We had a great meal at a local restaurant that was recommended Neixta Shmer (sp?) It was all open air, and had lots of tables with mostly locals dining. We ordered two soups: chicken noodle, and a soup with khmer spices, chicken, morning glories (ok, so I was told it’s morning glory, and it’s a green leafy vegetable. But the item on the menu said morning lories. So, unsure what it was but it was good!) It tasted like a light curry and the flavor was magnificent. Our dishes were serpant fish with shrimp (though didn’t see any!), onions and carrots with a light Khmer sauce, and my friend got fried frog. Yes, frog. Immediately after ordering, he saw a big frog bouncing away from the kitchen and we got a good laugh. The dishes were good, but not as good as my soup! The total bill was $28.
Our tuk tuk driver took us to the market, which was a strip of souvenir and crap stores. I got my Cambodia magnet, and a long flowy dress that looks like it would be comfortable to kick around in, and we got a bunch of spices and teas. We let our driver go home as it was a very long day for him, so we got one for the way back. The kid was sweet but had no idea where he was going, and twice stopped to get directions. The second time, when he clearly wasn’t understanding where we wanted to go, we paid him the $2 fare he wanted and went with the guy he stopped to ask for directions. We made it, but now we can say we were lost in Cambodia!
We sat on our little porch for a while listening to the singing of bugs and watching the braver frogs jump up to say hello. There are lizards as well that scamper about, as well as other things that I’d rather not consider. It’s very peaceful here and this is a nice way to unwind after a busy day of walking through the temples and the jungle.
I woke the next day at 2 and couldn’t sleep, so I wrote for a while until I started to hear the roosters. Once the sun started to awaken, I went to sit outside to enjoy the cooler weather and the sound of the crickets in the jungle. We had breakfast at the hotel then met Jac and Piero at 9 for more touring of the temples. We shared our tuk tuk experiences of last night and all had a good laugh! We had a long drive to the first and got to see lots of local homes. They are up on long wood beams to provide air circulation during the hottest months. We passed many stands with rattan weavings of bowls and platters, and lots of large metal bowls steaming over a handmade cooking oven making palm juice and wine. I did forget to mention last night (I think) that we tried ginger palm wine. Not our favorite, but it was fun to try the local brew.
A truck heaped with bags with a dozen people sitting on top passed us. There was a woman who made eye contact with me as they passed and she rewarded me with a big smile. I returned the gesture. People here are so friendly and are so happy for tourism flooding money into the poor local economy.
The first temple was gorgeous, and a lovely tan and pink stone carved with hindu designs. It was very decorated and really beautiful. I’ll provide all the temple names when I get them from Jac tomorrow. The second was very nice as well though not nearly as impressive as the others we’ve seen, but worth visiting. The third was the temple made famous by Lara Croft Tomb Raider, with the trees growing up through the temple walls and ceilings. It was really amazing and did look straight out of a Hollywood movie set. We walked around there for a while exploring all of the different rooms and angles, noticing just how many trees had invaded the temple. Jac told us that determining what to do with the temple was a cause of much debate, as some want to preserve the temple by removing the trees, while others want nature to take its course. The latter has won, though they do prop some of the trees and the doorways to preserve what they can.
We went to see the land mine museum that a man named Aki Ra founded to help keep people safe from the mines and to support those injured as a result of them. There are thousands that still litter the countryside, and many people are injured as a result of them, even still, every year. The museum was sobering, but definitely something to see. Some of the mines were bigger than Jac, and were from USA, Russia and other countries, planted by the Khmer Rouge in the 70s and 80s. Aki Ra fought during the struggles with the Khmer Rouge, toting a gun when he was younger than 10. He buried land mines at 3 or 4, as soon as he was able to carry them. He now dedicates his life to removing the mines and supporting the people impacted as a result of them. The museum houses hundred of mines, ranging in size.
http://www.cambodialandminemuseum.org/history.html
Jac told us about the civil war with the Khmer rouge and the struggles of the people to shake off the horrors done to them. His family escaped to the mountains, and he described what the people did to survive. Children were told to kill their parents, friends, family and they did. For twenty years the people were completely oppressed and saw horrors that no one should. You can still feel it in the country, though there’s a sense of almost child-like optimism that has sprung from what they have been through.
We stopped for a quick lunch, well, as quick as any meal is in Cambodia on the way through the temples. The place was very touristy and had American prices, but it was conveniently located on the temple path. Jac shared with us the history of all the temples, what they were built of, and who lived there. On the way to one of the temples we saw a family of five on a moped. Impressive, though we haven’t seen as much impressive stuff here on mopeds as we saw in Vietnam!
The next temple was impressive for its steepness. Jac said it is the highest temple in Cambodia, though I suspect he said that to make me feel better. Let’s just start by saying I am petrified of heights. Absolutely petrified. So, climbing the stairs as I have to the top of the temples has been no small feat, but I find a way to go down (up’s easy!) Not always the most graceful of downward climbers, I’ve done several backwards or on my butt. I have no shame, but hey, it gets me up there and down. Well, this temple was so steep, as I was climbing it I even commented that it wasn’t the smartest thing I’d ever done. At one point I think I was praying that they would leave me there, and after a somewhat minor bout of hysteria and a few tears, I made it down the worst of it. Yup, I don’t see any reason to lie in my blog that I was quite freaked out, but the pictures prove I did it and I must say, I’m quite proud of myself for the accomplishment. My mom would never believe it. The rest of the stairs seemed like nothing after that one!
We toured a couple more small temples then headed up the hill to climb the last temple, where we planned to watch the sun set. As luck would turn out, yet again, it was too cloudy and while the view was beautiful, we will leave Cambodia without seeing a sunrise, or a sunset over the temples.
As we walked down we heard the sound of acadias, a bug which is also found in Arizona. They were so incredibly loud though, it was hard to believe it was just a bug! My friend commented on the likely size of them! I did forget to mention the spiders that we’ve seen touring the temples as well. Not a lot, thankfully, but we did see an interesting large black one with yellow and black stripes that Jac said is poisonous, as well as another rather large one that bounced a bit. I was very happy when he bounced on away. I’ve also forgotten to mention the monkeys, I think. We saw two climbing Angkor Wat, and they are by the river near that temple. They go right over to people as they are clearly used to being fed, and no, I didn’t try it. I know better. Really, Barb!
We headed back to the hotel to shower and change. It was disgustingly humid today, though not quite as hot as yesterday due to the cloud cover. Piero took us into town, to the old market area, for dinner.
We went to the Khmer Kitchen, the place that Piero and Jac recommended. They said it does have a lot of tourists, but that it's good. They were right! We told Piero to go home for the night, and that we'd get a tuk tuk home. He had another long day! We got Khmer dumplings which were.. interesting. a moist doughy circle filled with shredded green spices of some kind. It was interesting though don't think I'll get that again. We shared two dishes: a curry which was excellent, and amok, a local curry-like dish with greens that was ok. My friend got a Tiger beer to try, and said it wasn't bad, and I got a mango shake with yogurt to cure my dairy craving! It was really good.
We walked around a bit and I finished my gift shopping. I also got an interesting dress that is being altered, which I'll pick up tomorrow. We then decided to give the fish massage a go. Yes, I said fish massage. You jump up to sit at the side of a tank and tiny little fish eat the dead skin on your feet. A friend of mine raves about them and after all the hiking we've done through the temples, I figured it was worth a shot! It was fun. Both of us did it and we both pulled our feet away as the fish approached, without meaning to. But after a while we got used to it and it felt pretty good. The gal that worked there was a riot, and in a heavy accent kept yelling to passersby "fish massage! Happy funny fish massage! Free beer! Come back tomorrow!" She massaged my back and arms for a while, which felt great too. $3 each for a really different and interesting experience.
Tomorrow we visit the fishing village on the largest lake in the country called Tonie Sap, and then we'll do a city tour with Jac and Piero, our new best friends. Then we scheduled massages at the hotel. I'm getting a 1.5 hour one with aromatherapy oil for $27. In the market someone was shouting out about a 1 hour massage for $5, which is just amazing, but doesn't beat the convenience of our hotel!
Sam
Monday, November 8, 2010
Day 8: Siem Reap
We woke at 4:30 a.m. to go to watch the sun rise over Angkor Wat, and were picked up by our guide and tuk tuk driver at 5 am. Before we left, we saw a large toad near our rooms and a rather large spider. I was a little more excited about the toad. The guide told me that I had to change to pants as women aren’t allowed in the temple in shorts! I took my offensive legs back and clothed them.
The ride took maybe 15 minutes and we headed back through town over this incredibly gutted dirt road where I had my second ‘I wish I was a man’ moment (wishing I wore a sports bra!) Our guide’s name is Jac, and he’s really wonderful and knowledgeable. He pointed out some of the five star hotels (there’s an excessive amount of large hotels here). We purchased our tickets and were on our way. Cambodians do not pay for entry, and it was $40 for three days for each of us. It was still dark when we arrived, though starting to show small wisps of light. We walked over the Rainbow Bridge crossing the moat to the temple and found a spot next to the lake to watch. There were a lot of people here, particularly Japanese, and several hundred waited for the same sight.
It never happened. It was so cloudy that we didn’t view the sun rise, though we did get to watch the shadows creep away over the temple. Jac shared with us some information about the Cambodian people and the temple, then we shared breakfast. I got noodles with pork as well as a plate of fruit with bananas, mangos, and pineapple. Jason got nutella pancakes, which when it appeared was a fat pancake over some cut up bananas and a container of Duncan Hines chocolate frosting! It was hilarious and an interesting interpretation. We also got coffees, which were not as strong as the Vietnamese style, and are served with a can of condensed milk.
We headed over to the temple and walked in and around it for several hours. There are three levels, and we climbed stairs to the top level to walk around as well (yes, that was * fun * climbing down). Jac gave me the scarf around his neck to cover my shoulders as I was wearing a sleeveless shirt, so I also covered my offending shoulders before climbing up the steep and long stairs. My friend wasn’t very good to me, taking a picture of me clinging to the railing trying to climb down, and was rewarded with a gesture of my pleasure. We saw two young Buddhist monks in bright orange robes. Jac pointed out and explained many of the carvings in the walls, which were very intricately carved with dancing women, gods, monkeys and various other animals including horses, elephants and alligators. The four outside lower walls were completely carved with fighting scenes and scenes of rebirth and reincarnation. The local people were originally Hindus, but most converted to Buddhism. Even so, they still honor the old ways, and the temple was a mix of both. Buddhist monks lived there until they were told that they hindered conservation efforts and moved to a monestary near the Wat in the early 1900s.
