Sunday, March 22, 2009

Rice and Uncle Ho (Chi Minh)

Vietnam is a nation of determined optimists who have weathered war upon war; survived colonialism, a closed society and communist rule; and come out alive and kicking as an intact culture—the latest Asian dragon to awake from its slumber.


We head to the island of Phu Quoc off the southwest coast—one of Vietnam’s star attractions, mountainous and forested, it is a tropical getaway set with beautiful white-sand beaches and quaint fishing villages. We motorbike the dirt roads circling the island and snorkel the beautiful coral reefs.





Daily life in the fishing villages of Phu Quoc Island.


Enter the Mekong Delta, a world of water, a carpet of dazzling greens in the rice basket of the country, a place for slow boating, markets floating and delicious fish. The largest city in the Mekong, Can Tho, is a buzzing town with a lively waterfront. The political, economic, cultural and transportation heart of the Mekong Delta, Can Tho hums with activity. We hire a boat to see the early morning action at Cai Rang, the biggest floating market in the area.


Our boatman pulls up to this lady to order up a delicious, traditional Vietnamese breakfast called Pho, a hot rice noodle soup with vegetables and meat or seafood.




Legend has it that the larger boats have ‘eyes’ so they can navigate their way through the maze of canals safely out to sea.


Practically all the local women (and some men) wear traditional conical hats called non la—very cool and comfortable to keep the blazing sun off our faces.



The Elephant Ear fish is a staple on most restaurant menus in the region. This poor chap looks as if he senses his destiny.



If every town had a symbol, Saigon’s (Ho Chi Minh City) would be surely be the motorbike. More than three million of them fly along streets once swarming with bicycles. Teeming markets, sidewalk cafes, massage parlours, acupuncture clinics, centuries-old pagodas and sleek skyscrapers all jockey for attention against the bustling backdrop. Yet the city hasn’t forgotten its past. The ghosts live on in the churches, temples, former GI hotels and government buildings that one generation ago witnessed a city in turmoil.


We tour one of the city’s landmarks, the Reunification Palace, built in 1966 to serve as South Vietnam’s Presidential Palace. It was through the gates of this building that the first communist tanks in Saigon crashed on the morning of April 30, 1975, the day Saigon surrendered.


Our friend Chris in New York puts us in touch with Colm, a friend of his who has been living in Vietnam for 20 years and he kindly walks us to sights like the beautiful post office, designed by Gustave Eiffel a la Eiffel Tower in Paris. Colm gives us fascinating, eye-opening information on the city and country and its workings over a few pints of ale at his favourite Irish pub. Many thanks Chris and Colm!



The War Remnants Museum is a heartbreaking reminder of the atrocities of war. The displays include military hardware such as tanks and fighter jets as well as tiger cages used to house Viet Cong prisoners, and photographs of those who suffered birth defects caused by the USA’s use of defoliants such as Agent Orange.


The tunnel network at Cu Chi was the stuff of legend during the 1960s for its role in facilitating Viet Cong control of a large rural area 30 km from Saigon. At its height, the tunnel system stretched from Saigon to the Cambodian border. In the district of Cu Chi alone, there were more than 200 km of tunnels, three levels deep. After ground operations targeting the tunnels claimed large numbers of US casualties and proved ineffective, the Americans turned their artillery and bombers on the area, transforming it into a moonscape.



Even with ear protection we are deafened when we try shooting an M-16 rifle like those used in the war. Neither of us gets close to the wooden bunny target. Tim decides his nine iron is a better piece of metal to wield and Sandi’s metal of choice remains her eyelash curler.




Tay Ninh town serves as the headquarters to one of Vietnam’s most interesting (weird) indigenous religions, Cao Dai. It contains elements of Buddhism, Confucianism, Taoism, native Vietnamese spiritualism, Christianity and Islam—as well as a dash of secular enlightenment thrown in for good measure. Victor Hugo is among the Westerners especially revered by the Cao Dai. Enough said.

We’re heading north now to the coastal beach town of Mui Ne and beyond. Yo! (That's Cheers! in Vietnamese.)

Sunday, March 1, 2009

Angkorin' for Divine Inspiration

The Temples of Angkor just outside the city of Siem Reap are the heart and soul of Cambodia and the perfect fusion of creative ambition and spiritual devotion. The Cambodian 'god-kings' of old each strove to better their ancestors in size, scale and symmetry, culminating in the world's largest religious building, Angkor Wat. The hundreds of temples surviving today are but the sacred skeleton of the vast political, religious and social centre of Cambodia's ancient Khmer empire (AD802-1432); a city that, at its zenith, boasted a population of one million when London was a scrawny town of 50,000.



Sandi picks her spot next to the gods at the south gate entrance of Angkor Thom. In front of each of the four entrance gates stands a long line of 54 gods to the left and 54 demons to the right.


We feel like we are being watched at the Bayon Temple where more that 200 carved stone faces, thought to be portraits of the Khmer King Jayavarman VII, gaze down from the lofty towers, giving us a distinct inferiority complex.




We gaze down at the crowds below but don't seem to have the same effect on the tourists as the carved faces.


Ta Prohm, made more famous by Lara Croft in the movie Tomb Raider, is being swallowed up by the jungle.


Tim and ‘Angelina’.





Angkor Wat is the largest and undoubtedly the most breathtaking of the monuments at Angkor, and is widely believed to be the largest religious structure in the world. It is simply unique, a stunning and enduring example of man's devotion to his gods.


Angkor Wat is famous for its beguiling apsaras (heavenly nymphs).


A beautiful, little girl sells flowers at the temples.


The Banteay Srei (Citadel of the Women) is considered by many to be the jewel in the crown of Angkorian art. A Hindu temple dedicated to Shiva, it is cut from stone of a pinkish hue and includes some of the finest stone carving seen anywhere on earth.



Close-up of the elaborate carvings that adorn the temples.


We enjoy a colourful cultural evening of Cambodian traditional dance.


From Siem Reap we board the Mekong Express boat for the six-hour journey to Phnom Penh and pass typical sights like this. Houses are all built on stilts to accommodate the rise and fall of the waters from the monsoon season.


The most exquisite flower we've seen.


In Phnom Penh we stroll the riverfront and tour the Royal Palace and Silver Pagoda and delve into the dark side of Cambodian history with a visit to the Tuol Sleng and Landmines Museum where we learn about the horrors of the Khmer Rouge revolution.


After fuelling up at this gas station we taxi south to the tiny seaside town of Kep, founded as a colonial retreat for the French elite in 1908. Sadly, the town once anticipated to be the new Cambodian riviera, has fallen into neglect but making a slow comeback.


At the head of Kep beach is a kitsch nude statue of a local fisherman's wife.


From Kep to the blissful beaches and tropical islands of Sihanoukville to soak up some sun.


Tim likes the two for one margaritas he sees on the menu.


Same same, happy happy.



We take a taxi to the Cambodia/Vietnam border at Ha Tien. As it's only been open to foreigners for less than a year the only means of transport is through the 15 km 'no-man's-land' zone to Vietnam by Cambodian guy on motorbike. We need to hire three bikes with drivers: one for Tim, one for Sandi and one for our backpacks.