Cambodia
Siem Reap
After 3 weeks back on the grind in Indonesia it was time for the Ramadan holiday. For Indonesians of the Muslim faith this is a time to go back to your home town to be with family and feast in celebration of the end of the fasting month. For myself it meant another two weeks to go out and explore this beautiful continent. After transiting through Thailand Jeremy, Kasandra, Jeremy's brother visiting from California and I arrived in Siem Reap.
Siem Reap is home to the most popular tourist attraction in Cambodia, Angkor Wat. Angkor Wat (meaning temple city or city of temples) is the largest religious monument in the world. It is a temple complex that was initially built to be Hindu but later switched to Buddhism. As a result you can find a mix of Buddhas and Hindu Deities on the very artistic carvings on the walls. This temple was built for the king in the 12th century and is a remarkable feat. The temple itself took around 35 years to build. This is incredible considering that Cathedrals took around 250 years to build, and Angkor Wat is larger than any European Cathedral. Angkor Wat was home to around a million people in the 12th century. The temple is surrounded by a man made moat that is about 200 metres wide and over 3km long. This was necessary because Angkor Wat is built on a swamp and the moat helps to keep the ground water levels constant underneath the structure, otherwise the structure would collapse. It seems the 12th century Cambodian architects were much more capable than any of my engineering housemates in university.
Not wanting to miss out we booked a tuk tuk and headed over around 4am to catch the sun rising over this historic temple.
As it was still before 5 in the morning our first priority was coffee. The coffee shops were all named after celebrities but once we saw this one the choice was obvious. . . (even with the typo)
Turns out the only thing that woke up earlier than us that morning was the clouds. We missed out on the sunrise but saw a beautiful silhouette instead.
Realizing that we were not going to see a sunrise this morning we decided to beat the rest of the tourists into the temple and get the first chance of the day to explore. Our decision paid off as the rest of the day it was impossible to get any photos without a handful of other photo-taking tourists in the shot.
Every wall was covered in carvings of deities
It was a lot of fun making up stories of what life was like in 12th century Cambodia based on carvings like these.
Just a short drive away we visited another very famous temple called Bayon. Bayon is very decorated and many of the structures are Buddha heads.
This unsuspecting tourist ruining my photo is actually Jeremy
Bayon had its fair share of fascinating art as well.
I have no idea what is going on here but when you are templeing (its a verb) for a full day you start to just take pictures of everything that you see other tourists taking pictures of.
Oh yeah, and there were some elephants
Our 3rd temple of the day is one whose name I forget. But my legs still remember the long climb to the top.
Our last temple of the day is famous for being the location that the movie Tomb Raider starring Angelina Jolie was filmed. Unfortunately, she was not here on this day.
You would think that in the tens of years that it took for that tree to grow here someone would have noticed.
What was most surprising about Cambodia was how much English everyone spoke (at least in Siem Reap). Cambodia had the most English of anywhere I've visited in Asia. They also accept and use US dollars as commonly as their local currency. Basically you would pay in USD and any time you would require change that was less than $1 they would give you bills in their currency. In this way there was no need for the existence of coins, which are just a nuisance anyways.
The second detail from Cambodia that stood out was how friendly and helpful everyone was. Perhaps some of it was attributed to the lack of language barrier compared to visiting many other Asian cities allowing for more in depth local-tourist conversations. But Cambodians were very friendly and helpful at all times.
For example after our tuk tuk driver dropped us off at our guest house we asked him if he knew when the next Cambodian kickboxing fight was. He told us that he was going to the one tonight and since he was already planning to go he would be happy to drive us there and back free of charge. He was great to have at the kickboxing fight with us to explain how it all works, particularly the chaotic bookie system (details in a moment).
Although the photo of the crowd above may just look like some fans watching the fight, don't be fooled. It was actually the most complicated gambling system I've ever seen. At first I thought it would be kind of cool to place a couple bucks on a Cambodian kick boxing match. But then when I asked the ticket seller if there was betting inside and he replied yes but be careful, I thought I might sit and observe instead.
