Blog Posts - Libby Cagle's art gallery

May 27th, 2015

5/27/2015

March 24 Tuesday -- up early for the flight from Nha Trang to Saigon. Uncle Sam met us in Saigon again and dropped us off at the Ha Hien Hotel. It looked different without the New Year flowers. The staff remembered us from the month before and gave us the same room. We walked to the river front then to the Botanical and Zoological Park where we wandered for a couple of hours ($2.50 each). Deciding our feet hurt and we were tired, we opted for a $2 cab ride back. That also prevented us from crossing several streets in rush hour. The rest of the evening we spent lounging in our room.

March 25 Wednesday -- a four and a half hour drive through the countryside from Saigon got us to Nam Cat Thien National Park. The night before I had realized that my iPad charger was still in Nha Trang. Luckily, the receptionist had one that worked. Our driver stopped for me to purchase a cable for $6. We didn't know what to expect at the park and were surprised when we stopped at what looked like one of many stands along the roadways but was actually the check in for our room. Our luggage was loaded on a boat and we were ferried across the Dong Nai River to the Cam Lai Lodge. It is definitely nothing fancy but has everything we needed for a one night stay. We ate lunch, rested for a while then met up with Tim our birder naturalist who led us through the trekking path and then down to the river. He pointed out a bar bellied pitta and a green-legged aka scaly breasted partridge among others.

We had dinner and then went for a safari type ride but didn't see much, just some deer and weasels. There are two restaurants in the park and we decided to try the Yellow Bamboo for a cold beer. It was served directly from their cooler room temperature. We requested ice to cool them down.

March 26 Thursday -- our last day in country started early with a trek to Crocodile Lake. Later we learned that neither Sam nor Tim thought we would make it all the way. It was grueling and we were exhausted when finished but we made it. I added 22 birds to my list. Tim was very excited every time he spotted and identified a new one. His spoken English was often difficult to grasp but he was able to write clearly. He dreams of going to Africa to see birds and beasts there.

We had to rush our lunch so we both could get showers before the four plus hour return through the rush hour traffic in Saigon and the airport to start the long journey home from Saigon. It ended up taking us 42 hours from bed to bed on the way home because of all the wait time we had in airports. The flights were uneventful in their boredom. We spent the night in Tampa and drove home the next day.

Working with Ms Hoa Pham (hoa@vietnampackagedeals.com www.vietprestigetravel.com) was a pleasure. She patiently made changes to the established itinerary, provided wonderful guides and drivers who accommodated all our issues with grace and a smile.

Nha Trang continued - The only bad day

5/26/2015

March 22 Sunday -- This was a free day to do as we pleased. There were three places that we thought were worth a visit. The Dendro receptionist arranged a taxi for $20 for three hours. The first stop was the Oceanographic Research Institute of Vietnam. For $1.50 each we were treated to many colorful sea creatures. The facility isn't real fancy but it was interesting and they have a fabulous collection of specimens in jars.

The next stop was our only disappointing experience in Viet Nam. As soon as you walk through the gates of the Long Son Pagoda and monastery you are greeted by teenage or older “girls” welcoming you and repeating that there is no entry fee. It turns out it can be quite expensive to leave, however. After taking our picture by the sleeping Buddha they blocked my way until I agreed to “donate” $10 for post cards that I didn't want or need. They were also trying to get Roger to buy some cards. These girls said they are orphans living at the monastery and going to school at night. If so, I recommend a change in the curriculum.

We were relieved to get away from them and started up the stairs to the large sitting Buddha. At which point we were accosted by a "monk" who grabbed us by the arm and placed us in front of a shrine, borrowed our camera to take our picture, showed us his “mother’s" tomb, then blocked our exit until we gave him $20. I felt like we were robbed. When we got back to the hotel we mentioned this to the staff and they said it has happened to them, as well. The next day we told Bruce Lee and he said that he would report it. This type of scam is frowned on since it leaves a bad taste in visitors’ mouths and the country wants and needs the money that tourism brings.

By the time we got to the last stop we had lost our enthusiasm but walked up to the Ponagar Cham Tower where we had a good view of the city. It cost us $1.25 and no one molested us.

