12.30.04 - Leaving Hoi An for Hue where we'll be spending New Year's Eve

I continue to be in shock about the tsunami - it leveled so many places and really changed the lives of so many people - including many of the places and people we had met along our way. I just can't imagine the power of the water.... I still watch the news in shock. This has been a constant comment made by others in their emails to me. Everyone says the same thing and expresses their concerns over the tragedy. It's funny - my Dad asked me if I was OK emotionally (I suppose given the more immediate proximity to the disaster) - and I guess I'm just overwhelmed at the number of people so negatively impacted by the tsunami (like so many of you) - people who really had nothing to begin with. Their lives have simply disintegrated and it sounds like it might get worse before it gets better. What can we do? That's the question I ask. And it seems that my friend Steve Boswell has an answer in the comments to my previous posting - donate money and ask your employer about matching funds. Excellent suggestion!!! I just hope the relief efforts from the various countries et coordinated asap...otherwise I'm afraid of what will develop. The US has really been given a hard time over their small financial commitment. When I first heard about their initial donation of $15MM I almost feel off the bed. Come on!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Sounds like international pressure is on and they may be stepping up (sending air craft carrier and supplies) - but the initial response surely wasn't well received. We'll see.

Following this the next comment about the time spent in Hoi An seems rather careless. It's been an interesting time to be here, one of much contradiction - with the focus on acquiring more stuff - when there are so many more important concerns. So I apologize and I write the following as a report of what transpired here in Hoi An as I took advantage of what this quaint Vietnamese, Chinese, Japanese, French colonial inspired village by the river is all about. The place is all about sights, sounds, food and shopping. (Sorry I'm also a bit distracted...a cat just jumped on my lap and is trying to eat my jacket....)

We're in Hoi An, Vietnam - the mecca for handmade clothes and shoes. All the clothes (and yes, they try to do the same with the shoes) are made to exacting measurements...they even measure my behind several times just to be sure!!! That's attention to detail I tell you. I've had great success with the clothes - the shoes are a bit more difficult. But given the size of my calves (ha ha ha - but I do seem to be dwindling somewhat with the constant activity and lack of sweets!!!) I had to at least get a couple pairs of boots made. Just more stuff to add to the pile I suppose. But I have had approx. 5 suits, 3 jackets, 4 tops, 1 pair of pants, 2 pair of shoes and 2 pair of boots - all for under $350!!!!!!!!!!!!! Wow - that's value. I'm really in love with the suits - they fit like a glove just hope I will still fit in the them in time for interviews upon my return! ;)

Hoi An is also home to some great local food specialties - Cao Lao (local rice noodles made with special local water - with pork and some greens), white roses (shrimp in rice paper sprinkled with fried onions and a lovely clear sauce, friend wontons with shrimp....the list goes on. Simply delicious. And ever since I stopped eating the pho (beef soup) every morning my legs have stopped swelling and aching. It must be the MSG. I'm relieved to have figured that one out.

Apart from that Hoi An also has some great architecture as this village wasn't touched during the war. Much has been carefully preserved and it is very interesting to visit the old family homes, pagodas, assembly halls, etc. And I can't forget to mention how lovely the people of Hoi An have been. Just a delight to be here. They are so warm and welcoming (all part of the "customer service" I suppose - but a nice surprise).

Hope everyone is enjoying a somewhat restful holiday. Happy New Year!

12.27.04 - Reaction to the tsunami that has devastated southeast asia

Hi - I'm in Hoi An, Vietnam. Just arrived this morning - it was a long journey from Dalat. It was along the way, last evening, that I first heard news of the tsunami that has torn through the western part of the southeast asia. I'm in shock - especially to hear that so many of the beautiful places that I loved and visited have been so badly damaged...and the mess that is left to clean up. I can't even think about those who may have lost their lives. My thoughts and prayers are with each and every person in those communities - and especially Krabi, Ko Phi Phi and Kata/ Karon beaches on Phuket where I had been most recently.
Thank you to those of you who have emailed to find out my whereabouts.
Cheers
D

12.25.04 - Christmas in Vietnam

12.23.04 involved a 17 km hike through the mountains and valley around Tiger Falls and the Chill minority village. We spent approx. 6 hours hiking with our guide Hoan, enjoying nature and the peace and quiet that this type of excursion afforded. It was an absolutely stunning day - the perfect temperature for such a hike that did involve quite a few step ascents as well as few sketchy (ie. slippery) descents. But slow and steady helped the cause (the technique we'd learned hiking Mt. Ringani on Lombok) and we were able to stay the course. Perhaps the real skill came when crossing the 2 suspension bridges that proved to be a bit precarious if you paused too long to really think about it and question the rhythm of the bridge swinging along with your steps. We walked through pine forests, coffee plantations, tall grasses, along the river....and we picnicked on the top of the mountain (the perfect breeze) overlooking the valley we would soon traverse. It was a lovely day that ended with a trip to a local restaurant (we couldn't have found it on our own) to eat banh xeo - vietnamese pancakes - my new favorite food (after the staple pho (noodle soup with meat) of course).

12.24.04 was spent touring around Dalat with the Easy Rider motorcycle guides. We'd read about them in Lonely Planet and heard some good reports from fellow travellers. It sure beat being herded around on a bus with other tourists...and the Easy Riders did claim to take us off the beaten track - but their MO was to sell you on their extended, multi-day tours by taking us to another city (and in the meantime showing us the "real" Vietnam). We were willing to consider their offer if they could take us directly to Hoi An (heading north). But that was not possible according to them as the more scenic road to Hoi An had been washed out (and we wouldn't want to drive on the busy highway on their bikes). Instead they recommended a tour through the "local" Central Highlands and ultimately ending up at either Mui Ne (further south!!!!) or Nha Trang (which I wanted to avoid and was the main reason for searching out this other travel option). Needless to say that when they quoted us $40/ day each that nixed the deal right there. Neither of us really wanted to ride around on a bike, with our heavy, bulky bags, for 6 hours a day for that price...and headed in the wrong direction!!!

