately there are not pictures from there, as onsens are nude-only and therefore no pictures can be taken. However, it was a beautiful, atmospheric place, perfect for serenity and relaxing, and we enjoyed every moment of it. </span></i><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gina's sushi lunch</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At Asakusa</td></tr>
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Tokio on huumaava, hämmentävä, valtava ja elämää sykkivä metropoli, joka täytyy kokea - sitä on vaikea sanoin kuvata. Tänne varmaan palaamme vielä joskus, mutta nyt oli aika jatkaa matkaa kohti pienempiä kaupunkeja saaren keskiosassa.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">What will my future hold..?</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Apparently good fortune!</td></tr>
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<i><span style="color: #990000;">Tokyo is exhilarating, confusing, enormous and full of life, a city that you have to experience as it is hard to describe with words. I believe we will return here at some point in our lives, but now it was time to continue our journey towards some smaller towns in the middle of the island.</span></i> </div>
Nomadihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02526178789320131836noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6699883048972720931.post-69562090865379836722019-07-06T14:40:00.001-07:002019-07-06T14:40:32.171-07:00Taiwanin länsirannikko - Taiwan's West Coast<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Segoe UI;">Neljän tunnin junamatka vei meidät <a href="http://sillavalinmaailmalla.blogspot.com/2019/07/taiwanin-itarannikko-taiwans-east-coast.html" target="_blank">itärannikolta</a> Taitungista länsirannikolle Taiwanin toiseksi suurimpaan kaupunkiin Kaohsiungiin, jossa CS-hostimme Mandyn veli haki meidät asemalta ja vei meidät suoraan illalliselle. Pääsimme siis heti nauttimaan paikallisista herkuista asiantuntevien oppaidemme johdolla.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic;"><span style="font-family: Segoe UI;"><span style="color: #990000;">Four hours on the train took us from Taitung on the <a href="http://sillavalinmaailmalla.blogspot.com/2019/07/taiwanin-itarannikko-taiwans-east-coast.html" target="_blank">East Coast</a> to Kaohsiung on Taiwan’s West Coast, the second largest city of the country. Our CS host Mandy had arranged for her brother to come collect us from the station and took us straight for dinner, so we got to enjoy some local delicacies with the experts right away. </span></span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dinner with our host Mandy and her brother Thomas</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicMOdVWVgKAsvC1EPmBEg3xyPAw5XsM90csbHWNDp_dL_e46-LmSftfane32zTwxxKeVxa1F3SadhaExE1vNAuJe4i3CTM5JKPpJGutSvcePYyD49zKUgEcFLFwShXycSoSkzhL-BIJ4M/s1600/P1120498.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicMOdVWVgKAsvC1EPmBEg3xyPAw5XsM90csbHWNDp_dL_e46-LmSftfane32zTwxxKeVxa1F3SadhaExE1vNAuJe4i3CTM5JKPpJGutSvcePYyD49zKUgEcFLFwShXycSoSkzhL-BIJ4M/s640/P1120498.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Love me some bubble tea!</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Segoe UI;">Koska olimme viettäneet jo monta päivää luontokohteiden parissa, ja olimme kieltämättä vähän uupuneita, emme suunnanneetkaan alkuperäisen suunnitelman mukaisesti Kensingtonin luonnonpuistoon, vaan päätimme Mandyn suosituksen mukaisesti käydä noin tunnin bussimatkan päässä sijaitsevassa Buddha Memorial Hall -kompleksissa, joka on valtava buddhalainen kompleksi lukuisine pagodoineen, ravintoloineen (kasvisruokaa buddhalaisten periaatteiden mukaisesti) ja näyttelyhalleineen. Maailman korkein istuva Buddha-patsas pitää silmällä koko komeutta. Onnistuimme viettämään täällä lähes koko päivän, ja illalla kaupunkiin palattuamme tapasimme Mandyn Liuhe night marketin kulmilla, jonne menimme illalliselle. Oli paljon helpompaa löytää night marketin hämmästyttävästä valikoimasta sopivaa ruokaa, kun paikallinen opas osasi kertoa meille mitä mikäkin on, ja uskalsimme kokeilla erikoisempiakin annoksia. Kävimme myös viehättävällä Cijin-saarella, jossa kiipesimme helteessä kukkulan huipulla sijaitsevalle majakalle ihailemaan kaupungin näkymiä. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Buddha Memorial Hall</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At the night market with Mandy</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic;"><span style="font-family: Segoe UI;"><span style="color: #990000;">As we had already spent several days in national parks, and to be honest we were a little fatigued, we decided against going to Kensington National Park, and instead took Mandy’s recommendation to visit Buddha Memorial Hall complex about an hour’s bus ride from the city. This is an enormous Buddhist complex with several pagodas, restaurants (serving Buddhist vegetarian food) and exhibition halls. The tallest sitting Buddha statue in the world gazes over the whole complex. We managed to spend practically the whole day in here, and upon returning to the city in the evening we met up with Mandy to go to Liuhe night market for dinner. It was a lot easier finding something to eat among the dizzying array of food with a local guide who could tell us what was what, and encouraged us to try more exotic dishes. We also visited the lovely Cijin Island where we braved the searing heat by climbing up a hill topped by a light house to admire the views over the city and its impressive skyline.</span></span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Buddha Memorial Hall</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gina with her calligraphy sample</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At the night market</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Segoe UI;">Kaohsiungista otimme puolivahingossa HSR-junan eli huippunopean junan maan entiseen pääkaupunkiin Tainaniin - n. 50 km junamatka kesti hämmästykseksemme noin 12 minuuttia, mutta tajusimme päätyneemme kaupungin ulkopuolella olevalle juna-asemalle, josta ilmainen shuttle bus -matka kaupunkiin kestikin sitten tunnin. Olisi siis ollut paljon parempi mennä tavallisella, hitaammalla junalla kaupungin keskustassa sijaitsevalle asemalle. Joka tapauksessa hostimme, pariskunta Marx ja Winnie olivat meitä vastassa ja veivät meidät suoraan illalliselle. Tainanissa on loputtomasti nähtävää, varsinkin jos pitää temppeleistä ja linnoituksista, ja varasimmekin kolme päivää tälle kaupungille kiertäen esimerkiksi konfutselaistemppelin, Chihkan Towerin ja Fort Zeelandia -linnoituksen. Winnie ja Marx neuvoivat meitä käyttämään vuokra-pyöriä, jotka eivät maksaneet paljon mitään, ja kuljimmekin pyörillä näppärästi ympäri kaupunkia. Ainoa huono puoli oli hillitön kuumuus, ja välillä poikkesimme vähemmän kiinnostaviin museoihin ihan vain saadaksemme nauttia hetkellisesti ilmastoinnista. Satuimme kaupunkiin Dragon Boat Festivalin aikaan, ja hostimme veivät meidät katsomaan soutukilpailuja lohikäärmeveneillä, mikä oli ihan hauska ohjelmanumero ja huomattavan suosittu paikallisten keskuudessa - porukkaa oli kuin pipoa. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At the Confucian temple</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The National Museum of Taiwanese Literature</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chihkan Tower</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRcRxAXO80AfEaKHjhkOQZFLBCMpmY9SavQFz5cCCGpAAUkoLh0GmJZyw7Ku61dwEGlkgt95fFNnHqOvcGtcFc8TO6KtJ7ynkjbtdkgHP86xGrNUMplAyVYVJIGgaK4Mq34cU3vXYItn0/s1600/P1120689.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRcRxAXO80AfEaKHjhkOQZFLBCMpmY9SavQFz5cCCGpAAUkoLh0GmJZyw7Ku61dwEGlkgt95fFNnHqOvcGtcFc8TO6KtJ7ynkjbtdkgHP86xGrNUMplAyVYVJIGgaK4Mq34cU3vXYItn0/s640/P1120689.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic;"><span style="font-family: Segoe UI;"><span style="color: #990000;">From Kaohsiung we took semi-accidentally a high speed rail train to the ex-capital of Taiwan, Tainan. The journey on the train only took about 12 minutes’but then we realized we had ended up on a different station outside the city, and the free shuttle bus ride into the city took about an hour - so finally it would have worked out better to take the normal slower train to the more central train station. Anyhow, our hosts Marx and Winnie were there to pick us up, and as was to be expected, took us for dinner straight away. There are endless sights in Tainan, especially if you are interested in temples and fortresses. We had reserved three days for this city to visit for example Confucian temple, the Chihkan Tower and the Fort Zeelandia fortress. Winnie & Marx advised us to use the bike share app T-Bike, which cost next to nothing, and it was a handy way to get around the town. The only downside was the relentless heat - at times we popped into less interesting museums with air-conditioning just to get a break from the heat. We happened to be in town at the time of the Dragon Boat Festival, and our hosts took us to see boat racing, which turned out to be a fun and interesting thing to see - and obviously very popular among the locals, as the river side was absolutely packed. </span></span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fort Zeeland</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dragon Boat racing</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At the Chihkan Tower</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Segoe UI;">Viimeinen kohteemme Taiwanissa oli Taichung, joka valikoitui kohteeksi lähinnä kätevän sijaintinsa takia - kaupungista menee suora bussi Taoyuanin lentokentälle, jonka lisäksi sieltä voi käydä päiväretkellä Sun Moon Lake -järvellä. Parin tunnin bussimatka järvelle maksoi kymmenisen euroa per henkilö (meno-paluu). Taiwanin suurin järvi on suosittu turistikohde, jonka rannalle onkin kohonnut pieni turistikylä tarjoten kaikkia palveluita, mitä matkaajat voivat kaivata. Me kaipasimme vain pyöriä allemme, ja vuokrasimmekin pyörät 5,5 euron päivähintaan per pyörä. Sun Moon Laken ympäri kulkee miellyttävä pyöräreitti (josta osa tosin kulkee liikenteentäyteisen autotien varrella), harmi vain että jälleen kerran satoi koko päivän vettä. Tämä on näköjään kohtalomme aina Taiwanissa pyöräillessä! Joka tapauksessa maisemat olivat henkeäsalpaavan hienot ja pyöräily oli säästä huolimatta kivaa.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It's always important to be stylish!</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-uIGiicxCCFfMIVOGnAx9OZNf5UdoBSgfvLtakH4aSqY88vHyN5FEWLkRTYAkO56krXvhQS_ZxqAqaYk9LJMsqmHeSDAB23xooiS67mh6ZOcjs5dE3l1Ej6MSkFmgX3wOo3OUulf0G-A/s1600/FHD0936.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="909" data-original-width="1600" height="362" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-uIGiicxCCFfMIVOGnAx9OZNf5UdoBSgfvLtakH4aSqY88vHyN5FEWLkRTYAkO56krXvhQS_ZxqAqaYk9LJMsqmHeSDAB23xooiS67mh6ZOcjs5dE3l1Ej6MSkFmgX3wOo3OUulf0G-A/s640/FHD0936.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijjTXGNH726odrPe03XUddHHnSoZo5pNqtcHDehxZV50kSNZHA7_8WO5t7_qc9AE79pB7tygW8LGfixkQbBeXEzI6nKZ0Ra4TX-fy9Rhl-hqiLM2tqrjpnQDWJjYFR5jzQLAlRDEK6qF4/s1600/FHD0938.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="909" data-original-width="1600" height="362" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijjTXGNH726odrPe03XUddHHnSoZo5pNqtcHDehxZV50kSNZHA7_8WO5t7_qc9AE79pB7tygW8LGfixkQbBeXEzI6nKZ0Ra4TX-fy9Rhl-hqiLM2tqrjpnQDWJjYFR5jzQLAlRDEK6qF4/s640/FHD0938.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic;"><span style="font-family: Segoe UI;"><span style="color: #990000;">Our last destination in Taiwan was Taichung, mainly chosen due to its convenient location - there is a direct bus from Taichung to the Taoyuan airport, apart from which you can do a day trip to Sun Moon Lake. The bus ride to the lake takes a couple of hours and the return ticket costs about 10 euro per person. Sun Moon Lake is the largest lake in Taiwan, which makes it a popular tourist destination with a little town offering anything the travellers may want. We only wanted to get some wheels, and rented bicycles at the cost of 5,5 euro per bike per day. There is a pleasant cycling route going around the lake (although some parts of it are along a busy road). Unfortunately it was raining all day long again, which seems to always happen when we are cycling in Taiwan! In any case the scenery was breath-taking and we enjoyed the cycling around, despite the weather. </span></span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjDJEkg4AZbqffhG1OVK6hMxdwI_bVwWar_BrAlvDonrOY67BKne6GVs47El0ieXYT0IVPNQ82vbPXfkj52ELYJoDn9vQEbYCim5uRC4mlCvuJhhTi_HwZaPNhKeIiQlpWSpudFMeTjVs/s1600/FHD0950.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="909" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjDJEkg4AZbqffhG1OVK6hMxdwI_bVwWar_BrAlvDonrOY67BKne6GVs47El0ieXYT0IVPNQ82vbPXfkj52ELYJoDn9vQEbYCim5uRC4mlCvuJhhTi_HwZaPNhKeIiQlpWSpudFMeTjVs/s640/FHD0950.JPG" width="362" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We thought we found a short cut... turns out there are lots of stairs!</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Segoe UI;">Kaksi viikkoa Taiwanissa oli juuri sopiva aika kiertää tämä kompakti maa ja kokea sekä kaupunki- että luontokohteita. Suurimman vaikutuksen meihin tekivät ihmiset; taiwanilaiset ovat sydämellisen ystävällisiä ja vieraanvaraisia, ja jokainen halusi aina suositella meille kaupungin parasta ruokaa/juomaa - oli kyse sitten kuplateestä tai stinky tofusta. Taiwan oli myös hyvä välilaskukohde kaoottisempien Aasian maiden jälkeen matkalla kohti seuraavaa kohdettamme: superjärjestelmällistä Japania!</span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Formosa metro station in Kaohsiung</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic;"><span style="font-family: Segoe UI;"><span style="color: #990000;">Two weeks in Taiwan was just enough to travel around this compact country and experience both city life and nature destinations. We were particularly impressed with the people though - the Taiwanese people are genuinely friendly and hospitable, and everybody wanted to recommend us the best of any food or drink in their city, whether is was bubble tea or stinky tofu. Taiwan was also a good transition point from the more chaotic Asian countries on our way towards the super-organized Japan. </span></span></span><br /></div>
Nomadihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02526178789320131836noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6699883048972720931.post-62536470925453963222019-07-02T17:56:00.000-07:002019-07-02T17:56:51.196-07:00Taiwanin itärannikko - Taiwan's East Coast<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Taiwan on suhteellisen kompakti maa hyvillä juna- ja bussiyhteyksillä, joten maan kiertäminen parissa viikossa on hyvinkin mahdollista ja suorastaan helppoa. Matkasimme junalla suurkaupunki <a href="http://sillavalinmaailmalla.blogspot.com/2019/06/taipei-vihreyden-ymparoima-suurkaupunki.html" target="_blank">Taipeista</a> parin tunnin matkan Hualieniin, pieneen kaupunkiin, jonka pääasiallinen vetonaula on upea Taroko-rotko ja sitä ympäröivän luonnonpuiston patikointimahdollisuudet. Nukuimme pari yötä lähellä juna-asemaa sijaitsevassa hostellissa minimaallisen pienessä ikkunattomassa huoneessa, mutta ainakin sijainti oli erittäin kätevä: Tarokon luonnonpuistoon kulkeva bussi nimittäin lähti juna-asemalta. Taiwanille tyypillisesti kaikki oli järjestetty hyvin ja puistoon pääseminen sekä siellä kulkeminen oli tehty helpoksi: shuttle bus kulki patikointipolulta ja nähtävyydeltä toiselle, ja 250 TWD:n eli noin 7 euron päivälipulla sai kulkea rajattoman paljon. Tarokon luonnonpuistoon on ilmainen sisäänpääsy. Aluksi puistoon saapuessamme porukkaa, etenkin taiwanilaisia eläkeläisryhmiä tuntui olevan ihan tungokseen asti, mutta lyhyen patikkamatkan jälkeen saimme nauttia maisemista jo kahdestaan. Tarokon luonnonpuistossa on paljon erilaisia patikointipolkuja ja näköalapaikkoja, ja meillä oli onneksi aikaa käydä ne kaikki läpi. Shakadang-polkua kulkiessa näki kerrassaan mahtavia maisemia joen rannalla, kun taas Xiaozhuilu-polku kulki dramaattisten rotkonäkymien ja tunneleiden ohi. Eternal Spring Shrine -muistomerkki oli huikea näky, vaikkakin tälle näköalapaikalle ei tarvinnut patikoida ollenkaan ja näin ollen sinne oli kertynyt vähän turhan paljon porukkaa.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Eternal Spring Shrine</td></tr>
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<i><span style="color: #990000;">Taiwan is a relatively compact country with great bus and train connections, so going around the whole country in a couple of weeks is very possible, and actually pretty easy. We took the two-hour train ride from <a href="http://sillavalinmaailmalla.blogspot.com/2019/06/taipei-vihreyden-ymparoima-suurkaupunki.html" target="_blank">Taipei</a> to the small town of Hualien, whose main draw is the nearby Taroko Gorge and the hiking possibilities in the surrounding national park. We slept a couple of nights in a tiny windowless hostel room, but at least the location was extremely handy: it was very close to the railway station, which is also where the shuttle bus to the national park left from. As is typical in Taiwan, everything was made very convenient: the shuttle bus takes you from the town to the park, and from one hiking route or viewing point to another inside the park and with the daily ticket of 250 TWD you can have unlimited number of rides. The entrance to the national park is free. At first the park seemed very crowded, mainly with Taiwanese pensioner groups, but after a while of hiking we had the beautiful surroundings to ourselves. Taroko National Park has several different hiking routes and view points, and luckily we had time to cover pretty much all of them. Shakadang trail took us through amazing scenery along the river, while Xiaozhuilu trail offered dramatic views over the gorge and tunnels. Eternal Spring Shrine was an awe-inspiring sight, although this view point required no hiking and therefore it was very crowded. </span></i><br />
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Emme saaneet Taiwanin upeasta luonnosta tarpeeksemme, joten kävimme myös patikoimassa Walami-polulla Yushanin luonnonpuistossa. Yövyimme sohvasurffaajan luona pienessä Fulin kylässä, josta saimme ajella hänen skootterillaan 25 km matkan patikointipolun alkuun. Rauhallisilla maaseudun teillä oli ilo ajella, eikä itse patikointipolullakaan ollut paljoa porukkaa. Tämä paikka ei mielestäni ollut läheskään yhtä dramaattisen upea kuin Taroko, mutta kaunis ja mukava patikointireitti riippusiltoineen.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hanging bridge on the Walami Trail</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">There are lots of things bears aren't allowed to do in Taiwan...</td></tr>
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<i><span style="color: #990000;">We couldn't get enough of the lush nature of Taiwan, so our next destination was the Walami Trail in Yushan National Park. We slept the night at a couchsurfer's place in the small village of Fuli, from where we got to borrow his scooter and ride the 25 kilometres to the start of the hiking route. The quiet country roads were a pleasure to ride on, and the hiking route was pretty quiet and uncrowded as well. I didn't find this place as dramatically spectacular as Taroko, but it was a beautiful and pleasant hiking route with several hanging bridges. </span></i><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Waterfall along the Walami Trail</td></tr>
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Itärannikon viimeinen kohteemme oli Taitung, jossa yövyimme yhden yön hostellissa. Vuokrasimme polkupyörät ja ajelimme ympäri viihtyisää Forest Park -puistoa, joka on valtava luontokohde ihan keskikaupungin vieressä. Harmi vain, että sää ei oikein suosinut - vettä satoi hellittämättä koko päivän, mikä kieltämättä vähän laski fiiliksiä. Kaikkiaan Taiwanin itärannikko teki meihin vaikutuksen upealla luonnollaan, ja oli hienoa nähdä ihan eri puoli maasta pääkaupungin jälkeen. Seuraavaksi suuntaisimmekin länsirannikolle jälleen isoon kaupunkiin - Taiwanin toiseksi suurin kaupunki Kaohsiung odotti meitä!<br />
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<i><span style="color: #990000;">Our last destination on the East Coast was Taitung, where we spent one night in a hostel. We rented bicycles and rode around the lovely Forest Park, which is a huge nature destination right next to the city. Unfortunately the weather was not on our side - it was raining all day long, which did dampen our spirits a bit. However, the East Coast of Taiwan really impressed us with its gorgeous nature, and it was great to see a whole different side to the country after the big city. Our next destination was another big city but this time on the West Coast - the second largest city in Taiwan, Kaohsiung, was awaiting us!</span></i></div>
Nomadihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02526178789320131836noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6699883048972720931.post-9632167744143905052019-06-24T04:20:00.000-07:002019-06-24T04:20:09.270-07:00Taipei - vihreyden ympäröimä suurkaupunki Taipei - a Mega City Surrounded by Greenery<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Filippiinien jälkeen lensimme Taiwanin pääkaupunkiin Taipeihin, jossa viettäisimme kolme yötä sohvasurffaajahostimme Lindan luona (jos et ole tutustunut sohvasurffauksen filosofiaan, tsekkaa postaukseni aiheesta <a href="http://sillavalinmaailmalla.blogspot.com/2016/06/sohvasurffausta-couchsurfing.html" target="_blank">täältä</a>). Saimme heti saavuttuamme esimakua kaupungin intensiivisestä elämäntavasta: Linda lähti kotoa pienine lapsineen joka aamu ennen seitsemää eikä tullut kotiin ennen iltayhdeksää, joskus jopa myöhemmin. Lapsillakin oli joka ilta jotain ohjelmaa koulun jälkeen, ja joskus he tulivat kotiin vasta meidän jo mentyä nukkumaan. En tiedä paljoa lasten kasvattamisesta, mutta käsittääkseni lapset tarvitsevat enemmän unta kuin aikuiset, joten en tiedä miten ihmiset jaksavat tällaista tahtia.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">People practising taiji by the train station</td></tr>
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<i><span style="color: #990000;">After the Philippines we flew into Taipei, the capital of Taiwan, where we were going to spend three nights with our CS host Linda (if you are not familiar with the concept of couch surfing, please check out my post on the topic <a href="http://sillavalinmaailmalla.blogspot.com/2016/06/sohvasurffausta-couchsurfing.html" target="_blank">here</a>). We got the taste of the intensive life style of the city right away: Linda and her two small children left home every morning before 7am and didn't come home until 9pm, or sometimes later. Even the children had something to do with every evening after school, and sometimes they only came home after we had gone to bed. I don't know much about raising children, but I understand they need more sleep than adults, so I really don't know how they can keep up with this pace. </span></i><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Garden at the National Palace Museum</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At Chiang-Kai shen Memorial Park</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me pretending to play to win some stuffed animals and the like</td></tr>
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Vaikka Taiwanin kilpailuhenkinen ilmapiiri on varmaan siellä asuville ja kasvaville rankka, turistille se on oikein miellyttävä paikka. Filippiinien ja muiden vähän kaoottisempien Aasian maiden jälkeen Taiwan tuntui erittäin sivistyneeltä versiolta manner-Kiinasta - japanilaiset olivat jättäneet jälkeensä hyvin järjestelmällisen yhteiskunnan, jossa kaikki tuntui toimivan hyvin sujuvasti, kaikki oli modernia, turvallista ja puhdasta, ja suurin osa kohtaamistamme ihmisistä puhui hyvin englantia.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lungshan temple</td></tr>
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<i><span style="color: #990000;">Although the competitive atmosphere of Taiwan is for sure hard for those who are born and bred there, for a tourist Taiwan is a really pleasant place to visit. After the Philippines and other somewhat more chaotic Asian countries, Taiwan really felt like a very civilized version of mainland China - the Japanese had left their mark on the truly organized society where everything seemed to function very smoothly, everything was clean and modern and safe, and most people we encountered spoke good English. </span></i><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Taipei at dusk</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mt. Quixing</td></tr>
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Taipei on 2,7 miljoonan asukkaan suurkaupunki, jota ympäröivät vihreinä kukoistavat vuoret. Niinpä kaupungin kuhinasta pääseekin helposti julkisilla liikennevälineillä luontoon patikoimaan. Me vietimme yhden päivän Yangmingshan-kansallispuistossa parin tunnin bussimatkan päässä, jossa pääsi patikoimaan alueen korkeimman vuoren, Mt. Quixingin huipulle. Sieltä avautui upeat näköalat (välillä tosin pilvien peittoon jäävät) kaupungin yli, jonka lisäksi näimme paljon vulkaanisen toiminnan ansiosta maasta nousevaa höyryä. Pitkän patikoinnin päätteeksi pääsimme hellittelemään lihaksiamme kuumilla lähteillä, jonne pääsi kylpemään ilmaiseksi. Lähteiden ympärille on rakennettu kylpylän tapainen simppeli rakennus, jossa oli erikseen miesten ja naisten puoli. Pian huomasimmekin miksi - kun me olimme vetämässä bikineitä päälle, huomasimme paikallisten painelevan kylpemään alasti. Ei siinä mitään, uimapukuja ei siis tarvittu eikä edes sallittu. Ennen lähteeseen pulahtamista piti pestä itsensä huolellisesti vedellä ja saippualla - yksi toinen ulkomaalaistyttö ei tätä hoksannut, ja taiwanilaisleidit tulivat oikein kädestä pitäen häntä pesemään ennen kylpyyn pääsyä. Kokemuksena sekä patikointi että kuumissa lähteissä kylpeminen oli todella hienoa, ja oli ihana päästä pitkästä aikaa tallustelemaan luonnon keskelle!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Steam rising from the ground</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Made it to the top!</td></tr>
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<i><span style="color: #990000;">Taipei is a vast city of 2,7 million people, which is surrounded by lush green mountains. Therefore it is easy to get out of the hustle and bustle of the city by public transport and get into the nature for some hiking. We spent one day in the Yangmingshan National Park a couple of hours' bus ride away, where we could hike up the highest mountain in the area called Mt. Quixing. From there we could enjoy gorgeous views over the city (although at times obscured by the clouds), apart from which we could also see the steam rising from the ground due to volcanic activity. After a good long hike we could rest our tired muscles at public hot springs that you could use for free. There was a simple bath house built around the springs that had a separate side for men and women. The reason for this soon became apparent - as we were getting our bikinis on, we noticed the locals getting in naked. Actually swim suits were not needed nor even allowed. Before getting in to the hot spring you needed to wash yourself well - there was another foreign girl who didn't quite grasp that, and the local ladies came and started to actually scrub her down before letting her get in. Both the hiking and the bathing in the hot springs were really great experiences, and it was so good to get into the nature again! </span></i><br />
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Kaupungissa kun ollaan, vietimme toki paljon aikaa myös urbaanien nähtävyyksien keskellä. Taipein upea National Palace -museo oli mahtava paikka viettää reilut kolmisen tuntia. Ostimme kombolipun museoon ja Taipei 101 -näköalatorniin, joka maksoi 820 TWD eli vähän reilut 23 euroa, ja oli joka sentin arvoinen. Vaikka museossa oli välillä aika ahdasta manner-Kiinasta tulleiden ryhmien kanssa, pystyimme silti nauttimaan valtavista ja todella vaikuttavista kiinalaisen taiteen kokoelmista. Taipei 101 taas oli kokemus itsessään - nousimme maailman nopeimmalla hissillä 89. kerrokseen, josta saimme ihailla panoraamista näköalaa kaupungin ja sitä ympäröivien vuoren yli. Taipei 101 oli jonkin aikaa maailman korkein rakennus, ennen kuin Burj Khalifa Dubaissa valmistui ja vei sen tittelin.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At the National Palace Museum</td></tr>
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<i><span style="color: #990000;">However, as we were in a city, surely we spent some time around the urban sights. The amazing National Palace Museum was a great place to spend more than three hours in. We bought the combination ticket for the museum and Taipei 101 tower, which cost 820 TWD (around 23 euro) per person and was worth every cent. Although the museum was a bit crowded at times with groups from mainland China, we were still able to enjoy the vast and impressive collections of Chinese art. Taipei 101 was an experience in itself - we took the fastest elevator in the world up to the 89th floor, from where we could enjoy the panoramic views over the city and the surrounding mountains. Taipei 101 was the tallest building in the world for a while, until Burj Khalifa in Dubai was completed and took the title. </span></i><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The most famous sights in the museum: cabbage-shaped and meat-shaped stones :D</td></tr>
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<i><span style="color: #990000;"><br /></span></i>
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Aasiassa kun ollaan, tutustuimme toki myös lukuisiin temppeleihin, kuten Lungshan-temppeliin, jossa yhdistyy buddhalaisia ja taolaisia piirteitä, ja Chiang-Kai Shekin, maan entisen presidentin muistomerkkiin. Yksi erittäin tärkeä asia taiwanilaisille on ruoka - hostimme ei yleensä iltaisin kysynyt mitä näimme sinä päivänä, vaan mitä söimme sinä päivänä. Illallista syödään usein night marketeilla, joita löytyy joka kaupungista, ja isommista kaupungeista niitä on lukuisia. Taipeissa kävimme Shilinin night marketilla, joka oli kätevästi kotimatkan varrella, ja nappailimme ällistyttävästä ruokavalikoimasta kaikkea mikä näytti hyvältä ja minun tapauksessani vegeilijälle sopivalta. Night market oli itsessään huikea kokemus kaikille aisteille, ja yksi ehdottomista must do -jutuista Taipeissa!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chiang-Kai shek Memorial Hall</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Taipei 101</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In the lift</td></tr>
