Good morning and good bye Vietnam!

Mekong Delta

Floating Markets

Floating down the Mekong

I crossed the border into Vietnam through Ha Tien which was not the best introduction to the country... The Cambodian-Vietnamese border had just opened here not too long ago and everybody in town was looking at me as if I had landed from outer space.... I'm not sure if people thought that I was a Vietnamese prostitute traveling with a white man (Which is not a rare thing in these parts... but it is usually a big ole white guy with a super young little Asian girl (unfortunately the sex tourism thing isn't limited to just Bangkok)) Anyways, I received cold shoulders and a disdainful looks from many people traveling through the Mekong Delta. However, I enjoyed the floating markets and the floating villages and managed to have a lovely time. It was incredible going to the Floating Market in the morning where the local farmers sell and trade their goods. The cacophony of the vendors trying to sell off their pineapples, rice, dried fish (anything you can imagine) mixed with the fumes from the boat motors is an experience I will never forget.

Saigon-Hanoi

Uncle Ho posthumously keeping Vietnamese people in shape

After the Mekong Delta, I ended up in Saigon for a few days. My main goal in Saigon was to fetch my ATM card from an HSBC bank branch there (My card was stolen in Koh Tao in Thailand and I was sans ATM card for two weeks....I won't get into the details here....) the bank was nice enough to send a new card to Saigon. The city was hot, humid and I had to stay through the weekend until Monday when the bank was open... I have to say, I was lucky to get out of the city alive! Being a pedestrian in Saigon is a crap shoot. You have to take a chance crossing the street at every intersection and after three days of battling the heat and the traffic I was ready to leave.

I flew out of Saigon into Hanoi and I spent two days there. One of the days I went to Hualong bay. The limestone formations there were breathtaking and the sea food was excellent! In the city of Hanoi my favorite part was the "Beer Hoi Ha Noi." Beer Hoi-s are places where you squat and sit on a child size plastic stool and you can get a glass of the local micro brew. The beer smelled a bit soapy and tasted really hoppy and watery (if you can even imagine that) but at the price of 4000 dongs (Less than 25 cents a glass) who can complain? I figured out that if you held your breath right before putting the glass to your lips it was not so bad.

Sapa

The rice paddies in Sapa dominate the landscape

Black Hmong ladies

The apple cheeked sweetie pie at the Homestay

I took a night train from Hanoi to Sapa and immediately started a trekking trip the morning of my arrival. The Trekking trip included three days of trekking and two nights at a homestay. I was expecting to have the same sort of rustic trekking and homestaying experience I had in Mae Hong Son. However, I was disappointed to find that Sapa had been tainted by the insane amount of tourism that had turned the Black Hmong, the Tay and the Red Zhao tribes people into really pushy sales people.... While trekking, the hill tribe women and girls follow you the entire way until you buy something from them. During the trek, you pass the impoverished villages where these people come from and you can understand their desperation.... The landscape was amazing! But... the fact that the only interaction you have with the hill tribe people is though commerce... that was very sad and disappointing... I did have an amazing homestay experience on the first night where I ate dinner with the family and drank some home made rice wine (it tasted like a love child between Sochou and Moonshine) .

After my time in Sapa it was time for me to head to Laos. I decided to cross the border at Dien Bien Fu which was the last hold out of the French army against the Vietnamese. This is where the French was defeated and so was I......

I had a horrendous bus ride... I attached a video clip I took whilst hanging onto my dear life riding on this bus (Below). Just to give you an idea, there were 25 people crammed into a 12 seater bus. The aisle and the floor of the bus was loaded with rice, stinky produce and motorcycle parts. The woman behind me was puking for about 2 hours out of this 10 hour bus ride and her little baby boy was bottomless... not sure if he went to the bath room in situ... the bus almost capsized crossing a river, the man two seats next to me had a massive head wound and he was bleeding everywhere... There was a Viet Cong vet that had a tattoo with the date 03/09/1966 inscribed in his arm and he was staring at me and deliberately touching my legs the entire journey. I kept on telling him not to touch me... it was terrible. To Top it off, I was wearing my shirt over my face to block out all the dust coming in from outside and it was about a hundred degrees inside the bus... Enjoy!

Okay.... The connection here at thisplace is really bad I will post the video separately very soon! You will not diappointed!

Phnom Phen - Shianoukville

Phnom Phen

Ratan shelving defying laws of gravity on the streets of Phnom Phen

(I guess the shelving works like a truss...ok had to get my nerd in)

Phnom Phen... I really enjoyed the city but visiting the sights of Khmer Rouge's atrocities....that was very hard to stomach.

I visited the School where the Khmer Rouge tourtured and killed many victims from 1975 - 1978. I didn't take any pictures while I visited this place because I will never forget what I saw there. The School called S-21 was converted from a high school to a tourturing factory after Pol Pot's regime took over Cambodia.

