Wearing Ourselves Out in Beautiful St Petersburg Russia

Lindsay and I are known for cramming a lot of travel into a little amount of time. We would much rather take months to explore destinations then weeks/days but sometimes our schedule, jobs, etc make this impossible. Because of this we often find ourselves exhausted at the end of each day of travel. I remember in particular one day in St Petersburg Russia we basically wore ourselves out to the point where we feel asleep on the lawns of cathedral. It was a beautiful early summer day in St Petersburg and we had just arrived via an early morning train from Moscow. There was so much to see and so little time (we only had a few days) so we immediately hit the streets to explore. We mapped out a route that would take us past all the big sights and we started by climbing the large tower of St Isaac’s Cathedral for a view over the city. We then made our way to Palace Square to take in some of the most beautiful architecture in all of Europe. We continued on to the Church of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ and in-between all of this we stopped at numerous canal intersections to simply people watch. By the time we made it to the beautiful and majestic Kazan Cathedral we were exhausted. We noticed that the grassy grounds in front of the cathedral were a favorite relaxation spot of the locals and we decided to sit with them for awhile. We found a nice spot on the grass to lay down just for a second…about an hour later I woke up and realized that we had literally passed out and fallen 100% asleep on this cathedral lawn. We were so exhausted that to people walking by we probably looked like we had passed out. In fact, at the time my business associate was traveling in St Petersburg Russia and we were joking that he probably walked by and saw us and thought “was that just Marc and his wife passed out on the cathedral grounds.” After waking up we decided to head back to the hotel room to “recharge.” When we arrived we laid down for a quick “power nap” but didn’t wake up for about 2 hours! At first I was extremely upset as I felt we had lost an entire evening of exploring. However, we quickly learned that at this time of year the sun does not set in St Petersburg until about midnight so we had plenty of time to explore. So of course we hit the streets again and were out exploring until about 2:00 AM. Travel can be exhausting and on that particular day in St Petersburg it really caught up to Lindsay and I.

The Bazaars & Markets of Istanbul Turkey

There is nothing more quintessentially Middle Eastern than a “Bazaar.” These large markets will sell anything such as food, spices, toys, souvenir’s, clothing, animals, etc, etc. The sights, sounds and smells of these markets is absolutely intoxicating. Lindsay and I got our first taste of Bazaar in the incredibly beautiful city of Istanbul Turkey. We rode the efficient street car up to the large and exciting “Grand Bazaar” which is a large indoor market. The moment we stepped in we were hooked! This Bazaar is a bit more touristy then some (simply because of its location in Istanbul) but it was still amazing. There was row after row of shops selling everything you can imagine. There were thousands of people coming and going and the hustle and bustle was very exciting. Bargaining is an art form, and must, in the Middle East so we decided to try out our skills. We found a very cool decorated piece of cloth that had Arabic writing on it and thought it was the perfect souvenir. To this day I have no idea what we ended up paying for it (it was cheap) but I do know we bargained hard. :) Near to the grand bazaar is the famous “spice market” of Istanbul. This incredible market has little stores selling every spice and ingredient you could ever imagine. Because of this the area is extremely colorful (all of the spices everywhere) and the smells are out of this world! Each shop owner is anxious for you to buy something and is always happy to offer a taste of what they are selling. Many of the shops in this area sell the famous “Turkish delight” candy. It is hard to describe exactly what this is but it is a lot like the inside of a jellybean. It comes in boxes with numerous assorted flavors which are usually fruity and sweet. After one taste Lindsay and I were hooked and bought a box of the stuff for our long train ride to Syria which was coming up shortly. I remember vividly walking through the spice market in Istanbul and having all of my senses overloaded…in a good way. There were bright red/white Turkish flags flying over head, piles of colorful spices all over, numerous smells, sounds of people talking, bargaining and yelling, etc. It was something we had never quite experienced but were immediately hooked. Over the next few weeks as we travelled through the Middle East we were lucky enough to experience numerous other bazaars/markets and we loved every one of them. We will never forget our first taste of a Middle Eastern marketplace in the Bazaars of Istanbul, Turkey.

