The Lynn Files: China

Lynn Gaudet is without a doubt the most well traveled person I have ever known, and not only that, but she is conveniently my co-worker here at Oulton College!  I figured what better person to tell a tale or two than the queen of travel herself.  This is Lynn's first guest appearance on my travel blog, but certainly won't be the last, so now I'll stop yammering on so you can get to the good stuff!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mGF_0AcHaGs

(a tune for the pleasure of you and your lil' ol' ears)

 

OK here goes! Jordy has asked me to talk about one of my trips, well here is a bit of background info on Moi. I always tell people I’m ‘addicted’ to travel; I’ve been a flight attendant, worked at the airport and as a travel agent and now I have the pleasure of working as an instructor with Jordy, life just doesn’t get much better. I’ve been to 52 different countries and my goal is to visit 100 before I kick the bucket! One of the most amazing trips I have done so far is my China and Tibet trip of 2010. We traveled to Beijing, Xian, and Lhasa.

I guess we never really thought of it before but a very surprising thing for us was some of the things we were allowed to do and banded from doing. For example, at the hotel we were banned from going on Facebook! How will people know what I had for lunch?? Another was Tiananmen square, we had a private guide she informed us that we probably had questions about what had happened there in 1989 but that there would be people there listening to her version of the tour and that she could get into trouble for not giving the official version!
 

Tiananmen Square, where in 1989 the military attacked a student protest.  Each guide is observed to make sure they give "the right verion" of the events.
Beijing, China, July 2010

Now don’t get me wrong we got to see lots and we had a great time it was just surprising. Like did you know that the last emperor of China was only a small child when he got the job, so someone (mostly his aunt) would sit behind him covered in a veil and give answers to questions that were asked.

Of course being in China you have to go to the Great Wall, there too it was kind of funny to see locals scooting over to get their pictures taken with us, they tried to do it without us noticing but once they saw we were OK with it, they were like paparazzi! 



He wanted his picture taken with my husband.
The Great Wall, China, July 2010

Can you spot Waldo???  Lots of people visit The Wall everyday!
The Great Wall, China, July 2010

After a few days in Beijing we travelled to Xian, the main reason for going there is the Terracotta Warriors. This was the burial site of the first emperor of China each warrior is different, they have the different uniforms and height  according to what rank they held, the knots on top of their heads represent what their job was, so an archer would have a different hairdo than a foot soldier.  They date back to 210BC.  They were discovered in 1974 by a farmer digging for a well. When I was planning this trip I questioned going there, would it really be worth it? Once you walk-in you get an idea of how monumental the whole thing is.



One of the four pits with the warriors.  The emperor wanted his army to defend him in the after-life.
Xian, China, July 2010.

Now I was curious as to why did nobody know about all this? Well there was a revolution by the farmers against the emperor, the warriors were covered with a huge wooden roof, the farmers set fire to it, it collapsed, covering the army for more than 1500 years... I guess someone forgot to blog about that bit of info!  



One of the farmers who discovered The Terracotta Warriors.  The government took his land away, but gave him a job in the gift shop!  He now makes his money by signing books for tourists.
Xian, China, July 2010.
 

After Xian it was on to Tibet, which was once its own independent country and there is a lot of controversy over China taking over Tibet. Before we even left the airport parking lot our guide told us not to take any picture of ANYTHING military EVER! Not only will you get into trouble they will take your camera away from you.

Now Tibetans are the most docile, peaceful people I have ever met. They practice Buddhism and are very open to sharing their beliefs with tourist. On the second day there, we were asked if we wanted to see the highest ranking monk in all of Tibet, he was offering blessings at a temple, so sure why not! Right? Well the guide took me by the hand and dragged me pass about 300 people waiting in line to see him, up a narrow staircase, pass more people who looked like they were waiting for days, passed people who seemed to be sick, not one person said ‘Hey no cutting the line’ I thought for sure they were going to kill me for butting in front of them but nope they just smiled and let us through. Once in front of him I was offered a blessing if I wanted but I just couldn’t do that to the people who had been waiting so long to see him.