The Khmer Rouge kept a meticulous photographic record of all the victims that went through this facility before they were sent to the killing fields. The regime prefererred to bludgeon victims to death in lieu of using bullets so that they can save ammunition. The shattered skulls displayed at the school were too overwhelming for me and I had to step outside to cry. There were over 20,000 people that went through this school and they were all methodically executed at the killing fields. Only 7 people survived. The survivors where all people that had skills that were useful to the operation of the facility. One was the photographer who took all the pictures of the victims and another was a painter that painted the unfathomable brutality that took place day to day at the School and in the Killing Fields. One painting that I saw that haunts me was a painting of babies being ripped from their mothers arms and being smashed against a tree by their legs. The Khmer Rouge believe that by killing the babies they were "Killing the seeds of a future enemies" When I went to Cheong Ek (the killing field that is the closest to Phnom Phen) I saw this particular tree... At Cheong Ek there were many mass graves that were excavated and the remains that were dug out are enshrined now in a temple like structure where you can see all the bone fragments and skulls that have been found so far.

These two sites represents many that were scattered all over Cambodia. The Khmer Rouge ended up killing a quarter of the population of their own country... all in an effort to turn every person into a "simple farmer"

The driver of our Tuk Tuk (a carriage pulled by a motorcycle) told me that he never had a chance to meet his grandparents because they were killed by the regime....

Shianoukville

Happy Feet!

Moto carrying every kind of plastic container imaginable to man crossing the Cambodia - Vietnam border.

On a lighter note, after Phnom Phen we went to Shianoukville. It was heaven on earth! Nice people, cheap bungalows (perched high right on the water front! 20 bucks a night!), great company and great seafood! We did ended up going to a strange bar/restaurant that seemed like an establishment where the Russian mob launders money... I ended up being caught in a conversation with a drunk American guy from Pennsylvania who pretty much went to Shianoukville to destroy himself. He kept on calling all the speedo wearing Russian mob guys "Sexy". I hope he is still alive....

The last photo is where I crossed the Cambodia - Vietnam border into the Mekong Delta. I'll post about it when I get a chance!

I am in Saigon now about to flyto Hanoi.

xoxo - m

Angkor Wat - Siem Reap

My new French traveling friends and me in front of Tha Prohm

The faces at Bayone

Angkor Wat

Too many Wats to remember which Wat this was...What Wat?

Bantey Srei at sunset

I finally made it to Cambodia after quite a few days diving and bumming around the beach in the Gulf of Thailand. Of course no one wants to hear about the beautiful beaches etc when it is crapping from the sky in NYC so I will spare you the details....

My border crossing into Cambodia was quite an experience where I was asked to pay a "special stamping and border crossing tax fee" I negotiated my fee down quite a bit but still had to pay ten extra dollars.... I got ripped off but not too badly. This exchange pretty much sums up how things work in Cambodia. Nothing has a set price. On a side note, the agents offered me beer and fried beef (that was delicious) while I waited for my cab. Strange sharing a beer and toasting with people that just ripped you off...

So, after traveling by ferry, night train, bus and cab, I arrived in Siem Reap to fulfill one of my childhood dreams. The dream of exploring Angkor Wat. Of course in my childhood fantasy, I'm wearing a safari hat with a machete strapped to my waist whilst riding on an elephant. Unfortunately this did not end up being the case... What remains true to my fantasy are the majestical temples and the heartbreakingly beautiful carvings out of pink sandstone that are stunning and bewildering. (The photos that I have posted really do not capture this well enough... the glaring sunlight and the fact that all I have with me is a cheapie point and shoot... I made do... on another note, per some of your requests I posted more pictures with me in it)

As for the rest of the fantasy.... in lieu of the elephant I opted for the more practical bicycle. I do have to mention that riding a bicycle in Cambodia is a harrowing and frightening experience. First of all, the population of Siem Reap is over 90,000 and there are only two traffic lights....... Supposedly, people drive on the right side of the street.... So far I haven't seen anyone following this basic rule of traffic. My entire body is flooded with adrenaline every second while I am riding and I have to vigorously turn my neck to look around so that I can stay alive! Yesterday, I got caught in rush hour traffic and my mind switched over to a trance like state where I became one with the traffic (not really in a Zen like way... it was more like my mind sheltering me from the stress and trauma....) I was dodging upside down pigs strapped to the back of a moto, motorized food carts, people running out into traffic, a five person family riding on a single moto etc. I maneuvered with such fluidity that I believe it was divine intervention of a traffic deity that got me home in tact.

Some folks have been asking me about what the food is like here. The Khmer food here is deeelish! Yum! The food is not very spicy in comparison with Thailand. The sauces are more black pepper based and is a bit thicker almost like a gravy consistency. They have a special black pepper that is called the Kampot pepper that is a bit more sour in taste than the ones we get back in the states. The most famous dish in these parts is called the Fish Amok which is fish with onion, coconut cream, slivers of red pepper and some other spices (not sure which ones exactly...) wrapped in a banana leaf and steamed. Very tasty! I have to say that my favorite is a very simple dish called Beef Lok Lak which is beef (cubed fillet) with a thickened garlicky black pepper sauce. It is served on a bed of green tomatoes and sliced onions and it comes with a spicy lemony sauce that is to die for!

