World Gone Mad!?

[shewoff]

Hey All, I have tried for most of my adult life to try and see the event's of the world and country ,state from a stand-off but hopeful eye. But the one thing that no-one here or anywhere can say is that thing's are starting to get bad here on the earth?
Please pep's I really do not want this thread to turn into a political hammer match between the pro's and con's. I really do feel that here we can actually have a major portion of the world at our finger tip's here. So if anyone does? post here please it is a thread to see if we can get good info on what really is going on in this small planet we exist on?

I mean what is the truth? It is apparent to me and my group of friend's that thing's are getting bad and getting worse by the day.Not to say we can't still put on the brakes.It look's like changes daily every where? War's,misery,pest(bug's),hate,in new and unrelated scales.We must try and see that if we don't put the brakes on it will reach a volatile un-reachable goal.And I don't wish to see us of all the creatures on the earth, we the ones who really have not been around long enough to have a real say in these event's.


And these thing's will continue to spiral out of control until someone pushes a button and it end's with us no having a say at all?
I see and hear some many changes in my country.It is starting to scare me? Watch important show's with host I like and respect.Last nite on Bill Maher there was serious talk of a civil war in the US within 8 to 10 year's? I'am and was shocked to her the negativity coming from Bill and his guest's.My god I hope and wish these thing's are wrong? But daily it keep's getting worse and worse.Socialism in my America?

I keep hoping I will wake up from a dream and it will all be back to a more controlled state of madness.But again not here to stay in one place.So myself and my wife are going on a bit of a holiday?(Not Really!)I do feel that I would like to see it for myself and decide if it is as bad as I feel it is and will become.

And there are many ,many fantastic casino's and gambling junket's to keep me happy in my habit's.If any one here at the CM has a feeling of the same like as mine? Or see's change's indicative of the region they live in,it does not matter? If you see the world sliding?POST! Peace Out! Out Of The Mist! cshewoff

 

[mack341]

I think in america you are so lucky to have such a large country to explore, mountains, woods, coasts, cities etc.. but because of the increasing pace of life, job/money insecurity and worry/stress the general population never really get to enjoy it. I think the hysterical media we have in the west, along with politicians and the elite who have so much power, are creating a false reality in people's minds of doom and gloom, advancing technology has also become too important and it creates an uneasy feeling of constant change and challenge. [basically unsettling as humans we like stability and order whereas atm we have the opposite]

 

[goatwack]

Revelations. It's all in Revelations

 

[Harry_BKK]

To be honest, I often feel that we (humans and planet earth) are an experiment gone wrong. An ever so slight deviation in a chemical reaction that over time led to where we are today. Has it taken millions or billions of years? It doesn't really matter since the period we have been around amounts to less than a blink of an eye. And rest assured, we will be just as "quickly" gone. Let it be another 100, 1,000 or even 100,000 years, the duration, until planet Earth is nothing more than another part of the universe, does not matter one single "iota".

Will it make any difference to the totality? Not a scratch, nothing.

It matters to us only because we measure time in a short periods since we only have about a 3/4 - 1 century of existence. After that we are gone, never to return. And not much will change unless we evolve to a point where we use more than just 5% of our brain and learn to overcome the urge to always react to our basic instincts .

E.g. self-defense --> danger = build a defense structure or a weapon ..... can you imagine we still behave so territorial like 200,000 years ago when the first "homo sapiens" walked on this planet and even beyond that. Pure nature instincts that were given to us for some reason to ensure survival of the strongest/fittest/best at evolution etc. And although we have evolved in this period, we have not been able to change.

To answer your question....no, we have not gone mad, we just display more of who we really are. Instead of realizing that we are this unique planet, unique species, unique "colony" in the endless universe and act accordingly, we behave worse than the first "homo sapiens", somehow thinking we can just jump on the next bus that will take us to another, better planet.

For this planet we are comparable to what a rat infestation is for us humans. Absent any serious natural enemies, we multiply at a break-neck speed only that we do not have the discipline of a rat population. Instead we fight each other at every opportunity for even the smallest advantage, not realizing that we are driving our species to extinction.

I said this already once here: The planet will have no problems to exist without us, the question is more how long we will be present on this planet. Life will exist even without humans until either the sun is getting to close to the planet, or the sun loses too much of its energy (projected to be in a few billion years) or the atmosphere disappears as we know it today. It only takes another ever so slight deviation in a chemical reaction to set in motion any of those processes or maybe others that will ultimately have a huge impact.

 

[slotplayer]

Its over population.

 

[pinnit2014]

Once the Industrial Revolution kicked in it was the start of game over. We've fair rattled through those natural resources in a few hundred years

Greenbelt land not so protected (allegedly in the name of social housing), powerful land developers and practices such as fracking (kudos to the Scottish Government over here). Sigh.

 

[Harry_BKK]

Its over population.

“The world has enough for everyone's need, but not enough for everyone's greed.”

Mahatma Gandhi

 

[mack341]

I don't know exactly know how the numbers work out but if a couple have 2 children, so basically 1 for 1, would the world population be more or less static over 100 years. So I die but then my child takes my place who then has 1 child. Also I hope this isn't out of order but I wonder if the increasing gay population is one of nature's ways of slowing down population growth?

 

[Spikie]

World population has doubled in size in last 50 years, something like 4 billion to now around 8 billion.

Within another 50 years it is going to double again .

Unsustainable growth and strain on limited resources and food / water, less jobs in future due to more automation .

Result is catastrophic, I am glad I won’t be around to see what happens.

Also feel sorry for children that will have to grow up and deal with the mess in the future.

 

[Jory]

Well I'm one of the few who think 99.99% of people are actually good at heart. I don't care what your political view is, your nationality/sexuality whatever you can add to that list, I will always give people time and respect. (Even if your favourite slot is Gemix). I just feel opinions are too heavily influenced by the media and politics and that's why I avoid all media sites.

I think you can live a much happier life if you avoid all media including social, and political debates. It's not that I don't care - far from it, I just feel that the character traits that are necessary to become a politician are far from the ones needed to do the best job. In other words, I don't trust any of them no matter who gets elected.

As

 

[shewoff]

Good point's all.And it is just this ability that we human's have that MAY! allow us to turn it around? I just don't think so? It is just too fast for me if the entire known civil world goes off the deep end in a matter of decades?
I don't get it?


Harry I know that you are always going to give a good post to add to the thread Thank You! My wife is from Arabic - English back ground and she is scared for us to travel in the east? I agree it is dangerous if you walk around with blinder's on.
But I would never go some place that I feel our liberties would be in danger.No Never! She is a whisper in a world of wind. I know she probably would prefer not to go,and I may just relent and go alone.

But I have to see a bit of what I feel is gonna get us all. If we don't get it by the ball's and SQUEEZE...... It is not very easy to try to make light the situation we may have our self's in.And there does not seem to be a voice that is making the sounds that will be required to stop this detonation of society.And all it takes is one serious voice that tunes us all in. WOW!