It soon became very clear that this system was far too complex for me to fully comprehend but I will do my best to explain and simplify how it works. One of the bookies (there were perhaps 4 or 5 of them) would shout out something that I assume were odds and then all the spectators in the betting sections would begin shouting and either raising their thumb or their pinky followed by raising between one and ten fingers. The raised thumb meant you were betting on the fighter wearing the blue shorts and the raised pinky meant red shorts. The number of raised fingers was equivalent to the number of units you wanted to bet. It was in Cambodian currency but our tuk tuk friend told us it was equal to between $2.50 minimum and $25 maximum. Then the bookies and the betters would yell louder and shake hands very emphatically. The bets had been placed. The impressive part was that after the fight was over and a winner had been declared the bookie would collect or pay his debts and simultaneously remember all the people who bet with him, who they picked, and how much they wagered. Thankfully they were very good at remembering many things simultaneously, or all the betters were very honest, otherwise some kickboxing might have broken out that was not controlled by a referee.
I bought the top painting. I used my well polished bartering skills to talk the price down from $50 to $20. I forgot to use my forward thinking skills and consider how much of a hassle it would be carrying a large rolled up painting around for the next two weeks.
A very patient Cambodian lady explained to me the difference between a pashmina and a sarong, as well as all the different ways one can wear these mysterious articles of clothing.
Vietnam
One of my takeaways from Thailand and Laos in June was that learning a little bit of the local language goes a long way. When you are travelling to common backpacker destinations the locals are so used to seeing tourists that it is easy for you to just blend in with all the other travellers and it takes away from the opportunity to interact with locals and learn about the local culture. If you can speak even a small amount of the language then it can be something that will really enhance your experience in a new country. When the locals hear you talking to them in their language it sends the message that you are interested in their country and culture and they become very excited to share it with you. Hence me downloading a learn Vietnamese app on my phone and committing to learning as much Vietnamese as possible in three weeks!
It turns out I was quite a natural and a quick study. Helped by the fact that pretty much every word is only one syllable, I was able to learn the basic greetings including how are you, what is your name, how old are you, I am from Canada, my name is, my age is, nice to meet you, and for the best response from locals "good luck to you". I learned shopping/eating including what do you recommend, I would like, the names of most of the common meats and food items, how much is it, and my numbers from one to a million. Where is the toilet, please say that again, (which was always followed by) please say that slowly, and do you understand/I don't understand proved to be very helpful phrases. And true to my Canadian ways I learned how to say I'm sorry, both as an apology and meant as sympathy. I guess what I am trying to say is "Toi co the noi duoc, mot chut tieng Viet" which means I can speak a little Vietnamese. (I need to confess however that I completely ignore all the symbols on top of the vowels and don't know what they mean).
This was fantastic! I couldn't wait for my arrival at the airport in Hanoi where I could begin impressing all the locals with my Vietnamese. But that was not to be.
Turns out I was gravely underestimating how difficult it would be to speak a tonal language with my Canadian accent and having never actually conversed in Vietnamese with a Vietnamese person before. Imagine my disappointment after all my hard work and hours of training when the locals couldn't even understand that I was saying hello. This building disappointment continued all throughout customs and trying to navigate around the airport until finally I found my first promising sign that all my hard work wasn't for nothing. Much to his delight, I ended up chatting and working on my tones with a security officer at the airport. I left with a renewed confidence, a recommendation for where and what I should eat and his email address that he gave me telling me that next time I come to Vietnam he can help me with a cheaper and easier Visa process. Awesome!
Can Tho
Without even leaving the airport in Hanoi I was on a domestic flight to my actual first destination, a smaller, very non-touristic city called Can Tho. I was meeting up with Giaokie, who I met and travelled with in Laos and Thailand in June/July. To explain how Giaokie is pronounced using hand symbols - Italian goodbye 'Ciao' (wave hand) and 'key' (turn key). My sisters asked me if she also has an English name that is easier to pronounce than her Vietnamese name. Yes she does. Giaokie is her English name which is easier to pronounce than her Vietnamese name. She was finishing up her travels with a visit to her Grandma's house before flying home to the Netherlands. Vietnamese born, fluent in Vietnamese, and overflowing with positive energy and love for the little things in life, I was very fortunate to have Giaokie to help me explore Vietnam and it's very rich culture.
Speaking of the rich culture there were a few things that I encountered that were very unique to Vietnam and some of them I spent the first day or two chuckling about and trying to wrap my head around.
