Sunday, August 26, 2007
Sapa photos
They're up! Apologies for the massive number, but hopefully you'll be able to see why I loved it so much! http://picasaweb.google.com/stephaniepwilson/SoutheastAsiaSapa
Saturday, August 25, 2007
Serenity
After the constant honking and bustle of Hanoi, Laos is a refreshing change. I arrived in quiet Luang Prabang on Friday evening after a long travel day. I arrived at the airport at 11am to find out that my 1pm flight had been cancelled due to "mechanical problems" and was put on a 6:30 flight instead. I spent the day in the dark, boring international terminal. Fortunately midway through my stay there I discovered I could pay my way into the business class lounge. That made it a bit more manageable.
After some money conversion issues (I couldn't convert my dong) and the goodwill of fellow travelers I made it safely to a guesthouse. Yesterday was spent wandering the streets and many wats (temples) of the town. In stark contrast to most of the places I visited in Vietnam, the streets are quiet, and very few people bug me to buy anything. There are still the token children trying to sell bracelets and the "jumbo" drivers who want to take me to a waterfall, but it's very manageable.
Luang Prabang is known for its Wats and monks. They're both everywhere. I need to capture a photo of a group of orange-robed monks all sitting around in an internet cafe. It's a great contrast. Last night I saw a Lao ballet and traditional dance performance. The costumes and masks were spectacular. Ran in to Casey (from Sapa) there and some of her new airport friends. We all got dinner together from a street stall veggie buffet. All you can fit on a plate for 50 cents. Tasty tasty!
I'm about to head out for a day of elephant riding and kayaking. Mom tells me that when I was little I rode an elephant at the zoo and was crying the whole time. This time I'm going to work on being a bit more brave!
After some money conversion issues (I couldn't convert my dong) and the goodwill of fellow travelers I made it safely to a guesthouse. Yesterday was spent wandering the streets and many wats (temples) of the town. In stark contrast to most of the places I visited in Vietnam, the streets are quiet, and very few people bug me to buy anything. There are still the token children trying to sell bracelets and the "jumbo" drivers who want to take me to a waterfall, but it's very manageable.
Luang Prabang is known for its Wats and monks. They're both everywhere. I need to capture a photo of a group of orange-robed monks all sitting around in an internet cafe. It's a great contrast. Last night I saw a Lao ballet and traditional dance performance. The costumes and masks were spectacular. Ran in to Casey (from Sapa) there and some of her new airport friends. We all got dinner together from a street stall veggie buffet. All you can fit on a plate for 50 cents. Tasty tasty!
I'm about to head out for a day of elephant riding and kayaking. Mom tells me that when I was little I rode an elephant at the zoo and was crying the whole time. This time I'm going to work on being a bit more brave!
Thursday, August 23, 2007
Photos are up!
I'm back safe in Hanoi and have spent a couple hours posting new photos to Picasa. Check them out - 3 albums - Hue, Hoi An, and Hanoi/Halong Bay. http://picasaweb.google.com/stephaniepwilson Sapa is soon to come, but I didn't have enough time to do the captions justice so decided to wait.
Yesterday's hike with Li was incredible. She brought her 5 yr old son, Tan, along with us. He is SO cute and just scampered along with us for 5 hrs. We hiked through 2 ethnic villages and then proceeded through the mountains along a path that none of the tour companies take people on. We only saw villagers (and just a handful of them) for the majority of the time we were out. I got to learn more about Li, her family, and the people of the area. We stopped at her aunt's house, in Cat Cat village, which I got some great photos of. She gave me one of her silver bracelets so I'd never forget her. So kind! Our trip culminated at Silver Waterfall, where her boyfriend picked us up and took the 4 of us back to Sapa on his motorbike. We must have been quite a sight! Tan squished up front by the handlebars, the boyfriend (didn't catch his name) driving, then me, and Li rounding us out on the back. I wish I'd gotten a photo!
I was worrying all day (me worry? I know...crazy) about how much to pay Li. She hadn't given me a price for the day and I was hoping she wasn't going to ruin the rapport we'd built by asking for some exorbitant amount at the end of the day. Luckily when it came time to say goodbye (or simply, "see you" as they say here) she was very coy and seemed uncomfortable asking me for anything. I gave her 300,000 dong (about 19 USD) and she was elated. I think she probably got less than that for taking the 3 of us on a 2 day trip. It was really great to be able to make her so happy with just a bit of money, especially since she really earned it. I couldn't have asked for a better guide and really do feel as though I made a friend. I can't wait to get the photos up for you all :)
On my night train I was in a cabin with 3 chinese men. One was just learning English so we kind of talked/played charades for a little while. They were geologists heading to Hanoi to meet their boss after a vacation to Sapa.
Today I was fortunate enough to see the enbalmed Ho Chi Minh. It was fascinating to see how reverent the Vietnamese are toward him. I found it a bit creepy to be checking out his body. I also went to the very modern HCM museum, and then headed a bit out of town to go to the Vietnam Ethnology Museum. They have a lot of cool artifacts and more concrete information about the Vietnamese minorities.
I'd planned to meet my Sapa trekking buddy, Casey, for dinner, and then this afternoon ran into our other companion, Ildi on the street while she was looking for a place to stay! She's now rooming with me and we'll all head to dinner tonight. Fun! Tomorrow is the end of my time in Vietnam as I fly to Laos!
Yesterday's hike with Li was incredible. She brought her 5 yr old son, Tan, along with us. He is SO cute and just scampered along with us for 5 hrs. We hiked through 2 ethnic villages and then proceeded through the mountains along a path that none of the tour companies take people on. We only saw villagers (and just a handful of them) for the majority of the time we were out. I got to learn more about Li, her family, and the people of the area. We stopped at her aunt's house, in Cat Cat village, which I got some great photos of. She gave me one of her silver bracelets so I'd never forget her. So kind! Our trip culminated at Silver Waterfall, where her boyfriend picked us up and took the 4 of us back to Sapa on his motorbike. We must have been quite a sight! Tan squished up front by the handlebars, the boyfriend (didn't catch his name) driving, then me, and Li rounding us out on the back. I wish I'd gotten a photo!
I was worrying all day (me worry? I know...crazy) about how much to pay Li. She hadn't given me a price for the day and I was hoping she wasn't going to ruin the rapport we'd built by asking for some exorbitant amount at the end of the day. Luckily when it came time to say goodbye (or simply, "see you" as they say here) she was very coy and seemed uncomfortable asking me for anything. I gave her 300,000 dong (about 19 USD) and she was elated. I think she probably got less than that for taking the 3 of us on a 2 day trip. It was really great to be able to make her so happy with just a bit of money, especially since she really earned it. I couldn't have asked for a better guide and really do feel as though I made a friend. I can't wait to get the photos up for you all :)
On my night train I was in a cabin with 3 chinese men. One was just learning English so we kind of talked/played charades for a little while. They were geologists heading to Hanoi to meet their boss after a vacation to Sapa.
Today I was fortunate enough to see the enbalmed Ho Chi Minh. It was fascinating to see how reverent the Vietnamese are toward him. I found it a bit creepy to be checking out his body. I also went to the very modern HCM museum, and then headed a bit out of town to go to the Vietnam Ethnology Museum. They have a lot of cool artifacts and more concrete information about the Vietnamese minorities.