I like this folk's POST! Gimme what you see in your part of the world? Peace Out! Out OF The Mist! shewoff

 

[mack341]

If we don't get it by the ball's and SQUEEZE

this phrase has made me shift around in my chair a bit shewoff , when you say head out east is that east in the USA?

 

[slotplayer]

World population has doubled in size in last 50 years, something like 4 billion to now around 8 billion.

Within another 50 years it is going to double again .

Unsustainable growth and strain on limited resources and food / water, less jobs in future due to more automation .

Result is catastrophic, I am glad I won’t be around to see what happens.

Also feel sorry for children that will have to grow up and deal with the mess in the future.

me to.

 

[Harry_BKK]

I don't know exactly know how the numbers work out but if a couple have 2 children, so basically 1 for 1, would the world population be more or less static over 100 years. So I die but then my child takes my place who then has 1 child. Also I hope this isn't out of order but I wonder if the increasing gay population is one of nature's ways of slowing down population growth?

We should not forget that our body is made to live for 35 - 45 years, maybe 50. Only "modern" inventions and evolved behaviors such as medicine, hygiene etc actually keep us as organic matter for a few decades longer.

Just remember that up to 1928, when Penicillin was discovered, people were dying from small infections, from a bad cold or what are today easily curable illnesses. Average life expectancy less than 200 years ago was around 40 years! So we have made a lot of progress.

Some 20 years ago, I studied with great interest the old church archives in my village. Exact records dated back to around 1820 when the church burned down the last time after it was struck by lightning (it was rebuild again). Less accurate records were available back to the 17th century.

You would be amazed how many children a family would have and how few would actually live past the age of 2 - 3 as the child mortality was immensely high. 10 and more kids were rather the norm, yet still population growth was rather modest.

Fun fact: The oldest son would always bear the fathers first name. If the son died then they would name the next boy that was born again after his father, etc etc. Sometimes you had 3 or 4 kids with the same first name in a family. Made it difficult at times to follow the family tree. Plus, women were rarely mentioned by their name, e.g. at marriage it would say John Smith's daughter married Peter Williams. When a child was born, the entry would say Peter Williams's wife had a son / daughter.

 

[Harry_BKK]

Good point's all.And it is just this ability that we human's have that MAY! allow us to turn it around? I just don't think so? It is just too fast for me if the entire known civil world goes off the deep end in a matter of decades?
I don't get it?


Harry I know that you are always going to give a good post to add to the thread Thank You! My wife is from Arabic - English back ground and she is scared for us to travel in the east? I agree it is dangerous if you walk around with blinder's on.
But I would never go some place that I feel our liberties would be in danger.No Never! She is a whisper in a world of wind. I know she probably would prefer not to go,and I may just relent and go alone.

But I have to see a bit of what I feel is gonna get us all. If we don't get it by the ball's and SQUEEZE...... It is not very easy to try to make light the situation we may have our self's in.And there does not seem to be a voice that is making the sounds that will be required to stop this detonation of society.And all it takes is one serious voice that tunes us all in. WOW!

I like this folk's POST! Gimme what you see in your part of the world? Peace Out! Out OF The Mist! shewoff

I can only recommend you to go, no matter if it is East, West, North or South. If you have the luxury of time and money, then let the road lead you were it may.

You will be surprised at how little hostility you will encounter.

 

[slotplayer]

I think in america you are so lucky to have such a large country to explore, mountains, woods, coasts, cities etc.. but because of the increasing pace of life, job/money insecurity and worry/stress the general population never really get to enjoy it. I think the hysterical media we have in the west, along with politicians and the elite who have so much power, are creating a false reality in people's minds of doom and gloom, advancing technology has also become too important and it creates an uneasy feeling of constant change and challenge. [basically unsettling as humans we like stability and order whereas atm we have the opposite]

50 million will

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[mack341]

50 million will

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oh lots will definitely travel and visit places, same in the UK, but my point was the true enjoyment of travel and holidays is affected and overshadowed by the stress of modern life, be it job or money worries, general raised anxiety levels etc.. job insecurity and the high cost of housing are 2 of the main problems in the UK. very few people have peace of mind these days, if you live in london there's a knife crime epidemic among other things etc..

 

[slotplayer]

oh lots will definitely travel and visit places, same in the UK, but my point was the true enjoyment of travel and holidays is affected and overshadowed by the stress of modern life, be it job or money worries, general raised anxiety levels etc.. job insecurity and the high cost of housing are 2 of the main problems in the UK. very few people have peace of mind these days, if you live in london there's a knife crime epidemic among other things etc..

I knew what you're getting at. It's the same here.

 

[mack341]

I knew what you're getting at. It's the same here.

On bbc tv we have a program with michael portillo [former mp] travelling around america by railway, and it looks a great place to explore. But then on youtube I've seen some of the run down places like detroit and it does not look safe at all, and you have the crystal meth and heroin problem too. Its interesting why canada doesn't seem to suffer the same level of social and crime problems as the US. Here in the UK in some run down poor areas you can feel the tension and potential of crime, it is very unsettling.

 

[slotplayer]

On bbc tv we have a program with michael portillo [former mp] travelling around america by railway, and it looks a great place to explore. But then on youtube I've seen some of the run down places like detroit and it does not look safe at all, and you have the crystal meth and heroin problem too. Its interesting why canada doesn't seem to suffer the same level of social and crime problems as the US. Here in the UK in some run down poor areas you can feel the tension and potential of crime, it is very unsettling.

Detroit used to be known as the automotive capital of the world. It's suffered hard economic times but is supposedly on the rebound.

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Canada borders the US, we border countries with drug cartels. Canada's population is smaller than California's or about 11% of the USA's.

Best to avoid those areas no matter where they are.

 

[Jasminebed]

It's always seemed to me that whatever is going on in the States, starts happening about 10 years later here, at least in terms of drugs/violence, etc.

Like Jory, I try to avoid a lot of the arguments and media, mostly because it makes it hard for my to keep my optimistic outlook on the nature of people. Which while I might not rate at 99.99, I do believe is very high. But one bad person can impact very very many lives.

"The road to hell is paved with good intentions." I think there are a lot of people preaching hate, which believe this is how to achieve a better world.

I'm almost certain hating and fearing each other is not how to achieve a better world. I'm disturbed by the rising acceptance of hate, when in my life-time I thought we were getting closer to brotherhood and tolerance than we once were. It was not that long ago, if you held certain prejudices, you largely kept them to yourself. Now you have a podcast, or a slot on major news outlets, a twitter feed and followers.

It's a rare foray into any of these threads for me, as I know what I say never changes the mind of anyone, and sometimes leads me to think less of people who I used to respect, and may still in other aspects.

