Faces of SE Asia and Occupations

Hoi An, Danang, VIET NAM- My Son Sanctuary

Feb. 24

Randi and Beth went to the market this morning, while Forrest and Michael went to the War Museum. Louise, Dave, Mark and Linda went to see one more temple. We grabbed a bite to eat at the French restaurant and then were transported to the airport to fly to Danang. From Danang, our guide took us to Hoi Ann, a charming UNESCO World Heritage town and one of the Orient's major trading ports in the 16th and 17th centuries. It has a very charming, laid back atmosphere with a mixture of Colonial architecture, cobbled streets and merchants and shops. 

Hoi Ann is known for its silks, handicrafts, antiques and art. Louise had a blouse made from beautiful silk. I found a rice paper scroll of the Game of Thrones for Brad. 

Our guide led us to a really unique place to eat dinner. We had a menu of  rice cakes, spring wraps that wrapped around shrimp, pork, veggies. It was delicious.  We walked home to our wonderful hotel afterwards. Louise got measured for her blouse on our way home.

Feb. 25

We were greeted by our guide and four jeeps for our adventure to My Son Sanctuary. We drove through the countryside through rice fields and various neighborhoods, which was quite fascinating. We stopped at the Ba Ren market where they sold piglets. Most of the women were doing the heavy lifting and caring for piglets, while the men ended up loading the pigs in the trucks. Some pigs were in crates and loaded on a bicycle and ridden away.

 We arrived at My Son Sanctuary in time for a traditional Cham music and dance performance.

We then toured the My Son Sanctuary, A UNESCO World Heritage site which is a temple complex built by the Cham civilization between the 4th and 13th centuries AD. My Son was both the religious and political center of the Champa Kingdom. Its ruins include 25 temples whih stand in tact against the bomb craters created during the Viet Nam war. There are indications of over 70 red brick buildings that they are trying to recreate and rebuild. The Champa Kingdom corresponded with what was later South VietNam and at its peak, controlled the spice and silk routes between the Middle East, China, India and Indonesia. This civilizations' primary architectural style is named after the site. There is evidence of artistic designs throughout the temple ruins. 

After this we drove our jeeps to the docks to take a boat on the river. A traditional Vietnamese lunch was served. Despite letting our guide know that Forrest was allergic to shellfish, there was squid among veggies. Forrest served some and was about to eat it, when Louise noted that it looked like squid. Whew! We disembarked in Hoi Ann and were dropped off in town to look around before dinner.

Siem Reap and Angkor temples

Feb 21

We took the jetty over to the mainland and visited the Pre-Angkorian ruins of Wat Phou, one of the sites on the Mekong river and an UNESCO site since 2001. The site dates back to the 5th century. It is believed that the original temple was built by Khmer Hindus who eventually made Angkor Wat their capital. We climbed a huge hill to view the temple. Cows were wandering around the place and in and out of the temple. The local people were cleaning up after the festival and burning the trash, including plastics! 

We then went to the airport and flew to Siem Reap, where we were met by our local guide Daling Seng. His English was great and he was a source of invaluable information on Angkor Wat. He said he was one of the lucky ones born in 1979 and who survived Pol Pot's regime. His Dad was a French teacher, but he moved the family to Siem Reap for safety and then worked in the local fields to avoid being murdered by Pol Pot. He was killing all intellectuals. We went to Ta Prohm first after checking into our hotel.

Ta Prohm was built in the 12th to 13th century. It is unique because it was surrounded by strangler figs and silk cotton trees. In the original plan or Ta Prohm, 260 divinities were called. Many were added later. This site was preserved as it was found to highlight the immense work that the entire Angkor Wat site required. They did some preservation work to prevent further decay, but the building's appeal stems from the way in which the trees have overtaken it with their long extending root systems. 

This temple was originally built in 1186 as a Buddhist temple dedicated to the mother of the king, Jayvavarman VII.It actually has an inscription that provides this information. Almost 80,000 people were required to maintain and attend to this temple. There were 5000 artisans, 615 dancers, 2700 officials to name a few.

It is a temple of towers, closed corridors, and a maze of corridors in which one could get easily lost if touring by oneself. In one of the walls there was a drawing of what looks like a stegosaurus. How could that be??