I'd planned to meet my Sapa trekking buddy, Casey, for dinner, and then this afternoon ran into our other companion, Ildi on the street while she was looking for a place to stay! She's now rooming with me and we'll all head to dinner tonight. Fun! Tomorrow is the end of my time in Vietnam as I fly to Laos!
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
Human Interest Story #2: Li in Sapa
Having safely made my way by night train to Sapa from Hanoi, I was hiking down a mountain 2 hours later. Myself, an American girl (Casey) and Hungarian girl (Ildi) were under the careful watch of Li - a 27 yr old member of the Black H'mong people. Her ethnic group is one of many who reside in the northwestern mountains of Vietnam. Various tribes seem to be distinguished by little other than their dress, but there is very little intermarriage despite the good terms they're on with each other.
My first impression of Sapa was nothing short of awe. It looks like nowhere I've ever been before, and is what I imagine the Andes and Peru to look like. The mountains are covered in green - mostly rice terraces. People (mostly women - can't figure out what the lazy men do!!!) young and old glide over the mountainsides laboring all day in the hot sun. I'm sure that the tired, sweaty westerners are highly amusing to them.
Yesterday we hiked for 7 hours, stopping briefly for lunch mid-day. Most of our trek was downhill - much of it over rocky or muddy terrain, which made it quite a challenge. Casey had some sort of food poisoning and potentially a fever and Ildi was badly sunburned and having troubles with her shoe. Comparatively I was in good shape but took an ungraceful spill as we were crossing a stream and banged and bloodied up my shins and knees pretty well. Quite the bunch. We arrived around 4:30 at a home in the village of Ban Ho - a Thai village (not like Thailand, but another ethnic minority). After resting for a bit, we walked down to the river for a dip and some jumps off a big rock. We were the only ones in the isolated spot and the cool water plus the setting made it feel like heaven. We were prepared a delicious meal over a fire before heading to bed in a loft with a mosquito net (Malaria Shield!!!).
An interlude on Li...
Li is a 27 year old woman with the energy, humor and spirit of a teenager. Her English is very good, but sometimes difficult to understand through her thick accent. She dresses in traditional clothing - at least when she's serving as a guide. We developed an amazing rapport, constantly joking and teasing. I was talking with her about how Americans were fat and lazy so she began calling me an American buffalo. She, on the other hand, is like a small chicken. So I told her that I thought maybe buffalo liked to kill chickens and she better watch out :) Her laugh is infectious and her spirits always high.
Li is an only child, which is rare among the H'mong. Small families have 6-7 kids and the average is about 12. I think the standard childbearing years are about 18-35. Li's mother was 51 when she was born (we asked about this multiple times - am pretty sure this is right!!!!) and her father died when she was 4.
Most H'mong teenagers marry between 13 and 17. If they do not have a child within 1-2 years they get divorced as the woman is seen to be unfit. This happened to Li in her late teens. She was fortunate enough to remarry and have 2 children who are now 5 and 3. She left her husband 2 years ago when he was drinking too much rice wine and they were fighting all of the time. She told me that she'd written to her American friend that "she'd die for sure" if she didn't get divorced - so I'm not sure if there was a physical abuse aspect as well. With the help of this American friend she was able to leave her husband. She had to pay the equivalent of about $150 US (an unfathomable amount for her, hence the help from her American friend) to get the divorce, and then moved back in with her mother, who now helps her with her children. She's in a very difficult situation as the sole bread-winner for the family, and in a family without extended family to help support her and her kids. Luckily, she's da bomb tour guide and I think it's a good job for her.
After a sound slumber last night we woke for the shorter return hike this morning. We hiked for only 2 hours but our energy and spirits were MUCH lower than yesterday. It was 5-10 degrees warmer, stuffy, and it was all uphill. Luckily the plan was for us to take the short hike then have a jeep come to pick us up! Despite the short hike we felt very accomplished at the end.
I would recommend a trip to Sapa to anyone who enjoys hiking. The scenery here is unbeatable (photos when I'm back in Hanoi!) and it's a unique experience to be led by a local guide. If this alone was my only stop in Vietnam it would have been worthwhile. A highlight for sure!
Tomorrow my trek buddies will be gone, but Li is taking me out for a private hike! Only a half day and I told her to take it easy on me :)
My first impression of Sapa was nothing short of awe. It looks like nowhere I've ever been before, and is what I imagine the Andes and Peru to look like. The mountains are covered in green - mostly rice terraces. People (mostly women - can't figure out what the lazy men do!!!) young and old glide over the mountainsides laboring all day in the hot sun. I'm sure that the tired, sweaty westerners are highly amusing to them.
Yesterday we hiked for 7 hours, stopping briefly for lunch mid-day. Most of our trek was downhill - much of it over rocky or muddy terrain, which made it quite a challenge. Casey had some sort of food poisoning and potentially a fever and Ildi was badly sunburned and having troubles with her shoe. Comparatively I was in good shape but took an ungraceful spill as we were crossing a stream and banged and bloodied up my shins and knees pretty well. Quite the bunch. We arrived around 4:30 at a home in the village of Ban Ho - a Thai village (not like Thailand, but another ethnic minority). After resting for a bit, we walked down to the river for a dip and some jumps off a big rock. We were the only ones in the isolated spot and the cool water plus the setting made it feel like heaven. We were prepared a delicious meal over a fire before heading to bed in a loft with a mosquito net (Malaria Shield!!!).
An interlude on Li...
Li is a 27 year old woman with the energy, humor and spirit of a teenager. Her English is very good, but sometimes difficult to understand through her thick accent. She dresses in traditional clothing - at least when she's serving as a guide. We developed an amazing rapport, constantly joking and teasing. I was talking with her about how Americans were fat and lazy so she began calling me an American buffalo. She, on the other hand, is like a small chicken. So I told her that I thought maybe buffalo liked to kill chickens and she better watch out :) Her laugh is infectious and her spirits always high.
Li is an only child, which is rare among the H'mong. Small families have 6-7 kids and the average is about 12. I think the standard childbearing years are about 18-35. Li's mother was 51 when she was born (we asked about this multiple times - am pretty sure this is right!!!!) and her father died when she was 4.
Most H'mong teenagers marry between 13 and 17. If they do not have a child within 1-2 years they get divorced as the woman is seen to be unfit. This happened to Li in her late teens. She was fortunate enough to remarry and have 2 children who are now 5 and 3. She left her husband 2 years ago when he was drinking too much rice wine and they were fighting all of the time. She told me that she'd written to her American friend that "she'd die for sure" if she didn't get divorced - so I'm not sure if there was a physical abuse aspect as well. With the help of this American friend she was able to leave her husband. She had to pay the equivalent of about $150 US (an unfathomable amount for her, hence the help from her American friend) to get the divorce, and then moved back in with her mother, who now helps her with her children. She's in a very difficult situation as the sole bread-winner for the family, and in a family without extended family to help support her and her kids. Luckily, she's da bomb tour guide and I think it's a good job for her.
After a sound slumber last night we woke for the shorter return hike this morning. We hiked for only 2 hours but our energy and spirits were MUCH lower than yesterday. It was 5-10 degrees warmer, stuffy, and it was all uphill. Luckily the plan was for us to take the short hike then have a jeep come to pick us up! Despite the short hike we felt very accomplished at the end.
