After pondering my photographic nightmare I did the best I could with the limited access I was given to the complex. One could gain access to the inner courtyard which provided a few interesting shots. But again, not without the throngs of tourists drifting in and out of my view finder with every shot.
I lingered around the complex the rest of the afternoon. Siem Reap was hot and muggy. This was the first deep heat I had experienced. I could only handle the heat, even in the late afternoon, for periods of time before re-treating to shade and guzzling more and more water to stay hydrated. I'd then venture out to shoot series of shots in different spots and finally found a perfect spot in front of the temple that had a palm tree I was able to use to block out the dreaded scaffolding in the front allowing me to get some good shots of the facade at sunset which glowed a stunning pink and and orange as the sun sets facing the temples while it rises behind its walls. The front lighting at dusk made for some nice shots and day 1 was in the bag.
Monday, November 30, 2009
Sunday, November 29, 2009
Siem Reap, Cambodia
My last night in Southeast Asia. Sitting on the riverside Quay in Phnom Phen after enjoying a decent meal at the FCC. More on PP in a bit. Time to back track to Siem Reap and Angkor Wat.
The Temple complexes of Angkor Wat sit on the outskirts of what was once a small quaint and tranquil tourist village known as Siem Reap. I was here once before in 1999 well before Angkor Wat was on most people's go lists. In 1999 the Khmer Rouge was still holed up in pockets of the country and landmines and other UXO were everywhere. The latter has not changed, but it has improved.
In 99 there may have been two 5 star properties and a smattering of tourist class hotels on the main drag. The numbers of tourists was very modest. It was quiet. Temples could be visited with relatively few other tourists running around. I recall climbing to the top of one of the spires at Angkor Wat and just hanging out by myself in a window overlooking the vast jungle in total peace and tranquility. It was an astonishing experience. Angkor Wat and Siem Reap are tranquil no more.
I arrived by Lao Airlines, a creepy little prop plane that sat about 100 persons which got me to Siem Reap alive, clearly. I knew from others that the town had grown and I had a bit of dread as I got off the plane that the place had been totally trashed and overrun. I was soon to learn I was somewhat right.
A new modern aiport terminal was built to accomodate the now 2 million people a year that come here. 2 million! After pulling out of the airport and onto the main hotel drag I knew I was not in Kansas anymore. This was not the same place at all. Siem Reap has been turned into the Las Vegas of the jungle. Dozens of newer hotels are everywhere, one piled on top of the next all the way into town. There is actual traffic. Mind you, this was a sleepy little jungle enclave.
There are now traffic signals, new roads and thousands upon thousands of tourists in their diesel belching horrific tour buses as far as the eye can see. These weren't the travel savvy tourists who know how to behave themselves either. These were loud, rude, obnoxious groups from all over the world snapping pictures of themselves, their wives, husbands, chidren, etc, etc, in front of every doorway, window, statue or temple they could get in front of with no clue or care about the existence of other people.
My hotel was a newer one close to the Temple Complex which was adequate for the price. Cold air, a necessity in the steamy jungle town, a fairly decent bed and a hot shower. Staff barely spoke english but were all and all very nice. I checked in around 2 p.m and headed straight for Angkor Wat. 40 dollars US buys you an all access 3 day pass to all of the Temples. Angkor Wat is by the far the biggest and grandest, but there are many many more temples all throughout the area in various states of repair. to be seeb. But none of these approaches the size or grandeur of Angkor Wat.
After picking up my pass I headed straight to Angkor Wat by Tuk Tuk. The complex is about a 4 kilometer ride I am guessing. One could walk but the heat would be pretty unbearable, though there were quite a few bicyclists, including packs of bicycle tours...So biking is not a bad option. Given the time constraints I had, I used tuk tuks the whole way. Once dropped off at Angkor Wat there they were. The f'n tourists. Thousands of them climbing over everyone and everything to get in and out of the complex. There were lots of groups. Lots of languages being spoken. The god damned Jungle Book Ride..
I entered the temple gates which are down a long thoroughfare surrounded by vast moats and into the complex itself, cameras at the ready to capture the brilliance of Angkor with all my new state of the art camera gear ready to get THE shot of Angkor Wat I didn't get in 99. And there it was, the horror of all horrors. Scaffolding!!!!!! Everywhere! Scaffolding wrapped around the front of the temple, scaffolding around the sides and scaffolding around the smaller temples. So much for the photos you fuckers! Not to mention that not a one of my trusted guide books managed to mention that the entire complex, apparently, was undergoing a 5 YEAR rehab that blocked any entry into the spires or the majority of the interior of the temple. No doubt a conspiracy meant to protect the Cambodian economy at the expense of the tourist. Fuckin hell! I was despondent...
TBC
The Temple complexes of Angkor Wat sit on the outskirts of what was once a small quaint and tranquil tourist village known as Siem Reap. I was here once before in 1999 well before Angkor Wat was on most people's go lists. In 1999 the Khmer Rouge was still holed up in pockets of the country and landmines and other UXO were everywhere. The latter has not changed, but it has improved.
