Welcome to Barcelona!

Spain…oh Spain…where do I start. I love and hate you at the same time. And why is that? Well…here is my story

And so as I departed from the oh-so-snug Copenhagen, the scene shifted 180 degrees as I entered the berserk and unruly jungle of Barcelona. And although I’ve become accustomed to the humidity of Asia, you never enjoy it as the hot, damp air engulfs your entire body. I had done a bit of research on the most economic way to get to Las Ramblas and I was not on a time constraint, so I decided to take the metro. It is quite confusing, in my opinion, so here are some notes:

From BCN Airport -> Placa Catalunya (Las Ramblas)

My flight arrived in Terminal 1, but the RENFE train station is located in Terminal 2, so I had to take a shuttle bus from T1 to T2. I got kind of lost because the signs for the shuttle bus and the train station were identically similar, so I had no idea where I was going, so watch out for that. When you arrive in Terminal 2, you have to walk an additional 15 minutes to actually get to the RENFE train station, which is a bitch in that humidity while carrying 20 pounds on your back and a duffle bag on the side. But just follow the “RENFE” signs and that should take you there. I had grabbed a metro map earlier in the airport, but the RENFE train IS NOT the metro so I was confused because I could not locate the “Placa Catalunya” stop. The RENFE train does not go directly to Placa Catalunya, so you need to get off at Passeig de Gracia. Exit the Passeig de Gracia station and you should see a bunch of tourists outside the Gaudi Casa Batllo building. Now you know you are in the right direction. From there, walk down Passeig de Gracia and you will eventually hit Placa Catalunya and Las Ramblas.

And now onwards to Barcelona! The city is just so big that I will talk about it in sections...


Food

Tapas, tapas, paella, tapas, and more tapas. I never really knew what tapas were until I got to Spain. It’s basically the Chinese equivalent of dim sum, sort of. Tapas compose of a wide variety of appetizers in Spanish cuisine, such as chorizos (sausages) and chopitos (fried squid). They range from about 2euros to 6euros per tapa. That was all we ate during our first week. And sangria was all we drank the entire month in Spain. Word of advice, DO NOT EAT ON LAS RAMBLAS; it is a major ripoff for average food. Spain is also known for its paella and let me tell you, it can be a major hit or a major meh for the amount of money you’re spending. Paella for me was good but not great, but maybe because I’ve only had paella from subpar restaurants. Try going to near the beach in Barcelonetta for some good seafood.

Tapas weren’t so exciting after the first week but in Spain, they have the best ham in the world: Jamón ibérico. Jamón ibérico is a type of cured ham and it comes from “super pigs.” The ham is so bomb because these pigs live the good life, roaming freely on pastures and feeding on barley, maize, and acorn. If I die and become reincarnated, I want to become a Spanish pig. I used to live on Kirkland ham (which was salty as hell), so after eating jamón ibérico, I felt like I was in heaven.

But there are some really awesome restaurants in Barcelona (close but not on Las Ramblas). If you are ever in town, be sure to take a visit to Cuidad Comtal and La Fonda.

Bottom Line: Tapas and paella are pretty amazing for the first week but it gets old and tiring after that. If you stay on Las Ramblas, do not eat there as it is overpriced; there are restaurants around which are a lot cheaper and better quality. I personally am not the biggest fan of Spanish food, but I do love that jamón ibérico.

Shopping

Patience will pay off. And it will pay off big. If you are ever in Barcelona during the summer time, you can’t help but notice streams of fanatical shoppers overflowing Zara’s and the multitude of European outlets. The summer sale begins in the middle of July and lasts until the end of August. Store hours are usually from 10:00AM and close around 8:30PM.

Now what kinds of sales can you expect? Discounts can range from 20% to 50%, even up to 70%. And the best part? NO SALES TAX! What you see is what you pay. For example, I bought a blazer from Zara’s whose original price was 100EUROS and was marked down to a final sales price of 30EUROS. And Zara’s is now my new favorite place to shop at, but I doubt I will do any shopping at Zara’s here in the States because it’s so damn expensive.

Bottom Line: Shopping in Europe during the non-sale periods will no doubt bankrupt you, but if you shop during summer sales, you will find top-notch quality at the lowest prices.

Sightseeing

What is there to see and do in Barcelona? There are way too many which you can research but here are the ones that I particularly enjoyed:

Las Ramblas is probably the most popular street in Spain, which connects with Placa Catalunya on one end and the Christopher Columbus monument at the other end. It is the place to "sightsee" as you will see the most beautiful girls in Europe walking up and down the street (NO LIE). During the peak summer season, it is usually packed from day to night with tourists from around the world. And thus, it is the perfect environment for local pickpockets. I mean you’d have these pickpockets who are dressed up nicer than you trying to jack your wallet and you wouldn’t even know it. And they are good, so watch it. Also, even the homeless people in Europe will have better style and dress better than you. Other than that, it is a street filled with dozens of restaurants and shops and local street performers. But it is a damn tourist trap, don’t eat there. Las Ramblas is also home to La Boqueria, a huge supermarket that sells the freshest fruits, vegetables, and seafood.

