CAMBODIA AND VIETNAM

From January 19, 2009 to February 11 we visited Cambodia and Vietnam. I have so much to tell you about those places, but as you might have noticed I've fallen behind on my posts. So, check back later for these posts and some awesome pics. In the meantime, follow along with us through Southern Thailand ....

GT Means Good Time

Excitement brewing. We had found actual mountain bikes from the most unlikely storefront shop. John rented a GT, shimano parts, working brakes, new knobby tires, and mine was an unknown brand but still a decent ride. We didn’t really know where to go, but decided to ride this loop trail that was marked on the map.  It was 37 kilometers and had some decent climbs in it, but nothing to bad. Unfortunately it was all fire road, no single track, no jumps, but at least it was dirt and we were both just happy to ride for several hours.

The scenery was great, we even found a section of river where John could pull wheelies. To add to the ambiance, some local women were washing their vegetables in the water as John sped across.

We ended up staying in Luang Prabang 6 days which was longer than originally planned but we were really quite taken with the city. But as a result we were a bit off the loose schedule we had mapped out and decided we would fly to our next location - Cambodia rather than making the 2 day journey by bus. Next stop - Siem Reap, Cambodia.

Waterfalls and Bear Rescue

Tat Kuang Si is a beautiful spot with multi-tiered waterfalls, picnic areas, swimming holes, etc. It was 32 kilometers from the city and we took a sawngthaew, which is essentially a small pick-up with bench seats in the back. We were hesitant to go to at first expecting it to be like your ordinary tourist trap of a waterfall. We were taken off guard by the beautiful location.  We hiked up to the main waterfall and on the way stopped by the Bear Rescue area (strange combination -waterfall and picnic area with a bunch of rescued bears). It was well worth the excursion and we only wished we had left earlier in the day so we could have taken a plunge in the swimming hole.

RELIGIOUS HARMONY - BUDDIHISM AND ANIMISM

First off, I will admit I did not know what Animism was. I kept thinking they meant Atheism and it was a communication/English issue. But I was wrong. Although Buddhism is the main religion in Laos it coexists with Animism. The Lao people believe in “Phi”, a word that means spirit, soul or ghost. Most Laotians would tell you about a “Phi” who visits them when they are asleep “Phis” are everywhere. They can be good, bad, mischievous, and can be found in trees, animals, houses or people. To protect themselves and show respect, people build a “genie” house, a small alter which is placed in a precise spot, in front of the house or in the garden. The “house” is always sheltered from the sun, and people offer food and drinks to keep the spirits in peace.

Big Brother Mouse and Stay-Another-Day in Laos

The Stay-Another-Day program in Luang Prabang is set up to provide awareness of local tradition and customs while supporting truly local businesses. It suggests where you can go to see how silk is actually made - from silkworms, cocoon, weaving into thread, dyeing of thread, and weaving into cloth - scarfs, table runners, clothes, pillow cases, etc. We actually visited one of these weaving shops. It was very interesting as was the natural paper making studios. If interested you could take a 3 day class and weave something yourself.

Then there are places to do tastings of all the local delicacies - like crickets, grasshoppers, cockroaches, snake, crocodile, frogs and the list goes on. We had hoped to try this out but they we only open limited times of the day and - well - we just never made it. We did however run into an Australian family who we kept running into through out the town. They tried just about everything. Their daughter, who I would guess was 13 or so, apparently was the brave one. Braver than I would have been I'm sure.

There were several other programs but the one I liked the best was Big Brother Mouse. This was a home-grown literacy program geared to teaching young children to read. They halve self-published books in Laos and English and are trying to make reading fun for the kids. I was told that in Laos people do not just read for pleasure and they are perplexed by tourists sitting around reading books all the time. Since the kids were in school I wasn't able to join the program to read to the children. Instead I spent a few hours volunteering so that locals could practice their English. One student was very prepared with questions about what things said in an English magazine and where certain universities were - he had a catalog for studying abroad and was very curious.  

Later I spoke with 2 young men who had studied as monks for several years. They explained to me some of the basic customs surrounding monks - like women should never touch the monk, you should never step in his shadow and you were to bow your head as they passed. We also had an interesting dialogue about children that went a little like this: "how many children do you have?" "I don't have any children." "Oh, how sad. Who will take care of you when you get old." I thought to myself, if I had a child what guarantee is there that they would take care of me...they would have their own life...etc., such an American custom. But instead I replied: "Hopefully my niece and nephews." The conversation went on, "Is there something wrong with your husband's sperm? You know you can always buy one{a child that is}" "Oh, you mean adopt." "Adopt, is that the word, write it down for me please." And, my job was done I had taught them a new English word. As our journey continues through countries with such strong family ties something to consider ...maybe we need to devise a story about our "children" in order to not subjected to such pity. Of course that would require a lot of scripting, doctored photos, etc... too much work, we'll have to deal with the pity.

