We are in Ho Chi Min now, having arrived via plane this afternoon. What a day to be here too! Vietnam won a football (soccer) match against Malaysia this afternoon and everyone is partying in the streets. And it's not even a finals match. Or a semi finals match. There are hundreds of thousands of people in the streets, waving flags and cheering and shouting. In the center of downtown we watched as traffic ground to a halt around a giant roundabout as motos converged on the area. Fireworks were set off, the street vendors are out as if it's a carnival, and the police arrived to try and move traffic. I have never seen a display of national pride quite like it.
It all started about 4:30 pm with small gangs of moto bikes circling the streets cheering and waving the Vietnamese flag. Hour by hour the gangs got larger and joined together, whole families of four (parents and children) climbing on their bikes and coming out into the street to celebrate. It reached a crescendo about 9:30pm and has been tapering off since then. But, wow! It was cool.
When it all started we were out in the middle of it on a cyclo tour of the downtown. We watched the crowds from the REX hotel rooftop bar (famous as a war era hangout for expats and journalists). Later, we were eating dinner at the very mouth of the main roundabout. We had to walk home crossing the streets through the sea of bikes several times.
Tomorrow is a big day with an early start at the Cu Chi tunnels followed by the War museum. Dinner will be a Mekong River cruise and then maybe drinks at one of the many bars in our neighborhood. At some point I will find time to finish my entry from Hoi An...
Sunday, December 6, 2009
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Vroom, Vroom and Hue!
Just when I think this trip can't get any cooler, it does. We arrived in Hue (pronounced Hway) via overnight train from Hanoi. We were all signed up for the all day moto bike tour of the city and it's surrounding areas with all the extras. This might be the most fun day we've had yet!
Our bikes picked us up at 10am and we headed into the city to see the Citadel and Royal Palace grounds. The palace grounds are under mass amounts of reconstruction as the palace was destroyed during the war, first with the French then the Americans. Hue, the former capital of Vietnam, was a major target during the war and there are rebuilding efforts all over the area to try and restore and reconstruct some of the historical sights that were destroyed. The Citadel was the site of a major battle in the Vietnam war but remains intact. We also stopped by a Buddhist temple and saw the tomb of the last emperor to reign prior to the French invasion. Before his death, a fortune teller predicted that his enemies would raid his tomb and try to loot his riches so he kept the true location of his tomb a secret and created a false one instead. Thirty years later, the French raided this "fake" tomb but didn't find the riches and remains they were hoping for. We also managed to squeeze in 1 hr dragon boat cruise down the perfume river before we stopped for lunch.
Lunch stop was a nunnery where we were treated to yet another delicious meal. As Buddhists, monks and nuns do not eat any meat, it was a 5 course vegetarian meal. Up to this point it had been a grey day and had been threatening rain, but just as we finished eating there was a complete downpour. Our fabulous moto guides produced rain ponchos for each of us and we spent the rest of the afternoon scooting around in true Vietnamese style.
After lunch we took a tour through the back streets and alleys, city streets and along the river into the countryside. There we raced through rice fields and villages exploring the historic city. Andy wasn't kidding when she told us that there was no other way to see Hue. Everywhere we went there were temples and brightly painted historic buildings tucked between modern homes, lean-tos and burial sites. It was fascinating and really gave us a sense of the rich history of this place. We stopped at what is the second oldest covered bridge in Vietnam. There are only two remaining and we will see the other in Hoi An. On the other side we were welcomed like old friends to sit in a streamside pagoda and warm up with, you guessed it, delicious Vietnamese coffee. (I am rapidly falling in love with this place.)
If you can believe it we were not done yet. Next we stopped at a family incense stand where we learned and then each got to try rolling our own incense stick. Not exactly a success for any of us but cool nonetheless. After an impromptu game of hacky-sack with our moto drivers we were back on the road again. We found ourselves winding up dirt paths into a reforested area towards the top of a big hill. Like so many other things on this trip, what greeted us was not what we expected. We were at the top of Hue's best make-out and scenic viewing spot above the river and the city. It just so happens to also be the site of one of the most famous battles in the Vietnam war, Bunker Hill. It was so strange to stand up there and imagine the lives that were changed that day, to stand on top of the nondescript concrete bunkers and to admire the view. It just brings into perspective how the people here are faced with the wars that have been fought in their country everyday. They are immersed in it and it has become part of their culture. Homes are squeezed between burial plots. Ancient palaces and temples are in ruins. And lots of them, our guide included have stories of how their family was involved in the war. Today, our guide's father was a Captain in the Southern Army which is the side the American's were fighting on. He told us some of his father's war stories and how as a child he witnessed a nun burning herself in protest against the war.