Nevertheless we did enjoy the day trip around Dalat ($10/ day each to see waterfalls (where cowboys and men dressed in rat costumes posed with visitors), lakes (could've sworn I was in Wisconsin!!), pagodas, minority village, coffee plantation, etc) with the insight they offered. My driver, Hung, had actually been a soldier for the South Vietnamese army and had actually spent 2 years and 6 months in a re-education camp. This happened to be just 6 months short for him to qualify for asylum in the US so he came back to Dalat to become a farmer...and only in the past 3 years (since his sister in Australia bought him his bike) had he become a guide. Both guides had mentioned that their lives had really changed under doi moi (since the government loosened restrictions on private business and gave land back to the farmers around 1995 when consequently the US also lifted their embargo and re-instated diplomatic ties) - things were better and progressing slowly - but they would still joke about us taking them back to the US...or how much better life was back there. And that hurt me...as those comments always do. It's all relative... It will be interesting to see if sympathy towards the US is the same up north where there was active resistance to our forces as opposed to collaboration.

The highlight of the day had to be our last stop - at the Lam Ty Ni pagoda of the Crazy Monk. We'd of course read about this man who paints, sculpts and writes both poetry and music almost non-stop. Apparently since being written up the guidebooks the attention he's received has been unrelenting which means that periodically he just shuts the gate and wishes not to be disturbed. We arrived at one such moment - but our guides insisted that the monk would welcome us. Well.... We open the gate and proceed up the walkway and there he is...standing right before us...a small man dressed in a brown robe wearing a brown knit cap. He looks the part of the "crazy monk" And then he spoke. He immediately wants to know how we heard about him (his english is very good) and starts going on about how we left the gate open, the guides should know better, the dog is barking, the gate should be shut...we should go back and shut the gate....yes go back and shut the gate. His monologue was rambling and I honestly felt that he was really deranged...and MC should go back and shut the gate. He obliged...which seemed to help matters and the monk brought us back to his studio. Walls and walls, piles and piles of calligraphy and sketches. Lots of self portraits and many words of wisdom. He asked that I take a photo next to a piece that I quite enjoyed that reads: "Feeling hereness and nowness how peaceful and happy this very moment is." It touched me as it was a theme I had been repeating to myself frequently on this trip - enjoy the here and now...be present in this moment. He captured it on this banner in a way that reminded me of him talking (he was really so proud of "his words" hereness and nowness). So I bought it as a great reminder of the here and now!! It was an odd visit but one that I will truly remember.

Back home I decided to prepare for our Christmas Eve festivities by visiting the local hair salon and having my hair blown out (straightened). No one spoke english but I was finally able to communicate my needs when a man from the street was brought in to confirm that I didn't want permanently, chemically straigtened hair (what a mess that would be) - just a blow out and flat iron. Whew! I really need a haircut but that prospect is truly frightening so this was the next best option for "cleaning up". And it only cost me $1!!!! I couldn't believe it! At that rate I should have them do my hair every other day. I might actually look half presentable at that rate. ;)

We spent Christmas Eve around Hotel Sofitel (listening to carollers and watching the kids freak out with arrival of Santa Claus) before heading to dinner at Cafe de la Poste. We thoroughly enjoyed our 5 course meal - complete with the bottle of wine I'd been lugging around since Australia!!! From there we walked back...along with a mass of humanity. It seems that everyone takes to the streets on Christmas Eve...and for most of it I was the only white person around. Truly an experience. I have to say that there were massive crowds at the cathedral - standing room only - I guess the missionary work in this area paid off. I was going to go - but given that the Catholics aren't much for singing I had to settle on the carolling in the lobby of the Sofitel. Said to say but it's true. I did start tearing up singing Silent Night as that would typically mark the end of Christmas Eve services and the start of our festivities. I had to hold it back....

I did however make the most of Christmas by playing Santa for us. I filled the stocking caps (couldn't find stockings so used the ever present Santa hats) and found a few presents for MC to enjoy. It was fun. Then we went off to enjoy a Christmas morning breakfast which for me consisted of pork noodle soup and tea. Delicious (but I'm convinced the salt/ MSG is making my legs cramp up and bloat....)!!! We've eaten breakfast at the same restaurant every day since we first stumbled upon it (it was the only one with indoor seating on a very cold Dalat morning) - kind of creating a bit of a home I guess. We liked it because the owner speaks english and is quite helpful and gracious.

Taking it easy today and will try to find a phone to make some calls. Dalat isn't as "wired" as elsewhere....which means I haven't seen an internet phone to make calling home actually affordable. We'll do a little searching around - we have all day before it's Merry Christmas morning in the US and Canada.

Off to Hoi An tomorrow. I'm very excited because this is THE place to get clothes made very inexpensively. My first stop will be to a tailor to start the process. Apparently they turn stuff around overnight. I'll keep you posted.

Michael's email: WorldTrek 12/25/04: Merry Christmas from Dalat, Vietnam!

Merry Christmas everyone!

We're in Dalat in the highlands of Vietnam right now.? It's downright
chilly.? We're so used to the 90 degree weather everywhere else so it's
been quite a shock to have weather in the 50/60 degree range.? But nice
for Christmas.

To finish up in Saigon, we took a trip to "Reunification Palace" which
is where the South Vietnamese army surrendered to the North Vietnamese
in 1975.? It's a very interesting building...the president who
commissioned the latest remodel was assasinated by his own army before
the palace was finished.? What's interesting about the building is that
there's a secret passage from the president's quarters to a helipad and
also to the basement where there were escape tunnels.? You can also see
the War Room where all the US military advisers sat.? Kind of scary
that the equipment in there (original) looks like my high school radio
station.??? December 22nd is the 60th anniversary of the Vietnamese
army (to fight the French way back) so there was a lot of preparation
around the palace...we essentially got to see the practice for the
parade.? A lot of soldiers, ordinary men & women, and even kids that
marched.? The soldiers had it together, but the ordinary folks still
needed a LOT of practice - I hate to see the consequences if you mess
up in this parade!

