We flew from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap. When we arrived, it was immediately evident we were in a much more popular tourist destination. First class hotels surrounded the outskirts of Angkor Wat, and there was a lot more evidence of urban planning and a general cleaniness compared to where we had just been. There was still much evidence of poverty, but thanks to a very, very nice hotel the whole country just felt different. After getting our pictures taken at the gates of Angkor Wat, collected our 3 day passes (company that owns Angkor Wat = Vietnamese...the Vietnamese own a lot of Cambodia's assets, something the Cambodians resent), we settled into our very nice rooms and cooled down for a bit (soooo hot there). After some reading in the A/C, Jamie, Leia, Kelly and I walked into town (about a 20-25 min, seemed longer b/c it was so hot) with Jen a Red Cross director in Australia, to donate blood to a children's hospital. I wasn't hesistant about giving blood because Jen was there the whole time and while I trusted the hospital, it was comforting to know that she knew exactly what to look out for in terms of proper sanitary and safety precautions. After giving blood we treated ourselves to a very western lunch of Mexican. That night we had a group dinner at this place called Temple (lots of great restaurants in Siem Reap...note that you will not see a single local eating in them though), where there was traditional absara dancing while we ate. Normally, I do not like dinner entertainment, but I enjoyed the dancing a lot, and in all had a great night.
The next morning we were up at 4:30 am to watch the sunrise over Angkor Wat. Because it was the wet season when we were there, we didn't actually get to see the sun come up (a lot of clouds), but it was still great to be there in the early morning and enjoy the serenity. Also, the massive head start allowed us to see a lot before the heat became unbearable. Angkor Wat was built in the early 12th Century as a temple for King Suryavarma. The main temple, Angkor Wat, is the one on their national flag, and the one you see in most of the pictures. In the 40 miles surrouding this temple there are about 285 other temples, stunning and intricate in their own way. Because there are so many, and also because many are not open to the public, it was great to have a guide who led us to ones where we could get the most out of our time there. I had such a great time playing with my different camera settings capturing the beauty of the temples, and the legends and histories that I heard are something I'll never forget. I highly recommend a trip to Angkor Wat, not only for the beauty, but also the perspective you gain when you see and learn about how much effort went into to creating such a world wonder. And then also to see how much their civilization has drastically changed since that golden age.
We spent the morning of the next day visiting more temples, but since we started later in the morning we were so hot it was harder to enjoy them. So, to break up the heat a bit, we took a drive to the Landmine Museum, about 40 min away. The Landmine museum was interesting because I got to learn about how one man was making such a huge difference in his own country. It was also inspiring. This man had spent much of his teenage years laying these mines as a soldier in the Khmer Rouge. (A perfect example of what can happen when educating youth is not made a priority) Once he came to realize what the Khmer Rouge was about, and his role in it, he defected to the Vietnmese army that was invading Cambodia. After the Vientmese were run out, he began to work to improve his country by eradicating mines and now runs this center while supporting a number of children whose lives have been affected by landmines.
After experiencing one more temple we headed back to the hotel where I spent the after relaxing by the pool. That night we had a great final dinner at a nice restaurant, and then some of us headed out dancing. The next morning we were up early to head to Bangkok. We were supposed to be driving (which I was dreading) which would have taken the whole day on a horrible road, but a bridge had collapsed, so we ended up having to fly last minute. While this was an expensive alternative, it made the last day a bit better than having to spend the whole time in a van going over a bumpy and partially paved road.
Monday, May 26, 2008
S21 & The Killing Fields
This entry is pretty hard to write, since I'm not really able to put my emotions into words that properly do them justice. So this will be brief. In the morning we met our guide, a Cambodian man, probably in his 40s, who worked in a work camp for kids during the 70s at the height of Khmer Rouge's power. He lost a number of family members to the Khmer Rouge's regime, and so having him as a guide and getting his first hand impressions was invaluable. Our first stop of the day was a former high school in the middle of the city that was used as a torture prison for prisoners of the Khmer Rouge. The place was left in basically the same form that the Vietnamese found it in when they came into the city in 1979. There were some terribly sickening pictures on the walls above the metal "beds." The prisoners = anyone a threat to the Khmer Rouge...so basically anyone that was educated, or looked educated, or could know something slightly relevant to their needs. Those that tortured the prisoners were also recognized here, as many of them were young kids (preteens) who had been recruited from the country by the Khmer Rouge and really did not understand what they were doing.