A long rest in the afternoon gave us time to get over our morning's disappointment. The evening was much better. For an early dinner I had a fried chicken dinner with mashed potatoes and gravy, Roger ate a Hawaiian pizza and we had a couple of beers at the Brewhouse. All for $25. A stroll along the walk in the park was relaxing and allowed us to do some people watching. It was another evening of family fun, exercise, social time and an unexpected cultural show. The Sailing Club provided a wonderful seaside spot to drink some beer as the sun was setting.

As we walked to Hotel Dendro a young woman on her evening walk engaged us in conversation. She works at the Oceanographic Institute and lit up when we said we had been there that day. The park area covers several miles and is the gem of this city.

March 23 Monday -- It was a glorious day. We walked to the post office about 1.5K away to mail three post cards back to the US for 45,000 VND. A few blocks away was the Nha Trang City Center shopping mall which provided some ac and an iced tea. From there we crossed over to Central Park and walked the promenade, stopping to relax and people watch while enjoying the the breeze, sun, and fresh sea air. There is a building that looks like a lotus bud. Curious, we went in to find a display of the Sanna Company that uses nests from the sanaganes swift in products. We had drunk a beverage a couple of days before and I was interested in exactly what it is. The display shows how they harvest the nests.

It took a couple of hours to get back and we figured it was time for a cold beer as we passed Ponagar Club and Restaurant. (1.50 each)

Later we went back to Ponagar for a pizza sandwich and cold beers ($7.50) before our evening stroll. There are so many activities at any one time it is difficult to figure where to stop and watch. This evening we picked kites and watched as fathers taught their toddlers how to get them started and keep them flying.

Nha Trang - City of Russians

5/25/2015

March 21 Saturday -- after several days of getting up early we got to sleep in. Bruce Lee, our guide, showed up at 8:30 for our excursion around the Nha Trang islands. The port was almost as chaotic as the one in Ha Long with boats bumping and jockeying for dock space. Hoa had arranged a private tour which was good since we really weren't interested in swimming, snorkeling, or lazing about. Bruce modified the itinerary to stop at a fishing village on Hon Tre where his cousin lives. He invited us in and served Sanest soft drink made from salangane swift’s nests. Sounds weird but was good and later found out that it has all kinds of wonderful things in to keep you healthy. The birds roost in caves and raising them is becoming a big business.

After a chat about the island and how things have changed since 1967 when Roger was there, we had a tour of the house. I had been curious to see all the way inside one. In our strolls through cities and towns we could see inside the front rooms because the doors are open for ventilation. Many of the restaurants we visited were the bottom floors of houses and the toilets were the family washrooms. The first thing you always see is a shrine to their ancestors and to whomever their religions' honor. This house was actually a bit larger than some in the city where they go up not out but was still compact by our standards. They don't need a lot of space because they don't have the "stuff" we think is so necessary to live.

There is no fresh water on the islands except during rainy season. Drinking water is shipped over on boats and stored in individual tanks or five gallon jugs which cost 50 cents to fill. Propane has replaced wood and charcoal for cooking since the trees disappeared. The family included a mother, father, son with his wife and child and a dog.

One thing we have commented on is how calm dogs are in Viet Nam. You just walk by and they may or may not look at you. Once in a while one will follow you for a quick sniff but seldom bark. In his village, however, they were different. I guess strangers are not common and the dogs wanted everyone to know something was amiss. Another note on dogs: they do still eat them. I don't think we were served any in all the mass amount of food we were given. I did see one splayed out on the back of a scooter one day just as I had seen pigs. We also passed several truckloads being taken to slaughter. This got me thinking. Until recently dogs have been a part of my family. I didn't think twice about seeing truckloads of chicken, ducks, pigs, or cattle and since I eat meat, who am I to pass judgment on which creatures are used to sustain life.

The Nha Trang skyline is full of high rises with more under construction. All built after 1997. I get the feeling that Vietnam is hell bent on catching up with the rest of the world, damn the environmental impact. It is providing a lot of jobs and according to our most recent guide, making some officials very wealthy.

Bruce told us some of his story. His family were boat people after the collapse of South Vietnam and lived in refugee camps in the Philippines for eight years trying to get to the US. But, they didn't have $3000 to pay someone to write a letter saying they were politically or economically oppressed. Everyone that left was considered a war criminal by the new government until some made a bunch of money and wanted to come back to invest and rebuild. Suddenly, the doors opened up and in1989 he and his family returned.

