Well its 228pm on Tuesday afternoon, a little over 12 hours until I must wake and ready myself to tackle my next Asian backpacking adventure.
Japan beckons... It has for 17 years, since I first greeted my parents excitedly with 'Ohayoo' as a Fourth Grade student.
So many things are happening right now with work committments, Christmas catch ups and the pending holiday. But tomorrows flight will no doubt be a chance to at last relax, perhaps even doze off with a smile on my face and Guide book in my hand.
Monday, December 10, 2007
Wednesday, May 31, 2006
Water Puppetry in Ha Noi
Not sure what to expect, we ventured along to a performance of The Thang Long water puppetry troupe in Hanoi, by the shore of Hoan Kiem Lake. We had originally tried to go on the previous night, but as it had been booked out, bought tickets for the next evening. Our seats were right in the middle, 3rd row! So needless so say we were pretty happy!
Musicians occupied our left of stage, playing an interesting array of stringed and percussion instruments. Firecrackers, festival flags and golden dragons quickly diverted my attention back to 'main stage' where the puppetry would take place.
The performance captures aspects of vietnamese culture so well - from the peasant playing the flute whislt ploughing his field on the water buffalo, ducks swooning around, fisherman catching a huge fish in a net and mistakenly another fisherman too(!), peasants sowing rice, and the procession in a village welcoming an educated son home.
Although only lasting an hour, it was such a brilliant display of artistry and skill... The big kid in me wants to go again!
Ho Chi Minh's Masoleum
This morning we visited Ho Chi Minh's Masoleum. Once leaving our bag in a locker, we proceeded to the long line of people preparing to make the great procession. The guard caught our eye and signalled us to the start of the line so that we were first. We walked about 50-100m down to the Masoleum building, turned and walked past another six or so guards before making our way up the stairs. The building was decidedly chilly - airconditioned to maintain the body(?). The guard kept tugging at my hand to pull me 'into line' so those behind would follow suit. Up the stairs and into the dimly lit room where Ho lay, surrounded by four guards maintaining solemn faces. We walked around the glass housing within less than 30 seconds, looking intently in the 'blink and you'll miss it' moment it was. Whilst it was somewhat eerie, I am glad that we went. We will similarly visit Mao in China.
We also visited the Ho Chi Minh Museum in the same block. The museum was perhaps the best museum we have visited on our travels so far, although very abstract! Most of the artifacts, documents and photos were labelled in English, but of course we could not read the Vietnamese content. Sandals, glasses and hats worn by ho were on display, along with pens, pencils and even fitness equipment (springs and weights) he used. Some of his "quotes" were displayed on big boards - unfortunately we didnt take our camera, but I would love to have copied some down - I'm sure some leaders of today's world could learn something.
Friday, May 26, 2006
Cruising in Can Tho
On our first full day in Viet Nam (May 9th), we enjoyed a private boat trip in Can Tho starting at 5.30am. We cruised up the river to the first of the floating markets we were to visit, witnessing a beautiful sunrise over an extremely strong 'Vietnamese' style coffee. All told, we cruised for 8 hours, stopping once for a short walk and another time for lunch at a fruit farm up the canals.
On our first stop I looked to purchase a traditional conical hat, and approaching the shop noticed their main custom was coffins. I thought better of making my purchase from this vendor, not wanting my luck to run our anytime soon! I walked just 20m more and bought one for 6000 dong and material strap for 2000 dong - a mere 50cents in total.
The trip was amazing, and a great insight into the local trading on the river, the lifeblood for many locals. With so much to going on, it was at times difficult to take everything in or know where to look. The floating markets were a bustling mass of colour and smells, and something not to be missed!
Good morning Viet Nam!
Well 9am and we were not leaving with our old faithful taxi driver - instead he sures up a 'mate' who needs to visit family in Chau Doc, the Vietnamese border town. Well ok, but how can it be that for US$30, his mates old bomby Toyota Camry is even older, bombier and dustier than all the others in Kampot? Oh well, it was all part of the adventure, and after all, I had been hanging out to get to Viet Nam for so long, it being one of my three must-see destinations in the world.
The driver was not too bad. The car - as I mentioned earlier, and with no airconditioning! That aside, we finally got off the dirt roads and onto the major sealed highway to Viet Nam, perhaps built by the Vietnamese(?). The road was built up considerably, maybe 5 metres, with rice paddies on either side. We must've been about 3kms from the border crossing, when I feel the car veering and a weird rubbing noise. A flat tyre. I realise straight away what it is, and jump out and take a look. Paul goes to the boot to retrieve the car jack and the spare. Haha. The spare was as old as the car, about 10cm wide and very thin. Our bags, sitting on top of it are covered in brown dust and grease. While the driver changed the tyre, several men on motos offered us lifts to the border - we politely told them we would continue with our taxi, and patiently waited on the side of the hot highway, the sun beating down on us.