I would recommend a trip to Sapa to anyone who enjoys hiking. The scenery here is unbeatable (photos when I'm back in Hanoi!) and it's a unique experience to be led by a local guide. If this alone was my only stop in Vietnam it would have been worthwhile. A highlight for sure!
Tomorrow my trek buddies will be gone, but Li is taking me out for a private hike! Only a half day and I told her to take it easy on me :)
Saturday, August 18, 2007
Excuse me...
Is the phrase I have undoubtedly heard the most of over the past 3 days. Our "very experienced" "English-speaking" tour guide to Halong Bay opened every statement with "excuse me". I gained the ability to hear her across a crowded room as it was so piercing to my ears.
I've learned some more about cultural differences, I think. Either that or we were just on a crummy tour. From the beginning of our 3 day trip we were given limited information about what was coming up next or what we needed to be prepared for. Sam thinks that this is a fundamental difference in how things are approached here vs. the western world, or at least my world. I like to have a schedule, and know where I need to be and what I need to plan for. On the tour, we would be told to be somewhere at a certain time, but with no information about what we'd be doing or what we needed for the activity. These were things we had to pry out of our guide, who was very frustrated with us and barely understood us half the time. NONETHELESS, we had a good time and I enjoyed the experience. Halong Bay is beautiful and we were able to enjoy it from our boat, a kayak, atop a peak within a national forest, and wandering the harbourfront in the evening.
Here is a short list of questions I've compiled for anyone wishing to take a Halong Bay trip with one of the many operators out of Hanoi:
1) In my A/C boat cabin are there specific hours of operation for the A/C? We were allowed into our rooms at 1pm, but not given the remote to operate the A/C until 9pm (when I had long sleeves on outside on the deck). When I awoke at 7am the A/C was off and the remote was no longer functional.
2) Will there be assigned seating at meals? We were seated for each meal for 3 days with 3 Germans (a mother, her son and his friend) who were able to speak English but spoke through the meals in German. They were very nice people but pretty much ignored us all during the meals.
3) When you say we will be going kayaking, does that mean we'll be going to the beach? We kayaked to Monkey Island and once we got there were told we were hanging out there for an hour and going back. Luckily a few of us wore bathing suits, but nobody brought towels since we'd assumed we'd be IN the kayaks.
4) Does Monkey Island have monkeys we can see? Not really, and they bite, so be careful.
5) Does the hotel we will stay at for the night we're not on the boat have a curfew? Luckily (I guess) the town was pretty dead so we didn't want to stay out late, but were a bit bummed to hear we were on high-school style rules.
I'm not bitter, really, I'm not, just a bit bummed that things didn't turn out exactly like we'd expected them to. On the upside, today our assigned seating at lunch was with 3 young Cambodians who were just about to begin studying law in Vietnam. It was fascinating to talk with them about Cambodia, and they reinforced my highly positive impressions of the Cambodian people.
Tomorrow (Sunday), Sam and I part ways (tears!) when I head off on a night train to Sapa. She leaves the next morning for Bangkok and then back to NC. I'll be halfway through my trip and in search of new travel buddies. I've met a few ppl who are going to Laos, though, so we may meet up!
I've learned some more about cultural differences, I think. Either that or we were just on a crummy tour. From the beginning of our 3 day trip we were given limited information about what was coming up next or what we needed to be prepared for. Sam thinks that this is a fundamental difference in how things are approached here vs. the western world, or at least my world. I like to have a schedule, and know where I need to be and what I need to plan for. On the tour, we would be told to be somewhere at a certain time, but with no information about what we'd be doing or what we needed for the activity. These were things we had to pry out of our guide, who was very frustrated with us and barely understood us half the time. NONETHELESS, we had a good time and I enjoyed the experience. Halong Bay is beautiful and we were able to enjoy it from our boat, a kayak, atop a peak within a national forest, and wandering the harbourfront in the evening.
Here is a short list of questions I've compiled for anyone wishing to take a Halong Bay trip with one of the many operators out of Hanoi:
1) In my A/C boat cabin are there specific hours of operation for the A/C? We were allowed into our rooms at 1pm, but not given the remote to operate the A/C until 9pm (when I had long sleeves on outside on the deck). When I awoke at 7am the A/C was off and the remote was no longer functional.
2) Will there be assigned seating at meals? We were seated for each meal for 3 days with 3 Germans (a mother, her son and his friend) who were able to speak English but spoke through the meals in German. They were very nice people but pretty much ignored us all during the meals.
3) When you say we will be going kayaking, does that mean we'll be going to the beach? We kayaked to Monkey Island and once we got there were told we were hanging out there for an hour and going back. Luckily a few of us wore bathing suits, but nobody brought towels since we'd assumed we'd be IN the kayaks.
4) Does Monkey Island have monkeys we can see? Not really, and they bite, so be careful.
5) Does the hotel we will stay at for the night we're not on the boat have a curfew? Luckily (I guess) the town was pretty dead so we didn't want to stay out late, but were a bit bummed to hear we were on high-school style rules.
I'm not bitter, really, I'm not, just a bit bummed that things didn't turn out exactly like we'd expected them to. On the upside, today our assigned seating at lunch was with 3 young Cambodians who were just about to begin studying law in Vietnam. It was fascinating to talk with them about Cambodia, and they reinforced my highly positive impressions of the Cambodian people.
Tomorrow (Sunday), Sam and I part ways (tears!) when I head off on a night train to Sapa. She leaves the next morning for Bangkok and then back to NC. I'll be halfway through my trip and in search of new travel buddies. I've met a few ppl who are going to Laos, though, so we may meet up!
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
Happy Birthday to me!
I kicked off the start of my 28th year (geez, that's a lot of years) with a first class flight from Hoi An to Hanoi this morning. It wasn't really supposed to be that way, but fate works in strange ways. I was really supposed to be on a day-long bus ride, but due to changes in plans since I decided to synch up with Sam and some train issues over the past couple weeks causing them to now be fully booked, the first class flight was the only option. Hey, I'm not complaining.
I have since indulged in an aromatherapy massage, facial and foot scrub at an upmarket spa here (for a whopping $43), where they found out it was my birthday and gave me a purse. How sweet!!! Tonight I think I'm going to the circus! An appropriate 27th birthday celebration I think, yes? :)
I've spent the past few days wasting away my bank account in Hoi An. It's a really cute little town that was untouched by the American War (the one we call the Vietnam War - same same). It's unique in that way and is a nice showcase of old homes and narrow streets. Primarily, though, the tailors dominate the town. I think probably 80% of the stores I saw were custom clothing shops. You go in, point at what you want, describe it, or pick it out of the many books they have, pick your fabric, lining, buttons, etc, and they take your measurements. About18 hours later you magically are wearing clothes that were only in your imagination a day before. Brilliant. So Sam and I spent nearly all of our 3 days choosing clothes, getting fitted, getting refitted, and shipping off our stuff. For about $250 I got:
1 suit (jacket, pants, skirt)
2 pairs of pants
1 winter coat
1 fall-weight coat
2 fun jackets
1 casual dress
2 casual skirts
1 pair of shoes
1 shirt
ALL MADE TO FIT ME!!! Granted, I spent $130 to ship it back to the states (thanks Tyler!) but for less than $400 I still think it's a pretty good deal :)
Hoi An was hella hot. I haven't seen a thermometer during my whole trip, but it was 95 with 95% humidity each day - easy. Pretty brutal. We also met up with 3 Portuguese boys that Sam befriended a week or so ago elsewhere in Vietnam. They added a little latin flair to the evenings during our days of shopping (not quite as scandalous as it sounds!).
