Wrapping it up in Phnom Penh

Over the past two days I've really taken to Phnom Penh and Cambodia in general. The tropical climate is beautiful (maybe a little hot at midday), the food has been phenomenal (I'm addicted to amok and Khmer curries) and the people are friendly and outgoing. Phnom Penh has a great riverfront area, cafe culture, arts and architecture and the Buddhist monks bring a sense of tranquility to the city. This, however, is a country in recovery mode. The people here have been to hell and back thanks to the Khmer Rouge.

I spoke with an interesting man in the park this morning. There is so much poverty and so many people begging that you have to tune it out it a bit. You can't buy what everyone is selling or hand out money to every beggar....there are just too many. However, the man this morning caught my attention. He didn't beg. He didn't pull on my arm or stand in my path. He simply asked if I'd like to sit down with him. He was kind and soft spoken, not pushy and his English was impeccable. Many of the people on the streets here have learned a few lines in English in order to be more endearing to the Western passers by, but this man was different. So I sat down with him and listened to his story. True or not, it was an interesting story and he deserved my few bucks just for being a pleasant conversationalist. He had come into the city from his village to find work but no one would take him because, at 60, he was too old to hire. I asked him where he learned to speak English....he responded that he had learned much when the American soldiers were in Cambodia for the war in Vietnam but mostly, he had had private tutors. Before the Khmer Rouge, his family had money and he had been educated. I only chatted with this man for a short time and then gave him a few bucks for his bus ticket home (or whatever he chose to use it for). It wasn't until later in the day, after I had visited the Tuol Sleng Musuem(recounting the many atrocities of the Khmer Rouge) that his story really sunk in. Again, whether it was BS or not, it made me think. The man I met had somehow been educated, lived a stable, hard-working, happy life and then one of his own countrymen, rose to power, took away his freedom, instilled fear and distrust in the people and sent the entire country into a seemingly endless downward spiral. After nearly 30 years they are still recovering.

Tomb Raiding at Angkor

From Hanoi we flew directly to Siem Reap, Cambodia. Unfortunately our plans to stop in Luang Prabang, Laos were thwarted by overbooked flights. Siem Reap is a nice respite from the city buzz of Hanoi. We're back to tropical air and minimal traffic. Our first night was a bit sketchy but by the next morning we had settled into a nice mid-range hotel, booked a tuk-tuk driver for the day and enjoyed a fresh fruit breakfast before heading to the temples of Angkor.

For as many castles, temples, ruins, etc. that I've seen, I have to say, Angkor tops the list. It is absolutely incredible. As Mara said, "everytime you turn a corner or pass through another chamber, it's another National Geographic photo right in front of you." It's true, I had no idea of the enormity and number of temples and complexes there are, each uniquely styled and magnificent in its own right. For the past two days we've photographed, explored, climbed, soaked in, and photographed some more through a major part of the Angkor complex. It really is pretty Laura Croft bad-ass tomb raider!

As a side note to the temples of Angkor....I'm pretty sure I'm doomed to some seriously bad karma. I chased countless monks around the ruins in order to snap the perfect photos. I admire these men and their dedication to spirituality and learning. They're such beautiful and peaceful beings and their saffron robes are absolutely gorgeous. I hope they'll forgive my fascination and intrusion.

The other wonderful thing about Siem Reap and Cambodia is the food. It has been fantastic! Khmer curries, Amok with fish and chicken, stir frys of all kinds.....it's all amazing and we've been eating like pigs. Hoping we find some great places in Phnom Penh as well.

Today is my day off, time to catch up on the blog and emails, get a tropical massage, eat nachos and a margarita (yes, there's a mexican restaurant here!) and have a pedicure. Siem Reap is ridiculously touristy but oh so relaxing and much more comfortable. Tomorrow we're off to Phnom Penh for a couple of days and then it's back home to the real world.

One last note on the people of Cambodia....I've only been here a few days but it is evident that they are much friendlier and laid back than in Vietnam. Everyone smiles and says good morning, staff at the hotel and elsewhere ask questions and want to practice their English. While we ran into a little of this in Vietnam, it seems that Cambodians a more out going in their friendliness. They're peaceful, yet inquisitive. I'm definitely looking forward to meeting more people here (outside of the street children selling postcards and relentless tuk-tuk drivers).

So Long 2007, Ha Long 2008!

