December 26 - I had not mentioned the included breakfasts at the Sonalong Hotel in Siem Reap. They were exceptional. The four of us sat at a pool-side table and ordered off the menu. Today, just as we were leaving, I turned over the "American" menu (which had faced me each previous breakfast) and found the local menu, full of great breakfast dishes including yogurt and fruit which I had been craving. Everyone laughed that I had just figured out that there were more menu choices on the back. But I didn't care--I got my yogurt. Fruit in season is papaya, dragon fruit (beautiful pinkish-red globe with green offshoots (you have to be there), bananas and mangoes. The others had omelets, toast and fruit plates.
We were then ushered to tuk tuks for our trip to the airport, a few miles away. The hotel staff came to the curb to wave goodbye. We now headed to Myanmar (Burma), the last leg of our 6 week trip in SE Asia. Our flights took us from Siem Reap to Bangkok and then to Yangon (formerly, Rangoon). A delayed flight in Bangkok made us an hour late arriving in Yangon, but a driver met us and took us to our hotel, just a mile from the airport. We had arranged this hotel because we had an early morning flight to Mandalay. We had received word that the flight left at 7:15 am meaning we would have to leave the hotel at 6:00 am. Once we arrived at the hotel, however, we learned that we were on the 6 am flight, which meant we would have to leave the hotel at 4:45 am. Another early morning!
At the hotel we also learned that the restaurant was closed. Since we had flown on Air Asia, Asia's Allegiant Airlines, no food or water came with the flight (without a charge). So we were moderately hungry. We thought we understood the front desk to say that we could order room service by phone. When we tried, room service also said they were closed (???). So we went to the front desk to clarify. We were at once invited to a party. We thought it was someone's birthday...and we were crashing it...and not nearly as well dressed as others walking in the direction we were told to go. But when we got to the balloons and other festivities, we found that it was a 20th celebration of the opening of the Myanmar Life Hotel, where we were staying. The buffet was open to all hotel guests and other honorees. It was an unexpected treat to be included.
Speaking of eating - Up until Siem Reap, none of the 4 of us had any stomach-diarrhea problems. However, on our last day in Siem Reap (some 10 hours after the good-tasting lunch at the shady restaurant), Roger, Kyle and Mark experienced some difficulties. They all took medicine and limited their eating to plain white rice, broth and bananas. We'll see how that works.
Friday, December 26, 2014
Hoi An
20 December - Kyle, Mark, Roger and I had dinner last night at Mrs. Ly's. It was fantastic! We had fish baked in banana leaves with ginger and other spices and noodles. Later, we walked by the river to see the colorful, lighted lanterns. Ladies will sell you a folded paper candle holder with a burning candle inside. You are supposed to make a wish and send the paper candle out on the river.
Today, Roger and I took a tour bus to My Son (pronounced me sun), a UNESCO cultural site and home of the Cham people who lived in this area between 200AD and 1400AD. The site is about an hour from Hoi An, up river and at a higher elevation. It has intricate Hindu ruins, many of which were destroyed during the war. We saw traditional Cham dance and musical performances at the site. After walking around the site for 2 hours, we returned to the bus and were transported to a boat. We floated downstream (toward Hoi An) to a small island where the villagers were know for their wood working. Some were renewiing (picture scraping) the wood on old boats, some made furniture and others made small wood souvenir items. After exploring the village, we continued our float back to old town where we had lunch at a small restaurant. A great day of sightseeing and exploring. Kyle and Mark are at a homestay close to the beach, so they opted for different activities today.
Our final day in Hoi An found us peddling on rented ($1.50/day) bicycles out to Kyle and Mark's homestay. We had planned to bicycle to the beach, but the rain started. We used the poor weather to confirm air reservations for the next day, get seat assignments and such. Finally, we had a break in the showers and the four of us headed back to town for lunch. On the way, we found yet another island in the river, biked across the bridge and explored. Our goal was a used bookshop which proved elusive as we wandered lane after lane. We did find an open-air "waterfront" cafe (think 2-car garage with small kitchen, plastic chairs and tables, overhanging a thin slice of river) for some warm soup. No one there spoke English, but menus are comprised of pictures, so we were able to point to the dish we wanted. Only after lunch did we happen upon the bookstore where we found a used copy of "Angor Wat" where we were headed next. Mark and Kyle headed to their homestay and we to our hotel just as the rain returned. It absolutely poured down the rest of the afternoon and all through the night. I was certain there would be flooding the next day (since even high tide floods the streets of the old town), but we awoke the next morning to dry streets. I don't know where all the water went.