Most of the world could learn something from the attitude about the past. I get the feeling that they acknowledge that bad things happened but today is a new day. Let's move on. The culture is built around family and food. Yes, there is some poverty, but that is true everywhere. The economy is booming with money being spent on infrastructure by both private and public funds and that means jobs, which means more spending and more jobs. Their middle class is expanding as poverty lessens.

We rested in the afternoon. I sat by the pool writing. It was quite breezy and anyone coming up to swim didn't stay once they felt the cold water and the wind. So for several hours I had it to myself. We had noticed “The Rancho” restaurant a few blocks away and decided to see how Russians make Mexican in Vietnam. The quesadilla was different than we are accustomed to but I liked it. A very tiny basket of nachos and two beers with the quesadilla was about $11.50. But, we also got to meet Mike, a young man from DC who is tired of the rat race there and after his four months in Vietnam he wants to move to Florida and open a restaurant. Good luck to him.

A stroll around watching the night time action brought us back to the beach and Central Park where we landed at the Lousiane Brewhouse. Our intention was to relax and have a couple of beers. A band called The Octopus started playing and singing in English. Bonus. Three women and one man took turns as lead singer. All were excellent. The Brewhouse is quite popular with the tourists from throughout Asia and Russia along with locals out for a Saturday evening social. The restaurant is huge and the servers were really hustling to keep the food and beer flowing. Our beers cost about $3 a piece.

Ly Son to Da Nang to Nha Trang

5/25/2015

March 19 Thursday - The night started out good but some time along the way, we were awakened to a horrible noise the kept cycling on and off. I thought it was a generator out the window. Turns out it was the air con. We had a 6:00 date with Thuong for breakfast, then said goodbye so he could get to his teaching job. Breakfast was another issue. We just wanted something simple. What we think as simple, isn't for them but they were able to cook some fried eggs and loaves of bread. The driver took us across the street to the port and we said goodbye to him. Later he came on the boat with his wife and newborn and helped with our luggage as we left the boat. He was a friendly good looking young man with a ready smile.

At the Sa Ky port I said hello and goodbye to the mother and daughter working there that I had talked with the day before. There were smiles all around.

It took about three hours to get to Da Nang by car. Our room at the Grand Mango had a fantastic view of the beach through a wrap-a-round window. I really liked the city. It was good to get out of congestion and there were plenty of modern amenities. We stumbled on the Billabong Pub and had a pizza and a cold Light Coke for less than $8. It was good to eat something familiar and in a quantity that was reasonable. After walking around for a while we settled at the Beach Beer Club which was right across from our hotel to watch the action, relax, and have some cold ones.

Thuong who is one of the managers sat down and talked with us. This is something that happens frequently. The folks are genuinely happy for us to be in their country and will practice English every chance they get. Thuong said he will be opening a class soon and would love to have us hang around to help him teach.

March 20 Friday -- Another early morning wake up for the flight to Nha Trang. Out side our window in the park were several exercise classes but we had to leave. Got to Dendro hotel at 10:00 which was too early to check in so we wandered to Central Park for some people watching. Several people had warned us that this city was a favorite spot for Russians. Actually we heard many languages and saw signs in Greek, Russian, and a few I didn't recognize. Le Petit Bistro served a great panini and with two Light Cokes was about $8. Hoping to get into our room to settle in we went back to the hotel. The room still wasn't ready so we headed to the top floor pool area. What a view! Unfortunately our room didn't have access to that view. The windows did open and we got a wonderful ocean breeze.

Later with a cold beer and light supper in mind we attempted to cross the Main Street to Central Park. Our timing was bad and we had to dodge rush hour traffic. Unlike Saigon and Ha Noi, these folks didn't want to slow down or even try to avoid you. We did make it by joining with a young family. After strolling all the way to the south end of the park, we turned back and stopped at a Russian restaurant whose name I couldn't read, ordered a couple of beers and struggled through the food order process. I had a bowl of chicken noodle soup and Roger, a club sandwich with fries, about $12. We strolled a bit north before deciding to leave the rest of the park for another time. The park is quite extensive and well laid out with many restaurants, an amusement park, villas, and sports areas. There were families, couples, friends, groups, etc. getting their evening walks in. It was a safe place with security both private and state quite visible.