We ran in the new year in majestic Ha Long Bay, Vietnam from the deck of the Classic Sails junk. We were fortunate to have one of the nicest boats on the bay and, more importantly, a great group of people: 2 young couples and a family of 4 from Australia, a gay couple from Hong Kong and two little old ladies from Tokyo along with our Vietnamese guide, Thuang. We had great laughs with the Australian couples and even caught up with them again back in Hanoi. The best was seeing the little old ladies from Tokyo out there exploring though. One of them was pushing at least 80! They hung right in there with a great sense of humor. I can only hope to be like them as I move on in years.

It's a 3.5 hour drive from Hanoi to Ha Long Bay off the northern coast of Vietnam. It's one of the most popular tourist attractions in the region, and rightfully so. Ha Long Bay is an absolute natural wonder, even when filled with tourist boats. We were greeted on our boat with a welcome drink and a 7 course lunch including fish, crab, squid, chicken, soups, salads, beef, and fresh fruit. After lunch we explored an enormous cave in the limestone karsts and then climbed to the top of one of the karsts to enjoy a view of the bay.

That night we had a huge dinner with great conversation and then rang in the new year out on the bay. You could hear the countdowns and celebrations from the other boats and some even had fireworks (illegal). Not a bad way to ring in 2008.

On New Year's morning we were blessed with gorgeous sunshine and slightly warmer weather to go out kayaking around the bay, through caves and into quiet grottoes. It was phenomenal! Happy 2008 to all!!

Happy in Hanoi

After schlepping through the old quarter to 5 different hotels we finally found a little place to stay in Hanoi. A young boy and his friend took us there on motor bikes and checked us in assuring that the tea, coffee and bananas were free and that this was the place to be (at least for $15 a night it was). Hanoi is a bustling city much like Saigon with motorcycles every where and bustling dirty streets, but with a big difference...It has exquisite character! Unlike Saigon, you can see the French colonial influence; the architecture in the old quarter, the little old men with fu man chus in the park wearing berets, and, best of all, the pastries! The city is has much more cafe culture than Saigon and, while chaotic, it has peaceful little pockets with parks and temples.

This morning we took in a water puppet show. I have to admit, I didn't expect much for the $2.50 ticket but was pleasantly surprised with an entertaining little show including live traditional music and singing. The short puppet performances were silly and fun, definitely worth the price.

Tomorrow we're off on a two day boat cruise in Halong Bay. Hoping the weather gets a little nicer....it's been cold (around 60?) and gray since we've gotten to Hanoi.

Colonial Hue and War Reminders

Hue is a colonial city that's much more well-kept and clean (at least in parts) than the other cities we've visited so far, at least on the more touristed south bank of the river. On the north bank is the old Citadel and the Imperial City of the Nguyen Dynasty. Today we wandered throughout the old Citadel, Imperial City and the emperor's Forbidden City enclosure. It was beautiful but more striking was the daily life and residential area within the Citadel.

Throughout the trip so far, Mara and I have avoided the war era tourist attractions. We could have visited the tunnels outside of Saigon but chose not to. Here in Hue, we're only a few miles from the DMZ and China Beach but again, we've chosen not visit these places. However, everywhere you go, you're reminded of the atrocities of the war and our country's presence here. It was before my time but yet I'm struck by the history and what it might have been like. Today, walking along the street there were vendors selling old dug up paraphenalia from the war: canteens, badges and medals, detonated hand grenades and most disturbing, dog tags with American soldiers' names. As we walked to the Forbidden City we passed a museum with old tanks and guns out front. You can't help but wonder what life was like for these people as the Americans bombed much of the city. It's unavoidable.

The Train to/from Hell

I have taken trains on 4 continents in a variety of countries. After a disgusting night train experience in Thailand 6 years ago, I should have known better than to book a night train on Vietnam rails from Nha Trang to Hue. It was the most unsavory experience of the trip so far. Poor Mara was in utter disbelief when we boarded the disgusting car and saw that we would be sharing our dirty sleeping berth with two Vietnamese women and their crying baby. I at least had my sleep sack (instead of the stained linens provided) in which I was able to coccoon myself and try not to touch anything. The smell, the noise, the grime, and the flickering flourescent light above made sleep almost impossible.
In the morning we switched to a seat in another car which we thought would be better....it was not. It was even grimier and smellier with old men smoking and a questionable food cart wheeling through the aisles. Definitely an adventure. However, the morning views from the train were breathtaking. Reminiscent of the PCH and Big Sur, there were small secluded beaches and waves crashing in on the rocks. Small fishing boats dotted the horizon and water buffalo roamed through the rie paddies as the morning sun came up.....made it easy to forget the discomfort of the train.