In 99 there may have been two 5 star properties and a smattering of tourist class hotels on the main drag. The numbers of tourists was very modest. It was quiet. Temples could be visited with relatively few other tourists running around. I recall climbing to the top of one of the spires at Angkor Wat and just hanging out by myself in a window overlooking the vast jungle in total peace and tranquility. It was an astonishing experience. Angkor Wat and Siem Reap are tranquil no more.
I arrived by Lao Airlines, a creepy little prop plane that sat about 100 persons which got me to Siem Reap alive, clearly. I knew from others that the town had grown and I had a bit of dread as I got off the plane that the place had been totally trashed and overrun. I was soon to learn I was somewhat right.
A new modern aiport terminal was built to accomodate the now 2 million people a year that come here. 2 million! After pulling out of the airport and onto the main hotel drag I knew I was not in Kansas anymore. This was not the same place at all. Siem Reap has been turned into the Las Vegas of the jungle. Dozens of newer hotels are everywhere, one piled on top of the next all the way into town. There is actual traffic. Mind you, this was a sleepy little jungle enclave.
There are now traffic signals, new roads and thousands upon thousands of tourists in their diesel belching horrific tour buses as far as the eye can see. These weren't the travel savvy tourists who know how to behave themselves either. These were loud, rude, obnoxious groups from all over the world snapping pictures of themselves, their wives, husbands, chidren, etc, etc, in front of every doorway, window, statue or temple they could get in front of with no clue or care about the existence of other people.
My hotel was a newer one close to the Temple Complex which was adequate for the price. Cold air, a necessity in the steamy jungle town, a fairly decent bed and a hot shower. Staff barely spoke english but were all and all very nice. I checked in around 2 p.m and headed straight for Angkor Wat. 40 dollars US buys you an all access 3 day pass to all of the Temples. Angkor Wat is by the far the biggest and grandest, but there are many many more temples all throughout the area in various states of repair. to be seeb. But none of these approaches the size or grandeur of Angkor Wat.
After picking up my pass I headed straight to Angkor Wat by Tuk Tuk. The complex is about a 4 kilometer ride I am guessing. One could walk but the heat would be pretty unbearable, though there were quite a few bicyclists, including packs of bicycle tours...So biking is not a bad option. Given the time constraints I had, I used tuk tuks the whole way. Once dropped off at Angkor Wat there they were. The f'n tourists. Thousands of them climbing over everyone and everything to get in and out of the complex. There were lots of groups. Lots of languages being spoken. The god damned Jungle Book Ride..
I entered the temple gates which are down a long thoroughfare surrounded by vast moats and into the complex itself, cameras at the ready to capture the brilliance of Angkor with all my new state of the art camera gear ready to get THE shot of Angkor Wat I didn't get in 99. And there it was, the horror of all horrors. Scaffolding!!!!!! Everywhere! Scaffolding wrapped around the front of the temple, scaffolding around the sides and scaffolding around the smaller temples. So much for the photos you fuckers! Not to mention that not a one of my trusted guide books managed to mention that the entire complex, apparently, was undergoing a 5 YEAR rehab that blocked any entry into the spires or the majority of the interior of the temple. No doubt a conspiracy meant to protect the Cambodian economy at the expense of the tourist. Fuckin hell! I was despondent...
TBC
Friday, November 27, 2009
Luang Prabang
I'm going to do the best I can here on 4 hours sleep. Woke up this last morning in Siem Reap to watch the sunrise over Angkor Wat. More on that later.
Wrapping up Laos was the UNESCO World Heritgage town of Luang Prabang, Laos. This place has long been on my list and is probably going to end up being head and shoulders above everything else I saw here, including Angkor Wat for many reasons.
The town is a smallish one sandwiched between two rivers, one of which being the mighty Mekong. Unlike the circus show that is Siem Reap, Luang Prabang is not yet overrun with hordes of tour buses and their throngs of camera toting hooligans. This place draws a different kind of traveller as it is a different kind of place. The town, like Vientiane, is also dotted with so many colorful Wats, and the equally colorful and very camera shy monks. Laos is a very devout country and Buddhism reigns.
The town is easily walked in all of a couple of hours. All the action centers on two main throughfares, one of which is adjacent to the Mekong River where chic boutique hotels and lower rent guest houses comfortably share space with low key cafes and riverside eateries. Numerous galleries and the obligatry tourist trinket stores are also in abundance. Pubs are few. People come here to chill, not party. It somehow would feel sacreligious with all the monks running around to poison this place with the beer hall types and fortunately that element seemed absent.
Luang Prabang is the place to to just unwind. The sites themselves are few. TIme spent can be leisurley spent strolling the idyllic streets and alleyways viewing well maintained french colonial architecture and the Wats. Monk's are everywhere here. Their Orange Saffrom Robes add ever more color to this lush and colorful place.
Site's include the great Wat on the hill known as Phousi. Phousi is a golden spire almost 300 steps up from the main street, a climb one must make at least once if not twice. It commands an impressive site hovering over the town and is brightly lit up at night and visible from miles away. Many buddhist shrines dot the moutain and views are 360 degrees from the top of the hill. A few other Wat's should be visited and if you are lucky you can observe the Monk's in prayer, being careful not to distub them in any way. One of the great sites to behold is the procession of monks that occurs every morning near 5am where they receive alms from the devout on the main streets in town. The whole place is deeply spiritual. At dusk the songs of monks can be heard from all directions.
