Well my flight connection was in Helsinki and they looked at bit oddly at me as I boarded the London plane in sandals and a tee shirt when it was snowing outside and minus 1 deg C, but got back to London at 9.30 and Christine was waiting for me XX.
I forgot to say, the blog title, Freewheelin', was the first album I ever bought, a long time ago just as my first life was beginning so I took it with me on my mp3 and listened to it again as my new life (after work) begins. Not sure what I am doing next but will let you know. I want Christine to come next time so think New Zealand in a campervan is the best bet...watch this space.
Thursday 13 March 2008
Wednesday 12 March 2008
Last Day
Well, trains and boats and planes again. Sky train to the end of the line, then spent some time on the tourist boats going up and down the Chao Phrya river. Another train back to the air conditioned spleandour of Siam Paragon shopping centre. Now about to catch another train to the airport and a plane home.
This was the river first thing this morning.
I have had a wonderful time, I have visited some of the region's natural and man made wonders, I could have traveled by the UNESCO world heritage list (and felt I was at times). There are of course many problems here too but I don't want to dwell on those. We can all do something to help by supporting these countries as they emerge from difficult times, but I want to remember the natural beauty, the smell of incense, the street food, even the Honda and Yamaha motorbike! Fresh fruit, rice, Vietnamese Pho (beef soup with noodles), fish sauce, chilli in Thailand, beer Lao, Tiger beer and Singha beer. The beautiful, graceful women, the resourcefulness of people who make things with their own hands, the happiness of the children, particularly the Vietnamese who all say "hello" in my language, and the warmth of their welcome.
And at the heart of it all the Mekong River. This majestic river sustains life throughout it's journey from Tibet to the South China sea. I will never forget my time here.
Thank you to everyone who has followed my journey, I hope to see you all soon.
This was the river first thing this morning.
I have had a wonderful time, I have visited some of the region's natural and man made wonders, I could have traveled by the UNESCO world heritage list (and felt I was at times). There are of course many problems here too but I don't want to dwell on those. We can all do something to help by supporting these countries as they emerge from difficult times, but I want to remember the natural beauty, the smell of incense, the street food, even the Honda and Yamaha motorbike! Fresh fruit, rice, Vietnamese Pho (beef soup with noodles), fish sauce, chilli in Thailand, beer Lao, Tiger beer and Singha beer. The beautiful, graceful women, the resourcefulness of people who make things with their own hands, the happiness of the children, particularly the Vietnamese who all say "hello" in my language, and the warmth of their welcome.
And at the heart of it all the Mekong River. This majestic river sustains life throughout it's journey from Tibet to the South China sea. I will never forget my time here.
Thank you to everyone who has followed my journey, I hope to see you all soon.
Tuesday 11 March 2008
Going home
Caught an Air Asia flight to Bangkok and have had brunch with a friend based here and a fantastic dinner with someone I know through Rexam. Had lobster, crab and grilled fish, definately a notch above my usual fare. I was thinking I have probably eaten 90% of my meals out of doors but don't expect that to continue once I get home.
I will try and sum up my experience tomorrow while I am waiting for my flight. One thing that strikes me though, is how advanced Bangkok seems after some of the places I have been. It is like the story about the Frenchman who sets off on a train to Moscow and a Russian on another train to Paris, they get to Warsaw and both think they have arrived.
Saigon was only a generation ago a city that went by bicycle. Now, it is reputed to have 6 million motorbikes (that's right, 6 million). On the 1/2 hour taxi ride into town from the airport here in Bangkok I saw 3! That is progress, Thailand is so much more advanced, the car rules, the streets are all but impassable and the rest of SE Asia will no doubt follow suit.
Could not get my camera fixed here where I bought it so, without a viewfinder it is a bit point and hope but thought these images would be of interest.
This is how you move building materials in Phnom Penh. (On one small motorbike a saw the rider with a full size double bed, mattress, divan, headboard, the lot).
This was the free dessert offered after my last meal in Cambodia...diet has definitely improved while I have been away. Those small brown fruits are delicious, I have no idea what they are called.
And this is a road junction in Bangkok with the sky train flying overhead, could be
any major city anywhere in the world, apart from the Buddah and elephants I suppose.
I will try and sum up my experience tomorrow while I am waiting for my flight. One thing that strikes me though, is how advanced Bangkok seems after some of the places I have been. It is like the story about the Frenchman who sets off on a train to Moscow and a Russian on another train to Paris, they get to Warsaw and both think they have arrived.
Saigon was only a generation ago a city that went by bicycle. Now, it is reputed to have 6 million motorbikes (that's right, 6 million). On the 1/2 hour taxi ride into town from the airport here in Bangkok I saw 3! That is progress, Thailand is so much more advanced, the car rules, the streets are all but impassable and the rest of SE Asia will no doubt follow suit.
Could not get my camera fixed here where I bought it so, without a viewfinder it is a bit point and hope but thought these images would be of interest.
This is how you move building materials in Phnom Penh. (On one small motorbike a saw the rider with a full size double bed, mattress, divan, headboard, the lot).
This was the free dessert offered after my last meal in Cambodia...diet has definitely improved while I have been away. Those small brown fruits are delicious, I have no idea what they are called.
