Scotland Aug 14 - 30, 2025

My original plan was to travel around Scotland in a clockwise loop from Glasgow and ending in Edinburgh for 2-3 weeks. There are six UNESCO sites in Scotland. St. Kilda and Orkney are remote and I did not expect to visit these two sites because of the time constraint. I was advised to visit Scotland in July or August because of unpredictable weather. I had packed only one light weight jacket on this journey. 

On August 14th, I took a ferry from Larne, Northern Ireland to Cairnryan, Scotland. Affordable accommodation in Scotland was difficult to find at that time of the year. I could only find a 2-night AirBnB stay in Dumbarton which is about 25 km west of Glasgow. It turns out that Dumbarton dates back to the Iron Age and has a Canadian connection. Dumbarton Castle is the iconic landmark there.

"In 1936 Canadian distilling company Hiram Walker bought over the Glasgow-based distiller George Ballantine & Son Ltd. In 1938 they built a large grain whisky distillery on the river Leven (on the site of the Archibald McMillan shipyard) named the Inverleven distillery. As a result, the town became known as a major centre of the whisky industry in the mid to late 20th century. The distillery at the height of its production was the largest grain distillery in Europe." - from Wikipedia

 

I was about to skip Scotland altogether after my stay in Dumbarton and head out to England directly.

Fortunately my friend from the east coast of Scotland extended an invitation to stay with them.

So I took the train from Dumbarton to Arbroath. They live in a village outside the town of

Arbroath. I was pleasantly surprised when I stumbled upon a 17th century castle next door to their house. I had always known that Scotland had many castles, but I did not realize how numerous they were.

Colliston Castle

I stayed in Colliston for four days. Arbroath is famous for its Smokies and Arbroath Declaration. 

Pieces of information given by my Dumbarton hosts about Robert the Bruce began to make sense.

At first, I thought the Scottish people must have hated him a lot. Different body parts of the king 

were buried in several places. In reality, it is a Scottish tradition to bury different body parts of a national

hero at various places.

"The Declaration of Arbroath, dated April 6, 1320, is a significant letter asserting Scotland's independence and the 

legitimacy of Robert the Bruce as king, addressed to Pope John XXII."

My friends drove me to several landmarks in and around Arbroath. The most memorable experience had to be the coastal walk. It reminded me so much of the Cliffs of Moher in Ireland. Farms extend right to the edge of the cliffs with wild flowers all along the trail 

Thistle - national flower of Scotland

Once school year started, I was able to find accommodation in the Highlands near Loch Ness which is 

popular with local tourists. My modified sightseeing plan started August 20th when I zipped back to the 

northwest corner of Scotland.  I was awe-struck by the blue waters of Loch Ness. During my 3-day stay 

at Fort Augustus, I took day trips to Dingwall, Inverness and Fort William. What impressed me most was the 

Caledonian Canal which connects the Corpach (west coast) to the Inverness (east coast) of Scotland.

Neptune Staircase

After spending three days in the Loch Ness in the Highlands, I travelled southwards to Glasgow. The bus

ride from Fort William to Glasgow was very scenic. I caught glimpses of Ben Nevis, the tallest 

mountain in Scotland via Glencoe, the valley in the mountain ranges. On the way, I passed by Loch 

Lomond and Dumbarton where I started my Scottish visit nine days before.

When I reached Glasgow for the second time on August 23rd, the city no longer looked so unusual any 

more. It was still crowded with international tourists. Glasgow is renown for its museums; however, I 

did not visit any due to the time constraint. There are two UNESCO sites near Glasgow and I had 

allocated three days in Glasgow. I was elated when I unexpectedly found the stone foundation of the 

Antonine Wall in Bearsden in a local cemetery.

Antonine Wall ruins in a cemetery in Bearsden

The other UNESCO site is New Lanark which is 40 km southeast of Glasgow. These 18th century cotton mills were powered by water mills which made use of a series of waterfalls on River Clyde. The living conditions of the workers were much better than those of the other mills at that time. I almost skipped this site until I saw the painting on the wall of a train while I was going to Bearsden.