Cultural observation:
Touching is different in Asia than it is in the U.S. I have been touched on my inner thigh (groped?) in a way that would be inappropriate by American standards TWICE in the past two days. During scenario 1 I was picking up the shoes I had made (which I'm not sure I like - didn't turn out like I imagined. Anyway...) sitting in an alley on one of the nursery school sized chairs they have here, dripping with sweat, while wondering whether the shoes will look reasonable with anything. Asian lady is trying to convince me to buy another pair of shoes by touching me - A LOT. First of all, I don't like people I don't know touching me. Second of all, lady, it's 95 degrees out. You're not helping me to stay cool. Third of all, what makes you think that by RUBBING MY INNER THIGH REPEATEDLY I am going to be convinced to buy more of your ugly shoes? I wish I had captured it on camera.
Scenario 2. I was getting my b'day aromatherapy massage - just a few short hours ago. I was wearing this makeshift pair of "underwear" that they told me to put on lying under a sheet. When the masseuse got to my leg there were no holds barred in massaging all the way up the leg. Now, I took a massage class at UVA (short but sweet) and as Nick will attest, one is really only supposed to go about halfway up the inner thigh when giving a massage to someone who one doesn't have an intimate relationship with (and to my knowledge I'd never met, much less been intimate with the small Asian woman now rubbing my legs). Anyway, It was a new experience for me.
One other interesting data point is from the tailor lady who Sam and I bought most of our stuff from and grew to love over our 3 days. When we left the last night she kept hugging and hugging me. This hugging also included squeezing my butt a few times. I haven't hugged many Vietnamese so maybe this is customary, or maybe it was because she was short and my butt was in easy reach. I have hugged short people before, though, and this doesn't usually happen. Anyway, it was very cute, and we actually did have a rather intimate relationship as she'd measured most of me and seen me change in and out of clothes multiple times. I guess I should be flattered that she enjoyed a good squeeze.
Tomorrow I head off on a 3 day Halong Bay boat trip. For those of you concerned that I might be in a gutter somewhere when you don't hear from me for a few days, please don't worry. I promise I'll come back.
I have since indulged in an aromatherapy massage, facial and foot scrub at an upmarket spa here (for a whopping $43), where they found out it was my birthday and gave me a purse. How sweet!!! Tonight I think I'm going to the circus! An appropriate 27th birthday celebration I think, yes? :)
I've spent the past few days wasting away my bank account in Hoi An. It's a really cute little town that was untouched by the American War (the one we call the Vietnam War - same same). It's unique in that way and is a nice showcase of old homes and narrow streets. Primarily, though, the tailors dominate the town. I think probably 80% of the stores I saw were custom clothing shops. You go in, point at what you want, describe it, or pick it out of the many books they have, pick your fabric, lining, buttons, etc, and they take your measurements. About18 hours later you magically are wearing clothes that were only in your imagination a day before. Brilliant. So Sam and I spent nearly all of our 3 days choosing clothes, getting fitted, getting refitted, and shipping off our stuff. For about $250 I got:
1 suit (jacket, pants, skirt)
2 pairs of pants
1 winter coat
1 fall-weight coat
2 fun jackets
1 casual dress
2 casual skirts
1 pair of shoes
1 shirt
ALL MADE TO FIT ME!!! Granted, I spent $130 to ship it back to the states (thanks Tyler!) but for less than $400 I still think it's a pretty good deal :)
Hoi An was hella hot. I haven't seen a thermometer during my whole trip, but it was 95 with 95% humidity each day - easy. Pretty brutal. We also met up with 3 Portuguese boys that Sam befriended a week or so ago elsewhere in Vietnam. They added a little latin flair to the evenings during our days of shopping (not quite as scandalous as it sounds!).
Cultural observation:
Touching is different in Asia than it is in the U.S. I have been touched on my inner thigh (groped?) in a way that would be inappropriate by American standards TWICE in the past two days. During scenario 1 I was picking up the shoes I had made (which I'm not sure I like - didn't turn out like I imagined. Anyway...) sitting in an alley on one of the nursery school sized chairs they have here, dripping with sweat, while wondering whether the shoes will look reasonable with anything. Asian lady is trying to convince me to buy another pair of shoes by touching me - A LOT. First of all, I don't like people I don't know touching me. Second of all, lady, it's 95 degrees out. You're not helping me to stay cool. Third of all, what makes you think that by RUBBING MY INNER THIGH REPEATEDLY I am going to be convinced to buy more of your ugly shoes? I wish I had captured it on camera.
Scenario 2. I was getting my b'day aromatherapy massage - just a few short hours ago. I was wearing this makeshift pair of "underwear" that they told me to put on lying under a sheet. When the masseuse got to my leg there were no holds barred in massaging all the way up the leg. Now, I took a massage class at UVA (short but sweet) and as Nick will attest, one is really only supposed to go about halfway up the inner thigh when giving a massage to someone who one doesn't have an intimate relationship with (and to my knowledge I'd never met, much less been intimate with the small Asian woman now rubbing my legs). Anyway, It was a new experience for me.
One other interesting data point is from the tailor lady who Sam and I bought most of our stuff from and grew to love over our 3 days. When we left the last night she kept hugging and hugging me. This hugging also included squeezing my butt a few times. I haven't hugged many Vietnamese so maybe this is customary, or maybe it was because she was short and my butt was in easy reach. I have hugged short people before, though, and this doesn't usually happen. Anyway, it was very cute, and we actually did have a rather intimate relationship as she'd measured most of me and seen me change in and out of clothes multiple times. I guess I should be flattered that she enjoyed a good squeeze.
Tomorrow I head off on a 3 day Halong Bay boat trip. For those of you concerned that I might be in a gutter somewhere when you don't hear from me for a few days, please don't worry. I promise I'll come back.
Saturday, August 11, 2007
Riding bikes
It used to be one of my favorite activities when I was little. Really, what's not to love? I wanted to love biking in San Francisco, but living on top of Nob Hill actively discouraged me from re-developing my cycling habit.
Biking in Hue, however, is fabulous.
When I last left off (after my 3 posts in a row. I still can't properly see my blog so am trying to remember what I've said and not said already!) I was in Nha Trang and had 1 day left. I planned to go to Hoi An next, but rerouted so that I could be there at the same time as Sam. So I took the overnight bus to Hue instead (a few hrs north of Hoi An) and will make my way to Hoi An tomorrow to meet Sam. Anyway, so I'm in Hue.
I rented a bike this morning, basket and all, for about 70 cents for the day. Let me start by saying that Hue is beautiful. It lies on both banks of the Perfume River and is very green, cultural, and sane. There are parks lining the riverbanks and trees everywhere. A few kilometers outside the city are renowned temples and pagodas (like everywhere else) that I wanted to visit. The sights themselves were cool - especially since they were not at all crowded. However, I really enjoyed seeing the countryside. There are a lot of cows here, just wandering about. I'm not really sure what their deal is. I "discovered" this huge cemetary on a back road and wanted to wander through but was scared off by cows that were territorially mooing at me as I took photos from the entrance.