And this is a road junction in Bangkok with the sky train flying overhead, could be
any major city anywhere in the world, apart from the Buddah and elephants I suppose.
Sunday 9 March 2008
The Royal Palace
Later in the day I went to some of the more uplifting sites. A shrine where an eyebrow of the Buddha is kept, the Royal Palace and the Silver Pagoda.
No pictures inside but this is the Palace...
The Silver Pagoda has a floor laid with 5,000 silver tiles weighing 1kg each.
And this is me in the grounds but I apologise, the American guy who took this said he had cut off my knees...it was a disappointment to me as well.
While I was having lunch an example of the local fauna just walked past, it is a bit different here!
35 deg C here at the moment so I have retired to aircon until the evening. By the way, thanks for the comments I have received, it is nice to know people are finding this interesting.
No pictures inside but this is the Palace...
The Silver Pagoda has a floor laid with 5,000 silver tiles weighing 1kg each.
And this is me in the grounds but I apologise, the American guy who took this said he had cut off my knees...it was a disappointment to me as well.
While I was having lunch an example of the local fauna just walked past, it is a bit different here!
35 deg C here at the moment so I have retired to aircon until the evening. By the way, thanks for the comments I have received, it is nice to know people are finding this interesting.
Saturday 8 March 2008
Man's inhumanity to man....
....makes countless thousands mourn. It is a long time since Robbie Burns wrote those words but unfortunately nothing changes. This morning I went to Prison S 21 (Tuol Seng) where political prisoners were tortured and murdered by the Pol Pot regime. 14,000 went in and 12 came out alive. The crimes were documented and photographed and the victim pictures on display are a chilling reminder of what happened here while the world stood by and watched.
These are some of the "political" children who went through Tuol Seng....
And, some miles outside Phnom Penh, the Choeng Ek memorial at the Killing Fields, is where they came. 17,000 people were murdered here, often bludgeoned to death to save ammunition, and were buried in 129 mass graves. The excavation of the site and the erection of this memorial containing the skulls of 6,000 victims is a permanent reminder of what we allowed to happen.
And now, with the only sound the birdsong around the graves, this is the scene.
I was struck by one visitor's comment written on the wall at the prison, S 21, "we do not learn anything from history, I can say this, Jan, a German". Amen to that.
These are some of the "political" children who went through Tuol Seng....
And, some miles outside Phnom Penh, the Choeng Ek memorial at the Killing Fields, is where they came. 17,000 people were murdered here, often bludgeoned to death to save ammunition, and were buried in 129 mass graves. The excavation of the site and the erection of this memorial containing the skulls of 6,000 victims is a permanent reminder of what we allowed to happen.
And now, with the only sound the birdsong around the graves, this is the scene.
I was struck by one visitor's comment written on the wall at the prison, S 21, "we do not learn anything from history, I can say this, Jan, a German". Amen to that.
This is Saturday, it must be Cambodia
Well, a lot has happened since I last wrote. First, picture problems continue, Panasonic had run out of stock of LCD screens so the camera is point and hope at the moment, then the cafe here has no card reader. I will add pics later.
Spent thursday pm on the Saigon river, took a boat for myself for $10 and toured the river and the streams around the city. Just amazing how friendly the children are. I did not go past a single house on the river where children were playing who did not smile, wave and shout "hello".
Thursday evening spent in the park watching the local game, Da Cau, like badminton, a weighted feathered shuttlecock, which is kicked between the palyers keeping it airborne. Rallys are up to 12-15 shots for the best players who allow the shuttle to pass behind their backs before kicking it back with the sole of the foot, the heel or instep. Quite amazing, I will add a video and have bought one of the shuttles for practise at home.
Some young Vietnamese people came up and started to talk, just to practise their English but by the end of the evening they had taken me to their local bar, bought me all sorts of local treats to eat, and Trung, in the centre of the picture below, had become my son-in-law! (He had seen pictures of my girls and is in love with one of them. He has no idea how expensive Jo is to run)!
2 day tour of the Mekong delta was something special also. Just come up to Phnom Penh on a slow boat, 6 hours, but the scenery always changing and the river is just awesome. Between 2 and 3 km wide at the points we were travelling it is hard to make out details on either bank when travelling in mid stream. I wondered if this was the same water I was travelling on 2 weeks before in Laos? Perhaps someone could work that out.
This was a floating village on the river, 4 generations can live in these houses where they farm fish.
Home to a poor Vietnamese family whose lives are bound to the river.
I was not prepared for Phnom Penh. I thought it was a quiet backwater but it has more neon than Vegas. Will explore tomorrow as I think I have screwed up my timings and will not have time to get to the world's 8th wonder at Angkor, and will instead spend a day here before going to Bangkok for the flight home. Every step now brings me closer to home and while part of me is loving every experience here a large part of me now wants to be at home with my family, the English weather, (I wish it would rain) and wholemeal bread, toasted with marmalade!
This is the riverfront in Phnom Penh where the Tonle Sap joins the Mekong. The Tonle Sap river creates a lake in land, the largest freshwater lake in Asia, which fills from the flooding Mekong in the wet season to a size of 16,000 sq km, 9m deep and then drains during the dry season shrinking to 1 m deep and only 2,700 sq km. A natural wonder of the world and I can see it as I write this from the i cafe.