The next evening, Deanna had a wonderful idea to go see the Ho Chi Minh
Symphony & dance recital.? It was great...they played a lot of "winter
theme" stuff like "Winter" from the Four Seasons...it got me in the
Christmas mood a bit more.? It was a really nice and small concert
hall...great views and great acoustics.? For the dance, there were a
few ballet pieces, some modern dance (think Will Ferrell in Old School
with the rhythmic gymnastics...yeah), and even some Russian dance.
Strange to see Vietnamese doing these Russian dances - but the
communist countries stick together (especially when Russia used to fund
30% of the Vietnamese economy).

We made our way to Dalat from Saigon (and believe it or not had a GOOD
bus ride) and it's just beautiful.? It's very hilly and they can grow
all sorts of vegetables and flowers here because of the climate.
There's a small Eiffel Tower (they call this Little Paris - the French
built a lot here) and Dalat is a destination for Vietnamese tourists.
There have been many times where we have been the only foreigners in a
crowd of people.? It's nice...very different.

In Dalat, we did another trek - this one 17km climbing to Tiger Falls.
Our guide was fantastic...a university student named Hoan...who was
really funny and made the trip fun.? We walked through an ethnic
minority village in the hills (the marginalized people of vietnam)
where 15 families did subsistance farming and descended/climbed
hundreds of meters to get water every morning.? We also walked through
coffee plantations...in one shack a group of people were drunk and
chased us off.? I am ashamed to say that I had NO idea that coffee grew
on a tree...for four hours I thought we were walking through cranberry
orchards.? Finally...after the hike...we went with Hoan to try Banh Xeo
- a kind of rice pancake - which is his favorite food and now my
favorite Vietnamese food as well.? Delicious.

The other cool thing in Dalat was riding around on motorcycles with the
"Easy Riders".? It's a group of older Vietnamese men...all speak
English and some speak French...who take people on tours around Dalat.
They were great guys...very knowledgeable and besides the tourist
stops, they tried to show us things you can't see on a bus tour.? They
were also very safe drivers - I think we were amongst the 0.5% of
people that wear helmets around here.? One of the gentlemen, Hung, had
fought for the South Vietnamese...so when the North won, he went into a
re-education camp for two and a half years.? Turns out that the US
accepted any political refugees that had been in the camps for three
years or more - so he stayed in Vietnam and became a farmer.? He was a
really interesting guy.? The other gentleman was also a farmer -
growing coffee and persimmons - and gave a good discussion of what it
was like between 1975 and 1995 when the government finally allowed
private ownership again.? We had thought about riding with these guys
for 5 days to take us to Hoi An (in the North near the Demilitarized
Zone).? Unfortunately, heavy rains have washed out the backroads a
couple weeks ago...so we'll take the bus (and the hugely trafficked
Highway 1) tomorrow morning.? Perhaps it's better...five days on a
motorcycle wedged between the driver and my huge bag could be a little
tiring.

Christmas was nice...we went to the Sofitel (high-end hotel) to see
some caroling (in Vietnamese).? We also got to see Santa distribute
presents to the kids (Santa was Vietnamese as well).? And then we went
to a fabulous five-course dinner at a nearby cafe - and the food was
incredible (and not Vietnamese).? There were thousands of people out
last night walking around town, going to the Catholic church, talking
to family, buying items in the street market - quite the carnival
atmosphere.

Anyway...all the pictures up until Saigon have been posted.
www.ofoto.com
login: mdchiang@gmail.com
pass: offandaway

Have a wonderful holidays!
Michael

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!!!

Happy holidays my friends!!!!

Things are going along just fine. Travelled to Da Lat, Vietnam yesterday (12.21.04) ("The Little Paris" - and there is in fact a communication tour in the shape of the Eiffel Tower if you can believe it) - a mountain resort type village just north east of Saigon. Lovely, coniferous trees all around, mountains and of course...great food, the city is built on many levels, there's a lake (albeit a little green right now), we're in the midst of the Flower Festival - the perfect place to spend Christmas!!! We even went out and bought a fully decorated tree yesterday to adorn our room.

The room is basic and quite chilly in the evening and morning but affords a lovely view of the city (although not the lake unfortunately). The family who runs it is so sweet but I'm sure they think we're nuts for buying the tree!!! I'm hoping to pick them up a little something as a treat as well...especially after the man gave us extra blankets last night before we turned in. Thank you!

Still figuring out all that there is to do around here - not so much for the night life but we'll figure something out. Last night we sat out in the night market and ate a variety of shellfish and I even tried a fermented duck egg (although I opted not to eat the duck embryo that I found, much to my surprise, inside...) Apart from the duck embryo it was all quite delicious - snails and scallops. The grilled scallops with scallions and oil (they call it grease) were delactable. And what made it even better was that we sat on plastic chairs no higher than a foot off the ground with a table to match. That seems to be standard furniture around here.

We are planning to have Christmas Eve dinner at "Cafe de la Poste" a lovely little restaurant at the very base of the "Eiffel Tower" - the place is run by Sofitel and it's a set menu so it can't be all that bad. Just us and 100 or so of our closest friends!! ;) (the question now is...what to wear?)

I'm loving it, having the time of my life, but it will be sad to be so far from home, friends and family this coming week. My thoughts are with you. Love D

12.19.04 - More news from HCMC

12.18.04: Enjoyed a lovely evening discovering the city...the lighting of the historic buildings at night is gorgeous. Splurged and went for a drink on the rooftop deck at the Caravelle Hotel - the first time that I've really felt out of place because of how I'm travelling. Didn't help that all my clothes were in the process of being laundered either. Overall I really enjoyed walking around the city - and HCMC has really surprised me. The area around the Saigon Opera House, City Hall and the Reunification Palace is quite lovely. And the energy at night is fantastic. People everywhere - and motorbikes everywhere!!! I'm becoming a pro at crossing the street amidst all the chaos...very slowly one step at a time - quite fearless really!!! ;)
Christmas decorations and music are in full force. I love seeing the little kids dressed in Santa Claus outfits or just doning the hat. I don't even think kids do that at home. Their spirit is truly infectious and I'm hoping to celebrate the holiday next weekend with a little bit of something fun. I might finally drink the bottle of red wine I bought in Australia and have been carting around ever since.