Crowds are moderate. The town attracts a potpouri of visitors from the dirty backpacker crowd to wealthy, mostly French, tourists who inhabit the handful of high end inns and hotels here. Its and odd mix but it works. No one is misbehaved. There is no outwardly rude or loud behavior and everyone seems to respect the space of the monks and the religion here.
If you want to shop, shop you can do. Ater sunset the main drag is closed down and becomes a street night market. This mazelike market is alive with assertive, though not overly pushy vendors selling their wares. No ghoulish animal parts here. Just jewelry, posters, t-shirts and other tourist crap. Again the Lao people show their grace and class despite their hardship, at all times. You are asked to buy, but if you say no thank you one time, you are usually greeted with a smile and a thank you, unlike Camodia where the word NO apparently does not translate. I think Cambodia can learn some lessons from the Laotians. They are utterly charming and polite at all times.
My time was spent doing much the same as everyone else. I explored the Wats,climbed Phousi a couple of times, and wandered the streets and markets taking in dirt cheap and very good local meals every night. A good dinner and a beer might run you 6 dollars here unless you must eat in the best places in which case you might spend 15.
Transportaion is entirely by foot or open air Tuk Tuk, a motorcycle puling a carriage belching horrific leaded gas. A necessary evil. Feet throb by the end of the day.
Excusrsions are easily booked and readily available in LP. Travel agents and tour companies abound and last minute flights, buses and tours to more remote regions can be easily done with no reservation necessary. The same for accomodations. Easy to get a room somewhere any time. I neglected to add my own personal accomodation mishap here. I chose pretty well with my hotels, using primarily trip advisor and other written travel guides for reference. Trip advisor is a site that reviews hotels by customers only, so there is no corporate bias and I have found it very useful in the past.
In LP I booked the #2 ranked hotel in town on trip advisor, the Hotel Le Bel Air. Everyone raved about it and at 75 dollars US how could I go wrong? Well on this one I was wrong. The hotel was on the wrong side of the river from town requiring you to navigate a very old and rusted jungle bridge over one of the rivers to get back and forth to your hotel from town. During the day it was harrowing. At night it was horrifying. This, and the room had no proper door. It was one of those jungle padlocked doors with a wood beam used as a lock from the inisde, torn and useless mosquito nets, a shower that was more of an open pit than a shower, and no windows. I was literally padlocked into this all wooden jungle room. I moved. Promptly. I ended up at the much more comfortable and only slightly more expensive Hotel Grand Luang Prabang outside of town but on the right side of the river which was great until I left. When I arrived in Cambodia my wallet was 50 bucks lighter. Two of the bellmen ripped me off on the way out.
For me, the highlight of this place was the river. I spent one of my evenings on a local boat that tours you out to watch the glorious sunset just up river from the town for about 5 dollars. So enthralled with the river, I spent the next day renting a private boat of my ow, for twenty dollars, and spent the day cruising the Mekong, an expeirence that ranks amongst the best travel experiences I have had. Rent a boat, grab your IPOD and your camera and immerese yourself on the Mekong. There is nothing like it. Luang Prabang is a place you really never want to leave.
On to Siem Reap and Cambodia where things take a bit of an ugly turn. Nap time for me
Wrapping up Laos was the UNESCO World Heritgage town of Luang Prabang, Laos. This place has long been on my list and is probably going to end up being head and shoulders above everything else I saw here, including Angkor Wat for many reasons.
The town is a smallish one sandwiched between two rivers, one of which being the mighty Mekong. Unlike the circus show that is Siem Reap, Luang Prabang is not yet overrun with hordes of tour buses and their throngs of camera toting hooligans. This place draws a different kind of traveller as it is a different kind of place. The town, like Vientiane, is also dotted with so many colorful Wats, and the equally colorful and very camera shy monks. Laos is a very devout country and Buddhism reigns.
The town is easily walked in all of a couple of hours. All the action centers on two main throughfares, one of which is adjacent to the Mekong River where chic boutique hotels and lower rent guest houses comfortably share space with low key cafes and riverside eateries. Numerous galleries and the obligatry tourist trinket stores are also in abundance. Pubs are few. People come here to chill, not party. It somehow would feel sacreligious with all the monks running around to poison this place with the beer hall types and fortunately that element seemed absent.
Luang Prabang is the place to to just unwind. The sites themselves are few. TIme spent can be leisurley spent strolling the idyllic streets and alleyways viewing well maintained french colonial architecture and the Wats. Monk's are everywhere here. Their Orange Saffrom Robes add ever more color to this lush and colorful place.