There is a huge necropolis in the northeast corner of Glasgow. Not too far away Glasgow Cathedral stands guard. The interior of the cathedral is impressive, especially the Great West Windows.           

My final stop in Scotland was Edinburgh where I stayed five days because it is the capital of Scotland and there are two UNESCO sites in the city. I was determined to spend a lot of time in the National Museum. I ended up spending a total of 8 hours in the museum on two consecutive days. Edinburgh Castle looms over the city but I never went inside. I was advised that the castle is very crowded and the lines are often very long. I might not be able to see everything that I wanted to see during the time slot.

1320 Arbroath Declaration in the National Museum of Scotland

The third UNESCO site that I visited is the Forth Bridge which is a bridge across the Firth of Forth in the east of Scotland,14 kilometers west of central Edinburgh. Completed in 1890, it is considered a symbol of Scotland (having been voted Scotland's greatest man-made wonder in 2016).

The last UNESCO site that I visited in Scotland is the Old Town and New Town in Edinburgh. I would highly recommend a visit to Calton Hill prior to visiting the places at street level.

National Monument atop Calton Hill

On my last day in Edinburgh, it was raining non-stop the whole day. I visited the Craigmillar Castle in a suburb southeast of Edinburgh. It is a medieval ruined castle where a royal murder was plotted.

My Scottish visit was an eye-opening teaser. It started with Dumbarton Castle and ended with Craigmillar Castle in Edinburgh. I might not have visited all the popular and famous sights. I have, however, had the most authentic experience that I could ever dream of gaining in Scotland, thanks to my friends in Arbroath. 

Per Capita Recession in Canada

"While Canada is not technically in a recession, the situation for individual Canadians tells a different story." A recession is traditionally defined as two consecutive quarters of GDP decline, which Canada has managed to avoid due to significant population growth. However, per capita GDP, which accounts for economic output on a per-person basis, has been falling.

From mid-2022 to early 2024, Canada's population grew by about 6%, adding 2.1 million people. This surge in population has masked the underlying economic struggles, as the total GDP has continued to grow, albeit slowly. In reality, per capita GDP has decreased in six out of the last seven quarters, with a decline of about 3.4% from its peak in 2022.

This decline in per capita output means that, on average, Canadians are producing and consuming less per person, leading to a recession-like feeling despite the overall economic growth. Additionally, the unemployment rate has risen, which typically only happens during a recession.

Therefore, while Canada avoids the traditional definition of a recession, the economic challenges at the individual level suggest a more troubling scenario.

Addressing a per capita recession requires a multifaceted approach to stimulate economic growth, improve productivity, and enhance individual well-being. Here are several strategies that can help:

1. Boosting Productivity

- Investment in Technology and Innovation: Encouraging businesses to adopt new technologies and invest in research and development can lead to higher productivity. Government grants and tax incentives for innovation can be beneficial.

- Workforce Development: Investing in education and training programs to upgrade the skills of the workforce can enhance productivity. This includes vocational training, apprenticeships, and continuous learning opportunities.

2. Supporting Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs)

- Access to Finance: Providing easier access to credit and financial services for SMEs can help them expand and contribute more significantly to the economy.

- Regulatory Support: Streamlining regulations and reducing bureaucratic hurdles can enable SMEs to operate more efficiently and grow.

3. Enhancing Labor Market Participation

- Inclusive Policies: Implementing policies that encourage higher labor market participation, especially among underrepresented groups such as women, older workers, and immigrants, can increase the overall economic output.

- Flexible Work Arrangements: Promoting flexible work arrangements can help more people join the workforce, particularly those balancing work with caregiving responsibilities.

4. Encouraging Population Growth in a Balanced Manner

- Sustainable Immigration Policies: While immigration has been a key driver of population growth, it should be managed in a way that ensures newcomers can integrate effectively into the economy and society, contributing positively to GDP per capita.

- Family-Friendly Policies: Providing support for families, such as affordable childcare and parental leave, can help boost the birth rate and ensure a steady growth in the working-age population.

5. Stimulating Domestic Consumption and Investment

- Tax Incentives: Offering tax breaks and incentives for domestic investments can encourage spending and investment within the country.