Today, Roger and I took a tour bus to My Son (pronounced me sun), a UNESCO cultural site and home of the Cham people who lived in this area between 200AD and 1400AD. The site is about an hour from Hoi An, up river and at a higher elevation. It has intricate Hindu ruins, many of which were destroyed during the war. We saw traditional Cham dance and musical performances at the site. After walking around the site for 2 hours, we returned to the bus and were transported to a boat. We floated downstream (toward Hoi An) to a small island where the villagers were know for their wood working. Some were renewiing (picture scraping) the wood on old boats, some made furniture and others made small wood souvenir items. After exploring the village, we continued our float back to old town where we had lunch at a small restaurant. A great day of sightseeing and exploring. Kyle and Mark are at a homestay close to the beach, so they opted for different activities today.
Our final day in Hoi An found us peddling on rented ($1.50/day) bicycles out to Kyle and Mark's homestay. We had planned to bicycle to the beach, but the rain started. We used the poor weather to confirm air reservations for the next day, get seat assignments and such. Finally, we had a break in the showers and the four of us headed back to town for lunch. On the way, we found yet another island in the river, biked across the bridge and explored. Our goal was a used bookshop which proved elusive as we wandered lane after lane. We did find an open-air "waterfront" cafe (think 2-car garage with small kitchen, plastic chairs and tables, overhanging a thin slice of river) for some warm soup. No one there spoke English, but menus are comprised of pictures, so we were able to point to the dish we wanted. Only after lunch did we happen upon the bookstore where we found a used copy of "Angor Wat" where we were headed next. Mark and Kyle headed to their homestay and we to our hotel just as the rain returned. It absolutely poured down the rest of the afternoon and all through the night. I was certain there would be flooding the next day (since even high tide floods the streets of the old town), but we awoke the next morning to dry streets. I don't know where all the water went.
Thursday, December 25, 2014
Siem Reap, Cambodia
We spent the last four days in Siem Reap, including Christmas Day. Siem Reap is home to Angor Wat, the UNESCO World Heritage Site of ancient Khymer Hindu and later Buddhist temples. A great population lived here in 200 AD to 1500 AD. The wood and thatch homes and shops of the city have disappeared over time. However the stone-built temples remain, ornately carved and archecturally far advanced for the time. Some temples exceed the height of Chartres in France, using quasi arches of stone. There are possibly a hundred sites, all unique. One (Ta Prohm) is Indiana Jones-like, with huge trees invading the walls and temples. Another is miniature with incredibly detailed and well-preserved carvings of gods, elephants, monkeys, serifs and other ornamentation. Of course, Angor Wat itself is the largest religious monument in the world. The monument and the land that once contained the streets, homes, markets and such of a city are surrounded by a wide moat and tall walls. At one time, every surface of the walls and temple were engraved or carved with gods and various designs. Truly amazing! Check it out online. We spent 2 days exploring various parts of the site. We even got up at 4:30 am to see the sunrise at Angor Wat. Unfortunately, we picked the one day with clouds at sunrise. Still, the reflection of the temple on the water was beautiful. I forgot to mention that our transportation to and from Angor Wat (about 5 miles one way) and about the huge site was done by tuk tuk, a motorcycle pulling a 2 or 4 seat cart. Lots of fun.
Our day 3 in Siem Reap--Christmas Day, we hired a car to take us to 2 remote sites. At the first, we walked up a steep trail to a place where many carvings had been done on the stones in the river. We were glad to have checked out this area early in the day because as we headed back to the car, we met an enormous group of tourists huffing and puffing their way up the hill. We next explored Banteay Srei and found it to be the best preserved of all the sites. We had a lovely lunch there in a shady restaurant. We returned home about 4 pm for a dip in our pool--oh, did I mention the temps are now in the low 90s with high humidity--a drink and then dinner out on famous Pub Street (again reached by tuk tuk). I had envisioned Pub Street as a gathering of young 20 something's and backpackers drinking their way from pub to pub. (I'm not disparaging that as we were like that once.) Instead, I was surprised that it was made up of many small, intimate restaurants with loads of people in their 50s, 60s and 70s in addition to the young set. Of course the price of things in Siem Reap (much more expensive than Vietnam) probably filtered many young people. Apart from 50 cent beer and water, dinners and lodging were about 50% more than our most expensive in Vietnam. Siem Reap depends almost entirely on Angor Wat tourism. It could be compared to Springdale, UT near Zion National Park. Things cost more there because it is the only place to stay and eat near the park. Christmas Day was our best day yet in Siem Reap. The four of us shared many laughs and good wishes from the local people.