“The Unpleasantness” – The Tout That Pushed us Over the Edge

International travel can be extremely tough. It is one of the most rewarding things a person can do but it can also be extremely frustrating at times as well. One of the worst travel experiences Lindsay and I have ever had was with a tout in Varanasi, India. I have written before about how bad the touts (people who hassle you on the street to buy things) are in Varanasi but for the most part they are all quite harmless. Most just want to sell you cheap silk, give you a shave, take you on an “unofficial tour”, etc. However, we learned the hard way that there are also bad, and malicious, touts anxious to prey on tourists. One of the most incredible sights in Varanasi is the “Burning Ghat.” This temple on the banks of the Ganges river is where bodies are cremated and ashes spread in the water. The sight of this is impossible for tourists to resist but we had been warned by our friend Papu (we meet at the hotel) to not go to the Burning Ghat without him. Unfortunately we did not head Papus advice and wandered near the temple to explore. We were cautious enough not to get to close but did get close enough for a picture. Sure enough a very raggedy man immediately started to bother us. He was very dirty looking with torn clothes, missing teeth and an unkempt appearance. He immediately started bothering us for money since “pictures cost money.” We knew this was not true and politely declined his demands thinking that he would go away. Oh how we were wrong…he became more and more stern in his demands for money until Lindsay and I started walking off. We knew things were getting bad when he started to follow-us continually yelling at us to give him money. Although Varanasi is a busy place for some reason there was nobody else around when this was going on which made the whole situation very tense. Lindsay was getting extremely upset (for those who know Lindsay you know this is rare) and began yelling back at him to leave us alone. I remember vividly seeing how upset Lindsay was getting as she was just glaring at him and shaking her head (I am shocked it didn’t scare him off as it was scaring me…ha ha). I eventually found myself with 2 options. 1. I could physically attack this guy to get him to leave us along (it really was this intense). However, that could have quickly gone bad and the last place I wanted me, or my wife, to be was in a jail in India. 2. I could pay him the money he wants to have him leave us alone. The latter generally never works but I was desperate. I gave him the money and sternly demanded he leave us alone. Sure enough he stated it was not enough and even after taking the money kept yelling and following us. It was at this moment that I realized this was probably not going to end very well….a physical confrontation. Just as things were at their worst a group of Indian teenage boys turned the corner and saw that the man was bugging us and quick yelled at him to “leave us alone.” The tout took off running the other direction and the Indian boys smiled and asked us to “not believe all Indians are like this.” We were so grateful that they were there as the situation was truly getting extremely tense. It took Lindsay and I a good few hours to “cool down” after this altercation. We just wandered around the rivers edge in Varanasi talking about it until we were finally able to laugh a little at the situation. Over the next couple of days we did get to see the Burning Ghat with our local buddy/guide”Papu” which was a completely different experience (the touts did not bother us at all as we were with a local). While we were touring around we noticed another westerner couple getting hassled. We eventually learned that many of the men who hang around the Burning Ghat are “social outcasts” which explained a lot about how the man who bothered us dressed, looked and acted. To this day I can still get Lindsay fired up by talking about this experience. It was probably the worst travel experience we have ever had and we will never forget it. Luckily it did not spoil the rest of our time in Varanasi and we ended up loving that ancient and incredible city.

This is the picture that got us in trouble with the tout.

Ice Cream & Friendship in Aleppo, Syria

There are at least two truths in this world: 1. Sometimes the simplest travel experiences are the most memorable. 2. Lindsay Duncan loves ice cream. :) These two simple truths collided perfectly at a little ice cream store in Aleppo Syria. In our experience the vast majority of people in Syria are extremely nice and the young Syrian man that worked at the small ice cream store near our hotel was no exception. This tiny ice cream store was on the small street/alley just outside our hotel so every time we were coming/going we would walk by and each time he would wave and smile. Eventually Lindsay had to succumb to the ice cream so one night we ended up stopping…and I am so glad we did. The young man was ecstatic to see us and quickly ignored all other customers. With his broken English he did his best to make conversation and was so excited to show us a picture of “The Terminator” on his phone which was to him the ultimate American icon. After our brief chat he really wanted a picture of us so we happily posed for him. We also got a picture with him as we never wanted to forget our nice friend in Aleppo that works at the ice cream shop. During this encounter I ended up getting a pretty unique picture of Lindsay. She was walking up to order ice cream and was surrounded by women in full black cloak burkas. Even though she had a head scarf on she looked so funny surrounded by these women all dressed in black. It seems funny to write about such a small and trivial memory but it is these types of friendships and encounters while traveling that you just simply never forget.

