tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-85480897763327316942024-03-13T04:25:48.032-07:00GORDON'S TRAVELSgordonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06741350167588602821noreply@blogger.comBlogger179125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8548089776332731694.post-53884394784100344792015-05-03T17:18:00.001-07:002015-05-03T17:18:38.641-07:00<meta http-equiv="CONTENT-TYPE" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm">DAY 13</p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm">MONDAY 30 JUNE 2014</p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm">NORTH TO HANOI</p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><br> </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm">It was just an overnight stay at Phan Lan Hotel in Ho Chi Min City. It was a friendly hotel down a little lane of similar small establishments. All narrow and similar height providing 20 or so rooms.</p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><br> </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm">I got up around 5:30 am to start typing but also decided to make a cup of tea in my travel cup using a new very fast in cup element. Got into typing and forgot I had the water heating. Suddenly I looked up and into the bathroom where my cup was in flames. I was using a electric socket in the bathroom and the cup was on the basin. Action! Unplug and grab the handle and get under the tap and run water to deal with the flames. Result – no damage, but a useless cup with a hole in it and a heating element in melted pieces. Pity about my much traveled cup though.</p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><br> </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm">Breakfast at 8:30 am was a thin omelet, baguette, banana, half cup of orange juice and half cup coffee. A fairly standard breakfast in S.E. Asian hotels of the level I stay in.</p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><br> </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm" align="JUSTIFY">We had booked a couple of taxis to take us to the airport and right on time they were at the roadside ready for us. Modern Hondas. We moved at speed through a variety of side streets, back streets and main roads. The driver insensately sounding the horn to warn vehicles he was passing or to encourage them to move aside – which they never did. But we made good time and arrived at the Domestic terminal where the largest crowds were in the budget airline area – Jetstar Pacific and Vietjet and another I think. </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm" align="JUSTIFY"><br> </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm" align="JUSTIFY">We walked across to the International terminal looking for a SIM card for Phil's phone which we got. He was then able to clear his emails and found one from Jetstar telling us our plane would depart one hour late. By this stage though I had found that my SIM which I bought last night was no longer picking up <span style="font-style: normal">the Internet although calls still worked but not texting. Strange. Another issue were the steady stream of adverts texted in in Vietnamese. Every time I tried to do something on the phone an advert would interrupt. Rubbish said a local.</span></p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; font-style: normal" align="JUSTIFY"> <br> </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; font-style: normal" align="JUSTIFY"> Check in took time and Becky had to sign a wavier form taking responsibility for me because of my mental and physical state. Why? Who knows. Age perhaps? What ever the reason, we all had a good laugh about it and I have the form as a souvenir. My bag was 15kgs.</p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; font-style: normal" align="JUSTIFY"> Loading was by the get on a bus and be taken to the plane system – packed standing in bus, mad rush to the stairs to get up to the plane. Loaded from both ends so confusion for some trying to get on at the wrong end. Much to my surprise there was enough overhead locker space.</p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; font-style: normal" align="JUSTIFY"> <br> </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; font-style: normal" align="JUSTIFY"> Flight was around two hours with the time filled in by staff sellin g meals, snacks and toys. I still have a difficulty with the apparently high prices. In reality my coffee (local 3 in 1) and a cookie at 25,000 Dong is really a little over $US1.00 and last nights Indian curry at 163,000Dong was under $US10, more like $US8.</p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; font-style: normal" align="JUSTIFY"> <br> </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; font-style: normal" align="JUSTIFY"> Landing at Hanoi was a bit bumpy coming down through the clouds. By the time we had been bused into the terminal our luggage was on the conveyor waiting for us. Well some was and the remainder followed. Fastest delivery I ever have come across. </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; font-style: normal" align="JUSTIFY"> <br> </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; font-style: normal" align="JUSTIFY"> A man with a sign reading Rebekah Sussex was at the exit and in no time we were in the pre booked hotel van, rather than a couple ot more expensive taxis, heading for the city. We travelled along a modern four lane highway passing m]alternatively rice paddy fields housing and large factories and industrial complexes. One very large Panasonic collection of buildings which I assumed was a manufacturing plant. We passed over a very wide river which was most likely the Red River.</p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; font-style: normal" align="JUSTIFY"> After that we came into the city proper passing rather fascinating houses of a real mixture of styles and designs. They all tended to be very narrow, one room wide and several stories high. Quite cute and some looked as if they came right our of some children's story book.</p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; font-style: normal" align="JUSTIFY"> Once we left the highway and merged into normal crowded streets we had arrived at the Old Quarter, where our hotel, the Holiday Hotel, was located along with many others. Same narrow building with several floors and no elevator. I respect of my age it seems I have been relocated from the fifth floor to the second and into what the call the VIP room. Main feature is it is a bit larger and has a sofa and coffee table along with a double bed. Very friendly and helpful staff. Free wi fi and surprisingly my phone has started to pick up Internet even without the free wi fi. Perhaps my card has solved its issues? Time will tell. Still no Face Book though. I really do think it is blocked here.</p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; font-style: normal" align="JUSTIFY"> <br> </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; font-style: normal" align="JUSTIFY"> We wandered up the road a few minutes to a little restaurant called Gekko for a meal. We thought it was cute and were later surprised to find an identical one around the corner. Perhaps it is a chain? Children had pizza,although Molly chose Pumpkin soup, adults were more adventurous with my having prawn and vegetable in coconut cream and supposedly cooked in a clay pot although it was not served in it. Then a slow walk around the block and back to the hotel for an early night.</p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; font-style: normal" align="JUSTIFY"> Our hotel is down this street. Some of the narrow houses, but not the prettiest.</p> <title></title> <meta name="GENERATOR" content="OpenOffice.org 3.4.1 (Win32)"> <style type="text/css"> <!-- @page { margin: 2cm } P { margin-bottom: 0.21cm } --> </style> gordonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06741350167588602821noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8548089776332731694.post-82930679039988129992015-05-03T17:10:00.000-07:002015-05-03T17:11:04.937-07:00Day 13gordonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06741350167588602821noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8548089776332731694.post-84026819763541093162014-11-12T03:04:00.001-08:002014-11-12T03:04:38.031-08:00DAY 12<meta http-equiv="CONTENT-TYPE" content="text/html; charset=ISO-8859-1"> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><font color="#ff0000"><b><big>ON THE ROAD AGAIN</big></b></font><br> Sunday 29<sup>th</sup> June 2014</p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><font color="#6600cc"><big><i>Hello from Vietnam!</i></big></font></p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm">First time I have every been able to say that.</p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm">Tomorrow, I plan to start the day with “Good Morning Vietnam!” Nothing original I know and it has probably been said a million time.</p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm">But that is tomorrow. What about today?</p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm">The day started with a 6:10 am alarm for me although Phil and Becky were already up, to do last minute packing. The two tuk tuks arrived right on time at 7:30am and amazingly managed seven passengers and all the luggage. We were were at the bus departure office by 5 to 8 am. For office imaging something smaller that an a NZ garage. Many of the passengers were already sitting on chairs outside waiting. We past our passports over for checking and around 8:15 boarding began. </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm">Bus was quite comfortable and full. I had an aisle seat with a Cambodian lady next to me. What she lacked in English she made up for by almost non stop chatter toher friends in the seats behind.</p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm">The trip took around 6 ½ hours including 25 minutes lunch break (pork and noodle soup at $2) and a bit longer than that going through the boarder controls for both countries. Fairly relaxed process, just longish waits. The bus announcer was careful to always say “The Kingdom Of Cambodia and the Republic of Vietnam” The bus had a driver (of course) the woman hostess and announcer and a young male who didn't seem to have any real job. Besides announcing the hostess also gave out moist tissues, bottle water and the snack box (sweet cake and cheese crusant um spell check not a help there ).</p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm">The main road had a few bumps but was pretty good for Cambodia. It was Street 1 is the main highway, but only a single lane in either direction. It was pretty crowded with in Phnom Penh but less so once the city.was left behind. The driver was constantly sounding his horn as that is the customary means of informing a vehicle ahead that you were going to pass them. </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm">While we did travel through rural areas some of the time, usually we were passing farm houses, hamlets, villages and through small towns. Some of the farm land looked quite scruffy but other areas were much more attractive. The above is true of our travel through both countries.</p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm">On the bus the television played a feature film 'Fast and Furious 6' quite a lot of Candid Camera type ex television programmes and local karaoke and some sort of comedy show. We were not actually bored, but not actually interested either.<br> </p> <br> About half way we crossed the wide Mekong River by ferry boat. There were a couple doing shuttle service across the river, so we didn't have to wait very long to drive onto it. <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm">The Cambodian side had a dozen or so casinos to catter for the Vietnam day tripers.</p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm">The roads on the Vietnam side are much better. We drove along a highway with double lanes on both sides of a centre median strip which was either a wall or often rows of shrubs and low trees.</p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm">It didn't take too long to reach Ho Chi Min City aka Saigon. Many of the streets are tree lined, there is a pleasant path along the river running through the central area. We spotted a number of people fishing along the banks.</p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm">Streets are just as crowded as Phnom Penh, but there are more modern stylish buildings. The bus destination was a stop beside a large park area between two busy roads. Looked quite pretty as we drove along beside it in the rain.</p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm">Our hotel, Phan Lan Hotel was down a hotel, guest house and hostel filled lane diagonally across the road from our bus stop. Perfect arranging. Hotel gave us a good welcome and is quite small, five floors with just three rooms on each floor. Obviously, the building is quite narrow. No elevator but they have a hoist to bring the bags up to the room. That's good as I am on fourth floor, the boys on fifth floor and the girls and parents on third floor.</p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm">While the others went off to the war surplus market near by to buy the boys a few bags and pouches, I went off in search of a SIM card. Plenty being sold in the area as this is a tourist and back packers area. I just chose a stall where the lady could sell them but tell you nothing. The price quoted varied and in the end I paid nothing like any quote for the card and a top up which may or may not be unlimited data for a month. Her son tried to help, then a motor scooter friend who knwe what he was doing but not good English. Finally a young woman arrived who could translate for them. </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm">I did some wander around the area near the hotel even though it was raining at that point. Got lots of cyclo drivers wanting to provide their services, lots of invitations into bars and restaurants usually by young women standing at the door and one offer of a certain weed.</p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm">We met up again and went off for a family meal together. We only needed to go around the corner from the hotel for a large choice. We checked out a couple Vietnamese restaurants as the country is know for its lovely food – but we went Indian and that was a good choice as the food was delicious.</p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm">I must remember to give Phil 163,000 dong as my share of the bill. I think this is somewhere around $10.</p> <title></title> <meta name="GENERATOR" content="OpenOffice.org 3.4.1 (Win32)"> <style type="text/css"> <!-- @page { margin: 2cm } P { margin-bottom: 0.21cm } --> </style> gordonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06741350167588602821noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8548089776332731694.post-43638750425881015272014-11-12T02:56:00.001-08:002014-11-12T02:56:29.090-08:00DAY 11<meta http-equiv="CONTENT-TYPE" content="text/html; charset=ISO-8859-1"> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm">Saturday 28<sup>th</sup> June 2014</p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm">SNAKES ALIVE!</p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm">The day began as normal until Becky was taking a basket of washing out to the laundry, which is a shed attached to the back of the house. As she opened the door she sort of jumped and gasped. On the floor in front of here was a dark coloured snake. It was between the door and the base of the washing machine.</p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm">I happened to be there and can afirm that she did not scream. She was surprised however, we both were. Having decided the snake was dead, there were a few ants crawling over its tail, the thing becane to move. </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm">So doing the sensible thing she went and got Phil to sort it out. He came with a few implements such as a spade and a long stick to get it out of the shed and onto the path. Then while Becky held it down just behind its neck, form a distance with the long stick, Phil rushed inside and returned with an axe.</p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm">Phil will now go down in family history, not as a dragon slayer, but as a snake slayer. He is now 'Phil the executioner'. </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm">The event proved an exciting start to the day for everybody who was awake and up. That's everyone except one who slept through the whole exciting moments.We assume that the snake had managed to find its way through a hole in the back wall. On the other side is a large area of undeveloped waste land. It is an area where the children have been building a play area with old bricks and building waste. I suspect they will give it a miss for a while now.</p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm">The rest of the day was an anti-climax after that.</p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm">Becky and I took Molly across town to the meeting point with a little friend from school. It was a half way point between the two homes. It did involve driving through a few kilometres of heavy slow moving congested traffic. Then after the drop off, Becky had to do a U turn through several lanes of traffic to head back home. It was a manouver which one only does in Phnom Penh where it is and accepted process and where the drivers in both directions let you through.</p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm">Preparations for the trip to Vietnam took our attention for the rest of the day.</p> <meta http-equiv="CONTENT-TYPE" content="text/html; charset=ISO-8859-1"> <title></title> <meta name="GENERATOR" content="OpenOffice.org 3.4.1 (Win32)"> <style type="text/css"> <!-- @page { margin: 2cm } P { margin-bottom: 0.21cm } A:link { so-language: zxx } --> </style> <title></title> <meta name="GENERATOR" content="OpenOffice.org 3.4.1 (Win32)"> <style type="text/css"> <!-- @page { margin: 2cm } P { margin-bottom: 0.21cm } --> </style> gordonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06741350167588602821noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8548089776332731694.post-17184251241508078602014-11-12T02:50:00.001-08:002014-11-12T02:50:34.573-08:00DAY 8<meta http-equiv="CONTENT-TYPE" content="text/html; charset=ISO-8859-1"> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm">WEDNESDAY 25<sup>th</sup> JUNE 2014</p> <h4 class="western"><font style="font-size: 11pt" size="2">Americano strong $3</font></h4> <p class="western"><font face="Arial, sans-serif"><font style="font-size: 11pt" size="2"><i><b>Cafe Mocha $3.50</b></i></font></font></p> <p class="western"><font face="Arial, sans-serif"><font style="font-size: 11pt" size="2"><i><b>Cafe Latte Medium $3</b></i></font></font></p> <p class="western"><font face="Arial, sans-serif"><font style="font-size: 11pt" size="2"><i><b>Iced Orange and Pineapple juice $3</b></i></font></font><br> </p> <b>Y</b><b>o</b><font face="Arial, sans-serif"><font style="font-size: 11pt" size="2"><i><b>u may begin to think that all we do in Phnom Penh is to go out for coffee and your brunch. This is not true, but my being there is a good excuse to try a few places out. The city has an ever changing range of cafes and restaurants, so there is always somewhere new to try out. </b></i></font></font> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><font face="Arial, sans-serif"><font style="font-size: 11pt" size="2"><i><b>This one opened in January and is run by a friendly Korean woman with quite good English. We had a chat for a while as there was no other customers and I had a look at their professional roasting set up. I was also interested in the drip system they had for providing a coffee syrup for their iced coffees. The can also do single origin blends. Very advanced for Cambodia, but I am sure that with the speed things are changing here that others will quickly follow.</b></i></font></font></p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><font face="Arial, sans-serif"><font style="font-size: 11pt" size="2"><i><b>Becky decided that the latte which was served in a tulip cup was a good match for a flat white. I decided that my Americano strong was no match for a Long Black, but may have been a good example of Americano.</b></i></font></font></p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"> </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"> <font face="Arial, sans-serif"><font style="font-size: 11pt" size="2"><i><b>Actually we dropped in for the coffee after we had been to iONE. This is the Apple computer agency in Cambodia and they have recently relocated their service department to a flash new multi story block on one of the busy main roads near the centre of town. We had to drop off an iPad which needed a new screen following an accidental drop a couple of days earlier. The can not or do not replace the screen. Rather they send the unit to Apple in Singapore who replace it with an identical new unit. The cost of this will be little more than what a screen replacement could be assumed to cost. They will hold the replacement until we return from Vietnam. All seemed to be a very organised process.</b></i></font></font></p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><font face="Arial, sans-serif"><font style="font-size: 11pt" size="2"><i><b>One of the things that interests me staying here is the way in which the grandchildren all have various activities and personal projects which they can quietly settle down to. Bryn has spent much of hare time designing and cutting out a leather holster for his survival knife. Pippa decided to rearrange and tidy her room, involved shifting furniture as well. And they all have books to read as well. Meanwhile Becky checked out accommodation prices for Hanoi for our stay next week. Of course a lot to look at even in our budget price range. Amazing how much tax and a service charge can bump up the room cost. In the end we decided on a place to stay and have the rooms confirmed. </b></i></font></font> </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm" align="RIGHT"><font style="font-size: 8pt" size="1">I</font></p> <title></title> <meta name="GENERATOR" content="OpenOffice.org 3.4.1 (Win32)"> <style type="text/css"> <!-- @page { margin: 2cm } P { margin-bottom: 0.21cm } H4 { margin-bottom: 0.21cm } H4.western { font-family: "Arial", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic } H4.cjk { font-family: "Microsoft YaHei"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic } H4.ctl { font-family: "Mangal"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic } --> </style> gordonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06741350167588602821noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8548089776332731694.post-37420645404972583062014-06-25T20:01:00.001-07:002014-06-25T20:01:51.729-07:00S E Asia Travels 2014 continued
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
DAY 7</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Tuesday 24<sup>th</sup>
June 2014.</div>
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<br />
</div>
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It was an 'at home'
morning with my youngest granddaughter's school friend coming to play. She lives with
her parents in a village about an hour away in a rice growing rural
area. The two girls were both pretty excited to be together as it was the
first time that they had been able to get together like this. When
her mother came to collect her I had a chance to chat to her about
the work she is involved in. She is part of an organization which
focuses on bringing safe water systems to the rural villages. This
includes rain water collection and filtering. They also have a
concrete toilet unit with septic tank. All of this is tied in with
hygiene education. It all sounded very worthwhile.</div>
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<br />
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<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
During the afternoon
my daughter her daughters, Pippa and I drove to the Hope International Christian
School, to choose some books from the Primary school library. I was
interested to see how much the junior school has expanded since I was
last here two years ago.
</div>
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<br />
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
We then drove a
kilomtre of two to the Savvana Shopping Centre. First was to recharge
the data part of my SMART sim card. They have a scheme that you
purchase a pre-pay $2 top up and then phone in to SMART Exchange to
convert it into $30 data credit. An amazing idea which Becky and Phil
use all the time – and why not. Unfortunately, after the assistants
had tried all sorts of ways to get my phone done like this, they
realised that I had a traveller's promotion SIM and SMART Exchange
would not work. So I paid and extra $1 and got a traveller's 1GB of
data. I do not plan to upload any other videos to You Tube before we
head off to Vietnam on Sunday. So 1 GB should be enough. I am using
my phone as a wifi hot spot to link my laptop into.</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Meanwhile, my daughter and
the girls headed up to the third floor to the ceramic painting
centre. The girls each bought a shape which they then painted at the
work benches. They certainly enjoyed the activity and ended up with a
couple of results they were especially proud of. </div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Then it was off to the
Apple service centre to see if they could replace the shattered
screen of a iPad. Seems the answer is no, but they can sell a
replacement at a reduced price. We just need to work out how to back
up the files to somewhere safe, when your Apple cloud storage is
full. Now that's going to occupy us for a few hours tonight.</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
At Savanna, I checked
out the DVD store but it was so congested that I decided not to
bother hunting anything out. I have bought quite a number of disks
here on previous visits. After visiting the new Aeon Mall on
Saturday, this older shopping centre certainly looked a little tired.