Antoni Gaudi’s Sagrada Familia, in my opinion, is the coolest looking piece of work in the world and the top “sightseeing” attraction in Barcelona. It has been in construction since 1882 and is expected to be completed by 2026. The design and symmetrical construction of the church is one of a kind and is both mathematical and architectural ingenuity. If you ever visit Spain and do not hit up the Sagrada Familia, you are a complete dumbass tourist. In order to get there, take the Purple Line L2 to Sagrada Familia stop. Most likely, you will have to wait in line (about 30minutes) to actually get inside the gates. It costs about 12EUROS for regular admission and 10EUROS if you are a student.

Park Güell is a garden complex designed by Antoni Gaudi situated in the Gracia district. If you want the best view of Barcelona, you must visit this park. Not only does the park offer a grand view of the city, but it is also the creation of the great Gaudi.

Nightlife

Before coming to Barcelona, everyone kept telling me how crazy the nightlife is in Barcelona. And although part of my time in Barcelona was cut short by my trip to Paris, the nightlife is indeed pretty crazy. I mean, the party starts bumping at 2-3AM and lasts until the early morning. A bunch of Barcelona’s most popular clubs are situated right next to the beach and so after a long night of partying, many people just lay and knockout on the beach. When roaming the streets of the Ramblas, be sure not to ignore the club promoters handing out fliers because some of them are actually pretty good deals. In terms of which clubs to hit, your experience will always vary but some good ones are Razzmatazz, Otto Zutz, and Moog.

Transportation

The Metro is pretty convenient as it takes you anywhere around the city. My only complaint is that it is pretty complicated to get from the airport to central Barcelona taking the metro. On my way out of Barcelona, I just took the Aerobus for a few extra euros.

Siesta

What is siesta? I originally thought that siesta was a sort of “fiesta” party that originated in Spain but I was off by a mile. In fact, it’s the mere opposite. In Spain, siesta refers to a short nap taken in the early afternoon around 3PM where all the shops close. And if you live in Barcelona, siesta is a definite must if you want to keep up with the lifestyle there.

Bottom Line: Barcelona, you got my mouth infected with all those tapas and sangrias but I forgive you. Any young person traveling in Europe MUST MUST MUST visit Barcelona at one point in their young lives. My only regret is that I did not go to Ibiza (next time!). But it is a vibrant city filled with culture and fun that beckons young travelers to visit…so what are you waiting for?

1st stop...Copenhagen, Denmark!

So thanks to my cheap or rather “frugal” Asian side, I searched far and wide to look for the cheapest tickets possible. And there was this one Chinese travel agency I went to that offered me a package to fly into Spain for about “$1600 and I throw in these barbecue pork buns!” $1600 was a little out of my budget but I did take 3 barbecue pork buns. They were bomb. And free. WIN! But I did eventually find the cheapest price for about $1200 on cheaptickets.com. But I had to sacrifice cost for time and that meant 2 layovers there and 1 layover back. It was a 2 hour layover in Washington D.C. and a 7.5hour layover in Denmark before arriving in Spain. Coming back, it was a 4.5hour layover in JFK airport in NYC. When I think about it…I should’ve paid an extra $50 for shorter layovers because reading PC Magazine and Men’s Health for 4 hours in JFK was pretty brutal.

But let’s fast forward and skip to Copenhagen! So I actually did a lot more research for my layover in Copenhagen than I did for Spain (where I would be studying). I only had 7.5hours in Copenhagen, but it IS a relatively small city and I wanted to get the most out of it.

So after hours in the Washington D.C. watching airplanes take off and land and many more hours on the plane, I finally arrived in the city of København! As soon as I landed, I was already amazed at Copenhagen’s futuristic airport. They don’t have revolving doors, but a bunch of small gates that open and close as you approach and leave, sort of like a carwash.

The one thing that I instantly liked about Copenhagen was its transportation system (I would later learn to love European transportation). There is a metro station at the Terminal 3 of the airport that takes you to the city center Kongens Nytorv in about 15 minutes which costs about $6 (warning: you can only purchase the ticket through a machine, which only accepts card).

And so I arrived in the city center at about 8AM and as soon as I walked out, I was greeted by complete emptiness surrounded by Danish architectural buildings. Nobody and nothing was out at this time except…drunk teens wobbling around the streets. No longer than I had pulled out my camera to start taking pictures did two drunkass teens come up to me and mockingly greeted me with “nihao.” It was kind of crazy too see nothing, not even bakeries or coffee shops, open at this time of the day. The only people who were out were people who had just come out of a club. It’s kind of crazy because partying doesn’t really start until 2AM and it’ll last into the morning.