Site's include the great Wat on the hill known as Phousi. Phousi is a golden spire almost 300 steps up from the main street, a climb one must make at least once if not twice. It commands an impressive site hovering over the town and is brightly lit up at night and visible from miles away. Many buddhist shrines dot the moutain and views are 360 degrees from the top of the hill. A few other Wat's should be visited and if you are lucky you can observe the Monk's in prayer, being careful not to distub them in any way. One of the great sites to behold is the procession of monks that occurs every morning near 5am where they receive alms from the devout on the main streets in town. The whole place is deeply spiritual. At dusk the songs of monks can be heard from all directions.
Crowds are moderate. The town attracts a potpouri of visitors from the dirty backpacker crowd to wealthy, mostly French, tourists who inhabit the handful of high end inns and hotels here. Its and odd mix but it works. No one is misbehaved. There is no outwardly rude or loud behavior and everyone seems to respect the space of the monks and the religion here.
If you want to shop, shop you can do. Ater sunset the main drag is closed down and becomes a street night market. This mazelike market is alive with assertive, though not overly pushy vendors selling their wares. No ghoulish animal parts here. Just jewelry, posters, t-shirts and other tourist crap. Again the Lao people show their grace and class despite their hardship, at all times. You are asked to buy, but if you say no thank you one time, you are usually greeted with a smile and a thank you, unlike Camodia where the word NO apparently does not translate. I think Cambodia can learn some lessons from the Laotians. They are utterly charming and polite at all times.
My time was spent doing much the same as everyone else. I explored the Wats,climbed Phousi a couple of times, and wandered the streets and markets taking in dirt cheap and very good local meals every night. A good dinner and a beer might run you 6 dollars here unless you must eat in the best places in which case you might spend 15.
Transportaion is entirely by foot or open air Tuk Tuk, a motorcycle puling a carriage belching horrific leaded gas. A necessary evil. Feet throb by the end of the day.
Excusrsions are easily booked and readily available in LP. Travel agents and tour companies abound and last minute flights, buses and tours to more remote regions can be easily done with no reservation necessary. The same for accomodations. Easy to get a room somewhere any time. I neglected to add my own personal accomodation mishap here. I chose pretty well with my hotels, using primarily trip advisor and other written travel guides for reference. Trip advisor is a site that reviews hotels by customers only, so there is no corporate bias and I have found it very useful in the past.
In LP I booked the #2 ranked hotel in town on trip advisor, the Hotel Le Bel Air. Everyone raved about it and at 75 dollars US how could I go wrong? Well on this one I was wrong. The hotel was on the wrong side of the river from town requiring you to navigate a very old and rusted jungle bridge over one of the rivers to get back and forth to your hotel from town. During the day it was harrowing. At night it was horrifying. This, and the room had no proper door. It was one of those jungle padlocked doors with a wood beam used as a lock from the inisde, torn and useless mosquito nets, a shower that was more of an open pit than a shower, and no windows. I was literally padlocked into this all wooden jungle room. I moved. Promptly. I ended up at the much more comfortable and only slightly more expensive Hotel Grand Luang Prabang outside of town but on the right side of the river which was great until I left. When I arrived in Cambodia my wallet was 50 bucks lighter. Two of the bellmen ripped me off on the way out.
For me, the highlight of this place was the river. I spent one of my evenings on a local boat that tours you out to watch the glorious sunset just up river from the town for about 5 dollars. So enthralled with the river, I spent the next day renting a private boat of my ow, for twenty dollars, and spent the day cruising the Mekong, an expeirence that ranks amongst the best travel experiences I have had. Rent a boat, grab your IPOD and your camera and immerese yourself on the Mekong. There is nothing like it. Luang Prabang is a place you really never want to leave.
On to Siem Reap and Cambodia where things take a bit of an ugly turn. Nap time for me
Thursday, November 26, 2009
Thanksgiving 2009
Siem Reap, Cambodia
It's Thanksgiving day today in the United States. Hooray! Thanksgiving is a nice excuse to see your family and reconnect. I think, though, the original intent of the holiday is forgotten. If I recall correctly we originally celebrated some Pilgrims getting some free food from indigenous peoples so that they didn't starve to death and could continue living in North America where they could practice their aberrant religion and carry guns. Later the descendants of these pilgrams would go on to slaughter and gettoize these nice indigenous people who fed them so we could have..........Thanksgiving all over America. Maybe we should just thank the Indians for allowing us to conquer them, steal their land, and then send them to South Dakota.
Thank you Indians! Oh. Sorry. Were not in India? Thank you Native American people!
Maybe one year we can all save the money on the Turkey, stuffing and booze and instead all send the money for that one day to a country that really needs food. There is no Thanksgiving here in Cambodia. What do you say?
It's Thanksgiving day today in the United States. Hooray! Thanksgiving is a nice excuse to see your family and reconnect. I think, though, the original intent of the holiday is forgotten. If I recall correctly we originally celebrated some Pilgrims getting some free food from indigenous peoples so that they didn't starve to death and could continue living in North America where they could practice their aberrant religion and carry guns. Later the descendants of these pilgrams would go on to slaughter and gettoize these nice indigenous people who fed them so we could have..........Thanksgiving all over America. Maybe we should just thank the Indians for allowing us to conquer them, steal their land, and then send them to South Dakota.
