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~ Sharing the Thrill of Travel

Summer Chasers

Category Archives: The List

Armenia, Defying Expectations (Part 1)

09 Tuesday Aug 2016

Posted by Summer Chaser in The List, Travel

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Tags

Armenia, Bruno, Cab Drivers, Family Reunion, Republic Square, Travel, Yerevan

I am going to die. I am going to be killed and no one will ever know what happened to me. I’ll be lucky if he holds me for ransom. That’s it. That will be the story of Sean Chase. My gravestone will read “who wandered and was lost” as my epithet.

A single bead of sweat started down my hairy brow. There was nothing to stop it, since I’d shaved my head clean the day before the flight. It was an exciting day, I thought. I was anticipating a new adventure, but this was not quite what I imagined. The driver was a surly old man about a head smaller than me but sturdier in build. The veins popped out of his arm like lightning bolts as he gripped to turn the heavy steering wheel of the old, black S class Mercedes-Benz, a common sight in the Armenian capital of Yerevan.

Why is it so hard to simply get a taxi without having to worry about one’s life?

And here I had just gotten off an enjoyable flight too. I recalled successfully flirting my way into getting the contact info of cute Tatiana, the tourist sitting next to me as she was flying back to her native St. Petersburg (On my list now!) having flown in from California via the Russian carrier Aeroflot.  At around $700 roundtrip, they offer daily flights from Los Angeles to Yerevan with a brief connection in Moscow. As I stepped out of Armenia’s Zvartnots International Airport, I had turned on Caution Mode as I normally do in such situations. Basically, whenever you are in an unfamiliar place it is wise to heighten your sense of awareness, skepticism and discreetness.

Fortunately, with my looks I could somewhat pass for an Armenian… so I pretended to be a local waiting for my ride as the other passengers from the plane got surged by the hawkers looking to score a—no doubt—overly inflated passenger fare. I approached a yellow marked cab outside the terminal and looked around for the driver. That’s when Bruno approached me.

Okay, his name wasn’t really Bruno.

Probably.

But he might as well have been, given the way he looked. Thinking that he was the cab driver, I said that my destination was the Marriott near the center of Yerevan. He gave me an affirmative nod and took my bags… unexpectedly away from the yellow cab!

I followed him wondering what the hell was going on! Speaking at him proved futile as he didn’t seem to hear my English, nor did I seem to understand his Armenian. Well sh*t.

A short distance at a side parking lot near the small airport, and he loaded the bags into the unmarked black Benz. Now at that point, I have no idea what compelled me to get in… Cultural pressures perhaps, I’m still not certain. In Rome, the best advice is to do as the Romans do. Or so they keep saying.

And that, my friends, is basically how we got into my present predicament.

Now picture this. Riding down the street away from the airport in a completely unfamiliar culture smack dab in the middle of a very chaotic place on Earth in the middle of the dark night in what could have easily been a getaway car with a guy who looked like a Moroccan hitman, one might be justified enough to pee in one’s favored Levi’s jeans…

I attempted to strike up several conversations with the man and each time Bruno nodded and smiled. Confirmed, I thought. He doesn’t know a lick of English.

But you know what? Despite the circumstance I did not panic. “But Sean, HOW were you SO brave,” I hear you ask? Well, three good reasons.

One, we did not deviate from the route. I came prepared you see. I took advantage of the fact that I am good with maps and directions and memorized the way from the airport to Marriott. (God bless Google Maps.) This is something I highly recommend anyone do when going to a strange new land. Know where things are and how to get from one place to the other. Not having that knowledge puts you at a disadvantage. “Information is ammunition” I always like to say.

Two, his body language did not indicate any form of hostile or malicious intent. When you travel often, you’ll come across many a scenario where the language barrier is as thick as your stubborn little brother’s head. Fortunately, body language is somewhat universal and that is what gets me through such sticky situations. Bruno had no nervous twitches. His eyes did not dart back at me on his rear view mirror, his posture was relaxed and open with his elbow leaning out the window, his legs were apart and the feet were pointed away from each other. One of these days I’ll have to blog more about body language, but for now what that meant was that there was not some significant hidden intent that would cause him to be anxious. He’d probably been working all day up through the moment he picked me up which was around midnight.