So I will bow out now, and continue with my just trying to be pleasant to people and make sure no one is hungry.

 

[mack341]

Detroit used to be known as the automotive capital of the world. It's suffered hard economic times but is supposedly on the rebound.

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Canada borders the US, we border countries with drug cartels. Canada's population is smaller than California's or about 11% of the USA's.

Best to avoid those areas no matter where they are.

good points, seems like drugs is the major cause of crime and possibly trumps wall is intended to help fight the war on drug trafficking as well as illegal immigration?

Would you feel safe walking in detroit, chicago or philidelphia, california [los angeles rather than beverly hills] at night, and which would be the most dangerous out of them ?

Have you ever thought of doing a road trip around america, or is that just too much driving?

Ps. Sorry for all the questions but we rarely get to hear the the american viewpoint over here, instead we just get tv presenters reading autocues of some scripted opinions.

 

[slotplayer]

good points, seems like drugs is the major cause of crime and possibly trumps wall is intended to help fight the war on drug trafficking as well as illegal immigration?

Would you feel safe walking in detroit, chicago or philidelphia, california [los angeles rather than beverly hills] at night, and which would be the most dangerous out of them ?

Have you ever thought of doing a road trip around america, or is that just too much driving?

Ps. Sorry for all the questions but we rarely get to hear the the american viewpoint over here, instead we just get tv presenters reading autocues of some scripted opinions.

I'm too old for road trips, but I'd only walk around in the better parts of those cities in day time/early evening. I would not drive around at night in cities where I did not know the areas, too easy to end up in the unsafe parts of town. I'd certainly do some home work on where not to go.

I've been to San Francisco and San Jose California but it was in the late 1990's. It was fun.
Now San Francisco has a lot of homeless people and needles, according to Fox media anyway.

I remember pier 39 in San Francisco, during the day it was fun but as soon as dusk arrived it became somewhat shady. You could feel the change.

The immigration issue has been going on for 25+ years now. Mexico is having big election Sunday so we'll see.

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[Harry_BKK]

good points, seems like drugs is the major cause of crime and possibly trumps wall is intended to help fight the war on drug trafficking as well as illegal immigration?

Would you feel safe walking in detroit, chicago or philidelphia, california [los angeles rather than beverly hills] at night, and which would be the most dangerous out of them ?

Have you ever thought of doing a road trip around america, or is that just too much driving?

Ps. Sorry for all the questions but we rarely get to hear the the american viewpoint over here, instead we just get tv presenters reading autocues of some scripted opinions.

You might have read in other threads that I spent considerable time in the US, mostly on business but also sometimes on holidays. The main regions where i went where Philadelphia, Chicago and Los Angeles, plus a few times to Las Vegas (1x holidays, 2x conference).

I walked anywhere at any time of the day or night without even thinking that I might be in danger since I didn't know which areas in those cities one is supposed to "avoid". Not once was I attacked, harassed, made to feel in danger or the like. Here a few experiences:

1. During a "round the world" trip, we stopped in Hawaii first before continuing to LA. I had this weird item on my bucket list to ride once on a Greyhound bus. Hence, we took the bus from LA to Las Vegas, a leisurely 6-7 hours journey. The taxi driver dropped us of a few hundred feet from the station due to traffic, so we walked the last part. We got the feeling we had 1,000 eye pairs looking at us since it seemed we were the only whites walking on the street. The same appeared to be inside the bus station and most definitely on the bus. Only the driver was as well white, the reminder all people of color. The bus had Toronto as final destination and you had entire families traveling for 2 - 3 days to see the father or parents.

Did we feel unsafe at any point of time? Not a second! To the contrary, we had so much fun on the bus that the time passed in a "jiffy".

2. The parent company of the UK company I was working for at the time was located in Chicago. You know, the city where minimum one murder is committed per day. I stayed in the suburbs and closer to the city center, based on where they got me the hotel room for the stay. I surely did not travel to the "windy city" to stay the entire free time in my hotel room, so I ventured out to see as much as possible. I have only good memories of my time there, no matter where I was walking around.

Now let's compare that with a US citizen. One of the days the sales rep for the area took me to a Crown Cork&Seal factory which was located in the midst of one of those alleged "no-go" areas. The guy made a wrong turn and we ended up going in the wrong direction in a one-way road. You would have thought he would stop and turn. No, he put the foot down and sped down the road up to the next block where he then turned into the next road. "You never stop here", he said. After the meeting, I had a dry mouth and I asked him to stop at a gas station to get me a drink. He passed 3 of them, saying "we can't stop here" and only pulled into one in an area where he felt it is safe. Madness!

3. Philadelphia is probably one of the most beautiful large cities in the US, well, from my limited experience. Not seeing anything when you get the chance would be a major sin.

4. Las Vegas - you will be surprised how the landscape changes once you leave the strip area. You get the impression that you are entering an entirely different world. Well, better said, you leave the fantasy world behind to enter the "real" world. Still though, we (traveling with my then girlfriend at the time) never ever felt unsafe. Maybe we should not have done it but I never bothered about the "horror stories" that are being told in the media.

Moral of the story: Perceptions and prejudice are what drives people's fear. IMO, the chances to have a negative experience are not higher or lower than anywhere else in the world. We could apply Murphy's law at this point.

 

[mack341]

You might have read in other threads that I spent considerable time in the US, mostly on business but also sometimes on holidays. The main regions where i went where Philadelphia, Chicago and Los Angeles, plus a few times to Las Vegas (1x holidays, 2x conference).

I walked anywhere at any time of the day or night without even thinking that I might be in danger since I didn't know which areas in those cities one is supposed to "avoid". Not once was I attacked, harassed, made to feel in danger or the like. Here a few experiences:

1. During a "round the world" trip, we stopped in Hawaii first before continuing to LA. I had this weird item on my bucket list to ride once on a Greyhound bus. Hence, we took the bus from LA to Las Vegas, a leisurely 6-7 hours journey. The taxi driver dropped us of a few hundred feet from the station due to traffic, so we walked the last part. We got the feeling we had 1,000 eye pairs looking at us since it seemed we were the only whites walking on the street. The same appeared to be inside the bus station and most definitely on the bus. Only the driver was as well white, the reminder all people of color. The bus had Toronto as final destination and you had entire families traveling for 2 - 3 days to see the father or parents.

Did we feel unsafe at any point of time? Not a second! To the contrary, we had so much fun on the bus that the time passed in a "jiffy".

2. The parent company of the UK company I was working for at the time was located in Chicago. You know, the city where minimum one murder is committed per day. I stayed in the suburbs and closer to the city center, based on where they got me the hotel room for the stay. I surely did not travel to the "windy city" to stay the entire free time in my hotel room, so I ventured out to see as much as possible. I have only good memories of my time there, no matter where I was walking around.