Luang Prabang - Unesco World Heritage City

Luang Prabang has a great feel to it, there is a strong French influence with numerous bistros and cafes, hip wine bars and French architecture. At about 5 p.m. one of the main boulevards is closed and in come numerous vendors who set up the most colorful night market we have seen so far. Handicrafts, jewelry, antique weavings, mulberry paper lanterns, and your typical tshirts and other tourist souvenirs line the streets. Ahh I again am feeling constrained by the size of my backpack and the strength of my shoulders. Unfortunately we are trying not to add to much to our bags - which means limited shopping for me. But at least I can partake in the traditional Lao massage, a bit strenuous, but probably a good workout for my muscles.

We had several leisurely days in Luang Prabang, one of which I spent with a case of “traveler”s disease” - luckily it was of the 24 hour variety. Another day we rented bicycles and just rode around the Old Quarter viewing various wats along the way. Later that same day we attended a chanting ceremony performed each day at dusk by the monks. As we were leaving the ceremony a young monk approached us and asked: “Hello, where are you from? John replied: “USA” “Which state?” “California” “Habla espanol?” Ok that caught us a little off guard. But John quickly responded “si, como estas” The monk replied: “Muy Bien!” The conversation continued, but switched to English shortly thereafter. Turns out the monk had been studying Spanish and was thrilled to even practice a simple salutation He was teaching himself by reading books and didn’t get many opportunities to actually speak. As we have discovered throughout SE Asia, it is very common for people to speak several languages - especially in tourist locations. But it is not always easy as there are not exactly classes, rather many are self-taught by books, television and talking with foreigners.

 

Freedom Flyer

Mount Phousi is Luang Prabang’s holy mountain, and at its very top sit’s the 20 meter high Vat Chamsi Stupa. There are 328 steps to climb to reach the top, but from there you get a 360 degree panoramic view of the whole city. On the way up there are vendors selling lotus flowers and other sorts of offerings. The tradition is to leave your offering at the top or somewhere special along the way. 

We see an older lady with some small birds in tiny bamboo cages. We are told you set them free at the top, essentially seeking good luck. This reminded us of the paper lanterns in Chiang Mai which were set a blaze and floated up to the sky carrying wishes for good luck. We decided good luck or not, at least it would be good luck for the bird so we bought one, carried the little guy to the top of the mountain, and set him free. Funny thing, all the little birds seemed to circle around the area. We were told that their wings were clipped and they would be in another cage for sale tomorrow!  We choose to believe that our bird flew to freedom - even if he never left Mount Phousi.

Saffron Robes and Saffron Coffee

Luang Prabang is another UNESCO World Heritage city and it is between the confluence of the Nam Khan and Mekong Rivers. The city is beautiful and we are instantly taken by its charm, even before finding accommodations. Unlike many of the tourist cities we have visited, Luang Prabang was obviously developed with some planning in mind. The peninsular or Old Quarter is riddled with glittering wats, most of which serve as the home for numerous studying monks who freely roam the streets in their varying shades of saffron, orange and mustard robes going about their daily lives.

There are all sorts of accommodations although they are bit pricer than we have become use to - for $40 US you can get a really spectacular room, but unfortunately for us our budget is more like $15 - 20US. Traveling for a year means that you need to keep close tabs on the budget. It would be so easy to just go a little higher to get that special suite in Kathmandu, to upgrade to air/con in Chiang Mai, etc., but 365 days of little increases will add up and given how bad the economy is at home we are already losing money each day in our savings account so we can’t afford to splurge too often. But no worries, we find a lovely teak room, with Laos silk bed accents and a small balcony which views the Mekong River in the old quarter for a mere $17 US. It is a great little 7 room family run hotel. The whole room is teak and when the window and door are closed it becomes the darkest room I have ever slept in.

The river side of the street is lined with outdoor restaurants, including one called Saffron Café which would turn out to be our regular morning stop -- excellent local BREWED (not Nescafe) coffee, a breakfast burrito for me and pancakes with real maple syrup for John - yum!

