hong kong is an option...someone i know was going, but i've been there so many times already and i really don't have the desire to go shopping 24/7. i mean, yeah there's a disneyland there but c'mon, i'm from the hometown of the original. why would i want to see what is essentially the same thing but smaller and with "Uncle Mao"s portrait welcoming me?
he killed 2 million people and now welcomes you to "the happiest place on earth".
originally i thought it was going to be kl, malaysia...i have a few friends there from my involvement with photomalaysia.com (a completely seperate story). unfortunately, i really can't swing it financialy...need to save for my trip back to the states to see my family & friends next July.
so it's going to be 3 days/2 nights on orchid island (
[link]), one of taiwan's satalite islands. this isn't one of those ubiquitos tourist-magnet-resort-umbrellas-in-your-drinks-type islands but one that is actually culturally unique. It is home to the Yami aboriginal group and was isolated as a kind of ethnological reserve until the late 60s. Even now it remains in large part unspoiled...no resorts, spas, mcdonalds, starbucks (where the hell am i going to get my iced latte from?), etc.... yes there is tourism, but it's managed. it'll be a great chance to explore some of taiwan's aboriginal culture...not something you really get to see or appreciate in taipei.
i'm leaving on aug 1st. time to dust off the 1947 crown graphic and pick up some 4x5 film
