10-23-2012 Saigon

10-23-2012  Saigon!

LAT Report

Woke up this AM and felt so much better!  Whatever I had it has passed.  I ate a roll and had coffee for breakfast.  We had our bags out by 7:00am and we left the ship at 8:30am on a really nice bus that had scads of leg room.  The country side in this part of Vietnam is really nice and green ..they do however in the middle of their fields have grave plots where they bury their family.  It is pretty strange...reminded me of Ireland..and their superstitions about burying their dead.  We actually went on a freeway that was just built and there are not any motor cycles allowed only cars and buses.  We also saw vendors right along side the freeway selling their goods not sure how you could stop to buy anything.  I also noticed that it is so much cleaner here then in in the Hanoi part of Vietnam.  Even as we entered Saigon the slum parts were not that bad from what we could see.  The city is a very thriving metropolis and it is more  expensive to live here then in NY City...not sure who affords these prices.  There are very swanky shops like Gucci and Versace.    But there is lots of markets also.  Lots of paces to spend money.  We got to the hotel around 10:30 and dropped off our luggage and jumped on the bus for a city tour which included the Notre Dame cathedral, the post office and the lacquer factory...my wallet took a beating at the lacquer factory it was lots of fun.  Came back to the hotel got our room and the gang all decided to go to the hard rock cafe for a hamburger...it was good to have something that I could identify with...we then took a little trip by cab to a couple places including the market...not my cup of tea...way too hot and smelly ..Linda and I took off from there to go,to the post office where I saw a T-shirt I wanted...then walked a mile back to the hotel and had a nice cold drink...back in room now to determine what we are going to send in this box the hotel gave us...we said we wanted something fairly large and wanted two of them...they guy brought up a TV box that I could put Linda in...so we settled for one box between us..Linda has her stuff packed...I have been doing the blog!

LMR Report

Early up breakfast at 6:30am. Loaded luggage to be ready by 7:00am.  On bus by 8:00am.  1 1/2 hour drive to Saigon.  Beautiful hotel lobby that is as big as our ship.  Bus tour around city stopped at post office, a cathedral and a beautiful park.

Next stop was one of my favorites ..the lacquer factory.  Very short tour but an amazing gift shop.  Linda and I bought lots of gifts.

Back to the hotel and our room was ready.  It is about 4 times the size of the boat cabin, but I have to climb into the tub!

Lunch at the hard rock cafe had great hamburgers and fries.

We then took a cab ride in an attempt to find MACV headquarters from Vietnam war.  Cab driver was not very helpful and could not understand where we wanted to go.

We went to the market but it was so stinky and hot we decided to go back to the post office to get a specific T-shirt we wanted...the cab driver totally ripped us off..they were suppose to be one of the "good" companies ..but were not!  So we walked back to the hotel to avoid another rip off!

Had a couple of drinks in the bar..still full from lunch..came back to room and got a 32" empty tv box to ship some our stuff home.

10-22-2012

10-22-2012  Saigon

LAT Report

I am feeling better...still not 100%, decided not to go with group on sampan boat but to stay and do the blog and rest...have only eaten yogurt and ginger tea..just turn green when anyone mentions noodles or shrimp...yikes... So I sat up on the sun deck and watched the water, the shore , the sky and my IPAD.  Did not have lunch...just drinking splice.  Staff really trying to take care of me...that is nice!

LMR Report

Linda feeling better, thank goodness!

Left boat at 8:30 on sampan boat.  Cannot believe it but our first stop was a  factory where they make bricks.  In this heat and humidity there we are walking around even among the kilns where fires are burning.  I think Viking needs to reconsider this stop.

Second was a local market, farmers come here as a social gathering place, as well as to bring their goods to sell.  Saw lots of beautiful fruits and veggies, and quite a bit of not so beautiful fish and meats.

The "happy room" stop was at the admirals house which in the movie "the lover"  (old French film).  Had a nice  out yard with swings in the shade.

Back on the boat they gave us a basket of safe fruit to eat.

Lunch - having a hamburger that was like meatloaf on bread.

PM excursion floating market, as we left on the boat to go it started to rain and it poured.  Boat gave us all cheesy ponchos, but it was so neat on the choppy waves.

Arrived at the market and watched the vendors if they had a pole on the front of their boat with a fruit on it they want to sell if on the back of the boat the pole has a bag with a certain kind of fruit they want to buy that fruit.

