HCMC/Saigon - City of Surprises - Part 1

HCMC/Saigon

How often do you hear the question what was(any city) like? it is a difficult question to answer because cities are such multilayered entities. You can only speak from your experience. You can capture moments in the life of a city from the streets, the restaurants, hotels, museums, markets or other attractions that you visit. We must add to this list as always the interesting people you meet along the way. Our five day stay was informative and often exciting. Our hotel was located across from a park filled with folks exercising, ballroom dancing and playing badminton early every morning. One of our best decisions was signing up for the Saigon Unseen Tour; the five hour tour exposed us to Saigon warts and all. The cleverly designed tour on the back of motorbikes included viewing sweat shops, temples, rich and poor neighborhoods, markets and narrow streets/alleys that we would never have found on our own. The energy on the street at night is amazing. Here are some of the things we did: Independence Palace, War Remnants Museum, Ben Thanh Market and a 2 day visit to the Mekong Delta. We would highly recommend all of these places should you visit Saigon.

Mui Ne

This is our first Christmas away from family and friends so we carefully chose a destination and accommodation. We are happy to report that we chose well. The Mui Ne Hills Guesthouse made us feel so welcome and they organized a special Christmas Eve BBQ for the guests. The eclectic
mix of people at the guesthouse made for a very enjoyable 7 day stay. Mui Ne is noted as the windiest part of .Vietnam and Kite and wind surfers from around the world come here to experience the challenges of the big surf. We particularly loved the beach experience watching the athleticism of these surfers leaping high into the air and skimming across the waves. We did not spend all our time on the beach. We climbed the red and white sand dunes and visited the picturesque fishing village. Yesterday we took a jeep tour to Ta Cu Mountain to see one of the largest reclining Buddhas in South East Asia. What a spectacular sight! Today as we write we are resting by the pool and tomorrow we are back to Ho Chi Minh Ciy for 2 more days. More on that in our next blog.

Trip at a glance

Weather - overall cloudy but pleasant - no rain Temperatures - 30 to 35 Celsius - very humid -85%

Meals - $8-$30 For example - last night's meal at an Indian Restaurant - $27.50 (4 glasses of wine, 2 excellent dishes and tip included)

Summary - 93 days - $131 per day this includes all transportation, meals, accommodation, in short everything

Beautiful Kep Cambodia

Kep

We were not impressed with Sihanoukville so we chose to come to Kep. Instantly Kep captured our interest and it is better good luck than good management that we found the Beach House Hotel. The accommodation was outstanding in every way with an outstanding view from our balcony. You could not beat the location just 2 km from the famous Kep Crab Market and an ocean beach across the street from the hotel. The hotel also featured a lovely pool. One highlight was a day tour to Rabbit Island where we hiked and explored it's wonderful beaches.Getting to the island was an adventure as the winds created very rough seas. We arrived slightly before seasickness set in. The tourist destination town of Kampot is easily toured from Kep and many travelers stay in Kampot rather than Kep. As mentioned in previous blogs it is always about the people you meet. We met 2 young ladies and 2 young men from France who were delightful (you know who you are)and had dinner with them. Anne we hope your journey is going well. We feel very lucky to be here at this time as the Kep area is on the verge of being californicated. Big time Chinese money is being invested and Bokor mountain which defines the area will be transformed into a place of megadevelopment including hotels, casinos, etc. The most unforgettable part of Kep was my 65th birthday at the Veranda Restaurant.

 Beach House Hotel Pool

 Road to Crab Market

Rabbit Island

Phnom Penh - Part Two - December 15 and 16
We left Kep on December 15 and arrived in Phnom Penh about 4 hours later. We stayed at the same hotel - Blue Lime - and once again thoroughly enjoyed our stay. We could not resist another lunch at Le Rits that is run by an NGO. If anyone ever visits Phnom Penh this is another good choice for accommodation and meals. Since we had only 1 day left in Phnom Penh we did a walkabout and finished the day with a sunset cruise. The sunset did not materialize because of the clouds but it was an interesting experience observing the many fish boats that are home to a large number of families.