On to Ly Son Island

5/22/2015

March 18 Wednesday -- up early for a 6:30 pickup but driver was sick and the taxi showed up at 6:45. A mad rush to the Sa Ky port through a few small villages and their early morning farmers' markets got us to the door at the 7:15 scheduled departure time. There was a young man there to help us through the process and he told us that the boat was delayed until 8. It actually didn't leave until 9:30.

While waiting in the port terminal our guide asked me through the interpreter App on his phone to join him in the cafe area. I sort of became a novelty and everyone wanted to talk to me even though only a couple knew any English and I sure don't know Vietnamese. The were intrigued by my hair. I guess they don't see too many folks with anything except black hair. One thing they all ask is how old you are and are usually surprised when I tell them I am 63. One of the young ladies pointed to an older woman who was her mother and said she was the same age and called her over. We compared the brown spots on our hands and had a good laugh. I pulled out a map and showed the route we had taken and where we were heading to. They felt I should go to My Lai which was only 6km away but that didn't fit our schedule. I don't think they knew what that town name means to us. I guess there are some Buddhist monasteries there that they felt I would be interested in seeing since I was wearing Buddha earrings. The older woman cut up a papaya for Roger and me.

The boat ride took an hour and we were met by Thuong to guide us through their immigration. One thing about the Border Security officers, they are serious. There are no smiles or chit chat. The Ly Son Hotel is just outside the port area. We were warned that it was not tourist class and Hoa was right. The staff is helpful and prepared us a lunch that was enough for at least six people. Neither of us felt our stomachs could take very much and I am afraid we insulted the cook by not eating more but decided that was better than another trip to the hospital. When our guide came back we asked him to apologize and explain that Roger had been in the hospital two days before and was not supposed to eat much. I hope she understood. Again, food insecurity is definitely not an issue in this country.

Roger showed the driver and Thuong the photos from 1967 he brought and asked to go to those places. They recognized the places and lit up at the pictures. Thuong is the local English teacher and now he will have a new story to tell including old and new photographs. We started by going as high up the mountain as we could get. The USAF site is now occupied by the VN army. The old crater is now a dammed lake that the farmers use for the garlic and onions they grow. I did get a picture of Roger standing with the lighthouse behind. Other interesting sites were the cave pagoda, the large Buddha, and a museum of maps that show the Parasal and Spratlys Islands belong to Viet Nam and not China. A wall is being built around the island to keep out China.

After dinner, of porridge (rice in thin broth with a lot of cilantro) a tough chicken, and bread we walked around town. We were obviously a curiosity. The facial expressions said it all. I think maybe we were the first “western foreigner" some had ever seen. Unlike all other places we have been, the children do not come running with hellos but everyone understands a smile. Garlic is such a big part of life that kids play in it like we do sand, water, or snow.

There are only nine taxis on the island and streets are filled with garlic drying so when a car goes down the road it is another curiosity.

We experienced the Vietnamese style shower. Their bathrooms are one space for toilet, sink, and shower. The sink drains directly to the floor, the shower gets everything wet. The paper and towels must be placed away from shower flow. Actually we had a better shower than the night before.

What did he eat?

5/22/2015

March 15 Sunday. -- Roger woke up sick this morning and we had to change our plans. He was not in any condition to make the four hour trip back to Hanoi to fly to Da Nang. Working with our guide Viet and Hoa we got a room at the Halong DC. He slept all day between runs to the toilet. I caught up on emails and looked out of our 17th floor window to the harbor and over all the other buildings in town. Halong is much different than Saigon and Ha Noi. The streets are wider and there is not nearly the traffic. On this dreary, drizzly, foggy Sunday afternoon and evening it was almost deserted.

March 16 Monday -- first thing today was arranging transport to a hospital for Roger. The hotel had a taxi pick us up, brought Roger down in a wheelchair and provided us a translator. The Benh Da Khoa Tinh is large and antiquated by our standards. What they lack in fancy beeping equipment, they make up for with compassion and expertise. I have nothing but good things to say about this experience. The hotel, cruise director, and travel agency all worked together to be sure we had an English speaker with us at all times. The nurses and doctors all knew a little English and one young nurse took an opportunity to practice and learn some new words. The total cost for labs, ultrasound, and a four hours fluid infusion was $139. The nurses still wear white and were very friendly and attentive. I wanted to give them all a hug when we left. We decided that if someone had to get sick this was the place to do it. There was a wonderful view of a park and the bay from the hotel room.