Spent thursday pm on the Saigon river, took a boat for myself for $10 and toured the river and the streams around the city. Just amazing how friendly the children are. I did not go past a single house on the river where children were playing who did not smile, wave and shout "hello".
Thursday evening spent in the park watching the local game, Da Cau, like badminton, a weighted feathered shuttlecock, which is kicked between the palyers keeping it airborne. Rallys are up to 12-15 shots for the best players who allow the shuttle to pass behind their backs before kicking it back with the sole of the foot, the heel or instep. Quite amazing, I will add a video and have bought one of the shuttles for practise at home.
Some young Vietnamese people came up and started to talk, just to practise their English but by the end of the evening they had taken me to their local bar, bought me all sorts of local treats to eat, and Trung, in the centre of the picture below, had become my son-in-law! (He had seen pictures of my girls and is in love with one of them. He has no idea how expensive Jo is to run)!
2 day tour of the Mekong delta was something special also. Just come up to Phnom Penh on a slow boat, 6 hours, but the scenery always changing and the river is just awesome. Between 2 and 3 km wide at the points we were travelling it is hard to make out details on either bank when travelling in mid stream. I wondered if this was the same water I was travelling on 2 weeks before in Laos? Perhaps someone could work that out.
This was a floating village on the river, 4 generations can live in these houses where they farm fish.
Home to a poor Vietnamese family whose lives are bound to the river.
I was not prepared for Phnom Penh. I thought it was a quiet backwater but it has more neon than Vegas. Will explore tomorrow as I think I have screwed up my timings and will not have time to get to the world's 8th wonder at Angkor, and will instead spend a day here before going to Bangkok for the flight home. Every step now brings me closer to home and while part of me is loving every experience here a large part of me now wants to be at home with my family, the English weather, (I wish it would rain) and wholemeal bread, toasted with marmalade!
This is the riverfront in Phnom Penh where the Tonle Sap joins the Mekong. The Tonle Sap river creates a lake in land, the largest freshwater lake in Asia, which fills from the flooding Mekong in the wet season to a size of 16,000 sq km, 9m deep and then drains during the dry season shrinking to 1 m deep and only 2,700 sq km. A natural wonder of the world and I can see it as I write this from the i cafe.
Wednesday 5 March 2008
Transport in HCMC
I went to the Reunification Palace today,(used to be the Presidential Palace until 30th April 1975 when the tanks of the North crashed through the gates and forced the surrender and end of the war. Not very impressive from the outside, the building was remodelled in 1965 and looks it, but inside, left exactly as it was, the ornaments, carpets decorations and works of art are beautiful. A really interesting collection of photographs and stories from the time too. 
Looking at tank 390, first through the gates in 1975 and which must be the ultimate mode of transport here, I took some pictures on my phone (camera ready later) to show some of the other diverse forms of transport in HCMC. Tank 390 
The bus, although this one aint gouing anywhere soon. 
The cyclo, this one is chrome, very swish. 
Or more relaxing, the restaurant boats on the Saigon river. 
But ultimately it comes down to the motorbike and this little video was shot at the junction near my hotel and is typical of how it works here.
Can't see the video on my preview, hope it's there.
Booked a 2 day tour to the Mekong delta leaving tomorrow and finishing with a boat ride to Phnom Penh, Cambodia, so may be out of contact for a while.
Looking at tank 390, first through the gates in 1975 and which must be the ultimate mode of transport here, I took some pictures on my phone (camera ready later) to show some of the other diverse forms of transport in HCMC. Tank 390 
The bus, although this one aint gouing anywhere soon. 
The cyclo, this one is chrome, very swish. 
Or more relaxing, the restaurant boats on the Saigon river. 
But ultimately it comes down to the motorbike and this little video was shot at the junction near my hotel and is typical of how it works here.Can't see the video on my preview, hope it's there.
Booked a 2 day tour to the Mekong delta leaving tomorrow and finishing with a boat ride to Phnom Penh, Cambodia, so may be out of contact for a while.
Serious bit
Spent the morning at the War Remnants Museum, or, as it is known locally, the American war crimes museum. This is a must on most peoples itinery here and I can understand why. The sanitised version of events we got at the time did not reveal the true horror of what took place. I did not realise that 3 million Vietnamese died in the war, 2 million injured and the effects of the chemical spraying will affect generations to come. Nor did I realise that America never declared war on North Vietnam but unleashed all the technology at their disposal, largely from aerial bombing, including dropping 40 million litres of agent orange. The photographs were completely "no holds barred" and the collection of war planes other armements and methods of torture chilling.
I dropped my new camera on the way in (had the case on upside down on my belt, doh), amazingly the first cyclo driver on exit took me to a shop who are repairing it by tomorrow for a cool million: 35 quid. This minor tragedy though was put in perspective by the museum.
I promise to cheer up next time. Just had a delicious strawberry shake...strawberrys grow all year round here! Off now to find some aircon...it is hot!