- Infrastructure Development: Investing in infrastructure projects can create jobs, stimulate economic activity, and improve long-term productivity.

6. Monetary and Fiscal Policies

- Interest Rate Adjustments: Central banks can adjust interest rates to stimulate borrowing and investment. Lower interest rates make it cheaper for businesses to borrow and invest in growth.

- Fiscal Stimulus: Government spending on public services and infrastructure can provide an immediate boost to economic activity and support longer-term growth.

7. Improving Export Competitiveness

- Trade Policies: Developing trade policies that open new markets for Canadian goods and services can help boost exports.

- Support for Export Industries: Providing support for key export industries, including manufacturing and natural resources, can enhance their competitiveness on the global stage.

8. Addressing Income Inequality

- Progressive Taxation: Implementing a progressive tax system can help redistribute income more equitably and support lower-income households.

- Social Safety Nets: Strengthening social safety nets, such as unemployment benefits and social assistance programs, can provide support to those in need and stimulate consumption.

By combining these strategies, Canada can work towards alleviating the effects of a per capita recession and fostering a more resilient and prosperous economy for all its citizens. "

The above passage was generated by ChatGPT 4.0 on August 5th, 2024 after two questions were raised.

1. Is Per Capital Recession happening in Canada?

2. What can we do to rectify the current recession in Canada?

While I agree with the suggested measures for the most part, I differ on parts of the solution and would like to add a few more specific points to create a more stable economy on a long term basis:

1. Universal education about personal finance, perhaps from Grade 5 in elementary schools should be implemented. Things will only get easier if the general population is on the same page in financial management.

2. Increase the supply of public housing. To accommodate the recent massive immigration trend, Canada simply cannot rely on the private housing market solely. 

3. Tally up the natural resources that the country possesses. Design schedules and/or plans to monetize the exploitation of these resources. Non-renewable natural resources are our basic assets that will be depleted in a short time if they are not managed properly.

4. Vertical integration should be implemented in all industries. For example, logs should be processed into various building materials and products before exporting to other countries so that we can achieve a higher dollar value for our products. 

5. Innovate, innovate, innovate. We need to spend more money on R & D. Play a technology leader role in the game of globalization to combat the lack of natural population growth. 

We are in a recession. Let us resolve the issues at their roots, and not opt for 'bandaid' solutions and quick fixes.

Undocumented Migrants in Post-Pandemic Canada

In the past couple of years, I encountered a number of temporary residents with overstayed visas. These people entered into Canada prior to the border lockdown in March 2020 and became undocumented individuals either by choice or because of the backlog of visa extension applications. Though a majority of the international students, foreign worker and working holiday visa holders promptly returned to their home countries during the lockdown, many of these "migrants" remained in Canada illegally and created socio-economic problems in Canada. Let me share three real life stories which I experienced first hand. The subjects and I shared basements in 2022-4.

Ms. A came to Canada in 2017 with her family as refugees from (French speaking) Tunisia. Her family remained in Quebec and she moved to Vancouver, BC after staying in a small town in Quebec for one year. She did not work in Vancouver but collected Income Assistance benefits after her refugee allowance expired in 2018. Her excuse for not working was that she spoke very little English and nobody would hire her. However, she would not attend ESL classes. She tried to make money on social media but to no avail. Everyday she stayed home, played Arabic music and talked on the phone with her parents in Arabic. She claimed to be a practising Muslim; however, she never fasted during Ramadan. Whenever she went out, she would be scantily dressed, heavily perfumed with layers of make-up on her face.

Ms. B came to Canada from Mainland China as a foreign worker in the hospitality industry in 2018.  When the pandemic happened, she was laid off. Her work contract was terminated. During the lockdown, she collected CERB benefits. When her employer reopened their restaurant, she went "undocumented" and would not return to work. She moved from the address on file to an undisclosed address. She then worked as a cleaner paid by individuals on an on-call and cash basis. She had a habit storing recyclables and garbage in common areas. At one time, she had five vacuums, fifteen jumbo hard cases and numerous garbage bags and bins of kitchen items and small appliances piled up ceiling high. Ms. B physically assaulted me twice. Both times I filed a report with the local Police Station by showing them the bruises on my hands and arms.