Without a Lonely Planet at the time, I relied mainly on the free map provided by the metro station, which was more than enough as Copenhagen is really a city you can traverse by foot. But it was 8AM and the stores open at 10, so I didn’t have much to do except walk around and appreciate Copenhagen’s architectural beauty and environmentally friendly atmosphere. I had read earlier that Copenhagen was known for being a “bike city,” where a third of the people bike to work or school. They have this system of bikes called “city bikes,” where you insert 20kroners to rent out a “city bike” and when you return it to any one of the city’s bike racks, you’ll get your 20kroners back. Pretty cool. But I wasn’t cause I was too chicken to do it. But yeah…walking is so much better because you get have time to see and appreciate the city instead of swooshing past.

Hans Christian Andersen (author of “The Little Mermaid”) wrote many of his famous fairy tales in Copenhagen and everyone said that the Hans Christian statue next to city hall was a must see. So I rushed to see that first but when I got there…I saw it. And it was indeed a statue of him. I mean it was cool I guess. But I ran a half mile to see it. And it actually wasn’t that cool. Shit. But the Little Mermaid is still cool.

And so I kept wandering around for a few more hours until the stores started opening and then I headed back to Strøget, which is located in the center and is the longest pedestrian shopping street in Europe. When I got back, it was filled with tourists and locals and street performers. I decided to go look for a snack as my stomach was kind of grumbling, so I went towards the place with the biggest crowd and it turned out to be an ice cream stand. And so I paid $4 for a scoop of ice cream. Damn I swear like if you populate a restaurant or food stand with hella people around but they sell overly expensive shit food, I will still buy it. But I had to say…that was some pretty damn good ice cream…or maybe I made myself believe it was good since it was so expensive…

It was nice walking around and going into souvenir shops but I’m not much of a “shopping” person, especially when a plain white t-shirt costs about $20 at H&M. So I headed towards the famous Nyhavn waterfront port. Maybe it was because I was at a port because I had a sudden urge to pee. And then I really needed to go. And there was no McDonalds around. And it wasn’t China so I couldn’t pee in a bush or something. So I had to pay $0.35 to use a public restroom. Aghh…all better.

After taking the best piss of my life, I decided to use the rest of my Kroners on a boat tour around the city. It was a pretty nice day and the boat tour is definitely one thing you shouldn’t miss when you hit up Copenhagen. We went by Hans Christian’s old house and also Noma’s, which was named the best restaurant in the world. Lunch there will cost you about $105 and dinner will run upwards of $170. And our boat guide was some Vietnamese chick who explained to us the history of Copenhagen in 4 languages, which was pretty hot.

By the time the tour ended, I had just enough time to go to a souvenir shop to pick up a shot glass and leave. And so that was that…Copenhagen in 7hours. Not a bad layover.

Bottom Line: Copenhagen is a beautiful city in all aspects from its architecture to its natural surroundings. Danish people are generally super nice and friendly. It’s the perfect place for a layover because of city center’s proximity to the airport and the city’s super convenient transportation system. But one day was definitely enough for me. I’m a broke college student and I cannot survive on ice cream cones for lunch. I honestly enjoyed Copenhagen a lot and it was the “Europe” that I imagined, but there’s not much fun for young people. One day was definitely enough for me and if I come back, it’ll be years down the road.

What's Up Chink?

“What's up Chink?”

“YO...hi there...how you do my fren?"

Yeah so I must've gotten like about...55 "nihao's," 30 "konichiwa's,"9 "annyeonghaseyo's", 2 “namaste’s” and a thousand more stares in my 1.5months in Europe. But after about 2 weeks, I pretty much accepted the fact that everywhere I went, especially with a pack of about 15 other Asians, we were going to be the center of attention.

Maybe I was being super naïve by thinking that Asians were everywhere and that racial discrimination was a thing of the past (just kidding)…but I kind of expected it, albeit still culture-shocked. And maybe it was because for the previous two summers, I had traveled only to Asian countries where I fit in and spoke the language. Maybe I’ve been hanging around too many Asians (in Asia and America), so “Asian” is all I know. Maybe this…and maybe that…but it still bugged me that I was sort of a walking circus for them.

But one thing I did notice was that there WERE Asian tourists and many more Asians who ran small grocery stores and a handful of Asian restaurants…so why did we get so many much of this attention? I noticed that a group of kids would not say stare and “greet” a bunch of Asian tourists but would say “nihao” and stare at us who were younger and much more Westernized. HMMMM?

So during my first day in Europe in Copenhagen, I was both anxious and excited to experience a new part of the world. It was 8AM and as soon as I got off the metro, I was approached by two drunken teens, each holding a Carlsberg in their hand, who mockingly greeted me with “nihao’s” and “konichiwa’s” and a little bit of Spanish for some reason. And from that point on, it became a social norm for me to accept all these “greetings” and stares. I either ignored them or just responded with an English “Whatsup?”

When I think about it, I don’t know whether they were mocking us or actually saying “hello.” At times, I liked to believe they were genuinely saying “hello” because they were amused to see Asians.

And this continued on in Spain as well. Perhaps our group was mainly Asian so we always got stares. And I mean…when you go out with 10 of the only Asian girls in Spain dressed up in heels and all…I would definitely stare and say “nihao” as well.

