The Finale

We are now back home, but I can't resist one last little update.
Whilst on our travels we were lucky to have many side trips, the highlight of which was usually a food market with all kinds of unusual products for sale as already mentioned. Also included were visits to a variety of traditional factories where all manner of things were made. These include a brick factory, rice paper factory, silk weaving, mat making, coconut candy making, soap making and many others. Health and safety has not reached these far shores and what would not be allowed in NZ is common place here. At the brick factory I trod on an electrical cord lying across the floor and the machine stopped. Not to worry, the wires (no plug) were reinserted into the socket and the happy whirring started all over. It was here too that we passed a small lake (really a duck pond I guess) when one of the ladies from our tour party, Margarita a jolly if somewhat rotund little lady of Italian extraction, was taken by a bout of Delly belly and "had" to go. No worries!!! Out in the middle of said duck pond on stilts some 10 ft tall stood a platform with some cloth around it.

This structure was connected to the shore via two planks along which Margarita was escorted and shown where to squat. Her escort had the decency to turn his back whilst nature took it's course. This was the factory's loo and was known as the 100 person toilet.

Life for workers in these factories can be pretty tedious and the rewards quite low. I watched a young lady in a mat factory whose job it was to put the reeds (or canes) into the loom. All day she would do this and it maybe 5 white ones followed by a red then two whites and a red and so on depending on the pattern. At the end of the day she may be $ 10 better off. The factories do provide creche facilities!

Our trip was to end in Siem Reap, home to the Angkor stable of attractions, the best known of which is Angkor Wat. Firstly we went to Angkor Thom which was the city around 1500 years ago and it is amazing how well the carving has survived.

Another temple visited has been largely left unrestored and at the mercy of the fig trees.

Of course the highlight has to be Angkor Wat. We had a half day to see this gem and the best bit (left to the end) was to go up into the upper levels where the views are spectacular and the descent a little scary if like me you are not that keen on heights. There seemed to be plenty of others in the same boat as the Chinese lady coming down the steep steps next to me was sobbing with fear.

This, then was where were to leave Indochina and to head for home. One more treat awaited in Singapore, and that was a visit to the newly opened Sands Resort.

This 58 story structure is quite amazing with hundreds of shops and restaurants inside and a sky park on the ship like structure on top. Needless to say the view from atop is amazing.

This infinity style swimming pool is 58 stories up.

Dats all folks!

Phnon Penh and other missing bits

Well, here we go again, just filling in some time before checkout from our Hotel in Siem Reap.
Some days back, I forget just how many, we crossed from Vietnam to Cambodia and spent a day in the port of Phnom Penh the capital. This is a much better presented city than Ho Chi Minh with wide boulevard and quite a French influence. We visited the Royal Palace and museum in the city and, later, went to explore Cambodia's largest monastery. The religion here seems to be a combination of Buddhism and Hindu. It seems to work.

The palace is quite something, especially the silver pagoda where part of the floor is made of solid silver tiles (5000kg) and many of the Buddhas are of solid gold encrusted with precious stones. All around though, poverty remains quite obvious.

We received a blessing at the monastery, I can't have been paying attention though as later at Angkor Thom I went through a small Buddhist ceremony and received a red woolen bracelet tied around my wrist. Before showering that evening I pulled it off....wrong thing apparently you are supposed to keep it on until it naturally falls off.

About 8 piglets and a larger one in this load

As we tour we can't help but notice that the motorbike or scooter are the main form of transport with over 3 million in Ho Chi Minh alone. Anyway some of these scooters carry more than one or two and you find yourself looking for the one with the largest count of passengers. We saw one yesterday with a family of 6, three adults and three children. Only adults seem to wear helmets with the children clinging on wherever they can. Motorbikes and cycles seem to carry the most unusual loads.  

                                                                                                              This is a live pig              

                                                                                                       

                                                                                                              

A dozen live chickens hanging by their feet.



Food here is can also challenge one. In the photos below one can find rats, unknown seafood, tarantulas, crickets and many types of spider. Oh..and twelve day old ducklings in eggs.



Children are another delight, they are all so keen to interact and are very friendly. We visited an orphanage yesterday and they were just amazing. They sell their own artwork as a fundraiser and can live at the orphanage for as long as they wish. It is hoped that they will all eventually go to university.



Entertainment on the trip has been entirely of a local nature and not to every ones taste, however one cannot criticise the commitment nor talent of the performers.

There is so much more that I could include,but time precludes it.

I hope you have enjoyed my blog.