Jac told us about his family. He lives in the country with his wife and her family: parents, and two sisters-in-law. He stays there when he doesn’t work as a guide. It’s typical that people live with their wife’s family so the daughter will care for the parents when they get old. He has a 9 month old son, and really lit up talking about him. He has a dog and a cat, both with jobs to do as the dog protects the house and the cat hunts mice. He’s had an interesting life and has lived at a monestary, worked as a grade school teacher, a realtor and now a tour guide. He also told us about finding guns in random places, even now, from the country’s long civil war. There was fighting from 1970 to 1975, then 1979 to around 1998.
We looked at all the carved walls, and Jac told us the stories they depicted, and stepped off the temple for a little bit to take some pictures of it, before heading out. There were some nice, long sun dresses in the stalls outside the temple, but I was a bit overloaded by the rush of people trying to sell us things, and we left. We were quite tired so decided to head to the hotel for a nap and some lunch. I think I fell asleep when my head hit the pillow, and woke a short bit later still tired. The heat and humidity really seems to have an effect.
The hotel is quite cute by day, and there’s a nice pool right in front of our rooms that we didn’t see at night. It’s really charming, though is lacking in some amenities like hot water! Even still, I’m enjoying it there and am glad we chose it.
We had lunch at the hotel consisting of two pork sandwiches with pan fried pork and great flavor (Khmer sandwiches) and enjoyed the sounds of the jungle for a bit. I kept a piece of pork for the skinny cat we’ve seen twice now on our hotel grounds. We met Jac at 2 to head to another temple, then into the market for some shopping and walking around.
We went to see Angkor Thom, a smaller temple complex in a different part of the complex from Angkor Wat. We saw the Preah Ngok Pagoda with many carved Buddha statues, the Bophuon Temple and climbed two rather steep areas (one a ladder and one steps—Barb, you would have been impressed!) to enjoy this beautiful small temple. We saw the Royal Palace, the Elephant Terrace and the Leper King Terrace. There were many amazingly beautiful carvings, including several five-headed horses, dancing women, gods and animals.
We headed back to shower then planned to go to the market for some dinner and shopping. The shops are in buildings supported by stilts over the water, and many have homes attached. The people are poor and own no land, so this was their way around the cost of land. Building over the water requires no land.
Tomorrow we head back to spend the day touring temples, then watch the sun set over one. What a perfect time!
Sam
The ride took maybe 15 minutes and we headed back through town over this incredibly gutted dirt road where I had my second ‘I wish I was a man’ moment (wishing I wore a sports bra!) Our guide’s name is Jac, and he’s really wonderful and knowledgeable. He pointed out some of the five star hotels (there’s an excessive amount of large hotels here). We purchased our tickets and were on our way. Cambodians do not pay for entry, and it was $40 for three days for each of us. It was still dark when we arrived, though starting to show small wisps of light. We walked over the Rainbow Bridge crossing the moat to the temple and found a spot next to the lake to watch. There were a lot of people here, particularly Japanese, and several hundred waited for the same sight.
It never happened. It was so cloudy that we didn’t view the sun rise, though we did get to watch the shadows creep away over the temple. Jac shared with us some information about the Cambodian people and the temple, then we shared breakfast. I got noodles with pork as well as a plate of fruit with bananas, mangos, and pineapple. Jason got nutella pancakes, which when it appeared was a fat pancake over some cut up bananas and a container of Duncan Hines chocolate frosting! It was hilarious and an interesting interpretation. We also got coffees, which were not as strong as the Vietnamese style, and are served with a can of condensed milk.
We headed over to the temple and walked in and around it for several hours. There are three levels, and we climbed stairs to the top level to walk around as well (yes, that was * fun * climbing down). Jac gave me the scarf around his neck to cover my shoulders as I was wearing a sleeveless shirt, so I also covered my offending shoulders before climbing up the steep and long stairs. My friend wasn’t very good to me, taking a picture of me clinging to the railing trying to climb down, and was rewarded with a gesture of my pleasure. We saw two young Buddhist monks in bright orange robes. Jac pointed out and explained many of the carvings in the walls, which were very intricately carved with dancing women, gods, monkeys and various other animals including horses, elephants and alligators. The four outside lower walls were completely carved with fighting scenes and scenes of rebirth and reincarnation. The local people were originally Hindus, but most converted to Buddhism. Even so, they still honor the old ways, and the temple was a mix of both. Buddhist monks lived there until they were told that they hindered conservation efforts and moved to a monestary near the Wat in the early 1900s.
Jac told us about his family. He lives in the country with his wife and her family: parents, and two sisters-in-law. He stays there when he doesn’t work as a guide. It’s typical that people live with their wife’s family so the daughter will care for the parents when they get old. He has a 9 month old son, and really lit up talking about him. He has a dog and a cat, both with jobs to do as the dog protects the house and the cat hunts mice. He’s had an interesting life and has lived at a monestary, worked as a grade school teacher, a realtor and now a tour guide. He also told us about finding guns in random places, even now, from the country’s long civil war. There was fighting from 1970 to 1975, then 1979 to around 1998.
We looked at all the carved walls, and Jac told us the stories they depicted, and stepped off the temple for a little bit to take some pictures of it, before heading out. There were some nice, long sun dresses in the stalls outside the temple, but I was a bit overloaded by the rush of people trying to sell us things, and we left. We were quite tired so decided to head to the hotel for a nap and some lunch. I think I fell asleep when my head hit the pillow, and woke a short bit later still tired. The heat and humidity really seems to have an effect.
The hotel is quite cute by day, and there’s a nice pool right in front of our rooms that we didn’t see at night. It’s really charming, though is lacking in some amenities like hot water! Even still, I’m enjoying it there and am glad we chose it.
We had lunch at the hotel consisting of two pork sandwiches with pan fried pork and great flavor (Khmer sandwiches) and enjoyed the sounds of the jungle for a bit. I kept a piece of pork for the skinny cat we’ve seen twice now on our hotel grounds. We met Jac at 2 to head to another temple, then into the market for some shopping and walking around.
We went to see Angkor Thom, a smaller temple complex in a different part of the complex from Angkor Wat. We saw the Preah Ngok Pagoda with many carved Buddha statues, the Bophuon Temple and climbed two rather steep areas (one a ladder and one steps—Barb, you would have been impressed!) to enjoy this beautiful small temple. We saw the Royal Palace, the Elephant Terrace and the Leper King Terrace. There were many amazingly beautiful carvings, including several five-headed horses, dancing women, gods and animals.
We headed back to shower then planned to go to the market for some dinner and shopping. The shops are in buildings supported by stilts over the water, and many have homes attached. The people are poor and own no land, so this was their way around the cost of land. Building over the water requires no land.
Tomorrow we head back to spend the day touring temples, then watch the sun set over one. What a perfect time!
Sam
Sunday, November 7, 2010
day ?: leaving Hanoi and arriving at Siem Reap
We had another great breakfast and went downstairs to check out. We saw Nhung, the receptionist who has been so helpful, and arranged a ride to the airport for later in the day. We learned that her name means ‘velvet.’ We stopped to visit the St. Joseph’s Cathedral, which just let out their services, and took some pictures of the beautiful stained glass. We then headed out across the historical city center area to the Hoa Lo prison, where American airmen (most famous of which was John McCain) were kept during the Vietnam War. It was really interesting though a bit eerie when we learned it was used for decades, built by the French Colonialists to house, torture and kill ‘rebels.’ There was a women’s area and a men’s area, and people were shackled by the feet. Death was by gunshot or guillotine.
The perspective on the Vietnam War (their civil war) was quite interesting, and my friend commented that no matter the feelings about the Americans, the Vietnamese surely didn’t hate them as much as the French colonialists! There were pictures on the wall showing different historical scenes, many of which showing the reasonableness of the care of the American soldiers. There was also a wall of Vietnamese prisoners who became political leaders after the French were no longer in power.
We then went to a tour of a beautiful old home in the historic district, and visited the Ca luang community house which was described as a Vietnamese version of Alice in Wonderland. It was quite trippy and interesting, and an old woman was sitting there watching tv in her living room when we visited. We stopped in a couple of shrines and temples, all of which were beautifully and ornately decorated. We did some shopping for gifts, going to the textile place we enjoyed for a third time! The sweet girl in there suggested a very local Vietnamese place for lunch, and the only thing they served was a dish called bun cha. It was noodles, a sweet and sour tasting stock, a plate of basil and greens (which we couldn’t eat), some fried ground beef, grilled pork, a bowl of some kind of root vegetable cut up, and a plate of fried fish spring rolls. It was quite tasty for the most part and at $7 total it was quite a deal. It was entirely Vietnamese and we sat on the plastic stools that cover the sidewalks—at least, where there’s no mopeds!
We decided to head to the airport early and the ride didn’t disappoint. We saw a man walking a cow on the side of the highway, several mopeds in the far right driving opposite traffic, and a bus crossed from the far right lane, across three lanes of traffic to take a left. Now that was impressive!!
We went through the quickest check-in and security check known to mankind and had lots of time to spare, so we walked around the airport a bit when we discovered a foot massage place. We decided to get foot and shoulder massages, and were glad we did! It was really wonderful though I’m quite ticklish, but it still was great!
The flight to Cambodia was only around an hour and a half, but it felt like forever for my poor friend who had to sit next to a man with an incredibly strong… aroma. Man, the guy just stunk! We made it off the plane, gasping for air and grateful to be off the flight. There aren’t jetways here so we walked down the stairs, which was interesting as they were covered.
Our bags came quickly and we went through immigration and customs. I had put one of my bags down for a few minutes, and when I went to grab it I jumped as I noticed a huge grasshopper-like bug that was at least 5 or 6 inches long!!! Yikes. If that’s any indication..
We had a ride arranged with the hotel, which turned out to be a tuk tuk, a motorized scooter towing a cart. It was hilarious! We rode maybe 15 minutes to the hotel past some of the largest hotels I’ve seen. We were amazed by how built up this is and how touristed it is. We crossed the river through a quaint little area which we assumed is the town, and the place we’re at, Mysteres d’Angkor, is just a few streets away but definitely off the beaten path. I can’t wait to see it during the day as it seems just perfect! The lobby of sorts is totally open, and is comprised of a few rooms including an office with a computer and a sitting /recreation room with a pool table. We went to our rooms which are all through a very jungle-like area with lots of plans, and walked across some wooden plans to get there. The rooms are adorable and have lots of character: terra cotta floors, a four post bed complete with mosquito netting (we now understand why!), Wood shutters on the windows, a large wood chest, and the bathroom is a walk in shower and an adorable sink with a metal bowl and a little spout that pours into it. Lots of fun!