A traffic jam in the city and a little more racing through the narrow back streets to get our heart pumping and we stopped at Thuy's house to see how conical bamboo hats are made. She is an expert on the craft and has been in several international magazine articles. It is said that Hue is the home of the bamboo hat. Just as we left Thuy's home, the heaven's opened up and dumped cats, dogs and cattle on us. The streets immediately filled with water and we had to wade and then drive through a good 5" of water to get back on the main roads. We were deposited at the DMZ bar at 6pm just in time to catch most of the Vietnam vs. Thailand soccer game.
Holy Cow! I can't wait to show you all some of the photos and video of our ride, it is difficult to describe in words. When we started the day we were told that our job was to ride along and wave to all the children on the way. Sure enough we were greeted with lots of waves, hellos and even a high five. It was a truly fantastic day!!!
Hoi An next...where you can have a three piece suit custom tailored overnight. My bank account is dwindling as I write this... :)
Our bikes picked us up at 10am and we headed into the city to see the Citadel and Royal Palace grounds. The palace grounds are under mass amounts of reconstruction as the palace was destroyed during the war, first with the French then the Americans. Hue, the former capital of Vietnam, was a major target during the war and there are rebuilding efforts all over the area to try and restore and reconstruct some of the historical sights that were destroyed. The Citadel was the site of a major battle in the Vietnam war but remains intact. We also stopped by a Buddhist temple and saw the tomb of the last emperor to reign prior to the French invasion. Before his death, a fortune teller predicted that his enemies would raid his tomb and try to loot his riches so he kept the true location of his tomb a secret and created a false one instead. Thirty years later, the French raided this "fake" tomb but didn't find the riches and remains they were hoping for. We also managed to squeeze in 1 hr dragon boat cruise down the perfume river before we stopped for lunch.
Lunch stop was a nunnery where we were treated to yet another delicious meal. As Buddhists, monks and nuns do not eat any meat, it was a 5 course vegetarian meal. Up to this point it had been a grey day and had been threatening rain, but just as we finished eating there was a complete downpour. Our fabulous moto guides produced rain ponchos for each of us and we spent the rest of the afternoon scooting around in true Vietnamese style.
After lunch we took a tour through the back streets and alleys, city streets and along the river into the countryside. There we raced through rice fields and villages exploring the historic city. Andy wasn't kidding when she told us that there was no other way to see Hue. Everywhere we went there were temples and brightly painted historic buildings tucked between modern homes, lean-tos and burial sites. It was fascinating and really gave us a sense of the rich history of this place. We stopped at what is the second oldest covered bridge in Vietnam. There are only two remaining and we will see the other in Hoi An. On the other side we were welcomed like old friends to sit in a streamside pagoda and warm up with, you guessed it, delicious Vietnamese coffee. (I am rapidly falling in love with this place.)
If you can believe it we were not done yet. Next we stopped at a family incense stand where we learned and then each got to try rolling our own incense stick. Not exactly a success for any of us but cool nonetheless. After an impromptu game of hacky-sack with our moto drivers we were back on the road again. We found ourselves winding up dirt paths into a reforested area towards the top of a big hill. Like so many other things on this trip, what greeted us was not what we expected. We were at the top of Hue's best make-out and scenic viewing spot above the river and the city. It just so happens to also be the site of one of the most famous battles in the Vietnam war, Bunker Hill. It was so strange to stand up there and imagine the lives that were changed that day, to stand on top of the nondescript concrete bunkers and to admire the view. It just brings into perspective how the people here are faced with the wars that have been fought in their country everyday. They are immersed in it and it has become part of their culture. Homes are squeezed between burial plots. Ancient palaces and temples are in ruins. And lots of them, our guide included have stories of how their family was involved in the war. Today, our guide's father was a Captain in the Southern Army which is the side the American's were fighting on. He told us some of his father's war stories and how as a child he witnessed a nun burning herself in protest against the war.
A traffic jam in the city and a little more racing through the narrow back streets to get our heart pumping and we stopped at Thuy's house to see how conical bamboo hats are made. She is an expert on the craft and has been in several international magazine articles. It is said that Hue is the home of the bamboo hat. Just as we left Thuy's home, the heaven's opened up and dumped cats, dogs and cattle on us. The streets immediately filled with water and we had to wade and then drive through a good 5" of water to get back on the main roads. We were deposited at the DMZ bar at 6pm just in time to catch most of the Vietnam vs. Thailand soccer game.
Holy Cow! I can't wait to show you all some of the photos and video of our ride, it is difficult to describe in words. When we started the day we were told that our job was to ride along and wave to all the children on the way. Sure enough we were greeted with lots of waves, hellos and even a high five. It was a truly fantastic day!!!