One Night of Camping in Banff Canada

During our epic road trip to Canada in 2007 Lindsay and I found ourselves in Banff Canada which is easily one of the most beautiful places in the world. After touring around the local highlights (Lake Louise, Banff Lodge, etc) we spent the early evening strolling around Banff’s cute downtown area. We did some shopping and sight seeing before eventually getting some dinner. We were trying to decide were to stay for the night and ended up getting a nice secluded campsite about 15 minutes outside of town. I don’t remember the name of the camp ground but like most in the area it was incredibly scenic. Since we already had dinner we simply bought some Starbursts to roast over the fire and sat there talking, laughing, etc. We then retired to our small little tent and all 3 of us (Me, Lindsay and Sundance) got real cozy. We had brought a tiny little generator and ended up watching a movie before settling in for the night. Everything was perfect until the middle of the night when I was woken up by Sundance barking like crazy. Lindsay jumped up and unzipped the tent so that her and Sundance could take a look around. It was of course pitch black so Lindsay would shine the flashlight in one direction, while both her and Sundance’s heads would move in that direction, and then go in another direction. It was hilarious because there heads would move from side to side in perfect unison following the light. I remember making the conscious decision that if a bear was going to kill me I would rather not see it coming so just laid there and tried to go back to sleep (the opposite of “manning up”). Despite the flashlight/bear fiasco in the middle of the night we ended up sleeping very well and woke up the next morning ready to go. We ended up driving the entire way from Banff Canada to our loft in Salt Lake City in ONE DAY! It was a long drive but the 3 of us just turned on the tunes and took in the amazing scenery as it passed by. It was the perfect ending to a truly epic road trip through the beautiful western US and Canada.

The Island Village of Playon Chico, Panama

Located on the Atlantic side of Panama lies a magical set of islands called the San Blas. The Kuna Indians call this land home and are lucky enough to live amongst the thousands of tropical islands that make up this paradise. Lindsay and I stayed on a tiny island called Yandup and the closest village to us was called Playon Chico. I had read about it so I knew it was small and remote but nothing prepared me for what we saw as we were landing in this remote village. Almost all of the structures are wooden huts except for a few small cement buildings like the airport shack, police station, etc. When we first flew in we immediately took a small boat out to Yandup so only got to see the village quickly as we floated past. However, one evening during our stay at Yandup our local guide “Leo” took us into the village which was truly one of the most unique Lindsay and I had ever seen. There are no streets in Playon Chico just dirt paths that criss-cross through numerous huts, etc. The locals are busy doing day-to-day activities and many of them are selling crafts out on the street. The Kuna Indian women wear beautiful colored clothing and seeing so many of them in one place was amazing. There were of course tons of little kids running around, many of them naked, and they were all as fascinated with us as we were with them. At first Lindsay and I almost felt bad for them but we quickly realized that these kids, and people, were living a life that very few people will ever get to enjoy…A simple life of family, nature and community. I remember vividly seeing people huddled around the 1 pay phone in the village waiting to talk to family members who were probably living in Panama City. Our guide Leo would simply take us from area to area explaining the culture and showing us points of interest. I remember being particularly impressed with the town police station which was just a small concrete building with a hand painted sign that said “Policia Civil Playon Chico.” The entire time we were there we were constantly being followed around by little kids who were always smiling and laughing. As we were leaving the village we were all sitting in the boat waiting to leave just as the sun was setting. I remember thinking how remote this place was and that very few people would ever be lucky enough to see it…then all of the sudden I saw two white guys walking through the village in white shirts and ties. Sure enough the village had a resident pair of LDS missionaries who were lucky enough to live amongst these people and help them in their daily lives. I of course ran to talk with them and they were just as surprised to see me as I was to see them. They offered a few more insights into how the Kuna people live and we had just a great chat. Eventually the evening was done and we were on our way back to Yandup Island in our little boat. This was not our final goodbye to Playon Chico as Lindsay and I flew out of there on a tiny little plane. As we flew over head we looked out the window and said our final goodbyes to the incredible Kuna Indian village of Playon Chico, Panama.