Our day 3 in Siem Reap--Christmas Day, we hired a car to take us to 2 remote sites. At the first, we walked up a steep trail to a place where many carvings had been done on the stones in the river. We were glad to have checked out this area early in the day because as we headed back to the car, we met an enormous group of tourists huffing and puffing their way up the hill. We next explored Banteay Srei and found it to be the best preserved of all the sites. We had a lovely lunch there in a shady restaurant. We returned home about 4 pm for a dip in our pool--oh, did I mention the temps are now in the low 90s with high humidity--a drink and then dinner out on famous Pub Street (again reached by tuk tuk). I had envisioned Pub Street as a gathering of young 20 something's and backpackers drinking their way from pub to pub. (I'm not disparaging that as we were like that once.) Instead, I was surprised that it was made up of many small, intimate restaurants with loads of people in their 50s, 60s and 70s in addition to the young set. Of course the price of things in Siem Reap (much more expensive than Vietnam) probably filtered many young people. Apart from 50 cent beer and water, dinners and lodging were about 50% more than our most expensive in Vietnam. Siem Reap depends almost entirely on Angor Wat tourism. It could be compared to Springdale, UT near Zion National Park. Things cost more there because it is the only place to stay and eat near the park. Christmas Day was our best day yet in Siem Reap. The four of us shared many laughs and good wishes from the local people.
Saturday, December 20, 2014
Hoi An Does Not Disappoint
18 December - Transferred from Hue to DaNang by train. This trip provided beautiful vistas of the ocean and mountains, even with the clouds. In DaNang, a man met us and drove us to Hoi An and our hotel, Green Heaven. The hotel is located on a small island adjacent to Hoi An's old town. We have a large room, there is a large buffet breakfast each morning and a lovely pool (which we don't use because it is cool!). Hoi An is a 45 minute drive from DaNang. It is an ancient seaport, right on the coast. The river flowing between our island and the main town defines the town. Three bridges (one a walking bridge) connect the island and the town. We spent the afternoon wandering "old town," which is absolutely charming--quaint little shops, loads of restaurants, bars, travel agencies, boutique hotels, souvenir shops and an old open air market all constructed of brick with stucco covering and mossy tiles on the roofs. In the afternoon and evening, no motorized vehicles are allowed, so pedestrians stroll slowly down the narrow streets. We found a 2 for 1 Happy Hour, and had 4 mojitos (totaling $6), which on the surface might seem excessive. But in fact, we rationalized that the alcohol of 1 drink was split in two, so it was okay. After Happy Hour, we wobbled down the street to a little restaurant. Roger had a local dish of noodles, vegetables and pork. I stuck with shrimp and vermicelli, although it was not as good as our restaurant in Hue. As night fell, Hoi An lit up, taking an entirely different character. Lanterns and colored lights everywhere. Couples strolling arm in arm. Little shops lighting their wares. So romantic and Pirates of the Caribbean-esque. Both Roger and I fell in love with the little city.
The next morning, we arranged to meet our travel companions at a coffee shop run entirely by deaf people. It was amazing. You are seated and given menus to check off what you would like. If there are questions about your order, the waiter reaches for a block with a word printed on it, such as "with cream?" And you nod a response. Roger had the tea and cookie sampler and I had the coffee sampler. Such fun! Next we four walked about a mile to the Silk Village and were given a tour of how silk was traditionally made. We viewed silk worms (of course, Roger had to hold one), then saw them eating mulberry leaves and making coccoons. Then, we watched as the coccoons were placed in boiling water (to kill the pupae) and gently unwound. We couldn't believe it! Whoever would have thought to unwind a coccoon to make a fabric? The unraveled thread is then combined with 5-10 others and twisted into a single strand. The strands are boiled again to soften and then dyed. This is woven into various grades of silk. Amazing!