And there was another memorable moment in Rome when a bunch of Italian kids said “nihao’s” to us. I wanted to take off my belt and whoop their asses but I replied with “hola.” Hm…WTF?

But as the stares and “nihao’s” became more ordinary, I still wondered when I would get my first “chinky eyes.” And then I got it…in GERMANY! Well I wasn’t happy when I got it but rather pissed off. But I look back at the situation and laugh about it now. So on a train ride from Berlin to Prague, just as we were departing from a station, these two guys come waddling up to our window with their “chinky eyes.” It happened so fast that I had no time to react. At first, I was like ok…then I got angrier and angrier the more I thought about it. I felt like turning into the Hulk and ripping the roof of the train off so I could run 5000mph back to that station to track those assholes down and eat them both. I really did. Then as time passed and the surrounding scenery became more beautiful and serene, I cooled down and actually thought about the situation. I mean…it was a remote town in the middle of nowhere and they’d probably only seen Asians on television so they didn’t know better. But I still wanted to eat them. Kind of. Not really.

And then I thought about it more and more…we weren’t in America where most of us are accustomed to seeing a variety of races. And then I reversed the situation as if I was a foreigner in an Asian country. Yeah, I would definitely get the stares and a lot of them but not so much the “greetings” since Asians are so passive. I remember I met a friend from Nigeria who told me about her experiences studying in China. She would always get stared at and people would go up to her and ask to touch her hair (just like in the Karate Kid!). And face it…whenever I, an American, saw a white or black guy while in Asia, I would ALWAYS stare in amazement and be like “holy shit! White guy! Black guy!”

That really is the magic when you travel abroad and visit a whole new place. At home, you live in a place of comfort and sameness without much variety. And that monotony will be the only thing you see unless you go abroad. And yes, you may and very likely will experience some sort of culture shock but that is the beauty of it. You will learn from it. You learn that there is so much out there than just you. Actually when I think of it…I do miss hearing those “nihao’s.”

Observations of Europe

So I’m currently sitting on an overnight train from Prague to Florence and decided that I would like to start my EuroBlog with a list of observations from the past 1.5months I’ve been in Europe. I would like to state that this is my first time ever in Europe and it has been quite a different experience than the ones I’ve had in the States and in Asia. But nonetheless, it has lived up to my expectations and some even more. Note that my observations may be biased because I spent the majority of my time in Spain.

So here it goes…this is a list of observations from a young Asian man in Europe:

1. “Nihao”

China, with a population of over 3 billion people, is the world’s largest country in terms of population size but apparently…Europeans have never seen Chinese people before! Well not exactly but I averaged about 10 “Ni Hao’s” or “Goniwa’s” a week in my time in Europe. At first, I was kind of offended but it eventually became a social norm for me in Europe and accepted it as a fact that unlike in certain parts of the States where there is a lot of racial diversity, there aren’t many Asians in Europe.

I remember my first day in Europe was during a layover in Copenhagen, Denmark. As I got off the metro into downtown Denmark, I was approached by two drunk 15-year olds who stared at me and slurred about 5 “Ni Hao’s” to me. I replied with “Wadddup?”

But yeah, even in Spain and in other parts of Europe, people would always stare at us, the Asians. This was especially when we went out in Spain in a pack of about 20 Asians; we literally created the first Chinatown in Barcelona located in the Citadines Hotel in Las Ramblas.

And on our train ride from Berlin to Prague, while we were departing from a station, these German teenagers wobbled up to our window and gave us the “chinky eyes” look…and I kind of blew up inside but later realized that they knew no better. But that’s the beauty of traveling, you experience cultures from around the world and you realize that no one is the same as you. And when I think about it…Chinese people are probably the most racist people in the world, so I shouldn’t complain.

2. So Sexy

I don’t know if it’s just me but…Europeans are so damn hot. Everybody is tall. Everybody is skinny (but not anorexic skinny). Everybody is in shape. Everybody has a perfect tan. I rarely ever saw anyone who was fat, never one who was obese. How is this so? I could not find a gym anywhere I went nor did I see people jogging around.

Well first of all, it’s probably because Europeans walk everywhere instead of driving. Americans rely so much on their cars (I missed my car so much), that they’ll drive a few blocks instead of just walking. And I may be biased because I was in Barcelona during the summer. I probably am biased but still…everyone was beautiful. Like hella beautiful.

3. OMG…YOU TOO ARE ASIAN! WHERE YOU FROM?

Asians love seeing other Asians in Europe. There are many small convenience stores run by Chinese people in Spain and whenever they see an Asian come in, they’ll be super happy if you speak to them in Chinese. One lady gave us a discount on water from 2euros to 1euro.

I would always stare at other Asians on the streets and other Asians would also stare at me. There was this one instance where I was drunk walking around in a club and a group of Japanese people pulled me over and bought me a few drinks…because I was asian!