Hoi An next...where you can have a three piece suit custom tailored overnight. My bank account is dwindling as I write this... :)
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Just calmy step out into trafffic
We have arrived in Hanoi. And I don't think the city noticed at all. Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam is bustling and crowded the way all capital cities are. But the Vietnamese do bustling with a special kind of vigor and enthousiasm and a cacophony of honks and beeps. There are about 6 million people in the city and approximately 5 million motorized bikes. No kidding.
After checking in at our hotel we headed out onto the streets for our first lesson in walking. Andy has a policy that she won't allow her passengers out of her sight until she has taught them how to walk across the street here. The trick is to find a break in the edge of traffic and then calmy step into the road and start walking. Walk, NEVER RUN, across the street and watch the traffic flow around you the way a river does an obstacle in it's path. And it works! Mostly.
All driving rules in Vietnam are fluid except this; do not take your eyes off the road in front of you. This is the only way you will avoid hitting something. Therefore, the only way to know if something is beside or behind you is if they let you know they are there, by honking their horn. This generally applies to everything; bicycles, cyclos, motos, cars, trucks and busses. If you want to go around something, you honk at it. If you don't want them to go around you, you honk at it. If you want to say hi to someone you see on the street, you honk at it. There is actually a very fine art to driving here but I think generally, the idea is to keep moving ahead and not hit anything. The only way to really understand it is to get in the middle of it, so I did. The first day we took a walk around the area, then took cyclos in the evening (a bench type chair with a bicycle behind). On day two I tried a cab and then a moto (a scooter). By far, moto is the way to go and we spent one night hopping on and off them to check out the bar scene.
Our cyclo tour dropped us off at the theatre where we saw a traditional water puppets show. I am glad I saw it, and think it's a must see during a visit to Vietnam. If I understand it correctly, the water puppet shows were used as a tool to teach moral values as well as history. My favorite act was called "Fishing" or don't smoke dope or you will go hungry. We had dinner in the old quarter of the city and strolled around. The coolest part was when we came across an shop with a collection of propaganda posters from the war. Really fascinating! The slogans were about beafing up production of food and natural resources, successes during the war and political philosophy. It was really very cool.
On my "free day" I stayed in bed until 1pm trying to recover from the cold that settled into to my head at the home stay. Over the past few days I have run out of my stock of dayquil so first on my list was drugs. Apparently, you can get any drug you want here from the pharmacies, you just have to know what to ask for. Sadly, pseudophedrine and dextromathorphine (spelling?) are not internationally recognized drug names. A lot of pantomiming and giggling later, I have cold meds. Hooray!
As a group we met for dinner in the old quarter and then stopped in at Finnegan's Irish pub for "a" drink. Several rounds later, the police dropped in to kick us all out. Sadly, not because we were dancing on the bar or anything, simply because the bars close down at midnight here. It didn't take long to find more trouble though, we hopped on moto taxis, said the words "more beer" and were delivered on the steps of the 1/2 Man 1/2 Noodle bar. The sign outside read, "Drink here...or we shoot the puppy." Ha! About an hour later the cops stopped by again but this time we were told just to go outside for 5 minutes and then we could come back in. We closed the bar down at 3am. By any standard we have a big night out. A three course meal follwed by bar hopping, 8 or 10 rounds of drinks and two moto taxi rides...$50. Excellent!
On Monday afternoon I visited the Hanoi Hilton, the former prison come prisoner or war camp where John McCain was held during the war. This morning we visited the Ho Chi Minh complex. Ho Chi Minh, or Uncle Ho as he is referred to, is calmy resting on ice in the north part of the city. It is hard to put into words all the things I have learned about the Vietnamese perspective on Uncle Ho, the french colonization and the American War. Perhaps I will try at another time, but for now I will leave it. One guide put it into perspective this way: he said the Vietnamese don't harbor any ill feelings towards the French or the Americans. They have won every battle they have ever fought; they have removed out every foreign body that has ever tried to occupy their country. This makes them a generally happy and welcoming country. I can't say if this is true everywhere, but the hospitality of everyone we have encountered has been great and they have been excited to know that there is an American in the group.
Tonight, we are off to Hue (promounced hway) via overnight train. This is the former capital of the country. It was recently declared a UNESCO site and there are now efforts to restore the palaces and temples that were destroyed during the war. We are told the only way to get a feel for teh city is via motorbike so we have an all day tour in store for us!
After checking in at our hotel we headed out onto the streets for our first lesson in walking. Andy has a policy that she won't allow her passengers out of her sight until she has taught them how to walk across the street here. The trick is to find a break in the edge of traffic and then calmy step into the road and start walking. Walk, NEVER RUN, across the street and watch the traffic flow around you the way a river does an obstacle in it's path. And it works! Mostly.