We did drop into the Lucky Supermarket on the ground floor where I
discovered a bottle of French red wine labled <i>Cuvee Laurence</i>.
Of course I just had to buy this to try out during the week. </div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
There was the usual
mid to late afternoon rainfall with some wind. Temperatures seem to
be a little lower today and conditions are much more bearable.
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Finally spotted one of
the ghekos which live around the outside of the house. But this one
was in Toby's room and looked like it came through a small corner
gap. It was about 300 mm long and a pale pastle green. During the
night these creatures make loud calling noises. On my first night
here I thought that the sound must have been some weird clock chiming
the hours; until I tried to count the chimes and found more than 12
in a row. They are surprisingly loud for such a small creature.</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Across the lane is the
home and workshop of an undertaker. This morning a tuk tuk arrived
with planking for coffins stacked up on it. The undertaker has a
funeral tuk tuk parked out front. It has a construction like an
enclosed garden shed built on it. Highly colourful with decorations
of a Buddhist style all around it.</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Put a new video up on
You Tube. During the process my phone hotspot ran out of data credit
with only 86% of the up loading completed. A few hours later when I
returned with a recharged phone the up load continued without any
difficulties. Something new learned. This morning my You Tube views
total clocked in at 8,754.</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
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<br />
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
gordonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06741350167588602821noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8548089776332731694.post-44367729809843709332014-06-25T19:56:00.001-07:002014-06-25T19:56:42.912-07:00
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
PHNOM PENH UPDATE</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
DAY 6 Monday 23<sup>rd</sup>
June 2014</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Today's main activity
was a trip into the central area of Phnom Penh for lunch at Wills
Brunch Cafe. I had been here on a previous visit when it was under
different management as The Lounge I think it was called. Some
changes and a different menu. Nice coffee. And the food fine as well.
I did notice that having a second shot in the $US2.25 long black,
cost me and extra 75 US cents. Which pretty much brought it up
towards NZ prices.</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Nice air conditioning
and fast free wi fi, so I was able to load a video up to You Tube
very quickly.
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
LANDING AT PHNOM PENH
3' 59”</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<a href="http://youtu.be/UoYJq8VxUhQ" target="_blank">http://youtu.be/UoYJq8VxUhQ</a>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Becky used the time to
check out accommodation in Ho Chi Min City for Sunday night. She used
Trip Advisor and I checked on Hostelworld. Interesting to note that
we were getting cheaper prices for the same sites through Trip
Advisor. It looks like we have booked into a small boutique hotel
very close to where our bus ride from Cambodia will end up at. It was
good to have that sorted out. One four bed room, one twin and a
single room all confirmed. All a bit different and more complicated
to my normal booking of a single room.</div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
\ No doubt
about it but the grandchildren are certainly very confident with
being out in a cafe. Ever keen Toby works on his video editing.</div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Then it was off to
Monument Books again to purchase a Vietnam guidebook that I had
checked out last time. Of course the grandchildren made a beeline to
their favourite section for a quick read.</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
I enjoy travelling
around the streets of Phnom Penh. There is always so much to see,
with tuk tuks rushing along with all sorts of loads, not just
passengers, there are equally interesting loads on motor cycle
powered flat trailers. Then there are the thousands of motor scooters
with combinations of loads and riders, up to four on a bike seems
common.</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Then there are the road
side stalls and tiny shops we pass and always there are labourers at
work. Interesting.</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
I am beginning to work
out directions again and the streets around the house are becoming
more familiar. As are the streets I learn from previous visits. The
problen is just that I have not yet connected the two, so I have
the this gap in the middle.</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
The usual afternoon
downpour came and mostly went. But the heavy clouds hastened the
arrival of darkness. It was pretty much night by 5:45 pm. Phil had
been working in a village clinic over an hour away on the city edge
and had a long often damp ride back in the darkness. He got back
after 7:30 pm.
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
There was a chance to
watch another episode of The Midwife on DVD before bedtime.</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
gordonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06741350167588602821noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8548089776332731694.post-23749912717859369092014-06-25T19:51:00.003-07:002014-06-25T19:51:46.515-07:00
<div align="LEFT" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Day
Five</b></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><b>This
was Sunday and we all decided that a quiet day at home would be
appropriate after the rather busy previous day. Unfortunately for my
son-in-law, he still had to front up at University and run the second
of two Sunday seminars on Sedation for a group of local dentists. So
it was a 6 am departure for him and his motor bike. The early
departure is needed to give him time to get through the daily traffic
congestion. </b></span>
</div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><b>We
had passed the Faculty of Dentistry building yesterday and saw where
he works. He has quite a distance to travel each day to get there.</b></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><b>However,
a quiet day for the rest, which started off with my 9 year old
granddaughter making pancakes for breakfast to go with syrup and
fruit. Nice to be eating Dragon fruit, fresh pawpaw and mango again.
Later in the day, I had mangostein with its thick outer case rather
than a skin protecting the inner white sweet flesh. She has become a
practised pancake maker.</b></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Other
than a trip out to the nearest equivalent of a corner dairy, or more
a local supperette, One on One, which is across the road from Hope
International Christian School. It was a quiet day with everyone
focusing on their own activities or watching a Mr Bean DVD. My oldest
grandson is focused on making costumes and various articles for and
Ancient Roman soldier and for other characters. My 12 year old
grandson was video editing and successfully working out audio
features of his new Sony Vegas editing programme. I am very
impressed at the way the four grandchildren can settle down to their
own interests and activities.</b></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><b>We
had invited an ex Howick family around for tea and they duly arrived,
four on a single motorcycle as happens here, during a heavy monsoon
downpour. So we had a great time with the family. We have known him
since he was an infant. These days along with his wife they focus on
working with the disadvantaged and those at risk. Particularly young
people. They have set up a mentor programme called Alongsiders and
this has taken off in a really exciting way.</b></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><b>The
children had a lot of fun together.</b></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Our
friends headed off home between show ers around 10:40 pm. It had
been a really nice time.</b></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
</div>
gordonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06741350167588602821noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8548089776332731694.post-89354144139372946382014-06-25T19:36:00.000-07:002014-06-25T19:36:23.901-07:00Travels in S E Asia 2014
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Well
I Have Got Here</b></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><b>19</b></span><sup><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>th</b></span></sup><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>
June 2014</b></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><b>This
will not be a regular or daily update – have given up on trying to
maintain a daily blog of my travels. In fact I have done a bit of
travelling since the last time I actually did maintain a travel blog.
Rather this will be just a few descriptive comments ( or rambles) as
the journey continues. </b></span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><b>So here
we go with the fact that I got dropped off at the Auckland Airport
before the check in desks actually opened. A bit unusual for me. So I
joined the opening stampede once the check in counters opened, not
sure why as I already had my seat pre-booked for like or the sum of
an extra $25. It was at check in that I was told that the plane was
late arriving and would be that much late leaving. My bag was given a
'Hot Transfer' label. In the end the 12:15am departure was more like
1 am. That was to mean that I would have about 1 hour in transit at
Kuala Lumpur International Airport.</b></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><b>The
economy class was full. My seat was 21 J, which was the aisle seat
with one other seat next to the window. I was thankful that: </b></span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><b>a. I
was not seated in the middle of the 5 seat centre block</b></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><b>b. That
I had a friendly neighbour – an Early Childhood teacher from
Thames. </b></span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><b>c. That
although minor turbulence stopped each hot drinks round, at least the
meals came through ok. A sort of potato and roast chicken with fruit
salad after take off and a fritta and fruit breakfast two hours
before </b></span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><b>d. That
Malaysian Airways still has seat pitch (space between seats) of 34
inches.</b></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><b>e. That
the passenger in front did not ease his backrest into a semi recline.
In fact I didn't notice anyone doing that either.</b></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><b>At KL
it was a brisk walk to the inter-terminal railway shuttle and then
down H wing to the Phnom Penh plane. That boarded very slowly as
there was only one x ray machine and we even had to remove shoes. </b></span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><b>The
flight to Phnom Penh was on a very modern Airbus and I had booked a
window seat so that I could look out on the cloud cover and then the
ground as we landed in Cambodia. Just a bit over one hour travel
time. A chicken and salad roll, tub of fruit salad and white wine
provided a pleasant snack and time filler. </b></span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Visa on
arrival went smoothly and quickly as did immigration and walk through
customs. Biggest hold up was organising a SIM card before finally
exiting. This turned out to be a Travellers' promotion with the
problem that you can not up grade the data amount as locals can via
SMART Exchange, where by $2 prepay is exchanged into $30 data. Sounds
a great idea, it works, just not for visitors.</b></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><b>It was
very nice to see my daughter and the four grandchildren waiting with
happy smiles. The ride back to their home was a quick re-introduction
to travel on the ground in Cambodia. The toll road which is supposed
to be quick was under repair but with little sign of actual work in
progress. So it was very rutted and pot holed, but still crowded and
slow moving. Then along various streets with varing traffic
densities, but mostly busy with tuk tuks and motor bikes and of
course varying condition of road surface. </b></span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><b>It was
nice to arrive at my daughter and son in law's house. I had not been
to this one previously. It is located down a narrow single vehicle
width lane apparently without a name. </b></span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Their
home is double story with a large ground floor family room i.e.
lounge and dinning, plus a kitchen, bathroom and bedroom. This bath
room actually has heated shower water which while not really 'hot' is
enough to take the temperature to a pleasant luke warm.</b></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Upstairs
are bedrooms opening up onto an open common space. Also a bathroom
with a cold shower. I am particularly appreciativeof Toby's
willingness to give up his bedroom for me. </b></span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><b>It was
pretty hot when I arrived, well into the 30's and very humid. That
and the long trip without a good night's sleep was the excuse to have
mid afternoon lie down which became a sleep. When I woke I really did
think I had slept through the night rather than the couple of hours
it had really been.</b></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><b>See the
video: LANDING AT PHNOM PENH 3' 59”</b></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: navy;"><span lang="zxx"><u><a href="http://youtu.be/UoYJq8VxUhQ" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>http://youtu.be/UoYJq8VxUhQ</b></span></a></u></span></span><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>
</b></span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Day Two
seemed a little cooler. Perhaps even less humidity, although we did
have heavy rain mid afternoon. In the morning we drove into the City
Mall to book seats for the afternoon session of 'How To Train Your
Dragon Pt2' at the Legion Cinema on the top floor of the Mall
building. The interesting thing about the tickets for children is
that the right to a child ticket is based on height. So Pippa had to
stand against a wall measuring scale and this 9 year old found that
being just above the 1.3m cutoff point; she was an adult. I think she
rather liked that. Ticket prices: Child $US3, Adults $US5 and this
for a new release in 3D.</b></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><b>When we
returned for the afternoon screening complete with tubs of popcorn
and cans of coke, I found that our cinema (called a Hall) was every
bit as modern as anything back home. In fact it proved to be one of
my better 3D viewing experiences. Hall 1 would have seated around
200. They screened a cell warning. 'Turn it off before we come to get
it”</b></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><b>While
the Mall is modern and has many smaller shops, it is set out more
like a modern department store than the sort of Mall we know in New
Zealand. What did interest me was the DVD stand with a large range of
modern movies. I was able to buy several from recent NZ Film
Festivals </b></span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><b>We also
called into a nearby Lucky supermarket so I was able to recall my
memories of Cambodian products and packaging. I always find it rather
fascinating to wander round supermarkets in overseas countries.</b></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><b>During
our travels around the streets I was able to try out a small and
cheap ($NZ63) Thompson Action Camera which I had bought just a day or
so before setting out on this trip. Looking at the test footage later
I was very impressed with what such a matchbox sized camera could
achieve. </b></span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><b>See the
video:</b></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
THOMPSON ACTION CAMERA
REVIEW 5' 53”</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: navy;"><span lang="zxx"><u><a href="http://youtu.be/OiALye8mOxs" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>http://youtu.be/OiALye8mOxs</b></span></a></u></span></span><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>
</b></span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Day
Three.</b></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><b>We
spent the morning around the house with everyone engaged in their own
quiet activities. Toby and I spend several hours sitting side by side
working through video editing and looking at his version of Sony
Vagas – a popular editing programme. I also worked on a couple of
videos to upload to You Tube at some stage soon. One is a review of
the little action camera. Have now worked out how to use my phone as
a wi fi hot spot – easy really. </b></span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><b>We took
Pippa to a friends house for a sleep over. As a result, like
yesterday after the movie, we were driving in the Phnom Penh rush
hour. Well truthfully on the Phnom Penh streets, every hour seems
like rush hour. It was just that this time was worse, not only on the
main streets but also in the narrower side streets. Thousands of
motorcycles some with up to four some how fitted onto the cycle.
Often one would be an infant held in the arms of a rider or the
driver. There are also the tuk tuks loaded down with all sorts of
high loads as were some of the motor cycles too. Fascinating to watch
and wonder about the safety of the child.</b></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><b>There
are a few rules for driving here – in my opinion. Do whatever you
want too, but do it slowly and carefully helps. So if you want to
change direction and drive into the on coming flow just keep to the
edge – either edge that is – or wherever you want to go. Having a
large vehicle helps. If you have a large black Lexus with dark
windows, then you seem to have the right to drive with a sense of
priority over everyone else. And if you want to go down a road on the
opposite side of your street, then just aim for it and slowly edge
through the opposing traffic flow. Everyone will move around you
except perhap a Lexus or large truck.</b></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><b>In the
evening we drove to a small Indian Dosa restaurant. Cheap but so
nicely cooked and presented. I was very impressed. Only problem was
the traffic to go through to get to the other side of town. Next to
the Dosa restaurant was a DVD shop with more interesting titles. We
did have some discussion when I realised that I was being charged
$1.50 a disk instead of the more common $1 and the sixth one free.
The price came down.</b></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><b>So we
finished the day watching another episode of 'The Midwife' on DVD. At
present the family do not have TV and most likely will stay that way.
It is easy enough to get recent series on DVD and watch at your own
speed as it were. I was pleased to get two series of 'The Newsroom',
a show I have only seen part of one episode of previously.</b></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Day
Four – Saturday.</b></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><b>An
early start to travel across town to pick up Pippa from her overnight
stay. Her friend lived more on the edge of Phnom Penh and we
travelled not only along some congested roads, but also over some
very rough surfaces. Then it was off to Mercy Clinic to get the
children's inoculations updated. Proceeds from this central clinic
fund work in the slum areas. Run by a local doctor who trained and is
registered in the USA. </b></span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Next
stop was one of the city's main markets. Orussey Market is one more
used by locals and it does not have the touristy stalls which the
Central and Russian Markets do. Here we were also able to book our
bus tickets for Vietnam. The bus company will also organise our entry
visas. </b></span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><b>I
didn't find Orussey to be as crowded as the other markets and the
aisles were less congested. Less pressure to buy from the stall
holders. Or more like no pressure. It is always interesting to wander
around markets like this and although lots of stalls have the same
goods it is interesting to especially spot the local hardware needs
and the tools available. On the electronic stands there were lots of
USB flash drives with emphasis on 2 – 4 Gb and less on 8 – 16 Gb,
I did see a few 32Gb capacity. SDHC cards all seemed to be class 4
which is very slow and really totally unsuitable for any movie making
use. Low capacity cards were the order of the day. The two brands
were Adata and Transcend and their packaging did look like these
brands have back home. There was a stand with Sony 10 inch tv
monitors stacked up. But all analogue in a world fast changing to
digital. </b></span>
</div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><b>We
stopped at an outside stall to buy cool drinks. The first quoted
price of 1500 R was quickly corrected by the boss (?) to be 2000 R.
So we guessed that the first was the locals price and we paid the
tourist price. Two tier pricing. 2000R = 50 cents NZ. We mostly chose
Coke or Sprite. The process of serving is for the bottle to be opened
and poured into a plastic cup filled with ice. A straw is put through
the round top cover and then the cup is placed in a small plastic
carry bag, while the stall owner retains the glass bottle. The Coke
tasted right, came in the traditional shaped bottle but was rather
flat. It lacked any real bubbles. But it was nice to have a cool
drink as the outside temperature was in the 30's and inside the
market building must have been higher.</b></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Back
in the car which was parked on the roof car park and more driving
along a mixture of wide boulevards and narrow congested streets,
finally inching along to the car park enterance of Phnom Penh's
newest attraction, the Aeon Mall. Three floors of shopping and a
fourth for car parking. Having just opened this week, it was crowded,
actually very crowded. Full of excited shoppers especially
fashionably dressed young people. </b></span>
</div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><b>The
ground floor included a huge fresh vegetables and fresh fruit area
every bit as y as any supermarket has back home. Certainly a vast
difference to the local market stalls. Next to it was a large wine
and beer area with a big range from around the world. Big price range
too. There was a big supermarket all neatly set out with a couple of
eager young staff to greet you at each aisle. My young researchers
also known as grandchildren, inspected the breakfast cereals
selection. Not big enough, not enough choice in the 'flakes and
things'. Was a larger range of international 'healthy' musseli
alternatives – at a price.</b></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Ground
floor also had a range of meals and snacks for sale. All being
prepared in spotless kitchens areas. Noodles, sushi, bugers, pizza,
and varieties of local foods. Plus a bakery which would not be out of
place anywhere at home. Even with two payment counters and lots of
staff, the queues moved slowly. </b></span>
</div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Floor
two was fragrance level with lots of recognizable brands each with
there own stand and staff. That greeted you at the top of the
escalators, which were soon to brake down and stop working, resulting
in congestion as crowds squeezed in lines up and down the same
stopped escalator steps.</b></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><b>There
was a large area of whiteware and home appliances. Lots of Samsung,
LG and Panasonic. The same brands featured in the big television area
with Sony joining in. No unknown third level brands here. Samsung
where featuring their new curved screen tv sets. My first reaction is
that the more expensive 4K technology sets certainly had sharper
image but the actual sets are too small. Even a 55 inch curved set is
too small in my opinion. I feel that sets need to be really large for
the curve to engulf you into the picture. At one point two curved
screens were positioned next to each other to create a wider curve
and that did begin to work.</b></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><b>The
Mall floors were all ivory coloured glossy stone tiles. So everywhere
there were staff going around mopping them. One woman was on her
knees with a cloth spot cleaning. Lots of staff everywhere. Lack of
rubbish bins in the eating areas so that finished plasic containers
and bags and unfinished food were just placed on the floor beside
seating. </b></span>
</div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><b>The
Mall is not yet completely finished and there were large areas still
curtained off with construction noises coming through.</b></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><b>While
the Mall is impressive, I am told that most goods can already be
found on sale in the city. But it is more 'up market' than other city
Malls I have visited here. The car park exits by ramp from the fourth
floor down onto a busy narrow street. Already regularly congested the
car park traffic just adds to the confusion. Whistle blowing security
and traffic staff only add to that. The exit took at least 20 minutes
and we had parked right near the fourth floor exit ramp. While other
Mall parking is 1000R (25 cents), here it was 3000.</b></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><b>I
guess for me the thing is the tremendous contrast that exists between
the two markets I visited today. That they represent the range of
life styles and economic levels existing side by side in the city.
