Significant Slumbers (Part One)

I have been lucky enough to sleep in some hilarious and bizarre places. I think we should go ahead and make that my epitaph. I'm not even necessarily referring to an experience at an eccentric hotel, but more a place that while you're falling asleep you think to yourself, "There is simply no way that I'll ever forget this." Usually we associate "unforgettable travel moments" with an astonishing view, or a meal that delights our senses, but for one reason or another I can recall the following random assortment of places I've slept with unusual clarity. I don't think I often reflect too much upon my sleeping arrangements while travelling, thus today I'm going to devote a blog wholly to obscure places I've rested my head over the years while on the road. This post will be a light-hearted affair, so please, put on your finest smile. Here, dear friends, is the first list of places I've slept over the years that allow me to put on my finest smile. I've decided to make a series out of this, so this shall be part one, including 5 destinations:

1) Stavanger, Norway - 2010 - The Prius/Tent on the Fjord

The year was 2010 and the country was Norway. If you've read even a hint of my blog, then you'd likely understand how very much I love this fine country, but I digress. Rumblings of a road trip began one night over a few beers, and eventually these rumblings became a reality. Neil, Grant, Thevishka and myself decided we would rent a car in Oslo and drive that bad boy all the way Stavanger, which is no small feat (Oslo --> Stavanger). The idea was to spend some time around Norway's picturesque fjords and do some extensive hiking on snow capped mountains. That we did, but along the way we slept in a few noteworthy arrangements. One night, we pitched a tent on the edge of a fjord and woke up to a sight that made me wonder if I should ever leave that very spot. I recall another night when the four of us slept in our miniscule Prius in a park in Stavanger. The funniest part of sleeping in the Prius, at least for me, was that apparently in the middle of the night I jolted my leg from the passenger seat and created a sizable crack in the windshield. Insurance saves the day, once again.

 2) Koh Tao, Thailand - 2012 - The Overnight Ferry 

The overnight ferry from Koh Tao to Suratthani is one of those things that you shouldn't tell your mother about until after you've arrived safely in your destination. Mom, if you're reading this, then I believe you'll be finding out now - love you! This wasn't the type of boat that inspired a whole lot of confidence from the outside, and even less from the inside. Essentially, the inside was a large room that had an array of blue, potentially dirty, makeshift mattresses that you could sleep on. More or less, it was shoulder-to-shoulder sleeping, regardless if the person next to you was a stranger or not. Honestly, it was cost-effective and not that bad at all, except for the powerful, anonymous waves that rocked the boat throughout the night. I'll be writing more about my experiences in Koh Tao later, so I'll leave it at that. The bottom line is that Bri and I made it safe and sound to our eventual destination of Krabi, and now we've got an interesting story to look back upon.

 3) Ha Long Bay, Vietnam - 2012 - A Versatile Vessel

I have actually written a post on Ha Long Bay previously, but I kept it fairly short and concise as I was on the road at the time. What I didn't elaborate on too heavily was the sleeping arrangements that Bri and I afforded ourselves for a few days. We had a cozy little room on the ship that we could call our own. The window we had brought in surges of fresh air off the water, and the views were spectacular. This very window wasn't altogether that many feet above the water, which made it all the more intimate. We spent several days on this tiny vessel, and loved every minute of it. It helped that we were cruising through Ha Long Bay, one of the natural wonders of the world.

 4) Hong Kong, China - 2009 - One Bed Fits All

This was the last stop on an extensive China trip that included a whole host of cities, so our pockets weren't necessarily bulging if you know what I mean. To add to this, we arrived in Hong Kong from Zhuhai during a typhoon, so we needed to find a place to stay as soon as we got to the bus terminal to get out of the storm. Mike, Lawrence, and I stumbled upon a hotel that was exorbitantly pricey, seeing as it was Hong Kong and all. We bargained with the receptionist (actually Lawrence did because he was the only one who spoke Mandarin), and managed to get a room that was the size of the closet and featured two single beds that could barely sleep a cat comfortably. The solution? We accepted our circumstances and put the beds together and slept across them like peas in a pod. That was a hilarious night then, and it still gives me a chuckle when I think about it.

Yes, I was younger and fatter in 2009. I also noticed that.