We had heard different reviews of this little city. Some thought it was too touristy and others loved it. We come in on the side of those who love it.
The next morning, we arranged to meet our travel companions at a coffee shop run entirely by deaf people. It was amazing. You are seated and given menus to check off what you would like. If there are questions about your order, the waiter reaches for a block with a word printed on it, such as "with cream?" And you nod a response. Roger had the tea and cookie sampler and I had the coffee sampler. Such fun! Next we four walked about a mile to the Silk Village and were given a tour of how silk was traditionally made. We viewed silk worms (of course, Roger had to hold one), then saw them eating mulberry leaves and making coccoons. Then, we watched as the coccoons were placed in boiling water (to kill the pupae) and gently unwound. We couldn't believe it! Whoever would have thought to unwind a coccoon to make a fabric? The unraveled thread is then combined with 5-10 others and twisted into a single strand. The strands are boiled again to soften and then dyed. This is woven into various grades of silk. Amazing!
We had heard different reviews of this little city. Some thought it was too touristy and others loved it. We come in on the side of those who love it.
Thursday, December 18, 2014
Hue to HoiAn, Vietnam
Thursday, December 18. Since our arrival in Vietnam, the weather has been cloudy and cool. In Hue, we encountered our first days of rain. After exploring the Citadel (our first day in Hue), the rain started and we were less inclined to be out and about. Instead, we spent time reading, catching up on our email and such. We did attempt to go to an art museum. The taxi dropped us at the address and left. Only then did we find out that the museum was closed. So we and our friends found a cafe, had coffee (Vietnamese style, which means thick black coffee with condensed milk), and then walked home along the river.
The next day, our friends left for Hoi An. Roger and I remained in Hue. We walked in the drizzle over the bridge to the open air market. Hawkers tried to sell us ponchos ($1), but we preferred the hotel's umbrella--it wasn't raining that hard. The market was a beehive of activity, noise and aromas...titillating all the senses. Fruits and vegetables beautifully displayed, raw meats (pigs noses included), fish, bird cages, baskets of rice, 18 types of garlic, actually everything a person might want. Next we visited a traditional market and found beer for 40 cents a can, chocolate (72% of course), and potato chips. We are such nutrition freaks! We headed home across the bridge, showered and took off for another dinner at our favorite restaurant.
Several of you have asked about the prices of things in Vietnam. Travel here is very affordable. Our hotel rooms average $25/$30 nite including beautiful buffet breakfasts or individually cooked breakfasts. Our rooms are the equivalent of $100/night rooms in the States. Meals are the best deal. We haven't spent more than $5 each for dinner, including beer or a mixed drink. The food is incredible, ranging from vermicelli noodles with shrimp/pork in a fantastic sauce to Pho (a chicken, fish or beef based broth with noodles, vegetables and meat). We haven't had a bad meal yet.
Today, we sadly packed up, leaving the Orchid hotel staff that had been so kind and attentive to us. An example: I always took a miniature cream puff at breakfast--they were extraordinary. The staff noticed. Yesterday in the late afternoon, one of the staff knocked on our door and handed us 4 of the little cream puffs. What a treat! How to make a guest feel special. We boarded a train for DaNang. From there, we transferred immediately to a car that would take us to our hotel in Hoi An.
The next day, our friends left for Hoi An. Roger and I remained in Hue. We walked in the drizzle over the bridge to the open air market. Hawkers tried to sell us ponchos ($1), but we preferred the hotel's umbrella--it wasn't raining that hard. The market was a beehive of activity, noise and aromas...titillating all the senses. Fruits and vegetables beautifully displayed, raw meats (pigs noses included), fish, bird cages, baskets of rice, 18 types of garlic, actually everything a person might want. Next we visited a traditional market and found beer for 40 cents a can, chocolate (72% of course), and potato chips. We are such nutrition freaks! We headed home across the bridge, showered and took off for another dinner at our favorite restaurant.
Several of you have asked about the prices of things in Vietnam. Travel here is very affordable. Our hotel rooms average $25/$30 nite including beautiful buffet breakfasts or individually cooked breakfasts. Our rooms are the equivalent of $100/night rooms in the States. Meals are the best deal. We haven't spent more than $5 each for dinner, including beer or a mixed drink. The food is incredible, ranging from vermicelli noodles with shrimp/pork in a fantastic sauce to Pho (a chicken, fish or beef based broth with noodles, vegetables and meat). We haven't had a bad meal yet.