A Room with a View – Shanghai, China

Shanghai is truly one of the most incredible cities in the world. Visually speaking there are few, if any, cities that come close to matching its futuristic skyline. While planning for our summer 2010 trip to China I had one main agenda for Shanghai…find a room with a good view of the city for cheap. The reason I wanted this so much is because the skyline of Shanghai (specifically the futuristic Pudong area) changes into a lightshow at night and I wanted to be able to enjoy this from the comfort of my hotel room (after wearing myself out enjoying it on the streets). There are numerous hotels that offer this and they all come with a pretty hefty price tag. However, after lots of research on trip advisor I was able to find a hotel called “The Bund Riverside” which promised to offer some of the best views of the city. The hotel was off the main tourist area a little but that actually is a good thing. Furthermore, because it was not a Marriott, Hilton, Westin, etc we were able to beat the rush and prices of other western tourists. After arriving in Shanghai, via a night train from Beijing, we took the convenient metro right into the heart of the city (Nanjing Road). From there we walked a few blocks away from the hustle and bustle and found our hotel. Upon arriving I was nervous that we would not get a room with a view as we had requested because there were hundreds of other Chinese tourists staying at the hotel. However, after checking-in I was very hopeful as we had a room on a high floor. When we walked into the room I was literally blown away by the view. I had high expectations but nothing had prepared me for the SPECTACULAR view that we saw. The room had a huge bay window that looked out towards the Pudong area of Shanghai (this is the futuristic looking part of the city with all the great skyscrapers). The hazy morning sky was the perfect backdrop to the concrete jungle before us. It was such a perfect view that it honestly looked fake. Just when we thought nothing could top this we noticed that there was a large ledge at the bottom of the window so that you could sit, or lie down in my case, and gaze out over the city. Over the next few days I found myself constantly grabbing a pillow and lying next to the window to just watch this magnificent city. At night the scene was absolutely incredible as the entire city (each skyscraper) would light up with lasers, twinkling lights, changing colors, etc. I know it seems odd to go on about a view but if you look at our pictures below you will see just how incredible it really was. If you ever find yourself in Shanghai, China and are looking for a “room with a view” then don’t miss out on The Bund Riverside Hotel.

Riding an Elephant & Exploring Villages in Chang Mia, Thailand

Lindsay and I only had about 3 or 4 days to experience the incredible city/area of Chiang Mia, Thailand. To maximize our time we decided to take one full day and to have a local trekking outfit take us around the mountains/villages that surround the area. It was a beautiful sunny morning when we meet our awesome guide “Jay” outside of our hotel in Chiang Mia. We quickly loaded up in his little grey van and were off to explore the mountains, villages and jungles of Thailand. The first thing on our list was to take a trek through the jungle on the back of an Elephant. Later during our travels we learned that many of the outfits that offer these Elephant tours do not treat the animals humanely but we feel the family/group we worked with was quite good. Anyway, after about an hour of driving through beautiful green jungles we pulled off the road and there was a small family with a HUGE elephant just sitting there waiting for us. The elephant had what almost looked like a park bench chained to its back and the family quickly smiled and guided us on how to get up on the animal (via some wooden scaffolding). Before we knew it we were riding on top of an elephant through the jungles of Thailand…what an adventure. The Elephants Mahout (owner/trainer) was a tiny Thai man that spoke zero English. He would just smile at us and did his best to keep the elephant on the trial and not eating the numerous leaves/plants off to the side. Lindsay and I were so giddy when we first got on the elephant that we could not stop laughing. We just couldn’t believe that we were riding an elephant. It was hilarious because every 50 yards or so the Elephant would step of the trial and rip of a huge branch from a tree and start eating it. All the while the Mahout would be yelling and trying to get the Elephant back on the trial. Every time this happened Lindsay and I would just bust up laughing. We also had one of our most favorite travel quotes why riding this Elephant. I was curious what its name was so I asked the Mahout and he quickly responded with Mae (pronounced May-a). I then tried to say it back and for some reason what came out of my mouth was “Maaaayyyyy…blah.” We were actually taking a video when this happened so we have this flop out on film. To this day Lindsay will still laugh at me about how I could not pronounce this simple name. :) After about a half hour on the elephant the jungle opened up into some incredible farmlands. The locals had cultivated the step hills surrounding the jungle and you could see red dirt and trees for miles. Each little farm had a neat hut built out of the local material and the back drop was step green mountains off in the distance. It truly was spectacular and looked like something out of an old Vietnam War movie or something. While riding pass the farms the trial got very steep and Lindsay and I were sure that the elephant would not be able to make it. However, we were very wrong as our elephant just trucked right on up. It was such a weird feeling to be riding an elephant as they climb a step trial…you almost feel like you are going to slide right off. After a couple of hours we made it to a beautiful old Thai village and said our goodbyes to the Elephant and his owner. We then meet back up with our guide “Jay” to tour the villages. Although the villages were beautiful and the locals amazing looking (think of the women with cold rings on their necks from National Geographic) the villages had sort of an awkward/touristy vibe. You almost felt like the locals HAD to be there for you to take pictures and it was just a bit awkward. However, we eventually came to one village that seemed a lot more authentic and came across a small hut with a monkey tied out front (as a pet). We of course stopped and played with this monkey for about a half hour. He would run and jump towards us and his little leash would pull him back. We would stick out our hands and he would reach out and grab fingers, try and bite, etc. It was so funny to think that these locals living in the jungles of Thailand had Monkeys as pets. In that same village Lindsay became a small time hero for trying this very spicy sauce as all the locals (mostly kids) looked on in amusement. Jay just cut a small mango from a tree and had Lindsay dip it into the sauce. She actually liked it a lot and all the locals were very impressed. Eventually we made our way out of the villages and continued on our tour with Jay. We hit up a cool Buddhist temple that had been built in a cave (our guide Jay kept telling us “you can take picture” so we would even though the pictures would never turn out because it was so dark in the cave) and also rode a bamboo raft down the river. All in all it was an absolutely incredible day and we will never forget touring around the jungles and villages of Thailand with our trustee guide Jay and our elephant “Mae.”