We unpacked and went to the restaurant, which is also adorable. The only down side is that it’s totally open so not air conditioned, and it’s very humid here. We got ‘snacks’ which were large plates of fried rice and noodles. Service was very slow, but the food was good and hit the spot.
We arranged for a tuk tuk for the day and a guide to go to Angkor Wat tomorrow. Both cost us $45. We were told to go for sunrise, so will be picked up at 5 am. It’ll come way too early but will be well worth it! I’m quite excited. Speaking of which… good night!
S
The perspective on the Vietnam War (their civil war) was quite interesting, and my friend commented that no matter the feelings about the Americans, the Vietnamese surely didn’t hate them as much as the French colonialists! There were pictures on the wall showing different historical scenes, many of which showing the reasonableness of the care of the American soldiers. There was also a wall of Vietnamese prisoners who became political leaders after the French were no longer in power.
We then went to a tour of a beautiful old home in the historic district, and visited the Ca luang community house which was described as a Vietnamese version of Alice in Wonderland. It was quite trippy and interesting, and an old woman was sitting there watching tv in her living room when we visited. We stopped in a couple of shrines and temples, all of which were beautifully and ornately decorated. We did some shopping for gifts, going to the textile place we enjoyed for a third time! The sweet girl in there suggested a very local Vietnamese place for lunch, and the only thing they served was a dish called bun cha. It was noodles, a sweet and sour tasting stock, a plate of basil and greens (which we couldn’t eat), some fried ground beef, grilled pork, a bowl of some kind of root vegetable cut up, and a plate of fried fish spring rolls. It was quite tasty for the most part and at $7 total it was quite a deal. It was entirely Vietnamese and we sat on the plastic stools that cover the sidewalks—at least, where there’s no mopeds!
We decided to head to the airport early and the ride didn’t disappoint. We saw a man walking a cow on the side of the highway, several mopeds in the far right driving opposite traffic, and a bus crossed from the far right lane, across three lanes of traffic to take a left. Now that was impressive!!
We went through the quickest check-in and security check known to mankind and had lots of time to spare, so we walked around the airport a bit when we discovered a foot massage place. We decided to get foot and shoulder massages, and were glad we did! It was really wonderful though I’m quite ticklish, but it still was great!
The flight to Cambodia was only around an hour and a half, but it felt like forever for my poor friend who had to sit next to a man with an incredibly strong… aroma. Man, the guy just stunk! We made it off the plane, gasping for air and grateful to be off the flight. There aren’t jetways here so we walked down the stairs, which was interesting as they were covered.
Our bags came quickly and we went through immigration and customs. I had put one of my bags down for a few minutes, and when I went to grab it I jumped as I noticed a huge grasshopper-like bug that was at least 5 or 6 inches long!!! Yikes. If that’s any indication..
We had a ride arranged with the hotel, which turned out to be a tuk tuk, a motorized scooter towing a cart. It was hilarious! We rode maybe 15 minutes to the hotel past some of the largest hotels I’ve seen. We were amazed by how built up this is and how touristed it is. We crossed the river through a quaint little area which we assumed is the town, and the place we’re at, Mysteres d’Angkor, is just a few streets away but definitely off the beaten path. I can’t wait to see it during the day as it seems just perfect! The lobby of sorts is totally open, and is comprised of a few rooms including an office with a computer and a sitting /recreation room with a pool table. We went to our rooms which are all through a very jungle-like area with lots of plans, and walked across some wooden plans to get there. The rooms are adorable and have lots of character: terra cotta floors, a four post bed complete with mosquito netting (we now understand why!), Wood shutters on the windows, a large wood chest, and the bathroom is a walk in shower and an adorable sink with a metal bowl and a little spout that pours into it. Lots of fun!
We unpacked and went to the restaurant, which is also adorable. The only down side is that it’s totally open so not air conditioned, and it’s very humid here. We got ‘snacks’ which were large plates of fried rice and noodles. Service was very slow, but the food was good and hit the spot.
We arranged for a tuk tuk for the day and a guide to go to Angkor Wat tomorrow. Both cost us $45. We were told to go for sunrise, so will be picked up at 5 am. It’ll come way too early but will be well worth it! I’m quite excited. Speaking of which… good night!
S
Friday, November 5, 2010
Hanoi: Day 6: Perfume Pagoda trip
Yesterday we decided to get out of the city for the day and booked a trip to the Perfume Pagoda. It's around 2 hours out of town, and a complex of Buddhist temples and shrines built into the limestone Huong Tich mountains. Legend claims that the site was discovered over 2000 years ago by a monk meditating in the area, who named the site after a Tibetan mountain where Lord Buddha practiced. It's the site of a religious festival every year drawing large numbers.
I had the idea to turn on the air conditioner to dull out the street noise and what a great idea! I slept really well except for the call on my cell at 2 am (grumble). I went out onto the balcony as I do every morning to watch the goings on below, and noticed it is incredibly humid. There was funny music playing really loudly which sounded like kid's music and made me laugh.
We had another great breakfast then packed up our laundry for the hotel to do it. We went downstairs to meet our tour guide to take us to the Perfume Pagoda. My friend suggested it, and it sounded like fun and a great day out of the city to give us a break from the craziness here. Le was our guide, an adorable young guy. He was a little hard to understand, but very friendly and enthusiastic. We headed out in a private car for the two hour drive and passed another 'kid sandwich' on a moped. Not only have we seen babies balanced on the handlebars, but two people riding with a baby sandwiched between them!
We passed through many small towns that were as poor as we've seen. One had incredibly gutted roads and it was tough passing. We passed a crowded town and were told it was a wedding party. We then passed a toll, or what turned to be one though we might have never known. It was a bunch of guys sitting at a table, and there was a wooden upside-down u shaped structure over the road with vietnamese words written on it. One guy got up slowly and made his way to the car for the fare and off we went.
We stopped and were greeted with welcome tea, which we shared, and pointed to the bathrooms. I had another 'I wish I were a guy in this moment' moment, when I discovered the bathroom was a hole in the floor. They did have foot pedals, which is a nice touch, but... yeah. Not even the benefit of pointing downhill for this so it's not so easy when wearing shorts. I did manage and off we went to the river where we were greeted by a woman boater.
It was a beautiful ride by the river, and we stopped at a large pagoda to look around and take pictures. There were a lot of gorgeous bright pink water lillies on lily pads, and the woman picked two and gave them to me. We proceeded past some small pagodas as well. The ride took maybe 30-40 minutes then we arrived.
The 'town' of sorts was a bunch of metal stalls set up with women selling souvieners, food and plastic toys. They were a bit assertive in trying to sell things, but we quickly moved past. It reminded me a bit of Aguas Caliente at the base of Machu Pichu in Peru. We took a tram ride up which was beautiful but a little nerve-wracking. The mountains are lush with vegetation and really beautiful, though even here everything is covered in a haze of smog and fog. We walked up some steps then down several very long staircases made of cut rock until we entered the Perfume Pagoda, which is actually a large cave. There were many shrines with incense, offerings of rice, fruit and other items. At the large one at the end of the cave there were many people chanting and praying.
We climbed back out and went back down in the tram. I think my heart was left at the first dip, but I recovered quickly enough. We then stopped for lunch. Le ordered a bunch of dishes, six actually, and we dug in. It included some fried spring rolls, greens, chicken, fried fish, beef and onions and scallions, and fried tofu, along with some plantains for dessert. We gave some beef to the local dogs, though I scared one who was sleeping and got snapped at (I wasn't all that close, thankfully). The poor thing's eyes were pretty awful so that may have been some of the issue. She gobbled it right up.
The boat ride back was beautiful as well and we enjoyed the beautiful scenery. The ride back was fine, though we missed a turn on the highway and actually backed up a good distance on the exit to get back on the highway (we saw that quite a few times!) We also had to cross lanes of a busy street with two lanes each way and that was a bit harrowing. I think I had forgotten how crazy Hanoi was in the leisurely day we had, as I was a bit overloaded by all the mopeds all over the place! Nonetheless, we did make it back to the hotel to find clean laundry. Yay! They earned high marks as my bag had several bills in it that I must have left in my pockets.
We decided to go to dinner at Hoa Sua, a lovely restaurant which is a school for disadvantaged youth for hospitality, tourism and restaurant. The school has 500 students annually from all over Vietnam, and a portion of the cost of meals goes to fund scholarships. Students learn everything from cooking and waiting, to managing a restaurant.
We decided on a cyclo (the bicycle 'cab') and off we went. It was a young guy and he moved very quickly. He charged us a large amount (over three times what we paid the last) and while it was a longer distance, it seemed excessive. Then he asked what time we would be done, so we figure we paid the fare in advance. Too bad as the meal took much longer than anticipated so he sure made out!
Where he dropped us was not quite it, and we wandered down the narrow street looking. A really nice local woman asked if we were looking for hoa Sua and pointed us in the right direction, which was around the corner. The place is absolutely charming, in a large old colonial home with a huge courtyard marked by a long white staircase. There was a dark terra cotta tile on the ground, and some beautifully decorated tables. We decided to sit outside and two vietnamese teens came right over to help us. They were absolutely adorable.
We settled on fresh spring rolls, duck a'la orange and beef medallions with bernaise sauce, along with a bottle of light red wine. The spring rolls were excellent: vegetarian with finely ground peanuts which made for a nice twist. The beef was so-so, and the duck was really great. They were fairly attentive though there was a large table (20 or so people) that sat shortly after us, so we lost them for a while. They started with fresh bread and overall the meal was great. I ended with a mango smoothie for dessert which was good as well. And for $60 US (including a 30% tip) it was a great deal. High for this area, but hey, it went to a good place so we felt really great about it.
We left and walked down the road with the intention of walking, but then realized we headed off in the wrong direction. We saw a family of four on a moped with a 2ish year old squished between mom and dad, and a baby resting on the front of the bike. Amazing. Oh, and we saw a person riding with a 6 foot high ladder on the way to dinner, which was impressive. My friend joked that the only thing we haven't seen, and would be incredibly impressed by, is seeing a rhino on the back of a moped. I think a car would be equally impressive, and not really out of the realm of possibility given what we've seen!