5) South Korea - 2011-2012 - Ondol Floors

When travelling around South Korea, it seemed that Bri and I spent a fair portion of time sleeping on those glorious ondol floors. I've explained them before in my blog, but they're essentially a Korean method of heating floors. It's not uncommon to find a hotel room with a pleasant, heated floor with no mattress at all, but rather a selection of blankets and pillows. One of these blankets tends to go under you (as it has a little more structure to it), while the other goes over. In the winter they get fantastically toasty, and in the summer they do the job as well. Whether it was on Seonyudo Island,  in Taebaeksan, or at the Mud Festival, I always appreciated this kind of sleeping experience, which you just can't find in Toronto. Not to mention, the room is devoid of any beds or clutter, so you can have large social gatherings, then bring out the "beds" when it's time to sleep. The Koreans are efficient with their use of space, of that I am sure.

There's a saying that goes, "there is no hope for a civilization which starts each day to the sound of an alarm clock." I agree wholeheartedly with that, and I'm fairly sure that's also the theme of the new Newfoundland and Labrador tourism commercial. Anyway, I think a civilization is equally hopeless when its people are desperately intent to be confined to the same, comfortable bed each and every night. I understand individuals can get homesick, but that's a much better affliction than never leaving your home in the first place. I won't try to come to some grandiose, literary conclusion in a post where I'm merely taking about places I've rested my head over the years, but if you're going to take something from this, then it is this - live a little. When you fall asleep in a foreign land, in a foreign place, you also tend to wake up there, and there is nothing better than waking up and thinking, "what city am I in again?"

Bangkok, Thailand: Palaces, Portraits, and Panoramic Views

From the ancient wonders of Cambodia's Angkor Archaeological Park, we suddenly found ourselves in the depths of another large, crowded Asian metropolis. I suppose it wasn't exactly "suddenly," but more a concerted effort of lengthy, budget transportation that eventually took us where we needed to go. That, in a nutshell, is the name of the game when it comes to transportation in Southeast Asia.

We arrived with Tory and 'Lil whom we had met previously in Phnom Penh, and checked into Lub d Bangkok Siam Square (A trendy hostel with everything you need, and seriously friendly staff). I should mention that Bri and I didn't see as much of Bangkok as we would have liked because we had a lot of administrative jargon to deal with - namely visits to reliable post offices, purchasing some goods we couldn't get elsewhere, and a visit to a quality international hospital to make sure my somewhat persistent headaches weren't the result of some horrid illness I was yet unaware of. That being said, what we did see in Bangkok was certainly of interest. Although, I'm not the biggest fan of this city, and I can think of at least 10 other cities I visited during my travels in Asia that I appreciated more. Nonetheless, Bangkok is Bangkok, and I don't regret visiting this city in any way. Some parts of the city impressed me to no end, and other parts of the city were less than spectacular. Spectacular or not, my eyes were always busy.

Rush hour in the lively Siam District

The Grand Palace was by far the most intriguing part of Bangkok for me, and arguably one of the more memorable sights of my whole trip where architecture is concerned. Constructed in the 18th century, the Grand Palace is a complex of buildings that quietly, yet assertively, conveys the fact that Thailand indeed has a storied history which includes a little wealth. Getting into the actual complex, we were confronted with a classic Bangkok scam - an individual wearing a "badge" of sorts claimed to be an officer and told us that the complex was closed for prayer, but we were welcome to accompany him on a three hour tour until it re-opened. We were well aware of the fact that Bangkok is saturated with scams and "scammers", so we avoided that situation, but I imagine many give in - it sounds plausible enough. The Grand Palace is full of dazzling buildings and intricate carvings kept in immaculate condition. The whole place seemed to be glowing of its own accord, which worked well for us as the weather was quite dismal. Take a peek for yourself:

Wat Saket is a quiet Buddhist temple in the Pom Prap Sattru Phai District of Bangkok (one of 50 districts), but the crown of this temple is actually Phu Khao Thong, which means Golden Mountain, and that's what most tourists know it by. The Golden Mountain is actually a result of a failed project to build an enormous chedi or stupa. King Rama IV picked up where King Rama III had left off and built a scaled down version of the original plan, and it has ultimately become one of the icons of the city. The top of the Golden Mountain is fittingly known for the large golden pinnacle of this chedi (check out the second picture below this text if you're a tad confused by all that). Bri and I walked to the top, and appreciated the tranquility and the surrounding panoramic views of Bangkok.