Today, we sadly packed up, leaving the Orchid hotel staff that had been so kind and attentive to us. An example: I always took a miniature cream puff at breakfast--they were extraordinary. The staff noticed. Yesterday in the late afternoon, one of the staff knocked on our door and handed us 4 of the little cream puffs. What a treat! How to make a guest feel special. We boarded a train for DaNang. From there, we transferred immediately to a car that would take us to our hotel in Hoi An.
Monday, December 15, 2014
Dong Hoi to Hue
Our last post ended with Paradise Cave. The cave was only recently discovered (2005) and has been open to the public since 2011. After Paradise, we had lunch and boarded boats to see Phong Nha Cave. This cave is flooded with water, actually a river (the longest undergrown river in the world--Roger thinks more than 30 miles), so we entered the wide mouth by boat. An oarsmen paddled us quietly upstream amid the beautiful formations. We are here in the low season, yet there were many boats accompanying us. You would be fighting crowds in high season. We were accompanied on this tour by several young travellers, many of whom had been on the road for 6-12 months. Mostly Aussies. They know how to see the world.
After the tour, we had another shrimp pancake meal and a coffee at our favorite Tree Hugger Cafe and then returned to our room for a good night's sleep. The next day we woke early for breakfast, a quick transfer to the train station and the 4 hour (daytime) ride to Hue, the old imperial capitol of Vietnam. The train was crowded with happy Vietnamese chattering and eating (everyone's favorite pasttime). I met a young Vietnamese woman who was studying to be a doctor. She studies and lives during the week in Hue and returns to her family's home in Dong Hoi on the weekends. She made several suggestions about local sites and local foods in Hue.
After checking into the hotel, we walked to the Citidel, seat of the imperial dynasty until 1945. It is about 200 acres near the Perfume River. Two moats surround it. The emperor lived in the center, the Forbidden City. His wives, mother and servants lived on the periphery. The area was extensively bombed in WWII and the Vietnam War (here called the American War), so few buildings remain. But the ones that do remain are extraordinary, with tile mosaic decorations, intricate wood carvings and such. Again, I need pictures to show you! The government and local people are making an effort to restore the buildings to their former glory--a huge undertaking. We spent the whole afternoon there, finally returning to our hotel for a refreshing shower. Later we had dinner at the Hue Serene Restaurant, exceptionally good. Oh, I forgot to mention that we have finally found warm weather. It is in the 70s here, still cloudy. Humid. I love it! Hue is busier than Dong Hoi, but less so than Hanoi. We have been told by many people that the people of Hanoi are focused on making money and being efficient. As you move south, the people are friendlier, more relaxed and less focused on making money. We have been impressed by the friendliness everywhere.
After the tour, we had another shrimp pancake meal and a coffee at our favorite Tree Hugger Cafe and then returned to our room for a good night's sleep. The next day we woke early for breakfast, a quick transfer to the train station and the 4 hour (daytime) ride to Hue, the old imperial capitol of Vietnam. The train was crowded with happy Vietnamese chattering and eating (everyone's favorite pasttime). I met a young Vietnamese woman who was studying to be a doctor. She studies and lives during the week in Hue and returns to her family's home in Dong Hoi on the weekends. She made several suggestions about local sites and local foods in Hue.
After checking into the hotel, we walked to the Citidel, seat of the imperial dynasty until 1945. It is about 200 acres near the Perfume River. Two moats surround it. The emperor lived in the center, the Forbidden City. His wives, mother and servants lived on the periphery. The area was extensively bombed in WWII and the Vietnam War (here called the American War), so few buildings remain. But the ones that do remain are extraordinary, with tile mosaic decorations, intricate wood carvings and such. Again, I need pictures to show you! The government and local people are making an effort to restore the buildings to their former glory--a huge undertaking. We spent the whole afternoon there, finally returning to our hotel for a refreshing shower. Later we had dinner at the Hue Serene Restaurant, exceptionally good. Oh, I forgot to mention that we have finally found warm weather. It is in the 70s here, still cloudy. Humid. I love it! Hue is busier than Dong Hoi, but less so than Hanoi. We have been told by many people that the people of Hanoi are focused on making money and being efficient. As you move south, the people are friendlier, more relaxed and less focused on making money. We have been impressed by the friendliness everywhere.
