Shutterfly is discontinuing their Sharesites so in an effort to preserve my old entries, I am moving them here to my blog even though quite out of order in time and place. This one is from my 2009 trip to Cambodia and Vietnam.
PHNOM PENH AND ROAD TO SIEM REAP
August 19, 2009
My first day I was on my own to explore Phnom Penh by foot, first in search of sunscreen that was not also a bleach (very hard to find it turns out) and then just to take it all in, passing locals’ shopping area and outdoor cafes (a bit different from ours). I eventually became lost and was tired of walking so caught a moped ride which led to my being lost again as the driver assumed I was staying in the main tourist area which I wasn’t so he dropped me off miles away from my hotel.
On Day 2, I met up with Jen and three women volunteering for Transitions Global (www.transitionsglobal.org – the website will be updated once they have all of Jen’s pictures from this trip – the organization is doing some great work) who are making a documentary on child sex trafficking. Learned lots of horrific things like the belief held in some villages that sleeping with a virgin cures Aids, I won’t say more. Having completed their filming, the next stop for them (and me) was for some leisure time in Siem Reap. The original plan was to go by boat, but the front desk guy at Jen and crews hotel (quite seedy place I might add – their section had a no guns sign) told us we would have to leave by 6am to try for a ticket and there was a good chance they would be sold out. He also convinced us that the morning “nicer” bus (a whopping $4 extra) would be sold out, but we could take a different bus that was the same, just without a guide on board. Here is where the “Same Same But Different” saying you hear so often in Cambodia comes in.
First, we all knew we should not totally trust him, but it was near midnight and we were all pretty beat. And, we figured, how bad can it be. Well, a little less than 2 hours into our trip, a bit of smoke started coming from the back of the bus and to the side of the road we went. As the driver and a few others crawled under the bus and started removing and pounding on parts, Jen and I discussed how unlikely it would be that our bus was going to move anytime soon. We were not near anything (other than a small roadside snack shack), at least 4 hours from our destination and it did not look like the bus was going to be running anytime soon. And as is everywhere here in Cambodia, it was very, very hot and humid.
Standing on the side of the road, we watch as the nice bus (the 9:30 which was supposedly sold out) drives by…with empty seats upstairs. Okay, that was a bit frustrating. So, when I saw a local bus passing, I decided to jump out into the road in the path of the bus, which I know could have ended very poorly, and wave it down. I talked the driver into letting the five of us on even though there were not enough seats for all of us nor our luggage. I gestured that we could set down our luggage in the aisle and use them for chairs… Jen’s very large bag was certainly sturdy enough filled with camera equipment and weighing close to 40 pounds. As I ended up being the one to use the bag as a seat, each time someone needed to get off, I had to lift the suitcase out of the way. Jen and Leah sat across from a very nice woman who tolerated having all our bags thrown on the seat next to her, trapping her in and even shared some fruit that Jen fell in love with…similar to sour patch kids.
An hour or so into our ride, a man who turned out to be a junior high math teacher asked me how much the bag weighed and we started up a conversation as we worked on converting pounds to kilos. I learned that the government pays so poorly, he cannot afford any vacations. Quite sad and frustrating as he is educated, speaks some English and really should not be paid so little for such an important job. We were able to chat for awhile until some seats opened up and I ended up next to one of the few other passengers on board who spoke English (well, sort of). He was heading to Siem Reap to look for work (and tried to convince me to hire him as our guide during our trip).
We finally landed safely in Siem Reap and jumped on a tuk tuk…one stop for petrol on the way (pic of the station below) and then survived my first almost accident (Jen and crew were already in one)…as we rounded the corner to our hotel, an SUV was heading straight toward us and our driver literally made a Fred Flintstone stop. We finally found our way to our hotel – Mandalay Inn; $16 per night for a double and ended up being a great find. It was clean, walking distance to the main part of town and amazing staff…the most beautiful smiles and we were able to have the same tuk tuk driver for the entire trip…very sweet guy. The bathroom was the combined toilet/shower type, always fun.