I dropped my new camera on the way in (had the case on upside down on my belt, doh), amazingly the first cyclo driver on exit took me to a shop who are repairing it by tomorrow for a cool million: 35 quid. This minor tragedy though was put in perspective by the museum.
I promise to cheer up next time. Just had a delicious strawberry shake...strawberrys grow all year round here! Off now to find some aircon...it is hot!
Tuesday 4 March 2008
Rules of the Road
My hotel booked the bus for me and it was another experience. Not a tourist bus, I was the only westerner on the coach or at any of the pit stops and nobody spoke English. Didn't realise that seating was allocated and sat in the wrong seat, separating a girl from her boyfriend but when I realised and offered to move they wouldn't hear of it and we sat like that for 7 hours! The people are so generous and polite.
Sat right at the front of the bus so was able to observe the rules of the road as follows:
1. Size matters, give way to bigger vehicles (pedestrians have no right of way)
2. Sound the horn at least every 15 seconds
there are no more rules, everything else is general guidance.
At least 90% of traffic drives on the right
Sound the horn: x1 to ensure it is working, x4 to advise traffic in front you are approaching, continuously or in bursts of x4/5 to assert your right of way,
When entering a road junction NEVER look to see if anything is coming (you might catch the eye of oncoming traffic and be forced to give way)
At red traffic lights think about stopping before driving through
When reversing onto a main road just keep coming, you can't be expected to have eyes in the back of your head (traffic will stop)
For pedestrians crossing busy roads, walk SLOWLY into the stream of oncoming traffic. Motorcyclists don't want to damage their machines and generally avoid collisions
Speed limits are determined by the traffic in front
This was all very useful for arrival in HCMC which is absolutely manic.
Had a hotel reservation but they let my room go and offered me a higher price suite. Walked out, went in the next one, took a room and ate (you will be impressed with this Christine) in the restaurant next door. Didn't even shop around.
Very hot and humid here...just like home?
Sat right at the front of the bus so was able to observe the rules of the road as follows:
1. Size matters, give way to bigger vehicles (pedestrians have no right of way)
2. Sound the horn at least every 15 seconds
there are no more rules, everything else is general guidance.
At least 90% of traffic drives on the right
Sound the horn: x1 to ensure it is working, x4 to advise traffic in front you are approaching, continuously or in bursts of x4/5 to assert your right of way,
When entering a road junction NEVER look to see if anything is coming (you might catch the eye of oncoming traffic and be forced to give way)
At red traffic lights think about stopping before driving through
When reversing onto a main road just keep coming, you can't be expected to have eyes in the back of your head (traffic will stop)
For pedestrians crossing busy roads, walk SLOWLY into the stream of oncoming traffic. Motorcyclists don't want to damage their machines and generally avoid collisions
Speed limits are determined by the traffic in front
This was all very useful for arrival in HCMC which is absolutely manic.
Had a hotel reservation but they let my room go and offered me a higher price suite. Walked out, went in the next one, took a room and ate (you will be impressed with this Christine) in the restaurant next door. Didn't even shop around.
Very hot and humid here...just like home?
Monday 3 March 2008
Easy Riders: Part 2
Met Hung at 8.30 and we went for a tour round the local area on his brand new Honda: less than 1 month old, $2,800, a fortune here. First stop another pagoda (I think I am now all pagoda'd out) but they had a fantastic collection of gnomes outside that beats anything our neighbours have hands down!
We then took in: terrace farming, a flower farm, mushroom farm, fish farm, rice wine making (and distillation to rice vodka, wow). Then we drove for some miles with the most beautiful scent in the air, I thought it was honeysuckle but it was this plant, do you know what it is? (Katherine Dobie will know because they probably have this on her plantations in Carolina)?
The best coffee in Vietnam is first fed to a breed of weasel, the droppings are then collected and roasted to produce the premium variety....I gave it a pass.
We then went to a silk factory, waterfalls, a typical Vietnamese restaurant, went trecking through the forest, and visited the Gaudi inspired Crazy House. You can stay here for $15 a night and the rooms are all irregular, organic shapes with animal themes like this.
Got back exhausted but saw so much in one day. Now moving on, a 7 hour bus ride to HCMC where it is reported to be VERY hot.
We then took in: terrace farming, a flower farm, mushroom farm, fish farm, rice wine making (and distillation to rice vodka, wow). Then we drove for some miles with the most beautiful scent in the air, I thought it was honeysuckle but it was this plant, do you know what it is? (Katherine Dobie will know because they probably have this on her plantations in Carolina)?
The best coffee in Vietnam is first fed to a breed of weasel, the droppings are then collected and roasted to produce the premium variety....I gave it a pass.
We then went to a silk factory, waterfalls, a typical Vietnamese restaurant, went trecking through the forest, and visited the Gaudi inspired Crazy House. You can stay here for $15 a night and the rooms are all irregular, organic shapes with animal themes like this.
Got back exhausted but saw so much in one day. Now moving on, a 7 hour bus ride to HCMC where it is reported to be VERY hot.