Elephanta Island – Mumbai, India

About 45 minutes by boat outside of Mumbai India lies a small island called Elephanta. Although this island is small and seems insignificant it actually has one of the most unique places we have ever seen. The island is full of ancient caves that have been carved into temples/statues of the Hindu Gods. Our journey to Elephanta Island started by catching a ferry at the busy and chaotic India Gate in the heart of Mumbai. The water in this area is extremely choppy and these small ferries are swaying like crazy when you go to get on them (which lead to a lot of sea sickness). In fact, while we were on the ferry a small little Indian girl got extremely sick and was throwing up off the side…it was very sad but also a tiny bit funny. :) After you get out in the bay around Mumbai the ferry ride is actually very relaxing. The water calms down and you can start to see the endless concrete jungle (skysrapers, buildings, etc) that is Mumbai, India. After about 45 minutes you pull up to this small island and begin the trek up hundreds of steps (lined by little stores) to the caves. It was a sunny/humid day and Lindsay and I were already dying from the heat. The island itself is green and pretty with lots of monkeys running about. After a few minutes we finally reached the first cave and were blown away. The cave was huge and had been carved into a great hall with numerous pillars that went from floor to ceiling. Even though you were in a cave it actually felt more like a dark grand palace or something…truly something out of Indiana Jones. At the far end of the cave was one of the coolest statues we have ever seen. It was a 3 headed bust (waist up) of the God Shiva with her numerous faces. The statue was carved right into the rock wall and it was truly gorgeous. We ended up just sitting in this area for probably an hour taking in the beauty of this statue and the surrounding cave. However, we quickly began to realize that it was EXTREMELY HOT. Not only was it a hot/muggy day outside but the cave was cramped and there were hundreds of other people in the cave as well. It actually was so hot that Lindsay and I could barely move…we would just walk a few feet and then sit and rest. It was almost laughable how hot it was and how much we were sweating. However, despite the heat we toured the rest of the cave complex before working our way down the stone steps to the waters edge to catch the ferry back to Mumbai. On the way down we found a guy selling very cool looking “Ganeesh” (God with Elephant head and numerous limbs) statues and we bought two from him (one for the house and one for my office as he brings good fortune to business). The ferry ride back to crazy Mumbai was peaceful and relaxing. If you ever find yourself with an extra day in Mumbai, India do not miss the beautiful Elephanta Island caves.