Good (Christmas) Morning Vietnam!!

After our long day on the Mekong, we boarded a "luxury" night train to Nha Trang on Christmas eve. We had paid extra to take the "5 Star Express" overnight train for Christmas. For our $40 we got a private, relatively clean sleeping berth, a nicer bathroom facility (better than European trains), a piece of coconut cake and coffee service in the morning. It was a rather pleasant experience. Christmas morning we watched the sunrise over the rice paddies from the window as we ate our coconut cake.

We arrived in Nha Trang around 8am on Christmas morning and checked into our hotel. It was a comfortable little place with a gorgeous rooftop terrace, AC and satellite TV ($15 per night). We had a fantastic breakfast and spent the rest day between the beach and the rooftop terrace.

Nha Trang is a bigger city than expected. The beach is gorgeous but the motorcycles still buzz, honk, swerve through the streets there. It resembles any other small western beach resort (think Mexico). We found a great little cafe that we frequented during our two day stay (pretty much ate breakfast lunch and dinner there for two days). Cafe des Amis had delicious, fresh baked baguettes with eggs and cheese, fresh fruit salads, stir frys with lemon grass and chili, fried fish, spring rolls, fresh fruit shakes....and best of all, we discovered the banana pancakes with chocolate sauce and ice cream! The owner was nice, the food was superb and we made new friends at the "cafe of friends".

Christmas on the Mekong

On Christmas eve day we set out on a day trip on the Mekong River. It started with a bus ride that was supposed to be 1 1/2 hrs to the delta region south of Saigon. To our dismay, the bus was 1/2 hr late and the ride closer to 3 hrs. long. Finally we reached a small city along the river called My Tho where we boarded our boat. We were supposed to see a floating market along the river but we were so late that it had already ended.
On either side of the river were ramshackled and run down shacks on stilts where people live. There's laundry hanging out and children playing in the muddy water. The poverty is striking. In typical tour group fashion, we were carted about the town and fed information about the local population. We stopped to see coconut candy, rice paper and puffed rice being made by the local people. While interesting, it's overrun with tourists and hawkers.

We set out for our lunch destination on an island in the river but were quickly thwarted by the low tide. Our boat was stuck and required a slow and painful tow from another boat for over an hour. What started out as quite comical had turned sour in the hot afternoon sun. We got off our broken down boat and boarded small dug out row boats. Little Vietnamese women with conical hats rowed us down a small canal. We finally reached our lunch destination well into the afternoon. It may have just been our intense hunger but lunch was actually delicious! (fried pork with rice and steamed vegetables, chicken soup, spring rolls, and fresh fruit)

We bicycled from our lunch spot to the river where our boat was again waiting (with a tow boat) to take us back to the bus for a 3 hr. ride to Saigon. While interesting and photo worthy the day was a serious excercise of patience and "rolling with the punches". Lesson learned: Do not book full-day group tours of any sort.

Motorcycle Madness

Ho Chi Minh (Saigon) is by far the most chaotic and overwhelming place I have ever experienced. The sheer number of motos and scooters (many carrying a family of 3 or 4) is mind boggling and also a matter of death defiance when attempting to cross a 4 lane street. We wandered the city taking in the "sights" yesterday (unsure if you'd call the 70'style archtecture of the reunification palace a "sight") Silly (and sleep deprived) girls that we were, we got ripped off by the first pedi -cab ride we took. After that it was big bowls of bun at the famed Pho 2000 (Where President Clinton ate) and then $3 massages at the institute for the blind (they are trained in massage to make a living).
Thanks to Dylan for the reco about the Rex Hotel (an old war era hotel) rooftop. We had a fantastic cocktail at sundown and watched the motorcyle madness below.

I have always thought, and even prided myself on the idea that I could,and would, live and work anywhere in the world. That notion has now been challenged. It was a sad and startling realization for me that there are places in this world that I just couldn't hack it. Saigon is one of them.

Journey of 1000 sneezes (and one big snore)

After a grueling week of studying and finals (ie sleep deprivation) and the roller coaster of recruiting news it was finally time to begin our long journey around the world. Other than a little turbulence, an alarming number of sneezers that didn't cover and one VERY loud snorer we made it to Ho Chi Minh in relative comfort in roughly 24 hours.