There will be big sections of the population who will never visit
Aeon Mall, who will never be able to afford to shop here. </b></span>
</div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><b>See
the video:</b></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
TWO MARKETS IN PHNOM
PENH</div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: navy;"><span lang="zxx"><u><a href="http://youtu.be/aN7CN175lBE" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>http://youtu.be/aN7CN175lBE</b></span></a></u></span></span><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>
</b></span>
</div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
</div>
gordonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06741350167588602821noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8548089776332731694.post-83788768024242345452013-08-10T20:23:00.003-07:002013-08-10T20:23:38.476-07:00By Hurtigruten from Tromso to Lofoten Islands<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/UCkj5iOIGD0?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
I put this video together to show to a Senior Citizens' club recently. The highlight of the sector I traveled on was to call into the Trollfjord, which is a very narrow no exit fjord. The large ship just had enough space to turn around in. A sort of three point turn for a ship. There were also some very close high rock walls on both sides which created a very tight narrow gap to sail through.<br />
Another feature was filming in the midnight daylight of the northern 24 hour day.gordonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06741350167588602821noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8548089776332731694.post-38297603710420072452013-08-10T20:22:00.002-07:002013-08-10T20:22:34.588-07:00King Crab Safari -Kirkenes, Norway<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/pGtt3uB7Eag?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
This is a shorter version of my video. I trimmed it down to include in a talk to a local Senior Citizens' Group recently.gordonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06741350167588602821noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8548089776332731694.post-90473948772822194492013-08-10T20:20:00.001-07:002013-08-10T20:20:24.504-07:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/gssOnTRWU0s?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<br />
Kuala Lipis is a town in central Malaysia which is not really on the tourist trail.<br />
I hope you will view this short glimpse of the town.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ejkl9SclyE"></a>
<br />gordonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06741350167588602821noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8548089776332731694.post-86069070319080072882013-08-10T20:15:00.002-07:002013-08-10T20:15:50.504-07:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<object width="320" height="266" class="BLOGGER-youtube-video" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" data-thumbnail-src="http://i1.ytimg.com/vi/iQXF_abqepk/0.jpg"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/iQXF_abqepk?version=3&f=user_uploads&c=google-webdrive-0&app=youtube_gdata" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><embed width="320" height="266" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/iQXF_abqepk?version=3&f=user_uploads&c=google-webdrive-0&app=youtube_gdata" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object> </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Here is another travel video from Malaysia. I hope you enjoy my look around Kotu Bharu. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
gordonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06741350167588602821noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8548089776332731694.post-41696758087128984212013-08-10T20:12:00.000-07:002013-08-10T20:12:08.318-07:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/VBr7g7k72Z0?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<br />
<br />
HAVE A LOOK AT MY TRAVEL VIDEO FROM THE CAMERAON HIGHLANDS IN MALAYSIA.gordonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06741350167588602821noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8548089776332731694.post-35568492991170620332013-08-10T20:10:00.003-07:002013-08-10T20:17:17.327-07:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/7ejkl9SclyE?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
HAVE A LOOK AT MY TRAVEL VIDEO FROM DENMARKgordonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06741350167588602821noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8548089776332731694.post-62406348254157705692012-08-16T02:51:00.000-07:002012-08-16T02:52:00.195-07:00Khmer War Crimes Trial<p class="mobile-photo"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jom_yNl6qZo/UCzCwBypq1I/AAAAAAAAA-A/lJmeLs56uhc/s1600/P1160202-720196.jpg"><img src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jom_yNl6qZo/UCzCwBypq1I/AAAAAAAAA-A/lJmeLs56uhc/s320/P1160202-720196.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5777206552379894610" /></a></p><p class="mobile-photo"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vTAn5vL9gcg/UCzCwmAkBsI/AAAAAAAAA-M/RghDi8K5-Uk/s1600/P1080384-722134.jpg"><img src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vTAn5vL9gcg/UCzCwmAkBsI/AAAAAAAAA-M/RghDi8K5-Uk/s320/P1080384-722134.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5777206562101921474" /></a></p>Building and materialsgordonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06741350167588602821noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8548089776332731694.post-24120234825148496062012-08-16T02:21:00.000-07:002013-06-03T20:50:06.556-07:00THE KHMER ROUGE TRIAL (revised 16 August 2012)<br />
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><b>No doubt if you are a tourist to Cambodia and to Phnom Penh in particular, you will most likely include something about the Khmer Rouge and Pol Pot in your visit. Every second tuktuk driver in the centre of town will offer to take you to the Killing Fields or the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum (S 21). </b></span> </div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /> </div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><b>These memorials to the Cambodian Genocide have bome tourist attractions. Not that you get a lot of pleasure actually visiting. Quite the reverse in fact, once you have navigated the various beggers at the gate.</b></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /> </div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><b>Tuol Sleng (Tuol Svay) was a high school in the capital which the Khmer Rouge converted into a torture centre. In just three years over 17,000 people passed through the prision and passed on to the Killing Fields on the outskirts of the city. Visit the school today and the lawns and pleasant spreading shade trees do not prepare you for inside the building which, incidently, really needs a coat of paint.</b></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><b>Here the classrooms have been turned into torture chambers, with the various devices and methods used still on display. They looked like nimpliments out of the Middle Ages. Up stairs several classroom have been filled with rows of tiny brick cells. Each long enough to lie down in but not wide enough to streach your arms out.</b></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /> </div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><b>In each classroom the blackboard is usually still atached to the front wall. </b></span> </div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /> </div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><b>S21 was every bit as brutal as any Nazi death camp. Killing was just as systematic with every new arrival photographed for prision records. Many of these photos are now displayed along the walls. Since I arrived in Cambodia on this current visit it was announced that a further 1700 photos had been discovered having been saved from destruction by someone.</b></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /> </div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><b>I have visited several concentration camps in Europe and found S21 to be every bit as harrowing. Extremely moving.</b></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /> </div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><b>I think I found S21 to be move emotional than the Killing Fields, despite the bits of human bone and clothing sticking out of the soil and the the thousands of bones and skulls on display in the tall memorial stupa. The remains of around 9000 people have been found here.</b></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /> </div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><b>So that all relates back to memories from previous visits to Cambodia. But this time I took the opportunity to attend the United Nations sponsored Khmer Rouge War Trials. These long runing trials are being held in a new purpose built court some 16 km from the centre of Phnom Penh. </b></span> </div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /> </div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><b>The Khmer Rouge killings were not just crimes against Cambodia, but as the current Prime Minister points out, 'crimes against humanity'. Pol Pot's Khmer Rouge ruled Cambodia for three years, eigth months and twenty days during 1975-1979. They called the country Democratic Kampuchea. During that time over three million people were killed. They were the parents, uncles, aunties, brothers and sisters of pople still living today. As I got off the tuktuk on my return to my daughter and son in law's home, my driver told me that his father had been killed by the Khmer Rouge just six months before his birth. He never knew his father. His sister is my daughters home help. In Cambodia, hardly anyone is untouched by Pol Pot and his forces.</b></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /> </div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><b>Now some of the leaders are finally being bought to trial for the crimes they and their regime committed. War Crimes. The accused are all old men and an old woman. The woman is suffering from dementia and she unless she can be cured enough to stand trial, will escape judgement. </b></span> </div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /> </div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><b>Only one leader has so far been convicted by the courts. That is Kaing Guek Eav aka Duch. He has ultimately received a life sentence with no chance of release. I believe Duch pleaded guilty as he had become a Christian and realised the crimes he had committed. Duch was Chairman of S21 and seen to be the organiser of the systematic and efficient torture and killing in that prison.</b></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /> </div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><b>His was Case 001</b></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /> </div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><b>Today I sat in on two sessons of Case 002.</b></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /> </div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><b>My tuktuk picked me up at 7am as with 16 km to travel on the Airport road it would be possible for hold ups to occur. As it was we were briefly held up by a crashed motor scooter and crowds around it spilling over two highway lanes. Other than that the run out was straight forward and I got to the court at 7:45am. The instructions suggested arriving 45 minutes early for registration and security checks, I was the first to arrive so there was no hold up with security. They had a airport scanner for bags and a scanner archway for me to walk through. As food, drinks, cameras, phones and large bags were not allowed into the court my gear had to be stored by security. </b></span> </div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /> </div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><b>You then go into a large covered outside 'holding pen' area full of tables and plastic chairs. From here you pass through more security into the main building, up stairs and through another scanner before coming into a large theatre like auditorium. This is the public gallery. Perhaps 750 cinema style seats in wide sweeping rows across the space and rising up step by step towards the back. Above the seating in a gallery are a number of glass fronted booths which I took to be the media centre and the translators' booth.</b></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /> </div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><b>Coming in I collected my head phone and receiver for the English translation. As required the language of the court can be Englsih or French and Khmer. </b></span> </div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /> </div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><b>While I had been waiting in the holding area a large number of local Cambodias had arrived. I was to discover that part of the court's budget is to emable ordinary Cambodians from throughout the country to be able to attend proceedings. The were all neatly dressed as one of the requirments is suitable tidy clothing. On arrival the bus passengers were all given a bread roll – I got one as well, perhaps the attendants were too shy to say they were not for me. It was a bagette with a sweet but salty fish paste filling. Well that's what it seemed like to me. While we were waiting both outside and then inside, up to date back ground videos were screened on flat screen tv sets. I thought this was a good idea as it not only filled the time in but also brought you up to date with the court's progress.</b></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /> </div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><b>In the public gallery we sat in a semi circular curve facing a wide floor to ceiling window. At a couple minutes before the 9 am start time, the curtains rolled back to reveal all the various court room officials and personalities in position. It was like having the theatre curtains open on the first act of a play with all the actors in various positions and conversations.</b></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /> </div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><b>A loud bell rang and we all stood as seven judges walked in and took up their positions on a raised platform facing the court and us. It was interesting to find that New Zealander, Dame Silvia Cartwright was one of the judges. She sat beside the President of the Trial, Nonn Nil of Cambodia. He made all the public comments and controlled the court proceedure. Dame Silvia made a couple of brief comments to him during the morning, but none of the other 5 judges seemed make any contribution or comment amongst themselves.</b></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /> </div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><b>With his back to the window was a wittness. </b></span> </div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /> </div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><b>To the left were the prosucution teams.- perhaps 30 individuals all in layers' gowns.Several represent ed Civil Parties. The prosucution, like the judges, had the Court logo on their gowns. On the right side were the defence teams of an equal number. Two of the accused Khmer Rouge sat in the second row with guards behind them. One was Samphan Khieu, aka Hem and the other was Chea Neon. Both were old men in their 80's. One, Chea, was in a wheel chair. A third defendant, Sary Ieng, aka Van, was watching from his cell by video link due to health issues.</b></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><b>Well I think I have got that correct.</b></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /> </div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><b>Each of the three had their own defence team and these were the officials making up the first row. </b></span> </div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /> </div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><b>Once the proceedings began, a live video picture appeared on the television screens so that we could clearly see the face of whoever was talking. This was helpful as the witness had his back to us. He was Mr. Suong Si-Koeun who had worked in the Khmer Rouge Ministry of Foreign Affairs. </b></span> </div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /> </div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><b>The first defence lawyer, Jasper Pauw, representing Chea Nuon, took a line of questioning which seemed to annoy the court president. So he tended to deny questions as repeditive and outside the scope of the case and so on. If I had been the lawyer I would have been quite angry but the lawyer was very polite and usually thanked the President for his comment. But it did seem to spoil the line he wanted to follow. The President of the Court also disallowed a number of documents because they had not been previously viewed by the witness. </b></span> </div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><b>Well the witness would deny seeing them even when they had been part of the documents collected by the defence or prosecuter as part of their case.</b></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /> </div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><b>The lawyer was trying to establish if the witness had been influenced by a previous witness retracting his statement. But the President kept shutting down that line of questioning. </b></span> </div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /> </div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><b>I felt that he ended his questioning without achieving the gains he had wanted. He also suggested that the President was adopting new rules as the case went along. The other concern for the defence was the way the Prosecution lawyers could and did, stand to challenge a document or lack of translation or page numbers and so on.</b></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><b>After a short break mid morning, the court resumed with a new defence lawyer representing another defandant. This was Michael G Karnavas (USA) who had worked on other War Crimes trials such as in the former Yugoslavia. He has also taught trial law at universities. Clearly he was a capable and experienced person who seemed to take the witness along the direction he wanted with great precision. I do not believe that the President interupted him at all. His questions were all little steps in which he repeated a previous answer and then got the witness to build further on it. Very skillfull I thought.</b></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /> </div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><b>I thought also that he got answers which the preceeding lawyer had been attempting to obtain without success. The President even had to remind the witness that he didn't need to give such long answers, especially if he wanted to finish his appearance promptly.</b></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /> </div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><b>At mid day the witness was given the opportunity to continue into the after noon or to rest and return tomorrow morning. He chose to come back tomorrow. Most likely a good idea as he was also an elderly person. He did claim to be the only Pol Pot intellectual who was willing to give evidence but then would not indicate the names of other intellectuals.</b></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /> </div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><b>He did hwever clearly emphasise that there was no point in requiring the present Minister of Finance and the current Minister of Foreign Affairs to testify as they had been lower than him in the Pol Pot government. He also told the President of the Court not to interupt him while he was speaking. My feeling was that he was being selective in his answers and protective of some individuals.</b></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /> </div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><b>At one point he mentioned how he had met with another Pol Pot leader to discuss what that person had said in his testomony. The witness claimed that he just wanted to see what he had to prepare to answer during his questioning. It did sound a bit like collusion though. I is also illegal to discuss a case with a witness once they have begun to testify.</b></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /> </div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><b>However Mr Suong did get a bit confuesed at this stage and kept changing the facts around. </b></span> </div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /> </div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><b>I left after the end of the morning session at noon. It was an experience which I was glad to have had. I was glad that I had made the effort to get out to the Court as it is undoubtly a historical event.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><b>It has taken a long time to get this War Crimes Tribunial under way and there seemsd to be a variety of opinions as to why this should have been so. There also seems to be an opinion that the current cases will be the last to be heard. If the investigations continued then they may well end up reaching into the higher levels of the current government. There is the question as to what some of the current political leaders were doing during the Khmer Rouge period. Would this prove to be an embarishment? </b></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><b>One of the interesting sides to the Court proceedings is the printed resources handed out to public attending. There is an informative 32 page booklet which seeks to answer common questions and list helpful organisations. Then there is a collection of up to date printed sheets which describe the current cases, gives personal background and information regarding the charges made against the defendants. There is a Whose Who in the court with brief biographs of each key person. I found this helpful and interesting to know a bit about each person participating during the day. A copy is given to each member of the public attending.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><b>I would estimate that today there were around 400 public attending. Over 50,000 have attended so far during the Case 002 trial. The Court has a budget amount to cover the costs of busing in Cambodians from around the country to experience the court activities.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><b>I read during the last seven days a local newspaper report that the NZ Government had committed a further $100,000 to the Court's running costs. Perhaps that is to cover Dame Silvia's salary?</b></span></div>
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From the ECCC Facebook pages:</div>
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<i>The Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC) is mandated to put on trial senior leaders and those most responsible for crimes committed by the Khmer Rouge between 1975 and 1979. </i> </div>
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<i>The Khmer Rouge tribunal is offically known as the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC). The ECCC is a domestic court supported with international staff, established in accordance with Cambodian law.<br /> <br /> Under the terms of Agreement between the United Nations and the Royal Government of Cambodia, the Extraordinary Chambers will bring to trial senior leaders of the Democratic Kampuchea and those who were most responsible for the crimes and serious violations of Cambodian penal law, international humanitarian law and custom, and international conventions recognized by Cambodia, that were committed during the period from 17 April 1975 to 6 January 1979.</i></div>