After S21, we drove about 20 min to the Killing Fields. These fields were part of the Khmer Rouge's systematic execution about about 1.5 million people. On the ride there, our guide told us his story because he could not tell it to us in a public place, for fear that the guards or others passing by would hear something that could be used against him. While many of the Khmer Rouge leaders have died or are on trial right now, there are still many present in the Cambodian government, making it difficult for freedom of speech on this topic. The fields were extremely hard to take in because bones, teeth and clothes still remain in the ground and were poking out everywhere you walked. At one point I thought I was going to throw up when I came across a large section of clothing and bones in the dirt that was I walking over. Only about 10 of the mass graves had been dug up by the government, the reason being that they want to leave the past in the past. I do understand that point.
While I think it is good that the government allows these sites to be open to the public, and they are much more upfront about this dark past than the Vietnamese were about any of their history, there is still a long way to go in terms of properly documenting and honoring their past. One thing that annoyed me was that on the description memorializing the Killing Fields the first sentence said something to the affect that this was more horrible than the Holocaust. While I agree that this was horrible, and definitely gets a lot less attention than the Holocaust, all genocide is horrible, and comparing it is not necessary, there are much more appropriate ways to recongnize the suffering.
While seeing the Killing Fields is something I will always remember, I found learning about the historical context during the day much more valuable. After talking with our guide, I went to a movie that night played in the upstairs part of a bar/restaruant about the rise of the Khmer Rouge. This video actually left me a lot more confused than when I started. A lot of that had to do with names for leaders changing, or poor translation, so it has motivated me to look at Western historical analysis, something that I can grasp a little easier. Also, because these events happened so "recently" it will take many more years before more thorough historical analysis is available. There is so much Cambodia needs to help ensure a better future than help looking back at the past, so I completely support their efforts to push forward and not spend resources on anything to do with the Khmer Rouge. 3/4 of Cambodia's population are too young to even remember the Khmer Rouge. Most of the citizens live on less than $1 US a day. They are a hopeful people, but they also live on a day - to -day basis. Those that can remember the attrocities of the Khmer Rouge know what is like to one morning be hopeful about the future and then a few hours later be told to leave your home immediately due to the threat of American bomgs, and then be led to these kiling fields.
It continues to mystify me how genocide can continue to occur. It also continues to mystify me how we have yet to find a way to prevent this from occuring.
After S21, we drove about 20 min to the Killing Fields. These fields were part of the Khmer Rouge's systematic execution about about 1.5 million people. On the ride there, our guide told us his story because he could not tell it to us in a public place, for fear that the guards or others passing by would hear something that could be used against him. While many of the Khmer Rouge leaders have died or are on trial right now, there are still many present in the Cambodian government, making it difficult for freedom of speech on this topic. The fields were extremely hard to take in because bones, teeth and clothes still remain in the ground and were poking out everywhere you walked. At one point I thought I was going to throw up when I came across a large section of clothing and bones in the dirt that was I walking over. Only about 10 of the mass graves had been dug up by the government, the reason being that they want to leave the past in the past. I do understand that point.
While I think it is good that the government allows these sites to be open to the public, and they are much more upfront about this dark past than the Vietnamese were about any of their history, there is still a long way to go in terms of properly documenting and honoring their past. One thing that annoyed me was that on the description memorializing the Killing Fields the first sentence said something to the affect that this was more horrible than the Holocaust. While I agree that this was horrible, and definitely gets a lot less attention than the Holocaust, all genocide is horrible, and comparing it is not necessary, there are much more appropriate ways to recongnize the suffering.