Now let's compare that with a US citizen. One of the days the sales rep for the area took me to a Crown Cork&Seal factory which was located in the midst of one of those alleged "no-go" areas. The guy made a wrong turn and we ended up going in the wrong direction in a one-way road. You would have thought he would stop and turn. No, he put the foot down and sped down the road up to the next block where he then turned into the next road. "You never stop here", he said. After the meeting, I had a dry mouth and I asked him to stop at a gas station to get me a drink. He passed 3 of them, saying "we can't stop here" and only pulled into one in an area where he felt it is safe. Madness!

3. Philadelphia is probably one of the most beautiful large cities in the US, well, from my limited experience. Not seeing anything when you get the chance would be a major sin.

4. Las Vegas - you will be surprised how the landscape changes once you leave the strip area. You get the impression that you are entering an entirely different world. Well, better said, you leave the fantasy world behind to enter the "real" world. Still though, we (traveling with my then girlfriend at the time) never ever felt unsafe. Maybe we should not have done it but I never bothered about the "horror stories" that are being told in the media.

Moral of the story: Perceptions and prejudice are what drives people's fear. IMO, the chances to have a negative experience are not higher or lower than anywhere else in the world. We could apply Murphy's law at this point.

No I haven't seen those threads Harry, I like reading personal accounts of journeys etc..travel books use to be my favourite. If I won a million pounds, a fair bit would be spent on travel. With all your travelling to different countries, what is your food policy and have you ever got bad food poisoning , whats the worst/best food you have eaten?

 

[Harry_BKK]

No I haven't seen those threads Harry, I like reading personal accounts of journeys etc..travel books use to be my favourite. If I won a million pounds, a fair bit would be spent on travel. With all your traveling to different countries, what is your food policy and have you ever got bad food poisoning , whats the worst/best food you have eaten?

Food policy - none ....eat on the street what you find wherever it's possible and best far off the mainstream areas.

Never ever had any food poisoning during my travels. Having a good stomach is certainly a big advantage when you travel a lot.

Worst food must be the monkey brain we were served once at a top government conference in China. The monkeys were beaten first, then slaughtered just before serving. Apparently, the added adrenaline makes the brain tastier. I didn't know about the procedure, nor what it really is at first, but my Chinese agent couldn't wait to gulp it down.

Others include beef arteries, braised duck beak, century eggs, dog, meal worm (non-fried, disgustingly gooey), scorpion and a few more. My approach has always been to try everything at least once, if I like it I'll eat it again, if not I'll spit it out in the worst case.

Best foods is difficult to say as there have been many moments in the last 3 decades where I felt that the meal I was having was the best ever. My grandmother used to say: "Every time you are very, very hungry, the food on the table will be the best ever."

I had quite a few occasions where I experienced a pleasant surprise. One in Saigon has stayed in my memory where a local friend took me to one of the countless backyard eating places. Small plastic chairs, low metal tables and open-fire cooking outside. The food was just divine. They ordered some 10 dishes and with that you get a huge platter of big green leaves. No forks, no nothing other than those on the food plates. Everyone simply took a leaf and then placed some food on them, fresh mint leaves on top and rolled up to eat. It was literally an explosion of flavors.

Been scouring the net to find some pics which look similar:



- Tom Yam Kung Soup - Soi 7, Sukhumvit, Bangkok (closed down a few years ago) - heavenly delicious cooked by a very old lady - Kung = seafood, Ka = chicken
- Chicken Noodle - Soi Sookjai, Sukhumvit 40, Bangkok - the best chicken soup I have ever eaten, only 30 Baht (GBP0.60). Had it countless times as they would set up their mobile stall every lunchtime close to my apartment.
- Pla Kapong Neung Manao - small street eating place next to The Montien Hotel, BKK, steamed fish with lime, garlic and chili - absolutely divine
- Best steak - St. Mary's, NSW, Australia, the cook would refuse to serve it well-done and he was right.
- Best curry - Fish Head Curry - Singapore, served with some strange looking buns, sooo tasty
- Best BBQ chicken - Abidjan, Ivory Coast - marinated chicken slapped on to a converted drum (cut in half), close to the beach. Plus a cold beer on the side!
- list by far not complete

I feel really blessed to have been able to experience so much in my life and food was always a big part of that. Not in the fancy restaurants, but anywhere on the street or some small eating places / family restaurants. Of course I had my fair share of high end dining when e.g. customers would invite me for dinners and those were surely very good too but IMO, you only experience real life when you roam the streets.

 

[mack341]

Food policy - none ....eat on the street what you find wherever it's possible and best far off the mainstream areas.

Never ever had any food poisoning during my travels. Having a good stomach is certainly a big advantage when you travel a lot.

Worst food must be the monkey brain we were served once at a top government conference in China. The monkeys were beaten first, then slaughtered just before serving. Apparently, the added adrenaline makes the brain tastier. I didn't know about the procedure, nor what it really is at first, but my Chinese agent couldn't wait to gulp it down.

Others include beef arteries, braised duck beak, century eggs, dog, meal worm (non-fried, disgustingly gooey), scorpion and a few more. My approach has always been to try everything at least once, if I like it I'll eat it again, if not I'll spit it out in the worst case.

Best foods is difficult to say as there have been many moments in the last 3 decades where I felt that the meal I was having was the best ever. My grandmother used to say: "Every time you are very, very hungry, the food on the table will be the best ever."

I had quite a few occasions where I experienced a pleasant surprise. One in Saigon has stayed in my memory where a local friend took me to one of the countless backyard eating places. Small plastic chairs, low metal tables and open-fire cooking outside. The food was just divine. They ordered some 10 dishes and with that you get a huge platter of big green leaves. No forks, no nothing other than those on the food plates. Everyone simply took a leaf and then placed some food on them, fresh mint leaves on top and rolled up to eat. It was literally an explosion of flavors.

Been scouring the net to find some pics which look similar:

View attachment 92470

- Tom Yam Kung Soup - Soi 7, Sukhumvit, Bangkok (closed down a few years ago) - heavenly delicious cooked by a very old lady - Kung = seafood, Ka = chicken
- Chicken Noodle - Soi Sookjai, Sukhumvit 40, Bangkok - the best chicken soup I have ever eaten, only 30 Baht (GBP0.60). Had it countless times as they would set up their mobile stall every lunchtime close to my apartment.
- Pla Kapong Neung Manao - small street eating place next to The Montien Hotel, BKK, steamed fish with lime, garlic and chili - absolutely divine
- Best steak - St. Mary's, NSW, Australia, the cook would refuse to serve it well-done and he was right.
- Best curry - Fish Head Curry - Singapore, served with some strange looking buns, sooo tasty
- Best BBQ chicken - Abidjan, Ivory Coast - marinated chicken slapped on to a converted drum (cut in half), close to the beach. Plus a cold beer on the side!
- list by far not complete

I feel really blessed to have been able to experience so much in my life and food was always a big part of that. Not in the fancy restaurants, but anywhere on the street or some small eating places / family restaurants. Of course I had my fair share of high end dining when e.g. customers would invite me for dinners and those were surely very good too but IMO, you only experience real life when you roam the streets.