An Unexpected Friend in Kathmandu, Nepal

One of our least favorite things about traveling is “touts.” These are the people that are constantly bothering you for tours, souvenirs or whatever else they think you might buy. Touts are everywhere when you travel internationally so you have to be ready for them. While we were in Kathmandu Nepal we would go down to Durbar Square daily to simply sit on the pagoda temple steps and people watch across the square (along with thousands of other people doing the same thing). Our first night doing this there was a young man (probably 18 or so) that just kept talking to us and asking questions. I honestly can’t remember if he was selling something or not but I think he was at least offering a “trekking guide” which is very popular. We did our best to ignore him but he just kept asking questions and his sweet/funny personality eventually won me and Lindsay over. He quickly realized we were not going to purchase a trek so the conversation turned friendly. We learned that he was from the countryside of Nepal and had come into the city (Kathmandu) to try and make ends meet. He was literally “living on the streets” but said most of the time friends would give him a place to stay. Although this sounds horrible he loved his life. He kept saying how kind people are and how everything always just seems to “work out.” (i.e. he ends up with a place to sleep for the night, food to eat, etc). His English was great and he said he learned it just by talking with tourists which we thought was incredible. He was also very impressed with Lindsay (of course) and kept commenting about her beautiful teeth. After a long conversation with him on the steps of a temple in Durbar Square we eventually learned that his name was “Ratch”, “Rat” or something like that. It was about dinner time so we asked him if he wanted to go for a snack and he jumped at the opportunity. He had a friend whose family owned a little restaurant near the square and we went there for french fries and Coke in a bottle. The restaurant was small, dark and damp but we were having a blast with our new friend “Ratch.” We were just eating french fries, drinking Cokes and laughing at all of the funny things Ratch was saying. His friend that worked at the restaurant was also hilarious. He said he just LOVED the movie Titanic and kept bringing this up and singing the theme song “near…far…wherever you are.” :) Eventually our evening with Ratch came to an end and we went our separate ways. During the next few days we were hoping to catch up with him again but we never did. We did run into his friend from the restaurant who gave us a big smile and “hello.” These chance encounters/friendships with locals are truly one of the things that make traveling so special. We will never forget our friend “Ratch” and the evening we spent with him in beautiful Kathmandu, Nepal.

An Evening to Remember in Moscow Russia

As I have said before, one of our favorite things to do when traveling is to simply “wander.” While visiting Moscow Russia Lindsay and I had one had one of our most memorable “wander sessions” during a beautiful summer night. We had just arrived in the magnificent city of Moscow and were anxious to explore. We took the fantastic metro train right into the heart of the city…Red Square. The sun was just starting to set as we began strolling around the old red brick walls of the Kremlin. The area is full of large trees, gardens, walking paths, etc so it was perfect for walking. Furthermore, because it was early June the flowers were exceptionally bright and everything was green as can be. The area around the Kremlin walls was peaceful and un-crowded but eventually we made our way towards GUM Department Store shopping center which was very lively. There were thousands of other locals and tourists doing exactly what we were doing…enjoying the evening and city. Near the shopping center there is an open plaza with a beautiful fountain. Lindsay and I stopped there for about an hour just taking in the scene around us. Sometimes just stopping and talking in a busy urban place like this is an incredible way to “take in the local flavor.” As the night grew on (it is hard to tell when this happens during the summer time in Russia as it does not get dark until very late) we started to head back towards the metro station but not without stopping by red square to see the incredible Saint Basil’s Cathedral all lite-up. Almost everybody in the world recognizes this colorful cathedral in Moscow but to see it at night all lite-up is truly amazing. Actually, almost all of the beautiful and historical buildings around Red Square are fully lite-up at night (some with Christmas style lights) and there are few urban places in the world that match this beauty. Once we made it to Red Square we indulged in another one of our traveling traditions….getting a Coke. We then just sat on a curb towards the end of the square and just talked, laughed and people watched. Tourists and locals alike would come by in droves to get their picture by the cathedral and it was some of the best people watching spots we have ever had! The whole experience was almost magical and I remember vividly just sitting there and thinking….”I can’t believe I am sitting in Red Square in Moscow Russia.” Eventually the night grew long and Lindsay and I had to make our way back to the hotel. But we will never forget that beautiful summer stroll through Moscow Russia.

The True “Southern Black Church” Experience – Valdese, North Carolina

While serving my mission I had the great pleasure of visiting numerous “black churches” in the south. Just the average Sunday church service is an experience in itself with the band playing, choir singing and people clapping it is almost impossible to not jump up and sing “hallelujah.” I wanted so badly to share this experience with Lindsay and was ecstatic when we found ourselves in Valedese North Carolina on a sunny Sunday afternoon in June 2007. Valdese is home to Mt Zion Baptist Church which was my favorite black church in the mission. As we walked in that Sunday morning I wish so badly that I could have taken a picture of Lindsay’s face. We were literally the only white people (maybe one other person) amongst a tight knit group of black southerners. However, as you would expect they were as accommodating as could be and every single one of them greeted us with a warm smile. They even had us stand up and introduce ourselves in front of the whole congregation. Due to some miscommunication on my part Lindsay stood up to introduce herself right as they were moving on and to this day will not let me live this down. :) The rest of the service included some fantastic songs, great preaching and even some “catching of the spirit” dancing. It really was the ultimate southern black church experience. I truly believe that until a person has experienced this they don’t know what “true worship” is. Lindsay and I will never forget the Sunday we shared with our friends at Mt Zion Baptist Church in Valdese, North Carolina.

