In the streets of Cusco, I have beheld more nuclear families of obese gringos festooned in matching artisanal ponchos, procured from any of a thousand street vendors — hanging down to their ankles with incongruous sneakers exposed underneath — than I might have thought possible in a few days.
Ah! I grew up a daughter of an Army officer...Corp of Engineers. His assignments were only 2 years each. We moved extensively. From 8-10 years old, we lived in Taiwan 1956-58. A culture completely different from our own.
My introduction to Taiwan was honeypots being judiciously balanced on either end of a pole across a man's back and a smell that stunk to high heaven and back. "Peeeuuuhhhh. What's that mommy?" "Shush, children. They're carrying waste." Consequently, I never had much desire to travel. Why? For what purpose? I can't think of a worse hell than a cruise anywhere.
Btw, in those days, we had vendors come to our door because we were rich Americans. We had a house boy and a maid. The house boy made a fire in the boiler to give us hot water each day. The vendors sold fresh fruit and veggies at our front door. One guy sold cleverly sculpted Chinese figures on sticks made from rice paste and intricately colored and shaped like the old Chinese dynasty figures. We begged our mom to buy us one each time. Another guy brought his horse around and charged for a ride around our American (all branches of the military) community set on a hillside north of Taipei. We loved those rides. Hiho, Silver!!
Taiwanese used to come up to us and ask to touch my younger brother's hair when we were in the markets because he was platinum blonde in those days. He grew up to have reddish hair and beard like a Scotsman. The only danger we faced was when our parents instructed to take the path by the farmer on the hillside next to our house and hike until we reached a seaport if we saw men with parachutes falling from the sky. Otherwise, the only trouble we got into was falling off the rice paddy paths into the mud and washing up in a crystal clear spring which didn't allow enough time to dry before having to go home.
Taiwan is an interesting place, and I'm sure even more so in the 50s before the global liberal monoculture took over. I lived there for a spell in my drinking days, so I probably didn't get as much out of it as I could have except the cheap liquor at 7-Eleven. I write about such fascinating experiences in my memoir.
Just as many lament and loathe the commercialization of Christmas, one would be well advised to not let that obvious fact completely erode the goodwill of the season for ones own heart and spirit. Observation of reality is fine lest the jadedness and cynicism produced by such observations poisons the well. The world will never meet the expectations of the perfection seeking cynic, but it will surely steal what joy may be found still.
I’m embarking on my first international travel in just minutes. Uxbridge would have been the start, but our rental narrowboat is stuck near the ‘docklands’, just east of central London. So,.. through a most busy city we must navigate.
Here’s a song you may relate to; “Holiday in Waikiki” by the Kinks 1966
My wife toured Machu Picchu in the late 1960s when it was very expensive and difficult to get there and essentially empty, and it was a transformative experience for her. When she sees the selfie crowds tromping over it today for their 5-minute "been there done that" routine she has a lot of similar things to say about it.
Thanks for the travel report! "I presume as a show of cultural domination". In general, the Doctrine of Christian Discovery and Domination/Dehumanization explains much of the impetus for worldwide nasty b.s. Also good skepticism with " the human sacrifices that reportedly" b/c i had heard an interview a while ago with a Indigenous man who explained that with regard to Aztecs, that it wasn't how the history books always portray it. And in the AI schadenfreude department, a RT headline "Civil servant robot ‘commits suicide'".
hell is other tourists
Ah! I grew up a daughter of an Army officer...Corp of Engineers. His assignments were only 2 years each. We moved extensively. From 8-10 years old, we lived in Taiwan 1956-58. A culture completely different from our own.
My introduction to Taiwan was honeypots being judiciously balanced on either end of a pole across a man's back and a smell that stunk to high heaven and back. "Peeeuuuhhhh. What's that mommy?" "Shush, children. They're carrying waste." Consequently, I never had much desire to travel. Why? For what purpose? I can't think of a worse hell than a cruise anywhere.
Btw, in those days, we had vendors come to our door because we were rich Americans. We had a house boy and a maid. The house boy made a fire in the boiler to give us hot water each day. The vendors sold fresh fruit and veggies at our front door. One guy sold cleverly sculpted Chinese figures on sticks made from rice paste and intricately colored and shaped like the old Chinese dynasty figures. We begged our mom to buy us one each time. Another guy brought his horse around and charged for a ride around our American (all branches of the military) community set on a hillside north of Taipei. We loved those rides. Hiho, Silver!!
Taiwanese used to come up to us and ask to touch my younger brother's hair when we were in the markets because he was platinum blonde in those days. He grew up to have reddish hair and beard like a Scotsman. The only danger we faced was when our parents instructed to take the path by the farmer on the hillside next to our house and hike until we reached a seaport if we saw men with parachutes falling from the sky. Otherwise, the only trouble we got into was falling off the rice paddy paths into the mud and washing up in a crystal clear spring which didn't allow enough time to dry before having to go home.
Taiwan is an interesting place, and I'm sure even more so in the 50s before the global liberal monoculture took over. I lived there for a spell in my drinking days, so I probably didn't get as much out of it as I could have except the cheap liquor at 7-Eleven. I write about such fascinating experiences in my memoir.
Just as many lament and loathe the commercialization of Christmas, one would be well advised to not let that obvious fact completely erode the goodwill of the season for ones own heart and spirit. Observation of reality is fine lest the jadedness and cynicism produced by such observations poisons the well. The world will never meet the expectations of the perfection seeking cynic, but it will surely steal what joy may be found still.
I’m embarking on my first international travel in just minutes. Uxbridge would have been the start, but our rental narrowboat is stuck near the ‘docklands’, just east of central London. So,.. through a most busy city we must navigate.
Here’s a song you may relate to; “Holiday in Waikiki” by the Kinks 1966
happy travels.
https://youtu.be/fY-y3kKo6dw?si=mQBICcHOJK2qYj2C
Poignant and moving.
The UK experiences similar with its castles. Once military machines to dominate enemies and peasants are now destinations for a nice day out.
Time - history - transforms the powerful into catalysts for romantic story telling and a little commerce.
Nevertheless, I wouldn't be surprised if something majestic about the expeirence lingers and has somehow enhanced your appreciation of the world.
I understand the why but still wish they wpuldn’t. If I want panhandlers and druggies, I’d stay home.
Quite enjoyable read. I’ve been through similar experiences
My wife toured Machu Picchu in the late 1960s when it was very expensive and difficult to get there and essentially empty, and it was a transformative experience for her. When she sees the selfie crowds tromping over it today for their 5-minute "been there done that" routine she has a lot of similar things to say about it.
Thanks for the travel report! "I presume as a show of cultural domination". In general, the Doctrine of Christian Discovery and Domination/Dehumanization explains much of the impetus for worldwide nasty b.s. Also good skepticism with " the human sacrifices that reportedly" b/c i had heard an interview a while ago with a Indigenous man who explained that with regard to Aztecs, that it wasn't how the history books always portray it. And in the AI schadenfreude department, a RT headline "Civil servant robot ‘commits suicide'".
The hyperlink to Wallace's essay doesn't seem to lead anywhere.....
yeah i dont know whats up with that