Sunday 2 March 2008
Da Lat, (pictures back)
Well, a short bus ride from Nha Trang, only 200km, took just 7 hours! After we left town the road surface got really bumpy and then we started climbing into the mountains, from sea level to about 5,000 feet where I am now. The road for the last 20k was just hairpin bends but our bus kept overtaking all the way up. Being so high it is beautiful in the day and nice and fresh in the evening. Lonely Planet (thanks Yvonne, just invaluable) describes it as alpine and it is, fir trees, French architecture, chair lifts the lot.
Stopped for lunch on the way at a roadside cafe and you are right Michael, it is frangipani and this was in their garden, scent was overpowering.
Took a look at the first golf course I have even seen in Vietnam, Royal?why? Da Lat. It did look beautifully kept, fantastic views and I thought about playing but the loan clubs are crap and they wanted $130 for a round!! So settled for a genuine Easy Rider tomorrow for $25 for the day and we are going to see all sorts.
The market here is a bit special and the flowers just spectacular. I added this picture just for Helen.
Can now see the blog, have found a card reader and am adding pictures to earlier posts. Will take some time to catch up though but have a look back through for changes.
Stopped for lunch on the way at a roadside cafe and you are right Michael, it is frangipani and this was in their garden, scent was overpowering.
Took a look at the first golf course I have even seen in Vietnam, Royal?why? Da Lat. It did look beautifully kept, fantastic views and I thought about playing but the loan clubs are crap and they wanted $130 for a round!! So settled for a genuine Easy Rider tomorrow for $25 for the day and we are going to see all sorts.
The market here is a bit special and the flowers just spectacular. I added this picture just for Helen.
Can now see the blog, have found a card reader and am adding pictures to earlier posts. Will take some time to catch up though but have a look back through for changes.
Saturday 1 March 2008
Easy Riders
Get your motors running....well a 150cc Honda anyway. Met up with an Easy Rider in Nha Trang, Mr Binh, they have a portfolio of comments from satisfied customers and take tourists around for the dat/days on their bikes. In Da Lat they are on Harleys but here the humble Honda suffices.
Mr Binh speaks pretty good English and took me to Bo Ha waterfalls, a ruined Cham tower in Nha Trang and a couple of other beauty spots, 5 pounds for the day.
This is a bit like Blackpool, it has its sleezy side and it is full of Europeans but it is such a beautiful place. The bay is a big horseshoe shape with mountains rising on all sides reminding me a bit of Marbella but more beautiful, more lush and 3 dimensional.
On the walk to the waterfall we saw lizards, snakes (one big one at least 5 feet long), birds (a species of kingfisher I have never seen before) and fish.
We passed through typical famland and villages that look as though they have been the same for generations except for the addition of satellite dishes.
I am off as planned to Da Lat on the 7.30 bus, aim to spend 2 days there and then get an Easy Rider to Saigon. Well thats the plan, I am starting to think now about timing the return to Bangkok for my flight on 12th and still have a lot to fit in.
Internet is still a pain. I can not view the blog or see any comments but hope to add some photos later...I can edit and post new blogs but can't see it so hope it comes out OK.
Mr Binh speaks pretty good English and took me to Bo Ha waterfalls, a ruined Cham tower in Nha Trang and a couple of other beauty spots, 5 pounds for the day.
This is a bit like Blackpool, it has its sleezy side and it is full of Europeans but it is such a beautiful place. The bay is a big horseshoe shape with mountains rising on all sides reminding me a bit of Marbella but more beautiful, more lush and 3 dimensional.
On the walk to the waterfall we saw lizards, snakes (one big one at least 5 feet long), birds (a species of kingfisher I have never seen before) and fish.
We passed through typical famland and villages that look as though they have been the same for generations except for the addition of satellite dishes.
I am off as planned to Da Lat on the 7.30 bus, aim to spend 2 days there and then get an Easy Rider to Saigon. Well thats the plan, I am starting to think now about timing the return to Bangkok for my flight on 12th and still have a lot to fit in.
Internet is still a pain. I can not view the blog or see any comments but hope to add some photos later...I can edit and post new blogs but can't see it so hope it comes out OK.
Friday 29 February 2008
Hoi An
Did I mention that Hue is a Unesco site, well so is this, the whole town. Beautiful old streets lined with custom tailors and shoe makers but since I don't wear suits anymore and choosing silks for the girls is difficult I spend all my time saying no thank you to the, very friendly, shop keepers.
Well I flew in to Singapore and the President of Singapore came to Hoi An today to see how I was getting on. The streets were closed around his motorcade of 3 cyclos and he stopped and went shopping with the other tourists. I thought the town was being well groomed and this was why.
I wasn't kidding about the motorcade...
Walked over the bridge and had lunch looking across the harbour to the old town, an oily fish, looked like mackerel, cooked in a banana leaf with ginger, garlic and chillis, just delicious. Washed down with the local draft brew, nice and cold and 10p a glass!
Spent some time in the crafts workshop watching pottery, embroidery, weaving, carvers and most fascinating of all, silk spinning. Never seen this before, took a video to bore you with. Bought a few things from a fair trade shop but otherwise the choice of shopping is just bewildering.
This is the famous, 16th century, Japanese covered bridge, early in the morning which is obvious from the lack of tourists and Presidents of neighbouring countries...