Slow Boat to Laos Part Two

Cross the Khong river to Huay Sai and then walk to the pier to buy a boat ticket (of course they tell you to take a taxi because it is very far and there is a big hill … our “book” said differently and as we are counting pennies to some degree we decide to walk…it was less than 1 kilometer and only a slight incline!). Just in our short walk we are approached by many “agents” either trying to tell you to take the bus as the boat is unreliable, overcrowded, will breakdown and there will be no accommodations at the overnight village, or trying to sell you a boat ticket for a little extra - as if you are unable to just buy it yourself at the pier. Just keep smiling and keep repeating “no thank you” This will turn out to be the most used phrase of our journey I am sure.

Next step, a 2 day slow boat journey down Mekong River to Luang Prabang, Laos. The boat is to leave at 11:00 but they tell us to board as soon as possible We claim a seat an hour before we are set to leave They are simple bench seats, set a little higher than normal height so your legs dangle .. Not very comfortable for a long journey. But we are prepared and have a camp mat with us to provide at least a little padding, as well as snacks for the trip 11:00 comes … and goes… as does noon. Then as if the boat was not already full enough, a stream of people show up looking like they have been brought from another boat. The boat operator pulls out these plastic chairs and lines the middle walkway, we are packed to the gills. No safety standards here.

This could have been a very long day but luck was on our side and we ended up meeting some interesting people, two women from California and a couple from Holland who helped the time pass with great conversation, story telling and travel comparisons. We had no real idea how long we would be on the boat the first day as depending who you spoke to the time ranged from 5 hours to 10 hours We were just hoping that we got to the stopover town by dark as it was obvious that the river was low enough to reveal obstacles. 

 The scenery along the Mekong River was spectacular Very lush, small villages dotting the hillsides here and there, fishermen out in the river, and the occasional tourist boat passing by.  Oh, and lets not forget the speed boats, if you were crazy enough you could make the 2 day trip in just 1 day via these crazy speed boats. You strap on a full face helmet and hold on for dear life hoping the boat did not hit something and capsize or throw you afar.  Apparently this was a normal occurrence especially when the river was low We were heading to dry season so we did not even consider this a viable option. 

Just before sunset we reach Pag Beng We were expecting a complete dump, flea ridden shacks, dirty outhouses, etc. What we found were several restaurants, hotels ranging from very basic to very nice We found a simple guesthouse run by a very friendly family and had some great Indian food for dinner. Early the next morning we headed for the boat. But it was no where to be found. Of course we had just assumed we would be on the same boat and as we departed yesterday no one really said where to go. Finally someone motioned for us to get aboard a smaller boat, and there were our friends from yesterday.  They had saved us some of the “good” seats - essentially luxury bus seats, today we were traveling first class. 

 The scenery did not disappoint and considering we were both very hesitant about this slow boat journey anticipating a hellish 2 days - we truly enjoyed the trip and would highly recommend it to others. I guess the lesson here is that if you anticipate the worse you will most likely be happily surprised, or the early bird gets the best seats, or should I say make friends with the early birds who will get your good seats.

Slow Boat to Laos

We left Pai at 8 pm on a 6 1/2 hour ride in Mr Toad's Wild minibus. I probably already mentioned the 762 windy mountain curves you take on the road to Pai, well - what goes to Pai must leave Pai and we must endure the tortuous journey for a second time. This time our minibus is jam packed and John gets stuck sitting on the "seat" over the engine (normally reserved for the beverages for the driver). "At least we are in the front seat" we tell ourselves. I am on the verge of regurgitating my dinner like a mother bird about to feed her young (I know-a gross example if you visualize it.), for just about the entire way. One girl on our bus makes it past the 762 curves (which take the first 2 hours) only to get very very ill in the moderately curvy and bumpy road leading to the border town of Chang Khong where we get a catnap - 2 1/2 hours to sleep before we get up and go to the border to get our visas and head to Laos. The hotel operator was waiting for us in the driveway. There were 3 minibuses x 13 passengers each and believe it or not it went very smoothly - in an unconventional way. You showed the man your ticket which said whether you had paid for a package which included the boat or just transport to the border. As we had the latter, our hands were marked "boder" in pen and we were told to go grab a room, any room, 2 to each room. Then a couple hours later he woke us singing "good morning" down the hallway, you got a cup of coffee and piled into a pick-up truck (some on top of each other, me on top of the bags) and off to border we went. After you get stamped out of Thailand you take the ferry across the river to the Laos side where you fill out the paperwork, pay $30 and get your visa.