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<i><span style="color: #990000;">As we are in Asia, of course we also visited numerous temples, such as Lunghsan Temple that combines features of Buddhism and Taoism, as well as the Memorial Hall of Chiang-Kai shek, the former president of Taiwan. The Taiwanese consider food very important - our hosts didn't normally ask what did we see today but rather what did we eat today. The dinner is often eaten at night markets which are found in every city and in larger cities there are several. In Taipei we visited the Shilin night market which was located conveniently on the way home, and we scanned the astonishing selection of foods grabbing whatever looked good and, in my case, vegetarian-friendly. Night market was in itself an amazing experience for all the senses, and one of the definite must-do things in Taipei!</span></i><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirc62ZFdZVGL5ZIUgBl9IfIqSxrwbIA3ULqobe3dOuK9XMiaGTi6AchV1Iw3xm3E25ZmvFhdvvClzXoOIf7Rgrqm-UrIh444mjNbyHL01uvrQeOCKE8GKTSghUP-SzQ84tBaSqPJb8KyA/s1600/P1120270.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirc62ZFdZVGL5ZIUgBl9IfIqSxrwbIA3ULqobe3dOuK9XMiaGTi6AchV1Iw3xm3E25ZmvFhdvvClzXoOIf7Rgrqm-UrIh444mjNbyHL01uvrQeOCKE8GKTSghUP-SzQ84tBaSqPJb8KyA/s640/P1120270.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At the night market</td></tr>
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<span style="color: black;">Taipei teki meihin vaikutuksen, mutta pian oli aika hypätä junan kyytiin ja lähteä tutustumaan Taiwaniin syvemmältä.</span><br />
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<i><span style="color: #990000;">Taipei was really impressive, but then it was time to hop on a train to get to know more of Taiwan. </span></i></div>
Nomadihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02526178789320131836noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6699883048972720931.post-15045205913776533452019-06-16T05:28:00.000-07:002019-06-16T05:28:14.244-07:00Adrenaliinihumalaa ja kummituseläimiä - Adrenaline Rush and Tarsiers: Cebu & Bohol<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Loikoiltuamme viikon päivät <a href="http://sillavalinmaailmalla.blogspot.com/2019/06/palawan-el-nido-paratiisi-maan-paalla.html" target="_blank">Palawanin paratiisirannoilla</a> olimme valmiita kovempaankin actioniin, joten lensimme Cebun saarelle, jonka Moalboal-niminen kylä tunnetaan Filippiinien seikkailukohteena. Täältä järjestetään monenlaisia retkiä niin maastopyöräilijöille, sukeltajille kuin kiipeilijöillekin, ja me halusimme osallistua canyoneering-retkelle. <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canyoning" target="_blank">Canyoneering</a> tai canyoning on kanjonissa kulkemista käyttäen esimerkiksi kiipeilytekniikoita, vaeltamista, tai yksinkertaisesti hyppimistä kalliolta veteen. Olimme kalliokiipeilleet ja abseilanneet aiemminkin, mutta emme koskaan vesiputouksessa, joten tämä oli meille uusi ja kiehtova kokemus! Valitsimme <a href="https://www.action-philippines.com/canyoning-at-the-montaneza-falls-cebu/" target="_blank">Planet Action -firman retken Montaneza Falls -vesiputouksille</a> hintaan 2990 pesoa, eli noin 50 euroa per henkilö. Hintaan kuului kuljetus majoituksesta vesiputouksille, kaikki välineet, lounas juomineen sekä opastettu retki. Retkellä laskeuduttiin köyden varassa abseiling-tekniikalla viiden vesiputouksen läpi, joka oli välillä aika haastavaa touhua kenkien lipsuessa märällä kalliolla ja vesiputouksen pauhatessa voimalla päälle. Ennen ensimmäistä laskeutumista vähän meinasi jalat täristä, ja jälkeen päin tärisi koko kroppa adrenaliinihuumasta, mutta päällimmäisenä oli huikea saavutuksen tunne - jee, uskalsin! Välillä piti hyppiä melko korkealta kalliolta syvään veteen, mikä on vielä hauskempaa. Lopuksi saimme rentoutua luonnollisissa kuumissa lähteissä (ei sillä että olisi palellut muutenkaan) ja ajoimme läheiseen ravintolaan lounaalle. Huikean hauska retki ja todellakin hintansa arvoinen!<br />
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<i><span style="color: #990000;">After spending a week on the <a href="http://sillavalinmaailmalla.blogspot.com/2019/06/palawan-el-nido-paratiisi-maan-paalla.html" target="_blank">paradise beaches of Palawan</a> we were ready for some action, so we flew to the island of Cebu and headed to its adventure capital - a village called Moalboal. The village serves as a base for lots of activities from mountain biking to diving and climbing, and we wanted to try canyoneering for the first time. Canyoneering or canyoning is moving around in a canyon using climbing techniques, hiking or just jumping from cliffs to water. We had done rock climbing and abseiling before, but never in a water fall, so this was a new and exciting experience for us! We chose <a href="https://www.action-philippines.com/canyoning-at-the-montaneza-falls-cebu/" target="_blank">Planet Action's Canyoning at the Montaneza Falls</a> tour at the cost of 2990 pesos, or about 50 euro per person, which included transport from the accommodation to the falls, all equipment, lunch with drinks and the guided trip. We abseiled through five water falls, which proved pretty challenging at times with shoes slipping on the wet rocks and the water fall pounding on you with all its force. Before the first abseiling bit my knees were shaking, and afterwards I was shaking all over with the adrenaline rush, but the most important thing was the overwhelming sense of accomplishment - yay, I could do it! At times we also had to jump into the water from cliffs, which was equally terrifying but even more fun. Finally we got to relax in some natural hot springs (not that we would have really needed the heat though) and afterwards drove to a nearby restaurant for a lunch. The trip was so much fun and definitely worth every peso!</span></i><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our transport to the falls</td></tr>
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Moalboal oli niin mukavan letkeä paikka, että päätimme jäädä vielä yhdeksi yöksi chillaamaan rannalla. Vaikka Moalboalin ranta on kaukana Filippiinien kauneimmista rannoista, siellä on yksi erikoinen vetonaula: sardiineja - miljoonittain sardiineja. Valtavat sardiiniparvet kerääntyvät yhteen hakien turvaa saalistajilta, ja uivat hämmästyttävässä harmoniassa yhtenä huikeana pilvenä ihan Panagsama Beach -rannan tuntumassa. Niitä nähdäkseen ei tarvitse olla sukeltaja eikä mennä veneretkelle, koska sardiinit uiskentelevat niin lähellä rantaa. Snorklausmaski auttaa näkemään ne paremmin, mutta mitään muuta ei tarvitse. Vedessä on tosin paljon meduusoja, joten me uimme pitkähihaisessa paidassa ja pitkissä housuissa suojataksemme itsemme meduusojen pistoilta. Näimme myös isoja kilpikonnia merenpohjassa merilevää napostelemassa.<br />
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<i><span style="color: #990000;">Moalboal had such a nice and relaxed vibe that we decided to stay yet another night to chill out on the beach. While the beach at Moalboal is far from being the prettiest one in the Philippines, it has one special attraction: sardines - millions of sardines. The enormous schools of sardines gather together to seek safety in numbers from predators, and they swim around in an amazing harmony as one gigantic cloud just by the Panagsama Beach. To see them you don't need to be a diver or take a boat trip, as the sardines stay so close to the shore. Having a snorkling mask helps to see them better, but that is all you need. However, note that there are lots of jelly fish in the water, so we swam in long-sleeved tops and long pants to protect ourselves from getting stung. We also saw big turtles nibbling on sea weed at the bottom of the sea. </span></i><br />
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Viimeinen kohteemme Filippiineillä oli Boholin saari, jonne matkataan Cebulta lautalla. Kuten tavallista, lyhyen välimatkan kulkeminen kesti melko lailla koko päivän: ensin kolme tuntia bussissa Moalboalista takaisin Cebuun, josta jeepneyllä lauttasatamaan, jossa jonotin yli puoli tuntia lippuja lauttaan, jota piti sitten odotella tunnin verran, lauttamatka kesti noin puolitoista tuntia, sitten yli puolen tunnin trike-matka hotellillemme Panglao-saarelle... sinä päivänä ei paljon muuta ehtinyt tekemään kuin matkustamaan, mutta näin se näkyy aina menevän Filippiineillä.<br />
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<i><span style="color: #990000;">Our last destination in the Philippiines was the island of Bohol, a ferry trip away from Cebu. As usual, despite the short distance the travelling took practically all day: first three hours on the bus from Moalboal to Cebu, then a jeepney to the ferry port, where I queued for more than half an hour for the tickets to the ferry, which we had to wait for about an hour, the ferry took around one and a half hours, after which it took more than half an hour on a trike to our hotel on Panglao Island... so we couldn't really do anything else that day, but that seems to be always the case when moving from one place to another in the Philippiines.</span></i><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dumaluan Beach</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our hotel</td></tr>
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<i><span style="color: #990000;"><br /></span></i>
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Boholilla oli periaatteessa kaksi asiaa, mitä halusimme nähdä: Chocolate Hills -kukkulat sekä uhanalaiset kummituseläimet eli tarsierit, joita voi käydä katsomassa kahdella eri suojelualueella. Nämä kaksi kohdetta ovat kohtuullisen kaukana toisistaan ja kaukana majoituspaikastamme Panglaon saarelta, eikä niihin pääse helposti julkisilla kulkuvälineillä. Harkitsimme skootterin vuokrausta, mutta yli 50 kilometriä suuntaansa tuntui turhan pitkältä matkalta skootterilla, joten ainoaksi vaihtoehdoksi jäi päiväretken varaaminen. Kaikki hotellit ja matkatoimistot myyvät melko lailla samaa settiä nimellä Countryside Tour (700 pesoa eli noin 12 euroa per henkilö), johon kuuluvat nuo kaksi kohdetta, jotka kaikki haluavat nähdä, mutta niiden lisäksi retkeen on ahdettu monta turhanpäiväistä turistirysää: on monumenttia, kirkkoa, perhos- lintu- ja pythonpuistoa, sekä turhuuden huippu: jokiristeily, jolla tarjoillaan ylihinnoiteltu lounas karaokemusiikin säestyksellä. Periaatteessa retkeen sisältyy ainoastaan kuljetus paikasta toiseen, kaikkiin kohteisiin pitää maksaa erikseen sisäänpääsymaksu. Me kieltäydyimme jokiristeilystä ja odottelimme sen sijaan läheisessä ravintolassa olutlasin äärellä. Kuskin mukaan risteily kestäisi noin puolitoista tuntia, mutta valtavien ihmismassojen ja pitkän jonotusajan takia tässä pysäkissä menikin noin kolme tuntia. Tässä vaiheessa koko päiväretki tuntui valtavalta ajan haaskaukselta, sillä emme olleet vielä nähneet mitään mistä olimme kiinnostuneita, ja jouduimme siis odottamaan puolitoista tuntia parkkipaikalla, kun emme voineet tietää missä vaiheessa loput matkustajat tulisivat risteilyltä.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKHqXNt7l3dw28hvSD0mi0d95iiHRgNmMuCRgRh5pDixi55aK9kmMO_fms_oPuzmGPt7Sj6pkMiGd1rBTxwh-hM6kM5wjWXT0dAsKUfgfuCu9ZwHXIx4x_C8LVB716oqmoxfxp88VWpss/s1600/P1110984.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKHqXNt7l3dw28hvSD0mi0d95iiHRgNmMuCRgRh5pDixi55aK9kmMO_fms_oPuzmGPt7Sj6pkMiGd1rBTxwh-hM6kM5wjWXT0dAsKUfgfuCu9ZwHXIx4x_C8LVB716oqmoxfxp88VWpss/s640/P1110984.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Exactly like a gremlin!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxTmb6R2faXZfAOp_EmIzyo8WKnRB_OHeeC4420rZaQnGEak7ohSLPZ1BxuJF_PS4v0tWyYCuLw2rkzC6p7iVuOM0_ccRwjwIVupXxI_DA_C7jNSg6hR1-edlYEThqIhhwctWZ0aJvLtY/s1600/P1120046.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxTmb6R2faXZfAOp_EmIzyo8WKnRB_OHeeC4420rZaQnGEak7ohSLPZ1BxuJF_PS4v0tWyYCuLw2rkzC6p7iVuOM0_ccRwjwIVupXxI_DA_C7jNSg6hR1-edlYEThqIhhwctWZ0aJvLtY/s640/P1120046.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chocolate Hills</td></tr>
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<i><span style="color: #990000;">There were basically two things we wanted to see in Bohol: Chocolate Hills and the endangered tarsiers, which you can see in two different conservation centres. These two are relatively far away from each other, pretty far away from our accommodation on Panglao Island, and there was no easy way to visit by public transport. We considered renting a scooter, but riding more than 50 kilometres one way seemed a bit too far on a scooter, so pretty much the only possibility was taking a day trip. All the hotels and tour agencies offer pretty much the same set called Countryside Tour (700 pesos, about 12 euro per person) which takes you to the two sites that everyone wants to visit - and also to several pointless tourist-trap-sort of places: a monument, a church, a butterfly/bird/python park and the most pointless of them all, a river cruise where an over-priced lunch is served with karaoke music. Basically the trip only included the transport to each place, and you have to pay separately for all the entrance fees. We didn't want to do the river cruise and waited instead in a nearby restaurant having a beer. According to the driver the cruise was supposed to last 1,5 hours, but due to huge masses of people and the long queue, it actually took more like 3 hours. At this point the whole day trip felt like a massive waste of time, as we had not yet seen anything we were actually interested in, and now we had to wait 1,5 hours at the parking lot as we couldn't know what time the cruise would be finished.</span></i><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSXh4l1zy0AFMosR_pqZ6GZMjmOnn_HyUdlZrpTAs9Tf-dyK41CRbxsCuCy-AaTuOQSyNn0D-IdRdPMuDUP-azcftAU51pcDJqgGlOhxjNLYKOAHzfGhswQRL_AStEba1R8EsOUxxa2UI/s1600/P1110991.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSXh4l1zy0AFMosR_pqZ6GZMjmOnn_HyUdlZrpTAs9Tf-dyK41CRbxsCuCy-AaTuOQSyNn0D-IdRdPMuDUP-azcftAU51pcDJqgGlOhxjNLYKOAHzfGhswQRL_AStEba1R8EsOUxxa2UI/s640/P1110991.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A monkey? A rat? No, a tarsier!</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgp1LqZuYcrZdjYpMZHUeDBWLMjMDvnZjMln6BE41I1AVA_UyCcdTHmzCBxJSuqHmUvUWMWlJZ-NpbRZH6_tu0guPTwjaXpCMJivEMelyO_EegotPtyXZufC8ZLFxVSGvix8O-L5I10bg/s1600/P1120018.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgp1LqZuYcrZdjYpMZHUeDBWLMjMDvnZjMln6BE41I1AVA_UyCcdTHmzCBxJSuqHmUvUWMWlJZ-NpbRZH6_tu0guPTwjaXpCMJivEMelyO_EegotPtyXZufC8ZLFxVSGvix8O-L5I10bg/s640/P1120018.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKsxPW2b_DsflS3McBlSoSmx1V66xXwcwbqmCZPofQFryGyxnzOGPKG_mdiBQiwiNmwbCF9WsfyIr5GAP2bbWHKamkSjMiUSbO-KnquuHYLZ1JZsTsJqNfsSadhrzdvfupRW-iLM_9iok/s1600/P1120048.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKsxPW2b_DsflS3McBlSoSmx1V66xXwcwbqmCZPofQFryGyxnzOGPKG_mdiBQiwiNmwbCF9WsfyIr5GAP2bbWHKamkSjMiUSbO-KnquuHYLZ1JZsTsJqNfsSadhrzdvfupRW-iLM_9iok/s640/P1120048.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Lopulta kuitenkin pääsimme mahdottoman rumansöpöjen kummituseläinten luo, ja siinä vaiheessa unohtui kaikki ärsytyksen aiheet: ei tuota ihmeellistä naamaa voinut katsoa hymyilemättä. Valtavat mulkosilmät, pieni ja pörröinen vartalo, josta roikkuu rottamainen siimahäntä, ja kädellisille tyypilliset oksaan takertuvat tassut. Helpotuksekseni nämä oliot eivät olleet häkeissä tai muuten vangittuina, vaan torkkuivat kaikessa rauhassa oksilla, joissa niiden ohi olisi kävellyt mitään näkemättä, elleivät oppaat olisi osoittaneet missä ne kököttävät. Oppaat tekivät myös parhaansa saadakseen turistit olemaan hiljaa ja häiritsemättä pikku elukoita, joskin jotkut turistit näyttävät olevan kykenemättömiä hiljaisuuteen. Päivän huipentuma oli hämmästyttävät Chocolate Hills eli suklaakukkulat, joita on yli 1 200 kukkulaa vieri vieressä saaren keskellä. Saavuimme kukkuloille hieman ennen auringonlaskua, jolloin kaunis kultainen valo värjäsi nuo luonnon ihmeet hehkullaan. Loppujen lopuksi Countryside Tour oli siis tekemisen arvoinen, mutta jos vain jaksaa ajaa omin päin skootterilla tai autolla tuon matkan, välttyy monelta turistirysältä ja ärsytyksen aiheelta.<br />
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<i><span style="color: #990000;">However, all annoyances were forgotten once we got to the impossibly ugly-cute tarsiers; you just couldn't look at that incredible face without smiling. Enormous bulging eyes, little furry body with a rat-like tail, and those little hands grabbing the branches in such distinctive primate-like way... To my great relief, these cuties were not in a cage or anyhow fenced in, but were dozing off on their branches, where they would have been totally unnoticeable had the guides not pointed them out. The guides were also doing their best trying to get the visitors to keep quiet and not disturbing the animals, although some tourists seemed physically incapable of being quiet. The final sight of the day was the awe-inspiring Chocolate Hills, more than 1200 hills next to each other in the centre of the island. We got to the hills close to sunset, which lent a beautiful golden light to the sight. All in all, the Countryside Tour was worth doing, but if you don't mind driving the distance by scooter or car, you avoid a lot of touristy annoyances. </span></i><br />
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Vietimme viimeisen päivämme Panglaolla rauhallisesti biitsillä - suuntasimme saaren parhaaksi kehutulle Dumaluan rannalle. Ensi näkemältä ranta oli ihan täyteen ahdettu filippiinoturisteja, mutta käveltyämme hetken rantaviivaa pitkin pääsimme paljon rauhallisemmille alueille, joissa saimme pulikoida kristallinkirkkaassa vedessä ja istuskella palmupuun alla ihan kahdestaan. Seuraava päivä menikin taas turhauttavassa matkustamisessa takaisin Cebulle - lautat oli täyteen buukattuja niin, että jouduimme odottamaan yli kaksi tuntia seuraavaa lauttaa, ja liikenneruuhkan takia lauttasatamasta meni melkein tunti hostelliimme. Olimme nähneet ja kokeneet Filippiineillä paljon kaikkea hienoa, mutta olimme toisaalta kyllä hyvin valmiita vaihtamaan maata - Taiwan, täältä tullaan!<br />
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<i><span style="color: #990000;">We spent our last day on Panglao chilling on the beach. We headed to Dumaluan Beach, praised to be the most beautiful beach on the island. At first glimpse the beach was absolutely jam-packed with Filipino visitors, but after walking a few minutes along the beach we got to much quieter areas, where we could enjoy the crystal-clear water and sitting under the palm trees in peace and quiet. The following day was again filled with frustratingly slow travel back to Cebu - this time the ferries were booked out so that we had to wait more than two hours for the next ferry, and after arriving in Cebu it took us an hour to get to our hostel through the infamous traffic. We had seen and experienced a lot of wonderful things in the Philippiines, but at this stage we were very ready to change the country - Taiwan, here we come!</span></i></div>
Nomadihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02526178789320131836noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6699883048972720931.post-68624824924281488952019-06-09T03:00:00.001-07:002019-06-09T03:00:02.546-07:00Palawan: El Nido - paratiisi maan päällä? Paradise on Earth?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Kaikki muut matkustajat nousivat minibussista, kun me jäimme hämmentyneinä aloillemme. Olimmeko ainoita, jotka jatkaisivat matkaa El Nidoon? Kuski tuli katsomaan, mitä varten jäimme aloillemme ja ilmoitti, että olimme viimeisellä pysäkillä. "Mutta me menemme El Nidoon!" Kuskin leuka loksahti - "Ei tämä bussi mene El Nidoon - olemme Port Bartonissa, tämä on viimeinen pysäkki." Mutta missä hemmetissä on Port Barton ja miten pääsemme kohteeseemme El Nidoon... Olimme saapuneet edellisenä päivänä Filippiinien Palawanin saarelle <a href="https://sillavalinmaailmalla.blogspot.com/2019/06/luzon-subic-bay-mt-pinatubo-manila.html" target="_blank">Luzonilla</a> vietetyn, hieman pettymykseksi osoittautuneen viikon jälkeen. Yövyimme Puerto Princesassa ja olimme varanneet seuraavaksi aamuksi hostellistamme minibussikuljetuksen (500 pesoa eli noin 8,5 euroa per henkilö) varsinaiseen kohteeseemme El Nidoon, jonka paratiisirantoja odotimme innolla. Bussin piti tulla hakemaan meitä klo 9, mutta sitä ei näkynyt ennen kuin kello oli lähes 10. Koska olimme vasta toiset matkustajat, jotka nousivat bussiin, kiertelimme pitkin kylää vielä noin tunnin poimien muita matkustajia kyytiin, joten matka kohti pohjoista alkoi vasta klo 11 tienoilla. Siitä noin neljän tunnin päästä saavuimme siis Port Bartoniin, josta emme olleet ikinä kuulleetkaan, ja joka ei ole siellä päinkään mihin olimme menossa. Avulias bussikuski soitti hostelliimme ja sain puhua respan naisen kanssa, joka oli myynyt meille ne väärät liput, ja joka kehtasi väittää että sanoin haluavani liput Port Bartoniin. No en taatusti sanonut, kun en ollut koko paikasta kuullutkaan. Väittely ei kuitenkaan johtanut oikein mihinkään, olimme silti edelleen Port Bartonissa, josta seuraava bussi El Nidoon lähtisi kolmen tunnin päästä, ja joutuisimme jälleen maksamaan 500 pesoa per henkilö siitä bussilipusta. Tämä Palawanin saaren viikko ei siis lähtenyt oikein hyvin käyntiin.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">El Nido beach</td></tr>
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<i><span style="color: #990000;">All other passengers got out of the mini van while we stayed put, looking around slightly confused and concerned. Were we really the only ones staying on until El Nido? The driver came around wondering why we are not getting off, as this is the last stop. "But we are going to El Nido!" The driver was perplexed. "This van is not going to El Nido - we are in Port Barton, this is the final stop". But where the hell is Port Barton and how are we getting to El Nido..? We had arrived the night before to the Palawan island of the Philippines, after spending a slightly disappointing week on <a href="https://sillavalinmaailmalla.blogspot.com/2019/06/luzon-subic-bay-mt-pinatubo-manila.html" target="_blank">Luzon island</a>. We had stayed overnight in Puerto Princesa and booked through our hostel a mini van transfer (500 pesos or 8,5 euro per person) for the next morning to our actual destination, El Nido with its paradise beaches. The mini van was supposed to come pick us up at 9am, but it only showed up around 10am and as we were only the second group to be picked up, we spent another hour going around the town picking more people up, finally starting the journey north around 11am. About four hours later we arrived in the aforementioned Port Barton, a place we had never even heard of, and which is nowhere near El Nido. The helpful bus driver got on the phone with the woman from the hostel, who had sold us the wrong tickets, and who had the nerve to claim I had asked for tickets for Port Barton. Well hardly, as I hadn't even heard of such a place. However, the argument was not really taking us anywhere, as we were still in Port Barton, the next bus to El Nido would leave in three hours, and we would have to pay again 500 pesos per person to get where we actually wanted to go. So, let's just say our week on Palawan island did not get off to a great start. </span></i><br />
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El Nido on yksi Palawanin suosikkikohteita, jossa riittää majoitusvaihtoehtoja ja ruokapaikkoja. Itse kylän rannat eivät kuitenkaan ole siitä parhaasta päästä, joten suurin osa El Nidon matkailijoista viettää päivänsä joko saarihyppelyretkillä tai kauempana sijaitsevilla biitseillä, palaten kylään vain myöhään iltapäivästä syömään ja juomaan. Me halusimme majailla rauhallisemmassa paikassa, joten yövyimme kolme yötä Bucanan kylässä noin 45 minuutin trike-matkan päässä El Nidosta rannalla sijaitsevassa majatalossa, joka osoittautui nappivalinnaksi. Ranta oli kaunis, puhdas ja hiljainen - ainoat turistit olivat ne pari muuta samassa majatalossa yöpyvää matkailijaa, joiden lisäksi pari paikallista lasta pelehti aina silloin tällöin vedessä. Muuten oli hiljaista ja rauhallista, eikä kerrassaan mitään muuta tekemistä kuin rentoutua - sehän sopi meille loistavasti. Yhtenä päivänä vuokrasimme majatalostamme kajakin hintaan 500 pesoa per päivä ja meloimme komeat 12 kilometriä pysähtyen sekä täysin autiolla rannalla, että jossain määrin turisteille suunnatulla Nacpanin rannalla. Viimeksi mainitulla näkyi muutama pieni majatalo ravintoloineen ja vähän turisteja, mutta silti sen tunnelma oli todella rauhallinen ja idyllinen. Toisena päivänä kävelimme noin 3 kilometrin matkan Dulin rannalle, joka oli vielä hiljaisempi ja hyvin kaunis uskomattoman kirkkaine turkoosivesineen. Bucana oli juuri sitä, mitä olimme Filippiineiltä toivoneet väsyttyämme hiukan reissun tähän mennessä sangen tiukan tahdin takia - rauhaa, kaunista luontoa, ihmismassojen puutetta ja aikaa hiljentyä.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Getting to our guest house involved crossing this hanging bridge</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our guest house on the beach</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kayaking to other beaches</td></tr>
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<i><span style="color: #990000;">El Nido is one of the most popular destinations on Palawan, and there is an abundance of accommodation options, dining and nightlife options. However, the beaches of the town are not that great for sunbathing or swimming, so most tourists spend their days island-hopping or visiting nicer beaches further afield, only returning into the town later afternoon for eating and drinking. We were looking for a quieter place, so we stayed three nights in the village of Bucana, about 45 minutes' trike ride away from El Nido, in a beach front guest house that turned out to be exactly what we wanted. The beach was beautiful, clean and quiet - the only tourists there were the couple of other people staying in the same guest house, apart from which a few local kids were frolicking in the water every once in a while. Other than that it was totally quiet and peaceful, and there was absolutely nothing else to do but relax - just what we needed! One day we rented a kayak for 500 pesos and paddled a good 12 kilometres stopping on one completely deserted beach as well as the slightly more touristy Nacpan beach. The latter had a few little guest houses with restaurants and there were some other tourists around, but still it had a really quiet idyllic vibe. The other day we walked about three kilometres to Duli Beach, which was even quieter and incredibly beautiful with its lovely crystal clear water. Bucana was just what we were looking for in the Philippines after getting a bit tired at the relentless pace of our travels - peace, gorgeous nature, total lack of masses of people and time to slow down.</span></i><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nacpan Beach</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsS6MXhrC95Bfy2uhsyLQPmu1x_tfNjuu2B9wMWUinyuBhGCR1AF-auSxLy2ZQLuIn1-iHXQkWLb4ZQBxFJHDOGCju5nM6mILnM26KnP3cHsYofk5cjSaXhJ2KuexJlntiJ6JporLHGeg/s1600/P1110863.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsS6MXhrC95Bfy2uhsyLQPmu1x_tfNjuu2B9wMWUinyuBhGCR1AF-auSxLy2ZQLuIn1-iHXQkWLb4ZQBxFJHDOGCju5nM6mILnM26KnP3cHsYofk5cjSaXhJ2KuexJlntiJ6JporLHGeg/s640/P1110863.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Duli Beach</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Guess it's not such a bad place for goats...</td></tr>
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Palasimme kuitenkin El Nidon kylään vielä pariksi yöksi, jotta voimme käydä saarihyppelyretkellä. Olimme vähän kahden vaiheilla siitä, halusimmeko tehdä koko retkeä - pelkäsimme sen olevan liian täynnä ihmisiä niin, ettei koko retkestä voisi edes nauttia. Päädyimme kuitenkin retkeen C (neljä reittivaihtoehtoa on nimetty mielikuvituksellisesti nimillä A, B, C ja D, ja jostain syystä vain A ja C olivat tällä hetkellä tarjolla), joka maksoi kaikkine lisämaksuineen yhteensä 1 600 pesoa, eli noin 27 euroa per henkilö. Saariretki oli kuitenkin iloinen yllätys, kenties sen takia että odotuksemme olivat vähän matalalla. Ainoastaan ensimmäinen pysäkki 7 Commando Beach oli aika turha ja se oli juuri sellainen ylikansoitettu turistipaikka, jollaisia tältä retkeltä kauhulla odotimmekin - siinä sai pulikoida pienellä alueella lukuisten muiden botskien matkustajien kanssa. Seuraavaksi kuitenkin menimme snorklaamaan aivan upeaan paikkaan Miniloc-saaren rannalla, jossa ei näkynyt muita paatteja, vesi oli kristallinkirkasta ja koralleja ja värikkäitä kaloja riitti ihailtavaksi. Täällä nautittiin retkeen kuuluva lounas, joka oli yllättävän hyvä, etenkin ei-kasvissyöjälle - erilaisia liharuokia, kalaa ja mereneläviä grillattuna oli joka lähtöön. Minullekin riitti kuitenkin riisiä, salaattia, ja runsaasti hedelmiä, joten pärjäsin ihan hyvin - on minulle paljon huonompiakin kasvisaterioita tarjoiltu. Big Lagoon -laguunilla oli vähän pakko vuokrata kajakki (350 pesoa kahden hengen kajakista), koska muuten laguunia ei olisi nähnyt alkua pidemmälle, mutta se oli ehdottomasti kajakin vuokran arvoinen paikka. Siellä oli suht paljon porukkaa, mutta niin isolle alueelle levittäytyneinä, ettei väkimäärä tuntunut missään. Myöhemmin snorklattiin vielä lisää, ja voin sanoa että nämä olivat kenties parhaita koskaan näkemiäni snorklauspaikkoja. Viimeinen pysäkki, Secret Lagoon, ei kenties ollut mitenkään tajunnanräjäyttävä paikka, etenkään kun sinne päästäkseen piti kirjaimellisesti jonottaa muiden veneiden matkustajien perässä, mutta kaiken kaikkiaan saarihyppelyretki ylitti kaikki odotuksemme ja kruunasi viikkomme Palawanilla!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I suppose they could have crammed still a couple more people in this boat...</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lunch time!</td></tr>