12.19.04: Church at Notre Dame Cathedral, shopped Ben Tranh market (great purses!!!), toured the Ho Chi Minh City Museum. Wedding parties everywhere snapping photos in front of all the major buildings (City Hall, the museum, Reunification Palace, Notre Dame Cathedral) - and it was great to see all the different brides (most wearing "traditional" white dress although there was the occasional red dress - I guess here they wear both at various stages of the ceremony/ affair). Visited the Reunification Palace and learned more about the history of this country and got a better understanding of the importance of this building in the most current history. As a special bonus we got to watch preparations for the 60th Anniversary of the Army (12.22.04). This included a variety of military organizations and social groups, young and old, marching past us on the front steps of the palace. It was quite the performance. The evening took us to the Saigon Opera House for a concert by the Ho Chi Minh City Ballet and Symphony Orchestra with special performance by the Darius Quarter from France. Lovely evening with great music and dance.

Michael's email: Worldtrek 12/19/04: Into the Mekong Delta in Vietnam (AND MORE PHOTOS POSTED)

Note to all before you read this email: There are more photos posted!!!


-------------------------------
Hello everyone and happy holidays!

We're in Ho Chi Minh City right now (although everyone here seems to
call the city Saigon still), having traveled from Phnom Penh into the
Mekong Delta and then to Saigon. It's hot here and doesn't seem to
cool down as fast as Bangkok or Phnom Penh did with their large bodies
of water nearby. It doesn't help that we're on the 8th floor of the
hotel...and it's a walk-up...and there's no AC in the lobby. I
honestly feel like I'm going to die everytime I walk up to the room.
It seems that in Saigon, all property is approximately the size of my
former office (read: very small) but you can build UP as far as you
want. Lucky us.

Actually the trip has been quite scenic from Phnom Penh. We traveled
via boat into Vietnam - and the Mekong Delta is just beautiful. The
delta is primarily a rice and farming area, with some fishing - so tons
of idyllic views of what you might imagine Vietnam looks like. The
first night, we were dumped (tour) in Chau Doc at a hotel about 6km
from the town...this way they can ensure you eat, sleep, and spend all
your money at a "company" shop. I took a moto-taxi into town to find
an ATM...on the way back I stopped at (what turned out to be) the
Costco of Vietnam. I just wanted one soda. After ten minutes of
negotiations I managed to get a great price on a whole case of soda -
but could not communicate with the phrasebook that I just wanted one
can. When I finally left (with no soda), I think they thought I wanted
to buy the entire pallet for 15,000 dong ($1).

In Cantho, we slept at a homestay - thinking it would be nice to
actually meet some real (non-tourist focused) Vietnamese people.
Unfortunately, the man of the house worked for the tour company and his
wife and son didn't really speak to us. Still it was great to walk
around and see how "real Vietnamese" live in the Delta. It was also my
first experience sleeping under a mosquito net and actually waking up
to see the net covered with bugs...yikes. No malaria yet Mom. From
Cantho, we toured a bit - seeing the floating market where all the
vendors put their wares at the top of a pole (like a pineapple 15 feet
above the boat) to show customers what they're selling and entice them
to pull alongside to look at their wares. We also went to a
rice-noodle making factory where I was amazed by how dirty everything
looked - all the tanks, pipes, etc... especially in comparison to the
food processing plants I've been to in the US. Still...the food in
Vietnam has been absolutely delicious.

Saigon has been a real experience for me. First off, there are just
tons and tons and tons of motorbikes here. Our guide told us there
were 83 Million people and 40 Million motorbikes in Vietnam. It is
simply incredible. Last night walking home, there bikes were ten rows
deep (going each way) on the street. You have to see it to believe it.
And to cross the street, you just start walking - slowly and
deliberately - so that all the traffic can avoid you. It was the same
in Cambodia, but there's just SO many motos here that it's overwhelming
as you're parting the sea to cross the street.

It's a beautiful city with a lot of great buildings (many the French
built) and wonderful circles and squares to admire. There are many
museums as well - we went to the War Remnants Museum - which used to be
called the "Museum of Chinese and American War Crimes". There are
exhibits showing a lot of the atrocities of war - the effects of napalm
and Agent Orange...and also showed some of the worse behavior of the US
soldiers during the war. It was pretty depressing. I recognize that
the exhibit was one-sided, but being here makes me wonder if any of the
soldiers knew why we were in Vietnam...the parallels to what's going on
today in Iraq are scary. There's one picture in particular of soldiers
posing standing over decapitated Viet Cong soldiers that's just stuck
in my mind.

Tomorrow we're off for Dalat and hopefully to Hoi An for Christmas.
One interesting thing we've come across is that there's no ATM's in
Vietnam outside of the major cities (Ho Chi Minh and Hanoi) so we've
started withdrawing money to cover us until we reach Hanoi. Since the
currency is so weak, we've had to get a lot of bills - right now we
have 8 Million Dong that we're carrying around in a briefcase that
Deanna has handcuffed to her wrist.

I did manage to upload photos (internet here is fast and cheap...thank
you Uncle Ho).

www.ofoto.com
login: mdchiang@gmail.com
pass: offandaway

New uploads are from album 6 (Singapore) up until the end of Thailand
(album 12). In the next few weeks I hope to get all the Cambodia shots
uploaded as well.

Best to everyone -
Michael

12.18.04 - Travelled through the Mekong Delta and now in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), Vietnam

Hi all!!!
The 6 nights in Phnom Penh was much appreciated. I really enjoyed the city and the people and continue to be amaze at what those people and that country have overcome. The tour through Tuol Sleng (high school turned prison/ torture theater)was sobering. The inhumanity - how could a society treat their own people that way? Truly barbaric. And the fact that the outside world stood aside and watched it happen.... I've been reading as much as I can about each and every country I travel too. I'm honestly amazed by the amount of turmoil this region has experience in the last half century - politically, economically, socially, etc. But the will of the people is strong and this theme continues throughout Indochina with differing results. For instance, here in Vietnam they're trying to reconcile the notion of market liberalism with their "communist" ideals. It doesn't seem to make much sense but the government has opened up the doors to let people make their own living and consequently dismantled the socialist state that provided equal care and education to all and forbids any opposition to its plans and programs. It's kind of a free for all it seems - but it seems that as long as there is economic freedom the Vietnamese are fine with the state of "government affairs." (I could go on - I've been trying to work through thoughts on this matter but I don't need to turn this in to some thesis....)