It was bad enough that my double S.O.B. granted me only a measly 3 days time off to go to my family reunion halfway across the world, I was not about to let some potential taxi-driver-kidnaps-the-stupid-tourist-and-ransoms-his-*ss-for-a-hundred-dollars scenario ruin my d*mn vacation!

What’s the third reason?

As I sat behind him in the car assessing the situation, my mind had already run a thousand deadly simulations on how to kill him efficiently if he pulled something funny.

True story.

Anyway, as we finally pulled up to the Marriott, I breathed a sigh of relief… I’ve never killed anyone before and didn’t want to go all Jason Bourne on him.

Armenia01_pano

Yerevan’s Republic Square as seen from the Marriott

One lesson I’d learned though, is that it is much more stress-free if you arrange to have the hotel provide you with a ride from the airport. I swear Bruno billed me three times more than what I heard him say it would cost before taking the ride. Turns out he was just a cab driver. A typical one at that. D*mn taxi drivers will always find a way to get ya, unlike in Mindanao.

After he drove off, I was left standing in the center of Yerevan. It took but a second for me to realize why I was there in the first place, for family and for adventure. I looked around to reorient myself and shake off that feeling you always get when you feel cheated. The dark, angry clouds disappeared from my mind and I stood in awe at the nighttime splendour of Republic Square.

You can feel the importance of Republic Square simply by just being there. The Marriott Hotel where I was supposed to meet my family was right across from the Government House of Armenia (Curiously, I was surprised to find out that Armenia has both a President and a Prime Minister) which was right next to one of their most popular museums, the National Gallery.

Embed from Getty Images

When I think back to the beauty I witnessed as I was standing there… I can pinpoint that this was the moment my preconceptions of this country and its people started to gradually dissolve.

I came to find out that not only was Yerevan one of the oldest continuously thriving cities in the world, but that it was one of the safest as well. I would soon learn that the people pride themselves in being able to walk their streets at any hour without having to worry about their well-being.

As probably one of the only Christian countries in the Middle Eastern region, the women walk openly without fear. You can see Christians and Muslims walking side by side peacefully. Not once did I see a Muslim sneer at a local or a tourist or vice versa. I remember ogling a model-like blonde walking by with her fake breasts pouring out of a tight dress. Just then, a conservatively dressed, hijab-wearing wife who was out strolling with her husband smiled at the bombshell (the more preferable kind of ‘bombshell’), who also smiled back at them. Perhaps I am just getting more cynical as I grow older, but the experience in Armenia was turning out to be a much needed breath of fresh air. I never expected the people and the country to turn out to be the way it had.

Just now, a beautiful quote came to mind which I want to share with you all:

“The use of traveling is to regulate imagination by reality, and instead of thinking how things may be, to see them as they are.” -Samuel Johnson

And so, my wall of ignorance began to break down.

And yet, there was much more to explore in this wonderful Country of Churches, Pomegranates and Brandy. Stay tuned for my next post!

 

Reinvigorated

07 Sunday Aug 2016

Posted by Summer Chaser in The List

≈ 1 Comment

Hello everyone!

It’s been a long while since my last post. It’s been a very challenging past couple of years for me.

I got mired in a bad business deal with some folks I thought I could trust. The penalty was a very steep learning curve, costing me a few years of being in a debt pit about twenty thousand deep. Well, I’m climbing out of that pit a dollar at a time and I’m nearly free.

On top of all of that… was work, where I had to deal with (putting it nicely) a very challenging boss. I heard it said once that boss is double S.O.B. spelt backwards. Hah!

The good news is that all that is behind me for the most part.

I have relocated to Portland in the great Northwest which is a new frontier for me. A new exciting location, a new wonderful job, and a fresh new situation. I am happy to say that things are stabilizing quite well.

So now, it’s all a matter of time before I can put my plans into action.

Recently, I’ve explored a few new places which I will eventually share here with all of you. There was a family reunion in Armenia (of all places) and an epic Eastern Europe trip to talk about!

As always, we’ll use code names for the people involved to protect identities. Especially these days when the Net seems nastier and scarier. Hopefully, we can add a ray of sunshine to our corner of cyberspace.