 

People getting blessed from the high monk in Tibet.
Lhasa, Tibet (China), July 2010
 

Another amazing thing we got to see in Tibet was a monastery, everyday they take all the ‘monks in training’ and quiz them in the courtyard, you can go watch of course we couldn’t understand what was being said but it was fun to watch. The teacher would yell a question at his student, if the student got the right answer the teacher would clap his hands together, if the student was wrong he would hit the back of his hand in the palm of his other hand. I can’t imagine quizzing my students like that but it could be fun!

 

This little monk was so cute!  He kept getting distracted by the tourists taking pictures and getting the wrong answers.
Lhasa, Tibet (China), July 2010
 

I'm afraid of kids, but even I have a soft side.  These Tibetan girls were so happy to get little Canadian teddy bears.
Lhasa, Tibet (China), July 2010
 

If going to Tibet you have to visit the Potala Palace, it was the former home of the Dalai Lama. Tibet sits in the Himalaya mountains because of the altitude a simple task such as climbing steps can be exhausting! To get to the palace requires visitors to climb about 13 stories, a couple of times I thought I was going to die! Making it to the top is totally worth it though. Oh yeah we were being passed by 100 year old grandmothers chain smoking and laughing at us as we sat there gasping for air, I was too weak at this point to take pictures of them but it happened, true story.

 

Potala Palace from our hotel's roof top bar.  Just below it looks like laundry drying on a clothes line, but they're actually paper flags.
Lhasa, Tibet (China), July 2010

On our way back to the airport the guide asked if we would like to see some Tibetan dogs, well of course I love puppies! The dogs are sold all over the world this one would cost about 158,000 dollars! So I guess it’s not a mutt and no it does not currently reside with the Gaudets.

Maybe when we win the lottery...
Lhasa, Tibet (China), 2010
 

So that in a nutshell is pretty much our trip! I really enjoy the whole feeling of being out of my element, as I love using a calculator to figure out if I need a new mortgage in order to get a beer, I love doing charades over lunch, and yes sometimes it’s better just not to ask.



Rearview Mirror: Banff to Basics

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IoMi8aWLDCs

(a tune for your listening pleasure)

As September begins, I’m reminded of past autumn months in my life and the joys they’ve held.  For many people September means getting back to school, and though I am also among those ranks, for me September often swells up feelings of nostalgia.  In the past it has often been a time of new beginnings in my life, but a new beginning cannot occur until the previous chapter has concluded.  For this plaid wearing, adventure seeking, New Brunswick based boy, that previous chapter has many a time taken place in none other than the best and beautiful Banff,Alberta; a small town paradise, in the middle of some huge rocks.    



A common shot of Banff Avenue, with Sulphur Mountain and all it's glory at the end of the street!
Banff, AB, August 2004
 

A much better shot in the winter, which I can't take credit for.
(online photo)

I know I know, for all of us good Canadian folk, Alberta often conjures images of oil sands, arid prairie landscape, and more red necks per capita than any other province… said with love.   In short it's basically Canada’s Texas.  With that in mind it may strike some as odd that this same chunk of real estate also bears some of the country’s most breath taking scenery, epic hiking trails, complete with an utter sense of quaintness, and not to mention some of the coldest damn water I have EVER experienced!

A gorgeous day in July but the water could not have been more than a few degrees.  Gotta love that mountain run off!  It was so cold I had tears in my eyes... #toughguy
Lake Louise, AB, August 2012


I first came to know the love of my life, Banff, in the summer of 1998, when my family planned a day trip out during one of our bi-annual road trips to Calgary.  It started as a simple day drive into the mountains, just to get out of Calgary for awhile... in turn that little jaunt began something which has transformed Banff into more of a journey in my life, as opposed to an actually destination.  Time after time I have found myself asking the question “when can I go back?”   Seriously, that place is like geographical cocaine. 