HaLong Bay to Dong Hoi
Today is Tuesday, December 16. Our last posting ended abruptly due to lack of space about December 11. Obviously we are too verbose. Anyway, the 2 days on HaLong Bay were wonderful. The second day was the best because it was the most relaxed. We bicycled along the coast and through a small village of Cat Ba Island, hiked to a hidden cave, returned to the boat for lunch, then kayaked around the islands in the afternoon. Very relaxing and fun. We even saw the rare Langor monkeys, about 12 of the 60 individuals remaining on the coastal islands. We have been beset by cloudy weather since our arrival in Vietnam. All of our sight-seeing--especially HaLong Bay--would have been better with sunny weather. Still, Vietnam is a beautiful country. We are loving it.
After HaLong Bay, we returned briefly to Hanoi to catch the train to Dong Hoi. We chose the sleeper train, 4 berths to a cabin just for the experience. We boarded at 7:30pm and got off the next morning at 6am. It was a challenge for me (Kathy) who likes to be in my nightie and bathrobe because I had to remain dressed. We were joined by 2 Vietnamese men in their mid-20s who took the upper berths. We had debated about upper, lower or a combination of berths when we booked our reservations. We were glad to have reserved the lower berths because there were no ladders (or other means) to the upper. The boys used upper arms to hoist themselves up...certainly not something I could have done. I slept pretty well to the gentle rocking of the train. Roger read a lot, slept a little.
We were picked up at Dong Hoi by the hotel staff and taken directly to our hotel, the Nam Long. Our friends, Kyle and Mark, had flown in from Hanoi and were already there when we arrived. Our first day there, we walked around the city of 100,000, the smallest city we will be visiting in Vietnam. Traffic was much slower than in Hanoi and the people more relaxed. Our hotel was near the river and a beautiful green river walk. This community has yet to be hit by tourism, so it was thoroughly unjaded. We took the paths to an outdoor market and several great restaurants featuring Banh Kwoai, a shrimp pancake to die for. The second day, we took a tour to Phong Nha Ke Bang National Park, a UNESCO site famous for its biodiversity and caves. First we saw, Paradise Cave, aptly named. It is the longest dry cave in Asia, about 18 miles long and absolutely stunning. We walked the first 3/4 mile on beautifully designed wood pathway. The ceilings, as much as 250 ft above us, gave the feeling of the Cistine Chapel, with a soft mosaic of swirling whites, greys and some blues. The cave was huge and dramatically lit with LEDs. I wish I could figure out how to move pix from my camera to this blog. But so far, no luck. Anyone out there know? More on next post.
After HaLong Bay, we returned briefly to Hanoi to catch the train to Dong Hoi. We chose the sleeper train, 4 berths to a cabin just for the experience. We boarded at 7:30pm and got off the next morning at 6am. It was a challenge for me (Kathy) who likes to be in my nightie and bathrobe because I had to remain dressed. We were joined by 2 Vietnamese men in their mid-20s who took the upper berths. We had debated about upper, lower or a combination of berths when we booked our reservations. We were glad to have reserved the lower berths because there were no ladders (or other means) to the upper. The boys used upper arms to hoist themselves up...certainly not something I could have done. I slept pretty well to the gentle rocking of the train. Roger read a lot, slept a little.
We were picked up at Dong Hoi by the hotel staff and taken directly to our hotel, the Nam Long. Our friends, Kyle and Mark, had flown in from Hanoi and were already there when we arrived. Our first day there, we walked around the city of 100,000, the smallest city we will be visiting in Vietnam. Traffic was much slower than in Hanoi and the people more relaxed. Our hotel was near the river and a beautiful green river walk. This community has yet to be hit by tourism, so it was thoroughly unjaded. We took the paths to an outdoor market and several great restaurants featuring Banh Kwoai, a shrimp pancake to die for. The second day, we took a tour to Phong Nha Ke Bang National Park, a UNESCO site famous for its biodiversity and caves. First we saw, Paradise Cave, aptly named. It is the longest dry cave in Asia, about 18 miles long and absolutely stunning. We walked the first 3/4 mile on beautifully designed wood pathway. The ceilings, as much as 250 ft above us, gave the feeling of the Cistine Chapel, with a soft mosaic of swirling whites, greys and some blues. The cave was huge and dramatically lit with LEDs. I wish I could figure out how to move pix from my camera to this blog. But so far, no luck. Anyone out there know? More on next post.