An interesting note, ultra sound images are shown realtime in the waiting room. Some of those waiting were mesmerized by them. The gender of babies are not revealed to prevent abortions because of gender.

One of the guides that stayed with us, Star, spoke wonderful English with little accent. He said he learned it from drinking wine and beer with foreigners in the bars of Ha Noi's Old Quarter. Which means, he is fluent in cursing and slang.

Last days in Ha Noi and on to Ha Long

5/18/2015

March 12 Thursday-- another day at NBK. This time I think they are starting to use us, at least Me. Bernice will be on her own next week. She will do all right, I just hope Peter keeps an eye on her. She has difficulty with the money. This afternoon she and I strolled a bit before hopping into a cyclo for a trip around and the Old Quarter. For the first time since we got here I had enough quiet time alone for some yoga nidra. Dinner at the Orchid again.

A few things about the school. It is private and goes from first through twelfth grades. While it is mostly Vietnamese learning English there are also children from other countries learning both Vietnamese and English. In one third grade class there was a girl from Portugal and a boy from Ukraine. The. Primary kids have lunch brought to them. They clear their desks and put table cloths to cover. After lunch they all lie down for naps. The older kids go to the canteen which is also where we ate.

March 13 Friday -- my last day with GV. I feel a week was enough. The energy of NBK was overwhelming. There was a genuine affection from the kids and the teachers we worked with. At least we had it easier than the others since we didn't have to come up with lesson plans. During one break we were treated to a drum concert that was wonderful.

The group has been pleasant to be with. Two took turns with intestinal issues. I felt for them. We have consistently been offered too much food. I finally started turning down most of it. I like that there were a lot of veggies and don't mind the rice but the pork was a bit much. I ate some things I am not used to such as morning glory, banana blossoms, fried hard boiled eggs. There was an abundance of food in the areas we traveled. Pork is a staple and they deliver the slaughtered hogs on the back of motorbikes. One day I saw three hanging off the back.

Houses in cities are mostly narrow, some times as small as ten feet wide, but deep and multistory. Taxes are assessed by frontage and since they must accommodate several generations, they build them up. The restaurants were the bottom floor or two of a building with living quarters above. The family bathroom was used as the WC for the public.

March 14 Saturday-- off to Ha Long Bay. Turns out we are traveling with some of the GV group. Stopped at Chaan Thien My, a workshop and store for handicapped including victims of Agent Orange. These were a generation or two removed from the initial victims. The work was outstanding. My favorite were the "paintings" that use silk thread as the medium.

VN does a better job with refuse pickup. Bridges go over rice paddies so they don't have to lose crop land to roads.

There was a little glitch in the schedule after the airline changed our flight time. Hoa worked it out with Viet to drop us off closer to the airport.

There are a lot of rice fields between Ha Noi and Ha Long and several small towns that to me look just like all the others. I did notice that school was in session on Saturday and our guide said that is true. Because they have so much to learn, they go six days and in the evening. I think that is called child abuse in the USA. There are also several manufacturing plants along the way, most notably Canon.

We arrived at the marina about 12:30 and it took us about an hour to transfer, have a safety briefing, settle into our cabins and sit down for lunch that included cucumber salad, soup, steamed prawns, clams, taro balls, cabbage, stir fried chicken then beef, rice, and fish. Food security is definitely not an issue.

After a short rest we took the launch to a floating business where we had a choice of paddling a kayak or for an extra $6 opt for a row boat and letting someone else do the work. That is what we did. The sun had not appeared since we arrived in Ha Noi a week ago so the bay was rather hazy, foggy which made for some interesting sights that were difficult to capture with a camera. The rock formations remind me a little of Milford Sound in New Zealand except that there are no waterfalls and we saw jellyfish not seals.

Nguyen Bien Kheim School with Global Volunteers in Hanoi

5/13/2015

March 8 -- Sunday. First day with Global Volunteers (GV). Small group and all seem pleasant. Courtney is in 20s and Bernice is 79 with others filling in the gap. Lunch at Aubergine and dinner at The Orchid.

