Drinking cold beer on white beaches, the holiday makers never get to see the other side of the fence.
Towering over me, and blocking any potential escape, Steve spits incredulously:
“So, you don’t want anything? Dope? Cocaine? A nice Jamaican woman?”
I figure Steve is offering me these things because, as he’s explained, we’re friend and family.
Eventually, convinced of my purity, he says goodbye with a hand shake. Later he recognises me on the street and waves with a smile. Welcome to Jamaica, at times welcoming and homely, but simultaneously intimidating and frustrating.
Jamaica has experienced a volatile history ever since Columbus first landed in 1494. Along with the subsequent Spanish and British colonial powers arrived pirates, slavery, war, rebellions and eventually revolution. Finally after years of servitude and brutality Jamaica’s people were free.
But today, physical servitude has been replaced by financial chains as Jamaica’s residents are poor, dirt poor. And as I was to learn, Jamaica’s divides, established over the centuries, are still perpetuated today thanks to tourism.
Read the full article...
Wednesday 20 May 2009
The Challenge Of Fate And Destiny In Slumdog Millionaire
Slumdog Millionaire, a film just nominated this week for 10 Oscars, is about more than a quiz show; it’s a journey through India that raises existential questions about fate and chance.
At the core of Slumdog Millionaire is the question: Have our lives already been written before us, or do we ultimately influence our destiny? The answers to the question unfold against a vibrant and colorful, but often raw geographical and human landscape in which India is as much a character as the protagonist, Jamal.
At last week’s Golden Globes, director Danny Boyle (whose past work includes The Beach , a polarizing film amongst travelers), picked up the best drama and best director awards for his tale of Indian slum dweller Jamal Malik, who finds himself one question away from winning the TV quiz show, “Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?”
But before possibly walking away with the prize money, the nation’s hearts, and even the love of his life, Jamal has to endure torture at the hands of Mumbai’s brutal police, who believe he cheated at the game. The suspicious inspector asks, “How could a slumdog know the answers to those questions?”
The answer: Destiny.
Read the full article...
At the core of Slumdog Millionaire is the question: Have our lives already been written before us, or do we ultimately influence our destiny? The answers to the question unfold against a vibrant and colorful, but often raw geographical and human landscape in which India is as much a character as the protagonist, Jamal.
At last week’s Golden Globes, director Danny Boyle (whose past work includes The Beach , a polarizing film amongst travelers), picked up the best drama and best director awards for his tale of Indian slum dweller Jamal Malik, who finds himself one question away from winning the TV quiz show, “Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?”
But before possibly walking away with the prize money, the nation’s hearts, and even the love of his life, Jamal has to endure torture at the hands of Mumbai’s brutal police, who believe he cheated at the game. The suspicious inspector asks, “How could a slumdog know the answers to those questions?”
The answer: Destiny.
Read the full article...
Drinking Chicha in Peru
Does sacred alcohol give you the same hangover? Yup.
With my head tilted back I stare painfully into the shot glass and despair. I haven’t downed it fast enough; a sickly sludge has formed and it’s slowly sliding towards my mouth. This must be at least my twentieth of the night and it’s starting to taste like vomit. I close my eyes and throw my head back further.
Finished, I swing the glass towards the floor spraying the dregs on the ground. Not a sign of defeat, this is the tradition. The drink gone I smugly pass the empty glass to a fellow gringo, his heart sinks at the sight of it, but on turning back I’m instantly handed another empty glass and more chicha.
Read the full article...
With my head tilted back I stare painfully into the shot glass and despair. I haven’t downed it fast enough; a sickly sludge has formed and it’s slowly sliding towards my mouth. This must be at least my twentieth of the night and it’s starting to taste like vomit. I close my eyes and throw my head back further.
Finished, I swing the glass towards the floor spraying the dregs on the ground. Not a sign of defeat, this is the tradition. The drink gone I smugly pass the empty glass to a fellow gringo, his heart sinks at the sight of it, but on turning back I’m instantly handed another empty glass and more chicha.
Read the full article...
In China, East Does Meet West, After All
With all the neon, money and sky scrapers, China beyond the cliches is becoming hard to find.
Sour-faced, the stocky waitress leans across and peers between the near-empty bread slices. Shrugging her shoulders, clearly offended at the mere suggestion this tuna sandwich is lacking the key ingredient of tuna, she declares, “We don’t do things like they do in America.” I beg to differ… on so many levels. This inappropriate, and utterly inaccurate, statement was to resonate with me throughout my three weeks in China. As I came to realise, she couldn’t be further from the truth.