Then went to a family run  business - 8 generations who make rice wine, rice paper for spring rolls and also coconut products.

Bought Linda a special gift from the group....durian flavored camels..I am sure she will be thrilled!

Came back to the boat in another squall.  Had to leave shoes on deck as we came aboard so they could be cleaned.

Paid up our ship bill as we leave for Saigon in the morning.

10-21-2012 Vietnam

10-21-2012  Cu Lao Gien - Sa Dec

LAT Report (such as it is)

Went to breakfast and thought I would try the Vietnamese version which was Shrimp and Rice noodle soup....BIG MISTAKE!!! It was good...but not for long.  We got off our boat onto these smaller "speed boats" and it was ok for awhile...going down the Mekong  passing villages and places that are fish hatcheries...then I started no feeling very well...not sick to my stomach not diarrhea ...just not good.  So at the first stop everyone got off but me...it was a rickety bridge that I wasn't to sure I would have gone on even if I was felling ok...then everyone loaded back on the boat and took off for two more stops and I was feeling worse and worse... When we got back to the boat I headed right for the cabin and fell into bed and told Linda I was gone for the day.  No lunch for me ...dinner came and no dinner for me...I askedLinda if she could get me some ice for the sprite she brought me earlier and a couple of crackers I would try that when she got back from dinner.  About 8 pm here she comes with an arm load of stuff and our tour guide Kong right behind her with a cup of tea made from ginger...apparently a cure all here in Vietnam.  So I ate a small container of the yogurt and drank the ginger tea...it actually did make me feel better.  I slept ok...off and on...but the pain in my stomach was gone..so I guess whatever it was has passed on...YIKES!!  I told Linda I was sure I would never do asian food again...at least for breakfast!  One of the other passengers is also sick...he is have the heaves and diarrhea ...glad I am not doing that...


LMR Report

Leaving ship this morning like a bunch of "pack-rats",  announcement told us to bring hats umbrellas, "talkie walkies", sunblock, cameras and water....really loaded down.

Boarded speedboats and went 10 miles down the river, saw lots of fishing villages.  Went into one small village to see a private home, they were selling some unique items I had not seen before.

Back on boat to next small town where we boarded rickshaws that were bicycle powered, had to keep your feet up on a ledge and your bottom on a separate small ledge.  We rode thru the small town, kids all smiled and said hello.  Back on the speedboat to next stop where we fed fish (tilapia).

Returned to ship for lunch.  (Patsy one of the choices for dinner tonight was lamb...I am not having it but still thought of you!)

Linda is not feeling well..I sat on the deck until our 3pm excursion to an island with a catholic monastery, built in 1865.  Everyone was as hot on this tour as we were at Angkor Wat!

Returned to ship for Cambodian fashion show on the sun deck.   After dinner there was a great storm even bigger then last night.  All the deck chairs blew all over everywhere.

10-20-2012 Sailing!

10/20/2012   sail day!

LAT Report

LAT Report

Today we left Phnom Penh for Tan Chau.   No tours!  Just on the boat cruising, a great opportunity to catch up on the blog.  Was able to get WIFI access most of the day which is amazing!  It was warm on the sun deck even in the shade but occasionally you could get a nice breeze and the sit would be worth it.  We passed many cities along the way,,well really more villages then cities.  Along the way we crossed the border between  Cambodia and Vietnam, we anchored in the center of the river and a small skip boat from the boarder control came out and got all the passports, checked them and then brought them back, the process took about an hour.  We arrived in the harbor of Tan Chau just before dinner, we are anchored in the middle of the river again.  It was a nice pleasant day talking with different folks..but still hanging close to our good buddies Candy, Dick, Pat and Ed!   Mid afternoon I went and had a foot and leg massage which was very nice and relaxing ..it lasted about an hour...it was deep muscle and sometimes hurt but felt marvelous when she stopped.

LMR Report

Sailing all day back to Vietnam, arrived at border crossing about 1:30pm.  Spent time on sun deck,

Customs and immigrations boarded at 2:00pm while I was having a wonderful Khmer Massage for an hour. So all the passengers were stateless while Vietnamese reviewed our passports and visa's.

Had a wonderful rain storm come upon arrival. Took off at 3:30pm for our dicking point of the evening.  Docked in the middle of the river as we are leaving via speed boat in the morning.