This is a small town, I can't carry any more shopping and the excursions don't look too interesting, so, I am going to catch the "sleeper" bus to Nha Trang tonight and sus that out. Beach resort town, sounds like Blackpool but a 2 hour ride from Da Lat where I fancy spending a few days.
Hopefully internet service will be better there and I can upload pictures.
Well I flew in to Singapore and the President of Singapore came to Hoi An today to see how I was getting on. The streets were closed around his motorcade of 3 cyclos and he stopped and went shopping with the other tourists. I thought the town was being well groomed and this was why.
I wasn't kidding about the motorcade...
Walked over the bridge and had lunch looking across the harbour to the old town, an oily fish, looked like mackerel, cooked in a banana leaf with ginger, garlic and chillis, just delicious. Washed down with the local draft brew, nice and cold and 10p a glass!
Spent some time in the crafts workshop watching pottery, embroidery, weaving, carvers and most fascinating of all, silk spinning. Never seen this before, took a video to bore you with. Bought a few things from a fair trade shop but otherwise the choice of shopping is just bewildering.
This is the famous, 16th century, Japanese covered bridge, early in the morning which is obvious from the lack of tourists and Presidents of neighbouring countries...
This is a small town, I can't carry any more shopping and the excursions don't look too interesting, so, I am going to catch the "sleeper" bus to Nha Trang tonight and sus that out. Beach resort town, sounds like Blackpool but a 2 hour ride from Da Lat where I fancy spending a few days.
Hopefully internet service will be better there and I can upload pictures.
Wednesday 27 February 2008
Hue, Lewis: the news
Been waiting years to get that one in. No time tonight, will update tomorrow. Have found the settings that allow comments without needing to register for a Google account, hope this helps.
Well, I had to wait 6 hours in a hotel in Ninh Binh for the sleeper bus to Hue, but had a long conversation with Hien, a young teacher, working in the hotel to try and learn English, and I was her tutor for 3 hours. We spent a long time practising long vowel sounds which are not familiar to the Vietnamese so, if the sun ever comes out, Hien will be able to say "it is warm" in perfect English. Thankyou for your company Hien.
The sleeper bus could more accurately be called the bus. Sleep is difficult but managed enough to get me through the net day in Hue. Met up with Patrick, Maryline and Sabine from Switzerland and we took a taxi to the Holiday hotel and then a 5 hour cruise on the Perfume river to see the temples and tombs of the Nguyen Emperors. (pictures to follow, no card reader here.)
My Swiss companions..
We had a very pleasant day on the river though, beautiful, wide (driver, wedge or nine iron), cultivated all along the banks right to the water edge, with trees and palms behind and the people working in the fields in their conical hats, a classic image of Vietnam.
our "dragon" boat...
My investment in a plastic coat is paying off, it has drizzled since I got here.
The hotel room was so comfortable, paid $15 but wonderful shower, comfortable bed and the best night's sleep since I got here. Then this morning took a cyclo (those guys work hard) for 1 hour, to the Citadel and walked around the (no longer) Forbidden City. The Citadel was built around 1800 by the Nguyen Emperors, an imitation of the Chinese version in Beijing and is on a massive scale. The square walls must be 2.5km long, 6m high and surrounded by a deep moat. Inside the temples and pagodas of the emperors are crumbling but were clearly at one time magnificent. Unfortunately the emperors did not include Macdonalds arches into their designs so, having little cultural merit, the Americans decided to bomb the Citadel heavily during the war.
To give an idea of scale, this is one from the edge of the Citadel looking towards the gate in the centre of the walls.
Well it continues to rain here and I am fleeing south to try and find the climate I came here for. Catching the 1.30 bus to Hoi An and plan to spend 2 or 3 days there. Have prebooked a hotel for the massive price of $20/night but right in the centre with all amenities. It sounds a lot paying 320,000 Dong per night, 1 million if I stay for 3 but it calculates to only 30 pounds!
Arrived in Hoi An after a 3 hour bus ride. As we passed over the mountains outside Danang.....it stopped raining!! Temperature is back to tee shirt in the evening, first time my fleece has been off since Hanoi.
Well, I had to wait 6 hours in a hotel in Ninh Binh for the sleeper bus to Hue, but had a long conversation with Hien, a young teacher, working in the hotel to try and learn English, and I was her tutor for 3 hours. We spent a long time practising long vowel sounds which are not familiar to the Vietnamese so, if the sun ever comes out, Hien will be able to say "it is warm" in perfect English. Thankyou for your company Hien.
The sleeper bus could more accurately be called the bus. Sleep is difficult but managed enough to get me through the net day in Hue. Met up with Patrick, Maryline and Sabine from Switzerland and we took a taxi to the Holiday hotel and then a 5 hour cruise on the Perfume river to see the temples and tombs of the Nguyen Emperors. (pictures to follow, no card reader here.)
My Swiss companions..
We had a very pleasant day on the river though, beautiful, wide (driver, wedge or nine iron), cultivated all along the banks right to the water edge, with trees and palms behind and the people working in the fields in their conical hats, a classic image of Vietnam.
our "dragon" boat...
My investment in a plastic coat is paying off, it has drizzled since I got here.