While seeing the Killing Fields is something I will always remember, I found learning about the historical context during the day much more valuable. After talking with our guide, I went to a movie that night played in the upstairs part of a bar/restaruant about the rise of the Khmer Rouge. This video actually left me a lot more confused than when I started. A lot of that had to do with names for leaders changing, or poor translation, so it has motivated me to look at Western historical analysis, something that I can grasp a little easier. Also, because these events happened so "recently" it will take many more years before more thorough historical analysis is available. There is so much Cambodia needs to help ensure a better future than help looking back at the past, so I completely support their efforts to push forward and not spend resources on anything to do with the Khmer Rouge. 3/4 of Cambodia's population are too young to even remember the Khmer Rouge. Most of the citizens live on less than $1 US a day. They are a hopeful people, but they also live on a day - to -day basis. Those that can remember the attrocities of the Khmer Rouge know what is like to one morning be hopeful about the future and then a few hours later be told to leave your home immediately due to the threat of American bomgs, and then be led to these kiling fields.
It continues to mystify me how genocide can continue to occur. It also continues to mystify me how we have yet to find a way to prevent this from occuring.
Phnom Penh
From Ho Chi Minh city we took a public bus to Phnom Penh, Cambodia's captial. The term public bus is rather misleading because it was actually really nice. When we got on, the "host" served us bottled water and then promptly began the paper work to help everyone on board get their visas sorted for Cambodia, he then served us a light breakfast. The entertainment on board was dreadful Vietnamese Karoke videos, which I drowned with my iPOD thank goodness. Once we arrived at the border we had to take eveything off the bus and then go wait inside the border office building for our names to be called by the border police. It took what seemed like forever, thanks to a lack of order, our heavy bags, and also the tendency of the Vietnamese to push/shove to get where they want to go. The no smoking signs were also ignored, which was rather annoying. Finally we all got back on the bus, where we drove to the Cambodian border, about 500 meters away. We had to get off again, this time we could leave our bags, and then we had to hand our passports over to their officials. We then got back on the bus, and were taken to a restaurant for an early lunch, while the officials stamped our passports (kick-backs much?). The restaurant food was alright, we sat on small plastic chairs, and the area was not clean at all, but at this point in the trip, I barely noticed. It was really hot, but since bathrooms were hard to come by, most of us were suffering from forced dehydration, which made our moods less than chipper when we arrived at our destination.
Our ride through the Cambodian countryside was beautiful, and I got some great pictures from the bus. Arriving in the capital city was a little shocking, although we had been warned about the conditions, there's only so much that words can do to prepare you for the throngs of street kids and other street hawkers, including many limbless ones, and the really dirty street and living conditions. Our hotel was a block away from the riverside, so it was a great location. That night we went to a restaurant run by former street kids and had some amazing food. My new favorite dish, thanks to the introduction from this restaurant = Fish Amok. After dinner some of us went to the Foreign Correspondents Club to check out the award winning photos on display, and also to have a classy drink at a Western hang out (well it was when there were lots of journalists in Cambodia).
Our ride through the Cambodian countryside was beautiful, and I got some great pictures from the bus. Arriving in the capital city was a little shocking, although we had been warned about the conditions, there's only so much that words can do to prepare you for the throngs of street kids and other street hawkers, including many limbless ones, and the really dirty street and living conditions. Our hotel was a block away from the riverside, so it was a great location. That night we went to a restaurant run by former street kids and had some amazing food. My new favorite dish, thanks to the introduction from this restaurant = Fish Amok. After dinner some of us went to the Foreign Correspondents Club to check out the award winning photos on display, and also to have a classy drink at a Western hang out (well it was when there were lots of journalists in Cambodia).
Saturday, May 10, 2008
Ho Chi Minh City
HCMC (or Saigon) is easily the most overwhelming of all the cities visited in Southeast, simply due to the number of motorbikes on the road. As I said before, all traffic regulations are light suggestions in Asia, especially Vietnam, so getting from point A to point B in Saigon is quite a challenge. Thankfully, it wasn't too hard since I had practice stepping into the road with hundreds of motor bikes whizzing at/past me in the other cities we stopped at up North. The flight from Hoi An to Saigon went smoothly (besides a slight delay and being pushed quite frequently while queing to get on the plane...there something about lines and pushing that the Vietnamese do much differently from Westerners that really bothers me!) When we got to Saigon we had some time to get a late lunch before we had our cyclo tour.