First, the chairs in Vietnam are miniature. Tiny. So much smaller than any chair I have sat in since I was a baby. It isn't just some of the chairs but all of them. And each time you sit down you feel just as ridiculous.
My mom would always have to remind me growing up to keep my elbows off the table. Vietnamese moms have to remind their children to keep their knees off the table.
Second, all of the grandmas in Vietnam wear pajamas. At all times. They also add the Vietnamese pointy hats to this outfit that all Vietnamese women wear at all times. And to top it off they are usually found on a bicycle.
Grandmas in Pajamas in Can Tho
In Can Tho all of the grandmas wake up before sunset and head over to the edge of the Mekong river to do Thai Chi. While all of the Grandpas wake up early every morning and sit in tiny chairs with their friends and drink coffee.
If you are wondering what all the non-grandparents are doing, mostly they are hiding from the sun. During the day whenever Vietnamese people go outside they dress similar to how I dress in the winter. In 30 degree weather they bundle up in pants, sweater with hood, winter gloves and even something on their face so that no part of their body is exposed to the sun. Dressing like this is for a number of reasons but one of the big ones is that similar to in many Asian countries fairer skin is considered to be attractive.
Bundling up for the beautiful sunny day
One of my favourite things we did in Can Tho was we rented a boat and a captain? and went down the Mekong River to the floating market and to see how some of the locals live off of the river. The market was super cool and consisted entirely of various boats acting as stores and other boats carrying customers.
You could tell what a boat was selling based on the item that was attached to a stick and hanging high above each boat.
Once you see something you would like (coffee), you would just wave them over
And they would serve you.
When you were ready for some breakfast a boat would just tie on to yours
And cook some awesome Vietnamese noodles for you.
There were even gas station boats.
Of course we were still in Asia so traffic is always a concern.
And some time before you leave the market the man from the noodle boat would drive up to you and collect his bowls and spoons back.
After the floating market we went to a fruit garden of which there were hundreds along the side of the river.
There are lotus flowers everywhere in Vietnam
This small lake was actually the result of a bomb during the war in Vietnam. Just one of many constant reminders of the devastating long-lasting effects of the war.
Minh Tam getting a better view of the garden
Jack fruit!
Dragon fruit!
Mystery fruit!
Gardening is such tiring work
After the garden it was time to take the scenic route back to Can Tho
Some houses along the river
Every year Giaokie visits Vietnam and finds many different ways to help out her local community. From volunteering to cook at hospitals, teaming up with the Red Cross to buy school supplies for students whose families cannot afford the basic tools for education, or visiting Vietnamese people in need in their homes to donate food or money, Giaokie is very active in giving back to her country. I had asked her before my visit if she could help me find a way to volunteer my time to try to help out in the local community of a place I visit. And so one day Giaokie, Minh Tam, a couple of his friend and I set out to buy food, toys, toiletries and other items to donate to an orphanage.
When we got to the supermarket a Vietnamese man approached me and was trying to control his laughter. His friends behind him were already rolling on the floor laughing. He got out just enough words to ask me "do you want to buy those jeans?" and pointed. When I looked at where he was pointing I saw this
It is great to be reminded just how much of a giant I look like to Asians.
At the orphanage we were able to hear the story of the lady who has been running the orphanage for the past 10 years. Children as young as one month are dropped off there and stay until they are able to work and start their own life. She told us the biggest challenge is finding free education for the children or enough donations to pay for the children to go to school. It is great to know that there are people like her in the world who dedicate their life to helping others that are unable to help themselves.
We stayed and played with the kids for a few hours. They were very patient with my Vietnamese and they were excited to practice their counting and other basic English words. With their new toys we played play doh, doctor, hair dresser, and I tried to read them some books in Vietnamese. But just like every time I've ever been around small children, eventually they realized I am really tall and strong enough to lift them up really high. Once this game began we played "let's see how high this giant can lift us" until it was time for us to leave.
Switching gears now, later that day we went out for seafood. Minh Tam nailed it again with his restaurant and food recommendations. After our first meal Minh Tam realized it was best if he just ordered for me instead of having me try to guess what each item was.