Ms. C came to Canada as an international student from Mexico in 2019. She was issued a 1-year student visa to study English. Her visa expired August 15, 2020. I am not sure if she has extended her visa. Her main source of income was through selling stolen items. How did I find out? There was frequently a constant stream of visitors outside the house. Someone threw stones at my window. These visitors disappeared as swiftly as they appeared. She is seldom home. Whenever she is home, she would be on the phone speaking in Spanish. The broom closet is packed with her "stuff". She is very territorial.

As a Canadian, I tried to accommodate these "visitors" and tolerated their rude and bullying behavior. Hopefully, they are just the bad apples in their respective cultures. I do, however, question why Canada is not getting rid of these overstayed temporary residents. I am worried that our way of life would degrade rapidly before we could reap the benefits of being a multicultural society.

#undocumentedresidents #canadaimmigration #multiculturalism #badapples #deportation

Homeless in Vancouver

When people talk about the homeless people in big cities, they think of these people as welfare recipients, drug addicts and other substance abusers. Let me share my recent experiences upon returning to Vancouver, Canada two weeks ago. 

For the first three days, I stayed at an AirBNB place in Burnaby and met a couple of Iranian visitors who were waiting for their work visas to be issued. One of them ended up staying in a shelter for men in New Westminster because he couldn't afford paying $45 CAD/night for a bed at the AirBNB place for more than two weeks. Accepting too many newcomers too quickly into Canada for the sole purpose of replenishing the labour force in this case backfires terribly.

I moved to a hostel in Jericho Beach just outside UBC on the fourth day. At check-in, I was informed that I could only stay up to 21 days on that property because I am a Canadian citizen. International tourists can stay a bit longer. In that area, there are students who sleep in cars at night and go to classes in UBC during the day. There are out-of-town Canadian citizens hopping from hostel to hostel every three weeks, paying on an average $50 CAD/night for a dorm bed in a hostel.

It had been extremely stressful to find accommodation in Vancouver. A room in a house would cost $700 - 1400 CAD/month. The lower end of the rent spectrum would be a tiny closet/room with no windows and the bathroom is shared by 4 or 5 people. Sometimes there is no shared kitchen. The upper end would be a bigger room with ensuite bathroom and shared kitchen. Sometimes there is a price reduction if there is no access to public transportation. A 1-bedroom apartment costs no less than $2500/month provided that you have good credit rating, pay stubs and good references.

A common occurrence is that many property owners would use their rooms to get underpaid services from their tenants. For example, ads of doing cleaning and maintenance work in addition to a rent payment of $350 - 600/month in exchange to stay in a room in an old house were posted daily on Craigslist. I have replied to those ads and confirmed that working no less than 60 hours per month was expected. Another common trick slumlords pull was to rent out bedrooms to be shared by two or more female international students. Each tenant would be paying $550/month for a space on a mattress. That way a small room can yield more than renting out to one tenant for each room. These slumlords target the international students in particular because the students are not familiar with the Residential Tenancy Act of BC. Where is the humanity of these landlords?

When take-home income for a full-time worker at minimum wage is around $2000/month, it is easy to fall through the housing cracks in Vancouver and join the rank of the homeless in this relentless housing shortage crisis. Homelessness is more common among the newcomers, students, seniors and working poor than most people could imagine. Housing is a human right. Canada is far from being the dream country that it promotes itself to be in developing countries.

#Canada #Vancouver #housingcrisis #workingpoor #homelessness 

hashtag

Bangladesh Jan 8 - 30, 2024

I arrived in Bangladesh on January 8th, 2024, the day after the General Election. The incumbent Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was re-elected to enter her fourth term in office. It was reported that some dissenters were protesting aggressively in Dhaka, weeks leading to the election. 

Before I boarded the plane from Kuala Lumpur, I made a conscious decision of skipping the capital city until things settled down more. So I carefully mapped out a totally different route to visit Bangladesh. Instead of doing my routine circling around a country, I zigzagged BD in order of popularity of the attractions. In the event that I had to leave the country before the scheduled departure date, I would have visited the more important sites.