After dinner had a torrential rain and the Viking staff made sure we all made it to our cabins safely, as the wood floors were very wet.  The rain sounded and felt great!Pictures 10-20-2012

10-19-2012 phnom Penh

10-19-2012  Phnom Penh

LAT Report

In case I have not mentioned it in my last couple of posts....it remains hot then "heck" here...but as my brother would say..."it's next to the equator...what do you expect?"...but oh  my gosh the humidity!  We ran into a shop manager who is from Seattle who told us how lovely and cool this is ..as it is the fall season..oh ok? If you say so!  Today after breakfast we did a  city tour by rickshaw...there were 54 of us all lined up one per shaw.  I got several bruises getting in and out of it..I do look like I have been thru a war my legs are bruised from head to toe.   One stop was the silver pagoda..at the palace ...it was gosh as all are..see pics when posted, then on to the  museum and Linda and I split from the tour  and went shopping (what a surprise).  The afternoon was the killing fields an S21 which was a school converted to a torture house...this was all pretty sad and hard to relate to..I wish it had not happened..and it was in my life time...

Ok the biggest thing of the day was at dinner I actually tried Darien!  On my brother's dare...it was sweet at first then very very awful...the smell was all it was racked up to be..I have six people that will voucher that I did it and I,have a picture to prove it.  I brushed my teeth twice and garbled with mouth wash and it still was in my mouth this morning so I had to have a beer...more might help?

LMR Report

We have been requested to wear conservative clothing today in the AM,  preferably black and white, in honor of the kings passing. We were suppose to visit the palace today but the kings body is there so we cannot.  Candy bought us black ribbons which our group all wore throughout the day.  Many in our group were concerned the clothing was not conservative enough.

We leave after breakfast in individual rickshaws, should be quite a site as there are over 50 of us.  Sort of like a children's daycare line all holding onto a string.  Rickshaws went through town quite an experience at ground level.  With all the motor bikes, tuk-tuks and cars zooming around us in all directions.  Went first to royal palace gardens and walked around.  Saw silver pagoda with a solid gold Buddha that had over 28000 diamonds...

Left there and headed to museum, Dick and Candy's rickshaws ran into each other...no body but the rickshaw was hurt!

Amazing sites of businesses all street type vendors with pictures of king surrounded with many flowers.  Passed flower shops doing booming business.  Second stop was the museum, LAT and I skipped and went to a store called "daughters of Cambodia", items made by women trying to learn a trade and escape abuse.  Of course we made some purchases.

Met back at boat for lunch.

This afternoon was the killing fields and genocide display.  Truly awful what people can do to each other.  We had a subdued bus ride home through heavy 5:00 traffic...which was very heavy!

Dinner when we got home followed by Cambodian street kids dancing performance.
10-19-2012

10-18-2012 phnom penh

10-18-2012 - Phenon Penh

LAT Report

Today went to a monastery on a hill quite away from home so got to see a lot of the country side, lots of sad housing ..shacks...lots of garbage everywhere as they don't have a garage removal service.  Plastics was introduced into this country in 1983 and the people did not understand that it does not "melt into the ground" like discarded food does so it sits in mounds everywhere.   In contrast to the poverty is the monasteries... They are beautiful and often opulent.  The monastery we went into this morning was very very beautiful and we took our shoes off (do this in all the monasteries) and went in and it was a great open hall with beautiful paintings on the walls and ceilings and beautiful chandeliers ..and there were three older monks in the middle sitting down on the floor in their orange robes.  We were instructed to all sit down on the floor also (on mats), they were going to give us their blessing and chant for us..we were to close our eyes and meditate...I honestly meditated on how the heck I was going to get up off the floor when they were done...during the chant they threw Lotus buds at us..I thought it was raining..but I did not open my eyes!  We then wandered around the grounds and left for the next stop.  This was a vsmall village where they do silver work, still very poor shacks and they work right at their houses, one of the houses was working on the urn for the king's burial..they were very honored and their urn was beautiful.  We then did a shopping opportunity and we did...we are in all villages always followed by young people trying to sell you something of their wares...they always know enough English to ask your name and ask where you are from...some of them have told us their names are Linda also...but we don't really think that is true.  Walking in these villages is soooooo hot and muggy...that I could not wait to get back and take a shower and have a nice cold cold beer  The afternoon we went for a tuk-tuk ride with Diick, Candy, Ed and Pat.   We all  hose a place around the city we wanted to see..Linda chose a chocolate store I chose a quilt store.  It was wonderful and their quilts are all hand quilted and very very nice ..they were made in the villages to raise money for food and medicine for that village.  Ok ok  I bought a beautiful king sized red/maroon single fabric quilt with the most beautiful hand quilting design...ii also found two pillow shams with patchwork squares that are reds and dark maroons to match.  The quilt cost $218.00  can you believe that?  I should have bought more!  They had an incredible log cabin that was in browns and tans... One that was fans , one that was kimono's, one with a cute local woman with a native costume...oh my I wish I had bought more...I am having it shipped home so should be there soon after I arrive.  It was a fun afternoon!