4. Coca Cola…SO GOOOOOOOOD

Coca Cola in Europe is so bomb. Coke > Pepsi in Europe because in Europe, their cola is made by sugar cane instead of corn syrup…which makes the world of a difference. COCA COLA…SO GOOOODDDDDD

5. Want to dine in? THEN YOU PAY MORE!

In certain restaurants, they will charge you extra for “dining in” instead of taking out. For example, in this one crepes place in Paris, we were going to take out but decided to dine in instead. But in turned out that the dine in price was almost twice the price of the takeout crepes itself. What the fluck? Fuck that…I Chinese…I takeout and eat in alleyway!

6. Europeans don’t wear shorts? Yes they do.

LIE. I was told that Europeans don’t wear shorts by multiple online sources, but that’s a straight-up lie Rick Steves. When it’s hella hot, it’d be stupid not to wear shorts.

7 Europe cheaper than the States? NO WAY! YES WAY MOFO!!!

As a brokeass Asian, I thought that going to Europe was going to clean out my pockets and my bank account because Europe has this “stereotype” that it’s super expensive. But let me tell you, Europe is cheaper than the U.S. (in many aspects).

SUMMER SALES! SUMMER SALES! SUMMER SALES! When summer comes around, Europe has the best sales on clothing, especially Zara’s in Spain and the same with many other clothing stores. You can see how crazy these sales are just by walking into one of these stores…they are always PACKED. People everywhere. Clothes everywhere. SALES EVERYWHERE. I bought a blazer for 30euros (original price 120euros)…WIN.

And food can be a lot cheaper in Europe depending on where you go. You can get 0.50cent ice cream from McDonalds in Amsterdam. You can get a bigass doner kebab for 3.50euros in Germany. You can get a plate of Chinese food for the equivalent of 3euros in Prague.

8. Me: Can I get tap water please? Waiter: What the hell is tap water?

There is no such thing as tap water in many of the European restaurants. During one of my first meals in Spain, I made the mistake of asking for “just water,” and they brought out bottles of sparkling water. What the hell? In most restaurants in Europe, people almost never just drink “tap water” but rather they drink alcohol, wine, or bottled water.

9. What the pigeon?

So the birds in Europe fly realllllyyy LOW to the point where they’ll swoop right past your ears and scare the shit out of you. I was tempted to grab one of the birds because they kept pissing me off but fended off that idea.

10. Can I get that to go?

So unlike in the States, there is no such thing as a doggy bag or to-go boxes. People either simply finish their food or leave it unfinished. If you ask for a doggy bag, they’ll just look at you funny.

Another thing is that the portions in Europe are extremely tiny. At first, I was like what the fuck, I paid 7euros for a mini-me-size cheeseburger. I’ve learned that Europeans eat not to be full but to be content. No wonder Americans are such fatasses.

As soon as I got back from Europe, everything I ordered seemed to be extra-extra large and I was never able to finish my meal. I had gotten so accustomed to being sated that I forgot the feeling of being full.

11. Bilingual…Trilingual…Multilingual

It seems to me that most Europeans speak at least one language other than their native language fluently. And most people who I have met speak at least 3 languages fluently whereas most Americans seem to only speak English fluently. Why is that?

Perhaps it is because mastering a foreign language is a mandatory requirement in Europe. Whereas most Europeans start learning English in primary school, most Americans are only exposed to a foreign language starting in high school.

Although I took 3 years of Spanish in high school (and had pretty good teachers), it was pretty much useless in Spain. I always tried using it as a courtesy but whenever I tried, they would respond in lightning speed Spanish and all that went through my head was “feklsglekgjl puedes comprar gelljgge en la fefe de fjewlrgkjewrlgj gljkglerj grelgjlrel. Ok?” Si, entiendo…

I met some of my friend’s cousins in Switzerland who were Chinese Swiss and they all seemed to know at least 4 languages fluently. And the kids who ranged from ages 6-11 all spoke German, French, and Cantonese fluently, were learning Mandarin in Chinese school, and were all starting to learn English in school.

My goodness…if I ever have kids, I need to raise them in Europe.

Travel China: Inner Mongolia

Inner Mongolia, as opposed to Outer Mongolia, is actually an autonomous region in northern China with its capital in Hohhot. The majority of its population is Han Chinese and about 17% of the population is ethnic Mongolian. It is also is the hometown of Genghis Khan. Inner Mongolia is known for its vast grasslands and 蒙古包(Mogolian Huts). And lastly...it is one place you should not miss when you visit China!

So, in the summer of 2008, after getting caught up in the Olympic hype and scalping of tickets in the Beijing Olympics, me and 3 other friends decided to take the 12hr train ride from Beijing to Hohhot.

As soon as we got off the train, we were greeted from left to right by endless and endless mobs of tour agents vying for our business. We quickly stormed out of the train station to get away from the mob but knowing that we were foreigners, many of them hastily followed in our footsteps. We pulled out our savior, Lonely Planet, to pinpoint the places we wanted to go to. As soon as we finished deciding, we headed over to a nearby supermarket to stack up on snacks and drinks for our long journey. Equipped with food and drinks and most importantly, our mindsets, we decided to venture back into the train station in order to find a host. Amongst the midst of shouts and people tugging at your arms, we spotted a nice and not so crazy guy and decided to choose him.