All driving rules in Vietnam are fluid except this; do not take your eyes off the road in front of you. This is the only way you will avoid hitting something. Therefore, the only way to know if something is beside or behind you is if they let you know they are there, by honking their horn. This generally applies to everything; bicycles, cyclos, motos, cars, trucks and busses. If you want to go around something, you honk at it. If you don't want them to go around you, you honk at it. If you want to say hi to someone you see on the street, you honk at it. There is actually a very fine art to driving here but I think generally, the idea is to keep moving ahead and not hit anything. The only way to really understand it is to get in the middle of it, so I did. The first day we took a walk around the area, then took cyclos in the evening (a bench type chair with a bicycle behind). On day two I tried a cab and then a moto (a scooter). By far, moto is the way to go and we spent one night hopping on and off them to check out the bar scene.
Our cyclo tour dropped us off at the theatre where we saw a traditional water puppets show. I am glad I saw it, and think it's a must see during a visit to Vietnam. If I understand it correctly, the water puppet shows were used as a tool to teach moral values as well as history. My favorite act was called "Fishing" or don't smoke dope or you will go hungry. We had dinner in the old quarter of the city and strolled around. The coolest part was when we came across an shop with a collection of propaganda posters from the war. Really fascinating! The slogans were about beafing up production of food and natural resources, successes during the war and political philosophy. It was really very cool.
On my "free day" I stayed in bed until 1pm trying to recover from the cold that settled into to my head at the home stay. Over the past few days I have run out of my stock of dayquil so first on my list was drugs. Apparently, you can get any drug you want here from the pharmacies, you just have to know what to ask for. Sadly, pseudophedrine and dextromathorphine (spelling?) are not internationally recognized drug names. A lot of pantomiming and giggling later, I have cold meds. Hooray!
As a group we met for dinner in the old quarter and then stopped in at Finnegan's Irish pub for "a" drink. Several rounds later, the police dropped in to kick us all out. Sadly, not because we were dancing on the bar or anything, simply because the bars close down at midnight here. It didn't take long to find more trouble though, we hopped on moto taxis, said the words "more beer" and were delivered on the steps of the 1/2 Man 1/2 Noodle bar. The sign outside read, "Drink here...or we shoot the puppy." Ha! About an hour later the cops stopped by again but this time we were told just to go outside for 5 minutes and then we could come back in. We closed the bar down at 3am. By any standard we have a big night out. A three course meal follwed by bar hopping, 8 or 10 rounds of drinks and two moto taxi rides...$50. Excellent!
On Monday afternoon I visited the Hanoi Hilton, the former prison come prisoner or war camp where John McCain was held during the war. This morning we visited the Ho Chi Minh complex. Ho Chi Minh, or Uncle Ho as he is referred to, is calmy resting on ice in the north part of the city. It is hard to put into words all the things I have learned about the Vietnamese perspective on Uncle Ho, the french colonization and the American War. Perhaps I will try at another time, but for now I will leave it. One guide put it into perspective this way: he said the Vietnamese don't harbor any ill feelings towards the French or the Americans. They have won every battle they have ever fought; they have removed out every foreign body that has ever tried to occupy their country. This makes them a generally happy and welcoming country. I can't say if this is true everywhere, but the hospitality of everyone we have encountered has been great and they have been excited to know that there is an American in the group.
Tonight, we are off to Hue (promounced hway) via overnight train. This is the former capital of the country. It was recently declared a UNESCO site and there are now efforts to restore the palaces and temples that were destroyed during the war. We are told the only way to get a feel for teh city is via motorbike so we have an all day tour in store for us!
Monday, November 30, 2009
Plains, Trains, Automobiles...and a PIRATE SHIP!
Now I understand what all the driving was for...to get here, to Halong Bay. And more specifically, to our overnight cruise on a junket. Which really does look and feel like a pirate ship. After leaving the homestay village we had a 12 hour bus ride to Ninh Binh across the Vietnam border. It was a VERY long ride followed by a VERY uneventful dinner in the hotel lobby. In the morning we boarded the bus again for another four hour ride to Halong Bay. Now when I say bus and ride, I really mean rollercoaster ride. I can't complain too much because we did have a private 24 passenger van which meant we each had a row of seats to ourselves. But we also had super rocket powered springs that sent your body launching into the air at even the hint of a bump.
But then we arrived at the docks and boarded our own private junket for a two day cruise around the bay. I feel I am running out of adjectives to describe all the cool things we have seen and done so I am going to go ahead and just use...Awesome.
The boat consisted of three levels. The lower level, or water level, held the cabins and kitchen. The upper level was a plush dining room surrounded by windows with a bar at the back end and the captains area at the front. The upper level, or top deck was open air deck chairs. Again, Awesome.
The crew lined up on deck to welcome us aboard in full uniform. After a 5 course meal of steamed prawns, crispy vegetable eggrolls, sesame fried pork, steamed veggies and fresh fruit; we settled into the deck chairs, drinks in hand, to nap and enjoy the scenery.
