Blog. Number 2 -Oct. 6/11

We are now almost two weeks into our trip. One of things that you have to understand about travel in this part of the world is street intelligence. For example the Tuk Tuk driver that you meet who is so very friendly is often connected to museums, factory outlet and other companies. He led us to the Royal Factory in Bangkok where there were all original rubies,sapphires,etc. Now Carolyn has a lovely ruby ring! Later a taxi driver showed us his coupon card which gets credited based on the number of tourists he brings to each shop. His name was Max and he works long hours - 12 or 13 per day - He must do this or his family will starve. Bangkok like all Asian cities is bursting at the seams where rural folks come to the city in search of work.

The one thing you really notice in cities like Bangkok and Hanoi is lack of private space. It is noisy, crazy, and great fun to walk the streets and observe the daily spectacle of people on their way to or from work. People have their meals on the street; they exercise early starting at 5 am in the park and generally hang out. We had a delicious meal sitting on small stools. They had to pile 2 extra stools on top of one another so we could sit more comfortably -we are huge in comparison to most people here. The cost of the meal was $10 that included 3 beers and healthy portions of squid, vegetables,etc. Earlier in the day we had a fine dining experience at Seasons of Hanoi restaurant. A gourmet meal complete with wine and tip it came to $30. We had an interesting conversation at the restaurant with a gentleman from Georgia who is working on a project to remove cluster bombs from Vietnam war. It is hard to believe that people are still dying from that conflict.On a trip like this the most interesting part is the people you meet. Both Thai and Vietnamese people have been very gracious and kind to us especially when we are lost!

Trip at a glance
Weather - temperature range 25 to 35 Celsius 2 rainy days but mostly cloudy
Accommodation - Legacy Suites in Bangkok - $80/night and Charming Hotel in Hanoi - $25/night
We recommend both.
Transportation - Air Asia - Bangkok to Hanoi $90 each. Taxis, Tuk Tuks are very inexpensive.
Upcoming Events - Vietnamese cooking class, day tour Perfume Pagoda, history museum