A couple hours after arriving in the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, I took an express train to Chittagong. Then I visited the world's longest natural unbroken sea beach in Cox's Bazar, 150 kms south of Chittagong. After visiting the coast, I travelled to the northwestern corner of the country to visit my first UNESCO World Heritage Site in Bangladesh. Somapura Mahavihara is ancient Buddhist monastery ruins from the 8th century. It turned out to be my favourite place in Bangladesh for several reasons. It is a well preserved Buddhist ruins site in a predominantly Muslim country. The tranquility in the surrounding countryside is uncommon for a country with a population of 174 million.

I spent five nights in my next destination city, Khulna. The second Bangladeshi UNESCO site is in Bagerhat which is 50 kms south of Khulna. There I learnt about a local saint, Khan Jahan Ali. His mausoleum and pond are revered by the locals. Many people washed themselves in the pond. Other than the Mosque of Sixty Domes, the Mausoleum and pond of the saint were visited by all local tourists.

Unfortunately I was not able to visit the Sundarbans and see the Royal Bengal Tigers. Well, I found out later that I would not be able to spot a tiger so easily because they are usually sighted near late afternoons. There are only 104 Bengal Tigers in the entire National Park.

From Khulna, I headed out to the northeastern corner, Sylhet City which is near the Indian border. This corner of Bangladesh is famous for its tea gardens. However, I came at a wrong time. The tea gardens were pretty brown. 

My last stop is the capital city, Dhaka. I spent several days visiting Old Dhaka. I managed to visit Sonargaon before bidding farewell to Bangladesh. Sonargaon was founded in the 13th century and abandoned in the 19th century.

Bangladesh is also known for its many rivers. I had plans to take an overnight ferry from Dhaka to visit Barisal. A chain of events in the last week of my visit prevented me from visiting the "Venice of the East". Instead I had an opportunity to see the more modern side of Dhaka and I did more shopping. 

My biggest pet peeve is the traffic congestion in all Bangladeshi cities. The drivers have a habit of honking with or without problems. The air is very dusty. Many people were frequently spitting in public. The streets and waterways are filled with litter. Even the toll roads are in poor condition. A 250 km trip would often take more than eight hours to complete. 

Many Bangladeshis asked me what I think of their country. My honest reply would always be, "It is a very unique country". I didn't think manual rickshaws would still be in use in the 21st century but I rode on them many times. I did not think there would be day labourers working at the docks loading and unloading cargo boats and trucks. But I stayed in a hotel where these labourers also stayed in Khulna. They were always so kind to me even when I teased them with my silly jokes. May God protect and keep Bangladeshi people from all harms.

#bangladesh #rickshaws #bangladeshi #developing country #Bengal Tigers 

I have quit FB for good.

I have quit Facebook again. This time I deleted my account permanently. Five years ago when I wanted to quit Facebook, the website managed to persuade me to only deactivate my account temporarily. I had to reactivate it when I needed travel information on West Africa a few months later. I needed to join a FB group. I was hoping someone would develop a social media website similar to FB. But it did not happen. This time I sought after substitutes before I deleted my FB account. For messenger, I would rely on WhatsApp. For marketplace, I would use Craigslist again. For updating my friends with travelogues and photos, I continue to use email. For photo back up, I would use Google Photos which also offer a memories function. As for travel information on the unpopular destinations, I have made a conscious decision not to visit certain places because they are just too dangerous or not ready to receive visitors. 

With the introduction of ChatGPT at the end of 2022, there are way more outrageous images floating around online. Lately FB created a special class of users called Digital Creators that is equivalent to the Influencers on Instagram. These digital creators frequently use photoshopped and/or A.I. generated images to spread false information. FB news feeds are flooded with customized ads and suggestions for groups to join and Digital Creators to follow. I would hardly see updates from my friends. With FB's refusal to pay news media in Canada for the links, it would be increasingly difficult to find real news or info on this social media platform. My dependence on FB for news and connection with my friends became very minimal as a result of these recent developments. 

