November 16 - Vietnam

For the past week Lyle and I have been on a cruise ship sailing down the east coast of Vietnam. The ship had three ports of call - Halong Bay (a UNESCO heritage site), Da Nang (a coastal city), and Phu My (a port and little over an hour from Ho Chi Minh City better know to us as Saigon). Of these, my favourite stop was Da Nang.

At Da Nang we took a four-hour land excursion. This was absolutely great and well worth the time and the money. We left the port on a comfortable bus with a guide. The guide explained the points of interest until we reached the Cham Museum. It was here that our adventure really began. We took a rickshaw ride for half an hour around the centre of the city.

Each rickshaw had a single passenger seat on the front. There was space for me to put my white cane beside me. The men who pedalled the bikes must have had extremely strong leg muscles, and also nerves of steel. With seemingly casual nonchalance we weaved our way through heavy traffic of thousands of scooters, some cars, buses, and occasional trucks. We were in a line of some fifty or sixty rickshaws.  The street intersections were most interesting as we turned corners with little regard for any traffic coming from every which way possible. The traffic seemed to flow seamlessly around us, although at times was very close our rickshaw. I found it exhilarating, and loved it all. 

Back at the museum our guide gave us a brief history lesson and then left us free to roam around various statues and displays. Because of my limited sight, I did not find this part as quite as interesting, but we did discover clean restrooms. That is always a plus!

Back on the bus we drove on to China Beach. This is the beach where American GI’s would often spend their R & R time during the time of the Vietnam war.  By the way, this conflict is referred to here as the American War. The beach was a long expanse of white powdery sand. We could see the tall white Buddha on a mountain in the distance. That was final stop of our tour. The bus dropped us at the Pagoda at the base of the Buddha statue.

By the end of the tour we felt we had had a glimpse of the various aspects of Da Nang. Still, for me, the best of the day was our rickshaw ride.

There are three pictures with this post. The first picture shows Lyle and I in our rickshaws at the beginning of the ride. The second picture shows me en route with the traffic in the street. The third picture shows the two of us on China Beach.

 

 

Sue and Lyle on their rickshaws

En route in the rickshaws amid traffic

 

Sue and Lyle at China Beach

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

November 14 - Hong Kong

Hong Kong was a new destination for us.  Because we didn’t know the layout of the city, by chance we booked a hotel smack dab in the middle of the old city markets.  The hotel entrance opened quite literally, to street vendors selling meat, pastries, flowers, fruit, vegetables, and fish.  The smell of the fish was almost overwhelming.  In a way this was good.  Once when we became disoriented (slightly lost!) it was the smell of the fish that led us back to our hotel.

While the stalls occupied one side of the street, down the centre of the street were tram tracks.  Every so often, a Ding Ding (a tram) would scatter the local shoppers with their bags and wagons as they scampered out of the way.  We were surprised when on the day of our departure our taxi was able to make its way through the chaos to pick us up at the hotel door.

Taxis were plentiful and relatively cheap.  We were surprised the taxis we took only accepted cash for payment, not credit cards.  The Metro or subway, was easy to navigate.  Our major tourist activity was taking a tram to The Peak.  Every first time visitor to Hong Kong should do this at least once. The tram ride was both good and disappointing.  The steep incline of the ascent made the high towers along side look as if the were leaning at a forty-five degree angle.  The view from the summit was spectacular.

The disappointing part were the constant references to Disney and Mickey Mouse.  There was even a statue of Mickey at the summit.  In the background, Disney music played over the speaker system.  I found the number of up and down escalators in order to reach the summit was quite daunting.  They were steep and moved quite quickly.

 

Our night time excursions with our friend John were super relaxing.  We took a ferry across the harbour, followed by a harbour cruise to view the nightly 8:00 p.m. laser show.  Next we walked through the lobby of the famous Peninsula Hotel and finished up with a meal at an Irish pub.

All in all, we very much enjoyed our few days in Hong Kong.  

View of city markets with tram tracks

City view from The Peak

Sue with Mickey and Minnie at The Peak

November 10 - Good Friends

Old friends are like diamonds -

Treasures and rare.