SIEM REAP
August 19, 2009
We started off our first and second full days in Siem Reap very early…4:45am. The sunrises over Angkor Wat are absolutely beautiful. Most of the visitors there realized the beauty in the quiet…then there were those few whose voices permeated the open space, rising above nature. …yelling to their companions from a distance as the rest of us tried to drink in the sounds of the forest awakening around us in silence. During the moments when the voices quieted, the forest came alive with the sound of crickets, roosters, birds and gekkos. A great way to start the morning.
For our first visit we hired a guide. Again, our hotel came through perfectly as the guide they set us up with was very sweet, very knowledgeable and spoke English well. We learned such things as how being a monk has changed…not uncommon to see them with high end cameras, phones, etc. The day itself was long as we trekked through many temples in very high humidity. Just before lunch we hit a lull, so we stopped under some trees to view the pools built for the queens many, many years ago. They are built with sandstone and are filled with rain water (a bit on the green side). Now, the monks use the pools in the late afternoon to swim. It was quite calming…that is until each of us started to feel something dropping from the trees…turned out to be an attack of worms threading their way down. We all started running trying to flick off the flying worms and avoid all the webs encircling us. Our guide let us know that they were worms which would cocoon to become butterflies…those we did not kill that is.
On the second day, Jen, Steph and I went on our own. We took up residence on some steps of one of the out buildings. It was possible to quietly reflect for moments even among the crowds of tourists. One could almost drown out their chatter by focusing on the crickets. After sunrise, we took the opportunity to stretch, practice a bit of yoga and just enjoy the calm and beauty before finding our way to pineapple pancakes. A fantastic morning.
The next day, our group split to different destinations leaving just Jen and I (side note…as I am writing this, here in Hanoi, Vietnam, a mouse just ran by my feet and water is dripping on me from the AC…wishing I had on shoes right now). In any event, Jen and I decided to take a day to relax, shop, go for a massage and head to the mountain for sunset. If you ever do this, suggest you head there early to avoid hiking up in dense heat behind some very sweaty and smelly men..just a thought. To get an idea of the humidity, the picture of Jen and I with sweat drenched faces was taken from the mountain…as were the sunsets and the pictures of folks sitting on the walls. And, it was not a long or strenuous hike.
After returning from watching the sunset, we enjoyed one last night in Siem Reap (reminded me a bit of Mazatlan or Puerta Vallarta with the party scene…though a bit tamer) and the next day had one last ride with our tuk tuk driver to the airport and prepared for our journey to Vietnam.
VIETNAM – CRAZY HANOI
August 22, 2009
There is definitely a different feel here in Vietnam. You notice the change as soon as you step off the plane and make your way through customs. Whereas Cambodia is relatively relaxed and things move at their own pace (you will never see your food bill until you ask and transportation times are somewhat fluid…though more so in Siem Reap), Vietnam is quite structured and there are definitive rules which must be followed. I found this out immediately when I tried to walk to the right after passing through customs to exit…received a quick reprimand.
You also notice the difference as you drive from the airport. The number of motorbikes is staggering (well over 500,000 in Hanoi itself) and there seem to be limited road rules. People basically drive to the right, though it is not uncommon for there to be at least two cars side by side, next to motorbikes, all in one lane. At busier intersections, everyone just travels forward and the cars try to inch their way through the masses (tried to capture this at night, but without the constant blaring of horns and actually watching all the near misses…and the non-misses, you lose some of the effect). It is simply impossible to capture the energy and craziness with still photos.