Trip at a glance

Weather - same same -sunny hot and humid

Hotels- the Beach House( breakfast not included) - Kep, Cambodia - $40/night - excellent and Blue Lime - Phnom Penh - $60(superior Room this time)

Tours - Rabbit Island - $8/person

Meals - $6-$40 for two people

Phnom Penh and Sihanoukville

PHNOM PENH - PICKING UP THE PIECES
The inspiration for this title came from our visit to the Killing Fields outside of Phnom Penh.The visit renders one speechless as you hear the stories and read the stories relating how the Khmer Rouge detained, tortured and murdered between 3 and 4 million Of their own people. This slaughter occurred in a short period of 3 years, 8 months and 20 days between 1975 and 1979. It is difficult to travel in Cambodia and not meet people who have had family members killed or were themselves victims of this murderous regime. We would like to think that such atrocities were abberations but clearly this is not the case. All we have to do is pick up the newspaper or go online to find current examples of "Man's inhumanity to Man".

Cambodia is a sad country drenched in poverty but the Cambodian People seem to have a way about them. They are resilient, hardworking and a joy to be around. We especially enjoy the Tuk Tuk drivers who have a great sense of humor and a strong entrepreneurial spirit. Cambodia has been a highlight of our SE Asia tour. in spite of the things mentioned above - the lack of respect for human rights by governments, local elites, and international nations and corporations, Cambodia is still a beautiful country for the traveller. The landscapes are spectacular and the cultural attractions are many.

Sihanoukville
We knew a little about this "sin"city before we came. It gets it's reputation from the millions of visitors who come here every year for sun, sand and regrettably easy access to the services of prostitutes. We should not have been surprised that upon our arrival we witnessed a tattooed older man with a young Cambodian Lady at the restaurant where we had dinner or a nasty altercation that took place as we left the breakfast table to go to our room the following morning. it was then that we decided we were not staying there any longer. We checked out 2 local beaches(one was Ostres Beach, supposedly the nicest public beach). We were not impressed by either one so we took Doug's sister's recommendation and headed to Kep. This is where we are as we write and The Beach House Hotel is spectacular! More on Kep in our next blog...

Trip at a glance

Weather - 25-30 degrees during the day and sunny

Meals - $10-$30 (more expensive than other places)

Accommodation - Blue Lime Hotel - Phnom Penh - $40/night and The Beach House - Kep - $40/night

Transportation - Bus - 5 to 7 hour trips -$7/person

An Outstanding 8 Days in Siem Reap, Cambodia

Siem Reap is a must see for mainly one reason - Angkor Wat. It simply defines the region. The whole city depends on the revenue from the millions of people who visit this architecturally stunning religious site. We discovered at the end of our time here that the National Museum of Cambodia should be seen prior to a trip out to Angkor Wat. Fortunately we made the right decision to hire a guide who gave a great tour and had a vast knowledge of the temple site. We had a three day pass ($40 each) which gave us ample opportunity to view the magnificent structures at the temple sites. Keep in mind that Angkor Wat was carved out of the jungle and over the centuries plant life has become imbedded in the stone buildings (not only plants but trees). Suffice it to say the more information you have before your visit will enhance your time there. It was not all about the temples.

Here are some of the things we did and things you might consider if you travel here: Floating Village with a guide ( Thy Chan - he was exceptional and goes the extra mile to make sure your needs are met - thysiemreaptuktuk@gmail.com ), night market where you will meet many other travelers like yourself, artisan workshops, NGO - New Hope for Cambodia and the National Museum.

We keep referring to this trip we are on as an informal experiential course in SE Asian Studies. Our instructors are the people we meet everyday - hotel employees, tuktuk drivers, guides, books, the Internet and in particular other travelers. Siem Reap has many faces. Many of the hotels are like palaces and are often surrounded by some of the worst poverty that we have seen so far. We had the good fortune to visit New Hope for Cambodia that is located in the center of the worst slum in Siem Reap. Many of the children in this area end up in the sex trade. This NGO offers education to 400 kids, medical support to families, and training to assist families unlearning how to support themselves.

You can why we would enjoy our 8 days here. The hotel was one of the best yet: great room, great staff and a great pool all for $30/night. A nice bookend to the trip was Doug's participation in a 10 km run at Angkor Wat that saw 5200 runners from 58 countries take part.

