After our Road Scholar trip ended, Mike and I started Part Three of our Asian Adventure, this time just the two of us, traveling through Central Vietnam with a guide and driver, arranged by Ann Tours.
We flew from Hanoi to DaNang, where our guide Ahn met us. Although the buses were comfortable, and air conditioned, it still felt rather luxurious to have a Mercedes all to ourselves.
What remains of the former US airbase at DaNangModern DaNang, with its new bright yellow serpent bridges.
The Cham Museum contains sculptures from My Son, a religious sanctuary dating back to the 4th century. When an area was conquered, the invaders cut off the heads and hands of the religious statues to decrease their power.
Lakshmi’s hands were originally holding a lotus blossom
But more interesting to me was this frieze, showing the art of massage dated back more than 1600 years in Central Vietnam.
I can’t let all those years of expertise go to waste. There will be a massage in my future!
We made a quick stop at DaNang’s beach, better known by the American soldiers as China Beach because of all the porcelain found buried in the sand. Here’s one of the few “G” rated photos from that stop.
“China” Beach
Last stop before HoiAn was in the Marble Mountains. We climbed well over 100 steps that were carved into the mountain, all with different sized steps (steep, steeper, steepest).
The lady in blue decided I would make a dandy handrail, so she grabbed onto me as she climbed downAt the top of the first “staircase”, smiling Buddha (happiness), with a fat belly (prosperity) and long ears (longevity)was waiting to welcome us.
As we climbed higher, the view got better.
But the most awe inspiring experience was when we entered the huge cave.
Sunlight from holes in the roof of the cave gave the interior a very spiritual feel
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Our hotel was fantastic–my very favorite of the entire trip. Welcome drink and fruit at the HaAn Hotel
Yes, those are rose petals on the bed
Check out the shower. You can see the plants hanging on the back wall if you look in the mirror. And yes, there were flowers scattered at the bases of the shower and the toilet. Stones in the shower. You stand on that white platform under the shower head.
Our tour company booked us here for three nights. Great choice!
Mike and I are now traveling on our own, after our whirlwind tour with Road Scholar, through Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam. And what a tour it was!
My blog couldn’t keep pace with our activities and even now, this summary will only provide a taste of those incredible 20 days.
Here are a few of the many reasons I love Road Scholar.
SOCIALLY RESPONSIBLE
Road Scholar made contributions on our behalf to the two village schools and hospital we visited.
One nurse per 500 children at the outpatient clinic of this free hospitalLook who else visited the hospital–but not while we were there.
While traveling in Cambodia a few years ago, the Spitlers asked their guide to suggest a worthwhile project. The end result was this village school.
Sarin, Cambodian tour guide, and head of the Spitler School
Prior to the Spitler School, children in this village had no opportunity for education.
Yes, we were captivated.
JAW DROPPING EXPERIENCES
Mike, taking in the majesty of Angkor WatThe demons guarding the bridge to Angkor ThomOne of the many faces of King Jayavarman 7Good guys on the left, demons on the right, churning the sea of milk with Jayavarman 7 gazing down on it all
And of course, the many Buddha images in Laos and Thailand were unforgettable and impressive.
WONDERFUL LECTURES
Tony Zola, another former Peace Corp volunteer who settled in Asia, was a fascinating lecturer. He spoke to us in Thailand and Laos.Tara (an American)and a local Lao woman created the Museum of Art and Ethnology.We had an amazing lunch at Fabian’s stilt home in a Laotian village, followed by a lecture.
GREAT COMPANIONS
Fantastic experiences are even better when shared with like minded companions.
The jungle templeShowing off our Baci Ceremony strings
CULTURAL IMMERSION
Elephant CampHanoi Water Puppet ShowLanna danceAncient musical instruments. That IS an elephant carved on the end of that bowOne of the marriage stories in the museum of Art and EthnologyFrom night markets…To rice paddies, we saw it all
BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE
INCREDIBLE FOOD
Judging from their rounded bellies, I think these apsaras just finished a Road Scholar trip!
I’ll give your eyeballs a rest, and stop with the photos.
You’ll just have to take my word for it, this trip was AMAZING!
For this post, the pictures will (mainly) speak for themselves.
HaLong Bay is about 4 hours by bus north of Hanoi.
I think the ballot box may have been stuffed for some of these choices, but Halong Bay definitely deserves to be on the list.The surrounding area is starting to get built up, with lots of hotels across from the beach.We, however, spent the night on the Emeraude.Take a good look. Can you find the shower? What about the “closet”?Great views from the top deck (and the middle and the lower decks)but the top deck has the bar!