March 9 . Monday - Bernice, Peter, and I took a thirty minute + taxi ride to Nguyen Bien Kheim school where we met Dr. Hoa and Mr. Quee(????) and were given a cup of tea and introduced ourselves. After which Dr. Hoa welcomed us and expressed his appreciation for the effort we take by coming there. Bernice and I paired up in the primary classes. In the first one we were pretty much observers. The second class was much more interactive and we got a lot of questions from the students about ourselves, likes dislikes, food preferences, etc. Then we participated in an exercise picking out the differences in pictures and discussing them.

We broke for lunch in the canteen and since the younger kids take naps, the three of us and three teaching interns with Tranh as the leader went to a coffee shop and chatted. That was informative on both sides with us giving a lot of encouragement to these young adults. Then it was back to school for a couple of more classes. Throughout the day we talked about our country and the bald eagle, Easter, Christmas, Thanksgiving, and Halloween. There were a couple of lessons in fractions and items that might be found at football games. Many of the lessons include more than one subject matter. All keep the kids on their toes. The kids are high energy and anxious to learn. They enjoy having us there. The entire staff were welcoming. The biggest issue was climbing so many steps which were wet from humidity.

10 March -- Tuesday -- another drizzly day. Our taxi driver was a bit confused and took a long way around. There are a lot of karaoke clubs. Bernice and I did our rounds with the primary classes. I taught a lesson on sports activities. While waiting for Peter we walked around the block and went into a store where the baby formula was secured but most of the alcohol wasn't. That seemed a bit strange to me until I remembered the Chinese formula scare a few years ago.

In the evening Hoa Pham picked us up and took us to Ngog for dinner. It was good, but I don't know how these folks stay slim with all the food they eat. Not only did she pay for dinner but she also gave us a really good map of the country and a lovely lacquer box. Working with her has been great.

Wednesday March 11 -- Another day at NBK. On the way there we saw a little boy sound asleep leaning on the motorbike dash. Classes today were more interactive. Lunch was questionable. In the evening we saw a Ca Tru show. Not my favorite but they gave a good explanation. Back to Aubergine for dinner. I like the food here but oh for something familiar.

Days 9 & 10 - Siem Reap to Hanoi

5/11/2015

March 6 Fri -- Started at Angkor Wat and it didn't take long to get really hot. We climbed to the top on very steep stairs but there was a good breeze so we refreshed a little. The site is privately held and operated. We figured that the tickets for a year of visitors comes to about $70,000,000 a year. It is unfortunate that more of it isn't being put back into the temples for restoration and garbage clean up. The restorations are being funded by other countries. It looks like the temples each have their own sponsors including India, Japan, Poland, Australia, etc. The Cambodian government is trying to get a small one called Batchum done but the workers haven't been paid in a couple of months so have stopped work. They show up just to see if there is any money for them. If not, they go fishing. We also saw Angkor Thom and Bayon. Lunch was at Khmer Wooden House. Luckily Sam took it slow in deference to the heat and our old age.

Roger did get his map for $2 and I bought some of the baggy pants ($4) hoping to use for yoga but they have weird cut and won't stretch when you bend. The way the kids are used to sell stuff to tourists is pathetic. It is too bad school is only half day, that leaves way too much free time. They do learn some English and other languages. The rest of afternoon was spent trying to rest in our very hot room. For dinner we took a Tuk-Tuk to the Crystal Angkor and saw a puppet show. There, like every where else, was way too much food. We took a couple of beers to our room.

March 7 Sat - Since we would be flying later, we got a late start for lunch at Neary Khmer and went to Tonle Sap Lake for a cruise. The boats there are like the traffic on land. You just point and go. Quite a large community lives directly on the water. Raw sewage and all other garbage is dumped into the lake. They use the water for drinking, fishing, playing, preparing food, and bathing. Kids have their own boats for going to school. There is also a school boat to replace the bus. They do Aqua farming to include crocodiles.

There is a lot of new construction for western style communities complete with gates and golf courses. Sam stopped at a lotus farm and the little girls picked one for me.

Hoa Pham called to see how we were doing and set up a driver to pick us up at the airport. That worked out well and she didn't charge me. We arrived on time but took 20 minutes to get our luggage. It was cool and rainy. Got to Ha Noi Legacy Hotel about 9 p/m/. It is a nice place but our window looked out to an enclosed space to another window.