Tomorrow we head to Phnom Penh. Soon with our daughter-in-law's help we will get more pictures on the blog.

Trip at a glance

Weather - hot and humid

Hotel- Prum Bayon - excellent - $30/night

Guide,car and driver - $50/day

Admission to Temples - $40 each

Meals - $7-$31

Southern Laos - you must see Pakse, Don Khong, Don Det and Champasak

PAKSE
Doug visited this town 5 or 6 years ago and found it to be a sleepy Lao outpost - no much going on! What a surprise it was to witness the changes that have taken place. Pakse is the capital of Champasak province and an educational and cultural centre. It appears that many dollars are flowing in for government buildings, new hotels, etc.. And they blend with the remnants of French colonial architecture. The activities we enjoyed were: walking along the Mekong River, exploring the historic old quarter of Pakse, coffee shops, fine dining on the hotel rooftop ($20 inclusive), great buffet breakfasts, massages (this is the only one I have enjoyed -$9,and last but not least the day trip to the Bolaven plateau with it's spectacular waterfalls,tea and coffee plantations and traditional weaving villages.

Mekong River

Mekong River

DON KHONG
This island is located about 3-4 hours from Pakse ($7 each).We spent 4 days here but 2 is probably enough. The highlight of the time there was a 45 km bike ride around the island before breakfast. We stayed at an upscale hotel for ($40/night) and met 2 great guys from Australia.

DON DET
This island is best reached from Don Khong by a one and a half hour boat ride. The scenery is exceptional and on an adjacent island Don Kone we saw the largest waterfall in South East Asia. These waterfalls are the reason that shipping does not occur on the Mekong as they a
Make navigation impossible. We had the remarkable experience and good luck to see the Irrawatty River Dolphins (only 100 left in the world)while we were on a boat excursion on the Mekong River. There is so much environmental damage being done to this country and this helps explain why plant and animal life is disappearing. That issue is too complex to get into here. The island is a backpackers favorite.

CHAMPASAK
We treated ourselves to borderline luxury at the Inthira Hotel. It was a wonderful base to explore the UNESCO site of Wat Phou - a pre-Angkorian Temple complex. The best way to explore the area is by bike and that is what we did. It was a great preparatory experience for our visit to Angkor Wat in Cambodia. The restoration work for the this site is being done by French, italian and Indian archeologists. Millions are being spent with many more millions required. The climb to the top terrace is dedicated to the god Shiva is well worth the effort as it provides outstanding views of the entire area.

We are now in Siem Reap on November 28, 2011 more on that in the next blog. Sooner or later we will learn to put pictures on the blog. Our daughter-in-law is helping us do the right now. However, we have mastered putting pictures on Facebook so you can join us there.

Trip at a glance

Weather - hot, hot, hot and sunny - mid 30s celsius

Hotels - Pakse Hotel ($40)- excellent, villa Muong Khong Hotel ($40)- excellent, Little Eden B&B ($44)- very good but no breakfast included and Inthira Hotel $(44)- excellent

Costs - first 30 days - $115/day, second 30 days - $133.26/day and overall for 62 days of travel inclusive of everything - $124.17. Keep in mind we are not choking nickels. We are in the mid range under $50 for accommodation and we have opted to fly sometimes rather than take buses. What we are saying is you could do it more cheaply.

Vangvieng - Give it a miss..

In spite of it's stunningly beautiful scenery and the fact that we managed to have a good time we will not recommend this location. Vangvieng is not your typical Laos Community. This place is devoted to the backpackers party scene and there seems to be a complete disregard for Lao customs and traditions. Laos is a very conservative and traditional country from your arrival at the airport there are signs posted everywhere stating no public displays of drunkeness or affection, no bare chests or bikinis,etc.. In Vangvieng anything goes. Picture A lovely afternoon of tubing or kayaking down the river but on both sides of the river are bars with too many people breaking the rules. While we were there a young man from Sweden was killed because he was drunk dove into the river, hit a rock and life over. Another fellow seriously cut his knee that got infected and he had to be flown to Bangkok for treatment. in spite of the above we had a good time, met some good friends, hiked, walked, kayaked and enjoyed delicious food.