We walked down the road to a place called Pho 2000, which is where Bill Clinton ate when he visited Vietnam. The Pho was worth the hype, but the experienced was dampened when they charged us for using napkins! A little while later we met our cyclo drivers for a frightening ride around the city to see the sites at rush hour. Our guide did a great job explaining the sites like the Reunification Palace and the Post Office designed by Mr. Eiffel, but the city itself was not too impressive. I was impressed, however, by the hotels like the Carvelle and the Rex, simply because it was cool to actually see where many of the press briefings took place that we learned about in history and politics classes. When we got to the Opera House/ Western journalist hotel areas, we realized that they were setting up for the Olympic Torch.
We promptly went up to the top floor of the Rex Hotel and got seats along the balcony to secure prime torch watching views. I was surprised by how many pro-China supporters lined the streets, but not surprised that there were no protests. The actual passing of the torch was anticlimatic (a lot of waiting, not much action), but it's still cool to be able to check that off on the list of things I've seen in life.
The next day some of went to the Cu Chi tunnels, about a 45 min drive from Saigon, where the Viet Cong hid during the Vietnam war. The video that we saw there was the most biased history I have ever seen, which I found surprising in the year 2008, not sure why though. Instead of making a distinction between the South Vietnmese and the Viet Cong, like we learn in history, the video made the point that the tribe in the tunnel were Vietnamese living there and were forced to fight using these tunnels because the Americans destroyed their peaceful rural town. The video highlighted a number of heroes, referred to as "American killer heroes" and then mentioned how the Americans, "like crazy devils" bombed their "temples, schools, and even their gardens." While I appreciated a completely different perspective, it got to be a little bit too over the top (and I'm not the only one who thought so, even though I was the only American). The tunnel that we got to crawl through was made bigger for tourists, which was pretty shocking seeing as how tiny it felt as we crawled through. The whole time we were in the jungle exploring this underground network it was raining, which kind of made the whole experience feel more authentic...it reminded me of scenes from Forrest Gump.
After the tunnels I went to the War Remnants museum back in town. Museums in Southeast Asia still have a far way to come, and this one definitely fits in that category. It was basically just a photographic display with some poorly written explanations about the victims of war, especially the agent orange victims. Outside, the museum had a few former US Airplanes and helicopters. The pictures were extremely graphic, and hard to take, as was the point the of the exhibit. I'm glad I saw the side of the war that I wouldn't have purposely sought out back at home, but I wished that the exhibits were a little better put together. I think that in a few years, when academics in Vietnam seize the museum idea the museum culture will improve.
The next day we headed out early to cross the border to Phnom Penh, Cambodia, via a public bus.
We walked down the road to a place called Pho 2000, which is where Bill Clinton ate when he visited Vietnam. The Pho was worth the hype, but the experienced was dampened when they charged us for using napkins! A little while later we met our cyclo drivers for a frightening ride around the city to see the sites at rush hour. Our guide did a great job explaining the sites like the Reunification Palace and the Post Office designed by Mr. Eiffel, but the city itself was not too impressive. I was impressed, however, by the hotels like the Carvelle and the Rex, simply because it was cool to actually see where many of the press briefings took place that we learned about in history and politics classes. When we got to the Opera House/ Western journalist hotel areas, we realized that they were setting up for the Olympic Torch.
We promptly went up to the top floor of the Rex Hotel and got seats along the balcony to secure prime torch watching views. I was surprised by how many pro-China supporters lined the streets, but not surprised that there were no protests. The actual passing of the torch was anticlimatic (a lot of waiting, not much action), but it's still cool to be able to check that off on the list of things I've seen in life.