<title></title> <style type="text/css"> <!-- @page { margin: 2cm } P { margin-bottom: 0.21cm } </style> --> gordonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06741350167588602821noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8548089776332731694.post-90418188257540532132012-08-15T00:38:00.001-07:002012-08-15T00:38:15.750-07:00PHONM PENH REVISITED<meta http-equiv="CONTENT-TYPE" content="text/html; charset=ISO-8859-1"> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><b><big>I am sitting in a rather up market cafe. The Coffee House is attractively set out with modern comfortable furniture, a mixture of low sofas and cushioned stools around low glass topped wooden cofee tables. Of course there is free wi-fi, as is the case with every coffee cafe I visit which aims at expats. Some of the more local estabishments als ohave the service as well. </big></b></p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><b><big><br> </big></b></p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><b><big>At one table a loud voiced expat woman is holding a conversation with someone about running charity type training schools and the problem of actually finding a niche area to train in which wasn't already being over taught by other groups. Seems that there are so many hair dressing and sewing training establishments that getting a job in these areas when training is finished is hard. To me that would indicate a chance of women going backing into the life styles that the training was supposed to take them from. Perhaps micro financing them into their own businesses might help – I think that this could be a really esential extension to the whole training scheme.</big></b></p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><b><big><br> </big></b></p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><b><big>It is only 9am and already the presence of an air con is proving helpful. I was awake before 6am thanks to the local dogs and their regular early morning chorus. They have a late night sing a long as well. By 7:30 am the family were out the door and heading back to school for the first day of the new year. The long summer (mid year) break was over and there was a sense of excitiment at going back to catch up with friends and others. The roads were congested with over loaded tuk tuks and motor scooters. There were several traffic police and a military individual controlling the mixing flow from two roads which converge to cross the short narrow bridge leading up onto an even businer main road. </big></b></p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><b><big><br> </big></b></p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><b><big>We are dropped off on the opposite side of the four or more lane road which runs beside the high school campus of Hope International School. I say four or more lanes because with the flow of tuk tuks cars trucks hand carts and scooters everyone makes their own line of progress. Some scooters even ride against the flow. Crossing the road looks threatening, but in reality is fairly straight forward. See a space in the coming traffic with less scooters and start walking out slowly but steadily. Everyone just aims to go around you as you walk. Crossing the centre line and a Nope School security guard or traffic warden will rush out into the road to flag down approaching vehicles. And so you cross safely, if not a little amazed.</big></b></p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><b><big><br> </big></b></p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><b><big>The students gather in the shade of the raised buildings. It is a Christian school so the principal opens with a short appropriate Bible verse and will end assemble with an equally short relevant prayer. This assemble is devoted to introducing the new staff members and short term volunteers. More staff will arrive over the coming days, having been delayed by various travel or training concerns. In 15 minutes or so, the assemble is over and the new classes are heading off with their teachers. It is only 8:20 am. With an 8am start, the school day will end at 2:30pm. With the way the heat builds up during the day, this early start seems a good idea.</big></b></p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><b><big><br> </big></b></p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><b><big>I leave the school and head off down busy side streets for the coffee bar 20 minutes walk away. The residential streets are a mixture of small businesses congested housing and construction in progress. Down an ajoining side street last week I looked in at several local mechanical factories and workshops. There I watched lathes at work, welding, heavy metal work as equipment such as concret mixers were either manufactured or repaired. I saw a factory making large industrial generators down another street. Generally the workshops were not much bigger that two or three New Zealand double garages (car ports). Industrial safety measures didn't seem obvious. Welding without eye or foot protection was a common practice. </big></b></p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><b><big><br> </big></b></p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><b><big>I always enjoy walking along the streets here as there is always so much to see. And today I only had to decline three tuktuk offers and one moto ride. Perhaps I don't look so touristy? Ah well, dream on.</big></b></p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><b><big>While the temperatures are in the thirties, it was still early morning and easier to walk than later in the day would be.</big></b></p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><b><big><br> </big></b></p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><b><big>Just a block away from the Coffee House is the Russian Market. This is the one I have visited the most during my times in Phnom Penh. It is not the largest market but still full of many narrow alleyways and passages through the various stalls. Mostly the width is around a metre but it varies a bit depending on how much of the stall's goods spills out from their official space. Imagine a typical stall being around 3-4 metres wide and about the same or perhaps a little less, deep.</big></b></p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><b><big><br> </big></b></p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><b><big>Stals seemed to be grouped into areas selling the same type of product. There is a small group of stationery and book sellers. Some of these have so much stock crammed in that the seller sits out in front and clambers onto her displays to reach items at the back. One woman did this to get my a copy of the Malaysa Lonely Planet. It was just $5 and a fake. The cover looked correct but the small print had the correct edition but then said published June 2011. Now I knew that the current edition was 2010 with the next due out in 2013. I checked careflly inside and finally found evidence that the copied pages came from a 2005 edition. It pays to check.</big></b></p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><b><big><br> </big></b></p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><b><big>In one corner there are a number of DVD and CD stalls. One inside corner stall is double size. Most every film you can think of is likely to be there. But not The Story of Film – An Odessy which was shown on UK tv. Every stall has the complete films of Bergman – and they have each year I have visited. The packing changes so they must sell. I bought Brave to show to my grandchildren only to get home and find it had most likely been filmed off a cinema screen. And they had copied the 3D version so that it was fuzzy really not worth watching. It would pay to check. I suspect that this is the way the very latest films are obtained. Only $US1.50 a disc.</big></b></p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><b><big><br> </big></b></p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><b><big>In the middle of the market are food stalls, both vegetables and meats, but also prepared meals. I called in with my family members for lunch at the noodle and spring roll stall. Here for under $US1 each we enjoyed fresh cooked noodles in a very tasty light sauce with chopped up sections of deep fried and crisp spring rolls. Crushed roasted peanuts were sprinkled on top. Across the alley was a cold drink stall. A good combination.</big></b></p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><b><big><br> </big></b></p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><b><big>What amused me, as the family sat at the long ledge at the stall eating their noodles, were the European tourists pausing to take a photo of us all eating.</big></b></p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><b><big><br> </big></b></p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><b><big>An early morning visit around the food stalls and you will find fresh fish swimming in bowls with others chopped up int round slices. No nicely filleted slices here. I wached various 'butcher' chopping up chicken and beef and letting it lie on the counter or hang. Some had flies around it other pieced did n't. I am told that if buying meat sellect the slices which attract flies. It seems meet without flies has most likely had some insecticide sprayed over it. But no one know exactly which chemical is used. Perhaps frozen supermarket meat is the safest choice.</big></b></p> <title></title> <meta name="GENERATOR" content="OpenOffice.org 3.2 (Win32)"> <style type="text/css"> <!-- @page { margin: 2cm } P { margin-bottom: 0.21cm } --> </style> gordonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06741350167588602821noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8548089776332731694.post-11622559246244973922012-08-09T03:25:00.000-07:002012-08-09T03:43:31.135-07:00KAMPOT, MT BOKOR, LES MANGUIERS<div class="mobile-photo">
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-J_nJxrnd9lo/UCOQas_ZK7I/AAAAAAAAA9o/EKU5Fxku9Ss/s1600/P1150849-709958.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5774617935647157170" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-J_nJxrnd9lo/UCOQas_ZK7I/AAAAAAAAA9o/EKU5Fxku9Ss/s320/P1150849-709958.jpg" /></a></div>gordonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06741350167588602821noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8548089776332731694.post-75303323798867082302012-08-08T06:22:00.001-07:002012-08-09T03:42:52.893-07:00KAMPOT<br />
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<b><big>Kampot is a small town, although I see the local sign posts name it as Kampot City. I past through it on the way to the coastal town of Kep last year, but now I am enjoing a few days in Kampot.</big></b></div>
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<b><big>Kampot is spread along both banks of the wide Kampot River, spanned by an old narrow bridge and a modern wide concrete structure, named obviously, the Old Bridge and the New Bridge. There is also a railway bridge but no trains to cross it. An Australian company, Toll, spend millions of somebody's money reconstructing the line which had been built originally by the French colonialists years ago. So the line looks smart and modern, and runs from Kamport to Sihanouk Ville, Cambodia's port But the reconstruction stopped just past Kamport and the old railway line continues on to the capital of Phnom Penh, but is in no condition to run trains on.</big></b></div>
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<b><big>The local tourist guide book describes the town as 'an old provinical capital of quaint lanes and colonial period architecture. A bit worn down but radiating a quaint welcoming small town ambiance.'</big></b></div>
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<b><big>That sorts of sums it up I suppose. Certainly, I enjoyed wandering around the streets in the late afternoon light viewing the old buidings, mostly the typical Asian house shop structures. They were in various states of repair but often well done up and attractive. The size of the house shop building results in most businesses being small enough to fit into the long narrow space of the buildings' ground floor. Cafes and bars were common in this setting.</big></b></div>
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<b><big>Of course there also a number of 'modern' Cambodian styled buildings scattered around often standing several floors higher than than the more pictureque ajoining double story house shops.</big></b></div>
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<b><big>Down a side street in one such building we found an Australian run Espresso cafe. Here the owner roasts his own beens, aoften a blend of Cambodoan, Laos and Vietnam beans. The brew was good enough to order a follow up double espresso. They also served such famous Cambodian dishes as eggs benedict, hot cakes and crapes. Having brunch there also enabled us to escape a drenching from a heavy monsoon downpour.</big></b></div>
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<b><big>There are a lot of cafe and bar establishments which come in two levels. First are those serving local Cambodians and these are usually more in the back streets and around the market area. They tend to have plastic chairs and tables on the pavement.Some appear very popular and are crowded.</big></b></div>
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<b><big>Secondly are the more up market tourist and expat aimed businesses. These tend to be located along , or close to, the river bank to take advantage of the view and any cool breeze. My observations was that most ran Happy Hours from 5pm to 8pm with the offer of two cocktails for the price of one or 75 cent draught beer.</big></b></div>
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<b><big>We visited the Rusty Keyhole bar and resta urant one evening for what is claimed to be, their world famous BBQ pork spare ribs. Certainly I had read about them in the guide books but was somewhat underwhelmed by the result. The ribs, once located were small and I finally discovered tine strips of very tender juicy meat between them. However, they came accompanied by much more ajoining meat which was drier and tougher. I am sure that while these may be the best in Cambodia, it wouldn't take much to surpass them. I guess the real reason is that not many restaurants actually serve them here. I was warned by the staff that as this was the rainy season, the french fries would not be crisp and crunchy. They were correct as the chips were soggy and limp.</big></b></div>
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<b><big>But it was fun to be at the Rusty Keyhole and the staff were friendly.</big></b></div>
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<b><big>The town runs along the river bank. On the bank there is an attractive wide walkway and park strip and a retaining wall. Decrative 'French' lamp posts run along the river's edge. Across the road a line of house shops with bars, hotels and guest houses mix in with small businesses such as tour agents.</big></b></div>
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<b><big>Lots of people were out walking in the late afternoon. Plenty of tourists, young and old, mixed in with the locals. The rush hour traffic was uncongested and unrushed. Generally there was a pleasant relaxed feel to the place.</big></b></div>
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<b><big>I visited the market and made my way down narrow alleyways, some straight, others twisting around stalls and drains. The market stalls and alleyways were covered with blue plastic roofing causing a very humid hot and stuffy environment. Some alleyways had a theme, perhaps food, hardware or rows of women working treddle sewing machines making garments.</big></b></div>
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<b><big>Markets are always interesting to wander around as the type of goods on sale can often be quite different to home. This is especially true in the hardware area where traditional hand made tools are often the main items for sale. I saw some interesting large baskets and local cicular clay BBQ's enclosed in a tin bucket for added strength and as they had a handle, for transport as well.</big></b></div>
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<b><big>There is one large traffic roundabout in town and couple smaller versions, French style I suspect. Each has a statue on the central island and the one I spent time at this visit was the main or Central Traffic Circle. This had a statue of a large durian as its focus. Various smaller durians were stacked around the large main errect stone fruit. Durian is a controversial fruit. It has a strange odour which many consider offensive. Hotels often ban the fruit from their building. I have tasted it once and thought that it wasn't all that bad.</big></b></div>
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<b><big>Seven busy roads radiated out from the Central Traffic Cicle. Well, busy by Kampot standards.</big></b></div>
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<b><big>There were the usual varied use of motor scooters and it was common to see small children riding along with adults. Two adults and two children was common. There were a number of extended length tuktuks with and additional passenger or cargo compartment on the rear.</big></b></div>
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<b><big>I visited the local tin box shop with my grandchildren who wanted a few extra containers for their treasures. The locally made boxes came in a variety of sizes and in two or three basic colour variations. Simply made with light tin and pop rivets they also had a latch on the front.</big></b></div>
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<b><big>Our accommodation was around two kilometres up river at Les Manguiers (the Mango Trees). This pleasant family friendly resort was reached via a country road full of deep large potholes often water filled so that driving through them was somewhat like a trip into the unknown. The lodge is run by Franco Khmer family so that French is as commonly spoken as Khmer by the staff. There were many French speaking guests. Tall spreading mango trees provide a cool shade over the large grass areas between the guest bungalows raised up to enable cool breezes to pass nunderneath. The height also improves the river views.</big></b></div>
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<b><big>There were several swimming spots along the river bank and a small jetty which made a great spot to jump into the river from. All lots of fun. Also kyaks to rent and launch trips to book on to.</big></b></div>
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<b><big>A regular daily feature was the fishing boat procession. Each afternoon, just before susnset 20 or so small fishing boats would head down river in convy for a nights fishing at sea. They would return soon after sunrise with their catch. Their distinctive putput motor sounds would fill the air for a few minutes as they sailed past. In fact the sound of the morning return was more useful than an alarm clock.</big></b></div>
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<b><big>There are numerous padi fields around the grunds and it was interesting to watch locals working transplanting rice during the early morning before the heat incresed too much. All very picturesque and very Asian looking. The lodge provided meals to order although it tended to be a 'meal of the day' The wine list was limited to about six choices in total. But it did aloow me to have a bottle of Baron de Roschild for $US17 which I thought was a pretty good bargin.</big></b></div>
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<b><big>Dinning was in small enclosures built out over the river. They were roofed but open to the view and breezes. Very pleasant. Free wi-fi, free cold water, free old bicycles – you were charged for the newer ones. My large bedroom with large first floor deck cost $20 per night. While the room had a shower it was only cold water. So the system was for a large thermos flask of hot water to be delivered each day. This was them mixed with the clod water in a beaker and poured over the body. A system that worked well, providing the staff remembered to deliver the thermos.</big></b></div>
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<b><big>He area is dominated by Mt Bokor which rises up across the river. The French colonialists build a hill station at the top to provide relief fom the lowland heat. Similar hill stations were developed by most colonial powers with tropical colonies. I remember staying at a similar place in the mountains of Fiji during my living there in the 1970's.</big></b></div>
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<b><big>Well the French built a resort on Mt Bokor which opened in 1925. The road up the mountain wound up steeply. It was begun in 1917 and took six years to complete. It is claimed that 1000 workers died during its construction. At the top they built a hotel, church and a number of houses and other buildings.. And so it continued for 20 or so years, closed down for another 20 and then reopened around 1963 with the country's first casino built up at the top. It closed ten years later. Now there is a major development taking place with the building of very large casinos and hotels and it is claimed, a planned town for scores of thousands to live in. But why I don't know. There are still ruins of the original French buildings and on my visit during a time of cloud cover, they had a really sppoky and mysterious feel to them. Shapes that appeared out of the mist. On a clear day there are great views but I go those lower down are rather prefered the cloud cover.</big></b></div>
<b><big><br /> On the way up below the cloud layer was a great new roadside statue of Ya Mao a respected Buddist figure. Lots of locals were stopping off to pose in front of the statue, some to burn inscence and others to photograph some hanging boulders.</big></b> <br />
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><big>The amazing thing about Mt Bokor is that the hi ghway up the hill is world class and without a doubt the best road in the country. It must be more than 25km long and even when it goes through jungle areas has street lighting along the curbside. Amazing. Sharp bends even with a graceful curve has mirrors installed. Extensive retaining work alsong the hillsides should resist subsidance. This is an impressive road by any standard. Yet on the day I went up it I saw less than 50 vehicles using it.</big></b></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><big>Someone had a lot of money to invest here. I wonder who?</big></b></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><big><br /> </big></b></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><big>Over all I think that Kampot would be well wort revisiting. I would even stay at Les Manguiers despite its 2 km from town.</big></b></div>
<title></title> <br />
<style type="text/css"> <!-- @page { margin: 2cm } P { margin-bottom: 0.21cm } --> </style>gordonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06741350167588602821noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8548089776332731694.post-68258681002666171172012-05-23T02:36:00.001-07:002012-05-23T02:36:38.933-07:00KRATIEMy first introduction to Kratie was being dumped by the bus from the Lao border at a crossroads six or so kilometres from the town centre. Fortunately there was a tuktuk waiting and fortunately there were three other travellers to share it. One was a middle age Scotsman, John from Perth, and two were young Swiss women. <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><br> </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm">The tuktuk driver took us to an area of the riverbank road where there was a choice of accommodation. It was just a few steps from the Balcony GH which I had noted down as a place to stay. I got the last room with its own facilities. In this case it was a large room with two double beds, but as I would change to a smaller room the next day I only had to pay the smaller room charge.</p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><br> </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm">The expat owner, well legally his local family down as officialy the owners, was a friendly ex-Kiwi. But one who had lived in Austrtalia for many years. However, Andrew did seem pleased to have New Zealand roots and passport. It turned out that he has a doctorate in archeology. I find it interesting to meet such a varied range of people as I travel. </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><br> </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm">Later on that evening I was able to have a meal at one of the roadside stalls with the two Swiss women. One was a primary school teacher and the other had just completed her medical studies. Her mother had rung to tell her the results and so she was on her way home for graduation. As we talked I added to my knowledge of Switzerland. They came from the German speaking part of the country but could also speak French and English. Interestingly, English is now the first foreign language the primary school children start learning I the German speaking section. Perhaps that was true for the whole country as well?</p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><br> </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm">The next day the Swiss woment moved on although I did catch up with John again briefly at a cafe.</p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><br> </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm">At the Balcony I got chatting to Joseph, an older Austrian man. It turned out that he lived in Beijing and worked for or actually managed, the Austrian Tourism Office for China. He had spent his working life moving around various overseas destinations for Austrian Tourism. He had now been in China for around nine years. He was a great conversationalist and had a variety of languages he could speak. At the guest house he was taking the chance to have Khmer lessons each day. He had visited Cambodia a number of times and was making good lingustic progress. Certainly, he took every chance to practise. </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><br> </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm">Coming into the conversation group was a young twenties something Australian woman, Es – a Welsh name, who joined us for some meals and for out trip to see the dolphins. She was a graduate in Sales and Marketing and was keenly reading a book on the psychology of evolution. She was finding it very interesting as her major degree subject had been psychology.</p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><br> </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm">There is not a lot to do in Kratie to be honest about it. So sitting on the balcony at the Balcony GH reading was a relaxing way to enjoy the destination. It was also cool with a gentle breeze during the heat of the day. On the front lawn beside the lily pond was a open sided gazebo with a couple of hamocks providing another cool and relaxing spot. Even I managed to successfully get in and out of a hamock although I did feel that I could easily tip out if I wasn't carefull.</p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><br> </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm">Kratie is located on the banks of the Mekong River and naturally a road runs along the river bank. On the riverside of the road is a wide path or esplanade. Walking along it though isn't always easy as market traders and food stalls with their seating seem to spread out over it, forcing walking on the road itself.</p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><br> </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm">There is or had been a central market building which had burnt down. Now a double story replacement is being constructed. As is the case in Cambodia, the scafulting is simply thin brances and tree trunks fastened into position. Looking at the wall of the new building is like looking at a wooden pallisade from ancient times. I spent a bit of time watching the workers putting more trunks into place. They would have one foot places on a secure looking crosspiece and another on something less secure while they attached the next 'stick' in place. They didn't look very safe, but then neither did the construction process.</p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><br> </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm">In the meantime, stalls are spread along most of the streets and sometimes block the street for traffic. So walking through the narrow passageway between stalls can often bring you up against a motor cyclist trying to pass along as well. Everybody just takes that in their stride. The people are very accepting.