Given the crowds (it IS a Saturday night, after all) we decided to just hail a cab, and found one quickly.) The fare with tip was only around $2 US, so not a bad deal. The streets were more crowded than we'd seen them, and it was completely overwhelming! The volume of people and mopeds on the narrow streets had probably increased 50%, so it was simply amazing. We decided to just call it a night and start really early tomorrow.
Tomorrow's our last day in Hanoi, and we head to Siem Reap in Cambodia at 5 pm. We'll be checking out early and hitting a few of the sites that we haven't yet seen including St. Patrick's church (which we saw at night but want to tour during the day), a Hanoi house tour, and the Hoa Lo prison, also known as the Hanoi Hilton. That will probably take up the time we have but we'll see! Unsure if I'll be able to post tomorrow, but will do my best to by the day after to keep you all part of this adventure in Asia. What a trip!
S
I had the idea to turn on the air conditioner to dull out the street noise and what a great idea! I slept really well except for the call on my cell at 2 am (grumble). I went out onto the balcony as I do every morning to watch the goings on below, and noticed it is incredibly humid. There was funny music playing really loudly which sounded like kid's music and made me laugh.
We had another great breakfast then packed up our laundry for the hotel to do it. We went downstairs to meet our tour guide to take us to the Perfume Pagoda. My friend suggested it, and it sounded like fun and a great day out of the city to give us a break from the craziness here. Le was our guide, an adorable young guy. He was a little hard to understand, but very friendly and enthusiastic. We headed out in a private car for the two hour drive and passed another 'kid sandwich' on a moped. Not only have we seen babies balanced on the handlebars, but two people riding with a baby sandwiched between them!
We passed through many small towns that were as poor as we've seen. One had incredibly gutted roads and it was tough passing. We passed a crowded town and were told it was a wedding party. We then passed a toll, or what turned to be one though we might have never known. It was a bunch of guys sitting at a table, and there was a wooden upside-down u shaped structure over the road with vietnamese words written on it. One guy got up slowly and made his way to the car for the fare and off we went.
We stopped and were greeted with welcome tea, which we shared, and pointed to the bathrooms. I had another 'I wish I were a guy in this moment' moment, when I discovered the bathroom was a hole in the floor. They did have foot pedals, which is a nice touch, but... yeah. Not even the benefit of pointing downhill for this so it's not so easy when wearing shorts. I did manage and off we went to the river where we were greeted by a woman boater.
It was a beautiful ride by the river, and we stopped at a large pagoda to look around and take pictures. There were a lot of gorgeous bright pink water lillies on lily pads, and the woman picked two and gave them to me. We proceeded past some small pagodas as well. The ride took maybe 30-40 minutes then we arrived.
The 'town' of sorts was a bunch of metal stalls set up with women selling souvieners, food and plastic toys. They were a bit assertive in trying to sell things, but we quickly moved past. It reminded me a bit of Aguas Caliente at the base of Machu Pichu in Peru. We took a tram ride up which was beautiful but a little nerve-wracking. The mountains are lush with vegetation and really beautiful, though even here everything is covered in a haze of smog and fog. We walked up some steps then down several very long staircases made of cut rock until we entered the Perfume Pagoda, which is actually a large cave. There were many shrines with incense, offerings of rice, fruit and other items. At the large one at the end of the cave there were many people chanting and praying.
We climbed back out and went back down in the tram. I think my heart was left at the first dip, but I recovered quickly enough. We then stopped for lunch. Le ordered a bunch of dishes, six actually, and we dug in. It included some fried spring rolls, greens, chicken, fried fish, beef and onions and scallions, and fried tofu, along with some plantains for dessert. We gave some beef to the local dogs, though I scared one who was sleeping and got snapped at (I wasn't all that close, thankfully). The poor thing's eyes were pretty awful so that may have been some of the issue. She gobbled it right up.
The boat ride back was beautiful as well and we enjoyed the beautiful scenery. The ride back was fine, though we missed a turn on the highway and actually backed up a good distance on the exit to get back on the highway (we saw that quite a few times!) We also had to cross lanes of a busy street with two lanes each way and that was a bit harrowing. I think I had forgotten how crazy Hanoi was in the leisurely day we had, as I was a bit overloaded by all the mopeds all over the place! Nonetheless, we did make it back to the hotel to find clean laundry. Yay! They earned high marks as my bag had several bills in it that I must have left in my pockets.
We decided to go to dinner at Hoa Sua, a lovely restaurant which is a school for disadvantaged youth for hospitality, tourism and restaurant. The school has 500 students annually from all over Vietnam, and a portion of the cost of meals goes to fund scholarships. Students learn everything from cooking and waiting, to managing a restaurant.
We decided on a cyclo (the bicycle 'cab') and off we went. It was a young guy and he moved very quickly. He charged us a large amount (over three times what we paid the last) and while it was a longer distance, it seemed excessive. Then he asked what time we would be done, so we figure we paid the fare in advance. Too bad as the meal took much longer than anticipated so he sure made out!
Where he dropped us was not quite it, and we wandered down the narrow street looking. A really nice local woman asked if we were looking for hoa Sua and pointed us in the right direction, which was around the corner. The place is absolutely charming, in a large old colonial home with a huge courtyard marked by a long white staircase. There was a dark terra cotta tile on the ground, and some beautifully decorated tables. We decided to sit outside and two vietnamese teens came right over to help us. They were absolutely adorable.
We settled on fresh spring rolls, duck a'la orange and beef medallions with bernaise sauce, along with a bottle of light red wine. The spring rolls were excellent: vegetarian with finely ground peanuts which made for a nice twist. The beef was so-so, and the duck was really great. They were fairly attentive though there was a large table (20 or so people) that sat shortly after us, so we lost them for a while. They started with fresh bread and overall the meal was great. I ended with a mango smoothie for dessert which was good as well. And for $60 US (including a 30% tip) it was a great deal. High for this area, but hey, it went to a good place so we felt really great about it.
We left and walked down the road with the intention of walking, but then realized we headed off in the wrong direction. We saw a family of four on a moped with a 2ish year old squished between mom and dad, and a baby resting on the front of the bike. Amazing. Oh, and we saw a person riding with a 6 foot high ladder on the way to dinner, which was impressive. My friend joked that the only thing we haven't seen, and would be incredibly impressed by, is seeing a rhino on the back of a moped. I think a car would be equally impressive, and not really out of the realm of possibility given what we've seen!
Given the crowds (it IS a Saturday night, after all) we decided to just hail a cab, and found one quickly.) The fare with tip was only around $2 US, so not a bad deal. The streets were more crowded than we'd seen them, and it was completely overwhelming! The volume of people and mopeds on the narrow streets had probably increased 50%, so it was simply amazing. We decided to just call it a night and start really early tomorrow.
Tomorrow's our last day in Hanoi, and we head to Siem Reap in Cambodia at 5 pm. We'll be checking out early and hitting a few of the sites that we haven't yet seen including St. Patrick's church (which we saw at night but want to tour during the day), a Hanoi house tour, and the Hoa Lo prison, also known as the Hanoi Hilton. That will probably take up the time we have but we'll see! Unsure if I'll be able to post tomorrow, but will do my best to by the day after to keep you all part of this adventure in Asia. What a trip!
S
Thursday, November 4, 2010
Vietnam day 5: Hanoi
I'll start this post with the things that I forgot to write about earlier this morning (yes, it's been a loong morning, starting my day at 2 am it appears!) My first bit is musings of all that can ride on the back of a moped. It might sound silly, but we've been incredibly impressed by how much volume and weight can go on the backside of a moped, and here's a few examples: crates of chickens and other animals in various states (not something I wish to discuss further), a pig (and not a delicate baby either), building materials like long stalks of bamboo and metal girding (think: Don Quixote with metal of over 15 feet on the shoulders of a lady),many loaves of bread, large bundles actually larger in size than a moped, and our favorites: another moped! and a huge water tank with probably several gallons of water in it! the moped swayed precariously back and forth, but continued it's move forward impressively.
We again were impressed by the mopeds driving straight into traffic, and it reminds me of a game of chicken of sorts. Several came straight at us, and their nerves of steel impressed as they certainly didn't hitail it out of the way quickly. Nor did pedestrians for that matter. Almost as if they have a confidence that they simply won't get hit, which is amazing given the sheer volume of people on the crowded streets and the fact that there doesn't appear to me to be any rules for driving except to go!
The Vietnamese people are incredibly happy, and everything is punctuated by clapping. On the boat when asked by Thinh if we liked our meal, and providing an affirmative reply, we received a full round of clapping from the crew. When asked if people enjoyed their swim, their positive response was greeted with proud clapping. In Halong Bay, anyone that met your eyes greeted you with a ready smile, and many were just simply smiling without realizing they were being watched. The vendors in Hanoi greet you with pushy gestures to buy their wares, but still with a smile.
And then there's the double wave. It's absolutely adorable, but many of the people in the fishing village that we waved at, replied with a vigorous double wave.
I also forgot to mention that in one of the textile shops that we went into to look at the silk, we were greeted by a very friendly black cat. "Mow.." then a solid stare. When he received no response he got much more vocal. "Mow, Meowww.. MEOWWW" and talked a steady stream for a few minutes, prompting me to decide he wasn't a rabid beast and pet him. I know, Barb, I know, but sometimes it's ok.
We ate breakfast at the hotel, which again was a nice mix of local breakfast food (noodles with beef and veggies, potatoes and bacon, etc.) and western (bread, pastries, yogurt, etc.) We laughed about the motorcycles zooming down the street at all hours last night, making it sound like a harley convention going on. We decided to head out of the old town to visit some of the sights today, and enjoyed the view of the lake from the 9th floor balcony before making our way out.
******
I'll confess that my first meeting with Hanoi was not a love affair. The city is rather overwhelming with a mass of buildings, people and mopeds, and it's noisy, dirty, smelly and the smog can be cut with a knife leaving me to wonder if we'll end up with black lung disease. But I have to say that it definitely grows on you with a surprising charm. Hanoi is what it is, and makes no efforts to hide it. There's something about the honesty and directness that is truly charming.
Today we headed out across the old town area to the Temple of Literature. On the way and around the corner from it we found a really amazing non-profit textile place with hand-woven goodies in every shape and color. My friend got a bright big bag for his daughter, and I got a bunch of things including a little book with natural pages, a small woven picture frame, and several other things.