We are finally back in the hot car, and approaching the border crossing. Dammit, we have been robbed!! The taxi driver makes us get out, pay him, and tears off back down the road to Kampot. It became apparent that he had no intention of taking us to Chau Doc, some 30kms away, nor visiting his family. And US$30 was considerable given trhe trip from Shianoukville to Kampot took 2 hours, and only US$20! Anyhow, we nervously walked to the first booth, and filled out the departure card and had the official stamp our passports. Goodbye Cambodia.
Five minutes later, and we are walking the 500m to the Vietnamese entry, and I excitedly take my camera out to take a picture. Whoops! The guards are waving at me to stop and put it away. Yes, probably a blonde moment on my behalf. At the booth we are ushered to sit down about 20m away, as our passports are taken into an office. We fill out another form, and then time for the bag check. Ugh! Paul's bag was first, and out came everything. I mean EVERYTHING!! The guard had no idea what some things were, such as the MP3 player, contact lens fluid and pac-safe. Funnily enough, we were unpacking everything on the rollers to a massive, modern X-ray machine. Perhaps it worked, but not today. Instead we spent alt least 10-15 minutes each sweltering in the heat of a glass room, as all things big and small were examined. Once we were finished, we handed over a few thousand riel each as entry/processing tax, and headed off.
Friendly moto drivers pounced on us almost immediately. For some crazy price, I think $10 each, we were driven to Chau Doc. This was to be our first experience of driving on Vietnamese roads - and with no helmet. I requested a helmet, and although surprised, the drivers called in at a drink stall and borrowed two helmets for us to use. The trip was very scenic, given we were entering the Mekong Delta region. Rice dried on big tarps on the sides of the roads, small wooden pole houses stood out of the muddy waters of rivers, motos wove in and out of each other, and people ate and laughed roadside on small plastic chairs.
The bus trip was on a small mini van, and took about 2-3 hours. Un-eventful, but great to sit back and look at our new surroundings. Arriving in Can Tho, in the heart of the Mekong region, we were dumped at a bus station and then had to catch a moto to a Guest house. Luckily the drivers took us to a clean, decent Guest house, close to the river and central area. The room had a lovely big verandah! We booked a trip on the river for the following day, then set out to explore the markets and Esplanade and get some diner.
The driver was not too bad. The car - as I mentioned earlier, and with no airconditioning! That aside, we finally got off the dirt roads and onto the major sealed highway to Viet Nam, perhaps built by the Vietnamese(?). The road was built up considerably, maybe 5 metres, with rice paddies on either side. We must've been about 3kms from the border crossing, when I feel the car veering and a weird rubbing noise. A flat tyre. I realise straight away what it is, and jump out and take a look. Paul goes to the boot to retrieve the car jack and the spare. Haha. The spare was as old as the car, about 10cm wide and very thin. Our bags, sitting on top of it are covered in brown dust and grease. While the driver changed the tyre, several men on motos offered us lifts to the border - we politely told them we would continue with our taxi, and patiently waited on the side of the hot highway, the sun beating down on us.
We are finally back in the hot car, and approaching the border crossing. Dammit, we have been robbed!! The taxi driver makes us get out, pay him, and tears off back down the road to Kampot. It became apparent that he had no intention of taking us to Chau Doc, some 30kms away, nor visiting his family. And US$30 was considerable given trhe trip from Shianoukville to Kampot took 2 hours, and only US$20! Anyhow, we nervously walked to the first booth, and filled out the departure card and had the official stamp our passports. Goodbye Cambodia.
Five minutes later, and we are walking the 500m to the Vietnamese entry, and I excitedly take my camera out to take a picture. Whoops! The guards are waving at me to stop and put it away. Yes, probably a blonde moment on my behalf. At the booth we are ushered to sit down about 20m away, as our passports are taken into an office. We fill out another form, and then time for the bag check. Ugh! Paul's bag was first, and out came everything. I mean EVERYTHING!! The guard had no idea what some things were, such as the MP3 player, contact lens fluid and pac-safe. Funnily enough, we were unpacking everything on the rollers to a massive, modern X-ray machine. Perhaps it worked, but not today. Instead we spent alt least 10-15 minutes each sweltering in the heat of a glass room, as all things big and small were examined. Once we were finished, we handed over a few thousand riel each as entry/processing tax, and headed off.