Jen and I opted to stay in the backpacker area. Driving through the narrow roads, you find locals and visitors camped out on the sidewalk in small plastic chairs, drinking beer. It reminded me of a German beer garden…but without the garden. Unfortunately, when we finally took the time to photograph the whole scene, it was a Saturday night and the tourists far outnumbered the locals (contrary to the week night crowd). In the area of Hanoi where we are staying, the sidewalk/gutter serves as a trashcan…people just toss their trash into heaps (you have to be careful to avoid being hit sometimes). It is generally gone in the morning and the smell is not overwhelming, so the system appears to work. I am guessing this is not the case in some of the more upscale areas…but just seems to flow okay in this area.
Our hotel is less than luxurious. Have to say our bed is the worst part of it (or maybe that the hotel kitchen shares the same space with the bathroom…we learned this a couple of days in…we will eat breakfast by the lake today). We also have to climb eight flights of stairs to get to our room…although on the plus side, it is probably safer. Because the wireless won’t go up that high, they ran a wire up to our room..it snakes up the stairwell, out a window, back inside near the 6th floor, then up the center of the staircase again to our room. It seems to work most of the time.
We took a break from Hanoi to head to Halong Bay for a few days. It was nice to escape the noise (though contrary to what I thought, you cannot escape the vendors…woman periodically paddle up to the boat trying to sell snacks and water). We had a really good group on the boat (12 in total) and the cabin we stayed in was nice…we even got soap which was a plus! The tour itself is a bit on the cheesy side. The caves are beautiful, but reminded me of Disneyland as they were lit up with colored lights and there were nicely paved walkways throughout. After the caves we were told we would go swimming. I am thinking open water, but nope, pull up on the boat to a roped off, very small swimming hole with a whole lot of people. Luckily, after we left and reached the area where we anchored for the night, we were able to jump into the water from the boat and swim there. It is better as the sky darkens as well, as it is harder to see all the trash floating in the water. After dinner and forced listening to some very bad local singing, a few of us went to the upstairs deck (joined by a Dutch couple and a group of guys from Ireland…the others retired for the night)…we had some lively discussions and good laughs.
The next day our smaller group (the Dutch and Irish went onto a separate boat to head back) hiked into a small village (again, paved road to get there). We had a decent tasting meal from one of the local families…unfortunately those of us who ate the vegetables ended up sick…I pretty much have been up all night. The best part of the day trip was being able to ride a motorbike…have to say our guide was quite brave as he allowed me to drive while he jumped on the back.
Last night, Jen and I ventured out into a bit nicer touristy area along the river and then strolled through the night market. The river area resembled New York or any other large City, so we were glad we were staying where we were so we could have both experiences. It was fun to just sit and watch all the people and motorbikes and found a place a few flights up for better views. Afterward, we went for a beer on our street beer garden.
Today we head for Hoi An. At times Jen and I miss the warm and fuzzy feel of Cambodia which is lacking here, perhaps due to the structure, but overall, Vietnam is growing on us both.
THE SHOPPING MALL CALLED HOI AN
August 27, 2009
I am now near the end of my journey. I made it safely from the Ho Chi Minh airport into the center of the City. It is raining for the first time during my trip (other than a brief 5-10 minute shower in Siem Reap) and somehow the traffic seems a bit more daunting in the rain (keep thinking the motorbike heading toward my door will not be able to stop on wet pavement).
Jen and I spent the last 5 nights in Hoi An (central Vietnam near the coast). We spent a lot of time wandering around the shops…a lot…I don’t know that I ever want to have clothes custom made again. The old town of Hoi An consists of stores, vendors, restaurants and more stores. I think if you make a trip to Chinatown in SF, you can find most of what we looked at everyday. Part of our reason for going to Hoi An was to have clothing made. A good concept, but in hindsight, going through multiple fittings in the heat and humidity is a bit discouraging. However, four or so uncomfortable fittings later, I think they are close to what I was looking for. I can’t really lift my arms in the suit jacket they made, but most else seemed to come out well, especially the cocktail dress. I suppose arm movement is overrated.