I didn’t expect penguins in Vietnam Or monkeys…My sister Sue always wanted a pet monkey. I tried to convince this one to come home with me. Check out her facial expression for her answer.
We took a tender to the Surprise Cave. The third cave was enormous!
We climbed over 100 steps (I lost count) to an opening that gave us this wonderful vantage point.
I couldn’t resist posting two shots–one framed,one not. You get to choose which you prefer.
These ladies were waiting for us to return to the ship so they could sell us some of their handmade goods. How lucky were we, to see night fall on Halong Bay And with an almost full moon. My photos don’t do it justice.Sunrise on the bayEast coast girl, hanging out, enjoying the view.We cruised for a while, enjoying the effect the changing light had on the seascape (bayscape?)Time to return to Hanoi for our farewell dinner and the end of this phase of our Asian Adventure.
The elephant ride in Thailand was tame, compared to our cyclo excursion through Hanoi’s old quarter. Imagine 22 of us oldies but goodies being pedaled through narrow crowded, crooked streets. Actually, you don’t have to imagine, because through the magic of digital photography, we captured this thrilling adventure for you.
One of my Pennsylvania buddies was right in front of me, so I was able to get a couple of shots of her, and she returned the favor.
Linda, relaxed and happy at the start of the ride.
Linda, after riding for a few minutes…check out the expression…P
I wasn’t looking behind me, so didn’t see how close the car and motorbike were to my fearless driver.
Photo by Linda. Please note. I am wearing the scarf I dyed, and the skirt I purchased at the night market in Laos
Mike was following close behind.
And mom always thinks he’s got more sense than me!
It actually was a great way to see the city. I could check out the shops for later purchases. Hmmm, which sister or cousin will be getting something from the “Toxic Shop”? Or would a propaganda poster make a better “prize”?
One more shot to make sure you got the full effect of Hanoi streets, then we will move on to other highlights.
You can’t visit Hanoi without paying your respects to Ho Chi Minh.
Ho Chi Mihn’s embalmed body lies in this mausoleum.
This French colonial governor’s mansion was very briefly Ho Chi Minh’s home until he was able to settle into something more to his taste.
This house on stilts was where Ho Chi Minh preferred to live.
Ho Chi Mihn’s bedroom. Personally, I prefer a sleep number bed.
On to the Temple of Literature, which was beautifully decorated for New Year. Like many Americans, they are not in a big rush to take down their decorations, giving the Temple an even more festive look.
The Vietnamese do amazing things with flowers and plants
Turtles are VERY important to the Vietnamese. Unfortunately, I was in the “happy” room when our guide was explaining the significance of these turtle sculptures, so I missed that part, but I know it had to do with education. Google it, if you want specifics–or you can just enjoy the photos.
We have an early morning tomorrow, so that’s all for today. Hugs to all and a big hello to all Sue’s co-workers. Glad you are following along!
We spent our last morning in Cambodia cruising to the Tonle Sap Lake. During the dry season, the tributaries leading to the lake drop to a depth between 3 and 5 feet, but during the rainy season, the area floods, with the water level rising to between 24 and 30 feet, which explains why the houses are on stilts.
The children were all very cute and friendly, waving from the banks.
These tykes were too close to the river for MY comfort level.
It was slow going, getting to the lake, because we were quite a bit larger than the average Cambodian (an understatement), weighing the boat down in the already shallow passageway. That gave us plenty of time to take in the sights. A fish farm The bathroom
As usual, our excellent guide took good care of us, bringing along more snacks than we could eat. I’ve developed a very strong attachment to mangosteens, which are rightfully known as “the queen of fruits”.
Tonle Sap Lake was quite beautiful. I particularly liked the floating restaurants.
On the way back, Man tossed fruit and snacks to the kids. This little boy was delighted with his catch.
Time to move — to another country and another climate. North Vietnam is quite a bit cooler than the other three countries we visited, as you might guess from our wardrobe. “Well, east coast girls are hip, I really dig those styles they wear”. — the Beach Boys
And now a preview of coming attractions…tune in again for the Hanoi version of “Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride”.
Jean requested that I post more photos of Mike and me. Mike’s photo card isn’t compatible with my iPad, I can’t get at his photos till I am home. Some other travelers were kind enough to get a few shots of us together. So Jean, these are for you.