This site is also the focus of the TombRaider movie.

Afterwards we went to a local lake where we were met by another local person who provided us with refreshments while we watched the sun set on the lake. It was really a great way to end the day.

Feb. 22

We got up early and departed at 5:00 am to see the sun rise over Angkor Wat, an earthly representation of Mt. Meru. We walked in from the east side in the dark and then awaited the sun rise. It was really magical.

Angkor Wat is the largest religious monument. Dated in the early 12th century it was an example of Khmer archictecture. Angkor Wat means "city which became a pagoda" really was like a city. It was built during the reign of Suryavarman II and served as the capital and the State Temple of the Khmer dedicated to Vishnu. The large temple contains a pyramid and concentric galleries. The pyramids were developed with a series of steps. The temple faces the West which leads to the idea that the temple was built to worship Vishnu. Most temples faced East so this was a break in tradition. There is a moat surrounding Angkor Wat. When you enter from the west you cross the moat and see evidence of the towers that were a central part of the temple. We climbed to the third level in one of the remaining towers. There are many amazing bas-reliefs carved into the limestone walls. The reliefs tell the stories from the sources of Ramayana and Mahahbarata, Hindu sources. After touring this amazing structure we had breakfast across the street.

Angkor Wat was never abandoned as was Ta Prohm. People lived in and around Angkor Wat and during the Civil War in Cambodia nearly 200 families lived here.

After eating we got on bikes to ride to the next temple. We rode on dirt roads through a remote village and and through the woods and on top of the moat around the  Angkor Thom temple overlooking the river. Angkor Thom was one of the largest cities ever built. I was built byJayavarman II and probably remained the capital unti the 17th century. Angkor Wat is surrounds by a wall and moats and there are four entrances to this area.

 At the center of Angkor Thom is Bayon, a very complex temple. It passed through Hindu and Buddhist phases. The city of Angkor Thom was very well fortified so they just kept remodeling Bayon rather than build another temple. Temple Bayon has a number of bas-reliefs telling the story of its people. There is a linga in this temple which no one knows the date.

That evening people went out to eat nearby and I stayed in having been revisited by Montezuma after a glass of wine the night before. Immodium was our friend  for sure!!!

Feb 23

After breakfast we left by van to the Cambodian village of Krabei Real where we met a man at the local market who was going to host our lunch that day. We bought fresh vegetables and meat there and he went home to prepare the meal.  We saw a woman making a papaya salad to sell, which was the first time we saw someone sell already prepped food. We also saw a woman making sugar cane juice by feeding sugar cane into a machine. 

We then travelled by ox cart, which was the original form of transportation, and rode 30 minutes to see a temple, meet a Cambodian woman who survived Pol Pot, and then another 30 minutes by cart to reach the family's home where we enjoyed a delicious meal. On the dirt road, we passed rice fields, houses, children in trees,  schools and pagodas. In the pagodas the monks live there and provide for themselves, whereas in the temples, the monk's beg for food (alms) and leave the temple to do so. 

We visited a unique temple where the stories from the religious principles in Buddhism were painted on the walls. We saw some women painting these and taking care of the temple, which was rare.

After riding in the oxcart again, we finally arrived at the family's home. They had been chosen by Selective Asia and return for sharing their home, they received some helpf from SA. We entered their house by taking off our shoes and then sitting down in the one big area of the house. Outside the main room was the kitchen and outhouse with a porcelain toilet. Upstairs were two sleeping  rooms.

For lunch was had soup, tea, lots of veggies and pork and chicken and fruit and rice. We loved their tea and they made several pots of tea for us. It was ginger tea with honey.

We learned that the life expectancy of a Cambodian was 57 for males and 62 for women. Their daughter, Soviet, who was 15 went to school and played soccer. Her English was very good. 

We took a van home from the family's home and stopped at the Angkor Artisans to see how people with disabilities were trained to create various arts.  We observed silvermaking, stonework, jewelry, lacquerware, weaving, and porcelain and clay works. Very beautiful!! 

That evening we ate at a French restaurant next to our hotel since we were being picked up early to go the Phare Circus. The Phare Circus comprised of Street kids, ppoor kids who needed to learn a skills, be fed and clothed and given an education. They then performed for audiences regularly. The circus was a storytelling event about Rice. Rice was used as a metaphor on life. The people performed acrobatics, dance, storytelling, juggling and gymnastics. Absolutely entertaining!!