Halong Bay is truly beautiful in the way that only nature can be. Formed by erosion, nearly 2000 islands or all shapes and sizes rise up from the surace of the sea. Vietnamese legend says that these islands are part of the great dragon that descended from the sky to help the people fight off an enemy attack long, long ago. Hence the name Halong or descending dragon. The bay was declared a UNESCO site and has been on the new 7 natural wonders of the world list. Our plan was to float around the islands, moore up for the night in a protected area, and return the next afternoon. We did all this and more...
First, we stopped to visit a small floating village. We climbed on small canoe like boats to for a tour of the village and a peek at their pearl farm. The trip, which cost a whopping 20,000 dong ($1.20) also included a visit to their fish hatchery, school and a floating gift shop. The school wasn't included but they were happy to let us take a look around. The various parts of the gift shop were fundraisers for the village. In one area paintings and small crafts were sold for the garbage collection and disposal project. The other area was devoted to pearls, both loose and set, and was raising money for a laptop project to bring their children more access to the outside world.
In the evening, we tied up in a smaller bay with all the other tourist cruise boats and went for a swim as the sun set and the moon climbed up into the sky. There was a big fuss over trying to take photos of the boys jumping off the top deck of the boat. We couldn't get the camera's to work so they had to do it over and over again. I am sad to say, I was too chicken to jump from the top and only jumped from about 6' up.
Afterwards, another great dinner (more giant prawns, battered fish cakes, squid, chicken and fruit). I ordered, and drank, a mojito that tasted alarmingly similar to mouthwash. Then we headed back up on deck for the night. Ben, Matt and I had elected to spend the night under the stars and see the sunrise. We kept ourselves warm finishing off the bottle of gin and then slept under the sky on the lounge chairs. A lot of cloud cover moved in during the night but I woke up momentarily around 4am to see the clouds glowing pink.
After breakfast we stopped at a very cool limestone cave full and then headed in to shore for the last leg of our journey to Hanoi.
But then we arrived at the docks and boarded our own private junket for a two day cruise around the bay. I feel I am running out of adjectives to describe all the cool things we have seen and done so I am going to go ahead and just use...Awesome.
The boat consisted of three levels. The lower level, or water level, held the cabins and kitchen. The upper level was a plush dining room surrounded by windows with a bar at the back end and the captains area at the front. The upper level, or top deck was open air deck chairs. Again, Awesome.
The crew lined up on deck to welcome us aboard in full uniform. After a 5 course meal of steamed prawns, crispy vegetable eggrolls, sesame fried pork, steamed veggies and fresh fruit; we settled into the deck chairs, drinks in hand, to nap and enjoy the scenery.
Halong Bay is truly beautiful in the way that only nature can be. Formed by erosion, nearly 2000 islands or all shapes and sizes rise up from the surace of the sea. Vietnamese legend says that these islands are part of the great dragon that descended from the sky to help the people fight off an enemy attack long, long ago. Hence the name Halong or descending dragon. The bay was declared a UNESCO site and has been on the new 7 natural wonders of the world list. Our plan was to float around the islands, moore up for the night in a protected area, and return the next afternoon. We did all this and more...
First, we stopped to visit a small floating village. We climbed on small canoe like boats to for a tour of the village and a peek at their pearl farm. The trip, which cost a whopping 20,000 dong ($1.20) also included a visit to their fish hatchery, school and a floating gift shop. The school wasn't included but they were happy to let us take a look around. The various parts of the gift shop were fundraisers for the village. In one area paintings and small crafts were sold for the garbage collection and disposal project. The other area was devoted to pearls, both loose and set, and was raising money for a laptop project to bring their children more access to the outside world.
In the evening, we tied up in a smaller bay with all the other tourist cruise boats and went for a swim as the sun set and the moon climbed up into the sky. There was a big fuss over trying to take photos of the boys jumping off the top deck of the boat. We couldn't get the camera's to work so they had to do it over and over again. I am sad to say, I was too chicken to jump from the top and only jumped from about 6' up.
Afterwards, another great dinner (more giant prawns, battered fish cakes, squid, chicken and fruit). I ordered, and drank, a mojito that tasted alarmingly similar to mouthwash. Then we headed back up on deck for the night. Ben, Matt and I had elected to spend the night under the stars and see the sunrise. We kept ourselves warm finishing off the bottle of gin and then slept under the sky on the lounge chairs. A lot of cloud cover moved in during the night but I woke up momentarily around 4am to see the clouds glowing pink.
After breakfast we stopped at a very cool limestone cave full and then headed in to shore for the last leg of our journey to Hanoi.