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<i><span style="color: #990000;">After lots of relaxation we did return to El Nido town for a couple of nights, so that we could do an island-hopping tour. We had been at two minds whether we wanted to do an island-hopping trip at all, as we were afraid it was going to be way too crowded to be enjoyable. Finally we decided to go for it and chose the trip C (the four possible route options are named imaginatively A, B, C and D, and for some reason only A and C were available at the time we were there), which cost altogether 1 600 pesos with various extra charges. Despite our low expectations - or maybe that's exactly why - the island-hopping trip turned out to be a great experience! Only the first stop, 7 Commando Beach, was the sort of over-crowded super touristy place we had feared; there was a tiny roped area on the beach where you could frolic in the water among thousand other tourists from various boats. However, our next stop was an amazing place for snorkeling around Miniloc island, where the water was super clear and there was an abundance of colourful fish swimming around beautiful coral reef. This was also where we had the lunch included in the trip, which was surprisingly good - especially for a non-vegetarian, as there was a great variety of meat, fish and sea food dishes. Even for me there was plenty of salad, fruits and rice, so I got along fine - I have been served much worse vegetarian dishes before. At the Big Lagoon it was kind of necessary to rent a kayak at 350 pesos for 2-person kayak, as it was the only way to see most of the lagoon. However, this place was definitely worth the price - it was absolutely spectacular. There were pretty many people kayaking around, but as they were spread out on such big area, it didn't feel crowded at all. Later on there was more snorkling, and I must say these were the best snorkling places I have ever seen in my life. Our last stop, the Secret Lagoon, was maybe not the greatest place on the itinerary, especially since you had to literally queue up to see it among lots of people from other boats, but all in all the island-hopping tour totally exceeded our expectations!</span></i><br />
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Vaikka aikamme Palawanin saarella ei oikein hyvin alkanutkaan, paratiisirannat ja paljon kaivattu rauha oli juuri sitä, mitä tällä hetkellä tarvitsimme. Nyt olimme valmiita viimeiseen viikkoomme Filippiineillä, joka veisi meidät Cebun saarelle!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At the Big Lagoon</td></tr>
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<i>Although our time on Palawan island didn't start very well, the paradise beaches and much-needed peace was exactly what we were looking for. Now we were ready for our last week in the Philippines, which would take us to the island of Cebu!</i><br />
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Nomadihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02526178789320131836noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6699883048972720931.post-59527573910709671352019-06-01T03:44:00.002-07:002019-06-08T05:08:21.474-07:00Luzon: Subic Bay, Mt. Pinatubo & Manila<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "segoe ui";">Lensimme Hanoista Manilaan yölennolla, joten saavuimme Filippiineille aamuvarhain. Olimme päättäneet matkata heti pois Manilasta, sillä lukemani mukaan rantakohteet ja erilaiset virkistyskohteet täyttyvät viikonloppuisin kotimaisista turisteista. Koska saavuimme saarelle alkuviikosta, taktikoimme ja päätimme viettää alkuviikon poissa kaupungista ja viikonlopun Manilassa, josta lentäisimme seuraavaan kohteeseen. Jo Grab-matka (Uberin vastine esim. Thaimaassa, Vietnamissa ja Filippiineillä) lentokentältä bussiasemalle oli hyvä esimerkki siitä, miten turhauttavaa Manilassa on yrittää päästä paikasta toiseen hirvittävien liikenneruuhkien keskellä. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jeepney - a form of public transport in the Phillippines</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "segoe ui";"><i><span style="color: #990000;">We flew from Hanoi to Manila on a night flight, so we arrived in the Philippines early morning. We had decided to head out of Manila straight away, as apparently beaches and other tourist destinations get really packed with domestic tourists on the weekends. As we arrived in the beginning of the week, we decided to get out of the city for the first few days and spend the weekend in Manila, as we needed to fly out again from there. Already getting from the airport to the bus station with Grab (equivalent to Uber in Thailand, Vietnam and the Philippines) was a great example of how frustrating it can be to get from one place to another in the notorious traffic of Manila.</span></i></span></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Barretto Beach</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "segoe ui";">Halusimme välttää turhan pitkiä bussimatkoja, joten päädyimme Subic Bayhin (noin 4 tuntia bussilla Manilasta) pariksi ensimmäiseksi päiväksi chillailemaan. Halusimme maan vaihdoksen jälkeen lepäillä pari päivää ja totutella Filippiineihin, mutta tämä paikka osoittautui vähän vikatikiksi. En ollut odottanutkaan Subic Bayn olevan Filippiinien rantojen aatelistoa, mutta alue oli vähän odottamaamme ikävämpi - ranta oli aika likainen, eikä mitenkään viehättävä. Barretton rantaa oli kuvailtu expatien suosimaksi alueeksi, ja pian kävi selväksi millaisista expateista oli kyse - keski-ikäisiä tai vanhempia länsimaisia miehiä nuorien nättien filippiinotyttöjen kanssa. Barretton masentavalla pääkadulla näkyi toinen toistaan epämääräisemmän näköisiä baareja sellaisilla nimillä kuin Coco Lips, Velvet Touch ja suosikkimme Dynamite Dick’s (jonka slogan oli “best bang for your buck!”), joiden kaikkien edessä hengaili minihameisiin pukeutuneita filippiinityttöjä. Yhtään länsimaista naista en meidän lisäksemme nähnyt parin päivän aikana. Toisin sanoen, Subic Bayssa viettämämme aika meni vähän hukkaan, mutta seuraava kohteemme nosti fiiliksiä.</span></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The slightly shabby resort we escaped the unpleasant beach to</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "segoe ui";"><i><span style="color: #990000;">Keen to avoid overly long bus rides we ended up in Subic Bay (about 4 hours by bus from Manila) for the first couple of days to chill out. After changing the country our aim was to have some time to rest and recuperate while getting used to the new country, but this place turned out to be less than ideal base for a relaxing stay. I hadn’t expected Subic Bay to be the best beach in the Philippines, but the area was still less nice than we had hoped for - the beach was pretty dirty and the area was not pleasant at all. The Barretto Beach was described as been favoured by the expat community, and it soon became apparent what sort of expats we were talking about - middle-aged or older Western men with pretty young Filipino girls. The depressing main street of Barretto was lined with sleazy bars with names like Coco Lips, Velvet Touch and our favourite Dynamite Dick’s (with the slogan “best bang for your buck!”), always with a bunch of scantily-dressed Filipino girls in front of the bar. I didn’t see any Western women besides ourselves during our stay. In other words, Subic Bay was not our favourite place, but our next destination raised our spirits. </span></i></span></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On the way to Mt. Pinatubo</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "segoe ui";">Matkasimme bussilla (tai oikeammin sanottuna <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeepney" target="_blank">jeepneylla</a>, kahdella bussilla ja <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motorized_tricycle_(Philippines)" target="_blank">trikella</a>) Subic Baysta pieneen Santa Julianan kylään, jossa oli pari majataloa, ei mitään ravintoloita, kauppoja eikä Internet-yhteyksiä. Ainoa syy suunnata tänne on Mt. Pinatubo -tulivuori, jonka iso tulivuorenpurkaus vuonna 1991 synnytti valtavan kalderan, jossa on nyt kraatterijärvi. Kraatterijärvelle voi patikoida oppaan johdolla (omin päin sinne ei saa painella) ja Santa Juliana on lähin paikka, jossa voi yöpyä ja järjestää patikkaretken Pinatubolle. Yövyimme yhdessä niistä parista majatalosta ja liityimme 10 hengen ryhmään, jolloin retki lounaan kera tuli maksamaan 35 euroa per henkilö. Sekä majoitus että päiväretket Filippiineillä tuntuvat vähän kalliilta Vietnamin jälkeen, mutta minkäs teet kun ei halvemmalla pääse. Retki oli kuitenkin hieno kokemus, joka pelasti Luzonin saarella vietetyn viikkomme! Ensin matkattiin lähes puolitoista tuntia pomppuisella erämaatiellä jeepin kyydissä, jonka jälkeen patikkamatka huikeiden maisemien läpi kohti kraatterijärveä alkoi. Ihan viimeistä rykäystä lukuunottamatta maasto oli enimmäkseen tasaista eikä tarvinnut kiivetä jyrkkiä ylämäkiä, joten se oli suht helppo kävelymatka. Perille päästiin noin tunnin kävelyn jälkeen ja sitten saikin haukkoa henkeään upean järvinäkymän ansiosta - pilvisen kelin takia järvi ei hohtanut ihan niin turkoosina kuin joissain näkemissäni kuvissa, mutta upean sininen se joka tapauksessa oli. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "segoe ui";"><i><span style="color: #990000;">We took the bus (actually, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeepney" target="_blank">a jeepney</a>, two buses and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motorized_tricycle_(Philippines)" target="_blank">a trike</a>) to a tiny village of Santa Juliana, which has a couple of guest houses, but no restaurants, shops or Internet access in the whole village. The only reason to make your way here is Mt. Pinatubo, the active volcano, whose eruption in 1991 created a huge caldera which is now a crater lake. You can do a hiking trip to the crater lake with a guide (you are not allowed to go by yourself) and Santa Juliana is the closest place where to stay and organize the trip from. We stayed the night in one of the two guest houses and joined a 10-person tour, which cost 35 euro per person including lunch. Both accommodation and day trips in the Philippines feel a little expensive after Vietnam, but there isn’t really much choice. However, the hike was a great experience, which made our visit to Luzon all worth it! First we travelled around 1,5 hours on a very bumpy track through the desert in the back of a jeep, after which the hike through amazing scenery towards the crater lake started. Apart from the very last bit the hike was pretty easy, as there was not much elevation. We got to the lake in about one hour and were rewarded with a breath-taking view of the amazingly beautiful lake - due to the cloudy weather the lake didn't look quite as turquoise as it does in the promotion pictures, but in any case it was an absolutely beautiful shade of blue. </span></i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "segoe ui";">Retken jälkeen palasimme takaisin Manilaan perjantai-iltana. Useimmilla matkaajilla ei ole Manilasta juuri mitään hyvää sanottavaa, mutta halusimme kuitenkin viettää siellä pari päivää, jotta näemme myös sen puolen Filippiineistä. Totta on, että Manila ei ole helppo paikka turistille - liikenne on jotain aivan kauheaa, ja suurin osa näkemistämme kaupunginosista on kaukana viehättävistä. Vietimme kuitenkin miellyttävän päivän historiallisessa kaupunginosassa Intramurossa, joka on espanjankielisen nimensä mukaisesti muurien ympäröimä. Täältä löytyy esimerkiksi Fort Santiago -linnoitus, Manila Cathedral ja UNESCON maailmanperintökohde San Agustinin kirkko, jotka olivat kaikki kiinnostavia käyntikohteita - viimeksi mainitussa oli tosin hääseremonia meneillään, joten emme päässeet kynnystä pidemmälle. Ihan kirkon vierestä löysimme kuitenkin hyvän ravintolan, josta sai kohtuuhintaan hyvää ja terveellistä ruokaa - mukavaa vaihtelua pikaruokaketjujen hämmästyttävälle määrälle. Kävelimme Intramurosta vielä Rizal-puistoon, joka oli ihan kiva paikka japanilaisine ja kiinalaisine puutarhoineen. Sunnuntain, joka oli sattumoisin äitienpäivä myös Filippiineillä, vietimmekin sitten meille hyvin epätyypillisellä tavalla - nimittäin ostoskeskuksessa. Näyttää siltä, että tämä oli itse asiassa hyvä tapa nähdä yksi puoli filippiiniläisten elämäntavasta - ilmeisesti ne, joilla on varaa näin tehdä, tykkäävät viettää aikaa amerikkalaistyyliin valtavissa ostoskeskuksissa, jotka ovat kauppojen lisäksi täynnä pikaruokapaikkoja. Missään Yhdysvaltojen ulkopuolella en ole nähnyt sellaista keskittymää amerikkalaisia ketjuja McDonald’sista Dunkin’ Donutsiin, joiden lisäksi on paljon paikallisia ketjuja kuten Jollibee, joka on ilmeisesti halvempi versio Mäkkäristä. Äitienpäivänä kauppakeskus oli ääriään myöten täynnä innokkaita paikallisia shoppailemassa ja syömässä, ja mekin saimme ajan kulumaan syömisen ja shoppailun lisäksi kosmetologivisiitillä - kaikki kätevästi saman katon alla. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Manila Cathedral</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "segoe ui";"><i><span style="color: #990000;">After the hike we returned to Manila on Friday night. Most travellers don't have much love for Manila, but we wanted to spend a couple of days there anyway, just to see that side of the Philippines. The truth is that Manila is not an easy city to love - the traffic is something terrible, and most of the parts of the huge city that we saw were far from pleasant. However, we did spend a lovely day in the historical Intramuros, which is surrounded by walls as its Spanish name suggests. This is the part of the city where you can find most interesting sites to visit, such as Fort Santiago, Manila Cathedral and the UNESCO World Heritage Site San Agustin church - although we didn't manage to visit the latter as there was a wedding going on inside. At least we found a nice restaurant right next to the church with reasonably priced healthy food - nice change for the perplexing abundance of fast food chains. We also walked from Intramuros to Rizal Park, which was also a nice place to hang out with its Chinese and Japanese gardens. Sunday, which happened to be Mother's Day also in the Philippines, we spent in a way most untypical of us - at a shopping mall. As it turns out, this is a good way to see one side of the Filipino lifestyle - it appears that those who can afford it, love spending time American style at the huge malls, which apart from shops are full of fast food chains. Apart from the States, I have never seen such concentration of fast food chains in any other country as in the Philippines, everything from McDonald's to Dunkin' Donuts, in addition to which they have lots of local chains such as Jollibees, which appeared very similar to McDonald's but cheaper. On Mother's Day the shopping mall was absolutely full of locals eagerly shopping and eating away, and we also managed to spend better part of the day at the mall, fitting in a visit to the beautician as well as shopping and eating - all conveniently under the same roof. </span></i></span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fort Santiago</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "segoe ui";">Kokemamme mukaan Luzonin saari ei ole Filippiinejä parhaimmillaan, mutta Mt. Pinatubo teki tästä saaresta käymisen arvoisen. Seuraavaksi edessä viikko Palawanilla, jolta odotimme paljon enemmän!</span></span>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">San Agustin Church</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "segoe ui";"><i><span style="color: #990000;">According to our experience the island of Luzon is not Philippines at its best, but the trek to Mt. Pinatubo made our visit all worth it. Next we were going to spend a week on Palawan island, which we had much higher expectations for!</span></i></span></span></div>
Nomadihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02526178789320131836noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6699883048972720931.post-77630990597409289152019-05-27T05:46:00.001-07:002019-05-27T05:46:55.728-07:00Hanoi & Halong Bay<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Jos Sapan visiittimme Pohjois-Vietnamissa oli yhtä vuoristorataa, yksi Vietnamin matkamme odotetuimmista huippukohdista, Halonginlahti eli Halong Bay osoittautui aivan mahtavaksi kokemukseksi alusta loppuun. Ainoastaan sää ei oikein suosinut, sillä koettuamme lähes kolme viikkoa jatkuvaa auringonpaistetta ja armotonta hellettä, juuri Halong Bayn risteilymme ajaksi osui pilviset ja välillä sateisetkin kelit. Se ei juurikaan alueen kauneutta himmentänyt, mutta kuvat eivät ehkä välitä sen upeutta niin hyvin harmaalta taustalta. Lahti tuhansine karstivuorineen on ihan uskomattoman kaunis näky, enkä voi verrata sitä mihinkään muuhun näkemääni paikkaan.<br />
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<i><span style="color: #990000;">Our visit to Sapa in Northern Vietnam had been full of ups and downs, but one of the most awaited highlights of our time in Vietnam, Halong Bay, turned out to be absolutely amazing from start to finish. The only thing not on our side was the weather, as after experiencing almost three weeks of nothing but sunshine and relentless heat, the weather turned cloudy and rainy just in time for our Halong Bay cruise. It didn't make the area any less beautiful, however the pictures don't necessarily show its glory quite as well with grey skies. The bay with its thousands of limestone karsts and isles is an amazing sight which I cannot compare to any other place I have ever seen before.</span></i><br />
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Vaikka olemme yleensä melko budjettimatkailijoita, tällä kertaa olimme halunneet panostaa vähän enemmän hyvään kokemukseen, ja luettuamme paljon arvosteluja ja kokemuksia päädyimme varaamaan 3 päivän ja 2 yön risteilyn <a href="http://halongunicharmcruises.com/halong-unicharm-cruises-3-days-2-nights.html" target="_blank">Unicharm Cruises</a> -firmalta. Hinnaksi tuli meidän mittakaavallamme hirvittävät 511 euroa meiltä kahdelta, johon kuului kuljetus Hanoin hotellista, kaikki ateriat ja majoitus laivalla sekä paljon aktiviteetteja. Olimme kuitenkin täysin tyytyväisiä kaikkeen, joten risteily oli hintansa arvoinen. Yksi tärkeimmistä pointeista oli se, että Unicharm menee eri reittiä kuin suurin osa Halonginlahden laivoista - alue on Vietnamin suosituin turistikohde, ja laivoja on liikkeellä valtavat määrät. Unicharmin kyydissä emme kuitenkaan nähneet monta muuta laivaa, joten saimme nauttia alueen kauneudesta rauhassa.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our ship</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our cabin</td></tr>
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<i><span style="color: #990000;">Although we are usually budget travellers, this time we wanted to invest a bit more to have a good experience, and after reading several reviews we ended up booking 3 days 2 nights cruise with <a href="http://halongunicharmcruises.com/halong-unicharm-cruises-3-days-2-nights.html" target="_blank">Unicharm Cruises</a>. The price seemed, by our standards, outrageously high at 511 euro for the two of us, including transfer from our hotel in Hanoi, all meals and accommodation on the boat as well as lots of activities. However, we were really happy with everything, so we found the cruise to be well worth it. One of the most important points was that Unicharm takes a different route than most of the Halong Bay cruises - this is the most popular tourist destination in Vietnam, so there are loads of boats in the bay. While on Unicharm we didn't see many other boats, so we could enjoy the views in peace. </span></i><br />
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Hytti oli upea valtavine ikkunoineen, josta saattoi ihailla maisemia mukavasti sängyllä loikoillen, ja ruoka oli hyvää. Minulle kasvissyöjänä oli laitettu joka aterialla erikseen oma herkkulautanen, jonka lisäksi buffetissa oli paljon salaatteja, keittoa ja kasviksia. Ensimmäisenä päivänä käytiin melomassa kajakeilla, toisena päivänä patikoimassa (kaatosateessa) näköalapaikalle kukkulan huipulla, josta aukesi hienot näkymät aina kun pilviverho rakoili, ja kolmantena päivänä ohjelmassa oli pyöräilyretki pieneen kylään. Halong Bayn parasta antia ovat kuitenkin yksinkertaisesti ne uskomattomat maisemat, joita en kyllästynyt katselemaan. Onneksi aurinko pilkahteli aina välillä piristämään taivaan harmautta.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"View" over Cat Ba national park</td></tr>
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<i><span style="color: #990000;">The cabin was great with its huge window, so we could enjoy the scenery comfortably from the bed, and the food was delicious. For me as a vegetarian they had prepared a separate plate full of delicacies for each meal, apart from which there was a lot of salads, soup and vegetables on the buffet. Our first afternoon we went kayaking, the second day we went hiking in the pouring rain up to a view point on top of a hill, where you could see great views over the Cat Ba national park (whenever the clouds would allow it), and the third day we did a cycling trip to a small village on the island. The best part of Halong Bay is just the incredible scenery, that I didn't tire of. Luckily the sun came out every once in a while to cheer up the greyness.</span></i><br />
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Palasimme tästä ihanasta risteilystä virkistyneinä Hanoihin jälleen kerran, ja nyt meillä oli aikaa vähän kierrellä kaupunkiakin. Emme tehneet mitään kaikenkattavaa nähtävyyskierrosta, vaan hengailimme vain rennosti enimmäkseen vanhan kaupungin ja ranskalaisen kaupunginosan alueella ihmetellen kiireisen suurkaupungin kaaosta. Kävimme parissakin järven keskellä sijaitsevassa temppelissä (Hoan Kiem -järven temppelissä nimeltään Ngoc Son sekä Tran Quoc -pagodassa West Lake -järven rannalla), kävelimme Ho Chi Minhin mausoleumin ohi (joka oli sinä päivänä kiinni), mutta jätimme väliin museot ja muut turistikohteet. Hanoi oli yllättävänkin viehättävä kaupunki, jossa saattoi kuljeskella suht rennosti - vaikkakin moottoripyörän alle jäämisen riski oli toki aina läsnä.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lakes and temples in Hanoi</td></tr>
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<i><span style="color: #990000;">We returned to Hanoi once again, revived by this lovely cruise, and this time we actually had time to look around the city a bit. We didn't do any sort of a sightseeing tour, but spent most of our time hanging out in the Old Quarter and the French Quarter, soaking up the busy atmosphere of a big city. We did visit a couple of temples by lakes (Ngoc Son temple in the Hoan Kiem Lake, as well as Tran Quoc Pagoda by West Lake), walked past the Ho Chi Minh mausoleum (which was closed on the day), but passed any museums or other tourist attractions. Hanoi was surprisingly charming a city to wander around in relative peace - although you are always at risk of being ran over by a motorcycle.</span></i><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">How many bananas can you transport on a motorbike..?</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">... and how many bottles of beer can you fit on a motorbike?</td></tr>
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Kuukausi Vietnamissa antoi meille paljon, ja maa yllätti meidät monellakin tapaa. Olin etukäteen saanut käsityksen, että Vietnamissa pitää olla kovin varuillaan huijareiden ja rikollisuuden suhteen, mutta en kokenut sitä itse ollenkaan - meillä oli ihan turvallinen olo koko ajan. Toinen ennakkoluuloni oli, etteivät ihmiset olisi niin ystävällisiä, mikä osoittautui myös vääräksi. Ihmiset olivat enimmäkseen avuliaita ja mukavia, vaikkakin kommunikointi oli monesti hankalaa - vietnamilaiset eivät puhu niin hyvää englantia kuin srilankalaiset, ja minun yritykseni ääntää muutamia oppimiani vietnaminkielisiä fraaseja oli ilmeisesti niin surkea, ettei kukaan ymmärtänyt mitä yritin sanoa. Joka tapauksessa toimeen tultiin aina, tavalla tai toisella. Nyt oli aika vaihtaa maisemaa ja lentää Filippiineille, joten edessä oli vaihteeksi aikaa paratiisibiitseillä!<br />
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<i><span style="color: #990000;">A month in Vietnam gave us a lot of experiences, and the country surprised us in many ways. I had been under the impression that in Vietnam you need to be very vigilant for scammers and thieves, but we didn't experience that at all - we felt safe the whole time. Another misconception that I had was that the people would not be very friendly in Vietnam. That also proved incorrect, as mainly the people we encountered were nice and helpful, although communication was often challenging - most Vietnamese don't speak that much English, and apparently my Vietnamese pronunciation was that terrible that nobody understood the couple of phrases I tried to say in Vietnamese. However, we always managed, one way or another. Now it was time for a change of scenery and fly to the Philippines to spend some time on some paradise beaches for a change!</span></i></div>
Nomadihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02526178789320131836noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6699883048972720931.post-26512002189017971252019-05-23T05:18:00.001-07:002019-05-23T05:18:17.428-07:00Ilojen ja pettymysten Sapa - The Highs and Lows of Sapa<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Saavuimme Hanoihin Dong Hoista (Phong Nhan kansallispuistoa lähinnä oleva juna-asema) 10 tunnin junamatkan jälkeen. Matka meni suhteellisen mukavasti upeiden maisemien halki, ainoa mutta oli ettei junasta saanut ostettua muuta ruokaa kuin pikanuudeleita, sipsejä yms. epäterveellistä prosessoitua roskaa. Hanoi otti meidät vastaan ukkosmyrskyllä ja kaatosateella, joten luikimme sadeponchojemme suojaamina suoraan hotellille, emmekä juuri sinä iltana poistunut huoneestamme muuta kuin parin minuutin kävelymatkan päähän illallisen hakureissulle. Tällä kertaa emme ehtineet Hanoissa tehdä oikein mitään muuta kuin yrittää järjestellä Sapan reissuamme Pohjois-Vietnamiin, mutta tiesimme tulevamme takaisin vielä Sapan ja Halong Bayn risteilyn väliseksi ajaksi, joten säästimme Hanoin nähtävyyksien kiertelyn sille kerralle. Sapa tunnetaan kauniina vaelluskohteena vihreine riisiviljelmineen, joten odotimme sitä innolla.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The views you can expect to see in Sapa: rice terraces</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lao Cai village</td></tr>
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<span style="color: #990000; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>We arrived in Hanoi from Dong Hoi (the closest train station to Phong Nha National Park) after ten hours on the train. The trip was reasonably comfortable, although you couldn’t buy any other food on the train apart from instant noodles, chips or some other super-processed unhealthy stuff. Hanoi welcomed us with a thunderstorm and heavy rain, so we just skulked to our hotel protected by our rain ponchos and didn’t wander further than a couple of mins’ walk to get supper that evening. This time we didn’t have time for anything else in Hanoi but trying to sort out our upcoming stay in Sapa, but we knew we were coming back into the city between the visits to Sapa and Halong Bay, so we saved the sightseeing in Hanoi for later. Sapa is a well-known trekking destination in the north of Vietnam, particularly known for its beautiful rice terraces, so we were really looking forward to visiting it.</i></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">He looks pretty comfy hanging out there... nevermind the 10 metre drop below him!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It's a tough life, being a water buffalo</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Kaikki meidät tuntevat tietävät, että yleensä olemme suunnitelmallisia matkailijoita, jotka ottavat asioista selvää ja yleensä varaavat majoituksen/matkaliput yms. hyvissä ajoin etukäteen. Tällä kertaa etenemme vähän vähemmän suunnitelmallisesti osittain olosuhteiden pakosta - meillä ei yksinkertaisesti ole ollut aikaa tehdä niin huolellista tutkimusta kuin tavallisesti. Monet vietnamilaiset olivat kertoneet meille jo viikkotolkulla, miten huhtikuun ja toukokuun vaihe (eli meikäläisten vappua ympäröivä ajankohta) on maassa suuri lomakausi ja kotimaiset matkailijat täyttävät kaikki turistien suosimat paikat. Emme ottaneet näitä puheita ihan tosissamme, sillä oletin niiden olevan osittain myyntipuhetta (tyyliin "jos et varaa lippuja nyt, kohta ne on loppuunmyyty!") ja toiseksi emme uskoneet vietnamilaisten suuntaavaan Sapaan lomaansa viettämään, sillä käsityksemme mukaan Sapa on ennen kaikkea vaelluskohde, eivätkä vietnamilaiset tykkää vaeltamisesta tai ylipäänsä kävelemisestä. Niinpä oletimme voivamme järjestetää Sapan reissumme ongelmitta päivän varoitusajalla. ISO MOKA.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGBmijk7-0lFWQZqagrc33UCyeSRV6M6AKIA3aZNQkrlklcwFCSaMtzKqSLxE2xuJvRHFubWp9l4NQzHOnjoambcHtF0gOE1o-Q5ZHOpz_WcTvv8uJQU11os2OSUCJ8LnrdhiMnUEYWh0/s1600/P1110415.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGBmijk7-0lFWQZqagrc33UCyeSRV6M6AKIA3aZNQkrlklcwFCSaMtzKqSLxE2xuJvRHFubWp9l4NQzHOnjoambcHtF0gOE1o-Q5ZHOpz_WcTvv8uJQU11os2OSUCJ8LnrdhiMnUEYWh0/s640/P1110415.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The concrete walking paths were necessary along the soaking wet rice terraces</td></tr>
