Photos Added

I finally went through my photos and added my favorites to the earlier blog entries.  As I was going through I realized I hadn't included any of the lotus field we visited, so those are below.

Bangkok

I had a short but sweet visit to Bangkok. We drove all day with a border crossing with a nice long wait to get into Thailand. Once in Bangkok it turns out that our hotel was actually in a great spot this time and was super modern. It was difficult to want to leave the hotel at all but we had dinner and drinks on the popular nighty life streets just a 10 minute walk from the hotel.

This morning I got up early and went to the Royal palace and to see the emerald Buddha. I went in right when it opened so I had plenty of time to battle through tour groups and got shopping in before it was back to the hotel to shower, check out and make my way to the airport.

I am boarding my flight home from Taipei note. Can't wait to get home.

Battenbang

We left Siem Reap at 8am to head to Battenbang Cambodia our last city. We go there at just about noon. Our hotel looked really nice from the outside which was a great change from the last one. They greeted us with a disgusting drink and nice cold towels that smelled very strongly of menthol. Our rooms were not ready yet to we went into town for lunch. It was a great place actually. They did fresh juices so I had an apple, carrot and ginger juice with a Cambodian version of a bahn mi.

Hanna, Emma, Erica and I were all on the same afternoon tour of the city so we had a couple of hours to walk around first. It was super hot and we walked pretty constantly the whole time but it was worth it. We saw a pagoda with Buddhist monks living in it and several of the French colonial houses. I was hot and tired when we got back but we left almost immediately for a tuk tuk tour. 

Our first stop was a rice paper making family. It was a similar process to the coconut paper but for their fire they use the rice husks leaving almost nothing unused from the rice. Then we went to see rice noodles being made by a family for surrounding restaurants. They started my grinding rice, then making it into a paste. The best part was the 75 year old man who was pressing the paste into noodles using a huge stick over the pot of boiling water. Once cooked and cooled the noodles were coiled into bundles and put into baskets for the restaurants.

Next it was out to ride the bamboo train. You kind of have to read about it because it is amazing that they even run. They are fast but bumpy and with no rails. It was quite an experience.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norry?wprov=sfla

We had a cooking class next. It turns out out was with our tuk tuk driver. In his house on an amazing rooftop kitchen space he taught us to cook Cambodian chicken curry, spring rolls and fish amok. It was a amazing experience.

Angkor Wat and temples

Today was an amazing day. Filled with visiting temples and seeing traditional apsana dancers.

To catch you up. Phnom Penh turned out to be a really good city.

Yesterday was spent on the bus going to Siem Reap. It ended up being a very long day as the bus broke down and we were stuck on the side of the road under some shade for 2.5 hours. We then had to rush our planned stops at the insect market and the silk factory. We were all happy to be off the bus. Spent the evening on Pub Street and at the night market.

Today was temples all day. We started with Angkor Wat which is impressive for it's sheer size.















Then we visited the women's temple Banteay Srei. This was my favorite as it had beautiful detail and everything was in proportion with great lines between. I could have stayed for ages here.

Our last stop was the Buddhist temple Bayon which has Buddha heads everywhere, they sort of made me laugh with the half smile every where I looked.

Dinner tonight came with a show of apsara dancers who moved their hands and feet in ways I didn't expect. It was a very interesting show.

Tomorrow is Angkor Wat at sunrise, then the temple from Tomb Raider and the floating village in the afternoon.

Floating village:

Cambodia

So yesterday we spent all day on a bus 8.5 hours traveling between HCMC and Phnom Penh Cambodia. Quite a lot of time was spent at the border. As you have to wait on Vietnam to be called through from a warehouse to leave the country. Then in Cambodia you can get your visa at the crossing so you have to wait got them to be processed. I had an evisa which seemed like a good idea but I ended up being the last to cross over in Cambodia.

Once we were finally in Phnom Penh we went on a tuk tuk tour around the city. It was quite exhilarating going so fast and with so little space. We saw the city at night which turned out to be when everyone is out before getting dinner.

The next day was a combination of sad and happy.  Ok, mostly sad.  We got to visit the sad places of a killing field that was used during Pol Pot's regime as well as a Genocide Museum which was in an school, turned prison.  We learned a lot, and really experienced the horrors of the time.  It was amazing how many precautions were made so that the people close by had no idea what was going on and how many lives were being lost.


