view by: | gallery | slideshow

‹ previous entry | 24 of 45 | next entry ›

I loved seeing the Monkey King in performance in Beijing. It's very Chinese with astounding acrobatics, humor and ancient folklore. The story is a subtle criticism of repressive authority in the country and has been popular for centuries. The Monkey King is a rebellious trickster who can change shapes, use kung fu and travel 180,000 miles in one leap. What is not to love about this character? He defies the rule of Heaven, however, which sends legions against him. The Monkey King outwits them all, while looking at the audience and inviting us to laugh with him. Finally, Buddha puts the Monkey King under a mountain where he remains for 500 years. A monk seeks his help, the Monkey King is tamed and helps the monk bring Buddhism to China. Good story, fun performance, and memorably Chinese.

see other users' ratings and comments for this photo ›

MONKEY KING
by Franziska Raspa, Grosse Pointe, MI

Franziska's Dream Trip
The Silk Road

My dream trip is to follow in the footsteps of Marco Polo, whose 13th-century travel narrative opened the mystery of China to Europeans. China awed him, as it does me, and drew him along the Silk Road to its source.

His travels through Iraq, Iran, and Afghanistan are blocked to me, but at China's western border, I can begin to encounter and photograph the mountains, desert, and diverse people he met. He descended from the "roof of the world," mountains that include the Himalayas, to the arid interior of Asia. Kashgar, the greatest Central Asian market place, can be a base. Next, I can follow Polo to oases along the Taklimakan Desert where windblown sand sounds like human voices which, he wrote, led travelers astray.

Polo himself walked in the footsteps of early Buddhist monks, painters of religious murals in the caves at Dunhuang. I, too, can pass through the gates of the eastern terminus of the Silk Road: Xian. Finally, I can pursue Polo to Mongolia where he entered the service of Kublai Khan.

Grasshopperadventures.com describes a 2009 Xian/Kashgar trip led by a travel writer and a prize-winning photographer for $3,400 per person. Other tours focusing on photography are available in Mongolia. Such tours would let me photograph at best places and in best light, while my professor husband would discuss culture and history with the guides. On the road, my husband and I could rough it but would enjoy 3-star-plus hotels. We would delight in the ethnic foods of central Asia and Mongolia—and especially in the culinary art of China. Most of all, my dream trip is to photograph the landscapes and peoples that fascinated Marco Polo.

Franziska's Travel Tips

• At times when people tend not to travel, the price of air, hotel and even luxury packages is discounted. Save by traveling on the holiday itself or buy an off-season air/hotel combination to a popular destination. The economy is even pinching luxury travel, so you can find surprising deals at sites like LuxuryLink.com, Travelzoo.com and SkyAuction.com.

• Credit card companies get you the best exchange rate, but only a few give it to you for free. Capital One, most credit unions, and many community banks offer cards that charge no exchange fees and don't tack on hidden surcharges. ATM cards give you the second-best rate, but call to see if there are any foreign transaction fees.

• To eat well, breakfast or lunch at places near farmers' or fish markets where food is fresh and reasonable. Ask the locals where to eat, and if several recommend the same place, go! For splurging at a famous restaurant, call for reservations months ahead or gamble that your concierge can book a table.