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<span style="color: #990000; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Anyone who knows us knows that typically we are careful planners, who like to do our research and usually book accommodation/tickets etc. well in advance. This time we are trying a more spontaneous approach, partly as we simply don’t have the time to do as much research as we normally do. Lots of Vietnamese people had been telling us for weeks that there is a big holiday coming up at the end of April - beginning of May, and that all the destinations will be packed with domestic tourists during the holiday. We hadn’t really taken these warnings that seriously, partly as I thought it was mainly for selling purposes (like “if you don’t book now, the tickets will be sold out!”) and secondly, we saw mainly Sapa as a trekking destination, and the Vietnamese are not keen on trekking or walking for that matter. We figured the domestic tourists wouldn’t be flocking to Sapa and therefore we thought we’d have no trouble organizing our stay just one day ahead. BIG MISTAKE. </i></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Look what grows here!</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Onnistuimme sentään varaamaan ihan kohtalaisen hyvät bussiliput (suurin osa matkaajista menee Sapaan yöjunalla, mutta me emme halunneet matkata yöjunalla johtuen aiemmasta vähemmän mukavasta yöjunakokemuksesta), mutta hotellin varaaminen osoittautui ongelmaksi. Ensinnäkin hinnat olivat huipussaan, joten hyvinkin kämäisen näköiset hotellit maksoivat enemmän kuin yleensä maksoimme hyvätasoisista hotelleista. Toisekseen meille kävi parikin kertaa niin, että varasimme huoneen booking.comin kautta vain saadaksemme hotellilta viestin pari tuntia myöhemmin "hotelli on täynnä, varauksenne on peruttu". Ideana oli olla yksi yö Sapan kaupungissa ja järjestää sieltä patikointiretki oppaalla ja homestay-majoitus pariksi yöksi jossain läheisessä pikkukylässä. Onnistuimme viimein varaamaan hotellin, joka ei peruuttanut huonettamme ja pääsimme Sapaan, joka osoittautui ihan erilaiseksi paikaksi kuin mitä odotimme - ei mikään idyllinen vuoristokylä, vaan köyhän mies Las Vegas neonkyltteineen plus hemmetin paljon enemmän väkijoukkoja, liikennettä, meteliä ja hermoja raastavaa tungosta. Sapassa viettämämme yö ei siis todellakaan vastannut odotuksia, ja epäonni jatkui seuraavana aamuna.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Working on the rice fields</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFVYv3G8Jjgksf6TGNviOjpawXauTbw9ZxUJyT6QhhiXKPwAQlvMEaXIcXYuTn73h6EP-jkRT01uJNou-MwIfZ8ZZIw6_CjX3_WStvT5Pt_x5hPgQ3Lc0-Srkox_Y-0ooiBsK08TlQtM4/s1600/P1110454.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFVYv3G8Jjgksf6TGNviOjpawXauTbw9ZxUJyT6QhhiXKPwAQlvMEaXIcXYuTn73h6EP-jkRT01uJNou-MwIfZ8ZZIw6_CjX3_WStvT5Pt_x5hPgQ3Lc0-Srkox_Y-0ooiBsK08TlQtM4/s640/P1110454.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><span style="color: #990000;">We did manage to book reasonable bus tickets (most travellers take the night train up to Sapa, but as we had had a less comfortable experience before on a Vietnamse night train, we didn’t want to do that), but getting a hotel room turned out to be a problem. First of all, the prices were sky-high, so even really lowsy-looking hotels cost more than what we normally paid for really nice hotels. Secondly, it happened not once but twice that we made a reservation on booking.com, only to receive a message from the hotel a couple of hours later saying “your booking is cancelled as the hotel is full”. Our idea was to spend one night in Sapa town and organize there a trekking trip with a guide and have a couple of nights in a homestay in some small village. Finally we managed to book a hotel that didn’t cancel our reservation, and we arrived in Sapa, only to find out it was nothing like we expected - I had envisioned a quiet mountain town, instead we found a poor man’s Las Vegas with plentiful neon signs, plus incredible traffic, noise and nerve-wrecking crowds. Our first night in Sapa was far from what we expected, and the things didn’t get any better the next morning either.</span></i> </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7k8uWkGo50ipaLcW06dKAib0JtMbnFiDuJjGUY2RWo1Un_M17wRTawSMelkPgDPrpf8raxJtZsHwVtSK7p8lJNhr7p9vSrblFjUz5xPmrEEN9wOB97DaaCvM8O9Sc2HZK63_8H4xvEGE/s1600/P1110537.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7k8uWkGo50ipaLcW06dKAib0JtMbnFiDuJjGUY2RWo1Un_M17wRTawSMelkPgDPrpf8raxJtZsHwVtSK7p8lJNhr7p9vSrblFjUz5xPmrEEN9wOB97DaaCvM8O9Sc2HZK63_8H4xvEGE/s640/P1110537.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Surreal greenery</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Tavallisesti Aasiassa kaikki kyllä järjestyy ja on aina saatavilla, kunhan asiakas on valmis maksamaan. Ei näin Sapassa lomakaudella - hotellimme respa ei onnistunut löytämään meille opasta, sillä kaikki oli jo varattu, eikä myöskään saanut yhteyttä kehenkään tuntemaansa homestayn omistajaan. Löysimme sentään varaussivustolta pari saatavilla olevaa homestay-majoitusta läheisestä Lao Cain kylästä, joten nappasimme kaupungista moottoripyörätaksit (yllättävän kohtuulliseen hintaan 60 000 dongia eli reilut pari euroa per pyörä) ja suuntasimme kaupungin raivostuttavasta tungoksesta pikkukylän suhteelliseen rauhaan. Otimme huoneen kivalla näköalalla (muuten ihan ok huone, paitsi että sänky oli ihan kivikova!) ja päätimme lähteä patikoimaan ympäröivälle seudulle omin päin. Seuraavaksi päiväksi isäntämme lupautui oppaaksi 400 000 dongin eli noin 15 euron hintaan.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuYBvgaUDZVybCUFd4_sygTAeySxYibXp7O_Jmx7y_drWu7AL8EeflE027Yt6CXEiTCmLN1wRSZZBXNx7-uX4eIRgq5Q3U7o4H8znxNPVTSyL0HtlxyUSuAAcUtwDmhhQzu5q0YQbhHts/s1600/P_20190429_104021.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuYBvgaUDZVybCUFd4_sygTAeySxYibXp7O_Jmx7y_drWu7AL8EeflE027Yt6CXEiTCmLN1wRSZZBXNx7-uX4eIRgq5Q3U7o4H8znxNPVTSyL0HtlxyUSuAAcUtwDmhhQzu5q0YQbhHts/s640/P_20190429_104021.jpg" width="360" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Getting our motorcyle taxies from Sapa town</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><span style="color: #990000;">Usually in Asia it is easy to arrange anything at a moment’s notice, as long as you are willing to pay. Not so in Sapa during the holiday. Our hotel’s receptionist was not able to get us a guide, as everybody was booked already, nor did she manage to contact any homestay owners. Luckily we managed to find a homestay with availability on booking.com in nearby Lao Cai village, so we grabbed motorcycle taxis from town at surprisingly reasonable rate of 60 000 dongs per bike (a couple of euro) and left the agonizing chaos of the town behind to get to the relative peace and quiet of the little village. We got a room with a nice view (otherwise all was ok, but the bed was rock hard!) and decided to head out for a walk by ourselves in the surrounding area. Our host promised to work as our guide the next day for the price of 400 000 dongs (about 15 euro).</span></i>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ready to go...</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Kylän ympäristössä oli helppo patikoida ilman opasta kauniin vihreiden riisiviljelmien ja muiden kylien läpi, sillä näillä poluilla ei olisi voinut eksyä ja ympärillä oli yleensä ihmisiä. Heti kävelymatkamme aluksi meitä lähti seuraamaan nuori paikallinen tyttö kantaen laukkuja, rannekoruja ja muita käsitöitä. Tajusin tietenkin, että hän haluaa myydä niitä meille, mutta aluksi hän ei puhunut mitään, hymyili vain nätisti ja seurasi meitä sanaakaan sanomatta. Vähän ajan päästä hän alkoi esitellä tuotteitaan, joista olin kyllä kiinnostunut, mutta en olisi siinä vaiheessa halunnut ostaa mitään. Yritin sanoa, että tulisin katsomaan niitä myöhemmin, kun palaisimme takaisin, mutta hän vain hymyili ja jatkoi seuraamistamme lannistumatta. Lopulta päädyin ostamaan laukun ihan vain siksi, ettei tyttöpolo joutuisi seuraamaan meitä koko päivää, ja joka tapauksessa halusin sen nätin laukun. Sitä saatoin sitten esitellä kaikille muille, jotka myöhemmässä vaiheessa halusivat myydä minulle muita laukkuja.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The persistent sales girl in the background</td></tr>
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<span style="color: #990000; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>It was easy to hike without a guide around the village through the beautiful green rice terraces, as you couldn’t have gotten lost on these tracks and there were always some people around. In the beginning of our walk a young local girl started following us. Although she didn’t say a word, it was pretty obvious that she wanted to sell us the colourful bags and other crafts that she was carrying. Sure enough, after a while she approached us and started showing us her products, which I was interested in, but didn’t really want to buy anything at that point. I tried declining politely saying that on our way back we can have a look at her products, however she just kept smiling sweetly and following us undeterred. Finally I ended up buying a bag that I wanted anyway, so that she wouldn’t hang around all day. This way I could also deter the others wanting to sell me the same bag, as I could show I had already shopped. </i></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Animals in the village</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Maisemat olivat kauniit, mutta meidän makuumme näillä seuduilla oli vähän turhan paljon ihmisiä eikä oikein luonnon rauhaa. Seuraavana päivänä olisimme halunneet mennä jonnekin vähän rauhallisemmille seuduille kauemmaksi kylistä, mutta kuinkas sitten kävikään... tarkoituksemme oli ostaa bussilippu Baolau-varaussivuston kautta takaisin Hanoihin iltapäiväksi, niin että voisimme viettää vielä toisen yön kotimajoituksessa ja palata aamulla takaisin Sapaan. Niitä lippujahan ei sitten ollutkaan enää saatavilla - ainoa mahdollisuus on aamukahdeksalta menevä bussi, joka ei näyttänyt olevan vielä loppuunmyyty, mutta saatavilla "on request". Jouduimme siis palaamaan Sapaan päivää aikaisemmin ja yöpymään siellä viimeisen yön, jotta ehtisimme tähän bussiin. Kaiken huipuksi tämä bussilippukin peruttiin, sitä ei siis ollutkaan saatavilla, joten ryntäsimme Sapassa ensimmäiseen näkemäämme matkatoimistoon kysymään, löytyisikö jostain jotain bussilippua takaisin Hanoihin seuraavaksi päiväksi. Heppu onnistui löytämään meille kaksi viimeistä lippua klo 16 bussiin - eli periaatteessa olisimme sittenkin voineet pitäytyä alkuperäisessä suunnitelmassa, jos olisimme onnistuneet ostamaan nämä liput etukäteen. Sen sijaan olimme jälleen jumissa infernaalisen kaoottisessa Sapan kaupungissa surkeassa homeisessa hotellissa. Tässä vaiheessa olimme vakaasti sitä mieltä, että koko Sapan reissu oli ollut täysin turha ja varsinainen katastrofi.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Boys in da hood</td></tr>
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<i><span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The scenery was beautiful around the village, but for us there were a bit too many people and it was not as peaceful as</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> we would have liked. The following day we would have liked to go trekking with a guide a bit further away from the villages, but the fate would have otherwise... we wanted to book a bus ticket</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">back to Hanoi </span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">on Baolau booking site </span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">for the afternoon, so that we could have stayed another night in the village and hike back to Sapa in the morning. However, no tickets were available for any later than 8am, and even that was marked as "on request". As a result we had to return to Sapa the night before to be able to catch this bus. Surprise surprise, also this bus ticket was cancelled after we made the arrangements, as finally it wasn't available, so as soon as we got to Sapa we rushed into the first travel agency to see if they could possibly arrange us some way of getting back to Hanoi for the next day. The guy managed to get us two last tickets for the 4pm bus - so we could have stuck with the original plan after all, if only we had been able to buy these tickets before. Instead we were back in the infernal chaos of Sapa town, staying in a crappy mouldy hotel. At this point we really thought the whole trip to Sapa was a complete disaster and waste of time and money. </span></span></i><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Action in the pig sty</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Vappupäivän aamu valkeni sumuisena ja harmaana, mutta tämä aamupäivä osoittautui Sapan reissun pelastajaksi. Koska bussi lähti vasta klo 16 aikaan, meillä oli aikaa mennä vielä yhdelle patikointiretkelle, ja Gina löysi sattumoisin karttasovelluksestaan sopivan näköisen reitin. Tämä reitti oli juuri sitä Sapaa, mitä olimme tulleet hakemaan: luonnon rauhaa, vihreitä riisiviljelmiä, vesipuhveleita, eikä juuri ollenkaan muita ihmisiä. Reitin varrella kohtasimme muutaman muun länsimaisen turistin oppaiden kanssa, ja kävelimme yhden kylän läpi, mutta muuten saimme nauttia hiljaisuudesta ja rauhasta. Oli aivan ihanaa viimein rentoutua ja olla kaukana liikenteen metelistä ja loputtomista ihmislaumoista. Tämä kolmen tunnin patikkamatka sai meidät toteamaan, että kannatti sittenkin tulla Sapaan - sinne ei vain missään tapauksessa kannata matkustaa vapun tienoilla! </span><br />
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<span style="color: #990000; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>The morning of 1st May was grey and foggy, but this day turned out to be the salvation of our Sapa trip. As the bus was only going around 4pm that day, we had time for one more hike, and Gina happened to find a suitable-looking route in her map app. This hiking route was exactly what we had come to Sapa for: peaceful nature, lush green rice terraces, water buffaloes, and hardly any other people. Along the route we came across a couple of other Western tourists with guides, and walked through one village, but other than that it was just the two of us in peace and quiet. It was wonderful to finally be away from the traffic noise and the maddening crowds. This three hours' hike made us realize, that it was worth travelling to Sapa after all - it was just a terrible idea to go there during this holiday season!</i></span></div>
Nomadihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02526178789320131836noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6699883048972720931.post-4867141064879249672019-05-16T04:37:00.000-07:002019-05-16T04:37:04.772-07:00Upeita maisemia ja luolia Phong Nha-Ke Bang Kansallispuistossa - Amazing Scenery and Caves in Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Nautittuamme pari päivää keisarillisen kauniista <a href="http://sillavalinmaailmalla.blogspot.com/2019/05/hue-keisareiden-kaupunki-imperial-city.html" target="_blank">Huen</a> kaupungista suuntasimme vaihteeksi luontokohteeseen, nimittäin Phong Nha-Ke Bangin kansallispuistoon, joka tunnetaan erikoisesti luolistaan. Tältä alueelta löytyy melko hiljattain löydetty maailman suurin luola, Son Doong, jonne myös pääsisi vierailemaan - kunhan pulittaa 3 000 USD ja odottaa pari vuotta, sinne on nimittäin kahden vuoden jonotusaika. Meillä ei ihan riittänyt budjetti eikä aika tähän luolaan, joten suuntasimme muutamaan muuhun alueen kymmenistä luolista. Yövyimme pari yötä hyvin simppelissä ja edullisessa majatalossa Son Tracin kylässä, joka oli viehättävän rauhallinen pikkukylä - mukavaa vaihtelua liikenteentäyteisiin suurkaupunkeihin.<br />
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<i><span style="color: #990000;">After enjoying a couple of days in the imperial city of <a href="http://sillavalinmaailmalla.blogspot.com/2019/05/hue-keisareiden-kaupunki-imperial-city.html" target="_blank">Hue</a> we headed for a change back to nature - to Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park, known in particular for its caves. Here is where you find the rather recently discovered Son Doong, the biggest cave in the world, which you can also visit - as long as you are willing to pay 3 000 USD and wait for a couple of years, as their waiting list is around two years. We didn't quite have the budget nor the time for it, so we headed to see some other caves, as there are dozens of caves in the area. We chose the little village of Son Trac as our base and stayed in a very simple and affordable guest house. It was really nice to stay in a quiet village after all the traffic-choked mega-cities.</span></i><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizUljoVpV_YDZzzxhsbHsjXtbkq_TMAaCn6YeTXLuz-6daYtIP9OQUlCnipzVNPLqi6WkYg1LDPTz_64gXRcllDpQ023LVqeYQOPjYLwk5hUbPK1a1rv23RDbAfhM5IE7sbNA5pdFuH5U/s1600/FHD0280.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="909" data-original-width="1600" height="362" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizUljoVpV_YDZzzxhsbHsjXtbkq_TMAaCn6YeTXLuz-6daYtIP9OQUlCnipzVNPLqi6WkYg1LDPTz_64gXRcllDpQ023LVqeYQOPjYLwk5hUbPK1a1rv23RDbAfhM5IE7sbNA5pdFuH5U/s640/FHD0280.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Olimme varanneet yhden päivän <a href="https://oxalis.com.vn/tour/tu-lan-1-day-experience/" target="_blank">retken </a>Tu Lan -luolan alueelle Oxalis-firman kautta hintaan 1 800 000 dongia per henkilö, eli noin 72 euroa. Summa tuntui hurjalta, mutta kokemus oli ehdottomasti sen arvoinen! Yksi tämän alueen valttikorteista on se, että Kong: Skull Island -elokuvan kohtauksia on kuvattu täällä. En ota kantaa kyseisen elokuvan meriitteihin, mutta maisemat ovat kyllä sen verran hienot, että en ihmettele alueen valintaa elokuvan taustalle. Meidät tultiin hakemaan hotellilta sovitusti ja ajettiin noin puolentoista tunnin päähän Tan Hoa -kylään, josta patikointi ensin pienten karstivuorien ympäröimien viljemien ja myöhemmin viidakon läpi alkoi. Patikointia oli yhteensä noin yhdeksän kilometriä, eli mistään kovin pitkästä vaelluksesta ei ollut kyse, mutta kuumankosteissa olosuhteissa se oli ihan riittävästi. Oli helpotus päästä viileyteen ensimmäisen luolan sisälle, joka tunnetaan nimellä Rat Cave - onneksi siellä ei kuitenkaan ole rottia, vaikka lentäviä rottia eli lepakoita siellä kyllä riitti. Kuljimme oppaan johdolla ihmettelemässä kivimuodostelmia ja ryömimme välillä hyvinkin pienistä koloista, joten kovin ahtaanpaikankammoisille tyypeille tätä reissua ei voi suositella. Jatkoimme patikkamatkaa kohti Hung Thon -luolaa, jossa virtaa maanalainen joki. Hyppäsimme jokeen vaatteet päällä ja kengät jalassa ja uimme noin 50 metrin matkan vain otsalamppujemme valaisemassa luolassa - se oli todella hauska ja vähän jännittävä kokemus. Päädyimme To Mo -laaksoon, jossa meitä odotti lounas (kevätkääryleitä sekä liha- että vegeversioina) ja meillä oli vapaata aikaa uiskennella lammessa, ennen kuin aloitimme paluumatkan - eli uimme jälleen luolan läpi joessa ja patikoimme takaisin samaa reittiä. Päästyämme takaisin alkupisteeseen hienon päivän kruunasi hintaan kuuluva kylmä juoma. Tämä oli ehdottomasti yksi Vietnamin matkan huippukohdista, ja kenties yksi hienoimmista jutuista, mitä olimme koskaan tehneet!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Inside the Rat Cave</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ready for a swim in a cave</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Day light at the end of the cave swim</td></tr>
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<i><span style="color: #990000;">We had reserved <a href="https://oxalis.com.vn/tour/tu-lan-1-day-experience/" target="_blank">Tu Lan 1-day experience</a> from Oxalis at the cost of 1 800 000 dong (about 72 euro) per person. While the price seemed very high, it was definitely worth every dong! One of the things this area is known for is that some scenes for the movie Kong: Skull Island were filmed here. I won't comment on the merits of that particular movie, but the scenery was so incredible that I can well understand why they would have chosen this place for the film. We were picked up from our guest house as agreed and driven about 1,5 hours to the village of Tan Hoa, where the hike first through the fields surrounded by little mountains and later on jungle started. We hiked altogether about nine kilometres, so it was not massively long, but in the relentless heat it was quite enough. It was a relief to reach the coolness of the first cave we explored - Rat Cave, which despite its name luckily does not have rats. There are the flying rats, though, as the cave hosts a massive bat colony. We walked around the cave with the guide, amazed by the rock formations, scrambling through some pretty tight spots at times, so this tour cannot be recommended for people with claustrophobic tendencies. After the cave exploration we continued the hike to the next cave, Hung Thon, a wet cave with an underground river. We jumped in with all our clothes and shoes and swam through the cave about 50 metres until reaching the To Mo valley, where the lunch (Vietnamese spring rolls with meat and veggie versions) was awaiting us. After lunch we had time to swim before starting our journey back the same way we came - first swimming through the cave and hike back. Once we got back to square one, our experience was finalized with a cold drink included in the price. This was definitely one of the highlights of our trip to Vietnam, and actually one of the best things we ever did!</span></i><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In the darkness</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Swimming after lunch</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrPyRTMndfZ4aHdwAzptNYkY1ktx12m9rX-MgSBdTMrz_nJWgFktTwtPpt_QmtU9itWzvj4bREfgmuUxKcAS1NQSK1bXhXaqXiOYIU2NcH3ddk_VOnoYGO2rc1ks0YC593bQAUMovlBck/s1600/P1110294.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrPyRTMndfZ4aHdwAzptNYkY1ktx12m9rX-MgSBdTMrz_nJWgFktTwtPpt_QmtU9itWzvj4bREfgmuUxKcAS1NQSK1bXhXaqXiOYIU2NcH3ddk_VOnoYGO2rc1ks0YC593bQAUMovlBck/s640/P1110294.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Views along the way</td></tr>
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Meillä oli vielä yksi aamupäivä aikaa Son Tracissa, ja arvoimme aikamme mitä muuta luolaa kävisimme katsomassa. Paradise Cave -luolaa kehutaan kaikkein hienoimmaksi, mutta sinne päästäksemme olisimme joutuneet vuokraamaan moottoripyörän, joten päädyimme helpoimpaan vaihtoehtoon: Phong Nha -luolaan, jonne pääsee vain veneellä. Veneet lähtevät Phong Nha Caves Tour Centeristä, joka oli noin 10 minuutin kävelymatkan päässä majatalostamme. Venematkan voi jakaa korkeintaan 10 hengen kesken - me onnistuimme lyöttäytymään neljän saksalaisen mukaan, joten veneessämme oli kuusi henkeä sekä saksalaisten palkkaama opas. Näin ollen maksoimme veneestä ja sisäänpääsystä kahteen luolaan yhteensä 12 euroa per henkilö. Mekin saimme siinä siivellä vähän opastusta, vaikka tarkoitus oli vain jakaa venekyyti. Meidän piti kuitenkin pysytellä yhdessä, sillä ryhmän pitää mennä samalla veneellä myös takaisin. Pääsimme näkemään samalla reissulla kaksi luolaa: ensin Thien Son -luolan, jonne piti kiivetä 330 askelmaa jyrkkiä portaita (helle teki tästäkin paljon raskaampaa) ja jälkeenpäin veneellä itse Phong Nha -luolan. Ilmeisesti monet eivät jaksa kiivetä Tien Son -luolaan, sillä siellä ei ollut ketään muita turisteja, ja se oli todella vaikuttava - ja ihanan viileä paikka. Veneretki Phong Nha -luolan läpi oli hyvin miellyttävä, sillä veneiden moottorit sammutetaan ja kuski soutaa reilun kilometrin verran luolan sisällä. Hiljaisuus hämärän luolan sisällä vahvistaa taianomaista tunnelmaa.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Boats ready to go</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY94Ct_P0gaOqN-iZ0PVXZWFwEfIKTTMZLst_52NXiNwS6zfVvic0bx0fpIzbA4ifvtNINSixU0Grhvpo3h93f7pi8LP836TVRme2NAfZD6PAlj5oi7ohKLK7T2kMGZn2_3BGeBdbQB_I/s1600/P1110354.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY94Ct_P0gaOqN-iZ0PVXZWFwEfIKTTMZLst_52NXiNwS6zfVvic0bx0fpIzbA4ifvtNINSixU0Grhvpo3h93f7pi8LP836TVRme2NAfZD6PAlj5oi7ohKLK7T2kMGZn2_3BGeBdbQB_I/s640/P1110354.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilQ5YBCWxHYwOTi38hcmm5ZevDg8rNDHJ0U9FRWZl9OiMtbz19eyMf9bpT8ShyphenhyphenaEn8_H-Fb4DnKkQ-yZFFvBcB31-zl8BLm-2ARlGuARmU5BBrV4pAlGsPFwY6xv6qPoW8wRqReXcgugs/s1600/P1110358.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilQ5YBCWxHYwOTi38hcmm5ZevDg8rNDHJ0U9FRWZl9OiMtbz19eyMf9bpT8ShyphenhyphenaEn8_H-Fb4DnKkQ-yZFFvBcB31-zl8BLm-2ARlGuARmU5BBrV4pAlGsPFwY6xv6qPoW8wRqReXcgugs/s640/P1110358.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Inside Thien Son Cave</td></tr>
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<i><span style="color: #990000;">We had still one morning in Son Trac, and we took our time deciding which cave to visit. Paradise Cave is often mentioned to be the most beautiful one, but to get there we would have had to rent a motor bike, so we ended up choosing the easiest option: Phong Nha Cave, which is only accessible by boat. The boats leave from Phong Nha Caves Tour Centre which was located about 10 minutes' walk from our guest house. You can share a boat with maximum 10 people - we managed to join four German people, so we had six passengers plus a guide hired by the Germans. This way we paid for the boat ride and the entrance fee to two caves altogether 12 euro per person. As a bonus we could also get some of the guiding, although we had meant just to share the boat. However, the group needs to stay together as they also need to take the same boat back. We got to visit two caves on the same trip: first Thien Son Cave, where you needed to climb up 330 steps on steep steps (the heat made this rather challenging) and afterwards we took the boat to the Phong Nha Cave. Apparently not many tourists make the taxing trek up the stairs, as there were no other tourists in Thien Son Cave. It was a really impressive and mercifully cool place. The boat trip through Phong Nha Cave was lovely, as the drivers turn off the engines of the boats and paddle around a kilometre inside the cave. The silence inside the cave makes the atmosphere just magical. </span></i><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our boat (the blue one)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjqaNALn5bPCN2-3aMljFze4NhwOnfRVE_BO-QlNsZOWpuMrtdI5554JodyPSPVFgSB2Uz5M_W8TexaQ4lnnfH-hrh9Dk92qbhcu9zBxWWDn0uG-Yv3Aes1tiVe7g00WTT7UgCsz00pWg/s1600/P1110385.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjqaNALn5bPCN2-3aMljFze4NhwOnfRVE_BO-QlNsZOWpuMrtdI5554JodyPSPVFgSB2Uz5M_W8TexaQ4lnnfH-hrh9Dk92qbhcu9zBxWWDn0uG-Yv3Aes1tiVe7g00WTT7UgCsz00pWg/s640/P1110385.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Phong Nha Cave</td></tr>
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Phong Nha oli ehdottomasti käymisen arvoinen paikka, ja oli ihana päästä välillä luonnon rauhaan Vietnamin kaoottisista miljoonakaupungeista. Seuraavaksi olimmekin matkalla maan pääkaupunkiin Hanoihin, joten kaaosta oli jälleen tiedossa!<br />
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<i><span style="color: #990000;">Phong Nha was absolutely worth staying a couple of days, and it was lovely to get away from Vietnam's chaotic big cities to enjoy some time in the nature. Our next destination was the capital city of Hanoi, so more chaos ahead!</span></i><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stylish cavers ready to go</td></tr>
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Nomadihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02526178789320131836noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6699883048972720931.post-63958913352762647402019-05-08T05:56:00.000-07:002019-05-08T05:58:18.784-07:00Hue, keisareiden kaupunki - The Imperial City of Hue<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Ihanasta <a href="https://sillavalinmaailmalla.blogspot.com/2019/05/hoi-vietnamin-tunnelmallisin-kaupunki.html" target="_blank">Hoi Anista</a> matkamme jatkui Vietnamin muinaiseen pääkaupunkiin nimeltään Hue. Matkan varrella olisi ollut hienoja maisemia, kuten kuuluisa Hai Van Pass, joten monet matkaavat tämän välin vaikkapa yksityisellä autolla tai Easy Rider -moottoripyörän kyydissä, mutta me päädyimme nopeimpaan, helpoimpaan ja halvimpaan vaihtoehtoon eli bussiin (130 000 dongia eli viitisen euroa, noin kolme tuntia). Hue oli yksi niistä kohteista, jonne saavuimme ilman sen kummempaa etukäteiskäsitystä kuin että se oli Vietnamin entinen pääkaupunki ja siellä on muinainen keisarillinen kaupunki. Aasiassa on kuitenkin niin helppoa matkustaa siksi, että vaikka et itse tietäisi mitä sinun kannattaa kohteessa tehdä, joku kyllä kertoo sinulle ja myy sinulle asiaankuuluvan retken. Saavuttuamme pieneen perhehotelliimme sen omistaja kertoi meille, että meidän pitäisi mennä seuraavana päivänä veneretkelle kaupunkia halkovaa jokea pitkin ja käydä matkalla parissa temppelissä ja keisareiden haudoilla. Retkeen sisältyisi kuljetuksen ja oppaan lisäksi lounas ja hintaa tulisi 220 000 dongia eli noin 7 euroa per henkilö. Lisäksi meidän pitäisi ostaa pääsylippu haudoille, mutta voisimme ostaa kombolipun johon sisältyy hautojen lisäksi se vanha kaupunki, johon olimme joka tapauksessa menossa 260 000 dongilla eli 10 eurolla per henkilö. Kuulosti hyvältä, joten buukkasimme retken seuraavaksi päiväksi ja vietimme illan tallustellen rennosti joen vartta pitkin - alue oli oikein miellyttävä paikka, jonne paikalliset näyttivät kokoontuvan viettämään perjantai-iltaa rennoissa merkeissä.<br />
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<i><span style="color: #990000;">From the lovely <a href="https://sillavalinmaailmalla.blogspot.com/2019/05/hoi-vietnamin-tunnelmallisin-kaupunki.html" target="_blank">Hoi An</a> we continued our journey to Vietnam's ancient capital called Hue. Along the way there would have been some beautiful scenery, such as the famous Hai Van Pass, so many people travel this bit by hiring a private car or by taking an Easy Rider motorcycle ride. However, we ended up taking the easiest, fastest and cheapest way: the bus (130 000 dongs or 5 euro per person, about three hours). Hue was one of those places that we arrived to without much idea about what to do, other than visiting the imperial city. The good thing about travelling around in Asia is that you don't need to know what to do in a destination - somebody will tell you what to do and sell you a tour accordingly. When arriving in our little family-run hotel, the owner told us we should take boat trip along the river that runs through the city to visit some pagodas and emperor's tombs the following day. The trip would include transport, guide and a lunch at the price of 220 000 dong, so about 7 euro per person. In addition we would need to buy entrance tickets and we could buy a combo ticket including the tombs and the imperial city for 260 000 dong (10 euro) per person. That all sounded good, so we booked the trip for the next day and spent the evening strolling along the river bank - it was a really pleasant area where the locals appeared to gather to hang out on a Friday night. </span></i><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chua Thien Mu temple's pagoda</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View over the river from Chu Thien Mu</td></tr>