We made our way to the Temple of Literature, which was beautiful. There are several large courtyards surrounded by narrow red buildings with traditional asian roofs and beautiful gardens. There was a lot of really adorable topiary including cats, mice and other animals, as well as interesting shapes. The path was punctuated by some greenery with asian characters, symbols to honor the 1,000th anniversary of the city of Hanoi.
The Temple of Literature is a Temple of Confucius, and served as the first University in Vietnam. It began as a Confuciun temple and became a university in 1078 to serve members of the elite. The smell of incense filled the air, there were students sketching the rooflines, and people chanting and praying inside.
We had to cross a major street to continue which was rather.. exhilarating to say the least. We stopped at a coffee shop outside of the Army museum for a snack and coffee (they had delicious chocolate brownies covered in chocolate sauce singing my tune!) then made our way to the museum. It's known for having a tall tower with a good view of the city, though we wondered if we'd see much through the haze of smog. Unfortunately the museum was closed, so we'll never know! We then headed out and passed a funny scene with a rooster standing next to a food cart that had a fried egg and a cooked chicken inside!
We next stopped at the one-pillar pagoda, a beautiful building with, yes, you've got it, one pillar! It is a historic Buddhist temple and one of the best-known structures in Vietnam. It was built by an emperor around the year 1,000 who was childless and longed for a son. he then had a dream and married a peasant girl who granted his wish, and he built the temple in gratitude. There was a walkway around the pagoda to see it from all sides, and it's a beautiful and interesting place. There are steps to the top, however, a sign states that people with shorts cannot enter so we admired it from the side. A woman was chanting and praying in front of the pagoda, swirling with the scent of incense. I'll say I've never really liked incense much, but it sure does beat the smell of Hanoi! There were two guards standing next to it hysterically laughing at some tourists that walked by.
There was a food cart nearby and my friend went to get some water. The woman saw his interest and yelled out 'free bananas!' For the cost of $1 american he got a 1.5 liter bottle of water and two bananas! The fruit here (I'm not sure if I've mentioned it) is simply incredible and has a flavor and a sweetness like nothing I've had. I particularly like the pineapple, which is quite small, the bananas, which are small too, and the watermelon. Sure cures my sweet tooth!
We noticed the Ho Chi Minh Museum was closed on Friday and went to the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum which was also closed as Ho Chi Minh, who's dead, mind you, is in Russia being restored. Apparently it happens two months out of the year, and this is his month for a little touch up. There were marching guards outside and they did a brief version of the changing of the guard for us before marching off.
We stopped in another temple wandering in this part of town, and came across the two German guys from our Halong Bay cruise! How strange to run into people we knew in such a large and crowded city, especially in a place not all that well known! We walked along a lake for a little bit and came across a fleet of swan boats, which looked adorable then decided to head back to the hotel. We decided to take a cyclo, the little carts pushed typically by tiny and scrappy old vietnamese men. What an experience that was! We shot pictures and video of it, with cars and mopeds whirling all around us and at us. The seat was so narrow we couldn't sit flat down on it, but it was fun!
We stopped at the Don Xuan market which was an absolute mad house of three floors. There was a bag section, a kitchen section, a shoe section, a clothing section and a fabric section and it was absolutely crowded with people and wares. As we made our way back to the hotel, we saw a woman selling the designer face masks we've seen on some of the moped riders. Some even match their designer helmets!
I needed a nap after the evening I had-- had a reaction to the anti-malaria drug and woke at 2 extremely dizzy with the spins, which got worse every time I tried to lay back down. As a result, I didn't. I was dizzy much of the day as well, unfortunately, and my stomach was a bit off as a result. So, I'm a little nervous not taking the meds for Siem Reap, Cambodia, which is where we decided to get them for (it's a low to moderate risk of malaria), I decided to go off the meds. It was not a fun experience at all! I was able to sleep a little bit then we headed back through the maze of streets, people and mopeds to a restaurant called Bitet, that someone I know recommended. Bitet means beef steak. We never ever would have found it were it not the for the recommendation (thanks Sandy!) It's in the old section and there's a sign above a long, very very long, alley way. We walked and walked then entered through the kitchen to a small restaurant filled only with locals. We both decided to get the traditional beef steak, which was two pieces of thin cut fried steak and fries. We got some tea and french bread, which was fresh and really good, and dug in. It was delicious and covered with a brown sauce of onions and meat drippings. Surely the least healthy meal we've had, and quite tasty!
We wandered around the maze of streets peeking into the shops for gifts then wandered to the lake. We crossed the bridge to walk over the Lake of the Restored Sword. It's a large lake in the center of the old city, and has a bright red bridge that crosses to a little temple. We decided to then stop for coffee and found a cute tiny little cafe off the beaten path to give us a brief respite from the mopeds. The coffee was strong, sweet, and very good, and served in a cup inside a little bowl of hot water. There was the punctuation of yips from her little chihuahua sporting the largest ears I've seen on a small dog. It looked like a chihuahua deer mix!
We then went to the Water Puppet show, one of the top attractions in Hanoi. It was very crowded and they sure packed us into the small theater. Our tickets were at 9:15 pm, if that gives you any idea of how quickly they sell out! We bought them yesterday. The seats were quite packed in and my friend had to fold himself up to sit there, but it was worth it. A small band played interesting, very different music, there were two female singers with beautiful ethereal voices, and a male voice that told the stories in Vietnamese. The water puppets danced around in their songs and stories, really telling a lot about the culture. It's a thousand-plus year tradition and they do tour the world.
We made our way back to the hotel for some rest after a long and fun day. I found the trick of a good night's sleep in a noisy city and put the air on.. wow! What a difference! The city drifted away..
Sam
We again were impressed by the mopeds driving straight into traffic, and it reminds me of a game of chicken of sorts. Several came straight at us, and their nerves of steel impressed as they certainly didn't hitail it out of the way quickly. Nor did pedestrians for that matter. Almost as if they have a confidence that they simply won't get hit, which is amazing given the sheer volume of people on the crowded streets and the fact that there doesn't appear to me to be any rules for driving except to go!
The Vietnamese people are incredibly happy, and everything is punctuated by clapping. On the boat when asked by Thinh if we liked our meal, and providing an affirmative reply, we received a full round of clapping from the crew. When asked if people enjoyed their swim, their positive response was greeted with proud clapping. In Halong Bay, anyone that met your eyes greeted you with a ready smile, and many were just simply smiling without realizing they were being watched. The vendors in Hanoi greet you with pushy gestures to buy their wares, but still with a smile.
And then there's the double wave. It's absolutely adorable, but many of the people in the fishing village that we waved at, replied with a vigorous double wave.
I also forgot to mention that in one of the textile shops that we went into to look at the silk, we were greeted by a very friendly black cat. "Mow.." then a solid stare. When he received no response he got much more vocal. "Mow, Meowww.. MEOWWW" and talked a steady stream for a few minutes, prompting me to decide he wasn't a rabid beast and pet him. I know, Barb, I know, but sometimes it's ok.
We ate breakfast at the hotel, which again was a nice mix of local breakfast food (noodles with beef and veggies, potatoes and bacon, etc.) and western (bread, pastries, yogurt, etc.) We laughed about the motorcycles zooming down the street at all hours last night, making it sound like a harley convention going on. We decided to head out of the old town to visit some of the sights today, and enjoyed the view of the lake from the 9th floor balcony before making our way out.
******
I'll confess that my first meeting with Hanoi was not a love affair. The city is rather overwhelming with a mass of buildings, people and mopeds, and it's noisy, dirty, smelly and the smog can be cut with a knife leaving me to wonder if we'll end up with black lung disease. But I have to say that it definitely grows on you with a surprising charm. Hanoi is what it is, and makes no efforts to hide it. There's something about the honesty and directness that is truly charming.
Today we headed out across the old town area to the Temple of Literature. On the way and around the corner from it we found a really amazing non-profit textile place with hand-woven goodies in every shape and color. My friend got a bright big bag for his daughter, and I got a bunch of things including a little book with natural pages, a small woven picture frame, and several other things.
We made our way to the Temple of Literature, which was beautiful. There are several large courtyards surrounded by narrow red buildings with traditional asian roofs and beautiful gardens. There was a lot of really adorable topiary including cats, mice and other animals, as well as interesting shapes. The path was punctuated by some greenery with asian characters, symbols to honor the 1,000th anniversary of the city of Hanoi.
The Temple of Literature is a Temple of Confucius, and served as the first University in Vietnam. It began as a Confuciun temple and became a university in 1078 to serve members of the elite. The smell of incense filled the air, there were students sketching the rooflines, and people chanting and praying inside.
We had to cross a major street to continue which was rather.. exhilarating to say the least. We stopped at a coffee shop outside of the Army museum for a snack and coffee (they had delicious chocolate brownies covered in chocolate sauce singing my tune!) then made our way to the museum. It's known for having a tall tower with a good view of the city, though we wondered if we'd see much through the haze of smog. Unfortunately the museum was closed, so we'll never know! We then headed out and passed a funny scene with a rooster standing next to a food cart that had a fried egg and a cooked chicken inside!
We next stopped at the one-pillar pagoda, a beautiful building with, yes, you've got it, one pillar! It is a historic Buddhist temple and one of the best-known structures in Vietnam. It was built by an emperor around the year 1,000 who was childless and longed for a son. he then had a dream and married a peasant girl who granted his wish, and he built the temple in gratitude. There was a walkway around the pagoda to see it from all sides, and it's a beautiful and interesting place. There are steps to the top, however, a sign states that people with shorts cannot enter so we admired it from the side. A woman was chanting and praying in front of the pagoda, swirling with the scent of incense. I'll say I've never really liked incense much, but it sure does beat the smell of Hanoi! There were two guards standing next to it hysterically laughing at some tourists that walked by.
There was a food cart nearby and my friend went to get some water. The woman saw his interest and yelled out 'free bananas!' For the cost of $1 american he got a 1.5 liter bottle of water and two bananas! The fruit here (I'm not sure if I've mentioned it) is simply incredible and has a flavor and a sweetness like nothing I've had. I particularly like the pineapple, which is quite small, the bananas, which are small too, and the watermelon. Sure cures my sweet tooth!