I think your grandmother was right, I thought afterwards I should have added 'some of the' best/worst, didn't mean to give you an impossible question . When I read about the monkeys, I said 'No, no,no..', poor little sods. Youve got a good stomach to handle all this different grub. Chinese food is probably my favourite though I haven't had the real authentic stuff and I have never mastered chopsticks. The only street food we get here is a dodgy hot dog or a cup of tea and a burger from a van set up outside BQ.

 

[Harry_BKK]

I think your grandmother was right, I thought afterwards I should have added 'some of the' best/worst, didn't mean to give you an impossible question . When I read about the monkeys, I said 'No, no,no..', poor little sods. Youve got a good stomach to handle all this different grub. Chinese food is probably my favourite though I haven't had the real authentic stuff and I have never mastered chopsticks. The only street food we get here is a dodgy hot dog or a cup of tea and a burger from a van set up outside BQ.

Grandmothers are always right, isn't it?

You'll be surprised how quickly you would master the chopsticks when you sit every day with 7 very hungry Chinese at a round table with all the food in the middle on a round turntable.

First time I went to China I spent 8 weeks at a factory in Suzhou and chopsticks were completely new to me. At lunch time they took me to the supervisor room where 7 - 8 people would sit on a table. Even if they wanted to help, there was just no normal cutlery available. The first two days I got so little food that I left the table just as hungry as before sitting down. The third day you couldn't tell the difference between me and the Chinese, except I did not spit the bones on to the table. That made me jump a few times. .... It is amazing how quickly we humans can learn something when we have not other choice.

I can tell you from my own experience that the taste of the Chinese food in Europe has very little resemblance to what they have in China. It is much, much better.

Street food is wide spread in Asia and it is so cheap that it is not worth firing up the oven at home.

 

[dreamguardian1]

The one thing I always have is HOPE. Hope is what keeps us going. EVERYTHING I do in my life is to try to make other peoples lives better by helping them get resources whether it be mental health, substance abuse, medical conditions, my caseloads with the current government administration has SKYROCKETED beyond what I can handle. BUT I have hope.

 

[mack341]

Grandmothers are always right, isn't it?

You'll be surprised how quickly you would master the chopsticks when you sit every day with 7 very hungry Chinese at a round table with all the food in the middle on a round turntable.

First time I went to China I spent 8 weeks at a factory in Suzhou and chopsticks were completely new to me. At lunch time they took me to the supervisor room where 7 - 8 people would sit on a table. Even if they wanted to help, there was just no normal cutlery available. The first two days I got so little food that I left the table just as hungry as before sitting down. The third day you couldn't tell the difference between me and the Chinese, except I did not spit the bones on to the table. That made me jump a few times. .... It is amazing how quickly we humans can learn something when we have not other choice.

I can tell you from my own experience that the taste of the Chinese food in Europe has very little resemblance to what they have in China. It is much, much better.

Street food is wide spread in Asia and it is so cheap that it is not worth firing up the oven at home.

That made me laugh I can just picture your first attempts and getting hardly a bite and then you get up to speed with the chinese. I was thinking exactly the same about not having to cook at home, being so lucky to have plenty of tasty street food, and with vegetables etc you've got so much choice and flavours.

 

[slotplayer]

I think your grandmother was right, I thought afterwards I should have added 'some of the' best/worst, didn't mean to give you an impossible question . When I read about the monkeys, I said 'No, no,no..', poor little sods. Youve got a good stomach to handle all this different grub. Chinese food is probably my favourite though I haven't had the real authentic stuff and I have never mastered chopsticks. The only street food we get here is a dodgy hot dog or a cup of tea and a burger from a van set up outside BQ.

I saw a documentary called faces of death many years ago and they had a table with a hole in the center where the monkey's head protruded. Then they used wooden mallets, well you can imagine the rest. Unfortunately, I still remember the image of the poor little guy.

 

[Harry_BKK]

That made me laugh I can just picture your first attempts and getting hardly a bite and then you get up to speed with the chinese. I was thinking exactly the same about not having to cook at home, being so lucky to have plenty of tasty street food, and with vegetables etc you've got so much choice and flavours.

Oh yes, the Chinese had a good laugh too. The problem was also that normally Chinese do not eat slowly, they mostly gulp the food down in a hurry. So anything on that round turntable was gone in no time. Certainly, not time enough for a "greenhorn" like me to fill his stomach.

What made matters worse was that at the time the hotels in Suzhou did not have many foreigners staying, if any at all. Hence, the breakfast was purely Chinese. Chicken claws, century eggs, salted fish, porridge and hot orange juice were the main items available for breakfast. After a week, I managed to get a least a cold drink but the food never changed.

Hence, at lunch I was really looking forward to put something proper into my stomach, which made the learning curve for the chopsticks in the first two days even more frustrating.

Then in the last week of my first 8 weeks on the project, I thought I am seeing a "Fata Morgana", I thought my eyes are deceiving me; a Pizza Hut opened in Suzhou, the first foreign food outlet in the city. They took me to the restaurant and it was just hilarious. Needless to say it was packed to the brim and since nobody knew Western food, they just ate like they eat Chinese food, multiple dishes at the same time. Hence, they ordered a range of starters, pizzas, noodles and desserts and all was brought to the table in one go. It was now their turn to learn something and I was happy to give them a few pointers. Their answer was so funny: "Why eat one after the other when all is on the table?"

 

[Harry_BKK]

I saw a documentary called face of death many years ago and they had a table with a hole in the center where the monkey's head protruded. Then they used wooden mallets, well you can imagine the rest. Unfortunately, I still remember the image of the poor little guy.

You should see what they do to the dogs, cats and bison rats! I couldn't stomach to eat any of the food and chastised myself for eating dog a few months earlier in a different location where I wasn't able to see what is happening before they "prepare" them.

 

[mack341]

I saw a documentary called faces of death many years ago and they had a table with a hole in the center where the monkey's head protruded. Then they used wooden mallets, well you can imagine the rest. Unfortunately, I still remember the image of the poor little guy.

heard of that film, it was termed a 'video nasty' here in the 80's, never watched it thank goodness

 

[slotplayer]

heard of that film, it was termed a 'video nasty' here in the 80's, never watched it thank goodness

They later came out and said it was staged.
I just watched the scene again on youtube, staged or not its still pretty heartbreaking.

 

[mack341]

Oh yes, the Chinese had a good laugh too. The problem was also that normally Chinese do not eat slowly, they mostly gulp the food down in a hurry. So anything on that round turntable was gone in no time. Certainly, not time enough for a "greenhorn" like me to fill his stomach.