Thank you Indians! Oh. Sorry. Were not in India? Thank you Native American people!
Maybe one year we can all save the money on the Turkey, stuffing and booze and instead all send the money for that one day to a country that really needs food. There is no Thanksgiving here in Cambodia. What do you say?
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Laos 1
Has it really been five days since I've blogged? This speaks measures about the wonderous country of Laos I have been mesmerized with for five days. I spent my last evening in Hanoi indulging in another fine Indian meal at a locals Indian restaurant up the street from my Hotel; the Hanoi Sheraton. Clearly the closer one gets to India the better the Indian food is. The further one gets from the US, the cheaper it is. I paid 8 dollars for a 3 course meal.
Transiting from Vietnam to Vientiane, the sleepy capital of Laos, was painless. No prior Visa was necessary and was able to purchase on arrival in Laos for $35.00 U.S. Vietnam, by contrast, requires you arrange your Visa prior to arrival.
I changed my original plan which was to see Vientiane in a day and then spend 4 leisurely days in Luang Prabang. This changed when I met another traveler, an older Irish guy hanging out in a backpacker's pub in Hanoi, who raved about Vientiane. I booked two nights in Vientiane with the remaining 3 nights in LP.
Hotels proved easy to find at the last minute as I had made no reservation in Vientiane. $70.00 US got me the "4 star" Lao Plaza Hotel, the only true business traveler's hotel in the City. For the shoestring traveler $70.00 a night was expensive for Vientiane. If you don't require the trappings of a business hotel, there are all sorts of options. I recommend highly, Agoda, an Asian based internet booking service, which had far and away the most competitive rates. Cheaper, even, than the hotel's websites, which is a rarity.
Vientiane, can hardly be called a city, let alone a capital city. This had to be the sleepiest capital in the world. It's more of large village with some of the trappings of a city. All of the action converges in one very small quarter of the City where most of the sites and all of the traveler's resources lay. Everything is easily walked.
The City lies on the Mekong River, which winds down from China, through Laos and ends in Vietnam. The river is the lifeblood of the city. Most of the cities sites and resources are blocks from the river, though the largest site, the majestic That Luang is a bit of a hike, but well worth it.
Surprisingly the tourist quarter had excellent resources. Cozy restaurants and cafes and very modern markets all within a few square blocks provide all you need in Vientiane. If you can't walk it there are dozens of very eager Tuk Tuk drivers everywhere willing to take you for a ride for a couple of bucks. When I say a couple of bucks I do mean a couple.
My hotel was adequate. It had everything I needed. A semi Western King Size bed, blasting air conditioning which is very important in steamy Vientiane. First, it gets quite sticky here during the day. The midday sun can be quite brutal. The A/C is soothing to come back to cool off in. It also helps fend off.....mosquitoes. This is a good thing since Laos is indicated for Malaria and you do require Malaria precautions here.
Wireless internet in the room was a bonus and cost little extra. It allowed me to upload my images at night and stay connected at home. Unfortunately this is not the case here in LP where I am blogging in an internet cafe.
The cities sites consist of the monastic buddhist Wat's which are spread out throughout the tourist quarter. These awe inspiring monuments are both religious shrines and home to many young buddhist monks who you will find all over Laos. Laos is a deeply buddhist country and takes it's buddhism seriously. This is reflected in the splendor and glory of the well maintained yet very ancient Wat's.
Laos's largest Wat is the monsterous That Luang. This super sized golden Wat is on the opposite side of the City from the river. I made the mistake of making the trip by foot. The distance was substantially further than the rudimentary map provided by the hotel. While the distance wasn't so bad, the heat was. The city is cool and cloudy in the moring. Jackets are fine. Yet by midday all the clouds burn off and the city cooks a bit. You cant get enough shade and water. I made the trek around 11am when the weather was cool. By 12 the sun was killing me. I made it nonethless and it was well worth it. It's a beauty.
There are a few museums to see but nothing really remarkable. Laos is a very poor country and its resources are very limited. One thing I found particularly interesting was I have yet to see a policeman in this country. Nor a gun. I saw one guard in the aiport with a Kalishnikov, but that has been it. I think this is a reflection of a few factors, one being lack of governmental resource, and the other being that the people here are just so damn peaceful.
You really can't find a nicer, sweeter people on Earth. If you can, I haven't found them yet. One never feels unease at any time or really in any place here. I wandered through plenty of local neighborhood's and markets and I received nothing but smiles and warm "saibadee"'s, or hello in Lao. No overly zealous hawkers or beggers. Even the tuk tuk drivers, who abound, are polite and smile even when you turn down their services, which one must do often.
Days end in Vientiane at the river for the most remarkable red and orange sunsets. Everyone converges there and ends their respective day watching the sun set behind the river. Then its off to unwind for a meal or a cocktail at some lazy joint along the river or in the quarter. The town is a quiet one, so all real activity in the city is done by 11 pm.
After two enjoyable days in Vientiane it was off on the very spotty Lao Airline for the jewel of all Southeast Asia; Luang Prabang.
