Asia Update

Hi Folks,
Firstly, we are so sorry to hear about the hurricane, and continue to watch events unfold on the news.
It's been a while since our last entry. Since we left Cambodia, we were first in China, which blocks access to most blog sights as well as other information from the "free" world. This is one example of a huge downside of life in China: restricted access to information that the government doesn't want you to hear. Since life for most of the Chinese is so much better now than in the past generation, this isn't a huge social concern. The new god is money and the average citizen here is devout in pursuing it. The amount of growing wealth and consumerism in the new China almost makes the US look like a socialist state: huge shopping malls everywhere, McDonalds, KFC, construction cranes everywhere, and of course everyone with a cell phone- even the few monks that Henry and I ran into during out three-day backpacking trip up to one of China's holy mountains, Emeishan.
It was great spending time with Henry, hearing about his new life teaching English and learning Chinese in Chengdu while we trudged up the nearly 10,000 feet of the misty and lush mountain. We slept in monasteries on the way; good food and beer were always available at the many tiny restaurants along the trail, every 500 yards or so. The monks' cell phones and cable TV, combined with the poisonous snakes and ferocious monkeys we encountered on our journey made for a bizarre experience.
After coming back down the mountain we met up with April again, who was waiting at our hostel in Chengdu, shopping and hanging out in the city. We stayed one night at Henry's apartment that the University provides him during his year of teaching. He works about 3 or 4 hours a day and receives a $500/month salary.
I think it will be quite a challenge for him as he is one of the only Westerners at the University and only one of a few hundred Westerners in a city of over ten million peopls (surrounded by hundreds of millions of peasant farmers). At any rate, I'm very proud of him for taking on this challenge and I'm sure he will continue to grow from the experience.
After our eight days with Henry in China, April and I flew to Phuket island in Thailand. Unlike China, Thailand is a very easy place for the western traveller to get along; most people speak at least some English...English menus, great food, gorgeous beaches, lots of smiles, very polite people. Our hotel in Phuket was right on the beach, with a gorgeous view and friendly staff.
The tsunami hit here but not nearly as hard as many of the other Thai islands. Although much was destroyed and many died it has already been mostly cleaned up and rebuilt; the place is booming.
It will only continue to thrive as Asia's economy continues to boom and the Chinese, Koreans and others spend their new wealth at these idyllic tourist destinations along with us westerners.
We enjoyed an elephant ride in the jungle and heard the stories of how the animals bolted for the high ground right before the tsunami hit. Had fresh lobster and seafood every day to die for. We saw the "Fantasea" show one night which included 32 trained elephants, plus water buffalo, goats, chickens, acrobats, trapeze acts, dancing, singing, and magic. Incredible choreography. April and I even got to hold and feed a baby tiger...for a few seconds.
We have spent the past few days back in Bangkok. We are on the river with a nice view of the water traffic and the city beyond. Had dinner last night here at the hotel with brother John and his girlfriend; traditional Thai dancing, a buffet of fresh seafood and other Thai delivavies, along the Chao Praya river, all for about $100 for the four of us.
We spent yesterday afternoon at Father Joe's Mercy Centre in the Bangkok slums. He has been serving thousands of Thailand's poor and building the center here since the 60s. We visited some of the 200 of the orphans and abuse victims the Centre cares for, about 50 of whom were born with HIV. They are doing so much to improve and make the best of their mostly short and often painful lives. To be with these little angels is so humbling. You just have to gulp, give a smile and a hug and cry later.
His program does community outreach that continues to help thousands each day: youth soccer leagues, hospice care, HIV medical care, preschool and kindergarten for thousands of the orphaned, abused, and neglected. Amazing what father Joe and his supporters do. (If you want to know more, visit their site at www.mercycentre.org)
In a few minutes I'm headed to Lumpini park to meet John and his friends to play catch. That is, of course, if one of these monsoon storems doesn't hit, which they do now and then this time of year. Then it's a little shopping, dinner with the bro and company, and we are on the 11pm flight to Rome!
Will do our best to update the blog in a few days from there. We hope you are all doing well! Love and aloha,
Rob