Reclining Buddha & Getting Lost in the Markets of Bangkok, Thailand

As I have mentioned before Bangkok was our first international trip outside of Europe. Thus, it was the first time we experienced a true “market” that is so common in most of the world. We had just finished exploring the Grand Palace (I have written about previously) and were simply wandering around the busy streets of central Bangkok. We happen to stumble on the famous “Reclining Buddha” and were blown away by its size and grandeur. This famous statue is gigantic and takes up every square inch of the temple building that houses it. Most Buddha statues show him sitting but reclining Buddha’s (this is not the only one in the world) show him laying on his side. This means they are huge statues and this particular one in Bangkok is one of, if not the, biggest. It is almost impossible to explain how cool it is to walk in and see this gigantic gold platted statue laid out before you. Lindsay and I were blown away by how big just the feet of the statue were. We spent about an hour just admiring this incredible piece of art before continuing on our way. I don’t remember where we were headed but I do remember that we didn’t know how to get there. :) We basically just started wandering to see what we would find. Within only a few minutes we found ourselves walking through one of the coolest markets I have ever seen. Many of the markets in Thailand are commercialized and cater to tourists while also catering to locals. However, this market was strictly for locals and we were the only westerners in site. It was a food market so the locals and vendors were coming/going and busy with their day to day work. Lindsay and I just walked slowly with our eyes wide open trying to take it all in. Again, this was the first international market experience we had ever had and so we were both having a fantastic “travelers high”. To this day we both fondly talk about how cool of an experience it was to wander into such a cool market. We have since seen numerous markets all over the world but this small and busy local food market in Bangkok will always have a special place in our hearts.

A Lunch to Remember in Kathmandu, Nepal

If it weren’t for Lindsay I would probably only eat cheap, and boring, fast food when traveling. Experiencing the local cuisine is such an essential part of traveling but for some reason I am too busy to stop and enjoy. Thankfully Lindsay has shown me the errors of my ways and she always helps us find cheap, but good, local food. For some reason a particular lunch on a sunny summer day in Kathmandu Nepal sticks out to me. We were wondering around the Durbar Square area of the city which is a beautiful collection of temples, monuments, etc (I have written about it before). We were getting hungry and decided to hit up one of the numerous rooftop restaurants that sit on the outskirts of the square. I don’t really remember what made us pick the particular restaurant that we did but I do remember walking up numerous steps before eventually coming out onto a beautiful rooftop full of small tables, plants, etc. There was nobody else up there which usually is a bad sign but this was simply because of the time of day. The sun was shining, the sky was bright and we had a corner table with a beautiful view over Durbar Square and the surrounding hills. We ordered our meal which consisted of Rice, Curry and of course a bottle of Coca Cola. We sat there and ate and enjoyed the incredible view over Kathmandu. Sometimes when traveling it is the simple experiences like this that you remember the most. That summer afternoon meal on the rooftops of Kathmandu is something we will never forget.

Who Wants a Picture of Lindsay?....Everybody in India

While traveling in India both Lindsay and I were shocked to see how popular she was with the locals. We had experienced this a little in the Middle East but it was quite a bit more prevalent in India. To be honest…any westerner is treated like a celebrity in India but if it is a young pretty girl like Lindsay it is twice as bad. Not only did people want pictures with Lindsay but they also wanted their children to be in pictures with her. We first experienced this while sitting near the India Gate landmark in Mumbai. It was our first day and we were just sitting on a bench enjoying the evening. All of the sudden a young couple with a little girl came and just sat her right in Lindsay’s lap. You never know what is going to happen in India and for a split second we though that they may have been giving us their child! :) However, they quickly pulled out their camera and simply wanted their little girl to have a picture sitting next to a westerner. This happened a couple of different times during our trip but it was never as bad as when we were at the Taj Mahal. Lindsay and I were simply sitting on a bench when a young man came up to take a picture with her. Once the other young men in the group saw that Lindsay was okay with this they cam flooding over. At one point there was Lindsay sitting on a bench with about 6 other Indian men all with big smiles on their face. At one point one of the professional photographers that walks around the Taj Mahal (catering to tourists) came over to get some shots. Lindsay was a great sport about the whole thing and just sat there and smiled. After talking with some locals we learned that it is usually the Indian tourists from remote areas of the country that want the pictures. They come in from the countryside to the city (Mumbai, Agra, etc) and for them it is the first time they are seeing an American in person and they just can’t resist getting a picture. Nothing will make you feel more like a celebrity then being a westerner in India and always getting your picture taken...just ask Lindsay.