Much has been written about China over the past couple of years. It’s emergence as the planet’s superpower without a conscience has seemingly upset everyone; cue bitching about the Dragon Empire’s human rights abuses, environmental crimes and just plain balls at challenging the world order. In many circles, a backpacker visiting China, stoking the communist regimes coffers, might as well just beat a Tibetan monk to death. But I didn’t care much for the criticisms, because beyond the political crimes of any nation lies the country’s heart and soul, its culture and people.
Read the full article...
Sour-faced, the stocky waitress leans across and peers between the near-empty bread slices. Shrugging her shoulders, clearly offended at the mere suggestion this tuna sandwich is lacking the key ingredient of tuna, she declares, “We don’t do things like they do in America.” I beg to differ… on so many levels. This inappropriate, and utterly inaccurate, statement was to resonate with me throughout my three weeks in China. As I came to realise, she couldn’t be further from the truth.
Much has been written about China over the past couple of years. It’s emergence as the planet’s superpower without a conscience has seemingly upset everyone; cue bitching about the Dragon Empire’s human rights abuses, environmental crimes and just plain balls at challenging the world order. In many circles, a backpacker visiting China, stoking the communist regimes coffers, might as well just beat a Tibetan monk to death. But I didn’t care much for the criticisms, because beyond the political crimes of any nation lies the country’s heart and soul, its culture and people.
Read the full article...
Olympic Ethics: Is Traveling To China Worse Than The USA?
On the eve of the Olympics, many are boycotting China for their crimes. But are they really unique among world superpowers?
“I see you are travelling in China at the moment. So what about the ethics of that? :-)” read the cheeky comment on my previous article.
Despite my initial belief that it was raised only to diminish the article’s argument, the comment preyed on my mind.
As an online journalist I accept comment and opinion, some fair, some disapproving, and often, as it seemed here, both. I consider myself a responsible traveler so I panicked. Perhaps it was true.
Was I committing a heinous crime simply by visiting a culture that has fascinated me for years?
Not that I’m oblivious to China’s crimes against humanity and the world but I wanted to see for myself. That’s the beauty of travel; you can discover these things in situ. I wanted to read about the politics having been there, and experienced Chinese lives up close, in order to fully understand.
I decided that as a Westerner, to neglect the people of China (all billion of them) over the crimes of their country would be to commit a crime of misguided punishment and ultimately hypocrisy.
Read the full article...
“I see you are travelling in China at the moment. So what about the ethics of that? :-)” read the cheeky comment on my previous article.
Despite my initial belief that it was raised only to diminish the article’s argument, the comment preyed on my mind.
As an online journalist I accept comment and opinion, some fair, some disapproving, and often, as it seemed here, both. I consider myself a responsible traveler so I panicked. Perhaps it was true.
Was I committing a heinous crime simply by visiting a culture that has fascinated me for years?
Not that I’m oblivious to China’s crimes against humanity and the world but I wanted to see for myself. That’s the beauty of travel; you can discover these things in situ. I wanted to read about the politics having been there, and experienced Chinese lives up close, in order to fully understand.
I decided that as a Westerner, to neglect the people of China (all billion of them) over the crimes of their country would be to commit a crime of misguided punishment and ultimately hypocrisy.
Read the full article...
Is The BBC Indirectly Funding Burma’s Military Regime?
By promoting independent travel against the wishes of Burma’s democratic movement, a guide book may indirectly support its dictatorship.
Last week BBC Worldwide, the commercial arm of the BBC, entered Burma Campaign UK’s “Dirty List” of 154 companies they claim directly or indirectly finance Burma’s brutal military dictatorship.
The reason for the inclusion?
Thanks to their majority stake in Lonely Planet, BBC Worldwide are now responsible for the Lonely Planet guide to Burma, undermining the democracy movement’s calls for a tourist boycott.
But do the BBC, and the 30 other tourism groups listed, deserve to be thrown in alongside nefarious oil and gas companies?
London-based pressure group Burma Campaign UK, believes so, “Our reviews represent the views of the Burmese democracy movement,” says, Campaign Officer Johnny Chatterton. “By going to Burma on holiday tourists are paying for the military machine that keeps the regime in power.”
Read the full article...
Last week BBC Worldwide, the commercial arm of the BBC, entered Burma Campaign UK’s “Dirty List” of 154 companies they claim directly or indirectly finance Burma’s brutal military dictatorship.
The reason for the inclusion?
Thanks to their majority stake in Lonely Planet, BBC Worldwide are now responsible for the Lonely Planet guide to Burma, undermining the democracy movement’s calls for a tourist boycott.
But do the BBC, and the 30 other tourism groups listed, deserve to be thrown in alongside nefarious oil and gas companies?
London-based pressure group Burma Campaign UK, believes so, “Our reviews represent the views of the Burmese democracy movement,” says, Campaign Officer Johnny Chatterton. “By going to Burma on holiday tourists are paying for the military machine that keeps the regime in power.”
Read the full article...
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