After all the sadness we visited the royal palace and silver pagoda which thankfully lightened the mood.  it was a really beautiful space with interesting architecture and beautiful colors.


Then we had dinner together at a snazzy spot called Malis. Then we walked to a bar named Top Banana.

Mekong Delta Vietnam

Today was a wonderful day. I slept a lot so getting up early for my tour was easy and I even felt rested. The tour itself was to the Mekong river Delta and my tour mates were a couple of Aussies.  We road on a private bus out. Which was comfortable and we learned from our guide Jackie along the way. 

We then rode a boat to unicorn island where we had honey tea (hot water, honey, lemon and bee pollen) and a few snacks. 

Then we ate tropical fruit and listened to folk music. 

Next was to see the making of coconut paper and thy ten are a fair bit of it. 

We visited a coconut candy factory and even tried coconut wine. 

Then road a cycle cart thing on crazy tiny roads to a lunch of all kinds of Vietnamese food. We finished the trip by riding a canal in a sanpan boat before heading back to the hotel.

I ventured to the huge market in HCMC and made a few purchases including getting half off a beautiful table runner by bartering down the price.

I met up with my group next and it should be an interesting trip. An Indian couple from Australia, a couple from England, a lady from Germany, a lady from Italy, an Aussie from a rural, a couple we haven't met yet and if course Rita. So 11 people total.

Our guide Sum took some of us to pub Street (Aussie, Italian and German). I drank Strongbow and finally had my chicken pho. It was a great day.

Tomorrow we check out early (7:45) and head to Phnom Pen Cambodia.

Ho Chi Minh City Day 1

After the fascinating time in the Taipei airport it was a 3 hour flight on a 777 to Ho Chi Minh City. Once of the airplane it was time to stand in line. First was to the landing Visa line to turn in the paperwork. Then waiting for them to print the visa. Thankfully that prices was faster then I thought it would be. Next they sent me back and forth of the line to get it stamped. Then baggage claim of course. I was amazed at how much so many of the people were picking up. One couple had 2 carts full of luggage and boxes. Once I had my luggage it was just the declaration scanning. On the other side of the scanners I easily found the guy who was there to take e me to the airport. I am so glad I paid for the transfer so much less stress since I was so tired.

Driving to the hotel was crazy. Drivers don't stay in their lanes and motorcycles are everywhere. My hotel is pretty nice. It's called the Queen Anne and has a comfy waiting room/lobby. My room is a corner on the 7th floor and has a queen bed. The best part is the rain shower walk in shower. Heaven since it is so hot here. After cleaning up and relaxing a bit I decided to set out to see the sights. Looking on a map it was supposed to be a 16 minute walk to the War Remnants Museum. Took a bit longer since cruising the roads is a show of faith. You basically step out in traffic and the drive around you. Super insane.

I made it to the museum and it was worth it. Made me sad to be an American and see all the destruction of this country. Especially all the kids who ended up deformed due to agent orange. Seeing all the USA helicopters, tanks etc were really neat. I tried to see the Reunification Palace but it closed before I got there. So I walked back to the hotel through a park.

Back at the hotel I met a lady named Rita from the UK who it turns out it's on my trip with Intrepid. She is quite worried so I hope being in a trip helps her. We ended up going to dinner together getting so OK food down the street.

Tomorrow is the Mekong valley tour and I can't wait.

Taipei airport

So survived the 13 hour flight to Taipei. I have never flown EVA air but they seemed really efficient. It was a bumpy ride for quite a bit of time so I didn't read as much as I thought. The movie selection was OK not awesome but OK so I watched a few movies mostly in pieces. Burnt, Steve Jobs, Truth and Our Brand is Crisis.

I am feeling pretty tired through as I am waiting for my flight to Vietnam.  The airport is pretty fun. Each waiting room has a theme. Aviation, reading, history, plants and of course Hello Kitty.

Almost ready to travel again

On Thursday I am flying to Southeast Asia for my first trip to that part of the world.  I am going on a tour this time (makes is less scary for me).  So here is the information on the tour.
http://www.intrepidtravel.com/us/cambodia/cambodian-traveller-93967#dates

I am also going to do a day trip while in Vietnam up the Mekong Valley:
http://www.urbanadventures.com/ho-chi-minh-city-tour-mekong-discovery

I am excited to share with you on this blog as I travel.