Monkey Love

This morning I got up just before dawn and ventured out into the jungle to see the sun rise over the ancient Mayan ruins of Tikal. The ruins are absolutely impressive, rising up above the canopy of the jungle, but the best part of the whole gig was watching the monkeys. I spent at least an hour watching a family of spider monkeys swing their way through the branches directly over my head (note: this makes for a stiff neck). I've seen monkeys in Costa Rica and the Amazon basin but nothing like this. They were all over the place and so close! The monkey kings simply swing around these amazing ruins enjoying their lives.....it makes me want to be a monkey.

My Guatemalan adventure is coming to an end. I've spent the last few days in El Petén...including a visit to Flores on Lake Peten Itza and some time at Tikal exploring the ruins (and the monkeys). Tomorrow it's back to Guate, then Houston, then Minneapolis....and finally, back to work on bright and early on Tues. Goodbye my monkey friends!

El Lago

For the last few days I've been enjoying a little lakeside relaxation. After the chicken buses, I checked into a fantastic little place in Panajachel. I feel a little guilty....I had a private hot shower and cable TV (I even watched Oprah on Monday!). The lake is absolutely breathtaking. There's no way for a piss-poor writer like myself to describe the unbelievable beauty of it...every viewpoint, every time of day.

On Monday evening while trying my damnedest to get the perfect sunset shot, I met Manav and Amit. They're Indian but have lived in NYC for the last 5 years.....and were traveling through Guate for a couple of weeks. I have to mention them specifically because their stories were so hilarious. They had rented a motorbike in Antigua and set out to Atitlan and then were going to drive across the entire country to Flores and Tikal (about 10 hours non-stop). In their first day they had already blown a tire and lost their brakes. Their story was really more of a farce based upon the motorcycle diaries but without any kind of philosophical, change the world kind of politics. They had also been ripped off for some really bad weed in Pana. They were just damn funny guys. I really hope they make it to Flores...I'd like to catch up with them on Friday.

Back to my exploration of the lake....So far, I've been to Pana (pretty much a tourist hole), the market in Solola (really fantastic - all of the locals come into town for market day dressed in their traditional clothing- authentic in comparison to others), an afternoon in Santiago Atitlan (a boatride across the lake - Also a hole) and now I'm in San Pedro. Pedro is a big stoner, backpacker hang out. While the views of the lake are fantastic, the town in general is gringo-ville and everywhere you turn you get the hard sell for something. Later today I'm off to San Marcos and then back to Pana for the night (and the nice hotel-oh the guilt!) Tomorrow I leave the highlands to go back to Antigua....I'm kind of looking forward to it.

Chicken Buses

On Monday morning I packed up my things and left the comforts of Don Ismael. I was headed to Lago Atitlan, a ginormous lake surrounded by volcanoes in the highlands. I had decided that rather than book the $10 shuttle bus ride directly there, I would experience the local way and take the chicken bus. So with my big pack, I jumped on the first bus. It seemed fine. I put my pack upon the rack above my head and took a seat. As we went around town, the bus got more and more full but still, I was the only gringo. We set out on the highway, packed to the gills and still I was the only gringo. With the crucifix on the dash and the music blaring, we twisted and turned through the hills at breakneck speed. I recall saying to the woman next to me Que suerte, tenemos sillas (How lucky we have seats!). A half hour later we rolled into the first major stop (for all others the bus merely slows down while people literally jump on and off). I quickly grabbed my bag and got off the bus. I was told that the connecting bus was across the street so I scurried across and jumped on just as it was about to take off. Before I could even get a look for a seat the bus tore away and I was thrown back. Again, I was the only gringo, the bus was like a giant can of sardines packed so tightly that no one could move. After bashing some poor man in the head with my pack (disculpeme senor) the driver's assistant took my bag and stored it in the front for me. I don't think it was as much to be nice to me as it was to spare the poor elderly man from being nailed again. So there I stood at the front of the bus, unable to sit, unable to move, with about 120 eyeballs staring at the crazy gringa for over an hour. After 4 buses in total I made it to Panajachel on the edge of Lake Atitlan. I never saw another gringo the entire way. This is strange to me because generally there are backpackers everywhere. It makes me wonder if I should have booked a shuttle. It was fantastic people watching though and I made it through with no real trouble....Like the signs on the bus said...I guess Jesus Christo really was with us!!