Of to pack for Cambodia. Hope to be able to update photos from there. Can't do it here. : (
Transiting from Vietnam to Vientiane, the sleepy capital of Laos, was painless. No prior Visa was necessary and was able to purchase on arrival in Laos for $35.00 U.S. Vietnam, by contrast, requires you arrange your Visa prior to arrival.
I changed my original plan which was to see Vientiane in a day and then spend 4 leisurely days in Luang Prabang. This changed when I met another traveler, an older Irish guy hanging out in a backpacker's pub in Hanoi, who raved about Vientiane. I booked two nights in Vientiane with the remaining 3 nights in LP.
Hotels proved easy to find at the last minute as I had made no reservation in Vientiane. $70.00 US got me the "4 star" Lao Plaza Hotel, the only true business traveler's hotel in the City. For the shoestring traveler $70.00 a night was expensive for Vientiane. If you don't require the trappings of a business hotel, there are all sorts of options. I recommend highly, Agoda, an Asian based internet booking service, which had far and away the most competitive rates. Cheaper, even, than the hotel's websites, which is a rarity.
Vientiane, can hardly be called a city, let alone a capital city. This had to be the sleepiest capital in the world. It's more of large village with some of the trappings of a city. All of the action converges in one very small quarter of the City where most of the sites and all of the traveler's resources lay. Everything is easily walked.
The City lies on the Mekong River, which winds down from China, through Laos and ends in Vietnam. The river is the lifeblood of the city. Most of the cities sites and resources are blocks from the river, though the largest site, the majestic That Luang is a bit of a hike, but well worth it.
Surprisingly the tourist quarter had excellent resources. Cozy restaurants and cafes and very modern markets all within a few square blocks provide all you need in Vientiane. If you can't walk it there are dozens of very eager Tuk Tuk drivers everywhere willing to take you for a ride for a couple of bucks. When I say a couple of bucks I do mean a couple.
My hotel was adequate. It had everything I needed. A semi Western King Size bed, blasting air conditioning which is very important in steamy Vientiane. First, it gets quite sticky here during the day. The midday sun can be quite brutal. The A/C is soothing to come back to cool off in. It also helps fend off.....mosquitoes. This is a good thing since Laos is indicated for Malaria and you do require Malaria precautions here.
Wireless internet in the room was a bonus and cost little extra. It allowed me to upload my images at night and stay connected at home. Unfortunately this is not the case here in LP where I am blogging in an internet cafe.
The cities sites consist of the monastic buddhist Wat's which are spread out throughout the tourist quarter. These awe inspiring monuments are both religious shrines and home to many young buddhist monks who you will find all over Laos. Laos is a deeply buddhist country and takes it's buddhism seriously. This is reflected in the splendor and glory of the well maintained yet very ancient Wat's.
Laos's largest Wat is the monsterous That Luang. This super sized golden Wat is on the opposite side of the City from the river. I made the mistake of making the trip by foot. The distance was substantially further than the rudimentary map provided by the hotel. While the distance wasn't so bad, the heat was. The city is cool and cloudy in the moring. Jackets are fine. Yet by midday all the clouds burn off and the city cooks a bit. You cant get enough shade and water. I made the trek around 11am when the weather was cool. By 12 the sun was killing me. I made it nonethless and it was well worth it. It's a beauty.
There are a few museums to see but nothing really remarkable. Laos is a very poor country and its resources are very limited. One thing I found particularly interesting was I have yet to see a policeman in this country. Nor a gun. I saw one guard in the aiport with a Kalishnikov, but that has been it. I think this is a reflection of a few factors, one being lack of governmental resource, and the other being that the people here are just so damn peaceful.
You really can't find a nicer, sweeter people on Earth. If you can, I haven't found them yet. One never feels unease at any time or really in any place here. I wandered through plenty of local neighborhood's and markets and I received nothing but smiles and warm "saibadee"'s, or hello in Lao. No overly zealous hawkers or beggers. Even the tuk tuk drivers, who abound, are polite and smile even when you turn down their services, which one must do often.
Days end in Vientiane at the river for the most remarkable red and orange sunsets. Everyone converges there and ends their respective day watching the sun set behind the river. Then its off to unwind for a meal or a cocktail at some lazy joint along the river or in the quarter. The town is a quiet one, so all real activity in the city is done by 11 pm.
After two enjoyable days in Vientiane it was off on the very spotty Lao Airline for the jewel of all Southeast Asia; Luang Prabang.
Of to pack for Cambodia. Hope to be able to update photos from there. Can't do it here. : (
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Halong Bay
November 19, 2009.
For those of you following the photographic journey, I was not travelling with Jon McCain and Bill Clinton! Though I did get a laugh out of the fact that a couple people thought for a moment I was touring the Hanoi Hilton with Senator McCain. There wasn't much to photograph on museum day other than alot of museum photographs and horseshit propoganda. This one was a hoot.
The Hanoi Hilton display primarily depicts all the horrible things the French, who built the prison during their colonial years, did to the locals there. Undoubtedly the French did this.