We ventured down to visit Bangkok's China Town, which is noted as one of Bangkok's oldest areas. It looked to be a fairly standard China Town in my opinion, but there was one place in particular we were searching for - Wat Traimit.  Wat Traimit houses the world's largest solid gold statue, and it looks every bit as magnificent as it sounds. This golden Buddha seems to have been forged sometime in the 13th or 14th century, and was actually plastered over to prevent it from being stolen (likely by Burmese invaders in the 18th century). In a funny turn of events, it appears the Thai rulers completely forgot that this enormous gold Buddha had been plastered over. Believe it or not, the presence of the gold underneath was not found again until 1955 when it allegedly fell while being moved and part of the plaster fell off. This story blows me away. Imagine if the largest gold statue in the world still lay dormant under plaster, its presence completely ignored.

Tory, Lil, Bri, and I rendezvoused again in this spirited city to grab a little dinner. Actually, it would be more accurate to say that we bought extraordinarily over-priced drinks at a swanky rooftop establishment. The Centurio Red Sky Lounge wasn't too far from our hostel and Siam Square, but it offers some of the finest views of the city. That's not too shocking as the restaurant is perched on the 55th floor of a skyscraper. We split a bottle of wine, took note of the suave surroundings of the restaurant, took a few photos, and appreciated the slew of modern buildings.

Honourable Mentions

The first thing I want to honourably mention so to speak is Khao San Road. This is the famous road for partying in Bangkok and it's known world wide as a hub for all things illegal. Bri and I combed the street and stopped off for beers in several establishments. We stopped everywhere from an underground jazz lounge to a rooftop rock bar while street vendors lined the road preying on hungry, drunken tourists. Nonetheless, I didn't think it was overly unique, although it was definitely overpriced. Fun? Yes. Extraordinary? Not particularly. In many ways, I found Siem Reap's Pub Street to be equally as fun, even though it's much less renowned.

This was an honourable mention for me that I'm sure isn't entirely too universal. Bri and I stopped off at the Bangkok Art and Cultural Centre (in Siam District) one fine afternoon to explore some of the shops in there. We ended up getting our portraits done for a whopping 5 dollars each, and it was absolutely worth it. So, for me this is an honourable mention. Unfortunately, I don't have a photo of Bri's portrait, but here's what mine ended up looking like. 

When I left Bangkok, I wrote this is my trusty journal, "Au revoir, Bangkok! It's been...um...not sure!" That's pretty well how I still feel - I'm just not sure. I look at photos of the Grand Palace and think to myself that there are few things more beautiful, then I quickly recall the incessant smog, smuggling, heckling, and scams that plague Bangkok. It strikes me as a first world city with second and third world problems. The truth is that I don't mind a city that's dirty in the slightest, but Bangkok redefines the word dirty, trust me. I don't love this city, and I don't hate this city, and perhaps I should be content with that. Would I go back? Yes, I would. Would I enjoy it? That's an entirely other question. There's a lot I haven't seen in Bangkok, which isn't usually the case when I leave a city. Perhaps many of the joys of this city remain dormant for me, kindly awaiting my likely return. 

Ankgor Archaeological Park, Cambodia: Carved in Stone

Shrouded in mystery, the Angkor Archaeological Park is a site that literally changed the way I perceived my life, and life in general. It stretches over 400 square kilometres, and was the largest pre-industrial city in history. Bri and I wandered and pondered through the ancient complex in constant contemplation, utterly amazed. Every traveller knows this is a must see alongside the world's greatest sights, which isn't surprising considering it's one of the seven wonders of the world. We awoke around 4 o'clock in the morning and met our tuk-tuk driver outside our hostel while the air was still heavy with moisture, and the sun was still waiting to make its mark on the day. We arrived at Angkor Wat, the crown jewel of this religious complex, shortly before sunrise and made our way towards the temple. I've been lucky enough to see some remarkable things in this world, but this may very well be at the top of the list. The sun silhouetted the iconic structure, and I couldn't help feel an overwhelming sense of awe, appreciation, and disbelief.