Tierra del Fuego

Again I was up before the crack of dawn. I sat in the street outside la casa de Don Ismael looking up at Volcan Agua in the morning light while waiting for my shuttle to Pacaya. Pacaya is an active volcano about 1 1/2 from Antigua that continuously erupts, creating incredible lava flows. Since my shuttle was late (of course) I was in the street for some time chatting with the locals, who were also waiting for their bus, and a boy who just happened by with his goats (I wish I could remember their names- They were such nice goats). One of the gentlemen who was chatting me up was from El Salvador. To most Americans, I think Central America seems like a big conglomerate of poor countries with beaches and bananas. If you've traveled here though, and chatted with a few folks, you know that's not the case. It's always interesting to me to hear different perspectives. For example, if you talk with someone from Costa Rica, they will tell you that Nicaraguans are lazy and uneducated and they come across the border to take jobs. This man that I spoke to went on to tell me how terrible El Salvador is and that life is so much better in Guate.....the youth of Salvador do drugs and drink and rob you blind. It's fascinating to me to hear about these rivalries, opinions and matters of national pride.

So, on to Pacaya.... I'd seen Thomas' pictures of Pacaya but it was so much more incredible to see first hand. Pictures can't do justice to it. We had a short hike up to the edge of the lava flows (as little as 3 months ago they had flattened a part of the hillside). Then you start climbing on the actual cooled lava. It's sharp and it crunches under your feet. As you hike along you hit spots where you can hear that it's hollow underneath....at one time hot molten lava had flown through and left just a crust for you to walk on. Some places are hardened and secure, others crunch and move each time you step. As you get up further, you can start to feel the heat coming from the rocks. Walking along it's fine and then you step over a crevice and feel the intense heat coming from it....it's unbelievable! We were able to get up close to moving lava flows that glowed red and radiated intense heat. It was really a fantastic experience.

Paraiso de Mochilleros

As with so many "third world" places I've been, there was a rooster to wake me up this morning. No worries though. I definitely could have used the rest but I was so excited to get out and explore in the morning sunlight. What I really wanted was to take some pictures with great light and less cars, people, noise, etc. I certainly got what I asked for. Antigua is even more beautiful before the gringos come out.

The city is truly a backpackers paradise. You can get tacos, curry, or hummus and cheap drinks at hundreds of places. There's internet on every corner and just about anything you could every need can be obtained cheaply. However, all of this is in the context of beautiful Spanish colonial architecture, in the shadows of three enormous volcanoes and among friendly, smiling Guatemalan locals. It's no wonder that people come here and never leave.

I spent the rest of the day exploring Antigua and hiking up el cerro de la cruz (the hill of the cross) for a great view of the city. I also met some more people and made plans to hook up later for a music festival outside of town. Called Jamtigua, it was an all day concert put on by a local radio station and sponsored by Gallo (Guate beer). Elizabeth (the girl from day 1), Pedro (Peter from London that I met at the cross) and a German girl (Catherine?) all hopped in a tuk tuk and headed out of town to experience la musica.

It was quite a production. Just like what you'd see in the states...A big sound and light stage, ticket booths, and beer stands that only take tickets. The crowd was pretty mixed with foreign backpackers and locals (more on the side of the backpackers) but it was really pretty fun. The music ranged from Mayan folk singers to German rock to Salvadorian drummers. This is also where I met Juan Carlos, supposedly a lawyer from Guate but pretty much your typical "Latin lover"....not a bad kisser though!

We didn't stay too late....Elizabeth and I had to get up early the next day to head to Pacaya.

It's Easier Than It Looks!

Finally! I'm able to access my blog! For some reason I've been having trouble with the site for the last 4 days. So my apologies if I told you to check out my blog and then didn't post anything. Who am I kidding!? No one reads this anyway!
I arrived in Guatemala a few days ago and I have to say, it was a very smooth ride. I got bumped to first class when I got to Houston so the flight into Guate was quite pleasurable. As soon as I got off the plane, I met a girl from upstate NY that was headed to Antigua on a shuttle. We caught up again later at Cafe Sky (the name sort of says it all) to watch the sun go down and take in the view of the volcanoes surrounding the city. Seriously, everything just fell into place. I'm so glad I didn't listen to all of the crazy warnings about how dangerous Guate is. Yes, it's not exactly safe to travel in any undeveloped country and specifically as a single woman but the scare tactics really piss me off.
I can't help but compare this place (Antigua specifically) with Nicaragua (Granada specifically). It seems so similar except that Guate is more like Nica on steriods. There's more restaurants, more backpackers, more volcano hikes....I haven't been able to discern whether this is good or bad. Guate is more developed for travelers to get around but Nica is more tranquil and then there's also the beaches....for now we'll call it a draw.
Special thanks to Mike and John...La Casa de Don Ismael is a great little spot! I just want to hug the people there everytime I see them.