One section of the Prison has an area dedicated to the "American War" as they call it. I would have thought after ten years they would have toned down the horseshit in that place. But if anything they made it worse. Numerous photos, some of which I posted, show American prisoners living the good life at the Hanoi Hilton. They make the place look like Camp Hess Kramer for pilots. (Jews will get this). They played basketball and volleyball, had drinks with the guards, had arts and crafts. I'm surpised they didn't refer to the guards as Counselors.
Here's the funny part. During the a/v display at the Hanoi Hilton musesum, the narrator describes the Tonkin Gulf Incident, in which North Vietnamese boats may or may not have taken some shots at U.S warships, as a fabrication which the United States used to justify the war. Many people assert the Tonkin Gulf incident never happened.
The government has another museum right down the street from the Hanoi Hilton called the Army Museum. It's the country's military history museum and has a vast collection of weaponry from the war including, by their own admission on the display, the exact torpedo tubes from which NVA boats shot at American destoryers in 1964. Amazing. They deny it on one street and then proudly admit it around the block.
On to happier subjects. Halong Bay. The last day and a half ranks amongst the best travel experiences i've had. While Halong Bay is not on anyone's "7 wonders" list that I know of, it well should be. Anyone with a travel bucket list should put this near the top. If you are into man made wonders, by all means see them. If you like god made wonders this is some of the creator's best shit to be sure.
TBC. Off to edit, then off to Laos very early in the morning.
For those of you following the photographic journey, I was not travelling with Jon McCain and Bill Clinton! Though I did get a laugh out of the fact that a couple people thought for a moment I was touring the Hanoi Hilton with Senator McCain. There wasn't much to photograph on museum day other than alot of museum photographs and horseshit propoganda. This one was a hoot.
The Hanoi Hilton display primarily depicts all the horrible things the French, who built the prison during their colonial years, did to the locals there. Undoubtedly the French did this.
One section of the Prison has an area dedicated to the "American War" as they call it. I would have thought after ten years they would have toned down the horseshit in that place. But if anything they made it worse. Numerous photos, some of which I posted, show American prisoners living the good life at the Hanoi Hilton. They make the place look like Camp Hess Kramer for pilots. (Jews will get this). They played basketball and volleyball, had drinks with the guards, had arts and crafts. I'm surpised they didn't refer to the guards as Counselors.
Here's the funny part. During the a/v display at the Hanoi Hilton musesum, the narrator describes the Tonkin Gulf Incident, in which North Vietnamese boats may or may not have taken some shots at U.S warships, as a fabrication which the United States used to justify the war. Many people assert the Tonkin Gulf incident never happened.
The government has another museum right down the street from the Hanoi Hilton called the Army Museum. It's the country's military history museum and has a vast collection of weaponry from the war including, by their own admission on the display, the exact torpedo tubes from which NVA boats shot at American destoryers in 1964. Amazing. They deny it on one street and then proudly admit it around the block.
On to happier subjects. Halong Bay. The last day and a half ranks amongst the best travel experiences i've had. While Halong Bay is not on anyone's "7 wonders" list that I know of, it well should be. Anyone with a travel bucket list should put this near the top. If you are into man made wonders, by all means see them. If you like god made wonders this is some of the creator's best shit to be sure.
TBC. Off to edit, then off to Laos very early in the morning.
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Hittin the wall
Day 3 in Hanoi. Off to Halong Bay for an overnight in the morning so doing nothing but recharging for the rest of the day. The Jet lag kicked me in my ass 2 days after I arrived and I am leveled now. This city takes it toll after awhile. Same kind of pollution issues as Cairo. Streets crowded with mostly motor bikes; thank god not alot of cars, belching smoke right into your mouth everywhere you go. Disguting. And on top of that everybody fucking smokes! I don't get it.
I lost all of my images from my first day thanks to a defective card reader. Day 2 then was spent mostly in the market and the Old Quarter; a bustiling, frenetic, colorful place. I spent day two retracing my steps to re-shoot everything I lost. Pain in the ass, but I couldn't leave without of images of that oh so delightful market.
Fortnuately the city center is compact and the sites fairly well concentrated. Taxi's cost about 2-3 dollars to get from point A to point B so that has been my mode of travel. The City is walkable, but the fumes overtake you quite quickly.
Museums here are all closed on Monday so today was Museum day. The Hanoi Hilton, or Ho Loa Prison was my first stop followed by the Ethnology Museum and Army Museum. Lots of progaganda today. I'm over it and winding down Hanoi. Time to edit todays pix.
I lost all of my images from my first day thanks to a defective card reader. Day 2 then was spent mostly in the market and the Old Quarter; a bustiling, frenetic, colorful place. I spent day two retracing my steps to re-shoot everything I lost. Pain in the ass, but I couldn't leave without of images of that oh so delightful market.
Fortnuately the city center is compact and the sites fairly well concentrated. Taxi's cost about 2-3 dollars to get from point A to point B so that has been my mode of travel. The City is walkable, but the fumes overtake you quite quickly.
Museums here are all closed on Monday so today was Museum day. The Hanoi Hilton, or Ho Loa Prison was my first stop followed by the Ethnology Museum and Army Museum. Lots of progaganda today. I'm over it and winding down Hanoi. Time to edit todays pix.