The other main sight in the city is the Citadel. It's a huge (like 4k by 4k) walled in section of the city. Within it is the Imperial Enclosure. As you might imagine there are temples and palaces within the enclosure. I spent the afternoon yesterday just wandering around there. Again, it was really quiet and made me feel like I was discovering something new.
Despite the seeming lack of tourists around, I did make some friends! On the bus here I sat next to an older Aussie guy traveling with his wife and 2 other couples. I ran into them as I was walking back to my guesthouse last night and they invited me to eat with them. They were great fun to chat with and humored me by listening to me talk for awhile since I hadn't really chatted with anyone in a day or so. Suddenly all sorts of interesting (well I hope it was interesting at least) things came pouring out! I had a flaming banana for dessert. Delish!
Going back a few days....
On my last day in Nha Trang, after Sam arrived, we hung out on the beach for a few hours (I was in the shade - too much sun the day before) and then went to a mud bath. It was one of the more outrageous things I'd ever experienced. The place was famous for its mud (or so they say) but the way it was set up felt like a combo between a water park and mini golf course. Sam has some hilarious pictures of us frolicking in the mud that I need to get my hands on. For skin health and entertainment value I give it a solid A. I'm a bit concerned that I'll never get all the mud out of my bathing suit, though. After 3 determined soakings, the water's still brown :(
If you made it this far, you are rewarded with the news of more photos! I finished the Cambodia shots (sorry there are SO many, but I loved it) and have uploaded and captioned both Saigon and Nha Trang. Enjoy! http://picasaweb.google.com/stephaniepwilson/
Biking in Hue, however, is fabulous.
When I last left off (after my 3 posts in a row. I still can't properly see my blog so am trying to remember what I've said and not said already!) I was in Nha Trang and had 1 day left. I planned to go to Hoi An next, but rerouted so that I could be there at the same time as Sam. So I took the overnight bus to Hue instead (a few hrs north of Hoi An) and will make my way to Hoi An tomorrow to meet Sam. Anyway, so I'm in Hue.
I rented a bike this morning, basket and all, for about 70 cents for the day. Let me start by saying that Hue is beautiful. It lies on both banks of the Perfume River and is very green, cultural, and sane. There are parks lining the riverbanks and trees everywhere. A few kilometers outside the city are renowned temples and pagodas (like everywhere else) that I wanted to visit. The sights themselves were cool - especially since they were not at all crowded. However, I really enjoyed seeing the countryside. There are a lot of cows here, just wandering about. I'm not really sure what their deal is. I "discovered" this huge cemetary on a back road and wanted to wander through but was scared off by cows that were territorially mooing at me as I took photos from the entrance.
The other main sight in the city is the Citadel. It's a huge (like 4k by 4k) walled in section of the city. Within it is the Imperial Enclosure. As you might imagine there are temples and palaces within the enclosure. I spent the afternoon yesterday just wandering around there. Again, it was really quiet and made me feel like I was discovering something new.
Despite the seeming lack of tourists around, I did make some friends! On the bus here I sat next to an older Aussie guy traveling with his wife and 2 other couples. I ran into them as I was walking back to my guesthouse last night and they invited me to eat with them. They were great fun to chat with and humored me by listening to me talk for awhile since I hadn't really chatted with anyone in a day or so. Suddenly all sorts of interesting (well I hope it was interesting at least) things came pouring out! I had a flaming banana for dessert. Delish!
Going back a few days....
On my last day in Nha Trang, after Sam arrived, we hung out on the beach for a few hours (I was in the shade - too much sun the day before) and then went to a mud bath. It was one of the more outrageous things I'd ever experienced. The place was famous for its mud (or so they say) but the way it was set up felt like a combo between a water park and mini golf course. Sam has some hilarious pictures of us frolicking in the mud that I need to get my hands on. For skin health and entertainment value I give it a solid A. I'm a bit concerned that I'll never get all the mud out of my bathing suit, though. After 3 determined soakings, the water's still brown :(
If you made it this far, you are rewarded with the news of more photos! I finished the Cambodia shots (sorry there are SO many, but I loved it) and have uploaded and captioned both Saigon and Nha Trang. Enjoy! http://picasaweb.google.com/stephaniepwilson/
Wednesday, August 8, 2007
Oops & pictures
Okay, sorry for the double post. Everything on the interface I'm using is in Vietnamese (which I don't speak) and when trying to figure out how to format something I inadvertently posted and now can't take it down (because I don't know Vietnamese). I also can't access the site to look at it, and everything that I CAN do is from memory of what is where on the page when I can see it in English. Ugh.
Anyway, I forgot to mention that I have put up a bunch of photos on Picasa. It's really painstaking to upload so I only got halfway thru Cambodia and don't have many comments yet. Check back later, though for more!
http://picasaweb.google.com/stephaniepwilson/
Anyway, I forgot to mention that I have put up a bunch of photos on Picasa. It's really painstaking to upload so I only got halfway thru Cambodia and don't have many comments yet. Check back later, though for more!
http://picasaweb.google.com/stephaniepwilson/
Beach
It has been awhile since I've updated - apologies to those who weren't sure if I was still alive. I am very much alive, but the computers in Nha Trang don't like to go to my blog page. I hope it's working okay for everyone else.
I'm on my 3rd day in this great beach town. It has a healthy mix of tourism and local culture and charm, and is much more my speed than Saigon was. It is hella hot, though and humid. The keys on the computers stick like nothing else and I'm ingesting approximately 8L of water (for a price of about $2!!!) per day. How's that for hydrated?
On day 1 here I took a boat trip, which is what one does when one is in Nha Trang. I somehow ended up on a tour that was 90% Vietnamese, plus me, 4 Germans and 3 British guys. I spent most of my time hanging out with the 3 guys, save for when something attacked me (or I guess stung might be a more reasonable description) on my pinky toe, which promptly swelled while 1/2 of my foot turned red. It stung like a mother for 20 minutes, but then I recovered. My boat guide said it was coral, but I'm not buying it. the highlight of the trip was the "band" on board. Our guide sang and 2 of the boat workers played electric guitar and "drums" of cut down buckets labeled "Yamaha". The two songs he sang for the English speakers were "My Heart Will Go On" by Celene Dion (while acting out the famous Titanic front-of-the-boat scene) and Frere Jacques (I think I butchered that spelling). Frere Jacques? Interesting that the 2 songs he chose were Canadian and French - Vietnam does have a French history!
Yesterday I was awoken at 5:15 by the start of sunrise. I bolted to the killer roofdeck here and snapped some amazing shots. I managed to catch the sun JUST as it broke the horizon. My hotel has hammocks and a great view of the city and beach on the roof, as well as food. I could probably live up there :) All morning I lounged on the beach on a lounge chair with a 3 inch thick mattress and a thatched umbrella. It cost me $1.25 for the whole day. Incredible. The water was the perfect temperature to cool me off, but not so cool it was a jolt to the system.