The next day some of went to the Cu Chi tunnels, about a 45 min drive from Saigon, where the Viet Cong hid during the Vietnam war. The video that we saw there was the most biased history I have ever seen, which I found surprising in the year 2008, not sure why though. Instead of making a distinction between the South Vietnmese and the Viet Cong, like we learn in history, the video made the point that the tribe in the tunnel were Vietnamese living there and were forced to fight using these tunnels because the Americans destroyed their peaceful rural town. The video highlighted a number of heroes, referred to as "American killer heroes" and then mentioned how the Americans, "like crazy devils" bombed their "temples, schools, and even their gardens." While I appreciated a completely different perspective, it got to be a little bit too over the top (and I'm not the only one who thought so, even though I was the only American). The tunnel that we got to crawl through was made bigger for tourists, which was pretty shocking seeing as how tiny it felt as we crawled through. The whole time we were in the jungle exploring this underground network it was raining, which kind of made the whole experience feel more authentic...it reminded me of scenes from Forrest Gump.
After the tunnels I went to the War Remnants museum back in town. Museums in Southeast Asia still have a far way to come, and this one definitely fits in that category. It was basically just a photographic display with some poorly written explanations about the victims of war, especially the agent orange victims. Outside, the museum had a few former US Airplanes and helicopters. The pictures were extremely graphic, and hard to take, as was the point the of the exhibit. I'm glad I saw the side of the war that I wouldn't have purposely sought out back at home, but I wished that the exhibits were a little better put together. I think that in a few years, when academics in Vietnam seize the museum idea the museum culture will improve.
The next day we headed out early to cross the border to Phnom Penh, Cambodia, via a public bus.
Thursday, May 8, 2008
Hoi An
Hoi An was my favorite stop on the month long trip. Hoi An is a small, peaceful town, that guidebooks may refer to as a tourist trap, but that did not take away from my experience at all. Yes, the town survives based on tourism, but it did not feel like a Westernized place at all. Shortly after arriving (it was a 4.5 hour bus ride from Hue), Sean, Lynda, Leia and I headed to the tailor shop down the road to browse through magazines to find clothes we wanted tailored for us. (Hoi An is THE place to get clothes tailored...cheap, speedy, quality service). We spent the afternoon getting fittings, picking out fabrics, and developing a relationship with the crazy woman who owed the shop.
That night we met the the group for dinner, at a rather western restaurant because there was a a football game on that most of the boys (all English) needed to watch. That was the first "Western" meal I ate since I began the trip. The pasta was alright, but much appreciated, as I was craving a break from the Asian food (although I know I'm going to miss it a lot!).
The next day, Lynda, Sean and I rented push bikes from the hotel ($1/day) and biked to the beach. It was such an amazing beach. Palm trees lined the back part, and provided perfect shade for laying on our towels, napping and reading. Then there was a large stretch of sand leading up to really warm water and fun waves. There were very few people on the beach, and the Vietnamese that were there, were either selling tourists unnecesary trinkets, or were sitting under the palm trees completely covered in clothing. Because they place such heavy social value on the whiteness of one's skin, the Vietnamese rarely enjoy the beach like we do. (Also, they like large people because it is a sign of wealth, so if you come to Asia and you are pasty and fat, you look like a gold mine to them!)
After the beach, we headed back to the tailors to get our clothes and have a fitting, and then went out for dinner at the same place we went the night before. The night before, while playing pool after dinner in the bar downstairs, a friend who I travelled/skied with last June in New Zealand came up to me. I was shocked to see her, as we hadn't kept in touch since she finished travelling NZ and moved to Melbourne. She was also on her way home, via SE Asia, after spending a year in Australia on a working holiday, like I did in NZ. Unfortunately, we must have missed each other (times like that when you realize how helpful cell phones can be). So, we played some more pool and then headed home to get to bed early since some of us were going diving the next day.
Diving in Hoi An is not world renowed, as there is not much to see, but I was still looking forward to it as I love being underwater and exploring the world under there. The dive company we used was not only really cheap, but provided amazing service. They set up everything for us (gear wise) and we had an excellent guide. After two dives off Cham Island, we motored over to a beach for our lunch. It was the most idyllic beach I have ever seen. There were hammocks set up between palm trees in the shade. A volleyball net on the beach and a little hut/restaruant set back among the trees. Our diving group and the restaruant workers were the only ones on the beach. After an amazing seafood lunch, we had some time to chill in the hammocks before heading back to the docks. When we got back to the docks, the sun was setting as the Vietnamese fisherman were heading out for the night, and I got some spectacular pictures.