Sunday, November 15, 2009
Oh Yes. They do in fact eat that.
Day 2 in Hanoi. Taking a camera battery recharge at the hotel and my dogs are barking from all the walking. Speaking of dogs...........They eat it alright. Pictures on the way and not for the feint of heart.
Day 1 was a blur. Arrived Hanoi 1030 am local time adrenaline pumping. The first thing I noticed in getting off the the very bumpy China Airlines flight; I think the pilot was a student, was the smell of smoke. It was familiar. Fires are lit up all around the city from people cooking in the streets and the smell permeates the air. Not a foul smell at all, sort of like a giant barbeque going on.
Customs at the airport was a breeze. Having been to Hanoi 10 years ago I was expecting progress. But not this much. This country is booming in a big way. 10 years ago there may have been 2-3 Western style hotels and eateries. Not so much anymore. The airport is new. It used to be an outpost at best. Now its a full blown modern International Airport.
Negotiated past all the bandit taxi drivers following me around the terminal, got some local cash, the Dong, that's right the Dong, and headed off to the Sheraton.
I had originally booked a local, very well reviewed boutique hotel in the center of town, and wimped out on it at the last minute and went with the big chain hotel. Thrilled I did. Very comfortable for 50 bucks more per night.
After unloading my gear I headed straight into town and found the astonishingly gorgeous old French Quarter. It was very clear that there has been a tremendous amount on investment in this country as wealth now abounds in what was once a backwater capital city ten years ago.
TBC. Gotta hit the road and hit some more sights. Cloudy and cool overcast weather. Refreshing. Maybe 65 degrees. Light rain and no humidity. Thank god. Out.
Day 1 was a blur. Arrived Hanoi 1030 am local time adrenaline pumping. The first thing I noticed in getting off the the very bumpy China Airlines flight; I think the pilot was a student, was the smell of smoke. It was familiar. Fires are lit up all around the city from people cooking in the streets and the smell permeates the air. Not a foul smell at all, sort of like a giant barbeque going on.
Customs at the airport was a breeze. Having been to Hanoi 10 years ago I was expecting progress. But not this much. This country is booming in a big way. 10 years ago there may have been 2-3 Western style hotels and eateries. Not so much anymore. The airport is new. It used to be an outpost at best. Now its a full blown modern International Airport.
Negotiated past all the bandit taxi drivers following me around the terminal, got some local cash, the Dong, that's right the Dong, and headed off to the Sheraton.
I had originally booked a local, very well reviewed boutique hotel in the center of town, and wimped out on it at the last minute and went with the big chain hotel. Thrilled I did. Very comfortable for 50 bucks more per night.
After unloading my gear I headed straight into town and found the astonishingly gorgeous old French Quarter. It was very clear that there has been a tremendous amount on investment in this country as wealth now abounds in what was once a backwater capital city ten years ago.
TBC. Gotta hit the road and hit some more sights. Cloudy and cool overcast weather. Refreshing. Maybe 65 degrees. Light rain and no humidity. Thank god. Out.
Saturday, November 14, 2009
Taipei 11/15/09
Los Angeles to Taipei was a breeze. Premium economy proved a far less expensive option than business class with some of the same comforts, at the same time not leaving you crippled from crumpling up in Coach for 14 hours. EVA Airlines, you rock. I am a fan. I had heard alot of the Asian carriers were superb and that is indeed the case. Even the coach section looked far more tolerable than their American (ack) and European counterparts.
Taipei airport is a high tech superstore. Blogging for free waiting for my plane to leave for Hanoi. Can't complain about that. LAX is so ghetto it's embarrassing. Lots of medical masks around me which is a bit alarming. Hand sanitizing every chance I get. Looking at my China Air flight outside of the window and rested, thanks to EVA, and some other helpful remedies. The 14 hour flight, honestly, terrified me. It's been a very long time since I have been on a plane that long. It was great.
I was here last, I believe, almost ten years ago next month. I am eager to see the change and progress in Vietnam and Cambodia I have heard so much about, with a little bit of dread that some of the most fantastic sights are now over run with tourists, which in 1999, were few and far between. Southeast Asia was adventure travel in 1999. To be honest, Im ok with a little more comfort in 2009.
Hanoi up next. Cheers.
Taipei airport is a high tech superstore. Blogging for free waiting for my plane to leave for Hanoi. Can't complain about that. LAX is so ghetto it's embarrassing. Lots of medical masks around me which is a bit alarming. Hand sanitizing every chance I get. Looking at my China Air flight outside of the window and rested, thanks to EVA, and some other helpful remedies. The 14 hour flight, honestly, terrified me. It's been a very long time since I have been on a plane that long. It was great.
I was here last, I believe, almost ten years ago next month. I am eager to see the change and progress in Vietnam and Cambodia I have heard so much about, with a little bit of dread that some of the most fantastic sights are now over run with tourists, which in 1999, were few and far between. Southeast Asia was adventure travel in 1999. To be honest, Im ok with a little more comfort in 2009.
Hanoi up next. Cheers.
Monday, November 2, 2009
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