OK - travelled by boat from Cambodia to Chau Doc, Vietnam which would be the start of our 2 day TOUR through the Mekong Delta (rice paddies, fishing villages, small farms - quite lovely countryside). I BOLD "tour" because that seems to be the way that people get around this country - via organized tour groups. The very thought kills me and if our experience is anything like it was (switch from one bus to another bus, stop at the rest stop where you are encouraged to buy food, switch to another bus, etc.) we may be motoring through this country pretty fast. There seems to be all these tour groups that organize "open buses" that take up to the major cities travelling north/ south in the country. "Same same but different" they claim but there's a fair bit of sharing and swapping of customers (so I'm told) so the service is much the same. It appears quite difficult to deviate from this path or to arrange alternate travel (at least travel that isn't prohibitively expensive). We'll be leaving here on Monday so we'll see how that goes and how much switching of buses will be required.

The trip through the Mekong Delta started in Chau Doc at a little guesthouse 6km from the city. The benefit was that it was located on Sam Mountain - the only real point of elevation in the area and a great place to watch the sunset. Beautiful as the reflection grew across the flooded rice paddies. The guesthouse was less than ideal - mosquito nets were a must since there was not AC (our first in a long time). The sole source of entertainment that evening was the movie "2046" a film that is apparently quite popular in China and was featured at the Cannes Film Festival. It was quite good and I would recommend it. I survived the lack of AC (I had sworn I wouldn't become addicted) and woke up early to take in the wonderful sunrise from the veranda of the guesthouse. More time for quiet contemplation.

The next day was spent touring (via small boat of with approx 7 other people) a Cham village (the is an ethnic minority of muslim origin). The tour was truly intrusive, an awkward situation that was really designed for tourists...(ie. not very authentic), fish farm and the local waterways/ rice paddies. Quite lovely. The afternoon was spent relaxing at our homestay (an opportunity to get to talk to local people turned into a mini hotel for us and 8 other tourists). This was the home of a fairly wealthy family (they had owned a rice factory in the 80s) which is now tended to by their youngest son and his family (He also "worked" for the tour company and it was his idea to start the homestay program...a great way to make some money on the side I'm sure). It was nice to get a glimpse at home life although I'm not sure how typical it was...or how "homey" it was. We took the opportunity of living in the "country" to walk around the village/ commune area to watch women weaving grass mats, check out kids in school...observe daily life and local vegetation really. Several bomb crater (now filled with water) were pointed out...still traces from America's bombardment of the south.

Next day was spent touring the floating market. It wasn't quite as quaint as I was expecting...but it was interesting to see all the people with their wares navigating the river (they hang their good from a pole so you can see what they have for sale). Again we spent more time just meandering through the canals. Then we boarded a bus and headed to Ho Chi Minh City...which is where I am right now. Visited the War Remnants Museum (formerly the Museum of Chinese and American War Crimes) this morning. It was indeed hard to walk through and see all the photos. All the eyes of people who are absolutely terrified - on both sides of the conflict. I could go on but what struck me the most is how history repeats itself..... Here's a link with more details:
http://www.wordtravels.com/Attractions/Countries/Vietnam/Attractions/War+Remnants+Museum/

All for now. We're staying at Bi Saigon Hotel and Restaurant ( www.bisaigon.com ) - a nice spot I found in this smaller alley in the "backpacker" district. It's nice to get off and away from the busy streets and the traffic noise which invariably permeates the room beginning early in the morning. Fortunately this place offers a bit of an oasis. Heading up to the room which is on the 8th floor (they like to refer to it as the 6th) and there's no elevator. It's the top floor - nothing but the best, right? ;) It's really not so bad and it offer a nice view over the tops of the city.

**I wanted to give a quick update and I apologize for the lack of flourish. I've felt a bit muddled lately...perhaps it's the heat...I don't know. I just now that I didn't want too much time to elapsed between posts. I do know that it's finally sunk in that Christmas is next week. It's funny - but there are quite a few decorations up around HCMC and the music selections in the store are holiday themed as well. Happy holidays!!!

12.10.04 - From Battambang to Phnom Penh (Cambodia)

Spent three nights in Battambang and heading for Phnom Penh tomorrow. It's been nice to get off the "beaten track" however there is certainly a lot less to do and far fewer tourist. Nevertheless the French colonial architecture of this tiny town is truly lovely and it's setting along the river is quite quaint.

To get off the beaten track required a gruelling 8 hour boat ride (the book said 5) since the waters of the Tonle Sap are lower this time of year. Apparently the trip goes quite smoothly when you aren't meandering through the many floating villages that line the river. During the high water season (when the Tonle Sap reverses it's flow because of excess waters floating through the Mekong) the plain is essentially a lake which makes for a fairly direct ride. But it was nice to be on the boat and it was nice to have the melodies of "hello" and "bye bye" chanted by just about child along the way. Such cuties. Needless to say I did get tired of waving but didn't want to disappoint their enthusiam either.

We were greeted upon our departure by some rather zealous moto drivers and hotel representatives. Luckily we knew where we wanted to stay and told our driver where to take us. Chhay, my driver, was immediately interested in getting me to sign up for a moto tour of the countryside the next day (Phnom Sempeau, the killing caves, Phnom Banan, local village and just general tour) - however we were both leary to commit and opted to wait until later. Little did we know how persistent he would be....

We opted to stay in the "higher end" hotel which costs $13/ night - The Teo Hotel. Pretty good for hot water, AC and TV (a far cry from the prices in Siem Reap). However we didn't know until later that it was located just down the street from the boxing arena that blasted music and commentary late into the evening. No real problem since the sound of the AC generally tends to mask any other surrounding noise! ;)

The first evening was spent walking around in the dark - I'm talking dark - trying to find the Cold Nights restaurant. We eventually had to break down and get a moto for transport. In the process we agreed with those moto drivers (Salone) to take us on the tour the next day.... So....