At the park down by the Bow River in downtown Banff.
Banff, AB, August 2010



And the Bow River itself, on the edge of town.  The water is ALWAYS that blue.
Banff, AB, August 2008  

So why Banff?  If the whole point of these tales are to intrigue and inspire your lust for travel, then what good does it do to keep on repeating how much I love somewhere while not actually talking the details?!  Fair enough!  Both my brother Josh and one of my best friend’s also named Josh, remind me that I have the gift to gab, so you’ll have to forgive me for getting lost in the memories.  I’ll get back on track because currently instead of feeling like one who inspires that said lust for travel, I just feel like Sergeant Lincoln Osiris (played by Kirk Lazarus, played by Robert Downey Jr.) saying “I get excited about my foods man.”

The dude, playing the dude, disguised as another dude.

Yes, Banff!  For those unfortunate souls who have been unable to see it themselves, Banff is a mountain haven nestled in the Rocky Mountains, just off the Trans-Canada Highway.  It could be described as one of those oh-so-holy places on earth that really has something for everyone!  The more obvious appeal may initially be to those left winged granola crunching mother truckers, kinda like myself, who enjoy nature and hiking more than the night they lost their virginity.  However they’re only a portion of the equation.  Here you can experience anything from elegant romance at one of the many hotels, lodges, and resorts (most famous of all, the Banff Springs Hotel) to all the R&R one boarder-line comatose body might handle, or even a night out at one of it’s many pubs, bars, or clubs, where you’re sure to make nothing less than the most moral of choices… God knows I’ve never been down that road a time or twelve... *cough*.  Good thing they also have an assortment of epic breakfast joints and cafés to help with any coincidental sickness the next day.  Oh Banff, how you love and nurture us!   

Banff Springs Hotel.  You can get lost in that place... seriously, I did.
(online photo)

My brother and I doing a photo shoot down one of the hall ways at Banff Springs.  We thought we were so cool... turns out we weren't.
Banff, AB, August 2009

Be it the Bow River winding it’s way through town, the classic cottage look that many of the local businesses replicate (or are in fact the real historical deal), hiking trails both short and long, or the fact there is literally a mountain at every turn, the enchanted marriage of Banff’s small town mountain glory mixed with big city appeal has managed to captivate people for over a century, and keeps on bringing them back.  Perhaps I have some odd sense of pride in being one of those many, and perhaps it is a sense of longing I feel as I realize this will have been the first year in a decade where I didn’t make the trip out, and perhaps as summer fades away the annual tradition has officially come to a stand-still… but far from a close.

Ryan and I above some random piece of mountain... or we could have just been standing on a big rock in the park, I really don't remember... a lot happened that week.
Banff, AB, March 2007

There I go again, off on my tangents about all the things in my mind (FOCUS JORDAN!) so let’s sum it up!  The top five reasons I love this town! 

“Hi I am Banff, and I am awesome because:”

* The Scenery!  This is God's country people, and even the biggest of city slickers have to at least say “woah” when they stand on the awe inspiring Bow River Bridge.  In my opinion it’s the best place to really capture Banff and all it’s greatness, in a single spot. 



The Bow River Bridge!  I don't know what it is about this spot, it just gets me!
(online photo)

* Character!  Sure there are cafes, pubs, bars, hotels, stores, and such in every town!  Heck, I’d go as far to say that a lot of those same tourism traps can be found in just about any town of this caliber, but look past all that crap and appreciate it for what it is!  Many of the businesses are built in the coolest of fashion, keeping with it Banff’s style and history.  Not to mention that The Fox has a freaking grotto!  Hugh Hefner eat your heart out… oh wait, he has a grotto. 
 

The Fox!  My favourite hotel in Banff.  The whole place feels like a giant cottage!