That night I joined 4 others in my group for a cooking demonstration and meal. The guy who taught the class was great, really animated and well spoken. He is a graduate of KOTO, a program that trains street kids in hospitality up in Hanoi (we went there for a great breakfast one morning) and was started by an ex-Intrepid leader who was sick of giving money in Vientnam to causes and not seeing any affects. The chef leading the class is an amazing example of how much of an impact KOTO is making in Vietnam! The dinner was great, and I cannot wait to try the recepies...especially the steamed fish.
The next morning the hotel arranged for workers from the post office to come help us ship stuff home (customary as EVERYONE buys SOO much in Hoi An since getting clothes and shoes made is a must do here!). I shipped a couple of things, but not much because I refused to pay a lot for shipping as I had just saved so much money getting things made, and figured that if I bought it then I should be able to carry it. (Now I am slightly regretting that, as my arms are soooo sore from carring my bags around yesterday trying to find the hotel!).
We then got on vans for a 45 min ride to the airport (past China beach, where the US had a huge base) to fly to Ho Chi Minh city (aka Saigon).
That night we met the the group for dinner, at a rather western restaurant because there was a a football game on that most of the boys (all English) needed to watch. That was the first "Western" meal I ate since I began the trip. The pasta was alright, but much appreciated, as I was craving a break from the Asian food (although I know I'm going to miss it a lot!).
The next day, Lynda, Sean and I rented push bikes from the hotel ($1/day) and biked to the beach. It was such an amazing beach. Palm trees lined the back part, and provided perfect shade for laying on our towels, napping and reading. Then there was a large stretch of sand leading up to really warm water and fun waves. There were very few people on the beach, and the Vietnamese that were there, were either selling tourists unnecesary trinkets, or were sitting under the palm trees completely covered in clothing. Because they place such heavy social value on the whiteness of one's skin, the Vietnamese rarely enjoy the beach like we do. (Also, they like large people because it is a sign of wealth, so if you come to Asia and you are pasty and fat, you look like a gold mine to them!)
After the beach, we headed back to the tailors to get our clothes and have a fitting, and then went out for dinner at the same place we went the night before. The night before, while playing pool after dinner in the bar downstairs, a friend who I travelled/skied with last June in New Zealand came up to me. I was shocked to see her, as we hadn't kept in touch since she finished travelling NZ and moved to Melbourne. She was also on her way home, via SE Asia, after spending a year in Australia on a working holiday, like I did in NZ. Unfortunately, we must have missed each other (times like that when you realize how helpful cell phones can be). So, we played some more pool and then headed home to get to bed early since some of us were going diving the next day.
Diving in Hoi An is not world renowed, as there is not much to see, but I was still looking forward to it as I love being underwater and exploring the world under there. The dive company we used was not only really cheap, but provided amazing service. They set up everything for us (gear wise) and we had an excellent guide. After two dives off Cham Island, we motored over to a beach for our lunch. It was the most idyllic beach I have ever seen. There were hammocks set up between palm trees in the shade. A volleyball net on the beach and a little hut/restaruant set back among the trees. Our diving group and the restaruant workers were the only ones on the beach. After an amazing seafood lunch, we had some time to chill in the hammocks before heading back to the docks. When we got back to the docks, the sun was setting as the Vietnamese fisherman were heading out for the night, and I got some spectacular pictures.
That night I joined 4 others in my group for a cooking demonstration and meal. The guy who taught the class was great, really animated and well spoken. He is a graduate of KOTO, a program that trains street kids in hospitality up in Hanoi (we went there for a great breakfast one morning) and was started by an ex-Intrepid leader who was sick of giving money in Vientnam to causes and not seeing any affects. The chef leading the class is an amazing example of how much of an impact KOTO is making in Vietnam! The dinner was great, and I cannot wait to try the recepies...especially the steamed fish.