I spent a few hours in the afternoon wandering all over town, seeing some of the sights. The two things I was struck by were the kids and pedestrians.
Kids
The children are incredibly well-behaved. They all help their parents work or entertain themselves while their parents do so. So many of them like to say "hello" to me and giggle when I respond. I was walking by a group of about 4 4-year-olds yesterday who were getting a school lesson from an older woman. I didn't realize what was going on (because they were so young!) and was waving at the little girl of the group. She kept staring like she wanted to wave but was afraid to and sat there quietly. On my return trip the same children were outside but the lesson was over. They waved madly, laughing and saying hello. At 4 years old these kids had that control to know how to behave when in class! I can't imagine US kindergarteners doing that - ever. The only kids I saw fighting/bickering all day was when I walked by the open door of a home and saw 2 fighting over a video game controller. Go figure.
Pedestrians
There aren't any. I was virtually the only one walking anywhere yesterday. They may be the smart ones since it was probably 95 degrees out, but it still seemed unusual. In most cities I'm used to people walk most places, but I guess in the cities I know not everyone has a motorbike. Here they're used to go everywhere - even just for a trip down the block.
My friend Sam (one of the UNC girls from Cambodia) is arriving this morning. I think we'll spend the day on the beach (though I'll be in the shade - too much sun yesterday!) and may hit up a mudbath place! Then tonight I'm off by overnight train to Hoi An where I hope to find an incredible tailor to make me heaps of custom clothes on the cheap!
I'm on my 3rd day in this great beach town. It has a healthy mix of tourism and local culture and charm, and is much more my speed than Saigon was. It is hella hot, though and humid. The keys on the computers stick like nothing else and I'm ingesting approximately 8L of water (for a price of about $2!!!) per day. How's that for hydrated?
On day 1 here I took a boat trip, which is what one does when one is in Nha Trang. I somehow ended up on a tour that was 90% Vietnamese, plus me, 4 Germans and 3 British guys. I spent most of my time hanging out with the 3 guys, save for when something attacked me (or I guess stung might be a more reasonable description) on my pinky toe, which promptly swelled while 1/2 of my foot turned red. It stung like a mother for 20 minutes, but then I recovered. My boat guide said it was coral, but I'm not buying it. the highlight of the trip was the "band" on board. Our guide sang and 2 of the boat workers played electric guitar and "drums" of cut down buckets labeled "Yamaha". The two songs he sang for the English speakers were "My Heart Will Go On" by Celene Dion (while acting out the famous Titanic front-of-the-boat scene) and Frere Jacques (I think I butchered that spelling). Frere Jacques? Interesting that the 2 songs he chose were Canadian and French - Vietnam does have a French history!
Yesterday I was awoken at 5:15 by the start of sunrise. I bolted to the killer roofdeck here and snapped some amazing shots. I managed to catch the sun JUST as it broke the horizon. My hotel has hammocks and a great view of the city and beach on the roof, as well as food. I could probably live up there :) All morning I lounged on the beach on a lounge chair with a 3 inch thick mattress and a thatched umbrella. It cost me $1.25 for the whole day. Incredible. The water was the perfect temperature to cool me off, but not so cool it was a jolt to the system.
I spent a few hours in the afternoon wandering all over town, seeing some of the sights. The two things I was struck by were the kids and pedestrians.
Kids
The children are incredibly well-behaved. They all help their parents work or entertain themselves while their parents do so. So many of them like to say "hello" to me and giggle when I respond. I was walking by a group of about 4 4-year-olds yesterday who were getting a school lesson from an older woman. I didn't realize what was going on (because they were so young!) and was waving at the little girl of the group. She kept staring like she wanted to wave but was afraid to and sat there quietly. On my return trip the same children were outside but the lesson was over. They waved madly, laughing and saying hello. At 4 years old these kids had that control to know how to behave when in class! I can't imagine US kindergarteners doing that - ever. The only kids I saw fighting/bickering all day was when I walked by the open door of a home and saw 2 fighting over a video game controller. Go figure.
Pedestrians
There aren't any. I was virtually the only one walking anywhere yesterday. They may be the smart ones since it was probably 95 degrees out, but it still seemed unusual. In most cities I'm used to people walk most places, but I guess in the cities I know not everyone has a motorbike. Here they're used to go everywhere - even just for a trip down the block.
My friend Sam (one of the UNC girls from Cambodia) is arriving this morning. I think we'll spend the day on the beach (though I'll be in the shade - too much sun yesterday!) and may hit up a mudbath place! Then tonight I'm off by overnight train to Hoi An where I hope to find an incredible tailor to make me heaps of custom clothes on the cheap!
It has been awhile since I've updated - apologies to those who weren't sure if I was still alive. I am very much alive, but the computers in Nha Trang don't like to go to my blog page. I hope it's working okay for everyone else.
I'm on my 3rd day in this great beach town. It has a healthy mix of tourism and local culture and charm, and is much more my speed than Saigon was. It is hella hot, though and humid. The keys on the computers stick like nothing else and I'm ingesting approximately 8L of water (for a price of about $2!!!) per day. How's that for hydrated?
On day 1 here I took a boat trip, which is what one does when one is in Nha Trang. I somehow ended up on a tour that was 90% Vietnamese, plus me, 4 Germans and 3 British guys. I spent most of my time hanging out with the 3 guys, save for when something attacked me (or I guess stung might be a more reasonable description) on my pinky toe, which promptly swelled while 1/2 of my foot turned red. It stung like a mother for 20 minutes, but then I recovered. My boat guide said it was coral, but I'm not buying it. the highlight of the trip was the "band" on board. Our guide sang and 2 of the boat workers played electric guitar and "drums" of cut down buckets labeled "Yamaha". The two songs he sang for the English speakers were "My Heart Will Go On" by Celene Dion (while acting out the famous Titanic front-of-the-boat scene) and Frere Jacques (I think I butchered that spelling). Frere Jacques? Interesting that the 2 songs he chose were Canadian and French - Vietnam does have a French history!
Yesterday I was awoken at 5:15 by the start of sunrise. I bolted to the killer roofdeck here and snapped some amazing shots. I managed to catch the sun JUST as it broke the horizon. My hotel has hammocks and a great view of the city and beach on the roof, as well as food. I could probably live up there :) All morning I lounged on the beach on a lounge chair with a 3 inch thick mattress and a thatched umbrella. It cost me $1.25 for the whole day. Incredible. The water was the perfect temperature to cool me off, but not so cool it was a jolt to the system.
I spent a few hours in the afternoon wandering all over town, seeing some of the sights. The two things I was struck by were the kids and pedestrians.
Kids
I'm on my 3rd day in this great beach town. It has a healthy mix of tourism and local culture and charm, and is much more my speed than Saigon was. It is hella hot, though and humid. The keys on the computers stick like nothing else and I'm ingesting approximately 8L of water (for a price of about $2!!!) per day. How's that for hydrated?