Now I am now off to Phnom Phen!

By the way, thank you for all your comments and your words of encouragement! It means a lot when traveling alone :)

XO-M

Koh Phangan

Ok anything goes in Koh Phangan and that may not be a good thing (ie speedo man at the fruit stand pictured above...). I got here three days ago after three plane rides and a night ferry. The night ferry was hot, sweaty, disgusting and packed. We were all sleeping on the floor shoulder to shoulder and when I checked the list of names I was the oldest person on the ferry! Most of the passengers on the boat were young brits on their holiday coming here for the debauchy Full Moon party. I became fast friends with a Swiss girl on the ferry and we have been exploring this island together. I am staying in the Northwestern part of the island that is sandy quiet and relaxed. Haad Rin where the Full Moon party occurs every full moon is like MTV spring break euro style. I attended this said party out of morbid curiosity... I've never seen so many intoxicated people crammed together passing out on top of each other... They formed a row of passed out people along a wall so that they can be claimed by friends at the end of the night. It was unbelievable!

xo-m

Mae Hong Son

Hi! I'm in Koh Phangan right now but this posting is about Mae Hong Son where I went trekking through the Southern tip of the Himalayas for three days and two nights. I stayed with the Karens who are displaced people originally from Burma. Most of the Karens live in the Northern part of Thailand now after they fled Burma in 1988 which is now communist Myanmar.

I was guided through the Jungle by a Karen Tribesman named Soua (who is pictured holding a Monkey's head above). I was a little nervous about Trekking through the woods alone with a man I didn't know for three days... but when he showed up at the trail head wearing a giant smile and a pair of flip flops I felt at ease. Not to mention he only came up to my shoulders! His English was not very good (and neither was my Karen) so we communicated by pointing and gesticulating. There were many things that he would pick off a tree to have me try. Mostly, they were really sour fruits that looked like mini mangoes. The strangest thing I tried was insect related though....It came out of these white spiders who looked like Jasmin flowers. They secrete white chalk like substance on tree leaves and it is surprisingly sweet! I felt a bit like Bear Grylls.

The very first image is a picture of the father of the Karen family I stayed with on the second night. He was off to go hunting when I took this photo of him. You can see the long rifle strapped to his back. Behind him is the amazing view of the Himalayas that I enjoyed for three days. The hut pictured right behind him is where I stayed. The hut was a built up platform where the floor of the structure was about 7 feet off the ground. During the day, the Water Buffaloes, Boars, and Chickens would run around below the hut and it was quite noisy with the moo-ing, snorting and squak-ing! In the evening they would retire to the field and their coups. The hut was right next to the chicken coup and they don't wait until sunrise to start the cockadoodledooing.... Thanks to the chickens, I was able to view the most amazing night sky in my entire life! There were so many stars that even the voids between bright stars had fainter stars shining through. I was so moved and inspired I was happy to know that I'm not as jaded as I think I am!

xo-m

Chang Mai

My trip to Chang Mai started off with a tragic bus ride... The bus I was riding ran over and killed a motorcyclist. It was terrible. Needless to say, I was a bit shell shocked when I reached the city of Chang Mai.

However, this gentle city put me at ease and I am completely smitten. The temples and the monks in orange really dominate the city scape and it is so lovely here.
Yesterday I took a Thai cooking class and went out into the country side to an organic farm where the school hosts the classes. Now I can finally make Curry and Tom Yum Soup as spicy as I want! Watch out guys!

My sunburn has finally settled into a nice tan and now everyone thinks that I am Thai. Its kind of funny. Before my tan everyone thought I was Chinese and now after my tan everyone thinks I am Thai (including Thai people!). So this goes to answer the age old question. Yes, even Asians can't tell Asians apart!

Tomorrow I am off to Mae Hong Son which is a remote area near Myanmar. I am going backpacking in the mountains for a few days so I will be out of touch for a bit. I will take lots of pics.

xo-m

Sukhothai

I got a bit caught up and am getting a late start to posting updates. I am on day 5 of my trip through Thailand. My hide is burnt to a crisp and I am putting enuogh chili pepper on my food that even that locals look on with fear. This is my thrid day in Sukothai. The ruins here are so spectacular it was really worth the long train and bus ride to get here. I made a good girl friend on the way in Ayuttaya a very lovely Dutch lawyer we're off to Chang Mai in a bit. There was a random Japanese guy who was "backpacking" with a breif case who was following us around for a bit but he seems to have vanished to his next destination. Really odd fellow with fancy ladies sunglasses, tight dark denim jeans and woman's camping hat.