We noticed the Ho Chi Minh Museum was closed on Friday and went to the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum which was also closed as Ho Chi Minh, who's dead, mind you, is in Russia being restored. Apparently it happens two months out of the year, and this is his month for a little touch up. There were marching guards outside and they did a brief version of the changing of the guard for us before marching off.
We stopped in another temple wandering in this part of town, and came across the two German guys from our Halong Bay cruise! How strange to run into people we knew in such a large and crowded city, especially in a place not all that well known! We walked along a lake for a little bit and came across a fleet of swan boats, which looked adorable then decided to head back to the hotel. We decided to take a cyclo, the little carts pushed typically by tiny and scrappy old vietnamese men. What an experience that was! We shot pictures and video of it, with cars and mopeds whirling all around us and at us. The seat was so narrow we couldn't sit flat down on it, but it was fun!
We stopped at the Don Xuan market which was an absolute mad house of three floors. There was a bag section, a kitchen section, a shoe section, a clothing section and a fabric section and it was absolutely crowded with people and wares. As we made our way back to the hotel, we saw a woman selling the designer face masks we've seen on some of the moped riders. Some even match their designer helmets!
I needed a nap after the evening I had-- had a reaction to the anti-malaria drug and woke at 2 extremely dizzy with the spins, which got worse every time I tried to lay back down. As a result, I didn't. I was dizzy much of the day as well, unfortunately, and my stomach was a bit off as a result. So, I'm a little nervous not taking the meds for Siem Reap, Cambodia, which is where we decided to get them for (it's a low to moderate risk of malaria), I decided to go off the meds. It was not a fun experience at all! I was able to sleep a little bit then we headed back through the maze of streets, people and mopeds to a restaurant called Bitet, that someone I know recommended. Bitet means beef steak. We never ever would have found it were it not the for the recommendation (thanks Sandy!) It's in the old section and there's a sign above a long, very very long, alley way. We walked and walked then entered through the kitchen to a small restaurant filled only with locals. We both decided to get the traditional beef steak, which was two pieces of thin cut fried steak and fries. We got some tea and french bread, which was fresh and really good, and dug in. It was delicious and covered with a brown sauce of onions and meat drippings. Surely the least healthy meal we've had, and quite tasty!
We wandered around the maze of streets peeking into the shops for gifts then wandered to the lake. We crossed the bridge to walk over the Lake of the Restored Sword. It's a large lake in the center of the old city, and has a bright red bridge that crosses to a little temple. We decided to then stop for coffee and found a cute tiny little cafe off the beaten path to give us a brief respite from the mopeds. The coffee was strong, sweet, and very good, and served in a cup inside a little bowl of hot water. There was the punctuation of yips from her little chihuahua sporting the largest ears I've seen on a small dog. It looked like a chihuahua deer mix!
We then went to the Water Puppet show, one of the top attractions in Hanoi. It was very crowded and they sure packed us into the small theater. Our tickets were at 9:15 pm, if that gives you any idea of how quickly they sell out! We bought them yesterday. The seats were quite packed in and my friend had to fold himself up to sit there, but it was worth it. A small band played interesting, very different music, there were two female singers with beautiful ethereal voices, and a male voice that told the stories in Vietnamese. The water puppets danced around in their songs and stories, really telling a lot about the culture. It's a thousand-plus year tradition and they do tour the world.
We made our way back to the hotel for some rest after a long and fun day. I found the trick of a good night's sleep in a noisy city and put the air on.. wow! What a difference! The city drifted away..
Sam
Vietnam: days 2-4
Hi everyone! Just realized that my last post didn't publish, so sorry to leave you hanging! I posted the first night we were here, then we went to Halong Bay and lost internet. I wrote a good bit from the boat and will paste it here, then finish with the first night back in Hanoi:
We got up fairly early for the ride to Halong Bay. We ate breakfast at our hotel which was quite good. The fruit here is simply amazing, with a flavor and sweetness unlike in the US. On the way out of the city we had an interesting ride, though not quite as breathtaking as the ride from the airport! Mopeds are everywhere and skirt in and around of all the larger cars and trucks. We did see two overturned bikes, which is impressive considering how many are around and how crazy people here drive.
The highway was lined with people selling bread; large loaves of French bread. We went through a toll ‘booth’ with three people standing in each lane: one to take the money, 1 to hand out a ticket, and one to mark passersby on a clipboard.
The architecture here is interesting. Most of the houses are three floors and very narrow across. They go very far back. The front is beautifully decorated and almost looks Victorian in style with multiple bright colors. The sides are usually a grey concrete color. Very few are painted on the sides. They are mostly free-standing structures, so it’s quite an interesting look. Almost like the side buildings that looked the same were taken down to expose the grey unfinished sides.
We drove through many towns on the three hour drive. There aren’t many loose dogs, and we actually saw some cows tied by the side of the road. People burn their trash and tree/plant cuttings, so fires blazed also by the side of the road. Cemetaries also were scattered about, in small clusters in seemingly random areas. What’s interesting is that each are decorated with a brightly-colored structure that looks like a small house and a lot of care seems to be put into what it looks like. They aren’t in graveyards but in random places scattered by the roads. There are a lot of farms right next to the roads as well and the highways. The farmers wear the pointed crème-colored hats to cover their faces from the harsh sun here.
There was a surprising amount of construction, with a lot of new homes, and homes replacing their windows. We stopped halfway through at a tourist trap of sorts where we could buy things or stop at the restroom. They had a room full of women weaving silk tapestries, which was really beautiful to watch.
We pulled into the small port area of Halong Bay and walked past some large glass tanks with different kinds of fish for sale. There was a large room where people waited to gather for their boats. We waited for a few minutes, then decided to walk around a bit to explore. Five minutes later after finding little to see, we went back to wait.
Our table slowly filled up with the 14 other passengers on our boat. We took one of the IndoChina Sails tours called the Dragon Pearl. The boat we are on is only 2 months old and very nice. We had to ride a boat to it as the water is too low for it to dock at the harbor.
Our tour guide in Thinh and he’s a very good guide. His name means long prosperity. The boat has a wonderful representation from Scotland, France, Germany, England, Australia and the US (seattle and San Francisco.) Everyone’s very nice and friendly. We checked into our rooms which are quite nice with red wood, white linens and a very small but nice modern bathroom. We sat for our welcome tea. We talked and got to know each other a bit, then settled in for lunch to eat one of our huge and fantastic many-coursed meals. Most of the food is vegetables, fish and fruit and delicious. We’ve had haddock, crab, shrimp, mussels and clams, and watermelon, bananas, and a fruit that I can only describe as a bland white kiwi. It has the seeds of a kiwi and the texture, but isn’t as sweet.
The boat is three floors with the lowest with sleeping quarters, the main which has some sleeping quarters and the inside and the outside dining, and the top with chairs. We spent the afternoon heading into the bay which is just the most magnificent place I’ve ever seen. Jagged limestone rocks and cliffs are in clusters randomly placed, jagged by erosion and covered in lush green vegetation. The water is a crystal blue. It’s humid and warm, but there’s a beautiful breeze that runs through cooling you down.
We spend some time talking, then headed out in kayaks to a cave. Thinh told us this boat goes a bit off the beaten path, which is nice, and even still we saw several boats. The cave had two large rooms and a sandy floor indicating it had been filled with water. We looked at the stalagtites and stalagmites for a while and headed back to the boat.
I was quite whipped from the jet lag and actually headed to bed a little before 9, sleeping soundly through much of the night.
I woke and opened my curtains to see the sunlight shining on the crystal turquoise waters and again thought how lucky I am to see this, as it’s so very beautiful. We laid up top for a while enjoying the view as the boat headed off. Breakfast was chicken pho, a traditional Vietnamese noodle soup which I enjoy in the US, and toast and eggs.
Next we stopped at a fishing village in a secluded area of the Bay. The village was started by IndoChina Sails, and was supported by them. There are 34 buildings with 120 people living in them. Many are tied together so you can walk from building to building. The entryway is a large welcome area that also serves as a school. We were greeted warmly by some of the most beautiful craggly and warm smiles. Their faces are so warm and so expressive. Everyone watched us approach, and the children waved to us. Even the adults did and everyone seemed so happy to see us. Thinh told us each house costs US $3000, as do the boats which were made of woven wood covered in pitch. We had welcome tea with the head fisherman, the chief, who greeted us warmly. ‘Sin ciao’ means hello or welcome. We were invited to tour one of the homes, which had a small entertainment unit with a tv and radio, a very small bed and a cracked linoleum floor. We were told that they run the generator for two hours a night to watch tv.
A dozen young girls and women came to pick us up on small boats, and we went to a small secluded cove which was beautiful. We then went to another area to enjoy the views and headed back. The girls rowing were so tiny, both in size and stature. They apparently made it look very easy as a couple of the guys tried to row and had a hard time of it! They gave us the pointed hats to wear to protect us from the sun. Mine didn’t fit so well over my ponytail but I was happy to have it. The sun is quite strong here and 30 suncreen only goes so far with my fair complexion!
Everyone watched us and were very curious and happy to see us. I couldn’t help but feel little strange, as if we were taking advantage of them but the tourism provides them with an easier life than they’d otherwise have. They had fish between the wood planks in netting, and Thinh fed them to make the swim around and jump. There were quite a few and some rather large groupers!
We went back to the boat and some people swam. I of course, sat here writing this to post tomorrow when we have internet again! This afternoon we go by kayak to another cave for dinner, which will be really interesting. It gets quite cool at night here between the breeze, which settles a lot, and the sun going down. It’s amazing what a difference it is.
We ate a huge lunch which again was delicious with some different dishes of fish and vegetables, and this time some beef and pork. Then we rode off to another place and people sat on the deck in the sun reading or napped. We arrived at a beautiful small beach and kayaked around a bit then went ashore. It was really pretty and the best part (this won’t surprise anyone who knows me) was that there were three dogs with two puppies. The two females were friendly enough and the male patrolled his beach. The puppies were adorable and one was nestled into my chest for a bit while I walked around, quite content to just sit there and be carried.
We watched the sun set over the beach and blue water and I don’t think I’ve seen anything more gorgeous in my life. The sun turned shades of orange and red and pink, and cast a shimmery pink glow over the water as it fell.