On day 1 here I took a boat trip, which is what one does when one is in Nha Trang. I somehow ended up on a tour that was 90% Vietnamese, plus me, 4 Germans and 3 British guys. I spent most of my time hanging out with the 3 guys, save for when something attacked me (or I guess stung might be a more reasonable description) on my pinky toe, which promptly swelled while 1/2 of my foot turned red. It stung like a mother for 20 minutes, but then I recovered. My boat guide said it was coral, but I'm not buying it. the highlight of the trip was the "band" on board. Our guide sang and 2 of the boat workers played electric guitar and "drums" of cut down buckets labeled "Yamaha". The two songs he sang for the English speakers were "My Heart Will Go On" by Celene Dion (while acting out the famous Titanic front-of-the-boat scene) and Frere Jacques (I think I butchered that spelling). Frere Jacques? Interesting that the 2 songs he chose were Canadian and French - Vietnam does have a French history!
Yesterday I was awoken at 5:15 by the start of sunrise. I bolted to the killer roofdeck here and snapped some amazing shots. I managed to catch the sun JUST as it broke the horizon. My hotel has hammocks and a great view of the city and beach on the roof, as well as food. I could probably live up there :) All morning I lounged on the beach on a lounge chair with a 3 inch thick mattress and a thatched umbrella. It cost me $1.25 for the whole day. Incredible. The water was the perfect temperature to cool me off, but not so cool it was a jolt to the system.
I spent a few hours in the afternoon wandering all over town, seeing some of the sights. The two things I was struck by were the kids and pedestrians.
Kids
Monday, August 6, 2007
A date!
I think I went on a date last night.
I was eating at a spot that Wendy recommended (thanks Wendy!) where there was a healthy mix of locals and tourists and quite a bit of a wait. I was asked if I minded sharing a table, which I didn't - better than eating alone! I was seated with a mid-50's gentleman who appeared to be Korean, and a mid-30's woman who I thought was Vietnamese.
They spoke to each other in very broken English and had difficulty communicating. They ended up writing notes to each other in English rather than speaking. Most of the dinner was in silence, though. Probably only about 2 notes were exchanged. I happened to catch a glimpse of one.
Woman: After we eat I will be going home by bus. How will you be going home?
Man: You will be going home by taxi.
I will be going home by taxi.
It will take you 30 minutes by taxi.
This was all I got. Strange. Clearly this woman lives very far outside the city.
My food came first, but after theirs came they offered me some. It was a fish served with some veggies and broth over a burner so the stew cooked a bit. The woman made me a rice paper wrapped fish. Yum. They talked with me a bit and I found out that he was in town on business from Korea and will be here 3 months and that she is indeed Vietnamese. I asked if they worked together (assuming they didn't, but hoping they would tell me how they knew each other). They don't work together - really all I know.
Any thoughts?
Today I did a trip of the Cu Chi tunnels. These are the tunnels used by the Viet Cong during the war. It was a fascinating trip as our guide was an American officer during the war (but of Vietnamese descent). He told great stories and we got a great picture of what it was like there. I also got a picture of myself in a VC sniper hole. Those were not large people :) I stopped by the War Remnants museum today, which was quite illustrative and very depressing. Lots of pictures and descriptions of torture tactics and people deformed by agent orange. Kind of a downer, but it's given me an interesting perspective on the war, that's very different than what I'd get in the U.S.
I plan to leave tonight on an overnight bus to Nha Trang - a beach town that will be a nice respite from the buzz of Saigon. I wish that I could capture the motorbikes here on camera. It's quite the scene. Traffic laws, right of way, sides of the street - none of these things really matter. I have taken a couple rides (sorry mom!!!) to get from place to place, though, as they're super cheap and very efficient!
I was eating at a spot that Wendy recommended (thanks Wendy!) where there was a healthy mix of locals and tourists and quite a bit of a wait. I was asked if I minded sharing a table, which I didn't - better than eating alone! I was seated with a mid-50's gentleman who appeared to be Korean, and a mid-30's woman who I thought was Vietnamese.
They spoke to each other in very broken English and had difficulty communicating. They ended up writing notes to each other in English rather than speaking. Most of the dinner was in silence, though. Probably only about 2 notes were exchanged. I happened to catch a glimpse of one.
Woman: After we eat I will be going home by bus. How will you be going home?
Man: You will be going home by taxi.
I will be going home by taxi.
It will take you 30 minutes by taxi.
This was all I got. Strange. Clearly this woman lives very far outside the city.
My food came first, but after theirs came they offered me some. It was a fish served with some veggies and broth over a burner so the stew cooked a bit. The woman made me a rice paper wrapped fish. Yum. They talked with me a bit and I found out that he was in town on business from Korea and will be here 3 months and that she is indeed Vietnamese. I asked if they worked together (assuming they didn't, but hoping they would tell me how they knew each other). They don't work together - really all I know.
Any thoughts?
Today I did a trip of the Cu Chi tunnels. These are the tunnels used by the Viet Cong during the war. It was a fascinating trip as our guide was an American officer during the war (but of Vietnamese descent). He told great stories and we got a great picture of what it was like there. I also got a picture of myself in a VC sniper hole. Those were not large people :) I stopped by the War Remnants museum today, which was quite illustrative and very depressing. Lots of pictures and descriptions of torture tactics and people deformed by agent orange. Kind of a downer, but it's given me an interesting perspective on the war, that's very different than what I'd get in the U.S.
I plan to leave tonight on an overnight bus to Nha Trang - a beach town that will be a nice respite from the buzz of Saigon. I wish that I could capture the motorbikes here on camera. It's quite the scene. Traffic laws, right of way, sides of the street - none of these things really matter. I have taken a couple rides (sorry mom!!!) to get from place to place, though, as they're super cheap and very efficient!
Saturday, August 4, 2007
Bali
Yesterday was a Wat day. Temples, temples, temples. It's incredible to think about how magnificent these things would have been in their heyday. This morning we watched sunrise over Angor Wat at 5:30am. The area is still so untouched and everything is very accessible for walking, touching, and truly experiencing. I can imagine that shortly it won't be that way anymore.
We took some time to get to know Bali a bit better as well. He's 31, which means he was born right during the beginning of the Pol Pot regime and genocide. I asked about a large scar he has behind his left ear. When he was 3 he was working in one of the slave labor camps established in the countryside, cleaning up after the cows. He apparently wasn't working hard enough (at THREE) and was cut with a knife as punishment. Just imagining it brought me to tears. It helped to shed some light on why everyone is so happy and friendly despite the conditions they live in now. Freedom will do a lot for your spirit. He has 4 younger siblings and his mom tells them about how during the 70s and early 80s they were emaciated and fortunate enough to make it through. Now Bali is saving up $4000 so he can get married. I think he has his lady picked out, but apparently a wedding is a huge affair here (keep in mind that he probably earns $10 on an average day) so he needs a lot of money. He sends $150 each month to his mother who lives in Phnom Penh (the capital city) with the rest of his siblings. He moved here in order to work 3 years ago. Tourism in Siem Reap is really the strongest industry in the country at this point, so I think it's a good job for him despite his hard work.
As promised, I treated David an Em to a fancy honeymoon dinner last night. We went to this beautiful restaurant with immaculate, modern decoration. In the US I'd expect $25 entrees. We had drinks and dessert as well and for 5 people it was a whopping $45. We could live like kings here!