The next morning the hotel arranged for workers from the post office to come help us ship stuff home (customary as EVERYONE buys SOO much in Hoi An since getting clothes and shoes made is a must do here!). I shipped a couple of things, but not much because I refused to pay a lot for shipping as I had just saved so much money getting things made, and figured that if I bought it then I should be able to carry it. (Now I am slightly regretting that, as my arms are soooo sore from carring my bags around yesterday trying to find the hotel!).
We then got on vans for a 45 min ride to the airport (past China beach, where the US had a huge base) to fly to Ho Chi Minh city (aka Saigon).
Arrival in Malaysia
Yesterday was one of those days when I really wished I wasn't travelling by myself, weird how that happens right after I leave a group travel and was looking forward to the alone time! As soon as I got to Kuala Lumpur, I picked up my bags and headed to the nearest atm so I could get money to take the train into the city center. For some reason, that atm did not work, and when I went to try again, Bank of America shut off my card due to security concerns (I didnt know this at the time). I tried every single ATM in the arrivals area of the aiport, meanwhile getting harrassed by taxi drivers. Finally, I found 30 us dollars in my purse (from Cambodia, thank goodness they use that currency) and changed that money at the money exchange so I could get the train and then sort it out at the hotel.
Get to the city center, and I have no idea where I'm going from there (I should have done more research in Bangkok). A lady at a tourist info place gives me directions to the monorail, I didnt understand them, ended up walking around for a while with my really really heavy second bag (the vitesse one) for a while until I figure out the monorail is across the street. Lug my stuff over there (long walk when your bags are heavy and its 30 degress celsius). I hand my money to the ticket guy, he wont except one of the bills because it was ripped, I received it ripped from the train station machine at the airport, so I was really mad about that. Get on the train fine and to my stop fine. I refused to take a cab from the monorail stop because I could tell it was close to the hotel (although wasnt sure how close) and I didnt feel like haggling with cab drivers, especially because I didnt have a lot of money left, and wasnt sure when was the next time i could get cash. I used the map the tourist info lady gave me and found my way to the hotel after a walk that seemed like it took an hour. In all I think it took 10 min (would have taken 5 if I didnt have that gosh darn heavy duffel bag...why did I refuse to leave those books behind!?). I arrived at the hotel sweating profusely. Check in went fine, since they didnt charge me anything yet. I quickly changed my sweaty clothes and rushed to the Pertonas Towers shopping area (just up the street) to see if those ATMs would work better. No luck. I tried looking for a place where I could use skype to call the bank, again no luck (when I went back later that night, I found a place without even looking!). I headed back to the hotel and decided I needed to use the hotel phone to call the bank because I wasnt going to survive here with no money and so I just needed to bite the bullet on their international calling fees. Thankfully, I was not put on hold at all, although I did have to talk to two different people, they sorted out the issue and unlocked my card. Woo hoo.
So that night I ventured back to the PT shopping area (which is AMAZING...every single store in the world that you can think of...Top Shop, Marks and Spencer, Zara, Mango, Gap, Polo, Luis Vuitton, Coach, Gucci...EVERYTHING). Had dinner and then decided to treat myself to a movie. I saw What Happens in Vegas, which was actually really interesting to see in Kuala Lumpur because there were parts so obviously edited out due to their decency standards. Also, it was funny to hear what the audience thought was hysterical, and recognize that in more Western cultures, there would have just been a little chuckly from the crowd and not much more.