Friendly moto drivers pounced on us almost immediately. For some crazy price, I think $10 each, we were driven to Chau Doc. This was to be our first experience of driving on Vietnamese roads - and with no helmet. I requested a helmet, and although surprised, the drivers called in at a drink stall and borrowed two helmets for us to use. The trip was very scenic, given we were entering the Mekong Delta region. Rice dried on big tarps on the sides of the roads, small wooden pole houses stood out of the muddy waters of rivers, motos wove in and out of each other, and people ate and laughed roadside on small plastic chairs.
The bus trip was on a small mini van, and took about 2-3 hours. Un-eventful, but great to sit back and look at our new surroundings. Arriving in Can Tho, in the heart of the Mekong region, we were dumped at a bus station and then had to catch a moto to a Guest house. Luckily the drivers took us to a clean, decent Guest house, close to the river and central area. The room had a lovely big verandah! We booked a trip on the river for the following day, then set out to explore the markets and Esplanade and get some diner.
Thursday, May 25, 2006
Shianoukville and Kampot
Long time no news, yes I know I am a slacker, but this 'holiday' is really eating into my spare time!! hehe
Let's take a look back a few weeks, to the end of our journeys in Cambodia.
Once leaving Seam Reap, crazy bus drivers prevailed.... I am sooo surprised we are still here to tell the tales, and now understand why night buses are 'not a cambodian thing'. I dont really fancy living through the nightmare again, so let me just elude to about 100 near miss head on collisions.... back in Phnom Penh, and a quick moto ride to another bus station - this time headed south to Shianoukville, a seaside town. The accommodation was directly opposite Ochieteaul(?) Beach, and a crazy strip of beach front 'bars', providing beach lounges, pool tables and food and beverages. Oh, and the 'happy' stuff that seemed to be in no short supply, and frequently offered to, and refused by, Paul. Shianoukville was a good chance to relax on the beach, and score a Vietnamese VISA in no more than 7 minutes....yes, so much for the 2-3 day express service. Just rock up there yourself and fill the application form, and away you go, VISA and passport in hand.
The day we left it was pouring, but fortunately we had hired a taxi and found two Spanish girls only minuted before departure to share with us... US$20 for the 4 of us to share to Kampot. (**Note: Kampot is where the world renowned Black Pepper is grown)
The journey was pretty good, although mostly along a dirt road being upgraded to a highway. once arriving in kampot we checked into a Guest House complete with cable tv, 2 beds, etc etc, and ate lunch before opting to go with the taxi driver to a nearby river complete with rapids. The afternoon was heaps of fun, with Paul being a rapid riding star accompanying local kids down time after time. I tried a few times, but forgot to swim to the edge after the first time, and ended up going flying down the river and having to swim all the way back! Afterwards we went to a local house and drank sugarcane beer (yuk...maybe nicer if chilled??) and ate meatballs as we waited for the sun to set behind a mountain. Its was a great setting, however storm clouds hovered and the sunset ended up being obscurred.
The next day we drove to kep, an old abandoned French seaside town, where we caught a long boat with the Spanish girls to Rabbit Island. Nice, different, and relaxing, but not the nicest island we've been to. Lots of rubbish on the beach, and not much sand! It was very quiet and few people, which was great. The afternoon trip back saw us racing the storm clouds, but luckily the rain held off. We saw so many fishing boats with little bits of material as sails, it was an amazing sight!
Sunday 7th May was a rest day before hitting Viet Nam. While brunching down by the river we met some nice English travellers who made us very enthusiastic about travelling to China, so yet something else to look forward to! thanks guys! :)
Let's take a look back a few weeks, to the end of our journeys in Cambodia.
Once leaving Seam Reap, crazy bus drivers prevailed.... I am sooo surprised we are still here to tell the tales, and now understand why night buses are 'not a cambodian thing'. I dont really fancy living through the nightmare again, so let me just elude to about 100 near miss head on collisions.... back in Phnom Penh, and a quick moto ride to another bus station - this time headed south to Shianoukville, a seaside town. The accommodation was directly opposite Ochieteaul(?) Beach, and a crazy strip of beach front 'bars', providing beach lounges, pool tables and food and beverages. Oh, and the 'happy' stuff that seemed to be in no short supply, and frequently offered to, and refused by, Paul. Shianoukville was a good chance to relax on the beach, and score a Vietnamese VISA in no more than 7 minutes....yes, so much for the 2-3 day express service. Just rock up there yourself and fill the application form, and away you go, VISA and passport in hand.
