Mekong Delta

Anna and I did a day trip to the Mekong Delta, visiting three different provinces. I was a bit worried going in for a repeat of our Cambodia boat experience, but it was very different. Tourists were a common sight, and there were things geared towards them, but ultimately you were just a momentary blip on the economic radar of the delta. We had a really great time, but a full description will have to wait. Without pictures to help, it would be a whole lot of writing.

We had some pho tonight for dinner, a bit surprised it took us this long, but we’ve had some other culinary adventures. Even just a simple bit of soup is a great thing. I could see them finishing up the next bit of soup stock on the stove, I think I saw the cook pull out about half a cow worth of bones and a bunch of spices. The broth was great, of course.

We also had some fun trying to figure out some of the menu items. Ice towel, for example, is not a typo for tower, aka glass full of ice. (We have seen tower and towel mixed up a few times on signs) It is an iced towel in plastic; used to cool your lips down after a good crunch on a pepper. They like ’em hot here.

The pho was great, but on the way back to the hotel I had to order a banh mi sandwich from a street vendor. There was a crowd, and it looked like some great stuff. It was predicatbly better than the ones back in north america. Probably more nasty, tasty, bits in the meat over here – the patte was great. A banh mi is always a cheap meal in the US – about 2 or 3 bucks a sub. Saigon has that beat though, 5000d, or about 33 cents.

Tomorrow, it is off to the Cholon aka Chinatown part of Saigon. Supposed to be pretty fun. I can’t wait, Saigon hasn’t dissapointed us yet.

Fast forward to Saigon

Donating blood was an interesting experience, but I’ll leave that for Anna to write about. Directly after that it was off to the airport and a quick flight to HCMC aka Saigon.

The difference between Saigon and Siem Reap is huge. Cambodia was slow paced, well touristed, and still struggling with the explosion of hotels. HCMC is fast, stylish, and relatively modern. We have had a great couple of days here. Vietnam is amazing. Lots to tell, but only 15 minutes to check email and post.

Western guilt.

This morning’s trip to Tonle Sap lake was a bit of a mixed bag, but interesting. It was a long and bumpy ride out to the lake this time of year, as the water will soon consume the pitted road we traveled on. Houses/huts/shelters will be moved or towed when the rain comes in a few weeks.

I have to admit, it was interesting to see how these people live on the water. Their ingenuity, reuse, and adaptation was amazing to see. However, the tour was a pretty uncomfortable way to learn about it all. One could write any number of different thesis papers on the effects of tourisim by studing this small ecosystem.

There were a number of TV antennae on the floating houses, and a good portion of the people seemed to be better off with the tourist boats. But at the same time, tourists had sponsored a lot of unencouraging behavior. The moment a tour boat stops, kids in little tubs and mom’s in boats quickly surround it. Our driver killed the engine and let us drift. As we sat there, he looked at us, and the small mob forming around the boat. We waited for a few minutes… curious to see why we were stopped. Finally we figured it out. It was supposed to be a photo opp, but it felt wrong. Our boat driver knew about as much english as we did kmer, so the only way out of the situation seemed to be to give money to one of the ten hands around our boat. In retrospect, I’m still not sure how to handle that.

A part of me says, “who cares, the money is nothing to you”. But everything we have been told is that these are not the people that need help. The little girl in the tub-boat certainly has less than me, but she is also chewing gum and has painted finger nails. She probably makes more than the average 6-6 laborer. What kind of culture am I creating?

The whole morning was a bit of an emotional roller coaster ride. One moment it seemed people would smile and wave, the next moment you were left with cold stares. Perhaps it was just me being self conscious. Ultimately a worth-while experience, but one that leaves me stuck in my head for a while.

We are going to try to do our good deed for the day and donate some blood at the childrens hostpital in an hour. They apparently have trouble getting donations from the local population because of buddhist beliefs – something along the lines of never getting your blood back. I have a feeling I will still be thinking about this morning for a while.

Templed out

banteay srei banteay srei banteay samre banteay samre
(Photos for this entry can be found here)

We finished up our temple tour with a long ride out to Banteay Srei, and a stop at Banteay Samre on the way back. Banteay Srei was worth the long drive. The temple complex was fantasticaly detailed and they had done a great job restoring it. It was also worth the drive just for a chance to get out of the city and into the country side. A bit voueristic, but a rewarding ride, and a welcome change from the booming growth of Siem Reap.

Note to astmatics, tuk-tuk travel here can be a challenge. Exhaust combined with burning garbage and smoke from cooking fires is about the worst thing for lungs. But, you get a chance to enjoy the country side, the people, the smells (good and bad), and a much needed breeze.

Tomorrow morning we head out to Tonle Sap, a huge freshwater lake south of Siem Reap. Should have an interesting time exploring some of the river culture of Cambodia.

– Chris

Chris did most of the planning for this trip, and now that I’m here I feel like I’m taking an anthropology test that I didn’t study for. This test is open book, but the book is written in sanscrit and I’m guessing the answers based on the pictures. I always was one to wing it for the essay exams.

Today’s trip through villages was fantastic. I’m always looking to see how people live at their homes — not just what happens in the city. The dress, the cooking, the children playing, the cows, chickens, goats and such lounging under the stilted houses, the school children on bicycles maneuvering the most chaotic traffic I’ve ever seen, that is what I travel for. I saw a tiny motorcycle with two giant black pigs (at least 400 lbs a piece) strapped on the back heading for town (I think we ordered some for dinner), a family of four on a scooter, with the one-year-old balancing at the front, a four-year old riding a huge adult bike, an engine on wheels pulling a flatbed full of lumber with ropes for steering. Roadside cooking this morning included waffles being made over habachi, and last night it was roasted corn cobs and large bugs, cane juice, baguettes and fruit. Today we stopped for some sugar palm juice (the spear the palm fruit it and let it drain through bamboo all night).

I think I could easily adapt to life in a palm-thatch room on stilts with outdoor living room and kitchen — but not sure I could ever learn to drive here. It works, but I think it requires a sixth sense that I don’t have.

– Anna

Sweaty in Siem Reap

Man, it’s hot. It is only 97F/36C, but the humidity means my body can’t cool down. Add in some tropical sun, and you have to pack around a lot of water to stay upright.

Siem Reap is an interesting place. In many ways, similar to Aguas Calientes – the tourist town below Machu Picchu. It is almost completely tourist driven. Large and sprawling, with new hotels under construction. The disparity is huge. It can cost more for high tea than hiring a driver for an entire day. A whole pineapple, cut and prepared for you for 50 cents. A baguette and jam, 25 cents. Across the street, some one is paying $300/night for their hotel room. Crazy.

The temples at Angkor are amazing. We have been doing the anti-tour circuit, trying to stay away from the busloads. It worked pretty well. But we wanted to see the sun rise over Angkor Wat this morning. A complete circus. There were more tourists packed in there at sunrise than I had seen all of yesterday. Ultimately worth doing, it was pretty fantastic.

We have one more day on our Angkor passes tomorrow, then a spare day, and then flight to Saigon/HCMC. Loving it so far, I could ride in the back of a tuktuk with a wedge of pineapple for a very long time. Until the exhaust kicks in anyway. Not too many catylitic converters over here.