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Aamulla meidät tultiin hakemaan hieman yllättäen moottoripyörillä satamaan. Ihan kiva, kun muuten ei tullut Vietnamissa matkattua moottoripyörillä. Vene oli lohikäärmein koristeltu turistibotski, joka ei tullut lähellekään täyteen - meitä oli ehkä noin 10 henkeä koko reissulla ja tilaa olisi ollut ainakin kolme kertaa isommalle porukalle. Retki oli mielenkiintoinen ja keisareiden haudat olivat odottamaani vaikuttavampia. Aloitimme Chua Thien Mu -temppelistä, jonka seitsemänkerroksista pagodaa pidetään Huen symbolina. Temppeli sijaitsee pienen kukkulan huipulla ja sieltä avautuukin hienot näkymät joen yli. Seuraava kohteemme Van Thanh, joka tunnetaan englanniksi nimellä Temple of Literature, on omistettu konfutselaiselle filosofialle. Huen ympärillä on useampiakin keisareiden hautoja, meidän retkemme kävi Minh Mangin ja Khai Dinhin haudoilla. Kyse ei kuitenkaan ollut vain haudasta, vaan nämä keisarit olivat rakennuttaneet suorastaan kokonaisia kaupunkeja ruumistaan vartioimaan. Esimerkiksi Minh Mangin hautamuistomerkin ympärillä on lähes 30 hehtaarin kokoinen alue, jota ympäröi vallihauta. Matkalla takaisin kaupunkiin teimme pikaisen pysäkin työpajalla, jossa tehtiin suitsukkeita ja näitä tuotoksia olisi tietenkin voinut ostaa matkamuistoiksi. Jos olisin ollut kotiin menossa tämän matkan jälkeen, olisin voinut jotain ostaakin, mutta eipä niitä suitsukkeita aleta kantaa ympäri maailmaa.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Temple of Literature</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Entrance to Khai Dinh's tomb</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Views from Khai Dinh's tomb</td></tr>
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<i><span style="color: #990000;">In the morning we were picked up, slightly surprisingly, by motor bikes. Actually that was nice as we hadn't been travelling by motor bikes in Vietnam until that. The tourist boat was decorated with dragons and it was nowhere near full - there were maybe about 10 people and there would have been capacity for at least three times that many people. The tour was really interesting and the imperial tombs were more impressive than I had expected. We started off in Chu Thien Mu temple, whose seven-story pagoda is an unofficial symbol of the city of Hue. The temple is located on top of a hill affording nice views over the river. We also stopped at Van Thahn, or Temple of Literature, which was dedicated to Confucius.There are several imperial tombs around Hue, but our trip took us to two of them: Minh Mang and Khai Dinh's tombs. However, these are not just tombs, but the emperors had built entire cities to guard their bodies. For example the area around Minh Mang's tomb covers around 30 hectares and is surrounded by a mote. On the way back to the city we made a quick stop at a work shop where they made incense sticks, which were obviously available for sale. If I had been travelling home after this I might have bought some, but I'm not keen on carrying incense sticks in my backpack around the world, so I had to leave it. </span></i><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Minh Mang tomb and gardens</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Incense making</td></tr>
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Seuraavana aamuna suuntasimme sinne vanhaan kaupunkiin, eli keisarilliseen kaupunkiin. Vallihaudan reunustamassa keisarillisen kaupungin sisällä on kielletty purppurakaupunki (joka luotiin Pekingin kielletyn kaupungin mallin mukaan) ja sen sisällä keisarillinen palatsi. Muureja ja niiden suojaamia muinaisia rakennuksia siis riitti ja vietimme alueella kolmisen tuntia kuljeskellen paahtavassa helteessä. Keisarillinen kaupunki oli kieltämättä todella hieno ja mielenkiintoinen kohde, joskin helle vei vähän voimat ja viimeinen kohteemme, lippuun kuuluva keisarillinen museo tuntui kiinnostavimmalta juuri siinä kohdassa, mihin tuuletin puhalsi.<br />
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<i><span style="color: #990000;">The following morning we headed into the imperial city. Within the imperial city there is the forbidden purple city, modelled after the forbidden city in Beijing, as well as the imperial palace. So there were plenty of moats and walls protecting the beautiful ancient buildings, and we could easily spend three hours strolling around the area in the searing heat. The imperial city was absolutely stunning and interesting, however the heat sucked away our energy and the last sight, the imperial museum included in the ticket, felt the most interesting exactly at that spot where the fan was blowing. </span></i><br />
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Hue oli odotettua miellyttävämpi kaupunki, jossa oli mukava viettää pari päivää. Iltaisin käyskentelimme reppureissaajien suosimalla alueella, jossa oli paljon menoa ja meininkiä - baareja happy houreineen ja paljon erilaisia ravintoloita. Seuraavaksi suuntaisimmekin luonnon rauhaan kohti Phong Nhan kansallispuistoa!<br />
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<i><span style="color: #990000;">Hue was actually more pleasant a town than we expected, and it was really nice to spend a couple of days there. In the evenings we strolled around the backpacker-favoured area with lots of bars with happy hours and different restaurants. Next our journey would take us back to nature in the Phong Nha national park!</span></i></div>
Nomadihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02526178789320131836noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6699883048972720931.post-52648167374021471792019-05-05T02:59:00.001-07:002019-05-05T02:59:29.480-07:00Hoi An - Vietnamin tunnelmallisin kaupunki vai täyteenahdettu turistirysä? The Most Atmospheric Town in Vietnam, or an Overcrowded Tourist Trap? <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Segoe UI;">Hoi Ania kehutaan usein Vietnamin tunnelmallisimmaksi kaupungiksi, eikä suotta - viehättävän vanhankaupungit kapeat kujat värikkäine paperilyhtyineen ovat todellakin Instagram-kuvatulvan arvoiset. Toiset tosin moittivat, että kaupungista on tullut liian täyteenahdettu turistirysä. Lähdimme ottamaan selvää, ihastuisimmeko mekin Hoi Aniin vai oliko edessä pettymys. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Segoe UI;"><i><span style="color: #990000;">Hoi An is often called the most atmospheric town in Vietnam, and for a good reason - the narrow alleys of the charming ancient town with the colourful lanterns are truly Instagram-worthy. However, some people say the town has become an overcrowded tourist trap. We went to find out whether we would be charmed by Hoi An or were we in for a disappointment. </span></i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Segoe UI;">Matkaa Nha Trangista oli 10 tuntia, ja olimme päätyneet varaamaan yöjunan kakkosluokan makuuvaunulla. Tämä tarkoittaa kuuden hengen “hard bed” -hyttiä ja voin sanoa että ne sängyt olivat kyllä nimensä veroiset - oli kuin olisi maannut puulankulla. Hyttiin päästyämme katselimme sängyllä lojuvaa ryttyistä lakanaa ja huopaa epäillen, sillä se näytti jo käytetyltä. Onneksi meillä oli omat pienet matkatyynyt ja viltit mukana, niin ei tarvinnut jakaa ainakaan tyynyään ties kenen aiemman nukkujan kanssa. Yön mittaan epäilymme vahvistuivat, sillä hyttikaverimme vaihtuivat useampaan kertaan eikä kukaan tullut vaihtamaan lakanoita - kaikki nukkuivat siis samoilla petivaatteilla. Matka ei ollut mitenkään erikoisen mukava johtuen ensinnäkin niistä kivikovista sängyistä, toisekseen siitä että valot olivat päällä koko yön ja porukkaa tuli ja meni pitkin yötä eri asemille pysähdyttäessä. Emme siis olleet saaneet paljoakaan nukuttua junan saapuessa Danangiin, joka on lähin mahdollinen asema - juna ei kulje Hoi Aniin. Halusimme päästä helpolla, joten olimme varanneet kuskin hotellistamme ja tällä kertaa kuski olikin sovitusti vastassa ja pääsimme perille hotelliimme ongelmitta. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Japanese bridge</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Segoe UI;"><i><span style="color: #990000;">It was a good ten-hour journey from Nha Trang and we had booked a night train with 2nd class sleeper. This means a six-person cabin with hard beds, and let me tell you, those beds really earned their name - it was like lying on a wooden plank. When getting into the cabin we looked at the rumpled bed sheets and blanket with some doubt, as they looked already used. Luckily we had our little travel pillows and blankets with us, so at least we didn’t need to share the pillow with lord knows who had slept there before. During the journey our doubts proved true, as our cabin mates changed several times and nobody came in to change the sheets - everybody just used the same sheets. It was not a particularly comfortable jorney due to the rock-hard beds, having the lights on the whole night and with people coming and going throughout the night while stopping at different stations. We were not exactly well-rested on arrival to Danang, which is the closest possible station to Hoi An - the train does not go to Hoi An itself. We wanted to get there hassle-free after the night on the train, so we had booked a transfer from our hotel. This time the driver was there waiting for us and we got into our hotel smoothly. </span></i></span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Boats with lanterns</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Segoe UI;">Tärkein nähtävyys Hoi Anissa on koko vanhankaupungin alue, joka on itsessään jo todella hurmaava ja pittoreski. Ostamalla lipun (130 000 dongia eli viitisen euroa per henkilö) saa käydä viidessä valitsemassaan kohteessa, joihin lukeutuu pieniä museoita, temppeleitä, vanhoja asuinrakennuksia sekä kokoontumishalleja. Me pyrimme jakamaan liput niin, että näimme esimerkkejä kaikista näistä, vaikka itse etukäteen vähän ihmettelin mikä hemmetti on assembly hall - ei kuulostanut ollenkaan mielenkiintoiselta, mutta olin tietenkin ihan väärässä. Näiden museo- yms. visiittien lisäksi oli nautinnollista tallustella viehättävillä kapeilla kujilla ja ihastella niitä kuuluisia lyhtyjä, vaikka toki liikkeellä oli aika paljon muitakin ihmisiä. Koimme, että päiväsaikaan vanhassakaupungissa oli miellyttävämpää kuljeskella, sillä illalla siellä oli ihan valtavat ihmismassat ja liikkuminen oli suorastaan hankalaa. Pimeydessä sytytetyt lyhdyt ja joella lipuvat veneet lyhtyineen olivat kyllä todella kaunis näky, mutta sen ihailua hankaloitti väkimassan mukana kulkeminen ja noin 7 000 kaupustelijaa, jotka kaikki halusivat myydä meille veneretkiä ja ties mitä. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Segoe UI;"><i><span style="color: #990000;">The main sight in Hoi An is the ancient town, which is really charming and picturesque in itself. By buying the ticket for 130 000 dongs (about five euro) per person you get to visit five sights of your choosing from a selection of small museums, ancient town houses, temples and assembly halls. We aimed at dividing the tickets so that we could visit one of each, although originally I was wondering what the heck is an assembly hall - that really didn’t sound very interesting but turns out I was very wrong. Apart from visiting these various sights it was really enjoyable just to stroll around the lovely little streets admiring those famous lanterns, although of course the streets were fairly busy with both locals and tourists. We found that in the day time the ancient town was less crowded, while in the evening it got extremely busy and the masses of people made moving around pretty difficult. The lanterns looked even prettier in the darkness, and the boats flowing down the river all lit up looked lovely, but the crowds and the 7000 sales touts wanting to sell us boat trips and what-not made admiring the scenery a bit harder. </span></i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Segoe UI;">Yhtenä iltana päätimme käydä water puppet -showssa (eli… vesimarionetti?), joka kuulosti juuri sellaiselta ihanan omituiselta kokemukselta, joita Aasia on tulvillaan. Olimme käyneet Myanmarissa <a href="http://sillavalinmaailmalla.blogspot.com/2015/03/osa-kuusikymmentaviisi-party-sixty-five.html" target="_blank">nukketeatterissa</a>, mutta tämä vedessä tapahtuva show on kuulemma ainutlaatuinen Vietnamissa. Teatteri oli lyhyen kävelymatkan päässä hotelliltamme, joten menimme sinne hyvissä ajoin ostamaan lippuja peläten pitkää jonoa, jota ei tosin ollut - itse asiassa paikalla ei ollut yhtään ketään. Ostimme 80 000 dongin liput (kolmisen euroa) per henkilö ja saimme valita parhaat paikat. Pikkuhiljaa jonkin verran porukkaa alkoi valua sisään, kaikki länsimaisia turisteja - selkeästi tämä show ei ole kiinalaisten turistien suosiossa. Show kesti 45 minuuttia ja oli sangen viihdyttävä, juuri sellainen kuin mitä odotinkin. On vaikea sanoin kuvailla mitä esitys piti sisällään, joten annan kuvien puhua puolestani. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPV-RJFHZ29XlDJa9pCVOSYRyMREYozMiniQ9geDSxZdwRU9sjRjO2J_EkNEQHjBI2Kq9IANZStpduZicsahSWRo5WSyVmeXDVXTxlvIWXwGvCWYIvdHOXcXWIkZsBGzxYCpM3Wyo1qmM/s1600/P1100963.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPV-RJFHZ29XlDJa9pCVOSYRyMREYozMiniQ9geDSxZdwRU9sjRjO2J_EkNEQHjBI2Kq9IANZStpduZicsahSWRo5WSyVmeXDVXTxlvIWXwGvCWYIvdHOXcXWIkZsBGzxYCpM3Wyo1qmM/s640/P1100963.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The stage is set</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Segoe UI;"><i><span style="color: #990000;">One evening we decided to visit the water puppet show, which sounded exactly the kind of wonderfully weird experience Asia offers. We had been to <a href="http://sillavalinmaailmalla.blogspot.com/2015/03/osa-kuusikymmentaviisi-party-sixty-five.html" target="_blank">a puppet show</a> in Myanmar, but apparently this water puppet show is unique to Vietnam. The theatre was within a short walking distance from the hotel so we walked there well in time, fearing there will be a long queue to get tickets. Turns out our fears were unfounded, as there was absolutely nobody there. We bought our tickets for 80 000 dongs per person (around three euro) and got to choose best possible seats. After a while some people started to trickle in - all Western tourists, obviously this show is not favoured by the Chinese tourists. The show lasted 45 minutes and was very entertaining, exactly what I had expected. It was sort of hard to describe so I will let the pictures do the talking. </span></i></span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At the end of the show the artists came out to join the puppets</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Segoe UI;">Teimme Hoi Anista myös päiväretken My Sonin temppelikompleksiin, joka maksoi 16 euroa per henkilö - hintaan kuului bussikuljetus, “englantia” puhuva opas, veneretki takaisin ja yksinkertainen lounas. Opas oli tosi omituinen, emmekä ymmärtäneet hänen englannistaan juuri mitään, joten lähdimme omille poluillemme heti My Soniin päästyämme, ja kyllä kannatti. Temppelikompleksin alueella oli paljon ihmisiä, mutta me lähdimme kiertämään sitä myötäpäivään, kun turistiryhmät näkyivät menevän vastapäivään, joten onnistuimme välttämään pahimmat ruuhkat sangen tehokkaasti. Lisäksi tällä tavoin näimme kaikkein vaikuttavimmat rauniot viimeiseksi, joten kokemus parani jatkuvasti. My Son muistutti vähän Angkor Watia, mutta paljon pienemmässä mittakaavassa. Muinaiset champat, jotka hallitsivat aluetta 300-luvulta aina 1300-luvulle asti, rakensivat nämä hindutemppelit, mutta suuri osa niistä on tuhoutunut hyvin pitkälle. My Son on UNESCON maailmanperintölistalla ja todella mielenkiintoinen kohde, joskin hillitön kuumuus ja turistimassat tekivät siitä vähän raskaan päiväretkikohteen. Molempia olisi voinut yrittää välttää menemällä paikalle hyvin aikaisin, auringonnousun aikoihin, mutta emme olleet tietoisia tällaisesta vaihtoehdosta ennen kuin retki oli jo ohi.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrrgl2O2esxdZ7AQianCycgKKHgbgDWRhyphenhyphenvLviwAfouG_KXt6-4GaqkyBQXxPV0Qcu9-duLgPtCwznEd-Z1LWsvbCR6x6zzBSbuQLBjL-_Q4IWuZT-ji5wIw7jzkKVeVEZAAwUWw0zpI8/s1600/P1110001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrrgl2O2esxdZ7AQianCycgKKHgbgDWRhyphenhyphenvLviwAfouG_KXt6-4GaqkyBQXxPV0Qcu9-duLgPtCwznEd-Z1LWsvbCR6x6zzBSbuQLBjL-_Q4IWuZT-ji5wIw7jzkKVeVEZAAwUWw0zpI8/s640/P1110001.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At My Son</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Segoe UI;"><i><span style="color: #990000;">We also did a day trip from Hoi An to My Son temple complex. The trip cost 16 euro per person including the bus transfer, “English”-speaking guide, boat trip back and a simple lunch. The guide was really strange and we understood practically nothing what he said, so we ditched him as soon as we got to the temples and went our own way, which really paid off. There were really a lot of people around the complex, but we started going around clockwise, while most tourist groups seemed to go counter-clockwise, so we managed to avoid the worst crowds pretty well. This way we also got to see the most impressive ruins last, so the experience kept getting better and better. My Son reminded us a bit of Angkor Wat, but in a lot smaller scale. The ancient Champa people, who ruled the area between 4th and 14th centuries, built these temples but most of them have been destroyed pretty badly. My Son is on the UNESCO World Heritage list and a really interesting sight, although the relentless heat and the masses of people made it a bit harder to enjoy. We could have tried avoiding both by going there really early, by sunrise, but we were not aware of such option until after the trip.</span></i></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUHxey-Fwf2xhUP9W6t3YoBpyqy0HA0luWnSTTA0dlzYHEj8RljfbY5Tt5bcuROmglUsAwUAr_fTLOrWGTfMYzYJQQGOHac8E6h2ffvgNX2AZiRSswXsKfIfKzaNw1Jf1xH0UiZbLAhBI/s1600/P1110029.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUHxey-Fwf2xhUP9W6t3YoBpyqy0HA0luWnSTTA0dlzYHEj8RljfbY5Tt5bcuROmglUsAwUAr_fTLOrWGTfMYzYJQQGOHac8E6h2ffvgNX2AZiRSswXsKfIfKzaNw1Jf1xH0UiZbLAhBI/s640/P1110029.JPG" width="426" /></a></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My Son temple complex</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Segoe UI;">Pyöräily on Hoi Anissa se juttu, ja kaikkien turistien kuuluu pyöräillä ympäriinsä kaupunkia. Arastelin ensin vähän ajatusta pyöräilystä kauhean liikenteen seassa, mutta loppujen lopuksi liikenteen mukana pyöräily osoittautuikin helpommaksi, kuin esimerkiksi tien ylittämisen yrittäminen. Kävimme yhtenä aamuna pyörillämme Chua Long Tuyen -temppelissä ja Chuc Than -temppelissä, joissa ei näkynyt kerrassaan ketään muita turisteja. Oli ihanan hiljaista ja rauhallista, ja molemmat temppelit olivat todella hienoja. Sieltä jatkoimme matkaa riisiviljelmien kautta Ang Bangin rannalle, jonka piti lukemani mukaan olla melko hiljainen ranta. Se oli ehkä vanhaa tietoa, tai en tiedä mihin tätä biitsiä verrattiin, mutta ei se ainakaan hiljainen ollut - siellä oli ravintoloita vieri vieressä ja kaikki tarjosivat rantatuoleja sangen aggressiivisesti ohikulkeville turisteille. Rantatuolin sai käyttöön ilmaiseksi, kun lupasi syödä lounasta kyseisessä ravintolassa, ja nautimme siellä myös muutaman oluen. Pyöränkin sai parkkeerata ilmaiseksi, kunhan osti jotain baarissa, jolle parkkipaikka kuului, joten nautimme siellä jääkahvit. Mistään hiljaisesta paratiisirannasta ei siis ollut kyse, mutta meillä oli mukava päivä biitsillä. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chua Long Tuyen</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cycling through the rice fields</td></tr>
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<i><span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Segoe UI;">Cycling is the thing to do in Hoi An, and all the tourists must get bikes from their hotel (usually for free) and cycle around the town. I was wary at first to cycle among the terrible traffic, but actually cycling along the traffic turned out to be easier than trying to cross the road. One morning we took our bikes and headed to two temples, </span></span><span style="font-family: "Segoe UI"; font-size: 13.3333px;">Chua Long Tuyen and Chuc Than, </span><span style="font-family: "Segoe UI"; font-size: 10pt;">where there were absolutely no other tourists. It was lovely, quiet and peaceful, and both buildings were really beautiful. We continued on through the rice fields towards Ang Bang beach, which was supposedly an undeveloped beach according to what I had read. I don’t know if that was old information, or what it was comparing the beach to, but I wouldn’t call it undeveloped - it was full of restaurants, all offering beach chairs to the passing tourists in a rather aggressive manner. We could use the beach chair for free when promising to eat lunch in the restaurant, and we also enjoyed a couple of beers throughout the day. Also the bike parking was free if you consumed something in the bar whose parking area it was, so we had an ice coffee there. A quiet paradise beach it was not, but it was a nice way to spend a hot day.</span></span></i></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chuc Than</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Segoe UI;">Mikä on siis vastaukseni otsikon kysymykseen? No, mielestäni Hoi An on vähän molempia. Vaikka siellä toki onkin paljon turisteja, ja välillä kadut voivat olla turhan täynnä, kaupunki on silti mielestäni hurmaava ja siellä on paljon tekemistä. Hoi An oli myös kasvissyöjän paratiisi - vaikka Vietnamissa noin yleensä ei ole vaikea löytää hyvää vegeruokaa, Hoi Anissa on valtavasti tarjontaa ja söin joka päivä todella hyvin. Tähänastisista kohteistamme Vietnamissa Hoi An on ehdottomasti suosikkini!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Segoe UI;"><i><span style="color: #990000;">So, what is my answer to the question in the headline? Well, I think Hoi An is a bit of both. Although there are undeniably a lot of tourists, and the streets can get a bit too busy, in my opinion the town has retained a lot of charm and there is a lot to do. Hoi An is also a haven for vegetarians - even though it is not hard to find good vegetarian food in general in Vietnam, in Hoi An there was a huge variety of options and I ate really well every day there. Hoi An became my favourite of the places we have visited so far in Vietnam!</span></i></span></span></div>
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Nomadihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02526178789320131836noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6699883048972720931.post-26016220700456402332019-05-01T19:31:00.000-07:002019-05-01T19:31:31.640-07:00Vuorilta merelle - From the Mountains to the Sea: Dalat & Nha Trang<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "segoe ui";">Ho Chi Minh Citystä jatkoimme matkaa kohti vuoristossa sijaitsevaa Dalatia noin seitsemän tunnin bussimatkan päässä. Ostimme bussiliput päivää aiemmin hintaan 280 000 dongia per henkilö, johon sisältyi nouto keskustasta bussiasemalle. Yllätyimme nähdessämme, millainen “sleeper bus” Vietnamissa oli - bussissa oli kolme puolittain makuuasennossa olevaa istuinta ylä- ja alarivissä, mikä oli minun kokoiselleni henkilölle ihan mukava vaihtoehto. Yhtään 163-senttistä pidemmälle tyypille se alkaisi kyllä käydä ahtaaksi. Isot rinkat piti laittaa bussin alla olevaan varastoon, ja olimme etukäteen lukeneet että niistä laukuista saattaa matkan aikana hävitä tavaraa, joten mitään arvokasta sinne ei kannata laittaa. Lukko on hyvä olla olemassa joka tapauksessa, jos et halua kenenkään tonkivan tavaroitasi. </span></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On the bus</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "segoe ui";"><i><span style="color: #990000;">From Ho Chi Minh City we continued our journey towards Dalat, a mountain town about seven hours’ bus ride away. We bought the bus tickets the day before for 280 000 dongs per person including a pick-up from the centre to the bus station. We were surprised when seeing how the sleeper bus was in Vietnam - there were three separate seats in a row, all in a half-lying down position, one upstairs and one downstairs. These seats were pretty comfortable for somebody of my size, but anyone taller than 163 cm would have trouble fitting in there. The big backpacks had to be stored underneath the bus and we had read beforehand that things may go missing from there during the journey, so it’s advisable not to pack anything of value in there. In any case it’s good to lock up your backpack if you don’t want anybody to go through your stuff. </span></i></span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">By Dalat Lake</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A round-about with a difference</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Views from the cable car</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "segoe ui";">Dalat on kuulemma ollut suosittu turistikohde jo niistä ajoista asti, kun ranskalaiset siirtomaaisännät perustivat sinne asemansa paetakseen Etelä-Vietnamin paahtavia helteitä. Siksi yllätyimmekin vähän siitä, miten vähän siellä näkyi länsimaisia turisteja eikä itse kaupunkikaan vaikuttanut erikoisen turistiystävälliseltä - siellä oli esimerkiksi vähemmän ravintoloita englanninkielisillä menuilla, kuin mitä odotin. Paikkana se oli ihan miellyttävä, varsinkin järveä ympäröivä alue, vaikka siellä ei ollutkaan niin paljon viileämpää kuin olimme toivoneet - päiväsaikaan lämpötila keikkui kuitenkin lähellä 30 asteen rajaa, vaikka havumetsät antoivatkin vaikutelman pohjoisesta tropiikin sijaan. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "segoe ui";">Ensimmäisenä päivänämme otimme taksin köysirata-asemalle (70 000 dongia) ja otimme vaunun alas kohti Tuyen Lam -järveä ja Truc Lam -luostaria. Köysirata-asemalla ei ollut paljon ihmisiä ja pääsimme vaunuun jonottamatta, mikä oli miellyttävä yllätys ja maisemat olivat ihan mahtavat - tässä vaiheessa olimme todella innostuneita. Tunnelma tosin lässähti, kun saavuimme perille luostarialueelle ja kohtasimme valtavat väkimassat. Olin odottanut luostarin alueen olevan hiljainen ja rauhallinen, mietiskelyyn innoittava paikka, mutta sen sijaan se oli täynnä turistiryhmiä, joista suurin osa oli vietnamilaisia ryhmiä. Ensimmäinen opetus: kannattaa välttää vietnamilaisten parissa suosittuja kohteita viikonloppuisin, sillä ne tulevat ihan täyteen kotimaisia turisteja. Me emme toki tätä tienneet ja yllätyimme väenpaljoudesta, joka ei paljoa helpottanut kävellessämme järven rannalle. Järvi ja sen ympärillä näkyvät havumetsän peittämät vuoret olivat kyllä kauniit, mutta luonnon rauhasta ei ollut tietoakaan. Olimme saaneet käsityksen, että metsän halki voi kävellä vesiputouksille, mutta sitä patikkapolkua ei sitten löytynytkään, joten otimme taksin 20 000 dongilla vesiputouksille. Tämä osoittautui taas vähemmän kannattavaksi kohteeksi, sillä vesiputousten alueesta on tehty huvipuistoa muistuttava paikka kelkkaratoineen, vuoristoratoineen jne. ja porukkaa oli kuin pipoa. Me emme halunneet mennä kelkalla emmekä vuoristoradalla, vaan kävellä vesiputouksille, mutta kävi ilmi että siitäkin piti maksaa 30 000 dongia. Ei siinä mitään, mutta putouksille päästyämmekin kauniisiin maisemiin oli hankala keskittyä väenpaljouden takia. Oletettavasti viikolla tämä olisi ollut miellyttävämpi kohde, mutta nyt se oli meille vähän pettymys.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yay, I'm in the cable car!</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCy6AvHNawf7LuqUGRrn0_4VTLKsDvzIzCM2hVd3o6MME3MKgj30Lo7ZLxXIWDuycucJt8t3fra981aDi7KiBCTnqgqSjdRddXVE8y7PVt0LA8k8Q5tjfmmZwZ36NtFWUogWFx0umaooY/s1600/P1100793.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCy6AvHNawf7LuqUGRrn0_4VTLKsDvzIzCM2hVd3o6MME3MKgj30Lo7ZLxXIWDuycucJt8t3fra981aDi7KiBCTnqgqSjdRddXVE8y7PVt0LA8k8Q5tjfmmZwZ36NtFWUogWFx0umaooY/s640/P1100793.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not-so-zen monastery</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvSQ-TKUoXguICHIT81V2xV5rOtHu54Ss-8ccwmz4AVRp8LzepFVOu93qahjzDV9gCOCiP2gl8XjEUJk8Ys9oaM48S27hpK4j9Qpc-PuN8eCGvULDHJuwaA3gmU42VciH0VIcgHETBa4c/s1600/P1100810.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvSQ-TKUoXguICHIT81V2xV5rOtHu54Ss-8ccwmz4AVRp8LzepFVOu93qahjzDV9gCOCiP2gl8XjEUJk8Ys9oaM48S27hpK4j9Qpc-PuN8eCGvULDHJuwaA3gmU42VciH0VIcgHETBa4c/s640/P1100810.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "segoe ui";"><i><span style="color: #990000;">Dalat had apparently been a popular tourist destination ever since it was established as a mountain station by the French trying to escape the relentless heat of Southern Vietnam. Therefore I was surprised by how few Western tourists we encountered there. The town also seemed somewhat less tourist-friendly than I had expected, for example there were not so many restaurants with menus in English. It was a pleasant enough town, especially the area around the lake, although it was not quite as cool as I had hoped - the temperatures during the day still climbed close to the 30 degree mark, although the pine forests around gave impression of a Northern country rather than the tropics. </span></i></span></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On the cable car</td></tr>