Had dinner and by that time I am ready for bed!

LMR Report

Left for an hour long  us ride --much better bus then yesterday.
Becoming good friends with Dick and Candy from Lake Oswego and Ed andPat from Edmonton area.  Having our meals with them and lots of laughs about our foibles.

Sent laundry down anxious to see how much that will be.

First stop today is biggest Buddhist temple in Cambodia, absolutely stunning.  We all sat on the floor and meditated while monks prayed for us, very spiritual.  Big picture of Sihanouck surrounded by flowers.  Population is three million which they expect to triple during seven days of the funeral.  Saw the temple with the dead priest that has been preserved..that long ..he looked pretty good..see pictures.

This was the only "happy room" stop and our guide gave us toilet paper before we went in, not quite an out house smell but close!  Big tub of water next to toilet with pot to fill toilet for flushing.

Second AM stop small village which specialized in silver, saw a family making the giant urn for the kings ashes after cremation which will not happen for three months.

Lunch at 1pm followed by tuk-tuk ride through town.  I want to go to the chocolate store, cannot imagine how that will be in the 90 degree and 95% humidity.  Yesterday Lind and  I stood outside without an umbrella in the all too brief shower or rain fall..it felt good and we wanted more!

Made it to the chocolate store, candy did not melt on return trip to ship.  We stopped at an ATM to get money, at the central market so Pat and Ed could look for granddaughters gifts.

Linda bought a quilt, which I am sure she will talk a out in her blog.

Upon return to ship went to Angkor Gift shop and made some holiday purchases!  Then to su deck for wine and drink of the day.  Everyone from Group B (our group) in great moods and totally relaxed.  Missed the evening lecture on French influence on Cambodia.  Dinner - more laughs -- getting table joules going just amongst our little group..we make sure our table is just big enough so no new people can crash!

Tomorrow is the rickshaw ride and killing fields museum.  Got my laundry back, good to have all clean clothes.Pics 10-18-2012Pictures 10-18-2012

10-17-2012

10-17-2012

LAT Report

It's hot here! So the story continues..climbed off the boat after breakfast and took a short trip to an orphanage,  was in a lovely neighborhood (relatively speaking) ..the place was neat , and very nice.  Children greeted us and the director gave us a welcome speech with info on what' they are all about.  Very interesting.  They learn to sew and paint along with their school work..they even had featherweight machines and a server..made very nice bags...ooops competition for me!
  Then took bus ride back...climbed hill back to boat ...and off we went...now I am drinking beer at all times ..it just sweats out my pours...not getting tipsy even drinking 5% Angkor beer!   You have no idea how good this tastes in this 110% humidity!   I love Portland weather ...I want to sit in my easy chair and put on my electric blanket....but have to do this adventure first.  I miss everyone!


LMR Report

Did not fall out of bed last night,used stool as needed.  Breakfast in dining room, up a big slippery hill to the bus.  First stop was a  Buddhist temple, saw1st monkey of the trip.  It was very hot but not as many steps to climb as Angkor Wat.  At breakfast we had to order lunch ..just like in a hospital.  Second stop was an orphanage.  Before we went to the orphanage we stopped at the local market to bu tooth paste and brushes to give them..also some balls to play with. Some of the children are without parents, some parents cannot afford and others are abandoned.  They range from 4 to 18 and are supported through the collage.  They have a new Cambodian adoption policy but the orphanage has not adopted any children out.  There are about 90 children and 10 adults that work at the center.  The kids do sewing and painting to sell in their little store to raise money for the orphanage.

Back on the small bus and headed home to the boat and down the steep hill.  We had to take our shoes off on board and they clean them and return them to our rooms.  We then headed to lunch ..nice salads and choice of entrees ..chicken, veggies or fish.

This afternoon is a lecture on Cambodian marriage and then one on history.  LAT is skipping to do the blog.  Movie tonight after dinner.


Pics 10-17-2012