We quickly negotiated a price (I believe it was 500yuan for two days for 4 people) and quickly drove off towards the grasslands of Xilamuren. As soon as we left the city, all civilization was replaced by mountains. In a matter of 2hrs, we approached the village in the evening time and we were led to our humble abode, a Mongolian hut! I had heard so much about these Mongolians huts before and to a ctually be there and live in was truly a memorable experience.

As soon as we got settled in, our Host served us dinner. Now what was included in dinner? Traditional Mongolian food of course consisting of lamb, lamb intestines, lamb organs, horse milk, and more lamb. Our Host also served us Mongolian white wine, which he told us he drank a bottle every day. Now, at the time I would say I had an extremely high alcohol tolerance but as soon as I took a shot of it, I already felt slightly buzzed. 151 ain't got nothing on Mongolian alcohol. Our Host later told us how they lived in the grasslands. They herd sheep, play with the young ones, and drink...every day. Our Host looked like he was 40 years old but when he revealed his age to us...we were all surprised to hear that he was only...24 years old. Warning: Do not drink every day from the age of 12, especially not Mongolian wine.

After dinner, our Host led us to the village center as all the other tourist guests gathered in the middle to watch traditional Mongolian wrestling and horse racing.

It was then time for bed...but our Host recommended us to go stargazing at night as you can see everything in the grasslands of Mongolia. And boy was he right. We brought our blankets out into the open grasslands and just sat lying there in the middle of the world gazing at the blue, orange, red, and purple colors of the sky. I had recently taken an Astronomy class and I never thought I'd see such a sight in front of my very own eyes but there, you can literally see galaxies. Best sight ever.

The next morning, we got up bright and early to go horseback riding. I had recently seen the stallions that the Mongolian warriors rode for horse racing and I wanted one of those, but they gave me a pony-like horse. I was heavier than the horse. Not really. But ok, my horse ended up being really cool and cooperative. We rode for miles and went to a wishing well where they forced us to buy these "wishing scarves" to throw onto the wishing well.

We then stopped for lunch and saw a herd of cows in the near distance. These weren't just your normal cows but they were cows on steroids. I was kind of afraid as I steered my way into the middle of the herd. I tried really hard to resist the urge of petting the cow (don't know why) because I knew I'd get in trouble and possibly eaten alive.

After a long day of riding and messing around, we went to bed early and prepared for the next day's adventure: Baotou desert

The next morning, our driver drove us to a bus station for us to board a bus headed to Baotou desert. When we got there, I felt like I was in an Aladdin movie because I had never been in a desert before. We rode an electric lift to the resort, where we found out there were many types of activities we could pursue. We did ATV'ing first hoping that we could rent out our own ATVs and ride them but it was kind of lame...we were just passengers as one of the staffers drove us around for a bit.

We then spotted what we were looking for...camels! We walked over to the pen of camels and chose our camels to ride on. Getting on was kind of fun and scary for some, as you sit on top of the camel and the next thing you know, the camel rises up and you're 7 feet in the air. So one by one, we rode our camels in a line around the desert and kept marveling at the fact that we were on top of a damn camel. Good times.

Our next stop and final stop was sand surfing! With the desert's many sand dunes, we knew that it would be fun to slide down of one. We all went on the steepest and fastest lane and it was sweet and short.

And at the end of the day as we left the desert and grasslands back to civilization, I noticed that I had gotten 3 shades darker.

Bottom Line: Inner Mongolia, although not entirely a complete representation of Mongolia, has a mixture of both Mongolian and Chinese cultures. It is located in the northernmost boundary of China and you can get there by train from Beijing (12hrs) or plane. Once you arrive, be prepared to be swarmed by tons of agents vying for your business. It is shady and dangerous but hey, you have to take chances to get those big rewards. Go to the grasslands whether it be Xilamuren or Huitengxile. Stay in the huts. Stargaze at night. Mongolians eat lamb like Americans eat hamburgers. Do try the Mongolian wine, I dare you. If you really want the full-on Mongolian experience, go visit Mongolia. But Inner Mongolia will provide the same if not better experience in China.

Taiwan: Taroko Gorge 太魯閣國家公園

Behind its bustling night markets and vibrant commercial centers, there lies a place in embedded in the eastern coast of Taiwan that showcases the allure of natural beauty, a rarity in today's commercialized world. Taroko Gorge is one of the seven national parks in Taiwan and spans the counties of Hualien, Taichung, and Nantou. No wonder the Portuguese named the island Formosa ("Beautiful Island"). This is, in my opinion, a must-see when you visit Taiwan.

When I visited Taiwan in the summer of 2009, I had no idea what and where Taroko was but found out about it from locals and decided to venture off one weekend with a few friends...and it was probably the most fun I had in Taiwan.


We took a train headed for Hualien from Taipei Main Station (a few hour train ride) early on a Friday morning. As soon as we got off the train, we decided that our main form of transportation around the city and to Taroko was going to be...SCOOTER!!! And let me tell you an important piece of advice...scootering is the best way to experience Taroko hands down.