</p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><br> </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm">Of course the market consists of all the regular stalls. There are plenty of women's clothing outlets and hardware sellers along with plenty of fresh vegetable and fruit stands. Down one dusty street I found the meat and fish sellers. Surprisingly fly free at most stalls. I find it interesting to pass along seeing the mostly women sellers, trimming their meat and scaling fish. They all seem so skilled in it. At one stall, a girl was beheading small fish and removing the innards then passing the fish to a boy who split it open and scaled it – all very quickly done. </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><br> </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm">Several of the meat stands had full pigs' heads on display. Some of the fish stands had bowls of live fish, including a mass of riggling eels at one place. Others had piles of animal intestines for sale.</p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><br> </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm">On the corner of a couple roads full of stalls, I spied a man using a saw to cut a large block of ice. He was working on the back of a hand cart. From behind I took some photos and video of the action. His friends and customers could see what I was doing and when he stopped told him. I gave a wave of thank you and moved on down the row of stalls. On the way back one of the friends indicated that he would like to see the picture. So I set my camera to show one of the videos. It shows as a still until I press a buttlon. So once the ice man had seen the picture of himself and grinned I pressed the button and it started moving. That really got an excited reaction. The size of the viewing group increased and the ice man especially laughed out loudly and with lots of excitiment. They watched it several times before the iceman and I shook hands and I moved om. </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><br> </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm">Backing the market stalls in the streets are the usual shops and businesses and customers have to wind their way through the stalls to get to them. Quite a number of shops selling amplifiers and music mixers for some reason. Also large speakers. I found a car battery shop with boxes of the product piled up outside, as every shop does. One brand was Obama Power. Several were variations on on the Panasonic name. Lots of phone sellers, often along with other quite different products. Nokia seems to be the most common brand for sale in Kratie. There didn't seem to be many (any?) smart phones though.</p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><br> </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm">All of the shops were single units as if they had been or still were, house shops. Certianly it was common to pass shops were a whole group were sitting on the floor together having a meal. In fact often when you looked into a shop it looked rather like looking into a home. A sort of strange combination of contents and use really.</p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><br> </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm">One cafe had all the seats at tables facing just one way. Facing a large tv screen showing a DVD feature film. To either side were a couple smaller screens showing different tv channels. There were a fair number of the seats in use, so the idea must work even if the clients stay longer than they need to.</p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><br> </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm">Did I mention how dusty the roads were? Looking down a road showed a haze of dust which did look very photogenic in the strong sunshine. I took some photos of course but would have like to have had a larger zoom range to really pull in and compress the street view. I think that would have produced quite a good effect.</p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><br> </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm">An interesting town which looked a little run down. It would amazing the transformation if only everywhere had a fresh coat of paint.</p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><br> </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm">On my final day I spent the morning wandering around the streets again. It was a national holiday to celebrate the king's father's 89<sup>th</sup> birthday. Most of the businesses were open as usual but there were less street stalls especial in the meat and fish. The streets were decorated with flags and pictures of the king.</p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><br> </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm">In the afternoon, Joseph, Es and I rented a tuktuk and headed off to hunt for the local dolphins. It turned out that the guest house manager was also the tuktuk driver, but he only had a two seater machine. So a cushion was produced for Es to sit on the front 'shelf'. Both of us offered her a seat but the driver said no as he needed to balance weight.</p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><br> </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm">It was about a 15km drive along the riverbank road till we reached the boat landing. Most of the route passed through continous roadside housing – which varied considerablly in quality and size. Most were village homes made out of wooden planks but some out of cement and others just huts from palm fronds and matting for sides. Many were on high posts to get above flood levels. We did pass some evidence of flooding still covering some low farm land.</p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><br> </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm">Because there were three of us we broke into the second price structure for the boat, $7 for 90 minutes. I noticed that the next day, 1<sup>st</sup> November would be the beginning of the tourist season and the boat time dropped to just 60 minutes.</p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><br> </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm">We headed out into the middle of the river where a couple of boats already were. Sure enough when we got to that area we began to have dolphin sightings. We were not very close but could see them emerge from the water for breathing. Ocasionally I spotted a tail as the dived back underwater. Within 100 metres of dolphins the boats are supposed to stop engines and us a paddle. </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><br> </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm">We followed them up river for a while and then motored ahead to where branches of submerged trees were sticking out above the surface. The boatman tied the boat to a branch and we floated there waiting for more dolphin sightings. They did surface at a distance. At our best count we decided that there were perhaps just four, but of courde we could not be sure. A couple seemed to be black but the others were a pale blue-grey. With my short zoom lens I did not get very close images and need to enlarge them on the computer to see them more clearly. I did waste a lot of time with the video filming the river surface in the hope of getting them breaking out. No I didn't in case you ask.</p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><br> </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm">I did feel that we got more sightings that I had expected, especially considering how rare they now are. It seems very likely that numbers are too small to ensure their continued existence in the Mekong. The part of the river where we saw them is an area of deep pools which retain a good depth even during the dry period. </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><br> </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm">Well we got within five minutes of our 90 and thought that was pretty good.</p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><br> </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm">Back at the guest house we sat down for pre-dinner drinks which slowly became dinner drinks. We ordered a pizza to share then another then broscetta then pate and bread. In the end the evening saw three bottles of Kangaroo Tail red wine get drinked away. It was a very pleasant evening with Joseph telling about his job as a Austrian Travel Office manager, life in China and lots of chatter about films. Every now and again he would rush off to check the International Movie Data Base to check a directors name and so forth. We both have similar interests in film. </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><br> </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm">The previous evening we had something similar with Joseph ordering the bar's last Jacobs Creek red to go with garlic bread, pate and more pate. Both nights Andrew would come in and out of conversations as his bar and serving work allowed.</p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><br> </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm">But on the holiday evening we could hear concert music being amplified in the night. About 10pm when the dinning was finished, Andrew suggested we go and find the concert as in previous years it had been pretty good. So four of us managed to get onto the tuktuk and off we went along the river bank road to the Ministry of Culture grounds to see the 'action'. Although I filmed a couple of items by the same singers, the crowd was very small and the performances were adequate. So instead of having the planned 45 minutes there, we were off again in 15.</p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><br> </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm">Well it was an experience even if it didn't meet Andrew's expectations.</p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><br> </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm">Next morning it was a quick bagette before the mini bus pick up arrived at 7am. So I was off and my visit to Kratie was over. It was interesting and different to many other destinations. There was the dolphins of course but it was also the relaxing and talking with interesting people which will be the highlight.</p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><br> </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm">There were other guests, mostly young couples who came and went each day but they tended to keep to themselves and I guess avoid old guys. But then they were not all English speakers and that would perhaps be a reason why the stayed more to themselves. Not unfriendly, just private. </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><br> </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"> </p> gordonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06741350167588602821noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8548089776332731694.post-34740031799770426182012-05-23T02:30:00.001-07:002012-05-23T02:30:18.171-07:00VANG VIENBefore I left Auckland I meet a couple of young friends who had recently
<br>travelled through Laos. When they heard that I planned to stay a few
<br>nights in Vang Vieng, there was a look of horror on their faces. They
<br>asked if I knew anything about the place. I commented on hords of
<br>drunken back packers and drugs and dangerous tubing and so on. But then
<br>I added that I understood that there was fabulous mountain scenery and
<br>caves. They agreed with that, in fact they agreed with each of my comments.
<br>
<br>
<br>So here I am in Vang Vien and I haven't seen tubing but I have seen a
<br>pile of tubes. I haven't seen any drunken youth, but then I have not
<br>been out late at night. I have seen some amazing karst limestone
<br>mountains. Today I have seen around lunchtime several young women going
<br>along the street in brief bikini tops, in one case a brief bikini, with
<br>bare topped males. One woman was even in the cafe I was eating in. Now
<br>obviously they have not read the comments in Lonely Planet about modesty
<br>and not showing off too much by either gender.
<br>
<br>
<br>Coming back from a walk in a farming valley a male just in swim shorts
<br>and his girlfriend in shorts and bikini top rode their bicycles past me.
<br>Both were pale skinned, sweating and although the evidence of sun cream
<br>could be seen, they were already showing a bright pink tone. I suspect
<br>that they will be somewhat tended and painful this evening.
<br>
<br>
<br>Being around 1pm it was certainly hot even hotter, so I understood their
<br>lack of attire. I was feeling hot too and stopped off at a little local
<br>resturant for a cool bottle of soda water. I find this bottle soda
<br>water, from Thailand I was told, is a great drink to cool down with.
<br>Shop price here is 5000 kip and that is what I paid today. However I
<br>have had times where there has been an attempt to charge me 15000 kip. I
<br>did not pay that.
<br>
<br>
<br>Vang Vieng is an interesting small town. It is obviously undergoing
<br>rapid development to cope with an increasing tourist interest. It
<br>specialises in adventure activities such as river tubing, caving,
<br>kyaking and cycling. As such it is a young persons town and this is
<br>obvious from the majority of tourists I have seen here. There are some
<br>older adults but few or none at presnt who would seem to be my age.
<br>Consequently, the tours and activities which would suit me better are
<br>not running for lack of customers. Having said that, I could pay an
<br>inflated price and have the tur all to myself.
<br>
<br>
<br>There are a mixture of sealed and unsealed streets, but generally the
<br>more commercial streets are sealed and have good quality footpaths.
<br>Smaller lanes and less commercial streets are generally unsealed and
<br>lack formed footpaths.
<br>
<br>
<br>I am staying at Pan's Place, a somewhat quirky relaxed guesthouse which
<br>was set up by a New Zealander and is now run by another kiwi and his Lao
<br>partner. He original owner Niel, a New Zealander, is still around, while
<br>the present expat partner, Chris is a friendly guy who enjoys a good
<br>conversation. Chris's Lao wife is the actual owner and is also on duty
<br>during the day.
<br>
<br>
<br>Price is low end and compeditive. My room has ensuite a good fan and
<br>also an expell air unit. Pan's Place has a lounge and resturant area
<br>which opens up onto the espresso bar on the road frontage. There is an
<br>honesty system for the drinks refrigerator for guests. Upstairs is a
<br>small TV lounge with a large supply of movies on hard drive. The only
<br>problem with this was that I could not get the TV set to actually work.
<br>It did not seem to switch on. And I did try!
<br>
<br>
<br>Vang Vieng is full of guest houses of all kinds and price levels. Some
<br>look very up market and have a hotel look about them. Others, well, you
<br>could find yourself disappointed on arrival. More guest houses are being
<br>constructed. This seems to be a norm for Laos at the moment. Obviously
<br>they are expecting tourism to grow even bigger. But this is the off
<br>seasonfor tourists and the streets are largely empty most of the day. I
<br>walk past empty cafes and restuarants by the dozen. Yesterday around 4pm
<br>I went to a large bar/resturant for a cool drink. I would have expected
<br>it to be crowded at that time. But no, there was just one other guest
<br>the whole time I spent there. So I was able to have one of the Oriental
<br>style reclining bed/seats with a great river and valley view. And there
<br>was a lovely cool breeze blowing in the open sides.
<br>
<br>
<br>At night there is a small area of food stalls. The main feature here are
<br>a couple of BBQ stands with their rotating spits. Along another nearby
<br>street is the place for pancakes. Why would you find a dozen pancake
<br>waggons all togther and all offering the same menu? Wouldn't it be
<br>better to scatter around the streets? Perhaps but there are some other
<br>pancake stands doing that. But these ones are up market as they sell crepes.
<br>
<br>
<br>Shops are mainly clothing based but some with other items such as tables
<br>of hardware items. Most also have some sandles and jandels on sale. Then
<br>there are the travel agents each trying to outdo the other with the
<br>largest signs. Most are offering the identical packages plus bus
<br>bookings. There some kyaking and tubing outlets. All interspersed with
<br>guesthouses.
<br>
<br>
<br>It is interesting to wander around the streets and look into the various
<br>business. I have seen shop owners asleep on hamocks and camp type beds.
<br>Mothers with their young child in their arms or quietly asleep near
<br>them. Around meal times whole families or groups gather in the shop for
<br>their meal. It seems a very social way of mixing work and family. I
<br>guess this is to compensate for the long hours the shops remain open.
<br>
<br>
<br>It must be dissappointing for a shop owner to stay open long hours and
<br>do little – perhaps no – business. In the clothing shops so much of the
<br>stock appears identical, how does the shopper decide which shop to
<br>enter. The Lao shop leepser is genrally friendly and quietly hopeful.
<br>But they are not pushy or inistant you buy, buy, buy.
<br>
<br>
<br>While there are many caves around the area, some are easier to access
<br>and some are more interesting than others.
<br>
<br>
<br>On my first afternoon here I walked for perhaps 30 minutes to inspect
<br>the closest.This was Tham Jang. I had to walk to Vang Vieng Resort and
<br>pay 2000 kip to cros their land and bridge. Once on the other side it
<br>was just a few minutes walk along a part, past food and dring sellers to
<br>the cave enterance. At the foot of the cliff a stream came out of a cave
<br>and formed a small swimming pool which some locals and tourists were
<br>using. Some just jumed in fully clothed as there was no obvious changing
<br>facilities. It is possible to swim a short distance into the cave; about
<br>80 metres I believe. Although I had swimming togs with me the lack of
<br>changing facilities made me reluctant to try to change and with long
<br>pants on I didn't want to go in fully dressed.
<br>
<br>
<br>Admission to the actual cave, for non-Lao individuals is 15,000 kip.
<br>Having paid this you then climb a steep stairway of a couple hundred or
<br>more ( I stopped counting half way) concrete steps. At the top is a
<br>small shrine and young children selling flowers and incense to place on
<br>the shrine.
<br>
<br>Inside the cave is a wooden and or paved pathway going in different
<br>directions. There are bare light bulbs along the walls to dimmly
<br>illuminate the way. The interior is generally a high cavern which winds
<br>around various rock formations. The stellatites and stelamites are often
<br>quite tall and thick. Some are impressive but with the low lighting
<br>often not the easiest to define.
<br>
<br>
<br>I was able to take photographs and movies but sometimes the results were
<br>rather dim. I did try using my torch to help lighten rock shapes but
<br>this tended to be too artifical and provide a curcular patch of light.
<br>
<br>
<br>I must have spent close to an hour exploring as it was quite a large
<br>cavern. Then back down the many steps to ground level.
<br>
<br>
<br>This morning I set out and walked across the toll bridge (4000 kip
<br>return) and along the rocky and muddy valley road. I headed for the
<br>closest cave, ham Pha Daeng. Not the best or most exciting cave to visit
<br>but the closest along the road. It was dissappointing and did not match
<br>the roadside descriptive notice. Nowhere could I find the promised
<br>crystal swimming pool. Although the young boy selling the 10,000 kip
<br>tickets could say the price he was not able to answer questions about
<br>swimming. However, I did enjoy the long walk along the bung path between
<br>fields of paddi rice. I spied small fish in the water races and chased
<br>butterflies trying to photograph the most attractive ones. Very
<br>difficult to do I must add and I did not manage to catch any of the
<br>large swallow tail ones which seemed so colourful. Well later I did get
<br>some shots of one with its wings closed and I think it must have been
<br>asleep. Do butterflies sleep?
<br>
<br>
<br>When I finally located the cave after a few false tracks in the bush,
<br>found it quite small and with a sort of cave foyer. A narrow passage
<br>went donwrds from this but with the light of my small torch, the wooden
<br>ladder, two thin tree truncks with a few attached cross prieces, did not
<br>seem safe to use. So after a few minutes it was outside again and
<br>butterfly stalking. The best shot was of the butterly which rested on my
<br>bootlaces.
<br>
<br>
<br>It was even hotter walking back to town so I stopped off at a small
<br>local resturant on the island between the two bridges. Cool soda water
<br>was the drink of the day. The establishment was all made of local
<br>materials with a palm leaf roof. All sides of the eating area were open
<br>to the coolling breezes. An nice place to pause at. I would assume from
<br>watching the people dynamics, that it was family owned and run. There
<br>were a number of children assisting and I wondered why they were not at
<br>school. I had passed the town's primary school on the way out and seen
<br>all the pupils in a playground break.
<br>
<br>
<br>It is now four pm as I write this account. Looking up from my table in
<br>Pan's Place I can see that the streets are a little busier. Half a dozen
<br>young visitors are walking along the road with large back packs. Perhaps
<br>they are looking for a guest house to book into. The sunlight is
<br>developing that special late day light. Shaddows are lengthening and I
<br>sense a cooling of temperature. Mind you it is still warm. It will get
<br>quickly dark around six pm. Across the road the shop keeper is closing
<br>and removing his large sun umbrellas.
<br>
<br>
<br>A girls has just cycled past hold up an umbrella. That's one of the
<br>things you notice – people riding along the road holding open umrellas.
<br>They can be on bicycles or scooters. Sometimes it is the scotter
<br>passenger who holds the umbrella over them both. I have seen several
<br>Buddist monks cycling along holding umbrellas too. Quite common to see
<br>monks walking along with umbrellas up.
<br>
<br>At Pan's Place, Chris explained to me that the Lao prefer lighter skin
<br>and that they want to avoid getting tanned in the sun. A Lao person with
<br>darker skin is seen as inferior. It implies that they work in the fields
<br>and are likely to be poor. The ideal male to marriy apparently is
<br>someone with a long nose and a pale face – and hopefully a full wallet.
<br>
<br>
<br>Soon I will need to think about tea. I have had an Israeli pork snitzel
<br>with Israeli salad. Do Israellis really cook pork?There are at least
<br>three resturants here with an Israeli theme. The meal was nothing
<br>special. Last evening I went to a local pizza house but had Lao Laap.
<br>This is a dish of finely minced meat (in my case pork) mixed with local
<br>herbs. Not too spicy and quite enjoyable. I also had a papaya salad
<br>which was much more spicy and I am not too sure just where the papaya was.
<br>
<br>
<br>Tonight I visited the Aussie Bar and had fish and chips with the fish
<br>being especially good and not oily or fatty. I got chatting to an older
<br>guy called Steve who was the owner. Steve wandered around in just a pair
<br>of baggies and nothing else. It seemed strange to me that the bar
<br>manager would do that. However we had an enjoyable hour and more
<br>chatting away and I was able to learn a little more about living and
<br>running a business in the town. He pointed out his partner, her daughter
<br>and his child as well as other members of the family working around the
<br>bar. Steve had come from Perth so running the Aussie Bar seemed a
<br>suitable business. As with other expats in town, the way to stay in Lao
<br>was to have a local business partner who actually owns the business and
<br>then they apply for an annual visa renewal for the expat. All the
<br>business men I talked to actually had a Lao female partner. It is easy
<br>to understand why someone would want to live in the town as the setting
<br>is so pleasant.
<br>
<br>
<br>Incidently, I would try to aviod the many establishments which seem to
<br>be screening a continous supply of 'Friends". There is a limit to how
<br>many episodes I can watch in a row.
<br>
<br>
<br>While wandering around the town I came across Wat That. The main
<br>buildings are very decrative and colourful. Restoration work seems to be
<br>in progress and a painter high on a scafulting, much like Leonardo de
<br>Vinci, was painting frescos onto the top of the ordamental gateway.
<br>
<br>In the centre of a hall or temple, a groups of ladies with food baskets
<br>was sitting waiting. Soon a group of monks arrived and sat down at the
<br>front facing the ladies. Finally the senior monks arrived and small
<br>tables of food were carried from the ladies to the monks who moved into
<br>groups of four to siz around the tables. However before they ate, the
<br>group of monks chanted what I suppose would be the equivilent to a
<br>Christian grace.
<br>
<br>Pan's Place also provides meals but they are Western so I tend to just
<br>have breakfast here. Yesterday a nice omlette and today Scottish
<br>porridge where both well prepared. For my final breakfast it was again
<br>omlette, but this time with bacon and vegetables in it. The New Zealand
<br>owner/partner has trained his staff to make western dishes with an
<br>attention to detail which should have them appealling to western
<br>visitors. Looking and the many menus displayed in front of eating
<br>establishments I can not help but wonder how well they prepare the range
<br>of meal styles on offer. European, American, Itallian, Israelli, Thai.
<br>Lao, Chinese, Korean, Japanese.
<br>
<br>
<br>One thing I have noticed is the regular rubbish collections. In fact a
<br>large green truck is slowly coming down the street collecting the binned
<br>rubbish out on the curb side. Some is in baskets some in plastic bins,
<br>bags, boxes, in fact any sort of container seems to be ok. No authorized
<br>council bag or wheelie bin system as in New Zealand.