More of the same

Continuing along the Mekong is a learning experience at every turn. We were to have cruised across Tonle Sap which is connected to the Mekong by he Tonle river. Bit of trivia here!!! The Tonle is the only river in the world to flow in both directions. In the dry season it flows out of (drains) the lake whereas in the wet season, combined with the melt in the Himalayas the lake is topped up again. The delta also floods during the wet season so we have two situations. First you build your house on stilts so it maintains a clearance above the water or you build your house to float. These floating villages and stilt houses exist side by side on the river bank and are thriving little communities. We saw sampans providing a cooked breakfast service (they cook it right there on your floating terrace) green grocers...you name it, it happens.
Oops, I had better go have a shower before we go out for diner again and I have totally forgotten to mention Phnom Penh so will be back latter.

A bit of a catch up

Hi to all. Sorry about the intermittent nature of this blog but the internet speed has all but made it impossible. It is a little better here in Siem Reap where we arrived this morning. But I shall go back a little way.
Last post we had been to Cu Chi. That evening we dined at the Temple Club, a colonial relic and quite interesting.
Monday 18th
This morning we were taken by bus to My Thao Port where we boarded our boat for the journey to Siem Reap. The boat (RV La Marquerite) is a quite new vessel and carries about 90 passengers and 40 crew when fully loaded, we only had about 70-80 passengers but still the full Crew.

RV Marguerite at one of the shore excursions.

Life on board is quite luxurious with plenty of good food and every need catered for. They had a "Nasty Quiz" on board the other night which consisted of brain teaser type questions Lee and I were declared the winners. As a prise we were given a voucher for a massage  ($NZ100.00). Lee opted to have her feet pampered but I took the head to foot treatment, never had one before...........all I can say is it was fantastic.

Life along the river is fascinating with every type of water craft, floating markets and entire floating villages.

The poverty on the other hand is also very obvious with many of the villages consisting of no more than reed shacks by dirt roads. The people, though are the most wonderful that I have ever met especially the children who run down to the river to wave as we pass by. They are in every village and all want to say hello to you. I have been teaching them to do High Fives and they in turn have taught me their equivalent.

 We have also enjoyed almost every type of transport from Sampan to Oxcart. 

Much as I could Rabbit on here for ages, I must go have a shower before going out for diner at the Foreign Correspondence Club. Will continue as I can.

Some photos

The tunnels entrances are hard to spot

Underground rest area

Sunday 17 Monday July

This morning, after an early breakfast and a 1.5 hour bus trip we arived at the Cu Chi tunnels. These were built by the Viet Cong in the American (Vietnam) war as a means of infilltrating the American lines without them being aware of it. They were of ingenious construction and had many booby traps to catch the unwary who may have stumled across them. They had kitchens, workshops and even hosptials. The tunnels stretched for over 250 Km. Anyway herewe were and the fit and able were given a chance to experience what it was like down there. the tunnels are not very big, and one poor chap with a recent knee replacement got stuck. So that caused a bit of excitement.
Sorry can't send any photos at the moment as internet is just too slow. I shall send some when able to do so.
After Cu Chi we visted a temple of a Vietnamise fatih which combines Catholicism, Budhism, Islam, Taoism and many others, so you have priests dressed as Catholic priests, Budhist monks and the whole shibang so it turns out to be a colouful and interesting service, not that I understood any of it.
This was followed by lunch in a local restaurant and proved to be exceptional. Something like 6-8 courses and we have a big diner to go to this evening so waiste line is suffering.

Monday
Today we transferred to our ship, and a fine vessel it is.

I shall continue when I can get better internat service

Arrive Ho Chi Minh city

After 26 hours of flying/ sitting around airports we arrived here in Ho Chi minh City yesterday lunch time. we were very surprised and delghted to be up graded to a preffered guest suite, two bathrooms, sitting room, dressing room and huge bedroom. Even the TV in the bedroom at 40" is bigger than we have at home. Still we deserve it we keep telling ourselves, but 5 telephones and no one to call!!

Thia aftenoons activites inculed a walking tour of Ho Chi Minh where there are still some nice buildings from the French Colonial Days, but mainly the rest are without much character. The shopping is amazing, Cheap and averything you can imagine is available.
This was also a time to size up our travelling companions, and for a tour which demands moderate fitness we wonder how some will manage.

After finishing the walking tour at the central markets we made our way back to the hotel by Cyclo. Now this was 5:00 so a fairly heavy dose of traffic was now flowing and to the Vietnamise Cyclo is their form of adventure tourism so the denser and faster the traffic that you are weaving in and out of the better your ride is supposed to be. We made it back to the Sherraton in one piece.



Tomorrow we are off to Cu Chi and the famous Viet Cong tunnels, now that will sort out a few hip replacements I would think.