After dinner…full bellies and big smiles or is “big smiles and even bigger bellies” a bit more accurate?
At Banteay Srei, the Temple of the Women
Mike, looking thoughtful. My Valentine…
Time for group shots:
Our wonderful guide made sure we had front row seats for the Angkor Wat sunrise
I DID promise random shots, so here goes. This is the walkway leading to the “laundry” less than a block from the Tara Angkor Hotel. For $12 we got two weeks worth of dirty clothes washed and folded. You might wonder where, because all that is visible are soda cans and umbrellas, which explains why I walked by the place twice. The laundry, you see,is also a cafe. These Cambodians are hard working AND ingenious.
The “bridge” didn’t look all that sturdy, but fortunately, the stream wasn’t very deep.
Lest you think the hotel is equally rustic, let me show you the elegance of this gorgeous hotel. Seven of us ladies, and Mike, sipped our gin and tonics in this locale.
The pool had a Goldilocks temperature…not too hot, not too cold–just right. So refreshing!
Now for your viewing pleasure, the Southeast Asia version of “Planes, trains and automobiles”
Al is a tad too tall for the tuk tukOur chariot to and from Laos.Our guide, Mr Long, in our very comfortable AND decorative bus
I tried several times to send Hal and Karen this photo via email. Maybe the post will succeed. Well, this WAS a mode of travel. My Canadian friends
So far, we’ve had two trips on the Mighty Mekong. The first was in Laos, to the caves. Those ARE recycled car seats that we are sitting on!
The second trip, in Cambodia, was quite an experience because the water level was so low, and the water was extremely muddy.
Beautiful, friendly children were all along the river.
No, our boat went QUITE like those on the bank. THIS was our boat. Enthusiastic photographers
Next stop, Vietnam.
I don’t have enough adjectives to describe what it wa like to watch the sun rise over Angkor Wat. Although my photos don’t do it justice, they will give you a rough idea of the grandeur of this sacred spot. It was worth getting up at 4:30 in the morning to view this remnant of an amazing civilization! The moat surrounding Angkor Wat represents the ocean you cross to enter heaven; it also serves as a wonderful mirror, heightening the beauty of the structure.
Although we did a lot more today, there are only photos of Angkor Wat because anything else would look puny by comparison.
The five towers were constructed to resemble closed Lotus buds. The central tower represents Mount Meru, the home of the gods.
Only the king and monks were allowed on the third level of Angkor Wat and they were required to CRAWL up to show respect for the gods, so the stairs were suitably steep.
Although I don’t smoke cigarettes or eat products with hydrogenated oil, I HAVE been known to occasionally engage in risky behavior. Besides, I wanted to get in touch with my inner goddess, so of course I was climbing to the third level. The view was spectacular!
I think I might have even had a vision of the Buddha. Or could it be that the altitude produced hallucinations?
What a relief that I didn’t have to crawl up. After a few people fell from the stone steps, this wooden staircase was constructed. Only 43 steps to the top, but like the original, they were quite steep. Two of my Pennsylvania pals, strutting their stuff Another view of the moat
Since this is a shorter post, why not have a little contest? This one is fairly easy.
1. During this trip we have visited two places that were settings for movies. What were the movies,
2. and where were the locations?
3. Of the 4 countries we are visiting, which are constitutional monarchies and which are people’s republics?
4. Whose picture is on the Bhat?
5. What is the difference between the Chinese Buddha and the Buddha in the other Southeast Asian countries?
6. What precious stone is the emerald Buddha made of?
7. Who taught her granddaughter to cross streets fearlessly?
What better way to spend our last morning in Thailand than at a cooking class?
But first, these little piggies went to market, and what a market it was!
The vegetables were so fresh, the bees think they are still growing.
Thai “fast food” – all the necessary vegetables for soup, packaged together.
No wonder Thai food is so amazing–the ingredients are incredibly fresh!
Check out these master chefs.
Could that be Mike wearing a “do” rag??? Yes, it could, and it was.
The spring rolls were so delicious, I didn’t stop to photograph them–I think I might have inhaled them…but I DID capture our other glorious creations for your viewing pleasure.
Pad Thai
Green curry–we all were coughing as we were stir frying this dish. Not sure what ingredient caused that reaction.
And the grand finale–sticky rice with mango. I have never, ever tasted such scrumptious mangoes. They were perfectly ripened, sweet and juicy.