We emerge at the stated time the next morning to find Salone...and not his partner but Chhay!!! the guy who took us from the boat. Apparently, according to Salone (who put it very diplomatically), we were his customers and he wasn't going to miss out on a cut. Interesting start to the day but it all worked out.
Highlights of the tour:
- Taking pictures of local kids and showing them the results in the monitor of my camera. A local woman then came up to me and asked me to take her photo - and she was beside herself with delight. She wanted the photo but I tried to explained that that was not possible - but left her with a bracelet as a token of my appreciation and "friendship." I'd be curious to know what she thought of that gesture but regarless, that encounter was very important to me
- Climbing to Phnom Sampeau, converted to a jail during the reign of the Khmer Rouge, and the surrounding caves where "prisoners" were dumped both dead and alive and exterminated accordingly. Tens of thousands of people died in these caves - a very sobering thought.
- Climbing Wat Banan on a near vertical set of stairs
- Riding the moto bikes while wearing a face mask (looks like surgical mask) to protect the lungs from dust (lots of dusts).
- Riding along the river and stopping for a sip of palm juice and palm wine from the local vendor.
- The bamboo train that is used to transport people from the village to Battambang (mainly the market). This mode of transport is essentially 2 axles with wheel that fit the rails, topped with a bamboo platform and motor (it the old days they used to push the train along with poles). It moves at a good clip and results in a lot less dust. Since there is only one track and two way traffic, the lightest load gets off, disassembles their train to let the other pass. It actually works quite smoothly but I did feel badly watching several women, with all their provisions from the market, unload just because our train held two moto bikes.
Overall it was a great day and a great way to see the Battambang area and the gorgous countryside.

We went to the Riverside Balcony for a refreshment before heading to Smokin' Pot (www.smokin-pot.com)where the food is incredible and there's a great atmosphere (not that there's much competition in Battambang. The place is currently run by this younger Cambodian guy who really has the get up and go - he really wants to make a name for himself and help his family and his dedication and determination are much admired. What is important to note is that we met a gentleman from Singapore who joined us at the former and continued with us to the latter and the next day partook in the market trip/ cooking lesson with us (also at The Smokin' Pot).

The cooking class at Smokin Pot was very informative. We met around 9am and decided which 3 dishes we should prepare and then we headed off to the market. Vanneka, the owner and chef, was very informative during our trip to the market as well as throughout the class. I'm so happy to have left with a cookbook so that I can share that experience with you. The fried chicken is incredible!!!

I had mentioned the gentleman that had joined us. Well we came to found out that he wasn't really the most generous person and often said the awkward things. So after we left the cooking school we all headed to the Battambang Museum at which point we parted ways. Enough said....

That evening I mustered up enough courage to get a massage at Seeing Hands (for some more info: www.gocambodia.com/rehab/hands_masage.asp). They have facilities around Cambodia that train the blind in massage techniques as well as teach them english. I don't know why I had waited this long but I was a bit apprehensive of what I would encounter and force to deal with personally. The blind that I've been use to seeing have been people like Stevie Wonder, Ray Charles, Andrea Bocelli, etc. As I entered the shop front I knew that this was different. Here were people who had lost their eyesight due to illness (no meds), cataracts and even violent attacks. The shop was very clean, very organized and the 6 people there were quite enthusiatic as they handed me a basket to put my clothes in and a light blue pair of pyjamas (for lack of a better descriptor). Once dressed I was introduced to my massage therapist and it took my breath away. This man, in his early 20s, had been violently attacked. Enough said. So many thoughts were running through my head as I laid down for my 90 minutes of R&R: who could have done this? why? how much did that hurt? what are this thoughts? what kind of support does he have? etc. The thoughts kept running through my head and welling up, but it was as I put my head down on the massage table and Ruatana (sp?) said "Thank you for helping the blind" that I cried. But no tears for long as I was taken with Ruatana's sweetness and his determination. With the little english that he spoke (he'd been at the center for 6 months with 6 months to go) I was able to figure out that he missed his family but he'd obviously come to Seeing Hands in search of a better, more productive life. That courage is commendable. This had to be one of the best experiences ever had and one that is etched in my memory.

MC came to get me on the way to dinner. I was really hoping to go back to Smokin Pot for our last night - however the restaurant was packed (not terribly big) and the only seat available was next to our "friend". I was willing to sacrifice the evening but MC was insistent that we go to the only other spot available - The White Rose. (I must also note that he had gone there earlier in the day and the food hadn't sat well with him...) The meal was decent but the place lacks atmosphere - think cafeteria, flurescent lights type place.

Well guess who woke up in the middle of the night with gut splitting cramps and intestinal distress? Both of us!!!! Absolutely dreadful. I can't say that the 5 hour (bumpy) bus ride to Phnom Penh was terribly comfortable. I'm sure under normal conditions is would have been but not with a fever, aches & pains and a constant feeling of nauseous. I basically did nothing but moan the entire trip...and kept looking at my watch every 10 minutes.

We arrived in Phnom Penh and by that time MC was in a state as well. We were heading to the Riverview Hotel ($15/ night) but got dropped off at the Riverside Hotel ($30/ night). Neither of us were really paying attention - we just needed to lay down!!! Serendipity as this was the best $35/ day & night I've ever spent since we barely left that hotel the entire 20 hours we were there. The AC was blasting, water and pain pills readied, I had a fever and was constantly sweating and waking up in a puddle (so I'd have to move to another part of the bed) - sheer comedy. This was totally different food poisoning from what I leaving Indonesia...but why does it always happen on a travel day?

Today is day 2 and we're slowly recovering...slowly. I scouted out a new hotel in the morning (we'd be spoiled with that much luxury 2 nights in a row) - The Bright Lotus 1. Still experimenting with solids. :) We did tour the National Museum (right across from our hotel - didn't want to stray too far) which houses many artifacts and statues from Angkor Wat and surrounding temples. Many are housed here to avoid looting which has decimated much of the stock of these original artifact. The small museum is nteresting although they could use a bit more explanation in english. We were going to use the guide...but he was sleeping. More interesting to note that Cambodia is very intent on getting back artifacts that had been plundered over the years and they've been somewhat successful.