In addition to shopping, we were able to get in a couple of short bike rides…the main ride was to the beach. We of course took a few wrong turns on the way and ended up in some cool residential sections, which was a definite unexpected highlight. On our way out, kids were coming home on their bikes in their uniforms and were shouting out hello..they were all so cute! Later, we ran across a few large scary and angry looking bulls (or some similar animal) who did not look like they were happy we were crossing their grazing grounds. They were not so cute.
We finally made our way to the beach. It was quite beautiful (of course, you have to tune out the vendors trying to get you to rent mats or buy bracelets and the loud jet skis just beyond the swim area). Jen tried to cool off in the water, but as in Halong Bay, it was too warm to be refreshing. Thankfully though, the water was much less polluted and I could actually see the bottom in the really shallow parts (nice to swim in water without brown bubbles). We did see a beautiful sunset (the more striking part was on our way back from the beach…see the picture of the boat on the water). Our bike ride back was not quite as enjoyable since it was now dark and the traffic does not really die down, but we were thankful to be wearing yellow and white so we were at least visible.
I think the best part of Hoi An was our hotel. They really paid attention to small details and it was complete luxury compared to the Prince in Hanoi…I was so happy to have soap and lotion! And the breakfast buffet was wonderful. Ha An if you ever make it to Hoi An. They of course have some of the same quirks as else where in Vietnam. If you order an ice tea, it will be completely different depending on the time of day. Then there was the day Jen asked for a mocha and I for a Vietnamese coffee black, and they told Jen they could not make a mocha (though they had the day before for another guest). They proceed to bring my coffee which looks strangely like a mocha. I take a sip…yep, a mocha. So, I pass to Jen and re-order my black coffee. And of course, the size drink they bring you is utterly random.
You here “yes, yes” a lot in Vietnam…which means absolutely nothing. It is the answer to anything you ask. At some point you just have to go along and see what you get or where you end up, since you just never really know (such as our boat ride to a specific island yesterday…wrong island…again, yes yes).
On our last day in Hoi An, we ran into a few folks from our Halong Bay cruise…both on the same street, but separately, within minutes of each other (we had seen some others walking around Hanoi before we left). Seems we are all traveling the same route to some extent, but funny to seem them on the same street around the same time, especially since they were not together.
SAIGON – September 3, 2009
My last day in Vietnam. I was told by many that Saigon was not necessarily worth visiting. Found that I disagree and actually finally felt a bit at home here. The main street reminds me a bit of lower Broadway in Manhattan in the summer (without the motorbikes of course). The rain helped cool things down and the storm had passed by the time I started my tour of the City.
Saigon was the first place to feel sort of like a modern City…not by US or European standards, but certainly in comparison to Phnom Phen or Hanoi. There seemed to be more real buildings and amenities. I enjoyed a tea on the outdoor patio at Highlands Coffee, the local Vietnamese Starbucks (later saw a Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf…first US chain I encountered over there) before heading to some of the sights. When you walk alone in these Cities, people approach you even more. I had women grabbing my arm as I passed trying to get me to buy their goods and an older, well dressed woman who spoke a bit of English stopped me on the street to chat…turned out she wanted me to either give her medicine or buy her medicine…she never specified which medicine exactly and I did not ask. Also met a man from Malaysia…thought we was going to try to sell me something as well, but turned out he just wanted to ask me to dinner as he was there on a family reunion and probably wanted to get away from family for a bit.
All in all a fun day…finished it off by heading to the other side of town with Thai, a friend of my friend Eric. I reluctantly jumped on the back of Thai’s motorbike in my dress (the pictures will give you an idea of the number of motorbikes on the road which would explain my reluctance) and joined the fray. We made our way to the other side of town where the locals live (and the expats) which was a treat as I would not have experienced it otherwise (though ordering chicken and having it served head and all was a bit different). Have to say, the newer section we went through on the way back from the restaurant looked fantastic and I wish I could have seen it during the day.