<br>
<br>
<br>In addition there are individuals who go around on bikes or with hand
<br>carts collecting re-cyclable plastics. They pay a small amount based on
<br>weight to the provider of the plastic. Chris tells me that the staff at
<br>Pan's Place sort out the plastic drink bottles and similar from the
<br>rubbish bins around the guest house and on sell them to the collector.
<br>This is a small 'perk' which they share the proceeds from.
<br>
<br>
<br>So while I didn't get to all the caves and villages that I would have
<br>perhaps wished for, even just sitting at a shady table in front of Pan's
<br>Place, or anywhere actually, gives me the opportunities to observe the
<br>local life and interplay of activities. I find this equally fascinating.
<br>
<br>
<br>Would I come back to Vang Vieng? Yes I would do that. It is different
<br>enough to provide an enjoyable stay of a few days. Perhaps sometime I
<br>will return with Robyn?gordonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06741350167588602821noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8548089776332731694.post-80737091226758860242012-05-23T02:28:00.001-07:002012-05-23T02:28:28.399-07:00PAKSE or PAKXE<font face="Arial, sans-serif">While Savannahket has a population of 140,000 +, Pakse only has just over half of that number, at 75,000. However, in some ways it seems a larger town. I suspect that this is because Savannahket may have had shopping areas which I did not locate.</font> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><br> </p> <pre class="western"><font face="Arial, sans-serif"><font size="3">Pakse or Pakxe, is located where the Se Dom River flows into the mighty Mekong. The way the Se Dom flows into the Mekong creates a peninsula in the same way that one exists in Luang Prabang. This offers Pakse a sheltered boat landing area. However, while I was in town, the only boats I saw were small local motor ferry boats. I was somewhat amazed to watch one of these long, narrow boats being loaded with countlessbundles and parcels even though many seats were full with passengers. </font></font> <font face="Arial, sans-serif"><font size="3">Along the riverbank, several old larger riverboats have been moored and converted into restaurants and bars. One was very busy over lunchtime and may have been an organised function from the neatness of everyone's tidy clothing. Up on the side of the riverside road a whole series of food stalls are set up under the shade of spreading trees. Most have set out small tables and plastic chairs. One even had cane units which incorporated reclining seats with low tables - sort of what I consider to be Middle Eastern fashion.</font></font> <font face="Arial, sans-serif"><font size="3">Near the centre of town is the market and the market shopping centre building. In the building are the typical Asian small business stalls. There were mostly clothing stalls grouped into women's, men's and children's areas. But, there were only a few 'other' businesses - a cell phone outlet, a couple jewelery and some shoe sellers. Upstairs, I located a well stocked supermarket with food, household items and a children's toy area.</font></font> In a neighbouring open sided building was the produce market. Here were the fresh vegetables, a large dinning area with a number of cooking spots selling similar meals. There were also some packaged food stalls as well. </pre> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"> <br> </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><font face="Arial, sans-serif">I felt that the commercial hub of Pakse was more compact than say, Savannahket, although when leaving I did pass a market area and large supermarket which I had not been too. They were on the edge of town near the Mekong River bridge.</font></p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><br> </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><font face="Arial, sans-serif">The streets and footpaths in the commercial area are well maintained although it was common to have walk along the road because food stall filled the pavement or cars were parked along or across the pavement. No one seemed to mind.</font></p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><br> </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><font face="Arial, sans-serif">Several of the cross roads have traffic lights as does the one way bridge. In every case traffic obeyed the lights although you seem to be able to turn left against the light pattern if traffic allows the clear space. Mind you, on many of the light controlled intersections, there was also a police control kiosk with several officers always present.</font></p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><br> </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><font face="Arial, sans-serif">I met a tuktuk driver parked near my hotel on the first morning. He told me that he ran tours and gave me his flier. I was not interested in doing anything on the first day other than walking around and getting to know the town. However as the day progressed the thought of doing a trip got increasingly interesting, especially a half day trip into the Bolaven Plateau where I would see and ethnic village a tea and coffee plantation and a couple of water falls as well.</font></p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><br> </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><font face="Arial, sans-serif">I spent much of the day thinking about the idea as I walked around. I had to balance this with the need to stay in Pakse for an extra night and to delete a day somewhere during the next few days.</font></p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><br> </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><font face="Arial, sans-serif">The next morning was clear sky and sunny. It was too tempting not to stay and do the trip. I rang to check he was available and then extended my room booking.</font></p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><br> </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><font face="Arial, sans-serif">The area we were going to travel around verges onto the Dong Hua Sao National Protected Area and consequently there was a cost 5000 kip to entre to see each waterfall.</font></p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><br> </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><font face="Arial, sans-serif">The route out of Pakse was the road to Paksong the next town on the map and then further on to a boarder crossing with Vietnam. </font> </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><font face="Arial, sans-serif">This was one of the areas heavily bombed by the USA during the Vietnam War and there are still many UXO (Unexploded Objects) lying around. Each year there are still people being injured and killed from unexpectidly stepping on a hidden land mine. Fortunately, the area I was going to was considered cleared, at least in the most visited areas. Certainly I have lived to tell the tale.</font></p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><br> </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><font face="Arial, sans-serif">Our first stop was at a Katu ethnic village established along the roadside. The Katu are a section of the Mon-Khmer ethnic grouping. </font> </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><br> </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><font face="Arial, sans-serif">As we had travelled to this point I had already noticed the way in which village varied in the construction and style of their houses. </font> </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><br> </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><font face="Arial, sans-serif">This particular village had the houses built up abouve the ground with storage space underneath. There couild also be some household activities there as well but there was no consistency with this. The village people seemed happy to have my driver and I walking around and I suspect that he was a regular visitor as this would be on all his itineraries.</font></p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><br> </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><font face="Arial, sans-serif">The homes were largely palm and thatch construction. Palm trunks for framing in many cases and woven palm frond matting panels for the sides of the houses. Roofs were also made of palm thatch. However, I did notice modernisation as well. Some houses had corrogated iron behind the palm wall panels and some had it on their roof. A few had sawn timber boarding incorporated into their construction.</font></p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><br> </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><font face="Arial, sans-serif">The area around the village was largely bare earth, still damp but not muddy. The moisture gave the ground a black colouring overall. There were scores of hens and roosters wandering around freely as well as a few ducks. Also a pig or two as well. A few hens were enclosed in small cane domed baskets about a metre wide. These seem common in both town and country throughout this part of Laos.</font></p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><br> </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><font face="Arial, sans-serif">Of course along with kitchen and cooking utensils on the hut decks or in areas on the ground, there were also large water collecting and storage jars as well as the very common rusting satellite dishes which are everywhere in Laos. One lady I talked to who had visited Laos around 6 years ago said that there were no satellite dishes at that stage. Dishes imply tv sets which imply a supply of electricity. It is very common to see power lines running to even small villages but the wiring around huts and homes would not pass NZ safety inspection.</font></p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><br> </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><font face="Arial, sans-serif">At this village there were some stand alone rice storage huts which looked a bit like the Maori food storage huts.</font></p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><br> </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><font face="Arial, sans-serif">One thing which did interest me especially was the school. In the centre of the village was hut with only lower half walls, but with a roof of course. This was being used for a school. I was told that there was another school somewhere else but it was being rennovated. That would be good as the conditions here were not good. Home made desks which would seat 3 or even 4 pupils with a little storage shelf underneath. Floor was bare earth. The children seemed happy and although they were on a break when I arrived they quite soon returned to their desks and got exercise books out readyI met the one teacher, a young man. He was teaching two classes here and I noticed his seating arrangements. At one end of the hut he had a large blackboard on the left hand side with desks and students facing it. </font> </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><font face="Arial, sans-serif"><br> At the end closest to me a large balckboard was on the right hand side and the desks here facing in that direction. He was teaching the 9 to 12 year olds and the young ones were at one end and the older pupils at the other. In the conditions available to him, I thought that this was a good seating arrangement. I was told that as there was a teacher shortage in this part of Laos it was common for teachers to take two classes. Actually I had read something about this in a Vietaine English language newspaper while I was staying there. Obviously a situation of concern to the government as even when they assign teachers to the area they shift as soon as they can. Alos apparently, once a teacher achieves public servant or public service status, there is a tendency for them to move into other government departments.</font></p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><br> </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><font face="Arial, sans-serif">I took the opportunity to take a few photographs of the classroom and the pupils.</font></p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"> </p> <pre class="western"><font face="Arial, sans-serif"><font size="3">After the village we soon turned into a driveway and parked at a tea and coffee plantation.</font></font> <font face="Arial, sans-serif"><font size="3">First we inspected some tea bushes which were not much more than chest height and later some similar height bushes with very thick trunks which weee over 40 years old. That's how long the present owners have been there. </font></font> <font face="Arial, sans-serif"><font size="3">We saw tea leaf sorting and drying and the brying kiln. It was all on a small scale though. I picked some recently oven dried tea leaf and smelt it and tasted it. Surprise - tasted like crunchy tea. This was the process particularly for green tea. Oolong tea is sundried. I had always assumed it was the reverse. Oolong tea <i>'with its strong bitterness it will clear up your throat and curb your cholesterol and glycemia rates,' </i> claims the packet. It is distributed by Sinouk Cafe Lao Ltd. They also have a few cafes in different towns to push their own coffee brand. I had to visit Sinouk Cafe in Pakse because it had free wi-fi and the hotel's system was down for a couple of days; not that they seemed that worried. So I walked through heavy rain in my plastic poncho to get there. The poncho is a throw away item but so far it is standing up to quite a few re-uses. Mind you it does smell if you don't get it really dry before wrap ping it up for storage.</font></font> <font face="Arial, sans-serif"><font size="3">I was invited by Mrs Ya to enjoy a cup of their coffee and couple cups of their green tea and it was pleasant. </font></font> <font face="Arial, sans-serif"><font size="3">Unfortunately I didn't see the coffee process as it ws not harvest time. Both crops are sent off to large companies for processing and sale. So the coffee beans were just from the general area rather than specificly from this plantation. </font></font> <font face="Arial, sans-serif"><font size="3">They were all robusta because of the farm's altitude - it was not high enough for arabica. </font></font> <font face="Arial, sans-serif"><font size="3">I met both the the owner, Mr Ong Ya and his wife who are Vietnamese and they did seem elderly. He is the master tea blender and had his picture on the tea packets. A sort Mr Dilmer character. I took his photo with the tea packet in the forground.</font></font> <font face="Arial, sans-serif"><font size="3">Later we drove on to the national park to see The Tat Fan waterfall.Admission was 5,000 kip. First, we had to walk down a very muddy road from the highway to the national park about 800m to 1km – but interesting of course. The depth of the mud and ruts running for a distance would have made if difficult even impossible for the tuktuk to get through. Walking down the road took me past several small holding coffee plantations. In one place they were still clearing land amongst the remanents of tall tree trunks. Another had a coffee plant nursury set up under shade cloth. There were hundreds even thousands of small plants in their individual plastic bags. </font></font> <font face="Arial, sans-serif"><font size="3">On the more mature bushes,most were covered in masses of coffee beans. Only a few beans here and there were showing the red colour indicating ripeness. So it was too early for me to see harvesting in progress. Most of the bushes along this road were arabica. Talking to small holder through my driver I found that they would get $3-4 US per kilogram of washed and dried beans. That would be beans with all their skin and flesh removed and just the green bean ready for roasting.</font></font> <font face="Arial, sans-serif"><font size="3">Well, we walked through the grounds of Tan Fan Resort to the lookout points. Across a large wide ampiheatre were two rivers falling side by side to unite in the plunge pool below. I could see that each was coming down their own jungle clad gullies. They were not just a division at the top of one river. I read that the falls are 120 metres high and I am sure I have also read that they are the highest in Laos- but I cann't be sure on that. </font></font> <font face="Arial, sans-serif"><font size="3">Certainly seeing them plunge from the dense forest covered hills was impressive.</font></font> <font face="Arial, sans-serif"><font size="3">The next falls, also 5000 kip entry, were also very impressive. First we climbed down a steep rocky step access called 'the step ladder' which brought me down to a spur jutting out at spray level. The path carried on from that observation point further into the spray and mist, but it looked rather a slippery venture along the ridge of the spur. </font></font> <font face="Arial, sans-serif"><font size="3">Coming down the steep windy series of steps cut out of the rock face was challenging enough and I wondered how I would go climbing back up. Much to my surprise I was able to ascend without much difficulty. I just made sure I had hold of the step railing all the time, I did not want to slip on the damp stone steps.</font></font> <font face="Arial, sans-serif"><font size="3">Back at the top and I could now go out on a path which took me over some low bridges near the top of the falls. Here chairs and tables had been set up for people to have picnics. I did think that would have been a good idea, but rain was just beginning to lightly fall so it was time to move on. </font></font> <font face="Arial, sans-serif"><font size="3">Actually, the previous afternoon around 4 pm, I had been wandering around a large wat just along from my hotel when the rain suddenly commenced. Actually, not quite suddenly as I had glanced at the sky and seen the heavy dark clouds and some unexpected gusts of wind swept past me. So I had seen the signs but didn't expect such a heavy and prolonged downpour. My little folding umbrella would be of no use at all. So I stood under the overhanging verandah of one of the buildings and watched the surface water build up and move across the landscape.</font></font> <font face="Arial, sans-serif"><font size="3">In the middle of the heaviest rain, several monks came in through the gateway complete with umbrellas up, but completely soaked. You often see monks with umbrellas but they are more likely to be using them as sun shades. At least the rain was warm. </font></font> <font face="Arial, sans-serif"><font size="3">I watched it come off the roof like a waterfall. Lightning flashed and thunder rolled across the sky like a long tympany drum roll. It did remind me of similar thunder on some Suva afternoons years ago.</font></font> <font face="Arial, sans-serif"><font size="3">I am reading through Bill Bryson's book 'A Short History of Nearly Everything' as I travel. I noted some informiation he gives about thunder and lightning. 'Lightning travels at 435,000 km per hour and can heat the air around it to 28,000 degrees Celsius' He adds that that this is several times hotter than the surface of the sun. Best to keep out of its way I suggest.</font></font> <font face="Arial, sans-serif"><font size="3">Well, that was Wat Tham Fai, which on its roadside wall had a notice that read: 'Dear guest we welcome your sight seeing'</font></font> <font face="Arial, sans-serif"><font size="3">But although the War had spacious grounds it did seem fairly typical. But, there was a sort of rotundra at one spot were there was a raised statue of what appeared to be a very elderly Buddha. Was this really a representation of an old Buddha? One who was nearing the end of life? If so, it would be rather unsusal as most Buddha statues seem to show a youthful image. So it would have been unusual, although I have read about another one some where in Laos. </font></font> <font face="Arial, sans-serif"><font size="3">There were two ladies present, worshipping at a nearby rotundra which contained statues of Buddha for every day of the week. This is something that does appear in some other wats. There is the reclining Buddha and Buddha in various hand poses. Some had recent offerings placed in front of them and inscense sticks were still smoking away.</font></font> <font face="Arial, sans-serif"><font size="3">After about half an hour the rain lessened and finally ceased. People started moving and the traffic resumed. I continued my wander around the wat,carefully avoiding as many pools of water as I could. Then back to my hotel to dry out. On the way I thought that I would stop at Delta Coffee shop for an esspresso, but just as I got almost there, a double deck tourist bus pulled up and a large group moved to the waiting tables inside. It was pretty obvious that trying to get a cup of coffee now was not going to happen quickly. So I gave it a miss and coontnued back to DaoVieng 2 - my hotel.</font></font> <font face="Arial, sans-serif"><font size="3">There are about 20 wats in Pakse and the only other one I looked at was near the Se Dom – a tributory to the Mekong River and one town bridge.</font></font> <font face="Arial, sans-serif"><font size="3">This was Wat Lung and behind its tall white walls were a crowd of buildings funneral columns and stuppa. I chatted to several novices who where getting ready to go to school or at least to classes. It seemed that the large multi soried building was a dormatory for the novices. I also chatted to a 23 year old monk who it seemed was a teacher.</font></font> <font face="Arial, sans-serif"><font size="3">As I wandered around I glanced into one doorway and saw that it was a modern looking office with an older monk intently working on a dest top computer. </font></font> <font face="Arial, sans-serif"><font size="3">Back in the Pakse shops, I sorted out a couple of DVD to purchase. The lady wanted 7,000 kip each and would not budge, so I gave them back to her and left. A couple of days later in another shop I was able to get similar DVD for 5,000 kip each. That's the going price in most towns I have been to. Quite cheap really as it is about 80 cents NZ per DVD. However, the selection is not that great and it is quite 'exciting' to find a title or two of interest to me. Most titles in English are action movies, some rather ancient and a lot totally unknown to me.. Of the newer titles I have been able to get 'Black Swan' and 'The King's Speach' .</font></font> <font face="Arial, sans-serif"><font size="3">Late one afternoon I went back down to the river bank. It had been a nice sunny day and I was hoping to get a sunset across the Mekong photo or two. Well I was in luck and although there were clouds against the horizon and some higher; there was a decent sized gap in which the great glowing ball of the firery sun shone through. So some shots of this ate various camera settings and the darker images seemed to be the best. The rich reds and oranges came out best when I underexposed the shot. A pity though that there was no general overhead colouring of the clouds and sky. I sunset effect was localised and short as it tends to be in the tropics. The time of sunset was 5:40pm with the previous hour or so being very much into the twilight zone.</font></font> <font face="Arial, sans-serif"><font size="3">But keep in mind that sunrise is about 5:45am to 6am, so the day remains around 12 hours long. </font></font> <font face="Arial, sans-serif"><font size="3">My hotel was Dao Vieng Number 2, a modern 6 story affair fortunately with an elevator, as I was on the third floor. No resturant but a large ground floor foyer and reception area. The staff seemed to spend most of their day here watching local tv. The single room with ensuite was reasonable, a little small perhaps, but other wise ok. The charges had increased over the listing in Lonely Planet and no way could I get them brought down. But it was the end of a long day in a bus with little leg room and the next accommdation was down the road a couple of blocks, so I stayed. </font></font> <font face="Arial, sans-serif"><font size="3">Later, talking to other travelers I realise that a better bet would have been ther Lankham Hotel which was more into the centre of town, but a little noiser I am told. Very good value I am told. </font></font> <font face="Arial, sans-serif"><font size="3">I crossed a large bridge leaving Pakse. This was the Lao-Japan Bridge which was opened in the early 2000's. It is a modern bridge with suspension wires at one end. However I had not noticed a similar feature at the start of crossing it.</font></font> <font face="Arial, sans-serif"><font size="3">With the crossing completed it was good bye to Pakse and here I come Champasak.</font></font> </pre> gordonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06741350167588602821noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8548089776332731694.post-34293957287184446942012-05-23T02:23:00.001-07:002012-05-23T02:23:13.793-07:00DON KHONG – KHONG ISLAND<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm">Into the 4,000 islands region of the Mekong River.</p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><br> </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm">The mini bus pulled into the tiny village of Ban Hatxai Khun, really nothing more than a few houses and a shop or two. This was the ferry landing for transport across the Mekong to Muang Kong on Khong Island.</p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><br> </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><font size="3">Don Khong is a large island in the middle of the Mekong River. It is one of the first islands in the '4000 Islands' area of Southern Laos. It is 18 km long and 8 km wide in average width. A road goes right around the coastline and there is one which crosses directly across the island.</font></p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><br> </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm">Within a few minutes three of us were boarding a motorised long boat, with a roof, to cross the river. The boatman asked 15,000 kip (under $3NZ) per person and would not bring it down at all. <font size="3">This seemed a fixed charge no matter how many were actually travelling.</font> But the guest houses lining the oposite river bank looked inviting in the distance and after an hour plus in a fast moving mini bus, who wanted to worry about a few kip!