Done Daeng, Champasek, Wat Phou temple, Pakse

Feb 19

We  flew from Luang Prabang to Pakse in southern Laos. Pakse is a dirty town with nothing worthy of reporting. We were met by our guide, Serm, who did not speak English the best. We stopped at a restaurant on our way to our hotel in Pakse.  Then we travelled through Champasek, which is listed as a World Heritage town. We stopped at a potter's workshop and met the original artist and apprentice. We also visited a unique Sisumang Buddha with a charming face located on the remains of a Pre-Angkorian site. Louise got blessed by a monk at the temple Vat Kuang Kang. We took a boat on the Mekong over to the island of Dong Deung, which is the opening of the region called the 4000 islands. Our hotel had a beautiful lodge and several bungalows facing the water with a porch. They were side by side in two's.

That evening we crossed back over on the jetty for the  Wat Phou Festival in Champasek. It was a Hindu-Buddhist celebration and is held every year during the third lunar month because Buddha is said to have delivered certain of his teachings at this time. On this day long ago in India, 1250 of Buddha's followers came to see him on their own and were said to be enlightened ones whom Buddha ordained as teachers. He gave them the main, core teachings of Buddhism which included cease from evil, do good, and cleanse your mind. There were many tables of food, prayer lanterns, and bands playing. There were so many people and they were crawling all over the ancient Pre-Angkorian remains.  We had wanted to see the Candle parade, but our guide misled us and we missed it. We made a loop through the grounds and then headed back to our boat to return back to our hotel.

Feb 20

Forrest went for a walk around the island and then a swim, while Beth slept having gotten some Montezuma's revenge. We all laid around the pool looking at the river and enjoying the calm and peace. We all needed a rest day.

Nong Khiaw, Muang Ngoi, hike, Weaving Villages,Nam our River, Pak Ou Caves

Feb 17

After breakfast we walked across the bridge to the  Nong Khiaw’s jetty for a cruise upstream on the Nam Ou River. This particular stretch of river had stunning scenery including sightings of water buffalo bathing in the water. We landed in Muang Ngoi, a fishing village, where we met our local guide, Ping. 

Ping led us on a trek through the jungle initially on a dirt road. We passed a school and then a temple and then some new construction. We stopped for a scenery break and bathroom break and got to watch local picnickers make a traditional papaya salad which included peppers and chiles. Then Ping took us into the cave where villagers hid during the Vietnam Nam war. He showed us where his family had lived for 5 years on a rock above a stream in the cave. He lived there from age 11-16. He was not allowed to fight because he was the youngest and only son, but later as a young man he joined the Vietnam Cong and fought against the Americans. He said he has no ill feelings- the past is the past. Ping was married and had 5 kids.

We then took a short cut through the rice fields and saw a young woman digging up some herbs. We ventured on through farms and cows and saw a crater left by a bomb in the middle of the field. This was all part of the secret war of Laos where they were bombing the supply chains on the Ho Chi Minh Trail and literally dropped a bomb every 8 minutes -  B52 bombers came by every 8 minutes for 9 years!

We had lunch at a small village. The meal was great- soup and lots of fresh vegetables and rice and bananas. After lunch we walked into the village and I saw a woman finishing a scarf on her loom. Our guide cut the silk strands and I bought it from her right then and there!

We returned to town via the fields and just before reaching the jetty landing stopped at a villagers house to buy Lao Lao or Lao whiskey. We all got to taste it and it was quite good.  We had been talking about finding somewhere to buy it, and Ping said he knew a guy who made it. The whiskey was in an old wine bottle with a top that didn't screw on tightly, so he went inside to find another top. Forrest paid a whopping $2.50 for a huge bottle of Lao whiskey!!

Some returned to the hotel, but I continued with others to a remote weaving village, including Ban Sop Khing and Ban Sob Jaem, minority tribe villages that can only be accessed by boat. Here I bought 6 scarves! All made by the women in town with silk and cotton!