Saturday, November 28, 2009
Week Two - Simon and Garfunkel alive and well in Loas
Saibidee! :) Or hello, always said with a smile and a singsong voice. Before leaving Laos I thought it would be a injustice if I didn't mention how lovely the people are. Having read that 80% of the population lives at a sustinance level of poverty, and having recieved several lessons on how not to encourage a street, or begging, culture here, I had assumed we would be faced with well, something completely different. I expected beggars and street children selling packets of gum. I anticipated pickpockets and dark alleys with shadey tuk tuk drivers trying to rip us off. Nope, not so much. I am ashamed to say that my western stereotypes were completely off base.
The Lao are lovely, friendly, warm and welcoming. This was evident no where as much as during the homestay. We prepared for the visit and the many long days of traveling ahead by stocking up on snacks at the local expat market. I also stocked up on a bottle of gin and cans of tonic water since the only thing readily available anywhere is beer.
Enroute to the village we stopped at a local Hmong market to marvel at the curiosities it had to offer. And curious they were. A note about the Lao, they eat everything. Our local Lao guide told us this when we first arrived, and our current Lao guide reaffirmed it. Nothing is off limits in the villages (in the cities we never saw anything unusual on the menu). Along with the standard farm animals (chickens, pigs, water buffalo), they eat frogs, lizards, bats, rats cats and even dog to name a few. So we were taken to the market to have a look at some of the more unusual delicacies still used by the ethnic minority groups in Lao. There were a whole range of unusual mushrooms and roots for sale. We also saw bats, eel, snails and a few rats for sale. There were live goats, rice alcohol, sesame oil and sugar cane. It was feast for the eyes.
We actually arrived at the village via B-52 boat. During the American (Vietnam) War, B-52 planes refueled in the air, dropping the empty fuel tanks to the ground. They make fantastic, ultra lightweight canoe type boats that are used all along the Ho Chi Min Trail. I am told we will also see them all over Vietnam. Yet another cool way to travel here. We had a quick walk around the village when we arrived and then settled in for cold drinks. As a group we ate dinner at one home and then split into two groups of three for the night.
There are about 47 houses and about 6 people per home. In the case of our main residence, the mother, father, youngest son and his wife share it. It is typical for the youngest son and his family to inherit the house and care for their parents. The homes are made of either bamboo or wood and built about 6' above the ground on stilts. The area below is used for all sorts of things; chickens, laundry, hammocks, rice husking. In this case, there were two large looms set up and the women of the ouse were busy at work. Our guide, Hi (pronounced Gee) prepared our dinner over an open fire in the kitchen, which we ate on the big porch outside. The home consisted of three buildings. First, the main house which had three areas defined by bamboo screen walls. This had a deep porch that ran the length of it and wrapped around to connect it to the kitchen building. There was also a toilet room about 100ft away.
We talked and then played card games and drank well into the night (this is where the gin came into play). In honor of Thanksgiving we had a round of "I'm thankful for..." toasts before splitting up and settling in for bed. We each had our own bed with a mosquito net for the night. All of our bedding was handmade and identical to the bedding our hosts used. It was a bit hard, but warm and comfy. Someone set the roosters for 6am and we were up and on the road again by 8am and were in Vietnam in time for dinner.
Laos has been lovely. Everything we have done here has been great and the people are wonderful hosts. I will miss the fresh fruit on every corner, the smiles in every shop and the song that has been running through our heads the whole time we have been here. Cup chai li li, li li li li li li (set to the tune of "The Boxer" by Simon and Garfunkel).
Sabaidee and cup chai li li Laos. Vietnam, here we come.!
The Lao are lovely, friendly, warm and welcoming. This was evident no where as much as during the homestay. We prepared for the visit and the many long days of traveling ahead by stocking up on snacks at the local expat market. I also stocked up on a bottle of gin and cans of tonic water since the only thing readily available anywhere is beer.
Enroute to the village we stopped at a local Hmong market to marvel at the curiosities it had to offer. And curious they were. A note about the Lao, they eat everything. Our local Lao guide told us this when we first arrived, and our current Lao guide reaffirmed it. Nothing is off limits in the villages (in the cities we never saw anything unusual on the menu). Along with the standard farm animals (chickens, pigs, water buffalo), they eat frogs, lizards, bats, rats cats and even dog to name a few. So we were taken to the market to have a look at some of the more unusual delicacies still used by the ethnic minority groups in Lao. There were a whole range of unusual mushrooms and roots for sale. We also saw bats, eel, snails and a few rats for sale. There were live goats, rice alcohol, sesame oil and sugar cane. It was feast for the eyes.
We actually arrived at the village via B-52 boat. During the American (Vietnam) War, B-52 planes refueled in the air, dropping the empty fuel tanks to the ground. They make fantastic, ultra lightweight canoe type boats that are used all along the Ho Chi Min Trail. I am told we will also see them all over Vietnam. Yet another cool way to travel here. We had a quick walk around the village when we arrived and then settled in for cold drinks. As a group we ate dinner at one home and then split into two groups of three for the night.