</p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><br> </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm">I suppose the trip across took 5 or so minutes and it was pleasant to be riding across the smooth flowing<font size="3"> late afternoon</font> water. Up stream I spied several islands of varing size and I suddenly realised that yes, there must be some of the famous 4,000 islands. And that was sort of exciting.</p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><br> </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm">We eased in to the muddy river back between two other long boats, giving us a certain degree of stability to alight with. Just a step from the bow and I was onto the sloping earth bank. A few steps climbing up to the end of the concret steps and onto the road above. Straight away to my right I could see two of the guest houses I had selected to check out.</p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><br> </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm">Inspired by a fellow passenger, I made sure that where I stayed could get ESPN sports channel. A Canadian, John was mad keen to watch the final of the world cup rugby that afternoon and I thought it could be worth doing as well. <font size="3">He had decided to come here rather than Don Det because this was the location where some guest houses mentioned having satellite tv. So his first question wasn't 'how much' but can your satellite system pick up the game. </font> The first guest house seemed promising but I checked out next door as well. Rooms and price were ok but they could not get the channel I needed on their tv. </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><br> </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm">Back at Pon's Guest House the foyer tv set was already tuned in and the one in the room I was shown also picked it up. Seemingly the system had been specially retuned while I was checking out next door. <font size="3">However right on start time he realised that it was not on ESPN and so maade the manager search. through 200 channnels to find the coverage on Star Sports. I didn't know that was happening aand was in my room scannning. the channnels trying to find it, when suddenly there itwas about 2 minutes into the match. Thanks John from Vancouver.</font></p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><br> </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><font size="3">At Pon's GH I was given a front room #10. It is a </font>upstairs double room at the front of the guest house which gives me a river view. Slightly obscured by trees and a restaurant roof or two, to be completely honest. It opens out onto a large balcony with cane chairs and tables. Seems a very colonial feel. I could just imaging a group of colonial expats sitting here in the late afternoon enjoying their gin and tonics. It could be just was director needed for a feature film.<font size="3">which opened out onto the verandah- this was shady. and airy and from time to time a cool breeze woulde bnloww over it. My room comes with air conditioning, fan expellair and ensuite -with hot water. </font> </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><br> </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><font size="3">Pon's have their own resturant set up on a roofed, open sided terrace jutting out over the river. Several other ghs havesimilar arrangements..This is not the busy season thank goodness but I can imagine in a month's time that all these terraces will be a hive of activity. The same owner runs a more modern up market hotel a little bit further along the road. This is where we go to get an internet connection.</font></p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><br> </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><font size="3">While both Pon's establishments have pretty much the same restaurant menu, the hotel is better presented with table service set up starched white cloth napkins etc. Prices do not vary much between the two though. Cooking standards do though.</font></p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><br> </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><font size="3">There isn't a lot to do here in the village and several people are just stressing out and relaxing while their final visa days run to a close - as I am also.Why not! </font> </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><br> </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><font size="3">Besides long boat day trips down the river to Don Det you can hire a bicycle and ride around. This not a. costly aactivity asbike hire for the day is only 10,000 kip. </font> </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><br> </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><font size="3">Now let it be known that I last rode a bike at least 50 years ago and I had no way of knowing if I could still do it. There is a comment about never loosing the riding skill - but you have to test it out to find out.</font></p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><br> </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><font size="3">So taking courage in both hands I did rent a bike for the day. My take off was a little wobbly but I soon realised that I was going to manage ok. The bike technology was what I recall from all that time ago.Two handbrakes and no gears. No safety helmet either. The new thing for me was a basket on the front. There was no cross bar and in the old days I would be riding a woman's bike.</font></p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><br> </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><font size="3">When I chose my bike I thought it would be good to have one where my feet could easily touch the ground, so I suspect that I got a bike a little small for my use. Oh well, I did not have to angle across to put afoot on the ground.</font></p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><br> </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm">So off I went on the bike tor my first long ride. I knew it was 8 kms across to the next settlement and that meant I would be doing at least 16 kms for my first ride. Actually, coming back around the island on a mixture bank top track and the parallel road must have bought me up to around 20 kms. Not bad eh?</p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><br> </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"> Fortunately the road was not only sealed the whole way, but it was flat as well. Mind you I did have weave around several pothole collections along the way. Sometimes the pothole had been filled in and sealed with a light coloured material which looked the same colour as pothotes did. So sometimes I was avoiding something completely safe.</p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><br> </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm">The flat rural countryside was ideal for rice farming and that is what I found. I really enjoyed the slow cycle through the rice area. It seemed to be at several stages in its growth. Some fields were at the padi stage, others varing stages of greenness and some a golden colour of ripeness. In there fields I saw many small groups of women bending over cutting the stalks. It seems that harvesting is very much the women's job. I did see some men doing it but women were in the majority. I did tske photographs but in most cases the workers were just a bit far away for my short zoom lens to really do justice too.</p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><br> </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm">Along the road a bit I came across a small group operating a bright blue threshing machine on the road side. Blue seems to be the standard colour for these machines inLaos. I have seen a number working as I have traveled along in a bus and they were all blue.</p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><br> </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm">But this was nice and close so I stopped and took several photos of the activity around the machine. Chaff would fly out of a shoot in a graceful golden yellow arch before landing on a pile beside the machine. Very picturesque. Like several I have seen, this was on a trailer attached to a Kobto cultivator engine. These units are a crucial part of rural life and pull various impliments and trailer units along the road. I have seen one which was a regular passenger transport between a town and a village. I know because it was written on the side of the trailer. But today I also came across a couple which had their rubber tyres and wheels replaced with metal wheels edged in 'paddles' to assist with cultivating in the damp padi fields. </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><br> </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm">So although the ride was hot, it was interesting even if the main scenery was fields of rice. Amazing how interesting that can be if you keep looking. I past various styles of fish traps set up in the drains and padi field water races. There were larger irrigation channels which fed lines of smaller subsidary channels. There were bufalo grazing as far as their teather would allow. </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><br> </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm">Finally I could spy the radio and microwave towers ahead and knew that Muang Saen would not be far away. Lonely Planet describes the town as ' as busy river port' and I sort of though there would be a few larger river boats there. But no, all that was around were the narrow long boats used to ferry folk across the river or to an island. Not much more activity than at Maung Khong. However, the actual town had lots of small businesses trading in the basic essentials of local rural life. A couple phone outlets, some clothing mixed with other goods, hardware and dry grocery goods. I went back later to inspect the little local market which I had passed coming into the town. Perhaps 20 fresh fruit and vegetable stalls, some fish and that comprised the middle section. I assumed from the protective wrapping aropund some fruit, that it had been brought in from outside the island. We have the same sort of protective wrappers on some NZ imported produce too. I thought about the way in which the world is increasingly becoming just one great global community. I remembered elsewhere in Laos seeing imported USA grapes as we get them back home. Apples I think were Chinese. Disney was right 'It's a small world after all".</p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><br> </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm">Around the perimiter of the market courtyard layout were dry goods clothing hardware – exactly the same sort of gods which the shops lining the streets also had.</p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm">I did see trays of bright red chillies set out in the sun to dry next to three trays of small fish, open up to dry more quickly I supposed. </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><br> </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm">Floating on the Mekong was quite a large local style bar and restaurant and I went aboard for a cold orange drink, which although it came from the bottle refrigerator, was not all that cold. It was from Thailand and only 25% orange with added sugar etc. It didn't taste all that like orange I know.</p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><br> </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><font size="3">Once I had walked up and down each side of the four short shopping areas radiating out from the central cross road and the short shop row from the market, I had seen the town. </font> </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><br> </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><font size="3">So I headed off along the curcumference of the island. The guide books indicate the existence of a</font></p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><font size="3">useable track along the top edge of the river bank. And yes I did locate it and follow it along. It was quite rutted and muddy in places and in others it lamost dissappeared amongst the low ground cover. However, I kept going knowing that the road, which I could often see, was only a house or two inland from the track. </font> </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><br> </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><font size="3">Finally I came to a section which I could not easily pass. The old bridge timbers indicated that it had long since ceased to function and the small cliff on both sides of the stream were too much for me to carry the bike down and up. I wondered if the guide book writters had actually done the track? </font> </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><br> </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><font size="3">At this point I made my way back a bit until I found a well defined track leading to the road and past a couple of houses, past as well a rack of tiny fish set out to dry.</font></p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><br> </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><font size="3">So I continued along the road but as I went I began to notice people obviously using the track – so how to get onto it again. UI came to a Wat which obviously backed onto the track and so I went in and across the grounds; only to find a hige wire fence and every gate padlocked. Onto the road again. But next was a school and I could spot pupils coming onto the grounds from the track. So that was the way I went.</font></p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><br> </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><font size="3">Going along the track gave me quite a good look into the ajoining homes and small villages. On my right was the river with often good views out across to other islands and channels. Each house seemed to have their own boat moored to the bank. Often they had made convienent steps down to it – or to a fish trap, usually a basket style. </font> </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><br> </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><font size="3">There were plently of tall over hanging trees providing welcome shade and for a while I was riding through glades of tall graceful bambo. I enjoyed that and though it very much and Asian stereotype.</font></p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><font size="3">At one point I came across a small shop perched above the river and beside the path. Some houses also had terraced decks set up above the river bank and often groups would be sitting there. One group of older men offered me a cold beer as I went past but I declined gracefully.</font></p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><br> </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><font size="3">In time the track merged out onto the road. I could not find where of if it continued on later. So from then on it was along the road as were students heading for school. Often we would exchange Lao greeting. However, three young girls ahead stopped in the shade and as I past by one said in perfect English "Good afternoon". I was impressed. </font> </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><br> </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><font size="3">Along the way I came to the vehicle ferry landing along with its few food and drink stalls. This seemed a good place to stop and watch for a while. I watched motorbikes being transported across the river on small barges made by joining two or three longboat hulls together and placing a flat deck on top. It worked and I saw four bikes and riders on one and it could have taken another four as well. Then it was buy a cool drink and sit in the shade and just watch the activity going on around. I also enjoyed watching the local collection of roosters and hens strutting around beneath the food stall tables. I decided that they have very long legs. Another time I watched a black hen in a grass area pecking away looking for all like a black pukeko.</font></p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><br> </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><font size="3">As I got back towards Maung Khong I was again able to connect with the track. This took me past a food stall outside the back gate of a small school and kindergarten, past buffalo, turkeys, hens and motor cyclists. Then back to Pons Guest House for yet another cool drink. Soda water is a drink of choice for me but I think this time it was fresh lemon and ice.</font></p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><br> </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><font size="3">I was originally planning to just stay here for a couple of days and then move on down river to Don Det or Don Khon. This so I could see the famous waterfalls. However,when I found that I could do a day trip from Don Khong the need to actually relocate dissapppeared. As it has for others as well, I discovered.</font></p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><br> </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><font size="3">Pon's GH runs a boat down river to Don Det and Dopn Khon each day departing at 8:30am. They offer two choices. A return trip down and up the river with enough time on Don Khon to walk to one of the famous waterfalls. Then alternative carries on from the time at Don Khon with a transfer to a dolphin watching 'cruise' and then a mini bus to see the higher falls, before mini bus up the road to the ferry base for Maung Khong. That was alonger trip getting g back just after sunset.</font></p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><br> </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><font size="3">I chose to do just the cheaper return boat trip although I now think it would have been good to have paid the extra cash and done the longer trip. Yes they did see dolphins.</font></p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><br> </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><font size="3">The trip along the river followed one ri</font><font size="3"><span lang="en-NZ">r side down stream moving often through different channels to the return. Coming back we largely followed the opposite side of the river.</span></font></p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm" lang="en-NZ"><br> </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><font size="3"><span lang="en-NZ">It was interesting passing along the bank and seeing villages and rural life. In the afternoon we found many child</span></font><font size="3">ren on the bank waving to us. There had been some in the morning too. I saw one little boy with an older brother, both were waving. But when we waved back, the littlest boy started jumping with a happy small on his face.</font></p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><br> </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><font size="3">So we saw adults gardening, checking fish traps, in long boats – fishing in some cases, or just standing watching us go by. On most times the top of the river bank was at least 2 metres above us, usually more.</font></p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><font size="3">Quite often there were mature trees growing up out of the water and I assumed that during the dry season the water level would drop so that they were on dry islands. We also passed by reeds and grasses growing up well out into the river. I spotted what seemed like lots of small branches sticking up in groups. The water was making them dance and wriggle around in quite a chorographed manner. I could just imagine the dance music playing for them.</font></p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><br> </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><font size="3">When we got to Do Det we pulled in to drop a ypoung back packer off. Don Det is reputed to be a swinging youth hang out much like Vang Vien is. Certainly when we arrived around 10am the place was totally dead. The bars were empty. It looked sort of depressing. </font> </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><br> </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><font size="3">But we carried on along the edge of Don Det which seemd to be almost a continous line of accommodation choices. Once we past the towering remains of the French wharf with its loading facility. The colonial French had a system of wharfs and a connecting railway to get cargo past the Mekong's falls which are the spectacular attraction at this point. They block all shipping up or down the river, which is a pity in many ways. But the falls are impressive.</font></p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><br> </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><font size="3">Further on we came to the connecting bridge linking Don Det with Don Khon. The bridge was multi purpose; railway and narrow road. It looks like a typical rural French bridge with low archs connecting solid square pillars in a regular pattern across the channel. We landed a bit before the bridge but shortly I had a good look at it as I passed by. Actually beside it is the ticket office where you pay 20,000 kip per day for the pleasure of visiting the island and viewing waterfalls and old French railway engines. The one I saw was surprisingly small with just two wheels per side. It looked like something out of a childrens construction set. But it was in qite reasonable condition for its age and wasn't too rusted away. The old railway track is now a road or cycle trail.</font></p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><br> </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><font size="3">But I was off to see the Li Phi Falls. This was a three kilometre walk in the hot sun through fields of ripening rice. I did pass a Wat on the way but didn't go in. Later I discovered that there is a shady path from the back of the Wat to the falls. A pity I didn't know. But then I would have missed getting the photos I took during my return 'stroll' of a buffalo in its personal muddy slush pool. It kept flicking water with its tail and rolling its head into the pool. It didn't seem to mind me watching at all.</font></p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><br> </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><font size="3">The falls were pretty spectacular really. They are not high and it is just a mass of tumbling water racing through channels in the rock rock. There seems to be a drop over a ledge or resitant rock. The first view is the one the tour groups spnd most time at. Yes we had a couple of groups there all wanting their picture taken in front of the view. But they didn't stay long really. It is possible to move on along the track and find other views of the first part and then to see fresh parts of the total falls. To the left the falls look like some gigantic rapids with a slope rather than a distinct 'fall'. </font> </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><br> </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><font size="3">I walked on along the drack to find the beach. Yes there it was, a small bay with sand piled up high and the river water coming in and out like the actio n of waves in the sea. It was pretty obvious that the currents were curving in and out strongly and except for a shallow paddle swimming was dangerous. It wasn't very far out into the main channel with the rushing water and the currents of the little would get you out into the river pretty quickly.</font></p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><br> </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><font size="3">So it was an interesting day. Well worth doing. I walked back into the settlement of school, guest houses and a few basic shops. I found a pleasant waterside restaurant for lunch, where I could gaze at the river sement flowing past and at the picturesque bridge and image I was in France. Then it was time to reconnect with the boat and travel back up river after a brief side trip to drop off the full day tour passengers. </font> </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><br> </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><font size="3">From then on, my stay was really just a few days of rest and relaxation – a nice term I suppose for being lazy. True, I did wander around the near by streets, such as they are and spend time on trying to get my blog entries done.</font></p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><br> </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><font size="3">At 5:45am there is the chance to watch the sun rise directly across the river. I did take some photos of the emense glowing ball just above the horizon. Stunning. As the sun rises, so does the feeling of warmth. The heat of the day begins. It all happens quite suddenly really, as it does in the tropics. Sunset is the reverse with the sense of twilght dulling starting around 4pm and sunset at 5:40pm followed quickly by darkness.</font></p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><br> </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><font size="3">Last afternoon around4:30pm we had a heavy down pour with rain and wind gusts. The guest house staff rushed up to the balcony and lowered the rolled up canvas blinds to protect the area from becoming too damp. That produced a strange sort of dullness on the balcony area. During the tropical downpour the power went off for a long while which just increased the darkness around me. It did not return until around 7pm. </font> </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><br> </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><font size="3">Meanwhile the rain had soaked the open sided restaurant where the staff had put the chairs at an angle against the tables to let the rain drain off more quickly. As soon as the rain decreased, they had to set up two long tables ready for a bus load of tourists who were coming in for dinner. That made me decide to dine at the empty resaurant next door and so get my meal with little delay. Fried pork and vegetables with sticky rice. A tasty dish, freshly prepared and cheap.