We took a boat back to our boat to shower and change for dinner, which is back on the island in a cave. We were told it’s a ‘special dinner.’ We rode the boat back to the island and the pathway up to the cave was lit up. We climbed maybe 50 steps into the cave, which were really large rooms. The second room was really large, and a table was set up. The entire cave was lit with small tea light candles and it was beautiful. We ate dinner then the crew sang some Vietnamese songs for us. Then they made people from each country sing a song representing them. Hotel California, Hey Jude and two national anthems later… Then I was really surprised that they brought a cake out and sang ‘happy birthday’ to me! My birthday was yesterday, and Halong Bay was my special birthday treat. I didn’t expect it, and was quite surprised and embarrassed. I blew out the candles and made a wish (but I can’t tell you what for!!) I also got some beautiful petite red roses. Of course I had to cut the cake into 16 pieces, which was a trip to do!
We walked around a bit then headed back. What a lovely evening!! Back at the boat Scotland, England and Australia enjoyed some Baileys and some red wine so we sat outside talking with them for a while before heading off to bed. They’re a really great group, and I’m glad to have met them. I’m also glad my jet lag has worn off as it’s a ‘late’ night at past 11!
The last morning on the boat was very relaxing. Some people swam, and most of us sat up on the top deck and talked. The woman from Scotland is 3 months pregnant and very excited. she showed me her ultrasound pictures, and told me of their plans. I spoke with the Polish woman from San Francisco a bit as well. Great people.
We started to head back and everyone felt a little sad to leave. I took some pictures and just stared out at the beautiful scenery, wanting to imprint it in my mind forever. We ate lunch and docked, heading back to Hanoi.
The ride felt much longer on the way back but took around the same amount of time. Hanoi was the same crazy scene of darting mopeds and large trucks and busses that barrel their way down the narrow streets. The driving is something you need to see once in your life. People drive down the center of the road, weave around other cars and bikes to the left, right, or any way they can. There's no obvious traffic rules except to drive forward (whether with the flow of traffic or against!) and not get into an accident. We got to the hotel and it was the easiest check-in ever. "Hello, here's your keys. Same rooms" and off we went! We unpacked then set off to explore. I was very happy to let my friend lead through the maze of mopeds, and crossing the street is a real trip! Crosswalks be damned, you just start to walk and hope no one hits you! He got used to it much more quickly than I did, and i'll confess to a few yelps trying to make my way over to the relative safety of the narrow sidewalks! Each of them is covered in mopeds and people, so navigating is a real trip!
The air quality is horrible here, and you can't even breathe through your nose as it just smells awful of smog, exhaust and whatever else. The vendors are friendly and a little pushy and people sitting or standing on the streets are generally friendly. Much more so than I ever expected.
I was quite overwhelmed so we stopped to get tickets for the water puppet show then headed to the restaurant recommended by our hotel. It was a small place, and we noticed the locals were in a back room away from the tourists! We were grateful that the menu had english and vietnamese, as I only know three food words! They sat us next to the most adorable old woman, whose entire face folded up as she smiled 'hello' to us. She was the cutest thing but I couldn't find a polite way to take her picture! We ate a four course meal that was $4 (Sandy, I know you'll appreciate that!) and with water and tip it was just around $5 each!
The exchange rate here is amazing, as it's around $20k dong per dollar US. So our meal was something like $200k dong. Some vendors do take american dollars too, but many take dong. We changed a bit of money, but didn't realize just how inexpensive it is here! The food was good and we had pho, or noodle soup, fried spring rolls, chicken curry with white rice and yogurt for dessert. Everything was really good though I think I'm still full from all the food on the boat! We then walked around and did some gift shopping. I treated myself to a beautiful silk tapestry (which was only $60 US and hand woven) and a silk hand embroidered bag. Bought a few gifts and have ideas for a few more. We'll also need to find a bag to carry some things back in at some point.
We walked around until 8:30 I think, and since it was dark since around 6 pm it felt so much later! We came across a catholic church and walked through. It was very intricately decorated so we'll have to go back tomorrow during the light. We decided to call it a night and headed back to the hotel. Of course, going to bed at 9:30 could be why I'm wide awake at 2 am now, but allows me to update you all so it's fine by me. I woke with the spins and I'm thinking it may be a reaction to the malaria meds I'm taking. Hopefully it'll subside!
Today we'll do some more exploring and see a few of the sites, as well as the church. Our tickets for the puppet show are at 9 pm, which should be interesting as we've only been awake once that late! The tickets were only $3 each, and it's a well-known show that I was told you can't miss. Sounds like fun to me!
I'll write again later today/tomorrow!
Sam
We got up fairly early for the ride to Halong Bay. We ate breakfast at our hotel which was quite good. The fruit here is simply amazing, with a flavor and sweetness unlike in the US. On the way out of the city we had an interesting ride, though not quite as breathtaking as the ride from the airport! Mopeds are everywhere and skirt in and around of all the larger cars and trucks. We did see two overturned bikes, which is impressive considering how many are around and how crazy people here drive.
The highway was lined with people selling bread; large loaves of French bread. We went through a toll ‘booth’ with three people standing in each lane: one to take the money, 1 to hand out a ticket, and one to mark passersby on a clipboard.
The architecture here is interesting. Most of the houses are three floors and very narrow across. They go very far back. The front is beautifully decorated and almost looks Victorian in style with multiple bright colors. The sides are usually a grey concrete color. Very few are painted on the sides. They are mostly free-standing structures, so it’s quite an interesting look. Almost like the side buildings that looked the same were taken down to expose the grey unfinished sides.
We drove through many towns on the three hour drive. There aren’t many loose dogs, and we actually saw some cows tied by the side of the road. People burn their trash and tree/plant cuttings, so fires blazed also by the side of the road. Cemetaries also were scattered about, in small clusters in seemingly random areas. What’s interesting is that each are decorated with a brightly-colored structure that looks like a small house and a lot of care seems to be put into what it looks like. They aren’t in graveyards but in random places scattered by the roads. There are a lot of farms right next to the roads as well and the highways. The farmers wear the pointed crème-colored hats to cover their faces from the harsh sun here.
There was a surprising amount of construction, with a lot of new homes, and homes replacing their windows. We stopped halfway through at a tourist trap of sorts where we could buy things or stop at the restroom. They had a room full of women weaving silk tapestries, which was really beautiful to watch.
We pulled into the small port area of Halong Bay and walked past some large glass tanks with different kinds of fish for sale. There was a large room where people waited to gather for their boats. We waited for a few minutes, then decided to walk around a bit to explore. Five minutes later after finding little to see, we went back to wait.
Our table slowly filled up with the 14 other passengers on our boat. We took one of the IndoChina Sails tours called the Dragon Pearl. The boat we are on is only 2 months old and very nice. We had to ride a boat to it as the water is too low for it to dock at the harbor.
Our tour guide in Thinh and he’s a very good guide. His name means long prosperity. The boat has a wonderful representation from Scotland, France, Germany, England, Australia and the US (seattle and San Francisco.) Everyone’s very nice and friendly. We checked into our rooms which are quite nice with red wood, white linens and a very small but nice modern bathroom. We sat for our welcome tea. We talked and got to know each other a bit, then settled in for lunch to eat one of our huge and fantastic many-coursed meals. Most of the food is vegetables, fish and fruit and delicious. We’ve had haddock, crab, shrimp, mussels and clams, and watermelon, bananas, and a fruit that I can only describe as a bland white kiwi. It has the seeds of a kiwi and the texture, but isn’t as sweet.
The boat is three floors with the lowest with sleeping quarters, the main which has some sleeping quarters and the inside and the outside dining, and the top with chairs. We spent the afternoon heading into the bay which is just the most magnificent place I’ve ever seen. Jagged limestone rocks and cliffs are in clusters randomly placed, jagged by erosion and covered in lush green vegetation. The water is a crystal blue. It’s humid and warm, but there’s a beautiful breeze that runs through cooling you down.
We spend some time talking, then headed out in kayaks to a cave. Thinh told us this boat goes a bit off the beaten path, which is nice, and even still we saw several boats. The cave had two large rooms and a sandy floor indicating it had been filled with water. We looked at the stalagtites and stalagmites for a while and headed back to the boat.
I was quite whipped from the jet lag and actually headed to bed a little before 9, sleeping soundly through much of the night.
I woke and opened my curtains to see the sunlight shining on the crystal turquoise waters and again thought how lucky I am to see this, as it’s so very beautiful. We laid up top for a while enjoying the view as the boat headed off. Breakfast was chicken pho, a traditional Vietnamese noodle soup which I enjoy in the US, and toast and eggs.
Next we stopped at a fishing village in a secluded area of the Bay. The village was started by IndoChina Sails, and was supported by them. There are 34 buildings with 120 people living in them. Many are tied together so you can walk from building to building. The entryway is a large welcome area that also serves as a school. We were greeted warmly by some of the most beautiful craggly and warm smiles. Their faces are so warm and so expressive. Everyone watched us approach, and the children waved to us. Even the adults did and everyone seemed so happy to see us. Thinh told us each house costs US $3000, as do the boats which were made of woven wood covered in pitch. We had welcome tea with the head fisherman, the chief, who greeted us warmly. ‘Sin ciao’ means hello or welcome. We were invited to tour one of the homes, which had a small entertainment unit with a tv and radio, a very small bed and a cracked linoleum floor. We were told that they run the generator for two hours a night to watch tv.
A dozen young girls and women came to pick us up on small boats, and we went to a small secluded cove which was beautiful. We then went to another area to enjoy the views and headed back. The girls rowing were so tiny, both in size and stature. They apparently made it look very easy as a couple of the guys tried to row and had a hard time of it! They gave us the pointed hats to wear to protect us from the sun. Mine didn’t fit so well over my ponytail but I was happy to have it. The sun is quite strong here and 30 suncreen only goes so far with my fair complexion!
Everyone watched us and were very curious and happy to see us. I couldn’t help but feel little strange, as if we were taking advantage of them but the tourism provides them with an easier life than they’d otherwise have. They had fish between the wood planks in netting, and Thinh fed them to make the swim around and jump. There were quite a few and some rather large groupers!
We went back to the boat and some people swam. I of course, sat here writing this to post tomorrow when we have internet again! This afternoon we go by kayak to another cave for dinner, which will be really interesting. It gets quite cool at night here between the breeze, which settles a lot, and the sun going down. It’s amazing what a difference it is.
We ate a huge lunch which again was delicious with some different dishes of fish and vegetables, and this time some beef and pork. Then we rode off to another place and people sat on the deck in the sun reading or napped. We arrived at a beautiful small beach and kayaked around a bit then went ashore. It was really pretty and the best part (this won’t surprise anyone who knows me) was that there were three dogs with two puppies. The two females were friendly enough and the male patrolled his beach. The puppies were adorable and one was nestled into my chest for a bit while I walked around, quite content to just sit there and be carried.