And so once we got off the rail station, we headed towards the Help Center to ask for maps and advice on where to rent scooters. The guy told us that there were many shops right outside of the train station and that we would need to have an international drivers license (but there is always a way around something in Asia). So we went to one of the first shops we saw with scooters lined up on the side and asked to rent 2 scooters. The guy asked for our international drivers licenses and so I gave him my California drivers license and what do you know, ACCEPTED (I don't think he read he could read). But then next, we had to pass a "driving test," and I had never rode on a bike/scooter before. So Tim goes...he passes. Then Jade goes...she passes. Then I go...and I almost fall on my ass. So the guy was like, "These Taiwanese scooters are different...you guys don't know how to drive them. I cannot rent these out to you for safety reasons." Of course, it wasn't that formal, but you get the point. DENIED BECAUSE OF ME. Ok, so we go to a few more shops but they were a little smarter than the other guy and knew what an international drivers license looked like. But we finally found a shop that rented us two 150cc bike for 600NTD/day.


But then, none of us really knew how to ride a bike/scooter, so we walked the bikes over to an alley (SHADY) and literally learned how to ride them in a matter of 30 minutes. Then we were off on the road to our hostel...Formosa Backpackers Hostel. Once we packed our bags, we were off again and this time towards Taroko Gorge. Taroko Gorge is about a 45minute scooter ride from Hualien and the journey there is actually quite nice and enjoying.


As we entered the valley of the Gorge, I was just fascinated at how pretty and serene the surrounding environment was (unlike Taipei). With the help of my Lonely Planet, we immediately set off to see as many sights as we could such as Tunnel of Nine Turns and Eternal Spring Shine.









After hours and hours of scootering and hiking around, we found a river nearby and decided to jump in.







As the sun set, we knew we had to leave the Gorge before it got dark, but as soon as we headed for the exit, a storm brew and it started raining like none other. We waited inside a tunnel with a few other locals until the rain died down and we decided to just head out. But on our way back, it started raining again but we weren't going to stop this time. I have to say...it was a brutal ride back especially for me because my helmet did not have a faceplate and so the rain just battered my way the entire ride back. But it did stop raining as we neared Hualien, but we were hungry and decided to check out a ceremony alongside the rode the natives were having.







Bottom Line: If you are ever in Taiwan, please do visit Taroko Gorge as it is one of the world's last remaining natural wonders. From Taipei, it is only a 3hr train ride to Hualien. From the train station, rent out a scooter from a nearby shop. And from there, head over to Taroko Gorge (45min by scooter) and just relax and enjoy the beauty of Taroko.

Europe Packing List: What to Bring?

Whenever backpacking Europe, less is ALWAYS better. Too much luggage will mark you as an outright tourist and lugging baggage around everywhere just kills your travel experience.

Now a lot of people may ask...should I bring a backpack or a rolling suitcase? While a rolling suitcase may be good for the traveler who flies, in my opinion, a backpack is the way to go for the youth backpacker. When you are running late for a train and weaving through the crowds of people, I'd rather have my backpack on me than lugging a suitcase and missing the train. With an internal frame backpack, you have the mobility of two hands whether you need to navigate a map or hang onto the rails of a bustling train.

And in terms of the size of the backpack...anywhere around 4000-5000 cubic inches is fine and you can get even away with just a 3400 cubic inches (55L) backpack. And how much should you bring? You should pack the same amount whether it be a 7 day or 30 day trip.

Here is an advisable packing list for backpackers:

	• Day Pack: (empty when you leave for Europe, full on return trip). You can stuff it in your bigger backpack when you leave for Europe
	• Shorts: 2 pairs, 1 for outdoors 1 for pajamas/sports.
	• Jeans: 1 pair (2 if you plan on going out a lot)
	• Shirts: 6-7 T-shirts, 2 Long-sleeves, 1 heavy-weight for cold weather
	• Underwear: 6 pair
	• Socks: 7 pairs
	• Outerwear: water-proof rain jacket
	• Shoes: 1 pair sandals, 1 pair comfortable tennis/walking shoes, 1 pair leather shoes for going out.
	• Hat: 1
	• Sunglasses: 1 pair
	• Moneybelt: 1 VERY IMPORTANT!

-Use one main bag. Make sure it's the right bag, and please consider foregoing the 2 or 3 suitcases you might normally drag along. Cobblestones aren't friendly environments to wander around on.

-Bring a day pack. During the day you'll probably be doing extensive walking about, so have a small day-pack to bring with you. They are great for gathering picnics at farmer's markets and shops as you go. Some backpacks come with them attached, or just stuff an empty one in your luggage. Bringing it empty means you can fill it up with souvenirs for the trip home.

-Don't overfill your suitcase/backpack. You'll want a few souvenirs and things always seem to spread out a bit. Besides, and again, why spend an hour packing and then unpacking each day? I've also found that it's harder to get everything to pack just the way you did when you spent a lot of time at home stuffing it in the suitcase.