What made matters worse was that at the time the hotels in Suzhou did not have many foreigners staying, if any at all. Hence, the breakfast was purely Chinese. Chicken claws, century eggs, salted fish, porridge and hot orange juice were the main items available for breakfast. After a week, I managed to get a least a cold drink but the food never changed.

Hence, at lunch I was really looking forward to put something proper into my stomach, which made the learning curve for the chopsticks in the first two days even more frustrating.

Then in the last week of my first 8 weeks on the project, I thought I am seeing a "Fata Morgana", I thought my eyes are deceiving me; a Pizza Hut opened in Suzhou, the first foreign food outlet in the city. They took me to the restaurant and it was just hilarious. Needless to say it was packed to the brim and since nobody knew Western food, they just ate like they eat Chinese food, multiple dishes at the same time. Hence, they ordered a range of starters, pizzas, noodles and desserts and all was brought to the table in one go. It was now their turn to learn something and I was happy to give them a few pointers. Their answer was so funny: "Why eat one after the other when all is on the table?"

just looked up century egg, oooh dear, porridge sounds ok You must have had a great experience exploring ancient suzhou, with the canals and traditional architecture. I see though they have now built a replica of tower bridge and also have the dutch village there too.

 

[Harry_BKK]

just looked up century egg, oooh dear, porridge sounds ok You must have had a great experience exploring ancient suzhou, with the canals and traditional architecture. I see though they have now built a replica of tower bridge and also have the dutch village there too.

Porridge is OK once in a while but not every day. And since I didn't like any of those "fine" condiments, it was plain porridge every day.

Unfortunately, I didn't get to see as much of Suzhou as I would have liked because we were working 08.00am - 06.00pm and that 6/7 every week. Add to that 45 minutes drive each way between hotel and factory and there is little left of the day. Plus, every single evening a group of workers would take me out first for dinner followed by KTV, sometimes in between a visit to a barber shop (which in China is often a cover for a massage parlor ), every damn' evening. That was because at the time their company policy was that the company is paying all expenses. So every night minimum 5 of them would pick me up in a mini van and off we went on our daily bender. Ended mostly far after midnight, making it a real challenge to get up on time every morning.

Sunday I was hoping to have a nice, relaxed day for myself to explore the city but even for that day they were making plans since the company was always paying for the expenses. However, two weekends stood out from the entire experience when they took me to Nanjing, the old capital of China. Now that is a gem with so much history that you would need weeks to see it all.

I understood them as it was a freebie for them and since most were migrant workers they did not have a family to spend Sunday with. So I played along and had mostly a lot of fun but also a lot of hangovers.

The last time I went was in 2004, I can imagine that the city has changed dramatically since.

 

[Harry_BKK]

They later came out and said it was staged.
I just watched the scene again on youtube, staged or not its still pretty heartbreaking.

The movie might have been staged but that was still happening when I was there. And I am pretty sure the dogs cats etc. are still going through the same procedure today.

My Chinese agent told me that it was even worse in the old days. They would beat the sh*t out of the monkeys, quickly cut the entire head off plus the top of the scull, leaving it though as cover then serve the head on a plate. He said people were always looking for a fine haze coming from the head as that indicated that it was just slaughtered. Sickening.

 

[slotplayer]

The movie might have been staged but that was still happening when I was there. And I am pretty sure the dogs cats etc. are still going through the same procedure today.

My Chinese agent told me that it was even worse in the old days. They would beat the sh*t out of the monkeys, quickly cut the entire head off plus the top of the scull, leaving it though as cover then serve the head on a plate. He said people were always looking for a fine haze coming from the head as that indicated that it was just slaughtered. Sickening.

It was your post that made me think of it. The producer says it was based on an actual event.

 

[TheAverageGuy]

I think humanity itself hasn't changed much since industrialization, in many ways for the entirety of recorded history.

By nature we are tribal, family-centric pack animals. For those in our circle there's very little we wouldn't do or give to ensure their health, safety and general well being, we've always been weary of those outside the circle, but as long as they posed no threat they were either treated as a friend or at worst generally dismissed as not important.

We've always been generally ignorant of the bigger picture, which worked just fine, the only picture necessary was the one we lived and died in. The only "knowledge", "education" or "information" that was necessary to the success of the pack was acquired through experience and necessity.

Then along came "civilization" and "society" led by the keepers of knowledge, helping the "uncivilized' to join the Bigger, Stronger, Tribe. The Only Tribe! Taught to value a new set of rules, a new set of leaders and a new way of life either by the book, the sword, or the example set by those who didn't adapt. In theory, it seemed like a good deal, smaller packs, working and living together to form one united pack, safe from all who would do us harm..

A quick google search for "monkeysphere" will introduce you to an idea that I always found rather fitting in giving a general overview of where things start to fall apart. When we started forming larger tribes, settlements, villages, towns, cities, states, countries, and finally a "world-view" and a requirement to find our place in it and help foster it's success.

I don't see that much has changed, except that the keepers of knowledge control ALL of the information, the sources that disseminate it and the institutions that instill it in us from birth until death, a steady drumbeat to march by, taught to fear our neighbors, mistrust the agenda of any who would question it's wisdom and to shun those who won't fall in line. The PACK above all else & FEAR! is its rally call.

But.. there's still little we wouldn't do for those in our personal pack, we still love, care, nurture and for the most part will treat any who aren't perceived as a threat and show they're well intentioned as one of our own. It's the world-view and the propagation of it that tries to teach us otherwise, to value a concept above our core truth contrary to our own nature.

Kind of hard to put it all into words, to simplify as much as possible, people are still generally good, just misinformed by design to keep us from questioning the complete absurdity of the "society" we find ourselves living in, why it's so much better than the way we lived before its monopoly took hold and why the needs of the few leading THE PACK are to be valued above and at the expense of the rest of us.

Just shhh.... here.. have another screen to stare at... fight online about left-right politics, bingewatch some more netflix, just make sure you're at work on time tomorrow.. society needs you.

 

[shewoff]

Well it is good to see some of ya out and posting. It is just the fear's mentioned here that I'am speaking of.

And in MY life time? We could not hang onto it for a 100 year's.Sad! The idea that we the human's have actually thought so very much of ourself's and our intelligence as to cast a blind eye to our destruction.
Maybe we have lost the ability to be human? It appear's some of the smart we think we are is actually part of our animal instinct's taking over and we do hate with fervor and draw blood at any given time and place?

As to the EAST question I feel Singapore,Perth,Berlin,Rome,Shanghai,Macao,and I will try to pick up a few from these place's also.I have to see this shit happening? If the world is gonna implode I would like to take a look at all the fool's that are gonna cause it! And the food Harry is GREAT at most international port's of call. I love Thai,Chinese,Southern Caribe,Pulled chicken,pork man I get fat just thinking about it. I would very much like to try to have a few pint's with any of you that are in the places I'am going too. Maybe put some faces to the word's? I have my new cell with the best pic and video available and I have plan's for the 1st of August.