Tomorrow will likely be spent arranging for our visas to Vietnam, touring Tuol Sleng and the killing fields. Uplifting I'm sure... How can people be so cruel?

12.05.04 - Another update from Siem Reap before heading to Battambang

So really quickly....
I donated blood at the Kantha Bopha Hospital. It hurt. Found out I'm O+ (which is probably a good thing since I'm on this trip) and got a t-shirt (along with an orange Fanta, cookies and a sticker). I can give again in 7 days but I will definitely need to find a better technician to administer the needle. Yikes! Nearly discouraged the others waiting to donate. In any case I'm happy I did it and it was interesting to get a glimpse at the hospital facilities which seemed ok - just old. Here's a website link if you'd like to learn more about the fine doctor and his mission:
http://www.beat-richner.ch/index.html

Visited the Landmine Museum owned by Aki-Ra (an ex Khmer Rouge soldier). . Wow! It was a long, bumpy and dusty tuk tuk ride to the museum but I'm so glad I made it. At least 2 people are injured and/ or killed by landmines each day in Cambodia...and it continues to be a problem especially in Africa. There was recently a conference in Barcelona, a follow up to a convention signed in Canada, that I'm hoping will help draw more addition and additional resources to clearing the land of these hazards. They are truly barbaric. The museum also serves as a home to a dozen or so kids and volunteers are always needed to help out and teach english. Here's the website to read a bit more about this project:
www.landmine-museum.com

It was a pretty mellow day. Ate breakfast at the hotel, walked along the river, visted the Grand Hotel d'Angkor, visited the Landmine museum as well as the Khmer Heritage Center, rested, went for dinner at The Balcony (yummy Cambodian curry - you'd love it Carl!!!) and now I'm here in the internet cafe. It's quite early in the evening but it's likely not to be a late night as we are leaving for Battambang via boat at 7am (our ride picks us up at 6am). It's a 3-4 hour ride across the Tonle Sap Lake and down the river to Battambang. When we tell locals that we're going to Battambang they ask why? This response had made me even more interested. I do know that it's supposed to be gorgeous countryside, off the beaten track, full of French colonial buildings/ influence and significantly cheaper (although that's really all relative). Not sure how long the stay will last and from there it's off to Phnom Penh. More later.

12.4.04 - Hello from Siem Reap, Cambodia

Perth was great and now I'm in Siem Reap, Cambodia. I love it!!! We're staying in a French/ Canadian hotel, L'Auberge Mont Royal d'Angkor. I had a bit of trouble finding it upon my arrival only because of a difference in pronunciation but my moto driver was patient and we figured it out together. And yes I did take a motorcycle (with all my luggage) from the airport. The driver rested my big backpack in the space in front of him and I, with my smaller backpack, held on tightly as we whizzed through the streets. It was quite dusty so I learned to keep my mouth shut for the most part.... I arrived and met MC and Julian and we headed out on the town. It's really a great small town atmosphere with a really compact "tourist" area filled with shops, markets, restaurants and bars. We had a really good time on the first night which included a visit to The Red Piano (where Angelina Jolie hung out while she was here filming Tomb Raider) and Angkor Wat? - both just doors from each other. It was great to meet and talk to so many people from all over the world. It was a late night that ended with dancing in the streets around 3am. We have photos but it looks more like a riot than a celebration. All I have to say is that it's been fun running in to people from that night as I tour the various sites.

I spent 2 days touring - first the floating village and then Angkor Wat and surrounding temples with a guide and driver. It's hard to believe that such enormous and detailed structures were constructed as early at the 9th and 10th centuries. How did they cut the stones? How did they move the stones? What did the building plans look like? How many people died to erect these structures for the various kings in the name of buddhism and hinduism? What sacrifices were made to build these structures? Why were they neglected for so many years and allowed to be covered by the jungle? And now, how do these decide about restoration and why do the Japanese seem to be playing such a big part in that? Where are the Americans? We really did a number on this country when we bombed them in the 70s...there should be more aid and more assistance....which I haven't really seen or heard about. I'll keep looking though. (oh but wait...there's no oil here....)

I must say I did love our guide actually who brought his wife and little girl (1 year old) by the hotel last night to meet us. I had actually asked him to bring photos of his daugther...which he did but then he also surprised us with the real thing. He'd packed up all three of them on a scooter to come to our hotel. It made my day!!! Love those kinds of encounters.

Last night we went to a cello concert - Beatocello - at the local children's hospital. Dr. Beat Richner (Swiss) is the local physician and puts on the concert every Friday and Saturday night to raise money and, more importantly, encourage blood donations for the the hospital. The concert lasts about one hour and is a mix of music and information about the hospital and his mission (he's been here and committed to this cause since the 70s). His theme is justice - and he faults any agency or society that values of the life of a poor child differently from that of a rich one....but that is what seems to be happening. It was a very interesting evening...and I'm mustering up enough energy to go back and donate blood...which seems to me to be far more precious than any monetary donation (especially in a country where there are high HIV and hepatitis contamination rates among the able bodied blood donors).

Today I thought about renting a bike - but you have no idea how hot it gets during the middle of the day. It's really sweltering with no breaks from the rain. We'll see what happens. In the meantime I woke up early and headed to Psar Chaa - the local market - where I picked up some silk pieces at the special "morning price". All shop owners seem to be in to the special morning price which brings them good luck. I don't know how much they believe it but I honestly hope it does.

When you tell the locals here about what we've done - quit our jobs to travel - they are completely dumbfounded. Like other places we've travelled many of the people we encounter work all the time for very little pay. They not only support themselves but also their families. We are truly very fortunate - but I try to avoid these conversations since it's really out of the realm of possibility. I want to know what their world's involve, what makes them happy, what do they do in their spare time, what would they really like to do, etc. It all seems to come back to the money situation...and I want to understand how to turn a society like this around. You do see initiative, especially with the disabled, to make them self sufficient (ie. Seeing Eyes - massage by blind people, musical concerts by those disabled by landmines, etc.) but there stills seems to be a long way to go. And when you hear people like Dr. Richner talking about how NGOs and other organizations value lives differently I want to understand how and why? I'd talked to Brooke about working with USAid or some other type organization. If any one has any information I would love to find out more. In the meantime I will do my research on the web and continue to contemplate....