-Electronics. You will want to bring an MP3 player for those long train rides. You'll also need a dual-voltage gadget as Europe's electrical system is different than America's. You'll also want to bring along a camera to capture those special moments.

-Documents. You will want to bring your passport and a few photocopies of your passport to take around with you. Reservations of your hotels, airplanes, hostels, etc. Bring your credit and debit cards (debit cards give better rates at ATMs). You should always have some cash around with you in case of emergencies.

Bottom Line: Remember...LESS IS ALWAYS BETTER!

Backpacking Europe: To Fly or to Eurail?

Nearly every traveler who is thinking about backpacking Europe must first ask themselves...should I fly or should I Eurail? With the deregulation of the airline industry and the abundance of discount airlines, travelers are able to fly one-way for prices as low as $4. With an Eurail pass, you have the flexibility and the convenience factor of hopping on a train and getting off wherever you want to.

Although, there are many conveniences and also inconveniences with either option, it all depends on your length of travel, your travel destinations, and other convenience factors.

FLYING

PROS

1. Flying can save time and money, especially on long distance journeys.
2. A cheap flight may help a tired traveler the inconvenience of sleeping on a night train.
3. Europe has a number of low-cost, budget airlines that (easyJet, RyanAir, germanwings, Air Berlin, etc) offer flights between major European cities for about $100.

CONS

1. Budget airline tickets are usually nonrefundable and nonchangeable.
2. Discount airlines do not wait for late running passengers, since an idle plane waiting for a passenger costs money. (if you are late for check-in even by 5 minutes, you will have missed your flight. Also, if you are over the baggage limit by 1 pound, they will not let you throw it away and charge you for the excess baggage instead)
3. Expensive baggage restrictions - for instance, Ryanair charges a $25 fee for each checked bag (less if you pre-book online). If your checked bag weighs more than 15 kilograms (about 33 pounds), you'll also pay $20 per extra kilo.
4. Food is usually not served during the flight, or it is available for a fee.

Most discount airlines in Europe sell their tickets exclusively over their website or over the phone, and tickets are not available via travel agents. Most are ticketless; you simply turn up at the check-in desk with your passport and confirmation number. A credit or debit card is a very good idea for booking tickets. Most discount airlines sell their tickets as single journeys only.

The pricing structure is complex, with fares fluctuating strongly according to demand, often on an hourly basis, and the same rule "get as much money as a traveler is ready to pay" that invented by traditional carriers. There are no shortcuts for obtaining the cheapest fares. In fact, fares can vary from as little as $2 on special promotions, right up to $700.

The following will however increase your probability of obtaining very inexpensive fares:

• Do fly in mid-week
• Do fly early in the morning or late at night
• Do fly in low season (Spring and Autumn)
• Do make use of sales. These sometimes appear 3-5 weeks prior to departure, however this is by no means guaranteed.
• Don't fly during public holidays.
• Don't book your ticket less than two weeks in advance
• Opt for return tickets, but keep in mind, in most cases airlines will charge extra fees for changes of date or time.

EURAIL

PROS

1. Eurail Select Passes allow travelers to save on train trips, as the cost of individual train tickets can be much higher than that of the pass.
2. Take advantage of an excellent rail system. Unlike the American passenger rail system which has few trains that go few places, the European rail system is an excellent one.
3. Trains are frequent and on time (to the minute, don't be late!), and there are trains to many small destinations. They can get you to a LOT of sights without you having to worry about renting a car and driving in Europe.
4. Spontaneity. Being able to just jump on a train to go anywhere can give you amazing flexibility and spontaneity. Tired of a city, hop on a train to go somewhere else!
5. Different kinds of passes. Different passes are available depending on how much travel you plan to do:


CONS

1. Seats not guaranteed. The Eurail Pass does NOT guarantee you a seat. This kind of uncertainty can be devastating if you are not prepared for it. You can make reservations ahead of time, though this may cut down on spontaneity.

2. Passing through non-participating countries. Also, the Eurail Pass may not cover portions of your trip through non participating countries. For example, traveling from Paris to Dublin, or from Athens to Rome, will require you to purchase tickets in addition to your Eurail Pass.

3. Non-rail portions of your trip. These are not covered by the Eurail pass, so if you have to take a ferry, for example, you'll have to pay for this out of pocket. The Pass may get you a lower price, however.

4. Sites not serviced by a train. Note also that while European countryside is well covered by trains, not everything is accessible by train. Some sites may require you to take a bus or rent a car, which drives the transportation price up. If you want to go to a lot of sites that are inaccessible by train, the Eurail Pass may not make sense for you.

Bottom Line:

It really does depend on your travel itinerary. In order to get the best deal from a Eurail Select Pass, a bit of planning is necessary. Travelers must have a good idea of which countries they wish to visit, and in what time frame, before beginning their trip. Do a comparison between the cost of flying versus the cost of taking the train. In the end, it all depends on your preferences. But for a young traveler like me, I enjoy the thrill of experiencing Europe firsthand before my eyes and the flexibility that comes with an Eurail pass. Eurail all the way baby!