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<i><span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-family: "segoe ui";"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">On our first day we took a taxi to the cable car station for 70 000 dongs and rode the cable car down to the Tuyen Lam lake and Truc Lam monastery. There were not a lot of people at the cable car station and we got to the car without any </span><span style="font-size: 13.3333px;">queuing</span><span style="font-size: 10pt;">, which was great. The views from the cable car were amazing and we were really excited. However, our spirits dropped quickly once we made it down to the monastery and encountered the swarming masses of people. I had expected the monastery area to be quiet and peaceful, the sort of place that inspires meditation, but instead it was full of tour groups - mainly Vietnamese tourists. Lesson number one: try to avoid visiting places popular among the domestic tourists on the weekends, as they get extremely crowded. We didn’t know this, so we were surprised by the crowds, which didn’t disperse much as we made our way to the lake. The lake, surrounded by mountains that were covered in pine forest, offered really beautiful views, but the masses of people made it hard to enjoy the peace of nature. We were under the impression that you can walk through the forest to the water fall, but we couldn’t find the hiking route, so we ended up taking a taxi for 20 000 dongs to the water falls. As it turned out, we needn’t have bothered at all - the water falls area had been turned into a fun park of kinds with a bob sleigh, rollercoaster, zip line etc. And needless to say, it was full of people. We only wanted to walk to the falls, but it turned out you had to pay an entrance fee for that as well - 30 000 dongs. Ok, that was not a lot, but unfortunately we couldn’t really enjoy the beautiful falls either due to the crowds. Maybe during the week this would have been a lot nicer place to visit, but now it was quite a disappointment for us. </span></span></span></i></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The crowded monastery</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">With a bit of extra walking we found a quiet spot by the water falls</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "segoe ui";">Dalat on myös erilaisten aktiviteettien keskus, ja meilläkin oli tarkoitus tehdä siellä puolen päivän maastopyöräilyretki, vaikka pidimmekin sitä melko kalliina (52 USD per henkilö). Gina oli kuitenkin tulossa flunssaiseksi, ja totesimme ettei maastopyöräilyretki helteessä tilannetta ainakaan parantaisi, joten päätimme ottaa toisen päivämme Dalatissa rauhallisemmin ja kävimme katsomassa Vietnamin viimeisen keisarin kesäpalatsia. Se oli ihan miellyttävä ja edullinen kohde (pääsymaksu 30 000 dongia), vaikka sielläkin oli paljon porukkaa. Palatsivierailun jälkeen suuntasimme Dalatin söpölle juna-asemalle, joka on art deco -tyylinsä ansiosta jonkinlainen nähtävyys itsessään, joten sinne päästäkseen pitää maksaa 5 000 dongia (20 senttiä). Ainoa juna, jolla sieltä voi matkustaa, on vintage-juna läheiseen Trai Matin kylään ja siellä sijaitsevaan Linh Puoc -pagodaan. Halvin meno-paluulippu puisilla penkeillä maksoi 108 000 dongia per henkilö ja matka kesti alle puoli tuntia. Takaisin pitää tulla samalla junalla eikä aikaa pagodavisiittiin ollut kuin 40 minuuttia, mutta se oli oikeastaan ihan riittävästi. Pagoda oli aika mielipuolinen näky, siinä ei totisesti oltu säästelty väreissä eikä koristeissa. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bao Dai's summer palace had a bit of a communist look to it</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The palace gardens</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dalat train station</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "segoe ui";"><i><span style="color: #990000;">Dalat is also a centre for all sorts of actitivies, and we were also going to do a half day mountain biking trip, although we did consider it rather expensive at 52 USD per person. However, Gina was coming down with a cold, and we figured strenuous exercise in the baking heat would not do her any favours, so we ended up taking it easier on our second day in Dalat. We visited the summer palace of the last emperor of Vietnam, which was a pleasant and very affordable place to visit with 30 000 dong entrance fee, although it was also fairly crowded with tour groups. From there we headed to the cute train station of Dalat, which is a sight in itself thanks to its art deco style, so there is an actual entrance fee of 5 000 dong (20 cents) to get into the station. The only train you can take from there is a vintage train to nearby Trai Mat village and the Linh Puoc pagoda located there. The cheapest return ticket with hard wooden seats cost 108 000 dongs per person and the journey time is less than 30 minutes. You need to take the same train back, which left us only about 40 minutes to visit the pagoda, but actually it was quite enough. The pagoda was a pretty insane sight - they certainly hadn’t saved up when it came to crazy shapes and colours. </span></i></span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On the train</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Linh Puoc pagoda</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "segoe ui";">Dalat jäi meiltä siis vähän puolitiehen, kun emme sairastumisen takia päässeet kokeilemaan mitään adrenaliinihumalaa tuovia aktiviteetteja, mutta minkäs teet - joskus näin käy. Jatkoimme bussilla matkaa vuorilta meren rannalle Nha Trangiin, jossa yövyimme pari yötä. Nha Trang on aika vahvasti profiloitunut kiinalaisten ja venäläisten rantalomakohteeksi, ja sen kyllä huomasi - kaikki olettivat meidän olevan venäläisiä, mukaan lukien muut venäläiset turistit, jotka tulivat usein puhumaan meille venäjää. Majailimme rauhallisemmalla Hong Chong Beach -alueella kauempana pääasiallisesta ranta-alueesta, ja itse biitsi olikin yllättävän hiljainen. Olin vähän odottanut sen olevan täyteen ahdettu rantatuoleja ja kaupustelijoita, mutta rantatuoleja ei ollut kovinkaan paljoa eikä kaupustelijoita oikeastaan ollenkaan. Iltapäivästä rannan vieressä kohoavat pilvenpiirtäjähotellit antoivat mukavasti varjoa, joten emme vuokranneet rantatuoleja vaan istuskelimme kaikessa rauhassa hiekalla. Gina oli edelleen aika kipeänä, joten otimme täysin rauhallisesti emmekä oikeastaan tehneet Nha Trangissa sitäkään vähää, mitä etukäteen ajattelimme tehdä - oli ollut tarkoitus käydä ehkä jollain saariretkellä, tai matkata jollekin hiljaiselle biitsille vähän kauemmaksi kaupungista. Näin ollen emme kuitenkaan tehneet juuri mitään, mikä oli toisaalta ihan mukavaa tässä vaiheessa reissua - välillä sitä tarvitsee vähän nollaamista. Seuraava kohteemme olikin Hoi An, jonka odotimme olevan yksi Vietnamin huippukohteista, joten oli hyvä säästää energiaa sitä varten! </span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hong Chong Promontory</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "segoe ui";"><i><span style="color: #990000;">So Dalat was not quite as amazing an experience as we had hoped, partly due to getting sick and not being able to do any adrenalin-rush-inducing activities, but what can you do - these things happen sometimes. We continued our journey from the mountains to the sea by taking the bus to Nha Trang, where we stayed a couple of nights. Nha Trang is very popular among the Russian and the Chinese beach tourists, and you can certainly notice that - everybody assumed we were Russian, including the Russians who often came to speak Russian to us. We were staying away from the main beach on the calmer Hong Chong Beach area, and the beach itself was actually surprisingly quiet. I had half expected it to be full of beach chairs and people trying to sell you stuff, but there was lots of empty space without beach chairs and hardly any sales people. In the afternoons the high-rise hotels next to the beach gave good shade, so we didn’t need to rent beach chairs but just sat on the sand. Gina was still quite sick, so we took it even more easy than planned - we had thought about doing maybe an island trip, or making our way to some more secluded beach. As it turned out, we didn’t do any of that, but actually it was quite nice to just chill at this stage of the trip - sometimes you need that. Anyway, our next destination was Hoi An, reputed to be one of the highlights of Vietnam, so it was good to save some energy for that!</span></i></span></span></div>
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Nomadihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02526178789320131836noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6699883048972720931.post-27012785076133135342019-04-27T02:21:00.000-07:002019-04-27T02:21:40.367-07:00Täsmäisku Ho Chi Minh Cityyn - A Quickie in Ho Chi Minh City<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Sanottuamme hyvästit </span><a href="http://sillavalinmaailmalla.blogspot.com/search/label/Sri%20Lanka"><span style="color: #0563c1; font-size: 13.5pt;">Sri Lankalle</span></a><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> lensimme Colombosta Kuala Lumpurin kautta Vietnamiin, jossa ensimmäinen pysäkkimme oli maaninen Ho Chi Minh City. Tapojemme vastaisesti olimme varanneet 14 tunnin välilaskullemme päivähuoneen lentokenttähotellista, joten saavuimme perille suhteellisen freesseinä ja hyvin levänneinä, vaikka myöhäinen ilta olikin. Meistä tuli miljonäärejä heti lentokentällä vedettyäni automaatista kolme miljoonaa dongia eli noin 115 euroa (olisin itse asiassa halunnut viisi miljoonaa, mutta maksiminostosumma oli kolme - sillä oli pärjättävä alkuun). Lentokenttäbussi maksoi 20 000 dongia eli vajaan euron ja vei meidät kätevästi lyhyen kävelymatkan päähän hostellistamme backpacker streetilla. Kävelymatkalla havaitsin, ettei alue ollutkaan mikään yöelämän keskus, niin kuin olin vähän pelännyt - klo 23 tienoilla ravintolat sulkivat oviaan eikä mistään kuulunut jyskyttävää musiikkia. Sehän sopii, me kypsään ikään ehtineet reppureissaajat saisimme siis nukkua yömme rauhassa. </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The city of five million motor cycles</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Local market</td></tr>
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<i><span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">After saying goodbye to </span><a href="http://sillavalinmaailmalla.blogspot.com/search/label/Sri%20Lanka"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Sri Lanka</span></a><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> we flew from Colombo via Kuala Lumpur to Vietnam, where our first stop was the manic Ho Chi Minh City. Untypically of us, we had booked an airport hotel for our 14-hour layover, so we arrived relatively fresh and well-rested despite the late hour. We became millionaires right away at the airport, as I withdrew three million dongs (which equals about 115 euro - actually I wanted to get five million but three was the maximum withdrawal amount available). The airport bus cost 20 000 dongs (less than one euro) per person and dropped us off conveniently within a short walk from our hostel on the Backpacker Street. Along the walk I noticed that luckily the area didn’t seem like such a nightlife centre I had feared it to be - it was around 11pm and the restaurants were closing their doors and there wasn’t any pumping music to be heard anywhere. It seemed us mature backpackers would not be disturbed while getting our beauty sleep. </span></span></i></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ben Thahn Market</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Central post office</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Reunification Palace</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Meillä oli kaksi päivää Ho Chi Minh Cityssa, ja halusimme tehdä tänä aikana yhden puolipäiväretken Cu Chi -tunneleihin ja yhden kokopäiväretken Mekong-joen alueelle, joten varsinaiseen kaupungin nähtävyyksien katseluun meillä oli siis vain aamupäivä aikaa. Lähdimme siis reippaina tallustelemaan kaupungille heti aamupalan jälkeen ajatellen, että kävellessä saamme kokea kaupungin ilmapiiriä paremmin kuin taksilla suhaillen ja nähdä enemmän. Olin jäädä heti ensimmäisen tienylityksen aikana moottoripyörän alle, ja tämä osoittautui sangen usein toistuvaksi kokemukseksi Vietnamissa - liikenne on todellakin aivan niin hullua, kuin kaikki sanovat, ja pahimmillaan moottoripyöriä suhailee jalkakäytävilläkin. Tai niitä on parkkeerattu jalkakäytäville niin paljon, ettei sekaan mahdu kävelemään, ja jalankulkija joutuu astumaan kadulle riskeeraamaan henkensä. Jo kaduilla kävely on siis ihan oma sydämentykytyksiä aiheuttava extreme-kokemuksensa Ho Chi Minh Cityssä! Toinen sydämentykytyksiä tuottava asia on kahvi - Sri Lankan jälkeen oli ihanaa havaita olevansa kahvikulttuurin keskellä, ja vahvasta vietnamilaisesta kahvista (jäillä tai ilman) tuli heti uusi suosikkini. Kahviloita riittää joka kulmalla, ja kahvi on hyvää ja halpaa. </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Vietnamese iced coffee, yum!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Views over Ho Chi Minh City</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><i><span style="color: #990000;">We had two full days in Ho Chi Minh City, and we had decided to do one full day trip to the Mekong River delta and one half day trip to Cu Chi tunnels, so in effect we only had one morning to do sightseeing in the city itself. Therefore we headed out on foot bright and early, figuring that by walking we have a better chance to soak up the atmosphere and see more than by taking taxies. I nearly got hit by a motor cycle right away at the first road crossing, and this turned out to be often-repeated event in Vietnam - the traffic really is as crazy as everybody says, and in the worst case the motorcycles are speeding along the pavement as well. Or else the pavement is blocked by parked motorcycles, so that the pedestrian is forced to step on the road to go around them, risking their life all the time. So just walking on the streets of Ho Chi Minh City is an extreme experience that can make your heart race! Another thing to make your heart race faster is the coffee - after three weeks in Sri Lanka I was delighted to be in a coffee country, and the strong Vietnamese coffee (with or without ice) soon became my new favourite. Coffee shops are on every corner, and the coffee is good and cheap. </span></i></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Notre Dame cathedral</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Yleisen ilmapiirin haistelun lisäksi nappasimme listalta meille mieluisimmat ja kiintoisimmat kohteet. Kävelimme pikaisesti Ben Thanh Market -basaarialueen läpi matkallamme kohti Dong Khoi -katua, jolla sijaitsee paljon Ranskan siirtomaavallan aikaisia rakennuksia. Kävimme katsomassa Notre Damen katedraalia, joka sijaitsee keskuspostitoimiston vieressä. Itse katedraaliin ei päässyt sisälle korjaustöiden takia (vitsiniekoille tiedoksi, tämä tapahtui ennen Pariisin Notre Damen kattopaloa, eli niistä korjauksista ei ollut kyse), mutta postitoimistoon sai mennä sisälle ihan ilmaiseksi ja se olikin todella kaunis rakennus. Puistossa sijaitsevaan Reunification Palaceen emme lopulta menneet sisälle aikaa säästääksemme, vaan kävelimme sieltä Bitexco Financial Tower -rakennukseen, jonka 52. kerroksessa sijaitsevassa kahvilassa saimme juodaksemme kiskurihintaiset jääkahvit (yli neljä euroa per lasi!). Olihan kahvi kieltämättä hyvää, mutta näkymistä kaupungin yli siellä joutui maksamaan. Toinen vaihtoehto olisi ollut mennä Sky Deckille, jonne pääsymaksu olisi ollut 200 000 dongia eli noin 8 euroa per henkilö ilman kahvia, joten totesimme kahvilavisiitin kannattavammaksi. Sitten olikin aika kiirehtiä takaisin hostellille, sillä retki Cu Chi -tunneleihin alkoi klo 13. </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bitexco Financial Tower</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNHEtZKshJdbevZeM1fKgUi8qdry2WRjDBFsQ1NuDgMaNEOzZqJVheQ-XAYvqyahU7bp0wmJMK3fdnG6QU2SDcklGcWYYc0AXMLqL2JzM-QwY6OqsxcrC3tlWStvey0OUHjz-w0vZ1CVI/s1600/P1100598.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNHEtZKshJdbevZeM1fKgUi8qdry2WRjDBFsQ1NuDgMaNEOzZqJVheQ-XAYvqyahU7bp0wmJMK3fdnG6QU2SDcklGcWYYc0AXMLqL2JzM-QwY6OqsxcrC3tlWStvey0OUHjz-w0vZ1CVI/s640/P1100598.JPG" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">When you can only take the elevator to the floors 49 and up</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><i><span style="color: #990000;">Apart from the general people-watching and atmosphere-soaking-up we had picked a few sights that appealed to us in particular. We walked through the Ben Thanh Market quickly on our way to Doi Khong Street, that has a lot of beautiful French colonial arcitecture. We went to see the Notre Dame cathedral, which we couldn’t enter though due to renovation (no, the renovation had nothing to do with the fire in Notre Dame in Paris as this happened prior to the fire, in case you were going to make that joke), but the beautiful central post office that is located next to the cathedral could be visited for free. After that we walked to a park where the Reunification Palace is located, but due to time constrains we decided not to go in. Finally we walked to the Bitexco Financial Tower and had an incredibly expensive iced coffee (more than four euro per glass!) in the cafeteria on the 52. floor. The coffee was really good, but you are paying for the view over the city that is really impressive. The other option of seeing the same view would be to visit the Sky Deck in the same building, but the entrance ticket there is 200 000 dong (around 8 euro) per person and you don’t get a coffee, so we figured the cafeteria was a better deal. Then it was time to rush back to the hostel, as our trip to Cu Chi tunnels started at 1pm. </span></i></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsOAI2VBMSm-2UkOTtYQZ9K2TaCaIaFKc01sVGFr1cWRMFy_MngIJ_h7ZxjlUzcT5cOMeMBoKOXxDE77ukvT0_55S7BH2xlZuHqE40osQW0fBC2Z8UEwt00dBX5jWLKIRtS0JZOya2pQ8/s1600/P1100625.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsOAI2VBMSm-2UkOTtYQZ9K2TaCaIaFKc01sVGFr1cWRMFy_MngIJ_h7ZxjlUzcT5cOMeMBoKOXxDE77ukvT0_55S7BH2xlZuHqE40osQW0fBC2Z8UEwt00dBX5jWLKIRtS0JZOya2pQ8/s640/P1100625.JPG" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A trap</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gina with a tank</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc_ZJHGgwpROAlGBnJa1M39-qClCB3kcXFIvrimB-ToVHV4_bi_35IZtJP4pfo2mvSV7AUfJ9DuEalg_XR1rz5e956NcpRFFcI8M8ly3KLS2ALzhFLmGOyUfwZpUb43Cje8TkpjvURhuw/s1600/P1100644.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc_ZJHGgwpROAlGBnJa1M39-qClCB3kcXFIvrimB-ToVHV4_bi_35IZtJP4pfo2mvSV7AUfJ9DuEalg_XR1rz5e956NcpRFFcI8M8ly3KLS2ALzhFLmGOyUfwZpUb43Cje8TkpjvURhuw/s640/P1100644.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Going down to the tunnels</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Totesimme heti, että Vietnamissa erilaiset päiväretket ovat hyvin edullisia ja helposti järjestettävissä joka hostellista tai hotellista, joten päädyimme tekemään paljon tavallista enemmän päiväretkiä sen sijaan, että menisimme kohteisiin omin päin julkisilla liikennevälineillä ja ilman opasta. Vaikka pidämmekin yleensä enemmän omaehtoisesta kulkemisesta, on toisaalta mukavan helppoa kun bussi tulee hakemaan majapaikasta, opas vie joka paikkaan, eikä itse tarvitse tehdä mitään pohjatutkimusta. </span><a href="https://fi.wikipedia.org/wiki/C%E1%BB%A7_Chi_-tunnelit"><span style="color: #0563c1; font-size: 13.5pt;">Cu Chi - tunneleistakaan </span></a><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">en etukäteen tiennyt juuri mitään, sen vain että kyseessä on suosittu turistikohde Ho Chi Minh Citysta. Päiväretki kuljetuksineen ja oppaineen maksoi 130 000 dongia per henkilö, eli noin viisi euroa, jonka lisäksi paikan päällä piti maksaa 110 000 dongin pääsymaksu itse tunneleihin. Ajomatka paikan päälle kesti reilun tunnin ja siihen kuului nopea pysähdys käsityöpajassa, jossa tehtiin lakeerimaalauksia. Halukkaat olisivat voineet jotain ostaakin, mutta mitään ylenmääräistä tyrkytystä siellä ei onneksi ollut. Cu Chihin päästyämme kiertelimme ensin oppaan kanssa viidakkoaluetta, jonne Vietkongin sotilaat olivat virittäneet erilaisia ansoja vihollisilleen ja meille esiteltiin, miten nämä ansat toimivat, ja miten sissit olivat piiloutuneet maakuoppiin kuullessaan vihollisen lähestyvän. Täältä löytyi myös ampumarata, jossa halukkaat olisivat voineet kokeilla erilaisten aseiden ampumista, mutta minua se ei kiinnostanut ja Gina piti hintaa liian kovana - muistaakseni hinta oli vähintään 300 000 dongia eli 12 euron pintaan viiden panoksen ampumisesta. Itse tunneleihin mentiin vasta ihan lopuksi ja hyvä niin - ne olivat niin pieniä ja ahtaita, että niissä piti liikkua hankalasti kumartuneena, ja vaikka en kärsikään ahtaanpaikankammosta, ei se mikään mukava kokemus ollut. Eipä sillä, eiväthän tunneleita käyttäneet sissit niissä toki huvikseen hengailleet. Retki oli mielenkiintoinen ja opettavainen, vaikka en mikään sotahullu olekaan. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUDYTDiGCxH_UkT4VVpkFwoGk4dCgYK2fUD-_Khb13JqXTiLOqK-aIGcEGIyVsUbJcWkg4nPX-ATwyvTwMbGYoum6231WH9E2bhCIsbYxHIWjaT9qqSvXFyPtJ1o3Mgv-FN8dsvL__ETY/s1600/P1100628.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUDYTDiGCxH_UkT4VVpkFwoGk4dCgYK2fUD-_Khb13JqXTiLOqK-aIGcEGIyVsUbJcWkg4nPX-ATwyvTwMbGYoum6231WH9E2bhCIsbYxHIWjaT9qqSvXFyPtJ1o3Mgv-FN8dsvL__ETY/s640/P1100628.JPG" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Would you fit into this hole to hide?</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0_L9EV3iMIXyEHP7beEOUvp5Zwdj4jT3M9EkZxZkRigouaF4RfQ5QRuYQh4EnffxBzUYNo6L1RmVZQ6FlMOB2wdidkZtFHlCUDJN7pxxxchwqEc_i2U4hKCg4AR8_WtbRBeKXR17sO80/s1600/P1100637.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0_L9EV3iMIXyEHP7beEOUvp5Zwdj4jT3M9EkZxZkRigouaF4RfQ5QRuYQh4EnffxBzUYNo6L1RmVZQ6FlMOB2wdidkZtFHlCUDJN7pxxxchwqEc_i2U4hKCg4AR8_WtbRBeKXR17sO80/s640/P1100637.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">More traps</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsMy_ZqzGBGROerLOg74HgNUVdpBf5y7Lq4pSwEjPRkwJlb37Cmo6A7udVQjBi5TF_2pgLm1PEyxamp_jlkkXi4pMrGUAgMqB1sJSbo477ECJ8n8TNoPXz4EtiRrQ59J4dmd9P1fyW6e0/s1600/P1100645.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsMy_ZqzGBGROerLOg74HgNUVdpBf5y7Lq4pSwEjPRkwJlb37Cmo6A7udVQjBi5TF_2pgLm1PEyxamp_jlkkXi4pMrGUAgMqB1sJSbo477ECJ8n8TNoPXz4EtiRrQ59J4dmd9P1fyW6e0/s400/P1100645.JPG" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In the tunnel</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNh17xVurLIlcmqLTa57-xcdYUO5Ow_-J0PqfkxPmQQL9MwZKUaEyQhPAde8P7jLfzAWNwSGkoFT-qDUr8iaUj9JpUp3t8F0twDj-4uUSvX0BxAkaUtGkwbBssS80i1Ksth0TwPm7e8l0/s1600/P1100647.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNh17xVurLIlcmqLTa57-xcdYUO5Ow_-J0PqfkxPmQQL9MwZKUaEyQhPAde8P7jLfzAWNwSGkoFT-qDUr8iaUj9JpUp3t8F0twDj-4uUSvX0BxAkaUtGkwbBssS80i1Ksth0TwPm7e8l0/s320/P1100647.JPG" width="213" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><i><span style="color: #990000;">We noticed right away that in Vietnam different sort of day trips were extremely affordable and easy to arrange in any hostel or hotel, so we started to do a lot more day trips than usual. Usually we prefer making our own way without a group by public transport, but for a change it was very convenient to be picked up from the accommodation and taken around everywhere with a guide, without having to do extensive research. I didn’t have much information about the Cu Chi tunnels beforehand, I just knew that it was a popular tourist destination from Ho Chi Minh City. The half day trip with transportation and guide cost 130 000 dong (about five euro) per person, plus at the tunnels you had to pay the entrance fee of 110 000 dong per person. The drive there took a bit more than an hour with a stop at a work shop, where they were making and selling laquer paintings. Those who wanted to could buy something, but luckily they didn’t try to push you to buy anything. When getting to Cu Chi we were first walking around in the jungle with the guide, who was showing us different sort of traps devised by the Vietkong and how they were hiding from the enemies in little holes in the ground. There was also a shooting range where you could try shooting different weapons, but I was not interested in that and Gina found the price too high - I think you had to pay minimum 300 000 dongs (12 euro) for shooting five bullets so we skipped that. We only visited the actual tunnels in the end for a few minutes, which I was actually happy with - the tunnels were so small that you had to walk in a very uncomfotable hunched position and although I’m not usually claustrophobic, it wasn’t exactly an enjoyable experience. Of course the soldiers using the tunnels didn’t do it for fun and enjoyment either. All in all it was an interesting and eye-opening trip, although I usually shy away from war-related activities. </span></i></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh9Io5AqxpPVFsJV7ub3y0J0uVfzkBqVOc-uiO2GYGbT7WgKvNlG_nQjkH278hj5-mn_de53Jznt0EiX-BGF9JjjbnBLoRsyb87D8GOcup0LKzKfbD0yhgQAxqquSF5crGCDhFEaHBd6o/s1600/P1100664.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh9Io5AqxpPVFsJV7ub3y0J0uVfzkBqVOc-uiO2GYGbT7WgKvNlG_nQjkH278hj5-mn_de53Jznt0EiX-BGF9JjjbnBLoRsyb87D8GOcup0LKzKfbD0yhgQAxqquSF5crGCDhFEaHBd6o/s640/P1100664.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Honey tea</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjagoBq7_k7G7PYJVLSQAskS-excZoLsZ53o-XizFjT0I41mPS8_y6wcL2PNlch4_N78bKPComNfW7MRatSDQTKY4TtC8oYtzaH-H8QW90MVAqkhyphenhyphen6WVi0DohMrlb_3s8fi_i8ZFkUxEMI/s1600/P1100667.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjagoBq7_k7G7PYJVLSQAskS-excZoLsZ53o-XizFjT0I41mPS8_y6wcL2PNlch4_N78bKPComNfW7MRatSDQTKY4TtC8oYtzaH-H8QW90MVAqkhyphenhyphen6WVi0DohMrlb_3s8fi_i8ZFkUxEMI/s640/P1100667.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bees that made the honey</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGZa_Nd06KZNEHasv2rNW5f2xmqDWONGwYSfb-8Q28z_qQPZEgPzCL45NpEBqWhBYMlVaYXo8zC1wisXApZKCyOEhrCkVfjbLCcHOKNs8JexEyisbswdNIDyo_mDG1K0EiKcVs711LCPA/s1600/P1100677.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGZa_Nd06KZNEHasv2rNW5f2xmqDWONGwYSfb-8Q28z_qQPZEgPzCL45NpEBqWhBYMlVaYXo8zC1wisXApZKCyOEhrCkVfjbLCcHOKNs8JexEyisbswdNIDyo_mDG1K0EiKcVs711LCPA/s640/P1100677.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Seuraavan päivän retkemme suuntautui siis Mekong-joen alueelle, jonne oli kaupungista parin tunnin ajomatka. Matka maksoi 220 000 dongia eli vähän reilut 8 euroa per henkilö ja hintaan kuului lounas. Bussimatkan jälkeen mentiin veneellä Unicorn-saarelle (jossa ei asu yksisarvisia) ja käytiin monessa eri työpajassa ja maistelemassa herkkuja hedelmistä ja kookospähkinäkarkeista hunajateehen. Ei olisi pitänyt yllättyä siitä, että tämä oli ihan täysin turistireissu, olin kuitenkin odottanut näkeväni ainakin vähän enemmän jotain "oikeaa" maaseudun elämää. Reissua kuvailtiin niin, että käydään monilla farmeilla, mutta itse asiassa käveltiin vain ravintolasta tai kahvilasta toiseen maistelemaan näitä herkkuja ja joka paikassa olisi voinut ostaa jotain - onneksi mitään ylenmääräistä tuputtamista ei täälläkään ollut. Kivoin osa retkeä oli soutuveneellä pientä kanavaa pitkin lipuminen, jossa kohtaa meille tarjottiin rekvisiitaksi myös ne klassiset vietnamilaiset kolmiohatut (joita ihmiset ihan oikeasti näkyvät käyttävän joka puolella). Ihan kelvollinen lounas tarjoiltiin toisen veneretken päätteeksi, ja syömisen jälkeen saimme loikoilla riippumatoissa ruokalevolla ennen kuin matka takaisin kaupunkiin alkoi. Paluumatkalla pysähdyttiin käymään hienossa Ving Trang -pagodassa, joka oli mielenkiintoinen ja ensimmäinen Vietnamissa näkemämme buddhalainen pagoda. Huomasimme, että täällä pukeutumissääntöjen suhteen ei oltu niin tarkkoja kuin useimmissa käymissämme buddhalaisissa maissa - yleensä temppeleihin ei olisi päässyt sisälle shortseissa tai olkapäät paljastavassa topissa, mutta täällä näkyi paljon vähäpukeisia turisteja eikä kukaan lotkauttanut korvaansakaan. Retki oli siis ihan kiva tapa viettää päivä, ja hyvin edullinen, mutta mitään autenttista vietnamiselämää sen aikana ei kyllä nähnyt. </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our guide with a water coconut</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Relaxing after lunch</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><i><span style="color: #990000;">Our next day’s full day trip took us to Mekong River delta which was a couple of hours’ drive from the city. The trip cost 220 000 dongs per person so a bit over eight euro including lunch. After the bus ride we took a boat to Unicorn Island (no unicorns to be seen there) and visited several work shops and enjoyed treats from exotic fruits to coconut candy and honey tea. I shouldn’t have been surprised by how touristy the trip was, but still I had hoped to see a little bit more of the “real” life on the delta. </span></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><i><span style="color: #990000;">In the trip description it mentioned visiting different farms, but there were no farms - basically we just walked from one restaurant or shop to another and everywhere you had a chance to buy something, however at least there was no aggressive selling. The nicest part of the trip was the trip on a row boat along a narrow canal where we were also given the classic conical hats as props for pictures (by the way, the people in Vietnam really wear those hats all around the place). Another boat trip took us a restaurant where a passable lunch was served, after which we could take a rest in one of the many hammocks before travelling back to the city. On the way back to the city we stopped at the magnificent Vinh Trang pagoda, which was really interesting as it was the first pagoda we saw in Vietnam. I noticed they didn’t seem too particular about the dress code in here unlike in most Buddhist countries we had visited - normally you were not allowed in the temples wearing shorts or a top that doesn’t cover the shoulders, but here we saw many skimpily dressed tourists and nobody seemed to care at all. The trip was a pleasant way to spend the day, and very good value, but you can’t really experience anything authentic about the Vietnamese way of life. </span></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Kofeiininhuuruinen Ho Chi Minh City yllätti minut energiallaan, ja siellä olisi ehkä viihtynyt hiukan kauemmin. Moottoritie oli kuitenkin kuuma, ja se vei meidät seuraavaksi vuoristoon Dalat-nimiseen kaupunkiin, jolta toivoimme hiukan viileämpää keliä!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><i><span style="color: #990000;">The caffeine-fulled Ho Chi Minh City surprised me with its energy, and perhaps I would have liked to stay another day to experiece more of it. However, it was time to hit the road, which would take us up to the mountains to Dalat, where we were hoping for a bit cooler weather!</span></i></span>
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Nomadihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02526178789320131836noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6699883048972720931.post-90771532573563067352019-04-18T06:38:00.002-07:002019-04-18T16:01:12.615-07:00Viimeiset päivät Sri Lankassa - The Last Days in Sri Lanka: Galle & Colombo<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Vietettyämme yhteensä kuusi päivää biitsikohteissa pysähdyimme yhdeksi yöksi Galleen matkallamme kohti Colomboa ja lentokenttää. Monet turistit käyvät Gallessa vain päiväretkellä, ja se varmasti riittääkin ihan mainiosti - meillä oli yksi iltapäivä ja seuraava aamupäivä Gallessa, ja kieltämättä meinasi tulla aika pitkäksi. Vietimme aikaa kylläkin vain Fortin eli linnoituksen alueella, joka oli hyvin viehättävä mutta pieni alue. Galle oli siitä mielenkiintoinen paikka, että yhtäkkiä tunsi olevansa jossain ihan muualla kuin Sri Lankassa - paikka henkii voimakkaasti eurooppalaista perintöä. Portugalilaiset perustivat Gallen siirtomaavalta-ajallaan 1500-luvulla, jonka jälkeen se siirtyi hollantilaisten käsiin, joiden jälkeen valtaa pitivät britit maan itsenäistymiseen saakka. Galle Fort on niin hyvin säilynyt, että se löytyy myös UNESCOn maailmanperintölistalta. Kiertelimme hurmaavia pikkukatuja, joiden varsilla näkyy lukuisia kirkkoja, mutta myös moskeija - yli puolet alueen asukkaista on islaminuskoisia Sri Lankan maurilaisia, joka näkyy selvästi myös katukuvassa. Fortia ympäröivää muuria pitkin voi kävellä vahtitornilta toiselle, ja auringonlaskun aikaan muuri on suosittu paikka hengailla sekä turistien että paikallisten keskuudessa. Galle on ihan täynnä toinen toistaan söpömpiä eurooppalaistyylisiä kahviloita, jäätelöbaareja ja ravintoloita, mutta hinnatkin olivat eurooppalaistyylisiä: jäätelöpallo olisi maksanut 300 rupiaa, jolla monissa paikallisissa ravintoloissa olisi saanut koko aterian. Jos budjetti venyy, Gallen linnoituksen alueella voi viettää helposti monta tuntia nautiskellen ruoista ja juomista siirtyen baarista toiseen, puhumattakaan ultra-cooleista putiikeista, joita löytyy joka kadun kulmalta. Meille budjettimatkaajille se ei ollut ihan paras paikka, mutta kylläkin hyvin viehättävä kaupunki parin tunnin tallusteluun.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In Galle</td></tr>