</font></p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><br> </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><font size="3">There are two Wats close to the village of Maung Khong. The first I visited one afternoon and it was on the southern end of the settlement. I had seen it before but not gone in. The striking feature about this wat is a large statue of Buddha with a even larger representation of a naga (seven headed/toungue snake) towering up behind him. Freshly painted and bright in the late afternoon sunshine. There are paintings round the base of everyday local life and scenes plus some religious story telling.</font></p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><br> </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><font size="3">Near the front gate a group of monks and novices were hand mixing cement and puttin in curbing and what looked like would be a path to a building. Around the wat perimeter was a high white wall with a continous series of text acknowledging the donation of money, with the amount clearly stated and the currency it was in. Obviously the temple complex is being slowly up graded as there was a half finished large sim like building standing to one side of the grounds.</font></p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><br> </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><font size="3">At the northern end of town is yet another wat. This is spread out under tall coconut palms which provide a welcome coolness. I had walked to reach the wat and appreciated the coolness. A light breeze off the ajoining Mekong also helped.</font></p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><br> </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><font size="3">The main feature here was an old sim which dated back 150 years or more. I took photos of the front of it which looked a bit like some Khmer ruins, but which were just a different design to the usual sim I have seen. A number of small children were playing in groups around the grounds. It all looked very peaceful and tranquil.</font></p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><br> </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><font size="3">Across the river is a small hill. Along the ridge line can be seen a couple roof tops of Buddhist buildings amongst the trees. As well, there is a commanding Buddha statue which looks out across the Mekong. I happened to look out at the river and realised that the statue was in direct line with the Wat if was currently visiting. In fact I thought that the statue was looking right at the doorway of the sim. Not sure of the signifigance of this but I thought that it had to be more than coincidence/ </font> </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><br> </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><font size="3">Staying at Pon's for several nights were a group of travellers who are doing long journeys in 4 wheel drive vehicles. A Land Rover and a Nissan Patrol were two. One had come Australia, shipped his vehicle to South Africa and travelled up the continent. Explored Europe and then headed across Asia on his way back to Singapore, from where he shops the vehicle to Darwin and so back to home base in the south of Australia. </font> </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><br> </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><font size="3">The other couple had set off from Europe and after crossing Central Asia, Mongolia and China where also heading for Singapore.</font></p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><br> </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><font size="3">A third was aiming to carry on to North America before returning to the UK.</font></p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><br> </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><font size="3">They had all met up along the way. </font> </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><br> </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><font size="3">What a great thing to do although I guess having the vehicle and some mechanical knowledge would help. One driver said that he carried spares and this had helped when his wheel bearings gave up in rural China. Another had two blow outs in one day and had to flag down a passing motorist, luckily British, in some remote area and go 100 kms to get replacement tyres. The helpful motorist then took them back to the vehicle. That was a great way of helping a fellow traveller.</font></p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><br> </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><font size="3">One group is attempting to raise awareness and money for UK Mountain Research and to help this have a website; <a href="http://www.landroveroverland.co.uk/">www.landroveroverland.co.uk</a> where they add blog video and photos of their travels.</font></p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"> </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><font size="3">The guest house became much quieter after they left – not that they were noisy, rather there were not many other guests. If any?</font></p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><br> </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><font size="3">This is my last day on Don Khong. After farewelling the 4 wheelers, I spent time on journal writing. This one in fact. Around 11 am I set out for a walk along the path or track which runs along the river bank. While I had cycled along part of it a few days ago that had only been for the final part of this section. So I headed out as the mid day heat began to build up. Fortunately there were plenty of tall trees to provide shade over head. It proved to be a very interesting thing to do on foot. I past several rather flash guest houses and small hotels but most did not appear to be open yet for the busy season.</font></p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><font size="3">I went past a couple of schools and a kindergarten which all had parents waiting for their children just like in NZ – except there were no cars. A few scooters but most would be walking home. There were grazing buffalo to pass by not that any seemed to offer any challenge. Lots of hens, roosters and ducks running around. There were several groups of young chicks with their mothers scratching in the grass and earth along the track. Of course there was almost continous housing – homes constructed largely out of local materials and lots of open spaces to allow for the hot climate. Most were up on poles providing useful space under the raised floor. People were of course going about their various tasks – one woman had bowls full of washing which she was working trhrough. She was still there when I returned an hour and half later.</font></p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><br> </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><font size="3">I was interested to look at the various gardens. Some were fenced in with bamboo rails but others were built on small terraces cut into the river bank. There were several small banana gardens too. </font> </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><br> </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><font size="3">Much of my walk along the path was slowed down as I tried to capture some of the beautiful butterflies which were forever flying around me. In the end I did get some photos but not as many different butterflies as I would have liked. There were spme very large and colurful ones fluttering around me much of the time. Plenty of small ones as well, but it was the larger ones I really wanted.</font></p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><font size="3">Outside one guest house they had placed trays of sliced banana and other fruit out to dry in the sun. Here I found one medium sized butterfly which was more interested in the sweetness of the banana than in my moving around it. So here I did achieve a few good shots which I am pleased about.</font></p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><br> </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><font size="3">I came across what appeared to be a small Chinese temple beside the track. It had an small outer room, then a small courtyard before an equally small temple with a Chinese looking god statue at the far end. Most ot the altar tables looked neglected and there were lots of leaves on them. I did wonder what the history of this small temple was.</font></p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><br> </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><font size="3">As usual I past lots of school children coming and going, most smartly dressed in the white shirts and dark trousers or skirts. Many of the boys had little triangular scarves around their neck with the red triangle part neatly between their shoulders.</font></p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><br> </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><font size="3">One school gate had a busy food outlet. Nothing flash, a tin roof and sideless with a raised floor which became a sitting area. Stock was very minimal. As I past along through small villages there would often be a more substancal shop beside the track. Always small but usally crowded with the stock they did carry hanging around the front area,</font></p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><br> </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><font size="3">Finally I came to a branch in the track with one direction leading out to the road. I thought I recalled from my cycle ride a number of small shops and as I was beginning to think that a drink would be a good idea, I headed onto the road. Ahead I could see the masts whioch were at the vehicle ferry landing so I knew that there was food stalls there. I carried on along the road. On the way I was passed by several women on scooters which were laiden up and over loaded with hardware and kitchen goods. The local travelling salesperson. We gave each other cheerfull 'bai dee' greetings as I took photos.</font></p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><br> </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><font size="3">I finally reached the ferry landing. From the map I knew that this was 2 km from my guest house. I was able to buy a couple of cans of cool drink but the food turned out to be a packet of potato crisps. Well OK, that will last me on the way back.</font></p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><br> </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><font size="3">I located the track enterence to save another hot walk along the road under the mid day sun and set off. Less butterfly chasing this time and less need to take landscape photos as I had done it all on the way. But I did find a few new shots to take.</font></p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><br> </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><font size="3">Finally back into the village and into the first terrace restaurant I could find. As it was 3pm, the chicken sandwich, soda water and fresh lime juice were all very welcome.</font></p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><br> </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><font size="3">After a rest I headed down the road to Pons Arena Hotel use the Internet. Connection was fairly straight forward but downloading was painfully slow. There were only 23 emails to bring down. In the middle of it Robyn tried to establish skype contact but I didn't have the needed microphone or headphones with me. And I was in the hotel foyer. So I had to let it pass. A pity though.</font></p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><br> </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><font size="3">Around 5pm I headed for the Pon's Restaurant terrace for a cool dring and to watch the dark rain clouds build up as the breeze got stronger. Interesting and in the distance lightning flashes and thunder. Right on 6pm, just as the bus load of tourists arrived to take up their reserved tables, the rain began. I retreated upstairs to the balcony and to type this. Once the rain had begun for earnest, staff came up and lowered the protective canvas screens. My view was blocked, not that it is all that great from here. There are trees and roof tops which block out most of the view. A pity really. The power did go off but only for an instance before everything was on again. All in all this was a much smaller session of rain than was yesterday's downpour.</font></p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><br> </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><font size="3">My final evening meal: was a fish curry And I enjoyed it. </font> </p> <p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm"><br> </p> gordonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06741350167588602821noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8548089776332731694.post-17988417556238277852012-05-15T02:03:00.001-07:002012-05-15T02:03:10.667-07:00CHAMPASKCHAMPASAK
<br>
<br>Laos DPR
<br>
<br>
<br>I arrived in Champasak in the relative luxuary of my own tuktuk. After
<br>discusion with yesterday's driver I decided to retain his services for a
<br>further day.
<br>
<br>The plan was to be picked up when I wanted to be and drive the hour out
<br>to Champasak, find a guest house and then go out to the ancient ruins
<br>before being dropped back at the guest house.
<br>
<br>
<br>I would save the cost of a tuktuk to the bus station, bus fare, walking
<br>around Champasak to find a place to stay (no cost, just hot and slow),
<br>tuktuk to the ruins (70,000 to 80,000 kip ?). Effectively I paid double
<br>the cost to have my own driver, but considering the heat etc I feel it
<br>was worth it. And in NZ dollars it was not as expensive as it sounds.
<br>
<br>
<br>There was a good new road from Pakse to Champasak, but then it changed!
<br>I had selected a guest house from Lonely Planet and it seemed to meet
<br>the drivers approval as being ok. It was quick to find and although
<br>there were two others booking in ahead of me, there was a room. Room six
<br>was a double bed unit at the road end of a group of rooms. It had its on
<br>little terrace for me to sit out on in the evening cool and watch the
<br>passing trraffice – when there was any. Ensuite was larger than many I
<br>have had and there was a good flow of hot water. The reception office
<br>come lounge had make your own Lao coffee avaibable a refrigerator of
<br>cold drinks and yogurt. There was a stand of junk food but also some
<br>individual serve packets of what appeared to be local breakfast cereals.
<br>What I thought was small packets of fruit juice with attached straw,
<br>turned out to be fruit flavoured long life yogurt drinks.
<br>
<br>
<br>We made the 10 kms out to Wat Phu Champasak (a local leaflet spells if
<br>Vat Phou), along the main road, which was waves mounds, ups and downs
<br>and potholes – great numbers of them. And damp muddy areas. It would
<br>have been great training for rodeo riding!
<br>
<br>
<br>Wat Phu is a World Heritage site and is considered to be a very
<br>important example of Angor era sites. However, this is a much much
<br>smaller cmplex than Ankor Wat and is less well preserved. Or perhaps,
<br>less reconstructed? Even in the off season there was a good flow of
<br>tourists visiting (30,000kip). My driver suggested two hours and I found
<br>that a suitable time, perhaps another half an hour but as I was a slow
<br>mover taking photos along the way, most visitors would cover the site in
<br>under the two hours.
<br>
<br>Wat Phu is built on the side of a Phou Kao Mountain. There are three
<br>levels to the complex; Lower, Middle,Upper – which makes natural sense.
<br>
<br>The Lower level includes a large and picturesque rectangular Baray. This
<br>is the term for a man made reservior used by worshipers to wash
<br>themselves before entering the temple. It is a purifying ritual for mind
<br>and body. In acnient times the water for the baray came from sacred
<br>springs in the mountain and flowed on out from the baray to be used to
<br>irrigate local farms.
<br>
<br>
<br>After the baray are the base rocks of what once would have been a wall
<br>and ceremonial gate. From the gate a long ceremonial road or prominade
<br>leads to the next level. This road is raised up on a bung like causeway
<br>which seperates what were once a pair of Baray but now are fairly swampy
<br>or in places dried out. Either side of the ceremonial road are a series
<br>of head high colums with what I am told is a lotus flower shape on top
<br>of each. Well that could be but from the distance I had decided that
<br>they were phallic symbols, this being a Hindu temple.
<br>
<br>
<br>The ceremonial riadway continues up a few steps to the middle level and
<br>passes between the remains of a pair of large stone worship pavillions
<br>which are sometimes called 'palaces'. Even though small fences keep you
<br>away from the remains, it is still possible to spot the Hindu style and
<br>carvings on parts of the buildings. Although the outer walls remain and
<br>some small towers, several parts are propped up by strong timber beams.
<br>No roof remanins intact. They seemed to each have had a central
<br>courtyard and some rooms off it. Particularly Shiva is the 'featured'
<br>god along with Vishnu and Parvati.
<br>
<br>
<br>Behind one of these palaces is a further pavilion called the Nandi
<br>Pavilion which Italian archaeologists and restorers are slowing working
<br>on. Nandi was Shiva's bull. The interesting thing for me was that there
<br>is a theory that this pavilion is at one end of a road connecting it to
<br>Ankor Wat – just a mere 280 km roadway. These ancients did things in a
<br>grand way. But it also makes us pause and consider the sort of advanced
<br>civilisation they must have had.
<br>
<br>
<br>There are a couple of stairways to climb to reach the top level. One is
<br>big and steep with the stone steps varing in width, from narrow to very
<br>narrow in my judgement. I sort of felt that the steps were more modern
<br>construction as on either side were lateritic stone blocks which looked
<br>like the pattern of ancient steps. As it was I found that they made
<br>excellent 'hand rails' to help balance my climb up and descent later.
<br>Fortunately also, there were two or three 'landings' where you could
<br>pase for breath or gain confidence to continue the steep climb. In the
<br>grass on either side are various stone blocks and I located a couple of
<br>headless and armless statues which I read were called dvarapala statues.
<br>No others this large are known anywhere in the Angkor ruins.
<br>
<br>
<br>Well finally the top is reached and with it a smallish half ruined half
<br>retained sanctury complete with a mumber of Hindu stutues carved into
<br>the stone work and lintel. While this was originally dedicated to Shiva,
<br>today there is a statue or two or three of Buddha. The largest in the
<br>rare and a couple smaller ones in front. On the altar are burning
<br>inscence, flowers, and offerings. There is a donation box for cash.
<br>There are several of these located around the ruins – as are a few other
<br>Buddha statues of varing quality.
<br>
<br>
<br>Once there was a series of pipes and channels bringing water from the
<br>sacred springs (largely just drips when I was there), to the temple,
<br>where it washed over a Shiva lingam (which I always think is a word for
<br>pennis), before descending down to lover levels.
<br>
<br>
<br>I went up to the small cave or undercut in the smooth rock face of the
<br>mountianside. There was a small offering area and a couple of troughs
<br>catching the drips.
<br>
<br>
<br>I also found a place which was supposed to be a spring. On the flat
<br>verticle rockface was carved an elephant and nearby and engraved Buddha
<br>statue.
<br>
<br>
<br>But I didn't find the look alike Elephant or Crocodile Rocks. Nor did I
<br>see the Buddha footprint. But then by that stage my guide leaflet had
<br>dropped from my pocket and I had forgotten to look for them.
<br>
<br>
<br>There were great views of the river flats along the Mekong from this
<br>level. Ver flat and fertile looking. Lots of green of growing rice.
<br>Apparently at this level I was 75 metres above the Baray. UM, it seemed
<br>much higher than that.
<br>
<br>My Panasonic LX5 camera has a panorama assist setting, so I thought that
<br>this would be a good place to try it out. I knew nothing about it but
<br>realised that when set it supperimposed a light version of the edge of
<br>the previous shot so that you could place that image over the same spot
<br>for the next edge in the following picture. Should work although I have
<br>yet to try to actually link them up on my computer.
<br>
<br>
<br>Going down the steps required as much care as going up – just a bit less
<br>energy.
<br>
<br>
<br>Looking back now on the visit I realise that there is much more I could
<br>have seen. An exhibition Hall and the layout of a large ancient city
<br>which was associated with the temple complex.
<br>
<br>
<br>A stop for lunch in a local cafe where I had a mince pork filled
<br>omelete. Tatsed nice and filled the whole plate for about $3NZ.
<br>
<br>
<br>After all of that walking in the heat, it seemed a good idea to return
<br>along the bouncy road to the guest house and the fan to cool down. Along
<br>the road we found a grader spreading shingle into the potholes and wavey
<br>indentations. We needed to stop for the traffic hold up and that is were
<br>the tuktuk broke down. The driver could fire the ignition but not kick
<br>the engine into action. Needless to say plenty of local males apperared
<br>to help out. They pushed it to try and do a running start. Then they
<br>pushed it back again. In the end having lifted engine covers here and
<br>there I believe it was the accelerator tension spring had come loose.
<br>Once reatteached and the engine was working again and off we went past
<br>the grader. I didn't hold out much hope for a long life for the hole
<br>filling though.
<br>
<br>
<br>Around 4pm I went for a 90 minute stoll along the village road to see
<br>what the place was like.
<br>
<br>Essentially Champasak is a long line of houses space and official
<br>buildings one deep along the river bank side and not much more than the
<br>same on the other side as well. There are a scattering of guest houses
<br>of a variety of apparent quality and a couple small but modern hotels.
<br>There are some French colonial style grand villas but these may not be
<br>all that old. One had the date 1958 on its side – I thought for a moment
<br>it was 1858. This villa houses an Italian resturant which uses it home
<br>grown vegetables and mome ade sallami and sausages. Home made pasta too
<br>I would expect. Prices were a bit expensive by local rates though.
<br>
<br>As it was I went to the Inthira Hotel, a small modern looking
<br>establishment and rather classy; where I had a chicken steak done with
<br>black pepper. A pleasant meal and I discovered they have wi-fi. Next day
<br>I did but all I could manage to do was bring mail down it would not
<br>allow me to send.
<br>
<br>
<br>On my rest and relaxation day in Champasak I decided to spend the
<br>morning walking in a different direction to yesterday. I got about 800
<br>or so metres down the road when I stopped at a Wat and went in to look
<br>around. As I was finishing my looking an mpnk sitting on his upstairs
<br>verandah called out 'hello' and the usual questions like where did I
<br>come from and how long was I in Laos for. So we got chatting and he
<br>invided me to come up and chat. So I took the opportunity to go up the
<br>stairs and sit with him for a while, he allowed me to sit on a stool.
<br>
<br>
<br>It turned out that he was a British citizen who had been a monk for 9
<br>years here. He said that he had been living in USA but got sick and the
<br>cost of medicine and a cure was beyond him. So he came to Laos and
<br>turned to Buddhaism as the solution. He found the meditation and
<br>scriptures and practices was useful to his mediacl well being but not
<br>necessarily giving him a cure. It sort of took his mind off it –
<br>although he mentioned it to me several times. While he retained his
<br>English speaking I did feel that some how he was a little detached and
<br>not able to answer some basic general questions. However it was a
<br>special time to be hable to converse for that time.
<br>
<br>
<br>As I came down the stairs a group of niovices arrived. One who looked
<br>the youngest wanted to look through my camera viewfinder and he took a
<br>couple of shots, one of which was a good shot of a fellow novice on the
<br>stairs.
<br>
<br>
<br>A bit further along the road I went into yet another Wat and moved
<br>around. There was a speaker on a loud hailer in one of the open sided
<br>halls and when I looked the arrangement in the centre looked a bit like
<br>there was going to be a funeral. By the time I got to the gate I could
<br>hear loud amplified music from down the road. I have seen several
<br>funeral processions now and so I could guess what was coming.
<br>
<br>
<br>It was a long procession which included two decorated articulated
<br>trucks, each with mourners on the tray = one must have carried the
<br>coffin. There were monks riding along as well. After a few cars I saw a
<br>ute coming with an umbrella over the cargo tray. This turned out to be
<br>an umbrella to keep the sun off the bight gold Buddha statue siting in
<br>state on the ute. More cars a packed bus with several people waving at
<br>me. I am not sure if the ute with a couple of small buffalo tied on the
<br>back was part of the procession or not. Lots of people in the convoy
<br>waved and smiled at me. It did seem a very cheerful group.
<br>
<br>
<br>I was amused to what the vehicles manage the very bumpy road and watched
<br>them rock and roll from side to side. They were certainly giving the
<br>deceased a bouncy farewell.
<br>
<br>
<br>Quite soon after this I returned to the guest house because of the heat.
<br>Later in the afternoon I did wander down a few short side streets which
<br>were new to me. But I ended up sitting on a wide verandah overlooking
<br>the Mekong drinking a cold fresh pineapple 'shake' and watching the
<br>twilight steadily darken the overcast skies. No sinking sun to watch as
<br>I was in the wrong poision but I did notice a slight pinkish tone cross
<br>the skies for a short while.
<br>
<br>
<br>What a great way to end a day.gordonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06741350167588602821noreply@blogger.com0