The hotel room was so comfortable, paid $15 but wonderful shower, comfortable bed and the best night's sleep since I got here. Then this morning took a cyclo (those guys work hard) for 1 hour, to the Citadel and walked around the (no longer) Forbidden City. The Citadel was built around 1800 by the Nguyen Emperors, an imitation of the Chinese version in Beijing and is on a massive scale. The square walls must be 2.5km long, 6m high and surrounded by a deep moat. Inside the temples and pagodas of the emperors are crumbling but were clearly at one time magnificent. Unfortunately the emperors did not include Macdonalds arches into their designs so, having little cultural merit, the Americans decided to bomb the Citadel heavily during the war.
To give an idea of scale, this is one from the edge of the Citadel looking towards the gate in the centre of the walls.
Well it continues to rain here and I am fleeing south to try and find the climate I came here for. Catching the 1.30 bus to Hoi An and plan to spend 2 or 3 days there. Have prebooked a hotel for the massive price of $20/night but right in the centre with all amenities. It sounds a lot paying 320,000 Dong per night, 1 million if I stay for 3 but it calculates to only 30 pounds!
Arrived in Hoi An after a 3 hour bus ride. As we passed over the mountains outside Danang.....it stopped raining!! Temperature is back to tee shirt in the evening, first time my fleece has been off since Hanoi.
Tuesday 26 February 2008
Tam Coc
Called the Halong Bay in the rice fields, this place is even more beautiful. Same Karst rock formations (created by dragons no doubt) today covered in mist, well, a light drizzle, but looking all the more mysterious for that. Shared a small flat boat with a young Dutch guy and we were paddled around for 2 hours to see the sites. Some of the Vietnamese were rowing with their feet, whatever dexterity is with feet, that was it.
The trip included caverns as long as 128m under the rocks and only just enough room for head clearance. As the Dutch guy said, glad it was low tide!
This place was at one time the capital of Vietnam, and we visited two temples, build by the Emperor who first named the country in this way back in 1130. The locals light 3 incense sticks and bow 3 times, once for the sky, once for the earth and once for their ancestors. Very beautiful, place, shame about us tourists.
Very glad I made an investment in a raincoat, 50p, and not the height of fashion but it will come in useful I think. The tourist bus has dropped me in Ninh Binh at 4pm and the sleeper bus to Hue will pick me up here ar 9.30. Too cold and damp to go anywhere but just into The Name of the Rose again so should get through a few pages tonight.
The trip included caverns as long as 128m under the rocks and only just enough room for head clearance. As the Dutch guy said, glad it was low tide!
This place was at one time the capital of Vietnam, and we visited two temples, build by the Emperor who first named the country in this way back in 1130. The locals light 3 incense sticks and bow 3 times, once for the sky, once for the earth and once for their ancestors. Very beautiful, place, shame about us tourists.
Very glad I made an investment in a raincoat, 50p, and not the height of fashion but it will come in useful I think. The tourist bus has dropped me in Ninh Binh at 4pm and the sleeper bus to Hue will pick me up here ar 9.30. Too cold and damp to go anywhere but just into The Name of the Rose again so should get through a few pages tonight.
Monday 25 February 2008
Halong Bay
Made it to Halong Bay after a 3 hour bus ride and embarked on a 2 day, 1 night cruise round the bay. This is another Unesco World Heritage Site and is voted by many as one of the 10 natural wonders in the world. Stunning views as 2,000 karsts, hundreds of feet high rise sheer out of the sea with 100's of sea eagles swooping from the crags.
I don't think my pictures, taken on a dull day will do justice but here are some examples....this was 5 minutes out from the harbour.
We also visited a huge cave system, Thien Cung, only very recently discovered but spectacular. Again, camera can not capture what the eye can take in but here is an impression.
This was me being brave high up again after coming out of the cave, with my Luang Prabang tee shirt on....been there done that.
And one of the boat I was on...
I had taken the tour for $35 including all meals, transport etc and disappointed to find the younger set had paid only $27 but, to see one of the world's wonders, who cares. Cabins were supposed to be shared on the boat, and with 3 couples, 2 Canadian girls travelling together and six female dancers from Sweden the options were interesting but I eventually had this little cabin to myself and woke to this eye level view of other boats moored in the bay.
Have finally found the explanation for how these karsts are formed, bit scientific this, but apparently this is where a dragon flew down from the sky and descened into the sea. Now why don't they teach that in Geography.
Got back to Hanoi for one last night, the capital city, after the sublime scenery at Halong Bay, is once again a shock to the senses. Here is the view from my bedroom window of the power and telecommunications network. In one place I saw an engineer sitting like a bird in a nest amongst the cables doing a repair, no other support, just this mass of cables. Amazing.
Off to Tam Coc in the morning then sleeper bus in the evening to Hue, leaving from Ninh Binh, so no need to come back north to Hanoi, will arrive 6am. Plan now looks like: Hue, Hoi An, Dalat, HCMC. The bus is $60 for an open ticket all the way to HCMC. Fantastic value, providing I can sleep.
I don't think my pictures, taken on a dull day will do justice but here are some examples....this was 5 minutes out from the harbour.
We also visited a huge cave system, Thien Cung, only very recently discovered but spectacular. Again, camera can not capture what the eye can take in but here is an impression.