Friday, December 12, 2014
Our First Week in Vietnam
We have been in Vietnam for a week now. A very exciting week. We arrived early in the morning after 3 grueling flights from Las Vegas to Los Angeles, Los Angeles to Hong Kong and Hong Kong to Hanoi taking about 17 hours (although we lost count due to the time zone changes and date line change). We had arranged ahead for "fast tracking" our visa applications in Hanoi since we knew we would be tired when we arrived. This worked well. We also had pre-arranged transport to our hotel which also was appreciated.
Once we stepped outside the airport and into the hotel transfer car, we knew we weren't in Kansas anymore. The traffic on the roads was incredible...not just quantity of vehicles (which was a lot), ranging from bicycles, scooters, cars, buses and trucks, but also driving patterns. While Vietnamese theoretically drive on the right side of the road, it's really just a guideline. Cars come at you from the left as well as the right and sometimes across your path. Stoplights also are merely suggestions. People go through them willy-nilly. They drive on the side walks and really anywhere else the driver imagines he can fit. Oh my! The rule on passing seems to be that you can pass anywhere (right or left), anytime...but the biggest vehicle wins. This was all intellectually amusing until we got out of the cab and tried to cross the street to our hotel. The flow of vehicles (mostly motor cycles) never stopped. We just waded through hoping we made it. Gradually we learned to follow local pedestrians (tightly), using them for shields. It's like wading across a river watching the water (in this case, cars, motorcycles, etc) flow around you. They anticipate you will keep moving, so you cannot stop once you start across. Such fun! Unfortunately you have to walk in the streets much of the time because the sidewalks are motorcycle parking lots, hence impassable.
Our hotel (The Eclipse Legend Hotel) was tiny--18 rooms on 6 floors. The room was lovely, overlooking the street. We stayed 3 nights and were served a (better than U.S.A.) breakfast each morning. The staff was exceptionally attentive and helpful. The tourist industry here knows the meaning of service and customer satisfaction.
Each day in Hanoi, we explored a bit of the city. We visited the Women's Museum, the History Museum (focused on the series of wars against invaders over the last 150 years), Hoan Kiem Lake, and various streets in the Old Quarters that were named for the main product sold on that street: flower street, silk street, herb street, tin street, dress shop street, etc. At the end of each day, we usually found ourselves at Beer Corner, where we would sit on miniature chairs on the sidewalk and drink local beer with other tourists. I'm having to give up temporarily on Corona, but the local Bia Hoi is a nice substitute. It is brewed daily and costs about 50 cents a mug. Roger took a student-escorted tour of the Mausoleum, housing Ho Chi Minh's body, (closed that day), the University (called the Temple of Literature) and to a typical 1970s Hanoi home. Roger especially enjoyed talking with the students who were trying to improve their English. Of course, as one knows, the students didn't get much of a chance to speak with Roger. He spent a lot of time explaining how things worked in the States. Our meals included an excellent noodle soup and fried spring roll feast, a duck dinner (outstanding), and one very inexpensive noodle soup meal (we are unsure of what the meat was...there was some suspicion that it was dog??) and finally a great Vietnamese fish dinner at Quan An Ngon (well patronized by Vietnamese).
After our 3 nights in Hanoi, we took a 4 hour bus ride to the coast and boarded a tourist boat for 2 nights on HaLong Bay. HaLong Bay, UNESCO World Heritage Site, contains the many limestone islands we typically see in Asian paintings. There were thousands of them. Almost all have sheer cliffs covered with tropical foliage, birds and monkeys. It was delightful. As we motored across the bay, we were served an elegant gourmet meal (we are so focused on food, aren't we?) of soup, fish dish, spring rolls. This was one example of many meals on board that were fantastic. We arrived at one of the island and walked to a cave and then to a lake on the island with no outlet to the sea. We moved on to another area where we took kayaks or rowboats through an arch into a lagoon. Once we had entered the lagoon area, we were surprised by a group of langors (near extinction) hanging from the cliffs and trees. They seemed unimpressed with our visit, but we definitely were pleased to see them. We returned to the ship for a cooking demonstration, dinner and movie. While this sounds like an expensive experience, it really was not. You get great value for your dollar in Vietnam. More to follow.