11.28.04 - Checking in from Perth, Australia

Hello to everyone from the midst of my greatest adventure to date - hanging out "down under" with 2 little boys (Dylan - 6 month old and Tyler - 2.5 years old) and of course their wonderful parents. Both terribly cute but definitely a 24/ 7 commitment! I've learned to communicate with both boys which is really the most I've accomplished, in terms of learning the native language, in any other country before. There's always something to talk about and explain and for once it seems like I actually know what's going on (well kind of)!

Seriously though I've had a phenomenal time hanging out with Brooke, Chad, Tyler and Dylan. After I managed to obtain a visa (last minute at the airport) I boarded the plan for a 6.5 hour flight. I really didn't know what to expect...but 6.5 hours seemed like quite a distance. I guess I was going to Australia and that's what I should've expected but I wasn't really prepared (ie. no visa) for this trip. I landed around 12:30am and proceeded to stand in several lines practically begging to be let in to the country. Immigration, customs, quarantine, dog inspection....many hoops to jump through. But having made it through these hurdles I was happy to meet up with Brooke (who I'm sure was just knackered after a day of tending to the kids..and knowing she had to be up a few hours later to resume the same) and head to their lovely home.

I had the best time but it was indeed a change of pace. But I honestly enjoyed being part of a family if only for just one week. We went to the park, the grocery store, the beach, and even braved the wildlife park (I got to hold a wombat and pet kangaroos and koalas - see photos). What made those events so much more entertaining was to see them through the eyes of the kids...especially Tyler who is always asking "What's happening?" I should also mention that we played his favorite songs over and over and over again in the car (and of course we sang along as well). But as I sit here in the airport I can't get rid of the song "Buzz buzz buzz". As Brooke said, that will be remembered as the soundtrack of this trip. Some people remember Eminem, Nelly, Britney...but I'll have the songs from a Canadian children's singer burned in my memory...and that makes me smile.

We did celebrate Thanksgiving with a couple of other families...and yes, I was the only singleton. Good and bad points I guess. I can tell you I wouldn't be taking this trip with kids in tow...but I do honestly look forward to starting the chapter in my life. It fun to see all this "stuff" but it's not exactly the same unless you have someone you want to share it with. Crazy but true - yet I haven't and won't let that slow me down! ;)

Brooke and I did manage to escape on a couple occasions. First we made a trip to Penguin island one of the only places outside of the Antarctic and lower South America where you can see penguins in the wild. It was molting season so they were off in the ocean gathering food to bulk up + being nocturnal animals they don't necessarily hang out on the beach during the day. It was a gorgeous island and we enjoyed a lovely lunch sitting on the rocks contemplating this and that. Brooke is quite insightful and I really value her perspective. It was perfect timing for my visit. On my last night we also escaped for a nice Indian dinner only to come home and start something that we almost couldn't put down until I left....YAHTZEE!!!!!

The 3 of us played many rounds of Yahtzee on Tuesday night and Brooke and I picked up the torch again on Wednesday playing any moment we could between naps, food, errands...we must have played several dozen rounds. I had a long winning streak at first (the luck of the dice I swear) which Brooke needed to match. I'm not sure what the final score was but we had a brilliant time and gave my math skills a refresh!

It was hard to leave. I hated saying good bye - especially to the boys who will continue to grow and change so much. I'm so happy I had the opportunity to enjoy such a nice long visit though. I may have to head back again before travelling onward. I'm eternally grateful for all their kindness. Love D

PS. I uploaded my photos from Bangkok + the Perth activities on the ofoto.com website
login: mdchiang@gmail.com
password: offandaway

12.01.01 - The nicest thing happened to me in the BKK airport...

I'm in the first hour of my 7 hour layover in the Bangkok airport. My flight departed Perth at 2am (and THANK YOU BROOKE for taking me as late as you did knowing the boys would be raring to go early in the morning. You, Chad and the boys are the best - it was hard to say good-bye.) and arrived in Bangkok around 8:00am. I can't check in for my flight yet so I have a couple options:

1. Hang out in the designated smoking areas and discuss concerns with the more recent push for a more widespread smoking ban. I also want to know there thoughts on the awful warning signs found on packs of cigarettes in Singapore which show rotted, nicotine stained teeth...really disgusting.

2. Test all the perfumes and lotions found in Duty Free.

3. Browse the pharmacies and compare drugs and pricing.

4. Read magazines and catch up on the latest gossip. Have Nick and Jessica really broken up? What about Kurt and Goldie? (what is this world coming to?) And what's the latest on Britney Spears?

5. Hang out at the "Post" and contact people back home via email and telephone.

I opted for number 5 but I'm tempted (and still have time) by the other options. I realize I had limited time on my pre-paid internet card and so I was ready to type like a fiend and maximize the time. I had been here a few minutes earlier to check email quickly. While doing so I helped a man work out the details of his machine (while some ugly American next to him railed about how nothing works in Thailand...it's all to be expected....). I came back to the same area after making a few phone calls to continue with the emails/ blog. But I go to sit down and the man who I'd helped previously leans over and offers me his card. He was done and didn't need it anymore. Wow!!! And then I find out that he only used 1/4 of the time on it. There are good people in this world. That truly put a smile on my face and made me feel good about initially going out of my way to be the good samaritan...and I thank him for allowing me a bit more time to type up this blog.

Off to Siem Reap, Cambodia. I'm really excited about this next leg of the journey since it takes me off the beaten track (so to speak). Indonesia and Thailand are prime tourist spots. Cambodia...not so much. And that's why I'm so excited. I look forward to regalling you with tales of dodging landmines and fraternizing with former Khmer Rouge/ Kamuchea Democratic Movement (sp?) members. Under no circumstances am I allowed to adopt a child - but I fear it will be quite tempting.
Stay tuned.
Love D