My wife will stay and I will go on my grand adventure.Stay POSTING PEP's! Peace Out! Out Of The Mist! shewoff

 

[Harry_BKK]

Well it is good to see some of ya out and posting. It is just the fear's mentioned here that I'am speaking of.

And in MY life time? We could not hang onto it for a 100 year's.Sad! The idea that we the human's have actually thought so very much of ourself's and our intelligence as to cast a blind eye to our destruction.
Maybe we have lost the ability to be human? It appear's some of the smart we think we are is actually part of our animal instinct's taking over and we do hate with fervor and draw blood at any given time and place?

As to the EAST question I feel Singapore,Perth,Berlin,Rome,Shanghai,Macao,and I will try to pick up a few from these place's also.I have to see this shit happening? If the world is gonna implode I would like to take a look at all the fool's that are gonna cause it! And the food Harry is GREAT at most international port's of call. I love Thai,Chinese,Southern Caribe,Pulled chicken,pork man I get fat just thinking about it. I would very much like to try to have a few pint's with any of you that are in the places I'am going too. Maybe put some faces to the word's? I have my new cell with the best pic and video available and I have plan's for the 1st of August.

My wife will stay and I will go on my grand adventure.Stay POSTING PEP's! Peace Out! Out Of The Mist! shewoff

That sounds like a great adventure.

You know that you can book a "Round The World" ticket with any of the alliances, e.g. Star Alliance which includes United, Singapore Airlines, Air New Zealand, Lufthansa, SAS, Turkish Airlines and some more. You only have to chose which direction you want to go, East or West, and then book the first 1 or 2 sectors or you can book them all if you want. The cost for up to 24,000 miles is about USD3,000 only.

I did it in 2003 going from Frankfurt - Singapore - Brisbane - Airlie Beach (Great Barrier Reef) - Sydney - Honolulu - LA - Las Vegas - Chicago - Frankfurt in 8 weeks. Paid EUR2,500 for one ticket at the time, for the second I used my air miles. The only thing is that you have to keep going into one direction but that shouldn't be a problem.

My experience over the years showed that you get less jet lag when you travel westwards.

Let me know if you get to Singapore, more than happy to meet for some local food and a few cold ones!

My avatar pic is a photo from the hotel in Airlie Beach. This is a pic when we were landing in Brisbane on a SQ Boeing 777 taken with my first ever digital camera. A Canon with a mere 3 megapixels, a dinosaur today.

 

[mack341]

Porridge is OK once in a while but not every day. And since I didn't like any of those "fine" condiments, it was plain porridge every day.

Unfortunately, I didn't get to see as much of Suzhou as I would have liked because we were working 08.00am - 06.00pm and that 6/7 every week. Add to that 45 minutes drive each way between hotel and factory and there is little left of the day. Plus, every single evening a group of workers would take me out first for dinner followed by KTV, sometimes in between a visit to a barber shop (which in China is often a cover for a massage parlor ), every damn' evening. That was because at the time their company policy was that the company is paying all expenses. So every night minimum 5 of them would pick me up in a mini van and off we went on our daily bender. Ended mostly far after midnight, making it a real challenge to get up on time every morning.

Sunday I was hoping to have a nice, relaxed day for myself to explore the city but even for that day they were making plans since the company was always paying for the expenses. However, two weekends stood out from the entire experience when they took me to Nanjing, the old capital of China. Now that is a gem with so much history that you would need weeks to see it all.

I understood them as it was a freebie for them and since most were migrant workers they did not have a family to spend Sunday with. So I played along and had mostly a lot of fun but also a lot of hangovers.

The last time I went was in 2004, I can imagine that the city has changed dramatically since.

Only just seen this post Harry, you must have been exhausted, sounds like you got to see plenty of the sights nonetheless
I've been going to a turkish barber shop but think I might need to find one of those chinese ones, sounds like you get a better service...

 

[Harry_BKK]

Only just seen this post Harry, you must have been exhausted, sounds like you got to see plenty of the sights nonetheless
I've been going to a turkish barber shop but think I might need to find one of those chinese ones, sounds like you get a better service...

The first time in the barber shop I opted for massage only (I had a girlfriend in Germany at the time, although I was still living in the UK), which sort of angered the Mama-san. She send then probably the heaviest and ugliest girl into my room to give me a hands-free massage..... "vely special sil" she said. Right. ....They dangle from the top on a steel frame and do everything with their feet. I had the impression the Mama-san told here to purposely hang too low so i get to feel her entire weight because quite a few times I thought she's going to break my back. ...Learned my lesson that evening.

But then all the KTV pubs are not much different than the barber shops. After you walk into one of the rooms and sit down, the door opens and they parade a dozen of girls in. You can chose as many as you like or none. If none, they hurry them out and bring in the next dozen or so. In bigger KTV pubs, the Mama-san usually has 250 - 300 girls at her disposal, every night. They then sit with you, pouring your drink, lighting the fags, massaging your legs or back and if you really like them you invite them back to your hotel room. If not, you give them a tip of about $5 -10. You can opt to have them exclusive for the evening at the KTV, then the tip grows to $40-50 as otherwise they are allowed to "butterfly" between different rooms, collecting more tips per night.

TBH, as a "greenhorn" in Asia, I was flabbergasted at first. But it is standard and the same pretty much in every Asian country. As with everything in our lives, you get used to it after a while.

 

[mack341]

The first time in the barber shop I opted for massage only (I had a girlfriend in Germany at the time, although I was still living in the UK), which sort of angered the Mama-san. She send then probably the heaviest and ugliest girl into my room to give me a hands-free massage..... "vely special sil" she said. Right. ....They dangle from the top on a steel frame and do everything with their feet. I had the impression the Mama-san told here to purposely hang too low so i get to feel her entire weight because quite a few times I thought she's going to break my back. ...Learned my lesson that evening.

But then all the KTV pubs are not much different than the barber shops. After you walk into one of the rooms and sit down, the door opens and they parade a dozen of girls in. You can chose as many as you like or none. If none, they hurry them out and bring in the next dozen or so. In bigger KTV pubs, the Mama-san usually has 250 - 300 girls at her disposal, every night. They then sit with you, pouring your drink, lighting the fags, massaging your legs or back and if you really like them you invite them back to your hotel room. If not, you give them a tip of about $5 -10. You can opt to have them exclusive for the evening at the KTV, then the tip grows to $40-50 as otherwise they are allowed to "butterfly" between different rooms, collecting more tips per night.

TBH, as a "greenhorn" in Asia, I was flabbergasted at first. But it is standard and the same pretty much in every Asian country. As with everything in our lives, you get used to it after a while.