Days 7 and 8 - Last day on boat and on to Siem Reap

5/10/2015

Tuesday March 3 --- seeing a lot of villages and small towns as we travel north of Phnom Penh, floating houses, fishing boats, cargo haulers, huge storage buildings, aqua farms, newer construction mixed with older huts, all elevated.

Sumet briefed us on Cambodian culture and history then we had an excursion to Koh Chen, aka silver village where we were immediately attacked by kids and women selling silver. I hate that pressure. They get upset when you buy from someone else. A little girl followed me from the monastery and I finally gave in and bought some elephant earrings for $7. Going to Buddhist temples here is like going to Catholic Churches in central and South America. They are everywhere and tourists are easy picking.

In the afternoon we stopped at Oudong, an ancient Capitol of the country where there is a large monastery Kampong Tralach that is well cared for but still had garbage leading in to it. I participated in a brief meditation with monks chanting. Roger picked up trash. The bus took us to another monastery, Vihara of Wat Kampung Leu, that is not in very good shape. From there we traveled by ox cart back to the ship. Kids here, as in Vietnam, are friendly. The first thing they learn to say must be hello because they run to us at all ages calling and waving. Even after dark you could hear them calling from the bank as we cruised by.

After dinner the crew and some of the passengers entertained us with a talent show.

Wednesday 4 March -- Out for the final excursion of this part of the trip. This morning we took long boats around the waters of Kampong Chnang floating village in the Tonle Sap River. The people work hard at surviving in ways that we would have difficulty with. Their waste is dumped directly into the river and it is washed downstream by the current. I am not sure I would want to eat the fish they catch.
We had a good cruise. I really didn't know much about Cambodia and wasn't too sure how I would like it but it has been very educational. Another case of the damage the US does when we butt into other countries' affairs. The traveling I have done the past few years is turning me into someone leery of our politics. The conversations with the folks from the UK reflect similar feelings about their own government. Although I did get a thank you for butting in to help in WW II.

If they want more tourists to come, the garbage needs to be addressed. Most of the trash is from product packaging and I see that as a way to start. Coke, Nestle, and PepsiCo are present and sell a lot of bottled water and soft drinks. If they would start a recycling program and pay for the return of the empties, I think many of the kids would be excited in making money with a side result of less rubbish. They are all about making money and start early trying to get dollars from tourists. Maybe this would provide a source that wouldn't interfere with school. There is great potential and willingness to learn and advance. It will take time, education, and money.

The ship, the R/V Mekong Prestige II proved to be a perfect way to travel. The cabin is roomy with a king bed. There is plenty of closet and storage space. The bathroom is also spacious. The only issues were the shower temperature couldn't be regulated and often shifted from cold to scalding and the chair cushions slide when you sit in them. The excursions were well timed and coordinated. Our guides were a wealth of knowledge. There were a couple times when it would have been better if the lecture had happened on the boat rather than making us stand in the heat for 30 minutes. Better internet access would have been nice but we managed.

The disembarkation went smoothly and we got on board for the trip through the countryside. Sumet continued with our education pointing things out as we went along. Crickets are a delicacy and you see traps made of plastic sheeting and a light to catch them at night. The lotus fiber is used to make clothes, root is considered a vegetable and cooked in soups, fruit is used in salads, and the seeds for tea or eaten as nuts. Spider Village is the common name for Skuon where they raise tarantulas and fry them up. The dust along the way was bad. I guess during the rainy season it is nothing but mud. I kept seeing signs for political parties, Cambodian People's Party, National Rescue Party, and Funcinpec Party. We went through Kampung Tom which is the center of the country, saw a bridge that was built in 1100s and still being used. Sixty nine percent of population do not have clean drinking water. Maybe that fact will wake up the powers that be to do something about the garbage and open dumping of human waste in the rivers.

After a six hours bus ride on some not so good roads we made it to Siem Reap and were met by Sam and Mr. Wong for a quick lunch at Phnom Bros and then to the Wooden Angkor Hotel. It looked old which I don't mind, but the a/c in our room didn't work well and we moved to another one which was nominally better but not great. It barely cooled enough for us to sleep. We found out later that the building was only a few years old.

Since we had a late lunch we skipped dinner and just had an ice cream after finding a store to replenish some toiletries. Angkor beer is only $.60 a can. We bought four to take back to the room.