Thais on Candid Camera

One thing we noticed in Pai is that vacationing Thais strike a pose in front of just about any monument, historical site or sign indicating where they are for that matter. By striking a pose I mean that you constantly feel like you have walked onto an amatuer photo-shoot. Check the tourists behind John in these pics taken out on an old WWII bridge. (Built near Chiang Mai and later moved near Pai after the war. Most bridges were blown up by the Japanese as they left the country).


We especially got a kick out of these tough bikers when they made a pyramid on the bridge. Don't get us wrong - we only poke fun since we too get caught up in silly photo ops.



Here is John floating above Pai Canyon. This, by the way, was a great little hike where you assumed the risk for your own safety. The trail was at times one foot wide and had some sketchy, loose downclimbs with drops into the canyon below on either side.

Hunting for Wild Elephants

Day 2 is just John and I and Somsak as the others head back to town. As we set out some villagers warn Somsak that a pack of wild elephants have been in the area and to be careful. Apparently they will charge us if they smell us. The hike immediately gets steep and then - is there a trail? We essentially are bushwacking through the jungle. I hope Somsak knows where he is going.

We see signs of elephants - hard to miss the path they took - broken branches and packed down leaves, big footprints and large poop! Somsak takes a closer look and is relieved that it is not fresh - likely from yesterday. We would love to spot the family of elephants - from a distance - apparently there are 8 of them including a baby. We keep our eyes peeled and are listening for any heavy stomping all day, but no luck, no elephant sightings today.

We arrive early to the Shan village. There are only 3 families here and it is much quieter than the village yesterday. At dinner Somsak tells us how the people in this village came illegally from Burma many years ago. One of them just had a baby but was afraid to go to the hospital for fear she would be deported. We talk about the similarities in California with the Mexican immigrants. On many levels governments and countries are all dealing with similar issues.



The hike out is long and tedious - I have never been a fan of the downhill. You can always pace yourself for the uphill journey but there is little you can do to save your joints on the downhill. A villager from the Lahu village has joined us - he carries a rifle in case we come upon the elephants and need to scare them away. All of a sudden we sense that there may have been a little more risk than we thought yesterday as we traveled without a weapon all day. This Lahu villager has his own story - in his 20s while traveling through the jungle without a gun he came across a bear who then attacked him leaving permanent scars on his face and crippling his left hand. Being a refugee from Burma he did not go to the hospital but was treated by the village elders.



We spend the last hour or so crossing back and forth along the river. The cold water is refreshing on all those bug bites on my ankles. Why do bugs like your ankles? There is less flesh there so one would think it is less tasty. Are they too lazy to hit the calf?

Back in Pai its back to the task of finding a place to stay. Its Friday and the streets are packed with weekend visitors - as are the guesthouses. Many of them are full but eventually John secures a room and comes back for me - I have been waiting out on the street, watching our bags, vendors are putting out their handiwork, the food vendors are starting to cook and the number of roaming tourists are increasing by the minute. A bank is playing in an open storefront that by day is an art gallery.  Pai is a very different place on the weekends.

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Training for Survivor

Have you ever made fire out of a piece of bamboo and some dried leaves? Of course you need a knife -but no self-respected jungle goer would be in the jungle without a machette would he? Our trek started outside of Soppong about 40 km north of Pai. John and I got to ride shotgun in the pick-up which was a good thing as it was more windy mountain road. We were traveling with 6 other trekkers - 4 from Switzerland and 2 Americans - and another guide, Noum. The hike lead us into the jungle, through bamboo forests and along a river as we gradually climbed up to 1000 meters. Both Noum and Somsak stopped frequently to explain uses for various plants in the jungle - leaves for the roof of a hut, bamboo for cups and spoons, certain trees for medicinal, other plants for food. Essentially the hill tribes can live off the land. At one point we stopped and Noum showed us how to make fire using bamboo and leaves. So if we ever make the Survivor casting call we are ready now!

We eventually made it to the Lahu hilltribe village where we would spend the night. The children instantly made friends and had us swinging them around and lifting them on poles like monkeys in no time.


This village had 18 families and interestingly enough - a few motorbikes, a truck and TV! Out here in what feels like the middle of the jungle there is a satellite dish and they sit in a grass hut, on the floor as there is no furniture, with maybe a woodfire burning in the kitchen portion of the hut for warmth, watching TV! Our whole group is staying in one large hut, but they have asked John and I to join them in the kitchen hut to sleep to provide more room for everyone. Sounds good - warm fire, it is getting a little colder here, but the smoke is a challenge for those of us who live where you practically need a license and permit to smoke.
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Before a delicious dinner by candlelight the village women come over, dressed in their traditional clothing of black skirts and red jackets to do a dance performance for us. They laugh hysterically while dancing and immediately pull us into their dance circle.