Those two lines are from a poem I know.  I was recalling these when Lyle and I reconnected with an old friend.  We met John nearly thirty years ago when he came to Canada as in Australian exchange teacher.  What a great year that was as we watched John exploring and enjoying the vagaries  of his first cold Alberta winter.

When John returned to Australia we kept in touch.  We stayed in sporadic contact when he moved to Hong Kong.  In fact, our son even flew to Hong Kong and spent a week with John.  From there, we almost lost touch as we went our separate ways - but the best thing about really good friends is that you can pick up again at any time.  That’s what happened this past week when Lyle and I finally made it to Hong Kong.

Our stay in the city was brief but John made it memorable.  In spite of his own busy schedule as an artist and teacher, he made time for us.  He opened his heart and showed us a glimpse of this bustling city.  It was if the intervening years hadn’t existed.  That’s what it is like to be “good friends” with someone.

Now, because I am writing this post to White Cane Connections, I want to add in addition to being an excellent tourist guide, John was also an excellent sighted guide.  He seemed to know by instinct not to push me or try to steer me.  Instead he allowed me to hold his arm as he led the way.  He alerted me to the beginnings of steps and escalators, of which there were many, and guided me around obstacles on the footpath, of which there also seemed to be many.

John, thanks for your generosity, your hospitality, and for being such a good friend.

There is a picture with this post of Lyle, John, and myself. I am holding my white cane.

 

Lyle, Sue, and John

 

October 25 - Blind Trust

I am sometimes fascinated by the various meanings and connotations of the word “blind”. I remember when we were having new drapes and blinds fitted in our home. We needed to make an appointment with the blinds person. This was all at the same time I was having issues with my sight and was expecting an appointment with a blind person in a totally different context. I have since learned to put the person before the adjective. These days, I would arrange to meet either the person who installed blinds or the person who was herself blind. It’s always an interesting distinction.

I have titled this post "Blind Trust". Somehow or other those two words fit together so well. As a person with partial sight and who is sometimes referred to as being blind, I often need to put my trust in others. It is a giving up of control. For instance, when I am walking with a guide, I trust that guide to lead me safely past any obstacles. When I pay for items at the store or wherever, I optimistically expect that I will receive the correct amount of change. When I ask for directions, I have confidence that I will be pointed in the right direction. There is a definite measure of trust involved.

During the course of a day, there are many times when I need to put my trust in others. Generally speaking, I have found that when people recognize that I am in a difficult or confusing situation because of my sight challenges, they will go out of their way to be helpful. I find life easier when I can relax and depend on the kindness of human nature. It is a matter of blind trust.

October 11 - Who Is Here?

I belong to a support group for people who have sight challenges. Each month we gather around a large table. There are often around twenty of us and apart from the person sitting directly beside me, I can’t see enough to identify the others. That is why I find it so helpful when the meeting begins and the mic is passed around for each of us to say our name. I like to know just who is there.

This practice of saying aloud the names of other people in a group is fairly common in a group of people where most don’t see well. It is part of describing our surroundings and especially helpful when we would like to interact with the other group participants. The voices also give us a clue as to the size of the group. It’s more helpful than the leader just announcing the attendance or reading a list of names. Even on a zoom meeting, the personal identification of others on the call is helpful.

I also go to a drop in chair yoga class. Last week was my first time back after my stroke. The class usually spreads out around the auditorium and although I know that I know some of the others by name, I can’t see any of them. I was so pleased last week when for the first time, someone suggested that we go around the circle and each person said their name. That way we would all know who was there.

Because I self identify as someone with limited vision, my friends know that they need to say who they are when they meet me – especially when the encounter is unexpected. I appreciate this. It is equally as helpful when I am part of a group. I like to know just “who is there”.

 

October 3 - Vision and Technology

This past week I watched and listened to a demonstration of META glasses. These glasses are absolutely amazing. Unlike regular glasses where the lenses are magnified to enhance vision, the META glasses audibly describe what the user is looking at. Lenses can be fitted to the frames if necessary – for instance tinted lenses for sun protection, but the technology works without the addition. I suppose it is a little like the Be My Eyes on a Smart Phone, except instead of carrying a phone around all the time, the user wears the technology on the nose.