45 km Bike Ride - Don Khong Island

Pathway to our hotel - Villa Muong Khong Hotel

Temple - Don Khong Island, Laos

Girls and Guys get together!

Laos girls on our early morning bike ride - Only 61% of children go to school.

We left Vangvieng for Vientiane and this bus ride was not the tortuous ride we experienced getting to Vangvieng from luang Parbang. We feel that it is important to use land travel but for only 6-7 hours or less. You do see a lot as you travel the countryside. One error in planning was not giving Vientiane more time. We were only there overnight and in retrospect 3 days would have been a much better choice. We flew from Vientiane to Pakse and the 4000 Islands more on that later.

Trip at a glance

Accommodation - Popular View Guesthouse - Vangvieng - very good - $25/night
Aroon Residence Hotel - Vientiane - excellent - $30/night

Meal costs - $4-$20

Weather - continues to be hot and sunny! Sorry to hear about your snow...

What could be wrong in Luang Prabang.....

We arrived in Luang Prabang in the early evening hours straight from the craziness of Hanoi. The streets were quiet and this UNESCO designated city with it's illuminated building mad scor an impressive introduction. Most cities when they are lit up present well but Luang Prabang is so beautiful that it is in a league of it's own. There is a lot of money in Luang Prabang which sets it apart from the poverty found in most of rural Laos. The United Nations has Laos at the top of their list of least developed nations. The pace of life in this country is joyously slow wand this is why so many people make it there destination of choice. We spent 10 fabulous days in Luang Prabang at Alounsavath, an exceptional guesthouse. We were treated as members of the family and included in an event with a Buddhist flavor. It was a celebration of life for her deceased father. We were invited to the temple where we had lunch and Doug was asked to be part of meditation with the monks (women cannot do this). Another highlight of the visit was volunteering at Big Brother Mouse that is a place for students to go and get tutored in English. Only 61% of children attend school and going to high school is costly. It would appear that most of those not attending school are female. As you walk the streets you cannot help but notice the presence of NGOs. The services of these groups and the tourist dollars are we think are a big help with the high levels of poverty. Much more is needed and the government is well aware of the challenges it faces.

We thoroughly enjoyed our stay in Luang Prabang with lots of walking, volunteering and of course seeing the sights. Doug is training for a 10 km run in Angkor Wat Dec.4 so he works in his sessions in the early morning. If you are considering Luang Prabang, there is trekking, kayaking, mountain biking... And of course, awesome food at a reasonable price!

We are currently in Vangvieng and we will save the details of the place and gruesome bus ride through the mountains to get here.

View of  Vangvieng from our balcony

Day kayaking on the Nam Song River - Vangvieng

Kayak Group at lunch

Rain shower in Vangvieng

Doug at a shop in Vangvieng

Trip at a glance

Weather last 7 days - sunny and hot

Accommodation - Alounsavath Guesthouse - Luang Prabang - $35/night

Food - $6 to $40 (high end restaurant)if you eat at the night market, you get good fox for $4-$5

To see more photos, request Doug as a friend on Facebook.

Adventure Photos

Thailand - Arrival at Wat Po Temple

Li Thai To Monument - Hoan Kiem Lake Area - Hanoi - Laughter Qi Gong Class

Breakfast at the Charming Hotel 

Typical Hanoi Street Scene - Motorcycles in front of Seasons of Hanoi - Great Restaurant!

Street Meal in Hanoi

Cooking Class - The Chefs!

Ninh Binh National Park - 700 year Old tree in the jungle

Boat Tour to Ninh Binh Caves

View on Trek in Sapa

Traditional Dance and Music Show in Sapa by black H'mong Hill People

Interior of our guide's home - her sister and nephew are preparing a delicious lunch

Lunch at our guide's home in Sapa

Lunch at our guide's home in Sapa

Carolyn and guide - May Cham - in her Village - Ta Phin - about 20 km from Sapa

Wedding Photos at Hoan Kiem Lake in Hanoi - these are daily occurrences in Hanoi because the wedding photos are done before the wedding not on the day of the wedding.

Boat tour of Halong Bay near Cat Ba Island - there are about 335 Islands in the Bay.

Sunset at Cat Ba Town - this is the view from our room ($18 a night)!