 

The grotto at The Fox Hotel.  It'd be in the top three trips I ever did to Banff, but The Fox itself is by far the coolest resort I've ever stayed at there!  More details on that trip later.

* LakeLouise!  Less than half an hour down the road (okay, about a half hour) and worth every mile.  Sure adolescent Jordy may not have thought so, but let me tell you that adult Jordy would punch him in the face, because Lake Louise is amazing!  I’ve been there in every season and have yet to be disappointed.  In addition, Chateau Lake Louise is rated one of the top hotels in Canada, and regardless of stature they treat everyone like a rock star; guest or not.  I’ve arrived in the lounge from a day of spring hiking, looking a little more than haggard, yet am always treated with the same level of service and respect as the Armani wearing millionaire three seats down. 

 Despite the look on my face, I swear I was having an awesome day!  I walked across that frozen lake then climbed the mountain directly behind me; in Chuck Taylors.

Lake Louise, AB, March 2007

* Atmosphere!  Nobody goes to Banff because they have to, they go because they want to!  Sure it’s busy all year, but unlike other semi-crowded small towns (depending on the time of year) it’s full of diversity and people having a good time; maybe too good a time in some cases.  For those of you who have traveled to any tropical resort, you can generally vouch for the fact that more often than not, there is a sense of relaxation and ease in the air.  It’s why these places exist. Now imagine that sensation but throughout the entire town!  Yeah, that happens! 

This is my perma-pose when I'm in Banff!  What can I say, it's my happy place.
Banff, AB, August 2010

* Oh, and did I mention… MOUTAINS!!!  It’s the Rockies; Canada’s Himalayans.  Whether it's Mount Rundle, Sulpher Mountain, Fossil, or Cascade, the location alone offers more than the anyone could hope for, especially if you take a gondola ride to the top of one!  Right from the Calgary boarder to the town of Banff itself, the views both start and finish at legendary proportions.  Check it out!  You won’t be disappointed.

Going down the gondola... amazing!  An absolute must if you're in the neighbourhood.  In a distance you can see Lake Louise between the mountains.
Fossil Mountain, AB, July 2012.

Driving through the Rockies is like a non-stop Kodak moment.
Near Canmore, AB, Spring 2008 

In a certain sense I feel it’s like trying to explain colour to a person who was born blind.  Though I could go on and on about everything that makes Banff great, there are some things you just have to experience to fully understand.  And of course, with all of this said, you could ask “If you like it so much, why don’t you just move there?”  It’s a fair question, one I’ve asked myself many a time in fact, especially when Wild Flour (epic bakery/café... always a must) was looking for a new baker.  That was almost four years ago, but I still keep the business card in my wallet.

If it was legal, I would marry this place.  We're on the exact same page in regards to philosophy and style, and needless to say it hits me in all the right ways!
(online photo)

I suppose to answer your question, or perhaps how I’ve answered my own question over the years, is by asking another question; would Christmas still be special if it happened every day?  One of the great things about travel is the constant experience of both classic destinations and the unbeknown. When the things we call special merely become a part of the status quo then something is lost.  As good as it seems in theory, the lesson of having too much of a good thing is one that I learned from Troy Barnes and his giant cookie.



"How can something that's delicious make me sick?"

Even after having been there twelve or so times, the appeal is still not lost on me however.  I discover something new or amazing every time I go back, and be it your first or hundred and first time to Banff, it will find a way to deliver; again and again.  A colleague of mine recently said that “a trip can change your life”, and though she may have been specifically talking about her honeymoon to Cuba, any trip can be every bit as impacting.  At its core, that is the fundamental beauty of travel!  For some it may be sandy beaches, and others it may be rain forests, or any multitude of things our pale blue dot has to offer, but for me it’ll always be mountains, and in particular one sparkling gem in the middle of them.  So bring on September, and the September after that, and the one after that, because the seasons will keep on coming and going, but as long as Banff exists there will be one satisfied wanderer who always finds his way back. It’s my rock.