This was me being brave high up again after coming out of the cave, with my Luang Prabang tee shirt on....been there done that.
And one of the boat I was on...
I had taken the tour for $35 including all meals, transport etc and disappointed to find the younger set had paid only $27 but, to see one of the world's wonders, who cares. Cabins were supposed to be shared on the boat, and with 3 couples, 2 Canadian girls travelling together and six female dancers from Sweden the options were interesting but I eventually had this little cabin to myself and woke to this eye level view of other boats moored in the bay.
Have finally found the explanation for how these karsts are formed, bit scientific this, but apparently this is where a dragon flew down from the sky and descened into the sea. Now why don't they teach that in Geography.
Got back to Hanoi for one last night, the capital city, after the sublime scenery at Halong Bay, is once again a shock to the senses. Here is the view from my bedroom window of the power and telecommunications network. In one place I saw an engineer sitting like a bird in a nest amongst the cables doing a repair, no other support, just this mass of cables. Amazing.
Off to Tam Coc in the morning then sleeper bus in the evening to Hue, leaving from Ninh Binh, so no need to come back north to Hanoi, will arrive 6am. Plan now looks like: Hue, Hoi An, Dalat, HCMC. The bus is $60 for an open ticket all the way to HCMC. Fantastic value, providing I can sleep.
Saturday 23 February 2008
In Prison
But not locked up thank God. Visited Hoa Lo prison where the French for 60 years brutalised the Vietnamese resistance and where during the 60's American airmen were locked up: "the Hanoi Hilton" as they called it. John McCain was one of those held there and revisited the site in 2000. Strange how these events have come to be viewed. In Vietnam these airmen bombed Hanoi from B52's, indiscriminate terror bombing, designed to weaken resistance and causing enormous tragedy on the ground and yet there seems no bitterness here. Clearly from the attached quotation the airmen themselves felt badly abpout what they were doing.
All over the city there are people trying to get by with terrible deformities, the effects of the dioxins in Agent Orange that the US dropped on the forests. Will we ever learn or continue to make the same dreadful mistakes? Perhaps McCain would have a more enlightened view on the use of the American military after his experiences here?
Also visited the Catholic cathedral,10% of the country is Catholic, a French hangover, but not in my mind the best they left behind, that would be the coffee which is just brilliant.
Did some shopping and booked some tours for the next 3 days. Will be out of contact for 48 hours but hope the report will do justice to Halong Bay.
By the way, finally sorted out the flash drive so have added some pictures to earlier posts.
All over the city there are people trying to get by with terrible deformities, the effects of the dioxins in Agent Orange that the US dropped on the forests. Will we ever learn or continue to make the same dreadful mistakes? Perhaps McCain would have a more enlightened view on the use of the American military after his experiences here?
Also visited the Catholic cathedral,10% of the country is Catholic, a French hangover, but not in my mind the best they left behind, that would be the coffee which is just brilliant.
Did some shopping and booked some tours for the next 3 days. Will be out of contact for 48 hours but hope the report will do justice to Halong Bay.
By the way, finally sorted out the flash drive so have added some pictures to earlier posts.
Friday 22 February 2008
Hanoi
Found the problem with uploading pictures is a virus on the flash drive. Can't open it easily so may just buy new as it will be cheap here. Until then some words and I will add pics later.
Just arrived, flight 50 mins fom Luang Prabang left EARLY!!! landed and through immigration within 10 minutes. What a first impression, compare that with most visitors experiences arriving in Heathrow.
Hanoi is an assault on all of the senses but particularly the ears! Motorcycle navigation seems to be determined bat like, by the emitting of frequent horn sounds. Crossing the road is a challenge but I am still here so they must know what I am doing because I don't.
Was starving when I got here and went straight from the hotel ($15, two beds, balcony, good shower) to the pavement for some Pho, (chicken noodle soup). Delicious, cost about 60p. Bought some sandals for $4, asking price was $15 and still think I overpaid and now off to find the local draft beer.
Some of the narkets just round the corner from me, no close ups of the fish, very interesting but not for the faint hearted...
Another first impression, the people are so friendly. Everyone says something in English, just to show they can, not trying to sell me anything, they smile a lot, I think I will enjoy it here.
Just arrived, flight 50 mins fom Luang Prabang left EARLY!!! landed and through immigration within 10 minutes. What a first impression, compare that with most visitors experiences arriving in Heathrow.
Hanoi is an assault on all of the senses but particularly the ears! Motorcycle navigation seems to be determined bat like, by the emitting of frequent horn sounds. Crossing the road is a challenge but I am still here so they must know what I am doing because I don't.
Was starving when I got here and went straight from the hotel ($15, two beds, balcony, good shower) to the pavement for some Pho, (chicken noodle soup). Delicious, cost about 60p. Bought some sandals for $4, asking price was $15 and still think I overpaid and now off to find the local draft beer.
Some of the narkets just round the corner from me, no close ups of the fish, very interesting but not for the faint hearted...
Another first impression, the people are so friendly. Everyone says something in English, just to show they can, not trying to sell me anything, they smile a lot, I think I will enjoy it here.
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