Our group: 4 Lindas, 2 Barbaras,2 Marys, Shelley, Sue, Sandy, Caroline, Karen, Kitty
2 Gregs, Alex, Al, Hal, Mike, Owen, and Rod, obviously not in any particular order.
Good news, folks back home. When I return, I won’t be empty handed. There will be a cookbook in my chubby fist!
After class, we were loaded into vehicles that resembled army trucks. Caroline pointed out this comforting sign. Good to know our driver was trained!
I’ve finally acknowledged that my blogging just can’t keep pace with our activities. So rather than try to record all of the things we have done over the last couple of days, I’ll just share one highlight…our visit to the elephant camp.
I didn’t realize our guide was joking when he said we needed our bathing suits to help the mahouts bathe the elephants. I was so ready!
The mahouts are showing us how we’ll be mounting the elephants for our ride thru the jungle.
Okay, so I was kidding about the mounting part, but not about the jungle ride.
It took about 40 minutes to get to the village. I bought a few treasures from this sweet young girl.
On the ride back, we took a short cut thru the river.
Going downhill was a bit harrowing. No photos of that experience…I was hanging on with both hands.
What a great adventure!
I’m so glad we arrived in Bangkok a few days before the Road Scholar tour started. Doing so gave us an opportunity to adjust to the time difference (although if truth be told, I STILL haven’t completely switched over to Asia time) and to slowly savor this magnificent city. Bangkok is amazingly affordable, so the extra days didn’t increase the cost of the trip by much. Four nights at the Bangkok Loft Hotel, for example, cost $175 TOTAL, and that included airport pick up, plus great breakfasts. The Loft was an excellent choice–within walking distance of the SkyTrain, just two stops from the river. It was quiet, clean, very comfortable, with all the amenities that are important to us: firm mattress, good water pressure, plenty of hot water, free wi-fi, perfect temperature control, excellent free breakfast, and helpful, friendly English speaking staff. Thank you, Trip Advisor!
Before leaving home, I had gotten $250 worth of Bhat from our bank. Had we steered clear of the resort hotels (lunch at the Mandarin Oriental, drinks at the SkyBar, dinner at the Shangra-La), that amount would have been more than enough for our transportation, entrance fees to attractions and food during our stay.
Rama IX’s portrait is on Thai money. He looks pretty good for an 86 year old man. But why does one denomination have a different portrait?
The hotel chosen by Road Scholar, the Majestic Grande was also quite lovely, in the business section of town.
Thursday night, we met our fellow travelers. The group is composed of 5 Canadians, 8 from Washington state, 2 from California, 2 from NY, 3 from PA, and the two of us from NJ. As with other Road Scholar Trips we’ve taken, the women outnumber the men, 14 to 8. I love making new female friends! In fact, one of the reasons we keep choosing Road Scholar is it seems to attract interesting, friendly, curious travelers who are fun to be with. Mike and I are looking forward to getting to know everyone better over the next few days.
Friday was an action packed day, with visits to Wat Po and the Grand Palace, followed by lunch at the Supatra River House. After a lecture on Buddhism by Jim Lehman, we returned to the hotel. By then, all we wanted was some cold water and some cold air on our sweaty bodies!
Here are some visual highlights from Wat Po.
The Reclining Buddha is enormous–150 feet long by 50 feet high.
It’s hard to get all of him into one shot.
This gives you an idea of the size of both the Buddha and the crowd at Wat Po. The place was mobbed!
Do you think these qualify as “Happy Feet”? The bottom of the Buddha’s feet are covered with mother of pearl. Talk about having big shoes to fill!
The Wat Po grounds are filled with gold Buddhas, temple guards, and interesting statues. This temple guard is clearly Chinese.
But what about him? To me, he looks like a cross between Charlie Chaplin and John Wayne.
Our return to the Grand Palace was a different experience. We traveled by bus, which gave us a chance to get a different glimpse of the city. Road Scholar provides ear pieces, so that we can easily hear the guide. What a godsend in these crowded sites! Mike and I were glad that we had been able to spend time on our own, and leisurely wander the grounds; having a second go-round with a guide allowed us to see things a little more deeply, and catch some of what was missed the first time. For example, the gallery surrounding the religious section of the Grand Palace is painted with scenes from the Ramayama, and the yellow “paint” in the scenes is liquid gold.
My blog is lagging behind our activities, but I need to end this so I can get myself together for the start of our day. More to come!
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Destination NOW 