The day we left it was pouring, but fortunately we had hired a taxi and found two Spanish girls only minuted before departure to share with us... US$20 for the 4 of us to share to Kampot. (**Note: Kampot is where the world renowned Black Pepper is grown)
The journey was pretty good, although mostly along a dirt road being upgraded to a highway. once arriving in kampot we checked into a Guest House complete with cable tv, 2 beds, etc etc, and ate lunch before opting to go with the taxi driver to a nearby river complete with rapids. The afternoon was heaps of fun, with Paul being a rapid riding star accompanying local kids down time after time. I tried a few times, but forgot to swim to the edge after the first time, and ended up going flying down the river and having to swim all the way back! Afterwards we went to a local house and drank sugarcane beer (yuk...maybe nicer if chilled??) and ate meatballs as we waited for the sun to set behind a mountain. Its was a great setting, however storm clouds hovered and the sunset ended up being obscurred.
The next day we drove to kep, an old abandoned French seaside town, where we caught a long boat with the Spanish girls to Rabbit Island. Nice, different, and relaxing, but not the nicest island we've been to. Lots of rubbish on the beach, and not much sand! It was very quiet and few people, which was great. The afternoon trip back saw us racing the storm clouds, but luckily the rain held off. We saw so many fishing boats with little bits of material as sails, it was an amazing sight!
Sunday 7th May was a rest day before hitting Viet Nam. While brunching down by the river we met some nice English travellers who made us very enthusiastic about travelling to China, so yet something else to look forward to! thanks guys! :)
Monday, May 01, 2006
Sunday, April 30, 2006
Saturday, April 29, 2006
Blood or Money
Blood or Money - that was the plea.
Dr Beat (Beatocello) Richner, a Swiss born peadetrician who is the founder and current director of the 4 Kantha Bopha pediatric hospitals in Cambodia, urged the older audience to give money, the younger to give blood, and those in between...both.
Last night we attended the Beatocello concert, in the auditorium on the grounds of the Jayavarman VII Hospital in Siem Reap. Beatocello played works for cello by J.S Bach, along with his own music, as well as informing the audience of tourists about the activities of the hospitals.
Each year the activities include:
- 600,000 visits by sick children;
-55,000 hospital admissions for severely sick children;
-9,000 surgical operations
-100,000 vaccinations;
-5,500 births.
With operating costs of over US $17 million a year, Kantha Bopha relies primarily on private donations. The hospital receives basically no funding or SUPPORT from the government, WHO or UNICEF. The hospitals provide free health care, given 95% of the population in the north and 90% of the population in the south is too poor to contribute.
The average hospitalization time is 5.5 days, costing around $170 - not alot considering Richner reflected on the $340 per night accommodation that visiting professors, NGO officials, specialists and medicos prefer at the Sofitel Hotel next door!!
The most pressing issue he tries to convey is the attitude of International organisations such as WHO and UNICEF towards health care in developing nations. They believe that health care in countries such as Cambodia should be 'primary' health care, where facilities match the economic situation of the country. Richner told of the importance of proper medical facilites in the detection of disease, and treatment. He has done much work on the prevention of HIV vertical transmission from Mothers to babies, but needs adequate facilities to maintain his succesful treatment...also...blood donations for transfusions.
Dr Beat (Beatocello) Richner, a Swiss born peadetrician who is the founder and current director of the 4 Kantha Bopha pediatric hospitals in Cambodia, urged the older audience to give money, the younger to give blood, and those in between...both.
Last night we attended the Beatocello concert, in the auditorium on the grounds of the Jayavarman VII Hospital in Siem Reap. Beatocello played works for cello by J.S Bach, along with his own music, as well as informing the audience of tourists about the activities of the hospitals.
Each year the activities include:
- 600,000 visits by sick children;
-55,000 hospital admissions for severely sick children;
-9,000 surgical operations
-100,000 vaccinations;
-5,500 births.
With operating costs of over US $17 million a year, Kantha Bopha relies primarily on private donations. The hospital receives basically no funding or SUPPORT from the government, WHO or UNICEF. The hospitals provide free health care, given 95% of the population in the north and 90% of the population in the south is too poor to contribute.
The average hospitalization time is 5.5 days, costing around $170 - not alot considering Richner reflected on the $340 per night accommodation that visiting professors, NGO officials, specialists and medicos prefer at the Sofitel Hotel next door!!
The most pressing issue he tries to convey is the attitude of International organisations such as WHO and UNICEF towards health care in developing nations. They believe that health care in countries such as Cambodia should be 'primary' health care, where facilities match the economic situation of the country. Richner told of the importance of proper medical facilites in the detection of disease, and treatment. He has done much work on the prevention of HIV vertical transmission from Mothers to babies, but needs adequate facilities to maintain his succesful treatment...also...blood donations for transfusions.
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