Angkor Wat, just outside of Siem Reap, is the world's largest religious monument. Stop for a moment and think about how significant that is. Hindu in origin, there is simply no other sight as beloved by the Cambodian people. Take their flag as proof:

(Source)

While there, I actually bought a book on the Angkor complex to help provide context, and ultimately help me accurately write about it afterwards. The book is Michael Freeman and Claude Jacques's "Ancient Angkor," and it describes Angkor Wat as a "microcosm of the Hindu universe." The moat represents the oceans, the galleries represent the mountain ranges surrounding mythical Mount Meru, and the towers represent the mountain peaks themselves. I should quickly note that Mount Meru is the home of the gods in Hindu mythology. Other temples similarly use this symbolism, but the sheer size of Angkor Wat enabled a full scale representation of the Hindu universe. Perhaps all that isn't terribly enticing to you, but what I wanted to note is that from the early 12th century (the oldest temple in the complex was constructed even earlier - in the 9th century),  this place was meticulously planned and executed with brilliant Khmer architecture. Everything is symbolic, and the detail is incredulous. Angkor Wat, perhaps unsurprisingly, translates into "temple city."

Angkor Thom was one of the largest of all the Khmer cities, and also apparently the most enduring. It's highlighted by the "The Bayon," or "Bayon Temple." It's known as one of the most powerful religious sights in the world, and is an incredibly enticing sight for tourists because of all the "faces" carved into the stone. I was baffled by this temple, and Bri and I spent a significant amount of time taking in all that we could. I can't remember writing this, but in my notebook I wrote, "I can't decide if these places are a symbol of the mortality of man or immortality."

Make no mistake, this will be a photograph heavy entry, and that's largely because many of these temples are indescribable. Even just looking over these photographs again gives me goosebumps, and sparks intense emotion in me. I'm not entirely sure what that emotion is. It's likely a mix of respect, awe, passion, contemplation and amazement. Whatever it is, my heart begins to beat a little faster.

Northwest of Bayon, but still inside Angkor Thom, lies Baphoun Temple. This temple isn't in remarkable shape but that's only to be expected for anything constructed in the 11th century. A lot of the buildings would be in better condition had the Khmer Rouge (mentioned in my post on Phnom Penh) not interrupted the restoration efforts when they came to power. I have a strong feeling that the progress of the whole country was horribly interrupted by the actions of the Khmer Rouge. Alas, I digress, The Baphoun Temple is three tiered, imbued in symbolism, and completed with a dramatic walkway leading to its entrance.

If I describe all the temples I visited in lavish detail, then we'll be here all day, so I'm going to push the proverbial fast forward button on a few locations. It's not that they weren't interesting, but as the aforementioned point suggests, it's in all of our best interest. We briefly stopped at Phimeanakas (which sounded more Greek than Khmer to me), Chao Say Tevoda, and Thommanon on our way to Ta Keo.

What makes Ta Keo, also known as Ta Keo Temple Mountain, interesting is that it's almost entirely devoid of external carvings and decorations. It's a stark contrast to something like the intricate, detail-oriented Bayon Temple. From what I understand, the artists were just beginning to carve when it was struck by lightning, so they took that as a sign that they should abandon the project. That could be folklore, but that's what some locals told us in Siem Reap, and it would make sense considering how closely the ancient Khmer people observed signs, rituals etc...It's a large temple that is noted for its five sanctuary towers in the middle. I think it's also notable for it's steep, somewhat treacherous steps.

Ta Prohm is what many people envision when they hear about the Ankgor Archaeological Park. It's one of the most visited temples, and many people would recognize it from the movie Tomb Raider, where Angelina Jolie makes use of its bizarre and wonderful qualities. It's an example of a sight that has been reclaimed by nature. Stones intertwine with vines, and enormous tree roots struggle through, around, and over the sandstone. This temple was left in roughly the same condition it was found in for this very reason. It is astonishing. Bri and I took our time weaving through the impressive ruins, once again in deep contemplation. I found it interesting that the most awe-inspiring temple was actually the one closest to ruin, in the greatest disrepair. Perhaps I can say that it's in a state of perfect collapse. 

It was remarkably easy for me to conjure up the emotions I felt about this place even months after the fact because visiting it is an unforgettable experience. I even remember small, peculiar details of the day. For example, I vividly recall overhearing a father trying to instill to his young son what this place really meant to the world. "Try to think about where you are," he kept saying. And that's the mantra I also chose to abide by - to constantly try to place myself on the map and in time. It isn't particularly hard to bring yourself back to another time and place when the structures around you smell of history, and enormous roots of prehistoric trees leave you humbled with your own mortality. I tried to think about what citizens of these cities thought about time, their own place in history.  I don't think I ever came up with a concrete answer, but how could I, after all? The magic of the Angkor Archaeological Park isn't just the structures, it's the induced thought process that makes you realize that no one is immortal, humility is essential, and that in the present day it's important to put down the gadget of the moment, and occasionally look to the past instead of the future.