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<i><span style="color: #990000;">After spending altogether six days on the beach we stopped in Galle for one night on our way towards Colombo and the airport. Many tourists do just a day trip in Galle, and to be honest I think that's perfectly enough - we had one afternoon and the next morning in Galle, and we were sort of running out of things to do. Granted, we only spent time in the Galle Fort area, which is a really charming but rather small area. What was really interesting in Galle was that you suddenly felt like you were not in Sri Lanka at all - the town has a really strong European vibe. The Portuguese founded Galle back in 16th century, but later on it fell in the hands of the Dutch, until the British took over until the age of independence. Galle Fort is so well preserved that it has made it to the UNESCO World Heritage List. We wandered around the charming little streets that had a lot of churches along them, but also a mosque - more than half of the residents of Galle Fort are Sri Lankan moors who are Muslims, which you can easily notice while strolling the streets. You can walk along the walls of the fortress from one bastion to another, and the wall is obviously a very popular place to hang out especially at sunset among both tourists and locals. Galle is absolutely full of really cute European-style restaurants, cafes and ice cream bars, but the prices were pretty European-style too: a scoop of ice cream would have cost 300 rupees, which we would usually pay for a meal. If you have the budget for it, this is for sure a very pleasant place to hang out for hours moving from one establishment to another enjoying all the food and drink on offer. For us shoestring travellers it was not the best place, although it is a very charming town to stroll around for a couple of hours. </span></i><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Some of the cutest residents of Galle</td></tr>
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Matkasimme junalla Gallesta Colomboon ja halusimme ostaa junaliput etukäteen edellisenä päivänä. Kävi ilmi, että haluamiamme kakkosluokan lippuja ei voinut varata etukäteen, joten päädyimme ostamaan ykkösluokan liput hintaan 1 000 rupiaa per henkilö, eli viitisen euroa. Ykkösluokka ei ollutkaan odottamamme ilmastoitu vaunu, vaan "observation car", jossa oli valtavat avonaiset ikkunat maisemien ihailuun ja pienet tuulettimet kierrättämässä kuumaa ilmaa. Ikkunat olivat kyllä kivat näköaloja ajatellen, mutta edessä oleva veturi puuskutti säännöllisin väliajoin ilmoille kunnon mustat diesel-pilvet, jotka tietenkin leijailivat avonaisista ikkunoista suoraan matkustajien naamalle. Muuten matka meni kyllä mukavasti, ja Colomboon päästyämme päätimme kävellä asemalta hotellillemme, jonne ei ollut matkaa kuin kilometri. Voin sanoa, että se kyllä tuntui elämäni pisimmältä kilometriltä kantaessamme rinkkoja hiki naamaa pitkin valuen valtavassa väentungoksessa läpi Pettahin markkina-alueen, jossa oli koko ajan vaarassa jäädä joko moottoripyörän, bussin tai tavarakuormaa kärryssään työntävän hepun alle.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Locals playing cricket in Galle</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Locals enjoying the sunset in Galle</td></tr>
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<i><span style="color: #990000;">We took the train from Galle to Colombo and we wanted to buy the train tickets in advance the previous day. It turned out it was not possible to reserve the 2nd class tickets in advance, so we ended up buying the first class tickets at 1 000 rupees (around five euro) per person. The first class was not the air-conditioned car we expected, but an "observation car" with huge windows wide open to enjoy the scenery, plus a few fans to circulate the hot air. The windows were really nice for admiring the views, but the locomotive just in front of us blew up a very heavy black cloud of diesel-fuelled smoke every so often, which of course found its way to our faces from the open windows. Other than that it was a pleasant journey, and once in Colombo we decided to walk to our hotel, which was only about a kilometre from the train station. I can tell you it felt like the longest kilometre of my life, while carrying the backpacks, sweat pouring out of every pore, with masses of people milling all around us, through the Pettah market area, where you were in constant risk of getting run over by a motor cycle, a bus or a guy pushing a huge load of merchandise in his trolley. </span></i><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEvBt__ohRiYpGp9br7Byc6LRzKvVBYt7s_c7tw8YeAI0TEh92zuCZpGPZYfYq0d7Meq7Rp87g_wA7pnnWJdsczjsD901UFV2sbnmX9o5NsoFMKS942rIlui5anyYnGP3FjWDQS0tndAk/s1600/P1100429.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEvBt__ohRiYpGp9br7Byc6LRzKvVBYt7s_c7tw8YeAI0TEh92zuCZpGPZYfYq0d7Meq7Rp87g_wA7pnnWJdsczjsD901UFV2sbnmX9o5NsoFMKS942rIlui5anyYnGP3FjWDQS0tndAk/s640/P1100429.JPG" width="426" /></a></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sunset in Galle</td></tr>
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Useimmat matkailijat välttävät Colombossa käynnin kokonaan, mutta itse käyn mielelläni aina myös maan pääkaupungissa, jos suinkin mahdollista. Meillä oli lento Vietnamiin seuraavana iltana, joten meillä oli kokonainen päivä aikaa viettää Colombossa. Pakko sanoa, että en ollenkaan tuomitse niitä turisteja, jotka jättävät Colombon väliin - en olisi kokenut jääväni mistään paitsi, jos emme olisi sitä päivää siellä viettäneet. Kiertelimme vielä Pettahin markkina-aluetta (mikä ilman rinkkoja oli vain hiukan miellyttävämpi kokemus), kävimme katsomassa hindutemppeliä sekä moskeijaa, kuljimme läpi Colombon Fortin (jossa oli muutama hieno rakennus, mutta ei ollenkaan sellaista lumoa kuin Gallen Fortissa), sekä vierailimme parissa buddhalaisessa temppelissä, joista etenkin Gangaramayan temppeli oli hieno. Joka paikassa oli hirveä liikenneruuhka ja ihmismassoja, eivätkä tuk-tuk-kuskit jättäneet meitä hetkeksikään rauhaan kun yritimme kävellä ympäriinsä, joten ei voi sanoa, että olisimme erikoisesti nauttineet tästä päivästä.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hindu temple</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mosque</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Colombo Fort</td></tr>
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<i><span style="color: #990000;">Many tourists in Sri Lanka avoid Colombo altogether, but I prefer visiting also the capital of any country whenever possible. Our flight to Vietnam was in the following evening, so we had a full day to spend in Colombo. I must say I do not judge the people who don't visit Colombo - I wouldn't really say I missed anything important, had I not visited at all. We spent some time going around the Pettah market (only slightly more pleasant experience without the backpacks), went to see a hindu temple and a mosque, walked through Colombo Fort (which had a couple of nice buildings, but none of the charm of Galle Fort), and visited a couple of Buddhist temples, of which especially the Gangaramaya temple was really impressive. Everywhere we went there was terrible traffic and huge crowds, and the tuk tuk drivers would not give us a minute of peace while we tried to walk around - all in all I really cannot say it was an enjoyable day. </span></i><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Delivering goods to Pettah market</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The clock tower in Colombo Fort</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnEtNj1UyJdorA39J6a_E31JQ88Ts7bQ3RsQvMDbo_B97TPEJRrYEZ1ibDy-BnfnioJtm2ZqHSManSCk114OqrvzndNz22_pwFbpbNly3pEmBSZ4qxpSzmW8Du90mDYIErl5kmzf8exzk/s1600/P1100509.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnEtNj1UyJdorA39J6a_E31JQ88Ts7bQ3RsQvMDbo_B97TPEJRrYEZ1ibDy-BnfnioJtm2ZqHSManSCk114OqrvzndNz22_pwFbpbNly3pEmBSZ4qxpSzmW8Du90mDYIErl5kmzf8exzk/s640/P1100509.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Buddhist temple on the lake</td></tr>
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Kaiken huipuksi viimeisenä päivänämme Sri Lankassa, joka on noin ylipäänsä todella turvallinen eikä turistien tarvitse pelätä huijatuksi joutumista, päädyimme huijarin uhreiksi. Nousimme lentokenttäbussiin numero 187 Pettahin pääbussiasemalla. Bussissa istuskeli muutamia muita matkustajia, mutta kuskia ei vielä näkynyt. Olimme asettumassa istuimille, kun heppu ilmestyi paikalle ja sanoi, että meidän molempien pitää maksaa kahdesta istuimesta, koska rinkka vei yhden ihmisen tilan eikä bussissa ollut erillistä tilaa matkatavaroille. Tämä ei tuntunut mitenkään oudolta, koska olimme aiemminkin Sri Lankassa maksaneet jossain bussissa istuimesta rinkoille. Sen olisi kuitenkin pitänyt tuntua oudolta, että rahastaja tuli perimään maksua ennen kuin bussi oli lähtenyt liikkeelle. Emme sitä kuitenkaan kyseenalaistaneet, vaan maksoimme kiltisti 300 rupiaa per henkilö eli puolitoista euroa. Sekään ei ollut ennenkuulumatonta, että emme saaneet lippua - joissain busseissa olemme lipun saaneet, toisissa emme. Bussi oli lähdössä liikkeelle, kun kyytiin hyppäsi ihan eri heppu lipunmyyntikone kädessään, ja siinä vaiheessa vasta huomasin, ettei sitä aiempaa "rahastajaa" näkynyt enää missään. Kun oikea rahastaja tuli perimään maksua, yritin vielä toiveikkaana selittää, että maksoimme jo kollegallesi, mutta toki siinä vaiheesta tajuttiin jo, että olimme menneet lankaan ja maksaneet huijarille, jolla ei ollut lipunmyyjän kanssa mitään tekemistä. Jouduimme tietenkin maksamaan uudelleen (onneksi kuitenkin vain 150 rupiaa per henkilö, eli niistä rinkoista ei tarvinnut maksaa ylimääräistä). Rahallinen menetys ei siis ollut enempää kuin kolmisen euroa, jäi vaan harmittamaan oma hölmöys. Puolustuksemme oli vain se, että srilankalaiset ovat yleisesti niin ihania ja aidosti avuliaita ihmisiä, että kolmessa viikossa sitä unohti jo olla epäluuloinen ja varoa huijareita. Älkää te tehkö samaa mokaa, jos olette menossa lentokentälle bussilla - älä maksa mitään, ennen kuin bussi on liikkeellä!<br />
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<i><span style="color: #990000;">On top of everything else, on our last day in Sri Lanka, generally a very safe country where a traveller does not have to worry about being scammed, we fell victims to a scam. We got on the airport bus number 187 on the Pettah main bus station. The bus driver was nowhere to be seen, but there were a few passengers on the bus already. We were looking for a place to settle down, when a guy appeared telling us that we needed to pay for two seats each, as our backpacks were taking a full seat and there was no luggage storage space on the bus. This did not seem unusual, as it had happened on some other bus as well. What should have felt unusual, though, was the fact that the cashier came asking for money before the bus had started as normally that didn't happen. However, we didn't question it at the time, just paid up the 300 rupees per person (about 1,5 euro). It was not unusual not to get a ticket either, as in some buses we had been given a ticket after paying, while in others we hadn't. Only when the bus was starting and a totally different guy with a ticket machine in his hand got on, did I realize that the guy we had paid to was nowhere to be seen. When the actual cashier came to ask for payment for the tickets, we tried to explain that we already paid to his colleague, still with a vague hope it had actually been a legitimate cashier, but to no avail - it became clear that we had been scammed and we had to pay again (luckily only 150 rupees per person though - no need to pay extra for the backpacks). The monetary loss was no more than 3 euro, so it's not about that, we just felt really crappy about being fooled like this. In our defence, the Sri Lankans are generally really that lovely, honest and genuinely friendly people, that in three weeks we had gotten used to trusting people and not treating people with suspicion. Don't do what we did, if you are taking an airport bus to Colombo airport - only pay for your ticket once the bus has started moving!</span></i><br />
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Sri Lanka tarjosi meille kolmen viikon aikana lukuisia huippukokemuksia (joihin Colombo ei kuulunut), jotka jäävät mieleeni ikuisiksi ajoiksi - esimerkiksi <a href="http://sillavalinmaailmalla.blogspot.com/2019/03/norsuja-minneriyan-kansallispuistossa.html" target="_blank">norsusafari Minneriyan kansallispuistossa</a>, <a href="http://sillavalinmaailmalla.blogspot.com/2019/04/junamatka-kandysta-ellaan-train-ride.html" target="_blank">junamatka Kandysta Ellaan</a> sekä <a href="http://sillavalinmaailmalla.blogspot.com/2019/04/kaksi-rantaparatiisia-tangalle-ja.html" target="_blank">Tangallen ja Mirissan rantaparatiisit</a>. Vaikka olen nauttinut täysin sydämin paikallisten ystävällisyydestä, upeasta luonnosta ja mausteisista curryista, tuntuu ihan hyvältä vaihtaa maisemaa ja jatkaa matkaa kohti ihan uusia haasteita - Vietnam, täältä tullaan!<br />
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<i><span style="color: #990000;">Although Colombo was not one of them, in three weeks Sri Lanka offered us several unforgettable experiences, such as <a href="http://sillavalinmaailmalla.blogspot.com/2019/04/kaksi-rantaparatiisia-tangalle-ja.html" target="_blank">the beach paradises of Tangalle and Mirissa</a>, <a href="http://sillavalinmaailmalla.blogspot.com/2019/04/junamatka-kandysta-ellaan-train-ride.html" target="_blank">the train ride from Kandy to Ella</a> and the <a href="http://sillavalinmaailmalla.blogspot.com/2019/03/norsuja-minneriyan-kansallispuistossa.html" target="_blank">elephant safari in Minneriya National Park</a>. Although I have really enjoyed the friendliness of the locals, the spicy veggie curries and the spectacular nature, it feels good to change the scenery and head towards new challenges - Vietnam, here we come!</span></i></div>
Nomadihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02526178789320131836noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6699883048972720931.post-25039393820232619632019-04-13T03:11:00.000-07:002019-04-13T03:11:07.533-07:00Kaksi rantaparatiisia, Tangalle ja Mirissa - 2 x Beach Paradise, Tangalle and Mirissa<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "segoe ui";">Silmät skannaavat kiihkeästi meren pintaa. Katse pysähtyy aina tyynen pinnan rikkoutuessa - oliko se tuo? Ei, se oli vain vaahtopäinen aalto. Kaikki odottavat lähes henkeään pidätellen, kunnes yhtäkkiä, ihan yllättävän lähellä venettä, veden pinta rikkoutuu ja sinivalas puuskauttaa ilmoille hämmästyttävän korkean vesisuihkun. Vaikka veneestä näkee vain pienen osan tuon valtavan otuksen selkää ennen sen vajoamista jälleen syvyyksiin, on hämmentävän hieno kokemus olla niin lähellä suurinta koskaan elänyttä eläintä. Ok, jos tarkkoja ollaan, näillä seuduilla elää pikkusinivalaita, jotka ovat “vain” 24 metrin mittaisia, eli melko lailla pienempiä kuin arktisilla vesillä elävät jopa 33 metrin mittaiset sinivalaat. Olemme valaankatseluretkellä (vai onko whale watching tripille jotain parempaa suomennosta olemassa?) Sri Lankan Mirissasta, ja kokemus on niin hieno, että kurkkua kuristaa ja kyyneleet nousevat silmiin. Vaimo oli tehnyt tapansa mukaan perusteellisen taustatutkimuksen, jonka perusteella valitsimme <a href="http://www.whalewatchingclub.com/" target="_blank">Whale Watching Club</a> -firman, jota kehuttiin erikoisen vastuulliseksi operaattoriksi. Veneeseen otetaan korkeintaan 35 matkustajaa, vaikka tilaa olisi 60 hengelle - näin kaikki saavat hyvät näköalat eikä ole liikaa tungosta. Ilmeisesti tämä yrittäjä menee myös syvemmille vesille kuin useimmat muut veneet, emme ainakaan nähneet koko retken aikana kuin yhden toisen turistiveneen, ja sekin oli ihan pieni muutaman hegen privaattivene. Joidenkin muiden operaattoreiden saamien arvostelujen mukaan valaan ilmaantuessa kymmenet veneet hyökkäävät sen luo, mikä ei kuulostanut ollenkaan vastuulliselta toiminnalta, mutta me saimme hengailla valaiden kanssa ihan rauhassa ilman muita turistipaatteja. Neljän sinivalaan lisäksi näimme myös ison lauman pyöriäisdelfiineja sekä pallopäävalaita, jotka nimestään huolimatta ovat myös delfiinejä. Noin viiden tunnin retki maksoi 8 500 rupiaa eli noin 42 euroa per henkilö, ja siihen kuului aamiainen, välipalaksi kookosroti ja hedelmiä, vettä, yksi kokis sekä kookospähkinä juotavaksi. Olimme retkeen kaikin puolin todella tyytyväisiä, enkä ihan äkkiä unohda sinivalaan lähellä hengailua. Kovin kummoisia kuvia tuosta jättiläisestä ei tosin saa, sillä valaat eivät ole ollenkaan niin innokkaita poseeraajia kuin delfiinit - mutta uskokaa pois, valaan selkä ja pyrstö näissä kuvissa näkyy!</span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Spinner dolphins</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Back of a blue whale</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tail of a blue whale</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "segoe ui";"><i><span style="color: #990000;">Eyes keep scanning the surface of the sea intensively. The gaze turns abruptly every time the calm surface is broken - was that it? No, it was just a wave. Everybody is waiting with bated breath until suddenly, suprisingly close to the boat, the surface of the water breaks and the blue whale blows an amazingly high spout of water. Although you can only see a bit of the huge animal’s back and the tail, it is an exhilarating experience to be this close to the most gigantic animal that has ever lived on the planet. Ok, to be precise, the blue whales living in this area are pygmy blue whales, which are “only” around 24 metres long, so considerably smaller than their relatives living in the Arctic waters, which may be up to 33 metres long. We are on a whale watching trip from Mirissa, and the experience is great enough to make me well up a bit. As usual, the wifey had made an extensive research and as a result we chose a trip from the <a href="http://www.whalewatchingclub.com/" target="_blank">Whale Watching Club</a> that was hailed to be a very responsible operator. They take maximum of 35 passengers, although the capacity of the boat is 60 pax - this way everybody gets a good seat with unobstructed views and it doesn’t get crowded. Apparently this operator also takes a different route (possibly to deeper waters) than other boats, as we only saw one other tourist boat on the whole trip, and even that was a tiny boat with only a couple of passengers. In the reviews of some other operators we had read that once a whale is spotted, dozens of boats crowd in which doesn’t sound responsible at all, but we got hang out with the whale without other tourists boats. Apart from four blue whales we also saw huge pods of spinner dolphins and pilot whales, which despite the name are also dolphins. The trip took altogether about five hours and the cost was 8 500 rupees (around 42 euro) per person, which included breakfast, a snack of coconut roti and fruits, water, one Coke and a fresh coconut to drink. We were really happy with the trip, and the experience of being close to the giant of the seas will stay with me forever. You can’t get very impressive pictures of them though, as they are not at all interested in posing for pictures like dolphins do, but take my word for it - that’s whale’s back and tail you see in those pictures!</span></i></span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Spinner dophins</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHcOdCCbytPMVBs7dT-nZoY69Uw2KoV6EiK9_rV888qcRBiEIGX08DyfYDPTOKhYuQARvfJ-o1VIs1bmzL-JjoXvTOhyQamrwOGU_mjbiS_8lYEArjenAJ_DcZqLylTMQhvOFZ0AyA_yw/s1600/P1100152.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHcOdCCbytPMVBs7dT-nZoY69Uw2KoV6EiK9_rV888qcRBiEIGX08DyfYDPTOKhYuQARvfJ-o1VIs1bmzL-JjoXvTOhyQamrwOGU_mjbiS_8lYEArjenAJ_DcZqLylTMQhvOFZ0AyA_yw/s640/P1100152.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Whale poop. Yep, that's how it looks.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZMAGOE0x4ndj5kln20E1Gdr2fcASELyi0j7rYxJcUGfGiHCwfzoYINjgblruaIiFlNMgx87GK1dKSqpyqwFZfxfRvvRKDjOlCnburqMZU_5NfwjLt286vEzF7vapTXzGesfBbuyQGoaU/s1600/P1100243.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZMAGOE0x4ndj5kln20E1Gdr2fcASELyi0j7rYxJcUGfGiHCwfzoYINjgblruaIiFlNMgx87GK1dKSqpyqwFZfxfRvvRKDjOlCnburqMZU_5NfwjLt286vEzF7vapTXzGesfBbuyQGoaU/s640/P1100243.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tail of a blue whale</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjne1kVisLuG_mbqn-f5HtVzqMVb4MFQWhnwQSOYMVMyusbRV_RnizG68dIloaNVWPRDYgz0FbpXlQ3r3yUezCUZbgXGFjOEwR_om6GcbD3CsaKqHLmrbCJZAbqxNOIQMYqZcjRTfyl2yQ/s1600/P1100185.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjne1kVisLuG_mbqn-f5HtVzqMVb4MFQWhnwQSOYMVMyusbRV_RnizG68dIloaNVWPRDYgz0FbpXlQ3r3yUezCUZbgXGFjOEwR_om6GcbD3CsaKqHLmrbCJZAbqxNOIQMYqZcjRTfyl2yQ/s640/P1100185.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pilot whales</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "segoe ui";"><i><span style="color: #990000;"><br /></span></i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "segoe ui";">Mirissa on vain noin 50 kilometrin päässä edellisestä kohteestamme Tangallesta, mutta siellä oli täysin erilainen tunnelma. Tangalle oli hyvin hiljainen ja rauhallinen paikka, jossa kuvankauniilla paratiisirannalla näkyi siellä täällä muutamia rantatuoleja. Tuolit olivat kuitenkin enimmäkseen tyhjillään ja näyttivät siltä, kuin ne olisi jätetty sinne rannalle lojumaan vuosikausia sitten. Muutama turisti saattoi loikoilla siellä täällä, mutta enimmäkseen rantatuoleja käyttivät kulkukoirat, jotka makasivat tuolien alla varjossa. Mekin otimme erittäin rennosti Tangallessa tekemättä oikeastaan mitään muuta kuin rannalla juoksemista, rannalla kävelemistä ja rannalla loikoilua. Niin, ja rannalla syömistä lukuisissa ravintoloissa. Yksi turistiaktiviteetti täällä olisi käydä katsomassa kilpikonnan munimista läheisellä rannalla, mutta luettuamme arvosteluja päätimme jättää tämän väliin: vaikuttaa siltä, että homma on pelkkää rahastusta eikä sillä ole kilpikonnien suojelun kanssa mitään tekemistä. Sata turistia tunkeilemassa yhden kilpikonnan perässä on kaukana eettisestä toiminnasta. Nautimme siis täysin rinnoin pelkästä rentoilusta intensiivisen Sri Lankan kiertelyn jälkeen. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Enjoying my morning coffee on my balcony</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUk5A8HPxiXdNAaMDuRhEX7CewEhw_XFdX-HNnSITVZ82LYlqytkg-tBFmVB1xYabLGyf3Zegyb5asQnov_crIBlfp74RSqfvoBvXHAXyY39FVgyuztMAFefB2pIMp7NG00OAWSGPCEYY/s1600/P1100090.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUk5A8HPxiXdNAaMDuRhEX7CewEhw_XFdX-HNnSITVZ82LYlqytkg-tBFmVB1xYabLGyf3Zegyb5asQnov_crIBlfp74RSqfvoBvXHAXyY39FVgyuztMAFefB2pIMp7NG00OAWSGPCEYY/s640/P1100090.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Deserted beach in Tangalle</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "segoe ui";"><i><span style="color: #990000;">Mirissa is only about 50 kilometres from our previous destination Tangalle, but the vibe was completely different. Tangalle was a very quiet and peaceful place, with only a few beach chairs here and there along the picture-perfect beach. However, the beach chairs were mainly empty and looked like they had been left there years ago. There were a couple of tourists lying on the chairs here and there, but mostly they were being used as shade by the stray dogs living on the beach. We also took it very easy in Tangalle, doing practically nothing else but running on the beach, walking on the beach and lying on the beach. Oh, and eating on the beach in some of the numerous restaurants. The one tourist acitivity around here would be to go and see turtles lay their eggs on a nearby beach, but after reading the reviews we decided to skip it: it appears to be just exploiting the turtles instead of supposedly protecting them. A hundred tourists crowding on one poor turtle trying to lay its eggs is a far cry from animal conservation. So we just enjoyed resting and relaxing after spending two weeks on intensive sightseeing tour of Sri Lanka. </span></i></span></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tangalle</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "segoe ui";">Matkasimme Mirissaan bussilla Tangallesta, johon meni välimatkan huomioon ottaen kohtuuttoman kauan (yhteensä pari tuntia, johon kuului bussin vaihto Matarassa), mutta eipä ainakaan mennyt monta euroa. Mirissa on ihan täysin erilainen paikka kuin Tangalle, se on täynnä rantaturisteja, bileitä ja aktiviteetteja, mikä oli ihan mukavaa vaihtelua. Biletys meitä ei kiinnostanut, mutta olimme valmiita tekemään aktiviteetteja löhöilyn jälkeen, joten edellä mainitun valasretken lisäksi varasimme majatalostamme seuraavaksi aamuksi retken läheiselle laguunille. Tämä oli privaatti retki vain meille kahdelle pienen soutuveneen kyydissä (kyseessä oli kaksi toisiinsa kiinnitettyä perinteistä kalastajan venettä), ja heppu meloi pitkin pientä kanaalia laguuniin. Ketään muita ihmisiä ei näkynyt eikä kuulunut missään, vain lintujen ja muiden eläinten ääntelyä ja veden loisketta hepun meloessa. Näimme lintujen lisäksi monta vesimonitoriliskoa uiskentelemassa kanaalissa ja kävimme kävelemässä pienessä saaressa, jossa kasvatetaan monenlaisia hedelmiä ja mausteita, kuten kanelia ja currya. Parin tunnin retki maksoi 2 000 rupiaa eli 10 euroa per henkilö, ja oli todellakin sen arvoista - yksi parhaista kokemuksista Sri Lankassa! </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "segoe ui";"><i><span style="color: #990000;">We travelled to Mirissa by bus from Tangalle, which took unreasonably long for the distance (altogether about two hours including changing a bus in Matara), but at least it only cost a couple of euros. Mirissa is a totally different place than Tangalle - full of beach tourists, parties and activities, which actually came as a pleasant change. We were not interested in the parties, but we were ready for some activities after doing nothing in Tangalle, so apart from the whale watching we also booked a trip from our guest house to a nearby lagoon for the following morning. This was a private trip for just the two of us on a small rowing boat (actually two traditional fishing boats attached together) with a local guy paddling the boat along a small canal to the lagoon. There were no other people anywhere to be seen, all you could hear was the sounds of nature: birds and other animals all around us and the splashing of the water. Apart from lots of birds we also saw several water monitor lizards, and we took a walk on a small island where lots of fruits and spices are grown, such as cinnamon and curry. The trip took a couple of hours and cost 2 000 rupees (around 10 euro) per person, and it was so worth it - one of the best experiences in Sri Lanka!</span></i></span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cashew nuts</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our boat on the lagoon trip</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "segoe ui";">Mirissan pääasiallinen ranta on täynnä ravintoloita ja baareja, mutta turistintäyteisyydestään huolimatta se oli meistä ihan viehättävä paikka hengailla etenkin illalla auringonlaskun aikaan happy hour -juomista nauttien - täältä sai Sri Lankan halvinta olutta, 250 rupiaa per tölkki (eli vähän reilun euron, siltikään ei kovin halpaa maan yleisen hintatason huomioon ottaen, mutta kun alkoholin juominen ei kuulu maan yleisiin tapoihin, se näkyy hinnassa). Rannan loppupäässä komeileva Parrot Rock on suosittu paikka auringonlaskun ihailuun, ja mekin kahlasimme sinne yhtenä iltana. Yhtenä päivänä kävimme tsekkaamassa Secret Beach -nimellä kulkevan rannan, joka ei kuitenkaan ollut niin salainen kuin nimi antaa ymmärtää; melko täynnä turisteja sekin oli, mutta kylläkin ympäristöltään hyvin kaunis paikka, jossa viihdyimme mukavasti pari tuntia. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Climbing up to the Parrot Rock</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "segoe ui";"><i><span style="color: #990000;">The main beach of Mirissa is full of bars and restaurants, but despite being totally touristy we still found it a pleasant place to hang out in, especially in the evening around sunset enjoying the happy hour drinks - this was where the cheapest beer in Sri Lanka was found, 250 rupees per can (which, at more than a euro, is still not extremely cheap compared to the general cost of living, but as drinking alcohol is not common in their culture, it shows in the price). The Parrot Rock at the end of the main beach is a popular spot to see the sunset, and we also went there on our last evening. One day we checked out the Secret Beach, which turned out not to be all that secret after all - it was actually also pretty full of tourists, but the surroundings were absolutely stunning and we spent a lovely couple of hours there. </span></i></span></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Secret Beach</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "segoe ui";">Eli kumpi on parempi rantalomakohde Sri Lankassa, Tangalle vai Mirissa? Kuten kirjoituksestani voi päätellä, se riippuu ihan siitä mitä haet: jos haluat rauhaa, hiljaisuutta ja lähes tyhjiä rantoja, suuntaa Tangalleen - jos haluat paljon aktiviteetteja, bileitä ja muita turisteja, kohteesi on Mirissa. Me olimme hyvin tyytyväisiä, että pääsimme viettämään aikaa molemmissa - rannalla lekottelu oli juuri sitä, mitä tarvitsimme intensiivisen parin viikon kiertomatkan jälkeen. </span></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sunset in Mirissa</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Secret Beach</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "segoe ui";"><i><span style="color: #990000;">So, which one is the better beach destination in Sri Lanka, Tangalle or Mirissa? As you might have figured from this post, it totally depends on what you are after: if you are looking for peace and quiet and to have the gorgeous beaches to yourself, head to Tangalle - if you want to have lots of activities, parties and other tourists, Mirissa is your destination. We were really happy to visit both, as spending some time chilling on the beach was exactly what we needed after an intensive two weeks of touring around Sri Lanka. </span></i></span></span><br />