Days 2 and 3
Once we stepped outside the airport and into the hotel transfer car, we knew we weren't in Kansas anymore. The traffic on the roads was incredible...not just quantity of vehicles (which was a lot), ranging from bicycles, scooters, cars, buses and trucks, but also driving patterns. While Vietnamese theoretically drive on the right side of the road, it's really just a guideline. Cars come at you from the left as well as the right and sometimes across your path. Stoplights also are merely suggestions. People go through them willy-nilly. They drive on the side walks and really anywhere else the driver imagines he can fit. Oh my! The rule on passing seems to be that you can pass anywhere (right or left), anytime...but the biggest vehicle wins. This was all intellectually amusing until we got out of the cab and tried to cross the street to our hotel. The flow of vehicles (mostly motor cycles) never stopped. We just waded through hoping we made it. Gradually we learned to follow local pedestrians (tightly), using them for shields. It's like wading across a river watching the water (in this case, cars, motorcycles, etc) flow around you. They anticipate you will keep moving, so you cannot stop once you start across. Such fun! Unfortunately you have to walk in the streets much of the time because the sidewalks are motorcycle parking lots, hence impassable.
Our hotel (The Eclipse Legend Hotel) was tiny--18 rooms on 6 floors. The room was lovely, overlooking the street. We stayed 3 nights and were served a (better than U.S.A.) breakfast each morning. The staff was exceptionally attentive and helpful. The tourist industry here knows the meaning of service and customer satisfaction.
Each day in Hanoi, we explored a bit of the city. We visited the Women's Museum, the History Museum (focused on the series of wars against invaders over the last 150 years), Hoan Kiem Lake, and various streets in the Old Quarters that were named for the main product sold on that street: flower street, silk street, herb street, tin street, dress shop street, etc. At the end of each day, we usually found ourselves at Beer Corner, where we would sit on miniature chairs on the sidewalk and drink local beer with other tourists. I'm having to give up temporarily on Corona, but the local Bia Hoi is a nice substitute. It is brewed daily and costs about 50 cents a mug. Roger took a student-escorted tour of the Mausoleum, housing Ho Chi Minh's body, (closed that day), the University (called the Temple of Literature) and to a typical 1970s Hanoi home. Roger especially enjoyed talking with the students who were trying to improve their English. Of course, as one knows, the students didn't get much of a chance to speak with Roger. He spent a lot of time explaining how things worked in the States. Our meals included an excellent noodle soup and fried spring roll feast, a duck dinner (outstanding), and one very inexpensive noodle soup meal (we are unsure of what the meat was...there was some suspicion that it was dog??) and finally a great Vietnamese fish dinner at Quan An Ngon (well patronized by Vietnamese).
After our 3 nights in Hanoi, we took a 4 hour bus ride to the coast and boarded a tourist boat for 2 nights on HaLong Bay. HaLong Bay, UNESCO World Heritage Site, contains the many limestone islands we typically see in Asian paintings. There were thousands of them. Almost all have sheer cliffs covered with tropical foliage, birds and monkeys. It was delightful. As we motored across the bay, we were served an elegant gourmet meal (we are so focused on food, aren't we?) of soup, fish dish, spring rolls. This was one example of many meals on board that were fantastic. We arrived at one of the island and walked to a cave and then to a lake on the island with no outlet to the sea. We moved on to another area where we took kayaks or rowboats through an arch into a lagoon. Once we had entered the lagoon area, we were surprised by a group of langors (near extinction) hanging from the cliffs and trees. They seemed unimpressed with our visit, but we definitely were pleased to see them. We returned to the ship for a cooking demonstration, dinner and movie. While this sounds like an expensive experience, it really was not. You get great value for your dollar in Vietnam. More to follow.
Days 2 and 3
Monday, December 1, 2014
Winter 2014-5 Southeast Asia Trip
We leave for Vietnam, Cambodia and Myanmar on Thursday, December 4. We'll be posting irregularly to the blog due to spotty access to the internet. Grab your map of SE Asia and join us on our wanderings. Meanwhile, Merry Christmas!!
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