Get to the city center, and I have no idea where I'm going from there (I should have done more research in Bangkok). A lady at a tourist info place gives me directions to the monorail, I didnt understand them, ended up walking around for a while with my really really heavy second bag (the vitesse one) for a while until I figure out the monorail is across the street. Lug my stuff over there (long walk when your bags are heavy and its 30 degress celsius). I hand my money to the ticket guy, he wont except one of the bills because it was ripped, I received it ripped from the train station machine at the airport, so I was really mad about that. Get on the train fine and to my stop fine. I refused to take a cab from the monorail stop because I could tell it was close to the hotel (although wasnt sure how close) and I didnt feel like haggling with cab drivers, especially because I didnt have a lot of money left, and wasnt sure when was the next time i could get cash. I used the map the tourist info lady gave me and found my way to the hotel after a walk that seemed like it took an hour. In all I think it took 10 min (would have taken 5 if I didnt have that gosh darn heavy duffel bag...why did I refuse to leave those books behind!?). I arrived at the hotel sweating profusely. Check in went fine, since they didnt charge me anything yet. I quickly changed my sweaty clothes and rushed to the Pertonas Towers shopping area (just up the street) to see if those ATMs would work better. No luck. I tried looking for a place where I could use skype to call the bank, again no luck (when I went back later that night, I found a place without even looking!). I headed back to the hotel and decided I needed to use the hotel phone to call the bank because I wasnt going to survive here with no money and so I just needed to bite the bullet on their international calling fees. Thankfully, I was not put on hold at all, although I did have to talk to two different people, they sorted out the issue and unlocked my card. Woo hoo.
So that night I ventured back to the PT shopping area (which is AMAZING...every single store in the world that you can think of...Top Shop, Marks and Spencer, Zara, Mango, Gap, Polo, Luis Vuitton, Coach, Gucci...EVERYTHING). Had dinner and then decided to treat myself to a movie. I saw What Happens in Vegas, which was actually really interesting to see in Kuala Lumpur because there were parts so obviously edited out due to their decency standards. Also, it was funny to hear what the audience thought was hysterical, and recognize that in more Western cultures, there would have just been a little chuckly from the crowd and not much more.
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
Hue
After Hanoi, we had two nights/ one day in Hue. We arrived there via an overnight train from Hanoi, which was definitely not as nice as the one we took from Bangkok to Chiang Mai, nor as comfortable, but we made the best of it. I shared a cabin with Leia, Shaun and Lynda, and we passed the time played the card game Hearts for 3 hours. Even though I was the one getting criticized for telling people the (right) rules, I ended up losing! Sleeping that night was difficult, as the train was loud.
We arrived in Hue around 830, got vans to our guest house, had breakfast and then met our motocycle drivers and Vietnamese guide, Tam, who were taking us around the area for the entire day. It was such a spectacular activity, not only because traveling around via motorcycle ensured that we saw a lot all in one day, but also because I never knew how fun it is to ride motorcycles!
Our guide Tam was extremely animated, great at English, and really well educated. I learned an extensive amount about Vietnam's history before the French colonized. I also really enjoyed hearing about his personal stories about growing up during the American War. He pointed out the fields that he and his 10 brothers and sisters played in while bombs dropped less than a mile away, and how his mother would get furious with them when they were not back in the bomb shelter quickly enough. He also talked about his current life today, and how much corruption there is the government, but they all live with it because the economy is booming. He showed us pictures of his two kids, and when we asked him if he wanted more, he replied that he can't have more because of the family planning laws. His wife is a teacher, so she works for the government; if they have another child, she will not be fired, but will be "punished" by being transferred or not receiving pay raises as she should.
After our day of motoring around the city, I had an early night as we had to get up early the next morning to head to Hoi An.
We arrived in Hue around 830, got vans to our guest house, had breakfast and then met our motocycle drivers and Vietnamese guide, Tam, who were taking us around the area for the entire day. It was such a spectacular activity, not only because traveling around via motorcycle ensured that we saw a lot all in one day, but also because I never knew how fun it is to ride motorcycles!
Our guide Tam was extremely animated, great at English, and really well educated. I learned an extensive amount about Vietnam's history before the French colonized. I also really enjoyed hearing about his personal stories about growing up during the American War. He pointed out the fields that he and his 10 brothers and sisters played in while bombs dropped less than a mile away, and how his mother would get furious with them when they were not back in the bomb shelter quickly enough. He also talked about his current life today, and how much corruption there is the government, but they all live with it because the economy is booming. He showed us pictures of his two kids, and when we asked him if he wanted more, he replied that he can't have more because of the family planning laws. His wife is a teacher, so she works for the government; if they have another child, she will not be fired, but will be "punished" by being transferred or not receiving pay raises as she should.
After our day of motoring around the city, I had an early night as we had to get up early the next morning to head to Hoi An.
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