When it came my turn to try out the glasses, I was surprised that they were reasonably comfortable. In spite of the intricate technology built into the frame and arms, the glasses were relatively lightweight. I asked META to describe the person sitting next to me. META described a woman, with a description of her clothing and hair colour. The description included the fact that she was sitting with her hands clasped in front of her. It was strange to hear these details when I couldn’t actually see them for myself. I think that for the first time in a long time I felt a tinge of regret that I couldn’t also “see” the details of my friend’s face.

There was much discussion around the table as to the use of the META glasses. Nicole demonstrated how META could read a menu, listing the items and the prices. Verna was excited that she might read recipes for her home cooking. Chelsea thought that she could use the glasses to look in her mirror to see if she was wearing a matching outfit. Lynn told of her sister using the glasses to listen and record music and to connect with Facebook. I must admit that this particular technology with the connection to a Smart Phone and Facebook was a bit beyond me.

Since the demonstration, I have been thinking about the many technical advances that have been made over the years. When my sight changed back in 1986, I was mostly reliant on a black and white CCTV monitor. I am now using my third CCTV with a larger screen with colour and clearer definition of the print. I rely on an audible screen reading program on my computer.  Using only my voice, I send and receive text messages on my phone. I use a talking watch and alarm clock. In the beginning I listened to books on cassette tapes. That progressed to CD’s with digital format. Now my Victor Stream reader has the capacity of down loading audible books remotely at any time of day from the library in Toronto. My how times have changed.

One more point of note – initially, META glasses were created for the use of people with sight. They were a device created for fun and enjoyment. It is only in more recent times that their capabilities were found to be so useful for people with no or little sight. Now instead of being just a device for recreational use, the META glasses are a tool. The minds that work to create these new technologies are breaking down accessibility barriers.

With Thanksgiving coming up, I am thankful. I am grateful for a world that looks forward to a place of universal access.

September 25 - In the Kitchen

This past week I had coffee with my friend, Sue. Sue is completely without sight and we often chat about some of the challenges associated with this aspect of our lives. When we talk, I am often reminded that my challenges are minor compared to Sue’s. As well as having no sight, Sue’s husband passed away several years ago and she now lives alone. Over our last coffee chat, we spoke about the difficulties of managing in the kitchen.

For both of us, the stove seemed to be the biggest challenge. After a few minor burns, Sue has given up on using this. I am able to use our own kitchen oven and stovetop without too much difficulty but I also give up when we stay elsewhere with a different stove. That is when Lyle takes over the cooking!

One of the problems for me is the lack of tactile knobs on newer stoves. My own stove is an older version and so I can turn the knobs to temperatures by guesswork. I can’t do this when the surface is flat. The microwave also has a flat surface but on this I have attached little tactile buttons. A crockpot and air fryer are more easily manageable.

Cooking meat is also tricky. While it isn’t a health hazard if the vegetables are over or under cooked, meat is a different matter. If I am frying meat, I will often call Lyle to ask if there are still any red bits left in the pan. Sue doesn’t have the advantage of calling for someone with sight.  If I am alone and cooking meat, I will often put the whole meal in a casserole dish and give it that extra boost in the microwave.

It’s helpful to talk things out with other people who might experience similar challenges to my own. For instance, I remember discussing the problem of peeling and cooking potatoes. Sue’s solution was to buy small new potatoes that have no need of peeling. Norma, another friend with no sight, said that she would feel the outside of the potato to see if it felt smooth. If it was peeled  properly, the potato would feel smooth as opposed to the otherwise rough outer skin. I like the potatoes from our garden so I use this method.

In our chat last week, Sue and I also talked about transporting dishes from the kitchen counter to the table. It’s hard to do this if you have a cane in one hand and the dish in the other. Another friend with no sight solved this problem by using an old-fashioned tray mobile. She is able to put the dishes onto the moving cart and wheel them across the lino floor to the table. This friend also had a few mobility issues so it was a good solution for her.

I like talking over shared problems and solutions with friends who also have no or low vision. I have learned a lot from the ways that other people have adjusted and coped. This is especially so when it comes to working in the kitchen.