We took some time to get to know Bali a bit better as well. He's 31, which means he was born right during the beginning of the Pol Pot regime and genocide. I asked about a large scar he has behind his left ear. When he was 3 he was working in one of the slave labor camps established in the countryside, cleaning up after the cows. He apparently wasn't working hard enough (at THREE) and was cut with a knife as punishment. Just imagining it brought me to tears. It helped to shed some light on why everyone is so happy and friendly despite the conditions they live in now. Freedom will do a lot for your spirit. He has 4 younger siblings and his mom tells them about how during the 70s and early 80s they were emaciated and fortunate enough to make it through. Now Bali is saving up $4000 so he can get married. I think he has his lady picked out, but apparently a wedding is a huge affair here (keep in mind that he probably earns $10 on an average day) so he needs a lot of money. He sends $150 each month to his mother who lives in Phnom Penh (the capital city) with the rest of his siblings. He moved here in order to work 3 years ago. Tourism in Siem Reap is really the strongest industry in the country at this point, so I think it's a good job for him despite his hard work.
As promised, I treated David an Em to a fancy honeymoon dinner last night. We went to this beautiful restaurant with immaculate, modern decoration. In the US I'd expect $25 entrees. We had drinks and dessert as well and for 5 people it was a whopping $45. We could live like kings here!
Friday, August 3, 2007
Mice
Cambodia is awesome.
The people here are amazingly warm and genuinely friendly. It's very different than Bangkok. Much slower and not so darn hectic. The kids are SO cute, too. I'll have to post some pictures.
An hour ago I sat down at the internet cafe down the street to catch up on emails and blog stuff when 10 minutes in the power went out. Nobody was fazed by this except for me. I explained that mom was worried and i had to sent her an email. Everyone felt bad, but there's not much they could do! Now power is back (I took advantage of the time to have some delicious banana pancakes for breakfast) but I'm about to head out with my new friends from UNC to see some temples. Our tuk tuk driver's name is Bali. We pay him $12 to drive us around all day. Not a bad price!
There are mice playing under the cart that my computer is on. They keep running between this one and the one next to me and just started climbing up the partition in between. Again, this is something very normal to everyone else. My feet however, are perched up off the floor on my chair. Eeek!
I met up with David and Emily, my friends who are honeymooning here, last night. I kind of stalked them and showed up at their guest house. To be fair I thought we were meeting up but I messed up upon the day. I don't usually hunt people down on their honeymoons :) They're at a really swank spot - much nicer than my $6 per night room (which is actually much nicer than you'd expect!).
Bali is waiting. Love to you all. Tomorrow mid-day I'll be making my way to Vietnam. I'm moving so fast!
The people here are amazingly warm and genuinely friendly. It's very different than Bangkok. Much slower and not so darn hectic. The kids are SO cute, too. I'll have to post some pictures.
An hour ago I sat down at the internet cafe down the street to catch up on emails and blog stuff when 10 minutes in the power went out. Nobody was fazed by this except for me. I explained that mom was worried and i had to sent her an email. Everyone felt bad, but there's not much they could do! Now power is back (I took advantage of the time to have some delicious banana pancakes for breakfast) but I'm about to head out with my new friends from UNC to see some temples. Our tuk tuk driver's name is Bali. We pay him $12 to drive us around all day. Not a bad price!
There are mice playing under the cart that my computer is on. They keep running between this one and the one next to me and just started climbing up the partition in between. Again, this is something very normal to everyone else. My feet however, are perched up off the floor on my chair. Eeek!
I met up with David and Emily, my friends who are honeymooning here, last night. I kind of stalked them and showed up at their guest house. To be fair I thought we were meeting up but I messed up upon the day. I don't usually hunt people down on their honeymoons :) They're at a really swank spot - much nicer than my $6 per night room (which is actually much nicer than you'd expect!).
Bali is waiting. Love to you all. Tomorrow mid-day I'll be making my way to Vietnam. I'm moving so fast!
Thursday, August 2, 2007
My first souvenir
Who would have thought that my first souvenir would be a ribbon bracelet from the Mexican soccer team going to play in the collegiate World Cup here in Thailand? It was. On my flight from Japan to Bangkok I literally sat in the midst of the team. All 18-24 year old guys. I felt lucky to be able to communicate properly with someone after 14 hrs in silence since leaving SF. "Properly" may be giving my Spanish skills too much credit, but it was amusing nonetheless and I got a nice little bracelet out of it.
Other than that the trip was uneventful. I had a 3-seat row to myself from SFO to Japan so I was able to stretch out and relax. Got settled in without a problem to my guesthouse last night and slept decently given how hot it was.
Today I did my best to explore and soak things up since I'm only here until tomorrow. I ended up in some not-so-touristy areas, which was great from an "experiencing things" perspective, but not so much from the "I'd really like to be in this area" perspective. There are lots of cats walking around, and unusual smells - some food, and some I'm not sure what. Jim - there's plenty of Chinatown water here. You wouldn't like it so much.
The morning was a bit stressful when I was trying to figure out where I was. There are tons of people around who work for I-dont-know-who and try to get you to go see these same 3 places by tuk-tuk. They won't tell you where you are on the map or where anything else is, and they definitely won't stop talking so you can just politely leave. It was rather frustrating, but I ended up figuring it out and safely made it to the King's Palace. It's a gorgeous complex made up of temples and all sorts of ornate buildings. Across the street is another temple with a HUGE reclining buddha. The thing must be 30 feet high and 150 feet long. We don't have those in California.
I think my plan is to aim for a massage each day I'm in Thailand, and never go more than 2 without one. I spent the US equivalent of $8 today on a 1/2 hour massage that made me feel like I might just float away. I thought she was going to break my neck, and am guessing I'll be pretty sore tomorrow but it was definitely worth it.
This evening I'm meeting up with 2 future classmates who live in Bangkok and apparently there are 2 other GSB kids in town as well so it'll be a nice little party for us :) Then tomorrow I'm off to Cambodia!
Other than that the trip was uneventful. I had a 3-seat row to myself from SFO to Japan so I was able to stretch out and relax. Got settled in without a problem to my guesthouse last night and slept decently given how hot it was.
Today I did my best to explore and soak things up since I'm only here until tomorrow. I ended up in some not-so-touristy areas, which was great from an "experiencing things" perspective, but not so much from the "I'd really like to be in this area" perspective. There are lots of cats walking around, and unusual smells - some food, and some I'm not sure what. Jim - there's plenty of Chinatown water here. You wouldn't like it so much.
The morning was a bit stressful when I was trying to figure out where I was. There are tons of people around who work for I-dont-know-who and try to get you to go see these same 3 places by tuk-tuk. They won't tell you where you are on the map or where anything else is, and they definitely won't stop talking so you can just politely leave. It was rather frustrating, but I ended up figuring it out and safely made it to the King's Palace. It's a gorgeous complex made up of temples and all sorts of ornate buildings. Across the street is another temple with a HUGE reclining buddha. The thing must be 30 feet high and 150 feet long. We don't have those in California.
I think my plan is to aim for a massage each day I'm in Thailand, and never go more than 2 without one. I spent the US equivalent of $8 today on a 1/2 hour massage that made me feel like I might just float away. I thought she was going to break my neck, and am guessing I'll be pretty sore tomorrow but it was definitely worth it.
This evening I'm meeting up with 2 future classmates who live in Bangkok and apparently there are 2 other GSB kids in town as well so it'll be a nice little party for us :) Then tomorrow I'm off to Cambodia!
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