Speaking of identity protection, I’ve chosen to adopt a pseudonym. For those who know me in real life, please start referring to me by my pen name, Sean Chase, while we’re on here. Or if you prefer simplicity: the Summer Chaser. =)

I appreciate it.

Now, the next order of business… Updating my list of places explored!

Finally, I’d like to thank everyone for liking my Face Book page. Now that I have more time, I shall practice my writing by sharing my stories, tips, adventures and experiences. Stay tuned for more!

European Tour Wishlist: Italy

16 Friday Mar 2012

Posted by Summer Chaser in The List, Travel

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Tags

Colosseum, Europe, European Tour, Florence, Italian Wishlist, Italy, Leaning Tower of Pisa, Pisa, Roman, Rome, Rubicon, Souvenir, Statue of David, Venetian Mask, Venice

Wow, with England and France done at this point of the Euro Tour, this will probably be one of the busiest legs of the trip! There’s just soooo much to do in Italy. Every city has something unique about it that is a must-see. I can’t wait to see Rome, Venice, Pisa, shoot… I could go on and on!

 
 
 
English: A 4x4 segment panorama of the Coliseu...

The site of bloody gladiatoral duels, mock naval battles and ancient army clashes.

What:
 
Coliseum, aka Amphitheatrum Flavium
 
Where:
 
In the heart of Rome, Italy
 
Why:
 
This is perhaps the greatest work of the Roman Empire’s engineering. Built by Emperor Vespasian and finished by Emperor Titus, both of whom had the same family name, Flavius, where the coliseum derived its name from. This is a must-see during my trip, and as NWA knows well, I need to punch him in order to cross off an entry on my bucket list. 
 
 
 
 
 
English: Cathedral of Pisa (Duomo di Pisa), Pi...

The Leaning Tower of Pisa and the Duomo di Pisa.

What:
 
The Leaning Tower of Pisa
 
Where:
 
Pisa, Italy
 
Why:
 
The Leaning Tower of Pisa is famed around the world. It’s one of those pictures that says “Yep, I’m in Europe.” This bell tower of the nearby cathedral is also the source of many comedic pictures employing a bit of forced perspective by trying to push the tower upright. You can bet that we’ll be trying our hand at getting a funny shot of this.  
 
 
 
 
 
Venice

A Venetian Canal.

What:
 
The Canals of Venice
 
Where:
 
Venice, Italy
 
Why:
 
These gorgeous (and possibly smelly) canals are legendary. I  remember a couple of James Bond flicks that took place here. I can’t wait to drive down the waterways! Ooh! And I totally have to get in a gondola too (preferably with one of the cute locals.) 
 
 
 
 
 
English: The Pantheon in Rome, Italy

The Pantheon houses all the Roman gods and goddesses.

What:
 
Pantheon
 
Where:
 
Rome, Italy
 
Why:
 
Since I probably won’t get a chance to visit the Parthenon in Greece this time around, I think it would be a good opportunity to get a little taste of what I’m going to be missing out on by seeing the Roman Pantheon. The difference between the two temples is easily distinguishable. The Greek Parthenon is dedicated to Athena, goddess of Wisdom and War while the Roman Pantheon is dedicated to all the Roman gods and goddesses.
 
 
 
 
 
English: Michelangelo's David (original statue...

The Statue of David.

What: 
 
Statue of David
 
Where:
 
Florence, Italy
 
Why: 
 
Possibly the most famous statue in the world. Created by Michaelangelo. I’ve seen the duplicate at Caesar’s Palace in Vegas… but somehow, I don’t think that one’ll stand up when compared to the real thing.
 
 
 
 
Presumed course of the Rubicon

Rubicon derives its name from the latin 'rubico' meaning red. The river gets its red color from mud deposits.

What:
 
Crossing the Rubicon
 
Where:
 
Between the towns of Rimini and Cesena
 
Why:
 
As a huge enthusiast of history, particularly of the Roman Empire, I’d like to get some insight as to what Gaius Julius Caesar must have felt when he defied his enemies and crossed the red river with his legion, effectively initiating the Roman Civil War and taking him down his path of glory. The term “Crossing the Rubicon” has forever after become an idiom for “Passing the Point of No Return.” 
 