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Nomadihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02526178789320131836noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6699883048972720931.post-66896422831332521752019-04-07T01:50:00.001-07:002019-04-07T01:50:07.724-07:00Junamatka Kandysta Ellaan - Train Ride from Kandy to Ella<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "Segoe UI"; font-size: 10pt;">Juna tuksuttaa eteenpäin nukuttavan tasaista tahtiaan, tuudittaen helteen uuvuttaman turistin melkein uneen. Mutta nukahtaa ei saa - siinä menisi koko matkan pointti sivu suun, nimittäin mielettömät maisemat täynnä rehevää vehreyttä, niin luonnontilaista metsää kuin kirkkaanvihreitä teeviljelmiäkin.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic;"><span style="font-family: Segoe UI;"><span style="color: #990000;">The train is chugging along with its soothingly even pace, lulling the heat-stricken tourist nearly to sleep. But I mustn’t fall asleep and miss the main point of the journey - the incredible scenery full of lush greenery, both natural forests and bright-green tea plantations. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Segoe UI;">Yksi Sri Lankan suosituimmista must-do-jutuista turisteille on maailman kauneimmaksikin tituleerattu junamatka Kandysta Ellaan. Mekin halusimme ehdottomasti tehdä sen, ja halusimme myös varmistaa itsellemme istumapaikan. Junamatka on nimittäin niin suosittu, että etukäteen varattavat istumapaikat tapaavat täyttyä heti niiden tullessa myyntiin kuukautta ennen matkustuspäivää, ja myöhemmin lippunsa ostavat joutuvat taistelemaan istumapaikoista (ja suurin osa seisomaan). Me emme halunneet päätyä seisomaan kuuden tunnin junamatkaa, joten ostimme lippumme Visit Sri Lanka Tours (linkki) sivuston kautta hyvissä ajoin etukäteen. Sri Lankassa ollessaan liput voi ostaa miltä tahansa rautatieasemalta etukäteen, mutta netissä ne voi ostaa vain matkatoimiston kautta, ja näin ollen tietenkin maksaa huomattavasti korkeamman hinnan. Me maksoimme noin 30 euroa meiltä kahdelta kakkosluokan istumapaikasta, kun paikan päällä ostettaessa lippu olisi ollut jotain 10 euron luokkaa. Tässä tapauksessa mukavuudenhalu voitti kitsastelun, ja olimme hyvin tyytyväisiä istahtaessamme rauhassa paikoillemme, eikä tarvinnut rynniä kyynärpäätaktiikalla vapaan istumajärjestyksen vaunuun. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic;"><span style="font-family: Segoe UI;"><span style="color: #990000;">One of the most popular must-dos in Sri Lanka is the train journey from Kandy to Ella, which is often referred to as the most scenic train ride in the world. We definitely wanted to do it as well, and also ensure we get seats. As the train journey is so popular, the reserved seats tend to sell out pretty much instantly when they become available for purchase about a month before the departure date, and the people buying their tickets later have to fight for seats (and many will end up standing up the whole journey). We didn’t want to stand for six hours on the train with our backpacks, so we bought our tickets well in advance through Visit Sri Lanka Tours. When already in Sri Lanka you can buy the tickets on any train station in advance, but the only way to buy tickets online is to do it through a travel agency, and obviously pay premium price for it. We paid around 30 euro for two seats in the second class, while in Sri Lanka the ticket would have cost about 10 euro. This one time we were more concerned about comfort than economy, and we were really happy taking our seats instead of having to rush into the free seating car. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Segoe UI;">Junamatka oli kohtuullisen mukava, mitä nyt seinillä vilisteli pariin otteeseen pieniä torakoita. Kakkosluokassa ei ole ilmastointia, mutta avonaisista ikkunoista tulee mukavan viilentävä viima.Tärkein asia matkalla on kuitenkin ikkunasta (ja avonaisista ovista) avautuva maisema, johon ei kuuden tunnin matkan aikana ehdi turtua - ihan uskomattoman vihreää! Juna tuksuttaa eteenpäin tasaista tahtia, joka hitaudestaan huolimatta onnistuu usein pilaamaan valokuvaajan otokset - aina erikoisen mahtavan näkymän auetessa eteen se ehtii jo vilahtaa ohi, ennen kuin kamera ja asetukset ovat kohdillaan. Välillä kaikkein parhaimmat maisemat ovat junan oikealla puolella eli meidän puolellamme, toisinaan taas vasemmalla puolella, joten kaikki matkustajat pääsevät varmasti nauttimaan uskomattomista näköaloista. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic;"><span style="font-family: Segoe UI;"><span style="color: #990000;">The train ride itself was reasonably comfortable, although we did see a couple of little cockroaches running on the wall. There is no air conditioning in second class, but the open windows offer a pleasant breeze. The most important thing about the journey, however, is the view that the open windows and doors provide - you cannot get tired of that incredibly green scenery in six hours! The train chugs along slowly and yet it often felt too fast for taking really great pictures - whenever there was a particularly impressive view, it seemed to slip away before I managed to capture it. At times the most spectacular views were on the right side, the other times on the left side of the train, so no matter where you sit, you will for sure enjoy fantastic views. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Segoe UI;">Perille päästyämme Ella yllätti minut - kyseessä oli pieni ja erittäin turistiystävällinen vuoristokaupunki, mutta en ollut odottanut sen olevan niin täysin turisteille suunnattu. Hieman samanlainen tunnelma kuin Sigiriyassa, mutta isommassa mittakaavassa; ravintoloita, majataloja, baareja jne. turistipalveluita vieri vieressä. Tarjolla oli skootterin vuokrausta, ayurveda-hoitoloita, kokkauskursseja, pesulapalveluita ja kaikkea muuta, mitä turisti voi kaivata. Toisaalta kaupungin tunnelma oli mielestäni viehättävän pirteä ja miellyttävä, mutta toisaalta siellä ei nähnyt oikein mitään, mikä ei olisi ollut pelkästään turisteille. Hinnatkin tuntuivat huomattavan kalliilta, etenkin Kandyn ravintoloihin verrattuna. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic;"><span style="font-family: Segoe UI;"><span style="color: #990000;">Ella surprised me once we finally got there - it is a small and very tourist-friendly mountain town, which was much more touristy than I had expected. The atmosphere was a bit similar to that of Sigiriya, but in a larger scale: restaurants, guest houses, bars and other tourist services, one after another. You want to rent a scooter? Do laundry? Have a massage in ayurvedic spa? Do a cooking lesson? Ella is your place. Still, I thought the town had a pleasant cheerful vibe, although it felt strange seeing practically nothing that wasn’t aimed at tourists. Also the prices felt pretty steep, especially compared to the restaurants in Kandy. </span></span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On Little Adam's Peak</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At Uda Halpewatte Tea Factory</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Segoe UI;">Ellassa on hyvä käydä patikoimassa esimerkiksi Little Adam’s Peakilla, joka on helppopääsyinen ja mukava reitti. Kävelimme sinne kylästä ensin loputtomien majatalojen ja ravintoloiden ohi, sitten teeviljelmän läpi ja lopulta portaita pitkin ylös huipulle, jossa henki salpaantui muunkin kuin ylös kiipeämisen takia - ihan älyttömän hienot näköalat vastapäisestä Ella Rockista sekä vuorien välisestä laaksosta. Myös kuuluisa Nine Arch Bridge on kävelymatkan päässä kaupungista, ja osuimme onneksemme paikalle juuri junan ylittäessä siltaa, joten näkymä oli vielä dramaattisempi. Patikoinnin jälkeen oli kiva lepuuttaa lihaksia hieronnassa - olimme nimittäin löytäneet majatalomme lähettyviltä huomattavan edullisen hierontapaikan, jossa kokovartalohieronta yrttiöljyllä maksoi 1 800 rupiaa eli noin 9 euroa per henkilö, kun hierontapaikat pääkadun varrella olisivat veloittaneet 3 000 - 4 000 rupiaa samasta palvelusta. Pääsimme hierottaviksi samaan aikaan ja nautimme käsittelystä kovasti. Tämä oli todellakin kokovartalohieronta, sillä se alkoi päänahan hieronnasta öljyllä (ja minä kun olin yrittänyt laittaa tukan poninhännälle, ettei se menisi kovin öljyiseksi - hieroja kaatoi ensi töikseen öljyä suoraan päänahkaani) ja läpi käytiin aika lailla kaikki ruumiinosat pään ja varpaiden välillä, mukaan lukien vatsan ja rinnat. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic;"><span style="font-family: Segoe UI;"><span style="color: #990000;">Ella is a great place for some hiking, for example to the top of Little Adam’s Peak, which is easily accessible even without any transport. We walked from the town past the endless guest houses and restaurants, through a tea plantation and finally took the stairs up to the top, where my breath was taken away, and not only due to the steep climb - the view over the Ella Rock directly opposite and the valley between the two mountains was just amazing. Also the famous Nine Arch Bridge is within walking distance from town, and we were lucky to get there just as a train was crossing the bridge - that made the sight even more impressive! After the hike it was nice to sooth our muscles by having a massage. Close to our guest house we had discovered a very reasonably priced spa where a full body massage cost only 1 800 rupees (about 9 euro) per person, while the spas along the main road were charging 3 000 - 4 000 rupees for same. We were massaged at the same time in the same room, and we both really enjoyed it. This was truly a full body massage that started from the scalp (and I had tried to put my hair up on ponytail to avoid it getting too oily - the first thing the masseuse did was to pour oil directly to my scalp) and went through pretty much all the body parts including the areas rarely included in massage, such as stomach and breasts. </span></span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nine Arch Bridge</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Segoe UI;">Toisena päivänämme vuokrasimme skootterin (1 500 rupiaa per päivä), sillä halusimme vierailla itsenäisesti läheisellä teetehtaalla muutaman kilometrin päässä. Emme ole aiemmin vuokranneet skoottereita reissuillamme, ja kieltämättä hiukan kyllä jännitti lähteä ajelemaan - etenkin kun meille kerrottiin juuri edellisenä päivänä sattuneesta onnettomuudesta, jossa turistityttö oli murtanut jalkansa. Vaimo on kuitenkin hyvä ja luotettava ajaja, ja hyvin päästiin perille, vaikka viimeiset pari kilometriä olikin niin jyrkkää ylämäkeä, että vähän huoletti. Uda Halpewatten teetehdas (1 500 rupiaa per henkiö opastetula kierroksella) oli hyvin mielenkiintoinen paikka, jossa opimme miten teelehdet prosessoidaan luonnontilastaan meille tutuksi teeksi. Noin tunnin kestävän kierroksen lopuksi saimme maistella erilaisia teelaatuja ja niin haluavat voivat ostaa ylihinnoiteltuja teepaketteja - meidän rinkoissamme ei ole moisille tilaa. Teetehtaan hämärissä olosuhteissa otetut kuvat eivät valitettavasti oikein onnistuneet.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At the tea factory</td></tr>
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<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic;"><span style="font-family: Segoe UI;">On our second day in Ella we rented a scooter (1 500 rupees per day), as we wanted to visit a tea factory independently. We hadn’t rented scooters before while travelling, and we were both slightly nervous to do it, especially as we were told that the previous day there had been an accident where a tourist girl had broken her leg. However, the wifey is a good confident driver, and luckily we had no problems, although the last couple of kilometres to the tea factory was such steep uphill that it was really quite challenging. Uda Halpewatte tea factory (1 500 rupees per person with guided tour) was a really interesting place where we learned how the tea leaves are processed from their natural state to the tea that we know. The tour took about one hour and in the end we got to taste different tea types and those so inclined could buy over-priced packs of tea - we have no space for such things in our backpacks. Unfortunately our pictures taken in the dim light of the tea factory did not work out great</span></span><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Segoe UI;">. </span></span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tea tasting</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Train crossing Nine Arch Bridge</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Segoe UI;">Ehdimme osallistua vielä srilankalaiselle kokkauskurssillekin, joka on yksi erittäin suosittu aktiviteetti Ellassa ja todella monet ravintolat tarjoavat tunnin tai parin mittaisia oppitunteja, jonka lopuksi oppilaat saavat syödä kokkaamansa ruoat. Hinnat näkyivät vaihtelevan 1 500 - 2 000 rupian välillä per henkilö. Me kävimme parissakin paikassa kyselemässä, mutta ne olivat jo täynnä, joten päädyimme satunnaisesti seuraavaan paikkaan nimeltään Nanda. Tässä ei ole kyse mistään erikoisen ammattimaisesta kurssista, lähinnä heppu esitteli srilankalaisia mausteita, näytti meille miten erilaisia curryja ja kookosrotia tehdään, ja saimme välillä pilkkoa kasviksia ja hämmentää currya. Kokemus oli kuitenkin hauska ja ruoka oli hyvää - selvästi olemme todella hyviä srilankalaisia kokkeja! </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic;"><span style="font-family: Segoe UI;"><span style="color: #990000;">We still had time for one more Ella experience, a cooking lesson which is offered by tons of restaurants around Ella. Typically the cooking lesson takes between one and two hours, and in the end the students get to eat the meal they helped prepare. The prices seemed to vary between 1 500 - 2 000 rupees. We asked around in a couple of places that were fully booked, before ending up randomly to the next restaurant called Nanda. This is not a particularly professional or serious cooking course, mainly the guy was just showing us the Sri Lankan spices and how to make different curries and coconut roti, and every once in a while we got to chop some veggies or stir some curries. However, it was a really fun experience and the food was delicious - obviously we are great Sri Lankan cooks!</span></span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Enjoying the food "we" cooked</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Segoe UI;">Ella oli kaikessa turistimaisuudessaankin viehättävä paikka, ja viihdyimme siellä oikein hyvin kolme yötä. Nyt oli kuitenkin aika suunnata vuorilta meren rannalle, sillä seuraavaksi matkasimme Tangalleen!</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic;"><span style="font-family: Segoe UI;"><span style="color: #990000;">Despite being very touristy, we still found Ella charming, and really enjoyed our three nights stay there. Now it was time to head from the mountains to the sea, as our next destination took us to Tangalle!</span></span></span>
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Nomadihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02526178789320131836noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6699883048972720931.post-10857728295967106932019-04-02T09:05:00.000-07:002019-04-02T09:05:09.282-07:00UNESCON maailmanperintökohteet Dambulla & Kandy - UNESCO World Heritage Sites<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "segoe ui";">Dambulla on Lonely Planetin kuvauksen mukaan pölyinen ja epämiellyttävä pieni kaupunki, jossa on yksi tärkeä nähtävyys - mutta se onkin sitten ihan välttämätön nähtävyys, nimittäin Dambullan luolatemppeli, joka on UNESCON maailmanperintölistalla. Alunperin olin suunnitellut, että kävisimme katsastamassa luolatemppelin päiväretkellä Sigiriyasta, mutta koska bussi Kandyyn menee kuitenkin Dambullasta, päätimme yöpyä siellä yhden yön välttääksemme edes-takas ajelua. Strategiamme oli varata hyvä hotelli uima-altaalla ihan luolatemppelin läheisyydestä, jotta voimme luolavisiitin lisäksi nauttia altaan reunalla himmailusta (kun kaupungissa ei kuitenkaan muuta nähtävää ole) ja jatkaa sitten kätevästi matkaa Kandyyn. Tämä onnistuikin loistavasti ja <a href="https://www.sundaraspa.com/" target="_blank">Sundara Resort</a> oli nappivalinta. Vietettyämme monta yötä hyvinkin simppeleissä homestay-tyylisissä majoituksissa, oli ihanaa luksusta olla hotellissa ja hengailla ihanalla altaalla, eikä tämä lysti kuitenkaan maksanut kuin 30 euroa per yö (tosin ilman aamiaista). </span></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cave temple</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: "segoe ui";"><i>According to Lonely Planet, Dambulla is a dusty, unpleasant little town with only one important sight - then again, it is an absolute must-see sight in Sri Lanka, Dambulla cave temple which is an UNESCO world heritage site. Initially we had planned on visiting the cave temple on a day trip from Sigiriya, but as the bus to Kandy goes anyway from Dambulla, we finally decided to stay there one night to avoid going back and forth. Our strategy was to book a better-than-average hotel with a pool very close to the cave temple, so that apart from the temple visit we can be chilling by the pool (as there isn't much else to do in town) and then catch a bus to Kandy. This worked out perfectly and <a href="https://www.sundaraspa.com/" target="_blank">Sundara Resort</a> was an excellent choice. After spending many nights in very simple homestay-type of accommodation it was really nice and luxurious to stay in a hotel and chill at a lovely pool area, especially as it only cost around 30 euro per night (room only basis though).</i></span></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In front of the cave temples</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "segoe ui";">Dambullan luolatemppeli on ehdottomasti käymisen arvoinen paikka, joskin hieman odotettua pienempi - visiittiin ei mene tuntia enempää. Lippu maksaa 1 500 rupiaa eli noin 7,5 euroa per henkilö, jonka lisäksi tulee maksaa 25 rupiaa per henkilö hepulle, joka vahtii kenkiä visiitin ajan. Halusimme ehtiä paikalle suht ajoissa välttääksemme väenpaljoutta, joten olimme asemissa aamukasin pintaan, eikä temppelissä silloin ollutkaan yhtä ranskalaisryhmää enempää porukkaa. Olimme lukeneet etukäteen, että kannattaa aloittaa viimeisestä eli viidennestä luolasta ja siirtyä sieltä järjestyksessä eteenpäin, sillä viimeinen luola on pienin ja vähiten vaikuttava, seuraava sitä vaikuttavampi jne. Joten jos aloittaa ensimmäisestä, wow-tekijä tulee heti nähtyä ja sen jälkeen muut eivät tunnu enää niin hienoilta. Tämä oli mielestäni todella hyvä neuvo, ja näin myös vältimme ranskalaisen eläkeläisryhmän suurimman osan aikaa. Kukin luola oli itsessään melko pieni, mutta mitä pidemmälle etenimme, sen enemmän hienoja Buddha-patsaita oli saatu yhteen luolaan tungettua ja näky oli todella vaikuttava. Mielestäni toiseksi viimeisenä näkemämme luola oli kaikkein hienoin. </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #990000; font-family: "segoe ui"; font-size: x-small;"><i>Dambulla cave temple is definitely worth visiting, although it was a bit smaller than I originally thought; the visit will not take more than one hour. The ticket costs 1 500 rupees (about 7,5 euro) per person, plus you need to pay 25 rupees to the bloke minding the shoes while you are at the temple. We wanted to get there fairly early to avoid the crowds, so we made it to the temple around 8am, and there was only one French group in addition to us. We had read beforehand that it is best to start from the last cave and move in order from there towards the first cave, as the last cave is the smallest and least impressive, the next one is more impressive etc. So if you start from the first, you see the greatest sight right away and the wow factor is spoiled for the rest. I found this a really good advice, and this way we also avoided sharing the cave with the group for the most part. Each cave is pretty small in itself, but the more we saw, the more amazing Buddha statues they had managed to cram into each cave and the sight was really awe-inspiring. I thought the second last cave we saw was the most amazing. </i></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "segoe ui";">Luolavisiitin jälkeen tallustelimme takaisin maan pinnalle (kuten tavallista Sri Lankassa, tämäkin nähtävyys oli kukkulan huipulla), söimme erittäin paikallisen ja halvan aamupalan (dosa-lätty tulisella kastikkeella 25 rupiaa per henkilö, hedelmämehu 50 rupiaa per henkilö) ja palasimme hotellimme altaalle siihen asti, että päätimme lähteä kohti Kandya. Busseja menee Dambullan ja Kandyn välillä noin 10 - 15 minuutin välein, joten aikatauluista ei tarvitse huolehtia, mutta olin jo etukäteen lukenut että bussit ovat usein täynnä heti Dambullasta lähdettäessä. Totta olikin, että bussiin noustessamme jäljellä oli vain seisomatilaa, onneksi saimme rinkat kuitenkin laitettua kuskin vieressä olevaan telineeseen. Noin 45 minuutin seisomisen jälkeen onnistuimme molemmat saamaan istumapaikan, eli puolet matkasta saimme istua. Tästä lystistä pulitimme 230 rupiaa eli vähän reilun euron meiltä kahdelta. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: "segoe ui";"><i>After the temple visit we walked back down (as so many other sights in Sri Lanka, also this one is on top of a steep hill), had a very affordable local breakfast (dosa pancake with spicy sauce 25 rupees per person plus a fruit juice 50 rupees per person) and returned to spend some relaxing time by the pool until we decided to start our journey towards Kandy. There are buses going between Dambulla and Kandy every 10 - 15 minutes, so there is no need to worry about time tables, but I had read beforehand that the buses often get full already on the main stop in Dambulla. Sure enough, once we got on the bus there was standing room only, but at least we could put our backpacks on a rack next to the driver. After standing for about 45 minutes we both managed to get a seat, so at least half of the journey was a bit more comfortable. The cost for the 1,5 hour bus journey was 230 rupees for the two of us, so a bit more than one euro. </i></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "segoe ui";">Olin odottanut Kandyn olevan sangen viehättävä kaupunki, mikä oli osittain totta ja osittain ei niinkään. Kaupungin keskellä oleva järvi on kaunis ja sen ympärillä on mukavaa tallustella, mutta itse kaupungin keskusta ei ollut ollenkaan niin miellyttävä kuin mitä olin toivonut. Todella halpoja ja hyviä ravintoloita kyllä riitti (söimme molempina päivinä lounasta dosa-paikassa noin 200 rupialla eli eurolla per henkilö), mutta muuten keskusta ei mielestäni tarjonnut paljoa mielenkiintoista nähtävää - mistä lie syystä se tuntui olevan täynnä rautakauppoja ja maalikauppoja, mikä ei varmaan keskivertoturistia kauheasti kiinnosta. Lisäksi koin paikallisten ihmisten olevan hiukan vähemmän ystävällisiä kuin mihin olin jo Sri Lankassa tottunut - täällä he kai kohtaavat paljon turisteja, eivätkä ehdi kiireisen kaupunkilaiselämän ohessa heistä paljon piitata. </span></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kandy Lake</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "segoe ui";">Kaksi Kandyn tärkeintä nähtävyyttä ovat Temple of the Sacred Tooth, jossa säilytetään uskomuksen mukaan Buddhan hammasta (itse hammasta ei tosin pääse näkemään, sitä säilytetään kultaisessa rasiassa jota voi vilkaista sekunnin verran ennen kuin pitää siirtyä jonossa eteenpäin), sekä Kasvitieteellinen puutarha. Otimme rennosti ja kävimme katsomassa yhden näistä nähtävyyksistä per päivä aloittaen “hammastemppelistä”. Temppelin pääsymaksu oli jo tutuksi käynyt 1 500 rupiaa, mutta temppelin alue on itse asiassa aika iso ja siihen sisältyy myös useampi museo. Olen tottunut siihen, että buddhalaisissa temppeleissä on yleensä rauhallinen ja harras tunnelma, mutta täällä oli aika kaoottista - valtavasti ihmisiä, hälinää, kiirehtiviä ihmisiä tönimässä muita tieltään, paljon pieniä lapsia itkemässä jne. Alueen useissa rakennuksissa oli todella paljon mielenkiintoista nähtävää, me pidimme erikoisesti World Buddhist Museum -museosta, jossa esitellään buddhalaisuutta monissa eri maissa. Onnistuimmekin viettämään noin kolmisen tuntia kaikkiaan temppelin alueella. </span></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At the Temple of the Sacred Tooth</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: "segoe ui";"><i>I had expected Kandy to be a very charming town, which was partly true and partly not. The lake in the middle of the city is lovely and it is a great place for a relaxed stroll, but the city centre itself was less than pleasant. What was good was that there were plenty of really cheap and good restaurants (we had lunch in a dosa place both days for about 200 rupees/one euro per person), but other than that I didn't find the centre anyhow nice or interesting. For whatever reason it seemed to be really full of paint and hardware shops which is probably not very interesting for most tourists. Apart from that I felt the people here were slightly less friendly than what I had gotten accustomed to in Sri Lanka - I suppose they face a lot of Western tourists here and they are too busy with their hectic city lives to care much about them. </i></span></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dosa for lunch</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: "segoe ui";"><i>Two of the most important sights in Kandy are the Temple of the Sacred Tooth, where it is believed a tooth of Buddha is kept (although you can't see the tooth itself, but you can have a quick glance of the golden casket where it is supposedly kept), and the Botanical Gardens. We took it easy and visited one sight per day, starting with the tooth temple. The entrance fee is the by-now-familiar 1 500 rupees per person, which includes actually a large temple area and several museums as well. I was used to it that in Buddhist temples there is normally a serene atmosphere, but this one was pretty chaotic - huge crowds, lots of noise, busy people pushing others out of their way, loads of little children crying etc. However, there was loads really interesting things to see, we especially liked the World Buddhist Museum presenting the Buddhist philosophy, history and architecture in many different countries. We managed to spend around three hours in the temple area. </i></span></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">People waiting to see the sacred tooth with offerings</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "segoe ui";">Kasvitieteellinen puutarha (myös 1 500 rupiaa per henkilö) on noin kuusi kilometriä keskustasta, ja koska majoituksemme oli vielä paljon kauempana vastakkaiseen suuntaan, päädyimme ottamaan tuk-tukin kotiovelta puutarhalle 800 rupialla eli noin neljällä eurolla. Takaisin kaupunkiin tulimme paikallisbussilla, joka ei monta senttiä maksanut ja joka vei meidät lyhyen kävelymatkan päähän järvestä. Koska itse Kandy on niin liikenteentukkoinen, meluisa ja vilkas, oli todella ihanaa kuljeskella pitkään ja hartaasti kauniissa rauhallisessa puutarhassa, vaikka en mikään hortonomi olekaan. En siis tunne erilaisia kasveja juuri ollenkaan, mutta nautin vehreyden keskellä liikkumisesta. Koska puutarha on niin iso, ja olimme ottaneet evästä ja juotavaa mukaan, saimme vietettyä täälläkin mukavasti kolmisen tuntia. Puutarhan vieressä kohisevan joen yli rakennettu riippusilta oli hauska yksityiskohta, ja puistossa asuvat 26 000 lepakkoa olivat huikea näky lepäillessään roikkuen pää alaspäin puiden oksilta. Nämä hedelmänsyöjälepakot ovat maailman isoimpia lepakoita, joiden siipienväli voi olla puolitoista metriä - melkoisia mötiköitä siis!</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "segoe ui";">Pari päivää Kandyssa oli ihan sopiva aika meille, mutta kiireisempi turisti ehtii kokea kaupungin jo yhdessä päivässä. Nyt edessä oli yksi reissun odotetuista huippukohdista: maailman kauneimmaksikin junamatkaksi </span></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "segoe ui";">kutsuttu Kandy-Ella-junamatka!</span></span> </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Buddha guarding little saplings</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jackfruit</td></tr>
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<span style="color: #990000; font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>The Botanical Gardens (also 1 500 rupees per person) is located about six kilometres from the city centre, and as our accommodation was even further away the opposite direction, we decided to take a tuk tuk from our door step to the gardens for 800 rupees (about four euro). We took a local bus back, which didn't cost many cents, and dropped us off within a short walk from the lake. As Kandy itself is so choked with traffic, noisy and busy, it was really lovely to get away from the hustle and bustle to stroll around in peace around these beautiful and peaceful gardens. Although I'm not an expert on plants - in fact I hardly recognize any of them - still I really enjoy walking amidst all this greenery. As the gardens area is so vast and there is a lot to see, we had prepared with some food and drinks and so we could spend around three hours in this lovely haven. One fun detail was the suspension bridge that spans over the river right next to the gardens. There are also around 26 000 fruit-eating bats called flying foxes living in the gardens, and it was an incredible sight to behold thousands of bats hanging from the trees upside down. These bats are among the largest in the world as their wingspan can reach 1,5 metres! </i></span><br />
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<span style="color: #990000; font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>A couple of days in Kandy was fine for us, but a busier tourist can manage the sights even in one day. Now we had one of the much-awaited highlights of the trip ahead of us: train from Kandy to Ella, often called one of the most beautiful train rides in the world!</i></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"What are those funny-looking fruits hanging from the tree..?"</td></tr>
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Nomadihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02526178789320131836noreply@blogger.com0