We returned on the water and caught a beautiful sunset, hurried to get some snacks and ran to our rooms before the downpour! Second night in a row of a drenching rain that periodically shut down the power. Despite the power going out intermittently, the hotel was prepared. We had happy hour on Randi and Michaels balcony and then went to dinner.

Feb. 18
We departed early by bus to meet our kayak specialists in the village of Ban Hate. We kayaked down the Nam Ou river through beautiful scenery. We had lunch on the beach right before the Nam Ou joins the Mekong river at Pha An, where we overlooked the huge limestone walls lining the rivers. We talked French with two Frenchmen who had ridden their bikes from France to Laos over a year's time, and now were kayaking for two weeks before returning to France. They were teaching some Lao boys to kayak, since their teacher hadn't shown up for school so they had an afternoon free.

Then we crossed the river to visit the sacred Pak Ou Caves, which housed literally 4000 Buddha statues, hidden from the looting Chinese Haw in past history. After climbing in the caves to look at the caves, we crossed the river vigorously to reach the island on the other side, where we found the van to return back to Nong Khiaw.

Once back in Luang Prabang, I roamed the town and found some vintage indigo while Forrest enjoyed a beer on our balcony overlooking the town.  Six of us had dinner on the river and it cost us $30 for six of us with drinks!! It was a great relaxing day.

Chiang Mai

Feb. 11

Early morning transfer to the airport in time for our flight to Chiang Mai. 

We continued higher into the hills traveling by songtaew, a local truck. We drove along rough dirt roads to the Chang Khien Coffee Research Project to enjoy a fresh cup of locally-grown Arabica coffee and hear about the North’s flourishing coffee industrIes. Then we went to see Hmong in the Hilltribe fields. 

Chiang Mai – the ‘Rose of the North’ – with its laid-back northern influences and pleasant climate can feel a world away from the high rise towers and congested streets of Bangkok. The city has a surprisingly pleasant ambiance, a fine selection of restaurants (many consider Thailand’s northern cuisine to be the best in the country) and a high number of temples & sites of cultural significance. There is a popular night market in the city centre.

We then visited  Wat Phra That Doi Suthep, which is the highest temple I'm Chiang Mai. Situated on a mountain rising high above the city, this sacred pagoda offers fabulous views of Chiang Mai and its surroundings. We walked up 300 steps to see the exquisite gilded stupa and learn about Thai Buddhist beliefs. 

We had dinner at a neighborhood place, Rom Po.

Feb. 12
We biked around the temple ruins out in the country which was so pleasant! Following a massive flood, the city of Wang Kim Kam vanished for over 200 years. They were beautifully situated amidst farmland and houses. Forrest rode I'm the van for fear of falling off his bike, which Michael did do with minor but hurtful injuries to his knee and chest.

Following the bike ride, we took a red song threw to a riverside restaurant where we ate a very typical meal of Koi An- soup with crunchy noodles, ginger, pickles, chili and lime. Fresh pineapple and watermelon for dessert! We then floated on a boat back to the city, where we literally had to climb out of the boat to get to shore.

We walked to the local market where we bought curry and Thai tea. All of the group except me went to the hotel. I road a rickshaw and went to the Women's Prison massage place and then got a Thai massage at the temple! It was fabulous!! Rama lll mandated massage when it was threatened out of extinction.

In the evening we went to the night market where we ate squid ( delicious), Khanum Krock- coconut pudding, dumplings, skewers soft chicken and pork and coconut balls.

Feb 13
We went to market to get food for lunch. We had to wait about 20 minutes to get out of the parking lot due to a person blocking everyone in. We hiked in the jungle through hill rice pads and had lunch at a Karen community. We passed through the villages of Lahu, Lisa,  Akbar and Palong people. We played games with the leaves, received a bamboo cup our guide made for us on the hike. We tried buffalo skin toasts, rice balls, pork rind, chicken.

On the way back we observed a school getting out for the day. They were in Lines and there were definitely leaders who kept the younger ones in line. Then they recited the Thai National anthem and Buddhist teachings. When they were released by lines, they went across the street where they bought a snack. Then many of them hopped on the back of a truck to drive to their village and some walked home. It was a special time!!!

Feb 14
We took a walk to a local park where the flowers were in full bloom. People were practicing yoga and some were engaged in other forms of exercise. It was beautiful amidst the hustle of the city!