 
 
 
 
Italian Souvenirs of Choice
 
 
For La Signora:
 
 
A tasteful Venetian Mask will allow the ladies to feel like they’ve been to a Renaissance Masked Ball and bring out the charm and grace in them (we hope.) It’ll be a very elegant centerpiece reminding you of the sights and sounds of the Italian Peninsula.
 
 
For Il Signore:
 
 
Well, I know for a fact that my buddy, NWA, is planning to get a suit tailored for himself. While I have my concerns as to how much this will end up costing, I really do want to get one for myself also, so long as it doesn’t drain me of my adventure fund, that is. Besides, getting a suit tailored for yourself in Italy is like learning to woo women from Casanova himself. And if this doesn’t pan out, you could always go for that Ferrari Key Chain…
 
 
 
 

Countdown for Europe!

29 Wednesday Feb 2012

Posted by Summer Chaser in The List, Travel

≈ 3 Comments

Tags

Czech Republic, England, Europe, Eurotrip, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Road Trip, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland

I’m getting anxious.

I’ve got an amazing trip to Europe planned out that they’ll sing about in ballads… and it’s only 23 days away!

Never having been on that continent, I don’t really know what to expect other than what I’ve read about. What I do know is that once this trip is under my belt, I’ll be at three continents down with four to go!

Percentage of the World Seen by Summerchaser

So it's a work in progress, alright? I know this one girl who has never been outside her birth city...

The voyage will commence in jolly good ol’ England and finish in the “Venice of the North”, the global city of Stockholm; whilst everything in between will be completely flexible.

We’ll be flying into London, spending a day or two to get our bearings while we see the sights and sounds. Afterwards, we’ll be renting a car and driving *under* the English channel (I know, right!?) towards Paris, which they call the City of Light (Even though it isn’t really the brightest city on Earth at night.)

TOURIST TIPS: If you wish to try something like this, be sure to apply for an International Driver’s License. It’s really easy to apply for one and you’ll get it in a matter of days.

Next stop, the Iberian Peninsula to meet some relatives. Then, we’ll cut across France towards the former City-States in Italy: Rome, Venice, Milan, Pisa among others… I expect we’ll spend a lot of time here as there is (relatively) a lot more to see, smell, hear and taste. Just the thought of spaghetti, pizza, and lasagna is making my appetite file a complaint for not flying there right now.

And then, we go North to Switzerland and Germany. I’m excited to meet an old friend I haven’t seen in more than a decade. She and I will have to set aside some time to catch up on everything that’s gone on.

This leg of the journey will be really interesting for me. Have any of you seen the movie A Fish Called Wanda? Remember the effect the Italian or the Russian language had on Jamie Lee Curtis’ character? Well… for whatever reason German has a similar effect on me, though perhaps a little less… dramatic. Heh, I can’t really explain why or how this came to be. It simply is, but like I said, it will be really interesting.

If there’s still time after all that, I hope to see more of Eastern Europe. I’d like to see Poland and the Czech Republic specifically. We’ll be meeting more friends to show us around town. I’ll have to check with the rest of the group, but I do believe we’ll be at a wine and cheese tasting event.

TOURIST TIP: Traveling with a group minimizes the likelihood of being victimized by criminals. Not to mention being able to save some money by pooling resources and splitting costs. So, find some people you trust and start planning a trip!

Last but hardly least, we’ll be in Scandinavia and hopefully it won’t be too cold. We all know by now how wind chill and I get along, right? The Scandinavian nations are said to have the happiest and most content people people in the world. Their fairly liberal and progressive society is advanced in many ways, quite possibly the closest thing to most people’s idea of a Utopia.

This trip is going to be so awesome that I don’t know if I’ll be able to sleep in the coming weeks! I keep thinking about all the stuff I can start crossing off the bucket list. It should also significantly raise the percentage of the world I’ve already seen.

I’ll be posting my wishlist for this trip soon along with some recommended souvenirs from each country. Stay tuned!

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Recent Posts

  • Armenia, Defying Expectations (Part 1)
  • Reinvigorated
  • Uncovering a Hidden Gem: Camiguin, Philippines
  • El Nido, Off the Beaten Path
  • Hiatus Over!

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