After my last few block posts I am sure no one reading this is surprised that I would try something new and unusual during my travels. Vietnam was no exception. My first night in Can Tho I tried chicken ass. Yep chicken ass was written right on the menu. It was mostly just fat but the weirdest part was instead of eating meet off of the wing bone or the leg bone, you would eat the meat off of the sacral vertebrae. I probably won't be ordering that one again.
And the second unusual thing on the menu this trip was. . .
Duck tongue!
Four of us enjoying excellent seafood in our tiny chairs. Speaking Vietnamese I asked Minh Tam's friend what her name was. Not recognizing that I wasn't speaking English she said "no no". I guess that is one way to earn a nickname for the rest of the evening.
And one night out in Can Tho to explore the night life
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
Minh Tam, Giaokie and I went from the small city of Can Tho, to the absurdly busy and touristy city of Ho Chi Minh. Crowds of tourists, the constant roar of motorcycle engines and the always in a rush mentality left me missing the tiny(er) chairs, and more relaxed lifestyle of Can Tho.
We spent one day at an amusement park which included a petting zoo,
Some rides, which made me motion sick and I have now decided my carnival days are over,
Beautiful ponds full of lotus flowers to sit, eat and relax by,
and a garden of cacti and other cool plants that I don't get to see in Canada.
For our last night before Giaokie flew back to the Netherlands we were grabbing some dessert and fruit shakes after dinner at a small cafe. Confident with my Vietnamese I (thought I) said to the waitress "can you please recommend something?". To which she said ok but then quickly starting walking away. Giaokie spoke with her in Vietnamese to help clarify the situation and then explained to me that what I actually said to the waitress was "can you please go away?".
After a morning full of souvenir shopping, and very very careful pronunciation of my Vietnamese phrases, it was time for Giao to fly home to Holland, and for me to head north to explore more of Vietnam!
I met back up with Jeremy and Kasandra in a place called Ninh Binh. Ninh Binh was a quiet place with a stunning landscape. Renting scooters and biking through the rice fields and enjoying the scenery was very enjoyable.
Our second day in Ninh Bihn we woke up early in the morning to take a river tour.
All the drivers of the boats had the remarkable ability to row with their feet!
We may have gotten a little ambitious with trying to row through the mud.
This net is a clever device used to trap fish
Out of no where we saw a large number of water buffalo. I have no idea what they were doing in this place but they certainly enjoyed the mud.
These giant rock structures are called karst.
Later it was time to bike over to one of the large karst mountains and hike up to the top for a nice view of Ninh Binh.
Jeremy, Kas and I sweaty from our climb
After a few days in Ninh Binh I split off from Jeremy and Kas again and headed to Halong Bay. I took the public bus and for the first half of the trip enjoyed some reading and napping. The second half of the trip I am pretty sure someone tried to marry me. When the bus stopped for a bathroom/snack break a Vietnamese lady asked me where I was from. Her English was decent and I thought it might be a good opportunity to practice my slowly improving Vietnamese so I talked with her for a couple minutes. When we got back on the bus she sat beside me and asked for my phone number. Then my facebook. Then she asked if I was married, if I was staying at a hotel in Halong Bay, and if we could be friends. Things got a little more weird when she told me she really wanted to come to Canada, gave me a picture of her and told me to keep it. Then she gave me a picture of her and her child. Then she asked if I would call her when I get back to Canada and if we would stay in touch. At long last her stop came and we parted ways, forever. My mom always warned me about talking to strangers but I don't think this situation was what she was referring to.
Halong Bay
I arrived in Halong Bay, having narrowly escaped a betrothal, and was ready to see one of the Seven Wonders of the World. Halong Bay is essentially many inlets surrounded by beautiful karst mountains. There are many caves in this area which you can explore and the area is perfect for kayaking, swimming, cave exploring, or stargazing on the deck of a boat at night.
Unfortunately I didn't take my camera out kayaking and the pictures from the cave didn't turn out but I hope you enjoy some picture of Halong Bay itself.
After Halong Bay it was time for my time in Vietnam to come to a close (for now anyways) and to head back to Indonesia for what has already become a very busy and eventful school year so far. I also had the once in a lifetime opportunity of witnessing a pivotal point of Indonesia's political future as a very close Presidential election nearly lead to some major instability. I will give my two cents on this very educational experience next time.