There are about 47 houses and about 6 people per home. In the case of our main residence, the mother, father, youngest son and his wife share it. It is typical for the youngest son and his family to inherit the house and care for their parents. The homes are made of either bamboo or wood and built about 6' above the ground on stilts. The area below is used for all sorts of things; chickens, laundry, hammocks, rice husking. In this case, there were two large looms set up and the women of the ouse were busy at work. Our guide, Hi (pronounced Gee) prepared our dinner over an open fire in the kitchen, which we ate on the big porch outside. The home consisted of three buildings. First, the main house which had three areas defined by bamboo screen walls. This had a deep porch that ran the length of it and wrapped around to connect it to the kitchen building. There was also a toilet room about 100ft away.
We talked and then played card games and drank well into the night (this is where the gin came into play). In honor of Thanksgiving we had a round of "I'm thankful for..." toasts before splitting up and settling in for bed. We each had our own bed with a mosquito net for the night. All of our bedding was handmade and identical to the bedding our hosts used. It was a bit hard, but warm and comfy. Someone set the roosters for 6am and we were up and on the road again by 8am and were in Vietnam in time for dinner.
Laos has been lovely. Everything we have done here has been great and the people are wonderful hosts. I will miss the fresh fruit on every corner, the smiles in every shop and the song that has been running through our heads the whole time we have been here. Cup chai li li, li li li li li li (set to the tune of "The Boxer" by Simon and Garfunkel).
Sabaidee and cup chai li li Laos. Vietnam, here we come.!
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Sitting in Buddha's Lap
In case you missed it, I have am posting two entries today. The first chronicles my last few days in Luang Prabang, including the elephant experience. I felt my next topic deserved and entry of its own. The day we arrived in Vientienne included a quick visit to a few temples followed by dinner and drinks at sunset along the river. This morning was the main event, a visit to COPE, the national rehabilitaion center here in Laos. This has been the most moving part of my journey yet. It was one of those moments when I found myself wondering how on earth the public conscience keeps things like this a secret.
Little known fact: Laos is the most heavily bombed country in history. During the Vietnam War (referred to as the American War here) over 260 million pieces of sub-munition was dropped inside Laos' borders even though the country was considered "neutral" in the conflict.
I don't know if anyone else will be as suprised by this fact as I was, and I am not about to start preaching on something I know so little about. And let me add that my goal here is not to make any kind of political statement whatsoever. All I will say is that I learned quite a bit about the efforts to recover and clear the remaining unexploded bombs and it left a significant impact on me. UNICEF and the UN have recognized that there is a significant risk to the population and estimates say it will take 100 years to clear. For any cause this is a daunting task.
The COPE visitors center is a must see on any travler's list when in Laos. It will open your eyes, move you to tears and reaffirm that there really are people out there making a difference.
After such an emotionally draining morning, we took a break and several of us rented a tuk tuk to take us out to "Buddha Park." It is like a religious playground filled with giant Hindu and Buddhist statues that you can climb on, around and inside of. Can you imagine?! I think I speak for us all when I say that sitting in Buddha's lap was reviving.
We depart in the morning for southern Laos and the village homestay before crossing the border into Vietnam. Happy Thanksgiving to all my American friends! I am sad that I am missing the dinner party, fireworks and tree lighting this year but I will be there in spirit. Tomorrow night, in lieu of champagne, I will say a toast with the bottle of gin I was able to buy at the European market. It will go something like this: "I am thankful for the opportunity to share my life with such a wonderful group of family and friends, I am thankful that every day I wake up to another opportunity for something great to happen, and I am thankful for all the paths that have led me to were I am today. You only get one shot at it, make it good. " Cheers!
Little known fact: Laos is the most heavily bombed country in history. During the Vietnam War (referred to as the American War here) over 260 million pieces of sub-munition was dropped inside Laos' borders even though the country was considered "neutral" in the conflict.
I don't know if anyone else will be as suprised by this fact as I was, and I am not about to start preaching on something I know so little about. And let me add that my goal here is not to make any kind of political statement whatsoever. All I will say is that I learned quite a bit about the efforts to recover and clear the remaining unexploded bombs and it left a significant impact on me. UNICEF and the UN have recognized that there is a significant risk to the population and estimates say it will take 100 years to clear. For any cause this is a daunting task.
The COPE visitors center is a must see on any travler's list when in Laos. It will open your eyes, move you to tears and reaffirm that there really are people out there making a difference.