I learn something new nearly everyday on this forum, wish you were here with judith chalmers certainly never covered any of this interesting information. I always wondered why karaoke was so popular in the far east and never took off here, there is however probably one asian country where none of this happens, good old north korea.

 

[shewoff]

HaHaHa! Harry it sound's like fun? Did you do it alone? Total amount spent i:e room,food,transportation, it may help with my planning? I will start with $15,000.00 cash and about $10,000.00 American Exs. Travel Bonds.


It pays to have life check's with places that you have to contact a family member or any sort of legal banner.I will set up several hotel's,pay package.And have extra monies arranged.I hate to run out!

I have a business in Perth with a college friend doing well I think so it will be business also.I wana dive and there are places in the Pacific and the Med. that set up disabled diver's junket's. I have been to alot of other countries I hunted hardwood's in South America on the Amazon.Good money very,very dangerous. I got hit by a electric eel and it was a shock indeed,2 week's in the hospital in a 3rd world country hahahaha. Any way I look forward to meeting you Harry indeed some good food and drink.

I feel also this may be the last time that we or I may be able to travel freely? I hate to say that but we are not the most desirable visitor's in certain part;s of this big ole world.And the way thing's look. It may be the cost of having DT as our moola.
Who know's for sure,And any casino's (brick n mortar) in your home town near or in the city I'am in? Most of the time they are easily found .Lot'sa light's and such.Peace Out!c Out Of The Mist! shewoff

 

[Harry_BKK]

HaHaHa! Harry it sound's like fun? Did you do it alone? Total amount spent i:e room,food,transportation, it may help with my planning? I will start with $15,000.00 cash and about $10,000.00 American Exs. Travel Bonds.


It pays to have life check's with places that you have to contact a family member or any sort of legal banner.I will set up several hotel's,pay package.And have extra monies arranged.I hate to run out!

I have a business in Perth with a college friend doing well I think so it will be business also.I wana dive and there are places in the Pacific and the Med. that set up disabled diver's junket's. I have been to alot of other countries I hunted hardwood's in South America on the Amazon.Good money very,very dangerous. I got hit by a electric eel and it was a shock indeed,2 week's in the hospital in a 3rd world country hahahaha. Any way I look forward to meeting you Harry indeed some good food and drink.

I feel also this may be the last time that we or I may be able to travel freely? I hate to say that but we are not the most desirable visitor's in certain part;s of this big ole world.And the way thing's look. It may be the cost of having DT as our moola.
Who know's for sure,And any casino's (brick n mortar) in your home town near or in the city I'am in? Most of the time they are easily found .Lot'sa light's and such.Peace Out!c Out Of The Mist! shewoff

Including flight ticket and all expenses we spent for two people appr. $18,000 for the entire adventure.

Could have done it a lot cheaper but i wanted to travel and stay in style.

Singapore has two world class casinos. Only been to Sentosa Resort World but not to Marina Bay Sands.

See you soon

 

[shewoff]

Well the grand adventure is set to start on Sunday,5th and will take me to some fine part's of this world.I will try the EU first and London,Paris,Berlin YAYA!,Amsterdam,Copenhagen,I tried to get into the Swiss Alp's as I have heard of a few casino's that are a once in a life time experience.But alas I'am a convicted felon and they don't want my kind to visit?But still this part of my trip will take 3 week's and then I will be off to the 2nd part of my trip and it will be Hong-Kong,Singapore,and after a lifetime I will be returning to Vietnam to Ho City,The P.I's, thing's are a bit touchy in that part of the world a lot of Muslim group's that are killing tourist and the kidnapping. I hope they get it figured out as I have loved the Philippines since I had a R&R in the Army way back when.
Harry I will get in touch with your on the private mess. here.And let ya know when and where I will be in Singapore.It is for 3 days I know that much.Look forward to a meet.And anyone else that has a few or know's about something as far as food,casino's,or the best places to see in a particular city please leave a post or a private message.I really do hope this trip allow's me to see if I'am right or wrong about this feeling of doom I feel is happening in the world. I will have my complete int. after Sunday and I have purchased a new laptop and camera to catch the up's and down's of this trip.I will post as much as I have time and experiences will allow.Peace Out! Out Of The Mist! shewoff

 

[Jasminebed]

Our longtime member chuchu59 lives in Hong Kong. I'm sure he'd be happy to give you some tips, and for the junkets to Macao.

Paris is awful for pickpockets sadly, especially on the trains, in fact watch you stuff closely especially in transportation hubs everywhere.

Take some time to visit less tourity neighbourhoods and sights. I've found that locals in neighbourhoods outside of main tourist areas are usually more interested in talking with you. Don't be afraid to strike up conversations with strangers in bars, and fellow travellers are usually glad to share their experiences.

It is very sad the current situation in the Philippines, somewhere I have always wanted to visit. Davao and Cebu seem to be away from the worse of the troubles.

We look forward to your adventures!

Even if all you can manage in a language is please and thank you, it goes a long ways.

 

[Harry_BKK]

Well the grand adventure is set to start on Sunday,5th and will take me to some fine part's of this world.I will try the EU first and London,Paris,Berlin YAYA!,Amsterdam,Copenhagen,I tried to get into the Swiss Alp's as I have heard of a few casino's that are a once in a life time experience.But alas I'am a convicted felon and they don't want my kind to visit?But still this part of my trip will take 3 week's and then I will be off to the 2nd part of my trip and it will be Hong-Kong,Singapore,and after a lifetime I will be returning to Vietnam to Ho City,The P.I's, thing's are a bit touchy in that part of the world a lot of Muslim group's that are killing tourist and the kidnapping. I hope they get it figured out as I have loved the Philippines since I had a R&R in the Army way back when.
Harry I will get in touch with your on the private mess. here.And let ya know when and where I will be in Singapore.It is for 3 days I know that much.Look forward to a meet.And anyone else that has a few or know's about something as far as food,casino's,or the best places to see in a particular city please leave a post or a private message.I really do hope this trip allow's me to see if I'am right or wrong about this feeling of doom I feel is happening in the world. I will have my complete int. after Sunday and I have purchased a new laptop and camera to catch the up's and down's of this trip.I will post as much as I have time and experiences will allow.Peace Out! Out Of The Mist! shewoff

Fabulous news shewoff....I'll be here waiting for you!

Unfortunately, I can say much about your European destinations as I haven't been to any of them in more than a decade. Hong Kong is a buzzing city and that 24/7. If you're fit enough, walk up that mountain (can't remember the name), the view is breathtaking. Must try is the street food. Macao you want to stay on or close to the strip if you want to spend time at the casinos. Singapore, anything around Orchard/Bugis/Marina Bay is center, the rest a little out but never too far since the entire island is only about 15x20 miles big.

God speed!