The “Other Sides” of Jerusalem, Israel

When you think of the ancient city of Jerusalem you probably think of the old city with its ancient landmarks, cobblestone streets and markets. However, Jerusalem is a bustling modern city with numerous districts and neighborhoods worth exploring. Lindsay and I first discovered this by accident after arriving at the busy and chaotic central bus terminal. I decided to follow my “travelers senses” and thought I could walk us from the terminal to Damascus Gate (old city) just based on my memories from studying maps of the city. We started in the direction I thought was correct and within a few minutes we quickly realized we were extremely lost. However, we had wandered into a very unique neighborhood full of orthodox Jews. Almost every person we saw had the black clothing, hat and ringlet hair that is worn by orthodox Jews. The women were also dressed in very traditional Jewish clothing. They were all running errands, picking their kids up from school and staying busy while Lindsay and I just wandered through enjoying the scene. Although we discovered it by accident it was a beautiful and unique area we will never forget. On another occasion we decided to take the short walk from the old city to Ben Yehuda Street which is an area of the city known as “New Jerusalem.” This pedestrian only promenade feels very European and was perfect for people watching and strolling. There were beautiful buildings lining the street, open cafes with people eating/drinking, street performers, etc, etc. It was a fantastic scene and Lindsay and I were simply walking slowly trying to take it all in. It happened to be dinner time and we noticed a falafel place that was very busy. We took this as a good sign and decided to indulge. To this day Lindsay swears that this was the best meal she has ever eaten. We both ended up with a soft bread tortilla type thing filled with warm falafel, lettuce, spices, etc, etc. We just sat on a bench savoring every single byte and truly felt like we were in heaven. As we continued to explore this area we ended up walking through some fascinating neighborhoods full of local street life. There were numerous markets selling fish, food, etc, etc. We wandered through these markets and also explored the fascinating neighborhoods that surrounded them. It is hard to explain what these neighborhoods looked like but it was very similar to a New York City neighborhood yet had a very Middle Eastern feel. Mixed amongst these neighborhoods were plaques that talked about some of the families that had been living in the area for centuries. The entire area had a real “off the beaten path” feel and Lindsay and I were very much enjoying it. On another day Lindsay and I decided to find Oscar Schindler’s grave and started off on our trek to explore (really only knowing the general area where it was located). This took us through some fascinating areas of the city (mostly around the “Jewish Quarter”) and we actually ended up in a very weird grassroots museum about the Holocaust. It was run by a somewhat extremist group and we were the only ones in there which was a bit awkward. The young Jewish man at the entrance was very awkward, and rough around the edges, but we couldn’t resist going in to explorer. When we left I felt extremely bad because it was a non-profit and they asked to “pay what you can” but I only had a few shekels on me. On this particular day we wandered past one of the old gates that leads into the Jewish section of the Old City. There were thousands of bullet marks in the old stone which was a remnant of the intense fighting there during the Six Day War. This was probably one of the coolest sights we saw in Jerusalem as it was so raw. It was also on this walk that we saw numerous school groups (little kids) being led along by a teacher and followed by an armed guard (with a huge gun). This was quite the sight and really gave Jerusalem a very “intense” feeling. We ended this particular wandering route by looking through a vast cemetery for the grave of Oskar Schindler (man made famous for his “list” which saved numerous Jews during the Holocaust). All we knew is that his tombstone had numerous rocks placed on top which is a sign that numerous faithful Jews have offered prayers here. We eventually found it and took a few moments to pay our own respects to this amazing man. Although the highlight of Jerusalem is the old city there are numerous other neighborhoods very worthy of exploration. It truly is a unique and beautiful city that Lindsay and I hope to return to someday.