After such an emotionally draining morning, we took a break and several of us rented a tuk tuk to take us out to "Buddha Park." It is like a religious playground filled with giant Hindu and Buddhist statues that you can climb on, around and inside of. Can you imagine?! I think I speak for us all when I say that sitting in Buddha's lap was reviving.
We depart in the morning for southern Laos and the village homestay before crossing the border into Vietnam. Happy Thanksgiving to all my American friends! I am sad that I am missing the dinner party, fireworks and tree lighting this year but I will be there in spirit. Tomorrow night, in lieu of champagne, I will say a toast with the bottle of gin I was able to buy at the European market. It will go something like this: "I am thankful for the opportunity to share my life with such a wonderful group of family and friends, I am thankful that every day I wake up to another opportunity for something great to happen, and I am thankful for all the paths that have led me to were I am today. You only get one shot at it, make it good. " Cheers!
Monday, November 23, 2009
Driving an elephant
I have to say, it has been another few spectacular days in Loas. At the end of my last blog entry I was just about to head out for an elephant ride...
The Lao call their land the land of a million elephants. Sadly, there are only about 2000 elephants left in the country, but the image of the elephant is still central here so it seemed fitting to participate. Also, many of the elephant trekking companies use funds to help with elephant rescue and rehabilitation projects. We started off riding two passengers to a bench strapped to the elephants back with a guide doing the directing from the cockpit (tucked behind the ears riding astride the elephants neck). It would not be an exaggeration to say that I was extremely disappointed with this arrangement. But, to my delight, after a few minutes we were allowed to do the driving! So cool. To operate one of these gentle giants you tap them gently behind the ears; both to go forward, either side to go left or right. When this doesn't get the desired results (which it rarely does) you rub her head or shoulder and say "Bai, Bai" (or go). Finally, you resort to rubbing her ears and pleading with the giant beast to leave the yummy jungle snacks alone and head down the path.
After an hour and a half of strolling (and snacking) our way through the jungle it was time for the bath part. For this we each had our own elephant and a mahout to keep things under control (really they were there to make sure we got as wet as possible). I was lucky enough to get the jokster of the group and we spent the whole time splashing everyone and everything. "Bun, bun!" is the elephant equivalent of "canon ball!" and signals the elephant to use his trunk to splash anything and everything. I am sure he was enjoying this as much as we were and I even got a nuzzle when I climbed down at the end.
After an hour and a half of strolling (and snacking) our way through the jungle it was time for the bath part. For this we each had our own elephant and a mahout to keep things under control (really they were there to make sure we got as wet as possible). I was lucky enough to get the jokster of the group and we spent the whole time splashing everyone and everything. "Bun, bun!" is the elephant equivalent of "canon ball!" and signals the elephant to use his trunk to splash anything and everything. I am sure he was enjoying this as much as we were and I even got a nuzzle when I climbed down at the end.
In the evening I climbed the 238 steps to the temple at the top of Mount Phousi (pronounced pussy, no kidding) to view the sunset...it was spectacular. Mary and I watched the sky and Mekong river below turn fire red while eating mangosteens from the market (delicious by the way).
Dinner was a traditional Lao meal at Tamarind, owned by a Lao/New Zealand couple who make it their business to introduce tourists to the local cuisine and how to eat it. We started with a tomato salsa-like dip, an eggplant (green) coriander dip, a chili paste, and a chili and buffalo skin dip. These we ate with seaweed crackers and sticky rice. The main course was lemongrass stuffed whole fish steamed in palm leaves. Fresh fruit juice cocktails accompanied the meal. Need I bother describing how delicious it was? Oh yeah, Ben and I were the only two adventurous enough to eat the fish eyes right from the heads...yum! Seriously, very very tasty.
The next morning was our last in Luang Prabang before catching a short flight south to the capital. I woke up at 4am to the sound of the monks drum (used to rouse them from their beds). I actually got out of bed at 5:30am to be in place to witness the giving of alms, or as we have affectionately started referring to it, the "feeding of the monks." To boil it down to the absolute basics, monks walk through the village each morning at sunrise collecting sticky rice from the locals. Sticky rice is the foundatoin of the diet here and the monks depend on the charity of the villagers to provide this staple. Their job is to then offer prayers on the behalf of the people. Quite simply it was both moving and beautiful to watch the long lines of monks walk through the streets recieving the gift of a pinch of sticky rice from the people they selflessly serve. Their vibrant orange robes were in contrast to the gray start of the morning and it was moving to see such an old tradition still in practice. At the suggestion of a more seasoned traveler, I "stalked a monk" in order to witness the practice being observed in a less touristy location. I watched what appeared to be a daughter, mother, grandmother and two aunts offer sticky rice to to monks from several temples.
A quick plane ride later and we arrived in Vientienne, the capital of Laos.
A quick plane ride later and we arrived in Vientienne, the capital of Laos.
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