We watched the sun set over the beach and blue water and I don’t think I’ve seen anything more gorgeous in my life. The sun turned shades of orange and red and pink, and cast a shimmery pink glow over the water as it fell.
We took a boat back to our boat to shower and change for dinner, which is back on the island in a cave. We were told it’s a ‘special dinner.’ We rode the boat back to the island and the pathway up to the cave was lit up. We climbed maybe 50 steps into the cave, which were really large rooms. The second room was really large, and a table was set up. The entire cave was lit with small tea light candles and it was beautiful. We ate dinner then the crew sang some Vietnamese songs for us. Then they made people from each country sing a song representing them. Hotel California, Hey Jude and two national anthems later… Then I was really surprised that they brought a cake out and sang ‘happy birthday’ to me! My birthday was yesterday, and Halong Bay was my special birthday treat. I didn’t expect it, and was quite surprised and embarrassed. I blew out the candles and made a wish (but I can’t tell you what for!!) I also got some beautiful petite red roses. Of course I had to cut the cake into 16 pieces, which was a trip to do!
We walked around a bit then headed back. What a lovely evening!! Back at the boat Scotland, England and Australia enjoyed some Baileys and some red wine so we sat outside talking with them for a while before heading off to bed. They’re a really great group, and I’m glad to have met them. I’m also glad my jet lag has worn off as it’s a ‘late’ night at past 11!
The last morning on the boat was very relaxing. Some people swam, and most of us sat up on the top deck and talked. The woman from Scotland is 3 months pregnant and very excited. she showed me her ultrasound pictures, and told me of their plans. I spoke with the Polish woman from San Francisco a bit as well. Great people.
We started to head back and everyone felt a little sad to leave. I took some pictures and just stared out at the beautiful scenery, wanting to imprint it in my mind forever. We ate lunch and docked, heading back to Hanoi.
The ride felt much longer on the way back but took around the same amount of time. Hanoi was the same crazy scene of darting mopeds and large trucks and busses that barrel their way down the narrow streets. The driving is something you need to see once in your life. People drive down the center of the road, weave around other cars and bikes to the left, right, or any way they can. There's no obvious traffic rules except to drive forward (whether with the flow of traffic or against!) and not get into an accident. We got to the hotel and it was the easiest check-in ever. "Hello, here's your keys. Same rooms" and off we went! We unpacked then set off to explore. I was very happy to let my friend lead through the maze of mopeds, and crossing the street is a real trip! Crosswalks be damned, you just start to walk and hope no one hits you! He got used to it much more quickly than I did, and i'll confess to a few yelps trying to make my way over to the relative safety of the narrow sidewalks! Each of them is covered in mopeds and people, so navigating is a real trip!
The air quality is horrible here, and you can't even breathe through your nose as it just smells awful of smog, exhaust and whatever else. The vendors are friendly and a little pushy and people sitting or standing on the streets are generally friendly. Much more so than I ever expected.
I was quite overwhelmed so we stopped to get tickets for the water puppet show then headed to the restaurant recommended by our hotel. It was a small place, and we noticed the locals were in a back room away from the tourists! We were grateful that the menu had english and vietnamese, as I only know three food words! They sat us next to the most adorable old woman, whose entire face folded up as she smiled 'hello' to us. She was the cutest thing but I couldn't find a polite way to take her picture! We ate a four course meal that was $4 (Sandy, I know you'll appreciate that!) and with water and tip it was just around $5 each!
The exchange rate here is amazing, as it's around $20k dong per dollar US. So our meal was something like $200k dong. Some vendors do take american dollars too, but many take dong. We changed a bit of money, but didn't realize just how inexpensive it is here! The food was good and we had pho, or noodle soup, fried spring rolls, chicken curry with white rice and yogurt for dessert. Everything was really good though I think I'm still full from all the food on the boat! We then walked around and did some gift shopping. I treated myself to a beautiful silk tapestry (which was only $60 US and hand woven) and a silk hand embroidered bag. Bought a few gifts and have ideas for a few more. We'll also need to find a bag to carry some things back in at some point.
We walked around until 8:30 I think, and since it was dark since around 6 pm it felt so much later! We came across a catholic church and walked through. It was very intricately decorated so we'll have to go back tomorrow during the light. We decided to call it a night and headed back to the hotel. Of course, going to bed at 9:30 could be why I'm wide awake at 2 am now, but allows me to update you all so it's fine by me. I woke with the spins and I'm thinking it may be a reaction to the malaria meds I'm taking. Hopefully it'll subside!
Today we'll do some more exploring and see a few of the sites, as well as the church. Our tickets for the puppet show are at 9 pm, which should be interesting as we've only been awake once that late! The tickets were only $3 each, and it's a well-known show that I was told you can't miss. Sounds like fun to me!
I'll write again later today/tomorrow!
Sam
Monday, November 1, 2010
Asia Adventures: day 1
Hi everyone! I just settled into my hotel across the world in Hanoi, Vietnam! It's the first time I've ever been to this part of the world so I'm really excited to explore. Uneventful flight and thankfully our bag made it as we head to Halong Bay tomorrow to float in the most beautiful area I've seen to wear off the effects of jet lag. Neither of us slept on the long leg of the flight (San Francisco to Seoul Korea, and we lucked out with a exit row with no seats in front of us) but both passed out for a couple of hours from Seoul to Hanoi.
My first views once we went through the clouds was jagged glowing lines and hazy clusters of lights that seemed to go on forever. We got in around 10 pm local time, so didn't have a view of the city coming in.
There was no paperwork to complete and we went through customs quickly and was on our way. I had forgotten that I brought two apples to snack on, but no one minded us a bit. The concept of personal space is definitely different here than in the US. There could be plenty of room around us, and people would still wheel their bags and cars right next to us.
The ride to the hotel was... something incredible. We had a driver from the hotel pick us up, which, for long international flights is SO much easier than getting a cab and trying to explain where you're going when you don't speak the language. The driver went skirting around garbage trucks (there were a lot out for some reason!) and little motorcycles, honking all the way. The bikes often drove in clusters, and would just casually meander around not paying any mind to the other cars on the road. Our driver skillfully and quickly dodged all of them --- sometimes on our side of the road, and sometimes passing in the other side of the road of the highway! Bikes also seemed to go both ways on the street, and a couple of times we had bikes headed right for us. There appeared to be two lanes each way most of the time, but drivers just did what they felt like doing. At one point we had so many motorcycles in front of of swaying in a dance, and our driver was honking away to no avail. He managed to finally swerve around them, almost taking out a pedestrian, who didn't walk any better than any of the drivers on the road did. He barely missed her and she didn't seem to react at all! I meant to check the side of the car to see how many dings it has but I forgot! Tomorrow we head out during rush hour traffic at 8, and we are so looking forward to this adventure!
The hotel is gorgeous! It's brand new, having been opened in may of this year. We had been looking at another small botique hotel that a friend of mine recommended, but they didn't have all the nights free that we wanted so settled on this one, called the Golden Sun 4. It's in the historic old town area and on a small side street so quiet. The man who checked us in spoke some English, and agreed to store our bags for the time we're in Halong Bay so we don't have to carry so much.
The lobby is gorgeous and we took a small elevator to the third floor to our rooms. they are beatifully done with wood laminate floors, a flat screen tv, a beautiful new bathroom and a big wardrobe. There's even a little balcony which is overlooking the largest tangle of wires I've ever seen! We took pictures and I'm curious to see what this looks like during the day! It was quite impressive for a huge mass of electical wires!!
I'm wide awake, which is surprising. Hopefully I'll sleep a bit, but I think tomorrow will be a mellow day. I know in the next few days we'll do some hiking, boating and touring caves, as well as visiting the floating fishing village, which I'm really looking forward to! I won't have internet so I'll be sure to provide an update when I get back!!
S
My first views once we went through the clouds was jagged glowing lines and hazy clusters of lights that seemed to go on forever. We got in around 10 pm local time, so didn't have a view of the city coming in.
There was no paperwork to complete and we went through customs quickly and was on our way. I had forgotten that I brought two apples to snack on, but no one minded us a bit. The concept of personal space is definitely different here than in the US. There could be plenty of room around us, and people would still wheel their bags and cars right next to us.
The ride to the hotel was... something incredible. We had a driver from the hotel pick us up, which, for long international flights is SO much easier than getting a cab and trying to explain where you're going when you don't speak the language. The driver went skirting around garbage trucks (there were a lot out for some reason!) and little motorcycles, honking all the way. The bikes often drove in clusters, and would just casually meander around not paying any mind to the other cars on the road. Our driver skillfully and quickly dodged all of them --- sometimes on our side of the road, and sometimes passing in the other side of the road of the highway! Bikes also seemed to go both ways on the street, and a couple of times we had bikes headed right for us. There appeared to be two lanes each way most of the time, but drivers just did what they felt like doing. At one point we had so many motorcycles in front of of swaying in a dance, and our driver was honking away to no avail. He managed to finally swerve around them, almost taking out a pedestrian, who didn't walk any better than any of the drivers on the road did. He barely missed her and she didn't seem to react at all! I meant to check the side of the car to see how many dings it has but I forgot! Tomorrow we head out during rush hour traffic at 8, and we are so looking forward to this adventure!
The hotel is gorgeous! It's brand new, having been opened in may of this year. We had been looking at another small botique hotel that a friend of mine recommended, but they didn't have all the nights free that we wanted so settled on this one, called the Golden Sun 4. It's in the historic old town area and on a small side street so quiet. The man who checked us in spoke some English, and agreed to store our bags for the time we're in Halong Bay so we don't have to carry so much.
The lobby is gorgeous and we took a small elevator to the third floor to our rooms. they are beatifully done with wood laminate floors, a flat screen tv, a beautiful new bathroom and a big wardrobe. There's even a little balcony which is overlooking the largest tangle of wires I've ever seen! We took pictures and I'm curious to see what this looks like during the day! It was quite impressive for a huge mass of electical wires!!
I'm wide awake, which is surprising. Hopefully I'll sleep a bit, but I think tomorrow will be a mellow day. I know in the next few days we'll do some hiking, boating and touring caves, as well as visiting the floating fishing village, which I'm really looking forward to! I won't have internet so I'll be sure to provide an update when I get back!!
S
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