We enjoy the company of our other trekkers - one of the couples from Switzerland have done 2 one year trips, 3 years apart and they hope to go again soon (this current trip is a short one for them). Sounds like a great idea!

Escaping The Crowds in Pai

Pai is a small town in Northern Thailand with about 3000 inhabitants Our guide book says it was on the "hippy trail" and is good place to chill out after the hectic partying in Bangkok and Chiang Mai. What the book doesn't say is that every tourist, both foreign and Thai, have read this and head to Pai making this sleepy little town anything but sleepy as it multiplies in size from December until March. Fortunately some locals in the know had warned us about this and advised against going until after the Thai holiday week over the 1st was over as it would be difficult to get a room. 

We arrived on a Monday, Jan 5 after a 3 1/2 hour bus ride traveling only 120 km but making 762 turns on a windy mountain road - travel on an empty stomach was recommended. I went in search of accommodations while John stayed with the bags. I found these very basic grass huts along the river that I thought would be just fine. Baan Pai Riverside - simple would be an understatement but they had character and the place had a serene feel to it.

Interestingly it was serene until midnight when the party started and went until 5 or 6 the next morning. 

 Pai has a reputation as being a good place to start a trek, get a massage and find some good vegan food. I hope to try all 3 so we started by talking with Somsak, the manager and a guide for Pai Nature Treks. We didn't do a trek out of Chiang Mai because they all had too many activities - elephant ride, then trek, hill tribe exhibition and rafting - we just wanted to trek a few days and visit a hill tribe. PNT had just that so we signed up for the 3 day-2 night trek leaving tomorrow.

Climbing in Chiang Mai

After much contemplation we decided to rent equipment and rent a scooter to spend a day climbing at Crazy Horse in Chiang Mai. The equipment came with a guidebook and amazingly the beta was spot on. We found the crag - sharp limestone - and made our way up a short jungle trail to The Hanging Gardens which were rated 5b and 5c - of course we have no idea what those ratings mean but the book said it was a good place to start. The climbs were fairly straightforward sport routes, John played rope gun and I swept up. The area was great, clearly marked trails and bamboo benches to rest or belay from.
If the rented shoes were not so damn painful it would have been a perfect day - but not bad for a spur of the moment climbing adventure. We did several routes at the Hanging Gardens and then head to Tamarind Valley. John even attempted a crazy crack/stem climb.

As dusk approached the pesky mosquitos started arriving ... time to go. In keeping with our typical "MO" we were the last scooter out of the jungle on our way back to Chiang Mai.

On the advice of some fellow climbers who were living in Chiang Mai teaching English, we decided to sample some local Thai BBQ for dinner since we still had the motorscooter and could dine outside of the tourist area. It took a little patience but we found the place - think big school cafeteria without walls and 2 stories tall. A buffet of 50 meters long full of raw meat and fish was in the middle of the room. You sat at these metal tables with 2 holes in them - one for the coals to heat broth to cook a soup in and to cook meat or fish above and the second to bbq on. You could feast until you burst. Luckily since you were cooking it yourself it forced you to space it out a little. At first we were unsure what to do and there were no other foreigners to ask. Our waiter, who spoke very little English, tried to guide us thru the experience and also made sure we had enough Singhi beer!  Great last day and night in Chiang Mai.

San Kamphaeng Mineral Springs - 10 Minute Hard Boil

New Year’s day 2009. Another year, another journey around the sun. 2009 is sure to bring new experiences for us as we continue our travels, new ways of seeing things, new friends, and of course re-newed appreciation for our family, friends and the comforts of home. After an amazing night of fireworks, paper lanterns and crowded streets, we decide to indulge in a little pampering to start the new year. So we rent a motorbike and head out of the city to the mineral hot springs east of the city. We decide to rent the private cabin for an hour to enjoy our mineral bath in relative peace as it turns out that the hot springs are quite the holiday draw and the place is packed with families soaking their feet in the man-made river of mineral water.


How long does it take for the perfect hard (or soft) boiled egg? …10-15 minutes so the sign says. Apparently the Thai's like to cook their eggs in mineral water. You purchase the eggs at the park in convenient wicker baskets. You can chose from regular brown eggs or quail eggs. The baskets conveniently hang on hooks lining the edge of a sulphurous mineral pool. 5, 10 or 15 minutes and lunch is served. Definitely a unique concept - soak your legs in the mineral springs while boiling eggs for lunch.