After I have announced that I would quit FB, only four of my 472 FB friends expressed their wish to stay in touch with me. I suppose I wasted too much time on FB, thinking that people actually cared about what was on my mind. I might as well be commenting in unfamiliar territories such as Reddit or Quora. Well, it's time to hit the road and experience humanity face-to-face again. LOL

Back to February 1983 for 4 days

1981 Movie Raiders of the Lost Ark

I conducted an experiment a few weeks ago. I went back in time to February 1983 when internet, personal computers and smartphones did not exist. As a matter of fact, the main source of entertainment was scheduled television programs. Music was played on tape recorders and CD players. Microwave ovens were rather common in North America; however, many other kitchen appliances were not invented yet. The reasons why I wanted to go back in time are to revert to a simpler lifestyle to see if my vital stats and skin problems would improve, to live in a not so wired environment to see if I could overcome my F.O.M.O. feelings (Fear Of Missing Out), and to see if I could still manage to live comfortably without the modern conveniences. I chose forty years because it would be difficult and/or costly to simulate a time earlier than the 1980's. From my travelling days in undeveloped countries, I learned that many people in the world are still somewhat stuck in the 1980's. I would try to put myself in their shoes for four days. 

On Feb 6, 2023 6:00 p.m. (PST) Experiment commenced. An hour before the start of the experiment, I posted on Facebook that I would be conducting this experiment. At 6:00 pm I turned off my laptop computer and smartphone, and turned on my bedside radio/clock. I heard news of powerful earthquakes striking the region near the Turkey/Syria border. Because I do not have a television, I could not see any images or video clips of the natural disaster. I was antsy about getting more information about the earthquakes. My insomnia had only gotten worse than the day before. I had my radio on overnight.

The next day, Feb 7, 2023, I went to the library after breakfast. I took out some pre-1983 books but no VHS. There were no newspapers that I could read in the library. Then I went to the nearby mall to do some grocery shopping. I avoided using the self check-outs and paid with cash. I might have a credit card in 1983 but POS machines were not invented then. I wanted to make a phone call but I could not find any payphones within a 2 km radius of the mall. That night I accessed internet to find out more details of the earthquakes. I was restless and could not fall sleep until 6 a.m. in the morning.

On Feb 8, 2023, I woke up in the afternoon and heard on radio the news of a city bus driving right into a daycare building in Laval, QC, Canada. I spent the day in a haze, getting emotional at times and cried several times during the day. My mind wandered off miles away. Reading did not help. I managed to calm down with meditation. I kept telling myself not to access internet but I simply could not. I read all the related news articles and shut off my laptop again. What would provoke the mentally unstable bus driver to commit such a horrific crime to innocent children? What has our world turned into? Falling asleep was just as hard the night before.

On Feb 9, 2023, I woke up around noon. I thought I must try to do something else to divert my attention to the disasters. Making spring rolls in an air fryer would not take more than 45 minutes normally. Deep frying the old fashioned way using a small pot actually took two hours. I also decided to quit drinking coffee. It took me a much longer time to prepare chai with the traditional Indian method. I read a book cover to cover that day. Falling asleep came naturally at 2 a.m.

The final day of the experiment came on Feb 10, 2023. After my morning chai and breakfast, I went to a nearby drug store. My blood pressure had gone down to a somewhat normal level, 132/84. The breakouts on face had subsided. I returned the books and stayed in the library until dinner time. At 6:00 p.m., I turned on my cell phone and laptop. I almost immediately posted on FB pleading for prayers for the earthquake victims and survivors in Turkey/Syria and for the injured children and victims in Laval. I fell asleep at 2 a.m. that night.

What did I gain from this experiment? The number of email and notifications decreased exponentially as I stayed offline for an extended period of time. The principle of "If you don't use it, you'll lose it." also applies to electronic communication. Newspapers, books, payphones, VHS players, etc. and most of things that I grew up with, would soon be totally out of sight. As long as I have internet access, I could live in a vacuum. The rate of information transfer is almost instantaneous these days. Whether I want to know so much and so fast is another issue. I wonder how much of independent thinking I have lost because of these technological advances. I never really have enough time to digest it all these days.